Comprehensive Chapter Solutions

Part 1: Carrier of Words

Reflect and Respond (Page 203-204)

I. Look at the pictures of persons engaged in the same profession:

1. Which profession do they belong to?
   They belong to the postal service. They are postmen (specifically, rural mail carriers or Gramin Dak Sewaks).
2. Do they face any difficulties while doing their duty?
   Yes, they face numerous hardships such as scorching heat, harsh weather conditions, long journeys on foot through remote and inaccessible terrains, and carrying heavy mailbags.
3. How does their profession affect the people they meet?
   They bring people together. They are highly respected and eagerly awaited because they bring news (both joyful and sorrowful) from faraway loved ones, and often assist illiterate villagers by reading and writing letters for them.

II. Discuss in groups:

1. How can ‘words’ be ‘carried’?
   Words can be carried physically through letters, postcards, and telegrams, or digitally through emails, text messages, and phone calls.
2. Who could be a carrier of words?
   A postman, a messenger, a diplomat, a journalist, or even a friend conveying a message.
3. What are the means for people to stay connected?
   Telephones, mobile phones, the internet (emails, social media), and traditional postal services.

III. Fill in the blanks from the box:

Check Your Understanding (Page 207)

I. Information Sheet for Khetaram:

II. Discuss with your teacher:

1. Why do you think Khetaram has taken up this challenging job?
   Khetaram lives in a famine-prone, arid region where farming (yielding only one crop of bajra in a good year) is insufficient to feed his family of five. He took up this job to secure an assured income to save his family from starvation.
2. How do you think Khetaram would feel about taking up this challenging task every day?
   Despite the immense physical exhaustion, Khetaram likely feels a deep sense of pride, responsibility, and gratitude. He mentions his “spine is strong” and expresses gratitude for being able to serve the people, knowing he is a crucial lifeline for the village.

Check Your Understanding (Page 210)

I. Complete the table (Situations & Reasons):

II. Why was a piece of jaggery offered?
In rural Indian traditions, sweetening the mouth with a piece of jaggery is a customary way to celebrate and show gratitude when someone brings auspicious and joyous news, such as a birth or a wedding.

III. How would phone lines help Khetaram in his job?
With the arrival of phone lines, he might become a “Gramin Sanchar Sewak”. His duty would then entail carrying a mobile phone from home to home to let villagers make calls, making communication faster and slightly easing his physical burden of carrying heavy physical mail.

Critical Reflection – I (Extract-based Questions, Page 210-212)

1. Extract 1 Questions:
   • (i) Completion: One crop of bajra makes a little difference for people like Khetaram because it is not sufficient to feed a family of five for the entire year.
   • (ii) ‘A way of life’: He terms famine as a ‘way of life’ because the region is a harsh, arid desert where rainfall is scarce, making droughts and famines frequent, normal occurrences rather than rare disasters.
   • (iii) Reason for taking the job: To secure a stable income to prevent his family from starving.
   • (iv) Analogy: Other families : Money orders :: Khetaram : salary / Gramin Dak Sewak job.
   • (v) ‘A good year’: A good year signifies a year with adequate rainfall, allowing the arid land to yield at least one proper crop of bajra.
2. Extract 2 Questions:
   • (i) Correct Option: B. Sender of the letter (It is a traditional practice to tear the corner of the envelope to visually indicate bad news before it is opened).
   • (ii) Completion: The most likely reason for Khetaram reading the letter twice is because he wants to be absolutely certain of the tragic contents before he tears and destroys the physical letter completely.
   • (iii) Philosophy: His philosophy is that “bad news must be destroyed.” He acts upon it by standing outside the house, reading the tragic news to the family, and then physically tearing the letter into bits so the “Ashubh Samachar” (inauspicious news) does not cross the threshold of the home.
   • (iv) True/False: False. (His action perfectly aligns with his belief).
   • (v) Temperament: It reveals his deep empathy, sensitivity, and respect for the cultural sentiments of the villagers he serves.

