Wonder Book 7

Approved by the Curriculum Development Centre, Sanothimi, Bhaktapur

7

Editors Course Director Contributors
Yuba Raj Subedi Uday Sharma Anisha Bhattarai
Ishwori Pande
Deependra Rijal Author Sheela Gurung
Santosh Bhattarai Sama Kharel

Published by:
Oasis Publication Pvt. Ltd.
Anamnagar, Kathmandu
Tel.: 01-4224004, Fax: 01-4227718

Edition:
First - 2071
Second - 2076 (Revised & Updated)

Copyright:
Publisher

Layout and Design:
Focus Computer
Anamnagar, Kathmandu

Illustration:
Ratna Sagar Shrestha

Printed in Nepal

Foreword

Why is literature important? Why should educators, parents and community
members help students develop love and passion for reading?

Giving children access to all genres of literature is extremely important for a number
of reasons. It not only helps in developing cognitive skills but also exposes children
to the wisdom of the ages. It gives students appreciation about their own cultural
heritage as well as those of others.

It fosters emotional intelligence and creativity. It nurtures growth and development
of the student’s personality and social skills. It makes the students think about,
analyse, appreciate, learn from and respond to various underlying themes and
messages of literature.

Wonder is a truly wonderful literature course, with texts gleaned from a variety of
genres and supplemented with engaging activities. As the students begin reading
the texts, they can no more afford to remain passive readers. They are constantly
questioned and asked to respond. Quality literature does not tell the reader everything
he or she needs to know. Rather, it allows for some difference in opinion. One reader
may take something completely different away from a piece of literature than the
next reader, based on the two personal viewpoints and experiences. Students learn
to evaluate and analyse literature, and in the process, they develop as independent
thinkers who can form and express opinions with clarity.

Through this series, we have attempted to foster the culture of reading. Well-read
children of today will certainly go on to build a more cohesive society tomorrow.

We would be delighted to receive your feedback. We pledge to assist all those
involved in the teaching and learning of this series. Do use the resource materials
that are provided free and also feel free to contact us.

Contents

Myths and Legends 5

1. The Legend of King Arthur. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

2. Cupid and Psyche. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

3. Robin Hood and the Silver Arrow. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 20

Non-fiction 26

4. Mars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

5. Clothes. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 32

6. Unleashing the Majesty of Manaslu. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 37

7. The Desert . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 43

Biographies 48

8. Indira Gandhi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

9. Plato. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

10. The Creators of Google. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Short stories 64

11. A Different Kind of School. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

12. A Pact with the Sun. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

13. The Open Window. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 80

Plays 88

14. The Beggar and the King. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

15. The Old Soldier. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Fantasy 119

16. King Midas and the Golden Touch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Science fiction 127

17. Out of Space . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 128

Poetry 133

18. Why English is a Funny Language. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

19. Sick. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

20. Hope is the Thing with Feathers. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 144

21. Love of Nature. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 148

22. The Pied Piper of Hamelin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

23. The Circus Elephant . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 157

24. Song of the Whale . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 161

Nepal special 165

25. Nepal's Potentials in Adventure Tourism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

26. Humanity is Divine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173

27. A Barber Outwitted! . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 179

28. A Visit to Chitwan National Park. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185

29. Maha Shivaratri. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189

30. First Nepali to Scale Mt Everest. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 193

Feature 197

31. The Adventures of Oliver Twist . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 198

32. The Bet (Part-One) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207

33. The Bet (Part-Two). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217

Inspirational 226

34. It Takes Courage. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 227

35. One at a Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233

36. Puppies for Sale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236

Myths and
Legends

The legend of King Arthur
Cupid and Psyche
Robin Hood and the Silver

Arrow

Myths are stories about the distant past. They attempt to explain the
beginning of the world, natural phenomena, the relationships between
the gods and humans, and the origins of civilizations.
Legends are known as tales of heroism. They are stories about
national or folk heroes. Although legends have a basis in fact, they also
include imaginative material. The facts and adventures of the person are
often exaggerated, making the individual famous for their deeds.
What myths or legends do you already know?

Fill in the blanks with the correct word

1. Ancient stories about people and events that may or may not be real are ............
.........................

2. The ancient stories that explain natural events or describe the early history of a
people are called .............................

1  The Legend of
King Arthur

Before you proceed

Fortune-tellers are the people who tell your future.
Do you believe what the fortune-teller tells you?

The Legend of King Arthur

Many years ago, there lived a great
and noble king Uther Pendragon
who ruled over England wisely and
brought peace to the country. He
had an advisor Merlin who was also
a very powerful magician.
Uther married beautiful Igraine and
very soon, the king’s son was born.
The palace was celebrating the birth
of the prince when Merlin came to
the king with terrible news.
“King Uther,” said Merlin, “I can see
into the future and I have seen a
very terrible thing - very soon, you
will become ill and die. It will be a
horrible time as there will be great wars in Britain. Your son will be in
danger because your enemies will want to kill him. Let me take him
away so I can keep him in a secret place until he becomes a man.”
Uther and Igraine were devastated by the news. They believed Merlin’s
magical powers so they knew there was no other way out.

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What was the devastating news for Uther and Igraine?
“Take our child to a safe place,” said King Uther. “He must be out of

danger.”
So, one dark night, Merlin took the baby to the castle of a good knight Sir
Hector. The knight promised to take good care of the baby. Merlin told
Sir Hector to name the baby Arthur.
As predicted, King Uther soon fell ill and died. The next sixteen years
were terrible for the world as well as the people. There were many wars
which resulted in burning of many castles and villages. People lost their
lives and many lost their families. The people needed a strong ruler to
bring peace to Britain.
Merlin thought that it was high time he revealed his secret. He went to
London with a message for the Archbishop. Lords and ladies from all
over the land came to hear what Merlin had to say.
“I have great news,” said Merlin. “This land will soon have a new king
who will be wiser and nobler than Uther Pendragon. The new king will
bring peace to this land and end war and hunger in England.”
What will the new king do for England?
Merlin told the Archbishop to gather all the knights in the biggest
church. When the knights arrived, they saw a great stone outside which
had a shining sword buried deep in it. On the stone, they saw the words
written in golden letters:
“Whoever pulls this sword out of the stone is the rightful king of Britain.”
All the knights tried to pull the sword out of the stone with all their
might but no one succeeded.
The Archbishop decided to send messengers across the land with the
message that said, “There will be a tournament on New Year’s Day where
everyone can try to pull the sword out of the stone. Whoever can do that
will be the rightful king of Britain.”
On the day of the tournament, knights came from every part of England.
Among them was Sir Hector with his son Kay and Arthur who was now
eighteen years old. When they were in one of the London streets, Kay

