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From The Sower Questions and Answers Class 8 English Unit 3 Chapter 3 Kerala Syllabus Solutions

October 3, 2024October 2, 2024 by Prasanna

You can Download From The Sower Questions and Answers, Summary, Activity, Notes, Kerala Syllabus 8th Standard English Solutions Unit 3 Chapter 3 helps you to revise complete Syllabus and score more marks in your examinations.

Kerala State Syllabus 8th Standard Hindi Solutions Unit 3 Chapter 3 The Sower (Victor Marie Hugo)

Std 8 English Textbook From The Sower Questions and Answers

The Sower Poem Questions and Answers Question 1.
What are the various activities involved in farming?

Answer:
Ploughing, Manuring, Sowing, Weeding, Irrigating, Harvesting.

The Sower Poem Answers Question 2.
Where is the speaker sitting

Answer:
In a cool porchway

The Sower Poem Question 3.
What time of the day is it?

Answer:
Evening

Let’s revisit

The Sower Question Answer Question 1.
‘But one sower lingers still’. Why does the sower ‘linger’? What does the use of the word ‘linger’ suggest about the sower?
Answer:
He lingers so that he can sow the seeds. It suggests that he is dedicated to his work.

The Sower Answers Question 2.
Why does the speaker feel a thrill on seeing the sower now? Identify the words used by the poet to establish this.
Answer:
He is impressed on seeing the silhouette of the sower dominating over the fields. Black and high his silhouette Dominate the furrows deep!

The Sower Class 11 Question 3.
How does the sower go about performing his task?
Answer:
He marches along the field to and fro and scatters the seeds wide.

Question 4.
In normal circumstances pea¬rls, diamonds and rubies are referred as precious. In this poem, ‘grain’ is referred to as precious. Why does the poet consider grain precious?
Answer:
lt is these grains that grow as corn and provide us food that keeps us alive.

Question 5.
The poet speaks of the sower as ‘old and in rags’ in the beginning of the poem. How does this opinion change towards the end of the poem? Pick out the lines from the poem.
Answer:
The sower grows in stature and the poet seems to respect him more for what he does.
‘Now his gesture to mine eyes Are august; and strange – his height Seem to touch the starry skies.’

The Sower Poem Question 6. Bring out the contrast between the poet and the sower.
Answer:
The poet is sitting idle, watching the sower whereas the sower works hard even after twilight has set in and everyone has gone home.

The Sower Textbook Activities And Answers

Question 1.
Look at the words:
cool
rule
fast
past
These are rhyming words. Now, pick out the rhyming words from the poem.
The Sower Poem Answer:
Lands — stands
still — thrill
deep — reap
plain — grain
wide — stride
kight — height
eyes — skies

Question 2.
Locate the word pictures used in the poem.
Answer:
shadows shoot across the lands Marches he along the plain, To and fro and scatters wide From his hand’s precious grain

Question 3.
‘Seems to touch the starry skies’ is an example of alliteration from the poem. Pick out other examples from the poem
The Sower Question Answer:
shadows shoot across the lands looking on, I feel a thrill

Question 4.
Write the rhyme scheme of the first stanza.
Answer:
Rhyme scheme ab -ab

The Sower Additional Questions & Answers

Questions 1 to 4: Read the lines from the poem ‘ Song of the Flower’ and answer the questions that follow :
Sitting in a porchway cool,
Fades the ruddy sunlight fast
Twilight hastens on to rule
Working hours are well – nigh past
Shadows shoot across the lands;
But one sower lingers still,
Old, in rags, the patient stands,
Looking on, I feel a thrill
1. Where is the poet sitting?
2. What time of the day is it?
3. Pick out the word pictures in the poem.
4. Find out the rhyme scheme of the first stanza.
Answer:
1. In a cool porchway
2. Evening
3. Shadows shoot across the lands
4. abab

Question 5.
Prepare a short profile of Victor Marie Hugo using the hints given below.
Born: February 26, 1802, France
Popular as: Greatest and best known French writer
Spouse: Adele Foucher (1822)
Notable works: The Hunchback of Notredame, Sea Devils
Died: May 22, 1885
Answer:
Victor Marie Hugo:
Victor Marie Hugo was born on February 26, 1802, in France. He was one of the greatest and best known French writers. He married Adele Foucher in 1822. The Hunchback of Notredame, Sea Devils, etc are his notable works. He passed away on May 22 in 1885.

The Sower Poem in Hindi Question 6. There are a few errors in the given passage. They are given in bold letters. Edit this passage.
The City police has decided to took (a) stern action against drivers which (b) attempt to overtake in (c) the left side on city roads. All driver (d) who violate this rule will be punished (e).
The Sower Answer:
a. take
b. who
c. on
d. drivers
e. punished

Question 7.
Read the following sentences given below and rewrite them after fill¬ing the blanks using appropriate relative pronouns. You may use the words given in the box.
a. The beggar …………… is hungry shouted for food.
b. The banker …………… was younger in those days was suddenly carried away by excitement.
c. The old banker ………………. money was lost was walking up and down.
d. The majority of the guests among …………….. were many journalists and intellectual men disapproved of dealth penalty.
e. The King was not ready to throw away the crown ……………….. was the sign of power.
f. Jail is the place …………….. one’s personal freedom is negated.

Answer:
a. Who
b. Who
c. Whose
d. Whom
e. Which
f. Where

Questions 8 to 12. Read the newspaper headline s given below and answer the questions that follow.
a. 20 KILLED IN ROAD ACCIDENTS
b. INDIA CLINCHES SERIES AGAINST ‘WEST INDIES’
c. FROGS MARRIED OFF IN HOPE OF RAIN
d. CYCLONE KILLS OVER TWENTY
e. M.B.A CLASSES TO BEGIN ON SEPT.20th

8. Which headline is related to the field of sports?
9. The headline which speaks of nature’s fury is ……………
10. Identify the headline that hints at superstitious belief.
11. The headline that talks of a road mishap is ……………..
12. The headline that can be categorized as educational news is ……………
The Sower Poem Brainstorming Answer:
8. INDIA CLINCHES SERIES AGAINST WEST INDIES
9. CYCLONE KILLS OVER TWENTY
10. FROGS MARRIED IN THE HOPE OF RAIN
11. 20 KILLED IN ROAD ACCIDENTS
12. M.B.A CLASSES TO BEGIN ON SEPT. 20th

Questions 13 to 17. Study the table showing the details of the sales in a book shop of a few novels by well-known authors and answer the questions that follow.
Kerala Syllabus 8th Standard English Solutions Unit 3 Chapter 3 The Sower 5
13. Which is the most recently published novel out of the given list?
14. Pick out the novel that is sold less number of copies than the others.
15. Who is the author of the novel which is sold the most?
16. Name the author whose novel stands second on the basis of the sales.
17. How many copies of the novel stands second on the basis of the sales?
Answer:
13. Blindness
14. If on a winter’s night a traveler
15. Paulo Coelho
16. Gabriel Garcia Marquez
17. 411

The Sower Summary in English

A Farmer, even though it is getting dark, is working hard in his field. All people have gone after their work. But this farmer whom the poet meets is still in the farm ploughing and preparing the soil for sowing the seeds. The poet feels happy when he watches this farmer. The farmer is making furrows and thus preparing his plot for sowing the seeds. After sowing the seeds he can happily get ready for the harvest.

The farmer walks everywhere in this farm by preparing the soil for sowing. He scatters the precious seeds with much care and enthusiasm. After some time the sunlight diminishes slowly. It is getting dark. The sight of the farmer who is like a royal and dignified person touches the skies. The poet describes the farmer as a divine person.

The Sower Summary in Malayalam

Kerala Syllabus 8th Standard English Solutions Unit 3 Chapter 3 The Sower 6

The Sower Glossary

Kerala Syllabus 8th Standard English Solutions Unit 3 Chapter 3 The Sower 7

Stammer Questions and Answers Plus Two English Textbook Unit 3 Chapter 3 (Poem)

October 3, 2024October 2, 2024 by Prasanna

Kerala State Board New Syllabus Plus Two English Textbook Answers Unit 3 Chapter 3 Stammer Text Book Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.

Kerala Plus Two English Textbook Stammer Questions and Answers Unit 3 Chapter 3 (Poem)

Activity I: (Think and Respond)

Question 1.
What does the poet think of stammer primarily?
Answer:
The poet thinks primarily that stammer is not handicap. It is a mode of speech.

Question 2.
How does the poet link stammer and lameness beautifully to silence?
Answer:
The poet beautifully links stammer and lame to silence by saying that stammer is the silence that fails between the word and its meaning, just as lameness is the silence that falls between the word and the deed.

Question 3.
What, according to the poet, is a person doing when he stammers?
Answer:
When he stammers, he is offering a sacrifice to the God of meanings. When a whole people stammer, it becomes their mother tongue.

Question 4.
Why does the poet refer to the linguist here?
Answer:
The poet refers to the linguist here because in his opinion stammer itself is a language. A linguist is the one who is skilled in the science of language.

Question 5.
When does stammer become a social phenomenon?
Answer:
Stammer becomes a social phenomenon when a whole people stammer because it then becomes their mother tongue. Stammer here represents the collective inability to do good things, just like persons who stammer can’t speak properly and the lame can’t walk properly.

Question 6.
Pick out the lines you particularly like and discuss them with a partner.
Answer:
I particularly like the lines: “God too must have stammered when He created man.” These lines are pregnant with a lot of meaning. It means that God created man not when he was in a state of perfection but when he was in a state of imperfection. That is why man, who is supposed to be the highest creation of God is so imperfect, with so many defects. When the creator is not perfect the creature can’t be perfect too.

Activity II: (Discuss)

Talk to your partner and write down his/her response to the following questions.

Question 7.
Do you think that the words ‘just as it is with us now’ refer to our response to burning social issues in general? Why?
Answer:
I definitely think that the words ‘just as it is with us now’ refer to our response to burning social issues in general. We all are stammering unable to bring out our meanings clearly and we all are walking like the lame as we don’t do the things we ought to do. The country is in the grip of poverty, disease and unemployment, but our leaders stammer when it comes to solutions of these burning issues. They divert people’s attention from real things, real problems, by talking about religions, ideologies and such invisible things. The lame people follow the lame leaders, who stammer all the way.

Question 8.
Which comparison in the poem do you like the most? Why?
Answer:
I like the comparison of man’s prayers and commands to poetry. The words of man carry different meanings and so whatever he utters even his prayers and commands carry different meanings to different people. A poem has different meanings to different people. The poet may say something, but the reader interprets it in different ways. Even the Holy Books like the Bible, the Koran and the Gita are interpreted in various ways and that is why we have so many sects in each religion. The Catholics, the Protestants, the Anglicans, the Pentecost and so many other denominations of Christianity consider the Bible as their Holy Book. But they all give it a different interpretation! The same is the case with other Religious Books.

Activity III (Blogging)

Question 5.
Read the notes of blogging in drugs?
With the help of your teacher create a class blog and upload your thoughts about this poem.
Here is a blog on the poem ‘Stammer’ by K. Satchidanandan:
Answer:
20 June 2015/Class Xll-A Don Bosco UK
We read the poem Stammer by K. Satchidanandan intensely and had some elaborate ’discussions on its theme, content and message. The poem is not easy to understand because of its highly complex imagery. But once we get to know its meaning properly, we begin to realize how profound the ideas are. Stammer, Satchidanandan asserts, is a language in itself.

The question whether stammer came before the language or after it is highly amusing. We are reminded of the joke attributed to the late EMS Namboothiripad, who used to stammer. One interviewer asked him if he stammered always. EMS Namboodiripad replied, “Not always; only when I speak.” The interviewer asked the question because there is a feeling that fear, stage fright, suppressed emotions, etc. trigger stammer.

Satchidananda does not seem to give much honour to God because he has said that perhaps He even stammered when He created man. God is reputed to be omnipotent and one can’t imagine that God can stammer. The poet thinks that man is so imperfect and full of vile may be because God stammered while creating man. We agree with the poet in his verdict,

Satchidanandan has the knack of hitting the head on the nail. He speaks great things using just a few words. An ordinary person might have taken a whole lengthy essay to say what Satchidanandan has said in a few short lines. The poet’s insight and imagination are extraordinary. The poem opens our eyes and we start seeing ‘stammer’ in a different perspective.

→ Comments on the Blogs:

The Kid
I quite agree with Ammu, the blogger, that The Kid is a must watch and it will lift one’s spirit. It does make us smile, laugh, cry, empathise, sympathize and teach us there are great pleasures in the small things of life. Jackie Coogan and Charlie Chaplain have done a wonderful job and the film will remain a classic and will be enjoyed by generations of viewers.

But I quite disagree with Ammu when she severely criticises our current idea of fun and comedy. She thinks people today enjoy only dirty jokes, sarcasm and some kind of racial, religious or dark sense of humour. Ammu should realize that The Kid was made in 1921 and soon it will be century since its release. Our sense and sensibilities have changed. Naturally our humour sense also has changed. Making a kid throw stones at glass windows and breaking them and a tramp coming after the boy to repair the windows and collect money from the owners was humorous in 1921. With the present CCTV, such things are no more possible, and not funny anymore. Film-makers have to look for newer things, and fresh ideas to wrench laughter from the audience. So I feel we should be more sympathetic to the modern film makers.

