LIGHTENED TO LIGHT

  Chapter 5 A Different Kind of School   Answer the following questions: 1. Why do you think the writer visited Miss Beam’s school? Ans:  The writer had heard much about Miss Beam’s new teaching method. So he visited her school to see the new play-way method personally. 2. What was the ‘game’ that every child in the school had to play? Ans:  Every child in the school had to play the role of being blind, deaf, dumb, injured and lame once in a term. It was a sort of game and training. 3. “Each term every child has one blind day, one lame day …”. Complete the line. Which day was the hardest? Why was it the hardest? Ans:   “… one injured day and one dumb day.” Being blind was the hardest day. The student felt that he/she was going to be hit by something every moment. 4. What was the purpose of these special days? Ans:  The purpose of these special days was to give the children a personal taste of misfortune. They learnt to help the needy in society. Such training made the

  Chapter 4- Beauty (Poem) 1.       The poet says, “Beauty is heard in …” Can you hear beauty? Add a sound that you think is beautiful to the sounds the poet thinks are beautiful. The poet, Keats, said: Heard melodies are sweet, But those unheard are sweeter. What do you think this means? Have you ever "heard" a song in your head, long after the song was sung or played? Ans: Yes, we can hear beauty. The melodious sounds of birds chirping during the dawn and dusk. The lines: "Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter" are taken from a poem named "Ode on a Grecian urn" and is written by John Keats. This means that whatever we hear (which is already created) is definitely sweet but the one which comes from within and is never heard before is much more sweet and soothing. Yes, I have heard a few such songs in my head long after the song was played.   2.       Read the first and second stanzas of the poem again. Note the following phrases.

  CHAPTER 2 The Friendly Mongoose   1.       Why did the farmer bring a baby mongoose into the house? The farmer and his wife had a baby. They wanted him to have a companion to play with. So, the farmer brought a baby mongoose into the house.   2.       Why didn’t the farmer’s wife want to leave the baby alone with the mongoose? The farmer’s wife did not want to leave the baby alone with the mongoose because she was scared that the mongoose might harm her child.   3.       What was the farmer’s comment on his wife’s fears? The farmer assured his wife that the mongoose was a friendly animal and it wouldn’t hurt their baby. The farmer also said that the mongoose was as sweet as their baby, and they were best friends.   4.       Why did the farmer’s wife strike the mongoose with her basket? When the farmer’s wife reached home with her basket, she saw the mongoose at the door with his face and paws covered with blood. She thought that the mongoose had killed her b

    Chapter 1 A Tale of Two Birds 1.       How did the two baby birds get separated? The two baby birds lived with their mother in a nest in a tall and shady tree. One day, there was a big storm with thunder, lightning and rain. A big, heavy branch hit the nest and killed the mother bird. The strong wind blew the two baby birds away to the other side of the forest and separated them from each other.   2.       Where did each of them find a home? One of the baby birds came down near a cave where a gang of robbers lived. The other baby bird landed outside a rishi’s ashram a little distance away. Thus, they found two different homes.   3.       What did the first bird say to the stranger? The first bird saw the stranger, i.e., the King. He called the robbers to come quickly and rob the King of his jewels and his horse. The bird had indirectly warned the stranger of the consequences of sitting near the cave.   4.       What did the second bird say to him? The seco

Chapter 1 Who Did Patrick’s Homework 1.     What did Patrick think his cat was playing with? What was it really? Ans:  Patrick thought that his cat was playing with a little doll. It was, in fact, a very small-sized man, an elf. 2.     Why did the little man grant Patrick a wish? Ans:  Patrick had saved the tiny man’s life from the cat by not handing him back to the cat. So he promised to fulfil one wish of Patrick. 3.     What was Patrick’s wish? Ans:  Patrick hated doing homework. His greatest wish was that the little man should do all his homework till the end of the session. 4.     In what subjects did the little man need help, to do Patrick’s homework? Ans:  The little man needed Patrick’s help in maths, English and history. 5.     How did Patrick help him? Ans:  Patrick sat beside the little man and guided him. He brought books from the library and read out to him. 6.     Who do you think did Patrick’s homework – the little man, or Patrick himself? Give reasons f