Chapter 6 Poets and Pancakes Textbook Questions and Answers

Poets and Pancakes

Textbook Questions and Answers
Understanding the text

Question 1.
The author has used gentle humour to point out human foibles. Pick out instances of this to show how this serves to make the piece interesting.
लेखक ने मानवीय भूलों को इंगित करने के लिए हास्य का प्रयोग किया है । यह पाठ को रोचक बनाने में किस तरह मदद करता है, यह बताने के लिए उदाहरण चुनिये ।
Answer:
Humour used in writing makes any writing interesting. The writer has used humour to point out human foibles from beginning to the end. The description of Robert Clive not only induces laughter but also points to his fickle mindedness. The studios is said to be situated in Robert Clive’s stables. It has the look of a hair-cutting salon-Fiery misery in the studio shows how indifferent to the plight of actors were the producers and directors.

The make-up department was headed by a Bengali who became too big for a studio and left. The above sentence humorously describes how a man became proud of his high position. The Stephen Spender’episode shows how people conceal their ignorance. The description throughout the lesson is humorous and in lighter vein.

लेखन में प्रयुक्त विनोद किसी भी लेखन को रुचिकर बनाता है । लेखक ने शुरू से अन्त तक मानवीय भूलों को बताने के लिए विनोद का प्रयोग किया है । Robert Clive के वर्णन से न केवल हँसी उत्पन्न होती है वरन् यह उसकी अस्थिर मन:स्थिति की ओर भी संकेत करता है । कहा जाता है कि स्टूडियो Robert Clive के अस्तबल में स्थित है । यह देखने में नाई की दुकान जैसा लगता है । स्टूडियो के अन्दर की तप्त विपत्ति दिखाती है कि किस तरह निर्माता और निर्देशक अभिनेताओं की परेशानी के प्रति उपेक्षा भाव रखते थे ।

मेक-अप विभाग का मुखिया एक बंगाली था जो स्टूडियो की तुलना में कहीं ज्यादा बड़ा हो गया और चला गया । उपर्युक्त वाक्य विनोदपूर्ण ढंग से दर्शाता है कि किस तरह एक आदमी को अपने पद का घमण्ड हो गया । Stephen Spender की अन्त:कथा दर्शाती है कि किस तरह लोग अपने अज्ञान को छिपाते हैं । पूरे पाठ के दौरान वर्णन हास्यपरक तथा हल्के-फुल्के अंदाज में है ।

Question 2.
Why was Kothamangalam Subbu considered No. 2 (so popular) in Gemini Studios ?
कोटमंगलम सुब्बू जैमिनी स्टूडियो में न. 2 (इतना लोकप्रिय) क्यों समझा जाता था ?
Or
Describe the role of Subbu in Gemini Studios.
जैमिनी स्टूडियो में सुब्बू की भूमिका का वर्णन कीजिए।
Answer:
A strict hierarchy was maintained in the make-up department of the Gemini Studios. Kothamangalam Subbu was considered No. 2 in Gemini Studios because he was a highly talented person. He had a multifaceted personality. He was next to his boss.

Subbu was the most suitable man for making film. He was able to suggest a number of ways for shooting a scene. When the producer would say that he didn’t know how to shoot a scene, Subbu would come out with four ways. If the producer had any doubts, he would come out with more methods.

Film making was very easy for Subbu. He gave direction and definition to Gemini Studios during its golden years. Also he was a successful actor. He never aspired for lead roles. He always performed better than the main players. So he was very popular there.

मेक-अप विभाग में कठोर पदानुक्रम कायम रखा जाता था । कोटमंगलम सुब्बू जैमिनी स्टूडियो में नम्बर दो माना जाता था क्योंकि वह बहुत प्रतिभाशाली व्यक्ति था । उसका बहुमुखी व्यक्तित्व था । वह अपने बॉस के बहुत नजदीक था । फिल्म निर्माण के लिए सुब्बू सर्वाधिक उपयुक्त व्यक्ति था ।

किसी दृश्य की शूटिंग के वह बहुत तरीके सुझा सकता था । जब निर्माता कहता कि वह नहीं जानता कि इस दृश्य को कैसे शूट किया जाये तो सुब्बू चार तरीके बता देता था । यदि निर्माता को कुछ सन्देह होता तो वह कुछ और तरीके बता देता था । सुब्बू के लिए फिल्म निर्माण का कार्य बहुत सरल था ।

जैमिनी स्टूडियो के स्वर्णिम काल में उसने इसे दिशा और परिभाषा प्रदान की थी । वह एक सफल अभिनेता भी था। उसने कभी बड़े अभिनयों की चाहत नहीं की । वह हमेशा प्रमुख कलाकारों से बेहतर भूमिका अदा करता था। इसलिए वह वहाँ बहुत लोकप्रिय था।

Question 3.
How does the author describe the incongruity of an English poet addressing the audience at Gemini Studios ?
जैमिनी स्टूडियो में श्रोताओं को सम्बोधित करने वाले अंग्रेज कवि की विसंगतियों का वर्णन लेखक किस प्रकार करता है?
Answer:
The audience at the Gemini Studios did not have any taste for English poetry. It was even more difficult for them to follow the poet with his native accents. Nobody knew anything about the poet. No one knew what he was talking about. All this was incongruous.

