Compulsory English: Internal Material

 Chapter 1: My Lost Dollar 

Summary of My Lost Dollar

My Lost Dollar is a story written by Stephen Leacock. It is about the author who tried in many ways to get back that one dollar he lent his friend Todd for paying his taxi to go to Bermuda. It is a humorous story about the funny ways in which author tries to get back his dollar.

Intro

When author's close friend is going to a tour on Bermuda, he needed some small change to pay off the taxi. He then asked the author to lend him a dollar which author readily gave him.  After a few days, author gets a letter from Todd but there is no dollar bill inside the envelope. One year goes by, Todd returns from Bermuda but didn't bother to return the one dollar to the author. The author dosen't want to offend his friend by demanding the dollar back. But he tries many ways to remind Todd about dollar that he owed, which keeps on failing.

Reminding his friend

The author tries out several attempts to remind his friend of the dollar. First he tried to get it back when he went to receive Todd at the railway station as he returned from Bermuda. Another time, during an evening chat, author discusses the subject of American dollar by asking if it is circulation in Bermuda too, to which Todd dosen't reply in satisfactory way. The author then meets Todd Almost Everyday at the club but Todd never mentions about debt.  

Finally, author is disappointed and adds Todd's name to list of people who never paid money back to him. On the other day, Todd meets author over dinner, where he talks about the loan of Poland which is unpaid but dosen't appear to think about his own unpaid debt.

Sad feelings

With his wounded feelings, the author is disturbed and thinks about doing something about this. This is about to start a "Back to Honesty" campaign. He is convinced that honesty should be the backbone of nations aspiring to greatness. While concluding, author dosen't want his friend Todd to know about his suffering because of the payment.

Why he title "My Lost Dollar"?

The title "My Lost Dollar" in Stephen Leacock's story refers to the protagonist's perspective that he has lost something valuable, even though it was just a dollar that he had lent to his friend Todd. The use of the possessive pronoun "my" in the title emphasizes the protagonist's sense of ownership over the dollar, while the word "lost" underscores the sense of loss that he feels. The title reflects the protagonist's struggle to reconcile the value he places on the dollar with the effort he is putting into trying to get it back.

Chapter 2: The Bird Sanctuary 

Short Summary

The poem "The Bird Sanctuary" by Sarojini Naidu describes the beauty of a garden where a variety of birds live and thrive. The poet speaks of the different birds present in the garden such as the bulbul, oriole, honeybird, shama, hoopoe, kingfisher, and pigeons. The garden is filled with their songs, and the birds fly and flit from tree to tree. The poet expresses her wish that the Master of Birds will grant sanctuary and shelter to every bird, including the ones that bear a broken wing. The poem celebrates the joy and freedom that birds experience in nature and highlights the importance of preserving their habitat.

Q. What causes a 'magic tumult' in the garden?

Answer: The "winged choristers" are the birds in the garden that cause "magic tumult" who sing and create joyful noise in the garden.

Q. What makes the poet conclude that the wild gray pigeons are looking for a home?

Answer: Poet observes pigeons carrying "slender banyan wings" in their beaks, which suggests that they are looking for a nesting place in the garden.

Q. Why have 'the jade-green gipsy pigeons' been called so?

Answer: The term gipsy means that the pigeons are wandering and free-spirited in nature.

Q. Where does the poet find joy? Explain.

Answer: The poet finds joy in garden. The birds in garden bring joy and foster a sense of freedom.

Q. To whom does the poet make her address in the poem?

Answer: The poet addresses the "Master of birds" in the poem, requesting him to provide sanctuary and shelter for birds in the garden.

Chapter 3: Stopping by woods on a snowy evening

Short Summary

"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost is a poem about a traveler who stops by a forest on a dark, snowy evening. The speaker describes the peaceful, serene atmosphere of the woods, but acknowledges that he has "promises to keep" and a long journey ahead of him before he can rest. The poem explores themes of nature, solitude, and the human need to fulfill obligations even in the face of temptation. It is often interpreted as a metaphor for life's journey and the choices we must make along the way.

Q. What do you think the poet means by dark and deep?

Answer: The "dark" woods may represent the unknown mysteries of nature while "deep" woods suggest that these mysteries are profound and not easily understood.

Q. What season is the poem set in?

Answer: The poem is set in winter, as the speaker describes the woods as being filled with snow and mentions it's the darkest evening of the year.

Q. Who is being referred to in the first lines of the poem?

Answer: The speakers is referring to the owner of the woods he has stopped in. The speaker dosen't know much about the owner, only knows that he leaves in the village nearby.

Q. Where does the poet stop?

Answer: The poet stops in the woods on a snowy evening.

Q. How does the horse react when the poet suddenly stops in the woods?

Answer: When the speaker suddenly stops , the horse shakes his harness bells, as if asking why they have stopped in the middle of the woods.

Q. What promises do you think the poet might have to keep?

Answer: The speaker says that he has to go miles before he sleeps, maybe referring to his duties as a farmer or his family obligations or some commitments that he cannot neglect.

Q. Why does the poet decide to move on, despite the beauty of the woods?

Answer: The poem reveals that poet has some "promises to keep" suggesting that he still has a long journey ahead of him before he can rest.