Experiences and Reflections: A Collection of Questions and Answers
Describe the narrator’s experience as he flew the aeroplane into the storm.
Ans:
As he flew into the storm, everything went black. It was impossible to see anything outside the plane. It jumped and twisted in the air. When he looked at his compass, he saw that it was turning round and round. It was dead. Along with it, the other instruments, including the radio, were also dead. Suddenly, he saw another aeroplane. Its pilot waved at him, asking him to follow. He was glad to find a helper. He was using his last fuel tank and there was only enough fuel to fly five or ten minutes. Then, the other pilot started to go down and he followed. He suddenly came out of the clouds and saw the runway, on which he then landed his plane safely.
Why does the narrator say, “I landed and was not sorry to walk away from the old Dakota…”?
Ans:
He was delighted to land safely out of dark stormy clouds, therefore, he was not sorry to walk away for his plane. He felt bad, when he was no able to thank his guide, his mentor who saved him from from frightening situations, but he was so happy after landing that he didn’t feel sorry for not being able to thank the guide pilot.
What made the woman in the control centre look at the narrator strangely?
Ans:
The women in the control room was surprised when the narrator asked about the other aeroplane and its pilot. She said that there was no areoplane seen on the radar.
5. Who do you think helped the narrator to reach safely? Discuss this among yourselves and give reasons for your answer.
Ans:
Probably, it was the narrator’s own self that helped him through the storm. There was no other plane in the storm as the woman at the control centre could see only his plane on the radar. Also, no other plane was flying that night. In his fear, he might have been hallucinating. He was a good pilot, and it might have been his own self that came to his help.
What is a “dust of snow”? What does the poet say has changed his mood? How has the poet’s mood changed?
Ans:
A “dust of snow”means the fine particles of snow. This “dust of snow” changed the poet’s mood. The poet’s mood changed from thatof dismay to joy. He was holding the day in regret when this dust of snow fell on him and this simple little thing brought him some joy.
Q1.Instead of enjoying their childhood, the children today are keen to enter adulthood. After reading about all the joys that the author Lucio Rodrigues had in his childhood do you think such a keenness on the part of children is desirable? Ans:
I don’t think that the keenness of the children these days to enter adulthood is desirable. Children these days are in a hurry to enter adulthood and have access to technology. Due to this they are learning things earlier than usual and getting matured beyond their age.Hence, they are losing out their childhood and missing the joys that it brings with it. As per my thinking, they should grow at a slow pace and enjoy their childhood to the fullest. Children who miss out on their childhood cannot be a complete adult. So, they should not hurry up to be an adult and grow at nature’s pace.
Q1.After reading the story ‘A Baker from Goa”, do you think our traditions, heritage, values and practices are the roots that nourish us? Why/why not?
Ans:
A Baker from Goa’ highlights the importance of the traditional practice of making breads for every occasion and festival of the Goan people. This tradition continues even today. This shows how our traditional practices can keep us to our past and heritage.Traditional values shape our personality and also provide us emotional support. They enable us to face difficult situations and makes us mentally strong. Traditional practices also have an impact on our behavioural pattern towards the other people in society.
Q3.During our childhood in Goa, the baker used to be our friend, companion and guide.’ What does this statement imply in relation tofhe character of the baker?
Ans:
This statement tells us that the baker was a very respected person in the Goan society because he would guide the children about good behaviour (when he mildly rebuked them for peeping into his basket and giving respect to the elders (when he wished “Good morning” to the lady of the house) etc. He was very informal with the children and so the authorconsidered him as a friend and companion. He was not simply a vendor interested in selling what he made. Thus, he was an important character in the Goan society of those days.
Q1.The Coorgis are the descendants of the Greeks or the Arabs and are still are able to maintain their traditional practices. Do you agree that following these practices today is important? Why or why not?Ans:
After reading the text, I feel that it is important to follow the traditional practices, as it has kept the tradition of Coorgis known to the people even today. If the people of Coorg had not followed it their tradition would have perished and nobody would have remembered themloday because of their culture and traditional practices. According to the text, their traditions can be seen in the martial traditions, religious rites and marriages. The Kodavus even wear the dress which resembles Arabs. Traditional practices also play a very important role in maintaining values amongst people and have an impact on shaping the behaviour of people.