Letter Writing

Write a letter to the editor of an English news paper about the inconveniences caused bandhs or strikes.

To,

The editor

The Hindustan Times

MG Road

Kolkata- 700420

Sub: Inconveniences caused strikes

Sir,

            I would like to raise my voice about the inconvenience caused to public by bandhs through your news paper. It is true that ‘bandhs’ is a weapon to protest against misrule in a democratic country. It is not just to call bandhs over trifle issues. But our political leaders are supposed to manhandle the weapon. Ours is a developing nation. When it is trying to abolished want an disease, strike proceeds to knock hell out of everything daily earners remain unfed schools, colleges, offices, shops etc. remain closed. Emergency patients have to wait for want of transport.

           

I don’t know whatever such ‘bandhs’ will be stopped. But through your strong editorial column you may create public opinion if the bandh may be discouraged.

Yours Frightfully

Sovon Biswas  

Mark 3 Questions From The Bishop’s Candlesticks

The Bishop’s Candlesticks

Norman Mckinnel (1870-1932)

Mark- 3                                                                                                                    Date- 12.8.10

1.      Don’t answer me back like that. It is rude……

-          What does the speaker want to mean?

Ans. When Persomy blames Marry for not tending the fire properly, Marry replies instantly that Persome herself has made fire. Persome takes offence at this end considers this attitude as rude.

Date- 2.9.10

2.      He is a poor traveller who is hungry

-          Who is the traveller? Why is he hungry?

Ans. The Convict is actually introduced as the poor traveller by the Bishop to Persome.

            The Convict is very hungry. He has been without food for the last three days. So the starving man badly needs food.

3.      I have a wolf inside me tearing at my entrails

-          Bring out the sense implied here.

Ans. The Convict wants to mean that hunger is tearing the inside his body just as a hungry wolf tears open its praey. The convict makes this remark as he is in acute hunger.

4.      ……….You want me to take them

-          What is referred to as ‘them’?

-          Why does the speaker hesitate to take them?

Ans. The Convict refers to the Bishop’s dear candlesticks.

            The speaker was unwilling to take them far two reasons. First the bes pardoned him even after stealing them. Secondly those are his mother’s dear gifts to him.

Mark 5 Questions From Nature

Nature

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)

Mark- 5                                                                                                                      Date: 12.10.10

1.      How, according to Longfellow, a fond mother takes her child to bed?

Or

Why and how is nature compared to a fond mother?

Or

Explain the image of the ‘fond mother’ and show how it helps illustrate the idea underlying the poem ‘Nature’?

Ans. Longfellow has presented his philosophical views of life and death through the image of a mother. At the (end/ close) of the day, the mother leads her child to bed. Nature deals with man in the same manner. She takes away all his worldly possessions and slowly prepares his mind for his ultimate rest, death.

Date: 19.10.10

2.      So nature deals with us and takes away our playthings one by one.

-How does nature deals with us?

Or

Bring out the significance of these lines.

Ans. Longfellow presents nature as a loving mother. At the (close/end) of the day. A fond mother takes away the playthings from her child and gently leads him to bed. Similarly, nature as an affectionate mother, gently leads man from worldly activities to (eternal/ perpetual) rest and peace in death. Thus she separates us from the temporal and unites us with the eternal.

Date: 21.10.10

3.      How, according to Longfellow, does nature gradually leads us towards death?

Or

How does nature prepare us for the ultimate rest?

Ans. We, the human beings, are too much busy with our worldly possessions. Nature like a loving but firm mother slowly takes away all these possessions and prepares our minds for the ultimate rest, that is, death. Through death we are lead to the unknown world of eternity.

4.      Discuss the philosophical view of life that Longfellow has presented in his poem ‘Nature’?

Or

Briefly reproduce the philosophical view of Longfellow as revealed in the poem ‘Nature’.

Or

Discuss Longfellow’s ‘Nature’ as a philosophical poem.

Ans. Longfellow’s poem ‘Nature’ presents a philosophical view about life and death. Man remains absorbed in his worldly affairs. At the end of the span of his life, Nature servers his bond with this and leads him to his death. The poet’s philosophy is of the inevitability of death. This is the supreme truth of life.