Saturday, December 25, 2010
Summary of “Malini”
This is a famous drama composed by Rabindranath Tagore. This play takes place n a Hindu kingdom. Malini, the king’s daughter has been taught by Buddhist monks. She wants to leave the palace and help to solve the problems outside. The Brahmins are worried and are threatening to rebel against the king. They are demanding that Malini is sent away from the kingdom. Malini leaves the palace. Many Brahmins think she is a goddess and begins to follow her but kemankar leaves the king’s garden. Malini is tired and confused. He has found that is too difficult to solve the problems outside the palace. Supriya says he has betrayed his friend, Kemankar, by telling the king about the rebellion. Kemankar is arrested and the king offers Supriya the chance to marry Malini. Supriya says that all he wants for the king not to kill Kemankar. Kemankar arrives in chains. He is proud of what he has done. He asks to speak to Supriya they argue. They then agree to die together. Because that is the only way to find out who is right. Kemankar kills Supriya with his chains. The king asks for his sword to kill Kemankar but Malini says “Father, Forgive Kemankar”.
Summary of “Oops! How’s That Again?”
It is an essay written by roger Rosenblatt. This essay describes the mistakes people make while speaking and why they make these mistakes. The writer discusses the psychological reasons. The verbal errors are divided into four categories. They are tongue slips, Mistranslations, bloopers, spoonerism etc. tongue slips are common mistakes made by peoples. The speaker says some things when he means to say another thing. It is harmless. But it upsets some people. Spoonerism occurs when a person mix of the letters of the words they are saying. Mistranslations are made when words in language are translated badly into another language. The essay discusses why we make mistakes. Some of the reasons are as follows. It is due to tiredness and mental disturbance. It is because of unfulfilled desire and wish. Unfulfilled desires are released through tongue slips and dreams.
Summary of “Oops! How’s That Again?”
It is an essay written by roger Rosenblatt. This essay describes the mistakes people make while speaking and why they make these mistakes. The writer discusses the psychological reasons. The verbal errors are divided into four categories. They are tongue slips, Mistranslations, bloopers, spoonerism etc. tongue slips are common mistakes made by peoples. The speaker says some things when he means to say another thing. It is harmless. But it upsets some people. Spoonerism occurs when a person mix of the letters of the words they are saying. Mistranslations are made when words in language are translated badly into another language. The essay discusses why we make mistakes. Some of the reasons are as follows. It is due to tiredness and mental disturbance. It is because of unfulfilled desire and wish. Unfulfilled desires are released through tongue slips and dreams.
Oops How is that happen again?
a) What are the different kinds of verbal errors? Explain them.
The writer had given many examples of verbal errors. There are four groups of verbal errors. They are tongue slips, mistranslations, bloopers and spoonerism. Tongue slips are the slight mistakes while talking. Bloopers are low levels of errors made on radio and TV program. Spooner is made when giving lecture or instruction. Mistranslation is a mistake done while translating.
1) Concrete cat is an example of concrete poem why?
It is concrete poem that is made for the eye. It is not about emotion and ideas. When we read the poem the picture comes to our eyes. The pun is used to make the poem figurative. So, the concrete
cat is an example of concrete poem.
Summary of “Concrete Cat “
The concrete cat is a concrete poem composed by Dorthi Cgarles. The poem draws a picture of the cat on the paper. The picture is drawn with words, but not sentences. The world cat does not appear, but the other words are the names of the body of a cat, for example eye, mouth, paw and whisker. Other words are added to put the cat in place, for example dish and litter box. These tell us the cat is a pet and not a wild cat.
Concrete poems are visual. The poet has used the Y to look like eyebrows, U to look like a tongue, A to show the height of eyes etc. The mouse is return upside down to suggest it is dead.
Summary of “Keeping things Whole”
It is a poem composed by Mark Strand. In the poem the poet wants to keep thing whole. He doesn’t want anything to be broken. He requests for wholeness against the fragmentation that goes on in life. He says that when he is in the field he doesn’t find himself. He looks at different things as parts not as a complete whole. This thing always happens in the world because this is the way of the life. He says when he walks he divides the air but the air comes back to fill the gaps. He says everyone has reason for moving but he moves to keep things whole. A part is meaningless. So, everybody should try to keep things whole.
