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Study Material of Keeping it from Harold (Summary, Character Sketch and Word Meanings)

Character Sketch

• Harold: He was son of Bill bramble and Jane Bramble. He was an extraordinary child and an exceptional child by all standards. He was completely devoted to his books and won many competitions. He was a model of excellent behaviour and respected his parents a lot. He was also a good singer also keen interested in fighting.

• Mr. Bill Bramble: He was a professional boxer with public name ‘Young Porky’ and proud of this. He is sensitive father and cared for his child’s education so he kept secret about his profession from Harold as it might affect his child education adversely.

• Mrs. Jane Bramble: She was house wife. Like her husband she cared her son very much. She is proud of her son.

• Major Percy Stokes: He was brother of Jane Bramble. He is as much concerned about Harold and his academics as Mrs. and Mr. Bramble. He also wanted to hide Bill’s profession from Harold so he changed Bill’s mind not to fight at the Nationals Sporting club.

• Jerry Fisher: He was trainer at White Hart, where Bill was training for the match. He was completely fed up with the decision of Bill not to play the match. To took his revenge, he wanted to spoke the truth of his profession to Harold.

Terms and Meanings from the Chapter

• Amiable – friendly
• Fat-headedness – foolishness
• Decorous – proper
• Evasions – avoidance
• Wrath – intense anger
• Glistening – shining
• Persuasive – convincing
• Demur – objection
• Philanthropist - people who give donations or care about others.
• Furtive – cautious
• Quailed – showed fear
• Formed a corner - attained mastery in
• Defying – disobeying
• Comported – behaved
• Moment – importance

• Insinuated - suggested something bad indirectly.
• Propitiatory – appeasing
• Vouchsafed – guranteed
• Weedy – thin
• Primrose path – pursuit of pleasure
• The fat would be in the fire – there would be trouble
• Ferret - a small yellowish white animal related to the weasel.
• Knickerbockers - loose-fitting trousers or knickers gathered at the knee or calf.
• Guttural - produced in the throat
• Consternation – dismay
• Swanking – showing off Convulsively – uncontrollably

Summary of the Chapter

Mr and Mrs Bramble were immensely proud of their son Harold. Harold was ten years old, a prodigy and an exceptional child by all standards. An intellectual, he won prizes in competitions. He was very classy and so superior that even his parents developed a complex. Harold was a model of excellent behaviour and he respected his parents a lot. Mr Bramble was a professional boxer and had been proud of his fame but ever since Harold was born, he had kept this as a secret. Harold was told that his father was a commercial traveller. Mr Bramble who had thrived on his feats in the boxing ring, trembled to see his name in print now. Both Mr and Mrs Bramble were secretly a little afraid of their son and did not wish to fall in his esteem. Mr Bramble was already thirty-one years old and he had decided to have his last boxing match and then retire. A week away, Bill Bramble was scheduled to have his last fight, the twenty-round contest with American Murphy at the National Sporting Club, for which he was training at the White Hart down the road.
Mrs Bramble sends Harold for a walk but she is surprised to see her husband and her brother, Major Percy Stokes in the doorway. She is shocked to know that Bill has decided not to fight and there is lot of discussion regarding his decision with Percy Stokes. Mrs Bramble makes it clear that this step was unacceptable to her, even if she did not like her husband’s profession. Bill Bramble was supposed to win five hundred pounds, and one hundred and twenty, even if he lost. This money was very much needed to cater to Harold’s education. The trainer, Jerry Fisher, enters at this juncture and he is also shocked to discover that Bill has decided to back out at the eleventh hour.
Jerry begs, pleads, cries and tempts Bill but he is stead fast in his decision because this fight will be covered by all newspapers and Harold will discover this secret. Tempers are running high, and at this critical moment, Harold makes his entry. Mr Jerry Fisher feels cheated, he wants his revenge. So he spills over the entire story to Harold, despite all opposition. Bill feels let down in front of his son and tells him frankly that he was not a man of wrath but just a professional boxer and he is withdrawing from his last match. Harold who had been watching all, suddenly surprises everyone. He is angry with his parents for hiding this secret but the content of his speech takes everyone’s breath away. Harold reveals that he was betting his pocket money on the defeat of Jimmy Murphy and his friends would have been awefully proud of him, had they known that his father was ‘Young Porky’. He even requests for a photograph of his father to impress his friends. This talk encourages Jerry Fischer and Bill also goes to complete his training. Harold reverts back to playing games with his mother and continues with his affectionate chat.

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Study Material of Best Seller (Summary, Character Sketch and Word Meanings)

Character Sketch

• John A Pescud: He was small man and not good looking. He was a travelling salesman for a plate glass company. He was very successful and had his salary raised twice in the previous year and his company was to give him few shares as well. In his view, plate-glass was the most important commodity in the world. He was hypocrite, mocks the stories of Best Sellers by calling them unrealisitic but in his real life, he himself followed a girl like hearo of some best seller and later marries that girl.

• Jessie Allyn was fine and pretty. She was the only daughter of Colonel Allyn belonging to the oldest family in Virginia. She was proud of her aristocratic lineage and rich mansion. She was observant and perceptive and was attracted to Pescud.

• Colonel Allyn: He was father of Jessie and retired colonel with a stern and strict face. He was angry looking man who rarely laughed. He had hobby of telling and listening to the stories from strangers and travellers who came to him.

Terms and Meanings form the Chapter

• Tepidest curiosity – mild curiosity
• Swell - a wealthy person of upper class and fashionably dressed.
• Alias – false name

• Principality – a state ruled by a prince
• Turkish pashas - a high official of the Ottoman empire.
• Vermont - a state of north east US bordering Canade
• Clamdiggers - people who hunt for clams.
• Aristocracy - class of people of high social rank
• General prosperity - doing well
• For keeps – for ever
• Proposition – theory
• Contrived – forced
• Frazzled - worn out
• Garnet – red, semi-precious gemstone.
• Clumsy – awkward
• Earl - a British nobleman between a viscount and a marquess.
• Quadrille - a square dance for four couples
• Rattled - shaking briskly, confused, nervous
• Ragged - having a rough or uneven surface or edge.

Summary of the Chapter

One day, the narrator was on his way to Pittsburgh for business purpose by the chair-car. He was sitting on the chair No. 7. After a while, he noticed someone on the chair No. 9 When he saw him, remembered him at once. They both were old acquaintances and met after two years. His name was John A Pescud. He was reading the Best Seller ‘The Rose Lady and Trevelyan’. Pescud was a travelling salesman for a plate-glass company. He also believed that plate-glass was the most important commodity in the world.
Pointing towards the book he was reading, Pescud said that the novel dealt with an American hero who falls in love with a royal princess from Europe. He believed that such romances only happened in novels because in real life, any sensible fellow will pick out a girl from the same kind of status and family.
After mocking the imaginative content of the novel, Pescud informs the writer that professionally, he was prospering and he had also invested in real estate. On being asked regarding his love-interest, Pescud relates his personal experience. He was going to Cincinnati, when he came across a very beautiful girl, whom he wished to marry. He chased her wherever she went, crossing many stations and finally reached Virginia. She was escorted to a palatial mansion by a tall old man. Pescud stayed back in the village and discovered that she was the daughter of Colonel Allyn, who was the biggest and finest man in Virginia. He met the beautiful girl next day and tried to converse with her. He discovers that her name was Jessie and her father was the royal descendant of a renowned British family. She had been aware all along that Pescud was following her and warned him that her father would feed him to the hounds, if Pescud ever thought of a proposal. Nevertheless, nothing seemed to deter Pescud and with due ceremony, he arrives at the mansion. He was surprised to see that the inside of the palace was very impoverished with very old furniture. Colonel Allyn arrived in great style, despite his shabby clothes. Amidst talking of anecdotes and humorous occurrences, Pescud frankly put forth his proposal, giving all details of his business and family. He is accepted by Jessie and her family and the marriage had taken place a year ago.
Pescud had built a house in East End and the Colonel was also residing with him. He waited daily at the gate for Pescud to hear a new story. By this time, the train was nearing Coketown. It appeared to be a dull and dreary place and the writer questioned Pescud regarding his purpose of getting down at Coketown. Pescud told the writer that he was halting there to get some Petunias which Jessie had seen in one of the houses. Pescud invites the writer to pay a visit and gets down at the station. The train moves forward and the writer discovers that Pescud had left his bestseller behind. He picked it up and smiled to himself because Pescud’s own story was no less than a bestseller.