→ Why We Need Solitude:

Gabby Salazar’s blog makes fine reading as he has told us some profound truths. This blog reminds me of the great pronouncement in our Vedantic Sanatana Dharma which says ‘Tatwamasi’. It means That Thou Art’. Put it simply it means ‘You are that’. We look for God in Temples, Mosques, Churches, Gurudwaras and Synagogues. But God is in us and we don’t have to go to any place to find God. Just look inward.

Gabby has rightly said that you don’t have to go to mountain peaks or into deep jungles or into wildest wilderness to get solitude. You can get it even in your home and its surroundings. If you are a bit away from distracting noises, you can create the solitude you want. In that solitude you can have your conversation with your soul – the spark of God in you.

There is a joke about a couple who were always quarrelling and fighting at home. Finally they decided to go abroad and spend some days to have a change of scene. They thought that might bring them peace. They booked into a 7-star hotel. There, they started fighting! The idea is that wherever you go you carry your mind. It is the mind that matters and not the place or the people. You can feel sorry even in heaven because you are given a backseat there!

Solitude is close by. Leam to find it. We need it and it is not at difficult to get. Gabby has made a fine point.

Stammer (Poem) Edumate Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Read the following lines from the poem ‘Stammer’ and answer the questions given below.
“When a whole people stammer Stammer becomes their mother tongue Just as it is with us now.”
a) Identify the speaker of these lines.
b) What attitude of the poet is revealed here?
c) What does the poet mean by ‘Stammer’ here?
Answer:
a) The poet – K. Satchidanandan
b) The attitude the poet has is that we all stammer because it has become our mother tongue. It means we are not able to tell the truth freely. We are afraid to open our minds.
c) Stammer here means silence against burning social issues. We are afraid to open our mouths and speak our thoughts freely.

Question 2.
A counselling class has been arranged at your school as part of the Health Club programmes. When asked, the counsellor shared the view that stammer is a handicap like any other deformities. What are your comments? Prepare a short paragraph focusing on the poem ‘Stammer’ you have studied.
Answer:
I don’t agree with the counsellor who thinks that stammer is a handicap like any other deformity. Stammering is a speech disorder in which the flow of speech is disrupted by involuntary repetitions and prolongations of sounds, syllables, words or phrases as well as involuntary silent pauses or blocks in which the person who stammers is unable to produce sounds. The term stammering is most commonly associated with involuntary sound repetition.

It also means the prolongation of certain sounds, usually vowels or semivowels. According to experts “stammering is a disorder of selection, initiation, and execution of motor sequences necessary for fluent speech production.” For many people who stutter, repetition is the primary problem. Stammer is curable with speech therapy and so it can’t be considered as a deformity like lameness or deafness.

In the poem ‘stammer’ has a figurative meaning. Here stammer is the silence that the society keeps even when social evils are rampant. As the people are afraid of the reaction of certain sections they tend to turn’ aiblind eye even to the malpractices that are going in the society. In the poem, stammer is the sign of cowardice or pusillanimity.

Question 3.
A brief bio sketch of K Satchidanandan, the famous Indian writer is given below:
Now prepare four questions based on the passage, to interview him.
K Satchidanandan is an Indian poet writing in Malayalam and English. He is known as a pioneer of modern poetry in Malayalam. He is also a critic, columnist, translator and the former secretary of the Kendra Sahitya Academy.
As an intellectual upholding secular democratic views, he supports causes like environment, human rights and free software. His lectures and articles on issues concerning contemporary Indian Literature are thought-provoking. He was shortlisted for the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2001.
Answer:
a) Sir, we know that you were a Lecturer in the English Department of Christ College, Irinjalakuda. How or why did you leave the college?
b) We understand that you were shortlisted for the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2001. But then it was given to V.S. Naipaul. How did it happen?
c) Have your secular democratic views caused you any losses or inconveniences?
d) What would be your advice to the youth of today?

Question 4.
Following are the questions posed to K Satchidanandan, the famous Indian poet in a recently conducted interview held at Trivandrum.
a) What inspired you to write the poem’ stammer’?
b) Do you think that the theme of the poem is still relevant?
c) Why did you use plain simple language in this poem?
Imagine yourself to be in the shoes of Satchidanandan. Suppose you were to answer these questions what will you say? Prepare the responses.
Answer:
a) I wrote ‘Stammer’ because I found the majority in the society preferred to keep silence even when atrocities were going on in the society. I felt as if people were becoming cowardly and were unwilling to face opposition. It is a tragic situation.

b) I feel the theme of the poem is more relevant today. The Indian society is getting fragmented into groups. Religion is becoming a very crucial issue. All religions teach love, but some fanatics teach violence. This is a matter of great concern for the unity of the country. Our strength is our diversity.

c) My language may look simple but I have packed a lot of meanings into it. Moreover as I am writing mainly for the Indian audience, I have to be mindful of their ability to understand a foreign language.

Stammer (Poem) About The Author

Plus Two English Textbook Answers Unit 3 Chapter 3 Stammer (Poem) 1
– K. Satchidanandan

K. Satchidanandan was bom in 1946 in Pulloot, a village in Thrissur district. He writes in Malayalam and English. He is known as a pioneer of modern poetry in Malayalam. He is a critic, literary columnist and a translator. He was the Secretary of Sahitya Akademi. He is secularist. He supports causes like environment, human rights and free software. He was shortlisted for Nobel Prize for literature in 2011.

Stammer (Poem) Summary in English

Lines 1-7: Stammer is not handicap. It is a mode of speech. Stammer is the silence that falls between the word and its meaning, just as lameness is the silence that falls between the word and the deed.

Plus Two English Textbook Answers Unit 3 Chapter 3 Stammer (Poem) 4

Lines 8-13: Did stammer come before language or after it? Is it only a dialect or a language itself? These questions make the linguists stammer.

Line 14-19: Each time we stammer we are offering a sacrifice to the God of meanings. When a whole people stammer, it becomes their mother tongue, just as it is with us now.

Lines 20-26: God too must have stammered when He created man. That is why all the words of man cany different meanings. That is wjjy everything he says, from his commands to his prayers, stammers, like poetry.

Stammer (Poem) Summary in Malayalam

Plus Two English Textbook Answers Unit 3 Chapter 3 Stammer (Poem) 3

Stammer (Poem) Glossary

Plus Two English Textbook Answers Unit 3 Chapter 3 Stammer (Poem) 2

Leaps and Bounds Questions and Answers Plus One English Unit 6

October 3, 2024October 2, 2024 by Prasanna

Kerala State Board New Syllabus Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 6 Leaps and Bounds Text Book Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.

Kerala Plus One English Textbook Leaps and Bounds Questions and Answers Unit 6

“That’s one small step for a man one giant leap for mankind.”

– Neil Armstrong

Let’s begin

Look at the pictures on page 163 carefully:
Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 6 Leaps and Bounds 1

Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 6 Leaps and Bounds 2

Question 1.
Can you identify the actor in these visuals?
Answer:
It is Charlie Chaplain.

Question 2.
What do these pictures communicate to you?
Answer:
They communicate to me the wonder-world of technology and machines.

Question 3.
Do you think that technology and its various aspects must be studied in detail to get a serious understanding of society?
Answer:
No, I don’t think so. Technology is just one aspect of the society and not everybody understands it.

Question 4.
Write a short paragraph on the role of technology in modern society and share the ideas with your friend.
Answer:
In modern society, technology is an inevitable part of our everyday life. It has a role in everything we do even though we sometimes do not realize it. Thanks to development in technology there have been many breakthroughs in different fields such as communication, transportation, education, medicine, entertainment and agriculture. Our life has become simpler and more enjoyable than before. We have mobile phones and so we can talk with anybody, anytime, anywhere in the world. The planes, trains, buses and trucks transport people and goods fast from one place to another.

In medicine, X-ray, Scanning etc. help doctors to diagnose the disease. Laser treatment and surgery is common. We have video, audio and TV to keep us entertained all the time. Even in religion, technology is playing a role. Using powerful sound system, cassettes and CDs, religious leaders propagate their beliefs. Agriculture is revolutionized by the use of technology.

About the Unit

Science and technology have brought about big changes in every walk of life. Technology has transformed every corner of the world. It caters to the demands of everyone including the differently abled. This progress is, however, not without some hazards.

This Unit starts 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, 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.

Read And Reflect

The advent of the www (world wide web) has brought a revolutionary change in the spread of information. A cultural transformation from the printed space to the cyber space took place. It redefined the spatial dimensions of our universe.

From The School for Sympathy Questions and Answers Class 8 English Unit 5 Chapter 1 Kerala Syllabus Solutions

October 3, 2024October 2, 2024 by Prasanna

You can Download From The School for Sympathy Questions and Answers, Summary, Activity, Notes, Kerala Syllabus 8th Standard English Solutions Unit 5 Chapter 1 helps you to revise complete Syllabus and score more marks in your examinations.

Kerala State Syllabus 8th Standard Hindi Solutions Unit 4 Chapter 1 The School for Sympathy (E.V Lucas)

Std 8 English Textbook From The School for Sympathy Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Have you visited any other school? What all thing did you find attractive in that school?

A Prayer in Spring Questions and Answer:
Invite free responses from the learners.

Question 2.
Why, do you think, the writer wanted to visit Miss Beam’s school?
Kerala Syllabus 8th Standard English Solutions Unit 5 Chapter 1 The School for Sympathy 3
Answer:
Because he had heard a lot about Miss. Beam’s school.

A Prayer in Spring Lesson Plan Question 3. Do you think Miss Beam’s school is different from other schools? How?
Kerala Syllabus 8th Standard English Solutions Unit 5 Chapter 1 The School for Sympathy 4
Answer:
Yes, their teaching methods were quite different. They taught only those things that are simple and useful to the pupils by giving them interesting tasks.

Question 4.
Is there any hint suggesting that it is a residential school? Identify and write the sentence.
Kerala Syllabus 8th Standard English Solutions Unit 5 Chapter 1 The School for Sympathy 5
Answer:
Miss. Beam says: “ The bandage is put on overnight, they wake up blind.” This sentence hints that the school is a residential one.

A Prayer in Spring Summary Question 5. What according to Miss Beam, is the real aim of the school?

Answer:
The real aim of Miss. Beam’s school is to teach thoughtfulness, humanity, kindness and citizenship.

A Prayer in Spring by Robert Frost Question 6. What surprised and pained the visitor when he looked out of the window?
Kerala Syllabus 8th Standard English Solutions Unit 5 Chapter 1 The School for Sympathy 7
Answer:
The visitor realized that the jolly children whom he saw before him were not at all healthy and active. It surprised and pained him

Question 7.
‘ ………….. we make them share in misfortune too’. What does Miss Beam mean by this?
Kerala Syllabus 8th Standard English Solutions Unit 5 Chapter 1 The School for Sympathy 8
Answer:
In order to make the young minds appreciate and understand misfortune, every child has to observe one blind day, one dumb day and one deaf day.

Question 8.
‘It is educative to both of them. ‘Explain how it helps the blind and the helpers.
Kerala Syllabus 8th Standard English Solutions Unit 5 Chapter 1 The School for Sympathy 9
Answer:
The helpers learn the values of mutual help and compassion and understand the problems of the differently-abled.

Question 9.
What makes the dumb day the most frightening for the children?

Answer:
On the dumb day, the child must use his/her will power because the mouth is not bandaged.

Prayer in Spring Question 10. If you were to observe a day in this way which day, do you think, would be the most difficult? Why?
Kerala Syllabus 8th Standard English Solutions Unit 5 Chapter 1 The School for Sympathy 11
Answer:
Invite free responses from the learners.

Question 11.
‘I shall be so glad when today’s over’. Why does the girl feel so?
Kerala Syllabus 8th Standard English Solutions Unit 5 Chapter 1 The School for Sympathy 12
Answer:
Because the other bad days cannot be half as bad as the blind day. It will be terrible for her not to see.

Question 12.
Why does the girl think that having an arm tied up is a little more troublesome?
Kerala Syllabus 8th Standard English Solutions Unit 5 Chapter 1 The School for Sympathy 13
Answer:
With her own arm tied up, she may not be able to do anything without the help of others. She may need others even to cut up food for her.

Question 13.
Which clues helped the little girl identify Millie?

Answer:
She was told that the girl was wearing a blue skirt and pink blouse and her hair was very light.

Question 14.
Who are Peter and Berryl in the lesson?

Answer:
Peter is the gardener and Berryl is a student like the girl.

Question 15.
E.V Lucas leaves Miss Beam’s school a wiser man. Do you agree? Substantiate your answer with examples from the story.
Kerala Syllabus 8th Standard English Solutions Unit 5 Chapter 1 The School for Sympathy 16
Answer:
Yes. E.V. Lucas leaves as a wiser man. He gained a lot of knowledge about the teaching methods and their effectiveness. Besides, he also developed kindness, compassion and love for fellow beings.

The School for Sympathy Textbook Activities And Answers

Let’s revisit

Activity 1.

Read the extracts given below and answer the question that follows by choosing the correct option.

