The Boarding House

Grade 12 Compulsory English

The Boarding House

(Q) How do you think Mrs Mooney settled with Mr. Doran about Polly? Did Mr. Moran marry Polly or pay out compensation? 

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(Q) Sketch the character of Mrs. Mooney.

Mrs. Mooney, the main character in the James Joyce story “The Boarding House” is described as "a woman who deals with moral problems as a cleaver deals with meat". She was a butcher’s daughter who married her father’s foreman. Later she divorced him because she could not withstand his drinking and bullying nature. Taking charge of her daughter Polly and son Jack, she opened a boarding house in Hardwicke Street. She was strong, strict, determined and practical. She knew how to handle matters- when to act and when to remain silent.

When reading further in the story, we find that the boarding house is a trap, where Mrs. Mooney is a hunter who's looking for a decent husband for her daughter Polly within her guests. She is using Polly as bait to catch Mr. Doran, the victim in the story. Mrs. Mooney manipulates Mr. Doran into her trap by using her daughter's innocence as the bait and Mr. Doran's innocence as a victim. Mrs. Mooney is a woman of business and Mr. Doran is the perfect victim for her and for Polly. Mr. Doran has also a decent job and he fits perfectly to the economical needs of Mrs. Mooney. Mrs. Mooney also uses their society and religion as a tool to cause Mr. Doran marrying her daughter. She knows that her victim is a religious man, who lives in the religious culture of Dublin that obeys to the rules of the church. He is afraid of the church and he is afraid to lose his job in the Catholic wine merchant office. Thus Mr. Doran had no other option than marrying Polly. Mrs. Mooney is like a watchdog that watches that the prey will not run out of the trap, but will run into it.

(Q)Write an interpretation of 'The Boarding House'.

or

(Q) Briefly narrate the story of "The Boarding House"

-After a difficult marriage with a drunken husband that ends in separation, Mrs. Mooney opens a boarding house to make a living. Jack, her son and Polly, her daughter live with her in the house, which is occupied by clerks from the city, as well as occasional tourists and musicians. Mrs. Mooney runs a strict and tight business and is known by the lodgers as “The Madam.” Polly, who used to work in an office, now stays at home at her mother’s request, to amuse the lodgers and help with the cleaning. Surrounded by so many young men, Polly ultimately develops a relationship with a rich thirty five years old Mr. Doran. Mrs. Mooney knows about the relationship, but instead of sending Polly back to work in the city, she monitors its developments. Polly becomes increasingly uncomfortable with her mother’s lack of intervention, but Mrs. Mooney waits until “the right moment” to intercede. First she speaks awkwardly with Polly, then arranges to speak with Mr. Doran on a Sunday morning.

Mrs. Mooney looks forward to her argument which she intends to “win” by defending her daughter’s honor and convincing Mr. Doran to offer his hand in marriage. Waiting for the time to pass, Mrs. Mooney figures the odds are in her favor, considering that Mr. Doran, who has worked for a wine merchant for thirteen years and gained much respect, will choose the option that least harms his career.

Meanwhile, Mr. Doran is in distress. He knows he will be called by Mrs. Mooney. He reviews the difficult confession to his priest that he made on Saturday evening, in which he was harshly accused for his romantic affair. He knows he can either marry Polly or run away, the latter an option that would ruin his sound reputation. Convincing himself that he has been tricked, Mr. Doran bemoans Polly’s unimpressive family, her ill manners, and her poor grammar, and wonders how he can remain free and unmarried. In this vexed moment Polly enters the room and threatens to end her life out of unhappiness. In her presence, Mr. Doran begins to remember how he was trapped by Polly’s beauty and kindness, but he still hesitates about his decision.

Uneasy, Mr. Doran comforts Polly and departs for the meeting, leaving her to wait in the room. She rests on the bed crying for a while, neatens her appearance, and then nestles back in the bed, dreaming of her possible future with Mr. Doran. Finally, Mrs. Mooney interrupts the daydream by calling to her daughter. Mr. Doran, according to Mrs. Mooney, wants to speak with Polly.

The Children Who Wait Marsha Traugot

Grade 12 Compulsory English

The Children Who Wait Marsha Traugot

(Q) Whom does Marsha Traugot refer to as the children who wait?

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(Q) Why was it difficult for the handicapped and the black children to find foster family?

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(Q) According to Traugot , what changes are transforming the American adoption scene? What factors are responsible for the changes? 

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(Q)What kinds of parents were considered suitable for adopting children? What kind of children were considered 'Unadoptable'? 

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(Q) How do the adoption agencies find the potential parents?

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(Q) What had happened to the handicapped children in the past?

Marsha Traugot's essay "The children Who Wait" discusses the scene of adoption in American context.

Marsha Traugot begins her essay with the picture of Tammy, which has been published in a magazine with the hope that someone would be ready to adopt her. She is five and half years old with the face of Mona Lisa. The writer describes her unadaptable child had she been born before 1960. During that period only white healthy children were considered adaptable. Physically deformed children’s were referred as damaged goods. No one was ready to adopt such children. 

The children who were black, mixed racial group, handicapped and over five years were not adopted by families. This view, however, started disappearing after the sixties. People’s attitude towards them gradually became positive. The change in thoughts was brought by various factors. Traugot mentions black civil right movement, legalization of abortion, change in attitude of the people, and change in government's policy as responsible factors. Black civil rights movement brought sympathetic attitude towards black people. White people started regarding them as humans and treated accordingly. Another responsible factor was women's movement. Because of women’s movement they got right to decide on the matter of childbirth in addition to other right. The lady who had to do abortion to maintain her status could live with dignity with her child. It has the impact in reduction of unwanted children. 

The third factor responsible for change in attitude was government's policy towards adoption. The government used to emphasize on foster care before the seventies. As they became aware about the drawbacks of foster care, they made changes in their policy. Rater than emphasizing on foster care, they tried to find permanent home for the homeless children. Another factor responsible is the role played by social activists. Their campaign brought changes not only in attitude of the people but also in their behavior. Prior to the 1960, the social activists considered white, two parent, and middle or upper class childless family as an ideal adoptive family. But now the situation has changed. The social workers give children for adoption to even single or two parents, black or biracial, upper class or working class, childless or families with older siblings. 

