NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 7

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 7 – Glimpses of India

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 7 Glimpses of India: I – A Baker from Goa, II – Coorg and III – Tea from Assam

Glimpses of India

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 7 – Glimpses of India

I. A Baker from Goa

Oral Comprehension Check

Question 1: What are the elders in Goa nostalgic about?

Answer: Goan elders have fond memories of their beloved bread loaves and the era of Portuguese merrymaking. The bread producers continue to exist, despite the disappearance of the loaf eaters, according to the writer.

Question 2: Is bread-making still popular in Goa? How do you know?

Answer: Yes, baking bread is still a common practice in Goa. The bread producers continue to exist, despite the disappearance of the diners, which is evidence of this. They may be verified by the presence of the time-tested furnaces, mixers, molders, and bakers who produce the bread.

Question 3: What is the baker called?

Answer: In Goa, the term “pader” refers to a baker.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 7 – Glimpses of India

Question 4: When would the baker come everyday? Why did the children run to meet him?

Answer:

The baker would come by twice a day, first when he started out early in the morning and again when he came back after selling all of the bread in his large basket.

The kids would rush to greet him because they enjoyed eating loaves and were eager to get beautifully chosen bread bracelets. There were periods when it was specially made sweet bread.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 7 – Glimpses of India

Oral Comprehension Check

Question 1: Match the following. What is a must

(i) as marriage gifts? – cakes and bolinhas

(ii) for a party or a feast? – sweet bread called bol

(iii) for a daughter’s engagement? – bread

(iv) for Christmas? – sandwiches

Answer:

(i) as marriage gifts? – sweet bread called bol

(ii) for a party or a feast? – bread

(iii) for a daughter’s engagement? – sandwiches

(iv) for Christmas? – cakes and bolinhas

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 7 – Glimpses of India

Question 2:What did the bakers wear:

(i) in the Portuguese days?

(ii) when the author was young?

Answer:

(i) The bakers in Portuguese times were often clad in a strange garment called a kabai. It was a long, one-piece dress that hung down to the knees.

(ii) When the author was a youngster, he observed the bakers wearing shirts and pants that were longer than half-length and shorter than full-length.

Question 3: Who invites the comment — “he is dressed like a pader”? Why?

Answer: The remark “he is dressed like a pader” is encouraged for anyone who dons a half-pant that falls just below the knees. This is due to the fact that the bakers, often referred to as paders in Goa, used to wear similar attire.

Question 4: Where were the monthly accounts of the baker recorded?

Answer: At the conclusion of each month, the bakers would often pick up their bills, and they would write their monthly accounts in pencil on one of the walls in the residence.

Question 5: What does a ‘jackfruit-like appearance’ mean?

Answer: A big body is referred to as having a “jackfruit-like appearance.” A baker used to have this kind of body since it was thought that he never went hungry and neither did his family. A baker, his family, and his slaves usually appeared content and affluent due to their physical appearance, since baking was a lucrative job.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 7 – Glimpses of India

Thinking about the Text

Question 1: Which of these statements are correct?

(i) The pader was an important person in the village in old times.

(ii) Paders still exist in Goan villages.

(iii) The paders went away with the Portuguese.

(iv) The paders continue to wear a single-piece long frock.

(v) Bread and cakes were an integral part of Goan life in the old days.

(vi) Traditional bread-baking is still a very profitable business.

(vii) Paders and their families starve in the present times.

Answer:

Correct
Correct
Incorrect. The paders still exist in Goan villages.
Incorrect. The bakers wear a shirt and trousers that are shorter than full-length ones and longer than half pants.
Correct
Correct
Incorrect. Baking happens to be a profitable business in Goa.

Question 2: Is bread an important part of Goan life? How do you know this?

Answer: Absolutely, bread plays a significant role in Goan culture. It’s frequently used for feasts and wedding presents. During their daughters’ engagement, moms also utilize bread to make sandwiches. According to the author, everyone in Goa adores the smell of freshly baked bread. While the young ones yearn for bread bracelets, the elderly are given loaves. Thus, bread must always be on hand in every home for every circumstance. Since people have enjoyed delicious bread since the Portuguese era, baking is thus seen as a lucrative industry in Goa.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 7 – Glimpses of India

Question 3: Tick the right answer. What is the tone of the author when he says the following?

