The Jungle Air Crash

The Jungle Air Crash

1. Prepare a write up on "The Jungle Air Crash"

 “The Jungle Air Crash” is a beautiful narrative which describes the thrilling experience of Juliane Koepcke, a German biologist, who survived alone in the Peruvian rainforest for eleven and half day. The aircraft, Lansa Airlines flight 508 in which Julian with her mother  boarded to spend Christmas with her father in jungle hut, was crashed and exploded at a height of 3000 feet. Fortunately Julian alone was thrown herself out of the plane. She felt herself that she was turning over and over in the air. Then she lost consciousness. When she regained her consciousness, she realized that she was lying under a section of three seats turned upside down. There were no sign of her mother, other passengers, or of the plane. She spent the whole night lying under the seat half-asleep, in shock.

The next morning, she stood up slowly and began to walk. She picked up a long stick to avoid snakes, poisonous spiders and ants. Her parents had guided her that when lost in the jungle one should always look for streams, and then follow them to larger streams. On the third day, she heard vultures and found some airplane fuselage. As she walked along the river bank, she saw parrots, monkeys and humming birds, and many varieties of tiny orchids growing on tree trunks. She avoided delicious looking fruit because she knew that things that look beautiful are poisonous. She had a large wound on her foot and it caused unbearable pain by the bites of the insects. Sometimes she chose swimming because walking was much harder.

On the tenth day, she saw a boat moored on the river bank. And there was a path leading to a small hut. As she entered the hut, she saw a small outboard motor carefully wrapped in plastic, and a can of petrol. She didn't want to take a boat which belonged to someone else. So, she waited there for the arrival of the owners. After some time, there appeared three mestizo hunters — half white, half-Indians. They told her that they knew about the crash and one of them had actually been in a search plane which flew over the jungle after the accident. They washed her with salt water , put salve on her wounds and made fruit mash for her. But she couldn't eat it. Early next morning, they got their boat ready and took her to the jungle settlement of Tournavista. Then her wound was treated from a small dispensary there. They used a special medicine to clean out all the worms, and gave her an injection to counteract inflammation.

Eleven and a half days after the crash, she again boarded a plane, a small twin- engined machine that took her to the U.S. mission base of the Summer Institute of Linguistics near Pucallpa, where an American doctor looked after her. Her father arrived and informed about the death of her mother. Later, with the help of her directions, Searchers found the Electra scattered over 16 kilometres of jungle. The cause of the crash, and how Juliane got safely down, was unknown. One theory was that the plane exploded at 3,000 metres, that the fall of some pieces was cushioned by an enormous upward current of air in the storm.

4. Prepare a narrative of Julian Koepcke.

Answer :

The moments I saw Death

The aircraft, Lansa Airlines flight 508 in which I with my mother boarded to spend Christmas with my father in jungle hut, was crashed and exploded at a height of 3000 feet. Fortunately I alone was thrown herself out of the plane. I felt myself that I was turning over and over in the air. Then I lost consciousness. When I regained her consciousness, I realized that I was lying under a section of three seats turned upside down. There were no sign of my mother, other passengers, or of the plane. I spent the whole night lying under the seat half-asleep, in shock.

The next morning, I stood up slowly and began to walk. I picked up a long stick to avoid snakes, poisonous spiders and ants. My parents had guided me that when lost in the jungle one should always look for streams, and then follow them to larger streams. On the third day, I heard vultures and found some airplane fuselage. As I walked along the river bank, I saw parrots, monkeys and humming birds, and many varieties of tiny orchids growing on tree trunks. I avoided delicious looking fruit because I knew that things that look beautiful are poisonous. I had a large wound on my foot and it caused unbearable pain by the bites of the insects. Sometimes I chose swimming because walking was much harder.

On the tenth day, I saw a boat moored on the river bank. And there was a path leading to a small hut. As I entered the hut, I saw a small outboard motor carefully wrapped in plastic, and a can of petrol. I didn't want to take a boat which belonged to someone else. So, I waited there for the arrival of the owners. After some time, there appeared three mestizo hunters — half white, half-Indians. They told me that they knew about the crash and one of them had actually been in a search plane which flew over the jungle after the accident. They washed me with salt water , put salve on my wounds and made fruit mash for her. But I couldn't eat it. Early next morning, they got their boat ready and took me to the jungle settlement of Tournavista. Then my wound was treated from a small dispensary there. They used a special medicine to clean out all the worms, and gave me an injection to counteract inflammation.

Eleven and a half days after the crash, I again boarded a plane, a small twin- engined machine that took me to the U.S. mission base of the Summer Institute of Linguistics near Pucallpa, where an American doctor looked after me. My father arrived and informed about the death of my mother. Later, with the help of my directions, Searchers found the Electra scattered over 16 kilometres of jungle. The cause of the crash, and how I got safely down, was unknown. One theory was that the plane exploded at 3,000 metres, that the fall of some pieces was cushioned by an enormous upward current of air in the storm.

3. Prepare a news paper report of Julian's survival.

Answer :

        Supergirl Comes Back to Life

Pucalpa, January 5 : The aircraft, Lansa Airlines flight 508 was exploded at a height of 3000 feet just 30 minutes after the take off. All the 92 passengers except a 17 year old girl Juliane Koepcke were died on the spot. Julian lost her mother too in that accident. When the plane exploded she was thrown herself outside strapped to her seat. She had to spend eleven and half day in the dense forest. Finally she was rescued by the mestizo hunters who took her to Tournavista and then handed over to her father. Juliane was congratulated by people allover the world for her bravery and strong will power.

