ENTIRE FLAMINGO

PROSE
 Franz was a young school boy in the district of Alsace which had been occupied by the

SDC
Germans during the Franco-Prussian war of 1870-71. One morning he walked reluctantly
towards school as he had failed to learn the grammar lesson assigned by his teacher M. Hamel.
The fear of punishment brought wayward ideas to his mind. He thought of escaping school and
spending his day in the company of nature. However, he resisted all temptations and
proceeded gradually hoping to escape his teacher's attention amidst the usual hustle and
bustle of early hours at school. Before reaching his destination he passed the town hall where
he saw a great rush of people in front of the bulletin-board. As an inhabitant from a war-torn
area, he knew that there must be yet another dreadful message posted on the board. But he
wondered what it could be.
On reaching school he witnessed an unusual calm. The class was occupied by the villagers
along with the regular students. Surprisingly, their teacher, M. Hamel, dressed in his Sunday
best, did not reprimand Franz for being late. Instead he asked him solemnly to be seated in his
place. The reason for the unusual happenings of this day dawned upon Franz when his teacher
announced that it would be their 'Last French Lesson' because the Prussians had passed an
order that sought to replace the teaching of French with German. This news sounded like a
disaster.

THE LAST LESSON

 M. Hamel, however, did not let the spirits to dampen and began the last lesson with full

SDC
enthusiasm. Franz was asked to recite the rules of participles which he fumbled with as he
had not revised properly. He repented his casual attitude towards his own mother tongue
and now, the fear of losing the opportunity to master his native language spelled like doom
to him. But, contrary to the routine days, M. Hamel did not scold Franz. He expressed deep
worry about the human tendency to take things for granted. He held everyone, including
himself, responsible for the failure to learn French.
However, like a true spirited teacher, he devoted the entire 'last lesson' to pass on to the
students his knowledge as best as he could. He praised the French language as the most
beautiful in the world and asked his students to guard it always. He explained the lesson with
patience and gave new copies to the students with 'France Alsace' written in beautiful
handwriting on them. The students too exhibited rare attention and tried to learn all that
their teacher taught on that day.
Towards the end of the lesson, the teacher and his students, both young and old, were
overwhelmed with emotion. M. Hamel signed off his last lesson by writing in big letters the
message 'Long Live France' on the board.

THE LAST LESSON

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS STANDALONE
i. Concluding his last lesson by writing ‘Vive

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la France!’ on the blackboard shows that
M. Hamel
a. was overwhelmed with emotions.
b. wanted to distract all attending class that
day.
c. was keen on not leaving the country.
d. wanted to teach French participles
through it

THE LAST LESSON_2020_21

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

SDC
ii. Comment on the
significance of the villagers
sitting at the back in M.
Hamel’s classroom.

THE LAST LESSON_2020_21

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

SDC
Q.“You realise the true value of a
thing only on losing it.” Comment
on this statement in
the light of the story, The Last
Lesson.

THE LAST LESSON_2022_23

 "Sometimes I Find a Rupee in the Garbage"

SDC
The author, Anees Jung, writes about her experiences after meeting some children from the
poorest strata of society. The first amongst them is a young refugee boy, Saheb-e-Alam, from
Bangladesh. He is a rag-picker who does not go to school because he does not have one in the
neighbourhood. Out of enthusiasm to help the boy, Jung promises that she will open a school in
his neighbourhood but later feels embarrassed for making a promise that she cannot keep. Over a
period of time, she meets more boys like Saheb and notices that none of these children have
worn shoes. An analysis reveals that this practice is more due to lack of resources than a matter
of habit. She visits their slum, Seemapuri, in order to grasp their plight in a better way. She is
pained to see their pathetic living conditions. The only benefit these refugees have is an Indian
ration card that enables them to buy grains. They are compelled to accept their fate, for they
have little choice in life. Picking garbage is their sole means of survival. Anees meets Saheb again
after a gap of few days. She hoped to see some positive change in his life. However, it is painful to
learn that in his attempt to procure a better life Saheb has moved from one stage of exploitation
to another. He now works for a tea stall owner and carries a milk canister which is heavier than his
rag bag. As a rag picker, at least he was his own master.

LOST SPRING
 "I Want to Drive a Car"
Mukesh is another young boy whom the author meets. This boy belongs to a family of bangle makers in

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Firozabad. He wishes to be a motor mechanic and is willing to walk miles for training. However, a peep into
the lives of his family members and other bangle makers like them reveals yet another squalor filled
existence which is without hope or dignity. The writer is moved by the deplorable working conditions in
the glass furnaces. Poor ventilation, high temperatures, and dim lights cause loss of eyesight at an early
age in the workers here. The writer is equally disturbed to see the living areas of these workers. Their
houses do not have windows, doors are wobbly, and walls may crumble any time. Their lanes stink with
choked garbage. During the visit to the houses of bangle workers, Anees also gets a chance to sneak into
the lives of Savita, a young girl in the bangle making industry, Mukesh's sister-in-law and his grandmother.
A discussion with them makes it clear that these people have given up efforts to improve their lot. They
have accepted their victimisation as their destiny. Poverty and lack of education has trapped these
people in a vicious circle that seems impossible to escape from. Even the men-folk do not wish to organize
cooperatives or make any other effort that could give them a better life. The children born in these
families particularly face dual victimisation. First, due to poverty and second, due to suppression at the
hands of middlemen, police, politicians, and bureaucrats. However, Mukesh is an exception and his
determination to become a motor mechanic shall perhaps be the first ray of hope for all.
A look into the lives of depravity led by the slum children is an attempt by the writer to evoke a sense of
responsibility in each one of us to work collectively towards their upliftment.

