Author name: Prasanna

NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English

Mother’s Day NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Snapshots Chapter 5

Mother’s Day NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

Mother’s Day About the Author

J.B. Priestley was born at Manningham, which he described as an “extremely respectable” suburb of Bradford. His father was a headmaster. His mother died when he was just two years old. Priestley was educated at Belle Vue Grammar School, which he left at sixteen to work as a junior clerk at Helm & Co., a wool firm in the Swan Arcade. During his years at Helm & Co. (1910-1914), he started writing at night and had articles published in local and London newspapers.

Mother’s Day Main Theme

This humorous play by J.B. Priestley is set in 1950 when the position of the mother and the housewife was subordinate. She worked for everyone in the family, but got no recognition or words of gratitude.Mrs Pearson is such a housewife and mother. Her neighbour Mrs Fitzgerald is much more assertive and feels Mrs Pearson should not allow herself to be bullied by her family. She should not pamper the family .members and assert herself a lot more.

Mrs Fitzgerald and Mrs Pearson exchange personalities. Mrs Fitzgerald is in Mrs Pearson’s body. Mrs Pearson goes to Mrs Fitzgerald’s house. The first family member to return home is Doris, Mrs Pearson’s daughter. She wants tea and her yellow silk dress ironed. Mrs Pearson tells her to do these jobs herself. She speaks disparagingly of Doris’ date with Charlie Spence. Doris is amazed and starts crying. Next, Cyril, Mrs Pearson’s son, comes and gets the same treatment. Then George Pearson, the husband, comes. He is surprised to find her drinking stout and tea not ready. She speaks to him in the same fashion and tells him that his friends at the club laugh at him.

By this time the real Mrs Pearson is anxious and comes. After some humorous exchanges, she and Mrs Fitzgerald get back into their original personalities. Mrs Fitzgerald leaves advising Mrs Pearson to remain firm.Mrs Pearson is able to have her way. George, Doris and Cyril decide to stay at home. Doris and Cyril agree to cook for the family that evening.

Mother’s Day Reading with Insight

Question 1.
This play, written in the 1950s, is a humorous and satirical depiction of the status of the mother in the family.
(i) What are the issues it raises?
(ii) Do you think it caricatures these issues or do you think that the problems it raises are genuine?
How does the play resolve the issues? Do you agree with the resolution?
Answer:
(i) The main issue is of the status of a woman. She deserves respect and recognition in her own family.
The husband and children should share domestic choses. The issues raised are genuine. Such a situation exists in many homes even today. The problem raised is genuine.

(ii) The play resolves the issue by resorting to an extraordinary measure. Mrs Fitzgerald’s personality enters Mrs Pearson’s body. In exchanged personality Mrs Pearson deals firmly with her family members, stands up to her rights and tells others that they need to help too. The resolution of the problem is symbolic. Any woman can be firm and take a stand. The need to enter another’s body is not there. Only a change of attitude is needed.

Question 2.
If you were to write about these issues today, what are some of the incidents, examples and problems that you would think of as relevant?
Answer:
In the Indian scenario most of these issues are still relevant.

• The woman is the only one who works in the house.
• Even a career woman has to discharge domestic duties.
• Men spend their time outdoors and find entertainment outside the house.
• Usually children lead their own insulated lives, unaware of the mother’s needs and unappreciative of her services.

Question 3.
Is drama a good medium for conveying a social message? Discuss.
Answer:
Drama is a powerful medium and should be exploited for conveying social messages.
The reasons are:

• Everyday situations can be taken as themes.
• Humour, comedy and satire can be used to ridicule the undesirable practices.
• Dialogue, acting and play presentation leave a deep impression on the audience.
• Social values can be reinforced.

Question 4.
Read the play out in parts. Enact the play on a suitable occasion.
Answer:
To be done by students.

Question 5.
Discuss in groups plays or films with a strong message of social reform that you have watches.
Answer:
In the Indian scenario most of these issues are still relevant.

• The woman is the only one who works in the house.
• Even a career woman has to discharge domestic duties.
• Men spend their time outdoors and find entertainment outside the house.
• Usually children lead their own insulated lives, unaware of the mother’s needs and unappreciative of her services.

NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English

Albert Einstein at School NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Snapshots Chapter 4

Albert Einstein at School NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

Albert Einstein at School About the Author

Patrick Pringle was born in 1935 in Rochester, New York. He was a freelance writer and photographer, wildlife biologist and educator. He was the editor, executive editor of Nature and Science during 1965 – 1967. He won several awards, chief being the New Jersey Institute of Technology Award, 1970, for The Only Earth We Have; Special Conservation Award, National Wildlife Federation, 1978; honor book designation, New York Academy of Sciences, 1980, for Natural Fire: Its Ecology in Forests.

Albert Einstein at School Main Theme

This extract from Albert Einstein’s biography records the unhappy period of his schooling in Munich. Eventually Einstein was expelled from the school.At school, Einstein was not at all enthusiastic about the study of history. He felt it was more important to study ideas than facts. His teachers at the school in Munich were displeased with him. Albert was miserable most of the time.

Albert had been sent to this school to study for a diploma. His living quarters offered no relief. There was dirt and squalor and plenty of slum violence. His only friends were Yuri, a medical student, and Elsa, his cousin from Berlin. They tried to cheer him up. Einstein, however, did like to study Geology and books on Science. He was exceptionally good at Maths. He also played ori the violin to console himself.

After six months, Einstein could take it no more. He wanted to get away from school. He asked his friend Yuri to find a nerve doctor who would give him a certificate of a nervous breakdown and recommend rest for six months. Yuri found Dr Ernst Weil, but told Einstein to be absolutely truthful with him. Dr Weil felt he was really close to a nervous breakdown and gave him a certificate.Einstein’s plan was to return to Milan, where his parents lived. He asked his Maths teacher for a reference which would enable him to continue his education in Milan.

The next day, before Einstein could present the medical certificate, he was called by the head teacher and asked to leave the school. Einstein had been expelled for ‘constant rebellion’. Yuri was the only person he wanted to say goodbye to.

Albert Einstein at School Reading with Insight

Question 1.
What do you understand of Einstein’s nature from his conversations with his history teacher, his mathematics teacher and the head teacher?
Answer:
Even as a student Einstein had a mind of his own. He was honest enough to tell the History teacher what he thought of the subject. On the whole he detested the school. He had a logical reason for not liking history. It was because it laid more emphasis on facts than on causes behind the facts. Mathematics, however, was another matter. He excelled in the subject and had great regard for the teacher. This feeling was mutual. The Head Teacher was guided by the opinion of other teachers, so Einstein could not expect sympathy from him.

Question 2.
The school system often curbs individual talents. Discuss.
Answer:
The school system often curbs the individual talents is borne by the fact of Albert Einstein’s miserable five years ‘education’ at school. The educational system in Germany has been very lightly and; incidentally touched upon. The school that Einstein went to seems to have imparted education by insisting on rote memory. Science subjects were not taught. This system of education has no room for individual talent and achivement. It lays stress on facts and dates rather than ideas. Thus most of the students manage to pass the examination by rote-learning. The teachers insist on discipline and conformity. Brilliant students like Albert Einstein are considered dull and incompetent or rebellious.

Question 3.
How do you distinguish between information gathering and insight formation?
Answer:
Information gathering is storing factual information in the mind whereas insight formation requires in-depth understanding. The former is superficial and can be found stored in books also, insight formation is genuine knowledge.

NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English

Ranga’s Marriage NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Snapshots Chapter 3

Ranga’s Marriage NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

Ranga’s Marriage About the Author

Masti Venkatesha Iyengar (6 June 1891 – 6 June 1986) was a well-known writer in Kannada language. He was the fourth among Kannada writers to be honoured with the Jnanpith Award, the highest literary honour conferred in India. He was popularly referred to as Maasti Kannadada Aasti which means “Maasti, Kannada’s Treasure”.

He is most renowned for his short stories. He wrote under the pen name Srinivasa. He was honoured with the title Rajasevasakta by the then Maharaja of Mysore Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadeyar. A prolific writer, he wrote more than 123 books in Kannada and 17 in English, for over seventy years. He won the Jnanpith Award in 1983 for his novel Chikavira Rajendra. The story was about the last Raja of Kodagu. He died on his 95th birthday in 1986. Since 1993, an award in his name, “Masti Venkatesha Iyangar Award” is awarded to well-known writers of Karnataka.

Ranga’s Marriage Main Theme

‘Ranga’s Marriage’ is a delightful story set in Hosahalli Village near Mysore. The narrator is an elderly person who is very proud of his village and generally likes to be involved in the lives of the fellow villagers.

Ranga was the son of an accountant who had been sent to Bangalore for higher studies. When he came back’ the narrator decided to have him married even though Ranga had many new fangled ideas about marriage.

