"It's a small world…" is a cheerful song by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. It says that all people in the world share the same hopes, fears, moon and sun. A smile means friendship to everyone. Though mountains and oceans divide us, the world is really small and we are all one family.
Key points
The song begins with "It's a world of laughter, a world of tears" – all people share joy and sorrow.
There is so much that we share, so we should understand each other.
There is just one moon and one golden sun for all of us.
A smile means friendship to everyone, in every country.
Mountains divide countries and oceans are wide, but still "it's a small world after all".
The line "It's a small world" is repeated many times like a chorus.
The phrase is also used when we unexpectedly meet someone we know in a far-off place.
Message: unity, friendship and understanding among all people of the world.
Important terms
Chorus / refrain – lines repeated in a song.
Divide – separate.
Share – have or use something together with others.
Friendship – a close, friendly relationship (मैत्री).
Language study
Repetition: "It's a small world after all" is repeated to make the idea strong.
Contrast: laughter × tears, hopes × fears.
Rhyme: tears – fears, sun – one, divide – wide.
Idiomatic use: "It's a small world!" – said when we meet a known person in an unexpected place.
5 important questions
Q1. Who wrote the song "It's a small world"?
Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman.
Q2. What do all people in the world share, according to the song?
Laughter and tears, hopes and fears, one moon and one golden sun.
Q3. What does a smile mean?
A smile means friendship to everyone.
Q4. What divides the world?
Mountains divide it and oceans are wide.
Q5. What is the message of the song?
Though we live in different lands, we are all alike. We should live in friendship and understanding – the world is small after all.
Exam tip
Remember the contrasting pairs (laughter–tears, hopes–fears); they are asked as "find the opposites".
"Warm up with Tara and Friends" is a fun revision unit at the start of the year. Tara and her friends Bittu, Paddy, Kuku and Mia are back at school. Through word games, fast-reading practice, scoring games and short role-plays ("Scenes out of the hat"), students revise letters, words, phrases and everyday spoken English.
Key points
The children are excited (and some are sad) that the holidays are over and school has started.
Game 1 – One-Two-Three: say the alphabet silently till a partner says "Stop"; write three words starting with that letter; then make phrases with the words (e.g. f – face, frog, fish → "a green frog").
Game 2 – Be quick!: read aloud a table of very common English words (the, a, it, he, this…) within 15 seconds.
Game 3 – Who scores the most?: write words of 3 or more letters in 2 minutes; longer words get more marks.
Word Art: make attractive labels and a bookmark with the letters of your name.
Game 4 – Scenes out of the hat: pairs pick a slip and act a scene – asking for an address or phone number, inviting a friend to a birthday party, borrowing a notebook, saying sorry, offering water to a guest, asking permission to enter the class, answering the phone, thanking a neighbour.
Aim: build confidence in using English through play.
Important terms
Revise – go over what was learnt earlier.
Phrase – a group of words without a full verb ("a green frog").
Enact – act out a scene.
Permission – allowing someone to do something.
Language study
Polite expressions:
Asking permission: "May I come in, Madam?"
Saying sorry: "I'm sorry, I stepped on your foot."
Inviting: "Please come to my birthday party on Sunday."
Thanking: "Thank you so much for the sweets."
Answering the phone: "Hello, this is Tara speaking."
Offering: "Would you like a glass of water?"
5 important questions
Q1. Write three words and one phrase beginning with "f".
Face, frog, finger – "a green frog".
Q2. How will you ask your teacher's permission to enter the class?
"May I come in, Madam/Sir?"
Q3. How will you invite a friend to your birthday party?
"Please come over to our place for my birthday party on Saturday evening."
Q4. What will you say when you step on someone's foot by mistake?
"I'm very sorry. I didn't see you."
Q5. How will you offer water to a guest?
"Would you like a glass of water?"
Exam tip
Learn polite expressions for permission, apology, invitation and thanks – they are useful in speaking and writing tasks.
This story by Leo Tolstoy shows how two little girls quarrel and make up quickly, while the adults turn the same small matter into a big fight. On Easter Sunday, Malasha splashes muddy water on Akulka's new dress. Their mothers and then the men start fighting, but the girls soon forget the quarrel and play together again. The old grandmother says the children are wiser than the grown-ups.
Key points
It was Easter Sunday in a village. Two girls, Malasha (younger) and Akulka (older), wore new clothes and met at a puddle in a lane.
They took off their shoes and walked through the puddle. Akulka told Malasha to walk softly.
Malasha stamped her foot and splashed muddy water on Akulka's new dress, nose and eyes.
Akulka got angry and ran after her. Malasha ran home crying.
Akulka's mother scolded Malasha and hit her; Malasha's mother came out and scolded the neighbour. The two women quarrelled.
Men came out, a big crowd gathered and a fight began.
Akulka's grandmother tried to stop them, saying it was a holiday, a time for joy, but they almost knocked her down.
Meanwhile Akulka scratched a channel to let the puddle water flow out; Malasha helped her with a chip of wood.
The girls ran laughing after the chip floating in the stream, right into the crowd.
The grandmother told the men to be ashamed: the girls had forgotten their quarrel long ago and were playing nicely. "They are wiser than you."
The men felt ashamed and went home.
Message: children forgive and forget quickly; adults should not make small things into big quarrels.
