The Tiger in the Tunnel By Ruskin bond

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The Tiger in the Tunnel  By Ruskin bond

Thembu’s father, Baldeo, was a small-time employee in the railways. His job demanded working at night. No matter how cold or wet the night was, he had to brave the elements to go out of his hut for duty. His humble dwelling was beside a jungle.

On one occasion, Thembu was awake in his bed when his father got ready to step out. It was a dark, quiet and forbidding night. The stillness was broken by the shrill cry of the cicadas. One could even hear the faint tik tak sounds of the woodpeckers, digging into barks of trees with their beaks. A mild breeze blew. The grunt of a wild boar digging out its delicious roots punctuated the pervasive silence of the jungle.

Baldeo worked as a watchman in the railways. He lay awake as he had to go out on his night duty. He removed the thick shawl from his body rather reluctantly. The cold was biting. The midnight’s cold was unforgiving. The station he was attached to was very rudimentary set-up where trains stopped only occasionally. There was a long tunnel ahead, and the trains needed to be flagged in due to safety considerations. This was the reason why the trains slowed down briefly as they went past the station to enter the tunnel.

On Baldeo’s shoulders lay the responsibility of inspecting the tunnel for any possible obstruction of the track. He would signal the trains in only if there was no hindrance to obstruct the train. Baldeo used to stand guard at the tunnel entrance and manually wave the train in by his hand-crafted signal. Despite, the basic nature of this arrangement, Baldeo’s contribution to the safe passage of the train was critical.

On that fateful night, the young boy Thembu wanted to accompany his father. His curiousity got the better of his comfort in the warm bed. But, Baldeo didn’t want his son to be exposed to that night’s cold. Thembu was asked not to venture out.

Thembu was a 12-year-old then. He had to extend a helping hand to his mother and young sister in household chores and in the work in the family farm. This robbed him of the opportunity to sleep in the station beside his father, Baldeo. From the station to their hut that stood bordering the tribal village, it was a three mile trek. Baldeo’s salary from the railways, although meager, came in handy to meet his family’s needs. The paltry income from their paddy farm fell well short of their needs. Baldeo, had thus managed to avoid grinding poverty. His love for the railways and the Khalasi job he did was, therefore, understandable.

Baldeo, with sleep weighing down his eye lids, struggled to rise. It took him some effort to find the match box he wanted to light the lamp. Undeterred by the darkness and the cold, he stepped out of his hut and set off for the station treading the same solitary jungle path which he used every night on his way to duty. Thembu had fallen asleep again in the meanwhile.

Baldeo was not sure if the lamp in the signal post was alight. Wrapping the shawl around his body, he trudged forward along the track in the chill. It was not a pleasant job, but he did it each night dutifully. But, he loved to return to the warmth of his hut.

The hills on either towered over the rail track. An uncanny feeling of fear seemed to grip the desolate area. The wild animals were there around the place. Baldeo had to be very alert to their presence. He had heard many stories about the man-eaters that stalked the tunnel, but he consciously brushed these tales as nothing but figments of imagination. Till that night, he had not encountered any wild animal.

Some panthers, obviously, were there. One such cat was killed by the villagers. Their spears pierced its body to death. Panthers had stayed clear of Baldeo’s hut so far.

Baldeo, undaunted by the looming danger of wild animals in the area, walked forward confidently. His tribal blood had trained him to defy the fears. He carried a small axe, which he could use to deadly effect when the need rose. He used it to chop off trees, and as a bulwark against the jungle animals’ possible attack.

On one occasion, he had killed a boar with the same axe. His family feasted on its meat for three days. The axe was a precious family possession. It had belonged to his father who had wrought its steel blade quite deftly over charcoal fire. The blade’s shine had remained intact over the years. In the hand of Baldeo, it was a formidable weapon against any attack. On occasions, railway officials had offered good money to buy the weapon, but Baldeo was too proud of it to part with it.

Baldeo, finally, reached the tunnel. It was a frightening sight as the dark interior seemed to awe any intruder.

Baldeo’s concern was the lamp. It had stopped burning. Had it run dry? He wanted to ascertain if there was enough oil left in it. If not, he would have to rush home to fetch some. The train was due soon. He lowered the lamp using its chain.

As he ran his hand over his body to get hold of the match box, he could hear the shriek of a deer from afar. He heard a big thud from nearby undergrowth. It made Baldeo’s hairs stand on their roots. Luckily for him, there was some oil left in the lamp. That saved him the trouble of going back to his hut. He lit the lamp, put it in position, and looked around apprehensively.

Not losing any more time, he went on his inspection tour of the tunnel’s passageway. The lamp on his hand swung as he walked briskly. The shadows danced to and fro on the wall. The tunnel was clear. Baldeo paced back to the entrance and waited for the train’s approach.
The train was late. Baldeo wrapped himself up tightly to kkeep warm and sat down. Soon, he dozed off, forgetting the unusual sounds he had heard some time earlier.

