newspaper word

A bit further
A blunt message
A couple of months ago
A full bright scholarship
A goodish steps
A large order
A man of iron
A man of virtue
A master of public knowledge
A mare baby
A reign of terror
A small fry
Abatement	(Alleviation, Reducing)
Abduction
Abduct
Abetted
Abeyance

The Boy, the Dog and the Spaceship —Nicholas Fisk

Aboutthe author:

Nicholas Fisk, the pseudonym of David Higginbottom ( 1923-), is a British writer of science fiction, who wrote mainly for children. His works include Grinny, You Remember Me, Space Hostages and Trillions. His autobiography, Pig Ignorant covers the years of World War when he served in the Royal Air Force. After the World War, Fisk worked as a musician, journalist, and publisher. His most impressive work, A Rag, a Bone, and a Hank of Hair is a thrilling futuristic novel set at the end ofthe 22nd century. The above text is adapted from his short story The boy, the dog and the spaceship.

There was a spaceship hurtling through nothingness. It was making a desperate attempt to land on a strange planet.

There was a boy and his dog, running and rolling and chasing in a field. The boy's name was Billy. He was nine. His dog was called Scamp. They understood each other perfectly. Billy shouted at Scamp. He chased Scamp. The dog rolled his eyes, yelped with delight and ran.

ln the spaceship, the Captain contacted the robot engineer. The Captain barked, ”make your report”.

The engineer spoke, "Captain, we're going to be smashed."

The Captain pressed a button and immediately padded arms enfolded him. Soon he was completely encased in a puffy softness.

The ship hurtled on. In the control centre, the screens showed a green and blue planet with seas, clouds and land masses. The ship entered the earth's atmosphere. Its metal skin drove against the air and glowed dull red with heat.

The boy whistled for his dog. “Come on, Scamp.” He was proud of having such a well-trained dog. A minute later, they were wrestling in the grass. They stopped their wrestling-match and looked about them. "You heard it! It went sort of wheeeeooosh!” Billy said to Scamp. Scamp had located the noise; over there, by the dark trees.

The Captain had never before experienced a smash landing. “So that's what its like,” he thought. "l am alone, but I'm here as a conqueror. I will conqueror this planet. If there is a ruling species on this planet, I'll invade a creature of that species and thus become a ruler ofall,” the Captain said to himself. The spaceship opened up and the new conqueror of planet earth looked out.

Billy's mother was calling him back home. Billy called at Scamp. The dog's ears were pricked; his tail was high, his body alert.

The Captain found the planet's air breathable. He was wearing a special suit. When the Captain said, "run", the suit would run endlessly; if the Captain said, "climb", the suit would keep climbing for him.

The Captain had seen many worlds, explored many planets. He had never seen one like this. This world was bursting with life. The Captain saw something move, very fast, on several legs. Where he stood, the Captain was surrounded by vegetable richness. A vast green trunk sprang from the very soil near him. The Captain began to climb the trunk.

Scamp gave a yelp of ecstasy as he caught on to a smell. Scamp's black nostrils widened. He bounded towards the source ofthe smell. Billy's mother called, "Come on, now! Billy, come home and eat your supper." Billy yelled at Scamp. But Scamp did not hear.

The Captain was in a dense forest of green columns, all very much the same. He adjusted his helmet to take in air from outside. The air was perfumed and moist. On his own planet he had tasted such air and water onlv in laboratories. The Captain was struck by the inexhaustible richness of the planet. The Captain was pleased to think he was to be the conqueror of it.

Scamp had run over to where the Flying Object landed. There was a bad stench. Scamp licked the source of the smell. It was cold and hard. He picked up the object between his jaws.

Inside the spaceship, the Captain was terrified. He saw a huge monster, white, brown and black with legs, bite into the spaceship. The monster's face opened. It was pink inside and had pointed white mountains above and below.

The Captain instantly decided that the body of the monster must be entered. The Captain could then take over the control of its brain. After that, the invasion would follow its normal course. All species would eventually follow the Captain. Then the Captain would contact his home planet. Many more spaceships would come. The Captain’s race would have found a safe and permanent home.

The Captain slipped out of the spaceship and began climbing the neck of the monster. The brain ofthe monster was above its face. He came to a tunnel leading into the monster's head. He made himself comfortable at the entrance of the tunnel. He was beginning to control the monster's brain signals. "You will obey me," the Captain said. "You will obey me always."

