E-2 Concept Maps and Revision Cheat Sheets

Section B – Writing Skills and Grammar

(a). Grammar
Determiners
Words used before a noun to indicate things or people referred to.

Types

Articles Possessives Demonstratives Interrogatives

A, an, the My, our, your, his, her, its, This, that, these, those Which, whose, what,
E.g. The child saw an their etc etc who, when etc
owl. E.g. My aunt works in E.g. These oranges are E.g. Whose father is
Here, ‘the’ indicates a Australia. Here, ‘my’ sour, so I cannot eat seated there?
specific, known child, indicates a relationship, i.e., them. Here, ‘whose’
and ‘an’ indicates a aunt. Here, ‘these’ indicates indicates asking a
non-specific owl. a noun. question to identify a
Mary’s car is quite
noun.
advanced. Here, ‘Mary’s’
indicates owning
something, i.e., car.

Quantifiers Numbers Distributives Ordinals

Much, many, little, One, ten, thirty-one, All, both, half, each, First, second, last, next
some, any, each, every, fifty, hundred etc. either, neither, every etc.
all, few etc. E.g. He has two cats as etc. E.g. The third
E.g. Many of the eggs he pets. E.g. Both the competitor did not
purchased were stale. Here, ‘two’ appears in candidates were close qualify the race.
Here, ‘many’ is a front of a countable in their range of marks. Here, ‘third’ is the
quantifier used with a noun, ‘cats.’ Here, ‘both’ refers to ordinal determiner used
countable noun. the individual members before a noun.
of a group in different
ways of distribution.

Hacks

a) Few — A few Little — A little

(countable nouns) (uncountable nouns)
Few = not many Little = not much
A few = some (small amount) A little = some (small amount)
b) The article, ‘an’ is used in front of vowel sounds of a, e, i, o, u, Note that there is a difference between
vowel and vowel sound, that is why it is ‘a’ university and not ‘an’ university even though it starts with ‘u’.
English Language and Literature-10 E- 3
Tenses
A form of the verb that allows you to express
time.

Past Tense Present Tense Future Tense

describes an activity/ describes an activity/ describes an activity/
event that has happened event that is currently event that is yet to
previously, i.e., going or generally happen.
yesterday. exists.

Simple Past Simple Present Simple Future

describes an action that happened describes habits, unchanging It refers to actions that begin and
before the present time and is no situations, facts and planned events end in the future.
longer happening. in the near future. Rule: shall + base form of
Rule: V2 Rule: V1 or V1 + s/es Eg. She will travel to Paris next
Eg. She walked to the park Eg. She sings beautifully. month.
yesterday. Present Continuous Future Continuous
Past Continuous shows an action that is ongoing or refers to an event or action that
refers to those activities that were occurring in that current moment. will be happening at a certain point
happening for a particular time in the Rule: Is/am/are + V1 + ing in time in the future.
past. Eg. They are playing soccer in the Rule: Will be + V1 + ing
Rule: Was/were + V1 + ing backyard. Eg. At 8 pm tomorrow, they will
Eg. While I was cooking dinner, it Present Perfect be having dinner with their friends.
started raining outside. is used for actions or events that Future Perfect
Past Perfect have been completed or have represents an action or event that
shows that an action has already happened in a period of time till the will be over within a particular
finished when another action present. time in the future.
happened. Rule: Has/have + V3 Rule: Will have + V3
Rule: Had + V3 Eg. He has finished his homework. Eg. By the time you arrive, I will
Eg. By the time we arrived at the Present Perfect Continuous have completed my presentation.
party, they had already finished all is used in a sentence to indicate Future Perfect Continuous
the food. an action that started in the recent is a tense that describes actions
Past Perfect Continuous past and is still continuing in the that will continue up until a point
shows an action that started in the present. in the future.
past, continued in the past and ended Rule: Has/have been + V1 + ing Rule: Will have been + V1 + ing
at a point in the past. Eg. I have been working on this Eg. By the end of the year, she will
Rule: Had been + V1 + ing project for two hours. have been working at the company
Eg. She had been studying for hours for ten years.
before the exam.

Hacks
In simple tense, indicators like always, every, usually, normally, never etc can be found.
E-4 Concept Maps and Revision Cheat Sheets

Modals
Words that are used with a main verb to express ideas such
as ability, possibility, obligation or necessity.

Types

Ability Possibility Obligation Necessity

can, could may, could, can, might should, must, have to, need, must
E.g. E.g. cannot E.g.
• If not today, I can • You can catch E.g. • You must have a
license to drive
visit you tomorrow. Rajdhani Express • Should I call
a car.
• The power lifter at 7.00 a.m. the doctor for a • She needs more
could lift 100 kg • He might come checkup? money to survive
weight. for the play in the • I cannot complete in the city.
evening. the assignment in the
coming week.

Hacks
a) Possibility:
 May is used when there is 90% possibility
• May God shower his blessings on you. (to pray)
• May I visit my friend’s house? (to take permission)
 Might is used when there is 10% possibility and in present perfect tense
• She might visit the temple today.
• Rita might have called but the phone was on silent mode.
b) Ability:
 Will is used to fulfil a promise or to convey a sense of determination.
• I will take you for a movie tonight (promise)
• I will change the system of this school. (determination)
 Would is used for past habits, to offer, to express a desire
• Would you like some tea? (to offer)
• I would wake up at 6 every day. (past habits)
• I would like to go on a trek. (to express a desire)
c) Obligation:
 Shall is used in case of a legal document, official communication, meetings
• The applicant shall provide a valid identity. (legal document)
• He shall convey the message to the concerned person. (official communication)
d) Necessity:
 Should is used to give a suggestion/advice
• She should visit the doctor for her ailment. (advice)
English Language and Literature-10 E- 5
Subject-Verb Agreement
A subject and its verb must be either singular or both plural, i.e., a singular subject
takes a singular verb while a plural subject takes a plural verb.

Types

Pronoun-Verb Agreement – When a pronoun is Noun-Verb Agreement – When a verb is used,

used, it must be of the same number, gender and it must agree with its subject in number and
person as the noun for which it stands. person.
E.g. E.g.
• After a few hearings, the jury gave its • The quality of the mangoes were not
verdict. (when singular) good. (incorrect)
• The jury were divided in their opinions. • The quality of the mangoes was not
(when plural) good. (correct)
• Rama and Hari work hard. Their teachers Since a singular noun (quality) is used, therefore
praise them. (when two singular nouns the singular verb (was) will be used.
are combined, they are joined by ‘and’)

(ii) Bread and butter is (singular verb) my

Hacks favourite breakfast – because together it is
a single dish.
(a) BOT Formula for singular verb
(e) Collective Nouns will have singular verb – a
B – Body
group of students, a crowd of people
O – One
E.g.- A group of students was (singular
T – Thing
verb) present at the fair.
Words used: everybody, nobody, anything,
anyone, everything (f) Pairings (a pair of shoes, pants, glasses,
E.g.- Everybody is invited to the play at the trousers) = Singular verb
National Science Centre for an exhibition. E.g.- A pair of branded shoes is (singular
(Everybody) + is (singular verb) verb) quite expensive.
(b) One of + Plural Noun = Singular verb (g) Abstract Noun + Uncountable Noun will be
E.g.- One of my friends was (singular verb) followed by a singular verb
not willing to watch the movie I had booked. E.g.- Honesty (abstract noun) is (singular
One of (one out of many) + was (singular verb) the best policy.
verb) Good friendship keeps (singular verb) your
(c) Nor, neither, either, or – Change in nearest mind healthy.
subject (h) When mentioning time, distance, sum of
E.g.- Neither he nor his sister (singular money, it will be followed by a singular verb
subject) was (plural verb) going to the
E.g.- 1267 kilometers (distance) is (singular
wedding.
verb) too long to travel.
He or his friends are (plural verb) to be
blamed. (i) Each and every is followed by a singular
(d) Nouns joined by ‘and’ will have a plural verb verb
E.g.- (i) Priya and her mother have (plural E.g.- Every student has (singular verb) been
verb) gone to the market. asked to do the assignment.
E-6 Concept Maps and Revision Cheat Sheets

Reported Speech
When we tell someone what another person said, we use
reported speech.

Types

Direct Speech: A representation of the actual Indirect Speech: A report of something that
words someone said. was said or written rather than the exact words
spoken or written.

Rules of Conversion
Rules Direct Speech Indirect Speech
He said that he always went for a
Simple Present → Simple Past “I always go for a walk”, he said.
walk.
She said that she was cleaning the
Present Continuous → Past Continuous “I am cleaning the table”, she said.
table.
She said, “He has finished the She said that he had finished his
Present Perfect → Past Perfect
project.” project.
Present Perfect Continuous → Past He told me that he had been to
I have been to Kerala”, he told me.
Perfect Continuous Kerala.
“James arrived on Sunday,” he He said that James had arrived on
Simple Past → Past Perfect
said. Sunday.
“I had just finished taking a bath”, She said that she had just finished
Past Perfect → Past Perfect
she said. taking a bath.

Past Continuous → Past Perfect Con- “We were living in United King- They told us that they had been
tinuous dom”, they told us. living in United Kingdom.

Change of Words in Speech Conversion

this that
these those
it it
here there
thus so
now then
just then
ago before
hither thither
come go
hence thence
yet till then
English Language and Literature-10 E- 7

today that day

tomorrow the next day
the day after tomorrow the day after the next day
yesterday the day before
the day before yesterday the day before the previous day
tonight that night
next day the following day
next week the following week
last night the night before

Other Necessary Changes

Reported Verbs Reported Speech

He said, “I will go home.”
‘Said’ will remain ‘said’
He said that he will go home.
She says to Ram, “Please get the bottle from the
‘Says to’ will change to ‘tells’ fridge.”
She tells Ram to get the bottle from the fridge.
She said to him, “Let’s go to the park.”
‘Said to’ will change to ‘told’
She told him to come with her to the park.
‘Said to’ will change to ‘asked’ I said to my wife, “What are you doing?”
in case of a question I asked my wife what she was doing.
E-8 Concept Maps and Revision Cheat Sheets

(a). Writing Skills

Formal Letter

Written communication that follows a specific format and tone, used in

professional or academic settings. It’s characterized by formal language, a
structured layout, and respectful greetings and closings.

Types of Letters

Letter of Enquiry Letter to Editor Letter of Complaint Order Letter

A formal letter written to A formal letter written A formal letter written An order letter is
enquire about something to express one’s to the concerned written to inform
that one wants to know. It concern over particular authorities to express the buyer / seller
is important to mention all issues or to highlight disappointment or regarding the details
relevant details if information core issues in society. dissatisfaction over a of the items bought
has to be obtained about a These are written to service or to express a or sold.
particular product/service to be editors of newspapers/ problem that needs to
availed. magazines. be rectified.

Author’s Words of Wisdom

Format for writing a formal letter with a HACK:
Students Don’t Really Study Subject Because Confusion Never Ends
Sender’s Name and Address
S – Sender’s name and address
D – Date (e.g. 15th December, 2023) Date
R – Receiver’s name and address Recipient’s Name and
Address
S – Subject (state the purpose of the letter) Subject
S – Salutation (Respected Sir/Ma’am) Salutation
B – Body (follow IDC formula)
Body
C – Complimentary close (Thanking you/ Yours sincerely) Complimentary Close
N – Name of sender Name and Signature of
E – End (Add enclosures if any) Sender + Designation
End (Enclosures can be
added)

Example (From All India 2014)

J-Block
Rajouri Garden
New Delhi
28th March 2014
The Editor
Times of India
New Delhi
English Language and Literature-10 E- 9

Sub: Need for drinking water

Sir
I am an aggrieved resident of Rajouri Garden. The residents in this area are facing an acute shortage of drinking
water. The pipe supplying drinking water to our area has been damaged. We have not been getting any supply for
the past 48 hours.
I am appealing to you and your esteemed newspaper to help us get a redressal, as all the pleas to the concerned
authorities in the PWD department have fallen on deaf ears. Infants, school going children, office goers, house-
wives, and the aged are all suffering due to the apathy of people who matter. We request to be supplied with water
through tankers till the problem is resolved.
I hope you would address our problem and help us convey our woes to the department. I will be highly grateful for
the same.

