The last lesson by Alphonse Daudet

the prose 'The last lesson',written by Alphonse Daudet narrates about the year 1870
when the prussian forces under Bismark attacked and captured France.The french
districts of Alsace and Lorraine went into Prussian hands.The new Prussian rulers
discontinued the teaching of French in the schools of these two districts.The French
teachers were asked to leave.The story describes the last day of one such
French,M.Hamel.Mr. M.Hamel had been transfered and could no longer remain in his old
school.Still he gave last lesson to his students with utmost devotion and sincerity as
ever.The story depicts the pathos of the whole situation about how people feel when they
dont learn their own language and then losing an asset in M.Hamel.
One of his student Franz who dreaded french class and M.Hamel's iron rod, came to the
school that day thinking he would be punished as he had not learnt his lesson.But on
reaching school he found Hamel dressed in sunday clothes and all the old people of the
village sitting there.It was due to an order on the bulletin board. That was the first day
when he realised for the first time that how important french was for him, but it was his
LAST LESSON in French.

Lost spring by Anees Jung

Raju works at a roadside dhaba for sixteen hours a day. Idrees has lost his memory and
bears on his body the scars of being tortured at the carpet-manufacturing unit where he
worked. Saheb scrounges the garbage dumps on the streets of Delhi for his daily wages.
Munni has travelled long distances from her village home, looking for work as a domestic
help in the city. Like Raju and Idrees, Saheb and Munni, millions of children all over the
country are doomed to a life of backbreaking toil. Half adult, half children, victims of
physical and mental abuse, they represent the dark underbelly of Indias economic
growth. In Lost Spring: Stories of Stolen Childhood, best-selling author Anees Jung
exposes a national shame: children cleaning floors and tables in shanty restaurants;
making locks, slates and fireworks; rolling bidis; weaving saris and carpets; packing and
hauling loads in factories and stone quarries. With her trademark sensitivity and insight,
she analyses the grinding poverty and traditions sanctified by caste and religion which
condemn these children to a life of exploitation. In this bleak world, the author also finds
stories of resilience and fortitudechildren who have refused to accept their condition,
thus opening new vistas for themselves and others like them. She also documents
incredible profiles in courageindividuals and institutions who battle not only
governmental and bureaucratic apathy but also social values and cultural norms that
support and accept the concept of child labour.

Deep water by William Douglas

Deep water shows how scared of water Douglas had been as a boy. His very first
experience was when he first went to the sea beach with his father and a powerful wave
swept over him. Although the wave had receded still it left him terrified .But then to
overcome his fear he made up his mind to learn swimming. He went to the Y.M.C.A. pool
which was two feet at the shallow end and nine feet at the deep end.
One day a strong big boy picked him up and threw him into the deepest part of the pool.
He sank to the bottom but he tried to jump and come up gradually. As fear had gripped
him all his efforts went in vain. He was nearly drowned .He tried to breathe but swallowed
water. He lay there in complete peace without sensation or fear of death. But someone

saved him.
He was so terrified that the sight of water made him sick. He could not go fishing or
canoeing. So to over come his fear he found an instructor who trained him as a swimmer
bit by bit. He was able to overcome his fear completely. This experience of fear at first
and then conquering it made his life worth living.

The rattrap by Selma Lagerlof

the rattrap seller is a homeless fellow who stays in the crofters cottage for a night. The
crofter entertains him as a guest and friend. But the rattrap seller returns later the next
day, smashes the window pane and steals the money of the crofter.
The fortune however turns later when the iron master mistaking him to be an old
comrade takes him home. There he stays for two days as his guest. Once again he is on
his way to continue his usual profession of selling rattraps, thievery and begging. But he
sends a letter to the iron masters daughter telling her that she was a wonderful hostess
and he cannot lie to her. He also returned the money that he had stolen from the crofter
and asked her to return it. He lets her know that this whole world is like a rat trap. Just like
the rats are trapped by cheese and food similarly men are lured by land, food, shelter,
clothing etc. these are baits. Those who touch them are trapped