In the hut, the rumbling sound of the train set the environment alive. Thembu woke up from his sleep, and thinking that he was beside his father, blurted out, ‘Father, it is time to light the lamp.’ Soon, he discovered that his father had left much earlier leaving him on the warm bed of the hut. He lay wide awake hoping to see his father back from duty after the train departed.

Baldeo was woken up hearing the frightening grunt of a jungle cat very close to him. Bracing up for the danger, Baldeo grabbed his axe firmly, and wanted to figure out the location from which the sound came. An ominous silence lasted for a while. Was it the lull before a storm?
A few pebbles came cascading down the slope preceded by a thump. The tiger had arrived at Ground Zero!

Baldeo knew for certain it was a tiger, but he did not know the direction in which it was moving. ‘Was the tiger heading towards his hut, where his son Thembu was asleep?’ wondered Baldeo.

Just about a minute after, the majestic animal unveiled itself within yards of where Baldeo stood. I t was coming straight at him. The tiger’s shone brightly with their piercing gaze. Baldeo’s sense told him the futility of fleeing. Outpacing a tiger on the prowl is humanly impossible, he reasoned. With the signal post at his back, Baldeo stood still frozen fear as the tiger approached. 
The tiger was a man-eater. He knew how feeble humans were against its might. Expecting no great fight-back from his prey, the tiger assumed a frightening aggressive posture with its right paw forward.

Baldeo moved swiftly to evade the paw and swung back at his attacker with his axe. The axe landed on the tiger’s shoulder. The enraged tiger charged against Baldeo with full fury. Baldeo again hit back at it with his axe. The axe inflicted a deep cut on the tiger’s leg, almost chopping it off. Unfortunately, the axe remained stuck in the tiger’s body leaving Baldeo without his only weapon of defence. Baldeo became utterly vulnerable now.

The tiger, seething in pain, pounced upon Baldeo with savage vengeance, and tore his body apart in no time. For Baldeo, the end came swiftly. He felt an excruciating pain on his back before falling silent for good. He had perished.

The tiger retreated to a distance and licked its limb. The pain of the cut made him to grunt intermittently. The tiger was also shaken by the encounter. It could not hear the sound of the approaching train. The Overland Mail came in majestically with its furnace aglow and smoke and sparks shrouding the engine as it struggled to climb up the incline.
Just before entering the tunnel, the driver blew the steam whistle, as was customary. The intent was to ward off obstructions from the track. The train kicked up a big noise inside the narrow tunnel. After a while, it emerged triumphantly at the other end. The din in the forest died down fast. Everything fell silent as if nothing had happened.

As a routine practice, the driver halted the train to re-charge water into the engine. He got down for unwinding a bit, and inspecting the headlamp. But, what he saw sent a shiver down his spine. He had never see anything like this before.

The tiger’s mangled body was stuck just above the cowcatcher of the engine. Obviously, the tiger had been mauled by the steel giant. 
People soon gathered around the place. They gaped at the carcass, and made their own judgments in shock and wonder.

Thembu had arrived on the spot where the deadly encounter with the tiger had ended his father’s life. The poor boy sobbed as he looked on with his tear-filled eyes at what remained of his dead father. He sat there, undeterred by the approaching darkness. He wanted to guard his father’s dead body from the jungle animals who relished human flesh. The relief watchman came in due course.

For two complete days a pall of gloom hung over Thembu, his sister and the mother. The grief almost numbed them into silence.

But, life had to go on, regardless of the misfortune. On Thembu’s shoulder fell the responsibility of earning a living. Just three nights after the ghastly incident involving his father, Thembu was there at the tunnel doing exactly what his dead father did. It was a legacy he was proud of.

To cut the boredom, Thembu sang silently to himself as he waited for the incoming train. His father had fought valiantly winning everyone’s acclaim. The tiger’s death was sweet revenge for Thembu’s family. Besides, he had inherited the legendary axe that had inflicted such a fatal cut on the tiger. He felt proud.

Active and passive Voices

Active voice
In most English sentences with an action verb, the subject performs the action denoted by the verb.
These examples show that the subject is doing the verb’s action.

Because the subject does or “acts upon” the verb in such sentences, the sentences are said to be in the active voice.

Passive voice
One can change the normal word order of many active sentences (those with a direct object) so that the subject is no longer active, but is, instead, being acted upon by the verb – or passive.
Note in these examples how the subject-verb relationship has changed.

Because the subject is being “acted upon” (or is passive), such sentences are said to be in the passive voice.
NOTE: Colorful parrots live in the rainforests cannot be changed to passive voice because the sentence does not have a direct object.
To change a sentence from active to passive voice, do the following:
1. Move the active sentence’s direct object into the sentence’s subject slot

2. Place the active sentence’s subject into a phrase beginning with the preposition by

3. Add a form of the auxiliary verb be to the main verb and change the main verb’s form

Because passive voice sentences necessarily add words and change the normal doer-action-receiver of action direction, they may make the reader work harder to understand the intended meaning.
As the examples below illustrate, a sentence in active voice flows more smoothly and is easier to understand than the same sentence in passive voice.

It is generally preferable to use the ACTIVE voice.