4. Prepare a Diary entry of Juliane after her escape.

Answer :

05 January 1972

Monday

It was an unforgettable moments in my life! How can I forget those horrible days and night that I spent in the jungle?  Anyway thank God, now I am safely back at home. It is really a miraculous escape. I never expect that I can see my father and friends again. I can't forget the horrifying experiences in the jungle. I never thought I could come out alive. God is so great!.I can't believe that I had to spend eleven and a half day in the dense forest. The mosquitoes,the crude jungle path,the broad river,the bleeding wound,all remain a nightmare .Finally I could see my family. But Oh I lost my mother,I wish she were alive. I am so thankful to the mestizo hunters who saved me. May God bless them also.

5. Prepare 6 Interview questions to interview Julian Koepcke.

Answer :

>  Where did you board the plane to Pucallpa with your mother?

> How many passengers were there in Lansa Airlines flight 508? 

> When did the plane from Lima take off to Pucallpa?

> How did you make out that the aircraft was in trouble?

> What were the reactions of the passengers when they realised about the danger?

> When did you realise that you were no longer inside the plane?

> Why did you remain lying under the seat belt all night after the crash?

> How could you manage to survive in the jungle? 

> Have you ever faced any dangerous situation in that jungle?

Listen To The Mountain

Listen To The Mountain 

1. Narayan and the villagers go to meet Sagar to discuss the hotel construction. Prepare, a conversation between them.

Answer :

Narayan : Good morning Mr. Sagar. I'm Narayan, the school headmaster.

Sagar      : Oh, yes. I remember you. Why are you here ?

Narayan : We have a serious matter to discuss with you.

Sagar     : Serious issue! What's your problem ?

Narayan :We want you to stop the construction of hotel here.

Sagar : How dare you demand me like this? We've money and power. You people will not do anything against us.

Narayan : We don’t allow anyone to destroy our village and the sacred Darmagiri mountain.

Sagar : But we are doing nothing to the mountain or your village. If we build the hotel, your village will become a famous tourist place.

Narayan : But, you cannot build a hotel there. Dharmagiri cannot hold a structure more than 30 feet. It is so dangerous.

Sagar :Are you kidding me? Dou you think, you village people have more knowledge than the engineers from big cities! Please leave us. We have to begin our duty.

2. Write a character sketch of Grandmother.

Answer :

      Grandmother : The Lover of Nature 

The grandmother is the central character of the play ‘Listen to the mountain’ written by the popular Indian writer Kavery Nambisan. Grandmother is a ninety year old woman,  physically weak, but mentally very strong . She was born and brought up in a small village on the slopes of Dharmagiri mountain. At the very beginning of the play, she introduces herself that she was born at the turn of the century when there were no motor cars, no aeroplanes, no television, no movies, and much less noise.

Grandmother is a sincere lover of nature. She is very anxious and sensitive about the creatures around her. She loves nature and believes that the river, trees, flowers, birds and animals are her friends.  The news of building a hotel in the mountain makes her upset . She thinks about the rabbits, the deer and partridge who are going to lose their homes. She asks who will listen to the river, the clean, beautiful, sweet watered river that will now turn foul with filth. And who will listen to the sorrow of Dharmagiri when it is massacred by roads and burdened with buildings. There will be a lot of  noise and  pollution. She also says that the mountains, the rivers, the trees and the animals, they all speak, just like people if we listen to them. She worries about future and told that tomorrow's world is the world of today's children and the hotel may create problem for them. Thus, we can say that grandmother is simple and rustic, yet she is an environmentalist.

3. The play 'listen to the mountain" tells us that careless exploitation of nature can lead to disasters. Prepare a writeup on the topic. "The causes and Effects of Natural Disasters."

Answer :

"The causes and Effects of Natural Disasters."

Our beautiful earth is going through many serious changes and challenges today. These changes are mainly due to natural disasters happening throughout time. When we talk about natural disasters, pollution, ozone depletion and global warming are the most common scenarios we witnessed.Growing industrialisation and exploitation of natural resources change the ecosystem to a dangerous level.

Apart from natural causes, human beings are mainly responsible for most of the calamities happening today. Our unscientific use of natural resources, exploitation, and greed for money ruins the green planet. Constructions on the hilly regions , reclamation of wetlands, excessive use of fossil fuels, deforestation, and mining, etc are the major reasons behind every disasters . Constructions on the hilly region cause landslides and earthquakes. Reclamation of wetlands causes floods and draughts. Deforestation and uncontrollable use of fuels cause the increasing of carbon gases which lead to global warming.

In order to save our planet from this grave threat of climate change and natural hazards, we should take some necessary actions collectively. It's not only a problem of any particular nation or an individual, but it's a problem of mankind. We only have one planet. So, we have to protect our mother earth. We should try to reduce the use of fossil fuels and carbon emissions. We should stop uncontrollable mining activities and constructions. We should protect our forests and wetlands. If we do not take a decisive action as soon as possible, big people with small hearts will perish our planet. Let's do something together for our mother nature.

