Revathi’s Musical Plants
English Workshop
1. Read the story and complete the following.
(a) At first, Revathi’s plants did not look normal and healthy because,
Answer: they had pale green leaves and their growth was stunted due to a lack of sunlight.
(b) When Revathi played her favourite raga, the plants began to move because,
Answer: they were responding to the music and bending towards her, showing they enjoyed her tunes.
(c) Revathi’s grief knew no bounds because,
Answer: her pot of plants went missing just before the ‘Best Plant’ competition, and she had grown very fond of them.
(d) Revathi was confident of proving her ownership of her pot of plants because,
Answer: she knew that her plants responded to her music and would bend towards her when she played her violin.
(e) Revathi won the prize for the ‘Best plant’ because,
Answer: her plants were the healthiest and most beautiful, and she proved they were hers through their response to her violin music.
2. Answer in your own words.
(a) What did Revathi discover about her balsam plants?
Answer: Revathi discovered that her balsam plants responded to music, especially her favorite raga, by bending towards her when she played the violin.
(b) Why did she decide to keep her new knowledge ‘a secret’?
Answer: She kept it a secret because she wanted to surprise everyone at the competition and also because she was unsure if others would believe her.
(c) How did the plants respond when Revathi played her favourite tune?
Answer: The plants slowly bent towards her, as if they were enjoying the music.
(d) How did the plants react to the fast rhythmic music?
Answer: The plants turned away from her, indicating that they did not like the tune.
(e) How did Revathi prove to the organisers of the competition, that the plants truly belonged to her?
Answer: She played her violin in front of them, and the plants bent towards her in response to the music, proving they were hers.
(f) What helped Revathi to claim her plants – her belief in magic or the belief in her convictions? Explain your choice.
Answer: Her belief in her convictions helped her claim her plants. She had confidence in what she had observed and used her knowledge to prove her ownership.
3. (A) A word chain consists of words of a certain category that begin with the letter that the previous word has ended with.
Complete the word chain adding four nouns from the text.
Music – courtyard – d …………… , ………….. , …………… , …………… .
Answer: Music – courtyard – door – root – tune – earth
(B) Add the appropriate Prefix to make the following words oppposite in meaning.
Answer:
- Continue → Discontinue
- Definite → Indefinite
- Place → Displace
- Possible → Impossible
- Believe → Disbelieve
- Known → Unknown
- Certain → Uncertain
- Important → Unimportant
- Regular → Irregular
(C) Use the following expressions to make sentences of your own.
Answer:
- Make up one’s mind – She finally made up her mind to participate in the competition.
- Struck as odd – It struck her as odd that the plants were moving without a breeze.
- Knew no bounds – Revathi’s grief knew no bounds when she found her plants missing.
- Flash across one’s mind – The idea of proving ownership of her plants suddenly flashed across her mind.
- To surmise – Revathi surmised that the plants enjoyed music when they bent towards her.
- Not to deter – The organisers’ ridicule did not deter her from proving her claim.
4. Imagine there is a ‘Best Plant’ Competition in the locality / colony where you live. Frame a Notice about the same, in the form of an attractive poster. Cover the following points.
(1) Name of the organization
(2) Name of the Contest
(3) Day, Date, Venue
(4) Who can participate
(5) Prizes
(6) Contact details for further enquiry
Answer:
GREEN THUMB SOCIETY PRESENTS
BEST PLANT COMPETITION
Date: [Insert Date]
Venue: [Insert Venue]
Who can participate: Open to all residents of [Colony Name]
Prizes:
First Prize – Best Overall Plant
Second Prize – Most Unique Plant
Third Prize – Healthiest Plant
5. Types of sentences
Study the following sentences.
Set (A)
- Revathi was a student of music.
- The flowers were big and brightly coloured; indeed.
- They were requested to believe her
All the above sentences are statements or assertions, and called Assertive or Declarative sentences.
Set (B)
- Wasn’t Revathi a student of music?
- How can we doubt her?
- Do plants have ears?
The above sentences in Set (B) are Questions. They are called Interrogative sentences.
Set (C)
- Please believe me.
- Let us watch the fun.
- Sit straight.
- Excuse me.
In Set (C) the sentences are either requests, appeals, commands, suggestions etc. Such sentences are called Imperative Sentences.
Set (D)
- How big and bright the flowers were !
- What a surprise !
- Ah, what beautiful music that is !
Set (D) has sentences that express strong feelings. They are called Exclamatory Sentences.
State the kinds of the following sentences.
Answer:
- How happily she played the violin! – Exclamatory
- They all bent towards her. – Assertive (Declarative)
- Don’t play that quick tune. – Imperative
- She kept the knowledge a secret. – Assertive (Declarative)
- How can plants enjoy music? – Interrogative
- How proudly did Revathi carry home her prize! – Exclamatory
- What could have taken my plants? – Interrogative
- The organisers were not convinced. – Assertive (Declarative)
6. Make the following Negative using the negative words given.
(1) There were a few potted plants in the courtyard. (not many)
Answer: There were not many potted plants in the courtyard.
(2) They looked healthier than the other plants. (not as healthy as)
Answer: The other plants were not as healthy as them.
(3) She refused to share her secret. (would not)
Answer: She would not share her secret.
(4) She went around asking everyone about her plants. (No one / did not)
Answer: No one knew about her plants.
7. Make the following Affirmative using the words given.
Answer:
- There was no breeze. (hardly) → There was hardly any breeze.
- Their ridicule did not deter her. (failed to) → Their ridicule failed to deter her.
- Her mother knew nothing about it. (denied) → Her mother denied knowing about it.
- She did not give up. (refuse to) → She refused to give up.
8. Imagine that Revathi’s father is abroad on business and she wishes to convey the news of her prize – winning plants. Draft an email for the above subject.
Answer:
Email to Revathi’s Father
Subject: Exciting News! I Won the Best Plant Competition!
Dear Dad,
I hope you are doing well. I have some wonderful news to share with you! Today, I won the Best Plant award at our colony’s competition! .
My balsam plants responded to my violin music, and that helped me prove that they were mine when someone tried to steal them. Everyone was amazed to see the plants bending towards me as I played my favourite raga. It was a magical moment! The organisers were so impressed that they gave me the first prize. I felt so proud bringing my plants and the trophy home.
I wish you were here to see it! I can’t wait to tell you more when you return.
Missing you,Love,Revathi
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