Indigo by Louis Fischer

this story portraits Gandhijis struggle for the poor peasants of Champaran. The peasants
were share croppers with the British planters. According to one old agreement, the
peasants had to cultivate indigo on fifteen percent of the land and give as rent. The
British didnt need the indigo crop any more when Germany had developed synthetic
indigo. Just to release the peasants from the fifteen percent agreement they demanded
compensation. Some illiterate peasants agreed but others refused. Later lawyers were
appointed .At that time Gandhiji went to Champaran. He managed to get justice after a
year long battle for the peasants. He also made arrangements for the education, health,
and hygiene for the families of the poor peasants. He gave them the lesson of self
reliance.

poets and pancakes (my years with boss) by Asokamitran

for nearly thirty years from 1940, the Gemini Studios of Madras (Chennai) was the most
influential film-producing organisation of India and its founder, the brilliant multi-faceted
entrepreneur S.S. Vasan lent substance and quality to the rather fragile and unpredictable
movie business. The Gemini emblem of two small boys with bugles was true to Vasans
slogan for the Studios, when the bugles blow, there is a great show, Gemini films
entertained millions all over India and abroad.
Sahitya Akademi award-winning Tamil writer Ashokamitran worked for the Gemini Studios
from 1952 to 1966. A full twenty years after he renounced films, poet-editor Pritish
Nandy persuaded Ashokamitran to record his reminiscences and the result was a series of
articles making up My Years with Boss. The book covers only five of his fourteen years
with the Studios but captures that phase of Indian movie business when the key factors of
the box office were imperceptibly shifting from the studios to the stars.

My Years with Boss is one of the most unusual books to be written about the
entertainment world and clearly indicates the enormous impact of the movies on virtually
every aspect of life in India.
The authors ability to capture the life and breath of people and events, and his puckish
narrative make this a brief but special book of film history."

THE INTERVIEW
SUMMARY:
The Interview written by Christopher Sylvester briefs the new invention interview in the
field of journalism. Interview that was invented over 130 years have become a
commonplace journalism. Today, every literate or illiterate will have to experience
interview at some point of the daily life.
However, opinions of interview- of its functions, methods and merits vary considerably.
Some claim it as a source of truth and in its practice, an art. Others despise the interview
as an unwarranted intrusion into their lives. They feel it diminishes them. Sylvester lists
out well known writers who are against interview V.S. Naipaul, Lewis Carrol, Rudyard
Kipling, H.G. Wells though he had interviewed many personalities. It is surprising to notice
that as interviewer, each one is comfortable, whereas, as an interviewee, they feel it
much disturbing and diminishing. Yet in the words of the writer, it is a serviceable
medium communication.
Part II is an extract from an interview of Umberto Eco, author of the popular novel, Name
of the Rose by Mukund Padmanaban from The Hindu This interview helps us know many
aspects of his writing style and ideas. Though he gives the impression of doing many
things at a time, he says he is doing the same thing, pursuing his philosophical interests
through his writings and his novels. Through his modest answers, he tells the secret of his
success .He utilises the interstices - empty spaces to his advantage.
Umberto eco pan academician refers himself to be called an academician. He has written
40 philosophical writings and just 5 novels. When Mukund Padmanaban asks the reason
behind the huge success of The Name of the Rose, he honestly replies that it is a
mystery even to him. Perhaps the appropriateness of the time it was written could be the
reason. He himself admits had the novel come 10 years later or earlier, the novel would
not have got such success.
As we go through this extract, we can easily note that Umberto Eco does not think,
interview is a crime or an offence. He interacts properly and modestly.

Going Places by A.R. Barton

the theme of this story is adolescent fantasising and hero-worship.The story revolves
around the life of Sophie, a teenager, who, like others of her age, is filled with fantasies
and desires. She comes from a poor financial background, but hopes to be sophisticated
in the future. Sophie dreams of owning a boutique one day ot being an actress or fashion
designer, but her friend Jansie believes that both of them are earmarked for the biscuit
factory. Jansie, who is more realistic, tries to pull Sophie to reality, but in vain.

