MLL for Class XII-Vistas

Minimum Level of Learning material

Class XII-English Core

Vistas

THE TIGER KING

1.            The operation was successful, the Maharaha is dead.’ What does the author intend to suggest?

Irony-the thought- he would be killed by a tiger, so killed all tigers, but in the end a toy tiger killed him.

2.                  How does the Tiger King show man’s cruelty towards wildlife?

 The tiger king killed 99 tigers for his pleasure

3.                  Who is the Tiger King? Why does he get that name?

Maharaja of Pratibandapuram-killed 99 tigers

4.                  In what way was the Tiger King brought up?

 In English style- drank the milk of an English cow- brought up by an English nanny- saw English films

5.                  How did the King manage to save his crown?

 British officer on his visit- to be photographed with the tiger- Maharaja refused- gifted rings to the officer’s wife

6.                  How was the hundredth tiger finally found and killed?

The Diwan took the hundredth tiger- brought from people’s park in Madras to where the King was hunting

7.                  What did the astrologers predict about the infant King as soon as he was born?

 Will become a warrior- will one day die and death will come from the tiger

8.                  Why did the Maharaja suddenly decide to marry?

 He had killed all the tigers in his territory- and wanted to marry a girl whose territory had a lot of tigers

9.                  Why did the Maharaja order the Diwan to double the tax?

 The best efforts to locate a tiger in his kingdom failed.

‘THE ENEMY’ BY – PEARL S BUCK

1)  Who was Dr.Sadao? Where was his house?

Ans: Sadao was a Japanese doctor educated in surgery from America. He lived in Japan in his ancestral house near Japanese coast.

2) Who was Sadao’s wife? Where did he meet her?

Ans: Hana was Sadao’s wife. He met  her in an American professor’s house quite accidently.

3) What did Hana and Sadao find thrown away by the ocean?

Ans: They found the body of a wounded man washed across by the ocean. From his yellow hair and and lettered cap they understood that he was a U S Navy sailor.

4) Why did the servants desert Sadao’s family?

Ans: Sadao was treating and giving shelter to an American. Americans were their enemies and the servants didn’t want to serve such a master.

5) Why did Sadao decided to operate the man? Who helped him in the process?

Ans: The sailor waqs so seriously wounded that he needed an operation immediately. Aas a doctor it was Sadao’s duty to save human life. His wife Hana assisted him in the process.

6) Why did the messenger come to Sadao’s house? What was Hana’s fear?

Ans: Messenger came to take Sadao to the General who wasn’t feeling well. Hana feared that Sadao will be put in jail for helping enemy soldier.

7) Did the general send people to kill the soldier? Why?

Ans: General didn’t send anyone and there maybe two reasons for that. One is that he was so concerned abouit hjis health that he forgot it or he wanted to save one life.

8) How did finally Sadao save the American?

Ans: Sadao provided the man with a boat, food for two days and water. He asked the man to get a Korean boat to safety.

Should Wizard Hit Mommy

1.                  Why did Roger Skunk want to change his smell ?
Ans : Roger Skunk wanted to change  his smell because he was ostracized  by the animals of the woodland owing to his offensive smell. Roger felt isolated and ignored.

2.                  Why did the mother want Roger Skunk to retain his foul smell?
Ans : The mother wanted Roger to retain his offensive smell because the smell was the hallmark of the identity of skunks.

3.                  How did the wise owl help Roger Skunk?
Ans : The wise owl helped Roger Skunk by telling him the whereabouts of the wizard.

4.                  Why was the wizard’s house uncleaned?
Ans : Wizard’s house was uncleaned because the wizard had no cleaning lady at his  house and he was a very old man.

5.                  How did the animals of the wood receive Roger Skunk after he had changed his smell?
Ans : The  animals of the wood readily accepted him in their company and they played and rejoiced after Roger Skunk changed his smell.

ON THE FACE OF IT

Q.1 Why was Derry a pessimist and suffered from inferiority complex?

Ans. Derry was a physically impaired boy of 14. His face was burnt by acid .Nobody loved him except his mother. He felt loneliness and aloof ness. He was the victim of atrocities.

Q.2. How is Lamb able to eliminate the fear of Derry –a shy boy?

Ans. Lamb endeavours to impress Derry by his positive thoughts and optimistic attitude. He motivates him to focus on the brighter side of life and not pay attention on the others comments and remove the negative ideas.

Q.3 What is the attitude of Lamb though he is physically impaired like Derry?

Ans. Lamb is optimistic and he focuses on the stronger part of his life .Children called him “Lamey Lamb” but he takes the comments lightly. He is cheerful and elated with life. He is supportive and compassionate.

Q. 4 Why is Derry adamant to go back to Lamb in the end.?

Ans. Lamb encourages him not give attention about the comments made by others. He advises him to overcome his physical deficiency confidently. He also inspires him to be more concerned what he  thinks and feels .Derry knows if he does not go back to meet Lamb , he will never go back.

Q.5. How can they remove their loneliness and inferiority complex? Comment.

