L E P ENGLISH
BASE MATERIAL FOR THE 2 DAY LEARNING CAMP
THE 3 LS OF EMPOWERMENT
SPEECH - CHRISTINE LAGARDE
The 3 Ls of women empowerment are learning, labour and
leadership.
Learning helps women to help themselves.
Labour helps women to achieve their potential.
Leadership helps women to use their talents.
Women need courage and confidence.
Women should step outside their comfort zones.
Questions:
Speech
Paragraph
ANY WOMAN
POEM CHRISTINE LAGARDE
Mother is the pillar of the house.
She is the heat and light of the house.
She gives warmth to the children.
She is the wall and door of the house.
She protects children from all dangers.
The poem ends with a prayer.
The poem is full of metaphors.
Questions:
Poetic devices
Appreciation
Elaborate the idea
Theme of the poem
CHAPTER 3
MATCHBOX (Ashapurna Debi)
'Matchbox' is a short story by Ashapurna Debi. It takes place in a Bengali family. Nomita and
Ajit
are the main characters in the story. Nomita is a poor village girl. She is good looking. Her
mother is a widow. Nomita is married to [Link] is very rich. Ajit has a bad habit. He opens
and
reads all the letters that comes to Nomita. Finally Nomita quarrels with Ajit and burns her
saree.
Ajit suddenly puts out the fire. He sees flame in the eyes of Nomita. The author compares
women to matchboxes. They have great power. But they remain silent.
Questions :
1. Character sketch
a) Nomita
b). Ajit
2. Ashapurna Debi compares women to matchbox. Why ?
3. Write a blurb of the story 'Matchbox'.
CHAPTER 4
HOREGALLU ( Sudha Murty)
Horegallu is an anecdote by Sudha Murty. Horegallu is a stone bench that can bear weight.
She
speaks of two persons in this. Sudha Murty 's grandfather was a retired school master. He
listened to the problems of the [Link] was like a horegallu to them. Ratna was a senior
[Link] was a cheerful lady. She listened to the problems of her co workers. Both gave
support to others. Both are doing great social service. The grandfather and Ratna are human
horegallus.
[Link] sketch
a) Grandfather
b) Ratna
2. Why does the author compare grandfather and Ratna to horegallu ?
Chapter 5 - *MENDING WALL*
Author: Robert Frost
*Summary*
It is a poem by Robert Frost about universal brotherhood.
The poem shows that the poet and the nature do not like the wall.
But the neighbour supports the wall.
The neighbour says "good fences make good neighbours". The poet is modern and the
neighbour is traditional.
Characters:
1. The poet
2. Poet's neighbour
Possible questions:
1. Poem comparison
2. Debate
3. Suitability of title
4. Elaborating the ideas
5. Paragraph writing
6. Poetic devices
Chapter 6
Amigo Brothers
Author : Piri Thomas
Summary :
It is a story of two teenagers, Felix and Antonio. They were close friends and they had a
dream of becoming world boxing champions.
Once they had to fight each other. There were three deadly rounds, but none of them won
the match. Both left the ring arm in arm. They were the champions in the world of friendship.
Possible questions:
1. Announcement
2. Newspaper report
3. Write up
4. Interview questions
5. Debate
CHAPTER 7
Play : The Hours of Truth
Author: Percival Wilde
Summary
One act play written by Percival Wilde. The central character is Robert
Baldwin. He is an honest man. He is secretary to John Gresham. Gresham
misused the funds and was arrested. Gresham offered one lakh dollars.
Baldwin did not accept the money. Gresham accepted his mistake.
Characters:
Robert Baldwin
John Gresham
Marshall
Martha
Evie
John
Possible Question
1. Character sketch of Robert Baldwin.
2. Newspaper report on the collapse of the bank.
3. Essay on corruption.
4. Speech on the topic ‘Honesty is the Best policy’.
5. Conversation between Baldwin and Gresham.
6. Interview with Robert Baldwin.
CHAPTER 8
Interview: Three Wheeler Revolution
Irfan Alam is the founder of SammaN foundation. He organised the
rickshaw pulling sector. He made rickshaw pulling a profitable business.
SammaN gave dignity to the rickshaw pullers. He advised the youth to start
their own business.
Possible Question
1. Email (invitation)
2. Interviewing Irfan Alam
3. Write up in the mode of operation of SammaN foundation.
Chapter 9 – DIDI
Author: Shaheen Mistri
Summary
This chapter tells the life story of Shaheen Mistri, the CEO of Teach for
India. She founded the Akanksha Centre in 1991. Her life changed after
she visited an orphanage. After that experience, she decided to stay in
India to educate poor children. The Akanksha Centre focuses on teaching
basic English, Mathematics, and Values to underprivileged children.
Characters
1. Shaheen Mistri
2. Sandhya
3. Father D’Cruz
4. Parents
Possible Questions
1. Write a job application with CV.
2. Write a conversation between Shaheen and her parents.
3. Write an e-mail to invite Shaheen Mistri.
4. Write a short paragraph introducing Shaheen Mistri.
Chapter 10
STAMMER
Author: K. Satchidanandan
Summary
• The poem is a satire by the poet.
• It criticizes the inability of people to react to burning issues.
• Stammer is not a handicap; it is a mode of speech.
• Stammer is a gap between word and meaning.
• Stammer is a dialect or a language.
• When a whole people utter together, it becomes a mother tongue.
Possible Questions
1. Elaborate the ideas of the given lines.
2. Compare the given poem with 'Stammer'.
3. Identify the poet and the poem.
4. Pick out the word having the same meaning from the lines.
5. Identify the figure of speech.
CHAPTER 11
When a sapling is planted
This is a speech by Wangari Maathai . she speaks about saving nature. She is the founder
of Green Belt Movement. Planting trees can protect nature. We should protect nature for our
future.
Possible questions
1 Essay
2 Speech
3 profile
4 interview
5 introducing Wangari to audience
6 comprehension question
CHAPTER 12
RICE
POEM BY CHEMMANAM CHACKO
This is a satirical poem by CHEMMANAM CHACKO
It tells about farmer's changed attitude. They are not interested in food crops. They changed
into cash crops like rubber..Poet returns to Kerala hoping to eat Athikira rice. But he sees
everything changed.
Possible question
1 appreciation
2 review
3 essay
4 letter to the editor
5 elaborate the lines
CHAPTER 15
*Poem: This is Going to Hurt Just a Little Bit*
Poet: *Ogden Nash*
*Summary*
The poem presents the experience of the poet in a dental [Link] doesn't like this. He sits
there with mouth wide open .He will not be able to [Link] dentist's work is compared to
road repairing. One visits the dentist regularly to avoid visiting the dentist again .
*Characters*
1. Poet
2. Dentist
*Stock Questions*
1. Advice
2. Comprehension
3. Aptness of the title
4. Exaggeration
CHAPTER 16
*Prose : Crime and Punishment*
*Author : R K Narayan*
*Summary*
The story, 'Crime and Punishment ' presents the teacher -student relationship. Teacher and
boy are the main characters. The parents appoint a teacher for their child. They asked the
teacher not to punish the boy. The boy was not ready to learn. The teacher punishes him
atlast. The boy blackmails the teacher.
*Characters:*
1. Teacher
2. Boy
3. Parents
*Stock Questions*
1. Aptness of the title
2. Character sketch
3. Debate
4. Essay