UK Board 9 Class English – (Reading) – Unseen Comprehension

Q. 1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

It was very hot in the court-room. Everybody was feeling sleepy. After a tiring morning, the clerks were anxious to get off to lunch. Even the judge seemed relieved when the last case came up before the court. A short middle-aged man with grey hair and small blue eyes was now standing before him. The man had a foolish expression on his face and he kept looking stupidly as if he was trying hard to understand what was going on. The man was accused of breaking into the house and stealing a cheap watch. The witness who was called did not give a very clear account of what had happened. He claimed to have seen the man outside the house one night, but on being questioned further, he confessed that he was not sure whether this was the man. The judge considered the matter for some time and said that as there was no real proof, the man could not be found guilty of any crime. He said that the case was dismissed and then he rose to go. Meanwhile the accused looked very puzzled and said suddenly, “Excuse me, Sir, but do I have to give the watch back or not?”

[Difficult words : tiring = उबाने वाली ; to get off = कार्य छोड़कर जाने के लिए; relieved = राहत की साँस ली; middle-aged – अधेड़ उम्र का ; expression = भाव; stupidly = मूर्खता से; was accused = दोषी था; breaking into = सेंधमारी करना; account = स्पष्टीकरण; confessed = अपराध स्वीकार किया; guilty = दोषी; crime = अपराध; puzzled = उलझन में था ।]

(a) Why did the judge feel relieved when the last case came up?

(b) What did the last person facing the judge look like?

(c) What was the charge against the man?

(d) Did the judge find the man guilty? Why/why not?

(e) Was the man facing trial guilty or innocent ? Give a reason for your answer.

(a) The judge felt relieved when the last case came up because it had been a hot and tiring day.

(b) This man had a rather foolish expression on his face and he kept looking stupidly as if he was trying hard to understand what was going on around him.

(c) The man was accused of breaking into a house and stealing a cheap watch.

(d) The judge did not find the man guilty because there was no real proof against him. The witness was not sure if this was the man he had seen outside the house.

(e) The man facing the trial was guilty because he had the watch in his possession.

(a) comforted; felt pleased. that something unpleasant has ended

(b) admitted something that one felt embarrassed about

(a) The word ‘relieved’ means comforted; felt pleased that something unpleasant has ended.

(b) The word ‘confessed’ means admitted something that one felt embarrassed about.

The great advantage of early rising is the good start it gives us in our day’s work. The early riser has done a large amount of hard work before other men have got out of bed. In the early morning the mind is fresh and there are few sounds or other disturbances, so that work done at that time is generally well done. In many cases the early riser also finds time to take some exercise in the fresh morning air, and this exercise supplies him with a fund of energy that will last until the evening. By beginning so early, he knows that he has plenty of time to do thoroughly all the work he can be expected to do, and is not tempted to hurry over any part of it. All his work being finished in good time, he has a long interval of rest in the evening before the timely hour when he goes to bed. He gets to sleep several hours before midnight, at the time when sleep is most refreshing and after a sound night’s rest, rises early next morning in good health and spirits for the labours of a new day.

(a) How does early rising give a good start?

(b) Why is the work done in the morning generally better?

(c) What is the advantage of exercise?

(d) Why does the early riser not have to hurry up?

(e) When is the sleep most refreshing?

(a) The early riser finishes a lot of his work before the other people get up. Thus he begins his. day’s work in a good way.

(b) In the early morning, mind is fresh and the atmosphere, quiet. So the work done in the early morning is better than that which is done later in the day.

(c) The exercise taken in the fresh morning air gives energy which remains and works the whole day.

(d) The early riser does not have to hurry up because he has a lot of time at his disposal to do his day’s work well.

(e) The sleep is most refreshing before midnight.

(a) Things that divert someone’s attention.

(b) Enticed (someone) to do something against his better judgement.

(a) The word ‘disturbances’ means things that. divert someone’s attention.

(b) The word ‘tempted’ means enticed (someone) to do something against his better judgement

Television is one of the most prevalent media influences in kids’ lives. Over the past two decades, hundreds of studies have examined how violent programming on TV affects children and young people. While a direct “cause and effect” link is difficult to establish, there is a growing consensus that some children may be vulnerable to violent images and messages. TV can de-sensitise children to violence as some of the most violent TV shows are children’s cartoons, in which violence is portrayed as humorous. Moreover, it is seldom that realistic consequences of violence are shown.

