Comprehension Questions FATHER'S HELP. Here are some possible passages from 'Father's Help'. Hope this would help you to comprehend the story well.

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1 Comprehension Questions FATHER'S HELP Here are some possible passages from 'Father's Help'. Hope this would help you to comprehend the story well. Read the following Passages from The story 'Father's Help and Answer the Questions that follow. (I) At 9.30, when he ought to have...lets see. (Page 10, Para-2) 1. What would Swami usually do during prayer time at school? 2. What,According to father,is the cause of Swami's headache? 3. Complete the sentence given below suitably If Swami had said 'headache' once again, his father Do you think Swami is honest in his words? Justify your answer citing instances from the passage 1. Swami usually shout during prayer time at school 2. According to father playing too much on weekends is the cause of Swami's headache. 3. If Swami had said headache once again, his father would have caned him. 4. No Swamy is not honest. He is just playing a truant. Swamy changed his tactics. (II) At 9.30 when he ought to...lets see! (Page 10,Para-2) 1. When was Swami lying on the bench in mother's room? 2. Why did Swami change his tactics? 3. Complete the sentence given below suitably. You should have asked me if What was usual about Swami mentioned in the first paragraph? 5. Why do you think that Swami is not ready to go to school? 1. At 9.30 when it was time to go to School. 2. Swami knew his father was stubborn and strict that he could not be easily fooled. 3. You should have asked me if you had decided to stay back/away. 4. Usually Swami would shout out in the School Prayer Hall during prayer time. 5. The uninteresting methods of teaching and the non variety routine of the school might have kept Swami away from school (III) As he approached the yellow building...he grieved for him. 1. 'Swami realised that he was purjuing himself and was ruining his teacher'.what does this statement suggest about the nature of Swami? 2. Pick out an expression which means 'to shake because you are frightened' from the extract. 3. What,Swami fears,will be the consequences of delivering letter to the headmaster? 4. Look at the expression: The more he thought of Samuel, the more he grieved for him. Complete the following suitably a.the more he thought of his father,... b.the weaker Swami became,...

2 1. Swami had told a lie to his father about Mr. Samuel. He felt a guilty of this. 2. Shudder 3. The Headmaster would dismiss Samuel and the police would chain him and put him in jail. 4 a) The more he thought of his father,the more angry he was. b) The weaker Swami became, the slower he walked. (IV) As he approached... the more he grieved for him. 1. When did swami realize that he was perjuring himself and was ruining his teacher? 2. Pick out an expression which means 'the state in which one has lost honour or the respect of others,especially because of something one has done'. 3. Look at the expression: The more he thought of Samuel, the more he grieved for him. Complete the following suitably. a. The longer he spoke,... b. The more he lied Who does Swami dislike more at this juncture,samuel or father? Why? 1. As he approached the school building. 2. Humiliation 3 a) The longer he spoke, the more confused his father was. b) The more he lied, the more he confused his father. 4. His father, because his father failed to understand him. (V) Swami merely held out... You deserve your Samuel. (Page 17,Para-14) 1.What made Swami's heart light? 2.What might have prompted father to tear the letter? 3.Why did Swami run to the headmaster's room? 4.Did father believe Swami's excuse for not meeting the headmaster? Justify your answer citing father's remark. 1. Finally he was successful in provoking his teacher and getting punished by him so that the letter (the allegations in the letter) may be justified. 2. The letter lost its relevance since it was not delivered on that day. 3. To deliver the letter and prove the allegation against Mr. Samuel.. 4. No father didn't believe. Father's remark, Don't lie in addition to being a coward justifies this.

3 (VI) Swami asked the peon...you deserve your Samuel.(Page 18, Para-14) 1. Why couldn't Swami meet the headmaster? 2. What made Swami flee from the place? 3. Was Swami's father happy to see his son back with the letter? 4. Pick out a word from the passage that is the antonym of 'brave'. 5. Don't come to me for help even if Samuel throttles you- Do you think that Swami's father has really helped Swami? 1. The Headmaster has taken an afternoon off and would be back after a week. 2. His realisation that Mr. Samuel as the Assistant Headmaster made him flee from the place. 3. No, so he tore the letter. 4. Coward 5. Yes, the letter and the developments helped Swami realise his mistake. You deserve your Samuel means Swami deserved due punishment for his mistakes GAMES AT TWILIGHT Read the following Passages from The story 'Games at Twilight' and Answer the Questions that follow. (I) Ravi sat back on the harsh edge...a breaker of records,a champion. 1. What,according to Ravi, is the greatest fun of hiding in the desolate shed? 2. What present does Ravi dream of being gifted with when he becomes the champion? 3. Who are the 'pursuer' and the 'pursued' referred tp in the passage? 4. Which expression in the passage is suggestive of Ravi's strong decision to win the game? 5. How does Ravi express his happiness though impatiently waiting in the shed? 1. According to Ravi the greatest fun is that if they were all found and caught, he alone left unconquered. 2. Ravi dreams that he would be given with a whole slab of chocolate by his uncle. 3. Reghu is the pursurer and Ravi and the others are the pursued. 4. Returning to his seat with a dogged determination of the true winner, a breaker of records, a champion. 5. There he sat smiling, knocking his heels against the bathtub, now and then getting up and going to the door to put his ear to the broad crack. and listening for sounds of the game.

