Class 10 Footprints Without Feet Chapter 2 The Thief’s Story By Ruskin Bond

 Class 10 Footprints Without Feet Chapter 2 The Thief’s Story By Ruskin Bond

Question 1.
Who does ‘I’ refer to in this story?
I refers to Hari Singh, the narrator of the story who is a 15 year old experienced thief.

Question 2.
What is he “a fairly successful hand” at?
He is a fairly successful hand at stealing. He is an experienced thief. He is so clean and swift in his work that he robs people without being caught.

Question 3.
What does he get from Anil in return for his work?
In return of Hari Singh’s work, Anil gives him food and a place to live in.

Question 4.
How does the thief think Anil will react to the theft?
According to Hari, Anil would be sad not because of the loss of money but because of the loss of trust he had in Hari.

Question 5.
What does he say about the different reactions of people when they are robbed?
Hari’s experience at theft had made him aware of differences in reactions of peofJle when they’re robbed. According to him, a greedy man shows fear; the rich, anger and a poor man, acceptance.

Question 6.
Does Anil realise that he has been robbed?
Yes, Anil realised that he had been robbed, as he gave a fifty rupee note to Hari which was still damp due to the night’s rain.

Question 1.
What are Hari Singh’s reactions at the prospect of receiving an education? Do they change overtime? {Hint: compare, for example, the thought: ‘I knew that once I could write like an educated man there would be no limit to what I could achieve’ with these later thoughts:
‘Whole sentences, I knew, could one day bring me more than a few hundred rupees. It was a simple matter to steal and sometimes just as simple to be caught. But to be a really big man, a clever and respected man, was something else.’) What makes him return to Anil?

Answer:
Hari was very happy and grateful when he learned to write his name. He was very excited when Anil promised to teach him to write whole sentences as well. He knew that being an educated man will add to his abilities and he could achieve anything. But when he left Anil’s house, he realised that stealing was simply a crime to indulge himself but being educated was an entirely different thing. He knew the respect, reputation and possibilities that would come to him once he was educated. And so his urge to receive education compelled him to return to Anil.

Question 2.
Why does Anil not hand the thief over to the police? Do you think most people would have done so? In what ways is Anil different from such employers?
Unlike others, Anil does not handover Hari to the police on theft charges. He knew about the theft but he did not thrash him nor even mentioned it in front of Hari. He was glad that Hari had realised his mistake and the importance of education in life.
Anil wanted Hari to become a literate man and lead a respectful life.
He is different from other such employers because he is very understanding. Hari’s return gave him the hope of a change in him.

Question 1.
Do you think people like Anil and Hari Singh are found only in fiction, or are there such people in real life?
People like Anil and Hari Singh are found only in fiction. Though exceptions might be there, these people are rarely found. Anil was a kind and considerate person who was concerned, about Hari’s education and future. And Hari was a thief whose heart changes after realising the importance of education for his future. People like these are imaginary in today’s world.

Question 2.
Do you think it is a significant detail i story that Anil is a struggling writer? this explain his behaviour in any way
Yes, it is a significant detail that Anil is a struggling writer. His lifestyle was simple and used to spend according to his pocket at all time His struggle sometimes gave him a lot of income while at other times he used to worry about the next payment. Hari’s observation about the discontinuation in his work justifies his behave regarding money.

Question 3.
Have you met anyone like Hari Singh? Can you think and imagine the circumstances that can turn a fifteen year old boy into a thief?
No, I haven’t met anyone like Hari Singh but the existence of such people is certain. A fifteen year old boy can be forced by circumstances to become a thief. It may be the need to feed the stomach, to satisfy illegal addiction, to maintain health, to fulfil luxurious demands etc

Question 4.
Where is the story set? (You can get clues from the names of the persons and places mentioned in it). Which language or languages are spoken in these places? Do you think the characters in the story spoke to each other in English?
The story is set somewhere in Uttar Pradesh near Lucknow. We can say so because the story mentions that there is a railway station for Express train to Lucknow. The presence of sweet shops and bazaars also indicate it to be a decent-sized town. No, the characters in the story do not speak to each other in English but probably in Hindi.

