Question 1.
Write about the following memories or experiences. Share your views with the class.
(i) A memorable holiday spent with your grandmother
(ii) A story told by your grandmother
(ii) The things you admire the most about your grandmother
(iv) The difference between your mother and your grandmother
Write about the following memories or experiences. Share your views with the class.
(i) A memorable holiday spent with your grandmother
(ii) A story told by your grandmother
(ii) The things you admire the most about your grandmother
(iv) The difference between your mother and your grandmother
Answer:
(i) A memorable holiday spent with my grandmother
Grandmothers are more than mothers. I still remember how I spent a holiday with my grandmother. It was quite a long time since I met her. I found her standing at the village bus-stand to receive me. She was really excited. She had prepared some of my favourite dishes only for me. She took me to the fields. We stopped at the canal. What a sight! Children were diving into it from a wooden bridge. I enjoyed fresh sugarcanes. It was evening. A herd of cattle was returning home. My grandmother would not let me sleep early. She had many interesting stories to tell. She talked of her youth, her good old times and her hobbies. She kissed me affectionately before I went to bed.
(ii) A Story told by my grandmother
It is difficult to imagine a grandmother without her fanciful stories. My grandmother is a great story-teller. Her narrative skill is very real and convincing. She will make you believe even the incredible. She has stored many stories in her rpemory. Her favourite story is of Savitri and Yama. Savitri’s husband was cutting wood in the forest. He fell down from a tree and died. The God of death, Yama came to take him to the other world. Savitri would not let him come near the dead body of her husband. She remained glued to the dead body for many days. She didn’t eat and sleep. The God of death was moved. He had never seen such a devoted and determined wife. He was pleased and restored Savitri’s husband to life.
(iii) The things I admire the most about my grandmother
My grandmother is my role-model. I am very much impressed with her personality. But there are certain things which I admire the most in her character. The first thing is her sense of discipline. She is very regular and punctual. She gets up at 5 a.m. in the morning. She is ready for her prayers before 6 a.m. She has always a fixed time for everything. I like her deep faith in God. Her sense of cleanliness is extremely praiseworthy. She looks noble and dignified in her spotless white clothes. All these things make her a very pleasing and dignified personality.
(iv) The difference between my mother and my grandmother
Human relations generally defy comparisons. But still there are certain basic differences between my mother and my grandmother. I am also different from my mother. So is my grandmother from her daughter-inlaw. Basically it is a generation gap. My grandmother is conservative. She is highly religious. She has deep faith in God and fate. But my mother is a working woman. She has a progressive outlook towards life and people. She is not so religious. She believes that everyone has a right to lead one’s own kind of life. My grandmother thinks that home and children are the most important things for any woman. My mother thinks of other things as well. She believes that a woman must have freedom to decide what is good or bad for her.
Question 2.
Have you ever been on a trip to any place in India, where you didn’t know the language spoken locally? How did you feel? How did you manage to communicate?
Answer:
During my tour to Tamil Nadu, I happened to visit a small village. It is near the temple town of Kanchipuram. Actually, I went there to buy some sarees for my mother and my elder sister. I went to a handloom shop. The shopkeeper welcomed me with folded hands and wished ‘namaskaram’. I did the same. I said ‘sarees ’. He responded by saying “ilia’ or ‘Yella or something like that. He said something to the helpers. I could not understand even a word. Many new sarees of different colours were laid before me. I picked up one and asked the price. He raised three fingers—I couldn’t make out whether he was asking for three hundred or three thousand. A man who knew some Hindi saved me from the embarrassment. I paid six thousand and bought two sarees. Only then I realised that I was a stranger in my own country and I determined to learn at least one language that is spoken in South India.
Question 3.
See textbook on page 3.
Answer:
Do it yourself.
Question 4.
Now that you have enjoyed reading the story, answer the following questions by choosing the correct option
(a) The grandmother could relate to the central character of the story ‘Kashi Yatre’ as_______
(i) both were old and uneducated.
(ii) both had granddaughters who read to them.
(iii) both had a strong desire to visit Kashi.
(iv) both were determined to learn to read.
(iii) both had a strong desire to visit Kashi.
(iv) both were determined to learn to read.
Answer:
(iii) both had a strong desire to visit Kashi.
(b) Why did the women at the temple discuss the latest episode of ‘Kashi Yatre’?
(i) to pass their time.
(ii) the writer, Triveni, was very popular.
(iii) they could relate with the protagonist of the serial.
(iv) women have a habit of discussing serials.
(iii) they could relate with the protagonist of the serial.
(iv) women have a habit of discussing serials.