Sophie lives in a small house with her parents and brothers, Geoff and little Derek.
Though she voices her feelings and desires, her parents pooh-pooh her, because they,
unlike her, are more mature and know the truths of life.
Sophie finds a sort of fascination for her elder brotherGeoff, who is tall, strong and
handsome and reserved. She envies his silence and often wonders about his thoughts and
areas of his life that she doesnt know about.
The centre of this story is that Sophie fantasises about Danny Casey, an Irish football
player, whom she had seen playing in innumerable matches. She makes up a story about
how she met him in the streets and tells this to Geoff. Geoff, who is more sensible than
Sophie, does not really believe her, even if she wants to. It seems an unlikely incident for
Sophie to meet the prodigy in their street, but whe Sophie describes the meeting in all
her details, he begins to hope that it could be true. She tells him that Danny has promised
to meet her somewhere again.
Sophie gets so pulled into the story she made that she herself begins to believe that its
true. She waits for the Irish player, but obviously, he never arrives. Then, she makes her
way home, wondering how her brother would be disappointed on knowing that Danny
Casey never showed up. However, Sophie still fantasises about her hero, unperturbed

The third level by Jack Finney

Charley explains that one evening while hurrying home, he decided to take the subway
from Grand Central Station, and became lost. He eventually found himself on a strange
third level with spittoons on the floor, oddly dressed people, and a locomotive from 1894.
Understanding he'd somehow gone back in time, Charley tries to buy tickets to
Galesburg, IL,
During his lunch break the next day, Charley withdraws nearly all their savings and buys
old-style currency. But he can never again find the entrance to the third level at Grand
Central Station.
Charley finds evidence the third level actually exists when he discovers a letter to him,
dated July 18, 1894, from Galesburg, IL. It seems Charley's psychiatrist was not as
incredulous of the third level as he appeared.

The Tiger king by Kalki

When Maharaja Jilani Jung Jung Bahadur was born, the astrologers had foretold that one
day the king would actually have to die. The ten day old Jilani Jung Jung Bahadur started
speaking; he told them that all those who were born would have to die one day, he asked
them to tell the manner of his death. Everyone stood stunned. An infant born just ten
days ago was talking in such a manner .The chief astrologer told the Prince that he was
born in hour of the bull. As bull and tiger were enemies therefore his death would come
from tiger.
The Maharaja grew stronger and took to tiger hunting. He was overjoyed when he killed
the first tiger. When he told the chief astrologer about that, the chief astrologer told him
that he may kill 99 tigers but he must be careful with the hundredth one. In ten years he
killed 70 tigers .He banned the killing of tigers in Pratibandhpuram .The tiger population
had become extinct at Pratibandhpuram . So the maharaja married to a royal family in a
state where tiger population was rich . Thus thereby he killed 99 tigers but one was still

left . There was no sign of tigers anywhere . Maharaja could not bear any more . He raised
the land tax and also dismissed some of his men . There was a tiger brought later for
Maharaja . Maharaja took his men for hunt . He shooted the tiger but it missed the
tiger .Maharaja did not notice that . Maharajas men knew it but they feared that if they
tell it to Maharaja , then they may lose their job , so they killed the tiger . But maharaja
did not know that he still has one tiger left to be killed .
Maharaja had to attend his 3 year old sons birthday . He gifted him a wooden tiger . The
tiger was made by an unskilled man .Its surface was rough , as a result its sharp edge
pierced into Maharajas hand . Next day the infection spread into his whole hand and
Maharaja at last died .
Thus the fateful hundredth tiger though a wooden one was the cause of the Maharajas
death and proved the predictionof the astrologer correct.

Journey to the end of the Earth by Tishani Doshi

The chapter is an account of the authors unique experience on an expedition to
Antarctica in 2006:
The Lesson At A Glance
Given below is the summary of the lesson. Some words and phrases have been left out
and have been placed below the paragraphs as hints in bullet form. Before directly
picking up the hints, attempt first to fill in the blanks independently, in order to test your
understanding.
The writer started her journey to the coldest, driest and windiest continent: Antartica by a
________________________________________, Akademik Shokalsky. The journey began 13:09
degrees north of Equator in Madras, and involved crossing nine time zones, six
checkpoints, three bodies of water, and ecospheres (regions fit for living). It took them
___________________________________________,
travelling by car, aeroplane and ship. It was and overwhelming experience filled with
wonder on seeing Antarcticas _______________________________________ and uninterrupted
blue horizon but the first emotion _________________ after the long journey. What amazed
her was its immensity, its isolation and that there was a time when India and Antarctica
were ___________________.
expansive white landscape
100 hrs to reach Antarctica
Russian research vessel
was of relief
part of the same landmass
Part of history
The Gondwana super continent that existed ______centred around present day Antarctica.
It was a time when the humans hadnt arrived on the global scene and the climate
_____________________________ with an immense variety of flora and fauna. Gondwana
thrived for 500 million years but when the ___________________________ out and the age of
mammals evolved, the landmass was separated into countries giving the globe its
present shape. ________________________ is to get an idea where weve come from and
where we are heading to. Its to understand the significance of Cordilleran folds and
precambrian granite shields (geological and geographical terms); ozone and carbon,
_____________________________. It is unbelievable to imagine: India pushing northwards
jamming against Asia to buckle its crust and form the Himalayas; South America drifting