The catch phrase of the social worker is ‘matching’. Activists try to get proper family for destitute child. Unlike previous activists, they can't get two-parent family. Instead of searching for two-parent family, they need to evaluate the characteristic of a child and match it with the proper family. Now adoption agencies collect the lists of parents who want to adopt child. They match qualities of children with the need of parents, let both of them meet and interact. They even hold meetings and discuss about the children and the types of families where they can put them. Now adoption agencies collect the lists of parents who want to adopt child. They match qualities of children with the need of parents, let both of them meet and interact. If this system does not work, they publish the profile of homeless children in television or newspaper to look for adoptive parents.

The Tell-Tale Heart

Grade 12 Compulsory English

The Tell-Tale Heart

(Q)Why does narrator develop intense hatred against the old man? Would you call the narrator mad? Give reasons for your answer. 

                         or

(Q)What made the narrator confess his crime? 

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(Q) Describe the scene when the narrator killed the old man

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(Q) What made the narrator confess his crime?

Summary:

The narrator claims that he is not mad as he could hear things in the heaven, earth and hell. To justify himself saint, he confesses dangerous crime he has committed.

The narrator and the old man used to reside together; they had very good relationship. The man used to love the old man very much. The old man also used to treat him well. The only thing that irritated the narrator was the eyes of him which were pale and vulture like. To end the consequences, he went to the old man's room continuously for seven days. But returned, as he could not see the eyes of the man. In the morning he spoke politely and behaved as if nothing had happened. On the eighth nights, he as usual went there with torchlight. He did every thing stealthy and cautiously. Despite it, he happened to touch tin fastening, which dropped and disturbed the sleep of the man. In desperation, he asked who it was. The narrator remained speechless and motionless. A little later his sense brought him the reason that the old man was asleep again, he aimed the beam towards the old man's eyes. As he saw them, he grew angry. He then, jumped towards the man, dragged the man and pressed his neck with bed. At last, he dismembered the old man's dead body and put it under the plank. After it, he cleaned the place spotlessly clean. It was already four when he finished the task. At four, the three policemen came because someone had heard a shriek and informed them to investigate. The narrator lied them that the shriek was his own in dream and the old man was absent for some days. He welcomed them, brought them to his room and took to every nook and corner of his house. The policemen didn't suspect any wrong there. The narrator took them to the spot where he had hidden the corpse of the old man. He cordially asked them to sit on the chair, which he had kept there. He sat there just over the plank whereas policeman continued talking with smiling face. The narrator, at the mean time, heard tick-tick sound of a watch coming from beneath. He mistook it as the heart-beat of the old man. He desired to reduce the loudness of the sound. For this purpose, he spoke louder; though it didn't do any good. He felt the sound growing; he felt the policemen’s smile as the smile of mockery. It became unbearable for him to keep the reality secret. He thought it better to confess than to hide. Eventually he confessed the crime.

(Q)Was the narrator mad?

Though sanity and insanity is a matter of debate, there are various indications in the story that suggest his madness. The narrator killed an old and innocent man with out any concrete reason. He did not hesitate to cut the body of the old man into pieces. Though the man loved him, he did not understand the value of love. Rather he mercilessly killed him. Even after killing and dismembering the body of the old man, he suspected that the old man’s heart was beating. He had no idea that after a man is killed his heart stops beating. The narrator has revealed himself that he is suffering from a disease which causes ‘over-acuteness of the senses’. Over-acuteness of senses is also one sign of madness. He was overcome by homicidal mania. Madmen never repent their wrong doing. In this story also instead of repenting for his wrongful act, the narrator has tried to prove his sanity. Thus his abnormal behavior suggests that he was truly mad.

A Child Is Born

Grade 12 Compulsory English

A Child Is Born

Theme

‘A child is Born’ by Germaine Greer discusses on the matter of childbirth and childcare. She shows the differences in between the rich technocratic Western society and the poor traditional Eastern society on the subject of pregnancy, childcare and child rearing. She is of the opinion that the Eastern society is better in comparison to Western society. In the Eastern society, the pregnant woman feels secure in pre-natal as well as post natal activities. This is hardly found in the Western society.

Summary:

Childbirth management in the Eastern society varies from place to place. The mother is familiar about the way of giving birth to child in such society because they are used to in such customs. They don't feel so much physical and mental tension while giving birth. The approach in Eastern society is ritualistic. She is covered with taboos and prohibitions which reduces her psychological burden. All the relatives including the husbands remain present during the process of giving birth. It decreases the pain of the mother. Their presence gives a sense of security to her. 

They create such an environment which make mother feel safe. Nevertheless, the chance of death of mother is high in Eastern society. In many of the Eastern societies, a pregnant woman goes to her mother's house. For example: the writer presents us an example from society of India. In Rajput society, the woman goes to mother's house prior to giving birth and after the birth to the child. She is taken care properly. The birth of the child is celebrated with singing and dancing. The pregnant woman is taken care not only by family members but also by the members of the community. It gives her a sense of security and she becomes less worried about giving birth. There is difference in child rearing also. In the Eastern society the mother gets respect after she gives birth. She is called by the name of her first child. The newly born child is taken care by all the relatives. The mother has to spend less time in taking care of child. So, the child-family relation is stronger than child-mother relation. Thus, the Eastern society is better than the Western society in the matter of childbirth and childcare. The Eastern society, however is not unaffected by the method of Western society.

Because of modernization, people in the Western societies are forced to use modern equipments. The modern equipments certainly have saved the lives of mother and child; nevertheless they are unable to reduce the anxiety of mother while giving birth. A pregnant woman in the West has to take care of herself with the guidance of nurses and doctors. The nurses and doctors do not give caressing hand to the pregnant woman. The health of mother and child is safer but mother is emotionally weaker. Child is born to fulfill the needs of parents only. The child grows up with its parents and dolls. So, child - mother relation is stronger. The mother has to bear all the problems during child birth and child rearing.

