VI CLASS - ENGLISH (NON IAS)

POETRY
Poem -1
The Beggar Maid

Meanings:
1. robe = long gown
2. attire = dress
3. mien = appearance
4. swear = promised

Rhyming words:
1. laid - maid
2. way - day
3. skies - eyes
4. been - queen
5. seen - mien

Question and Answers:

1) Who came to the king’s court one day?
A) A beggar maid named Penelophen came to the king’s court one
day.

2) What made the king decide to marry the maid ?
A) The beggar maid was very beautiful. She had a sweet face and angelic appearance. The lords in the court praised that she was more beautiful than the day. This made the king decide to marry the maid.

3) Which words tell us that the maid is in rags?
A) The words “Poor attire” of line ten tells us that the maid was in
rags.

4) What is compared to ‘could skies’ ? What is the moon?
A) The beggar maid’s un clean, torn clothes are compared to
‘clouded skies’. Her ‘fair’ , beautiful face is compared to the
moon.

5) How would you describe the beggar maid?
A) The beggar maid is more beautiful than the day with sweet face
and angelic grace.

6) Which words in the poem show that the maid was beggar ?
A) ‘Bare footed’ ‘beggar maid’, and Poor attire’ are the words
which tell us that the maid was a beggar.

7) ‘She is more beautiful than a day’. What does this sentence mean?
A) ‘Day’ signifies clarity, brightness and liveliness. The above line
means that the beggar maid was fair, bright and lovely. Her beauty was clearly visible.

Poem -2
Safety First
- Enid Blyton
Rhyming words :
1. see - me
2. well - bell
3. bit - hit
4. clear - near
5. wide - side

Questions and Answers:
1) Who is I, child or a man?
A. ‘I’ , is a child.

2) When does he want to cross?
A. He want to cross the road when there is no car or motor – bus
near.

3) There is something coming, What is ‘something’.
A. ‘Something’ means a vehicle

4) When is the road clear?
A. The road is said to be clear when a car or bus is not passing
through.

5) Why does the boy look up and down the street?
A. The boy looked up and down the street to see if any traffic is
near

6) Why does he want to cross the road when it is clear?
A. He wanted to cross the road when it is clear so that he can
avoid being hit by any vehicle.

7) ‘Wait a bit’ what will happen if he does not wait?
A. If he does not wait for a bit then he may be hit on the other
side.

POEM: 3
TOO CLEVER
Rhyming words:
1. be - he
2. see - three
3. be - three
4. true - you

Answer the following:
1. Who is this poem about?
A. The poem is about a small boy named Fred who came home to
spend his vacation .

2. How many roasted chickens were there on the dish?
A. They were only two roasted chickens on the dish.

3. Who would get the ‘third’ chicken ?
A. Fred would get the third chicken.

4. What was Fred? What did he want to show other?
A. Fred was a boy learning in the school. He wanted to show others
that he was smarter than others.

5. What did he want to prove at the dinner table? Did he prove it?
A. Fred wanted to prove that there were three roasted chickens on
the dinner table. He proved it logically.

6. How did Fred’s father reply?
A. Fred’s father replied instantaneously that if there were
three roasted chickens on the dinner table then one would be for him, one for his wife and the third one would be for Fred.

7. Who do you think is clever, Fred or his father?
A. Fred’s father outwitted Fred and is certainly cleverer than Fred.


POEM – 4
THE TABLE AND CHAIR TAKE A WALK
– EDWORD LEAR
Meanings:
1. be a ware = know
2. chilblains = painful sores an feet
3. toddle = walk unsteadily with short steps
4. hasten = move quickly
5. bumpy = not even

Rhyming words:
1. chair - aware, air
2. heat - feet
3. walk - talk
4. table – able
5. sigh – try
6. you - too
7. down - town
8. sound - round
9. cried - side

I. Answer the following:
1. Who spoke first, the table or the chair?
A. The table spoke first.

2. What did the table want to do?
A. The table wanted to take a little walk.

3. Did the chair agree at first?
A. No, the chair did not agree at first.

4. Why did the table think they can walk?
A. The table thought that they can walk as they have four legs and
they can easily walk on two legs.

5. Did anyone see them walking?
A. Yes, the people in the town saw them walking.
6. What two things was the table suffering from?
A. The table was suffering from heat and chilblains on its feet.

7. Why did the table want to have a walk?
A. The table wanted to have a walk to talk and to have fresh air.

8. Why did the chair not agree at first?
A. The chair did not agree as it thought that they cannot walk.

9. How did the table convince the chair that they could walk?
A. The table tried to convince the chair, saying that when they have
four legs each, they can as well walk on two. It said that there was
no harm in giving a trial.

10. Where did they go for their walk?
A. They went around the town walking.

11. Why did people hasten to their side ?
A. The people hastened to their sides because they were surprised on
seeing the table and chair taking a walk.

POEM – 5
THE WIND
-William Wordswarth
Meanings :
1. vale = valley
2. toss = move
3. wood = forest
4. bare = without leaves
5. scholar = an intelligent person
6. whither = where

I. Answer the following:
1. What is this poem about?
A. This poem is about the wind.

2. What tree does he toss about?
A. The wind tosses about every tree which is without leaves.

3. What country is mentioned in the poem ?
A. England is the country that is mentioned in the poem.

4. What does the wind ride over ?
A. The wind rides over the seas and the snowy mountains.

5. When can you see the wind plainly?
A. We can see the wind when we look up into the sky.

6. Are the rocky hills high? How do you know?
A. Rocky hills are high as in the poem it is mentioned that goats cannot climb the rocky hills.

7. What is difficult even for a scholar in England?
A. It is difficult for a scholar in England to know where the wind
comes from and where it goes to.

POEM -6
SHUT THE DOOR
- William Brighty Ponds
Meanings :
1. rear = make a loud noise
2. implore = ask earnestly
3. to pack off = to send
4. shutter = flat wooden board

Question Answers:
1. Who is the poem about ?
A. The poem is about a boy named Godfrey Gordon Gustavus
Gore.
2. What would he never do?
A. The boy would never close the door.
3. Where did they want to send the boy?
A. His parents wanted to send the boy on a voyage to far away
Singapore.
4. Did the boy like it?
A. The boy disliked being sent to Singapore.
Read and Answer:
5. What was the boy’s name?
A. The name of the boy was Godfrey Gordon Gustavus Gore.
6. What happened when the door was not shut?
A. The wind whistled and roared its way inside the house. The teeth
of the people ached and their throats went sore as the door was
not shut.
7. Who requested him to shut the door?
A. The boy’s parents requested him to shut the door.
8. What did they do finally?
A. The parents finally threatened him to send him on a voyage to
Singapore on a shutter.
9. What was the only thing the boy was afraid of ?
A. The boy was afraid of being sent to Singapore alone.


POEM-7
LETS JUST SUPPOSE

Meanings:
1. Wondrous = amazing
2. bother = worry

Rhyming words:
1. play – say
2. most – post
3. seen – queen
4. wings - things
5. tea - see

I. Answer the following:-
1. Why is ‘supposing’ a jolly game?
A Supposing is a jolly game because children are happy playing as
they get everything they want.

2. Who sends the things they want the most?
A. Fairies send the things which the children want most.

3. Where would the children go. If they have car?
A. If the children had the fastest car, they would drive to London
every day.

4. What two parts of an aeroplane are mentioned?
A. The tail and wings of an aeroplane are mentioned.

5. There is one word which is repeated often in the poem. What is
that word ?
A. ‘Suppose’ is the word often repeated in the poem.

6. How do friends send letters?
A. Friends and relatives sends the letters through post.


7. What things does some fairy send?
A. Some fairies send the things which the children want like the
fastest motor car or an Aeroplane

8. What will the children do with an aeroplane?
A. The children would fly off into the sky and do wonderous things
There, if they had an aeroplane.

9. What will the children do if they are late for tea ?
A. The children would go in an aeroplane so that they would reach
in time for tea.

10. Why do the children go to London?
A. The children would go to London to see the Queen.


PROSE

LESSON 1
CLEVER FARMER

New words:
competition
instalments
owed
entrance
borrowed
ancestors

Meanings:
1. owed = was in debt of
2. banker = one who lends money
3. instalments = in small amounts
4. huge sum = a lot of money
5. traded = did business
6. famine = drought
7. witness = an observer of a fact or an event
8. entire = whole

Opposites:
1. nearby x far off
2. friend x foe / enemy
3. huge x tiny
4. foolish x wise
5. servant x master
6. questioned x answered
7. sorry x pleased
8. continued x discontinued

Questions and Answers:
How did the loan of Rs. 50 become Rs.500?
Ans. The loan of Rs. 50 with interest became Rs.500 by the farmer’s time.

2. Why did the shop keepers say that the farmer’s father was a servant
to his father ?
Ans. The shopkeeper said that the farmer’s father was a servant to
his father to insult him and make him say “No” so that he could win the bet.