Question 1.
‘It pains me, though to see that they are not all so healthy and active looking.’
i. Who speaks these words?
a. EV Lucas
b. the girl
c. Miss Beam
d. one of the boys
Answer:
E.V. Lucas

ii. These words are spoken to
a. the blind girl
b. the dumb girl
c. Miss Beam.
d. the author
Answer:
Miss Beam

iii. How does the listener react to the statement?
a. The listener agrees with it.
b. The listener becomes sad.
c. The listener gets angry.
d. The listener laughs and tells the truth.
Answer:
The listener laughs and tells the truth.

Question 2.
And so we walked on. Gradually I discovered that I was ten times more thoughtful than I ever thought I could be.’
i. Who are the Sve’ referred to here?
a. the children of Miss Beam’s school
b. the author and his friends
c. the author and Miss Beam
d. the author and the girl the author and the girl
Answer:
The author and the girl

ii. Who is the ‘I’ in the above sentence?
a. the blind girl
b. the dumb girl
c. the author
d. Miss Beam
Answer:
the author

iii. What change came over the author after his visit to Miss Beam’s school?
a. became more careful
b. became more helpful
c. became more proud
d. became more thoughtful
Answer:
became more thoughtful

Activity 2.

Say whether the following sentence are true or false, if false, rewrite them.

Question 1.
The author had been to Miss Beam’s school Several times.
Answer:
false

Question 2.
In Miss Beam’s school, all subjects are taught in detail.
Answer:
false

Question 3.
The children in Miss Beam’s j school are taught to appreciate and understand misfortunes
Answer:
true

Question 4.
The author saw a blind girl being led out by others.
Answer:
true

Question 5.
On the dumb day the mouths of the children are bandaged
Answer:
false

Question 6.
Peter is very old, but not hundreds of years old.
Answer:
true

Activity 3.

Some of the features of a normal school are given below: Read them.
1. Many subjects are taught.
2. Most parents expect their children to learn subjects like Mathematics, Science, etc.
3. Different methods of teaching are adopted.
Now, write about Miss Beam’s school, based on your reading of the text.
……………………………………..
……………………………………..
Answer:
Miss. Beam’s school is very interesting and the teaching methods are very simple. They teach simple and useful things to pupils like spelling, adding, subtracting, multiplying, writing, etc. All the other things are taught by reading and through interesting tasks. Practically no other lessons are given. The real aim of Miss. Beam’s school is to teach thoughtfulness, humanity, kindness, and citizenship.

The children in this school have to observe a blind day, a lame day, a deaf day and a dumb day. It would help the young minds to appreciate and understand misfortunes. The children learn to be helpful to each other and be compassionate. They learn the necessary values required for a peaceful coexistence.

Let’s enrich our vocabulary

Activity 1.

In ‘The school for Sympathy’. EV Lucas describes Miss Beam as ‘middle-aged, authoritative, kind and understanding’. The author uses words to describe her age, appearance, and character, The Jable given below contains words describing the physical features and character of people, Match the items give in the columns
Kerala Syllabus 8th Standard English Solutions Unit 5 Chapter 1 The School for Sympathy 17

Answer:

Describing Words	Physical features / Character
tall, short, medium	height
frail, stocky, slim, thin, plump, fatty, skinny, well-built	build
young, elderly middle-aged, teenager	age
round, oval, square, wrinkled	face
grey, straight, hourly, black, blonde, wavy, bushy	hair
big, round, small, bright, narrow	eyes
cheerful, aggressive, sensitive, serious, energetic, confident	Character

Amitabh Bachchan: Amitabh Bachchan is a tall and elderly person with a grey French beard. He has black and wavy hair and an oval-shaped face. He is a well-built man having a serious and energetic appearance.
Sachin Tendulkar: Sachin Tendulkar is a short, well-built and middleaged person. He has curly hair and a round face. He is cheerful and energetic.
Mohammed Rafi: Mohammed Rafi has a long nose and bright and narrow eyes. He is a bald-headed, elderly man having a cheerful and confident look.

Let’s write

Activity 1.

Read the following notice.

THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE
A PLAY PRESENTED BY THE ENGLISH CLUB
OF G G H S S, CHALAPURAM

Dear friends,

20.01.2016

The English Club of GGHSS Chalapura has decided to stage the one-act play based on the store ‘ The Nightingale and the Rose’ by Oscar Wilde as part of the Annual Day: celebration of the school. The members of the English Club have prepared the script and directed the play. Sri. Kavalam Narayana Panicker, renowned poet and theatre personality has consented to inaugurate the staging of the play.
All are welcome.

Secretary
English Club
GG HSS Chalapuram

Programme Details

Date: 25-1-2016
Time: 04:00 pm
Venue: School auditorium
Welcome speech: Club
Presidential Address: Headmistress
Inauguration: Sri. Kavalam Naayana Panicker
Felicitations: School Leader, Staff Secretary
Vote of thanks: Joint Secretary, English Club

The Health Club of your school has decided to observe the International Day for the Differently Abled on December 3, 2016. As the Convener of the club, you have been asked to prepare a notice including all the relevant details of the programme. Draft the notice.
Answer:

GVHSS CALICUT
NOTICE
Observ ance of International Day
for the Differently Abled
28 November 2016

Dear friends,
The Health Club of GVHSS Calicut has decided to observe the International Day for the Differently Abled on Decem¬ber 3, in the school auditorium. The Health Inspector Mr. Haridas has con¬sented to inaugurate the function.
All are invited.
Sd/
Name
Convenor
Health Club

Programme

Prayer: School choir
Welcome speech: Secretary
Presidential address: Headmaster
Inauguration: Mr. Harikumar (Health Inspector)
Felicitations: School leader, Staff secretary
Vote of thanks: Joint Secretary, Health Club

Activity 2.

Most of us take our lives for granted. Despite being physically fit, we keep complaining and making excuses. And here they are – the differently-abled people, who prove thatykm do not need two hands, legs or eyes to e successful in life. All you need is the will power and determination. Here are a few people, who by means of confidence, faith and courage were able to overcome their physical obstacles and achieve success in their lives, which the healthy people find difficult to do.
1. John Milton
2. Nick Vujicic
3. Sudha Chandran
4. Helen Keller
5. Stephen Hawking
6. Mahakavi Vallathol
Read books or browse related websites to get more information about them. Prepare their profiles.
Answer:
John Milton. (1608 – 1674):
John Milton, the well-known English poet was born at Bread Street in London on December 9, 1608. He had his education in Christ’s College, Cambridge. He was a poet, writer, and a civil servant. His eyesight had been steadily declining for years, most likely the result of untreated glaucoma. By February 1652, he had gone completely blind. He wrote in English, Latin, French, etc. His best-known poem is Paradise Lost. He passed away on November 8, 1674, and was buried in St.Giles-without-Cripplegale. Nick Vujicic: He is an Australian who is best known for his motivational speech. He was born in Melbourne, Australia. He is a graduate in Accounting and Financial planning. He married Kanal Miyahara in 2012. As a child, he struggled mentally, emotionally and physically. He presents motivational speeches worldwide which focus on life with a disability.

Sudha Chandran (1964) :
Sudha Chandran, the famous Indian dancer and actress, was born in Kannur. Kerala on 21 September 1964. She had her M.A. in Economics from Mithibai col-lege, Mumbai. She lost her leg in an accident but overcame the disability with the help of a prosthetic ‘Jaipur Foot’. In 1986 she married Ravi Dang. She is considered one of the most highly acclaimed dancers of the Indian sub-continent. She has won many awards as a dancer as well as an actress. In 1986 she was given the Special Jury Award at the National Film Awards for her performance in Mayuri (Telugu Film).

Helen Keller :
Helen Adams Keller(i88o-i968) was an American author, political activist and lecturer. She was the first deafblind person to earn a bachelor of arts degree. The story of how Keller’s teacher, Anne Sullivan, broke through the isolation imposed by a near complete lack of language, allowing the girl to blossom as she learned to communicate, has become widely known through the dramatic depictions of the play and film ‘The Miracle Worker”. Her birthday on June 27 is commemorated as ‘Helen Keller Day’ in U.S. A prolific author, Keller was well-traveled and outspoken in her convictions.

Stephen Hawking (1942) :
Stephen Hawking the famous British theoretical physicist, cosmologist and author was born on 8 January 1942 in Oxford, England. He had his B. A degree from the University of Oxford and Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge. He suffers from a disease known as motor neuron disease or Lou Gehrig’s disease which has gradually paralyzed him over decades. He works in the fields of General relativity and quantum gravity. His book ‘A Brief History of Time’ was a best seller.

Mahakavi Vallathol Narayana Menon:
Vallathol Narayana Menon was born on 16 October 1878. He was a Malayalam poet. He was one of the triumvirate poets of modern Malayalam, along with Kumaranasan and Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer. The honorific mahakavi (Great poet) was applied to him in 1913 after the publication of his Mahakavya ‘Chithrayo- ganr. He wrote many poems on various aspects of Indian Freedom Movement. He also wrote against caste restriction, tyrannies, etc. He founded the Kerala Kala Mandalam. He passed away on 13 March 1958 at the age of 79.

Let’s speak

Activity 1.

Fill in the bubbles using the words or phrases which show quality, appearance, and personality of Miss Beam.
Kerala Syllabus 8th Standard English Solutions Unit 5 Chapter 1 The School for Sympathy 19
Now, speak about Miss Beam using the words or phrases identified.

Now develop a character sketch of j Miss Beam using the above sentence and present it in the class.
Answer:

Miss Beam is very comforting to homesick children.
Miss. Beam is a middle-aged woman.
Miss. Beam’s hair has begun to turn grey.
Miss. Beam is kind to all, especially to her students.
She is caring and sympathetic and has an understanding of others’ problems

Miss. Beam: is a middle-aged woman. Her hair shows signs of getting grey. She is kind to all, especially to the students of her school. She is caring and sympathetic towards others. But she has a highly authoritative nature. She is always compassionate to a homesick child

Activity 2.

In Activity 2 of ‘Let’s Write’, you prepared profiles of people who in spite of their disabilities were able to achieve success in life. Prepare a presentation about these differently-abled people. Describe their life, contributions, and other details. Use appropriate photos and posters to support your presentation. Present it before the class.

Let’s discover how grammar works

Activity 1.

Look at the following sentences.
We teach only those things that are simple.
The real aim of this school is not to teach thought but thoughtfulness.
The verbs in the above sentences are in the simple present tense.
Usually, the simple present tense is used to describe actions that are universal or habitual.
The earth revolves around the sun.
They play cricket every Sunday.
Simple present can also be used to show planned future actions.
The train from Alappuzha arrives at 5 p.m.
Now, identify the functions of the simple present tense in the following sentences. One has been done for you.
1. I use my bike to reach school. habitual
2. It rains a lot in Chirapunjee.
3. Sruthi wakes up early.
4. The president visits Srilanka next week.
5. Iron gets rusted easily.
6. They leave the city tomorrow.
Answer:
1. Habitual
2. Factual
3. Habitual
4. Planned future action
5. Universal
6. Planned future action

Activity 2.

Look at the following sentences.
I am reading a book.
Miss Ream is walking up and down the terrace.
An old man is plucking roses.
They are playing football.
He is leaving shortly
Are the verbs in the above sentences similar to those given in activity 1?
What difference do you notice?
These verbs are in the present progressive tense.
What are the major functions of the present progressive tense?
Frame two sentences each showing any two major functions of the pre-sent progressive.
Answer:
1 Action in progress at the time of speaking.
2. Future action that is already planned
e.g:- 1. Action in progress at the time of speaking:
a. Raghu is driving a car.
b. They are waiting for Shyam.
2. Future action
a. She is taking her exam next month.
b. The Prime Minister is coming tomorrow.

Activity 3.

You have already learnt how ahead noun in the noun phrases is expanded by adding certain words/phrases before and after it. You also know the category of words that can be added before and after the head noun, don’t you?
Look how a head noun is expanded by adding these categories of words:
girl
a girl
a smart girl
a smart girl in the school
a smart girl in the school who tied her
eyes
Now, expand the following nouns in the above manner.
a. garden
b. teacher
Answer:
a. garden
a garden
a beautiful garden
a beautiful garden in the school
a beautiful garden in the school where we
play

b. teacher
a teacher
a good teacher
a good teacher in my village
a good teacher in my village who guided
me.

Let’s edit

Read the following passage written by a student of Class VII. There are some errors in it which are underlined, edit the errors.
The writer had hear a lot about Miss Beam’s school. But he had never visit it. One day he got the opportunity to visit it. On entering the campus he see no one except a girl of twelve. Her eyes were covered on a bandage, A little boy of about eight was guiding her between the flower beds in the garden. The girl stopped. She evidently ask her guide about the writer, the boy seemed to describe the writer to her. The writer went into the building and meet the head of the school. Miss Beam was the principal for the school. She was a mother – figure for the young boys and girls in the school. The writer asked Miss Beam some questions of her scholastic methods. Miss Beam said that there was not many scholastic education. The boys were taught spelling, addition, subtraction, multiplication and writing only. The rest was done by reading to them and with lectures. Now, rewrite the passage after editing it.
Answer:
1. Heard
2. visited
3. saw
4. with
5. asked
6. the
7. met
8. of
9. about
10. much
11. through

Let’s play with language

Read the following sentence
The author went around the school to observe how it functions. In the word ‘observe’, another small word is hidden. The word is ‘see’. Look at the word ‘chicken’. Let us write it as Chicken, and put together the letters in capital what do we get? HEN, So we have a shorter word ‘hen’ within the word ‘chicken’.

