English Notes

Introduction Faiz Ahamad Faiz was an intellectual, revolutionary and one of the most famous poets of Urdu language from Pakistan. His varied career won him a wide audience. He was the recipient of Lenin Peace Prize by the Soviet Union in 1962. Faiz was inspired by South Asia’s Sufi traditions. Synopsis This poem is more about love which is not merely self-centred but universal. Humanity has been moved by this powerful inner feeling ever since time immemorial. Here, in the poem the poet tries to convey to his beloved his inability at the moment to return the same love he had in their youthful days. Then, her love was everything else. Her sorrows were more painful. As he has matured overtime, he now understands the world better. He feels that he has to respond to much bigger issues. There is more for him to love and there are more sorrows to understand. So, the poem concludes that a more mature attitude towards love gives one a better understanding of love and sorrows.

Click for Video Explanation Click for summary Comprehension I 1.         Do you think Laura was a regular visitor to the park? What makes you think so? Ans: Yes. Her words, “I feared my seat would be occupied”, show that she was a regular visitor. 2.         Why are Don Gonzalo and Laura annoyed with each other? Ans: Because both want bench to themselves. 3.         Dona Laura reads without her glasses as Ans: (c) she knows every word by heart. 4.         Gonzalo and Laura keep up humorous conversation because they: Ans: (b) enjoy being with each other. 5.         Laura and Gonzalo’s friendly conversation begins with Ans: (c) a pinch of snuff. 6.         Do you think Laura is an effective narrator? Ans: Yes, she is. 7.         Gonzalo does not reveal his identity because: Ans: he looks grotesque and old. Comprehension II 1.  Precisely at what point of time, do you think, Laura and Gonzalo begin

Click for the summary Questions and Answers  COMMON INTRODUCTION P. Sainath is an Indian journalist who focuses on issues such as social and economic inequality, rural affairs and poverty. He was the Rural Affairs Editor at The Hindu . He has been writing for the various dailies and fortnightlies. Comprehension II 1.   What is the role of Arivoli  Iyakkam   in liberating women? Ans:  Arivoli Iyakkam  – Light of Knowledge Movement organizes various activities benefitting rural women and the disadvantaged people in society. It helps people become literate. One of the remarkable initiatives taken up by Arivaoli for the liberation of women in 1992 in Pudukkottai district of Tamilnadu was cycling movement. It helped women gain confidence. They became independent: they were able to fetch water; they could cart provisions from other places. Arivoli gave these women a new lease of life. Cycling offered a way out of enforced routines, around male impo

Click for the summary Comprehension I 1.   What qualities of the old man impressed the narrator? Ans: He was a labourer, overseer and philosopher. 2.    Is it a significant factor that the old man came to the garden after walking hundreds of miles? Ans: Yes, it is. 3.     The owner of the gardener became lethargic because Ans: (b) he had become dependent upon the gardener. 4.     Why did the owner’s wife start worrying about the strange ways of her husband? Ans: He became lethargic and shied away from hard work. 5.    When did the old man decide to narrate his story? Ans: When she was in a fix. 6.     Tammanna considers his rival, Sngoji/Basavaiah, an important possession because, Ans: (c) rivalry offers new possibilities of life for him. 7.    “No, his name was not Sngoji, but Basavaiah” told the old man because Ans: (C) he was fictionalizing his past. 8.    What unique strategy did Tammanna

Click for the summary Comprehension I 1.   ‘Exquisitely well-mannered people’ refers to Ans : b. Japanese 2.   What behaviour substitutes privacy in Japan? Ans : Courtesy 3.   The reference to public telephone suggests: Ans : a. How overcrowded Japan is. 4.   Hierarchy in bowing demands  a. youngsters bow to their elders.         b. wife bows to her husband         c. sisters bow to their brothers Ans :  All the above 5.   What does one show as a sign of appreciation while eating soup? Ans : One makes fearful noise while eating soup. Comprehension II Common Introduction George Mikes is an artist, author, publisher, illustrator and journalist from Hungary. ‘Japan and Brazil Through A Traveler’s Eye’ are excerpts chosen from his ‘The Rising of the Yen ’ and ‘How To Tango’. 1.         Why is bowing in Japan a complicated process? OR Why does bowing, a natural practice in Japanese culture, look so