off to join North America, opening up the Drake passage to create a cold circumpolar
current, keeping Antarctica cold desolate and _____________________________
evolution and extinction
at the bottom of the world .
six hundred and fifty million years ago
was much warmer
dinosaurs were wiped
To visit Antarctica
90 percent of the Earths total ice volumes are stored in Antarctica. Being there is like
walking into a ping pong ball devoid of humanity, trees, billboards or buildings. One
_________________ and days go on for 24 hours. The all pervading silence is broken either
by an _______________ or the breaking of an ice sheet. There are midges and mites, mighty
whales and ice bergs - the largest _______________________________ so far was of the size of
Belgium.
Human civilizations have been around only for 12000 years. Rapid increase in population
__________________________ .Uncontrolled burning of fossil fuels has created a blanket of
carbondioxide, which has led to an increase in _____________Climate change has led to the
receding of glaciers and melting of ice shelves. Antarctica is a place for the study of the
___________________________,as half a million old carbon records are trapped in the icy
layers.
global warming
have depleted natural resources
recorded iceberg
loses an earthly sense of time
avalanche
past, present and future
The writer says that the Students on Ice programme focuses on taking high school
students to the ends of the world and providing them with inspiring educational
opportunities which will help them foster a new understanding and respect for our planet.
The group of 52 students went aboard the Russian vessel _______________________________
and was headed by a Canadian, Geoff Green. The future generation thus had a life
changing experience at the appropriate age when they were ready to absorb, learn, and
act.
Being a part of the expedition and actually seeing glaciers retreating and
____________melting makes one realize the reality of global warming. The simple
ecosystem and the lack of diversity of plant and animal
life makes Antarctica the perfect place to bring forth the idea that little changes in the
environment can have big repercussions. For example the Phytoplankton, the
microscopicgrasses form the food chain of the entire Southern oceans __________________.
Scientists warn that ____________________________________ will affect the activities of the
phytoplankton which will further affect the marine life of the region. Hence the lesson
learnt is that if small things are taken care of then ___________________________________
big things will take care of themselves.
a further depletion in the ozone layer.
Ice shelves
marine life

 Akademik Shokalskiy.
The writer had an exciting experience just short of the Antarctic circle at 65.55 degrees
south. The Shokalskiy got stuck into a _________________________ between the peninsula
and Tadpole Island. They were all then instructed by the Captain to
____________________________ on the ocean. So all the _____________________ wore their
waterproof garments and started walking on the ice. Underneath their feet was a metre
thick ice pack, and below that 180 metres of living, breathing, salt water. At the outside
edge they saw ______________________ sunning themselves on ice floes which reminded
them of _________________________ under the banyan tree. It brought the revelation that
everything has a connection. After covering nine time zones, six checkpoints, three
bodies of water and many ecospheres the writer marvelled at the ________________________
working on our planet.
The writer wonders how the world would be if Antarctica were to become a warm planet
once again and would we be there to see it? He ends the chapter on a positive note
saying that the younger generation alive with the idealism to save the world can make a
lot of difference.
climb down and walk Crabeater seals
beauty of balance
thick white stretch of ice
52 travellers
stray dogs sunning