You have seen the picture of a kangaroo, haven’t you?
Have you seen its baby?
Where does the mother kangaroo carry its baby? in a pouch in its body.
‘Kangaroo words’ are like this animal. They are marsupial words that carry smaller versions of themselves (joey words) within their spellings. They are words that contain other smaller words within them that have the same meaning.

Look at the word ‘Exhilaration’ which means ‘to make someone feel very happy and excited’. Elation is a word that can be formed from this word. What does the word ‘elation’ mean?

Look at some other words too; regulate (rule), indolent (idle), encourage (urge), destruction (ruin), devilish (evil), and masculine (male).
Let’s see how good you are with kangaroo words, Can you spot the joey (baby kangaroo) word hidden in each of these words? Remember, the letters of the smaller words should occur in the same sequence as in the parent word, though they need not come consecutively.
Kerala Syllabus 8th Standard English Solutions Unit 5 Chapter 1 The School for Sympathy 21
Answer:
1. recline — lie
2. rotund — round
3. inheritor — heir
4. container — can, tin
5. supervisor — sir
6. alone — lone
7. salvage — save
8. feasted — eat
9. chariot — cart
10. routine — rote

The School for Sympathy Additional Questions & Answers

Questions 1 to 5: Read the excerpt from the story ‘ The School for Sympathy’ and answer the questions that follow.

I had heard a lot about Miss Beam’s School, but I did not get the chance to visit it till last week. When I arrived at the school, I saw a girl of about twelve with her eyes covered with a bandage being led carefully between the flowerbeds by a little boy of eight. She stopped and asked who it was that had come in and he seemed to be describing me to her. Then they passed on. Miss Beam was all that I had expected middle-aged, authoritative, kind and understanding. Her hair was beginning to turn grey, and her round figure was likely to be comforting to a homesick child. We chatted for a while, and when I asked her some questions about her teaching methods, which I heard were simple, she said :
‘,… We teach only those things that are simple and useful to pupils- spelling, adding, subtracting, multiplying, writing, etc. The rest is done by reading to them and giving them interesting tasks. There are practically no other lessons.’
1. On arriving at Miss Beam’s School whom did the author see?
2. Give a short description about Miss Beam.
3. Do you think Miss Beam’s school is different from other schools?
4. Why do you think, the writer wanted to visit Miss Beam’s School?
5. Pick out the word from the passage which means ‘ to make one feel calmer’.
Answer:
1. Miss Beam saw a girl of about twelve with her eyes covered with a bandage being led carefully between the flowerbeds by a little boy of eight.
2. Miss Beam was a middle-aged, authoritative, kind and understanding lady. Her was beginning to turn grey and her round figure was likely to be comforting to a homesick child.
3. Yes, their teaching methods were quite different They taught only those tilings
that are simple and useful to the pupils by giving them interesting tasks.
4. Because he had heard a lot about miss Beam’s School.
5. Comforting

Question 6.
The narrator of ‘The School For Sympathy’ returns from Miss Beam’s school with fresh thoughts and ideas. He narrates his experience to his family. Prepare the likely narrative.

(Hints: reached Miss Beam’s school – girl’s eyes bandaged- met Miss Beam- authoritative but comforting- aim of school- to teach thoughtfulness and humanity- share misfortunes- child have one blind day- one dumb day- one lame day)
Answer:
Today I visited Miss Beam’s school. When I entered the school saw a girl of twelve with a bandage covering her eyes guided by a little boy of eight in the | garden. The girl asked the little boy about me. He described me to the girl and they went away. I went in and met Miss Beam. I asked her some questions about her style of teaching. She told me that there was no scholastic education. The students were taught spelling, adding, subtracting, multiplying and writing only. She said that the goal of her system was to sow the seeds of humanity and citizenship in the children.

I noticed that the children there were not healthy. When I told Miss Beam about the girl I had seen earlier she laughed and told me that that the girl was not really blind. It was just a part of her system. The practice made the children empathized with the differentially abled and appreciate the gift of life. Then she introduced me to the girl and left the place. I asked the little girl if she tried to peep. The girl replied that peeping would be cheating. She described her experience acting blind and how she realized the struggle a blind person had to face. She told me that the blind day was the worst day for her. I guided her for a ‘ walk and described the surroundings to her. I noticed that the girl had become much more thoughtful and sensitive. I left Miss Beam’s school as a wiser man.

Question 7.
Complete the passage given below using appropriate phrasal verbs from those given in the brackets.
When E.V Lucas …….. a ……….. at Miss Beam’s school, he …………. b …………. a strange sight. A girl whose eyes were bandaged was being led by another girl. He could not ……….. c ………… what he saw.
( make out, came across, turn up, call at)
Answer:
a. turned up
b. came across
c. make out

The School for Sympathy Summary in English

The writer once got a chance to visit Miss Beam’s school about which he had heard a lot before. When he entered the school, he just saw a girl of twelve with a bandage covering her eyes. A little boy of about eight was guiding her between the flower beds in the garden. The girl asked the boy about the writer. The boy seemed to describe the writer to her and they went away. Then the writer went in and met Miss Beam. He asked her some questions about her style of teaching. Miss Beam said there was not much scholastic education. The students were taught spelling, adding, subtracting, multiplying and writing only. She said that the goal of her system was to sow the seeds ‘ of humanity and citizenship in the children. He noticed that the children there were not healthy. He mentioned about the girl he had seen before to Miss Beam.

She laughed and said that she was not really blind. The ones with eyes covered in bandages were not really blind and those with a crutch was not lame either. It was just a part of her system. This practice made the children empathized with the differently-abled and appreciate the gift of life. Then she introduced the writer to the girl and left the place. He asked her if she tried to peep. She replied that peeping would be cheating. She described her experience acting blind and how she realized the struggle a blind person had to face. She said that the ‘blind day’ was the worst day for her. She was guided by the writer for a walk. The writer described the surrounding to her. The writer noticed that the girl had become much more thoughtful and sensitive. Miss Beam came to see him off on his leaving.

The School for Sympathy Summary in Malayalam

Kerala Syllabus 8th Standard English Solutions Unit 5 Chapter 1 The School for Sympathy 23

The School for Sympathy Glossary

Kerala Syllabus 8th Standard English Solutions Unit 5 Chapter 1 The School for Sympathy 25

Mother to Son Questions and Answers Class 10 English Unit 5 Chapter 2 Kerala Syllabus Solutions

October 3, 2024October 2, 2024 by Prasanna

You can Download Mother to Son Questions and Answers, Summary, Activity, Notes, Kerala Syllabus 10th Standard English Solutions Unit 5 Chapter 2 help you to revise complete Syllabus and score more marks in your examinations.

Kerala State Syllabus 10th Standard English Solutions Unit 5 Chapter 2 Mother to Son (Poem)

Std 10 English Textbook Mother to Son Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Who is the speaker in the poem? Do you feel the presence of a listener? How?
Answer:
The speaker is the mother of a boy. We do feel the presence of a listener, who is her son. The words are directly spoken to him.

Question 2.
What does ‘no crystal stair’ mean?
Answer:
Crystal is a solid substance with proper shapes. It also means strong transparent glass. So the phrase ‘no crystal stair’ means the stairs of life are not smooth, plain and clear. Life is hard.

Question 3.
Was life easy for the narrator? Pick out evidence from the first stanza to support your answer.
Answer:
No, it wasn’t. Life for her was not a crystal stair. It had tacks and splinters. Boards were torn up and not carpeted.

Question 4.
The first stanza ends with the word ‘bare ’. What does the speaker mean by the word ‘bare’?
Answer:
‘Bare’ means naked or exposed. She did not have enough clothes or shoes to wear. Her life was bare, just like the stair was bare without any carpet. It hints at her poverty.

Question 5.
When life becomes challenging, does the speaker give up? How do you know?
Answer:
No, she doesn’t. Because she says, all the time she had been climbing on and reaching landings.

Question 6.
What do the phrases ‘turnin’ comers’ and ‘set down on the steps ’ mean?
Answer:
These phrases are the Americanisms in the poem. “Tumin’ comers” means to overcome difficulties one by one. ‘Set down’ means ‘sit down’. The mother, who is a Black Woman, is asking her son not to sit down on the step because he is tired of the problems.

Question 7.
The speaker speaks of the ‘dark times’. What does the poet refer to here?
Answer:
‘Dark times’ refers to the hardships in life. As the mother says she was sometimes going in the dark where there has not been any light. Often she had to travel even without a ray of hope.

Question 8.
What advice does the speaker give? Pick out the relevant line from the poem.
Answer:
The advice she gives is not to turn back, not to sit down on the steps and not to fall. “Boy, don’t you turn back. Don’t you set down on the steps. Don’t, you fall now.”

Question 9.
With what message does the poem end?
Answer:
The poem ends with the message to go forward in spite of the problems. The obstacles should not stop us from going ahead.

Let’s Revisit

Read the poem again and answer the questions choosing the most appropriate answer from the options given.
1. In the first seven lines, a stairway with ‘tacks in it and splinters’ is being compared to
a. the carpet on the stairway
b. the other people who live in the run-down housing
c. the son
d. life
Answer:
d. life

2. In this poem, boards with ‘tacks and splinters’ and ‘boards turn up’ are symbols for
a. run-down housing
b. a life with many difficulties and challenges
c. the ungrateful manner in which the mother’s son treats her
d. the lack of compassion for fellow beings
Answer:
b. a life with many difficulties and challenges

3. what does ‘reachin’ landin’s’ symbolise in the mother’s life?
a. difficult situations in her life
b. phases in her life that seemed magical to her
c. compassionate forces in her life
d. places devoid of light
Answer:
c. compassionate forces in her life.

4. Why do you think the word ‘bare’ is used in the poem?
a. to emphasize the son’s brutality
b. because Hughes couldn’t think of anything else to add to that line
c. to emphasize how difficult and ‘bare’ of luxuries the mother’s life had been
d. because it rhymes with the word ‘stair’
Answer:
c. to emphasize how difficult and ‘bare’ of luxuries the mother’s life had been.

5. Which of the following is the most suitable meaning for ‘turnin’ comners’ in the Poem?
a. phases in her life where she tried to solve problems on her own
b. phases in her life where she felt she had failed
c. moments in her life when she knew her son would be successful
d. her need to find a father figure for her son
Answer:
a. phases in her life where she tried to solve problems on her own.

6. what is the theme of the poem?
a. One shouldn’t be over confident.
b. When you are in trouble, look to your mother for advice.
c. Don’t give up reach out to the goals you have set for yourself.
d. Love for mankind.
Answer:
c. Don’t give up reach out to the goals you have set for yourself.

7. The ‘crystal stair’ is a metaphor used in the Poem. Why do you think Hughes is
referring to the stairway as ‘crystal’?
a. Crystals are beautiful, but they are also fragile and slippery.
b. Crystals sparkle in the sunlight.
c. Crystals have different colors in them depending on how the light hits them.
d. You can almost see through a crystal.
Answer:
d. You can almost see through a crystal.

8. Why is ‘stairway’ used as an appropriate metaphor to describe the wisdom the mother
is trying to impart to her son?
a. Stairways are always dirty and rough.
b. One has to clean and wax a stairway to make it look good.
c. One requires steady persistence to go up and down a stairway.
d. Stairways are often found in expensive houses.
Answer:
c. One requires steady persistence to go up and down a stairway.

9. What is the most likely age of the son?
a. Old age
b. Infancy
c. Middle age
d. Teenage
Answer:
d. teenage

10. The language used in the poem, pertaining to a particular culture or geographic area is known as a:
a. dialogue
b. dialect
c. diction
d. idiom
Answer:
b. dialect

Activity 1

Question 1.
The metaphor “…. life for me ain’t been no crystal stair’ is an extended metaphor, it is seen throughout the poem. Do you think that the poem can convey the right idea without his metaphor? Why?
Answer:
I don’t think the poem can convey the right idea without this metaphor in the poem. The narrator is the poem is a Black American woman. Life for the Blacks was very hard in the America of the past. Things have changed for the better and we even see the first Black President in Barak Obama. But when Langston Hughes was writing this poem, it was impossible to even imagine that a Black man would become the President one day. The Blacks had to struggle even for their existence.

It was with great difficulty they found even decent livelihood. So the mother is telling her son that she had been working hand to reach even where she has reached. Life is a journey, an upward journey and we use stairs. But here the stairs are full of tacks and splinters. There are dark comers and there are no carpets. Every turn there are problems and obstacles. So it needs courage to go on. Such an idea could be conveyed only through the metaphor of the non crystal stairs.

