Malini

1. What were the Brahmins demanding for? 
Ans: Malini was a Hindu Princess but she was much interested in Buddhist religion. She did not like some of the bad aspects of Hindu religion. She particularly did not like the fact that the Brahmins misinterpreted the religion. So, her inclination was towards Buddhist religion. She used to study Buddhist literature and also used to discuss the things with monks. The Brahmins were quite afraid of it. They thought that this would be a great challenge for Hindu religion. So, they wanted Malini to stop taking interest in the Buddhist religion. Otherwise, their demand was to banish her from the country. If the King couldn’t banish his daughter, he should be abdicated. In other words, the Brahmins were demanding the banishment of Malini as she was heretic or revisionist of old religion and if the king wouldn’t banish her then he should leave the throne.

2. Draw the character sketch of Supriya and show how he is different from Kemankar. 
Ans: Kemankar and Supriya were closed friends. They were leading the revolution together. We first meet Supriya with Kemankar when the Brahmins were protesting against Malini. All of a sudden, Malini comes there. The other Brahmins became in her side and Kemankar was left alone. Supriya was with Kemankar. Supriya is a learned man and he is not conservative like his friend. He does not like to prove the supremacy of religion by physical force. He knew that there were many drawbacks of the religion and so we find him in the favour of correcting them. He is very bold because he told all these things to the Brahmins. However, Supriya has certain weakness. His weakness is that he does not have his own standing. Till Kemankar was there, he was influenced by him and when he went in next country, he was influenced by Malini.
As a whole, Supriya is a nice gentleman. He did not like that there should be bloodshed in the name of religion. So, he showed Kemankar’s letter to the king. He loves his friend so he repeatedly requested the king to forgive Kemankar. He is really genuine because he didn’t become ready to marry Malini.
Though Kemankar and Supriya are closed friends. There are many differences between the two. First, Kemankar is stricter in determination than Supriya. Kemankar is more conservative. Supriya is liberal. He is ready to accept the drawbacks of his religion and the good things of other’s religion. But, Kemankar is blind to his religion.


3. Describe the character of Malini? 
Ans: Actually, Malini was the image of love. Forgiving was the divine virtue of her. She was mediator and was impressed by Buddhism. She, getting birth in the palace, ignored the gold, dresses and ornaments. She liked serving people rather than living in a palace. She was beautiful and young. Due to her abnormal character, her mother thought her as flame of fire. People thought that she had divine power because when she came in front of the Brahmins they were influenced by her and left their demand except Kemankar. To sum up, Malini was so virtuous that she even asked pardon after Kemankar killed Supriya for his relief.


4.In the beginning of the play, the king talks about “storm clouds gathering over the king’s house”. What does he refer to? 
Ans: The king means that due to the new creed followed by his daughter in his kingdom, the people protested about it and were going to attack the palace by combining with foreign soldiers. The storm clouds mean the danger that was nearly approaching.


5. What was the revolt against? Against Malini? Against King? Against Buddhism? 
Ans: The revolt was against the Buddhism. All the Brahmins were follower of old creed but Malini followed the new creed which was a threat for their religion and demanded her banishment.


6. Why does Malini ask for her own banishment from the palace? 
Ans: Malini thinks that she is born for the people but not for the palace and for king. As people demand for her banishment, she told the king that her banishment must be granted. She opines that she was made for people and for the sake of people; she is even ready to accept her banishment.

7. The king repeatedly asks Supriya to ask for anything he wished. Why do you think he is so insistent? 
Ans: As Supriya had done a great deal of task for his country preventing the bloodshed of armies, Malini in the name of religion by showing the letter of Kemankar. So, king was too much happy having saved his kingdom, his daughter alive and made ready for the attack. Thus, he wanted to give something to Supriya for his deed and he repeatedly asked Supriya to ask something.


8. The play ends with Malini’s words: “Father, forgive Kemankar”. Do you think the king will forgive Kemankar? 
Ans: Kemankar is king’s captive and he’s treason and king asked him what would he do after his relief then he said that he would go forward for the revolt then he wasn’t set free and inside him, there was fire in his heart and he was bold on his revolt. So, king wouldn’t forgive him at first but if Malini would request him repeatedly and if Kemankar would be changed then he might forgive Kemankar.

The Gardener

1. What is the real relation between Helen and Michael? 
Ans: The real relation between Helen and Michael can be described as close relatives. Helen Turrell says that her brother George Turrell had a relationship with the daughter of retired non-commissioned police officer. She also says that before George Terrell's death, George gave birth to a child, later on George died falling from a horse. According to Helen, she goes to French because of her lung problem and there she manages to bring the child from India. Her parents and brother are not alive to know the truth. She also says that Michael's mother said nothing for child. At the graveyard the gardener, also she said Michael was her son. In fact, what she said to the villagers was false. She might have created this false story to keep the villagers silent. Otherwise, she would be condemned in the society. To tell the truth, she was unmarried. So she hid the real fact. In fact Helen and Michael were mother and son. She told all these lies so that she would not be condemned in the society.


2. How do we know who the gardener really is? 
Ans: The person who was the eyewitness of the death of Michael was a gardener. According to this story, the gardener reveals the truth. The Gardener is seen at the end of this story at the graveyard. And when Helen reaches at the graveyard, the gardener asks Helen who she is looking for. When Helen replies that, she is looking for her nephew. Then the Gardener says "Come with me and I will show you where your son lies." The gardener was able to show her Michael's name through Helen hadn't said any grave number. So I think that God was incarnated in form of a gardener. So the gardener must be God.