This passage introduces "Journey to the West", a classic Chinese novel written in the sixteenth century by Wu Cheng'en. It is based on the real journey of the seventh-century Chinese monk Yuan Chwang (Xuanzang) to India to bring back Buddhist scriptures. The novel adds folk tales and magical characters, the most popular being Sun Wukong, the Monkey King.
Key points
"West" is a relative term – for China, India is in the west.
Yuan Chwang dreamt of taking Buddhist scriptures from India to China. It was a pilgrimage for him.
He travelled for seventeen years across the Gobi Desert, along the Tian Shan mountains and the Silk Road, through lands that are now Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
He collected important manuscripts in India and returned safely to China – an almost unbelievable achievement.
People thought gods and supernatural powers had helped him, so many folk tales grew. The novel uses them.
In the novel, demons want to eat the holy monk. The goddess of mercy, Guanyin, sends three disciples to protect him: Sun Wukong (Monkey King), Zhu Bajie (Pigsy) and Sha Wujing (Sand Priest).
They were troublemakers thrown out of heaven, but would be allowed back if they helped the monk.
Sun Wukong: born from a stone egg on Flower Fruit Mountain; can change into 72 forms; his hairs can become anything; his magic cudgel can grow huge or tiny; one somersault takes him thousands of kilometres; body hard as diamond; eyes with x-ray vision; brave, intelligent and a trickster.
Important terms
Epic – a long story of a hero's adventures.
Classic – an excellent work that is admired for a long time.
Pilgrimage – a journey for a religious purpose (तीर्थयात्रा).
Scriptures – holy books.
Vanquish – defeat.
Trickster – one who plays tricks.
Language study
Historical × fictional: Neil Armstrong landing on the moon is historical; Aladdin's flying carpet is fictional.
Pairs with "folk": folk tale, folk song, folk dance, folk art.
5 important questions
Q1. Who wrote "Journey to the West" and when?
Wu Cheng'en, in the sixteenth century.
Q2. What was Yuan Chwang's dream?
To take Buddhist scriptures from India to his homeland, China.
Q3. Why did people think gods had helped Yuan Chwang?
His long, dangerous journey and safe return seemed almost unbelievable.
Q4. Who were the three disciples and why did they agree to help?
Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing. If they helped the monk, they could return to heaven.
Q5. Write any four powers of Sun Wukong.
He can take 72 forms, travel thousands of kilometres in one somersault, make his cudgel huge or tiny, and see through things with his fiery eyes.
Exam tip
Separate the real history (Yuan Chwang's journey) from the fiction (Monkey King's powers) in your answers.
"Children are going to school…" is an English translation of the Hindi poem "Bachche school ja rahe hain" by Nida Fazli, a famous Hindi and Urdu poet. It paints a joyful picture of early morning when children go to school. The whole of nature – the sky, sun, breeze, flowers and trees – seems to welcome and bless them.
Key points
Morning light spreads over the earth; the Sky bows his head in respect because children are going to school.
The Sun, after a morning dip in the river, wears a golden muslin turban and waits smiling by the road.
Breezes sing songs of blessings through the green branches.
Fragrant flowers wake up the sleepy roads with their melodies.
The Peepal tree at the corner waves its hands (leaves).
Angels of light have set out and every road is shining.
Every particle of the Earth throbs like a mother's heart.
Time, sitting on an old roof, flies pigeons in the sky.
Nida Fazli received the National Harmony Award and the Padma Shri.
Message: children going to school is a happy, important event; education is respected by all.
Important terms
Muslin – a soft, fine cotton cloth.
Foliage – leaves of a tree.
A-gleam – shining brightly.
Throb – beat strongly.
Fragrant – sweet-smelling.
Language study
Personification: the Sky bows, the Sun smiles and wears a turban, breezes sing, the Peepal waves, Time flies pigeons.
Simile: every particle of the Earth throbs "like a mother's heart".
Refrain: "For children are going to school."
Sense words: see (bright sunlight), hear (birds chirping), smell (fragrance), feel (cool breeze).
5 important questions
Q1. Who is the poet of the original poem?
Nida Fazli, a Hindi and Urdu poet.
Q2. What does the Sky do?
The Sky bows his head in respect because children are going to school.
Q3. How is the Sun described?
After a morning dip in the river, he wears a golden muslin turban and waits smiling by the road.
Q4. Write two things from the poem that show it is early morning.
Morning light spreads over the earth; the Sun has just had his morning dip.
Q5. Pick out a simile from the poem.
"Every particle of the Earth throbs like a mother's heart."
Exam tip
List what each natural element does – this "personification table" is a favourite activity.
This is a story told by Asmita, a student in a class of sixty united girls and boys. Their new class teacher, Mrs Desai, is proud of their unity but is sad when many fail the unit test. The class makes a Plan of Action with "Searchlights" and "Study Guards" to help each other. Their results improve and Mrs Desai is proud of every one of them.
Key points
The class has sixty students. They sometimes quarrel but always stand together; they never tell tales and take punishment as a class.
Mrs Desai praises their unity. She never calls them "children" but "young people", "young lady" or "young man".
After the first unit test many students failed. Mrs Desai did not scold them, but her eyes filled with tears.
She said, "I will always want to be proud of you" – not "I am proud". Snehal and Asmita noticed this.
Akash said they must make her proud. Asmita said, "If we all work together, we can do it!"
Their Plan of Action (PoA): good students help others. Niyati, the maths genius, complained that others only want answers. Akash said copying would not do.