Summary of "Unchopping a Tree"
This is an essay written by W.S Merwin. In this essay he talks about chopping and unchpping a tree. Unchopping a tree is impossible. If we try we may join the parts and erect a tree but we can’t give life to it. So, we should think before we chop down the tree. The writer tells us to preserve the environment and nature. We should protect the trees. Green trees keep the environment green, clean and healthy.
1) Is unchopping a tree possible? What does essay suggest about conservation and against deforestation?
Unchopping a tree is not possible. If we try we can join the parts and erects it but we can’t give life to it. So the writer requests us to conserve the trees. He is against deforestation.
Summary of “The Nightmare Life without Fuel”
This is an essay written by Isaac Asimov which focuses on the problem of fuel crises. Fuel in the world is decreasing. He wants the people to use the fuel wisely and to fin new sources energy.
According to the author there are some advantages of fuel crisis also. The air will be cleaner. There will be no pollution. Few people can walk until late night without fear. The parks and threatens will be full of people. The population growth will also decrease. There will be less kind of diseases. Road accident will decrease.
On the other hand there are many disadvantages of fuel crisis. People have to walk of far distance which takes a lot of time. People can not get enough heat and light. They will not get enough food to eat. The baby die of hunger and adult’s brains are damaged by malnutrition. Life will be very busy and they will be dull. The transportation and supply will be disturbed. The life will be a night mare without fuel.
1) According to the author what will be the advantages of the fuel crisis?
There are some advantages of the fuel crisis. The air will be pollution free and people will not suffer from diseases. The crime will decrease, people walk without fear, the population growth will also decrease there will be less road accident etc.
Summary of “The Popular field”
This poem is composed by William Cowper. The poem compares the chopping of the tree to a man’s life and death. The poplars are cut down now there is neither any shed nor the wind that play and sing in the leaves. There is no longer the whispering sound of the trees. Before twelve years. The poet had enjoyed beautiful view of the poplar field. He had seen the reflection of trees on the river. He used to sit in the shed on the trees but the trees are cut down now. Now the poet sits on the fall down trees. The black bird is also not singing and has flown trees. The black bird is also not singing and has flown away. The poet says he will die soon and that he will die before new trees grow to replace chopped once. The poet says that the pleasure of man is temporary and they finished before man dies.
1) What change did the poet see in the poplar field when he came back after 12 years?
When the poet came to the poplar field after 12 years he saw many changes there. The poplar field was no more there. The trees were cut down. The black birds also gone away and the poet couldn’t here their song. The poet couldn’t sit under the shadow of the trees. It made him sad.
Summary of “The Three Day Blow”
The three day below is a story written by Ernest Hemingway, a famous noble prize winner. The title refers to a storm which lasts for three days. The story is about two American boys named Nick and bill. They are good friends. Nick visits bill’s house and they drink alcohol and talk. They talk about base ball and books. Later on, they talk about the relationship Nick has with a girl called Marjorie. Nick wants to marry merge but Bill is glad that the relationship has finished. At last they both understand each other and have a compromise.
1) What did Nick and Bill Talk about?
Nick and Bill are the two main characters and good friends in this story. At first they talk about base ball. They about book and writer and at last they start talking about each others fathers. Then they talk about Nick’s girl friend and her mother.
2) Discuss the three day blow as a dramatic story.
It is a dramatic story. Because it has some features of the drama. There is less narrative and more actions and dialogue of the character. There is scenes setting and description of the nature. The central idea is also expressed through the mouth f the characters. The story is divided into some scenes. The combination of actions, dialogues and the narration makes it a dramatic story.
Summary of "A Worn path"
A worn path is a famous and interesting story written by Eudora Wetly. It is based on Egyptian mythology. The story is about an old black woman called Phoenix Jackson. She has a grand son who is sick. She lives in a house away from the town. The story describes her journey from her house to the town. The journey is full of struggles and obstacles. She gets her dress cut in a thorn. she falls in to a ditch. She is attacked by a dog. She picks up a nickel of the hunters pocket. At last she reaches the town with great difficulty. Then she goes to a medical clinic to take medicine for her grandson. She begs money to buy a paper toy. She does this because it is Christmas time. In Christmas people love and give some things to the old people.
