5. Mother’s Day, 11th-Eng

5. Mother’s Day (J.B. Priestley)

Main points of the Chapter:

·        Mother’s Day is a famous play written by J.B. Priestley.

·        It gives the idea that the mother is most neglected person in a family.

·        She works all the day for her husband George, and children Doris and Cyril.

·        But nobody cared for her feelings.

·        Mrs. Annie Pearson in this play is such a mother.

·        She looks after the needs of her husband, son and daughter.

·        But they do not care for her feelings.

·        In the end, her neighbour, Mrs. Fitzgerald comes to her help.

·        Mrs. Fitzgerald knows magic.

·        They exchange their personalities (souls) with each other and her family members are reformed.

5. Mother’s Day (J.B. Priestley)

Very Short Type Q-Ans.

1. Who is the writer of ‘Mother’s Day’?

Ans. J. B. Priestley

2. What is the name of the mother?

Ans. Mrs. Pearson

3. What is the nature of Mrs. Pearson?

Ans. Meek and submissive nature

4. Who is most neglected person in a family?

Ans. Mother

5. Who was George?

Ans. Mrs. Pearson’s husband

6. What were the names of Mrs. Pearson’s children?

Ans. Doris and Cyril

7. Who was Charlie?

Ans. Doris’s boyfriend

8. Who is Mrs. Fitzgerald?

Ans. Mrs. Pearson’s friend and neighbour

9. What does Mrs. Fitzgerald know?

Ans. Magic

10. What does Mrs. Fitzgerald ask Mrs. Pearson to do?

Ans. To exchange her personality with her

11. Who reformed the members of Mrs. Pearson’s family?

Ans. Mrs. Fitzgerald

12. How many members were in Mrs. Pearson’s family?

Ans. four

5. Mother’s Day (J.B. Priestley)

Short Type Q-Ans.

 

1. Who was Doris?  What was it that surprised her about her mother?

Ans. Doris is Mrs Pearson, daughter. She is surprised to find her mother smoking and playing cards. She has never seen her doing these things before.

 

2. What is Mrs. Fitzgerald’s advice to Mrs. Pearson?

Ans. Mrs. Pearson advised her to take strong steps and become the mistress of her house. She told her that she should not be so docile. She should act in such a manner that her family members realize their mistake and show respect towards her.

 

3. What is Mrs. Fitzgerald’s final advice and warning to Mrs. Pearson?

Ans. She fears that Mrs Pearson can go soft and feel sorry for what she has done. Then everything will go waste. Therefore, she advises her to be tough with them.

 

4. Why was Cyril annoyed with his mother?

Ans. Cyril Pearson was angry with his mother when he heard that tea is not ready and his mother does not care about that. His mother had not taken out the things that Cyril would take with him. She also had not mended the things.

Long Answer

1. Contract the characters of Mrs. Pearson and Mrs. Fitzgerald.

Ans. There are two characters in 'Mother's Day'. Mrs. Pearson who is a woman of submissive nature. She has two children, one daughter named Doris and a son named Cyril. Mr. George is her husband. Mrs. Fitzgerald is her friend. She knows magic. Mrs. Pearson tells to Mrs. Fitzgerald that her husband, daughter and son don't care for her. They only give order to her. Mrs. Fitzgerald wants Mrs. Pearson to become the real mistress in the house. So they exchange their personalities. After it, Mrs. Pearson is no longer meek and submissive. She behaves strictly with them. Now they have learnt how to respect her mother. When she comes back to her real body, she is confident and strict.

 

2. Bring out the theme of the play, ‘Mother’s Day’.

 

Ch. 5 The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role, 11th-Eng

5. The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role (Nani Palkhivala)

Main points of the Chapter:

·        In this chapter, the writer underlines the damage man has done to the planet.

·        He has destroyed forests, fisheries, grasslands and croplands.

·        The destruction of forests had led to the extinction of many wild species.

