9th English, UNIT 9 PROSE
AN ASTROLOGER’S DAY
Glossary
obscure : difficult to understand
mystic : spiritual
prophetic : predictive
paraphernalia : belongings
mutter : incoherent/ incomprehensible speech
gratified : thankful
Comprehension :
C1. Get into pairs / groups and discuss the answers to the following questions :
- What articles did the astrologer carry?
Answer: The articles which the astrologer carry are a bag and spread out his professional equipment, which consisted of a dozen cowry shells, a square piece of cloth with obscure mystic charts on it, a notebook, and a bundle of palmyra writing. - What were the different names given by the nuts vendor for his business?
Answer: the different names given by the nuts vendor for his business are, “Bombay Ice Cream”, “Delhi Almond,” and “Raja’s Delicacy,”. - What kind of life would the astrologer have in his own village?
Answer: The Astrologer had left his village without any previous thought or plan. If he had continued there, he would have carried on the work of his forefathers – namely, tilling the land, living, marrying, and ripening in his cornfield and ancestral home. - How much did the astrologer charge for his new clients?
Answer: The Astrologer charge three paise per question for his new clients. - Why did the astrologer remain silent for at least ten minutes, initially?
Answer: The astrologer remain silent for at least ten minutes because this silence of ten minutes, which provided him enough stuff for a dozen answers and advices. - What was the signal for the astrologer to bundle up?
Answer: When the nuts vendor blew out his flare and rose to go home Then it was a signal for the astrologer to bundle up too, since it left him in darkness except for a little shaft of green light. - How much did the astrologer demand from his new client to answer his question?
Answer: The astrologer demand eight Annas from his new client to answer his question. - What did the astrologer ask Guru Nayak to do?
Answer: The astrologer ask Guru Nayak to take the next train and be gone to his village which was two day’s journey due north of there.
C2. Working in pairs, discuss the answers to the following questions and write them in your notebook. - Why did the astrologer have no light of his own for his business?
Answer: The astrologer had no light of his own for his business because half the enchantment of the place was due to the fact that it did not have the benefit of municipal lighting. This suited the astrologer very well, for the simple reason that he had not in the least intended to be an astrologer when he began life and he knew no more of what was going to happen to others than he knew what was going to happen to himself next minute. The dim lighting also helped create an atmosphere of mystery and enchantment, which made the astrologer’s predictions seem more credible. The lack of proper lighting also concealed the astrologer’s true identity and the fact that he wasn’t genuinely knowledgeable about astrology. - Why did the astrologer close his business when the nuts vendor blew out his flare?
Answer: The astrologer closes his business when the nuts vendor blew out his flare, because the astrologer relied on the light from the flare above heap of groundnut for conducting his business. When the groundnut vendor blew out the flare, the astrologer was left in darkness and he could not continue his astrology. - How efficient was the astrologer in his business?
Answer: The astrologer was efficient in his business because he was a good listener and had a keen understanding of human nature. The Astrologer never opened his mouth till the other had spoken for at least ten minutes, which provided him enough stuff for a dozen answers and advices. He had a working analysis of mankind’s troubles: marriage, money and the tangles of humanity. Long practice had sharpened his perception. The astrologer would make general statements that would be true for most people. The astrologer would use his understanding of human nature and his keen observation skills to make predictions. - “When shall I get him?”
a) Who was this question asked to?
Answer: This question was asked to the Astrologer.
b) Whom does “I” refer to?
Answer: ‘I’ referred to the Stranger.
c) Why does the speaker want to get him?
Answer: The speaker, known as Guru Nayak, wants to “get him” because he is seeking revenge on a man from his past who he believes tried to kill him because he wants to confront the astrologer and potentially exact revenge for the attempted murder, believing that the astrologer is the same man he is searching for. - “You look worried. What is wrong?”
a) Who is the speaker?
Answer: The wife of an Astrologer is the speaker.
b) Whom does “you” refer to?
Answer: ‘You’ referred to the Astrologer.
c) Why was he worried?
Answer: The Astrologer worried because he tried to kill the stranger named Guru Nayak a long back ago. Guru Nayak came there to take revenge for his unknown enemy. In his youth Astrologer stabbed his last client Guru nayak and ran away from his village and settled as astrologer in this town. But Guru nayak not recognized the Astrologer. But he still worried about meet him again.
C3. Working in pairs, discuss the answers to the following questions and write them in your notebook. - Why did the astrologer run away from his village?