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Study Material of The Brook (Summary and Word Meanings)

Summary of the Poem

Study material and Summary of The Brook NCERT Class 9th

In this poem, the brook plays the role of narrator and describes its journey.
The Brook begins its journey from somewhere in the mountains, which are home to birds like ‘coots’ and ‘heron’ and ends it by joining the ‘brimming river’. On its way, it passes by many hills, ridges, towns, villages, bridges. The brook’s movement is sometimes forceful and strong, sometimes leisurely. It makes its way by eroding the banks, through cultivated, uncultivated lands and forelands. The brook is also the habitat of many kinds of fish and is full of willows, mallows and flowers. It also provides a meeting point for lovers and surface to swallows to skim. Its rushing water serves as a background for the dance of the rays of the sun.
The brook proceeds on its journey slipping, sliding, gliding, dancing, lingering, gushing. The moon, the stars make it murmur. On its way, it overcomes many hurdles and obstacles but reaches its final destination in the end. The journey of the brook becomes parallel to the journey of human life. The poet makes a reflective comment which highlights the continuity and eternal existence of the brook to the transitory nature of human life. The poet wishes to point out that just as ups and downs do not deter the brook from its journey, similarly, human beings should also take the hurdles and sorrows in their stride.

Terms and Meanings from poem

• Haunts - places frequently visited by
• Coot - a type of water bird with a white spot on the forehead
• Hern – heron (another kind of water bird)

• Sally - emerge suddenly
• Bicker - flow down with a lot of noise
• Thorpes – villages
• Trebles - high pitched tune
• Eddying - spiral movement of water.
• Babble - sound made when one talks gaily
• Fallow - land left uncultivated to regain fertility
• Foreland - piece of land that extends into the sea
• Mallow - plant with hairy stems and leaves and pink, white or purple flowers.
• Lusty trout - a big freshwater fish
• Grayling – another type of fish
• Hazel - a small tree or bush with edible nuts
• Forget-me-nots - a type of flower
• Shingly - covered with small rounded pebbles

• Cresses - pungent leaved plant like a cabbage.

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Study Material of The Road Not Taken (Summary, Explanation and Word Meanings)

Summary of the Poem

Study Material and Summary of The Road Not taken NCERT Class 9th

The poet while travelling on foot in the woods reaches a junction where two roads diverge and he has to choose one among them He stands there for long. Then he decides to choose the road, which was grassy and needed ‘to wear’. He feels this choice will make all the difference to his future life. He decides to try the other road, some other time, knowing fully well that he will not get a chance to go back to it. Later he wishes that he had taken the other road. This is the irony of life, we cannot travel on all the available roads, no matter howsoever we may wish to.
The poet feels that after ages from now he would be looking at this decision with a ‘sigh’. He would tell that since he had taken the road less travelled, it made all the difference.
Thus the poet speaks of the basic problems of making the right choice. Many alternatives are available at the time of choice but man has to select one. It is only the future that will reveal, whether the decision is wrong or not. After taking decisions we cannot undo them, we can only regret them. Even if we wish, we cannot start all over again.

Stanzas Explanation

• Stanza 1: On the road of life, the speaker arrives at a point where he must decide which of two equally appealing choices is the better one. He examines one choice as best he can, but the future prevents him from seeing where it leads.

• Stanza 2: The speaker selects the road that appears at first glance to be less worn and therefore less traveled. This selection suggests that he has an independent spirit and does not wish to follow the crowd. After a moment, he concludes that both roads are about equally worn.

• Stanza 3: Leaves cover both roads equally. No one on this morning has yet taken either road, for the leaves lie undisturbed. The speaker remains committed to his decision to take the road he had previously selected, saying that he will save the other road for another day. He observes, however, that he probably will never pass this way again and thus will never have an opportunity to take the other road.

• Stanza 4: In years to come, the speaker says, he will be telling others about the choice he made. While doing so, he will sigh either with relief that he made the right choice or with regret that he made the wrong choice. Whether right or wrong, the choice will have had a significant impact on his life.

Terms and Meanings from the Poem

• Diverged – separated
• Undergrowth - a dense growth of shrubs and other plants
• Lay – put

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Study Material of The Solitary Reaper (Summary and Word Meanings)

Summary of Poem

Study material and Summary of Solitary Reaper NCERT Class 9th

‘The Solitary Reaper’ is William Wordsworth’s rendition of the delight a simple peasant girl derives from nature and how the entire atmosphere reverberates with that happiness.
The poet sees a highland girl reaping the harvest and singing. The poet compares her song with the song of a nightingale, soothing his sorrows, easing his weariness, just the same way as the nightingale welcomes the weary travellers in the shady oasis of the Arabian sands. The maiden’s song is also compared to the song of the cuckoo bird which is the harbinger of summer and ushers in happiness. The song of the maiden is as thrilling and convincing as the song of the cuckoo bird which is effective enough to break the silence of the seas.
The poet cannot understand the dialect of the song, he is unable to comprehend its meaning, but is able to gauge from its sad tone that it probably relates to some unhappy memory, some battles fought long ago. The poet also feels that the song may be about the commonplace things like joys or sorrows.
The poet feels that the girl’s song would have no end and would continue forever. The poet saw the girl singing as she bent over her sickle. The song of the maiden was so mesmerising and spellbinding that it held the poet motionless and still. When the poet started mounting the hill, the song could not be heard but it left an indelible mark on the poet’s heart. For the poet, it would always remain a fresh evocative memory. The poem also shows how the appeal of music is universal.

Terms and Meanings form the Poem

• Highland lass - a girl who lives in the mountain regions of Scotland
• Reaping - cutting down and gathering a crop such as corn or rice
• Melancholy strain – sad song
• Vale profound – deep valley
• Arabian sands – the deserts of Arabia.
• Farthest hebrides - the most remote group of islands that lie to the north-west of Scotland
• Plaintive numbers – sad music
• Humble lay – ordinary song
• Sickle - a tool for cutting grass and grain crops.

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Study Material of Lord Ullin's Daughter (Summary and Word Meanings)

Summary of Poem

Study Material and Summary of Lord Ullin's Daughter NCERT Class 9th

The poem ‘Lord Ullin’s Daughter’ is a ballad which tells the tragic story of two unfortunate lovers, whose story ends in a tragedy.

A Scottish chieftain of Ulva’s Isle falls in love with Lord Ullin’s daughter. Lord Ullin was simply disgusted with the alliance, so the lovers run away to escape the wrath of Lord Ullin. The lovers are chased on horse-back by Lord Ullin and his men. The lovers reach the shore of a tempestuous sea. The chieftain asks the boatman to row them to the other shore. He tells the boatman that he and his beloved would not be left alive if the boatman does not help them. The boatman is reluctant at first because of the tempest in the sea. Later he agrees to undertake the deadly voyage because he is awed by the girl’s beauty. He also rejects the chieftain's offer of a pound of silver.