·        The rapidly increasing population is responsible for the depletion of natural resources.

·        More children do not mean more work. It means more people with no work.

·        In the words of Lester Brown, “We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers

·        We have borrowed it from our children. We must return it to them in good condition.

·        The Green movement was started in 1972 in New Zealand to preserve our environment.

·        In the Zoo at Lusaka (Zambia), there is a mirror in the cage but no animal.

·        When we see our picture in the mirror, we find that only we are the most dangerous animal to destroy the environment.

5. The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role (Nani Palkhivala)

Very Short Type Q-Ans.

1. Who is the writer of ‘The Ailing Planet’?

Ans. Nani Palkhivala

2. Which planet is the home of all human beings?

Ans. The earth

3. Which planet is described as the ailing planet?

Ans. The earth

4. Which movement was started to save the earth?

Ans. The Green movement

5. Which century did Copernicus belong to?

Ans. Sixteenth

6. In which year was popularized the concept of sustainable development?

Ans. In 1987

7. By what was sustainable development popularised?

Ans. World Commission on Environment and Development

8. What is meant by sustainable development?

Ans. Development without polluting environment

9. Which Indian was a member of the Brandt Commission?

Ans. Mr. L.K. Jha

10. Who wrote the book ‘The Global Economic Prospect’?

Ans. Mr. Lester R. Brown

11. Which is a part of biological system?

Ans. Fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands

12. Who was the President of the World Resource Institute?

Ans. James Speth

13. What was the world population in 1800?

Ans. One billion

14. What do more children mean?

Ans. More people without work

15. When was Green Movement started?

Ans. About 25 years ago

16. When and where was the Green Party founded?

Ans. In 1972 in New Zealand

17. What is the depletion rate of forests in India?

Ans. 3.7 million acres per year

5. The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role (Nani Palkhivala)

Short Type Q-Ans.

 

1. What is meant by sustainable development? When did this concept become popular?

Ans. Sustainable development is the development which uses the resources to meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the need of the future generation. This concept became popular in this new era because nowadays the resources are depleted for ones private use only not for any public use.

 

2. What are the principal biological systems of the earth? How are they useful to us?

Ans. The earth has four principal biological systems. These are: fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands. They form the basis of the world's economic system. They supply us food and raw materials for industry.

 

3. Why have several species of wildlife become extinct?

Ans. Several species of wildlife have become extinct and the number of animals is rapidly decreasing due to cutting of trees and hunting the animals.

 

4. Why is development called the best contraceptive?

Ans. As a result of development income rises education spreads and health improves. It means more enlightened population which understand the value of small families. Thus the development is called the best contraceptive.

 

5. How are the earth’s principal biological systems being depleted?

Ans. The earth’s principal biological systems are being depleted by excessive use. Over fishing is quite common. Forests are being cut to obtain firewood for cooking. Grasslands are turning into barren wastelands and croplands are deteriorating.

 

6. What does the writer say about the green movement?

Ans. The Green Movement aims at creating a holistic and ecological view of the world. It makes people conscious of stopping further degradation and deterioration of nature and its resources. It started in 1972.

 

7. Who has been termed as 'the world's most dangerous animal?

Ans. Man is the most dangerous animal in the world. In the zoo at Lusaka, Zambia, there is a cage with the notice, "The World's most dangerous animal." Inside the cage there is no animal, but only a mirror where you see yourself. It is only man who is making the environment polluted.

 

Long Answer

1. Bring out the fact that support the title, ‘The Ailing Planet’.

Ans. The title 'The Ailing Planet' comments on the deteriorating condition of our planet. It speaks of the problems faced by our planet, reasons for its poor condition and the changing view of the world for the planet. The signs of the earth connected with life necessary for staying alive show that the earth is a patient in declining health. Its deserts are advancing, landscapes are being impoverished and environment is ailing. The writer also focuses on overpopulation, deforestation and what should be our responsibility towards the environment. It refers to the view that calls for the preservation of the planet. The holistic and ecological view refers to understanding the importance of earth's resources and environment for the future generations.

