Punctuation and Capital Letters

PUNCTUATION AND CAPITAL LETTERS

 

Compiled By-Dr. Salunkhe T. B.

2.1 Song of the Open Road-Walt Whitman

Read the following extract carefully and complete the activities given below it. 

Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,

Healthy, free, the world before me,
The long brown path before me leading wherever I
choose.
Henceforth I ask not good-fortune, I myself am
good-fortune,
Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more,
need nothing,
Done with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous
criticisms,
Strong and content I travel the open road.
The earth, that is sufficient,
I do not want the constellations any nearer, I know they are very well where they are,
I know they suffice for those who belong to them. (Still here I carry my old delicious burdens,
I carry them, men and women, I carry them with me wherever I go,
I swear it is impossible for me to get rid of them,
I am fill’d with them, and I will fill them in return.)

A1-Point out the adjectives describing that the poet enjoys his journey.

1...................................

2...................................

3....................................

4...................................

A2-By 'old delicious burdens' the poet means-

a. the luggage

b. the food he carries

c. the stress he bears during the travels

d. sweet memories of the past

A3- 'Healthy, free, the world before me'. Express your views regarding this line.

A4-Pick out two lines of the figure of speech Alliteration.

A5-Compose four lines of your own on the topic 'The road that leads to my college'.

Answers-

A1-

1.light-hearted

2. healthy

3. free

4. strong and content

A2-

d. sweet memories of the past 

A3-

The poet has started his journey of life. He may come across a lot of obstacles on his way. But he is enough strong to face the challenges he may have to face in the journey. The line also reveals the fact that the poet has the positive attitude to look at the world. The poet seems to be optimistic and hopeful. 

A4-

Examples of Alliteration

The long brown path before me leading wherever I
choose.

Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more,
need nothing,

A5-

I go everyday to my college,

On the road that leads to knowledge.

Always hopeful with the thought,

That inspires me for the future bright.

Write an appreciation of the poem.

1. About the title-

The title 'Song of the Open Road' is a appropriate as the words in the title like 'open' and 'road' themselves express the theme of the poem. The title reveals the poet's optimism and also describes his journey of freedom and independence. Moreover, the poet shares his experience of travelling on the road with joy, therefore the poem is rightly entitled as a 'song'.

2. About the poet-

Walt Whitman is an American poet who is known as 'The Father of Free Verse'. He grew up in Huntington in a family with difficult economic status. The poem 'Song of the Open Road' is taken from Whitman's major work 'Leaves of Grass'.

3. Theme of the poem-

The poem mainly deals with optimism and freedom. The speaker of this poem is the poet himself and feels free as he wants to go anywhere. The poem also suggests the readers to explore the world with our abilities and opportunities. The poet has aptly pointed out that one should travel the journey of life leaving the past behind happily. 

4. Poetic Devices in the poem-

The poet has used variety of poetic devices in this poem. The poet has made use of different figures of speech to express his thoughts effectively. 'Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road', 'Strong and content I travel the open road' these lines are examples of the figure of speech 'Inversion' because the poet has changed the proper word order. 'The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose', 'Done with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous criticisms' are examples of the figure of speech Alliteration because in these lines the sounds 'l' and 'n' are repeated respectively. 

5. Focusing elements in the poem-

The poet has used free verse style so that he can express his thoughts freely without using the rhyming words. This poem is dramatic monologue. To enhance the effect and importance of his views, the poet has used repetition of certain words and phrases in this poem. 

6. Message, values, moral in the poem-

'Song of the Open Road' is an inspirational poem as it encourages the readers to lead happy and free life. It also teaches us that one should be always optimistic and have positive attitude to look at the life and world. From the poem, we can learn that we should not expect anything from others and we should be self-confident and content.

                                             *********************

Compiled By-Dr. Salunkhe T. B.

 

                                               

1.1 An Astrologer's Day-R. K. Narayan

 

Read the following extract carefully and complete the activities given below it.