Soli suggested "Searchlights" (SLs) who visit and check that others study; Sunil suggested "Study Guards" (SGs) for each subject.
Within a week Mrs Desai noticed the change – no absentees, full attention. She was very impressed.
In the second test many did well, but some still failed. Naina cried that she had let the class down.
Mrs Desai hugged her: Naina's science marks had risen from 2 to 16 out of 50 – "quite a leap". She said she was proud of each one of them.
"In a class of one's own" means unique, better than all others.
Important terms
Unity – staying together (एकी).
Tell tales – tell others about someone's faults.
Shabby – untidy.
Copycat – one who copies others.
On cloud nine – extremely happy.
Language study
Collective nouns: a class of students, a herd of cattle, a flock of birds, a team of players, a set of cards.
Reflexive pronouns: I – myself, you – yourself/yourselves, he – himself, she – herself, it – itself, we – ourselves, they – themselves.
Adverbs of frequency: always, regularly, sometimes, never.
5 important questions
Q1. Why did the class like Mrs Desai?
She was kind, praised their unity and spoke to them respectfully as "young people", never shouting.
Q2. What did Snehal notice in Mrs Desai's words?
She said "I will always want to be proud of you", not "I am proud of you".
Q3. What were the "Searchlights" and "Study Guards"?
Searchlights visited classmates to see that they studied; Study Guards helped with difficulties in each subject.
Q4. What changes did Mrs Desai observe?
No one was absent, everyone paid attention, and there was a different, determined look in their eyes.
Q5. Why did Mrs Desai appreciate Naina?
Naina's science marks rose from 2 to 16 out of 50 – a big improvement in the right direction.
Exam tip
Learn the short forms: PoA – Plan of Action, SL – Searchlight, SG – Study Guard.
"We shall overcome" is a famous protest song. It was sung in the Civil Rights movement in the USA, when black people fought against injustice and for equal rights. The song expresses unity, courage, a firm resolve to fight injustice, and hope for a better future. The Hindi song "Hum Honge Kamyab" is based on it.
Key points
The singers firmly believe, deep in their hearts, that they will overcome (win over) their troubles some day.
They will walk hand in hand some day – there will be friendship and equality.
They are not afraid today, even though powerful people try to frighten them.
The truth shall make them free some day.
They shall live in peace some day.
Each stanza ends with the same hopeful line about overcoming "some day".
What the lines tell us: today the singers suffer hardships, are not treated equally, are threatened, are not free and have no peace – but they have hope.
Important terms
Overcome – win against difficulties (मात करणे).
Protest song – a song sung to oppose injustice.
Civil Rights movement – the struggle in the USA for equal rights for black people.
Resolve – firm decision.
Injustice – unfairness.
Language study
"Do" for emphasis: "I do believe." Others: "I do like mangoes." "She does work hard." "We did try our best."
"We shall…" shows firm resolve: "We shall keep our school clean." "I shall respect my elders."
Repetition: each line is repeated three times, as in a song.
5 important questions
Q1. In which movement was this song used?
In the Civil Rights movement in the USA.
Q2. Which line shows that the singers are not free today?
"The truth shall make us free some day."
Q3. Which line shows that people try to frighten them?
"We are not afraid today."
Q4. Which Hindi song is based on "We shall overcome"?
"Hum Honge Kamyab".
Q5. Write two sentences using "do" for emphasis.
I do believe in hard work. They did come on time.
Exam tip
Questions often ask which line shows which feeling – match each line to hardship, inequality, fear, lack of freedom, lack of peace.
This lesson has two fables from Aesop, the famous Greek storyteller. A fable is a very short story, usually with animals, that ends with a moral. In "The Two Friends and the Bear", a selfish friend runs away in danger. In "The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse", a country mouse learns that a simple, safe life is better than a rich life full of fear.
Key points
The Two Friends and the Bear: two friends travelling through a wood met a bear.
One friend, good at climbing, climbed a tree and hid without helping his friend.
The other lay flat on the ground and held his breath, because he had heard bears do not touch dead bodies.
The bear sniffed him and went away, thinking he was dead.
The first friend came down and joked, "What did the bear whisper in your ear?" The other replied that the bear advised him never to trust a friend who leaves you in danger.
Moral: a true friend helps in times of danger ("A friend in need is a friend indeed").
The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse: the Town Mouse visited his cousin in the country, who offered simple beans, cheese and bread.
The Town Mouse turned up his nose and invited his cousin to see town life.
In a grand dining room they ate jellies and cakes, left over from a feast.
Suddenly dogs growled and barked; the mice had to run and hide in fear.
The Country Mouse decided to go home, preferring simple food in peace to rich food in fear.
Moral: a simple life with peace is better than luxury with fear.
Important terms
Fable – a short story with a moral, often with animal characters.
Moral – the lesson of a story.
Rustic – of the village; simple.
Fare – food.
Comrade – friend, companion.
Language study
Story types: folk tale, fable, fairy tale, science fiction, detective story, mythology, adventure.
Phrases: turn up one's nose (look down on), put up with (tolerate), set off (start a journey).
"its" vs "it's": its = belonging to it ("its head"); it's = it is.
5 important questions
Q1. What is a fable?
A very short story, usually with animal characters, that ends with a moral.
Q2. How did the second friend save himself from the bear?
He lay flat on the ground and pretended to be dead, as bears do not touch dead bodies.
Q3. What did the bear "whisper" to him?
Never to trust a friend who deserts you in danger.
