Ways with Words
A. Find the meanings of the following words and phrases and use them in sentences of your own.
a. Peep into
Meaning:
To take a quick look inside something.
Sentence:
He peeped into the box and saw that his wife had bought him a new watch.
b. Pop down
Meaning:
To go somewhere quickly or for a short time.
Sentence:
I will try to pop down tomorrow evening after dinner.
c. Remarkable
Meaning:
Unusual, surprising, excellent, or worthy of attention.
Sentence:
She has made remarkable progress in her studies.
d. Hedge
Meaning:
A row of bushes or small trees planted close together along the edge of a garden, field, or road.
Sentence:
A tall hedge surrounded the garden.
e. Wonder
Meaning:
To have a desire to know something.
Sentence:
I wonder what the world will be like in the future.
f. Tumble
Meaning:
To fall suddenly and without control.
Sentence:
The child took a tumble while running down the hill.
g. Doze off
Meaning:
To fall asleep lightly, especially during the day.
Sentence:
He was beginning to doze off when the telephone rang.
h. Earnestly
Meaning:
Seriously and sincerely.
Sentence:
She spoke earnestly about the importance of education.
i. Tiny
Meaning:
Very small.
Sentence:
He made a tiny hole in the paper.
j. Creep
Meaning:
To move slowly, quietly, and carefully to avoid being noticed.
Sentence:
She crept towards the edge of the roof and looked down.
B. Match the following words with their opposites.
a. Beginning
Opposite: Ending
b. Stupid
Opposite: Clever
c. Natural
Opposite: Artificial
d. Disappointment
Opposite: Happiness
e. Ignorant
Opposite: Educated
f. Anxiously
Opposite: Calmly
Comprehension
A. Answer the following questions.
a. What did Alice do while her sister was reading a book?
Answer:
Alice fell asleep while her sister was reading a book.
b. Why did Alice run across the field after the Rabbit?
Answer:
Alice ran across the field after the White Rabbit because she was curious about it. She had never seen a rabbit wearing clothes, carrying a watch, and talking like a human being.
c. Why did Alice not want to drop the jar? What did she do with it?
Answer:
Alice did not want to drop the jar because she was afraid that it might fall on and hurt someone below.
She placed the jar carefully on one of the cupboards as she continued falling down the rabbit hole.
d. What idea came to Alice’s mind when she saw a tiny golden key?
Answer:
When Alice saw the tiny golden key, she thought that it might open one of the doors in the hall.
e. What was written on the bottle Alice found? Did she follow the instruction?
Answer:
The words “DRINK ME” were written on the bottle.
Yes, Alice followed the instruction and drank from it after checking that it was not marked as poisonous.
f. Alice was fond of pretending to be two people. Who were they?
Answer:
The two people were Alice and another imaginary version of herself. She often talked to herself as though she were two different people.
g. Why did Alice want to eat the cake she found?
Answer:
Alice wanted to eat the cake because she thought it might make her grow bigger. She hoped that becoming larger would help her reach the golden key on the table.
B. Arrange the following events in the correct order.
Correct order:
- Alice saw a White Rabbit and ran after him.
- Alice fell down a rabbit hole.
- Alice found a small key and unlocked a very small door.
- Alice drank something from a bottle and became very small.
- Alice tried to climb the leg of the table to get the key again.
- Alice ate a small cake labelled “EAT ME.”
Critical Thinking
a. “Down the Rabbit Hole” is a type of fantasy writing. On the basis of your reading, identify some special elements of fantasy writing.
Answer:
Fantasy is a literary genre that includes imaginary, magical, and unrealistic events. It presents people, creatures, places, or situations that do not normally exist in the real world.
“Down the Rabbit Hole” contains several important elements of fantasy. The White Rabbit behaves like a human being. It wears clothes, carries a watch, and speaks aloud. Such behaviour is impossible in ordinary life.
Alice also falls through an unusually deep rabbit hole and passes cupboards, shelves, maps, and jars on the way down. The hall she reaches contains many locked doors, a tiny golden key, a magical bottle, and a cake that changes her size.
Fantasy stories often contain magical objects, unusual creatures, strange places, and events that do not follow the laws of nature. They may also include talking animals, magical transformations, hidden kingdoms, and impossible adventures.
The roots of fantasy can be found in ancient myths, legends, folk tales, and fairy tales. Modern fantasy became especially popular when writers began creating completely new imaginary worlds.
