Mridu is a young girl growing up in Madras (now called Chennai) with Tapi, her grandmother, and Thatha, her grandfather. One afternoon Tapi takes her to her aunt Rukku Manni’s house to meet her cousins Lalli, Ravi and Meena.

Above lines are copied exactly as provided. • ऊपर की पंक्तियाँ ज्यों-की-त्यों रखी गई हैं।

English

Mridu visits Rukku Manni’s home where Ravi and Meena secretly keep a kitten named Mahendran. Ravi imagines a royal ancestry for it, while Lalli struggles to learn the violin from a stern music-master. When a beggar arrives, the children pity his blistered feet and give him a sturdy old pair of chappals from the verandah—actually the music-master’s. Upset, Rukku Manni finally replaces them with Gopu Mama’s almost-new chappals. Later she laughs, thinking of Gopu Mama’s reaction. The story highlights kindness, honesty, and thinking before acting.

हिंदी

मृदु रुक्कु मणि के घर जाती है। रवि-मीना ने एक बिल्ली के बच्चे महेन्द्रन को छिपाकर रखा है। रवि उसकी शाही वंशावली की कल्पनाएँ करता है, जबकि लल्ली सख्त संगीत-अध्यापक से वायलिन सीखने में जूझती है। एक भिखारी आता है; बच्चे उसके फफोलेदार पैरों पर तरस खाकर बरामदे से एक मज़बूत पुरानी चप्पल दे देते हैं—जो वास्तव में संगीत-अध्यापक की होती है। रुक्कु मणि खिन्न होकर गोपू मामा की नई-सी चप्पलें उन्हें दे देती हैं। बाद में वह गोपू मामा की प्रतिक्रिया सोचकर हँस पड़ती हैं। कहानी दयाभाव, ईमानदारी और सोचे-समझे आचरण को उजागर करती है।

Vasantha Surya — Indian writer/translator portraying everyday South-Indian life with warmth and gentle humour. This lesson is adapted from Mridu in Madras: Goruchaka Turns Up.

वसन्ता सूर्य — भारतीय लेखिका/अनुवादिका; दक्षिण भारत के दैनिक जीवन का सहज, हास्यपूर्ण चित्रण। यह पाठ उनकी कृति Mridu in Madras: Goruchaka Turns Up से अनुकूलित है।

1. What is the secret that Meena shares with Mridu in the backyard?
   Ans: They are secretly keeping a kitten in the backyard; Paati must not know. पीछे आँगन में बिल्ली का बच्चा छिपाकर रखा है; पाटी को पता नहीं चलना चाहिए।
2. How does Ravi get milk for the kitten?
   He takes a tumbler saying he’s hungry, drinks most to avoid suspicion, pours the rest into a coconut shell for the kitten, then washes and replaces the tumbler. वह भूख का बहाना बनाकर गिलास लाता है, थोड़ा दूध बिल्ली को देता है, फिर गिलास धोकर रख देता है।
3. Who does he say the kitten’s ancestors are? Do you believe him?
   He says it’s descended from the Pallava “Rishi-Cat” and the Egyptian cat-goddess Bastet. Belief? No—that’s his rich imagination. वह पल्लव “ऋषि-कैट” और मिस्र की देवी बास्टेट की संतान बताता है—यह उसकी कल्पनाशक्ति है।
4. Ravi has a lot to say about M.P.Poonai. This shows that
   (i) he is merely trying to impress Mridu.
   (ii) his knowledge of history is sound.
   (iii) he has a rich imagination.
   (iv) he is an intelligent child.
   