Answer:
(ii) the writer, Triveni, was very popular.
(c) The granddaughter found her grandmother in tears on her return as__________
(i) the grandmother had been unable to read the story Kashi Yatre’ on her own.
(ii) the grandmother had felt lonely.
(iii) the grandmother wanted to accompany her granddaughter.
(iv) she was sad she could not visit Kashi.
(ii) the grandmother had felt lonely.
(iii) the grandmother wanted to accompany her granddaughter.
(iv) she was sad she could not visit Kashi.
Answer:
(i) the grandmother had been unable to read the story Kashi Yatre’ on her own.
(d) Why did the grandmother touch her granddaughter’s feet?
(i) As a mark of respect to her teacher.
(ii) It was a custom in their family.
(iii) Girls should be respected.
(iv) She had read the story of Kashi Yatra’ to her.
Answer:
(i) As a mark of respect to her teacher.
Question 5.
Answer the following questions briefly
(a) What made Triveni a popular writer ?
(b) Why did the grandmother depend on her granddaughter to know the story?
(c) Pick out two sentences which state that the grandmother was desperate to know what happened in the story.
(d) Could the grandmother succeed in accomplishing her desire to read? How?
(e) Which of the following traits would be relevant to the character of the narrator’s grandmother?
- determined
- selfish
- emotional
- mean
Give reasons for your choice.
Answer:
(a) Triveni was a very popular writer in the Kannada language. Her style was easy to read and very convincing. Her stories usually dealt with complex psychological problems of ordinary people. They were always very interesting.
(b) The grandmother never went to school. She was totally illiterate. So she could not read. Her granddaughter would read the next episode of Kashi Yatre when the weekly Karmaveera came. The grandmother depended on her granddaughter to know the story.
(c) The following two sentences state that the grandmother was desperate to know what happened in the story:
‘During that time, she would forget all her work and listen with the greatest concentration.’
‘So more than anybody else she was the one most interested in knowing what happened next in the story.’
(d) Yes, the grandmother did succeed in accomplishing her desire to read. Being illiterate, she felt very dependent and helpless. She was determined to overcome that obstacle and learn the Kannada language. She made her granddaughter her teacher and did amazing amount of homework. She set Saraswati Pooja day as the deadline. She came out with flying colours. She could now read Kashi Yatre on her own.
(e) Two traits that were relevant to the character of the narrator’s grandmother were:
her determination
her emotional nature
She was determined to learn the Kannada language to read Kashi Yatre herself. She set the deadline and accomplished the task within the stipulated time.
When the narrator came, she found her grandmother in tears. Her affectionate hands touched her granddaughter’s feet. She touched her feet as a mark of respect to her teacher
Question 6.
Here are some direct quotations from the story. Identify the speaker and write what each quotation suggests about the speaker. You can use the adjectives given in the box and may also add your own.
| Speaker | Quotation | Quality Highlighted | |
| (a) | ‘Awa, is everything all right? Are you O.K.?’ | ||
| (b) | ‘At times, I used to regret not going to school, so I made sure that my children and grandchildren studied well.’ | ||
| (c) | ‘Awa, don’t cry. What is the matter? Can I help you in anyway?’ | ||
| (d) | ‘We are well-off, but what use is money when I cannot be independent.’ | ||
| (e) | ‘I will keep Saraswati Pooja day during Dassara as the deadline.’ | ||
| (f) | ‘For a good cause if you are determined you can overcome any obstacle.’ | ||
| (g) | I am touching the feet of a teacher not my granddaughter.’ |
Answer:
| Speaker | Quotation | Quality Highlighted | |
| (a) | The narrator | ‘Awa, is everything all right? Are you O.K.?’ | concerned sympathetic, helpful |
| (b) | The grandmother | ‘ At times, I used to regret not going to school, so I made sure that my children and grandchildren studied well.’ | wise, understanding |
| (c) | The narrator | ‘Awa, don’t cry. What is the matter? Can I help you in anyway?’ |
Sympathetic/
helpful, amiable |
| (d) | The grandmother | ‘We are well-off, but what use is money when I cannot be independent.’ | prudent |
| (e) | The narrator | ‘I will keep Saraswati Pooja day during Dassara as the deadline.’ | determined, religious |
| (f) | The grandmother | ‘For a good cause if you are determined you can overcome any obstacle.’ | enthusiastic; diligent |
| (g) | The grandmother | I am touching the feet of a teacher not my granddaughter.’ |
respectful, humble |
Question 7.
Now you are going to listen to the story of a young girl about a special day.