LOST SPRING
 PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS STANDALONE

i. Saheb’s discarded and worn out

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tennis shoes are
a. an indication to procure
different ones.
b. a dream come true.
c. a sign of his poverty.
d. an insult to the sport itself
LOST SPRING _2020_21
 PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

SDC
Q. ‘Little has moved with
time, it seems, in Firozabad.’
State any one reason why
the writer says this.

LOST SPRING _2020_21

 PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

SDC
Q. Food is more important for survival than an identity. “If at the end of the day we can feed
our families and go to bed without an aching stomach, we would rather live here than in
the fields that gave us no grain,” say a group of women in tattered saris when I ask them
why they left their beautiful land of green fields and rivers. Wherever they find food, they
pitch their tents that become transit homes. Children grow up in them, becoming partners
in survival. And survival in Seemapuri means rag-picking. Through the years, it has
acquired the proportions of a fine art. Garbage to them is gold. It is their daily bread, a roof
over their heads, even if it is a leaking roof. But for a child it is even more

LOST SPRING _2020_21

 PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

SDC
i. The phrase ‘transit ii. Identify the figure of
homes’ refer to the speech used in the
dwellings that are sentence “Garbage to
a. unhygienic. them is gold”.
b. inadequate. a. hyperbole
c. fragile. b. simile
d. temporary. c. synecdoche
d. personification

LOST SPRING _2020_21

 PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

iii. Choose the term iv. What does ‘acquired the

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which best matches the proportions of a fine art’
mean?
statement ‘Food is more
a. Rag-picking has regained
important for survival its lost status.
than an identity.”? b. A segment of ragpickers
a. immorality are skilled in fine arts.
b. necessity c. Rag-picking has attained
the position of a skill.
c. obligation
d. Only a few people are
d. ambition experts in rag-picking.

LOST SPRING _2020_21

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

SDC
Q. What do we come to know
about the author of Lost Spring,
Anees Jung, through her
interactions with Saheb and
Mukesh?

LOST SPRING_2022_23
 SDC
William Douglas recounts an incident from his childhood that had far reaching
influence on his views about life and death.
Douglas had decided to learn swimming when he was ten or eleven years old. The
Y.M.C.A. pool in Yakima offered ideal conditions for this purpose. Besides, his mother
was against the option to swim in the Yakima river because it was infamous for
drowning many. The gentle gradient of the pool, in comparison, was a safer alternative.
Although, Douglas was conscious about exposing his thin legs as he walked into the
pool, still he overcame pride and went for swimming. However, he was averse to water
from the beginning itself. The reason rested in another episode when he was about
three or four years old. At that time his father had taken him to a beach in California. In
spite of standing together with his father and hanging on to him, the waves knocked
him down and swept over him. Baby Douglas was extremely frightened but when he
saw his father laughing at him, he was embarrassed. This episode led to the feeling of
aversion for water in Douglas.

DEEP WATER
 The visit to the Y.M.C.A. pool refreshed those unpleasant memories. Still, Douglas

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overcame all such childish apprehensions and resolved to learn swimming. He
observed the other boys carefully and tried to learn by imitating them. He did this
twice or thrice on different days and was just beginning to feel comfortable when a
'misadventure' happened.
One day he reached the pool when no one was around. Douglas decided against going
in the pool all by himself. As he waited for more people to join, a big bully of a boy,
about eighteen years old and well built, happened to reach there. Like a typical
teenager, he picked up Douglas and threw him in the pool just for fun. This was
definitely going to be life threatening for Douglas as he did not know how to swim
properly and was also afflicted by the fear of water. What followed was the most
horrifying experience for this child. He struggled to swim up and applied every rule,
which he could recall, to save himself. He planned to push himself to the surface and
then paddle to the edge of the pool. Contrary to this plan, he failed to pop- out and
rose slowly.

DEEP WATER
 He also struggled while trying to bring his legs to paddle. He went up and down

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a couple of times. Eventually, he lost stamina as well as the will to struggle
against drowning. Having swallowed a lot of water, he became unconscious.
On regaining consciousness he found that he had been saved and everyone
was trying to revive him.
He walked home several hours later but was weak and trembling.
This feeling was more because of terror than exhaustion. The phobia haunted
him for years. He could not enjoy any water sport without the old fear
revisiting him. He began to resent this handicap and one fine day in October,
he decided to get an instructor from whom he could learn to swim. Days of
practice under the guidance of his trainer along with his own determination
finally got Douglas out of the gripping clutches of fear for water. He continued
to test his potential as a swimmer well after his instructor had finished training
him.

