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Higher Secondary Course, , ENGLISH, , CLASS - XI, , Government of Kerala, , DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, , State Council of Educational Research and Training, (SCERT), Kerala, 2016
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FOREWORD, , The objectives of teaching and learning English at the secondary, school level have undergone radical changes. A paradigm shift in, approach has given equal emphasis to the development of literary, and communicative competence. Hence, the learners are to be, provided with ample opportunity for the constructive use and further, enrichment of language and literary skills., The English Reader for Class XI has been developed on the basis of, the Revised Curriculum introduced in the state of Kerala. This, Textbook is activity-based, process-oriented and learner-centred. It, is aimed at realizing and refining the language potential developed in, the lower classes., The basic premise of the Textbook is that the learners will read the, materials provided, perform various language-learning activities, individually and in groups and become well-equipped to use English, most effectively in real life situations. To this end, the Textbook has, been divided into six units, each of which explores a common theme, and provides space for the desired outcome., The individual literary pieces included in this Textbook have been, selected judiciously to engage the imagination of the secondary school, students and to enrich their aesthetic appreciation. Attempts have, also been made to establish a link between the learning expectations, and the learning outcomes., The Textbook has been developed in a series of workshops organized, by the SCERT in which a team of teachers from various Higher, Secondary Schools, Colleges and Universities was involved. We extend, our gratitude to them for their creative contribution and whole-hearted, support., Constructive criticism and creative suggestions regarding this book, are most welcome., , Dr P. A. Fathima, Director, SCERT, Kerala
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CONTENTS, UNIT 1, r, r, r, r, , GLIMPSES, , GREATNESS, , OF, , Pages 07 - 37, , His First Flight, I will Fly, Quest for a Theory of Everything If (Poem), -, , UNIT 2, , WORDS, , AND, , DEEDS, , r And then Gandhi Came, r The Price of Flowers, r Death the Leveller (Poem), , UNIT 3, , BEYOND, , THE, , HORIZON, , r Sunrise on the Hills (Poem), r The Trip of Le Horla, r The Sacred Turtles of Kadavu, , UNIT 4, , BRAVING, , THE, , HAZARDS, , Liam O’Flaherty, Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Kitty Gail Ferguson, Rudyard Kipling, Pages 38 - 71, , - Jawaharlal Nehru, - Prabhat Kumar, Mukhopadhyay, - James Shirley, Pages 72 - 100, - H. W. Longfellow, - Guy de Maupassant, (A Fijian Legend), Pages 101 - 129, , r Disasters and Disaster, Management in India, , - Anjana Majumdar, , r The Serang of Ranaganji, r The Wreck of the Titanic (Poem), , - Dr A. J. Cronin, - Benjamin Peck Keith, , UNIT 5, , HARMONY, , OF, , LIFE, , r Gooseberries, r To Sleep (Poem), r Going out for a Walk, , UNIT 6, , LEAPS, , AND, , r The Cyberspace, r Is Society Dead?, r Conceptual Fruit, , BOUNDS, , Pages 130 - 161, - Anton Chekhov, - William Wordsworth, - Max Beerbohm, Pages 162 - 182, - Esther Dyson, - Andrew Sullivan, - Thaisa Frank
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Unit, , 1, ‘Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to, continue that counts.’, - Winston Churchill, About the Unit, Success is undoubtedly the fruit of perseverance. The great, achievements of others can inspire us, and we, in turn, can be, an inspiration to many. The first unit of this textbook ‘Glimpses, of Greatness’ highlights the personality traits of some great, people. It throws light on the qualities that are to be developed, so as to become successful in life., This unit includes an anecdote from the life of Abraham Lincoln, -- ‘Abe’s First Speech,’ a story by Liam O’ Flaherty -- ‘His First, Flight,’ a speech by Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam -- ‘I will Fly,’ a profile, of Stephen Hawking -- ‘Quest for a Theory of Everything’ and a, poem by Rudyard Kipling -- ‘If’. It aims at equipping the learners, to face the challenges of life with courage, confidence and, perseverance, and to become unique in their own ways. While, doing so, they must uphold the values of life. The unit also aims, at building confidence in learners to use English effectively and, to help them acquire a strong linguistic foundation that will, improve their application of the language in other contexts.
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Let’s begin, 1. ‘Some are born great; some achieve greatness; some have greatness, thrust upon them.’ -- William Shakespeare (Twelfth Night)., Is greatness an innate trait? Is it acquired by the successful or, thrust upon them? Discuss., 2. What qualities make people great? Discuss with your friends and, write them in the boxes below., Hard work, , Greatness, , Perseverance, , 3. We strive to reach heights, achieve greatness and be successful, in life. But at times, it seems difficult., Now, look at the picture given below., , m, , What thoughts and feelings does it evoke in you?, , m, , Give a suitable caption to the picture., , m, , Have you had any similar experience? If so, share it with your, friends., , 8
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Unit - 1 GLIMPSES OF GREATNESS, , 4. Read and discuss:, r Abraham Lincoln is one of the greatest of American statesmen. He is, known for his celebrated speeches. Here is the story of his first speech, as a little boy., ABE’S FIRST SPEECH, ‘Abe’ made his first speech when he was a boy, going barefoot, his, trousers held up by one suspender, and his shock of hair sticking, through a hole in the crown of his cheap straw hat., Abe, in company with his rail-splitting* companion Dennis Hanks,, attended a political meeting, which was addressed by a typical stump, speaker**-- one of those loud-voiced fellows, who shouted at the top, of his voice and waved his arms wildly., At the conclusion of the speech,, which did not meet the views either, of Abe or Dennis, the latter declared, that Abe could make a better speech, than that. Whereupon, he got a dry, goods box and called on Abe to reply, to the campaign orator., Little Abe threw his old straw hat on, the ground, and, mounting the dry, goods box, delivered a speech which, held the attention of the crowd, and, won him considerable applause. Even the campaign orator admitted, that it was a fine speech and answered every point in his own ‘oration’., Dennis Hanks, who thought Abe was the greatest man who ever, lived, was delighted, and he often spoke of how young Abe got the, better of the trained campaign speaker., (From ‘Abe Lincoln’s Anecdotes and Stories’ by R. D. Wordsworth.), , Think and respond:, m What made little Abe stand on the dry goods box and deliver the, speech?, m Do you think good dress, appearance, position in society, etc.,, are needed to present yourself before the public for a speech?, m What is the role of Dennis in bringing out the best in young Abe?, r Do you think that everybody has some potential in them? Some, people take the initiative, while others do not dare to showcase, their talents. What do you think are the reasons for this? Write, down your views., m Lack of opportunity, m, Lack of confidence, m, *, **, , m, , Lincoln has often been portrayed as a ‘rail-splitter,’ wielding a heavy axe and splitting, logs to make rail fences., A stump speech was a speech addressed to the general public during a political or, social campaign, where political candidates stood upon tree stumps to deliver a speech, --- the custom in 19th century America., , 9
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , I. Read and reflect:, Let’s read the story of a young seagull that was afraid to make its, first flight, and how its parents goaded it into action and thereby, equipped it to face the challenges of life., , HIS FIRST FLIGHT, , Liam O’Flaherty, , The young seagull was, alone on his ledge. His, two brothers and his, sister had already flown, away the day before. He, had been, • Why was the young seagull, afraid to fly, afraid to fly?, with them., Somehow, when he had, taken a little run, forward to the brink of the ledge and attempted to flap his, wings, he became afraid. The great expanse of sea, stretched down beneath, and it was such a long way down, — miles down. He felt certain that his wings would never, support him; so he bent his head and ran away back to, the little hole under the ledge where he slept at night., Even when each of his brothers and his little sister, whose, wings were far shorter than his own, ran to the brink,, flapped their wings, and flew away, he failed to muster up, courage to take that plunge which appeared • What did the parents do to, to him so desperate. His father and mother, motivate the young bird, when it failed to muster up, had come around calling to him shrilly,, enough courage to fly?, scolding him, threatening to let him starve on, his ledge, unless he flew away. But for the life of him, he, could not move., That was twenty-four hours ago. Since then, nobody had, come near him. The day before, all day long, • How did the parents, support and encourage the, he had watched his parents flying about with, young seagull’s brothers, his brothers and sister, perfecting them in the, and sister?, art of flight, teaching them how to skim the, waves and how to dive for fish. He had, in fact, seen his, older brother catch his first herring and devour it,, standing on a rock, while his parents circled around, raising a proud cackle. And all the morning, the whole, 10
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Unit - 1 GLIMPSES OF GREATNESS, , family had walked about on the big plateau midway down, the opposite cliff, laughing at his cowardice., The sun was now ascending the sky, blazing warmly on, his ledge that faced the south. He felt the heat because, he had not eaten since the previous nightfall. Then, he, had found a dried piece of mackerel’s tail at, the far end of his ledge. Now, there was not a • Cite an instance which, shows the pathetic, single scrap of food left. He had searched every, condition of the young, inch, rooting among the rough, dirt-caked, bird., straw nest where he and his brothers and, sister had been hatched. He even gnawed at the dried, pieces of eggshell. It was like eating a part of himself., He then trotted back and forth from one end of the ledge, to the other, his long gray legs stepping daintily, trying to, find some means of reaching his parents without having, to fly. But on each side of him, the ledge ended in a sheer, fall of precipice, with the sea beneath. And • How did the bird try to, reach its parents without, between him and his parents, there was a, having to fly?, deep, wide crack., Surely he could reach them without flying if he could, only move northwards along the cliff face? But then, on, what could he walk? There was no ledge, and, he was not a fly. And above him, he could see, • Why could the seagull not, nothing. The precipice was sheer, and the top, succeed in its attempt?, of it was, perhaps, farther away than the sea, beneath him., He stepped slowly out to the brink of the ledge, and,, standing on one leg with the other leg hidden under his, wing, he closed one eye, then the other, and pretended to, be falling asleep. Still, they took no notice of him. He saw, his two brothers and his sister lying on the plateau dozing,, with their heads sunk into their necks. His father was, preening the feathers on his white back. Only his mother, was looking at him., She was standing on a little high hump on the plateau,, her white breast thrust forward. Now and again, she tore, at a piece of fish that lay at her feet, and then scraped, each side of her beak on the rock. The sight of, • Do you think that the young, the food maddened him. How he loved to tear, seagull’s parents were, cruel?, food that way, scraping his beak now and again, 11
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , to whet it! He uttered a low cackle. His mother cackled, too, and looked at him., ‘Ga, ga, ga,’ he cried, begging her to bring him • Can you justify the attitude, of the parents?, over some food. ‘Gawl-ool-ah,’ she screamed, •, Your parents sometimes, back mockingly. But he kept calling plaintively,, behave in the same, and after a minute or so, he uttered a joyful, manner. They may seem, scream. His mother had picked up a piece of, cruel and unrelenting., Does it mean that they do, fish and was flying across to him with it. He, not love you?, leaned out eagerly, tapping the rock with his, feet, trying to get nearer to her as she flew across. But, when she was just opposite to him, abreast of the ledge,, she halted, her legs hanging limp, her wings motionless,, the piece of fish in her beak almost within reach of his, beak., He waited a moment in surprise, wondering • What prompted the young, seagull to fly finally?, why she did not come nearer, and then, maddened by hunger, he dived at the fish. With a loud, scream, he fell outwards and downwards into space. His, mother had swooped upwards. As he passed beneath her,, he heard the swish of her wings., Then a monstrous terror seized him and his heart stood, still. He could hear nothing. But it only lasted a moment., The next moment, he felt his wings spread, • Why was the young bird, outwards. The wind rushed against his breast, terrified? How did it, overcome its fear?, feathers, then under his stomach and against, his wings. He could feel the tips of his wings cutting, through the air. He was not falling headlong now. He was, soaring gradually, downwards and outwards. He was no, longer afraid. He just felt a bit dizzy. Then, he flapped his, wings once and he soared upwards., He uttered a joyous scream and flapped them again. He, soared higher. He raised his breast and banked • How did the family support, the seagull?, against the wind. ‘Ga, ga, ga. Ga, ga, ga.’ ‘Gawlool-ah.’ His mother swooped past him, her, wings making a loud noise. He answered her with another, scream. Then, his father flew over him screaming. Then,, he saw his two brothers and sister flying around him,, soaring and diving., Then, he completely forgot that he had not always been, able to fly, and commenced to dive and soar, shrieking, shrilly., 12
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Unit - 1 GLIMPSES OF GREATNESS, , He was near the sea now, flying straight over it, facing, out over the ocean. He saw a vast green sea beneath him,, with little ridges moving over it; he turned his • Why couldn’t the young, seagull stand on the green, beak sideways and crowed amusedly. His, sea?, parents and his brothers and sister had landed, on this green floor in front of him. They were beckoning to, him, calling shrilly. He dropped his legs to stand on the, green sea. His legs sank into it. He screamed with fright, and attempted to rise again, flapping his • Do you think that the bird’s, parents loved him? Why?, wings. But he was tired and weak with hunger, and he could not rise, exhausted by the strange, exercise. His feet sank into the green sea, and then his, belly touched it and he sank no farther., He was floating on it. And around him, his family was, screaming, praising him, and their beaks were offering, him scraps of dog-fish., He had made his first flight., , Your teacher will help you watch the, visualisation of the story., , Glossary:, , About the Author, , ledge (n), , Liam O’Flaherty (18961984) was an Irish novelist, and a short-story writer., His works are noted for, their psychological insight, into life’s problems and the, ways of overcoming them., His First Flight relates the importance, of independence and self-confidence,, as well as the need to remain involved, in family life. Through the story of the, birds, the writer conveys the importance, of self-esteem and self-reliance., , : a narrow horizontal, projection from a vertical, surface, muster up (v), : gather, skim (v), : glide, trot (v), : run at a moderate pace, precipice (n), : very steep rock face/cliff, preen (v), : clean, whet (v), : sharpen, plaintively (adv) : sadly, monstrous (adj) : frightening, , Activity I (Read and respond), m What is the theme of the story?, m What do you think is the real crisis faced by the young bird?, m What is your impression of the reaction of the parents in the, story?, , 13
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , m, , Identify the words or expressions used in the story to express, thoughts, attitudes, movements, sounds, emotions, appearance,, descriptions of the birds/ places, etc., e.g. description of the young seagull's legs as ‘long gray,’ the ledge as, ‘a sheer fall of precipice,’ its walk as ‘trotted back and forth,’ etc., , m, , Do you think such expressions make the narrative more effective, and engage your interest and attention?, , m, , What is the message of the story?, , Activity II (Review), r Based on the discussion, prepare a review of the story., Activity III (Tree diagram), r Read the story once again. Identify the factors that prevented, the seagull from flying and those that favoured his flight. Now,, complete the tree diagram., Seagull’s life, , failure, , fear, , success, , need, , Activity IV (Think and respond), m Do you believe that you also can fly high in your life?, , m What sort of support do you expect from your family?, m Can their support alone help you in fulfilling your ambition?, m What do you think are the requirements to attain success in life?, Write them below:, , 14, , m, , m, , m, , m, , m, , m
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Unit - 1 GLIMPSES OF GREATNESS, , II. Read and reflect:, Let’s examine what Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam has to tell us about, being successful and unique., , I WILL FLY, Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, , Dear friends,, , When I wish upon a star,, Makes no difference who I am., Anything my heart desires, Will come to me., , I realize how the contributions of the youth in the past, have continuously contributed to the world of today in, many fields. I would like to assert that no youth today, needs to fear about the future. Why? The • Why does Dr. Kalam say, ignited mind of the youth is the most powerful that ‘No youth needs to fear, about the future’?, resource on the earth, under the earth, and, above the earth. Dear young friends, I would like to talk, to you on the topic ‘I am born with wings.’, Last year, I went to a village to inaugurate a programme, called Sasthrayaan, which means ‘the propagation of, Science’. The mission of Sasthrayaan was to • What was the mission of, ensure the preparation of about two thousand ‘Sasthrayaan’?, students from different schools, towards, making them eligible to be engineers, scientists, doctors,, qualified managers, and civil servants. This, action would, in turn, empower about two • Dr Kalam’s talk was on the, thousand families of the village. My inaugural topic ‘Science Empowers, the Nation.’ How does, address to a mixed audience, consisting of five science empower the, thousand students and their family members, nation?, was on the topic, ‘Science Empowers the, Nation’., After my address, hundreds of hands were raised for, asking questions. Due to the limited availability of time, I, selected twelve students at random, from the last row to, the first, to ask questions. I would like to share with you, one question of great concern which was asked by a, student., The question was from a teenager who had come from a, far away village. He was nervous and a typical, representative of the youth of India. The boy began, 15
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , speaking, ‘Sir, I don’t know what I should ask. • Why couldn’t the boy, I am nervous. I have not asked any question in gather confidence?, • If you were there, would, my class. I need to have confidence, but I have you dare to ask Dr Kalam a, not gained any confidence through my question?, education during all these years. I am afraid, to talk to my teachers, I am afraid to talk to my friends., Whenever I talk, I compare myself with other students, and their elegant dress. Please tell me. I want to become, a marine engineer. I want to travel in a ship. I want to be, the captain of the ship. I want to build the, engine of the ship. Shall I be able to do all • What was the boy’s, concern?, these, sir? How can I achieve this mission?, What should I do?’ When the boy completed the question,, the entire audience and the dignitaries on the dais,, including the Chief Minister, were looking at me, wondering what Kalam was going to say to, • Why did the audience look, the sincere question of a young village boy., at Dr Kalam when the boy, , I thought of it, and breaking the silence, I, completed the question?, said, ‘My dear friend, you have put the most, difficult question among the many questions that I have, received from millions and millions of students, • Why did Dr Kalam value, whom I have met. I value your question. I know, the boy’s question?, you are echoing the fear of many. Let me, recite a beautiful ancient poem named ‘I will fly’., I am born with potential., I am born with goodness and trust., I am born with ideas and dreams., I am born with greatness., I am born with confidence., I am born with wings., So, I am not meant for crawling,, I have wings, I will fly, I will fly and fly., Young friends, let me discuss with you, how you can be, unique. I have, so far, met fifteen million youth in a, decade’s time. I learnt, ‘Every youth wants to be unique,, that is YOU!’ But the world all around you is doing its, best, day and night, to make you just ‘everybody else’. In, your home, dear young fellows, you are asked by your, parents to be like the neighbours’ children for scoring, good marks. When you go to school, your teacher, , • How can you be unique?, , 16
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Unit - 1 GLIMPSES OF GREATNESS, , says, ‘Why don’t you become like the, first five rankers in the class?’, Wherever you go, people say, ‘You have, to be somebody else or everybody else’., Now, dear young friends, how many of, you would like to be unique yourself?, The challenge, my dear young friends,, is that you have to fight the hardest, battle which any human being can ever, imagine, and never stop fighting until, you arrive at your destined place, that, is, a UNIQUE YOU!, (Adapted), , About the Author, Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Dr Kalam, the former, President of India, is a, distinguished scientist,, well-known for his, significant contribution, to the field of space research. His vision, is to transform India into a developed, nation by 2020., Born on 15 October, 1931, at, Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu,, Abdul Kalam specialised in, Aeronautical Engineering from the, Madras Institute of Technology. He, became Professor of Technology and, Societal Transformation at Anna, University, and was involved in teaching, and research., , Glossary:, dais (n), , :, , platform/stage, , propagate (v), , :, , spread/ promote, , Activity I (Think and respond), m Are you confident enough to ask questions or express your views, in public?, m Have you ever felt inferior to others in any way?, m How can you overcome your fear or inhibition?, m What is your ambition in life?, m Are you confident that you can fulfil your dream?, m How do you think you can attain your goal?, Activity II (Speech), r Imagine that you get the opportunity to address Class X students, before their public examination. On the basis of, Dr Kalam’s message, prepare a speech to motivate and prepare, them for the examination., Activity III (E-mail), r You get inspired by Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam’s message and decide, to communicate your thoughts and ideas to your friend who is, studying abroad. Draft an e-mail to your friend., , 17
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , III. Read and reflect:, Dr Kalam exhorts everybody to be unique in his/ her own way. There, are many people who have proved their uniqueness even while, fighting adversities and limitations. Stephen Hawking’s profile, reveals how he has overcome his disabilities to become the, ‘supernova’ of physics., , QUEST FOR A THEORY OF EVERYTHING, Kitty Gail Ferguson, , In the Cockcroft Lecture Room, on, April 29, 1980, scientists and, university dignitaries gathered in, steep tiers of seats, facing a twostorey wall of chalkboard and slide, screen. The occasion was the, inaugural lecture by a new Lucasian Professor of, Mathematics, the thirty eight-year-old mathematician and, physicist, Stephen Hawking., The title of the lecture was a question: ‘Is the End in, Sight for Theoretical Physics?’ Hawking startled his, listeners by announcing that he thought it was. He invited, them to join him in a sensational escape through time, and space to find the Holy Grail* of science: the • How did Hawking startle, theory that explains the universe, and the audience?, everything that happens in it., Stephen Hawking sat silently in a wheelchair • Stephen Hawking did not, appear to be a promising, while one of his students read his lecture to choice to lead any, the assembled company. Judged by appearance adventure. Why?, alone, Hawking didn’t seem a promising choice, • Can a person be judged by, to lead any adventure., appearance alone? Justify, , Stephen William Hawking was born on 8 your response., January, 1942, in Oxford, England. It was exactly three, hundred years after the death of Galileo, the father of, modern science., Frank and Isobel Hawking, Stephen’s parents were not, * Holy Grail- (in medieval legend) the cup said to be used by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper, , 18
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Unit - 1 GLIMPSES OF GREATNESS, , wealthy, but they believed in the value of education. So, they planned for Stephen to go to Westminster, a famous, public school in the heart of London. Unfortunately,, Stephen was ill at the time of the scholarship examination, for Westminster. Therefore, he attended the local Saint, Alban’s School., By the time he was eight, he was thinking seriously about, becoming a scientist. Frank Hawking encouraged his son, to follow him into medicine, but Stephen found biology too, imprecise. He wanted a subject in which he • What do you learn about, Stephen, Hawking ’s, could look for exact answers and get to the, childhood?, root of things., Young Stephen was no prodigy. He was just an ordinary, English school boy, slow in learning to read, his, handwriting the despair of his teachers! He was ranked, no more than halfway up in his class, though he now says, in his own defence, ‘It was a very bright class.’, At fourteen, Stephen knew that he would pursue, mathematics and physics. His father called this impractical, for there were no jobs in mathematics except teaching., Moreover, he wanted his son to attend his own college, and Oxford offered no mathematics. He followed his father’s, advice and studied chemistry, physics and only a little, mathematics, in preparation for the entrance into Oxford., He did well in physics and the interview was brilliantly, accepted., In 1959, at the age of seventeen, Hawking went to Oxford, to study natural science and to specialize in physics. He, joined University College, his father’s college and the oldest, at Oxford, founded in 1249 AD., Nevertheless, for about a year and a half, • Comment on Hawking’s life, Hawking was lonely and bored. He was not at Oxford., inspired to relieve his boredom by exerting himself, academically. But halfway through his second year, he, began enjoying Oxford., He became popular and well-accepted among his peers., They remember him as lively, buoyant, and, opinion, did, adaptable. He wore his hair long, was famous • What, Hawking’s peers at Oxford, for his wit, liked classical music and science, have about him?, fiction, and took part in sports., 19
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , However, at the end of the third year, Hawking almost, floundered. He selected theoretical physics as his, specialty. He had then applied to do a Ph.D. at Cambridge, and was accepted on condition that he got a ‘First’ from, Oxford. Hawking was confident that he could get through, successfully. But as the examination day approached, his, confidence failed. Hawking ended up disastrously on the, borderline between a first and a second., Faced with a borderline result, the examiners summoned, Hawking for an interview and questioned him about his, plans. In spite of the tenseness of the situation,, • Cite an example to prove, Hawking managed to come up with the kind of that Stephen Hawking was, remark for which he was famous among his sharp-witted. Did his wit, friends. ‘If I get a first, I shall go to Cambridge. help him in any way?, If I receive a second, I will remain at Oxford. So I expect, that you will give me a first.’ He got his ‘First’ and he, went to Cambridge., His first year at Cambridge was worse than, that at Oxford. His slipshod mathematical • Stephen’s first year at, Cambridge was worse than, background caught up with him, and he found that at Oxford. Why ?, general relativity extremely tough. Another far, more disastrous problem arose then. During his third year, at Oxford, Hawking started getting clumsy. He’d fallen, once or twice for no apparent reason. The following, autumn, at Cambridge, he had trouble tying his shoes, and sometimes, he had difficulty talking., Shortly after his twenty-first birthday in 1963, • How did tragedy strike, Hawking contracted a rare disease, amyotrophic Hawking shortly after his, lateral sclerosis, for which there was no known twenty first birthday?, cure. It caused a gradual disintegration of the nerve cells, in the spinal cord and the brain. At first, he went into a, deep depression. He did not know what he ought to do, or, what his future would be like., ‘My dreams at that time were rather confused,’ he, admitted. ‘Before my condition was diagnosed, I had been, very bored with life. There did not seem to be anything, worth doing. But shortly after I came out of hospital, I, dreamt that I was going to be executed. I • What drastic change came, suddenly realized that there were a lot of over Hawking after the, worthwhile things to do, if I were reprieved. diagnosis of the disease?, , 20
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Unit - 1 GLIMPSES OF GREATNESS, , Another recurring dream was the idea of • What trait of Hawking's, sacrificing my life to save others. After all, if I character do you note, were going to die, I might as well do some good.’ here?, Hawking’s doctors hoped that his condition would stabilize,, but the disease aggravated rapidly. They soon informed, him that he had only about two more years to live., Two years passed. The progression of the disease had, slowed. ‘I didn’t die. In fact, although there was a cloud, hanging over my future, I found to my surprise that I was, enjoying life in the present, more than before’. Total, disability and death, though still a not-too-distant, certainty, were postponed. Hawking had his reprieve, a, precarious and a temporary one, but life was precious., At a New Year’s party at Saint Alban’s, just before he, entered the hospital for tests, Hawking met • What was Jane’s impression, Jane Wilde. To her, this dishevelled graduate of Hawking?, student seemed terribly intelligent, eccentric, and rather arrogant. But he was interesting and she liked, his wit., When Jane met him again after his discharge from the, hospital, he was really in a pathetic state. ‘I think he’s, lost his will to live. He was very confused,’ she • Write a note on the, commented. She was not, however, put off by character of Jane., his physical or mental condition. She was rather a shy, teenager, serious-minded, with a strong faith in God, ingrained from childhood by her mother, and a belief that, good can come out of any adversity., Hawking admired her optimism and their friendship, developed slowly. After a while, the two began to realize,, in Jane’s words, ‘that together, we could make • How did Jane’s optimism, something worthwhile.’ For Stephen, that made influence Hawking?, ‘all the difference.’ He applied for a research fellowship at, Caius, one of the colleges in Cambridge University., In 1965, at the age of twenty-three, Hawking received his, fellowship at Caius. And in July of the same year, Jane, and he were married., People who remember Hawking in the University in the, late 1960s, recall him making his way around the corridors, with a cane, supporting himself against the wall. He spoke, with what sounded like a slight speech impediment. But, 21
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , more than that, they remember his brashness in sessions, involving some of the world’s most distinguished scientists., While other young researchers kept a reverential silence,, Hawking daringly asked unexpected and penetrating, questions. He clearly knew what he was talking • Is Stephen Hawking really, about. His reputation as ‘a genius,’ ‘another a great mind on par with, the likes of Einstein and, Einstein,’ began then., Newton., , Justify, , your, , In 1980, a practical need for funds launched answer., him into a new enterprise that was to have a, far reaching impact on the Hawkings and others all over, the world. He thought of writing a book about the universe,, about the most interesting questions that had made him, want to study cosmology and quantum theory: Where did, the universe come from? Is the universe infinite or does, it have any boundaries? Will it come to an end; • List the interesting facts, if so, how? Is there a complete theory of the dealt with in Hawking’s, universe and everything in it? Is there a book., beginning of Time? Could time run back? The book begins, by rewinding the great theories of the cosmos from Newton, to Einstein. He wrote the book to make science, understandable to non-scientists., He completed the first draft in 1984. While the revision, process was going on, he made a trip to Switzerland. There, he was down with pneumonia and was left on a life-support, system. Doctors gave a choice as to whether a tracheotomy, operation which would remove his windpipe should be, conducted or not. It might save his life, but afterwards he, would never again be able to speak or make a vocal sound., With grave misgivings, Jane consented., ‘The future looked very bleak,’ Jane remarked. • What could have been the, Hawking could no longer breathe through his misgivings of Jane?, mouth and nose, but only through a permanent, opening made in his throat. After many weeks of intensive, care, he went home to join Jane and his three children., He was still too weak and ill to continue his • How could he overcome, research. Walt Woltosz, a computer expert in his difficulties after the, California, sent him a programme he had tracheotomy operation?, developed, called the Equalizer, which allowed Hawking, to select words from the screen., He thought he would be unable to finish his book., , 22
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Unit - 1 GLIMPSES OF GREATNESS, , With the support of his student Brian Whitt, A Brief History, of Time was published in 1988. September, 2005, saw the, release of an abridged version of the original book. This, version was updated to address the new issues that had, arisen due to further scientific developments., One will encounter a multitude of paradoxes in the book:, ‘In science and with people, things are often not what, they seem, and pieces that ought to fit together refuse to, do so. You’ll learn that beginnings may be endings; cruel, circumstances can lead to happiness, although fame and, success may not; two great scientific theories taken, together seem to give us nonsense; empty space isn’t, empty; black holes aren’t black; and a man, • Mention some of the, whose appearance inspires shock and pity unique, ideas, and, takes us laughing to where the boundaries of paradoxes put forward by, Stephen Hawking., time and space ought to be, but are not.’, It is of course a miracle that Hawking has been able to, achieve everything he has; that he is still alive. However,, when you experience his intelligence and humour, you, begin to take his unusual mode of communication and his, obviously catastrophic physical problems no more seriously, than he seems to himself. That is exactly the, way he wants it. He chooses to ignore the • What was Hawking's, to his disability?, difficulty and he expects others to adopt the attitude, How do you estimate it in a, same attitude., wider social context?, Stephen Hawking has overcome his crippling, disease to become the ‘supernova’ of world physics., (Adapted), About the Author, , Your teacher will help you watch the, visualisation of the profile., , Kitty Gail Ferguson is a science writer,, lecturer, and, a, former, professional musician. She has, authored numerous science books, including books on biographical facts., Ferguson’s works are recognized for, their degree of detail and accuracy. She, is known for her ability to explain very, complicated scientific concepts., , 23
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Glossary:, apparent (adj), brashness (n), buoyant (adj), dishevelled (adj), flounder (v), imprecise (adj), misgivings (n), penetrating (adj), precarious (adj), prodigy (adj), reprieve (n), slipshod (adj), summon (v), supernova (n), , :, :, :, :, :, :, :, :, :, :, :, :, :, :, , clear, boldness, cheerful, untidy, struggle, inexact, doubts, sharp, unstable, genius, release, careless, call, a star that suddenly becomes brighter (often, because, of an explosion), , Activity I (Writing), r Attempt an assessment of the personality of Hawking in a short, paragraph., Activity II (Timeline), r List the facts you have learned about Stephen Hawking, in, chronological order, in the timeline given below:, 2005, , Release of the abridged version of, ‘A Brief History of Time’, , 1959, 1950, 1942, , 24, , Birth
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Unit - 1 GLIMPSES OF GREATNESS, , r Now, look at the list you have made. What facts do the readers, expect in a profile?, •, •, •, •, •, •, •, , Date of birth, ...................., ...................., ...................., ...................., ...................., .................... etc., , Activity III (Interview), r Read the excerpt from the interview of Stephen Hawking by Kitty, Gail Ferguson. She interviews him to collect details for his, biography. Find out Stephen’s responses from the profile and, complete the interview., Interviewer : Shortly after your twenty-first birthday, your doctors, diagnosed that you had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,, a rare disease for which there is no known cure. How, did you react to the diagnosis? How did you manage, to cope with the situation?, Interviewee : ..............................................................................., ..............................................................................., ..............................................................................., Interviewer : What made you think that life was precious? Can you, recollect any particular instance in your life that, has become crucial?, Interviewee : ..............................................................................., ..............................................................................., ..............................................................................., Interviewer : It is said that you wrote a book to make science, understandable to non-scientists. Is that so?, Interviewee : ..............................................................................., ..............................................................................., ..............................................................................., r Now, prepare a set of questions, and conduct an interview with, a person who has become successful in any field in your locality., You can identify people who became successful in any walk, of life, such as farming/ entrepreneurship/ the civil services/, competitive examinations, etc., , 25
