… WARMING UP! …
Write a few lines about yourself – your name, appearance, family, the place where you live, your school, your friends, neighbours, relatives, your likes, dislikes, hobbies, what you are good at, etc.
Now create an imaginary ‘persona’ for yourself. It can be quite different from your real self. Or, you may choose a fictional character – a character from a novel, story, etc. Write a few lines about this imaginary persona and introduce yourself in that role.
Ans.
Real Self (Write your own name and information in the given blanks)
Hi I am ………………………………. I am fairly tall and little bit fair. I live with my parents in Mumbai. I study in ……………. school and my best friend’s name is ………. My neighbours are very helpful. My uncle is a singer. I love eating in restaurants. I like watching adventurous movies. I don’t like to waste my valuable times doing cheap things.
Imaginary Persona
Hi I am Salman khan. I am little tall and quite fair. I am an Indian actor, producer, television presenter and philanthropist. I finished my schooling at St. Stanislaus High School in Bandra, Mumbai, as did my younger brothers Arbaaz and Sohail. I began my acting career with Biwi Ho To Aisi but it was my second film Maine Pyar Kiya in which I acted in a lead role that garnered me the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut. I liked to be involved in several charities during my career. I have started an NGO called Being Human which sells T-shirts. A portion of the sales goes to a worthy cause supporting the underprivileged.
My Dream Possession
Is there something that you would like to own more than anything else? Describe your dream possession with the help of the following points. You may add your own points, too.
Ans.
My Dream Possession: What it is? : My dream possession is a laptop.
Its appearance – colour, shape, size, etc. : I want a black coloured laptop with 21 inch screen, with high configuration.
Its use: Laptop is used today almost in every field.
Where you saw it first : I saw it online on YouTube.
What you would use it for : It would be used mostly for educational purpose.
How you would use it: I would use it in limited way to make it durable.
Why you want it so much : I want it badly as it would help me in my studies.
What you would do to get it : I would do part time job to get it.
Whether you would share it with others : – I would share it with my family members and others.
… FACTUAL QUESTIONS …
(1) Why was Mathilde married to a ‘minor official’?
Ans. Mathilde was married to a ‘minor official’ because she was born in a family of clerks. She had no means of becoming known, understood, loved or be wedded to an aristocrat.
(2) Is anyone entitled to all luxuries of life due to reasons of birth or other innate qualities?
Ans. No, no one is entitled to all the luxuries of life due to reasons of birth or other innate qualities. People must work hard to earn the luxuries.
(3) Why did Mathilde weep with misery after visiting her schoolmate?
Ans. Mathilde wept with misery after visiting her schoolmate because she had a rich friend and she herself was poor.
(4) What did the envelope hold ?
Ans. The envelope held an invitation from The Minister of Education and Mme. Georges Rampouneau for M. and Mme. Loisel.
(5) Was the husband a considerate person? How do we know that?
Ans. Yes, the husband was a considerate person. He had been saving that exact amount to buy a gun for a hunting summer, in the country. But despite, he agreed to give the money to Mathilde to buy the dress.
(6) Why did Mathilde go her friend’s house and tell her of her distress?
Ans. She went to her friend’s house and told her of her distress as she was not convinced by the idea given by her husband.
(7) What did Madame Forestier’s large box contain?
Ans. Madame Forestier’s large box contained jewellery like pearl necklace and some bracelets.
(8) Which sentences tell us that Mathilde greatly desired the necklace?
Ans. Following are the sentences that tell us that Mathilde greatly desired the necklace – “Her heart began to beat with uncontrolled desire. Her hands trembled as she took it. She fastened it around her neck and stood lost in ecstasy as she looked at herself.”
(9) Try to express the thoughts that must have passed through Mathilde’s mind on seeing the necklace, in Mathilde’s own words.
Ans. “Oh my God, I just can’t believe this! Is it dream or real? I got what I was searching. Now I will be the most beautiful women in the party.”
(10) Why did Mathilde not notice the loss of her necklace earlier?
Ans. Mathilde did not notice the loss of her necklace earlier because She was floating in a cloud of happiness, she danced wildly, with passion, forgetting everything in the triumph of her beauty and success.