3. “If so, you owe me 500 rupees” Who owed 500 rupees to whom? Who
got the loan ?
Ans. According to the story of the farmer, the shop keeper owed Rs. 500
(five hundred) to the farmer. The shopkeeper’s great grand father had taken a loan of Rs.50 from the farmer’s great grand father –
The loan with interest has become Rs.500.

Frame Sentences:
1. repay –
2. witness -
3. traded –
4. owed –

Punctuation:
1. true friend true said the shopkeeper
2. how true it is said the farmer


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LESSON 2
The Wise Guests

New words:
conventional
auspicious
deceive
assembled
occasion

Meanings:
1. Miser = one who saves and loves money
2. Conventionl = done as a part of one’ s custom.
3. auspicious = that which is considered as good and beneficial
4.Tease = laugh at
5. deceive = cheat
6. tempt = try to attract
7. wealthy = rich

Questions and Answers:
1) How do you know that the king was wealthy?
Ans. The king was wealthy as he arranged a big feast to celebrate the birth of his son. He invited priests from all over the country and served the guests in silver plates.

2) How did the priests solve the problem ?
Ans . The priests were asked to eat the laddus without bending their
elbows. One of the priest, an elderly one, had a solution to this problem. He whispered something into the ear of his neighbour and the message passed quickly to all the priests. Each priest then took a laddu from his plate and put it into his neighbour’s mouth without bending his elbow. In this way the problem was solved.

3) The king wanted to follow the convention and at the same time did not want to spend his money? Is it true?
A. Yes, the king arranged a big feast as it was a convention to do
so. At the same time he did not want to spend any money. So he laid a condition that the priest should only eat without bending their hands at their elbow.

Frame sentences:
1. confused –
2. feast –
3. surprised –
4. worried –

Punctuate:
1. once there was a king in a little kingdom
2. the guests on the other hand were eating more and more laddus and earning more and more money


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LESSON 3
Snakes
New words:
1. charmers
2. rhythm
3. dangerous
4. poisonous
5. species
6. squeeze
7. patient
8. usually
9. unsuspectingly
10. swallows
11. interesting
12. creatures
13. dodging
14. valuable
15. manufacture


Meanings:
1. Says = moves gently
2. species = varieties
3. deadly = that which causes death
4. prey = food
5. unsuspectingly = without any doubt
6. breed = produce
7. crawl = move slowly with body close to the floor
8. shed = remove
9. dodging turns = moves which deceive the chaser
10. corner = put in a difficult condition or situation

Questions and Answers:
1) Why do we cut the wound in a snake bite victim’s body?
Ans. We cut the wound in a snake bite victim’s body in order to let the
poisoned blood, flow out freely and also to suck the poison from the wound.

2) How does a cobra dance to the charmer’s tune though it does not have ‘ears’?
Ans. The cobra doesn’t listen to the music of the charmer. It sways it’s
body to the swinging of the pipe by merely looking at it.

3) The hognosed snake is the most cunning of snakes, How ?
Ans. The hognosed snake is supposed to be the most cunning snake
because when it is cornered it rolls on its back, opens it’s mouth and hangs out its tongue like a dead snake. When left alone it turns on its stomach and crawls away.

4) Who is the ‘record maker’ in the snake world in terms of child birth?
Ans. The ‘Garter snake’ is the record maker in the snake world in terms
of child birth. It gives birth to as many as seventy young ones at a time.

5) Why are snakes in plenty in India and African countries?
Ans. The snakes usually live in hot regions. As India and Africa are hot
countries compared to other countries, we find snakes in plenty in India and Africa.

6) How are snakes useful?
Ans. The snakes are useful in many ways:-
1. The snake’s skin is very valuable. It is used to make leather.
The snake venom is used in the manufacture of some life saving medicines.

Opposites:
1. attractive x unattractive
2. normally x abnormally
3. harmful x harmless
4. suspectingly x unsuspectingly
5. dangerous x safe
6. poisonous x nonpoisonous
7. simple x complicated / complex
8. cunning x innocent
9. strange x familiar
10. continue x discontinue
11. use x misuse
12. valuable x trifle

Frame sentences:
1. deadly –
2. valuable –
3. poisonous _
4. unsuspectingly _
5. manufacture _

Punctuation:
1. you can see a lot of snakes in the snake park in madras
2. snakes are in plenty in india and african and in south east asian countries
3. in india and south – east asia people worship snakes as gods and goddesses


LESSON 4
NOBLE FRIEND

New words:
1. track – keepers
2. superiors
3. advise
4. Engineer
5. Supervisor
6. Culvert
7. condition
8. sincerity
9. faithful
10. complained
11. respectful
12. pleased
13. certainly
14. alternative
15. gushing
16. passengers

Meanings:
1. find fault with = blame
2. mood = state of mind
3. tackle = deal with
4. reeds = long stalks of grass like plants
5. foot of the bridge = bottom of the bridge
6. culvert = a bridge along the railway track
7. alternative = choice
8. flashed = appeared suddenly
9. soaked = made wet
10. gushing out = coming out with force
11. plucked = to take away with force
12. meant = thought of

Question and Answers:
1. What kind of man was Vasily?
A. Vasily was a young man who did not want to work hard. He always
found fault with others and blamed others for his mistakes.

2. Who did Vasily complain about Semyon first? How did he react to
Semyon’s advice?
A. Vasily complained about his supervisor to Semyon first.
Vasily was unhappy with Semyon’s advice and felt that he was an old man who didn’t know how to tackle the superiors.

3. What did Semyon do every Sunday?
A. Semyon went to collect the reeds in the bushes near the village every Sunday.

4. Why could Semyon not see the people working at the culvert? Give two reasons.
A. Semyon could not see the people working at the culvert because it was dark .
There was a tall bridge in the way and he was at the foot of the bridge.
5. “ I meant harm to others,” Vasily said. What harm was it?
A. Vasily wanted to derail the train and cause an accident which would
result in the death of many people.

6. What was Vasily’s plot? Why did he do such a thing?
A. Vasily’s plot was to remove a part of the railway track and cause an
accident. He wanted to take revenge on his superiors who refused
to listen to him.

7. What kind of a man was Semyon?
A. Semyon was an old man who had served in the army. He was a kind,
helpful, very sincere and faithful worker.

8. Why did Semyon make a red flag when he saw the rail removed?
A. Semyon wanted to stop the on coming train and avert the accident.
Since his red flag was at home, he made a cot on his arm, wet his hand kerchief in his blood and made a red flag.

9. What happened to Semyon at the end? Why?
A. Semyon died at the end as he had lost a great amount of blood.


10. How did Semyon defuse Vasily’s plot?
A. Semyon made a cut on his arm, dipped his hand kerchief in it a and
made a red flag. He ran towards the train holding the flag high. The driver saw the flag and stopped the train. Thus Semyon defused Vasily’s plot.

11. How did Vasily realize his foolishness at the end?
When Vasily saw Semyon risk his life to save other people, he realized his foolishness.




Opposites:

1. sincerity x insincerity
2. superior x inferior
3. faithful x unfaithful
4. kind x unkind
5. respectful x disrespectful
6. pleased x annoyed , displeased
7. praised x insulted
8. sure x unsure
9. ususal x unusual
10. noble x ignoble

Frame sentences:
1. happily –
2. sincerity-
3. polite-
4. pleased-
5. usually-
6. flashed –
7. soaked –
8. gushing –
9. plucked –


Punctuation:-
1. in a village near moscow there lived two friends
2. nevertheless semyon was kind to vasily


LESSON 5
SOCRATES
New Words:
1. disbelieved 11.intellectual 21. audience
2. philosophy 12. discussion 22. possessed
3. corrupting 13. gymnasium 23. persuade
4. performing 14. virtue 24. accustomed
5. hemlock 15. ignorance 25. annoyed
6. offered 16. disciples
7. consumed 17. condemned
8. believer 18. execution
9. sculptor 19. apologised
10.authority 20. unconscious

Meanings:-
1. reputation = fame
2. conceal = to hide
3. hardships = difficulties
4. rapt = deep, with great interest
5. ignorant = one who does not know things
6. virtue = quality of being good
7. band(here) = group
8. founded = started
9. principal = main
10.levelled = made
11.refute = spoil
12. acquit = set a prisoner free in a court of law
13. cease = stop
14.give up = stop from doing something
15. hemlock = a strong poison
16.verdict = judgment
17.execution = killing
18.apologise = to say sorry
19.fetch = bring
20. crept = moved slowly
21. ancient = very old
22.profession = job
23. bravely = boldly
24. wandered = walked about aimlessly
25. pretend = act
26. firmly = strongly
27. prevent = stop
28. command = order
29. annoyed = made angry
30. disciple = follower
31. limbs = hands and legs.