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Activity IV (Profile), Using the responses you received from the person you, interviewed, prepare his/her profile., Activity V (Speech), r Read the following statements from the profile of Stephen, Hawking., ‘Shortly after I came out of hospital, I dreamt that I was, going to be executed. I suddenly realized that there were a, lot of worthwhile things I could do.’, Can you find out similar incidents that happened in the lives of other, great people (such as Helen Keller, Wilma Rudolf, Valentina, Tereshkova, etc.). Prepare a short speech on any one of them so as, to deliver it before the school assembly., Activity VI (Group Discussion), r Now, conduct a group discussion on the topic ‘Adversities in life, should make you better, not bitter.’, Tips, The Group Discussion is a comprehensive tool for assessing a, candidate’s personality. Most organizations today are very clear, about the skills and knowledge that they look for in a candidate,, while screening. The GD has become a part of the selection process, for admission to any reputed institution., Skills judged in Group Discussions, •, how good you are at communication, •, how you behave and interact with others, •, how open-minded you are, •, your listening skills, •, the way you present your views, •, your leadership and decision making capacity, •, your knowledge of the subject and ability to analyze, •, problem solving and critical thinking skills, •, your attitude and confidence, , Your teacher will help you watch the visualisation of model GDs, , 26
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Unit - 1 GLIMPSES OF GREATNESS, , Activity VII (Cohesive devices), r Note the use of words like ‘moreover’, ‘nevertheless’, ‘however’,, etc. in the profile. These words which show the relationship, between sentences and hold a text together, are known as, cohesive devices. Identify a few such expressions/words and, complete the following., Words used, , ..........................., ..........................., ..........................., , Writer’s purpose, , ..........................., ..........................., ..........................., , Whether effective or not, , ..........................., ..........................., ..........................., , A table showing commonly used Cohesive devices for different functions are given below. You may add more., , Function, , Cohesive devices, , Reason/ Cause and Effect, , because of/ as/ since/ due to/, owing to/for/ ..., , Result, , so/as a result/, consequently/ ..., , Purpose, Contrast/ Qualify, , therefore/, , in order (not) to / so/so that/ so as, (not) to/ ..., even though/ but/ however/ while/, nevertheless/ yet/ although/ in, spite of/ despite/ though/, whereas/ still/ ..., , Contradicting, , on the contrary/ even so/ ..., , Adding, , and/ too/ moreover/ also/, furthermore/ in addition to/, besides/ ..., , Illustrating, , for instance/, particular/ ..., , Comparing, , similarly/ in the same way/, likewise/ like/ equally/ ..., , Generalising, , on the whole/ in some cases/ in, general/ in all / many/ most/, broadly speaking/ ..., , Sequencing / Structuring, , for, , example/in, , firstly/ secondly/ lastly, etc./ first, of all/ finally/ to begin with/ to, start with/ meanwhile/ then/, after/ subsequently/ ..., , 27
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Let’s practise, r Choose the correct cohesive devices from the box given to, complete the sentences. Each one is to be used only once., moreover, , firstly, , on the other hand, , whereas, , at last, , then, , however, , actually, , besides, , though, , 1., , I had a terrible day at work and lost my umbrella too., ______ I spoke to that nice guy who works in the coffee, shop., , 2., , Television turns people into lazy couch potatoes. ______,, there are some educational programmes on., , 3., , ______, I would like to welcome you all to the conference, today., , 4., , ______ the film was a little boring, we still had a nice, evening out., , 5., , I've always known Caroline as a miser. ______, she lent, me, 1000 yesterday without my having to ask twice!, , 6., , I got up at 9 o'clock yesterday and had a cold shower., ______, I had breakfast and left for work., , 7., , My brother works in a large office ______ I work on my, own at home., , 8., , Why do you think I don't want to go out tonight? ______,, I would be delighted to get out of the house., , 9., , You should participate in the school youth festival as it, gives you a chance to meet many people. ______, it gives, you an opportunity to showcase your talents., , 10. I don't want to go to the football game. Football bores me, and I don't want to pay 40 for a ticket. ______, look at, the weather! All that rain!, , 28
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Unit - 1 GLIMPSES OF GREATNESS, , Activity VIII (Collocation), r Look at the expressions used in the biography of Stephen Hawking., ‘Stephen Hawking has overcome his crippling disease to become the, supernova of world physics.’, The words in italics go together. In other words, crippling collocates, with disease., Given below are a set of collocations which can be used to express, ‘success’:, crowning achievement/ dramatic improvement/ made a, breakthrough/ brilliant success/ enjoy the fruits of hard, work/ brought out the best/ won the respect of/ remarkable, achievement, Let’s practise, Arun’s teacher is talking about his merit and achievement, to his parents while giving the end-of-term report. Imagine, what the teacher would say, and complete the sentences, using suitable collocations from those given in the box above., Arun has ______ in Maths this year, doing excellent work, compared to last year. It is, of course, a ______ on his part., This year has seen a ______ in Arun’s English., His ______ is his performance in the school’s staging, ‘Othello’., , of, , He has found some effective ways, of working with natural materials, this year, and his self-portrait is Collocation is the way in, a ______, which some words are used, He is now able to ______. Playing together or in combination., for the school cricket team has e.g. ‘commit a crime’ is a, certainly ______ in him and he standard collocation in, rightly ______ of all his teammates. English. (‘Did a crime’ is not.), , 29
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , IV. Read and enjoy:, We have read about a few great personalities and identified some, of the qualities of greatness. ‘If’ is a didactic poem which suggests, the idea of conditional fulfillment, where the poet describes the, traits of the perfect man. Enjoy reading the poem., , IF, Rudyard Kipling, , If you can keep your head when all about you, Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,, But make allowance for their doubting too:, If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,, Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,, Or being hated don’t give way to hating,, And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;, If you can dream − and not make dreams your master;, If you can think − and not make thoughts your aim,, If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster, And treat those two impostors just the same:, If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken, Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,, And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools;, If you can make one heap of all your winnings, And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,, And lose, and start again at your beginnings,, And never breathe a word about your loss:, If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew, To serve your turn long after they are gone,, And so hold on when there is nothing in you, Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”, If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,, Or walk with Kings − nor lose the common touch,, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,, If all men count with you, but none too much:, If you can fill the unforgiving minute, With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,, Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,, And − which is more − you’ll be a Man, my son!, 30
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Unit - 1 GLIMPSES OF GREATNESS, , Glossary:, build ’em up, impostor (n), , About the Author, :, :, , build them up, a person who pretends to, be someone else, knave (n), : a dishonest man, making allowance for, their doubting, : understand their doubts, sinew (n), : (here) something that, gives strength or support, Your teacher will help you to listen to the, recitation of the poem., , Joseph, Rudyard, Kipling (1865–1936),, an English short-story, writer, poet, and, novelist, is chiefly, remembered for his tales, and poems of British, soldiers in India and his, tales for children., Kipling’s ‘If,’ perhaps his most famous, poem, attracted immediate nationwide, attention, and it soon became a popular, anthem., , Activity I (Read and respond), m, , The first stanza of ‘If’ speaks about the need for self-confidence., Do you agree? Why?, , m, , What does the poet say about patience?, , m, , Explain the poet’s views on honesty and fortitude of character., , m, , Lines 5-7 speak about the need for righteous behaviour in the, face of unrighteousness. How far do you agree?, , m, , What is the poet’s approach to dreams and longings?, , m, , The poet believes that success comes from self-control and a, true sense of the value of things. Express your views on this., , m, , ‘Never breathe a word about your loss.’ What impression do you, get about the poet when you read this?, , m, , What is the message conveyed in the last stanza of the poem?, , Activity II (Read and reflect), m What is the central theme of the poem?, m What, according to the poem, are the two impostors in life?, m What, according to the poet, should be one’s attitude to unexpected loss?, m What is the poem about? (Consider the speaker, theme, symbols,, comparisons, contrasts and conflicts), m Identify the poetic forms, figurative language and poetic, structure., m, , When the poet says, ‘If you can dream − and not make dreams, your master,’ he is personifying dreams. i.e. dreams are spoken, of as masters who can control our lives. In this case, dreams, assume a human role/quality., , 31
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Pick out the other expressions where, the poet uses personification., m, , ‘Unforgiving minutes’ is a metaphoric, expression as it refers to time that, waits for no man; it is like a race, where every second is important., Now, identify other metaphoric expressions used in the poem., , m, , What do knaves represent?, What other symbols are used in the, poem ‘If’?, , Personification means giving, human traits and qualities to an, inanimate object., Metaphor is a figure of speech that, describes a subject by asserting, that it is, at some point of, comparison, the same as another,, otherwise, unrelated object., Symbol is an object that, represents an idea, image or an, action., , Activity III (Appreciation), r Based on the responses you have got, prepare an appreciation of, the poem ‘If’ (Consider theme, language, style, figures, symbols,, relevance, etc.)., The following tips will help you prepare an appreciation of the poem., , Introduction, , about the poet, theme, meaning, , Brief summary, , 32, , implied meaning (if any), structure, , Poetic devices, , sound effects, (rhyme, alliteration, assonance etc.), images, symbols (if any), language, mood, figures of speech, , Conclusion, , message/intention of the poet, personal comments/opinions
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Unit - 1 GLIMPSES OF GREATNESS, , Activity IV (Conditionals/ If clause), r The poem 'If' is explicitly an exploration of the 'If clause.' As the, 'If clauses refer to condition, they are called conditional clauses., You may examine the If clauses in the poem and write them, below., If clause (Subsidiary clause), , Main clause, , •, , If you can keep your head when •, all about you are losing theirs......., , Yours is the earth and everything, that is in it., ......You'll be a man, my son., , •, , .................................................... •, , ...................................................., , •, , .................................................... •, , ...................................................., , Usually there are three common patterns with 'If' which are often, called first, second and third conditionals., Tense, Conditional, clauses, , If clause, , First, conditional, , If +, present, , Second, conditional, , Unlikely to be, If + past Would /, fulfilled, should /, could / might, + infinitive, , • If I worked with confidence I, , Unreal past, If + past Would /, situation, perfect should /, could / might, + have + past, participle, , • If you had gone there, you, , Third, conditional, , Main clause, , Will / shall /, can / may +, infinitive, , Example, , Nature, , Open, condition, , •, , If you work with confidence,, you will succeed., • If you get here before eight,, we shall catch the early train., would succeed., , • If I knew her name, I would, tell you., could have met him., , • If I had worked with, confidence, I would have, succeeded., , Let’s practise, , Would you like to know the story of ‘The Cat and the Mouse.’, Complete the conditional sentences to get the full story., Once upon a time, a cat bit a mouse’s tail off. ‘Give me back my, tail,’ said the mouse. And the cat said, ‘Well, I would give (give), your tail back, if you fetched me some milk. But that’s impossible, for a little mouse like you.’, The mouse, however, went to a cow. ‘The cat will only give (give/, only) me back my tail if I fetch her some milk.’, 33
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , And the cow said, ‘Well, I would give you some milk, if you ____, (get) me some hay. But that’s impossible for a little mouse like, you.’, The mouse, however, went to a farmer. ‘The cat will only give my, tail back if the cow ____ (give) me some milk. And the cow ____, (only/ give) me some milk if I get her some hay.’, And the farmer said, ‘Well, I would give you some hay if you ____, (bring) me some meat. But that’s impossible for a little mouse like, you.’, The mouse, however, went to a butcher. ‘The cat will only give my, tail back if the cow ____ (give) me some milk. And the cow will, only give me some milk if she ____ (get) some hay. And the farmer, ____ (only/ give) me some hay if I get him some meat.’, And the butcher said, ‘Well, I would give you some meat if you, ____ (make) the baker bake me a loaf of bread. But that’s impossible, for a little mouse like you.’, The mouse, however, went to a baker. ‘The cat ____ (give/ only), my tail back if I fetch her some milk. And the cow ____ (give/ not), me some milk if I don’t get her some hay. And the farmer will only, give me some hay if the butcher ____ (have) some meat for him., And the butcher will not give me some meat if you ____ (bake/, not) him a loaf of bread.’, And the baker said, ‘Well, I ____ (give) you a loaf of bread if you, promise never to steal my corn or meal.’, The mouse promised not to steal, and so the baker gave the mouse, a loaf of bread; the mouse gave the butcher the bread. The butcher, gave the mouse some meat; the mouse gave the farmer the meat., The farmer gave the mouse some hay; the mouse gave the cow, the hay. The cow gave the mouse some milk; the mouse gave the, cat the milk. And the cat gave the mouse her tail back., But imagine what would have happened otherwise:, If the mouse had not promised (promise/ not) never to steal the, corn or meal, the baker would not have given (not/give) the mouse, the bread., If the baker ____ (not/ give) the mouse the bread, the butcher, ____ (refuse) to give her the meat for the farmer., , 34
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Unit - 1 GLIMPSES OF GREATNESS, , If the butcher ______ (refuse) her any meat, the farmer ______, (not be) willing to give the mouse the hay., If the farmer ______ (not/ be) willing to give the mouse the hay, the, mouse ____ (not/ receive) the milk from the cow., If the mouse ____ (not/ receive) the milk from the cow, she ____, (not/ get) back her tail., , Extended Activities, Activity I (Read and respond), r Read the extract from the newspaper article., , TEACHER’S PRIDE, Many of the old teachers of the University College in the city would have, felt a thrill of pride and joy, on reading in the newspapers the news that, their old student Arun M. Kumar has been selected by President Obama, to a very important post in his government. Arun is now Assistant Secretary, and Director General of the United States and Foreign Commercial, Service, International Trade Administration, in the Department of, Commerce. The President has spoken appreciatively of the new team he, has chosen., A rare honour, indeed, and a well-deserved recognition of merit. Arun, did his three-year undergraduate course in Physics in the University College., I taught that class their English prose. It was a very bright class, with some, of the students brilliant without any self-consciousness of their brilliance., And Arun was among the most brilliant. Well-read in many subjects, keen, in understanding, quick, sensitive, and cultured beyond his years in his, responses, it was a privilege and a pleasure to have him in my class, and, sometimes, to discuss things with him outside the class. Over the years, as, his mind matured, his sense of language had become fine – a sure pointer, to deeper changes. Confined to my academic pursuits, I know little about, the wider world of Arun’s enterprises. To see him trusted with the intricate, problems of international finance is enough to make me feel that his choices, and decisions were right., Arun and his friends were responsible for starting the Science Society of, Trivandrum for the benefit of school children. It has done a lot of good, to school students, both in terms of financial help and academic training., , 35
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , You have now read an extract from the article written by, Prof. B. Hrdayakumari about Mr Arun M. Kumar, her former student, who, was nominated by Mr Barack Obama, (the President of USA) to a key, administrative post., r This is an, assessment, that each of, List out the, , unusual excerpt wherein a teacher makes an, of a student after several years. Don't you think, your classmates has his/ her own special qualities?, qualities that you have noticed., , r Now, based on your findings, prepare an article on your views of, an ideal person, for your school magazine., Activity II (Cohesive devices --- Practice), r Fill in the blanks using the appropriate cohesive device from the, ones given in brackets., 1. All the assignments should be submitted on time. ________, they, will not be evaluated., ( therefore, otherwise, on the contrary), 2. The price of petrol has gone up considerably in the last few years., ________, the sale of cars has not seen any decrease., (in addition to, therefore, however), 3. Cycling is a good exercise. ________, it helps you to save money., (however, moreover, consequently), 4. Desktop computers are cheaper and more reliable than laptops;, ________, they last longer., (whereas, furthermore, alternatively), 5. There is a stiff competition between mobile phone companies to, win customers. ________ , they are slashing prices to attract, customers., (as a result, in contrast, in conclusion), Activity III (Documentary), r Watch the documentary on Stephen Hawking and prepare a, presentation on the life and works of an eminent person who, has overcome many obstacles/difficulties and become successful, in life., Activity IV (Collection), r Collect inspiring speeches (both script and audio/video) of great, persons like Martin Luther King, Swami Vivekananda, Winston, Churchill, Jawaharlal Nehru, etc. Make a presentation based on, the common factors in the speeches., , 36
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Unit - 1 GLIMPSES OF GREATNESS, , The major learning outcomes of this unit are listed below., , Thematic outcomes, Students demonstrate the ability to, • face challenges and emerge successful even against limitations, and hardships., •, , Overcome hardships., , •, , present their views to others., , •, , develop qualities needed for an ideal personality., , Linguistic outcomes, Students demonstrate the ability to, • speak and express their views in a speech, group discussion,, etc., • write reviews, appreciations, profiles, newspaper and magazine, articles, letters, e-mails, etc., • prepare questions and interview others., • participate actively in group discussions., • read and comprehend a given story or reading material and, prepare notes on it in the form of a tree diagram, timeline,, short points, etc., • use cohesive devices and collocations appropriately., •, , use conditionals effectively., , •, , browse the Internet for additional information., , 37
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Unit, , 2, Keep your thoughts positive, because your thoughts become your words., Keep your words positive, because your words become your behaviour., - Mahatma Gandhi, About the Unit, The theme of this unit is the necessity of the symbiotic, relationship between words and deeds. The unit aims at, inculcating the right values through a few examples. It consists, of the essay 'And Then Gandhi Came' by Jawaharlal Nehru; the, story 'The Price of Flowers', written by Prabhat Kumar, Mukhopadhyay, and translated by Lila Ray; and the poem 'Death, the Leveller', by James Shirley., The texts and the activities are designed to help the learners, imbibe the values of good citizenship. They enable them to acquire, a strong linguistic foundation that will improve their application, of the language in other contexts., , 38
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Unit - 2 WORDS AND DEEDS, , Let’s begin:, r Deeds must be an execution of words. Mahatma Gandhi, the, Father of our Nation, was true to his words in his deeds. His life, was, in fact, his message., , In 1939, Albert Einstein wrote thus about Gandhiji, on his, seventieth birthday:, , Mahatma Gandhi, , A leader of his people,, unsupported by any outward, authority; a politician whose, success rests not upon craft nor, the mastery of technical, devices, but simply on the, convincing power of his, personality; a victorious fighter, who has always scorned the use, , of force; a man of wisdom and, humility, armed with resolve, and inflexible consistency, who, has devoted all his strength to, the uplifting of his people and, the betterment of their lot; a, man who has confronted the, brutality of Europe with the, dignity of the simple human, being, and thus, at all times risen, superior., Generations to come, it may be,, will scarce believe that such a, one as this, ever in flesh and, blood, walked upon this earth., , Let’s discuss, m, , What impression of Gandhiji do you get from the brief, description given above? Discuss., , m, , What kind of a 'fighter' is Gandhiji?, , m, , 'One must practise what one preaches'. How far is the, statement true of Mahatma Gandhi?, , 39
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , I. Read and reflect:, Jawaharlal Nehru writes about the timely arrival of Gandhiji to, Indian politics, when the country was in dire need of such a, leadership. Gandhiji was like a beam of light that removed the, darkness. Jawaharlal Nehru makes a right assessment of, Gandhiji in his 'Discovery of India' . Read the excerpt., , AND THEN GANDHI CAME, , Jawaharlal Nehru, , ....World War I ended at last, and the peace, instead of, bringing us relief and progress, brought us repressive, legislation and martial law in the Punjab. A bitter sense, of humiliation and a passionate anger filled our people., We had become a derelict nation. Yet what could we do,, how to change this vicious process? We seemed to be, helpless in the grip of some all-powerful • What is referred to as the, ‘all powerful monster?’, monster; our limbs were paralysed, our minds, deadened. Large numbers of people, cut off from the land, and incapable of any kind of manual or technical work,, joined the swelling army of the unemployed, • What was the impact of, the First World War?, and helpless, hopeless, sank ever deeper into, the morass. They did not know where to look, for neither, the old nor the new offered them any hope., What could we do? How could we pull India out of this, quagmire of poverty and defeatism? Not for a few years of, excitement and agony and suspense, but for long, generations our people had offered their 'blood and toil,, tears and sweat.' And this process had eaten its way deep, into the body and soul of India, poisoning every aspect of, our life...., And then Gandhi came. He was like a powerful current of, fresh air that made us stretch ourselves and take deep, breaths; like a beam of light that pierced the • What does Nehru mean by, darkness and removed the scales from our, ‘And then Gandhi came’...?, eyes; like a whirlwind that upset many things,, but most of all the working of people's minds. He did not, descend from the top; he seemed to emerge from the, millions of India, speaking their language., ‘Get off the backs of these peasants and workers’, he told, us, ‘all of you who live by their exploitation; get rid of the, system that produces this poverty and misery’. Political, , 40
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Unit - 2 WORDS AND DEEDS, , freedom took a new shape then and acquired a new, content. Much that he said we only partially • What was the essence of, Gandhiji’s teaching?, accepted or sometimes did not accept at all., But all this was secondary. The essence of his teaching, was fearlessness and truth, and action allied to these,, always keeping the welfare of the masses in view. The, greatest gift for an individual or a nation, so we had been, told in our ancient books, was abhaya, (fearlessness), not merely bodily courage but • What does the word, ‘abhaya’ mean?, the absence of fear from the mind. The, dominant impulse in India under British rule was that of, fear -- pervasive, oppressing, strangling fear; fear of the, army, the police, the widespread secret service; fear of, the official class; fear of laws meant to suppress and of, prison; fear of the landlord's agent; fear of the, moneylender; fear of unemployment and starvation, which, were always on the threshold. It was against this allpervading fear that Gandhi's quiet and • What did Gandhiji exhort, the people to do?, determined voice was raised: Be not afraid., Was it so simple as all that? Not quite. And yet, fear builds, its phantoms which are more fearsome than reality itself,, and reality, when calmly analysed and its consequences, willingly accepted, loses much of its terror., So, suddenly, as it were, that black pall of fear was lifted, from the people's shoulders, not wholly of course, but to, an amazing degree. As fear is close companion to falsehood,, so truth follows fearlessness. The Indian people did not, become much more truthful than they were, • What did Gandhiji do to, remove fear from the, nor did they change their essential nature, minds of the people?, overnight; nevertheless, a sea change was, visible as the need for falsehood and furtive behaviour, lessened. It was a psychological change, almost as if some, expert in psycho-analytical methods had probed deep into, the patient's past, found out the origins of his complexes,, exposed them to his view, and thus rid him of that burden., There was the psychological reaction also, a feeling of, shame at our long submission to an alien rule that had, degraded and humiliated us, and a desire to • Why was Gandhiji, compared to a, submit no longer, whatever the consequences, psychologist?, might be. We did not grow much more truthful, perhaps than we had been previously, but, 41
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Gandhi was always there as a symbol of uncompromising, truth to pull us up and shame us into truth., What is truth? I do not know for certain, and perhaps our, truths are relative and absolute truth is beyond us., Different persons may and do take different views of truth,, and each individual is powerfully influenced by his own, background, training, and impulses. So also • What, according, Gandhiji, was truth?, Gandhi. But truth is, at least for an individual,, what he himself feels and knows to be true. According to, this definition, I do not know of any person who holds to, the truth as Gandhi does. That is a dangerous quality in, a politician, for he speaks out his mind and even lets the, public see its changing phases., , to, , Gandhi influenced millions of people in India in varying, degrees. Some changed the whole texture of their lives,, others were only partly affected, or the effect • How, did, Gandhiji, influence the people of, wore off; and yet not quite, for some part of it, India?, could not be wholly shaken off. Different, people reacted differently and each will give his own, answer to this question., His call of action was two-fold. There was, of course, the, action involved in challenging and resisting foreign rule;, there was also the action which led us to fight against, our own social evils. Apart from the fundamental objective, of the Congress − the freedom of India − and • What was the two-fold, action, involved, in, the method of peaceful action, the principal, Gandhiji’s exhortation?, planks of the Congress were national unity,, which involved the solution of the minority problems, and, the raising of the depressed classes, and the ending of, the curse of untouchability., Realizing that the main props of British rule were fear,, prestige, the co-operation of the people, and certain, classes whose vested interests were centred in British, rule, Gandhi attacked these foundations. Titles were to, be given up and though the title-holders • What was the visible, change in the value system, responded to this only in small measure, the, of the country?, popular respect for these British-given titles, disappeared. New standards and values were set up and, the pomp and splendour of the viceregal court and the, princes suddenly appeared supremely ridiculous. Rich men, , 42
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Unit - 2 WORDS AND DEEDS, , were not so anxious to flaunt their riches; outwardly at, least, many of them adopted simpler ways, and in their, dress, became almost indistinguishable from humbler folk., He sent us to the villages, and the countryside hummed, with the activity of innumerable messengers of the new, gospel of action. The peasant was shaken up and he began, to emerge from his shell. The effect on us was different, but equally far-reaching, for we saw, for the first time as, it were, the villager in the intimacy of his mud- • What was the influence of, Gandhiji in the villages?, hut, and with the stark shadow of hunger, always pursuing him. We learnt our Indian economics more, from these visits than from books and learned discourses., The emotional experience we had already undergone was, emphasized and confirmed, and henceforward, there could, be no going back for us to our old life or our old standards., What was the idea of India which he was setting out to, mould according to his own wishes and ideals?, ‘I shall work for an India in which the poorest shall feel, that it is their country, in whose making they have an, effective voice, an India in which there shall be no high, class and low class of people, an India in which all, communities shall live in perfect harmony.... There can, be no room in such an India for the curse of untouchability, or the curse of intoxicating drinks and drugs.... Women, will enjoy the same right as men.... This is • What was the India of, the India of my dreams.’ Proud of his Hindu, Gandhiji’s dream?, inheritance as he was, he tried to give to, Hinduism a kind of universal attire and included all, religions within the fold of truth. He refused to narrow, his cultural inheritance. 'Indian culture,' he wrote, 'is, neither Hindu, Islamic, nor any other, wholly. It is a fusion, of all.' Again he said: 'I want the culture of all, • What, according to, lands to be blown about my house as freely as, Gandhiji, was the essential, possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet, culture of India?, by any. I refuse to live in other peoples' houses, as an interloper, a beggar, or a slave.' Influenced by modern, thought currents, he never let go of his roots and clung to, them tenaciously., It is not surprising that this astonishingly vital man, full, of self-confidence and an unusual kind of power, standing, , 43
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , for equality and freedom for each individual, fascinated, the masses of India and attracted them like a magnet. He, seemed to them to link up the past with the future and to, make the dismal present appear just as a • What, was, the, psychological revolution, stepping-stone to that future of life and hope...., that Gandhiji brought, Thus he effected a vast psychological, about?, revolution not only among those who followed, his lead but also among his opponents and those many, neutrals who could not make up their minds what to think, and what to do., (Adapted), (An excerpt from Jawaharlal Nehru's ‘The Discovery of India’), , Glossary:, agony (n), , :, , derelict (adj), dismal (adj), flaunt (v), , :, :, :, , furtive (adj), interloper (n), monster (n), , :, :, :, , morass (n), , :, , phantom (n), prop (v), quagmire (n), , :, :, :, , repressive (adj) :, strangle (v), :, threshold (n), :, , 44, , About the Author, , extreme physical or, mental pain, Jawaharlal Nehr u, (14 November 1889 - 27, not cared for, May 1964) was the first, gloomy, Prime Minister of India., to show something you are, Jawaharlal, Nehru, proud of to others, promoted democracy, socialism,, secularism and unity, while adapting, secret, modern values to Indian conditions., intruder, Nehru was a prolific writer in English, a creature that is very ugly, and wrote a number of books, such as, and frightening, The Discovery of India, Glimpses of World, History, and An Autobiography. In 1955,, a complicated situation, Nehru was awarded the Bharat Ratna,, that is difficult to escape, India's highest civilian honour., from, frightening vision, support, a difficult and dangerous, situation, controlling people by force, to kill by pressing on the throat, door step
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Unit - 2 WORDS AND DEEDS, , Activity I (Note making), Make a note of the above passage. Read the passage again and, complete the following., , m The uncertain, condition of, India, , m The arrival of, Gandhiji, , m, , m, , His teachings, and methods, , His two-fold, action, , humiliation, ......................., ......................., ......................., saw political freedom, taking a new shape, removed the black pall, of fear, ......................., ......................., ......................., fearlessness, truth, ......................., ......................., ......................., challenging and, resisting foreign rule, minority problem, ......................., ......................., ......................., , m, , The moulding, of India,, according to, Gandhiji’s wishes, and ideas, , m The amazing, , even the poorest shall feel, that it is their country, all communities shall live in, perfect harmony, ......................., ......................., full of self confidence, unusual kind of power, ......................., ......................., , qualities of, Gandhiji, Have you completed the note? Now, prepare a summary of the passage., 45
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Activity II (Think and write), r How did Gandhiji enlighten the freedom fighters? What kind of a, leadership did Gandhiji take? What was the effect of his, leadership?, Answer in a paragraph of about 100 words., Activity III (Speech), r In connection with Gandhi Jayanthi, your school is organizing a, programme to propagate the relevance of Gandhian values in the, present day. Prepare and deliver a speech before the class., Hints, • Peace, •, , Fearlessness, , •, , Truthfulness, , •, , Influence, , •, , ..............................., , •, , ..............................., , •, , ..............................., , Tips for public speaking, •, •, •, •, •, •, •, •, •, •, , body language/posture, eye contact, voice modulation, pause, gesture, pronunciation, logical development, clarity of presentation, illustrations and examples, comprehensiveness of content, , Activity IV (Group discussion), 'Women will enjoy the same right as men…, This is the India of my dreams', Gandhiji said., There is a role for each individual citizen, society and political party, to ensure equal rights to women. Conduct a group discussion on the, topic., , 46
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Unit - 2 WORDS AND DEEDS, , Activity V (Letter to the editor), Here is the sample of a letter to the editor expressing an individual’s, concern over a common issue. Examine it carefully., , A Letter to the Editor, Sender’s, address, , Date, Addressee, , Salutation, Reason, for writing, the letter, , Feelings, and, arguments, , Suggestion, /opinion, , Subscription, , From, Nandini P., Nilakkal House, MRA - 347, Jawahar Lane, Bangalore -3, 15 June 2014, To, The Editor, The Xanadu, Hyderabad, Sir,, I am writing this letter to express my concern about, the article, ‘English should not be taught up to Class, X' (May 25th), by Mr. Santha Rao. I wonder what made, him write such an article. How can one ignore the, role of English in a fast developing world? From his, article, I understand that he has some hidden, agenda. In this fast developing world, even an ordinary, person thinks about giving better education to his or, her children. English is being taught in the, Saksharatha classes as well. The medium of, instruction for various courses at a higher level of, education is English. I strongly believe that English, is the only global language and the language of science, and technology. It should be taught right from the, lower classes., Yours truly, (Sd/-), Nandini P., , r Now, refer to three national dailies of a week, and collect reports, on instances where women are deprived of their rights, and analyse, how the issues related to women are presented., Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper, about the way in, which women’s issues are presented., 47
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Note : For the management of space, the editor may edit your letter,, omitting the address and other unnecessary details. But when, you draft a letter to the editor, you should write your full name, and address., , Activity VI (Concord), r Look at the following sentence from the given passage., ‘Different people react differently and each gives his/her own, answer to the question.’, Here, ‘each’ agrees with a singular verb., Generally, a singular subject agrees with a singular verb and a, plural subject agrees with a plural verb. However, a deeper, understanding of agreement (concord) will help us to write, correctly when certain nouns, phrases or combinations of nouns, come in the subject position., Language Tips, m, , m, , m, , m, , m, , m, m, , m, , 48, , When a singular subject and a plural subject are joined by, either...or, neither...nor, etc., the verb agrees with the subject nearer to it., e.g. Ram or his brothers go home every month., When two subjects are joined by ‘as well as,’ ‘more than,’ and, ‘as much as,’ the verb agrees with the first subject., e.g. The girls, as well as their teacher, have left., When two subjects are joined by ‘with,’ ‘along with,’ ‘together, with,’ ‘in the company of,’ ‘in addition to,’ ‘besides,’ ‘accompanied by,’ etc., the verb agrees with the first subject., e.g. My friend, with all his students, has arrived., One of/each of/everyone of/either/neither of + plural noun, (pronoun) carries a singular verb., e.g. One of the players was selected for the national team., When every or each is used with two singular subjects connected by and, we use a singular verb., e.g. Every school and college has a playground., A (good/great) deal (of) + singular noun + singular verb., e.g. A good deal of time was wasted on this case., When ‘one’ means ‘anyone’, ‘everyone’, it is called the ‘indefinite one.’ The indefinite one is not usually replaced by any, other pronoun., e.g. One should do one’s duty for one’s country., Expressions like ‘five pounds’, ‘ten rupees’, ‘two weeks’, ‘three, miles’, etc. are singular when they are thought of as indicating a single amount, period or distance., e.g. Five rupees is not a big sum., Three weeks is not a long time.
