Wednesday, February 17, 2021

BOYHOOD DAYS, Booker T Washington

BOYHOOD DAYS, Booker T Washington

                  1.      intense longing – great urge

                  2.      persuaded – convinced, make someone believe

                  3.      procured – obtained

                  4.      devour – quick reading

                  5.      timid – shy

                  6.      mastered – learnt thoroughly

                  7.      homespun – plain, simple cloth

                  8.      contained – have

                  9.      sympathized – concern, feeling

             10.      ambition – desire, goal

             11.      anxious – worried

             12.      permitted – allowed

             13.      recited – said, speech

             14.      inconvenience – difficulties, problems

A. CHOOSE THE RIGHT OPTION.

1. We know that Booker T Washington was poor because

a. he did not know the alphabet.

b. he could not read or write.

c. his mother made him a cap of ‘homespun’. (✔️)

d. all the options.

2. The entire community was illiterate because

a. they had been slaves and had not been to school. (✔️)

b. they were too poor to go to school.

c. work was more important to them than education.

d. they avoided going to school.

3. Men and women, irrespective of their age, attended night-school because

a. the day-schools were too full for them. (✔️)

b. they worked during the day.

c. they could study better at night.

d. they did not want to be seen by others.

4. The older people wanted to learn to read because

a. they wanted to read the newspapers.

b. they wanted to teach their children.

c. they wanted to read the Bible. (✔️)

d. they wanted to seem intelligent.

5. Booker advanced the hands of the clock because

a. the clock was too slow.

b. he wanted to reach school on time. (✔️)

c. it helped to reduce his work time.

d. he did not want to study for too long.

B. ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS

1. Why was the idea of starting a school a very exciting one for Booker’s people?

The idea of starting a school was a very exciting one for, because it would be the first school for African-American children that had ever been opened in that part of Virginia.

2. How did they plan to house the teacher?

The villagers had the understanding that the teacher who was appointed was to ‘board round’ – that is, spend a day with each family.

3. Why were both the day-schools and night-schools filled to overflowing?

All across the country, it was whole race trying to go to school. Old and young, everyone wanted to learn. The great ambition of the older people was to try to learn to read the Bible before they died. Hence the day-school and night-schools were filled to overflowing.

C. THING AND ANSWER

1. Describe Booker T Washington’s initial struggle to learn to read. What were the obstacles he faced?

Booker T Washington was keen to learn but he was very poor. His mother gave him Webster’s blue-back spelling book, the only book she could procure; and the boy had to learn all by himself even though he was not familiarized with the alphabets.

2. What were the problems he faced when he finally went to school and how did he overcome them?

Booker T Washington had the financial value for the family, it was difficult for him to attend the regular school.  In order to overcome this difficulties, he had to work in the salt furnace till 9 O’clock and go to school. He had even for some days moved the clock hand of the workplace from half past eight upto the nine O’clock mark, so that he could reach the school on time.

D. DISCUSS IN CLASS

Today, though the government offers free education, many children in our country do not attend school. What do you think prevents them from attending school? How can these obstacles be surmounted?

EVERY STUDENT MUST ANSWRE THIS BY SELF

---:THE END:---