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SUMMARY This is an imaginary interview of a leopard taken by the writer Vijay Singhat Sanjay Gandhi National Park.It is a humorous conversation between the writerwith Mr. Spots, wherein the leopard tries to portray real facts and finally afterbeing interviewed walks away proudly conveying the message that if humanbeings encroach in their territory, the wild animals know how to find their wayinto the concrete jungle.

PRE-READING ACTIVITY

1. What animals hog the limelight in newspapers ?Ans. Leopards2. Much mention is made of these animals because-

Ans. Ecological balance has to be maintained.3. (a) Do you think animals communicate?

Ans. Yes, they do communicate.(b) Do they have a language?

Ans. Yes.(c) How do they communicate?

Ans. They communicate through sounds and gestures.

PASSAGE I (Lines 1 - 26)

It’s not easy…….............................................................................................................. ................................................................................................................... against this?

spot - see, findco-opted - appointed, asked for or chosen as an extra member

of the grouppress - newspaper writers and photographers, media peopleporcupine - animal related to the squirrel family with a body

with long spinesbristled - reacted angrilyfrisked - searcheddarts - pointed weaponsquarry - a rare object of huntexcerpts - part ofbad press - bad imagesensational - excitingsmouldering - (here) angryhabitat - surrounding, a place where one livesfleeting - brief and quickcontent - satisfiedtwitching - sharp pull

GLOSSARY

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indignation - anger.tranquilizer - a drug that enables people to go off to sleep.cramped - crowded, limited in space.territorial - relating to land.core - centre.fringes - border.domain - territory, area.avail - be of use or make use.

[I] SIMPLE FACTUAL QUESTIONS (SFQ). (1 Mark)

*1. Whose services did the press avail of to meet Mr. Spots?Ans. The press availed the services of a porcupine to meet Mr. Spots.*2. What was the press searched for?

Ans. The press was searched for tranquilizer darts or guns.3. How many leopards are there in the jungle?

Ans. There are twenty five leopards in the jungle.

[II] COMPLEX FACTUAL QUESTIONS (CFQ). (1 Mark)

1. What territories belonging to Mr. Spot’s are encroached upon?Ans. Aaarey Colony, Powai, Film city are the territories occupied by human beings.*2. How does Mr. Spots justify their supposedly brief visits to human

habitation?Ans. Mr. Spots justifies their supposedly brief visits to human habitation by saying

that it is because the human beings are encroaching upon their territoriesthey are forced to visit the concrete jungle.

3. What is the temperament of the leopard during the interview ? Which arethe words indicating his temperament?

Ans. The words ‘smouldering’ and ‘indignation’ show that the leopard was very angry.

[III] EVALUATIVE / INTERPRETATIVE QUESTIONS (EQ/IQ). (1 Mark)

*1. Why has the leopard been in bad press?Ans. The leopard has earned notoriety for himself by making sensational

appearances in Powai and Borivli by harming the people there.2. Why does the writer say that the leopard was their rare quarry?

Ans. The writer says that the leopard was their rare quarry as it was not easy to geta leopard for an interview.

*3. Why are leopards making sensational headlines in newspapers now morethan ever ?

Ans. Human beings are taking away the land reserved for animals thus forcing theleopards to enter human territory and even harm the people. This causes panicamong the people resulting in sensational headlines in newspapers.

4. Why did the press co-opt the services of a porcupine ?Ans. The porcupine is also a dangerous animal so the press thought that the leopard

would not refuse him.

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[IV] GRAMMAR. (2 Marks)

1. It’s not easy to spot a leopard. (Rewrite as an Affirmative sentence)Ans. It’s difficult to spot a leopard.

2. We leopards have to survive too. (Remove ‘too’)Ans. We leopards have to survive also.

3. Your Film City has also eaten into our domain. (Identify the Tense)Ans. Present Perfect Tense.

4. Isn’t there a court order against this? (Rewrite as an Assertive sentence)Ans. There should be a court order against this.

[V] VOCABULARY QUESTIONS (VQ). (2 Marks)

1. Match the columns to make a collocation.A B

(i) fleeting (a) rock(ii) volcanic (b) order(iii) court (c) appearance

Ans. (i - c), (ii - a), (iii - b)2. Write the words which mean : (a) searched (b) a drug which puts one to sleep

Ans. (a) frisked (b) tranquilizer3. Explain – fleeting appearance and territorial creatures.

