CLASS V LESSON 8 BUILDINGS TO REMEMBER QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

CLASS V

LESSON 8

BUILDINGS TO REMEMBER

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS:

ACTIVITY 1

Complete the table with information from the text. Work with your partners. One is done for you.

👉name of the monument visited: the Bandel Church

👉location of the monument : Bandel

👉number of team members: twenty five

👉means of transport : bus

👉the Mughal Emperor mentioned here : Akbar

👉the year the church was built : 1599.                 

ACTIVITY2

Find out words with similar meanings from the text.

1. answered ➡ explained

2. staring ➡ looking

3. told ➡ said

4. started ➡ began

5. establish ➡ build

6. carried on ➡ continued

ACTIVITY 3

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the given verbs in the brackets:

1. Last Sunday, Reba (visit / ✅visited) the zoo .

2. They (✅drink / drank) coffee everyday.

3. Farmers (✅grow / grew) crops in the field.

4. The boys (enjoy / ✅enjoyed the football match yesterday. enjoyed.

5. Subir (sings / ✅sang) a patriotic song yesterday.

6. We (✅go / went) to school everyday by bus.

ACTIVITY 4

Answer the following questions:

1. Where did the bus stop?

Ans. The bus stopped in front of the church.

2. What were the names of the two friends of Mita?

Ans. Arnina and Sunita were the two friends of Mita.

3. How many Christians were taken to Agra fort?

Ans. A few thousand Christians were taken to Agra fort.

4. Who were made to stand before the ferocious elephants?

Ans. The prisoners were made to stand before the ferocious elephants.

5. What did the elephant do with Father Joan da Cruz?

Abs. One elephant carried Father Joan da Cruz right up to the emperor and knelt before him as if asking for mercy.

6. Where was the fort of Shah Jahan located?

Ans. The fort of Shah Jahan was located at Agra.

ACTIVITY 5

Make a list of what Mita and her friends saw at the Bandel Church. One is done for you:

1. A huge clock with four faces.

2. The Prayer Hall.

3. The Mast.

4. The Cemetery.                              

5. The Statue of Mother Mary.

6. Wall paintings of Christ.

ACTIVITY 6

Fill in the blanks with proper words from the help box.

1. We have many ( historical) places in our country.

2. Kaberi was very (excited) When she saw the museum in Kolkata.

3. There are many ( huge) buildings in our town.

4. They were ( happy) when they returned to their home town.

5. Keep away from the (ferocious) animals

6. There was a (loud) noise in the classroom just before the teacher entered. (Help: huge, happy, loud, historical, excited, ferocious)

ACTIVITY 7

Suppose you went to a zoo with Your parents and saw many interesting things there. Write five sentences to describe your experience:

Hints: name of the zoo - time of visit - animals and birds seen - eating habits - your experience.

It was on 25th December last year. It was early in the morning. I went to the Alipore Zoo with my parents. There we saw many tigers, lions, elephants monkeys, giraffe, rhionos, hippos and crocodiles. We also saw many birds like - mayna, parrota, love birds, cuckoos, larks etc. Tigers and lions are fed on flesh. Monkeys feed on fruits, leaves, etc. Birds feed on grains and corns. It was an exciting and unforgettable experience for me.

🔸🔹🔸🔹🔸🔹🔸🔹🔸🔹🔸🔹🔸🔹🔸

On Killing a Tree – Summary in English by Gieve Patel

We have decided to create the most comprehensive English Summary that will help students with learning and understanding.

On Killing a Tree by Gieve Patel

About the Poet

Gieve Patel is a famous Indian poet and playwright. Patel belongs to a group of writers who have subscribed themselves to the ‘Green Movement’ which is involved in an effort to protect the environment. His poems speak of deep concerns for nature and expose man’s cruelty to it. Patel’s works include Poems which was launched by Nisim Ezekiel in 1966, How Do You Withstand, Body (1976) and Mirrored Mirroring (1991). He has also written three plays titled Princes, Savaska, and Mr Behram. He currently resides in Mumbai and practices medicine. He is also a painter. As one of the contemporary Indian artists, he has been part of exhibitions around the world.

Poet Name – Gieve Patel
Born – 1940 (age 80 years), Mumbai
Education – Grant Medical College
Profession – Poet, Playwright, Painter, Physician, Artist
Books – Mirrored, Mirroring, Mister Behram and Other Plays, Gieve Patel: Sculptures and Drawings
Nationality – Indian, British Raj

On Killing a Tree Introduction to the Chapter

The poem On Killing a Tree has been taken from Gieve Patel’s anthology named Poems. The poem is a graphic picture of man’s cruelty towards the tree, which symbolises Nature. The poet gives us step-by-step instructions on how to kill a tree and makes us realize that killing a tree is akin to murdering a human being. It also refers to the destructive nature of humans and the indestructibility of Nature.

On Killing a Tree Summary in English

On Killing a Tree paints a vivid and brutal picture of what is involved in killing a tree. The poet tells us that killing a tree is a difficult and time-consuming process. Simply stabbing it with a knife is not enough to kill it. A tree grows straight out the earth, getting its nourishment from the nutrients found in the earth, along with years of sunlight, water, and air. The leaves and branches of the tree sprout from its bark which looks diseased because it is irregular and scaly.

Hacking a tree with a knife or an axe or chopping off a bough may inflict pain on the tree but it is not enough to bring a tree down. The ‘bleeding bark’ – the wound in the bark from where the sap flows out or where a bough has been chopped off – will heal with time. New green twigs will grow again; boughs that were chopped off will be replaced by new boughs, which will grow to their former size.

The poet then goes on to give instructions how a tree could be killed. He says to kill a tree its root has to be pulled out of the earth. The term ‘anchoring earth’ implies that the trees are held secure with the help of the roots in the earth. So long as the roots are firmly held by the earth, the tree is safe and cannot be killed by a simple jab of a knife. To kill the tree, it is essential that the root, which is the source of a tree’s life, must be pulled out of its deep hole in the earth. By ‘earth-cave’ the poet suggests the space created in the earth by uprooting a tree. Once the centre, the life source – the root – is exposed, the tree becomes vulnerable. The source is described as white and wet, probably alluding to tree sap which is a white liquid.

If it is exposed to the sun and air, this life source will be scorched. Slowly, it will start to become brown, with all the softness fading out. With time, it will wither, become dry and bent out of shape, leaving a corpse where a tree used to be. In short, the exposure will leave the root vulnerable to all vagaries of weather, which will ultimately weaken the tree and kill it.

On Killing a Tree Theme

In On Killing a Tree, Gieve Patel gives us a a graphic picture of man’s killing of the tree. He says that hacking a tree with a knife or an axe will not harm it. The bleeding bark will heal and the tree will grow again to its former size. To be killed a tree must be uprooted completely. The poet hints at rampant deforestation and through the very visual representation of the murder of a tree wishes to communicate to the readers the dangers of deforestation. The poet considers the tree as a living organism which has the right to live like any other creatures on earth. But man is killing trees with utmost cruelty and callousness. The tree represents Nature and the poem also suggests that nature is indestructible. The tree could also be a symbol of mankind. Despite wars and other destructive activities, human kind will not easily come to end.

On Killing a Tree Tone

In On Killing a Tree, the poet, Gieve Patel adopts a sarcastic tone to make us aware of the vulnerability of human lives, and how proper care of environment can keep one safe from harm. Man is presented as a killer who thinks of all possible ways to get rid of the tree, which represents Nature. The poet, ironically, suggests how to completely kill a tree. For years, the tree, like a parasite, has consumed the earth’s crust and absorbed sunlight, air and water to grow up like a giant. So, the tree must be killed. But it is not an easy task. A simple jab of the knife will not do it. From close to the ground it will rise up again and grow to its former size. It will again become a threat to man. So, the tree should be tied with a rope and pulled out entirely. Its white, bleeding root should be exposed. Then it should be browned and hardened and twisted and withered and it is done.

On Killing a Tree Message

Gieve Patel gives a very important message in his poem On Killing a Tree. Trees feel pain, grief, suffering, sorrows and joys as sensitively as human beings do. So we should never hurt them. The poet reminds us that we have not inherited these green trees for our use; they are held by us in trust for our future generations. It is, therefore, our sacred duty to conserve trees as a legacy for future.

