THE HAPPY PRINCE by OSCAR WILDE

The Happy Prince

Question 1: Why do the courtiers call the prince ‘the Happy Prince’? Is he really happy? What does he see all around him?

Answer: The courtiers are mentally conditioned in certain ways. This can be compared with the way sycophants behave with political heavyweights. They are conditioned to say pleasant things to their masters. The prince was brought up in a protected environment where he lost touch with ground realities of life. He never enjoyed the normal pleasures of childhood. So he may be having all the comforts money can buy but not the true happiness. Now even after death he sees so much misery and depravity all around. This makes him further sad.

Question 2: Why does the Happy Prince send a ruby for the seamstress? What does the swallow do in the seamstress’ house?

Answer: The Happy Prince sends ruby so that the seamstress can get good amount of money after selling it. With money she can buy medicines for her child. She can be in a position to pay more attention to her child. At present her economic needs don’t permit her to pay proper attention to her child.

The swallow flutters her wings over the sick boy’s head so that he would feel easy. Feeling the relief from high temperature the boy falls asleep.

Question3: For whom does the prince send the sapphires and why?

Answer: The young play-writer needs money to buy firewood which will keep him warm. The little girl needs money to buy matchsticks. The Happy Prince wants to help as many people as he could. Lifting people’s misery makes him happier. To help the playwriter and the little girl the Happy Prince sends sapphire.

4. What does the swallow see when it flies over the city?

Answer: When the swallow flies over the city it sees the stark contrast of plenty and poverty. It sees rich men making merry oblivious to the plight of the poor down the lane. It sees the nadir of condition of poor when they are denied even a sound sleep by police patrolling the street.

Question 5: Why did the swallow not leave the prince and go to Egypt?

Answer: While helping people the Prince loses his eyes and becomes blind. The swallow seems to be touched by Prince’s sacrifice. Moreover it is also touched by poor’s plight. It thinks of helping poor with the help of the prince. So the swallow decides to stay with the prince.

Question 6: What are the precious things mentioned in the story? Why are they precious?

Answer: The precious thing mentioned in the story is the misery of people. This is precious because it gives you chance to help out people. It helps you to share your riches and happiness to others. It gives you an opportunity to do charity.

In The Kingdom of Fools

Question 1: What are the two strange things the guru and his disciple find in the Kingdom of Fools?

Answer: Two strange things observed by the guru and his disciple are as follows. In the kingdom people slept throughout the day and even animals didn’t dare venture out during daytime. All work was done during night only. Everything cost one duddu, the local currency. Be it gold or banana, for fools everything had same value. In a way people were not capable of judging the true worth of a thing.

Question 2: Why does the disciple decide to stay in the Kingdom of Fools? Is it a good idea?

Answer: The disciple thinks of the easy life ahead. He thinks that he could afford all pleasures of life without worrying about monetary budget. He dreams of relishing every rich food on offer as everything cost same in that kingdom.

stion 3: Name all the people who are tried in the king’s court, and give the reasons for their trial.

Answer: The merchant was the first accused because his house’s wall collapsed and killed the thief. The next person was the bricklayer as it was thought his bad workmanship created a weak wall. Then the dancer was accused of distracting the bricklayer resulting in poor quality of the wall. Next accused was the goldsmith who called the dancer time and again to deliver the jewellery which in turn led to the distraction of the bricklayer. The goldsmith passed the buck on the merchant’s father as his pressure on the goldsmith delayed the finishing of dancer’s work. At last the wheel turned full circle and the blame came back to the original merchant.

Question 4: Who is the real culprit according to the king? Why does he escape punishment?

Answer: The king applied his weird logic to come to the conclusion that as the merchant inherited everything from his father so he should take the share of his father’s sin as well. As the merchant was too thin to fit on the new execution stake so he escaped execution. The king concluded that a man fat enough to fit the stake will serve the purpose.

Question 5: What are the Guru’s words of wisdom? When does the disciple remember them?

Answer: The guru said that you never know what those foolish people would do to you next. When disciple’s life was at stake then he remembered his guru’s words of wisdom. This is normal human behavior. During good times we tend to forget the good teachings of our teachers and well wishers. It is only when the going gets tough we tend to remember them. We usually remember god during times of crisis.

Question 6: How does the guru manage to save his disciple’s life?

Answer: The guru tries to confuse the king by expressing his desire to be killed first. Then to further confuse the king he tells the story of becoming the king in the next incarnation. Apparently it may sound like a case of pure lie to save your dear one’s life. But if we go deeper consciously or unconsciously the sage is trying to save everybody’s life in the kingdom. Ultimately he is able to pull everybody out of the misery of living in the kingdom of fools.

