Glimpses Of India
Q.1: What are the elders in Goa nostalgic about?
Ans : The elders in Goa were nostalgic about the good old Portuguese days, the Portuguese, and their famous loaves of bread.
Q.2: Is bread-making still popular in Goa? How do you know?
Ans : Yes, bread-making is still popular in Goa. The author says that the mixers, moulders, and those who bake the loaves were still present in Goa. The age-old, time-tested furnaces still existed. The ‘thud’ and ‘jingle’ of the traditional baker’s shampoo, marking his arrival in the morning, could still be heard in some places. It was a family profession, which was carried out generation after generation.
Q.3: What is the baker called?
Ans : The bakers are known as pader in Goa.
Q.4: When would the baker come everyday? Why did the children run to meet him?
Ans : The baker came twice every day, once when he set out in the morning on his sellin ground, and then again, when he returned after emptying his huge basket. The children ran to meet him not because of their love of the loaf, which was bought by the maid-servant of the house. They actually longed for the bread-bangles, which they chose carefully. Sometimes, it was a sweet bread of special make.
Q.1: Match the following. What is a must
Ans : (i) as marriage gifts? – sweet bread called bol (ii) for a party or a feast? – bread (iii) for a daughter’s engagement? – sandwiches (iv) for Christmas? – cakes and bolinhas
Q.2: What did the bakers wear: (i) in the Portuguese days? (ii) when the author was
Young?
Ans : (i) In the Portuguese days, the bakers had a peculiar dress known as the kabai. It was a single-piece long frock reaching down to the knees. (ii) When the author was young, he saw the bakers wearing a shirt and trousers, which were shorter than full-length ones and longer than half pants.
Q.3: Who invites the comment − “he is dressed like a pader”? Why?
Ans : Anyone who wears a half-pant which reaches just below the knees invites the comment that “he is dressed like a pader”. This was so because the bakers were known as pader and they wore such half pants.
Q.4: Where were the monthly accounts of the baker recorded?
Ans : The monthly accounts of the baker were recorded on some wall in pencil.
Q.5: What does a ‘jackfruit-like appearance’ mean?
Ans : A ‘jackfruit-like appearance’ means a plump physique. Such a physique was linked to the bakers because they never starved. Baking was a profitable profession. The baker, his family, and his servants always looked happy and prosperous and had a ‘jackfruit-like appearance’
Q.1: Which of these statements are correct?
(i) The pader was an important person in the village in old times.
(ii) Paders still exist in Goan villages.
(iii) The paders went away with the Portuguese.
(iv) The paders continue to wear a single-piece long frock.
(v) Bread and cakes were an integral part of Goan life in the old days.
(vi) Traditional bread-baking is still a very profitable business.
(vii) Paders and their families starve in the present times.
Ans : (i)Correct (ii) Correct (iii) Incorrect. The paders still exist in Goan villages. (iv) Incorrect. The paders wear shirts, and trousers that are shorter than full- length ones and longer than half pants. (v) Incorrect. Bread and cakes are still an integral part of Goan life. (vi) Correct (vii) Incorrect. Baking is still a very profitable business in Goa.
Q.2: Is bread an important part of Goan life? How do you know this?
Ans : Bread is an important part of Goan life. Marriage gifts are meaningless without the sweet bread known as the bol. For a party, bread is a must, while for Christmas, cakes and bolinhas are a must. Sandwiches must be prepared by the lady of the house on her daughter’s engagement. The author says that everybody loves the fragrance of loaves. The elders were given loaves and the children were given bread- bangles, which they longed for. Also, the fact that bakery is a profitable profession shows that the love for bread is enormous in Goa.
Q.3: Tick the right answer. What is the tone of the author when he says the following?
(i) The thud and the jingle of the traditional baker’s bamboo can still be heard insome places. (nostalgic, hopeful, sad)
(ii) Maybe the father is not alive but the son still carries on the family profession. (nostalgic, hopeful, sad)
(iii) I still recall the typical fragrance of those loaves. (nostalgic, hopeful, naughty)
(iv) The tiger never brushed his teeth. Hot tea could wash and clean up everything so nicely, after all. (naughty, angry, funny)
(v) Cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas as well as other festivals. (sad, hopeful, matter-of-fact)
(vi) The baker and his family never starved. They always looked happy and prosperous. (matter-of-fact, hopeful, sad)
Ans : (i) Nostalgic (ii) Nostalgic (iii) Nostalgic (iv) Funny (v) Matter-of-fact (vi) Matter-of-fact
Q.1: Where is Coorg?
Ans : Coorg is the smallest district of Karnataka, located midway between Mysore and Mangalore.
Q.2: What is the story about the Kodavu people’s descent?
Ans : According to the author, the fiercely independent people of Coorg are possibly of Greek or Arabic descent. A part of Alexander’s army moved south along the coast. They settled there when return became impractical. These people married amongst the locals and their culture is evident in the martial traditions, marriage and religious rites, which are distinct from the Hindu mainstream. The Kodavus wear a long, black coat, with an embroidered waist-belt, known as kuppia. It resembles the kuffia worn by the Arabs and the Kurds, hence supporting the theory of their Arab origin.
