Wisdom of Little Girls

Reading I

A. Replace the words or phrases in bold in the sentences below with the correct words from the box.

abusing finery lassies scrambled fancy folly rejoicing chip

a. The women were dressed in their finery to go to the party. b. Do you sometimes fancy living in a luxurious house? c. When Shila was chased by a dog she scrambled onto the wall. d. The lassies impressed everyone with their performance. e. It was his folly to leave the bike unlocked in the street. f. Each one blamed the other of cheating. Soon, they started abusing each other. g. Could you please give me a chip of paper? I can't find the duster. h. The farmers danced in rejoicing when it rained after a long drought.

B. Choose the correct alternative to complete the sentences.

a. The two little girls were dressed in new frocks probably because ii. they had to go to church.

b. When Malasha was going to splash into the puddle,
ii. Akoulya asked her Malasha to take off her shoes and stockings before going.

c. While running home, the girls were caught by
i. Akoulya's mother.

d. Akoulya's grandmother
i. was able to calm down the crowd.

e. While the men were busy fighting, the two girls
ii. played a game together.

f. At the end, the men
i. were guilty of their deed.

C. Answer these questions.

a. How were the girls dressed?

The girls were dressed in new frocks. One wore a blue frock, and the other wore a yellow print, both with red kerchiefs on their heads.

b. Where did the girls begin to play?

The girls began to play in a lane between two homesteads, where a large puddle had formed from the dirty water running through the farm-yards.

c. Why did Akoulya get angry with Malasha?

Akoulya got angry with Malasha because Malasha splashed water onto Akoulya's frock when they were walking towards each other through the puddle.

d. Why did the crowd gather in the street?

The crowd gathered in the street because the mothers of the two girls started quarreling and the men joined in, resulting in an angry dispute.

e. How did Akoulya's grandmother try to calm down the crowd?

Akoulya's grandmother tried to calm down the crowd by stepping in among them and speaking to them, questioning their behavior and urging them to stop the fight.

f. Why are the girls called wiser than men?

The girls are called wiser than men because even though the men were quarreling and fighting, the girls, who were initially involved in the quarrel, quickly forgot about it, played together, and eventually redirected the water they were splashing into a stream. The men were shamed by their actions compared to the innocent and harmonious behavior of the girls.

g. What lesson do you learn from the story?

The story teaches the lesson of innocence, wisdom, and the value of simplicity. The behavior of the little girls, who quickly resolved their differences and focused on playing together, contrasts with the foolishness and aggression of the adults. The story highlights the importance of retaining childlike qualities of forgiveness, unity, and happiness, which can lead to a better understanding and peaceful coexistence.

D. Remember a similar incident that happened during your childhood and share it in the class.

I remember this incident from my childhood when my friend Hari and I were outside after a rainy day. We spotted a puddle and decided it would be fun to play in it. While we were playing, I accidentally splashed some mud on Hari's shirt. At first, he seemed quite upset, but when he saw my genuinely sorry expression, he realized it was an accident. Instead of staying mad, we decided to tackle the situation together. We found some sticks and created a small pathway for the water to flow away from the puddle. As we worked on this, we couldn't help but laugh at the whole situation. Some adults who were nearby watched us with smiles on their faces. This incident taught us that even simple actions can bring happiness and solve problems, and it's always better to work together.

Grammar I

B. Transform the following sentences into negative.

a. My sister lives with my parents.
Ans: My sister doesn't live with my parents.

b. Maryam knows the answer well.
Ans: Maryam doesn't know the answer well.

c. I want to leave now.
Ans: I don't want to leave now.

d. Anusha agrees with me.
Ans: Anusha doesn't agree with me.

e. The boy killed the cockroach with his shoe.
Ans: The boy didn't kill the cockroach with his shoe.

f. His father recognized me at once.
Ans: His father didn't recognize me at once.

g. He apologized for his misconduct.
Ans: He didn't apologize for his misconduct.

h. He ate a few mangoes.
Ans: He didn't eat a few mangoes.

i. We sold a little honey.
Ans: We didn't sell a little honey.

i The rich are sometimes happy.
Ans: The rich are sometimes not happy.

k. Kanchan frequently visits me.
Ans: Kanchan doesn't frequently visit me.

l. Shailesh bought several books.
Ans: Shailesh didn't buy several books.

m. Garima let me use her toilet.
Ans: Garima didn't let me use her toilet.

n. All of them can help her.
Ans: None of them can help her.

C. Complete the following sentences choosing the correct forms of verbs in brackets.

a. A number of soldiers were injured in the war.
b. The number of deceased soldiers is not stored in the record book.
c. A pack of lions was approaching the camp.
d. His pants were torn during the match.
The truthful are always trustworthy.
g. To cry is never the solution to any problems.
h. Here lies the tomb of Albert Einstein.
i. Either she or her friends are responsible for this accident.
j. None is under the sun.
k. All that glitters is not gold.
l. Everything is fine when it's done correctly.
m. Either the sculpture or the paintings are in the museum today.
n. Each of the dancers twirls brilliantly.
o. Neither she nor I am getting the lunch special.

Writing I

You might have read or heard some moral stories. Write your favourite one in your own words.

The Clever Fox and the Foolish Crow

Once upon a time, in a lush green forest, there lived a clever fox and a foolish crow. The crow would often sit on a tree branch and caw loudly. One day, the fox saw the crow with a piece of cheese in its beak. The cheese smelled delicious, and the fox hatched a plan to get it.

The fox approached the crow and said, "Hello, dear crow! Your voice is so beautiful, but I've heard that your singing is equally mesmerizing. Could you please sing for me?"

The crow was flattered by the fox's words and thought it would be a great opportunity to showcase its singing skills. Excitedly, the crow opened its beak to sing, and the piece of cheese fell to the ground.

The clever fox quickly grabbed the cheese and said, "Thank you, dear crow, for your melodious song and this tasty treat." The crow realized its mistake and felt foolish for falling into the fox's trap.

The moral of the story is that it's important to be cautious and not let flattery cloud your judgment.