UNIT – 4
PROSE
FRIEND IN NEED
1.) Say to the partner, sitting next to you, whether the following ideas are true or not true. Quote words from the text to justify your answer.
a.) Kunti was happy after begetting her first child. (T / NT)
Answer: Not true From the text – she placed the baby in a basket and set it afloat on the river Ganga.
b.) It was the Pandavas who did not treat Karna kindly. (T / NT)
Answer: True From the text -Krupa challenged me to reveal my parentage at the tournament, He rebuked Bhima when he flung hot words at me.
c.) Kunti was right in asking Karna to join the Pandavas. (T / NT)
Answer: True From the text- “It is the Pandavas you should lead, not Duryodhana’s armies. Leave them. Come now! Join your brothers, defend them against the Kauravas. My heart has been heavy within me all these years. Bring me peace now.”
d.) Karna was sad but he was determined to fight on his friend’s side. (T / NT)
Answer: True From the text – It was a difficult choice but he did not hesitate to make it. He held honour, duty and friendship above everything.
2.) Speak to your partner about the points raised in these questions. Write down what you say.
a.) What had Durvasa taught Kunti?
Answer: Durvasa taught Kunti a Mantra. It was a secret verse to invoke the Gods. When invoked, they would appear before her and bless her with sons equal to themselves in glory.
b.) Whom did Kunti invoke?
Answer: Kunti invoked Surya, the Sun God.
c.) What was Kunti blessed with?
Answer: Kunti was blessed with a child who would prove to be the greatest of all heroes.
d.) What did Kunti do with the child?
Answer: Kuntiplaced the baby in a basket and set it afloat on the river Ganga.
e.) Why was Kunti disturbed?
Answer: When Krishna told Kunti that her sons would fight against their cousins and there would be lot of bloodshed and Karna would be on Duryodhan’s side, then all these thoughts made Kunti deeply disturbed.
f.) When did Kunti meet Karna to reveal the truth?
Answer: When Karna was on the banks of Ganga for his morning prayers, then Kunti met him to reveal the truth.
g.) Why did Karna refuse to leave Duryodhana?
Answer: Karna was a true friend of Duryodhana. When Krupa challenged him to reveal his parentage, it was Duryodhana who had stood by the side of Karna and saved him. Duryodhana accepted and befriended Karna irrespective of his background. It was Duryodhana who gave Karna kingdom, power and armies and a friendship of lifetime. This is why Karna refused to leave Duryodhana.
h.) What did Kunti plead with Karna?
Answer: Kunti wanted her first son, Karna to lead the Pandvas. She wanted Karna to leaves Duryodhana and fight against Kauravas.
i.) Did Karna become a traitor?
Answer: No, Kana didn’t become a traitor.
3.) Discuss with your friend and write down the answers to the following questions in two or three sentences each.
a.) What did Krishna tell Kunti?
Answer: Krishna told Kunti that war was near and her sons would fight against their cousins, Kauravas.He also told her that there would be much bloodshed.
b.) Why did Karna dislike the Pandavas?
Answer: When Krupa challenged Karan to reveal his parentage, Bhima flung hot words at Karna. Karna was deeply hurt and insulted at the tournament. This is why, he disliked the Pandavas.
c.) How did Duryodhana help Karna?
Answer: It was Duryodhana who stood by Karna’s side when he was insulted. He saved Karna. He gave him wealth, power and armies. Above everything, Duryodhana gave the lifetime friendship to Karna.
4.) Read the following sentences. Discuss with your friend and answer the questions that follow.
a.) “Would I not be a traitor and a cheat, if I deserted him now?”
i.) Who is the “I”?
Answer: “I” is Karna
ii.) Who was this person speaking to?
Answer: Karna was speaking to Kunti.
iii.) What was the answer?
Answer: Kunti had no answer.
b.) “It is the Pandavas you should lead, not Duryodhana’s armies. Leave them.” Who said this?
Answer: Kunti said this.
ii.) To whom was it said?
Answer: This was said to Karna.
iii.) Why did she say this?
Answer: She wanted Karna to fight against the Kauravas and be in the army of Pandavas.
c.) “Your sons will fight against their cousins. There will be much bloodshed.” Who does the phrase “Your sons” refer to?
Answer: “Your sons” refer to the Pandavas.
ii.) Who said this?
Answer: Krishna said this.
iii.) Who will fight against whom?
Answer: The Kauravas will fight against the Pandavas.
Vocabulary :
5.) The words in the box given below mean “a large number of”
For example, “a shoal of fish” refers to a large group of fish swimming together. Discuss with your friend and complete the following phrases with suitable words from the box.
bunch; group; flight; galaxy; posse; bundle; fleet; parliament; swarm; pride; colony; giggle
1.) a posse of constables..
2.) a galaxy of stars.
3.) a swarm of bees.
4.) a group of people..
5.) a giggle of girls..
6.) a parliament of owls.
7.) a flight of steps.
8.) a fleet of ships.
9.) a bundle of sticks.
10.) a bunch of keys.
11.) a colony of ants
12.) a pride of lions.
6.) Strike off the words in the box below that are not suitable.
Karna made a choice not to desert the Kauravas to join the Pandavas.
This shows that he held honour,duty and friendship above everything else.
thoughtfulness, hard work,honour,kindness,duty,efficiency, honesty,friendship,pride
7.) Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions in the following sentences.
a.) Kunti sat on the bank looking at Karna as he stood in the river meditating at Surya.
b.) Karna came up from the river and touched Kunti’s feet.
c.) “You look very much worried, O, Great One, you have never spoken to me before,” said Karna.
d.) “I will do whatever I can for you. Tell me how I can help you.”
Work with your partner, and do the exercise given below
The Mahabharata is an epic of ancient India. In one part of this epic a strange moment takes place between a mother and her son . It is heart-breaking to both of them. But the mother is determined to ask a favour of her son. The son sadly tells that he cannot oblige her.
Read this story to find out why the mother must tell him , for the very first time, who she really is; what favourshe asks of him; does she, or does she not feel justified in asking the favor and what the son tells her in return.
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