UNIT -1 Learning Together

Chapter: The Day the River Spoke

The Day the River Spoke is a story about a young girl named Jahnavi. She lived in a coastal village with her parents and three brothers.

Jahnavi loved learning and wanted to go to school, but her parents did not send her because she had to look after her younger brothers and help her mother. She was nearly ten years old and was afraid that she was now too old to start school.

One day, while sitting beside the river and crying, Jahnavi heard a soft voice. To her surprise, the River was speaking to her. The River listened to her problem and encouraged her. It told her that girls can do as much as boys and advised her to go quietly to school and listen to the lesson.

Jahnavi gathered courage and went to school. The teacher welcomed her and promised to speak to her father. The teacher visited Jahnavi’s home. Her mother supported her and said that girls should learn as much as they want.

Finally, Jahnavi was allowed to attend school. She was very happy. She wanted to learn reading, writing and mathematics. She also wanted to understand the mysteries of nature. When she grew up, she wanted to become a teacher and help other girls in her village get an education.

Main Message

The story teaches us that education is important for everyone, including girls. We should have courage, believe in ourselves and work towards our dreams. Girls and boys should get equal opportunities.

“The Day the River Spoke” कहानी जाह्नवी नाम की एक छोटी लड़की की कहानी है। वह भारत के एक समुद्री गाँव में अपने माता-पिता और तीन भाइयों के साथ रहती थी।

जाह्नवी पढ़ना चाहती थी और उसका सपना स्कूल जाने का था। लेकिन उसके माता-पिता उसे स्कूल नहीं भेजते थे क्योंकि उसे अपने छोटे भाइयों की देखभाल करनी पड़ती थी और माँ की खेत के काम में मदद करनी पड़ती थी। वह लगभग दस साल की हो गई थी और उसे लगता था कि अब उसे स्कूल जाने का मौका नहीं मिलेगा।

एक दिन वह नदी के किनारे बैठकर रो रही थी। तभी उसे एक धीमी आवाज सुनाई दी। आश्चर्य की बात यह थी कि नदी उससे बात कर रही थी। नदी ने उसकी समस्या सुनी और उसे हिम्मत दी। नदी ने कहा कि लड़कियाँ भी लड़कों जितना ही कर सकती हैं। उसने जाह्नवी को चुपचाप स्कूल जाने और वहाँ पढ़ाई सुनने की सलाह दी।

जाह्नवी ने हिम्मत की और अगले दिन स्कूल पहुँच गई। अध्यापक ने उसे प्यार से स्वीकार किया और उसके पिता से बात करने का वादा किया। अध्यापक जाह्नवी के घर गए। उसकी माँ ने भी उसका साथ दिया और कहा कि लड़कियों को भी उतना ही पढ़ना चाहिए जितना वे चाहती हैं।

अंत में जाह्नवी को स्कूल जाने की अनुमति मिल गई। वह बहुत खुश हुई। वह अपना नाम लिखना, गणित करना और प्रकृति के रहस्यों को समझना चाहती थी। बड़ी होकर वह शिक्षिका बनना चाहती थी ताकि गाँव की दूसरी लड़कियों को भी पढ़ा सके।

शिक्षा / Message

हमें अपने सपनों को पूरा करने के लिए हिम्मत और आत्मविश्वास रखना चाहिए। लड़के और लड़कियाँ दोनों समान अवसर और शिक्षा के अधिकारी हैं।

3. Important Word Meanings

4. Back Exercise – Answers

A. Let us Discuss

Q1. What was Jahnavi’s dream? Was it important to her? Why?

Answer:
Jahnavi’s dream was to go to school and study. Yes, it was very important to her because she loved learning and wanted to read, write and understand the world around her.

Hindi:
जाह्नवी का सपना स्कूल जाकर पढ़ना था। यह उसके लिए बहुत महत्वपूर्ण था क्योंकि उसे सीखना बहुत पसंद था।

Q2. Do you think the River can help her in fulfilling her dream? How?

Answer:
Yes. The River encouraged Jahnavi and gave her confidence. It advised her to go to school. This helped her take the first step towards her dream.

