THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY- FIRST LANGUAGE ENGLISH NOTES- CLASS 09 - KSEEB

Unit-4

THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY

Khushwant Singh

Comprehension

 

C1. Discuss in pairs and find answers for the following questions.

 

1) Read paragraph 2. There are a few sentences which speak about the grandmother’s features. Pick out those sentences and write them.

 Ans: She could not at all been attractive, but she was always good-looking. Her face was interwoven of wrinkles running from all over. She had until the end of time been short and fat and somewhat bent.

 

2) “… she used to get me ready for school”. How did the grandmother get the author ready for school?

 Ans: The grandmother awakes the author in the dawn and get him equipped for school. She would carry his wooden slate which she had by now washed and plastered with yellow chalk. Later than a breakfast of thick stale chapattis with a little butter and sugar spread on it, they would leave for school.

 

3) Why did the grandmother accompany the author to the school?

 Ans: The school was attached to the temple. She would sit there to say her prayers and read the scriptures.

 

4) “That was a turning point in our friendship”. What was the ‘turning point’?

 Ans: Author’s parents were settled in the city, later author and grandmother accompanied them there. Although the author and grandmother shared the same room, she did not go with him to the school. She slowly remained away from his activities and him. That was the turning point.

 

 5)  What made the grandmother unhappy? Why?

 Ans: There was no teaching about God and scriptures as author had joined English medium school, there was teaching like village, the temple priest used to teach the alphabets and the Morning Prayer. But, in the city school, the author had to learn modern education with English, Science, Mathematics, etc. She felt unhappy.

 

C2. In groups, discuss the following questions and present them before the class.

 

 1) “The thought was almost revolting”. What is ‘the thought’ referred to? Why does the author use the word ‘revolting’ to describe the thought?

 Ans: ‘Young and pretty’ was the thought referred and he couldn’t visualize her in any younger days. The author had seen her for the last twenty years as the wrinkled woman. So he says the deliberation itself was revolting.

 

2) How did the grandmother help the author as a boy during the school days?

 Ans: The grandmother awakes the author in the dawn and get him equipped for school. She would carry his wooden slate which she had by now washed and plastered with yellow chalk. Later than a breakfast of thick stale chapattis with a little butter and sugar spread on it, they would leave for school.

 

 3) Describe the relation between (animals/birds) – dogs and sparrows and the grandmother.

 Ans: The grandmother fed street dogs with pieces of chapattis when the grandmother and the author returned home from the school in the village. At the city, she spent some time feeding birds like sparrows. They had become so friendly with her that they would sit on on her legs. When she died, thousands of sparrows sat around the dead body without any tweeting. They did not touch the bread crumbs and they few away quietly when the dead body was carried off.

 

4) Describe the three stages in the relationship between the author and his grandmother (before he went abroad).

 Ans: In the beginning stage the author stayed with his grandmother when he was still a child. She told him of the games, she used to play as a child. Her stories not only looked quite funny.

 In the second stage the narrator started going to school. His parents went to city and he was left with her. The grandmother awakes the author in the dawn and get him equipped for school. She would carry his wooden slate which she had by now washed and plastered with yellow chalk. Later than a breakfast of thick stale chapattis with a little butter and sugar spread on it, they would leave for school

 In the third stage the author went to city and settled there, that was a turning point. Years rolled by they saw less of each other. She didn’t like the English school as there was no teaching about God and scriptures. When he went up to university he was given a room of his own. The common link of their friendship was snapped.

 

5) Grandmother and prayer were inseparable. Find instances from the lesson to justify this observation.

 Ans: It’s true that prayer was an integral part of the life of the grandmother. Her entire life she had the rosary in her hand, her fingers kept rolling the beads and her lips kept muttering prayers, from morning till evening. She went grandson’s school, sat in the temple attached to the school reading scriptures. She spent her time spinning; yet all the time she had her prayers on her lips when she settled in city. She prayed till her last breath.

 

 6) Did the grandmother predict her death? How?

 Ans: When she fell ill, she predicted her death. She rested peacefully in bed praying. She told the family members that her end was near.

 

7) How did the sparrows react to her earlier in her life and later after her death?

 Ans: The grandmother sat in the verandah every afternoon breaking the bread, so many little birds sat around her chirping. After her death, thousands of sparrows sat scattered on the floor quietly. The sparrows took no notice of the bread crumbs. They flew away quietly when grandmother’s corpse was carried off.

 

Language Activities:

Vocabulary:

 V1. In the lesson, the word “tell” has been used in different contexts to mean differently. Now match the usage of the word ‘tell’ with its meaning as used in the lesson.

 The use of the word “tell”

 Ans:

1. Her fingers were busy telling the beads of her rosary: - Counting while reacting.

2. I would tell her English words: - Making something known to someone in spoken or written words.

3. She told us that her end was near: - Give information to somebody.

4. At her age, no one could tell: - Be sure.

 

B. Grammar and Usage:

G1.

A) Fill in the blanks with the past perfect form of the verbs given in brackets:

 I had failed to catch the train on that fateful day. If I had come five minutes earlier, I had told myself that I would never be late again.

 

B) Pick out five more sentences from the lesson having the verbs in past perfect form.

1) She had been old and wrinkled for the twenty years.

2) She had always been short and fat and slightly bent.

3) She had always been as we had known her.

4) She would fetch my wooden slate which she had already washed.

5) She had omitted to pray.

 

C) Fill in the blanks using the past perfect form of the verbs given in brackets.

