Bonsai Life Part2

TS 8th Class English Guide Unit 7B Bonsai Life Part 2 Comprehension: Bonsai Life (Part - 1): I. Tick (?) the statements that are true.

Question 1. The narrator receives letters very frequently?

Answer: ?

Question 2. The letter brought the news of narrators sister and brother-in-laws arrival?

Answer: ?

Question 3. The narrators husband was very happy to hear the news of the visitors?

Answer: ?

Question 4. Akkayya was not interested to continue her studies?

Answer: ?

Question 5. The narrators husband likes the traditional food of Andhra Pradesh?

Answer: ?

II. Answer the following questions:

Question 1. "The moment I see letters ..... cant contain my excitement." Why does the narrator get excited? ?

Answer: The narrator lives in the national capital, a far off from her own village. There are not many Telugu speaking people there. Moreover, she loves her village relatives and everything that has connection with it. So, the writer gets excited when she sees the letters

Question 2. What change did the narrator observe in her fathers attitude towards education over a decade? ?

Answer: The narrators father felt in the beginning that education for girls was of no use. Its enough if a girl was able to keep the washermans accounts. Ten years later, when the narrator was born, her father was convinced that girls needed higher education. So, he sent the narrator to a college

Question 3. Why was Akkayya determined to send her daughter to college?

Answer: Akkayya was determined to send her daughter to college. She felt that if a woman didnt have a degree, she would come to nothing. Without a degree, she would have to live under her husbands thumb, like a scorpion under a slipper

Question 4. In what way is the narrator more fortunate than her sister?

Answer: The narrator has studied well. She has a job like a man and is earning very well. She doesnt have to beg anyone for anything. She is able to lead a dignified life unlike her who has to depend on her husband even for a few paise worth of Karivepaku

Question 5. Can one be independent without a job or earning? Justify your answer?

Answer: Some women have jobs. They earn and have independence. But there are some women who are not independent even though they have jobs and attractive salary. It is not the question of job and earning. If the husband and wife have good understanding and mutual respect, they- can be happy even though the wife doesnt work. Otherwise, they cant be happy, even if both of them work and get fat salaries

Bonsai Life (Part - II): I. Complete the statements giving more than one reason.

Question 1. Girls should be educated like boys because .....?

Answer:

• They can lead an independent life
• They can solve their problem on their own
• They can contribute to the progress of the family

Question 2. Fully grown trees are more useful because ......?

Answer:

• They can provide shade on a sunny day
• They can provide shelter on a rainy day
• They can withstand any kind of storm

II. Answer the following questions:

Question 1. Why was Akkayya perplexed?

Answer: Akkayya asked the narrator why she had planted the turayi and the pomegranate trees in the flowerpots. The narrator burst into laughter after listening to Akkayya questions. Akkayya did not understand why Ammalu (the narrator) laughed. So, she was perplexed

Question 2. How is a bonsai reared?

Answer: Bonsai is a special method of rearing in trees in flowerpots. It is usually practised in Japan. We take the plant and start growing it in a flowerpot. We keep the plant and start growing it in a flowerpot. We keep trimming its branches repeatedly. The plant grows into a small sized tree. It even bears fruit in that small size. However, the flowerpots are to be changed now and then

Question 3. What similarities do you notice between the bonsai tree and the housewife ?

Answer: Bonsai tree is not allowed to grow to its full measure. It is planted in a flowerpot and trimmed regularly. The tree is very small, but bears fruit even in that flowerpot. The bonsai tree is the symbol of bringing up a girl child in the Indian society. A girl cannot grow mentally. Her life is limited to marriage, and family. Her abilities dont develop fully because of this practice. This is the similarity I notice between a Bonsai tree and the housewife

Question 4. What made the narrator feel the urge to free the bonsai?

Answer: A working woman faces the challenge of facing the problems at home and office. This is an uphill task for a woman. The working women are free but they are restricted. It is like a bird in the cage. When the narrator realized that she was responsible for the arrested and stunted growth of the Bonsais, she at once felt the urge to free them from the flowerpots

Question 5. What is the central theme of Bonsai Life?

Answer: The educated and employed women have limited freedom of going out, move in the society and earn some money. But that freedom doesnt free her from domestic work. The women cannot fully grow in their work. The domestic responsibilities hold them back. They resemble Bonsai trees. Bonsai trees are ornamental. So are the working women In India. This is the central theme of Bonsai Life

III. Make a list of activities done by a homemaker and a working woman?

Answer:

Homemaker	Working woman
Stays at home	Stays at working place
Spends time with children	Spends time with colleagues
Works at home	Works at office
Readily agrees husbands superiority	Feels equal importance
Depends on husband	Plans the budget with the help of her husband

IV. Put a tick (?) mark against the most appropriate meaning for the phrases given below.

Question 1. ... to keep the washermans account means?