3. What was the effect of Michael's death on Helen? 
Ans: Helen was eager to know more about Michael's death who had become a soldier. First he was sent to England but later on he was sent to Somme. One day a shell-splinter dropped and killed Michael. Helen becomes so sad when she heard the news about Michael's death. She wrote many letters too many people and offices to find Michael's death. The war stopped but she didn't take any interest in the war. She sat on various relief committees. One day she got an official letter and there was news of Lieutenant Michael Turrell. She knew that Michael's dead body was in Hagenzeele. Hagenzeele was the third military cemetery. Finally, she goes to Hagenzeele to see Michael's grave.


4. Sketch the character of Helen. 
Ans: Helen Turrell was a thirty five years independent young woman. She fell in love with a young man of lower status than her and became pregnant. Frightened with criticism of society, she made a false story that her brother George Turrell had a relationship with the daughter of retired non-commissioned police officer. She also says that before George Terrell's death. George gave birth to a child, later on George died falling from a horse. According to Helen, she goes to France because of her lung problem and there she manages to bring the child from India. Her parents and brother are not alive to know the truth. She also says that Michael's mother said nothing for child. She convinced Michael to say her auntie. At the graveyard the gardener also said Michael was her son. In fact, what she said to the villagers was false. She might have created this false story to keep her villagers silent otherwise, she would be condemned in the society. To tell the truth, she was unmarried. So she hid the real fact. In fact, Helen and Michael were mother and son. She told all these lies so that she would not be condemned in the society. She was victim of emotion and fear of social condemnation. At last, emotions got victory over fear.

5. "Helen Turrell is ashamed that Michael is her son." Do you agree with this statement? 
Ans: Helen Turrell says that her brother George Turrell had a relationship with the daughter of retired non-commissioned police officer. She also says that before George Terrell's death. George gave birth to a child, later on George died falling from a horse. According to Helen, she goes to France because of her lung problem and there she manages to bring the child from India. Her parents and brother are not alive to know the truth. She also says that Michael's mother said nothing for child. At the graveyard, the gardener also Michael said was her son. In fact, what she said to the villagers was false. She might have created this false story to keep her villagers silent. Otherwise, she would be condemned in the society. To tell the truth, she was unmarried so she hid the real fact. In fact, Helen and Michael were mother and son. She told all these lies so that she would not be condemned in the society. 

In Bed

1. What are the distinctive traits of migraine headaches? Or What are the features of migraine headache? 
Ans: Migraine is a type of severe recurrent headache usually in one-side of head. It can't be easily cured. Ordinary headache can be cured by taking aspirins. Migraine can be prevented only by injections or drugs. A sufferer of migraine headache starts vomiting. When migraine starts, some people have hallucination, blinding effect, stomach pain, tiredness, pain in all the senses and they are unable to do their normal work. They look if they are drunk; however, nobody dies of it.


2. Why does the writer consider herself as fortunate?
Ans: Writer's husband had also same problem. He was also suffering from migraine. Her husband understands writer's pain very well. He also faces same pains as the writer. He doesn't blame the writer. Otherwise, he would say that her wife was pretending. So the writer takes herself as fortunate.

3. Write about the suffering and bitter experiences of John Didion as a migraine person.
Ans: In this essay, John Didion writes about migraine headache. She herself suffers from this headache. She feels quite uneasy and a strong flow of blow is fallen in the veins of her brain in the beginning. She doesn't want to reveal. She spends one or two days a week painfully in bed. Tears come from the fight side of her face. She goes to toilet and vomits there. She wishes a surgeon would come to avoid her brain. The writer can't speak clearly when it attacks her. She looks as if she is drunk. She tries to escape from it but she can't. When the migraine starts, she lies on bed with patience.

4. What are causes of migraine headache? And what are its effects?
Ans: Anything can start an attack of migraine headache such as stress, allergy, tiredness, unexpected events, a change in air pressure, lack of sleep, a fire drill , etc. the sufferers of migraine headache have hallucinations blinding effect, stomach problem, weakness, tiredness etc. the migraine headache also causes cold sweating and vomiting etc. But nobody dies of it.

5. What are the misconceptions associated with migraine headache? 
Ans: Some people believe that migraine headache is imaginary. They accuse the sufferers as if sufferers are pretending. They accuse the migraine suffers for refusing to cure themselves. They also accuse sufferers as if sufferers have wrong thinking and bad tempers. According to writer, the accusing eyes of the people are more painful for her then the migraine itself.

On The Vanity of Earthly Greatness

1. What changes to people and objects are described in the poem, "On the vanity of Earthly Greatness?" 
Ans: In this poem, the poet shows greatness of time. According to the poet time is powerful. It brings the changes to people or objects. The tusks of mastodons that fought powerful fights in the past have now become playthings (i.e. billiard balls). The brave emperor Charlemagne's sword has now rusted. People were afraid of grizzly bear in the past but now its skin has changed into rug in the same way, the bust powerful Roman general is kept in the self. This shows that every powerful person or things become powerless with the passage of time. So the poet makes the fun of greatness of human beings and things. Every greatness becomes the subject of decay, death and worthless.

2. What are the different examples used by the poet to show the vanity of early greatness? 
Ans: There are different examples being used by the poet to show the vanity of earthly greatness in the poem. Generally, we think that the great persons or things of today will be equally great tomorrow but greatness of persons or things of present time may be worthless with the passage of time. The poet makes the fun of greatness and power of great people and things. The tusks of mastodons that fought powerful fights in the past have now become playthings (i.e. billiard balls). The brave emperor Charlemagne's sword has now rusted. People were afraid of grizzly bear in the past but now its skin has changed into rug in the same way, the bust powerful Roman general is kept in the self. This shows that every powerful person or things becomes powerless with the passage of time. So the poet makes the fun of greatness of human beings and things. Every greatness becomes the subject of decay, death and worthless. 

