Oxford Reading Circle Book -3 / Q/A, Summary & Worksheets

         Oxford Reading Circle Book-3

                           Chapter-1

                   The Restaurant

Word meaning:

household chores =  tasks that need to be done regularly 

portions =  parts

Land marks = an easily recognizable object or feature of a place.

dumplings = small portions of dough that are filled with meat or vegetables

exotic = from a distant foreign country

speciality = a type of food that a particular country or region is famous for making well

Q/A

1. Where does Devi live?

Ans: Devi lives with her parents in a small apartment building on a busy street close to the centre of the town.

2. What does Devi do over the weekend?

Ans: Over the weekend, Devi goes to the library and then to her gymnastics class.

3. What does Devi's father cook?

Ans: Devi's father likes food but he could only cook one recipe that is special vegetable curry.

4. Why does Devi want to go to a restaurant?

Ans: Often Devi's mother and father share their experience of having food at a different restaurant. This made Devi curious to go to a restaurant. She was also bored of having the same food for lunch and dinner most days at home.

5. Why are Devi's parents surprised by what she orders at the restaurant?

Ans: Devi was very excited to eat at a restaurant. She looked at all strange soundings names of the exotic dishes and listened to her parent, talking about what they might have but Devi did not want to ruin them. While the waiter came for the order, she chose to have her favourite rice and curry. That is why her parents looked surprised and laughed at her orders at the restaurant.

               Chapter - 2

           Protap Goes Shopping

Q/A: 1. What did Protap like and what did he dislike?

Ans: Pratap liked going to a book shop or a toy shop as he liked reading and playing with toys. He disliked going for shopping to buy clothes, bangles, shoes, and food.

2. Why did Pratap argue with Mum?

Ans: Protap argued with Mum because he wanted to continue reading his storybook, while his mother insisted him to go for shopping with her.

3. When did Pratap want to smile, but he didn't? Why did he not smile?

Ans: Protap wanted to smile when his mother accused him of having put the wrong shopping in the trolley. He did not smile because his mother was angry and he would get a loud shouting if he did.

4. How did Pratap behave in the supermarket?

Ans: Pratap was bored and tired of pushing the trolley inside the supermarket. He mischievously stood well behind Mum and put the wrong things in the trolley.

5. Why did Pratap chuckle and why?

Ans: When father said that Mum vanished mother explained that she had turned into a supermarket. Pratap chuckled because he misunderstood the meaning of turned into and it was very funny that his mother become a supermarket.

 

                Chapter- 3

                       The Jumblies

                        They went to sea in a Sieve, they did,

                           In a Sieve they went to sea:

                        In spite of all their friends could say,

                       On a winter's morn, on a stormy day,

                        In a Sieve they went to sea!

                     And when the Sieve turned round and round,

                     And every one cried, 'You'll all be drowned!'

                    They called aloud, 'Our Sieve ain't big,

                    But we don't care button! We don't care a fig!

                     In a Sieve we'll go to sea!'

                      Far and few, far and few,

                      Are the lands where the Jumblies live:

                    Their heads are green, and their hands are blue,

                       And they went to sea in a Sieve.

                      Edward Lear

Word meaning:

Sieve = a utensil with holes or mesh in the bottom that is used for separating coarse matter from fine matter or for straining liquids

morn = morning

ain't = non-standard English for is not

Exercises:

1. Where were they going in a sieve?

2. What would happen to a sieve if you put it on water?

3. What was the weather like when they started their journey?

4. Did their friends want them to go? Why not?

5. What do the Jumblies look like?

                Chapter- 4

           The Fraid

Q/A:

1. Why did Sue want to go down the road?

Ans: Sue wanted to go down the road as she wanted to play with the little boy who lived down the road.

2. Did Sue listen to what her mother told her?

Ans: No, Sue did not listen to what her mother had told her.

3. Why did Sue's mother get cross with her?

Ans: Sue's mother got crossed with her because she was asked to return home before it was dark but she came later.

4. how did the monkeys imitate Sue and her mother?

Ans: when Sue's mother wagged her finger, monkeys wagged their fingers at each other. When Sue danced with the little boy, monkey too danced by holding their tails when Sue's mother shook her fists monkeys too shook their fists when Sue played hide and seek, monkeys too does the same. When Sue's mother too acted as a ghost. In this way, monkeys imitated Sue and her mother.