Q.3: What are some of the things you now know about
(i) the people of Coorg?
(ii) the main crop of Coorg?
(iii) the sports it offers to tourists?
(iv) the animals you are likely to see in Coorg?
(v) its distance from Bangalore, and how to get there?
Ans : (i)The people of Coorg are fiercely independent. They are of Greek or Arabic descent. They have a tradition of hospitality. They enjoy recounting numerous tales of valour related to their sons and fathers. Kodavus are the only people in India permitted to carry firearms without a license. The author has described the people of Coorg as a proud race of martial men and beautiful women. (ii) Coffee is the main crop of Coorg. The coffee estates stand tucked under tree canopies in prime corners. (iii) The sports that Coorg offers to tourists are river rafting, canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing, mountain biking, and trekking. (iv) The animals that one is likely to see in Coorg are birds, bees, butterflies, macaques, Malabar squirrels, langurs, loris, and wild elephants. (v) The distance between Coorg and Bangalore is around 260 km. There are two routes to Coorg from Bangalore and both are of the same distance. The most frequented route is the one via Mysore. The other route is via Neelamangal, Kunigal, and Chanrayanapatna.
Q.4: Here are six sentences with some words in italics. Find phrases from the text that
have the same meaning. (Look in the paragraphs indicated)
(i) During monsoons it rains so heavily that tourists do not visit Coorg. (para 2)
(ii) Some people say that Alexander’s army moved south along the coast and settled there. (para 3)
(iii) The Coorg people are always ready to tell stories of their sons’ and fathers’ valour. (para 4)
(iv) Even people who normally lead an easy and slow life get smitten by the high- energy adventure sports of Coorg. (para 6)
(v) The theory of the Arab origin is supported by the long coat with embroidered waist-belt they wear. (para 3)
(vi) Macaques, Malabar squirrels observe you carefully from the tree canopy. (para 7)
Ans : (i) keep many visitors away (ii) as one story goes (iii)are more than willing to recount (iv) the most laidback individuals become converts to (v) draws support from (vi) keep a watchful eye
Q.1: Here are some nouns from the text.i) culture : unique culture, ancient culture (ii) monks: : ______________________________________________ (iii) surprise: : ______________________________________________ (iv) experience : ______________________________________________ (v) weather : ______________________________________________ (vi) tradition : ______________________________________________
Ans : (i) culture : unique culture, ancient culture (ii) monks: : serious monks (iii) surprise: : unique surprise, terrible surprise, unforgettable surprise (iv) experience : unique experience, terrible experience, unforgettable experience (v) weather : terrible weather (vi) tradition : unique tradition, ancient tradition
Q.2: Complete the following phrases from the text. For each phrase, can you find at least one other word that would fit into the blank?
(i) tales of _______________
(ii) coastal _______________
(iii) a piece of ______________
(iv) evergreen ______________
(v) _____________ plantations
(vi) _____________bridge
(vii) wild __________________
You may add your own examples to this list.
Ans : From the text (i) tales of valour (ii) coastal town (iii) a piece of heaven (iv) evergreen rainforests (v) coffee plantations (vi) rope bridge (vii) wild elephants Other than the text (i) tales of morality (ii)coastal food (iii)a piece of cake (iv)evergreen hero (v)crop plantations (vi)sturdy bridge (vii)wild beasts
Q.1: : 1. Look at these words: upkeep, downpour, undergo, dropout, walk-in. They are built up from a verb (keep, pour, go, drop, walk) and an adverb or a particle (up, down, under, out, in). Use these words appropriately in the sentences below. You may consult a dictionary. (i) A heavy ___________ has been forecast due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal. (ii) Rakesh will ___________major surgery tomorrow morning. (iii) My brother is responsible for the ______________of our family property. (iv) The ____________rate for this accountancy course is very high. (v) She went to the Enterprise Company to attend a _______________ interview. 2. Now fill in the blanks in the sentences given below by combining the verb given in brackets with one of the words from the box as appropriate.(i) The Army attempted unsuccessfully to ___________ the government. (throw) (ii) Scientists are on the brink of a major ___________in cancer research. (break) (iii) The State Government plans to build a ______________for Bhubaneswar to speed up traffic on the main highway. (pass) (iv) Gautama’s ____________on life changed when he realised that the world is full of sorrow. (look) (v) Rakesh seemed unusually _______________ after the game. (cast)
Ans : 1.(i)A heavy downpour has been forecast due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal. (ii)Rakesh will undergo major surgery tomorrow morning. (iii)My brother is responsible for the upkeep of our family property. (iv)The dropout rate for this accountancy course is very high. (v)She went to the Enterprise Company to attend a walk-in interview. 2(i) The Army attempted unsuccessfully to overthrow the Government. (ii)Scientists are on the brink of a major breakthrough in cancer research. (iii)The State Government plans to build a by-pass for Bhubaneswar to speed up traffic on the main highway. (iv) Gautama’s outlook on life changed when he realized that the world is full of sorrow. (v)Rakesh seemed unusually downcast after the game.