Hurried Trip To Avoid a Bad Star

Grade 12 Compulsory English

Hurried Trip To Avoid a Bad Star

(Q)  How is Karnali linked economically with the low land regions to the south?

-Geographically, Karnali lies to the northern part of our kingdom. As it is made up of very sloppy hills, there are many problems. People do not have transportation and other facilities for their better survival. There is no sufficient cultivable land. So, they have to depend on the lowland regions to the south.

People of karnali cannot sell their products in their localities. To sell their items like medicinal herbs, silajit, hashish, hand-knit sweaters and blankets, they have to go to Nepalgunj. Similarly, they cannot buy goods in their places. For this purpose also, they have to depend upon lowland regions. People of Karnali have to depend upon lowland region for their jobs also. Being undeveloped part, it does not have factories. To earn livelihood, young people have no better options than leaving their places and working in the lowland region.

(Q)What did the two writers learn about the life and culture of the people of the Karnali region during their journey on foot?

- ‘Hurried Trip to Avoid a Bad Star” is written by American geographers M. Lilla and C. Bishop Barry. Their essay presents social, economic and educational aspects of Karnali region. To present these aspects, they have brought four events in the text- their meeting with a chhetri woman and the people processing silajit, and their encounter cutting down trees and the people of Karnali buying and selling things. The two writers learnt that the people of Karnali are innocent, simple, laborious and uneducated. Their world is narrow and limited. The Chhetri woman asks the travelers to find her husband and send him to the village. They live in geographically difficult part completely depending on their own or animal strength. They are ignorant about soil erosion and deforestation. Not only that, alcohol consumption in Karnali region is high because one of the porters buys distillery equipments in the bazaar of Nepalgunj. He hopes that he would sell liqueur and earn enough money to buy goods in Karnali.

Travelling Through the Dark

Grade 12 Compulsory English

Travelling Through the Dark

 

Summery

 

William Stafford's poem "Traveling Through the Dark" examines the killing of a pregnant doe by a hit-and-run driver, and the dilemma faced by the speaker who is also a driver. People generally travel in the dark when there is some urgency or when they have some immediate destination to reach. Speaker is traveling in the dark with some special purpose. So he is in a hurry. On his way he finds a dead deer on the edge of Wilson River. He stops to drag off the dead deer into the canyon in order to avoid possible accidents. But on touching her side he finds that it is still warm and it contains a fawn waiting to be born. In death the traveler discovers life, but not normal life that emerges from the womb into the world, for the fawn is "never to be born." This unhappy realization causes the traveler to hesitate. His mind is filled with mixed-up emotions: pity, anger, frustration, and confusion about how to act. He even wonders if the fawn can be saved, but knows all along that the fawn can not be born when the mother is dead. The car is mechanically alive and its lights are pointing the speaker towards his destination. In the final couplet the traveler thinks hard for all, he knows that his love and pity towards the fawn can not save it. He knows that his delay is only a waste of time, so he pushes the doe into the river and marches towards his destination.

(Q) Explain the title of the poem. Who are all those driving through the dark?

The title of the poem “Traveling Through the Dark” is very suitable one. People generally travel in the dark when there is some urgency or when they have some immediate destination to reach. So, the speaker of this poem is traveling in the dark with some special purpose. But when he finds a dead doe on the road, he is in dilemma. He is in confusion either to show deep love and emotion to an unborn but alive fawn in the belly of the doe or to save the passengers on his car as a dutiful driver. After much thoughtful meditation, he pushes the dead doe into the river in order to reach his destination and save the passengers. The ‘darkness’ indicates One of nature's beautiful creatures has been killed and pitilessly left on the road, unburied and unmourned to cause future accidents. The driver's inaction suggests moral darkness. The darkness also suggests the narrator's confusion about what to do with the deer. "Traveling through the dark" also symbolizes the spiritual void of humankind in its insensitivity toward nature.

(Q) How does the boy, the narrator, look at his uncle and his aunt 

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        Describe the relation between Thomas (the boy's uncle) and his wife.

The narrator, the boy, thinks that the relationship between his uncle and aunt was not so good. He describes that every Saturday night, his uncle would lift his wife on to the chair and she would beat him on his head with the china dog. The readers realize that the relationship between them was good. Her beating Thomas was an act of playful marital activity. Though the uncle and aunt were quite contrary in behaviors and temperament, they loved each other very much. She did not like Thomas’s drinking habit, so she was against his outing program. On such occasions she would go to her mother’s house. When she went to her mother’s home, she left a note asking him to eat eggs from the pantry and to go to bed taking his shoes off. On Sundays she would not allow him to play checkers.

(Q) The plan was to go to Porthcawl for the outing. Did they ever reach here? Why?

- Thomas and his friends planned to go to Porthcawl for the outing. But they never reached there because the narrator has revealed very early in the story that ‘they never reached Porthcawl’. Similarly there are various indications that suggest that they never reached Porthcawl. The internal intention of Thomas and his friends’ outing was to get drunk, merry make and release themselves from the burden of life. In the name of outing, they wanted to enjoy by drinking and playing cards. This clearly can be seen when they carry twenty cases of ale (alcohol) for the outing. As soon as they started their journey, they stopped at the public house and got heavily drunk. They stopped at several public houses and got drunk. On their way, they stopped at the river and joked and teased each other splashing water to each other. The moon was already up, so they drove towards their home. On the way they sat down in a circle in the field and started drinking remaining cases of alcohol.

I Have a Dream

Grade 12 Compulsory English

I Have a Dream

Summery

Martin Luther King, a black civil right campaigner, delivered an unforgettable speech " I Have a Dream" on August 28, 1963 commemorating the centennial of Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. In this speech he presses for equal treatment and improved circumstances for blacks, and stresses on the necessity of eradicating institutional racial inequalities. King expresses sharp dissatisfaction over segregation and racial discrimination. He demands a fast end to racial discrimination, pledging his followers to a fight to the finish to wipe out all forms of segregation and to achieve equality and integration. However, he is in favour of creative and disciplined protest without physical violence. In his speech he even appeals the Whites to join hands with Blacks in order to revolt against discriminatory practices against Blacks. He does not show hatred against Whites, he is against color discrimination and racial prejudice.