Thanking you
Yours faithfully
Rahul

Note: While writing the subscription, please ensure that you DO NOT put an apostrophe in ‘Yours’. ‘Your’s’ is
incorrect while ‘Yours’ is correct.

LOL Formula – Always ‘Leave One Line’ after every point

Hacks
1. No commas to be used anywhere
2. Body – IDC formula (Introduction, Detail, Conclusion)
a) Introduction – Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I would like to draw the attention of
concerned authorities towards ____________

b) Details – focus on causes, problems, suggestions and solutions

c) Conclusion – I hope my concern will reach the ears of the concerned authorities through your newspaper.
E-10 Concept Maps and Revision Cheat Sheets

Analytical Paragraph

An analysis of any diagrammatic representation, be it a bar graph or

pie chart. It typically includes an introduction, evidence or example,
and a conclusion. Such an analysis helps students to articulate their
thoughts clearly.

Steps of Writing an Analytical Paragraph

1. Heading: Provide a suitable heading to your paragraph

2. Introduction: Begin the paragraph with a clear opening

statement so that it provides clarity and introduce the topic
properly.

3. Evidence and Analysis: Analyze the data using the right

vocabulary and mention your analysis in short and clear sentences.

4. Conclusion: End the analysis with a concluding statement.

Sum up the overall analysis.

Hacks

Introduction – Write in not more than 2-3 lines

Following are some opening lines for the paragraph.
• The above table suggests ….
• The chart given above describes ….
• The data given provides information about …
Body – Write in not more than 5-6 lines. Use words like ‘moreover’, ‘in addition to’, ‘furthermore’ etc.
• It is clearly evident from the above graph/from the above chart …
Conclusion – Write in note more than 2-3 lines
• In a nutshell / Overall / To conclude
English Language and Literature-10 E- 11
(A) Vocabulary for Line Graphs

Graph activity Words to be used

Graph going down Decrease, fall, drop, plunge, plummet

Graph going up Increase, rise, grow, double (2x), treble (3x), climb, rocket

No change Level off, stabilize, remain the same, remain unchanged

Constant Remains constant, increases/ decreases constantly.

Position Reach a high/peak of, reach a low (at), stood, start/begin

at, end/finish at

25%
(B) Vocabulary for Pie Charts
For Pie Charts, you can use the following statements (in 60%
terms of percentages)

(i) 60% can be written as nearly two-thirds

(ii) 52% is over half of all the respondents

52%
(iii) 25% can be written as a quarter
E-12 Concept Maps and Revision Cheat Sheets

Itinerary - for Accepting / Rejecting Tour Proposals

Acceptance of Proposal

Paragraph 2: Begin with mentioning the aspects

Paragraph 1: How to open the paragraph
When accepting the proposal:-
A thorough analysis of the itinerary provided by
First most important reason – use words like several
…………. reveals that the ………….. proposal should features / well-rounded plan of events (mention
be accepted/rejected. positive aspects about the plan provided)
Second most important reason / secondly / additionally
Paragraph 3: Conclusion Third most important reason / moreover
Use words like overall, therefore, acceptance/rejection
of proposal

Hacks
Rejection of Proposal
Follow the same format given above. Mention the most important reasons for rejecting the proposal first.
Keep the positive aspects as the foundation of your proposal.

SWOT Analysis
SWOT Analysis is a framework used to assess the strength,
weakness, opportunities and threats related to a task/situation.

For Rejecting a Task: Along with slight focus on

For Accepting a Task: Focus on strengths and
positives, main focus should be on weaknesses, with
opportunities
suggested solutions.

Hacks

Even when discussing strengths and opportunities, do

discuss atleast 1-2 weaknesses along with their solutions.
English Language and Literature-10 E- 13