 

2. What is the importance of forests? How the forests are being destroyed?

Ans. The forests are one of the most important biological systems in the world. But now the forests are disappearing at the high rate per year. When we destroy forests, we add to climate change because forests trap carbon and help stabilise the world's climate. They purify the air we breathe. Forests cover about a third of the earth's land area and are essential to the health of our environment. For example, trees and forests absorb and store much of the carbon dioxide. We need the rain forests to produce oxygen and clean the atmosphere to help us breathe. We also know that the earth's climate can be affected, as well as the water cycle. Rainforests also provide us with many valuable medicinal plants, and may be a source of a cure from some deadly diseases.

 

3. Briefly describe the author’s views about the need to protect the environment.

Ans. Restore damaged ecosystems by planting trees on land where forests have been cut down. Encourage people to live in a way that doesn't hurt the environment. Establish parks to protect rain-forests and wildlife. With the cutting of forests, many species of animals have also become extinct. The rapidly increasing population of the world is also responsible for the depletion of natural resources. The green movement started its campaign to make people aware of the need to preserve our environment. Now people have begun to realize that the natural resources will not last forever. We have duty to leave this world cleaner and better for the generation to come. Industry has an important role to play in the preservation of environment. Mr. Lester Brown said, “We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our children.” 

4. Albert Einstein at School, 11th-Eng

 4. Albert Einstein at School (Patrick Pringle)

Main points of the Chapter:

·        Albert Einstein was a great scientist.

·        He is known for his theory of relativity.

·        During his school days, he was considered a dull student.

·        He did not like his school and the subjects taught there.

·        He considered it useless to study subjects other Science.

·        Only the math teacher, Mr. Koch liked him.

·        One his history, Mr. Braun asked him, in which year the Prussians defeated the French at Waterloo.

·        He told the teacher that the ideas were more important than facts.

·        Albert lived in a small room in a poor locality of Munich.

·        Albert’s cousin Elsha lived in Berlin. She often came to Munich.

·        He was also interested in music. He played his violin regularly.

·        Albert became fed up with his school.

·        With the help of his friend, Yuri, he managed to get a fake medical certificate from Dr. Weil.

·        That he was suffering from nervous breakdown.

·        He told his future plan to Dr. Weil. He would go to Milan to get admission into an Italian college.

·        At last, the school authorities expelled him from school.

4. Albert Einstein at School (Patrick Pringle)

Very Short Type Q-Ans.

1. According to Albert Einstein, what was more important in education?

Ans. Ideas

2. Who was Albert’s best friend in school at Munich?

Ans. Yuri

3. Who was Elsha?

Ans. Albert’s cousin

4. Where did Elsha live?

Ans. Berlin

5. Who was Mr. Koch?

Ans. Albert’s mathematics teacher

6. How was Einstein by nature?

Ans. Rebellion

7. Who calls Albert ‘The world’s worst liar’?

Ans. Yuri

8. Did Albert like the tradition method of education?

Ans. No

4. Albert Einstein at School (Patrick Pringle)

Short Type Q-Ans.

 

1. Do you think Albert is being impolite while answering the history teacher’s questions?

Ans. No, Albert was not impolite while answering questions of history teacher. He just kept his point of view in front of the teacher as he could know the reason why one should learn dates; one could always look them up in book. It is a matter of personal choice and depends on which subject a person is interested in.

 

2. Why did Albert see no point in learning dates and facts?

Ans. Albert thought that there was no point in learning dates and facts. These can always be looked up in a book. Dates and facts were not important education. According to Albert, ideas were the basis of education.

 

3. Why did Albert feel miserable when he left school that day?

Ans. Albert was punished for his 'insolence' that day by his history teacher.  He had to stay in for an extra period after the school that day. Albert felt miserable because he hated the school and would have to return there the next day as well.

