Wisdom of Little Girls

Reading I: Wisdom of Little Girls

A. Replace the words or phrases in red in the sentences below with the correct words from the brackets.

[abusing, finery, lassies, scrambled, fancy, folly, rejoicing, chip] Answer:

a. The lassies were dressed in their best finery to go to the party.

b. Do you sometimes fancy living in a luxurious house?

c. When Ram was chased by a dog she scrambled quickly onto the wall.

d. The young lassies delighted everyone with their performance.

e. It was his folly to leave the bike unlocked in the street.

f. Each one accused the other of cheating. Soon, they started abusing each other.

g. Could you please give me a chip of paper? I can't find the duster.

h. The farmers rejoiced when it rained after a long drought.

B. Choose the correct alternative to complete the sentences.

Answer:

a. The two little girls were dressed in new frocks probably because… Ans: ii. they had to go to church.

b. When Malasha was going to splash into the puddle… Ans: ii. Akoulya asked her to take off her shoes and stockings before going.

c. While running home, the girls were caught by… Ans: iii. Akoulya's grandmother

d. Akoulya's grandmother… Ans: i. was able to calm down the crowd

e. While the men were busy fighting, the two girls… Ans: ii. played a game together

f. In the end, the men… Ans: i. were guilty of their deed

C. Answer the following questions.

Answer:

a. How were the girls dressed? Ans: The girls were wearing brand new dresses. One of the girls had on a blue dress, while the other was wearing a yellow printed dress. They both had red scarves tied around their heads.

b. Where did the girls begin to play? Ans: The girls started playing in a narrow path that ran between two houses, where a big puddle had formed from the muddy water flowing through the farmyards.

c. Why did Akoulya get angry with Malasha? Ans: Akoulya became upset with Malasha because Malasha accidentally splashed water onto Akoulya's dress while they were walking towards each other through the puddle.

d. Why did the crowd gather in the street? Ans: A crowd assembled on the street as a result of a heated argument and quarrel that erupted between the mothers of the girls. The situation escalated into a tense confrontation involving the men from the neighbourhood.

e. How did Akoulya's grandmother try to calm down the crowd? Ans: Akoulya's grandmother attempted to pacify the crowd by inserting herself among them and addressing them, appealing to their rationality and reminding them that it was a time for celebration, not for engaging in arguments.

f. Why are the girls called wiser than men? Ans: The girls were regarded as wiser than the men because amidst the men's fights and the women's arguments, the girls swiftly settled their own disagreement, let it go, and joyfully began playing together. They demonstrated a remarkable capacity to release anger and embrace happiness.

g. What lesson do you learn from the story? Ans: The story teaches us that children, with their innocence and simplicity, often exhibit greater wisdom than adults. They possess the ability to swiftly forgive, forget, and discover joy, whereas adults tend to cling to resentments and involve themselves in unnecessary conflicts.

D. Remember a similar incident that happened during your childhood and share it in the class.

Answer:

When I was young, something amusing occurred in my neighbourhood. It was a scorching summer day, and we congregated near a pond to beat the heat. As luck would have it, we stumbled upon a sizable branch floating in the water, and a brilliant idea struck us. We transformed it into a game. Dividing ourselves into teams, we used the branch as a makeshift bridge to traverse the pond without getting soaked. Some of us succeeded in crossing with grace, while others ended up getting drenched, causing uproarious laughter. The outcome didn't matter much because our primary focus was having a blast and cheerfully rooting for one another.

Grammar I

B. Transform the following sentences into negative ones.

Answer:

a. My sister does not live with my parents.

b. Ram does not know the answer.

c. I do not want to leave now.

d. Ram does not agree with me.

e. The boy did not kill the cockroach with his shoe.

f. His father did not recognize me at once.

g. He did not apologise for his misconduct.

h. He did not eat many mangoes.

i. We did not make much money.

j. The rich are not always happy.

k. Ram rarely visits me.

l. Ram did not buy any books.

m. Ram did not let me use her toilet.

n. None of them can help her.

C. Complete the following sentences choosing the correct forms of verbs in brackets.

Answer:

a. A number of soldiers … (was, were, are) injured in the war. Ans: were

b. The number of deceased soldiers … (were, is, are) not stored in the record book. Ans: is

c. A pack of lions … (was, were, is) approaching the camp. Ans: is

d. His pants … (was, were, is) torn during the match. Ans: were

f. The truthful … (was, is, are) always trustworthy. Ans: are

g. To cry … (was, are, is) never the solution to any problem. Ans: is

h. Here … (lie, lies, lying) the tomb of a great scientist. Ans: lies

i. Either she or her friends … (was, is, are) responsible for this accident. Ans: are

j. None … (were, is, are) under the sun. Ans: are

k. All that … (glitter/glitters/glittering) is not gold. Ans: glitters

l. Everything … (is, were, are) fine when it's done correctly. Ans: is

m. Either the sculpture or the paintings … (was, were, are) in the museum today. Ans: were

n. Each of the dancers … (twirl, twirls, twirling) brilliantly. Ans: twirls

o. Neither she nor I … (were, am, are) getting the lunch special. Ans: am

Writing I

You might have read or heard some moral stories. Write your favourite one in your own words.

Answer:

Once upon a time, in a peaceful village nestled amidst lush green fields, lived a wise old farmer named Ram. Ram was known for his hard work and kindness. He had a small but flourishing farm where he grew a variety of crops.

One day, while working in his fields, Ram discovered a tiny sparrow with a broken wing lying on the ground. He gently picked up the injured bird and took it to his farmhouse. With great care, he splinted its wing and provided it a safe place to rest and heal.

As days passed, the sparrow gradually regained its strength. It chirped with joy, expressing its gratitude towards Ram. The bond between the farmer and the bird grew stronger each passing day.

One morning, as Ram prepared to resume his work in the fields, he noticed a group of hungry crows attacking his crops. They were pecking away at the sprouting seeds and destroying his hard work. Ram tried shooing them away, but the crows were relentless.

In his moment of distress, the sparrow, who had now fully recovered, flew up into the sky and began to chirp loudly. The crows, startled by the unexpected noise, stopped their destructive actions and flew away in fear. The grateful sparrows from nearby trees joined the courageous sparrow in warding off the crows.

Amazed by the brave little sparrow and its friends, Ram realized that he owed his crops' safety to the tiny bird he had once helped. From that day on, he never underestimated the power of small acts of kindness.

The moral of the story is that no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. Just as Ram helped the injured sparrow, the sparrow, in turn, saved his crops. Kindness has a way of returning to us when we least expect it and often in the most unexpected ways. Ram continued to help animals and people in need, always remembering the lesson he learned from the brave little sparrow.