Question 2 - Chapter 6 - My Childhood - Beehive - Chapters (Literature) - English Class 9

Read the extract and answer the following questions- 

Extract:

The Second World War broke out in 1939, when I was eight years old. For reasons I have never been able to understand, a sudden demand for tamarind seeds erupted in the market. I used to collect the seeds and sell them to a provision shop on Mosque Street. A day’s collection would fetch me the princely sum of one anna. My brother-in-law Jallaluddin would tell me stories about the War which I would later attempt to trace in the headlines in Dinamani. Our area, being isolated, was completely unaffected by the War. But soon India was forced to join the Allied Forces and something like a state of emergency was declared. The first casualty came in the form of the suspension of the train halt at Rameswaram station. The newspapers now had to be bundled and thrown out from the moving train on the Rameswaram Road between Rameswaram and Dhanuskodi. That forced my cousin Samsuddin, who distributed newspapers in Rameswaram , to look for a helping hand to catch the bundles and, as if naturally, I filled the slot. Samsuddin helped me earn my first wages. Half a century later, I can still feel the surge of pride in earning my own money for the first time

(My Childhood)

Question (i)

Which of the following is NOT a synonym for the word "erupted" in the given context?

• (a) Exploded
• (b) Emerged
• (c) Subsided
• (d) Flared

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

(c) Subsided

Step-by-Step explanation of the answer:

• A synonym is a word that has the same or nearly the same meaning as another word.
•  In the given context, the word "erupted" means to break out suddenly or violently, like a volcano or a fire.
•  The words "exploded", "emerged", and "flared" are synonyms for "erupted" because they also mean to burst forth or appear quickly or intensely.
•   The word "subsided" is not a synonym for "erupted" because it means to become less intense or violent, or to sink to a lower level.
•  Therefore, the correct answer is C. Subsided.🌋

Question (ii)

 Why is it fair to say that the narrator's tone, when he says "Half a century later, I can still feel the surge of pride in earning my own money for the first time", is nostalgic and triumphant? Answer in about 40 words.

Answer:

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Answer as written by the student:

The narrator's tone is nostalgic and triumphant because he recalls his childhood memory of working as a newspaper boy with fondness and joy, and he celebrates his achievement of earning his own money for the first time.

Step-by-Step explanation of the answer:

•  A tone is the attitude or emotion that a writer conveys through their words and style.
•  Nostalgia is a feeling of longing or affection for the past, especially for a happy or pleasant memory.
•  Triumph is a feeling of joy or satisfaction over a success or victory.
•  In the given sentence, the narrator uses the phrase " Half a century later " to indicate that he is looking back at his childhood from a long time ago.
•  He also uses the words " surge " and " pride " to express his strong emotion and self-esteem for earning his own money for the first time, which was a significant milestone for him.
•  He does not show any regret or sadness about his childhood, but rather cherishes it as a valuable and positive experience.
•  Therefore, it is fair to say that the narrator's tone is nostalgic and triumphant because he recalls his childhood memory of working as a newspaper boy with fondness and joy, and he celebrates his achievement of earning his own money for the first time.😊

Question (iii)

 Read the following descriptions (a)-(c) and identify which one correctly corresponds to the extract.

• (a) A dialogue is a conversation between two or more characters in a story, play, or other form of literature.
• (b) A monologue is a long speech by one character in a story, play, or other form of literature, usually expressing their thoughts or feelings.
• (c) A narration is an act of telling a story or giving an account of something, usually by one person in their own voice.

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

(c) A narration

Step-by-Step explanation of the answer:

•   A dialogue, a monologue, and a narration are all ways of presenting or conveying information or stories through words.
•  A dialogue is used to show how characters interact with each other through speech, usually using quotation marks or other punctuation marks to indicate who is speaking.
•  A monologue is used to show how one character expresses their thoughts or feelings through speech, usually without any interruption or response from other characters.
•  A narration is used to tell a story or give an account of something through speech or writing, usually by one person in their own voice or perspective.
•  In the given extract, there is no dialogue because there is no conversation between two or more characters. The narrator does not quote anyone else's words or use any punctuation marks to indicate speech.
•  There is no monologue because there is no long speech by one character. The narrator does not express his thoughts or feelings in detail or depth, but rather gives a brief overview of his childhood situation and events.
• There is a narration because the narrator tells his story or gives his account of his childhood experiences through writing, using his own voice and perspective. He uses words like "I", "we", "my", and "mine" to indicate that he is narrating his own life story.
•  Therefore, the correct answer is (c) A narration.📝

Question (iv)

 If an actor were to enact this extract, what would he be required to focus on, while using his gestures?

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

An actor would be required to focus on showing enthusiasm, curiosity, and determination while using his gestures.

Step-by-Step explanation of the answer:

• An actor is someone who performs a role in a play, movie, or other form of entertainment.
•   Gestures are movements or actions of the hands, arms, head, or body that express emotions or attitudes.
•  In order to enact this extract effectively, an actor would have to use his gestures to show how he feels about his childhood activities and achievements.
•  Some possible gestures that an actor could use are:
•    Raising his hand or pointing his finger to show enthusiasm for collecting tamarind seeds or catching newspaper bundles.
•    Tilting his head or rubbing his chin to show curiosity for learning about the War or tracing headlines in Dinamani.
•    Clenching his fist or nodding his head to show determination for joining the Allied Forces or earning his first wages.
•  Therefore, an actor would be required to focus on showing enthusiasm, curiosity, and determination while using his gestures.😊

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