Three Days to See — NCERT Solutions

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.

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:

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.