Class 9 Hindi पुल बनी थी माँ’

 पुल बनी थी माँ

 1. पुल बनी थी माँ ‘ कविता की रचयिता कौन है ?

उत्तर :

नरेन्द्र पुंडरीक

2. पुल बनी थी माँ’ से क्या तात्पर्य है?

उत्तर:

जैसे एक पुल दो किनारों को आपस में जोड़ता है, वैसे ही माँ परिवार के हर सदस्य को प्रेम से जोड़े रखती है।  इसका मतलब यह है कि माँ परिवार में प्रेम का पुल बनती है।

3. किसके बीच पुल बनी थी माँ ?

उत्तर :

 कवि और उसके भाइयों के बीच |

4. जिस माध्यम से कवि और उनके भाइयों बेधड़क दौड़ रहे थे?

उत्तर :

माँ द्वारा बनाया गया प्यार के पुल से |

5. माँ रूपी पुल से बच्चों की जिंदगी रूपी रेल गाड़ी कैसे दौड़ती रही थी?

उत्तर :

बेधडक बिना हरी लाल बत्ती के।

6. "बेटों का जीवन बेरोकटोक चलती गाड़ी के समान रहा।" - सामान आशयवाली पंक्तियां कविता से चुनकर लिखें |

उत्तर:

दौड़ती रहती थी बेधड़क
बिना किसी हरी लाल बत्ती के
हम लोगों की छुक छुक छक छक

7. 'बेधड़क ' का मतलब क्या है?

उत्तर :

बिना डर के

8. माँ कब कवि और उसके भाईयों के बीच पुल बनी थी ?

उत्तर :

उनके पिता की मौत के बाद

9. ‘बुढ़ा रही है माँ’ इसका आशय क्या है?

उत्तर:

 इसका मतलब यह है कि  माँ के शरीर पर बुढ़ापे का निशानी दिखने लगा। वह शारीरिक और मानसिक रूप से कमज़ोर होने लगी।

10. बच्चे कैसे समझ गए कि माँ बूढ़ी है?

उत्तर :

माँ की बार बार कहने की आदत से और उनके टूटी आवाज़ से |

11.  "माँ की देख-भाल की ज़िम्मेदारी बेटों पर आ गई।" - समाना आशयवाली पंक्तियां चुनकर लिखें |

उत्तर:

हाथों हाथ रहती माँ
एक दिन हमारे कंधों में आ गई |

12. क्या हुआ जब माँ बूढ़ी हो गई ?

उत्तर :

बूढ़ी हो गई तो माँ बच्चों के कंधो में आ गई |

13. "माँ एक दिन हमारे कंधों में आ गई " - इसका मतलब क्या है ?

उत्तर :

बूढ़ी हो गई तो बच्चों को अपनी माँ की देखभाल की ज़िम्मेदारी उठानी पड़ी |

14. "माँ की देखभाल की जिम्मेदारी बच्चों पर बोझ बन गई।" - समान आशयवाली पंक्तियों कविता से चुनकर लिखें | |

उत्तर :

धीरे-धीरे महसूस करने लगे हम

अपने वृषभ कंधों में

माँ का भारी होना।

15. 'वृषभ कंधों' - इसमें विशेषण शब्द कौन सा है ?

उत्तर :

वृषभ

16. 'वृषभ कंधों' - इसमें  'वृषभ' शब्द कौन सा है ?

उत्तर :

विशेषण

 17. सही मिलान करें |

 वृषभ कंधा          -  दुर्बल होना

 हाथों हाथ रहना   -  दायित्व बदलना 

 महसूस करना      -  मर जाना 

 बेधड़क               -  दुर्बल होती रही

 टूटती रही            -   बिना बाधा के

 कंधों से उतरना    -   अनुभव करना

 कंधा उतरना        -   सशक्त कंधा

 कंधा बदलना       -   संभालना  

उत्तर :

वृषभ कंधा          -  सशक्त कंधा

 हाथों हाथ रहना   -  संभालना

 महसूस करना      -  अनुभव करना  

 बेधड़क               -   बिना बाधा के

 टूटती रही            -   दुर्बल होती रही

 कंधों से उतरना    -    मर जाना 

 कंधा उतरना        -   दुर्बल होना

 कंधा बदलना       -   दायित्व बदलना

18. ‘माँ आख़िर माँ ही तो है’ इससे आपने क्या समझा?

