Three Days to See

The TRUE statements are:

Statement 3: True. Helen Keller clearly states that on the first day she would want to see the people whose kindness and friendship have made her life worth living.

Statement 4: True. The author says, 'Only when darkness had again descended upon me should I realise how much I had left unseen,' which shows she acknowledges she cannot see everything in three days.

Statement 6: True. The author directly advises, 'Use your eyes as if tomorrow you would be stricken blind,' and applies the same advice to all other senses.

Statement 7: True. On the third day, the author plans to go into the busy city to observe ordinary people going about their daily lives and understand their experiences.

Statements 1, 2, and 5 are FALSE.
- Statement 1 is false because the author's deepest longing is for the sense of *sight*, not hearing.
- Statement 2 is false because the author wants to observe the joy and beauty of everyday life, not just suffering.
- Statement 5 is false because the author clearly states that *sight* must be the most delightful of all the senses.

| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 |
|---|---|---|
| See the people whose kindness and friendship have enriched her life; look into the faces of her dear ones to memorise them; see the books she has read; take a long walk in the woods and observe the beauty of nature — trees, flowers, the sky, and animals. | Arise with the dawn and see the miracle of night turning into day; behold the magnificent panorama of light as the sun awakens the earth; visit museums to see the pageant of man's progress — natural history, art museums, and the history of human civilisation. | Go into the city and observe ordinary people going about their daily lives; watch the busy streets, shops, and workers; visit a theatre or a movie to see how people entertain themselves; at midnight, take a final look at the world before darkness closes in again. |

Answer:

Even though Helen Keller is blind and deaf, she is able to understand the feelings of a person through the sense of touch. She can feel the expressions on a person's face by gently placing her hands on it. She can sense joy, sorrow, tension, or warmth through the texture and movement of a person's face and hands.

She also uses her sense of touch to feel the vibrations of a person's voice and laughter. Through a handshake or an embrace, she can feel whether a person is nervous, happy, or sad. Her other heightened senses — smell and the perception of warmth — also help her form an impression of a person's mood and character.

Thus, although she cannot see the 'windows of the soul' (the eyes), she compensates beautifully through touch and her other senses to understand the true feelings of the people around her.

Answer:

The 'delicate symmetry of a leaf' symbolises the perfect and intricate beauty of nature. It represents the orderly, balanced, and harmonious design found in even the smallest creations of nature. For Helen Keller, who cannot see, feeling this symmetry through touch conveys the same sense of wonder and appreciation that a sighted person would feel by looking at it. It also symbolises the idea that beauty can be perceived and appreciated through senses other than sight.

Answer:

The two phrases from the extract that describe the texture of objects in nature are:

1. 'smooth skin of a silver birch' — describing the smooth texture of the birch tree's bark.
2. 'rough, shaggy bark of a pine' — describing the coarse and uneven texture of the pine tree's bark.

Answer:

The phrase 'awakening Nature after her winter's sleep' refers to the arrival of spring, when nature comes back to life after the cold, dormant winter months — trees begin to bud, plants start to grow, and the world becomes active and vibrant again.

Correct Answer: C. admiring

Justification: The writer uses words like 'lovingly,' 'fortunate,' and 'happy quiver' to describe her experience of touching nature. She is filled with deep appreciation and wonder for the beauty and life she perceives through touch, which reflects an admiring tone throughout the extract.

Correct Answer: C. knowledge

Justification: The word 'thrilling' is used to describe something that causes excitement, suspense, or a strong emotional response. While a 'thrilling experience,' 'thrilling tale,' and 'thrilling adventure' are natural and common collocations, 'thrilling knowledge' does not fit naturally because knowledge is associated with learning and understanding, not with excitement or suspense.

Answer:

The writer refers to the earth as the 'sleeping earth' because at dawn, just before sunrise, the world is still quiet, dark, and at rest — much like a person who is asleep. Everything is calm and still. When the sun rises, it 'awakens' the earth, bringing light, warmth, colour, and activity to the world. This is a beautiful example of personification, where the earth is given human qualities (sleeping and waking) to describe the magical transformation from night to day.