4. Prepare a newspaper report of the landslide in Dharmagiri.

Answer :

 11 Died in Darmagiri Landslide

Darmagiri : Eleven people killed, including two children in the landslide took place on Darmagiri yesterday. Ten houses also buried beneath the landslide and many people got serious injuries.The landslide occurred in the afternoon when the construction of a multistoried hotel was going on. Eye witnesses say that there was a terrific roar like, rocks falling which lasted for 30 seconds. The injured were carried away on makeshift stretchers to the nearby hospitals. The tragedy is said to be the result of unscientific construction of, the hotel. It is believed that the Darmagiri cannot support a structure taller than 30 feet. The villagers told that they had already given warnings to Mr Dixit, the owner of the hotel and Mr. Sagar, the contractor about this. But they had not ready to hear the villagers. The government has ordered to stop all the constructions going on in the area and also, announced a compensation to the next of kin of those killed in the landslide with a sum of Rs 5 lakh as assistance and the injured will get 1 lak rupees. The government also appointed a commission to make an enquiry about the disaster.

5. Diary entry of Grandmother.

Answer :

20 May 2020

Sunday

It was an unforgettable day in my life! The news I received today deeply disturbs me. Finally the mountain spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. For our village, it was a tragedy. Ten houses buried beneath the landslide. Eleven people killed, including two children! I knew it all along. Nature always speaks if we care to listen. How can I forget this? What might have happened to the animals living there? Big people with small heart swallowed our beautiful village for their selfish gain. May god save us from future disasters. 

Song of the Rain

Song of the Rain

Read the following lines from the poem ' Song of the Rain' and answer the questions that follow:

 

I am dotted silver threads dropped from heaven

By the Gods. Nature then takes me, to adorn

Her fields and valleys.

 

I am beautiful pearls, plucked from the

Crown of Ishtar by the daughter of Dawn

To embellish the gardens.

 

When I cry, the hills laugh;

When I humble myself, the flowers rejoice;

When I bow, all things are elated.

The field and the cloud are lovers

 

And between them I am a messenger of mercy.

I quench the thirst of one;

I cure the ailment of the other.

 

1. Who is the 'I' referred to here?

Answer : The rain

2.Who is mentioned here as 'dotted silver threads dropped from heaven'?

Answer : The rain

3. Why does nature take the rain?

Answer : To adorn

her fields and valleys.

4.Who is mentioned here as daughter of dawn?

Answer : Sunrise

5. What is rain compared to?

Answer : Rain is compared to dotted silver threads dropped from heaven

by the Gods and beautiful pearls, plucked from the

Crown of Ishtar.

6. Pick out examples for metaphors.

Answers : I am dotted silver threads”, “I am beautiful pearls”, and “I am a messenger of mercy.”

7. Pick out instances for alliteration.

Answer : "pearls, plucked",  “daughter of Dawn”, and “messenger of mercy"

8. "When I cry, the hills laugh" - comment on the line.

Answer : It means how the hills and its livings are happy  when the rain falls down. The falling down of rain is considered here as crying.

9. Pick out visual images.

Answer : 'dotted silver threads', 'fields and valleys', 'beautiful pearls', and 'Crown of Ishtar'

10. Pick out auditory images.

Answer : ' When I cry', and 'hills laugh'

11. Who are the lovers mentioned here?

Answer : The field and cloud.

12. Who is the messenger of mercy between the field and cloud?

Answer : The rain

13. 'I quench the thirst of one' - Whose quench is mentioned here?

Answer : Field's

14. "I cure the ailment of the other"- Who is sick here?

Answer : The cloud

15. In what sense, are the cloud and the field being lovers?

Answer : The field is thirsty for being dried. So it is waiting for the rain. On the other hand, the cloud is sick with the weight of water droplets. So the cloud expects the rainfall to free itself. Thus both the field and cloud longs to meet. In that sense, they are considered as lovers and the rain becomes a messenger of mercy between the cloud and the field.

 

Read the following lines from the poem ' Song of the Rain' and answer the questions that follow:

 

The voice of thunder declares my arrival;

The rainbow announces my departure.

I am like earthly life, which begins at

The feet of the mad elements and ends

Under the upraised wings of death.

 

I emerge from the heart of the sea

Soar with the breeze. When I see a field in

Need, I descend and embrace the flowers and

The trees in a million little ways,

I touch gently at the windows with my

 

Soft fingers, and my announcement is a

Welcome song. All can hear, but only

The sensitive can understand.

16. Who announces the arrival of rain?

Answer : The voice of thunder

17. Who announces the departure of the rain?

Answer : The rainbow

18. Pick out the lines that indicate the rain is like a living thing.

Answer : I am like earthly life, which begins at

The feet of the mad elements and ends

Under the upraised wings of death.

19. Pick out an instance of simile from the above lines.

Answer : I am like earthly life.

20. Where does the rain emerge?

Answer : From the heart of the sea

21. Pick out an instance for personification used here.

Answer : I touch gently at the windows with my Soft fingers.

22. Pick out an instance fo alliteration from the lines.

Answer : windows with..

23. Pick out an instance for each visual and auditory images from the above lines.

Visual image : The Rainbow

Auditory image: The voice of thunder

 

24. Write a critical appreciation of the poem' Song of the Rain'.

                   Song of the Rain

                                     Khalil Gibran

'Song of the Rain' is a beautiful poem written by Khalil Gibran, the popular Lebanese poet. The poem deals with the heavenly beauty and divine quality of the rain. The rain itself is the speaker here. The rain says that it is a silver thread sent from heaven by God.  Nature uses the rain, to decorate her fields and valleys. The rain claims that it is the pearls plucked from the crown of ishtar, the goddess of love and fertility.