TV viewing is a secondary activity, and has been proven to be a significant factor in childhood obesity. As well as encouraging a sedentary lifestyle, television can also contribute to childhood obesity by aggressively marketing junk food to young audiences.

Parents should also pay close attention to what their children see in the news since studies have shown that kids are more afraid of violence in news coverage than in any other media content. Fear based on real news events increases as children get older and are better able to distinguish fantasy from reality.

(a) What do the studies made on TV viewing reveal?

(b) What is a growing consensus about the television’s impact on kids?

(c) How does TV de-sensitise children to violence?

(d) How does TV viewing lead to obesity in children?

(e) Why should parents pay a close attention to TV news viewing by children?

(a) The studies made on TV viewing reveal that the violent programming on TV affects children and young people.

(b) A growing consensus is that some children may be vulnerable to violent images and messages.

(c) TV can de-sensitise children to violence as:

(i) some of the most violent TV shows are children’s cartoons, in which violence is portrayed as humorous.

(ii) it is rather seldom that realistic consequences of violence is shown.

(d) (i) TV viewing is a sedentary activity, and has been proven to be a significant factor in childhood obesity.

(ii) TV also aggressively markets junk food to the young audiences thus contributing to childhood obesity.

(e) Parents should pay a close attention to TV news viewing by children because the violence in news coverage can make children feel scared.

(a) widespread

(b) make someone less responsive to

(a) The words ‘most widespread. prevalent’ means

(b) The word ‘de-sensitise’ means make someone less responsive to.

If you have a cat, you are sure to have at least one piece of furniture bearing scars of your pet’s furious scratching sprees. But did you ever wonder why your cat scratches and tears your furniture ?

People believe cats tear furniture to sharpen their claws. While this is true, it is not true in the way most people imagine. Sharpening of claws in cats is really the ‘shedding of worn out sheaths to reveal glistening new claws underneath, and not the sharpening of blunted points. Sometimes, running your hands over the place torn by your cat will reveal a claw that you might think has been ripped out accidentally. In fact, it is the old outer layer that was ready to be discarded. It simply falls off when the cat scratches against a rough surface. Interestingly, cats do not employ this powerful ‘stropping’ action with their hind feet. Instead, they use their teeth to chew off the old outer castings from their hinds claws. Stropping is limited to the front feet.

Another important purpose of stropping with the front feet is to exercise and strengthen the claws, vital in catching prey, fighting rivals and climbing. It also helps in marking space. There are scent glands in the underside of the cat’s front paws and these are rubbed vigorously against the fabric of the furniture being clawed.

(a) What is the general belief of people about cats?

(b) What is stropping?

(c) How do cats remove old castings from their hind claws?

(d) How do cats use their strengthened claws?

(e) Where are the scent glands found in the cat?

(a) People generally believe that cats tear furniture to sharpen their claws.

(b) Stropping is the act of sharpening of claws of the front feet by the cats. Thus they shed worn out sheaths to reveal shining new claws underneath.

(c) Cats use their teeth to chew off the old outer castings from their hind claws.

(d) Cats use their strenthened claws for catching prey, fighting their rivals and climbing.

(e) The scent glands are found in the underside of the cat’s front paws.

(a) rejected

(b) energetically

(a) The word ‘discarded’ means rejected.

(b) The word ‘vigorously’ means energetically.

In his ashram one of the boys told him something that he believed, but he later found out that the boy had lied to him. Gandhiji called the school together and solemnly said: “Boys, I am sorry to find out that one of you is a liar. As punishment, I am going to fast today.” That may be passed with a smile, but not if you know the deadly earnestness of Gandhiji and the sheer moral weight of the man. There could not have been a more terrific punishment, for long after any physical pain from physical punishment would have died away there would persist the spiritual pain from the lashings of conscience awakened by the sufferings of the man who loved him. In the light of Gandhiji’s acting thus, it becomes easy for us to step up from the thought that if one man would take on himself suffering to bring a boy back from a lie to the truth, then if there were One divine enough and holy enough, he might take on His soul the very sin of a whole race to bring us back to good and to God.

-Dr. E. Stanley Jones

(a) Why did Gandhiji punish himself and how?

(b) What two qualities of Gandhiji’s character have been brought out in the passage?

(c) Which is greater-a physical pain or a spiritual pain? Why?

