Class 10 English
Unit 5 Adventure (Reading A)
Swiss Family Robinson
COMPREHENSION-
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I. Given below in the first column are some actions. Search for their causes in the text. One has been done.
| Action | Cause |
| Dogs were barking | Jackals had attacked them. |
| Monkeys were throwing coconuts | Mr. Robinson also threw stones at them. |
| They left one dog behind | For Mrs. Robinson and children’s safety. |
| They ate food in clamshells | They did not have any spoons, plates or pots. |
| They didn’t build the raft | The raft was not safe. |
| They freed the geese and pigeons | They had no food for them. |
II. Answer briefly the following questions :
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Q. 1. How many children were there in the Robinson family ?
Ans. The Robinson family had four Children.
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Q. 2. Did the Robinson family meet any other family on the island ?
Ans. There were no other families on the island, so the Robinson family did not meet anyone.
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Q. 3. Why did the Robinson family have to leave the ship?
Ans. The ship was wrecked/ruined that is why Robinson’s family had to leave the ship.
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Q.4. Write two difficulties the Robinson family face on their way to reach the land ?
Ans. The Robinson family had to face many problems on their way to the islands. They had to look for ships or boats because the crew took all the lifeboats. They had to live off the land and fight for hunger and thirst. Also there were dangerous creatures on the island.
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Q. 5. How did the Robinsons find the way to the land?
Ans. The Robinson family set off a tub and followed the duck through a small opening in the rocks where a stream flowed into the sea. They were in a small bay from which they were able to land.
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Q. 6. How did Mr. Robinson manage to get fresh coconuts ?
Ans. Mr. Robinson threw stones at the monkeys without hitting them. As a result, the monkeys copied him and threw coconuts back. This is how he managed to get fresh coconuts.
III. Answer the following questions.
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Q. 1. Describe separately the work done by Mr. Robinson and Mrs. Robinson in the story.
Ans.
| Mr. Robinson’s work | Mrs. Robinson’s work |
| Mr. Robinson faced the difficulties and provided food and shelter to their family | Mrs. Robinson Supported Mr. Robinson in all his difficulties and cared for them. |
| Mr. Robinson Protected their family from dangerous creatures and animals. | Mrs. Robinson cooked food for their family and loved them |
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Q. 2. You may have noticed some differences between the nature of work done by Mr. and Mrs. Robinson. Do you agree that women are fit only for household work, while men fit only to explore and actively engage with the outside world? Give reasons for your opinion. Find out sentences in support of your answer from the lesson.
Ans. We don’t agree that women are fit only for household work, while men are fit only to explore and actively engage with the outside world.
Reasons:- Women can do the household perfectly. They can cook food and maintain the house and children properly. Also, women can own a company, work in offices and fields and can make major decisions.
VOCABULARY-
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Based on the lesson, circle the odd one out in each row:
1. sail, float, (sink), row.
2. (sugarcane), dinner, supper, meal
3. stream, (tent), small bay, shore
4. boat, ship, (barrel), raft
5. ducks, (crows), pigeons, geese.
Grammar-
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Fill in the blanks with the appropriate adverbs of time from tune box.
| early, then, often, yet, still, frequently, when, yesterday, always, while, already |
We had________ thought of going on a picnic but my mother denied because my
my brother was too young. She________ felt that it would be difficult to move along with such a small baby. But finally we decided to go on a small trip to a nearby dam. When I got up________ in the morning, I found my mother________ in the kitchen busy preparing snacks, ________ my little brother slept because he starts crying ________ he wakes up. My father had washed the van and checked the wheels_________evening. He was standing outside the gate because uncle Verma hadn’t come________. Uncle Verma is a family friend of ours and visits us________. Soon, mother had packed the tiffin boxes and________ she got my brother ready. I was very happy when the van drove away but __________ could not believe that we were really going on a picnic.