Antonyms:-
1. weak x powerful
2. high x low
3. difficult x simple
4. big x little
5. believed x disbelieved
6. unjust x just
7. ancient x modern
8. fearless x fearful
9. conceal x reveal
10. rarely x often
11. attention x distraction
12. virtue x vice
13. knowledge x ignorance
14. senior x junior
15. better x worse
16. possessed x disposed
17. acquit x convict
18. cease x begin
19. pleasure x pain
20. comforted x discomforted
21. depart x arrive
22. ordinary x extra ordinary

CORRECT FORM OF THE WORDS:
philosophy : philosopher
admire : admiration
discussed : discussion
intellect : intellectual
ignorant : ignorance
wise : wisdom
corrupt : corruption
occupy : occupancy
arrange : arrangement
10. please : pleasure

Question and Answers:
1. What were the charges made against Socrates in the trail?
A. The charges that were made against Socrates were that he disbelieved in the Gods of the states and he was corrupting the youth of the city with his philosophy.

2. What was Socrates philosophy?
A. Socrates philosophy was that all virtue was the knowledge of goodness and all sin was the ignorance of goodness. He believed in asking questions which would lead to truth and wisdom.

3. Do you think Socrates was against God? Give reason.
A. Socrates was not against God. He said that he was performing the duties on the command of God whom he regarded as the highest authority. Moreover he offered some hemlock to God before consuming it which shows that he was a believer of God.

FRAME SENTENCES:
1. ugly –
2. respect-
3. honour-
4. profession-
5. hardships-
6. poverty-
7. ignorant-
8. verdict-
9. depart-
10. apologised-

PUNCTUATION:
1. socrates was born in 469 bc in athens when she was the most powerful of the greek states
2. in 399 bc when socrates was seventy years old his enemies at last had their way

LESSON 6
AN EXPERIMENT
( deleted lesson)
New words:
1. absorb
2. reflect
3. woollen
4. interesting
5. temperature
6. thermometer
7. wrapped
8. remember

Meanings:
1. temperature = degree of hotness
2. absorb = to soak
3. wrapped = covered

Opposites:
1. remember x forget
2. interesting x uninteresting

Question and Answers:
1. The science teacher’s experiment answered two questions. What are the two questions?
A. The two questions are :
i) Why do we wear dark coloured woollen clothes in winter?
ii) Why do we wear light coloured cotton clothes in summer?

2. How long were the test- tubes in the sun?
A. The test- tubes were in the sun for half –an-hour.

3. Were the test- tubes in the experiment the same size?
A. Yes, the test- tubes used in the experiment were of the same size.

4. What did Ashok cover one of the Horlicks bottles with?
A. Ashok covered one of the Horlicks bottles with a woollen cloth.

5. Why do we wear woollen clothes in winter?
A. We wear woollen clothes in winter as wool doesn’t allow the body
heat to pass through and therefore makes us feel warm.

6. Why do we wear light coloured clothes in summer?
A. We wear light coloured clothes in summer as light colours reflect heat where as dark colours absorb heat. Therefore light coloured clothes make us feel comfortable in summer.

LESSON 7
PIGEONS (deleted )

Meanings :
1. seize = catch suddenly
2. anxious = troubling
3. apt (here) = likely
4. alighted = came down
5. pecking = striking with the beak
6. acquaintance = friend

I. Answer the following:
1. It was amazing. What was amazing?
A. It was amazing that five falcons were not able to seize even one pigeon.

2. How do pigeons escape a falcon’s attack?
A. The pigeons zig –zagged and the falcons could not aim them. The pigeons also rise higher to escape the attack.

3. What should you do if you keep pigeons?
A. It is interesting to keep the pigeons but difficult to maintain them. The
floor of the loft where pigeons are kept should be cleaned regularly and sprinkled with sand . Fresh water and food should be given to them.

4. There was this incident too. What incident was it ?
A. A Moscow acquaintance of the author once saw a street pigeon flying
into the window of her apartment and offered it some bread crumbs. It
then started coming regularly and she named it as Vasya. One day
Vasya laid an egg and she named it as ‘Vasilinka’

LESSON 8
AN EFFECTIVE SPEECH

New words:
1. effective
2. attractive
3. audience
4. listeners
5. convince
6. terribly
7. depressed
8. tough
9. continued
10. depression
11. adequate
12. harvest
13. tornado
14. immediately
15. destroy
16. debris
17. piece
18. believed
19. succeed

Meanings:
1. audience = hearers
2. convince = satisfy by showing proof
3. depressed = sad
4. tough times = difficult times
5. labourer = worker
6. tornado = a violent storm in which the wind blows round and round
7. debris = broken, useless pieces
8. corncob = head of a grain- bearing plants
9. last = continue
10. harvest = that which is produced by earth

Answer the following:
1. Who is an effective speaker? Mention a few effective speakers names?
A. An effective speaker is one whose speech not only attracts the audience but also the influences them. Some of the effective speakers are : Winston Churchill, George Washington, Lenin, Nehru, Swamy Vivekananda etc.

2. Those were taught times Dr. Schuller told the audience . What were
“those” ?
A. ‘Those’ in the above line means the days when a great depression hit
America in 1930. Life became difficult for people as they have no money
to buy even coal. They had to burn corncobs for fuel.

3. An effective speech always brings a change in audience . Whose speech
is mentioned in the lesson ? Was it effective ? How ? Who were the
audience ?
A. Dr. Schuller’s speech is mentioned in the lesson. It was effective
speech as it attracted the audience and changed their sad faces to cheerful ones. The farmers of Chicago state were the audience.

4. Why did Schuller climb into the hog yard?
A. Dr. Schuller climbed into the hog yard to collect the concorb for fuel.

5. What was God’s message to Schuller’s father ?
A. The God’s message to Schuller’s father was to “Keep looking to God”.

6. What does a tornado do ?
A. A tornado is a violent storm in which the wind moves in a circular motion and destroys everything that comes in its way.

Opposites:
1. attractive x unattractive
2. worried x relaxed , cheerful
3. depressed x happy
4. tough x easy
5. famous x notorious
6. gathered x dispersed
7. adequate x inadequate
8. dry x wet
9. sold x purchased
10.quiet x noisy
11.wicked x kind
12.believed x disbelieved
13.succeed x fail
14.lose x gain
15.always x never

Correct form of the words:
1. attract : attractive, attraction
2. effect : effective
3.depressed : depression
4.fame : famous
5.continue : continuous , continuously
6.belief : believe
7.cheer : cheerful

Frame sentences:
cheerful –
faith-
speech-
convince-
depressed-
havest-
destroy-
happiness-

Punctuation:
1. winston churchill george washington lenin nehru swamy vivekananda were all powerful speakers
2. when i was three years old the great depression hit
3. when dr schuller finished the audience clapped with cheer on their faces

LESSON 9
YOUNG LINCOLN

New words:
1. neighbours
2. admired
3. promptly
4. borrowed
5. instead
6. several
7. lecturing

Meanings:
1. enough = sufficient
2. admire = respect
3. promptly = readily
4. laughed at = teased, mocked at
5. instead = in the place of

I. Answer the following:-
1. Why did Lincoln read the book on Washington several times ?
A. Lincoln read the book on George Washington, many a times because
he liked it very much. He was inspired by it so much that he too wanted to be a great man like George Washington.

2. Did Lincoln become the President of the Untied State of America ?
When?
A. Yes, Lincoln became the 16th President of United States of America in the year 1861.

3. Did Lincoln love to read books? How do you know?
A. Lincoln loved to read books as he used to borrow books from his
friends and neighbours , read them during the night and returned them the next morning. Some times he took the books to fields and read them at lunch time.

Frame sentences:
1. admired-
2. promptly-
3. borrowed-
4. spoiled-
5. helpful-

Punctuation:
he wanted to become a great man like george washington
abraham bacame the sixteenth president of the united states in 1861
the owner asked abe to work in his field for three days

**********************************************************************************
LESSON 10
A BRAVE DOG

New words:
1. creative
2. special
3. responded
4. enthusiastic
5. attachment
6. companions
7. paddle
8. rapidly
9. curled up
10. energetic
11. tumbled
12. screaming
13. temperature
14. howling
15. numb
16. licking
17. ploughed
18. statue
19. dragging
20. deserved
21. honoured

Meanings:
1. enthusiastic = showing eager and interest
2. dash = run quickly
3. paddle = move the legs like the oars
4. tow = follow
5. day break = dawn
6. piled = collected
7. drifts = heaps
8. tumbled = fall quickly
9. head over heels = completely
10. screaming = crying aloud
11. howling = making a noise similar to that of a dog.
12. sank = went down
13. numb = having no feeling
14. ploughed = cut one’s way through
15. dragging = pulling
16. deserved = was worthy of
17. stiff = unbending
18. forcible = powerful
19. energetic = full of strength
20. fur = small, soft hair on the body
21. narrated = told
22. beach = sea shore
23. attachment = friendship
24. honoured = praised and appreciated

Opposites:-
1. above x below
2. lightly x hard
3. weak x powerful
4. small x huge
5. tight x loose
6. decreased x increased
7. fast x slow

Question and Answers:
1. Is the title ‘A Brave Dog’ suitable to the story? How?
A. Yes, the title ‘A Brave Dog’ is suitable to the story because it
describes how a dog acted bravely and saved the life of a little girl called Andrea .

2. How did Anderson girls gain Villa’s friendship?
A. Anderson girl’s won the friendship of Villa by playing with her when the owners were away for weekends.

