Personal response — describes an instance of swinging from a tree using a rope or branch.
Yes. As a child I tied a rope to a low branch and swung for fun, feeling the breeze and excitement of height.
Personal response — short yes/no with example.
Yes. I have climbed small fruit trees (mango/jackfruit/guava) to pick ripe fruit for family snacks.
Personal answer listing other occasions and reasons for tree-climbing.
Examples: to retrieve a kite, to get a bird's nest down to observe eggs, to collect fodder/fruit, or to enjoy the view — brief personal reasons.
From the story the ancestral house is described as an old stone house — answer in one line.
The old house was built of stone (stone walls).
Straight answer: the visitor is a former resident who returns to see the house and childhood places.
No. The visitor no longer lives in the house; he has come back to visit his old home.
He had hidden his childhood treasures in the jackfruit tree: marbles, a forbidden book, a few old coins and his grandfather's Iron Cross.
He hid the Iron Cross in the hollow of the jackfruit tree about twenty-five years earlier, when he was a boy.
1. T; 2. T; 3. T; 4. T; 5. T; 6. F; 7. T; 8. F; 9. F; 10. F.
- a. old age.
- b. youth.
- c. adulthood.
- d. middle age.
(a) Old age.
- a. remained unchanged.
- b. was totally changed.
- c. was slightly repaired.
- d. was given a facelift.
The house remained unchanged.
- a. Grand mother
- b. Uncle
- c. Grand father
- d. The visitor
(a) grandmother.
- a. wanted to see the jackfruit tree.
- b. was looking for his lost youth.
- c. wanted to look again at his old house
- d. wanted to buy the house.
He wanted to see the jackfruit tree.
- a. iron cross
- b. marbles
- c. bronze medal
- d. old coins
(a) an Iron Cross.
1. A tree's shade makes the people in a house feel protected and blessed by nature. 2. The writer observed that the house still stood firm and was almost unchanged. 3. Local people believed that a house on which a tree's shadow fell was blessed. 4. As a boy, he swung round and round on the turnstile until he became dizzy. 5. A Colonel owns the house now. 6. He returned to see his old house and the treasures left in the jackfruit tree. 7. The girl climbed the tree and retrieved the Iron Cross from its hollow. 8. The house originally belonged to the narrator's grandparents and was sold after his grandmother's death. 9. He gave the Iron Cross to the girl. 10. He had left his childhood treasures in a small hollow in the jackfruit tree.
1 — (trimming a plant)
2 — (emitting a sound)
3 — (soaked)
4 — (shaky)
5 — (flourishing)
6 — (lively)
7 — (a collection of precious things)
8 — (ancient)
1. you'd — you would / you had
2. they've — they have
3. he'd — he would / he had
4. he's — he is / he has
5. wasn't — was not
6. isn't — is not
7. doesn't — does not
8. aren't — are not
9. wouldn't — would not
10. can't — cannot
Model response:
1. I would remember the wooden desk with my name carved on it, the blackboard drawings, and the songs we used to sing.
2. I felt nostalgic and a little shy — happy to be back but surprised at how small everything looked.
3. I miss my teacher more for her kindness and patience, and I miss my friends for the fun times we had.
4. Visiting made me value those simple days and taught me to cherish old memories.
My Favourite Sport:
Everyone has a favourite sport. My favourite sport is football. It is a fun game to watch and play. I like every sport but football is my favourite because I love to play it. All my life I have been playing football, from the backyard to high school. Football has also provided me with a lot of memories that I can never forget. One memory is winning the Junior football trophy in high school. That is something I will never forget. Also, my family is a football family. My dad is also a football player.
1. I returned to Dehra to relive my childhood at my grandparents' house. The granite house and jackfruit tree were almost unchanged, though the turnstile had gone. I sat under the mango tree and remembered the piano, grandfather clock, old car, birds on the veranda and treasures hidden in the tree. Those memories restored the happiness of my youth. 2. The girl had kindly climbed the tree to retrieve the Iron Cross, so the man gave it to her in gratitude. Taking it away would have denied him the chance to repay her kindness; giving it made both of them happy.
75, Peace street,
Angel Nagar, Nagercoil – 16
7th July, 2018
Dear Queeny,
I am delighted to write to you about my visit to our ancestral house. Last Saturday I had gone there with my parents. It is an old house built with granite stones. There are lot of trees and garden plants in the garden. My grandparents still live there. There was an old swing beside the house. I started swinging for some time. 1 found some of my toys and dolls. I remembered my childhood days. I took some of them with me. I wish to spend my vacation there. I realized that rural life is comfortable than city life. We who live in the towns and cities miss the comforts a lot. Well, convey my love and regards to your mom and dad.
