List of questions from: A Photograph

 The poetess’s mother laughed at the snapshot? What did this laugh indicate?
Answer:
This laugh’ indicated her joy at remembering an incident connected with her past
life, when she was quite young and free from the tensions and worries of life.
 What does the word ‘cardboard’ denote in the poem? Why has this word been used?
Answer: The word cardboard denotes the photograph pasted on a hard thick
paper. This word has been used to refer to a practice in the past when photographs
were pasted on cardboard and framed with glass front to preserve them.
 The three stanzas depict three different phases. Name them.
Answer:

1. The girlhood of the poet’s mother—the period before the birth of the poet.
2. Her middle age—the period during the childhood of the poet
3. Period after the death of the poet’s mother.

 What has not changed over the years? Does this suggest something to you?
 What is the meaning of the line “Both wry with the laboured ease of loss”.
 What do you learn about the poetess’s mother from the photograph?
 The pots mother laughed at the snapshot. What does this laugh indicate?
 What has not changed over the years? Does this suggest something to you?

List of questions from: the Portrait of a Lady

 What could the narrator not believe about his grandparents?
Ans. It was almost unbelievable that the author’s grandfather ever had a wife and children. He looked
as if he could have only lots of grandchildren. In case of the author’s grandmother, it was difficult to
imagine or believe that she, too, once used to play as a child, that she was ever young and pretty, or
that she too had a husband.

 Give a pen-picture of the narrator’s grandfather as he appeared in the portrait

 How did the old lady look after the narrator in the village?
 How can you say that the grandmother was a deeply religious-minded lady?
 My grandmother and I were good friends. When was the friendship cemented and
broken?
 The thought was almost revolting. What was that thought and why was it disgusting?
 What made the grandmother unhappy in the city? What was the grandmother’s
attitude towards English education and music lessons at school?
 Give a brief account of the grandmother’s friendship with the sparrows in the city.
 Describe In brief how the old lady died peacefully.
…..
 long answer:
 Trace the interest of the old grandmother in the education of the author. Do you think
her concern was misplaced?
 What aspects of old people are highlighted in the chapter “The portrait of a Lady”?
Ans. Khushwant Singh’s story portrays the life of a grandmother who was trying to bring up her
grandson in a country where the majority of the people were fighting to make it free from the British.
They were still the rulers and as a result whatever they had brought with them, be it English education
or English fashion, It was looked upon with doubt and distrust by most of the Indians. Khushwant
Singh’s grandmother, being old and uneducated, could not reconcile to the thought of her grandson
being taught all the modern subjects like Maths, science, new theories and music. She looked upon
these subjects with distrust. Although she did not force her views on her family; she became a recluse.
She lived in her own world, winning the wheel the whole day, praying and feeding the sparrows.
The writer says that if the old people are not able to understand or accept the changes which take
place in society regarding education, thinking, lifestyle etc., they feel isolated. This gives way to a
generation gap which can be bridged to some extent by proper understanding by the old as well as
the young.

Format of notice writing:

value points to be included in notice writing:

Format for Official/Non-Official Meetings’ Notice

 Date

 Time

 Venue

 Agenda/Purpose
 Expected Attendees

 Specific Instructions

 Contact Person/Address

Format for Events’ Notice

 Name

 Objective/Purpose/Occasion

 Date

 Time/Duration

 Place/Venue

 Contact Person/Address

 Specific Instructions

Format for Lost and Found Notice

 Lost and/or Found Object

 Date

 Approximate Time lost or found

 Place

 Identification marks (color, size, distinct features)

 Content

 Contact person, when and where to contact

Format for Name Change Notice

 Eye-catching heading

 Current Name

 Address
 New Name

 Reason for changing

Format for Future Tours/Fairs/Exhibitions/Camps’ Notice

 Name and Nature of activity

 Occasion

 Venue

 Objective (information, awareness, appeal, etc.)

 Dates/Timing

 Expected Expenses

 Beginning/Conclusion Dates

 Duration (From… To…)

 Contact Information

 Specific Instructions

 You are Reema/Riteish, the secretary of M.B High School, Mumbai. You have
been asked to inform students of class IX and XII about an Inter School
Dramatics Competition. Draft a notice for the students’ Notice board with all
the required details in not more than 50 words. Put the notice in a box.
 You are Ram / Rani of Carmel School, Shornur. Write a notice to be put up on
the school notice board regarding the upcoming Annual Day Celebration in
your school.

 Q1) You are Siya, the head girl of KPS international school. Your school is
soon going to publish the annual magazine next month. Write a notice for your
school notice board and invite students to submit write-ups.

 Q2) You are the secretary of the Nehru library. The management has made
changes in the membership fees and book rental charges from next month.
Write a notice that will be put up on the library notice board and it needs to
give all this information to the students.
 Q3) You are Rahul Saxena, head boy of Alexandria convent school. Your
school is going to organize an inter-school dance competition. Write a notice
for your school notice board and invite names of all the interested students.