Saturday, June 26, 2010

“The Postmaster” Solved Essay Type Question




Analysis of ‘The Postmaster’ – A Short Story by Rabindranath Tagore

“The Postmaster” Solved Essay Type Question

Q. What do you think is the chief elements of the story – The Postmaster?

This is a touching story of a city-bred young man working as a postmaster in a remote village to earn his bread and butter. He lives here more out of compulsion rather than a choice. Rabindranath’s finely crafted poetic narrative brings out the haunting home-sickness of the educated young man at a place where he finds no suitable companion as well as the mellow natural greenery and serenity that encompasses him here. On the other hand, the despair and agony of Ratan, the young orphan girl who foolishly identified her kind master as her elder brother as he took a personal interest in her, has also been worded very artistically in this moving story. This the postmaster did partly to pass his long leisure which hung heavy in his hand and partly not to be distracted by the memories of his near and dear ones who were in Calcutta. When the moment of parting finally came, and when the postmaster, having felt a bit of compassion for the servant-girl, offered her recommendations and money, Ratan was rendered heart-broken. Having believed that she was going to find genuine love and a home sooner or later, the offer of money burned the very core of her being. Bursting into tears, she ran away refusing all the help.

The postmaster despite his not so little feelings for Ratan realised with a heavy heart that no lasting relationship was possible with her. Finally, as his boat begins sailing swiftly and the village of Ulapur recedes further in the distance, he tries to find comfort in the thought that “there are so many separations and deaths” in the world.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

ICSE English Solved Contextual Question: The Ballad of Father Gilligan



Post for ICSE Class IX Students - Poem

ICSE English Solved Contextual Question: The Ballad of Father Gilligan

W.B. Yeats


“And is the poor man dead? He cried.
“died an hour ago’,
The old priest Peter Gilligan
In grief swayed to and fro.

“When you were gone, he turned and died
As merry as a bird”.
The old priest Peter Gilligan
He knelt him at that word.

I) **The priest had earlier said: ‘Mavrone, mavrone! The man has died’. Why does he then say here: ‘And is the poor man dead?’

The priest says so to reaffirm if the poor man is really dead because otherwise he will say grace before he dies. This would help him to put his conscience to rest as he fell asleep when the call to the dying man’s home came the night before.

II) *One of the reasons why the priest was in grief was that he had lost one of his flocks. What was the other reason for his grief?

The other reason for the priest’s grief was that having fallen asleep, he could not perform his duty to the dying man.

III) *What does the expression ‘he turned and died / As merry as a bird’ show?

The expression conveys the idea that the poor man died as peacefully as possible as he was blessed by an Angel prior to his dying. Since Father Gilligan was a devout follower of God, He sent an Angel to act on behalf of the priest.

IV) What did the old priest kneel as soon as he heard about the death of the man? What does his action show about his character?

The old priest Father Gilligan knelt as soon as he heard about the death of the man to thank God for having helped him (Father Gilligan) and for saving his honour when utter weariness had prevented him to perform his duty.

The priest’s action shows his complete faith and devotion to God for showing His mercy to him (the priest) when his old age and weariness due to overwork prevented him from shouldering his responsibilities.

V) *Explain the misunderstanding created regarding the visit of the old priest to the sick man’s house.

The misunderstanding is that as to who came to say grace to the dying man when Father Gilligan was sleeping. There was no other priest in the locality. Father Gilligan alone knew the answer to the riddle. It was God who sent his Angel to act on behalf of the priest because the Almighty knew how devout Father Gilligan was to Him.

In other words, the old priest could have been located simultaneously at two places, one in sleep and the other in the dying man’s home. This is called ‘bilocation’, a gift claimed by the Church for some of its saints.

VI) ***What moral does the poet want to illustrate in the story of Father Gilligan?

W.B. Yeats wants to illustrate in the ballad that God is merciful to all his creatures such as a person who is shouldering his responsibilities to the best of his abilities as well as the person who is dying and so is in need of receiving Gis grace. According to the Catholic tradition, a man who does not die in a state of grace, can not go to heaven.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Annotated Text of Macbeth: Act I Scene II


The Three Witches

The tragic drama Macbeth written by William Shakespeare requires an alert reader. The ISC students will therefore do well to read the following annotated text of Macbeth Act I Scene II with all the devotion that this particular tragic drama of William Shakespeare deserves. This is the minimum prerequisite for rendering a classy analysis of Macbeth.

In the tragic drama Macbeth, we witness the protagonist coming back having quelled a revolt against the king in this scene. At one point of time of the civil war, as described by this annotated text of Macbeth Act I Scene II, the rebels come back with renewed forces though the brave and erstwhile loyal cousin to the king, had almost overcome them. Only a dramatist of the stature of William Shakespeare could have conveyed so much factual information in not so long a scene. Any analysis of Macbeth on the part of the ISC students, would be incomplete and ineffectual if he or she doesn’t study the tragic drama Macbeth in an animated manner.

All ISC students in India need also familiarise themselves with the sources of the play, Holinshed’s history and the artistic transformation of the same by the ‘bard’ of the Arden to do justice before attempting an analysis of Macbeth.

Act I Scene II

A camp near Forres


Alarum (noise) within. Enter Duncan, Malcolm, Donalbain, Lennox, with Attendants meeting a bleeding Sergeant.

Duncan: What bloody (blood-stained) man is that? He can report. (he has can tell me what has happened) As seemth (seems) by his plight (troubles), of the revolt
The newest state (latest developments).

Malcolm: This is the sergeant,
Who, like a good and hardy solider, fought
‘Gainst my captivity (to prevent my being taken prisoner). Hail, brave friend!
Say to the king the knowledge of the broil (fight)
As thou dids’t leave it.

Sergeant: Doubtful it stood;
As two spent (exhausted) swimmers, that do cling together
And choke (hamper) their art (skills). The merciless Macdonwald-
Worthy to be a rebel, for to that (to that end)
The multiplying villainies of nature (increasing vices of human nature)
Do swarm (crowd) upon him—from the western isles
Of kerns (light-armed foot soldiers) and gallow-glasses ( heavily armed troops) is supplied;
And fortune (luck), on his damned quarrel smiling (favouring him),
Show’d like a rebel’s whore (prostitute): but all’s too weak(it is of no consequence to him)
For brave Macbeth—well he deserves that name—
Disdaining fortune (challenging fate), with his brandish’d steel (brandishing his sword),
Which smoked (dripping with blood) with bloody execution (deeds of slaughter),
Like valour’s minion (favourite) carv’d out (cut through) his passage
Till he faced the slave;
Which ne’er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him,
Till he unseam’d (ripped open) him from the nave (navel) to the chaps (jaws),
And fix’d his head upon our battlements.

Duncan: O valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman!

