3.2 A Lesson in Life from a Beggar

Std.10th(L.L.)

3.2 A Lesson in Life from a Beggar

Warming Up!

Chit-Chat

Make small groups and share:

*A piece of advice that stopped a bad habit in you.

Ans: Once my father told me to cultivate good habits and mannerism. He told me the importance of good habits in our life. Since then I stopped all bad habits and started to cultivate good habits.

*A quote/proverb that you love to use often.

Ans: Honesty is the best policy.

Work is worship.

Truth alone triumph.

*An experience that taught you a lifelong lesson.

Ans: My meeting with the well-known writer taught me a lifelong lesson.

*A story news / episode / movie / play that has impressed and changed you.

Ans: Once I enjoyed Rajesh Khanna’s Anand film. It has impressed and changed me forever. I got a new attitude to look at life.

1. Many slang expressions/terms are used for people having positive or negative traits.

Match the expressions in Column A with type of persons in Column B.

Column ‘A’	Column ‘B’(Answer)
1. Couch Potato	d) lazy/good for nothing
2. Worry Wart	f) always nervous/worried\|
3. Fuddy-duddy	g) old-fashioned/refuses change
4. Wet blanket	e) spoils other people’s fun/mood
5. Whiz	a) brilliant/genius
6. Black sheep	c) shameful person
7. Live wire	b) very energetic/active

Discuss with your group and write the difference in reactions of an Optimist and Pessimist.

	Optimist	Pessimist
Failure in exams/tests	I have studied not properly. Now I will work hard to achieve success	I have done well but papers were tough. Now exams are burden for me.
Lose a good amount of cash	I must be careful	Thieves are increasing in our locality.
Unexpected rainfall bad weather	I must accept changes in weather. It is because of People. People’s excessive use of natural resources make it.	How I can manage my works in such all bad weather.
Illness	I must go on morning walk. I must be work. I must be physically and mentally fit. I should take nutritional diet	Once again a break in my work. What is the cause of illness?
Extra classes in school	They are for extra preparation of students. They are give me extra opportunity to learn.	They are only time pass. They are burden for me.

*Margin Questions for Discussion:

1) Who is Meena?

Ans: Meena is a good friend of the writer. She is an LIC officer earning a good salary.

2) What was Meena’s nature like?

Ans: Meena was forever unhappy. She had gloom and cynicism. She was a pessimistic person.

3) What is meant by ‘she never had anything positive Meena

to say’?

Ans: She never had anything positive to say means that Meena was a pessimistic person. She always thought in a negative way.

4) Describe the location in Mumbai, where the writer spotted Meena.

Ans: The writer spotted Meena at Bombay’s Flora Fountain – near Akbarallys, a popular department store.

4) What is the difference between an optimistic person and a pessimistic person?

Ans: An optimistic person always looks and thinks about positive side of life whereas a pessimistic person always looks and thinks about negative side of life. An optimistic person is hopeful about life whereas a pessimistic person is not hopeful about life.

6) What surprised the writer?

Ans: Meena’s changed behaviour and her readiness to make any number of adjustments surprised the writer.

7) What lesson did Meena learn from her guru – the

beggar?

Ans: Meena learnt to do compromise or adjustment with

everything, enjoying every moment in life from her

guru the beggar.

8) Describe an experience, where somebody has

changed your way of looking at life.

Ans: Previously I was a pessimistic person. Because of my pessimistic nature. I could not get happiness. Then I read a book ‘Secret of Happiness, J understood that being optimistic is the secret of happiness as well as success. I became an optimistic person in my life. Reading book changed my way of looking.

9) How did the beggar and his granddaughter enjoy the rain?

Ans: The beggar and his granddaughter were playing

on the road because there was no traffic. They were

laughing, dapping and screaming joyously as if they

were in paradise

10) What did Meena do to show gratitude to her guru?

Ans: Meena sponsored guru’s granddaughter to a

boarding school as a mark of respect to him.

