A Special Gift (Question-Answers)

 A. Answer in brief.

1. Why did Laurie and Jo run about mysteriously?
Ans- Laurie and Jo run about mysteriously because they were playing a game.

2. What news did the March family receive on Christmas Day?
Ans- The March family received the news on Christmas Day that Mr March would soon be with his family.

3. Why did Mrs March hold up her hand with a warning?
Ans- Mrs March hold up her hand with a warning to say, “Hush! Remember Beth!” She reminded everyone to call Beth from the study.

4. How had Mr Brooke helped the family?
Ans- Mr Brooke helped the family by arranging the travel arrangements for Mr March.

5. Why was the sleigh-ride cancelled?
Ans- The sleigh-ride was cancelled because the girls didn’t leave their father.

B. Read these lines from the text and answer the questions.

1. “I think this is the best Christmas ever.”

a. Who said this words to whom?
Ans- Jo said this to Amy. (or everyone)

b. Why did the speaker think so?
Ans- Amy thought this because she got the storybook she had always wanted.

c. What had happened just before the speaker said these words?
Ans- Just before these words of Amy, everyone gathered in the parlour to open their presents.

2. Sometimes in this work-a-day world, things do happen as they do in storybooks and what a comfort it is.

a. How is the ‘work-a-day world’ different from storybooks?
Ans- The ‘work-a-day world’ is different from storybooks as it is related to ordinary life.

b. How does this statement come true in the text?
Ans- This statement come true in the text as everyone was wishing Mr March to be with them on the Christmas Eve. When Laurie opened the parlour door, the family got another present as Mr March finally joined them for Christmas.

c. Explain this line in your own words.
Ans- The above line expresses that sometimes in the ordinary world, we wish for the things to happen as they do in storybooks. We want to believe in the magic of extraordinary things and it is a great comfort.

 

A Special Gift (Word-Meanings)

                                               Lesson-4

                                           A Special Gift
                                   (New) Word-Meanings

	Word	Meaning
1.	excerpt	a short extract taken from a text
2.	hedge	a fence or boundary
3.	maiden	a young woman
4.	popped	to strike or knock
5.	startled	to jump or move suddenly
6.	clung	to hold (past form of cling)
7.	tripped	to walk with quick steps
8.	wobbly	shaking
9.	sleigh-ride	an open horse-drawn vehicle to be used on snow
10.	gratitude	to be grateful
11.	attic	a room
12.	groaning	sound conveying pain

 

 

Just Shoot (Word-Meanings)

 

Note: For full explanation of the Chapter refer to the above video.

                                

                                                Lesson-5
                                              Just Shoot!
                                   (New) Word-Meanings

	Word	Meaning
1.	open-topped	which is open from above
2.	ripping	to tear
3.	bouncing	active
4.	stiff	not easily bent
5.	spine	backbone
6.	erect	alert
7.	snarls	to make complicated
8.	growls	to utter a sharp sound
9.	roar	to shout with full force
10.	threatening	expressing danger
11.	bellies	stomach
12.	twitching	to move or pull with a sudden motion
13.	backed off	back out
14.	shakily	lacking stability
15.	squeezed	to exert pressure

 

Just Shoot! (Question-Answers)

 

Note: For full explanation of the Chapter refer to the above video.

A. Answer in brief.

1. How did the narrator know that two lions had just passed by?
Ans- The narrator knew that two lions had just passed by because he saw fresh lion tracks on the dirt road they were using.

2. Why did the narrator move away from the vehicle?
Ans- The narrator moved away from the vehicle to follow the tracks and to see them closely along the soft dust of the road.

3. What made the narrator realise that he had been stupid?
Ans- The narrator realised that he had been stupid as he kept walking without thinking about how far he was going from the vehicle.

4. Why did the narrator feel naked and cold?
Ans- The narrator had seen Martina and her sister ripping other animals to pieces on several occasions. When they were going towards the narrator, he felt naked and cold.