A course in English literature Book - 7 7

suddenly cried, “I have left my
sword at home!”
Arthur rode back to bring it but
the gates were locked and no one
was at home.
“What can I do?” Arthur thought. “I
have an idea! In one of the London
churchyards, I saw a sword in the
stone which I will now bring to
my brother.”
Then Arthur rode quickly
to London and came to the
churchyard. He pulled out the
sword from the stone easily.
Arthur had no knowledge about
the sword and what he had just
done.
Kay looked at the sword and gave
it to Sir Hector. “Father, here is the sword out of the stone,” he said, “I
must be the rightful king of Britain!”
“Have you done it yourself, my son?”
“I am sorry, my father,” he said. “It was not me but Arthur who gave me
this sword.”
“Where did you get it from, Arthur?” asked Sir Hector.
“I pulled it out of the stone in the churchyard,” answered Arthur.
Sir Hector, Kay and Arthur rode back to the churchyard where many
people had gathered, most of them knights. All knights watched in
surprise as Arthur pushed the sword back into the stone. They tried to
pull the sword out of the stone but couldn’t. Then Arthur came to the
stone and in a swift movement, pulled it out as easily as he had put it in.
The sword shone brightly in Arthur’s hand and Britain finally found its
new king!

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Vocabulary

1. The meanings of some of the words in the text are given below. Write
the words next to their meanings.
a. having fine personal qualities that people admire, such as courage,
honesty, etc. ...........................
b. a person who can do magic tricks ...........................
c. a competition.....................
d. that is correct, right or legal ........................
e. an area of land around the church, often used for burying people in
..............................

2. Your answers for exercise 1 are in the word puzzle given below. Find
them and see if they are correct.

Z A S VMNO B L E

EQXGARTUP Z

I PR I GHT FUL

L K OW I D G H A J

C HUR C H Y A RD

HNDY I QRVGY

BM L R AWX T H Z

T OU R N AME N T

A course in English literature Book - 7 9

Comprehension Activities

1 Choose the correct answer.
a. Who was Arthur’s father?
i. Merlin
ii. Sir Hector
iii. Uther Pendragon

b. Who could make magic?
i. beautiful Igraine
ii. the noble king Uther
iii. the advisor Merlin

c. Who did Arthur live with before he became a man?
i. Sir Hector
ii. Merlin
iii. Queen Igraine

d. Where was the stone with the sword?
i. in the churchyard
ii. in the church
iii. in the castle

e. What sword did Arthur bring to Kay?
i. his own sword
ii. his father’s sword
iii. the sword from the stone

2 Write ‘T’ for true and ‘F’ for false statements and correct the false ones.
a. Merlin could see into the future.
b. King Uther did not die as Merlin had predicted.
c. Kay pulled the sword out of the stone.
d. Only the rightful king of Britain could pull the sword out.
e. Arthur was the rightful king of Britain.

3 Answer the following questions.
a. What news did Merlin bring to King Uther?

10 A course in English literature Book - 7

b. What happened after King Uther died?
c. What was so special about the sword in the stone?
d. What did Arthur do when he went to bring Kay’s sword?
e. Why couldn’t anyone pull out the sword from the stone except

Arthur?
f. What happened at the churchyard when Arthur went there the

second time?

4 Complete the story map.
Merlin brought terrible news to the king.
Merlin ..................................................................................................................
King Uther ...........................................................................................................
Arthur ..................................................................................................................
Kay .......................................................................................................................
Arthur ..................................................................................................................
Other Knights ......................................................................................................
Only Arthur .........................................................................................................
Arthur ..................................................................................................................

Write Long Answer

1. Write a description of ‘King Uther Pendragon’.
2. What terrible things happened after King Uther died ?

Literary Terms

Legend The Legend of King Arthur is an example of legend. A legend is a
traditional story that is considered to have been related with a real person
or a place. Legends are set in the past and are passed on from generation to
generation. Like in a story, a legend also has setting, characters and plot.
Setting Setting is the time place and situation in which a story takes place. The
time in the story can be the past, present, or the future. It can be a season or a
time of the day. Similarly, the place can be a room, a country, or any imagined

A course in English literature Book - 7 11

place. Often, the setting affects the story’s problem and how it is solved.
Discuss the setting of The Legend of King Arthur.
Characters Characters are the people, animals, or creatures who take part in a
story’s action. The important characters in a story are called major characters.
There are also some characters whose roles are not so much important. Such
characters are called minor characters.
In The Legend of King Arthur, can you note down the names of three major
characters and three minor characters?
Plot Plot is a sequence of events in a story. The plot is constructed with a series
of interrelated events or actions. The events in a plot of a story are specially
arranged. They follow a particular format.
Now read the events or actions from The Legend of King Arthur and put them
in order.

 King Uther died.
 Merlin took the prince with him.
 A tournament was announced.
 Merlin kept a sword in the stone.
 Arthur became king.
 Arthur pulled the sword out of stone.

Think, Pair and Share

Do you know any other story of heroism and bravery? Share it with your class.

Project Activity

Write a couple of paragraphs describing a couragous deed performed by Prithvi
Narayan Shah for the country.

12 A course in English literature Book - 7

2 Cupid and Psyche

Before you proceed
Cupid is the god of love in Roman mythology. In this mythology, he shoots
magical arrows to make people fall in love. He is mostly represented in
paintings and sculpture as a baby angel. According to the myths, he is the
son of Venus.
Venus is the goddess of beauty and love.
In Roman mythology, Jupiter is the king of gods.

New words

mortal - someone who has to die; not a god

overwhelmed - overtaken with a story feeling

persisted - pressed on

bidding - command; order

Cupid and Psyche

Psyche was a very beautiful girl. She was so beautiful that people started
to compare her with Venus. Venus, who was the goddess of beauty and
love, became angry for being compared with a mortal. When she saw
that people threw flowers in Psyche’s path and worshipped her as if she
were a goddess, she was overwhelmed with rage. She devised a plan to
punish Psyche.
Why did Venus devise a plan to punish Psyche?
Venus called her son Cupid and gave him a potion to give it to Psyche.
“This will make her fall in love with a terrible monster.”
That night Cupid carried a cup of sorrow and love to the palace where
Psyche slept. As he washed her face with the potion, he saw her brow
wrinkle with pain. “I cannot destroy anyone this beautiful,” he said.
In his haste to wash away the sorrow, one of Cupid’s arrows of love
tumbled out of its quiver and pierced his own foot. At that instant, he fell