Yours lovingly
Angelina.
To
Sample filled table (example):
- proximity to the railway station: My place — 2 km; Partner's place — 8 km
- proximity to the airport: My place — 25 km; Partner's place — 60 km
- number of shopping centres: My place — 3; Partner's place — 1
- number of temples: My place — 5; Partner's place — 2
- important heritage centres: My place — old fort; Partner's place — historic church
- sea, lakes, rivers or ponds: My place — small lake nearby; Partner's place — no major water body
- traffic: My place — moderate; Partner's place — light
Comparative paragraph:
My locality is closer to transport and has more shopping centres and temples, while my partner's place is quieter with less traffic. My area has a small lake and a historic fort that attract visitors; my partner's town has fewer facilities but is more peaceful. Overall, my place is more convenient for daily needs, whereas my partner's place is calmer.
The page (42) gives the three comparison words. Example comparative sentences students can use:
- (a) Healthier — "Vegetable salad is healthier than fried chips."
- (b) More wholesome — "A bowl of porridge is more wholesome than a candy bar."
- (c) Less calorific — "An apple is less calorific than a slice of cake."
Students may substitute the pictured items and keep the same comparative forms.
(a) Healthier: "This meal is healthier than the fried snack." (b) More wholesome: "That home-cooked plate is more wholesome than the instant food." (c) Less calorific: "Fresh fruit is less calorific than sugary desserts."
Common comparison of two transport options (bicycle vs car): bicycle causes less pollution (more eco-friendly) and costs less to run (more economical); a car generally provides better protection and safety (safer). Adjust the noun pair to match the pictured items if they are different.
(a) A bicycle is more eco-friendly than a car.
(b) A bicycle is more economical than a car.
(c) A car is safer than a bicycle.
Typical comparisons between 'books/textbooks' and 'social media' (common textbook example): books/textbooks tend to be more educational; social media often feels more interesting to students and is generally trendier. If the textbook pictures show different items, substitute those items and use the same comparative adjectives.
(a) Books are more educational than most social media posts.
(b) Social media can be more interesting than textbooks for many students.
(c) Social media is trendier than traditional textbooks.
Typical transport comparison (bus vs motorcycle): buses generally offer greater safety and comfort while motorcycles can be faster in congested urban traffic. If the actual pictures show other items, substitute them and keep the comparative structures.
(a) A bus is safer than a motorcycle.
(b) A bus is more comfortable than a motorcycle.
(c) A motorcycle can be quicker than a bus in heavy traffic.
Comparison between a wooden cottage and a concrete house: cottages often feel cozier while concrete houses are usually stronger and more expensive. Replace the nouns with the actual pictured items if they differ.
(a) A wooden cottage is cozier than a concrete house.
(b) A concrete house is costlier than a wooden cottage.
(c) A concrete house is sturdier than a wooden cottage.
These model sentences use comparative and superlative forms appropriate for bar-graph comparisons (more popular, less popular, among the least/most). Students should check the graph's exact bar heights and replace 'more/less' as required by the actual data (for example, if a sport decreased, change 'became more' to 'became less').
1. Paragliding was more popular in 2017 than it was in 2001.
2. Rafting became more popular in 2017 compared with 2001.
3. Rock climbing was less popular in 2001 than in 2017 (i.e., it grew by 2017).
4. Bungee jumping was less popular than paragliding in both years.
5. Surfing remained among the least popular sports in both 2001 and 2017.
Page 43 of the book lists 'Versatile' as an example and, in the 'Just a Minute' activity nearby, several speech-related words appear (hesitation, stuttering, stammering, gesticulations, deviating). These are appropriate words students might encounter in a conversation exercise. Students should verify the listening transcript on page 203 and use a dictionary to record precise meanings and example sentences.
New Word — Meaning:
Versatile — able to adapt to different activities or functions.
Hesitation — the act of pausing before saying or doing something.
Stuttering — speaking with involuntary repetition of sounds or syllables.
Stammering — speaking with involuntary pauses and repetitions (similar to stuttering).
Gesticulate / Gesticulations — to use hand or body movements to express something.
Deviate — to move away from an established course or topic.
Provide short, focused topics related to the unit and practical speaking tips: plan structure (intro, points, conclusion), use simple sentences, and practice timing to fill one minute without hesitation.
Suggested topics: "My favourite childhood game", "A memorable visit to my ancestral house", "Why reading is important", "An adventure sport I would like to try", "How to spend a healthy weekend".
Tips: Think of 3–4 clear points, start with a one-line introduction, give 1–2 supporting points, and end with a concluding sentence. Speak slowly and clearly, avoid fillers, and keep to the topic.