To change a passive voice sentence into an active voice sentence, simply reverse the steps shown above.
1. Move the passive sentence’s subject into the active sentence’s direct object slot

2. Remove the auxiliary verb be from the main verb and change main verb’s form if needed

3. Place the passive sentence’s object of the preposition by into the subject slot.

Because it is more direct, most writers prefer to use the active voice whenever possible.
The passive voice may be a better choice, however, when
• the doer of the action is unknown, unwanted, or unneeded in the sentence
Examples

• the writer wishes to emphasize the action of the sentence rather than the doer of the action
Examples

• the writer wishes to use passive voice for sentence variety.

Here are examples of sentences written in both the active voice and the passive voice, with the active voice sentence appearing first:
1. Harry ate six shrimp at dinner. (active)
At dinner, six shrimp were eaten by Harry. (passive)
2. Beautiful giraffes roam the savannah. (active)
The savannah is roamed by beautiful giraffes. (passive)
3. Sue changed the flat tire. (active)
The flat tire was changed by Sue. (passive)
4. We are going to watch a movie tonight. (active)
A movie is going to be watched by us tonight. (passive)
5. I ran the obstacle course in record time. (active)
The obstacle course was run by me in record time. (passive)
6. The crew paved the entire stretch of highway. (active)
The entire stretch of highway was paved by the crew. (passive)
7. Mom read the novel in one day. (active)
The novel was read by Mom in one day. (passive)
8. The critic wrote a scathing review. (active)
A scathing review was written by the critic. (passive)
9. I will clean the house every Saturday. (active)
The house will be cleaned by me every Saturday. (passive)
10. The staff is required to watch a safety video every year. (active)
A safety video will be watched by the staff every year. (passive)
11. She faxed her application for a new job. (active)
The application for a new job was faxed by her. (passive)
12. Tom painted the entire house. (active)
The entire house was painted by Tom. (passive)
13. The teacher always answers the students’ questions. (active)
The students’ questions are always answered by the teacher. (passive)
14. The choir really enjoys that piece. (active)
That piece is really enjoyed by the choir. (passive)
15. Who taught you to ski? (active)
By whom were you taught to ski? (passive)
16. The forest fire destroyed the whole suburb. (active)
The whole suburb was destroyed by the forest fire. (passive)
17. The two kings are signing the treaty. (active)
The treaty is being signed by the two kings. (passive)
18. The cleaning crew vacuums and dusts the office every night. (active)
Every night the office is vacuumed and dusted by the cleaning crew. (passive)
19. Larry generously donated money to the homeless shelter. (active)
Money was generously donated to the homeless shelter by Larry. (passive)
20. No one responded to my sales ad. (active)
My sales ad was not responded to by anyone. (passive)

Grammar for Xth and XIIth students

OLD Questions answered

ICSE Examinations Grammar Questions from 2008
Question 4
(a)    In the following passage, fill in each of the numbered blanks with the correct form of the word given in brackets. Do not copy the passage, but write in correct serial order the word or phrase appropriate to the blank space.
Example:        (0) was. There (0)    (be) some confusion in the doorway. A man (1)     (get) into the compartment (2) _    (stammer) an apology. Then the door (3)    (bang) and the world was (4)     (shut) out again. I (5)     (return) to my berth. The
guard (6)    (blow) his whistle and we (7)    (move) off. Once again I (8)    (has) a game to play.                             

0. was 1. got 2. stammering 3 banged. 4. shut 5 returned 6. blew 7. moved 8. had

(b)    Fill in the blanks with appropriate words:- (i)        The   elderly   man  prepared   himself  for a   life of retirement. 

(ii)       Do you take his word  against mine?
(iii)     Rohini is very concerned   of/about her father's health.
(iv)      Altaf had many books and papers scattered all over the room.
(v)       The Phoenix is a legendary bird that rises from its ashes.
(vi)      The police pulled the briefcase from   under the table.
(vii)     The mob rushed onto the pavement, everyone seemed angry with everyone else.
(viii)    The old woman looked inside the cupboard, searching for the photograph.                                            [4] [c] Join the following sentences to make one complete sentence without using and, but or so. (i)    The heart attack was mild. Mr. Bose stayed in bed for three weeks.

Although the heart attack was mild, Mr.Bose stayed in bed for three days.

(ii)   The men went out to see if anyone was missing. The women stayed behind to care for the injured.

While the men went out to see any one was missing , the women stayed behind to take care of the injured.

(iii)  Her mother warned her not to talk to strangers. She told her not to accept gifts from people she did not know.

Not only did her mother warn her not ot talk to strangers but also not to accept gifts from them

(iv)      Everyone was drenched wet by now. The rain had come down harder.                                                    [4] As the rain had come down harder, everyone was drenched wet by now. [d] Re-write the following sentences according to the instructions given after each. Make other changes that may be necessary, but do not change the meaning of each sentence,

(i)        "Have you walked alone, this long distance today?" he asked Sumita. (Begin: He asked Sumita if.    )

He asked Sumita if she had walked alone that long distance on that day. (ii)       The detective interrogated the suspect closely for over three hours. (Begin: The suspect   ………..)

