English Value Points

1) A Letter to God

1. Lencho was a farmer.

2. His house was the only house in the valley and on the top of a hill.
3. Lencho’s fields needed rain for a good harvest.
4. He looked expectantly at the sky and it did rain at last.
5. The drops of rain were like the coins for him.
6. But his happiness was short lived as very large hailstones began to fall after the rain.
7. The hailstones destroyed all the leaves on the trees, plants and flowers.
8. There would be no crop that year.
9. There was a single hope: help from God.
10. On the following Sunday, he wrote a letter to God.
11. He needed a hundred pesos to sow his fields again and to live until the new crop came.
12. He wrote `To God’ on the envelope and put the letter into the mailbox.
13. The postman laughed heartily and took it to the postmaster.
14. The postmaster laughed too but soon he became serious.
15. He decided to reply to the letter and help Lencho.
16. He collected seventy pesos only from his employees and himself contributed a part of his
salary.
17. He put the money in an envelope and posted it to Lencho.
18. Lencho had an unbroken faith in God and he was not surprised when he received the money.
19. His happiness was turned into anger as there were thirty pesos short of the money.
20. Lencho could never believe that God could ever deceive him.
21. So, he wrote another letter to God reminding Him that he received only 70 pesos sent by
Him.
22. He asked God not to send the rest of 30 pesos through the mail as the post office employees
were a ‘bunch of crooks’.

1.1) Dust of Snow

1. It is a winter’s day.
2. The treetops were covered with masses of snowflakes.
3. The poet was walking under one such snow covered tree.
4. This tree was a hemlock tree, a conifer associated with poisonous qualities.
5. A crow alighted on the hemlock tree suddenly.
6. The sudden movement of the crow, the mass of snowflakes started falling down the tree.
7. The snowflakes fell down upon the poet who was standing under the tree.
8. The mass of snowflakes was so light and find that it looked like the dust of white snow.
9. The sudden movement and arrival of the crow and the falling of the flakes of snow look like
just ordinary happenings.
10. But the falling of fine snowflakes on the poet leaves a tremendous effect on him.
11. Before this, the poet was in a gloomy or despairing mood.
12. However, this simple beautiful act of nature has a very comforting effect on him.
 13. The fall of snow over him changes his mood and mental state.
14. It gladdens his heart.
15. Before this incident, that particular day was not going too well for him.
16. He had decided in his mind that day would go waste.
17. However, the fall of snowflakes on him makes him realise that the whole day has not been
wasted.
18. At least, this part of the day when he is enjoying the snowflakes has been saved.
19. At least, some part of the day has been pleasant.
20. If he had not experienced such a pleasant experience, he would have regretted at the
wastage of the whole day.

1.2) Fire and Ice

1. The poet feels that this world of ours will come to an end.
2. He is not very clear when the end will come.
3. He comes to this conclusion on the basis of what people say on this subject.
4. He seems to show his agreement at what people say regarding the ending of the world.
5. On the basis of what people think, the poet believes that this world will come to an end by
the two highly contrasting but powerful elements of nature — fire and ice.
6. Either fire or ice or both will be the cause of the ending of the world.
7. Then the poet links these two powerful natural elements to human beings and their
emotions.
8. In the first stanza, the poet shows his agreement with those who believe that fire will cause
the end of the world.
9. He links the element of fire to the human emotion of desire or passions.
10. The uncontrolled fire of passion and desire may lead us to the end of this world.
11. Then, the poet comes to the second alternative that can cause the end of this world.
12. It is the ‘ice’ which can also cause the end of the world.
13. In terms of human emotion, ice means ‘hate’ created by ‘cold reasoning’.
14. Cool and calculated icy reasoning can lead to hate and can be the cause of the end of this
world.
15. The poet himself has experienced both these primal emotions of love as well as hate, fire as
well as ice, passions as well as cold reason.
16. He has experienced enough of hate which is born out of icy cold reasoning.
17. In the end, Frost agrees that it doesn’t matter whether it is fire or ice, bo can cause the end
of the world.
18. ‘Ice’ or ‘hate’ born out of cold reasoning is quite sufficient for causing the end of the world.

2) Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

 1. The inauguration ceremony of the first non-racial government was held in the Union
Buildings in Pretoria.
2. Politicians and dignitaries from more than 140 countries attended the ceremony.
3. Nelson Mandela was then sworn-in as the President of the Republic of South Africa.
4. For decades South Africa had been the seat for white supremacy.
5. The blacks were considered as outlaws.
6. Their victory over ‘apartheid’ was a common victory for justice, peace and freedom.
7. Nelson Mandela was overwhelmed with a sense of history.
8. The society based on racial discrimination was the harshest and most inhuman society in the
world.
9. The decades of oppression and exploitation of the blacks produced heroes like Tambo’s,
Sisulu and others in South Africa.
10. Mandela learned the meaning of courage from such brave comrades who were ready to
sacrifice their lives for the freedom of their people.
11. Every man has twin responsibilities —responsibilities towards his family and for his people
and country.
12. If any black tried to live like a free human being, he was punished and isolated from his
family and community.
13. Mandela realised that not only he but his brothers and sisters were deprived of freedom.
14. His desire for the freedom and dignity of his people made him a rebel.
15. He realised that freedom is indivisible.