1) What are the Obstacles faced by phoenix Jackson on her way to the town?
Phoenix goes to the town to get medicine for her grandson. On the way she faces many obstacles. It was very difficult to walk on the hilly path, run up and down in the forest. She is cut in the thorny bush. She is attacked by a dog and fells into the ditch. Her journey is full of suffering and struggle. Finally she reaches the town facing many difficulties.
2) Why does she keep talking to herself?
She is a very old woman. She talks because there is no one to talk with and she is alone. It is the nature of old people. Her monologue shows her suffering pain, feeling of kindness and courage. It shows her clear and complete life story.
Summary of "Look at a Tea Cup"
Look at a tea cup is an essay written by Patricia Hampl. There are two major things in this essay. They are: the relationship between a mother and her daughter and the connection between the past and the present. Both of these things are represented by a tea cup.
The tea cup was bought by the mother in 1939 when she got married to American who had been Czechoslovakia. In 1939 Czechoslovakia taken over and destroyed by the army of Hitler. The mother and her daughter disagree about many things when the writer was 10 years old she said work was the most important thing in the world. Her mother said family was the most important things. The mother said family was the most important things. The mother wanted the daughter to get married but the daughter thought it was not compulsion. The writer thinks the past is very important for mother thinks it is a future that matters. The tea cup connects the mother and daughters, the past and the present. It was made in 1939 and the mother has given it to daughter. Now the writer likes her mother doesn't talk about the past. The daughter can find out abou7t her mother only by looking at the tea cup. In 1939 there was the world war which had killed many people, made many widows and destroyed everything.
1) Explain the daughter's attitudes to marriage.
The writer's mother got married in 1939 and past her life with her husband. But it caused the fall of art, virginity, and faith in marriage. It caused the fall of destiny of woman. Many women lost their husband. So, the writer is against the importance of marriage and family. For her marriage is a pain. It is tragedy. The woman could make their sexual relationship after marriage but now it is common before marriage also. The war brought a sense of fear among the woman.
2) What do you mean by many things fell that year?
Many things fell in 1939 that was the beginning of the destructive Second World War. Due to that art, virginity, cultural, tradition, faith in marriage and many other things fell. Many women became widows. The importance of marriage and family also fell. Women lost their faith in marriage. It was the tragedy. In this way it was the fell of peace, prosperity, hope and destiny of the whole world.
Summary of “Speaking of children”
Speaking of children is an essay written by Barbara Holland. It is about the children and its effects on family. One child doesn’t disturb the life of the parents and it is an appendages. The parents can live freely and happily. They can make him/her whatever they like easily. A single child is easy to care and bring up. There are good chances of peace, privacy, happy family and free environment. But on the other hand more children make the family life troublesome and complicated. Freedom is limited. The happy, peaceful, free and privacy of the parents is totally disturbed. When they grow up they6 use parent’s things and make the parents tired. So the writer is in flavors of single child and against more children.
1) What are the advantage of having a single child and disadvantages of having plural children?
One child is an appendage of the parents. Having a single has many advantages. Parents can live free and happy life. They can make their child what ever they like. One child is easy to care and bring up. Peace, privacy, happy life and free environment are possible. More then one child makes the family complicated. Happy, peaceful free and private life of the parents is disturbed. They make noise, create a mess and make the parents exhausted.
Summary of "My Heart Leaves up When I Behold"
This poem is composed by William Wordsworth, a famous English poet. This poem is about the pleasure felt by the poet when he sees a rainbow. This pleasure and happiness has been the same for the whole of the poet’s like. The poet hopes he will still feel the same when he sees the rainbow when he is an old man. When this feeling stops it is better to die. The child is father of the man is a paradox in this poem. It means the things we do as children and feels as children affect and control our feeling when we are old. It also tells about life cycle. The poet remembers his past days when he sees the rainbow. The poet hopes that love of god and love of nature will be with him everyday.