He is a dreamer with the vision of equality and justice. He wants a new America in its social makeup, establish symphony of brotherhood among blacks and whites, and eradicate the discriminatory treatment of black Americans. His dream is deeply rooted in the American dream of 'life, liberty and pursuit of happiness'.

He voices that even after hundred years of passing of Emancipation Proclamation by Lincoln, America stands as the hell to the blacks. Blacks are exiled in their own country and live in poverty in the vast ocean of material prosperity.

He also mentions the words of the Constitution and Declaration of Independence which guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. But these magnificent words were not applied into practice in case of colored citizens. He demands the riches of freedom, security of justice, and citizenship rights to the blacks. He argues that the policy of gradualism in the matter of justice will raise discontent among blacks.

About Love

Grade 12 Compulsory English 

(Q) What kinds of love experiences are suggested by Alyohin in "About Love"?

- In "About Love" , three kinds of love experiences are suggested by Alyohin. The first one is the love affair between Nikanor and Pelageya. Their love is sensual, often violent. Though there is no understanding between them, sexual passion binds them. Their love is not bound by marital relation. The second love affair is between Alyohin and a girl when he was studying in the university. Though Alyohin loved her, she thought love as a way to earn money. This love affair can be seen as the ugliest where sex is exchanged with money. The third love affair between Alyohin and Anna Alexeyevna can be termed as unexpressed love or spiritual love. Their heart meet, but being trapped by middle class morality, their love remains unexpressed. They sacrifice their love for more good. Alyohin sacrifices his love because he thinks that it would bring disaster in the life of her children, mother and husband. Similarly, Alexeyevna does not express her love thinking that she wasn't young enough to live with him.

(Q) Character sketch of Alyohin.

Alyohin, a bachelor and a university graduate, lived in Sofinyo working labourously in his farm. He had to work in his farm to pay the debt that his father had spent on his education. He desired a civilized living of the upper class but could not afford it. In the past while he was a university student, he fell in love with a girl who only loved his money. Since he was elected honorary justice of the peace, he often visited town to take part in assizes and sessions. Once he was invited to the home of Luganovich to dine. There he met Anna Alexeyevna , aged 22 and married to Luganovich. They fell in love with each other but could not express their love. They chatted for hours, went to the theatre together but they parted coldly the next time. Later Anna suffered from nervous prostration and was sent to Crimea for treatment. During her departure, Alyohin had courage to confess his love and kissed her, but had to part with her forever.

Alyohin's vision of love is shaped by his own love affair. He thinks that when people are in love, they ask whether it is honorable or dishonorable, sensible or stupid, and what their love will lead to . For him, this reasoning is the source of dissatisfaction and irritation. He thinks that love is a great mystery. When one is in love, one should start love from higher, without reasoning whether their love is sin or virtue, or whether it brings happiness or unhappiness. According to him to what extent personal happiness counts in love is uncertain, it differs from person to person.

Alyohin is like a squirrel in a cage. He is trapped by reason, middle class morality and poverty. He is a man-of-thought. He fears to express his love to Anna because he is too much thoughtful about society's moral standards. He sacrifices his love thinking that his marriage to Anna Alexeyevna would ruin the lives of her, her children, her mother and her husband. He fears that he could not make her happy in his country house.

(Q) Character sketch of Anna Alexeyevna.

-Anna Alexeyevna is the main female character in the story "About Love". She is a beautiful and charming young lady aged twenty-two. She is married to Luganovich, assistant president of the circuit court and aged over forty. Her marriage to an old man can be seen as the cause of her suffering. Her sexual urge cannot be fulfilled by the man double her age. So, she tries to get emotional fulfillment from Alyohin which later turns into love. She is also trapped in reason. She does not confess her love to Alyohin though she deeply loves him because she fears society's moral standards. She also thought that she was not young and energetic enough for him to begin a new married life. Later she becomes the victim of nervous prostration because of psychological depression and nervousness.

Onomatopoeia: It is the imitation of natural sounds by words. For example, cackle, tin tin, buzz etc. In this poem, 'ding dong' is an example of onomatopoeia. It imitates the sound of the bell which is slow and lingering.

Alliteration: It is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words or stressed syllables. In 'Full fathom five thy father lies', the repetition of /f/ sound gives it a musical quality. It also reminds us of the flow of the sea.

Assonance: It is the repetition of the vowel sounds at the beginning of words or stressed syllables. It also enhances the singing quality.

Full Fathom Five Thy Father Lies

Grade 12 Compulsory English

Full Fathom Five Thy Father Lies

 Summery

The poem "Full Fathom Five Thy Father Lies" is taken from Shakespeare's play "The Tempest". Here the spirit Ariel sings this song to Ferdinand, Prince of Naples, who mistakenly thinks that his father is drowned.                                                                      

Ariel says that Ferdinand's father is dead and is lying thirty feet below in the sea bed. The Prince is very sad to miss his father in a sea-wind, so Ariel gives sympathy to him by saying that death is a meaningful change. He says that the bones of his father have turned into coral and eyes into pearls. Sea-nymphs respect him with death bell every hour. None of the parts have wasted but changed into more valuable. Ariel pretends that he is listening the ding dong sound of the bell.

In this poem death is shown as a meaningful change. Death is not an absolute end but only a process of transformation into another natural object.  The main idea of this song is that - man who is part of nature transforms into another natural objects after death.  The body of Ferdinand's father has been changed into something more valuable and strange. His bones have changed into corals and eyes into pearls. Even after death, he is warmly welcomed in heaven by nymphs by ringing the bell.

The Lamentation of the Old Pensioner

Grade 12 Compulsory English 
 

The Lamentation of the Old Pensioner

 

"The Lamentation of the Old Pensioner" written by W.B. Yeats, presents the speaker's reminiscences of his young life which become more painful when he contrasts his time of youth with his present old age. He laments on the passing of his joyful youth.