The suspect was  closely interrogated by the detective for over three hours.

(iii)       I suddenly realized that the room was too small for the three of us to share. (Begin: I suddenly realized that the room was so    )

I suddenly realised that the room was so small that the three of us could not share it.

(iv)      Inspite of all her efforts, Susan did not succeed. (Begin: Despite    )

Despite all her efforts, Susan did not succeed
(v)       As soon as the bell rang, the children rushed out of class. (Begin: No sooner    )

No sooner did the bell ring than the children rushed out of the class. (vi)      Sachin stood first in class and he also excelled at debate. (Begin: Not only    )

Not only did Sachin stand first in the class but also excelled at the debate.
(vii)     She was the only person capable of being House Captain. (Use: capability)

She was the only person who had the capability to be the a House Captain.

(viii)    Rohan was the tallest boy in the basketball team. (Rewrite using: taller)    [8]

Rohan was taller than any other boy in the basket ball team.

ICSE Examinations Grammar Questions from 2009
Question 4
(a)    In the following passage, fill in each of the numbered blanks with the correct form of the word given in brackets.  Do not copy the passage, but write in correct serial order the word or phrase appropriate to the blank space.
Example: (0)    spoke. As she (0)    (speak) 1(1)     (rise) and (2)     (go) to the centre blackboard, 1(3)    (find) the chalk (4)    (write) in block letters the title of the book. Then 1 (5)     (put) the chalk down and went to (6)     (sit), beside her, to (7)    (hold) her hand.

The day had barely (8)     (begin).                                                                                                       [4] 
1. rose 2. went 3. found 4, wrote 5. put 6. sit 7. hold 8. begun 

(b)    Fill in the blanks with appropriate words:- (1)    I prevailed upon    him to join the gymnasium.
(ii)      The curious child eagerly begged for   an answer to the riddle.
(iii)     He was bent  on  coming first in the examinations.
(iv)     The theory exam was followed by    a group discussion.
(v)      1 ran across    my teacher at the show last night.
(vi)     She is extremely anxious about  an interview next week.
(vii)     What a contrast   between  the two siblings!
(viii)  The brothers fought over their  father’s property.                                                                                                   

(c)  Join the following sentences to make one complete sentence without using and, but or so: (i)    Swarna asked me a question. I was unable to answer it.

I was unable to answer the question Swarna asked me.
(ii)    You helped Tania. She will always be grateful.

Tanya  will always be grateful for your help.

(iii)    I heard you won a prize. I am extremely delighted.

I am extremely delighted to hear that you won a prize. (iv)    There was heavy traffic. We reached the stadium on time.                       

Inspite of the heavy traffic, we reached the stadium on time.                                                        [4] (d)    Re-write the following sentences according to the instructions given after each. Make other changes that may be necessary, but do not change the meaning of each sentence. (i)       Study hard now or you will regret it.  (Begin: Unless    )

Unless you study hard , you will regret. (ii)       The boy asked, 'Why are you lying on the road in this manner?' (Begin: The boy asked why he    )

The boy asked why I was/ we were lying on the road in that manner. (iii)      Megha is too tall to crawl under the table. (Begin: Megha is so    )

Meghana is so tall that she cannot crawl under the table. (iv)      He arrived in school on time even though he stopped for a bite on the way. (Use 'in spite of instead of even though)

In spite of stopping for a bite on the way, he arrived in School on time.

(v)       She opened the kitchen door and a cockroach ran out. (End with 'cockroach'.)

When she opened her kitchen roar, out ran a cockroach.

vi)     Arjun was a better speaker than his brother. (Begin: His brother    )

His brother is not as good a speaker as as Arjun. (vii)     Asha missed her examination because of her illness. (Begin: Her illness    )

Her illness caused Asha to miss her examination.
(viii)    As soon as the curtain came down the applause rang out. (Begin: No sooner    )  

No sooner did the curtain come down than the applause started.

Grammar questions from year 2004

Question 1

Rewrite the following sentences according to the instructions given after each. Make other changes that may be necessary, but do not change the meaning of each sentence.

1. The thieves stole everything from the merchant and left him for dead. (Begin: Having................)
   Answer:- Having stolen everything from the merchant , the thieves left him for dead.


2. Prerna consulted her parents before accepting the job offer. (Begin: Prerna did not............)
   Answer:- Prerna did not accept job offer without consulting her parents.


3. The driver lost his job because of rash driving. (Begin: iI the driver.................)
   Answer:- If the driver was not rash, he would have continued this job.


4. Very few doctors in the hospital are as dedicated as he is. (Begin: He is...................)
   Answer: He is one of the most dedicated doctor in the hospital.


5. The Principal dealt with the miscreants firmly. (Begin: The Principal was...............)
   Answer:- The Principal was firm in dealing with the miscreants.

Question 2

Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions:-

1. He may run ------------------- when we least expect him.


2. The jewel was sold ------------------ at thrice its cost price.


3. They took --------------- his company with all liabilities.


4. The new manager gets ----------- well with his colleagues.


5. Please contact me ------------- 9 A.M. and 10 A.M.


6. Priya was knocked -------------- by a speeding car.


7. Pursued by his enemies, he swam ----------- this river to safety.


8. They drove him ------------- the city in their new car.


9. ------------ with other things they found a old sword near the ruins of the building.