English Workshop:

Utterance	Who’s To said?	To Whom
1. “Shwetha is a very beautiful girl, isn’t she?”	The writer	Meena
2.”When a pony is young, he looks handsome?	Meena	The writer
3. “It’s a beautiful day.”	The writer	Meena
4. “No, the sun is too hot.”	Meena	The Writer
5. “I’m all excited, it’s nice to meet old friends.”	Meena	The writer
6. “Let’s chat.”	Meena	The writer
7. “We won’t get a taxi in this rain”	The writer	Meena
8. “Then, what’s the secret of your energy.”	The writer	Meena
9. “A beggar changed my life.”	Meena	The writer

2. State whether the following statements are right or wrong. Correct the wrong ones.

(a) The author and Meena were great enemies.

Ans: Wrong

The author and Meena were good friends

(b) Meena was a very cheerful person initially.

Ans: Wrong

Meena was forever unhappy.

(c) Meena stayed alone in an apartment in Delhi.

Ans: Wrong

Meena stayed alone in an apartment in Bangalore.

(d) Meena was the second child of her parents.

Ans: Wrong

Meena was an only child of her parents.

(e) The author spotted Meena at Bombay’s Flora Fountain.

(f) The beggar and the young girl were playing on the road because there was a lot of traffic.

Ans: Wrong

The beggar and the young girl were playing on the

road because there was no traffic.

(g) The scene of the beggar and the girl made Meena

peep into her own life.

(h) The beggar became Meena’s role model.

(i) It took Meena almost two years to put the change

into effect.

(j) Meena was able to give Gurudakshina directly to

her Guru, the beggar.

Ans: Wrong

Meena sponsored his granddaughter to a boarding school as a mark

of respect to him

3 Choose the correct alternative to complete the sentences.

(a) Meena, who is an LIC officer, is a pessimistic person.

(b) The writer was standing near Akbarallys, a popular department

store because she was waiting for rain to stop.

Hotel was what had brought about such change in Meena.

(d) Meena sponsored the granddaughter of the beggar because it was

at token of respect for the beggar.

4. How did the beggar change Meena’s attitude? Discuss with your partner and complete the following web.

Beggar’s activities

that changed Meena’s attitude

1. playing on the road

2. laughing

3. Screaming joyously

4. Clapping

5. (A) Write in your own words:

How did Meena show her gratitude to her guru?

Ans: Meena showed her gratitude to her guru by

sponsoring his granddaughter to a boarding school

as a mark of respect to him.

(B)Why would Meena be sad initially? Give reason.

Pick out the sentences from the story which prove that

Meena was a pessimist.

Ans:

Meena would be sad initially because she was a pessimist.

(a) She was forever unhappy

(b) There was always something bad bout her.

(d) It was as though her gloom and cynicism had a way of spreading to others.

(e) She never had anything positive to say on any subject of about any person.

(f)her had the habit of complaining about anything and everything.

(g) Naturally, she wasn’t a very pleasant company and nobody wanted to visit her.

(A) Find antonyms of the following words from the story.

(1) optimistic x pessimistic

(2) new x old

(3) drizzle x pouring

(4) lie x truth

(5) ugly x beautiful

(6) frowned x smiled

(7) hell x heaven, paradise

(8) unhappy x happy, cheerful

(9) disrespect x respect

(10) unimportant x important

(B) Go through the points below showing Meena’s encounter with the beggar that transformed her completely. The sequence of events jumbled up below. Arrange the events according to the occurrence. Fill in the number as per sequence.

Ans:

1)saw from the window the beggar and the young girl playing on the

Road.

2) They enjoyed playing in the rain as if they were in Paradise.

3) On seeing them very happy, I felt ashamed of myself.

4) I decided to change using the beggar as role model It take two years to put the change into effect.

7. How did the beggar change Meena’s attitude towards life? Write it down in 5 to 6 lines. One is done for you.

1.The incident made Meena to look at her own life.

2.She compared her comforts with the comforts of beggar.

3.She understood the most important assets in beggar’s life how to be

happy.

4.She made a list of what she had and what she had not.