On Killing a Tree Title

In the poem On Killing a Tree Gieve Patel, from its beginning to the end, describes in detail the process and consequences of killing a tree. In the first two stanzas the poet talks about Nature’s resilience. He feels one cannot kill a tree with just a stab of a knife. The tree has grown slowly consuming the earth and absorbing years of sunlight, air and water. So the tree cannot be tree cannot be killed easily. The bleeding bark will quickly heal and the tree will produce curled green twigs, which will soon expand to their former size. In the following two stanzas he gives a detailed process of killing a tree. The root of the tree must be entirely pulled out of the earth into which it had been anchored and then left exposed to wither and die. Then only will the killing process be over. In this way the poet highlights man’s systematic destruction of the environment. Hence the title is appropriate and it drives the poet’s point home in a superb way.

On Killing a Tree Setting

The setting of the poem is the modem world. The world is facing rapid deforestation for urbanisation and industrialisation. This world where trees are being killed is the setting of the poem.

On Killing a Tree Literary Devices
Imagery

Imagery is a poetic device wherein the author uses words or phrases that appeal to any of the senses or any combination of senses to create “mental images” for the reader. Imagery helps the reader to visualize more realistically the author’s writings.

Examples: Slowly consuming the earth,/Rising out of it, feeding
Upon its crust, absorbing/Years of sunlight, air, water,
And out of its leperous hide/Spouting leaves ’ –

The imagery used here is strong and it depicts the growth of the tree by consuming nutrients from the earth and absorbing sunlight, air and water from nature.

The language through the poem is simple, remarkable and vivid. Every word in the poem has a remarkable evocative power and is accurate and suggestive. Expression such as “bleeding bark” “leprous hide” and “anchoring earth” present memorable visual images. The poem powerfully portrays man’s callousness in killing a tree. It is a telling commentary on one of the major environmental issues that encounters modem man.

Irony

The term irony refers to a discrepancy, or disagreement, of some sort. The discrepancy can be between what someone says and what he or she really means or verbal irony. The discrepancy can be between a situation that one would logically anticipate or that would seem appropriate and the situation that actually develops or situational irony.

The poet describes the cruelty of man in annihilating the tree with irony and detachment. He tells the man how hacking the tree with an axe will only injure it, and not kill it. To kill the tree, it must be uprooted and its roots exposed to the sun. Only then will the tree wither and die. But, the poet’s own sympathy is with the tree.

Personification

A figure of speech which endows animals, ideas, or inanimate objects with human traits or abilities. Personification is the poetic practice of attributing human qualities, a character or personality to inanimate or non¬human beings such that they appear to be living human beings.

In the poem the tree has been personified. The poet speaks of trees as human beings, when he says that one cannot kill a tree with a jab of a knife or by hacking it, like they would kill any human being, ‘bleeding bark’— this is an example of personification. The tree is portrayed as a human being throughout the poem, and thus, the part of the bark where it is wounded is represented as bleeding.

Rhyme Scheme

There is no particular rhyme scheme followed in this poem. The poem is divided into 4 stanzas. Each stanza comprises varying lines. The poem is then written in free verse.

On Killing a Tree Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
How does a tree become strong?
Answer:
A tree feeds on the earth’s crust, consuming nutrients from the earth. The tree also absorbs years of sunlight, air and water. This makes it strong.

Question 2.
“So hack and chop/ But this alone won’t do it.” What won’t this do? Why won’t it do it?
Answer:
Hacking and chopping is not enough to kill a tree. The tree endures the pain but continues to live on as it heals over time. The bark which has been chopped will heal itself. Green twigs and small branches will soon emerge from the bleeding bark and in time the tree will regrow to its original size.

Question 3.
What is the meaning of “bleeding bark”? What makes it bleed?
Answer:
Bleeding bark suggests the wound on the tree that is caused by hacking or chopping the tree. When the branches of a tree are chopped off, the tree bleeds as the sap can be seen to flow. It expresses the pain of a tree.

Question 4.
What are miniature boughs? What happens if they are left unchecked?
Answer:
Miniature boughs are new branches which sprout where the tree was hacked or chopped. If they are left unchecked, they expand and become a huge tree. The chopped tree grows back to its former size.

Question 5.
How does the tree heal itself?
Answer:
The tree is equipped with a power to heal itself. When a tree is hacked or chopped, leaves sprout from the wopnded bark. From close to the ground curled green twigs rise. Miniature boughs expand again to their former size. The tree, in time, grows back to its former size.

Question 6.
How does the poet describe the growth of the tree in the first stanza of the poem?
Answer:
The poet says that the tree grows slowly getting its nutrients from the earth. Then it absorbs sunlight, water and air for many years. The bark of the tree looks ugly because it is rough and has crooked lines on it. It is very ironical that soft and green leaves come out of the leprous hide. Gradually, it grows into a big tree.

Question 7.
Why does it take so much time to kill a tree?
Answer:
It is not easy to kill a tree simply by hacking or chopping it. The tree has deep roots which give birth to tiny twigs and branches which help the tree attain its old stature. For a tree to be killed, the root has to be uprooted, and it has to be scorched and choked in sun and air. This process takes much time and it requires a lot of effort.

Question 8.
How does the tree grow to its full size? List the words suggestive of its life and activity.
Answer:
The tree grows to its full size by consuming nutrients from the earth, feeding upon its crust absorbing years of light, air and water. Consuming, rising, feeding and absorbing are the words suggestive of its life and activity.

Question 9.
The poet uses several images of death and violence in the poem. Can you list them?
Answer:
The images of death are “hack, chop, scorching, choking, browning, hardening, twisting and withering”. The words that show violence are “roped, tied, pulled out and snapped out entirely from the earth’s crust”.

Question 10.
Why does the poet use the word ‘kill’ rather than ‘cut’?
Answer:
The poet makes a distinction between cutting a tree and killing it. Cutting a tree, or hacking and chopping, does not destroy the tree completely, and the tree regrows by sending out new shoots and miniature boughs. The poet then gives step-by-step instructions on the total annihilation of a tree. Once the roots of the tree are pulled out, and are exposed to sun and air, the killing of the tree is complete. The tree will have no second life.

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Leela’s Friend – Data Bank for MCQ and SAQ

Writer: R K Narayan (1906-2001).

Source: Lawley Road (Originally), but Malgudi Days (Later).

Setting: Probably in the town of Malgudi .

Main Characters: Leela, Sidda, Mr Sivasanker and Mrs Sivasanker.

Leela: Only child (five-year-old daughter) of Mr and Mrs Sivasanker.

Sidda: A servant in Mr Sanker’s household.

Mr Sivasanker: A rich man.

Mrs Sivasanker: An ordinary housewife.

Sidda worked before: in a doctor’s house.

Sidda was given by Mr Sanker: Two meals a day and four rupees a month.

Sidda had to: Wash clothes, tend the garden, run errands, chop wood and look after Leela.

Sidda and Leela played: With a red ball.

Leela held a class: For Sidda at dusk.

Leela’s box contained: Catalogues, illustrated books and stumps of pencils.

At bed time Sidda used to tell Leela: Incomparable stories of animals in the jungle, of gods in heaven, of magicians who could conjure up golden castles and fill them with little princesses and their pets.

Sidda slept: Outside the house.

Leela accompanied: Sidda when he went out to buy sugar one evening.

Leela’s mother noticed: That a gold chain Leela had been wearing was missing when she came home with Sidda.

Sidda was accused of: Stealing the gold chain.

A complaint was lodged: By Mr Sivasanker to the police.

Sidda was arrested: Four days later.

Ultimately the chain was found inside: A tamarind pot by Mrs Sivasanker.

Textual Grammar Class XI WBCHSE | Leela's Friend - English Studies 2020

Textual Grammar Class XI WBCHSE | Leela’s Friend Textual Grammar :

A. Change the Voice:

1. Don’t send him away.
Ans: Let him not be sent away.

2. Sidda was given two meals a day and four rupees a month.
They gave Sidda two meals a day and four rupees a month.

3. His company made her supremely happy
Ans: She was made supremely happy by his company.

4. Now throw the ball into the sky.
Ans: Now let the ball be thrown into the sky.

5. Now this has touched the moon.
Ans: Now the moon has been touched by this.

6. Leela keenly examined the ball for traces of the moon.
Ans: The ball was keenly examined by Leela for traces of the moon.