(a) Based on your listening of the story complete the boxes given below.
Answer:
(b) List any three feelings of the old people in this story._____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
Answer:
They feel dependent.
They feel helpless due to extreme old age.
They feel proud of their children who are so caring to them.
(c) Complete the following :
We can make our grandparents happy by ________________
We can avoid constructing more and more Old Age Homes by___________
Answer:
giving them proper care.
giving them honourable place in our own house.
Question 8.
After having read the story, you realise the anguish of the illiterate adults. You want to make your friends aware of it and contribute something in bringing about a change in the lives of the illiterate adults. Deliver a speech in the morning assembly at your school about the Importance of Adult Education and ways to implement it.
Read the following to make your speech effective:
The introduction of a speech is like the nose of an airplane. The nose sets the course and leads the plane off in a specific direction. A good introduction sets the direction of your speech by
- getting the attention of your audience
- introducing your topic
- stating your central idea or purpose
- briefly identifying the main points
- making your audience eager to hear what you have to say
Answer:
Importance of Adult Education and Ways to Implement it
Respected Principal, teachers and dear friends!
India’s economic achievements may be spectacular. So may be its rapid strides in space and arms. But let me ask you a question. Don’t we feel ashamed at having the maximum number of illiterates in the world? Doesn’t it make a mockery of
all our achievements? I want to make, particularly my friends aware of it. I want that all of us must contribute something in bringing about a change in the lives of the illiterate adults.
I feel that every unit of N.S.S. in schools must call for volunteers. The volunteers of each unit must adopt at least five villages. They must set their targets. I think two years are enough. Scatter out in the villages. Find out the illiterate adults. Be respectful and cooperative. Give them at least 20 hours a week.
I want to draw the attention of all of you to the grandmother of the story ‘How I Taught My Grandmother to Read’. When an old and illiterate lady like Krishtakka can read a novel within a year, why can’t others? Let’s be like the granddaughter. Let’s be totally devoted to the cause of the illiterates. We can do wonders. A day will come when we will have not a single illiterate in India. It may take time. But that day will come.
Writing Task
Question 9.
You are the grandmother. How did you feel when your granddaughter gave you the novel ‘Kashi Yatre’ ? Write your feelings in your diary.
To make your diary entry interesting, read the following information about what is a diary entry.
A diary entry is a purely personal piece of writing. The writer expresses his/her thoughts and feelings. Reactions to incidents are generally poured out in a diary. Hence expressions that are emotionally charged are used.
For example – When you are happy about something, you could start like this
8th July 20xx, Wednesday 8 pm
Today I am very happy as ………………………..
I feel that every unit of N.S.S. in schools must call for volunteers. The volunteers of each unit must adopt at least five villages. They must set their targets. I think two years are enough. Scatter out in the villages. Find out the illiterate adults. Be respectful and cooperative. Give them at least 20 hours a week.
I want to draw the attention of all of you to the grandmother of the story ‘How I Taught My Grandmother to Read’. When an old and illiterate lady like Krishtakka can read a novel within a year, why can’t others? Let’s be like the granddaughter. Let’s be totally devoted to the cause of the illiterates. We can do wonders. A day will come when we will have not a single illiterate in India. It may take time. But that day will come.
Writing Task
Question 9.
You are the grandmother. How did you feel when your granddaughter gave you the novel ‘Kashi Yatre’ ? Write your feelings in your diary.
To make your diary entry interesting, read the following information about what is a diary entry.
A diary entry is a purely personal piece of writing. The writer expresses his/her thoughts and feelings. Reactions to incidents are generally poured out in a diary. Hence expressions that are emotionally charged are used.
For example – When you are happy about something, you could start like this
8th July 20xx, Wednesday 8 pm
Today I am very happy as ………………………..
Answer:
8th July 20XX, Wednesday 8pm
Today I am very happy as my mission is almost over. About a year ago I set a deadline. I didn’t want to remain dependent and helpless anymore. So I decided to cast off the curse of illiteracy. I decided to leam the Kannada alphabet. No doubt, this task would not have seen the day without the active help of my granddaughter. She acted as my teacher and I worked hard and did an amazing homework under her guidance.
Today, my granddaughter has given me a copy of Triveni’s famous novel Kashi Yatre. Lord, how merciful you are ! Now I can read any novel with confidence on my own. don’t need my granddaughter to read Kashi Yatre anymore for me. I have attained selfrespect and independence. It is true that if you are determined you can overcome all obstacles. And I have learnt another lesson. For learning, there is no age bar.
Question 10.
