English Quiz English Quiz

Unit I: Trials and Triumphs
This unit reinforces knowledge and builds creativity, critical thinking, and communication skills.

1. A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings
   (Short story by Gabriel García Márquez)

• Key Concepts/Themes

  • Magical realism blurs fantasy and reality.
  • The importance of kindness and empathy toward the weak and vulnerable.
  • Society’s tendency to isolate or exploit those who are different.
  • The interdependence of good times and bad times.

• Questions — Answers

  • Why does the sight of the old man frighten Pelayo?
    • Because he looks both human and otherworldly—decrepit, filthy, and with enormous wings—so Pelayo fears the unknown.
  • Why was the old man unable to get up?
    • He is exhausted, ill, and weighed down by his waterlogged, wounded wings after the storm.
  • Why do the couple consider the old man a ‘lonely castaway’?
    • They find him near the sea, speaking an unknown dialect, and assume he’s a shipwreck survivor.
  • Why was the neighbour woman sure that the old man was an angel?
    • She relies on folk beliefs—wings equal angel—so she confidently labels him one.
  • Why did Pelayo arm himself with a club?
    • He wants to protect his family from a potentially dangerous stranger.
  • What made the couple suddenly decide to treat the man with some ‘kindness’?
    • Their child’s fever breaks after the old man arrives, and they realize he is harmless and possibly brings luck.
  • Why does Pelayo lock the old man in the chicken coop?
    • To confine him “safely” and to display him to paying visitors.
  • Why do the people treat the old man like a ‘circus animal’?
    • He’s caged and exotic; crowds come to gawk and expect miracles, not to show compassion.
  • Do you think Elisenda is shrewd and clever? Why?
    • Yes; she monetizes the situation, charging admission and improving their fortunes—though her shrewdness lacks compassion.
  • Why does the author say, “His only supernatural virtue seemed to be patience.”?
    • He endures neglect, mockery, and cruelty without retaliation—his patience feels beyond ordinary human capacity.
  • Why do more people flock to see the woman rather than the old man?
    • The spider-woman’s clear moral tale is sensational and easy to grasp; the angel’s ambiguity frustrates the crowd.
  • Why is the doctor surprised by the ‘logic’ of the wings?
    • Anatomically, the wings seem coherent and functional, challenging his medical understanding of the human body.
  • What is the old man’s role in the story? How does his presence affect Pelayo’s family?
    • He’s a catalyst revealing human behavior—greed, cruelty, curiosity—and his presence brings the family unexpected wealth and change.
  • Mention any two traits of the old man that impress you.
    • Patience and resilience (also gentleness, endurance).
  • What elements of the story do you consider magical? Why?
    • A winged “man,” a spider-woman, odd “miracles”—they exist alongside realistic details, defining magical realism.
  • Describe the old man’s first clumsy attempts at flight.
    • After long convalescence, he awkwardly flaps his ragged wings, struggles into the air, then gathers lift and disappears over the horizon.
  • What happens to the old man’s popularity in the course of time?
    • It fades as novelty wears off and the spider-woman spectacle steals attention.
  • Who suffers the most in the story? What does the story tell us about the need for compassion?
    • The old man suffers most; the story urges empathy over exploitation, especially toward the vulnerable.
  • General discussion questions on image/caption analysis.
    • Model approach: Identify subject, mood, and message; relate image tone to themes of othering, empathy, and moral ambiguity.

• Tasks/Activities — Sample Outputs/Guides

  • Identify imagery, simile, and magical elements.
    • Imagery: “muddy courtyard,” “sea and sky indistinguishable.” Magical: wings on a man; spider-woman; odd “miracles.”
  • Alternative endings (group discussion).
    • Examples: Father Gonzaga quietly shelters him; the old man heals the child and departs; Elisenda repents and frees him earlier.
  • List physical/personality traits (old man, Pelayo, Elisenda) and significance.
    • Old man: frail, winged; patient—exposes others’ morality. Pelayo: practical, fearful—typical everyman. Elisenda: shrewd, status-seeking—moral compromise.
  • Brief character sketches (write-ups available on request).
  • News report based on a letter to the editor (sample angle).
    • Angle: “Caged ‘Angel’ Draws Crowds; Human Dignity in Peril.” Include witness quotes and ethical questions.
  • Diary entry from Pelayo’s perspective.
    • Focus on fear, profit, guilt, and relief after the angel’s flight.
  • Caption writing for images.
    • Examples: “Wings in a World Without Wonder.” “Caged Wonder, Uncaged Greed.”
  • Table: characters’ treatment and attitude.
    • Old man: neglected/exploited; Pelayo/Elisenda: fearful to profiteering; townsfolk: curious to cruel; doctor/priest: rational/doubtful.
  • Write-up on society’s attitude to the vulnerable.
    • Thesis: Curiosity often replaces care; moral progress = empathy + dignity.
  • Short skit script about the emotional state of elderly individuals.
    • Scene idea: Family debates moving grandparent to a care home vs. adapting the house; end with empathy-driven solution.

