NCERT Textbook: The Proposal | English Class 10 PDF Download

 Page 1


?
;
Unit 
9
The Pro Posal Let ’s Begin 1.  Facial expressions are non-verbal communications. These 
expressions play an important role in a play. They are 
powerful communication tools. The human face is extremely 
expressive. It is able to convey countless emotions without 
saying a word. Expressions tell us the mood of the characters 
in the play. Some facial expressions are given below. The 
facial expressions are for happiness, sadness, anger, 
surprise, fear, and disgust. Look at the facial expressions 
and write which emotion do they express. 
___________ ___________ ___________
___________ ___________ ___________
Unit-9.indd   124 5/1/2023   11:24:10 AM
Reprint 2024-25
Page 2


?
;
Unit 
9
The Pro Posal Let ’s Begin 1.  Facial expressions are non-verbal communications. These 
expressions play an important role in a play. They are 
powerful communication tools. The human face is extremely 
expressive. It is able to convey countless emotions without 
saying a word. Expressions tell us the mood of the characters 
in the play. Some facial expressions are given below. The 
facial expressions are for happiness, sadness, anger, 
surprise, fear, and disgust. Look at the facial expressions 
and write which emotion do they express. 
___________ ___________ ___________
___________ ___________ ___________
Unit-9.indd   124 5/1/2023   11:24:10 AM
Reprint 2024-25
Unit 9 – The Pro Posal 125
Sentences
2.  You have read ‘The Proposal’, a one act play. It is a farce. 
The play is set in only one location, the drawing room of 
Chubukov’s house. All three characters in the play are 
quarrelsome people and they quarrel over petty issues. 
Lomov and Natalya start with the issue like a piece of land 
that is situated at the border between the two neighbors’ 
properties. The discussion turns into a quarrel and the 
marriage proposal is forgotten. They shout at each other. 
They are again dragged into an argument over the superiority 
of each other’s dogs. So, they drag their ancestors in their 
foolish quarrel. They again abuse each other and call 
names.
 Now, make groups of four and discuss the following 
points. While conducting the discussion, try to use the facial 
expressions given above.
•	 The marriage proposal is a mockery of romance and 
marriage in the upper class.
•	 The pride in property, even the superiority of dogs, take 
priority over love and marriage.
•	 The characters lack patience, stop listening to each other, 
and then contradict each other.
•	 Do you think these quarrels will promise a happy life?
•	 What qualities would you consider for a well-matched 
couple?
•	 Do you think all of us should know how to manage our 
anger?
Reading Comp Rehension 
t ext i How Can We Control Anger?
Do you get angry when your mother switches off the television? 
Do you get upset when you lose a game? Do you crib when your 
teacher does not pay attention to you? Most of us can have “yes” 
as an answer to one or more of these situations. Anger sometimes 
gets the better of us and leaves us to regret the consequences 
later. The question is ‘How can we control anger?’
Anger is a normal and healthy emotion only if we know how 
to respond to it. Uncontrolled anger can often harm us directly or 
Unit-9.indd   125 20-02-2023   09:48:34
Reprint 2024-25
Page 3


?
;
Unit 
9
The Pro Posal Let ’s Begin 1.  Facial expressions are non-verbal communications. These 
expressions play an important role in a play. They are 
powerful communication tools. The human face is extremely 
expressive. It is able to convey countless emotions without 
saying a word. Expressions tell us the mood of the characters 
in the play. Some facial expressions are given below. The 
facial expressions are for happiness, sadness, anger, 
surprise, fear, and disgust. Look at the facial expressions 
and write which emotion do they express. 
___________ ___________ ___________
___________ ___________ ___________
Unit-9.indd   124 5/1/2023   11:24:10 AM
Reprint 2024-25
Unit 9 – The Pro Posal 125
Sentences
2.  You have read ‘The Proposal’, a one act play. It is a farce. 
The play is set in only one location, the drawing room of 
Chubukov’s house. All three characters in the play are 
quarrelsome people and they quarrel over petty issues. 