उत्तर:

इसका मतलब है कि माँ अपने बच्चों के बारे में सबकुछ जानती है। सारी जिंदगी बच्चों के लिए जीनेवाली माँ बुढ़ापे में बच्चों के लिए भार बन गई। पर माँ का मातृत्व बच्चों की इस कठिनाई को सह नहीं पाया। वह स्वयं उनके कंधों से उतर गई मतलब उसका अंतिम प्रयाण हो गया।

19. "उतर गए हमारे कंधे " - इसका मतलब क्या है ?

उत्तर :

 हम दुर्बल हो गए  |

20. "हमारे कंधों से उतर गई माँ " - इसका मतलब क्या है ?

उत्तर :

 माँ मर गई  |

 21. "बेटे अपने दायित्व बदलते रहे। " - समान आशयवाली पंक्तियां चुनकर लिखें |

उत्तर:

जब तक जीवित रही माँ।
हम बदलते रहे अपने कंधे

22. "माँ के चले जाने से बेटे बेसहारे बने।"- समान आशयवाली पंक्तियां चुनकर लिखें |

उत्तर:

और माँ के कंधों से उतरते ही
उतर गए हमारे कंधे

23. "पुल बनी थी माँ" कविता की आशय पर टिप्पणी लिखें |

उत्तर :

पुल बनी थी माँ 

समकालीन हिंदी साहित्य के प्रमुख कवी श्री.नरेन्द्र पुंडरीक की एक सुन्दर कविता है" पुल बनी थी माँ । इस कविता में कवि सरलता से वर्णन करता है कि बुढ़ापन व्यक्ति को कैसे प्रभावित करती है | 

    कविता की पहली पंक्तियाँ यह बताती है कि माँ के हाथों में बच्चे कितने सुरक्षित हैं। अपने बच्चों के बीच, माँ प्रेम और सुरक्षा रूपी एक पुल बनती है और जिनसे बच्चों की जिंदगी रूपी रेल गाड़ी बेधडक बिना हरी लाल बत्ती के दौड़ती रही है | कवी कहते हैं कि माँ रुपी वह पुल अचानक नहीं टुटा | लेकिन धीरे-धीरे माँ के शरीर पर बुढ़ापे का निशानी दिखने लगा। वह शारीरिक और मानसिक रूप से कमज़ोर होने लगी। माँ की बार बार कहने की आदत से और उनके टूटी आवाज़ से बच्चे समझते हैं  कि बूढ़ी हो गई माँ |

बूढ़ी होने के बाद माँ की देख-भाल की ज़िम्मेदारी बेटों पर आ गई | उस समय माँ बच्चों केलिए एक बोझ बन गई और बच्चे अपने दायित्व बदलते रहे | इसे देखकर माँ बहुत दुखी हुई | यहाँ कवी कहते है कि "माँ आख़िर माँ ही तो है" | इसका मतलब है कि माँ अपने बच्चों के बारे में सबकुछ जानती है। सारी जिंदगी बच्चों के लिए जीनेवाली माँ बुढ़ापे में बच्चों के लिए भार बन गई। पर माँ का मातृत्व बच्चों की इस कठिनाई को सह नहीं पाया। वह स्वयं उनके कंधों से उतर गई मतलब उसका अंतिम प्रयाण हो गया। माँ की मरने के के बाद बच्चे यह पहचानते हैं कि माँ के बिना वे बेसहारे हैं।

    वर्तमान संदर्भ में यह कविता बहुत प्रासंगिक है । 'भोगे और फेंको' संस्कृति के गुलाम होती रही नई पीढ़ी को माता-पिता बोझ बन जाते हैं। उन्हें एक ही विचार है कि इस बोझ को किसी न किसी रूप में छोड दें। इसलिए ही हमारे समाज में वृद्ध मंदिरों की संख्या बढती जा रही है। निश्चय ही यह कविता हमें एक बार फिर सोचने के लिए बाध्य बना देती है।

Class 9 English Tolstoy farm

Tolstoy Farm

                                       Mahatma Gandhi

Tolstoy Farm was the first ashram established by Mahatma Gandhi in South Africa.  The ashram served as the headquarters of the campaign of satyagraha against discrimination against Indians

As the Farm grew, it was found necessary to provide education for the boys and girls who inhabited there.  There were not many qualified Indian teachers , and even when available, none were ready to work there which was twenty-one miles distant from the town. So Gandhi thought that it was not necessary, to engage special teachers for the students.

