Classroom Assignment 3

Read the following passage carefully.

"Next, is the turn of the knife," announced Grandmother

after pouring mustard oil onto her palms and rubbing it

uniformly on both her hands. You see the blade also

needs a generous coating ofthe oil.

I continued to marvel at the way she was making

preparations for the final act. The same knife that looked

so scary when it was lying beside the other kitchen

utensils looked like a toy in her skillful hands. There

wasn't a drop of oil on the floor, neither was there any oil

on her clothes or her gold bangles.

Five pairs of anxious eyes watched her every move.

Turning to me, the eldest, she said, "Come, show me your

palms. Let me apply some oil." I was dumbstruck. I

couldn't believe that I was going to be a part of this! At

a ripe 'old' age of ten, that was an honour indeed. I

suddenly felt grown up and ready to take in the world.

Q1: Tick (V) the correct option for each of the following questions/statements.

(a) What did Grandmother do to the knife?

(i) she made it look dangerous

(ii) she applied oil on it

(iii) she dropped it on the floor

(iv) she put it beside the kitchen utensils

Ans: She applied oil on it.

(b) Besides the author, how many children were watching Grandmother at work? 

(i)  4

(ii) 5

(iii) 6

(iv)  3

Ans: (i )Four pairs of eyes, which means four children (besides the author).

(c) In the expression 'a part of this!' (Paragraph 3), 'this' refers to 

(i) the act of holding the knife 

(ii) the act of oiling the knife   

(iii) the act of cutting the jackfruit 

 (iv) the act of applying oil on palms 

Ans: the act of cutting the jackfruit 

(d) Grandmother had a way of doing that to you (Paragraph 4). Here 'that' refers to

(i) interfering in others' matters

(ii) making others feel special 

(iii) handling knives and utensils

(iv) cutting vegetables

Ans: Making others feel special.

 (e) The author's attitude towards her grandmother is one of

(i) suspicion

(ii) criticism

(iii) jealousy

(iv) admiration

Ans:  Admiration.

(f) Which of the following is the MOST IMPORTANT element in the story above?

(i) laughter

(ii) violence

(iii) suspense

(iv) disbelief

Ans: Suspense

(g) Which of the following adequately replaces, "I was dumbstruck"?

(i) I was terribly afraid and started trembling. 

(ii) I became irritated and annoyed. 

(iii) I was so excited that I started jumping with joy. 

(iv) I was so surprised and shocked that I couldn't speak a word.

Ans:  I was so surprised and shocked that I couldn't speak a word.

Q2: Answer the following questions as briefly as possible.

(a) " ..... she was making preparations for the final act" (Paragraph 2). What 'final act' is the

author referring to? 

Ans: "...she was making preparations for the final act" (Paragraph 2). What 'final act' is the author referring to?

The final act refers to the culmination of the preparations that the grandmother was making, which is the cutting of the jackfruit.

(b) What textual evidence can you give in support of the view that grandmother was very good at kitchen work? 

The textual evidence is the author's observation that the knife, which seemed scary among the kitchen utensils, looked like a toy in the grandmother's skillful hands, and that there was no mess of oil on the floor or her clothes, showing her expertise and cleanliness.

(c)Why did the author feel honoured? 

Ans: The author felt honored because the grandmother turned to the author, who was the eldest of the children, to participate in the preparation by offering to apply oil on the author's palms. Given the context and the grandmother's meticulous and skillful way of handling the preparations, being invited to take part was likely seen as a sign of trust and a rite of passage, as the author was only ten years old and yet was being included in an important family ritual.