Chapter 1.4 - Revathi’s Musical Plants
balsam : a plant, usually with pink or white flowers, grown in gardens
stunted : slowed down or stopped
struck her as odd : seemed very strange
surmise : guess
mauve : of a pale purple colour
knew no bounds : had no limits
ridicule : unkind laughter
deter : discourage
mission : an important task undertaken
dejected : sad, disappointed
stunned : astonished and amazed
phenomenon : something that is very unusual
applauded : showed praise by clapping
pulled up : told someone they had done something wrong
Warming up!
1. Discuss in groups and share your answers with the class.
→ Can you name the famous musician in Emperor Akbar’s court, who could perform miracles, when he sang different Ragas?
Ans: Tansen was the famous musician in Emperor Akbar’s court, who could perform miracles, when he sang different Ragas.
→ What miracles could he perform with his music?
Ans: It is said that Tansen could create rain and fire just through his music. If he sang the Raga Deepak, the area around him would catch fire. If he sang Megha Malhar, it would begin to rain. If he sang an evening raga during the daytime, the sunlight would diminish and it would look like it was dusk already.
→ What impact does music have on human beings?
Ans: Music can make human beings happy, sad, nostalgic, mournful, etc. It can soothe them when they are stressed. It can also convey a lot of emotions like love, anger, etc. that may not be conveyed easily
→ Do you think music can have an impact on animals, birds and even plants?
Ans: Yes, definitely. It has already been proven by Jagdish Chandra Bose that plants respond to muste. It is said that cows give more milk if they listen to good music. Our folklore is full of instances of snakes swaying to the music played by snake charmers.
2. Affirmative and Negative sentences
Read the sentences below and spot the difference in their framing:
1. (a) I could not complete the work.
(b) I failed to complete the work.
2. (a) There is no sense in what you say .
(b) There is hardly any sense in what you say.
3. (a) He said he wouldn’t go.
(b) He refused to go.
You will observe that sentences marked (a) and (b) convey the same meaning. But in all sentences marked (a) there are negative words (no, not, wouldn’t) whereas the ones marked (b) do not have them.
Negative words are those that convey a negative meaning.
For example : never, no, neither, nor, not, cannot, don’t, isn’t, nothing etc.
If a sentence contains Negative words, it is called a NEGATIVE SENTENCE.
If a sentence does not contain any Negative word, it is called an Affirmative sentence.
Say whether the following sentences are Affirmative or Negative ones.
(1) We must avoid hurting others.
Ans: Affirmative
(2) She didn’t offer me any help.
Ans: Negative
(3) Never give up hopes.
Ans: Negative
(4) You must keep away from bad company.
Ans: Affirmative
(5) There is nothing in the bag.
Ans: Negative
(6) Entry is prohibited, without permission.
Ans: Affirmative
Note : While interchanging Negative and Affirmative sentences, the meaning and tense must not change.
You must use Negative words in the sentence, while converting from Affirmative to Negative.
You may use words like hardly / fail to / refuse / reject / avoid / prohibit / without / ban etc., while changing Negative sentences to Affirmative.
In Between The Lesson
Q1. Why did Revathi change the pot’s location?
Ans: Revathi changed the location of the pot because the plants in the pot were not getting sufficient sunlight.
Q2. Name the favourite raga of Revathi.
Ans: Mohanam was the favourite raga of Revathi.
Q3 What strange thing did Revathi notice about the potted plant?
Ans: Revathi noticed that even though there was no breeze, the plants were moving their stems, bending slightly towards her while she was playing on her violin.
Q4. How did Revathi confirm her new discovery?
Ans: Revathi discovered that her balsam plants were growing well and looked healthier than the other plants. She also discovered that when she was playing her violin, they would move their stems, bending slightly towards her.
Q5. What shock did Revathi receive on the prize distribution day?
Ans: On the prize distribution day, Revathi was shocked when she saw that a distant neighbour had entered the contest by using Revathi’s plants.
Q6. How did Revathi plan to convince the organisers that the plants were hers?
Ans: Revathi planned to convince the organisers that the plants were hers by sitting near them, playing raga Mohanam on her violin and showing the organisers how her plants responded to her music.
Q7. Why did the organisers refuse to believe that Revathi’s plants were music lovers?
Ans: The organisers refused to believe that Revathi’s plants were music lovers because they had never heard of plants enjoying music.
Q8. Why had no one suspected that the neighbour had stolen the plants?
Ans: No one suspected that the neighbour had stolen the plants because she was a regular participant of the ‘Best Plant’ contest.
Q9. What is the happy end?
Ans: The neighbour admitted that the plants belonged to Revathi; the organisers accepted that plants too enjoy music and that they truly belonged to Revathi. They gave her the first prize at the contest, and Revathi carried her prize as well as her plants home.
ENGLISH WORKSHOP
1. Read the story and complete the following.
(a) At first, Revathi’s plants did not look normal and healthy because, __________
Ans: they had pale green leaves and their growth was stunted.
(b) When Revathi played her favourite raga, the plants began to move because, __________
Ans: they liked listening to the tune which she was playing on her violin.
(c) Revathi’s grief knew no bounds because, __________
Ans: the plants who enjoyed her music were missing from her courtyard.
(d) Revathi was confident of proving her ownership of her pot of plants because, __________
Ans: she was sure they would respond to raga Mohanam.
(e) Revathi won the prize for the ‘Best plant’ because, __________
Ans: she was able to prove to the organisers that the balsam plants truly belonged to her.
2. Answer in your own words.
(a) What did Revathi discover about her balsam plants?
