Deep water by William Douglas

Deep water shows how scared of water Douglas had been as a boy. His very
first experience was when he first went to the sea beach with his father and a
powerful wave swept over him. Although the wave had receded still it left him
terrified .But then to overcome his fear he made up his mind to learn
swimming. He went to the Y.M.C.A. pool which was two feet at the shallow end
and nine feet at the deep end.
One day a strong big boy picked him up and threw him into the deepest part of
the pool. He sank to the bottom but he tried to jump and come up gradually. As
fear had gripped him all his efforts went in vain. He was nearly drowned .He
tried to breathe but swallowed water. He lay there in complete peace without
sensation or fear of death. But someone saved him.
He was so terrified that the sight of water made him sick. He could not go
fishing or canoeing. So to over come his fear he found an instructor who trained
him as a swimmer bit by bit. He was able to overcome his fear completely. This
experience of fear at first and then conquering it made his life worth living.

Indigo by Louis Fischer

this story portraits Gandhijis struggle for the poor peasants of Champaran. The
peasants were share croppers with the British planters. According to one old
agreement, the peasants had to cultivate indigo on fifteen percent of the land
and give as rent. The British didnt need the indigo crop any more when
Germany had developed synthetic indigo. Just to release the peasants from the
fifteen percent agreement they demanded compensation. Some illiterate
peasants agreed but others refused. Later lawyers were appointed .At that time
Gandhiji went to Champaran. He managed to get justice after a year long battle
for the peasants. He also made arrangements for the education, health, and
hygiene for the families of the poor peasants. He gave them the lesson of self
reliance.
A thing of beauty by John Keats
This poem is a revolt against the commonplace reality.According to Keats the
object of beauty differs from an ordinary object.The ordinary object appeals us
only temporarily. Its effect is short lived and its loveliness decreases with the
passage of time.But the object of beauty appeals to our senses permanently.It
cannot be destroyed by time and space. It is a temporal and its loveliness does
not fade. It is a ray of light and hope that consoles man in his miseries and
misfortunes. Then Keats mentions the objects of beauty one by one. The sun,
the moon, the old trees, the daffodils, the clear streams and the forest which is
rich with beautiful flowers-all these objects of beauty are a source of
consolation in a world Keats found that a beauty(beautiful thing) is a source of
perennial joy and happiness. it leaves an indelible mark on our mind and
provides us with etetnal happiness whenever we think about it. our joy
increases as we keep on remembering the beauty . it is just like endymion
looking for cythisa as his everlasting love .(according to greek myth)
An Elementary school classroom in a slum Stephen Spender
children who have no future because they are a symbol of the lower class ruled by the higher
class/ donators/ bourgeousie, and there is a contrast between the rich and the poor. also,