For Gandhi, Tolstoy Farm was a family, in which he (Gandhi) acquired the position of the Father. It was quite difficult for him to do justice with all the young people present over there as they had been brought up in different conditions and environments. But Gandhi had always given the priority to the culture of the heart or the building of character, and for him moral training could be given to all alike, no matter how different their ages and their upbringing were.  

Gandhi always tried to teach every youngsters some useful manual vocation. For this purpose Mr. Kallenbach went to a Trappist monastery and returned having learnt shoe-making. Mr. Kallenbach had some experience of carpentry so the candidates had a small class in carpentry too.Tolstoy Farm was a perfect laboratory where Gandhiji experimented his ideas on education. Here the inmates were given a strong foundation in character building as well as in vocational training.  We must remember his words: “Education which does not mould character is absolutely worthless”. Physical activities like digging pits, felling timber, lifting loads  that were practiced in the Tolstoy Farm helped students to develop a sturdy body while vocational training given in carpentry, shoe making and gardening helped them to become self-sufficient at a very young age itself.

On Tolstoy Farm it was a rule that the youngsters should not be asked to do what the teachers did not do, and therefore, when they were asked to do any work, there was always a teacher co-operating and actually working with them. The youngsters had never even dreamt that they would have to learn these things some day. For generally the only training that Indian child received in South Africa was in the three R’s.Gandhiji believed that a balanced education of body, mind and spirit is what everyone needed. He questioned the Three R’s tradition of reading, writing and arithmetic and gave ample importance to the building up of one’s character

Class 9 English Song of a Dream by Sarojini Naidu

Song of a Dream

Sarojini Naidu

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

ONCE in the dream of a night I stood

Lone in the light of a magical wood,

Soul-deep in visions that poppy-like sprang;

And spirits of Truth were the birds that sang,

And spirits of Love were the stars that glowed,

And spirits of Peace were the streams that flowed

In that magical wood in the land of sleep.

1. Where did the poet stand lonely in the dream of a night?

Answer :

The poet stood in the light of a magical wood

2. What are the spirits of Peace compared to?

Answer:

The spirits of Truth are compared to birds that sang in the magical wood.

3.What are the spirits of love compared to?

Answer:

The spirits of Love are compared to stars that glowed in the magical wood.

4. What are the spirits of peace compared to?

Answer :

The spirit of Peace are compared to the streams that flowed through the magical wood.

5. "And spirits of Truth were the birds that sang" - What is the figure of speech used here.

Answer :

Metaphor

6.  "And spirits of Love were the stars that glowed," - What is the figure of speech used here.

Answer :

Metaphor

7. "And spirits of Peace were the streams that flowed," - What is the figure of speech used here.

Answer :

Metaphor

8. "Soul-deep in visions that poppy-like sprang;" - What is the figure of speech used here.

Answer :

Simile

9. Pick out an instance for simile from the poem.

Answer :

Soul-deep in visions that poppy-like sprang;

10. Pick out an instance of alliteration from the given lines.

Answer :

Lone in the light

11. Pick out an instance for auditory image.

Answer :

Birds that sang

12. Pick out the instances for visual images.

Answer

The stars that glowed.

The streams that flowed.

13. What is the rhyme scheme used here?

Answer :

aabbccd

14. Find out the rhyme words from the stanza?

Answer:

Stood - Wood

Sprang - Sang

Glowed - flowed

15. What does the poet compare the soulful visions to? Comment.

Answer:

The poet compares soulful visions to poppy flowers that bloom. They intoxicate like poppies. It is an example of a simile.

16. Where did the spirit of peace flow?

Answer :

Through the magical wood, the land of sleep

17. What is the magical wood referred to here?

Answer :

It's an imaginary place without any evils. The place is filled with truth, peace and love.

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

Answer :

The poet / Sarojini Naidu

19. How did the birds appeare to the poet?

Answer :

 The birds appeared to the poet as the spirit of truth.

20. Was there anyone with the poet? Pick out the lines that  support your answer.

Answer :

No. The poet was alone in that magical wood.

The lines "ONCE in the dream of a night I stood / Lone in the light of a magical wood show that she was alone in the wood.

21. Where does the poet find the magical wood?

Answer :

In her dream of a night 

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

Lone in the light of that magical grove,

I felt the stars of the spirits of Love

Gather and gleam round my delicate youth,

 And I heard the song of the spirits of Truth;

 To quench my longing I bent me low

By the streams of the spirits of Peace that flow

In that magical wood in the land of sleep.

