THE ADVENTURES OF TOTO CHAPTER 2 (MOMENTS)

CLASS IXENGLISH

Summary

Toto to the same tonga driver.

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING

1. How does Toto come to grandfather’s private zoo?

ANS. The writer’s grandfather had the hobby of keeping a small private zoo in his house. So, he bought the little red monkey from a tonga- driver for five rupees.

2. “ Toto was a pretty monkey.” In what sense is Toto pretty?

ANS. Grandfather finds Toto quite pretty. Toto has bright eyes, pearly white teeth, quick fingers and a stout tail.

3. Why does grandfather take Toto to Saharanpur and how?

ANS. Grandfather had to leave Dehradun for Saharanpur to collect his pension. He knew that the wicked little monkey would make everybody at home miserable. So he decided to take Toto along in a big black canvas bag.

4. How does Toto take a bath? Where has he learnt to do this? How does Toto almost boil himself alive?

ANS. Toto has seen other members of the family taking hot bath in winter. So he first tests the temperature with his hand. Then steps into the large bowl, until he is neck deep in water. But one day he nearly boils himself when he gets into a large kettle placed on fire. He is rescued in time by grandmother.

5. Why does the author say, “Toto was not the sort of pet we could keep for long”?

ANS. Grandfather tolerated the mischievous Toto for quite some time. But he too realised that keeping it as a pet was not possible. He couldn’t afford the loss of plates, clothes, curtains and wallpaper.

EXTRA QUESTIONS1. Give a brief account of the adventures of Toto. How did he get on the nerves of

one and all? ( DO ON YOUR OWN)

2. How did grandfather handle, tolerate and finally get rid of the mischievous monkey, Toto?

ANS. Grandfather had a hobby of keeping a private zoo. He kept a tortoise, rabbits and squirrel in a big cage. One day he bought Toto, a little red monkey, from a tongs-driver for five rupees. He called this wicked creature pretty. He kept Toto a secret from grandmother. He tolerated his mischief for quite some time. He put Toto in a large bag and took him to Saharanpur. He had to pay rail fare for Toto. He shifted him to a stable where he troubled Nana. He overlooked Toto’s wicked ways when he tore things into pieces or made a hole in the dress of ladies. But one day Toto not only ate up pullao but also broke the plate. Grandfather realised that such a destructive monkey could not be kept as a pet. He sold him back to the tonga-driver for three rupees.

ISWARAN THE STORYTELLERCHAPTER 3 (MOMENTS)

ENGLISH

SUMMARY

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING1. In what ways is Ishwaran an asset to Mahendra?

ANS. Ishwaran was an asset to Mahendra in more ways than one. He was a good cook, an efficient housekeeper, and above all, a wonderful story teller. He entertained Mahendra with his cooked-up stories in the evening.

2. How does Ishwaran describe the uprooted tree on the highway? What effect does he want to create in his listeners?

ANS. Ishwaran did not say straightway that he had once come across an uprooted tree on the highway. He described it as a big bushy beast lying across the road. He was thinking of going back. But as he went closer, he saw that it was only a fallen tree. He wanted to create an effect of suspense and surprise in his listener.

3. How does he narrate the story of the tusker? Does it appear to be plausible?

ANS. Ishwaran narrated the story of the tusker in an exaggerated manner. The tusker, having escaped from the timber yard, stamped on bushes, tore up wild creepers and broke the branches. Then it entered a school ground, pulled out the football goal post and the shrubs. Everyone in the school tried to escape. No one dared to face the tusker. In the meantime Ishwarangrabbed a cane from a teacher and moved towards the elephant. He hit his third toenail and the beast collapsed. He claimed that he had used the Japanese art to control the tusker. But this story seems totally implausible as it is very difficult to believe that a child can control a mad elephant.

4. Why does the author say that Ishwaran seemed to more than make up for the absence of a TV in Mahendra’s living quarters?

ANS. Ishwaran was an expert in telling adventurous and mysterious stories in a dramatic way. It was his daily routine to entertain Mahendra at night. In the house there was no electricity and no TV , no source of recreation. So Ishwaran used to entertain Mahendra with his cooked-up stories. Mahendra could listen to and watch the development of the story . Thus Ishwaran seemed to more than make up for the absence of a TV.

5. Mahendra calls ghosts or spirits a figment of imagination. What happens to him on a full moon night?

ANS. Mahendra calls ghosts or spirit a figment of the imagination as he did not believe in ghosts. One day Ishwaran told him about a female ghost carrying a bundle in her arms. one full moon night he heard a low moan near his window. He looked out. Not too far away stood a figure holding a bundle. He sweated with fear. But he told himself that it must have been a trick played by his own subconscious.