As the boat enters the tempestuous waters, the storm grows more fierce, the waves rise very high. Soon the storm grows fiercer and the waves get menacing. Forceful wind and the raging water sink the boat. Lord Ullin’s daughter raises one hand for help and puts the other arm around her lover. Meanwhile Lord Ulllin reaches the shore and helplessly watches his daughter perish in the raging water before his eyes. His ‘come-back’ call and a promise of forgiveness prove to be of no avail because the lovers perish in the sea. Lord Ullin is full of remorse and regret but that proves useless after the death of his dear daughter.

Terms and Meanings form the Poem

• Tarry – delay
• Ferry –passenger boat
• Lochgyle – a sea loch which separates Gribun on Mull from Ulva to the north.
• Isle – an island
• Glen - a deep narrow valley, especially in the mountains of Scotland
• Heather - low, spreading plant with woody stems, small spiky leaves and purple, pink or white flowers.
• Bonny – attractive
• Slain – killed
• Winsome - pleasing because of a childlike charm and innocence.
• Raging – angry
• Apace – quickly
• Wraith – ghost
• Scowl – dirty look
• Adown - coming down
• Trampling - walking over
• Amidst – among
• Prevailing – overcoming
• Fatal - deadly
• Wrath – anger
• Wailing – crying
• Sore – in pain
• Dismayed – shocked
• Vain – useless
• Lashed – beat against
• Lamenting - moaning

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Study Material of The Seven Ages (Summary and Word Meanings)

Summary of the Poem

Study Material and Summary of The Seven Ages NCERT Class 9th

Shakespeare considers the world a stage and men and women actors on the stage of life. There are seven Acts like seven stages in a man’s life. A person performs multifarious roles in a single life-time. In the beginning, he is a baby crying in the arms of the nurse. Infancy is followed by school-going stage, when he is bright-eyed, trudging unwillingly to school. In the third stage, he grows into a lover, writing poems in praise of his beloved and sighing like a furnace. Then he plays the role of a soldier, who is rash, and who willingly sacrifices his life for honour. In the next role he is a Judge, well-fed, prosperous, fat and fierce-eyed. He is always in a mood of impressing others and is full of wise maxims. The next stage depicts man to be weak, thin, wearing spectacles and slippers. His clothes are loose and legs are thin and his voice is shrill like that of a child. At the end comes the last stage when he loses his memory, teeth, eyes, taste, infact everything. It is like a second childhood as he has to depend on others for everything. Thus ends the drama of his eventful life.

Terms and Meanings from the Poem

• Merely – just
• Mewling – crying
• Puking – vomiting
• Satchel - a small bag for carrying school books.
• Woeful - very sad
• Pard – leopard
• Cannon - a big gun that fired cannon-balls made of iron.
• Capon - very big and fat
• Oaths - solemn promises
• Justice – judge
• Slippered – wearing indoor shoes
• Pantaloon - a funny old man on whom other people play tricks.
• Pouch - a soft fold of loose skin that hangs down as a result of illness or old age.
• Hose - tight-fitting leg coverings
• Shank - legs from the knee to the ankle.
• Treble – a high voice
• Oblivion - forgetting everything and being forgotten by everybody. Sans – without (a french word).

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Study Material of Oh I wish I’d Looked After Me Teeth (Summary and Word Meanings)

Summary of the Poem

The poem begins with a regret from the poet who wishes that she had cared for her teeth in childhood when she had been eating too many toffees and sweet sticky food. She was too careless and never listened to the instructions of her mother. She was too tempted by candies, lollies, sherbets and other sticky sweets. Her mother cautioned her time and again that a tooth is like a friend, and it should be looked after well. But the poet could not resist sweets. She tried to brush with up and down strokes, put lot of tooth paste on her teeth, but the damage was already done. Decay had given way to cavities and eventually to drillings and fillings. Now during adulthood, the poet regrets but nothing can change the condition of her teeth. Painful injections and visits to the dentist have become her routine. The poet feels so miserable and guilty over how she used to mock at her mothers ugly and false teeth. Now her condition is no different.

Terms and Meanings from the Poem

• Gobstoppers - a large, hard sweet
• Choppers - teeth
• Liquorice - candy made with the dried root of the liquorice plant.
• Sherbet dabs - tiny sweets
• Brittle – breakable
• Conscience – soul
• Pricked - punch
• Pokin' and fussin’ - checking carefully
• Amalgum - a mixture of mercury and silver used to make fillings.

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Study Material of Song of the Rain (Summary, Explanation and Word Meanings)

Summary of the Poem

Study material and Summary of Song of the Rain NCERT Class 9th

The poem is written in the first person, and rain itself is the speaker. It is described as something divine and characteristic of gods.
Rain is a divine gift of God and it proves very blessed for the dry and needy earth. One of the most divine manifestations of nature, it spreads joy and freshness all around. It beautifies, adorns and revive fields, trees, flowers and spreads life everywhere. Its droplets are like shimmering pearls and jewels from God’s crown. It gives joy in all forms, the thunder announces its arrival and the rainbow signifies its departure. Rain cements the relationship of love between the fields and the clouds. It takes birth from the depth of the sea, forms clouds and its cycle completes the full circle when it descends down in a million little ways. The arrival of the rain is like a welcome song, beating softly on the windows. All in all, rain has a multidimensional personality. It is born out of sighs, spreads laughter and descends like tears. It ties the earth and heaven in a spiritual bond, like a God, granting all wishes.

Stanzas Explanation

• Stanza 1: Rain is dotted silver threads dropped from heaven by Gods which Nature takes away to adorn her fields and valleys. It falls in a rapid succession one after the other thus appears like dotted silver threads .

• Stanza 2: It is beautiful pearls plucked by the Daughter of the Dawn from a Ishtar's crown to decorate enhances or adds to the fertility of nature.

• Stanza 3: When it cries, the hill can be heard laughing and when the rain humbles, the flowers are seemed to be making merry. Similarly, when the rain bows, everything seems joyful and elated in happiness.

• Stanza 4: The clouds and fields are lovers and she is a messenger between them. By pouring out it cures the cloud, and by coming down it quenches the thirst of the field. It is a messenger of mercy rather than a messenger of love as rain is natures merciful blessing on earth.

• Stanza 5: The voice of thunder declares its arrival and the rainbow its departure. When it cries coming down, the hills laugh and when it reaches down, the flowers rejoice. When it has seeped down deep into the soil, all things are elated.

• Stanza 6: It emerges from the heart of the Sea and soars with the Breeze. When it sees a field in need, it descends and downpours and embraces the flowers and trees in its own million little ways.

• Stanza 7: It touches the windows with soft gentle fingers. The arrival of the rain is a welcome song but only sensible souls can understand it.

• Stanza 8: It is the deep breath of the sea, the laughter of the field and the tears of heaven.

• Stanza 9: The rain sighs from the deep sea of love and affection, it awakes and rises like laughter from the colorful fields and falls down like tears from heaven of memories.

Terms and Meanings from the Poem

• Adorn – to decorate
• Ishtar - Goddess of fertility, love, war and sex, in the Babylonian Pantheon.
• Embellish – decorate
• Elated - very happy and excited
• Quench – satisfy thirst
• Upraised - lifted or moved upwards.
• Soar – fly up
• Descend – fall downwards
• Embrace – hug

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Study Material of Villa for Sale (Summary, Character Sketch and Word Meanings)

Character Sketch

• Juliette : She was a business lady and hard times were going on for her so she decided to sell her villa. She acted like a fool and seemed to be very trustful to her first customer Jeanne and Gaston which return in loss.

• Gaston: He was an oppurtunist . He understood the situation very well and took the full advantage of the situation for his own profit. He instantly made profit of one hundred thousand francs only by taking advantage of situation and some acting.

• Jeanne: She was a nice and simple lady. Although she tried to rebel against her husband. She knows the value of relationships and emotions. She is exactly the opposite of her husband who is cunning and opportunist. She was very eager to buy the house for her parents. This shows that she was very caring towards her family and wanted everybody to live peacefully and comfortably. Her conversations with Juliette show that she was kind hearted and friendly as well.