Section C – Language through Literature

First Flight
(a). Prose
• The nature of belief which is problematized as Lencho
1. A Letter to God believes in God’s help but fails to notice the compassion
of the postmaster and post-office officials
Significance of the Title
Character Sketch
Lencho, the farmer writes a letter to God for help when
• Lencho- Lencho was a hard working farmer and is
struck by disaster. The chapter depicts his unwavering faith
referred to as ‘an ox of a man’. He was devout, honest,
in God.
simple and determined man. Given his faith in God, he
Main Characters
thought that God always helped those who had a good
• Lencho, a hard working farmer conscience. He therefore sought to God for help when
• Post Master he and his family reached the point of hunger and had
• Post Office officials lost all hope. He demonstrates his naivety by making an
Summary effort to communicate with God directly.
Lencho, a simple and devoted farmer, tends his field of • Postmaster- The postmaster had a very pleasant
corn, hoping for a bountiful harvest. He observes the skies, and humble personality. He was dutiful, empathetic,
eagerly anticipating rain to nourish his crops. Unfortunately, pragmatic and helpful. He admired Lencho’s trust in
a hailstorm devastates Lencho’s field, destroying his entire God. Unlike Lencho, the postmaster knew that God
crop. Faced with the threat of starvation for his family, does not have a physical address to which the letter
Lencho doesn’t despair. Driven by his strong belief in God’s could be delivered. Therefore, he decided to support
benevolence, Lencho decides to write directly to God. In Lencho and retain his faith in God by sending financial
his heartfelt letter, he explains his situation and requests assistance. The postmaster’s good intentions received a
a hundred pesos to buy seeds and grow his crops. With setback when Lencho doubted them.
complete trust, Lencho addresses the letter ‘To God’ and
mails it. The postmaster, touched by Lencho’s simplicity 2. Nelson Mandela -Long Walk to Freedom
and faith, is struck by the letter. He realizes the desperate
Significance of the Title
situation of the farmer and decides to help. Unable to send
money from the post office, the postmaster collects money ‘Long Walk to Freedom’ refers to the years of struggle of the
from his colleagues and sends it to Lencho anonymously, coloured people in fighting against apartheid and gaining a
signing the envelope ‘God’. On receiving the letter, Lencho political representation through democracy.
gets angry as the envelope contains 70 pesos instead of the Main Characters
100 that he had requested. He suspects that someone from • Mandela
the post office had stolen the remaining 30 pesos and calls • Zenani (Mandela’s daughter)
the post office employees ‘a bunch of crooks’. He urges God • Thabo Mbeki
to send him the rest of the money since he was in urgent • Mr de Klerk
need of it. However, he requests God not to send the money Summary
through the mail this time. The postmaster is left with great The chapter describes Nelson Mandela’s inauguration
amazement and dismay. ceremony as the first Black President of South Africa. This
Themes event marks the end of a long struggle against apartheid,
• Lencho’s unwavering faith and absolute trust in God a system of racial segregation that oppressed the Black
• Humanity’s compassion through postmaster’s act of majority in South Africa. Mandela expresses his gratitude to
kindness and empathy the international community for their support in dismantling
E-14 Concept Maps and Revision Cheat Sheets
apartheid. He acknowledges the ‘extraordinary human of any failure. Whenever he tries to come forward towards
disaster’ of apartheid, highlighting the years of oppression the brink of the ledge to fly, he becomes afraid and goes
faced by Black South Africans. back. His parents constantly upbraid and threaten him that
Mandela reflects on the concept of freedom, contrasting unless he flies he would be made to starve alone on the
his childhood freedom with the ‘basic and honourable ledge. However, unable to take the leap, the young seagull
freedoms’ that had been denied to Black South Africans. He just watches his parents teaching his siblings how to skim
emphasizes the importance of freedom not just for himself the waves and dive for fish. One fine day, the whole family
but for all his people. He stresses the need for forgiveness flies to a big plateau and taunts the young seagull for his
and reconciliation between the formerly oppressed and the cowardice. As the sun rays blaze on his ledge, he feels the
oppressors. He envisions a South Africa where people of heat and hunger. The young bird begs his mother to bring
all races can live together in peace and harmony. Mandela him some food. He utters a joyful scream when his mother
discusses his ‘twin obligations’ - to his family and to his quickly picks a piece of fish and flies across to him. He
people. He emphasizes the importance of fulfilling both leans out eagerly and jumps at the fish, exasperated by
these responsibilities for a just and equitable society. The hunger. Suddenly he falls outward in the open space, and a
passage concludes with a hopeful outlook for the future of monstrous terror seizes him as he falls downwards. The next
South Africa. Mandela expresses his belief in building a moment, his wings spread outwards, and he is able to fly
nation based on democratic values and equal rights for all. fearlessly. Finally, the young seagull takes his first flight and
Themes soars higher. He skims through the waves and dives along
with his siblings.
• Triumph of democracy and the fight against apartheid
Themes
• Nelson Mandela’s leadership, resilience, and
commitment towards forgiveness and reconciliation. • Self-reliance, self-confidence and courage
• Importance of freedom, justice, and equality in building • Overcoming fear by passing through hesitation and trial
a society and error
Character Sketch • Family dynamics and support
• Mandela- He became the first Black President Character Sketch
after more than three years of white dominance. He • Young Seagull- At first, the young seagull comes across
demonstrated bravery, honour, fortitude and leadership. as scared and stubborn to fly. Later, the seagull is made
He was a peacemaker who never compromised on his to overcome anxiety and fear to make its first flight.
beliefs and conviction. (ii). Black Aeroplane
Significance of the Title
3. Stories about Flying The aeroplane had no light on its wings and was totally
black. It emerged from the black clouds and disappeared
(i). His First Flight
there in.
Significance of the Title
Main Characters
The story justifies the event when the young seagull was
• Anonymous Pilot, narrator and protagonist
able to overcome his fear of flight and took the first flight
of his life. • Woman at the control centre
Main Characters Summary
• A young seagull ‘Black Aeroplane’ is a mysterious story written by Fredrik
Forsyth. The narrator of the story is a pilot who wants
• His parents and siblings
to be with his family in England to enjoy a wholesome
Summary
breakfast. In the course of the story, he is flying from France
The story ‘His First Flight’ by Liam O’Flaherty is based on to England when an unusual event occurs. Once he crosses
a young seagull who is afraid to take his first flight because Paris, he comes across storm clouds that look like black
he fears that his wings wouldn’t support him while flying. mountains. However, he flies through the clouds and soon
All his siblings take the plunge to fly fearlessly in the open realizes that everything around him has turned completely
air despite having smaller wings than him. However, the black. Nothing is visible to him outside the aeroplane of
young bird cannot muster up the courage as he is scared which he loses all control. Suddenly, he notices that there is
English Language and Literature-10 E- 15
another aeroplane with no lights on its wings. The pilot of write an essay on ‘A Chatterbox’, which for Anne was a
that aeroplane waves his hands and signals him to follow. weird topic. Nevertheless, she thought hard and decided to
He begins to blindly follow the other pilot since no radio present convincing arguments in her essay, justifying her
signals could be sent or received. Moreover, the fuel in the points in support of talking. Anne mentioned to her teacher
tank was quite low. Soon he passes through the dark clouds that while she would try to improve herself, she could
and lands safely on the runway with the help of the other hardly do anything about the trait that she inherited from
pilot. Upon landing, he inquires at the reception about who her mother. When her teacher read the essay, he found it
the other pilot was for he wanted to thank him for saving amusing and assigned her a second essay, ‘An Incorrigible
his life in such a critical condition. But the woman at the Chatterbox’, for her unreformable talkative nature.
control centre told him that there was no other aeroplane in But by the third lesson, Mr Keesing had read enough of her
the night sky other than his own. justifications and assigned Anne a topic entitled, ‘Quack,
Themes Quack, Quack, Said Mistress Chatterbox’ as another
• Miracle and mystery punishment. Anne had almost run out of thoughts after
• Determination and survival writing essays on similar topics previously. This time she
takes the help of her friend, Sanne, who was good at poetry
4. From the Diary of Anne Frank and writes the essay from beginning to end in satirical verse.
When her teacher reads this essay he thoroughly enjoys it.
Significance of the Title Since then, Anne was allowed to talk in the class and was
It is the Diary of Anne Frank named Kitty which gives us never assigned any extra homework by Mr Keesing.
her account. Themes
Main Characters • Diary entry as an important account of character
• Anne Frank portrayal of Anne
• Mr. Keesing, the math teacher • Relationship between teacher-student
• Anne’s classmates • Friendship and Inter-personal relationships
Summary Character Sketch
From the Diary of Anne Frank is an autobiography of a • Anne Frank- Anne Frank was born on June 12, 1929,
young Jewish girl who maintains a diary from 12 June 1942 in Frankfurt, Germany, and was the younger daughter
to 29 March 1944. At first, penning her thoughts seems like of Otto and Edith Frank. Even as a child, Anne
an unusual experience to her. She believed that no one in displayed remarkable intelligence and was considered
the near future would be interested to read about a random wise beyond her years. She had an inquisitive mind,
young girl’s past experiences. However, she still decides to was quick to learn, and had a vivid imagination. Anne
write her thoughts in her diary named ‘Kitty’. She considers was a free spirited child and didn’t conform to the
her diary to be her true and loyal friend. Anne felt that her societal norms of her time. She was different from the
diary had more capacity than other people with low patience other children of her age and often felt misunderstood.
levels to absorb thoughts. Further, she mentions how much Despite facing numerous challenges in her life, Anne
she loved her family, especially her father, who gifted her had a positive outlook towards life. She had a strong
the diary on her thirteenth birthday. sense of humor, irony and sarcasm, which is reflected
On 20th June 1942, Anne states an instance about her class in her diary. She had the ability to write about her
which was nervous about their exam results. Although she experiences in a clear and engaging manner, making
was confident about other subjects, she wasn’t quite sure her diary an inspiring read even today.
about mathematics. Other students in the class panicked • Mr. Keesing- Mr. Keesing was an old-fashioned teacher
about the results. Anne, however felt that about a quarter of of maths in Anne Frank’s school. He was rather strict
the students were dummies who should be detained as they with his students and didn’t allow much talking in the
did not participate in other school activities. class. Ultimately, he assigned Anne to write an essay
Besides, Anne also mentions how the math teacher, Mr on ‘A Chatterbox’. The essay gave the right message
Keesing, was annoyed by her talkative nature. He would to Mr. Keesing. By chance, the joke fell on him. His
punish her with extra homework whenever she talked more approach towards Anne transformed. He allowed her to
during his class. In the first punishment, he asked her to talk and never assigned her any extra homework again.
E-16 Concept Maps and Revision Cheat Sheets
in-Chief of the Indian Army was General Cariappa, who
5. Glimpses of India hailed from this beautiful place. The hilly regions and
forests of Coorg are a major source of water for the Cauvery
Significance of the Title
River. Visitors who are interested in high-adventure sports
The chapter provides a cultural insight into places like Goa,
can have fun and frolic in this place and also explore the
Coorg and Assam.
different types of animals particularly found in this region.
(i). A Baker from Goa
(iii). Tea from Assam
Main Characters
Main Characters
• Pader- Goan baker
• Pranjol
• Narrator, member of Goan community
• Rajvir, his friend
The story is written by Lucio Rodrigues, who talks about
Goa when it was ruled by the Portuguese. As a result of • Pranjol’s father, manager of a tea estate
colonisation, Portuguese culture persisted and the people Tea from Assam is a story written by Arup Kumar Datta.
there were swayed by it. Baking was the conventional The story begins with two friends, Rajvir and Pranjol,
profession of the Goan people, and the bakers were known travelling to Assam. On their way, they buy fresh tea from
as ‘paders’. This story particularly revolves around the a roadside vendor and discuss the special tea of this region.
bakers living in a Goan village. The author mentions how As they sip the hot steaming tea, Rajvir and Pranjol discuss
people in old times ate loaves of bread which were baked in that over eighty crore cups of tea are consumed every day
large furnaces and were an important part of their culture. throughout the world. Rajvir thoroughly enjoys the scenic
The paders would come to sell those loaves in the street and beauty of Assam, consisting of tea plantations and bushes,
would make a jingling sound with the bamboo whenever while Pranjol is engrossed in a detective book.
they arrived. He further adds how the villagers enjoyed Rajvir further explains to Pranjol about Assam as a place that
eating the loaves and the children liked the bread-bangles is famous for having the largest tea plantations. However,
brought in baskets by the bakers. no one knows the origin of tea in the region. According to a
The author also describes the special attire of the bakers Chinese legend, a few leaves of tea accidentally fell into a
called Kabai, which is a single-piece frock that would reach pot of boiling hot water. The Emperor enjoyed the delicious
up to their knees. Besides, he also mentions how baking flavour of the liquid, and that’s how tea came into being.
became the most profitable profession among people in
Further, Rajvir mentions an Indian legend. Bodhidharma,
Goa, and many bakers led a prosperous life. Their jackfruit-
who was a Buddhist monk, cut off his eyelids because he
like physical appearance was a valid testimony of their
fell asleep during meditation. In no time, ten tea plants grew
well-being.
out of his eyelids and when these leaves were put in hot
(ii). Coorg
water, they helped in banishing sleep.
Coorg is a story written by Lokesh Abrol. He describes
Soon, they arrived at Mariani Junction, picked up their
Coorg as the smallest district of Karnataka. The author states
luggage and made their way towards Dhekiabari Tea Estate.
that Coorg, or Kodagu is a beautiful place that is located
On their way, they saw batches of tea-pluckers who draped
midway between Mangalore and Mysore. The heavenly
plastic aprons with bamboo baskets hung on their backs as
city has evergreen forests, spices and coffee plantations and
many tourists throng to this destination from September to they plucked the newly sprouted leaves. Pranjol’s father had
March every year. The air of this region is filled with coffee come to receive both of them. Pranjol’s father was amazed
scents. The people of this region are independent and have at Rajvir’s knowledge about tea plantations when he heard
some Greek or Arabic connection since the time Alexander’s the young boy mention the second flush or sprouting period
army had settled here. The latter married the local people of tea that yields the best tea. Rajvir adds that he was keen
and their traditions continue to exist. The people of Coorg to learn more about the place from Pranjol’s father.
wear Kuppia, which is a long black coat that is quite similar Themes
to the ones worn by Arabs. • Diversity and Multiculturalism presented through
The chapter mentions that the Coorgi people are very brave. differences in language, costumes, food and culture.
One of the most significant regiments in the Indian Army is • Description of different states and their people
the Coorg Regiment. Notably, the first Indian Commander-
English Language and Literature-10 E- 17
kind-hearted air hostess takes Mij and hands it to Maxwell
6. Mijbil the Otter in no time. Soon, they reach London, and Maxwell thanks
the crew for their support onboard.
Significance of the Title
In London, Mij gets used to its surroundings gradually. It
The story revolves around Mijbil, the Otter, Maxwell’s pet
starts playing with marbles and ping-pong balls. The writer
suggesting that one should take good care of their pet and
is also amazed by the game that Mij develops with his
be friendly towards it.
broken suitcase. Maxwell often took Mij for a walk, and the
Main Characters people of London would make wild guesses about his pet.
• The writer Some called Mij to be a baby seal, others beaver, squirrel, or
• Mijbil, his pet otter hippo. The most shocking response that Maxwell receives