Ans. 1. often, 2. always, 3. early, 4. already, 5. often, 6. when, 7. yesterday, 8. yet 9. frequently 10. then , 11. still.
PUNCTUATION MARKS-
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I. Put appropriate punctuation marks in the following sentences :
1. Ajit wants to visit Paris Italy Germany and China
Ans. Ajit wants to visit Paris, Italy, Germany and China.
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2. She ll be the next President
Ans. She’ll be the next President.
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3. If I get a job I d be happy
Ans. If I get a job, I’d be happy.
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4. Yes I d like more water
Ans. Yes, I’d like more water.
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5. How old are you
Ans. How old are you?
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6. The president said I will visit Nepal next week
Ans. The president said, “I will visit Nepal next week.”
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7. I like to go hiking fishing swimming and camping during summer
Ans. I like to go hiking, fishing, swimming and camping during summer.
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8. I would like to go with you Bodhin said But I dont have enough money
Ans. “I would like to go with you”; Bodhin said”; but I don’t have enough money”.
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9. However I am very good at Maths
Ans. However, I am very good at Maths.
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10. They are my best friends
Ans. They are my best friends.
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11. This is Mahimas house
Ans. This is Mahima’s house.
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12. What a beautiful house
Ans. What a beautiful house!
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13. We are at the room of a hotel
Ans. We are at the room of a hotel..
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14. He is Mayanks son
Ans. He is Mayank’s son.
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15. Vidya wants to leave now yet we must wait for her little brother.
Ans. Vidya wants to leave now, yet we must wait for her little brother.
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16. Thank God we are saved
Ans. Thank God! we are saved.
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II. Insert appropriate punctuation marks wherever necessary.
One day a little mouse was looking for something to eat He found a pencil.
The mouse ran off to his hole with the pencil. Do let me go! begged the pencil What use am I to you Im only a piece of wood Im not good to eat Im going to gnaw you! said the mouse I have to gnaw something all the time to keep my
teeth sharp Here I goAnd he bit the pencil hard. You re hurting me said the pencil. Let me draw you one last
picture and then you can do what you like Very well agreed the mouse You draw
something I shall gnaw you into tiny pieces afterwards The pencil sighed heavily and
drew a big circle
Is that a cheese asked the mouse
We ll call it a cheese said the Pencil and it drew three little circles inside the big one
Let s call them holes in the cheese agreed the pencil and it drew another circle under the
first one
I can see its cheese now said the mouse. Look at those holes in it
Thats an apple squeaked the mouse
Let s call it an apple said the pencil and it began drawing some funny curved things near
the second circle
Ans – One day a little mouse was looking for something to eat. He found a pencil.
The mouse ran off to his hole with the pencil. “Do let me go!” begged the pencil. What use am I to you? I’m only a piece of wood. I’m not good to eat.
“I’m going to gnaw you!” said the mouse. I have to gnaw something all the time to keep my teeth sharp. Here I go.
And he bit the pencil hard. “You’re hurting me” said the pencil. Let me draw you one last picture and then you can do what you like. “Very well” agreed the mouse.“You draw something I shall gnaw you into tiny pieces afterwards” the pencil sighed heavily and drew a big circle.
Is that a cheese asked the mouse?
“We’ll call it a cheese” said the Pencil and it drew three little circles inside the big one.
“Let’s call them holes in the cheese” agreed the pencil and it drew another circle under the first one.
“I can see its cheese now” said the mouse. Look at those holes in it.
“That’s an apple”, squeaked the mouse.
“Let’s call it an apple” , said the pencil and it began drawing some funny curved things near the second circle.
Writing –
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Look at the pictures and write at least two sentences to describe each picture so that it makes a complete narrative. Use the hints given in brackets under each picture. You may begin as follows:
Ans. After landing on a lonely island, the Robinsons needed to make the place livable. So, they made a bridge across the river, joined wooden planks which they had brought from the ship. They found a strong big tree on which they could make a treehouse to keep themselves safe from wild animals. They placed a hanging ladder there. Mr.Robinson and Fritz pulled up big planks of wood and worked all afternoon. They joined pieces of wood one-by-one and built a strong platform. Mrs. Robinson had already finished cooking. They built a beautiful tree house that had big canvas, shade. They happily enjoyed the meal.