they are without hope for most of the poem unless govenor, teachers, inspectors can actually
come and help them escape their future which is fogged by poverty and social injustice by the
donators/ or common class.
Aunt jennifer's tigers by Adrienne Rich
Aunt Jennifer, though she is "mastered by" an abusive husband, finds an artistic outlet in her
needlework. The embroidered tigers stride proudly and without fear across the screen she
designed. Through Aunt Jennifer's art, Adrienne Rich suggests that women who are not able
to live freely do triumph in some way because their imaginations cannot be captured or
controlled. Aunt Jennifer is able to imagine and create a world where men are nothing to
fear.the poet depicts the pain of a woman who is living with a brutal husband who dominates
her in all respects. She does not have her own freedom. She is more like a slave to him. She
makestigers by embroidering them on cloth. Her tiger appears to have life. They are bright,
lively and are ready to prance. Their character is totally opposite to hers. They appear wild
and free. They look like the denizens of the green forest. They are supposed to be fearless
and jump around with confidence.But Aunt Jennifer is nervous. Her hands tremble as she
tries to search for something in the wool. Her hands are so shaky that it is difficult for her to
pull the ivory needle. It is due to her wedding. Her marriage has proved to be detrimental for
her.Its a doubt, that even after death will she be free? Still her tigers would continue to
prance across the screen unafraid as usual, and this artistic vision outlives her small,
"terrified" hands.
Going Places by A.R. Barton
the theme of this story is adolescent fantasising and hero-worship.
The story revolves around the life of Sophie, a teenager, who, like others of her age, is filled
with fantasies and desires. She comes from a poor financial background, but hopes to be
sophisticated in the future. Sophie dreams of owning a boutique one day ot being an actress
or fashion designer, but her friend Jansie believes that both of them are earmarked for the
biscuit factory. Jansie, who is more realistic, tries to pull Sophie to reality, but in vain.
Sophie lives in a small house with her parents and brothers, Geoff and little Derek. Though
she voices her feelings and desires, her parents pooh-pooh her, because they, unlike her, are
more mature and know the truths of life.
Sophie finds a sort of fascination for her elder brotherGeoff, who is tall, strong and handsome
and reserved. She envies his silence and often wonders about his thoughts and areas of his
life that she doesnt know about.
The centre of this story is that Sophie fantasises about Danny Casey, an Irish football player,
whom she had seen playing in innumerable matches. She makes up a story about how she
met him in the streets and tells this to Geoff. Geoff, who is more sensible than Sophie, does
not really believe her, even if she wants to. It seems an unlikely incident for Sophie to meet
the prodigy in their street, but whe Sophie describes the meeting in all her details, he begins
to hope that it could be true. She tells him that Danny has promised to meet her somewhere
again.
Sophie gets so pulled into the story she made that she herself begins to believe that its true.
She waits for the Irish player, but obviously, he never arrives. Then, she makes her way
home, wondering how her brother would be disappointed on knowing that Danny Casey never
showed up. However, Sophie still fantasises about her hero, unperturbed

The Tiger king by Kalki

When Maharaja Jilani Jung Jung Bahadur was born, the astrologershad foretold that one day
the king would actually have to die. The ten day old Jilani Jung Jung Bahadur started
speaking; he told them that all those who were born would have to die one day, he asked

them to tell the manner of his death. Everyone stood stunned. An infant born just ten days
ago was talking in such a manner .The chief astrologer told the Prince that he was born in
hour of the bull. As bull and tiger were enemies therefore his death would come from tiger.
The Maharaja grew stronger and took to tiger hunting. He wasoverjoyed when he killed the
first tiger. When he told the chief astrologer about that, the chief astrologer told him that he
may kill 99 tigers but he must be careful with the hundredth one. In ten years he killed 70
tigers .He banned the killing of tigers in Pratibandhpuram .The tiger population had become
extinct at Pratibandhpuram . So the maharaja married to a royal family in a state where tiger
population was rich . Thus thereby he killed 99 tigers but one was still left . There was no
sign of tigers anywhere . Maharaja could not bear any more . He raised the land tax and also
dismissed some of his men . There was a tiger brought later for Maharaja . Maharaja took his
men for hunt . He shooted the tiger but it missed the tiger .Maharaja did not notice that .
Maharajas men knew it but they feared that if they tell it to Maharaja , then they may lose
their job , so they killed the tiger . But maharaja did not know that he still has one tiger left to
be killed .
Maharaja had to attend his 3 year old sons birthday . He gifted him a wooden tiger . The tiger
was made by an unskilled man .Its surface was rough , as a result its sharp edge pierced into
Maharajas hand . Next day the infection spread into his whole hand and Maharaja at last died
.
Thus the fateful hundredth tiger though a wooden one was the cause of the Maharajas death
and proved the predictionof the astrologer correct.
The enemy by Pearl S. Buck
Dr. Sadao and Hana stood outside their house. A man was suddenly seen in the ocean. They
ran towards him. They were shocked to see that he was an enemy soldier and badly in need
of medical aid. He was unconscious. As loyal citizens it was their duty to hand over the soldier
to the officials but they took him inside into their house. For this they saw rebel from their
domestic helps. Though for such a deed they could have been arrested but Dr. Sadao knew
that he would not be arrested by the general as he himself might need his services any time
for an operation. The man recovered. Dr. Sadao desired to get rid of him now. So as soon as
he was out of danger, he told him to escape from the house
Journey to the end of the Earth by Tishani Doshi
The chapter is an account of the authors unique experience on an expedition to Antarctica in
2006:
The Lesson At A Glance
Given below is the summary of the lesson. Some words and phrases have been left out and
have been placed below the paragraphs as hints in bullet form. Before directly picking up the
hints, attempt first to fill in the blanks independently, in order to test your understanding.
The writer started her journey to the coldest, driest and windiest continent: Antartica by a
________________________________________, Akademik Shokalsky. The journey began
13:09 degrees north of Equator in Madras, and involved crossing nine time zones, six
checkpoints, three bodies of water, and ecospheres (regions fit for living). It took them
___________________________________________,
travelling by car, aeroplane and ship. It was and overwhelming experience filled with wonder
on seeing Antarcticas _______________________________________ and uninterrupted
blue horizon but the first emotion _________________ after the long journey. What amazed
her was its immensity, its isolation and that there was a time when India and Antarctica were