3. Where did Andersons girls and the Veits live?
A. The Anderson girls and the Veits lived in New Jersey at Cape Way Peninsula.

4. “The medal came”. Where did the medal come from?
A. The medal came from the New Found land club of America. The members of the club honoured the dog as the “Hero Newfoudland of 1983.

5. What did Villa do to drag Andrea out of the snow pet?
A. Villa ploughed into the snow and licked Andrea’s face to warm her. She then pushed down the snow with her huge paws, and stuck her head towards the girl. Andrea put her arms round the dogs neck. Villa then slowly moved back pulling Andrea from the pit to an open area.

Frame sentences:
1. enthusiastic-
2. curled up-
3. screaming-
4. deserved-
5. huge-
6. tumbled-

Punctuation:
1. villa also made friends with andrea anderson and her two sisters who lived next door
2. as andrea s cries reached her villa suddenly stood still


LESSON 11
I AM JOHN’S EYE
(deleted)

1. Cornea is described as the front window. How are the following
described. A) Pupil b) Retina.
A. Pupil : An adjustable gateway for light.
Retina : Onien skin like wall paper.

2. Do the eyes work hard ? How do you know?
A. Eyes move about 1,00,000 times a day when one eye carries
90% of the work load, the other rests and then it goes to work and the former rests.

3. How are the eyes protected in the body?
A. Eyes have the best protection in the body. They are placed in a bony
box. The cheek bones and forehead act as shock absorber for direct blows. Eye lids protect them from dust particles.

4. The eyes have a very good cleansing system . Is it true ? How ?
A. Tear glands produces tear which keep the eye moist and cool. Eye lids acts as wiper and spread tears all over the cornea . Tears also contain lysozyme which protects the eye from infective bacteria.

5. How can you keep your eyes safe ?
A.
1. We have to clean our eyes very often .
2. We should not sit close to Television while watching it
3. We have to cover our eyes with kerchief whenever there is dust.

LESSON 12
PYGMIES OF AFRICA

New words:
1. original
2. generally
3. buffalo
4. affected
5. several
6. entrance
7. normally
8. entertain
9. visitors
10. generation
11. educated
12. employed

Meanings:
1. Jungle = a big forest
2. Climate = weather
3. staple = main
4. races = a group of people who live in a place for a long time
5. earn their living = earn food or money in order to live
6. generation = people belonging to one particular period of time
7. guided tour = tour with someone to guide the tourists

Questions and Answers:
1. Being short is an advantage to pygmies. Why?
A. Being short is an advantage of pygmies because a short person is less affected by heat than a tall person. More over a short person or an animal can move easily through the low, hanging branches in the forest.

2. Pygmies work in the village fields. But they do not like farming. Why ?
A. Though Pygmies of Ituri forest work in the village fields, they don’t like farming because they do not want to live in one place. They like wandering in the forest.

3. Where is Ituri forest?
A. Ituri forest is a thick jungle in the North Eastern part of Africa.
4. Why is a pygmy dog called barkless?
A. A pygmy dog doesn’t bark as loud as our dogs. So it is called as an “African barkless dog”.

5. How do you know that pygmy men are strong?
A. Pygmy men are strong as they climb tall trees as high as hundred feet
to get honey and they hunt wild animals for their meat.

6. Do you think pygmies want to change their life style? Give support to your answer.
A. Some groups of pygmies have moved out of the forest and now live in villages. Some of them are educated and employed. They even welcome visitors. They also use guns for hunting. This shows that they are open to the modern ways of living.

Opposites:
1. original x duplicate
2.common x uncommon
3.tough x gentle
4.normally x abnormally
5.different x similar
6.educated x uneducated
7.employed x unemployed

Frame sentences:
1. thick-
2. affected-
3. staple food -
4. educated-
5. employed-
6. guided tour-

Punctuation:-
1. the other races of africa are the negroes the nelosaharans and the bushmen
2. pygmies were terribly afraid of european visitors



LESSON 13
LETS FIGHT RHEUMATIC FEVER
(deleted)
1. What causes rheumatic fever? How does the disease start normally?
A. Rheumatic fever is caused by bacteria. Bacteria enters the body
through infected wounds, cuts and boils. It starts with a sore throat which turns into infection.
2. Why is rheumatic fever is a terrible disease?
A. Rheumatic fever is a deadly disease, which in few results in
death. Children who are affected are left with deformed hearts and permanent disabilities.

3. How can you identify that a child is suffering from rehumantic fever?
A. The most common symptom for Rheumatic fever is a mild to moderate pain and swelling in the body joints. Sometimes a pink rash appears on the Childs chest and limbs and painless nodules form on the skin of the elbows, knuckles and on the back of head. Sore throat is the first symptom notice, with rise in the body temperature.

4. As a result the Auricle gets bigger. The result is that the auricle gets bigger what is the cause ?
A. The valve which controls the flow of blood is affected in the child suffering from Rheumatic fever, then the upper chamber has to pump the flood into the ventricle. This is the reason why the auricle becomes bigger.

5. When does surgery become necessary?
A. Surgery becomes necessary in the advanced cases of heart disease.

6. How can operation be avoided?
A. By giving drugs every day or by giving penicillin injection once in
three weeks, the operation can be avoided.
*************************
LESSON 14
THE THIRD INDIAN EXPEDITION OF ANTARCTICA

New words:
1. expedition 31.chemists
2. available 32.biologists
3. deposits 33.meteorologists
4. believe 34.participated
5. massive 35.equipments
6. permanent 36.helicopters
7. platinum 37.sophisticated
8. construction 38.instruments
9. quantities 39.residential
10. 18.generators 40. voyage
11. research 41.facilities
12. geologist 42. thrilling
13. aborator
14. refuelling
15. kilometre
16.communication
17. satellite
18. luggage
19. selecting
20. programme
21. eological
22. varieties
23. treaty
24. calamities
25. agreement
26.explore
27. prohibits
28.possibility
29.darling
30.companions

Meanings:
1. expedition = journey to a place with a view to find something.
2. shortage = available in insufficient quantity.
3. deposits = that which is stored underground
4. massive = very big
5. equipment = instruments
6. brief = for a short time.
7. sophisticated = expensive and powerful
8. set off = start the journey
9. explore = to find out
10. predators = animals that live on other animals.
11. prohibits = prevents
12. paradise = heaven.
13. campsite = place where the team would stay
14. housing = providing place for
15. residential area = living area
16. weather forecast = calculating the weather condition in advance
17. darling = that which is lovable
18. minerals = ores
19. massive = very big
20. rare = not found often

Questions and Answers:
1. Why is Antarctica a paradise for birds?
A. There are no land predators in Antarctica and so birds are not
hunted and eaten. They live in plenty and so the land is a
paradise for birds.

2. What does the Antarctica treaty contain ?
A. The Antarctica treaty prohibits the member countries from taking
any of the Antarctica’s wealth out of the island. It also prohibits
them from using the region for testing any weapons of war.

3. How is the communication between Antarctica and the mainland
possible?
A. Communication between Antarctica and the main land was
possible through the artificial satellite INSAT 1B

4. Why does an expedition team need a very big ship?
A. The expedition team had to carry heavy luggage such as construction materials, generators, scientific equipment and four helicopters for use in the polar region. So they needed a very big ship.

5. A land of ice with very little water. Which land is it ? Why is it
with very little water ?
A. Antarctica is a land of ice which has very little water. The water that is available, would turn into ice within a short time. So, we find very little water in Antarctica.

Answer in 25 words:
1. What responsibilities did the third expedition team to Antarctica
have?
A. 1) The main responsibility of the third expedition team was to construct a permanent research station that included a laboratory and a residential block. 2) They need to study the weather to provide a long range weather forecast for India. 3) The scientists should also explore the possibility of large scale fishing on the shores of the south pole.

2. How did the third expedition team spend the first few days in the
Antarctica island?
A. The first few days were spent on unloading the luggage from the
ship, selecting a camp site and setting up tents in the site.

Opposites:
1.rough x smooth
2.brief x elaborate
3.difficulty x comfort
4.loading x unloading
5.busy x idle
6.construction x destruction
7.important x unimportant
8.plenty x scarce
9.pleasant x unpleasant
10.paradise x hell
11.prohibits x allows
12.covered x uncovered
13.available x unavailable
14.shortage x abundance
15.rare x common
16.believe x disbelieve
17.huge x tiny
18.including x excluding
19.permanent x temporary
20.lead x follow
21.special x ordinary
22.heavy x light
23.massive x tiny
24.use x misuse
25.war x peace
26.advance x delay , postpone
27.easily x difficulty

Correct form of the words:
1. thrill : thrilling
2.select : selection
3.engaged : engagement
4.sophisticated : sophistication
5.residence : residential
6.instrument : instrumental
7.celebrate : celebration
8.possible : possibility
9.pleasant : pleasing
10.prohibit : prohibition
11.fear : fright
12.pole : polar
13.cover : coverage
14.available : availability
15.believe : belief
16.region : regional
17.provide : provision , providence
18.science : scientific
19.special : speciality
20.rare : rarely
21.participate : participation
22.addition : additional

Frame sentences:
shortage-
equipments-
sophisticated-
prohibit-
pleasant-

Punctuation:-
1. the first indian expedition took place in 1981 and dr qasim led the team
2. the antarctica treaty prohibits the member countries from taking any of the antarcticas wealth out of the island.


