Chapter 3                The Ashes That Made Trees Bloom


Working with the Poem

  1. Discuss these questions in small groups before you answer them:

    (i) When is a grown-up likely to say this? "Don't talk with your mouth full."ANS: A grown-up is likely to say this when a child is eating and speaking at the same time, especially if the child’s mouth is full of food.

    (ii) When are you likely to be told this? "Say thank you."

    • A grown-up would say this to remind a child to show gratitude, especially after receiving something, like a gift or help.

    (iii) When do you think an adult would say this? "No one thinks you're funny."

    • An adult might say this if the child is making jokes that others do not find amusing, or if the child is being disruptive by trying too hard to be funny in an inappropriate setting.

  2. The last two lines of the poem are not prohibitions or instructions. What is the adult now asking the child to do? Do you think the poet is suggesting that this is unreasonable? Why?

    • ANS;The last two lines, "Can't you make your own mind up about anything?" suggest that the adult is frustrated because the child is not making decisions on their own or is being overly dependent. The poet is suggesting that this is unreasonable because children need to have the opportunity to make choices and think for themselves.

  3. Why do you think grown-ups say the kind of things mentioned in the poem? Is it important that they teach children good manners and how to behave in public?

    • ANS;Grown-ups say these things because they want children to learn how to behave appropriately in public, practice good manners, and develop social skills. Yes, it is important to teach children good manners so that they can interact respectfully with others and navigate social situations effectively.

  4. If you had to make some rules for grown-ups to follow, what would you say? Make at least five such rules. Arrange the lines as in a poem.

    Sample Rules:

    • Don't interrupt when someone is speaking.

    • Always listen to others with respect.

    • Show kindness to everyone, young and old.

    • Be patient and understanding with children.

    • Never forget to say "please" and "thank you."

WORKING WITH LANGUASE

Here are the questions based on the italicized phrases in the paragraph:

  1. Anil is in school.
    Question: Where is Anil?

  2. I am in school too.
    Question: Where are you?

  3. Anil is sitting in the left row.
    Question: Where is Anil sitting?

  4. He is reading a book.
    Question: What is he doing?

  5. Anil's friend is sitting in the second row.
    Question: Where is Anil's friend sitting?

  6. He is sharpening his pencil.
    Question: What is he doing?

  7. The teacher is writing on the blackboard.
    Question: What is the teacher doing?

  8. Children are writing in their copybooks.
    Question: What are the children doing?

  9. Some children are looking out of the window.
    Question: What are some children doing?




3.Here are the answers for the fill-in-the-blanks exercise:

(i) My friend lost his chemistry book. Now he doesn't know what to do and where to look for it.

(ii) There are so many toys in the shops. Neena can't decide which one to buy.

(iii) You don't know the way to my school. Ask the policeman how to get there.

(iv) You should decide when to start building your house.

(v) Do you know how to ride a bicycle? I don't remember when I learnt it.

(vi) "You should know how to talk and when to shut," the teacher advised Anil.



4. Add im or in to each of the following words and use them in place of the italicized words in the sentences given below:

(i) The project appears very difficult at first sight but it can be completed if we work very hard.
Answer: The project appears very impossible at first sight, but it can be completed if we work very hard.

(ii) He lacks competence. That's why he can't keep any job for more than a year.
Answer: He lacks competence. That's why he can't keep any job for more than a year.

(iii) "Don't lose patience. Your letter will come one day," the postman told me.
Answer: "Don't lose impatience. Your letter will come one day," the postman told me.

(iv) That's not a proper remark to make under the circumstances.
Answer: That's not an improper remark to make under the circumstances.

(v) He appears to be without sensitivity. In fact, he is very emotional.
Answer: He appears to be without insensitivity. In fact, he is very emotional.

5. Use a, an, or the in the blanks:

There was once a play which became very successful. A famous actor was acting in it. In the last act of the play, his role was that of an aristocrat who had been imprisoned in a castle for twenty years. In the play, someone would come on the stage with a letter, which he would hand over to the aristocrat who was not expected to read the letter. Each performance, he always insisted that the letter be written out from beginning to end.



6. Encircle the correct article.

  1. Nina was looking for (a) job. After many interviews she got (the) job she was looking for.

  2. A: Would you like (a) apple or (a) banana?
    B: I'd like (an) apple, please.

  3. A: Take (the) red one in (the) fruit bowl. You may take (an) orange also, if you like.

  4. B: Which one?
    A: (The) one beside (the) banana.

Speaking and Writing

1. Do you remember an anecdote or a story about a greedy or jealous person and the unhappy result of his/her action? Narrate the story to others in your class.