DEEP WATER
 On many occasions, he deliberately confronted drowning and challenged water

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to try to scare him. He first went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire and swam
2 miles across the lake to Stamp Act Island. When in the middle of the lake, he put
his face underwater to challenge his old fear. It fled and he swam on. Some days
later he went to Warm Lake and swam across and back shouting with joy at having
conquered his fear. With every victory against the challenges posed by water,
Doulas came out stronger.
Many years later, as he recalled this misadventure, he drew a very important
lesson of life: 'In death there is peace. There is terror only in the fear of death.'
His friend Roosevelt, the US president, was also of the opinion that 'All we have
to fear is fear itself.' Douglas had experienced both-the sensation of dying and
the terror that fear of it could produce. This strengthened his will to live which
made him a courageous and a better person.

DEEP WATER
PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS STANDALONE
i. Choose the statement that is NOT

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TRUE with reference to Douglas
a. Douglas’s fear kept him away from
leisurely activities in water.
b. The fall in the pool at YMCA taught
Douglas a life lesson.
c. The fear of drowning was the source
of Douglas’s anxiety and terror.
d. Douglas decided to practice
relentlessly to overcome his fear.

DEEP WATER_2020_21
PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

SDC
Q. The story Deep Water talks about
Douglas’ attempts to overcome his fear of
water.
The story can also be viewed as a figurative
manifestation of life’s many challenges.
Elaborate with reference to the text.

DEEP WATER_2020_21
PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

SDC
Q. The prose selections, Deep Water and Indigo, bring out the
importance of overcoming fear, in order to be able to lead our
lives successfully.
Imagine yourself to be a motivational speaker who has to
address high school
students. Write this address in 120 – 150 words elaborating on
occurrences from the two texts to inspire your audience and
to convince them about the importance of overcoming fear.
You may begin like this … Good morning, students! We all know
what it’s like to be afraid. Fear is our body’s natural response
to a perceived threat or danger. But when …

DEEP WATER_2022_23
 The story is about a poor wanderer who used to make his living by selling

SDC
rattraps made out of begged material. He also took to petty stealing at times as
selling rattraps alone was not enough to sustain him. When lonely, a somber
thought often crossed the rattrap-seller's mind. He felt that all the comforts of
life were nothing but baits set to trap human beings. Thus he found the world
to be similar to a rattrap where men and women succumbed to temptations.
One day, as he moved door to door selling his rattraps, he reached a small gray
cottage and sought shelter from the owner who lived alone. This man had been
a crofter at Ramsjö Ironworks. He was extremely kind to the peddler. He not
only fed him porridge but the two also smoked together and played cards. The
crofter was so pleased to have a guest that he disclosed his source of income
to this stranger. He showed him the thirty kronor which he had got after selling
his cow's milk to the creamery and had kept in a pouch hung on a nail near the
window frame.

THE RATTRAP
 The next morning the rattrap seller took leave of his host but returned

SDC
half an hour later, smashed the window pane and stole the money that
the crofter had shown him the previous evening. He took to the road
into the woods to avoid getting caught. He walked quite long and got
confused by the maze of forest paths. Dead-tired and hungry, he
realized that he had fallen into a trap. Suddenly he heard the regular
thumping of the hammer and realized that he was near some iron mill.
He gathered strength and walked in the direction of the sound to
finally reach the Ramsjö Ironworks. He sneaked into the mill and
entered the forge. He sought permission from the master blacksmith
to stay for the night. The man agreed but rather coldly. Still, the
peddler went close to the furnace to warm himself and lied down to
sleep.

THE RATTRAP
 The owner of this mill was a prominent ironmaster whose ambition was to

SDC
ship out good iron. Hence he would visit his workers regularly to inspect
their work. He came to the mill that night as well. The rattrap seller's
presence caught his attention and he moved closer only to mistake him for
his old regimental comrade Captain Nils Olof. Overwhelmed to meet his old
acquaintance and saddened by his pitiable condition, the mill owner
insisted the rattrap seller to accompany him to his manor house. The
peddler did not reveal his true identity but refused to go with the
ironmaster. After failing to convince the peddler to be his Christmas guest,
the ironmaster left the mill. But, within half an hour his daughter, Edla
Willmansson, arrived and invited the peddler once again. She assured him
that he could leave anytime after Christmas. The peddler changed his mind
and accompanied the young girl to their manor house. On the way he felt as
if he had fallen into the trap from which he would never be released.

THE RATTRAP
 On reaching the manor house he was accorded a warm welcome.

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He was given a shave, a refreshing bath and change of clothes.
After this transformation he was presented before the
ironmaster who realized that he had mistaken this man for his
old comrade. Upset by the peddler's pretence, the ironmaster
threatened to hand him over to the Sheriff. However, the
peddler insisted that he had never claimed to be the comrade
that he was thought to be. On the contrary, it was the ironmaster
who had refused to listen to him. At this point Edla intervened
and said that in spite of the misunderstanding she wanted the
man to stay with them for Christmas. Her father gave in to her
wish and this unknown guest was given a hospitable stay.