 When the rain cries, the hills will laugh.The flowers will rejoice at the arrival of the rain. It touches every window with its soft fingers. The heat of the atmosphere give birth to the rain, but in turn, it kills the heat. The rain is the sigh of the sea.

This is a free verse poem. The poem is divided into three , four and five line stanzas. The poem doesn't follow any rhyme scheme. The poet uses many poetic devices and imageries to adorn his poem. The phrases like 'I am dotted silver threads', 'I am beautiful pearls' are examples for metaphors. The expression 'I am like earthly life' gives an instance of simile. The words and phrases like 'fields and valleys', 'beautiful pearls', and 'Crown of Ishtar' are examples for visual images. The phrases 'when I cry', 'The hills laugh' and 'voice of thunder' are auditory images. 

 The phrases 'The hills laugh' and 'I touch gently at the windows with my soft fingers' reminds the use of personification. The phrases like 'dotted silver threads dropped', 'pearls, plucked', 'daughter of Dawn', and messenger of mercy are examples for alliteration. The Language used here is very simple and clear . As a whole, the poem is an excellent piece work.

 

The Best Investment I Ever Made

1. Prepare a write up based on the story 'The best Investment I Ever Made'

Answer :

The Best Investment I Ever Made

'The Best Investment I Ever Made' is an inspirational story written by the Scottish writer A. J. Cronin. It is a creative outcome from the personal experience of the author’s life as a doctor in London. The word 'investment' used in the title of the story is not related to any monetary gain. Rather, it is about the social investment made by the author into the life of a misguided youth who tried to commit suicide because of stealing a small amount of money.

The doctor (author) with the help of a police sergeant, once saved a misguided youth who attempted suicide.  After regaining his consciousness, the youth narrated his unfortunate story to the doctor, the sergeant and the landlady. After the death of his parents, he got employed in a Solicitor’s office.  Due to some bad company, he lost all his money in horse betting. In order to recoup all his lost money, he stole some money from his office safe and made a final gambling . But unfortunately he lost the money also. Fearing of further trial and punishment , he attempted suicide by turning on the gas.

 After hearing his sad story, All the three of them decided to give the young man a fresh beginning. The doctor gave the young man Seven pounds and ten shillings, to put back in the office safe. The sergeant decided not to report the case and the landlady offered him one month free accommodation.

Interestingly, after 25 years of gap, during a ship voyage, the doctor met the same youth Mr. John.S, along with his wife. Though John was a solicitor by profession, he also served as the director of a charitable organization devoted to the care of boys and girls, mostly from city slums, who had fallen under the ban of the law. The couple had been actively involved in the rescue and rehabilitation of child offenders for last 15 years. The doctor realized that the couple would take derelict adolescents from the juvenile courts and place them in a healthy environment, heal them in mind and body and send them back into the world. They were also given training in a useful handicraft which would make them to be the worthy members of the community.  The doctor felt that the small amount he had given to the young man turned out to be the best investment he had ever made in his life.  Though it did not give him any monetary dividends, it gave him immense satisfaction.

2. The narrator in the story The Best Investment I Ever Made' had an eventful voyage. After with his meeting with John, he decided to write a letter to his wife sharing his feelings. Draft the likely letter.

Answer :

AJ Cottage

AB Street

London - 07

20 May 1996

My dear Mary,

How're you? Hope you're doing well. I'm also OK here.

Mary, I'm writing this letter to share an important matter with you. Last day, on my voyage from New york I met a couple named Mr and Mrs John from London. Through the conversation with them, I realized that there was a close relationship between Mr John and I before 25 years!  I'm sure you would have the excitement to know about that.. Well, I'll explain you.

When I just set up my medical practice in a working class town of London, I had to handle a suicide case. It was informed by a sergeant of police. I, with the help of a police sergeant, saved the misguided youth who attempted suicide.  After regaining his consciousness, the youth narrated his unfortunate story to us. After the death of his parents, he got employed in a Solicitor’s office.  Due to some bad company, he lost all his money in horse betting. In order to recoup all his lost money, he stole some money from his office safe and made a final gambling . But unfortunately he lost the money also. Fearing of further trial and punishment , he attempted suicide by turning on the gas. After hearing his sad story, All the three of us decided to give the young man a fresh beginning. I gave the young man Seven pounds and ten shillings, to put back in the office safe. The sergeant decided not to report the case and the landlady offered him one month free accommodation.

Interestingly, after 25 years of gap, during a ship voyage, I met the same youth Mr. John.S, along with his wife! Though John was a solicitor by profession, he also served as the director of a charitable organization devoted to the care of boys and girls, mostly from city slums, who had fallen under the ban of the law. The couple had been actively involved in the rescue and rehabilitation of child offenders for last 15 years. I realized that the couple would take derelict adolescents from the juvenile courts and place them in a healthy environment, heal them in mind and body and send them back into the world. They were also given training in a useful handicraft which would make them to be the worthy members of the community.

 I feel that the small amount I had given to the young man turned out to be the best investment I had ever made in my life.  Though it does not give me any monetary dividends, it gives me immense satisfaction.