Q4. Why did the Country Mouse go back home?
In town there was rich food but constant danger from dogs; he preferred simple food in peace.
Q5. Write the morals of both fables.
A friend in need is a friend indeed. / A simple life in peace is better than luxury with fear.
Exam tip
Always end a fable answer with its moral in one clear sentence.
"Teeny-tiny" is a funny English folk tale. A teeny-tiny woman finds a teeny-tiny bone in a churchyard and takes it home for soup. At night a teeny-tiny voice from her cupboard keeps saying "Give me my bone!", louder each time. Finally the frightened woman shouts, "TAKE IT!" The story plays with the repeated adjective "teeny-tiny".
Key points
A teeny-tiny woman lived in a teeny-tiny house in a teeny-tiny village.
She went for a teeny-tiny walk and entered a teeny-tiny churchyard.
She saw a teeny-tiny bone on a grave and decided to make soup with it for supper.
At home, feeling tired, she put the bone in a cupboard and went to sleep.
A teeny-tiny voice from the cupboard said, "Give me my bone!" She was a bit frightened and hid her head under the clothes.
The voice came again, a little louder. She was a little more frightened.
The third time it was louder still. She put her head out and said in her loudest teeny-tiny voice, "TAKE IT!"
The story is fun to read aloud; the suspense builds slowly.
Important terms
Teeny-tiny – very, very small.
Churchyard – an enclosed area around a church where people are buried.
Grave – a place where a dead person is buried.
Supper – the last meal of the day.
Language study
Adjectives describe nouns in many ways:
Size – small (a small stone); Age – young (a young man); Shape – square (a square box)
Colour – pink (a pink dress); Origin – Chinese (Chinese rice); Quality – wise (a wise king)
Material – plastic (a plastic toy); Use – swimming (a swimming tank)
Repetition creates humour and suspense.
Replace "teeny-tiny" with other adjectives: little, small, tiny, wee.
5 important questions
Q1. Where did the woman find the bone?
On a grave in a teeny-tiny churchyard.
Q2. Why did she take the bone home?
To make some soup for her supper.
Q3. What did the voice from the cupboard say?
"Give me my bone!"
Q4. What did she do the first time she heard the voice?
She was a bit frightened, hid her head under the clothes and went to sleep again.
Q5. Write one adjective each for size, colour and material.
Size – big; colour – red; material – wooden.
Exam tip
Learn the eight kinds of adjectives with one example each – a likely grammar question.
This lesson shows how Tara and her friends put together their own class magazine. It lists the kinds of material found in children's magazines and gives sample sections – jokes, recipes, advice, craft ideas – mixed up for students to arrange. It encourages students to plan, write and design a magazine as a class project.
Key points
Many magazines are for grown-ups, but some are for children. A class can make its own magazine.
Materials in children's magazines: stories, poems, plays, recipes, study tips, word and picture puzzles, riddles, interviews, news items, craft ideas, interesting facts, informative articles, picture stories, jokes, friendly advice, board games, photographs and quizzes.
Tara's magazine has sections like "Laughter in the Classroom" (jokes), "Mouth-watering Recipes for Hungry Kids", "Advice for Friends in Need" and "Craft Corner".
Example joke: the teacher asks Jay how many feet are in a yard; Jay says it depends on how many people are standing in the yard!
Example advice: if you are upset about losing friends, talk to your parents – they know you well.
Example recipe: a fruit chaat with guava, apple, papaya, pineapple, sweet lemon, pomegranate, lemon juice, chaat masala and salt.
Steps for a class magazine: choose a name, decide sections, collect and edit entries, add pictures, arrange pages, make a cover and contents page.
Important terms
Magazine – a regular publication with articles, stories and pictures (मासिक).
"Windy Lines" is a collection of short quotations about the wind from famous poets. It shows how different writers have described the wind – mysterious, strong, invisible, gentle or full of hope. Students are encouraged to make similar collections on topics like rain, the moon or home.
Key points
A. A. Milne ("Wind on the Hill"): no one can tell where the wind comes from or where it goes.
R. L. Stevenson ("The Wind"): speaks to the wind that blows all day long and sings a loud song; asks if it is a beast or a stronger child.
Christina Rossetti: "Who has seen the wind?" Neither you nor I – but when leaves tremble or trees bow their heads, the wind is passing.
Sarojini Naidu ("Coromandel Fishers"): the wind lies asleep in the arms of the dawn like a child that has cried all night.
William Blake: you throw sand against the wind, and the wind blows it back again.
P. B. Shelley ("Ode to the West Wind"): "If winter comes, can spring be far behind?" – hope after hard times.
The wind cannot be seen; we know it only by its effects.
Important terms
Quotation – words taken from a writer or speaker.
Invisible – that cannot be seen.
Tremble – shake slightly.
Collection – a group of things gathered together.
Language study
Personification: the wind sings, sleeps, blows sand back.
Simile: "like a child that has cried all night".
Rhetorical question: "Who has seen the wind?"; "can spring be far behind?"
5 important questions
Q1. How do we know the wind is passing, according to Christina Rossetti?
When the leaves hang trembling and the trees bow down their heads.
Q2. What does Shelley's line mean?
Hard times (winter) are followed by good times (spring); we should keep hope.
Q3. Which line describes the wind as a child?
"The wind lies asleep in the arms of the dawn like a child that has cried all night." (Sarojini Naidu)
Q4. What does A. A. Milne say about the wind?