THE RATTRAP
 He was invited to the feast and other celebrations over the evening. He slept like a

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log in between the festivities. The Christmas Eve passed peacefully and Edla and
her father left for the church in the morning leaving behind their sleeping guest. On
reaching the church, they heard about the theft at the crofter's and realized that
the thief's description fitted their guest. Worried and upset, they returned home
thinking that their precious silverware too must have been stolen by now. However,
when they reached the manor they were informed by their valet that the guest had
left without taking anything with him. Rather he had left behind a parcel for Edla.
She curiously opened the ill packed gift to find a rattrap and the three ten kronor
notes wrapped in it. A note accompanied this gift with the request for Edla to return
the money to its owner. The peddler had expressed gratitude to the girl for treating
him like a true Captain. The humane treatment by the gentle woman had aroused
the conscience of this tramp and he had made an effort to rise from his befallen
state by returning the stolen money.

THE RATTRAP
STAND ALONE PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS
i. The writer tones down the

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philosophical load inherent in ‘The
Rattrap’ with the
inclusion of
a. ironical situations.
b. satirical dialogues.
c. classical references.
d. humour and wit.
THE RATTRAP _2020_21
 PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

SDC
ii. Explain the metaphor
of the rattrap in context
of the story by Selma
Lagerlöf

THE RATTRAP _2020_21

 PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

SDC
Q. How does the story, 'Rattrap'
highlight the importance of
community over isolation?
Support your rationale with textual
evidence

THE RATTRAP _2020_21

 PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

SDC
Q. A mistaken identity led to a
discovery of a new one for the
rattrap peddler.
How did this impact him?

THE RATTRAP _2021_22

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

SDC
Q. If the Christmas spirit is about selflessness,
forgiveness and becoming 'better' versions
of ourselves amongst other things, Edla
Willmansson is the epitome of this spirit.
Justify with two points of evidence from The
Rattrap.

THE RATTRAP_2022_23
 Gandhiji's decision to seek the ouster of the British regime from India was affected by

SDC
an incident that happened in 1917.
In December 1916, Gandhiji had gone to Lucknow to attend the annual convention of
the Indian National Congress. Rajkumar Shukla, a poor farmer from Champaran,
approached him and requested him to visit his place to see the plight of the indigo
planters in that part of the country. However, Gandhiji had prior commitments and he
could not go with Shukla. But the indigo cropper patiently followed Gandhiji to all the
places that he went. Noticing the persistence of this man, Gandhiji decided to
accompany him to Champaran. The duo reached Patna and stayed for one night at the
house of Rajendra Prasad who later became the President of India. Then on, they
moved to Muzzafarpur where they were received by Prof. J B Kriplani and his students.
Gandhiji stayed at the house of Prof. Malkani, a government school teacher. This was
unusual because government employees were generally reluctant to show any
inclination towards the Congressmen. Meanwhile, the news about Gandhiji's arrival
spread and peasants reached Muzaffarpur with the hope of a solution to their plight.

INDIGO
 The plantations and estates were owned by the British who

SDC
compelled the tenants to grow indigo in 15% of the land. This
crop was then taken away as rent. But after the Germans
developed synthetic indigo, the British land owners knew that
they could no longer continue making profits via cropping of
indigo. In an attempt to squeeze out the last profit from the
planters, they began to charge compensation from them for
releasing them from the arrangement of forceful planting of
indigo. Some peasants signed the agreement because they did
not yet know of the synthetic indigo. Slowly, when the news
about the synthetic indigo reached the farmers, they sought
the legal course to retrieve the compensation money.

INDIGO
 Gandhiji tried to analyze this situation by talking to the lawyers who were

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representing the case of the peasants. During the course of conversation he
discovered that the lawyers had been charging high fee from the peasants. He
scolded the lawyers for this apathy and decided to change the course of
action because he did not expect justice from the law courts run by the
British. He then resolved to free the people of fear from the ruler.
Gandhiji arrived in Champaran and asked the secretary of the British
landlord's association for details but was refused on the ground that he was
an outsider. Gandhiji claimed that he was not an outsider because this was his
country. He then tried to contact the administrative officials of Tirhut who
declined any help and advised him to leave the town at once. Instead,
Gandhiji left for Motihari along with several prominent Indian lawyers.

INDIGO
 Crowds of peasants greeted release Gandhiji but asked him to furnish bail for

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the two hour recess before the judgment was pronounced. Gandhiji defied
again. The judgment was withheld for a few days but Gandhiji was allowed to
stay free. The lawyers who had come for the trial had no choice but to return
because of this stand-off. However, they decided to court arrest, as per
Gandhiji's wish, thus registering their fight against the injustice meted out to
the sharecroppers. This marked the beginning of the victory of the battle of
Champaran.
Gandhiji's principle of civil disobedience had proved successful. The Lt
Governor dropped the case against Gandhiji. However, a defiant Gandhiji did
not leave Champaran and went ahead to inquire further into the grievances of
the farmers. About ten thousand testimonies were recorded. Gandhiji was
again summoned by the Lt Governor because the civil disobedience launched
by him had set the stage for greater trouble.