The narrator arranged that Ranga saw Ratna, the daughter of Rama Rao. Ranga liked her instantly, but the narrator told him that she was married. Then Shyama, the narrator, met an astrologer and told him what to say when he brought Ranga to him. Next he took Ranga to the astrologer who told him that he was thinking about a girl and if they approach the family for marriage, they would be successful. Ranga was delighted to discover that Ratna was not married. Ranga and Ratna were married.

Ranga’s Marriage Reading with Insight

Question 1.
Comment on the influence of English—the language and the way of life—on Indian life as reflected in the story. What is the narrator’s attitude to English? ‘
Answer:
The narrator of the story Shyama lived in a remote village in Karnataka. He has written of the time when English language was not used in the village. Not many knew English or used English words in their speech. Therefore when the accountant sent his son Ranga to Bangalore to study, it was a revolutionary step.

When Ranga returned to his village everyone came out to see if he had changed due to the influence of his education. Ranga showed the influence of English on his thinking when he named his child after Shyama who had brought about his marriage. The narrator does not know English. He is sarcastic too and resentful of English language.

Question 2.
Astrologers’ perceptions are based more on hearsay and conjecture than what they learn from the study of the stars. Comment with reference to the story.
Answer:
The astrologer plays an important part in the story ‘Ranga’s Marriage’. Shyama, the narrator, wanted to bring about the marriage of Ratna with Ranga. Shyama met an astrologer and gave him certain instructions. Then he took Ranga to meet him. The astrologer told him that the girl he was thinking about could be his if he approached the family. Ranga was able to marry Ratna because of what the astrologer said. Astrologers do not always say what the stars tell.

Question 3.
Indian society has moved a long way from the way the marriage is arranged in the story. Discuss.
Answer:
In the past, marriages in India were usually arranged by parents or relatives. The story ‘Ranga’s Marriage’ shows how the narrator arranged Ranga’s marriage with the help of an astrologer. But now the Indian society has moved a long way from the manner marriage is arranged in the story. After independence, certain changes have come in the Indian society.

Women empowerment and women education have changed the attitude of grooms towards them. Now the consent of the bridegroom as well as bride is seriously considered. Earlier opposition to love marriages has now weakened. Though dowry is a demon, troubling the girl’s party, the girl’s opinion about the boy or his family does carry some weight. Inter-caste marriages which were a strict no-no in the earlier limes, now find some acceptance, especially, among the educated and employed youth.

Question 4.
What kind of a person do you think the narrator is?
Answer:
The narrator is a talkative person who rambles from topic to topic in the course of his conversation. He is an elderly gentleman. He is a keen observer of human behaviour, has a sense of humour. He neither likes English nor its influence. He is proud of his village. He takes interest in the lives of villagers.

He not only understands human nature and behaves accordingly by but is also a good strategist. He cleverly arranges a meeting between Ratna and Ranga. He introduces Ratna to Ranga indirectly so that his interest is aroused, later he fixes up a meeting with the astrologer. He was a perfect match-maker between Ranga and Ratna. He is respected and liked by the villagers. Ranga names his child after him.

NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English

The Address NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Snapshots Chapter 2

The Address NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

The Address About the Author

Marga Minco (pseudonym of Sara Menco, born 31 March 1920) is a Dutch journalist and writer. Born in Ginneken to an Orthodox Jewish family, Minco began work as a trainee journalist. In the early part of World War II Minco lived in Breda, Amersfoort, and Amsterdam. She contracted a mild form of tuberculosis and ended up being treated in hospitals in Utrecht and Amersfoort. In the autumn of 1942 she returned to Amsterdam and her parents, who were forced by the German occupiers to move into the city’s Jewish Quarter. Later in the war, Minco’s parents, her brother, and her sister were all deported, but having escaped arrest herself she spent the rest of the war in hiding and was the family’s only survivor.

The Address Main Theme

The story is set against the background of World War II. The narrator was the daughter of Mrs S. They were Jews living in Germany and in perpetual danger of being imprisoned and persecuted. Most Jews were leaving their homes and going away to safer places. Mrs Dorling, a neighbour of Mrs S, used to visit them often. She suggested that Mrs S should leave her antiques and precious possessions in her care because she might have to leave in a hurry. Mrs Dorling carried away suitcases and bags full of antiques, crockery and cutlery of Mrs S’s family.