In the past, the speaker was young and he had a good job. So his friends and lovers followed him. He was happy to talk about love and politics. His past life only gives him agony because Time has turned him into ugly, weak and useless old man. Neither his friends nor any beauties follow him. He is envious to see other young people who challenge any conspiracy and evils. This old man, who is forced away from politics and love, is still tormented by the passions of his youth for women and conversation. He thinks that his greater enemy is Time because it made him old and stole his physical beauty, power and beautiful lovers. Time stole his youthful vitality, energy and sexual power. He compares his old stage with the broken tree. Time robbed all his happiness from him because it transfigured him into an ugly, powerless, passionless, deformed and lonely old man. So, he shows his anger against Time and spits on the face of it.   

Grandmother

Grade 12 Compulsory English

Grandmother

Summary

Written by American- Indian poet Ray Young Bear is a recollection of poet's unfathomable love for his grandmother. The poet draws the picture of his grandmother - all loving, all inspiring- through the use of images.

                As a grandson, the poet's heart is very close to his grandmother. This poem presents the poets deep sense of intimacy and closeness to his grandmother even after her death. He can not forget her. Her images come into his mind as fresh as before. He could recognize her by all senses except taste. If the poet would see her from a long distance, he could easily recognize her. Her warm and damp hands with the smell of roots on his head would make him guess that those were her caressing hands. Even the voice coming out of her tombstone would flow inside him like a light coming from a sleeping fire at night. Her words would inspire him and enlighten his spirit.

1. What are the four things that Ray Young Bear remembers about his grandmother? 

- The things that Ray Young Bear remembers about his grandmother are her shape,  her purple scarf, warm and damp hands and her inspiring voice.

2.What images do you find in this poem written by a member of the Sauk and Fox (Mesquaki) Indian tribe of North America? To what senses do these images appeal?

- The poet has used images to discover two intertwined themes - recollection of his grandmother at one level and search for identity at another level. The images like 'purple scarf', 'plastic shopping bag', 'the light ... at night ' appeal to our sense of sight. These images also have symbolic link to the Indian culture. 'Plastic shopping bag' indicates the poverty of Indian tribe. 'The light .... at night' associates that the spirituality of Indian culture guides him in the modern corrupt American society. The images like 'smell of root' appeal to our sense of smell. It indicates the work ethic of Indian tribe and his grandmother. They are near to nature and are good farmers. “Warm and damp hands” appeal to our sense of touch. It also shows how his grandmother and Indian tribes work in fields with pleasure and sense of duty. “A voice” and 'her words' appeal to our sense of hearing. This indicates how the teachings and philosophy of Indian culture enlightens his spirits.

Thus by the use of images, the poet has symbolically linked his grandmother to the lost culture of Indian tribe.

HSEB examination important Questions with Answer Solution, you will find here. summary, solution and Enlgish articles, tenses, letters,

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The Recurring Dream The Lost Doll The House Call Fear The Loving Mother My Heart Leaves up When I Behold Speaking of children Look at a Tea Cup a Worn path The Three Day Blow The Popular field The Nightmare Life without Fuel Unchopping a Tree Keeping things Whole Concrete Cat Oops! How’s That Again? Malini

Before Conversation to care some tips. (कुरा गर्दा ध्यान दिनुपर्ने) A Meeting and Parting of two friends Conversation(दुइ साथी भेट्दा र छुटिदाको कुरा) A conversation between a customer and shopkeeper.(ग्राहक र पसलेको कुरा) Talking to a Guest (पाहुना सँगको कुरा) Getting Ready to go (जाने तयारी गर्दा) Taking between a teacher and guardian (अभिभावक र शिक्षकको कुरा) Vowels & Consonants General Vocabularies daily conversation Greetings About Grammar Noun & Pronoun Adjectives & Verbs Preposition Comparison of Adjective Conjunction and Interjection Expressions Imperative Sentences Tense Articles Active and Passive Voices Transformation General Conversation About Relations Household Articles Profession and Occupation Easy Letters Writting Free Essay Writing

Unchopping a Tree

Grade 11 Compulsory English

Unchopping a Tree

Summary

This is an essay written by W.S Merwin. In this essay he talks about chopping and unchpping a tree. Unchopping a tree is impossible. If we try we may join the parts and erect a tree but we can’t give life to it. So, we should think before we chop down the tree. The writer tells us to preserve the environment and nature. We should protect the trees. Green trees keep the environment green, clean and healthy.

1) Is unchopping a tree possible? 

What does essay suggest about conservation and against deforestation?

- unchopping a tree is not possible. If we try we can join the parts and erects it but we can’t give life to it. So the writer requests us to conserve the trees. He is against deforestation.

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The Popular Field

Grade 11 Compulsory English  

The Popular Field

Summary

This poem is composed by William Cowper. The poem compares the chopping of the tree to a man’s life and death. The poplars are cut down now there is neither any shed nor the wind that play and sing in the leaves. There is no longer the whispering sound of the trees. Before twelve years. The poet had enjoyed beautiful view of the poplar field. He had seen the reflection of trees on the river. He used to sit in the shed on the trees but the trees are cut down now. Now the poet sits on the fall down trees. The black bird is also not singing and has flown trees. The black bird is also not singing and has flown away. The poet says he will die soon and that he will die before new trees grow to replace chopped once. The poet says that the pleasure of man is temporary and they finished before man dies.

1) What change did the poet see in the poplar field when he came back after 12 years?

- When the poet came to the poplar field after 12 years he saw many changes there. The poplar field was no more there. The trees were cut down. The black birds also gone away and the poet couldn’t here their song. The poet couldn’t sit under the shadow of the trees. It made him sad.

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The Three Day Blow

 Grade 11 Compulsory English

The Three Day Blow

Summary

The three day below is a story written by Ernest Hemingway, a famous noble prize winner. The title refers to a storm which lasts for three days. The story is about two American boys named Nick and bill. They are good friends. Nick visits bill’s house and they drink alcohol and talk. They talk about base ball and books. Later on, they talk about the relationship Nick has with a girl called Marjorie. Nick wants to marry merge but Bill is glad that the relationship has finished. At last they both understand each other and have a compromise.

