A QUICK GLANCE AT THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

What did Salerino say commenting on the parting of Bassanio and Antonio? What did Bassanio say later
commenting on the nature of Antonio to Portia?

THE SPEECH OF BRUTUS AND MARK ANTONY                                                    

 What was Brutas’ explanation to the listeners with regard to the assassination of Julius Caesar?

Brutus made his speech justifying the need to kill Julius Caesar. He told the people listening to him that if in the gathering there was anyone who loved Caesar, he would like to let him know that his love for Caesar was no less than his. Now as for the question why he still went against him, he would like to say that it was not because he loved Caesar less but his love for the country was greater than his love for an individual. He further said that he regarded Caesar as a tyrant and wanted to nip the possibility of his emergence as a tyrant in the bud. He did so by killing Caesar even though he was his beloved friend only to ensure the liberty of the people. He then hurled the question to the people to tell him if it would be better to allow Caesar to live at the cost of the freedom of the people or to kill him to ensure their freedom. He said that if there was anyone who did not love his country or did not honour the dignity of a true Roman, then he was really guilty of killing Caesar.

What did the people tell him in response to his question?

 The people listening to Brutus told him that there was not among them anyone who did not love his country or did not consider the value of the dignity of the free life of a Roman precious.

In what way did Brutus want the people to treat him in future?

Brutus told the people listening to him that in future if he was found to be an enemy of the people, they should not hesitate to kill him with the very sword with which he had killed Caesar.

What did Brutus tell the people before he left the pulpit?

 Before Brutus left the pulpit he told the people that they should show reverence to the dead body of slain Caesar and listen to the speech of Mark Antony relating to the glory of Caesar. He also told the people that in the archives in the capitol the merits of Caesar would not be underplayed nor his offences be exaggerated.

How did the people react to the speech of Marcus Brutus?

The people who held Brutus in high esteem were further swayed by his speech. This was evident from the way they talked about him with honour and enthusiasm. They wanted to celebrate the killing of Caesar as a tyrant and lead Brutas to his house in that spirit. They in their enthusiasm proposed to have a statue of him installed beside that of his celebrated ancestor, Lucius Junius Brutus.

What did Mark Antony say at the very beginning of his speech?

At the very beginning of his speech Mark Antony told the people that he had appeared to make a speech on the occasion of Julius Caesar’s funeral with the permission of the likes of Brutus who were very honourable and he was grateful to them for the permission given to him.

What were the very charges against Caesar that Brutus had contradicted?

The charges that Brutus had contradicted were those of greed, lack of compassion and ambition.

What did Mark Antony say about Caesar not being greedy?

Mark Antony contradicted the charge of greed against Caesar. He said that the amount of money collected from the prisoners Caesar had brought with him in return for their freedom had not been appropriated by Caesar. On the other hand he had put the entire amount of money in the public treasury for the welfare of the people.

What did Mark Antony say highlighting the fact that Caesar was compassionate?

Mark Antony told the people that Caesar was very sensitive to the sufferings of the poor and miserable people. He said that when he saw people in miseries, he was moved to pity and shed tears. According to him a man who was a tyrant should be of a severe nature and not that of the soft and tender nature of a man like Caesar.

What did Antony say contradicting the charge of ambition brought against Caesar? What was his tone?

Mark Antony told his audience that one of the charges that were brought against Julius Caesar was that he was ambitious. He contradicted the charge by telling the people about how they had been witness to the fact that one the festive day of Lupercal Caesar had turned down the kingly crown that he had presented to him three times.

The tone in which Mark Antony spoke was one of apparent allegiance (loyality) to Brutus and he kept referring to him as an honourable man. He said with humility that he did not intend to oppose what Brutus had said in his speech but he wanted to express what he knew about Caesar.

Why did Mark Antony pause in the middle of his speech for some time?

Mark Antony paused in the middle of his speech for some time to mourn the brutal killing of Caesar and said that his heart was in the coffin with the corpse of Caesar. He said that he would resume his speech when it would come back to him.

