Qns. 1 - 4 : Read the lines from the poem ‘Cactus; and answer the questions that follow :
Once these thorns were flowers.
I loathe lovers who betray.
Poets have abandoned the deserts
to go back to the gardens.
Only camels remain here and merchants
who trample my flowers to dust
1. Who is the ‘I’ referred to here?
2. Why does the cactus say that once it was as beautiful as other plants?
3. Why does the cactus say that the poets are opportunists?
4. What made the cactus replace its flowers with thorns?
Answer
1. The ‘I’ referred to here is the cactus or the poet himself.
2. Once the cactus had flowers like other plants and it appeared beautiful.
3. The poets abandoned the deserts with the unattractive cactus and went in search of the beautiful gardens with sweet flowers.
4. Feeling highly disgusted by the experience of betrayal1
2. Answer any one of the following in about 120 words.
A. A neighbour sees the mother in the screenplay ‘Sunshine through the Rain’ waiting at her gate for a long time. She approaches the mother and asks her whether she is waiting for somebody. Then the mother tells her the incident that put her son in a dangerous situation. Narrate the incident in the mother’s words.
OR
B. The play ‘The Beggar and the King’ has great
contemporary relevance. The rulers often turn a deaf ear to the cries of the poor and the downtrodden. Prepare a speech in not more than 120 words to be delivered in the school assembly expressing your concern over the negligence on the part of the persons in power to satisfy the basic needs of the people.
Answer
A. My son went to the forest in the afternoon. He hasn’t returned yet. I’m waiting for him.
Early in the morning, as you know, the sun was shining through the rain. I told him not to go out because the foxes used to hold their weddings on such days. But defying my warning he went to the forest. Hiding behind a big tree he witnessed the wedding procession of the foxes. The foxes saw him. Terribly frightened he ran back home. Meanwhile a fox approached me. It was he who told me the happenings. The fox handed over a knife to me and asked me to tell my son to kill himself as the punishment for watching their wedding procession. So I asked him to go to the forest and beg forgiveness from the foxes. I’m very much worried because we all know they won’t forgive so easily. What shall I do now? May God save my son!
B. Dear friends,
Let me share with you some of the ideas expressed in the play ‘The Beggar and the King’.
The King who has supreme power over his country, shows the least concern for the needs of his poor subjects. He does not try to understand the sad plight of the hungry and the homeless.
This issue has relevance today also. Those who occupy the seat of power easily forget the realities of life. They seem to think that they are born as rulers. So they turn a deaf ear to the cries of the poor and the downtrodden. But as the beggar in the play reminds the king, there will come a time when these people will unite and rise against the rulers. Then they won’t be able to face them. So good rulers should always try their best to satisfy the basic needs of their subjects. Let us hope that our rulers will soon be fully aware of this reality.
Thank you
Jai Hind.
3. There are a few errors in the given passage. They are underlined. Edit the passage.
Four year’s ago Alice Joseph, a retired teacher returning in train to Kottayam from Kanhangad, after collecting her pension. She accompanied by her son-in-law. She thought that it would be a uneventful trip until something unexpected happened.
Answer
Four years ago Alice Joseph, a retired teacher was returning by train to Kottayam from Kanhangad, after collecting her pension. She was accompanied by her son-in-law. She thought that it would be an uneventful trip until something unexpected happened.
4. Amal’s mother does not like his habit of sitting in front of the computer for long hours. She tries to warn him. Complete their dialogue suitably.
Mother : Amal, you are again playing with the computer -------- (a)
Amal : Mom, I’ve just started a game.
Mother : -------- (b) any homework to do?
Amal : I’ll do it after finishing this game.
Mother : When will it be over?
Amal : Just ------- (c) minutes?
Mother : Amal, if you don’t go out and play ----- (d) fat.
Amal : OK. You want me to play cricket ------- (e)?
Mother : Yes sure. It will do you some good.
Answer
a. aren’t you? b. Haven’t you
c. in 15 minutes d. you will get e. don’t you
5. Fill in the blanks using suitable phrasal verbs given in brackets below.
The banker lighted a match. He a for the prisoner’s room. As he neared the room the match b . He was terribly c and began to tremble. Next moment he decided to d his plan and go back home.
[taken aback, give up, set out, went out]
Answer
a. set out b. went out c. taken aback d. give up