ISWARAN THE STORY TELLER by R.K LAXMAN

Q1) In what way was Ishwaran an asset to Mahendra?

Ans1) Ishwaran could cook the delicious dishes, wash clothes and chat with his master at night. He could tell endless stories on variety of subjects. Therefore Mahendra considered him as an asset and took him with him always.

Q2) Why did Mahendra have to move from place to place?

Ans2) Mahendra had to observe the activities at construction sites like factories, bridges, dams etc. He had to move from place to place often as ordered by his head office.

Q3) How did Ishwaran describe the uprooted tree on the highway?

Ans3) The uprooted tree was looking as enormous bushy beast to the Ishwaran. It was lying sprawled across the road.

Q4) How did Ishwaran control the tusker?

Ans4) One day an elephant went mad and entered the compound of the school building. Ishwaran was in the junior class at that time. Out of fear students and teachers climbed the rooftop. But Ishwaran courageously took a rod hit the third toenail of the tusker. It shivered from head to foot and collapsed.

Q5) How did Ishwaran manage to make even the simplest Incidents interesting?

Ans5) Ishwarans was a good orator. He could narrate even a simple incident with great detail by adding suspense and humour in it. Actually all his descriptions were influenced by his Tamil readings. For instance if he wanted to describe the uprooted tree lying across the road he would say an enormous bushy beast on a deserted road.

THE SUMMIT WITHIN- extra questions & answers CLASS 8

Q1) What are the three qualities that played a major role in the author’s climb?

Ans1) The three qualities that played a major role in the author’s climb endurance, persistence and will power..

Q2) Why is adventure, which is risky, also pleasurable?

Ans2) People have natural urge for undertaking adventurous activity. They possess an internal love for adventure which is spiritual also. Climbing is also one such activity. It gives the climber many challenges to win over. A true climber accepts all hurdles. Victory over them gives him joy and satisfaction. It encourages him to take risk and go on.

Q3) What was it about Mount Everest that the author found irrestible?

Ans3 The peak of Mount Everest attracted the authr to itself because it is simply beautiful, lonely and the most powerful. So, its climbing could not be given up.

Q4) One does not do climbing for the fame alone. What does one do it for, really?

Ans4) One does not climb high peak for becoming famous alone. People have natural urge for undertaking adventurous activity. There is the feeling of satisfaction of this deep urge in completing difficult climbing. Climbing experience is physical, emotional and spiritual. It is an act of communication with God Almighty.

Q5) What were the ‘symbols of reverence’ left by members of the team of Everest?

Ans5) The symbols of reverence offered by the members of climbing expedition on the top of Everest were as follows.

1)      A picture of Guru Nanak left by H.P.S .Ahluwalia.

2)      A picture of Goddess Durga left by Mr. Rawat.

3)      A relic of Buddha left by Phu Dorji, and.

4)      A cross left by Edmund Hillary.

Q6) What, according to the writer, did his experience as an Everester teach him?

Ans6) According to the writer his experience as an Everester taught how to face the difficulties with strong determination. It also taught him to look within at the internal summit which is higher than the Everest.

Wars Should Be Avoided At all Costs_ an article

               


George Washington once said, “My first wish is to see this plague of mankind, war, banished from earth." War is the march of hell on the surface of earth, and it leaves in its wake, corpses, ruins, rubble, families destroyed, and regret for having invited this monster from hell. Wars can never end conflicts, they complicate it further.





World War 1 and World War 2 are the two ugliest scars on the face of mankind. They wreaked so much havoc that its precedent is impossible to find since the beginning of evolution. Wars are futile and outcome of man’s ignorance and anger. The people of the world must learn a lesson from these two holocausts.



All the wars that were fought in the history of mankind taught man the horrible lessons of its futility. The most heinous and horrible war in the entire history of mankind is the Second World War. The dates August 6, 1945, and August 9, 1945 are written indelibly on the pages of history with blood of thousands of people who died a painful death in the nuclear bomb attacks in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Hiroshima bomb killed approximately 1,40,000 people instantaneously; Nagasaki underwent almost the same nightmare.





 Seeing the enormity of death and destruction, the entire world condemned the use of nuclear bombs. Even those who were in favour of its use in war, felt remorseful. The most frightening aspect related to nuclear bombs is, the world is full of them. Bombs many times more potent than the ones used in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, are lying ready in the arsenals of many country.



Even in the modern times, the consequences and fallout of wars in countries such as Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, millions of people have been affected. The cities in these countries that used to be full of life and echoes of happy children and are deserted with destroyed houses, shops, and complexes. One feels miserable seeing such a huge destruction. The world is in a precarious position. Another large scale war involving two or three nations might end very life of man! When will man become wiser and renounce war forever? May be soon!