जैमिनी स्टूडियो में श्रोताओं की अंग्रेजी काव्य में कोई रुचि नहीं थी । उनके लिए कवि के स्थानीय उच्चारण के कारण उसे समझना और भी कठिन था । कोई कवि के बारे में कुछ नहीं जानता था । किसी को पता नहीं था कि वह किस बारे में बात कर रहा था । यह सब विसंगतियों से भरा था ।

Question 4.
What do you understand about the author’s literary inclinations from the account ?
पाठ से आप लेखक की साहित्यिक रुचि के बारे में क्या समझते हैं ?
Answer:
His literary inclinations may be summarised as follows:
The author loves humour and satire. He opines that prose-writing is not and cannot be the true pursuit of a genius. A prose writer should be patient, persistent, and persevering drudge.

उसकी साहित्यिक आस्थाएँ संक्षेप में निम्न प्रकार हैंलेखक को विनोद और व्यंग्य पसन्द है । उसका विचार है कि सच्चा प्रतिभाशाली आदमी गद्य नहीं लिखना चाहता है । एक गद्य लेखक को धैर्यवान, दृढ़ व लगनशील होना चाहिए ।

Think as you read (Page 59)

Question 1.
What does the writer mean by the ‘fiery misery’ of those subjected to make-up ? –
मेकअप कराने वालों की ‘तप्त विपत्ति’ से लेखक का क्या आशय है ?
Answer:
By the fiery misery, the writer means to say that the actors had to bear the intense heat generated by incandescent lights at all angles around half a dozen large mirrors.

तप्त विपत्ति के द्वारा लेखक कहना चाहता है कि अभिनेताओं को हर कोण पर आधा दर्जन बड़े दर्पणों के चारों ओर जलने वाले तप्त बल्बों की तेज रोशनी सहन करनी पड़ती थी ।

Question 2.
What is the example of national integration that the author refers to ?
लेखक राष्ट्रीय एकता के किस उदाहरण का सन्दर्भ देता है ?
Answer:
The make-up department consisted of persons from different states of India. The head of the make-up department was a Bengali. Leter he was succeeded by a Maharashtrian. His assistants were a Dharwar Kannadiga, an Andhra, a Madras Indian Christian, an Anglo Burmese and the usual local Tamils.

मेकअप विभाग में भारत के भिन्न-भिन्न राज्यों के लोग थे । मेकअप विभाग का अध्यक्ष एक बंगाली था । बाद में उसके स्थान पर एक महाराष्ट्रवासी काम करने लगा । उसके सहयोगी थे एक धारवाड़ी कन्नड़, एक आन्ध्रवासी, एक मद्रासी भारतीय ईसाई, एक एंग्लो बर्मीज और आम स्थानीय तमिल।

Question 3.
What work did the ‘office boy’ do in the Gemini Studios ? Why did he join the studios ? Why was he disappointed ?
ऑफिस बॉय जैमिनी स्टूडियो में क्या काम करता था ? उसने स्टूडियो में काम क्यों शुरू किया ? वह निराश क्यों था ?
Answer:
In the Gemini Studios, the office boy did make-up of the actors who played the crowd. But he wasn’t exactly a boy. He was then forty years old. He joined the Gemini Studios years ago in the hope of becoming a star actor or a top screen writer, director or lyrics-writer. He was a bit of a poet. He was a highly educated man. He thought he was not meant for doing make-up.

Subbu, the no. 2 at Gemini Studios did not have anything better than the makeup boy. So, he was frustrated at being neglected. He was convinced that all his woes, ignominy and neglect were due to Subbu. The office boy was disappointed at the fact that Subbu was considered better just because he was a Brahmin. He always felt that he did not get what he deserved because of Subbu only.

जैमिनी स्टूडियो में ऑफिस बॉय उन अभिनेताओं का make-up करता था जो भीड़ की भूमिका अदा करते थे । लेकिन वह कोई लड़का नहीं था । वह उस समय चालीस वर्ष का था । उसने वर्षों पहले इस आशा के साथ जैमिनी स्टूडियो में काम करना शुरू किया था कि वह एक उत्कृष्ट अभिनेता बन जायेगा या उच्च कोटि का लेखक, निर्देशक या गीतकार बन जायेगा । वह थोड़ा-सा कवि था । वह उच्च शिक्षित था ।

उसे लगता था कि वह मेकअप करने के लिए नहीं बना है । जैमिनी स्टूडियो में नं. 2 सुब्बू के पास उससे बेहतर कुछ नहीं था । इसलिए वह अपनी उपेक्षा से परेशान था । उसका विश्वास था कि उसके सारे दुःख, बदनामी और उपेक्षा की वजह सुब्बू था । ऑफिस बॉय इस बात से निराश था कि सुब्बू उससे सिर्फ इसलिए बेहतर समझा जाता था क्योंकि वह एक ब्राह्मण था । वह सदैव यही महसूस करता था कि सिर्फ सुब्बू के कारण ही उसे उसकी योग्यता के अनुरूप स्थान नहीं मिलता था ।

Question 4.
Why did the author appear to be doing nothing at the studios ?
लेखक स्टूडियो में कुछ भी न करता हुआ प्रतीत क्यों होता था ?
Answer:
The author had to collect important cuttings from the newspapers. So he sat at his desk tearing up newspapers day in and day out. This made the onlookers think that he was doing nothing.

लेखक को समाचार-पत्रों से महत्त्वपूर्ण कतरनें इकट्ठी करनी होती थीं । इसलिए वह सारे दिन समाचार-पत्र फाड़ते हुए मेज पर बैठा रहता था । इसी कारण देखने वालों को वह कुछ करता हुआ प्रतीत नहीं होता था ।

Think as you read (Page 61)

Question 1.
Why was the office boy frustrated ? Who did he show his anger on?
ऑफिस बॉय कुण्ठित क्यों था ? वह किसके प्रति गुस्सा व्यक्त करता था ?
Answer:
The office boy was frustrated because he felt Subbu was responsible for depriving him of his dues. He had had more formal education and even more encouraging opening in films than Subbu. Due to his neglect, he showed his anger on Subbu.