A course in English literature Book - 7 13

in love with Psyche. When Psyche
awoke, Cupid told her, “My mother
must not know about my love for
you.” And he flew away.
The next day, Venus saw that
Psyche was still as happy as
before. The angry goddess sent all
the misfortunes that mortals can
suffer to afflict Psyche.
Psyche’s parents consulted an
oracle to see what could be done for their daughter. They were told that
Psyche would become the bride of a creature who was not mortal – that
she would marry a monster.
One day while Psyche was climbing a high hill, Venus placed a slippery
rock in her path. When Psyche stepped on the rock, she fell and tumbled
down the steep slope. Cupid called to the wind to save his beloved Psyche.
The wind caught her and laid her gently on a flowering meadow where
she fell asleep.
What happened when Psyche stepped on the rock ?
When Psyche awoke, she saw a beautiful palace. She went inside and
was given all she wished to have. She talked to voices but never saw the
servants who waited on her.
That night, when the palace was dark, Psyche heard another voice. The
man’s voice told her how much he loved her. She felt great joy when she
heard the voice. Every night the voice returned.
After months had passed, Psyche agreed to marry the mysterious visitor.
At his request, she promised she would never try to look at his face. Her
new husband came each night and disappeared before dawn.
Psyche’s husband was kind. They laughed and sang together. He told her
stories about the gods.
After a year had passed, Psyche said, “Please let my family visit. I’m
lonely when you’re away.”

14 A course in English literature Book - 7

“They will bring you nothing but sorrow,” he said.
Psyche persisted. Each night she begged to see her family. Her husband
finally agreed. He asked the wind to bring her two sisters.
The two sisters were amazed when they saw the palace. “Your husband,”
asked the younger one, “is he as handsome as he is kind and generous?”
Psyche tried to ignore the questions but her sisters continued to ask what
her husband looked like.
Finally, Psyche said, “I cannot tell you what he is like because he only
comes at night and will not show his face.”

“Then he must be a horrible monster, just as the oracle predicted,” said the
younger sister. “Otherwise he would let you see him.”
The older of the two sisters said, “When he returns, take a candle and
knife. Look at his face while he is sleeping. If he is a monster, you must
destroy him before he kills you.”
Psyche agreed and told the wind
to carry her sisters home. That
night, while her husband slept,
Psyche took a knife and lighted
a candle to his bed. She stared
down at her husband’s handsome
face and his wings. He wasn’t a
mortal or a monster. He was the
god Cupid! A drop of hot wax fell
on Cupid’s shoulder, waking him.
Seeing the knife, he flew off.
Suddenly a fierce wind rocked
the palace and it disappeared.
Psyche then began to wander
the Earth looking for Cupid. She
asked the goddess Ceres for help.
Ceres told her to go to Venus and
ask her forgiveness.
The goddess was not easily swayed.

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She stared at Psyche sternly and said, “Cupid is ill because you betrayed
him. He sleeps and doesn’t talk to anyone. If you wish to help him, you
must complete the tasks I give you.”
Psyche agreed to do Venus’s bidding. Her first task was to sort the grains
in the goddess’s storehouse by evening. Psyche looked at the barley,
wheat and millet scattered on the floor. She couldn’t finish in time. An
ant, seeing her sorrow, brought all his friends to help. The grains were
separated before the sun set.
For each of the impossible tasks that Venus gave Psyche, Ceres sent the
creatures of the Earth to help Psyche.
All her tasks completed, Psyche searched until she found Cupid’s room.
She told him about the tasks Venus had given her and begged him to
forgive her.
Cupid went to the great god Jupiter and asked for his help. Jupiter
convinced Venus that the love Cupid and Psyche shared was too great to
be destroyed. At Jupiter’s insistence, Venus promised to let Psyche and
Cupid live in peace. Jupiter then turned Psyche into a goddess and let her
live along with cupid on Mount Olympus, the abode of the gods.

16 A course in English literature Book - 7

Vocabulary

1. Write the correct word that matches the meaning.

mortal potion sorrow haste
quiver oracle
insistence generous

a. .................................. gives freely
b. .................................. a human being
c. .................................. sadness
d. .................................. hurry
e. .................................. a constant demand
f. .................................. a person or thing able to give wise guidance
g. .................................. a carrying case for arrows
h. .................................. a liquid medicine or drug

2. Choose any five of the words given above and make sentences of your
own.

Comprehension Activities

1 Use the words from the text to complete these sentences.
a. Cupid didn’t want to cause Psyche any ...........................................
b. Cupid was a .......................................... husband.
c. In his .........................................., Cupid lost an arrow from his

...........................................
d. Jupiter’s .......................................... made Venus change her mind.
e. Ceres told her to go to Venus and ask her ...........................................

A course in English literature Book - 7 17

2 Match the characters of the story with their qualities.

Venus jealous

Psyche helpful

Cupid angry

Psyche’s two sisters persuasive

Ceres generous

3 Answer the following questions.
a. How did Venus feel about Psyche?

b. What did the oracle foretell about Psyche’s future?

c. Describe the life that Psyche and her mysterious husband lived.

d. Why did Cupid fly off after Psyche saw his face?

e. How did Psyche prove her love for Cupid?

f. Do you think it was reasonable for Venus to be jealous of Cupid?
Why?

4 Complete the story map.
Psyche was climbing a high hill.
Venus ...................................................................................................................
Psyche .................................................................................................................
Cupid ...................................................................................................................
The wind .............................................................................................................
When Psyche awoke she saw ...........................................................................
All night Psyche ..................................................................................................
Psyche married ...................................................................................................

18 A course in English literature Book - 7

Write Long Answer

1. Describe what Psyche was like.
2. What tasks did Psyche complete? And how?

Literary Terms

Allegory An allegory is a story with two levels of meaning. First, there’s
the surface meaning of the story. Then there’s the symbolic or the deeper
meaning.
The tale of Cupid and Psyche can be seen as an allegory, or symbolic story.
Here the names of the characters and the events symbolize something
else. First, the word psyche literally means “soul” in Greek. Psyche the
girl represents the human soul. The human soul always seeks love and
bliss. Now Cupid is the god of love! But does Psyche get her love easily?
No, she has to go through a lot of hardships and pass difficult tests to
find Cupid. Similarly, the human soul also has to struggle and pass tests
in order to attain what it seeks.
What the story may be trying to show is that all human souls long for
eternal love and bliss, but it can only be achieved through struggle and
hardship. Perhaps hardships are necessary for us. They are here to teach
us valuable lessons and to help us to attain our goals.
Now, write how your thinking about human love and desire has changed
after reading this allegory of Cupid and Psyche.

Think, Pair and Share

What would you do if you were given several tasks to complete in a
limited period of time?

Project Activity

Describe how Sita was kidnapped by Rawana as mentioned in the
Ramayana.

