THE POPLAR FIELD

 

8.THE POPLAR FIELD (WILLIAM COWPER)

'The Poplar Field' is an essay composed by William Cowper. In this poem the poet has presented his bygone (past) days in nostalgic tone. The poet compares the chopping down of the poplar trees to a man's life and dead. The first three verses (stanzas) in the poem describes a field near a river Ouse where poplar trees used to grow and the changes that took place because the trees are cut down. In the fourth verse the poet says that he will die soon before the new trees grow in the field. In the last verse poet says that human pleasures and enjoyments are not permanent but they die sooner than the human life itself.

Since the poplars are cut down, there is no shade, not whispering in the trees and the river Ouse doesn't get any image of those trees on its surface. The poet visited that field 12 years ago and it was full of those beautiful trees. He liked and loved those trees very much but after 12 years the trees have been cut down and they ate lying in the grass. They used to give him shelter and shadow but now they have become his seat. He used to enjoy the melodious song of black birds to sing the sweet song. They have been flown away to the hazel trees that could provide the shelter and protect them from the weather condition moreover from sun. The poet feels very sad because he cannot live any longer to see next generation of poplar trees in the same place.

In the poem the poet tries to show the close relationship between nature and human being. He links up the ideas of chopping down the poplar trees with the end of human life and pleasure. He finds a close linkage between human life and pleasure. He finds a close linkage between human life and the life of trees. For him green forest, short and sweet song of birds and natural beauty are the sources of enjoyments. According to him, if we chop down the trees, we indirectly chop down our own happiness and pleasures because they depend on natural beauty. The human life is momentary and the time of our pleasure and enjoyments are shorter than our life. Destruction of the natural beauty indicates the destruction of human life, enjoyment and human civilization. Human beings and nature are bound with each other. In absence of one, another can't be flourished. Without the existence of one, the existence of another is impossible.

In this way, the poet says that since our life is short, we must not let our pleasured be shorter by destructing the nature.

A Worn Path

 

                      7. A Worn Path (Eudora Welty)

This is a skillfully controlled story of unconscious heroism of an old Negro woman called Phoenix Jackson. The woman makes a long courageous journey to get medicine for her grandson who has been suffering from an obstinate (never cure) throat problem caused by swallowed lye.

 She begins her journey from home in the early December morning. On the way she faces so many obstacles which she tackles one by one without losing her hope, courage, confidence and her strong determination. She climbs pinewood hill, feeling great fear of wild animals. She taps the bush with her cane and warns the wild animals and birds not to come on her way. Then she goes down the hill through oak trees. Her dress is caught by thorny bushes. It takes her a long time to be free from them.

At the bottom of the hill, there is a log laid over a stream. She gets success to cross it with her balance body, courage and cane.

Now she reaches in barbed wire fence. She keeps her body and dress safe and crawls like a baby to come in another side of the fence. She walked in cotton field. Moreover she feels a bit happy because it is winter and she couldn't see the bulls and two headed snakes. Further, in the corn field she sees a human like figure like a ghost. When she touches the sleeves of it, she finds it cold like ice and realizes it as a scarecrow. She laughs on herself. After that she walks along the wagon track.

She drinks water flowing through a hollow log. Finally she comes to the road. A black dog comes out of weeds by the ditch. She hits the dog with her cane but she herself falls into the ditch. She waits there losing her sense until a white hunter comes there and lifts her up. The white hunter asks her where she is going. She says that she is going to the town. The hunter advises her to go back because the town is far away. The woman is strongly determined to go to the town. The hunter also points the gun at her but she is not frightened.

Finally she reaches to the town. As it is Christmas, the town is decorated with different colors lights. She comes to the hospital but she forgets the purpose of her arrival. Although attendant asks about her grandson, she remains silent for a long time. Ultimately when the nurse asks her whether her grandson is alive or dead then only she comes to consciousness. She gets medicine free of cost and becomes ready to turn back to her house. The attendant gives her a coin. She takes out the coin from her pocket, that the hunter had dropped and she had picked up. She makes a plan to buy a paper made wind mill for her grandson as a Christmas gift.