ऑफिस बॉय कुण्ठित था क्योंकि उसे लगता था कि उसे उसके अधिकार से वंचित करने के लिए सुब्बू जिम्मेदार है । वह सुब्बू से ज्यादा पढ़ा-लिखा था तथा उससे कहीं बेहतर शुरुआत उसे फिल्मों में मिली थी । अपनी उपेक्षा के कारण वह सुब्बू के प्रति गुस्सा दिखाता था ।

Question 2.
Who was Subbu’s principal ?
सुब्बू का मुखिया (मालिक) कौन था ?
Answer:
Mr S. S. Vasan, the boss of Gemini Studios was Subbu’s principal.
जैमिनी स्टूडियो का मालिक Mr S. S. Vasan सुब्बू का मुखिया था ।

Question 3.
Subbu is described as a many-sided genius. List four of his special abilities.
सुब्बू को बहुमुखी प्रतिभा का धनी बताया गया है । उसकी विशेष योग्यताओं में से चार की सूची बनाओ ।
Answer:
(1) Subbu was extremely loyal to his boss.
(2) He was tailor-made for films.
(3) He was also a poet and composed several truly original ‘story poems’ in folk refrain and diction.
(4) He wrote novels also.

(1) सुब्बू अपने मालिक के प्रति अत्यधिक वफादार था ।
(2) वह फिल्मों के लिए पूर्णतः उपयुक्त व्यक्ति था ।
(3) वह एक कवि था और उसने लोक विधा में कुछ वास्तव में मौलिक कथा-काव्य लिखा था ।
(4) उसने उपन्यास भी लिखे थे ।

Question 4.
Why was the legal adviser referred to as the opposite by others ?
अन्य लोग कानूनी सलाहकार को ‘विपरीत’ क्यों बताते थे ?
Answer:
The legal adviser was supposed to advise people on legal matters. But he never did so. He did things opposite to his designation. There was an extremely talented actress in the studios. She was highly temperamental. Once she got angry on the sets. Everybody stood stunned. But the lawyer quietly switched the recording device on.

When she stopped speaking, the lawyer played the recording back. When she heard her voice, she was struck dumb. She never recovered from the shock. Thus, instead of advice, the lawyer brought about the end of a brilliant acting career of her. Even in the matter of uniform, the lawyer was opposite to others. Almost, each member in the studios wore a khadi dhoti with a white khadi shirt. But the lawyer wore pants and a tie. These are some of the reasons why the lawyer was called ‘opposite’ by others.

न्यायिक सलाहकार से अपेक्षा की जाती थी कि वह न्यायिक मामलों में लोगों को सलाह दे । किन्तु वह ऐसा कभी नहीं करता था । वह अपने पद के विपरीत काम करता था । स्टूडियो में एक अत्यन्त प्रतिभाशाली अभिनेत्री थी। वह बहुत तुनकमिजाज थी । एक बार वह सैट पर नाराज हो गई । सब चुप खड़े रह गये । परन्तु वकील ने चुपचाप आवाज रिकार्ड करने वाली मशीन चालू कर दी । जब उसने बोलना बन्द किया, वकील ने वापस रिकार्ड बजा दिया।

जब उसने अपनी आवाज सुनी तो वह अवाक् रह गई । वह इस आघात से कभी उबर न सकी । इस प्रकार, सलाह के स्थान पर, वकील ने उसके शानदार अभिनय करिअर का अन्त कर दिया । पोशाक के मामले में भी, वकील दूसरों से विपरीत था । स्टूडियो का लगभग हर सदस्य खादी की धोती और खादी की सफेद शर्ट पहनता था । परन्तु वकील पैन्ट और. टाई पहनता था ये कुछ कारण हैं जिनकी वजह से वकील को ‘विपरीत’ कहा जाता था ।

Question 5.
What made the lawyer stand out from the others at Gemini Studios ?
जैमिनी स्टूडियो में वकील अन्य लोगों से अलग क्यों दिखाई देता था ?
Answer:
The lawyer did not follow the general dress code prevalent in the studios. Every other member of the story department wore a khadi uniform whereas the lawyer wore pants and a tie and sometimes a coat. This made him stand out from the others at Gemini Studios. वकील स्टूडियो के अन्य लोगों की भाँति वस्त्र नहीं पहनता था । कथा विभाग का हर सदस्य खादी की पोशाक पहनता था जबकि वकील पैन्ट और टाई पहनता था और कभी-कभी कोट पहनता था । इसी वजह से जैमिनी स्टूडियो में वह औरों से अलग दिखता था ।

Think as you read (Page 64)

Question 1.
Did the people at Gemini Studios have any particular political affiliations ?
क्या जैमिनी स्टूडियो में लोगों का किसी राजनीतिक दल विशेष से सम्बन्ध था ?
Answer:
No, they did not have any particular political affiliations. Most of them wore khadi and worshipped Gandhi. They were all averse to the term ‘communism’. Their knowledge of politics was limited only to this.