1) Explain the paradox “the child is the father of the man”.
It is a paradox. He means that man is the outcome of the child. Present is the outcome of past and future is the outcome of present yesterday’s man. The child grows up and becomes father. The poet wants to say that human life begins from childhood.
2) What is the main theme of the poem?
The poet tells about the continuation of nature and life saying the child is the father of man. It means man would begin from childhood and present is the outcome of past. The poem is also about the childhood memory of the poet’s past.
Summary of "The Loving Mother"
The loving mother is a supernatural story. It is borrowed from Japan. Shoji Sakota was a pharmacist. One night he was working late when a woman knocked at the door. When the woman came in she asked for only an Ame for her baby. Other two nights the same woman came and asked his friend to take her photograph. When the photograph was developed there was everything but no image of the woman. So, they followed her the room they found a healthy baby sucking same Ame and the woman was asleep. When Sakota tried to wake the woman she had been died for several days.
1) Describe the woman who visited Mr. Saklota’s pharmacy late at night.
One storming winter, when Mr.Sakota was preparing annual report, a young woman visited his pharmacy. The woman was thin and her skin was pale. Her hair was untidy. She requested for an Ame for her baby. She has mysterious eyes. Mr. Sakota was surprised and thought that she was from another world.
1) Describe the woman who visited Mr. Saklota’s pharmacy late at night.
One storming winter, when Mr.Sakota was preparing annual report, a young woman visited his pharmacy. The woman was thin and her skin was pale. Her hair was untidy. She requested for an Ame for her baby. She has mysterious eyes. Mr. Sakota was surprised and thought that she was from another world.
2) Why did Mr. Sakota want the picture taken?
The woman who visited Sakota’s pharmacy was mysterious. She always came at mid-night. She was strange. Her eyes were mysterious. He thought the woman might be a ghost. He called the photographer to take her photos and study about her.
Summary of "Fear"
Fear is psychological story. Armando is a poor shoes maker. He, with his wife has collected fifty thousand pesos. They have a dream to buy a small house. Armando went to a bank, in Mexico City to draw fifty thousand pesos. In the bank Armando became very nervous. He thought people wanted to rob his money. He was so nervous that he put his hat backwards. Armando got on the bus to return back home. A heavy man who he had seen in the bank was also sitting in bus. He was frightened and jumped out of the bus. The three boys also got off the bus Armando thought they are going to rob him. So, he began to run. He fell over and the boys came up to him but he found that the boys were no robbers but they were students.
1) Why is Armando Afraid of the heavy man on the bus?
Armando had put his hat on backwards.Everyone is the bank looked at him. A heavy man also looked at him twice. While waiting for the bus, the fat man was next to him. Armando trembled with fear and his heart was beating faster. He thought that the man was following him. When the fat man put his hand in his pocket Armando thought that he was looking for a pistol to rob him. On the bus three boys were talking to the fat man. Armando thought they were his helpers.
2) What made Armando think that someone was going to rob him?
The main thing which made things worse was Armando’s fear or nervousness. The cashier counted the money loudly. Many people in the bank looked at Armando as he had worn the hat on backward. The heavy man who looked at him twice in the bank followed him and got in the same bus. He put his hand in his pockets as if he were looking for pistol. Three boys who talked to the fat man got off with Armando and ran after him. All things made Armando thinks that he was being robbed.
Summary of "The House Call"
The house call is supernatural story. It is taking from Germany. Doctor Braun was the famous surgeon. He was sitting alone on the dining room. He was tired due to long operation. He was woken up by the knock at the door. A little girl was requesting the call doctor for her sick mother. Although wife didn't allow, the doctor went with the little girl. She was wearing a cotton dress, old shoes and a shawl. It was raining lightly outside. The doctors tried to catch up the girl to ask some question but couldn’t. At last she went into an old and dark room as he went inside the room the door was closed. He saw a woman lying in bed. He recognized her. She was Elda the old staff at the hospital. She was suffering from pneumonia. He gave her some medicine. Then she explained about her past then only the doctor knew that her daughter had past then only the doctors knew that her daughter had already died. He was surprised. He saw the girl nowhere. He only saw the girl’s wet shoes and shawl on the wall. It was very strange to him. The doctors touched her head again and ran away from there.