• Grammar Topics — Quick Guide + Mini Keys

  • Modal Auxiliary Verbs (can, could, shall, should, will, would, may, might, must, ought)
    • Functions:
      • Ability: can/could
      • Advice: should/ought to
      • Obligation/Necessity: must/have to
      • Permission: may/can
      • Possibility: may/might/could
      • Prediction/Intention: will/shall
    • Should vs. must:
      • Should = recommendation; must = strong obligation/requirement.
    • Sample completions:
      • You should see a doctor; you must take the prescribed medicine.
      • He might be late; we must start on time.
  • Adjectives of Quality
    • Examples: a fragile winged stranger; a shrewd businesswoman; a compassionate neighbor.
    • Practice: Describe a picnic spot (e.g., “quiet, shaded, breezy meadow by a sparkling stream”).
  • Adverbs of Manner (add -ly)
    • quick → quickly; gentle → gently; patient → patiently.
    • Sample fills: “She spoke softly.” “They stared curiously.”
  • Signposting Expressions (Linkers)
    • Conclusion: therefore, thus, in conclusion
    • Simultaneity: meanwhile, at the same time
    • Consequence/Sequence: as a result, then, afterwards
    • Cause-Effect: because, since, as
    • Mini exercise key:
      • “It rained; therefore, we stayed in.” “He studied hard; as a result, he passed.”

• Vocabulary (selected)

  • artillery, bailiff, buzzard, castaway, coffer, compress, detachment, drenched, eiderdown, embarrass, ghetto, grandeur, hang on, impede, incomprehensible dialect, inferno, invalid, iridescent, larder, lieutenant, loft, Lupercal, magnanimous, mothball, naive, pumps, rabbit warren, ragpicker, resonant, senile, slump.

2. In the Attic
   (Survivor testimony by Władysław Szpilman)

• Key Concepts/Themes

  • Universal human rights, freedom, and dignity denied in wartime.
  • The horrors of WWII: ghettos, camps, mass killings.
  • Desperate survival under extreme hardship.
  • The significance of human kindness amid adversity.
  • Perseverance and hope; the value of survivor testimony.

• Questions — Answers

  • What was the officer’s attitude to Szpilman?
    • Cautious but compassionate; respectful of his humanity and talent.
  • Why do you think the officer asked Szpilman to play the piano?
    • To verify his identity and be moved by music; it humanized Szpilman.
  • Why was Szpilman hesitant to play the piano?
    • He was starving, weak, freezing, and fearful of attracting attention.
  • How does the officer help Szpilman?
    • He brings food, gives a warm coat, finds a safer hiding place, and keeps his secret.
  • What was the officer ashamed of?
    • Serving a criminal regime and wearing the uniform of perpetrators.
  • What is surprising about “Just hang on a few more weeks—the war will be over by spring at the latest.”?
    • It’s a realistic, near-accurate prediction coming from a German officer—and feels unbelievable amid despair.
  • What does their conversation reveal about their bond?
    • Mutual trust transcending sides; art and decency bridge enmity.
  • Why was there less artillery fire after a few weeks?
    • The front shifted and major fighting abated as the war neared its end in the city.
  • Why does Szpilman say his hiding place was well chosen?
    • It was secluded, high, and less likely to be searched; he could observe without being seen.
  • What do you think of Szpilman’s advice to the German officer?
    • Pragmatic and humane; he urges caution and survival without hatred.
  • What sounds did Szpilman hear from the attic?
    • Shelling in the distance, footsteps, vehicles, wind, and sometimes radio or street noises.
  • Why did he have to be alone to live?
    • Contact risked exposure; isolation reduced danger of betrayal or accidental discovery.
  • What were the radio announcements about?
    • War updates, propaganda, and shifting frontlines.
  • How does Szpilman survive the freezing cold?
    • Layers, the officer’s coat, conserving energy, burning scraps when possible, staying sheltered.
  • What information did he hope to gather?
    • Which areas were safe, troop movements, and the likelihood of liberation.
  • Why does the woman cry out when she sees Szpilman?
    • His gaunt appearance startles her; she fears a thief or enemy.
  • What is the absurd situation he found himself in?
    • Wearing a German coat leads Polish soldiers to think he is German; he nearly dies at the hands of his compatriots.
  • Why does the German officer help and save Szpilman?
    • Conscience and empathy; he’s moved by Szpilman’s humanity and artistry.
  • How does Szpilman maintain hope?
    • By clinging to life minute by minute, recalling music, and trusting small acts of kindness.
  • Why was he afraid of being killed by Polish soldiers?
    • Chaos and misidentification during liberation; suspicion of collaborators.
  • How do luck, chance, and kindness help him survive?
    • Timely encounters, hidden allies, and the officer’s aid intersect with chance and resilience.
  • Was it risky for the officer to help? Why?
    • Extremely; discovery could mean execution for treason.
  • Why is this memoir classified as ‘survivor testimony’? How does it enrich history and literature?
    • It’s a first-person record that humanizes history, providing nuance, detail, and moral insight beyond statistics.
  • What does ‘en masse’ mean?
    • As a group; all together.
  • How are ‘en masse’ and similar phrases different from other English phrases?
    • They are French (or other) loan-phrases used idiomatically in English, often as set adverbial expressions.

