Where the mind is without fear

By Rabindranath Tagore.

Ans 1. The poem is written before independence. So the poet is addressing to the youth of India before independence.

Ans 2. The poet is requesting to make a country , where knowledge should be free .It should not have any boundaries or any limitations.

Ans 3. The poet describes the image of clear  stream  losing its way into the desert by using imagery. The poet  tries to convey that even if the situation is grim ,people should have positive thoughts and focused way.

Ans 4. The ‘reason’ here means  rational thinking and clear stream that is why it is compared to it in the poem because the poet wants people to think rationally with getting biased. Thinking should not be based on superstitions.

Ans 5. The qualities which poet wanted  people to inculcate are:-

(A)   The mind is without fear.

(B)    People display their confidence with a sense of pride in themselves.

(C)   Knowledge is easily accessible to all without any disparity.

(D)   Where words come out from the depth of truth.

(E)    Into ever widening thought and action.

Ans 6 .Poets idea of the ‘heaven of freedom’ is that a place or a world where people have freedom of speech, education and to live.Quotations are:-

Where knowledge is free.

Into ever –widening thought and action.

Ans7.Poet wrote this to awaken its country-men from the deep sleep of slavery, illiteracy and superstitions. His inspiration could have been the present running state of that era in India.

 Ans 8. The poet is being hopeful in this poem as he wants his country people to get united for a country where all are happy. The valid reasons are that he is hoping to see his country-men educated, where there is no superstition and all are paid for the efforts  made for living.

Ans 9. Such types of walls are made to divide on the basis of religion, countries etc. Such walls create friction between humans and develop hatred among them.

    

a mother's hand

A mother’s hand

Ans 1. The director was looking to recruit a person who could appreciate the help of others and also recognize the sufferings of others to get things done.

Ans2. The youth never helped his mother in washing clothes because she wanted her son to study and read more books.

Ans 3. Looking the wrinkles and bruises in the hands of mother and also the sufferings undergone by her made youth cry.

Ans 4.The young man’s mother shivered out of pain because of the wrinkles and bruises in hand while washing clothes that she has received.

Ans 5.The young man experienced to appreciate the importance and value relationship. He also understood that by teamwork we can get work done easily.

Ans 6 . Appreciation and understanding help to overcome the ordeals and also it binds together to encourage in successful culmination of the work.

Think and answer

Ans 1. The director wanted the young man to go home and value the hard work and endeavor put in by his mother . He also wanted to teach him the importance of relationship.

Ans 2. The young’s man mother felt happy as her son expressed his gratitude and also appreciated all her life endeavor. She felt rewarded for all her pains.

Ans 3. The young man learnt the lesson of appreciation and teamwork after cleaning his mother’s hand.

 Ans 4. To be a successful professional and to become a better human-being we should inculcate the virtue of gratitude towards the work done by others. Appreciation encourage everyone to do best.

Ans 5. The young man’s mother gave her education without his knowledge of agony and pain that she had undergone. Whereas, the Director taught him the value to appreciate and work in team. His mother gave him education and Director taught him to be empathetic towards other.

good deed comes around

Q1          With which vaccine did the narrator help his mother? How did he do so?

Ans        The narrator helped his mother with the polio vaccine for children. He had a tray of sugar lumps and would give one to each person. The health assistant would squeeze a drop of the solution into  each  sugar lump. Then the narrator would tell them to swallow them. Finally he would check that all children had swallowed the medicine.

Q2

Ans        In the 1970s, the war in Rhodesia escalated and the region was devastated. Nearly every farm was attacked and for almost 10 years, nobody went into the minefields near the mountains. In 1986, Mozambique had been battered by a decade of war and famines. It was  the poorest country in the world.

Q3          In England, the narrator took up journalism and began working for the London Sunday Times. He went back to South Africa in 1986 because the newspaper sent him there.

Q4

Ans        On the second day, the narrator reached the base and was presented in front of the Camp Commander. But  his status changed from that of a hostage to an honoured guest when the Camp Commander came to know that the narrator and his mother had vaccinated the Commander and his people years ago when he was a child and saved them from many deadly diseases.