Sergeant: As whence the sun ‘gins (begins) his reflection
Shipwrecking storms and direful (dreadful) thunders break;
So from that spring (source), whence comfort seem’d to come,
Discomfort swell. (setbacks strengthen) Mark, king of Scotland, mark:
No sooner justice had, with valour arm’d,
Compell’d these skipping (light-footed) kerns to trust their heels (to take to flight)
But the Norweyan lord, surveying vantage (discovering opportunity),
With furbish’d (burnished) arms and new supplies of men,
Began a fresh assault.

To be continued..............

Monday, June 21, 2010

Solved ICSE Language Paper



Post for Everyone

ICSE Language Solved Sample Paper

This sample paper is published in response to Shamik Banerjee’s request.

Rewrite the following sentences as instructed. The meaning of the sentence should be retained.

1. He is my creditor. (Use the word ‘debtor’)
I am his debtor.

2. I have not met him since 2005. (Do not use the year)
I have not met him for 5 years.

3. Solomon was the wisest of wisest of all mortal kings. (Comparative degree)
No other mortal king was wiser than Solomon.

4. She is not inimical to her husband. (Use ‘friendly’)
She is friendly to her husband.
5. But for my help he would not have succeeded. (Begin with Had)
Had I not helped him, he would not have succeeded.

6. I last met him five years ago. (Omit ago)
I have not met him for five years.

7. My father was in his sixtieth year when he died. (End: sixtieth year)
When my father died he was in his sixtieth year.

8. Hard as he tried, he failed to achieve his objective. (Use ‘though’)
Though he tried hard, he failed to achieve his objective.

9. Only he survived. (Begin ‘All’)
All died except him.

10. He is too mild to make a good Headmaster. (Omit ‘too’)
He is so mild that he can not make a good Headmaster.

11. Was her ring stolen? (Change the voice)
Did someone steal her ring?

12. If he had not acted rashly, he would not be suffering on that account. (Begin ’He’)
He would not be suffering on that account if he had not acted rashly.

B. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words.

1. His system of working is different from yours.

2. I congratulated him on his success.

3. The police will inquire into the matter.

4. The students quarrelled among themselves.

5. They have been with us for a long time.

6. Water is convertible into vapour.

7. The responsibility is on my shoulder.

8. He has many advantages over you.

9. At last I brought him round to my way of thinking.

10. His books bring in but a small income.

11. If she faints again, bring her round with smelling salts.

12. The matter was brought up in the council.

13. The horse broke away from the stables.

14. The Director easily bore down all oppositions.

15. The witness bore out the counsel’s statement.

16. We should all bear up the struggles of life without complaining.

17. The horse not being broken in, is dangerous to ride.

18. He broke off in the middle of speech as he was feeling thirsty.

19. He succeeded in breaking through all obstacles.

20. The party broke up at 1 O’clock in the small hours of the morning.

21. Looking down upon the poor is a sin.

22. The anti-dowry law could not be put into practice.

23. He was put out by the rough behaviour of his superior.

If - Rudyard Kipling: Answers to Contextual Questions



If - Rudyard Kipling

Contextual Questions:-

If you can dream-and not make dreams your master;
If you can think-and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;


i) Do you think the poet values dreams? How?

There is no doubt that the poet does so.

However, he advises all the growing boys of the world not to be too absorbed in them, lest they should lose their touch with the stark realities.

ii) Why should the son not make dreams his master?

That will be foolish to do so because it will make him idle as he will then always be dreaming instead of trying hard to make his dreams real.

iii) What would happen if one made thoughts the sole aim of one's life?

If one made thoughts the sole aim of one's life, one would never achieve greatness or prosperity. He would never become a real man as he would always go on thinking instead of converting them into actions.

iv) Who are the two impostors referred to here? How should the son deal with them?

Triumph and disaster are the two impostors referred to here.

The son should deal with Triumph and Disaster (the two abstract nouns have been personified here) in a mood of calm indifference. He should not be overjoyed by triumphs nor should he feel distracted by defeats.


v) What literary device has been used in these lines? Point out its significance.

The literary device of personification has been used in these lines.

Triumph and disaster, which are abstract nouns, have been vested with human qualities to make them humans like us. Kipling does this to add drama to this line of the verse.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Analysis of A Prayer for My Daughter: ISC Poem



ISC Poem Sample Paper

A Prayer for My Daughter: A Poem by W.B. Yeats


Looking at the poem in detail: Part - I


Once more the storm is howling (sound produced by strong wind), and half hid (partly concealed)
Under this cradle-hood (covering on a crib or pushchair) and coverlid (covering)
My child sleeps on. There is no obstacle
But Gregory’s wood and one bare (no flora) hill
Whereby the haystack (large pile of dried grass) and roof levelling (bring roof to ground) wind.
Bred (brought up) on the Atlantic, can be stayed; (blocked)
And for an hour I have walked and prayed
Because of the great gloom (a sort of melancholy) that is in my mind.

I have walked and prayed for this young child an hour
And heard the sea-wind scream upon the tower,
And under the arches of the bridge, and scream
In the elms (tall trees with broad leaves) above the flooded stream;
Imagining in excited dream (trance)
That the future years had come,
Dancing to a frenzied (hysterical) drum,
Out of the murderous (homicidal) innocence of the sea.

Explanation:

We are told that the partially concealed storm is brewing not very far away while the poet’s daughter is sleeping in her crib with the hood on. Only the wood belonging to Gregory and a pile of dried grass can thwart the storm from reaching the innocent and helpless baby. It is the Atlantic Ocean raises this strong wind which is potent enough to force the haystack and roofs being raged to the ground. The poet-father has been pacing the floor and praying as a sad perturbation keeps on haunting him. As the father in the poet prays, the wind screaming upon the tower, under the arches of the bridge and blowing through the elm trees with a blaring sound is heard by him. Listening to the storm, the poet falls into a kind of trance. In his reverie, it appears to him as if the posterity has already arrived before him in the form of the drumming wind arising out of the seemingly innocent sea which has yet the power to kill.

Inner Meaning:

The storm described by Yeats actually conveys the inner turmoil in his mind because of his apprehensions about the future of his daughter. The poet has himself witnessed the ravages of war, both international and domestic. The Irish Nationalists often engaged in violent means to attain their objectives causing instability and this contributes to the poet’s anxieties regarding the times in which his daughter has to grow up. The phrase ‘roof levelling wind’ and the repetition of the word ‘scream’ bring out the turbulence of the poet’s times. His walking to and fro and offering repeated prayers show how worried he is for his daughter’s future. The verse follows the rhyming scheme aabb cddc without impeding the flow of the poem because Yeats cleverly varies the lengths of the lines.
To be continued..............