4 (II) Ravi sat back on... a breaker of records, a champion. 1. Why did Ravi decide to hold out a bit longer? 2. Complete the sentence given below suitably. If they were all found they Who is the 'pursuer' referred to in the passage? 4. How did Ravi sit? 5. Describe briefly the room Ravi sat. 1. Ravi decided to hold out a bit longer because he thought it would be fun if he alone left unconquered. 2. If they were all found, they would accept him as the winner/champion 3. Reghu is the pursurer. 4. Ravi sat with a dogged determination of the true winner, a champion. 5. The shed had the smell of rats, anthills, dust and spider webs. It was a dark and depressing mortuary of defunct household goods. NIGHT OF THE SCORPION By. Nissim Ezekiel (I) Read the following lines from the Poem 'Night of the Scorpion' and Answer the Questions that follow. May your suffering decrease... groaning on a mat. 1. Who are the 'they' referred to in the lines? 2. What effect does the poison have on mother according to the folk assembled there? 3. What does 'the peace of understanding on each face' suggest? 4. Cite an instance of alliteration from the lines. 5. Pick out the line that hints 'despite the prayers of the peasants the pain of the mother persisted'. 1. 'They' refers to the neighbours who came to the house. 2. According to the people the poison would purify her flesh of desire and her spirit of ambition. 3. The 'peace of understanding on each face' suggest that the sting of the scorpion will sanctify the mother. 4. More candles, more lanterns, more neighbours 5. My mother twisted through and through, groaning on a mat

5 (II) I remember the night my mother... they searched for him: he was not found 1. Who are the different persons referred to in these lines? 2. Cite an instance of simile from the lines. 3. What expression does the poet use to suggest that the scorpion has left the place after stinging the mother? 4. How does the poet portray a tiny creature like scorpion as something big and gigantic? 1. The different persons referred here are the boy, mother, peasants, scorpion etc. 2. The peasants came like swarms of flies. 3. He risked the rain. 4. Even though the scorpion left the place, the poet portrays the scorpion a giant figure through the shadows cast by the candles and lanterns. (III) I remember the night... a sack of rice 1. Who 'does' him refer to? 2. Why did it come in the house? 3. Why does the poet remember that night? 4. Why mother was stung by a scorpion? 1. Him refers to the Scorpion which stung the mother. 2. To keep away himself from the rain. 3. The pain and suffering of his mother still persists in the mind of the poet. 4. Mother might accidentally have stepped on to the scorpion. (IV) I remember the night...he was not found. 1. Who does 'I' refer to in the lines above? 2. Where did the scorpion find shelter from the rain? 3. What effect does the expression 'giant scorpion shadows' make? 4. Pick out an instance of simile from the lines above. 1. I refers to the child or the poet. 2. Beneath the sack of rice. 3. The expression creates great fear and the danger of the situation. 4. The peasants came like swarms of flies. (V) I remember the night...he was not found. 1. What made the scorpion enter the house? 2. What did they do to paralyse the poison? 4. Pick out the simile used in the lines. 5. Cite an instance of 'auditory image from the stanza.

6 1. The steady rain outside. 2. They prayed to God a hundred times. Buzzed the name of God a Hundred times 3. The peasants came like swarms of flies. 4. Steady rain, Buzzed the name of God (VI)...Ten hours of steady...in the dark room. 1. What does he refer to? 2. Why did he come inside the house? 3. Where did he hide? 4. Why does the poet refer to his tail as diabolic? 1. The scorpion. 2. To keep away himself from the rain. 3. Beneath the sack of rice. 4. The scorpion has its poison of its tail. (VII) The peasants came like...to paralyse the evil one. 1. Who is referred to as the evil one? 2. Why is it referred to as the evil one? 3. Why did the peasants wish that he might be paralysed. 4. What do these lines tell us about the peasants? 1. The Scorpion. 2. Because the scorpion has poison in its tail and usually scorpions are associated with evil things or considered to be an ill omen. 3. Because the belief is that if the scorpion moves, the poison also moves along the body of the victim. 4. The peasants are innocent and not rational. Hence they prayed. (VIII) They clicked their...may he sit still. 1. Who are they? 2. Why do they hope that the scorpion would sit still? 3. What do these words tell us about them? 4. Cite an instance of alliteration from the passage. 1. They are the peasants/the village folk. 2. The movement of the scorpion would make the condition of the mother even worse; they believe so. 3. They are innocent and their response is typical of their outlook and belief. 4. Movement, made / moved in Mother's blood

