Comprehension ( Rattrap)

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( only medicine to fight Corona).

Read the passage and answer the questions-

1. Once upon a time there was a man who went around selling small rattraps of wire. He made them himself at odd moments, from the material he got by begging in stores or at the big farms. But even so, the business was not especially profitable, so he had to resort to both begging and petty thievery to keep body and soul together. Even so, his clothes were in rags, his cheeks were sunken, and hunger gleamed in his eyes.

Difficult words- rattrap-चूहेदानी,  odd moments- spare time ( अतिरिक्त समय), Resort- support (here), Petty- small,  to keep body and soul together- to sustain ( जीवित रहना), in rags- worn and torn ( फटे पुराने)' gleamed -( it is second form of gleam which means चमकना) परन्तु यहाँ इसका अर्थ है - दिखना)

Questions-
 1. How did the man make rattraps?
2. When did he make rattraps?
3. Was his business profitable?
4. What did he do to sustain himself?
5. Which words or phrases in the passage indicate that he was very poor ?

Ans- 1. He made rattraps from the material he got  begging in old stores or at the big farms.
2. He made them at odd moments.
3. No, his business was not pofitable.
4. He resort to begging or petty thievery to sustain himself.
5. His clothes were in rags. His cheeks were sunken. Hunger gleamed in his eyes.

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Passage 2.

He had naturally been thinking of his rattraps when suddenly he was struck by the idea that the whole world about him- the whole world with its lands and seas, its cities and villages- was nothing but a big Rattrap. It had never existed for any other purpose than to set baits for people. It offered riches and joys, shelter and food, heat and clothing, exactly as the rat trap offered cheese and pork, and as soon as anyone let himself be tempted to touch the bait, it enclosed on him, and then everything came to an end.

Difficult words- struck by the idea - idea came to his mind( उसके मन मेंं विचार आया) , bait- food used to trap a fish, rat or any other animal( किसी मछली ,चूहे या अन्य पशु को फँसाने के लिए प्रयोग किया गया भोजन), pork- meat of pig, tempt - ( प्रलोभित करना)

Questions
1.What idea came to his mind ? Who was he?
2. What are the temptations in the world that serve as a bait to trap a noble man? (संसार मेंं कौन से प्रलोभन हैं जो एक नेक इन्सान को फँसाने का काम करते हैं?)
3. What is used as a bait to tempt a fish?
4. How is this world a big Rattrap?
5. Find out from the passage the word which means' a device for catching rats'.
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Ans. 1. The idea came to his mind that the whole world about him was a big Rattrap. He was a peddler.

2. All the worldly things like riches, joy, food, clothing etc. serve as a bait to trap a noble man.

3. Pork and cheese

4. Just as a rat is trapped when it touches the piece of pork or cheese, similarly a noble man is tempted by worldly things and loses his goodness. In this way, this world is a big rattrap.

5.Rattrap.
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                     Passage 3.

The old man was just as generous with his confidences as with his porridge and tobacco. The guest was informed at once that in his days of prosperity his host had been a crofter at Ramsjo Ironworks and had worked on the land. Now that he was no longer able to do day labour, it was his cow which supported him. Yes, that bossy was extraordinary. She could give milk for the creamery every day, and last month he had received all of thirty kronor in payment.

Word meanings- Generous- kind( दयालु) , porridge. हलवा, prosperity- richness (समृद्धि), crofter- a person who has a small family farm ( छोटे फार्म का मालिक), bossy- cow, extraordinary- strange( अद्वितीय, बेमिसाल). Creamery - a place where cream is extracted from milk.( वह स्थान जहाँ दूध से क्रीम निकाला जाता है), kronor- currency of Sweden and Iceland( स्वीडन देश की मुद्रा)

Q 1. Who was the old man? How did he welcome the guest?(बूढ़ा व्यक्ति कौन था?  उसने मेहमान का स्वागत कैसे किया?)

Ans. The old man was a crofter. He lived alone in a wayside cottage. He welcomed the guest with porridge and tobacco.

Q2 Who is the guest referred to in this passage.

Ans- The Rattrap seller is the guest referred to here.

Q3. Where did the host work once?
Ans He worked at Ramsjo Ironworks.

Q4. How did the crofter sustain himself financially?

Ans- The crofter had a cow. He sold the milk to a creamery . Thus he supported himself financially.

Q5. How much money did the crofter earn by selling milk last month?
Ans- Thirty Kronor.

Q6- Find the word from the passage which is similar in meaning to ''cow"?
Ans- Bossy.

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                   Passage 4.

"Please don't think that I have such a funf home that you cannot show yourself there." He said.... "Elizabeth is dead, as you may have already heard. My boys are abroad, and there is no one at home except my eldest daughter and myself. We were just saying that it was too bad we don't have any company for Christmas. Now come along with me and help us make the Christmas food disappear a little faster." But the stranger said no, and no, and the ironmaster saw the he must give in

Word meanings- abroad - in a foreign country (विदेश में) , give in- हार मान लेना।

Q1. Who is the narrator in this passage? To whom is he speaking?

Ans The narrator is the ironmaster. He is speaking to the peddler.

Q2. What did the speaker say about his wife and children?

Ans- He said that his wife had already died and his children lived in a foreign country.

Q3. Was the narrator alone in his house?
Ans - No the narrator was not alone. His eldest daughter lived with him.

Q4. What invitation did the narrator offer to the stranger? Who was the stranger?
Ans- The narrator invited the stranger to stay with him over the Christmas Eve and have food. The stranger was a peddler. He sold rattraps.

Q5. Did the stranger accept the narrator's invitation?
Ans- The stranger did not accept the invitation.

Q6-. Find out the word from the passage which means "to surrender" or accept the defeat"
 Ans- Give in.

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