• Tasks/Activities — Sample Outputs/Guides

  • Wall of Hope display:
    • Include quotes on dignity, stories of rescue, and action steps for peace.
  • Radio podcast script (interview with Szpilman):
    • Segments: early life, ghetto, hiding, the officer, post-war reflection, message to youth.
  • Write-up on modern refugees:
    • Cover displacement causes, camp conditions, legal status, integration, and host-community responsibilities.
  • Words/phrases revealing emotions:
    • Szpilman: “hesitant,” “starving,” “determined.” Officer: “soft-spoken,” “ashamed,” “protective.”
  • Character sketches (available on request).
  • Anti-war poster exhibition:
    • Slogans: “Humanity First,” “War Leaves No Winners,” “Art Saves Lives.”

• Grammar Topics — Quick Guide + Mini Keys

  • Idioms: rack your brains, hold your tongue, spill the beans, a piece of cake, the icing on the cake.
    • Meanings: think hard; keep silent; reveal a secret; very easy; the pleasing extra benefit.
  • Phrasal Verbs (match meanings + use):
    • bring up (raise), speak up (be louder/voice), give up (stop), call up (phone), turn up (arrive/appear), look up (search/improve).
    • “Get” phrasals: get by (manage), get over (recover), get along (be friendly), get through (finish), get away (escape).
  • Fill-in samples:
    • “Don’t give up; things will look up.” “Please speak up; I can’t hear you.”

3. “Friends, Romans, Countrymen…”
   (Dramatic speech by William Shakespeare)

• Key Concepts/Themes

  • Rhetoric and emotional manipulation.
  • Dramatic speech, blank verse.
  • Verbal irony.
  • The power of persuasive language.

• Questions — Answers

  • Occasion of Antony’s speech?
    • Caesar’s funeral after his assassination.
  • Purpose of the speech?
    • To sway the crowd against the conspirators while appearing respectful.
  • How does Antony use rhetoric to manipulate the crowd?
    • Irony, repetition, loaded examples, rhetorical questions, and appeals to grief and justice.
  • What does “Brutus is an honourable man” suggest?
    • It’s ironic; repeated to plant doubt and invert its meaning.
  • How does the speech reveal Antony’s character and motives?
    • He’s shrewd, strategic, loyal to Caesar, and willing to ignite revolt.
  • Impact on the crowd?
    • They shift from neutrality to fury; chaos erupts.
  • Literary devices noticed?
    • Repetition, irony, antithesis, parallelism, rhetorical questions, appeals to pathos.
  • Idea conveyed in “And Brutus is an honourable man.”?
    • Verbal irony undermining Brutus’s credibility.
  • How do poetic devices enhance the effect?
    • Rhythm and repetition intensify emotion and memorability.
  • Other features of a choir (for speech choir)?
    • Unison/part voices, dynamics, pacing, gestures, facial expressions, and spatial staging.

• Tasks/Activities — Sample Outputs/Guides

  • Identify and explain poetic devices (with examples from the speech; quotes kept brief).
  • Speech appreciation:
    • Thesis: Antony dismantles Brutus’s ethos through irony and pathos, culminating in collective outrage.
  • Speech choir performance:
    • Assign lines by tone (mournful, ironic, inciting); add crescendos on refrains.
  • Observe a great speech (e.g., MLK’s “I Have a Dream”):
    • Note parallelism, imagery, modulation, pauses, and body language.
  • Group project: Values fair and skit
    • Skit idea: Conflict resolved through acceptance and kindness; audience reflection card.

Unit II: Paths to Progress
This unit highlights inspiration and perseverance—turning challenges into opportunities.

1. Breaking Barriers, I Will Fly
   (Srikanth Bolla)

• Key Concepts/Themes

  • Entrepreneurship in India.
  • Vision and perseverance.
  • Turning obstacles into opportunities.
  • Inclusion of disabled individuals in economy and society.
  • Meaning of wealth as shared happiness.
  • Education as transformation.

• Questions — Answers

  • What does the picture suggest to you?
    • Aspiration and lift-off—confidence to rise beyond limits.
  • Does the success of “Papers N Parcels” reflect youth entrepreneurship potential?
    • Yes; it shows how young founders identify gaps and execute with tech and networks.
  • Qualities young entrepreneurs should have?
    • Vision, resilience, empathy, problem-focus, ethical leadership, and learning agility.
  • Similar stories of success?
    • Examples: Ritesh Agarwal (OYO), Tilak Mehta (Papers N Parcels), Harsh Songra (MyChild).
  • Why does Srikanth say his parents were the richest couple in the world?
    • Their love, support, and values made him feel truly enriched.
  • Why did his father believe education would be his path?
    • Education empowers beyond disability; it opens options and dignity.
  • Does success require vision and perseverance rather than luck?
    • Yes; luck helps, but vision and grit shape outcomes.
  • How did he excel at the special school in Hyderabad?
    • Top performance, leadership, and proactive learning using accessible tools.
  • Why ‘visually challenged’ and not ‘visually impaired’?
    • It frames limitation as a challenge to be overcome, not a permanent defect.
  • How did he overcome obstacles in pursuing science?
    • Petitions, assistive tech, readers/scribes, and mentors; later, higher studies (e.g., MIT).
  • What was society’s attitude to disabled individuals then? How did he help change it?
    • Low expectations and exclusion; he proved capability, hired disabled staff, and advocated inclusion.
  • Why did he return to India instead of taking US corporate roles?
    • Mission-driven impact: to build inclusive enterprises (e.g., Bollant Industries) and create jobs.
  • What does ‘reintegrate’ mean here?
    • Bring people with disabilities back into the economic and social mainstream.
  • Challenges in education and how he overcame them?
    • Denial of science stream, accessibility gaps; he fought policy barriers and used adaptive methods.
  • What motivated his return? What did he do?
    • Social responsibility; founded and scaled an inclusive manufacturing company employing disabled workers.