Nobody can tell where the wind comes from or where it goes.
Q5. Make a collection of two lines on the rain.
"Rain, rain, go away, come again another day." / "The rain is raining all around." (R. L. Stevenson)
Exam tip
Remember each poet with his/her line – matching questions are common.
In this passage, Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam writes about the great Indian scientist Sir C. V. Raman. Raman's curious mind kept asking "why?". On a voyage, he wondered why the sea and sky are blue. His research on the scattering of light led to the Raman Effect and the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1930.
Key points
Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was President of India (2002–2007) and received the Bharat Ratna; he loved children and inspired young Indians.
Great scientific minds are restless with questions: "Why does this happen? Can I make it better?"
C. V. Raman was born in Tiruchirapalli in 1888. He loved optics (light) and acoustics (sound).
He found that the mridangam and tabla give more melodious sounds than other percussion instruments.
Returning by ship from London (after a lecture on the acoustics of the violin), he wondered why the sea and sky are blue.
He thought it could be the scattering of light by water molecules, and proved it by experiments in Calcutta.
This led to the Raman Effect, announced in March 1928.
He won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1930 – the first time it was given to an Asian.
28 February, the day of the discovery, is celebrated as National Science Day.
He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1924. His equipment cost only about two hundred rupees.
The Raman Effect helped find the inner structure of some 2000 chemical compounds.
Important terms
Optics – the science of light.
Acoustics – the science of sound.
Percussion instruments – instruments played by beating or tapping (tabla, drum).
Scattering – spreading of light in different directions.
Measly – very small (amount).
Language study
Simple present tense for habits and facts: "She goes to school every day." "They go home in the evening."
"Sleep, Baby, Sleep!" is a traditional lullaby by an unknown poet. A mother sings softly to put her baby to sleep. She talks about the father herding sheep, the stars as lambs in the sky, a gift of a sheep with a golden bell, and the shepherd's dog – using love, promises and gentle warnings to make the baby sleep.
Key points
Each stanza begins and ends with "Sleep, baby, sleep!"
Stanza 1: the father herds (looks after) his sheep; the mother shakes a little tree from which pretty dreams fall on the baby – a pleasant picture.
Stanza 2: the sky is white with sheep – the bright stars are lambs and the moon is the shepherd of the night – a beautiful description of the night.
Stanza 3: the mother promises a sheep with a golden bell as a playmate – a promise of a gift.
Stanza 4: she tells the baby not to bleat like a sheep, or the shepherd's angry dog will come and bite "my naughty rogue" – a loving threat.
Stanza 5: she sends the barking black dog away so it does not wake her baby – she removes the threat and makes the baby feel safe.
A lullaby is a soft, soothing song used to "lull" a child to sleep.
Important terms
Lullaby – a soft song to put a child to sleep (अंगाई गीत).
Herd – look after a group of animals.
Bleat – the sound a sheep makes.
Rogue – (here, lovingly) a naughty child.
Thee – you.
Language study
Rhyming words: sleep – sheep, tree – thee, bright – night, be – thee, dog – rogue, go – so.
Metaphor: stars are lambs; the moon is the shepherd of the night.
Refrain: "Sleep, baby, sleep!"
Types of songs: lullaby, patriotic song, prayer, folk song, ballad, nursery rhyme, nature poem, jingle.
5 important questions
Q1. What is a lullaby?
A soft, soothing song sung to lull a child to sleep.
Q2. How does the mother describe the night sky?
The sky is white with sheep; the bright stars are lambs and the moon is their shepherd.
Q3. What gift does the mother promise?
A sheep with a golden bell as a little playmate.
Q4. In which stanza does the mother threaten the baby lovingly?
Stanza 4 – the shepherd's angry dog will bite the naughty child if it bleats like a sheep.
Q5. How does the mother make the baby feel safe at the end?
She sends the barking black dog away so that it will not wake the baby.
Exam tip
Learn which stanza uses which idea – pleasant picture, night, gift, threat, safety.
"The Welcome" is a funny one-act play adapted from a translation of a play by Rabindranath Tagore. Chaturbhuj returns to his village after passing his M.A. and expects everyone to praise him. But everyone is interested only in his fat Afghan cat! Angry and hurt, he finally leaves the village, saying the cat is dead.
Key points
Scene I (village road): Chaturbhuj comes home after his M.A. exams with a plump Afghan cat.
Nilratan keeps interrupting him to ask about the cat – where he got it and how much he paid.
The Zamindar ignores his M.A. and invites the cat to his house for his boys to see.
Uncle Satu also asks about the cat. Chaturbhuj strides away angrily. Satu says education has filled young people with conceit (pride).
Scene II (at home): a little boy asks for the cat; Chaturbhuj slaps him. His mother offers to feed the cat.
He says everyone is crazy about cats and no one cares for "men of worth". He decides to leave at once without eating.
A little girl even talks about the cat's big fat tail.
Scene III (road): he leaves without the cat. When people ask, he says it is dead, and replies rudely. Children run after him crying "Pussy cat, pussy cat".
Humour: the man wants praise for his degree, but the cat gets all the attention.
Important terms
One-act play – a short play with only one act.
Make a fuss over – give a lot of attention and praise.
Plump – fat.
Conceit – too much pride in oneself.
Stride away – walk away with long, angry steps.
Men of worth – valuable, worthy people.