THINK AND ANSWER

Q1         

Ans        “His” is the storekeeper to whom the narrator had asked the question about rebels. His smile disappeared because in the corner of the store 6 armed rebels were sitting and listening to their conversation. After this, the narrator was taken hostage by the rebels and taken to their base camp.

Q2         

Ans        The Camp Commander was surprised when the narrator greeted him in the local chiNdau dialect. The narrator was an American and the Commander had not expected him to know the local language.

Q3

Ans        The Commander said this because years ago the narrator and his mother, who was a doctor, had vaccinated him and saved him from many diseases like polio, tuberculosis and diphtheria.

Q4

Ans        The narrator believed that a good deed comes around. Years ago his mother and he had helped the local rebels of Mozambique by giving them vaccinations and medical care. Their kindness and generosity was returned by the camp Commander who released him and saved his life. The photo of the narrator with the rebels is a proof that our good deeds never die and they are returned.

RTC

Ans a     The speaker was in the base camp of the rebels.

Ans b     The speaker met the Camp Commander there.

Ans c     The speaker was held as a hostage because he was a foreigner asking around about the location of the rebels.

Ans d     The speaker was elevated to an honoured guest when the Camp Commander found out that the narrator and his mother had helped the local people by giving them vaccinations and medical help years ago.

comprehension practice

Turmeric
Turmeric grows wild in the forests of South and Southeast Asia. It is one of the key
ingredients in many Asian dishes. Indian traditional medicine, called Siddha, has
recommended turmeric for medicine.
In recipes outside South Asia, turmeric is sometimes used as an agent to impart a
rich, custard-like yellow colour. It is used in canned beverages, baked products, dairy
products, ice cream, yogurt, yellow cakes, orange juice, biscuits, popcorn colour,
cereals, sauces, gelatines, etc. It is a significant ingredient in most commercial curry
powders.
Most turmeric is used in the form of rhizome powder. In some regions (especially in
Maharashtra, Goa, Konkan and Kanara), turmeric leaves are used to wrap and cook
food. Turmeric leaves are mainly used in this way in areas where turmeric is grown
locally, since the leaves used are freshly picked. Turmeric leaves impart a distinctive
flavour.
Although typically used in its dried, powdered form, turmeric is also used fresh, like
ginger. It has numerous uses in East-Asian recipes, such as pickle that contains large
chunks of soft turmeric, made from fresh turmeric.
Turmeric is widely used as a spice in South Asian and Middle-Eastern cooking.
Many Persian dishes use turmeric as a starter ingredient. Almost all Iranian khoresh
dishes are made using onions caramelised in oil and turmeric, followed by other
ingredients.
In India and Nepal, turmeric is widely grown and extensively used in many vegetable
and meat dishes for its colour; it is also used for its supposed value in traditional
medicine.
In Vietnamese cuisine, turmeric powder is used to colour and enhance the flavours
of certain dishes, such as bánh xèo, bánh khọt, and mi quang. The powder is used in
many other Vietnamese stir-fried and soup dishes.
The staple Cambodian curry paste kroeung, used in many dishes including amok,
typically contains fresh turmeric.
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In Indonesia, turmeric leaves are used for Minangese or Padangese curry base of
Sumatra, such as rendang, sate padang, and many other varieties.
In Thailand, fresh turmeric rhizomes are widely used in many dishes, in particular
in the southern Thai cuisine, such as the yellow curry and turmeric soup.
A. Match the locations with the uses of turmeric.
1. India starter ingredient
2. East Asian vegetables and meat
3. Nepal pickle
4. Sumatra mi quang
5. Vietnamese Padangese
6. Persia treatment and cooking
B. Choose the correct options.
1. ‘It is used in canned beverages’ is in
a. active voice.
b. passive voice.
2. The word ‘antioxidant’ means something that
a. removes toxins.
b. oxidise.
c. adds toxins.
3. Turmeric is ............................ (used/not used) as a part of South Asian cuisine.
4. This word means an ‘important food’. The synonym is ............................ (staple/
maple).
5. Turmeric leaf is used to ............................ (Minangese/Indian) curry base.