A course in English literature Book - 7 19

3 Robin Hood and
the Silver Arrow

Before you proceed

What would you do if your enemy threw down a challenge that you know
is a trap? Would you choose the safe route and ignore it or would you go
for it?

Robin Hood and the Silver Arrow

The Sheriff was desperate to capture Robin Hood. He had been tricked,
beaten and made to look a fool by the outlaw and had had enough.
Prince John, the King’s nasty brother, was visiting Nottingham castle
and was unhappy with the news that he had heard about Robin Hood.
Why was the Sheriff desperate to capture Robin Hood?
“We must stop him” snarled the Prince.
“But how?” moaned the Sheriff, “I have tried everything”.
“I will take a hundred men into the forest. We will travel to the Major Oak
and catch the outlaw there” added the Prince.
“It would not work” said the Sheriff, “They can hide everywhere and
would ambush you before you knew what was happening.”
“Then we need to trick him into coming to Nottingham then”, schemed
the Prince, “What would bring him here?”

20 A course in English literature Book - 7

Meanwhile, deep
in Sherwood Forest
the outlaws were
feasting around the
Major Oak. They
were laughing and
joking about the trick
that they had played
on the Sheriff. Robin
joked that he had sat
at the Sheriffs table
eating the Sheriff’s
food without being
recognised.
Mutch, the Miller’s
Son, arrived at the
tree.
“Robin, there is news
of a great contest in
Nottingham. There
is a prize of a silver
arrow for the best
archer” he said.
“Then I shall enter”
called out Robin, “And I shall win for all Saxons everywhere”
Little John was not so happy. “Robin, I think it is a trap. Prince John is
nearby and this would be a good time for the Sheriff to catch you. Don’t
go”
“I must. I have to win the prize for the sake of all Saxons”.
Robin set off for Nottingham, disguised as a lowly peasant.
Why did Robin disguise himself as a lowly peasant before he set off for
Nottingham?
He arrived in Nottingham in time for the competition. As he stood

A course in English literature Book - 7 21

waiting to take part he noticed Sir Guy of Gisborne wandering around
the contestants.
‘He’s trying to find me’ thought Robin.
The contest began. Robin easily won through to the finals and waited.
The final began.
Robin was to fire
his arrows after a
Norman Knight had
fired his.
Watching in the
crowd were the
Saxon people of
Nottingham, and a
group of disguised
outlaws.
Robin began to take
his shots. His first
arrow was fired and
hit the bull’s eye.
“Master John, master
John” called a
voice to little John,
“Gisborne has set a
trap. You have to
leave before he finds
you”
Little John looked
around for the others, but could not see them. He had to find another
way to stop Gisborne. He turned to the villager next to him. “Tell
everybody that the peasant with the bow is a Saxon. He is the best archer
in the land”. The villager wandered through the crowd telling everyone.
Soon the crowd were shouting and cheering. The knights and Gisborne
became worried about the noise - something was wrong.

22 A course in English literature Book - 7

Robin fired his second shot. It missed the bull’s eye. The crowd went
quiet. With his final arrow Robin hit the bull’s eye again. The crowd
cheered.
“The Saxon has won” they shouted, “The Saxon has won”
Prince John stood and prepared to present the winner with the silver
arrow.
Robin approached the Royal Box and stood before the Prince. Prince
John handed the silver arrow to Robin, and whispered “I have you at
last”. Robin stepped back, as Prince John signalled to his Knights.
Little John decided now was the time. He shouted out “Carry the winner,
Carry the winner”.
Everybody who had been watching the contest ran forwards towards the
Royal Box. Before the Knights could reach him, Robin was lifted up in a
crowd of people.
Carefully he was lowered into the crowd, and while everyone celebrated
Robin and the outlaws escaped from the city back into Sherwood forest.

Vocabulary

1. Find the words in the above story that have the following meanings:
a. the senior representative of the monarch in a country
b. somebody who is rebellious or flouts the law
c. said angrily or threateningly
d. attack suddenly from a concealed position
e. member of a West Germanic people
f. persons who take part in a contest
g. the centre of a target

A course in English literature Book - 7 23

Comprehension Activities

1 Decide whether the following statements are true or false.
a. The Sheriff was desperate to capture the outlaw.
b. King John was visiting Nottingham castle.
c. Prince John was delighted with the news about Robin Hood.
d. The Prince decided to trick Robin Hood into coming to
Nottingham.
e. The contest in Nottingham was a trap to capture Robin Hood.

2 Fill in the blank spaces with correct words from the above story.
a. Robin Hood arrived in ……….. in time for the competition.
b. Robin Hood easily won through to the ……………… and waited.
c. Robin Hood fired his second shot but it ………… the bull’s eye.
d. Robin Hood hit the bull’s eye again with his ……………. arrow.
e. Robin Hood approached the Royal Box to receive the silver
…………………………. from the Prince.

3 Write short answers to these questions.
a. Why was Prince John unhappy?
b. Why could a hundred men not catch Robin Hood?
c. What were the outlaws doing around the Major Oak?
d. Who watched the competition?
e. What was the winner of the contest going to receive?
f. How did the outlaws escape from the city?

24 A course in English literature Book - 7

Literary Terms

Anecdote is a short and humorous story about a real event or person. Can you
give an example of an anecdote?
Denotation
The real,direct meaning of a word, like a “dictionary definition”. For example,
the word “dog” denotes a mammal with four legs that is often kept as a pet.

Write Long Answer

1. What was the real objective behind organizing the contest?
2. What happened after Robin Hood approached the Royal Box?

Creative Writing

Write a short story that you have heard or read on an adventurous
experience of a man or woman.

Think, Pair and Share

What would you do if you encountered a tiger in a forest all of a sudden?

Project Activity

Robin robbed the rich and haughty Norman nobles and helped the poor
Saxons. Find out the details about it from any source and write them
down in about a hundred words.

A course in English literature Book - 7 25

Non-fiction

Mars
Clothes
Unleashing the Majesty of
Manaslu
The Desert

Non-fiction gives facts and details about a topic. Most of the reading
that you do for science or social studies is non-fiction. News stories and
descriptions of real places are also examples of non-fiction.
Authors of non-fiction write to inform, persuade or entertain.
Look for details to help you identify why the author wrote the text.

Fill in the blanks with correct words:

1. The writing about real facts, people and events is known as .................
2. The main purpose of writing non-fiction is to ......... the audience about a topic.

4 Mars

Before you proceed
a. Can you name the eight planets in our solar system?
b. Which is the fourth planet in the solar system? What is the special

about it?