(i) The thud and the jingle of the traditional baker’s bamboo can still be heard in some places. (nostalgic, hopeful, sad)

(ii) Maybe the father is not alive but the son still carries on the family profession. (nostalgic, hopeful, sad)

(iii) I still recall the typical fragrance of those loaves. (nostalgic, hopeful, naughty)

(iv) The tiger never brushed his teeth. Hot tea could wash and clean up everything so nicely, after all. (naughty, angry, funny)

(v) Cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas as well as other festivals. (sad, hopeful, matter-of-fact)

(vi) The baker and his family never starved. They always looked happy and prosperous. (matter-of-fact, hopeful, sad)

Answer:

(i) nostalgic

(ii) hopeful

(iii) nostalgic

(iv) funny

(v) matter-of-fact

(vi) matter-of-fact

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 7 – Glimpses of India

Writing

Question I: In this extract, the author talks about traditional bread-baking during his childhood days. Complete the following table with the help of the clues on the left. Then write a paragraph about the author’s childhood days.

Clues	Author’s childhood days
the way bread was baked
the way the pader sold bread
what the pader wore
when the pader was paid
how the pader looked

Answer:

Clues	Author’s childhood days
the way bread was baked	The bakers used to bake loaves in the mixers and moulders on age-old, time-tested furnaces that were never extinguished.
the way the pader sold bread	The baker made his musical entry on the scene with the ‘jhang, jhang’ sound of his specially-made bamboo staff. One hand supported the basket on his head and the other banged the bamboo on the ground.
what the pader wore	The baker or bread-seller of those days had a peculiar dress known as the kabai. It was a single-piece long frock reaching down to the knees. In his childhood, he saw bakers wearing a shirt and trousers which were shorter than full-length ones and longer than half pants.
when the pader was paid	The baker usually collected his bills at the end of the month. Monthly accounts used to be recorded on some wall in pencil.
how the pader looked	The baker used to have a plump physique with a jackfruit-like physical appearance.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 7 – Glimpses of India

Question II:

Compare the piece from the text (on the left below) with the other piece on Goan bakers (on the right). What makes the two texts so different? Are the facts the same? Do both writers give you a picture of the baker?

Our elders are often heard reminiscing nostalgically about those good old Portuguese days, the Portuguese and their famous loaves of bread. Those eaters of loaves might have vanished but the makers are still there. We still have amongst us the mixers, the moulders and those who bake the loaves. Those age-old, time-tested furnaces still exist. The fire in the furnaces had not yet been extinguished. The thud and the jingle of the traditional baker’s bamboo, heralding his arrival in the morning, can still be heard in some places. Maybe the father is not alive but the son still carries on the family profession.

After Goa’s liberation, people used to say nostalgically that the Portuguese bread vanished with the paders. But the paders have managed to survive because they have perfected the art of door-to-door delivery service. The paders pick up the knowledge of bread-making from traditions in the family. The leavened, oven-baked bread is a gift of the Portuguese to India.

[Adapted from Nandakumar Kamat’s ‘The Unsung Lives of Goan Paders’]

Answer:

Both the texts are more or less similar with the context that knowledge of bread-making flows down in the family like a tradition. Both the writers give a brief overview of a baker’s work. They have also mentioned how successive generations of bakers work hard and follow the footsteps of their parents to keep the family profession alive.

1. Now find a travel brochure about a place you have visited. Look at the description in the brochure. Then write your own account, adding details from your own experience, to give the reader a picture of the place, rather than an impersonal, factual description.

Answer:

Activity to be done by yourself.

(Note: Students can write about their personal experiences for this question.)

Group Discussion

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 7 – Glimpses of India

Question 1:

In groups, collect information on how bakeries bake bread now and how the process has changed over time.

Answer:

Activity to be done by yourself.

Question 2:

There are a number of craft-based professions which are dying out. Pick one of the crafts below. Make a group presentation to the class about the skills required, and the possible reasons for the decline of the craft. Can you think of ways to revive these crafts?

(i) Pottery (v) Carpentry

(ii) Batik work (vi) Bamboo weaving

(iii) Dhurri (rug) weaving (vii) Making jute products

(iv) Embroidery (viii) Handloom

Answer:

Activity to be done by yourself.

(Note: Students can write this answer as per their personal preferences.)

II. Coorg

Thinking about the Text

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 7 – Glimpses of India

Question 1: Where is Coorg?

Answer: The smallest district in Karnataka, Kodagu, is situated halfway between Mysore and Mangalore.

Question 2: What is the story about the Kodavu people’s descent?

Answer: It is thought that the fiercely independent inhabitants of Coorg are sprung from individuals who were either Arabic or Greek. According to legend, after Alexander’s army was unable to return to their homeland, some of them traveled south along the coast and lived there. These individuals got married amid the community, and their unique religious ceremonies, marital customs, and martial arts are all manifestations of their culture. This is the lovely legend of the origin of the Kodavu people.

Question 3: What are some of the things you now know about

(i) the people of Coorg?

(ii) the main crop of Coorg?

(iii) the sports it offers to tourists?