 Did Mark Antony succeed in swaying the minds of his listeners by contradicting the charges brought against Caesar?

When Mark Antony contradicted the charges brought against Caesar by the conspirators and expressed his feeling of profound grief over the brutal murder of the man who cared for the people, the people began to see Caesar in a different light. This was evident from the words of the different members of the audience. The first citizen said that he was of the opinion that there was much substance in the words of Mark Antony. The second citizen expressed his opinion saying that a proper consideration of the matter related to Caesar would prove the fact that a great wrong had been done to him. The third citizen expressed his apprehension saying that the one who would come in the place of Caesar would only be worse. The fourth citizen said that judging by the words of Mark Antony one could learn that Caesar had refused the crown and that proved beyond doubt that Caesar was not ambitious.  The first citizen was excited enough to point it out that if it was really proved that Caesar was not ambitious those responsible for painting him as one would heavily bear the consequence of it. There was also an outpouring of sympathy for Mark Antony and this was evident from the way the second citizen referred to Mark Antony as poor soul whose eyes had been red from weeping. The third citizen lauded him saying that there was not a nobler man in Rome than Mark Antony.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

How did Mark Antony use the will of Caesar? What did Mark Antony think would be the reaction of the people if he had read out the contents of Caesar’s will to them?

The will of Caesar was an ace up Antony’s sleeve and he wanted to use it to play on the emotions of the people to win their support.

Mark Antony told the people that he had found a will of Caesar but he did not want to read it out to them as they would be greatly moved by the contents of the will. The contents of the will would have such an effect on the people that they would rush to kiss the wounds of Caesar and dip their napkins in his sacred blood. They would keep with them strands of Caesar’s hair as a precious heirloom and at the time of their death would mention it in their will bequeathing it to their successors as a rich legacy.  

What did Mark Antony tell the people to do when he had been able to arouse interest in them to know the contents of the will?

When Mark Antony became certain that the people wanted to know the contents of the will and insisted that he read out the will to them, he told them to have patience for some time and make a ring round the corpse of Caesar so that he could descend from the pulpit and show to them the manner in which Caesar, the friend of the people, had been murdered by the conspirators.

What did Antony tell the people showing them the corpse of Caesar? D

Drawing the attention of the people to the corpse of Caesar, Mark Antony told them to be moved and get ready to shed tears if they had any.  He showed the cloak in which Caesar had been clad when he was murdered. He said that he still remembered the day he wore it. He put it on a summer evening in his tent and that very day he had conquered the fierce Nervi tribe. Mark Antony showed them the hole made by malicious Casca and the one in which Brutus who was so loved by Caesar had plunged his dagger. When Brutus plucked the dagger out the blood of Caesar flowed out as if to be sure if it was really Brutus who was stabbing him in such a cruel manner. Caesar had the reason to feel that way as he loved Brutus from the core of his heart. Antony wanted Gods to judge this action of Brutus in the light of Caesar’s profound love for him. He described the attack of Brutus as the cruelest because when Caesar saw Brutus stab him in such a monstrous manner, he was overcome with the feeling of ingratitude coming from none other than his dearest Brutus stronger than the cruelty of the conspirators or traitors. This realization defeated him and shattered his mighty heart and he fell at the base of the statue of Pompey covering his face in the cloak. Mark Antony compared that fall of Caesar to the fall of the whole country including all of them. He also said that as Caesar fell it was treason that triumphed over them. Then he told the people that he could see tears in their eyes due to a feeling of pity and described their tears as gracious drops. He further told them that they when they wept at the sight of Caesar covered in his cloak having the rents, they would be beside themselves with grief when they would see the very body of Caesar scarred by the stabs of the traitors. Mark Antony then removed the cloak of Caesar to allow the people to have a better view of the body of slain Caesar.

How did the people react when Mark Antony had show the body of Caesar to them?