7. He covered the ball tightly with his fingers.
Ans: The ball was covered tightly by him with his fingers.

8. He allowed her to peep through a little gap.
Ans: She was allowed by her to peep through a little gap.

9. Can we touch the sky ?
Ans: Can the sky be touched by us ?

10. I will show you something nice.
Ans: You will be shown something nice by me.

11. He took her to the backyard.
Ans: She was taken by him to the backyard.

12. I have asked it to follow us about.
Ans: It has been asked by me to follow us about.

13. She knew two of three letters of the alphabet.
Ans: Two or three letters of the alphabet were known to her.

14. She could draw a kind of cat or crow.
Ans : A kind of cat or crow could be drawn by her.

15. You are always abusing and worrying Sidda.
Ans : Sidda is always being abused and worried by you.

16. The thought of Sidda made her panicky.
Ans: She was made panicky by the thought of Sidda.

17. Leela made a noise of deprecation.
Ans A noise of deprecation was made by Leela.

18. They will pick him up very soon.
Ans: He will be picked up by them very soon.

19. A police inspector and a constable brought in Sidda.
Ans: Sidda was brought in by a police inspector and a constable.

20. Leave him alone.
Ans: Let him be left alone.

21. He hasn’t taken the chain.
Ans: The chain hasn’t been taken by him.

22. Mr. Sivasanker carried Leela back into the house.
Ans Leela was carried back into the house by Mr. Sivasanker.

23. She washed off coating of tamarind on it.
Ans: The coating of tamarind on it was washed off by her.

24. Did you put it in ?
Ans: Was it put in by you ?

25. She must have dropped it into the pot sometime.
Ans: It must have been dropped into the pot sometime by her.

26. We couldn’t have kept a criminal like him in the house.
Ans: A criminal like him couldn’t have been kept in the house by us.

B. Change the Mode of Narration:

1. “Sir, do you want a servant ?” Sida asked.
Ans: Addressing Mr. Sivasanker as Sir, Sidda asked him if he wanted a servant.

2. “Where were you before ? he asked.
Ans: He asked where he (Sidda) had been before.

3. “They left the town, master,” Sidda said.
Ans: Addressing Mr. Sivasanker as ‘master’ Sidda said that they had left the town.

4. And then she said, “Now throw the ball into the sky.”
Ans: And then she said (to Sidda) to throw the ball into the sky then.

5. “Have you done it ?” asked Leela.
Ans: Leela asked if he (Sidda) had done it.

6. She said, examining his effort, “Is this how I have drawn the cow?
Ans: Examining his effort, she asked (Sidda) if that was how she had drawn the cow.

7. “Tell me a story, Mother,” Leela said.
Ans: Leela entreated her mother to tell her a story.

8. “Can’t you tell the story of the elephant ?” Leela asked.
Ans: Leela asked (her mother) if she could not tell her the story of the elephant.

9. Leela said, “Sidda is gone because he wouldn’t be allowed to sleep inside the house just as we do.”
Ans: Leela said that Sidda was gone because he would not be allowed to sleep inside the house just as they did.

10. “Don’t go near him”, the inspector said, stopping her.
Ans: Stopping her, the inspector told not to go near him.

11. “Why did you run away without telling us ?” asked Leela’s mother.
Ans: Leela’s mother asked why he had run away without telling them.

12. The inspector said to the constable, “Take him to the station.”
Ans: The inspector told the constable to take him to the station.

13. Leela ran behind them crying, “Don’t take him. Leave him here, leave him here.”
Ans: Running behind them crying Leela requested not to take him. She repeatedly told them to leave him there.

14. Mr. Sivasanker’s wife asked, “Any news of the jewel ?”
Ans: Mr. Sivasanker ‘s wife asked if there was any news of the jewel.

15. “What a rough fellow he must be !” said his wife with a shiver.
Ans: His wife exclaimed with a shiver that he must be a very rough fellow.

16. “How did it get into the tamarind pot ?” Mother asked.
Ans: Mother asked (Leela) how it had got into the tamarind pot.

17. “Did you put it in ?” asked Mother
Ans: Mother asked (Leela) if she had put it in.

18.Why should not Sidda sit in our chair, Mother ?” Leela asked.
Ans: Leela asked her mother why Sidda should not sit in their chair.

19. “Why didn’t you say so before ?” Leela’s mother said to Leela.
Ans: Leela’s mother asked Leela why she had not said so before.

20. Mr. Sivasanker said, “Didn’t I tell you that I saw her carrying it in her hand once or twice ?”
Ans. Mr. Sivasanker asked if he had not told her that he had seen her carrying it in her hand Once or twice.

C. Split into Simple Sentences:

1.Sidda was hanging about the gate at a moment when Mr. Sivasanker was standing in the front veranda of his house, brooding over the servant problem.
Ans: (a) Sidda was hanging about the gete. (b) Mr. Sivasanker was standing in the front veranda ot his house at that moment. (c) He was brooding over the servant problem.

2. Leela, their five-year-old daughter, come out, looked at Sidda and gave a cry or Joy.
Ans: (a) Leela was their five-year-old daughter. (b) She came out. (c) She looked at Sidda. (d) She gave a cry of joy.

3. Sidda clutched the ball, closed his eyes for a second and threw the ball up.
Ans: (a) Sidda clutched the ball. (b) He closed his eyes for a second. (c) He threw the ball up.

4. He covered the ball tightly with his fingers and allowed her to peep through a little gap.
Ans: (a) He covered the ball tightly with his fingers. (b) Affer that he allowed her to peep through a little gap.

5. She had a box filled with catalogues, illustrated books and stumps of pencils.
Ans: (a) She had a box. (b) It was filled with catalogues, illustrated books and stumps of pencils.

6. But that good fellow, through an adept at controlling the moon, was utterly incapable of plying the penal.
Ans: (a) That good fellow was an adept at controlling the moon. (b) But he was utterly incapable of plying the pencil.

7. Leela would drop the pencil and run out of the room, and the school hour would end.
Ans: (a) Leela would drop the pencil. (b) She would run out of the room. (c) The school hour would end in that way.

8. She had to go back into the kitchen for a moment because she had left something in the oven.
Ans. (a) She had left something in the oven. (b) So, she nad to go back into the kitchen for a moment.


9. She shuddered to think what a villain she had been harbouring all these days.Ans: (a) She had been harbouring a villain al these days. (b) That thought made her shudder.

10. A days later, putting her hand into the tamarind pot in the kitchen, Leela’s mother picked up the chain.Ans: a) A few days later Leela’s mother put her hand into the tamarind pot. b) The tamarind pot was in the kitchen. c) She picked up the chain from that.

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Meeting at Night – Important Short Questions

Meeting at Night – Important Short Questions (SAQ) for Class XI Students, WBCHSE, West Bengal.

Meeting at Night – Important Short Questions:


Short Answer Type Questions (SAQ)

1. Why is the poet’s persona out on a journey at night?

Ans: The poet persona is out on a journey at night because he wants to meet his beloved secretly.

2. How does Browning describe the moon in the poem?

Ans: In the poem Browning describes the yellow half moon as large and low.

3. What is the colour of the sea?

Ans:  The colour of the sea is grey.

4. How long is the sea-scented beach?

Ans: The sea-scented beach is one mile long.

5. Why does the lover tap at the pane?

Ans: The lover taps at the pane to announce his arrival to his beloved.

6. Where does the boat slow down?

Ans: The boat slows down as it reaches the cove and touches the slushy sand.

7. What does the poem “Meeting at Night” record?

Ans: The poem “Meeting at Night” records the lover’s journey and his secret meeting with his beloved.


8. What does the word ‘prow’ mean?

Ans: The word ‘prow’ means the pointed face of a boat or ship.

9. What does the ‘fiery ringlets’ stand for?

Ans: The ‘fiery ringlets’ stand for the secret passion and anticipation of the lover before meeting his beloved.

10. In the poem what does the word ‘cove’ mean?

Ans: Here the word ‘cove’ means bay.

11. Where do the lovers meet?

Ans: The lovers meet secretly at a farmhouse quite at a distance from the sea.

12. Why does the waves startle?

Ans: The waves startle because of the approaching boat which, according to the poet, wakes them up from their sleep.

13. How is the land described in the poem?

Ans: In the poem the land is black which indicates that the time of the journey was night.

14. What did the beloved do to announce her presence?

Ans: The beloved scratches a matchstick which gives out a blue spurt of light to announce her presence.

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Leela's Friend -broad / long / descriptive important questions and answers for Class - 11th

Leela's Friend broad / long / descriptive important questions and answers for Class - 11th ( WBCHSE and other board )

Leela’s Friend – Important Questions and Answers. Descriptive or Broad Questions for XI Students of West Bengal, WBCHSE.


Q.Why Sidda’s company made Leela ‘supremely happy’ ?

                                 OR

Why was Leela so fond of Sidda’s company ?