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Attention ICSE Students – All Schools
ICSE Sample Paper: The Postmaster: A Short Story by Rabindranath Tagore

Solved Contextual Questions (in continuation of the previous post)
iv) What do we keep doing repeatedly?
“We cling with both arms to false hope, refusing to believe the weightiest proof against it, embracing it with all our strength.”
Finally a time comes when false hopes escape, leaving us almost half-dead by draining our heart’s blood. Time passes. Our wounds heal. But again “we rush to fall into snares of delusion all over again.”

v) Do you blame the postmaster for his decision to leave without Ratan? What was Ratan’s reaction to the situation? How do you justify what both of them did?
From a moral point of view the postmaster perhaps committed a grievous wrong so far Ratan was concerned. It was not absolutely improbable or impossible for him to treat her as her own sister. May be if the postmaster had been poor and uneducated, he would have taken the orphan girl into his fold like even the poorest of people would do in such a circumstance. However, the postmaster reacted as any city bred and educated man would have done and so he is not to be blamed.
Ratan reacted to the situation in a miserable manner, mistaking despair to be hope and the inevitable (unavoidable) to be false. In the process, her heart bled profusely, making her sorrow and agony to be inconsolable.
The greatest justification of what both of them did is that such brief preludes of intense hopefulness and acute agony (in case of Ratan) are but very familiar milestones in life’s journey. On the other hand, the postmaster’s mild betrayal of Ratan (mild because what the postmaster did was commonplace) i.e. the act of forsaking a helpless orphaned girl is not much to talk about.

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Friday, June 18, 2010

ICSE Analysis of Story - The Postmaster by Rabindranath Tagore


ICSE Class IX Sample Paper – The Postmaster by Rabindranath Tagore

Solved Contextual Question


“But Ratan had no such philosophy to console her. All she could do was wander near the post office, weeping copiously. May be a faint hope lingered in her mind that dadababu might return: and this was enough to tie her to the spot, prevent her from going far. Oh poor, unthinking human heart! Error will not go away, logic and reason are slow to penetrate. We cling (hug) with both arms to false hope, refusing to believe the weightiest proofs against it, embracing it with all our strength. In the end it escapes, ripping our veins and draining our heart’s blood; until, regaining consciousness, we rush to fall into snares (traps) of delusion (illusion) all over again”.


i) What was the philosophy that consoled the postmaster? Why didn’t Ratan have a philosophy to console her?

It was not that the postmaster did not feel occasional pangs of sorrow when he was leaving the village without taking Ratan with him. He reconciled himself with the situation by musing (reflecting) that life had to go on regardless of the helplessness of the misery of the orphan girl for whom he was neither responsible nor accountable to the society or the world. He told himself that human bondage was after all a frail thing which was often broken by the hard realities of life.

But Ratan who was naive (immature) and impressionable (easily influenced), did not share her master’s philosophy. Being young, she was not yet hardened by the harshness of life and she was still hopeful that her dadababu might somehow return to give her shelter in the temple of his affectionate and kind heart.

ii) What was Ratan’s hope? How would it help her?

Ratan hoped that her dadababu had ceased to be an employer and had become her own elder brother. This perception of the relationship between Ratan and the postmaster was but one sided and a delusion (fantasy). This the innocent girl could neither comprehend nor realise. She believed herself to be a member of the postmaster’s family and thought that her days of woe were over. She imagined herself to be in the citadel (sanctuary) of his dadababu’s kind and loving heart.

Ratan’s simplicity and blind faith did not help her in the least. This did nothing but cruelly tearing her heart into pieces. She finally sank in a sea of misery and unbearable agony. What actually happened to her was akin (similar) to a bleakness (isolation) which was darker than the darkest of nights.

iii) Why does the author exclaim ‘unthinking human heart’? Why do we cling (stick) to false hopes?

Human hearts have a universality and the universality is that it is powerlessly fond of hope even when it is a false one. Human beings usually abhor (dislike) to take the path of logic. Clinging to unreal and improbable aspirations, they never fail to allow themselves to be struck by tragedy after tragedy.

We all grip false hopes because it is simply human nature. What human heart is mostly fond of is love but life being a very exacting (demanding) affair indeed, it rarely offers an acceptable solution to our miseries or woes. Yet, human nature is uncomprehending of this and so goes on clinging to false hopes.

to be continued.....

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Thursday, June 17, 2010

ICSE Solved Sample Paper - The Postmaster



ICSE Story Sample Paper-The Postmaster


The Postmaster – A Short Story by Rabindranath Tagore

Contextual Question from the Text Book (Courtesy – Frank Brothers & Co.)

“One day it rained torrentially from dawn. The postmaster’s pupil waited for a long time at the door, but when the usual call failed to come she quietly entered the room, with her bundles of books. She saw the postmaster lying on his bed: thinking that he was resting, she began to, she began to tiptoe out again.”

Q.What was Ratan’s immediate reaction on hearing the postmaster’s decision? Why do you think she reacted in this way?

Ratan did not utter even a single word when the postmaster informed her that he was leaving Ulapur for good as his application for a transfer had been rejected.

Being utterly shocked by her master’s such an apathetic treatment of her, the poor girl was rendered speechless.

Q. ***Why do you think Ratan told the postmaster she didn’t want him to speak to his replacement about her and why did she refuse to accept his money?

She did so because in spite of her considering her dadababu as her very own, she finally realized that the man was but a kind master who had never thought of her as her sister. This is the reason why her little and inexperienced heart exploded in a kind of an untold agony when the postmaster offered to recommend her to his replacement along with some money. The overwhelming passion of Ratan’s heart has been described in a most touching fashion by the story-telling genius of Tagore.

“No, no, you mustn't say anything to anyone – I don’t want to stay here.”

…………..”I beg you, dadababu, I beg you – don’t give me any money. Please no one need bother about me.”

Legend- *** VVI

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Analysis of If - Rudyard Kipling



The poem ‘If’ written by Rudyard Kipling is an important one in your ICSE English Syllabus.

Here are some answers to probable questions from ‘If’ that could be set in your ICSE English paper. Please read the answer in its totality so that you can answer short questions.


Q. 1 List the qualities which according to the poet, transforms a boy into a man.

Using minimum of words, the poet has said quite a lot in this not too long a poem. He has given a list of things as to what to do and not to do to the growing boys irrespective of their caste, creed or colour.

If the boys follow these ‘dos’ and ‘don’t-s’, they will surely imbibe the qualities necessary to make a complete man. This is not to say that the goals set by the poet are easily attainable but they are surely worth trying.

These qualities are as under:-

(a) One should keep his cool when others are getting excited or perturbed.

(b) The boy should keep a clear head even when others around him tend to get unreasonable.

(c) The ‘son’ should have self confidence in spite of others’ doubting his capacity to do things.

(d) Having worked hard, the adolescent should have enough patience to wait for the result of his diligence to materialise in their own time.