5. Did Sue learn her lesson? What do you think?

Ans: No, Sue did not learn her lesson. She kept on coming late at night after playing with the little boy. She did not learn what afraid was.

       A Chill 

         by Christina Rossetti 

Chapter- 5

Summary:

The poem "A Chill" is written by Christina Rossetti. She was a poetess. She excelled in the world of fantasy, children's poem and religious poetry. "A Chill" is a fun poem for children. The title of the poem refers to the cold weather. Here the poetess tells about the small animals who want to keep themselves warm when they sleep at night. The lambkins feel comfortable beside their woolly mother at night. As soon as the mother bird comes to her nest, the baby birds settle under her wings to pass the cold night until the day breaks. At the end the poetess  wishes for a warm place to sleep herself , in a field or a tree.

        Chapter-6

        The Turtle and The Swans

Q/A

1. In what ways was the valley a good place?

Ans: The valley was a good place many ways. Their was a lake in a rich, green valley surrounded by blue hills and forests.

2. How did the valley change in one year?

Ans: When the rains failed and the lake began to dry up. The green grass of the valley turned brown; the blue hills turned brown and the earth round the lake became parched. Soon, the lake was the size of dirty, brown puddle.

3. Why were the swans sad?

Ans: The swans were sad because they left the place and turtle could not come with them.

4. What was the turtle's idea?

Ans: The turtle's idea was that could carry him. The swans took hold of either end of the stick, and the turtle locked his jaws onto the middle. The swans flapped their wings and rose up into the air.

5. What warning did one swan give the turtle?

Ans: One swan gave warning  the turtle that all keep silent when we are up in the air.

6. Why did the turtle get cross when he heard what the people said?

Ans :  The turtle got cross when he heard what the people said that clever birds are carrying a turtle on a stick. But it was turtle's idea to hold onto this stick. 

                                                                                      Chapter-7

    Two Legs or Four?

Question/Answer:

Q.1. What did Polly want to call the puppy? Why?

Ans: Polly wanted to call the puppy Toblerone because the puppy was chocolate coloured and it was her favourite chocolate.

Q.2. Why did Mandy want to call the puppy Jeremy Fisher?

Ans: Mandy was almost seven years old and was a student of class 1. She read about Jeremy Fisher the Frog that day in school. She loved the character so much that she wanted to name her puppy Jeremy Fisher.

Q. 3. In what ways were Ben and the puppy alike?

Ans: Ben and the puppy were alike in many ways. They both had brown hair, short legs and were rather fat.

Q.4. In what ways was Ben a good puppy?

Ans: Ben was a good puppy as he never made a mess. He never chewed curtains or covers. He ate well and slept soundly that the little boy Ben did.

      At the Railway Station, Upway

         Thomas Hardy

Chapter- 8

Summary:

The summary of the poem "At the Railway Station, Upway. This poem is written by Thomas, Hardy. He was born in 1840 in Stinsfrod, United Kingdom. He was one of the most renowned poet and novelist in English literary history. He also wrote many short stories. He died in 1928 at Max Gate.

This poem is about child's tale who stood at the railway station before the train came in. He didn't have enough money but a violin to play with a good tone. A convict sang a song seriously great delight with. The constable behaved as if he heard nothing. This continued till the train came in.

      Chapter - 9

        Three Languages

Q/A:

Q.1. What three things did the son learn when he was sent to the great master?

Ans: The three things the son learnt from the great master was, he could understand the dog when it barked. He could understand what birds were saying when they sing and he could understand the frogs when it croaked.

Q.2. What does the count order the guards to do to his son?

Ans: The count ordered his guards to take his son to the forest and kill him and to bring some evidence.

Q.3. Why do you think the guard did not follow the count orders?

Ans: I think, the guard did not follow the count's order because they did not want to kill the charming young man, they did not want innocent blood on their hands.

Q.4. What does the son find out from the dogs around the tower?

Ans: The son found out from the dogs around the tower is that these dogs were guarding the treasure that was rightful of the town's people. 

Q.5. What does the son find out from the frogs?

Ans: The son found out from the frogs that the wise leader of ancient city had died and they were spreading that new leader was coming.

Q.6. What did the doves do to help the son?

Ans: The two doves helped the son by whispering the words in his ears and the son spoke them clearly.