Ans:-In Leela's Friend Leela, five years old daughter of Mr. and Mrs.Sivasanker makes friendship with their newly appointed servant, Sidda.Sidda’s stay at Sivasanker’s house turned out to be much enjoyable and invigorating to little Leela.In him Leela found a reliable companion who would be willing to carry out her orders and demands beyond his routine jobs, thereby, Sidda’s company made her supremely happy. On the other hand, Sidda was an imaginative storyteller who could easily touch the imaginative mind of Leela. Sidda showed Leela the tricks regarding the ball and the moon. He motivated her to believe that it touched the moon before coming down and a little bit of the moon stuck to it. Even in the bed time, Sidda had to be ready with a story. He sat down on the floor near the bed and told incomparable stories: of animals in the jungle, of gods in heaven, of magicians who could conjure up golden castles and fill them with little princesses and their pets. In this way Sidda come closer of Leela who perhaps had never received such company and close friendship from her parents.These are the things that made Leela supremely happy.

Q. What were Sidda's duties at Mr. Sivasanker's house? What was he given in return of his work ?

                                  OR

What duties did Sidda perform at Sivasanker’s house? What was given to Sidda in exchange of his duties? Was he merely a servant ?


Ans:-In the short story Leela’s Friend by R.K Narayan, Sidda worked as a servant at Mr. Sivasanker’s house. His duty was to wash clothes, tend the garden, run errands, chop the wood and look after Leela.
                  In exchange of his work, Sidda was given two meals a day and four rupees a month. He had to sleep outside the house as he was the servant of the house.
                   There is no denying of the fact that Sidda joined the house as a servant but gradually he became Leela’s favourite friend. Though he was ill treated by Leela’s parents, but Leela always wanted to be in his company.


Q.Describe Leela as a teacher of Sidda.                                        OR
How Leela attempts to ‘educate’ Sidda ?


Ans:-The small girl Leela had an opportunity to overrule Sidda when she was a teacher. At dusk, she held a class for him. She had a box filled with catalogues, illustrated books and stumps of pencils. It gave her great joy to Sidda. She made him squat on the floor with a pencil between his fingers and a catalogue in front of him. She had another pencil and a catalogue and commanded, ‘Now write.’ And he had to try and copy whatever she wrote in the pages of her catalogue. She knew two or three letters of the alphabet and could draw a kind of cat and crow. But none of these could Sidda even remotely copy said, ‘Is this how I have drawn the crow? Is this how I have drawn the B?’ She pitied him and redoubled her efforts to teach him. But that good fellow, though an adept at controlling the moon, was utterly incapable of plying the pencil. Consequently, it looked as though Leela would keep him there pinned to his seat till his stiff, inflexible wrist cracked. To get relief from this pain Sidda would say that her mother was calling her for dinner.’ Leela would drop the pencil and run out of the room, and the school hour would end.

Q. Why did Sidda tell Leela that he knows the moon ?

Answer: In Leela's Friend we see that Sidda’s company made Leela supremely happy. She flung a red ball at him and he flung it back. And then she asked him to throw the ball into the sky. He clutched the ball, closed his eyes for a second and threw the ball up. When the ball came down again, he said that the ball touched the moon and came back. Then he asked to see a little bit of the moon sticking. She keenly examined the ball for traces of the moon and said that she did not see the mark. He told her that he knew the moon because he wanted to make her happy. And Leela also blindly believed that.

Q.Describe Leela’s character.

Answer: Leela is the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Sivasankar. She is five years old cute and sweet girl. She likes to listening stories at bed time. Leela is a very good girl. She is interested to play and listening stories. Leela approved Sidda's appointment and told her parents that he was ok. This shows the intelligence and confidence of Leela. She always liked to play with her servant Sidda. Her parents loved Leela very much.  But Leela believes Sidda more than her parents and spent more time with Sidda. One day Sidda tells Leela that he knows the  moon but she believed the words of Sidda blindly. The innocent girl believes every word of Sidda. Immediately he expressed her desire to touch the moon. This shows the interest and excitement to learn about new things . One day she lost her gold chain her mother doubted Sidda as a thief. Leela asked her mother why Sidda was not  allowed to sleep inside the house because she does have respect for a servant. She blames her mother for Sidda's disappearance . She has not get maturity of mind to know about the people and the society but she had the ability of judging man. Basing on these we understand that Leela is innocent and good girl . Only she had the belief that Sidda was not a thief which was seen at the end the story.

Q.How did Leela try to teach Sidda ?

Ans:- Leela was a little girl who got the oppertunity of teaching Sidda, the servant of their family. Leela used to make Sidda squat on the floor with a pencil between his fingers and a catalogue in front of him. She then used to command him to write and Siidda had to try to copy whatever Leela wrote in the pages. When Sidda would fail to copy Leela’s writings and drawings, Leela would rebuke Sidda and redouble her efforts to teach him. But Sidda, though he had an excellent rapport with the Moon, was incapable of studying and Leela used to keep him there, pinned to his seat, till his still, inflexible wrist cracked. Sidda then used to say that he thought Leela’s mother was calling her to dinner and that would end the school hour. Thus she tried her best to teach Sidda.

Q.Describe the character of Sidda.

Ans:- In Leela's Friend Sidda has been described as a very responsible servant of the Sivasanker family and a reliable and constant companion of Leela. He performed all his duties faithfully and took good care of Leela. He had a great imaginative faculty and from his imagination sprung stories that enthralled Leela. He had great power of convincing little Leela and he made her believe that he had the power to control the moon. He had no interest in studies and never learnt anything that Leela tried to teach him. He also had no idea how to prove his innocence when he was accused of stealing the chain. He remained speechless throughout and fell victim because he belonged to the lower class whose voice is never heard. He was misunderstood but was not allowed to work again in their family.

Q.What message is conveyed by Mr. Sivasanker’s final words in the story: ” In any case, we couldn’t have kept a criminal like him in the house” ?

Ans:- The above quoted line is the last words of Mr Sivasanker which exposes the class division of the society and the utter indifference of the higher class towards the feelings and sufferings of the poor people. Though it was proved that Sidda did not steal Leela’s gold chain, Mr Sivasanker did not repent Sidda’s police custody and whatever information the inspector provided him about Sidda’s past became the basis of the understanding of Mr. sivasanker. He was eloquent in saying that a criminal like Sidda could not be kept in the house. The poor, thus, are not given a chance to live properly and honourably by the rich who always tend to pronounce judgement on them. Truly this pathetic system of class division should be abolished from society.

Q.How did a sweet relationship of love and trust grow between Sidda and Leela? Why was there a breach in the relationship ?

Ans:-An extremely sweet relationship grew up between Leela and Sidda. Sidda loved Leela and took very good care of her. In the absence of proper love and care from her parents Leela became entirely dependent on Sidda for almost all her needs ranging from roaming, playing, eating and going to sleep.There was actually no breach of trust between Leela and Sidda. They continued to love and trust each other but their relationship ended as Leela’s parents wrongly framed Sidda on charges of stealing and refused to give him entry in the house for a second time even though his innocence was proved.

Q.What did Leela’s parents think of Sidda after his escape from the house ? How did Leela make her mother responsible for the disappearance of Sidda ?

Ans:-Leela’s parents thought that Sidda had stolen the chain which Leela wore when Sidda escaped from the house that night. They felt that Sidda stole the chain and thinking about police he runs away.
             Leela knew that Sidda had not taken the chain. When her mother scolded Sidda and threatened police action against him and Sidda ran away as a consequence, Leela made her mother responsible for this. She told her mother that she was unnecessarily rude towards Sidda and that Sidda was angry because he was not allowed to dine with them and was made to sleep outside. Leela made her mother responsible for creating a division between them and Sidda. Thus Sidda was misjudged and was not allowed to work again.

Q.”Leela’s Friend” is actually the tragedy of Sidda. Discuss.

Ans:- The story is the story of friendship between Leela and Sidda. But at the end of the story “Leela’s Friend” we feel that it is really tragic.  Sidda has been described as a constant companion on whom the little Leela depended for all her needs. In the course of the story Sidda makes no mistake and does not steal the gold chain. He makes an error of judgement by running away from the household and is thus branded a thief by Mr and Mrs Sivasanker. This brings about his downfall and he again becomes a “nobody” with no one to love and nowhere to find shelter. He, in this way, becomes a real tragic character , though not a super hero like Macbeth or Hamlet. He was the victim of the system of society.

Q.How did Sidda’s company make Leela supremely happy ?

Ans:- In the story Leela's Friend Leela's family servant Sidda was always ready at the beck and call of Leela and used to give her company whenever Leela desired it. Sidda used to play with Leela, tell her about the moon which had an excellent rapport with him, take her wherever he went, acted as her student so that she could play as a teacher, make her eat her food and sing her to sleep. In this way he kept Leela with him throughout the day and took care of her as her friend, guide and guardian Whatever need an imaginative little girl had, Sidda used to fulfil that with his expertise in dealing with children. For all these reasons, Sidda’s company made Leela supremely happy.