2.1) A Tiger in the Zoo

1. The tiger is not in his natural habitat.

2. The wilds of the jungle are the natural habitat of the tiger.
3. Unfortunately, the denizen of the forest has been confined to a caged habitat in a zoo.
4. He is no more free to roam about in the forest but walks within the length and breadth of his
cage.
5. He has dark spots on his skin which are clearly visible even from a distance.
6. Condemned to live in his cage, he walks around quietly with his velvety soft feet.
7. He is angry but has to suppress it.
8. In his quiet rage, he continues walking up and down his caged habitat.
9. The poet imagines how the tiger should behave if he is in his natural habitat — the wild
jungle.
10. There, he should be silently hiding in the shadow remains unnoticed.
11. Sliding through the long grass he should move stealthily to ambush his prey.
12. He knows where he can find his kill in the wild.
13. His favourite hunt is the plump deer which he can find near the water-hole.
14. Sometimes, he comes out of the forest and strays in the human settlement at the edge of
the jungle.
15. There he terrorises the villagers by opening out his white fangs or the long teeth and the
claws.
16. His ferocious looks frighten the villagers.
17. However, he has no intention of entering the village and killing anybody until he is highly
provoked.
 18. Unfortunately, the mighty tiger is cursed to live in a concrete cell in the zoo.
19. Many visitors come to see him in the zoo but he doesn’t like the stares of the visitors.
20. He simply ignores their presence.
21. Now, he is made to limit his movements only to the length and breadth of his caged habitat.
22. The tiger keeps awake till late in the night.
23. He hears the noise of the patrolling cars moving around in the zoo.
24. The brilliant stars shine in the sky and his brilliant eyes shine in the night.
25. He can’t free himself but he keeps on watching the brilliant stars standing behind the bars of
his caged habitat.

Two Stories About Flying Part-I His First Flight

1. The young seagull was sitting alone on his ledge.

2. His two brothers and his sister had already learnt how to fly a day before.
3. The young seagull was hesitant and afraid of flying.
4. He thought that his wings would not support him.
5. His parents, brothers and sister regularly taunted him for his cowardice.
6. He saw his mother holding a piece of fish in her beak.
7. Maddened by hunger, he dived at the fish.
8. With a loud scream, he fell outwards and downwards into space.
9. He was seized with terror.
10. His wings were cutting through the air and he was not falling headlong now.
11. Then he completely forgot that he had never flown before.
12. Now, he was flying over the sea.
13. He was floating on the sea and his family was praising him, offering him pieces of fish.

Two Stories About Flying Part-II Black Aeroplane

1. The narrator was flying his old Dakota aeroplane over France back to England.
2. He called Paris control and was asked to turn 12 degrees west.
3. He thought he would be with his family and be in time for breakfast.
4. Everything was going well and it was an easy flight.
5. Suddenly he saw dark black storm clouds.
6. He took the risk and the plane went straight into the storm.
7. Everything looked black inside the mountains of clouds.
8. The old plane jumped and twisted in the air.
9. He couldn’t believe when he found his compass and other instruments totally dead.

10. Suddenly, another aeroplane appeared and he could see the face of the pilot.
11. The pilot of the black plane asked the narrator to follow him.
 12. The narrator was frightened as there was fuel enough that could last only five to ten
minutes.
13. Suddenly he came out of the clouds and saw two long straight lines in front of him.
14. It was a runway where he could land safely.
15. On landing, he asked the lady in the control room where he was and who the other pilot
was.
16. The lady replied that no other aeroplane except his Dakota flew that night.
17. The pilot of the black aeroplane remained an unsolved mystery for the narrator.

How to Tell Wild Animals

1. The Asiatic lion is a grand and majestic wild beast.

2. It is found in the jungles of the eastern countries of Asia.
3. It is a huge yellowish coloured beast.
4. It roars terribly loud and its loud roar can terrify you to death.
5. If you meet such a ferocious and powerful animal, you must be sure that he is the Asian Lion.
6. The Bengal Tiger is a noble wild beast.
7. The tiger has black stripes all over his yellowish hide.
8. The moment you see him, he will not spare but eat you at once.
9. When you are strolling forth a forest, you can find a beast.
10. He is the leopard.
11. His hide is peppered with spots.
12. There is no escape from him even if you cry in pain.
13. He will continue pouncing on you and eat you to death.
14. If you are walking in your yard, you can be face to face with a bear.
15. The bear hugs you very hard.
16. His hug is not friendly.
17. He may press you so hard that his hug may bring your death.
18. An inexperienced person can’t distinguish beasts of prey.
19. the lie will not be able to distinguish a hyena from a crocodile.
20. Hyenas and crocodiles have very deceptive appearances.
21. Hyenas smile merrily before attacking and killing their victims.
22. Crocodiles pretend to be weeping before pouncing upon their prey and killing them.
23. A true Chameleon is a small animal like a lizard.
24. He has no ears at all.
25. Neither has he a single wing.
26. If you see such a creature on a tree, then you are seeing a chameleon.

The Ball Poem

 1. The young boy lost his ball.
2. He was playing and saw the ball bouncing down the street.
3. Then, in the end, the ball fell down into the water and lost forever.
4. The boy sees everything happening before his eyes but he is helpless.
5. He only stands there helplessly moaning at the loss of the ball.
6. The loss of the ball may appear to be an ordinary incident.
7. It seems that boys lose such balls many times while they are playing.
8. The boy should not make a fuss over it.
9. The loss of ball is symbolic. It has a deeper meaning.
10. The loss of the ball is the loss of childhood and the loss of his dreams. And if it is lost, it never
comes back again.
11. Similarly, we can’t console the child that he can have another ball.
12. Actually, he is sad that the ball he has lost can’t be brought back.
13. The innocent childhood that he has lost can’t be replaced or bought back with money.
14. Wealth can’t buy life and time.
15. Ultimately, a change comes in the grieving boy.
16. He comes to know that losing is a part of life.
17. The loss must not break his spirits.
18. There is no use of grieving over what has been lost.
19. He must stand up to face such losses with courage and determination.
20. Life has to be lived and not wasted in grieving and mourning over the losses suffered in the
past.

Diary of Anne Frank

1. Writing in a diary is a strange experience for Anne Frank.

2. She writes only to lighten the burden on her heart.
3. She feels that paper has more patience than people.
4. She wants to keep a diary as she doesn’t have a friend.
5. She wants the diary to be her true friend, and she is going to call this friend, ‘Kitty’.
6. She got her education in Amsterdam.
7. She started writing her diary on 20 June 1942.
8. She feels that a quarter of students are worthless and deserve to be kept back.
9. The maths teacher, Mr Keesing, is an old-fashioned teacher.
10. He is annoyed with Anne as she talks too much in the class.