Punctually at midday he opened his bag and spread out his professional equipment, which consisted of a dozen cowrie shells, a square piece of cloth with obscure mystic charts on it, a notebook, and a bundle of palmyra writing. His forehead was resplendent with sacred ash and vermilion, and his eyes sparkled with a sharp abnormal gleam which was really an outcome of a continual searching look for customers, but which his simple clients took to be a prophetic light and felt comforted. The power of his eyes was considerably enhanced by their position- placed as they were between the painted forehead and the dark whiskers which streamed down his cheeks : even a half-wit’s eyes would sparkle in such a setting. To crown the effect he wound a saffron-coloured turban around his head. This colour scheme never failed. People were attracted to him as bees are attracted to cosmos or dahlia stalks. He sat under the boughs of a spreading tamarind tree which flanked a path running through the Town Hall Park. It was a remarkable place in many ways. A surging crowd was always moving up and down this narrow road from morning till night. A variety of trades and occupations was represented all along its way : medicine sellers, sellers of stolen hardware and junk, magicians, and above all, an auctioneer of cheap cloth, who created enough din all day to attract the whole town. Next to him in vociferousness came a vendor of fried groundnut, who gave his ware a fancy name each day, calling it “Bombay Ice Cream” one day and on the next “Delhi Almond,” and on the third “Raja’s Delicacy,” and so on and so forth, and people flocked to him. A considerable portion of this crowd dallied before the astrologer too. 

A1-Complete

Write down professional equipment the astrologer spreads out after opening his bag.

a.........................

b.........................

c.........................

d.........................

A2-Find Out

Enlist any four aspects of astrologer's appearance.

1...........................

2...........................

3...........................

4............................

A3-Inference

The Town Hall Park is really remarkable place as a market. Point out these qualities of this place from the above extract.

A4-Express your views on astrology.

A5-Language Study

1.Punctually at midday he opened his bag and spread out his professional equipment. (Make it simple sentence)

2. This colour scheme never failed. (Remove negation and rewrite it)

A-6 Vocabulary

Find out the words which mean the following from the extract.

1. a sea animal

2. a kind of a palm

3. increased

4. being loud and noisy

Read the following extract carefully and complete the activities given below it.

The astrologer transacted his business by the light of a flare which crackled and smoked up above the groundnut heap nearby. Half the enchantment of the place was due to the fact that it did not have the benefit of municipal lighting. The place was lit up by shop lights. One or two had hissing gaslights, some had naked flares stuck on poles, some were lit up by old cycle lamps, and one or two, like the astrologer, managed without lights of their own. It was a bewildering crisscross of light rays and moving shadows. This suited the astrologer very well, for the simple reason that he had not in the least intended to be an astrologer when he began life; and he knew no more of what was going to happen to others than he knew what was going to happen to himself next minute. He was as much a stranger to the stars as were his innocent customers. Yet he said things which pleased and astonished everyone : that was more a matter of study, practice, and shrewd guesswork. All the same, it was as much an honest man’s labour as any other, and he deserved the wages he carried home at the end of a day.

He had left his village without any previous thought or plan. If he had continued there he would have carried on the work of his forefathers - namely, tilling the land, living, marrying, and ripening in his cornfield and ancestral home. But that was not to be. He had to leave home without telling anyone, and he could not rest till he left it behind a couple of hundred miles. To a villager it is a great deal, as if an ocean flowed between.

A1- Describe the condition of lighting of the market place where astrologer transacted his business. 

A2-Pick out two statements that prove that the astrologer did not have any knowledge of astrology.

A3- If the astrologer had stayed in the village then he would have carried on............

1..................................................................................................

2..................................................................................................

A4-Personal Response

Suggest some solutions to eradicate superstition in the society.

A5-Language Study

1. It did not have the benefit of municipal lighting. (Add question tag)

2. If he had continued there he would have carried on the work of his forefathers.            (Use 'Unless' and rewrite it)

A6-Vocabulary

Give antonyms of the following-

1. benefit         2. moving      3. honest     4. pleased

Read the following extract carefully and complete the activities given below it.