Language study
Types of response: enthusiastic ("Wow! Great news!"), attentive ("Oh! Congratulations!"), neutral ("I see."), indifferent ("So what?"), sarcastic ("Your uncle was the umpire, right?").
Stage directions in brackets: (furiously), (to himself), (plaintively).
5 important questions
Q1. What examination had Chaturbhuj passed?
His M.A. examination.
Q2. What did everyone want to talk about?
His fat Afghan cat, not his M.A.
Q3. What did the Zamindar ask Chaturbhuj to do?
To bring the cat to his house in the evening, or send Beni with it, so that his boys could see it.
Q4. Why did Chaturbhuj get angry with his mother?
She too wanted the cat to feed it; he felt no one cared about him or his success.
Q5. Why is the play funny?
Chaturbhuj expects a grand welcome for his degree, but everyone admires only his cat, which makes him more and more angry.
Exam tip
Learn the five types of responses with an example each – a useful speaking skill.
"News Analysis" teaches us not to believe everything printed in newspapers. We should think carefully about whether a news item is reliable, check the source, and form our opinion with an open mind. The lesson gives four sample news items to analyse.
Key points
Not everything printed is true. We must think before forming an opinion.
News may be good or bad, interesting or boring, reliable or unreliable.
Phrases used to make news sound reliable: "according to our sources", "authorities say", "an eye-witness account", "it is learnt that", "it has come to light that".
(a) Closed shoes not allowed: an institute in Bengaluru bans shoes, socks, mobiles, calculators and gadgets in its entrance test hall, to prevent copying. Pens are given by invigilators.
(b) Ritika takes a break from acting: a famous actress will not sign new films; "sources close to her" say she wants to join politics – this part may not be reliable.
(c) Most dangerous time in history: Professor Stephen Hawking warned that mankind faces challenges like climate change, overpopulation and epidemic diseases; we have only one planet and must protect it.
(d) Quick cure for all ailments?: "Miribaba" sells a "special" powder claiming to cure all diseases, but a hospital doctor says the number of patients has actually increased. The question mark shows doubt.
Newspaper pages carry different types of news: city, state, national, world, political, sports, financial, science.
Important terms
Reliable – that can be trusted (विश्वसनीय).
Eye-witness – a person who saw an event himself.
Invigilator – a person who supervises an exam.
Ailment – illness.
Authorities – people in control.
Language study
Adjectives for news: breaking, shocking, latest, local, sensational, fake.
A question mark in a headline shows doubt about the claim.
5 important questions
Q1. Why are electronic gadgets not allowed in the examination hall?
To prevent copying and cheating.
Q2. Which part of the Ritika news may not be reliable? Why?
That she wants to join politics – it comes only from "sources close to her", not from her.
Q3. What problems did Stephen Hawking say mankind faces?
Climate change, overpopulation and epidemic diseases.
Q4. Why is there a question mark in the heading "Quick cure for all ailments?"
The claim is doubtful; a doctor's report shows patients have increased, so the cure may be false.
Q5. Why should we analyse news?
Because some news may be incomplete, false or meant to mislead; thinking carefully helps us know the truth.
Exam tip
In news-based questions, separate facts (who, what, where) from claims ("sources say").
"Please Don't Read This Poem!" is a funny poem by Kenn Nesbitt. The poet keeps telling the reader to stop reading because the poem is private – "only meant for me". Of course, the more he says "don't read", the more we want to read! The poem also makes us think about privacy and respecting others' personal things.
Key points
The speaker begs the reader not to read the poem; it is his and private.
He politely asks once and warns he does not want to ask twice.
He tells the reader to put the poem down and slowly back away.
He says "just move along, there's nothing here to see".
He even threatens to call a cop if the reader does not stop.
He asks the reader to tell friends and family not to read it either.
Finally, he says it is too late – the reader has already read it all – and jokingly gives a "solution".
Humour: the poem is meant to be read; the "warnings" make us curious.
Serious idea: respect privacy – do not read others' letters or diaries, or look at passwords.
Important terms
Privacy – the right to keep personal things to oneself (गोपनीयता).
Eavesdropping – secretly listening to others' talk.
Politely – in a respectful way.
Contracted form – a short form like don't, it's, I've.
Language study
Contracted forms: don't (do not), it's (it is), I've (I have), isn't (is not), there's (there is), you'll (you will).
Questions with "be" and "have" (no "do" needed):
Yes/No: "Are you writing a story?" "Have you written this?"
Wh-: "Where are you going?" "What have you drawn?"
5 important questions
Q1. Does the poet really want you to stop reading? Explain.
No. It is a joke; telling us not to read makes us more curious to read.
Q2. What does "Put the poem down now and slowly back away" remind you of?
A police officer telling someone to drop a weapon and move away.
Q3. Is reading someone else's diary right or wrong? Why?
Wrong. A diary is private; reading it without permission breaks trust.
Q4. Write the full forms: don't, it's, I've.
do not, it is, I have.
Q5. Make a Wh- question with "have".
What have you done with my book?
Exam tip
Note the humour (irony) of the title and the value of privacy – both are often asked.
"The Red-headed League" is a Sherlock Holmes detective story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, told by Dr Watson. Mr Jabez Wilson, a red-haired pawnbroker, is given a strange, well-paid job by the "Red-headed League". When the League suddenly closes, he asks Holmes for help. Holmes discovers that it was a trick to keep Wilson away while criminals dug a tunnel from his cellar to a bank full of gold.