   In conclusion it can be said that wars are symbolic of savage backwardness. Civilized people resolve their conflicts through peaceful dialogue at the discussion table. So, wars must be avoided at all costs.

The Lake Isle of Innisfree-William Butler Yeats

The Lake Isle of  Innisfree-William Butler Yeats

1.      What does the poet find so attractive about the Leake Lake Isle of  Innisfree?

Ans : The thing that the poet finds so attractive about Lake Isle of Innisfree is its promise of peace.The poet longs for this place which affords a sense of contentment and relaxation far from the busy modem life. The poem’s slow and regular meter helps to convey this languid, dreamy effect. There is also the vivid impressionistic description of the colours and beauties of this place, and the soothing stir of nature which is so different from the strident noise of the city where the poet actually is, as the final stanza makes clear.The poet, then, is physically trapped in the city, but he can imagine the beauty of Innisfree and this gives him spiritual sustenance. This is one of Yeats’s early lyrics, exhibiting a familiar romantic sensibility in its praise of the deep purity and beauty of nature which is contrasted with the drabness, shallowness and sterility of modem urban living

2.      What words does the poet use to describe how calmness and tranquility will come to Innsifree?

Ans: The poet declares that he will arise and go to Innisfree, where he will build a small cabin “of clay and wattles made.” There, he will have nine bean-rows and a beehive, and live alone in the glade loud with the sound of bees (“the bee-loud glade”). He says that he will have peace there, for peace drops from “the veils of morning to where the cricket sings.”

3.      How does the poet describe midnight, noon and evening?

Ans: Apparently, in Innisfree, midnight is shimmering and beautiful and midday is a purple glow—this is starting to sound a little fairy-tale gorgeous. Saying that the evening is full of linnet's wings makes us think not only of one bird, but also of all of them in flight.

The imagery is getting almost dreamlike—purple, hazy, full of birds in flight. 

4.      What is so special about the sound produced by the following line?

Ans : He can hear the lapping of the water on Innisfree in his mind or something.Thats because he's not really hearing the water, we should think of this auditory image as a metaphor for his strong desire to head to Innisfree. We think it's safe to say that he imagines the sounds because he's so absorbed in his desire to get to this ideal place.

5.      What sound is the poet looking forward to hear in Innisfree?

Ans: The speaker wants to be surrounded by the sounds of nature. "Glade" is an open space in a forest. Living in that clearing with only the birds chirping and bees buzzing seems pretty awesome to him. More soothing sounds of nature. Here Yeats writes about the peaceful sounds of the cricket. That's definitely something we don't get in the city.

THE SNAKE AND THE MIRROR

Q1) Describe the house where the doctor lived?

Ans1) The doctor lived in a small house. It was not electrified. It had only few things. The roof was tiled. Tiles were rested on the beam over the wall. The room had two windows with one wall facing the open yard.

Q2) What happened when doctor was sitting on his chair?

Ans2) One day the doctor was sitting in the chair and was thinking about his future. Suddenly a snake landed on his shoulder. It coiled around his left arm above the elbow. Its hood was spread and its head was just three or four inches away from the his face.

Q3) What was the doctor’s choice of woman for his marriage?

Ans3) Doctor thought about marrying a rich fat woman. So that, if he committed any silly mistake and wanted to run away she might not be able to run after him and catch him.

Q4) In the story “The snake and the Mirror” the snake has been compared to three objects. What are they?

Ans4) The snake is compared to three objects 1) a rubber tube. 2) a thick leaden rod, 3) a rod made of molten fire. The writer compares it with rubber tube because it falls with thud. It is compared to leaden rod because it looks like a rod. It is compared to rod made of molten fire it caused that sensation and burning in his arm and the whole body.

Q5) What two important decisions did the doctor take?

Ans5) The first important decision taken by doctor was that he would grow a thin moustache and keep an attractive smile on his face. So that he would look more handsome. Secondly he would marry a fat but rich woman doctor.

Q6) Why did the writer smile when death lurked four inches away?

Ans6) A snake coiled around doctor’s arm and death lurked four inches away. At that moment writer thought what medicine he would take if snake bite him. There was no medicine in the room. The narrator was a poor, foolish and stupid doctor. His thinking suddenly changed. He forgot his danger and smile feebly.

Q7) What was the similarity between the doctor and the snake?

Ans7) There was similarity between the doctor and the snake. Both of them were admirer of their own beauty. The doctor remained in his imagination. The snake was attracted towards the mirror. Both were carried by their beauty.