Chapter 1 Being Neighborly
Question 1.
(i) I make friends easily.
(ii) I wish to be friends with someone but my friendship is rejected.
(iii) Someone has extended a hand of friendship towards me and I have not accepted it.
(iv) I have a large group of friends but no best buddy.
(v) I have a small group of close friends and have no wish to interact with anyone else.
Answer: (vi) I have cordial relationships with all but I cannot connect with anyone. (i) I make friends easily.
(iv) I have a large group of friends but no best buddy.
2. Jo’s decision to make friends with the lonely boy next door proves to be a good one. Elaborate. You may begin with ‘Jo was a bold, friendly and warm person…”
Answer: Jo was a bold, friendly and warm person who observed the boy next door closely and came to the conclusion that he was hungry for friends and fun. She was sad for the boy and felt it her neighborly duty to help him come out of his loneliness. She took a quick decision to catch his attention by throwing snowballs at the window from where he was peeping.
She then started a conversation in her usual frank and cheerful manner. Laurie, the lonely boy, at once felt comfortable with Jo and invited her home. Jo readily accepted and with her friendliness, humour and caring attitude, she won his trust. Laurie showed her his library and together they enjoyed themselves thoroughly. This was the first time Laurie had experienced such warmth and companionship. Thus, Jo’s decision proved fruitful because it not only helped Laurie overcome his shyness and loneliness but also created a lasting bond of friendship between the two families.
3. Complete the following statements. (Answers are given directly in bold)
Answer: 1. seemed like an enchanted house → the fine house
2. for Beth to walk in when the sun came out → a path around the garden
3.carrying her broom → Jo entered the old stone house
4. Jo had whisked things into place → In order to tidy the room
Write down in your own words the way Laurie confirmed the names of the March sisters.
Answer: 1.The March family sometimes forgot to put the curtain down at their window.
2. This allowed Laurie, their neighbor, to observe what was happening inside their household.
3. He noticed the sisters often calling each other by name, which helped him learn who was who.
4. Laurie found out that Beth was usually a home-bird, but whenever she went out, she carried a basket.
5. He recognized Amy by her curly hair.
6. He identified Meg by her pretty face.
5. Give a brief account of the interaction between Grandpa and Jo.
Answer: Grandpa and Jo had an interesting interaction as Jo had come out of her initial fear after having
a closer look at him. Grandpa had overheard Jo’s comments on his portrait and Jo did not even try to
deny any one of them. This pleased Grandpa immensely and he remembered Jo’s grandfather who was
similarly brave and honest.
Jo frankly told Grandpa about the problem Laurie was facing because of his loneliness. She showed her
concern and expressed the March sisters’ eagerness to help Laurie. They started talking informally about
Hemmel family, Jo’s mother and he also invited Jo to join for tea which Jo courteously accepted. This
interaction made Jo very satisfied as she could find out how good their neighbor was.
6. Find proverbs, maxims and idioms related to ‘friendship’.
Answer: 1.Birds of a feather flock together.
2. A friend in need is a friend in deed.
3.Friendship is love with understanding.
4.To get on like a house on fire (idiom).
5.Like two peas in a pod (idiom).
7.The Extract deals with the atmosphere of two homes. Collect the words associated with –
1.Home
2.Library
3.Garden
Answer: 1.Home: old, brown, bare, shabby, stately stone mansion, comfort, luxury, big coach house, lovely things, rich curtains, lifeless, lawn, enchanted, hidden glories, full of splendour.
2.Library: books, pictures, statues, little cabinets, coins, sleepy hollow chairs, queer tables, quaint tiles, open fireplace, bronzes.
3.Garden: large, low hedge, vines, flowers
8. “Do you like your school?” asked the boy. “Don’t go to school I’m a businessman – girl, I mean”, answered Jo.
Answer: The boy wanted to know whether she (Jo) liked school to which Jo answered quite emphatically that she did not go to school. She further added that she was a businessman and jovially corrected the gender.Bal
9.Jo flourished her broom as she called out… “How do you do? Are you sick?
Laurie opened the window and croaked out as hoarsely as a raven…
“Better, thank you. I’ve had a bad cold, and been shut up a week.”
Answer: Flourishing her broom Jo asked Laufie about his well-being and enquired whether he was sick. Laurie opened the window and croaked out as hoarsely as a raven thanking Jo for her concern and informed her that he was feeling better. He further added that he had been shut up a week as he had a bad cold.
10. “The pretty one is Meg, and the curly-haired one is Amy, I believe?” – Laurie.
“How did you find that out?” – Jo.
Answer: Laurie wanted to confirm from Jo whether the pretty one was Meg and the curly-haired was Amy. With surprise in her voice Jo enquired how he(Laurie) had found that out.
11. “I’m not afraid of anything”, returned Jo with a toss of the head.
“I don’t believe you are !” exclaimed the boy.
Answer: With a toss of the head Jo emphatically told that she was not afraid of anything. The boy was not surprised at her claim and agreed with her completely.
12. Narrate in 100 words an incident, that illustrates the way a friend of yours ‘made you feel happy and accepted’, at some point in your life.
Answer: That was my first day at school. I was just five years old. When my parents left me in school and I entered the classroom. I felt so lonely that I was about to cry. I was looking around, desperately trying to find out a known or a friendly face to talk to. Suddenly, there was a pat on my back and I saw a girl standing behind me.
She held my hand and took me to the bench where she was sitting. We became friends instantly. Till today we are the best friends. I shall be very grateful to her for her acceptance of me on the very first day at school.
13. Give reasons, for us being reluctant to make friends with some strangers, but being comfortable with some, even after meeting them for the first time.
Answer: Strangers are always mysteries for us. But some people have the inherent simplicity which instantly attract us towards them and we long to be friends with them. We feel comfortable in their company. But there is another category of people who have the attention-catching technique of blowing their own trumpets. It is difficult to carry on normal conversation with them as they are obsessed with their ownselves.
Answer by Dimpee Bora