Lomov and Natalya start with the issue like a piece of land 
that is situated at the border between the two neighbors’ 
properties. The discussion turns into a quarrel and the 
marriage proposal is forgotten. They shout at each other. 
They are again dragged into an argument over the superiority 
of each other’s dogs. So, they drag their ancestors in their 
foolish quarrel. They again abuse each other and call 
names.
 Now, make groups of four and discuss the following 
points. While conducting the discussion, try to use the facial 
expressions given above.
•	 The marriage proposal is a mockery of romance and 
marriage in the upper class.
•	 The pride in property, even the superiority of dogs, take 
priority over love and marriage.
•	 The characters lack patience, stop listening to each other, 
and then contradict each other.
•	 Do you think these quarrels will promise a happy life?
•	 What qualities would you consider for a well-matched 
couple?
•	 Do you think all of us should know how to manage our 
anger?
Reading Comp Rehension 
t ext i How Can We Control Anger?
Do you get angry when your mother switches off the television? 
Do you get upset when you lose a game? Do you crib when your 
teacher does not pay attention to you? Most of us can have “yes” 
as an answer to one or more of these situations. Anger sometimes 
gets the better of us and leaves us to regret the consequences 
later. The question is ‘How can we control anger?’
Anger is a normal and healthy emotion only if we know how 
to respond to it. Uncontrolled anger can often harm us directly or 
Unit-9.indd   125 20-02-2023   09:48:34
Reprint 2024-25
Words and Expr Essions 2 – Class x 126
indirectly whether we realise or not.  Before we learn to address 
the issue, let us revisit the concept of anger. Anger is nothing but 
absence of peace with oneself, people or situations around us. 
We express it either by being assertive or aggressive.
Let us all become the managers of our own anger. When angry, 
take 	 a	 few	 moments	 to	 calm	 down	 (take 	 five 	 deep	 breaths,	 count 	
up to ten, drink water, change your place) before responding. 
More often than not we do not have control over the situations 
that distress us. Getting physically active reduces stress. Funny 
dances, clapping, thumping your feet, a walk, making funny 
faces at the mirror, etc., go a long way in helping us let go of the 
anger or the frustration inside us. Once we have our feelings 
under control, go through all the aspects of the situation and 
try to see the same situation from different perspectives. If it is a 
problem try to equip yourself with a few solutions before entering 
the same situation. Avoid holding a grudge with people and learn 
when to seek help from others. Realising your own shortcomings 
can become one of the greatest strengths of character over the 
years to come. 
We can never control circumstances, people or situations as 
they are constantly changing. The only thing we can control is 
our response. So we have to increase our capacity to tolerate, 
ability to understand, and learn to nurture love for others.
aggressive
assertive
consequences 
distress
grudge
uncontrolled 
Look Up 
and Understand Q.1. What do you understand by the word ‘anger’?
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
Q.2. List any four strategies to manage anger.
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
Q.3. How can you develop strengths of character as 
given in the passage above?
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
Unit-9.indd   126 20-02-2023   09:48:34
Reprint 2024-25
Page 4


?
;
Unit 
9
The Pro Posal Let ’s Begin 1.  Facial expressions are non-verbal communications. These 
expressions play an important role in a play. They are 
powerful communication tools. The human face is extremely 
expressive. It is able to convey countless emotions without 
saying a word. Expressions tell us the mood of the characters 
in the play. Some facial expressions are given below. The 
facial expressions are for happiness, sadness, anger, 
surprise, fear, and disgust. Look at the facial expressions 
and write which emotion do they express. 
___________ ___________ ___________
___________ ___________ ___________
Unit-9.indd   124 5/1/2023   11:24:10 AM
Reprint 2024-25
Unit 9 – The Pro Posal 125
Sentences
2.  You have read ‘The Proposal’, a one act play. It is a farce. 
The play is set in only one location, the drawing room of 
Chubukov’s house. All three characters in the play are 
quarrelsome people and they quarrel over petty issues. 
