An Astrologer''s Day 1

Section 1 (Prose)

Unit 1.1  An Astrologer’s Day

ACTIVITIES WITH EXPECTED ANSWERS

Extract No. 01 :

[Lines, “Punctually………… astrologer too”]

Read the first activity, read the extract and do all the activities that follow:

A1.Web: 02                                                                           

Complete the web by writing down the Articles Astrologer carry…

Punctually at midday, he opened his bag and spread out his professional equipment, which Consisted of a dozen cowrie shells, a square piece of cloth with obscure mystic charts on it, A Notebook and a bundle of Palmyra writing. His forehead was resplendent with sacred ash and vermilion, and his eyes sparkled with a sharp abnormal gleam which was really an outcome of a continual searching look for customers, but which his simple clients took to be a prophetic light and felt comforted. The power of his eyes was considerably enhanced by their position placed as they were between the painted forehead and the dark whiskers which streamed down his cheeks, even a half-wit’s eyes would sparkle in such a setting. To crown the effect he Wound a saffron-coloured turban around his head. This colour scheme never failed. People Were attracted to him as bees are attracted to cosmos or dahilia stalks. He sat under the  Boughs  of a spreading tamarind tree. Which flanked a path running through the Town Hall Park It was a remarkable place in many ways. A surging crowd was always moving up and down this narrow road from morning till night. A variety of trades and occupations was represented all along its way, medicine sellers, sellers of stolen hardware and junk, magicians and above all, an auctioneer of cheap cloth, who created enough din all day to attract the whole town. Next to him in vociferousness came a vendor of fried groundnut, who gave his ware a fancy name each day, calling it,” Bombay Ice Cream” one day and on the next,” Delhi Almond” and on the third,” Raja’s Delicacy” and so on so forth, and people flocked to him.  A Considerable portion of this crowd dallied before the Astrologer too.

A1.Web: 02                                                                         

Complete the web writing down the tactics used by Nut vendor for his business.

A1.Web:.                                                                                                   (02)

Complete the web writing down the Traders who occupied the place.

A1.Choose :               (02)

Choose the correct alternatives and complete the sentence.

1) The astrologer used to begin his business punctually………….

a) In the evening

b) In the morning

c) At midday

d) At night

2) The astrologer’s eyes sparkled with a sharp abnormal gleam……..

a) He had spiritual powers

b) He possessed magical powers

c) He looked continuously for customers

d) He was intelligent

3) …………. gave his ware a fancy name each day

a) The medicine seller

b) The magician

c) The astrologer

d) The groundnut seller.

4) The astrologer used to sit under………….

a) The banyan tree

b) The people tree

c) The tamarind tree

d) The Neem Tree.

A1. True or False :                                                                                             (02)

State whether the following statements are true or false.

1) The simple village fellows used to get impressed with the appearance of the astrologer(T)

2) The people used to gather in large numbers nearby the fried groundnut vendor.(T)

3) The village people did not succumb to the tactics of astrologer.(F)

4) Town hall park area was the most silent place in the village.(F)

A2.Describe:                                                                                          (02)

Describe the appearance of the astrologer to impress his clients

a) The turban on his head

b) Sacred ash and vermilion on forehead

c) Eyes sparkled with sharp abnormal glean

d) Colour scheme, prophetic light

A2.Proofs/Evidences :                                                                                     (02)

Find out proofs and evidences from the extract to prove the following facts.

1) Town hall place was a remarkable place.

a) A surging crowd was always moving till night.

b) Variety of trades and occupations was represented all along its way.

c) Vendors and business people used to make a lot of noise there.

d) People used to flock to the vendor and astrologer in the park.

A2.Give reasons :                                                                                             (02)

a) People were always attracted to the fried nut vendor because………..

He always used to give his ware a fancy name each day. Instead of calling as fried groundnuts he used to call it as,’ Bombay Ice Cream”,” Delhi Almond,”’ Raja’s Delicacy” and so on.

b) People were impressed with the astrologer because………………………..

Of his appearance, his professional equipment, his physical look like his saffron coloured turban, sacred ash on his forehead with vermilion, Eyes sparkled with sharp abnormal gleam, His prophetic light and colour scheme etc.

A3.Interpret:                                                                                                (02)

Interpret the statement,” He wound a saffron coloured turban around his head. This  colour scheme never failed...” in the context  of the above text.

The simple rustic fellows of the village were succumbed to the astrologer because of his tactics. They thought that the astrologer must have divine qualities. They might be worried about their Fortune and fate. The astrologer was aware of their worries and use common sense and logic to attract them with his appearance.

A4. Personal Response.                                                                                         (02)

“The wise man always has long ears and a short tongue” do you agree with this notion. Justify your answer with suitable examples.

A4. Personal Response.                                                                                         (02)

Do you believe in Fate, Destiny or karma and Good deeds while dealing with your life? Share your views.

A5. Language Study :                                                                                                 (02)

I) He opened his bag and spread his professional equipment.

(Make a simple sentence)

Select your answer from the options and rewrite it.

a) Opening his bag he spread his professional equipment.

b) He opened his bag. He spread his professional equipment.

c) To open his bag he spread his professional equipment.

d) He opened his bag but he spread his professional equipment.

ii) He wound a saffron-coloured turban around his head.

(Frame a “wh -question” to get the underlined part as an answer)

What did he wind around his head?

iii) Identify the tense forms of the verbs of the following sentences.

a) He sat under the boughs of a spreading tamarind tree.( Simple past tense)

b) A surging crowd was always moving up and down.( Past continuous tense)

iv) It was a remarkable place.( Make it Exclamatory) 

What a remarkable place it was!

A6Grammar:                                                                                             (02)

Find out words from the extract which mean the following:

a) Not clear= obscure

b) Holy= sacred

c) Move suddenly or powerfully= surging

d) Noise or chaos = Din

A6. Grammar :                                                                                             (02)

Write down the Antonyms of the following words from the extract.

a) Normal x abnormal

b) Decreased x enhanced

c) Distracted x attracted

d) Blunt x sharp

A6. Find examples of Compound words from the extract.                                    (02)

Cowrie-shells, notebook, position-placed, half-wit’s eyes,  saffron-coloured, surging crowd, etc.

A6.Grammar :                                                                                                 (02)

Prepare a word Register for the word “Business.”

Customers, clients, trades, occupations, sellers, auctioneer, vendor, ware etc.

A6. Grammar :                                                                                                 (02)

Write down one word substitute for the following terms.

a) A person uses astrology to tell you about your fortune = Astrologer

b) A person who buy goods or services = customer

c) A person who organises the selling at an auction = Auctioneer

d) A Person who performs magic tricks to entertain people =Magician

Created by

Mr. Tushar jaisinha Bagwe.

K J. somaiya college of science and commerce

vidyavihar East Mumbai 400 077

MOBILE 9820928141 e mail id; tushar@somaiya.edu