… WARMING UP …
1. Read the following incident.
Lokesh had always been a class-topper in tests and examinations. However, invariably, he used foul means during exams to gain those high marks. Once, on the day of History examination, Lokesh realized that his classmate and friend Farhan came all prepared for Maths instead of History. Farhan had become desperate. So Lokesh offered to let him copy from his answer-sheet, since Farhan sat just behind him.
Farhan refused. He said, ‘‘It’s all right even if I get a zero, but I can call it my own zero. I do not want to score a single mark, unearned. Cheating in exams is for cowards. Not me!’’ These words were a turning point in Lokesh’s life. He gave up cheating for ever. He worked hard for what he desired and never, ever used false measures to acquire anything.
(a) In the given story, which words/phrases can be replaced by the following ones?
(i) became aware
(ii) always
(iii) very upset and helpless
(iv) cheating
(v) without working for it
(vi) a sudden change
(vii) gain/achieve
Ans.
(i) became aware – realized
(ii) always – invariably
(iii) very upset and helpless – desperate
(iv) cheating – foul means
(v) without working for it – unearned
(vi) a sudden change – a turning point
(vii) gain/achieve – acquire
(b) Summarize the incident in 6 to 8 lines making Lokesh, the narrator : Begin with : ‘I was always a class topper.
Ans.
I was always a class topper in tests and examinations. However. I have to accept that I invariably used false means to gain those high marks. Once, on the day of the History examination. Farhan became desperate as he had come prepared for Maths instead of History. I offered to let him copy from my answer sheet, but Farhan refused, saying that he did not want to score a single unearned mark, and that
cheating was for cowards. This was the turning point in my life, and from that day 1 gave up cheating and learnt to work hard for whatever I wanted.
… FACTUAL QUESTIONS …
What is the narrator quite successful at?
Ans. The narrator is quite successful at stealing
Who does ‘I’ refer to in this story ?
Ans. ‘I’ refers to the narrator who called himself Hari Singh (a thief).
Why did the narrator change his name every month?
Ans. The narrator was a thief. He changed his name every month to fool the police and his former employers.
What favours did Anil do for the narrator?
Ans. Anil taught the narrator to cook and write his name. He also promised to teach him to write sentences.
What proves that the narrator still practised deceit?
Ans. The narrator made a profit of about a rupee a day while buying the day’s supplies thus cheating Anil. This proves that the narrator still practised deceit.
What could have caused the scars on Hari’s face?
Ans. Hari was a small time thief. Escaping the police and his former employers or probably had got into fights while robbing people. This could have led to scars on his face.
Why did Hari hesitate to board the train?
Ans. Anil was a simple, kind and trusting man. The narrator hesitated to run away with his money as he would have felt guilty of robbing such a man. Somewhere his conscience pricked him for betraying Anil. Thus he hesitate to board train.
Why does Hari believe that friends were more trouble than help?
Ans. The narrator believed that friends were more trouble than help as they would either turn out to be the link for the police to reach the narrator or he must have been cheated by his friends in the past.
What is face reading?
Ans. Face reading is an ancient art of analyzing a person’s character based on their facial features.
What were Hari’s regrets as he pondered over his theft?
Ans. As he pondered over his theft, Hari regretted that he would never be able to cook Anils meals, run to the bazaar or lean to write whole sentences anymore. He felt sorry that he would never be able to becomes a clever, respected man by learning to read and write.
Why did Hari feel nervous?
Ans. Hari felt nervous because he thought that it was much easier to steal something than to return it undetected.
Does Anil realise that he has been robbed ?
Ans. Yes, Anil realises he has been robbed because the notes are still damp from the rain when he touches them in the morning.
Why did Hari give a genuine appealing smile?
Ans. Hari was a petty thief who always gave a fake smile to gain the trust of his prospective victims. In the climax of the story, his conscience awakens and he returns the money that he had robbed from Anil.
Fear overtakes him when he realises that Anil is aware of his theft. But instead of confronting him about it, Anil chooses to forgive him and continues his education. Therefore, a genuine appealing smile escapes Hari’s lips as a token of gratitude.
… ENGLISH WORKSHOP…
1. Complete the web diagram.
Ans.
2. Insert the appropriate word/phrase given below, in the sentences that follow.
(flattery, appealing, by fits and starts, dashed to, undetected, spirits rose )
Ans.
(a) I dashed to the school gate when I heard the school-bell ring.
(b) After the death of my pet dog, my spirits rose when dad got me a new pup.
(c) Do not stoop to flattery just to gain something from someone.
(d) The artist completes his paintings by fits and starts
(e) The crime went undetected for 11 years.
(f) When the baby saw its mother it gave an appealing smile.
3. (a) Find from the text the collocation for the following.
(i) ………… dog
(ii) ………… man
(iii) ticket …………
(iv) ………… slowly
(v) ………… drizzle
(vi) ………… sentences
(vii) ………… spirits.
Ans. (i) stray (ii) careless (iii) office (iv) walked (v) light (vi) whole (vii) risen
(b) Complete the compound words from the story.