(e) If others hate him, the boy should not feel vindictive because love is the right response to hate.

(f) Even while doing all possible good things in the face of opposition and may be provocation, the boy should remain humble. He should not feel vain about being good or wise.

(g) One should dare to dream big dreams but he should go all out to translate them into realities instead of just being immersed in them doing nothing.

(h) One should be able to think and do so precisely and reasonably but thoughts b themselves are nothing. These thoughts must lead him to palpable (clear) actions.

(i) The boy i.e. the man of tomorrow should keep peace of his mind in a situation of victory or defeat alike, otherwise the victory would lead him to vanity and the defeat would make him to despair. Both are bad for his real well being.

(j) It may so happen that the son’s words may be misquoted or distorted by knaves but he should retain the calm of his mind lest he should fall into traps set by these wicked men.

(k) If the boy sees his work of many years go in vain, through a stroke of ill-luck or by someone’s malice, he should have the courage and strength to mend or rebuild it.

(l) One should fill every little moment with solid and meaningful work not letting a single fraction of time slip from his hand because time never obeys the bidding of anyone if even he is a king.

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Wednesday, June 16, 2010

As You Like It - Fee Contextual Answers Act I Scene I



The Cobbe Portrait (1610), The Chandos Portrait (early 1600s) and the Droeshout Portrait (1622); three of the most prominent of the reputed portraits of William Shakespeare.

As You Like It Act I Scene I

Contextual Question (Courtesy-Xavier Pinto)

Oliver: Know you before whom, sir?

Orlando: Ay, better than him I am before knows me. I know you are
my eldest brother; and, in the gentle condition of blood, you
should so know me. The courtesy of nations allows you my
better, in that you are the first-born; but the same tradition
takes not away my blood, were there twenty brothers betwixt
us. I have as much of my father in me as you; albeit, I
confess, your coming before me is nearer to his reverence.

(i) Where are Oliver and Orlando? What have they been discussing just before the extract?

Oliver and Orlando are in the former’s orchard.
They have been having a duel of words between them. While Oliver was being rude and insolent to his younger brother, Orlando asked his wicked elder brother why he was treating him as if he were a spendthrift like the prodigal son in the Bible, to be reduced to this state of destitution.

(ii) Give the meaning of:

(a) Ay, better than him I am before knows me.

Yes, I realize that better than you realize who I am.

(b) your coming before me

You were born before me.

(iii) What is meant by the courtesy of nations? What does this courtesy allow Oliver?

This means the custom in most of the countries which acknowledges that an elder brother should be affectionate in his dealings with his younger brother and that the elder brother deserves respectful behaviour from his younger brother.
As Oliver was born before Orlando, Oliver is entitled to more of the respect that was due to their father.

(iv). What does his father’s will state, as far as Orlando is concerned?

The will of Orlando’s father bequeathed a thousand crowns to him and made him it a condition of his blessing to Oliver that he should bring Orlando up and educate him properly.

(v) State what happens after the extract.

Oliver strikes Orlando in a fit of temper when the latter holds him in a vicious grip. They exchange some heated words while Orlando keeps on gripping Oliver’s throat. Adam tries somewhat vainly to make peace between the two. Having forced his elder brother promise that he would pass on to him (Orlando) the small share of the property left to him by his father according to his will, he (Orlando) lets him (Oliver) go.

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Tuesday, June 15, 2010



ICSE Class IX Solved Sample Paper – Poem

If – A Poem by Rudyard Kipling

Contextual Question (Courtesy – Michael Shane Calvert)


If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise
:

i) Why does the poet want his son not to be tired of waiting? What should he wait for?

The poet wants all the growing boys not to be tired of waiting because the poet wants all boys to have patience for the results of their hard work to materialise.
He should wait for the course of events to happen.

ii) What advice had been given to the son earlier in this context?

Earlier in the context, the poet had advised his son(s) to be patient and not to be tired of waiting. The poet had also advised his son(s) not to tell lies under any circumstances.

iii) Why do people hate others? What should the son do in case he is hated?

There are some people who hate others because they are malicious (harmful) by nature. This makes them jealous of others’ prosperity and success and this is the reason why they give in to the vice of hating others.
If the son is hated by someone, he should not hate him; instead he should react to him positively with love, which can turn even an enemy into a friend.

iv) What does the poet expect of his son if others resort to lies?


If everyone around the poet’s son is lying, he should not start to tell lies. He should remain truthful even in the most trying conditions.

v) Why shouldn’t the son “look too good or two wise?”


“Looking too good or too wise” will not be a good proposition because that will be showing vanity and everybody knows that vanity causes a fall.

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Mcbeth Annotated Text Act I Sene I



Macbeth Annotated Text

Act I Scene I


A desert place
Thunder and lightning. Enter three Witches.

First Witch. When shall we three meet again?
In thunder, lightning, or in rain?

Second Witch. When the hurlburly’s (tumult, confusion) done,
When the battle’s lost and won.

Third Witch. That will be ere (before) the set of sun.

First Witch. Where the place?

Second Witch. Upon the heath.(moorland)

Third Witch. There to meet with Macbeth.

First Witch. I come Greymalkin. (grey cat)

Second Witch. Paddock (toad) calls.

Third Witch. Anon! (I shall come at once, my spirit)

All. Fair is foul, and foul is fair:
Hover through the fog and filthy air.

Important notes

The witches are indifferent to both good and evil. However, they love acts of crime and maliciousness usually hated by the majority of human beings. They are bereft of any sense of morality or uprightness. They love to fly through foggy and filthy air.

Critical Analysis of the Scene

This brief scene consisting of only twelve lines, exposes the readers to the theme of malevolence. The eerie atmosphere points to a bloody battle being raged and the wholeheartedness of the witches to meet the central character of the tragedy, Macbeth. The scene anticipates Macbeth’s moral fall, and the all pervasive role of the supernatural enacted by the witches and the hostile weather. The two lines “When the battle’s lost and won” and “Fair is foul and foul is fair” indicate to more such contradictory and inscrutable elements in the later parts of the drama.

Please note this is a copyrighted material; any commercial use is strictly prohibited.