Hindi:
हाँ। नदी ने जाह्नवी को हिम्मत दी और स्कूल जाने की सलाह दी। इससे उसे अपने सपने की ओर पहला कदम उठाने में मदद मिली।

B. Complete the Table

The exercise asks us to match Jahnavi’s questions with the River’s answers.

1. Why does the moon always come from behind the hills?
   → The River says that the moon goes towards the sea, over the mountains, just like the River.
2. Can little girls do as much as little boys?
   → Little girls can do as much as little boys.
3. What are ships?
   → Big boats that can carry hundreds of people and sail on the sea with lights.
4. Will the ships come here?
   → No. They are too large.

C. Let us Think and Reflect

Extract 1

Q1(i). The tone of the River is ________.

Answer: Assuring

Q1(ii). Which phrase shows that Jahnavi was a frequent visitor?

Answer: “you have been coming here to see me every day, well, almost every day.”

Q1(iii). “It couldn’t be the river!” expresses:

Answer: D. Disbelief

Q1(iv). Choose three qualities of the River.

Answer:

• Affectionate
• Thoughtful
• Kind-hearted

These questions are given in the textbook on page 7.

Extract 2

Q1(i). Why was there no difference between girls and boys?

Answer:
Because little girls can do as much as little boys and they can swim as fast as boys.

Q1(ii). True or False

The River encourages Jahnavi to believe in herself and fulfil her dream.

Answer: True

Q1(iii). “Slip along” means:

Answer: C. Quietly

Q1(iv). What does the repetition of “I couldn’t” tell us?

Answer:
It shows that Jahnavi was very afraid and lacked confidence.

The textbook gives these questions on page 8.

D. Long Answer Questions

Q1. Why does the writer describe nature in great detail at the beginning?

Answer:
The writer describes nature in detail to create a beautiful and peaceful setting. It also shows Jahnavi’s close relationship with nature and makes the story interesting.

Hindi:
लेखक ने प्रकृति का सुंदर वर्णन इसलिए किया है ताकि कहानी का वातावरण शांत और सुंदर लगे। इससे जाह्नवी का प्रकृति से जुड़ाव भी दिखाई देता है।

Q2. How did the River know so much about Jahnavi?

Answer:
The River knew so much about Jahnavi because she visited it almost every day. The River had observed her closely.

Q3. What can you infer from “I’m so old now, they’ll never let me go”?

Answer:
We understand that Jahnavi had been kept away from school for many years. She was worried that she was too old to start school.

Q4. Why did the River laugh when Jahnavi said she was scared?

Answer:
The River laughed because Jahnavi was already brave. She was not afraid of lizards, snakes or noisy trains, so the River wanted her to understand that she could also face her fear of school.

Q5. Why should Jahnavi follow the River’s advice?

Answer:
She should follow the advice because education was her dream. Going to school would give her a chance to learn and become confident.

Q6. How does the conversation between Jahnavi and the River make the story appealing?

Answer:
The conversation makes the story interesting and imaginative. A talking river acts like a friend and guide for Jahnavi.

Q7. What is the main message of the story?

Answer:
The main message is that girls and boys deserve equal opportunities for education. We should have courage, believe in ourselves and follow our dreams.

These seven questions are part of the textbook’s main exercise.

E. Let us Learn – Sound Words

The textbook asks students to find sound-related words from the story.

F. Prepositions

Fill in the blanks

The textbook gives this exercise on page 11.

1. at school
2. outside the gate
3. inside the classroom
4. between two classmates
5. lesson about numbers
6. excited about the new adventure

Next exercise

1. The cat jumped on the table.
2. The children played outside until dark.
3. She quickly ran through the park.
4. The helicopter was hovering above.
5. We were just walking along, chatting.
6. He stepped inside.
7. She drove slowly around the sharp curve.
8. He placed the keys under the mat.

G. Water Transport Crossword

The answers are based on the clues given on page 10.

Across

1. Ship
2. Boat
3. Raft
4. Steamer

Down

5. Canoe
6. Tugboat
7. Yacht

H. Let us Speak – Advice

Situation 1: All-boys football team

Question: What should I do?
Answer: I think you should talk to the teacher and ask if girls can also join the team.

Situation 2: Nervous in Mathematics exams

Question: What should I do?
Answer: If I were you, I would practise regularly and stay calm during the exam.