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Leela’s Friend – Important Questions and Answers. Descriptive or Broad Questions for XI Students of West Bengal, WBCHSE.

Leela’s Friend – Important Questions and Answers. Descriptive or Broad Questions for class XI Students of West Bengal, WBCHSE.



1. Who was Sidda? How was he treated in the house of Sivasankers?

Ans: In the story “Leela’s Friend” by R.K. Narayan, Sidda was the servant in Mr. Sivasanker’s house.

In spite of being responsible, good-natured and a man of immaculate character, Sidda was badly treated by Mr. and Mrs. Sivasanker. Mrs. Sivasanker abused him without any reliable reason. Ahough he was innocent and good, he had to tolerate insult. Though he did not steal the chain, the inspector called him a devil. Mrs. Sivasanker also called him a thief. He was sacked from his job without any valid reason. In this way Sidda got injustice. The rich may do injustice to him, the law may treat him unjustly, but he would live for ever being an embodiment of humanity in the minds of the grief-stricken readers.





2. “Day by day she clung closer to Sidda” -How did Leela cling closer to Sidda day by day?

Ans: Leela’s attachment for Sidda increased day by day because she got everything she desired from Sidda. Leela liked to play the teacher to Sidda and Sidda agreed to be her obedient student. She insisted on his learning a few letters and Sidda underwent the drudgery of learning. When he felt such pressure unbearable, he diverted her attention. He would say to her that her mother was  calling her. Leela failed to understand his trick. She was, however, very happy to be with Sidda. Even she was lulled to sleep by the fantastic and surprising stories of Sidda. Thus, she clung closer to Sidda day by day. She accompanied him whern he was chopping wood or tending the garden. She was also with him when he was sent on errands. She was so happy with him that she always wanted his company for all her waking hours.

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Leela’s Friend – Important Short Questions For Class XI, WBCHSE, West Bengal.

Leela’s Friend – Important Short Questions For Class XI, WBCHSE, West Bengal.


1. Who is Leela?

Ans. Leela is the five-year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sivasanker.

2. Why was Sidda asked to come in?

Ans. Sidda was asked to come in because Mr. Sivasanker was looking for a servant and Sidda was looking for a job of a servant.

3. Who is Mr. Sivasanker?

Ans. Mr. Sivasanker is Leela’s father.

4. Who is Mrs. Sivasanker?

Ans. Mrs. Sivasanker is Leela’s mother.

5. Who is Sidda?

Ans. Sidda is Leela’s friend who is the main character of the short story.


6. When did Leela hold class for Sidda?

Ans. Leela held class for Sidda at dusk.

7. What did Leela know to write and draw?

Ans. Leela knew to write two or three letters of the alphabet and draw a kind cat and crow.

8. Why did Leela run to her bed after dinner?

Ans: After dinner Leela ran to her bed because Sidda was ready there with stories of animals, jungle.

9. Who climbs the coconut tree to touch the moon?

Ans: Sidda climbs up  the tree to touch the moon.

10. Why did Sidda lose his last job?

Ans: Siddha lost his last job because the doctor who was his employer had left the town.

11. What work would Sidda do in Mr Sivasanker’s house?

Ans: Sidda would wash clothes, tend the garden, run errands, chop woods and look after Leela.

12. What did Leela ask Sidda to draw?
Leela asked Sidda to draw the crow and the letter B

13. How much would Sidda be paid for the work in Sivasanker’s house?

Ans: They paid Sidda four rupees per month and two meals a day for the work in Sivasanker’s house.

14. Why did Leela refuse to go to bed after her meal?

Ans: Leela refused to go to bed after her meal because she wanted Sidda there to tell her stories, but Sidda was not there.

15. Give the name of the collection from which the story “Leela’s Friend” is taken.

Ans: The short story Leela’s Friend is taken from the collection “Malgudi Days”.

16. Who first noticed that Leela’s gold chain was missing?

Ans: Mrs. Sivasanker, Leela’s mother,  noticed that Leela’s gold chain was missing.

17. Who was suspected to have stolen the gold chain of Leela?

Ans: Sidda was suspected to have stolen the gold chain of Leela

18. Who did not believe that Sidda was not a thief?

Ans: The little girl Leela did not believe that Sidda was a thief.

19. Where was Mr Sivsanker standing when Sidda was hanging about the gate?

Ans: Mr Sivasanker was standing in the front veranda of his house when Sidda was hanging about his gate.

20. How did Sidda look when Mr Sivasanker subjected him to a scrutiny?

Ans: When Mr Sivasanker subjected Sidda to a scrutiny, he did not seem to be a bad sort and he looked tidy enough.

21. “She clung to Sidda’s hand” – Who is referred to here as ‘she’ in the line?

Ans: Here “she” refers to Leela, a 5 year old girl and the friend of Sidda.

22. What was Mr. Sivasanker brooding over standing in the veranda of his house? (2018)

Ans: Standing in the veranda of his house Mr Sivasanker was brooding over the servant problem.

23. What is Mr Sivasanker’s first impression of Sidda?

Ans: The first impression of Mr Sivasanker about Siddha was that he did not seem to be a bad sort and looked tidy.

24. Why did Sidda leave the old Master’s house?

Ans: Sidda left the old Master’s house because they left the town.

25. What kind of job Sidda do in the Sivasanker’s  household?

Ans:In the Sivasanker’s household Sidda had to wash clothes, tend the garden, run errands, chop woods, and look after Leela.

26. Who asked Sidda to throw the ball into the sky?

Ans: Leela asked Sidda to throw the ball into the sky.

27. What filled Leela’s box?

Ans: Catalogues, illustrated books and stumps of pencils filled Leela’s box.

28. What did Leela ask Sidda to draw?

Ans: Leela asked Sidda to draw a cat and a crow.

29. How did Sidda put Leela to sleep?

Ans: Sidda put Leela to sleep by telling some stories of animals, birds, magicians, princess and their pets.

30. Where did Leela go with Sidda?

Ans: Leela went out to buy sugar with Sidda.


31. “I have not taken it” – What does it refer to here?

Ans: Here ‘it’ refers to the missing gold chain of Leela.

32. Where did Leela’s mother find the chain?

Ans: Leela’s mother found the chain in a tamarind pot.

33. How many letters of the alphabet did Leela learn?

Ans: Leela learnt two or three letters of the alphabet.

34. How, according to Sidda, can a man touch the sky?

Ans: According to Sidda, a man can touch the sky if he stands on a coconut tree.

35. What made Leela supremely happy?

Ans: Sidda’s company made Leela supremely happy.

36. Who asked Sidda to throw the ball into the sky?

Ans: Leela asked Sidda to throw the ball into the sky.

37. Give the name of the only person who believed that Sidda was not a thief.

Ans: The name of the only person who believed that Sidda was not a thief was Leela.

38. Why was Leela’s Mother unable to tell her story when requested?

Ans: When Leela’s mother was requested by Leela to tell story, she was unable to tell story because her mind was disturbed and thought of Sidda made her panicky.

39. Where was the gold chain found?

Ans: The gold chain was at last found in the tamarind pot.

40. What did Sidda do to seek relief from Leela’s class?

Ans: Sidda sought relief from Leela’s class by saying that Leela’s mother was calling Leela in to dinner.

41. “Her mother gave her a slap.” – Why did her mother give her a slap?

Ans: Leela’s mother slapped her because Leela lost her gold chain.

42. “Let us keep him in our house.” – Who said this?

Ans: Leela said this.

