Kerala Syllabus SAMAGRA SCERT SAMAGRA Question Pool for Class 10 English Medium English Vanka (Short Story)
Read the following passage from the story Vanka and answer the questions that follow:
Nine year old Vanka Zhukov, who had been apprenticed three months ago to Alyakhin the shoemaker, did not go to bed on Christmas eve. He waited till his master and mistress and the senior apprentices had goneto church, and then took from the cupboard a bottle of ink and a pen with a rusty nib, spread out a crumpled sheet of paper, and was all ready to write. Before tracing the first letter, he glanced several times anxiously at the door and window, peered at the dark icon, with shelves holding cobbler’s lasts stretching on either side of it, and gave a quivering sigh. The paper lay on the bench, and Vanka knelt on the floor at the bech.
‘Dear Grandad Konstantin Makarich,’ he wrote. ‘I am writing a letter to you. I send you Christmas greetings and hope God will send you his blessings. I have no Father and no Mummy and you are all I have left.
1. Do you think Vanka is afraid of his master? Identify the sentences from the passage that support your answer?
2. Read the passage and write about Vanka’s family.
3. Christmas is the time for sending greetings , gifts, good wishes, etc. The boy in the story ‘Vanka’ wishes to send Christmas greetings for his grandfather. Prepare the text of the greetings he would send his grandfather.
4. Vanka spread out a crumpled sheet of paper. Choose the term that would suit the function of the word ‘crumpled’ from the box given below.
Noun phrase, Verb phrase, Adverb phrase, Adjective phrase |
1. Yes. He waited till his master and mistress and the senior apprentices had gone to church. He
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Read the following passage from the story Vanka and answer the questions that follow:
Grandfather would drag the tree to the big house, and they would start decorating it.. Miss Olga Ignatyevna, Vanka’s favourite, was the busiest of all. While Pelageya, Vanka’s mother, was alive and in service at the big house, Olga Ignatyevna used to give Vanka sweets, and amuse herself by teaching him to read, write and count to a hundred, and even to dance the quadrille. But when Pelageya died, the orphaned Vanka was sent down to the back kitchen to his grandfather, and from there to Moscow, to Alyakhin the shoemaker…’come to me dear Grandad,’ continued Vanka. ‘I beg you for Christ’s sake take me away from here. Pity me unhappy orphan, they beat me all the time and I am always hungry and I am so miserable here, I can’t tell you. I cry all the time. And one day the master hit me over the head with a last and I fell down and I thought I would never get up again. I have such a miserable life, worse than a dog’s. And I send my love to Alyona, one-eyed Yegor and the coachman and don’t give my concertina to anyone. I remain your grandson Ivan Zhukov. Dear Grandad do come.’
1. What kind of miseries did Vanka suffer at his master’s house?
2. Do you think Olga was Vanka’s favourite? Why?
3. What was Vanka’s life like after his mother’s demise?
1. Vanka’s master used to hit him over the head with a last. He was underfed. He cried all the time because
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Read the following passage from the story Vanka and answer the questions that follow:
Vanka raised his eyes to the dark window-pane, in which the reflection of the candle flickered, and in his imagination distinctly saw his grandfather, Konstantin Makarich, who was a night watchman on the estate of some gentlefolk called Zhivarev. He was a small, lean, old man about sixty-five, but remarkably lively and agile, with a smiling face and eyes bleary with drink. In the daytime he either slept in the back kitchen, or sat joking with the cook and the kitchen-maids, and in the night, wrapped in a great sheepskin coat, he walked round and round the estate, sounding his rattle. After him, with drooping heads, went old Kashtanka and another dog, called Eel, on account of his black coat and long, weasel-like body. Eel was wonderfully respectful and insinuating, and turned the same appealing glance on friends and strangers alike, but he inspired confidence in no one. His deferential manner and docility were a cloak for the most Jesuitical spite and malice. He was an adept at stealing up to snap at a foot, creeping into the ice-house, or snatching a peasant's chicken. His hind-legs had been slashed again and again, twice he had been strung up, he was beaten within an inch of his life every week, but he survived it all.
1. Describe Konstantin Makarich.
2. How is Eel described in the passage?
3. Identify the line which shows that Konstantin Makarich is a duty bound person.
4. Do you think Eel is a cunning one? Pick out the sentence to prove your answer.
5. What is Kastanka’s body compared to?
1. Konstantin Makarich was a night watchman on the estate of some gentlefolk called Zhivarev He was a small, lean, old man about
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Read the following passage from the story Vanka and answer the questions that follow:
Vanka sighed, dipped his pen in the ink, and went on writing: ‘And yesterday I had such a hiding. The master took me by the hair and dragged me out into the yard and beat me with the stirrup-strap because by mistake I went to sleep while rocking their baby. And one day last week the mistress told me to gut a herring and I began from the tail and she picked up the herring and rubbed my face with the head. The other apprentices make fun of me, they send me to the tavern for vodka and make me steal the master's cucumbers and the master beats me with the first thing he finds. And there is nothing to eat. They give me bread in the morning and gruel for dinner and in the evening bread again, but I never get tea or cabbage soup. They gobble it all up themselves. And they make me sleep in the passage and when their baby cries, I don't get any sleep at all. I have to rock it. Dear Grandad, for the dear Lords sake take me away from here. Take me home to the village. I can't bear it any longer. Oh Grandad I beg and implore you and I will always pray for you, do take me away from here or I'll die. . . .’
1. What is your opinion about Vanka’s master and mistress?
2. How was Vanka’s life at his master’s house?
3. How did the other apprentices treat Vanka?
4. Identify the sentence which shows that Vanka was underfed.
5. Identify the word from the passage which means ‘ to eat hastily’.
1. Vanka’s master and mistress are callous in nature.
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Read the passage and complete the sentences choosing the most appropriate option from those given.