22. What do the spirits of love do?

Answer:

The spirits of Love gather and gleam round the poet’s delicate youth.

23. How does the poet quench her longing?

Answer:

The poet quenches her longing by bending low by the stream of the spirits of Peace.

24. What messages does the poem convey?

Answer :

The poem conveys the message that there should be a world with spirits of Truth and Love and Peace all the time.

25. Prepare a note of appreciation about the poem  ' Song of a Dream '

The Magical Wood

‘Song of a Dream’ is a beautiful philosophical poem written by Sarojini Naidu, the Nightingale of India . In this poem, the poet dreams of a land filled with the love, the peace and the truth. The poet says that in her dream of a night, she stood alone in a magical wood.  In that land of sleep, she saw many birds singing. She compared them as the spirits of truth. Then she saw there the glowing stars which she referred as the spirits of love. And  a beautiful stream was also flowing through that magical Wood. She calls it as the spirits of peace.

The poem can be considered as the poet’s deep desire to escape the sufferings she had to endure in a world of injustice. The poem can be read in the light of India’s freedom struggle. The three qualities (truth, love and peace) that the poet mentions were being violated in British period. The poem thus calls forth the people of India to live a harmonious life abandoning castism, superstitions and many other social evils that existed then and that exist even now.

The poet uses many poetic devices to make her poem more attractive. She maintains a perfect rhythm and a rhyming scheme (‘aabbccd’, stood-wood, sprang-sang, glowed-flowed) throughout the poem . The phrases ‘gather and gleam’, ‘lone in the light’ gives alliterative effect of repeated consonant sounds. The expression 'visions that poppy like sprang' gives an instance for simile. And the phrases like ‘Spirits of Truth were the birds, 'Spirits of Love were the stars' and 'Spirits of Peace were the streams’ are examples for metaphor. The poetic device of personification can be seen in the line ‘stars gathering around my delicate youth’. The poem brings the auditory image, ‘birds that sang’ as well as visual image ‘stars that glowed and the streams of peace flowed through the land’. The poet brings in strong sensual imagery throughout the poem.

Class 9 Maternity Questions & Answers

MATERNITY

Lilika Nakos

 Read the following passage from the story 'Maternity' and answer the questions that follow :

 It was more than a month since they were at Marseilles. The camp of Armenian refugees on the outskirts of the town already looked like a small village. They had settled down in any way they could: the richest under tents; the others in the ruined sheds; but the majority of the refugees, having found nothing better, were sheltered under carpets held up at the four corners by sticks. They thought themselves lucky if they could find a sheet to hang up at the sides and wall them from peering eyes. Then they felt almost at home. The men found work- no matter what - so that in any case they were not racked with hunger and their children had something to eat. Of all of them, Mikali alone could do nothing. He ate the stale bread which his neighbours cared to offer and it weighed on him. For he was a big lad of fourteen, healthy and robust. But how could he think of looking for work when he literally bore on his back the burden of a new-born babe? Since his birth, which had caused his mother's death, he had wailed proclaiming his famished state from morn till night. Who would have accepted Mikali's services when his own compatriots had chased him from their quarters because they were unable to bear the uninterrupted howls which kept them awake at night.

1. Where did the Armenian refugees make their shelters?

Answer :

At Marseilles.

2. How did the camp of Armenian refugees look like?

Answer :

It looked like a small village.

3. How did they settle down in the camp?

Answer :

They had settled down in any way they could: the richest under tents; the others in the ruined sheds; but the majority of the refugees, having found nothing better, were sheltered under carpets held up at the four corners by sticks.

4. Why didn't Mikali go for a job?

Answer :

Mikali's mother died at the birth of her second child. So, Mikali had to look after his new-born brother. Nobody gave him a job because the burden of the baby was always on his shoulders and its uninterrupted howling made everyone annoyed.

5. What did Mikali eat?

Answer :

He ate the stale bread which his neighbours cared to offer and it weighed on him.

6. What kind of a boy was Mikali?

Answer :

Mikali was a big lad of fourteen, healthy and robust.

7. Pick out a word from the passage that means 'as in hungry'  

Answer :

Famished

8. Pick out a word from the passage that means ' very strong and healthy' 

Answer :

Robust

9. Pick out a word from the passage that means ' fellow countryman '

Answer :

compatriots

10. Why did Mikali's compatriots case him away?

Or

Why was he chased away by his fellow Armenians?