…ENGLISH WORKSHOP…
Read each of the following sentences aloud. Write who said it and to whom.
(a) “Look, here’s something for you. “
Ans. Mathilde’s husband M. Loisel said it to Mathilde.
(b) “Why, the dress you go to the theatre in!”
Ans. Mathilde’s husband M. Loisel said it to Mathilde
(c) “I would rather not go to the party.”
Ans. Mathilde said it to her husband M. Loisel.
(d) “Choose, my dear.”
Ans. Madam Forestier said it to Mathilde.
(e) “You have nothing else?”
Ans. Mathilde said it to Madame Forestier
(f) “Would you lend me this, just this?”
Ans. Mathilde said it to Madame Forestier
(g) “What!… how !… That’s impossible!”
Ans. Mathilde’s husband M. Loisel said it to Mathilde
2. Write a few lines about what Mathilde had and what she dreamt about.
Ans. Mathilde was pretty and charming girl, born into a family of clerks. She let herself be married to a minor official at the Ministry of Education. She dressed plainly but she dreamt of rich dresses and jewels. She wanted so much to charm, to be envied, to be sought after. She lived in a shabby, poorly furnished house. She dreamed of a grand, palatial mansion, with vast rooms and inviting smaller rooms, perfumed for afternoon chats with close friends.
3. Write what you think about the following thoughts and actions of Mathilde.
(a) Mathilde was beautiful, and so she wanted to marry an aristocrat.
Ans. I think that this kind of thought is natural in almost every person but you will get true happiness when you are married to a nice person which Mathilde did not realize.
(b) Mathilde was sad because she did not get any luxuries.
Ans. Every one has a dream of having luxurious life but if we are not born in such family then we should work hard to get that rather get disappointed on our luck like Mathilde.
(c) Mathilde felt that her house was shabby and poorly furnished.
Ans. Mathilde dreamt of living in a palatial mansion with vast rooms and therefore hated her comparatively small and shabby house.
(d) Mathilde wanted other people to envy her.
Ans. Mathilde wanted to be the centre of attraction and wished that others would be attracted to her and would envy her.
(e) Mathilde was not happy to see the invitation.
Ans. Mathilde was not happy to see the invitation because she did not have a good dress or beautiful and expensive ornaments to wear. But she should have thought about happiness of her husband getting an invitation from the Minister of Education.
(f) Mathilde wanted a new dress for herself.
Ans. Mathilde’s husband had been saving money to buy a hunting gun and yet she wanted to buy a new dress for just one party. This shows selfish nature of Mathilde.
(g) Mathilde borrowed a diamond necklace from her friend and wore it to the party.
Ans. Mathilde wanted to be the centre of attraction at the party and therefore she borrowed a diamond necklace from her friend to wore it to the party without taking any care.
(h) Mathilde lost the necklace.
Ans. Mathilde lost the necklace because she was floating in a cloud of happiness, she danced wildly, with passion, forgetting everything in the triumph of her beauty and success. I think she was crazy.
4. Prepare a formal invitation using the following format:
Ans.
5. Read the following :
⇒ The necklace l an error
⇒ all these things
⇒ another woman
⇒ one evening
⇒ her husband.
In all these phrases we see some words used before the nouns. They specify or make it clear what noun we are talking about. These words that are used at the beginning of a noun phrase are known as determiners. Determiners include articles (a, an, the), possessive pronouns (my, our, your, her, etc.), demonstratives (words like this, that), quantifiers (much, many, etc.), numerals, etc. Write your phrases using each of type of determiner.
Ans.
articles (a, an, the)
a boy, an apple, a car, a helicopter, an elephant, a big elephant, an itchy sweater, an ugly duck, a European, a university, a unit, an hour, an honour, The Ganga, The Indian ocean, The Himalaya, The Taj Mahal
possessive pronouns (my, our, your, her, etc.)
my dog, his hair, her car, its colour my parents, your teacher
demonstratives (words like this, that)
that bridge, these vegetables, this tree, those rivers
quantifiers (much, many, etc.)
much trouble, much hope, many apples, many trees
numerals (two, three, etc.)
seven hills, three apples, five books