COORG

  Coorg

1. Where is Coorg?

Coorg is situated in Karnataka. It rests midway between Mysore and the coastal town of Mangalore.

2. What is the story about the kodavu people’s descent/

It is believed that kodavu people are possible of greek or Arabic descent. It is said that a part of Alexander’s army moved south along the coast and settled in Coorg when return become impractical. The people then married amongst the locals and their culture is apparent in the martial traditions, marriage, and religious rites, which are distinct from the Hindu mainstream. The traditional Coorg dress kuppia lends support to the Arabic descent theory as it bears a close resemblance to the Kuffia worn by the Arabs.

3. What are some of the things you know about?

1. The people of Coorg.

2. The main crop of Coorg

3. The sports it offers to tourists.

4. The animals you are likely to see in Coorg.

5. Its distance from Bangalore and how to get there.

1. The people of Coorg:- are part of a proud race of martial men and beautiful women. It is believed. It is believed that kodavu people are possible of Greek or Arabic descent. The people of Coorg have a great tradition of Hospitality.

2. The main crop of Coorg;- Coffee is the main crop of Coorg and coffee plantation is abundant in Coorg.

3. The sports it offers to tourists:- Coorg offers a number of adventure sports to the tourists. This includes river rafting, canoeing rock climbing, rappelling, and mountain biking.

4. The animals you are likely to see in Coorg:-  Macaques, Malabar, squirrels, and slender loris are widely found in Coorg. Kingfisher and Mahaseer are also present along with the domesticated one.

5. Its distance from Bangalore and how to get there - Coorg lies at a distance of 260kms Bangalore, Madikeri, the district headquarters is the only gateway to Coorg, the nearest airports being Mangalore and Bangalore, and the nearest railroads are at Mysore, Mangalore, and Hassan. While via road Coorg can be reached via Mysore, Neelamangal, Kunigal, and Chanarayanapatna.

1. Give a brief description of Coorg?

Coorg is the smallest district in the state of Karnataka and is situated between Mysore and the coastal town of Mangalore. It is famous for its rainforests and spices. It is also home to rich coffee.

Though it has heavy rainfall during the monsoon, the weather is very pleasant from September to March.  The topography is of rolling hills making the district appear like a piece of haven moreover it is enriched by the presence of the river Kaveri. Coffee plantation, colonial bungalows a covering of tree canopies make the place mystical. The forests are the home to animals like macaques, squirrels, langurs, slender loris, and many birds, bees, and butterflies.

2. Which according to the author is the best month of seasonal joy in Coorg? Why?

According to the author, the season of joy starts from the month of September and continues till the month of March in Coorg. These are called ‘months of joy’ because the weather is perfect during this time of the year, occasional showers enhance the beauty of the place, and there a smell of invigorating smell of coffee makes everyone feel energized. 

3. What is the kuppia? Describe it. What is it similar to?

Kuppia is a piece of clothing worn by the people of Coorg. It consists of a long black coat with an

Embroidered waist-belt. It is similar to the kuffia worn by the Arabs and the Kurds.

4. What is the significance of Coorg in the Indian Army?

Coorgies are known for their valor and the Coorg regiment of the Indian Army is one of the most decorated regiments, i.e many of its soldiers have received awards for their bravery in war. Moreover, the first chief of the Indian Army, General Cariappa, was a Coorgi.

5. Where does the river Kaveri get its water from? Describe a scene around the river.

The river Kaveri gets its water from the hills and forests of Coorg. The river has a large number of Mahseer fish and kingfishers can be seen diving into the waters to catch a fish. Squirrels and languors are seen dropping half-eaten fruit into the waters of river to enjoy the splashing sound and rippling effect they create. Elephants too are bathed in the river by the mahuts.

6. If a person was of a relaxed nature what would you expect him to do in Coorg.

Even a person of the most relaxed nature would adopt a life of high activity in Coorg. This is because of the adventure activities available there. The vast choice of river rafting, canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing and mountain biking could tempt one to give up doing nothing abd take up these activities. Trekking  would be another activity as Croog has a large number of walking trails.

7. Who wrote the prose piece ‘Coorg?’

The prose piece Coorg was written by Lokesh Abrol.

8. What is Coorg home to?

The Coorg is home to coffee plantation, rainforesetand fiercely independent men and beautiful women.

9. What is the other name of Coorg?

The other name of Coorg is Kodagu.

