First Attempt by S P Raj

    Time: 3 hrs.                                                                                                                        Full Marks: 75 Attempt all questions Group 'A' 1.     1. Read the following text and complete the tasks that follow:                                                           15 For centuries, time was measured by the position of the Sun with use of ...

An Astrologer’s Day Summary The story begins with the description of the astrologer, the place and the environment in which he does his work. Every day he starts his work at midday, under a tamarind tree that is close to a public park in the town. The place which the astrologer chooses for his work is generally full of people who pass by or gather there. They are attracted by vendors of nuts, medicines, stolen hardware, etc. It is a place poorly lighted in the evening. The astrologer has to depend on lights coming from the flickering lamps kept by neighboring vendors because he has no light of his own. The astrologer knows nothing about astrology, but with his experience he manages to earn money which he carries home at the end of a day. He has a working analysis of the common problems of most people. He makes people believe that he has an unusual ability to tell people’s fortunes. One evening, the nuts- vendor blows out the light and is ready to go home. This compels the ast...

  Two Little Soldiers Guy de Maupassant Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893) was a popular 19th century French writer. His short stories are characterized by their economy of style and their efficient effortless dénouement. His stories are linked by irony and the frailty of human nature. He was an author of the realist and naturalist schools of writing. He wrote novels, poetry and newspapers articles, but he is best known for his short stories in the field of literature. The story 'Two Little Soldiers' is about a triangular love with a completely unexpected twist at the end. This story shows the compatibility of friendship and romantic love with change, discontent, conflict, betrayal and jealousy.  Characters  1. Luc Le Ganidec, a soldier and friend of Jean Kerderen, 2. Jean Kerderen, a soldier, friend of Luc Le Ganide 3. A Milkmaid Summary  ..... Understanding the text Answer these questions a. Why do the two soldiers spend their free time on Sundays away from the b...

The Wish                     Roald Dahl About the writer and the story   Roald Dahl, a renowned British novelist, short-story writer, poet, screenwriter and wartime fighter pilot of Norwegian origin. More than 250 million copies of his books have been sold out worldwide. Dahl has been regarded as "one of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century". "The Wish" is a short, sharp, chilling (causing mild fear) story by Roald Dahl, the master of shocking tales. This story has been taken from Roald Dahl's short stories collection called "Someone Like You". This short stories collection was published in the year 1953 by Alfred Knopf. The story "The Wish", the writer Roald Dahl has presented a sinister (ominous/ unlucky) story about the darker side of human nature. This story is about a young boy's fantasy in which his carpet is alive with snakes and fire. Dahl has aimed to reflect the delicacy of our childhood innocenc...

 5. Civil Peace Chinua Achebe /tʃɪnwɑ: ətʃɛbeɪ/ (1930 -2013)  The story "Civil Peace" was written by Chinua Achebe, a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic. His first novel Things Fall Apart (1958) is the most widely read book in modern African literature. His later novels include No Longer at Ease (1960), Arrow of God (1964), A Man of the People (1966), Anthills of the Savannah (1987), and his last novel There Was a Country was published in 2012. He also published a large number of short stories, children's books, and essay collections. Since he was born in the Igbo village of Ogidi in south-eastern Nigeria, his novels focus on the traditions of Igbo society. He wrote about the cultural and political turmoil of Nigeria, from colony to post colony, and through civil war and beyond. The story 'Civil Peace' (1971) is a realistic story having the setting of the aftermath of the Nigerian Civil War. It is about the effects of the Nigerian Civil War on the live...

God Sees the Truth , But Waits                                                                                Leo Tolstoy About the Author Leo Tolstoy was a Russian writer (September 9, 1828- November 20, 1910) from Yasna Polyana Russia. He was a novelist, short story writer, playwright and essayist. His best Creations are War and Peace , Anna Kerenina , The Kingdom of God is without You , Resurection . About the story. This story is about the sufferings of a person who has spent 26 years in prison without doing any crime. He has waited for God´s decision in his lifetime. God’s decision has finally arrived but it is very late. There is always victory of the truth. Themes in the story Injustice, Faith, forgiveness, acceptance, self-realizat...