Concrete Cat

This poem is composed by Dorthi Charles. In this poem the poet has described about physical appearance of the cat. This poem is an example of a concrete poem, a poem made for the eye not for ears. This poem has presented the catness in action. The poet has fully concerned with physical appearance of the cat. Capitalizing the `A' in ear, he has shown the shape of the cat's ear. Similarly,' U' in the mouth looks like a tongue. The capital' Y' in eyes has made it looks like eyes. The main concern of such poem is with the physical parts of the poetry. The poet has used pun in the middle part of the structure of the cat. The cat's middle stripe is the only place where languages aspires forward poetry and becomes figurative. The poem is humorous. This poem is not concerned with feelings, ideas, and emotions. The words are only used for making the structure of the cat. Stripe means a long band of colour in the body of cat and stripes mean lining of a cows or pigs stomach, eaten. As food, but in this poem it means stomach tissues of a mouse, which the cat has eaten. All the words are made for different parts of the cats. The mouse is killed by the cat and it is kept upside down. Every word forms a certain limbs of the cat, Ears are pointed upright. Eyes show sign of surprise. The tail is moving happily. The whiskers are wonderful and the tongue is moving for dish. Therefore this is different types of poem which is only made for eye not for ears.

1. `Concrete Cat' is an example of a concrete poem, how? 
Ans: This poem is made for eye. This poem doesn't concern much with emotions. The capitalized `A' in ear is for pointed ear, 'Y' for eyes, 'U' for cat's mouth. Similarly the words `stripes' is for stripes of the cat and `upside' mouse indicates dead mouse and the cat killed it. The poem is very fully and humorous. The poet is successful to give the concrete structure of the cat with the help of individual letters and words.

Keeping Things Whole

1. Interpret the poem "Keeping Things Whole." Or, Write the central idea of the poem. 
Ans: We human beings move from one place to another place to fulfill our purpose. We all have our own purposes for moving. When we move from one place to another place, we divide the air but the air moves in to fulfill the place from where we have gone through. Similarly we become absent in the place which we leave. According to the poet this happiness all the time in our life, we try to do wholeness/completeness but everything remains incomplete. When we solve one problem, other problems move in like air moves in. In the same way we find something missing in the first place when we go to another place. 

A Worn Path

1. Explain Phoenix Jackson and journey she makes to the town of Natchez. 
Ans: Phoenix Jackson is an old lady. She makes her journey to get medicine for her grandson. It was cold early December morning. She had a cane to walk. She has wrinkled face and unlaced shoes. Once she was caught in thorny bush and freed herself. Then she comes across a small river and barbed wire fence. She found herself in cotton field and saw scarecrow. After this, she comes across a dog, which barks at her. She hits the dog with her cane and she herself falls in the ditch. A Whiteman comes and helps her by lifting and she ran after dog. Then she found a shining nickel and put it into her pocket. The Whiteman returned and wanted to give her a dime but he hadn't she saw a church and talks with a lady there. Finally she reached a stone building and climbed stairs. The receptionist asked her a lot of questions. Then comes a nurse and asks questions to Phoenix. Phoenix replied that her grandson had a throat problem. The doctor asked the nurse to give Phoenix medicine freely. The receptionist gave her a nickel and she said that she would buy a paper windmill for grandson.


2. What was the purpose of Phoenix Jackson's trip to town? What obstacles did she face in her way? 
Ans: The old lady Phoenix Jackson's purpose of her trip to the town was to get some medicine for her grandson who is suffering from throat pain. Her grandson had swallowed lye and his throat stops working. She faced many obstacles on the way to the town. She was caught in thorny bush and freed herself. Later on, she came across a dog. She hits the dog but she fell down herself in to the ditch. The Whiteman helps her. She walks through the jungle.


3. What does Phoenix keep talking to herself? What do her monologues add to the total portrait of her? 
Ans: Phoenix often talks herself on the way to the town. Mentally she is disturbed because of her grandson's throat problem. When she was on the bank of river, she saw a boy coming towards her with cake in her imagination. When she found Whiteman's nickel, she realized herself as if she was doing something bad. From her monologues, we know about her poor condition of old age, greed for money, love for grandson, courage, etc.


4. `A worn path' is a story of unconscious heroism of Phoenix Jackson. 
Ans: Phoenix Jackson went to town for medicine for her grandson who had swallowed lye. Her grandson's throat was not working. Nobody is there except Phoenix Jackson and her sick grandson. On the way to town, she speaks to herself on the way. She faces problems one after another. Once she was caught in thorny bush. She freed herself. Then she kicked the dog in spite of her old age when she kicked the dog, she fell into the ditch. She comes across a log and goes ahead. Finally, she brings medicine and returns back home. So this story is a story of unconscious heroism. Her monologues make this factor clear.


5. Describe two obstacles old Phoenix comes up against on her way to hospital and how she deals with them. 
Ans: Phoenix Jackson is an old lady. She makes her journey to get medicine for her grandson. It was cold early December morning. She had a cane to walk. She has wrinkled face and unlaced shoes. Once she was caught in thorny bush and freed herself. Then she comes across a small river and barbed wire fence. She found herself in cotton field and saw scarecrow. After this, she comes across a dog which barks at her. She hits the dog with her cane and she herself falls in the ditch. A Whiteman comes and helps her by lifting and she ran after dog. Then she found a shining nickel fallen out of the man's pocket. The Whiteman returned and wanted to give her a dime but he hadn't. She saw a church and talks with a lady there. Finally, she reached a stone building and climbed stairs. The receptionist asked her a lot of questions. Then comes a nurse and asks questions to Phoenix. Phoenix replied that her grandson had a throat problem. The doctor asked the nurse to give Phoenix medicine freely. The receptionist gave her a nickel and she said that she would buy a paper windmill for grandson.