Here is a story about Swami and his grandmother. After reading the excerpt, change it into a conversation between Swami and his Grandmother.
After the night meal with his head on his granny’s lap, nestling close to her, Swaminathan felt very snug and safe in the faint atmosphere of cardamom and cloves. ‘Oh, Granny !’ he cried ecstatically. ‘You don’t know what a great fellow Rajam is.’ He told her the story of the first enmity between Rajam and Mani and the subsequent friendship.
‘You know, he has a real police dress,’ said Swaminathan. ‘Is it? What does he want a police dress for?’ asked Granny.
‘His father is the Police Superintendent. He is the master of every policeman here.’ Granny was impressed. She said that it must be a tremendous office indeed. She then recounted the days when her husband, Swaminathan’s grandfather, was a powerful sub-magistrate, in which office he made the police force tremble before him and the fiercest dacoits of the place flee. Swaminathan waited impatiently for her to finish the story. But she went on, rambled, confused, mixed up various incidents that took place at different times. ‘That will do, Granny,’ he said ungraciously. ‘Let me tell you something about Rajam. Do you know how many marks he gets in arithmetic?’
‘He gets all the marks, does he, child?’ asked Granny.
‘No silly. He gets ninety marks out of one hundred.’
‘Good. But you must also try and get marks like him…. You know, Swami, your grandfather used to frighten the examiners with his answers sometimes. When he answered a question, he did it in a tenth of the time that others took to do it. And then, his answers would be so powerful that his teachers would give him two hundred marks sometimes.
‘Oh, enough, Granny ! You go on bothering about old unnecessary stories. Won’t you listen to Rajam?’
‘Yes, dear, yes.’
‘Granny, when Rajam was a small boy, he killed a tiger.’
Swaminathan started the story enthusiastically : Rajam’s father was camping in a forest. He had his son with him. Two tigers came upon them suddenly, one knocking down the father from behind. The other began chasing Rajam, who took shelter behind a bush and shot it dead with his gun.
‘Granny, are you asleep?’ Swaminathan asked at the end of the story.
Now read the dialogue and complete the conversation:
Swarni: You don’t know what a great fellow Raj am is! In the beginning I could not get along with him but now he is my good friend. And you know, he has a real police dress.
Grandmother: Is it? What does he want a police dress for?
Swarni: His father is the Police Superintendent. He is the master of every policeman here.
Grandmother: I think, it must be a tremendous office. Do you know, your grandfather was a powerful submagistrate and the Police Force trembled before him? Even the fiercest dacoits of the place fled.
Swarni: That will do, Granny. It’s so boring. Let me tell you something about Raj am. Do you know how many marks he gets in arithmetic?
Grandmother: He gets all the marks, doesn’t he, child?
Answer:
Swarni: No silly! He gets ninety marks out of one hundred.
Grandmother: That’s good. But you must also try and get marks like him. Do you know how your grandfather used to frighten the examiners with his answers sometimes? He would answer a question in a tenth of the time that others took. He would give so powerful answers that his teachers gave him two hundred marks sometimes.
Swarni: Oh, enough, Granny! Don’t bother about old unnecessary stories. Won’t you listen to Rajam?
Grandmother: Yes, dear, Yes.
Swarni: Granny, do you know when Rajam was a small boy, he killed a tiger? His father was camping with him in a forest. Two tigers came upon them suddenly. One knocked down the father from behind. The other began chasing Rajam. He took shelter behind a bush and shot it dead with his gun. Granny, are you asleep?
Reference To Context
Read the given extracts and answer the questions that follow:
Question 1.
One of her novels, called Kashi Yatre, was appearing as a serial in the Kannada weekly Karmaveera It is the story of an old lady and her ardent desire to go to Kashi or Varanasi. (Page 3)
(a) Who is the author of Kashi Yatre?
(b) Like the old lady in Kashi Yatre, who was the other character who had ardent desire to go to Kashi?
(c) Find the word from the extract similar in meaning to ‘keen’.
Answer:
(a) Triveni is the author of Kashi Yatre.
(b) Narrator’s grandmother had ardent desire to go to Kashi.
(c) Arcent
Question 2.
In the end, the old lady gives away all her savings without going to Kashi. She says, ‘The happiness of this orphan girl is more important than worshipping Lord Vishweshwara at Kashi.’ (Page 4)
(a) Who was the old lady?
(b) Why did she give away all her savings to the orphan girl?
(c) Find the word from the extract opposite in meaning to ‘trivial’.
Answer:
(a) The old lady was the main character of the novel Kashi Yatre.
(b) She gave away all her savings to the orphan girl to make her able to marry the man whom she loved.