___________________.
expansive white landscape
100 hrs to reach Antarctica
Russian research vessel
was of relief
part of the same landmass
Part of history
The Gondwana super continent that existed ______centred around present day Antarctica. It
was a time when the humans hadnt arrived on the global scene and the climate
_____________________________ with an immense variety of flora and fauna. Gondwana
thrived for 500 million years but when the ___________________________ out and the age
of mammals evolved, the landmass was separated into countries giving the globe its present
shape. ________________________ is to get an idea where weve come from and where we
are heading to. Its to understand the significance of Cordilleran folds and precambrian
granite shields (geological and geographical terms); ozone and carbon,
_____________________________. It is unbelievable to imagine: India pushing northwards
jamming against Asia to buckle its crust and form the Himalayas; South America drifting off
to join North America, opening up the Drake passage to create a cold circumpolar current,
keeping Antarctica cold desolate and _____________________________
evolution and extinction
at the bottom of the world .
six hundred and fifty million years ago
was much warmer
dinosaurs were wiped
To visit Antarctica90 percent of the Earths total ice volumes are stored in Antarctica. Being
there is like walking into a ping pong ball devoid of humanity, trees, billboards or buildings.
One _________________ and days go on for 24 hours. The all pervading silence is broken
either by an _______________ or the breaking of an ice sheet. There are midges and mites,
mighty whales and ice bergs - the largest _______________________________ so far was
of the size of Belgium.
Human civilizations have been around only for 12000 years. Rapid increase in population
__________________________ .Uncontrolled burning of fossil fuels has created a blanket of
carbondioxide, which has led to an increase in _____________Climate change has led to the
receding of glaciers and melting of ice shelves. Antarctica is a place for the study of the
___________________________,as half a million old carbon records are trapped in the icy
layers. global warming
have depleted natural resources
recorded iceberg
loses an earthly sense of time
avalanche
past, present and future
The writer says that the Students on Ice programme focuses on taking high school students
to the ends of the world and providing them with inspiring educational opportunities which
will help them foster a new understanding and respect for our planet. The group of 52
students went aboard the Russian vessel _______________________________ and was