(d) Who can bring the whole race back to good and to God? How?

(a) Gandhiji punished himself by keeping fast as there was a liar in his ashram.

(b) (i) Gandhiji’s deadly earnestness.

(ii) Gandhiji’s sheer moral weight.

(c) A spiritual pain is greater than a physical pain. A physical pain dies away after sometime. A spiritual pain continues from the lashings of one’s conscience.

(d) If there is someone very divine and very holy and he takes on his soul the very sin of a whole race, it can be brought back to good and God.

(a) intense seriousness

(b) act of hitting somebody with a whip as a punishment.

(a) The phrase ‘deadly earnestness’ means intense seriousness.

(b) The word ‘lashings’ means act of hitting somebody with a whip as a punishment.

Trees give shade for the benefit of others and while they themselves stand in the sun and endure scorching heat, they produce the fruit by which others profit. The character of good men is like that of trees. What is the use of this perishable body, if no use of it is made for the benefit of mankind? Sand..lwood-the more it is rubbed the more scent does it yield. Sugarcane-the more it is peeled and cut into pieces, the more juice does it produce. Gold-the more it is burnt, the more brightly does it shine. The men who are noble at heart do not lose these qualities even in losing their lives. What does it matter whether men praise them or not? What difference does it make whether riches abide with them or not? What does it signify whether they die at this moment or whether their lives are prolonged? Happen what may, those who tread in the right path will not set foot in any other. Life itself is unprofitable to a man who does not live for others. To live for the mere sake of living one’s life is to live the life of dogs and cows. Those who lay down their lives for the sake of a friend, or even for the sake of a stranger, will assuredly dwell forever in a world of bliss.

(a) How do the trees live?

(b) Why does the writer compare the character of good men to that of trees?

(c) Who live the life of dogs and cows?

(d) Who always live in a world of bliss?

(e) What qualities of sandalwood, sugarcane and gold are brought out in the passage?

(a) Trees give shade and produce fruit for the use of others.

(b) The writer compares the character of good men to that of trees for both live for the benefit of others.

(c) They, who do not live for others and only live for the sake of living, live the life of dogs and COWS.

(d) Those who sacrifice their life for the sake of a friend or even for the sake of a stranger always live in a world of bliss..

(e) The more sandalwood is rubbed, the more scent it yields. The more sugarcane is peeled and cut into pieces, the more juice it produces. The more gold is burnt, the more brightly it shines.

(a) perishable

(b) quite certainly

(a) The word ‘mortal’ means perishable.

(b) The word ‘assuredly’ means quite certainly.

Why don’t I have a telephone? Not because I pretend to be wise or pose as unusual. There are two chief reasons because I don’t really like the telephone and because I find I can still work and play, eat, breathe, and sleep without it. Why don’t I like the telephone? Because I think it is a time-waster. It may create unnecessary suspense and anxiety, as when you wait for an expected call that doesn’t come; or delay as when you keep dialling a number that is always engaged. As for speaking in a public telephone box, that seems to me really horrible. You would not use it unless you were in a hurry, and because you are in a hurry, you will find other people waiting before you. When you do get into the box, you are half choked by stale air, full of the smell of cheap face powder and chain-smoking; and by the time you have begun your conversation your back is fixed by the cold looks of somebody who are trying to take your place.

(a) What are the two reasons for author’s not having a telephone?

(b) What is the disadvantage of having a telephone?

(c) What happens when one is in a hurry to telephone at a public booth?

(d) What do the other persons waiting to telephone start doing when you begin talking on the telephone?

(e) Why are you half choked when you get in the box?

(a) Reasons:

(i) The author does not really like the telephone.

(ii) The author thinks the telephone a time- waster.

(b) Telephone creates unnecessary suspense and anxiety and causes delay.

(c) When one is in a hurry to telephone at a public booth, one finds other people waiting before him.

(d) When you begin talking on the telephone, other persons waiting to telephone start fixing cold looks on your back.

(e) When you get into the box, you are half choked by stale air which is full of the smell of cheap face powder and chain-smoking.

(i) a stale or feeling of excited or anxious uncertainty about what may happen.

(ii) causing or likely to cause horror.

(i) The word ‘suspense’ means a stale or feeling of excited or anxious uncertainty about what may happen.

(ii) The word ‘horrible’ means causing or likely to cause horror.