SUPPLEMENTARY READER – I

CHAPTER – 1
TO THE FAIREST
-Trojanwar

Question and answers:

1. How did the uninvited goddess show her displeasure at Thetis’ wedding ?
Ans. The goddess of hate, Eris, was uninvited to Thetis’ wedding. She was very hurt and angry. She dropped a golden apple in the middle of three goddess – the queen of heaven, Hera, the goddess of wisdom, Minerva and the goddess of beauty, Venus. On the apple were written the words ‘To the fairest’. Eris intended to start a quarrel among the three goddesses.

2. Why did Jupiter send the three goddesses to Ida?
Ans. Jupiter thought that his judgement would not restore peace among the three goddesses who were fighting for the golden apple. He found Prince Paris suitable to judge and so sent the three of them to Mount Ida where Paris lives.

3. How did the three goddesses try to get the golden apple?
Ans. The three goddesses wished to claim the apple and so tried to lure Paris to get the apple for themselves. Juno, the goddess of Heaven promised to make Paris the richest and most powerful prince on earth if he gave her the apple. Athene, the goddess of Wisdom, promised to give him all the knowledge in the world and skills of war if the apple was hers. Venus, the goddess of beauty, promised to lend the hand of the most beautiful lady on earth to him in marriage.

4. Was Paris right or wrong in his judgement and why?
Ans. Paris gave the apple to Venus, the goddess of beauty. There was only one apple and only one could get it. Certainly no other goddess could have been more beautiful than goddess of beauty itself. So, Paris was right in his judgement.


CHAPTER – 2
VENUS KEEPS HER WORD

Question and answers:
1. What did Helen’s suitors have to swear to do ? Why?
Ans. Helen’s Suitors had to swear that whenever Helen and her husband were in trouble they would join together and go to their help. Ulysses felt that only one among them would marry Helen This ‘swearing ceremony’ was done as a preventive measure so that no jealous suitor would fight the man of her choice in ‘swayamvara’ and win Helen in battle.

2. What made prince Paris lead a shepherd’s life?
Ans. When Paris was born it was prophesied that the boy would bring ruin to the city that gave him shelter. So he was given away to a mountain shepherd. He and his wife brought him up and so he lead a shepherd’s life.

3. What did Venus do to keep her promise?
A. Venus sent Paris to Sparta where he met Helen for the first time. Venus ordered Cupid, her son to shoot arrows of love at Paris and Helen. They fell in love with each other and eloped to Troy.


CHAPTER – 3
THE GREEKS PREPARE TO CARRY OUT THEIR PROMISE

Question and answers:
1. What made Penelope’s father put up a statue in front of his palace?
A. Penelope’s father was very fond of her and did not want to part with her even after her marriage with Ulysses. So he asked her to stay back with him. Penelope was too kind to hurt her father. So she said nothing but dropped her veil over her face. Her father understood what she meant and let her go with Ulysses to Ithaca. But he got her statue made and put it in front of his palace as model of modesty and a token of remembrance.

2. How did Ulysses try to avoid joining the Trojan War?
A. When Menelau’s messenger arrived to invite Ulysses for the war, he pretended that he was mad. He yoked an ass and an ox to the plough and began to sow salt in the field. In this way he tried to avoid joining the Trojan War.

3. What made Achilles stay behind while others joined the war?
A. When Achilles was born it was prophesied that he would be wounded and killed before the walls of Troy. Achilles’ mother, Thetis wanted to prevent him from joining the war. So she challenged Achilles to dress himself like a girl without being discovered. He was made to live in a neighbouring king’s palace along with his daughters. As he lived with princesses in the palace, he was not aware of the war and so was left behind.

4. What made Ulysses join the Greek army?
A. When Ulysses pretended to be mad and tried to avoid joining the war, the messenger of Agamemnon cleverly put Ulysses son, Telemachus in front of the plough to test whether Ulysses was really mad. Ulysses couldn’t hurt his son. He had no other alternative but to accept the invitation of Agamemnon and join the war.

5. How as Achilles brought into the war?
A. Ulysses disguised himself as a jewel merchant and arrived at the palace where Achilles lived. He hid some swords, spears and other weapons made of gold among the jewels . When he displayed his ware before the princesses he noticed that one of the girls showed an unusual interest in those weapons. He looked carefully at that girl and recognized him to be Achilles. He then told them about the news of Trojan War . Immediately Achilles took leave of his host and joined the war.


CHAPTER – 4
SHIPS MOVE AND MEN LAND AND PROTESILAUS PAY THE PRICE

Question and answers:
1. How and why was Iphigenia brought to Aulis?
A. Sacrifices were offered for favourable winds as a fleet of thousand ships were camped. Meanwhile an epidemic spread killing many soldiers . Ulysses was sent to Calchus to find out the reason. He told that it was a punishment from God as Agamemnon had killed as stag which was precious to goddess Diana. To stop the spread of epidemic she wanted Iphigenia to be sacrificed . Hence she was brought to Aulis.

2. What is the touching story of Protesilaus and Loadamia?
A. There was a prophecy that the first Greek soldier to step on Trojan soil would die immediately . Protesilaus who cared more for fame than life married Loadamia and landed on Trojan soil. Just then a sword leaped in the air and killed him. Loadamia prayed to Gods to bring her husband back to life. Jupiter took pity on her and Loadamia was allowed to spend only three hours with her husband. After three hours Protesilaus’ life was taken back. Loadamia was heart broken and she fell dead. Both their bodies were buried together. This was the touching story of Protesilaus and Loadamia.

3. Why did Iphigenia not return to her mother?
A. Iphigenia remained at Tauris and did not return to her mother because she served goddess Diana as a priestess in a temple.


CHAPTER – 5
ACHILLES BOYCOTTS THE WAR

Question and answers:
1. What led Achilles boycott the war?
A. Agamemnon agreed to release his slave girl Chrysais only if Achilles would give him his girl Brisais and an ox-cart full of gold and ten tents of silk. This demand made Achilles hate Agamemnon and hence he boycotted the war.

2. What brought the plague down on the Greek army in Troy?
A. Chrysais’ father, who was a priest of the Sun God, offered Agamemnon huge quantities of treasure and begged him for her release. But Agamemnon refused to release her. So her father went to the temple of the Sun God and prayed to him. Appollo was angry at this and sent plague down on the Greek army.

CHAPTER – 6
AGAMEMNON FEELS THE DIFFERENCE

Question and answers:
1. What did Zeus do to please Achilles’ mother?
A. Zeus sent Agamemnon a dream one night . He dreamt that Troy would fall the next day. Next morning Agamemnon held a council, told about his dream and went to fight with confidence that they would win. As the battle went on, Zeus picked up a pair of scales which hung in the sky and made a thunderouse sound. This frightened the Greek army and they began to step back. Greeks were on the verge of losing the battle. Zeus thus punished Agamemnon for insulting Achilles and pleased Thetis.

2. What made an eagle drop a fawn at Agamemnon’s feet?
A. When the Trojans began to drive back the Greeks, Agamemnon prayed to Zeus. He reminded Zeus that he was the one who sent him a dream and lured them towards victory but was now driving them towards defeat. He prayed to Zeus not to allow the Trojans to slaughter the Greeks. His prayer was answered by Zeus who sent an eagle which dropped a fawn at Agamemnon’s feet. This sight inspired the Greeks and they started fighting back.


CHAPTER – 7
THE TROJANS COME BACK WITH TORCHES

Question and answers:
1. How was Hector’s plot discovered?
A. Ulysses and his friend Diomedes caught Dolon, the Trojan spy and threatened to kill him if he did not reveal why he was at the Greek camp and what he wanted to find about Greeks. He then told them that Trojans were planning to find their way past Greek camp to the ships and set them on fie.

2. What was the plot that was discovered?
A. Hector plotted against Greeks and sent a spy to find a weakly guarded passage which led to the Greek ships. He would then send men to set the ships on fire so that the Greeks would be stranded on the beach with out any means of escape. The Trojans would then kill them all. This was Hector’s final plan for Greeks.

CHAPTER – 8
ULYSSES RETURNS WITHOUT ACHILLES THIS TIME

Question and answers:
1. What did Agamemnon offer Achilles for his return to the war?
A. Agamemnon agreed to return Brisais to Achilles and offered ten chests full of gold and twenty copper pots. He said that he would give twenty thorough bred horses and one of his daughter in marriage for his return to the war.

2. Why did Achilles refuse Agamemnon’s offer?
A. Achilles felt that Agamemnon made no difference between brave men and cowards and treated both as slaves. Achilles disliked to be bribed by Agamemnon to win back friendship and war. So he refused Agamemnon’s offer.

