Short Summary & QA-The Third Level

VISTAS (SUPPLEMENTARY READER)

CHAPTER-1

THE THIRD LEVEL by Jack Finney

Short Summary of the Chapter:

• ‘The Third Level’ is a story that weaves together a psychological journey of the narrator into past, present and moves towards future.
• Charley- 31 year old, an American narrates his unusual experience of having been to the third level.
• He discovers brass spittoons, flickering gas lights, everyone dressed, like 1890’s with old fashioned beards, side burns, fancy moustaches, engine with funnel shaped stack, newspaper.
• The World, few ticket windows etc.  in the third level.
• Charley goes to get the ticket for Galesburg - Illinois- Wonderful town, big houses, huge lawns, plenty of trees, people with lots of leisure time and surprises when the clerk says that it is not currency and he will be put behind the bars.
• Wife worried -takes him to his Psychiatrist friend.
• He refuses to believe -says it a waking wish dream fulfilment as he could not face the modern world which is full of fear, insecurity, war, worry, stamp collection a refuge from reality.
• Charley desperate to go to Galesburg & so exchanges new for old currency. But could never find the third level.
• Sam’s disappearance has something to do with Galesburg as he was fond of the place.
• One day while going through his stamp collection, he finds an envelope, containing a letter of July 18, 1894 written by Sam, who is living at Galesburg, assertions the Third level.
• Charley finds that Sam had bought old currency worth eight hundred dollars.
• Sam was Charley’s psychiatrist.

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS: (SOLVED)

1.  Was the Third level a medium of escape for Charley? Why/Why not?
Ans. Yes, Charlie was engulfed in the trials and tribulations of life so he created the third level himself to seek refuge in it. It eased his tensions and pressures and provided him a platform to relax.

2.   Why is Grand Central compared to a tree?
Ans. Grand Central was compared to a tree because it was pushing out new corridors and staircases like roots. There may be a tunnel under the city up to Times Square and another to Central Park. Nobody knows about them. For many people it has been an exit, a way of escape through the years. So it is possible that it may have the tunnel Charlie got into.

3.   How did Charlie realize that he had reached the third level?
Ans. Charlie saw brass spittoons, flickering gas lights, everyone dressed like in the1890’s with mutton sleeves side burns and moustaches. The engine was with a funnel shaped stack. The newspaper was dated June 11 1894.There were fewer ticket windows. This made him realize that he was on the third level.

4.  Why did he wish to escape to Galesburg?
Ans. He wished to escape to Galesburg because it was a wonderful town with big houses, huge lawns, plenty of trees. The summer evenings were twice as long and people had lots of leisure time to sit out on the lawns. It was a peaceful world.

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS: (UNSOLVED) for practice

1. What is First Day Cover?

2. What is referred to as ‘the obvious step’?

3. What does the third level refer to?

4. Do you see an intersection of time and space in the story?

Assignment 2- My Mother at Sixty-Six (Class XII)

My mother at Sixty Six by Kamala Das

A. Extract questions: (Objective type - 1 mark each)

   1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:         4 Marks          

Driving from my parent’s home to Cochin last Friday

Morning I saw my mother

Doze, open mouthed, her face ashen like

That of a corpse……

i)    Where was the poet going? Where did she come from?            1

ii)    What did the poet see?                                                              1

iii)   What did the poet compare her mother to? Why?                     1

iv)  Name the poetic device used in the last line.                             1

    2. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:          4 Marks

. ………and felt that old

Familiar ache, my childhood’s fear,

But all I said was, see you soon, Amma,

All I did was smile and smile and smile……

(a)    Name the poem and the poet.                                                   1

(b)    What was the poet’s childhood’s fear?                                      1

(c)    What did the poet’s parting words signify?                                1

(d)    What did the poet do before departing? Why?                          1

    3. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:         4 Marks

………and looked out of the window

At young trees sprinting, merry children

Spilling out of their homes…….

(a)    Name the poem and the poet.                                                   1

(b)    Why did the poet look out of the window?                                 1

(c)    What did the poet see outside the car?                                     1

(d)    Why have the trees been described as ‘sprinting’                     1

B. Answer the following questions in 30-40 words each: (2 marks each)

1. Why did the poet compare her mother’s face to? Why?

2. What did the poet see outside the window? How do they contrast to the scene inside the car?

3. Why did the poet compare her mother to the late winter’s moon?

4. What were the parting words of the poet? What was its significance?

5. What did the poet do before departing? What did it signify?

Do it yourself:

Look for any other question (both SQ and LQ) asked in the previous year’s Question Papers of CBSE Board Examinations for Class XII. Try to answer them if you find it different from the ones given above.

Assignment 1- The Last Lesson

Assignment 1

The Last Lesson by Alphonse Daudet

A. Answer the following questions in 30-40 words each: (2 marks each)

          1.       Why was Little Franz scared to go school that morning?

          2.       What were the things that tempted/attracted Little Franz on the way to school?

          3.       Why did the school look like a Sunday morning?

          4.       What were the usual sounds heard out at the street when school began?

          5.       What was unusual that Franz notice about the school that day?

          6.       How was the teacher/M. Hamel dressed?

          7.       Why were the villagers sitting at the back benches of the school/classroom?

          8.       What was like a thunderclap to Little Franz?

          9.       What was M. Hamel’s view/opinion on the French language?

         10.   Whom did the teacher/M. Hamel blame for Little Franz not learning his mother tongue?

         11.   How did the teacher/M. Hamel address or behave Little Franz even if he was late?

         12.   What bad news did the bulletin board give for the last two years?

         13.   Why did the crowd gather in front of the bulletin board that day?

         14.   How did Little Franz react to the announcement made by M. Hamel?

         15.   How did he feel about the last grammar lesson taught by M. Hamel?

         16.   What were the topics/subjects discussed or taught by M. Hamel on the day of the last lesson?

         17.   How did the little children behave in the class that day?

         18.   What did Little Franz think about the pigeons?

         19.   Why did M. Hamel tell the class to guard the French language and never forget it?

         20.   How did M. Hamel end/conclude his class?

B. Answer the following questions in 100-125 words each: (6 marks each)

          1.       The day of the last lesson was full of regret and sadness. Describe the events of the day in the classroom in light of the above remark.