Summary from a laborer, who was digging a hole, is “Here, Mister —
The story, Mijbil the Otter, begins with the writer, Gavin what is that supposed to be?”
Maxwell, who is traveling to Basra to the Consulate-General Themes
with his friend to collect and answer their mail from Europe. • Explores the relationship between owner and pet
During their journey, Maxwell expresses his desire to keep depicting the challenges experienced by the pet owner.
an otter as a pet as he felt very lonely after losing his pet • Loneliness and a sense of loss in absence of a pet.
dog earlier. His friend suggests that he get an otter from the Character Sketch
Tigris marshes in Iraq. When they reach the destination, his
• Gavin Maxwell: Gavin Maxwell, the narrator of
friend receives the mail immediately, while Maxwell has to
the story “Mijbil the Otter ” is a thoughtful and
wait for a while. Once he receives the mail, he takes the
compassionate young man with a great love for animals.
sack that was brought by two Arabs carrying a message
He shows deep compassion for the otter, Mijbil, and
from his friend and finds an otter inside it. He christens the
his situation throughout the entire story. Maxwell is a
otter ‘Mijbil’ and refers to it as Mij.
curious and adventurous person, as seen by his choice to
It takes a little while for the little creature to adapt to its explore the isolated hills of Iraq where he finds Mijbil.
surroundings. In due course, Maxwell observes that Mij He was thrilled to own an otter as a pet. He worked
enjoys playing with water and learns to open the bathroom tirelessly to ensure that Mijbil the otter is safe and
faucet on its own. The writer is thoroughly amazed at the healthy. He used his knowledge of animal behaviour
games played by Mij with its touch of creativity. Soon it was to win the otter’s affection, is concerned for him and
time for Maxwell to return to England with his pet otter. assists Mijbil to adjust in his new environment. He is
However, British Airlines has a few restrictions that bar patient and understanding, allowing Mijbil to settle
animals from traveling with human beings, so he books into his new home gradually. His love and compassion
another flight that allows Mij to travel with him. The new towards Mijbil serve as an example of how humans
airlines insisted that Mij should be packed in a box so that may have a positive impact on the natural world.
it doesn’t disturb other co-passengers onboard. Henceforth,
• Mijbil, the Otter: Mijbil, an otter previously unknown
Maxwell arranges for a box one hour before the flight, puts
to science, was later identified as Lutrogale perspicillata
Mijbil inside, and leaves to grab a quick meal.
maxwelli, commonly known as Maxwell’s otter.
When he returns, he finds holes in the box and blood-stained Resembling a miniature medieval dragon, his body
edges. He understands that Mij must have injured himself was covered in symmetrical pointed scales resembling
inside the box. He cleans the box properly and reaches the mud armor, revealing a soft velvet chocolate-brown fur
airport a few minutes before the flight takes off. When he between their tips. On the second night, Mijbil bonded
boards the flight, he explains the entire incident to an air with Maxwell and slept in the crook of Maxwell’s knees.
hostess who advises him to keep his pet on his lap rather than Known for his affinity for water, he became agitated
locking his pet inside the container. Maxwell was filled with if any water remained undisturbed. Demonstrating
gratitude for her kind words. But the moment he opens the intelligence, Mijbil successfully attempted to open a
box, Mij leaps out and vanishes in thin air, which causes tap by himself. His high energy levels were evident
a lot of chaos on the flight. Many co-passengers become as he engaged in playful activities, such as rolling a
astonished to see the little creature moving around. But the rubber ball around the room. Surprisingly, his preferred
E-18 Concept Maps and Revision Cheat Sheets
plaything was marbles, as he skillfully rolled them jovial person and referred to her as ‘madam’ and told her
on his belly without letting them fall. During travels, to hop into the bus and take her seat. She got into her bus
Mijbil’s attempt to break through his box resulted quickly and noticed that the bus was painted in green and
in injuries. Despite his lively and chaotic behavior, white color stripes and looked brand new. The bus seats
Mijbil consistently returned to Maxwell, affectionately were luxurious, and the ride was comfortable. During her
nuzzling his neck and face. He created unique games, journey, Valli enjoyed looking at the greenery outside and
including one with a ping pong ball and Maxwell’s the scenic natural beauty of the bus. She was thoroughly
suitcase, captivating him for hours. On walks, Mijbil enjoying her bus ride and was amused when she saw a
developed compulsive habits, touching specific iron young cow that ran wildly in front of the bus and crossed
railings and lamp posts. His routine included galloping the road. The driver blew the shrill horn as the cow crossed
on the low wall of a primary school, causing distractions the road. This was a fascinating experience for Valli as she
for pupils and staff. Mijbil, a creature of habit, remained realized her dream of traveling on a bus had finally come
dedicated to his established routines. true.
As Valli enjoyed watching the beautiful landscape outside,
7. Madam Rides the Bus the bus started getting empty as the passengers got down
to their respective stops. Soon, the conductor asked her if
Significance of the Title
she would like to roam about the stalls in the town, but she
Valli, the 8 year old protagonist is referred to as ‘Madam’
told him that she had limited money, which she needed to
because she summons the courage to ride on the bus alone,
take the return bus ride. Valli stayed on the bus and took a
without any of her acquaintances and conducts herself quite
ticket from the conductor to return to her village. As the bus
maturely during the bus ride.
started again, she noticed a dead cow and realised that it was
Main Characters the same cow that had run wildly in front of her bus during
• Valli, an eight year old girl her onward journey to the town. Looking at the sight of the
• Her mother bleeding cow made her very sad, and she understood the
• The bus driver meaning of life and death from this incident. Soon, the bus
• The bus conductor dropped her at the bus stop near her home, and she returned
Summary home just in time. Thus, no one in her family knew about
The story, Madam Rides the Bus, illustrates the story of the adventurous bus trip that she had taken all by herself.
a young eight-year-old Tamil girl, Valliammai. Valli was Themes
always curious to explore the outside world. She had no • Story presents the curious nature of the child and the
friends to play games with. So, her favorite pastime was to adventure that she sets herself off on.
stand in the doorway of her house and watch all that was • Sensitivity in children and the failure of being
happening on the street outside. She would watch people understood by the adults
get on and off the bus that travelled between her village and Character Sketch
the nearest town. The bus that was filled with a new set of • Valliammai- Valli emerges as a very clever, sensitive,
passengers filled her with a sense of unending joy. She had self-respecting and fun-loving girl. She was just eight
a strong urge to take a bus ride to explore the adventurous years old. She was very curious about things. She was
bus journey. Hence, she collected information about the a good observer of things. Her favourite pastime was
bus timings by listening to the conversations of the people standing in the front doorway of her house. She used
taking the bus ride. Soon she learned that the bus journey to watch from there what was happening in the street
from her village to the nearest town was approximately six outside. There were no playmates of her own age in the
miles. The bus fare costs thirty paise for a one-way ride. So, neighbourhood. Standing at the door was as enjoyable
Valli started saving enough money to take a ride on the bus. for her as any of the games children played. Valli was
Valli planned to travel on the bus during the afternoon when mature, clever and practical beyond her years. Saving
her mother would be asleep. She stood on the roadside sixty paise was not an easy job for a girl of her age.
waiting for the bus. As the bus arrived, she told the conductor She thriftily saved every coin that came in her way. She
she wanted to go to town. The conductor happened to be a was determined to resist any temptation. She sacrificed
English Language and Literature-10 E- 19
buying peppermints, toys, balloons and having a joy One day, she met a man who directed her to approach
ride on a merry go-round to save her money. Valli was Lord Buddha for guidance. He felt that Lord Buddha could
full of excitement and enthusiasm. She enjoyed the possibly help her in this crisis. The lady approached the
landscape looking outside the window. The canal, palm monk as directed and begged him to cure her son. Lord
trees, grassland, distant mountains and green fields Buddha asked her to procure mustard seeds from a house
gave her tremendous pleasure. The sight of a young where the family had never lost any member, relative or
cow running towards the bus at full speed enthused her. friend. Kisa Gotami was filled with a ray of hope and went
Later, the death of the cow depressed her and affected from one house to another, but she could find none of the
her deeply. kind Buddha had asked for. She felt disheartened and finally
realised how selfish she had been in desperately searching
8. The Sermon at Benares for something that was not possible to achieve. Thus, she
understood that man is a mortal being; all who come to
Significance of Title
Earth have to leave behind all their relations and belongings
The chapter is a recitation of an important preaching of Lord when they die. This was the lesson that Lord Buddha taught
Buddha on the subject of life, death and suffering. her and wanted her to understand, that life and death are the
Main Characters cycles of the universe which no one could escape.
• Gautama Buddha Lord Buddha’s valuable lesson was that feelings of sorrow
• Kisa Gautami and grief only escalate man’s suffering and pain. Therefore,
Summary a wise person is one who is completely aware of how nature
The Sermon at Benares illustrates the valuable preachings functions. One must not lose hope or remain in constant
of Lord Buddha. Lord Buddha was born as a prince named grief for something that is bound to happen. It is only then
Siddhārtha Gautama in North India. When he was twelve one can enjoy life and stay happy.
years old, he was sent away from home to study the sacred Themes
Hindu scriptures. He returned four years later and married a • Presents the sufferings of man in human life
beautiful princess. They had a healthy son and led a life of • Death, loss, sorrow and grief as ultimate truths of life.
royalty for ten years. Being a part of the royal family, he was Character Sketch
protected from the sufferings and unpleasant happenings • Buddha: Gautama Buddha was born to a North Indian
around the world. royal family as a prince and was named Siddhartha
One fine day while he went out hunting, the Prince saw an Gautama. When he was twelve years old, he was sent
ailing man, an old man, a funeral procession and a monk to a faraway place to study Hindu sacred scriptures
begging for alms. He was moved by these encounters, and upon returning four years later, he got married to a
and soon he left royalty behind to seek enlightenment to princess. Soon, they both had a son and they continued
understand all the sorrows that he had witnessed. After to live the royal life for about ten years. The royals
seven years, he attained salvation and sat under a tree which were shielded from all the unpleasant experiences of
is called the ‘Bodhi Tree’ (Tree of Wisdom) and began the world until one day, on his way to hunt, the Prince
preaching and sharing his new understandings of human met a sick man, an aged man, a funeral procession and
life and its intrinsic condition. Soon, he came to be known a monk begging for alms. These experiences acted as
as the Buddha (the Awakened or the Enlightened one). He eye-openers for him and thus, he left all the royalty
gave his first sermon at Benares, the holy city on the banks behind to seek a higher sense of spiritual knowledge.
of river Ganges.
9. The Proposal
In one of his sermons, he talks about a lady, Kisa Gotami,
whose only son had died. She was devastated and was in Significance of the Title
extreme grief for the sudden loss. She went from one house From the beginning to the end of the play, the story revolves
to another, seeking help and medicine to bring her son back around a marriage proposal. Lomov comes to Natalya’s
to life. People thought that she had lost her mind owing to house to propose to her but even before he makes the
her grief. proposal it, they both start fighting over the meadows.
E-20 Concept Maps and Revision Cheat Sheets
Main Characters Themes
• Lomov, anxious landowner • Tendency of wealthy families to seek matrimonial ties,
• Chubukov, Lomov’s neighbour their purpose being increase of estates and property.
• Natalya, Chubukov’s daughter • Role of anger and unhealthy argumentation in ruining
Summary relationships.
The chapter, The Proposal, is a comedy-drama or a farce that Character Sketch
is based on the tendency of two wealthy Russian families • Natalya: Natalaya, a young unmarried woman of
seeking ties with each other to increase their estates. The twenty-five, resided in the same neighborhood as
play begins with Ivan Lomov, who visits Stephan Chubukov, Lomov, a young unmarried man. She was not only
a wealthy neighbour of Lomov. Lomov is a wealthy person an exceptional housekeeper but also possessed decent
who comes to seek the hand of Chubukov’s twenty-five- looks. Despite her father labeling her a lovesick cat,
year-old daughter, Natalya Stepanovna. Initially, Chubukov Natalaya was yearning for love. Lomov, on the other
assumes that the young man had come to ask for money hand, claimed she was well-educated, though this
which he might not return. aspect seemed questionable. Her natural disposition
Lomov is a thirty-five-year-old gentleman who suffers was quarrelsome and abusive, traits that became
from severe heart-throbbing and palpitations. He thinks evident when she engaged in a bitter dispute with
that Natalya is an excellent housekeeper, a well-educated Lomov over a seemingly insignificant piece of land.
and average-looking woman who would be an ideal partner While Natalaya initially expressed indifference towards
to marry. When Chubukov hears about the proposal, he the meadows, stating they held little value for her,
becomes happy. she could not tolerate unfairness. However, when she
With Natalya, Lomov begins the conversation about how discovered that Lomov had come to propose to her, all
both the families share a cordial relationship. As he speaks thoughts of fairness vanished, and she began lamenting
about his land Oxen Meadows, which was a disputed the lost opportunity. Urging her father to recall Lomov,
property, Natalya objects that the land belongs to her family. she soon resumed quarreling with him, this time over
Lomov yells back at her, stating that the land belonged to their respective dogs. The dispute centered around the
him. Both of them have a heated argument on this topic until perceived superiority of each other’s dog breeds.
Lomov has a sudden palpitation attack with numbness in • Lomov: Lomov, a dubious landowner, is a prosperous
his feet. The father-daughter duo continue to abuse Lomov. unmarried man in his mid-thirties, plagued by various
Feeling insulted, Lomov rushes out of the house. Chubukov ailments. Nervousness triggers trembling, palpitations,
accidentally mentions to Natalya about Lomov’s marriage and extreme agitation in him. Despite his search for an
proposal. Hearing which, Natalya immediately regrets ideal match, he doesn’t find one and, considering his
insulting Lomov and asks her father to bring him back. age, reluctantly decides to propose to Natalya. However,
Chubukov rushes out of the house to call Lomov. When the lacking self-confidence, he struggles to initiate the
young man returns, Natalya starts a conversation about their proposal directly. Quarrelsome by nature, Lomov
dogs. In no time, a second round of debate ensues between unexpectedly diverts into a dispute about the ownership
her and Lomov, where she mentions that her dog Squeezer of the ‘Oxen Meadows,’ concealing his true intention
was better than Lomov’s dog, Guess. Soon, Chubukov enters of proposing. He appears comical, failing to grasp the
the scene, and the argument worsens. All three people begin importance of focusing on the romantic proposal rather
quarrelling, and soon Lomov faints with another attack of than foolishly asserting his claim over the meadows.
palpitation. Childish, unintelligent, and stubborn, he engages in
Seeing this, Natalya asks her father to wake Lomov up as senseless arguments with the lady he sees as a potential
she expresses her desire to marry Lomov. Suddenly when spouse. Lomov’s lack of discrimination between the
Lomov makes a movement, Chubukov puts Natalya’s hand significance of different situations is evident. His
on his. They agree to marry, but the quarrel with respect to immaturity leads him to hurl abuses at the Chubukov
the dogs persists. However, Lomov remains adamant and family during heated arguments about the meadows and
refuses to accept that his dog, Guess, is inferior to Squeezer. dogs, jeopardizing the prospect of marriage. In the end,
The curtain goes down as the argument continues among stubbornness and childish behavior nearly ruin the only
the characters. chance for him to marry.
English Language and Literature-10 E- 21

