Sonnet 18: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?

Q. How does Shakespeare immortalize his friend’s beauty?

Ans. The poem,‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?’ centres round the eternal beauty of the poet’s friend. According to the poet, his beauty is more charming and lasting than the summer season. The beauty of a summer’s day is subject to change and decay. On the other hand, the beauty of the poet’s friend has an eternal summer, beyond the reach of time or death. As long as men will live, see and read, they will love and admire the poet’s friend who shall live eternally through his poem, written in the friend’s praise. Thus, Shakespeare immortalizes his friend’s beauty.

Q. “… and this gives life to thee.”  - what does ‘this’refer to? Who is referred to by ‘thee’? how does ‘this’ give life?

Ans. ‘This’ refers to the lines of Sonnet 18 written by Shakespeare.

Shakespeare’s beloved friend is referred to by ‘Thee’.

            William Shakespeare describes his friend’s beauty in Sonnet 18. He is very confident about his poetry. He believes that as long as his poetry lives, this gives life to his friend. His friend’s summer will never fade because his verse will made it immortal. He confidently says that so long as man can see or brreathe in this world, his sonnet will be read and the theme of the sonnet will be survived. In this way, ‘this’ gives life to his friend.

Q. What type of poem is ‘Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day?’ – Who is the poet? Whom does the poet speak of? What does the poet say about the person spoken of?

Ans. ‘Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day?’ is a Shakespearean sonnet.

The poet is William Shakespeare.

Shakespeare reveals that the earthly object decays in the course of time. Summer stays for a short period. The buds of May are destroyed by violent winds. The brightness of the Sun is dimmed by clouds. But, his friend’s beauty never fades. Even death can not grab him. He exists in the eternal lines of his poetry. So long as man can see or breath, his poetry will live and it will give life to his friend.

Short Questions:

1.     What shakes the darling buds of May?

2.     ‘But thy eternal summer shall nnot fade.’ – what does the word ‘summer’ refer to here?

3.     ‘and often is his gold complexion dimmed’ – whose complexion is referred to here?

4.     What does Shakespeare compare his friend to?

5.     What shall death not brag?

6.     What will make the beauty of the poet’s friend eternal?

Grammar:

1.     Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? (Turn into an assertive sentence)

2.     One of the greatest writers in the English language are William Shakespeare. (Error correction)

3.     We went to the station to see them away. (Error correction)

4.     Either he or I is right. (Error correction)

5.     Everyone of us here have a compassionate heart. (Error correction)

6.     Time and tide waits for no man. (Error correction)

Strong Roots

Zenith

Coaching Centre

Strong Roots

What was Kalam’s father’s response to his son’s query about prayer and spirituality?

And. Being grown up Mr. Kalam asked his father about prayer and spirituality. His father answered that there was nothing mysterious about prayer. Rather, prayer made possible a communionn of the spirit between people. According to his father, when we pray, we can go beyond our body and become a part of the cosmos and we can forget the divisions among people. He could explain the complex spiritual concepts in a very simple way. He said that every human being is a specific element within the whole of the manifest divine being. So, we should not be afraid of difficulties, sufferings and problems. When troubles come, we should try to understand the relevance of our sufferings.

How did his father’s attitude to adversity influence the young Kalam?

Ans. Kalam’s father disclosed the eternal truth to the young Kalam against adversity. He said that adversity always presents opportunities for introspection. This attitude of his father filled him with a strange energy and enthusiasm. Through out his life, he has tried to follow his father in his own world of science and technology. He has tried to understand the fundamental truths revealed to him by his father and realised the existance of the divine power that can lift one up from confusion, misery, melancholy and failure, and guide one to one’s true place. He has also realised that to attain true freedom, happiness and peace of mind, we must sever our emotional and physical bond.

Grammar:

1.  He had an ideal helpmate in my mother. My mother was Ashiamma. (join by using noun in apposition).

2.  The Shiva temple was about a ten minute walk from our house. This temple made Rameswaram so famous to pilgrims. (join by using adjective clause).

3.  There were quite a lot of Hindu families. They were living amicably with their Muslim neighbours. (join the two sentences by using present participle).

4.  I remember people. They visited our home to offer  thanks after being cured. (join into a simple sentence).

5.  I asked my father about the relevance of prayer. I was old enough to ask questions. (join by using adverbial clause).

6.  The fundamental truths were revealed to me by my father. I have endeavoured to understand them. (join into a simple sentence/ complex sentence).