• to take care of household work
• to count clothes
• to maintain the washermans account

Answer:

• to maintain the washermans account

Question 2. . uphill task means?

• high quality work
• a difficult job
• working on a hill

Answer:

• a difficult job

Question 3. grass is greener on the other side means?

• the grass on this side is green
• others are as good as we are
• others are in a better position than us

Answer:

• others are in a better position than us

Question 4. ... like a scorpion under a slipper means?

• killing a scorpion with a slipper
• being guided and controlled
• feeling totally suppressed

Answer:

• feeling totally suppressed

Vocabulary:

I. Look at the phrasal verb underlined in the following sentence?

"I feel like giving it up. (give up). What does it mean? Give is a verb and up is a preposition. Such combinations are called phrasal verbs. A phrasal verb normally gives a meaning different from the meaning of its parts. Give up means to stop doing something. Refer to a dictionary and find out the meaning of some more phrasal verbs beginning with give and look. give in = ___________ give out = ___________ give away = ___________ look after = ___________ look up = ___________ look into = ___________

Answer: give in = yield give out = come to an end give away = give free look after = to take care of look up = to consult; improve look into = to examine

Use the above phrasal verbs in your own sentences.

Answer:

• At first the government did not agree to the demands of the employees. But finally, it gave in
• I was patient enough for two hours. He didnt stop blaming me. My patient gave out
• The company gave away one shirt for all who bought the shirt in its store
• The warden looks after the students in the hostel
• If you dont know the meaning, youd better look up a dictionary
• Till last month the power scarcity was acute. Now, the things are looking up
• Certainly, you say that the bulb is broken and you need replacement Ill look into the matter

II. Look at the simile in the following sentence. Without it, she will have to live under her husbands thumb like a scorpion under a slipper. The life of a homemaker is compared to a scorpion under a slipper. When we compare two things, we often use the word like?

Here are a few more examples of similes.

• He roars like a lion
• They eat like wolves
• Look at the following similes
• bright like a full moon
• sleep like a log
• eat like a bird
• beautiful like a rose
• sweet like honey
Now write five sentences using the above similes.

Answer:

• The hall is fully decorated with lights. It is bright like a full moon
• Kumbha Kama is known for his sleep. He sleeps like a log.
• Though he is very old, he is healthy. He eats well. Some say, he eats like a bird
• Soundarya is known for her beauty. She is beautiful like a rose
• This mango is very tasty. It is sweet. It is sweet like honey

III. Make some Idioms from the words In circles and use them in your own sentences, one is done for you?



Answer: Idioms - Meanings thorn in flesh = a chronic trouble in ones life sore in the back foot = a disadvantage in somebody on top of the world = very happy or proud cat on the wall = a person who refuses to take sides

Idiom	Sentence
thorn in flesh	The price rise has been a thorn in flesh for the Government for a couple of years
sore in back foot	I cannot win against him. I have a sore in the back foot
	on the top of the work	The members of our team are on top of the world as they won in the finals
cat on the wall	He never expresses his opinions easily. He always tries to be on safe side. He is a cat on the wall

Grammar:

I. Read the sentences?

• grew accustomed to village life
• went into the kitchen. The words in circles are subjects. The words underlined are predicates

II. Circle the subjects and underline the predicates?

• The girls danced
• The dark clouds filled the sky
• Shiva drove a silver Toyota

Answer:

III. Identify subjects and predicates in each of the sentence in the following paragraph. The narrator felt very happy to receive her sister and brother-in-law, who came to stay with them. They brought many things with them. Akkayya made special dishes for her sisters husband, which he liked very much. She praised her sister for being employed and making her living. She was very sorry about her position at home. One day the narrator showed her Bonsai plants and explained how they are grown but she did not like it. On a rainy day many people gathered under a tree to take shelter. Showing this, Akkayya made the narrator realize the importance of freedom in ones life?