10. He flew ----------- a rage when he was challenged.

Answers:-

1. up
2. at
3. up
4. on
5. between
6. down
7. across
8. to
9. with
10. into

Question 3

Join the following sentences to make one complete sentence without using and, but or so:-

1. He got married suddenly. This took everyone by surprise.
   Answer:- Every one surprised with his sudden marriage.


2. He completed the work on time. There were many obstacles.
   Answer:- Though there were many obstacles, he completed the work on time.


3. Ritu's plan is perfect. She want everyone realize this.
   Answer:- Ritu wants everyone realize that her plan is perfect.


4. Sophia is a quite girl. She is an introvert.
   Answer:- Sophia is not only a quite girl but also an introvert.


5. I met Shiela's mother. She works in a school nearby.
   Answer:- Shiela's mother who works in a nearby school met me.

Grammar questions from year 2005

Question 1

In the following passage, fill in each of the numbered blanks with correct form of the word given in the brackets. Do not copy the passage, but write in correct serial order or phrase appropriate to blank space:-

After Christopher Columbus returned from his famous voyage across the Atlantic, the king of Spain(1)------------(wish) to celebrate the great event and do honour to the man who(2)--------- (make) himself a national hero. He(3)-------(do) so by holding a banquet in honour of the explorer. To this banquet he(4)---------(invite) many of the nobles of the kings court. some of them(5)--------- (be) jealous of the success Coumbus (6)---------(achieve). One of them sat next to Columbus. He turned towards Columbus and said, "Of course you (7) ------------ (be) a brave man but anyone can take ship and sail on and on till he(8)----------- (reach) land. " 

Answers:- 

1. wished
2. had made
3. did
4. invited
5. were
6. had achieved
7. are
8. reaches

Question 2

Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions:-

1. The safari parks of South Africa abound------------- wild animals.


2. The young man excels-------- of both music and dance.


3. She is diligent student, worthy --------- praise.


4. I saw --------- his plan and realized that he was going to cheat us.


5. I was-------- the impression that the meeting had been cancelled.


6. Always be true ---- yourself.


7. The villager's lodged a complaint-----------the corrupt officials.


8. I can rely----- my sister for help.

1. in
2. at/in
3. of
4. through
5. under
6. to
7. against
8. on/upon

Learn and practice some more Grammar questions 

Question 3

Explain the difference in meaning between the pairs of sentences given below:-
Question:-

1. She must have repainted the car.


2. She must have the car repainted.

Answers:

1. This means that she must have painted the car again.


2. This means that the car needs to be painted again.

Question:-

3. "The girl", said the boy, "was ugly".


4. The girl said the boy was ugly.

Answers:

3. This means that the girl stated that the boy was ugly.


4. This means that the girl stated that the boy was ugly.

Question 4

Rewrite the following sentences according to the instructions given after each. Make other changes that may necessary; but do not change the meaning of each sentence:

1. Jasdeep has probably forgotten his mother's birthday. (Begin: in------------)
   Ans. In all probability Jasdeep has forgotten his mother's birthday.


2. Mr. Sharma advised the children not to go in the cold.(End with:"-------------------------",said Mr. Sharma)
   Ans. "Children, I advise you not to go out in the cold", said Mr.Sharma.


3. For more information please contact the secretary of the club. (Begin: Should------------)
   Ans. Should more information may be required, the secretary of the club may please be contacted.


4. Ritika returned to school a week ago. (Begin: It has been-------------)
   Ans. It has been a week since Ritika returned to school


5. She was beautiful and humble. (Begin: Not only-----------)
   Ans. Not only she was beautiful but she was humble as well.


6. Both the players not adequately prepared for the tournament. (Begin: Neither)
   Ans. Neither of the players is adequately prepared for the tournament.


7. A fragrant flower is the loveliest creation of nature.(Begin: No other--------------)
   Ans. No other creation of nature is as lovely as fragrant flower.


8. He could not take part in singing competition as he had a sore throat. (Use: Prevented----------)
   Ans. A sore throat prevented him from taking part in the singing competition.

Grammar questions from year 2006

Question 1

In the following passage, fill in each of the numbered blanks with correct form of the word given in the brackets. Do not copy the passage, but write in correct serial order or phrase appropriate to blank space:-
Example:(0) giving
Mid-afternoon (0)--------(give) my reports to Mrs. Biggs, I (1)------- (hear) a loud thumping (2)---------(come) from the direction of her store room. "What (3)------(be) all that noise downstairs and (4)--------(open) the store room door. There was Mr. Biggs (5)-------(look) very dusty and very disgruntled; he wanted to know why Mrs. Biggs (6)-------(shut) him up for hours. Hehad gone into the store room in search of walking stick and Mrs. Biggs, (7)------(see) the door open, had promptly (8) ----------(bolt) it.