(b). Poems
rage out of control. Ice symbolizes cold indifference and
1. Dust of Snow hatred. Both fire and ice reside within humans. The poem
gives the message that our own insatiable desires and lack
Significance of the Title
of empathy hold the potential to destroy us. It also serves
‘Dust of Snow’ refers to fine particles of snow that symbolize as a warning because if we don’t find a way to control
natural joy and energy, and the passing of sad moments. our destructive emotions, they will ultimately lead to our
Summary downfall.
This poem presents a simple moment, but it has a larger Themes
significance. The poet says that he was in a sorrowful mood • Human perceptions of desire and hatred that are capable
and was sitting under a hemlock tree. It was the winter of destroying the world
season, and there was snow all around. A crow was sitting Poetic Devices
on the same tree. The crow was shaking down the dust of
• Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same
the snow on the poet. When a small particle of snow fell
line such as the long sound of ‘o’ in the line, “I hold
on the poet, he was awakened from his thoughts and then
with those who favour fire.”
noticed the simple activity going around him. This changed
• Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the
the poet’s mood. He suddenly realized that he had wasted
same line such as the sound of ‘f’ in the line, “I hold
his time being in sorrow, and now, he should utilise his
with those who favour fire.”
remaining day to do some useful tasks. This realization
changes his mood and fills him with positive energy. His • Imagery is used to make the readers perceive things
involving their five senses. In the line, “To say that for
depression and sadness are washed away by the light shower
destruction ice, is also great.”
of snow dust. His heart is filled with happiness, and he gets
ready to use the rest of the day in a good manner and with • Personification as a poetic device is also used in the
positive vibes. poem wherein fire and ice are personified by giving
them a mind which is capable of destroying almost
Themes
anything.
• Nature’s positive impact on human emotions
• The transformative ability of change of perception 3. A Tiger in the Zoo
Poetic Devices
The poetic device used in the poem is ‘alliteration’. In this Significance of the Title
device, the same letter or sound occurs at the beginning of The poem portrays the tiger’s mental state and helplessness
adjacent or closely connected words. in a zoo, and emphasizes that the zoo is not its natural home.
Another poetic device used is inversion, i.e., when the Summary
structure of a sentence is changed by the poet to create The poem describes a caged tiger’s frustration. Striped
rhyme. This poetic device can be seen in the first stanza. and powerful, he paces silently in his small cage. The poet
contrasts this with the tiger’s natural life, hunting deer and
2. Fire and Ice lurking in the jungle. If the forest is gone, the tiger becomes
a threat to villages. The final stanza emphasizes the tiger’s
Significance of the Title
confinement despite his strength, ignoring the zoo visitors.
The title suggests that passion and hatred can exist at the Themes
same time, perhaps in the same person.
• Life of tiger in natural and man-made habitat
Summary respectively
The poem ‘Fire and Ice’ by Robert Frost explores the idea • Captivity and Freedom
that humanity’s own nature holds the seeds of its destruction.
Poetic Devices
It presents fire and ice as symbols for opposing destructive
• Metaphor – there is a direct comparison carried out
forces. Fire represents passionate desires that consume and
between two unlike things such as paws of Tiger are
E-22 Concept Maps and Revision Cheat Sheets
compares with soft velvet represented as ‘pads of suggests an untamed, savage animal. These two terms
velvet’. are contradictory and create a paradoxical expression,
• Personification – the main character in the poem is making it an oxymoron.
defined by human characteristics. In the poem, the tiger • Metaphor – in the poem, ‘roar with pain’, i.e., the
is attributed by the word, ‘He’. painful voice compared ironically with the roar of a
• Alliteration – the two words, ‘he hears’ use the same leopard and ‘a noble wild beast’, i.e., the leopard is
letter which begin with ‘h’. shown as noble are the metaphors used.
• Imagery – the activities of the tiger have been best • Alliteration – the phrases ‘lep and lep again’, ‘roaming
described by the line, ‘lurking in shadow’. round’, ‘very, very hard’ are examples of alliteration
used.
4. How to Tell Wild Animals • Personification – the tiger in the poem is referred by
‘he’, i.e., bestowing human qualities on something that
Significance of the Title is not human.
The poem humorously describes various wild animals.
Summary 5. The Ball Poem
This poem offers a humorous (and slightly dangerous) guide
Significance of the Title
to identifying wild animals. It uses characteristics associated
with the animals, but in an exaggerated or misleading way. The poem centres on the life lessons learned through loss
of a ball which symbolizes material possessions.
• Lion: Roars so loud you die of fright.
Summary
• Tiger: Has black stripes and eats you.
The poem explores a boy’s loss of his ball, symbolizing the
• Leopard: Spotted fur and won’t stop attacking even if
loss of innocence and carefree childhood. The boy’s deep
you cry.
sadness highlights the importance of those memories. A
• Bear: Gives tight hugs that kill you. new ball can’t replace them. This experience teaches the
• Hyenas: Smile when hunting prey. boy his first lesson in responsibility and the impermanence
• Crocodiles: Cry when eating prey. of things. The poet uses the ball to represent how people
• Chameleon: Small lizard-like creature that changes lose things, both material and intangible, throughout life.
color and lacks ears and wings. One must learn to accept these losses and move forward.
The poem’s humor comes from the deadpan delivery of Themes
obviously bad advice. It’s a reminder to be cautious in the • Loss and impremanence of things
wild and rely on proper identification methods. • Experience of life & growing up
Themes Poetic Devices
Creative use of language to describe and create humour • Anaphora – repetition of a word at the start of two or
Poetic Devices more consecutive lines. For example, “What is the
boy now, who has lost his ball, What, what is he to
• Imagery – use of descriptive language helps readers
do? I saw it go.”
to visualize pictures in one’s mind. Here, the image of
the Bengal tiger is created through the line, ‘A noble • Imagery – visual description such as “Merrily
beast greets you, with black stripes with a yellow bouncing, down the street, and then, Merrily over
background.’ there it is in the water!”