Speaking of the Children ( Barbara Holland)

 6. Speaking of the Children ( Barbara Holland)

This essay delightfully examined the ideas of having more than one child and the consequent expenses of parents.

The writer of this essay and her husband both have jobs. The writer believes that it is very important to have a private talk between husband and wife about half an hour in peace and privacy for the happy married life. Such kind of talk maintains familial happiness. The writer has plural children, she doesn't want her children to listen the private talk between herself and her husband. Instead she wants them to clean their room and play with their play things nicely and quietly. However the children want attention of their parents and disturb them. As a result, the parents can't have any talk in peace and privacy.

One child is like a part of our body. Parents can brainwash the child and make whatever they want. They can guide, shape, instruct proper manners and behaviours. Moreover provide each and every facility for the overall growth advancement and progress of the child. However all this aren't possible if the parents have plural children..

If there are plural children in family parents have to lose their freedom and pleasure. The family expense is also very high. They cannot provide the facilities to the children which are necessary for their quality life. The things and goods of the house are scattered everywhere. The parents can't use the telephone and television for their own purpose. Plural children are the counter culture of the family. They behave in way that their parents don't like and the parents become helpless. They can't control their children and also they are unable to give proper care. The children don't follow the ideas of parents and the parents have to spend a lot of time and energy for the children. They are pushed backward slowly and slowly into the life of their children.  They don't have their own life, freedom and pleasure. The parents having plural children have to talk to those people whom they don't know but their children know to them. They also can't go far away at holiday places. They can't make their children obedient.

 In this way, by pointing out so many disadvantages of having many children, the writer supports single child and she is against having plural children

My Heart Leaps Up When I Behold

 

         5. My Heart Leaps Up When I Behold (William Wordsworth)

My heart leaps up when I behold is a beautiful poem composed by a famous English romantic poet W. Wordsworth. He had very strong belief on nature. Nature inspired him to think very deeply over ordinary object. He found the hidden truth or secrets as well as the mystery in nature. He regarded nature as god or goddess.

In this poem, the poet recollects his childhood experiences and gives his emotions and feeling a meaning. The poet feels very happy and his heart is filled up with joy when he sees rainbow in the sky. He was also over joyed by seeing the rainbow in the sky in his childhood days. The rainbow is quite the same as it was before. He wants to see the same rainbow in the sky in his old age or in future. He doesn't want to be alive if there comes any changes in the rainbow when he will be an old man. He wants to pass his remaining days by binding himself to the nature or worshipping to nature.

The poet says, "The child is father of Man". This line is paradox. A paradox is a line or a statement which seems self-contradictory when we look at it on the surface. But if we observe meaning very deeply it is not contradictory. In this poem, poet believes that all our knowledge, wisdom, culture, ideas, feeling, belief etc are acquired in the childhood stage and they set the personality of the youth and the future. He comes to this conclusion by comparing the rainbow in the past and in present.  He believes that manhood is the production of childhood experiences. According to him present is the outcome of the past so, naturally future will be the outcome of present.

Thus, he wishes to be bound forever and worship the nature. For him nature is everything i.e god, goddess religion etc. He wants to respect the nature by remembering his childhood days with the help of rainbow.

The Loving Mother summary

4.The Loving Mother

           This story took place in 1964. It shows the love of a mother to her baby even after her death. Shoji Sakota, a pharmacist, lived alone because his wife had died several years ago. One stormy winter night, when he was preparing the annual business report, someone knocked at the door. First he ignored the knock regarding that whoever was there would see the closed drug store and continued his work. Then, he heard the knock second time. He thought the wind was making the sound. Third time again he heard the knock. This time it was louder. He went to the door thinking someone might be in emergency. He looked out from the window of the door.  A young woman was standing there. Thinking the woman might rob him, he didn't unlock the door. He told that the store would open tomorrow at 8 o'clock in the morning.  The woman again requested him to give something for her baby. This time he let her to come.