After the war, the narrator came back to the town, but did not feel like visiting Mrs Dorling immediately. After some time, she decided to go to the address 46, Marconi Street. Mrs Dorling met her, recognised her, but did not allow her inside the house because she was afraid that the visitor would claim her mother’s I possessions.

The narrator visited the family a second time and was greeted by the fifteen-year-old daughter of Mrs Dorling. She saw her family possessions all around the room. The girl told her they had eaten in those antique plates. The woollen table cloth had remained unrepaired even after many years. Seeing her family’s precious possessions in unfamiliar environment, the narrator suddenly did not desire to have them back.She left without waiting for Mrs Dorling. She felt it would be easy to forget the address 46, Marconi Street.

The Address Reading with Insight

Question 1.
“Have you come back?” said the woman. “I thought that no one had come back.” Does this statement give some clue about the story? If yes, what is it?
Answer:
Yes, the statement gives us several clues about the story ‘I thought that no one had come back’ suggests that the family had perished in war. This prepares the reader for the background of war. The return of the narrator is not pleasant to the speaker as she showed no sign of recognition. The war was just over and she had not expected the narrator to return. She had recognized the girl (narrator) otherwise why should she say, “Have you come back?” Besides, the reader gets a clue that narrator and her mother left the town during the war.

Question 2.
The story “The Address” is divided into pre-war and post-war times. What hardships do you think the girl underwent during these times?
Answer:
The story ‘The Address’ deals with pre-war and post-war times. Total chaos and disharmony prevailed in pre-war times. Before that war the narrator’s mother had many valuable possessions, such as silver crockery, valuable paintings, antique plates, etc. It was war time when the family lived under the tension of losing their lives and belongings. The threat of war made them leave their hometown and go away. They left their valuables in Mrs. Dorling’s custody who trusted them to return their valuables after the war ended.

They suffered during the war and the post-war period. The narrator came back alone without her family. Her earlier wealth and luxurious lifestyle had vanished. Now she lived in a small room and had no place to keep her mother’s possessions. She thought of going to Mrs-. Dorling’s house when normalcy returned. But when she went to Mrs. Dorling’s house, she refused to recognize her and expressed surprise at her being alive. She did not have enough bread to eat. The memories and associations of earlier life were too painful to recall.

Question 3.
Why did the narrator finally decide to forget the address?
Answer:
The narrator wanted to forget the address because she did not want to take back her family’s precious possessions—the antiques, silver, paintings, etc. from Mrs Dorling. Initially, she had gone to 46, Marconi Street to take back her belongings, but when she saw them in a different setting, used carelessly and crudely she no longer felt the attachment and desire to have them back as she had felt earlier. In fact, she was so repelled by her experience that she did not even wait for Mrs Dorling and came away. She felt it would be easy to forget that address.

Question 4.
The Address’ is a story of human predicament that follows war. Comment.
Answer:
‘The Address’ states indirectly the human predicament that follows war. The narrator’s family had enjoyed luxury and comfort before the war. During the war they lived under constant threat and were displaced eventually. They moved from place to place. After the war, the narrator, Mrs S’s daughter, returned alone. The family was probably lost. Instead of her big house she lived in a small room. The experiences of war so troubled her that she could not feel secure for a long time.It is the ordinary human being who suffers the most during war.

NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English

The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Snapshots Chapter 1

The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse About the Author

William Saroyan (13 August 1908 – 18 May 1981) was an Armenian-American novelist, playwright and short story writer. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1940, and in 1943 won the Academy Award for Best Story for the film adaptation of The Human Comedy.Saroyan wrote extensively about the Armenian immigrant life in California. Many of his stories and plays are set in his native Fresno. Some of his best-known works are ‘The Time of Your Life’, ‘My Name Is Aram’ and ‘My Heart’s in the Highlands’.

The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse Main Theme

This story is about two Armenian boys and a white horse in a village in San Joaquin Valley, California one summer. Aram is nine years old and Mourad is thirteen years old. They belong to the Garoghlanian tribe which is known for its honesty. The two boys are extremely fond of riding, but they and their tribe are very poor. One day Mourad comes to Aram’s house on a white horse and invites him to ride. Aram knows that the horse is stolen, but cannot resist the chance to ride. Mourad keeps the horse in a deserted barn and takes good care of it. He is able to discipline the horse because he has a way with horses.

A month passes. Then John Byro, the owner of the horse, visits the family and speaks about the loss of his horse. The boys decide to keep the horse with them for some more time.