10. What covers the thirty percent of Coorg district?

The rainforest covers the thirty percent of the Coorg districts.

11. Which crops are grown in coorg in planty?

Coffee is grown in planty in Coorg.

12. What is kuppia?

Kuppia is an embroidered waist belt worn by kodavus.

13. What is Kuffia?

Kuppia is an embroidered waist belt worn by Arabs and Kurds.

14. What status do Kodavus enjoy in India?

Kodavus are the only people permitted to carry fire arms without licence.

15. Name the river in Coorg?

The river in Coorg is ‘Kaveri’

16. Name the large fresh water fish in the river in Coorg?

The name of the fresh water fish that is found in the river of Coorg is Mahaseer.

17. Name the birds and animals found in Coorg?

Squirrels, langurs, elephants, maqaques are the animals are the animals in Coorg and kingfisher is one of the birds found on Coorg.

18. Where from one can have a view of a wide area of Coorg?

From Brahmagiri hills one can have a wide area of Coorg.

19. Name the island in Coorg?

The name of island in Coorg Nisargandhama.

20. Where Indias largest Tibetan settlement?

Island of Nisargandhama is the Indias largest Tibetan settlement.

21. Describe in brief Coorg as presented in the opening paragraph?

Coorg is situated in between Mysore and the coastal town Mangalore. It is so beautiful that it has been compared with a piece of God’s own kingdomand it is named as land of rolling hills. It is inhabited by proud martial men, beautiful women and wild animals.

22. Where coorg is situated? What is so significant about it as a place describing to be visited?

Coorg is situated between Mysore and coastal town of mangalore.

It significance lies in its beauty that can be compared with God’s own kingdom,  the hospitality of Coorgi people, the adventure and high energy it provides in the form of river rafting, hill climbing, canoeing and mountain biking. It also provides visitors with numerous walking trails.  Moreover a walk across the rope bridge that leads to sixty-four acre island of Nisargandhama and the largest Tibetan settlement near Bylakuppe is abonous. All these worth a visit.

23. Explain in brief about Coorgi people’s valour and bravery?

Coorgi people are very willing to recount numerous tales of valour related to their sons and fathers. The Coorg regiment in the Indian army is one of the most decorated regiments. And first chief of Indian army General Cariappa was a coorgi. Even now Coorgi people are the only people in India permitted to carry fire arms.

24. How is the wild life of Coorg?

Coorg is the smallest district of Karnataka, rainforests cover thirty percent of the district. Kaveri river flows through it. It gets its water from the hills and forest. Mahaseer- a large fresh water fish, is abound in these water. Kingfisher dive for their catch. Monkeys and Squirrels drop partially eaten fruits for the mischief of enjoying the splash and ripple effect of clear water. Elephants also enjoy being rubbed and bathed by their mahuts.

  Besides these various birds, bees and butterflies enrich the wild life of Coorg.

25. What is the adventure that is available in Coorg?

The high energy adventure available in Coorg includes river rafting, Canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing and mountain biking and trekking.

26. How can one have panoramic view of Coorg?

By climbing the Brahmagiri hills one can have the panoramic view of Coorg.

 

Amanda- Questions & Answers

 Amanda

1. Who is the writer of the poem ‘Amanda’?

Robin Klein is the writer of the poem Amanda.

2. How old do you think Amanda is? How do you know this/

I think Amanda is a school-going teenager.

This is reflected in the fact that she is being asked to do her homework, and clean her room. A younger child would have been helped by his parents with all these and not expected to do all this on her own. Moreover, she seems to be suffering from acne, a skin condition found in teenagers.

3. Who do you think about speaking to her?

I believe that it is Amanda’s mother speaking to her.

4. What could Amanda do if she were a mermaid?

If Amanda were a mermaid she could drift around in a calm sea, away from the interference and scolding of elders.

5. Is Amanda an orphan? Why did she say so?

No, Amanda is not an orphan.

She says so because she wants to be alone. She wants to roam around the street alone and pattern dust with her bare feet, she finds ‘silence’ golden and ‘freedom’ sweet. It is, for this reason, that she calls herself an orphan.

6. Do you know the story of Repunzel? Why does she want to be Repunzel?

Repunzel is the story of a girl with long and beautiful hair, she was imprisoned in a high tower by a witch. To allow anyone in the tower she would let down her long hair and the person would climb up using that.

Amanda wants to be a Repunzel so that she could live all by herself in her own tower, where she would not be expected to follow her elder’s orders. She felt that if she were a Repunzel, she could live a peaceful life.

