11.

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

Thackeray reached Kittur along with a small British army force and a few of his officers. He thought that the very presence of the British on the outskirts of Kittur would terrorise the rulers and people of Kittur and that they would lay down their arms. He was quite confident that he would be able to crush the revolt in no time. He ordered that tents be erected on the eastern side for the fighting forces and a little away on the western slopes tents be put up for the family members of the officers who had accompanied them. During the afternoon and evening of 20th October, the British soldiers were busy making arrangements for these camps.

On the 21st morning, Thackeray sent his political assistants to Kittur fort to obtain a written assurance from all the important officers of Kittur rendering them answerable for the security of the treasury of Kittur. They, accordingly, met Sardar Gurusiddappa and other officers of Kittur and asked them to comply with the orders of Thackeray. They did not know that the people were in a defiant mood. The commanders of Kittur dismissed the agent’s orders as no documents could be signed without sanction from Rani Chennamma.

Thackeray was enraged and sent for his commander of the Horse Artillery, which was about 100 strong, ordered him to rush his artillery into the fort and capture the commanders of the Desai’s army. When the Horse Artillery stormed into the fort, Sardar Gurusiddappa, who had kept his men on full alert, promptly commanded his men to repel and chase them away. The Kittur forces made a bold front and overpowered the British soldiers.

In the meanwhile, the Desai’s guards had shut the gates of the fort and the British Horse Artillery men, being completely overrun and routed, had to get out through the escape window. Rani’s soldiers chased them out of the fort, killing a few of them until they retreated to their camps on the outskirts.

A few of the British had found refuge in some private residences, while some were hiding in their tents. The Kittur soldiers captured about forty persons and brought them to the palace. These included twelve children and a few women from the British officers’ camp. When they were brought in the presence of the Rani, she ordered the soldiers to be imprisoned. For the women and children she had only gentleness, and admonished her soldiers for taking them into custody. At her orders, these women and children were taken inside the palace and given food and shelter. Rani came down from her throne, patted the children lovingly and told them that no harm would come to them.

She, then, sent word through a messenger to Thackeray that the British women and children were safe and could be taken back any time. Seeing this noble gesture of the Rani, he was moved. He wanted to meet this gracious lady and talk to her. He even thought of trying to persuade her to enter into an agreement with the British to stop all hostilities in lieu of an inam (prize) of eleven villages. His offer was dismissed with a gesture of contempt. She had no wish to meet Thackeray. That night she called Sardar Gurusiddappa and other leading Sardars and after discussing all the issues came to the conclusion that there was no point in meeting Thackeray who had come with an army to threaten Kittur into submission to British sovereignty.

 

On the basis of your understanding of the above passage complete the statements given below with the help of options that follow:

 

(a) Thackeray was a/an:

(i) British tourist

(ii) army officer

(iii) adviser to Rani of Kittur

(iv) treasury officer

 

(b) British women and children came to Kittur to:

(i) visit Kittur

(ii) enjoy life in tents

(iii) stay in the palace

(iv) give company to officers

 

Answer the following questions briefly:

(c) Why did Thackeray come to Kittur?

(d) Why did the Kittur officials refuse to give the desired assurance to Thackeray?

(e) What happened to the Horse Artillery?

(f) How do we know that the Rani was a noble queen?

(g) How in your opinion would the British women have felt after meeting the Rani?

(h) Why did the Rani refuse to meet Thackeray?

(i) Find words from the passage which mean the same as the following:

i. entered forcibly (para 3)

ii. aggressive / refusing to obey (para 2)

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

The most alarming of man’s assaults upon the environment is the contamination of air, earth, rivers, and sea with lethal materials. This pollution is for the most part irrevocable; the chain of evil it initiates is for the most part irreversible. In this contamination of the environment, chemicals are the sinister partners of radiation in changing the very nature of the world; radiation released through nuclear explosions into the air, comes to the earth in rain, lodges into the soil, enters the grass or corn, or wheat grown there and reaches the bones of a human being, there to remain until his death. Similarly, chemicals sprayed on crops lie long in soil, entering living organisms, passing from one to another in a chain of poisoning and death. Or they pass by underground streams until they emerge and combine into new forms that kill vegetation, sicken cattle, and harm those who drink from once pure wells.

It took hundreds of millions of years to produce the life that now inhabits the earth and reached a stage of adjustment and balance with its surroundings. The environment contained elements that were hostile as well as supporting. Even within the light of the sun, there were short wave radiations with power to injure. Given time, life has adjusted and a balance reached. For time is the essential ingredient, but in the modern world there is no time. The rapidity of change and the speed with which new situations are created follow the heedless pace of man rather than the deliberate pace of nature. Radiation is no longer the bombardment of cosmic rays; it is now the unnatural creation of man’s tampering with the atom. The chemicals to which life is asked to make adjustments are no longer merely calcium and silica and copper and all the rest of the minerals washed out of the rocks and carried in the rivers to the sea; they are the synthetic creations of man’s inventive mind, brewed in his laboratories, and having no counterparts in nature.

(a) On the basis of your understanding of the above passage make notes on it using Headings and sub-headings. Use recognizable abbreviations (wherever Necessary-minimum four) and a format you consider suitable. Also supply a title to it.

(b) Write a summary of the passage in about 80 words.

In our society we do not give to our women the respect and status that they deserve. Women are stared at, stalked and even molested. We need to change the male mindset about women. Write a letter in 120-150 words to the editor of a national newspaper giving your views on the problem. You are Omar/Amna, A114 Mall Road, Delhi.

You want to spend a week-long holiday at Shimla in the month of October. You have decided to stay at Hotel Snowview. Write a letter in 120-150 words to the manager to book a room. Mention the dates, facilities in the room, food, sight-seeing facilities etc you will need. You are Amar/Amrita M114, Lake Road, Karnal.

Our performance in Rio Olympics has told us that we do not pay enough attention to athletics and outdoor games. It is time we revised our attitude. Sports should be an important part of school’s daily routine. Write an article in 150-200 words in ‘Importance of Outdoor Games’. You are Sreeja/Thomas.

Cultural Society Sunshine Public School, Nellore organised an adult literacy camp in its neighbourhood. Write a report in 150-200 words on the camp for your school newsletter. You are P.V. Sunitha, Secretary. Use the following clues : 
no. of volunteers – hours spent in teaching – location of the class – chairs, blackboards – no. of people attending the camp – benefit.

Your PGT English Ms. Geetha is a short story writer also. ‘Sky is not Far’ is a collection of her latest short stories. This book has won a national award. Write a speech in 150 – 200 words you will deliver in her honour in the morning assembly.

‘Private cars should be banned in the congested commercial areas of the cities.’ Write a debate in 150-200 words either for or against the motion.

Answer the following question in 120-150 words:

Describe Marvel as an opportunist.

Answer the following question in 120-150 words:

How does Dr. Cuss’s encounter with Griffin end in a disaster?