नहीं, उनकी कोई विशेष राजनीतिक आस्था नहीं थी । उनमें से ज्यादातर खादी पहनते थे और गाँधीजी की पूजा करते थे । वे सभी ‘साम्यवाद’ शब्द के खिलाफ थे । राजनीति का उनका ज्ञान मात्र यहीं तक सीमित था ।

Question 2.
Why was the Moral Rearmament Army welcomed at the studios ?
स्टूडियो में MRA का स्वागत क्यों किया गया ?
Answer:
The Moral Rearmament Army (MRA) was a kind of counter movement to International Communism. The people in those days were averse to the term ‘communism’. Studios employees did not like communism. That is why MRA was welcomed at the studios.

MRA अन्तर्राष्ट्रीय कम्युनिज्म के खिलाफ एक आन्दोलन था । उस जमाने में लोग कम्युनिज्म के खिलाफ थे। स्टूडियो के कर्मचारियों को कम्युनिज्म पसन्द नहीं था । इसी कारण स्टूडियो में MRA का स्वागत किया गया।

Question 3.
Name one example to show that Gemini Studios was influenced by the plays staged by. MRA?
यह दिखाने के लिए एक उदाहरण दीजिए कि जैमिनी स्टूडियो MRA द्वारा मंचित नाटकों से प्रभावित था ।
Answer:
MRA staged two plays in the most professional manner. The Gemini family of six hundred saw the plays over and over again. It shows that Gemini Studios was influenced by the plays staged by MRA.

MRA ने बहुत ही व्यावसायिक तरीके से दो नाटकों का मंचन किया । छ: सौ लोगों के जैमिनी परिवार ने नाटकों को बार-बार देखा । इससे प्रकट होता था कि जैमिनी स्टूडियो MRA द्वारा मंचित नाटकों से प्रभावित था ।

Question 4.
Who was the boss of the Gemini Studios ?
जैमिनी स्टूडियो का मुखिया कौन था ?
Ans.
Mr S. S. Vasan was the boss of the Gemini Studios.
Mr S. S. Vasan जैमिनी स्टूडियो के मालिक थे ।

Question 5.
What caused the lack of communication between the Englishman and the people at Gemini Studios?
अंग्रेज और जैमिनी स्टूडियो के लोगों के बीच संचार की कमी के क्या कारण थे ?
Answer:
People at Gemini Studios made Tamil films and had no taste for English poetry. Moreover, it was very difficult for them to follow the poet because of his English accent. All this caused the lack of communication between the Englishman and the people at Gemini Studios.

जैमिनी स्टूडियो के लोग तमिल फिल्म बनाते थे और उनकी अंग्रेजी काव्य में कोई रुचि नहीं थी। इसके अलावा, उनके लिए अंग्रेजी लहजे के कारण कवि को समझना बहुत मुश्किल था । ये सब अंग्रेज और जैमिनी स्टूडियो के लोगों के बीच संचार के अभाव के कारण थे ।

Question 6.
Why is the Englishman’s visit referred to as an unexplained mystery?
अंग्रेज की यात्रा को अनसुलझा रहस्य क्यों कहा गया है ?
Answer:
Stephen Spender’s visit to Gemini Studios was a big flop. The audience in the studios did not know English. They had not cultivated any taste for English poetry. The visit is referred to as an unexplained mystery as the audience did not follow him.

जैमिनी स्टूडियो में Stephen Spender का भ्रमण नितान्त असफल रहा । स्टूडियो में श्रोता अंग्रेजी नहीं जानते थे । उनके अन्दर अंग्रेजी काव्य के प्रति कोई रुचि नहीं जगी थी । चूँकि श्रोता उसको समझ नहीं सके इसलिए भ्रमण को अनसुलझा रहस्य कहा गया है ।

Think as you read (Page 65)

Question 1.
Who was the English visitor to the studios ?
स्टूडियो आने वाला अंग्रेज कौन था ?
Answer:
Stephen Spender was the English visitor to the studios. He was a poet and an essayist. He was the editor of a British periodical ‘The Encounter’.
स्टूडियो आने वाला अंग्रेज Stephen Spender था । वह एक कवि और निबन्धकार था । वह एक अंग्रेजी पत्रिका “The Encounter’ का सम्पादक था ।

Question 2.
How did the author discover who the English visitor to the studios was?
लेखक को कैसे पता लगा कि स्टूडियो में आने वाला वह अंग्रेज कौन था ?
Answer:
The identity of the English visitor who had visited the Gemini Studios remained a mystery for a long time. The author did not know anything about him. But one day, he came to know that a British magazine named ‘The Encounter’ was going to hold a short story contest.

Before spending a considerable amount of money on postage, the author wanted to assess the standard of the magazine. So he went to the British Council Library. There were so many copies of the magazine. When the author read its editor’s name, he was reminded of the English poet who had visited the Gemini Studios years ago. The editor of this magazine was Stephen Spender. Now the author discovered who the English visitor to the studios was.

जैमिनी स्टूडियो में आने वाले अंग्रेज की पहचान लम्बे समय तक एक रहस्य बनी रही । लेखक उसके बारे में कुछ भी नहीं जानता था । किन्तु एक दिन उसे पता चला कि “The Encounter’ नामक अंग्रेजी पत्रिका एक लघु कथा प्रतियोगिता का आयोजन कर रही थी । डाक पर काफी पैसा खर्च करने से पूर्व लेखक उस पत्रिका के स्तर के बारे में जानना चाहता था ।

अतः वह British Council Library गया । वहाँ पत्रिका की अनेक प्रतियाँ थीं । जब लेखक ने इस पत्रिका के सम्पादक का नाम पढ़ा तो उसे उस अंग्रेज कवि का स्मरण हो आया जो वर्षों पूर्व जैमिनी स्टूडियो आया था । इस पत्रिका के सम्पादक का नाम Stephen Spender था । अब लेखक को पता चला कि स्टूडियो में आने वाला वह अंग्रेज कौन था ।

Question 3.
What does ‘The God That Failed’ refer to ?
“The God That Failed’ किस ओर संकेत करती है ?
Answer:
“The God That Failed’ is the name of a book in which six eminent writers have written six separate essays. All the writers have described their journeys into communism and how they got disillusioned of it and returned.