After two weeks, John Byro meets the boys walking with the horse. He says it is exactly like his own horse. He also says if their family did not have such a formidable reputation for honesty, he would think it was his horse. He does not accuse the boys of stealing his horse.The next morning the boys take the horse to John Byro’s vineyard and leave it in his barn.

The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse Reading with Insight

Question 1.
You will probably agree that this story does not have breathless adventure and exciting action. Then what in your opinion makes it interesting?
Answer:
In spite of not containing breathless adventure and exciting action, the story is interesting because of the ‘craziness’ of Mourad and uncle Khosrove, the decency of John Byro and the charming innocence of the narrator. Aram and Mourad, whose tribe was widely known for its honesty got engaged in stealing a horse for their desire of riding. The reader is interested in knowing whether they will return the horse to its rightful owner. The story has charming vivid ,and pictorial description with simple and touching language.

Question 2.
Did the boys return the horse because they were conscience-stricken or because they were afraid?
Answer:
The children returned the horse to John Byro because their conscience instructed them to do so. Their intention was to keep the horse for at least six more months but the meeting with John Byro changed Mourad’s heart. Byro did not claim the horse. He only spoke about the honesty of their family which prompted Mourad to return the horse to its rightful honour.

Question 3.
“One day back there in the good old days when I was nine and the world was full of every imaginable kind of magnificence, and life was still a delightful and mysterious dream…” The story begins in a mood of nostalgia. Can you narrate some incident from your childhood that might make an interesting story? What in your opinion makes it interesting?
Answer:
The craze for a bike landed me in a pool of problems when I had just turned fourteen. My neighbours had bought a new ‘Hero Honda’. I was fascinated by the Blue Beauty. Day and night I planned to ride it. Once when my neighbours had parked it outside I sneaked out of my house and dragged it to a nearby park where my friends had gathered to enjoy the ride.

Ravi, my closest friend, got the privilege to ride it first. He was allowed to return in ten minutes. Next was my turn. I was delighted. I drove at high speed and did not bother to stop even at the red light. Life seemed to be a mysterious dream. The police tried to stop me but I escaped. Very soon we were spotted by our neighbour who had been looking for his lost bike.

I was baffled and did not know what to do. I stepped forward to confess as telling a lie might have proved disastrous. I was very poor at telling lies. He was angry but finally he appreciated us for speaking the truth. Later on my father scolded me for doing such a thing at that young age. (Students may narrate other experiences too.)

Question 4.
The story revolves around characters who belong to a tribe in Armenia. Mourad and Aram are members of the Garoghlanian family. Now locate Armenia and Assyria on the atlas and prepare a write-up on the Garoghlanian tribes. You may write about people, their names, traits and geographical and economic features as suggested in the story.
Answer:
Garoghlanian tribe—find out from the Net.

NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English

Father to Son NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Hornbill Poem 5

Father to Son NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

Father to Son About the poet

Elizabeth Jennings (18 July 1926 – 26 October 2001) was an English poet. Jennings was born in Boston, Lincolnshire. She later attended St Anne’s College at Oxford. After graduation, she became a writer. Jennings’ early poetry was published in journals such as Oxford Poetry, New English Weekly, The Spectator, Outposts:and Poetry Review. Jennings is known for her lyric poetry and mastery of form. Her work displays a simplicity of metre and rhyme.

Father to Son Main Theme

This poem expresses a father’s anguish at the relationship of silence that exists between him and his son. He feels he does not know his child. He and his son are like strangers who do not understand each other.He wants his son to come back rather than move into a world of his own. He finds his grief turning to anger. Though both wish to improve the relationship by forgiving each other, they achieve nothing.

Father to Son Think it out

Question 1.
Does the poem talk of an exclusively personal experience or is it fairly universal?
Answer:
The experience is personal but not exclusive. It is fairly universal. A situation like this is called ‘the generation gap’.

Question 2.
How is the father’s helplessness brought out in the poem?
Answer:
The father’s helplessness is brought out in the poem by repeating his problem of not understanding his son several times.

Question 3.
Identify the phrases and lines that indicate distance between father and son.
Answer:
I do not understand this child
We speak like strangers, there is no sign
understanding in the air.
…. Yet what he loves I cannot share.
Silence surrounds us.

Question 4.
Does the poem have a consistent rhyme scheme?
Answer:
No. The poem does not have a consistent rhyme scheme. The first two stanzas have ‘abb aba’ but the third and the fourth do not follow this.