• Mrs. Al Smith: She was an American woman who was trying her hand at movies and therefore wanted to have a piece of land to build a bungalow near to Joinville studios. She was also a very busy woman. She also thought French people were silly as they had to consult many people before taking any decision or taking care of their grandparents.

Summary of the Chapter

Juliette wishes to sell her villa but is really disappointed that no prospective customers walked that way. The sign ‘For Sale’ has been there since a month but the villa appeared not to interest anyone. Juliette confesses to her maid that she was so fed up that she would do anything to get the wretched place off her hands. She starts doubting whether it was sensible to ask for two hundred thousand francs. The villa was located near French Hollywood and was in reasonable condition but no one seemed interested to buy it. Meanwhile the maid requests Juliette to give her an off since she had been offered the role of a maid in a movie. Juliette is surprised to discover that the maid was going to earn a hundred francs just for a day’s work. The maid surprises Juliette by suggesting that even she could act as a cook and earn quite a bit of money. Juliette is amazed to know that the entire locality was busy taking up one role or the other in movies.
As Juliette retires for relaxation, two customers, Jeanne and Gaston are ushered in by the maid. They are a young couple. From their conversation, it is evident that the wife Jeanne is more eager to buy the villa. She wants to buy it for her parents and her sister’s family. Gaston is very business-minded, very shrewd and he is least interested in making any investment for his wife’s family. Meanwhile Juliette makes an appearance. She pretends to be very proud of her villa and single handedly announces that the villa perfectly suited the personality of the customers. She flatters the young couple, calls them ‘exceptional’ that the villa was according to their taste. Juliette hikes up the price and then brings it down to two hundred thousand francs and pretends to do a favour to the couple. Gaston is totally irritated by now and makes it very clear that he has no intention of purchasing the villa. As they are leaving, Jeanne expresses a desire to see the upper floor. Both Juliette and Jeanne go upstairs.
Gaston is busy cribbing when the maid ushers in another customer, Mrs Al Smith. Mrs Al Smith mistakes Gaston to be the owner of the villa and expresses her desire to buy the villa. Initially Gaston just wiles away the conversation but his business-instincts are aroused when he discovers that Mrs Al Smith is really interestedin buying the villa. Mrs Al Smith was an actress. She wanted to buy this villa to make a new house near Hollywood. She has loads of money but has no time to inspect the house or go in details. Gaston quotes three hundred thousand and to his utmost surprise the lady hands him the cheque and makes a quick departure. In the meantime Jeanne and Juliette come back. Jeanne is astounded to discover that within a short while Gaston has changed his mind. He gives a cheque of two hundred thousand to Juliette and walks out, smiling to himself, with his wife. The transaction had been quite worthwhile, chuckled Gaston to himself.

Terms and Meanings from the Chapter

• Sell - disappointment due to failure or trickery.
• Wretched - extremely bad or unpleasant
• Paltry - an amount which is too small to be considered important or useful.
• Greta Garbo - a Swedish actress during Hollywood's silent period.
• Cretonne - a heavy printed cotton or liner fabric used in furnishings.
• Pastel - a drawing made with pastels which are powdered paints in the form of small sticks, for easy holding.
• Witty –funny
• Corot - a French landscape and portrait painter.
• Philanthropic - helping poor people by giving money.
• Shanty - a crudely built hut, cabin or house.
• Queer – strange
• Souvenir - A thing that you keep to remind yourself of a place.

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Study Material of Villa for Sale (Summary, Character Sketch and Word Meanings)

Character Sketch

• Bishop – He was a very noble and simple person, who always ready to help anyone in distress. He believed that punishment or conviction is not the way to reform an offender or a convict so he didn’t want to punish the convict.

• Persome: She was the sister of Bishop. She was not generous and kind as her brother and very materialistic. She feels that the simplicity and nobility of the bishop is misused by the people. She showed rude behaviour against oppressed people.

• Convict: He was leading a common life before he became a criminal. He had no faith in religion. He had given severe punishment which made him heartless and soulless but bishop’s noble behaviour changed his mind. He promised Bishop to start his life in new way.

Summary of the Chapter

Study material and Summary of The Bishop's Candlesticks NCERT Class 9th

The play opens with a scene in the Bishop’s kitchen. Bishop’s younger sister Persome and maid servant Marie are busy in conversation, while soup is being cooked on the stove. Persome is worried that her brother has gone out in extreme cold. When she learns that her brother has gone to see Marie’s ailing mother, she bursts out in anger at the selfishness of the people, who went about troubling him. Persome’s anger is genuine because her brother has already sold off his estate, furniture and other valuables to help the poor and the needy. Persome is shocked to discover further that the Bishop has even sold off his silver salt-cellars to help another ailing lady, to pay her rent.
The Bishop promptly arrives and dispatches Marie to tend to her mother. He gives away his comforter to her to ward off the cold outside. Persome gets very furious and says, “You’ll sell your candlesticks next.” The Bishop thanks her for giving him the idea, although he admits that the candlesticks were his proud possessions, a gift from his dying mother and he would not like to part with them. Persome takes leave and the Bishop settles down to read. It is already midnight. A convict enters the room stealthily, seizes the Bishop from behind and demands something to eat. He threatens to kill the Bishop if he raises an alarm. The Bishop is unflustered. He calls the convict ‘son’ and wakes his sister to serve some food and wine to the convict. He also calms down Persome who was frightened to see the knife in the convict’s hand.
The convict pounces on the food greedily. After eating, the convict warms up to the Bishop and relates his sad story. He tells the Bishop that he was once a normal man. He had a wife and a home, but no work. So he stole to feed his sick wife. He was caught and sentenced to serve ten years in prison. He was chained like an animal and beaten mercilessly. The Bishop consoles him and arranges for him to rest there for the night.
The next morning Persome finds that the convict and the silver candlesticks are missing. She raises an alarm and informs the Bishop about the theft. The Bishop is upset but he refuses to report to the police.
Soon a Sergeant appears with two soldiers and the convict in chains. They had arrested the convict on the suspicion of stealing the Bishop’s candlesticks. The Bishop tells the police that the convict was his friend and he had gifted the candlesticks to him. The police free the convict and go away. The convict is thunderstruck by such kindness. He promises to reform himself and begin his life in a new manner. The Bishop blesses him and gifts the candlesticks to him. He shows him a secret path to Paris, where the convict could lead a safe and respectable life.

Terms and Meanings from the Chapter

• Gendarmes – the police
• Settee - seat with high back
• Crucifix - image of Jesus on the cross.
• Candlesticks - a holder made of metal in which a candle stands.
• Monseigneur - My Lord
• Mon Dieu - My God
• Nincompoop – fool

• Feeling poorly - felt unwell
• Salt-cellars - containers to shake out salt and pepper kept on the dining table.
• Mere – mother
• Bailiff - an officer of the court.
• Dot – dowry
• Presently – soon
• Comforter – muffler
• Dupe - a person who is easily deceived.
• Scamp - a rascal
• Parish - an area with its own church.
• Too old a bird to be caught with chaff - too old to be tricked.
• Wolf – hunger
• Entrails – intestines
• To be at the beck and call of - to obey.
• Ne'er-do-well - a good for nothing.
• Voraciously – greedily
• Virgin - Mother of Jesus
• Prison hulks - ships used as a prison houses.
• Start me fair - enable me to get a good start in life.
• Slinking - moving stealthily
• Dogged –stubborn
• Prie-dieu - kneeling desk for use in prayer.

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Study Material of Two Gentlemen of Verona (Summary, Character Sketch and Word Meanings)

Summary of the Chapter

The author and his companion had been driving near the city of Verona, when they were stopped by two small boys who were shabbily dressed, selling strawberries. The author’s driver cautioned the author against purchasing the fruits. The boys were very skinny but their eyes were sincere and attracted attention. The author took an instant liking for these boys and ended up buying their biggest basket of strawberries.