INDIGO
 Finally a commission of inquiry was appointed in which Gandhiji represented the

SDC
peasants. The British landlords were him at the station. He began investigations to
understand deeply this system of exploitation of ignorant farmers. During one of his visits
to an affected farmer, he was stopped on his way and was driven back to town. An official
notice was served ordering him to leave Champaran. Gandhiji signed the notice but put a
remark that he would defy it. Subsequently, he was summoned to appear in the court the
next day. Gandhiji stayed awake the whole night and made preparations before appearing
at the court. The news about the brewing trouble spread fast and thousands of peasants
gathered around the court. The officials had to seek Gandhiji's help to control these men.
As a result of this mass unrest, the authorities postponed the trial. In turn, Gandhiji
protested against the delay and read out a statement admitting that he disobeyed the law
but also emphasized that the voice of his conscience held greater value than the law. The
judge decided to left with no choice and they agreed to refund the money. Gandhiji
agreed to a refund of 25% of the original amount because this was signatory of the victory
of the suppressed as well as the surrender of the British.

INDIGO
 Gandhiji did not stop at this political victory because his real

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aim was the social and cultural upliftment of Champaran. He
initiated a campaign of social welfare by setting up schools and
health centres. His wife and youngest son, along with many
volunteers, joined him in this task.
Thus, a brief visit to a remote district was extended for more
than a year and this experience marked a turning point in the life
of Gandhiji. His unconventional way of politics became apparent
because his focus remained on the common man's everyday
problems seeking liberation through self-reliance.

INDIGO
PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

SDC
Q. They had merely heard that a Mahatma who wanted to help them was in trouble with the
authorities. Their spontaneous demonstration, in thousands, around the courthouse was
the beginning of their liberation from fear of the British. The officials felt powerless without
Gandhi’s cooperation. He helped them regulate the crowd. He was polite and friendly. He
was giving them concrete proof that their might, hitherto dreaded and unquestioned, could
be challenged by Indians. The government was baffled. The prosecutor requested the judge
to postpone the trial. Apparently, the authorities wished to consult their superiors.

INDIGO _2020_21
PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS
i. The officials felt ii. The demonstration proved

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powerless because that the
a. policies of the British had
a. of Gandhi’s refusal to
failed.
cooperate with them. b. dread instilled in the hearts
b. of Gandhi’s polite and of Indians had begun to
friendly behaviour. lessen.
c. the crowd was listening c. dealings with the Indian
citizens had been
only to Gandhi.
unsuccessful.
d. the crowd was getting d. might of the British had not
violent. been understood by Indians.

INDIGO _2020_21
PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS
iii. Which style, from those iv. Gandhiji’s behaviour

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given below, is being used by towards the British
the author, when he says, prior to the proposal of
“Apparently, the authorities postponement of the
wished to consult their
trial was that of
superiors.”?
a. indifference.
a. humourous
b. calm acceptance.
b. dramatic
c. sarcastic c. ignorance of
d. persuasive consequences.
d. polite helpfulness.

INDIGO _2020_21
PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS
v. Rajkumar Shukla’s efforts resulted

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in Gandhiji’s fight for the farmer’s
cause. This showcases that he was
a. meticulous and kind.
b. sincere and curious.
c. enterprising and persistent.
d. respectful and congenial.

INDIGO _2020_21
PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

SDC
Q. As the host of a talk show, introduce Rajkumar
Shukla to the audience by
stating any two of his defining qualities.
You may begin your answer like this:
Meet Rajkumar Shukla, the man who played a
pivotal role in the Champaran
Movement. He ……

INDIGO _2021_22
PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

SDC
Q. Biographies include features of non-fiction
texts – factual information and different
text structures such as description, sequence,
comparison, cause and effect, or
problem and solution. Examine Indigo in the
light of this statement, in about 120-150
words.

INDIGO _2021_22
 The author, Asokamitran, describes the environment and people of Gemini Studios –- a

SDC
film production organisation located in Chennai. He begins by telling about Pancake
which was the brand name of the make-up material used there in great amounts.
Describing its use in a humorous way, the author clarifies that it was quite an old
brand. The make-up department, that used the Pancake, was in the upper part of the
studio building supposed to have been Robert Clive's stables. Talking about Clive, the
author relates a few interesting things about his stay in Madras, the wars he fought and
even his marriage.
The author then goes on to give an elaborate description of the make-up room. It
looked like a hair-cutting salon with bright lights. This department was headed by
people from different states signifying national integration. The time period discussed
about by the author was when film shooting was done mainly indoors. The author
mockingly observes that the make-up artists excelled in making people look ugly,
hideous and monstrous with Pancake. He then goes on to describe the hierarchal order
observed by this department.

POETS AND PANCAKES

 The work of applying make-up was divided among the chief make-up man,

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senior assistant, junior assistant and the office boy. The senior the actor,
the senior the make-up artist. Talking about the office boy, Asokamitran
writes that he was a man in his early forties but was called a 'boy' because
many years ago he had joined the studio as a one. He aspired to establish
himself as a top film star or a writer, lyricist or even a director.
Explaining his own position in the studio, the writer humbly shares that he
remained occupied with the insignificant task of cutting and storing
newspaper clippings. Everyone, including the office boy, lectured him
continuously. The office boy used the writer as his dumping box by giving
vent to his frustrations whenever he would find him in cubicle.
Asokamitran got so upset with this that he often prayed for outdoor
shootings so that the office boy could then remain busy making-up the
crowd.