3. What followed Achilles’ refusal?
A. Achilles refusal was heard with sorrow and disappointment by one and all. Diomedes said the Achilles had no business to insult them. They would fight and take Troy or die in the war. His words inspired them and they were determined to win the war.

CHAPTER – 9
PARIS MEETS MENELAUS

Question and answers:
1. Why did Paris not agree to send Helen back home when he and Menelaus met?
A. Paris told Menelaus that Helen loved him. He said that he would not send her back against her will.

2. What did Paris offer Menelaus to stop the war? And why was the offer turned down?
A. Paris offered the biggest ransom of gold and silver, that had ever been paid in the world. Menelaus rejected the offer because he was not fighting for wealth. He was fighting for honour .

3. What did Menelaus offer Paris as an alternative to blood shed? And what did the offer lead to?
A. Menelaus challenged Paris to fight in a single combat as an alternative to blood shed. Paris accepted the offer and was defeated. He ran into the ranks of his own army to save his life.


CHAPTER – 10
A HERO’S ARMOUR SCARES AN ARMY AND LURES ITS WEARER TO HIS DEATH

Question and answers:
1. Achilles was about to win a battle with out going to fight. How?
A. Patroclus, the friend of Achilles, decided to dress himself in Achilles armour and face the battle. The Greeks, who took him for Achilles, gave a thunderous shout of welcome. Patroclus succeeded in driving away the Trojans across the plains towards the city walls. This is how Achilles almost won the war with out actually going to fight.

2. What brought about the death of Patroclus?
A Patroclus, in the excitement of his victory, forgot his friends warning and chased the Trojans till the city gates. Just then Apollo, the sun God, whispered the truth into Hector’s ears. Hector’s with the help of sun God killed Patroclus, Patroclus wish for glory brought about his death.

3. How did Achilles take the news of his friend’s death?
A. Achilles uttered a cry of pain on hearing the news of his friends’ death. He fell down, rolled over in the sand and poured it over his head in grief. He was frantic with sorrow.



CHAPTER – 11
ACHILLES RETURNS TO THE WAR

Question and answers:
1. Describe Achilles’ new armour.
A. Achilles’ armour was beaten out of pure bronze. The shield was marvelous with the image of whole universe carved on it. Below it was carved the nature of the earth. Vulcan, the fire God hammered it with exquisite skill. It gleamed with an unearthly glow.

2. How did Achilles return to war? Tell the story of his return.
A. Achilles was enraged and wanted to avenge the death of his dearest friend,. Patroclus. Just then Thetis gifted him the most beautiful armour and wanted him to wear it when he went to the war. Achilles took the armour and marched to Agamemnon’s tent and told him to lay the quarrel aside and invited all the generals present there to the feast of war. He willingly led the army and re-entered the war.

3. What helped Achilles to escape from drowning?
A. Achilles blazed through the Trojan ranks and reached the banks of the river Scamander, striking down the soldiers mercilessly. The river was in flood and suddenly a scorching ball of fire came flying from no where and fell on the ground. It seemed to dry up the river until it shrank into its former size saving Achilles.


CHAPTER – 12
ACHILLES TAKES REVENGE

Question and answers:
1. What did Hector offer Achilles and why?
A. Hector knew that Achilles was after his life and wanted to make the fighting as hard as he could. Achilles chased Hector who ran three times around the city walls. Hector thought that it was useless and offered a bargain. But it was resented by Achilles.

2. Guess what Hector warned Achilles about with his last breath?
A. Hector warned Achilles about Achilles death in his last breath. His feeble words meant that Achilles too would die at the same Skian Gate in the hands of his brother Paris.

3. How did Achilles try to quench his burning anger after Hector was dead?
A. Achilles was angrier than ever after he killed Hector. He tied the body of Hector to his chariot and dragged it across the plain until it was battered. This is how he quenched his burning anger.

4. What wonder did Priam see when Achilles was driving round his city?
A. Achilles drove at a mad speed around the city dragging Hector’s body all along. The speed gave rise to a powerful wind and the body was lifted up and no longer touched the earth. This wonderful sight made Hector’s parents thank the winds as it stopped the battering and disfiguring of Hector’s body.


CHAPTER – 13
ACHILLES RELENTS

Question and answers:
1. How did king Priam manage to pass through the battle friend and visit Achilles tent?
A. Zeus sent Mercury, the messenger of gods, down to conduct King Priam safely to Achilles’ tent. Mercury waved his magic wand and all the soldiers fell asleep. Thus the king managed to pass through the Greek camp safely without the fear of being attacked by Greeks.

2. What made Achilles hand over Hector’s body to the king?
A. Zeus sent Achilles’ mother, Thetis, to him to soften his heart. King Priam pleaded Achilles for Hector’s body. He reminded Achilles about his father who was also old like him. He asked Achilles to think how his father felt if he were in the King’s shoes. These remarks saddened Achilles who not only handed over Hector’s body to the King but also declared truce for twelve days.



CHAPTER – 14
ARCHERY COMES TO THE AID OF TREACHERY

Question and answers:
1. What made Achilles shed tears in the battle field?
A. One of the allies of King Priam’s was Penthesilea who was the queen of the Amazons. She fought fiercely for a long time and was finally killed by Achilles. She was so young and beautiful and showed no sign of fear or weakness. Achilles wished she was alive. But when he found that she was dead, tears rolled down his face.

2. What is person’s “Achilles’ heel”? Why is it so called?
A. Thetis knew that her son, Achilles, was a mortal but wanted to prevent her son’s death as long as she could. So as soon as he was born she dipped him in the holy waters of river styx which would enable him to withstand to any weapon’s attack . She dipped him by holding one of his heels and so the water of the river had not washed that heel. The vulnerable part in his body was his heal. So when someone who is nearly perfect and has just one weakness, people name that one weakness as Achilles heel.

3. How did Paris kill Achilles?
A. Achilles took part in the horse race and Paris was watching him from a hiding place behind the Skian Gate. When Achilles passed for there the fourth time in front of the gate, Paris shot an arrow right on Achilles heel and Achilles died before the walls of Troy.


CHAPTER – 15
PARIS IS PAID BACK IN HIS OWN COIN

Question and answers:
1. How did Paris die?
A. Hercules was one of the greatest Greek Heroes. When he was dying he gave his poisoned arrows to his dearest friend Philoctetes. When Pholoctetes came to fight in the Trojan war, the first man he shot in the battle was Paris.

2. Tell the story of Oenone.
A. Oenone was a nymph. Paris had married her when he lived on Mount Ida. Later Paris deserted her to marry Helen.

3. What did Ulysses and Diomedos do in the city of Troy?
A. Ulysses and Diomedes entered Troy in the guise of Trojan soldiers and sought the help of Helen in stealing the statue of Pallas Athene, the Goddess of knowledge and war. They knew that Troy was invincible as long as the Palladium was there in Troy.

4. Why did the Greeks send Philoctetes away and why did they bring him back later?
A. The poisoned arrows of Hercules were given to his dearest friend Philoctetes. In the earlier years of war, Philoctetes accidentally wounded his own foot with one of the poisoned arrows. The foul smell that came from the wound was so intolerable that he was sent away to a far off island . But the Greeks were told to follow the arrows of Hercules and so Diomedes was sent to call him back.


CHAPTER – 16
TROJANS CELEBRATE “THE END OF THE WAR”

Question and answers:
1. The Trojan themselves pulled down the city gates to let the Greeks in what made them do so?
A. Greeks made the Trojans believe that they returned to Greece leaving a gigantic wooden horse behind halfway between the Greek camp and the city wall. After much debating Trojans thought that it was an offering to goddess Athene and thought if the horse was in their possession it would bring bad luck to Greeks and they would perish in the sea on their way. They took the horse into their kingdom and let the Greeks, who were hidden in the belly of the wooden horse into the city of Troy. In this way the Trojans brought about their own disaster.

2. How did the sea serpents help Ulysses and his men?
A. Neptune was totally against carrying the huge wooden horse into Troy. When he told to destroy the wooden horse, he heard his children scream from the seashore. Two serpents coiled round his two children. Neptune tried to free them but all the three were crushed to death. This incident made the Trojans believe that they should not cause any harm to the huge wooden horse. This left Ulysses and his men unharmed.

3. Why did Sinon say he was left behind in Troy and why infact did he stay behind?
A. Sinon told King Priam that he hated Greeks as they were treacherous villains who killed his brothers and took their treasure. He cursed Greeks and made Trojans believe that he was the friend of theirs and so was left back in Troy. But in reality he stayed behind to see that the horse was not destroyed and made sure that Ulysses and his men were safely led inside the city. He signalled them to come of the horse’s belly when the whole kingdom of Troy was asleep.



CHAPTER – 17
TROY IS DESTROYED AND THE BOYS CAN GO BACK HOME

Question and answers:

1. How did King Priam die?
A. King Priam and his queen hid themselves in the temple of Jupiter. But when the king saw his youngest son wounded by Achilles son Pyrrhus he came out to defend his son. Pyrrhus had no choice but to use his sword and killed the feeble king in no time. Thus the king died in the hands of Pyrrhus.