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On Killing a Tree | Bengali Meaning | Bengali Translation

ON KILLING A TREE

Gieve Patel

     Bengali Translation // বঙ্গানুবাদ 

It takes much time to kill a tree,      একটা গাছকে মারতে অনেক সময় লাগে,

Not a simple jab of the knife             ছুরির একটি সাধারণ খোঁচা

Will do it. It has grown                     এটা করতে পারেনা। এটা বড় হয়েছে

Slowly consuming the earth,            ধীরে ধীরে মাটিকে শোষণ করে,

Rising out of it, feeding                    এটার মধ্যে থেকে ওঠে, প্রতিপালিত হয়    

Upon its crust, absorbing                 এটার আস্তরণের উপর, শোসন করে  

Years of sunlight, air, water,    সূর্যের আলো, বাতাস, জল বছরের পর বছর ধরে

And out of its leprous hide              এবং এটার  রুক্ষ ছালের মধ্যে 

Sprouting leaves.                             লুকিয়ে থাকে নতুন পাতা।

So hack and chop                          তাই এটাকে কেটে টুকরো টুকরো করে দাও

But this alone won't do it.                কিন্তু শুধু এটাই তাকে মারতে পারবেনা।

Not so much pain will do it.           এর অসহ্য বাথাও তাকে মারতে পারবেনা

The bleeding bark will heal            ওই রক্তাক্ত ছাল আবার ঠিক হয়ে যাবে

And from close to the ground          এবং মাটির কাছ থেকে 

Will rise curled green twigs,            জন্মাবে কুকড়ানো সবুজ ডাল,

Miniature boughs                             ক্ষুদ্র ডালগুলি

Which if unchecked will expand again /  যেগুলি যদি লক্ষ্য করা না হয়, আবার বিস্তারিত হবে

To former size                                          আগের আকারে।

No                                                  না

The root is to be pulled out-            শিকরটাকে তুলতে হবে-   

Out of the anchoring earth;             মাটির ভেতর থেকে বাইরে; 

It is to be roped, tied,                      এটাকে দড়ি বাঁধতে হবে শক্ত করে

And pulled out-snapped out           এবং উপড়ে ফেলতে হবে, ছিঁড়ে ফেলতে হবে

Or pulled out entirely,                     অথবা পুরোটাই টেনে তুলতে হবে,

Out of the earth-cave,                     পৃথীবির গহ্বর থেকে          

And the strength of the tree exposed, এবং গাছের শক্তি উন্মুক্ত হয়ে যাবে,

The source, white and wet,              ওই উৎসটা, সাদা এবং ভেজা, 

The most sensitive, hidden              যেটা সবথেকে অনুভুতিশীল, লুক্কায়িত ছিলো

For years inside the earth.               বছরের পর বছর ধরে মাটির মধ্যে।

Then the matter                               এর পরের ব্যাপারটা হল

Of scorching and choking                ঝলসানো আর শ্বাসরোধ করা

In sun and air                                   রৌদ্রে এবং বাতাসে

Browning, hardening,                      বাদামি করা, শক্ত করা,

Twisting, withering,                         মোচড় দেয়া, শুকিয়ে ফেলা,

And then it is done                          এবং তবেই এটা হবে।

                   

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UPON THE WESTMINSTER BRIDGE by William Wordsworth

Complete Notes for Class-XI According to New Syllabus .

UPON THE WESTMINSTER BRIDGE by William Wordsworth : 

The Author: William Wordsworth

William Wordsworth (1770-1850), a poet belonging to the first generation of the English Romantic poets.

The Source :

       The poet William Wordsworth was greatly charmed by the early morning scene of London watched from a coach while crossing the Westminster Bridge on the way to Dover on 31st July, 1802. He immediately wrote a poem reflecting his personal feelings, perceptions and fascinations. The poem was Upon the Westminster Bridge. The poem got its final form when Wordsworth and Dorothy were returning from France on 3rd September, 1802. Dorothy Wordsworth’s Journal supports these facts.

The Substance:

         The poet is crossing the Westminster Bridge over the Thames in a coach early in the morning. The sun is just rising up and the great city of London is bathed in its first light. The poet is deeply moved by the beauty of the scene. It appears to him to be the loveliest sight. Nobody can ignore this unparalleled and splendid sight. And if there is any, he is definitely devoid of any sense of natural beauty. The city seems to wear a dress of golden sunbeams.
     The city is totally silent and clearly visible. The sky is clear having no dust and no smoke. There is no noise in the atmosphere. All is calm and quiet. Everything of the city such as ships, towers, domes, theaters, temples etc is clearly visible even from the green fields that lie in distance in the unpolluted air of the early morning. All are brilliantly shining in the golden rays of the rising sun.
      The valley, rock and hill look lovely at sunrise. But the city of London is the loveliest. The river (Thames) flows freely. Its course is not obstructed by the movements of boats or ships. The very houses seem to be sleeping. London, the heart of the country, remains calm and quiet as if a roaring giant is stilled. The poet makes an impassioned address to God, the creator of all beauty upon the earth, to express his sincere gratitude to Him.

The Features:

         The poem Upon the Westminster Bridge is a perfect sonnet. It has a regular pattern following the Italian model. The simple diction, meter and style of the poem enhance the simplicity, frankness and beauty of the theme. The poem is a pleasant one to read and perceive. It is also a brilliant romantic poem. Wordsworth, a romantic poet, creates a purely romantic expression throughout the poem. Nature is all alive to him. The beautiful objects of nature stir his inner soul and make him fascinated towards them.

The City of London:

  The poet, Wordsworth gives a fine pen-picture of the city of London in his poem “Composed Upon the Westminster Bridge”. He is deeply moved by the natural beauty of the city as seen from the Westminster Bridge in the early morning. London looks beautiful in the splendour of the rising sun. It seems as if the city of London has clothed itself in the beauty of the morning. A profound calm prevailed there. Ships, towers, domes, theatres and temples are glittering brightly in the smokeless air. The city has become merged with adjacent green fields and the clear sky overhead. It seems that the sun has never shone more beautifully. The poet has never felt such a calmness as this before. The river Thames flows freely. The restful condition of the city inspires the poet to rejoice. He thanks God for such a rare experience.

The Simile :

  “The city now doth like a garment wear
    The beauty of the morning; silent, bare."The above lines are an extract of Wordsworth’s poem “Composed Upon the Westminster Bridge”. Here the poet describes the city of London in the early morning. He uses a fine image/simile to beautify the city. The poet views the city from the Westminster Bridge over the Thames. The sun has just come out. Its golden rays fall on the city which looks bright and beautiful. The poet is greatly pleased to observe that beauty in the smokeless air. That beauty gives him so much pleasure that he personifies the city, and he imagines that the city wears the beauty of the sun-lit morning like a garment. By comparing the morning beauty to a garment, he wants to glorify the city of London. By the simile, the poet imagines the city as a fair lady. And by making her wear the garment of the morning beauty, he wants to make the city look more attractive.

The Title :

  The poem, “Composed Upon the Westminster Bridge”, depicts Wordsworth’s reaction to the amazing beauty of the city of London. On his way to Dover from London along with his sister Dorothy in a coach in 1802, he is deeply moved by the incomparable beauty of the city viewed from Westminster Bridge over the thames early in the morning. The spectacle was wonderful. The sun was shining brightly. Everything in the city was glittering in the smokeless air. It seemed to wear a new dress. It became one with the adjacent fields and the sky overhead. The serene silence all around soothed his soul. This evoked his joy and wonder which promoted him to pen this sweet sonnet. Infact, the title clearly indicates the occasion. From that point of view it is appropriate.

The Personification :

  Personification is a literary style to impose human qualities on inanimate objects. In the poem, “Composed Upon the Westminster Bridge”, Wordsworth uses personifications to present a live picture of the beautiful city of London in the sun-lit morning. The poet gives life to the sun, the river, the houses and finally to the whole city which has a symbolic heart. He uses personal pronominal adjectives to personify the sun and the river. The sun has never shone more beautifully. The river Thames flows freely at ‘his own sweet will’. The city wears a garment like a far lady. The city’s mighty heart is ‘lying still’. Hence, by using personifications, Wordsworth enlivens the city.

The MCQ & SAQ DATA BANK :

Date of composition ==> September 3, 1802 ( July 31, 1802 in another opinion)

Year of publication ==> 1807 in “Poems in Two volumes”

Westminster Bridge ==> It is a bridge in England crossing the river Thames near Westminster Abbey and leading to the road to Dover.

Occasion of composition ==> While going to France, on his way from London to Dover, Wordsworth looked at the city of London from Westminster Bridge. It was early morning and he was moved by the beauty of the city. He stopped his horse carriage on the bridge and wrote the poem.

Poet’s companion ==> Dorothy, the poet’s sister.

Type of the poem ==> It is a Petrarchan (Italian) sonnet having 14 lines divided into Octave (first eight lines) and Sestet (last six lines). The Octave follows the rhyme scheme abba-abba while the sestet keeps to cdcdcd.

Use of Personification ==> The city of London wears a new garment. The river Thames is gliding on his own free will. The houses of London are fast asleep.

This city ==> The city of London.

Garment ==> The beauty of the morning covers the city just as a dress covers the body.

Domes ==> The dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral.

The river ==> The Thames, a river of Southern England flowing from the Costworlds in Gloucestershire through London to the North Sea.

Steep ==> to submerge or cover; to radiate; to immerse.