headed by a Canadian, Geoff Green. The future generation thus had a life changing
experience at the appropriate age when they were ready to absorb, learn, and act.
Being a part of the expedition and actually seeing glaciers retreating and
____________melting makes one realize the reality of global warming. The simple ecosystem
and the lack of diversity of plant and animal
life makes Antarctica the perfect place to bring forth the idea that little changes in the
environment can have big repercussions. For example the Phytoplankton, the
microscopicgrasses form the food chain of the entire Southern oceans
__________________. Scientists warn that ____________________________________ will
affect the activities of the phytoplankton which will further affect the marine life of the
region. Hence the lesson learnt is that if small things are taken care of then
___________________________________ big things will take care of themselves.
a further depletion in the ozone layer.
Ice shelves
marine life
Akademik Shokalskiy.
The writer had an exciting experience just short of the Antarctic circle at 65.55 degrees
south. The Shokalskiy got stuck into a _________________________ between the peninsula
and Tadpole Island. They were all then instructed by the Captain to
____________________________ on the ocean. So all the _____________________ wore
their waterproof garments and started walking on the ice. Underneath their feet was a metre
thick ice pack, and below that 180 metres of living, breathing, salt water. At the outside edge
they saw ______________________ sunning themselves on ice floes which reminded them
of _________________________ under the banyan tree. It brought the revelation that
everything has a connection. After covering nine time zones, six checkpoints, three bodies of
water and many ecospheres the writer marvelled at the ________________________
working on our planet.
The writer wonders how the world would be if Antarctica were to become a warm planet once
again and would we be there to see it? He ends the chapter on a positive note saying that the
younger generation alive with the idealism to save the world can make a lot of difference.
climb down and walk Crabeater seals
beauty of balance
thick white stretch of ice
52 travellers
stray dogs sunning
The last lesson by Alphonse Daudet
the prose 'The last lesson',written by Alphonse Daudet narrates about the year 1870 when
the prussian forces under Bismark attacked and captured France.The french districts of
Alsace and Lorraine went into Prussian hands.The new Prussian rulers discontinued the
teaching of French in the schools of these two districts.The French teachers were asked to
leave.The story describes the last day of one such French,M.Hamel.Mr. M.Hamel had been
transfered and could no longer remain in his old school.Still he gave last lesson to his
students with utmost devotion and sincerity as ever.The story depicts the pathos of the whole

situation about how people feel when they dont learn their own language and then losing an
asset in M.Hamel.
One of his student Franz who dreaded french class and M.Hamel's iron rod, came to the
school that day thinking he would be punished as he had not learnt his lesson.But on reaching
school he found Hamel dressed in sunday clothes and all the old people of the village sitting
there.It was due to an order on the bulletin board. That was the first day when he realised for
the first time that how important french was for him, but it was his LAST LESSON in French.

The third level by Jack Finney

Charley explains that one evening while hurrying home, he decided to take the subway from
Grand Central Station, and became lost. He eventually found himself on a strange third level
with spittoons on the floor, oddly dressed people, and a locomotive from 1894.
Understanding he'd somehow gone back in time, Charley tries to buy tickets to Galesburg, IL,
During his lunch break the next day, Charley withdraws nearly all their savings and buys oldstyle currency. But he can never again find the entrance to the third level at Grand Central
Station.
Charley finds evidence the third level actually exists when he discovers a letter to him, dated
July 18, 1894, from Galesburg, IL. It seems Charley's psychiatrist was not as incredulous of
the third level as he appeared.

My mother at sixty six by Kamala Das

The poem named My Mother at Sixty Six deals with the subtleties of human relationships...
On my drive from my parents home in Cochin i saw my mother beside me dozing open
mouthed.Her face looked ashen like that of a corpse.Then i realised with pain the fact that my
mother has grown OLD....I stumbled on the dreadful reality that this might be the last time
that I see her.My mother was near death.I couldn't bear the thought n tried desparately to
evade it. Finally i found refuge in the freshness of the lush green trees that passed by the
roadside.I noticed children spilling out of there homes for their routine play.The contrast
between the mood in my car n is beyond words.After the airoprt's security check, I saw my
mom standing about a yard away,pale n colourless like a late winter's moon.Over the years
she has lost her vibrance n cheer and have now become dim and unclear. I felt my heartache
but I didnt show it coz i didn't want my mother to be sad....So I told her "goodbye Amma..See
you soon" though i didnt believe that i could see her again...As I went to board the flight, I
took once last look at her, I could see divine love which hasn't changed a bit............

Guys n gurls...this is the best time of our lives...Youth.....the

vibrance n freshness that we have now will soon leave us coz
everyone has to grow old....So as long as we have this jubillance
use it to the fullest....N always remember to gud take care of ur
parents n elderly ones, coz v also will be like them one day....
A roadside stand by Robert Frost
this poem is about a farmer who puts a little new shed in front of
his house on the edge of a road. Several thousands of cars speed
past it. He desires to sell wild berries, squash and other products.