Key points
Watson finds Holmes with Jabez Wilson, an elderly pawnbroker with fiery red hair.
Wilson's assistant, Vincent Spaulding, showed him an advertisement: a vacancy in the Red-headed League – four pounds a week for nominal (easy) work.
Spaulding was smart, worked for half wages, and often went down to the cellar, saying he was developing photographs.
At 7 Fleet Street, Mr Duncan Ross chose Wilson. He had to stay in the office from ten to two and copy the Encyclopaedia Britannica; if he left, he would lose the job.
After some weeks, the office closed suddenly with a notice that the League was dissolved. Wilson went to Holmes.
Holmes visited the area around Wilson's shop and realised the bank was behind it.
At night Holmes, Watson, Mr Jones of Scotland Yard and Mr Merryweather, the bank chairman, waited in the bank's cellar, full of gold borrowed from the Bank of France.
A stone in the floor lifted; Spaulding – really the criminal John Clay – and Duncan Ross came out of a tunnel.
Holmes seized Clay and knocked his revolver away. Ross dived back, but police waited at Wilson's door.
Holmes explained: the League was a trick to keep Wilson out of the shop while Clay dug the tunnel.
Important terms
League – an association of people.
Pawnbroker – one who lends money against valuable goods.
Nominal – very small, easy.
Cellar – a room under a building used for storage.
Foil – prevent a plan from succeeding.
Alias – another name used by a person.
Language study
Adverbs ending in -ly and their adjectives: quickly – quick, noiselessly – noiseless, silently – silent, suddenly – sudden.
Live English: reading a bicycle user's manual – safety first, check brakes, obey traffic rules, mend a puncture step by step.
5 important questions
Q1. What was the job given to Mr Wilson?
To sit in the League's office from ten to two and copy out the Encyclopaedia Britannica, for four pounds a week.
Q2. Why did Spaulding often go to the cellar?
He said he was developing photographs, but he was really digging a tunnel to the bank.
Q3. Why did the criminals want Wilson away from his shop?
So that they could dig the tunnel from his cellar to the bank without being noticed.
Q4. Who were the two criminals?
Spaulding (alias John Clay) and the red-headed Duncan Ross.
Q5. How did Holmes catch the criminals?
He waited silently in the bank cellar with Watson, Jones and Merryweather; when the criminals came out of the tunnel, he seized Clay, and police waited at the other end for Ross.
Exam tip
Learn the order of events; "arrange in sequence" is a common question for this story.
"Double Standards" is a poem written from a child's point of view. The child complains that grown-ups judge the same action differently: when the child does something, it is called wrong, but when an adult does the same thing, it is excused. The child wonders why people grow up and spoil a child's delight.
Key points
Waking up late: the child is called "lazy"; when the adult wakes late, the alarm is blamed.
Saying "No": the child is "stubborn"; the adult is "firm".
Raising one's voice: the child is "shocking and rude"; the adult is "teaching the child to be good".
Breaking something: the child is "clumsy or careless"; for the adult, "it slipped" and he was helpless.
Doing wrong: the child is "such a terror"; the adult made a "forgivable error".
Quarrelling: the child is "wild and naughty"; the adult quarrelling with a neighbour is "only doing his duty".
So the child is always wrong and the adult always right.
Last line: why do people grow up and spoil a child's delight (joy)?
Message: adults should judge fairly and use the same rule for themselves and children.
Important terms
Double standards – judging the same thing in two different ways for different people.
Stubborn – not willing to change one's mind (हट्टी).
This story by nature activist Bhau Katdare (Sahyadri Nisarg Mitra, Chiplun) tells of a mother pangolin taking her one-month-old baby out for his first night of ant-eating. She teaches him how to find food and how to hide from danger. She warns him about greedy humans who kill pangolins for their flesh and scales.
Key points
Bhau Katdare has worked since 1992 for the conservation of endangered species through the idea of "Conservation of Nature through Livelihood".
Mama Pangolin woke her one-month-old Baby to go ant-eating; he was lazy, so she carried him on her tail.
Their home was a snug hole in the earth, about nine inches wide and more than a metre long.
On the way they saw a porcupine. Mama explained: pangolins have cousins – four in Africa and four in Asia; they are Indian Pangolins; Chinese Pangolins live in northern India.
At an anthill, Mama broke it with her strong curved front claws and ate termites with her long sticky tongue (about one and a half feet).
Baby copied her – his first solid meal after a month of milk. Pangolins have no teeth.
Mama smelled something, pulled Baby close and rolled into a tight ball, looking like a rock.
It was the smell of man. Some people dig up pangolin homes, kill them, eat their flesh and sell their scales, thinking they are medicinal.
Earlier, tribal people killed animals for need, not greed. Now greedy people hunt with torches and guns and destroy forests.
Pangolins help humans by removing millions of ants and termites.
Message: protect endangered animals and their habitats.
Important terms
Pangolin – a scaly, toothless mammal that eats ants and termites (खवले मांजर).
Termites – white ant-like insects.
Endangered – in danger of dying out.
Habitat – natural home.
Devour – eat quickly.
In a trice – very quickly.
Language study
Introducing yourself: "Good morning. I am Riya Patil, a student of Class 7 at …"
This passage is from "Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea" by Jules Verne, the French "Father of Science Fiction". The crew of the frigate Abraham Lincoln chase a mysterious glowing "sea monster" for a whole day and night. Cannons and harpoons fail. In the end the "monster" strikes the ship and the narrator, Professor Aronnax, is thrown into the sea. (The "monster" is really a submarine.)
