The Past in the Present
ENGLISH WORKSHOP
1. In the diagram below encircle the various features that make the script of a skit/play. List the other words and mention the form of writing of which it is a feature.
Features of a skit/play (to encircle): List of characters, Live dialogue, Stage scene and props, Actions/Costumes specified
Other words and their form of writing:
Sender’s Address – Letter
Salutation – Letter
Leadline – Newspaper article
Diagram – Report or instructional writing
2. Choose the proper alternative to complete the following.
(i) The skit covers a period of about in the past.
(c) 5000 years (From 3000 BCE to the present day, approximately 5000 years.)
(ii) characters from Neel’s ancestral lineage make an appearance in the play.
(a) Fourteen (Neel, Mom, and 12 ancestors-6 boys and 6 mothers.)
(iii) The task that all boys abhorred was
(d) making their beds (Every boy complains about making the bed.)
(iv) The skit conveys that doing your daily chores at home
(d) inculcates a sense of responsibility (Mom emphasizes building habits and attitude.)
3. Fill in the table.
| Period | Way of Addressing a Mother | Boy’s Costume | Lady’s Costume | Daily Chores | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | Mama | Loose trousers and shirt | Silk saree | Water garden, groceries, dust room, clean bicycle | Not mentioned |
| 1910 | Mummy | Kurta pyjama and cap | Nine-yard saree, nose ring | Fetch water, sweep terrace, collect wood, clean stones | Riverside games |
| 1800s | Mother dear | Dhoti, kurta, small turban | Nine-yard saree, jewellery | Wash clothes, chop wood, fix fence, graze goats | Atya-patya |
| 1500s | My dear mother | Sleeveless V-neck top, dhoti | Nine-yard saree | Milk cows, graze them, fetch veggies, sweep yards | Ashtapada |
| 1000 | Most revered mother | Flare tunic, churidar, turban | Saree, upper garment | Fetch water, clear channels, pull weeds, patch walls | Puppet show |
| 100 AD | Matadevi | Dhoti, waist band, no shirt | Saree, beads jewellery | Feed poultry, tend sheep, keep birds away, plaster yard | Bagh-chal |
| 3000 BC | Me bow to thee | Cloth around waist, cord | Saree, veil, stone jewellery | Hunt food, carve stone, dust clothes, mould pots | Chaupar |
4. Answer in your own words.
(a) What excuses did Neel give to avoid cleaning his room?
- Neel said he cleaned it two days ago and questioned why it was necessary every day, as it wouldn’t make a difference.
(b) Why does mother tell Neel about his Grandpa?
- She tells Neel about Grandpa to show that boys in the past had tougher chores and still had to make their beds, teaching him responsibility.
(c) What task did Grandpa wish to avoid?
- Grandpa wished to avoid making his bed, just like Neel.
(d) What did the ancestor from 1910 wish to do instead of making his bed?
- He wanted to go to the riverside with his friends.
(e) How many chores did the ancestor from 1800 have to do?
- He had five chores: washing clothes, chopping wood, fixing the fence, grazing goats, and making beds.
(f) How is the boy from 1500s dressed?
- He wears a loose sleeveless V-neck top and a short dhoti.
(g) What chores did the boys from 1000 CE and 1st Century CE do on their farms/fields?
- 1000 CE boy: Fetched water, cleared channels, pulled weeds.
- 1st Century CE boy: Fed poultry, tended sheep, kept birds away from fields.
(h) What did Neel realise from his encounter with his ancestors?
- Neel realised that teenage boys across centuries had to do chores at home and outdoors, and it’s a common responsibility.
5. In the play two devices that make use of wheels are given. The devices are (1) (2)
(1) Bicycle (1950s boy cleaned it)
(2) Grinding stones (1910 boy cleaned them, implying a wheel-like tool)
6. Imagine that the ancestor from 1910 (AD) visits Neel in his dream. Compose a dialogue between the two about the various gadgets the visitor sees in Neel’s room.
Neel: Welcome to my room! See this? It’s a laptop-I use it for games and studies.
1910 Boy: What’s a laptop? We only had books and slates!
Neel: It’s like a magic box with a screen. And this is my phone-it plays music and calls friends.
1910 Boy: No gramophone? How does it work without a horn?
Neel: It’s wireless! Oh, and this dishwasher cleans plates for me.
1910 Boy: Amazing! I had to fetch water and scrub pots myself. Your life is so easy!
Neel: Yeah, but I still have to make my bed!
7. Imagine and compare an argumentative dialogue between the mothers of the 20th/21st century and those of the earlier era, about which life was better for women.
20th/21st Century Mom: Our life is better-we have machines like washing machines and mixers to save time!
Earlier Era Mom: But we had simpler lives, no rush, and families worked together. Your machines make you lazy!
20th/21st Century Mom: Lazy? We work jobs, manage homes, and have freedom you never had!
Earlier Era Mom: Freedom? We raised strong kids with our hands, not gadgets. Our lives had meaning!
20th/21st Century Mom: Meaning comes from choice-we choose our paths, not just follow traditions!
8. Read the entry about ‘voice’ in the ‘Language Study’ pages. Turn them into passive constructions.
1950s Boy (Active):
- I have watered the garden.
- I brought home the groceries.
- I dusted the living room.
- I cleaned my bicycle.
Passive:
- The garden has been watered.
- The groceries have been brought home.
- The living room has been dusted.
- The bicycle has been cleaned.
9. Think of suitable names for the boys from the earlier centuries.
- 1950s: Raju
- 1910: Shyam
- 1800: Govind
- 1500: Bhima
- 1000: Arjun
- 100 AD: Dev
- 3000 BC: Kuru
Leave a Reply