Friday, November 6, 2020

THE FESTIVAL OF EID, Munshi Premchand (Exercise)

WORD MEANING

1. Excited – happy, overjoyed

2. Delicious – tasty

3. Pale – dull, sad

4. Ailed – become unwell

5. Sacksful – filled into sack

6. Imagination – dream, thinking

7. Mustard – a kind of tiny seed

8. Blisters – wound

9. Crowded – populated, gathered

10. Moustaches – beard, whiskers

11. Embrace – hugged

12. Watches – looking, seeing

13. Treasure – precious, valuable

14. Expensive – costly, required lot of money, worth

15. Relish – enjoy, cherish

16. Suspects – doubts

17. Stretches – extends, spreads

18. Bravely – with courage, daring

19. Laughs – burst out with smile

20. Cymbals – musical instrument

21. Tambourine – musical instrument

22. Injured – wounded

23. Temper – behaviour

24.       buzzing – noise

25.      wasted away – gradually became thin and weak

26.       ailed her – made her unwell

27.       hovel – a small poorly built house

28.       descend on – arrive at a place

29.       assault – a sudden, violent attack

30.       plummeting down – very sad and disappointed

31.       mendicants – people who live be begging

32.      injured tones – voice which shows that one is hurt

33.       gathers – holds, takes

A. ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS.

1. Why did Hamid live with his grandmother?

Because his both parents died, Hamid lived with his grandmother.

2. Why was Amina worried about Hamid on that day?

Amina was worried on the day of Eid because every child was excited and would go the Idgah fair, but there was no one to take her little Hamid to the Idgah mosque.

3. What was it that Hamid’s friends could do in the marketplace that day which Hamid was not able to do?

Hamid’s friends had more money with them. So they could ride in a swing, buy the toys, have sweets and candy. Hamid could not buy any of them as he had only three paise with him.

B. COMPLETE THIS FLOWCHART

C. CHOOSE THE RIGHT OPTIONS TO COMPLETE THESE SENTENCES.

1.  The sun appeared brighter and the trees seemed greener that day because

a. it was the festival of Eid.

b. it was spring.

c. everybody had got up earlier.

Ans:

a. it was the festival of Eid.

2. Hamid did not buy any sweets and toys when his friends purchased them because

a. he decided he would buy them and tease his friends.

b. he had only three paise and didn’t want to spend the money on things for himself.

c. he did not like sweets and toys.

Ans:

b. he had only three paise and didn’t want to spend the money on things for himself.

D. COMPLETE THIS TABLE ABOUT HAMID’S CHARACTER TRAIT.


E. READ THIS SENTENCE FROM THE TEXT AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT FOLLOW.

“This Hamid is a bit of a rascal.”

a. Who says/ thinks this and why?

The children or Hamid’s friends think this because Hamid had bought a pair of tongs, which he justified would last longer. Hamid shows them that tongs could be his toys which is far better and stronger than the toys. So, they think him as a rascal.

b. Is the idea justified?

No, the idea is not justified. Hamid is concerned about his beloved Ammijan and this is the reason why he buys these pair of tongs, but he never wants to show or reveal this to any of his friends. Therefore, he presents them as a toy to his friends.

F. THINK AND ANSWER.

1. What opinion do you form about Hamid’s friends?

First of all, I do not think they are actually Hamid’s friends. They are just his neighbours. Had they been his friends, they for example Moshin would not put the candy in his own mouth after offering it to him. Then Mahmood, Noorey and Sammi clapped their hands and had a jolly good laugh at Hamid’s disappointment. Therefore, they were all selfish and heartless to poor Hamid.

2. Mohsin’s father watched the boys in the marketplace and particularly noticed Hamid’s behaviour. What do you think he thought about his own child, about Hamid, and the other children?

If Moshin’s father had watched this mean behaviour of his son, he would feel sorry for Hamid and would definitely come at once to the spot to correct the misbehaviour of his son and the others who made mockery of Hamid. He would scold them all and warn them not repeat the same in the future.

G. DISCUSS IN CLASS

1. Hope is a magical thing. Expand this thought with examples from the text.

Hamid’s grandmother Ammijan does not have the ability to buy her little Hamid the things which his friends could have. But her words keep Hamid happy and hopeful. She tells that his father and mother has gone to earn money, so that when they return, they will bring lot of gifts for him. This makes the little boy happy as he starts hoping for the best. Thus it is the ‘hope’ that keeps his spirit high.

2. One does not have to be rich to be happy. Do you agree with this idea? Why/ why not?

Very often it is the simple things that make us happy. Things that make us happy is the company of our own people, their good time with us, sharing our emotions and thoughts. Imagine if we have all the material things with us, but no one to share out things, how can we be happy all alone. Therefore it is, in reality, the sharing that actually makes us happy; and when we share, we give more. Thus by giving we are filled with happiness.

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