                       Chapter-10

                  Up Hill

                               Christina Rossetti

Q/A:

Q.1. The poem takes the form of a conversation. How many speakers are there?

Ans: There are two speakers in this poem. One asking questions, there other answering.

Q.2. How long will the journey take?

Ans: The journey will take from morning to night.

Q.3. What will happen at night?

Ans: The narrator asks if there is a place to rest for the night and if there is a place to rest for the night and if the darkness will obscure said resting place from their view. The guide assures the narrator that there is inn and they will not be able to miss it.

Q.4. What does the traveller worry that she or he might not see in the dark?

Ans: The traveller might meet on the way who have gone before.

Q. 5. Who might the traveller meet on the way?

Ans: The poem speaks to the fact that life is a constant struggle and challenge. Those who are able to succeed at passing the uphill journey will be rewarded by having a place where they will be able to rest.

Q.6. Which words in the first line and in the fourth stanza indicate that the journey might not be easy?

Ans: The journey is the prominent symbol in this poem and is open to a few different interpretations. The darkening sky foreshadows the end of life, and the inn represents the final resting place.

inn = a house providing accommodation, food and drink, especially travellers.

Wayfarers = people who travel on foot

labour = work 

sum = total

yea = yes

Summary:

The main theme of this poem is that life is hard and full of challenges but that there is a place to rest for all in the end.

Imagery and symbolism

The road - In Up-hill, the road symbolises the journey the speaker takes. Instead of being straight, the fact that it is ‘winding' and ‘up-hill' suggests that the path is long and difficult. However, that there is actually a road leading up the hill indicates that plenty of others have already taken the route that is being contemplated. The speaker will not have to carve or find her own path since it has already been revealed to her.

Themes:

Moving upwards

Throughout her poetry, Rossetti draws on the imagery of flames, mountains, stairs and hills to emphasise the upward progression of the spiritual journey. She suggests that the journey to heaven is one of continuous upward movement in that the soul is moved upwards away from the earth and its pleasures as it learns more of God and of heaven.

In Up-hill, Rossetti emphasises the idea that the upward progression of the soul is not a simple and easy process. Lots of distractions, concerns and doubts can weigh a person down and the upward movement can turn into one of struggle instead of one of joy.

Christina Rossetti's poem "Up-Hill" consists of four stanzas, each containing four lines, in which a traveller poses questions about a journey and is answered by an unknown voice. Only the first stanza deals with the journey proper: the traveller is told that it is up-hill all the way and lasts from morning to night.

The remaining three stanzas all concern the rest the traveller will enjoy at the end of the journey. There is an inn which one cannot miss. The wayfarers who have gone before the traveller will be there. Entry to the inn is easy , and there are plenty of beds for everyone. The most enigmatic line is "Of labour you shall find the sum." This seems to mean that the comfort at the inn is based on how hard the traveller worked on his way there.

The poem, then, is more about death than the journey to get there. The journey is hard, long, and up-hill all the way. Once you get there, death is like an inn, comfortable or not as the traveller deserves. At any rate, it is commodious and unavoidable: not exactly heaven but scarcely hell either.

Christina Rossetti's poem "Uphill" is written using questions and answers. Readers are not told who each of the voices are--they remain unnamed.

The poem is metaphorical in nature (meaning that one thing is compared to another). In regards to this poem, life is compared to a journey uphill. What this means is, given walking uphill is challenging, life is challenging.

Here, the speaker is questioning if life is a continual journey upwards. The answer states that it is. The reference to the journey taking "from morn to night" refers to the beginning of life to death

Here, the speaker questions if there are any places along the road where one can rest. The answerer states that only one place exists--"when the slow dark hours begin." The answerer assures that darkness will not mask the inn. Everyone can find it. What this refers to is the end of life and the one place where all will go.

Here, the speaker questions if the inn will have a "resting-place." The answerer states that a roof will be available and that those who have come before the speaker will allow the speaker to come into the inn unopposed.

        Chapter- 11

       The Sorcerer's Apprentice

Q.1. What happened to the crops in the village?

Ans: In the village, the crops had disappeared by magic. There were no vegetables, fruits, nuts, berries or grains. The fields were bare.

2. Where did James go and why?

Ans: James went to the castle which was on a high mountain beside the valley. He had heard that a sorcerer live there. He wanted to learn the magic from the sorcerer, so that he could save his village.