11. He gives her extra homework to write an essay on ‘A Chatterbox.’

12. She writes that she has inherited the habit of talking from her mother.
13. Mr Keesing has a good laugh at her arguments and gives to write another essay on ‘An
Incorrigible Chatterbox’.
14. Mr Keesing was trying to play a joke on Anne by giving such an essay.
 15. She finished the essay in verse with the help of her friend Sanne.

16. Mr Keesing reads the poem and the message in the right way.
17. After that, he has allowed Anne to talk in class.
18. Since then a change has come in Keesing and he has started making jokes.

Amanda

1. The little girl Amanda is biting her nails.

2. Her mother asks her not to do it.
3. Amanda is putting her shoulders down to one side.
4. Her mother asks her to lift up her shoulders and adopt the right posture.
5. Amanda seems to be stooping on one side.
6. Her mother asks her to sit up straight.
7. Amanda doesn’t bother what her mother says.
8. She is lost in a world of dreams and fantasy.
9. She imagines herself as a mermaid.
10. She lives in a peaceful emerald sea all alone.
11. She is moving all around freely and blissfully like a mermaid.
12. Amanda’s mother asks if she has finished her homework.
13. She asks if she has made her room tidy and clean.
14. Amanda’s mother reminds her that she instructed her to clean her shoes and she hasn’t
done so.
15. Amanda doesn’t care a bit what her mother says to her.
16. She is again in the world of dreams and fantasy.
17. She prefers to be an orphan than living such a life.
18. She wants to roam around the streets freely and aimlessly.
19. She wants to walk on the soft dust with her bare feet.
20. The pressing of the feet will create designs on the soft dust.
21. She loves silence, and freedom is the sweetest thing that she values in her life.
22. Again, Amanda’s mother stops her from eating chocolate.
23. She must remember that eating chocolate might cause her some problem.
24. Her mother reminds her to observe good manners.
25. She must not look the other way when her mother is speaking to her.
26. Again, Amanda ignores her mother.
27. She imagines herself as Rapunzel living in a tower where there is a reign of peace and
tranquillity.
28. Amanda is proud of her beautiful hair and would not let them down like Rapunzel.
29. Amanda’s mother calls her moody.
30. She asks her to stop being sulky and unhappy at once.
31. If she remains unhappy, people will think that her mother has been nagging her.
GLimpses of india

A Baker from Goa

1. Elders often think fondly of good Portuguese days and their famous loaves of bread.
2. The age-old furnaces still bake those bread.
3. The thud and jingle of the baker’s bamboo announcing his arrival can still be heard in some
places.
4. Even today, these bakers are known as Pader in Goa.
5. The children ran to meet and greet him.
6. They longed for bread-bangles and sweet bread of special make.
7. Marriage gifts were meaningless without the sweet bread known as the ‘bor.
8. The lady of the house must prepare sandwiches on the occasion of her daughter’s
engagement.
9. Cakes and `bolinhas’ are a must for Christmas and other festivals.
10. The presence of the baker’s furnace in the village is absolutely essential.
11. The bakers in the old days used to wear a dress known as the kabai.
12. Baking was quite a profitable profession in the old days.
13. The baker and his family always looked happy and prosperous.

Coorg

1. Coorg is situated between Mysore and the coastal town of Mangalore.

2. It is called the land of rolling hills.
3. It is inhabited by a proud race of martial men, beautiful women and wild creatures.
4. It is the smallest district of Kamatka.
5. Coorgi is the home of evergreen forests, spices and coffee plantations.
6. September to March is the most pleasant season for the tourists.
7. During this period, weather is perfect and the air breathes of coffee.
8. The people of Coorg are fiercely independent people.
9. They are possible of Greek or Arabic origin.
10. It is said that a part of Alexander’s army settled there and married amongst the locals.
11. Their long black coat with an embroidered waist-belt Kuppia resembles the kuffia worn by
the Arabs.
12. Coorgi homes are known for their hospitality.
13. The Coorg Regiment is one of the most decorated in the Indian Army.
14. The first Chief of the Indian Army, General Cariappa, was a Coorgi.
15. The river, Kaveri, obtains its water from the hills and forests of Coorg.
16. High energy adventures with river rafting, canoeing, rock climbing and mountain biking are
quite popular in Coorg.
17. Birds, bees butterflies, Malabar squirrels and langurs find shelter in the rainforests of Coorg.
18. The top of the Brahamagiri hills gives you a panoramic view of the misty valley of Coorg.
19. India’s largest Tibetan settlement at Bylakuppe is famous for its Buddhist monks and temple.
Tea From Assam

1. Tea is really a very popular beverage in India.

2. You can bear the vendor shouting “chai-garam-garam chai” at every railway station.
3. More than eighty crores of cups of tea are drunk every day throughout the world.
4. It was green, green everywhere and Rajvir had never seen so much greenery before.
5. The landscape changed and tea bushes took the place of green paddy fields.
6. A sea of tea-bushes stretched as far as the eyes could go.
7. Assam has the largest concentration of plantations in the world.
8. No one really knows who discovered tea.
9. One Chinese legend says that a few leaves of the twigs burning under the pot fell into the
boiling water.
10. The leaves gave it a delicious flavour. They were tea leaves.
11. Words like Thai’ and thine are from the Chinese language.
12. According to an Indian legend, an ancient Buddhist ascetic cut off his eyelids because he felt
sleepy during meditation.
13. Ten tea plants grew out of his eyelids.
14. Rajvir saw acre upon acre of tea bushes and nearly all of them were neatly pruned to the
same height.
15. Groups of tea-pluckers with bamboo baskets on their backs were plucking newly sprouted
leaves.
16. A tractor was pulling a trailer-load of leaves.
17. Rajvir asked Pranjol’s father if it was the second-flush or sprouting period.
18. The sprouting periods lasts from May to July and this period yields the best tea.