Macbeth help, Macbeth annotated text, Macbeth Paraphrase, Macbeth solved questions, ISC literature solved papers, Class XI sample answers

Monday, June 14, 2010

Solved ISC Sample Paper


Indian School Certificate Solved Language Paper
Fill in the blanks with appropriate words.
1. The Independence Day celebrations went off very well this year.
2. The fact that he became wealthy by being dishonest is more or less an open secret now.
3. A great deal of criticism has been levelled against the administrator for his alleged involvement in a scam.
4. This road is so full of potholes that it should be levelled off at the first opportunity by the civic authorities.
5. You can not proceed with the building plan before getting it sanctioned by the Municipality.
6. He had inquired about you on his last visit here.
6. She was wise enough not to jump at the first job offer.
7. The man makes it a point to live by honest work if even he has to remain poor.
8. The witches talked Macbeth into murdering his King by kindling the overambitious man in him.
9. My mother has a taste for Bengali literature.
10. Duncan conferred the title Thane of Cawdor on Macbeth on hearing about his valour in the battle.
11. Any attempt at forging money could be detected by this hand appliance.
12. Not many a parent encourages their children to be open with them.
13. The violin maestro was accompanied on other musical instruments by a group of talented youngsters.
14. The talks between the Maoists and the Government have broken down.
15. The strength of her convictions made it possible for her to break with the tradition of accepting corruption as a way of life.

Solved ISC sample papers, class Xi grammar, solved isc paper II, isc grammar, appropriate words

Sunday, June 13, 2010

As You Like It - Answer to Contextual Question Act I Scene II

As You Like It – A Comedy by William Shakespeare
Act I Scene II Lines 223-230
Solved Contextual Questions (courtesy- Xavier Pinto)
6. (iv) Give the meaning of
(a) My better parts / Are all thrown down;
All my qualities and faculties have been overwhelmed;
(b) my pride fell with my fortunes;
With the loss of my good fortune and prosperity, I also lost my sense
of dignity;
(V) Explain clearly in what way has Orlando overthrown more than his
enemies.
Not only does Orlando overthrow Charles in the wrestling match but he
also wins Rosalind’s heart at the very first meeting, having charmed
her with his manliness and noble character.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Post for Debjit Banerjee ICSE Class IX Literature Project Work






Summary
R.K. Narayan’s Malgudi is a fictitious town of India which forms the setting of most of his novels and short stories. The simple and ordinary characters of his fiction live and enact their roles in life here. The versatile author has very aptly portrayed this imaginary town in South India as a microcosm of India. The city is as synonymous with Wessex created by Thomas Hardy as it is for Narayan. He populates an imaginary landscape with the unique characters of his narratives.

In Narayan’s own words, ‘Malgudi was an earth-shaking discovery for me, because I had no mind for facts and things like that, which would be necessary in writing about Lalgudi or any real place. I first pictured not my town but just the railway station, which was a small platform with a banyan tree, a station master, and two trains a day, one coming and one going. On Vijayadasami I sat down and wrote the first sentence about my town: The train had just arrived at Malgudi Station.'' The same landmarks used in his novels and short stories have somehow lent an organic wholeness to his literary creations.
Critical Appreciation
The fictional world of Malgudi strongly smacks of Indianness brimming over with basically Indian sensibilities. The human drama growing and developing in ‘Malgudi Days’ is not only dynamic like real life is but the characters themselves also appear to be drawing sustenance from the drama itself.
Narayan chose to treat Malgudi exclusively as provincial because he thought –
``I must be absolutely certain about the psychology of the character I am writing about, and I must be equally sure of the background. I know the Tamil and Kannada speaking people most. I know their background. I know how their minds work and almost as if it is happening to me, I know exactly what will happen to them in certain circumstances. And I know how they will react.''
Even a writer of Graham Greene's stature has expressed his love for the symbolic town saying that Malgudi is a place ‘where you could go.’ According to him - ``into those loved and shabby streets and see with excitement and a certainty of pleasure a stranger approaching past the bank, the cinema, the haircutting saloon, a stranger who will greet us, we know, with some unexpected and revealing phrase that will open the door to yet another human existence.''

``into those loved and shabby streets and see with excitement and a certainty of pleasure a stranger approaching past the bank, the cinema, the haircutting saloon, a stranger who will greet us, we know, with some unexpected and revealing phrase that will open the door to yet another human existence.''
There is no doubt that the popularity of Narayan’s literary work among the general reading public and literary critics evidence the versatile depth and expanse of his story-telling canvas.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Distinctiveness of the literary art form of short story and the objectives of the Students as readers of short stories – Part - IV


Portrait of Anton Chekov - One of the fathers of short story

Sometimes this surprise is achieved by inverting the order of events, as is frequently done in detective stories. Te mystery or the murder is not allowed to be resolved till the very last, while every possibility is examined from all angles. As a rule, even in narratives where there is no murder or mystery, and the surprise is not so obvious, the direction, the aim or the essential significance of the whole situation is kept in reserve to enliven the general atmosphere and the final impact of the story. There should preferably be a twist at the end so that it can incorporate both surprise and an imaginative appeal. Such touches of surprises are in fact essential as they go a long way to drive home the message that the short story tries to impart. A short story has its sting in its tail, as the saying goes, in the sense, that the sense of wonder or shock is meted out to the reader towards its completion, not at any point of time before.
The challenges of a short story writer
The writer should straightaway take us to the heart of a situation without going into lengthy paraphernalia about things having no bearing on the central theme. He should also take are that the ending aptly presents itself in a perfect synthesis of time and something of depth or to look into perceptions or emotions which are normally beyond our comprehensions. In a word, our imagination should be stirred instead of being forced to boredom or tiredness.
The plot, not a must any more
For quite some time now, the short story is often written without any discernible plot as well, as is also the case with the novel to some extent. But while a novel should necessarily has to have at least a thinned-out plot, the short story writer, with his constraints of space and time, can do away with it to his advantage if he so desires. A modern short story may just portray a character or characters, an ambiance, a feeling or a piece of psychological analysis. Such treatments have been in vogue in recent times. Personal moods, intentions or some strange motives, not necessarily universal or familiar all the time, have been highlighted in these stories to make us realize the complex working of the human mind. Today the short story has infinite variety in contents as well as in treatments and rendering of the same. Hundreds of such excellent short stories are being enjoyed by the sensitive readers at the moment all over the world.
The objectives of the readers of short stories
Although reading a good short story is a pleasure in its own right, the reader should consciously try to absorb the very many aspects of this beautiful and complex art form as best as he can. First of all, getting even with the characters and the situations, and delving into the motives of the characters, help the readers to understand why and how the fictional characters behave in a picky fashion under the given circumstances in the story. And as he reaches the climax (the turning point) of the storyline, he must make sure that he has got the message (moral or simply a revelation) right. Has the reader really perceived the significance of what the writer wants to convey to him through the surprise element he presents at the end of the story? Repeated and animated reading of a short story, principally those of classical moulds, is a must to discover their real worth and more often than not, their hidden charms and mysteries.
Secondly, the student reader should be able to critically examine the story to discover its theme once he has read the same.
Closely following and comprehending the development of the storyline, the delineation of the plot and getting closely familiar with the setting and background will enable you to appreciate the story like a connoisseur does.