Ans: Revathi discovered that her stunted balsam plants moved towards her whenever she played raga Mohanam.
(b) Why did she decide to keep her new knowledge ‘a secret’?
Ans: Revathi decided to keep her new knowledge a secret because she wanted to surprise everyone by winning the ‘Best plant’ contest
(c) How did the plants respond when Revathi played her favourite tune?
Ans: The plants responded to Revathi’s favourite tune by moving towards her.
(d) How did the plants react to the fast rhythmic music?
Ans: When Revathi played the fast rhythmic music, the plants moved away from her as if they did not like what she was playing.
(e) How did Revathi prove to the organisers of the competition, that the plants truly belonged to her?
Ans: In order to prove to the organisers of the competition that the plants truly belonged to her, Revathi sat near her plants and started playing raga Mohananam on her violin. The more she got engrossed and played the tune, the more her plants started bending towards her as though wanting to touch her in their happiness. This convinced the organisers that the plants truly belonged to her.
(f) What helped Revathi to claim her plants – her belief in magic or the belief in her convictions? Explain your choice.
Ans: Revathi was able to claim her plants because of her belief in her conviction. She knew that her plants responded to her music.
3. (A) A word chain consists of words of a certain category that begin with the letter that the previous word has ended with. Complete the word chain adding four nouns from the text.
Music – courtyard – d …………… , ………….. , …………… , …………… .
Ans: days – secret – tune – evening
(B) Add the appropriate Prefix to make the following words oppposite in meaning.
continue
Ans: discontinue
possible
Ans: impossible
certain
Ans: uncertain
definite
Ans: indefinite
believe
Ans: disbelieve
important
Ans: unimportant
place
Ans: misplace
known
Ans: unknown
regular
Ans: irregular
(C) Use the following expressions to make sentences of your own.
make up one’s mind
Ans: Rahul made up his mind to work sincerely from that very moment.
flash across one’s mind
Ans: Suddenly the right answer flashed across my mind.
struck as odd
Ans: It struck as odd to Rohan that his friend did not come to school.
to surmise
Ans: Without listening to what Ritesh had to say, the teacher surmised that he was a thief.
knew no bounds
Ans: My grandmother’s happiness knew no bounds when we went to visit her in the village this summer.
not to deter
Ans: Our soldiers are trained not to deter from their position even under the toughest circumstances.
4. Imagine there is a ‘Best Plant’ Competition in the locality / colony where you live. Frame a Notice about the same, in the form of an attractive poster.
Cover the following points.
(1) Name of the organisation
(2) Name of the Contest
(3) Day, Date, Venue
(4) Who can participate
(5) Prizes
(6) Contact details for further enquiry
Ans:
5. Types of sentences
Study the following sentences.
Set (A)
- Revathi was a student of music.
- The flowers were big and brightly coloured; indeed.
- They were requested to believe her.
All the above sentences are statements or assertions, and called Assertive or Declarative sentences.
Set (B)
- Wasn’t Revathi a student of music?
- How can we doubt her?
- Do plants have ears?
The above sentences in Set (B) are Questions. They are called Interrogative sentences.
Set (C)
- Please believe me.
- Let us watch the fun.
- Sit straight.
- Excuse me.
In Set (C) the sentences are either requests, appeals, commands, suggestions etc. Such sentences are called Imperative Sentences.
Set (D)
- How big and bright the flowers were !
- What a surprise !
- Ah, what beautiful music that is !
Set (D) has sentences that express strong feelings. They are called Exclamatory Sentences.
State the kinds of the following sentences.
(1) How happily she played the violin!
Ans: Exclamatory sentence
(2) They all bent towards her.
Ans: Assertive sentence
(3) Don’t play that quick tune.
Ans: Imperative sentence
(4) She kept the knowledge a secret.
Ans: Assertive sentence
(5) How can plants enjoy music?
Ans: Interrogative sentence
(6) How proudly did Revathi carry home her prize!
Ans: Exclamatory sentence
(7) What could have taken my plants?
Ans: Interrogative sentence
(8) The organisers were not convinced.
Ans: Assertive sentence
6. Make the following Negative using the negative words given.
(1) There were a few potted plants in the courtyard. (not many)
Ans: There were not many potted plants in the courtyard.
(2) They looked healthier than the other plants. (not as healthy as)
Ans: Other plants did not look as healthy as them.
(3) She refused to share her secret. (would not)
Ans: She would not share her secret.
(4) She went around asking everyone about her plants. (No one / did not)
Ans: There was no one she did not go around asking about her plants.
7. Make the following Affirmative using the words given.
(1) There was no breeze. (hardly)
Ans: There was hardly any breeze.
(2) Their ridicule did not deter her. (failed to)
Ans: Their ridicule failed to deter her.
(3) Her mother knew nothing about it. (denied)
Ans: Her mother denied knowing anything about it.
(4) She did not give up. (refuse to)
Ans: She refused to give up.
8. Imagine that Revathi’s father is abroad on business and she wishes to convey the news of her prize – winning plants. Draft an email for the above subject. (Use an email format.)
Ans:
Subject: I have won the ‘Best Plant’ Competition!
Dearest Father,
I couldn’t wait to share with you the amazing experience that I had this afternoon! Like you always say, one’s self-belief, determination, and hard work help one succeed. How very true! I experienced this today. Your teachings and blessings have fetched me the first prize in the ‘Best Plant’ competition! When you come home next week, I will show you the certificate and the prize money I won. I will also show you the plant and its beautiful mauve flowers. Mamma is very happy too.
Take care. Bye for now!
With love,
Revathi