Answer: In his youth Astrologer stabbed his last client Guru nayak and pushed him into the well and ran away from his village. He had feared being accused of murder. While under the influence of alcohol, he stabbed and pushed a man into a well. Fearing arrest, he ran away to avoid being caught and punished. He settled in Malgudi and married a girl there and decided to never return to his village. - In the story, do you think the astrologer should be punished for his crime?
Answer: Yes, I think the astrologer should be punished for his crime, because, all persons are equal before the law of our country. - Describe how the astrologer felt at the end of the story?
Answer: The Astrologer felt guilty about the attempted murder and believed he had killed Nayak. The astrologer used his skills as an astrologer to deceive Nayak and convince him to return home. The astrologer told Nayak that the man who tried to kill him had died, and that he would live to be a hundred if he returned home. The astrologer was able to avoid a dangerous situation by using his skill and intelligence. - Describe the role of fate and chance in the story.
Answer: The astrologer was able to avoid a dangerous situation by fate and a chance and also his skill and intelligence. Fate allows the astrologer to remain unrecognized, enabling him to deceive Nayak into believing his attacker is dead. Fate plays a main role in the story. A villager turns into an astrologer because of his fate. Again, it is fate that brings the enemies face- to-face. Once again Astrologer succeeded to escape from the Guru nayak. Astrologer had used his skill and sends him back to his village. - Does the story make you think that all astrologers are false? Write about it.
Answer: No, All astrologers are not false. In this story, the Astrologer is forced to leave his ancestral home and travel several hundred miles away with no plan and no money. But there are many astrologers in our society who have brilliant knowledge and skills about astrology. - How has R.K. Narayan portrayed the attractive appearance of the astrologer?
Answer: .K. Narayan portrayed the appearance of the astrologer to make him attractive to the readers. R.K. Narayan says that astrologer’s forehead was resplendent with sacred ash and vermilion, and his eyes sparkled with a sharp, abnormal gleam which was really an outcome of a continual searching look for customers, but which his simple clients took to be a prophetic light and felt comforted. The power of his eyes was considerably enhanced by their position – placed as they were between the painted forehead and the dark whiskers which streamed down his cheeks: even a half-wit’s eyes would sparkle in such a setting. To crown the effect he wound a saffron-coloured turban round his head. This colour scheme never failed. People were attracted to him as bees are attracted to cosmos or dahlia stalks. He sat under the boughs of a spreading tamarind tree which flanked a path running through the town hall park. The Astrologer never opened his mouth till the other had spoken for at least ten minutes, which provided him enough stuff for a dozen answers and advices.
C4. Read the following sentences from the story and arrange them in the sequential order as they appear in the story. - Take the next train and go home. 6
- The astrologer pressed his invitation. 4
- He was as much a stranger to the stars as were his innocent customers. 2
- The astrologer got a glimpse of his face by the matchlight. 5
- The place was lit up by shop lights. 1
- The child has been asking for sweets for so many days. 7
- The nuts vendor blew out his flare and rose to go home. 3
Answer: - The place was lit up by shop lights.
- He was as much a stranger to the stars as were his innocent customers.
- The nuts vendor blew out his flare and rose to go home.
- The astrologer pressed his invitation.
- The astrologer got a glimpse of his face by the matchlight.
- Take the next train and go home.
- The child has been asking for sweets for so many days.
LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES:
Vocabulary
V1. Word formation
Make new words by adding the ending given in the box to the root words. Fill in the table with the new words. You may have to add/drop a letter from the root word to make a new word. Put a cross(x) where the ending and the root word do not match.
ed ing er ly ful less - Help Helped Helping Helper X Helpful Helpless
- End Ended Ending Ender X X endless
- Hope Hoped Hoping X X Hopeful Hopeless
- Enjoy Enjoyed Enjoying Enjoyer X X X
- Shape Shaped Shaping Shaper Shapely X Shapeless
- Smile Smiled Smiling X X X X
- Run X Running Runner X X Runless
V2. Fill in the blanks with suitable letters to arrive at the given meaning. Refer to the dictionary for the words.
a) ………… sent = gift
b) ………… sent = hate
c) ………… sent = agreement
d) ………… sent = approval
a) Present
b) resent
c) assent
d) consent
V3. You know homophones are words that sound similar but have different spellings and meanings. Here are a few words:
peace – piece lone – loan
hour – our died – dyed
fore – four raze – raise
bear – bare break – brake
pair – pear role – roll
Work in pairs. With the help of a dictionary find out the meaning of the above words and use them in sentences of your own. - Peace – quiet, freedom for disturbance. He wanted to take rest with peace.