Next morning, the author noticed those two boys polishing people’s shoes. The boys smiled and told the author that they performed many other kinds of jobs, like escorting tourists around the city. Impressed, the author had the boys immediately. Due to close interaction, the author discovered that the boys were very friendly and innocent. Beneath their cheerful smiles, however, he could discern seriousness, a hint of sadness that defied their age. The author didn’t regret his decision since the boys proved to be resourceful. The author found their eagerness to do work really remarkable. The author was struck by their desperation to do more and more work, but he was surprised to know that they still wore torn clothes and hardly ate anything.

The author’s trip was coming to an end. Before leaving, he asked if he could do something for them. Nicola, the elder one refused, but the younger one requested the author to drive them to Poleta, 30 kms away, next day. As a last gesture of goodwill, he volunteered to drive the boys himself. The following afternoon, they all drove to the tiny village, near a hill. The author was surprised to halt beside a villa. Before he could question, the boys leapt out and asked the author to pick them up from the same place, after an hour. The author couldn’t restrain his curiosity. He went in and was greeted by a nurse, and through a glass partition, the author saw that the boys were seated beside a hospital bed, with a girl aged 20, who appeared to be their sister. The author refused to be ushered inside, as he didn’t wish to interrupt a happy family reunion. On being asked, the nurse told the author that the children’s father had been killed in a war, and a bomb had destroyed their house and rendered them homeless. Since the Germans ruled the city for many years, the children had to undergo a lot of suffering, and their sister, Lucia, who wanted to be a singer, couldn’t bear the cold and starvation, and contracted tuberculosis of the spine. The boys brought Lucia there, and every week, they brought enough money for her treatment.

The author was rejoined by the boys and they drove back to the city. The boys remained tight-lipped, and the author also decided to remain quiet, because he respected their privacy. The author left, filled with admiration, at the courage and relentless effort of two young boys who remained determined despite the setbacks of the war.

Terms and Meanings from the Chapter

• Verona - a city in Italy, Romeo and Juliet are believed to have lived there.
• Cautious – careful
• Worn – old and damaged
• Tunic - a loose outer garment that does not have sleeves.
• Juliet's tomb - he place where Juliet, the woman Romeo loved, was buried. Romeo and Juliet is a play written by Shakespeare.
• Demeanour - appearance and behavior
• Artless – innocent
• Pavement – footpath
• Put out – annoyed
• Vestibule – lobby
• Scarce – not enough

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Study Material of Mrs Packletide's tiger (Summary, Character Sketch and Word Meanings)

Summary of the Chapter

Mrs Packletide was an English lady who was overcome with a strong desire to shoot a tiger. Basically she was not adventurous or brave but she was smitten with jealousy when her friend, Loona Bimberton, had recently been carried in an aeroplane by an Algerian pilot. MrsPackletide wanted to outshine her and longed to prove that she was no less. Her ultimate desire was to obtain a tiger-skin and display it on the wall of her house. If she succeeded in killing a tiger, her photograph would appear in the press and she would host a party in Curzon Street in Loona Bimberton’s honour, but the talk would be of her hunting expedition. She also planned to present a tiger- claw brooch on Loona’s next birthday. All her motives were largely dominated by her dislike of Loona.

Circumstances proved to be favourable. An old and weak tiger was visiting a neighbouring village in search of food. Mrs Packletide offered to pay one thousand rupees to anyone who would help her in shooting a tiger. The villagers got very tempted as one thousand rupees was a lot of money in those days. They made all the efforts to confine the tiger within the village. Children were posted day and night on the outskirts of the local jungle to drive the tiger back to the village. Cheaper kind of goats were scattered here and there, to keep the tiger there. Mothers were told not to sing lullabys to their children loudly, lest the tiger’s sleep should be disturbed. The only anxiety was lest the tiger should die of old age before the day of hunting.

On the fateful night, Mrs Packletide came along with a paid companion Miss Mebbin. A platform had already been constructed in a comfortable and conveniently placed tree by the villagers. Both the ladies sat on the platform. A goat with a loud bleat was tied at proper distance from the tiger. Meanwhile the tiger appeared on the scene and slowly walked towards the goat. Mrs Packletide fired a shot with her rifle. The tiger fell down to one side. The excited villagers celebrated by beating drums and singing. Mrs Packletide was also too happy.

Miss Mebbin was very clever and alert. She drew Mrs Packletide’s attention to the fact that the bullet had actually hit the goat and the tiger had died due to heart attack, caused by the loud report of the rifle. Miss Mebbin pointed out that the tiger bore no wound. Mrs Packletide was disappointed but she consoled herself with the thought that she possessed the tiger-skin. The villagers agreed to keep the secret for they were happy to receive the money. Mrs. Packletide wasn’t insecure about Miss Mebbin forshe was a paid companion.

Mrs Packletide’s picture appeared in two weeklies. Loona refused to attend the lunch-party but coldly accepted the tiger-claw brooch. Miss Mebbin was very money-minded and cunning. She thought of exploiting this weak point of Mrs Packletide. She blackmailed Mrs Packletide by saying what would happen if Loona learnt that Mrs Packletide had shot the goat and not the tiger. Shrewd and clever, Miss Mebbin hinted that she wanted money to buy a weekend cottage near Dorking. To keep her mouth shut, Mrs Packletide was forced to pay for that cottage. Miss Mebbin named the cottage, “The Wild Beasts.” Since then Mrs Packletide never indulged in big game shooting. She confided to her friends that “incidental expenses were too heavy for such kind of hunting”.

Terms and Meanings from the Chapter

• Nimrod – a mighty hunter
•Ostensibly – supposedly
• Propitious – favourable
• Rendezvous – meeting
• Tethered – fastened
• Thumb - nail pack of patience cards - small sized playing cards to play solitaire
• Ambling - walk or move at a slow, relaxed pace.
• Tawny - a brownish-orange or yellowish-brown colour.
• Senile - characteristic of old age.
• Book of patterns - Book showing the colour patterns of racing. Stables, with colours worn by jockeys.
• Post-time- the start of horse race and deadline for placing a bet.
• Les Fauves - French for ' The Wild Animals'.
• Incidental - secondary.

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Study Material of The Letter (Summary, Character Sketch and Word Meanings)

Summary of the Chapter

Study Material and Summary of The Letter NCERT Class 10th

Coachman Ali is very old and sick and has been regularly visiting the post office for the last five years. Unfavourable weather and failing health don’t deter him. He religiously visits the post office every day in the hope of receiving a letter from his daughter Miriam, his only child, who had got married to a soldier and left him. Getting a letter from Miriam becomes the most important mission for him and every day Ali is the first one to arrive and the last one to leave, but no letter ever comes for him. Everyday he goes back dejected and empty-handed. Everyone at the post office considers him mad and derives pleasure in tormenting him.

Coachman Ali had been a famous shikari and a crackshot in his yester-years. When Miriam left him and did not respond, he realised the pain of suffering and separation. So he gave up hunting altogether. One day Ali is in very bad physical condition and reaches the post office with great effort. This makes him impatient and an argument takes place with the postmaster. The postmaster has his own pre occupations, he becomes irritated and calls Ali ‘a pest’. Ali is humiliated, crestfallen but not bereft of hope. While leaving, Ali gives five guineas to Laxmi Das, the clerk, and extracts a promise from him that he will deliver Miriam’s letter to his grave.