When Mark Antony had shown the body of Caesar to the people, there were greatly shocked. They described the sight of slain Caesar as being extremely tragic and hailed Caesar as being noble. They described the conspirators as traitors and wanted to avenge the assassination of Caesar. They shouted their determination to kill and burn down the traitors and not spare anyone.

Why did Mark Antony pacify the people? What did he tell the people?

Mark Antony pacified the people to drive them to the height of frenzy by telling them about the contents of the will of Caesar which were in their interests and incite them to mutiny against the conspirators in an indirect manner.

He told the people that he did not intend to provoke them to be initiated in a sudden action of mutiny as the people who had assassinated Caesar were honourable. He said that he did not know what personal grievances had motivated them to murder Caesar but he knew that they were honourable. He said that it was not his intention to win them over secretly. He emphasized the fact that he was not an orator like Brutus. He said that people listening to him knew it very well that he was a plain and blunt man who was genuinely loved his friend, Caesar, as was known to those who had given him permission to speak him in public. He did not have intelligence, rhetorical style, eloquence, action and the power of speech to provoke people to be vindictive. He said that he only spoke straight out what the people themselves knew to be right. He only showed them wounds of sweet Caesar which were poor speechless mouths, making them speak for him.  In an extremely cunning tone he told them in an apparent show of emotions that if he were Brutus and Brutus were Antony, he would certainly be there before them to stir them up and make every wound of Caesar speak for revenge stirring every stone of Rome to rebellion.

PREPOSITIONS-QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS

1. Most of the boys were wary-----the next move.
2. I was told to keep------the left of the road.
3. Finally Ron decided to turn-------- the offer.
4. She decided to confide-------her friend.
5. Most of the people did not arrive-------the appointed hour.
6. An honest man does not take-------a short cut.
7. One of the boys was entrusted--------the challenging task.
8. The task was entrusted------------some of the boys.
9. She is not blind------her faults. 
10. The patient was put-------a saline drip.
11. One of the accused was acquitted -------all the charges.
12. Robin told his friend to get--------touch with him. 
13. Raina gave expression---------her doubts about Sergius.
14. All the members were entitled---------some privileges.
15. I have decided to contribute an article-------the school magazine. 
16. At the very beginning Portia complains--------a feeling of depression.
17. Macbeth deviated--------his moral standards.
18. My father tuned-------to a news channel.
19. I have decided to subscribe------ some magazines.
20. I congratulated my sister--------her success.

ANSWERS TO THE PREPOSITIONS:-

of, to, down, in , at, to, with, to, to, on, of, in, to, to, to, of, from, in, to, on.

The Merchant Of Venice-Bassanio Tells Antonio About His Plans Related To Portia

When Bassanio made his entry he gave his own reaction to the comment made by Salerio on the nature of Antonio’s melancholy. Antonio wanted to know about the lady whom he intended to meet privately and reminded him that he had made a promise to tell him about her. Instead of giving a straight reply to the question asked by Antonio, he told him about the nature of his present financial crisis on account of the extravagant manner of his lifestyle and his determination to wriggle out of it. He said that he had led his life in a lavish manner, going beyond the limits of his resources and the inevitable outcome of it was that he had to incur huge debts. Now after being enmeshed in the debts, his chief concern was to pull out of it by hook or crook. He emphasized the fact that it was Antonio to whom owed the most in terms of love and money and therefore he should tell him about the plans and plots he had contrived to overcome his financial crisis.

Antonio told Bassanio in his characteristic manner that he had always stood by his friend and would again do the same provided the purpose of his plans was as much honourable as he had always regarded him. He assured him that if it was really as much honourable as he was in his estimate, he would not hesitate to offer him his unstinted help such as his money, his physique and his resources.