 

4. What reasons did the head teacher offer for expelling Albert from School?

Ans. The head teacher told Albert that he was expelling him from school because his presence in the classroom made it impossible for the teacher to teach and other pupils to learn. No serious work could be done while he was in the class. Albert refused to learn and he was” in constant rebellion.

 

5. Where did Albert Einstein stay in Munich?

Ans. Einstein lived in a rented room in one of the poorest quarters of Munich. He did not like the place because of the atmosphere of slum violence. Albert was forced to spend six months in Munich alone. 

 

6. Who was Elsha? What did she tell Albert about getting diploma from the school?

Ans. Elsa was Albert Einstein's cousin from Berlin whose dad had a business there. She advised Albert to just repeat the lesson in the examination. She advised Albert to cram the subjects to get school diploma. She believed that one must learn just enough to pass exams.

 

7. Describe Albert’s meeting with Dr. Weil.

Ans. Ernest Weil tells Albert that he is sure Albert is nervous about his school. He asks Albert if he certifies that he is close to a nervous breakdown, what he will do. Albert says that he will go to Italy and get admission to some Italian college or institute.

 

8. Yuri calls Albert ‘the world’s worst liar’. Do you think this is an insult or compliment to Albert? Why ?

Ans. It is a compliment. Albert is honest and truthful. He can't tell a deliberate lie. He can't deceive anyone. He is so simple hearted.

 

Long Answer

1. Write a character sketch of Albert Einstein briefly.

Ans. Albert had a frank and honest temperament and was quite sensitive and emotional. He was considered a rebel by most of his teachers. He did not compromise and adjust to the system of education which encouraged learning without understanding. For him, ideas and enquiry were more important than facts or dates. Albert Einstein was an intelligent student but was against rote learning and especially he hated learning dates and facts of history. He found memorizing facts and dates quite useless. He loves only two subjects - Maths and Science. He gives us many formulas in maths. He also loves to play violin. Albert Einstein was a German born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of relativity, one of the two pillars in modern physics.

 

2. How do you distinguish between information gathering and insight information?

Poem- 3 The Voice of the Rain, 11th-Eng

3. The Voice of the Rain (Walt Whitman)

1. Who is the poet of the poem ‘The Voice of the Rain’?

Ans. Walt Whitman

2. What is the poem of the earth?

Ans. The rain

3. Who does ‘thou’ refer to?

Ans. To the shower

4. What was the shower a ‘Poem’ of?

Ans. Of the earth

5. Where does the rain take birth from?

Ans. From the earth and  the bottomless sea

6. What is bottomless?

Ans. The sea

7. How is shower formed?

Ans. Vaguely

8. What washes the droughts?

Ans. The shower

9. What makes the earth pure and beautiful?

Ans. The rain

10. What is the origin place of the song?

Ans. The heart

*3. The Voice of the Rain (Walt Whitman)*

Short Type Q-Ans.

*1. There are two voices in the poem. Who do they belong to? Which lines indicate this?*

Ans. The two voices in the poem are the voice of the poet and the voice of the rain. The lines that indicate the voice of the poet are, “And who art thou? Said I to the soft-falling shower,” and the lines that indicate the voice of the rain are, “I am the Poem of Earth, said the voice of the rain”.

*2. What does the phrase ‘strange to tell’ mean?*

Ans. The phrase “strange to tell” means that it is quite strange for the poet to believe and express in words that the soft-falling rain replied to his question.

*3. How does rain give back life to the earth?*

or

*What functions are performed by the rain on the earth?*

Ans. From the sky rain comes down on earth and washes the dust layers of the earth. The rain helps the unborn seeds to sprout. Rain makes the environment clear. 

*4. Explain the words: ‘reck’d or unreck’d.*

Ans.  Reck'd or unreck'd means whether you care for the sound of the rains or not, whether somebody listens to the sound of rain or not. It does not affect the rains and neither does it affects the poet.