Key points
The "monster" came at the ship at double its speed, circled it and wrapped it in electric light like luminous dust.
Commander Farragut decided not to attack in the dark but to wait for daylight.
Near midnight the light went out "like a huge glowworm". At 12:53 a loud hiss was heard, like a whale spouting water.
Ned Land, the harpooner, thought it was a whale.
At about two a.m. the light reappeared five miles away. The crew prepared harpoons, blunderbusses and guns.
At dawn the glow disappeared; a dense mist came at seven and cleared at eight.
Ned Land saw the long blackish body "astern to port". The ship chased it at full steam, but it always kept its distance.
A cannon shot missed. The Commander offered $500 to whoever could hit it. An old gunner hit it, but the shell bounced off – it seemed covered with armour plate.
At 10:50 p.m. the light reappeared and seemed still. The ship approached silently.
Ned Land threw his harpoon; it rang as if it hit something hard. The light went out, two huge waterspouts crashed on deck, there was a collision, and Aronnax was hurled into the sea.
Important terms
Frigate – a small, fast warship.
Harpoon – a spear with a rope used to hunt whales.
Cetacean – a sea mammal like a whale.
Luminous – shining, giving light.
Astern to port – behind, on the left side of a ship.
Science fiction – stories based on imagined science and inventions.
Language study
Parts of a ship: bow (front), stern (back), deck (floor), mast (pole), starboard (right side), port (left side), forecastle (front deck).
This lesson shows what a parody is by placing two poems side by side. "How doth the little busy bee" by Isaac Watts praises the hard-working bee. Lewis Carroll's "How doth the little crocodile" imitates it in a funny way, about a crocodile who "welcomes" little fishes into his smiling jaws. A parody is a playful, comic imitation of a writer's style – like a verbal cartoon.
Key points
Isaac Watts' poem: the busy bee uses every shining hour well.
It gathers honey all day from every opening flower.
It skilfully builds its cell, neatly spreads its wax and works hard to store honey.
Message: be hard-working and use time well.
Lewis Carroll's parody: the little crocodile improves his shining tail.
He pours the waters of the Nile on every golden scale.
He seems to grin cheerfully, neatly spreads his claws and welcomes little fishes in with gently smiling jaws – meaning he eats them!
The parody keeps the same pattern and rhythm but changes the meaning to make us laugh.
Carroll's poem appears in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland".
Important terms
Parody – a funny imitation of a writer's style.
Doth – old form of "does".
Cell – a small room of a honeycomb.
Scale – one of the small hard plates on a crocodile's or fish's skin.
Grin – a broad smile.
Language study
Direct and indirect objects: "Mrs Desai teaches us (indirect) English (direct)." "She paid fifty rupees (direct) to the shopkeeper (indirect)."
Transitive and intransitive verbs: "The bell rang." (intransitive) / "Ring the bell twice." (transitive). "Birds fly." / "We fly kites."
5 important questions
Q1. What is a parody?
A playful, comic imitation of a writer's style – like a verbal cartoon.
Q2. What does the busy bee do all day?
It gathers honey from every opening flower and stores it well.
Q3. How does the crocodile "welcome" little fishes?
With gently smiling jaws – he actually eats them.
Q4. Why is Carroll's poem funny?
It copies the serious poem's pattern but describes a cunning crocodile, so the "hard work" becomes catching fish.
Q5. Identify the direct and indirect object: "They gave him a book."
Direct object – a book; indirect object – him.
Exam tip
Compare the two poems line by line in a table – it shows clearly how a parody works.
This lesson is from "The Selfish Giant" by Oscar Wilde. Children love playing in a giant's beautiful garden. When the giant returns, he selfishly builds a wall and keeps them out. Spring refuses to come to his garden, and it stays winter. When the children creep back in, spring returns. The giant realises his selfishness, breaks down the wall and gives the garden to the children.
Key points
Every afternoon the children played in the giant's lovely garden with soft grass, star-like flowers, twelve peach trees and singing birds.
The giant returned after seven years with his friend the Cornish Ogre. He shouted at the children and they ran away.
He built a high wall and put up a notice: "TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED." He was very selfish.
The children had nowhere to play; the road was dusty and stony.
Spring came everywhere except his garden. Birds did not sing and trees did not blossom.
Snow and Frost were pleased and stayed all year; they invited the North Wind and the Hail.
Autumn gave no fruit to his garden – "He is too selfish."
One morning the giant heard a linnet sing and smelled a perfume. Children had crept in through a hole and were sitting in the trees, which blossomed with joy.
In one corner it was still winter: a little boy was too small to climb a tree and was crying.
The giant's heart melted. He realised why spring had not come.
The children ran away when they saw him, but the little boy did not. The giant gently put him in the tree, which blossomed. The boy hugged and kissed him.
The other children came back, and spring came too. The giant knocked down the wall with an axe and played with the children.
Important terms
Selfish – caring only for oneself (स्वार्थी).
Trespasser – a person who enters someone's land without permission.
Prosecuted – taken to court for punishment.
Ogre – a cruel giant in stories.
Linnet – a small singing bird.
Casement – a window that opens like a door.
Language study
Personification: Spring, Snow, Frost, North Wind, Hail and Autumn act like persons – Snow and Frost are pleased, the North Wind roars, Autumn refuses fruit.