The Trees

1. The trees are coming out of their artificial glasshouses.

2. They are moving out into their natural habitat — the forest.
3. The trees are metaphors of nature itself.
4. Without trees, forests have become empty.
5. No trees are left in the forest where birds can perch themselves on their tops.
6. Even insects have lost the places where they could hide themselves in.
7. The poetess is hopeful that the forest, will be full of trees ‘by morning.’
8. To free themselves, the roots continue working all night.
9. They tire trying to come out from the cracks in the veranda floor.
10. Small twigs become tough and branches move their positions under the roof.
11. The night is fresh. The moon is shining and the smell of leaves and lichen is spreading out
into the rooms.
12. The poet is sitting inside but the struggle of the roots, leaves and branches continues to free
themselves.
 13. The struggling trees have come out breaking the glasshouse and are marching towards the
forest victoriously.

Mijbil the Otter

1. When Maxwell’s dog died, he became alone without a pet.

2. In 1956, he travelled to Southern Iraq and there he thought of keeping an otter instead of a
dog.
3. His friend advised him to get an otter in Tigris marshes. They were found in plenty there.
4. Two Arabs were squatting on the floor and a sack was lying beside them.
5. They handed him a note from his friend. It read: “Here is your otter …”
6. The narrator named the otter `Mijbil’.
7. In the beginning, Mijbil was indifferent but started taking a keen interest in his surroundings.
8. He came to his bed and remained sleep on Maxwell’s knees.
9. Like every otter, Mijbil enjoyed splashing water like a hippo.
10. Mijbil was successful in screwing up the tap to its full flow.
11. The otter spent most of his time playing.
12. It was really a difficult job to transport Mijbil from Basra to England.
13. Mij was packed up in a small box.
14. The air hostess was quite friendly and cooperative and suggested keeping the pet on his
knee.
15. As the box was opened, Mij was out of the box in a flash.
16. Mijbil disappeared and later on, it was found beneath the legs of a turbaned Indian.
17. Maxwell remained in London with Mijbil for nearly a month.
18. Mij invented his own game with the ping-pong ball.
19. Like school children, he would touch every block with his feet and touch every second lamp-
post.
20. The average Londoner could not recognise an otter and people started giving wild guesses
about him.
21. Mijbil was called ‘a baby seal’, ‘a squirrel’. ‘a walrus’, ‘a beaver’, etc.

Fog

1.The poet gives a powerful image of fog through a metaphorical cat.

2. The fog turns into a cat and the cat morphs back into the fog.

3. The fog comes silently and spreads all around.

4. It comes silently as a cat comes stalking.

5. It engulfs everything and looks over the harbour and the city.

6. It continues sitting silently on its haunches and then moves on.

Madam Rides the Bus

1.Valli was an eight-year-old girl.

2. The most fascinating thing for her was the bus that travelled between her village and the nearest
town.

3. She wanted to ride the bus.

4. She made elaborate planning and saved sixty paise —both ways fare of the bus.

5. The bus conductor stretched out his hand to help her up but Valli could get on by herself.

6. The conductor was fond of joking and called her ‘madam’.

7. The bus started with a roar and Valli was constantly looking outside.

8. The conductor asked her to sit down as she had paid for her seat.

9. She took her seat and an elderly woman sat beside her.

10. The old woman was very repulsive and the smell of the betel she was chewing offended, Valli.

11. The old woman asked why Valli was travelling alone.
12. Valli asked her not to bother about her.

13. Suddenly, a young cow came running very fast in the middle of the road.

14. The driver sounded his horn loudly but the more he honked, the more frightened the animal
would become.

15. Valli laughed at the scene until tears came in her eyes.

16. Her destination had come. The driver asked Valli to get off the bus.

17. Valli handed thirty paise coins to the driver and told him that she was going back on the same
bus.

18. The conductor was surprised. He offered a free cold drink to her.

19. Valli firmly, but politely, rejected the offer.

20. He asked if her mother wouldn’t be looking for her.

21. On her return journey, she saw the same cow lying dead by the side of the road.

22. The memory of the dead cow haunted her and she was no longer looking outside.

23. She reached her village at 3.40 p.m.

24. She wished and hoped to see the driver again.

25. She found her mother awake and talking to one of her aunts.

26. Her aunt was a chatterbox.

27. Valli agreed that many things were happening outside without their knowledge.

The Tale of Custard the Dragon

1.Belinda lived in a little white house.

2. She lived there with her pets.

3. Her pets contained a black kitten, Ink, a grey mouse, Blink, a yellow dog, Mustard and a dragon
named Custard.

4. All other pets were considered sharp and brave.

5. Only Custard was considered as a coward who always ‘cried for a nice safe cage.

6. ‘ The dragon had sharp teeth. There were spikes on top and scales beneath him. He spat fire and
had daggers on his toes.

7. Belinda and her pets mocked Custard for his timidity.

8. Suddenly, they saw a pirate climbing up through the window.

9. The pirate had a pistol in each hand and a dagger in his mouth.

10. His beard was black and one of the legs was of wood.

11. Belinda turned pale on seeing the pirate and cried for help.

12. The dog Mustard fled crying. Ink hid himself and the little mouse Blink disappeared in the
mousehole.
13. But Custard jumped up at the pirate attacking him with his iron tail.

14.. He pounced upon the pirate, killed and swallowed him within no time.

15. Belinda embraced Custard. Mustard licked him. Ink and Blink danced around him.

16. Then, everyone started bragging again of his bravery forgetting the bravery shown by Custard.

17. Custard agreed that everybody was braver than him.

18. Belinda is still considered as brave as ‘a barrel full of bears’. All her pets, except Custard, are
considered sharp and brave.

19. Only Custard is mocked at for his timidity and lack of courage.

The Sermon at Benares

1. Gautama Buddha was born a prince. He was named Siddhartha Gautama.

1. He was married at the age of sixteen and enjoyed the royal luxuries for ten years.

2. He had a son. Up to the age of twenty-five, he was shielded from the sufferings of the world.

3. The sight of a sick man, then an aged man, and a funeral procession shocked him.

4. Finally, he saw a monk begging for alms.

5. He gave up royal pleasures and set out to seek enlightenment.

6. He wandered for seven years and finally sat down under a big tree in meditation.
7. Enlightenment came to him after seven days.

8. He named the big tree the Bodhi Tree or Tree of Wisdom.

9. He was known as the Buddha or the Awakened or the enlightened one.

10. The Buddha preached his first sermon at the holy city of Benares on the River Ganges.

11. Kisa Gotami’s only son had died.

12. She had lost her senses and carried the dead boy to all her neighbours. 3

13. She asked them for medicines to cure him.

14. She prayed the Buddha to give such medicine that night to cure her son.

15. The Buddha asked Kisa Gotami to bring a handful of mustard seeds.

16. She went from house to house and had no problem in getting a handful of mustard seeds.
However, she did have a problem with finding a house where no one had died.

17. She considered the fate of men and realised that she was selfish in grief.

18. Death is common to all.

19. Surrendering all selfishness leads to immortality.

20. All earthen pots end in being broken.

21. The world is afflicted with death and decay.

 22. He who has overcome all sorrows, Will become blessed and enlightened one.

For Anne Gregory

1. The poem is addressed to a young and beautiful lady named Anne Gregory.
2. Her hair is honey-coloured or blonde.
3. Every young man loves Anne just because of her beautiful hair.
4. Her hair falling on her ears look like the ramparts surrounding a castle.
5. The poet says that no one would love Anne Gregory for ‘herself alone’.
6. No one cares for her inner beauty or the nobility of her soul.
7. Her outward appearance and her yellow hair are the only causes of her attraction.
8. In the second stanza, the lady, Anne Gregory herself settles the issue.
9. She says that she is free to choose what colour she uses to dye her hair.
10. She can dye her hair brown or black or of the colour of a carrot.
11. Any young man should fall in love with her only after judging her own merits.
12. Her yellow hair or outwardly appearance should not make any young man sigh for her in
despair.
13. She should be loved for ‘herself alone’.
14. In the last stanza, the poet resolves the issue.
15. The poet quotes a religious text.
16. It is beyond human beings not to be attracted by physical appearance or beauty.
17. Human beings can be easily swayed by beautiful yellow hair or outwardly appearance.
18. Only God has the ability to withstand the temptations of physical beauty.
19. Men, without God’s strength, simply can’t look beyond physical appearances.

The Proposal

1. Lomov and Chubukov are both neighbours and landlords.

2. Lomov comes to Chubukov with a proposal of marriage with Chubukov’s daughter Natalya.

3. Lomov is 35 and wants to lead a peaceful married life.

4. He thinks that Natalya is an excellent housekeeper, and not bad looking.

5. He is excited and forgets the purpose of his visit.

6. He starts quarrelling with her over Oxen Meadows.

7. Natalya opposes Lomov and claims that Oxen Meadows belong to them.

8. Lomov is ready to show the documents to prove his ownership of Oxex Meadows.

9. He is ready to make Oxen Meadows a present to her.

10. Chubukov enters and adds fuel to the fire.

11. Chubukov sides with his daughter Natalya.

12. Lomov threatens to go to court.

13. They quarrel and indulge in abusing and insulting each other. Character Sketch

14. Natalya comes to know that Lomov has come there with a proposal of marriage.

15. She blames her father for not telling her about it before.

16. She threatens to die if Chubukov doesn’t bring Lomov back.

17. Lomov returns and now they pick up a new quarrel over their dogs.

18. Natalya says that her dog squeezer is far superior to Lomov’s dog Guess.

19. Lomov is excited and his palpitations start rising.

20. He falls down in the armchair and loses his consciousness.

21. Chebukov is confused and threatens to cut his throat or shot himself.
 22. Chubukov doesn’t want to miss this opportunity.

23. He makes them embrace and kiss each other.

24. Chubukov blesses them a happy married life.

A Triumph of Surgery

1. Dr Herriot was really worried to sec the dog, Tricki.

2. He was very fat, his eyes were red and rheumy.
3. Mrs Pumphrey, the mistress of Tricki had been giving him malt, cod-liver oil and a bowl of
Horlicks every night.
4. Dr Herriot found that the only fault of Tricki was his greed for food.
5. The doctor advised Mrs Pumphrey to cut down his food rightly and give him exercise daily.
6. Within a few days, the doctor received a call from Mrs Pumphrey.
7. Tricki was not eating anything and was vomiting again and again.
8. He lay down panting and didn’t go for a walk.
9. Dr Herriot suggested Mrs Pumphrey that Tricki must be hospitalised for about a fortnight.
10. The poor lady almost fainted but at last Tricki was taken to the hospital.
11. At the Surgery, the household dogs surged around Dr Herriot, and Tricki looked silently at
them lying motionless on the carpet.
12. For two days, Dr Herriot kept an eye on Tricki and gave him no food but plenty of water.
13. Next day, the doctor was pleased to see Tricki jostling his way to his food bowl.
14. No medical treatment was given to Tricki.
15. Tricki’s progress was rapid and he started running about the dogs joining in their friendly
barkings.
16. Dr Herriot informed Mrs Pumphrey that Tricki was out of danger and was recovering rapidly.
17. Mrs Pumphrey was excited to hear the news and started bringing fresh eggs to build his
strength.
18. Even wine and brandy were given to improve Tricki’s constitution.
19. One day, Dr Herriot phoned Mrs Pumphrey that Tricki had recovered and she could take him
home.
20. Within two weeks, Tricki had been transformed into a flexible and hard-muscled animal.
21. When he saw his mistress, Mrs Pumphrey, he leapt and reached to her lap.
22. Mrs Pumphrey thanked Dr Herriot. Her eyes were wet and lips trembled.
23. She called Tricki’s recovery “A triumph of Surgery!”
The Thief’s story