Activity 2

Question 1.
What literary elements does Langston Hughes use to convey the message in the poem ‘Mother to Son’?
Consider the following:
1. What is the relevance of the metaphor ‘crystal stair’?
2. Why does the poet use the Afro-American dialect in the poem? A dialect is a form of language that is spoken in one area with grammar, words and pronunciation that may be different from other forms of the same language. Does the dialect give you any clue regarding the social status of the speaker in the Poen? Pick out the examples of the dialect from the poem.
3. How does the poem effectively make use of familiar things as word pictures or images such as tacks, splinters, etc.?
Answer:
To convey his message, Langston Hughes has used different literary elements. He has used the extended metaphor of the non-crystal stairs to show how hard it had been for her to go ahead in life with all the tacks and splinters on the stairs. He has used the American dialect, especially used by Black Americans. Examples are a-climbin’, reachin’, goin’ ain’t, cimbin’ etc. He has also used double negatives like “ain’t been no light”, “ain’t been no crystal stair” etc.

Set down to mean sit down, and Tse been’ to mean I have been, ‘it’s kinder’ to mean it is kind of etc. are typical Black American English. The poet has also used familiar words like tacks, splinters, torn up and bare to enhance the quality of the poem and to drive the message home. The speaker is a Black American lady and she is talking to her teenage son to go forward in life with courage and determination in spite of all the hardships he may face. She had done it and he too can do.

Activity 3

The poem is in the form of an advice given by a mother to son. Have you come across similar poems in your mother tongue? Consider the following lines from the eminent Malayalam poet Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan’s poem Kozhi.
Work out the thematic parallel between these two poems and present your ideas before the class.
Answer:
In the poem ‘Kozhi’, Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan also gives a similar message. Here the mother hen is advising her young chicks. They should have their eyes on both sides and also up and down. There should be burning insight in the eyes. Tears should not wet the eyes and blur their vision. All this is needed to forge ahead in life. In Mother to Son, Langston Hughes says almost similar things to her son. She asks her son to overcome the tacks and splinters, the uncarpeted and broken boards with the determination and insight. The message both the poems give is: “Don’t give up, be alert and have confidence.”

Mother to Son About Author

Hughes (1902-1967) was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright and columnist. He is one of the innovators of jazz poetry. He is known as a leader of the Harlem Renaissance. Some of his best works are: Montage of a Dream Deferred, The Negro Speaks of Rivers and Let America Be America Again.
Kerala Syllabus 10th Standard English Solutions Unit 5 Chapter 2 Mother to Son 1

Mother to Son Summary in English

p. 157 – 158 In the poem we see how a Black person suffers in a White-dominated society. The poem is a dramatic monologue. Only the mother is speaking and the son is just listening. The mother tells her son that her life had not been very smooth. The steps she had to climb were broken here and there and she had to be careful not to fall down. The floor is not carpeted showing that life had been very rough for her. But in spite of all the problems she faced, she had been steadily climbing and reaching landings. Sometimes she had been walking in darkness without any light at all. She had to negotiate dangerous bends.

She is telling her son never to feel disappointed and turn back. He should not sit down on the steps even though he might find them hard to climb on. He should be careful not to fall down. In the end she tells her son that all her life she had been climbing in spite of all the problems and she is still climbing.

Mother to Son Summary in Malayalam

Kerala Syllabus 10th Standard English Solutions Unit 5 Chapter 2 Mother to Son 2

Mother to Son Glossary

Kerala Syllabus 10th Standard English Solutions Unit 5 Chapter 2 Mother to Son 3

Harmony of Life Questions and Answers Plus One English Unit 5

October 3, 2024October 2, 2024 by Prasanna

Kerala State Board New Syllabus Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 5 Harmony of Life Text Book Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.

Kerala Plus One English Textbook Harmony of Life Questions and Answers 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

Look at the Logo give below.
Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 5 Harmony of Life 1

Question 1.
Can you identify the words that appear with the entry ‘wellness’ in the logo?
Answer:
The words are Health, exercise, flexibility, movement, balance, energy.

Question 2.
What is your idea of wellness?
Answer:
My idea of wellness is a state of complete physical, social, financial and mental well-being. In other words I should be physically healthy, free from diseases. Socially I must be accepted by others and they should like me. Financially I should be free so that I can have all the material that I think I need for my comfort and happiness. Mental well-being is a state which always keeps me happy, optimistic and contented, free from tensions, worries and anxieties.

Question 3.
Does it pertain to the physical realm alone?
Answer:
No. It also pertains to the social, mental and financial realms.

Question 4.
What are the activities conducted by your School Health Club for promoting wellness?
Answer:
Our School Health Club conducts many activities for promoting wellness. There is a trainer who gives the members yoga classes. Every day a few minutes are spent on physical exercises. Twice a week we have compulsory outdoor games at least for an hour. Once a month we go out trekking. We also have made it a regular practice to plant trees around the compound, or take care of the existing ones. As part of our program the members are asked not to overeat and oversleep. Whenever possible they are encouraged to swim. We also tell the members to come to the school on foot, and not in vehicles, if the distance is not much.

Question 5.
Prepare a logo, (This should be done by each student, ensuring that the logo reflects some of the aims (goals) of the Club.)
Answer:
Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 5 Harmony of Life 2

Harmony of Life About the Unit

The holistic concept of wellness is the basic premise of this unit. It has a short story, a poem and an essay. The short story ‘Gooseberries’ by Anton Chekhov reflects on the belief in following one’s dream and doing whatever it takes to achieve that. The poem To Sleep’ by William Wordsworth stresses the importance of good 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 with a talkative companion.

I. Read And Reflect

Chekhov’s ‘Gooseberries’ is a story of two brothers who pursue happiness in their own ways. The story gives plenty of opportunities to critically examine the ways they have chosen. The extent to which they succeed is a/so worth our consideration.

Words and Deeds Questions and Answers Plus One English Unit 2

October 3, 2024October 2, 2024 by Prasanna

Kerala State Board New Syllabus Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 2 Words and Deeds Text Book Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.

Kerala Plus One English Textbook Words and Deeds Questions and Answers Unit 2

Let’s Begin

Question 1.
“Deeds must be an execution of words. Mahatma Gandhi was true to his words in his deeds. His life was a message.” This is what Albert Einstein wrote about Gandhi on his 70th birthday, in 1939:
Answer:
Mahatma Gandhi: He was a leader of his people, unsupported by any outward authority. He was a politician whose success did not rest upon craft or the mastery of technical devices but simply on the convincing power of his personality. He was a victorious fighter who always refused to use force. He was a man of wisdom and humility. He was armed with resolve and inflexible consistency. He devoted all his strength to the uplifting of his people and the betterment of their condition. He faced the brutality of Europe with the dignity of a simple human being.

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 :

Question 2.
What impression of Gandhiji do you get from the brief description given above? Discuss.
Answer:
The impression I get is that Gandhiji was one of the greatest men the world has ever seen. He did not have any political authority but he was a true leader of the people. He was not a shrewd politician who was a master of all latest technologies, but he impressed people with his powerful personality. He always advocated non-violence. Even the might of England could not defeat this ‘Naked Fakirfrom India’ as Winston Churchill once called him. He was a man of wisdom and humility.

He would never run away from any risk and he was determined to succeed. His ambition in life was giving the people of his country freedom and good life which they could enjoy in peace and brotherhood. He advocated tolerance and he believed that God is one known by different names – Ishwar, Allah, God. All human beings are the sons and daughters of the same Father. Gandhi was not only a nationalist but a great internationalist who believed in the fraternity of the humankind all over the world. Gandhiji is the greatest son of India.

Question 3.
What kind of a ‘fighter’ is Gandhi?
Answer:
Gandhi is a fighter who believed in non-violence. He would never give up, fearing defeat. He was even willing to sacrifice his life to attain his goals which he believed to be just and right.

Question 4.
‘One must practise what one preaches.’ How far is the statement true of Mahatma Gandhi?
Answer:
Mahatma Gandhi always practised what he preached. He strongly believed that “Deeds must be an execution of words.” Empty words never came out of his mouth. If he said something people could be sure that he would do it. He even gave up his life to practise what he preached.

Read and Reflect

Question 1.
Jawaharlal Nehru writes about the timely arrival of Gandhiji to Indian politics. India was in great need of such a leader. Gandhiji was like a beam of light that removed the darkness. Nehru makes a right assessment of Gandhiji in his book ‘Discovery of India’. Here is an excerpt.

“Keep your thoughts positive
because your thoughts become your words
Keep your words positive
because your words become your behaviour.”

Words and Deeds About this Unit:

Plus One English Textbook Answers Unit 2 Words and Deeds 1
– Mahatma Gandhi

The theme of this unit is the need for the symbiotic relationship between words and deeds. The unit aims at inculcating the right values through a few examples. It has an essay by Nehru titled “And Then Gandhi Came”, a story written by Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay with the title The Price of Flowers’, translated by Lila Ray, and a poem ‘Death the Leveller’ by James Shirley.

The texts and the activities are designed to help the students to imbibe the values of good citizenship. They also enable them to acquire a strong linguistic foundation.

Towards a Bright Future Notes | Class 9 History Chapter 9 Notes Kerala Syllabus

October 3, 2024October 2, 2024 by Prasanna

You can Download Towards a Bright Future Questions and Answers, Summary, Activity, Notes, Kerala Syllabus 9th Standard Social Science Solutions Part 1 Chapter 9 help you to revise complete Syllabus and score more marks in your examinations.

Kerala State Syllabus 9th Standard Social Science Solutions Part 1 Chapter 9 Towards a Bright Future

Towards a Bright Future TextBook Questions and Answers

Question 1.
What are the problems faced by the society today?
Answer:

Poverty
Unemployment
Lack of shelter
Insecurity of old age people
Juvenile crimes
Crimes against women
Environmental damages

Question 2.
Define poverty
Answer:
Poverty is the inability to secure the minimum consumption requirements of life, health and efficiency.

Question 3.
How does unemployment cause poverty?
Answer:
Unemployment is a social problem related to poverty. While a section of people in the world finds employment of any kind, many people cannot find any. Unemployment is a situation in which a person is physically and mentally able and willing to work but cannot get a job. Thus they may fail to secure the basic needs. This will cause poverty.

Question 4.
Identify the problems faced by old a people.
Answer;

Disaffection
Disregard
Loneliness
Uncertainty
Economic crisis
Health problems
Stress

Question 5.
Point out some sorts of violence against women in our society.
Answer:

Atrocities against women.
Crime such as denial of the right to education.
Different wages for the same job.
Denial of opportunities for proving their abilities.

Question 6.
What are the evil effects of intoxicants?
Answer:

Increase crimes
Cause mental and physical problems
Cause family problems
Cause economic crisis
Cause accidents, deaths etc.

Question 7.
Prepare a note on Juvenile crimes.
Answer:
Crimes among children have become a big social problem. The crimes done by children of below fourteen years of age are called juvenile crimes. They are called juvenile offenders. Different types of such crimes appear in the newspapers. There are many reasons for children to engage in crimes.

Defects in family relations
Use of intoxicants
Misuse of media
Deterioration of social values

Question 8.
What is childline?
Answer:
The childline is an agency under the Ministry of Women and Child Development to identify the problems and difficulties of children and to protect them.

Question 9.
What are cybercrimes?
Answer:
Crimes using information technology are called cyber crimes.

Question 10.
The number of people living below poverty line in India are.
a) 20%
b) 21%
c) 22%
d) 23%
Answer:
22%

Question 11.
What is meant by a social problem?
Answer:
Problems, whether individual or common that exist for a long time affecting the society, are called social problems. Those problems which affect the society directly or indirectly are considered as social problems.

Question 12.
Analyse the interrelationship of different social problems.
Answer:

Many of the social problems are interrelated.
The consequences of social problems have common features.
Social problems change according to the changing times.
Joint effort and actions are necessary to solve social problems.

Question 13.
Identify the measures to prevent juvenile crimes.
Answer:

Child guidance clinic: The facility helps to find and analyze problems of children.
Counselling Center: This center helps to provide solutions for the behavioral problems of children.

Question 14.
What do you mean by unemployment?
Answer:
Unemployment is a situation in which a person is physically and mentally able and willing to work but cannot get a job.

Question 15.
What is lack of shelter?
Answer:
Lack of shelter is the situation in which an individual is not able to secure and keep a suitable house.

Question 16.
Elucidate what is juvenile crimes.
Answer:
The crimes done by children of below fourteen years of age are called juvenile crimes.

Question 17.
Who were juvenile offenders?
Answer:
The crimes done by children of below fourteen years of age are called juvenile crimes. They are called juvenile offenders.

A Prayer in Spring Questions and Answers Class 9 English Unit 5 Chapter 2 Kerala Syllabus Solutions

October 3, 2024October 2, 2024 by Prasanna

You can Download A Prayer in Spring Questions and Answers, Summary, Activity, Notes, Kerala Syllabus 9th Standard English Solutions Unit 5 Chapter 2 help you to revise complete Syllabus and score more marks in your examinations.

Kerala State Syllabus 9th Standard English Solutions Unit 4 Chapter 2 A Prayer in Spring (Poem)

Std 9 English Textbook A Prayer in Spring Questions and Answers

True happiness is to enjoy the present without being too anxious about the future. When it comes to seeking happiness in the present, can nature help us? Here is a poem where the poet urges the reader to experience joy and pleasure that the natural springtime delights offer.

Let’s revisit and enjoy the poem.