• Oxymoron – this figure of speech combines • Personification – the phrase, ‘merrily bouncing for
contradictory terms to create a new phrase that expresses the ball’ has been used as a poetic device, meaning
a paradoxical idea. In the poem, the oxymoron is used a state of happiness which is characteristic among
in ‘noble wild beast’. The word “noble” implies a humans.
sense of honour, dignity, and grace, while “wild beast” • Symbolism – the ‘ball’ is a symbol of childhood, which
if lost, can’t be brought back.
English Language and Literature-10 E- 23
This poem uses the metaphor of trees yearning to return to
6. Amanda! the forest (once destroyed by humans) to depict nature’s
rebellion. The first stanza highlights the emptiness of the
Significance of the Title forest and the trees’ confinement within human dwellings.
The exclamation mark in the title denotes the acerbic tone The second stanza details the trees’ efforts to escape,
of Amanda’s parents. breaking free from houses and yearning for light. The third
Summary stanza shows the poet witnessing this silent exodus, ending
The poem portrays Amanda’s frustration with her mother’s with the triumphant return of the trees and the forest’s
constant instructions. Her mother criticizes Amanda’s revival.
posture, scolds her about chores, and restricts her diet. Themes
Amanda escapes these pressures through fantastical • Transformation, growth and liberation
daydreams. She imagines being a carefree sea creature, • Dynamic nature between humans and nature
a roaming orphan, or a secluded princess, anything to
Poetic Devices
have freedom from her mother’s watchful eye. The
• Imagery – the words and phrases in the poem create
poem highlights the clash between a child’s desire for
visual representations in the mind. For example, ‘the
independence and a mother’s attempts to guide her. Amanda
trees inside are moving out into the forest’; ‘the glass is
interprets her mother’s care as control, demonstrating the
breaking, the trees are stumbling forward’.
communication gap that can arise during this stage.
• Personification – when something is given human
Themes
attributes, such as ‘the trees inside are moving out into
• Control and Freedom the forest’.
• Upbringing and Parenting • Metaphor – the use of ‘trees’ metaphorically to
• Power of imagination represent helplessness of woman in the patriarchal
Poetic Devices society. The struggles of the nature or trees to be freed
• Personification – the wind, the sun and the moon are from the confinements of man is compared to that of the
personified in the poem. For example, the wind is women’s struggle for the same to get freedom from the
described as a ‘whisperer’, the sun as ‘golden eye’, and men dominated society.
the moon as a ‘silver friend’. • Simile – a clear comparison between two or more
• Imagery – the poem has a vivid and descriptive imagery things/people having same qualities. For example, ‘like
that appeals to the reader’s senses. It helps to create a newly discharged patients’, ‘the moon is broken like a
more visual and sensory experience for the reader. For mirror’.
example, ‘golden eye’ of the sun, ‘whisperer’ of the • Symbolism – using symbols to represent ideas or
wind. qualities, like the poet uses ‘the trees’ to signify forests
• Metaphor – a metaphor is used to convey the love of a and raise the issue of ‘deforestation’.
mother towards her daughter. For example, ‘golden eye’ • Alliteration – for example, long letters, leaves and
is a term given to the sun that watches over Amanda. lichen used in the poem.
8. Fog
• Alliteration – a musical and rhythmic effect has been
created in the poem through alliteration. For example, Significance of the Title
‘whisperer wind’ and ‘silver friend’ contain alliteration.
‘Fog’ refers to the beauty and mystery of the natural world.
7. The Trees Summary
The poem “The Fog” by Carl Sandburg uses a cat metaphor
Significance of the Title to describe the fog silently creeping into a harbor city. It
‘The Trees’ is an extended metaphor that compares trees to arrives unnoticed, then sits quietly observing everything,
women. before silently disappearing again. The poem highlights the
Summary unexpected and mysterious nature of fog.
E-24 Concept Maps and Revision Cheat Sheets
Themes Poetic Devices
• Effect of fog on human senses • Simile – the sound of the dragon is compared to the
• Mystery and uncertainty of fog sound of an engine, i.e., ‘snorting’ like an engine; the
Poetic Devices attack of dragons is compared to a robin (bird), i.e.,
‘like a robin at a worm’.
• Metaphor – the poet has compared the fog to a cat in the
first two lines of the poem. • Onomatopoeia – the use of words that are associated
with sound, like clatter, clank, jangling.
• Personification – the fog has been personified by the
use of phrases such as ‘comes on little cat feet’, ‘sits • Consonance – prominent sound of the consonant, ‘L’,
looking over harbour’. like ‘clatter and clank in a jangling squirm’.
• Imagery – the visual description of the fog is seen in the • Alliteration – the repetition of a letter at the start of
entire poem. closely placed words, for example, the repetition of ‘g’
in ‘gulped some grog’.
9. The Tale of Custard the Dragon
10. For Anne Gregory
Significance of the Title
Significance of the Title
The poem is a parody narrating the bravery of the dragon
called Custard who is considered a coward. The poem ‘For Anne Gregory’ expresses speaker’s adoration
for Anne.
Summary
Summary
The poem tells the story of Belinda and her unusual pets:
Ink, a kitten; Blink, a mouse; Mustard, a dog and a cowardly This poem, ‘For Anne Gregory,’ by W.B. Yeats, explores the
dragon named Custard. Despite his fearsome appearance, concept of true love. The poet worries that Anne’s beauty,
Custard cries for a safe cage and is mocked by the other pets symbolized by her golden hair, attracts shallow admirers
who believe themselves to be brave. who don’t see her inner self. Anne proposes changing her
hair colour to find someone who loves her for who she is.
Suddenly, a pirate breaks in, terrifying Belinda and her
The poet, however, believes only God can love us for our
pets. All the ‘brave’ animals run away except Custard. In a
true selves, as humans are drawn to outward appearances.
surprising turn of events, the dragon attacks the pirate and
devours him whole. Themes
Afterward, everyone celebrates their “bravery” while • The idea of ideal beauty and the influence it has upon
Custard remains humble. Despite saving them all, he’s others
still considered a coward. The poem ends with a playful • Difference between external beauty and internal beauty
repetition of the beginning, highlighting the irony of the Poetic Devices
situation. • Alliteration: The poet repeats the letter “h” in the phrase
Themes “he had” and the letter “y” in the phrase “your yellow”.
• Appearance versus Reality • Metaphor: The poet compares Anne Gregory’s hair to
• Hypocrisy the ramparts of a castle, suggesting that her hair protects
• Courage and Determination her face from being seen fully.
English Language and Literature-10 E- 25
Footprints Without Feet