Here is one for you to read.

Seeing an old man planting a fig tree, the king asked why he was doing this. The man replied that he might live to eat the fruit, and, even if he did not, his son would enjoy the figs.
"Well," said the king, "If you do live to eat the fruit of this tree, please let me know." The man promised to do so, and sure enough, before too long, the tree grew and bore fruit.
Packing some fine figs in a basket, the old man set out for the palace to meet the king.
The king accepted the gift and gave orders that the old man's basket be filled with gold.
Now, next door to the old man, there lived a greedy old man jealous of his neighbour's good fortune. He also packed some figs in a basket and took them to the palace in the hope of getting gold.
The king, on learning the man's motive, ordered him to stand in the compound and had him pelted with figs. The old man returned home and told his wife the sad story. She consoled him by saying, "You should be thankful that our neighbour did not grow coconuts."

2. Put each of the following in the correct order. Then use them appropriately to fill the blanks in the paragraph that follows. Use correct punctuation marks.

Correct order:

  1. He writes both in English and Hindi.

  2. He has written many books in English and only a few short stories in Hindi.

  3. My Hindi is much better than my English.

Filled-in paragraph: Ravi Kant is a writer, and he writes both in English and Hindi. Of course, he is much happier writing in English than in Hindi. He has written many books in English and only a few short stories in Hindi. I find his books a little hard to understand.

3. Are you fond of reading stories? Did you read one last month? If not, read one or two and then write a paragraph about the story. Use the following hints.

Example paragraph:

I recently read a short story called "The Gift of the Magi" written by O. Henry. The story has two main characters: Della and Jim, a young married couple. Both are poor but love each other deeply. To buy a special Christmas gift for each other, Della sells her long hair, and Jim sells his watch. In the end, both sacrifices go in vain as they have bought gifts that complement the items they sold. However, the story teaches a lesson about love and sacrifice.

I enjoyed this story because it beautifully portrays the theme of selflessness. I would recommend it to others because it makes you think about what true love really means.



CHIVVY

Working with the Poem

1. Discuss these questions in small groups before you answer them.

(i) When is a grown-up likely to say this? "Don't talk with your mouth full."
ANS;A grown-up is likely to say this during a meal or when the child is eating. It is a reminder of good table manners, which are often emphasized when children talk while eating, leading to food being scattered or poor communication.

(ii) When are you likely to be told this? "Say thank you."
ANS;A grown-up would likely say this when a child receives something, such as a gift, favor, or help from someone. It is a reminder to express gratitude and politeness.

(iii) When do you think an adult would say this? "No one thinks you're funny."
ANS;An adult might say this when a child is trying to make jokes that aren't funny or when they are being disruptive. The adult might want the child to understand that their behavior is not amusing to others and that it might be annoying or inappropriate.

2. The last two lines of the poem are not prohibitions or instructions. What is the adult now asking the child to do? Do you think the poet is suggesting that this is unreasonable? Why?

ANS;The adult in the poem seems to be asking the child to stop behaving in a way that the adult considers annoying or disruptive. In the lines "No one thinks you're funny," the adult is possibly suggesting that the child should stop trying to entertain in a way that is not well-received.
The poet may not be suggesting that this is unreasonable, but rather highlighting how adults sometimes may not appreciate the child’s sense of humor or playfulness. The poet might be using this to show how adults focus on behavior rather than allowing children to be themselves.

3. Why do you think grown-ups say the kind of things mentioned in the poem? Is it important that they teach children good manners, and how to behave in public?

ANS;Grown-ups often say these things because they are trying to teach children appropriate behavior and manners. These are rules that help children interact respectfully with others, especially in public or social situations.
It is important that grown-ups teach children good manners because they help children grow into respectful and well-mannered adults. Learning how to behave in public, show gratitude, and respect others' personal space or preferences are important life skills that will help children succeed in their personal and professional lives.

4. If you had to make some rules for grown-ups to follow, what would you say? Make at least five such rules. Arrange the lines as in a poem.

Here’s a poem with five rules for grown-ups:

Rules for Grown-Ups

Please listen when we speak,
Don’t interrupt, let us seek.
Be patient with our little quirks,
Teach us how to do the works.
Show us love, and let us grow,
Guide us gently, let us know.



THANK YOU