Long Answer

1. Write brief summary of the poem ‘The Voice of the Rain’.

Ans. The poem," The Voice of The Rain" is written by Walt Whitman. The rain becomes the voice of the earth because it provides water. Nothing will grow on the earth if there is no rain. The rain calls itself the poem of the earth.  Like a beautiful poem, it provides life, pleasure, beauty and happiness to the earth. The rain comes down from the sky on the earth and washes the drought and dust layers of the earth. The rain helps the unborn seeds to sprout. The rain is also like a song. It takes birth from the land and then returns to it.  

Ch.4 Landscape of the Soul, 11th-Eng

 

4. Landscape of the Soul (Nathalie Trouveroy)

Main points of the Chapter:

 

·   In this chapter contains two essays written by two different writers on the topic of art.

·    In the first piece, Nathalie Trouveroy praises the Chinese art.

·    He compares the European art with the Asian art.

·    In Europe, the art aims at giving a perfect illusionistic likeness.

·    In Asia the art presents the inner life and spirit.

·    The second part of this chapter deals with the outsider art.

·    In the first part of the chapter, the writer tells an old tale about an eighth century painter, Wu Daozi.

·    He made last painting, as Chinese Tang Emperor Xuanzong wanted a landscape to decorate a wall in his palace.

·    He made a beautiful painting to decorate the palace wall.

·    It had forest, high mountains, waterfalls, clouds floating in the sky men on hilly paths and birds in flight.

·    The painter showed the Emperor a cave at the foot of the mountain in the painting.

·    The painter clapped his hands and the mouth of the cave opened.

·    As soon as the painter went inside, the entrance closed behind him.

·    The painting also vanished from the wall.

·    The story teaches us a lesson that an Emperor may rule the world but only the artist knows the inner world.

·    That is why the painter was able to enter the cave, but not the Emperor.

·    The writer tells another story. In 15^th century Antwerp, there was a blacksmith, Quinten Metsys.

·    He fell in love with the daughter of a famous painter. But painter did not want to accept a blacksmith as his son-in-law.

·    One day, Quinten made a fly which looked so real, when painter came, he tried to swat it.

·    When he came to know of the truth, he admitted Quinten as his apprentice as well as his son-in-law.

·    The second part of the chapter is written by Brinda Suri.

·    It is about the ‘Outsider Art’ and ‘Art Brut’ or ‘Raw Art’

·    The art by those who have no formal training in art. Yet they show their talent.

·    The notion of ‘art brut’ or ‘raw art’ was mooted by French painter Jean Dubuffet.

·    The best example of ‘outsider art’ is the rock garden created by Nek Chand in Chandigarh.

 

4. Landscape of the Soul (Nathalie Trouveroy)

Very Short Type Q-Ans.

 

1. Who is the writer of ‘Landscape of the Soul’?

Ans. Nathalie Trouveroy

 

2. In which century did Wu Daozi live?

Ans. In 8^th century

 

3. What was his last painting?

Ans. A landscape

 

4. Why had the Emperor commissioned Wu Daozi’s painting?

Ans. To decorate a palace wall

 

5. Who lived in the cave, according to the artist?

Ans. A spirit

 

6. What happened when he clapped his hands?

Ans. The door to the cave opened

 

7. What happened to the painting after the artist entered the cave?

Ans. Its entrance closed

 

8. What was the name of the blacksmith?

Ans. Quinten Metsys

 

9. With whom did the blacksmith fall in love?

Ans. With a painter’s daughter

 

10. What did Quinten pain on the wheel?

Ans. A fly      

 

11. What does the word ‘Dao’ mean?

Ans. The mysterious works of the universe

 

12. What does ‘shanshui’ literally mean?

Ans. Mountain water

 

13. What is the mountain?

Ans. Yang

 

14. What is the water?

Ans. Yin

 

15. What is the third essential element in shanshui?

Ans. The middle void

 

16. What can the middle void be compared with?

Ans. With pranayama

 

17. Who mooted the concept of ‘art brut’?

Ans. French painter Jean Dubuffet

 

18. Where is Rock Garden?

Ans. In Chandigarh

 

4. Landscape of the Soul (Nathalie Trouveroy)

Short Type Q-Ans.