5. Why was the roar that the narrator gave less than threatening?
Ans- The roar that the narrator gave was less than threatening because he wanted to control the situation without making the lions angry.

C. Read these lines from the text and answer the questions.

1. On our last drive together, I saw fresh lion tracks on the dirt road we were using.

a. Who does ‘we’ refer to?
Ans- The author and his group.

b. What did the narrator do on seeing the ‘fresh lion tracks’?
Ans- The narrator stepped out of the vehicle to take a better look on seeing the ‘fresh lion tracks.’

c. Who did the ‘tracks’ belong to?
Ans- The ‘tracks’ belonged to the two adult female lions and their cubs.

2. While I suddenly realised how stupid I was, the lions came at me.

a. How had the narrator acted stupidly?
Ans- The narrator kept on moving towards the tracks, without thinking about how far he was going from the vehicle.

b. Why did the lions go towards him?
Ans- The lions went towards him because they sensed some danger with the presence of the narrator and his group.

c. What did the narrator do to make the lions hesitate?
Ans- The narrator managed to roar with menace in it and the lions hesitated and ran away.

The Solitary Reaper (Word-Meanings & Question-Answers)

                                              Poem - 2

                                      The Solitary Reaper 
                                    (New) Word-Meanings

	Word	Meaning
1.	highland	mountains
2.	reaping	to harvest
3.	binds	to wrap with something
4.	weary bands	tired travellers
5.	shady haunt	a place with shade from trees
6.	ne’er	never
7.	whate’er	whatever
8.	o’er	over
9.	mounted up	going up the mountains
10.	bore	to hold in the mind or emotions

 

Question & answers-

A. Answer these questions.

1. What was the reaper doing when the speaker first saw her?
Ans- The solitary reaper who resides in the Highlands was reaping in the field. She was also singing a song in a sad tone.

2. Why does the speaker seem unsure about whether he wants to stay or move on?
Ans- The poet was fascinated by the melodious song of the solitary reaper. The girl was busy in her work and the poet didn’t want to disturb her. That’s why the poet was unsure about whether he wants to stay or move on to his journey.

3. Why does the speaker compare the reaper’s song to that of the nightingale and the cuckoo?
Ans- The solitary reaper's song was sweeter than the song sung by the nightingale or the cuckoo bird. The poet compares the solitary reaper's song to that of a nightingale or a cuckoo bird. He says that the solitary reaper’s song is as much welcoming to the heart as that of a nightingale’s song to a weary traveller. He says that it induces as much thrill in the atmosphere as that of a cuckoo bird announcing the arrival of the spring time.

4. Why is the speaker not sure about the theme of the song? What are the alternatives he suggests?
Ans- The “solitary Highland Lass” is singing a song in a language that the speaker is not familiar with. It might be in a different language or an unfamiliar regional dialect. This is why the speaker is not sure about the theme of the song. The poet guessed that it might be about some “old, unhappy, far-off things,” or “battles long ago.” It could also be about “some more humble lay” or some day-to-day “familiar matter.” The song may or may not be about the subjects he imagines, but it’s certainly about “some natural sorrow, loss or pain.”

5. I listened, motionless and still;
  And, as I mounted up the hill,
 The music in my heart I bore,
 Long after it was heard no more.

a. How did the speaker feel as he walked away from the scene?
Ans- The speaker felt extreme happiness as he walked away from the scene.

b. Did the song affect the speaker greatly?
Ans- Yes, the song affected the speaker greatly. By listening to the song of solitary reaper the poet was left spell bound. He was lost in the melodious notes of song. The effect was that even though the poet mounted up the hill but he felt that the song was still echoing in his heart.

B. Think and answer.

1. What does the word ‘melancholy’ tell you about the solitary singer?
Ans- The poet refers to the girl's song as a "melancholy strain"; melancholy means sad, and strain is another word for tune or melody, so the poem is referring to the girl's song as a sad song. The poet feels that the girl is probably sad because she is working alone or she is remembering some past events of natural sorrow, loss or pain.