Themes
1. A Triumph of Surgery
• The blind love which we possess for the one whom we
love the most.
Significance of Title
• The transformative power of modern medicine and the
The title is justified as the entire story revolved around impact it can have on individuals.
the dog, Tricki, and his illness. The small dog was very • Common sense about repairing the health of the dog,
much pampered by his mistress, Mrs. Pumphrey. She often i.e., a balanced diet and exercise is the cure for every
overfed him and this led to some serious illness. Mr. Herriot, health related ailment.
the veterinary surgeon, helped Triki by giving him plenty of Character Sketch
water and no medicines and no food. At last, Triki recovered Dr. Herriot: He is a veterinary surgeon passionate about his
and was back with Mrs. Pumphrey. She was very happy work and cares deeply for animals. He is described as a tall,
and in her excitement said that it was a triumph of surgery. lean man with a weathered face and bright blue eyes. He has
Characters thick curly brown hair and a thick mustache. He is kind and
Dr. Herriot, Mrs. Pumphrey, Tricki (the dog) compassionate who is dedicated to his work. He is patient
Summary and gentle with animals and treats them with utmost care
and respect. He is also a good listener and is always willing
The story is about a small dog, Tricki, who was always to lend an ear to his clients.
indulged by his rich mistress, Mrs. Pumphrey, with tasty Dr. Herriot is a highly skilled veterinarian who is well-
and unhealthy treats. Gradually, Tricki gained weight and respected in his field. He takes his work very seriously and
became lazy. He hardly exercised or went for a walk. In is always striving to improve his skills and knowledge.
due course of time, his lack of movement worried Mrs. He is meticulous in his work and always ensures that he
Pumphrey. Soon, she consulted Dr. James Herriot, a provides the best possible care to his patients. He is willing
veterinary surgeon, for treatment of her lethargic dog. Dr. to go to great lengths to save the lives of his patients and is
Herriot was shocked to see Tricki’s condition and took him always looking for new and innovative ways to treat them.
to the hospital. He knew Mrs. Pumphrey’s overindulgence He is also very patient with his clients and takes the time to
would never let her dog lead a healthy lifestyle. The dog explain their pet’s condition and treatment options in detail.
didn’t move for the first two days and didn’t eat any food He has a great sense of humor and is known for his ability
either. On the third day, Tricki went outside and played to make his clients and colleagues laugh.
with other bigger dogs in the hospital. He ate the food that Mrs. Pumphery: She is a rich middle-aged woman. She
was given to him and also licked the bowls of other dogs treats all her visitors with warmth and generosity. She has
for leftover food. Dr. Herriot gave a balanced diet to Tricki a strong emotional bond with her little pet dog, Tricki.
along with plenty of physical exercises. Gradually, Tricki’s She is concerned about Tricki’s miserable condition. She
condition started improving, and he started fighting with pampers the dog by giving him chocolates, cakes, juice,
other dogs for meals. His mistress would send eggs so that eggs and wine. Mrs. Pumphrey overindulges to the point of
her pet didn’t starve and get enough energy to recover from disregarding Dr. Herriot’s advice to give him exercise. When
the treatment. She also sent bottles of wine to enrich Tricki’s Tricki’s health deteriorates and he is taken to the hospital for
blood. But those were consumed by Dr. Herriot and his treatment, she is very upset. She is silly but tender-hearted.
She becomes happy when her pet dog becomes fine. She is
colleagues. As the little dog started showing improvement,
grateful to Dr. Herriot for making Tricki healthy.
the vet decided to call the wealthy lady. When she arrived in
the hospital to fetch Tricki, he was very happy and jumped Tricki: Tricki is greedy for food, thus being overfed with
on her. Mrs. Pumphrey was filled with gratitude towards Dr. sweets makes him very fat. He becames restless and listless.
The doctor advises Mrs. Pumphery to keep him on a strict
Herriot for curing her dog.
diet with plenty of exercise.
E-26 Concept Maps and Revision Cheat Sheets
Themes
2. The Thief’s Story • The story is based on friendship, betrayal, aspirations,
connection, trust, guilt, change, kindness, loyalty,
Significance of the Title
revenge and honesty.
The readers get an insight into the life of a thief and the • It shows how love and kindness can transform even the
circumstances that force people to resort to such criminal most destructive minds of thieves.
activities. • It also involves an inner conflict between guilt and
Characters survival instinct.
Hari Singh (thief), Anil • In terms of survival instinct, the protagonist steals to
Summary survive, to feed himself and his family. At times, it
is the circumstances that force a person to indulge in
The story is about a fifteen-year-old boy, Hari Singh, who
wrong acts.
befriended people in order to rob them. One day, he met
Anil during a wrestling match. Anil was a twenty-five-year- • It also revolves around a moral dilemma whether it is
right to steal in order to survive.
old man who was leading his life casually.
Character Sketch
He was a struggling writer who would make small money
with his writing prowess. Hari flattered Anil by trying to Anil
befriend him and asked him for some work. • Simple: Anil, a kind, simple, and laid-back young man
with a tall and lean stature, had a keen interest in sports,
Anil asked Hari if he could cook, to which the young boy
particularly wrestling.
replied affirmatively. Hearing this, Anil also promised
to teach Hari how to read, write, add numbers and cook • Kindness: He was not wealthy and couldn’t afford to
hire Hari as a cook. However, displaying patience and
delicious meals. Sometimes, Anil would give a rupee to
kindness, he not only taught Hari how to cook but also
Hari as a tip for his efforts.
educated him in reading, writing, and arithmetic.
One fine day, Anil received a bundle of notes for his
• Empathetic: Aware that Hari was pilfering small
published articles. He kept the money under his mattress,
amounts of money from him, Anil chose to overlook
and Hari happened to notice this. At midnight, when Anil
this fact.
was fast asleep, Hari slipped his hand and stole the money
• Trusting: As a writer contributing to magazines, Anil’s
from under the mattress.
income fluctuated. Despite earning substantial amounts
He immediately left for the railway station to board a train at times, he stored his money beneath the mattress
to Lucknow. Unfortunately, he missed the train. As it was rather than securing it with a lock and key, showcasing
pouring heavily, he got drenched completely. his trusting nature.
Hari felt agitated and was regretful for stealing money from • Generous: Anil’s generosity extended to compensating
an honest man like Anil. He felt guilty for cheating Anil, Hari whenever he had some money. Despite Hari
who taught him to read and write. attempting to steal from him, Anil, displaying
Suddenly, Hari had a change of heart, and decided to return. forgiveness, continued to be benevolent and kind
Although the notes had become soggy due to the rain, he toward him.
kept the money in the same spot from where he stole it. Hari Singh
The following day, when he woke up, he found Anil behaving • Experienced and Successful Thief: Despite his young
normally. The young man offered Hari fifty rupees and said age, Hari is already an experienced and fairly successful
that he had rightfully earned it. Anil further said that he thief. He adopts the practice of frequently changing
would pay Hari regularly. However, when Hari touched the his name to avoid detection by former employers or
money, he realised that the money was still damp. the police, showcasing a certain level of cunning and
resourcefulness in his criminal activities.
Hari understood that Anil was aware of his misdeed the
• Deceptive: Hari’s deceptive nature is evident in his
previous night, but the young man still didn’t get angry at
interactions with people, including Anil, whom he
him. After this incident, Hari was filled with gratitude and
cheats when buying daily groceries. This trait highlights
respect for Anil, and he decided to mend his ways.
his ability to manipulate situations for personal gain.
English Language and Literature-10 E- 27
• Aspirations for Education: Despite his involvement in and it continued until the thumping became louder and more
illegal activities, Hari harbors a strong desire to receive frequent.
an education. He envisions a future where he can Ausable said that the police might have come to visit him as
become a respected and accomplished individual. This they did on a regular basis. Hearing this, Max was confused,
aspiration reveals a longing for personal growth and a and while he pointed his gun towards the other two men in
departure from his life as a thief. the room, he said he would wait in the balcony until the
• Regretful and Reflective: After stealing a significant police left.
amount of money from Anil, Hari experiences regret. Max warned that he would shoot them if they didn’t listen to
He realizes that this act has cost him his chance at him. Saying so, he jumped out of the window, and suddenly
education, indicating a level of introspection and there was a loud scream.
remorse for his actions. Ausable opened the door, and the waiter brought wine that
• Courageous and Motivated to Change: Despite the he had ordered. The waiter kept the wine bottle, glasses and
potential consequences, Hari gathers the courage to tray on top of the table and left.
return the stolen money to Anil. His strong desire for Fowler was surprised to see all this and asked him about
personal transformation and the pursuit of a better the police. To this, Ausable lied about the police as he was
life motivates him to take the risk, demonstrating a trying to intimidate Max.
willingness to change his ways. Fowler again asked that Max must be waiting in the balcony,
to which Ausable said there was no balcony attached to his
3. The Midnight Visitor window. He cooked up the entire story about the balcony in
order to convince Max to believe him, which he blindly did.
Significance of the Title
Themes
The title is appropriate for the story as it accurately describes
• The story teaches us the outcomes of greed and the
the central event and character in the story. The story
importance of honesty.
revolves around a strange man who visits the protagonist’s
house in the middle of the night, making him the focus of • It also gives us valuable lessons about the consequences
the story. of our actions.
Characters: Ausable (agent), Fowler (writer) • It tells us the importance of doing the right thing.