Class 10 First Flight Poem 3 A Tiger in the Zoo By Leslie Norris

Class 10 First Flight Poem 3 A Tiger in the Zoo By Leslie Norris

Question 1.
Read the poem again and work in pairs or groups to do the following tasks.
1. Find the words that describe the movements and actions of the tiger in the cage and in the wild. Arrange them in two columns.

In the Cage	In the Wild
Stalks, Few steps of his cage, Quiet rage Locked in concrete cell, Stalking-the length of his cage Ignoring visitors. He hears the last voice Stares at the brilliant stars.	Lurking in shadow, Sliding through long grass, Snarling around houses, Baring his white fangs, his claws, Terrorising the village.

2. Find the words that describe the two places and arrange them in two columns.
Now try to share ideas about how the poet uses words and images to contrast the two situations.

Cage	Wild
Few steps of his cage,	Shadow, Long grass, Water
Locked, Concrete cell,	hole, Plump deer,
Behind bars, Visitors,	Houses at jungle’s edge,
Patrolling cars	Village

Question 2.
Notice the use of a word repeated in lines such as these
1. On pads of velvet quiet, In his quiet rage.
2. And stares with his brilliant eyes At the brilliant stars.
What do you think is the effect of this repetition?
This repetition is a poetic device used by the poet in order to increase the intensity of the tiger’s rage and his helpless silence. ‘Velvet quiet’ refers to the quiet velvet pads of the tiger, which cannot run or leap. They can only walk around the limited space in the cage. The use of ‘quiet rage’ symbolises the anger and ferocity that is building up inside the tiger as it wants to run out into the forest and attack a deer, but the rage is quiet because he is locked in the cage and is helpless. The repetition of ‘quiet’ has, thus, brought immense beauty to the poem. Similarly, the use of ‘brilliant’ for the tiger’s eyes as well as the stars also brings out the magnificence of these lines. The tiger stares at the brilliant stars with his brilliant eyes dreaming about how beautiful his life could be in the forest. The repetition thus, gives a wonderful effect to the poem.

Question 3.
Read the following two poems one about a tiger and the other about a panther. Then discuss:
Are zoos necessary for the protection or conservation of some species of animals?
Are they useful for educating the public? Are there alternatives to zoos?

The Tiger
The tiger behind the bars of his cage growls,
The tiger behind the bars of his cage snarls,
The tiger behind the bars of his cage roars,
Then he thinks.
It would be nice not to be behind bars all
The time
Because they spoil my view
I wish I were wild, not on show.
But if I were wild, hunters might shoot me,
But if I were wild, food might poison me,
But if I were wild, water might drown me.
Then he stops thinking
And…
The tiger behind the bars of his cage growls,
The tiger behind the bars of his cage snarls,
The tiger behind the bars of his cage roars.
                                                             – Peter Niblett
The Panther
His vision, from the constantly passing bars,
has grown so weary that it cannot hold
anything else. It seems to him there are
a thousand bars; and behind the bars, no world.
As he paces in cramped circles, over and over,
the movement of his p0werful soft strides
is like a ritual dance around a centre
in which a mighty will stands paralysed.
Only at times, the curtain of the pupils
lifts, quietly. An image enters in,
rushes down through the tensed, arrested muscles,
plunges into the heart and is gone.
                                           – Rainer Maria Rilke

Several species of animals are on the verge of extinction. Even tigers and lions are not safe in the forest due to poaching that is done for trade, etc. Zoos are, thus, necessary for the protection or conservation of these species. Zoos are safe and can also be used to educate the public about the importance of wild animals and their role in maintaining the ecological balance. Wildlife sanctuaries, reserves and national parks are some alternatives to zoos. These not only help in the protection and conservation of these species, but also provide them with a natural habitat.

Class 10 First Flight Chapter 2 Nelson Mandela : Long Walk to Freedom By Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

Class 10 First Flight Chapter 2 Nelson Mandela : Long Walk to Freedom By Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

Question 1.
Where did the ceremonies take place ? Can you name any public buildings in India that are made of sandstones?
The ceremonies took place in the campus of the Union Building of Pretoria, which were attended by dignitaries and leaders of many nations. In India; Rashtrapati Bhavan and Red Fort are buildings made of red sandstone.

Question 2.
Can you say how 10th May is an ‘autumn day’ in South Africa?
As South Africa is in the Southern Hemisphere, may falls in the autumn season. Thus 10th May is an ‘autumn day’.