Bassanio told him that in the days of his school life he was in the habit of shooting arrows. When he shot the first arrow and lost it, he would shoot a second arrow of the same length and size with the same speed for flying through the air. At the time he shot the second arrow he kept a keen watch over its direction, locating the place where it landed. As a result he was able to find the second arrow together with the first one he had lost. Giving this practice of archery as an example he told him that he needed a second loan from him to recover from his present financial crisis and to fulfill the plan he had. He made a candid confession to him saying that he was giving this proof of his childhood days as he had already squandered away everything he had borrowed from him. Then he urged him to give him another installment of a loan like he would shoot the second arrow so that he would spend the money in a judicious manner and would be able to realize the worth of the second loan and even the first one he had lost.

Antonio told Bassanio that despite knowing him well, he was wasting his time in trying to win his love in a roundabout manner without coming down to the crux of the matter he wanted to convey to him. With a feeling of hurt he told him that he was doing him a greater injustice by being suspicious of his willingness to help him than he would by squandering away all of his resources. (This statement by Antonio gives us an idea of the profoundness of his love for Bassanio.) Then he told him in a generous manner that he would not think of any constraints and only have to tell him about what he should do to help him to fulfill his plan.

Encouraged by Antonio, Bassanio told him that a fair woman by the name of Portia had inherited a fortune in Italy. Talking about her beauty he said that she was more beautiful than the word beauty could convey. He informed him that sometimes she with her glances had given him to understand that she loved him. Talking about the beautiful woman Portia, he said that she was too qualified to be inferior to Portia who was Cato’s daughter and the wife of Marcus Brutas. The entire world was not ignorant of her worth and suitors willing to marry her came crowding from all the four corners of the world. According to him, they came from every coast of the world to marry the very woman whose temples were adorned by sunny locks. Speaking in a rhetorical manner, he said that the suitors coming to court Portia could be compared to adventurers like Jason who set out for the coast of Colchos to get hold of the Golden Fleece. He told Antonio in a tone of confidence that if he had adequate resources to be on the same footing as that of the suitors of Portia, he could hope to win her. He further said that his mind told him that if he had enough money, he could surely prove to be the successful suitor. In response to Bassanio’s speech, Antonio made him aware of the reality of the situation facing him. He told him that all his money was invested in the cargos of the ships sailing on the seas and as a result he was not in a position to produce any amount of liquid cash nor had any commodities with which to raise money from any source. Therefore he urged him to go into the city of Venice and explore the possibility of raising money from some source on the strength of his reputation as a merchant.  He wanted him to raise this amount of money so that he could go all the way to Belmont in Italy to win the hand of Portia in marriage.  He further urged him to go and find out the person who was willing to lend money to him and assured him that he would do the same. He expressed his confidence that he had no doubt about the fact that he would be able to raise the required sum of money on credit or by using his friendly contacts with the merchants of Venice. (This is yet another example of the way Antonio was willing to go out of his way to help his friend Bassanio to go to Belmont and win over Portia. His intention to help Bassanio was so great that he was not in the least deterred by the limitations of the situation. T    though he had no ready cash to help his friend with, he was not to be discouraged in the least.  He banked on his reputation as a merchant and waned to raise the required sum of money on credit without thinking of the future consequences.)