              Sakota noticed the woman was very thin. Her skin was abnormally light and hair was not arranged. She was in Kimone. Her eyes were so mysterious. They looked like from another world. She asked for 'ame' on a stick which made surprise. He thought the woman had come in midnight to ask for medicine for her ill baby but she asked ame. She gave some cents, thanked him and quickly went out.

              The following two nights also the same woman, at the same time with same request came. Her appearance and her request were so mysterious to Mr. Sakota that he forgot to ask her why she didn’t come during day. The fourth night he asked a photographer friend to hide in the store and take pictures of her so he could study her appearance. When pictures were cleaned, to their great surprise pictures clearly showed objects in the store but not the woman. 

             Next night they followed her. But they were easily noticed by her, it seemed as if she wanted them to see where she was going. Finally they became able to see the woman enter into her home. The door was opened, they walked in. It was dark room. When they switched on the light, they saw the same woman lying on bed besides a healthy baby of 8 or 9 months, licking ame on a stick. Mr. Sakota touched her neck and found she had been dead for many days.

              In this way, the spirit of a loving mother visited Mr. Sakota's pharmacy in order to buy an ame on a stick. Though the mother is dead, her spirit shows an infinite love and affection to her child who is alone after his mother's death.

The Lost Doll summary

 

 3. The Lost Doll

It is a story from Colombia, South America. It is about reincarnation (rebirth)of a baby girl. Maria del Carmen was the only child of her parents' Roberto and Rosa Soto. She was a bright, kind, and loving child, however, sick since birth. At the age of four, she died. Almost everyone attended her funeral.

After a few days of Carmen's death, Rosa gave away her all playthings and clothes to a priest from another village so that she couldn't see those things again. Moreover, she didn't have any hope for another baby. When Roberto knew about it, he became very unhappy because he was hopeful that they would have the next baby. He asked about the doll with which Carmen used to play almost all the time. Rosa replied that she didn't find it with her other playthings. Then they searched for the lost doll all over and asked with villagers, but they didn't find it.

On the first anniversary of Carmen's death, Rosa gave birth to another child. They named her Evangelina, which means good news. When she grew up, she looked very much similar to her sister 'Carmen' her activities and character were also the same. The only difference between them was Carmen used to be sick but Evangelina was healthy.

When Evangelina was about four, she told her aunt that she had a beautiful doll with blue eyes and a red dress which she buried under a tree in the backyard. She took her aunt and mother to the backyard and requested her mother to dig up the ground, Rosa found the lost doll. She was shocked and felt sick because it was difficult for her to believe. Evangelina disclosed how she knew the doll was there. She said, when she was sick a long time ago and died, a nice man came and helped her to bury the doll under the tree.

The House Call summary

 

       2. The House Call

This is a story from Germany, took place on 26th December 1903 in Berlin. The story shows the love of a child even after her death for her mother.

Dr. Emil Braun, an honest and kind person, is the main character and a head surgeon in a hospital. A little girl of seven, wearing a cotton dress, shabby shoes, and a ragged shawl came in his house to call him for her sick mother. Although he was tired and his wife tried to stop him, he was ready to go with the little girl. He thought it was the work given by god. Then, he took his black bag and came out.

It was slightly raining outside.  When the girl saw him coming, she walked quickly and only stopped to confirm whether the doctor was following her correctly. He tried to catch her so that he could ask her a few questions but she was walking at speed as if she was in hurry. The Doctor remembered his young age when he used to be energetic. 

Finally, she came to an old rented house. She climbed five floors and stood in front of a doorway. She thanked the doctor. The doctor also thanked her for being obedient. He went in and the girl closed the door slowly behind him.