2. What have you read about Cassandra?
A. Cassandra was one of the daughters of King Priam and Queen Hecuba. Apollo fell in love with her and gave her the gift of prophecy. She lived on to become a well know prophetess. But later the Sun God fell out of her love and didn’t want her to be a prophetess. So he told her that though her prophecies would be true no one would believe her. So when Cassandra prophesied, people disbelieved her and when the event came about they regretted. This followed on and on.


SUPPLEMENTARY READER – II

CHAPTER – 1
THE BRAVE POTTER

Question and Answers:

1. Why was the tiger afraid of the “leak”?
A. The tiger heard the woman complain about the leak and believed that the ‘leak’ was a strong and dangerous animal. Hence the tiger was afraid.

2. How did the potter catch the tiger?
A. The potter in a drunken stage mistook the tiger for his lost donkey and bound him around the neck with a rope. He climbed on his back, rode on it and tied it to a tree in front of his hut.

3. Why did the king send for the potter?
A. The king was in search of a brave leader to defend his country in the crisis of war. When the king came to know about the bravery of the potter, he sent his messengers to bring the potter to the palace.

4. Describe briefly how the potter climbed on the horse.
A. The potter found it difficult to reach the horse’s back as it was tall. His wife put a bench beside it and the potter climbed the horse with a great difficulty. He found the saddle to be slippery and asked his wife to fasten his feet tight to the stirrups. This is how he finally climbed the horse’s back.

5. What made the enemy soldiers and their king run away?
A. The sentry at the enemy camp saw the potter holding a tree in one hand and riding the horse. He thought that the potter had uprooted the tree with one hand and was coming to attack them. He started shouting and all the enemy soldiers and their king ran away in fear.

6. How was the potter received by his king when he returned after wining the war?
A. The potter walked to the king’s palace amidst the cheering crowds. The king highly regarded him and rewarded him handsomely.


CHAPTER – 2
ANIMALS ON THE TRACK

Question and Answers:

1. What were the pets that travelled in the train?
A. The pets that travelled in the train were Popeye – the parrot, Timothy – the tiger, Chips – the squirrel and the python.

2. What did Popeye do at Dehra station?
A. At Dehra station, Popey objected to people and vendors poking their hands in at the window. He also pinched two fingers and twisted the ticket inspector’s ear.

3. How did Chips discover that the train was a squirrel’s paradise?
A. Chips saw that all the passengers bought roasted peanuts. He easily made friends with children and grown ups who gave him peanuts to eat. He ate to its stomach’s full and considered the train to be its paradise.

4. What did Python eat from Tiffin basket? How did its body show them?
A. The Python ate ham sandwiches, roasted chicken, a gooseberry pie and six boiled eggs. Since python swallow their prey as a whole, the eatables were clearly seen along the length of its body.

5. What happened in the train a little after midnight?
A. A little after midnight, a passenger wanted to go to the wash room. He found the python curled up in the wash basin. He was terrified and shouted ‘snake-snake’ . Many others joined him and there was clamor in the compartment.

6. Why did the grandfather come out of the compartment only after all the other passengers had left?
A. Grand father knew that all the passengers would be terrified of the tiger Timothy while leaving the train. In order to avoid the confusion he left the train last.

7. What happened when Aunt Mabel opened basket?
A. Aunt Mabel opened the Tiffin basket eagerly only to find the python lying curled up inside. She was petrified and fainted.

8. Imagine you were one of the passengers on the train, Describe briefly what happened in the night when you went to the bathroom.
A. Just after the midnight when I went to the bathroom, I saw a huge python curled up in the wash basin. I got the shock of my life and ran out of the washroom shouting ‘snake-snake’ . Every one in the train got nervous and did not know what to do. At last an old man who knew all about snakes, went in and brought the snake out. He said that the creature had already had its dinner and there was no danger from it. This calmed me down and I could travel peacefully.



CHAPTER – 3
MONDAY MORNING

Question and Answers:

1. Why did Tom Sawyer feel miserable on Monday morning?
A. Tom Sawyer felt miserable on Monday morning because that was the first day of
the week and it began with another week’s slow suffering at school .

2. Why did Tom wish he was sick?
A. Tom wished that he was sick so that he can stay away from school and go fishing with his friends.

3. What symptoms did he detect in his body? What did he think about them?
A. Tom detected symptoms of pain in his stomach. He tried to encourage them but they grew feeble and died away completely.

4. What made Tom think of the sore toe?
A. Tom remembered a doctor tell about a certain thing that laid up a patient for two or three weeks and threatened to make him lose a finger. This made Tom think of his sore toe.

5. Why did Tom do to wake up Sid?
A. As Tom lay groaning, Sid was snoring beside him. He felt very bad. He shook Sid and began to groan until Sid woke up and enquired what the matter was.

6. How did Tom convince Sid that he was dying?
A. Tom told Sid amidst groans that he would forgive Sid and all other friends for all what they have done to him. His words seemed so true and his groans sounded so genuine that Sid thought that he was really dying.

7. Why did he stop groaning?
A. Tom told Aunt Polly that his toe was mortified. She laughed at it and asked him to stop the nonsense and get out of bed. At this, Tom felt that he acted foolish and he stopped groaning.

8. How did Aunt Polly pull out Tom’s tooth?
A. Aunt Polly made a loop with the silk thread and fastened it to Tom’s tooth. She tied the other end of the silk thread to the bed post. Then she seized a pan of burning coal and suddenly thrust it almost into Tom’s face. The tooth hung dangling by the bed post.

CHAPTER – 4
THE RANSOM OF RED CHIEF

Question and Answers:

1. Why did Bill and Sam select summit for their kidnapping?
A. Bill and Sam selected summit for their kidnapping plan as it was a village which was far away from the newspapers and it would take a longer time for the news to spread.

2. Describe briefly how the two men spent the night with the boy.
A. The two men had a tough time and a sleepless night as the boy called himself a Red Chief and tried to cut off Bill’s head with a knife. He threatened to burn Sam at sun rise.

3. How did the boy trouble Bill when Sam had gone to the mountains?
A. The boy made Bill ride ninety miles and was then given oats to eat. He also kicked Bill’s legs black and blue. He also asked Bill absurd questions such as why there was nothing in the holes, how a road can run both ways and what makes the grass green and demanded explanation. This is how he troubled Bill.

4. What proposal did the two men make in their letter to Ebenezer Dorset?
A. The two men wrote to Ebenezer Dorset demanding fifteen hundred dollars as ransom in return to the release of his son. If he agree to it, they suggested that he should send a messenger that night to the prescribed place. If he pays the money his son would return safe and well with in three hours.

5. How did Bill send the boy home? Did the boy really go away?
A. Bill dragged the boy down the mountain, showed him the road to Summit and kicked him down to send him away. But the boy followed Bill quietly back to the cave and didn’t go back to home.

6. What was the counter- proposal made by Dorset?
A. Ebenezer Dorset made a counter – proposal contrary to the two men’s demands. He agreed to take back his son only if they pay him two hundred and fifty dollars. He also asked the men to bring back his son only at night lest his neighbours would react badly.

7. Why did the two men decide to return the boy and pay the money to his father?]
A. Bill and Sam thought that one more night with the boy would make them mad. They had horrible experience with the boy and it got on their nerves. So they decided to pay the money to his father and get rid of him.

8. Write briefly how the boy would have behaved with his neighbours.
A. The boy would have been tough and behaved the way he did with Bill and Sam and would have been a terror to his neighbours.


CHAPTER – 5
POOH GOES VISITING

Question and Answers:

1. Describe briefly how Pooh managed to get into Rabbits hole.
A. One day Pooh was walking through the forest. He saw the rabbit’s hole and enquired who was inside. On the Rabbits invitation, pooh pushed and pushed his way through the hole and at last got in.

2. What happened to Pooh when he tried to get out of the Rabbit’s hole?
A. Pooh took leave of the rabbit and started to climb out of the hole. But when he was half way through , he got stuck . He could neither go out nor come into the hole.

3. How did Christopher Robin propose to get Pooh free?
A. Christopher Robin proposed that the only way to get Pooh out of the hole was to wait until he gets thin. So he asked the bear to stay there for a week without having anything to eat.

4. How did the Rabbit make use of Pooh’s legs?
A. The Rabbit found Pooh’s back legs very convenient and used them to hang towels.

5. How did Christopher Robin finally save the bear?
A. At the end of the week Pooh felt that it grew thin. One fine day, Christopher Robin took hold of Pooh’s front paws and the Rabbit took hold of Robbin. All the Rabbit’s friends and relations took hold of the Rabbit and they all pulled together . All of a sudden the bear popped out of the hole and was free.

6. What idea of Pooh’s character do you get from the story?
A. Winnie – the Pooh was proud and though that he knew everything about anything. He always felt that he was on top of the world riding high. He was very fond of food and would go to the extent of entering a hole for the sake of food. He was an easy going character who can be easily fooled.