Hope, you enjoyed the story of Mr. John. I'm concluding my letter. Convey my warm regards to all. See you soon dear. Expecting your favourable reply.

Yours lovingly,

AJ Cronin

(Sd/-)

3. CHARACTER SKETCH OF JOHN 

Mr. John is the central character of the story ‘The Best Investment I Ever Made' written by the Scottish writer A. J. Cronin   He was an orphan boy. He had an unhappy and miserable past. An uncle had found him a position as a clerk in a London solicitor's office. Utterly friendless, he had fallen victim to the loose society of the streets . He spoiled all his savings for betting and gambling. In order to recoup all his lost savings, he stole some money from his office safe. But unfortunately he last resort also became a failure. Terrified of the prosecution that must follow, sunk in despair, he tried to commit suicide. But the doctor, with the help of a sergeant saved his life. The doctor gave him 7 pounds 10 shillings to replace the stolen money from the office. The landlady offered him one month free accommodation. The sergeant also helped him by not reporting the case. Hence, their kind approach gave him a new life. That incident changed his life completely. He sacrificed his life for the betterment of maladjusted youth. He believes that it was Cronin, the doctor who channelled him to this social service. It was a great investment for the doctor.

4. Mr. John writes his diary after meeting the narrator.

20 May 1996 Monday It is an unforgettable day in my life. Thank god. I got my life back .How silly I was trying to end myself only for Seven pounds 10 shillings! Now I realize the value of god gifted life .I am sure the doctor, the surgeon and the landlady are the agents of God. The real angels on earth! What would happen to me, If they didn't come on time ? I can't even think of it. It is all because of my uncontrolled and lavish life. I spoiled all my savings by betting on horses . But all the three of them, the sergeant, the doctor and the land lady offered me a fresh beginning in life. My life is totally owed to them. The landlady offered me one month free accommodation. .The sergeant also helped me by not reporting my case .And of course, it's the doctor who has given me a rebirth. He cured me well and saved my life. Then he also gave me an amount of Seven pounds 10 shillings to put back in the office safe.  I have learnt a lesson from them. They opened a new world before me. Now I wish to take an important decision of my life. From today I'll serve all my life for such people like me who need to be healed in mind and body.

The Ballad of Father Gilligan

Read the lines from The Ballad of Father Gilligan and answer the questions that follow:

The old priest Peter Gilligan

Was weary night and day

For half his flock were in their beds 

Or under green sods lay.

Once, while he nodded in a chair

At the moth-hour of the eve

Another poor man sent for him,

And he began to grieve.

'I have no rest, nor joy, nor peace,

For people die and die;

And after cried he, 'God forgive!

My body spake not I!'

1. Why was father Gilligan weary?

Answer :  There is an epidemic spread in his parish. Because of that half of his parishioners were either sick or dead.  So, father had to perform the last rites for them. It made him weak.

2. Pick out the lines that indicate that many of the people in his parish were sick or buried.

Answer : For half his flock were in their beds / Or under green sods lay.

3. Pick out the word from the lines that mean 'Very tired'.

Answer : weary

4. What is the rhyme scheme followed in this poem?

Answer : ABCB

5. Pick out two pair of rhyme words from the poem.

Answer : day - lay,  eve- grieve, die- I

6. Pick out  instances of alliteration from the stanzas.

Answer :priest Peter, Was weary, For half his flock, no rest, nor joy, nor, die and die

7. The word ‘flock’ in the context of the poem means:

Answer : People in the parish

8. The expression ‘green sods’ refers to:

Answer : Graves covered over by green grass.

9."I have no rest, nor joy, nor peace,/ For people die and die;"- Who said this? Why did he tell so?

Answer : This is the statement of father Peter Gilligan. There is an epidemic spread in his parish. Because of that half of his parishioners were either sick or dead.  So, father had to perform the last rites for them. It made him very weak. So he told so.

10. "My body spake not I!" - Who is the 'I' referred to here? Why did he tell so?

Answer : Father Peter Gilligan.

While father was resting, somebody came there to take him to a sick man's house . At that moment, father became very sad and grieved that he had no rest or joy. But, at the same time he realized his mistake and asked forgiveness from God by saying that he unknowingly said so because of his weak body.

11. Why did the father seek forgiveness from God?

Answer : While father was resting, somebody came there to take him to a sick man's house . At that moment, father became very sad and grieved that he had no rest or joy. But, at the same time he realized his mistake and asked forgiveness from God by saying that he unknowingly said so because of his weak body.

12. What does the phrase ' under green sods lay' suggest?

Answer : Here ' green sods' refers to the graves covered over by green grass. The phrase suggests that many of the parishioners were died and buried.

13. Why did the poor man send for father?

Answer : The poor man was waiting for his imminent death. So he wished to get the last rites for burning all his sins and entering the world of heaven.

Read the lines from The Ballad of Father Gilligan and answer the questions that follow:

He knelt, and leaning on the chair

He prayed and fell asleep;

And the moth-hour went from the fields,

And stars began to peep.

They slowly into millions grew,

And leaves shook in the wind

And God covered the world with shade

And whispered to mankind.

Upon the time of sparrow chirp

When the moths came once more,

The old priest Peter Gilligan

Stood upright on the floor.