POETS AND PANCAKES

 The chapter's narrative then moves to Kothamangalam Subbu, the No. 2

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at Gemini. He is described as an undeserving man who rose to status
merely for the reason that he belonged to the high caste of Brahmins.
Opportunities came readily to him and he used his own ability as a
sycophant to become next to the boss. He always remained cheerful and
was not affected even by the failure of a film. He kept throwing around
his weight by keeping someone or the other at his beck and call. He was
always ready with numberless solutions to the problems encountered by
his boss while shooting a film. He claimed to be a poet, which the author
doubted. However, Subbu performed some minor roles and wrote story
poems in folk refrain which overshadowed his literary achievements.
Asokamitran talks about Subbu in a tongue- in-cheek manner describing
him as an amazing actor.

POETS AND PANCAKES

 SDC
The writer next describes the Story Department of the studio. This department had a
lawyer, a group of writers and also Subbu. The lawyer was mockingly referred to as
'illegal adviser' because he employed craftiness to ruin the career of a budding actress.
He stealthily recorded her angry criticism of the producer and to her horror, played it
back. His appearance in pants and tie made him stand out amid other members who
wore Gandhian attire. Being close to the boss, he was allowed to produce a film that
unfortunately flopped. This resulted in the closure of the Story Department and also
his job. Admiring the general atmosphere of the Gemini Studios, the writer tells that it
was a favourite haunt of the literati. Its mess served good coffee round the clock which
attracted thinkers for a get together over a cup of coffee, since alcohol was prohibited
under the rule of congress. Commenting upon the political ideology of the Studio, the
author points out that most of the writers wore khadi and were admirers of Gandhiji.
They were averse to communism and considered communists to be heartless and
violent creatures without warmth and follow feeling.

POETS AND PANCAKES

 The author then discusses the various groups and people who paid visit to the

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studio. The first among them was the Moral Re-Armament army of Frank
Bachman. MRA was a counter-movement to communism and comprised of
about 200 heads. They visited Madras in 1952 and presented the plays 'Jotham
Valley' and 'The Forgotten Factor'. The sets and costumes of these plays were
so wonderful that all the 600 members of Gemini saw these plays many times
over. The sunrise and sunset scenes depicted in these plays were reproduced in
almost all Tamil plays for many years. Another mysterious visitor who came to
the studio was rumoured to be a poet or an editor. In his welcome speech, even
the Boss could not be very clear while introducing this guest. In addition, the
heavy British accent, in which the guest addressed the simple Tamil audience,
added failure of connection between the guest and the gathering.

POETS AND PANCAKES

 SDC
Some time later, the author's creative urge motivated him to participate in a short
story contest organised by a British periodical, 'The Encounter'. To ascertain its
validity, he visited the British Council Library and was at once awestruck to spot the
name of the editor. It was Stephen Spender, the same mysterious visitor to the Gemini
Studios whose visit had left everyone baffled. Asokamitran was overwhelmed as if he
had found a long lost brother. So, he at once posted his entry. Years later, when the
author was out of the Gemini Studios, he continued to buy books that costed less since
he could not afford highly priced ones. On one such occasion he happened to buy "The
God That Failed" - a book that had compilation of six essays on the issue of journey
into Communism and disillusionment with it. Stephen Spender happened to be one of
the essayists who had contributed to this book. The baffled reaction of the audience at
Gemini Studios to Stephen Spender's discourse now became clear to the writer. His
boss might not have related to Spender's poetry but his disillusionment with
communism could be related to.

POETS AND PANCAKES

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

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Q. A girl from the countryside, she hadn’t gone through all the stages of worldly
experience that generally precede a position of importance and sophistication that she
had found herself catapulted into. She never quite recovered from the terror she felt
that day. That was the end of a brief and brilliant acting career — the legal adviser,
who was also a member of the Story Department, had unwittingly brought about that
sad end. While every other member of the Department wore a kind of uniform —
khadi dhoti with a slightly oversized and clumsily tailored white khadi shirt — the legal
adviser wore pants and a tie and sometimes a coat that looked like a coat of mail.
Often, he looked alone and helpless …

POETS AND PANCAKES _2022_23

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

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i. Select the option that completes
the given sentence appropriately. ii. Select the
‘Stages of worldly experience’ in
the given context would refer to suitable word
________
from the extract
A. good education to gain
knowledge. to complete the
B. situations that require one to be
street smart.
following analogy:
C. smaller, not so important roles sealed: closed ::
in acting.
D. training in soft skills. propelled:_________

POETS AND PANCAKES _2022_23

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS
iii. Select the correct

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iv. Based on the above extract,
option to fill in the blank. choose the statement that is
TRUE for the legal adviser.
The harm done to the A. He disliked the actress from
actress was a/an the countryside.
A. well-planned act. B. He acted after thinking
through things carefully.
B. unintentional act. C. He did not gel well with others
C. act of jealousy. in the Department.
D. act of male D. He was always dressed
smartly.
dominance.