Lomov and Natalya start with the issue like a piece of land 
that is situated at the border between the two neighbors’ 
properties. The discussion turns into a quarrel and the 
marriage proposal is forgotten. They shout at each other. 
They are again dragged into an argument over the superiority 
of each other’s dogs. So, they drag their ancestors in their 
foolish quarrel. They again abuse each other and call 
names.
 Now, make groups of four and discuss the following 
points. While conducting the discussion, try to use the facial 
expressions given above.
•	 The marriage proposal is a mockery of romance and 
marriage in the upper class.
•	 The pride in property, even the superiority of dogs, take 
priority over love and marriage.
•	 The characters lack patience, stop listening to each other, 
and then contradict each other.
•	 Do you think these quarrels will promise a happy life?
•	 What qualities would you consider for a well-matched 
couple?
•	 Do you think all of us should know how to manage our 
anger?
Reading Comp Rehension 
t ext i How Can We Control Anger?
Do you get angry when your mother switches off the television? 
Do you get upset when you lose a game? Do you crib when your 
teacher does not pay attention to you? Most of us can have “yes” 
as an answer to one or more of these situations. Anger sometimes 
gets the better of us and leaves us to regret the consequences 
later. The question is ‘How can we control anger?’
Anger is a normal and healthy emotion only if we know how 
to respond to it. Uncontrolled anger can often harm us directly or 
Unit-9.indd   125 20-02-2023   09:48:34
Reprint 2024-25
Words and Expr Essions 2 – Class x 126
indirectly whether we realise or not.  Before we learn to address 
the issue, let us revisit the concept of anger. Anger is nothing but 
absence of peace with oneself, people or situations around us. 
We express it either by being assertive or aggressive.
Let us all become the managers of our own anger. When angry, 
take 	 a	 few	 moments	 to	 calm	 down	 (take 	 five 	 deep	 breaths,	 count 	
up to ten, drink water, change your place) before responding. 
More often than not we do not have control over the situations 
that distress us. Getting physically active reduces stress. Funny 
dances, clapping, thumping your feet, a walk, making funny 
faces at the mirror, etc., go a long way in helping us let go of the 
anger or the frustration inside us. Once we have our feelings 
under control, go through all the aspects of the situation and 
try to see the same situation from different perspectives. If it is a 
problem try to equip yourself with a few solutions before entering 
the same situation. Avoid holding a grudge with people and learn 
when to seek help from others. Realising your own shortcomings 
can become one of the greatest strengths of character over the 
years to come. 
We can never control circumstances, people or situations as 
they are constantly changing. The only thing we can control is 
our response. So we have to increase our capacity to tolerate, 
ability to understand, and learn to nurture love for others.
aggressive
assertive
consequences 
distress
grudge
uncontrolled 
Look Up 
and Understand Q.1. What do you understand by the word ‘anger’?
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
Q.2. List any four strategies to manage anger.
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
Q.3. How can you develop strengths of character as 
given in the passage above?
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
Unit-9.indd   126 20-02-2023   09:48:34
Reprint 2024-25
Unit 9 – The Pro Posal 127
Sentences
Q.4. Anger management helps you in (Tick the correct 
answer.) —
 (a) remaining always happy
 (b) developing strength of character
 (c) remaining stress free
 (d) learning how to respond to the situation
 Q.5. What is under our control? How can we make it a 
positive one?
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
t ext ii On Violence
There is a great deal of violence in the world. There is physical 
violence and also inward violence. Physical violence is to kill 
another, to hurt other people consciously, deliberately or without 
thought, to say cruel things, full of antagonism and hate and 
inwardly, inside the skin, to dislike people, to hate people, to 
criticise people. Inwardly, we are always quarrelling, battling, not 
only with others, but with ourselves. We want people to change, 
we want to force them to our way of thinking. 