Answers:- 

1. heard
2. coming
3. is
4. opened
5. looking
6. had shut
7. having seen
8. bolted

Question 2

Fill up the blanks with appropriate words:-

1. He refused to put -------- with their interference in his affairs.


2. She has been going ---------- the script for days.


3. It is our duty to protest---------injustice.


4. He soon became accustomed --------- the harsh weather.


5. Dilip went out------- his way to help the poor.


6. He was able to put-------- his ideas so cleverly that he impressed everyone.


7. He persists ------ teasing the other children in the class.


8. I have been waiting for you ------- four o'clock.

Answers:-

1. up
2. through
3. against
4. to
5. of
6. up
7. in
8. since

Question 3

Join the following sentences to make one complete sentence without using and, but or so.

1. Sahil composed a wonderful song. It became a hit.
   Ans. Sahil composed a song which became a hit.


2. Rani reached the spot. We were to mate there.
   Ans. Rani reached the spot where we were to meet her.


3. Dick met me. I gave him the document.
   Ans. I gave the document when he met me.


4. Shenaz was very upset. I wanted to help her out.
   Ans. As Shenaz was very upset, I wanted to help her out.

Question 4

Rewrite the following sentences according to the instructions given after each. Make other changes that may be necessary, but do not change the meaning of each sentence.

1. As soon as the Chief Guest arrived, the band started playing. (Begin: No sooner--------)
   Ans. No sooner did the Chief Guest arrive than the band started playing.


2. He went to the library and to the bank. (Begin: Not only--------)
   Ans. Not only did he go to the library but also to the bank.


3. Though he is very poor, he helps others need. (Begin: Inspite----------)
   Ans. Inspite of his poverty, he helps others in need.


4. He does not intend to leave the company.(Use: intention)
   Ans. He has no intention to leave the company.


5. "Do you want some more ice-cream or a slice of cake?" asked my aunt. (Begin: My aunt asked------)
   Ans. My aunt asked me if I wanted some more ice-cream or a slice of cake.


6. They are painting a mural on the front wall. (Begin: A mural)
   Ans. A mural is being painted on the front wall by them.


7. Tansen was the best singer in Akbar's court. (Use: better)
   Ans. No other singer in Akbar's court was better than Tansen.


8. You remembered to buy a loaf of bread, didn't you? (Begin: You didn't------)
   Ans. You didn't forget to buy a loaf of bread.

The Charge of the Light Brigade By Tennyson

Plot of the Poem The Charge of the Light Brigade By Tennyson

Tennyson published "The Charge of the Light Brigade" in an English newspaper called The Examiner on December 9, 1854. By that point, he had been the Poet Laureate of England for more than four years, and he was well on his way to being the most famous and successful poet of his time.

While reading this poem, it's important to know that at the time, the British were fighting the Russian Empire in the Crimean War. Tennyson read a newspaper story about the Battle of Balaclava (not to be confused with baklava, the delicious dessert). In this battle, a small group of British soldiers on horseback (called the Light Brigade) made a desperate and doomed attack, and suffered heavy casualties. Apparently, Tennyson was so moved by what he read that he dashed off this poem, which has turned into one of the most famous poems ever about the tragic heroism of soldiers.

Line by Line summary

Lines 1-2

Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,

• This poem starts with the same three words, "Half a league" repeated three times.
• First of all, what does that mean? Well, a league is an old way to measure distance, and it was equal to about 3 miles. So half a league is roughly a mile and a half.
• Second of all, why start a poem like this? Well, we think it sets up a nice rhythm, a kind of rolling, hypnotic sound. Maybe even a bit like a military march: Left! Left! Left, right, left!
• We also think these opening lines make the speaker of the poem sound exhausted, like he is at the end of a race, just trying to force himself through the last few laps. That mood will be really important later in the poem

Line 3

All in the valley of Death

• Now this isn't half a league on a sunny day in the park. Nope, it turns out we're traveling in "the valley of Death." Scary, huh?
• We don't know exactly what that means at this point, but it's sure meant to make us feel a little scared and uncertain.
• We're pretty sure Tennyson and his readers would also have been thinking of the famous line in Psalm 23: "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death."

Line 4

Rode the six hundred.

• Tennyson is slowly introducing us to the setting and the action of the poem.
• Notice that he isn't being too specific. We already know that someone is covering a certain distance in a scary place. Now we learn that there are six hundred people, and that they are riding, probably on horseback. We mean, would you want to take your bicycle out for a spin in the valley of Death?
• We'll get more details soon, but things are already taking shape.

Line 5

"Forward, the Light Brigade!

• Now someone speaks, shouting out a military order to move forward. We don't know who this fellow is, but he introduces the heroes of this poem, the fearless men of the Light Brigade. Who are these guys?
• Well, they are a group of soldiers – a "brigade" is a way of dividing up an army.
• They are "cavalry" soldiers, meaning they are riding on horseback.
• Finally, they are called "Light" to separate them from the "Heavy Brigade," another kind of cavalry unit at the time. Make sense? We just didn't want you to think they were actually glowing or anything.
• Also, Tennyson's poem is based on real events. In 1854, there was a Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War.