Bare ...clothed ==> The city of London has been described as both ‘bare’ and ‘clothed’. This is a case of paradox.

Dear God ! ==> The poet addresses God out of joy and wonder. It is an exclamation.

Glittering ==> Dazzling

Majesty ==> Magnificence

Will ==> Desire

Still ==> Silent

Mighty ==> Large, gigantic.

Mighty heart ==> Huge heart [Here, the city has been compared to a giant with a huge heart. When the city is full of commercial activity, it assumes an ugly shape like that of a giant. It is an example of a metaphor.

Glideth ==> Flows

The city now doth like a garment wear ==> The city of London here is imagined as a fair lady. The poet imagines that the city wears a garment. It is a grand example of simile.

The very houses seem asleep ==> Here, houses are personified as ‘asleep’. The houses are asleep for the members are sleeping. So the houses are calm and tranquill.

The river glideth at his own sweet will ==> Here, the river Thames is personified, for as if he is in charge of his own movement.

In his first splendour ==> Here, the sun is personified. The sun is shining in its full radiance.

Never did the sun more beautifully steep ==> It is an example of metaphor to emphasise how attractive the sunlight is. He wants to show how everything in the city is immersed in sunlight. As a result, the city of London is glowing in its radiating beauty.

Earth has not anything to show more fair ==> It is an example of hyperbole. Here we find Wordsworth exault in ecstasy.

Short Answer Type (Mark 1)

1.  Who  is  the  poet  of  the  poem  ‘Upon  Westminster Bridge’?

Ans: William Wordsworth is the poet  of the poem ‘Upon Westminster Bridge’.

2.  Which  city  does  the  poet  refer  in  the  poem  ‘Upon Westminster Bridge’?

Ans:  In  The  poem  ‘Upon  Westminster  Bridge’,  the  poet refers to the city of London.

3. When was the poem composed?

Ans: The poem was composed on September 3, 1802.

4. Who was with Wordsworth when he was crossing the Westminster Bridge?

Ans:  When  Wordsworth  was  crossing  the  Westminster Bridge,   he   was  accompanied   by   his sister,   Dorothy Wordsworth.

5. What’s the name of the river the poet mentions in the poem?

Ans:  The  poet  mentions  the  river  Thames  in  the  poem ‘Upon Westminster Bridge’.

6.  What  is  the  form  of  the  poem  ‘Upon  Westminster Bridge’?

Ans: ‘Upon Westminster Bridge’ is an Italian Sonnet which has fourteen lines (Octave and Sestet).

7. What is the time of the day when the poet views the beauty of London?

Ans: The poet views the beauty of the city of London in the morning.

8. What does the first line of the poem suggest?

Ans: The first line of the poem suggests that the poet is very impressed by the beauty of London in the  early morning.

9. What does the poet see from the Westminster Bridge?

Ans: The poet sees the beauty of the City of
London in the bright morning.

10. According to the poet, who is dull of soul?

Ans:   According   to   the   poet,   the   person  who   is   not impressed by the beautiful sight of London is dull of soul.

11. What does the city of London wear?

Ans: The city of London, wears the beauty of morning like a garment.

12. Which city, according to the poet, is the fairest one?

Ans:  According  to  Wordsworth,  the
city  of  London  is  the fairest on the Earth.

13.   How   does   the   poet   describe   the   beauty   of   the morning?

Ans: The poet has described the beauty of the morning as silent and bare.

14.  What  is  described  as  the  garment  of  the  city  in  the poem ‘Upon Westminster Bridge’?

Ans: The beauty  of  the early  morning is described  as the garment  of  the  city  in  the  poem  ‘Upon  Westminster Bridge’.

15. Why is the morning ‘silent’ and ‘bare’?

Ans:  The  morning  is  ‘silent’  and  ‘bare’  because  there  is neither smoke nor noise in the city of London.

16. A person who passes without enjoying the beauty of London morning, is –

Ans: Dull of soul and mind.

17.  What  does  the  word  ‘dome’  refers  to,  in  the  poem ‘Upon Westminster Bridge’?

Ans:  The  word  ‘dome’  refers  to  the  dome  of  St.  Paul’s Church in the city of London.

18. Why does everything look ‘bright and glittering’?

Ans: Everything looks bright and glittering because the air is smokeless in the early morning.

19.  How does the river Thames flow?

Ans:  The  Thames  flows  smoothly  and  quietly  at  its  own sweet will.

20. How does the poet feel when he sees the beauty of London?

Ans:  The poet feels profound calmness when he observes the London in the early morning.

ECC-Eng.-XI-Upon Westminster Bridge             edited by Madhumay Chatterjee   
   

Descriptive Type (Marks 5)

1.Write down the substance of the poem Upon the Westminister Bridge.
                          OR
How does William Wordsworth paint the picture of London in the poem Upon the Westminister Bridge?

Ans:-The poet is crossing the Westminster Bridge over the Thames in a coach early in the morning. The sun is just rising up and the great city of London is bathed in its first light. The poet is deeply moved by the beauty of the scene. It appears to him to be the loveliest sight. Nobody can ignore this unparalleled and splendid sight. And if there is any, he is definitely devoid of any sense of natural beauty. The city seems to wear a dress of golden sunbeams.The city is totally silent and clearly visible. The sky is clear having no dust and no smoke. There is no noise in the atmosphere. All is calm and quiet. Everything of the city such as ships, towers, domes, theaters, temples etc is clearly visible even from the green fields that lie in distance in the unpolluted air of the early morning. All are brilliantly shining in the golden rays of the rising sun.The valley, rock and hill look lovely at sunrise. But the city of London is the loveliest. The river (Thames) flows freely. Its course is not obstructed by the movements of boats or ships. The very houses seem to be sleeping. London, the heart of the country, remains calm and quiet as if a roaring giant is stilled. The poet makes an impassioned address to God, the creator of all beauty upon the earth, to express his sincere gratitude to Him.

2.Discuss the poem Upon the West Minister Bridge as a sonnet.

Ans:-The poet is crossing the Westminster Bridge over the Thames in a coach early in the morning. The sun is just rising up and the great city of London is bathed in its first light. The poet is deeply moved by the beauty of the scene. It appears to him to be the loveliest sight. Nobody can ignore this unparalleled and splendid sight. And if there is any, he is definitely devoid of any sense of natural beauty.The poem Upon the Westminster Bridge is a perfect sonnet. It has a regular pattern following the Italian model. The simple diction, meter and style of the poem enhance the simplicity, frankness and beauty of the theme. The poem is a pleasant one to read and perceive. It is also a brilliant romantic poem. Wordsworth, a romantic poet, creates a purely romantic expression throughout the poem. Nature is all alive to him. The beautiful objects of nature stir his inner soul and make him fascinated towards them.

3.Discuss the poem Upon the West Minister Bridge as a romantic poem.

Ans:-The poet is crossing the Westminster Bridge over the Thames in a coach early in the morning. The sun is just rising up and the great city of London is bathed in its first light. The poet is deeply moved by the beauty of the scene. It appears to him to be the loveliest sight. Nobody can ignore this unparalleled and splendid sight. And if there is any, he is definitely devoid of any sense of natural beauty.The simple diction, meter and style of the poem enhance the simplicity, frankness and beauty of the theme. The poem is a pleasant one to read and perceive. Wordsworth, a romantic poet, creates a purely romantic expression throughout the poem. Nature is all alive to him. The beautiful objects of nature stir his inner soul and make him fascinated towards them. It is a brilliant romantic poem.

4.  Write about  the significance  of  the title of  the  poem ‘Upon Westminster Bridge’.

Ans:   The   poem   ‘Upon   Westminster   Bridge’   conveys Wordsworth’s reaction to the amazing beauty of the city of London  in  the  morning.  The  poet  observes  the  scenic beauty of London from Westminster Bridge. The scene is so beautiful  that  the  poet  can’t  move  from  there  without enjoying such natural beauty. The city of London is bathed in the morning sunshine and it looks wonderful. As viewed from Westminster Bridge, everything in the city is glittering in the smokeless air. The poet has never experienced such a deep calmness. From the bridge the poet can see the slow moving river Thames. The title clearly indicates the place of such wonderful
experience. So, the title is appropriate and justified.

5.  “A  sight  touching  in  its  majesty”  –  What  is  the  sight referred to here? What does the poet feel about the sight? Who would be dull of soul?

Ans: The beautiful sight of London in the early morning is referred to here.

The poet feels that the sight is highly impressive in its splendor. Nothing on the earth can be more beautiful than the city of London.