1) What did Dr. Braun discover when he went with the little girl who came to his house?
when Dr. Braun went with the little girl who came to his house discovered that the sick women lying in the bed was no one but Elda who used to work in the same hospital where the doctor worked. He also found that the woman was suffering from pneumonia. Most surprisingly he discovered the mysterious fact that the little girl was the ghost of the daughter of Elda who died in the last September.
2) why did the doctors have a look of surprise on his face when Elda told him that her little daughter died in September?
The doctor was called by a little girl for the treatment of her sick mother. While coming to the house of Elda,the little girl walked so fast that the doctors couldn’tt talk with her. When Dr.Braun entered the room of Elda, the little girl ws still there who closed the door, However, when Elda told him that her only daughter died in September, the doctor had a look of surprise on his face. He looked around but couldn’t see the girl. He was extremely surprised by the realization that the girl was spirit of Elda’s dead daughter.
Summary of "The Lost Doll"
The lost doll is supernatural story. The main characters in this story are Rosa and her two daughters, Carman and Evangelina. Carman was Rosa’s First child. Carman died when she was four years old. The doctors told Rosa she wouldn’t be able to have anymore children. Rosa she gives the things of Carmen always used to carry. After one year Carmen died. Rosa gave birth to another child Evangelina. Evangelina means good news. Evangelina was healthy but she was exactly like her sister Carmen, who was always sick. Evangelina thinks she used to be sick. But it was really her died sister, who was sick. One day Evangelina said where the lost doll was. She pointed to the ground under a big tree. Rosa dug the ground and found the lost doll. She asked Evangelina how she knew about the hidden doll. She replied she put it there when she had been sick and a kind man had come to take her away.
1) How were Carmen and Evangelina alike and different ?
When Evangelina grew, she looked more and more like Carmen. Her actions and characters were also like that of her sister Carmen. Seening this similarity, the priest told that good healed Carmen and sent back in the earth in the form of Evangelina. The difference between them was that Carmen was sick but Evangelina was healthy.
2) What evidence is there to show that the Soto family was poor?
When Roberto Soto knew that Rosa Soto had given away Carmen’s Play things and clothes, he became unhappy. He wanted to save them because he was hopeful they would have another child. They searched the beautiful little doll in the house and even in the village. These evidences are enough to prove that Soto family was poor. They lived in the village and Roberto Worked in the field. These are the additional proofs.
Summary of "The Recurring Dream"
The recurring dream is supernatural story. It is borrowed from England. The story is set in England. The main character is Kimberly Clark. Her Short name is Kim. Kim is a young and beautiful woman who lives in London. She has a good job. But she is sad because the same dream comes every night. She Dreams about a house in the country side, where an old man is sleeping. In the dream she enters the house and she wakes up. Kim tried to speak to him but she wakes up herself. One day Kim was sitting in a car with her friend Janet. They were driving through the country side. Kim sees the same house of her dream there. She makes Janet stop the car and goes to the house. The same old man opens the door. Kim speaks to the old man who tells her that house is haunted by a ghost. Kim asks who the ghost is. The old man says. "It's You".
1) Why do some people have recurring dreams? Give your opinion.
Dream is the sequence of senses and feelings occurring the mind during sleep. Some people have recurring dream. However, it is true to some extent that the wishes, fear and the feelings and experiences of various events and scenes are manifested into the dream. Though a person is dreaming in one place, his/her spirit goes to haunt reason of recurring dream is the deep wishes, fear, feelings, experiences as well as the events in the past life of the dreamer.
2) Why does Janet want to take Kim to her parent’s farm for a few days?
Janet wants to take Kim to her parent’s farm for a few days so that she can get rid of her troublesome recurring dream. The recurring dream gives Kim a lot of trouble. She is mentally tired and disturbed. She is taken to the countryside by her roommate with a hope that she can get relief in the peaceful environment.
