A. COMPREHENSION
1. Answer the following questions.
a. How do we know that Sajid likes trains?
Ans: We know that Sajid likes trains because he spends time watching them, waving to them, and wondering about the people on the trains. We learn, in the fifth paragraph, that he is fascinated by all trains.
b. What time of year is it?
Ans: It is summertime; the story takes place during the summer holidays.
c. How do we know that Sajid is bored?
Ans: We know that Sajid is bored because he has been wandering about all day, alone, and still does not know what to do with himself.
d. What sort of things make Sajid curious and how does he react to what makes him curious?
Ans: Sajid is made curious by things that are bolted or nailed down, or in some way concealed from him, such as parcels, locked rooms, carriage doors, and crates. He reacts by trying to see what is inside the crates.
e. Why does Sajid think that the trees are walking?
Ans: Sajid thinks that the trees are walking because he had not noticed that the train had started moving.
f. Who else is in the carriage?
Ans: A man, who describes himself as a hippy, is also in the carriage.
g. Where does Sajid say that he would like to go?
Ans: Sajid says that he would like to go everywhere, to England, China, Africa, and Greenland. He wants to go all over the world.
h. What warning does the man give Sajid?
Ans: The man warns Sajid to keep out of sight if he does not want to be caught!
i. When Sajid thinks about his parents for the first time what does he imagine that they will think?
Ans: When Sajid thinks about his parents for the first time, he imagines that they will think that he had run away, or been kidnapped, or been involved in an accident.
j. What presents does Sajid imagine that he will bring back for his friend?
Ans: Sajid imagines that he will bring back an African lion or a transistor-radio for his friend, Umair.
These questions are more difficult. Discuss them first.
k. When Sajid thinks about his parents’ reaction to his disappearance he feels a few different emotions. What shows us that he is excited at first? How does he feel later on?
Ans: When Sajid thinks about his parents’ reaction to his disappearance, he feels a few different emotions. At first, he images that he will become famous for being the boy who disappeared; this shows that he finds the idea exciting. Later on, he feels sorry for his parents because he realizes that they will miss him.
l. Why do you think the man was on the train?
Ans: There could be many reasons why the man was on the train. Perhaps he had been sleeping in the carriage because it was comfortable, safe, or cosy, or perhaps he was trying to get a free ride somewhere.
m. How does Sajid feel after the conversation about getting to China?
Ans: Sajid does not react immediately to the conversation about going to China. Perhaps he is thinking about the skills he does not have. After a while, he thinks that he is not sure if he really wants to go to strange, new, faraway places.
n. Why doesn’t the man tell Sajid that the train takes a circular route??
Ans: There could be many reasons why the man does not tell Sajid that the train takes a circular route. Perhaps he can see how excited Sajid is about going on a journey and, because he knows Sajid will be safe, he allows him to enjoy his adventure.
2. Look at these words.
Starve - Consume - Devour - Snack – Nibble – Gobble - Feast – Munch - Chew
a. Which is the odd one out? Why?
Ans: Starve is the odd word out. The other words are ways of eating, whereas starve means to suffer or die from hunger.
b. Pick three of the words above and use each one in a sentence.
· Starve: A human being will begin to starve if they do not eat for several days.
· Consume: It only took the thirsty kid a few seconds to consume the juice in her box.
· Devour: Do not devour that hamburger in one bite!
· Snack: My favorite snacks on a rainy day are pakoras.
· Nibble: I rarely eat big meals, but love to nibble on snacks throughout the day.
· Gobble: It took a lot of will power not to gobble lunch straight down as I got back home from school.
· Feast: On the second day of Eid, we had a family feast.
· Munch: I like to munch on Lays while I watch TV.
· Chew: Chew your food properly before swallowing.
B. WORKING WITH WORDS
1. Fill in the blanks with suitable words from the list below.
a. Soon there were other tracks, a railway-siding, and a stationary goods train.
b. Sajid felt a thrill of anticipation.
c. The number of railway lines increased, crossed, spread out in different directions.
d. He was so astonished that he almost fell out of the compartment.
e. He did not want the ticket driver asking him awkward questions.
f. Shrugging his shoulders, Sajid sauntered down the road to the bazaar.
C. LEARNING ABOUT LANGUAGE
COLLECTIVE NOUNS
1. Write the collective nouns for groups of the following? Use the list below.
a. sheep - herd
b. ships—fleet
c. sailors—crew
d. bees - swarm
e. wolves—pack
f. stars—galaxy
g. barbarians—horde
h. cattle—herd
i. criminals—gang
j. people in a theatre—audience
k. directors—board
l. musicians—orchestra
m. flowers - bunch
n. eleven footballers—team
o. mountains—rang
ABSTRACT NOUNS
2. Pick out the abstract nouns from the following:
pride friendliness lightness victory peace
3. Form abstract nouns from the following adjectives.
freedom delicacy width thinness height awkwardness sweetness breadth honesty
4. State what quality is possessed by a person who is:
Tidiness kindness helpfulness laziness quietness foolishness loyalty accuracy hardiness
VERBS
1. Pick out the verbs in the following.
a. ‘Run to the shop and buy me a box of matches, please.’
b. The children in the crowd shouted and cheered.
c. ‘If you want to go to Karachi you must book a seat on the bus.’
d. The book fell to the floor.
e. ‘Be careful or you might fall.’
f. Malik spent two weeks in hospital after the fall.
g. The boys go for a run every day.
h. The children crowded around the teacher.
E. COMPOSITION
Write a brief description of each of the two main characters in the story.
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