7.  Despite these disadvantages, he possessed great innate wisdom. (replace the underlined word).

Zenith

Coaching Centre

Strong Roots

Describe the locality where Kalam lived.

Ans. The locality in which Kalam lived was predominantly Muslim, but there were quite a lot of Hindu families too, living amicably with their Muslim neighbours. The famous Rameswaram temple was about ten-minute walk from their house. There was a very old mosque in their locality where his father would take him for evening prayers. When his father came out of the mosque, people of different religions would wait outside for his blessing. His father would pray for them and they used to come to their house to offer thanks. The high priest of Rameswaram temple who was a very close friend of his father would discuss spiritual matters with him.

Describe the daily routine of Kalam’s father and add a comment on it.

Ans. Kalam’s father used to start his day at 4 am by reading the namaz. After that he used to walk down to their small coconut grove which was about four miles from their home. After some times, he would return with about a dozen coconuts tied together thrown over his shoulder. Then he would have his breakfast. This was the daily routine of Kalam’s father till he was in his late sixties.

        The above routine of Kalam’s father shows that he was a man of discipline. He was spiritual and he used to live a very simple life. He was extremely devoted to his spiritual and earthly life.

Grammar: joining

1.  We lived in our ancestral house. It was built in the middle of the 19^th century. (complex)

2.  The Shiva temple made Rameswaram very famous to pilgrims. It was about a ten-minute walk from our house. (complex)

3.  I had not the faintest idea of the meaning of the Aribic prayers chanted. I was totally convinced that they reached God. (compound)

Splitting:

1.  When I was old enough to ask questions, I asked my father about the relevance of prayer.

2.  I was born into a middle class Tamil family in the island town of Rameswaram in the erstwhile Madras state.

3.  He put his hands on my shoulders and looked straight into my eyes.

Strong Roots

Zenith

Coaching Centre

Strong Roots

“Why don’t you say this to the people who come to you…?”

Who says this and to whom? What is referred to by the word ‘this’? Why do the people come to the person spoken to?[1+1+2+2=6]

Ans. APJ Abdul Kalam says this to his father Jainulabdeen.

According to Jainulabdeen, “every human being is a specific element withing the whole of the manifest divine being. So, why be afraid of difficulties, sufferings and problems? When troubles come, try to understand the relevance of your sufferings. Adversity always presents opportunities for introspection”. This fact is referred to by the word ‘this’.

People come to the person spoken to because they are in trouble and in distress condition. They come to Kalam’s father for help and advice to get rid of their problems.

“I have endeavoured to understand the fundamental truths” – who is ‘I’ referred to here? What are the fundamental truths? Who revealed them to the speaker? [1+2+3=6]

Ans. ‘I’ referred to APJ Abdul Kalam, the author of the eassay ‘Strong Roots’.

Fundamental truths are that there exists a divine power that can lift one up from confusion, misery, melancholy and failure, and guide one to one’s true place. And once an individual severs his emotional and physical bond, he is on the road to freedom, happiness and peace of mind.

Jinulabdeen revealed them to his son APJ Abdul Kalam.

Who was a very close friend of Jainulabdeen? What did they discuss? What did Kalam’s father say about prayer?

Ans. The high priest of the Rameswarm temple, Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry, was a very close friend of Jainulabdeen.

They used to discuss spiritual matters.

According to Kalam’s father, there is nothing mysterious about prayer. Rather, prayer makes possible a communion of the spirit between people. When we pray, we transcend our body and become a part of the cosmos, which knows no division of wealth, age, caste or creed.

Grammar: Do as directed

1.     We lived in our ancestral house. It was built in the middle of the 19^th century. (complex)

2.     There was a very old mosque in our locality. My father would take me for evening prayers. (simple)

3.     This is not a correct approach at all. It should never be followed. (complex)

4.     Then he answered in a low, deep voice. His answer filled me with a strange energy and enthusiasm.

5.     He put his hands on my shoulders. He looked straight into my eyes. (simple)

6.     People regarded my parents as an ideal couple. (change the voice)

7.     My father could convey complex spiritual concepts in very simple, down-to-earth Tamil. (change the voice)

Zenith

Coaching Centre

Leela’s Friend

How do Mr. and Mrs. Sivasanker react to Leela’s missing chain? How does Leela herself react? What does this suggest about each of them?