“The God That Failed’ एक पुस्तक का नाम है जिसमें छः लेखकों ने छः अलग-अलग निबन्ध लिखे हैं । हर लेखक ने इस पुस्तक में कम्युनिज्म की ओर उनकी यात्रा तथा कैसे उससे उनका मोहभंग हुआ इसका वर्णन किया है।

Talking about the text

Question 1.
Film production today has come a long way from the early days of the Gemini Studios. Enumerate.
फिल्म निर्माण जैमिनी स्टूडियो के शुरुआती दिनों से बहुत आगे निकल आया है । विवरण दीजिए।
Answer:
India seems to have progressed tremendously in the field of the latest technology and modern lifestyle. Its impact can be seen on the film production too which has come a long way since the days of Gemini Studios. Now-a-days the make up rooms are fully air conditioned and the new creams have taken the place of old day pancakes.

Moreover, plastic surgeries have replaced every make up to look beautiful on screen. The arrangements of light have also become advanced and comfortable. For every department, there are specialised workers. But the vulgarity and the exposure have crossed all the limits of the past. The films have become the mere mode of earning glamour and money.

भारत ने नवीन तकनीकों व आधुनिक जीवन शैली के क्षेत्र में बहुत प्रगति की लगती है । इसका प्रभाव फिल्म निर्माण पर भी देखा जा सकता है जो Gemini स्टूडियो के दिनों से काफी आगे निकल आया है । आजकल मेकअप के कमरे पूरी तरह वातानुकूलित होते हैं और नई क्रीमों ने पुराने दिनों के Pancakes की जगह ले ली है ।

और तो और, plastic surgeries ने सारे मेकअप का स्थान ले लिया है जिससे स्क्रीन पर अच्छा दिखा जा सके । प्रकाश की व्यवस्था भी विकसित और आरामदायी हो गई है । हर महकमे में विशिष्ट काम करने वाले लोग हैं । परन्तु अश्लीलता और दिखावे ने अतीत की सारी हदें पार कर दी हैं । फिल्में शोहरत और पैसा कमाने का साधन मात्र बनकर रह गई हैं ।

2. Poetry and Films : There are so many Indian films which have been smash hit due to songs presented in them. They are life of many films. Though it seems that poetry has nothing to do with the film but the songs in the film are poetry. Thus poetry is the life of films.

कई भारतीय फिल्में हैं जो उनमें प्रस्तुत किये गये गानों की वजह से जबरदस्त हिट हुई हैं। वे बहुत से फिल्मों की जान होते हैं । यद्यपि ऐसा लगता है कि काव्य का फिल्म से कोई लेना-देना नहीं है परन्तु फिल्मों में गाने काव्य ही होते हैं । इस प्रकार से काव्य फिल्मों की जान होता है ।

3. Humour and Criticism : The aim of the films is to ridicule the follies of the society but it should be a bitter pill with sweet coating. A criticism can be harsh but it can be made amusing with the help of humour.

फिल्मों का उद्देश्य समाज की मूर्खताओं का मजाक बनाना भी होता है लेकिन इसे शक्कर में लिपटी कड़वी गोली होनी चाहिये । एक आलोचना निर्मम हो सकती है परन्तु इसे हास्य की मदद से आनन्ददायक बनाया जा सकता है।

Noticing Transitions

This piece is an example of a chatty and rambling style. One thought leads to another which is then dwelt upon at length.
यह रचना बातचीत तथा असंबद्ध शैली की रचना है । एक विचार के बाद दूसरा विचार आता है जिस पर विस्तृत चर्चा होती है ।

Read the text again and mark the transitions from one idea to another. The first one is indicated below : पाठ को पुनः पढ़िए तथा एक बात से दूसरी बात पर जाने के परिवर्तन पर ध्यान दीजिए। पहला संकेत नीचे दिया जा रहा है- make up department – office boy – Subbu
Answer:
The author — tearing of the newspapers – great literary talent
Subbu – story department – lawyer
Story department — lawyer – actress
The editor – Vasan – the Hindu
Short story contest – British Council Library — Stephen Spender
Mount Road Post Office — The God That Failed — Stephen Spender.

Writing

You must have met some interesting characters in your neighbourhood or among your relatives. Write a humorous piece about their idiosyncrasies. Try to adopt the author’s rambling style, if you can.
आप अपने पड़ोस या रिश्तेदारों के बीच रोचक लोगों से मिले होंगे । उन लोगों के विचित्र व्यवहार के बारे में एक हास्यपूर्ण लेख लिखिए । संभव हो सके तो लेखक की असम्बद्ध शैली को अपनाइये।
Answer:
What belongs to the next generation is unacceptable to him. He is a typical old man relishing his aversion to all modern trends. Talk about the rampant crime and he instantly ascribes it to films, television and mobile phones. “Criminals”, says he, “are trained by film makers, groomed by T.V. programmes and assisted by ubiquitous mobile phones.”

