English Notes

Summary ‘My Childhood’ is an extract taken from the autobiographical book, ‘Wings of Fire’ by A.P.J.Abdul Kalam. Here Dr. Kalam who was one of the greatest scientists of India and also the 14th President of India gives an account of his childhood days. His journey from a middle-class family in Rameswaram to the President’s house has not been a smooth ride. He worked hard and faced all the challenges of life. This great scientist and the missile man of India was born in a middle class Muslim family in 1931 in the island town of Rameswaram, Tamilnadu. In his childhood he was greatly influenced by his parents, his teachers and his friends. His father, Jainulabdeen, was not much educated but he was very generous and kind person. He was not rich but provided a secure childhood to Abdul and his siblings. Abdul inherited honesty and self-discipline from his father and faith in goodness and deep kindness from his mother. Kalam earned his first wages by working as a helping hand

Summary The story is about a doctor’s encounter with a snake. The doctor lived in a small rented room full of rats. One night, when he returned after dinner he heard a sound. He heard the sound few times more as he lit a kerosene lamp and prepared for bed. Since, he couldn’t sleep; he sat on a chair to read a book. There was also a large Mirror on the table. 3. He turned to see what it was, and froze with fear to see a big snake. The snake then coiled itself around the doctor’s left arm. The doctor prayed to God and sat still as stone. Then the snake looked into the mirror on the table and uncoiled itself from the doctor’s arm and came on the table. The doctor at once got up and ran out of the room. He spent the night at the house of one of his friends. The next morning he came back to his room. He was shocked to find that during the night some thief had taken away everything from his room. Comprehension Questions (a)Describe the doctor’s rented residence. Or What

Summary Once Saint Peter stopped by an old lady's cottage because he was feeling hungry and weak after walking around the world , preaching . The lady was baking cakes on the hearth. Since he was weak with fasting, he asked her for a cake from her store of cakes. The selfish lady tried to bake small cakes but each time they seemed too big for her to give away. Finally, she baked one that was as thin as a wafer. Unable to part with it too, she put it on a shelf and did not give any cake to the Saint. Saint Peter was very angry with her behaviour and said she was too selfish to live as a human and have food, shelter and a fire to keep her warm. He punished her by changing her into a woodpecker that would have to build a nest to live in, bore for food in the trunks of trees. Her clothes were burned and she was left with her scarlet cap on her head as she flew out through the chimney. Even today she still lives in the woods and is seen by all the country school boys.