Listening –
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Listen to the text and number the following steps in the order in which you hear them. You may write 1 for the first, 2 for the second and so on.
– Tell the nature of problem and the help you need.
– Stay calm and get hold of the marine radio/transmitter.
– Wait for a response. If you don’t get an answer in 15 seconds, make the call again.
– Tune in to the emergency channel. Press the call button and make the call.
– Say: MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY! Then tell your ship name, location and
direction.
– When your message is complete, say: OVER!
Speaking –
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Divide the class into two groups. One group will speak in favour of the
proposition, ‘Adventure should never be planned.’ The other group will argue against it.
Study Skills-
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Bhimbetka is a natural art gallery and an archaeological treasure. For miles together, the footsteps of the prehistoric man can be easily discerned upon the sands of time, since the caves here house rock paintings, created by man from as early as about 15,000 years ago in vivid and panoramic detail.
There are many rock paintings in these caves. The most ancient scenes here are believed to be commonly belonging to the Mesolithic Age. These magnificent paintings can be seen even on the ceiling of the rock shelters located at daunting heights.
The cover of the dense forest and vegetation protected these rock paintings from being lost to the vagaries of nature. Executed mainly in red and white, with the occasional use of green and yellow with themes taken from the everyday events of eons ago, the scenes usually depict hunting, dancing, horse and elephant riders, animal fights, honey collection, decoration of bodies, disguises, masks and different types of animals etc. It depicts the details of social life during the long period of time, when man used to frequent these rock shelters. Animals such as bison, tiger, rhinoceros, wild boar, elephants, monkeys, antelopes, lizards, peacocks etc. have been abundantly depicted in the rock shelters. Popular religious and ritual symbols also occur frequently. The colours used by the cave dwellers were prepared by combining manganese, hematite, soft red stone and wooden charcoal. Perhaps, animal fat and extracts of leaves were also used in the mixture.
How to make notes
Read the passage carefully.
Heading
What is the main idea of the passage?
Frame a heading based on the central idea and write it.
Subheadings
How has the main idea been presented and developed? You can frame subheadings
based on these.
Points
Are there further details or points of the subheading that you wish to keep in these
notes? Indent, i.e., Indicate suitably by space and number.
This is the way you will make notes.
Complete the notes with appropriate points from the passage.
Bhimbhetika
1. Origin
i. 15000 years old
2. The ancient scenes
i. belong to Mesolithic Age
ii. are magnificient
iii. have been made even on ceilings of the caves
2 . Cave paintings depict
i. Social life: They usually depict hunting, dancing, horse and elephant riders, amal fights, honey collection, decoration of bodies, disguises, masks and differ ent types of animals etc.
ii They occasionally use of green and yellow with themes taken from the everyday events.
iii. The cover of the dense forest and vegetation protected from the vagaries of
4. Colors executed
i. mainly red and white
ii. With the occasion use of green and yellow.
5 . Colors of the cave paintings are made from
i. rock material
ii. Were prepared by combining manganese, hematite, soft red stone and wooden charcoal.
Iii. Perhaps, animal fat and extracts of leaves were also used in the mixture.
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I. Every year, children from different parts of the country are awarded for meritorious
acts of bravery against all odds. This year, 25 children were awarded. The winners
include 22 boys and three girls from across the country. Two of these children
received the award posthumously.
Find out one such brave heart in your area and write a short biography about him/her.
II. For further reading
Here is a short list of adventure stories/novels/autobiography.
Robinson Crusoe
Treasure Land
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Moby Dick
Around the World in Eighty Days
Everest – My Journey to the Top
You should read one of these adventures and discuss it in groups in your class.