POETS AND PANCAKES _2022_23

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

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vi. Complete the sentence
v. Identify the textual with an appropriate
clue that allows the explanation, as per the
reader to infer that the extract.
writer is sympathetic The writer uses the word
towards the ‘uniform’ to refer to the
professional fate of
outfits of the Department
the actor. (Clue: a
members
phrase)
because just like a
uniform ___________

POETS AND PANCAKES _2022_23

 PART-I

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Interview - a genre that has a history of over 130 years evokes different responses
in different minds regarding its uses, modes and manners. Till date, thousands of
celebrities have been interviewed.
Every literate person is familiar with it and many view it as an art that brings out
the real truth helping one to get a perfect insight of the personality of the
interviewee.
Many celebrities detest the interview and see it as an encroachment on their
privacy and an act that depreciates them. V. S. Naipaul is of the view that
interview has an injuring effect and during its course one loses a part of oneself.
Lewis Carroll, the author of 'Alice in Wonderland', was another celebrity who
shunned interviews for the fear of being projected as larger than life. His
vehement refusal for interviews led him in keeping his fans, acquaintances and
interviewers at an arm's length. This gave him a great satisfaction as well as
amusement. Later on, he would narrate such experiences with great relish.

THE INTERVIEW
 Rudyard Kipling also viewed interview as something derogatory and

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always refused to grant one. However, he himself had once interviewed
Mark Twain. Kipling neither held the interviewer in good esteem nor did
he consider it to be respectable for the interviewee. His wife quotes him
condemning it as 'immoral', 'an offence', 'a crime' and 'something vile
and cowardly'. He even felt that the whole process merited punishment.
Though Saul Bellow saw interview as an ordeal, he was interviewed
several times and he himself conducted Joseph Stalin's interview. He
felt suffocated by interviews and viewed them as 'thumbprints on his
windpipe'.
In spite of its demerits, interview is a very good medium of
communication. Denis Brian described interview as an expressive
medium which gives the interviewer a very momentous position.

THE INTERVIEW
 PART - II

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The second part of the chapter is an excerpt from an interview of Prof Umberto Eco, who
apart from being an authority on semiotics (the study of signs), is a renowned and brilliant
scholar from the University of Bologna, Italy. An author of wide-ranging literature
comprising fiction, academic texts, essays, children's books and newspaper articles, he
stormed the world with his novel "The Name of the Rose" which sold more than 10 million
copies.
Interviewed by Mukund Padmanabhan from 'The Hindu', Umberto Eco very humbly spells
the secret behind his varied and staggeringly voluminous works. When Mukund asks for
Eco's response to David Lodge's (an English Novelist) remark that how one man could do
all the things that Umberto Eco did, Eco brushes aside the compliment. He very modestly
says that it was a fallacious impression about him. He reveals that his works are infact a
repetition of the same philosophical ideas expressed via different genres. Next, he
elaborates how he utilizes even the briefest gaps between two different pieces of work
that result in his producing unimaginably large amount of scholarly pieces. He calls these
gaps 'interstices'. Working during these interstices makes him work wonders.

THE INTERVIEW
 Mukund then asks about his inimitable and playful style which is poles apart from

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the dull and drab style that the scholars adopt for writing academic works. In his
answer to this question that if this informal narrative style comes to him
spontaneously or is a result of conscious effort, Eco tells Mukund how he learnt this
secret at the young age of 22. When he submitted his first Doctoral dissertation, his
professor was impressed with the interesting story of his research, which rather than
just enlisting the conclusions, included all his trials and errors that helped him reach
the completion of his thesis. By way of complimenting him, the professor got his
research work published as a book. That clinched the issue of the style. Since then,
Umberto says, he never deviated from this narrative style, which eventually made
him a novelist although quite late at the age of 50. Roland Barthes, an essayist friend
of Umberto Eco, died a frustrated man with the unfulfilled wish of becoming a
creative writer. Umberto says, he never had this frustration as even his research
work had the creative flavour.

THE INTERVIEW
 Novel writing came to Eco, accidentally. Having nothing to do one

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day, he started trying his hand at novel writing and stormed the
world with "The Name of the Rose" - a detective novel which,
despite delving into metaphysics, theology and medieval history,
drew millions of readers. Most people know Eco as a novelist but it
doesn't please him as he identifies himself with the academic
community and he enjoys attending academic conferences rather
than attending meetings of penclubs and writers. However, fiction
draws him an audience that his scholarly works can never draw.
Umberto has only five novels to his credit and over 40 non-fictional
works.

THE INTERVIEW
 On being asked if the tumultuous success of "The Name of the Rose"

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surprised him, Umberto Eco frankly says that it didn't puzzle him much
but it was far beyond the expectations of the journalists and publishers
as they had never imagined that so many people could be drawn to
serious reading. Umberto, however has his own logic. He feels that just
as he himself turns to light television programmes like 'Miami Vice' and
'Emergency Room' after dinner, everybody likes brief spells of light
reading every now and then. As such, serious reading also interests the
readers. The pre-medieval period that his book deals with could also
have been instrumental in giving it a huge success. Umberto, however
feels its success is a mystery. Had it been published a decade earlier or
later, it might not have seen such an encouraging response.

