#38 Class 12 An elementary school classroom in a slum ((17/04/2020)

Hello dear students,

Today we are going to start the poem 'An Elementary school classroom in a slum' by Stephen Spender. You can download the PDF copy of the lesson by clicking on following link

http://www.ncert.nic.in/ncerts/l/lefl112.pdf


This poem is all about the pathetic classrooms of slum children of England. Read the introduction to the poet from the PDF copy.Here we go with the paraphrasing of the poem.

Far far from gusty waves these children's faces. Like rootless weeds

These slum children are very far and away from the gusty waves (waves of development). Their faces look as pale and discarded as rootless weeds. As a farmer throws weeds out of his field thinking that weeds are useless in the same way the society has ignored and discarded these slum children.

the hair torn around their pallor

These children have not combed their hair properly as they have not bathed for a long time. Their hair are torn around their forehead.

The tall girl with her weighed-down head. The paper seeming boy, with rat's eyes.

A tall girl also can be seen in the classroom. Her head is down because of a disease. Also we can see a boy in the classroom who is as thin as paper. His eyes look like of a rat's eyes. Rat's eyes are the symbol of hunger.

#37 The Fun They Had (Questions and answers, language activity)

Answers of the activity No.2 given at page No.11

1. carefully 2. loftily 3. differently 4. sorrowfully 5. completely 6. nonchalantly 7. awfully 8. quickly


 Questions for today

Q.1 What are the main features of the mechanical teachers and the schoolrooms that Margie and Tommy have in the story? How are these different from old schools?

Hints--- A room of home specially meant for school, No classmates, teaching by mechanical teacher, regular home work, regular tests, fix teaching hours, everyday school except Saturday and Sunday, E-books, content of the books keep up moving

Old schools had school buildings, classmates, human teachers, good interaction, physical books, No E-content.

Q.2 Why did Margie hate school? Why did she think the old kind of school must have been fun?

Ans. The mechanical teacher too boring and worrisome, everyday demanded home work and tests created pressure
Old kind of school fun because good participation of students, helping each other in home work, met everyday, enjoyed and played, a human teacher to interact 

#36 My mother at sixty six-- Important Questions (16/04/2020)

Q.1 Why did Kamala Das become sad when she gave a look at her mother's face?

Q.2 How did Kamala Das try to divert her attention from her mother's old age?

Q.3 Why are the tress shown as sprinting?

Q.4 Why has the mother's face been compared with the late winter's moon?

Q.5 What did the smile of the poet signify?

Important Point-- Whole the poem is written in a single sentence. 

Put your doubts in the comment box of this blog.

#35 Class 12 My mother at sixty six-- Explanation of remaining part of the poem 15/04/2020

Hello students,

Here is the second part of the poem  'My mother at sixty six' by Kamla Das.

but after the airport's security check, standing a few yards away--- The poet 'Kamla Das' had reached at the airport. She was going to enter into the security check area.

I looked again at her, wan, pale as a late winter's moon and felt that old familiar ache, my childhood's fear------ The poet gave again a look at the mother's face because finally she was going to enter into the security check area. The mother was looking colourless, pale like late winter's moon. The mother's face had been compared by late winter's moon. As a late winter's moon is the symbol of the departure of winter in the same way, her mother's old face is the symbol of her approaching death. A late winter's moon is pale and colourless in the same way her mother's face is also colourless and pale.She started to feel that familiar childhood pain---the pain of losing her mother.

but all I said was, see you soon, Amma, all I did was smile and smile and smile.....------ She was being very emotional while parting from her. She could not say much but smiled and smiled. That smile might be the symbol of her helplessness. It also might be the symbol of her hope that evrything would be good.


         Poetic Device used

Simile-- The mother's face has been compared with a late winter's moon.

#34 Class--9 The Fun They Had (15/04/2020)

Hello dear students

On the basis of your reading of the lesson'The Fun They Had', answer following questions--

1. What things about the book did Margie find strange?
2. What do you think a telebook is?
3. What subjects did Margie and Tommy learn?
4. Adverbs are those words which add 'ly' in the verb and make a difference in the meaning.

      Do the exercise No.2 given at the page No.11. Tomorrow we shall discuss the answer of this particular question.

#33 Class-9 The Fun They had (13/04/2020)

Hello students,

Read the pages 7,8 and 9 of the lesson 'The Fun They Had'. On the basis of your reading, answer the following questions in short--

Q.1 Which part of the mechanical teacher's teaching did Margie hate?
      (Hints-- Home work, test paper, calculation of marks)

Q.2 What fault did the county inspector find in the mechanical teacher?
        (Hints-- geography sector, quick gearing)

Q.3 How had the county inspector repaired the mechanical teacher?
       (Hints-- slowing the gears of geography sector up to an average ten year level)

Q.4 Why was Margie disappointed after the county inspector departed?
       (Hints-- Hoped the county inspector would take the mechanical teacher away for one month, she hated the teacher)

Q.5 How was the old school in the book different from Margie's school?
       (Hints-- Teacher (Living and robotic), school building (Margie had school in her home), Studied together (Margie studied alone)

Q.6 When did Margie and Tommy not have schools?

Q.7 Why did Margie's mother switch on the mechanical teacher everyday at fix time for fix hours?
        (Hints-- Little girls learnt better if they learnt at regular hours)

Q.8 What benefits of the old schools did Margie find?
        (Hints-- enjoyed together, learnt together, helped each other because they learnt the same thing)

#32 Class 12 My mother at sixty six by Kamla Das (Flamingo) 13/04/2020

Hello dear students
      Today we are going to discuss the poem 'My mother at sixty six'. The poem is composed by Kamala Das. You need to read the introduction to the poet first.If you do not have the text of the poem with you, please download from here by clicking the link

http://www.ncert.nic.in/ncerts/l/lefl111.pdf

Paraphrasing of the poem----

Driving from my parent's home to Cochin last Friday morning------ The poet, Kamala Das was going to Cochin from her parent's home. It all happened on the last Friday morning.

I saw my mother, beside me, doze, open mouthed, her face ashen like that of a corpse--- Kamala Das looked closely at her mother who was sitting near her. She was sleepy. She was breathing open-mouthed because of her old age and blocked nose. Her face was ashen, it was colourless.Her face was looking like a corpse (dead body).

and realised with pain that she was as old as she looked---- Looking at the face of her mother, she realised with pain that her mother had really become very very old. Old age is the indication of coming death. So she became sad.

but soon put that thought away, and looked out at young trees sprinting, the merry children spilling out of their homes---     To come out of the sadness she diverted her attention towards the young trees outside which appeared running behind. Trees appeared running behind because she was travelling in her car. Whenever we travel in a vehicle, outside things appear as if they are running behind. She also looked at the happy children coming out of their homes for playing. Young trees here are the symbol of young age which travels fast and leaves old age behind. 

This part of the poem has following poetic devices---
1. Simile--- Her face ashen like that of a corpse (The mother's face has been compared with a dead body's face.)

2. Symbolism-- Young trees are the symbol of young age.


    The Remaining part of the poem, we shall complete in the next class.