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Unit - 2 WORDS AND DEEDS, , ‘A lot (of)’ takes a singular verb when it denotes amount, and a, plural verb when it denotes number., e.g. A lot of money is spent on construction., A lot of petitions have been received., m Nouns like ‘furniture, machinery, equipment, traffic, luggage,, crockery, cutlery, clothing’, etc. are called class collectives., Though plural in meaning, they are singular in form, and are, followed by singular verbs., e.g. The furniture was bought from Italy., m Plural words and phrases used as the titles of books take, singular verbs., e.g. Great Expectations is one of Dickens’ great novels., m The determiners ‘this’ and ‘that’ go with singular nouns, and, ‘these’ and ‘those’ with plural nouns., e.g. This girl speaks English better than these boys., m, , Choose the correct alternative., 1., 2., 3., 4., 5., , Either Rajesh or his friends, come. (has, have), Neither of us, coffee. (likes, like), The boy, along with the tourists,, gone. (has, have), Five miles, not a short distance. (are, is), Everyone of you, to attend the meeting. (have, has), , Correct the following sentences., 1. Each of the employees are working hard., 2. One of the students are absent today., 3. Neither Lal nor his relatives has arrived., 4. One of us have brought a globe., 5. Neither the man nor his wife are very careful., 6. The books placed on the table needs binding., 7. There is a lot of people waiting outside., 8. The police is closely watching all his movements., 9. The price of vegetables are going up., 10. Keep all the luggages in the cloak room., Activity VII (Wordfinder), r Look at the following sentence from the passage:, Gandhiji was ‘like a beam of light that pierced the darkness and, removed the scales from our eyes....’, Do you know the exact meaning of the word ‘pierce’ ?, Let’s see how the meaning of this word is given in the Oxford Advanced, Learner’s Dictionary., , 49
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , pierce/pI s; AmE pIrs/ verb 1~ (through) sth to make a small hole in, sth, or to go through sth, with a sharp object: [VN] The arrow pierced, his shoulder. t He pierced another hole in his belt with his knife., t to have your ears/ nose pierced (= to have a small hole made in, your ears /nose so that you can wear jewellery there) t (figurative), She was pierced to the heart with guilt. t [V] The knife pierced, through his coat. 2~ (through) sth (literary) (of light, sound, etc.) to, be suddenly seen or heard: [VN] Sirens pierced the silence of the, night t Shafts of sunlight pierced the heavy mist. [also V] 3~, (through) sth to force a way through a barrier: [VN] They failed to, pierce the Liverpool defence. [also V], m, , What are the items given in this entry?, , • Spelling, • Pronunciation /........../, • .........................., • .........................., • .........................., m The meaning of the word ‘pierce’ in this context is the second, one given in the dictionary i.e., ‘to be suddenly seen or, heard’. You can also take note of the sentence given after the, meaning., We can make use of a dictionary to check the, • spelling, • meaning, • word stress, , •, •, •, , pronunciation, usage, word class, , • derivatives, , •, , phrasal verbs, , A word has a variety of meanings - literal, contextual and so on., It is the context that determines the exact meaning of a word., , I. The words given below are taken from the passage., Refer to a dictionary and find out the meaning and the parts of speech, of the following words and make your own sentences., Word, , convince, pervasive, attires, dismal, vicious, , 50, , Part of, speech, , Meaning, , Sentences, , ....................................., ....................................., ....................................., ....................................., .....................................
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Unit - 2 WORDS AND DEEDS, , II. Read and reflect:, The bonds of human relationship are very strong. They are so, complex that it is difficult for us to explain. Words and deeds, have a soothing effect and they cement the bonds of relationship., Here is a story about the impact of words. Read on., , THE PRICE OF FLOWERS, Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay, , It was nearly one o' clock and I was feeling extremely, hungry. So, I made my way slowly to a vegetarian, restaurant which was not far away, in St. Martin's Lane., Lunch hours in London restaurants were not so crowded, in those days., I found not more than three or four hungry people scattered, around the room. I chose a table, seated myself and opened, the newspaper., A waitress came up and waited politely for my order. I, raised my eyes from the paper, glanced at the menu and, told her what I required. 'Thank you, sir,' she said and, went briskly and noiselessly away., At that moment, my attention was drawn to a table not, far from mine. A young English girl was sitting there. She, had been watching me with interested surprise but turned, her eyes away as soon as I looked at her., The girl was thirteen or fourteen years old. • Why was the narrator’s, attention drawn to the, Her clothes betrayed her poverty. Her hair, English girl?, hung in a heavy stream down her back. Her, eyes were large. They had a sad expression. I watched, her when she was not looking so that she would not notice., My lunch was served as she was finishing hers. The, waitress brought her the bill. Bills are paid at the desk as, one goes out. The desk is near the door., • What is your impression of, , The girl stood up. My eyes followed her. As, the girl?, she paid her bill, she asked the cashier in a, low voice, 'Please, Miss, can you tell me if that gentleman, is an Indian?', 'I think so,' the cashier answered., 'Does he come here all the time? ', 'Perhaps not. I do not recall having seen him before.', , 51
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , 'Thank you,' said the girl and looked at me once more, with a startled air and went out., It surprised me. Why? What was the matter?, Her interest in me aroused my interest in, her. When I had finished my lunch, I asked, the waitress, 'Do you know the girl who was, sitting over there?', , • How do you know that the, girl was interested in, knowing the identity of the, narrator?, , 'No, sir, I do not know her, to speak of. I’ve noticed she, has lunch here on Saturdays.', 'Doesn't she come on any other day?', 'I never see her on other days.', ‘Have you any idea who she is? ', 'Perhaps she works in a nearby shop.', 'How do you know? ', ‘Saturday is pay day. That is when she comes. On other, days, she may not be able to afford lunch. • What do you understand, Perhaps, she does not earn very much.', about the probable, financial condition of the, I was moved by what she said., girl?, The curiosity I felt about the girl persisted., Who was the child? Why had she inquired about me? Was, some mystery the cause of her interest? Her povertystricken, sad and anxious figure took possession of my, thoughts. On Sundays, all London shops are • Why was the narrator, closed. So, I set out to look for her after, curious about the girl?, What did he do to meet her?, breakfast, on Monday morning. I looked into, the shops on the streets near St. Martin's, Lane, and especially, the shops on the Strand, but I found, no trace of the girl., The week passed. Saturday came again. I • Why did the narrator go to, presented myself at the vegetarian restaurant, the restaurant again?, once more. As I entered, I saw her sitting at, the same table as before. She was eating. I walked up, and took the chair opposite hers, saying, 'Good afternoon!', 'Good afternoon, sir,' she responded hesitantly., By making one brief remark after another, I was able,, slowly, to start a conversation. At last she asked, ' Are, you an Indian?', 'Yes.', 'Excuse me, are you a vegetarian?', 52
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Unit - 2 WORDS AND DEEDS, , 'Why do you ask that? ', 'I have heard that most Indians are vegetarians.', 'How is it that you know anything about India? ', 'My elder brother is in India. He is a soldier.', 'I am not much of a vegetarian,' I answered her question,, 'but I enjoy a vegetarian meal, now and then.' The girl, seemed disappointed., I learned that her only guardian was this elder brother., She lived with her old widowed mother., 'Do you hear from your brother?', 'We have not had a letter from him for a long time. My, mother is very worried. People tell her that, • What impression did the, India is full of tigers and snakes and fevers., girl have about India?, She is afraid something has happened to him., Is it true, sir, that India is full of tigers and snakes and, fevers?', 'No,' I smiled, 'how could people live there if it were?' The, girl sighed softly. 'Mother says she would like to ask an, Indian about these things if she can find an Indian,' the, girl looked at me with eyes full of entreaty., I understood how she felt. She wanted me to see her, mother, but she did not have the courage to ask me to, accompany her home. A keen desire to meet this poor, anxious mother took hold of me. I had not had the, opportunity to visit an impoverished English home. I wished, to see how the poor lived in this country, to know what, they think., 'Will you introduce me to your mother some time? Would, you like me to accompany you home? I can go some day.', The girl's eyes brimmed with gratitude. 'Thank you ever, so much!' she said. 'It is so kind of you! Can you come, now?', 'With pleasure.', 'It will not interfere with anything else you have to do?', 'No, no, not at all. This afternoon is entirely my own.', The girl was delighted. We finished our lunch and got up, together., 53
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , As we walked, I asked her, ‘May I know your name?', 'My name is Alice Margaret Clifford.', 'Would you mind walking ?' she asked., ' Not at all,' I answered,' if it is not difficult for you.', ' No, I walk home every day.', I asked the girl, ' Do you come this way often?', 'Yes,' she answered,' I work as a typist in the Civil Service, stores. Every afternoon, I come home this way. Today is, Saturday, so I am off early.', 'Shall I call you Miss Clifford or Alice? ', 'I am not grown-up yet. You may call me what you like., I am usually called Maggie.' She laughed., 'Are you very anxious to grow up?', 'Yes.', 'Tell me why.', 'When I grow up, I shall be paid more for my, work. My mother is old.', , • Was Maggie satisfied with, her job? If not why?, , 'Is the work you do to your liking?', 'No. The work is very mechanical. I want work, that will make me use my head, brain work., Like the work of a secretary.', , • What do you understand, by ‘brain work’?, , We crossed the bridge and arrived in Lambeth. It is a poor, neighbourhood. 'If I ever become a secretary,' Maggie said,, '1 shall take mother away from here.', 'Did your father call you Maggie or Magsy?', 'When he was very affectionate he called me Magsy. How, did you know?', 'Yes, yes,' I answered mysteriously, 'we are Indians, you, know. We know about the future and all kinds of magic.', 'That is what I have heard,' she said., 'Indeed?' I was surprised. 'What have you heard?', 'I have heard that there are many people in India who, have occult powers. They are called yogis. But you are not, a yogi.', 'How do you know that I am not a yogi, Maggie?', , 54
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Unit - 2 WORDS AND DEEDS, , 'Yogis do not eat meat.', 'Is that why you asked me in the beginning, whether I am a vegetarian or not?', , • Why did Maggie ask the, narrator whether he was a, vegetarian?, , She smiled without answering., We had reached a narrow doorway. Maggie took a thin, latch key out of her pocket and opened the door. She, entered and said, 'Please come in'., When I was inside, Maggie closed the door. She went to, the foot of the stairs and, raising her voice a little, called,, 'Mother, where are you?', 'I am in the kitchen, child,' the answer came from below., ‘Come down.', It is necessary to explain here that London streets are, above ground. Kitchens are often below street level., Maggie looked at me questioningly, 'Do you mind?', 'Not in the least. Come on.' I said., Together we descended the stairs to the kitchen., 'Mother,' said Maggie from the doorway,' an Indian, gentleman has come to see you.', 'Where is he?' the old woman asked eagerly. • Why did Mr Gupta go to, Maggie’s house?, With a smile I stepped into the kitchen behind, Maggie. She introduced us. 'This is Mr Gupta, mother,', she said, 'Mr Gupta, my mother.', 'How do you do?' I said and held out my hand., 'Excuse me, my hands-' she said, holding them out for me, to see. They were covered with flour. 'Today • What do you understand, about the living conditions, is Saturday,' she explained, 'I am making, of Maggie and her mother?, cakes. People will come to buy them this, evening. They'll be sold on the streets tonight. This is the, way we make our living - lots of trouble!', Saturday night is a time of festivity in poor neighbourhoods., All sorts of things are sold from countless • Why is Saturday special to, lighted pushcarts. The streets are more, Maggie and her mother?, crowded than on any other day. Saturday is, the day the poor are able to spend a little, for they receive, their weekly wages., Ingredients for cake making, flour, sugar, fat, raisins, eggs, 55
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , and so forth were set out in readiness upon the dresser., Several freshly baked cakes in tins were also there., 'Sitting in such a poor kitchen will not be very pleasant, for you, will it?' Mrs. Clifford said. 'I have almost finished, my work. Maggie, take him into the sitting room, I'll come, in a minute.', 'No, no,' I protested, 'I can sit here well enough. The cakes, you make are nice ones, I must say.', Mrs. Clifford thanked me with a smile., 'What kind of a country is India, sir?’ asked Mrs. Clifford,, as she resumed her cooking., 'A beautiful country.', 'Safe to live in?', 'Certainly. But not cold like this country. It is somewhat, hot.', 'Aren't there too many snakes and tigers?, Don't they kill people?', , • How did Mr Gupta, describe India to Mrs., Clifford?, , 'Don't believe that,' I laughed. 'Snakes and, tigers keep to the jungles. They get killed themselves if, they come too close to places where people live.', 'And fevers?', 'In some places in India, there is more fever than in others., It is neither the same everywhere nor the same all the, year around.', 'My son is in the Punjab. He is a soldier. What kind of a, place is the Punjab?', 'The Punjab is a fine place., is very healthy.', , There is little fever there. It, , 'I am glad to hear it,' Mrs. Clifford said., Her baking was finished. 'Maggie,' she said, 'take Mr. Gupta, upstairs, I'll wash my hands and bring tea.', Maggie showed the way to their sitting room and I followed., The furniture was cheap and there was not much of it., The carpet was old, torn in places. But everything was, extremely clean. Maggie drew the curtains back and, opened the windows. There was a glass bookcase. I stood, in front of it., Mrs. Clifford came in carrying the tea tray, a few minutes, 56
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Unit - 2 WORDS AND DEEDS, , later. All trace of the kitchen had vanished from her, person., As we drank tea, I talked about India. Mrs. • Who is Francis? What do, you know about him?, Clifford showed me a photograph of her son. It, had been taken before he left. His name was Francis or, Frank. Maggie brought out a book of pictures he had sent, her for her birthday. There were many pictures of Simla, and the surrounding mountain country. On the inside, page was written, 'To Maggie, on her birthday, from her, loving brother Frank.', 'Maggie,' said Mrs. Clifford, 'show Mr Gupta the ring.', 'Has your brother sent you a ring?' I asked her. 'Let me, see what kind of a ring it is.', 'It is a magic ring, 'Maggie explained. 'A yogi gave it to, Frank.', She brought it and asked, 'Can you see the past and the, future in it?', I had heard a lot about crystal gazing. A crystal was set in, the ring. I took it up and examined it., 'When Frank sent the ring,' Mrs. Clifford said, 'he wrote, that if you concentrate on a distant person as you gaze, into it, you will be able to see him and what he is doing., This is what the yogi told Frank. Maggie and I have, concentrated upon it, again and again, because we have, not had any news of Frank for a long time. But we have, not been able to see anything. Why don't you try? You are, a Hindu. You may be able to do it!', I realised that superstition was not confined • What is your opinion, about superstitions? Do, to India. I did not have the heart to tell the, you believe in any?, mother and daughter that the ring was, nothing much, brass with a piece of ordinary glass stuck, into it. They believed their Frank had sent them a new, and miraculous thing from a distant land, a dream India., How could I shatter their faith?, Urged by Mrs. Clifford and Maggie, I took the ring into my, hand and stared at it intensely for a long time. 'I cannot, see anything,' I exclaimed at last, giving up., The mother and daughter were disappointed. To change, the subject, I said, 'Here is a violin. It is yours, isn't it,, 57
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Maggie?', 'Yes,' Mrs. Clifford answered, 'Maggie plays quite well., Maggie, please play something for us.', 'Oh, Mother!' Maggie looked at her in protest., 'Maggie,' I pleaded, 'please play something! I am very fond, of the violin. I have a sister at home about your age. She, used to play for me.', 'The way I play is not at all worth listening to,' Maggie, said., My entreaties at last persuaded her to play. 'I do not know, many pieces,' she said. 'What would you like to hear?', 'Shall I choose something? All right, then, give me your, music. Let me see what you have.', Maggie brought out an old music case bound in black, leather. I opened it. Most of the pieces were light airs, like, 'Good-bye Dolly Grey,' 'Honeysuckle and the Bee',, etc. There were a few really good, though old-fashioned, ones, things like 'Robin Adair', ' Annie Laurie', 'The Last, Rose of Summer,' etc. There were several Scotch songs., So I selected 'The Blue Bells of Scotland' and handed, Maggie the music. Maggie played and I hummed the tune, to myself., When the song was over, I praised her playing lavishly as, I thanked her. 'Maggie has never had the opportunity to, study,' Mrs. Clifford said. 'She has learned what she knows, by herself. If our circumstances ever improve, I shall, arrange for her to have lessons.' On my way back, I was, filled with astonishment. The incident touched me very, deeply., • Describe the incident, which touched the narrator, Three months passed. I visited Maggie and her, deeply., mother several times, at their home, and took, Maggie to see the Zoo once. She rode the elephant 'Indian, Rajah,' like all the other boys and girls. How delighted, she was!, But no news had come from her brother. Urged by Mrs., Clifford, I went to India House, one day, and made, inquiries. I was told the regiment to which Frank belonged, was fighting on the Northwest Frontier. Mrs. Clifford, became extremely worried when she heard it. One day, I, 58
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Unit - 2 WORDS AND DEEDS, , received a postcard from Maggie. She wrote:, 'Dear Mr Gupta,, My mother is very ill. I have not been able to • Why was Maggie unable to, go to work?, go to work for a week. We shall be extremely, grateful if you take the trouble to come to see us., Maggie', I had told the family with whom I lived about Maggie and, her mother. At breakfast, I spoke of the letter., My hostess said, 'When you go, take some money with, you. The girl has not been able to go to work for a week., She had not received any pay. It is probable that they are, hard up.', After breakfast, I took some money and set, out for Lambeth. I knocked at the door. Maggie, opened it., , • Why did Mr Gupta take, some money with him when, he went to see Mrs., Clifford?, , She was looking much pulled down. Her eyes were hollow, and ringed. 'Oh, thank you, Mr Gupta!' she exclaimed when, she saw me. 'It is so kind of you.', 'How is your mother, Maggie?' I asked., 'She is sleeping now. Her condition is very serious. The, doctor says it is aggravated by her anxiety over Frank., There is no news from him yet. She may not live.', I tried to console Maggie, drying her eyes with my, handkerchief. Maggie controlled herself with an effort and, said, ‘I have a request to make of you, Mr. Gupta.', 'What is it, Maggie? 'I asked., 'Come into the sitting room and I'll tell you,' she answered., We tiptoed carefully into the sitting room lest the sound, of our footsteps should disturb the sick woman., I turned when I reached the centre of the • Why did Mr Gupta and, Maggie tiptoe into the, room, and remained standing there. 'What is, sitting room?, it, Maggie?' I repeated my question., Maggie gazed up into my face with beseeching eyes., I waited. Then, she covered her face with her hands and, wept silently., I was in a fix. What could I say to console this child? Her, brother was fighting on the Frontier. Only God knew, whether he was alive or dead. Her mother was the only, 59
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , person she had on earth. If she lost her, what would, happen? Where in London could this girl, on the threshold, of adolescence, go?, I pulled her hands away from her face. 'Maggie, tell me, what you wish me to do. If there is anything I can do to, help you, I shall not hesitate.', 'Mr Gupta,' the girl said, ‘I do not know what you will, think of the request I am going to make. Please forgive me, if it is very, very wrong.', 'What is it? What do you wish to ask?’, 'All day yesterday, Mother kept saying that if Mr Gupta, would come and gaze into the crystal, he might learn, something about Frank. Mr Gupta is a Hindu, she said. If, only he would come, she said. That is why l wrote to you.', 'If you want me to try once more, go and bring me the, ring, Maggie. Of course I'll do it.', 'But if you don't see anything again this time?' I understood, what Maggie meant. I was silent., 'Mr Gupta, I have read in books that Hindus, What request did Maggie, are extremely truth-loving. If you could bring • make, to Mr Gupta?, yourself to tell Mother only once, after looking, into the crystal, that Frank is all right, that he is alive -will it be too much of a lie? Will it be very, very wrong?' As, she spoke, tears streamed from her eyes., I thought it over. I am not very virtuous. I have done my, sinful things. So I decided to do this. It would be the least, of my offences. 'Please, Maggie, don't cry., Where is the ring? Let me take a good look at • Why was the crystal ring, so special to Mrs. Clifford?, it this time. If I do not see anything I shall do, as you suggest. God will forgive me if it is wrong.', Maggie brought me the ring. I took it and said, 'See if your, mother is awake.', Fifteen minutes passed before Maggie came back. 'Mother, is awake,' she said. 'I have told her you are here.', 'May I see her now?', 'Please come.', I approached the mother's bedside. The ring was in my, hand. Wishing her a good morning I said. 'Mrs. Clifford,, 60
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Unit - 2 WORDS AND DEEDS, , your son is alive. He is well.', The old woman raised her head a little off the, pillow. 'Did you see that in the crystal?' she, asked., , • What made Mrs. Clifford, recover?, , 'Yes, Mrs. Clifford,' I answered without any hesitation, '1, have seen it.', Her head dropped back. Tears of happiness welled from, her eyes. She whispered faintly. 'God bless you! God bless, you!', Mrs. Clifford recovered., It was almost time for me to return to my country. I wished, to go to Lambeth to say good-bye to Maggie and her mother., But the family was in mourning. Frank had been killed in, the fighting on the Frontier. A month ago,, Maggie had sent me a card with a black border. • Why was Mr Gupta, ashamed to face, I calculated from the date and found that, Mrs. Clifford?, Frank had been dead some days when I told, his mother he was alive and well. I felt ashamed to face, Mrs. Clifford. So I wrote a letter to them, announcing my, departure and bidding them good-bye., The morning of my last day in London dawned. I was to, leave before night. As I was breakfasting with the family,, there was a knock at the door. A minute or two later,, the maid came in and announced, 'Please Mr Gupta,, Miss Clifford has come to see you.', My breakfast was unfinished. Maggie had come to say, good-bye. Lest she be late for office because of me, I took, the permission of my hostess and got up from the table., Maggie was standing in the hall. She was wearing black., I took her into the adjoining library and made her sit, down., 'Are you leaving today?’ she asked., 'Yes, Maggie, today is the day of my departure.', 'How long will it take you to reach your country? ', 'A little more than two weeks.', 'In what part of the country do you live?', 'I have entered the Punjab Civil Service. I shall not know, exactly where I am posted until I arrive there.', 61
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , 'Is the Frontier very far from there? ', 'No, not very.', 'Frank is buried at Fort Monroe, near Dera-Ghazi-Khan.', The girl's eyes were filled with tears as she spoke., 'When I go to that part of the country, I shall visit your, brother's grave and write to you.', 'It won't be troublesome for you? Or • What was the promise, given to Maggie?, inconvenient?' Maggie asked., 'Why should it be? Dera-Ghazi-Khan is not very far from, where I shall be. It will certainly be possible for me to go, there someday. I'll write and tell you about it.', Maggie's face was filled with gratitude. As she thanked, me, her voice choked. She took a shilling out of her pocket, and put it down on the table in front of me, saying, 'Please, buy flowers with this shilling when you go, • Why did Maggie give a, shilling to Mr Gupta?, and lay them on my brother's grave for me.’, In my emotion, I lowered my eyes. The child had earned, the shilling with so much toil! I felt like returning it to, her, explaining that in our country flowers grow in great, profusion and do not have to be purchased., , • Explain the reason why, , Mr Gupta accepted the, But I reconsidered. Why should I deprive her, shilling., of the joy this sacrifice would give her? All, that this shilling could have given her she was foregoing, for the love of her brother. The joy of doing it was beyond, all price. The grief in her heart would be eased a little., What good would it do to deprive her of it? I picked up the, shilling., , 'Maggie,' I said, 'I shall use this shilling to buy flowers and, put them on your brother's grave.', About the Author, Maggie stood up. 'How can I thank you?', she said. 'Now it is time for me to go to, work. Good-bye, remember to write.', I got up and took her hand in mine., 'Good-bye, Maggie, God bless you,' I said, and pressed her hand to my lips. Maggie, left. I wiped a tear or two from my eyes, and went upstairs to pack my bags., (Adapted), (Translated from Bengali by Lila Ray), , 62, , Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay, (1873-1932) was one of the best short, story writers in Bengali literature. He, was also a novelist. His short stories, are mainly based on real-life situations, and his characters belong to the middle, class families. Their hopes and, aspirations, joys and sorrows are, woven finely into his stories.