Critical Reflection – II (Short Answer Questions, Page 212)

1. Justify ‘invaluable’ role: The Gramin Dak Sewaks are invaluable because they serve as the sole link connecting remote, inhospitable areas (like the frozen deserts of Ladakh or the scorching sands of the Thar) to the rest of the world. They deliver mail to places entirely inaccessible by modern transport, relying solely on their physical endurance.
2. Difference in purpose (India Post vs British system): The British postal system was established primarily to relay company *dak* (official mail) between administrative centres for governance. In contrast, after independence, the mandate of India Post was highly inclusive: to bring the entire population, including the most remote rural communities, within the mailing ambit.
3. Instances of Trust:
   1) Financial Trust: Rural depositors confidently entrust their monthly savings to the post office, relying on GDS for their operational accounts.
   2) Personal Trust: Villagers comfortably invite Khetaram to their thresholds, sharing their private lives by asking him to read their intimate letters and draft personal replies.
4. Grateful to continue after 60: Khetaram is grateful because the arid, famine-struck region offers no other reliable means of survival. Continuing as a GDS ensures a steady income, allowing him to sustain his family and maintain his dignified, respected position in the community.
5. Tribute to people like Khetaram: The author pays tribute because individuals like Khetaram exhibit extraordinary resilience, defying extreme 50-degree heat and harsh terrain daily. They are not merely employees but a vital part of the social fabric, acting as empathetic human lifelines for isolated communities.

Vocabulary and Structures in Context (Page 212-215)

I. Match the Phrases:

• 1. crumbles into sand → (iii) disappears in the desert
• 2. give a new lease of life → (i) get a chance to continue living
• 3. turn into a trickle before drying out → (iv) lessen gradually and then finally stop
• 4. bearing words across this desolate geography → (ii) carrying letters to less populated areas

II. Identify Alliteration and Metaphor:

• Alliteration: “scorching summer”, “swirling sandstorms”.
• Metaphor: “walking sandman” (Khetaram is compared to a sandman because he gets completely covered in the blowing desert sand).

III. Match the Words:

• 1. arid → (iii) farmland without much yield
• 2. concessional → (i) interest rate for the farmers
• 3. gaunt → (v) farmer waiting for the rains
• 4. remote → (ii) corner of the world
• 5. desolate → (iv) desert stretching far and wide

IV. Present Perfect Tense Paragraph:

V. Passive Voice Completion (Page 214-215):

Listen and Respond (Page 215-216)

I. The speaker concluded her talk with a suggestion (to participate and write letters).

II. MCQs:

1. What was the occasion that the speaker was talking about? → (i) Letter writing carnival
2. India Post is famous for having the most extensive network → (ii) in the world
3. Letter writing is being revived as this art form has been → (iii) forgotten
4. Which of the following will be a part of the letter writing carnival? → (i) calligraphy and graphology
5. What will the postal department add to the event? → (i) interactive demonstrations

Writing Task: Condolence Message (Page 217-218)

Part 2: Words

Reflect and Respond (Page 220)

I. Importance of words:

Words are essential because they allow us to articulate precise thoughts, complex emotions, and detailed information. While we *can* communicate without words—using body language, facial expressions, sign language, and art—words provide the clarity and depth necessary for advanced human connection and understanding.

II. Word Grid (Page 220-221):

Check Your Understanding (Page 222)

I. Fill in the blanks:

II. Let us appreciate the poem:

1. Rhyme scheme & rhyming words:
   • The rhyme scheme of the poem is ABAB.
   • Four sets of rhyming words: heart/depart, care/air, earth/worth, needs/weeds.
2. Poetic Devices:
   • (i) But words, like summer birds, depart… → Simile. (Words are fleeting and temporary, like migratory birds).
   • (ii) heart, a pilgrim upon earth… → Metaphor. (The heart is on a spiritual journey seeking genuine connection and truth).
   • (iii) words are of as little worth / As just so many weeds → Simile. (Words can be plentiful but entirely useless and lacking substance).
   • (iv) If words could satisfy the chest… Oft satisfy the least! → Hyperbole / Irony. (Highlights the contradiction that an abundance of words rarely brings true comfort).
   • (v) The world might hold a feast… → Hyperbole. (Exaggerates the theoretical joy that would occur if words were truly fulfilling).
   • (vi) Like plants that make a gaudy show / All blossom to the root → Simile. (Superficial words look beautiful and impressive but hold no real value).
   • (vii) But whose poor nature cannot grow / One particle of fruit! → Metaphor / Personification. (Words without sincerity yield no meaningful outcome or emotional nourishment).
3. Repetition: The poet frequently repeats the words “words”, “satisfy”, and “heart”. This repetition emphasises the central conflict of the poem: the stark contrast between the superficial abundance of spoken language and the deep, often unfulfilled emotional needs of the human soul.
4. Exclamation marks in stanzas 4, 5, & 6:
   • Correct Option: (iii) 4. admiration (“how dear!”), 5. frustration (“satisfy the least!”), and 6. disillusionment (“One particle of fruit!”).

