Question 1.
“Cambridge was my metaphor for England.” To the writer,
(i) Cambridge was a reputed university in England.
(ii) England was famous for Cambridge.
(iii) Cambridge was the real England.
(iii) Cambridge was the real England.
Question 2.
The writer phoned Stephen Hawking’s house
(i) from the nearest phone booth.
(ii) from outside a phone booth.
(iii) from inside a phone booth.
(iii) from inside a phone booth
Question 3.
Every time he spoke to the scientist, the writer felt guilty because
(i) he wasn’t sure what he wanted to ask.
(ii) he forced the scientist to use his voice synthesiser.
(iii) he was face to face with a legend.
(ii) he forced the scientist to use his voice synthesiser.
Question 4.
“I felt a huge relief… in the possibilities of my body.” In the given context, the highlighted words refer to .
(i) shifting in the wheelchair, turning the wrist.
(ii) standing up, walking.
(iii) speaking, writing.
(i) shifting in the wheel-chair, turning the wrist.
Question 5.
What was the writer’s plan behind his visit to Britain ?
(a) To meet high officials
(b) to write a book about travels
(c) To visit some worthseeing places
(d) to enjoy with his family.
(b) to write a book about travels
Question 6.
Who did Firdaus contact at Cambridge ?
(a) A guide
(b) A politician Mr. Brown
(c) Astrophysicist Stephen Hawking
(d) Some dignitories from India
(c) Astrophysicist Stephen Hawking
Question 7.
What is common between the speaker and the person he is talking to ?
(a) Both are politicians
(b) Both are handicapped
(c) Both are Indians
(d) Both are Cambridge graduates
(b) Both are handicapped
Question 8.
“I could feel his anguish.” Who spoke these words ?
(a) Firdaus Kanga
(b) Stephen Hawking.
(c) Hawking’s assistant
(d) Kanga’s caretaker
(a) Firdaus Kanga
Question 9.
If the lantern is the man, what would its ‘walls’ be ?
(a) Soul
(b) Body
(c) Eyes
(d) Legs
(b) Body
Question 10.
What is housed within the thin walls ?
(a) Red Blood
(b) Bony bones
(c) Eternal soul
(d) None of these
(c) Eternal soul
Question 11.
Guess the first question put to the scientist by the writer.
The writer asked the scientist, “You have been very brave haven’t you.
Question 12.
Stephen Hawking said, “I’ve had no choice.” Does the writer think there was a choice ? What was it ?
The writer thinks that Hawking had a choice. He had to choose, to live creatively despite his paralysis so that he might feel his mind preoccupied.
Question 13.
“I could feel his anguish.” What could be the anguish ?
Hawking’s anguish was that he found it difficult to find the correct words to express on his computer. He felt tired which disappointed him. Hence the writer could read his anguish on Stephen’s face.
Question 14.
What endeared the scientist to the writer so that he said he was looking at one of the most beautiful men in the world
Stephen liked writer’s frankness. His face reflected on unmatchable beauty, without being sentimental, he asked that he felt annoyed when someone came to disturb him in his work.
Question 15.
Read aloud the description of the beautiful man. Which is the most beautiful sentence in the description ?
“Before you like a lantern whose walls are worn so thin you glimpse only the light inside, is the incandesence of a man”. The most beautiful sentence is incandesence of a man.
Question 16.
What is the scientist’s message for the disabled?
They should concentrate on what they are good at. Olympics for the Handicapped are a waste of time. They should make the best use of the things and trust in god.
Question 20.
Why does the writer refer to the guitar incident ? Which idea does it support ?
The disabled people must not try to overreach themselves as Hawking had tried to play the guitar which was larger than his own size. So he felt defeated and then dejected. In dejection he destroyed it one night.
Question 21.
Why does the writer refer to the guitar incident ? Which idea does it support ?
The disabled people must not try to overreach themselves as Hawking had tried to play the guitar which was larger than his own size. So he felt defeated and then dejected. In dejection he destroyed it one night.
Question 22.
The writer expresses his great gratitude to Stephen Hawking. What is the gratitude for ?
The writer expresses his gratitude to Stephen for giving him strength and confidence to be brave, and to live creatively. Hawking had to use his weak fingers efficiently on the keyboard of his computer. This enabled the writer to spend his time for talk.