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Unit - 2 WORDS AND DEEDS, , Glossary:, aggravate (v), , :, , worsen, , beseech (adj), , :, , showing that you want something very much, (of a look, a tone of voice, etc.), , betray (v), , :, , reveal, , entreaty, , :, , a serious and often emotional request, , Lambeth, , :, , a suburb of London, , music (n), , :, , (here) a book with printed notes of music, , Activity I (Read and respond), 1. ‘It is neither the same everywhere nor the same all the year, round in India.’ Why?, 2. Why did the narrator decide to take the shilling given by Maggie?, 3. What is the role of faith in the story?, Activity II (Discussion), r Discuss the significance of the title ‘The Price of Flowers’. You, may also suggest alternate titles to the story., Activity III (Character sketch), r Pick out the words used by the author to describe the character, of Maggie., , Establish the above points with the help of related evidence from, the text, and sketch the character of Maggie., Appearance, • thirteen years old, • anxious figure, • large eyes, •, •, •, Qualities/traits, • hard-working, • disciplined, • polite manners, •, •, , Attitude towards others, • respectful, • caring, •, •, •, •, Your opinion about the girl, •, •, •, •, •, , 63
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Activity IV (Web diagram), r The following web diagram shows different types of stories. Add, more types to it., , Fable, , Adventure, story, , Myth, , Anecdote, , ............., , ............., , Story, , Detective, story, Fairy tale, , Folk tale, Tale, , r Now, match the following with the help of a dictionary., A, , B, , 1. Story, , a., , 2. Anecdote, , b., , 3. Tale, , c., , 4. Folk tale, , d., , 5. Fable, , e., , 6. Fairy tale, , f., , 7. Fiction, , g., , 8. Myth, , h., , a very old traditional story from a particular place,, that was originally passed on to people in a spoken, form, a story from ancient times, especially one that was, told to explain natural events or to describe the early, history of a people, an imaginative story, especially one that is full of, action and adventure, a description of events and people that the writer or, the speaker has invented in order to entertain people, (adventure story, detective story, love story), a story about magic or fairies, usually meant for, children, a traditional short story that teaches a moral lesson,, especially one with animals as characters, an interesting or amusing story about a real person, or event, a type of literature that describes imaginary people, and events, , Which category, does the story 'The Price of Flowers' belong to? Discuss., 64
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Unit - 2 WORDS AND DEEDS, , Activity V (Write-up), r 'I want work that will make me use my head, brain work.', How far can you relate this statement to your life? What kind of, profession do you like? Why? Prepare a write-up., Activity VI (Letter), r ‘When I go to that part of the country, I shall visit your brother’s, grave and write to you.’ A few weeks after the narrator’s departure,, Maggie receives a letter from him. What might be the content of, the letter? Draft a letter, assuming that you are the narrator., Activity VII (Role-play), r Maggie reads the letter. She cannot sleep for many days. Imagine, that one day, Mr Gupta receives a call from her. What would she, say? Discuss with your friend, and prepare a likely conversation, between them. Enact the scene by taking up different roles., Activity VIII (Review), r Read the story ‘The Price of Flowers’ again and discuss the, following with your friends., •, •, •, •, •, •, •, •, , the theme, style of narration, language, impact of words and expressions, location, characterisation, dialogues, the opening and the ending of the story, , Now, attempt a critical review of the story., Activity IX (Reporting), The following sentences are from the story ‘The Price of Flowers’., Read them., She asked, 'Are you an Indian?', 'Yes.', 'Excuse me, are you a vegetarian?', 'Why do you ask that? ', 'I have heard that most Indians are vegetarians.', 'How is it that you know anything about India?', 'My elder brother is in India. He is a soldier.', , 65
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , The very next day the narrator told his friend about the girl and their, conversation., Read and find out how he presented it., The girl asked me whether I was an Indian., I answered in the affirmative., Then she asked me politely if I was a vegetarian., I enquired why she asked that., She said (that) she had heard that most Indians were, vegetarians., I further asked her how it was that she knew anything about, India., She replied that her elder brother was in India and added, that he was a soldier., r What differences do you notice between direct speech and, reported speech? Discuss., Note 1, : If the reporting verb is in the simple present tense or present, perfect, the tense in the direct speech can be retained., e.g. It is said that the earth moves around the sun., Shakespeare has said that one may laugh and laugh and, yet be a villain., Note 2, , : The context of the conversation should be borne in mind, while reporting it. The reporting verbs and adjectives may, be selected accordingly., e.g. The convict : Yes, yes, I’ll lie down., The convict agreed that he would lie down., , r Now, rewrite the following sentences in reported speech., , 'Shall I call you Miss Clifford or Alice? ', 'I am not grown-up yet. You may call me what you like., I am usually called Maggie.' She laughed., 'Are you very anxious to grow up?', 'Yes.', 'Tell me why.', 'When I grow up, I shall be paid more for my work. My, mother is old.', 'Is the work you do to your liking?', 'No. The work is very mechanical. I want work that will, make me use my head, brain work. Like the work of a, secretary.', 66
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Unit - 2 WORDS AND DEEDS, , III. Read and enjoy:, Deeds speak louder than words. Good deeds will be remembered, for ever. Here is a poem which tells us about the glory of deeds., Read on., , DEATH THE LEVELLER, James Shirley, , THE glories of our blood and state, Are shadows, not substantial things;, There is no armour against Fate;, Death lays his icy hand on kings:, Sceptre and Crown, Must tumble down,, And in the dust be equal made, With the poor crooked scythe and spade., Some men with swords may reap the field,, And plant fresh laurels where they kill:, But their strong nerves at last must yield;, They tame but one another still:, Early or late, They stoop to fate,, And must give up their murmuring breath, When they, pale captives, creep to death., The garlands wither on your brow;, Then boast no more your mighty deeds!, Upon Death’s purple altar now, See where the victor-victim bleeds;, Your heads must come, To the cold tomb;, Only the actions of the just, Smell sweet and blossom in their dust., , About the Author, James Shirley, (1596-1666),, is known as the last of the, Elizabethans. He was a, prolific writer for the stage., He also published four, small volumes of poems, and plays., 'Death the Leveller' is a funeral song., However, it appeals to the reader to, think about human actions. The central, idea of the poem is the vanity and, impermanence of earthly glory and, power. Death knows no distinction,, and carries off all alike - high and low,, rich and poor, strong and weak reducing them all to dust. It is only the, memory of the good deeds done, during our lifetime that will remain for, ever., , Your teacher will help you to listen to the, recitation of the poem., , 67
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Glossary:, altar (n), blood (n), captive (n), crooked (adj.), laurels (n), , :, :, :, :, :, , sceptre (n), scythe (n), , :, :, , spade (n), stoop (v), tame (v), tumble, , :, :, :, :, , a holy place in a church or temple, family origins, kept as a prisoner or in a confined space, dishonest, a bush with dark smooth shiny leaves; also, represents, honour and praise, the ornamental rod of a king, a symbol of power, a tool with a long handle and a slightly curved blade, used, to cut grass or grain, a garden tool with a broad metal blade and a long handle, surrender, control, fall down, , Activity I (Read and respond), 1. Why does the poet think that the glories of our blood and state, are shadows?, 2. What do 'sceptre and crown', and 'scythe and spade' stand for and, what do they symbolize?, 3. Why does the poet say that 'there is no armour against fate'?, 4. 'Some men with swords may reap the field'. What does this mean?, 5. What is the fate of the men with swords who hope to reap the, field?, 6. What does 'Death's purple altar' refer to?, 7. What does the phrase 'victor-victim' mean?, 8. What can survive death? What are the things that blossom in the, dust? Why?, 9. Why is Death called the Leveller?, Activity II (Read and reflect), r Elaborate the ideas in the following lines:, (i) Only the actions of the just, Smell sweet and blossom in the dust., (ii) The glories of our blood and state, Are shadows, not substantial things;, There is no armour against Fate;, , 68
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Unit - 2 WORDS AND DEEDS, , r The following words are taken from the poem. Parse them with, the help of a dictionary., armour, but, murmuring, boast, where, cold, sweet, , :, :, :, :, :, :, :, , ……noun…, ………………, ………………, verb, ………………, ………………, ………………, , wither, tame, stoop, crumble, reap, boast, bleeds, , :, :, :, :, :, :, :, , ………………, ………………, ………………, ………………, ………………, ………………, ………………, , Activity III (Analysis), r Examine the rhyme scheme of the poem. What effect does it, produce?, Couplet : A couplet consists of two lines of poetry that rhyme with, each other and are of the same length., e.g. 'Sceptre and crown, Must tumble down,’, Can you identify more couplets from the poem?, Figures of speech:, Personification --- a figure of speech in which human qualities, are attributed to inanimate objects. e.g. O wild west wind!, Metaphor --- a word or expression used to describe somebody/, something in a way that is different from its normal use. One is, identified with the other., e.g. O, my love is a red, red rose (metaphor), O, my love is like a red, red rose (simile), Metonymy --- when one thing is mentioned instead of another, with which it has become closely associated, because of a, recurrent relation in common experience., e.g. ‘the crown’ stands for a king, ‘Hollywood’ for the film industry, Oxymoron --- when two terms which, in ordinary usage, are, contraries are used together., e.g. pleasing pains, loving hate; I burn and freeze., Identify the figure of speech in 'Death lays its icy hand on kings:', Pick out examples of metaphor, metonymy and oxymoron in the poem., Discuss the poetic effect of these figures of speech., , 69
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Activity IV (Appreciation), Men are mortal. Triumph and failures are a part and parcel of life., However, we have to think of the consequences of our action before, we do something. The effect of our mistaken deeds cannot often be, rectified., .........................................................................................., .........................................................................................., Think and add your views., r Now attempt an appreciation of the poem. What should be included in it?, -, , introduction, brief summary, poetic devices, message, your opinion, , Activity V (Collection), r Collect articles, biographies, poems, memoirs, etc., on great people, like Mahatma Gandhi and Abraham Lincoln, and prepare a Class, Magazine., , 70
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Unit - 2 WORDS AND DEEDS, , The major learning outcomes of this unit are listed below., , Thematic outcomes, Students demonstrate the ability to, •, , maintain the unity between words and deeds., , •, , uphold the importance of values in life., , •, , realise the role of each individual to enrich the, culture of India., , •, , appreciate literature., , •, , develop an empathetic attitude., , Linguistic outcomes, Students demonstrate the ability to, •, , use correct subject-verb agreement in discourses., , •, , use reported speech in various contexts., , •, , use dictionary reference skills., , •, , prepare and deliver speeches., , •, , participate in Group Discussions., , •, , draft different types of letters., , •, , prepare an appreciation of poems / short stories., , •, , make notes and summarise passages., , 71
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Unit, , 3, … all experience is an arch wherethro', Gleams that untravell'd world whose margin fades, For ever and forever when I move., Alfred Lord Tennyson, About the Unit, Travel, for Ulysses, the speaker of Tennyson's poem, is the, means to satisfy his unquenchable thirst for knowledge. With, his unflinching determination, ‘to strive, to seek, to find, and not, to yield’ he intends to go beyond horizons of knowledge and, experience. In the modern world the amenities of travel have, improved and the opportunities of travel have increased, tremendously., The unit focuses on travel and the diverse experience it provides., It takes the learners through different facets of travel, such as, an adoration of natural beauty, a craving for adventure and an, exploration of new cultures, customs and traditions., It comprises:, •, •, •, , 72, , Sunrise on the Hills (a poem), The Trip of Le Horla (a short story), The Sacred Turtles of Kadavu (a Fijian Legend)
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Unit - 3 BEYOND THE HORIZON, , Let’s begin:, r 1. Look at the illustration given below., Give a suitable caption to it., , What more would you like to include in this illustration?, r Travel is an integral part of modern life. It opens up new horizons, of experience. Imagine that you are planning a tour to a place of, importance., What are your criteria for selecting your tourist destination?, , List them below:, m, , Scenic beauty, , m, , ............................., , m, , ............................., , m, , ............................., , 2. Read and discuss:, r The lush beauty of a place is a real feast for the eyes. It never, fails to attract us. Here is an account of the magical beauty of, nature - the panoramic view from the top of Thamarasseri Ghats*, towards the Arabian Sea., , 'High mountains rise to the left with water glistening on bare, black rocks like tears of gladness in the eyes of sorrow; forests, stretch away here with gentle slope and easy undulation; far below, lie swamps choked with thorny thickets and rank coarse grasses, in whose bosoms are stored the streams which water those large, stretches of rice fields, here sere and yellow after the sickle of, the reaper, there whitening unto harvest or again a vivid green, where the second crop matures., * Thamarasseri Ghats is a hilly highway with nine hairpin curves from Adivaram, (Valley) to Lakkidi, in Wayanad. It is also known as Thamarasseri Churam., , 73
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Hills everywhere, some arid, red and unfruitful, more covered in, the feathery foliage of the Eastern orchards... As the distance, grows farther, hill and field all merge into one green plain, and, beyond gleams the sea, hard to be discerned from heaven that, bends down and meets it. The thought rises from the heart that, in such fair and well-ordered beauty, the affairs of this world may, perchance appear… so strange, so little comprehendible by us,, the dwellers, amid its hills and valleys., (Wayanad: It's Peoples and Traditions, by C. Gopalan Nair, 1911), , m, , Discuss the colours mentioned in the passage., , m, , What gives Thamarasseri its well-ordered beauty?, , m, , Pick out the word-pictures found in the passage., , thorny thickets, , .........................., , .........................., , .........................., , .........................., , .........................., , r Think of a place in your locality which is noted for its scenic, beauty., , Is it as attractive and beautiful as the place described in the, above passage? Discuss with your friends., , 74
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Unit - 3 BEYOND THE HORIZON, , I. Read and enjoy:, Travel is, in fact, an eye-opener. It opens up new, refreshing snapshots, before us and often helps us change our philosophy of life., Now, read the poem ‘Sunrise on the Hills’., , SUNRISE ON THE HILLS, H. W. Longfellow, , I stood upon the hills, when heaven’s wide arch, Was glorious with the sun’s returning march,, And woods were brightened, and soft gales, Went forth to kiss the sun-clad vales., The clouds were far beneath me; bathed in light,, They gathered midway round the wooded height,, And, in their fading glory, shone, Like hosts in battle overthrown., As many a pinnacle, with shifting glance,, Through the gray mist thrust up its shattered lance,, And rocking on the cliff was left, The dark pine blasted, bare, and cleft., The veil of cloud was lifted, and below, Glowed the rich valley, and the river’s flow, Was darkened by the forest’s shade,, Or glistened in the white cascade;, Where upward, in the mellow blush of day,, The noisy bittern wheeled his spiral way., I heard the distant waters dash,, I saw the current whirl and flash,, And richly, by the blue lake’s silver beach,, The woods were bending with a silent reach., Then o’er the vale, with gentle swell,, The music of the village bell, Came sweetly to the echo-giving hills;, And the wild horn, whose voice the woodland fills,, Was ringing to the merry shout,, That faint and far the glen sent out,, Where, answering to the sudden shot, thin smoke,, Through thick-leaved branches, from the dingle broke., If thou art worn and hard beset, With sorrows that thou wouldst forget,, If thou wouldst read a lesson, that will keep, 75
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Thy heart from fainting and thy soul from sleep,, Go to the woods and hills! No tears, Dim the sweet look that Nature wears., , Glossary:, beset (v), , : affect somebody / something About the Author, in a harmful way, H.W. Longfellow, bittern (n), : a small, speckled bird of the, (1807-1882) was an, heron family, found in North, influential American, America, poet, translator and, cascade (n), : a small waterfall, professor at Harvard, cliff (n), : a high area of rock with a University. During his lifetime,, very steep side, often on a Longfellow was considered the best of, all American poets, and his work was, coast, widely translated and published in, dingle (n), : a deep wooded narrow valley various other languages. The poem, ‘Sunrise on the Hills’ presents the, glen (n), : valley, horn (n), : the great horned owl of experience of the poet as he watches, the sun rise amidst the hills., America, or the screech owl, lance (n), : a very long thin pointed, weapon used in the past by soldiers on horses. (here) the, sharp pointed top of hills /rocks., mellow (adj), : smooth and soft, pinnacle (n), : the top of a very high mountain; a tall thin pointed piece of, stone or rock, thy (determiner) : your, the possessive form of thou (you), wooded (adj), : covered with trees, , Activity I (Read and respond), m, , m, m, m, m, m, m, m, , 76, , Look at the expressions 'heaven's wide arch', and 'returning, march'. What does the poet describe here? What else does it, remind you of?, Comment on the expression ‘soft gales.’, What makes the glory of the clouds fade?, What are the clouds compared to?, What picture of the valley is unveiled?, How does the valley respond to the rising sun?, What message does the poet convey?, Are all the three stanzas of equal length? Why do you think the, last stanza is short when compared to the previous stanzas?
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Unit - 3 BEYOND THE HORIZON, , Activity II (Read and reflect), You may also listen to the recital of the poem., Now, discuss and answer the following questions:, , Comment on the musical quality of the poem., Identify the symbols used in the poem., How does figurative language, like the simile, make the poem, effective?, , m, m, m, , Your teacher will help you listen to the recitation of the poem., , Activity III (Appreciation), r Pick out the descriptions of sights, sounds and movements in the, poem., Sights, •, , glowed the rich, valley, , •, •, , Sounds, •, , Movements, , distant waters, dash, , •, •, , •, , wheeled his, spiral way, , •, •, , r Does any image stand out as the most important? Why do you, think so?, r What is your overall assessment of the poem?, r Based on the above discussions, prepare an appreciation of the, poem. You may follow the format given below., , m, , Introduction, , m, , Brief summary, , m, , Features (sound effect, symbols,, figures of speech, etc.), , m, , Message, , m, , Concluding comments, , • The sights listed above are, images that create strong word, pictures in the minds of the, readers. They belong to a type, of imagery called visual, imagery., • The sounds that you identified, in the poem are vital in, imagining and feeling the, situation. They are instances, of auditory imagery., • The words in the poem that are, used to describe a sense of, movement form a type of, imagery called kinesthetic, imagery., , 77
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Read and discuss:, r The modes of travel differ. Some may result in more intense and, interesting experiences. Here is a traveller who broke the physical barrier between him and the people of different countries., Chris Foster, a 48-year-old teacher from Southern, California, has just completed the first part of a solo, motorcycle journey around the world. He roared his way, through 14,343 miles, across three continents, and eleven, countries, starting his journey in late June, by dipping his, feet in the Pacific Ocean. To him, travelling by motorcycle, is a one-of-a-kind experience, to get close to everything:, the weather, the smells, the sights, and most importantly,, the people. One of the main motivations for this journey is, to gain a first-hand knowledge of various countries and, their customs., m What does the travel experience of this teacher tell us?, m What do you think interests him more: where to travel or how to, , travel?, , II. Read and reflect:, How interesting does the earth look when viewed from a different angle, from far away, from out there? Let’s read ‘The Trip of Le Horla,’ which, chronicles Maupassant’s ride in a balloon called ‘Le Horla’., , THE TRIP OF LE HORLA, Guy de Maupassant, , On the morning of July 8th, I received the following, telegram: ‘Fine day. Always my predictions. Belgian, frontier. Baggage and servants leave at • What is special about the, noon at the social session. Beginning of sentences in the telegram?, manoeuvres at three. So I will wait for, you at the works from five o'clock on. Jovis.’, At five o'clock sharp, I entered the gas works of La Villette., The balloon is lying in the courtyard and has the, appearance of a cake made of yellow cloth, • What does the author compare, flat on the ground under a rope., the balloon to?, , 78
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Unit - 3 BEYOND THE HORIZON, , Two or three hundred people are looking at it, sitting or, standing, and some are examining the basket, a nice little, square basket for a human cargo, bearing on its side in, gold letters, on a mahogany plate, the words: Le Horla., Suddenly, the people begin to stand back, for the gas is, beginning to enter into the balloon through a long tube of, yellow cloth, which lies on the soil, • What is the other thought that, swelling and undulating like an enormous, occurs to every mind?, worm. But another thought, another picture occurs to, every mind. It is thus that nature itself nourishes beings, until their birth. The creature that will rise, soon begins, to move, and the attendants of Captain Jovis, as Le Horla, grows larger, spread and put in place the net which covers, it, so that the pressure will be regular and equally, distributed at every point., The crowd has begun to talk, and some men, who appear, to be specialists, affirm with authority that we shall come, down before reaching the fortifications. • Express the attitude of the, Several other things have been criticized, spectators and passengers, towards the sport of ballooning., in this novel type of balloon with which, we are about to experiment, with so much pleasure and, success. Meanwhile, the balloon is growing slowly but, surely., While Captain Jovis and his assistants are busy with the, last details, the travellers go to dine in • What is the established custom, the canteen of the gas-works, according, mentioned here?, to the established custom., When we come out again, the balloon is swaying, enormous, and transparent, a prodigious golden fruit, a fantastic pear, which is still ripening, covered by the last, rays of the setting sun. Now, the basket • When the travellers come out,, what do they see?, is attached, the barometers are brought;, the siren, which we will blow to our hearts' content, is, also brought; also the two trumpets, the eatables, the, overcoats and raincoats; all the small articles that can go, with the men in that flying basket., Captain Jovis is now ready, and calls all the passengers., Lieutenant Mallet jumps aboard, climbing, first on the aerial net between the basket, and the balloon, from which he will watch,, , • Name the passengers in the, balloon., , 79
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , during the night, the movements of Le, Who is posted as the officer on, Horla across the skies, as the officer on • watch?, watch standing on starboard watches the, course of a ship. M*. Etierine Beer gets in after him, then, comes M. Paul Bessand, then M. Patrice Eyries, and I get, in last., But the basket is too heavy for the balloon, • Why does M.Eyries get out of the, balloon? Is he regretful? Why?, considering the long trip to be taken, and, M. Eyries has to get out, not without great regret., M. Joliet, standing erect on the edge of the basket, begs, the ladies, in very gallant terms, to stand aside a little,, for he is afraid he might throw sand on, • What does M. Joliet’s deeds and, their hats in rising. Then, he commands:, words tell us about him?, ‘Let it loose,’ and, cutting with one stroke, of his knife the ropes that hold the balloon to the ground,, he gives Le Horla its liberty!, • Comment on the use of the word, ‘liberty’., , In one second we fly skyward. Nothing, can be heard; we float, we rise, we fly, we glide! Our, friends shout with glee and applaud, but we hardly hear, them, we hardly see them. We are already so far, so high!, What? Are we really leaving these people down there? Is, it possible? Paris spreads out beneath us, a dark bluish, patch, cut by its streets, from which rise, here and there,, domes, towers, steeples, then around it, the plain, the country, traversed by long • Describe the aerial view of Paris., roads, thin and white, amidst green fields of a tender or, dark green, and woods almost black., The sun, which we could no longer see, down below, now reappears., , • Have you ever had an aerial view, of a place?, , In fact, we can see whether we are rising • Can a view from an aeroplane be, or sinking only by throwing a cigarette, as picturesque as this balloon, view? Why?, paper out of the basket, now and then. If, this paper appears to fall down like a stone, it means that, the balloon is rising; if it appears to shoot, • How do the travellers know, skyward, the balloon is descending., whether they are rising or, sinking?, The two barometers mark about five, hundred metres, and we gaze with, enthusiastic admiration at the earth we are leaving, and to which we are not attached in any way; it looks like, *, , 80, , The initial M. before the names stands for ‘Monsieur,’ a French courtesy title, which is equivalent to the English ‘Mr.’
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Unit - 3 BEYOND THE HORIZON, , a coloured map, an immense plan, of the country. All its noises,, however, rise to our ears very, distinctly, easily recognizable. We, hear the sound of the wheels, rolling in the streets, the snap of, a whip, the cries of drivers, the, rolling and whistling of trains and, the laughter of small boys running, after one another. Every time we pass, over a village, the noise of children's, voices is heard above the rest, and with, the greatest distinctness., , • All the noises are easily, recognisable. Mention the, diverse sounds that reach the, travellers’ ears., , The view is superb; it is dark on the earth, but we are still, in the light, and it is now past ten o'clock. Now, we begin, to hear slight country noises, the double, cry of the quail in particular, then the • How do the animals receive the, balloon? How does the balloon, mewing of cats and the barking of dogs., appear before them?, Surely, the dogs have scented the balloon;, they have seen it and have given the alarm. We can hear, them barking all over the plain, and making the identical, noise they make when baying at the moon. The cows also, seem to wake up in the barns, for we can hear them, lowing; all the beasts are scared and moved before the, aerial monster that is passing., • The delicious odours of the soil, The delicious odours of the soil rise, towards us, the smell of hay, of flowers,, of the moist, verdant earth, perfuming the, air., , rise toward us, the smell of hay,, of flowers, of the moist, verdant, earth, perfuming the air…Identify, the type of imagery used here., , At times, we rise and then descend. Every • What do you think would be the, fate of the balloon?, few minutes, Lieutenant Mallet,, suspended in his cobweb of netting, says, to Captain Jovis: ‘We are descending; throw down half a, handful.’ And the captain, who is talking • Why does Mallet ask the Captain, and laughing with us, with a bag of ballast, to throw down half a handful of, sand?, between his legs, takes a handful of sand, out of the bag, and throws it overboard., Nothing is more amusing, more delicate, more interesting, than the manoeuvring of a balloon. It is an enormous toy,, free and docile, which obeys with surprising sensitiveness,, , 81
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , but it is also, and before all, the slave of • The balloon is both a free toy and, the wind, which we cannot control. A pinch, a slave of the wind. Express your, views on this statement., of sand, half a sheet of paper, one or two, drops of water, the bones of a chicken which we have just, eaten, thrown overboard, makes it go up quickly., The earth sleeps now, or rather, men sleep on the earth,, for the beasts awakened by the sight of our balloon,, announce our approach everywhere., A strong and continuous odour of gas can, be plainly observed. We must have, encountered a current of warm air, and, the balloon expands, losing its invisible, blood by the escape-valve., , • Can you ‘observe’ odour? Why, does the author say so?, • Comment on the expression:, ‘losing its invisible blood by the, escape-valve.’, , We are rising. The earth no longer gives, back the echo of our trumpets; we have risen almost two, thousand feet. It is not light enough for us to consult the, instruments; we only know that the rice paper falls from, us like dead butterflies, that we are rising, • What do the mist-covered earth, and star-studded sky indicate?, always rising. We can no longer see the, earth; a light mist separates us from it;, and above our head twinkles a world of stars., A silvery light appears before us and makes the sky turn, pale, and suddenly, as if it is rising from unknown depths,, behind the horizon below us, rises the moon on the edge of, a cloud. It seems to be coming from below, while we are, looking down upon it from a great height, leaning on the, edge of our basket, like an audience on a • How is the rising of the moon, described?, balcony. Clear and round, it emerges from, the clouds and slowly rises in the sky., The earth no longer seems to exist, it is buried in milky, vapours that resemble a sea. We are now alone in space, with the moon, which looks like another balloon travelling, opposite us; and our balloon, which shines in the air,, appears like another, larger moon, a world wandering in, the sky amid the stars, through infinity. We no longer speak,, think nor live; we float along through space in delicious, inertia. We have become something • Look at the expression ‘delicious, inertia.’ Can you identify the, indescribable, birds who do not even have, figure of speech used here?, to flap their wings., All memory has disappeared from our, , 82, , • Why is space travel considered, as ‘delicious inertia’ by the, narrator?
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Unit - 3 BEYOND THE HORIZON, , minds, all trouble from our thoughts; we have no more, regrets, plans nor hopes. We look, we feel, we wildly enjoy, this fantastic journey; nothing in the sky • The author calls the balloon ‘a, world wandering in the sky’ and, but the moon and ourselves! We are a, ‘a wandering, travelling world.’, wandering, travelling world, like our, Can, you, coin, similar, sisters, the planets; and this little world, descriptions of the balloon?, carries five men who have left the earth,, and who have almost forgotten it. The barometers mark, twelve hundred metres, then thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, hundred; and the little rice papers still fall about us., We are now at two thousand metres; we go up to two thousand, three hundred and fifty; then the balloon, • When does the balloon stop?, stops. We blow the siren and are surprised, Why?, that no one answers us from the stars., We are now going down rapidly. M. Mallet keeps crying:, ‘Throw out more ballast! throw out more ballast!’ And the, sand and stones that we throw over, come back into our, faces as if they are going up, thrown from below toward the, stars, so rapid is our descent., • How does the author describe the, rapid descent of the balloon?, Here is the earth! Where are we? It is now, past midnight, and we are crossing a broad, dry, wellcultivated country. To the right is a large city, and farther, away to the left is another. But suddenly from the earth, appears a bright fairy light; it disappears, reappears and, once more disappears. But one hardly has time to see them, as the balloon passes as quickly as the wind., , We are now quite near the earth, and Beer exclaims: ‘Look, at that! What is that running over there in the fields? Isn't, it a dog?’ Indeed, something is running along the ground, with great speed, and this something seems to jump over, ditches, roads, trees with such ease that, we could not understand what it might be. • How does the shadow of the, balloon appear to the travellers?, The captain laughs: ‘It is the shadow of, our balloon. It will grow as we descend.’, I distinctly hear a great noise of foundries, in the distance. And, according to the polar, star, which we have been observing all night,, we are heading straight for Belgium*., , • How far does the polar star guide, the travellers?, Do you think it is a scientific way, to travel?, , * Belgium borders the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to, the southeast, France to the south and the North Sea for 70 km to the north east., Brussels is the capital of Belgium., , 83
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Our siren and our two horns are continually calling. We, bellow: ‘Where are we?’ But the balloon is going so rapidly, that the bewildered man has not even time to answer us., The growing shadow of Le Horla, as large, • Who is the bewildered man? Why, as a child's ball, is fleeing before us over, is he bewildered?, the fields, roads and woods. It goes along, steadily, preceding us by about a quarter of a mile; and, now, I am leaning out of the basket, listening to the roaring, of the wind in the trees and across the harvest fields. I, say to Captain Jovis: ‘How the wind blows!’, He answers: ‘No, those are probably waterfalls.’ I insist,, sure of my ear that knows the sound of the wind, from, hearing it so often whistle through the, rigging. Then Jovis nudges me; he fears • Comment on the reaction of the, Captain to the roaring of the, to frighten his happy, quiet passengers,, wind. Can you justify the, for he knows full well that a storm is, Captain’s behaviour?, pursuing us., Suddenly, the lights of a town appear before us. Such a, wonderful flow of fire appears below us that I think myself, transported into some fairyland where precious stones, are manufactured for giants., The clouds are gathering behind us, hiding the moon,, whereas towards the east the sky is growing lighter,, becoming clear blue, tinged with red. It is dawn. It grows, rapidly, now showing us all the little, details of the earth, the trains, the • Identify the sights and sounds, that welcome the dawn., brooks, the cows, the goats. And all this, Sights, Sounds, passes beneath us with surprising speed., Cocks are crowing, but the voice of ducks, drowns everything., The early rising peasants are waving their arms and crying, to us: ‘Let yourselves drop!’ But we go along steadily,, neither rising nor falling, leaning over the, edge of the basket and watching the world • ‘The world fleeing under our feet’, - What experience does the, fleeing under our feet., author try to convey?, And, indeed, far ahead of us stretches a, bright highway, in the light of the dawning day. Yes, it, looks like a river, an immense river full of islands., , 84
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Unit - 3 BEYOND THE HORIZON, , ‘Get ready for the descent,’ cries the captain. He makes, M. Mallet leave his net and return to the basket; then, we, pack the barometers and everything that could be injured, by possible shocks. M. Bessand exclaims: ‘Look at the masts, over there to the left! We are at the sea!’ • If you were in such a situation,, how would you react?, Fogs have hidden it from us until then., The sea is everywhere, to the left and opposite us., It is necessary to descend within a minute or two., The rope to the escape-valve, which has • “Religiously enclosed” What is your opinion about the, been religiously enclosed in a little white, adverb used here? How is it, bag and placed in sight of all so that no, connected with the verb, one will touch it, is unrolled, and, ‘enclosed?’, M. Mallet holds it in his hand while, Captain Jovis looks for a favourable landing., Behind us, the thunder is rumbling and, not a single bird follows our mad flight., , • Why do you think the birds are, hesitant to follow the balloon?, , We are passing over a canal. The basket trembles and, tips over slightly. The guy-rope touches the tall trees on, both banks.We pass with frightful rapidity over a large, farm, from which the bewildered, • List out the words and, chickens, pigeons and ducks fly away,, expressions that indicate the, while the cows, cats and dogs run,, mad flight of the balloon., terrified, toward the house., Just one-half bag of ballast is left. Jovis throws it, overboard, and Le Horla flies lightly across the roof., The captain once more cries: ‘The escape-valve!’, M. Mallet reaches for the rope and hangs • What action does Mallet, to it, and we drop like an arrow. With the, perform?, slash of a knife the cord which retains, the anchor is cut, and we drag this grapple behind us,, through a field of beets. Here are the trees., ‘Take care! Hold fast! Look out for your heads!’, We pass over them. Then a strong shock shakes us. The, anchor has taken hold., ‘Look out! Take a good hold! Raise yourselves by your, wrists. We are going to touch the ground.’, The basket does indeed strike the earth. Then it flies up, again. Once more, it falls and bounds upward again, and, , 85
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , at last, it settles on the ground, while, the balloon struggles madly like a, wounded beast., , • Comment on the visual effect of, ‘the balloon landing.’, , Peasants run toward us, but they do not dare approach,, for one cannot set foot on the ground until the bag is, almost completely deflated., • Describe the reception of the, balloon by the peasants., Then, almost at the same time as the, bewildered men, some of whom show their astonishment, by jumping, with the wild gestures of savages, all the cows, that are grazing along the coast come towards us,, surrounding our balloon with a strange and comical circle, of horns, big eyes and blowing nostrils., With the help of the accommodating and hospitable Belgian, peasants, we are able, in a short time, to pack up all our, materials and carry it to the station at Heyst*, where, at, twenty minutes past eight, we take the train for Paris., The descent occurred at three-fifteen in the morning., Thanks to Captain Jovis, thanks to this brave man, we, were able to see, in a single night, from far up in the sky,, the setting of the sun, the rising of the moon and the, dawn of day, and to go from Paris to the mouth of the, Scheldt** through the skies., (Adapted), , About the Author, , Glossary:, , Guy de Maupassant (1850, – 1893) was a popular 19thcentury French writer,, considered one of the, masters of the modern short, story and one of its finest exponents., The short story called ‘The Trip of Le, Horla,’ appeared in the Figaro, in 1887,, under the title ‘From Paris to Heyst’., ‘The Trip of Le Horla,’ is about the, author’s ride in a hot air balloon., , ballast (n), , barometer (n), , bellow (v), deflate (v), ditch (n), docile (adj), , : a substance such as water,, sand or metal that is carried, in ships or large balloons to, help them remain steady, : a device that measures air, pressure and shows when, the weather is likely to, change, : utter in a loud, powerful, voice, : let out air or gas from a tyre or balloon, : a long, narrow open hole that is dug into the ground, usually, at the side of a road or field, used especially for supplying or, removing water or for dividing land, : quiet and easy to influence, persuade, or control, , * Heyst is a place with a very small population in the province of West - Vlaanderen,, Belgium. The closest major cities include Antwerp and Brussels., ** Scheldt is a river that rises in France, flows through Belgium and empties into the, North Sea., , 86
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Unit - 3 BEYOND THE HORIZON, , fortification (n) : strong walls, towers, etc., that are built to protect a place, gesture (n), : a movement of the hands or head, etc., to express an idea or, feeling., grapple (n), : an iron shaft with claws at one end, usually thrown by a rope, and used for grasping and holding, especially one for drawing, and holding an enemy ship alongside, guy-rope (n), : a rope or wire that keeps a tent fixed in position on the ground, inertia (n), : resistance or disinclination to motion, action, or change, manoeuvre (n) : an action or movement that needs care or skill to perform;, (here) the balloon ride, nudge (v), : push against gently, especially in order to gain attention or, give a signal, prodigious (adj) : very great or impressive, quail (n), : a small brown bird, steeple (n), : a tall tower forming the superstructure of a building, such as, a church or temple, and usually surmounted by a spire, tinge (v), : contain a slight amount of, undulate (v), : move gently up and down in the shape of waves on the sea, verdant (adj), : green, , Activity I (Think and respond), r Imagine that you get a chance to be the captain of a tour, programme. What type of a captain would you like to become?, , List the qualities of an ideal captain., m, , m, , m, , m, , m, , m, , Activity II (Live TV report), r Draft a live TV Report of Le Horla's, take off., Activity III (Dos and Don’ts), r While planning a trip, we have to, consider many things. What are the dos, and the don'ts while doing so?, • Dos, Take a first aid kit., ................................................., ................................................., • Don’ts, Avoid carrying expensive things., ................................................., ................................................., , Tips, • Make maximum use of, the simple present., • Report exactly what you, see., • Have a good start and a, good wrap-up., • Explain the event in, detail; do not avoid key, information., • Link your live report, with similar instances., Tips, Dos and don’ts are, • usually imperatives, • short and meaningful, , 87
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Activity IV (Comparison), r Nothing is more amusing, more delicate, more interesting than, the manoeuvring of a balloon., Which degree of comparison is used here?, Read the passage below., All memory has disappeared from our minds, all trouble, from our thoughts; we have no more regrets, plans nor, hopes. We look, we feel, we wildly enjoy this fantastic, journey; nothing in the sky but the moon and ourselves!, We are a wandering, travelling world, like our sisters, the, planets; and this little world carries five men who have, left the earth, and who have almost forgotten it., r Now, rewrite the passage comparing it with the life on earth. You, may begin like this:, Now our minds and thoughts are more independent than it was, when we were on earth.........................................................., .............................................................................................., ..............................................................................................., Activity V (Narration), r Narrate the landing of the balloon from the point of view of one of, the peasants present there., , Mode of Narration, First person narration, Second person narration, , Description, In this mode, the narrator is usually, the protagonist or central character, in the story., Directions and instructions are, usually narrated from the secondperson’s perspective., , Third person narration, There are three distinct modes of third person narration: objective,, limited, and omniscient., The narrator does not reveal any of, Third person objective, the characters’ thoughts or feelings., The narrator reveals the thoughts, and feelings of one character through, Third person limited, explicit narration., The narration will reveal more than, one character’s internal workings;, Third person omniscient, the narrator is all-knowing., , 88
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Unit - 3 BEYOND THE HORIZON, , Activity VI (Travel essay), r Travel writing is a person's account of a journey to another country or place. It blends the description of physical features with, practical issues related to travel, experiences of the place and, personal impressions. The story you have read includes all these, aspects., Description of physical features, , Paris spreads out beneath us, a dark bluish, patch, cut by its streets, from which rise,, here and there, domes, towers, steeples..., , Practical issues related to, travel, , ...two trumpets, the eatables, the overcoats, and raincoats, all the small articles that, can go with the men in that flying basket., , Experiences of the place, , Personal impressions, , With the help of the accommodating and, hospitable Belgian peasants, we are able,, in a short time, to pack up all our, materials..., ...we float along through space in delicious, inertia. We have become something, indescribable, birds who do not even have, to flap their wings., , Now, write a travel essay describing a travel experience you had, recently., Activity VII (Progressive tenses), r Have a look at the following segments of sentences., But the clouds are gathering behind us…, Crows are crowing…, In the above segments, the action continues to take place even at, the moment of speaking. The present continuous tense form of a, verb is used in such a context. The verbs in the above segments of, sentences (‘gather’ and ‘crow’) are in the present continuous tense, form. Continuous tenses are also called Progressive tenses., We use the present continuous tense to denote, m, , something that is happening at the moment of speaking., , m, , something which is happening before and after a given time., , m, , something which we think is temporary., , m, , something which is new and contrasts with a previous state., , m, , something which happens again and again., , m, , for talking about the future; for something which has been arranged, or planned., , m, m, , 89
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , r Pick out the instances in the story where the present continuous, tense form of the verb is used., , Sentence/Segment, , Context, , We are crossing..., , At the moment of, speaking, , r Frame a sentence on your own., , Context, , Sentence, , happening at the moment of speaking, happening before and after a given, time, something which is temporary, something new which contrasts with, a previous state, happens again and again, has been arranged or planned, , r Most Indian speakers of English, however, have a tendency to, confuse the simple present with the present continuous tense., The simple present tense is usually used to, m, , refer to regular actions, current situations, or facts in general., , m, , refer to more long-lasting or permanent situations., , m, , refer to actions which are going to happen very soon., , m, , refer to short actions happening at the time of speaking;, generally, in reviews of films or books., , 90, , m, , ..........................................................................................., , m, , ...........................................................................................