Answer :

Because they couldn't bear the uninterrupted howling of Mikali's new-born brother. The baby cried for milk all the time.  So, the people in the camp didn't get much sleep.

11. Describe the life of the refugees in the camp.

Answer:

The men found works and so that they and their families had something to eat.

Read the following passage from the story 'Maternity' and answer the questions that follow :

Mikali himself was dazed by these cries; his head was empty and he wandered about like a lost soul, dying from lack of sleep and weariness, always dragging about with him the deafening burden that had been born for his misfortune - and its own - and that had so badly chosen the moment to appear on this earth. Everybody listened to it with irritation - they had so many troubles of their own - and they all pitifully wished it would die. But that did not happen for the new-born child sought desperately to live and cry louder his famished state. The distracted women stuffed their ears and Mikali wandered about like a drunken man. He hadn't a penny in his pocket to buy the infant milk and not one woman in the camp was in a position to give it the breast. Enough to drive one mad!

12. Why did Mikali wander about like a lost soul?

Answer :

The new-born baby on his back made cries all the time. So he couldn't get any job, food and even a shelter. His fellow refugees also drove him away from the camp. That is why Mikali wandering about like a lost soul.

13. Who is mentioned here as 'deafening burden'.

Answer :

Mikali's new-born brother. 

14. Why did the people of the camp pitifully wished the infant would die?

Answer :

Because they couldn't bear the uninterrupted howling of Mikali's new-born brother. The baby cried for milk all the time.  So, the people in the camp didn't get much sleep and comfort. They had so many troubles of their own. So they wished it would die.

15. Why couldn’t Mikail earn even a penny?

Answer:

Nobody offered Mikail work because he had with him his new-born brother. His mother had died at childbirth.

16. What made Mikali mad?

Answer :

The new- born baby cried louder for milk. Mikali hadn't a penny in his pocket to buy the infant milk and not one woman in the camp was in a position to give it the breast.

17. Pick out a word from the passage that means 'filled with something'.

Answer :

Stuffed

18. Mikali wandered like a ‘lost soul.’ Comment on the comparison.

Answer:

Mikali did not get any help or shelter from his camp. So, As a lost soul wanders around looking for peace and rest, Mikali too was wandering.

Read the following passage from the story 'Maternity' and answer the questions that follow :

One day, unable to bear it further, Mikali went to the other side of the place where the Anatolians were: they also had fled from the Turkish massacres in Asia Minor. Mikali had been told that there was a nursing mother there who might take pity on his baby. So there he went, full of hope. Their camp was like his - the same misery. Old women were crouched on pallets on the ground; barefooted children played about in pools of dirty water. As he approached, several old women rose to ask what he wanted. But he walked on and stopped only at the opening of a tent. From the interior of the tent came the sound of a wailing infant. "Have pity on this poor orphan and give him a little milk. I am a poor Armenian . . .", he said in Greek. At his appeal, a lovely, dark woman appeared. She held in her arms an infant blissfully sucking the maternal breast, its eyes half-closed. "Let's see the kid. Is it a boy or a girl?" Mikali's heart trembled with joy. Several neighbours had come closer to see and they helped him to take from his shoulders the sack where the baby brother was held; with curiosity they leaned over. He drew back the cover. The women gave vent to various cries of horror. The child had no longer anything human about it.  The head had become enormous and the body, of an incredible thinness, was all shrivelled up. As until then it had sucked only its thumb, it was all swollen. It was dreadful to see! Mikali himself drew back in fright. All of them together chased him away, threatening. His eyes filled with tears, he went off, bearing the little child still wailing in its hunger.

18. Why did Mikali go to Anatolians camp?

Answer :

Mikali had been told that there was a nursing mother there who might take pity on his baby. So there he went, full of hope.

19. What were the miserable sights could be seen in Anatolians' camp?

Answer :

Old women were crouched on pallets on the ground; barefooted children played about in pools of dirty water.

20. Why  did not Mikali stop when the old women rose to ask him what he wanted?

Answer :

Because he wanted to see the nursing mother as soon as he could possible.

21. Where did Mikali Stop his walking?

Answer :

Mikali stopped at the opening of a tent where the nursing mother lived.

22. What did Mikali request the nursing mother?

Answer :

Mikali introduced himself as he was a poor Armenian and requested to have pity on his new-born brother and give him a little milk.

