THE ADVENTURES OF TOTO BY RUSKIN BOND

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

Answer

Toto was in the captivity of a tonga owner. The grandfather gets sympathetic with the monkey and thinks that his private zoo would be a better place for Toto. So he purchased Toto from the tongawallah for five rupees. 

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

Answer

Toto was a pretty monkey. His bright eyes sparkled with mischief beneath the deep-set eyebrows, and his teeth, which were a pearly white, were very often displayed in a smile that frightened the life out of elderly Anglo-Indian ladies. But his hands looked dried-up as though they had been pickled in the sun for many years. Yet his fingers were quick and wicked and his tail, while adding to his good looks served as a third hand. He could use it to hang from a branch and it was capable of scooping up any delicacy that might be out of reach of his hands. 

3. Why does grandfather take Toto to Saharanpur and how? Why does the ticket collector insist on calling Toto a dog? 

Answer

Toto was a real menace for every living soul in the household. Other animals in grandfather’s zoo were at Toto’s mercy even during night. So, grandfather decided to provide some relief to other animals in the zoo and thought of taking Toto to Shaharanpur. 

The ticket collector was following his rulebooks. As there seems to be no rule for fixing a monkey’s fare so he equated Toto with dog. Ticket collector’s ingenuity tried to categorize all pets of a certain size as dogs.  

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

Answer  

Toto takes bath in a tub of warm water. It puts its legs in the water one by one and applies soap as well. As monkeys are good at aping others, so Toto has learnt proper steps of bathing while watching the narrator doing same. 

Toto is fond of bathing with warm water. So once having tested the warmth of water in the kettle Toto sits in the kettle. Probably he is not intelligent enough to understand the risk boiling water so he pops his head up and down in the kettle. 

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

Answer 

Though Toto was pretty and clever, he was very mischievous. He brought a lot of damage to the house by breaking dishes, tearing clothes and curtains. He also scared the visiotrs by tearing holes in their dresses. Furthermore, he didn’t get along well with other animals in the house too. One day Toto crossed the limits by picking up a dish of pullao and running on a branch to eat it. When scolded he threw off the plate and broke it. That’s when grandfather decided he had had enough of Toto because he couldn’t bear the losses that he incurred because of Toto’s mischief. 

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening BY ROBERT FROST

Whose woods these are I think I know.   

His house is in the village though;   

He will not see me stopping here   

To watch his woods fill up with snow.   

My little horse must think it queer   

To stop without a farmhouse near   

Between the woods and frozen lake   

The darkest evening of the year.   

He gives his harness bells a shake   

To ask if there is some mistake.   

The only other sound’s the sweep   

Of easy wind and downy flake.   

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,   

But I have promises to keep,   

And miles to go before I sleep,   

And miles to go before I sleep.

A review on Dickens-GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Expectations is one of Charles Dickens’s most famous works. It was published (as a novel in three volumes) in 1861. Pip is a young orphan boy who lives with his elder sister and her husband. He knows that he will be a blacksmith like his brother-in-law when he grows up. But an anonymous benefactor settles a lavish allowance on him. Pip goes to London and starts life in a society that is completely alien to him. His new-found prosperity and his undying love for his childhood friend Estella change him in many ways. He becomes more and more ashamed of his humble origins. But many disasters and challenges await him. The novel chronicles Pip’s experiences from childhood to adulthood. Great Expectations is generally termed a bildungsroman. Bildungsroman is a German word used for novels that portray the psychological development of the central character. But Great Expectations, like most of Charles Dickens’s novels, does not conform to any one genre. It is a tale of love and passion; a mystery story with several twists; a narrative that functions as a serious social commentary
I must confess that I started to read this book with a little bit of reluctance during my summer vacation. The problem with an old book is that we usually have a general idea about it even if we haven’t read it. But instead of the boredom I expected, the experience turned out to be both memorable and enriching. Great Expectations is one of the most complex and moving love stories I have ever read. The relationship between Pip and Estella comes alive from the very beginning. There are also mysteries to be solved- the urge to find out what happens next. The irresponsible and immature Pip is one of Dickens’s most endearing characters. His friends, John Wemmick and Miss Skiffins, are unforgettable. The numerous comic moments stand out, as do the moments of suspense, passion or realization. I have read this book more than once, and every read has been an entirely new experience.

A review on Dickens masterpiece- GREAT EXPECTATIONS

I should admit that I abandoned the book immediately when I started reading it. The narrative was slow, the story wasn't progressing and there were too many characters at the same time. I wasn't just happy. 

I picked up the book again after 10 days and this time, I was wearing a smile at every line that I read, every page that I read and every chapter that I read. It is such a wonderfully written story with touching elements of love, ambition, help, hope and gratitude.

It's all about a boy Pip, and his life. He grows up, he learns and he transforms: that's the story all about. Pip is brought up by his sister and his brother-in-law and is then sent to Miss Havisham to entertain her. Miss Havisham is an eccentric lady: wearing her bridal dress all throughout, she has discarded living. She sits in a black room and does not come out either at day or at night. She has a story of her own. Pip meets Estella here. Estella is a girl of the same age as that of Pip and Pip falls for her. Love for Estella is a constant part of Pip's life. 

Pip, then, receives a fortune from someone he doesn't know but only speculate about. Pip moves to London to get good education and become a gentleman. Pip forgets all that he valued once: his brother-in-law, Joe and his home and his life upon the marshes. Pip's life then is revealed to be full of interesting and shocking revelations and coincidences. 

Dickens has taken care in crafting his characters and story. He hasn't described the characters at length. He gives them their own space to develop and does it so deftly that it all looks very clear and convincing. At some times, he has directly described their characteristics and at other times, he lets them show themselves to the reader through their disposition. 

I found his writing to be humorous and tender at the same time. There are so many times when Dickens made me sit back and think and laugh. Its first person narrative makes you feel that Pip is sitting just beside you and telling you his story. It all is so simple and heartwarming that it makes you keep reading. Be it the love between Estella and Pip, the oddity between Pip and Mr. Jaggers, the sense of gratitude (and ingratitude) between Pip and Joe, everything will move you as a human being and will affect you deeply. 

My reading pace slowed terribly when I was reaching the end because I did not want to finish the book. I wanted the story to go on. I wanted to read more of it. I wasn't convinced and happy that this is coming to an end. I read somewhere the Dickens wanted to write a longer story than the one that he has written. I wanted that too. Nevertheless, this book will touch your heart

Children at Work- Class 8 supplementary reader

Children at Work

Question 1: Velu stood on the platform but he felt “as if he was still on a moving train”. Why?

Answer: Sometimes long distance travel causes motion sickness. After the end of the journey one gets a sense the body is still shaking as if on a moving vehicle. That is what seems to have happened to Velu.

Question 2: What made him feel miserable?

Answer: Velu was in an unfamiliar place. He was hungry and was penniless. He did not know where to go from there. He was not sure what future lay in store for him. That is why he felt miserable.

Question 3: Velu travelled without a ticket. Why?

Answer: Velu ran away from his home. He was not having money to buy a ticket. So, he traveled without ticket.

Question 4: How did he escape the ticket collector’s attention?

Answer: Probably Velu’s luck was with him. The ticket collector never came to the compartment he was traveling in.

Question 5: Why had Velu run away from home?

Answer: Velu’s father used to snatch whatever money used to be with him to buy hooch. His father used to beat him as well. Velu was fed up of this continuous torture. To escape his father’s wrath he ran away from home.

Question 6: Why did he decide to follow the ‘strange’ girl?

Answer: The ‘strange’ girl was the only ray of light for Velu. There was no other option. So, he decided to follow the ‘strange’ girl.

Question 7: Can Velu read Tamil and English? How do you know?

Answer: The fact that Velu was unable to comprehend anything from hoardings in English indicates that he could not read English. He could read ‘Central Jail” written in Tamil. This shows that he knew to read Tamil.

Question 8: “If you are not careful, you will soon be counting bars there,” the girl said.

• What is she referring to?
• What does she mean when she says “If you are not careful...”?

Answer: The police in India follow strange practice of putting unsuspecting and innocent poor people behind bars. The girl was referring to this practice. Once impressionable kids fall in police’s net the ambience of jail has every potential to make hardened criminals out of them.

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Question 9: Where did the girl lead Velu to? What did they get to eat?

Answer: The girl led Velu to a place where a marriage ceremony was being held. They went to the garbage pile to dig some edibles from there. They got some vada and banana to eat. It is normal practice for poor children in cities to search for leftover food from garbage heaps.

Question 10: What work did she do? Think of a one-word answer.

Answer: Ragpicker

Question 11: What material are the ‘strange’ huts made out of? Why does Velu find them strange?

Answer: The huts were made of plastic, old tyres and tins. Velu was from a village. All his life he had seen huts made of mud and thatched roofs. For him it was surprising to see a house made of discarded material.

This happens in all slums around the world. People migrating from village for better prospects find petty jobs which is not enough to sustain them. Majority of them sleep on roadsides. More lucky ones get some resources to build makeshift houses which are built of every conceivable material.

Question 12: What sort of things did Jaya and children like her collect and what did they do with those things?

Answer: Jaya used to collect garbage. These types of children sell them to dealers who in turn sell them to factories for recycling. Especially, in countries like India and China this is a big industry. In some way it helps in saving our environment as well, because recycling helps reuse of the waste product.

Question 13: Is Velu happy or unhappy to find work? Give a reason for your answer.

Answer: Velu never thought of doing the dirty work of rag-picking when he left his village. But the harsh reality forced him to do so. The fact that he is planning to switch over to a better job indicates that he is not happy at all.