1. The narrator was a thief.

2. Although only 15, he was experienced and successful in his work.
3. Luck was against him and he thought of targeting Anil, a young man of 25 years.
4. The narrator introduced himself to Anil as Hari Singh.
5. He changed his name every month to escape arrest.
6. Hari Singh wanted to work for Anil but Anil had no money to pay him regularly.
7. Anil had no regular income and used to write for magazines.
8. Anil asked if he could cook, and Hari Singh lied that he knew how to cook.
9. Hari Singh cooked the food so terribly that it had to be thrown away to the stray dogs.
10. Anil asked him to go away but the narrator didn’t leave his company.
11. Later on, Anil softened and told him that he would teach Hari Singh how to cook.
12. He also taught Hari Singh to write his name and promised to teach him to write whole
sentences and to add numbers.
13. It was quite pleasant for Hari Singh to work for Anil, and he made a rupee a day from buying
the day’s supplies.
14. One evening, Anil came home with a small bundle of notes as he had just sold a book to a
publisher.
15. Hari Singh saw Anil tuck the money under the mattress.
16. Hari crept up to the bed, slid his hand under the mattress and took the money out.
17. Anil sighed in sleep and Hari Singh startled and quickly left the room.
18. When the narrator (the thief) was on the road, he counted the notes: 600 rupees in fifties.
19. With that money, he could live like a rich Arab for a week or two.
20. He could easily jump into the Lucknow Express but hesitated and remained standing at the
platform.
21. He had no friends to go and the only person he knew was Anil whom he had robbed a few
hours ago.
22. It was a chilly night and a light drizzle added to his problem.
23. Hari Singh had forgotten about his education in the excitement of theft and realised that
education could bring him Character Sketch more money than a few hundred rupees.
24. Hari Singh went back to the room and put the wet notes under the mattress from where he
had stolen it.
25. Next morning, Anil stretched out his hand towards the narrator (Hari Singh) holding a fifty-
rupee note.
26. Anil told that he had made some money and he would pay Hari Singh regularly.
27. Actually, Anil knew everything about the theft but neither his lips nor his eyes showed
anything.

The Midnight Visitor Class

1. Fowler was a young and romantic writer.

2. He wanted to meet Ausable because he wanted to write a book on detectives.
 3. Ausable was a detective in Paris who was fat and sloppy and hardly looked like a secret
agent.
4. When Ausable switched on the light, he found Max standing with a pistol in his hand in the
room.
5. Max had come to take a particularly important report concerning missiles forcibly from
Ausable.
6. Ausable cooked up a false story to entrap crafty Max.
7. He told Max that the balcony below his window had become a big nuisance.
8. It was the second time in a month that somebody got into his room through the balcony.
9. He also made Max panicky by telling him that the knockings at the door were of the police,
whom he had already informed.
10. When Max become panicky, he came to the window and jumped out of it.
11. A loud cry was heard and in this way, Ausable got rid of his crafty enemy.
12. Later on, it was found that the knockings at the door were made by the waiter, who entered
the room with a bottle and two glasses as ordered by Ausable.

A Question of Trust

1. Horace Danby was fifty years old and unmarried.

2. He was usually very well except for attacks of hay fever in summer.
3. He made locks and was successful in his business.
4. He robbed a safe every year.
5. With that money, he bought rare and costly books.
6. Horace Danby always made a lot of preparations before committing a theft.
7. He made detailed preparations before committing his latest theft in a house at Shotover
Grange.
8. He studied the house, rooms, electric wiring, paths and gardens carefully.
9. He noted that the two servants were out to movies and saw the housekeeper hang the key
to the kitchen door.
10. He was caught red-handed when a young lady in red appeared on the scene.
11. The lady in red played the role of the lady of the house in a very confident and convincing
way.
12. The lady acted with so much ease, confidence and authority that Horace mistook her as the
lady of the house.
13. The lady threatened to call the police if he tried to run away from there.
14. The lady in red allowed Horace to go out on one condition.
15. She made Horace open the safe.
16. Horace thought he was opening the safe for the owner and forgot to wear his gloves.
17. Horace handed over all the jewels to her and went away happily.
18. After two days, Horace was arrested by the police for committing a theft in a house at
Shotover Grange, on the basis of the fingerprints found on the safe.
19. Horace pleaded that the wife of the owner of the house had asked him to open the safe for
her.
 20. The real lady of the house, a grey-haired sixty-year-old woman stated that the story of
Horace was nonsense.
21. Only, in the end, it became clear that the real culprit was the lady in red, who was a thief and
burglar like Horace.

Footprints without Feet

1. Muddy Imprints: Two boys were highly surprised. They saw muddy impressions on the steps of a
house in London. They were the fresh footmarks of a barefooted man. The boys followed them. The
impressions got fainter and finally disappeared.

2. The mystery of Footmarks: The mystery of footmarks was quite simple. The boys were following a
scientist. He had just discovered how to make the human body transparent.

3. Griffin—Great but Eccentric Scientist: Griffin was a great scientist. He carried out many
experiments to prove that the human body could become invisible. In the end, he swallowed some
rare drugs and his body became transparent. He was a lawless person. taliftWlandlord disliked him
and tried to eject him. In revenge, Griffin set his house on fire.

4. Unseen when Naked: Griffin had to remove all his clothes if “‘, wanted to be unseen by the
people. He belies a homeless wanderer without clothes. He had no money. He left footmarks as
ticked.

5. In a Big London store: The air was bitterly cold. Griffin was naked. Instead of walking about the
streets, he entered a London store for warmth. He enjoyed the pleasure of clothes and food freely.
He fitted himself out with warm clothes there. He became fully dressed up with shoes, an overcoat
and a hat. After putting on clothes, he became visible. He had cold meat and coffee, sweets and wine
from the grocery store. He slept on a pile of quilts. He didn’t wake up until the assistants arrived the
next morning. When they came near, he panicked and began to run. But he could become invisible
only he was totally naked. So he took off his newly found clothes. Once more he became naked in
the chill January air.