He believes that by that he can earn some money and improve his
life style as he saw in movies. But all his hopes remain just
dreams .The car speed past without even noticing the shed. Some
of them if notice the shed also notice the badly painted sign board
and feel that such signs spoil the beauty of the country side and
so they must be removed.
But once or twice a car stopped to ask the way or enquire about
petrol .One car took a u turn and entered the farmers yard, thus
spoiling the grass.
The poor village people had little earning. They have not seen
much money. They lead a life of poverty. Some greedy good
doers plan to buy their properties on the road side and build
theaters and stores. They plan to shift the villagers into the village
huddled together and teach them the ways that could change their
good and healthy habits. They even aimed to teach them to sleep
at day.
The poet feels quiet miserable at the pitiable sufferings of the
poor village folk. He even had a childish desire for all the poor to
be done away with at one stroke to end their pain. But he knew
what he desires is childish and will not materialize. So he desires
that someone relieve him of his pain by killing him.
keeping quiet by Pablo Neruda
This poem-KEEPING QUIET by Pablo Neruda is about the necessity
of quiet introspection and creating a feeling of mutual
understanding among human beings.
In our present day fast moving lifestyle we people are least
concerned about our own innerself and instead moving ahead
finding faults in others. Today, we have reached a stage where we
need to find the cause of sadness and the void that has filled the
major part of our life marring even the happiest moments. Life
today is all about wars and misunderstandings which is because
of least knowledge of our innerself which can be achieved only by
self introspection at some quiet place.
And believe me friends its a good way to know yourself and your
dreams as i have tried this myself. So today only, find few minutes
for yourself and let this trick work on you and you will get a new
life with all your answers about life.
The poet, Neruda, basically questions the way we move through
our lives without pausing or caring for the world around us or the
suffering of nature, the world and other people. He exhorts the
reader to stay still and count till twelve, pause and look at the
world around. He also asks us to think about what we see, how
we can bring about change in things that are wron, stop fighting

"green wars" and be friendly to each other and nature for a

change.
poets and pancakes (my years with boss) by Asokamitran
for nearly thirty years from 1940, the Gemini Studios of Madras
(Chennai) was the most influential film-producing organisation of
India and its founder, the brilliant multi-faceted entrepreneur S.S.
Vasan lent substance and quality to the rather fragile and
unpredictable movie business. The Gemini emblem of two small
boys with bugles was true to Vasans slogan for the Studios,
when the bugles blow, there is a great show, Gemini films
entertained millions all over India and abroad.
Sahitya Akademi award-winning Tamil writer Ashokamitran
worked for the Gemini Studios from 1952 to 1966. A full twenty
years after he renounced films, poet-editor Pritish Nandy
persuaded Ashokamitran to record his reminiscences and the
result was a series of articles making up My Years with Boss. The
book covers only five of his fourteen years with the Studios but
captures that phase of Indian movie business when the key
factors of the box office were imperceptibly shifting from the
studios to the stars.
My Years with Boss is one of the most unusual books to be written
about the entertainment world and clearly indicates the enormous
impact of the movies on virtually every aspect of life in India.
The authors ability to capture the life and breath of people and
events, and his puckish narrative make this a brief but special
book of film history."
The rattrap by Selma Lagerlof
the rattrap seller is a homeless fellow who stays in the crofters
cottage for a night. The crofter entertains him as a guest and
friend. But the rattrap seller returns later the next day, smashes
the window pane and steals the money of the crofter.
The fortune however turns later when the iron master mistaking
him to be an old comrade takes him home. There he stays for two
days as his guest. Once again he is on his way to continue his
usual profession of selling rattraps, thievery and begging. But he
sends a letter to the iron masters daughter telling her that she
was a wonderful hostess and he cannot lie to her. He also
returned the money that he had stolen from the crofter and asked
her to return it. He lets her know that this whole world is like a rat
trap. Just like the rats are trapped by cheese and food similarly
men are lured by land, food, shelter, clothing etc. these are baits.
Those who touch them are trapped
Lost spring by Anees Jung
Raju works at a roadside dhaba for sixteen hours a day. Idrees
has lost his memory and bears on his body the scars of being

tortured at the carpet-manufacturing unit where he worked.

