Supplementary reader ENGLISH - Supplementary reader

precious

rival

to beat

to proceed

to resist

Dolphins are like children who never shut up. They constantly make sounds. They are of two types: sounds for conversation and sounds for finding way in the sea. Dolphins use their squeals and whistles to express emotions, to show presence of danger, availability of food. and to collect far-swimming dolphins in a herd. Female dolphins often act as midwives to new mothers. Every dolphin cares for the others in the group. Scientists have done studies of dolphins' sound patterns. Human and dolphin sound-patterns are almost similar. It can be said that dolphins have a language. But at present we are not able to understand their language.
A dolphin's brain is heavier than a human brain. They have the highest brain-body weight ratio among all animals, except human beings. Due to this big brain they are easy to train. They can be good friends of human beings.

Questions:
Q.1. Which are the two types of sounds made by dolphins?
Q.2. Why are dolphins easy to train?
Q.3. For what do dolphins use their squeals and whistles?
Q.4. What do scientists say about dolphins' sounds?

                When he started taking interest in the books he felt someone walking in. He looked up. In the doorway stood a tall, thin woman, dressed in grey. Grey as shadows the shopkeeper thought to himself. She had a sad, tragic face. Her big, dark eyes were full of tears. She moved slowly to the counter. The shopkeeper stood up, looked at her kindly and said, "What can I do for you, ma'am ?"

                Without speaking the woman pointed to a bottle of milk. The shopkeeper took it down and handed it to her. She took the milk, turned around, and went out without paying or speaking.

                The shopkeeper was so touched by her great sad eyes that he had no courage to go after her and demand money.

 

Questions:

 

Q.1. What did the shopkeeper see in the doorway?

Q.2. What did the woman want?

Q.3. Why did the shopkeeper not demand any money?

Q.4. Describe the woman who came to the shop.

                While he was standing in the doorway of the moving railway carriage, one of Mahatma Gandhi's sandals slipped and fell off. He promptly pushed off the other sandal and said: "The poor man who finds the sandal on the track will now have a pair to use."

                Abraham Lincoln. the President of United States of America. had great love for children. A little girl was taken by her father to see the President at the White House. Lincoln took her upon his knee and had a pleasant chatting with her. Turning to her father, the girl exclaimed : "Oh. pa! He isn't ugly at all: he is just beautiful.”

                There was a blind girl: she could not see the beauties of a moonlit night: she missed the silver sheen on the trees and shrubs and grass; she could not imagine the world of milky white in the sky. A composer wanted to make this blind girl see and feel' a moonlight night. So he created a beautiful piece of music which is now a masterpiece. The composer was Beethoven and the piece of music he created is the well-known ‘Moonlit Sonata’.

 

Questions:

 

Q.1. What happened when Gandhiji was standing in the doorway of a moving train?

Q.2. Who was Abraham Lincoln?

Q.3. What did Beethovan want?

Q.4. Name the masterpiece created by Beethoven.

                Tejas and Tina could not believe their eyes. They stood like statues for some time. Again they heard some sounds  ... "ele images shoo shoo chendra... requa gimme summe phudva ...” The machine flashes : I AM VERY VERY HUNGRY... PLEASE GIVE ME SOME FOOD... When Tejas is reading these words, Tina is already in the kitchen. She pulls out the vegetable tray from the fridge and puts it near Topsa. It throws away the vegetables and starts eating the tray.

                Tanuja : Hi, Topsa ... do you like the taste of that tray ?

                Topsa : Ummeee ... elz fonda phudva ... Teen reve eles mitra ...

                The machine shows : THE FOOD IS TASTY ... YOU ARE MY FRIENDS.

                Tanuja: Oh no, a plastic eater cannot be my friend !!!

                Tejas : It is good, now we have a friend who will help us in removing plastic from our environment.

 

Question:

Q.1. What does Topsa want?

Q.2. What does Topsa eat?

Q.3. What kind of a friend does Tanuja not want?

Q.4. Why is Tejas happy?

                He walked for many hours. At last he came to a spot where some wild ducks lived. But before this poor duckling discovered a comfortable spot to hide Bang! Bang! went the hunter's gun and down dropped the wild ducks, one by one. "Was I saved because I do not look like a duck ?" the ugly duckling asked himself.

                But a few moments later. he was even more frightened when a large brown dog came violently through tall grass. The ugly duckling had given up all hopes of remaining alive, but the dog, after sniffing him suspiciously, turned away and hurriedly left the place. "Should I not be thankful to God, at this moment for my ugly appearance ? I must be so ugly that even a dog won't touch me," said the duckling to himself.

 

Question:

 

Q.1. Where did the ugly duckling reach ?

Q.2. Why did the ugly duckling think that he was saved from the hunter's gun ?

Q.3. What did the dog do to the ugly duckling?

Q.4. Why did the ugly duckling thank God ?