MY DATE WITH GREYBEARD, Robin Collins
WORD
MEANING
1. refuge – shelter
2. wily – very clever
3. cornered – forced into an awkward of dangerous position
4. quarry – pray, victim
5. ferocity – aggressive
6. old-timer – a person who has a lot of experience
7. glimpse – look, visuals
8. fur – animal hair
9. mottled – having spots of different colours
10. initiation – starting something, beginning of something
11. insisted – persuaded
12. a fever of anxiety – a keen interest
13. anxiety – worried
14. clearing – an open space in a forest with no trees or
bushes
15. dispersed – went away in different direction
16. vantage point – a position from where one can get a good
overall view of scene
17. clenched – held something tightly
18. hurled – threw with force
19. broken through – made a sudden, quick jump
20. astride – with a leg on each side of
21. cliff – top
22. yelp – sudden cry
23. frail – feeble, weak
24. congregated – assembled, came together
25. dispatched – went in different directions
26. whispered – said in a low voice
27. scrambled – climbed up
28. concealment – hiding
29. yelping – cry of animal
30. betray – not being honest
31. edge – corner
32. twitched – turned
33. moist – wet
34. trembled – shaking
35. luminous – sparkling
36. seemed – appeared
37. enraptured – pleasurable, delight
38. reticence – unwilling to talk, reserved
39. condemnation – blame, accusation, criticism
40. constraint – that which limits someone
41. compassion – affection
42. thrill – excitement
A.
MATCH THE FOLLOWING
1. The annual hunt at Umzimkulu involved
a. a hundred beaters and dogs. (✔️)
b. a hundred deer to be hunted.
c. a hundred monkeys and baboons.
d. a hundred dogs, leopards and baboons.
2. The narrator cherished the dream to stand
astride
a. a mound of fallen animals.
b. the corpse of at least one wild animal.
c. all the game that the hunters killed.
d. the bushbuck the had managed to escape.
3. The narrator had a deep desire to kill
Greybeard because
a. that was a sign of adulthood.
b. he was bloodthirsty person.
c. his father expected him to.
d. everyone expected him to.
4. The narrator did not shoot the doe and the
buck that passed him as
a. he thought that they were too small.
b. they ran too quickly.
c. they were legally protected animals.
d. the noise would disturb his main target.
5. The narrator’s first encounter with Greybeard
left him
a. angry and anxious.
b. uncertain and unhappy.
c. silent and enraptured.
d. excited and expressive.
B.
THE TEXT MENTION FOUR OCCASIONS WHEN GREYBEARD ESCAPED THE HUNTER’S BULLET.
WRITE BRIEFLY ABOUT EACH IN THE FOLLOWING TABLE.
C.
ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS.
1. Give a brief description of Greybeard.
His horns were long and sharp. His fur was a deep grey mottled
with white. He was without any fear. There was pride and dignity in every line
of his body. He was majestic and fearless.
2. Why did the narrator’s father change
positions with the narrator?
Father wanted the narrator, his son to achieve glory and badge in his first hunt only. So he changed position with the narrator.
3. Describe the moment when the narrator spied
Greybeard in forest clearing.
The narrator at his youth, was ambitious to achieve his goal by shooting Greybeard. Greybeard in the clearing stood motionless
before him. His nose trembled, and eyes softly luminous. He had no fear but
stood with pride and dignity. His look was so majestic that the boy never
wanted to destroy it for his own glory and let him go.
4. How did Greybeard realise that a hunter was
waiting for him in a concealed position?
Greybeard, in the clearing, at first did not know about it. When the sudden change of breeze carried the boy’s man-smell to
him. He realised that there was a human in that area. Then, in two huge leaps, he crossed the clearing and was gone.
D.
READ THESE SENTENCES FROM THE TEXT AND ANSWRE THESE QUESTINS THAT FOLLOW.
1. Yet something made me hold my fire.
a. Explain the meaning of the phrase ‘hold my
fire’.
This phrase means ‘not to fire or shoot at’. Having waited nearly
for four hours, the boy finally had his chance achieve his ambition by shooting Greybeard; but when the moment came for him to shoot him, the boy enraptured
by his majesty could not shoot. He therefore held his fire.
b. What made him hold his fire?
His compassion for the majestic and fearless Greybeard, made
him hold his fire.
2. My reticence must have aroused his
suspicions.
a. What was the narrator reticent about?
The narrator was reticent about the incident that 'he had a
chance to shoot the Greybeard, yet he did not shoot'.
b. How did his father confirm his suspicions?
As the boy was not willing to talk about the incident, his
father to confirm what had happened. He walked across the clearing and paused beside
the deep imprints the buck had made in the moist earth as he jumped. He
came to know it was an easy shot which his son could easily have achieved.
3. I knew I could not buy the hunter’s badge at
the price of so much splendour.
a. What is the ‘hunter’s badge’?
Hunter’s badge is the title one gets by proving their ability
to shot down animal.
b. What ‘splendour’ is the narrator referring
to?
Splendour refers to the ‘pride and dignity’ and ‘majestic and fearless’
nature of Greybeard. With all these he was so impressive that the narrator preferred
not to shoot it for his own glory and badge.
c. What is the price that the narrator is referring
to?
Here the narrator is comparing his own glory and badge obtainable
at the cost of shooting Greybeard, which looks so majestic and royal. Obviously,
the narrator finds a thrill of pleasure by providing another year of safety to
him. Thus he could not buy the hunter’s badge.
d. What does this tell the reader about the
narrator?
The narrator unlike many men is compassionate and considerable.
He grew up in a place where no one taught him to be compassionate. Everyone
wants to prove their ability by killing animals; so, does the narrator. But at a
time when the opportunity knocks at his door, the narrator became thoughtful
about living being. Thus, he could not become so cruel and selfish; instead saving
a live gives him immense pleasure.
E.
THINK AND ANSWRE.
1. At first sight, the title appears
incongruous. Yet as we read the story, we understand the aptness of the title.
How?
Apparently the title ‘My date with Greybeard’ suggest a vague
understanding about the content of the story. Unless read the text, we do not
come to know that this story speaks about saving Greybeard from the hunters. Gradually
the story reaches the climax where Greybeard is seen right infront of the
narrator who had a clear vision to shoot at it. But something happens the
narrator and he began to admire Him. I think, that particular moment gets highlighted
as the theme of the story.
2. What kind of relationship did the narrator and his father enjoy?
The narrator and his father had very cordial relationship. Like any other fathers, his father too wanted his son to grow with exceptional quality of heroism. He offered him a shotgun and arranged a suitable position to the cliffs. Yet when the narrator had not shot the buck his father understood his compassion and appreciated with kindness. All these showed the friendly relationship the narrator and his father had.
3. Do you think that the narrator was ‘initiated
into manhood’ in the end? Give reasons for your answer.
Yes, the narrator certainly was initiated into manhood in the
end. Hunting, killing, shooting and blood shading is definitely not the sign of
manhood. Manhood comes with the ability to take responsibility and protect everyone
and everything. We observe that the narrator finds thrill of pleasure by giving
safety to Greybeard. He compares his winning badge at the price of shooting
Greybeard is not praiseworthy. Such concern and compassion for nature and
creature at once recognizes his manhood.
F.
DISCUSS IN CLASS.
Hunting is no longer a necessity. It is a
violent form of recreation which leaves numerous animals orphaned and many
badly injured. Justify.
ANSWER MUST BE DONE BY
THE SELF
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