Mars

What is in that wide space in the sky? At night, you can see the glittering
stars. With luck, you can also see the planets.
There are eight planets in our solar system
but we cannot see all of them with our
naked eyes. But thankfully, we can see
Mars on a clear night sky. Mars orbits the
sun in a path near Earth. Earth is the third
planet from the sun. It is 93 million miles
away. Mars is the fourth planet from the
sun and 142 million miles away.
When can you see Mars?
Mars is half as big as Earth and very far away, but it can be seen on a
clear night.
A day on Mars seems the same as on Earth. Mars takes just 37 minutes
longer to spin on its axis than Earth does. But it takes Mars twice as long
to orbit the sun as it takes Earth. That’s why a year on Mars is about twice
as long as a year on Earth. Imagine having more than 600 days in a year!
Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos. These words are Greek and
they mean “fear” and “panic” respectively. Each moon is small in size
and has an odd shape.

A course in English literature Book - 7 27

When we look at the sky at night, we see Mars like a red dot. Mars is also
called the Red Planet because of its colour.
Why do you think the colour of Mars is red?
Mars appears red because it is covered in iron oxide dust. During a dust
storm, “rust dust” is whipped up and Mars seems to shine red.
It is not a hot fire that makes Mars look red. In fact, Mars can be quite
cold. The temperature in some places on Mars can be less than -200oF.
Mars has frozen ice caps at the north and south poles, just like Earth does.
Mars has an enormous volcano, just like those on Earth. Its peak is
stunning 13.6 miles high. The tallest volcano peak on Earth is 2.6 miles!
Mars is full of red rocks and dust. It has ice caps and tall peaks. Earth has
them, too. But Mars is not quite liveable like Earth.
There is no water on Mars that can be seen. It has no filled lakes, streams
or seas. The air on Mars is too thin to breathe.
Another problem with life on Mars is gravity. Gravity keeps an object
on land and Mars does not have much of it. While on Mars, you would
weigh less than half of what you weigh on Earth. A lack of gravity will
make you sick.
It is very difficult to live on Mars but we can learn more about it. To
learn more about Mars we can send robots there first. We can also send
spaceships.

Vocabulary

1. Match the words with their antonyms.

a. wide  solution
 tiny
b. liveable  big
 narrow
c. enormous  uninhabitable

d. small

e. problem

28 A course in English literature Book - 7

2. Use each of the words in Exercise 1 in a sentence of your own.

3. Find the names of eight planets in the word puzzle below.

MZQS A T URNX

EOP J UP I T ER

RET I RTXVPC

CWL K A R E Z T Z

U RMY NQ A P UM

RV ENU S RONA

Y ZQX S I T L ER

GFNDE J HBUS

Comprehension Activities

1 Write ‘T’ for true and ‘F’ for false statements and correct the false ones.
a. Our solar system has eight planets.
b. Mars is the seventh planet of the solar system.
c. Mars takes about 37 minutes longer than Earth to spin on its axis.
d. Mars is full of red rocks and dust.
e. Humans can live on Mars just as they live on Earth.

2 Tick (√) the correct answer.
a. Mars is half as big as
i. Jupiter.
ii. Sun.
iii. Earth.
b. Each moon of Mars is small in size and
i. has an even shape.

A course in English literature Book - 7 29

ii. has an odd shape.
iii. has a round shape.
c. While on Mars, you would weigh
i. twice as much as you weigh on Earth.
ii. less than half of what you weigh on Earth.
iii. equal to what you weigh on Earth.
d. The air on Mars is
i. too thin to breathe.
ii. too thick to breathe.
iii. perfect to breathe.
e. A lack of gravity will make you
i. healthy.
ii. fly.
iii. sick.

3 Answer the following questions.

a. Why is Mars called the red planet?
b. How many moons does Mars have? What are their names and

what do they mean?
c. Why is it difficult for humans to live on Mars?
d. A re you happy with the conditions found on earth? If you could wish

there were some changes in the conditions found on earth, what would
they be?

Write Long Answer

1. Write a shot note on the similarities and differences between Earth
and Mars.

2. What are the problems with life on Mars.

Literary Terms

Writer’s purpose How we write a piece of non-fiction or factual writing
depends on our purpose and who the readers are. The main purpose of
writing a description about something is to inform the readers. In the
context of the classroom, your readers can be your classmates and your
teacher.

30 A course in English literature Book - 7

While writing such informative texts, sometimes we compare and
contrast two things or ideas. In ‘Mars’ the writer has tried to inform the
reader about the planet Mars. While doing so, the author compares and
contrasts it with Earth. He has stated the similarities and differences
between the two planets. Can you list the similarities and differences
between them?

Compare and contrast We use specific words to compare and contrast
things or items or ideas. Here are some key words commonly used to
express comparison and contrast:

Words used to express comparison Words used to express contrast

like similar whereas however
as same in the same way
too both have in common but while
the same as similarly
as well as on the contrary on the other hand

unlike differ from

Read some example sentences here. The sentences show similarities
between the dog and the cat.

The dog, like the cat, is a household pet. Both of these animals have been
a part of human family. The cat as well as the dog loves human company.

Now, here are some sentences which show contrast between the chalk
sticks and board markers.

Chalk sticks and blackboards were very common in the classrooms before
but now many of the schools use whiteboards and board markers. The
chalk sticks produce a lot dust whereas board markers do not produce
any dust at all. Thus board markers are more popular than chalk sticks
today.

Write a couple paragraphs comparing and contrasting a village and a town.
You may also compare and contrast any other subjects of your choice.

Think, Pair and Share

Why do you weigh less on the Mars than on the earth?

Project Activity

Imagine that you are an astronant and you have become the first person to
land on Mars. In fact, you have just set foot on the red planet.
Write about your trip and your findings there.

A course in English literature Book - 7 31

5 Clothes

Before you proceed
a. Do you think it’s important to wear clothes that are in fashion?

b. Why are clothes important to people?

c. How do you decide what kind of clothing to buy for yourself?

New words

index - guide; key
acquire - to get something; obtain
ambiguous - having or expressing more than one possible meaning;
unclear
integral - important part of something
analogous - similar
convene - to arrange a meeting
bonnet - a type of hat that covers the ears and is tied under the chin
allegiance - support

Clothes

People wear clothes to protect their
bodies from the cold or the burning
sun, from insect bites and injuries
and from the unwelcome eyes of
strangers. However, what people
wear can also convey a message
about who they are and what their
roles are in the society.
What message may your clothes
convey?