Ans. Mr. and Mrs. Sivasanker reacted differently to Leela’s missing chain. At first, Mrs. Sivasanker noticed that the gold chain Leela had been wearing was missing. At this, she was surprised, shocked, angry and furious. As a result, she gave Leela a slap and suspiciously asked Sidda about the chain. On the other hand, Mr. Sivasanker grew very excited over all the incident and went to the police station and lodged a complaint.

         Being a child, Leela had no such reaction that she had lost a valuable thing. She did not reacted like her parents and even she was not bothered about her missing chain.

         This suggested that Leela was immatured and she loved Sidda very much and she had a lot of sympathy for him. On the other hand, Leela’s parents had formal relation with Sidda. It was like a master-servant relationship. They were rude and unkind in their behaviour.

What message is conveyed by Mr. Sivasanker’s final words in the story, “In any case, we couldn’t have kept a criminal like him in the house.”

Ans. In ‘Leela’s friend’ Sidda is wrongly treated by Leela’s parents, and is finally dismissed from the job.  In this context Mr. Sivasanker said, “In any case,we couldn’t have kept a criminal like him in the house”. This message raises questions about the behaviour of the masters towards their servants in common indian household. When somethinng is missing, a servant is inevitably suspected for the wrong-doinng. Mr. Sivasanker illogically considers Sidda as a criminal, though the gold chain is found in his own house. That is why the boy like Sidda can not return  to the mainstream of life. It seems that the real jewel Sidda, not the gold chain, is lost in the darkness of the society.

Grammar: Do as directed

1.  She said something. She examinned his effort. (join by using participle)

2.  She stood near the rose plant. She pointed towards the moon. (join by using participle)

3.  He closed his eyes for a second. He threw the ball into the sky. (join by using participle)

4.  Mr. Sivasankar, brooding over the servant problem, stood in the front veranda of his house. (Split into simple sentences)

5.  He was asked by his wife. (change the voice)

6.  Her mind was disturbed. (change the voice)

7.  Can we touch the sky? (change the voice)

Zenith

Coaching Centre

Leela’s Friend

What is your own view of Sidda? Do you think he is a suitable friend for Leela? Give at least three examples from the text to support your argument.

Ans. Sidda is a simple servant in the house of Mr. Sivasanker. He is tidy and is capable of doing many household works. Though he has criminal records, he seems to have rectified himself in the story. He is capable of take care of child like Leela. He is affectionate to Leela. He is so attractive that Leela can not stay without him. So, above all he is a good person.

         Yes, I think he is a suitable friend for Leela.

Leela like to play with Sidda always. She can not sleep if Sidda does not tell her story in her bed time. She insisted upon having his company all her waking hours. So, these three examples prove that Sidda is a suitable friend for Leela.

What is your idea about Leela, the friend of Sidda?

Ans. Leela is the only daughter of a rich family. She is allowed to take decisions whether Sidda will be engaged as a servant or not. She is very sensitive and she loves Sidda as her friend. She always like to spend time with Sidda. She is very possessive and compassionate about him. In the story, sometimes we see that she is quite stubborn and adamant. She becomes restless for Sidda when he leaves their house. Being a child she is not bothered about her gold chain, but she is worried about Sidda. She is an innocent  chlid and she is careless about her material attachments.

Grammar: Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions and articles

1.  Mr. Sivasanker was standing ______ ______ front veranda ______ his house brooding ______ ______ servant problem.

2.  Sidda clutched ______ ball, closed hhis eyes ______ ______ second and threw the ball ______.

3.  He covered ______ ball tightly ______ his fingers.

4.  I have asked it to follow us ______.

5.  She made him squat ______ ______ floor. ______ ______ pencil ______ his fingers.

6.  But that good fellow though ______ adept ______ controlling ______ moon was uterly incapable ______ plying the pencil.

7.  She was ______ his side when he was working ______ ______ garden.

Do as directed:

1.  One evening he went out to buy sugar. Leela went with him. (join into a complex sentence)

2.  Leela clapped her hands and screamed in wonder. (split)

3.  Sidda was hanging about the gate at a mement when Mr. Sivasanker was standing in the front veranda of his house, brooding over the servant problem. (split)

Leela's Friend

1.  Which of the following work was not done by Sidda – (a)chopping wood (b)tending the garden (c)washing clothes (d)cooking meals