1) What did Nick and Bill Talk about?

- Nick and Bill are the two main characters and good friends in this story. At first they talk about base ball. They about book and writer and at last they start talking about each other’s fathers. Then they talk about Nick’s girl friend and her mother.

2) Discuss the three day blow as a dramatic story.

- It is a dramatic story. Because it has some features of the drama. There is less narrative and more actions and dialogue of the character. There is scenes setting and description of the nature. The central idea is also expressed through the mouth f the characters. The story is divided into some scenes. The combination of actions, dialogues and the narration makes it a dramatic story.

The Nightmare Life without Fuel

Grade 11 Compulsory English  

The Nightmare Life without Fuel

Summary

This is an essay written by Isaac Asimov which focuses on the problem of fuel crises. Fuel in the world is decreasing. He wants the people to use the fuel wisely and to fin new sources energy.
According to the author there are some advantages of fuel crisis also. The air will be cleaner. There will be no pollution. Few people can walk until late night without fear. The parks and threatens will be full of people. The population growth will also decrease. There will be less kind of diseases. Road accident will decrease.
On the other hand there are many disadvantages of fuel crisis. People have to walk of far distance which takes a lot of time. People can not get enough heat and light. They will not get enough food to eat. The baby die of hunger and adult’s brains are damaged by malnutrition. Life will be very busy and they will be dull. The transportation and supply will be disturbed. The life will be a night mare without fuel.

1) According to the author what will be the advantages of the fuel crisis?

- There are some advantages of the fuel crisis. The air will be pollution free and people will not suffer from diseases. The crime will decrease, people walk without fear, the population growth will also decrease there will be less road accident etc.

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The Loving Mother

Grade 11 Compulsory English

The Loving Mother

Summary

The loving mother is a supernatural story. It is borrowed from Japan. Shoji Sakota was a pharmacist. One night he was working late when a woman knocked at the door. When the woman came in she asked for only an Ame for her baby. Other two nights the same woman came and asked his friend to take her photograph. When the photograph was developed there was everything but no image of the woman. So, they followed her the room they found a healthy baby sucking same Ame and the woman was asleep. When Sakota tried to wake the woman she had been died for several days.

1) Describe the woman who visited Mr. Saklota’s pharmacy late at night.

-One storming winter, when Mr. Sakota was preparing annual report, a young woman visited his pharmacy. The woman was thin and her skin was pale. Her hair was untidy. She requested for an Ame for her baby. She has mysterious eyes. Mr. Sakota was surprised and thought that she was from another world.

2) Why did Mr. Sakota want the picture taken?

--The woman who visited Sakota’s pharmacy was mysterious. She always came at mid-night. She was strange. Her eyes were mysterious. He thought the woman might be a ghost. He called the photographer to take her photos and study about her.

Speaking of children

Grade 11 Compulsory English

Speaking of children

Summary

Speaking of children is an essay written by Barbara Holland. It is about the children and its effects on family. One child doesn’t disturb the life of the parents and it is an appendages. The parents can live freely and happily. They can make him/her whatever they like easily. A single child is easy to care and bring up. There are good chances of peace, privacy, happy family and free environment. But on the other hand more children make the family life troublesome and complicated. Freedom is limited. The happy, peaceful, free and privacy of the parents is totally disturbed. When they grow up they6 use parent’s things and make the parents tired. So the writer is in flavors of single child and against more children.

1) What are the advantage of having a single child and disadvantages of having plural children?

-One child is an appendage of the parents. Having a single has many advantages. Parents can live free and happy life. They can make their child what ever they like. One child is easy to care and bring up. Peace, privacy, happy life and free environment are possible. More then one child makes the family complicated. Happy, peaceful free and private life of the parents is disturbed. They make noise, create a mess and make the parents exhausted.

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Oops! How’s That Again?

Grade 11 Compulsory English

Oops! How’s That Again?

Summary

It is an essay written by roger Rosenblatt. This essay describes the mistakes people make while speaking and why they make these mistakes. The writer discusses the psychological reasons. The verbal errors are divided into four categories. They are tongue slips, Mistranslations, bloopers, spoonerism etc. tongue slips are common mistakes made by peoples. The speaker says some things when he means to say another thing. It is harmless. But it upsets some people. Spoonerism occurs when a person mix of the letters of the words they are saying. Mistranslations are made when words in language are translated badly into another language. The essay discusses why we make mistakes. Some of the reasons are as follows. It is due to tiredness and mental disturbance. It is because of unfulfilled desire and wish. Unfulfilled desires are released through tongue slips and dreams.

1) What are the different kinds of verbal errors? Explain them.

- The writer had given many examples of verbal errors. There are four groups of verbal errors. They are tongue slips, mistranslations, bloopers and spoonerism. Tongue slips are the slight mistakes while talking. Bloopers are low levels of errors made on radio and TV program. Spooner is made when giving lecture or instruction. Mistranslation is a mistake done while translating.

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My Heart Leaves up When I Behold

Grade 11 Compulsory English

My Heart Leaves up When I Behold

Summary

This poem is composed by William Wordsworth, a famous English poet. This poem is about the pleasure felt by the poet when he sees a rainbow. This pleasure and happiness has been the same for the whole of the poet’s like. The poet hopes he will still feel the same when he sees the rainbow when he is an old man. When this feeling stops it is better to die. The child is father of the man is a paradox in this poem. It means the things we do as children and feels as children affect and control our feeling when we are old. It also tells about life cycle. The poet remembers his past days when he sees the rainbow. The poet hopes that love of god and love of nature will be with him everyday.

1) Explain the paradox “the child is the father of the man”.

-It is a paradox. He means that man is the outcome of the child. Present is the outcome of past and future is the outcome of present yesterday’s man. The child grows up and becomes father. The poet wants to say that human life begins from childhood.

2) What is the main theme of the poem?