In the world, as we grow up, we see a great deal of violence, at 
all levels of human existence. The ultimate violence is war — the 
killing for ideas, for so-called religious principles, for nationalities, 
the killing to preserve a little piece of land. To do that, man will 
kill, destroy, maim, and also be killed himself. There is enormous 
violence in the world, the rich wanting to keep people poor, and 
the poor wanting to get rich and in the process hating the rich. 
And you, being caught in society, are also going to contribute  
to this. 
There is violence between husband, wife, and children. There 
is violence, antagonism, hate, cruelty, ugly criticism, anger — all 
this is inherent in man, inherent in each human being. It is 
antagonism
consciously
deliberately
inherent
maim
Look Up 
and Understand Unit-9.indd   127 20-02-2023   09:48:34
Reprint 2024-25
Page 5


?
;
Unit 
9
The Pro Posal Let ’s Begin 1.  Facial expressions are non-verbal communications. These 
expressions play an important role in a play. They are 
powerful communication tools. The human face is extremely 
expressive. It is able to convey countless emotions without 
saying a word. Expressions tell us the mood of the characters 
in the play. Some facial expressions are given below. The 
facial expressions are for happiness, sadness, anger, 
surprise, fear, and disgust. Look at the facial expressions 
and write which emotion do they express. 
___________ ___________ ___________
___________ ___________ ___________
Unit-9.indd   124 5/1/2023   11:24:10 AM
Reprint 2024-25
Unit 9 – The Pro Posal 125
Sentences
2.  You have read ‘The Proposal’, a one act play. It is a farce. 
The play is set in only one location, the drawing room of 
Chubukov’s house. All three characters in the play are 
quarrelsome people and they quarrel over petty issues. 
Lomov and Natalya start with the issue like a piece of land 
that is situated at the border between the two neighbors’ 
properties. The discussion turns into a quarrel and the 
marriage proposal is forgotten. They shout at each other. 
They are again dragged into an argument over the superiority 
of each other’s dogs. So, they drag their ancestors in their 
foolish quarrel. They again abuse each other and call 
names.
 Now, make groups of four and discuss the following 
points. While conducting the discussion, try to use the facial 
expressions given above.
•	 The marriage proposal is a mockery of romance and 
marriage in the upper class.
•	 The pride in property, even the superiority of dogs, take 
priority over love and marriage.
•	 The characters lack patience, stop listening to each other, 
and then contradict each other.
•	 Do you think these quarrels will promise a happy life?
•	 What qualities would you consider for a well-matched 
couple?
•	 Do you think all of us should know how to manage our 
anger?
Reading Comp Rehension 
t ext i How Can We Control Anger?
Do you get angry when your mother switches off the television? 
Do you get upset when you lose a game? Do you crib when your 
teacher does not pay attention to you? Most of us can have “yes” 
as an answer to one or more of these situations. Anger sometimes 
gets the better of us and leaves us to regret the consequences 
later. The question is ‘How can we control anger?’
Anger is a normal and healthy emotion only if we know how 
to respond to it. Uncontrolled anger can often harm us directly or 
Unit-9.indd   125 20-02-2023   09:48:34
Reprint 2024-25
Words and Expr Essions 2 – Class x 126
indirectly whether we realise or not.  Before we learn to address 
the issue, let us revisit the concept of anger. Anger is nothing but 
absence of peace with oneself, people or situations around us. 
We express it either by being assertive or aggressive.
Let us all become the managers of our own anger. When angry, 
take 	 a	 few	 moments	 to	 calm	 down	 (take 	 five 	 deep	 breaths,	 count 	
up to ten, drink water, change your place) before responding. 
More often than not we do not have control over the situations 
that distress us. Getting physically active reduces stress. Funny 
dances, clapping, thumping your feet, a walk, making funny 
faces at the mirror, etc., go a long way in helping us let go of the 
anger or the frustration inside us. Once we have our feelings 
under control, go through all the aspects of the situation and 
try to see the same situation from different perspectives. If it is a 
problem try to equip yourself with a few solutions before entering 
the same situation. Avoid holding a grudge with people and learn 
when to seek help from others. Realising your own shortcomings 
can become one of the greatest strengths of character over the 
years to come. 