In the dim light, he saw a woman. He recognized her as Elda who once worked at the hospital. She was suffering from pneumonia. He gave her some medicine and sat on a chair by the bed. he asked about her return back from the village and about her daughter. She said that she had come back to Berlin three months ago after her only daughter, Adelheid, had died of the flu in September. 

The doctor was surprised. The little girl was not there. Elda told that she had kept heide's shoes and shawl as a memory. He saw the same ragged shawl on a hook and a pair of shabby shoes on the floor. Moreover, the shoes were wet. Elda said that she had been thinking about him earlier that night hoping and praying for him then felt asleep. He touched her feverish head, took his black bag, and came out closing the door.

The Recurring Dream summary

 1.The Recurring Dream

This is a supernatural story. It centers around a strange dream that Kimberly clark regularly sees almost every night. Kim clark is a young beautiful lady of 25 years, works in an office in London.

Her strange dream always begins on a country road. She stands on this road and sees a lane, a white fence and a hedge on a both sides. At the end of the lane, on the top of a little hill there is a beautiful white cottage with green shutters. Kim walks up the lane to the house, enters in and looks around. In one of the rooms she sees a little old man with white hair and white beard sleeping in bed. Whenever she goes close to the man he wakes up and looks at her. When she opens her mouth to speak to the old man, she wakes up and finds herself in her own flat in London.

It is a recurring dream and the old man and the place is totally unknown to her. The dream troubles her a lot. Therefore, she shares this dream with her roommate Janet Wilson. Janet makes a plan to take Kim to her parents' farm house for a few days so that kim can forget about the dream and gets the peaceful environment. Next morning they leave the city in Janet's car. On the way Kim falls asleep. When they reach to the country road Kim wakes up and asks to stop the car saying the road is the same road that she sees on her dream. Janet tries to convince her that this is not the same road that she sees in her dream. But Kim doesn't listen.

Kim gets out of the car and finds everything exactly the same except the sign for "for sale" written in front of the house. During this time she feels nervous and knocks at the door. The same little old man, whom she regularly sees in her mysterious dream, opens the door. When he sees Kim his eyes open wide. He immediately closes the door. Kim wants to talk to him so he again opens the door. She asks about the sign 'for sale'. He replies her that the house is in sale but she surely doesn't buy the house because the house is regularly haunted by a ghost. When she wish to know who the ghost is?  The old man whispers "it's you" then closes the door. Kim is puzzled and the story ends.

in spite of / despite, conditional

 

11.   Change the following sentences using c) although / even though, a) Despite/In spite of the fact that b) with in spite of / despite

 

Example: He looked very scruffy, but he still got the job.

.              Although he looked very scruffy, he got the job.s

 

(a) She was 85 years old, but she lived very active life.

(b) Video machines are expensive, but lots of people are buying them.

(c) Her parents objected, but she still insisted on getting married.

(d) Beethoven was deaf, but he continued composing until his deaf.

(e) We’ve known each other for a long time, but we still call each other by our surnames.

f) He used his raincoat, but still he got wet.

 

    13)  Example : I have been to Denmark (My father)

                  So has my father.

 

  My father drives a car. (Tom)

 I haven't tasted steak before.( Hari)

I don't think much of that book ( My sister)

My cat will eat anything. ( My dog)

August was beautiful this year.( July)

 

Example: I can speak German.

                So can I .

                I can speak it, too

Ex – My parents never write to me.       A) I've got a cold today.                             G) I can't stand ballet.

        Nor do mine.                                   B) I didn't have any breakfast this morning.

        Mine don't write to me , either.      C) My sister lives in London.

Ex – I am not going to reserve a seat.    D) I never watch T.V

        Neither am I.                                   E) My birthday was in August.