14. What made father Gilligan kneel down?

Answer : While father was resting, somebody came there to take him to a sick man's house . At that moment, father became very sad and grieved that he had no rest or joy. But, at the same time he realized his mistake. So he knelt down before God to ask forgiveness.

15.What time is referred to as ‘moth-hour '?

Answer : Evening

16. 'He knelt, and leaning on the chair' - Who is the 'he' referred to here?

Answer : Father Peter Gilligan.

17. Where did the father sleep?

Answer : on the chair

18. What are that indications did the poet give that the night has arrived? 

Answer : Stars began to peep and they grew into millions. And leaves shook in the wind. 

19. What is the phrase did the poet used to indicate the morning time?

Answer : sparrow chirp

20. What time is referred to as 'sparrow chirp'?

Answer : Morning

21.Identify the figure of speech used in the line 'And stars began to peep.'

Answer : Personification 

22. 'They slowly into millions grew' - What are the 'they' referred to here?

Answer : The stars

Read the lines from The Ballad of Father Gilligan and answer the questions that follow:

'Mavrone, mavrone! The man has died one

While I slept in the chair.'

He roused his horse out of its sleep

And rode with little care.

He rode now as he never rode,

By rocky lane and fen;

The sick man's wife opened the door,

'Father! you come again!'

'And is the poor man dead?' he cried

'He died an hour ago.'

The old priest Peter Gilligan

In grief swayed to swayed and fro.

'When you were gone, he turned and died,

As merry as a bird.'

The old priest Peter Gilligan

He knelt him at that word.

23. Why did the priest cry calling "mavrone mavrone "?

Answer : The father became very sad and guilty as he failed to perform the last rites for the dying man.

24. Why was the sick man's wife surprised to see Father?

Answer : The angel sent by god reached the sick man's house disguised as the priest and performed the last rites. But the sick man's wife was not aware of that. So she thought that father came there again.

25. Who is the 'I' referred to here?

Answer : Father Peter Gilligan

26. Why does he ride with 'little care'?

Answer : Father Gilligan realized that the sick man who had called him the previous night must have died while he was sleeping. So he became worried that he failed to perform his priestly responsibilities. So, he rode carelessly to the Sick man's house to reach there in hurry.

27. Pick out an instance of visual image from the poem.

Answer : rocky lane and fen

28. What had happened while father the father slept in the chair?

Answer :  God sent an angel to help father while he was sleeping. The angel who was disguised as father came to the sick man and performed the last rites. So, the sick man got a blissful death as merry as a bird.

29. He knelt him at that word.What made father knelt down?

Answer : As the sick man's wife informed that her husband died as Merry as a bird when father was gone, the father realized that God had sent one of his great angels down to help father in need. This made the father knelt down before God.

30. Pick out an instance of simile from the lines?

Answer : he turned and died, / As merry as a bird.'

31. Pick out an instance for auditory image.

Answer : Mavrone, mavrone!

32.Pick out an instance for alliteration.

Answer : Mavrone, mavrone The man  /  He roused his horse  / rode now as he never rode

33. Why did the priest sway to and fro in grief?

Answer : Father thought that the sick man had died without getting last rites because of his mistake. 

Read the lines from The Ballad of Father Gilligan and answer the questions that follow:

'He Who hath made the night of stars

For souls who tire and bleed,

Sent one of this great angels down,

To help me in my need.

'He Who is wrapped in purple robes,

With planets in His care

Had pity on the least of things

Asleep upon a chair.'

34.Who has made the night of stars?

Answer : The God

35. Who is the 'He' referred to here?

Answer : The God / Jesus Christ

36. How did the God help the father?

Answer : God sent an angel down while father was sleeping. The angel who was disguised as father came to the sick man and performed the last rites. So, the sick man got a blissful death as merry as a bird.

37.Who is wrapped in purple robes?

Answer : Jesus Christ

38. Who is referred to as 'the least of things

Asleep upon a chair'?

Answer : Father Peter Gilligan

39. The priest considers himself as ' the least of things'. What can you understand from this?

Answer : It shows the humbleness and godliness of the priest.

40. Prepare a note of appreciation of the poem ' The Ballad of Father Gilligan' focusing on the mainmsin idea, the mood, the imagery and the figures of speech.

The Ballad of Father Gilligan

Appreciation Note

       ‘The Ballad of Father Gilligan’ is a typical ballad written by the renowned Irish poet William Butler Yeats . Composed in quatrains with the rhyme scheme of ABCB, the poem narrates the exciting story of priest Peter Gilligan.  The poem deals with the themes of the pity and piety of the old priest, the death and miseries of his parishioners and the endless love and mercy of God.

       Father Gilligan was very old and tired because half of his parishioners were either dead or sick due to an epidemic. So, He was very busy in service of them day and night. Once, father was summoned by a sick person to perform last rites for him. But, being very tired and upset, father began to grieve that he had no rest, no joy and no peace. Soon he realized his mistake and prayed to God for forgiveness, and in the prayer he fell asleep leaning over a chair. Thus he failed to perform the last rites for the dying man.

         In the next morning, as the priest woke up, he realized his failure of duty. Soon he rode to the sick man’s house on his horse with little care. When he reached the house, the sick man’s wife asked the priest in surprise why he came again. She also told that the man had died an hour earlier as merry as a bird. From the wife’s words, the priest understood that God had sent an angel to do his duties in his absence. He knelt in prayer and praised God saying that the most powerful God with planets in His care showed mercy upon him, the silliest of God’s creations.