I was seven years old. I had lived at the same place for all of my life, but we were moving. We were moving. from the farm with all of its animals, with its memories of searching for chicken eggs, and with the black and white cows that had to be milked each day. We were going from the place of scrub pines, of pastures, of irrigation ditches to an unknown, unknowable place, far, far away. We had worked hard to get ready. Finally, day piled all of us into the car. As we began to drive away. I looked out of the rear window of the car. As I looked back, I saw my dog, and my cats. I could not see my horse. I asked my father what would happen to these pets. All that dad could tell me was that they had to remain there, that they could not come with us. There was no explanation-merely the declaration that we must go. I was bitterly disappointed, so disappointed that this memory is still seared into me, forty-three years later. Why could my father not change this? I could not understand then, but I do now. But I still do not understand why there was no explanation.

(a) What chores did the young child have to perform at the farm?

(b) What was his regret about moving away from the farm?

(c) What explanation did he seek from his dad?

(d) Why did the child find his father’s reply unsatisfactory?

(e) What were the child’s feelings as he left the farm? Why?

(a) The young child had to gather eggs and milk the cows at the farm.

(b) His regret was that he would miss his pets his cats, dog and horse.

(c) He asked his dad as to what would happen to his pets.

(d) His father did not offer any explanation. All he said was to declare that the pets had to remain at the farm and could not leave with them.

(e) The child was very disappointed as he left the farm because he could not understand why his father could not change the situation.

(a) burnt permanently on the writer’s memories.

(b) announcement, assertion.

(a) The word ‘seared’ means burnt permanently on the writer’s memories.

(b) The word ‘declaration’ means announcement, assertion.

Since the dawn of creation people have considered the lion as a wonderful animal. The male lion looks so majestic and strong that he has been called the king of all wild animals. People admire the lion so much that he has found an important place in the art and literature of the world.

Long ago lions were found everywhere in India. But today they are confined only to the Gir forest of Kathiawar. There, too, their number has considerably declined.

What happened to all the lions that lived all over India? There are many reasons why the lion population has gone down. But the main cause is the indiscriminate killing of lions. Hunting and killing of lions has always been considered a great sport and some people, particularly the upper classes, were very fond of it. It is said that a British official killed four hundred lions in a few years in central India. ‘

Another reason for the fall in the number of lion is said to be the coming of tigers to India. They came from Siberia through China. Tigers were more ferocious, stronger and more cunning than the lions. Tigers and lions could not live together. There were fights between them whenever they met. The tigers always won. So the lions had to run and take refuge in places where there were no tigers. As the tiger population increased, their dominion spread wider and wider. The lions moved further and further away and finally found refuge in the Gir forest of Kathiawar, an area that did not suit the tigers.

The lion belongs to the cat family. Yet the male lion does not look like a cat, mainly because of the mane. A full-grown male lion has a beautiful thick bushy mane, which gives a majestic appearance.

(a) Why is the lion called the king of all wild animals?

(b) How do you say that people admire the lion?

(c) Give two reasons for the decline of the lion population in India?

(d) Why are the lions found in the Gir forest only?

(e) Why doesn’t the male lion look like a cat?

(a) The lion is called the king of all wild animals because it looks very majestic and strong.

(b) People admire the lion so much that he has found an important place in the art and literature of the world.

(c) Reasons for the decline of the lion population in India:

(i) the main cause is the indiscriminate killing of lions for sport.

(ii) another reason is the coming of tigers to India. Tigers were more ferocious, stronger and more cunning. There were fights between them whenever they met.

(d) As the tiger population increased, the lions moved away and finally found refuge in the Gir forests, an area that did not suit the tigers.

(e) The male lion doesn’t look a cat because of his beautiful thick bushy mane.

(a) fierce, cruel and violent.

(b) having cleverness in deceiving.

(a) ferocious

(b) cunning.

When I was twenty years old I had my first long trip. With an older friend, I visited the south Island of New Zealand. One of our plans was to spend two days at a famous tourist resort. “The Hermitage”, right in the heart of the giant peaks of the southern Alps.