        I'm not going to  reserve one , either.     F) I used to be crazy about modern jazz

 

13) There are 4 basic types of conditionals: the zero conditional, the first conditional, the second conditional, and the third conditional

The Zero Conditional ( simple present, simple present)

• If people eat too much, they get fat.
• If you touch a fire, you get burned.
• People die if they don't eat.
• You get water if you mix hydrogen and oxygen.
• Snakes bite if they are scared.
• If babies are hungry, they cry.

 

The first conditional is a structure used for talking about possibilities in the present or in the future.

(If + Simple present, simple future)

Eg. If it is sunny tomorrow, I will have a picnic.

If you come to the party, I will be very happy.       If they play well, they will be awarded.   The second conditional is a structure used to talk about impossible or imaginary situations.(simple past, s+would+ v1+o)   Eg. If I won a lot of money I'd travel the world.        If he passed in the exam, I would give a party.       Third Conditional is used  to describe a situation that could have happened in the past .(If+ past perfect, s+would have +v3 +O)

If it had rained, you would have gotten wet.

·         You would have gotten wet if it had rained.

·         You would have passed your exam if you had worked harder.

·         If you had worked harder, you would have passed your exam.

·         I would have believed you if you hadn't lied to me before.

      

      15) Points and Period of Time.

 

I know your sister. (September) (2063)

A: How long have you known her?

B: I've known her since September.

C: (to A) When did he meet her?

A: He met her in September.

 

I play bridge. (five years)

A: How long have you been playing bridge?

B: I have been playing for five years.

C:(to A) When did he start playing bridge?

A: He stared playing five years ago.

 

Have similar conversation

ii)I'm engaged now, you know. (July)

iii)I'm writing a novel. ( a few weeks)

iv)I go to evening classes. (three months)

v)I've got a movie camera. (Christmas)

vi)I'm a graduate now . ( a fortnight )

vii)My leg's hurting . ( 8 o'clock this morning)

viii) I know that joke already. (years and years)

 

16) Write similar conversation as shown in examples.

        EG. You have been invited  to a fancy dress party .

A: Are you any good at dress making ?

B: Not bad why ?

A: I want someone to make me a Dracula costume.

B: Oh. Then you want to ask Ann. She's fantastic at dressmaking.

 

a)      You have just moved into a new house.

b)     You got some people coming to dinner

c)      You are organising a variety show for charity.

d)     You are starting up a small business.

 

 17) Direct and Indirect speech 

            Ravi said, “What is Heena doing?”

            Esha said, “Will she come for lunch?”

           The boy asked, “Where do you stay?”

           The boy inquired where I stayed

1.  “I walk.”              5)  “We were living in Paris.”   8)  “I had a headache yesterday.”
2.      “Ananya took pasta.”    6) I will go to Sri Lanka.”  9) Do they live here?”
3. “I am having tea.”       7)   “Honey has left for school.”   10)“When are you leaving?”
4.   “I’m seeing my brother tomorrow.”     11) "She must go."            

Prepositions of Direction, in, on, at., off

 

6. Prepositions of Direction

Write appropriate prepositions in the gaps.

  in (to), out of ;

  on(to),off

 up , down;

up to, towards, away from;

along, through, between;

across, round, past, over, under.

 

1.    When the bull began to run  …..  me, I jumped … … the fence       the next field.

2.    He took two books   the shelf. He put one of them       the table and the other one … the briefcase.

3.    She ran       the corridor and  ..the stairs into the basement.

4.    His bullet whistled  ….  my ear, so I shot him right   .. the eyes.

5.    He came         her and put his arm     the waist.

6.    The prisoner jumped   …the window, ran across      the road and jumped   ….a car that was waiting for him on the other side.