Billy was puzzled, looking at Scamp. Scamp kept shaking his head and he was running. ”He’s got an insect in his ear," thought Billy, "or an itch." Scamp ran left and right and straight. He looked weird in the moonlight. Billy began to be frightened.

The Captain instructed the white, brown and black monster to halt. The Captain was surprised. "This upright monster just now arrived seems a superior creature, though they are almost the same size," thought the  Captain. "The upright creature is making audio signals and expects to be obeyed."

Billy shouted, ”Scamp! Come here when I call you." Scamp sat at a distance in the moonlight, motionless. His eyes looked strange.

”Which monster is the master?" the Captain asked himself. "l must get them to fight to see who wins." The Captain spoke to the dog's brain, "Attack! Attack the other creature there."

Scamp ran towards Billy. "Scamp!" Billy yelled, "Scamp!"

Scamp charged him snarling. Billy was hurled to the ground. The dog stood over him, jaws open, teeth bared. Billy was terrified. "Scamp!" he cried out. Inside the dog's head two voices boomed. One said, “Attack”; the other was an old, loved familiar voice, asking for help.

The dog paused. Billy had struck out his arms in fear. His fist hit the dog's ear. Something small fell to the ground unseen. Scamp said, ”Whoof!" and licked the boy's face. He wagged his tail and got off Billy's chest.

The boy and the dog ran off together across the moonlit field. Billy's mother was calling, ”Billy! Come home for supper!"

The Captain lay beside his spaceship at the edge of the trees. The spaceship was little, but marvelously made. Soon it would rust in the dew. The Captain lay vanquished with his dream of conquering the planet Earth.

On the Way to Pretoria —M. K. Gandhi

About the author:

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869 -1948) was one of the foremost leaders of Indian nationalist movement in British ruled India. He had great belief in non-violent freedom movement. In South Africa he led the resident Indian community's struggle against oppression and social exploitation. He was called ‘Mahatma’ worldwide for his selfless sacrifices and devotion to the nation. Gandhi was a prolific writer. He edited several newspapers including Indian Opinion while staying in South Africa. He also wrote several pamphlets and books like The Story of My Experiments with Truth, Satyagraha in South Africa etc. The above text is an extract from M. K. Gandhi’s The Story of My Experiments with Truth, Chapter 8, translated by Mahadev Desai.

On the seventh or eighth day after my arrival, I left Durban. A first class seat was booked for me. It was usual there to pay five shillings extra, if one needed a bedding. Abdulla Sheth insisted that I should book one bedding but, out of obstinacy and pride and with a view to saving five shillings, I declined. Abdulla Sheth warned me. "Look, now,” said he, ”this is a different country from India. Thank God, we have enough and to spare. Please do not stint yourself in anything that you may need." I thanked him and asked him not to be anxious.

The train reached Maritzburg, the capital of Natal, at about 9 p.m. Beddings used to be provided at this station. A railway servant came and asked me if I wanted one. “No,” said I, "l have one with me." He went away. But a passenger came next, and looked me up and down. He saw that I was a ‘coloured’ man. This disturbed him. Out he went and came in again with one or two officials. They all kept quiet, when another official came to me and said, "Come along, you must go to the van compartment."

“But I have a first class ticket," said I.

"That doesn't matter," rejoined the other. “I tell you, you must go to the van compartment."

“I tell you, I was permitted to travel in this compartment at Durban, and I insist on going on in it."

”No, you won't," said the official. "You must leave this compartment, or else I shall have to call a police constable to push you out."

“Yes, you may. I refuse to get out voluntarily.”

The constable came. He took me by the hand and pushed me out. My luggage was also taken out. I refused to go to the other compartment and the train steamed away. I went and sat in the waiting room, keeping my hand-bag with me, leaving the other luggage where it was. The railway authorities had taken charge of it.

It was winter, and winter in the higher regions of South Africa is severely cold. Maritzburg being at a high altitude, the cold was extremely bitter. My over-coat was in my luggage, but I did not dare to askfor it lest I should be insulted again, so I sat and shivered. There was no light in the room. A passenger came in at about midnight and possibly wanted to talk to me. But I was in no mood to talk. I began to think of my duty. Should I fight for my rights, or go back to India, or should I go on to Pretoria without minding the insults and return to India after finishing the case? It would be cowardice to run back to India without fulfilling my obligation.