Look at a Teacup

1. How does Hampel see herself and her mother connected by the teacup? 
Ans: Hampel's mother bought a teacup in 1939. The Second World War also started in the same year. That teacup was brought to America from Czechoslovakia before the beginning of the war. The level of tea in the cup can be seen from outside. There are thin bands of gold around the edges of the saucer and the cap. There is also a band of gold on the inner, which has been disappeared by the constant use. There is no decoration outside cup. There were flowers, later on, Hampel's mother handed that cup to Hampel to hand over the tradition and culture of her own generation to Hampel. This is the gift given to Hampel by her mother. Hampel's cultural values are disappearing as the bands of inner circle of the saucer and tea cup disappearing. This cup reminds Hampel about not only her mother but also the tragic destruction of the Second World War


2. What do you mean by "many thing" fell that year?
Ans: Here, many things fell that year indicates the destruction that happened during the Second World War. The second war started in 1939. The falling off bombs caused much destruction. The countries were captured by their enemies. Many European innocent youths lost their lives in the battlefield. The married women who lost their husband were compelled to fall in the beds of other people. Hampel's mother had bought a teacup from Czechoslovakia before the Second World War began. But it was also destroyed in the war. In this way art, virginity, culture, tradition, and faith in marriage fell in that year.


3. How does the writer in her essay, "Look at a Tea cup" show the relationship among the falling flowers and teacups, falling bodies and beds, and falling off bombs onto women and falling countries.
Ans: The teacup about which the writer Hampel talks was brought from Czechoslovakia which was later on destroyed in the Second World War. Hampel's mother offered that teacup to hand down her culture to her daughter but Hampel didn't follow her mother's culture of marrying and bearing children. The flowers inside the cup are scattered and they are falling separately. The band of gold on the inner circle is disappearing due to constant use. This indicates that the old tradition is disappearing. The Second World War began in 1930, many women lost their husband in the battlefield, and enemies compelled these widows to fall in the beds of others. Here, falling bodies and beds indicates the miserable condition of married women of that time. The Second World War made women's future dark. The young girls were afraid of getting married. In the same way, many countries means falling of freedom, peace and their own identify after the Second World War.

4. What is Hampel's attitude to marriage? 
Ans: The Hampel's mother got married in 1939 when the Second World War began. It destroyed many things. Many married women who lost their husband and family members were compelled to fall on the beds of strange persons after own husband's death in the battlefield. The destructive Second World War caused a sense of fear in young girl's life. The writer herself saw miserable condition of married women of that period. They lost the faith in marriage. Hampel takes `work' as the important thing but not marriage. For writer and her generation marriage is a tragedy.

5. What does the story "Look at a Teacup" tell us about being women? 
Ans: Hampel says that in the generation of Hampel's mother, there was a great faith in marriage and family relations before marriage. The traditional women wanted to hand over their tradition and culture to their daughters. They considered that women Fshould marry for sexual relations. For them family life was greater than work. But modern women don't follow the traditional values and work is greater than families for modern women. Marriage and family life is tragedy for Hampel's generation.

6. What does the essay "Look at a Teacup" tell us about marriage? About mother-daughter relationship? About importance of family? 
Ans: The `tea cup' about which is talking was bought from Czechoslovakia. Later on this country was destroyed in the Second World War. According to the writer, Hampel before the Second World War marriage and family life was considered a great thing. The mother used to hand over culture and their possession to their daughter. Hampel's mother also did the same thing as other women used to do. Her mother gave her a teacup as a gift. The teacup reminds the writer her mother's marriage, happy life, etc. they didn't have sexual relations before marriage. This essay also tells us about the importance of happy family life before the Second World War. But during the Second World War, many married women lost their husbands and family members in the battlefield and compelled to fall in the beds of strange ones and these women cursed themselves of being women. After the Second World War, the importance of married life fell down. The Second World War caused fear in young women. Married life means to means to Hampel and Hampel's generation is a tragedy.

7. Explain "The cup is a detail, a small uncharged finger from the mid-century bonfire". 
Ans: The cup, which was offered to the writer Hampel, was brought from Czechoslovakia. It was beautiful cup with beautiful flowers inside it. In that century, Czechoslovakia was destroyed in the Second World War. The Second World War started in 1939 or in the mid-century. The married women lost their husbands as well as family members in the war. Everything was destroyed but the cup remained unaffected. Here, uncharted finger indicates that whole body or everything brunt except little finger or little tea cup in the war. The country Czechoslovakia lost its culture, tradition, identity, freedom, etc. in the war. Here, unchanged finger is the symbol art of Czechs.

The Three Day Blow

1. Discuss "The Three Day Blow" as a dramatic story.
Ans: Drama is a genre that tells a story through the speech and actions of the character in the story. Here, in "The Three Day Blow" the story is presented with the help of dialogues. In the drama, the story is presented in different places, in the same way in `The Three Day Blow' there are scenes too. The whole story becomes clear by the dialogue between Nick and Bill in different places.


2. The story is presented in a sequence of approximately seven scenes. Can you find them?
Ans: In this story, Nick and Bill are the main characters. They are presented in different places. In the first scenes, Nick and Bill stand outside the cottage. In the second scenes Nick and Bill drink sitting in Bill's sitting room. In the third scene nick is picking up the apricots he has dropped in the kitchen. In the fourth scene, they are putting the log on the fire in the sitting room. In the fifth scene, they were coming from the kitchen. In the scene, they are in the sitting room talking about Marjorie. In the seventh scene both friends Nick and Bill are outside the cottage and they are ready to go for hunting.


3. What is the relationship between the Three Day Blow and Nick's mental condition? 
Ans: There is similarity between the Three Day Blow and Nick's mental condition. As the three day blow comes suddenly and makes the tree leafless, similar kind of tragic blow comes in the love affair between Nick and Marjorie. Nick loves Marjorie but her mother is bad. The first day blow indicates Nick's hatred towards Marjorie's mother; the second blow indicates his suffering from separation. The third day blow indicates his planning for reunion.