• Tasks/Activities — Sample Outputs/Guides

  • Interview questions for Srikanth Bolla:
    • Personal: early life, family values; Professional: founding story, funding, team; Challenges: access, stigma; Mentors; Impact metrics; Advice to youth.
  • Article analysis (“Kudumbashree in Aralam”):
    • Headline hook → clear intro → body with evidence → conclusion with call to action.
  • Class magazine article on Srikanth:
    • Headline + Byline; Intro on vision; Body: struggles, turning points, enterprise impact; Conclusion: lessons for students.
  • Event invitation (chief guest: Srikanth):
    • Include event title, date, time, venue, chief guest bio, RSVP, dress code (if any), program highlights.

• Grammar Topics — Quick Guide + Mini Keys

  • Subordinating Conjunctions:
    • Cause: because, since, as; Contrast: although; Time: after, while, when; Condition: if, unless.
    • Example: “He succeeded because he persisted even when others doubted him.”
  • Third Conditional (If + Past Perfect; would have + Past Participle)
    • Example: “If he had given up, he wouldn’t have built an inclusive company.”
    • Mini exercise: “If I had known about the grant, I would have applied.”
  • Conversational Expressions
    • Seeking info: “Could you clarify…?” Explaining: “What I mean is…” Convincing: “Consider that… because…”
    • Picture story bubbles: alternate Q/A with these expressions for coherence.
  • Group Project (survey → report → seminar)
    • Key steps: define problem → sample users → analyze data → propose feasible start-ups → present with charts.

2. A Phoenix Rises
   (Story by Twinkle Khanna + interview with Arunachalam Muruganantham)

• Key Concepts/Themes

  • Perseverance and social commitment despite isolation.
  • Innovation and entrepreneurship to solve social problems.
  • Women’s health and hygiene; breaking taboos.
  • Empowering women through self-help groups.
  • “Detail vs retail”: impact over turnover.
  • Education for problem-solving/job creation.

• Questions — Answers

  • Impact of his father’s death on Bablu’s family?
    • Financial strain, emotional shock, and reduced security.
  • Traits of Bablu that impress you?
    • Curiosity, grit, empathy, and refusal to quit.
  • How would the high price of sanitary napkins affect a family budget?
    • Forces trade-offs (food/fees), often leading to unsafe alternatives.
  • Why was Bablu determined to start a new project? What was it?
    • To make affordable sanitary pads; a low-cost production model.
  • Family response to his experiments?
    • Embarrassment, opposition, fear of stigma.
  • Villagers’ response?
    • Mockery, ostracism due to taboos around menstruation.
  • Why continue despite family’s wishes?
    • He prioritized solving a real health crisis over social approval.
  • Describe Bablu’s plight at the end of the story.
    • Isolated, labeled, nearly destitute—but morally unbroken.
  • Why do neighbours and friends desert him?
    • Prejudice and discomfort with taboo topics.
  • Why does Bablu continue his experiments?
    • Social mission: dignity and health for women.
  • According to Muruganantham, the purpose of education?
    • To solve problems and create jobs, not just to seek one.
  • Why did Muruganantham design machines?
    • To drastically cut pad costs and enable local, women-led production.
  • What ideas of Muruganantham impress you most?
    • Focus on impact (“detail”), empowering women, open innovation, and frugality.

• Tasks/Activities — Sample Outputs/Guides

  • Invitation letter to Muruganantham:
    • Include purpose, date/time, venue, audience, honorarium/logistics, and thanks.
  • Speech: “Entrepreneurship: Path to the Nation’s Progress”
    • Thesis: Entrepreneurs convert problems to prosperity; Evidence: case studies; Call to action: support innovation in schools.
  • Biographical sketch (format):
    • Early life → problem discovery → experiments → innovation → impact → awards → philosophy.

• Grammar Topics — Quick Guide + Mini Keys

  • Vocabulary Building (match + fill)
    • humiliate (to shame), exorbitant (too costly), affordable (low-priced), perseverance (steadfastness), procure (obtain), entrepreneur (venture starter).
    • Fill sample: “Exorbitant prices humiliate the poor; affordable options require entrepreneurial perseverance to procure solutions.”
  • Phrasal Verbs (context meanings)
    • sort out (resolve), work out (figure/solve), make out (discern/understand), run out (exhaust), turn out (result), set out (begin), figure out (understand).
    • Fill sample: “He set out to sort out a problem many couldn’t figure out; it turned out to change lives.”