1. Describe the Chinese view of art.

Ans. The Chinese view of art is related to inner life and spirit. E.g., Wu Dazoi's painting, which was commissioned by the emperor Xuanzong, While the emperor could only see its outer brilliance, the artist entered his painting and disappeared along with his painting. In Chinese art a person may enter it from any point and travel in its beauties.

2. Describe the European view of art.

Ans. The European view of art is to create illusionistic. In 15th century a blacksmith had fallen in love with a painter's daughter: The father would not give his consent. Quinten painted a real fly on canvas. It was so real that the painter tried to swat it. 

3. Who had commissioned Wu Daozi’s painting? What does the painting show?

Ans. The Chinese Emperor commissioned the painter Wu Daozi, to decorate the palace walls with landscape paintings. The painter made a beautiful painting showing forests, mountains, clouds, waterfalls, men and birds.

4. What happened to the painter and his painting?

Ans. The painter made a beautiful painting showing forests, mountains, clouds, waterfalls, men and birds. There was a cave at the foot of the mountain in the painting. The painter clapped his hands and the mouth of the cave opened. As painter went inside the cave, the entrance closed and painting vanished from the wall.

5. What does the story of Wu Daozi teach us?

Ans. The story of Wu Daozi teaches us a lesson that an Emperor may rule the world but only the artist knows the inner world. That is way the painter was able to enter the cave, but not the emperor.

6. Who was Quinten Metsys? Whom did he want to marry?

Ans. Quentin Metsys was the Belgian painter born in 1466. He was also the founder of the Antwerp school. He fell in love with the daughter of a famous painter. But the father did not want to accept a blacksmith as his son-in-law.

 7. Who mooted the notion of ‘art brut’? What does it mean?

Ans. Art Brut (raw art) or Outsider Art, is the term coined by French artist Jean Dubuffet in 1940.  To refer to art made by individuals working outside of the established cultural mainstream. The best example of outsider art is ‘Rock Garden’ created by Nek Chand in Chandigarh (India).

 

Long Answer

1. Contrast the Chinese view of art with the European view with examples.

Ans. The Chinese view of art is trying to achieve the essence of inner life and spirit. The European view of art is to create illusionistic. The example of Chinese art is the painting made by Wu Daozi in 8^th century.  It was commissioned by Tang Emperor Xuanzong. The painter made a beautiful painting showing forests, mountains, clouds, waterfalls, men and birds. There was a cave at the foot of the mountain in the painting. The painter clapped his hands and the mouth of the cave opened. As painter went inside the cave, the entrance closed and painting vanished from the wall. The Example of European art is painting made by Quentin Metsys. In 15th century he had fallen in love with a painter's daughter: The father would not give his consent. Quinten painted a real fly on canvas. It was so real that the painter tried to swat it. When he realized and came to know the truth. He admitted Quinten as his apprentice and married his daughter with him. 

  

2. What do you understand by the term ‘outsider art’ and ‘art brut’ or ‘raw art’?

Ans. Art Brut (raw art) or Outsider Art is the term coined by French artist Jean Dubuffet in 1940.  To refer to art made by individuals working outside of the established cultural mainstream. The 'outsider art' is the art of those people who have no right to be the artists as they have received no formal training, yet they show talent and artistic insight. The best example of outsider art is ‘Rock Garden’ created by Nek Chand in Chandigarh (India). It was made by waste material, stones and rocks. The Swiss Commission for Unesco honoured him by way of a European exposition of his works.  The five month show, which began in October in 2005, was held at leading museums in Switzerland, Belgium, France and Italy. Thus an untutored genius created a paradise (Rock Garden), the best example of Outside art.