 1. When I reached the station, the train had left (leave) already.

2. By the time the teacher entered the class, the students had stopped (stop) talking.

3. I would have failed, if I had not worked (work) hard.

4. If I had walked (walk) fast, I would have won the race.

 

G2. Prepositions:

 Ex. 1 Here is a page from Renu’s diary. It talks about what Renu did in a week in August 2011. Read carefully and complete the following:

 First one is done for you.

Eg. Renu went to a movie on Saturday evening.

 

1. She telephoned Reema on Thursday.

2. She did not do anything special on Monday.

3. She pressed her clothes On Sunday.

4. She went to the library on Wednesday evening.

5. She went to the music class on Tuesday at 5: 30 pm.

 

Where are the people in the picture? Complete the sentences. The first one is done for you.

 Eg. Chandru is standing behind Farooq.

 

1. Farooq is sitting beside Esha.

2. Esha is sitting between Devi and Farooq.

3. Devi is sitting to next Esha.

4. Farooq is sitting in front of Chandru.

5. Esha is sitting in front of Bhama.

6. Arun is standing behind Devi.

7. Bhama is standing between Arun and Chandru.

 

Ex. 3

Mr. Feter asks you how to go to the park from the church. Now direct him using the picture clues. Write the sentences in the blanks given.

 Now, rewrite the above-framed sentences using bubbles as given here.

Excuse me, where is the park?

1) Go past the church.

2) Go under the bridge.

3) Go up the hill.

4) Get down the steps.

 5) Go by the street.

6) Go beyond the hotel.

7) Walk across the bridge.

8) You will arrive at the park.

 

Ex. 4: Read the information and complete the sentences:-

 (Sandeep/Tumakuru/2000-2007) Sandeep lived in Tumakuru from 2000 to 2007.

 (Sandeep/ Tumakuru /2007) Sandeep lived in Tumakuru ………. 2007.

 (Sandeep/Bengaluru/2007- ) Sandeep has lived in Bengaluru …………. 2007.

 Ans: 1) Sandeep lived in Tumakuru until 2007.

2) Sandeep has lived in Bengaluru since 2007.

 

Ex. 5: Fill in the blanks using “until / since / for”:

 1. I was tired this morning. I stayed in bed until 10 o’clock.

2. We waited for Usha for half an hour, but she did not come.

3. “Have you just arrived?” No, I have been here since half past seven”.

4. “How long did you stay in the office yesterday?” until 8 p.m.”

5. Don’t open the door of the train until the train stops.

6. This is my house. I have lived here since I was seven years old.

7. Sumana has gone away. She will be away until Wednesday.

8. Next week I am going to Delhi for three days.

9. I usually finish work at 5:30, but sometimes I work until six.

10. “How long have you known Harshitha?” Since we were at school together.

11. Shwetha and I are good friends. We have known each other for ten years.

12. “I am tired. I am going to lie down for a few minutes.”

 

G3. Question forms:

 1. We have our annual exams during summer.

#) When do you have your annual exams?

 

2. Mr. Rao and his family went to Andaman during the vacation.

#) Where did Mr. Rao and his family go during the vacation?

 

3. Sorry, I am late because of heavy traffic.

#) Why are you late?

 

4. My friend walks to school.

#) How does your friend go to school?

 

5. Sheetal had toasted bread for breakfast.

#) What did Sheetal have for breakfast?

 

6. The Indian Ambassador visited the Western countries.

#) Who visited the Western countries?

 

7. This is our school’s property.

#) Whose property is this?

 

8. The doctor talked to the patient yesterday.

#) Whom did the doctor talk yesterday?

 

9. Masala dosa is my favorite dish.

#) Which is your favorite dish?

 

10. The red-colored bag is mine.

#) Which bag is yours?

 

B. Yes/No questions:

Eg:  1) Was the grandmother happy with the company of sparrows?

Ans: Yes, she was.

 

2) Did you complete your homework?

Ans: Yes, I did.

Or

No, I didn’t.

 

3) Shall we go now?

Ans: Yes, we shall.

Or

 No, we shall not.

 

The above questions begin with auxiliary verbs. They are answered either with “Yes” or “No”.

 Now answer these questions with ‘Yes’ or ‘No’:

 

1) Do you like mangoes?

Ans: Yes, I do.

Or

No, I don’t.

 

2) Has the doctor arrived?

Ans: Yes, he has.

Or

No, he hasn’t.

 

3) Is the train running on time?

Ans: Yes, it is.

Or

No, it isn’t.

 

4) Can Rani swim?

Ans: Yes, she can.

 Or

 No, she can’t.

 

5) Will your mother accompany us?

Ans: Yes, she will.

Or

 No, she won’t.

 

C. Question Tags:

Read the following examples:

1) We all love ice-cream, don’t we?

2) She cannot drive, can she?

 

Eg: i) He is tall, isn’t he?

ii) You have a car, don’t you?

iii)She has visited the place, hasn’t she?

iv) They will be here tomorrow, won’t they?

v) You are good, aren’t you?

vi) They are not going to school today, are they?

 

Now add question tags to the statements given below:

1. It is a beautiful day, isn’t it?

2. You have been to Paris, haven’t you?

3. The _lm wasn’t very good, was it?

4. Anu lives near your house, doesn’t she?

5. You don’t know French, do you?

6. The policeman directs the traffic, doesn’t he?

7. Some species are getting extinct on earth day-by-day, aren’t they?

8. He has a Benz car, hasn’t he?

9. We should not tell lies, should we?

10. Indians love peace, don’t they?

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