Q.1: Think of suitable −ing or −ed adjectives to answer the following questions.
How would you describe
(i) a good detective serial on television? ___________________
(ii) a debate on your favourite topic ‘Homework Should Be Banned’?_______
(iii) how you feel when you stay indoors due to incessant rain?_____________
(iv) how you feel when you open a present? __________________
(v) how you feel when you watch your favourite programme on television? _______________
(vi) the look on your mother’s face as you waited in a queue? ______________
(vii) how you feel when tracking a tiger in a tiger reserve forest? ______________
(viii) the story you have recently read, or a film you have seen? ______________
Ans : (i) a good detective serial on television? Interesting (ii) a debate on your favourite topic ‘Homework Should Be Banned’? Exciting (iii) how you feel when you stay indoors due to incessant rain? Bored (iv) how you feel when you open a present? Excited (v) how you feel when you watch your favourite programme on television? Interested (vi) the look on your mother’s face as you waited in a queue? Tired (vii) how you feel when tracking a tiger in a tiger reserve forest? Thrilled (viii) the story you have recently read, or a film you have see? Boring
Q.1: (i) Find, in the first stanza, three things that cannot happen in a treeless forest. (ii) What picture do these words create in your mind: “… sun bury its feet in shadow…”? What could the poet mean by the sun’s ‘feet’?
Ans : (i) The three things that cannot happen in a treeless forest are—the sitting of a bird on trees, the hiding of insects and the sun burying its feet in the shadow of the forest. (ii) The sun’s ‘feet’ refers to the rays of the sun that fall on the earth. When there is no shadow on the ground, because there are no trees, the rays fall directly on the ground. In a forest with trees, the shadow hides the sun rays and it seems that the sun is burying its feet in the shadow that fall from the trees.
Q.2: (i) Where are the trees in the poem? What do their roots, their leaves, and their twigs do? (ii) What does the poet compare their branches to?
Ans : (i) In the poem, the trees are trapped in the poet’s house. Their roots work all night to disengage themselves from the cracks in the veranda floor. The leaves try very hard to move towards the glass and put a lot of pressure on it so that it breaks, while the small twigs get stiff with exertion. (ii) The poet compares the branches to newly discharged patients of a hospital. The large branches of the trees become cramped due to the roof above them, and when they get free they rush stumblingly to the outside world. While doing so, they look half-shocked like the patients, who wait for a long time to get out of the hospital.
Q.3: (i) How does the poet describe the moon: (a) at the beginning of the third stanza, and (b) at its end? What causes this change?
(ii) What happens to the house when the trees move out of it?
(iii) Why do you think the poet does not mention “the departure of the forest from the house” in her letters? (Could it be that we are often silent about important happenings that are so unexpected that they embarrass us? Think about this again when you answer the next set of questions.)
Ans : (i) At the beginning of the third stanza, the poet says that the full moon is shining in the open sky in the fresh night. At the end of the stanza, she describes that the moon breaks into pieces like a broken mirror and shines on the heads of the tallest oak trees. As the trees move outside, they cover some of the shine of the moon and it can be seen only in parts. This is why, it seems that the moon has broken into pieces. (ii) When the trees move out of the house, the glasses break and the whispers of the trees vanish, leaving the house silent. (iii) The poet hardly mentions about “the departure of the forest from the house” in her letters because it is humans, who did not care for nature in the first place. So, maybe, the poet now thinks that nobody would be interested in knowing about the efforts that the trees are making in order to set themselves free. If other men cared about the trees, they would not have destroyed them. It seems that this whole beauty of trees moving back to forests can be seen and felt only by the poet.
Q.4: Now that you have read the poem in detail, we can begin to ask what the poem might mean. Here are two suggestions. Can you think of others?
(i) Does the poem present a conflict between man and nature? Compare it with A Tiger in the Zoo. Is the poet suggesting that plants and trees, used for ‘interior decoration’ in cities while forests are cut down, are ‘imprisoned’, and need to ‘break out’?
(ii) On the other hand, Adrienne Rich has been known to use trees as a metaphor for human beings; this is a recurrent image in her poetry. What new meanings emerge from the poem if you take its trees to be symbolic of this particular meaning?
Ans : (i) Yes, the poem presents a conflict between man and nature. Man has always caused much harm to nature, without realizing that it actually is a harm to the human race. Humans cut down forests for forest goods, which has destroyed a lot of natural beauty. By keeping trees inside walls and denying them their natural home, they are denying them their freedom. That is why, the trees want to move out. Similarly, in the poem A Tiger in the Zoo, the poet shows that animals feel bounded by cages and they want to get free and run wild in the open. (ii) If trees have been used as a metaphor for human beings, then the poem would mean that like the trees, humans too want to break free of the boundaries that life puts on them. Modern life with all kinds of physical comfort has also brought a lot of moral downfall. Our lives have become busy and we have become selfish and greedy. Man would also want to enjoy the beauty of nature and go out in the open and be free, just like trees.
Q.5: You may read the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ by Gieve Patel (Beehive – Textbook in English for Class IX, NCERT). Compare and contrast it with the poem you have just read.
Ans : DIY
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