Question 1.
Who does the poet address in the first line?
A Prayer in Spring Questions and Answer:
God

Robert Frost a Prayer in Spring Question 2. Who are referred to as ‘us’ here?
Answer:
People everywhere

Question 3.
Why does the poet use ‘to-day’ instead of ‘today?’
Answer:
to mean every day

Summary of A Prayer in Spring Question 4. Where is the poet and what is happening around him?
Answer:
He is in an orchard. There are trees around him. A bird is darting and there are bees.

Question 5.
What is the first pleasurable sight?
Answer:
The flowers

A Prayer in Spring Poem Summary Question 6. Which habit of human beings stands as an obstacle in enjoying the pleasures in nature? Pick out the lines that indicate this habit.
Answer:
Thinking too much about the future, “And give us not to think so far away as the uncertain harvest.”

Question 7.
Identify the enjoyable sight mentioned in the second stanza. What is it compared to?
Answer:
The white orchard. It is compared to ghosts by night.

Question 8.
The poet says that bees are happy. How does the poet justify his claim?
Answer:
The poet justifies his claim by saying that the bees swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

Blossoms Class 6 Solution Question 9. Explain the idea in the line ‘And off a blossom in mid-air stands still’.
Answer:
The ray of the meteor touches the blossom and it stands still in mid-air.

Question 10.
The poet mentions love in the fourth stanza. Is it human love or divine love? Give reasons.
Answer:
It is divine love. Only divine love can bring in such beauty into nature. Such love is reserved for God.

A Prayer in Spring by Robert Frost Summary Question 11. According to Robert Frost, what is man’s duty while living in this world?
Answer:
Man’s duty while living in this world is to enjoy the divine beauty that God provides him with and share the love of God with other fellow-beings.

Activity -1

The poem ‘A Prayer in Spring’ depicts the beauty of nature in the Spring season. Fill in the bubbles with the shades of nature that attracted the poet in the Springtime.
Kerala Syllabus 9th Standard English Solutions Unit 5 Chapter 2 A Prayer in Spring 1
Answer:
Words for the Bubbles: Harvesting, white orchard, swarming bees, darting bird.

A Paragraph:
The poet, Robert Frost, has treated nature in an exquisite way in his fine poem “A Prayer in Spring”. It is springtime. There are flowers everywhere. There is the beautiful white orchard. There are many fine-looking trees in it. The bees are swarming about them as if they are singing and dancing in joy. A bird is flying about chirping melodiously as if she is singing a lullaby. There are blossoms all around. God in his divine love has made Nature so beautiful that we can enjoy its beauty to our hearts’ content.

Activity – 2

a) The expression ‘springing of the year’ refers to the beginning of the season of planting and tending- a season of new birth. Robert Frost tells us that we should live in the moment and learn not to focus on the harvest. What message does the poet convey in the first stanza? Express your views.
Answer:
In the first stanza, the poet says that we should enjoy the pleasures of today without worrying about what will happen in the future. It is the beginning of the Spring. It is the time to plant and tend the seedlings. We should be happy at what we are doing now and not worry about the harvest that will come months later. These lines remind me of the famous poet Omar Khayyam who wrote: “Dead yesterday, unborn tomorrow/Why fret about them if today be sweet?” Yes, we should learn to enjoy the present without bothering too much about the unborn tomorrow.

b) The bees play an inevitable role in nature. What function do they perform and how does the poet describe it?
Answer:
The bees do play an inevitable role in nature. It is they who help in the pollination process. They drink the honey and eat the pollen from the flowers and in the process, they help in the pollination without which there will be no fruits of grains. The poet says the happy bees hover, about the trees as if they are intoxicated by the drink they had and are dancing in joy. This sight makes us also happy. In addition to helping with the pollination, the bees supply us with their delicious honey. The buzzing of the bees is like sweet music. Thus the bees produce a feast for our eyes, ears and tongue – our senses of sight, sound, and taste.

Activity 3

In the first stanza, Robert Frost tells us that we should learn to get rid of our anxieties about future and enjoy living in the moment gifted to us. How does the poet reinforce this message in the last stanza? Explain.
Answer:
In the first stanza, Robert Frost tells us that we should learn to get rid of our anxieties about future and enjoy living in the moment gifted to us. The poet reinforces this message in the last stanza by saying that what we see in nature is the reflection of God’s love. Only God can give love in such abundance. Our duty is to enjoy the feast he has supplied and by doing that we will be fulfilling his desires. God gives us all this beauty to make us happy and if we refuse to enjoy it, we are actually insulting God. Not enjoying it would be like not tasting the delicious dishes our host has lovingly prepared for us.

Activity – 4 (Page 181)

Read the lines and identify the poetic device from the box given below. Briefly describe the idea conveyed by these lines.
[alliteration, simile, metaphor]

A Prayer In Spring by Robert Frost Question 1. And off a blossom in mid-air stands still
Poetic device -…….…………………………………………..
Explanation: …….……………………………………………..
Answer:
1. Alliteration: Alliteration is the use of words starting with the same sound close to one another, stands – still.
The line shows that the ray from the meteor touches the flower, as if kissing it, and it is so happy that it stands still in midair.

A Prayer in Spring Lesson Plan Question 2. Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night
Poetic device -…….……………………………………………
Explanation: …….……………………………………………..
Answer:
2. Simile: It is a poetic device in which you compare two different things which have at least one quality in common. Similes are often introduced by the words ‘like’ or ‘as’, as in “like ghosts by night. The white orchard is so beautiful that nothing can compare with it during the daytime, but the trees look like ghosts by night time as they shine because of their white color.

A Prayer in Spring Summary Question 3. The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill
Poetic device -…….………………………………………………………………………….
Explanation: …….…………………………………………………………………………..
Find more examples for each from the poem, if any.
Answer:
Metaphor: It is a figure of speech very much like a simile. But in a metaphor, we don’t use the introducing words ‘like’ and ‘as’. We say A is B. If we say A is like B, it is a Simile, but when we say A is B, it is a metaphor. Any simile can be changed into a metaphor and any metaphor into a simile. The meteor, using its ray, thrusts into the flower as if pricked by the sharp bill of a little bird.

More examples:
Alliteration: it is
Metaphor: The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill – the meteor is considered a bird.
Simile: Orchard white like nothing else by day

Activity – 5

Robert Frost mentions the enjoyable sights in nature in the Spring season. However, he understands that there are several factors that prevent man from enjoying the simple pleasures of life. The poet’s pleasure and its sources are quite different from those of modern man. What gives pleasure to man in the modern world? Do these pleasures satisfy him? Express your views in a paragraph.
Answer:
The poet’s pleasure and. its sources are quite different from those of modem man. The poet finds pleasure in the flowers that bloom, in the beautiful white orchard, in the fine-looking trees and the bees swarming about them as if they are singing and dancing in joy. The poet finds joy in the bird flying about chirping melodiously. God in his divine love has made Nature so beautiful that the poet enjoys its beauty to his heart’s content.

But modern man is not pleased with these things. He needs money. He needs material pleasures. He finds his pleasure in his mobile phone, in his television set, in the theatres, in the bars, in football and cricket and in amassing wealth. I am reminded of William Wordsworth who lamented the modern man’s fascination for money. He said, “The world is too much with us late and soon/Getting and spending we lay waste our powers/ Nothing we see in Nature is ours/We’ve given our hearts away, a sordid boon.” Yes, we have made a bad bargain by loving money more than we love Nature and its beauty.

A Three Wheeled Revolution Questions and Answers Plus Two English Textbook Unit 3 Chapter 1 (Interview)

October 3, 2024October 2, 2024 by Prasanna

Kerala State Board New Syllabus Plus Two English Textbook Answers Unit 3 Chapter 1 A Three Wheeled Revolution Text Book Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.

Kerala Plus Two English Textbook A Three Wheeled Revolution Questions and Answers Unit 3 Chapter 1 (Interview)

Read And Respond

Question 1.
Which incident shows that Irfan had a problem solving skill?
Answer:
Once Irfan was travelling in a rickshaw and in the middle of the journey he was very thirsty. He asked the rickshaw puller if he had any water. He said he did not have because it was expensive to get bottles of water and stack them. Immediately he thought there was a market for selling water bottles in the rickshaws. This incident shows Irfan had a problem-solving skill.

Question 2.
Why does Irfan think that entrepreneurship is in his blood?
Irfan thinks that entrepreneurship is in his blood because he had an interest in business from a very early age. He was enterprising since his childhood. During the stock market scam on 1992, his father and his friends lost a lot of money. Irfan helped them to recover their losses and even make profits.

Question 3.
What encouraged Irfan to open his own portfolio management firm?
Answer:
During the stock market scam in 1992, his father and his friends lost a lot of money. Irfan started taking an interest in the stock market and began researching various companies. Using his advice, his father’s friends recovered their losses and even made profits. This encouraged Irfan to open his own portfolio management firm.

Question 4.
What was Irfan’s prize winning business proposal?
Answer:
Irfan suggested that rickshaws should be redesigned so that the spaces on the vehicles could be sold for advertising and brand promotion. He also suggested that additional incomes could be got by selling water, juice, biscuits, mobile cards and newspapers to the passengers in the rickshaws. This was Irfan’s prize winning business proposal.

Question 5.
Why did Irfan refuse the prize money of the TV realty show?
Answer:
He wanted to provide the rickshaw pullers with insurance, ID-cards and uniforms. He wanted to run the business as a ‘not-for-profit’ organization. He thought it to be the best way to sustain the business and the easiest way to get banks to give out loans. The organizers of the TV show did not agree to this model and so he refused to take the prize money.

Question 6.
Where did Irfan get his seed money for his project?
Answer:
Irfan got his seed money for his project from his family and friends.

Question 7.
What kind of facilities does SammaaN offer the rickshaw pullers?
Answer:
They are given training on basic etiquette and traffic rules. Then they are helped to get a bank loan for a new rickshaw. They feel empowered because they are pulling their own rickshaws. They are also given accident and health insurance. Each driver is given an ID card. He has to wear uniform while operating the vehicle. The rickshaw puller now becomes a member of the SammaaN family.

Question 8.
What are the ‘other benefits’ than monetary benefits offered to the rickshaw pullers?
Answer:
Rickshaw pullers now have a sense of belonging and empowerment. Their wives and children attend free evening classes called Sammaan Gyaan. SammaaN has brought dignity to those previously known as menial laborers.

Question 9.
What are the other activities of the SammaaN foundation?
Answer:
The SammaaN foundation runs free evening classes called Sammaan Gyaan which is attended by the wives and children of rickshaw pullers. They also engage in a lot of trading activities like selling water, juice, pre-paid phone cards etc. to the passengers in the rickshaw. SammaaN has brought dignity to those previously known as menial labourers. SammaaN is profitable. Last fiscal year, it made a profit of 8 lakhs. It has an R&D Wing researching on solar-powered fibreglass rickshaw.

Question 10.
Why does Irian think that rickshaw is not a dying breed?
Answer:
Irfan thinks that rickshaw is not a dying breed for many reasons. Rickshaws are still popular in many parts of the country. In the last 2 to 3 years the number of rickshaws has actually increased in New Delhi by 20%. It is the popular transport to and from the metro stations. Rickshaws are the vehicles of the future as they are environmental friendly. There is R&D wing of SammaaN working on a solar-powered fibreglass rickshaw.

Question 11.
What do you understand by solar-powered rickshaw?
Answer:
Today the rickshaw puller has to use his physical power to make the rickshaw move. In the solar-powered rickshaw, solar power will be used for moving the rickshaw. That way the rickshaw puller will not have to struggle physically.

Question 12.
What is Irfan’s suggestion to tackle unemployment in our country?
Answer:
Irfan thinks that entrepreneurship should be made as a career. An entrepreneur is one who sees an opportunity and puts conscious efforts to make it an enterprise. People discourage youths from taking this path. Entrepreneurship can tackle unemployment in the country.

Activity I (Think and Respond)

Question 1.
What qualities, do you think, should an entrepreneur possess?
Answer:
An entrepreneur is one who sees an opportunity and puts conscious efforts to make it an enterprise. He should have courage, vision and other leadership qualities. He should be willing to take risks. He should remember ‘No pain, no gain’. He should have a dream and then work hard to realize it.

Question 2.
Why do people discourage youth to choose the path of entrepreneurship?
Answer:
People discourage youth to choose the path of entrepreneurship because they think they will end up in losses. Parents encourage children to look for employment in the government service or in some companies where they can get a regular salary. Entrepreneurship involves risks because the enterprise might fail.

Question 3.
Irfan Alam says that “it is important to take risks to achieve your dreams”. Comment on this statement
Answer:
To achieve one’s dreams one has to take risks. A child will never learn to walk if he is afraid to take the first step. The Wright brothers would never fly if they were afraid. No pain, no gain. If you have dreams you should be prepared to take risks. Could men go to the moon if they refused to take the risk?

Question 4.
What are your dreams in life? How do you plan to pursue your dreams?
Answer:
My dreams in life are to become a good engineer and a good person. I will study hard and try to get high marks in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry. I know that engineers are the ones that make the world a worthy place to live in with all the engineering marvels we witness today. Above all, I want to be a good person so that I can help my fellow human beings to live a life of comfort.