III. Hyperbole Exercise (Page 223-224):

1. I have tonnes of things to do on this weekend.
2. The player missed the basket by a mile.
3. My mother is so tired that she can sleep for a decade.
4. I will be back in two seconds.

Critical Reflection – I (Extract-based Questions, Page 224-225)

1. Extract 1 Questions:
   • (i) ‘A pilgrim’: The poet refers to the heart as a pilgrim because, like a traveller on a sacred journey, the human heart wanders through life seeking spiritual meaning, truth, and genuine connection.
   • (ii) Need words: The heart ‘needs’ words during times of sorrow, grief, or loneliness, when it desperately seeks comfort, reassurance, and empathy from others.
   • (iii) Completion: The words are like weeds because they can be abundant and easily found, but they are utterly useless and provide no real emotional nourishment.
   • (iv) Emotions: Disappointment and loneliness.
   • (v) Nature of communication: These lines suggest that communication is often superficial; a high volume of words does not guarantee emotional depth or genuine support.
2. Extract 2 Questions:
   • (i) Satisfy the chest: By providing deep inner peace, alleviating sorrow, and filling a person with genuine joy and comfort.
   • (ii) Summoned to the test: They are ‘summoned to the test’ when a person goes through a real crisis or tragedy and genuinely requires solid emotional support and solace, not just empty chatter.
   • (iii) World holding a feast: It implies an exaggerated scenario of universal celebration and overwhelming joy, suggesting that if words truly possessed the power to heal, the entire world would be constantly rejoicing.
   • (iv) Completion: The poet mentions that words satisfy the least because they often lack sincere feeling and fail to provide tangible comfort when it is truly needed the most.
   • (v) Correct Option: A. always (The word ‘oft’ means often, usually, or frequently. It does not mean ‘always’).

Critical Reflection – II (Short Answer Questions, Page 225)

1. Words vs. ’empty air’: The poet draws a comparison to show that just as empty air cannot be grasped, seen, or relied upon for physical support, mere spoken words are fleeting. They disappear quickly and leave no solid emotional impact or lasting comfort behind.
2. Meaningful words: The poet asserts that “a little said, and truly said” is far more precious. A few sincere, heartfelt words can impart deep joy and actually “touch the heart,” whereas a large volume (“hosts”) of empty words only reaches the mind without providing real emotional solace.
3. Contrasting ideas: Yes, I agree. The poet brilliantly contrasts the sheer volume of superficial communication (“summer birds”, “weeds”, “gaudy show”) with the rare, profound impact of genuine emotional connection (“truly said”, “few, how dear”).
4. Theme of loneliness: The theme of loneliness is highly prevalent. Phrases like “the heart, a pilgrim upon earth” suggest the heart wanders alone seeking connection. Furthermore, the mention of “a lonely home to cheer” highlights the deep isolation humans feel when surrounded by meaningless words.
5. Superficial nature of words: The poet conveys this through metaphors like “plants… without fruit,” showing that words can sound beautiful but yield no real result. To address this, people ought to speak less but with complete sincerity, ensuring their words originate from the heart rather than just the head.

Vocabulary in Context (Page 226)

I. Match the Phrases:

• 1. satisfy the heart → (iv) makes one happy
• 2. depart and leave but empty air → (vi) makes no impact
• 3. hosts of words → (i) many words
• 4. never touch the heart → (v) does not appeal to our emotions
• 5. wins its sunny way → (ii) cheers up a person
• 6. plants that cannot grow fruit → (iii) there is no outcome

II. Word Map Examples:

Listen and Respond (Page 227)

True Statements:

• 1. The girl was excited to participate in the declamation contest.
• 2. The boy was doubtful about the suitability of the topic chosen for the contest.
• 4. The boy was unaware of the role played by body language in reflecting the speaker’s confidence.
• 6. The girl had issued the book on body language earlier from the library.

Writing Task: Essay (Page 228-229)