Situation 3: No time to practise music

Question: What should I do?
Answer: The best thing to do is make a small daily timetable for music practice.

Situation 4: Cannot see the blackboard

Question: What should I do?
Answer: I think you should ask the teacher to change your seat or sit closer to the board.

The textbook provides these four situations and the useful phrases for asking/giving advice.

I. Poster Questions

The poster on page 15 says that the happiness of a nation lies in the dignity of its daughters.

Q1. What can you observe in the poster?

Answer:
We can see several happy schoolgirls studying together.

Q2. Why do the girls look happy?

Answer:
They look happy because they are getting education and enjoying their school life.

Q3. What is the relation between dignity and happiness?

Answer:
When people are treated with respect and given equal opportunities, they feel confident and happy.

Q4. How does a nation prosper when its daughters are happy?

Answer:
Educated and confident girls become responsible and successful citizens. They help their families and society develop. Therefore, the whole nation progresses.

⭐ Exam Important Questions

1. What was Jahnavi’s dream?
   → Her dream was to go to school and get an education.
2. Why could Jahnavi not go to school?
   → She had to look after her younger brothers and help her mother.
3. Who encouraged Jahnavi?
   → The River encouraged her.
4. What advice did the River give Jahnavi?
   → It told her to go quietly to school and listen to the teacher.
5. How did the teacher help Jahnavi?
   → The teacher agreed to speak to her father and help her attend school.
6. What did Jahnavi’s mother say about girls’ education?
   → She said girls should learn as much as they want.
7. What did Jahnavi want to become when she grew up?
   → She wanted to become a teacher and educate other girls.
8. What is the main theme of the story?
   → Equal education, courage, self-confidence and following one’s dreams.

Yes 👍 you mean the FIRST PDF: gepr101.pdf.

I checked the PDF again. In this first PDF, the poem is “Try Again” by Eliza Cook. It is on pages 16–26.

Below is the complete poem work in the same format.

🌟 POEM-TRY AGAIN

Poet: Eliza Cook

The poem tells the story of King Bruce of Scotland. He wanted to do a great deed for his people, but he failed many times. Because of his failures, he became sad and hopeless. He thought of giving up.

While he was sitting sadly, he saw a spider trying to reach its web on the ceiling. The spider climbed again and again but fell down every time.

The spider made nine brave attempts. It did not give up. Finally, it climbed steadily, inch by inch, and reached its web.

King Bruce was greatly inspired by the spider. He realised that if the tiny spider could keep trying, he could try again too.

He decided to make another attempt. This time, he succeeded.

⭐ Main Message

Never give up after failure. Keep trying until you succeed.

यह कविता स्कॉटलैंड के राजा ब्रूस की कहानी बताती है।

राजा ब्रूस अपने लोगों के लिए एक बड़ा और अच्छा काम करना चाहते थे, लेकिन उन्हें कई बार असफलता मिली। बार-बार असफल होने के कारण वे बहुत दुखी और निराश हो गए। उन्होंने सोचा कि अब उन्हें अपना प्रयास छोड़ देना चाहिए।

उसी समय उन्होंने एक मकड़ी को देखा। मकड़ी छत पर बने अपने जाले तक पहुँचने की कोशिश कर रही थी। वह बार-बार ऊपर चढ़ती लेकिन फिर नीचे गिर जाती।

मकड़ी ने नौ बार प्रयास किया। उसने हार नहीं मानी। अंत में वह धीरे-धीरे, एक-एक इंच ऊपर चढ़ती हुई अपने जाले तक पहुँच गई।

राजा ब्रूस मकड़ी से बहुत प्रभावित हुए। उन्होंने सोचा कि जब इतनी छोटी मकड़ी बार-बार कोशिश करके सफल हो सकती है, तो वे भी फिर से कोशिश कर सकते हैं।

उन्होंने दोबारा प्रयास किया और इस बार सफल हो गए।

⭐ सीख

असफलता से हमें हार नहीं माननी चाहिए। बार-बार प्रयास करते रहना चाहिए, क्योंकि लगातार प्रयास से सफलता मिलती है।

📖 3. WORD MEANINGS

✏️ 4. BACK EXERCISE – LET US DISCUSS

The textbook gives these questions on page 19.