Summary • It gives us an overview about justice, i.e., a person will

always be punished for wrong deeds.
The story is about a secret agent Ausable. One day, he and
• It also tells us that people who are quick-witted take
his friend Fowler had gone out to spend an evening together.
advantage of situations wherein they involve other
As the two men talked, Ausable told him that Fowler must
people in order to put them into trouble.
have imagined him to be a secret agent who dealt with
espionage and danger. Character Sketch
On the contrary, when Fowler met Ausable, he found the Ausable: He is a complex character who is difficult to
latter to be a chubby-looking spy who spoke French and understand. He is secretive and does not reveal much about
German moderately. his past or his intentions. He has a reputation in the town for
being a recluse, which adds to his air of mystery. Physically,
Soon, both of them headed towards Ausable’s room; he
he may be fat but mentally he is very agile and quick-witted.
unlocked the door and switched on the light. When they
He knows all the tricks of his trade. He is very quick to react
entered the room, Fowler was startled to see a man holding
and can cook up stories that may fit in all kinds of situations.
a small automatic pistol halfway across the room.
He had a very important paper and when Max had come
Ausable immediately recognised the other man to be Max, a to him to pinch that paper, he fabricated a story about the
secret agent. Max had come to demand the report related to balcony and the police to befool Max. The story was so
missiles that Ausable was expecting. convincing that Max jumped down the window.
In the meantime, Ausable began his hypothetical story Fowler: He is a young writer who writes romantic books.
of the balcony beneath the window of the room to divert Shifting from this genre, he wants to write a book on
Max’s attention. Just then, somebody knocked at the door, detectives. Fowler forms a very romantic and grand picture
E-28 Concept Maps and Revision Cheat Sheets
of a secret agent in his mind – mysterious figures in the for her. She mentioned that she had forgotten the safe’s lock
night, the crack of pistols, drugs in wine. According to his combination. Danby opened the safe without his gloves.
imagination, the detective would be young with attractive The young lady took out all the jewels. He left the house
personality who gets messages slipped into his hand by assuming that he had escaped imprisonment. However, a
dark-eyed beauties. He assumes Ausable/ to be of the same policeman arrested him on the third day for the burglary.
kind which he is not. His fingerprints were found all over the robbed place. Later,
he confessed to committing the crime and that he had opened
4. A Question of Trust the safe for the young lady but didn’t steal the jewels. In
reality, it so happened that the lady was also a thief who had
Significance of the Title
convinced Horace to break open the safe.
The title implies that the story revolves around a situation
When he told this story to the police, no one believed him
or dilemma where trust becomes a central theme. It suggests
since the owner’s wife was a sixty-year-old woman, not
that there may be doubts, uncertainties or conflicts related to
the one Danby mentioned in his statement. So the police
trust between characters in the story.
arrested him. He often thought of the charming young lady
Characters
who was also a thief and tricked him into believing her.
Horace Danby, Lady Thief
Themes
Summary
• The story states that one should not trust anyone without
The story is about Horace Danby, an unmarried fifty- discovering out about that person.
year-old man who used to work as a locksmith. He was a
• It also tells that when one wants to achieve a goal, he/
successful businessman too. Although he was a respectable
she uses any means to do so.
man, he was not completely honest. He had a liking for rare
• When a person sets a goal, he/she plans in meticulous
and fancy books and would purchase them by any means.
ways to achieve success.
To pursue his expensive hobby, he would rob once every
• The story gives us an insight about how one person uses
year and purchase expensive books. He would chalk out a
another person in order to get their goals accomplished.
well-devised plan before making any burglary attempt.
Character Sketch
He had his eyes on a house at Shotover Grange, and carefully
studied its structure for two weeks. One fine afternoon, Horace Danby: A fifty-year old unmarried man, Horace
Horace realised that it was the best time to execute his act. lived with a housekeeper who was very concerned about his
He came out from behind a wall of the garden and entered health. He was in the business of making locks. Everyone
the house with all his tools packed in his bag. He quickly around him considered him honest and respectable. But he
wore his gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints behind. He was a robber who robbed one safe (a locker to keep jewels
took the key from the hook and opened the door. He spotted safe) every year in order to buy rare and expensive books.
the dog, Sherry that wagged its tail when it saw Horace. The amount of money that he would steal would last him for
a year. When he decides to rob a rich man’s house, he plans
Danby knew the safe (cupboard containing valuables) was
everything carefully. Yet he is fooled by a woman during the
hidden behind a painting in the drawing room. There was
robbery. She made him rob the safe on false promises and
a beautiful vase with flowers kept on the table. He was
he was caught by the police after a few days. In prison, he
allergic to their fragrance, so kept sneezing repeatedly.
served as the assistant librarian, still thinking about how he
He used his tools to cut the burglar alarm. As he sneezed
was fooled by the clever woman.
loudly, he heard the voice of a young lady in the doorway.
Lady Thief: The lady thief, dressed in a red colour attire,
The lady dressed in red pretended to be the house owner’s
was very witty. She was extremely talented in fooling
wife, and convinced Horace to believe her. She said that she
Horace Danby by making him believe that she was the house
had come to collect her jewels as she wanted to wear those
owner’s wife that he had entered to rob. She knew tricks and
at a party.
traps to make Horace believe her story, thus making him
Danby was frightened that the lady might hand him over to
commit the robbery of the jewellery from the safe. After
the police, so he requested her to let him go. She told him
escaping safely with the jewels, she called the cops to get
that she would allow him to leave only if he opened the safe
Horace caught, thus plotting a story against him.
English Language and Literature-10 E- 29
stealing to sustain himself. Due to his suspicious appearance,
5. Footprints Without Feet the owner and his wife attempted to check his room while
he was away.
Significance of the Title
Out of anger, Griffin damaged the furniture of the inn and
The story revolves around a scientist who is able to make
threw it across the room towards them. The owner and his
himself invisible.
wife got scared, thinking that there were spirits in the room.
Characters
Mrs. Hall then requested the town constable to inquire about
Griffin (scientist), Mrs. Hall (inn owner’s wife) the identity of this individual and arrest him for damaging
Summary her furnishings.
The story is about a brilliant scientist named Griffin who It annoyed Griffin further, and he decided to reveal his
had developed a drug that could make a man invisible. He identity as he started unwrapping his bandages, whiskers,
was successful in his experiment and developed a formula spectacles and nose. Everyone was shocked to see this,
that had the power of invisibility. as there was no normal human being hidden behind the
Griffin carried out the experiment on himself and his body bandages.
became transparent like a sheet of glass. But he stepped in The constable could not catch hold of Griffin as he took off
mud, and the fresh muddy imprints of his feet were all over all his garments, became invisible and disappeared into thin
the place. It was first seen by two young boys who followed air.
his footprints until they became fainter and disappeared. Themes
Griffin was an outstanding scientist, but he was also a • One should not misuse science and its great discoveries
lawless man. His landlord disliked him. In vengeance, as this can turn even a brilliant scientist into a threatening
Griffin set the house on fire and wandered around the streets lawless person.
without food, money and clothes.
• Behaving in a manner that go against laws of society is
Owing to his invisibility, no one could see him. While an offence.
walking down the streets, he started feeling cold and entered
• Illegal ways to achieve something will only lead to
a big London shopping centre. After the stores were shut, he
punishment.
picked up some comfortable clothes to warm himself and
Character Sketch
ate something from a nearby restaurant. Later he slept on a
pile of quilts in the store. Griffin: He is a highly intelligent scientist who is obsessed
with discovering the secret of invisibility. He spends
The following morning some associates started approaching
years researching and experimenting until he finally
him, so he removed all his clothes and became invisible
succeeds in making himself invisible. Though he is
again.
extremely arrogant and believes that his discovery makes
As Griffin wandered without clothes in the chilly weather, he
him superior to other people. He looks down upon others
could feel the biting cold and decided to take some clothes
and feels that he can do whatever he wants because he
from a theatre company. Soon, he found an appropriate shop
is invisible. He has no concern for the welfare of others
and wore bandages around his forehead, a false nose, dark
and is willing to harm anyone who gets in his way.
glasses, big bushy side-whiskers and a huge hat.
Griffin is seen desperately finding a way to reverse his
He went to a shopkeeper’s store and stole all the money. He invisibility and return to a normal life. However, his
realised that staying in a crowded city like London could be desperation leads him to make increasingly reckless and
difficult, so he thought of moving to Iping village. He had dangerous choices.
booked two rooms at the local inn in the village and reached
there by boarding a train from London. 6. The Making of a Scientist
It was an unusual experience for the villagers to expect an
outsider with a strange appearance to come to the hotel Significance of the Title
during winter. Mrs. Hall, the wife of the landlord of the inn, There are three qualities that make a scientists- a great mind,
tried to be friendly, but Griffin did not want to talk to her. curiosity and the will to win for the right reasons.
Soon enough, his money was exhausted, and he started Characters: Richard H. Ebright (scientist), Ebright’s
mother
E-30 Concept Maps and Revision Cheat Sheets
Summary persistence, creativity, collaboration and communication
This prose is about a renowned scientist, Richard Ebright, in any scientific process.
who was a bright yet curious child from the early years • It showcases the passion for science and joy of discovery
of his life. He was very fond of collecting butterflies, and that comes with it.
when he was in the second grade, he had already collected Character Sketch
25 species of butterflies in his home town.
Richard Ebright: He had a multifaceted, versatile
His mother always encouraged him in his efforts and gifted personality. He was a man of science, but he also had
him a book named ‘The Travels of Monarch X’. The book a knack for sports and other extracurricular activities.
was a turning point in his life as it opened the world of Ebright showed a keen interest in science from a young
science to him. It explained how monarch butterflies would age, especially in the area of molecular biology. In grade
migrate to Central America and made him more eager to eight, he conducted an experiment to identify the virus that
explore the species. caused the deaths of monarch butterflies. Ebright persisted
He participated in the county science fair and understood in wanting to become a scientist despite encountering many
that he needed to do something exceptional. He continued obstacles and disappointments. He put in a lot of effort
with his efforts until he made a place for himself in the fair to overcome challenges, whether it was getting financial
with valid experiments. assistance for his study or surviving the competitive
In his eighth-grade project, he tried to discover the disease educational environment. He was a dedicated researcher
caused by a virus that killed most of the monarch caterpillars who used molecular biology to shed light on the secrets of
every year. Ebright assumed that a beetle might be the carrier the natural world. He developed his theory of living cells
of the disease, so he started breeding caterpillars along while he was just twenty-four years old.
with beetles. However, he didn’t get any results from this
Richard’s Mother: She was a dedicated, encouraging,
experiment, yet he exhibited this experiment at the county
and supporting person. She is a single mother who raised
science fair and won the competition that year.
Richard by herself after losing her husband when he was
During his second year of high school, Ebright started his just nine years old. Despite the difficulties of being a single
scientific research about the discovery of a mysterious parent, she always placed a high priority on his intellectual
insect hormone, which led to his brand-new theory on the and educational advancement. She recognized his love for
life of cells. His experiment was to find the main purpose science and went out of her way to provide him with the
of the twelve tiny golden spots on a monarch pupa. His resources and opportunities to pursue his interests. She
project won first prize in a county science fair, and he got an
frequently accompanied him to the library and even bought
opportunity to work at the entomology lab at Walter Reed
for him equipment including a telescope, a microscope,
Army Institute of Research.
cameras, mounting materials, etc. that would be helpful in
As a junior in high school, he continued with his upgraded many ways. She encouraged Richard to set high standards
experiments on the monarch pupa and finally was successful for himself and instilled in him the value of hard work and
in identifying the chemical structure of hormones. One fine perseverance. She had a significant role in making Richard
day, while he was checking the X-ray photos of the chemical what he was.
structure of a hormone, he understood how the cell could
‘read’ the blueprint of its DNA. 7. The Necklace
Ebright and his roommate in college, James R. Wong,
worked day and night and drew pictures and constructed Significance of the Title
plastic models of molecules to illustrate how DNA works. Necklaces often serve ceremonial, religious, magical or
This was a major leap in Ebright’s career as he secured a funerary purposes and are also used as symbols of wealth
graduation degree from Harvard with the highest honours. and status, knowing that they are made of precious metals
His work was also published in a science magazine. and stones.
Themes Characters
• The story highlights the importance of curiosity, Matilda Loisel (the protagonist), Monsieur Loisel (Matilda’s
experimentation and observation, imagination, husband), Madame Forestier (Matilda’s friend)
English Language and Literature-10 E- 31
Summary chores. Her husband worked odd hours in multiple jobs
The story is about a pretty lady, Matilda Loisel, who lives in to repay the loan. Ten years passed, and with that, their
a small yet cosy flat with her husband. He worked as a clerk appearances also changed.
in the office of the Board of Education. They were not so One day, Matilda met Jeanne, who couldn’t identify her as
well-off to be able to have a luxurious lifestyle. she looked weary and aged. Loisel revealed the truth to her
Matilda was unhappy about her condition and desired to friend about how she and her husband were left in ruins
be rich. She often brooded over her financial condition for to repay the loan of the expensive necklace. Hearing this,
not having a huge mansion and a lot of money. She always Jeanne was stunned and told her that the necklace that she
wanted to dress beautifully with matching jewellery. gave her for the ball party was fake and was worth not more
One day, her husband brought an invitation to a party at the than five hundred francs.
Minister’s residence. He expected her to be excited upon Themes
seeing the invitation letter. On the contrary, she expressed • The story tells us that one should not crave for luxuries.
her resentment and started sobbing. When asked, she One must be satisfied and content with what one has.
complained about not having an appropriate attire. • Desires lead to unhappiness.
She wanted to look beautiful at the party such that everyone • Always be true to oneself and others.
would admire her. Feeling pity for Matilda, her husband Character Sketch
gave her four hundred francs to buy a dress. He had saved
Matilda Loisel: Matilda is a pretty, young lady. She wanted
to buy a rifle.
to lead a rich and luxurious life. But she was born into a
When the week of the grand party approached. Matilda humble family and had to marry an ordinary man. She
seemed to be anxious again. She didn’t have any matching felt sad about her petty economic and social status. When
jewellery with her dress. Her husband suggested she request Matilda got an invitation to a ball, she wanted to pretend as
her friend, Jeanne Forestier, for a neckpiece. Matilda went a rich woman. She gave in to vanity. She disregarded the
to Jeanne’s house immediately and borrowed a sparkling advice of her good husband. She is a woman who sought the
diamond necklace. praise and admiration of others. She feels very happy when
Matilda attended the party with her husband and was happy men appreciated her beauty and grace at the dance ball.
about her appearance. She was happy that she could garner Matilda is a woman lacking wisdom and prudence. Just to
the attention of the attendees at the reception. After the show off a day at the ball, she loses her borrowed necklace.
party, when they reached home, Matilda realised that the This leads to enormous suffering for her and her husband for
necklace was missing. They were panicked thinking that it a number of years. She does not understand the importance
might have fallen in the cab while returning. Her husband of living within one’s means.
immediately went to search the streets in case it might have Monsieur Loisel: Mr. Loisel is a simple man working as
fallen somewhere. a clerk. He loves his wife and does everything to make her
Her husband then decided to approach the police and put up happy. He gets an invitation to a ball with his wife. When his
an advertisement in the newspapers offering a reward, but wife wants a costly necklace, he suggests she should borrow
nothing came out. He asked her to write a letter to her friend, a necklace from her rich friend, Madame Forestier. When
Jeanne Forestier and mention that the clasp had broken and Matilda loses her necklace, he uses his hard-earned savings
she would return it once repaired. to buy a new necklace. He starts working very hard to repay
In the meantime, they had successfully found a replica of the debt they had incurred. Mr Loisel is ready to make an
the necklace and decided to replace it with the old one. enormous sacrifice to maintain his family. He is a man who
However, the new necklace was very expensive. Matilda’s believes in living a life within one’s means. Unfortunately,
father-in-law had left eighteen thousand francs for his son. because he is lenient towards his wife, he has to undergo
They decided to borrow the rest of the money to buy the much suffering.
expensive necklace. They bought the necklace with all the Madame Forestier: She was a school friend of Matilda
money they had and borrowed funds. Loisel. Even after being extremely rich, she treats Matilda
In the next few years, their condition worsened as their lives nicely, but Matilda is jealous of her wealth. She is a kind and
took a drastic turn due to the huge loan. They moved to a wonderful person who offers Matilda a beautiful diamond
smaller place to live in, and Matilda did all the household necklace to wear to a fancy ball without any concern.
E-32 Concept Maps and Revision Cheat Sheets
As the groom tried to garland the bride, Bholi held his hand
8. Bholi and refused to marry. All the people present were stunned
to see how confidently she spoke without stuttering. Bholi
Significance of the Title
assured her father that she would take care of them in their
‘Bholi’ is for the protagonist in the story. She was called old age and would teach in the same school. Looking at this,
‘Bholi’ because she had been looked upon as a simple girl Bholi’s teacher felt a sense of relief and satisfaction at her
since her childhood. When she was ten months old she had courage and confidence in front of so many people.
fallen from the cot; some part of her brain had been affected Themes
consequently. She had been a slow learner.
• The story talks about the impact of the family on
Characters children.
Bholi, Ramlal (Bholi’s father), School Teacher • It also illustrates how proper moral and emotional
Summary protection is necessary to be given to children during
A young girl, Sulekha was popularly referred to as ‘Bholi’ the formative years.
for her simple nature. At ten months, she fell from her cot, • It also shows that education transforms the child’s
which caused damage to her brain, and she stammered when thought process and makes him/her independent to take
she learnt to talk. their own decisions.
Bholi suffered from smallpox that left dark pock-marks Character Sketch
on her face. The ugly marks spoiled her appearance, and Bholi: Bholi (Sulekha) was the fourth and the youngest child
people would make fun of her. Bholi’s parents were worried of Ramlal. She was given the name Bholi since everyone
about how to get her married when she grew older as she thought she was a simpleton. She was an introverted, under
had delayed growth. confident, and neglected little girl. She also cherished
One day, Tehsildar Sahib had come to perform an inaugural Lakshmi, her beloved cow. She suffered from small pox as
ceremony at a primary school for girls in the village. He told a child, which left marks on her face, and she had a head
Ramlal to send all his daughters to school. When Ramlal injury that caused her to respond slowly than a typical child
discussed this with his wife, she objected and stated that of her age. She took a very long time to learn how to talk,
nobody would marry their daughters if they were sent to and even once she could, she stumbled. She was mocked
school. and imitated by other kids. She continued to be illiterate
Initially, Bholi was skeptical about going to school. However, and was despised by her family and the other locals. She
on the first day of school, she was groomed properly and was reluctant to attend school because of her condition.
sent to school. When she reached school, she was elated to But after receiving education and support from her teacher,
see girls of her age. When the class teacher asked her name, she developed into a self-assured, articulate, and charitable
she stammered and all the girls started laughing. She started young woman. When Bholi found out that her father had
crying and understood that nobody would like to be friends given the groom a hefty dowry on the day of her wedding,
with her. she openly refused to wed him and stood up for herself.
Her teacher, a kind-hearted lady, encouraged her to tell her Ramlal: He is a man of middle age. He was the village
name. She stammered yet again but was finally able to say numberdar. He has seven children – three sons and four
her full name. Her teacher gave her a few good books to daughters, Bholi being the youngest of them. He was a
read as it would help her to overcome her stammering. stern, narrow-minded, diligent worker, and well-respected
member of his community. Ramlal observed gender
There was a marriage proposal for Bholi a few years later.
inequality by sending only boys to the city for higher
The bridegroom, Bishamber Nath, was a limping old man.
education excluding the girls. He thought they should get
Ramlal’s family agreed to the alliance. On the wedding day,
married. He was very worried about Bholi because of her
when Bishamber was about to put the garland around her
ugly looks lack of intelligence. The only reason he sent
neck, a woman slipped the veil from Bholi’s face. The groom
Bholi to school was due to pressure from the tehsildar.
was surprised to see pockmarks on her face and refused to
marry her without a dowry of five thousand rupees. Bholi’s Bholi’s Teacher: She is a kind-hearted and encouraging
father arranged the amount. teacher. She gave Bholi a lot of support and helped her
English Language and Literature-10 E- 33
get over her restrictions and communication impairment. Think-Tank that it is not delicious at all. From this, the crew
She taught her how to communicate without pausing and realises that the book is not meant for eating.
encouraged her to believe in herself. She showed her that if After some time, Apprentice Noodle suggests to the mighty
she could get above her imperfections, people would stop Think-Tank that probably the book is being used for
making fun of her. Bholi’s teacher motivated and inspired communication with ears. They all tried to hear the book by
her, instilling in her the virtues of courage, boldness, and holding it close to their ears, yet there was no sound coming
self-assurance. She had a kind, caring, and compassionate from it. Later, Noodle suggests Think-Tank that the book
instructor who had a significant impact on her life. Bholi’s may be used for communication with eyes. The mighty
teacher’s efforts raised her student’s morale and sense of Think-Tank agrees and orders the entire crew members to
self-worth. open and read the book. The name of the book is Mother
Goose, which is a children’s rhyme book. However, they are
9. The Book that Saved the Earth
unable to understand how to read it.
Significance of the Title In no time, Apprentice Noodle reminds Think-Tank that the
Think-Tank realized that the earthlings were more powerful Mars chemical department had given some vitamin pills to
than them and that they were planning to attack them. He boost the intelligence of the crew. Think-Tank immediately
got scared and decided to migrate to Alpha century, which orders his crew to have those pills. The crew pop in the
was one hundred million miles away from Mars. This was capsules before reading the book. Soon, Sergeant Oop starts
how the Earth got saved by a book of nursery rhymes. reading the rhyme book, and they start taking the literal
Characters meaning of lines in the rhymes.
Mighty Think-Tank, Apprentice Noodle, Captain Omega, From all the information gathered about Earthlings, the
Lieutenant Iota and Sergeant Oop. mighty Think-Tank calls his Martian crew and says they
should postpone the idea of invading Earth for the time
Summary
being. So, he asks his crew to run away from that place
In the twenty-fifth century, while sitting in The Museum
immediately without leaving a trace and evacuate Mars. He
of Ancient History, the Historian depicts the story of the
orders his team to head towards Alpha Centauri, a hundred
Martians who visited Earth in the twentieth century to invade
million miles away.
the planet. A character, Think-Tank considers himself the
most powerful and intelligent fellow among all the Martians Themes
and decides to visit Earth with his team. • It teaches students that a person who thinks greatly of
He always thinks that since he has a big balloon head, he himself but has little knowledge can be dangerous.
is the most intelligent of all. He and his team are eager to • The story also tells that if one does not explore or get
know how the Earthlings (people living on Earth) live and information about a particular aspect, they can make
how the Martians can put that planet under the generous mistakes in interpretation and understanding.
Martian rulership. Character Sketch
They arrived at the Centerville Public Library on Earth, Think-Tank: He was believed to be the most powerful and
which was full of books. However, they are unable to intelligent creature in the play. He was the commander in
understand the purpose of those objects kept on the shelves. chief of Mars space control. Think Tank is a living human
To exhibit his acumen, the mighty Think-Tank tells his crew being from mars whose head is huge and egg-shaped. So far
that Earthlings are fond of eating, so probably those things as his robes are concerned he wears a long robe decorated
arranged on shelves are sandwiches. Soon after, he orders with stars and circles. He thinks himself to be the ruler of
Captain Omega, Lieutenant Iota and Sergeant Oop to eat the Mars and commands the Mars space control. He considers
book. Captain Omega and Lieutenant Iota cleverly transfer books as communication sandwiches. He is superior in his
this responsibility of eating the book on Sergeant Oop’s intelligence and authority so he wants to be appreciated. He
shoulders. boasts of his intelligence and power but decides to evacuate
Having no choice, Sergeant Oop eats a corner of the book, his planet and escape as soon as he gets to know that people
but he does not like the taste. He confirms to the mighty from Earth had planned to take control of Mars.
E-34 Concept Maps and Revision Cheat Sheets
Apprentice Noodle: He was one of Think-Tank’s brilliant on the mission and sees the human characters as obstacles to
servants. Though he is the one to make the right decisions, overcome rather than potential allies. He has a short temper
he makes sure that his boss, Think-Tank gets all the and is quick to resort to violence when provoked. Despite
praise. This shows his modesty and humility. He is good his intimidating demeanor, Lieutenant Iota is shown to be
at handling tasks by himself. He is wise and uses logical a skilled fighter and strategist. He leads the attack on the
reasoning, which is evident in the way he recognizes that human base where the book is being kept, and his military
the books are some means of communication. He has an act training and tactics help him to overcome the humans’
to tackle and flatter his boss. Whenever he had to correct defenses.
him, he would present his thought as being of no particular Sergeant Oop: He is a small, green alien from Mars who is
importance. He rectifies his mistakes in a humble manner. sent to Earth to retrieve a book that contains information to
He is a polite member of Think-Tank’s crew and cooperates save his planet from destruction. He has a long, pointed nose
with the other members and effectively carries out the order and large, bulbous eyes that protrude out of his head. He is
of the commander. He is a practical man in real. a dedicated and determined character who takes his mission
Captain Omega: He thinks of himself as the ruler of Mars seriously. He is the one who brings the book to Zog that
and commands the Mars area. Also he is leader of a crew contains the information needed to save their planet from
that has Captain Omega, Lieutenant lota, Sergeant Oops destruction. He is shown to be intelligent and resourceful,
and Apprentice Noodle. He likes to be praised owing to using his knowledge of Earth’s customs and language to
his intelligence and authority. Lieutenant Iota is a no- communicate with the human characters. He is polite and
nonsense and serious character. He is completely focused friendly in his interactions with the humans, but also firm
and willing to use force to achieve his goal.