7 (IX) May your suffering decrease...groaning on a mat. 1. Who are the 'they' referred to in the lines? 2. What effect does the poison have on mother according to the folk assembled there? 3. What does 'the peace of understanding on each face' suggest? 4. Cite an instance of alliteration from the lines. 1. They refers to the peasants or the people who assembled at the house. 2. According to the people the poison would purify her flesh of desire and her spirit of ambition. 3. The 'peace of understanding on each face' suggest that the sting of the scorpion will sanctify the mother. 4. Movement, made / moved in Mother's blood. (X) My mother twisted through...it lost it's sting. 1. What has caused mother's sufferings? 2. Do you think the father was genuine rationalist? Give reasons. 3. What does the poet mean by 'it lost it's sting'? 4. Pick out an instance of alliteration used in the given extract. 5. Pick out the word which means 'singing or chanting of prayers'. 1. The sting of the scorpion.. 2. Yes, he tries every means based on reason to alleviate the pain of her wife. 3. The mother was relieved of her suffering after twenty hours. 4. Herb and hybrid / flame feeding. 5. Incantation (XI) My father, sceptic...put a match to it. 1. What kind of a person was father 2. Do you think his behaviour was in keeping with his nature and beliefs? Why/Why not? 3. Explain the meaning of the word 'hybrid'. 4. Why did father put a match to the bitten toe? 1. The father was a sceptic and rationalist. 2. Yes, he tries every curse and blessings and every means based on reason to alleviate the pain of her wife. 3. Hybrid here refers to the nature of the father. He was hybrid in his behaviour and response. 4. To tame the poison and alleviate the pain of his dear wife. (XII) May the poison...each face. 1. How did they hope the poison would purify the mother? 2. Explain:'...the peace of understanding on each face'. 3. Where were the villagers sitting? 4. Cite an instance of alliteration from the lines.

8 1. They hoped that the poison would purify her flesh of desire and spirit of ambition. It would decrease all her suffering and pain and sanctify her of the sin of her previous, present lives and of her next birth too. 2. The 'peace of understanding on each face' suggest that the sting of the scorpion will sanctify the mother. 3. The villagers were sitting around the mother at the centre lying on a mat. 4. Poison purify. (XIII) After twenty hours...spared my children. 1. Name the poet. 2. What happened to the mother? 3. When did she become better? 4. What is highlighted about the mother in the poem? 1. Nissim Ezekiel. 2. The mother was stung by a scorpion. 3. After twenty hours.. 4. The passion of the mother / motherly affection for her children is highlighted ONCE UPON A TIME By. Gabriel Okara Read the following lines from the Poem 'Once upon a Time' and Answer the Questions that follow. (I) Once upon a time, son,... search behind my shadow. 1. What does the expression 'Once Upon a Time' imply? 2. Comment on the expression, ' but now they only laugh with their teeth. 3. The poet talks about 'their hearts', 'their teeth', 'and their ice- block-cold eyes'. Who are referred to here? 4. Pick out the expressions the poet uses to contrast the past with the present. 1. The title 'Once Upon a Time' signifies that the things expressed in the poem are no longer in existence. 2. The present colonial masters are not sincere and honest in their dealings with the natives. 3. The colonial masters. 4. Once upon a time. But now. (II) But believe me, son.... once upon a time when I was like you 1. What does the poet want to be? Pick out expressions from the lines above to justify your answer. 2. Why are they called 'muting things'? 3. What does the poet want to unlearn and relearn? 4. What confession does the poet make when he says 'my laugh in the mirror shows only my teeth like a snake's bare fangs!'?

9 5. Who is the poet speaking to? 6. How does the poet want to change? 7. List the ways the poet intends to 'unlearn' and 'relearn' 8. What does the poet want his son to show him? 1. The poet wants to get back his lost innocence. 2. Muting things are so called because they mute or silence the real emotions. 3. He wanted to unlearn all insincere expressions of love and relearn how to laugh with the heart. 4. The poet wants to relearn how to laugh with his heart. 5. The poet is speaking to his son. 6. The poet wants to change to his lost innocence. 7. He wanted to unlearn all insincere expressions of love and relearn how to laugh with the heart. 8. to show him how to laugh and smile with his heart.

Read the lines from the poem 'Night of the Scorpion' and answer the questions that follow: I remember the night my mother was stung by a scorpion.

Read the lines from the poem 'Night of the Scorpion' and answer the questions that follow: May your suffering decrease the misfortunes of your next birth, they said. May the sum of all evil balanced in