Evans tries an o level by Colin Dexter

the theme of this story is adolescent fantasising and hero-worship.
The story revolves around the life of Sophie, a teenager, who, like others of her age, is
filled with fantasies and desires. She comes from a poor financial background, but hopes
to be sophisticated in the future. Sophie dreams of owning a boutique one day ot being an
actress or fashion designer, but her friend Jansie believes that both of them are
earmarked for the biscuit factory. Jansie, who is more realistic, tries to pull Sophie to
reality, but in vain.
Sophie lives in a small house with her parents and brothers, Geoff and little Derek.
Though she voices her feelings and desires, her parents pooh-pooh her, because they,
unlike her, are more mature and know the truths of life.
Sophie finds a sort of fascination for her elder brotherGeoff, who is tall, strong and
handsome and reserved. She envies his silence and often wonders about his thoughts and
areas of his life that she doesnt know about.
The centre of this story is that Sophie fantasises about Danny Casey, an Irish football
player, whom she had seen playing in innumerable matches. She makes up a story about
how she met him in the streets and tells this to Geoff. Geoff, who is more sensible than
Sophie, does not really believe her, even if she wants to. It seems an unlikely incident for
Sophie to meet the prodigy in their street, but whe Sophie describes the meeting in all
her details, he begins to hope that it could be true. She tells him that Danny has promised
to meet her somewhere again.
Sophie gets so pulled into the story she made that she herself begins to believe that its
true. She waits for the Irish player, but obviously, he never arrives. Then, she makes her
way home, wondering how her brother would be disappointed on knowing that Danny
Casey never showed up. However, Sophie still fantasises about her hero, unperturbed

The enemy by Pearl S. Buck

Dr. Sadao and Hana stood outside their house. A man was suddenly seen in the ocean.
They ran towards him. They were shocked to see that he was an enemy soldier and badly
in need of medical aid. He was unconscious. As loyal citizens it was their duty to hand
over the soldier to the officials but they took him inside into their house. For this they saw
rebel from their domestic helps. Though for such a deed they could have been arrested
but Dr. Sadao knew that he would not be arrested by the general as he himself might
need his services any time for an operation. The man recovered. Dr. Sadao desired to get
rid of him now. So as soon as he was out of danger, he told him to escape from the house

Should wizard hit mommy by John Updike

This story deals with the worldview of a little child,and the difficult moral questions she
raises during the story session with her father.
Jack(joannes father) had become accustomed to or putting it more precisely obligated to
telling stories out of his head to his daughter joanne during the evenings and saturday
afternoons.this tradition itself was now two years old and joanne had been two when it
started..........these stories were almost the same except for some slight variations ..it
started with a creature usually named roger(roger fish,rogersquirrel,roger chipmunk),who
had some problem and went with it to the wise owl.The owl directed him to go the the
magician ,who would solve his problem in exchange for a few pennies more than the
creature had and in the same breath would direct the creature to go to a place where he
could find it.the the roger creature would be so happy and would return home just in time
to hear the train whistle that brought his daddy home from boston.
On this particular day a saturday and it was time for joannes nap..so jack had to tell her a
story.So he began his story and asked joanne what should the creature be named .It
seemed they had studied about a new aniaml at school today for she enthusiastically said
skunk..roger skunk.The character was set and so began the story.Jack was now ready to
start the story and was filled with creative enthusiasm.the story started with the creature
being unable to play and make friends with other creatures...the reason was he smelled
awfull.The creature having no other option went to seek the advice of the wise old owl
who directed him to go the magician.Roger skunk found his way to the magicians house
and seeked his help.the magician with his magic wand turned the awful smell that roger
had into a smell that was of roses.The roger creature then as directed gave the magician
the pennies he had and as per the instruction of the magician went to the well to get the
extra pennies.
Then roger skunk went back home.As he reached home his mother was disappointed with
roger skunk as she thought that it was not right to change one's identity to please their
friends.She said real friends are the ones who accept you for who you are and not for who
you want to become.She then took roger back to the magician and hit the magician with
the umbrella she had been carrying.the magician then performed his magic and roger no
longer melled of roses.After that they returned home just in time to hear the whistle of
the train blow that brought roger skunks father home................and henceforth roger
skunk was content in being himself.
Throught this story jakc wanted to teach his daughter joanne about moral values,but his
daughter joanne who was just a child reacted differently with th stories ending.she want
the wizard to hit rogers mommy back and let roger smell of roses and not change him.this
was a childs perspectivbe of things...for a child their friends mean everything and they
are not much of moral values and the importance of parents.

Jack had faced similar problems like roger had faced so he was trying to jo that whatever
parents say or do for them are in their best interest.But jo was adamant and wanted
another ending for the story.
After the story ended jack went down to help his wife clare paint the furniture .When he
reached downstairs he sawt that the woodwork,a cage of moldings and rails and
baseboards all around them ,was half old tan and half new ivory and he felt caught in an
ugly middle position,and though he as well felt his wife's presence in the cage with
him,he did not want to speak with her,work with her,touch her,anything
NOTE:jack had a son named bobby two years old,Clare was three months pregnant.