Ans. quick and brief appearance, animals or human beings living in a particularterritory. (here - the jungle)

4. Give an example of ‘transferred epithet’ from the above passage.Ans. Smouldering eyes – here the epithet ‘smouldering’ has been transferred from

the leopard to the eyes.

[VI] PERSONAL RESPONSE QUESTIONS (PRQ). (2 Marks)

*1. Does the text throw light on the ecological imbalance? Support your answer.Ans. Yes, the text throws light upon the ecological imbalance which is happening

due to the human beings encroaching the territories of animals. The animalsfeel cramped in those areas thus making way into the concrete jungle.

PASSAGE II (Lines 27 - 52)

Interviewer: So why………............................................................................................... .............................................................................................................. concrete jungle.

retreat - go back.shudder - tremble, quiver.insane - mad.to turn tail - to run away.fled - ran.neurotic - crazy.menacingly - threateningly.

GLOSSARY

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clan - family.rogue - ruffin, deceitful person.deterrent - preventive measure, hindrance.trudges - walks slowly because one is tired.stalks away - walks away angrily.concrete jungle - crowded, overpopulated city.detained - confined, imprisoned

[I] SIMPLE FACTUAL QUESTIONS (SFQ). (1 Mark)

1. What did the leopards want to get their claws and jaws into?Ans. The leopards wanted to get their claws and jaws into the stray dogs.

2. How many humans did the leopard kill the previous year? (March ’09)Ans. The leopard killed nineteen humans the previous year.

3. Whose laws were established earlier?Ans. The laws of the animals were established far earlier than those of human beings.

[II] COMPLEX FACTUAL QUESTIONS (CFQ). (1 Mark)

1. How does Mr. Spots react to noise? (March ’09)Ans. Mr. Spots cannot tolerate the noise of the crackers so he turns tail and runs

away as far as he can reach.2. What precautionary measure is the forest department taking? Why?

Ans. The forest department, as a precautionary measure is planning to wall theperiphery of the national park so that it deters the animals from entering intothe concrete jungle.

*3. What was the injustice done to Mr. Spot’s family? (March ’09)Ans. 37 members of Mr. Spot’s family were wrongfully arrested and detained.

[III] EVALUATIVE / INTERPRETATIVE QUESTIONS (EQ/IQ). (1 Mark)

1. What is the purpose of the text?Ans. The text highlights the fact that human beings have encroached into the territories

of the wild animals thus forcing them to make way in the concrete jungle.2. What type of text is this?

Ans. It is an imaginary interview, which portrays the problems of leopards in thereserved forests in a humorous way.

[IV] GRAMMAR. (2 Marks)

1. Some rogue Spots are staining the reputation of the entire clan. (Change the Voice) (March ’09)

Ans. The reputation of the entire clan is being stained by some rogue Spots.2. Interviewer trudges back to his concrete jungle.

(Frame ‘wh’ question to get the underlined answer) (March ’09)Ans. Where does the interviewer trudge back ?

3. Then why did you kill 19 humans? (Change the Voice)Ans. Then why were 19 humans killed by you?

4. No wall is too tall for us. (Remove too and make interogative)Ans. No wall is very tall for us.

Is there any wall too tall for us ?

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[V] VOCABULARY QUESTIONS (VQ). (2 Marks)

1. Write any two words from the passage that describes Mr. Leopard’stemperament and action. (March ’09)

Ans. snarls menacingly, licks his paws.2. Give adjective form of : (a) crime (b) distance (March ’09)

Ans. (a) criminal (b) distant3. Write the antonym of : (a) detain (b) healthy

Ans. (a) liberate (b) unhealthy

[VI] PERSONAL RESPONSE QUESTIONS (PRQ). (2 Marks)

*1. What viable suggestions would you offer for peaceful co-existence betweenman and beast?

Ans. Simply, one has to understand that encroaching and poaching should not bedone if one has to have a peaceful co-existence between man and beast andthus we can also maintain ecological balance. The wild life reserves should beproperly maintained so that the species of wild life can be preserved.

2. Do you agree with Mr. Spot’s opinion that the humans suffer from fits ofperiodical insanity ? Why ? (March ’09)

Ans. I do agree with Mr. Spot’s opinion. It is a known fact that we human beingsthoughtlessly burst crackers and play blaring music during festivals and otheroccassions. This is somewhat an insane display of emotions.