The Last Leaf

The last leaf is the moving tale of a young artist willingly giving in to the imminent trap of death and of a veteran artist putting in the best artistic effort of his life to save her life. Following the outbreak of the disease pneumonia Sue, the young artist, fell victim to the onslaught and developed a morbid obsession.  The doctor who had diagnosed her with the disease told Sue that medicines would not be able to cure her of her affliction if she did not want to get better on her own. Sue lay languidly in her bed, counting the leaves on the ivy creeper. She had developed the notion that the fall of the last leaf would mark the end of her life. Her friend Sue, another artist, tried her best to boost up her confidence and help her get over her morbid obsession with death but everything seemed to be impossible to make her sane enough to realize the fact that the fall of the last leaf on the ivy creeper did not have anything to do with her life. Sue was extremely jittery when there was only one leaf left on the ivy creeper. Perturbed as she was she could not but discuss the steady deterioration of her beloved friend with the veteran artist Behrman and her apprehension that she was going to float away as a leaf when she would loosen her hold on the world. For forty years Behrman had not been able to achieve anything in the field of art and proved to be a failure. Yet he did not lose faith in himself and said that one of the days he would paint a masterpiece. He earned a little by posing for those artists who could not pay the price of the professional. When he learnt of Jhonsy’s morbid obsession with death and of the fact that she had equated it with the fall of the last leaf on the ivy creeper, the sensitive artist Behrman could not but detest such a foolish notion of the young girl. At the same time he had decided to come out of the life of his failure and paint the cherished masterpiece of his life. On the second night when there had been only one ivy leaf that had proved to be persistent in the howling wind and pouring rain throughout the night, Johnsy was convinced that it would fall in the raging wind and she would die simultanenously. After a stormy and rainy night was over, Jhonsy told her friend in a relentless tone to raise the shed as she wanted to be sure of the fall of the last leaf that held the key to her life. But to her great sense of satisfaction the leaf was there, giving her back the desire to live. At the same time she had been able to realize that the survival of the last leaf had shown her how wicked she was. She not only overcame her morbid obsession with death but also became certain that that it was sinful to want to die. Sue learnt from the visiting doctor in the afternoon that Jhonsy would recover with good nursing but the painter of the masterpiece, the last leaf on the wall for Jhonsy to live, had no chance of his survival as he had got an attack of severe pneumonia. The artist with his love for the life of the young artist and his masterpiece had been out in the cold on the dreadful night and ended up painting the artificial leaf on the wall that the young artist had taken for a real one. Jhonsy was yet to learn from Sue that it had not flashed across her mind that the ivy leaf that had saved her life did not flutter in the wind. She gave it the distinction of being the masterpiece of the artist who had painted it on the very night the real leaf had fallen.

What does the author say about the streets in the little district west of Washington?

According to the author, the streets in the little district south of Washington run in a zigzag manner, breaking them into strips called ‘places. These places make strange angles and curves and one street crosses itself once or twice.

What did an artist once discover in the street crossing itself?

Once it occurred to an artist that the street crossing itself in such a manner would offer a collector a possibility that might prove valuable to him. If the collector had a bill for paints, paper and canvas, he might well discover himself coming back following the same street without having paid a cent.  

Why did the old Greenwich Village appeal to artists?

The artists came flocking to the old Greenwich village because of the old architectural beauty of its  buildings with its north windows and eighteen century gables and Dutch attics and low rents.

Who were Sue and Johnsy? Where did they hail from?

Sue and Jhonsy were two budding artists who had a studio at the top of a squatty, three-storey brick.

Sue was from Maine while Johnsy was from California.

How did Sue and Jhonsy come to share the same studio?

Sue and Johnsy met each other at the table d’hôte of an Eight Street Delmonico’s, and discovered that they shared same tastes in art, chicory salad and bishop sleeves. This discovery struck a chord in them and they together started their joint studio.

Why is Pneumonia spelt with a capital letter?

Pneumonia is spelt with a capital letter because it has been personified, that is, it is given life like qualities.

Why does the author say that pneumonia was not a chivalric gentleman?

Chivalry was the quality of the brave knights of the medieval period, noted for their courtesy towards women but Pneumonia did not show any courtesy towards Johnsy, a woman, who had already been weakened by the disease California Zephyrs. This is why the author does not describe Pneumonia as a chivalric gentleman.

What happened to Johnsy immediately after she had got an attack of pneumonia?

Immediately after the onslaught of pneumonia, Johnsy lost the ability to move and she lay still on her painted iron bedstead, looking through the small Dutch window-panes at the blank side of the next brick house.

Who called the doctor? What did the doctor say about Johnsy’s chance of recovery?

Sue called the doctor out of her concern about her friend Johnsy who had got the attack of pneumonia.