2.  Leela found great joy to be - (a)a teacher to Sidda (b)able to play (c)a singer to Sidda (d)a catcher of the moon.

3.  Which of the following was not present in Leela’s box - (a)catalogues (b)books (c)pens (d)pencils.

4.  Leela knew - (a)all the alphabets (b)none of the alphabets (c)10 or 12 alphabets (d)2 or 3 alphabets.

5.  Leela was fond of Sidda’s company - (a)all her waking hours (b)in the morning (c)in the afternoon (d)at the night.

6.  The chain was found at the end by - (a)Leela (b)Mr. Sivasanker (c)Mrs. Sivasanker (d)Sidda.

7.  Ultimately the chain was found inside - (a)Sidda’s pocket (b)a tamarind pot (c)a box (d)Leela’s school bag.

8.  Leela wanted to hear from her mother the story of the  - (a)tiger (b)elephant (c)lion (d)goddess.

9.  Sidda was brought home by - (a)two policemen (b)three policemen (c)four policemen (d)five policemen.

10.            Sidda left his earlier job because - (a)his master did not pay him (b)his master scolded him (c)his master left the town (d)his master disliked him.

11.            Leela was aged - (a)five years.(b)four years(c)six years(d)seven years.

12.            At the first impression, Mr. Sivasanker found Sidda - (a)handsome (b)strong (c)tidy (d)foolish.

13.            Sidda, along with two meals a day, was given a salary of - (a)four rupees (b)five rupees (c)six rupees (d) ten rupees.

14.            Sidda told Leela that one can touch the sky by - (a)standing on the roof (b)standing on a coconut tree (c)going close to moon (d)praying to God.

15.            Leela used to hear a story from Sidda - (a)before going to bed (b)before going to school (c)after coming from the playground (d)after having her lunch.

16.            On the day, when the chain was missing, Sidda had gone out to - (a)buy tickets (b)buy suger (c)buy vegetables (d)buy detergent for washing clothes.

17.            Sidda was kept in the house as a servant because - (a)he was taking only four rupees (b)Leela’s father liked him (c)Leela’s mother liked him (d)Leela liked him.

18.            Leela’s mother slapped her for - (a)not studying (b)remaining with Sidda all the time (c)losing her gold chain (d) not obeying her.

19.            The inspector was furious for - (a)not giving him bribe (b)not telling him the truth (c)not behaving well (d)not consulting him before engaging Sidda.

20.            ‘I’ll have to sit with him tonight’ means - (a)Sidda will be released (b)Sidda will be requested (c)Sidda will be prosecuted (d)Sidda will be congratulated.

Leela’s Friend

List the ways in which Sidda’s company makes Leela “supremely happy”, and also how Leela attempts to ‘educate’ him in turn.

Ans.  There were many ways in which Sidda’s company made Leela “supremely happy”.

Firstly, Sidda used to play with Leela in the lap of nature. For this purpose, he had to drop any work he might be doing and run to her. Secondly, he had to tell her story at her bed time. He used to tell incomparable stories of animals in the jungle, of gods in heaven and of magicians. Thirdly, he always accompanied her in all her waking hours.

On the other hand, Leela tried to educate Sidda. Every evening, she made him squat on the floor with a pencil and a catalogue. She commanded him to write and he had to try to copy whatever she wrote in the pages of her catalouge. In this way, she enjoyed being a teacher of Sidda.

What is the relationnship between Mr. Sivasanker and Sidda? Trace the difference in their relationship at the beginning of the story and at the end of the story.

Ans. The  relationship between Mr. Sivasanker and Sidda was very formal. Mr. Sivasanker thought of recruiting him as he was tidy. Actually, nothing is mentioned directly in the story about their relationship. But, according to the story, it seemed that there was no cordial relationship between them. Their relationship was just like a master-servent relationship.

At the beginning of the story Mr. Sivasanker trusted him and allowed him to look after his daughter. In this time, he appeared to be a thoughtful man, but at the end of the story, he could not tolerate Sidda. He considered Sidda only as a criminal and forgot all his good works.

Grammar: Voice change

1.  Sidda knows the moon.

2.  The police know his haunts.

3.  They will pick him up very soon.

4.  The constable took Sidda by the hand.

5.  She mentioned the police and shouted at him.

Joining:

1.  Sidda had to be ready with a story. He sat down on the floor near the bed.

2.  She asked him about the chain. His throat went dry.

3.  I don’t know the master. He lives near the market.

4.  Mr. Sivasanker came home an hour later. He grew very excited over this.

5.   They came home. Leela’s mother noticed something. Leela had been wearing a gold chain. It was missing.

Zenith

Coaching Centre

Leela’s Friend

How do Mr. and Mrs. Sivasanker react to Leela’s missing chain? How does Leela herself react? What does this suggest about each of them?