Saheb scrounges the garbage dumps on the streets of Delhi for his
daily wages. Munni has travelled long distances from her village
home, looking for work as a domestic help in the city. Like Raju
and Idrees, Saheb and Munni, millions of children all over the
country are doomed to a life of backbreaking toil. Half adult, half
children, victims of physical and mental abuse, they represent the
dark underbelly of Indias economic growth. In Lost Spring:
Stories of Stolen Childhood, best-selling author Anees Jung
exposes a national shame: children cleaning floors and tables in
shanty restaurants; making locks, slates and fireworks; rolling
bidis; weaving saris and carpets; packing and hauling loads in
factories and stone quarries. With her trademark sensitivity and
insight, she analyses the grinding poverty and traditions
sanctified by caste and religion which condemn these children to a
life of exploitation. In this bleak world, the author also finds
stories of resilience and fortitudechildren who have refused to
accept their condition, thus opening new vistas for themselves
and others like them. She also documents incredible profiles in
courageindividuals and institutions who battle not only
governmental and bureaucratic apathy but also social values and
cultural norms that support and accept the concept of child
labour.
Should wizard hit mommy by John Updike
This story deals with the worldview of a little child,and the
difficult moral questions she raises during the story session with
her father.
Jack(joannes father) had become accustomed to or putting it
more precisely obligated to telling stories out of his head to his
daughter joanne during the evenings and saturday afternoons.this
tradition itself was now two years old and joanne had been two
when it started..........these stories were almost the same except
for some slight variations ..it started with a creature usually
named roger(roger fish,rogersquirrel,roger chipmunk),who had
some problem and went with it to the wise owl.The owl directed
him to go the the magician ,who would solve his problem in
exchange for a few pennies more than the creature had and in the
same breath would direct the creature to go to a place where he
could find it.the the roger creature would be so happy and would
return home just in time to hear the train whistle that brought his
daddy home from boston.
On this particular day a saturday and it was time for joannes
nap..so jack had to tell her a story.So he began his story and
asked joanne what should the creature be named .It seemed they
had studied about a new aniaml at school today for she

enthusiastically said skunk..roger skunk.The character was set

and so began the story.Jack was now ready to start the story and
was filled with creative enthusiasm.the story started with the
creature being unable to play and make friends with other
creatures...the reason was he smelled awfull.The creature having
no other option went to seek the advice of the wise old owl who
directed him to go the magician.Roger skunk found his way to the
magicians house and seeked his help.the magician with his magic
wand turned the awful smell that roger had into a smell that was
of roses.The roger creature then as directed gave the magician the
pennies he had and as per the instruction of the magician went to
the well to get the extra pennies.
Then roger skunk went back home.As he reached home his mother
was disappointed with roger skunk as she thought that it was not
right to change one's identity to please their friends.She said real
friends are the ones who accept you for who you are and not for
who you want to become.She then took roger back to the
magician and hit the magician with the umbrella she had been
carrying.the magician then performed his magic and roger no
longer melled of roses.After that they returned home just in time
to hear the whistle of the train blow that brought roger skunks
father home................and henceforth roger skunk was content in
being himself.
Throught this story jakc wanted to teach his daughter joanne
about moral values,but his daughter joanne who was just a child
reacted differently with th stories ending.she want the wizard to
hit rogers mommy back and let roger smell of roses and not
change him.this was a childs perspectivbe of things...for a child
their friends mean everything and they are not much of moral
values and the importance of parents.
Jack had faced similar problems like roger had faced so he was
trying to jo that whatever parents say or do for them are in their
best interest.But jo was adamant and wanted another ending for
the story.
After the story ended jack went down to help his wife clare paint
the furniture .When he reached downstairs he sawt that the
woodwork,a cage of moldings and rails and baseboards all around
them ,was half old tan and half new ivory and he felt caught in an
ugly middle position,and though he as well felt his wife's presence
in the cage with him,he did not want to speak with her,work with
her,touch her,anything
NOTE:jack had a son named bobby two years old,Clare was three
months pregnant