A person who would be fail to notice the beauty of the city of London in the early morning, would be dull of soul. According to the poet, the scene is so charming that it will  touch  all  hearts.  But  a  person  with  lack  of  sense  of beauty can only pass by without enjoying the amazing sight.

6.  “This beauty of morning; silent, bare” – What beauty does the poet refer to? Why the beauty is called ‘silent, bare’?

Ans: The poet refers to the beauty of London city viewed from the Westminster Bridge. Bathed in the morning sun, London looks very beautiful.The beauty is ‘silent’ because it is the time of early morning and the whole city is noise free and motionless. It is ‘bare’ because of the smokeless air of the atmosphere. Everything   looks   bright   and   glittering   in   the   morning sunlight.  The  poet  feels  a  deep  calmness  which  he  had never  felt  before.  The  use  of  words ‘silent’  and  ‘bare’ suggests  that  the city  of London  is  also  a  part  the  vast nature.


ECC-Eng.-XI-Upon Westminster Bridge               edited by Madhumay Chatterjee   
   

Note :-

There may be some typing mistakes. So please try to deal with it.

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The poem 'On Killing a Tree' describes man's cruelty and violence to nature — discuss.

ENGLISH NOTES (WBCHSE) FOR CLASS XII,"On Killing a Tree' by Gieve Patel .

Give the central idea of the poem 'On Killing a Tree'.
Or, The poem 'On Killing a Tree' describes man's cruelty and violence to nature— discuss.
Or, 'Not so much pain will do it'—
What message does the poet want to convey here ?
Or, Write a note on the poet's attitude to the trees revealed in the poem.

Ans. Gieve Patel's sarcastic poem 'On Killing a Tree' deals with human cruelty in killing trees. The poet here portrays how matured andfull-grown tree is cut ruthlessly thereby causing problem to our environment. In the poem the poet asserts killing a tree is not an easy job. A quick stab or blow of a knife cannot fell gratity tree. Our purpose roots should be pulled out entirely from the anchoring earth. It thus, points out the destructive nature of human being and man's foolishness towards nature. Man is so foolish that they are actually destroying their own basic and fundamental essence.



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Write a letter (in about 100 words) to your friend who has grown up a habit of playing online games like 'Blue-Whale', Momo.

LETTER FOR MADHYAMIK STUDENTS

Write a letter (in about 100 words) to your
friend who has grown up a habit of playing
online games like 'Blue-Whale', Momo. 

You may use the following points:

 The danger of the game distraction from studies --social alienation  physical problems--request to give up the habit.

S. H. Street

Kolkata–19

3 April, 2020

My dear Suman,
I have received your letter. From it I have learnt that you have grown a habit of playing online games like 'Blue-whale'. It is quite dangerous for reasons more than one.

First, online games will distract you from your studies. Soon you will lose concentration. The more the days will go the more addicted you will be.

Second, the more you will be obsesive about online games, the greater will be your lack in survival interaction. Soon you will stop maintaining healthy relationship with us. As a result you will begin to feel left out.
Such a situation may be a fatal one for you.

Third, physical consequcnces of such addiction should not be ignored. Migrain, sleep disturbances, backache, eating irregularities are to name a few. They might attack you and leave you feeling irritable all the time.

I don't want to lose one of my best fnends So, I request you to give up this habit immediately .
   With love,

Yours ever,

Amit

Suman Mukherjee

C/O– P. Mukherjee

Gopalmath,

Durgapur


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ENGLISH NOTES WBCHSE FOR CLASS XII Three Questions by Leo Tolstoy

Q."Forgive me! said the bearded man in weak voice''—Who was the bearded man ? What did he decide to do ? Why was he weak ? Why did he ask to forgive him? What was the Tsar's reaction ?

Ans. Here, the bearded man refers to the man who, in order to revenge himself on the Tsar, planned to kill him.

The Tsar had seized the property of the man's brother and executed him. So, the man was in the ambush in order to kill the Tsar. The bodyguard of the Tsar and his other men found the man and recognized him as the enemy of the Tsar. So they attacked and wounded him. It bled profusely from the wound and so the man was weak.

 The man had planned to kill the Tsar but the Tsar turned out to be the saviour of his life. So, he felt a prick of the conscience and implored the Tsar to forgive him. The Tsar was very happy being able to make peace and friendship with his enemy so easily. Had he not nursed the man he would have died
as his enemy.




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Comprehension Questions FATHER'S HELP

Here are some possible passages from 'Father's Help'. Hope this would help you to comprehend
the story well.

Read the following Passages from The story 'Father's Help' and Answer the Questions that follow :

(I) At 9.30, when he ought to have............Lets see. (Page 10, Para-2) 

1. What might Swami for the most part do during prayer time at school ?

2. What, According to father, is the reason for Swami's headache ?

3. Complete the sentence given underneath appropriately

In the event that Swami had said 'headache' by and by, his father..........

4.Do you think Swami is straightforward in his words? Justify your answer refering to cases from the section .

(II) At 9.30 when he ought to.......Lets see! (Page 10,Para-2) 

1. When was Swami lying on the bench in mother's room?

2. Why did Swami change his tactics?

3. Complete the sentence given below suitably.
 You should have asked me if.............

4. What was usual about Swami mentioned in the first paragraph?

5. Why do you think that Swami is not ready to go to school?

(III) As he approached the yellow building ............he grieved for him. 

1. 'Swami realised that he was pursuing himself and was ruining his teacher'.What does this statement suggest about the nature of Swami?

2. Select an expression which signifies 'to shake since you are startled' from the extract.

3. What,Swami fears,will be the outcomes of conveying letter to the headmaster?

4.  Check out the expression: The more he thought of Samuel, the more he grieved for him.

 Complete the following sentences suitably
 a.The more he thought of his father........

 b.The weaker Swami became...........

(I) ANSWERS :

1. Swami usually shout during prayer time at school.
2. According to father playing too much on weekends is the cause of Swami's headache.

3. If Swami had said headache once again, his father would have caned him.

4. No Swamy is not honest. He is just playing a truant. Swamy changed his tactics.

(II) ANSWERS :

1. At 9.30 when it was time to go to School.

2. Swami knew his father was stubborn and strict that he could not be easily fooled.

3. You should have asked me if you had decided to stay back/away.

4. Usually Swami would shout out in the School Prayer Hall during prayer time.

5. The uninteresting methods of teaching and the non variety routine of the school might have
kept Swami away from school.

(III) ANSWERS :

1. Swami had told a lie to his father about Mr. Samuel. He felt a guilty of this.

2. Shudder.

3. The Headmaster would dismiss Samuel and the police would chain him and put him in jail.

4 a) The more he thought of his father,the more angry he was.

 b) The weaker Swami became, the slower he walked.

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Write a letter to your friend about coronavirus.

LETTER FOR MADHYAMIK STUDENTS

                                                         87A CIT Road

Kolkata-700010

                                      March 26, 2020

   

                                   

 Dear  Amal
                 
                        
               I received your letter yesterday. Many many thanks for your kind letter. I'm very glad to know that you simply are all well now. I hope you know very well about the novel coronavirus that has broken out everywhere the planet. So I counsel you to be worn about the disease. Don't take in public place. Always use musk and wash your hands and face frequently. This disease has some common symptoms on anybody, tell him to consult the doctor. lookout of your health and your family.

     I hope you'll follow my advice and write me a letter about things of your locality. I will be able to be expecting your letter anxiously.

Yours ever,

                                                                            Biju
Binu Roy
15 No. Sonapur St. Road,
Near Balak Sangha, Kolkata-700150



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The Sailor and the Caged Birds

Moral Story

Write a story in around 120-150 words with the assistance of the following outlines. Include an appropriate title and moral of this.

Outline: An English sailor — a prisoner of was in France—returns home after the end of the war — stops at a bird shop in London—buys all the birds in the cages —frees the birds—the bird-seller wonders at his conduct– the sailor said,"I know the pain of captivity."

Pain of Captivity 

Or, A Kind Sailor

Or, The Sailor and the Caged Birds

Once there was a war between England and Germany. In it an English sailor was made a prisoner. He was confined in France for a few years. His life in the prison-cell was a period of great sufferings. He always longed to see his dear and near ones. Finally the war reached a conclusion .The English sailor was set free. His joy knew no bounds. He came back to his native land. One day he visited a bird-seller's shop in London.It was full of cages containing a wide range of birds.He bought all the birds. Then he opened the cages and set the birds free one by one. The bird-seller was astonished at his peculiar conduct.He asked the sailor why he had released the birds.The sailor answered, "I know the agony of bondage."

Moral:- Freedom is eminent joy.


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