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mendous social service as they both helped many to regain their normality.
Question 2.
Can we relate grandfather and Ratna to horegallu? Why?
Answer:
Yes. Horegallu is a stone that bears weight. The grandfather and Ratna are horegallus that bore the heavy load of life. They helped others to get a relief by opening their hearts to them. This helped them to resume their journey afresh. Ratna and the grandfather became stones upon which others could take rest and lean. It is normal that people feel relaxed when they share their problems with someone. This feeling offered by Ratna and the grandfather is similar to the relief that a horegallu gives.
Activity 1: Narration( Textbook Page no. 29)
Question 1.
Ratna in “Horegallu” says, “God has given me two ears to listen to others. I hear them out with sympathy and without any judgment. When a person in trouble or under a lot of strain finds an outlet for his worries, it relieves half his burden.”
a. Do you think mere listening can solve a problem? Identify the qualities of a good listener.
Answer:
A good listener must:
speak less and hear more.
have the ability to consolidate others.
never interrupt.
have emotions under control.
look at the speaker
give positive responses
build confidence in them
b. Imagine that Nomita gets a chance to talk to Ratna. How would she present her worries?
Begin as follows:
I am Nomita. Yesterday I had a quarrel with my husband.
Answer:
I am Nomita. I hope you don’t mind listening to my problems. Yesterday I had a quarrel with my husband. He opened my letter and didn’t give it to me. When I asked about it he answered as if it were his right. This is not the first time he does like this. He used to read my letter often. Sometimes he wouldn’t bother to show them to me either. Actually, I was born in a poor family and my mother is a widow. The letter was from my mother complaining about her miserable conditions and begging for some money. Every time when she writes, she demands some money and he usually humiliates me for this. Yesterday I was really angry and lit my own sari to frighten him. He was really frightened. But Ratna, as a housewife, and that too in a joint family, I have no choice but to come back to my daily routine. Really I have started to hate my life Ratna.
Activity 2: Language Practice ( Textbook Page No. 29)
It was a large flat stone placed horizontally over two vertical ones, thus making a stone bench on which anyone could sit and rest a while, chat with a fellow traveller and exchange news of the road. Cool water would be kept in earthen pots near the bench and people could quench their thirst before starting their journeys again. I am sure similar simple arrangements can be found in the villages all over the country.
a) Read and pick out the adjectives and categorize them based on the nature of their description.
Answer:
Adjectives- large, flat, stone, fellow, cool, earthen.
b) Now, rewrite the passage substituting the adjectives without any change of meaning.
Answer:
It was a big plane stone placed horizontally over two vertical ones thus making a rock bench on which anyone could sit and rest a while with an associate traveller and exchange news of the road. Cold water would be kept in mud pots near the bench and people could quench their thirst before starting their journeys again. I am sure similar simple arrangements in the villages all over the country will be a great blessing to travellers.
Activity 3: Comparison (Textbook Page No.29)
In this unit (Horegallu), you have got acquainted with several women characters, both real and fictitious. The following excerpts present their ideas on empowerment.
‘I always compare women to match boxes?-Ashapurna Debi ‘I am the heat that warms the earth, Which else were colder than a stone’ -Katharine Tynan ‘I don’t think there is a greater sin than betraying someone’s confidence – Ratna ‘For what reason should you open my letters?Haven’t I told you a thousand times not to. Nomita to Ajit ‘I wish there were more horegallus in the world! – Sudha Murty ‘It is time to create a world