   Agree: (iii). सहमत: (iii) समृद्ध कल्पनाशक्ति।   Disagree: (ii). असहमत: (ii) वास्तविक इतिहास नहीं।
5. What was the noise that startled Mridu and frightened Mahendran?
   Lalli’s violin “kreech” sound. लल्ली के वायलिन की कर्कश ध्वनि।

1. The music master is making lovely music. Read aloud the sentence in the text that expresses this idea.
   “The music-master’s notes seemed to float up and settle perfectly into the invisible tracks of the melody.”
2. Had the beggar come to Rukku Manni’s house for the first time? Give reasons for your answer.
   No. He’d been coming for a week (mother/Paati mention it; the beggar says he kept his body and soul together on their generosity for a week). नहीं, वह सप्ताह भर से आता रहा था—माँ/पाटी और स्वयं भिखारी ने संकेत किया।
3. “A sharp V-shaped line had formed between her eyebrows.” What does it suggest to you about Rukku Manni’s mood?
   Angry/annoyed and suspicious. क्रोधित/खिन्न तथा संदिग्ध।

1. Complete the following sentences.
   1. Ravi compares Lalli’s playing the violin to a train derailing / going off track.
   2. Trying to hide beneath the tray of chillies, Mahendran tipped chillies over himself and howled “mi-a-aw”.
   3. The teacher played a few notes on his violin, and Lalli stumbled behind him.
   4. The beggar said that the kind ladies of the household had kept his body and soul together for a whole week.
   5. After the lesson was over, the music teacher asked Lalli if she had seen his chappals / where his chappals were.
2. Describe the music teacher, as seen from the window.
   A bony figure; mostly bald head with a fringe of oiled black hair and an old-fashioned tuft; a gold chain on a leathery neck; a diamond ring on the beringed hand gliding up the violin’s stem; wearing a gold-bordered veshti; beating time with the scrawny big toe.
3. (i) What makes Mridu conclude that the beggar has no money to buy chappals?
   (ii) What does she suggest to show her concern?
   (i) His blistered, peeling feet, the melted tar, and that he is barefoot.
   (ii) She suggests giving him an old pair from the house.
4. “Have you children…” she began, and then, seeing they were curiously quiet, went on more slowly, “seen anyone lurking around the verandah?”
   1. What do you think Rukku Manni really wanted to ask? Whether they knew who took the chappals / if they were involved.
   2. Why did she change her question? Their unusual silence made her cautious; she softened the wording.
   3. What did she think had happened? That someone had stolen them (a vendor/stranger).
5. On getting Gopu Mama’s chappals, the music teacher tried not to look too happy. Why?
   He received an almost-new pair; he didn’t want to appear greedy or overjoyed.
6. On getting a gift of chappals, the beggar vanished in a minute. Why was he in such a hurry to leave?
   He feared the gift might be taken back or someone might stop him; also the hot road urged him to leave fast.
7. Walking towards the kitchen with Mridu and Meena, Rukku Manni began to laugh. What made her laugh?
   Imagining Gopu Mama’s reaction when told that his chappals were given to the music-master; the irony of the situation.

1. Read the following sentences. (Original given)

1. (i) If you tire yourself now, you won’t be able to work in the evening.
2. (ii) If you study regularly, you’ll do well in the examination.
3. (iii) If you work hard, you’ll pass the examination in the first division.
4. (iv) If you are polite to people, they’ll also be polite to you.
5. (v) If you tease the dog, it’ll bite you.

2. Fill in the blanks in the following paragraph. (Original given)

3. Complete each sentence by appropriately using any one of:

if you want to / if you don’t want to / if you want him to (Original)

1. (i) Don’t go to the theatre if you don’t want to.
2. (ii) He’ll post your letter if you want him to.
3. (iii) Please use my pen if you want to.
4. (iv) He’ll lend you his umbrella if you want him to.
5. (v) My neighbour, Ramesh, will take you to the doctor if you want him to.
6. (vi) Don’t eat it if you don’t want to.

1. Discuss in small groups (Original):

• If you want to give away something of your own to the needy, would it be better to ask your elders first?
• Is there someone of your age in the family who is very talkative? …
• Has Rukku Manni done exactly the same as the children? …

2. Hostel room-mate Q&A (Original):

• What do you enjoy doing after school? … Would you mind if I listened to music after dinner? …

All question texts above are from your provided NCERT extract (kept verbatim). Answers are bilingual and classroom-ready.