4.What did Nick and Bill talk about?
Ans: Nick and Bill talked about four things: Baseball, Writers, Their Fathers and about Nick’s beloved. When they met at Bill’s house, they sat in front of fire and drank Irish Whisky. They started their conversation like any normal young men. They talked about their favorite game, which was baseball. But they were not satisfied with their team, Card, performed. Then they talked about their favorite novelist Walpole and Chesterton. Out of them the former was a better human whereas the latter was a better writer. They reconfirmed the age-old belief that one is remembered either for his work or for his behavior. After that they talked about their father. Nick’s father was a doctor, whereas Bill’s father was a painter. They both found their father better person. However, they also accepted that Nick’s father has missed a lot of things by not drinking wine.
The last topic they talked on was about the beloved of Nick, Marjorie. They had quarreled and busted up recently. The event had disturbed Nick mentally. In spite of Bill’s several attempts he was not able to forget her. During the talk he realized that there was possibility for their reunion. That realization made him feel better and filled a new energy in Nick. After that they went out for hunting.

The Loving Mother

1.Summarize the story "The Loving Mother."
Ans:The loving mother is a supernatural story based on the background of Japan. Shoji Sakota, a pharmacist lived alone just behind a drugstore because his wife had died may years before. One stormy winter night, he was preparing annual business report and there was only one light for the entire store. The door was knocked but he ignored it and he heard the knock a third time. He went on the door. He thought that it would be emergency case. He saw that there was a young woman and asked her to come in the morning. The woman borrowed that her child needed ame. Shoji Sakota stopped his working and found that she was really mysterious. Her eyes showed that she has come from another world. The doctor gave ame and after getting ame the woman went quickly into stormy night. The same thing repeated the next two nights. But Sakota wondered why she didn't come in the day. Sakota called his friend for taking photos of the woman. In the third night, she came on the same time for request. According to their plan, they took her photo. After developing the photo, they felt surprise because the image of the shop could be seen in the photo but there was no image of the woman. They decided to follow her next night. When she came again they followed her. They reached a house and walked up three flats of stairs in a building. They saw the door was open and went in the room. There was a baby who was licking ame and the woman was sleeping beside the baby. She was the same woman who requested for ame. They thought that she was just acting. Sakota touched her shoulder. She didn't move and he put his hand on her neck, they found that she was lifeless. She had been dead for so many days. The author gives many clues that the woman is a ghost. For example she only visits the pharmacist after midnight; her skin is "abnormal light'; her eyes strange and seems to look straight through Mr. Sakota, she cannot be photographed.


2. Describe the women who visited Mr. Sakota's pharmacy late at night. 
Ans: The women who visited Shoji Sakota's pharmacy late at night, was abnormally pale. Her hair was untidy and she had mysterious eyes. She looked to be rather slim and thin. Her appearance was not usual.


3. Show the points of similarities and differences between the supernatural stories" A House Call" and "The Loving Mother" 
Ans: Both the stories `A House Call' and `The Loving Mother' are the supernatural stories. In the story `The House Call' a small girl's spirit comes and visits doctor. Similarly in the story `The Loving Mother' the spirit of death mother comes and visits the pharmacist. In both stories there is description of love and affection between the mother and the child. Both stories show that even after someone's death, their spirit visits their loving members of the family. The difference is that in the story of `The House Call' small girl visit the doctor but in the second story the mother visits the pharmacist. In the first story, the little girl requests the doctor to get to her house but in the second story, the mother asks for ame.

Fear

1.Summarize the story `Fear' Armando Gonzalez is the major character of this story.
Ans:According to this story, Armando entered a large bank in Mexico City and gave the cheque and the pass book to the bank teller. The teller asked so many questions to him and he counted the money with load voice but he realized himself that everyone was going to be known. He was so nervous while everybody was watching towards him. He put the money into his baggy pants and went out. He was watched by everyone because he was putting his hat on back ward. He saw one rather heavy man there who looked at him. His whole body was shaking. He was sure that he was following on him and knows about his cash. And he waited for a bus putting his hand into the pocket when he got on the bus. The heavy man also got on. When other people got on they were looking at him. He thought the money collected after his hard work. After thinking so much, he decided to get off the bus. Armando thought that three boys were helpers of heavy man. When Armando got off, the three boys also got off. Armando was waiting for another bus but three boys were looking at him because he had still his hat on backwards. He was very frightened after that he thought if they were about to rob him. He ran saying "help me" and he ran across the road through the fence into an old junk yard. Armando asked why they got off with him. They answered that they were students and they had gone there for football tournament. Armando requested to them not to take his money. But they said that they got on the wrong bus and they were talking with a heavy man about bus. Finally, he knew all the reality and put his hat forward and walked together along the street. This is not a supernatural story because there are no ghosts or spirits in the story .It is a thriller based on the human fear of a nervous man.


2. What were the things which made Armando think that someone was going to rob him?
Ans: There were so many things that made Armando think that somebody was going to rob him out. They were; a man in the bank ward and some boys in the bus looking at him etc. When Armando was at the bank, the cashier counted the money loudly. Everyone saw him withdrawing money from the bank. Next the fat man was beside him looking at him at the bank. Thirdly the fat man got on the same bus. Fourth he thought that three boys were sent by the fat man to rub him. He also found that the three boys were also following him. These things made Armando think that someone was going to rub him.

3. Why is Armando afraid of the heavy man in the bus? 
Ans: Armando is much afraid of the heavy man in the bus because the heavy man was looking at him and standing next to him at the bank. The heavy man also got on the same bus. Armando wanted to be free from fear of heavy man by getting off from the bus. Those three boys, who were talking with heavy man, also got off from the bus. Armando thought that these three boys might have been sent by the heavy man. He thought they might be the helper of the heavy man. So he was always afraid of the heavy man. 