          2.       How does the presence of the village people in the classroom and M. Hamel’s last lesson show their love for the French language?

          3.       What difference did Little Franz find in the class taken by M. Hamel than any other class he attended in the school? Describe.

C. Extract questions: (Objective type - 1 mark each) 

         1.       “My children, this is the last French lesson I shall give you. An order has come from Berlin……..”

i)                    Who is the speaker of the above line?

ii)                   Which order is he talking about?

iii)                 Why did it happen?

iv)                 What does he want from the children?

         2.       “I was amazed to see how well I understood it. All he said seemed so easy, so easy!”

i)                    Who is the speaker of the above line?

ii)                  Whom does ‘he’ refer to?

iii)                 What does he understand so well?

iv)                What reason does the speaker give for his better understanding?

Do it yourself:

Look for any other question (both SQ and LQ) asked in the previous year’s Question Papers of CBSE Board Examinations for Class XII. Try to answer them if you find it different from the ones given above.

Syllabus and Mark Distribution for Class XII English Core, 2020-21

SYLLABUS OF ENGLISH CORE (CODE-301)

& MARKS DISTRIBUTION

Session: 2020-21

SECTION A (READING COMPREHENSION) 20 Marks

The section will have two passages .

I. One unseen passage with a variety of Objective Type Questions, including Multiple

Choice questions and Short Answer Questions to test comprehension, interpretation

and inference. Vocabulary such as word formation and inference of meaning will also be

tested.

The total length of the passages will be between 800 - 900 words. Five Multiple Choice

type question and Seven Objective Type Questions (total 12 Marks) shall be asked from

this passage. The passage will include one of the following:

a) Factual passages, e.g., instructions, descriptions, reports.

b) Descriptive passages involving opinion, e.g., argumentative, persuasive or

interpretative text.

c) Literary passages, e.g., extract from fiction, drama, poetry, essay or biography.

II. The second passage will be of 400-500 words . Note-making and Abstraction will be

assessed.

i. Note making (4 Marks )

ii. Summary (4 Marks).

SECTION B (WRITING SKILLS) 30 Marks

A. Advertisements and notices, designing or drafting posters, writing formal and informal

invitations and replies. One question out of the two Short Answer Questions– 4 Marks

B. Letters based on verbal / visual input.- One question out of the two Long Answer

Questions to be answered in 120-150 words:                                                      6 Marks

Letter types include

• Business or official letters (for making enquiries, registering complaints, asking for

and giving information, placing orders and sending replies)

• Letters to the editor (giving suggestions or opinion on issues of public interest)

Application for a job

C. Two compositions based on visual and/or verbal Input may be descriptive or

argumentative in nature such as an article/a debate/ a speech or a report- Two Very

Long Answer Questions containing internal choice, to be answered in 150-200 words.

                                                                                                                            10x2=20 Marks

SECTION C (Literature/Textbooks) 30 Marks

I. Eight Objective Type Questions – 4 from one poetry and 4 from one prose extract to

test comprehension and appreciation.                                                                (8x1=8 Marks)

II. Five out of Seven Short Answer Questions based on prose / drama / poetry from both

texts                                                                                                                    (5x2=10 Marks)

III. One out of two Long Answer Questions to be answered in 120-150 words to test global

comprehension and extrapolation beyond the texts.  (Flamingo)                       (6 marks)

IV. One out of two Long Answer Questions to be answered in 120-150 words to test global

comprehension along with analysis and extrapolation. (Vistas)                         (6 marks)

INTERNAL ASSESSMENT : 20 MARKS (Assessment of Speaking & Listening Skills)

Prescribed Books

1. Flamingo: English Reader published by National Council of Education Research and

Training, New Delhi

2. Vistas: Supplementary Reader published by National Council of Education Research

and Training, New Delhi

Flamingo:

Prose

1. The Last Lesson

2. Lost Spring

3. Deep Water

4. The Rattrap

5. Indigo

6. Poets and Pancakes

7. The Interview

8. Going Places

Poetry:

1. My Mother at Sixty Six

2. An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum

3. Keeping Quiet

4. A Thing of Beauty

5. A Roadside Stand

6. Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers

Vistas:

1. The Third Level

2. The Tiger King

3. Journey to the End of the Earth

4. The Enemy

5. Should Wizard Hit Mommy

6. On the Face of It

7. Evans Tries an O-Level

8. Memories of Childhood

9. The Cutting of My Long Hair

10. We too are Human Being

Alert to Everyone on Covid-19 (Novel Corona Virus Disease)

All my dear students,
Its high time that all of you should take very much care of yourself as well as your parents. Here are some useful information for you:
STAY HOME, STAY SAFE.