CHAPTER – 6
THE IMP AND THE BREAD

Question and Answers:

1. How did the peasant behave when his only piece of bread was gone?
A. The peasant was surprised to find his only piece of bread stolen. He never grudged over it. More over he was kind enough to say that who ever had taken it might have been very hungry and wished that it would do good for him.

2. Why was the imp disappointed?
A. The imp was disappointed at not having made the peasant sin.

3. What advice did the imp give the peasant? Why did he do that?
A. The imp showed the peasant how to sow the corn in a marshy place that year. He knew that the year would be a dry one but wanted the peasant to have a good harvest.

4. What did the imp teach the peasant when he had plenty of corn?
A. The imp taught the peasant how to crush the grain and make spirit from the corn which he had in abundance.

5. How did the peasant change after he started drinking? Give an example of his changed behaviour.
A. The peasant changed from a gentle and kind man to an angry and a harsh man. The peasant’s kindness paved way to anger when his wife spilt a glass of the drink. He started to scold his wife in a filthy language.

6. Why was the devil pleased with the imp’s work?
A. The devil was pleased to see the cunning savage raging and brutal behaviour of the peasant and his fellow men was impressed with the imp’s work.

7. How did the imp bring about the change in the peasant?
A. The imp knew that the blood of beasts, was always in man but was in bounds when in poverty. All that he did was to see that the peasant was having more corn. He taught the peasant how to make a spirit drink out of the excess corn. The peasant then looked for ways of getting pleasure out of it and behaved like a beast.

8. If you were the peasant, what would you have done when you have plenty of corn?
A. If I were the peasant, I would have shared the corn with my fellowmen and helped the needy.

CHAPTER – 7
JAWAHAR LAL NEHRU
- The lathi charge
Question and Answers:

1. Why did Nehru and others take out processions in Lucknow?
A. Nehru and his followers took out processions in Lucknow in protests against Simon commission. They didn’t want Simon to enter India.

2. Describe briefly how Nehru experienced lathi blows for the first time?
A. Nehru led a group of sixteen volunteers and marched on to the meeting place as planned earlier. Police mounted on horses attacked them with their huge batons. One of them gave him tow blows on his back. Nehru trembled but finally with stood the first blows of his life.

3. What did Nehru’s father do when he heard about the attack on his son?
A. When Nehru’s father heard about the attack he was restless and immediately started for Lucknow.

4. How were the processionists attacks on the second day?
A. The processionists were lined up in a maidan and were beaten up severely by both the cavalry and the foot police. The lathies of the police and their horses hit them hard and the whole maidan wore the look of a battle field.

5. How was Nehru protected by his young colleagues? Did he like it?
A. Nehru’s colleagues were worried about his safety. They lifted him and carried him aside as they thought that was the only way to protect him . He did not like it.

6. How did Nehru feel after experiencing the lathi blow?
A. Nehru felt tired and each and every part of his body ‘ached. He was covered with wounds and marks of blows.

7. Briefly describe the protest demonstration on the morning of the Simon commission in Lucknow?
A. Even before the sunrise of the day of Simon’s arrival vast number of people made their way to the station. They were stopped by the police in a maidan and were made to line up on one side. The maidan was full of cavalry and foot police. The crowed of sympathetic on lookers also increased. After some time the police mounted on horses charged the people and the foot police were also upon them. Even the onlookers suffered the lathi blows and the whole scene looked like the battle field. People ran across to escape. Nehru was not ready to yield and so was carried by his colleagues aside. Finally, the police withdrew. Meanwhile the cause of all this trouble Simon secretly went away from the station.


CHAPTER – 8
THE NIGHT THE BED FELL

Question and Answers:

1. What did Briggs Beall believe would happen to him during sleep? What did the author tell him?
A. Brigg Beall believed that he was likely to stop breathing when he was asleep. If he was not awakened every hour during night, he would die of breathlessness. The author told him that he was a light sleeper and would wake him up if he stopped breathing.

2. What was Aunt Sarah Shoaf afraid of ? What precaution did she take?
A. Aunt Sarah Shoaf was scared that a burglar would blow chloroform under her door, enter her room and decamp with the valuables. She kept all her valuables and money outside her bedroom every night. She also left a note which read , ‘that was all she had’ and asked the burglar to take all that and leave her unharmed.

3. How did Aunt Gracie Shoaf fight the burglar?
A. Aunt Gracie Shoaf would pile up all the shoes in her house , handy near her bed and would go to sleep . A little later she would throw shoes in all directions down her hall so as to scare away the thief.

4. What happened to the author in the night? What did his mother think was happening?
A. Late in the night the author rolled too far towards the edge of his cot and toppled over with a crash. His mother who was asleep in the next room heard the crash and thought that the big wooden bed in the attic had fallen on her husband and had hurt him.

5. What did Briggs Beall do when he woke up?
A. Briggs Beall thought that he was dying on account of breathlessness. He tried to sniff camphor and come back to life but poured it over himself . Then he jumped out of bed and ran frantically towards the window and broke it open in order to breathe fresh air.

6. What did father think was happening?
A. The father who was sleeping in attic thought that the house was on fire.

7. Do you think the night’s events were terrible or funny? Why do you think so?
A. The events of the night were funny as no untoward incident took place then. The members of the family just misconceived the happening but everything ended on a happy note.

8. Imagine you were Hermen. Try to describe the night’s events briefly.
A. The night I and my mother slept in a room next to my brother’s. My father slept in the attic which was above us. Suddenly in the midnight my mother woke up and was shouting hysterically. I tried to console her saying that she was alright. I followed her to the attic and tried to break open the attic door. By then there was confusion in the other room too. The crash of window pane added to the confusion. Our dog Rex and my brother joined us and we pulled the attic door open, Each one of us was unaware of the incidents happening and mistook one for the other. Finally everything was put together when we found father safe and laughed away.


CHAPTER – 9
CLIMB HIGH

Question and Answers:
1. Why did the pleasant room seem dull to John?
A. John’s father decided to sell their pony which was a dear companion to John and also their only means of conveyance. Both of them were sad about it and so the room seemed dull.

2. Why did the two Americans come to John’s house?
A. The plane in which the Americans were travelling had to land on account of fog and they decided to spend the night at John’s farm house.

3. Why did John turn down the idea of going in the plane to collect the eggs?
A. John turned down the idea of going in the plane to collect the eggs because the strange flying machine would frighten the eagles. They may fly up in anger and would even trample on their eggs.

4. Describe briefly how John climbed the cliff and collected the eggs.
A. John reached the cliff on his pony. He fastened a basket to his back and started climbing the cliff skillfully and cautiously . Finally he found the eagle’s nest in between the rocks. He carefully picked up the eggs and put them in the basket.

5. How did the boy save the eggs from the eagle’s attack?
A. John saw the eagles retuning back to their nest and hurried down the cliff. He wanted to protect the hard earned eggs and so threw the basket of eggs in the grass below. In this process one egg was broken but three others were safe.

6. How was John rescued by his father and the Americans?
A. Not finding John back in time John’s father and the two Americans came in search of him. They found him lay unconscious near the hill, provided first aid and gave water to him. They brought him home in the plane.

7. What idea of life in Iceland do you get from this story? Give a brief description.
A. The village in which John lived was isolated from the mainland. The only means of transport was their horses. Aero planes were unknown to the people there. The climate was cold with fog and snow. The place was a habitat for many rare species of birds. People there were very hospital and kind.

CHAPTER – 10
A VOTE FOR ABE LINCOLN

Question and Answers:

1. Why was the wheatfield very important to the Adams family?
A. The wheatfield meant a lot to the Adams family as it was their only source of income. Further if anything went wrong with it, they had to go without food.

2. Why was Sam Adams unable to go and help his father in driving away the cattle?
A. The left wheel of Sam’s wagon sank deep in the mud and got stuck. He had no strength to lift it up all alone and so couldn’t reach his father to help him in driving away the cattle.

3. How did Abe Lincoln help the Adams family after the death of Henry Adams?
A. Abe Lincoln sent two men to help the Adams family with the farm work for a period of time.

4. What did Lincoln write to Sam Adams?
A. Lincoln wrote to Sam Adams that his father was proud of him. He advised him
to take care of his mother, never to give up in life and always trust God.

5. Describe briefly how Sam Adams tried to vote for Abe Lincoln.
A. Sam, one day, went to Spring field to sell his wheat. It happened to be the day
of Presidential elections. Sam stood at the polling place to vote for Abe unaware of the fact that children were not allowed to vote. He was sent out and
finally he couldn’t vote for Abe.

6. How did Sam Adams persuade the tall man to vote for Abe Lincoln?
A. Sam persuaded the tall man to vote for Abe Lincoln by asking him to cast his father’s vote. He convinced him that Abe was the right person to become the President.

7. What idea of Lincoln’s character do you get from the story? Describe it in a paragraph.
A. Lincoln was a friend to one and all. He was very kind and helpful. He helped the people in need. He listened to each and every one patiently and extended a helping hand. He never forgot his friends even after becoming the President of America.

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