3. The Seedling
   (Poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar)

• Key Concepts/Themes

  • Perseverance and self-motivation.
  • Nature inspiring life’s challenges.
  • Turning problems into opportunities.
  • “Do the best you can.”

• Questions — Answers

  • What triggered the seedling’s ‘work of life’?
    • Warmth and light—an inner call to grow toward the sun.
  • What is inspiring about the seedling’s attitude?
    • It pushes through darkness and resistance without complaint.
  • Why was the seedling in a hurry to come out?
    • To reach light quickly and secure its chance to live.
  • How is the plant’s growth described?
    • Straining, breaking clods, lifting its tender head, unfolding.
  • What message does the seedling give us?
    • Keep going; effort through resistance leads to life.
  • How does the poem relate to life’s challenges?
    • Obstacles are like hard soil; persistence is growth.
  • What about self-motivation for success?
    • Self-starting and inner drive are essential to overcome hurdles.
  • Compare with “It Couldn’t Be Done” and real figures (Bolla, Muruganantham).
    • All show determination against doubt; vision + grit make change.

• Tasks/Activities — Sample Outputs/Guides

  • Poetic devices:
    • Imagery: “breaking through the clod.” Alliteration: soft sound clusters. Rhyme: regular, uplifting cadence.
  • Appreciation:
    • Tone: hopeful; Theme: persistence; Devices: imagery/alliteration; Effect: gentle yet firm encouragement.
  • Paragraph: self-motivation
    • Core: Choose goals, act daily, embrace setbacks, measure growth.

• Vocabulary (selected)

  • accomplishment, affordable, beseech, coarse, contemptuous, defy, dejected, dilemma, entrepreneur, essential, exorbitant, follow suit, gauze, hesitant, humiliate, impact, impaired, mortgage, obsession, patent, perception, persevere, procure, prospect, rehabilitate, saunter, smother, sordid, sterilise, subsidised, sue, trek, waive.

Unit III: The Trumpets of Change
This unit explores social injustice, war, grief, rumor, and the power of compassion.

1. Another Day in Paradise
   (Song by Phil Collins)

• Key Concepts/Themes

  • Social indifference toward the homeless.
  • Suffering of those in need.
  • Compassion, empathy, and human dignity.

• Questions — Answers

  • Difference between treating everyone the same vs helping people with what they need?
    • Equality treats everyone identically; equity gives people what they specifically need to succeed.
  • What does the woman in the street really need?
    • Safety, shelter, medical care, kindness, and a path to stability.
  • How does the man respond to her call?
    • He ignores her, pretending not to hear—embodying social apathy.
  • Why does the writer ask us to “think twice”?
    • To question our indifference and act compassionately.
  • Why can’t the woman walk?
    • Her feet are blistered and injured from exposure and constant walking.
  • Significance of “is there nothing more anybody can do”?
    • A plea to conscience—calls for action beyond empty sympathy.
  • Why is the woman always asked to move on?
    • Anti-loitering norms and social discomfort push the homeless out of sight.
  • Does the woman show perseverance?
    • Yes; she keeps seeking help despite rejection and pain.
  • Message of the song?
    • Don’t look away—choose empathy and concrete help.
  • Do the man’s actions mirror society’s general attitude?
    • Too often, yes—averted eyes and inaction.

• Tasks/Activities — Sample Outputs/Guides

  • Unscramble words: equality, rights, fairness, justice, freedom, dignity.
  • Poetic devices:
    • Refrain: “think twice.” Imagery: cold streets, blistered feet. Anaphora: repeated openings for emphasis.
  • Brief appreciation:
    • Theme: compassion vs apathy; Images that humanize; Refrain that challenges the listener.
  • Choreography script:
    • Minimal movements, freezing “tableaux” to show indifference vs intervention.

2. War
   (Short story by Luigi Pirandello)

• Key Concepts/Themes

  • Coping with loss and grief in war.
  • The misery and meaninglessness of war for common people.
  • Parental love and suffering.
  • Questioning nationalism.
  • Shared human suffering.