7.    Looking      the microscope, she saw the two cells separate and move slowly …away from… each other.

8.    They couldn’t get ….   the high wall, so they dug a tunnel       it.

 

Preposition in, on, at., off

a)        Have you got an electric blanket….your bed? I've only got a hot water bottle …..mine.

b)      There is a ticket machine … the entrance to the car park.

c)      Finchley Road tube station is ….the Bakerloo Line.

d)     In summer, there are always flies … the kitchen ceiling.

e)      She spent the day sunbathing   ….the swimming pool.

f)       My favorite pub is ….the river bank.

g)      There's a newspaper shop  …my way to the office.

h)      Scott found a Norwegian flag…  the south pole.

i)        There is a pub …the riverside.

j)        (a) Mona was born ……… …..Tuesday, 15 July.
(b) What will happen…… …….the 22nd century?
(c) You must take …… ………your shoes before entering the temple
(d) You must pay your bills …… ……the end of June. 

A     Answers.

      1)towards, over, into 2) off/from, on(to), in(to)) 3) along, down 4) past, between 5) up, to, round 6) through/out of, into 7) through/down/ away from 8) over, under

        a)on,in b) at c) on d) on e) at f) on g) on h) at i) on

         a)on,b) in,c)off,d)at

Meaning into words. I think I will

 

Meaning into words.

 

1.Explain what these people do (Practice): 

eg: A secretary-  a person who writes letters, keeps records, etc. in an office

A cashier-      A night watchman   An air hostess 

A mechanic-  A gardener

A plumber-    A receptionist

 

ex- Fred drives buses.

He's a bus driver.

 

i) Janet mends watches.

ii) Mac manages a supermarket.

iii) Ann sells books.

iv) Mandy takes photographs.

v) Jimmy sweeps roads

vi) Richard and Liz act in films.

vii) Angela reads the news on television.

vii) Chris plays classical music on the guitar.

 

2.What’s your job? (Practice):

1.    Police station / police man? / secretary

A: Where do you work?

B: I work at the local police station.

A: Oh, so you’re a policeman, are you?

B: No, I’m secretary – I write letters, keep records, etc. at the police station.

 

2.    Railway station / ticket collector? / porter

 

      3.    Supermarket / cashier? / store detective

      4.    Library / librarian? / cleaner 5.    Ski resort / ski instructor? ________

      6.    Language / _____? / _______7.    Restaurant / _____? / ______

      8.    Nightclub / _____? / _______9.    Airport / _______? / ______

 

3.Decisions and Intentions 

Will & Going to

[I think I’ll / Perhaps I’ll/ Maybe I’ll] Decide to do things.

[Perhaps I won’t / Maybe I won’t/ I don’t think I’ll] Decide not to do these things, and add a reason.

1. To have a beer

I think I’ll have a beer. I’m thirsty.

          2. Not to have a beer

I don’t think I’ll have a beer. I feel cold.

       3.  To write to your mother                   4.  Not to go out tonight

       5.   To learn to drive                             6.  Not to have any more to eat

       7.   Not to give up smoking                  8.  To go swimming    

       9.   To have a party

      10.  Not to invite Jane to your party

 

4. Now, add a decision to these remarks.

1.               I’ m getting too much fat. – I think I’ll go on a diet.

2.               I’m fed up with my job.

3.               She seems very friendly.

4.               I’m a bit- tired tonight.

5.               I really must try and get rid of this cough.

6.               I hope they’re not worried about me.

7.               I’ve had enough of these mice running about all over the flat.

 

5. Intentions and Plans (Practice):

Intentions and Plans are expressed using ‘going to’, intending to, planning to and thinking of v-ing’.

What do you think the following people are going to? Talk about their intentions using: [‘going to’, intending to, planning to and thinking of v-ing’]

1.      Roger has decided that he doesn’t earn enough money.

He’s going to look for a better job. He’s thinking of speaking to his boss about it. He’s planning to do a second job in the evenings. He’s intending to ask for some money from his parents.

2.      Wendy has decided that her life isn’t exciting enough.

3.      Grandfather had decided that it’s not safe to keep his money under his mattress..

4.      The Robinsons are worried because their house is full of valuable antiques.

5.      Janet has just bought 100 kilos of cheese.

6.      Alex has taken all of his money out of his bank account.