We had a magnificent drive through the mountains and arrived at the Hermitage in the early afternoon. It was a perfect day and the great peaks around seemed to tower over our heads. I looked on them with a growing feeling of excitement-the great rock walls, the hanging glaciers and the avalanche- strewn slops. And then strangely, stirred by it all I felt restless far action and decided to go for a walk. I set off towards the Sealy Range, which I could see high up, behind the hotel. I soon realised it was much farther than I had judged, but for some reason. I kept going on and soon with an astonishing sense of achievement I climbed back down the long slops to the Hermitage.

That evening, as I sat in the lounge, I felt restless and excited. And then the hum of voices suddenly hushed, and I looked up to see two young men coming into the room. They were fit and tanned, they had an unmistakable air of comptenence about them. I could hear a whisper going around the room. “They have just climbed Mount Cook.” And soon they were the centre of an admiring group. It wasn’t until some years later, that I found out that they were Stevenson and Dick, a famous climbing partnership, and they had just completed the first Grand Traverse of Mount Cook from North to South.

(a) When did Edmund Hillary go on his first long trip?

(b) What was their plan?

(c) What had inspired the narrator to go on a long walk?

(d) What was the narrator’s experiment in the lounge that evening?

(e) What had they just completed?

(a) Edmund Hillary went on his first long trip at the age of twenty.

(b) Their plan was to spend two days at a famous tourist resort, “The Hermitage”.

(c) The magnificance of the great rock walls, the hanging glaciers and the avalanche-strewn slops inspired the narrator to go on a long walk.

(d) That evening the narrator received the honour being introduced to the two famous climbers-Stevenson and Dick.

(e) They had just completed the first Grand Traverse of Mount Cook from North to South.

(a) splendid

(b) joint venture

(a) The word ‘magnificent’ means splendid.

(b) The word ‘partnership’ means joint venture.

Often students who are very fond of reading books are labelled by their comrades as bookworms. Those disparagements generally come from the mouths of students who consider themselves as being ‘gamesters’. Boys who shine in athletics or in the playing of some game particularly cricket, consider that the games field is a better or nobler arena for their activities and the expenditure of their energies than the classroom or the reading desk. The idea is born out of an inferiority complex inherent in the games-minded students who actually envy their fellows” who shine academically. Academic honours have a glamour which is unique.

It is not to be denied that the playing of games is a worthy activity; it is worthy in the sense that the team spirit can be engendered in the individual only if he has learnt to participate in the playing of games. It is also true that the player does much for society and for his country on the playing field. It is true that the feeling of cooperation can be cultivated in a person only through group activity. But studies should not be sacrificed in order that students devote their time only to the playing of games. It is my observation that those boys who become obsessed with the playing, particularly of cricket, begin to ignore their studies and then their academic ability suffers, as it must.

Let each type of activity have its own place in our daily round and then only, and then alone, will the balanced division of interests produce the individual with a proper perspective of things. Then will we have the student who is both academically good and who can hold his own on the games field. That is the personality that we want our educational system to produce.

(a) What, according to the author, is the main goal of education?

(c) What is the handicap that arises out of over involvement in games?

(d) Why do ‘gamesters’ tend to call academically sound students bookworms?

(e) What, according to the author, are the two qualities that we can acquire through playing games?

(b) What is the writer’s advice on involving oneself in games and sports?

(a) According to the author, the main goal of education is to make the students academically good as well as to make them good in sports.

(b) It is a worthy activity if we balance our interest in sports and academics.

(c) The handicap that arises out of over involvement in games is that students begin to ignore their studies and thus their academic ability suffers.

(d) ‘Gamesters’ tend to call academically sound students bookwords because they envy their fellow students who shine academically and hence develop an inferiority complex.

(e) (i) Sports help to develop a sense of team spirit in the individual and

(ii) through group activity a person develops a feeling of co-operation.

(a) an attractive and exciting quality.

(b) a particular way of regarding something.

(a) The word ‘glamour’ means an attractive and exciting quality.

(b) The word ‘perspective’ means ‘a particular way of regarding something’.

In India working women lead a life of dual resonsibilities if they are married and have a family. In the West many women are hard-headed careerists and are committed to their jobs. Here in India women still have traditional roles to fulfil and prefer a career to avoid domestic drudgery.

There are four categories of working women in India. Some work while they are waiting for matrimony. A majority work because they are qualified, want a second income and a different kind of life for part of the day. A small section consists of career-women. A sizeable section of women are bread-winners.