Ans. Physically impaired should concentrate on the positive side of life and overcome the shortcomings . They are the integral part of the society and society should accept them .They can also contribute something for the betterment of the society .They should have a sense of belongingness.

Birth    by       -A J Cronin

1.      Why was Joe Morgan waiting for Andrew before his closed surgery?

Ans.  Joe Morgan’s wife was expecting a baby and so he wanted Andrew to help in the delivery.

2.      Why did the old lady want to prepare a cup of tea for Andrew?

Ans.  When Andrew reached Joe Morgan’s house to attend to his wife, there was some time in the delivery. The old lady thought that Andrew might go back saying that he would come later. So, she very cleverly offered to make a cup of tea for him.

3.      What problem did the newborn have?

Ans. The baby was born lifeless with no cry and breath. The body was white and pale. (Suffering with asphyxia, a situation when there is no breath and it could result in death)

       4.   Just after the birth, both the mother and the baby needed Andrew’s immediate attention.

             What choice did he make?       

            Ans.  He attended to the mother first. Once, he found that she was out of danger,

             he turned to the baby.

        5. What method of treatment did Andrew use/follow to save the baby?

Ans.  He followed a special method of respiration. He alternately dipped the baby into cold and hot water. He also rubbed the baby with a rough towel.

          6. How did Andrew feel after both the mother and the baby were out of danger?

Ans. He had a great sense of satisfaction and felt that he had done something real at last  by  handling such a difficult case.

MEMORIIES OF CHILDHOOD: ZITKALA SA & BAMA

1.                  What were the things that ‘irritated’ Zitkala Sa on   her first day at Carlisle Indian School?

Ans. The three things that irritated her were the sound of the large bell, the clatter of shoes and the murmuring of many voices uttered in unknown language.

2.                  Why did the writer look very hard at the Indian girls in the school?

Ans. She did so because the girls were immodestly dressed in tight fitting clothes. She believed that it was wrong against their culture.

3.                  What is the eating by formula that Zitkala is talking about?

Ans. It was the school system of following a series of procedures before eating. The inmates had to pull the chair, stand in prayer, sit, pick up their knives and forks and start eating at fixed bells.   

4.                  What did Bama have to say about untouchability?

Ans. Bama expressed that when she was studying in her class three she had not yet heard people speak openly of untouchability. But she had not always seen, felt, experienced and been humiliated by what it was.

5.                  Bama finds something hilarious about the way the elderly man was walking. What was so funny according to her?

 Ans. She wanted to laugh at this sight because he was carrying a small packet by the string as if  it was very heavy or precious.. The elder went to the landlord, bowed low and extended the packet towards him.   So all his actions appeared very silly an funny to her

6.                  Why was Bama infuriated?

Ans. The  respectable elderly man was doing such a thankless favour of  a silly work for the land lord infuriated her. She thought it an insult on the elderly man forcing him to buy the vadai for the land lord. It was not a difficult work and the landlord himself could have  done it easily.

EVANS TRIES AN O LEVEL by Collin Dexter

1. Why was Evans known as ‘Evans the Break’?

Ans: Frequent attempts to escape from the prison gave him the name ‘Evans the Break’.

2. What all precautions were taken by the prison authorities to prevent Evans from escaping?

Ans: All the things that could be used as a potential weapon were taken away from the cell. This included Evan’s razor and nail file as well. The junior prison officer Stephens was asked to personally keep a watch on Evans and to escort Mr McLeery, the invigilator to the main gate.

3. Why did people doubt Evan’s sincerity towards taking the O level exam?

Ans: Evans was totally ignorant and did not know anything about German. His frequent attempts to escape the prison created doubts in the minds of the people.

4. How did Evans outwit the governor?

Ans: Evans had a well thought out plan. He had his friends within the establishment. The governor’s overconfidence and foolishness helped Evans to work out his plan with great precision.

5. What do you feel about Evans having the last laugh?

Ans. Evans, though known as ‘Evans the Break’ was not a violent person. He had a well laid out plan, which clearly reflects his intelligence. We tend to develop a sort of empathy towards him.

Should Wizard Hit Mommy

SA Questions (2 marks each)

1. Why did Roger Skunk want to change his smell ?
 Ans : Roger Skunk wanted to change  his smell because he was ostracized  by the animals of the woodland owing to his offensive smell. Roger felt isolated and ignored.

2.  Why did the mother want Roger Skunk to retain his foul smell?
Ans : The mother wanted Roger to retain his offensive smell because the smell was the hallmark of the identity of skunks.

3. How did the wise owl help Roger Skunk?
Ans : The wise owl helped Roger Skunk by telling him the whereabouts of the wizard.

4. Why was the wizard’s house uncleaned?
Ans : Wizard’s house was uncleaned because the wizard had no cleaning lady at his  house and he was a very old man.

How did the animals of the wood receive Roger Skunk after he had changed his smell?
Ans : The  animals of the wood readily accepted him in their company and they played and rejoiced after Roger Skunk changed his smell.