Blaze Solutions | English Notes & Kerala SCERT Study Materials

  AMIGO BROTHERS -         Piri Thomas Summary ‘Amigo Brothers’ is a short story written by Piri Thomas. The main characters are two thick friends, Felix Vargas and Antonio Cruz. They are both seventeen and they live in NewYork. They both have a dream ‐‐ to become light weight champions in the world. Both are determined and are tough opponents in the boxing ring. Both of them want to compete in the Golden Gloves Tournament. They come face‐to‐face in the ring at Tompkins Square to find out who will compete in the tournament. They fight like real boxers and in the end they walk away arm in arm without waiting for the results. Their friendship is not hurt. The story highlights the fact that true bonding cannot be destroyed by any sort of competition.

  MENDING WALL -         Robert Frost Think and Write 1. Why does the poet say that there is something that doesn't love a wall? The poet says this because natural forces like frost and the frozen ground create gaps in the wall. Hunters also damage it. These show that nature and human activities do not support the existence of walls. 2. Why does the poet meet his neighbour beyond the hill at spring? The poet meets his neighbour every spring to repair the damaged wall between their properties. It has become a yearly tradition that both of them follow together. 3. How do the poet and his neighbour mend the gaps in the wall? The poet and his neighbour walk along the wall, collect the fallen stones, and place them back in position. They work together carefully to rebuild the wall and close all the gaps. 4. Why does the poet argue that there is no need of a wall in between his estate and that of his neighbour? The ...

  FUFI -         Trevor Noah Summary This chapter tells the touching story of Trevor Noah's beloved dog, Fufi , and the important life lessons she taught him. After Trevor's family moved to a coloured neighbourhood, they first kept two black cats, but both were killed because of local superstitions linking black cats to witchcraft. Later, Trevor's mother brought home two puppies named Fufi and Panther . Panther was intelligent and could hear, while Fufi was beautiful but was believed to be unintelligent. Years later, the family discovered that Fufi was actually deaf, and Panther had been helping her throughout her life. Trevor loved Fufi deeply. She was playful, athletic, and could jump over the family's high backyard wall every day without anyone noticing. Curious about where she went, Trevor followed her one day and discovered that she regularly visited another family. That family believed Fufi was their own dog, whom they called "Sp...

  What I Have Lived For -         Bertrand Russell Summary In "What I Have Lived For," Bertrand Russell explains that three powerful passions guided his entire life: the longing for love, the search for knowledge, and deep compassion for the suffering of humanity . Russell says he sought love because it brought him great happiness, relieved his loneliness, and gave him a glimpse of the ideal beauty and peace that saints and poets imagined. He also devoted himself to the search for knowledge . He wanted to understand human nature, discover why the stars shine, and explore the mysteries of mathematics and the universe. Although he learned much, he felt there was still more to discover. Despite the joy of love and the excitement of knowledge, Russell was always drawn back to the suffering of others. The pain of starving children, oppressed people, lonely individuals, the elderly, and those living in poverty filled him with deep sympath...

PLUS TWO ENGLISH - REVISION NOTES UNIT 1   The lessons in the unit focus on women empowerment. It deals with the challenges and problems faced by women. The 3Ls of Empowerment ‘The 3Ls of Empowerment’ is a speech by Christine Lagarde. She speaks of the need of empowering women in the 21st century. She asserts that women are capable of contributing to the economic growth of any nation. Learning, labour and leadership are the ‘3 Ls’ of women’s empowerment. Learning is the basis of all change. Education is the foundation upon which any change is built. Learning helps women to help themselves and break the shackles of exclusion. Labour helps women to progress in life. It facilitates them to flourish and achieve their true potential. It gives them economic freedom and brings about a change in their outlook. She calls for equal pay for equal work for man and woman. Leadership helps women to rise and fulfil their abilities and talents. Women are competent but they lack self confid...

Questions And Answers   a. What was the officer’s attitude to Szpilman? The officer was kind, sympathetic, and compassionate towards Szpilman. Instead of harming him, he helped and protected him. b. Why do you think the officer asked Szpilman to play the piano? The officer wanted to confirm that Szpilman was really a pianist and also wished to hear him play music. c. Why was Szpilman hesitant to play the piano? Szpilman had not played the piano for two and a half years. His fingers were stiff, dirty, and trembling with fear. d. How does the officer help Szpilman? The officer provides him with food, finds him a safer hiding place, brings him a warm blanket and eiderdown, and encourages him to survive until the war ends. e. What was the officer ashamed of? He was ashamed of being German because of the cruel and inhuman acts committed by Nazi Germany during the war. f. “Just hang on a few more weeks—the war will be over by spring at the latest.” What is surprising about this...