Class – 11th (SNAPSHOPT) Book Learn to Speak English within 6 months

nostalgia. Can you narrate some incident from

Chapter –1. The Summer Of your childhood that might make an interesting
the Beautiful Horse story?
Question 1:You will probably agree that this Answer:I had just completed my primary
story does not have breathless adventure and education when I visited my uncle. He was a
exciting action. Then what in your opinion forest ranger in Dehradun. In those days there
makes it interesting? was a thick forest in the vicinity of the city and
Answer:The story ‘The Summer of the Beautiful all sorts of wild animals prowled there. Uncle
White Horse’ is a tale told from the viewpoint of had advised us not to enter the deep forest, but
a nine-year old boy. At that age, imagination is forbidden fruit is sweet; My cousin Varun, a
rich and one can romanticise even insignificant couple of his friends and I decided to explore the
actions. To such a person the world is full of southern range. We had the kits of scouts and
excellence and glory and life is delightful and a were fully prepared.
mysterious dream. For the young poor boy, a ride In our boyish enthusiasm, we went deep into the
on a beautiful white horse is a dream fulfilled. He jungle and reached a gorge. We were amazed to
had been always longing to ride and his see a lioness with her cubs. One of us, perhaps,
cherished dream is realised when his cousin Mohit clicked his camera. The flashlight scared
Mourad offers him a chance to ride on horseback the lioness and she roared and leaped.
—first with him and then alone. Riding the stolen Fortunately there was a big ditch and she fell into
horse and hiding it safely are great feats of it. Meanwhile, we lit our torches, collected dry
adventure for the two boys. leaves and twigs and set them on fire.
Question 2:Did the boys return the horse Momentarily, we got respite from our attackers.
because they were conscience-stricken or Then we threw some green leaves on fire to give
because they were afraid? smoke signal. A patrol party noticed it and
Answer:The story gives no indication that the rescued us. I shudder whenever I think of this
boys were afraid of anyone or anything. Hence adventure when we were close to death.
the return of the horse was not directed by fear. Question 4: The story revolves around
Secondly, they were not at all conscience- characters who belong to tribe in Armenia.
stricken. They did not feel any pangs of Mourad and Aram are members of the
repentance or remorse at their action of stealing a Garoghlanian family. Now locate Armenia
horse solely for the purpose of riding it. The and Assyria on the atlas and prepare a write-
narrator makes it amply clear when he asserts up on the Garoghlanian tribes. You may write
that stealing a horse for a ride was not the same about people, their names, traits, geographical
thing as stealing something else, such as money. and economic features as suggested in the
For him, it wasn’t stealing at all as he and story.
Mourad were so crazy about horses. In his Answer: The Garoghlanian family was an
opinion, it would become stealing only when Armenian tribe. Eleven centuries ago it was the
they offered to sell the horse, which he knew wealthiest family in that part of the world.
they would never do. However, now every branch of the Garoghlanian
Question 3:“One day back there in the good tribe was living in the most amazing and comical
old days when I was nine and the world was poverty in the world. These poor people had no
full of every imaginable kind of magnificence, money. Nobody could understand where they
and life was still a delightful and mysterious ever got money enough to keep them with food
dream……..”. The story begins in a mood of
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in their bellies. The Garoghlanian tribes were she decided to forget everything about her past
famous for their honesty. even the address as she wanted to start a fresh.
It had been the hallmark of the tribe for many Everything linked with her past had lost its value
centuries. They were proud of their family. to her.
Honesty came next and then they believed in Question 4. ‘The Address’ is a story of human
right and wrong. None of them would take predicament that follows war.’ Comment.
advantage of anybody in the world. No member Answer: Yes, it’s quite aptly said that ‘The
of the Garoghlanian family could be a thief. The Address’ is a poignant story of human
elders felt pained to remember that they had lost predicament that follows war. The story seems to
their homeland. These people shifted their discuss about the loss of a little girl after war in
residence from one place to the other. The Holland. The protagonist was Mrs S’s daughter
narrator says, “That year we lived at the edge of leading a very happy and peaceful life with her
the town, on Walnut Avenue.” They loved family luring pre-war time.
countryside having vineyards, orchards, olives
and Walnuts. The names of the people are semi-
Lesson 3. Mother’s Day
Arabic: Mourad, Aram, Khosrove etc. Q. 1. This play, written in the 1950s, is a
humorous and satirical depiction of the status
Chapter–2. The Address of the mother in the family.
Question 1.‘Have you come back?’ said the (i) What are the issues it raises?
woman. ‘I thought that no one had come Answer. The main issue raised by the play is that
back.’ Does this statement give some clue the lady of the house, who functions similarly to
about the story? If yes, what is it? an axis, is never given due respect, especially if
Answer: Yes, the above said statement in she is a simple housewife. The members of her
question gives us a clue about the story. It clearly family take her for granted. She is an unpaid
proves that the lady, whom the young girl had servant. The second problem is that the mistress
paid a visit, knew her already and didn’t want to of the house ought to be firm in her stance.
meet her. Rather than surrendering meekly, she should be
Question 2.The story is divided into pre-war prepared to argue her case with tenacity.
and post-war times. What hardships do you (ii) Do you think it caricatures these issues or
think the girl underwent during these times? do you think that the problems it raises are
Answer: The girl suffered severely. She was genuine? How does the play resolve the issues?
severed from every precious household things, Do you agree with the resolution?
house, even her relations during the period. The Answer. No, I don’t think it caricatures these
story tells clearly, earlier she was a happy soul issues, supporting that the problems raised by it
but during post-war period, she was a lost soul are genuine. The play helps to solve these issues
living in a rented room in very miserable by showing the audience what tends to happen if
condition. the mother neglects her responsibilities. Yes, I
Question 3.Why did the narrator of the story agree with the proposed resolution. Every
want to forget the address? member of the family should spend some time
Answer: The narrator of the story is a young girl, with the angel who has brought so much colour
a victim of war. The war had left her a desolate to the family.
soul. But the narrator appears to be a very Q.2. If you were to write about these issues
optimistic sort of girl. After paying a tributary today what are some of the incidents,
visit to see her long served household articles,