The doctor did not have a favourable opinion of his patient Johnsy. He said that she had one chance in ten and that too depended on her longing to live. Out of a sense of frustration, the doctor said that a medical practitioner with all his knowledge could not do anything when the desire to live was not there in the patient. He further informed Sue that her friend had developed a morbid obsession with death. The doctor tried to find out about whether the patient had any particular liking. Sue told him that she wanted to paint the bay of Naples. The doctor told her that despite all his efforts, the curative power of medicines would lose fifty percent of their efficacy if the patient continued to cling on to her despair such as counting the carriages in her funeral procession. On the other hand her chance to survive would go up by fifty percent if she started taking interest in life by asking questions about the latest trends in dresses such as winter styles in cloak sleeves.

What effect did the doctor’s opinion have on Sue?

After the doctor had left giving his opinion of the patient Johnsy, Sue was emotionally upset. She went into the workroom and started crying copiously, leaving her Japanese napkin thoroughly soaked.

How did Sue enter Johnsy’s room?

Sue entered Johnsy’s room with a swagger, singing a popular musical tune so as to give her friend an impression that there was nothing to worry about her illness.

What according to the author is common between young artists and young authors?

According to the author, young artists consolidate their position in the field of art by drawing illustrations for magazine stories which are written by young authors with a view to consolidating their position in the field of literature.

What did Sue start painting immediately after entering the room of Johnsy? What did she hear at the time of painting?

Immediately after entering Johnsy’s room, Sue started sketching a magazine story- a pair of elegant horseshow riding trousers and a monocle of the figure of the hero, an Idaho cowboy.

While sketching the illustration, sue heard a faint repetitive sound.

What did Sue do after hearing the low sound? What did she discover?

After hearing the low sounds being repeated, Sue went quickly to the bedside and discovered that Johnsy, with her eyes wide open, was looking out of the window counting something and back. With her gaze fixed towards the outside of the window, Johnsy counted back to seven from twelve. With proper attention, Sue looked out of the window to get an idea of what she was counting. She found a bare and gloomy yard at a distance of fifty feet and the blank side of the brick house twenty feet away. She saw an old ivy creeper that was twisted and decayed at the roots, climbing half way up the brick wall. She realized the severity of autumn had caused the creeper to shed nearly all its leaves, leaving it nearly bare. On discovering these, Sue asked her friend to know about what she was counting.

What did Sue learn when she asked Johnsy about the way she was counting?

When Sue asked Johnsy about what she was counting, she told her that the ivy vine was shedding leaves faster than before. According to her there had nearly been a hundred leaves on the vine and her head ached when she counted them. But now she could count the leaves easily as there were only five leaves after one had just fallen. Then she added that when the last leaf fell, he would die.

How did Sue try to cheer up Johnsy?

Sue tried to cheer up Johnsy, telling her that the ivy vine did not have anything to do with her recovery. She rubbished he words as those of an idiot. Then she turned the version of the doctor upside down saying that he had been hopeful of her recovery and said that her chances were ten to one. Speaking in an optimistic manner, she compared the prospect of her recovery to the way they used to ride on the street cars or walk past a new building’.

What did Behrman want to paint? Was he successful? What price did he have to pay for that?

Behrman was an artist who proved to be a fiasco in the field of art. He always wanted to paint a masterpiece as the sign of his artistic genius. Out

Though he could never paint a masterpiece, the greatest work of his life as an artist in a professional manner, he painted the a leaf on the brick wall of the house opposite to the window of the sick girl Johnsy, giving her the impression that it was the last leaf that had not fallen in spite of the intensity of the howling storm and reviving her.

The passion with which Behrman had painted the last leaf in the pouring rain and the storm had made him fall prey to Pneumonia. He painted the masterpiece with his love and artistic dedication only at the cost of his life.

What did Johnsy say when she saw that the ivy had not fallen?

When Johnsy saw that the ivy leaf had not fallen, she got back the strength of her mind and said in a tone of repentance that she had been a bad girl. She said that the survival of the last leaf had taught her the lesson that it was a sin to want to die. She told her friend Sue to bring her a little broth and some milk with a little port in it. She also asked for a mirror to examine herself and told Sue pack some pillows about her as she wanted to sit up and watch her cook.