7. What does the girl yarn for? What does the poem tell you about Amanda?

The girl, that is Amanda yarns for privacy and for her independence. She wants solitude and peace.

From the poem, we understood that Amanda is a free-spirited girl who like any teenager resents being scolded every time and being told what to do and how to do it. She also has a very rich imagination, seeing herself in all sorts of fairytales, and situations where she could just be herself.

8.  According to Amanda what she could do if she were.

1. A mermaid.

2. An orphan

3. Rapunzel

What is common between all three of Amanda’s fantasies. 

1. If Amanda were a mermaid she would like to be the lone mermaid in the calm deep green sea. Where she would happily move about from one place to another.

2. If Amand were an orphan she would roam through the streets, making patterns on the soft dust with her feet. She would wander through the streets enjoying the silence and enjoying her freedom.

3. If Amanda were Repunzel, she would live by herself all alone in her tower without a worry about anything. She would also never let her hair down to let anyone come up to her.

In all three of Amanda’s fantasies, her desire to be free and move away from her elder’s dictates is the common feature,

9. What is the instruction Does Amanda get about her posture.

Amanda is asked not to sit with her shoulders hunched, not to slump on her seat, and sit up straight.

10.  What all is Amanda asked to clean and tidy up.

Amanda is asked to clean her shoes and tidy up her room.

11. Do you think the speaker has the habit of nagging or is she forced to nag by Amanda.

I think the speaker is forced to ‘nag’ by Amanda because Amanda does not respond to her dictates and does not even look at her when she is speaking. Getting no result the speaker is forced to repeat what she had said earlier and appeared to be nagging.

12. What is a mermaid?  What could Amanda do if she were a mermaid?

A mermaid is a mythical female half-human and half-fish.

If she were a mermaid she could drift swiftly alone in the deep green sea.

13. What does Amanda imagine doing as an orphan?

Amanda imagined that if she were an orphan. She would roam through the streets and make patterns on the soft dust with her bare feet and will enjoy the silence and freedom.

14. Why is Amanda asked not to have chocolates?

Amanda has a problem of acne so she is asked not to have chocolates.

15. Why does Amanda wish to be Repunzel?

Amanda wishes to be Repunzel so that she could live in solitude in her tower without any worries.

 

The Mid Night Visitor

 The midnight visitor

1. How did Ausable different from other secret agents?

Ausable was different from other agents in many ways. He is different from the other secret agents in his appearance and behavior. While secret agents are thought to be fit, suave, and mysterious, Ausable was fat, spoke French and German passably, and had an American accent, though he lived in Paris for over twenty years. Instead of getting a message slipped into his hands by dark-eyed beauties, he got only a telephone call making an appointment. In this way, he is different from the conventional notion of a spy.

2. Who is Fowler and what was his first authentic thrill of the day?

Fowler is a writer and he had come to meet Ausable.

Fowler's first authentic thrill of the day comes when he sees a man in Ausable’s room pointing a pistol towards Ausable and himself.

3. How has Max got in?

 Max got in by using a pass key to open the door.

4. How does Ausable say he (Max) got in?

Ausable said Max had gotten in using the adjacent balcony. He said that it was the second time in the month that someone had gotten into his room using the balcony.

5. “ Ausable did not fit any description of secret agents Fowler had ever read” what do secret agents in books and films look like, in your opinion. Discuss in groups or in class some of the stories or movies featuring spies, and detectives and compare them with that of Ausable.

Secrets agents in the books and films are shown as tall,  muscular, and smart. They have eyes that twinkle with wit and intelligence. They are very swift in their reaction.

If we consider James Bond, we can imagine a person with a person with great personality, great memory, and observing power. He is very fit and active and can adapt to any condition. Or situation. On the other hand, Ausable was very fat and completely opposite to our imagination but had shown the power of his presence of mind, which is expected from a secret agent.

6. How does Ausable manage to make Max believe that there is a balcony attached to his room?

Ausable created a convincing story about the presence of a balcony. He said it was the second time in the month someone has entered his room through the balcony. On being questioned by Max about the balcony, he replied with extreme irritation that it is not his balcony. This reaction was natural and convinced Max. He further explained to Max that his room was earlier a part of a larger unit and the adjoining room was one that had a balcony. He said it extends under his window. His manner of description and speaking convinced Max that there was indeed a balcony under his window.