Question 3.
At the beginning of his speech, Mandela mentions “an extraordinary human disaster”. What does he mean by this? What is the “glorious human achievement” he speaks of at the end?
By ‘an extraordinary human disaster’ Mandela means to state the practice of apartheid in South Africa. During this there was a racial segregation based on colour and the blacks suffered a lot. They were not allowed to demand freedom or any right. Mandela himself did spend many years on infamous ‘Robben Island’ as a prisoner where he was beaten mercilessly. He considered it as great glorious human achievement that a black person became the President of a country where the blacks were not even considered human beings and were treated badly.

Question 4.
What does Mandela thank the international leaders for ?
Mandela felt very privileged to welcome the international leaders at the swearing – in ceremony because not too long ago, the South Africans were considered outlaws. He thus thanks all of them for having come to witness the historical ceremony. This was a gesture of international recognition to a newly born free democratic nation and it could be considered as a common victory for justice, peace and human dignity.

Question 5.
What ideals does Nelson Mandela set for the future of South Africa?
Nelson Mandela set the ideals of liberating people from bondage of poverty, deprivation and suffering. He also set the ideal for a society where there would be no discrimination based on gender or racial origins.

Question 1.
What did the military generals do ? How did their attitude change and why?
The highest military generals of South African defence force saluted Mandela and pledged their loyalty which was of great significance as during apartheid era they would have arrested him. The change in their attitude was because of struggle and sacrifices put in by many heroes of South Africa. This struggle not only ensured the freedom of a nation struggling with apartheid, bur brought a change in mindsets of many. He believed that love can also be taught and human being is naturally inclined towards love rather than hate.

Question 2.
Why were two national anthems sung?
One the auspicious occasion of the inauguration two national anthems: one by the Whites and the other by the Blacks symbolising the equality of the Blacks and the Whites were sung.

Question 3.
How does Mandela describe the systems of government in his country
(i) in the first decade, and
(ii) in the final decade, of the twentieth century?

(i) In the first decade of the century, the whites erected a system of racial domination against the blacks, thus creating the basis of one of the harshest and most inhumane societies the world had ever known.
(ii) In the final decade of the 20th century, the . previous system had been overturned and replaced by one which recognised rights and freedom of all people regardless of color of their skin.

Question 4.
What does courage mean to Mandela?
For Mandela courage does not mean the absence of fear but a victory over fear. According to him brave men need not be fearless but should be able to conquer fear.

Question 5.
Which does Mandela think is natural, to love or to hate?
For Mandela, love comes more naturally to the human heart than hate.

Question 1.
What “twin obligations” does Mandela mention?
Mandela mentions that every man has twin obligations. The first is to his family, parents, wife and children; the second obligation is to his people, his community and his country.

Question 2.
What did being free mean to Mandela as a boy, and as a student ? How does he contrast these “transitory freedoms” with “the basic and honourable freedoms”?
Like any other kid, for Mandela freedom meant to make merry and enjoy the blissful life. Once one becomes an adult, antics of childhood looks like transitory because most of the childish activities are wasteful from an adult’s perspective. Once you are adult, you have to earn a livelihood to bring the bacon home. Its only then when you get an honourable existence in the family and in the society.

Question 3.
Does Mandela think the oppressor is free? Why/why not?
Mandela does not think that the oppressor is free because according to him an oppressor is a victim of hatred who is behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness. He realises that both the oppressor and the oppressed are robbed of their humanity and peace.

Question 1.
Why did such a large number of international leaders attend the inauguration ? What did it signify the triumph of?
To be the part of the inauguration, international leaders showed a gesture of solidarity from international community to the idea of end of apartheid. It was the significance of the victory of good over evil and triumph of a tolerant society without any discrimination.

Question 2.
What does Mandela mean when he says he is “simply the sum of all those African patriots”, who had gone before him ?
By saying that he is simply the sum of all those African patriots, Mandela wants to pay his tribute to all the people who have sacrificed their lives for the sake of freedom. He says that he is grateful to those who had gone before him because those heroes of past had paved the path of co-operation and unity for him. Therefore, he could try to come to power to bring equality for his people with their support.