Traveling is a pleasure , particularly for the young, the desire to see new places and to get the feel of a new environment makes travel a wonderful experience. But do we make it trouble-free for others? Don't start a conversation with the co-passenger without knowing his willingness to converse with you. He/ she might like to read or have a nap and not necessarily be in a mood to talk. Place your baggage in the rack above your seat. Don't encroach upon another's space. Be eco-friendly— remember that the place where you stand have been visited and will be visited by thousands more. Carry a paper bag for dumping the waste on sightseeing trips; you can empty it later in a dustbin. "Sustainable Tourism" is the only way to protect the resources and the beauty of the earth. If you want to enjoy the hospitality of friends or relatives residing in the place you visit, inform them in advance. Don't drop in like a bolt from the blue. Be considerate towards your hosts. Help your host/ hostess in domestic chores. Go on sightseeing trips without troubling them to come to your help. Use your own toiletries and towels. Use the telephone of your host sparingly and only when necessary. Don't interfere in their domestic affairs unless you are asked to join. Don't expect your host to attend to your needs all the time.
1. Traveling gives us a wonderful experience because ……………………………………
a. we do not see familiar faces
b. we see oceans and mountains
c. we see new places
d. We experience different weather conditions
2. We should not trouble our fellow passengers by…………………..
a. talking needlessly
b. Looking at their reading material
c. taking their sleeping space
d. Helping with their luggage
3. Being ‘eco-friendly’ in the passage implies…………………..
a. planting trees
b. not wasting time
c. not littering the place
d. being polite to your hosts
4. One can be considerate towards the hosts by………………..
a. not visiting them
b. carrying paper bags
c. not staying with them
d. not expecting too much
5. The meaning of the expression ‘a bolt from the blue means………………
a. guest
b. Trouble
c. sudden surprise, usually unpleasant
d. encroachment
1. We see new places
2.
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Given below are some the words that suit one of the characters in the story ‘Vanka’. Identify the character and prepare the character sketch with the help of the words given in the box. (Cite suitable examples from the story)
Fun loving, Caring, Agile, Bleary eyes, Night watchman, Lively, Duty bound |
Describes the character's personality.
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Grandfather comes to know about the sufferings of Vanka at Alyakhin’s house. He gets disturbed and decides to write a letter of complaint against Alyakhin to the Inspector of Police. Prepare the likely letter
Hint.
Relevant to the
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On Christmas eve, a time for redemption, Vanka, the forlorn child recollects those bygone days he had spent in the village with his grandfather. Write the thoughts in Vanka’s mind. You may begin like this
Relates the content to the context.
Uses appropriate
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The English club of your school is planning to make a short film based on the story ‘Vanka’. They are in search of a child artist to play the role of ‘Vanka’. Draft a notice inviting those who are interested to play the role.
Hint:
Gives details about the
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Imagine that one of the neighbours of Vanka happened to see the tortures that Vanka suffered in Alyakhin’s house. He decided to mail the sad plight of this nine year old to the Child Welfare Department. Draft the e-mail.
Hint.
Relevant to the context.
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Imagine your school is going to observe the World Child Labour Day. Being the school leader, you are asked to prepare three slogans to be pasted on the placards given below.
Hint.
Relevant to the context
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A channel reporter came across the news report on the miserable life of Vanka. After reading the news report, he decides to interview Vanka. Imagine you are the reporter. Read the news report and prepare the text of the interview.
Hint.
Relevant to the context.
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The Inspector of Police receives a letter of complaint from Vanka’s grandfather on the miserable life of Vanka at Alyakhin’s house. He decides to interrogate Alyakhin. Prepare at least three questions he would use for interrogation. One has been given.
E.g: How long have you been keeping Vanka with you?
1. …………………………………………………?
2. …………………………………………………?
3. …………………………………………………?
Hint.
Relevant to the context
Uses variety of
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Rahul, a trainee journalist has jotted down the following points when he was asked to cover the dismal life of young Vanka.
An orphan
Apprenticed to Alyakhin, the shoe maker.
Master beats him.
Needs to spend sleepless nights for rocking the baby.
Underfed
Ill treatment by Alyakhin’s wife.
Longs to go back to his grandfather.
Write the news report the journalist would make.
Headline : Short and catchy
Lead
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Your school has organised various programmes on the World Day against Child Labour. Read the details given below and prepare the report of the programme to be published in the school magazine.
Hint.
Headline
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A debate was held in your class on the topic ‘Should there be a total ban on child Labour?’ Those who spoke against the ban on child labour came up with the following points:
Children work to earn money
They get food to eat
Support the income of the family.
You are asked to speak for the topic. Write three points in favour of the topic in the light of your reading of the story, Vanka.
Hint.
Relevant to the context
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Read the hints on the life of the eminent Russian writer, Anton Chekhov, and prepare a short profile.
Born : 29 January, 1860, Taganrog
Father : Pavel Yegorovih Chekhov
Mother : Yevgeniya, an excellent story teller
Stories : no complex plots
Famous works : Three sisters, The Cherry Orchard, Lady with the Dog
Occupation : Physician, short story writer, playwright
Accolades : Pushkin Prize
Died : 15 July 1904, age 44
Resting place : Novodevichy Cemetry, Moscow.
Hint.
Gives an appropriate title.
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A seminar on the topic ‘Child Labour - Still a Threat’ was conducted as per the programme chart given below. Read it carefully and prepare a report of the seminar.
Hint.
Short and catchy headline.
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