(iv) the animals you are likely to see in Coorg?

(v) its distance from Bangalore, and how to get there?

Answer:

(i) The Kodagu, also known as the Coorgi, are a fiercely independent group of martial men and gorgeous women who are thought to be derived from either the Arabs or the Greeks. They have a long history of hospitality, and they are happy to share many heroic stories about the guys in this area. In actuality, the Kodavus are the only people in India who are allowed to carry weapons without a permit.

(ii) Coorg’s principal crop is coffee. There’s a strong coffee scent in the air. In the most desirable areas of town, coffee farms and colonial homes are nestled beneath tree canopy.

(iii) River rafting, canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing, mountain biking, and trekking are just a few of the exciting adventure activities available in Coorg.

(iv) In Coorg, you could come across macaques, langurs, slender lorises, wild elephants, and Malabar squirrels, among other wildlife. Around the corner, birds, bees, and butterflies may be seen providing companionship.

(v) There are two roads that go to Coorg, which is around 250–260 kilometers away from Bangalore by car. The most popular route passes through Mysore as one option. The alternative path passes through Chanrayanapatna, Kunigal, and Neelamangal.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 7 – Glimpses of India

Question 4: Here are six sentences with some words in italics. Find phrases from the text that have the same meaning. (Look in the paragraphs indicated)

(i) During monsoons it rains so heavily that tourists do not visit Coorg. (para 2)

(ii) Some people say that Alexander’s army moved south along the coast and settled there. (para 3)

(iii) The Coorg people are always ready to tell stories of their sons’ and fathers’ valour. (para 4)

(iv) Even people who normally lead an easy and slow life get smitten by the high-energy adventure sports of Coorg. (para 6)

(v) The theory of the Arab origin is supported by the long coat with embroidered waist-belt they wear. (para 3)

(vi) Macaques, Malabar squirrels observe you carefully from the tree canopy. (para 7)

Answer:

(i) to keep many visitors away

(ii) As one story goes

(iii) are more than willing to recount

(iv) The most laidback individuals become converts to

(v) draws support from

(vi) keep a watchful eye

Thinking about Language

Collocations

Certain words ‘go together’. Such ‘word friends’ are called collocations. The collocation of a word is ‘the company it keeps’.

For example, look at the paired sentences and phrases below. Which is a common collocation, and which one is odd? Strike out the odd sentence or phrase.

(a) • ‘How old are you?’ (b) • a pleasant person

• ‘How young are you?’ • a pleasant pillow

Question 1: Here are some nouns from the text.

culture

monks

surprise

experience

weather

tradition

Work with a partner and discuss which of the nouns can collocate with which of the adjectives given below. The first one has been done for you.

unique

terrible

unforgettable

serious

ancient

wide

sudden

(i) culture: unique culture, ancient culture

(ii) monks: ___________________________________________________________

(iii) surprise: __________________________________________________________

(iv) experience: _________________________________________________________

(v) weather: ___________________________________________________________

(vi) tradition: ___________________________________________________________

Answer:

(i) culture: unique culture, ancient culture

(ii) monks: unique monks, serious monks

(iii) surprise: unforgettable surprise, terrible surprise, unique surprise

(iv) experience: unique experience, unforgettable experience, terrible experience

(v) weather: terrible weather, unique weather

(vi) tradition: unique tradition, ancient tradition

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 7 – Glimpses of India

Question 2: Complete the following phrases from the text. For each phrase, can you find at least one other word that would fit into the blank?

(i) tales of ______________________ (ii) coastal _____________________________

(iii) a piece of ____________________ (iv) evergreen ___________________________

(v) ___________________ plantations (vi) _____________________________ bridge

(vii) wild _______________________

You may add your own examples to this list.

Answer:

tales of valour
coastal town
a piece of heaven
evergreen rainforests
coffee plantations
rope bridge
wild creatures

Here are the alternative words that could fit the blank:

tales of bravery
coastal village/belt
a piece of cake
evergreen forest/jungle
banana/tea plantations
concrete bridge
wild animals

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 7 – Glimpses of India

III. Tea from Assam

Thinking about the Text

Question I: 1. Look at these words: upkeep, downpour, undergo, dropout, walk-in. They are built up from a verb (keep, pour, go, drop, walk) and an adverb or a particle (up, down, under, out, in).

Use these words appropriately in the sentences below. You may consult a dictionary.

(i) A heavy ____________________ has been forecast due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal.

(ii) Rakesh will __________________________________ major surgery tomorrow morning.

(iii) My brother is responsible for the ____________________________of our family property.

(iv) The ________________________________ rate for this accountancy course is very high.

(v) She went to the Enterprise Company to attend a __________________________ interview.