Question 3.
Would you agree that the “depths of oppression” create “heights of character”? How does Mandela illustrate this? Can you add your own examples to this argument ?
I agree with the statement that depths of oppression create heights of character. Nelson Mandela illustrates this by giving examples of great heroes of South Africa like Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu and others who were inspired to sacrifice their lives in the long freedom struggle.
India is full of such examples, during our freedom struggle there was a galaxy of leaders of great characters and the oppression of British rule created and encouraged people of noble characters like Mahatma Gandhi, Lala Lajpat Rai, JL Nehru, Chandra Shekhar Ajad, Sardar Bhagat Singh and many more. If we compare them with the quality of political leaders India is having today, then Nelson Mandela seems to be absolutely right;

Question 4.
How did Mandela’s understanding of freedom change with age and experience?
With age and experience, Mandela understood the real meaning of freedom. As a young boy, he thought that he was born free and believed that as long as he obeyed his father and abided by the customs of his tribe, he was free in every possible manner. As he grew older, freedom to raise a family and freedom to earn livelihood started dominating his thoughts. Gradually he realised that he was selfish during his boyhood. He slowly understood that it was not just his freedom that was being curtailed, but the freedom of all blacks. It was the freedom from fear and prejudice. Age and experience widened his perspective of freedom.

Question 5.
How did Mandela’s ‘hunger for freedom’ change his life?
Mandela realised in his youth that it was not just his freedom that was being curtailed, but the freedom of all blacks. This changed the fearfulman to a fearless rebel.
He sacrificed the comforts of a settled family life to fight for a greater cause. He joined the African National Congress and this changed him from a frightened young man into a bold one who fought against racial prejudice.

Thinking about Language 

Questions
1. There are nouns in the text (formation, government) which are formed from the corresponding verbs (form, govern) by suffixing – (at)ion or ment. There may be change in the spelling of some verb – noun pairs ; such as rebel, rebellion; constitute, constitution.
Make a list of such pairs of nouns and verbs in the text

Noun	Verb
Rebellion	Rebel
Constitution	Constitute

1. Ans:

Noun	Verb
Rebellion	Rebel
Constitution	Constitute
Formation	Form
Government	Govern
Obligation	Oblige
Transformation	Transform
Discrimination	Discriminate
Deprivation	Deprive
Demonstration	Demonstrate
Oppression	Oppress
Imagination	Imagine

2. Here are some more examples of ‘the’ used with proper names. Try to say what these sentences mean. (You may consult a dictionary if you wish. Look at the entry for ‘the’)
(i) Mr Singh regularly invites the Amitabh Bachchans and the Shah Rukh Khans to his parties.
(ii) Many people think that Madhuri Dixit is the Madhubala of our times.
(in) History is not only the story of the Alexanders, the Napoleons and the Hitlers, but of ordinary people as well.

2. Ans:
(i) This means that Mr Singh regularly invites famous personalities as of the calibre of Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan to his parties.
(ii) This means that Madhuri Dixit is compared to a landmark in acting in the form of legendary actress Madhubala.
(iii) This means that history is not only the story of the great fighters and leaders such as Alexander, Napoleon and Hitler, but also of ordinary people.

3. Match, the italicised phrases in Column A with the phrase nearest meaning in Column B.
(Hint: First look for the sentence in the text which the phrase in column A occurs.)

A		B
1. I was not unmindful of the fact.	(i)	had not forgotten : was aware of the fact
	(ii)	was not careful about the fact
	(iii)	forgot or was not aware of the fact
2. When my comrades and I were pushed to our limits	(i)	pushed by the guards to the wall
	(ii)	took more than our share of beatings
	(iii)	felt that we could not endure the suffering any longer
3. To reassure me and keep me going	(i)	make me go on walking
	(ii)	help me continue to live in hope in this very difficult situation
	(iii)	make me remain without complaining
4. The basic and honourable freedoms of… earning my keep…	(i)	earning enough money to live on
	(ii)	keeping what I earned
	(iii)	getting a good salary

3. Ans:

	A		B
1.	I was not unmindful of the fact	(i)	had not forgotten;was aware of the fact not endure the
2.	When my comrades and I were pushed to our limits	(iii)	felt that we could not endure the suffering any longer
3.	To reassure me and keep me going	(ii)	help me continue to live in hope in this live in hope in this very difficult situation
4.	The basic and honourable freedoms of… earning my keep…	(i)	earning enough money to live on