Post for Everyone- Prepositions


Solved Language Paper: For Everyone
Appropriate Prepositions:-
1. She got married at nineteen.
2. The 8.15 train started on time. (It started at 8.15)
3. You should be in time for your flight. (not late)
4. I arrived at the marriage reception in good time. (The marriage reception began at 8 and I arrived at 7.45)
5. On checking, the man found that he had forgotten his purse.
6. At first he opposed what I proposed, but in the end he gave his consent. (literally at the end)
7. She has been teaching me since January. (from January till now; since is used to denote a point in time)
8. They have been here for quite a few years. (for is used to denote a period of time)
9. She was on a fast for two days, and during the two days she ate nothing. (may be used before known periods)
10. I have no money on me. (I have no ready cash)

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Post for ISC class XI Students / Macbeth Paraphrase Act I, Scene II



Oil on canvas, 29.5 x 39.5 inches. The collection of Mr. and Mrs. Sandor Korein.

Simple prose rendering of the sergeant’s speech

Text

Sergeant: Doubtful it stood,
As two spent swimmers, that do cling together
And choke their art. The merciless Macdonwald
Worthy to be a rebel, for to that
The multiplying villanies of nature
Do swarm upon him—from the western isles
Of kerns and gallow glasses is supplied;
And fortune, on his damned quarrel smiling,
Showed like a rebel’s whore: but all’s too weak
For brave Macbeth—well he deserves that name—
Disdaining fortune, with his brandish’d steel,
Which smoked with bloody execution,
Like valour’s minion carv’d out of his passage
Till he faced the slave;
Which ne’er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him,
Till he unseam’d him from the nave to the chaps,
And fix’d his head upon our battlements.

Prose rendering

The outcome of the battle was indecisive as the opposing armies fought together in a terrible encounter to the point of exhaustion like two drowning swimmers who hinder each other’s efforts to save themselves while clinging to each other. MacDonwald, the cruel chief with the true spirit of a rebel, and brimful with vices, gets strength as a company of foot soldiers and peasants from the islands on the west coast join him in the attack. That fortune is fickle is proved by her favouring his unworthy cause as if she is the mistress of the rebel. However, the valiant Macbeth was not discouraged, well did he deserve the title, challenged fortune, and, brandishing the reddened sword dripping the blood of the slain, made a passage through the enemy. He seemed to be the very darling of valour and presently came face to face with the rebel himself. Then neither greeting him nor bidding farewell to him, he ripped the man through his stomach to the cheeks, cut off his head fixing the same on our castle walls.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Distinctiveness of the literary art form of short story and the objectives of the Students as readers of short stories – Part - III



How short a short story should be?

The last hundred and fifty years have witnessed certain well marked features to be associated with short stories. This art form, has nevertheless retained its vital characteristics very well, which are unmistakably its own. Critics and scholars are now of the opinion that a short story is supposed to be in length between about two to seven thousand words. Shorter than this, would be inadequate even to be called a anecdote, and longer than this, would tend to make it a novelette.

The idea of unity

The paramount quality, which is invariably associated with the short story, is the all pervading sense of unity it tries to encompass and project throughout the length and breadth of its body. However, they are not the same as the three unities linked with the concept of the classical drama. The unifying property of a fine technical execution is not that important here, as compared to the concept, convincing delivery of a single message or the proper presence and manifestations of the aesthetic objectives, the short story is so famous for. The implication is that it is not an expansive thing which would accept any extraneous element or component that comes its way.
The short story must present a single idea, a unified situation or impression, rendering it with an uncanny precision in the most creative manner. These factors distinguish it from a novel. The novel is expansive whereas the short story is compressive, concise and pithy. The short story must be cohesive from the very beginning to its end, and so must avoid all, that is unnecessary or irrelevant to the unique purpose it sets out to achieve. The conditions, without doubts, are rigid, but as the artist has to work under these stringent requirements, he is made to give his best while adopting this particular fictional art medium. And that is why a good short story writer chooses an action or a character or an atmosphere or simply an emotional tone as the subject matter of his art. He has to be unusually focused to employ the best of his art in selection of his materials, as well as in giving it the desired shape to create an unforgettable effect on the readers’ mind.

The final twist or the element of surprise

The element of surprise is another landmark aspect of a short story. There is no hard and fast rule that every single short story must have this feature, but there must be some secret hidden up its sleeve till the very end. This serves the purpose of sustaining the interest of the reader during the progression of the story, and on its revelations at the end, transports the reader to a higher level of understanding. Hence, the completion of the reader’s gradually deepening interest is the most important element of a short story.

Monday, June 7, 2010



The extravagant tales of the Arabian Nights found a ready audience in all the corners of the globe, and the Bible, one of the most widely read books by mankind, presented its fine repository of moral stories to the world. Medieval singers of England and Scotland wandered from place to place as they sung heroic lays on the exploits of king Arthur and his mighty knights. Finally it was the Decameron, that gave the suitable character to the short story in Italy, and the Canterbury Tales of Chaucer followed its footsteps in England.
The stories of the later times now began to change their course from the supernatural and the timeless, space less domains of the gods. Man’s own life and his immediate circumstances affecting and shaping his struggles for existence became the subject matter of these accounts. The early story tellers were proficient in the art of holding the interest of their listeners, yet they were practical enough to mould their narratives to the mood of the audience gathered round them. But it was only after the invention of the printing, that the medieval stories changed their form and style, and became more or less fixed in manner. The short story became more close-knit, when some short story writers made them more realistic with life like characterizations in settings that appeared to be familiar. It is only then that the short story first announced its claim to be termed as literature.
This particular literary art form, in English, began its journey in the New World, and in the hands of master story tellers like O’ Henry, assumed its specific character as a different and definite form of literature for the first time in the modern times.
The popularity of short stories is demonstrated in our times by the plethora of magazines and periodicals, which publish them on a regular basis, and by the large numbers of the readers, who immensely enjoy them. The moderate length of the short story is definitely an advantage to modern man as he has so little time in hand to pursue anything else than his livelihood in these days of stress and competition. The short story, along with the development of magazine literature, seems to be a custom-built solution to contemporary man’s need for intellectual enjoyment, and this must be the reason why this literary art is
so widely practiced today. During the last two centuries, this factor has largely been responsible in giving a tremendous fillip to the development of the short story. It is true that the success of the Novel, prior to this, in a sense, paved the way for the short story, but once it conclusively formed its characteristic qualities, it inevitably began commanding attention.
presented its fine repository of moral stories to the world. Medieval singers of England and Scotland wandered from place to place as they sung heroic lays on the exploits of king Arthur and his mighty knights. Finally it was the Decameron, that gave the suitable character to the short story in Italy, and the Canterbury Tales of Chaucer followed its footsteps in England.
The stories of the later times now began to change their course from the supernatural and the timeless, space less domains of the gods. Man’s own life and his immediate circumstances affecting and shaping his struggles for existence became the subject matter of these accounts. The early story tellers were proficient in the art of holding the interest of their listeners, yet they were practical enough to mould their narratives to the mood of the audience gathered round them. But it was only after the invention of the printing, that the medieval stories changed their form and style, and became more or less fixed in manner. The short story became more close-knit, when some short story writers made them more realistic with life like characterizations in settings that appeared to be familiar. It is only then that the short story first announced its claim to be termed as literature.
This particular literary art form, in English, began its journey in the New World, and in the hands of master story tellers like O’ Henry, assumed its specific character as a different and definite form of literature for the first time in the modern times.
The popularity of short stories is demonstrated in our times by the plethora of magazines and periodicals, which publish them on a regular basis, and by the large numbers of the readers, who immensely enjoy them. The moderate length of the short story is definitely an advantage to modern man as he has so little time in hand to pursue anything else than his livelihood in these days of stress and competition. The short story, along with the development of magazine literature, seems to be a custom-built solution to contemporary man’s need for intellectual enjoyment, and this must be the reason why this literary art is
so widely practiced today. During the last two centuries, this factor has largely been responsible in giving a tremendous fillip to the development of the short story. It is true that the success of the Novel, prior to this, in a sense, paved the way for the short story, but once it conclusively formed its characteristic qualities, it inevitably began commanding attention.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Grammar Exercise for Everyone