In the mean time, his own mobile phone buzzed. ‘EK MASOOM SA CHEHRA’ was the song he had installed in his mobile phone as its ringtone. The song filled the air with an ecstatic melody. But Manni Chaudhary grimaced at the phone and blurted out, “What a nuisance !” The call reminded him of the film he was going to watch that evening

अगली पीढ़ी से सम्बन्धित हर चीज उसे अस्वीकार्य है । वह एक विशिष्ट बूढ़ा है जो आधुनिक वस्तुओं के प्रति घृणा दिखाने में आनन्दित होता है । व्याप्त अपराध की बात करो और वह तुरन्त ही इसके लिए फिल्मों, टेलिविजन और मोबाइल फोन को दोषी ठहरा देता है । वह कहता है “फिल्म निर्माता अपराधियों को प्रशिक्षण देते हैं, टी. वी. के कार्यक्रम अपराधियों को सजा-सँवारकर तैयार करते हैं और सर्वव्यापी मोबाइल फोन उनका सहयोग करते हैं ।

इसी दौरान, उसका अपना फोन बोल उठा । उसके फोन में रिंगटोन के रूप में एक मासूम सा चेहरा’ गाना लगा हुआ था । गीत ने हवा में आनन्ददायक ध्वनि भर दी । किन्तु मन्नी चौधरी ने फोन की ओर घृणापूर्ण चेहरा बनाया और बोला, “कितनी दु:खदायी चीज है ।” फोन कॉल ने उसे वह फिल्म याद दिला दी जो उसे उस शाम देखनी थी।

RBSE Class 12 English Poets and Pancakes Important Questions and Answers
Short Answer Type Questions

Answer the following questions in about 20-25 words :

Question 1.
What was pancake and why did the Gemini Studios buy it in truck loads ?
पेनकेक क्या था और जैमिनी स्टूडियो इसे बड़ी मात्रा में क्यों खरीदता था ?
Answer:
Pancake was the brand name of the make-up material. As it was used in large quantity,Gemini Studios bought it in truck loads.
पेनकेक मेक-अप सामग्री का ब्रान्ड नाम था । चूँकि इसका उपयोग बड़ी मात्रा में होता था, अतः जैमिनी स्टूडियो इसे बड़ी मात्रा में खरीदता था ।

Question 2.
What were Robert Clive’s achievements during his stay in Madras?
मद्रास में प्रवास के समय Robert Clive की क्या उपलब्धियाँ थीं ?

भारतीय सिनेमा के प्रारम्भिक वर्षों में एक फिल्म कम्पनी थी । यद्यपि कम्पनी में काम करने वाले लोगों का अपना-अपना अलग काम था, तथापि उनके बीच में मतभेद भी थे । स्टूडियो किसी नाई की दुकान जैसा दिखता था । कम्पनी के लोग स्वयं को हमेशा बुद्धिजीवियों के रूप में पेश करते थे । जब Stephen Spender ने अपना व्याख्यान दिया तो कोई भी उसे उसके लहजे के कारण समझ न सका तथापि उन्होंने उसे ध्यानपूर्वक सुना मानो वे उसके व्याख्यान को पूरी तरह समझ रहे थे ।

Seen comprehension passages

Read the following passages and answer the questions given below:

Passage 1.

Pancake was the brand name of the make-up material that Gemini Studios bought in truckloads. Greta Garbo must have used it, Miss Gohar must have used it, Vyjayantimala must also have used it but Rati Agnihotri may not have even heard of it. The make-up department of the Gemini Studios was in the upstairs of a building that was believed to have been Robert Clive’s stables.

A dozen other buildings in the city are said to have been his residence. For his brief life and an even briefer stay in Madras, Robert Clive seems to have done a lot of moving, besides fighting some impossible battles in remote corners of India and marrying a maiden in St. Mary’s Church in Fort St. George in Madras.

Questions:

1. What did Gemini Studios buy in truck-loads?
2. Who must not have even heard of it?
3. What was the make-up department of the Gemini Studios believed to have been?
4. What does Robert Clive seem to have done, beside fighting battles and marrying a maiden?
5. Find the word from the passage which means “faraway’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to‘long’.
   Answers:
7. Gemini Studios bought a make-up material called Pancake in truck loads.
8. Rati Agnihotri must not have even heard of it.
9. It was believed to have been Robert Clive’s stable.
10. Besides these, Robert Clive seems to have done a lot of moving.
11. remote.
12. brief.

Passage 2.

The make-up room had the look of a hair-cutting salon with lights at all angles around half a dozen large mirrors. They were all incandescent lights, so you can imagine the fiery misery of those subjected to make-up. The make-up department was first headed by a Bengali who became too big for a studio and left.

He was succeeded by a Maharashtrian who was assisted by a Dharwar Kannadiga, an Andhra, a Madras Indian Christian, an Anglo-Burmese and the usual local Tamils. All this shows that there was a great deal of national integration long before A.I.R. and Doordarshan began broadcasting programmes on national integration.

Questions:

1. How did the make-up room look like?
2. What can you imagine?
3. Whom was the Maharashtrian assisted by?
4. What was the theme of the programmes broadcasted by A.I.R. and Doordarshan?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘twelve’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘comfort’.
   Answers:
7. The make-up room had the look of a hair-cutting salon.
8. As there were all incandescent lights in the make-up room, we can imagine the fiery misery of those subjected to make-up.
9. The Maharashtrian was assisted by a Dharwar Kannadiga, an Andhra, a Madras Indian Christian, an Anglo-Burmese and the usual local Tamils.
10. National integration was the theme of the programmes broadcasted by A.I.R. and Doordarshan.
11. dozen.
12. misery.

