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A Day in the Country, By Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, New Words, A dark leaden-coloured mass- dark rain clouds, creeping - occurring or developing gradually, rumbling - a continuous deep, resonant sound, frolics - play or move about in a cheerful and lively way, stir up - move or cause to move slightly, cobbler - a person whose job is mending shoes, pale - become pale in one's face from shock or fear, trembling - shaking or quivering, typically as a result of anxiety, excitement, or, frailty, preoccupied - engrossed in thought; distracted approaching - coming nearer in, distance or time, take refuge - take shelter, bosom - very close or intimate, pock-marked - covered or disfigured with pockmarks, tattered - old and torn; in poor condition, drowsy - sleepy and lethargic, crane-like legs- long legs like that of a crane, sways - move or cause to move slowly or rhythmically backwards and forwards, or from side to side, darling - a lovable or endearing person, grim - unrelentingly harsh, absurd - arousing amusement or derision; ridiculous, lisping - speak with a lisp, tenderly - with gentleness, kindness, and affection

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sob - cry noisily, making loud, convulsive gasps, striding - walk with long, decisive steps, speck - a tiny spot, patter - make a repeated light tapping sound, rye - a cereal plant, parched - dried out with heat, soaked - extremely wet, rapidly - very quickly, stumbles - trip or momentarily lose one's balance, slacken – less active, ochre - an earthy pigment shabby - dressed in old or worn clothes, crushed - deformed, thicket - a dense group of bushes or trees, abates - make (something) less intense, wringing - extremely wet; soaked, gladden - make glad, drenched - wet thoroughly; soak, huddled - crowd together, vigorously - forcefully, trickled - cause (a liquid) to flow in a small stream, swelling - an abnormal enlargement of a part of the body, menacing - suggesting the presence of danger; threatening, fragrant - having a pleasant or sweet smell, object - a goal or purpose, at random - without method or conscious decision, baffles - totally bewilder or perplex, embankment - a bank of earth or stone built to carry a road or railway over an, area of low ground

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unceasingly - not coming to an end; continuous, pondering - think about (something) carefully, deserted - empty of people, barn - a large farm building used for storing grain, hay, or straw or for housing, livestock, lanky - ungracefully thin and tall, haunting - poignant; evocative, frail - tired, peep - look quickly and furtively at something, copse - a small group of trees, caressingly - stroking gently or lovingly, , Questions and answers, , 1.Why is Fyokla worried? Pick out the expressions which show that she is, worried., Ans: Fyokla was worried because her brother had met with an accident. Her, uncle Terenty, who was to help her, was not to be seen. The following sentence, shows that she is worried. ‘ the white-haired, barefoot child is pale, Her eyes are, wide open, her lips are trembling’., 2. How does the author describe Terenty?, Ans: Terenty was a tall old man with a thin, pockmarked face, very long leg,, and bare feet, dressed in a woman’s tattered jacket. On his long crane-like legs,, he swayed in the wind., 3. What was the accident that Danilka met with?, Ans: Danilka tried to put his hand into a hole in a tree to get cuckoo’s eggs. His, hand was stuck and he could not take it out., 4. Why does Terenty think that the thunder will not hurt the girl?, Ans: Terenty said that it was not from spite that it thundered and it would not, kill a little thing like Fyokla.

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5. How did Fyokla feel when she heard the thunder?, Ans: Fyokla felt that something big, heavy and round was rolling over the sky,, and tearing it’ open exactly over her head., 6. Why does the boy not think of his trouble while looking at the stormy sky?, Ans: The boy was gazing at the stormy sky and apparently he forgot to think of, his trouble., 7. Why couldn’t Danilka pull his hand out of the hole?, Ans: The wood had broken at the edge of the hole and jammed Danilka’s hand., 8. Why does Terenty ask Danilka not to touch the nightingale’s nest?, Ans: The nightingale is a singing bird and it has a voice to cheer the heart of, man. He thinks that it is a sin to disturb the bird., 9. ‘He knows everything. ‘Why does the author say so?, Ans: He knows the names of all the wild flowers, animals and stones. He knows, the herbs that cure diseases, he has no difficulty in telling the age of a horse or a, cow. Looking at the sunset, the moon, or the birds, he could tell what sort of, weather it would be the next day., 10. ‘These people have learned not from books ’ How did they learn then?, Ans: They learned from the fields, woods, riverbanks, birds, the sun, etc. In, short, they learned everything from nature., 11. Why are the cobbler and the boy not weary?, Ans: While walking, they talked about the beauty of the earth unceasingly. So, they were not weary., 12. Do you think that Terenty loves children? Justify your answer., Ans: Yes, He loves children. When the children fell asleep, he came to them, and placed bread under their, heads., 13. ‘The boy does not sleep. Why?, Ans: The boy does not sleep. He gazes into the darkness and it seems to him, that he can see everything that he has seen during the day., 14. ‘And no one sees his love.’ What is the love referred to here?, Ans: The love of the cobbler towards the children is referred here.

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15. Why does Danilka rub his hand?, Ans: He rubs his hands because it was crushed in the tree hole., , Activity 1, Answer:, It was a stormy day. There was thunder and lightning. A little girl of six ran, through the village looking for Trenty, the cobbler. She was worried. She asked, everyone whether they had seen Terenty. Nobody could tell where Trinity was., At last she met Terenty’s bosom friends, who told her that he was in the kitchen, gardens. She saw Terenty standing near the vegetable plots. The girl sobbed and, told Terenty that her brother Danilka met with an accident. She wanted Terenty, to go with her and help Danika. She said that Danilka had put his hand into a, hole in a tree to get cuckoos egg, and he could not get it out. They both rushed, to the spot in the heavy rain. On the way he told her not to be frightened, because it thundered and it would not kill a little thing like her. When they, reached the spot, they found the frightened Danilka. Terenty saved the boy and, walked along the darkened road. On the way they talked about a lot of things, like nightingale, rain, ducks, etc. Terenty answered all their questions. Danika, wondered how Terenty had good knowledge about everything. Terenty learned, not from books, but from nature. They reached a riverbank and shared their, food. They returned to the village only in the evening. The children went to a, deserted barn at night. Danika could not sleep for a long time. He thought about, all that he had seen. At last, they fell asleep. Terenty came to them and put, bread under their heads. The moon was rejoiced seeing the love of the homeless, cobbler.