He had a working analysis of mankind’s troubles: marriage, money, and the tangles of human ties. Long practice had sharpened his perception. Within five minutes he understood what was wrong. He charged three pies per question, never opened his mouth till the other had spoken for at least ten minutes, which provided him enough stuff for a dozen answers and advices. When he told the person before him, gazing at his palm, “In many ways you are not getting the fullest results for your efforts,” nine out of ten were disposed to agree with him. Or he questioned “Is there any woman in your family, maybe even a distant relative who is not well disposed towards you?” Or he gave an analysis of character: “Most of your troubles are due to your nature. How can you be otherwise with Saturn where he is? You have an impetuous nature and a rough exterior.” This endeared him to their hearts immediately, for even the mildest of us loves to think that he has a forbidding exterior.

The nuts vendor blew out his flare and rose to go home. This was a signal for the astrologer to bundle up too, since it left him in darkness except for a little shaft of green light which strayed in from somewhere and touched the ground before him. He picked up his cowrie shells and paraphernalia and was putting them back into his bag when the green shaft of light was blotted out. He looked up and saw a man standing before him. He sensed a possible client and said: “You look so careworn. It will do you good to sit down for a while and chat with me.” The other grumbled some reply vaguely. The astrologer pressed his invitation; whereupon the other thrust his palm under his nose, saying: “You call yourself an astrologer?” The astrologer felt challenged and said, tilting the other’s palm towards the green shaft of light: “Yours is a nature...” “Oh, stop that, ” the other said. “Tell me something worthwhile...” Our friend felt piqued. I charge only three pies per question, and what you get ought to be good enough for your money...” At this the other withdrew his arm, took out an anna, and flung it out to him, saying “I have some questions to ask. If I prove you are bluffing, you must return that anna to me with interest.”

A1- Choose two sentences from the following that describe the gist of the extract.

1. The astrologer had working analysis of mankind's troubles.

2. The astrologer was expert in his job.

3. The astrologer charged very less for giving his opinion.

4. The astrologer was a good listener.

A2-State whether the following statements are true or false.

a.  Long practice had sharpened his perception.

b.  He charged five pies per question.

c. The nut vendor left that place after the astrologer.

d. The stranger demanded anna with interest if the astrologer proved to be bluffing.

A3-Describe two activities performed by the astrologer before the man came to him.

A4-Personal Response

Express your view on the character of the astrologer from the communication in the extract.

A5-Language Study

1. Long practice had sharpened his perception. (Change into passive sentence)

2. The astrologer pressed his invitation. (Change into simple present tense)

A6-Vocabulary

Write down the words from the extract which mean the following-

1. impetuous

2. endeared

3. paraphernalia

4. piqued

More sentences based on grammar

1.  Punctually at midday he opened his bag and he spread his professional equipment.               (Make it simple sentence)

     2. Punctually at midday he opened his bag and he spread his professional equipment.               (Add question tag)

    3. Punctually at midday he opened his bag and he spread his professional equipment. 

        (Make above sentence as indicating habitual action)

4. Punctually at midday he opened his bag and he spread his professional equipment. 

  (Transform into simple present tense)

5. Punctually at midday he opened his bag and he spread his professional equipment. 

  (Use 'not only .......but also))

6. He spread out  his professional equipment which consisted of  a dozen of cowire shells. 

  (Use ‘not only…….but also’ and rewrite above sentence)