Answer:

The writer wishes to dedicate the day to a brief look at the present and past world because she wants to understand the long journey of human civilisation — the struggles, achievements, and progress of mankind over centuries — and museums offer her the best opportunity to witness this pageant of history and human development in a single day.

Answer:

The writer uses 'should' multiple times in the extract because she is describing a hypothetical or imaginary situation — she is blind and is imagining what she *would* do *if* she were given the gift of sight for three days. The repeated use of 'should' (used here in the sense of 'would') expresses her wishes, intentions, and desires in a conditional context. It also gives the writing a reflective and longing quality, reminding the reader that these are dreams rather than reality.

Answer:

Helen Keller, who is both blind and deaf, demonstrates beautifully how the sense of touch compensates for the loss of sight and hearing. In the text, she describes how she feels the delicate symmetry of a leaf, the smooth skin of a silver birch, and the rough, shaggy bark of a pine — all experiences that a sighted person would gain through vision.

She also places her hand gently on a small tree and feels the happy quiver of a bird in full song, experiencing music and life through vibration and touch. She understands the feelings of people by touching their faces.

Thus, through touch, she is able to perceive beauty, texture, emotion, and even sound in her own way. Touch becomes her primary means of connecting with the world, making up for what she cannot see or hear.

Answer:

The author, Helen Keller, believes that the sense of sight is the most wonderful because it allows a person to take in the entire world at a glance — the beauty of nature, the expressions on people's faces, the colours of a sunrise, the grandeur of a city, and the richness of art and history.

She, being blind, has experienced the world only through touch, smell, taste, and hearing. She knows how much she has missed by not being able to see. She imagines that if she could see for just three days, she would be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of beauty and information that sight provides.

At the end of the essay, she concludes: 'But of all the senses, I am sure that sight must be the most delightful.' This conviction comes from her deep longing for sight and her understanding that it is the sense that most fully reveals the world's beauty and complexity.

Answer:

Helen Keller's message urges us to appreciate and use our senses fully, as if we might lose them tomorrow. This perspective can guide us to be kinder towards people with special abilities in the following ways:

1. Developing empathy: When we imagine losing a sense, we begin to understand the challenges faced by those who have already lost one. This builds empathy and compassion.

2. Recognising their strength: Keller herself shows that people with disabilities develop extraordinary abilities in their remaining senses. We learn to admire and respect their resilience.

3. Avoiding assumptions: We stop assuming that people with disabilities cannot lead full, meaningful lives. Keller's rich inner world teaches us that ability is not limited to physical senses.

4. Offering support: Understanding their world motivates us to create inclusive environments and offer help without pity, but with genuine respect.

Thus, the author's message encourages gratitude, empathy, and kindness towards all people.

Answer:

According to Helen Keller, imagining the loss of a sense is a powerful way to make us truly appreciate what we have. Most people take their senses for granted and go through life without fully experiencing the beauty and richness that their senses offer them.

By imagining that we might go blind tomorrow, we would look at the world with fresh, grateful eyes — noticing the faces of loved ones, the colours of nature, and the beauty of art as if for the first time. Similarly, imagining deafness would make us listen more carefully to music, birdsong, and the voices of those we love.

The significance, therefore, is that this exercise of imagination transforms our attitude from indifference to gratitude, from carelessness to mindfulness. It teaches us to 'make the most of every sense' and to 'glory in all the facets of pleasure and beauty' that the world offers us. It is a call to live more consciously and thankfully.

Answer:

The author, Helen Keller, encourages people to approach their everyday sensory experiences with mindfulness, gratitude, and urgency. Her key advice is:

- 'Use your eyes as if tomorrow you would be stricken blind.'
- 'Hear the music of voice, the song of a bird...as if you would be stricken deaf tomorrow.'
- 'Touch each object as if tomorrow your tactile sense would fail.'
- 'Smell the perfume of flowers, taste with relish each morsel, as if tomorrow you could never smell and taste again.'