Piece – part of anything. She cuts the fruits into several pieces. - Lone – alone, single. He is lone in his family, because all are died in accident.
Loan – credit. He took loan from the bank. - Hour – Unit of time. The function started one hour late today.
Our – Belongs to us. We have to do our duty promptly. - Died – expired, dead. He died in his 76th age.
Dyed – coloured. She was always dyeing her hair. - Fore – front. The actress have beautiful forehands.
Four – Ramesh has four daughters. - Raze – demolish. The government razes those unofficial buildings.
Raise – lift, go upward. We could not raise the heavy things. - Bear – tolerate, Some persons have much capacity to bear the difficulties.
Bare – uncovered, naked, exposed. The artist paints the bare picture. - Break – gap, pause in work. After continuous work, there should be a break.
Brake – apparatus for checking motion of wheel. Cows are crossed the road, driver suddenly apply the brake. - Pair – set of two. Sharath purchased a pair of shoes.
Pear – name of a fruit. Pear fruit is good for health. - Role – actor’s part. Negative role done by the hero in this film.
Roll – thing rolled, register – There are rolled bundle of papers in the printing press.
V4. Match the meanings with the following phrases and use them in sentences of your own.
PHRASES MEANINGS
Answer:
a) on account of iv.owing to
b) to bear with iii.to put up with
c) in the midst of vi.in the middle of
d) to be accustomed to v.to get used to
e) to take a new turn i. to begin a new course
f) bereft of ii. deprived of
Grammar and Usage
Reported speech:
Look at the following sentences and observe the changes from direct to reported speech. - Mohan said, “I was late yesterday”. (Direct Speech)
Mohan said that he had been late (Reported Speech)
the day before. - Mohan said, “I am late today”. (Direct Speech)
Mohan said that he was late that day. (Reported Speech)
G1. Now complete the following sentences:
DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH - He said, “I live in New York.” He said that .. .. .. in
New York.
Answer: He said that he lived in New York. - She said: “I’m going to go She said that.. .. ..going to shopping.” go shopping.
Answer: She said that she Ws going to go shopping. - He said, “I’ll see you later.” He said .. .. ..
Answer: He said that he would see him later. - Anu said, “I went to a Anu said that she .. .. .. movie last night. movie last night.”
Answer: Anu said that she had gone for a movie the previous night. - James asked “Do you want James asked if I wanted to go to come out tonight?” out that night.
Answer: James asked if I wanted to go out that night.
G3. Error corrections
I. Punctuate the following sentences: - Rashmi said yamuna you are late today
Answer: Rashmi said, “Yamuna, you are late today”. - What a beautiful garden it is
Answer: What a beautiful garden it is! - People enjoyed the cricket match didn’t they
Answer: People enjoyed the cricket match, didn’t they? - Unless he improves his bowling he cannot be selected for the match
Answer: Unless he improves his bowling, he cannot be selected for the match
II. Spot the errors in the following sentences and re write them
correctly. - They are going to Himalayas.
They are going to the Himalayas - Raju prefers idly than chapati.
Raju prefers idly to chapati - One of the boy looks sad.
One of the boys looks sad. - Mathematics are my favourite subject.
Mathematics is my favourite subject. - A bunch of keys were found in my room.
A bunch of keys was found in my room. - My neighbour is a honest man.
My neighbour is an honest man. - Rafi wanted an one rupee.
Rafi wanted a rupee. - Kiran’s brother is a M.L.A.
Kiran’s brother is an M.L.A. - Our school bought a lot of furnitures.
Our school bought a lot of furniture. - I met an European.
I met a European.
About the Author
R. K. Narayan (10 October 1906 – 13 May 2001), (shortened form for Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami) is an Indian author whose works of fiction include a series of books about people and their interactions in an imagined town called Malgudi. He is credited with bringing Indian literature in English to the rest of the world, and is regarded as one of India’s greatest novelists.
Narayan’s works also include The Financial Expert, hailed as one of the most original works of 1951. His The Guide won the Sahitya Akademi Award.
In a writing career that spanned over sixty years, Narayan received many awards and honours. These include the AC Benson Medal from the Royal Society of Literature and the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award.