7. His forehead was resplendent with sacred ash and vermilion.
       (Rewrite the sentence using verb form of the underlined word)
8. His forehead was resplendent with sacred ash and vermilion.
     (Remove ‘and’ and rewrite the sentence)
9. His forehead was resplendent with sacred ash and vermilion.
   (Add question tag)
10. His forehead was resplendent with sacred ash and vermilion.
(Frame ‘wh-question’ to get italic part of the sentence as an answer)
11. His eyes sparkled with a sharp abnormal gleam.
   (Identify the tense of above sentence)
12. His eyes sparkled with a sharp abnormal gleam.
   (Transform into Rhetorical Question)
13. His eyes sparkled with a sharp abnormal gleam which was really an outcome of a continual searching look for customers. 
(What is the underlined word and state its function)
14. His eyes sparkled with a sharp abnormal gleam which was really an outcome of a continual searching look for customers.
   (Underline the subordinate clause and state its type)
15. His simple clients took to be a prophetic light and felt comforted.                                     ( Make it simple sentence)
16. His simple clients took to be a prophetic light and felt comforted.                                     (Add question tag) 
17. The power of his eyes was considerably enhanced by their position.
     (Rewrite the sentence beginning with 'Their position.....)
18. The power of his eyes was considerably enhanced by their position.
     (Use the noun form of the underlined word and rewrite the sentence)
19. The power of his eyes was considerably enhanced by their position.
      (Use the adjective form of the underlined word and rewrite the sentence)
20. To crown the effect he wound a saffron-coloured turban around his head.
      (What is the underlined word and state its function)
21. To crown the effect he wound a saffron-coloured turban around his head.
    (Use 'gerund form' of the underlined word and rewrite it)
22. To crown the effect he wound a saffron-coloured turban around his head.
    (Make it passive sentence)
23. To crown the effect he wound a saffron-coloured turban around his head.
    (Rewrite above sentence using modal auxiliary verb of habitual action in the past)
24. This colour scheme never failed. (Remove negation and rewrite)

25. This colour scheme never failed. (Add question tag)

26. People were attracted to him as bees are attracted to cosmos or dahlia stalks.

       (Replace the word 'as' and rewrite it)

27. People were attracted to him as bees are attracted to cosmos or dahlia stalks.

       (Frame 'wh-question' to get underllined part as an answer)

28. He sad under the boughs of spreading tamarind tree which flanked a path running through the Town Hall park. (Make it simple sentence)

29. He sad under the boughs of spreading tamarind tree which flanked a path running through the Town Hall park. (Make it simple sentence)

30. It was remarkable place in many ways. (Make it exclamatory sentence)

31. It was remarkable place in many ways. (Add question tag)

32. A surging crowd was moving up and down this narrow road morning till night.

  (Rewrite the sentence beginning with 'A moving up and down......)

33. A variety of trades and occupations was represented all along its way. 

     (Rewrite the sentence using 'noun' form of the underlined word)

34. Next to him in vociferousness came a vendor of fried groundnut, who gave his ware a fancy name each day. (Remove 'who' and rewrite the sentence)

35. The vendor gave his ware a fancy name and people flocked to him.

      (Make it complex sentence)

36. A considerable portion of this crowd dallied before the astrologer too.

     (Transform into simple present tense)

37. The astrologer transacted his business.

     (Rewrite the sentence beginning with 'His business......')

38. The astrologer transacted his business.

       (Add question tag)

39. It did not have the benefit of municipal lighting. 

     (Make it affirmative sentence)

40. The place was lit up by shops lights.

      (Rewrite the sentence beginning with 'Shops lighting.......')

41. The place was lit up by shops lights. (Add question tag)

42. Some were lit up by old cycle lamps. (Make it active voice)

43. It was bewildering crisscross of light rays and moving shadows.

    (Make it negative sentence)

44. It was bewildering crisscross of light rays and moving shadows.

    (Rewrite the sentence beginning with 'Crisscross of.......')

45. This suited the astrologer very well.

     (Transform into Past Continuous Tense)

46. He knew no more.

      (Remove negation and rewrite the sentence)

47. He knew no more.

     (Rewrite the sentence beginning with 'No more.....)

48. He knew no more.

     (Make it Rhetorical Question)

49. He knew no more of what was going to happen to others.

      (Make it affirmative sentence)

50. Yet he said things which pleased  everyone.

     (Use 'noun' form of the underlined word and rewrite it.)

Compiled By-Dr. Salunkhe T. B.