32 A course in English literature Book - 7

For example, visit nearly any country in the world and you will notice
that young people everywhere are wearing fashionable blue jeans, not
for work, but for social occasions such as parties and concerts. The jeans
are somewhat of an index of how these young people view themselves:
I’m modern and stylish. I’m relaxed and confident. I’m different from the
traditional older generation. Jeans make such an important statement that,
in some groups, a person might be judged by the brand of jeans he or she
is wearing. As a result, some young people feel pressured into spending
thousands of rupees to acquire a single pair of designer jeans just to be
in fashion.
What are jeans for the young people?
An even more direct means whereby people make statements about
themselves is via messages printed on T-shirts. One says Oxford
University. Another reads Brazil 2014 World Cup. There are many kinds
of T-shirt messages. They can convey allegiance to schools and sport
teams, advertise places or products, make political statements, serve as
wearable travel souvenirs, and commemorate important occasions. These
wearable messages are seldom ambiguous. They clearly tell others, “This
is what I want you to know about me.”
Just as blue jeans and T-shirts say a great deal about the people who are
wearing them, so does the Western business suit. It says that the person
wants to impress others with his or her professional status. A fitted jacket
and matching trousers constitute a man’s suit, while a fitted jacket and
matching skirt constitute a woman’s suit. A collared shirt and a necktie
are integral parts of the man’s outfit, while stockings and high–heeled
shoes complete the woman’s. Often this attire is not what the person
chooses to wear but it is what a company requires its top-level employees
to wear.
A uniform identifies the occupation of many people. Military personnel
are easy to identify by their uniforms. The same is true for civil
emergency personnel like police officers and firefighters. Medical
workers, airline pilots and members of religious orders are other
examples of people whose work can be identified by their clothing. In
certain contexts, special clothing is worn to differentiate not only the
occupation of people, but also their authority. For example, when a

A course in English literature Book - 7 33

court of law convenes, the judge’s robe is a clear indicator of his or her
role and authority. Similarly, the chef’s tall white hat indicates his job
and that he’s in charge in the restaurant’s kitchen.
Clothing might also show which group a person belongs to. For example,
a man wearing a Dhaka topi indicates that he is a Nepali. City street gangs
wear coloured headscarves to show their gang membership. Similarly,
school uniforms identify children as students at a certain school.
Societies choose different ways to show marital status. In Western
societies, women – and often men – wear wedding rings on their left
hands. Other cultures use different symbols. Hindu women, for example,
wear crimson powder in their hair after they marry. Unmarried Amish
women wear black bonnets on their heads, while married women wear
white ones.
Clothing serves many functions beyond just protecting our bodies.
Clothing can tell a lot about the people who wear it.

34 A course in English literature Book - 7

Vocabulary

Write the meaning of each of the words given below.

a. convey : ..............................................................................
b. allegiance : ..........................................................................

c. commemorate : ..........................................................................

d. attire : ..........................................................................

e. authority : ..........................................................................

Comprehension Activities

1 Write ‘T’ for true and ‘F’ for false statements. Correct the false ones.

a. People send messages about themselves via what they wear.
b. F or many people, wearing jeans is a way of expressing their

identity.
c. A young person might spend a few rupees to acquire a pair of

designer jeans.
d. T-shirt messages that show allegiance to a school or sports team

are often ambiguous.
e. A suit and necktie are integral parts of men’s and women’s

business attire.
f. A jacket and matching trousers constitute the uniforms of military

personnel.

2 Answer the following questions.

a. Why do people wear clothes?
b. What type of dress do young people wear while going to parties

and concerts?
c. Why do people wear T-shirts with messages printed on them?
d. What does Western business suit tell about the people who wear

them?
e. What constitute a man’s suit and a woman’s suit?

A course in English literature Book - 7 35

Write Long Answer

1. One way that writers make their ideas clear is by giving examples.
Sometimes an entire text is made up of examples, with each paragraph
giving a different kind of example to support the main idea. There
can also be several examples within one paragraph to help explain
the idea in that paragraph.

In each paragraph, what example of clothing conveys a message?

Paragraph 2 blue jeans

Paragraph 3 ........................................................

Paragraph 4 ........................................................

Paragraph 5 ........................................................

Paragraph 6 ........................................................

Paragraph 7 ........................................................

2. From paragraph 5, list the examples of occupations that can be
identified by clothing.

Think, Pair and Share

Describe a standard way that people greet each other in your community.

Project Activity

Write a paragraph on each of the following.
a. Describe a common wedding tradition practised in your community.
b. Describe the clothing worn by students at your school.

36 A course in English literature Book - 7

6 Unleashing the
Majesty of Manaslu

Before you proceed
a. Do you like travelling and trekking?
b. How you feel about the beauty of nature?
c. Have you visited any enchanting place recently?

Unleashing the Majesty of Manaslu

Ever since I was a child, I have longed to travel solo to the diverse and
beautiful landscapes of Nepal, and this dream finally turned into
reality as I trekked to Manaslu during my Dashain break.

What was dream that came true to the narrator?
ButNtehwis wdoecrdission didn’t come to me easy and even one day before the
trek, I was still unsure about my destination. I found it hard to come to a
decision for my first solo travel, nevertheless, several places were on top
of my list.

A course in English literature Book - 7 37

The next morning I woke up with an image of snow-capped peak of the
majestic Manaslu looming over my mind and then and there, I made my
decision. Manaslu would be an ideal choice for my first solo trek. I chose
Manaslu over the rest of the places.
So, I packed my bags and I took a bus from Kathmandu to Arughat
followed by another bus ride to Soti Khola which took the entire day.
Traversing through the bumpy highway with Budhigandaki River
flowing alongside was quite scary and the rickety bus, heat and dust
made it even worse. It was in the wee hours of the night that I reached
Sotikhola, checked into a lodge and slept like a log.
Next morning I woke up to a beautiful sunrise and after breakfast
started trekking to Machakhola. I had planned to reach Machakhola
around noon for lunch. The path was relatively easy and covered few
hills and makeshift bridges. With the unusually hot weather, I reached
Machakhola at around 1:00 pm where I had a hearty lunch of dal bhat.
After resting few hours, I started on with my journey through a new
route discovered by Nepalese army. After 10 hours of trekking, I reached
Dovan- this small beautiful village offered amazing scenery and is a hub
for tree-house lodges serving delicious food. After spending a night at
Dovan, next morning I woke up early to continue my journey to Yarupat.
The trail then abruptly shifted uphill.
The soothing sound of the river and the cool breeze aroused lost vigor in
me. I came across a lot of tourists along the way who were heading for
Tsum Valley, but there were a very few who chose the trail that I chose.
Trudging through the path, surrounded by peaks that rose from bushes
at a distance, I reached Sardinas in the evening. After a quick break, I
continued my trek to Philim and crossed a suspension bridge. I spent the
night there.
What made the narrator regain his vigor?
Next morning, I started out early to reach Ghap. Crossing lush pine
forests and steep rocky hills I came across two paths- one led to Tsum
Valley and other to Manaslu Base Camp. Further on the journey I had a
decent lunch at a place called Deng and started immediately for Ghap.
It was only in the late evening that I reached Ghap, and it was at here

38 A course in English literature Book - 7

at Ghap where I witnessed the first panoramic glimpse of Mt. Manaslu
and other mountains. After admiring the view I had dinner and called
it a night.
I headed to Samagaun the next day. Passing through places like
Namrung, Lho and Shyala decked with verdant green forests and mani
prayer stones was definitely refreshing. Located at an altitude of 3,500-
mt, Samagaun was one of the best places in the trek. Clear blue sky,
glistening glaciers and picturesque mountains; all came in union and
created a schism between here and there. I decided to stay at Samagaun
for a day to explore the Valley, Manaslu Base Camp and Birendra Taal.
The next morning after breakfast, I headed for Manaslu Base Camp.