7. Looking back at the story when do you think Ausable thought up his plan to get rid of Max. Do you think he had worked out his plan in detail right from the beginning? Or did he make up a plan to take advantage as they happened?

Ausable was a very smart, intelligent, and quick-secret agent. Though taken by surprise by Max’s presence in his room, he knew he had to get him out of there, having already ordered a drink and knowing that the waiter would be coming within a few minutes. Ausable used that to think up a plan to get rid of Max. So he probably worked the outline of the plan between entering the room and seeing Max there to the time he sat down on the sofa. He then took advantage of the events as they happened and using his quick wit and the easy stance he successfully got rid of Max

8. Who is Fowler? Give a description of his meeting with Ausable.

Fowler is a young and romantic writer.

Fowler was very disappointed when he first met with Ausable, as Ausable doesn't fit the idea of a secret agent that fowler had ever read in books. First of all, Ausable was fat, very fat whereas we assume a secret agent to be fit and muscular. Moreover, he lives on the sixth floor of a French hotel which is musty and gloomy. Ausable can passably speak french and german but with the influence of his American accent, even though he has been living in Paris for the last twenty years.

Fowler was also disappointed because he envisioned Ausable to deal with espionage and danger. Instead, he had to spend a dull evening in a French music hall, where all Ausable did was made an appointment in his room over a prosaic telephone.

Fowler had his first authentic thrill of the day when he met with a gun pointing at them and he witnessed how smartly Ausable got rid of him. Just by his presence of mind and his story-making skill.

9. Why did Fowler let down by Ausable?

Fowler was a writer and he came to Ausable expecting a thrilling and interesting secret agent’s story but he felt let down by Ausable’s appearance and actions. Whereas secret agents are thought to be mysterious, fit, and suave Ausable was completely the opposite.

10. Who was Ausable? Give a brief description of Ausable?

Ausable was a secret agent, who had been living in Paris for twenty years.

Ausable was very fat. Though he could speak German and French passably but with the influence of his American accent.

11. What does the phrase ‘raise the devil’ imply? Why does Ausable say that he would ‘rise the devil’ with the management? Does he really intend to do so?

‘To raise the devil’ means to confront someone or complain about something very strongly and emphatically.

  When Ausable Sees Max has broken into the room he says that he will raise the devil with the management to make them answer how his room has been broken into twice a month. He said that a balcony outside that had made it possible but the management was supposed to block it off.

No, he does not really intend to confront the management because he had made the whole story and there was no balcony outside.

12. Briefly describe how Ausable defeated Max’s scheme to take away the report.

Ausable was a very smart and intelligent secret agent.

When he saw ‘Max’ in his room he was taken by surprise. But he managed to get rid of him by dint of his presence of mind. Ausable knew that Max had broken into his room. Only for the important report which contained information about some important

Missiles that will be brought to Ausable by someone.

Ausable knew that his room is on the sixth floor and he decided to bluff Max by making a story. So he stated to Max, who has broken into his room by a passkey that there is a balcony which is a part of the next building and this is the second time in the month that someone had broken into his room using this balcony, and management had promised to block it off, but they didn’t. So he will ‘raise a devil’ with the management. By his way of speaking, he convinced Max that there was a balcony indeed. Ausable was anticipating Henry with a drink, When henry knocked on the door, Ausable convinced max that it was the police. In order to hide in the non-existing balcony, he fell down from the sixth floor and died. In this way, Ausable defeated Max’s scheme to take away the report.

 

13. Give a description of Max’s conversation with Ausable 

When Ausable and Fowler reached the sixth floor and Ausable switched on the light, they found Max already present there. Ausable was surprised to find max in his room as he thought to be in Berlin, so he asked Max what he was doing in his room.

Max replied that he had come here to take the reports containing important information about the missile, that Ausable will receive tonight. Then Ausable moved to the armchair and said irritatingly that he would raise a devil with the management as it was the second time someone had broken into his room using the balcony that belongs to the next apartment. Max was surprised to know that there was a balcony and he said that it would have saved him some trouble if he would have known about the balcony. Ausable further explained that it was not his balcony rather it belongs to the next apartment. By his way of speaking Ausable made Max believe that there was a balcony under his window. When the waiter knocked on the door Ausable told max that it was the police whom he had asked to check on him for extra protection. Ausable warned Max that if he did not answer the door the police will enter anyway, and they will not hesitate to shoot Max. Mas also warned Ausable that if he did not send the police away he will shoot and take the chances.