6 Can you think of some other ending of the story?(DO ON YOUR OWN)

EXTRA QUESTIONS1 Who was Mahendra? Why did he look upon Ishwaran as an asset?

ANS. Mahendra was a junior supervisor in a firm. He was offered on hire to supervise construction of factories, bridges, dams, and so on. He had to keep moving from place to place. He was a bachelor. His needs were also few and simple. He did not mind if his new place of posting was desolate and dull. He had no TV, no source of recreation. But he had a wonderful cook and storyteller to keep him company. Ishwaran did all the odd jobs for him, cooked his meal, tidied up his room and washed his clothes. But above all, he entertained Mahendra with his cooked-up tales. So Mahendra looked upon Ishwaran as an asset.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC (CHAPTER 2) (PART 1)BOOK- BEEHIVE

ENGLISH

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING1. How old was Evelyn when she went to the Royal Academy of music?

ANS. Evelyn was seventeen years old when she went to the Royal Academy of music.

2 When was her deafness first noticed? When was it confirmed?

ANS. When Evelyn was eight years old, her deafness was first noticed. It was confirmed when she was eleven years old.

3. Who helped her to continue with music? What did he do and say? (30-40 words)

ANS. A percussionist named Ron Forbes helped Evelyn to continue with music. He began by tuning two large drums to different notes. He told her that instead of listening through her ears, she should try to sense music some other way.

4. Name the various places and causes for which Evelyn performs.

ANS. Evelyn is an internationally known performer with a hectic work schedule .

she gives solo performances at concerts. Apart from these , she also gives free concerts in prisons and hospitals. She also teaches music to young musicians.

5. How does Evelyn hear music? (100-150 words)

ANS. Evelyn heard music by sensing the notes in different parts of her body. When

Ron Forbes tuned two drums to different notes and asked her to sense without using her ears, she realised she could feel the higher drum from waist up and the lower drum from waist down.

She learned how to open her mind and body to sounds and vibrations. When she played the xylophone, she could sense the sound passing up the stick into her fingertips. By leaning against the drums, she could feel the resonance flowing into her body.

On a wooden platform, she removed her shoes so that the vibrations could pass through her bare feet and up her legs. She herself said that music powered in through every part of her body. It tingled in the skin, her cheekbones and even in

her hair.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC (PART II)

THE SHEHNAI OF BISMILLAH KHAN

BOOK-BEEHIVE

ENGLISH

I

INTRODUCTION

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING IN 30-40 WORDS.

1. Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?

ANS. The musical instrument called pungi had a shrill unpleasant sound. It was not melodious to listen. That is why Emperor Aurangzeb banned the playing of pungi in the royal residence.

2. How is a shehnai different from a pungi?

ANS. Shehnai has a better tonal quality than pungi. When shehnai is played it produces soft and melodious sound whereas pungi produces shrill, unpleasant sound. The pipe used for making a shehnai is longer and broader than the pungi. It is an improvement upon the pungi.

3. Where was the shehnai played traditionally? How did Bismillah Khan change this?

ANS. Traditionally the shehnai was played at royal courts as one of the nine instruments. Today it is also played at temples and at weddings because it is considered auspicious. Bismillah Khan brought shehnai on the classical stage by playing it at music concerts.

4. When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big break?

ANS. Bismillah Khan got his big breakwhen the All India Radio was set up in Lucknow in 1938. soon he got a chance to play shehnai quite frequently. He became very popular and an often heard shehnai player on radio.

5. Where did Bismillah Khan play the shehnai on 15th August. 1947? Why was the event historic?

ANS. When India gained independence on 15th August,1947, Bismillah Khan was the first Indian to greet the nation by playing shehnai. On this historic occasion, he played it from the ramparts of Red Fort. His audience included illustrious names such as Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

6. Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a shehnai school in the USA?

ANS. A student of Bismillah Khan once wanted him to head a shehnai school in the USA. He refused to do so , because he loved India , particularly Benarasand Dumraon and he could not leave India for long. He used to get inspiration from the ambience of numerous ghats in Benaras. He knew that he won’t be able to get that ambience in the USA. So, he refused to start a shehnai school in the USA.

7. Find at least two instances in the text which tell you that Bismillah Khan loves India and Benaras.(DO ON YOUR OWN)