Dear loveanimax…mail.com,

A good piece of work!
It will be published on the Group pages.
Please keep contributing.
Please send your contributions directly
to write-better-speak-better@google.groups.com
to make your posting to the group easier.
Thanks


1. Deepa was visibly upset at the reception she got.
Ans. - The reception which Deepa got, made her visibly upset.

2. No sooner had he opened the door than the principal arrived.
Ans. - As soon as he opened the door, the principal arrived.

I did everything I could to persuade her to sing, but it had no effect.
Ans. - Nothing that I did could persuade her to sing.

4. You will have to rely on the computer.
Ans. - It is the computer you nave to rely on.

People, who make silly mistakes, usually do not concentrate on their work.
Ans. - If people would concentrate on their work, they would not make silly mistakes.

6. As we were driving down the hill, a strange object was seen in the sky.
Ans. – We saw a strange object in the sky while we were driving down the hill.

7. ”Meghna, I was going to tidy the flat today, but I didn’t have time”, confessed Arjun.
Ans. – Arjun confessed to Meghna that he had been going to tidy the flat that day but he had not had the time.


8. No other boy in the class is as good as Justin
Ans. - Justin is the best boy in the class.

9. He threw up his arms in despair.
Ans. – He threw his arms because he was in despair.

10. Vivek’s intention was to help the poor boy.
Ans. – Vivek had the intention of helping the poor boy.

Appropriate words-
1. The police are inquiring into the cause of the murder.
2. We inquired about him in our letter.
3. One should not jump at the first job offer.
4. Never jump to hasty conclusions.
5. Some birds live on insects.
6. He is a honest man, he lives by honest work.
7. He is forgetful, but not negligent in/to her work.
8. She was negligent to her studies.
9. The food farmers were supplied with food grains.
10. Food grains were supplied to the poor farmers.


Verbs
1. Uma has been typing(type)your letter since morning and she is only half way through.
2. We were having (have) dinner when he came.
3. Rita had left (leave) by the time we arrived.
4. The examiner assessed the projects which I had prepared (prepare).
5. As she ran to catch the train she twisted (twist) her ankle.
6. If she had reached there earlier, she would have met (meet) him.
7. He says that before he leaves, he will have seen (see) every show in town.
8. Namita had been studying (study) German for a few months last year.
9. What were you doing (do) when I called you last night?
10. If we reach there now, we would have (have) dinner.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Distinctiveness of the literary art form of short story and the objectives of the Students as readers of short stories – Part - I

Dear Students,
What is a short story?
Since what time we do not know, stories have been giving delight to mankind. Tales of man’s experience have been told and retold to very keenly interested audiences throughout human history, and he was always inclined to derive suitable morals from them. In the prehistoric times, these were circulated by words of mouth through generations, and such had been the charm of them, that they were never forgotten or lost from man’s cultural heritage. One of the oldest examples of such story telling is said to be the Egyptian tale of “The Two Brothers” (3200 B.C.). The Jataka tales describing
Buddha’s earlier births and the Sanskrit fables about animals are also very well known in the story telling scene.
Man, being a social animal, had to tell and listen to anecdotes as his impulses forced him to do so, and this naturally began before he had learnt to write. In due course of time, in a natural evolution of this trend, there came a time, when the material of the story was worked upon and turned into much more entertaining and instructive form, which would, over a period o0f time, became more sophisticated and artistic so as to be called literature. Occasionally, mighty names like Solomon, Ulysses, Varuna and the likes were linked to the story line to arouse awe in the minds of the listeners, and to add historical and mythical importance to them. Great religious or historical events also inspired much story telling, and slowly but surely, the art bloomed into such finesse and lent such wonderful shape and form to the materials that numerous such narratives became timeless, and mankind preserved them as a precious inheritance.
Innumerable fairy tales, stories of gods and supermen of bygone millennia still gives us pleasure, including the tens of thousands of myths, folktales and legends of almost all countries. Our prophets and seers also told us parables which we have listened to avidly
over the ages to satisfy both our love of tales as well as to satisfy our spiritual quests.
Almost every country’s literary history is replete with such traditions of story telling and they have easily transgressed time and space, sometimes because of their ability to solve man’s spiritual crisis, and more frequently because of their wonderful capacity to impart pure joy. The glories of the Greek legends and their heroes were sung in the Iliad and the Odyssey. The extravagant tales of the Arabian Nights found a ready audience in all the corners of the globe, and the Bible, one of the most widely read books by mankind........

Read this All Time Classic



I still remember the welling up of genuine emotions when I read this book when I was a teenager myself. You may like to read the book to go through the saga of this brave 13 year old girl whom I am sure you will admire.

Friday, June 4, 2010

Combining multiple sentences into a single simple sentence.

Combining multiple sentences into a single simple sentence.

Solved Exercise:

1. The soldiers were starving. Their ammunition was expended. Their clothes were in rags. Their leaders were dead. The enemy easily defeated them.

A. Having their ammunition being expended and without being their leaders, the starving soldiers in rags were easily defeated by their enemy.

2. Wellington was the greatest of English admirals. Napoleon was the greatest of French soldiers. They were contemporaries. They were the heroes of their respective countries.

A. The two contemporaries, Wellington and Napoleon, being the greatest of English admirals and the French soldiers, were the heroes of their respective countries.

3. The major laughed. He found himself to be richer by a rupee. He saw his adversary outwitted.

A. Finding himself to be richer by a rupee by outwitting his adversary, the major laughed at his opponent.

4. He hardened his heart. He wished to punish the people mercilessly. He wanted to make an example of them once and for all.