Question 5.
Have you read or heard of other young and successful entrepreneurs. Share their stories in your class.
Answer:
I know about a young and successful entrepreneur. His name is Jison Jose. After his M.Com, he did his MCA. Instead of looking for. government jobs or employment in a company, he started his own company called G & J Infotech. He took two rooms in a building in town and started the office there. He had financial help from his family. He hired some experts and started producing various kinds of soft software which soon became very famous. The most popular one is called E-School Solutions. He now has some 30 employees in his company. His wife Dhanya, who is also an MCA holder, ably assists him in the work. Currently Jison is the local Chairman of the prestigious organization, JCI (Junior Chambers International), and is busy doing a lot of social service to improve the plight of the poor.

Activity II (E-mail)

Question 6.
The R&D wing ofSammaaN is planning to redesign rickshaws with necessary improvements. Think about some useful modifications that you would like to suggest to Irfan Alam. Negotiate your ideas with your partner and make a final list of modifications.
Answer:
To: lrfanalam@Qmail.com
Dear Irfan,
I have come to know that you are planning to make some useful modifications in the rickshaws to improve their services. I would suggest the following modifications.
a) Provide the rickshaws with a phone from which travellers can call. Of course, the travellers will be charged for the calls they make.

b) Let each rickshaw have a small space where tissues are kept. The travellers can use them to blow their nose, if they want, and clean their hands.

c) Provide a small bin on one side of the rickshaw so that people can deposit the skin of the fruits, or the wrappers of candies, or the used issues, without littering the road.

I hope you will give due consideration to my suggestions.

Krishnan Moolayil

Activity III (Paragraph writing)

Question 7.
Study the following table. A variety of career options has been listed in the first column. What kind of responsibilities do these careers demand? What skill does a person require to do these jobs?
Answer:

Career	Responsibilities	Skills required
Computer Systems Analyst	Monitor Computer programs	Critical thinking. Troubleshooting
Finance Advisor	Manage the finances	Vision, Attention to detail
Fitness trainer	Train people to be fit	Yoga, karate, kung fu
interpreter/Translator	Interpreting/translating	Linguistic capabilities. Understanding power
Dental Hygienist	Keep the teeth and mouth dean	Some medical skill, first-aid
Substance Abuse Counsellor	Prevent people from drug abuse	Knowledge of drugs, Skill in Counselling, patience
Web Content writer	Writing content for the Web	Versatility, writing skills
Special Education Teacher	Train the handicapped	Knowledge, Patience
Food Photographer	Making food look attractive, to be used in advertisements	Photographic skills, a sense of beauty
Fashion designer	Making attractive dresses	Sense of beauty, designing. Fashion consciousness

Question 8.
Now think about the skills you have. What roles and responsibilities could you assume based on your potentials and your aptitude? Discuss with your friend and write a paragraph about the suitable jobs for you. Also write why you think they are suitable for you. (You may/may not choose a career from the given table.
Answer:
There are two jobs which I like to do – one is teaching and the other is translating. I want to be a teacher for certain reasons. A teacher is the person who moulds the characters of the youth. If the teacher is good, he will be able to influence the children to do positive things and to become good citizens, bringing name for themselves, their families, their localities and the nation itself. I like teaching because I am good at languages and my favour language is English. I realize that the English used in our schools is of poor quality because many of the teachers are not well-trained. There is the danger of Manglish replacing English. I want to do my best to remedy the situation. I like children and I like to interact with them.

I like their fun-loving nature and harmless pranks. So my first choice is to become a teacher.

The second job I might like to do is that of translation. Translation is not an easy job. Aword-to-word translation might look foolish. There is the story of a student who translated the Malayalam idiom ‘alkarku Kayyum kanakkumilla’ as people had no hands and arithmetic. Another boy translated ‘Pazhamchollu’ as banana talk. A translator must be aware of the idioms and phrases in a language and look for equivalent idioms in the target language. Merely replacing a word by a similar meaning does not make proper translation. I am good at languages and I believe I can be ‘a good translator. I also want to translate some fine novels in Malayalam into English.

Activity IV (Listening and Note-taking)

Making notes and taking notes are different things. In ClassXI you learned howto make notes, while reading a piece of writing. Here we are going to see certain things about note-taking. You can take notes when you are listening to a lecturer or interviewing a person. Note-taking helps to improve your listening skills.

A very systematic and organized format for taking notes is called the Cornell Method. Here are the steps to follow:

Draw a margin 2-3 inches
As you listen to the lecture, write all the important ideas on the right side.
Leave some space after each idea (This is for filling in details later.)
After the lecture complete the spaces with as many words and phrases you heard.
For every important bit of information, write a ‘cue’ in the left margin.

Here is an example:
In the first Unit you read the speech The 3Ls of Empowerment’ by Christine Lagarde. Imagine that she is speaking to you and you are taking down notes.

THE 3Ls of Empowerment

Present scenario:

21 st century poses many challenges.
1/2 of world’s population is women.
Women denied opportunities, so no economic growth.
3 Ls

1st L:

Learning helps women to break shackles
More in the developing world African adage

2nd L:

Labour helps women to flourish and achieve their potential.
Equal pay for equal work Eliminating gender gaps Changing existing laws regarding inheritance

3rd L:

Leadership to enable to fulfil innate abilities and talents.
Dare the difference Stepping out of comfort zones.

Conclusion: A more prosperous world.

Activity V: (Identifying Facts from Opinions)

Question 9.
Read the following statements and say whether they are facts or opinions, Write F against tacts and O against opinions.
Answer:
a. The fastest land-dwelling creature is the cheetah. – F
b. Facebook was launched in 2004. – F
c. Switzerland is the most beautiful country. – O
d. Harry Potter and the HALF Blood Prince sold 9 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release. – F
e. Oranges contain both calcium and vitamin C. – F
f. The more money someone has the more successful they are. – O
g. It is cheaper to buy mobile phones online. F
h. People should be encouraged to eat vegetarian food.-O

Question 10.
Read the following paragraphs and identify the facts and opinions. List them in your Activity Log.
Answer:
Facts: You can travel around the country in Shinkansen (bullet) train. They connect major cities in Japan. They are nick named bullet trains because they go very fast and have pointed noses like a bullet. They have great speed and punctuality. They are comfortable. All the seats face forward, and there is plenty of leg room. Only a few accidents have taken place in their history and no deaths. They are expensive. Train stations are in the middle of the city.

Opinion: A ticket to travel to another city can cost almost as much as an airline ticket would. It is often convenient to take a bullet train instead of flying because you will arrive exactly where you want to be.

Question 11.
Now find out 3 facts and 3 opinions from the interview with Irfan Alam.
Answer:
Facts: a) Rickshaw pullers get greater incomes,
b) They are insured against accidents,
c) Their wives and children get free evening classes at Sammaan Gyaan.

Opinions: a) Rickshaws have a great future,
b) One has to take calculated risks to achieve his dream,
c) It is with the blessing of his mentors and well-wishers that he carries his journey forward.

Activity VI (Understanding Idioms)

An idiom is a combination of words in common use that has a figurative meaning. Study the idioms given on page 103.

Let’S Practise

Question 12.
Look at the following sentences. The words/phrases underlined are idioms. Rewrite the sentences in plain English.
Answer:
a. Go back to square one = return to the starting point
b. A ballpark number = roughly accurate number
c. Big picture = a complete view
d. Change of pace = bring some variety in life
e. Get down to business = to get serious
f. Ground-breaking = innovative
g. In a nutshell = In short
h. Under the table = secretly (paying bribes)
i. Thinking out of the box = thinking freely
j. Stay on your toes = Stay alert

Question 13.
Read the following. The underlined words/ phrases can be rewritten with some common idiomatic expressions in English. Choose the appropriate idioms from the box below to replace them and rewrite the sentences. You may change forms, if necessary.
Answer:
a. Once in a blue moon
b. Sitting on the fence
c. The last straw
d. Add insult to injury
e. Missed the boat

Activity VII (Phrasal Verbs)

Question 14.
Read the following passage. It tells about some important events in the life of Irfan Alam. Fill in the blanks choosing the appropriate phrasal verb from the brackets and complete the passage.
Answer:
Irfan was brought up in a village in Bihar. At a very small age he entered into stock trading business and made up for his father’s losses in stock market. Later, Irfan set up his own portfolio management firm.

Phrasal Verbs: A phrasal verb is a verb followed by a preposition or an adverb; the combination creates a meaning different from the original verb alone.

To get – to obtain
To get together – to meet

Question 15.
Here are some more phrasal verbs used frequently. Use them to fill in the blanks. You may change the form if necessary.
Answers:

Breakout
Look forward to
Run out
Keep up
Called off
Put up with
Made up
Carried away
Do without
Passed away

Activity VIII (Loanwords)

Question 16.
You have now come across the word ‘entrepreneur’. This word is borrowed from the French word ‘entreprendre’ which means to undertake’. Such words are called Loan words as they are borrowed from other languages.

The following words from the interview are also borrowed from other languages. Can you find out their origins? Use your dictionary and complete the table.
Answer:

Loan word	Pronunciation	Word of origin	Meaning of the original	Language of origin
Biscuit	bis.kit	bescuit	Twice cooked	French
Etiquette	eti.ket	estiquet	label	French
Rickshaw	rik.sha	rickshaw	a two wheeled vehicle	India
Mentor	men .tor	mentor	counsellor	Greek
Portfolio	portfolio	portafoglio	a file to carry	Italian
Traffic .	tra.fik	trafic	movement	French

Here are some loan words which we often use:
Bureau, guru, yoga, chef, cuisine, amorous, omniscient, pyjamas, raja, coolie

Activity IX (Let’s Edit)

Question 17.
Correcting the e-mail sent by Aijun.
(Hint: tenses, prepositions and articles)
Answer:
Dear Sir,
My name is Arjun. I am a Plus Two student in a reputed school at Thrissur, I am in the Commerce Stream, with Maths and Computer Science as my optional subjects. I had secured A Grade in all subjects in my Plus One Exam and I expect to score even better in the Plus Two exam.

I am writing this mail because I can’t decide what course to choose for my higher education. I am good at computer and I like Statistics. I like English also and I read a lot.

Could you please tell me what kind of career would suit me and which course I should choose for my graduation? Please reply at the earliest as I am really anxious about my future.

Yours sincerely,
Arjun

Question 18.
After sending Ms mail, Arjun discusses his confusions with his friend, Robin, who is a college student Here is the conversation between the two. However, the punctuations in the following conversation are missing. Punctuate appropriately and rewrite the conversation.
Answer:
Arjun: Hello Robin!
Robin: Hi Arjun! What’s up?
Arjun: Nothing much, buddy! I’m a bit confused
these days.
Robin: Confused? Why? What’s the matter?
Arjun: You knowthat I’m completing my Plus Two this year. So, I’m confused about what to do next.
Robin: Oh, I understand! So, have you come to
some conclusions?
Arjun: Not yet. I’m not much aware of the different
curses and careers suitable for me.
Robin: Oh really! Then why don’t you seek advice from some career counsellors? They could give you suggestions based on aptitude tests.
Arjun: Yeah. I’ve already sent an email to a counsellor. Hope he would reply soon.
Robin: That’s good. Even I joined this course after some counselling sessions.
Arjun: Oh! Is it so? Then I think I did the right thing. OK Robin! Bye then!
Robin: Bye Arjun! See you and let me know your decision.
Arjun: OK! See you!

Read And Reflect

Question 1.
There are people daring enough to go to any extent to pursue their dreams. For them, success is not just about money and popularity; it is beyond. Many young people are into social enterprises which demand a lot of commitment and hard work. They reach out to the community in their own way and try to make a difference. For them, success means happiness forthemselves and for others. Here is a true story of a girl, as narrated by her.)

Three Wheeled Revolution (Interview) Edumate Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Even extraordinary personalities like Irfan Alam or Shaheen Mistry may be criticized. Imagine that you happened to read such a biog entry severly criticising both of them and you are deeply upset with some of the points in the blog post. Now prepare a short article commenting on the blog post on Irfan Alam and Shaheen Mistry.
Answer:
Destructive Criticism
I am deeply upset about a recent blog post against extraordinary personalities like Irfan Alam and Shaheen Mistry. To a reasonable reader both of them are doing laudable things and there is no reason why anyone should criticise their activities. Irfan Alam is an entrepreneur who changed the lives of many people through his innovative enterprise. He found that the lives of rickshaw pullers in India were quite miserable. There are some 10 million rickshaws operating in India.

Most of the rickshaw pullers don’t own the rickshaws. They hire the rickshaw for Rs. 30 or 40 per day. Irfan Alam founded an organization called SammaaN which would help rickshaw pullers to get bank loans to get their own rickshaws. The rickshaw pullers were also taught how to make some extra money, by allowing advertisements in the rickshaws and selling items like water, fruit juice, and prepaid cards for phones in the rickshaws. Irfan has thus made the lives of rickshaw pullers and their families better.

