ધોરણ 9 | విષય: English
રેશ્મા અને તેની સ્થિતિ: રેશ્મા 14 વર્ષની સ્પાસ્ટિક (જન્મજાત હાથ-પગ પર કાબૂ ન હોવો) છોકરી છે. તે ચાલી શકતી નથી, માત્ર વ્હીલચેરમાં બેસીને બાલ્કનીમાંથી બહાર રમી રહેલા બાળકોને જોઈ શકે છે. તે ખુબ એકલતા અનુભવતી હતી.
અનોખા અતિથિનું આગમન: એક સાંજે ખૂબ જોરથી પવન ફૂંકાઈ રહ્યો હતો. પાર્કમાં બાળકો બોલથી રમી રહ્યા હતા. અચાનક આકાશમાંથી એક પક્ષી રેશ્માના ખોળામાં આવીને પડ્યું.
પક્ષીની ઓળખ: સલીમ અલીના પુસ્તક 'ઇન્ડિયન બર્ડ્સ'માંથી ખબર પડી કે તે રશિયાના ઠંડા પ્રદેશમાંથી સ્થળાંતર (Migrate) કરીને આવેલું 'શેલ્ટર ડક' (Shoveller) નામનું બતક હતું, જે પવનના વાવાઝોડામાં રસ્તો ભૂલી થાકીને નીચે પડી ગયું હતું.
સારવાર અને નામકરણ: રેશ્મા અને તેની મમ્મીએ તેને દૂધ અને ભાત ઇંક ફિલર (શાહી ભરવાની સુચિ) વડે ખવડાવ્યું. રેશ્માએ તેનું નામ 'મિત્ર' (Mitra) રાખ્યું.
નવા મિત્રો: બીજા દિવસે આસપાસના બાળકો (બંસી, કાનુ, અનીતા, અંજુ વગેરે) પક્ષીને જોવા આવ્યા. તેઓ રેશ્મા સાથે હળીમળી ગયા અને 'મિત્ર'ની સંભાળ લેવા લાગ્યા.
વિદાય અને ખુશી: 10 દિવસ સુધી 'મિત્ર'ની કાળજી લીધા પછી તે સાજો થયો. રેશ્માના પપ્પા અને બાળકો તેને નજીકના તળાવમાં મૂકી આવ્યા, જ્યાં તે તરવા લાગ્યો અને માછલી પકડવા લાગ્યો.
અંત: બીજા દિવસે બધા બાળકો રેશ્માને પણ પોતાની સાથે રમવા માટે પાર્કમાં લઈ ગયા. હવે રેશ્મા ક્યારેય એકલી રહી નહી.
When we are down, what does a friend do?
wears a smile → False
gives strength → True
helps to develop us → True
plays with us → False (પાઠ્યપુસ્તકની કવિતાના આધારે)
Last Sunday I had nothing special to do. So I was sitting under a tree in a park. My thoughts were running free. Some children were shouting (screaming). Some were playing. An old man was sleeping under a tree while the light ripples of air (breeze) was pleasing me. Suddenly, a little bird came down (landed) on my shoulder. At first I was afraid (frightened). then my eyes sparkled (brightened). This incident brought a big (broad) smile on my tired (exhausted) face.
Before Reshma could understand anything, the new ball landed in her lap.
→ The new ball came in her lap.
Reshma was puzzled.
→ Reshma was confused.
At the moment the duck looked exhausted.
→ The duck looked very tired.
They were thrilled to see the bird in Reshma's lap.
→ They were very much excited to see the bird.
The children marched into the room.
→ The children walked into the room.
They all caressed and played with the duck.
→ Children showed their liking by moving their hands on the duck and playing with it.
A: Munna, how do you feel if you see a fierce dog approaching/ coming to you?
B: I'll be frightened.
A: What would you call the person who has no control over his legs and hands?
B: I would call him/her spastic.
A: Can you see the duck in the pond?
B: No, I can't.
A: Why can't you see the duck?
B: Because it is dim light here.
A: It's the monsoon time. It is raining heavily now.
B: Yeah. It is windy too.
Reshma could neither play nor move about herself. → Oh! It's so sad!
Reshma was a spastic yet she could use a spoon to eat. → Bravo!
Reshma had no friend and so she felt lonely. → Oh! It's so sad!
