Page 196 - DENG203_ELECTIVE_ENGLISH_IV

Unit 10: Once There was a King by Rabindranath Tagore

Her readers - Referring back to the Grandmother. Notes
In an underhand way - Under the disguise of a fairy story.
Grandmother again - That is, in the old conditions when people were not too exacting about
accuracy.
Luckless grandson - A humorous way of referring to himself. The author had the misfortune to
be born in the modern age of science.
Seven wings - The word “wings” is here used, not for “wings” like those of birds, but for the
sides of a large building, projecting out at an angle from the main building.
But what is the use.... The author here breaks off the story, as though it were useless to go on any
further in these modern days when everything has to be scientifically proved.

Some “what then?” Some future existence about which explanations might be asked.
No grandmother of a grandmother - No one, however old.
Never admits defeat - Refuses to believe in death.

Teacher-less evening - Evening on which the teacher did not come.
Chamber of the great end - Death itself is referred to; it is the end of human life on earth and
what is beyond death is shut out from us.

Incantation - Sacred verses or mantras.

Self Assessment

Write the correct answer:
1. When was Rabindranath Tagore born?

(a) 7 May 1861 (b) 12 June 1858
(c) 22 March 1865 (d) 31 August 1871
2. Where was Rabindranath Tagore born?

(a) Calcutta (b) Murshidabad
(c) Serampore (d) Chandranagore

3. Which university was founded by Rabindranath Tagore?
(a) Benaras Hindu University (b) Calcutta University
(c) Visvabharati (d) Bombay University

4. In which year was Tagore awarded Nobel Prize for Literature?
(a) 1901 (b) 1913
(c) 1928 (d) 1930

5. When did Rabindranath Tagore die?
(a) 7 August 1941 (b) 21 June 1947
(c) 8 April 1936 (d) 18 August 1945

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