• Questions — Answers

  • Why did the passengers stop at Fabriano?
    • Routine halt/connecting carriages, during which more passengers boarded.
  • Describe the woman’s husband.
    • Middle-aged, heavyset, anxious yet trying to appear composed and reasonable.
  • Why was the woman upset?
    • Her son had gone to war; the pain of separation overwhelmed her.
  • Why was the old couple going to Sulmona?
    • To visit their son called to service and say goodbye.
  • How did the woman react to her husband’s explanation?
    • She cried harder, unable to rationalize her maternal anguish.
  • “Parental love is not like bread…” meaning?
    • Love isn’t divided among children; each child is wholly loved.
  • Why did others stare at the stout man?
    • He spoke as though pride in sacrifice outweighed personal grief—shocking to hear.
  • According to the stout man, what is stronger than love of Country for older people?
    • The love of their children.
  • Why did the passengers suddenly become silent?
    • He revealed his son had died; the weight of loss silenced them.
  • What message did the stout man’s son pass before his death?
    • Not to grieve but to be proud he fulfilled his duty (as the father recounts it).
  • Why didn’t the stout man wear mourning?
    • He wanted to honor his son’s sacrifice without outward lament, or so he told himself.
  • Why did the woman feel stunned by his words?
    • They challenged her grief; she sensed his reasoning was a fragile shield.
  • Why did others congratulate the stout man?
    • They admired (or felt compelled to admire) his stoic patriotism.
  • What was his reaction to the woman’s question?
    • He broke down, revealing his unhealed grief.
  • Why were the passengers distressed?
    • Each had loved ones at the front; fear and sorrow connected them.
  • Why did the woman ask if his son was really dead?
    • She perceived denial beneath his rhetoric and sought truth.
  • Why did the stout man break down at the end?
    • His intellectual defense collapsed under raw, inescapable grief.
  • How would you respond in such a situation?
    • With gentle acknowledgment, space for pain, and no platitudes.
  • What does the story tell us about coping with grief?
    • People rationalize, compare, and perform strength, but grief remains deeply personal.
  • How should nationalism be widened to promote cooperation? Would a unified world be better?
    • By prioritizing human life and cooperation over militarism; a more unified world could reduce war if grounded in justice and shared responsibility.

• Tasks/Activities — Sample Outputs/Guides

  • Speech for Hiroshima Day:
    • Focus: civilian cost of war, disarmament, memory, and “never again.”
  • Debate (future of war):
    • For: tech deterrence reduces casualties. Against: escalation/self-destruction risk; cyber/AI threats.
  • Diary entry (woman in mourning):
    • Capture numbness, defiance, faint hope, and the ache of motherhood.
  • Passenger narration of breakdown:
    • Contrast rhetoric in the carriage with the moment truth spills out.
  • Readers’ Theatre script:
    • Narrator + woman + husband + stout man + chorus; spotlight transitions on key lines.

• Grammar Topics — Quick Guide + Mini Keys

  • Past Perfect Continuous: had been + -ing
    • “She had been waiting for news for months.”
  • Present Perfect Continuous: has/have been + -ing
    • “They have been writing letters every week.”
  • Correlative Conjunctions (either…or / neither…nor)
    • Verb agrees with the nearer subject.
    • Example: “Either the mother or the sons are going.” “Neither the sons nor the mother is ready.”
  • “Have had” expressions
    • Immediate past: “I’ve had enough.” Past-before-past: “He had had doubts before he spoke.”

3. A Piece of String
   (Short story by Guy de Maupassant)

• Key Concepts/Themes

  • Pain of being misunderstood/wrongly judged.
  • Impact of false accusations on dignity and reputation.
  • Destructive power of rumour.
  • The struggle to prove innocence against disbelief.

• Questions — Answers

  • How would you react if your honesty is questioned?
    • Calmly present facts, accept that trust takes time to rebuild, avoid obsession.
  • Why were peasants and their wives coming to town?
    • Market day.
  • How does Hauchecome behave when he notices Malandain watching him?
    • He guiltily hides a trivial string, appearing suspicious.
  • What does “find” refer to in “He concealed his find quickly…”?
    • A simple piece of string.
  • What did peasants discuss at the tavern?
    • The lost pocketbook and who might have taken it.
  • What did the public crier announce?
    • A lost pocketbook, with instructions for returning it.
  • Why did the Mayor summon Hauchecome?
    • He was accused of taking the pocketbook.
  • Why did Hauchecome feel terrified?
    • Fear of unjust punishment and social disgrace.
  • What did the Mayor say when shown the piece of string?
    • He dismissed it and remained suspicious.
  • How did people react to Hauchecome’s story?
    • They laughed and disbelieved him.
  • Why did the person who found the pocketbook take it to his employer?
    • To return it to its rightful owner and show honesty.
  • Did people believe Hauchecome after the pocketbook was found? Why/why not?
    • No; rumors persisted; they thought he was “involved” somehow.
  • Meaning of “At any rate you are mixed up with it.”
    • You’re connected to the incident even if you didn’t steal it.
  • Impact of unjust suspicion on Hauchecome?
    • He becomes obsessed, humiliated, and deteriorates in health and spirit.
  • Hauchecome’s last words and their significance?
    • “A piece of string!”—his identity reduced to a tragic misunderstanding he could never erase.
  • Similar experience of being misunderstood?
    • Model answer: Share a brief personal anecdote and how you resolved it.
  • Does Malandain actually believe Hauchecome took the pocketbook?
    • He likely convinces himself due to prejudice and rivalry.
  • Paragraph on Hauchecome’s sense of honour and dignity:
    • He values honesty but fixates on proving it; the community’s disbelief destroys him.

• Tasks/Activities — Sample Outputs/Guides

  • Character sketch of Hauchecome:
    • Honest, proud, poor; tragically undone by rumour and his own obsession.
  • Write-up: How society can make or break an individual.
    • Reputation ecosystems: gossip vs fair hearing; the need for due process and empathy.
  • Diary entry from Hauchecome’s perspective:
    • Tone: hurt, pleading, repetitive insistence, exhaustion.
  • Conversation between an inhabitant and Hauchecome:
    • Inhabitant doubts → Hauchecome explains → awkward exit.
  • Letter of condolence (Mayor to wife):
    • Acknowledge community’s failure; promise to counter rumour culture.