23. When did Mikali's heart tremble with joy?

Answer :

When the nursing mother agreed to give his new- born brother breast milk. She asked if she could see the kid and enquired whether it was a boy or a girl. On hearing this Mikali became very happy.

24. Why did the women give vent to cries of horror?

Answer:

The child had no longer anything human about it. The head had become enormous and the body was all shrivelled up. As until then it had sucked only its thumb, it was all swollen. So, the women give vent to cries of horror.

25. What was the dreadful sight did Mikali and others see?

Answer :

The child had no longer anything human about it. The head had become enormous and the body was all shrivelled up. As until then it had sucked only its thumb, it was all swollen.

Read the following passage from the story 'Maternity' and answer the questions that follow :

There was nothing to be done; the child was condemned to die of hunger. Mikali felt himself immensely alone and lost. A chill ran up his spine at the thought that he was carrying such an unlucky child. He slumped down in the shadow of a shed. It was still very warm.

The country spread out before him in arid, waste land, covered with refuse. Noon rang out somewhere. The sound reminded him that he had eaten nothing since the day before. He would have to go sneaking about the streets, round cafe terraces, filching some half-eaten roll left on a plate; or else, rake about in the garbage for what a dog would not have eaten. Suddenly, life seemed to him so full of horrors that he covered his face with his hands and began to sob desperately. When he raised his head a man stood before him gazing down upon him. Mikali recognized the Chinaman who often came to the camp to sell paper knick-knacks and charms which no one ever bought from him anyway. Often they mocked him because of his colour and his squint eyes. Mikali saw that he was looking gently down at him and moving his lips as though to speak. Finally the Chinaman said: "You mustn't cry, boy. . . ." Then, timidly: "Come with me..

Mikali's only answer was to shake his head negatively; he longed to flee. He had heard so many horrors about the cruelty of the Orientals! Yet the man remained there and did not budge. So, being in great distress, Mikali followed him. What more awful thing could happen to him? As they walked along he stumbled weakly and almost fell with the child. The Chinaman came to him and taking the baby in his arms, tenderly pressed it to him.

26. "the child was condemned to die of hunger" - Who was the child mentioned here? What happened to him?

Answer :

The child referred to here is the new-born brother of Mikali. He lost his mother at his birth.He had no other ways to get breast - milk. So the child was nearing his death in hunger.

27. Why did he feel immensely alone and lost?

Answer:

Mikali didn't get food and shelter. He was helpless and his life was full of misery. He was driven away by people. Moreover, he had no other ways to feed his new - born brother with breast milk. He was sure that the baby would die in hunger. So he felt immensely alone and lost.

28. How did Mikali find food for living?

Answer :

He would have to go sneaking about the streets, round cafe terraces, filching some half-eaten roll left on a plate; or else, rake about in the garbage for what a dog would not have eaten. 

29. Why did he sob?

Answer:

Mikali didn't get any food and shelter. He would have to go looking for some half-eaten roll left on a plate; or else, rake about in the garbage for what a dog would not have eaten. Suddenly, life seemed to him so full of horrors that he covered his face with his hands and began to cry badly.

30. Who was the man came forward to help Mikali?

Answer :

The Chinaman who often came to the camp to sell paper knick-knacks and charms.

31. In what way is the Chinaman different from the refugees?

Answer:

While all the refugees tried to drive away Mikali, the Chinaman came forward and helped Mikali to overcome the difficult situation. He was kind-hearted and helpful.

32. Why did Mikali refuse to go with the Chinaman at first?

Answer :

Mikali feared that the Chinaman would harm him because he had heard so many horrors about the cruelty of the Orientals.

Read the following passage from the story 'Maternity' and answer the questions that follow :

