Subject: 1st Lang English Class: IX
LESSON – 2
MAURITIUS
Glossary:
1. strategic : important
2. gnarled : ragged
3. buccaneering : piratical
4. avidity : eagerness
Comprehension
I. Answer the following questions
1. Where is Mauritius?
Ans. Mauritius is a tiny island located in the Indian ocean. It is situated below the equator
on the twentieth parallel some 4500 km South West of Bombay.
2. Name the people of different origins found in Mauritius?
Ans. The people found in Mauritius are Africans, Chinese, Biharis, Tamils, Arabs, Dutch,
French and English.
3. Who are referred to as "the buccaneering trinity" of those days? Why are they called
so?
Ans. The Dutch, The French and The English are referred as the buccaneering trinity. They
constantly waged wars for colonizing of the island
4. List out some "very musical but unpronounceable names as found by the author?
Ans. Trouaux Biches, Beau Bassin, Quarter Bornes, Cure Pipe, Ross Belle etc are some
very musical but unpronounceable names found by the author.
5. What are the "flora and fauna" found in Mauritius?
Ans. The flora found in Mauritius are short and gnarled even in the interior of jungles,
looking just like abnormally overgrown bonsai. The fauna is that jungles have no wild
animals, the bat, the monkey, the deer and the giant tortoises of the Aldabra variety.
6. How is nature cruel to the people of Mauritius?
Ans. Mauritius is prone to cyclones. On February 6,1975, the king cyclone struck them. It
churned the country for two days, flattening everything that stood, smashing windows
and doors, uprooting trees and devastation of buildings.
7. Name some aquatic creatures sighted by the author?
Ans. The author sighted school of fish in many colours, fishes with long tails, fishes with
battered face, some shapeless ugly creatures crawling in the dark depth of the sea.
II. Answer the following questions
1. Why was it difficult for the author to locate Mauritius in his Atlas?
Ans. It was difficult for the author to locate Mauritius in his atlas because the atlas had
many little dots and specks made by weathering and cockroaches. Mauritius is also a
tiny island that looks like a dot on the map.
2. What is the reason for the people of different countries to settle in Mauritius?
Ans. The people who have settled down in Mauritius are the successors of their ancestors
who were brought to the island as slaves or labourers in sugarcane fields. When their
roots in original countries disappeared. So they settled there in harmony with others.
3. How does the author explain the absence of protocol among the government officials
and ministers in Mauritius?
Ans. The cabinet ministers and others in high positions in Port Louis are friendly and are
just like ordinary people. They are unassuming, accessible, communicative and go out
without a protective shield and security.
4. Give the description of mountains as given by the author?
Ans. The mountains in Mauritius do not have the traditional monotonous pyramidal shapes.
Their outlines are freakish and whimsical with unexpected sweeps and perpendicular
pin pointed peaks doing a balancing act with boulders as big as skyscrapers.
5. How are the people of Mauritius described fighting against the cruel jaws of nature?
Ans. Mauritius is a cyclone prone island. Cyclones storm the island almost every year and
brings devastation. Trees are planted in congested areas, tall buildings are constructed,
plate glass pictures windows are fixed but at the end of 15 years the king cyclone
appears to surprise the people of Mauritius.
6. What would be the future of Mauritius as opined by the author?
Ans. The author is of the opinion that with the industrial growth in Mauritius, the living
space will shrink, cars and trucks will increase, the price of the land will go up and
flats will appear, cost of living, pollution, unemployment, slum, taxation controls the
country.
Grammar
Adjectives: An adjective is a word which qualifies noun
Arrange the adjectives in sentence
eg: 1. vase, glass, old, lovely
A. This is a lovely, old glass vase.
2. Game, family, new, exciting
A. This is an exciting, new family game
Modal Verbs: Modals are the auxiliary verbs which are in 13. They are used frequently in
our speech. They play a vital role in conversation. They are used to indicates moods like
request, permission, command, promise, threat, hope, wishes probability, possibility, ability
etc
will-would, can-could, shall-should, may- might, must- used to or ought to need-dare
etc.
Circle the modal verbs
1. But still he can write.
2. Shall I do the drawings for you?
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