• Grammar Topics — Quick Guide + Mini Keys

  • Phrasal Verbs (put…)
    • put up with (tolerate), put on (wear/pretend), put across (explain), put aside (save), put in (install/submit), put off (postpone), put up resistance (oppose).
    • Fill sample: “He tried to put across his innocence, but they put up resistance and put him off.”
  • Homonyms (same spelling/pronunciation; different meanings)
    • right (correct/direction), address (location/speak to), kind (type/gentle).
    • Fill sample: “Please address the kind lady at the right address.”
  • Crossword + Conversations (arguments/apologies)
    • Arguments: “My point is…”, “Respectfully, consider…” Apologies: “I’m sorry I…”, “I accept your apology.”

• Vocabulary (selected)

  • accomplice, blister, credence, cross, delirium, distorted, embarrassed, fawn, gendarmes, harrowing, hearth, incongruous, incredulous, indignation, mourning, mutter, pocketbook, pompous, reiterate, retort, rummage, stoically, tavern, threshold, venture, vitality, wriggle.

Worksheet
Additional integrated exercises drawing from all units.

• Story/Content

  • “The Lost Ship” (adventure with sci‑fi hints).
  • “The Harmony of the Forest Realm” (ecological fable).

• Tasks/Activities — Sample Keys

  • Editing (letter with grammar/punctuation errors)
    • Strategy: fix capitalization, subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, comma splices, and unclear pronouns.
  • Conversation Completion
    • Use info-seeking (“Could you tell me…?”), clarifying (“So you mean…?”), and closing (“Thanks for clarifying.”).
  • Phrasal Verbs (make up, get over, give up, go ahead, pull off)
    • Sample fills:
      • “Don’t give up; you’ll get over this setback.”
      • “Go ahead if you think you can pull it off.”
      • “She had to make up the missed work.”
  • Word Choice (Prepositions/Conjunctions)
    • Tips: Time (at/on/in), Cause (because/since/as), Contrast (although/though), Condition (if/unless).
  • Story Completion (continue and conclude)
    • Add rising action → conflict peak → resolution with a twist → reflective ending line.

 

 

Unit I: Trials and Triumphs

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1. A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings

Short story by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Key Concepts/Themes

• Magical realism (blending fantasy and reality).
• Kindness and empathy toward the vulnerable.
• Society’s tendency to isolate/exploit those who are different.
• Meaning of joy and sorrow: life as a balance of good and bad times.

Questions and Answers

1. Why does the sight of the old man frighten Pelayo?
Because the old man is filthy, winged, and lying face-down in the mud, which makes him appear unnatural and threatening.

2. Why was the old man unable to get up?
He was weak, dirty, and possibly injured. His wings were full of parasites from the rain and were too heavy for him to move.

3. Why do the couple consider the old man a ‘lonely castaway’?
Because he looks helpless, tired, and seems to come from another world, washed ashore like a shipwreck victim.

4. Why was the neighbor woman sure the old man was an angel?
Because he had wings, which she saw as proof of an angelic being, though fallen and old.

5. Why did Pelayo arm himself with a club?
To protect himself and his family, fearing the old man might harm them due to his unusual appearance.

6. What made the couple suddenly decide to treat the man with some kindness?
When their child recovered from illness, they believed the old man may have healing powers or divine presence.

7. Why does Pelayo lock the old man in the chicken coop?
To isolate him from the public and keep him under control while exploiting him for money.

8. Why do people treat the old man like a circus animal?
They are curious and amused, not compassionate. They come to stare and poke at him rather than help or respect him.

9. Do you think Elisenda is shrewd and clever? Why?
Yes, because she quickly turns the old man’s presence into a source of income by charging visitors to see him.

10. Why does the author say: "His only supernatural virtue seemed to be patience"?
Because despite mistreatment, the old man shows no anger, speaks no complaints, and displays quiet endurance.

11. Why do more people flock to see the woman than the old man?
Because the woman, who turned into a spider, comes with a dramatic tale and visible transformation, making her more entertaining.

12. Why is the doctor surprised by the ‘logic’ of the wings?
He notices that the wings have flesh and bones like real wings, but can't understand how they work or belong on a human.

13. What is the old man’s role in the story?
He acts as a catalyst for revealing human ignorance, greed, and lack of compassion. Initially viewed as a burden, he ends up changing the family's fortune.

14. Mention two traits of the old man that impress you.

• Patience
• Endurance

15. What elements of the story do you consider magical?

• The old man’s wings
• The woman turned into a tarantula
• Sudden healing of the child
  These reflect magical realism.

16. Describe the old man’s first clumsy attempts at flight.
He struggles, flaps his wings with effort, and flies away slowly but surely, leaving watchers in awe.

17. What happens to the old man’s popularity over time?
It fades as people lose interest when something more exciting (the spider woman) appears.

18. Who suffers most in the story?
The old man, due to isolation, suffering, and humiliation. The story urges society to show kindness to the weak/vulnerable.