Q1. Complete the summary

Words: tried, mounted, despair, attempts, great, conquered, low, strive

Answers:

1. low
2. great
3. despair
4. tried
5. attempts
6. conquered
7. strive
8. mounted

Complete paragraph:

King Bruce was feeling low after failing multiple times to achieve something great for his people. In a moment of despair, he observed a spider trying to reach its web high above. The spider tried every time it fell after getting close to its goal. It made nine attempts and finally succeeded. The king said that the spider had conquered and so would he. Inspired by the spider’s determination, King Bruce decided to strive. When he mounted this time, he ultimately succeeded.

Q2. Why is the poem written in narrative style?

Answer:
The poem is written in narrative style because it tells a complete story about King Bruce, the spider and how the spider inspired the king.

Central idea:

The central idea is never giving up and continuing to try until we achieve success.

Q3. Give three examples of lines describing the spider’s efforts.

Answer:

1. “It soon began to cling and crawl”
2. “Up, up it ran, not a second to stay”
3. “Steadily, steadily, inch by inch”

These lines show that the spider kept trying despite repeated failures.

Q4. Give three examples of alliteration.

Answer:

1. “tried and tried”
2. “steadily, steadily”
3. “higher and higher”

Alliteration is the repetition of similar beginning sounds.

Q5. Why are these words repeated?

“tried and tried”

It shows continuous effort.

“steadily, steadily”

It shows that the spider moved continuously and patiently.

“up, up”

It emphasises the spider’s continuous upward movement.

Q6. Choose the correct answers.

(i) Rhyme scheme:

✅ AABB

(ii) “Bravo” is an:

✅ Interjection

(iii) “’twas” and “’tis” are used for:

✅ Rhyme

These answers follow the exercise given in the PDF.

✏️ 5. LET US THINK AND REFLECT

Extract 1

“He flung himself down in low despair…”

Q1. Which phrase shows the physical expression of the King’s emotional state?

Answer:
“He flung himself down”

Q2. Why does the poet use the word “low” before despair?

Answer:
It emphasises that the King was in deep sadness and hopelessness.

Q3. Meaning of “pondered”?

Answer:
✅ B. Thought

Q4. “silken, filmy clue” creates an image of something:

Answer:
✅ Very delicate and soft

Extract 2

Q1. Complete the analogy:

toil : hard :: tumble : fall

From the given options:

✅ A. roll : tumble

Q2. What characteristics of the spider are shown in “But up the insect went once more”?

Answer:
It shows that the spider was determined and persistent.

Q3. What does “Ah me!” indicate?

Answer:
✅ B. Stress

Q4. Why can readers relate to this extract?

Answer:
Readers can relate to it because everyone faces failures and difficult situations in life and needs courage to try again.

6. LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS

Q1. How does the first stanza set the mood of the poem?

Answer:
The first stanza creates a sad and hopeless mood. King Bruce is lonely and disappointed because he has failed many times.

Q2. How does King Bruce’s attitude change?

Answer:
At first, King Bruce is sad, disappointed and ready to give up. After watching the spider, he becomes hopeful, determined and confident. Finally, he tries again and succeeds.

Q3. What does the detailed description of the spider tell us about the poet’s attitude?

Answer:
It shows that the poet admires the spider’s determination, courage and perseverance.

Q4. How does the spider inspire us?

Answer:
The spider teaches us that we should not give up after failure. We should keep trying until we succeed.

Q5. “Failures are stepping stones to success.” Explain.

Answer:
Failure teaches us our mistakes and gives us a chance to improve. If we keep trying, we can finally succeed. King Bruce failed many times but succeeded when he tried again.

Q6. How can anyone become a source of inspiration?

Answer:
Anyone can inspire us through their actions. The small spider inspired a king because it showed courage, patience and determination.

These six questions are directly included in the poem’s “Let us think and reflect” section.

ore succeeding.

5. What did King Bruce learn from the spider?

Answer: He learned that we should never give up and should keep trying.

6. What happened when King Bruce tried again?

Answer: He succeeded in his effort.

7. What is the main message?

Answer: Keep trying. Do not give up because failure can lead to success.