The poet uses many imageries and poetic devices to adorn hi poem. The opening line “The old priest Peter Gilligan” is repeated four times, which can be taken as an example of Refrain.  There are many examples of Alliteration in the poem such as ‘priest Peter, ‘die and die’, ‘Mavrone mavrone the man”, ‘no rest, nor joy, nor peace’,etc.  The priest’s riding horse, morning and evening with the presence of moths are examples of Visual Images. The chirp of sparrows, the priest’s cry of ‘mavrone, mavrone can be taken as Auditory Images. ‘Stars began to peep’ is an example of Personification. ‘He died as merry as a bird’ is a ‘Simile’.  These are some of the figures of speech used in the poem.

  

'The Price of Flowers' is a heart touching story written by Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadyay. The story was translated to English from Bengali by Lila Ray. The story is set in London in the pre independence era. It is narrated through the point of view of Mr Gupta, an Indian civil servant undergoing training in London. Mr Gupta meets a teenaged English girl in a restaurant in London. Then he befriends the young girl. She comes from an impoverished family and has an elder brother who is a soldier in India. She is curious about India because of her brother and gets to know about it from the narrator.

Mr. Gupta– The narrator, an Indian living in London

Maggie– A young poor English girl.

Frank– Maggie’s brother who is a soldier in India

Mrs. Clifford– Mother of Maggie and Frank

The Girl at the

 Vegetarian Restaurant

The narrator, Mr. Gupta, went to a vegetarian restaurant in St. Martin’s Lane for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. He noticed a young English girl watching him from another table. She looked poor and sad. While paying her bill, she asked the cashier if Mr. Gupta was an Indian and came here frequently. Mr. Gupta was surprised by her actions and asked the waitress about her. The waitress said that she came there every Saturday, and probably worked at a nearby shop. Saturday was payday, so that was probably the only time she had enough money to get lunch there. The narrator was curious about the girl and tried to look for her the next day, but he couldn't.

The next Saturday, he found her again at the vegetarian restaurant. He introduced himself and started a conversation with her. She asked him whether he was a vegetarian because she had heard most Indians were vegetarians. Mr. Gupta asked her how she knew anything about India. She answered that her elder brother was a soldier posted in India.

The girl lived with her old widowed mother. Her only guardian was her elder brother. They had not received a letter from him for a long time. Her mother was very worried because people told her that India was full of tigers and snakes and fevers. Her mother wanted to ask an Indian about these things. The girl wanted Mr. Gupta to meet her mother but did not have the courage to ask him.

The narrator wished to meet her poor anxious mother and he also wanted to know how the poor people lived in England. So he told her that he would meet her mother. She was very happy about this.

The girl’s name was Alice Margaret Clifford, usually called Maggie. She was a typist in the Civil Service stores. She did not really like the work because it was very mechanical. She wanted to be a secretary and take her mother away from their poor neighbourhood, Lambeth.

Mr. Gupta asked Maggie if her father used to call her Magsy. Maggie was surprised and asked him how he had known. He joked that Indians knew about the future and all kinds of magic. Maggie said she had heard such things about yogis, but Mr. Gupta was not a yogi because yogis did not eat meat. That was why she had asked him if he was a vegetarian earlier.

Maggie’s Mother and the Crystal Ring

They reached Maggie’s house. Her mother was downstairs in the kitchen baking cakes. Saturday was a festival day for the poor people because it was the payday and the poor could afford to spend a little. So, things like cakes were sold from carts on the streets.

Mrs. Clifford asked Mr. Gupta about India. He assured her that India was safe.  She said her son was in Punjab. He replied that Punjab was a fine and healthy place with little fever. She was glad to hear it. She told Maggie to take Mr. Gupta upstairs to the sitting room because she was done with baking. She washed her hands and bring him some tea.

As they drank tea, they talked about India. Mrs. Clifford showed the narrator a picture of her son, called Francis or Frank, taken before he left. He had sent Maggie a picture book of Shimla for her birthday.

Frank had also sent his family a magic ring that he bought from a yogi. The yogi had told him that one could see a distant person in the ring if they concentrated enough. Mr. Gupta realised it was just an ordinary ring but did not have the heart to tell Maggie and her mother.

They had not been able to see anything in the ring and hoped that Mr. Gupta would see something because he was a Hindu. They were disappointed to hear that he could not see anything either.

To change the subject, he asked Maggie to play the violin. He picked a Scotch song for her to play and praised her a lot when she did. Mrs. Clifford said Maggie had learnt everything by herself. 

Three months passed. The narrator visited the Clifford family many times. He took Maggie to the zoo once. She rode the Indian elephant there. But there was no news of Frank. Urged by Mrs. Clifford, Mr. Gupta went to India House and found out that Frank’s regiment was fighting on the Northwest Frontier. Mrs. Clifford was very worried when she heard it.

One day, Mr. Gupta received a postcard from Maggie that said her mother was very ill. She had not been able to go to work for a week and would be very grateful if he came to visit them.

Mr. Gupta took some money and went to Maggie’s house. He tried to console Maggie. Her mother was so sick that she might not live.

Maggie had a request for him. She wanted Mr. Gupta to tell her mother that he could see Frank in the yogi’s ring. She knew it was wrong but this lie would give her mother enough hope to live. Mr. Gupta decided he would help her. So, he told Mrs. Clifford that he had seen Frank safe. Mrs. Clifford was overjoyed and slowly recovered.