3. What work did James do?

Ans: James stirred the mixtures in the large pots. He carried buckets of water all day long and filled the big pot.

4. How did James learn magic spells?

Ans: One day, James was very tired and fell asleep behind large pots in the hall where the sorcerer worked. The sorcerer had not seen him. Suddenly a loud crash of the dropping of a glass jar woke up James. James heard him use a magic spell from his hiding place. In this way, James learnt magic spells.

5. What are some of the things that happened when James used his magic spells?

ans: When James used his magic spells the broom swept the whole hall and the broom fetched water for the pot. The water overflowed and filled the castle. When the sorcerer returned to the castle he was very angry he shouted to stop fetching water and beat James. When James tried to run away from the castle, the sorcerer turned into a bear. James by using magic spells turned into a snake. Then the bear turned into an eagle. When the eagle swooped down on the snake James turned himself into a cat. These are some of the things that happened when James used his magic spells.

         Chapter-12

        Mr. Sharpe's Fish

Question /Answer:

Q.1. What did Mr. Sharpe like most of all?

Ans: Mr. Sharpe liked to eat fish most of all.

Q.2. Why did Sheena's friends come to see her?

Ans: Sheena's friends had come to see her because they had smelled fried fish which Sheena had cooked and wanted to eat some.

Q.3. What did Sheena tell Mr. Sharpe when he came home?

Ans: When Mr. Sharpe came home Sheena told him that there is no fish for dinner as the cat had eaten the fish.

Q.4. What did Mr. Sharpe get for his dinner?

Ans: Mr. Sharpe got some noodles and boiled vegetables for dinner.

Q.5. When did Mr. Sharpe have a nightmare and why?

Ans: Inspite of buying fish for the last two days, Mr. Sharpe did not get any fish to eat for dinner. Upon questioning his wife Sheena blamed it on the cat. This made him get angry with the cat. He tried to catch the cat but, he couldn't. So he ate his dinner sadly and went to sleep. At night Mr. Sharpe had a nightmare that he was a very big fish. He dreamt so, because he was very fond of fish.

Q.6. Why did Mr. Sharpe weigh the cat?

Ans: Mr. Sharpe weighed the cat to make sure whether the cat had really eaten the fish.

Word Meaning:

nightmare = a frightening or upsetting dream.

explode = to blow up or burst

stab = to thrust a sharp instrument into something

exclaim = to speak or cry out loudly and suddenly

       Chapter- 13

       Picnic Time

Chapter- 14

PostBox Number

Q/A:
1. What was Mr. Broadman's problem?

Ans:  Mr. Broadman's problem was that there were too many people with the name George in his town and their emails were always getting mixed up.

2. How many Georges were there?

Ans: There were too many Georges in that town. Mr. Broadman was the headmaster of St. George's School and next door there was a church called St. George's Church. On the other side of the School, there was a bakery called S. George's Bakery. There were also Georgina's Salon and Georgie's Repairs.

3. Who was the bunch of flowers for?

Ans: Mrs. and Mr. Tripp sent the bunch of flowers to their church's father for conducting their wedding last week.

4. What do you think Mr. Broadman said in his second letter to the postmaster?

Ans: Mr. George was very angry when he wrote the second letter to the postmaster. He asked why the postmaster wasn't answering his mail.

5. What is a postbox number?

Ans: A post box number is the number of a box office or a newspaper office where you can receive all your mail without giving out your home address. You should go and collect your mail from the postbox.

5. Where did the Postmaster send the key?

Ans: The postmaster had sent the key to Mr. Broadman's postbox number.                                                  

     Chapter-22

       A Child's Thought

Summary of the poem:

The poem 'A child's thought' is written by Robert Louis Stevenson. This poem is about the imaginative power of a child. The child dreams of imaginative scenes, such as castles with dragons, garden with magic fruit, and towers with imprisoned ladies. The child imagines streams surrounding the magic land as if it were a real place with a distinct topography.

This poem is about how the magic land disappears when the child wakes up. Then, 'The magic land I seek in vain", though the child wants to return to the magic land, he or she only sees common place objects, such as a chair where the castle was located and a carpet instead of the garden. Instead of horsemen galloping on the edges of the magic land, there are boots by the door. Instead of rivers, the child sees a bath and a watering can. It is clear that the child transformed the objects in his or her room at night into magic objects.

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