What was the desire expressed by Jhonsy a little after she had discovered that the last leaf had not fallen?

One hour after Jhonsy had discovered that the last leaf had not fallen, she told her friend about her desire to paint the Bay of Naples some day.

Stopping by The Woods- A Critical Estimate

                                          

Stopping by the woods on a snowy evening as a poem carries much of its inherent but concealed substance in the title itself. A journey along the path to life with all its compulsions comes to a sudden halt as there is the temptation of the woods being irresistible. Life evolves on its own terms requiring man to respond to the challenges as much as he can do making the most of his potential, though there are times when one tends to be distracted. Such a distraction is born out of a desire to follow an escape route in an attempt to relegate the compulsions and priorities of life to the background.

The poet’s appreciation of the beauty of the woods on an apparently inclement and dreary evening is unusual and in sharp contrast to the inclination of the owner of the woods to be there to see him. If this is viewed in the context of life in terms of its continuity, the poet’s decision to stop by the woods will be considered as a diversion. Even as the poet is by the woods, he fails to get over his dilemma- whether to be there or to tear away from the place to embrace the priorities of life. He probes the congruity of his decision and refers to the fact that the owner of the woods that enthralls him would probably prefer to be away from such a distraction by way of his ignorance of the poet’s presence at the place.

 In the same way the poet stretches the essence of his dilemma to the very means of his arrival at the place, the horse. He probes further and tries to judge the propriety of his action on the basis of the behaviour of the horse, the vehicle of his diversion. He concludes that the horse with the shake of its harness bells wants to draw his attention to what extent he has been sane in taking a decision to stop by the frozen place as there is no farmhouse to rest for the night. The poet’s willingness to identify with the thoughts of the owner of the woods and then with that of the horse is an attempt to get over what he suspects has been his folly despite the apparent charms of the place. The different attractions of life like the beauty of the woods, unfolding in its enticing subtlety, prove to be essentially enchanting and alluring but to be carried away by them proves to be a negation of life that demands greater involvement.

 The realization that dawns on the poet that he needs to turn around to face the realities and responsibilities of life with the zeal of his commitment marks a turning point in the process of his thoughts. He now realizes the meaning of life in terms of an untiring engagement and this realization deepens his resolve to dedicate himself to it till his last breath, “But I have promises to keep/ And miles to go before I sleep/ And miles to go before I sleep”.

TRANSFORMATION OF SENTENCES

TRANSFORM THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

She seems to have taken stock of the situation. B: She has

Ron and his friends were being too raucous, disturbing others at the meet. B: Ron with

On the third day the local people took out a procession to protest against the killing of the old banyan tree. B: The third day

Peter accused some of the officers of playing a dubious role in discharging their duties. B: Peter brought

More and more people joined the agitation and the situation span out of control. B: With more 

Due to mounting public pressure two more leaders resigned. B: Mounting

Rajib suffered due to his excessive dependence on his friends. B: Rajib's 

I stated everything as much as I knew. End with: knowledge

She was utterly surprised to discover a strange box at the foot of the tree. B: It was to 

"Every time I meet an honest man, I feel I am closer to God", said Raina. 

ANSWERS TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS

She has seemingly taken stock of the situation. 

Ron with his friends was being too raucous, disturbing other at the meet. 

The third day witnessed the local people taking out a procession to protest against the killing of the old banyan tree.

Peter brought a charge against some of the officers playing a dubious role in discharging their duties. 

With more and more people joining the agitation, the situation span out of control. 

 Mounting public pressure forced two more leaders to resign. 

Rajib's excessive dependence on his friends made him suffer .

I stated everything to the best of my knowledge. 

It was to her utter surprise that she discovered a strange box at the foot of the tree. 

Raina said that every time she met an honest man, she felt she was closer to God.