Mr. Gupta’s Departure 

It was almost time for Mr. Gupta to return to India. He wanted to say goodbye to the Cliffords, but they were in mourning. Frank had died while fighting on the Frontier. Maggie had sent him a card about it. Mr. Gupta had realised that Frank had been dead when he told his mother that he was alive. So, he felt ashamed to face her.

He wrote a goodbye letter to the Cliffords. On his last day in London, Maggie came to see him. He told her that he had entered the Punjab Civil Service. The Frontier was not very far from there. Maggie said that Frank was buried at Fort Monroe, near Dera-Ghazi-Khan. Mr. Gupta promised that he would visit Frank’s grave and write to her.

Maggie thanked him and gave him a shilling to buy flowers for Frank’s grave. He wanted to return it to her because it was her hard-earned money, and flowers did not need to be purchased in India. But then he thought of the joy that sacrificing the shilling would give her. So, he accepted it and told her he would buy flowers to put on Frank’s grave.

They said their goodbyes and promised to write to each other.

Conclusion

This story shows us a beautiful bond between people who come from very different walks of life. An Indian man befriends a young English girl and helps know about the country her brother is in. 

The Serang of Ranaganji

 The story is about a ship voyage from Liverpool to Calcutta during the British rule in India. The story describes how Dr. A j Cronin, the narrator, and Hasan, the protagonist of the story, who is the serang of the ship known as Ranaganji, manage a grave calamity, silently and bravely.

Characters

The narrator– the physician of the Ranaganji

Hasan– the Indian serang of the Ranaganji

Captain Hamble– the captain of the Ranaganji

Miss Jope-Smith– a high class social woman, a passenger on the Ranaganji

The Ship Sets Sail

The journey began well. The ship crossed the Mediterranean and reached the Arabian Sea smoothly. The Ranaganji was a strong old vessel, with white officers and an entirely native Indian crew. The narrator was the physician of the ship. The ship was crowded with the usual tourists and had many Anglo-Indian army officers, accompanied by their wives and families.

Miss Jope-Smith, a wealthy -well dressed woman who was a first-class passenger of the ship. She was a very social person, although quite boring. She deliberately tried to mock at the appearance of Hasan, the serang. Pointing out the serang , she asked her companion if he had ever seen such an ugly creature.

It was the first moment when the narrator noticed Hasen. He is squat with short legs and a large disproportionate head.  That is why Jope Smith calls him “an absurdly comic creature.”  He is the supervisor of the ship and is in charge of the loading and unloading of the baggage.

Smallpox Spreads Among the Crew

One morning, the serang, Hasan, brought two sick deck hands to the narrator for a check-up. The narrator was inexperienced. So he was feared by realising that the patients had smallpox. He informed Captain Hamble of the situation.

Captain Hamble informed that he couldn’t offer any of his officers because the ship was already  overloaded and understaffed. But the captain assured him the service of Hasan. Captain also warned him to keep the disease from spreading and not to let the passengers know about this because they would panic .

Then doctor and the serang tried to isolate the men. There was no available cabin space on board to do this. So Hasan built a large canvas shelter on the afterdeck. The two patients were brought there.Hasan helped the narrator take care of the patients.

But the next morning, they found three new cases among the crew, and four more in the afternoon. So, they had ten cases in that temporary shelter. It was a difficult situation but the serang tirelessly served the sick men.

Colombo, the nearest port of call, was still eight days away. In the next two days, four more men fell sick. One of the earlier victims had gone into a coma, and seemed likely to die at any moment. The narrator was extremely stressed by these difficult circumstances, but looking at Hasan meditate calmly, brought him peace.

Hasan’s Life and the End of the Crisis

Hasan did not talk much, but the narrator learnt a bit about him soon. He was from the Punjab, but his parents had migrated to southern India. There, in the coastal area, he had become a seaman. He had been a seaman for nearly forty years, and fifteen of these had been spent in the Ranaganji. He had no family or friends in India. He had never married. By religion he was a Muslim.

All his life he had no property or money. His few possessions were contained in his ship’s chest and might be worth a few rupees. Hasan thought money was of no use to one who had all he needed. Money had no interest for him. Instead, he had courage, self-control, and faith.  As thinking about Hasan's simplicity, the narrator had felt ashamed himself about his own passionate desire for success and wealth.

 

The next day, two patients died. Hasan sewed their shrouds, read aloud a short passage from the Ramayana before their bodies which were cast overboard at midnight. No fresh cases developed. A week later, they arrived at Colombo. The sick men were taken to the hospital. Most of them had passed the crisis. But three of them seemed quite helpless. Hasan carried them with tears in his eyes.

The ship soon reached Calcutta. The narrator heard Miss Jope-Smith making fun of Hasan’s appearance again. She asked him whether they had kept an animal like Hasan in a cage throughout the voyage. The doctor, offended, told her that maybe they had, but it was strange that all the animals were outside, implying that it was cruel people like her who were the actual animals.

Conclusion

This story shows us how appearances can be deceiving. Although Hasan is ugly, he is a brave man with high ideals. He helps the narrator get through the smallpox crisis, and helps him learn things about life through his simplicity and bravery. Therefore, we should never judge a book by its cover.