It is quite apparent that with a majority of working women the family takes precedence over the job. They prefer to stay in joint families where their children can be taken care of while they are at work. When they come back in the evenings from the relatively modern surroundings of their work-spots, their personalities have to undergo a change to accommodate the demands on their time and attention by different family members whose predominant feelings are of having been neglected. These women often do their shopping on the way from office. They reserve their week-ends for heavy housework which will help them to cope with the rest of the week with relatively less tension. Week-ends are also reserved for spending time with their spouses and children, for entertainment, family duties, visits other such endless chores. Actually speaking they hardly have time for personal needs.

Despite the feedom and confidence of their jobs and pay packets, working women still prefer to leave the financial decision-making and budgeting to their husbands.

(a) Why does the author say that Indian working women have dual responsibilities?

(b) Why does the author say that in the West, many women are hard-headed careerists ?

(c) What are the four categories of working women in India?

(d) Why do Indian working women prefer to stay in joint families?

(e) Why do Indian working women do heavy housework during week-ends?

(a) The author says this because besides working, the Indian working women have the responsibility of caring for the family if they are married.

(b) In the West many women are hard-headed careerists because they are committed to their jobs.

(c) (i) those who work while waiting for matrimony.

(ii) those who work because they are qualified and want a second income and a different kind of life.

(iii) those who want to make a career for themselves.

(iv) those who have to run their families.

(d) Indian working women prefer to stay in joint families because their children can be looked after while they work.

(e) Indian working women do heavy housework during week-ends in order to cope with relatively less tension during working days.

(a) hard, menial or dull work

(b) having or exerting control or power.

(a) The word ‘drudgery’ means hard, menial or dull work.

(b) The word ‘predominent’ means having or exerting control or power.

to some It was a pet dream of mine-becoming the chief guest at some inauguration ceremony. Whenever I watched ministers laying foundation stones or lesser mortals scissoring ribbons step into newly-opened showroom, I burned with jealousy. Oh what adulation! What importance! I longed to cut a ribbon or lay the foundation stone of any project even though the project was not likely to be completed in this century, which is usually the case today. But I was not invited to the inauguration of even my village akhara. When I had almost given up hopes, my dream suddenly came true, though not the way I had imagined.

A of couple months back my friendly neighbourhood halwai (who had exploited my weakness for sweetmeats to the hilt and so naturally adored me) informed me that he was going to open a South Indian restaurant near his sweetshop. Since I am not an avid admirer of vada and idli I took in the information with a fair amount of indifference and never thought of it again. except wondering at times how much of the fellow’s profit was due to the steady flow of cool cash from my. purse to his.

Then a week back when I had gone to him for my usual quota of peda and burfi, he declared, “My new shop is opening tomorrow. You must come certainly at six in the evening,” Nodding absent-mindedly 1 returned home and was soon munching pedas with a grudging admiration.

The next day while taking my evening walk, I heard someone come up behind me panting. It was the fatso halwai hollering “babuji”, “babuji”. I got immediately suspicious-was there any shortfall in my payments to him that he was trying to make good? But the halwai, it seemed, had come to escort me to his new shop, the thought of which had completely escaped me.

I was ushered in with a flourish. Now everybody’s gaze was riveted on me; evidently I was the distinguished guest of the evening. – Bibhuti Mishra

(a) What was the pet dream of the author?

(b) Why was the author jealous of other chief guests?

(c) What was the author’s weakness? Who exploited it to the hilt?

(d) What did the author wonder when he was told about the opening of the new restaurant?

(e) When was the author’s dream materialised?

(a) The pet dream of the author was to become the chief guest at some inauguration ceremony.

(b) The author was jealous of other chief guests because of the adulation and importance they received.

(c) The author had a weakness for sweetmeats. His friendly neighbourhood halwai exploited it to the hilt.

(d) When the author was told about the opening of the new restaurant he wondered how much cash he had contributed from his purse as part of the halwai’s profit.

(e) The author’s dream was materialised when one evening he became the chief guest of the halwai to open his new restaurant.

(a) keenly interested

(b) a fat person

(a) The word ‘avoid’ means keenly interested.

(b) The word ‘fatso’ means a fat person.

That morning I awoke to the sound of steady drizzle which sounded like tiny hoof-beats upon the roof. Out of the window the prospect was quite grey and drab. And the truth was apparent to me-the outing that my friends and I had planned for this holiday would definitely be cancelled. There would be no question of that excursion taking place-riding many miles out on bicycles was quite out of the questions in such inclement weather conditions. I was decidedly depressed as I had placed great store upon that excursion taking place. It I was to have been a most exciting outing. But I had to console myself by thinking of the proverb-Man proposes and God disposes.