Answer:

(i) A heavy downpour has been forecast due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal.

(ii) Rakesh will undergo major surgery tomorrow morning.

(iii) My brother is responsible for the upkeep of our family property.

(iv) The dropout rate for this accountancy course is very high.

(v) She went to the Enterprise Company to attend a walk-in interview.

2. Now fill in the blanks in the sentences given below by combining the verb given in brackets with one of the words from the box as appropriate.

over

through

out

down

(i) The Army attempted unsuccessfully to ______________________ the Government. (throw)

(ii) Scientists are on the brink of a major _____________________ in cancer research. (break)

(iii) The State Government plans to build a ________________ for Bhubaneswar to speed up traffic on the main highway. (pass)

(iv) Gautama’s ________________ on life changed when he realised that the world is full of sorrow. (look)

(v) Rakesh seemed unusually _________________________ after the game. (cast)

Answer:

(i) The Army attempted unsuccessfully to overthrow the Government.

(ii) Scientists are on the brink of a major breakthrough in cancer research.

(iii) The State Government plans to build a bypass for Bhubaneswar to speed up traffic on the main highway. (pass)

(iv) Gautama’s outlook on life changed when he realised that the world is full of sorrow.

(v) Rakesh seemed unusually downcast after the game.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 7 – Glimpses of India

Question II:

Notice how these -ing and -ed adjectives are used.

(a) Chess is an interesting game.	I am very interested in chess.
(b) Going trekking in the Himalayas this summer is an exciting idea.	We are very excited about the trek.
(c) Are all your school books this boring?	He was bored as he had no friends there.

The -ing adjectives show the qualities that chess, trekking, or these books have: they cause interest, excitement, or boredom in you. The —ed/—en adjectives show your mental state, or your physical state: how you feel in response to ideas, events or things.

1. Think of suitable -ing or -ed adjectives to answer the following questions. You may also use words from those given above.

How would you describe

(i) a good detective serial on television? _________________________________________

(ii) a debate on your favourite topic ‘Homework Should Be Banned’? ______________________

(iii) how you feel when you stay indoors due to incessant rain? __________________________

(iv) how you feel when you open a present? _______________________________________

(v) how you feel when you watch your favourite programme on television? __________________

(vi) the look on your mother’s face as you waited in a queue? ____________________________

(vii) how you feel when tracking a tiger in a tiger reserve forest? __________________________

(viii) the story you have recently read, or a film you have seen? ___________________________

Answer:

(i) a good detective serial on television? Interesting

(ii) a debate on your favourite topic ‘Homework Should Be Banned’? Exciting

(iii) how you feel when you stay indoors due to incessant rain? Bored

(iv) how you feel when you open a present? Excited

(v) how you feel when you watch your favourite programme on television? Interested

(vi) the look on your mother’s face as you waited in a queue? Fatigued

(vii) how you feel when tracking a tiger in a tiger reserve forest? Thrilled

(viii) the story you have recently read, or a film you have seen? Interesting

2. Now use the adjectives in the exercise above, as appropriate, to write a paragraph about Coorg.

Answer:

Activity to be done by yourself.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 7 – Glimpses of India

Speaking and Writing

Question 1: Read the following passage about tea.

India and tea are so intertwined together that life without the brew is unimaginable. Tea entered our life only in the mid-nineteenth century when the British started plantations in Assam and Darjeeling! In the beginning though, Indians shunned the drink as they thought it was a poison that led to umpteen diseases. Ironically, tea colonised Britain where it became a part of their social diary and also led to the establishment of numerous tea houses.

Today, scientific research across the world has attempted to establish the beneficial qualities of tea — a fact the Japanese and the Chinese knew anyway from ancient times, attributing to it numerous medicinal properties.

[Source: ‘History: Tea Anytime’ by Ranjit Biswas from Literary Review, The Hindu, 1 October 2006]

Collect information about tea, e.g. its evolution as a drink, its beneficial qualities. You can consult an encyclopedia or visit Internet websites. Then form groups of five and play the following roles: Imagine a meeting of a tea planter, a sales agent, a tea lover (consumer), a physician and a tea-shop owner. Each person in the group has to put forward his/her views about tea. You may use the following words and phrases.

• I feel … • It is important to know …

• I disagree with you … • I think that tea …

• I would like you to know … • I agree with …

• It is my feeling … • I suggest …

• May I know why you … • I am afraid …

Answer:

Activity to be done by yourself.

Question 2:

You are the sales executive of a famous tea company and you have been asked to draft an advertisement for the product. Draft the advertisement using the information you collected for the role play. You can draw pictures or add photographs and make your advertisement colourful.

Answer:

Activity to be done by yourself.