Answer: Note: Subjects are given in bold letter and predicates are underlined

• The narrator felt very happy to receive her sister and brother-in-law, who came to stay with them
• They brought many things with them
• Akkayya made special dishes for her sisters husband, which he liked very much
• She praised her sister for being employed and making her living.
• She was very sorry about her position at home
• One day the narrator showed her Bonsai plants and explained how they are grown but she did not like it
• On a rainy day many people gathered under a tree to take shelter
• Showing this, Akkayya made the narrator understand the importance of freedom in ones life
Writing:

I. Look at the following poster?



Answer:

• Issuing authority : TSDWACRA, Arunodaya building, Nampally, Hyderabad
• Event : Inauguration of handicrafts exhibition cum sale
• Time : 4 p.m.
• Date : 15 October
• Place : Peoples Plaza, Necklace Road, Hyderabad
• Duration : From 15th to 25th October
• Layout : Suitable layout with the sentences which convey the theme directly

I. Now, make a poster based on the information given below?

• Issuing authority : Telangana Arts and Crafts Society, Nizamabad
• Event : Dance Performance by Aarthi
• November 14
• Chief Guest : Honourable Chief Minister of Telangana
• Venue : Rajiv Gandhi Auditorium, Khaleelwadi, Nizamabad

Answer:

Listening:

I. Listen to a debate on the topic Education of the Girl Child is a Burden.?

Speaker 1 : Respected Chairperson, honourable Judges and dear friends, I stand here to express my views for the motion, Education of the girl child is a burden. I would like to state that the education of the girl child is indeed a burden. In a poor family the main concern for the head of the family is to provide food, clothing and health to all the members

Most of their resources are used for these priorities. Later, when they think of education, the first preference goes to the male child as he would be growing to be the breadwinner of the family, whereas the girl would leave the family one day. So, I feel that educating of the girl child is a burden

Speaker 2 : Respected chairperson, honourable Judges and dear friends! My knowledgeable opponent is of the opinion that the education of the girl child is a burden. May I ask how education of the girl could be a burden when she is an equal partner in sharing the responsibilities and duties? If given a chance, she will be sharing the burden of the family at least till she gets married. So, I strongly oppose the motion

Speaker 1 : When my opponent feels that the girl child would leave the family one day after marriage, cant we agree that it is a waste of money to educate a girl child? Instead, the families can save the money to bear the expenses of her wedding. Yes, surely the girl can reduce the burden not by earning after education but by managing the household work. As her duty in the later part of life is to look after the family and children, she better gets practice in the same. If she is away from home for longer periods, it would be an additional burden on the family

Speaker 2 : My friend said, the future of the girl child is to look after the family and children. Havent such traditional gender roles led to inequalities in the society? I strongly feel that an educated girl can render financial assistance to the father and later to the husband. My dear friend, it is education that will bring about a change in the attitude of people towards the role of women. Indeed, it is rightly said: If you educate a man, you educate an individual. If you educate a woman, you educate a nation

Now, complete the table based on the information youve just listened to



Answer:

Bonsai Life (Part - II) Summary in English

Akkavya was interested in studying. But Nannagaru did not-educate her as she was not good at oral arithmetic. Her Nannagaru made her discontinue her lessons saying that she was only a girl; studies would not get into her head. He concentrated only on Annayyas education. Akkayya got married to a man from a village and settled in there, working hard

Akkavya looked at the plants in the flowerpots, and said that all the drumsticks, cucumbers and gongura were from their backyard. The narrator requested some gongura seeds the next time if someone came that way

Akkayyawas surprised to see turayi and pomegranate trees in small flowerpots. She was worried that their growth was stunted. If they had been planted, in the backyard, they would have grown fully

The narrator burst into laughter and said that she did it on purpose. She told Akkayya how big trees can be grown in flowerpots. A turayi tree grows with its roots hanging down frofn the branches, but it grows in the flowerpot and is very small. Akkayya did not know that these are grown in a special method called bonsai in Japan. The narrator explained this great art to Akkayya

But Akkayya did not like this method, because the size of a big tree is limited to a small flowerpot. In spite of the explanation given by the narrator, Akkayya did not like this. The narrator was worried that the entire art she had learnt had come to nought. Then a dust storm began to rage. They closed the doors and windows in a hurry. Akkayva was stunned to see all this. The storm was followed by a rain

Akkayya called the narrator and showed some people taking shelter under the turayi tree that grew fully and freely. The sand storm was strong but the tree didnt bow a little bit. It would give shade to many people even when it is not raining. She compared Bonsai to a womans life whose scope is confined

The narrators heart was touched by Akkayyas words. She felt like freeing the bonsai trees from their flowerpots

Glossary

adept (adj) : skillful

drudgery (n) : hard, boring work

stunted (v) : prevented from growth

perplex (v) : confuse

dishearten : to make a person lose confidence, hope and energy; to discourage

nought (n) : nothing/zero

throwing perfume into ash (idm) : "Boodidalo posina panneeru" (a Telugu idiom freely translated into English.)

canopy (n) : a cover fixed over something for shelter

squall (n) : a strong wind

rage (v) : come with force

respite (n) : a short period of rest