The hardship to which I was subjected was superficial, only a symptom of the deep disease of colour prejudice. I should try, if possible, to root out the disease and suffer hardships in the process. Redress for wrongs I should seek only to the extent that would be necessary for the removal of the colour prejudice. So I decided to take the next available train to Pretoria.

The following morning I sent a long telegram to the General Manager of the Railway and also informed Abdulla Sheth, who immediately met the General Manager. The Manager justified the conduct of the railway authorities, but informed him that he had already instructed the Station Master to see that I reached my destination safely. Abdulla Sheth wired to the Indian merchants in Maritzburg and to friends in other places to meet me and look after me. The merchants came to see me at the station and tried to comfort me by narrating their own hardships and explaining that what had happened to me was nothing unusual. They also

said that Indians travelling first or second class had to expect trouble from railway officials and white passengers. The day was thus spent in listening to these tales of woe. The evening train arrived. There was a reserved berth for me. I now purchased at Maritzburg the bedding ticket I had refused to book at Durban.

The train took me to Charlestown.

Seasons and Time —William Barnes

About the poet :

William Barnes (1801 — 1886) was an English poet, writer and philologist. Amongst his most noted books of poetry are Poems of Rural Life in the Dorset Dialect and Hwomely Rhymes. His poems are characterized by a singular sweetness and tenderness of feeling, deep insight into humble country life and character, and an exquisite feeling for local scenery.

A while in the dead of the winter,

The wind hurries keen through the sunshine,

But finds no more leaves that may linger

On tree-boughs to strew on the ground.

Long streaks of bright snow-drift, bank shaded,

Yet lie on the slopes, under hedges;

But still on the road out to Thorndon

Would not wet a shoe on the ground.

The days, through the cold seems to strengthen,

Outlengthen their span, and the evening

Seeks later its westing,

To cast its dim hue on the ground.

Till tree-heads shall thicken their shadow

With leaves of a glittering greenness,

And daisies shall fold up their blossoms

At evening, in due on the ground .

And then, in the plum-warding garden,

Or shadowy orchard, the house-man

Shall smile at his fruit, really blushing,

Where sun heat shoots through on the ground .

What season do you feel the fairest

The season of sowing or growing,

Or season of mowing and ripeness,

When hay may lie new on the ground?

And like you the glittering morning,

And short-shaded noon, or the coming

Of slant-lighted evening, or moon,

When footsteps are few on the ground?

Summery of the poem:-

Or

Similar question:-(how does the poet William barnes describe nature in the poem the Seasons and times?​)

  written by William Barnes have a touch of the deep significance of nature.  Where in the poem "season and Times" in the same way different forms of nature are highlighted.  In this poem, the poet shows that when the leaves of a tree fall to the ground in the dead of winter, the light from the surrounding space escapes as fast as time through the sunlight, where the wind cannot survive in any tree, bush or slope because everything is empty for the winter.  In this situation, he waits, wearing without wet shoes  on the ground, for  to cross through the Thorndon road, to move westwards to become stronger, when the leaves of the trees will turn green, when the daisies will fold up their blossom, when the orchards will exaggerating fruit which people will be happy to see.

 In this case, the poet asks the readers which time do you like, when sowing the seeds, when the trees are growing or when the paddy is being harvested, when the straw is lying on the ground?  Or a small bright morning like yours, a small-shaded afternoon, or a half-eaten moonlit night, when there are few footprints on the ground.

I Want to Write —Margaret Walker

About the poet:

Margaret Walker (1915-1998) was an American poet and writer. She was part of the African-American literary movement in Chicago. Her notable works include the award-winning poem For My People and the novel Jubilee, set in the South during the American Civil War. This book is considered notable in African-American literature and Walker is an influential figure for younger authors. Walker became a literature professor at what is todaylackson State University, a historically ‘Black’ college, Where she taught from 1949 to 1979. In 1968, Walkerfounded the Institute for the Study of History, Life, and Culture of Black People (now the Margaret Walker Center).

I want to write

want to write the songs of my people.

I want to hear them singing melodies in the dark.

I want to catch the last floating strains from their sob-torn throats.

I want to frame their dreams into words; their souls into notes.

I want to catch their sunshine laughter in a bowl;

fling dark hands to a darker sky

and fill them full of stars

then crush and mix such lights till they become

a mirrored pool of the dawn.