Therefore, “Down the Rabbit Hole” is fantasy because it combines imagination, magic, strange creatures, and impossible events.
b. Is it good to imagine things that may not be possible to achieve in reality? Explain.
Answer:
Yes, it can be good to imagine things that may not appear possible in reality. Imagination is the ability to create mental pictures, ideas, and situations without depending entirely on direct experience.
Imagination allows people to dream about a better future. Many inventions and discoveries began as ideas that once seemed impossible. Aeroplanes, mobile phones, space travel, and the internet were all imagined before they became real.
Using imagination also develops creativity. Writers, artists, scientists, engineers, and inventors depend on imagination to create new things and solve problems.
Imagination can also help people understand their goals. When a person imagines a better life, career, or achievement, it may motivate them to work towards it.
It can improve confidence, reduce stress, and help people think beyond their present difficulties. However, imagination should be balanced with reality, planning, and effort.
Imagining impossible things is beneficial when it inspires creativity and progress. It becomes harmful only when a person completely avoids reality and refuses to take practical action.
Therefore, imagination is valuable because it helps people explore possibilities, develop ideas, and shape the future they want.
c. Do you talk to yourself when you are in trouble? If yes, how does it help you?
Answer:
Yes, I sometimes talk to myself when I am in trouble. Self-talk helps me understand my thoughts and emotions more clearly.
There are many things that I may not feel comfortable sharing with others. When I talk to myself, I can express my fears, confusion, sadness, anger, and worries without being judged.
Self-talk also helps me examine different choices before making a decision. I can ask myself what caused the problem, what possible solutions are available, and what consequences each decision may have.
It also motivates me when I feel discouraged. Positive self-talk reminds me of my strengths and encourages me to continue trying.
During stressful situations, talking to myself helps me calm down and organise my thoughts. It gives me the feeling that I am not completely helpless.
Therefore, self-talk is useful for managing emotions, solving problems, making decisions, reducing stress, and developing self-confidence.
Writing
b. Describe a strange dream that you have seen recently.
A Strange Dream
Recently, I had a very strange and frightening dream. In the dream, I woke up after hearing an unusual noise near my bedroom door.
When I looked towards the door, I saw a dark figure standing silently and staring at me with bright red eyes. At first, I thought it was my mother, so I called out to her.
However, the figure did not answer or move. I called again, louder than before, but its red eyes remained fixed on me.
I became terrified and quickly hid under my blanket. I began shouting for my mother. After a few moments, I heard footsteps approaching my room.
My mother entered and asked why I was screaming. When I looked towards the door again, the dark figure had disappeared.
I told my mother what I had seen, but she said that it was only a nightmare. Even though it was just a dream, it felt extremely real.
When I finally woke up, my heart was beating fast and I was covered in sweat. I looked around the room several times to make sure that no one was there.
The dream remained in my mind for several days. It taught me how powerful and realistic dreams can sometimes feel.
Grammar
B. Express your wishes in the following situations in three different ways using I wish or If only.
a. You do not have a mobile phone, but you need one.
- I wish I had a mobile phone.
- I wish my father would buy me a mobile phone.
- If only someone would give me a mobile phone.
b. You do not know the answer to a question from the lesson.
- I wish I knew the answer.
- I wish my friend would tell me the answer.
- If only I had studied the lesson properly.
c. You cannot play the guitar.
- I wish I could play the guitar.
- I wish someone would teach me how to play the guitar.
- If only I had taken guitar lessons.
d. It is cold.
- I wish it were warmer.
- I wish someone would light a fire.
- If only I had some warm clothes.
e. You are feeling sick.
- I wish I were healthy.
- I wish someone would call a doctor.
- If only I could go to the hospital.
f. You live in a crowded city.
- I wish I lived in the countryside.
- I wish the city were more peaceful.
- If only I could spend a few weeks away from the city.
g. You feel lonely.
- I wish my friend were here.
- I wish someone would call me.
- If only I had someone to talk to.
C. Rewrite the following sentences, correcting them where necessary.
a. I wish my father bought me a bike.
Correct sentence:
I wish my father would buy me a bike.
b. I wish I would write poems.
Correct sentence:
I wish I could write poems.
c. I wish I could remember her name.
Answer: Correct
Correct sentence:
I wish I could remember her name.
d. I wish I had a god job.
Correct sentence:
I wish I had a good job.
e. I wish I would be rich.
Correct sentence:
I wish I were rich.
Discussion
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