6. In Drury Lane: He hurried to Drury Lane, the centre of the theatre world. He found. a shop he was
searching shop upstairs invisible. He came out Of the p wearing bandages around his forehead, do k
glasses, false nose, side-whiskers and a large hat. Th. en, he attacked a shopkeeper and him of all the
money he could find. robbed

7. Arrival in Iping Village: Griffin wanted to get away from the crowded London. He came to the
village of Iping. He booked two rooms in a local inn. The arrival of a stranger of such strange
appearance became the talk of the people. Mrs Hall tried to be friendly with her guest Griffin. He
told that he didn’t want to be disturbed. He wanted to be alone. She thought that her guest was an
eccentric scientist. She didn’t mind his strange habits and irritable temper. Griffin’s cash finished. He
told a lie that he was expecting a cheque at any moment.

8. Clergyman Burgled: A strange episode occurred. A clergyman and his wife were awakened by the
noises in the study very early in the morning. They came downstairs and heard the chink of money
being taken from the desk. With poker in his hand, the clergyman flung open the door. He shouted,
“surrender!” He was surprised to see the room empty. They looked under the desk, behind d the
curtains and even up the chimney. one was there. They found the desk open. and the money was
missing. They were highly surprised, couldn’t understand anything.

9. Mrs Hall’s Furniture Shows Strange Behaviour: The landlord and his wife (Mrs Hall) woke up very
early. They found Griffin’s door wide open. Usually, it was shut and locked. They peeped around but
found nobody. They found Griffin’s clothes and bandages were lying about. All of a sudden Mrs Hall
heard a sniff close to her ear. A hat leapt up and dashed itself into her face. Then the chair became
alive. They turned away in fear. Then the chair pushed them both out of the room. Then the door
was slammed and locked after them. Mrs Hall almost fell down the stairs and started crying. The was
sure that the room was haunted by spirits. The villagers suspected that the trouble was caused by
witchcraft. When the news of burglary at the clergyman’s home became known, everyone doubted
Griffin’s hand in it. This suspicion grew stronger when Griffin suddenly showed some ready cash. He
had no cash before a few days.

10. Invisible Man Shows Himself: Mrs Hall went to Griffin’s room. He was there. She asked what he
was doing to her chairs upstairs. She also asked how he entered a locked room. The scientist lost his
temper. He became furious and cried “I’ll show you.” Suddenly he threw away all bandages, whiskers,
spectacles and even nose. The horrified men in the bar were staring at a headless man!

11. Encounter with Constable Jeffers: The police constable who had been informed, arrived now. He
was totally surprised to find that he was to arrest a man without a head. There followed a wonderful
scene. The scientist (Griffin) started throwing his clothes one by one. He was becoming more and
more invisible as he threw off one garment after another. Finally, the man became invisible. Some
people who tried to hold him were beaten by the unseen blows that came from nowhere. In the end,
Jailers was knocked unconscious. Nervous and excited people were crying “Hold him!” Griffin was
invisible and free now. No one knew where to lay hands on him.

The Making of a Scientist

1. Richard H Ebright realized a new theory on cells when he was just twenty-two years old.
2. The butterflies that started Richard’s science career
3. Ebright collected butterflies with his friend when he was in kindergarten.
4. The interest in learning encourages his mother.
5. How a grandmother’s love and investment helped her grandson become a scientist
6. This story reveals what it was like to grow up without a father
7. When Richard Ebright was in the second grade, he collected twenty-five species of
butterflies.
8. His mother gifted him a children’s book called The Travels of Monarch X
9. Twenty-two-year-old Richard H. Ebright showed the world a new theory on cells.
10. Evolutionary biologist Richard Lewontin
11. What 5th grader Trent Ebright collected when he was younger
12. His Mum encouraged his love for learning
13. 9 Scientific Instruments You Should Own
14. How his mother motivated him
15. In the second grade, Richard Ebright collected twenty-five butterfly species.
16. Monarch X in the children’s book and why it was important
17. The book opened the world of science for Richard Ebright by describing how monarchs
migrate to Central America.
18. he received tagged butterflies to give to Dr Urquhart with information about their migration
19. Ebright tagged the butterflies’ wings and sent them to Urquhart.
20. In his seventh grade year, he attended the County Science Fair and lost.
21. In this article, he also describes how he wrote to Dr Urquhart for new ideas and received
many suggestions for experiments.
22. David’s first project as a scientist was to test the theory that viceroy butterflies copy monarch
butterflies.
23. This project won top prize in the zoology division, and third place overall.
24. When Richard Ebright was 16, he discovered an unknown insect hormone.
25. He and his friend discovered that tiny gold spots on butterflies produce hormones which are
necessary for butterfly development.
26. This project won first place in the County Fair and was accepted into the International
Science and Engineering Fair.
27. He grew cells from a monarch butterfly’s wing in a culture.
28. Knowing how to identify a chemical begins with an understanding of ions
29. He showed how the cell can read its own DNA.
30. Richard Ebright graduated from Harvard with highest honours, second out of 1, 516
31. Ebright had time for other interests too.
32. He was a champion debater, a good canoeist, and an expert photographer.
33. Richard Ebright respects his social studies teacher, Richard A Weiherer. He states that Mr.
Weiherer opened his mind to new ideas.
34. Richard Ebright wanted to be the best.
35. The story of Monarch X’s travels confirmed his love for the natural sciences and never went
away.
36. How Ebright identified gonadotropin releasing hormone
37. The cell reads the blueprint of it’s DNA, which is the blueprint for life.
38. Richard Ebright graduated from Harvard with highest honours, second in his class of 1, 516.
 39. Ebright had time for other interests too.
40. A champion debater turned inventor of new technologies
41. Richard Ebright was made more knowledgeable by his social studies teacher when he was a
student, Richard Weiherer, who opened his mind to new ideas.
42. Richard Ebright desired to be the best. But he was actually not an aggressive competitor.
43. Monarch X, who has seen the world with the opening of his eyes. He has always been
scientifically curious because of his early exploration.