It was definitely the most challenging part of the trek. The base camp
located at approximately 5,000 metres took us around four hours to ascend
with many breaks I took in between. But all the hardship was worth it as
the view from the base camp was mesmerizing. After spending a couple
of hours and taking pictures, I made my way back and as I hiked down
the trail, I realized that travelling alone has given me solace and helped
me know myself a little better.

(By Sanjeev Rajbhandari)
A course in English literature Book - 7 39

Vocabulary

1. Match the words below with their meanings.

unleashing deeply impressive dignified quality
majesty very different or distinct from one another
diverse appearing large and threatening
looming having full effect
rickety the place to which somebody is going
destination in bad condition and likely to collapse

2. Write the meaning of these word as they are used in the text.
a. amazing …………........................................................…………............……..
b. soothing ………………………………………….........………….……….
c. panorama ………………………………………………....……...……….
d. glimpse ……………………………………………………........…………
e. altitude …………………………………………………………..………..
f. glaciers …………………………………………………………...………..
g. picturesque …………………………………………………....…………
h. solace ……………………………………………………………………..

Comprehension Activities

1 Decide whether the following statements are true or false.

a. The narrator found it hard to come to a decision for his first solo
travel and there were several places on top of his list.

b. The next morning he decided to visit the snow-capped peak of the
majestic Manaslu.

c. He took a bus from Kathmandu to Arughat and then another bus
ride to Soti Khola.

d. Traversing through the bumpy highway with Budhigandaki river
flowing alongside was quite pleasant.

e. The rickety bus, heat and dust made the journey even worse.

2 Fill in the blank spaces with correct words from the above text.

a. Next morning the narrator woke up to a ……………………….. and

40 A course in English literature Book - 7

after breakfast started ……………….. to Machakhola.
b. He had planned to …………………. around noon for lunch.
c. The path was …………… easy and covered few hills and

…………………. bridges.
d. With the unusually hot …………………, I reached Machakhola at

around 1:00 pm where I had a ………………… of dal bhat.

3 Write short answers to these questions:

a. What did the small beautiful village offer to the visitors?
b. What aroused lost vigor in the narrator?
c. How did the narrator reach Sardinas?
d. Where did he witness the first panoramic glimpse of Mt. Manaslu?
e. What places did he pass through after he headed to Samagaun the

next day?

Write Long Answer

1. What did the narrator do and experience on the first two days of his
journey?

2. Write a description of the narrator’s journey from Dovan to Manaslu
Base Camp?

Literary Terms

Essay
A short nonfiction work about a special subject from the writer’s point of view.
Is the above text an essay?
Narrative
Narrative is a report of related events presented to listeners or readers, in words
arranged in a logical sequence. A story is taken as a synonym of narrative. A
narrative is told by a narrator who may be a direct part of that experience, and
he or she often shares the experience as a first-person narrator.
Who is the narrator of the above text?

A course in English literature Book - 7 41

Creative Writing

Describe a journey that you have made recently with your friends or your family
to a very beautiful place near or far from your locality. Write about it in about
200 words.

Think, Pair and Share

If you got a chance to go on an educational excursion for a couple of days,
what sort of place would you choose for the purpose.

Project Activity

Gather all essential information about one of the places of the tourists’
interest in your locality. Then write a detailed description of it, stating
what the visitors can see and do there.

42 A course in English literature Book - 7

7 The Desert

Before you proceed
a. What is a desert?
b. Have you ever been to any desert?
c. If yes, what did you see there?

New words

The Desert

Those of us who live in regions covered with forests and surrounded
by hills may find it difficult to imagine what a desert is really like. The
popular belief is that it is an endless stretch of sand where no rain falls and,
therefore, no vegetation grows. It is dry, hot, waterless and without shelter.
But this is not entirely correct. For those who have studied it, the desert
can be a beautiful place. It is the home of a variety of people, animals and
plants that have learnt to live under very hot and dry conditions.
What is the common belief about the desert?
It is true that the ground is not
always hidden by a cover of
grass, plants or trees as it is in
other climates. But whenever
it rains, which is rare, desert
flower buds open up, and the
sight can be as rewarding as
that of any tropical garden.
A desert is not always a flat,
unchanging, useless area
of dry sand. It may have
mountains and hills. It may

A course in English literature Book - 7 43

have an oasis, big or small. An oasis is like a green island in the middle
of a desert where a spring or well gives plants and trees a better chance
to grow. A desert may be hot like Thar or cold like Ladakh. But, generally
speaking, if a place has little or no water and vegetation, people usually
call it a desert.
What things may a desert have?
Some deserts are almost totally without water. In such places, strong
winds raise huge amounts of sand and deposit them as heaps. These
are called ‘sand dunes’, and they can shift and move endlessly across the
desert. Few plants can survive in such dry, shifting sands.
All living things need water in order to survive. The few plants and
animals that live in deserts have developed the ability to require less
water than most plants and animals. The camel, popularly known as
the ‘ship of the desert’ can drink a lot of water at one time. Camels can

do without water for days
together. The reason is
that they sweat very little.
We sweat because we must
keep our body temperature
constant. When it gets hot,
our sweat cools the body.
Camels can stand high
body temperatures. They
don’t need to sweat and
can, therefore, store the
water they drink for long
periods of time.
The smaller desert animals
do not drink water. They
stay in underground
tunnels during the hot
day and come out only at
night to eat. Some of them
eat other animals and get
the water they need from
the moisture in the meat.
44 A course in English literature Book - 7

Others eat plants and seeds, and get the water they need from plant juices.
Desert plants also change themselves according to the life they lead.
Cactus plants store water in their thick stems. Their roots lie close to the
surface of the ground and quickly take in the tiny drops of water from
the light rains that occasionally fall.
The major feature of all deserts is, of course, dryness and differences of
temperature. In hot and wet climates, the moisture in the air acts like
a blanket and protects the earth’s surface from the hot rays of the sun.
The absence of this blanket in desert lands causes the deserts to heat up
rapidly during the day and to cool down rapidly at night.
Deserts are an important part of nature’s great plan. They are there like
the thick forests and the deep oceans. Just because they are hot and dry,
one should not look upon them as useless parts of the earth.