Ali’s prediction proves true and he is not seen for some time. By a strange quirk of fate, the postmaster finds himself in a similar situation. His daughter is ill in another town and he has no information of her condition. He is eagerly waiting for his daughter’s letter, when he chances upon Miriam’s letter for her father. Since the postman is also suffering the pain of separation, he understands the value of a child’s letter for the father. Next morning he delivers the letter personally to Ali. He is later shocked to discover that Ali has been dead for the past three months. Laxmi Das, the clerk, recounts his last meeting with Ali and their suspicions are further confirmed to see Miriam’s letter lying near the door. To compensate for their bad treatment, both the postmaster and Laxmi Das visit Ali’s grave and place the letter on it.

This proves to be a very traumatic experience for the postmaster. He realises that letters are not just envelopes and postcards, but they have great human worth. The newly awakened father’s heart curses him for maltreating Ali. His only fate is now to wait for his daughter’s letter and spend another night in restless anxiety.

Terms and Meanings from the Chapter

• Tattered - old and torn
• Sway - power
• Plodded – walked with heavy steps
• Beholding – seeing
• Squatted – sat on heels with knees close to body
• Startled – showed surprise
• Diwan Sahib - a senior government official.
• Jesting – joking
• Gratitude – thankfulness
• Accustomed – usual
• Opium – an addictive drug
• Partridge – a kind of game bird
• Bewildered – puzzled
• Bereft –deprived
• Instinct – a natural tendency
• Devout – pious

• Serenity – calmness

• Glimmer – a small sign
• Relic – antique
• Precincts – area around a place or building.
• Lunacy – madness
• Haughty temper –bad nature
• Recital – narration.

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Study Material of A shady plot (Summary, Character Sketch and Word Meanings)

Character Sketch

• John Hallock: He was an accountant in lumber company. He also wrote stories on supernatural theme for Jeniken’s magazine. However, he had no idea on this theme but eventually he ended up writing excellent stories. Later, he came to know that ghosts were helping him in writing that stories. He was a hen-pecked husband who was always afraid of his wife, Lavinia.

• Lavinia: She was wife of John Hallock. She was a spendthrift as she had an alarming tendency to spend money on the latest fashions and trends. She was the one who purchases an Ouija Board and organized the Ouija party. She may come across as a vacuous wife, but finally displays genuine love and affection for her husband.

• Jenikens – He was the owner of magazine. He believed that John has excellent capability of writing ghost stories so he always calls him whenever he needs one.

• Helen – She was a ghost who was helping writer in writing ghost stories. In the past life, she was writer who suffered miserable so, she founded ‘Writers’ Inspiration Bureau’ which gave extended help to those writers who have no ideas. She was angry because the ghosts had to be at the beck and call of the Ouija board fanatics to answer their questions. This does not leave them with any time for their amusement or haunting others. So, she ordered John to stop these things in his house.

Terms and Meanings from the poem

• Contradict – deny
• Dunned - persistently ask for something that is overdue.
• Cocky – overconfident
• Twilight - the time between dawn and sunrise.
• Shirtwaist - a woman's blouse shaped like a man's shirt.
• Driveling - speak nonsense
• Draped - sat in an indolent manner.
• Reminiscent - with one's mind full of memories.
• Ouija board - a board on which are marked the letters of the alphabet. Answers to questions are spelt out by a pointer or glass held by the fingertips of the participants, and are supposedly formed by spiritual forces.
• Brogans - a heavy ankle-high work boot with laces.
• Affection – condition (here)
• Rubbish – waste material
• Grin – smile
• Conceal –hide
• Affliction – disorder
• Premonitory - a foreboding.
• Huffily – arrogantly
• Bookkeeper – accountant
• Argify – argue
• Coyly - flirtatious but pretending to be shy or modest.

• Tugging- pulling
• Brow- eyebrow
• Corrugated – ridged
• Inexorable – unstoppable

• Simpered - smile in a silly, often coy manner.
• Abruptly – suddenly
• Suddenness – immediate
• Hoodoos - placing curses and charms to bring bad luck on some one.
• Brassily – rudely
• Staccatoed - spoke in an abrupt, detached manner.
• Contraption - a machine or device that appears strange.
• Skeered – scared
• Coon - the one doing a menial job.
• Waspishly - in an irritated manner.
• Apparition – ghost
• Swoon – faint
• Bulliest – best.

Summary of the Chapter

Study Material and Summary of A Shady Plot NCERT Classs 10th

The writer, Mr Hallock, was told by his employer Mr Jenkins to write a ghost story. He told Mr Hallock to write a very horrifying story with supernatural elements because the public liked these kind of stories. The writer agreed to this proposal for no one else printed his stuff. He was surprised how he could have written the earlier ghost stories for he was not a specialist in this genre. Whenever he had decided to write a ghost story, surprisingly the plot had appeared from nowhere.

The writer sat down to pen the story, though no idea occurred to him. In fact his mind was wandering towards his wife’s shopping trips and other unghostly things. The writer loudly said, ‘‘This writing business is delightful, isn’t it?” and to his surprise a voice at the other end of the room said, “Yes it is.” The writer was surprised to see a figure taking shape gradually. It was a woman, tall and angular, with enormous fishy eyes, wearing spectacles. She came and stood before the writer. The writer wished to know why that woman had come. She gave a very surprising answer that the writer had only called her to help him in writing a story. Moreover she said that the ghosts were going on strike so the writer should stop bothering her for another plot. She elaborated that all the other stories that had been a hit had come from her only.

The ghost explained that she had been a writer in the earlier birth but now she had collected other ghosts like her and set up a ‘Writers’ Inspiration Bureau’. Now they extended help to a writer who had no ideas. The writer disagreed with the ghost’s views for he had never seen her before so how could she have inspired him. She explained that she had sat on the writer’s shoulder and had given him the plots. But now they were all fed up for being pulled out of beds at all times and had decided to go on strike. The ghost wanted the writer to call all his friends and stop using the Ouija board. The conversation of the writer and the ghostly figure was interrupted by the arrival of the writer’s wife who is surprised to see her husband sitting in the dark and talking loudly to himself. However, she was going gaga over a recent purchase she had made. On the writer’s query she revealed that she had bought Ouija board to help the writer to write the stories. She said that she wanted to make story writing easy for the writer from now onwards. The writer tried his best to dissuade his wife from keeping the ouija board but she refused to listen. The writer thought that he would reason with his wife later.

Next day the writer set out for his job. He worked as an accountant for a lumber company and could not give up his job and take to full-time story-writing due to financial problems. On reaching back home he was told by his cook to get ready and come down as his wife had invited some guests. When he came down eventually, he was surprised to see that their parlour was full of women belong- ing to his wife’s book club. They were sitting in two’s and between two friends there was a Ouija board. Immediately his wife appeared and she wanted the writer to be a partner of Mrs Hinkle, who was without any other friend.

Miss Hinkle took the writer’s fingers and started moving them on the Ouija board. Surprisingly the words spelt on the board were ‘TRAITOR.’ Mrs. Hinkle wanted the board to clarify as to who was a traitor. The Ouija board spelled out that it was Mr Hallock. On enquiring what the identity of the speaker was, the board revealed that it was someone with the name of Helen.

This fact created a furore in the entire room and the ladies along with the writer’s wife gathered around the writer and looked at him accusingly. All the Ouija boards signalled towards the writer. The writer could not answer. He fled the scene and went to sleep. Next morning, he noticed a slip of paper with the message that his wife was leaving him for good and her lawyer would communicate with him. The writer was shocked and surprised at this development. Meanwhile Helen, the ghost, reappeared and told the writer that she had been sent to ensure that his wife was going to get rid of that Ouija board. The writer was very angry and he retorted that the ghost had made the writer lose his wife, his home and his happiness. The writer’s wife Lavinia entered and told the writer that she was moving out. The writer was trying to shield and cover Helen, when his wife remarked that he was behaving very strangely. The Cook barged in and announced that she was not going to serve in a place where there were Ouija boards and activities relating to curses and charms. Lavinia was in no mood to be pacified. She sprang quickly to see who was standing behind her husband.