Passage 3.

Those were the days of mainly indoor shooting, and only five percent of the film was shot outdoors. I suppose the sets and studio lights needed the girls and boys to be made to look ugly in order to look presentable in the movie. A strict hierarchy was maintained in the make-up department. The chief make-up man made the chief actors and actresses ugly, his senior assistant the ‘second’ hero and heroine, the junior assistant the main comedian, and so forth.

The players who played the crowd were the responsibility of the office boy. (Even the make-up department of the Gemini Studio had an office boy!) On the days when there was a crowd shooting, you could see him mixing his paint in a giant vessel and slapping it on the crowd players.

The idea was to close every pore on the surface of the face in the process of applying make-up. He wasn’t exactly a ‘boy’; he was in his early forties, having entered the studios years ago in the hope of becoming a star actor or a top screen writer, director or lyrics writer. He was a bit of a poet.

Questions:

1. What percent of the film was shot indoors?
2. What did the sets and studio lights need?
3. Who was responsible for the make-up of the players who played the crowd?
4. What was the “idea’?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘rigid’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘beautiful.
   Answers:
7. Ninety-five per cent of the film was shot indoors.
8. The sets and studio lights needed the girls and boys to be made to look ugly in order to look presentable in the movie.
9. The office boy was responsible for the make-up of the players who played the crowd.
10. The ‘idea’ was to close every pore on the surface of the face in the process of applying make-up.
11. strict.
12. ugly.

Passage 4.

He always had work for somebody he could never do things on his own – but his sense of loyalty made him identify himself with his principal completely and turn his entire creativity to his principal’s advantage. He was tailor-made for films.

Here was a man who could be inspired when commanded. “The rat fights the tigress underwater and kills her but takes pity on the cubs and tends them lovingly – I don’t know how to do the scene,” the producer would say and Subbu would come out with four ways of the rat pouring affection on its victim’s offspring.

“Good, but I am not sure it is effective enough,” the producer would say and in a minute Subbu would come out with fourteen more alternatives. Film-making must have been and was so easy with a man like Subbu around and if ever there was a man who gave direction and definition to Gemini Studios during its golden years, it was Subbu.

Questions:

1. What made Subbu identify himself with his principal completely?
2. What was Subbu tailor-made for?
3. What must have been and was so easy with a man like Subbu around?
4. What did Subbu give to Gemini Studios during its golden years?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘understanding’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to difficult.
   Answers:
7. His sense of loyalty made Subbụ identify himself with his principal completely
8. Subbu was tailor-made for films.
9. Film-making must have been and was so easy with a man like Subbu around.
10. Subbu gave direction and definition to Gemini Studios during its golden years.
11. sense.
12. easy.

Passage 5.

You saw Subbu always with The Boss but in the attendance rolls, he was grouped under a department called the Story Department comprising a lawyer and an assembly of writers and poets. The lawyer was also officially known as the legal adviser, but everybody referred to him as the opposite.

An extremely talented actress, who was also extremely temperamental, once blew over on the sets. While everyone stood stunned, the lawyer quietly switched on the recording equipment. When the actress paused for breath, the lawyer said to her, “One minute, please,” and played back the recording.

There was nothing incriminating or unmentionably foul about the actress’s tirade against the producer. But when she heard her voice again through the sound equipment, she was struck dumb.

Questions:

1. What did the Story Department comprise of?
2. Who was officially known as the legal adviser?
3. What was the characteristic quality of the extremely talented actress?
4. Who played back the recording?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘shocked’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘unofficially’.
   Answers:
7. The Story Department comprised a lawyer and an assembly of writers and poets.
8. The lawyer was officially known as the legal adviser.
9. The extremely talented actress was very temperamental.
10. The lawyer played back the recording.
11. stunned.
12. officially.

Passage 6.

A girl from the countryside, she hadn’t gone through all the stages of worldly experience that generally precede a position of importance and sophistication that she had found herself catapulted into. She never quite recovered from the terror she felt that day.

That was the end of a brief and brilliant acting career the legal adviser, who was also a member of the Story Department, had unwittingly brought about that sad end. While every other member of the Department wore a kind of uniform – khadi dhoti with a slightly oversized and clumsily tailored white khadi shirt the legal adviser wore pants and a tie and sometimes a coat that looked like a coat of mail.

Often he looked alone and helpless a man of cold logic in a crowd of dreamers – a neutral man in an assembly of Gandhiites and khadiites.

Questions:

1. Where was the girl from?
2. What did the girl never recover from?
3. What did every other member of the Story Department wear?
4. What did the legal adviser wear?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘small.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite in meaning to ‘undersized’.
   Answers:
7. The girl was from the countryside.
8. The girl never recovered from the terror she felt that day.
9. Every other member of the Department wore khadi dhoti with a slightly oversized and clumsily tailored white khadi shirt.
10. The legal adviser wore pants and a tie and sometimes a coat that looked like a coat of mail.
11. brief.
12. oversized.

Passage 7.

When Frank Buchman’s Moral Re-Armament army, some two hundred strong, visited Madras sometime in 1952, they could not have found a warmer host in India than the Gemini Studios. Someone called the group an international circus.

They weren’t very good on the trapeze and their acquaintance with animals was only at the dinner table, but they presented two plays in a most professional manner. Their ‘Jotham Valley’ and ‘The Forgotten Factor’ ran several shows in Madras and along with the other citizens of the city, the Gemini family of six hundred saw the plays over and over again.