Vocabulary

1. Match the words below with their meanings.

stretch very hot and with a high degree of humidity
vegetation move to a higher level or position
rewarding be adequate in quantity or quality
tropical very quickly
oasis large expanse of land or water
raise tolerate something unpleasant
do remaining the same
constant mass of plants growing in a particular place
stand fertile ground in a desert
rapidly providing personal satisfaction

A course in English literature Book - 7 45

Comprehension Activities

1 Decide whether the following statements are true or false.
a. A desert is always an endless stretch of sand where no rain falls
and, therefore, no vegetation grows.

b. People who live in regions with forests and surrounded by hills
may find it easy to imagine what a desert is really like.

c. The desert cannot be an ugly place in all cases.

d. The desert is the home of a variety of people, animals and plants.

e. The ground is not always hidden by a cover of grass, plants or
trees in a desert.

2 Fill in the blank spaces with correct words from the above story.

Some …….......are almost totally without water. In such places, strong
winds ……………… huge amount of sand and deposit them as heaps. These
are called ‘……......’, and they can ………… and move endlessly across the
desert. Few plants can …………… in such dry, shifting sands.

All …………… things need water in order to survive. The few plants and
………….. that live in deserts have developed the ability to…………….. less
water than most plants and animals. We ……… because we must keep
our body ………. constant. When it gets hot, our sweat cools the body.
Camels can ……. high body temperatures. They don’t …… to sweat and
can, therefore, store the water they drink for long …………. of time.

3 Write short answers to these questions.

a. What is the camel popularly known as?
b. Why can camels do without water for days?
c. How do the cactus plants store water?
d. What is the major feature of all the deserts?
e. What is the function of the moisture in the air in hot and wet

climates?
f. What may happen in the absence of the blanket in the desert ?

46 A course in English literature Book - 7

Write Long Answer

1. How do the smaller desert animals fulfill the need of water
without drinking water?

2. Write an account of the features of the deserts on the earth.

Literary Terms

Digression
Using material that is not related to the subject of the work. Henry Fielding
often used digression in his novels.
Can you find any digression in the above text?
Dramatic monologue
A poem or speech in which an imaginary character speaks to a silent listener.

Creative Writing

Write an essay on a desert that you have read or heard about.

Think, Pair and Share

As there is no water in a desert, how did people there fulfill the needs of water?

Project Activity

Make a list of animals, birds and plants that can be found in a desert.

A course in English literature Book - 7 47

Biographies

Indira Gandhi
Plato
The creators of Google

A biography tells about a person’s life. The subjects of biography are
usually people who were famous or who led exemplary lives, such as
national leaders, artists, sports figures, writers, or explorers.

A good biography presents the facts about the person’s life
including what the person did and how they influenced their
world. It describes the person’s personality and provides an explanation
for why he or she acted in certain ways. Most biographies are interpretive
- they not only present the facts but also tell what those facts mean.

Whose biography have you recently read?

Choose the correct word to fill in the blanks.

1. The story of a person’s life written by others is called ...........

a. biography b. autobiography

2. A good biography reveals the .................... about the person’s life including his or
her achievement.

a. ways b. facts.

48 A course in English literature Book - 7

8 Indira Gandhi

Before you proceed
a. Can you name any three women who have been famous in
the world?
b. Have you heard about Marie Curie, Mother Teresa and Indira
Gandhi?
c. How did each of these women contribute to humans?

Indira Gandhi

Indira Gandhi (19 November 1917 – 31 October 1984) was the Prime
Minister of the Republic of India for three consecutive terms from 1966
to 1977 and a fourth term from 1980 until her assassination in 1984 – a
total of fifteen years. She was India’s first female Prime Minister.
In 1999, she was voted the greatest woman
of the past thousand years in a poll carried
by BBC News, ahead of other notable women
such as Queen Elizabeth I of England, Marie
Curie and Mother Teresa.
When was Indira Gandhi born and when did
she die?
Born in the politically influential Nehru
dynasty, she grew up in an intensely political
atmosphere. Despite the same last name, she
was no relation to the statesman Mohandas
Gandhi. Her grandfather, Motilal Nehru, was
a prominent Indian nationalist leader. Her
father, Jawaharlal Nehru, was a pivotal figure in the Indian independence
movement and the first Prime Minister of Independent India.

A course in English literature Book - 7 49

She was brought up in an environment with great exposure to the
political figures of the day and was particularly influenced by her father.
She stated of her father:
“My father was a statesman, I’m a political woman. My father was a saint.
I’m not.”
In 1937, she passed the Oxford entrance exam and studied at Somerville
College, Oxford. At university, she was often subject to ill health and
returned to India without completing her degree – though later she was
conferred an honorary degree by Oxford University.
On returning to India from Oxford in 1941, Indira became involved in
the Indian Independence movement. Between 1947 and 1965, she served
in her father’s (J. Nehru) government. Although she was unofficially
acting as a personal assistant, she wielded considerable power within
the government. After her father’s death in 1964, she was appointed
as Minister of Information and Broadcasting in Lal Bahadur Shastri’s
cabinet. Shortly after, Shastri died unexpectedly and Indira Gandhi was
chosen to be the new Prime Minister of India.
Gandhi attracted significant electoral popularity helped by her
personality and populist economic measures. She introduced more left-
wing economic policies and sought to promote agricultural productivity.
In 1971, she led India to a decisive victory in a war with Pakistan in East
Pakistan. This led to the creation of Bangladesh. In 1974, India completed
its own nuclear bomb.
However, in the early 1970s, partly due to rising oil prices the Indian
economy suffered from high inflation, falling living standards, and
combined with protests over corruption, there was great instability that
led her to impose a state of emergency in 1975. In the state of emergency,
political opponents were imprisoned, constitutional rights removed, and
the press placed under strict censorship. This gave her a reputation for
being authoritarian, willing to ignore democratic principles.
Her son Sanjay Gandhi was also increasingly unpopular as he wielded
substantial powers, such as slum clearance and enforced sterilisation
to deal with India’s growing population. In 1977, against a backdrop of
economic difficulties and growing disillusionment, Indira Gandhi lost

50 A course in English literature Book - 7