(c) Important
Question 3.
So more than anybody else she was the one most interested in knowing what happened next in the story and used to insist that I read the serial out to her. (Page 4)
(a) Who is ‘she’ in the above lines?
(b) Name the Kannada weekly in which the story appeared.
(c) Give a word from the passage similar in meaning to ‘urge’.
(a) The old lady was the main character of the novel Kashi Yatre.
(b) She gave away all her savings to the orphan girl to make her able to marry the man whom she loved.
(c) Important
Question 3.
So more than anybody else she was the one most interested in knowing what happened next in the story and used to insist that I read the serial out to her. (Page 4)
(a) Who is ‘she’ in the above lines?
(b) Name the Kannada weekly in which the story appeared.
(c) Give a word from the passage similar in meaning to ‘urge’.
Answer:
(a) She is the narrator’s grandmother, Krishtakka.
(b) The story appeared in the Karmaveera
(c) Insist
Question 4.
‘When I was a young girl I lost my mother. There was nobody to look after and guide me. My father was a busy man and got married again. In those days people never considered education essential for girls, so I never went to school. (Page 4)
(a) Who is the speaker of the above lines?
(b) What is the speaker’s agony?
(c) Wite the verb form of ‘education’.
(a) She is the narrator’s grandmother, Krishtakka.
(b) The story appeared in the Karmaveera
(c) Insist
Question 4.
‘When I was a young girl I lost my mother. There was nobody to look after and guide me. My father was a busy man and got married again. In those days people never considered education essential for girls, so I never went to school. (Page 4)
(a) Who is the speaker of the above lines?
(b) What is the speaker’s agony?
(c) Wite the verb form of ‘education’.
Answer:
(a) Narrator’s grandmother, Krishtakka is the speaker.
(b)Her agony was that she couldn’t go to school.
(c) Educate
Question 5.
1 felt so very dependent and helpless. We are well-off, but what use is money when I cannot be independent? (Page 5)
(a) Who is ‘I’ in these lines?
(b)Why did she feel very dependent and helpless?
(c) We are ‘well-off ’. What does the phrase ‘well-off ’ mean here?
(a) Narrator’s grandmother, Krishtakka is the speaker.
(b)Her agony was that she couldn’t go to school.
(c) Educate
Question 5.
1 felt so very dependent and helpless. We are well-off, but what use is money when I cannot be independent? (Page 5)
(a) Who is ‘I’ in these lines?
(b)Why did she feel very dependent and helpless?
(c) We are ‘well-off ’. What does the phrase ‘well-off ’ mean here?
Answer:
(a) ‘I’ stands for the narrator’s grandmother.
(b) She was illiterate so she felt herself dependent and helpless.
(c) Prosperous
Question 6.
Childishly, I made fun of the old lady. But she just smiled. (Page 5)
(a) Who made fun of the old lady?
(b) The old lady was ridiculed and laughed at. Why?
(c) Why did the old lady smile?
(a) ‘I’ stands for the narrator’s grandmother.
(b) She was illiterate so she felt herself dependent and helpless.
(c) Prosperous
Question 6.
Childishly, I made fun of the old lady. But she just smiled. (Page 5)
(a) Who made fun of the old lady?
(b) The old lady was ridiculed and laughed at. Why?
(c) Why did the old lady smile?
Answer:
(а) The narrator made fun of the old lady.
(b) She was ridiculed as she decided to learn Kannada alphabet at the age of 62.
(c) The old lady smiled because she was confident of herself.
Question 7.
‘For a good cause if you are determined, you can overcome any obstacle. I will work harder than anybody but I will do it. For learning there is no age bar.’(Page 5)
(a) What is the ‘good cause’ here?
(b)Who is ‘I’ in the above lines?
(c) What does the phrase ‘age bar’ mean here?
(а) The narrator made fun of the old lady.
(b) She was ridiculed as she decided to learn Kannada alphabet at the age of 62.
(c) The old lady smiled because she was confident of herself.
Question 7.
‘For a good cause if you are determined, you can overcome any obstacle. I will work harder than anybody but I will do it. For learning there is no age bar.’(Page 5)
(a) What is the ‘good cause’ here?
(b)Who is ‘I’ in the above lines?
(c) What does the phrase ‘age bar’ mean here?
Answer:
(a) Learning Kannada alphabet is the ‘good cause’ here.
(b)Narrator’s grandmother.
(c) There is no age limit for learning.
(a) Learning Kannada alphabet is the ‘good cause’ here.
(b)Narrator’s grandmother.
(c) There is no age limit for learning.