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Unit - 3 BEYOND THE HORIZON, , III. Read and reflect:, Travel, at times, crosses the frontiers of a mere exploration of the, physical features of a landscape, and takes us far beyond to the, exploration of the real self of a land which is embedded in its customs,, traditions and rituals. Here is a travel experience that acquaints us, with a strange ritual on a Fijian island. Read on:, , THE SACRED TURTLES OF KADAVU, On the island of Kadavu (pronounced Kandavu), one of the, larger islands of the Fiji Group, and some fifty miles by, water from the capital city of Suva, is the, Fijian village of Namuana. Namuana • How, according to the legend, did, the warriors of Kadavu save, nestles at the foot of a beautiful bay, themselves a long journey by sea?, adjacent to the Government Station in, Vunisea Harbour. Here, the island of Kadavu narrows down, to an isthmus, and by climbing the hill behind Namuana, village, one can stand on the saddle and look out to the, sea to the south and to the north. Legend says that in the, days gone by, the warriors of Kadavu slid their canoes on, rollers up over the narrow neck of land to save the long, journey around the east and the west of Kadavu island., The women of Namuana village still preserve a very strange, ritual, that of calling turtles from the sea. If you visit, Namuana village to see the turtle calling, your schooner, anchors in a beautiful bay right under the cliffs of a rocky, headland. You land on the beach and then, either sit on, the rocks under the bluffs on the beach or climb a rocky, tract to a point some 150 or 200 feet up the rock face., Here, you have a splendid view and will find assembled, all the maidens of the village of Namuana, singing a strange, chant. As they chant, if you look very carefully down into, the water of the bay, you will see giant turtles rise one by, one to lie on the surface, listening to the music., This is not a fairy tale; it actually does take place and the, water in this area is forbidden for the fishing of turtles., Another interesting sideline to this performance is that if, any member of the nearby village of Nabukelevu is present,, then the turtles will not rise to the surface of the bay,, 91
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , and the turtle calling will have to be, abandoned., As is usually the case with such strange, ceremonies and customs, in Fiji, the turtle, calling is based on an ancient legend still, passed on from father to son, among the, Fijian people of Kadavu., , • The turtles will not rise to the, surface of the bay if any member, of the nearby village of, Nabukelevu is present there.What, could be the reason?, • Are all rituals strange? Why?, , Many, many years ago, in the beautiful village of Namuana,, on the island of Kadavu, lived a very lovely princess called, Tinaicoboga who was the wife of the chief of Namuana, village. Tinaicoboga had a charming, daughter called Raudalice, and the two • Comment on the opening, sentence of the legend., women often went fishing on the reefs, around their home., Once, Tinaicoboga and Raudalice went further afield than, usual. They waded out onto the submerged reefs which, stretch out from the rocky headline to the east of the bay, on which Namuana village is situated., They became so engrossed with their fishing that they, did not notice the stealthy approach of a great war canoe,, filled with fishermen, from the nearby village of, Nabukelevu. This village is situated in the shadow of Mount, Washington, the highest mountain on Kadavu island., Today, Mount Washington is well known to mariners, because there is a splendid lighthouse there, warning, them of the dangers of the rocky coastline., Suddenly, the fishermen leapt from their canoe and seized, the two women, bound their hands and, What happens to the two women, feet with vine, tossed them into the • when, they go fishing?, bottom of the canoe, and set off in great, haste for home. Although the women pleaded for their, lives, the cruel warriors from Nabukelevu did not listen to, their entreaties., The gods of the sea, however, were kind, • What does the change in weather, signify?, and soon, a great storm arose and the, canoe was tossed about by huge waves which almost, swamped it. As the canoe foundered in the sea, the, fishermen were astounded to notice that the two women,, lying in the water in the hold of the canoe, had suddenly, changed into turtles, and to save their own lives, the men, 92
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Unit - 3 BEYOND THE HORIZON, , seized them and threw them into the sea., As they slipped over the side of the canoe, the weather, changed and there were no more waves., The Nabukelevu fishermen continued their journey back, to their home village, and the two women from Namuana, who had been changed to turtles lived on in the water of, the bay. It is their descendants today who rise from the, water when the maidens of their own village sing songs, to them from the cliffs., The translation of the strange song, which is chanted on, such occasions, is as follows:, ‘The women of Namuana are all dressed • Why are the women dressed in, mourning ?, in mourning, Each carries a sacred club each tattooed in a strange, pattern, Do rise to the surface Raudalice so we may look at you, Do rise to the surface Tinaicoboga so we, may also look at you.’, , • What do the lines of the song, indicate?, , You may doubt the truth of the legend, but you cannot, doubt the fact that the chanting of this strange song does,, in fact, lure the giant turtles to the surface of the blue, waters of the bay, near Namuana village, on the island of, Kadavu., (From a Fijian Legend), Glossary:, afield (adv), entreaty (n), founder (v), isthmus (n), , :, :, :, :, , mourning (n), , :, , reef (n), , :, , schooner (n), swamp (v), , :, :, , a long distance away, an attempt to persuade someone to do something, fill with water and sink, a narrow piece of land that joins two larger areas and has, water on both sides., sadness felt because someone has died; also, the black clothes, that are worn in some countries as an expression of sadness, at someone’s death, a line of rocks or sand just above or just below the surface of, the sea, often dangerous to ships, a sailing ship with at least two masts {tall poles}, fill or cover something with a lot of water; (here) the canoe is, surrounded by huge waves which tossed it., , 93
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , About Fiji, The Republic of the Fiji Islands is a multicultural island nation, with the cultural traditions of the people of Oceanic, European,, South Asian, and East Asian origins. Fiji consists of, approximately 320 islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean, about, 1,960 miles (3,152 kms) from Sydney, Australia. About 100 of, these islands are inhabited., Your teacher will show you the visuals of Fiji., , Activity I (Debate), r Who do you think are really punished: the Nabukelevu fishermen, or the two women from Namuana?, Discuss the situation in the present context of atrocities against, women., Conduct a debate on the topic ‘Are women empowered in our society?’, For, ................................................................................................, ................................................................................................, ................................................................................................, Against, ................................................................................................, ................................................................................................, ................................................................................................, Activity II (Write-up), r You have read the story of an unusual Fijian ritual., , Can you think of similar rituals practised in your locality?, Discuss and prepare a write-up on a ritual popular in your, locality., Hints, The write up should include, • a description of the ritual (plot, characters, climax)., • the cultural, social and historical significance of the ritual., • the relevance of the ritual in the present scenario., , 94
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Unit - 3 BEYOND THE HORIZON, , Activity III (Travel Brochure), r Let’s prepare a travel brochure, of a place of your choice (a, place of tourist importance in, your locality or a tourist spot, you visited recently)., It could be, m, , m, m, m, , a, paper, travel, brochure, (handmade), a, paper, travel, brochure, (printout), a power point travel brochure, a virtual travel brochure (web, design)., a travel brochure on a, presentation poster-board, , Tips, A travel brochure should, • open with a catchy sentence, which is followed by short,, concise sentences., • satisfy the interest of the target, audience., • highlight the main features, * description of scenic beauty, * scope for adventures (sky, diving, mountaineering, etc.), * reference to local culture,, customs and traditions., • appeal to the five senses., • present one or two positive, testimonials from past visitors., • include attractive photographs of, the destination., , Extended Activities, Activity I (Translation), r Travel writing is popular not only in English but also in Malayalam., We have noted travel writers in Malayalam. S. K. Pottekkatt is a, prominent figure who has several books on travel to his credit., Here is a excerpt from his novel 'Oru Desathinte Katha' followed, by its English translation ‘Tales of Athiranippadam’ .*, , {io[-cs\ kw_-‘n-®n-StØmfw Ce-™n-s∏m-bn¬ ]pXn-sbmcp ambm-temIam-bn-cp-∂p. AXn-cm-Wn-∏m-SsØ sNfn-tØm-Sp-Ifpw HmSn-°f, - n-°m-\n-Sa, - n-√mØ, CSp-ßnb ]d-ºp-Ifpw hn´p hnim-e-kp-µ-c-am-sbmcp temIØv kz—µw, hnlcn°mw. Fs¥mcp am‰w! ]®-°-dn-tØm-∏p-I-fn-eqsS Np‰n-\S°mw., \nd∏In-´m¿∂ ]m∏m-Øn-If, - p-sSbpw Xpºn-If, - p-sSbpw ]n∂mse \rØw-sh®p, \oßmw. Infn-I-fpsS ]m´p-Iƒ tIƒ°mw. N°bpw amßbpw Xn∂p, aSp°pw., To Sreedharan, Elanjippoyil was a world of wonder., Athiranippadam had only small muddy streams and narrow, stretches of land where he could hardly move about freely. The, difference between the two places was overwhelming. At, Elanjippoyil, he could walk for hours and hours through the, vegetable gardens where bright, multi-coloured butterflies,, beetles and dragon flies fluttered about. He could run after them, with wild delight, and listen to the sweet melody of the birds. He, could stuff his tummy with jackfruits and mangoes., * Translated by Sreedevi K. Nair and Radhika P. Menon., , 95
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Unit - 3 BEYOND THE HORIZON, , Write the conversation between you and the travel agent., Tips, You should book the cheapest holiday possible, inquire about distance, price,, travel time, etc., The travel agent should try to sell the most expensive package and try to, impress the client., Structure the conversation, using appropriate expressions., This interactive activity aims at establishing and maintaining social relations, i.e., requesting, offering, asking/granting/refusing permission, etc., Request, Asking to do things, Could I /May I / Can I / Do you mind if I, Asking people to do things, Can you / Could you / Will you /Would you / Do you think you could, (Avoid Do you think you can), Asking for things, Can I have/Could I have/May I have / I’d like to have, Offers, Can I /Would you like (Avoid Do you like), Permission, Asking Permission, Can I / Could I / May I, Giving permission, You can /You may (Avoid You could ), Could I borrow the book ? Of course, you can., Refusing permission, You can’t / You may not, Could I borrow the book ?, I am sorry. I’m afraid you can’t., , Activity IV (Introductory speech), r Imagine yourself to be a travel guide. A group of tourists visits, one of the most popular tourist spots of your locality. How would, you welcome them?, , Prepare the script of a speech you will make on the occasion,, introducing the tourist spot to the visitors., Welcoming Tourists, .........................................................................................., .........................................................................................., .........................................................................................., Describing the location, .........................................................................................., .........................................................................................., , 97
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , .........................................................................................., Tips, Introducing special events / highlights, Speech should be, .............................................................., m, interpersonal, .............................................................., ..............................................................., m, spontaneous, Offering advice (Dos & Don’ts), m, loosely structured, .............................................................., m, informal, .............................................................., m, event oriented, ..............................................................., m, concrete, Closing remarks, .............................................................., .............................................................., ..............................................................., Activity V (Discussion), r You may read the poem ‘Goodbye Party for Miss Pushpa T. S.’ by, Nissim Ezekiel which is given below., , In the poem, Ezekiel uses a variety of Indian English. It is in the, form of a speech made by one of Miss Pushpa’s friends., There are grammatical mistakes, strange arrangements of words,, phrases and idioms which are direct translations of expressions, from Indian languages; all of which sound very odd in English., Identify them and discuss., Friends,, Our dear sister, is departing for foreign, in two-three days,, and, we are meeting today, to wish her bon voyage., You are all knowing, friends,, what sweetness is in Miss Pushpa., I don’t mean only external sweetness, but internal sweetness., Miss Pushpa is smiling and smiling, even for no reason, but simply because she is feeling., , 98
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Unit - 3 BEYOND THE HORIZON, , Miss Pushpa is coming, from very high family., Her father was renowned advocate, in Bulsar or Surat,, I am not remembering now which place., Surat? Ah, yes,, Once only I stayed in Surat, with family members, of my uncle’s very old friend,, his wife was cooking nicely…, that was long time ago., Coming back to Miss Pushpa, she is most popular lady, with men also and ladies also., Whenever I asked her to do anything,, she was saying, ‘just now only, I will do it.’ That is showing, good spirit. I am always, appreciating the good spirit., Pushpa Miss is never saying no., Whatever I or anybody is asking, She is always saying yes,, And today she is going, to improve her prospect, and we are wishing her bon voyage., Now I ask other speakers to speak, and afterwards Miss Pushpa, will do summing up., , 99
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , The major learning outcomes of this unit are listed below., , Thematic outcomes, Students demonstrate the ability to, •, , appreciate tourist destinations from different angles (physical, features, scope for adventure, traditional and cultural aspects)., , •, , plan and organise tour programmes following the various steps, systematically., , •, , handle practical issues related to travel -- arranging mode of, travel, accommodation, etc., , •, , adopt precautionary measures, foresee the problems they, might encounter during travel., , •, , analyse rituals, highlighting their social and cultural, significance in the present scenario., , Linguistic outcomes, Students demonstrate the ability to, , 100, , •, , narrate events/incidents from different perspectives., , •, , design Travel Brochures/ Travel Info etc., , •, , establish and maintain social relations focusing on requesting,, offering, asking/ granting/ refusing permission., , •, , write about their travel experiences., , •, , discuss the pros and cons of an issue., , •, , draft the script of a live TV Report., , •, , translate to English passages written in Malayalam., , •, , differentiate between the use of the simple present and the, present continuous tense forms., , •, , prepare and give short speeches introducing a tourist, destination.
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Unit 4 BRAVING THE HAZARDS, , Unit, , 4, About the Unit, Disasters, both natural and man-made, have become very, common today. Whatever the form, thousands die each year due, to disasters. They also cause widespread destruction and, damage. It is the need of the hour to be informed and equipped, to face impending disasters. The concept of disaster, management has gained great currency across the globe in, recent times., The unit entitled 'Braving the Hazards' comprises three texts., The first is an essay written by Anjana Majumdar about disaster, management in India. The second is a short story by, A. J. Cronin. The third is a poem by Benjamin Peck Keith about, the wreck of the ship Titanic. In addition, there is also a, newspaper report and an excerpt from the essay 'On Courage',, by A. G. Gardiner., The texts and the activities of this unit aim to make the learners, aware of different disasters, and to equip them to act promptly, in moments of crisis., , 101
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Let’s begin:, 1. Examine the pictures given below., , Let’s discuss, What do these pictures tell us about?, m Note down all the ideas that come to your mind about them., m Share your thoughtss with your friends. Collect ideas from, them, and enrich your understanding of the subject., m, , 102
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Unit 4 BRAVING THE HAZARDS, , I. Read and reflect:, Disasters --- both natural and man-made cause widespread damage, and destruction. It is high time that we became aware of and equipped, ourselves to face impending disasters. Here is an essay about disasters, and their management in the Indian context., , DISASTERS AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT IN INDIA, Anjana Majumdar, Disaster is a very common phenomenon for humanity., Human beings have experienced disasters in different, forms since time immemorial. The latest World • What does the recent, Disaster Report suggests that disasters have, World Disaster Report, say about disasters?, increased both in frequency and intensity., , People are becoming more and more vulnerable • What are some of the, to disasters of all types, which include, common disasters?, earthquakes, floods, cyclones, landslides,, droughts, accidents, plane crashes, forest fires, etc. This, is quite true in the case of both developed and, • What is true about both, developing countries. The floods in the UK and, developed, and, France, and the heat waves in Europe,, developing countries?, particularly the one in France in 2003, claimed, lots of lives. In the last few years, America has also faced, devastating disasters in the form of tornadoes, hurricanes, and cyclones. They caused great loss of lives and property., Even though the progress in technology is helping human, beings to reduce the impact of the disasters, it is still, inadequate., There is a direct correlation between higher human, development and better preparedness to manage • What is the relationship, disasters. The countries which have lower, between, human, development, and, human development are more vulnerable to the, disaster, preparedness?, risks of disasters and damage., Of all the disasters, floods are the most common, followed, by windstorms, droughts and earthquakes. • Which is the deadliest, disaster?, However, drought is the deadliest, accounting, for 48 per cent of deaths due to natural disasters. Of all, the continents, Asia has the highest number of death toll, from disasters. India, China and Bangladesh are situated, in the Asian continent., India, due to its geographical location and geological, formation, is highly prone to disasters. Its long coastline,, snow-clad peaks and high mountain ranges and • What makes India more, vulnerable to disasters?, the perennial rivers in the north, combine to, 103
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , add to this problem. India, which has only two per cent of, the total geographical area, has to support 18 per cent of, the total population of the world. Therefore, • What causes tremendous, pressure on the natural, there is tremendous pressure on the natural, resources in India?, resources, which directly or indirectly leads, to the occurrence of disasters, namely floods, droughts,, landslides, earthquakes, etc., The northern region of India faces problems due to, landslides, floods, droughts, and earthquakes, because, this region falls under the seismic zones III to V. The, eastern region is confronted with heavy floods in the, perennial rivers which include the Brahmaputra, the, Ganga, etc. Drought, heatwaves, hailstorms, cyclones,, heavy winds and earthquakes are also common in this, region. The north-eastern region encounters floods,, landslides, and earthquakes. This region comes under, the seismic zones IV and V., The western region is widely known for severe droughts,, wind erosion of land and soil, floods and cyclones. This, area is also prone to earthquakes. The southern region,, particularly the coastal region, is vulnerable to cyclones,, sea erosion, tsunami, and landslides. The islands of, Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep are confronted, with the problems of sea erosion and tsunami. The Indian, coastal areas have faced some of the severest cyclones, both along the eastern and western coasts., Among all the disasters in India, the tsunami, • Which is a relatively new, is a relatively new phenomenon. Due to the, natural disaster in, lack of an adequate warning system, the, India?, tsunami of 2004 devastated a large portion of, the coastal regions of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra, Pradesh, besides the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It, claimed a large number of lives and destroyed property, worth crores of rupees., India has faced a number of disasters, ranging from, natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, • Which is the man-made, disaster that India, cyclones, tsunami, drought and landslides to, witnessed in the last, man-made disasters like the Bhopal Gas, century?, Tragedy (1984). During this century, India has, witnessed some major disasters which include the Gujarat, , 104
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Unit 4 BRAVING THE HAZARDS, , earthquake (2001), the Mumbai-Gujarat floods, (2005), the tsunami (2004), the Uttarkhand, flashfloods and the hurricane Phailin in coastal, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh (2013)., , • Name some of the major, natural disasters faced, by India during this, century., , Which are the lifeline, The direct and indirect impacts of disasters, • support, systems that get, either natural or industrial, are always damage,, damaged in disasters?, destruction and death. When disaster strikes,, the lifeline support systems, namely communication,, power supply, water supply, drainage, etc. are damaged., Moreover, healthcare and hospitals are also put under, severe stress. Commercial and economic activities are, also badly affected. Life almost comes to a standstill. The, psychological traumas caused by the disasters are, sometimes so severe that they span the whole life of the, victim. Therefore, along with other rehabilitation works,, psychological rehabilitation should also be given • Which is the man-made, due importance., disaster mentioned here?, , The impact is almost the same even in the case, of man-made disasters like riots. The most, affected are the poor sections of society, who, have to work daily to earn their livelihood., , • Which section of the, society is most affected, by disasters? Why?, , In some natural disasters like cyclones, tsunami and, earthquake, it is the building structure which becomes, the cause of destruction and death. In developing, countries, only 30 per cent of the buildings are constructed, in accordance with the regulations laid down for ensuring, safety and security. Similarly, the lack of a • What are the major, master-plan and the inferior quality of, limitations in constructing, safe and secure buildings?, materials used for construction also aggravate, the casualties arising out of disasters., Therefore, both private and public buildings, should be constructed according to the • What measures need to, be taken to ensure the, guidelines prescribed by law. Moreover,, safety and security of the, buildings?, constructions should strictly adhere to the, master-plan approved by the authorities. Above, all, good quality materials should be used for, • What is the requirement, construction., in the areas vulnerable, The UNDAC,* along with the Government of, India, has jointly prepared an action-plan for cities, and towns vulnerable to earthquakes. In, , to earthquakes in order, to reduce damage and, death?, , *(UNDAC - United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination), , 105
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , vulnerable areas, the existing buildings should be, technically assessed and individual owners and grouphousing authorities should be informed about the, weaknesses in their construction. Presently, it is estimated, that around one million buildings are constructed every, year in India, and an equal number of them gets damaged, as a result of disasters. In order to reduce the damage to, buildings, a monitoring mechanism should be set • What is the structure of, up in disaster prone areas which must act in the state and central, proper coordination with the concerned level committees of, authorities to ensure the fulfilment of building disaster management?, codes., In the case of disaster management, the state governments, play a major role while the central government only plays, a facilitating role. At the state level, there is a State Level, Disaster Management Committee consisting of the senior, secretaries of various departments and the representatives, of NGOs. At the national level, there is a Crisis Management, Committee, headed by the Cabinet Secretary and, the secretaries from the major departments of • How does the central, the government. The central government, with government coordinate, disaster management, proper coordination with various ministries, activities in India?, provides necessary support to the states, which, includes defence services like air dropping, rescuing,, searching, transport of relief goods, etc., and availability of, rail and ferry services, health personnel and medical, support., Rehabilitation is an integral part of disaster management., Since disasters are non-routine events, they require nonroutine responses for effective management and • What are the special, rehabilitation. This means that the Government, requirements of the, rescue team, according, cannot rely on normal procedures to implement, to the author?, appropriate responses. There should be proper, coordination among the various departments of the, government to bring speedy relief to the victim. Moreover,, the rescue teams require the learning of special skills and, attitudes in dealing with disasters. Additionally, they need, to be well-equipped with the latest technologies., Disaster management has assumed greater • What is the purpose of, disaster management?, importance in recent times. The whole purpose, of disaster management is not to prevent these natural or, man-made disasters. We may not be able to avert many of, these disasters, but we can definitely mitigate their impact., (Adapted), , 106
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Unit 4 BRAVING THE HAZARDS, , Glossary:, seismic (adj), , : related to the vibration of the earth or, earthquake, , tectonic forces (n), , : forces arising out of the movements of the, earth's crust, , vulnerable (adj), , : susceptible, , Activity I, , (Note-making), , r You have read the essay ‘Disasters and Disaster Management in, India.’ Given below is an outline of the notes on this essay. Read, the essay carefully again and complete the notes., , ‘Disasters and Disaster Management in India’, 1. Disasters --- the global scenario, 1.1. a challenge for all humanity, 1.2. increase in frequency and intensity, 1.3., 1.4., 1.5. floods --- more common. India, China and Bangladesh - most, affected, 1.6. drought --- deadliest (40% of all deaths from disasters), 2. Disasters --- Indian Context, 2.1. highly prone to disasters, 2.2. reasons for vulnerability, 2.2.1., 2.2.2., 2.2.3., 2.3. different kinds of disasters in India --- Regional, 2.3.1. Northern region, 2.3.2., 2.3.3., 2.3.3., 2.3.4., 2.3.5., 2.3.6., 2.4. major disasters in this century, , 107
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , 2.4.1, 2.4.2, 2.4.3., 2.4.4., 2.4.5., 3. The direct and indirect impact of disasters, 3.1., 3.2., 3.3., 3.4., 3.5. poor sections --- most affected, 4. Risk due to disaster --- need for safer buildings, 4.1. cyclones, tsunami, earthquakes, defects in construction of, building can cause greater destruction., 4.2. scenario in the developing countries, 4.2.1., 4.2.2., 4.2.3., 4.3. suggestions for safer infrastructure, 4.3.1., 4.3.2., 4.3.3., 5. Management in India, 5.1. purpose --- not prevention, but reduction of impact, 5.2. state government, 5.2.1. role --5.2.2. structure --5.3. central government, 5.3.1. role --5.3.2. structure --5.3.3. support offered --5.4. rehabilitation of victims, 5.4.1., 5.4.2., 5.4.3. rescue teams --- additional skills, and equipped with, latest technology., , 108
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Unit 4 BRAVING THE HAZARDS, , Activity II (Writing a Précis), r You have read the essay and prepared notes on 'Disasters and, Disaster Management in India.' Based on the notes you prepared,, write a précis of the essay. A précis, usually, is one-third the, size of the original text., Activity III, m, , m, , m, , m, , (Think and respond), , What are some of the disasters (natural/man-made and industrial), your locality has witnessed in the last ten years? What were the, impact of these disasters on man and nature?, Is your locality prepared to manage any potential disaster? If not,, what precautions can be taken to prevent and manage possible, disasters?, The author says that disaster management in India is the, responsibility of the state and central governments. Do you agree, with this view? Do you think that the people of our country have a, role in preventing and managing disasters?, What do you think about the measures of rehabilitation that are, adopted after each disaster? Do you think the measures are, sufficient?, , Activity IV, , (Explore the roots), , r Disaster - Dys + aster, ‘Disaster’ and ‘disastrous’ originate from the Greek word ‘astron’ which, means star. In ancient times, it was believed that the stars shaped, human destiny; any misfortune or calamity, therefore, happened to, someone because the stars were not favourable. The prefix ‘dys’here means ‘against’., Here is a list of words which are derived from the Greek root ‘astron’., All these words are related to stars. Find out the meaning of these, words., 1., 2., 3., 4., 5., 6., 7., , Astronomy, Astrophysics, Astronaut, Aster, Asterisk, Astrologer, Asteroid, , 109
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Activity V (Crossword puzzle), r Here is a crossword puzzle about natural calamities. Use the, clues below to solve the puzzle., 1, , T, , W, , I, , S, , 2, , T, , E, , R, , Clues:, ACROSS, , 1., , A violently destructive windstorm occurring over land,, characterized by a funnel-shaped cloud extending toward the, ground., 3. Vibration on the earth's surface resulting from underground, movement., 5. Molten rock that flows out of an erupting volcano., 6. Widespread scarcity of food due to crop failure, population, imbalance, etc., 8. Gravitational movement of a mass of rock, earth or debris down, a slope., 10. A rotating column of air, whirling in destructive speed., 11. A tropical storm with winds that have a speed of 74 miles per, hour or more., DOWN:, 2. A high sea wave caused by an earthquake or other disturbances., 4. A mass of snow, ice and rocks falling rapidly down a, mountainside., 7. The luxury ocean liner Titanic hit an ___ berg in the Atlantic., 9. A violent disturbance of the atmosphere with strong winds,, and usually rain, thunder, lightning or snow., , 110
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Unit 4 BRAVING THE HAZARDS, , Activity VI (Project), The author says that ‘Of all the disasters, floods are the most, common…………… India, China and Bangladesh are the most affected, by floods.’ In Kerala also, we experience floods during the monsoon., The water levels of rivers rise, flooding cities and towns. What are, the reasons for this flooding?, Investigate the reasons for flooding in your locality. Write a report of, your findings. Make an ICT assisted presentation., Activity VII, , (Collection), , We are highly vulnerable to many natural disasters. While some fail, to act in the moment of crisis or become victims of these disasters,, some others rise up to the occasion and help the victims. Here is a, newspaper report about four children who won bravery awards for, their timely and heroic action in a moment of crisis., , Bravery award for children, Thiruvananthapuram: Four children from Kerala will be among, the recipients of this year's National Bravery Awards at the, next Republic Day function, in New Delhi., They include Jismi P. M., who was selected for the Geetha, Chopra Award, Vishnudas K., the winner of the Bapu Gayadhani, Award; and Anoop M. and Raj Narayanan, both selected for the, general award., Jismi, 12, a native of Perinchery in Thrissur district, was chosen, for the award for saving a woman and her two children from, drowning in a pond. A Class IX student of the Government, Vocational Higher Secondary School at Cherpu, Jismi is the, daughter of a manual labourer., Vishnudas won the award for saving two children from a watery, grave. A native of Palakkad, he is a Plus One student of the Sri, Sankara Oriental Higher Secondary School, Lakkidi., Anoop, a Class VIII student of the Bishop Kuriyalanchery Public, School at Chambakulam, bagged the award for saving a 5-yearold from drowning in a lake. Raj Narayanan, the fourth nominee,, was selected for saving a boy from drowning in a river in, Alappuzha. Raj is a Class IX student of the NSS High School,, Kuttanad. The General Secretary of the Kerala State Child, Welfare Council P. Krishnan, said Jismi is the first winner of, the Geetha Chopra Award, from Kerala., r, Now, collect such newspaper reports and discuss with your, friends how children can act timely in moments of crisis., 111