Shaheen Mistry is a social activist and educator. She is the founder of Akanksha Foundation. She is also the CEO of Teach for India since 2008. Moved by the sorry plight of slum children who had no facilities for education,’ Shaheen Mistry found Akanksha. Its basic principle is providing underprivileged children with opportunities for learning. Akanksha wants the classroom to be just a safe place for the children where they can forget, at least for some time, their troubles at home and study and also enjoy. Akanksha came into existence in 1991. Now it has more than 3500 children, with 58 centres and 6 schools.

Thus we see both Irfan Alam and Shaheen Mistry are doing some laudable services to the society. But the blogger seems to be unhappy with what they are doing. He says that selling things in rickshaws reduces the business of the shopkeepers and the centres and schools run by Akanksha reduce admissions in private schools. I strongly believe that this blogger is an agent of big shopkeepers and school managers who want to exploit people.

I would say to Irfan Alam and Shaheen Mistry to continue with their excellent work aimed at the welfare of the society. They should not pay any attention to the destructive critics who are paid agents of profiteers.

Question 2
Don’t you enjoy short trips and tours? Imagine that you made an interesting trip to New Delhi and visited the various historical monuments like the Taj Mahal in Agra, The Red Fort, Indian Parliament etc. After the trip you decide to send an e-mail to your friend sharing your experience of the trip. Draft the e-mail.
Answer:
selinj@hotmail.com
Sub: Trip to New Delhi

Dearest Selin,
At last I was able to make the trip to New Delhi. From Nedumbassery we took a flight to Delhi. It took about 4 hours to reach Delhi. Since we reached Delhi around 8 in the evening, we straightaway went to a hotel near the airport. It is an expensive hotel but since our stay there was only for one day, we did not mind the expenses. We had a scrumptious dinner and we went to bed early.

Next day we had an early breakfast and then we went to see the Red Fort. Red Fort is a historical fort. It was the main residence of the emperors of the Mughal dynasty for nearly 200 years, until 1857. It is wonderful to see. From there we went to see the Parliament buildings. The construction of buildings took six years and the opening ceremony was performed on 18 January 1927 by the then Governor-General of India, Irwin. The parliament is 560 feet (170 m) in diameter and covers an area of 6 acres (2.4 ha). The Central hall consists of the chambers of Lok sabha, Rajya Sabha and the Library hall. Surrounding these three chambers is the four- storeys circular structure providing accommodations for members and houses Parliamentary committees, offices and the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs. We returned to the city for the night and went to hotel in Connaught Place.

The following day.we went to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna river. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is really a wonder and you ought to see it to enjoy its beauty. No wonder Tagore described it as the “tear-drop on the cheek of time”. In the evening we took a bus to Delhi and stayed in a hotel forthe night. Next day morning we started our journey home by train. It was wonderful trip and I will never forget it.

Say Hi to all at home!
Rosy

Question 3.
Read the following sentences from A Three Wheeled Revolution’.
“There are several other benefits on which we cannot put a monetary value. Rikshaw pullers now have a sense of belonging and empowerment”.
Now, attempt the questions given below.
a) Who makes these statements?
b) What does the word “monetary” mean in this context?
c) List and explain some of the initiatives undertaken by the speaker to empower the rickshaw
Answer:
a) Irfan Alam
b) financial/economic
c) The SammaN Foundation runs evening classes called SammaN Gyan. These classes are attended by the wives and children of rickshaw pullers. The foundation also engages in a lot of trading activities like selling water, juice, prepaid phone cards etc. to the passengers in the rickshaw. SammaN has an RD Wing researching on solar-powered fibreglass rickshaws

Question 4.
Great people are always very positive in their attitude and take a lot of risks to achieve their goals. Shaheen Mistry and Irfan Alam are people of this kind. What is your view on taking a positive attitude, setting a goal in life and working hard to achieve it? Share your views in a paragraph.
Answer:
Great people are always very positive in their attitude and take a lot of risks to achieve their goals. Irfan Alam made the life of rickshaw pullers meaningful with his SammaN foundation. Shaheen Mistry brought education to thousands of the underprivileged children who would have been left out of the mainstream society without her help. It is such people that help the world to progress. I too have a very positive attitude. I love and respect people who set a goal in their lives and work hard to achieve it. I remember the words of Abdul Kalam to dream high and strive to achieve it.

In English they say ‘No pain no gain’. Those who want to get pre’cious gems have to dive deeper in the sea. Without taking risks nobody can achieve great things. Failure is an inevitable forerunner to success. I am always reminded of the story of Robert Bruce, the king of Scotland who learned his lesson from a spider. He had lost his kingdom and had run away to a forest. There he was sitting and brooding. He then noticed a spider sitting on a stone trying to connect the other end of its gossamer to a stone that was a bit away. It jumped. It failed. Bruce was watching. Again it jumped and failed again.

It succeeded only on the 8th jump. Bruce thought: “If this lowly spider can continue jumping even after 7 failures, why not I try again to get back my kingdom?” He went back, organized his army and fought well and drove away his enemies and became the king once again. Great people don’t give up so easily!

Question 5.
You have read the interview with Irfan Alam, the founder of SammaaN Foundation. You are deeply impressed with his creative ideas in transforming the lives of the rickshaw pullers. Now prepare an e¬mail to congratulate Irfan Alam and suggest a few more ways to make rickshwas more profitable.
Answer:
irfanalamsamman@hotmail.com

Dear Irfan,
Congrats! You have been doing a wonderful job in ameliorating the lives of the rickshaw pullers and their families. You have made them dignified citizens, proud of their profession. Your starting “Gyan SammaN’ to educate the wives and children of the rickshaw pullers was an excellent idea. It is good to know that SammaN’s RD Wing is researching into the possibility of making fibre glass rickshaws. I know that there are advertisement spaces in the arickshaws and they are selling water, juice and prepaid phone cards to the passengers in the rickshaw. To make the rickshaw pullers earn more money I suggest that you start selling stationery and cosmetics in the rickshaws. They can also undertake home delivery of goods from shops to various homes.

Question 6.
Read the sentence given below:
“An entrepreneur is one who identifies an opportunity and puts in conscious efforts to make it an enterprise”.
Now, answer the questions given below.
a) Who is the speaker?
b) What is your opinion about beginning a start up business?
c) Do you have any4nteresting plan for a start up? Explain.
Answer:
a) Irfan Alam.
b) I have a positive opinion about it. There are very many commercial and engineering graduates who go from place to place looking for jobs. But they can’t find easy jobs. To accommodate such people, it is better to begin a start up business.
c) A start-up is an entrepreneurial venture which is typically a newly emerged, fast-growing business that aims to meet a marketplace need by developing or offering an innovative product, process or service. A start-up is usually a company such as a small business, a partnership or an organization designed to rapidly develop a scalable business model.

I have a plan for a start-up which can market e-school solutions. “E-school solutions’’ is a software that will assist school management and parents. The school management can easily record attendances, fee payments, marks for the various examinations, attendance of staff, their salaries, their promotions and things like that. Parents can log in with a password and see how the children are progressing in their studies.

Question 7.
A small paragraph on TIME MANAGEMENT prepared by a student is given below. There are a few mistakes in it. Identify them and write the correct form.

Time is most precious than money. Money lose can be regained, but time once lost is lost forever. Time and tide waits for no one. A lost opportunity may spoil one’s life. Those who doesn’t act in time would repent afterwards.
Answer:

Incorrect	Correct
most precious	more precious
lose	lost
waits	wait
doesn’t	don’t

Three Wheeled Revolution (Interview) Summary in English

“I am a simple human being but a big dreamer. I come from rural India and I am passionate about entrepreneurship. I love ideas and innovation. I was enterprising since my childhood.”

Three Wheeled Revolution Interviewer

Congratulations on your achievement When and how did you conceive this idea?
Irfan Alam: I was 17 at that time. I was travelling in a rickshaw and in the middle of the journey I was very thirsty.

I asked the rickshaw puller if he had any water. He said he did not have because it was expensive to get bottles of water and stack them. Immediately I thought there was a market for selling water bottles in the rickshaws. The very next day I talked to 5 rickshaw pullers and gave them 8 bottles of water each. I told them the profit would be split between them and me. For each bottle the profit would be Rs. 2. The very first day I got 8 rupees.

I: You were very young when you came up with and executed this idea.
IA: Yes. I think entrepreneurship is in my blood. I had an interest in business from a very early age. During the stock market scam in 1992, my father and many of his friends lost a lot of money. That was when I took interest in the stock market and started researching various companies.

Using my advice, all of my father’s friends recovered their losses. Many of them made profits. This enabled me to start my first portfolio management firm at the age of 13. When my parents found that I was dabbling in the rickshaw sector as well, they asked me to stop doing it and concentrate on my studies. But my interest never went away. I kept reading and researching about this sector all through my college days in Pondichery where I pursued my Master’s of Foreign Trade degree.

I: What was the spark that revived this idea?
In 2006, an Indian TV show called Business Baazigar began an entrepreneur hunt and solicited ideas for new businesses. I entered this contest with a proposal. My idea was to organize the rickshaw sector and make it a profitable venture. I suggested that rickshaws should be redesigned so that the spaces on the vehicles could be sold for advertising and brand promotion. I also suggested that additional incomes could be got by selling water, juice, biscuits, mobile cards and newspapers to the passengers. I won the show and was offered the seed money of Rs. 150 lakhs.

I: Was SammaaN started with this seed money?
IA: No. I realized that the entry barrier to this business was very low. The only way to sustain this business was to get the loyalty of the rickshaw pullers. I wanted to provide them with insurance, ID-cards and uniforms. I wanted to run it as a ‘not-for-profit’ organization. At that time I did not think about any social entrepreneurship. I thought it to be the best way to sustain the business and the easiest way to get banks to give out loans. Since the organizers of the TV show did not agree to this model, I refused to take the seed capital.

IA: As I learned more about the rickshaw pullers, their lives and theirsorrowful condition, it became a social cause. There are some 10 million rickshaws operating in India. Most of the rickshaw pullers don’t own their rickshaws. They take them on rent for about 30 to 40 rupees a day. What they get after paying the rent is hardly enough to maintain their families. They continue at the bottom of the society. I wanted to create an organization that could empower the rickshaw pullers and find a way to increase their incomes. It would be a win-win situation for both. I believe in C.K. Prahlada’s idea that businesses can be successful by targeting the bottom of the pyramid. SammaaN was founded in 2007 with seed money from family and friends.

I: Can you describe the operation model of SammaaN?
When a rickshaw puller approaches SammaaN, a verification process is done. The rickshaw puller is then given training on basic etiquette and traffic rules. Then we help him to get a bank loan for a new rickshaw. In the past banks were reluctant to give loans to this section of people. Now they give because we stand as guarantors. The rickshaw pullers feel empowered because they are pulling their own rickshaws. We also give them accidental and health insurance. Each driver is given an ID card. He has to wear uniform while operating the vehicle. The rickshaw puller now becomes a member of the SammaaN family.

I: How does SammaaN help increase the revenues of the rickshaw pullers? How does SammaaN get its revenues?
SammaaN rickshaws are designed to have plenty of space to display advertisements. Several local and national brands advertise here. The income from advertisement is shared between the rickshaw pullers and the SammaaN. Rickshaw pullers can choose to sell water, fruit juice, pre-paid cards, mobile phones etc. They come to a central rickshaw yard in the morning and load up what they want. At the end of the day the profit is shared between them and SammaaN. The money they get from the passengers is theirs. The incomes of the rickshaw pullers have increased 30 to 40%.

There are other benefits also for which we cannot put any monetary value. Rickshaw pullers now have a sense of belonging and empowerment. Their wives and children attend free evening classes called Sammaan Gyaan. SammaaN has brought dignity to those previously known as menial labourers. SammaaN is profitable. Last fiscal year, it made a profit of 8 lakhs. My mentors emphasize the importance of sustainability.

I: Does SammaaN get directly involved in micro-financing?
No. We just enable the rickshaw pullers to get finance from the banks. Now they pay only the bank loan as instalment and eventually become the owners of the rickshaw.

I: Aren’t cycle rickshaws a dying breed?
Rickshaws are still popular in many parts of the country. In the last 2 to 3 years the number of rickshaws has actually increased in New Delhi by 20%. It is a popular transport to and from the metro stations. I think rickshaws are the vehicles of the future as they are environmental friendly. We have an R&D wing working on a solar- powered fibreglass rickshaw.

I: What were your experiences at the Presidential Entrepreneurship Summit at the USA?

IA: I met some truly great people. I talked to the Nobel Prize Winner Mohammed Yunus. He invited me to Bangladesh to help set up a similar organization for the rickshaw workers there.

I: What is your advice to students on.entrepreneurship? OBRI:
An entrepreneur is one who sees an opportunity and puts conscious efforts to make it an enterprise. People discourage youths from taking this path. It is time that we think of entrepreneurship as a career. It can tackle unemployment in the country. It is important to dream but one has to take calculated risks to achieve your dream.

I: Thank you very much. We wish you the very best foryour unique journey.

(Interview given to Sujata Ramprasad for India Cunents in May 2010, after participating in the Entrepreneurship Summit in Washington.)

About Irfan Alam : He is the founder and chairman of SammaaN Foundation. It is an Indian company which organizes rickshaw pulling sector in Bihar. Samman means respect. He is first to introduce pre-paid cycle.