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Tasks/Activities

• Identify imagery and magical elements (e.g., "carnival atmosphere", "huge buzzards", “wings of a large bird”).
• Group discussion: alternative ending where the old man speaks or reveals his origin.
• Character trait list:
  • Old man – quiet, patient
  • Pelayo – confused, practical
  • Elisenda – clever, exploitative
• Write editorial: "Should We Monetize Misery?"
• Diary Entry: Pelayo reflecting on the night the angel arrived.
• Caption a painting of the old man in flight.
• Comparison table of characters’ behaviors toward him.
• Skit: “Voices of the Elderly” – explore their invisibility in society.

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Grammar Topics

• Modals: “should help”, “might be an angel”, “must be tired”.
• Adjectives: filthy, senile, iridescent, incomprehensible.
• Adverbs: slowly, miserably, helplessly.
• Signposting: Then, Suddenly, Although, As a result.

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Vocabulary

• artillery, castaway, drenched, grandeur, iridescent, senile, slump, buzzard.

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2. In the Attic

Survivor Memoir by Wladyslaw Szpilman

Key Concepts/Themes

• Human rights, survival, and uplifting courage.
• War atrocities and personal struggle.
• Unlikely empathy from an enemy.
• Hope amid despair.

Answers to Key Questions

1. What was the officer’s attitude to Szpilman?
Kind and respectful. He helped rather than harmed Szpilman.

2. Why did he ask Szpilman to play the piano?
To see if Szpilman was truly a musician.

3. Why was Szpilman hesitant to play?
He was weak, starving, and fearful.

4. How did the officer help him?
He brought food and never betrayed him.

5. What was the officer ashamed of?
What his country had done to innocent people.

6. Why is "Just hold on..." surprising?
Because war was devastating around him and he had almost lost hope.

7. What does their conversation reveal?
That even enemies can share empathy and connect at a human level.

8. Why less artillery fire?
Allies were advancing, Germans retreating.

9. Why was his hiding place good?
It was quiet, hidden, and irregularly checked.

10. Szpilman advised the officer...?
To escape before the Russians reached.

11. What sounds did he hear?
Bombs, guns, people calling, silence, birds.

12. Why did he stay alone?
To avoid detection and moral judgment.

13. What were the announcements?
Progress of the war, German retreats.

14. How did he survive the cold?
By insulating with available clothing and old furniture.

15. What was Szpilman hoping to hear?
That the war was nearing an end.

16. Why did the woman scream?
She thought Szpilman was a ghost or intruder.

17. Absurd situation?
Hiding in his own city, unknowingly saved by “the enemy”.

18. Why did the officer help him?
He admired Szpilman's humanity and talent.

19. How did Szpilman maintain hope?
He clung to life despite odds, through mental strength and memories.

20. Why fear Polish soldiers?
In chaos, they could’ve mistaken him for a deserter or spy.

21. How did Szpilman survive?
Kindness, good fortune, and resilience.

22. Was it risky for the officer?
Yes, aiding a Jew was punishable by death.

23. Why is it a survivor testimony?
It gives a firsthand perspective of survival and humanity during the Holocaust.

24. What does “en masse” mean?
In a group; commonly used in wartime to describe movements or killings.

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Tasks

• Wall of Hope Project
• Podcast: Interview Szpilman imagining questions like “What kept you going?”.
• Poster: “Never Again – Voices from Atrocities”
• Character sketches: Officer (kind, conflicted), Szpilman (hopeful, gifted)
• Vocabulary Emotions: terrified, comforted, bewildered, grateful.

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Grammar

• Idioms: “Hold your tongue” (stay silent), “rack your brains”.
• Phrasal Verbs: give up, turn up, speak up.

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3. Friends, Romans, Countrymen

Speech by William Shakespeare (Julius Caesar)

Key Concepts

• Use of rhetorical device to manipulate crowds.
• Verbal irony and persuasive power.

Questions & Answers

1. Occasion of the speech?
Julius Caesar's funeral.

2. Purpose?
To turn the Romans against Brutus subtly.

3. How does Antony manipulate the crowd?
Through sarcasm, appeals to emotion, dramatic pauses, repetition.

4. "Brutus is an honourable man" —Meaning?
Verbal irony. Repeated to imply Brutus is not honourable.

5. Antony’s character?
Clever, persuasive, loyal to Caesar.

6. Impact?
Roman people turn against Brutus and seek revenge.

7. Devices used?
Irony, anaphora, rhetorical questions, pathos, repetition.

8. Irony in the speech?
Calling traitors “honourable” to subtly accuse them.

9. Poetic Devices?
Alliteration (“Friend, Foe...”), Hyperbole, Refrain.

10. Speech choir features?
Unison, expression, intonation, voice modulation.

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Tasks

• Identify rhetorical methods.
• Appreciation writing: effectiveness of speech.
• Performance task: Deliver excerpts in choral form.
• Link causes (like justice, mercy, revolt) to modern events.

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Grammar Topics (Across Unit I)

• Modals
• Adjectives/Adverbs
• Linkers
• Idioms/Phrasal Verbs
• Real-life Sentence Formation tasks.