The House Call

1. Summarize the story "The House Call"The house call is laid down on the background of German.
Ans:There is a major character named Dr. Emil Braun. It was 9:30 in the evening Dr. Braun was sitting alone in the dining room. He was so tired because of his difficult surgical operations of the day. He suddenly woke up hearing the doorbell. There was a girl saying to his wife that her mother was dying. Meanwhile a little girl arrived at the door to call the doctor to visit her apartment .Then the doctor became ready to go with her. It was lightly raining the little girl walked so fast and the doctor followed to her. The doctor wanted to ask some questions about the sickness of her mother but he couldn't catch her. She was ahead keeping a good distance between the doctor and herself. At last she went into an old house. It was absolutely dark inside. She started climbing the stairs and reached the fifth floor. The girl pointed to the doctor that her mother was there and thanked him. The doctor entered the room. He found a woman lying in the bed. She was the maintenance staff of his hospital. When he checked her, he found that she was suffered from pneumonia. He gave some medicine. The doctor talked with her about her little girl. But she told him that she had been already died before three months. The sick mother had kept her shoes and shawl for her memory. Then the doctor looked it more closely and found that they were damp and wet. Elda told him that she was thinking about him. The doctor saw that the woman was asleep. He touched her feverish head once again and returned back closing the door. There are two possible explanations the girl who came to fetch the doctor. One possibility is that it was a girl who lived near to the sick woman. However, the girl said it was her own mother who was sick. This means the girl must have been the ghost of the daughter of the sick woman.


2. Why did the doctor have a look of surprise on his face when Elda told him that little daughter died in September?
 Ans: It was so because Elda's little daughter had gone to Dr. Braun's house to call him for the treatment of her sick mother. Dr. Braun had followed the same girl on the way. So, the doctor had a look of surprise.


3. What did Dr. Braun discover when he went with the girl who came to house?
Ans: The doctor reached to Elda's house. He saw that girl at the door. But Elda said that her daughter had died in September. Dr. Braun surprised when he heard this. He finally realized that he might have been called by Elda's dead daughter's sprit. It shows that it was a dead sprit of Elda's daughter who haunted the door of the doctor. 

The Lost Doll

1. Summaries the story "The Lost Doll".
Ans:The lost doll is the story laid on the background of South America. Carmen was a daughter of Roberto and Rosa. She was beautiful, bright and loving. But she was sick from the day of her birth. When she reached at the age of four, her condition became worse and she died. Her body was taken to the cemetery in the small wooden coffin. After a few days, Rosa collected all the clothes and playthings of Carmen and gave a priest who had come from the next village down the valley. Because the doctor had told that she wouldn't have any children but Roberto had still hope to get another baby again. He asked about the doll to Rosa which she used to play with her friends. Rosa replied that she had not given that doll. On the anniversary of the death of Carmen, Rosa gave birth to another baby girl. The name was kept Evangelina. She was healthy. When Evangelina reached almost four she said that she had been sick for a long time ago. And she had a doll with red dress and blue eyes. Rosa's sister also had come from Bogotá. Both sisters were surprised when they listened to Evangelina talking about the lost doll. She added that she had been sick before and a priest had prayed with his hand on her hand then Evangelina fell asleep. But a nice man woke up her and told to leave the doll and he took her with him and he helped her to put her doll under the ground. When they dug up the place showed by the girl, they found the doll. When Evangelina told her past, Rosa couldn't say anything. This is story about reincarnation. Reincarnation is when the soul or spirit of one body is reborn in another body. Evangelina is the reincarnation of Carmen. This explains why Evangelina "remembers" being sick and why she knows where the lost doll was hidden.


2. How were Carmen and Evangelina alike and different? Or In what ways Mariya Del Carmen and Evangelina alike? 
Ans: Evangelina was Rosa's second daughter and Carmen was the first one. Evangelina's actions and body structure were similar to her sister Carmen who had died after being sick. Evangelina looked as Carmen. The difference was that Carman was sick but Evangelina wasn't sick.


3. What evidences are there in the story to show that the Soto family was poor? 
Ans: Roberto and Rosa were both husband and wife. They had little daughter who died at the age of four. When Roberto doesn't find the doll of Carmen, he wants to save that doll for next child. This shows the poor condition of Soto family. They were living a simple and ordinary life. 

The Recurring Dream

1. Write about a dream that you have seen recently.
 Ans: Yesterday I saw a terrible dream about a ghost. In my dream I found myself sitting with my friends in the jungle. When I was a little away from my friends, I saw a ghost dancing around me. It was telling me that I was going to be killed. In my dream, I cried so badly. I was asking for a help. My friends did not listen to me what I was saying. I fell in a critical condition. I thought I had to kill the ghost. Then, the fight began between me and the ghost. The ghost had had very sharp claws and redred eyes. It was so furious so I was. I tried to thrash it on the stone. Fortunately, I succeeded on my own and the ghost was thrown into the river nearby. Finally, I went to my friends who were looking at me. They asked me how the fight was like. I also narrated the event as it was happened. The next day, the result of my dream came true. I got the first division in exam.


2. Do dream have any connection to our real life? Discuss your personal view. Also relate to the story.
Ans:"The Recurring Dreams." Ans: Of course, dreams have connection to our real life. I have got such experience in my life. Once I saw my friend Mohan fallen down from a tree in my dream. After few days, I heard the news that he met an accident. He was rushed to the hospital. His condition became worse. His hands and legs were broken and ultimately died.


3. Why do some people have recurring dreams? Give your opinion. 
Ans: Many people have their dreams at night. We have also got some experiences of dreams. In our dreams sometimes we see ghosts, wild animals, great buildings, juggles, death person, friends etc. In my opinion we see these persons, animals, things because of our unsatisfied desires. We have experienced that what we desire in a daytime, occurs in our dream at night. So desire of getting something might be the cause of recurring dream. In the same way sometimes we see same dream day by day. We have experienced the fact that we fail in our exam in the dream if we are waiting for exam result. So fear might be the cause of dream.