Ans. Mr. and Mrs. Sivasanker reacted differently to Leela’s missing chain. At first, Mrs. Sivasanker noticed that the gold chain Leela had been wearing was missing. At this, she was surprised, shocked, angry and furious. As a result, she gave Leela a slap and suspiciously asked Sidda about the chain. On the other hand, Mr. Sivasanker grew very excited over all the incident and went to the police station and lodged a complaint.

         Being a child, Leela had no such reaction that she had lost a valuable thing. She did not reacted like her parents and even she was not bothered about her missing chain.

         This suggested that Leela was immatured and she loved Sidda very much and she had a lot of sympathy for him. On the other hand, Leela’s parents had formal relation with Sidda. It was like a master-servant relationship. They were rude and unkind in their behaviour.

What message is conveyed by Mr. Sivasanker’s final words in the story, “In any case, we couldn’t have kept a criminal like him in the house.”

Ans. In ‘Leela’s friend’ Sidda is wrongly treated by Leela’s parents, and is finally dismissed from the job.  In this context Mr. Sivasanker said, “In any case,we couldn’t have kept a criminal like him in the house”. This message raises questions about the behaviour of the masters towards their servants in common indian household. When somethinng is missing, a servant is inevitably suspected for the wrong-doinng. Mr. Sivasanker illogically considers Sidda as a criminal, though the gold chain is found in his own house. That is why the boy like Sidda can not return  to the mainstream of life. It seems that the real jewel Sidda, not the gold chain, is lost in the darkness of the society.

Grammar: Do as directed

1.  She said something. She examinned his effort. (join by using participle)

2.  She stood near the rose plant. She pointed towards the moon. (join by using participle)

3.  He closed his eyes for a second. He threw the ball into the sky. (join by using participle)

4.  Mr. Sivasankar, brooding over the servant problem, stood in the front veranda of his house. (Split into simple sentences)

5.  He was asked by his wife. (change the voice)

6.  Her mind was disturbed. (change the voice)

7.  Can we touch the sky? (change the voice)

Zenith

Coaching Centre

Leela’s Friend

What is your own view of Sidda? Do you think he is a suitable friend for Leela? Give at least three examples from the text to support your argument.

Ans. Sidda is a simple servant in the house of Mr. Sivasanker. He is tidy and is capable of doing many household works. Though he has criminal records, he seems to have rectified himself in the story. He is capable of take care of child like Leela. He is affectionate to Leela. He is so attractive that Leela can not stay without him. So, above all he is a good person.

         Yes, I think he is a suitable friend for Leela.

Leela like to play with Sidda always. She can not sleep if Sidda does not tell her story in her bed time. She insisted upon having his company all her waking hours. So, these three examples prove that Sidda is a suitable friend for Leela.

What is your idea about Leela, the friend of Sidda?

Ans. Leela is the only daughter of a rich family. She is allowed to take decisions whether Sidda will be engaged as a servant or not. She is very sensitive and she loves Sidda as her friend. She always like to spend time with Sidda. She is very possessive and compassionate about him. In the story, sometimes we see that she is quite stubborn and adamant. She becomes restless for Sidda when he leaves their house. Being a child she is not bothered about her gold chain, but she is worried about Sidda. She is an innocent  chlid and she is careless about her material attachments.

Grammar: Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions and articles

1.  Mr. Sivasanker was standing ______ ______ front veranda ______ his house brooding ______ ______ servant problem.

2.  Sidda clutched ______ ball, closed hhis eyes ______ ______ second and threw the ball ______.

3.  He covered ______ ball tightly ______ his fingers.

4.  I have asked it to follow us ______.

5.  She made him squat ______ ______ floor. ______ ______ pencil ______ his fingers.

6.  But that good fellow though ______ adept ______ controlling ______ moon was uterly incapable ______ plying the pencil.

7.  She was ______ his side when he was working ______ ______ garden.

Do as directed:

1.  One evening he went out to buy sugar. Leela went with him. (join into a complex sentence)

2.  Leela clapped her hands and screamed in wonder. (split)

3.  Sidda was hanging about the gate at a mement when Mr. Sivasanker was standing in the front veranda of his house, brooding over the servant problem. (split)