The Necklace

1. Matilda (Mrs. Loisel) was a beautiful young lady who was born in a family of clerks by some
error of fate.
2. She felt that she was born for all delicacies and luxuries of the world.
3. She had a rich friend, Madame Forestier, but did not like to visit her because she suffered so
much in her ordinary existence.
4. Matilda liked good food served in marvellous dishes, good frocks and jewels.
5. One day, her husband gave her a printed card which was an invitation to a ball party.
6. Instead of being happy, she threw away the card on the table.
7. She thought that she didn’t have a proper dress for the ball and didn’t want to present her
poverty-stricken image amid rich ladies.
8. Mr Loisel had to sacrifice his 400 francs for the dress which he had saved to buy a gun for
hunting.
9. The day of the ball came near, but Matilda put forward another demand and wanted to wear
a necklace at the ball.
10. Mr Loisel suggested that she could borrow jewels from her rich friend, Madame Forestier.
11. Mrs Forestier placed her box of jewels before Matilda to choose, and she chose a superb
diamond necklace.
12. On the day of the ball, Mrs Loisel was a great success and looked very beautiful, elegant and
graceful.
13. She attracted the attention of many men who wanted to be introduced to her.
14. Returning from the party, she wanted to have a final view of herself in her glory, in the
mirror.
15. Suddenly she uttered a cry as the necklace was not around her neck.
16. Mr Loisel went out in the night in search of the lost necklace. He went to the police, cab
offices and put an advertisement in the papers.
17. At the end of the week, they lost all hopes and it was decided to buy a new necklace, similar
to the lost one.
18. The similar diamond necklace that could replace the lost one valued 36000 francs.
19. Mr Loisel had 18000 francs but had to borrow the rest of the money.
20. The new diamond necklace, which was exactly the same as the old one, was given to Madam
Forestier.
21. They had to work hard and lead a miserable life to pay off the debts.
22. They sent away the maid and rented some rooms in the attic.
23. Mrs Loisel washed dishes, clothes and lived like an ordinary woman.
24. Mr Loisel worked at some merchants in the evenings and did copying work at five sous a
page.
 25. It took ten years to pay off the debts completely and the necklace had completely changed
their lives.
26. On the day, when Madam Forestier met Mrs Loisel, she couldn’t recognise her because she
had changed so badly.
27. Mrs Loisel told the whole story and also the fact that her necklace was responsible for their
miserable condition.
28. Madam Forestier was touched and said, “Oh! My poor Matilda! Mine (diamonds) were false.
They were not worth over five hundred francs.

The Book that Saved the Earth

1.The story is set in the twentieth century, five centuries ago.

2.Historiscope takes us back to 2040.

3.Great Mighty Think-Tank is the Commander-in-Chief and the ruler of Mars.

4.Apprentice Noodle, Captain Omega, Lieutenant Iota and Sergeant Oop are with him in Mars Central
Control.

5.Think-Tank calls Martians a handsome race and they are more attractive than the ugly Earthlings.

6.Think-Tank wants to invade that ‘primitive ball of mud’ known as Earth before lunch.

7.All are examining books but can’t identify them. Oop makes a guess that those things (books) are
hats.

8.Think-Tank closely examines those books. He holds one of them in his hand.

9.Think-Tank calls it (a book) a sandwich. Sandwiches are the main staple diet of the Earthlings.

10.To confirm his opinion, Think-Tank orders Captain Omega to eat an item (a book), a sandwich.

11.At last, Oop tastes it and finds it not delicious.

12.Noodle suggests that he has seen surveyor films of those sandwiches (books). The Earthlings
don’t eat them but use them as a communication device.

13.Think-Tank agrees and orders Omega to listen to them.

14.When captain Omega fails to hear anything, Noodle makes another suggestion.

15.He discloses that the Earthlings don’t listen to the sandwiches (books) but open and watch them.

16.Then, Think-Tank declares that those sandwiches are not for ear communication. They are for eye-
communication.

17.Omega picks a large volume ‘Mother Goose’ which contains pictures of Earthlings.
18.When no one is able to know the meanings of the lines, dots and pictures, Doodle suggests that
space people should be given vitamins to improve their intelligence.

19.All of them swallow vitamins down their mouth.

20.Omega reads the rhyme of ‘Mistress Mary’ and Think-Tank interprets it in his own way.

21.Think-Tank declares that the ‘Mistress Mary’ rhyme tells that Earthlings have discovered how to
combine agriculture and mining. They can grow crops of rare metals. They can grow high explosives
too.

22.Then Iota reads out the rhyme of ‘Hey diddle!”

23.Think-Tank interprets the rhyme saying that the Earthlings have reached a high level of civilisation.
Even dogs have a sense of humour. They may be launching an interplanetary invasion.

24.Think-Tank orders to notify the invasion fleet that there will be no invasion today.

25.Then the rhyme of ‘Humpty Dumpty had a great fall’ is read.

26.Think-Tank declares after looking at the pictures of Humpty-Dumpty that the Earthlings have seen
him. The words ‘Had a great fall’ mean that they plan to capture Mars Central Control and him.

27.He asks Noodle to prepare a space capsule for him to escape.

28.He orders that Mars must be evacuated immediately. They will go to a new place a hundred
million miles away from Mars-Alpha Centauri.

29.Historian tells how one dusty old book of nursery rhymes ‘Mother Goose’, saved the world from a
Martians invasion.

30.Great and Mighty Think-Tank was replaced by the wise and wonderful man, Noodle.

31.The Earthlings taught the Martians the difference between sandwiches and books.

Bholi

Bholi is the story of a village girl who was discriminated as she had pock-marks on her face,
stammered and was considered to be a simpleton. Bholi suffered an attack of smallpox when she was
just two years old. She damaged a part of her brain when she fell off from the cot. Education
transformed ‘a dumb cow’ into a fearless and courageous girl. First, she agreed to many an unequal
match, Bishamber, just to maintain the honour of the family. Her father, Ramlal, put even his turban
at the feet of the greedy bridegroom. He accepted to many a girl with pock-marks only after getting
5000 rupees as dowry. Bholi showed the courage of throwing away the ceremonial garland into the
fire. She refused to have a mean, greedy and contemptible coward like Bishamber Nath as her
husband. She took a vow never to get married. She decided that she would become a teacher and
serve her parents in their old age.