In other words, she encourages people to live in the present moment and experience each sensation fully and consciously, rather than rushing through life without noticing the beauty around them. She urges everyone to 'make the most of every sense' and to find joy and wonder in the ordinary experiences of daily life that most people overlook.

Answer:

Helen Keller's choices for the three days reveal a great deal about her values and priorities:

1. People and relationships come first: On Day 1, she chooses to look at the faces of her dear friends and loved ones. This shows that she values human connection and love above all else.

2. Love of nature: She also wants to spend time in the woods, observing trees, flowers, and animals. This reflects her deep appreciation for the natural world.

3. Curiosity and love of learning: On Day 2, she visits museums to understand the history and progress of mankind. This shows her intellectual curiosity and respect for human achievement.

4. Interest in ordinary human life: On Day 3, she wants to observe everyday people in the city — workers, shoppers, and theatre-goers. This reflects her democratic values and genuine interest in all human beings, regardless of their status.

5. Gratitude and spirituality: Her first act would be to look at the face of her teacher, Anne Sullivan, showing deep gratitude.

Overall, her choices show that she values love, nature, knowledge, and humanity most deeply.

| Column 1 | Column 2 (from the text) | Column 3 (new words) |
|---|---|---|
| What you see | panorama, light, dawn, symmetry, smooth skin, shaggy bark | glittering, vivid, radiant, colourful, sparkling |
| What you hear | music, song (of a bird), strains (of an orchestra), voice, quiver | melody, rhythm, whisper, rustle, echo |
| What you smell | perfume (of flowers) | fragrance, aroma, scent, whiff, odour |
| What you taste | relish, morsel | sweet, bitter, tangy, savoury, flavour |
| What you feel | rough, smooth, shaggy, delicate, tactile | soft, velvety, coarse, warm, silky |

1. 'can' — Ability
The modal verb 'can' here expresses the *ability* or capacity to learn from the experience.

2. 'might' — Possibility
The modal verb 'might' expresses the *possibility* that they may arrive late; it is not certain.

3. 'must' — Necessity
The modal verb 'must' expresses *necessity* or compulsion — finishing homework before dinner is required.

4. 'ought to' — Moral obligation
The modal verb 'ought to' expresses a *moral obligation* — it is the right and proper thing for them to apologise.

5. 'would' — Polite request
The modal verb 'would' is used here to make a *polite request* in a courteous and formal manner.

1. (i) May I leave early today if I finish all my tasks?
Function: 'May' is used to seek *permission* politely.

2. (ii) I must finish this report by tomorrow.
Function: 'Must' expresses *obligation* — it is necessary to complete the report.

3. (iii) You should consider all the pros and cons before making a decision.
Function: 'Should' is used to give *advice*.

4. (iv) It might rain later today.
Function: 'Might' expresses *possibility* — there is a chance of rain but it is not certain.

5. (v) Could you pass the salt, please?
Function: 'Could' is used to make a *polite request*.

6. (vi) You ought to apologise for the mistake you made.
Function: 'Ought to' expresses *moral obligation* — it is the right thing to do.

7. (vii) We could go to any park nearby for picnic.
Function: 'Could' is used here as a *suggestion*, indicating one of the possible options.

Note: This is a listening activity based on an audio transcript provided to the teacher. Based on the typical content of such conversations in NCERT textbooks at this level, the four TRUE statements are:

| Statement | True or False |
|---|---|
| 1. Anuj finds the concept of Braille fascinating and wants to learn more about it. | True |
| 2. Mother is unsure of the school's efforts to include students with visual impairment. | False |
| 3. Anuj initially thinks that Digital India is only about learning how to use computers. | True |
| 4. Mother believes that screen readers are very effective for persons who are visually impaired. | True |
| 5. Anuj already knew that persons who are visually impaired can use computers and smartphones. | False |
| 6. Anuj wants to know about the effectiveness of assistive technologies for persons who are visually impaired. | True |
| 7. Mother believes a right mindset is the best support for persons who are visually impaired. | False |

The four TRUE statements are: 1, 3, 4, and 6.

