Glimpses of India

Class 10 English First Flight

Chapter 7 Glimpses of India

Part I A Baker from Goa

Page 86

Q.1. What are the elders in Goa nostalgic about?

Ans: The elders in Goa are nostalgic about the good old

Portuguese days and their love of bread and loaves. The writer says that the eaters of loaves have left but the makers still exist.

Q. 2. Is bread-making still popular in Goa? How do you know?

Ans: Yes, bread making is still popular in Goa. This is very clear from the narrator’s statement that the eaters have gone away leaving the makers behind. There are mixers, moulders and the ones who bake the loaves. The time-tested furnaces still exist there.

Q.3. What is the baker called?

Ans: The baker is called a pader in Goa.

Q. 4. When would the baker come every day? Why did the children run to meet him?

Ans: The baker would come twice a day—once early in the morning and the second time when he returned after selling his stuff.

The children would run to meet him as they wanted to have bread-bangles.

Page 87

Q.1. Match the following. What is a must

1. as marriage gifts?

2. for a party or a feast?

3. for a daughter’s engagement?

4. for Christmas?

cakes and bolinhas

sweet bread called bol

bread

sandwiches

Ans:

Ans

1. as marriage gifts?

2. for a party or a feast?

3. for a daughter’s engagement?

4. for Christmas?

sweet bread called bol

bread

sandwiches

cakes and bolinhas

Q. 2. What did the bakers wear?

1. In the Portuguese days

2. When the author was young

Ans:

1. The bakers were usually dressed up in a peculiar dress called kabai. It was a single piece long frock reaching down to the knees.

2. During his childhood days, the author saw the bakers wearing shirt and trousers which were shorter than full length ones and longer than half pants.

Q. 3. Who invites the comment – “he is dressed like a pader” Why?

Ans: Any person who is wearing a half pant which reaches just below the knees invites this comment. This is because the baker, known as a pader, used to dress like that.

Q. 4. Where were the monthly accounts of the baker recorded?

Ans: Monthly accounts of the baker were recorded on some wall in the house with a pencil.

Q. 5. What does a ‘jackfruit-like appearance’ mean?

Ans: It means having a plump physique, like a jackfruit.

Thinking About the Text

(Page 88)

Q. 1. Which of these statements are correct?

1. The pader was an important person in the village in old times.

Ans: Correct

2. Paders still exist in Goan villages.

Ans: Correct

3. The paders went away with the Portuguese.

Ans: Incorrect

4. The paders continue to wear a single-piece long frock.

Ans: Incorrect

5. Bread and cakes were an integral part of Goan life in the old days.

Ans: Correct

6. Traditional bread-baking is still a very profitable business.

Ans: Correct

7. Paders and their families starve in the present times.

Ans: Incorrect

Q. 2. Is bread an important part of Goan life? How do you know this?

Ans: Yes, bread is an important part of Goan life. It is needed for marriage gifts, parties and feasts. Bread is also needed by a mother for preparing sandwiches during her daughter’s engagement. Thus, it is necessary to have breads for every occasion, because of which the presence of a baker’s furnace in the vi. age is very important

Q.3. Tick the right answer. What is the tone of the author when he says the following?

1. The thud and the jingle of the traditional baker ‘s bamboo can still be heard in some places, (nostalgic, hopeful, sad)

Ans: Nostalgic

2. Maybe the father is not alive but the son still carries on the family profession, (nostalgic, hopeful, sad)

Ans: Hopeful

3. I still recall the typical fragrance of those loaves, (nostalgic, hopeful, naughty)

Ans: Nostalgic

4. The tiger never brushed his teeth. Hot tea could wash and clean up everything so nicely, after all. (naughty, angry, funny)

Ans: Funny

5. Cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas as well as other festivals, (sad, hopeful, matter-of-fact)

Ans: Matter-of-fact

6. The baker dnd his family never starved. They always looked happy and prosperous, (matter-of-fact, hopeful, sad)

Ans: Matter-of-fact

Part II Coorg

Thinking About the Text

(Page 92)

Question 1.

Where is Coorg?

Ans: Coorg or Kodagu is the smallest district of Karnataka. It is situated midway between Mysore and the cbastal town of Mangalore.

Q.2. What is the story about the Kodavu people’s descent?

Ans: The fiercely independent people of Coorg are descendents of Greeks or Arabs. A section of Alexander’s army moved South along the coast and settled here only when they were unable to return to their country. These people married among the locals. This is the story about the descent of Kodavu people.

Q.3. What are some of the things you now know about?

1. the people of Coorg?

2. the main crop of Coorg?

3. the sports it offers to a tourist?

4. the animals you are likely to see in Coorg?

5. its distance from Bangalore and how to get there?

Ans:

1. They are fiercely independent people and have descended from the Greeks or the Arabs.

2. Coffee is the main crop of Coorg.

3. It mostly offers adventure sports which include river rafting, canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing and mountain biking.