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 Class – 11th (SNAPSHOPT) Book Learn to Speak English within 6 months

examples and problems that you would think colleges and universities. Shahid was a good
of as relevant? scholar and an amazing teacher which is evident
Answer. If I were to start writing about certain by the love and
current issues, I would have to go quite far. The respect that he got from his students. Shahid
same thing happens in my house. We are three loved good poetry, music, food and clothes. He
brothers and sisters who are all in school. My always used to think about Kashmir and he used
father is employed in the office. My mother gets to get hurt by the aggravating violence there. His
up early in the morning to prepare four breakfast finest work was related to writing about Kashmir,
sets and tiffins. We take our time getting ready, although he wasn’t a political poet. He believed
but if there is even a 5-second delay on my in not mixing politics and religion. He was such a
mother's part, we all bring the roof down. The strong soul that even cancer could not break his
same ritual is performed in the evening. Mother spirit. He did not lose
gets up before the rest of us and goes to bed after courage in the face of misfortune. He even
the rest of us. Her presence had been taken for refused to use the wheelchair in the hospital.
granted by all of us. My grandmother became ill
one day, and my mother had to leave for two 2. How do Shahid and the writer react to the
days. Without her, the entire house appeared to knowledge that Shahid is going to die?
have been hit by a tornado. We all decided to Ans:Shahid said a few words, which very clearly
wait for her as if we were expecting a miracle to showed that he was feared by death. The words
occur. When she eventually appeared, we all are, “Oh dear! I can’t see a thing… I hope this
breathed a sigh of relief and vowed never to doesn’t mean that I’m dying." His tone depicted
underestimate her. that he was scared and felt for the first time that
Q.3. Is drama a good medium for conveying a he was about to die. His realisation of death
social message? Discuss became clear and stronger to him as his memory
Answer. Yes, drama is an effective medium for lapses became serious. When he was talking to
communicating a social message. It is an Amitav Ghosh, he said in a very clear voice,
excellent platform for displaying most such “When it happens, I hope you will write
problems and solutions in a matter of minutes. something for me.” The writer was blank and
People have a great attachment dramas and are could not say anything to this. But he managed to
likely to watch them for a long time. That is why say, “I’ll do the best I can.” That day onwards,
television commercials are so wellknown around the writer started to keep a record of all the
the clock. Dramas undoubtedly play a significant conversations
role in bringing about social change. that he had with Shahid. This record proved to be
very helpful to him in fulfilling his promise and
Lesson 4. The Ghat Of The writing about Shahid.

Only World 3. Look up the dictionary for the meaning of the

1. What impressions of Shahid do you gather word ‘diaspora’. What doyou understand of the
from the piece? Indian diaspora from this piece?
Ans:From the piece, it could be inferred that Ans:The word ‘diaspora’ means when an original
Shahid had a multi-faceted personality. He homogeneous entity is dispersed, for example,
seemed to be a sensitive soul. His birthplace was language or culture. In reference to the piece,
Srinagar but he studied in Delhi. Then he Indian diaspora has become more eminent in
migrated to America and worked for different Ghosh’s writings. From the text, we got to know

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 Class – 11th (SNAPSHOPT) Book Learn to Speak English within 6 months

that many Indians have settled abroad, especially attests to this fact. The nurse initially dumps the
in England and the US. People like Shahid, his child, believing it to be dead. Andrews, on the
brother and sisters, the writer and Suketu Mehta other hand, takes a chance, and the miracle
are a part of the Indian diaspora in America. occurs. He initially applies textbook knowledge,
Shahid’s birthplace was Kashmir but he shifted but the child does not recover. He never gives up
to America later in 1975. His elder brother had hope. He uses his intuitive method, and the
already settled there and his sisters followed miracle occurs. Treatment is based on science
them later. Although these people live on a and goes beyond. It is a science as well as an art
different land, they never forget about their form. Birth is a work of realistic fiction. In other
motherland. They feel a sense of unity on a words, the story’s elements have been drawn
foreign land and meet with each other from real-life experiences and woven into the
on occasions. fabric of fiction.
Lesson 5. Birth 3. Do you know of any incident when someone
1. “I have done something; oh, God! I’ve done has been brought back to life from the brink of
something real at last.” Why does Andrew say death through medical help. Discuss medical
this? What does it mean? procedures such as organ transplant and organ
Answer. Andrew spoke these words in the regeneration that are used to save human life.
ecstasy of saving both the mother’s and the Answer. Write your own answer.
child’s lives. Andrew was depressed before the
operation because of the pain his girlfriend had Lesson 6. The Tale Of The
caused him. When he successfully delivered the Melon City
baby, he discovered that the baby had died. Then 1. Narrate ‘The Tale of Melon City’ in your own
he decided to first cure the mother, which he did. words.
Following that, he carefully observed the baby Answer.Once upon a time, there reigned a calm
and determined the problem. He then king. He once wanted to build an arch that would
immediately administered the necessary eddy the people. The king’s wish was quickly
treatment and resuscitated the baby. As a result, fulfilled, and a beautiful arch was built.When the
he successfully did something meaningful. Till king rode down the thoroughfare, his crown fell
that point, he was just thinking and then he did from his head when it struck the arch, which was
something real. built too low. The king thought it was a disgrace
2. There lies a great difference between textbook to him and wanted to hang the perpetrator.He
medicine and the world of a practising physician. commanded the chief of the builders to be
Discuss. hanged. The chief then stated that it was the
Answer.The world of practicing physicians and builders’ fault. The king then shifted the blame to
textbook medicine is vastly different. Textbook the builders. The builders then cried that because
medicine is purely scientific, whereas patient the bricks were larger, the architect should be
care is an art. The world of practising physicians hanged. As a result, the architect was to be
necessitates a unique set of abilities and punished. The architect reminded the king that
knowledge. Although textbook medicine the king had made some changes to the design he
provides a conceptual framework for treatment, had shown him. The blame was now back on the
no doctor can treat a patient without employing king.
intuitive practices. The way Andrew brings a He paused for a moment before ordering the
stillborn child back to life in the story Birth soldiers to bring the wisest man in the country.
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They brought an old man who could barely see or unity among the people through all available
hear, as the king had ordered. He proposed that means.
the arch be hanged because it was the source of
such disgrace, which was immediately 4. Suggest a few instances in the poem which
implemented. Then one of the ministers highlight humour and irony
disagreed, asking how they could shamelessly Answer.There are a few instances in the poem
hang an arch. The king then reversed his decision where humour and irony are highlighted. They
and decided to deal with it his way.They said the are as follows:
nation wanted someone hanged right away, so 1) The king, who changed his mind after hearing
every man was measured, and only one man was each person he suspected of being a criminal.
tall enough to get trapped in the arch, and that 2) The wise man’s advice to hang the arch.
man was the king. As a result, he was eventually 3) Finally, the madman’s suggestion that they
hanged.The country’s people then desired a new make a melon their king.
king. They asked the first person to pass through
the city gate, as is their custom. Regrettably, the 5. ‘The Tale of Melon City’ has been narrated in
individual was insane. When the soldiers verse form. This is a unique style which lends
questioned him about who should be the next extra charm to an ancient tale. Find similar
king, he said, “Who should be the next king?” He examples in your language. Share them in the
said melon because he liked them the best. So a class.
melon was finally crowned and placed on the Answer.Write your own answer.
throne.

2. What impression would you form of a state

where the King was ‘just and placid’?
Answer.A state in which the king is just and
peaceful will prosper if he is intelligent and
strong as well. But in the state described in this
poem, the king was so stupid that he convicted
himself to death for no reason. He felt insecure
about the actions he took and kept changing
them. In such a state, no right decision can be
made, and no situation can be handled properly.

3. How, according to you, can peace and liberty

be maintained in a state?
Answer.I believe that in a state, peace and liberty
can be maintained,
1) by enforcing rules and making decisions that
benefit the people. However, no law can be
enacted that benefits everyone because what
appears to be correct to one person may not be
correct to another. As a result, laws should be
drafted in such a way that they benefit the vast
majority of people.2) by disseminating a sense of

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