THE INTERVIEW
PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

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Q.Some might make quite extravagant claims for it as being,
in its highest form, a source of truth, and, in its practice, an
art. Others, usually celebrities who see themselves as its
victims, might despise the interview as an unwarranted
intrusion into their lives, or feel that it somehow diminishes
them, just as in some primitive cultures it is believed that if
one takes a photographic portrait of somebody then one is
stealing that person’s soul.

THE INTERVIEW_2022_23
PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS
i. What is the most likely reason

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some people consider the ii. Rewrite the sentence
practice of interview to be an
by replacing the
art?
This could be because it underlined phrase with
requiresA. fluency of words. its inference.
B. sensitive and careful Celebrities feel that an
handling.
C. creativity and imagination. interview diminishes
D. probing and focusing on them.
details.

THE INTERVIEW _2022_23

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS
iii. On the basis of the extract, choose
iv. Rationalise, to

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the correct option with reference to
the two support the given
statements given below.
(1) Celebrities don’t consent to be
opinion:
interviewed. To say that an
(2) Interviews intrude the privacy of
celebrities. interview, in its
A. (1) Can be inferred from the extract highest form, is a
but (2) cannot.
B. (1) cannot be inferred from the source of truth, is an
extract but (2) can. extravagant
C. (1) is true but (2) is false.
D. (2) is the reason for (1). claim.

THE INTERVIEW_2022_23
PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS
v. Replace the vi. The author’s views

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underlined word with on interview, in the
its antonym from the extract, can best be
extract. described as
Some celebrities hate statements
the idea of having to based on ____________.
give an interview A. facts
because it makes B. hypothesis
them feel like C. beliefs
supporters. D. superstitions

THE INTERVIEW_2022_23
 SDC
Sophie was a young girl who dreamt of making it real big in life although her family did
not have enough means to afford even a decent house. One day, she revealed her
future plans about owning the best boutique in the city to her friend Jansie.
Jansie was a realistic person, so she tried to make Sophie see the fact that such a
dream was not possible as it required a lot of money. Sophie, however, was completely
convinced about her dream and hence stuck to her plan. Derek, her younger brother,
too believed that getting money was not an easy task and her father hoped that his girl
would buy a house for the family if she found big money. Her mother sighed helplessly
at this unrealistic ambition.
Sophie's was a lower middle class family where the father worked as a manual labourer
to make both ends meet. They lived in a small house that choked from the steam
emanating out of the stove and had washing piled up in a corner. Sophie wanted to
break free from this atmosphere.

GOING PLACES
 Geoff was Sophie's elder brother who hardly ever spoke to anyone in the family. His

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mysteriousness fascinated Sophie and she yearned to into his secret world. Gradually
she started to harness a deep desire about meeting exotic people whom she believed
were known to Geoff. Although her father warned her that she was too young to
establish contact with high profile celebrities yet Sophie became more impatient to
venture into this glamorous world.
One fine day, compelled by her desire to be in a dreamland, Sophie cooked up a story
and told Geoff that she had met Danny Casey, the famous football player, at the
Royce's arcade. Geoff refused to believe her but Sophie fabricated details about the
physical appearance of Casey and tried to convince her brother about this meeting!
She also told him that Casey had promised to give his autograph when they were to
meet next. Geoff shared this story with his father who waved it off as a figment of
imagination and warned his daughter about troubles that she might have to face if she
continued to tell such lies. But, like a swayed youngster, Sophie continued to add
details to her story.

GOING PLACES
 The following Saturday Sophie along with her family went to watch a

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match where Casey was one of the players. He played extremely
well and the men folk in the family celebrated the victory.
Meanwhile Sophie was startled when her friend-Jansie sought
details about the Casey-meeting. Actually, Sophie had cooked up
this story to impress Geoff but since she had got caught on the
wrong foot she attempted to cover up her lie. She knew that Jansie
was a gossip monger and soon her lie would spread. So, she made an
excuse that she could not take Casey's autograph as she did not
have a pen and a paper. Although Jansie did not believe her friend's
lie, still she assured Sophie that she would not reveal the secret to
anyone.

GOING PLACES
 Sophie's make-believe world was shattering and she knew that she

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could not carry this lie any further but still she tried to live her pipe
dream and waited for Danny Casey at her favourite spot along the
canal away from the din and rush of the city. She imagined Casey's
arrival and her own excitement to such details that her thoughts
made her feel miserable. But this young girl was so embroiled in her
dream that she refused to accept the truth and thought about how
she would face her family when she would inform them that Casey
did not reach the designated spot for the promised meeting. Afraid
of facing the bitter truth, she once again withdrew into her imaginary
world and dreamt of meeting Casey and talking to him, even feeling
his presence and romanticizing the only time that she had met him in
person during the match.

GOING PLACES
PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS
Q. ‘Their mother sighed.

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Sophie watched her back stooped over the sink and wondered at the
incongruity of the delicate bow which fastened her apron strings.’
The prose selection, Going Places includes this telling comment about
Sophie’s mother.
In Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers, we are told that -
‘The massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band
Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer’s Hand.’
Imagine a conversation between Sophie’s mother and Aunt Jennifer. Create
this exchange with reference to the two extracts given above.
You may begin the conversation like this …
Sophie’s mother: Your embroidery is so beautiful. Do you love tigers?

GOING PLACES_2022_23