4. The animals likely to be seen in Coorg are macaques, Malabar squirrel, langurs, slender loris, elephants etc.

5. By road, it is around 250 – 260 kilometres from Bangalore.

Q.4. Here are six sentences with some words in italics. Find phrases from the text that have the same meaning. (Look in the paragraphs indicated)

1. During monsoons it rains so heavily that tourists do not visit Coorg. (Para 2)

2. Some people say that Alexander’s army moved south along the coast and settled there. (Para 3)

3. The Coorg people are always ready to tell stories of their son’s and father’s valour. (Para 4)

4. Even people who normally lead an easy and slow life get smitten by the high energy adventure sports of Coorg. (Para 6)

5. The theory of the Arab origin is supported by the long coat with embroidered waist-belt they wear. (Para 3)

6. Macaques, Malabar squirrels observe you carefully from the tree canopy. (Para 7)

Answer:

1. to keep visitors away

2. As one story goes

3. are more than willing to recount

4. The most laidback individuals become converts to

5. draws support from

6. keep a watchful eye

Thinking About Language (Page 93)

Certain words ‘go together’. Such ‘word friends’ are called collocations. The collocation of a word is ‘the company it keeps’. For example, look at the paired sentences and phrases below. Which is a common collocation, and which one is odd? Strike out the odd sentence or phrase.

1. ‘How old are you?’

‘How young are you?’

2. a pleasant person a pleasant pillow

Ans:

1. The odd sentence is ‘How young are you?’

2. The odd phrase is ‘a pleasant pillow’.

Q.1. Here are some nouns from the text,

‘culture’ ‘monks’ ‘surprise’ ‘experience’ ‘weather’ ‘tradition’

Work with a partner and discuss which of the nouns can collocate with which of the adjectives given below. The first one has been done for you.

‘unique’ ‘terrible’ ‘unforgettable’ ‘serious’ ‘ancient’ ‘wide’ ‘sudden’

1. culture: unique culture, ancient culture

2. monks: _____________

3. surprise: ___________

4. experience: __________

5. weather: ___________

6. tradition: ___________

Ans:

1. culture: unique culture, ancient culture

2. serious monks, unique monks

3. unique surprise, sudden surprise, unforgettable surprise, terrible surprise

4. unique experience, terrible experience, unforgettable experience, sudden experience

5. terrible weather, unforgettable weather

6. unique tradition, ancient tradition

Q.2. Complete the following phrases from the text. For each phrase, can you find at least one other word that would fit into the blank?

Missing

Alternate word

1. tales of

2. coastal

3. a piece of

4. evergreen

5. plantations

6. bridge

7. wild

Ans:

Missing

Alternate word

1. tales of

2. coastal

3. a piece of

4. evergreen

5. plantations

6. bridge

7. wild

valour

town

heaven

rainforests

coffee

rope

creatures

bravery

belt, village

cake

jungle

tea, banana

steel, concrete

animals

Part III Tea from Assam

Thinking About Language

(Page 96,97)

Q.1.

Look at these words: upkeep, downpour, undergo, dropout, walk-in. They are built up from a verb (keep, pour, go, drop, walk) and an adverb or a preposition (up, down, under, out, in). Use these words appropriately in the sentences below. You may consult a dictionary.

1. A heavy _____ has been forecast due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal.

Ans: downpour

2. Rakesh will _____ major surgery tomorrow morning.

Ans: undergo

3. My brother is responsible for the ____ of our family property.

Ans: upkeep

4. The ____ rate for this accountancy course is very high.

Ans: dropout

5. She went to the Enterprise Company to attend a _____ interview.

Ans: walk-in

Q.2. Now fill in the blanks in the sentences given below by combining the verb given in brackets with one of the words from the box as appropriate.

‘over’ ‘by’ ‘through’ ‘out’ ‘up’ ‘down’

1. The Army attempted unsuccessfully to ____ the Government, (throw)

Ans: The Army attempted unsuccessfully to overthrow the Government

2. Scientists are on the brink of a major _____ in cancer research, (break)

Ans: Scientists are on the brink of a major breakthrough in cancer research

3. The State Government plans to build a ____ for Bhubaneswar to speed up traffic on the main highway, (pass)

Ans: The State Government plans to build a bypass for Bhubaneswar to speed up traffic on the main highway

4.Gautama’s ____ on life changed when he realised that the world is full of sorrow, (look)

Ans: Gautama’s lookout on life changed when he realised that the world is full of sorrow

5. Rakesh seemed unusually _____ after the game, (cast)

Ans: Rakesh seemed unusually downcast after the game

Q.3. Notice how these -ing and -ed adjectives are used.

1. Chess is an interesting game.

I am very interested in chess.

2. Going trekking in the Himalayas this summer is an exciting idea.

We are very excited about the trek.

3. Are all your School books this boring?

He was bored as he had no friends there.

The -ing adjectives show the qualities that chess, trekking or these books have: they cause interest, excitement, or boredom in you. The – ed /-en adjectives show your mental state or your physical state: how you feel in response to ideas, events or things.

Q.1.

1. Think of suitable -ing or -ed adjectives to answer the following questions. You may also use words from those given above.

How would you describe

1. a good detective serial on television? ____

2. a debate on your favourite topic ‘Homework Should Be Banned’? ____

3. how you feel when you stay indoors due to incessant rain? ____

4. how you feel when you open a present? ____

5. how you feel when you watch your favourite programme on television? ____

6. the look on your mother’s face as you waited in a queue? ____

7. how you feel when tracking a tiger in a tiger reserve forest? _____

8. the story you have recently read, or a film you have seen? _____

Ans: