Unit-3 : A Secret for Two

Read the following extracts & answer the questions given below them.

(1)      Montreal is a very large city of Canada, and it has some very wide and big streets like Prince Edward Street. No one knew this street as well as did Pierre Dupin. Pierre had delivered milk to the families on this street for thirty years. He was one of the many milk-wagon drivers that worked for a milk company.

During the past fifteen years the horse which drew the milk-wagon used by Pierre was a large, white horse named Joseph. When the big, white horse first came to the milk company, he didn't have a name. They told Pierre that he could use the white horse. Pierre stroked the horse's neck and looked into his eyes. "This is a nice horse, a kind and gentle one," said Pierre, "I'll name him after Saint Joseph, who was also very kind and gentle."

(1) Narrate Montreal in three sentences.

(2) Who knew the streets of Montreal very well ?

(3) What was Pierre ?

(4) For how many years did Pierre deliver milk in the streets ?

(5) What was the name of the horse ?

(6) Why did Pierre name the horse as Joseph ?

(7) How did Pierre meet Joseph ?

(8) Which two adjectives are used for Joseph ?

(9) Find out the opposite to 'narrow'

(10) Find out the similar words for 'patted.'

(2)      Within a year Joseph knew the milk route as well as Pierre did. Pierre used to say that he didn't need reins - he never touched them. Each morning Pierre arrived at the stables of the milk company at five o' clock. The wagon would be loaded and Joseph hitched to it.

Pierre would call softly to Joseph, "Go on, my friend," and this splendid combination would stalk proudly down the street.

The wagon, without any direction from Pierre, would arrive in Prince Edward Street. The horse would stop at the first house, allow Pierre perhaps thirty seconds to get down from his seat and put a bottle of milk at the front door. Again the horse would go on, skipping two houses and stopping at the third.

(1) How long did it take for Joseph to know the route ?

(2) What did Pierre say about his horse ?

(3) When did Pierre arrive at the stable ?

(4) How would the splendid combination go for its work ?

(5) Did Pierre have to direct Joseph on his route ?

(6) Name the street described in the paragraph.

(7) How can you say that Joseph was a well-trained horse ?

(8) Find out the similar for 'way', 'accustomed to', 'majestic', 'walk down', and 'leave.'

(9) Find out the opposite to 'harshly' and 'rear.'

(3)      So down the length of the street the two would go. Then, Joseph would turn around and come back along the other side of the street. Yes, Joseph was really a smart horse.

At the stables Pierre would boast of Joseph's skill; "I never touch the reins. He knows just where to stop. Why, a blind man could do my job with Joseph pulling the wagon."

So it went on for years. Pierre and Joseph grew old together, but gradually not suddenly. Pierre's huge walrus moustache was pure white now, and Joseph didn't lift his knees so high. Jacques, the foreman of the stables, never noticed that they were getting old until Pierre appeared one day carrying a big walking stick.

 "Hey Pierre," Jacques laughed. "Maybe you've got the gout, hey?"

"Yes, Jacques," replied Pierre uncertainly. "But as one grows old, legs get tired."

"You should teach the horse to place the milk bottles at the front door of your customers," Jacques said to him. "He does everything else for you."

(1) Name the place where the horses are kept.

(2) Which sentence shows the skill of Joseph ?

(3) Did Pierre refer his blindness while boasting about Joseph ?

(4) How did Joseph and Pierre grow old ?

(5) How can you say that Pierre was growing old ?

(6) What changes did we find in Joseph ?

(7) How did Jacques come to know about Pierrer's growing age ?

(8) Do you think Pierre was suffering from gout ?

(9) What did Jacques suggest to Pierre ?

(10) Find out similar words for 'clever', 'work' 'slowly' 'thick' 'look' 'to put' 'return' and 'a man working in the stable.'

(11) Find out a name of disease from the passage.

(4)      One morning, the manager of the milk company came to inspect the early morning deliveries. Pointing out to Pierre, Jacques said to him, "Watch how he talks to that horse whom he calls Joseph. See the look in the horse's eyes. I think these two share a secret. Sometimes they seem to chuckle at us, as they go off on their route in the morning. Pierre is a good man, but he's getting old. Don't you think he should be retired and given a small pension ?'

            "Of course," said the manager. "He has been on this route now for thirty years and not even once has there been a complaint against him. Tell him it is time he should rest. His salary will go on just the same.

" But Pierre refused to retire. He could not bear the thought of not driving his Joseph everyday. He said to Jacques, "We are two old men - I and Joseph. Let us wear out together. When Joseph is ready to retire - then I, too, will leave."

(1) Why did the manager come to the milk company ?

(2) What did Jacques tell the manager about Pierre and Joseph ?

(3) What was Jacques suggestion about Pierre ?

(4) Did the manager agree to Jacques suggestion ?

(5) What was the manager's remark about Pierre ?

(6) Why did Pierre refuse to retire ?

(7) Find out the similar for 'examine', 'supressed laugh; 'amount getting after retirement', 'deny' 'tire', 'tolerate.'

(8) Find out the opposite to 'accept.'

(5)      Jacques, who was a kind man understood. There was something about Pierre and Joseph which made a man smile tenderly. It was as though each drew some hidden strength from the other. When Pierre was sitting in his seat, and when Joseph was hitched to the wagon, neither seemed old. But when they finished their work, Pierre would limp down the street, seeming very old indeed. The horse's head would also drop and he would walk very wearily to his stall. Then one morning, Jacques had dreadful news for Pierre. He said, "Pierre, Joseph did not wake this morning, He was very old; Pierre, you know he was twenty-five, and that is like seventy-five for man."

"Yes," Pierre said slowly. "I am seventy-five. Now I shall never see him again. My poor Joseph !"

(1) Jacques agreed to Pierre's explanation for retirement. True or False.

(2) How did Pierre and Joseph work though they were growing old ?

(3) What was the condition of both Joseph and Pierre after finishing their work? (4) What dreadful news did Jacques bring ?

(5) How old were Joseph and Pierre ?

(6) Find out the similar for 'to get', 'walk with difficulty,' 'appear,' 'really' and 'covered.'

(6)      Jacques patted Pierre on the shoulder: "We'll find another horse just as good as Joseph. Why, in a month's time you'll teach him your route."

"We'll....."

But he stopped when he looked into Pierre's eyes.

For years Pierre had worn a heavy cap, the peak of which came low over his eyes. Now when Jacques looked into Pierre's eyes, he saw something which startled him. He saw a dead, lifeless look in them. The eyes were mirroring the grief that was in Pierre's heart and in his soul. It was as though his heart and soul had died.

"Take today off, Pierre," Jacques said. But before Jacques could complete his sentence, Pierre was already limping down the street. Tears were streaming down his cheeks and he was sobbing. There was a warning yell from the driver of a huge truck that was coming fast and there was the scream of brakes. But it appeared that Pierre had heard neither.

(1) How did Jacques console Pierre ?

(2) What startled Pierre ?

(3) What were the eyes of Pierre mirroring ?

(4) Why could nobody notice about Pierre's blindness ?

(5) What did Jacques ask Pierre to do ?

(6) How did Pierre react when Joseph died ?

(7) What happened to Pierre on the road ?

(8) Find out the similar for 'take leave', 'surprised', 'reflect', 'sorrow', 'cry hard', 'roll down', 'shout', and 'a shout.'

(7)      Five minutes later an ambulance doctor said, "He's dead."

              Jacques and several of the milk-wagon-drivers had arrived by then. They looked down at the still figure.

"I couldn't help it," the driver of the truck protested. "He walked right into my truck. He never saw it, I guess. He walked into it as though he were blind."

The ambulance doctor bent down. "Blind !" he said, looking into Pierre's eyes. "Of course, the man was blind. See those cataracts ! This man has been blind for five years." Then he turned to Jacques and said, "You say he worked for you ! Didn't you know he was blind ?"

"No.....no.....," Jacques said softly. "None of us knew. There was only one who knew - a friend of his, named Joseph.... It was a secret, I think, just between those two."

(1) When did the ambulance come ?

(2) What did the doctor declare ?

(3) What do you mean by the sentence. "I couldn't help it" ?

(4) How did Pierre walk into the direction of the truck ?

(5) How did the doctor conclude that Pierre was blind ?

(6) For how long has Pierre been blind ?

(7) Who knew about Pierre's blindness ?

(8) Find out the similar for 'defended', and 'assume'.

(9) Find out the name of disease of eye mentioned in the text.

Unit-1 : Karma (Poem)

Unit-1 : Karma (Poem)…… - Geetanjali

Read the following stanza & answer the questions given below them.

(1)       God is not unjust

Nor is He unkind

It's the 'karma'

That Follows

Soft footed behind

And whether it is right or wrong

He does not wait

For the time,

Questions :

(1) How is God according to the poetess ?

(2) Who follows us ? How ?

(3) Find out similar word for 'go after'

(4) Does the 'Karma' wait for the time ?

(5) Which word is used for our 'past deeds ?

(6) For whom is pronoun 'He' used ?

(7) Find out the opposite to 'hard, true and kind.'

(2)      No prayers will help

No love shall hold

And no one can deny

That ...

The past deeds

Do overtake a man

No matter where

And what time ?

Questions : 

(1) What will not help us ?

(2) What can't we deny ?

(3) Find out the similar word for 'catch up with.'

(4) What overtakes a man ?

(5) Find out the opposite to 'deny.'

(6) Does the 'Karma' wait for the time and place ?

(7) What do you mean by 'No love shall hold' ?

(3)      Hence

Do all good

Say all good

And be kind

It's our deeds

That make our destiny

No, Oh no, God is never unkind.

Questions :

(1) What advice does the poetess give us ?

(2) Who makes our destiny ?

(3) Find out the similar word for 'fate.'

(4) God is always kind. True or False.

(5) Why does the poetess say 'God is always kind and just?

Unit -2 : Playing the Game