We can never control circumstances, people or situations as 
they are constantly changing. The only thing we can control is 
our response. So we have to increase our capacity to tolerate, 
ability to understand, and learn to nurture love for others.
aggressive
assertive
consequences 
distress
grudge
uncontrolled 
Look Up 
and Understand Q.1. What do you understand by the word ‘anger’?
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
Q.2. List any four strategies to manage anger.
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
Q.3. How can you develop strengths of character as 
given in the passage above?
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
Unit-9.indd   126 20-02-2023   09:48:34
Reprint 2024-25
Unit 9 – The Pro Posal 127
Sentences
Q.4. Anger management helps you in (Tick the correct 
answer.) —
 (a) remaining always happy
 (b) developing strength of character
 (c) remaining stress free
 (d) learning how to respond to the situation
 Q.5. What is under our control? How can we make it a 
positive one?
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
t ext ii On Violence
There is a great deal of violence in the world. There is physical 
violence and also inward violence. Physical violence is to kill 
another, to hurt other people consciously, deliberately or without 
thought, to say cruel things, full of antagonism and hate and 
inwardly, inside the skin, to dislike people, to hate people, to 
criticise people. Inwardly, we are always quarrelling, battling, not 
only with others, but with ourselves. We want people to change, 
we want to force them to our way of thinking. 
In the world, as we grow up, we see a great deal of violence, at 
all levels of human existence. The ultimate violence is war — the 
killing for ideas, for so-called religious principles, for nationalities, 
the killing to preserve a little piece of land. To do that, man will 
kill, destroy, maim, and also be killed himself. There is enormous 
violence in the world, the rich wanting to keep people poor, and 
the poor wanting to get rich and in the process hating the rich. 
And you, being caught in society, are also going to contribute  
to this. 
There is violence between husband, wife, and children. There 
is violence, antagonism, hate, cruelty, ugly criticism, anger — all 
this is inherent in man, inherent in each human being. It is 
antagonism
consciously
deliberately
inherent
maim
Look Up 
and Understand Unit-9.indd   127 20-02-2023   09:48:34
Reprint 2024-25
Words and Expr Essions 2 – Class x 128
inherent in you. And education is supposed to help you to go 
beyond all that, not merely to pass an examination and get a job. 
You have to be educated so that you become a really beautiful, 
healthy, sane, rational human being, not a brutal man with a 
very clever brain who can argue and defend his brutality. You 
are going to face all this violence as you grow up. You will forget 
all that you have heard here, and will be caught in the stream of 
society. You will become like the rest of the cruel, hard, bitter, 
angry, violent world, and you will not help to bring about a new 
society, a new world. 
But a new world is necessary. A new culture is necessary. 
The old culture is dead, buried, burnt, exploded, and vaporised. 
You have to create a new culture. A new culture cannot be 
based on violence. The new culture depends on you because the 
older generation has built a society based on violence, based on 
aggressiveness and it is this that has caused all the confusion, 
all the misery. The older generations have produced this world 
and you have to change it. You cannot just sit back and say, “I 
will follow the rest of the people and seek success and position.” 
If you do, your children are going to suffer. You may have a 
good time, but your children are going to pay for it. So, you 
have to take all that into account, the outward cruelty of man to 
man in the name of god, in the name of religion, in the name of 
self-importance, in the name of the security of the family. You 
will have to consider the outward cruelty and violence, and the 
inward violence which you do not yet know. 
(Source: ‘On Violence’, On Education by J. Krishnamurti)
Q.1. What is the physical violence that J. Krishnamurti 
is talking about?
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
Q.2. What is the violence that cannot be expressed?
  _____________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________
aggressiveness
brutality
exploded
vaporised
Look Up 
and Understand Unit-9.indd   128 20-02-2023   09:48:34
Reprint 2024-25