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , II. Read and reflect:, Here is a story about a voyage from Liverpool to Calcutta during the, British rule in India. It tells how the author and the hero of the story, manage a potential calamity, silently and bravely., , THE SERANG OF RANAGANJI, Dr A. J. Cronin, , 'Look, my dear! Did you ever in your life see such an, absurdly comic creature!' A smartly dressed woman,, first-class passenger on the Ranaganji, about to sail, from Liverpool on the long voyage to Calcutta, made, this remark, in a high 'well-bred' voice, to her, companion, as they stood before me on the • What was notable about, the appearance of the, liner's upper deck., Indian serang?, , Following their amused gaze, my eyes came, to rest upon a squat, very ugly native seaman, with, short legs and a large disproportionate head. I, recognized him as the Indian serang, or quarter-master, of the ship. He was quietly superintending the crew of, lascars now completing the loading of baggage. 'Looks, hardly human,' agreed the man, with a superior smile., 'Inclines a chap to believe, that dear old Darwin was, not altogether wrong…eh?', , The voyage began favourably in calm, clear weather., We crossed the Bay of Biscay without suffering unduly, from the turbulent waters and soon were through the, Strait of Gibraltar, traversing the tranquil Mediterranean, under azure skies. The Ranaganji was a stout old tub,, manned by white officers, with an entirely native Indian, crew. I was the physician of the ship and was delighted, by the balmy breezes and brilliant sunshine., The ship was crowded, packed with passengers from, stem to stern --- the usual tourists and pleasure seekers,, together with a large number of Anglo-Indian army, officers, many of whom were accompanied, • Who were the passengers, by their wives and families. From the first, on the Ranaganji?, night out there was tremendous gaiety on, 112
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Unit 4 BRAVING THE HAZARDS, , board. The chief among the social promoters was Miss, Jope-Smith, the woman whom I had overheard on the, boat deck the morning of our departure., Madge Jope-Smith was a thrusting person, obviously, over thirty, got up in a dashing style to look younger., She was not only a snob but a bore, an assertive bore., We reached Port Said. Everyone went ashore excitedly,, came back with silks, shawls, cigarettes, scent, and, jewellery. Then we were through the Red Sea, past the, barren rocks of Aden, and out upon the wide • Who was Miss JopeArabian Sea., Smith? Write a short, character sketch., , On the following morning, as I held my, consultations in the surgery adjoining my cabin, the, serang, Hasan, appeared, bringing with him two of his, lascar deck hands. He inclined his head in a respectful, salaam and addressed me. His voice was hoarse, yet it, had a steady undertone. 'Doctor Sahib, I fear these men, are sick.', , The seamen certainly did not look well; they complained, of general malaise, of intense headache and racking, bone pains. They looked frightened too, as I asked them, to strip and began my examination. Both were • What was the condition, of the seamen who were, fevered, with thickly furred tongues and that, brought by the serang to, dry skin, which is nature's gravest warning. And, Dr Cronin?, then, to my horror, my palpitating fingers, How did AJ Cronin, became aware of a scattering of hard little, conclude that the seamen, nodules, under the wrist skin of each man. It, were infected with, was an unmistakable symptom of smallpox., smallpox?, Young and inexperienced in my profession, I, had not learned to control my feelings. My expression, must have altered visibly, for although the serang said, nothing, his lined and battered face assumed a look of, deeper gravity. Hurriedly, with beating heart, I made, my way to the bridge., Captain Hamble was not there, but in the chartroom, below. He looked up sharply as I burst in. 'Sir,' my, voice broke, 'I have to report smallpox on board. Two of, the deck hands.' I saw his lips draw tightly together., 113
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , He was a thickset man of fifty-five, known as a, • Describe, Captain, strict disciplinarian, but also as a just and fairHamble. What was his, reaction when he heard, minded officer., about the breakout of, , 'Doctor,' he said, drawing up at last and, smallpox on the ship?, coming close to me, his words unmistakably, grim, 'Listen, you are in charge of the health of the, ship. It's entirely up to you. I can't give you any of my, officers; I'm overloaded and understaffed. But I am going, to give you the serang. Believe me, he's the finest man, I have. You've got to keep this thing from spreading., And what's more, don't let a whisper of it get out, or, we'll have a bloody panic.', I left the chartroom, realizing, with a weakness in my, stomach, the desperate responsibility of my position., Here we were, in the middle of the Arabian Sea, fifteen, hundred passengers aboard, no means whatever of, vaccinating them, and smallpox--- the most deadly, contagion in the whole dictionary of disease., Back in the surgery, one of the lascars was in the grip, of a violent rigour. I turned from the shivering man to, the serang, whose incalculable eyes remained fixed, upon me. 'We've got to isolate these men…. Check on, the contacts…' There was no sick bay on board, not an, inch of available cabin space. Baffled, I looked at the, serang, who, undismayed, again turned upon me the, full force of his eyes. 'We will make a shelter on the, afterdeck, Doctor Sahib. Very cool there. With plenty, of fresh air.', In the stern of the ship, protected from view by a battery, of derricks and donkey engines, he set to work. Within, an hour, he had erected, with silent efficiency, a large, canvas shelter. Mattresses and sheets were then brought, up and the two patients were comfortably installed., Our next step was to muster the crew for a thorough, medical inspection. One of the stokers, who complained, of fever and headache, showed the prodromal nodules, with the beginnings of the typical rash. He was isolated, with the other cases., 114
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Unit 4 BRAVING THE HAZARDS, , 'And now, who is going to help me attend these men?', Hasan glanced at me in surprise. 'Why, naturally it is, I.', 'You must be careful. This disease is most contagious.', 'I am not afraid, Doctor Sahib.', Together, Hasan and I sponged the patients with, permanganate solution, administered to each • Where and how was the, man a strong antipyretic, hung sheets soaked, shelter for the infected, patients made?, in disinfectant round the shelter, and set up, within this little secret area, a cooking stove where, liquids could be heated and simple meals prepared., Next morning, however, brought, fresh cause for concern. I found, three new cases among the, deck hands. The men, already, segregated, were much worse., And that same afternoon, four, more of the crew sickened. We, now had ten cases in our, makeshift lazaretto. It was a, situation to test the strongest, nerves. But the serang, calm, and unperturbed, gave me fresh heart. In tending the, patients he was indefatigable., 'Be careful of yourself,’ I had to beg him. ‘Do not go, quite so close.', Now he showed his strong teeth, in a sudden, fleeting, smile. 'Are you careful of yourself, Doctor Sahib?', 'Indeed I am. Besides, this is my work.', 'Do not worry, Doctor Sahib. I am strong. And, it is my work too.', , • How did the serang take, care of the diseased, patients?, , I was so weighed down by responsibility that I had slight, concern for myself. Although we were moving full steam, ahead, Colombo, the nearest port of call, was still eight, days away. In the course of the next forty-eight hours, four more stokers went to join the others on the, 115
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , afterdeck. A total of fourteen now. And one of the earlier, victims had lapsed into a coma, seemed likely to die at, any hour. Under this added load, I could not sleep., And there, where I knew I should find him, watchful, and mute under the stars, was the serang. How shall I, describe the solace which flowed towards me from him, as he stood there in meditation, with his long arms, folded on his bare chest, motionless as a statue? When, a sick man groaned faintly, he would step forward,, without sound, to succour him. And then, returning,, he would fold his arms, while the ship surged slowly, forward., Hasan had no fondness for speech. But, • What information did Dr, despite the silences of our long night vigils, I, Cronin collect about the, serang?, gathered some fragments of his history. He, was from the Punjab, whence his parents had, wandered to southern India. There, like so many in the, coastal area, he had taken to a seafaring life. For nearly, forty years, he had given himself to the oceans of the, world, and fifteen of these years had been spent in the, Ranaganji. Indeed, he had no place on shore, neither, family nor friends in the great land mass of India. He, had never married., By religion he was a Muslim. All his life he had acquired, nothing, neither property nor money; his few, possessions, contained in his ship’s chest, might be, worth a few rupees. The thought hurt me, and in an, access of mistaken sympathy, I exclaimed: 'Hasan, you, are doing so much in this emergency; the company, must give you extra pay.' His forehead creased, perplexedly. He was silent for a long moment. Then he, answered: 'What use is money, Doctor Sahib, to one, who has all he needs? I am well enough the way I am.', He was unmistakably sincere, completely detached from, the usual hope of reward. Money had no • What was Hasan’s, interest for him, he had always despised it., attitude to life, as, explained to Cronin?, Instead he had courage, self-control, and, faith. The men he worked among lived poor, and died poor. It had become the habit of his mind to, disregard tomorrow., 116
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Unit 4 BRAVING THE HAZARDS, , Standing with him, in the liquid moonlight, I was stung, by a strange pang. Beside his clear simplicity, the, world's values suddenly seemed dross. A great party, had started in the saloon. Indeed, as I viewed my own, outlook towards the future, my passionate desire for, success and wealth, I was conscious of a secret shame., On the following day, we lost two of our patients. It was, Hasan himself who sewed their shrouds, who in his, hoarse and hollow voice read aloud a short passage from, the Ramayana before their bodies, wrapped in sailcloth,, with a weight at their feet, were cast overboard at, midnight., No fresh cases developed. And a week later, we anchored, off Colombo. Soon, the sick men had been taken off to, hospital. Several of the patients showed signs of having, passed the crisis, but three, helpless and delirious, a, mass of running sores, were carried in the arms of, Hasan. As we stood together, I saw that the serang's, dark cheeks were wet with tears., Our passage through the Bay of Bengal was brief and, uneventful. I had barely time to recover myself, or to, realize that the epidemic had been confined, before we, were anchored alongside the quay at Calcutta., Suddenly, at my elbow, I heard the familiar shrilling of, Miss Jope-Smith. 'Oh, look, look,, Ronnie. There's that absurd creature About the Author, again.' Once more, I followed their, A. J. Cronin (1896-1981) was a, united gaze. And there again, down in, Scottish novelist and physician, by profession. His major novels, the afterhold, knocking out the hatch, include Hatter's Castle (1931), The, battens to unload the baggage, was the Stars Look Down (1935), The Citadel, (1937), The Keys of the Kingdom, object of their mirth -- Hasan., The huntress from Cheltenham swung, round, bent her wit, her fascinations, upon me. 'Where did you keep him, during the entire voyage, Doctor dear?, In a special cage?', , (1942), The Green Years (1944),, Shannon's Way (1948), A Thing of, Beauty (1956), The Judas Tree (1961), and A Song of Sixpence (1964)., His strengths as a novelist are his keen, observation, graphic description and, his narrative skill. The excerpt is taken, from ‘Adventures in Two Worlds,’ his, autobiographical novel. It is an, anecdote from his experience as a, surgeon in the Royal Navy., , Silence --a vision of the serang's nobility, rising before me. 'Yes... in a way… it, was a cage… But isn't it queer, Miss, Jope-Smith, the animals were all outside.', , 117
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Glossary:, antipyretic (adj) :, , a medicine that reduces fever, , impromptu (adj) :, , (here) without proper preparation, , lazaretto (n), , :, , (here) the isolated shelter made for treating the, infected patients, , leitmotif (n), , :, , repeated theme, , papular (adj), , :, , related to small, solid, usually inflammatory elevation, of the skin that does not contain pus., , prodromal (adj), , :, , symptomatic of the onset of an attack or a disease, , purulent (adj), , :, , containing pus, , serang (n), , :, , a petty officer in a merchant ship; a boatswain; a lascar, , Activity I (Think and respond), 1. Do you agree with A. J. Cronin's remark that 'the animals were, all outside.’ Why?, 2. Do you think that A. J. Cronin should have reported the selfless, efforts of Hasan to the authorities and recommended him for, rewards and promotion?, 3. How is the world view of the passengers in general different from, that of Hasan?, 4. ‘Why, naturally it is me.’ These words show that Hasan is ever, ready to shoulder any responsibility happily. Comment on Hasan's, ability to volunteer at the time of an emergency., Activity II (Letter), r You know that A. J. Cronin, the physician of the ship is extremely, impressed by the service of Hasan. Imagine that after the voyage,, Cronin writes a letter to the director of the company which owns, the ship Ranaganji, detailing the selfless service Hasan rendered, during the voyage. He also requests the director to reward Hasan, with a promotion in return for his service. Draft the letter which, Cronin would write., , 118
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Unit 4 BRAVING THE HAZARDS, , Activity III (Speech), r The Director of the Company receives the letter from A. J. Cronin., He is pleased with the service rendered by Hasan throughout the, voyage. They arrange a special get-together of all the officials, and crew of the ship. In that get-together, the Managing Director, of the company announces that the company appreciates the, service of Hasan, and promotes him as the Chief Petty Officer of, the ship. The Director invites Hasan to speak a few words on this, occasion., Imagine that you are Hasan. What would be your reaction and, feeling at this moment? Draft a speech that you would deliver on, the occasion., Activity IV (Role-play), r Miss Jope-Smith soon hears about the promotion given to Hasan, and the reason for the promotion. She feels sorry for her, prejudiced remarks about him. She decides to meet Hasan in, person, and congratulate him for his efforts and the promotion, he has received., Form pairs. Imagine that one of you is Ms. Jope-Smith and the, other is Hasan. Role-play the whole conversation between JopeSmith and Hasan., Activity V (Word power), r, , The parts of a ship, , Here is a picture of a ship. Mark as many parts as you know., , 119
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , The crew of the ship, m, Who are the professionals working in a ship?, m, , What do they do?, , In the table given below, list the different professionals of a ship and, their duties., , Professionals, , Duties, , Captain, , the person in charge of a ship, , Activity VI, The Past participle as Adjective, r Study the following expressions carefully., a. smartly-dressed woman, b. well-bred voice, c. amused gaze, d. titled friends, The expressions smartly-dressed, well-bred, amused and titled are used, as adjectives. They are the past participle form of the verbs dress,, breed, amuse and title respectively. So, you know that the past participle, forms of some verbs can be used as adjectives., , A. J. Cronin has used many such expressions in the story 'The, Serang of Ranaganji.', Find out more expressions from the story where the past participle, forms of the verbs have been used as adjectives. Explain the meaning, of these expressions to your friends., e.g. added source --- a source which is added to something., m, , m, m, , Language Note, , Prefixes like under-, over-, etc., can also be added to the past, participle form of a verb to function as an adjective. e.g. overcrowded ship, understaffed crew., 120
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Unit 4 BRAVING THE HAZARDS, , Activity VII, (Think and discuss), Adverbs of frequency, r Read the following lines from the text carefully., , a., b., , He had never married., Money had no interest for him, he had always despised it., , m, , What is the meaning of the words underlined?, What is the function of these words?, , m, , Language tips, , ‘Never’ and ‘always’ are adverbs of frequency - which tell you, how often an action is done., Here is a continuum which will help you to understand some of, the adverbs of frequency and their meanings., , sometimes, , never hardly ever, , frequently, , regularly, , usually, , nearly always, , always, , not usually, , scarcely, seldom, rarely, , Inversion with negative adverbs, Words like 'never, rarely, seldom, barely, hardly,’ etc., are negative, adverbs. We use these adverbs at the beginning of a sentence to give, emphasis. When we begin a sentence with negative adverbs, the, word order is inverted. (negative adverb + auxiliary verb + subject, ………), In addition to the adverbs mentioned above, when adverbs like 'no, sooner …. than, not until, only after, only if, only when, not only……, but also, little’ (with a negative meaning), etc., are used at the, beginning of a sentence, the normal word order will be reversed., e.g., m, Never did I dream of becoming a leader!, m, , No sooner did he find his teacher than he ran towards her., , 121
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Practise (Inversion of word order with adverbs), m The sentences given below contain errors. Identify the error and, correct them., 1. Seldom they have reached the office on time., 2. Only when the last visitor left the museum he closed the gate., 3. Little he knew about the nature of the job he was undertaking., 4. Not until next year, there will be a new vacancy., 5. Hardly I had reached the station when the train arrived., Activity VIII (Passivisation), r, , Study the following sentences carefully., m, , Soon, the sick men had been taken off to the hospital., , m, , Mattresses and sheets were then brought up and the two, patients were comfortably installed., , Do these sentences tell you anything about the doer of the action?, Why?, m, , Rewrite these sentences without changing the meaning. (Begin, the sentences with 'they'), , m, , Given below is a flow chart that offers you clues about the steps, taken by Cronin and Hasan to prevent the spreading of smallpox, in the ship. Go through it carefully, and prepare a report of how, they controlled the spreading of smallpox in the ship., , 2 deck lascars with fever - brought to Cronin, , Both patients - examined - smallpox confirmed, , Evacuation room prepared, patients isolated, , All crew examined, more cases identified, , 122
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Unit 4 BRAVING THE HAZARDS, , All patients isolated, treated, , Whole incident - kept a secret, , 2 dead, rest survived. Smallpox controlled, prevented from spreading, , Extended Activities, Activity I, , r Given below is a list of some of the cases in which first-aid would, be required. You may add more to the list., m, m, m, m, m, , Injured leg - bleeding, Fractured hand, Burnt fingers, Fits, Snake bite, , m, m, , What first-aid would you give in these situations? Search the internet, or seek the help of a medical practitioner to collect the details., Form groups and prepare a first-aid chart for the emergency situations, given above. Include visuals and precise instructions., Activity II, , (Read and compare), , In the short story 'The Serang of Ranaganji,' you had read about the, heroic action of the narrator and the Serang to save the lives of the, crew and the passengers of the ship. While moments of crisis push, many of us into action, they elevate some of us to the level of martyrs, who sacrifice their lives for the common good. Here is an excerpt, from the essay 'On Courage' written by A.G. Gardiner about one such, supreme sacrifice., , 123
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , On Courage, ... But if I were asked to name the instance of individual action, which had most impressed me, I should find the task more difficult., Should I select something that shows how war depraves, or, something that shows how it ennobles? If the latter, I think I, would choose that beautiful incident of the sailor on the, Formidable., He had won by ballot a place in one of the boats. The ship was, going down, but he was to be saved. One pictures the scene: The, boat is waiting to take him to the shore and safety. He looks at, the old comrades who have lost in the ballot and who stand there, doomed to death. He feels the passion for life surging within him., He sees the cold, dark sea waiting to engulf its victims. And in, that great moment -- the greatest moment that can come to any, man -- he makes the triumphant choice. He turns to one of his, comrades. ‘You've got parents,’ he says. ‘I haven't.’ And with that, word -- so heroic in its simplicity -- he makes the other take his, place in the boat and signs his own death warrant., I see him on the deck among his doomed fellows, watching the, disappearing boat until the final plunge comes and all is over. The, sea never took a braver man to its bosom. ‘Greater love hath no, man than this ...’, Can you read that story without some tumult within you -- without, feeling that humanity itself is ennobled by this great act and that, you are, in some mysterious way, better for the deed? That is the, splendid fruit of all such sublime sacrifice. It enriches the whole, human family. It makes us lift our heads with pride that we are, men -- that there is in us at our best this noble gift of valiant, unselfishness, this glorious prodigality that spends life itself for, something greater than life. If we had met this nameless sailor,, we should have found him, perhaps, a very ordinary man, with, plenty of failings, doubtless, like the rest of us, and without any, idea that he had in him the priceless jewel beside which crowns, and coronets are empty baubles. He was something greater than, he knew., m, , 124, , ‘The sea never took a braver man to its bosom’. What does Gardiner, mean by this expression? Do you agree with Gardiner? Write, your views in a paragraph.
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Unit 4 BRAVING THE HAZARDS, , Now, examine the pictures carefully, , m, m, , Can you recognize the ship and the incident?, Do you know how the passengers and the crew of the ship, responded to this situation?, , III. Read and enjoy:, Here is a poem about one of the greatest tragedies at sea. On 14 April,, 1912, the Titanic, which carried 2100 passengers and crew, collided, with an iceberg and sank into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean., However, this tragedy also exposed some of the greatest acts of courage, and heroism. Now, read the poem., , THE WRECK OF THE TITANIC, Benjamin Peck Keith, , Out of Southampton she swung with the stream,, A poem of iron and steel, A sea dream., And thousands on shore, watched her steaming away:, The largest, and grandest of all ships that day., And the thousand on board, did security feel,, For no eye saw death, as he stood at the wheel;, Directing her course to the echoless shore,, Her first and last haven of nevermore., She was the last, best work of men,, And on her first voyage was speeding -- when:, Out of the darkness, Out of the night,, Loomed an ominous form of ghostly white., "Twas a towering mountain of ice -- gigantic,, As ever was seen on the North Atlantic., She struck, with a shiver from stem to stern:, And was rapidly sinking -- All soon did learn., 125
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Then Captain Smith, her commander brave,, Thought not one moment, his own life to save,, But stood on the bridge, calling out to the crew:, Remember your country, Be British, be true., And England, and Ireland, and Scotland, and Wales,, Proved there to the World: Their valor ne'er fails,, ‘The women and children first,’ was their cry,, And every one of the Crew, stood by., And the boats were lowered and sent away,, That cut off all hope, save eternity,, And, The Titanic sank from sight, 'neath the Sea, While her band played, Nearer My God to Thee., Was there ever a scene so awfully grand?, As that sinking ship, with her playing band., All glory to Smith, and the Titanic's men,, They bring Trafalgar's heroes to memory again., And, And, And, And, , that heart thrilling tale of the Alamo,, the last grand charge at Waterloo,, that charge of "The Light Brigade" as well,, Jim Bludso's act on "The Prairie Belle.", , And with these down the corridors of all time,, The Titanic's story shall sound sublime,, For never was courage more noble and true,, Than was shown on that night, by the Titanic's crew., , Notes:, Trafalgar : The Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805), was a naval engagement fought by the Royal Navy, against the combined fleets of the French and, Spanish Navies., Alamo: The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 - March, 6, 1836) was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution., The Texians defeated the Mexican Army at the Battle, of San Jacinto, on April 21, 1836, ending the, revolution., Waterloo : The Battle of Waterloo was fought on 18, June, 1815, near Waterloo in present-day Belgium., Emperor Napoleon was defeated by the armies of, the Seventh Coalition., The Light Brigade: The Charge of the Light Brigade, was a charge of British light cavalry against Russian, forces during the Battle of Balaclava on 25 October, 1854., Jim Bludso was an engineer who died while saving, the lives of the passengers of a boat called Prairie, Bell on the Mississippi river. He became instantly, popular, and John Hay wrote a poem about him, entitled ‘Jim Bludso of the Prairie Bell’ in 1871., , 126, , About the Author, Benjamin Peck Keith (18561927), Benjamin Peck Keith was an, American poet. His famous, collection of poems include ‘Spoons, of Silver Spoons of Tin, and Other, Poems’ (1921). He has written a lot of, short poems. 'The Wreck of the Titanic', is one of his famous poems.
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Unit 4 BRAVING THE HAZARDS, , Activity I (Read and respond), a. Why was the Titanic called ‘a poem of iron and steel?’, b. What was the feeling of the people on board when they started, the journey?, c. What was the ‘ominous form’ which loomed out of the darkness?, d. Why was Captain Smith, the commander of the ship, called ‘brave’?, e . Who got the top priority to be rescued from the sinking Titanic?, f. What was the only hope for the people of the sinking Titanic, when all the boats sailed away?, g. What were the bandsmen doing when the Titanic was sinking?, h. What was the 'awfully grand' scene, according to the poet?, i. Why would the story of the Titanic be remembered always?, Activity II (Read and reflect), r The crew of the Titanic were real heroes because even in the, face of death, they were duty-bound, upholding certain values, and principles. Do you know any such person who has upheld, moral values and principles, even in the moment of death? Have, you heard/read about any such persons? Share your answer with, your friends., Activity III (Appreciation), r Read the poem more critically again, and think of it in terms of, its theme, emotion, language and relevance. Add more points to, each of the boxes given below related to the theme, emotion,, language and relevance of the poem., , Theme, , Emotion, , 1. shipwreck, , 1. patriotism, , 2. ...................., , 2. ...................., , 3. ...................., , 3. ...................., , Language, , Relevance, , 1. simple, , 1. insights about crisis management, , 2. ...................., , 2. ...................., , 3. ...................., , 3. ...................., , 127
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Share your ideas with your friends in your group. Collect more views, from them, and enrich your understanding of the poem., Based on your analysis, write a critical appreciation of the poem,, 'The Wreck of the Titanic.', Activity IV, , (Newspaper report), , r We know that newspaper reports are non-fictional and that they, give us factual information about an incident., Given below are the features of a good newspaper report., m Headline : Short and attention grabbing., m Byline : Usually written below the headline. It may carry the, writer’s name., m Paragraphs : Follow the inverted pyramid principle. The most, important details come in the initial paragraphs., m Quotes : It will be interesting and useful to quote the words of, people involved in the incident., m Facts and opinions: Try to add all the facts possible using the five, W's (who, what, why, where, when)., m Third Person : The report is written in the third person, as the, reporter is retelling the incident without being involved in it., r Now, think of the tragic end of the Titanic. Work in groups and fill, up the table given below, based on your knowledge of the incident. You may also use the internet to collect more details about, the Titanic, her final voyage, the passengers on board, the collision with the iceberg, and the heroic acts of her crew., Features, Headline, Byline, Paragraphs, (Number and broad, outline of each paragraph), • Who, • What, • Why, • Where, • When, Quotations (Narration, and opinions of the survivors), 128, , Details
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Unit 4 BRAVING THE HAZARDS, , Use the clues in the table and prepare a newspaper report about, the wreck of the Titanic., Activity V (Pronunciation), m, , r Find out how the following words are pronounced. You may use a, standard English dictionary., sank -........................., band -........................., grand -........................, , m, m, m, , Discuss, Which is the vowel sound used in these words?, m How do you pronounce this sound?, m Do you have this vowel sound in your mother-tongue?, m, , m, , Find out more words from the poem with this vowel sound., , The major learning outcomes of this unit are listed below., , Thematic outcomes, Students demonstrate their ability to, a. respond promptly at the time of a disaster., b. assume leadership in disaster management activities., c. work individually and as the member of a team, at the time of, disaster and crisis., d. imbibe the importance and value of sacrifice., , Linguistic outcomes, Students demonstrate their ability to, a. make notes to store information., b. use adverbs of frequency in appropriate contexts., c. use their knowledge of etymology to understand the meaning, of words., d. use past tense and passive voice for reporting events., , 129
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Unit, , 5, Good health is a state of complete physical, social and mental, well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity., Health is a resource for everyday life, not the object of living,, and is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal, resources as well as physical capabilities., - WHO, About the Unit, This holistic concept of wellness is the basic premise of the unit,, ‘Harmony of Life’. It contains a short story, a poem and an essay., The short story ‘Gooseberries’ by Anton Chekhov reflects on, the belief in pursuing one's dream and doing whatever it takes, to achieve that. The poem ‘To Sleep’ by William Wordsworth, underlines the necessity of sound sleep. The essay ‘Going out, for a walk’ by Max Beerbohm challenges the notion that walking, is a productive mental exercise -- especially if one is accompanied, by a talkative companion., , 130
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Unit- 5: HARMONY OF LIFE, , Let’s begin:, r Look at the logo given below., , Can you identify the words that appear with the entry 'wellness', in the following logo?, What is your idea of wellness?, Does it pertain to the physical realm alone?, , m, , What are the activities conducted by your school Health Club for, promoting wellness?, , m, , Now, prepare a logo for your school Health Club., , 131
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , I. Read and reflect:, Chekhov's ‘Gooseberries’ is a story of two brothers who pursue, happiness in their own ways. The story provides ample opportunities,, to examine critically the ways they have chosen. The extent to which, they attain their goals is also worth considering., , GOOSEBERRIES, Anton Chekhov, , From early morning, the sky had been, overcast with clouds;, the day was still, cool,, and wearisome, as, usual on • What purpose does the, grey dull first sentence serve?, days when, the clouds hang low, over the fields and it, looks like rain, which, never comes. Ivan, Ivanich, the veterinary surgeon, and Bourkin, the, schoolmaster, were tired of walking and the • Can you guess what story, fields seemed endless to them. Far ahead they Ivan was about to tell, could just see the windmills of the village of Bourkin?, Mirousky. In the calm weather, when all Nature seemed, gentle and melancholic, Ivan Ivanich and Bourkin were, filled with love for the fields and thought how grand and, beautiful the country was., ‘Last time, when we stopped in Prokofyi's shed,’ said, Bourkin, ‘you were going to tell me a story.’, ‘Yes. I wanted to tell you about my brother.’, Ivan Ivanich took a deep breath and lighted, his pipe before beginning his story, but just • How do you feel when it, then the rain began to fall. And in about five rains?, , 132
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Unit- 5: HARMONY OF LIFE, , minutes, it came pelting down and showed no signs of, stopping., ‘We ought to take shelter,’ said Bourkin. ‘Let us go to, Aliokhin’s. It is close by.’, ‘Very well.’, They took a short cut over a stubble-field until they came, to the road. Soon they came to a wide road with a mill, and a white bathing-shed. It was Sophino, where Aliokhin, lived., The mill was working, drowning the sound of the rain. It, was wet, muddy, and unpleasant, and Ivan Ivanich and, Bourkin felt wet and uncomfortable through and through;, their feet were tired with walking in the mud., In one of the barns a winnowing-machine was working,, sending out clouds of dust. On the threshold stood Aliokhin, himself, a man of about forty, tall and stout, • Describe Aliokhin’s, with long hair, more like a professor or a appearance., painter than a farmer. He was wearing a grimy, white shirt and rope belt, and pants instead of trousers;, and his boots were covered with mud and straw. His nose, and eyes were black with dust. He recognised Ivan Ivanich, and was apparently very pleased., ‘Please, gentlemen,’ he said, ‘go to the house. I'll be with, you in a minute.’, The house was large and two-storied. Aliokhin lived downstairs in two vaulted rooms with little windows. Ivan, Ivanich and Bourkin were received by a chambermaid., ‘You cannot imagine how glad I am to see you, gentlemen,’, said Aliokhin, coming after them into the hall. ‘I never, expected you. Pelagueya,’ he said to the maid, ‘give my, friends a change of clothes. And I will change, too. But I, must have a bath. I haven't had one since the spring., Wouldn't you like to come to the bathing-shed? And, meanwhile our things will be got ready.’, Aliokhin led his guests to the bathing-shed., ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘it is a long time since I had a • Why couldn’t Aliokhin, bathe regularly despite, bath. My bathing-shed is all right, as you see. having a good bathing, My father and I put it up, but somehow I have shed?, no time to bathe.’He sat down on the step and, 133