5.She decided to change her attitude using the towards life using

beggar her role model.

6.It took her almost two years to put the change into effect.

8. Summarise the story with the help of the points given below.

Ans: Meena was working as an LIC officer. Meena was a friend of Sudha. Meena was a pessimistic person. She was always unhappy. She had gloom and cynicism towards others. She never had anything positive to say on any subject or about any person Whenever her friend Sudha asked her different questions. She answered them in a negative manner.

Then one day, Meena was transferred to Bombay. For some work Sudha went to Bombay. Sudha found herself caught in the rain at Bombay’s flora fountain. Sudha was standing near Akbarallys waiting to stop the rain. She spotted her. At first Sudha wanted to avoid her. But because of her urge, Sudha decided to take tea with her in Grand hotel. Sudha noticed many changes in Meena. Sudha enquired about the reason of changes in her. Meena told about the beggar’s incident. Meena told that the beggar’s incident had changed her. At first, she compared her life with the beggar.

Then she decided to change herself. It took her two years to change completely. She considered the beggar-her role model. Meena started to be happy forever. As beggar was dead, she sponsored the granddaughter of the beggar to a boarding school as a mark of respect to him.

9. Write the above summary making Meena the narrator. Begin with ‘I worked in Bangalore in LIC. Sudha was my friend…..

Ans: I was working as an LIC officer. I was a friend of Sudha. I was a pessimistic person. I was always unhappy. I had gloom and cynicism towards others. Thad never anything positive to say on any subject or about any person. Whenever my friend Sudha asked me different questions. I answered them in a negative manner.

Then one day, I was transferred to Bombay. My friend Sudha was in Bombay for some work. Sudha found herself caught in the rain al Bombay’s Flora Fountain. Sudha was standing near Akbarallys waiting to stop the rain. She spotted me. At first Sudha wanted to avoid me. But because of my urge, Sudha decided to take tea with me in Grand hotel. She noticed many changes in me.

Sudha enquired about the reasons of changes in me. I told about beggar’s incident. I told that the beggar’s incident had changed me. At first, I Compared mv life with the beggar. Then I decided to change myself. It took me two years to change completely. I considered the beggar my role model. I started to be happy forever. As the beggar was dead, I sponsored the granddaughter of the beggar to a boarding school as a mark of respect to him.

10. Project:

Divide the class in four groups. Collect four different stories written by Sudha Murthy. Select a story for every group and write it in the form of a play. Enact it in front of the class.

Ans: This is a practical activity. The students should complete it in their classes under the guidance of their teachers.

Language Study:

1. Punctuate the following sentences.

(a) did you give any gurudakshina to your guru I asked.

Ans: “Did you give any gurudakshina to your guru?” I

(b) no there isnt anyone like that she said.

Ans: “No, there isn’t anyone like that,” she said.

2. (a) Add a suffix to the following words and make nouns.

(i) kind x kindness

(ii) happy x happiness

(iii) ignore x ignorance

(iv) assure x assurance

(v) imagine x imagination

(vi) depute x deputation

(vii) manage x management

(viii) assess x assessment

(b) Make 4 meaningful words by using letters from “Pessimistic”.

1) time

2) mess

3) set

4) pet

3. Change into Indirect speech:

(a) “Meena, it’s a beautiful day,” I said.

Ans: I told Meena that it was a beautiful day.

(b)”Hey! I am really excited. It’s nice to meet old

friends. What are you doing here?” said Meena.

Ans: Meena greeted her friends with Hey and told that she was really excited. It was nice to meet old friends. Then she asked what she was doing there.

(c)”We won’t get a taxi in this rain”, I grumbled.

Ans: 1grumbled that they wouldn’t get a taxi in that rain.

(d) “So what? Well buy an umbrella and then go to

the Grand Hotel”, she said.

Ans: She asked what that was. Then she added that they would buy an umbrella and go to the Grand Hotel.

(e) “Did you give any gurudakshina to your Guru? I asked.

Ans: I asked if she had given any gurudakshina to her Guru.