- The poet tells about the continuation of nature and life saying the child is the father of man. It means man would begin from childhood and present is the outcome of past. The poem is also about the childhood memory of the poet’s past. 

Look at a Tea Cup

Grade 11 Compulsory English

Look at a Tea Cup

Summary

Look at a tea cup is an essay written by Patricia Hampl. There are two major things in this essay. They are: the relationship between a mother and her daughter and the connection between the past and the present. Both of these things are represented by a tea cup.

The tea cup was bought by the mother in 1939 when she got married to American who had been Czechoslovakia. In 1939 Czechoslovakia taken over and destroyed by the army of Hitler. The mother and her daughter disagree about many things when the writer was 10 years old she said work was the most important thing in the world. Her mother said family was the most important things. The mother said family was the most important things. The mother wanted the daughter to get married but the daughter thought it was not compulsion. The writer thinks the past is very important for mother thinks it is a future that matters. The tea cup connects the mother and daughters, the past and the present. It was made in 1939 and the mother has given it to daughter. Now the writer likes her mother doesn't talk about the past. The daughter can find out abou7t her mother only by looking at the tea cup. In 1939 there was the world war which had killed many people, made many widows and destroyed everything.

1) Explain the daughter's attitudes to marriage.

-The writer's mother got married in 1939 and past her life with her husband. But it caused the fall of art, virginity, and faith in marriage. It caused the fall of destiny of woman. Many women lost their husband. So, the writer is against the importance of marriage and family. For her marriage is a pain. It is tragedy. The woman could make their sexual relationship after marriage but now it is common before marriage also. The war brought a sense of fear among the woman.

2) What do you mean by many things fell that year?

- Many things fell in 1939 that was the beginning of the destructive Second World War. Due to that art, virginity, cultural, tradition, faith in marriage and many other things fell. Many women became widows. The importance of marriage and family also fell. Women lost their faith in marriage. It was the tragedy. In this way it was the fell of peace, prosperity, hope and destiny of the whole world.

Keeping things Whole

 Grade 11 Compulsory English

 Keeping things Whole

Summary

It is a poem composed by Mark Strand. In the poem the poet wants to keep thing whole. He doesn’t want anything to be broken. He requests for wholeness against the fragmentation that goes on in life. He says that when he is in the field he doesn’t find himself. He looks at different things as parts not as a complete whole. This thing always happens in the world because this is the way of the life. He says when he walks he divides the air but the air comes back to fill the gaps. He says everyone has reason for moving but he moves to keep things whole. A part is meaningless. So, everybody should try to keep things whole.

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Fear

 Grade 11 Compulsory English

Fear

Summary

Fear is psychological story. Armando is a poor shoes maker. He, with his wife has collected fifty thousand pesos. They have a dream to buy a small house. Armando went to a bank, in Mexico City to draw fifty thousand pesos. In the bank Armando became very nervous. He thought people wanted to rob his money. He was so nervous that he put his hat backwards. Armando got on the bus to return back home. A heavy man who he had seen in the bank was also sitting in bus. He was frightened and jumped out of the bus. The three boys also got off the bus Armando thought they are going to rob him. So, he began to run. He fell over and the boys came up to him but he found that the boys were no robbers but they were students.

1) Why is Armando Afraid of the heavy man on the bus?

-Armando had put his hat on backwards. Everyone is the bank looked at him. A heavy man also looked at him twice. While waiting for the bus, the fat man was next to him. Armando trembled with fear and his heart was beating faster. He thought that the man was following him. When the fat man put his hand in his pocket Armando thought that he was looking for a pistol to rob him. On the bus three boys were talking to the fat man. Armando thought they were his helpers.

2) What made Armando think that someone was going to rob him?

-The main thing which made things worse was Armando’s fear or nervousness. The cashier counted the money loudly. Many people in the bank looked at Armando as he had worn the hat on backward. The heavy man who looked at him twice in the bank followed him and got in the same bus. He put his hand in his pockets as if he were looking for pistol. Three boys who talked to the fat man got off with Armando and ran after him. All things made Armando thinks that he was being robbed.

Concrete Cat

Grade 11 Compulsory English 

Concrete Cat

Summary

The concrete cat is a concrete poem composed by Dorthi Cgarles. The poem draws a picture of the cat on the paper. The picture is drawn with words, but not sentences. The world cat does not appear, but the other words are the names of the body of a cat, for example eye, mouth, paw and whisker. Other words are added to put the cat in place, for example dish and litter box. These tell us the cat is a pet and not a wild cat.
Concrete poems are visual. The poet has used the Y to look like eyebrows, U to look like a tongue, A to show the height of eyes etc. The mouse is return upside down to suggest it is dead.

1) Concrete cat is an example of concrete poem why?

- It is concrete poem that is made for the eye. It is not about emotion and ideas. When we read the poem the picture comes to our eyes. The pun is used to make the poem figurative. So, the concrete cat is an example of concrete poem.

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A Worn path

Grade 11 Compulsory English

A Worn path

Summary

A worn path is a famous and interesting story written by Eudora Wetly. It is based on Egyptian mythology. The story is about an old black woman called Phoenix Jackson. She has a grand son who is sick. She lives in a house away from the town. The story describes her journey from her house to the town. The journey is full of struggles and obstacles. She gets her dress cut in a thorn. she falls in to a ditch. She is attacked by a dog. She picks up a nickel of the hunters pocket. At last she reaches the town with great difficulty. Then she goes to a medical clinic to take medicine for her grandson. She begs money to buy a paper toy. She does this because it is Christmas time. In Christmas people love and give some things to the old people.

1) What are the Obstacles faced by phoenix Jackson on her way to the town?

- Phoenix goes to the town to get medicine for her grandson. On the way she faces many obstacles. It was very difficult to walk on the hilly path, run up and down in the forest. She is cut in the thorny bush. She is attacked by a dog and fells into the ditch. Her journey is full of suffering and struggle. Finally she reaches the town facing many difficulties.

2) Why does she keep talking to herself?

- She is a very old woman. She talks because there is no one to talk with and she is alone. It is the nature of old people. Her monologue shows her suffering pain, feeling of kindness and courage. It shows her clear and complete life story.