TEXTUAL QUESTIONS

[I] VOCABULARY.

1. Make as many words as possible from the word ‘INTERVIEW’. The letter ‘R’must be there in every one.

Ans. Inter, enter, write, invert, never, nerve, rent, ever, rein, tier, writ, viewer, review.2. Look at the dictionary entry of the word ‘quarry.’ Now read the textual

sentence given below.We were led deep into the Sanjay Gandhi National Park where our rare quarrysat atop a smooth volcanic rock to give his first ever interview.

quar-ry1 / ‘kwori ||’ kwo:- ‘kwa:-/ n a place from whichstone, sand, etc., are dug out - compare MINE

3(1)

quarry2 v [T (from) ] to dig out (stone, sand, etc.) froma quarryquarry3 n [S] the person or animal that one is huntingor chasing. The policeman followed his quarry into thepark to arrest him.

(i) The word quarry here, refers to the hunted animal. (False)(ii) The word quarry here, refers to person / thing pursued. (True)(iii) The word quarry here, refers to the site of stone extraction. (False)

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4. Again read the text carefully and identify the words that reveal thetemperament of Mr. Leopard. Add to the given list.

Ans. (a) snarls (b) indignation (c) smouldering,(d) mencacingly (e) twitching.

[II] GRAMMAR.

1. Working in pairs / groups, punctuate the following sentence and use capitalletter, wherever necessary :

(i) Your film city has eaten into our domainAns. Your Film City has eaten into our domain.

(ii) why did you decide to retreat from powaiAns. Why did you decide to retreat from Powai?(iii) we were led deep into the sanjay gandhi national park

Ans. We were led deep into the Sanjay Gandhi National Park.

2. Collocation :(A) (B)

(i) court (a) creatures(ii) healthy (b) dogs(iii) stray (c) jungle(iv) concrete (d) distance(v) territorial (e) order

Ans. (i - e), (ii - d), (iii - b), (iv - c), (v - a).

[III] WRITING SKILLS.

One of you volunteer to act as an interviewer and the other act as aninterviewee. As an interviewer for the Press interview the forest keeper/officer of SGNP. (use points such as : area under forest, number and kind ofanimals, problems of maintenance and the like)

Ans. (The X STD students got an opportunity to interview the officer of SGNP)1. What is the total area that has been allocated to SGNP?2. What is your criteria for the selection of the care-takers?3. How many animals are there in all in this National Park?4. Which species of animals are there in the park?5. Do you limit the number of people coming to the National Park on public

holidays?6. What problems are encountered by you and your care-takers just in case the

number rises on public holidays?7. What measures do you follow to discipline the crowd and make it less stressful

for the animals?8. What is the ratio of the care-takers to animals?9. Do you get any extra funds for the maintenance of the National Park?

10. Do you think with the growing human population, you will be able to take careof the animals of this National Park?

Q.I COMPLEX FACTUAL QUESTIONS (CFQ). (6)

1. What was the press searched for? 12. What territories belonging to Mr. Spot are encroached upon? 13. How does Mr. Spot react to noise? 14. What precautionary measure is the forest department taking? Why? 15. What was the injustice done to Mr. Spot’s family? 16. Write a couple of problems faced by the leopards. 1

Q.II INTERPRETATIVE QUESTIONS (IQ). (6)

1. Why has the leopard been in bad press? 12. Why are leopards making sensational headlines in newspaper now more

than ever? 13. Why does the writer say that the leopard was their rare quarry? 14. Does the text throw light on the ecological imbalance? Support your

answer. 15. Write from the passage words that give an idea of Mr. Spot’s temperament.

16. Why does Mr. Leopard clam down after one of the questions ? 1

Q.III VOCABULARY QUESTIONS (VQ). (4)

1. Explain :(i) No wall is too tall for us(ii) We maintain a healthy distance from. 1

2. Give an example of ‘transferred epithet from the lesson. 13. Give adjective form of crime, distance. 14. Write the antonym of detain, healthy. 1

Q.IV PERSONAL RESPONSE QUESTIONS (PDQ). (4)

1. What type of text is this? Why ? 22. What is the writer portraying through the lesson ? 2

Best of Luck

UNIT 7.3 LEOPARD ON THE SPOT

SSC

ENGLISH

Marks : 20

Duration : 1 hr.