Helen did not disappear this time and boldly announced to Lavinia that she indeed was Helen. Lavinia felt very miserable to create such a ruckus and accuse her husband of infidelity. The writer felt inspired and realised that he had indeed hit upon an excellent plot for a ghost story.

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Study Material of Patol Babu, Film Star (Summary, Character Sketch and Word Meanings)

Summary of the Chapter

One morning, as Patol Babu was about to go out shopping, his neighbour, Nishikanto Ghosh, came to visit him. He told Patol Babu that his brother-in-law, who was in the film business, was looking for an actor and Nishikanto had suggested Patol Babu’s name. He also assured Patol Babu that he would be paid for the role. Patol Babu was taken by surprise because he had not expected to be given a chance at this age. But, Nishikanto knew that he had acted on stage when he was young and so suggested his name.

As he went on to buy provisions from the market, Patol Babu was excited and this made him mix up his wife’s shopping list. He was preoccupied with his thoughts about the days when his name brought people to see the plays and theatricals he acted in. He was passionate about acting. Back then, he had a good job in the railway factory in Kanchrapara. Later, he got a better job offer in Calcutta and moved here with his wife. All was well and Patol Babu was thinking about starting a club in the neighbourhood when he lost his job due to the war and its effects. After losing his job, Patol Babu had to face many difficulties to earn a livelihood. He tried various things, like opening a variety store and working as an insurance agent in order to survive. In his day-to-day struggles, Patol Babu forgot about his acting talent, but at times he would recall lines that he had learnt for his acting.

Naresh Dutt arrived at Patol Babu’s house and offered him a small part in a film. The role was of an absent-minded, short-tempered pedestrian. He instructed Patol Babu about the way he had to dress and told him to be at the shooting the next day at eight thirty sharp. He also gave him the address of the place. Patol Babu eagerly accepted the role but wanted to know whether the role was a speaking one and when he got a positive reply, he was relaxed. After Naresh left, Patol Babu broke the news to his wife and reminded her how he had started on the stage with a small role.

Patol Babu arrived promptly at eight thirty. He was dressed up for the part, too. He saw many cars and a bus that carried equipment. The place was crowded with people but Naresh Dutt was nowhere to be seen. Patol Babu was feeling hot because of his warm jacket and he was just moving towards the entrance when Naresh Dutt called him. He praised him for his punctuality and asked him to wait under the shade till he was called for his turn. Patol Babu did as he was told and stood under the shade of a paan shop. Looking at the young people working with the equipment, Patol Babu could not help admire the hard work involved in making a film.

Patol Babu was worried about the dialogue that he had to deliver because no one had given him his lines and he needed to practise, even if his role was a small one. As he was about to ask someone, the shooting started. A man standing next to Patol Babu told him that the hero of the film was Chanchal Kumar and although Patol Babu did not watch many films, he had heard the name before. Patol Babu enquired about the director so that he could tell his wife when he got back.

Finally, Naresh Dutt gave him his lines and when he saw the dialogue, he felt as if they were making fun of him because it consisted of a single word, ‘Oh.’ He was told that he should feel lucky that he got a role in a film directed by Baren Mullick and the hero was none other than Chanchal Kumar. Although he was a little upset, he thought he would make the most of the situation and started practising his single dialogue in different ways.

Before his turn, Patol Babu suggested a rehearsal, but he was turned down. He was given a moustache that rather suited him and was told to start the role. Patol Babu became so engrossed in his role that the collision looked a real one. Everyone praised his timing and he was asked to wait so that he could be paid. Patol Babu knew he had done a good job and he was satisfied. Acting was his passion and he did not want to wait to be paid and so he quietly left the scene.

Terms and Meanings from the Chapter

• Bald Headed - having a scalp wholly or partly lacking hair.
• Beyond his wildest dreams - in a way he had not imagined.
• Aubergines – a type of vegetable
• Verged on obsession - could not think of anything else.
• Smooth sailing- having no problems.
• Toying with the idea - considering an idea.
• Retrenchment – reduction
• Recalls at times with a sigh- sometimes remembers past events and experiences fondly.
• Twang - To emit a sharp, vibrating sound.
• Cast an appraising look- to consider or examine somebody or something and form an opinion about that person or thing.
• Rise to fame and fortune- becoming famous and wealthy.
• Make a go of it- become successful.
• Tremor – shakiness
• Perspiration – sweat
• Embezzlement – theft
• Essence – soul
• Edification – guidance
• Obeisance – respect
• Apathy - lack of interest.
• Perspicacity - ability to understand somebody or something quickly and accurately.
• Excruciating – severe
• Blunted his sensibility - reduced his acting talent.

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Study Material of Virtually True (Summary, Character Sketch and Word Meanings)

Summary of the Chapter

Study Material and Summary of Virtually true NCERT Class 10th

The story starts with a boy named Michael who reads an article in the newspaper about a "Miracle Recovery." A boy whose condition was critical but stable had been recovered from coma. Michael recollects that the boy who was mentioned in the newspaper was in fact Sebastian Shultz who he had met weeks ago while playing. This all started in the Computer Fair, when Michael's father who was Nutty about computers, bought him a new computer preloaded with games. When he plays the game ‘Wild West’, he becomes a Sheriff and is challenged by "Black eyed Jed" to a duel. He meets a Second Sheriff whom he was asked to go with. Unfortunately, the Second Sheriff gets shot by the villains and the game ends. Later on, he gets a printout which read "I 'm Sebastian Shultz try playing Dragon Quest".

In Dragon Quest his task was to save the Princess Aurora from the wicked dragon and collect the wicked creature's treasure along the way. He had the help of the second knight who was revealed to be Sebastian. Later on in the game, Sebastian was killed. The game ended with the printer displaying a message asking him not to give up and to try playing "Jailbreak."

In Jail Break, his mission was to escape with the prisoner, and he knew it was Sebastian again. They broke out of jail, ran to the roof as doors shut behind them. The helicopter arrived as they reached the roof. They got into the helicopter. As they took off, Sebastian fell off the helicopter and the game ends. Later on, he plays the game many times but the print out does not come.
Then one day, the printer shows a message telling him that the helicopter was a better choice, try playing "War Zone", Sebastian had also promised not to trouble him again if this did not work out.
He jumped right into the game. He found himself in some kind of a city scarred by battle wounds. He knew he had to save Sebastian. They ran together to an abandoned jeep they found amidst the rubble. They went towards a helicopter as a tank chased them. As soon as it came to their view, Sebastian stopped the car. The jeep went into a spin and Michael leapt into the helicopter. Sebastian does not enter the helicopter at this point. Michael waits and yells at him to come into helicopter but Sebastian does not move. Moments later, the tank collides with the jeep and Sebastian is thrown into the helicopter. They fly into clouds and the game ends, saving him. When he removes his visor he comes to know that he has got the High Score.

The narrator wanted now to cross-check the facts. He got out of the train and surfed the net for some details. He found out what he was looking for. Apparently at the time of the accident, Sebastian was using his lap-top to play one of the psycho-drive games that the narrator had bought.

The narrator realised that Sebastian’s memory had been stored on disk because the computer had saved Sebastian’s memory as its run, when Sebastian had banged his head in the accident. But how did it end up in the narrator’s computer. This was also solved later because the narrator came to know that when Sebastian had been in the hospital, someone had stolen the games and sold them and the narrator had ended up buying them. There was a message from Sebastian that said, “DEAR MICHAEL, THANK YOU. I’M NOT SURE HOW IT HAPPENED. BUT YOU SAVED MY LIFE. LET’S MEET UP SOON, CHEERS. SEB. PL. KEEP THE GAMES. YOU’VE EARNED THEM”.