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , lathered his long hair and neck, and the water round him, became brown., Ivan Ivanich came out of the shed, plunged into the water, with a splash, and swam about in the rain, flapping his, arms, and sending waves back; he swam out to the middle, of the pool and dived, trying to reach the bottom. • How did Ivan respond to, ‘Ah! how delicious!’ he shouted in his glee. ‘How the rain?, delicious!’ Bourkin and Aliokhin were already dressed and, ready to go, but he kept on swimming and diving., ‘Delicious,’ he said. ‘Too delicious!’, ‘You've had enough,’ shouted Bourkin., They went to the house. And only when the lamp was lit, in the large drawing-room up-stairs, and Bourkin and Ivan, Ivanich, dressed in silk dressing-gowns and, • When did Ivan start, warm slippers, lounged in chairs, and Aliokhin narrating his story?, himself, washed and brushed, in a new frock, coat, paced up and down, did Ivan Ivanich begin his story., ‘We are two brothers,’ he began, ‘I, Ivan Ivanich, and, Nicholai Ivanich, two years younger. I went in for study, and became a veterinary surgeon, while Nicholai was at, the Exchequer Court when he was nineteen. Our father,, Tchimsha-Himalaysky, was a cantonist*, but he died with, an officer's rank and left us his title of nobility and a, small estate. After his death, the estate went to pay his, debts. However, we spent our childhood there in the, country. We were just like peasants’ children, • How did the brothers, spent days and nights in the fields and the spend their childhood, woods, minded the horses, barked the lime- after their father's death?, trees, fished, and so on..., ‘And you know, once a man has fished, or watched the, thrushes hovering in flocks over the village in the bright,, cool, autumn days, he can never really be a townsman,, and to the day of his death he will be drawn to the country., My brother pined away in the Exchequer. Years passed, and he sat in the same place, wrote out the same, documents, and thought of one thing, how to get back to, the country, and to buy a small farm somewhere by the, bank of a river or a lake., ‘He was a good fellow and I loved him, but I never, * Cantonist was the 19th Century common name for the service obliged military. The term was first, coined in 1713 by the Polish Colonel R. Pastetzky ., , 134
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Unit- 5: HARMONY OF LIFE, , sympathised with the desire to shut oneself • Comment on Ivan’s view on, up on one's own farm. It is a common saying the saying that a man, needs only six feet of land., that a man needs only six feet of land. But, surely a corpse wants that, not a man. To leave town, and, the struggle and the swim of life, and go and • ‘To leave town, and the, hide yourself in a farmhouse is not life --- it is struggle and the swim of, life, and go and hide, egoism, laziness., yourself in a farmhouse is, ‘My brother Nicholai, sitting in his office, would not life --- it is egoism,, laziness.’ - Do you agree?, dream of eating out in the open air, and of Why?, sleeping in the sun, and of sitting for hours, together on a seat by the gate and gazing at the fields and, the forest. Books on agriculture and the hints in almanacs, were his joy, his favourite spiritual food; and, What was the difference in, he liked reading newspapers, but only the • the, attitudes of Ivan and, advertisements of land to be sold, with a Nicholai towards life?, farmhouse, river, garden, mill, and mill-pond., And he would dream of garden-walls, flowers, fruits, nests,, carp in the pond, don't you know, and all the rest of it., These fantasies of his used to vary according to the, advertisements he found, but somehow there • What was Nicholai’s, was always a gooseberry-bush in every one. dream?, Not a house, not a romantic spot could he, imagine without its gooseberry-bush., ‘Country life has its advantages,’ he used to • Mention some of the, say. ‘You sit on the veranda drinking tea and advantages of country life., your ducklings swim on the pond, and everything smells, good. . . and there are gooseberries.’, ‘He used to live meagerly and never had, enough to eat and drink, dressed God knows • ‘F ixed goals help us, achieve success in life.’, how, exactly like a beggar, and always saved What is your opinion?, and put his money into the bank. He was, terribly stingy. It used to hurt me to see him, and I used, to give him money to go away for a holiday, but • What were the sacrifices, he would put that away, too. Once a man gets that Nicholai made to, achieve his goal?, a fixed idea, there's nothing to be done., ‘Years passed; he completed his fortieth year and was, still reading advertisements in the papers and saving up, his money. Then I heard he was married. Still with the, same idea of buying a farmhouse with a gooseberry-bush,, he married an elderly, ugly widow, not out of any feeling, , 135
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , for her, but because she had money. With her he still, lived stingily, kept her half-starved, and put the money, into the bank in his own name. Money, like vodka, can, play queer tricks with a man.’, ‘After the death of his wife,’ Ivan Ivanich continued, after, a long pause, ‘my brother began to look out for an estate., Through an agent, my brother Nicholai raised, • Nicholai had to buy an, a mortgage and bought three hundred acres estate quite different from, with a farmhouse, a cottage, and a park, but what he had dreamt of. But, there was no orchard, no gooseberry-bush, no he didn't grieve much. How, duck-pond; there was a river but the water in would you behave in such, a situation?, it was coffee-coloured because the estate lay, between a brick-yard and a gelatine factory. But my brother, Nicholai was not worried about that; he ordered twenty, gooseberry-bushes and settled down to a country life., ‘Last year, I paid him a visit. I thought I'd go and see how, things were with him. In his letters, my brother called, his estate Tchimbarshov Corner, or Himalayskoe. I arrived, at Himalayskoe in the afternoon. It was hot. There were, ditches, fences, hedges, rows of young fir-trees, trees, everywhere, and there was no telling how to cross the, yard or where to put your horse. I went to the house and, was met by a red-haired dog, as fat as a pig. He tried to, bark but felt too lazy. Out of the kitchen came the cook,, barefooted, and also as fat as, a pig, and said that the, master was having his, afternoon rest. I went in to, my brother and found him, sitting on his bed with his, knees covered with a blanket;, he looked old, stout, flabby;, his cheeks, nose, and lips, were pendulous. I half, expected him to grunt like a, pig., ‘We embraced and shed a tear, of joy and also of sadness to, think that we had once been young, but were now both, going grey and nearing death. He dressed and took me to, see his estate., 136
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Unit- 5: HARMONY OF LIFE, , ‘Well? How are you getting on?’ I asked., ‘All right, thank God. I am doing very well.’, ‘He was no longer the poor, tired official, but a real, landowner and a person of consequence. And,, • What were the ‘good works’, like a good landowner, he looked after his soul of Nicholai? How did he, and did good works pompously, never simply. care for his peasants?, What good works? He cured the peasants of, all kinds of diseases with soda and castor-oil, and on his, birthday he would have a thanksgiving service held in the, middle of the village, and would treat the peasants to half, a bucket of vodka, which he thought the right thing to do., Ah! These horrible buckets of vodka., ‘But my point does not concern him so much as myself. I, want to tell you what a change took place in me in those, few hours while I was in his house. In the evening, while, we were having tea, the cook laid a plateful of gooseberries, on the table. They had not been bought, but were his own, gooseberries, plucked for the first time since the bushes, were planted. Nicholai Ivanich laughed with joy and for a, minute or two he looked in silence at the gooseberries, with tears in his eyes. He could not speak for excitement,, then put one into his mouth, glanced at me in triumph,, like a child at last being given its favourite toy, and said:, ‘'How good they are!', ‘He went on eating greedily, and saying all the while:, ‘'How good they are! Do try one!', ‘It was hard and sour, but I saw a happy man, one whose, dearest dream had come true, who had attained his goal, in life, who had got what he wanted, and was • The gooseberries were, pleased with his destiny and with himself. In, unripe and sour, but, Nicholai found them, my idea of human life there is always some, delicious. Why?, alloy of sadness, but now at the sight of a, happy man I was filled with something like despair. And, at night it grew on me. A bed was made up for me in the, room near my brother's and I could hear him, unable to, sleep, going again and again to the plate of gooseberries. I, thought: 'After all, what a lot of contented, • Was Nicholai happy with, his life? How do you know, happy people there must be! What an, that?, overwhelming power that means! . . . . And, 137
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , such a state of things is obviously what we want; apparently, a happy man only feels so because the unhappy bear their, burden in silence, but for which happiness • What distinction did Ivan, make between the happy, would be impossible., and the unhappy?, , ‘That night I was able to understand how I,, too, had been content and happy,’ Ivan Ivanich went on,, getting up. ‘Freedom is a boon, I used to say, as essential, as the air we breathe, but we must wait. Yes - • What, according to Ivan, was, - I used to say so, but now I ask: 'Why do we the relevance of freedom?, wait?’, Ivan Ivanich glanced angrily at Bourkin. ‘Why do we wait,, I ask you? What considerations keep us fast? I am told, that we cannot have everything at once, and that every, idea is realised in time. But who says so? Where is the, proof that it is so? Tell me, I say, why should we wait?, ‘I left my brother early the next morning, and from that, time on I found it impossible to live in town. The peace, and quiet of it oppress me. I dare not look in at the, windows, for nothing is more dreadful to see than the, sight of a happy family, sitting round a table, • Why did Ivan find it, having tea. I am an old man now and am no difficult to live in town, good for the struggle. I commenced late. I can after visiting his brother?, only grieve within my soul, and fret and sulk. At night my, head buzzes with the rush of my thoughts and I cannot, sleep... Ah! If I were young!’, Ivan Ivanich walked excitedly up and down the room and, repeated:, ‘If I were young.’, He suddenly walked up to Aliokhin and shook him first by, one hand and then by the other., ‘Pavel Koustantinich,’ he said in a voice of entreaty, ‘don't, be satisfied, don't let yourself be lulled to sleep! While, you are young, strong, wealthy, do not cease to do good!, Happiness does not exist, nor should it, and if there is, any meaning or purpose in life, they are not in our peddling, little happiness, but in something reasonable and grand., Do good!’, Then they all three sat in different corners of the drawingroom and were silent. Ivan Ivanich's story had satisfied, 138
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Unit- 5: HARMONY OF LIFE, , neither Bourkin nor Aliokhin. It was tedious to hear the, story of a miserable official who ate gooseberries. . . ., Somehow they had a longing to hear and to speak of, charming people, and of women. And the mere fact of, sitting in the drawing-room was much better than any, story., Aliokhin wanted very much to go to bed; he had to get up, for his work very early, about two in the morning, and, now his eyes were closing. . . ., ‘However, it's time to go to bed,‘said Bourkin, getting up. ‘I, will wish you good night.’, Aliokhin said good night and went down-stairs, and left, his guests. Each had a large room with an old wooden bed, and carved ornaments. Ivan Ivanich undressed in silence, and lay down., ‘God forgive me, a wicked sinner,‘he murmured, • What change in attitude, came over Ivan at the end?, as he drew the clothes over his head., The rain beat against the windows all night, • How can happiness be, long., achieved in life?, , (Abridged), Glossary:, , About the Author, : a serious request for, something, Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, exchequer court : in English law. a very, (1860- 1904), ancient court of record,, A Russian physician,, which was originally the, dramatist and author,, king's treasury, Chekhov is one of the greatest short, gelatine (n), : a clear substance that is, story writers. His career as a dramatist, produced four classics and his best, made by boiling animal, short stories are held in high esteem, bones or tissues and used in, by writers and critics alike., making jelly., ‘Gooseberries’ is the middle story in a, mortgage (n), : a legal agreement in which, trilogy of Chekhov's tales; the first titled, a person borrows money to, ‘The Man in a Shell’ and the last titled, ‘About Love’. All are united in theme;, buy property and pays back, the isolation and escape from life. The, the money over a period of, story is one of Chekhov's finest works, years, and has much irony and humour, and, pendulous (adj) : hanging down and swinging, is poetic in mood., freely, pompously (adj) : exhibiting self-importance, vodka (n), : a strong, clear alcoholic drink that, is originally from Russia, entreaty, , 139
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Activity I (Read and respond), m What lesson does Ivan seek to learn from his brother’s, life?, m, , Compare Aliokhin’s first appearance in the story with that of, Nicholai., , m, , The story begins and ends in rain. What does the imagery convey, to you?, , m, , Why do you think the story is titled ‘Gooseberries?’, , m, , Identify the climax of the story., , r Rain has an additional symbolic relevance in this story. Can you, identify other symbols?, Symbolism, In literature, a symbol is an object or reference used to provide, meaning beyond what is essentially being described. An author, may repetitively use the same object to communicate a deeper, meaning or might use distinctions of the same object to produce, an overarching mood or feeling., q, , Analyze Ivan’s argument against happiness (‘There is nothing, sadder than the sight of a happy man’)., , q, , How does Chekhov develop his theme in the story? What are the, techniques used? (story within the story, realism, irony, symbolism etc.), , Activity II (Review), Based on the above points, attempt a review of Chekhov’s ‘Gooseberries’ bearing in mind the following hints:, •, •, •, •, •, •, , Read and recall what you have read, and formulate your own, observations., Theme/content, Writing style/presentation, Characters, Depiction of landscape, Symbolic relevance, , Activity III (Write-up), • According to Chekhov, ‘money like vodka plays queer tricks with, man’. How far is this statement relevant in the present-day world?, Prepare a write-up on the topic., , 140
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Unit- 5: HARMONY OF LIFE, , Activity IV (Debate), r Read the following lines from the story., •, , ‘Freedom is a boon as essential as the air we breathe.’ How far is, this statement true in the case of an individual?, Is freedom essential for an individual? Debate the topic., Tips, • Present it effectively., • Maintain eye contact., • Find a steady spot to place your feet., • Start by taking a deep breath., • Speak slowly, carefully and convincingly., • Don't be discouraged by opposing arguments., • Be relaxed., • Make use of non-verbal communication (gestures and body, language)., •, , Be polite., , Activity V (Seminar), r In the story, ‘gooseberries’ represent whatever is indigenous, whatever should be preserved to retain the culture of the countryside., Do you think that it is our responsibility to preserve our indigenous culture? Conduct a seminar on this topic., •, , Present your paper in the class., , •, , Prepare a report of the presentation., , You may take note of the following guidelines., •, , Introduction, , •, , Objective, , •, , Theoretical background - what others say on the topic, , •, , Research - connect theoretical background, , •, , Conclusion - your inferences and findings - reflect on what you, have been able to prove., , 141
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Points to note, While presenting your paper, •, •, •, •, •, •, •, , speak slowly, with adequate pauses, loudly and clearly., use examples from everyday life., use slides and handouts, where necessary., adhere to the time limit., keep eye contact and use gestures., give straight answers to the questions asked., be confident., , Activity VI (‘Wh’ Interrogatives), r We use ‘wh’ - interrogatives to frame questions., Given below is a set of questions taken from the text. The function of, the wh - interrogatives is also given against each question., , Examples from the text, , Function, , What grounds have we for waiting? asking for repetition or confirmation, What reason are we to wait for?, , asking for a reason, asking why, , When did Nicholai start uttering asking about time, views of his own?, Where is the proof that its right? ......................................................, Which of the two brothers was, ......................................................, younger, Ivan or Nicholai?, , Question, word, , What, What for, When, Where, Which, , Who is it that narrates Nicholai's asking what or which person or people, story?, (subject), , Who, , Whom did Ivan and Bourkin meet asking what or which person or people, at the barn?, (object), , Whom, , Whose gooseberry bushes are asking about ownership, these?, , Whose, , Why wait, I ask you?, , ......................................................, Why don't you come to the bathing, ......................................................, shed?, , Why, , How did you get here?, , ......................................................, , How, , How are you getting on here?, , ......................................................, , How, , 142, , Why
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Unit- 5: HARMONY OF LIFE, , See examples below, , How far is Sophino from here?, , Asking about extent or, degree, , distance, , how+adj/adv, , How far, , How long will it take to reach length (time or space), Sophino, where Aliokhin lives?, , How long, , How many gooseberry bushes quantity (countable), did Nicholai order?, , How many, , How much land does a man need? quantity (uncountable), , How much, , How old was Nicholai when he age, died?, , How old, , How come (informal) he can't asking for a reason, asking why, stand their happiness?, , How come, , Reported Questions, When we report what people say, we usually change the tense of the, verbs to indicate that we are reporting. There are also other important, differences between direct questions and reported questions., Example:, Questions, - Why don’t you go to the bathing-shed?, Reported questions - He asked why he didn’t go to the bathingshed.(or) He asked me why I didn’t come ..., When there is a question word, we repeat that question word in the reported, question. The word order is like that of an affirmative sentence., Direct questions, , Reported questions, , Who narrates, Nicholai’s story?, , They asked who narrated Nicholai’s, story., , Where is the proof that it is right?, , He asked where the proof was that it was, right., , Reported questions do not have a question mark at the end., Frame questions to get the underlined words as answer., Example:, He bought twenty gooseberry bushes. - What did he buy? / How many, gooseberry bushes did he buy?, 1. They went to Aliokhin's barn., 2. He was a gentle, good-natured fellow., 3. We have spent our childhood running wild in the country., 143
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , 4. Ivan saw a happy man., 5. I went away from my brother's house early in the morning., 6. That night, Ivan realized that he too was happy and contented., Activity VII (Exclamations), r We use exclamations to express strong emotions in a special way., It is important to know how to express exclamations because they, are very common in both speech and writing., Study the following sentences., That is a shocking report., m, What a shocking report! OR How shocking!, Here, an assertive sentence is converted into an exclamatory, sentence., Note the use of the punctuation mark (!) at the end of the exclamatory, sentence., m, , Exclamatory sentences are often constructed with how and what or, with so and such., You may notice the structural changes in each sentence., m, , How delicious it is!, , m, , How you have grown!, , m, , What a lovely song!, What a surprise!, , m, , m, , What tasty gooseberries!, What fools!, What beautiful weather!, , m, , What a beautiful smile you have!, , m, , You are so sweet!, He is such a nice boy!, They are such kind people!, They talk such rubbish!, , m, m, , m, m, m, , Let’s practise, Change the following assertive sentences into exclamatory sentences., 1. It was a great beautiful land., 2. The water looked cold and contaminated., 3. That was a very interesting dream., 4. Nicholai is very generous., 5. It would be nice if I were young once again., 6. He is an incredibly positive man., , 144
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Unit- 5: HARMONY OF LIFE, , II. Read and enjoy:, In Chekhov's ‘Gooseberries’, after visiting his brother Nicholai,, Ivan Ivanich’s head is hot with the rush of ideas, and he cannot, sleep. Have you ever lain awake, sleepless at night? Describe your, experience. Now let's see what Wordsworth has to say about sleep., , TO SLEEP, William Wordsworth, , A flock of sheep that leisurely pass by, One after one; the sound of rain, and bees, Murmuring; the fall of rivers, winds and seas,, Smooth fields, white sheets of water, and pure sky;, I've thought of all by turns, and still I lie, Sleepless; and soon the small birds' melodies, Must hear, first utter'd from my orchard trees,, And the first cuckoo's melancholy cry., , 8, , Even thus last night, and two nights more I lay,, And could not win thee, Sleep! by any stealth:, So do not let me wear to-night away:, Without Thee what is all the morning's wealth?, Come, blesséd barrier between day and day,, Dear mother of fresh thoughts and joyous health! 14, , About the Author, William Wordsworth, (1770 - 1850), A, major, English, Romantic, poet,, Wordsworth possessed a, deep love for nature, a theme reflected, in many of his poems. He considered, nature to be his friend, philosopher, and guide. He became the Poet Laureate in 1843, and remained so, until, his death in 1850., , 145
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Activity I (Read and respond), m, , ‘I've thought of all by turns‘ - What are the things that the poet, thinks of?, , m, , Why couldn't the poet sleep for three nights?, , m, , Do you think that sleep embraced the poet in the end? Why?, , m, , How many of you can identify with Wordsworth's experience of, lying awake until the ‘birds twitter their dawn chorus?’, , m, , How do you think the poet feels at the start of the poem?, , m, , Pick out the images from the poem., , m, , Which lines or images do you think are the most effective in, conveying the necessity of sound sleep?, , m, , The poem ends in a note of wistful hope and prayer. Do you agree?, Why?, , m, , The length of the poem and the poetic form., A sonnet is a poem of 14 lines with a strict, pattern of rhyme and rhythm. There are different, forms of the sonnet but they share the following, thought structure., m, a key idea, m, development, m, conclusion, often with a twist, , m, , The poet uses several images in the poem, like the sound of rain, and the sight of fields., An image is a picture created with the poet's choice of, words that the reader can imagine or recreate. Images, can make the reader see, feel, think, etc., , m, , 146, , Identify the images used by the poet in ‘ To Sleep’.
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Unit- 5: HARMONY OF LIFE, , Poetic devices, Alliteration, , Repeated consonant sounds at the beginning of, words placed near each other, usually on the, same or adjacent lines., e.g. silence surged softly, The furrow followed free;, , Assonance, , Repeated vowel sounds in words placed near each, other, usually on the same or adjacent lines., e.g. A host, of golden daffodils, Beside the lake, beneath the trees, , Consonance, , Repeated consonant sounds at the ending of, words placed near each other, usually on the, same or adjacent lines., e.g. If she love me, this believe,, I will die ere she shall grieve;, , Onomatopoeia, , Words that sound like their meanings., e.g. The sack fell into the river with a splash., The books fell on the table with a loud thump., , Hyperbole, , An outrageous exaggeration used for effect., e.g. My grandmother is as old as the hills., , Metaphor, , A direct comparison between two unlike things,, stating that one is the other, or does the action, of the other., e.g. Her voice is music to his ears., , Simile, , A direct comparison of two unlike things using, ‘like’ or ‘as.’, e.g. O my Love's like a red, red rose!, , Activity II (Critical Appreciation), Based on the above discussions, prepare a critical appreciation of, the poem bearing in mind the following tips., •, , Read the poem and note down more details., , •, , Use the present tense to describe and analyze the events and, characters of the poem., , 147
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , •, , Use direct quotations from the poem., , •, , When you mention a particular poetic device or a situation from, the poem, substantiate your words with the quote that refers to, it or the device you are analyzing., , •, , Identify each poetic device properly., , •, , Distinguish between metaphor (a poetic comparison) and metonymy (using a symbol to stand for what it represents), a hyperbole (an exaggeration) and a synecdoche (when a part is used, instead of the whole)., , Wordsworth’s ‘To Sleep’ tells us how important it is to have a sound, sleep in order to remain mentally and physically fit., • In this world where everything is ‘instant’ or instantly done, isn't, it important to avoid unhealthy habits? Discuss., , III. Read and reflect:, Walking like any other exercise, undoubtedly leads to physical, wellness. There may be difference of opinion. The argument that, each and every moment has to be filled with activity has gained, currency these days. In the essay 'Going out for a Walk', Max, Beerbohm looks at walking from a different perspective., , GOING OUT FOR A WALK, Max Beerbohm, , It is a fact that not once in all my life have I gone out for a, walk. I have been taken out for walks; but that is another, matter. Even while I trotted prattling by my nurse's side,, I regretted the good old days when I had, and wasn't, a, perambulator. When I grew up, it seemed to me that the, one advantage of living in London was that, • What does the author, nobody ever wanted me to come out for a walk. consider as the drawbacks, London's very drawbacks --- its endless noise of London?, and hustle, its smoky air, the squalor ambushed, everywhere in it--- assured this one immunity. Whenever I, was with friends in the country, I knew that at any, moment, unless rain were actually falling, some man, , 148
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Unit- 5: HARMONY OF LIFE, , might suddenly say ‘Come out for a walk!’ in that sharp, imperative tone which he would not dream of using it., People seem to think there is something inherently noble, and virtuous in the desire to go for a walk. Any one thus, desirous feels that he has a right to impose his will on, whomever he sees comfortably settled in an arm-chair,, reading. It is easy to say simply ‘No’ to an old friend. In, the case of a mere acquaintance, one wants, • What is the author ’s, some excuse. ‘I wish I could, but’--- nothing, excuse to avoid walking?, ever occurs to me except ‘I have some letters, to write.’ This formula is unsatisfactory in three ways., (1) It isn't believed. (2) It compels you to rise from your, chair, go to the writing-table, and sit improvising a letter, to somebody until the walk monger (just not • Why is the author’s excuse, daring to call you liar and hypocrite) shall have ineffective?, lumbered out of the room. (3) It won't operate, on Sunday mornings. ‘ There's no post out till this evening’, clinches the matter; and you may as well go quietly., Walking for walking's sake may be as highly laudable and, exemplary a thing as it is held to be by those who practise, it. My objection to it is that it stops the brain. Many a man, has professed to me that his brain never works so well as, when he is swinging along the high road or over hill and, dale. This boast is not confirmed by my memory of anybody, who, on a Sunday morning, has forced me to partake of, his adventure. Experience teaches me that, • What makes the author say, whatever a fellow-guest may have of the power that walking for walking's, to instruct or to amuse when he is sitting on a sake stops one's brain?, chair, or standing on a hearth-rug, quickly, leaves him when he takes one out for a walk. The ideas, that came so thick and fast to him in any room, where, are they now? Where is the encyclopaedic knowledge which, he bore so lightly? Where the kindling fancy that played, like summer lightning over any topic that was started?, The man's face that was so mobile is set now; gone is the, light from his fine eyes. He says that A. (our host) is a, thoroughly good fellow. Fifty yards further on, he adds, that A. is one of the best fellows he has ever met. We, tramp another furlong or so, and he says that Mrs. A. is a, charming woman. Presently he adds that she is one of, , 149
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , the most charming women he has ever known. We pass an, inn. He reads rapidly aloud to me: ‘ The King's Arms., Licensed to sell Ales and Spirits.’ I foresee that during the, rest of the walk he will read aloud any inscription that, occurs. We pass a milestone. He points at it with his stick,, and says ‘Uxminster. 11 Miles.’ We turn a, sharp corner at the foot of a hill. He points • ‘ Trespassers will be, prosecuted‘ - Write down, at the wall, and says ‘Drive Slowly.’ I see far, two more such wall notices., ahead, on the other side of the hedge, bordering the high road, a small notice-board. He sees it, too. He keeps his eye on it. And in due course ‘ Trespassers,’, he says, ‘Will Be Prosecuted.’ Poor man!--- mentally a wreck., Luncheon at the A.S,, however, salves him and, floats him in full sail., Behold him once more, the life and soul of the, party! Surely he will, never, after the bitter, lesson of this morning,, go out for another walk., An hour later, I see him, striding forth, with a, new companion. I watch, him out of sight. I know what he is saying. He is saying, that I am rather a dull man to go for a walk with. He will, presently add that I am one of the dullest men he ever, went for a walk with. Then he will devote himself to reading, out the inscriptions., How comes it, this immediate deterioration in those who, go walking for walking's sake? Just what happens?, I take it that not by his reasoning faculties is a man urged, to this enterprise. He is urged, evidently, by, something in him that transcends reason; by • What, according to the, author, is the thought, his soul, I presume. Yes, it must be the soul process taking place in the, that raps out the ‘Quick march!’ to the body.--- brain during a walk?, ‘Halt! Stand at ease! ‘Interposes the brain, and, ‘To what destination, ‘It suavely asks the soul, ‘and on what, errand, are you sending the body? ‘On no errand, whatsoever’, The soul makes answer, ‘and to no destination, at all.’ It is just like you to be always on the look-out for, , 150
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Unit- 5: HARMONY OF LIFE, , some subtle ulterior motive. The body is going out because, the mere fact of its doing so is a sure indication of, nobility, probity, and rugged grandeur of character.’ --‘Very well, Vagula, have your own wayula*! But I,’ says, the brain, ‘flatly refuse to be mixed up in this tomfoolery., I shall go to sleep till it is over.’ The brain then wraps, itself up in its own convolutions, and falls into a, dreamless slumber from which nothing can rouse it till, the body has been safely deposited indoors again., Even if you go to some definite place, for some definite, purpose, the brain would rather you took a vehicle; but, it does not make a point of this; it will serve, you well enough unless you are going out for a • What is the author's, of having a vehicle, walk. It won't, while your legs are vying with opinion, for every destination?, each other, do any deep thinking for you, nor, even any close thinking; but it will do any number of, small odd jobs for you willingly --- provided that your, legs, also, are making themselves useful, not merely, bandying you about to gratify the pride of the soul. Such, as it is, this essay was composed in the course of a, walk, this morning. I am not one of those extremists, who must have a vehicle to every destination. I never go, out of my way, as it were, to avoid exercise. I take it as, it comes, and take it in good part. Those valetudinarians, who are always chattering about it and, indulging in it to excess are no reason for • What holds the author, back from going out for a, despising it. I am inclined to think that in, walk?, moderation it is rather good for one, physically., But, pending a time when no people wish me to go and, see them, and I have no wish to go and see any one, and, there is nothing whatever for me to do off my own, premises, I never will go out for a walk., (Adapted), , *, , very well soul, the wanderer have your won way, , 151
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Glossary:, acquaintance (n), ambush (n), exemplary (n), hustle (v), hypocrite (n), imperative, kindling fancy, laudable (adj), , : someone you know, but, who is not a close friend, : surprise, : deserving imitation, : hurry, : one who puts on a false, appearance, : commanding, : arousing interest easily, : worthy of praise or, admiration, , perambulator (n), prattle (v), profess (v), squalor (n), , About the Author, Sir Henry Maximilian Max, Beerbohm (1872 - 1956), the, English writer and caricaturist,, is remembered for the elegance, and gentle humour of his personal, essays. He is best known today for his, 1911 novel Zuleika Dobson. 1n the, essay ‘Going Out for a Walk’ (1918),, Beerbohm challenges the notion that, walking is a productive mental exercise,, especially if one is accompanied by a, talkative companion., , : a baby carriage, : make meaningless sounds, : make a false claim, : dirty and unpleasant, conditions, suavely (adj), : confidently, elegantly and politely, (though not sincerely), valetudinarian (n) : a person with a sickly, constitution, walk monger (n) : (humorously) a person who forces, another to go out for a walk, , Activity I (Write-up), Do you usually go out for a morning walk or an evening stroll?, Who do you usually go out with (friends, family members,, neighbours etc.,?, m, What do you enjoy the most while walking?, m, How do you feel after a walk?, m, Make a distinction between going out for a walk and being taken, out for a walk., Now, prepare a write-up on walking and your preferences., m, m, , Activity II (Personal essay), r A personal essay usually explores a personal experience., It is an anecdote (or more than one) from your life that is, connected to an idea. The intention of a personal essay is to use, an experience as a vehicle to explore a larger theme or question., •, , 152, , The author gives an account of reasons, i.e., a theory to support, his explanation.