A. Having hardened his heart, he wished to punish the people mercilessly to make an example of them once for all.

5. He receives much gratitude. He performs kindly actions. He is not harsh in the execution of his duty. He does not oppress the poor.

A. In addition to being not harsh in the execution of his duty, he performs kindly actions to the poor thereby receiving much gratitude.

An Astrologer’s Day – A Short Story by R. K. Narayan ICSE Paper II Class IX Revision Lesson

A Treasure Trove of Short Stories
Courtesy - Frank Sons/ Chakravarti, Gupta

An Astrologer’s Day – A Short Story by R. K. Narayan

Contextual Question and Answers

1. “His forehead was resplendent with sacred ash and vermillion, and his eyes sparkled with a sharp abnormal gleam which was really an outcome of a continual searching look for customers, but which is simple clients took to be a prophetic light and felt comforted.”

i) Whose appearance is being described here? What more do we learn about him and his profession?

The extract describes the astrologer’s appearance in a succinct yet very clear manner.
His appearance is striking. His forehead being painted with holy ash and vermillion dazzled in a conspicuous manner while the strange gleam in his eyes seemed to be a visionary one to his clients although that is actually the result of his perpetually searching for customers. It is self-evident that he is a soothsayer.

ii) What else does the writer tell us about his eyes in the lines that follow?

The charisma of his eyes is intensified as the pair of eyes is flanked by the bright forehead on one side and the dark whiskers streaming down his cheeks on the other. Narayan humourously says here that even a fool would look charismatic with such singularly impressive features.

iii) The writer takes pains to describe the impressive appearance ‘he’ has. What are the highlights of that description?

The astrologer has not only the traditional paste of holy ash and vermillion applied on his forehead but also wears a bright gleam in his eyes. The position of his eyes between the dazzling forehead and the streaming beard announce his trade to his clients loud and clear. The saffron-turban which he wears adds a telling effect to his overall appearance.

iv) Where did he ply his trade? How did the setting help in attracting his customers?

He pursued his trade under a tamarind tree standing beside a pathway running through the Town Hall Park.
The setting was an ideal one because a large crowd went up and down the pathway from morning till night and a good number of them were the astrologer’s prospective customers. Moreover, the man had interesting peddlers as his neighbours, some of whose customers would get drawn to him to know their future.
v) Who were the other traders and vendors who did their business around him?

A man sold medicines near him. Another peddled junk goods and stolen hardware at throw-away prices. A magician would be showing sleight of hands while another would create enough interest among the passing crowd by auctioning cheap clothes. And then there was the hawker who drew a good crowd around him because of his excellent salesmanship. He would sell the same fried groundnuts every day but would canvass his fare in different fancy names like Bombay Ice Cream, Delhi Almond, and so on and so forth on different days.

Thank you for reading the post.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

ISC English Paper I and II Allocation of Marks



Aims (English Language)
1. To develop habits of:
(a) clear articulate expression, using accepted
syntactical forms and structures, with a firm
grasp of idiom;
(b) critical thinking, involving assessment and
analysis of the written material provided.
2. To develop the capacity to critically and
innovatively examine and to assess the value of
passages of argumentative writing, to consider the
assumptions upon which the arguments rest and to
trace the implications that follow.
3. To develop adequate and appropriate vocabulary.
4. To develop the ability to comprehend and
appreciate good prose.
Aims (Prescribed Texts)
1. To develop an appreciation of literature through a
critical study of selected literary works.
2. To help students achieve through the study of
literature, an understanding of the study of man.
3. To create an interest in the warp of thought which
differs from that of the group to which the student
belongs.
4. To develop the power of expression.
CLASSES XI & XII
There will be two papers as follows:
Paper 1: English Language (3 hours) – 100 marks
Paper 2: Prescribed Textbooks (3 hours) – 100 marks
Paper 1: English Language (3 hours)
Question One: A composition on one of a number of
subjects. ...30 Marks
Question Two: A short composition based on
suggested points – a review or an article which may
be descriptive or argumentative in nature. ...20 Marks
Question Three: Short-answer questions to test
grammar, structure and usage. ...20 Marks
Question Four: Comprehension. ...30 Marks
It is recommended that in Paper 1 about 50 minutes
should be spent on Question one, 40 minutes on
Question two, 30 minutes on Question three and
one hour on Question four.
Question One
Candidates will be required to select one composition
topic from a choice of six. The choice will normally
include narrative, descriptive, reflective and
discussion topics.
The suggested length of the composition is 450 – 500
words.
The main criteria by which the compositions will be
marked are as follows:
(a) The quality of the language employed; the range
and appropriateness of vocabulary and sentence
structure, syntax, the correctness of grammatical
constructions, punctuation and spelling.
(b) The degree to which candidates have been
successful in organising both the composition as a
whole and the individual paragraphs.
Question Two
Candidates will be required to write a composition
based on the information and ideas provided. A
situation and the purpose of the composition will be
specified. Skills such as selecting, amplifying,
condensing, describing, presenting reasoned
arguments, re-arranging and re-stating may be
involved. The candidates' ability in the above skills
will be taken into account and above all their ability to
handle the language appropriately in the context of the
given situation.
13
It is emphasised that only one question will be set in
the examination paper and that this will be
compulsory.
Question Three
All the items in this question shall be compulsory, and
their number may vary from year to year. They will
consist of short-answer, open completion items or any
other type, which would test the same areas of ability
in English language. Only two or three types will be
included in any one examination.
Question Four
For this question, a passage of prose of about 500
words will be provided. Questions based on this
passage will be set to test the candidates’ ability to
understand the content and argument of and to infer
information and meanings from the given text.
Question to test the ability to summarize will be
included. There will be no alternative questions.
All questions will have to be answered.
Paper 2: Prescribed Texts (3 hours)
Candidates will be required to answer five questions
as follows:
One textual question (compulsory) on the
Shakespeare play/alternative prescribed play together
with four other questions on at least three texts,
which may include the Shakespeare play/alternative
play.
Question 1 compulsory.... 20 Marks, four other
questions, each carrying 20 Marks
(Note: Candidates are reminded that infringement of
the rubric will certainly invite penalty during the
marking of answer scripts.)
The textual question, which will be set on the
Shakespeare play/alternative play, will contain four
short passages and candidates will be required to
answer questions set on three of the passages. These
questions may require candidates to explain words and
phrases, to rewrite passages in modern English, or to
relate an extract to the work as a whole.
The rest of the questions on the Shakespeare
play/alternative play and on the other prescribed texts
will require essay-type answers and will be set on the
context, plot or plots, characters and other prominent
literary qualities of the works prescribed.

P.S. I am grateful to the official Website of the ISC Board, New Delhi for the above content and guidelines.