4. Why does Janet want to take Kim to her parent's farm for a few days?
Ans: Janet wants to take her friend to her parents' farm because Kim had a problem of recurring dream. She used to see the same old man and the white house in her dream. Kim tried to speak to that old man in her dream but suddenly woke up from her dream. This happened daily. Her friend, Janet wanted to take Kim to her parent's farm so that Kim will feel easy and forget that recurring dream. So Janet takes Kim to her own parents' farm for a few days.


English | Summary
Unit One : Stories of the Supernatural
The Recurring Dream
A Story from England
The Magic of Words

The story starts with a description of Kimberly Clark, the protagonist of the story, who is twenty five yeas old with all qualities of a normal young woman. She is pretty, she loves to dance, and she has many friends and a good position in the office of a large company. Despite these all, she has a problem. She has been troubled by a strange and mysterious dream that haunts her every night.

The strange dream always begins on a country road. Kim stands on this road and sees a lane with a white fence and a hedge on each side. At the end of the lane, on the top of a little hill, she sees a small white cottage with green shutters. Then she walks up the lane to the house, goes in and looks around. In one of the rooms, she finds a man asleep in bed. He is a little old man with white hair and a white heard. When she comes near his bed, the man wakes up. Then he sits up and looks at her. When she tries to speak to him, she wakes up. She is very surprised troubled by the dream because she has never known any little old man like that and neither the place. 

Kim’s roommate knows everything. So, one day she proposes Kim to visit her (Janet’s) parents’ farm house to feel peace in mind. As they pass through a country road, Kim sees the similar scene which she sees in her dream. They stop there. Janet does not want Kim to go and see the small cottage but Kim goes. 

The house was exactly the same, except for a sign in front of the house which said ‘FOR SALE’. Unlike her dream, Kim goes to the door of the house and knocks and to her surprise the same old man answers the door who immediately closes the door. After Kim’s request, he opens the door. Kim again asks why the house is for sale. The old man reveals that the house is haunted by a ghost. Kim tries hard to think to say something instead asks who the ghost is. The old man gets surprised and shocks her by replying that she herself is the ghost.

                                                 

Unchopping a Tree

1. What does the essay "Unchopping a tree" suggest about conservation?
Ans: The essay " unchopping a tree" by showing the impossibility of restoring once cut down trees, makes people aware of the fact that we should not destroy the natural forest indiscriminately. Even if by hook or crook, you are able to make the tree stand, you can't infuse life on it. It is easy to chop but impossible to restore. Thus before we chop we must know how to unchop, which is impossible. To sum up, he warns us against deforestation. If the acts are not stopped on time, it is going to boomerang on us in the long run.


2. How is the chopping down of trees compared to a man's life in the poem 'The Poplar Field'?
Ans: The poet thinks that he will die one day. He says that all the pleasures of man are destroyed. Even our life is short but our enjoyment will die before our death. He says that he is lying on the earth like the tree. He feels that cutting down of trees is serious as the death of human beings. The poet thinks that the pleasures of man are perishable and momentary. So, he appeals to the people for conserving the nature. He says that deforestation should be stopped. 

The Six Million Dollar Man

1. Why did the writer say he was a six Million Dollar man?
Ans: Once, the writer received a birthday card sent by his daughter and son-in-law. In that card, it was mentioned that the price of the human body is only 97 cents. Later he gets price list of all the parts of the body from bio-chemical company. He concludes that the value of dry human body is $ 245.54 per-gram. The weight of the writer's dry body is 244436 grams. He multiplies it and finds the total value of his body $ 6,000,015.44.So he calls himself a six Million Dollar man.


2. How does the writer come to the conclusion that each human being is priceless?
Ans: Once, the writer received a birthday card sent by his daughter and son-in-law. In that card, it was mentioned that the price of the human body is only 97 cents. Later he gets price list of all the parts of the body from bio-chemical company. He concludes that the value of dry human body is $ 245.54 per-gram. The weight to the writer's dry body is 244436 grams. He multiplies it and finds the total value of his body $ 6,000,015.44.So he calls himself a six Million Dollar man. After doing this, he calculates prices of cells, tissues, souls, etc. then he finds a man valuable or priceless. He concludes that the price of human body can't be measured in terms of dollar. The human body is endlessly valuable.


3. Explain Harold J. Morowitz's Joy in discovering that he is a six million Dollar man. 
Ans: The writer  Harold J. Morowitz received birthday greeting card sent by his daughter and son  in- law. On it he finds the statement "According to biochemists, the materials that make up human body are worth 97 cents. This statement shows that human body is very cheap. Then he visits a biochemist and takes a price list of all the human body. The weight of the writer's dry body is 2444.36 grams. He multiplies it and finds the total value of his body $ 6,000,015.44. So he calls himself a six Million Dollar man. After doing this, he calculates prices of cells, tissues, souls, etc. then he finds a man valuable or priceless. He concludes that the price of human body can't be measured in terms of dollar. The human body is endlessly valuable.
                        

The Nightmare Life without Fuel

1. According to the author, what will be the advantage of the fuel crisis? 
Ans: To begin with it should be very clear that there’s no advantage at all of fuel crisis. Still, however, the writer has mentioned some advantages of it. But, they are mentioned ironically.
The first advantage of fuel crisis is that the air will be cleaner and there will be no air pollution. People will have fewer colds. People will walk freely in the streets and there will be no danger of accidents. The parks will be full. On the top of everything, people will communicate with each other freely and more frequently. There will be fewer crimes and the policemen will be back to their beats.
On the other hand, there will be peace in the world. Only the United States and the Soviet Union will have some aero planes, ships and tankers. Even these countries will not be able to use such things. People will use things like sweaters, blankets and they will have fresh air in summer. People will complete their daily activities by the evening and will go to beds early at nights.
There are many disadvantages of fuel crisis. All the scientific progress will come to a stop. The factories will be closed and there will be full unemployment. At the same time, there will be a total lack of different products in the market.
Due to the lack of transportation, people of one end of the world will die out of hunger whereas there will be food supply in the other part of the world. Similarly, medicines also cannot be sent from one part of the world to another. In those countries where there will be lack of food, thousands of people will suffer from malnutrition and brain damage. All the activities will come to an end. Machines will be replaced by physical labour of human muscles and animals. In short, all the scientific progress will stop and human civilization will go back to the time before the industrial revolution or Stone Age.