Question 23.
Complete the following sentences taking their appropriate parts from both the boxes below.
(i) There was his assistant on the line ……………
(ii) You get fed up with people asking you to be brave, ………..
(iii) There he was, ……………..
(iv) You look at his eyes which can speak, …………..
(v) It doesn’t do much good to know ………..
(i) There was his assistant on the line and I told him. I had come in a wheelchair from India.
(ii) You get fed up with people asking you to be brave as if you have a courage account on which you are too lazy to draw a cheque.
(iii) There he was, tapping at a little switch in his hand, trying to find the words on his computer.
(iv) You look at his eyes which can speak, and they are saying something huge and urgent it is hard to tell what.
(v) It does not do much good to know that there are people smiling with admiration to see you breathing still.
Question 24.
Fill in the blanks in the sentences below using the appropriate forms of the words given in the following box.
(i) I met a …………………… from an antique land.
(ii) I need special …………………. in mathematics. I can’t count the number of times I have failed in the subject.
(iii) The guide called Stephen Hawking a worthy ………………….. to Issac Newton.
(iv) His other problems ……………………. into insignificance beside this unforeseen mishap.
(v) The meeting was ………………… by the youngest member of the board.
(vi) Some people say ‘yours ……………………’ when they informally refer to themselves.
(vii) I wish it had been a …… …………….. match.
We would have been spared the noise of celebrations, at leas
(i) traveller
(ii) guidance
(iii) successor
(iv) paled
(v) guided
(vi) truly
(vii) drawn
Question 25.
Look at the following words.
• walk
• stick
Can you create a meaningful phrase using both these words ?
(It is simple. Add -ing to the verb and use it before the noun. Put an article at the beginning.). …………..a walking stick. Now make six such phrases using the words given in the box.
(i) a reading session
(ii) a smilling face
(iii) a revolving chair
(iv) a walking tour
(v) a dancing doll
(vi) a winning chance
Question 26.
Use all or both in the blanks. Tell your partner why you chose one or the other.
(i) He has two brothers. ……………… are lawyers.
(ii) More than ten persons called. …… of them wanted to see you.
(iii) They …………….. cheered the team.
(iv) …………….. her parents are teachers.
(v) How much have you got ? Give me …………… of it.
(i) He has two brothers. Both are lawyers.
(ii) More than ten persons called. All of them wanted to see you.
(iii) They all cheered the team.
(iv) Both her parents are teachers.
(v) How much have you got ? Give me all of it.
Question 27.
Complete each sentence using the right form of the adjective given in brackets.
(i) My friend has one of the …………… cars on the road. (fast)
(ii) This is the ………………. story I have ever read. (interesting)
(iii) What you are doing now is ……………… than what you did yesterday. (easy)
(iv) Ramesh and his wife are both ………………… (short)
(v) He arrived ……….. as usual. Even the chief guest came ………. than he did. (late, early)
(i) My friend has one of the fastest cars on the road.
(ii) This is the most interesting story I have ever read.
(iii) What you are doing now is easier than what you did yesterday.
(iv) Ramesh and his wife are both short.
(v) He arrived late as usual. Even the chief guest came earlier than he did.
Question 28.
Underline stressed syllables in the following words. Consult the dictionary
or ask the teacher if necessary.
artist, mistake, accident, moment, compare, satisfy, relation, table, illegal, agree, backward, mountain
Question 29.
Writing a notice for the School Notice Board.
Step 1 : Discuss why notices are put on the notice board. What kinds of ‘notices’ have you lately seen on the board? How is a notice different from a letter or a descriptive paragraph?
Step 2 : Suppose you have lost or found something on the campus. What have you lost or found? You want to write a notice about it. If you have lost something, you want it restored to you in case someone has found it. If you have found something, you want to return it to its owner.
Step 3 : Write a few lines describing the object you have lost or found. Mention the purpose of the notice in clear terms. Also write your name, class, section and date.
Step 4: Let one member of each group read aloud the notice to the entire class. Compare your notice with the other notices, and make changes, if necessary, with the help of the teacher.
(i) Imagine that you are a journalist.
(ii) You have been asked to interview the president of the village panchayat.
(iii) Write eight to ten questions you wish to ask.
(iv) The questions should elicit comments as well as plans regarding water and electricity, cleanliness and school education in the village.