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Unit- 5: HARMONY OF LIFE, , Tips, A good essay should have, • Focus, •, , Development, , •, , Coherence, , Unity, , •, , •, •, , Now, attempt to write a personal essay on a topic of your choice., (e.g. swimming, jogging, etc.), Tips, •, , Select a topic (choose a subject that is interesting or relevant, to you)., , •, , Prepare an outline., , •, •, •, •, , Write the introduction., Write the body., Write the conclusion., Review what you have written (make additions and deletions)., , Activity III (Survey), r You might have realised the importance of physical fitness. Physical fitness invariably leads to mental wellness. ‘A sound mind in, a sound body’, so goes the saying. Happiness is the result of a, sound mind in a sound body. Here is a survey questionnaire., Collect information from your classmates about their likes, dislikes, wishes and preferences. Make use of the questionnaire, given below., , Answer the questions honestly chossing your response from, 'never', 'rarely', 'sometimes', 'most of the time' or 'always'., 1. During the past twelve months, how often have you felt lonely?, 2. During the past twelve months, how often have you been so worried about something that you could not sleep at night?, 3. Can you keep a secret?, 4. Do you enjoy the company of people?, 5. Do you allow other people to decide for you?, 6. While walking, do you usually look at the ground most of the, time?, 7. Do you offer your seat to any weak or elderly person in the bus?, (Let the learners ponder over the questions to assess themselves.), , 153
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Answer 'Yes' or 'No' and check your scores., 1., 2., 3., 4., 5., 6., 7., 8., 9., 10., 11., 12., , Do you get very upset when you have misplaced something very, important, such as keys, train tickets, etc.?, Are you afraid of growing old?, Would you like to go on a long trip --- say for five to six months?, Do you like to give unexpected gifts?, Are you ready to give up your present way of life and start anew,, if needed?, Would you accept a job in another country if the future looked, brighter there?, Do you think you can recover from a financial blow?, Do you dislike visiting the sick?, Are you superstitious?, Do you like to be fashionably dressed?, Do you like to sit in small dark rooms?, Do you find your mood changing according to the weather?, (TO FIND OUT YOUR SCORE, REFER TO PAGE NO - 156), , Activity IV (Read and practise), r Read these sentences from Beerbohm's essay., a) ‘Even if you go to some definite place, for some definite purpose,, the brain would rather you took a vehicle’., b) ‘I wish I could, but…I have some letters to write’., (i) In the first sentence, would rather is used to express what one, entity prefers (i.e., the brain) another (i.e., the author) to do., e.g., , I would rather you took proper rest., Tom would rather Jack took a plane., , When we speak about a specific preference, would rather and would, prefer have the same meaning and are interchangeable., , 154
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Unit- 5: HARMONY OF LIFE, , Would rather can be abbreviated I’d rather you took a vehicle., I’d prefer you to take a, to ’d rather., Would prefer can be abbreviated vehicle., to ’d prefer, Would rather is followed by a bare I’d rather you took a vehicle., infinitive. Would prefer is followed I’d prefer you to take a, vehicle., by to + infinitive., We use the past tense after would The brain would rather you, rather when we speak about took a vehicle than walk., people’s actions even though the, action is in the present or the future., While making a comparison Would The brain would rather you, took a vehicle than walk., rather……..than is used, Let’s practise, r Answer the following questions using would rather:, What did you have for breakfast today?, m, How would you like your coffee, with some cream or milk?, m, How are you going to the doctor’s?, m, Where do you like to go on vacation?, m, Whom do you like to go out with?, (ii) I wish I could, ‘I wish I could, but… I have some letters to write’., We use the past tense modals would and could to talk about wishes, in the future., m, I don't like my job. I wish I could get a better job., m, That's a dreadful noise. I wish it would stop., m, , We use the past tense forms to talk about wishes in the present., m, I wish it wasn't so cold., m, These seats are very uncomfortable. I wish I were travelling by, first class., We use the past perfect to talk about wishes which refer to the past., m, I wish I had worked harder when I was at school., m, I wish I hadn't wasted my time too much., , 155
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Answers to the activity ‘Can you find happiness?’ (The scores are, given in brackets)., (1), (2), (3), (4), , YES -6, NO-8, YES-2, NO-18, YES-12, NO-9, YES-14, NO-6, , (5), (6), (7), (8), , YES-18, NO-5, YES-18, NO-6, YES-15, NO-7, YES-2, NO-12, , (9), (10), (11), (12), , YES-12, NO-8, YES-12, NO-8, YES-3, NO-9, YES-4, N0-8, , Now, add up your score., 136 to 150 points -- You have a wonderful outlook on life. Your, family, friends and colleagues will stick by you. You have the, courage to face life as it is., 125 to 135 points -- You are thoughtful and can see both sides of, life. You have the capacity to find happiness., 80 to 120 points -- You are inclined to see things as being darker, than they really are. Dont be afraid of the future. It will hold, much joy for you., Below 80 points -- You must get into the habit of saying only, pleasant and cheerful things. Fill your mind with happy things., You will find your list of happiness growing and each day will, turn out to be happier for you., [adapted from-Psychology-Evaluate Your Self], Activity V (Make a start), Now, why don't you draw up a plan of action to ensure personal, responsibility for one or more of your daily health habits (e.g. tidying, the bedroom, taking a bath, eating healthy and balanced meals,, taking rest, doing homework, using independent learning strategies,, helping the family, doing physical activity, etc.). For example, you, can, m, m, m, m, , identify the habit for which you want to take up responsibility., indicate the means to be used., establish the steps for fulfilling this responsibility., take action and revise your plans as required., , Discuss your plans with your friends and exchange strategies for a, more effective implementation., Activity VI (Project), You may conduct a survey among your friends., The teacher can help you in selecting survey topics relating to, m, m, , 156, , dietary habits, rest (e.g., nap, adequate sleep)
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Unit- 5: HARMONY OF LIFE, , healthy eating (with food from the four food groups), m, exercise, including good posture (e.g., while reading, at the computer, during a physical activity), m, use of drugs (energy boosters, overdose of medicines, health, drinks, etc.), m, hygiene (cleanliness, shower/bath, change of clothes), m, mental health, m, physical activity, m, delinquent behaviour, Tips, m, , Divide yourselves into six or seven groups., Prepare a few questionnaires based on the above topics., Allow each group to choose a topic., Let them make a few case studies based on their respective, topics., Conduct the survey and prepare a survey report., Present the survey report in the class., Make a list of new words and expressions used in the report., Attempt a power point presentation of the project., Decide on, •, •, •, •, •, •, •, , what you want to learn., whom you will interview., how you will conduct the interview., what you will ask., how to conduct the test with your friends., how to conduct the interviews and enter the data., how to analyse the data and produce the reports., , In your questionnaire:, m, Decide what you would like to learn using your questionnaire., m, Start writing out questions that can help you reach your goals., m, Design your questionnaire based on the method of delivery., m, Order the questions so that if a person says ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to a, certain question, they can bypass any question that does not, further apply to them., m, Test your questionnaire on your friends or family, before you, begin surveying other people., , 157
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , HOW TO WRITE A GOOD SURVEY REPORT, A survey report is a formal piece of writing based on research., , Structure:, •, , Introduction, - Aim of the report and methodology: when, what and how, , •, , Main Body, - All the information collected and analyzed is presented, here clearly., , •, , Conclusion, - Summing up and recommendations, , Hints and phrases:, • Use present tense, reported speech and an impersonal style., Use a variety of reporting verbs such as claim, state, report,, agree, complain, suggest, etc., • While reporting the results of a survey, the figures gathered, should be given in the form of percentages and proportions. e.g.,, 40% of the people were questioned, 88% of those who filled in, the questionnaire, etc., or expressions like: the majority of those, questioned, a large proportion of, a significant number of, etc., •, •, •, •, •, , To introduce: The purpose/aim of this report…., This survey was carried out/ conducted by means of…, the, questionnaire consisted of etc., To generalize: In general, generally, on the whole, etc., To refer to a fact: The fact is that…, In fact, In practice, etc., To conclude: In conclusion, To sum up, It is clear that, The, survey shows/indicates/demonstrates, etc., , Extended Activities, Activity I (Discussion), r Discuss the need to have physical education compulsory to the, higher secondary students., All students have to be involved in sports. It is said that physical, education is important because it provides students with, m, a healthy and active lifestyle, m, leadership qualities, m, a positive attitude, m, team spirit, m, more confidence and self-esteem, 158
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Unit- 5: HARMONY OF LIFE, m, m, , better learning, civic virtues like volunteering to help others, , Activity II (Write-up), r Do you think that there should be physical education in schools?, Prepare a write-up saying why or why not., Activity III (Speech), r The newspaper headlines below may remind you of some of your, friends who are addicted to junk food, energy boosters, computers,, bike racing, etc. You are worried about how these habits will, affect them mentally, physically and academically. Being the, Health Officer of your school, you decide to make a speech in the, morning assembly on the adverse effect of such a lifestyle and, the need to take charge of oneself. Draft the script of the speech., m, m, , m, , m, , m, m, , m, m, , Youngsters today don't think that homemade food is 'cool'., Stress and a hectic lifestyle lead to ill health and anxietyrelated diseases., Tech-savvy youngsters suffer from gadget withdrawal when, deprived of gadgets such as mobiles., Scientists have established that just one night of sleep, deprivation can lead to weight gain., Energy drinks contain alarming rates of caffeine., Play vigorously, do not remain indoors for too long, enjoy eating, fruits and vegetables., Nuts and buttermilk help to cut flab., Keep pets, beat stress., , Activity IV (Role play), r Last year, I went to pay him a visit. I thought I would go and see, what it was like’-- Ivan goes on to narrate his meeting with his, brother. Attempt a role-play of the narration., m, , Plan your role play by reading over the options, and identify, the core concepts and issues that you will need to know for, this activity., , m, , Decide on who will be who., , m, , Take concrete steps to complete your preparation., , m, , Take time to set the stage and establish the mood for the roleplay scenario., , m, , Clearly understand the mechanism of the role-play., , m, , Behaviour etiquette should be explicitly outlined, , m, , During the role-play, you have to gain control over the roles, you are handling., 159
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, m, , To get the most out of the role-play, it is important to take, some time afterwards to debrief with your teacher., , m, , The first couple of times you do the role-play, it is helpful to, discuss both the process and the content of the role-play with, your teacher., , Activity V (Essay), r ‘Satisfaction, self-sufficiency and piety are the characteristics of, a happy life.’ -- Do you agree? Keeping in mind all the texts that, you have read in this unit, prepare an essay on your idea of a, happy life., Activity VI (Comparative analysis), r Here is a poem, ‘Ode on Solitude’ by Alexander Pope. Read it, many times, carefully. What is the poet trying to convey through, the poem? Make a comparative analysis of this poem with, Wordsworth’s ‘To Sleep’, that you have read earlier., Happy the man, whose wish and care, A few paternal acres bound,, Content to breathe his native air, in his own ground., Whose herds with milk, whose fields with bread,, Whose flock supply him with attire;, Whose trees in summer yield him shade ,, in winter fire., , Blest, who can unconcern'dly find, Hours, days, and years, slide soft away, In health of body, peace of mind,, quiet by day,, Sound sleep by night; study and ease, Together mixt, sweet recreation,, And innocence, which most does please, with meditation., Thus let me live, unseen, unknown;, Thus unlamented let me die;, Steal from the world, and not a stone, tell where I lie., ‘Ode on Solitude’ is a poem by Alexander Pope, written when he was, twelve years old and widely included in anthologies. Alternately titled, ‘The Quiet Life’, it was written to celebrate the virtues of a happy and, satisfied life. In this poem, Pope discusses the characteristics of a, happy life like satisfaction, self-sufficiency, and piety. Man was the, fittest subject for his poetry and he makes imaginative treatment of, man in relation to individuals, society, and the universe., 160
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Unit- 5: HARMONY OF LIFE, , Write about the effect created by both the poems on you., Show how they are similar and how they are different., The content of the poems --- what they are about., The ideas the poet may have wanted us to think about., The mood or atmosphere of the poems., How they are written --- the words and phrases you find, interesting, the way they are organized, etc., , m, m, m, m, m, m, , The major learning outcomes of this unit are listed below., , Thematic outcomes, Students demonstrate the ability to:, •, •, •, •, •, , read and understand that physical and mental health are, complementary., realise the holistic concept of wellness., realize the importance of preserving indigenous culture., understand the need of having a sound mind in a sound body., realise the need for holistic health and to lead an orderly life., , Linguistic outcomes, Students demonstrate the ability to:, •, •, •, •, •, •, •, •, •, •, •, , read and comprehend short stories, poems and essays., prepare write-ups and essays., express their views on a given topic for debate., review a prose passage., critically appreciate poems., conduct an investigative project., prepare questionnaires., conduct a survey and prepare survey reports., use the structures ‘would rather,’ ‘I wish I could,’ etc. to, produce exclamatory sentences., use question words and reporting questions correctly., Identify and use various poetic devices., , 161
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Unit, , 6, 'That's one small step for a man,, one giant leap for a mankind.', - Neil A. Armstrong, About the Unit, Science and technology has brought about revolutionary changes, in every walk of life. It has transformed every corner of the world., It caters to the demands of everyone including the differently, abled. However, this advancement is not without certain hazards, which we will do well to bear in mind., This unit titled ‘Leaps and Bounds’ begins with an article ‘The, Cyber Space’, by Esther Dyson on the use and abuse of, cyberspace. ‘Is Society Dead?’ by Andrew Sullivan is a, humorous but strong write- up on the I-pod generation which is, in a way disconnected from societal interactions. The short story, titled ‘Conceptual Fruit’ by Thaisa Fank, touchingly presents, the efforts of a loving father to enable his differently-abled, daughter to make sense of the world around her, with the help, of technology., , 162
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Unit- 6: LEAPS AND BOUNDS, , Let’s begin, Look at these pictures carefully, , m, , Can you identify the actor in these visuals?, , m, , What do these pictures communicate to you?, , m, , Do you think that technology and its various aspects, must be studied in detail to get a serious understanding of society?, , m, , Write a short paragraph on the role of technology in, modern society and share the ideas with your friend., , 163
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , I. Read and reflect:, The advent of the World Wide Web brought about a revolutionary, change in the dissemination of information. A cultural transformation, from the printed space to the cyber space took place. It redefined the, spatial dimensions of our universe., , THE CYBERSPACE, , Esther Dyson, , Something in the modern psyche loves new frontiers. We, hanker after wide-open spaces; we like to explore; we, like to make rules instead of following them. However, is, there a place where you can go and be yourself • What is special about the, without worrying about the neighbours?, ‘modern psyche'?, Yes, there is such a place: cyberspace., Formerly, a playground for computer nerds and techies,, cyberspace now embraces every conceivable constituency,, including school children. Can they all get, • What is cyberspace? How, along amicably in the cyber world? Or will, has it evolved over the, our fear of kids misusing the cyberspace, years?, provoke a crackdown?, The first order of the business is to grasp what cyberspace, is. It might help to leave behind metaphors of highways, and frontiers and to think instead of real estate. Real, estate, remember, is an intellectual, legal, • What type of metaphor is, used by the author to, artificial environment constructed on top of, describe cyberspace?, land. It recognizes the difference between, parkland and shopping mall, between red-light • Mention some of the, zone and school district, between church,, traditional metaphors, used to denote cyberspace., state and drug store., In the same way, you could think of cyberspace as a giant, and unbounded world of virtual real estate. Some property, is privately owned and rented out; other property is common, land; some places are suitable for children, and others, are best avoided by all but the oddest citizens., Unfortunately, it's those places that are now capturing, the popular imagination. They make cyberspace sound, like a nasty place. Good citizens jump to a conclusion:, Better regulate it., Using censorship to counter and silence cyberspace, fundamentally misinterprets the nature of cyberspace., Cyberspace isn't a frontier where wicked people can grab, 164
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Unit- 6: LEAPS AND BOUNDS, , unsuspecting children, nor is it a giant • Why does the author, television system that can beam offensive, maintain that censorship, will not work in the case of, messages at unwilling viewers. In this kind, cyberspace?, of real estate, users have to choose where they, visit, what they see, what they do. It is optional, and it's, much easier to bypass a place on the net than it is to, avoid walking past an unsavoury block of stores on the, way to your home., • Why, , is, , cyberspace, , Put plainly, cyberspace is a voluntary, described as a voluntary, destination? Do you agree, destination−in reality many destinations. You, with the author here?, don't just get 'on to the net'; you have to go, some place in particular. That means that people can, choose where to go and what to see. Yes, • Who, according to the, community standards should be enforced, but, author, are the right people, to set the standards?, those standards should be set by cyberspace, communities themselves. What we need isn't, control from outside over these electronic communities;, we need self-rule., What makes cyberspace so alluring is precisely the way, in which it's different from shopping malls, television,, highways and other terrestrial jurisdiction. But let's define, the territory:, First, there are private email conversations, akin to the, conversations you have over the telephone or voice mail., These are private and consensual and require no, regulation at all., • What are the three major, Second, there are information and areas of services available, in cyberspace?, entertainment services, where people can, download anything from legal texts and lists of 'great, new restaurants' to game software or interesting, presentations. These places are like book stores, malls, and movie houses−places where you go to buy something., The customer needs to request an item or sign up for a, subscription; some of these services are free; others, charge and may bill their customers directly., Third, there are 'real communities'−groups of people who, communicate among themselves. In real estate terms,, they are like shops or restaurants or playgrounds. Each, active participant contributes to a general conversation,, generally through posted messages. Other participants, 165
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , may simply listen or watch. Some are supervised by a, moderator; others are more like bulletin-boards --- anyone, is free to post anything. Many of these services started, out unmoderated but are now imposing rules, to keep out unwanted advertising, extraneous • What is in store for cyber, communities in future?, discussions or increasingly rude participants., Without a moderator, the decibel level often gets too high., What's unique about cyberspace is that it liberates us, from the tyranny of power structures, where everyone, lives by the rule of the majority. In a democracy, minority, groups and minority preferences tend to get squeezed, out, whether they are minorities of race and culture or, minorities of individual taste. Cyberspace allows, communities of any size and kind to flourish; in cyberspace, communities are chosen by the users, not forced on them, by accidents of geography. This freedom gives • What are the comparisons, the rules in cyberspace a moral authority made by the author between, that rules in terrestrial environments don't cyberspace and terrestrial, have. Most people are stuck in the country communities?, of their birth, but if you don't like the rules of a cyberspace, community, you can just sign off. Love it or leave it., What's likely to happen in cyberspace is the formation of, new communities, free of the constraints that cause, conflict on earth. Instead of a global village, we will have, invented another world of self-contained communities that, cater to their own members' inclinations without, interfering with anyone else's. We will be able to test and, evolve rules governing what needs to be governed --intellectual property, content and access control, rules, about privacy and free speech., In the end, our society needs to grow up. Growing up, means understanding that there are no perfect answers,, no all-purpose solutions. We haven't created a perfect, society on earth and we won't have one in cyberspace, either. But at least we can have individual choice and, individual responsibility., , 166
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Unit- 6: LEAPS AND BOUNDS, , Glossary:, frontier, cyberspace, , nerd, , crackdown, unbounded, beam, offensive, unsavoury, alluring, extraneous, , About the Author, : new field for developmental, Esther Dyson is an, activity, American technology, : the online world of, analyst who is a leading, computer, networks,, commentator on digital, technology, biotechespecially the Internet, nology and space., : a person who is very, Since the late 80s, Dyson, interested in technical, became, increasingly, involved in public, subjects, computers, etc., discussions about the future of the, : an increased effort to Internet. ‘The Cyberspace’ is a, enforce a law or rule, discussion on the possibilities and, challenges involved in using cyberspace., : having no limit, : a line of light coming from, a source, : very unpleasant, : offensive, : having the power to attract, : not forming a necessary part of, something, not important, , Activity I (Writing), r A group of students are asked to prepare a list of Dos and Don’ts, of using the cyberspace. They list the following points after their, discussion., 1, , Do not reveal your e-mail address to everyone., , 2, , Do not waste your precious time visiting unwanted sites., , 3, , Computers should be kept in open view in a common hall., , 4, , Children should have a specific time schedule for browsing the, net., , 5, , Teachers should check the authenticity of the sources used in, students' term papers., , 6, , Awareness programmes should be conducted on the various, cyber security measures., , 7, , Late-night browsing should be discouraged., , 8, , At school, certain checks should be ensured so that children, do not misuse the net., , 9, , The net addicted should be given counselling in the school, , 10. -------------------------------------------------------------------------11. -------------------------------------------------------------------------12. --------------------------------------------------------------------------, , 167
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , r Classify the ideas generated under the following heads. (Write, the corresponding number.), Parents, : ..................................................................., Teachers, : ..................................................................., Students, : ..................................................................., Counsellor : ..................................................................., r Now, write an article on the use and misuse of cyberspace for, your School Magazine using the hints given above., Activity II (email), r Let’s go through the following e-mail carefully., , m, m, m, , What is this email about?, How is it different from surface mails?, Analyze the language structure, style, and format of the email., , r Imagine that you organise a seminar on Technology and, English Language Teaching in your school. In order to ensure, the presence of the distinguished scholars invited, you draft, a detailed email about the seminar., Draft the email to be sent to the visiting dignitaries., , 168
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Unit- 6: LEAPS AND BOUNDS, , II. Read and reflect:, Are you familiar with the ‘i-pod generation’? You may have seen them, at railway stations, busy cityscapes and at times in remote villages, too. Perhaps, you yourself may be one among them. What is special, about this generation and how do you distinguish them?, Now, read on to know more about the ultra modern representatives of, today’s youth., , IS SOCIETY DEAD?, , Andrew Sullivan, , I was visiting New York last week and noticed • What aspect of New York did, something I'd never thought I'd say about the the author notice?, city. Yes, nightlife is pretty much dead and, • The day life in New York is, I'm in no way the first to notice that. But day powerfully presented in, life, that insane mishmash of yells, chatter, these lines. Suppose you, hustle and chutzpah was a little different. It describe the same in your, own city, what points will, was quieter., you note?, Manhattan's downtown is now a Disney-like, string of malls, riverside parks and pretty upper middle, class villages. But there was something else. And as I, looked across the throngs on the pavements, I began to, see why., There were little white wires hanging down from their, ears, or tucked into pockets, purses or jackets. The eyes, were a little vacant. Each was in his or her • Have you noticed i-Pod, own musical world, walking to their sound- people in your town too? Is, track, stars in their own music video, almost there any difference, between, the, i-Pod, oblivious to the world around them. These are generation in New York and, the i-Pod people., those in your own town?, Even without the white wires you can tell who they are., They walk down the street in their own MP3 cocoon,, bumping into others, deaf to small social cues, shutting, out anyone not in their bubble., Every now and again, some start unconsciously emitting, strange tuneless squawks, like badly tuned radio, and, their fingers snap or their arms twitch to some strange, soundless rhythm. When others say ‘Excuse • What, according to the, me', there's no response. 'Hi,' ditto. It's strange author, are the markers to, to be among so many people and hear so little. identify the i-Pod generation?, Except that each one is hearing so much., 169
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Yes, I might as well own up. I'm one of them. I witnessed, the glazed New York looks through my own glazed pupils,, my white wires peeping out of my ears. I joined the cult a, few years ago: the sect of the little white box worshipers., Others began, as I did, with a Walkman and then a kind, of clunkier MP3 player. But this sleekness of the i-Pod, won me over. Unlike other models, it gave me my entire, music collection to rearrange as I saw fit --- on the fly, in, my pocket. What was once an occasional musical diversion, became a compulsive obsession., And, like all addictive cults, it's spreading., Walk through any airport in the United • This article is replete with, powerful anti-technology, States these days and you will see person words for presenting the, after person gliding through the social ether arguments of the author. Try to, as if on autopilot. Get on a subway and you're list down those expressions., eg., anesthetized by technology, surrounded by a bunch of Stepford, commuters staring into mid space as if anesthetized by, technology. Don't ask, don't tell, don't overhear, don't, observe. Just tune in and tune out., It wouldn't be so worrying if it weren't part of something, even bigger. You get your news from your favorite blogs,, the ones that won't challenge your view of the world. You, tune into a satellite radio service that also aims directly, at a small market for new age fanatics, liberal • Why does the author say, talk or modern rock. Television is all cable. that technology has given us, Your cell phones can receive email feeds of a universe entirely for, ourselves?, your favorite blogger's latest thoughts seconds, after he has posted them, or get sports scores for your, team. Technology has given us a universe entirely for, ourselves; the serendipity of meeting a new stranger,, hearing a piece of music we would never choose for, ourselves, or an opinion that might force us to change our, mind about something --- are all effectively banished., Atomization by little white boxes and cell phones. Society, without the social. Others who are chosen --- not met at, random. Human beings have never lived like this before., Yes, we have always had homes, retreats or places where, we went to relax, unwind or shut out the world. But we, didn't walk around the world like hermit crabs with our, isolation surgically attached., , 170
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Unit- 6: LEAPS AND BOUNDS, , Music was once the preserve of the living room or the, concert hall. It was sometimes solitary but it • The author has described the, was primarily a shared experience, sometimes experiences of music in the, past and the present to drive, that brought people together. But music is as home his point. Compare the, atomized now as living is. And it's secret. That experience of music in the, bloke next to you on the bus could be listening past with the experience of, to heavy metal or a Gregorian chant. You'll music in the present., never know. And so, bit by bit, you'll never really know, him. And by his white wires, he is indicating he doesn't, really want to know you., What do we get from this? The chance to slip away for a, while from everydayness, to give your lives its own sound, tracks, to still the monotony of the commute, to listen, more closely and carefully to music that can lift you up, and can keep you going. We become masters of our own, interests, more connected to people like us over the, Internet, more instantly in touch with anything we want,, need or think we want and think we need., But what are we missing? That hilarious shard of an, overheard conversation that stays with you all day; the, child whose chatter on the pavement takes you back to, your earlier memories; birdsong; weather; accents; the, laughter of the others. And those thoughts that come not, by filling your head with selected diversion, but by allowing, your mind to wander aimlessly through the regular, background noise of human and mechanical life., External stimulation can crowd out the interior mind. Even, the boredom that we flee has its uses. We are forced to, find our own means to overcome it., Not so long ago, I was on a trip and realized I had left my, i-Pod behind. Panic. But then, something else. • What were the nicer aspects, I noticed the rhythms of others again, the of life that the author, sound of the airplane, the opinions of the taxi noticed when he forgot to, driver, the small social cues that had been take his i-Pod on a trip? How, did the author enjoy the new, obscured before. I noticed how others related experience?, to each other. And I felt just a little bit, connected again and a little more aware., Try it. There's a world out there. And it has a • Do you notice anything, special about the ending of, soundtrack all on its own., the essay?, , (Adapted), 171
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Glossary:, mishmash, throng, bump, shut out, squawks, twitch, , clunky, sleek, compulsive, obsession, addictive, cult, auto pilot, commuter, serendipity, atomization, bloke, hilarious, shard, obscure, , About the Author, : a confused mixture, Andrew, Michael, : a large, densely-packed crowd, Sullivan is a British, of people or animals, author, editor, and, : knock or run into someone or, blogger in the United, States. An influential, something with a jolt, commentator and a, : screen, someone, or, seasoned lecturer, Sullivan’s writing is, something from view, known for its excellent journalistic, : (of a bird) loud, harsh noise, insights and heavy use of imagery., : give or cause to give a short, This article on the ‘i-Pod generation’, sudden jerking or convulsive appeared in The Times Online, on, February 20, 2005., movement, : solid, heavy, and oldfashioned, : smooth and glossy, : resulting from or relating to an irresistible urge, : the state of being obsessed with someone or something, : (of a substance or activity) causing or likely to cause someone, to become addicted to it, : a system of religious veneration and devotion directed towards, a particular figure or object, : an electronic control system, as on an aircraft, spacecraft, or, ship, that automatically maintains a preset program, : a person who travels some distance to work on a regular basis, : the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy, or beneficial way, : separating something into fine particles, : man, : extremely amusing, : a piece of broken ceramic, metal, glass, or rock,, typically having sharp edges, : not discovered or known, , Activity 1 (Writing), r When you read any article, you will realize that some of the, statements made are facts and some others are mere opinions. A, good reader must be able to distinguish between the facts and, opinions presented in any article., , Now, sit in pairs and identify examples of facts and opinions from, the article ‘Is Society Dead’?. You may write them in the two, columns given below., , 172
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Unit- 6: LEAPS AND BOUNDS, , FACT, , OPINION, , I was visiting New York, last week, ............................................., ............................................., ............................................., , Each was in his/her own, musical world, ............................................, ............................................, ............................................, , ............................................., , ............................................, , Activity II (Short essay), r This article you have read discusses how technology, especially, the MP3, kills social interaction in the lives of people. Being a, member of a technology-friendly generation, you intend to argue, for the benefits of technology in enhancing social interaction., What are the points that you will bring in, other than the ones, listed below? Sit in groups and find a few more points., Technology makes communication faster., Technology affords diverse formats of interaction., ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Prepare a short essay on the topic- Technology : Making Society, Alive to be published in TECH-WATCH, the school magazine tracking, the latest developments in the technology field., , 173
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , III. Read and reflect:, Differently-abled children are integral part of our society. Often, the, daily charms of a regular life is denied to them. Technology extends a, helping hand and acts as a leveller in such cases. This story reveals, the human face of technology in helping a young girl shape the world, around her., , CONCEPTUAL FRUIT, Thaisa Frank, , When he told his family about the site on the Internet, where you could create whole streets, his wife and son, went on eating their pasta and artichokes., • How does the wife and the, Only his daughter Greta looked up. ‘I could son react to the man’s, buy a house on Pomanger Street,’ he said, excitement? What does this, ‘and put as many rooms in it as I wanted. I tell us about their character?, could fill it with fruit and make my own library.’, ‘Sure, Dad,’ said his son, who was eleven. ‘You could do, that. If you wanted to.’, His son already knew how to programme • Why are the son and the, computers, but wasn’t interested. These days wife uninterested? Do you, he wanted to give away books and devote his approve of their attitude?, life to karate., His wife ate the heart of the artichoke carefully., ‘Well?’ he said., ‘The thing is,’ she answered, ‘I’m in front of a computer all, day and I like to spend the evenings in the garden.’ He, understood she wasn’t interested., Greta looked up from her artichoke leaves. She was, arranging them in a swirling pattern in her bowl., ‘You said there were streets. You said there could be fruit.’, These weren’t questions. Greta often repeated whatever, she heard. She’d worked hard to tie her shoes by age ten, and could read at fifth-grade level, five grades below Joel,, even though she was sixteen. She went to a special school., ‘I want to see,’ she said., ‘I’ll show you,’ he answered. His wife and his • Greta is a special child. How, you know that? Have you, son made eyes. He’s at it again. He’s getting do, ever visited a special, Greta into it, too., school?, , 174
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Unit- 6: LEAPS AND BOUNDS, , ‘Come on. I’ll show you where you can make up streets, and bowls of fruit.’, Greta sat in his chair, and he sat next to her. Greta could, type very slowly. By the time she left her • What is the father's, school, she might be able to type fast enough expectation of his daughter’s, to get a word processing job. No one knew for future prospects?, sure., ‘There’s this guy named Sam who set up this whole library, of classics. He lives in Illinois, but he made • Who is Sam? Why is he, this incredible place. Watch.’ He clicked into mentioned here? Do you, the programme and was about to show Greta have any friend who has, the collection of books when he saw her done interesting things in the, field of computers?, staring into space. ‘You want something of, your own, don’t you?’, ‘Yes. Peaches and pears and artichokes.’, ‘Do you want them in a house, with bowls in a kitchen?, Or maybe in a garden?’ He was already typing, creating a, street called Greta’s Street, a house called Greta’s House., ‘Why are you writing all that down?’, ‘Because they’re yours. They belong to you.’, Greta looked at the screen. Her blond hair blended with, her sweater. Her blue eyes were the only colour in her, face., ‘I want a bowl in every room,’ she said. ‘Peaches in the, kitchen and living room and all the bedrooms.’, ‘What about artichokes?’, Greta picked at her sweater – something she did when, she knew she hadn’t gotten it right. She’d forgotten about, the artichokes, and he was sorry he’d reminded her. ‘It’s, okay,’ he said. ‘We’ll put peaches everywhere. Should the, bowls be a colour?’, ‘Blue.’, , • How is Greta described in, , He asked Greta how many windows she these lines? What does this, wanted, whether there should be a fireplace, convey about the character, and if there should be curtains. Greta chose of Greta?, eleven windows covered with sheer white curtains like, the ones she had in her bedroom., , 175
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , ‘Okay, now the fruit,’ he said. ‘We’ll start with the kitchen.’, He wrote Greta’s Kitchen, and added, Walk around. Help, yourself to this bowl of fruit., ‘But where are the peaches?’, ‘In a minute. Look, this is cool. You click under bowl, and, see what happens?’ He shielded the screen for a moment, and wrote peaches. ‘Try it,’ he said. ‘Just click bowl.’, Greta clicked bowl. The word peaches appeared. ‘It’s just, a word,’ she said to him., ‘Well, that’s the idea. But you can see a picture, • What, of the fruit.’, ‘I thought you could make real peaches.’, ‘No. You have to go to the store for those.’, , made, Greta, disappointed? How did her, father try to console her?, Was his explanation, convincing ?, , ‘But these are just words.’, ‘Well, yes.’, ‘Then why do people like them?’, ‘Because they remind them of what they stand for. Like, in your books.’, He created other rooms, asking Greta what she wanted:, a kitchen, a dining room, a living room, a bedroom, a room, for a cat, and one bathroom., ‘No, not a bathroom,’ she decided. ‘This isn’t, a real house, so people wouldn’t use it.’, , • Why doesn’t Greta intend to, have a bathroom in her, house?, , ‘You’re right,’ he said. ‘You don’t need a bathroom.’, He programmed bowls of peaches in every room. ‘Now,’ he, said to Greta. ‘You click.’, Greta clicked and this time smiled when the, word peaches appeared. It was a furtive smile, – a smile she got when she pretended she, understood something that made no sense., , • Why does she give a furtive, smile when she saw the word, ‘peaches’ on the computer, screen. What does it, indicate?, , ‘There could be other fruit,’ he said. ‘There could be apples,, pears. There could be flowers.’, ‘Sure,’ said Greta. ‘There could be anything.’, , • Can you identify the words, , His wife was cutting blackberries in the that tell you that she is, garden, and Greta was already sliding from disinterested?, the chair to help her. Greta would never have a house of, 176
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Unit- 6: LEAPS AND BOUNDS, , her own. She would live in a group house with • What are the thoughts of the, other people like her. He hoped the house father? Do you think that they, are touching? Why?, would be large and have sheer white curtains, billowing in all the rooms. He hoped it would have an, orchard with fruit to put in real blue bowls: apples, pears,, peaches – whatever Greta wanted., Glossary:, artichoke (n), swirl (v), incredible, blonde, blend (v), , peach (n), furtive, slide (v), billow (v), , : round vegetable with thick, green leaves, : move in a twisting pattern, : impossible to believe, : fair/pale yellow hair, : mix, with, another, substance so that they, combine together, : a round fruit with juicy, yellow flesh, : attempting, to, avoid, attention, : move smoothly, : swell/ bulge out, , About the Author, Thaisa Frank is a critically acclaimed, short story writer. She worked as a, psychotherapist before becoming a full, time writer. In addition to writing, fiction, Frank also teaches at the, University of San Francisco., This short story ‘Conceptual Fruit’, about the Internet appears in the, collection Sleeping in Velvet., , Activity I (Read and respond), r A story can be analysed based on its characters, setting, plot,, mood, structure, and its language. In the light of your reading of, the story discuss these elements in groups and complete the table., The table gives you a few details about these elements., Characters, Setting, , Plot, , Mood, , Structure and, language, , A character in a story usually means a person., ......................................................................, The setting is where and when the action, happens., ......................................................................, The plot means the events that happen in the, story., ......................................................................, The mood is the state of mind /feelings created, in the story., ......................................................................, It refers to the way the text is written., ......................................................................, , 177
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , r The most important characters in a story have primary roles. The, characters next in importance to those have secondary roles while, those who are not important to the story have tertiary roles., , Now, read the story ‘Conceptual Fruit’ again to track the events, of the plot and the characters involved., Classify the characters according to their roles and list them in, the blanks given below., Primary, , Secondary, , Tertiary, , ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------, , ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------, , ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------, , Now, answer the following questions., m, , Can we call this a technology story?, , m, , Why do you think so?, , m, , Do you have any evidence to cite?, , m, , Write a short paragraph about this. Use different colours to, highlight the points, evidence and explanation., , Activity II (Think and respond), Read the excerpt from the story ‘Conceptual Fruit’ carefully. Based, on the setting of the story, answer the following questions., ‘When he told his family about the site on the Internet where you could, create whole streets, his wife and son went on eating their pasta and, artichokes. Only his daughter Greta looked up.', m What is interesting about this family?, m, , Is it a middle class or upper class family?, , m, , How do you understand the characters of this story?, , Activity III (Analysis), r Note down the words, phrases or passages that create a picture, of the characters in your mind in the column to the left of the, table. Now note your analysis of the characters on the column to, the right., , 178
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Unit- 6: LEAPS AND BOUNDS, , Textual Information, .........................................., .........................................., .........................................., .........................................., , Reader’s Response, .........................................., .........................................., .........................................., .........................................., , Activity IV (Writing), r Read the last paragraph of the story again and see how the author has touched the readers’ mind with his powerful and careful, use of words., "Greta would never have a house of her own. She would live in a group, house with other people like her. He hoped the house would be large, and have sheer white curtains billowing in all the rooms. He hoped it, would have an orchard with fruit to put in real blue bowls: apples, pears,, peaches --- whatever Greta wanted., , Now, look at the various elements of language such as punctuation, sentence structure and repetition of words. How do they, create the required mood and tone in this paragraph?, If you were the author of the story, how would you end the story?, Write an alternative ending to the story., Activity V, r Let’s revisit the story. Spend a few minutes reflecting on the story., You can make use of the following hints., m Theme of the story, m Important characters, m Tender moments in the story, m Your feelings after reading the story, m Language, tone, mood and structure of the story, , Now, plan how you are going to tell people about your understanding, of the story. Think about how you would convey the story in the following, formats., •, a text message to a friend, •, an email to a relative, •, a post on a social network medium, Make notes about the content and style, in groups, before writing out, the texts in the boxes below., 179
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , Text message, , Email, , Social media post, , ---------------------, , ---------------------, , ---------------------, , ---------------------, , ---------------------, , ---------------------, , ---------------------, , ---------------------, , ---------------------, , ---------------------, , ---------------------, , ---------------------, , Activity VI (Word power), r We come across many technology related terms in the story. They, add in great measure to the charm and impact of the story. A few, words have been identified for you., Site, Click, , Internet, Program, , Computer, Screen, , browse, surf, , Now, discuss with your friend and write down as many Internet, related words as possible. You may also refer to a dictionary or to, other articles on cyberspace., , Extended Activities, Activity I (Application letter and CV), Read the following advertisement which appeared in a newspaper., Lee Shipping Company Ltd., , Receptionist/ Booking Clerk, We have a vacancy for the above position to work in, our prestigious office in Singapore., The candidate must speak and write both English, and the mother tongue. His/her duties will be to, answer the telephone, take messages, make, reservations, deal with clients both personally and, by telephone, work in Microsoft Word, Excel, etc., type, quotations and letters, file documents etc., Please send your application, CV, and a photo to:, Lee Shipping Co Ltd., 4545 Changi Boulevard,, Singapore, , 180
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Unit- 6: LEAPS AND BOUNDS, , r You decide to apply for the post. Type an application letter and a, CV on your desktop or laptop., Activity II (Telephone interview), , Imagine that the company accepted your application and asked, you to give a telephone interview. Prepare the script of the, telephone interview., Activity III (write-up), The interview board asked you to prepare a write-up on ‘Why you, want this job.’ Prepare a write-up on this in about one-and-a half, pages., , 181
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Textbook for Class XI - ENGLISH, , The major learning outcomes of this unit are listed below., , Thematic outcomes, Students demonstrate the ability to, • realise the disadvantages of the over-informed society., • be aware of the issues related to technology, and to distinguish, between the positive and negative sides of technology,, specifically cyberspace., • Recognize the responsible ways of using cyberspace., , Linguistic outcomes, Students demonstrate the ability to, • read and analyse articles on technology related issues., , 182, , •, , write short articles presenting the arguments convincingly., , •, , recognise the style, structure and format of e-mails., , •, , prepare e-mails for communicating ideas., , •, , identify the different techniques adopted by writers in, academic and literary writings., , •, , conduct/ attend telephonic interviews., , •, , write application letters and CVs.