This was a real and direct message from Sebastian. It was clear that by reliving the accident, something wonderful had happened. But then again, what can someone say about miracles. And what is true or what is virtually true - no one can say with finality. The narrator had undergone an experience that had proved to be virtually true.

Terms and Meanings from the Chapter

• Wheezy - to breathe with an audible whistling sound, with difficutly.
• Coma - a prolonged state of deep unconsciousness.
• Nutty - crazy about
• Gizmos - gadgets, especially mechanical or electrical devices.
• Psycho-drive - driven by mental power.
• Sarsaparilla - a carbonated drink flavoured with sarsaparilla root.
• Skeleton swipe-card - a plastic card on which data has been stored magnetically and that can be read by an electronic reading device.
• Vicious – brutal
• Riddled - making a large number of small holes in something.
• Sniper fire - gunshots fired by somebody in a concealed position.
• Hurtling – chasing.

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Study Material of The frog and the nightingale (Summary and Word Meanings)

Summary of the Poem

Study Material and Summary of The frog and the nightingale NCERT Class 10th

In a bog, which was called Bingle Bog, there lived a frog, who was crazy about his singing and incessantly sang from the evening to the morning light. All the creatures living in the bog found his songs to be most unpleasant and they tried to beat and insult him, but the frog was very insensitive and boastful. The frog kept singing with extreme passion because this was his way of expressing his heart-felt elation.

One day the creatures of the bog were pleasantly surprised to hear a very melodious and soothing song sung by a nightingale. The frog was shocked and felt jealous. He wanted to be the undisputed singer of the bog. The nightingale’s song created a sensation and all the creatures praised it tremendously.

The frog was very cunning and he introduced himself as the owner of the tree, on which the nightingale sang. He also boasted that he was a music critic, who wrote for ‘Bog Trumpet’. The nightingale was impressed that a musician like Mozart was taking interest in her. When the frog offered to train her for a modest fee, the nightingale felt that her dream had come true. The exploitation of the nightingale began. The frog would organise musical concerts and mint money. He would make the nightingale practice even in adverse weather. He instructed her to sing passionately and with full force, since that was what the public wanted. Initially a number of creatures flocked to listen to her, but later the crowd dwindled because the nightingale’s songs became routine, lusterless and her voice was tired. The frog would scold and humiliate her for no reason. One day, out of sheer stress and fatigue, the nightingale’s vein burst and she died.

The frog called the nightingale ‘stupid’, ‘nervous’ and ‘without originality’. His ego was satisfied and he again became the ‘unrivalled singer’ of the bog.

Terms and Meanings from the Poem

• Bog - an area of land that is very wet and muddy.
• Awn - on misspelt and mispronounced so that it rhymes with dawn.
• Loathed - hated
• Cacophony - a very loud and unpleasant noise.
• Minstrelled - sang
• Elation - great pride and joy.
• Rapt - totally interested, so that you cannot think of anything else.
• Serenaded - sang beautifully.
• Loon - a large water bird
• Teal - a small duck.
• Enraptured - filled with fascination and delight.
• Encore - repeat
• Baritone - a male singing voice, fairly deep.
• Sash - a long piece of cloth that you wear round the waist or over the shoulder, usually as a badge of honour.
• Scale - a sequence of musical notes that go up and down, one after the other.
• Hoarse - rough and unclear
• Quivering - shaking
• Subdued – with little energy
• Tiara - a semicircular metal band decorated with jewels and worn by wealthy women on formal social occasions.
• Trills - singing two musical notes one after the other, repeatedly and very quickly.
• Billings - publicity for a concert, show etc.
• Zipped – sang quickly
• Morose – miserable
• Prone – liable
• Panache - a very confident, elegant style.
• Foghorn - a very loud, unpleasant noise.

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Study Material of Mirror (Summary and Word Meanings)

Summary of the Poem

Study Material and Summary of Mirror NCERT Class 10th

This poem is written in free verse and is divided into two stanzas. In the first stanza the narrator is a mirror and in the second stanza, it is a lake (a reflecting surface which acts like mirror).

In this poem, a mirror describes its existence and its owner, who grows older as the mirror watches.

The narrator, mirror describes itself as “silver and exact.” It forms no judgments, instead merely swallowing what it sees and reflecting that image back without any alteration. The mirror is not cruel, “only truthful.” It considers itself a four-cornered eye of a god, which sees everything for what it is.

The mirror says it spends most of its time looking at a pink wall across from it. It is as if the wall has become part of it—its heart. The image of the wall is interrupted only by people who enter to look at themselves and the darkness that comes with night.

In the second, a mirror as reflecting surface continues that it reflects anything ‘just as it is’. The reflection is precise and accurate. It provides an exact picture of the thing in front of it. Feelings can often influence how we perceive a certain object or person. Often such a perception may be inaccurate or untrue. But a mirror does not allow its reflections to be clouded by feelings such as love or dislike. Hence its reflections are ‘unmisted’ and dispassionate.

Because of this untrue nature, the woman cries and wrings her hands. Nevertheless, she cannot refrain from visiting the mirror over and over again, every morning. Over the years, the woman has “drowned a young girl” in the mirror, and now sees in her reflection an old woman growing older by the day. This old woman rises toward her out of the mirror like “a terrible fish.”

Terms and Meanings from the Poem

• Preconceptions - a preconceived idea
• Mediate - think deeply

• Speckles – small spot of colour
• Agitation – upset
• Terrible – horrible

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Study Material of Not Marble, nor the Gilded Monuments (Summary and Word Meanings)

Summary of the Poem

This 55th sonnet of William Shakespeare tells about the limitations of worldly glory and grandeur. All the great monuments, memorials and statues erected by princes, rulers and the rich to perpetuate their memory are subject to decay, destruction and deterioration. The ravages of time and the agents of destruction destroy and damage all such monuments and memorials. Only the powerful rhyme of the poet and great poetry will survive the ravages of time. Through the written words of this poem, poet will immortalise the memory of his friend till the day of the Last Judgment.

Stanzas Explanation

Stanza 1: The poet tells that whether it is marble or gold plated monuments of all great rulers and kings, all will get destroyed but the magnificence of his poetry is alive forever. Time is compared to a slut, who loses her glow and beauty with time. Shakespeare compares time unfavourably to a female subject.

Stanza 2: When destructive wars take place, they will destroy statues also and all the work of the masons will be destroyed. Even the Sword of Mars, God of War, or the destructive fires of war will be able to destroy your memory. The poet is basically saying that, even wars will not destroy the written memories of your life, for they will survive even after deadly wars.

Stanza 3: This stanza doesn’t talk about survival, but of human appreciation. The poet continues to praise his subject. Slight deviation of the meter in the words “Even in” creates emphasis for this permanency. The poet says that, death and enmity destroys everything, but poetry written of the subject will be immortalised for all generations to come.

Stanza 4: The ending couplet is a summary of the survival theme. The couplet not only summarises the rest of the sonnet, but also seems to contradict itself. “Judgement” goes with the talk of judgement day in the last stanza, but implies that the subject is alive and will be judged on that day. “Dwelling in lover’s eyes” suggests that subject is love itself. Thus Shakespeare seems to consider the subject so lovely that he is a personification of love, which could be conquered and to which no poetry can do justice. So, the thesis of the sonnet is that the subject will be honoured forever and eternal.

Terms and Meanings from the Poem

• Gilded - gold-plated
• Unswept stone - a stone monument left uncared for.
• Besmear'd – rusted
• Sluttish - of unclean habits and behavior.
• Broils – disturbances
• Mars – the god of war
• Quick - fast moving
• Living record - this written memory of your life which continues after you are dead.
• Gainst – against
• Oblivious enmity - enmity which is forgetful of everything and so seeks to destroy everything.
• Pace forth - stride forwards
• Posterity - future generations
• Doom - the day on which the Last Judgment will occur.
• Judgement - the day of the last judgement.

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