Line 6

Charge for the guns!" he said.

• Imagine you're a soldier in 1854. We think "charge for the guns" would probably be the last thing you'd want to hear. That sounds dangerous, right? Especially if you're on a horse. Most folks would probably rather charge away from the guns.
• Who is this guy shouting out such a crazy order? We're not quite sure, and we think Tennyson left him invisible on purpose, to keep us focused on the amazing, tough guys in the Light Brigade.

Line 7-8

Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

• The speaker ends the first section of the poem with a little refrain, a kind of recap of what we've learned so far (in lines 3-4).
• The brigade has been ordered into the valley, and they're riding in, even though they know that guns and "Death" are waiting for them.

Line 9

"Forward, the Light Brigade!"

• The order is repeated. The speaker really wants us to focus on those words, on the command to move forward. The men are being sent to their doom.
• Again, we don't know who's giving the orders here, but this disembodied voice might make us pause and think about why these brave men are being sent into "the valley of Death."

Line 10

Was there a man dismayed?

• Now we're trying to get a peek into the heads of these soldiers, trying to imagine how it must feel to charge toward death.
• The speaker asks if any of the soldiers were "dismayed." In this case, to be dismayed means to lose your courage, to be overcome by terror or sadness. That would be a pretty normal reaction to a situation like this.

Line 11-12

Not though the soldier knew
Someone had blundered.

• Of course the Light Brigade is too tough and loyal to feel dismayed.
• That first word, "not," implies that these men don't feel discouraged at all. They're ready to do their job, even though the order might be crazy.
• This is a really important point in this poem. The soldiers aren't dumb. They know this charge isn't a good idea, that someone has made a mistake, has "blundered."
• This is as close as the poem gets to criticizing the men who ordered this attack. The speaker is no revolutionary, but we think you can feel some anger at the commanders simmering under this poem, especially at this moment.

Lines 13-15

Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die.

• This is a famous group of lines, and for good reason. Do you see how they fit together, the way they share the same first word and the same rhyming sound at the end? Do you see how simple they are, too? There's no showing off, no fancy words (in fact almost all the words in these lines are one syllable).
• The speaker uses these lines to sum up all of the honest, humble heroism of these men. They're just doing their job. That job doesn't let permit them to talk back to their commanders ("make reply") or to figure out the point of the attack ("reason why"). All they can do is to ride and fight and possibly die ("do and die").

Line 16-17

Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

• These last two lines are the same as the last two lines in the first stanza. In poetry, that's called a refrain (like the chorus in a song). It emphasizes the main action of the poem, which is these men riding to their death. It also gives a smooth, dignified rhythm to the poem.

Line 18-20

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them

• The valley of Death turns out to be just about as lousy as it sounds. The soldiers are surrounded by enemy cannon, left, right, and front. Bad news for the Light Brigade.
• Notice how Tennyson stretches this simple information out over three lines. What effect does that have?
• Well, for one thing, it echoes the three lines in the section above (13-15), which also all start with the same word.
• It also makes the feeling of being surrounded much more intense. It's almost as if we are right there, turning our heads right, left, and forward, and seeing cannon everywhere. Scary, huh?

Line 21

Volleyed and thundered;

• A little vocab here: a "volley" from a cannon is just a round of firing.
• So these huge walls of cannon all around them are firing, and making a sound like thunder.
• Want to know what cannon fire is like? Check out this YouTube video.

Line 22

Stormed at with shot and shell,

• The soldiers in the Light Brigade are being "stormed at," by gunfire, an image that picks up on the word "thundered" in the line we just read.
• The "shot" (bullets) and "shell" (big explosives fired from cannon) are a violent, noisy, destructive force that reminds the speaker of a storm.

Line 23

Boldly they rode and well,

• These guys aren't scared of some gunfire, though. In fact, they ride "boldly" (bravely) even though this is looking more and more like a suicide mission.
• The point of this poem is to show us how heroic these men were.

Line 24

Into the jaws of Death,

• Tennyson has a lot of images for this scary valley, and he brings some more of them in here. Now the valley of Death becomes the "jaws of Death."
• We'll admit it's not a super-original image, but it works well here. It's almost as if these guys were riding into the mouth of some kind of ferocious animal.

Lines 25-26

Into the mouth of hell
Rode the six hundred.

• This is the spot (at the end of the stanza) where the refrain belongs (see lines 7-8 and 16-17), but Tennyson switches things up a bit here. Instead of "Into the valley of Death," now the men are riding "Into the mouth of hell."
• The "mouth of hell" matches up nicely with the "jaws" in the line before, and it's just one more way of emphasizing how bad the valley is and how brave these men are.
• Changing the refrain also helps to keep us on our toes a little, and keeps the poem from seeming stale or repetitive.

Line 27

Flashed all their sabres bare,

• Keep in mind that these guys weren't carrying machine guns. They were riding through this storm of bullets, on horses, carrying…swords.
• Well "sabres," to be exact. That's the kind of curved sword a cavalrymen would have carried. Here's a picture of a sabre.