They crossed several empty lots and then, the man took a little lane that led them to a sort of wooden cabin surrounded by a very small garden. He stopped before the door and clapped his hands twice. A few light steps 

inside and a tiny person came to open the door. Seeing the men, her face reddened and then a happy smile lit it up. She made a brief courtesy to them. As Mikali remained there, hesitatingly rooted to the threshold, the Chinaman said to him: "Come in, then; do not be afraid. This is my wife." Mikali went into the room, rather large it seemed, separated in the middle by a coloured paper screen. It was all so clean and neat, though very poor looking. In the corner he noticed a wicker cradle. "That is my baby," said the young woman cocking her head graciously to one side and smiling at him. "He is very tiny and very beautiful; come and see." Mikali went up closer and silently admired it. A chubby baby, but lately out of the darkness of the maternal body, slept peacefully, covered with a gold brocade cloth, like a little king. Then the husband called his wife over. He told her to sit on a straw mat. Without a word, he set down on her lap the little famished one, bowing deeply before her. The woman leaned over with astonishment and drew back the covering in which the child was wrapped. It appeared to her in all its skeletonic horror. She gave a crya cry of immense pitythen pressed the babe to her heart, giving it the breast. Then, with a gesture of modesty she brought forward a flap of her robe over the milk-swollen breast and the poor, gluttonous infant suckling there.

33. Where did the Chinaman take Mikali?

Answer :

Chinaman took Mikali his to his own home.

34. How did the Chinaman’s wife behave when she saw Mikali with her husband?

Answer:

Seeing the men, her face reddened and with a happy smile she made a brief courtesy to them.

35. What did the Chinaman’s wife do when she saw the famished infant?

Answer:

She gave a cry of immense pity and then pressed the baby to her heart, giving it the breast. Then, with a gesture of modesty, she brought forward a flap of her robe over the milk-swollen breast and the poor, gluttonous infant suckling there.

36. Pick out a word from the passage that means ' surprise'.

Answer :

astonishment

37. Pick out a word from the passage that means "excessively greedy"

Answer :

gluttonous

38. What is mentioned here as "skeletonic horror"?

Answer :

The new - born baby who looked like a skeleton due to lack of food.

39. Prepare a Character sketch of Mikali.

Answer :

Mikali - A Responsible Brother 

Mikali was the central character of the story 'Maternity' written by the popular Greek writer Lilika Nakos. He is a Armenian refugee boy who shelters at the refugee camp of Marseilles. He is a fourteen years old orphan . His mother died at the birth of his younger brother. So, Mikali had to look after the new-born baby. He always carries the baby on his back. The infant cries every time in hunger. Mikali had no money to buy some milk for the baby and moreover nobody in the camp ready to feed the infant with brest milk.  The uninterrupted cries of the infant make every one mad. They couldn't even get enough sleep. So the people in the camp drives away Mikali. Though Mikali is very strong and healthy, nobody gives him a job as he gets the burden of the new - born baby. Anyhow, Mikali tries to withstand all these difficulties. He searches everywhere for a woman who can feed his infant brother. He is never willing to let his brother die in hunger. This shows that he is very determined, bold and also a responsible brother.

40. Mikali could never forget the day his little brother was fed by the Chinaman's wife. He records his thoughts and feelings in his diary. Write the diary entry.

Answer :

May 20, 2023

Monday

What an unforgettable day it was! Hoe can I forget those moments? The Chinese man appeared before me like a god as I thought that everything was over!  How kind he was! He took me to his home and introduced his wife. His wife greeted me very warmly. What a lovely couple! I felt like home there. Without any hesitation, she got ready to feed my infant brother with her breast milk.  I could see the greatness of maternity there. She is really a good mother and and an angel of mercy. Today my little brother got a new birth. It's only because of the Chinaman and his wife. I really owed to them. May God bless them. I can never forget this day.

41. Prepare a news paper report of Mikali’s life in the camp

The quest for maternity 

Marseilles:The pathetic sight of Mikali, a 14 year old orphan boy wandering with a crying infant, shocked the world yesterday. Mikali, a poor victim of war is forced to carry the motherless and famished brother on his back . The starving cries of the infant has become a disturbance to other people of the camp. Mikali does not get food ,work or shelter.  Even the women in the refugee camps are not ready to feed the baby. They all horrified to look at the child which has an enormous head and a thin body as it was starving since its birth. Many people who lost their sleep by the uninterrupted cries of the infant, pitifully wished that the child would die. What a tragic plight it was! Mikali is wandering from camp to camp in search of a nursing mother. The picture of Mikali and the helpless child is reported to have strengthened the common request to end war.

42. Prepare a narrative of the story 'Maternity'.

Answer :

The Greatness Of Maternity

 “Maternity” is a heart touching story written by the popular Greek writer, Lilika Nakos. The story describes the misery and sufferings of a fourteen-year-old orphan boy named Mikali who was an Armenian refugee. The story comprises of three main settings- a camp of Armenian refugees, a camp of Anatolian refugees and a house of a Chinaman. The story deals with the uncertainties occurred in the life of Mikali and his new born brother in a refugee camp in Marseilles.