I lazed in bed for some time longer than it was customary for me to do. Then I got up and had a wash, dressed and went down for breakfast. My mother was already busy about her household chores and she greeted me quite as cheerfully as ever. I did not feel cheerful but there was no point in complaining about something beyond her control or mine. So I sat down to breakfast and made the best of polite conversation between mother and son. After some time she said : “Son, I nearly forgot to tell you that Jimmy phoned up to say that the outing was off on account of the rain. He said that you could arrange it on some other occasion when the weather was not so foul.”

You know what it is like ? Well, I finished breakfast and went back up to my room to sit and decide what I was going to do to keep myself occupied. I swtiched on the record player and listened to some music but it did not appeal much to me that morning. The rain seemed to have dampened my spirits pretty badly. Then for a change, I took from my book shelf a book of poems and tried to concentrate on some of the philosophic thoughts that I discovered therein. But that also did not hold my attention for long.

(a) What did the writer find when he awoke that morning?

(b) The writer says, “And the truth was apparent to me.” What was the truth?

(c) How had rain affected the writer’s spirit?

(d) What did the writer’s mother informed him of?

(e) What were the two ways in which the writer tried to get over his depression?

(a) When the writer awoke that morning, he heard the sound of steady drizzle and the prospect out of the window was quite grey and dull.

(b) The truth was that the outing which his friends and he had planned for that holiday would definitely be cancelled.

(c) The rain had dampened the writer’s spirit and he was feeling extremely depressed because their outing had been cancelled.

(d) The writer’s mother informed him that Jimmy phoned up to say that the outing was off on account of the rain and that the writer could arrange it on some other occasion when the weather was not so foul.

(e) (i) He switched on the record player and listened to some music.

(ii) He took from his book shelf a book of poems and tried to concentrate on it.

(a) unpleasantly cold or wet weather.

(b) busy

(a) The words inclement weather’ mean unpleasantly cold or wet weather.

(b) The word ‘occupied’ means busy.

As the dreaded examinations crawl to a halt, students look forward to the much awaited “creative outlets”, the summer camps, to let off steam and spend their holidays. A summer camp is conducted over a short period of four to five weeks involving interesting and fun-filled activities. The colourful spectrum of summer camps provides a wide variety of activities which include artistic skills such as painting, origami, art, music, craft and also spoken English, cookery and computer courses. Not only this, the summer camps keep the child “fit as a fiddle” by imparting lessons in yoga, cricket, tennis and swimming.

With changing times and trends parents have become productivity oriented. They want their children to learn through productive play unlike in the past when play was just play. Today, the parents want to tap the potential of their children to the fullest. To achieve this aim, the summer camps afford an ideal opening for children to develop their hobbies and talents. The importance of creative play is often underestimated whereas the fact is that art and craft projects can excite even a young child’s imagination and promote a sense of great achievement. The little things that children make and take home give them a sense of achievement and pride when they show them to their parents.

Summer camps develop a child’s confidence and his ideas. They also encourage children to do things on their own. The camps are beneficial for hyper-active and aggressive children as they help channel their energies fruitfully by drawing out the best in them. They also promote mutual understanding not only among teachers and children but also bring about interaction between the taught. This provides a good experience for a better future-a future of confidence.

(“The Young World” The Hindu)

(a) What is special about the activities in summer camps?

(b) How do the summer camps keep the children healthy?

(c) What do the parents think about play now-a-days?

(d) What do the parents desive their children?

(e) Who are problem children?

(a) Activities in summer camps are fun-filled and interesting.

(b) Summer camps keep the children healthy since they impart lessons in yoga, cricket, tennis and swimming.

(c) Now-a-days parents think play should be productivity oriented.

(d) The parents desire to tap the potential of their children to the fullest.

(e) Problem children are those who are hyperactive and aggressive.

(a) to be thinking with pleasure about something that is going to happen (because you expect to enjoy it).

(b) qualities that exist and can be developed.

(a) The phrase ‘look forward to’ means to be thinking with pleasure about something that is going to happen (because you expect to enjoy it).

(b) The word ‘potential’ means qualities that exist and can be developed.