The bird bit Reshma's mother on her hand so she cried. → Ouch!
The eyes of the bird brightened and he started fluttering his wings. → Wow!
Reshma and her friends treated the bird like a royal guest. → Awesome!
"Yee!" He has learnt to fly again. → That's great!
Reshma never had reason to feel lonely again. → Wow!
| Speaker (Who) | What | Listener (To whom) |
|---|---|---|
| Mother | It's too cold and windy and you might catch a cold. | Reshma |
| Mother | Reshma, it's too much. | Reshma |
| Reshma | I know what his name is. | Mother / Mitra |
| Reshma | "He is Mitra." | The group of children |
| Reshma can do | Reshma can't do |
|---|---|
| She can sit in her wheelchair. | She cannot play with children outside. |
| She can crawl. | She cannot walk or run. |
| She can use a spoon to eat. | She cannot button up her shirt. |
| She can feed the bird with an ink filler. | She cannot control her hands and legs properly. |
What was Reshma doing?
Ans: Reshma was sitting in the balcony of her flat and watching children play in the park.
Who is called a spastic?
Ans: A spastic is a person who has no control over his or her hands and legs from birth.
What was Reshma's favourite pastime?
Ans: Her favourite pastime was to watch the children playing in the street or the park.
What landed in Reshma's lap?
Ans: A shelter duck (shoveller) landed in Reshma's lap.
Name the book written by Salim Ali.
Ans: The book written by Salim Ali is 'Indian Birds'.
From where does the shoveller migrate?
Ans: The shoveller migrates from the cold regions of Russia.
With what did Reshma prepare Mitra's bed?
Ans: Reshma prepared Mitra's bed with a basket and some grass in it.
Describe the bird in your words.
Ans: The bird was a shoveller duck. It had a broad beak like a shovel and bright blue, white, and brown feathers.
What name did Reshma give to the bird? Where did she keep it at night?
Ans: Reshma named the bird 'Mitra' (a friend). She kept it in a basket filled with grass next to her bed at night.
"Reshma never had reason to feel lonely again." Why?
Ans: Because through Mitra, the neighbouring children became very friendly with Reshma. They realized her situation and started taking her to the park to play with them every day.
Alternatives / Options: either...or, or
Contrast: yet, but, although, though
Reason and Purpose: so that, so, therefore
This sum is rather difficult → so all the students can't do it.
It is raining → therefore you should take an umbrella with you.
It was a severe earthquake → so tall buildings collapsed.
He was a lazy boy → therefore everyone hated him.
He belonged to a poor family → so he couldn't buy new clothes.
We started early → so that we might not miss the train.
She fell down from the fifth step. She did not hurt herself.
Ans: She fell down from the fifth step, yet she did not hurt herself.
The doctor tried his best. He could not save the patient.
Ans: The doctor tried his best, but he could not save the patient.
They wanted good governance in the state. They elected an honest candidate in the election.
Ans: They wanted good governance in the state; therefore, they elected an honest candidate in the election.
You can select a red pen. You can select a blue pen.
Ans: You can select either a red pen or a blue pen.
Turn the lights off. We can sleep.
Ans: Turn the lights off so that we can sleep.
He is so clever that he does not know anything. → False
Correct: He is so clever that he knows everything.
Although Ramesh played well, the team lost the match. → True
Would you take ice-cream but cold drinks? → False
Correct: Would you take ice-cream or cold drinks?
The birds flew away therefore the gun was fired. → False
Correct: The gun was fired therefore the birds flew away.
Sushant is younger but he can climb the tree quickly. → True
Title: Two Friends and the Bear
Story:
Once upon a time, two friends—one fat and the other thin—were walking through a dense forest. Suddenly, they saw a large bear coming toward them. Both got scared and started running. The thin friend quickly climbed up a nearby tree. The fat friend could not climb the tree. Thinking quickly, he remembered that bears do not touch dead bodies. So, he lay flat on the ground and held his breath, pretending to be dead.
The bear came up to him, sniffed around his ears and nose, and assuming he was dead, walked away slowly. When the bear was gone, the thin friend came down from the tree and asked playfully, "What did the bear whisper in your ear?" The fat friend replied, "The bear advised me never to trust a friend who leaves you alone in times of danger."
Moral: A friend in need is a friend indeed.