Malini

Grade 11 Compulsory English

Malini

Summery

This is a famous drama composed by Rabindranath Tagore. This play takes place n a Hindu kingdom. Malini, the king’s daughter has been taught by Buddhist monks. She wants to leave the palace and help to solve the problems outside. The Brahmins are worried and are threatening to rebel against the king. They are demanding that Malini is sent away from the kingdom. Malini leaves the palace. Many Brahmins think she is a goddess and begins to follow her but kemankar leaves the king’s garden. Malini is tired and confused. He has found that is too difficult to solve the problems outside the palace. Supriya says he has betrayed his friend, Kemankar, by telling the king about the rebellion. Kemankar is arrested and the king offers Supriya the chance to marry Malini. Supriya says that all he wants for the king not to kill Kemankar. Kemankar arrives in chains. He is proud of what he has done. He asks to speak to Supriya they argue. They then agree to die together. Because that is the only way to find out who is right. Kemankar kills Supriya with his chains. The king asks for his sword to kill Kemankar but Malini says “Fathe, Forgive Kemankar”. 

 

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The House Call

Grade 11 Compulsory English

The House Call

Summery

The house call is supernatural story. It is taking from Germany. Doctor Braun was the famous surgeon. He was sitting alone on the dining room. He was tired due to long operation. He was woken up by the knock at the door. A little girl was requesting the call doctor for her sick mother. Although wife didn't allow, the doctor went with the little girl. She was wearing a cotton dress, old shoes and a shawl. It was raining lightly outside. The doctors tried to catch up the girl to ask some question but couldn’t. At last she went into an old and dark room as he went inside the room the door was closed. He saw a woman lying in bed. He recognized her. She was Elda the old staff at the hospital. She was suffering from pneumonia. He gave her some medicine. Then she explained about her past then only the doctor knew that her daughter had past then only the doctors knew that her daughter had already died. He was surprised. He saw the girl nowhere. He only saw the girl’s wet shoes and shawl on the wall. It was very strange to him. The doctors touched her head again and ran away from there. 

1)What did Dr. Braun discover when he went with the little girl who came to his house?.

-When Dr. Braun went with the little girl who came to his house discovered that the sick women lying in the bed was no one but Elda who used to work in the same hospital where the doctor worked. He also found that the woman was suffering from pneumonia. Most surprisingly he discovered the mysterious fact that the little girl was the ghost of the daughter of Elda who died in the last September.

2) why did the doctors have a look of surprise on his face when Elda told him that her little daughter died in September?

 -The doctor was called by a little girl for the treatment of her sick mother. While coming to the house of Elda, the little girl walked so fast that the doctors couldn’t talk with her. When Dr.Braun entered the room of Elda, the little girl ws still there who closed the door, However, when Elda told him that her only daughter died in September, the doctor had a look of surprise on his face. He looked around but couldn’t see the girl. He was extremely surprised by the realization that the girl was spirit of Elda’s dead daughter.

The Lost Doll

Grade 11 Compulsory English

The Lost Doll

Summery

The lost doll is supernatural story. The main characters in this story are Rosa and her two daughters, Carman and Evangelina. Carman was Rosa’s First child. Carman died when she was four years old. The doctors told Rosa she wouldn’t be able to have anymore children. Rosa she gives the things of Carmen always used to carry. After one year Carmen died. Rosa gave birth to another child Evangelina. Evangelina means good news. Evangelina was healthy but she was exactly like her sister Carmen, who was always sick. Evangelina thinks she used to be sick. But it was really her died sister, who was sick. One day Evangelina said where the lost doll was. She pointed to the ground under a big tree. Rosa dug the ground and found the lost doll. She asked Evangelina how she knew about the hidden doll. She replied she put it there when she had been sick and a kind man had come to take her away. 

1) How were Carmen and Evangelina alike and different..

- When Evangelina grew, she looked more and more like Carmen. Her actions and characters were also like that of her sister Carmen. Seeing this similarity, the priest told that good healed Carmen and sent back in the earth in the form of Evangelina. The difference between them was that Carmen was sick but Evangelina was healthy.

2) What evidence is there to show that the Soto family was poor? 

- When Roberto Soto knew that Rosa Soto had given away Carmen’s Play things and clothes, he became unhappy. He wanted to save them because he was hopeful they would have another child. They searched the beautiful little doll in the house and even in the village. These evidences are enough to prove that Soto family was poor. They lived in the village and Roberto Worked in the field. These are the additional proofs.

The Recurring Dream

Grade 11 Compulsory English

The Recurring Dream

Summery

The recurring dream is supernatural story. It is borrowed from England. The story is set in England. The main character is Kimberly Clark. Her Short name is Kim. Kim is a young and beautiful woman who lives in London. She has a good job. But she is sad because the same dream comes every night. She Dreams about a house in the country side, where an old man is sleeping. In the dream she enters the house and she wakes up. Kim tried to speak to him but she wakes up herself.

One day Kim was sitting in a car with her friend Janet. They were driving through the country side. Kim sees the same house of her dream there. She makes Janet stop the car and goes to the house. The same old man opens the door. Kim speaks to the old man who tells her that house is haunted by a ghost. Kim asks who the ghost is. The old man says. "It's You".

1) Why do some people have recurring dreams? Give your opinion.

- Dream is the sequence of senses and feelings occurring the mind during sleep. Some people have recurring dream. However, it is true to some extent that the wishes, fear and the feelings and experiences of various events and scenes are manifested into the dream. Though a person is dreaming in one place, his/her spirit goes to haunt reason of recurring dream is the deep wishes, fear, feelings, experiences as well as the events in the past life of the dreamer.

2) Why does Janet want to take Kim to her parent’s farm for a few days? 

- Janet wants to take Kim to her parent’s farm for a few days so that she can get rid of her troublesome recurring dream. The recurring dream gives Kim a lot of trouble. She is mentally tired and disturbed. She is taken to the countryside by her roommate with a hope that she can get relief in the peaceful environment.