*(Students should verify these answers after listening to the actual audio/transcript provided by the teacher, as the final answers depend on the recorded conversation.)*

Sample Response (Sense of Sight):

I value my sense of sight the most because it allows me to experience the world in all its colour, beauty, and detail.

One of my favourite experiences is watching the sunrise from my terrace every morning. The sky turns from deep blue to shades of orange, pink, and gold, and the world slowly comes to life around me.

This is so because the sight of a new day beginning fills me with hope, energy, and gratitude. I appreciate being able to see the smiling faces of my family, the pages of my favourite books, the green trees swaying in the breeze, and the stars on a clear night.

God forbid, if I were to lose the sense of sight, it would make me feel lost, frightened, and deeply sad. I would not be able to read, draw, watch films, or recognise the faces of the people I love.

I thank God every day that I am able to see this beautiful world, and after reading Helen Keller's essay, I have promised myself to never take this precious gift for granted.

Tips for speaking:
- Speak clearly and at a moderate pace.
- Make eye contact with your partner.
- Use natural gestures to express your feelings.
- Glance at your notes but do not read from them directly.

Sample Descriptive Paragraph:

A Morning at the Botanical Garden

The moment I stepped through the iron gates of the Botanical Garden, I felt as though I had walked into a living painting. The garden stretched before me like a green ocean, with trees of every shape and size swaying gently in the morning breeze. The air was thick with the sweet perfume of roses and jasmine, and every breath felt like a gift. Colourful butterflies danced from flower to flower, their wings shimmering like tiny pieces of stained glass in the sunlight. The soft crunch of gravel beneath my feet and the cheerful chirping of sparrows overhead created a symphony of simple, perfect sounds. In one corner, a fountain murmured quietly, its cool mist settling on my skin like a gentle whisper. I tasted the freshness of the air itself — clean, earthy, and alive. The garden was a world unto itself, where time seemed to slow down and every sense was awakened. If you ever feel overwhelmed by the noise and rush of city life, a morning at the Botanical Garden will remind you that nature's beauty is always waiting, patient and generous, just beyond the gate.

Note to students: Replace the above place with a place you have actually visited. Use your own sensory memories to make the paragraph personal and vivid.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities

When is it observed?
The International Day of Persons with Disabilities is observed every year on 3rd December. It was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1992.

How is it observed in India?
- The Government of India, through the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, organises special events and programmes on this day.
- Awards and recognition are given to outstanding persons with disabilities and organisations working for their welfare.
- Schools and colleges hold awareness programmes, cultural events, debates, and exhibitions to promote inclusion and sensitivity.
- The government highlights its schemes such as Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan), which aims to make public spaces, transport, and digital platforms accessible to persons with disabilities.
- Rallies, workshops, and seminars are organised across the country to spread awareness about the rights and abilities of persons with disabilities.
- The theme changes every year, focusing on different aspects of disability inclusion.

Key message: The day reminds us that persons with disabilities have equal rights and immense potential, and society must work together to remove barriers and create an inclusive world for everyone.

About Indian Sign Language (ISL):

Indian Sign Language (ISL) is the primary language used by the Deaf community in India. It is a complete, natural language with its own grammar, vocabulary, and syntax — it is not simply a signed version of spoken Hindi or English.

Key facts about ISL:
- ISL uses hand shapes, facial expressions, and body movements to communicate.
- It was officially recognised as a language in India, and the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) was established to promote it.
- ISL has a dictionary of over 10,000 signs covering everyday words, academic terms, and professional vocabulary.
- The NCERT link provided contains 200 commonly used ISL words that students can learn to communicate with Deaf peers.
- Learning even a few signs can help hearing students include and communicate with classmates who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Activity suggestion: Visit the link, learn 5–10 basic signs (such as greetings, numbers, and common words), and practise them with your classmates. This is a wonderful step towards building an inclusive classroom community.