Icebreakers
Ajoy and Sujoy went to watch a cricket match. They enjoyed it very much, but they missed their friends Vinay and Sunay. Next day, when the four friends met, Ajoy reported how the game was played, how the players performed and how the game ended. Sujoy told them that they missed Vinay and Sunay very much and they were eager to tell them about the enjoyments.• (i) Now complete the following sentences.
(a) Ajoy reported about how the game was played, how the players performed and how the game ended.
(b) Sujoy reported about how they missed Vinay and Sunay and how they were eager to tell them about the enjoyments.
(ii) The word 'report' means-
(a) Give a spoken or written account of something.
(b) Cover an event or subject as a journalist or reporter.
• (i) Refer to a standard dictionary and find out the meaning of the following words:
(a) Reportage -
(b) Reporter
(c) Reported speech
(d) Reportorial
(ii) Find and discuss some examples of reports related to the given topics.
(a) Award distribution
(b) Bravery awards
(c) Any social issue
• You might have read war stories or watched war movies. Make a list of the factors which make them interesting.
Guess the meanings from the context:
1. projected –presented
2. episode - event
3. assigned – given
4. Feature – property
5. Scout- explore
6. . orchestrated – planned
7. Spell – short period
8. Duels – combats
9. Casualties – people killed, injured
During the war the soldier need to plan strategies. Find some words related with such strategies from the text.
Ans: assigned , mission, deployed, probed, scout, guns ranged, firing targeted,
The enemy was taken aback due to the steps taken by the Indian Army. Support your answer.
Media supported and assisted the battle live. Guess the risk of the media people and the army.
A great humanitarian norm is maintained during the battle. Find out and comment on it.
Captain Karnal Sher Khan of the Pakistan Army was killed. His body was subsequently handed over to the Pakistani authorities. Other bodies of the Pakistani soldiers found scattered around the battleground were collected and buried appropriately.
The narrator uses selective words to express the victory. They are…
Ans: Captured, Tiger Hill recapture, likely outcome of the war
BRAINSTORMIMG
(A1) (i) Narrate in your own words a similar based on text to the class.
(ii) Imagine that you are about to interview the writer. Write 10 to 15 questions regarding the operation.
(A2) (i) Enlist any four facts which made the capturing of Tiger Hill a national challenge.
Ans : Tiger Hill extends about 2200 meters from west to east ,1000 metres north to south, prominent protrusions 500 meters India Gate and Helmet. These are the facts that made Tiger Hill a national challenge.
(ii) Different arms and ammunitions are mentioned in the excerpt. Find their names.
Ans: The following arms and ammunitions are mentioned in the excerpt. Artillery , Bofors guns field and medium guns, individual guns, 122-mm multibarrelled Grad rocket launchers and mortars .
(iii) Wars are not fought only on the battlefield. Comment.
(iv) Prompt reporting is of strategic importance during a war. Refer to the above extract and explain.
(iv) Read the extract and do the following activities.
Make a list of the preparations made for an assault on Tiger Hill.
(a) Throughout the last week of June 1999, 18 Grenadiers…..
probed to establish the extent of the enemy’s defences and
(b) They also explored to………. scout for suitable routes for the assault.
(c) After confirming the multidirectional assault as the best strategy the commanding officer……. of 41 Field Regiment drew up an elaborate artillery
(d) Individual guns…… were ranged so as to cover each objective.
(e) Bofors guns……. were used in a direct firing role
(v) Complete the flow chart showing the events on the day of the assault.
(vi) Rewrite the given statements in their order of occurence.
The most difficult task of maintaining the hold on Tiger Hill was achieved in this way:
(a) 8 Sikh was ordered to attack and capture Helmet and India Gate.
(b) Bodies of the Pakistani soldiers were collected and buried appropriately.
(c) During the ferocious artillery duels the Grenadiers hung on their precarious perch with grit and determination.
(d) Sikh fought back successfully two counterattacks with forty to fifty personnel.
(e) An adhoc column of 8 Sikh climbed the steep rock and captured India Gate.
(f) In spite of heavy casualties, 8 Sikh captured Helmet on 5 July.
Ans : (c) During the ferocious artillery duels the Grenadiers hung on their precarious perch with grit and determination.
(a) 8 Sikh was ordered to attack and capture Helmet and India Gate.
(e) An adhoc column of 8 Sikh climbed the steep rock and captured India Gate.
(f) In spite of heavy casualties, 8 Sikh captured Helmet on 5 July.
(d) Sikh fought back successfully two counterattacks with forty to fifty personnel.
(b) Bodies of the Pakistani soldiers were collected and buried appropriately.
(A3) (i) Discuss the meanings of the following idioms/phrases and use them in your own sentences.
(a) To hit the bull’s eye - get something exactly right
He worked hard and hit the bull's eye in the exam.
(b) To be taken by surprise- to encounter someone who is not prepared
Enemy was taken by surprise with the advent of Indian army.
(c) To get a toehold - to obtain an initial, stable position
We got a toehold in learning English with activities.
(d) Under the cover of - being kept secret
Thieves moved under the cover of darkness.
(e) A spell of - a short period
India emerged as a winner under a spell of Harbhajan.
(ii) Read the following words :
Brigadier, Commander, capture, evicting, enemy, defense
All these words are related to the war affairs and war.
Find more such words from the passage.
(iii) Understand the usage of the words given:
After consulting him and Nirmal Chander Singh, we decided to await confirmation from the GOC and Mountain Division.
You know the verb ‘wait’. But it is an intransitive verb. It doesn’t take a direct object; consequently it cannot be cast into passive voice. Also, the past participle of the verb ‘to wait’ cannot act as an adjective.
‘The mother waited eagerly’ is a correct sentence as there is no direct object. But ‘The mother waited eagerly the answer from her son.’ is a wrong sentence. ‘The answer’ is the direct object. This sentence can be written by using the phrase ‘wait for’ as ‘The mother waited eagerly for the answer from her son.’ ‘Wait for’ can be taken as the transitive phrasal verb.
‘To await’ is a transitive verb and it does take a direct object.
For example, ‘The mother awaited the answer eagerly.’
The past participle of it can be used as an adjective.
The most awaited programme started very late.
Note that the object of verb ‘await’ is usually an inanimate object. We don’t usually await a person, but we await his answer/ call/ arrival/ letter.
There are more such words in English. All of them are not verbs.
For example: Aside, Ashore, Anew, Awake, Afoot.
Prefix ‘A’ provides certain purpose in the formation of the word.
(a) Aside- to the side
(b) Ashore- towards the shore
(c) Afoot-on foot
(d) Anew- of new
(e) Apolitical- not political
(f) Asleep- in a state or manner
Share with your friends few more words.
Put ‘a/an’ or ‘the’ at proper places. Put a cross (X) where no article is applicable.
1. Ravi walked up to…… Principal’s cabin.
2. Ahmed lives in….. small town
3. Can I use your…… cell phone ?
4. Who’s ………woman in your office ?
5. I need ………English-Marathi dictionary.
(A5) (i) Imagine that you are one of the soldiers from 18 Grenadiers on the mission Tiger Hill. Narrate your experience of the war to your friend.
(ii) Would you like to join Indian Army/Navy/ Air force? If not, suggest other ways in which you could serve your nation.