2. In Asimov’s essay, what is happening in the rest of the world as America struggles without fuel?
 Ans: The writer shows a very dismal picture of the rest of the world as America struggles without fuel. People will be starving in many parts of the world. Perhaps, not more than one in five will have enough to eat. There will be a high rate of infant mortality. Due to the lack of food, there will be many cases of permanent brain damage by under nutrition. So much so, many such people will have to be killed out of mercy.


3. What does the author mean when he says, “the suburbs were born with the auto, lived with the auto, and are dying with the auto.”
 Ans: People go to urban area from village area for good facilities. When cities become crowded, people start to move towards suburb areas for peace. They move to suburb areas because they can go there easily on their vehicles if there is lack of fuel, they will have difficulties.

Speaking of Children

1. How does the essay `Speaking of children' examine the idea of having more than one child? 
Ans: Having more than one child is an obstacle of happy married life. Having more than one child is a way of child i.e. parents have to change their way of life into the children's way of life since the parents are outnumbered. The parents hardly get time for their private affair. The children always come in between. The mother of plural child gets tired and by the time she goes to bed sleep faster. So they even don't get time to share their idea even in bed time. Moreover, your holiday plan should be changed because of plural children. The parents search for cheaper and nearby place etc.


2. Does the essay speaking of children speak in favour or against having many children? Give reason.
 Ans: This essay speaks implicitly against having many children. The essayist without passing her judgment examines the idea of having more than one child is the consequent expenses of parents. Barbara Holland talks about the sacrifices that the parents have to make for the sake of their children. She says that one child is just one extra thing in one's life. They can make it do what they want to go. They can teach it nice things as they wish. In short, one child is never a nuisance. But more than one child becomes unmanageable for their parents. Even if there are only two children, they are sufficient enough to outnumber you and your husband. They almost completely deny you any time to enjoy a private chat with your husband. Barbara also tells us that parents of plural children can spare time for themselves only after they have taken the children somewhere and brought them home again. Things are never in order. Whenever you move in the house, children's playthings come in your way. In short, with more than one child, you and your husband are never yourselves.
                                 

My heart leaps up when I behold

1. Explain the paradox `The Child is the father of Man.
Ans: In this poem the poet William Wordsworth says," The child is the father of man". He wants to say that present is the outcome of past. According to him, the child grows up and becomes father. Manhood is outcome of the childhood. So, the poet says this statement. This paradox might have different meaning. The poet might have said that the child is innocent. We can learn many things from the child who never lies. In reality, we try to learn from father. We can also say that a man can be younger by age but may be more matured by mind that is what the poet wants to express through this paradox.
2. Why does the heart of the poet leap up when he sees a rainbow in the sky?
Ans: The poet William Wordsworth is identified as a nature loving poet. He enjoys on nature and natural things. The poet was the worshipper of the nature. He enjoys the scenic beauty of nature. He saw the same rainbow when he was a child. It is the same as in the past. It will remain the same but the poet will die soon. Here, the rainbow symbolizes the continuation in his life but it is not possible. So, his heart leaps up.

The Popular Field

1. Summarize the poem "The Popular Field" in one paragraph.
Ans: The poem `The Popular Field' was composed by William Cowper. The poet compares the condition of the popular field before 12 years and after 12 years. Before twelve years, when he visited the popular field, at that time there were many trees and the shade of these tree could be seen in the Ouse river. The black bird used to sing. The wind used to blow in the leaves. He sat under the trees. But after twelve years he found nothing, only cut down trees were lying on the ground. Finally, the poet compares his life with the condition of those popular trees. The trees were once strong and straight but now they are lying on the ground, similarly, the poet was also handsome and young but now he has become old and he thinks he will lie on the ground soon. It means he will die soon.

2. What changes did the poet see in the popular field when he came back after 12 years? 
Ans: After twelve years, he saw the many changes in the popular field. The trees were cut down. They were lying down on the ground there was no reflection of trees in the Ouse River. The black birds had left the popular field. The poet couldn't hear bird's song. The wind wasn't blowing in the leaves of the trees as in the past. He sat on cut down trees.

3. Discuss how the poet links up the idea of the cut down poplars with the end of human life and pleasures. 
Ans: After twelve years, he saw many changes in the popular field. The trees were cut down. They were lying down on the ground there was no reflection of trees in the Ouse River. The black birds had left the popular field. The poet couldn't hear bird's song. The wind wasn't blowing in the leaves of trees as in the past. He sat on cut down trees. The popular field has changed to a desert. The sight of the fallen poplars makes the poet feel sad. He realizes that he will die soon in the future and lie in the grave like the fallen poplars lying on the grass. The poet also says that our pleasures are shorter than our life.

4. Write essay on "Living in the country." Or, write an essay on rural life".
 Ans: Country Life means spending our life in village. Most people in our country live in village. There is peaceful environment in the village. There is no noise of vehicles and there isn't much crowd. Village people have fresh air, water, and they have leisure life. They are not as busy as town people. Village people are cooperative and they help each other in need. But there are not many schools and there is illiteracy. Most of them are uneducated. There are less opportunities of job. Everywhere there is poverty. There aren't many facilities of schools, hospital, transport, and so on. Therefore, they can't get good education, treatment well.