Mikali's mother had died while giving birth to his brother. So he had to look after his new-born brother. Since the baby was kept on his back, he was unable to do any job or earn his livelihood. The other refugees lost their sleeps as the famished infant was crying continuously whole the day. They even wished that the baby would die. At last the refugees drove Mikali away from the camp.

Mikali went straight to the camp of Anatolians. He had heard that there was a nursing mother in the camp. So he reached there with full of hope. But unfortunately the women in the camp of Anatolians became afraid as they saw the Skeltonic structure of the infant. The child had no longer anything human about it.  The head had become enormous and the body, of an incredible thinness, was all shrivelled up. As until then it had sucked only its thumb, it was all swollen. It was dreadful to see! Mikali himself drew back in fright. Then Mikali was chased away from there too.

There was nothing to be done; the child was condemned to die of hunger. Mikali felt himself immensely alone and lost. What should he do? At that time a Chinaman reached there. The Chinaman took Mikali to his home and introduced him to his wife. The Chinaman's wife felt immense pity on the infant. She fed the baby with her breast milk. By portraying the Chinaman's wife as an ideal mother, the writer upholds the nobility of 'maternity'.

Class 9 English Bang the Drum

Bang the Drum

Read the lines from the poem 'Bang the Drum' and answer the questions that follow:

Bryan Adams  & Nelly Furtado

You and I

Together we reach for the sky

It's not about winning

It's all about playing the game

From the East

From the West

Each of us trying our best

Chasing a dream

Burning to follow the flame

1. What do the singers urge the Athletes to focus on?

Answer :

The singers urged the athletes to focus on their dream and do their best without worrying about the result.

2. Which lines convey that Athletes from around the world are participating in the games?

Answer :

From the East

From the West

Each of us trying our best

3. What does the sky stand for?

Answer :

The ultimate dream of the athletes.

4. Pick out an instance of alliteration from the lines.

Answer :

follow the flame

5. Pick out two sets of rhyming words from the stanza.

Answer :

I - Sky

West - Best

Game - Flame

Read the lines from the poem 'Bang the Drum' and answer the questions that follow:

From near

From far

It's clear, wherever you are

This is your moment

Your time to run like the wind

Dream big

Aim high

Even believe you can fly

Give it your all

Let the Games begin

Bang the Drum a little louder

So the whole world can hear

the whole world can hear

Jump up a little higher

so the whole world can see ya

the whole world can see ya

Sing the song a little louder

so the whole world can hear

the whole world can hear

6. Pick out an instance of simile from the poem.

Answer :

Your time to run like the wind

7. What do the singers urge the Athletes to do?

Answer :

The Singers urged the athletes to dream big, aim high and to do their best with all their strength.

8. Why do the Singers urge to bang the drum a little louder?

Answer:

To announce the world that the Olympics is going on here and to invite them.

9. Pick out an instance of auditory imagery from the poem.

Answer :

Bang the Drum a little louder

10. Find an instance of 'refrain' from the poem .

Answer :

Bang the Drum a little louder

the whole world can hear

11. Pick out an instance of alliteration from the lines.

Answer :

From far

little louder

12. Prepare a critical appreciation  of the song "Bang the drum"

"Bang the Drum" is a tribute song to the Athletes who came to participate in the 2010 Winter Olympics at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, Canada. This song is written and performed by popular Canadian singers Bryan Adams and Nelly Furtado.

The poem begins with an invitation that 'together we reach for the sky'. Here 'sky' stands for the dream  of the athletes. 

The singers states that it's more important to participate in the game with best of their effort and not to worry about the results. They also urged the athletes to chase their dreams, burns their passion and to do their best on the track.

In order to announce the world that the Olympics is going on here, the singers demands to bang the drum a little louder. This is an invitation to all over the world to come and cheer the participants.

 The song’s purpose is to motivate athletes to do their best on the track and on the field. The singers try to motivate the athletes to dream big, aim high and to run like a wind.

The composers used many poetic devices to make this song more attractive and rhythmic. The phrases like 'follow the flame', 'From far' and 'Little louder' are examples for alliteration. Similarly the, whole world is a repeated consonance. The author presents, a simile 'Your time to run like the wind'. Singing louder and banging the drum, louder are examples of auditory images. The, refrain the whole world can hear sustains the energy of the, song.