Line 28

Flashed as they turned in air

• The image of these flashing swords makes us think of Medieval knights fighting.
• At this point, during the Crimean War, fighting with swords was already becoming obsolete. Can you imagine charging on horseback with a sword toward an enemy with guns and cannon? Focusing on these old-fashioned sabres is another way to point out the desperate heroism of the Light Brigade, and also a way to connect them to English warriors of the past.

Line 29

Sab'ring the gunners there,

• It turns out that the Light Brigade has some luck. They reach the guns and stab the men who are operating them.
• It's a vivid image, isn't it? You can just imagine those swords slicing, chopping, and stabbing. This is serious, brutal warfare.

Lines 30-31

Charging an army, while
All the world wondered.

• The doomed bravery of these 600 guys "charging an army" jumps out at us again.
• The speaker imagines that "all the world wondered" at this charge. That line needs a little unpacking. In this case, to "wonder" means to be amazed by something. That means that the people who "wondered" were filled with awe as they watched the battle.
• What does the speaker mean by "all the world"? Well, Tennyson wrote this poem because he read about the battle in the newspaper. The men of the Light Brigade are world famous.
• Now it's not just the people on the battlefield who are amazed by their bravery, but "all the world."

Line 32-33

Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro' the line they broke;

• The Light Brigade is still kicking butt. They move right through the smoke that's coming from the "battery" (that's a group of cannon).
• They even break through the line. That's a major moment in a battle at this time. Back in the day, soldiers would line up on a field and shoot or run or ride at each other. For an attack (a "charge") like this to succeed, the soldiers need to get through the enemy line in order to do damage. Think of this like a really brutal game of capture the flag.

Line 34-36

Cossack and Russian
Reeled from the sabre stroke
Shattered and sundered.

• This is actually the first time we hear about who, exactly, the Light Brigade is attacking. In these lines, they are slicing "Cossack and Russian" soldiers with their swords.
• This poem is describing the Crimean War, when Britain and its allies were fighting the Russian Empire. The Cossacks were famously fierce soldiers allied with the Russian Empire.
• The soldiers of the Light Brigade are so effective that these enemies are "shattered" and "sundered" (which means broken in two).

Line 37-38

Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.

• This is a key moment in the poem. The main action so far, the charge, has gone as far as it can. Now the soldiers have to turn back where they came from.
• Not all of them though. Some have died. The simple phrase "Not the six hundred" is our first hint of the terrible casualties the Light Brigade has suffered.
• The poem has been a little grim, but now it starts to become really mournful, like it was meant for a funeral.

Lines 39-43

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,

• Feeling a bit of déjà vu? You should be, because these lines are almost an exact repeat of the beginning of the third stanza (lines 18-22). The only change is in line 41. The cannon that were in front of them are now behind them, which means that the Light Brigade has turned around and leaving the enemy behind them.
• The return trip is just as deadly and terrifying, it's just turned around.
• Even though he's describing really awful stuff, Tennyson still manages to give this poem a nice feeling of balance. Repetition is an important tool that helps him achieve that effect.

Line 44

While horse and hero fell.

• As we learn about the retreat from the charge, the poem emphasizes the loss of life.
• Here we get an image of horses and soldiers collapsing under the rain of gunfire.
• Notice also that this is the first time that the speaker comes out and calls these men heroes, although that's clearly been the message from the beginning.

Line 45-46

They that had fought so well
Came through the jaws of Death,

• Now, a part of the Light Brigade returns back to safety, after having "fought so well."
• At the beginning of the poem we heard about how they were going "Into the jaws of Death" and now they are coming out again. In a way, it's almost like watching a movie played backward. They charge forward…they charge back. They run into the mouth…they run back again.
• Of course the big difference is that there are a lot fewer of them now.

Line 47-49

Back from the mouth of hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.

• This stanza ends with the words "six hundred" just like all the others did.
• In this case, though, the tone is much darker, and the emphasis is on how many men have died. The speaker doesn't say how many make it to safety, but we're guessing that it's a small number.
• That's the final image we get off the battle itself, the remnants of the Light Brigade moving back across the field.

Line 50

When can their glory fade?

• Now the poem swings into high gear. We're watching Tennyson turn the soldiers of the Light Brigade into legends.
• This line – "When can their glory fade?" – bursts in like the sound of a trumpet.
• The job of this poem is to make the courage of these British soldiers immortal. You know what? So far it seems to have worked. You're reading this poem, right? Which means the bravery of the Light Brigade has been remembered for over 150 years. This is an example of poetry having a real effect on how we remember history.

Line 51-52

O the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.

• It is the Light Brigade's desperate, "wild" charge that the speaker wants us to remember.
• Line 52 is a repeat of line 31, and a reminder that this is a story meant to amaze the entire world. This poem is spreading the word, telling us all that we should "wonder" at this incredible display of bravery.

Lines 53-55

Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred!

• The poem ends with a couple of commands. The speaker orders us, as if he was a general, to "Honour the Light Brigade."
• This is a really public poem with a single purpose and Tennyson doesn't have time to be subtle at the end. He tells us, point blank, to respect and remember these noble war heroes.