(i) oil – …………
(ii) fifty – …………
(iii) easy – …………
(iv) ………… tower
(v) moon – …………
Ans. (i) rich (ii) rupee (iii) going (iv) clock (v) light
(c) Pick out from the story 3 or 4 examples of Code-mixing (Indian words used in English) ……………….. , ……………….. , ……………….. , ………………..
Ans. (i) bazaar (ii) maidan (iiii) pyjamas
4. Read the story carefully and complete the table.
Ans.
5. Complete the given sentences.
(a) Anil kept Hari as a cook because Hari needed a job and Anil thought he would be able to teach Hari to read and write in return for the food Hari would cook for him.
(b) Hari was grateful as Anil was teaching him to read, write and add numbers, and all this would be useful to him in his life.
(c) Hari continued making money by cheating Anil while buying the day’s supplies.
(d) Anil didn’t hand Hari over to the police he believed that kindness and compassion would reform Hari.
(e) The moral of the story is that love, kindness and trust have the power to change a criminal into a gentleman.
6. Think and write in your own words, in your notebook.
(a) Why did Anil employ Hari as a cook, although he could not afford to pay him?
Ans. Hari wanted to work for Anil and was satisfied with the provision of food and accommodation instead of being paid. Anil questioned him whether he could cook and Hari lied that he could. Therefore, Anil hired Hari as a cook, although he could not afford to pay him.
(b) What did Hari learn from Anil in the beginning?
Ans. Hari learnt to cook and write his name from Anil at the beginning.
(c) Why didn’t Anil hand over Hari to the police? What effect would it have had on Hari?
Ans. Anil was probably too kind-hearted to hand Hari over to the police. He might also have thought that he could try to make an honest man of Hari. If he had handed Hari over to the police. Hari would
probably have been very bitter and angry, and would have continued in his dishonest ways. Not handing him over to the police had a positive effect on Hari, and may have changed the way he lived his life.
(d) Do you feel Anil’s way of handling a thief like Hari was effective? Justify your answer.
Ans. Yes. Anil’s way of handling a thief like Hari was effective. Anil knew that Hari was not a hardened or seasoned thief. He had realized that Hari really wished to learn to write whole sentences, get an
education and become a big man. So by forgiving him and giving him the motivation to learn, he changed Hari. Handing him over to the police would have branded Hari a thief for life and the sudden reform
might never have been possible.
(e) What tact had Anil used to change Hari’s dishonest ways?
Ans. Anil started teaching Hari to write his name and promised to teach Hari to write whole sentences and add numbers. This ushered a new hope in Hari that one day he would be able to earn more than what he did by robbing. He also decided to pay Hari for cooking as soon as he was able to do so that he doesn’t have to steal money. And above all he blindly trusted Hari which made it difficult for Hari to rob him and run away.
(f) ‘And the smile came by itself without any effort.’ Say why. When do people give fake smiles?
Ans. he smile came by itself because Hari realized although Anil knew the truth he had forgiven him and it was a load off his wind. He also knew that was going to teach him to write whole sentences, so that he could earn more and give up his dishonest ways. And that was the reason he had returned to Anil in the first places. People give fake smiles either to impress others, or to hide their true emotions.
7. Write a character sketch of ‘Hari Singh’ with the help of the following points, using the paragraph format.
Ans.
Hari Singh was fifteen years old. but already an experienced and fairly successful thief. He used to change his name frequently so as to hoodwink his former employers and the police. He even cheated Anil when he went to buy the daily supply of groceries. However, he wished to get an education so that he could become a big and respected man, who would be able to achieve a lot. He stole a large sum of money from Anil, but regretted it when he realized that in doing so he had lost his only chance of getting an education. He was courageous enough to return the money, even though he knew that he might be caught in the process. However, his desire to change himself is so great that it motivates him and gives him courage to return to Anil.
8. Frame ‘Wh’ questions to get the answers underlined below. (Change the first person pronouns to the second person where necessary.)
(i) I hurried back to the room.
Ans. Where did you hurry back?
(ii) I had made a study of men’s face.
Ans. What had you made a study of?
(iii) I drew them out, without a sand.
Ans. How did you draw them out?
(iv) The poor man showed acceptance.
Ans. Who showed acceptance?
(v) I made tea in the morning.
Ans. When did you make tea?
9. Imagine that Anil catches Hari red-handed when Hari is stealing the money from under the mattress. Compose a short dialogue between the two, which reflects Anil’s shock and Hari’s repeated apologies.
Ans.
Anil : Who’s that? Hari? What are you doing?
Hari : Um..nothing: I was just seeing if your money was safe.
Anil : You mean you were trying to steal my money. You are dressed: you were planning to rob me and run away! Yes. that’s it!
Hari : I’m sorry, Anil, I’m sorry.
Anil : How can you steal from the hand that feeds you? I thought you would have improved! Don’t you want to read and write properly? Do maths?
Hari : I did not think about it. I’m sorry, really sorry.
Anil : Alright, I’ll overlook this, providing you promise me never to steal again, from me or from anyone else.
Hari : Yes, yes. I promise. Will you really forgive me and continue to teach me?
Anil : Yes. I hope you keep your word.
Hari : Thank you. I’ll keep my word. I promise. Sorry once again.