The message of the plays were usually plain and simple homilies, but the sets and costumes were first-rate. Madras and the Tamil drama community were terribly impressed and for some years almost all Tamil plays had a scene of sunrise and sunset in the manner of Jotham Valley’ with a bare stage, a white background curtain and a tune played on the flute.

Questions:

1. When did Frank Buchman’s Moral Re-Armament army visit Madras?
2. What was the group not very good at?
3. Which two plays did the group present in a most professional manner?
4. For some years, what did almost all Tamil plays have?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘global’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to‘unprofessional.
   Answers:
7. Frank Buchman’s Moral Re-Armament army visited Madras in 1952.
8. The group wasn’t very good on the trapeze and their acquaintance with animals was ..only at the dinner table.
9. They presented two plays in a most professional manner- ‘Jotham Valley’ and ‘The Forgotten Factor’.
10. For some years, almost all Tamil plays had a scene of sunrise and sunset in the manner of ‘Jotham Valley’.
11. international.
12. professional.

Passage 8.

It was some years later that I learnt that the MRA was a kind of counter movement to international Communism and the big bosses of Madras like Mr. Vasan simply played into their hands. I am not sure however, that this was indeed the case, for the unchangeable aspects of these big bosses and their enterprises remained the same, MRA or no MRA, international Communism or no international Communism.

The staff of Gemini Studios had a nice time hosting two hundred people of all hues and sizes of at least twenty nationalities. It was such a change from the usual collection of crowd players waiting to be slapped with thick layers of make-up by the office-boy in the make-up department.

Questions:

1. What was MRA?
2. Who played into the hands of MRA?
3. How did the staff of Gemini Studios have a nice time?
4. What did the usual collection of crowd played wait for?
5. Find the word from the passage which means certainly’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘mosť
   Answers:
7. MRA was a kind of counter movement to international Communism.
8. The big bosses of Madras like Mr Vasan simply played into the hands of MRA.
9. The staff of Gemini Studios had a nice time hosting two hundred people of all hues and sizes of at least twenty nationalities.
10. The usual collection of crowd players waited to be slapped with thick layers of make-up by the office-boy in the make-up department.
11. indeed.
12. least.

Passage 9.

A few months later, the telephone lines of the big bosses of Madras buzzed and once again we at Gemini Studios cleared a whole shooting stage to welcome another visitor. All they said was that he was a poet from England. The only poets from England the simple Gemini staff knew or heard of were Wordsworth and Tennyson; the more literate ones knew of Keats, Shelley and Byron; and one or two might have faintly come to know of someone by the name Eliot. Who was the poet visiting the Gemini Studios now?

Questions:

1. What happened a few months later?
2. Why did the staff at Gemini Studios clear a whole shooting stage?
3. Who were the two poets from England known to the Gemini staff?
4. Who were the poets known to the more literate Gemini staff?
5. Find the word from the passage which is the synonym of ‘moderately’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is the opposite to ‘illiterate’.
   Answers:
7. A few months later, the telephone lines of the big bosses of Madras buzzed.
8. The staff at Gemini Studios cleared a whole shooting stage to welcome a visitor.
9. Wordsworth and Tennyson were the two poets of England known to the Gemini staff.
10. The more literate Gemini staff knew of Keats, Shelley and Byron.
11. faintly.
12. literate.

Passage 10.

At last, around four in the afternoon, the poet (or the editor) arrived. He was a tall man, very English, very serious and of course very unknown to all of us. Battling with half a dozen pedestal fans on the shooting stage, The Boss read out a long speech. It was obvious that he too knew precious little about the poet (or the editor).

The speech was all in the most general terms but here and there it was peppered with words like ‘freedom’ and ‘democracy’. Then the poet spoke. He couldn’t have addressed a more dazed and silent audience — no one knew what he was talking about and his accent defeated any attempt to understand what he was saying.

Questions:

1. When did the poet (or the editor) arrive?
2. What was obvious?
3. Which types of words were included in the speech delivered by the boss?
4. What defeated any attempt to understand what the poet was speaking?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘fighting’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘exceptional.
   Answers:
7. The poet (or the editor) arrived at around four in the afternoon.
8. It was obvious that the boss also knew precious little about the poet (or the editor).
9. Words like ‘freedom’ and ‘democracy’ were included in the speech delivered by the boss.
10. The poet’s accent defeated any attempt to understand what he was saying.
11. battling.
12. general.

Passage 11.

The great prose-writers of the world may not admit it, but my conviction grows stronger day after day that prose writing is not and cannot be the true pursuit of a genius.

It is for the patient, persistent, persevering drudge with a heart so shrunken that nothing can break it; rejection slips don’t mean a thing to him; he at once sets about making a fresh copy of the long prose piece and sends it on to another editor enclosing postage for the return of the manuscript.

It was for such people that The Hindu had published a tiny announcement in an insignificant corner of an unimportant page – a short story contest organised by a British periodical by the name The Encounter.

Questions:

1. Which conviction of the narrator grows stronger day after day?
2. What is enclosed for the return of the manuscript?
3. Which newspaper had published a tiny announcement?
4. What was the name of the British periodical?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘feeling’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘selection’.
   Answers:
7. The narrator’s conviction that prose writing is not and cannot be the true pursuit of a genius, grows stronger day after day.
8. Postage is enclosed for the return of the manuscript.
9. The Hindu had published a tiny announcement.
10. The Encounter was the name of the British periodical.
11. conviction.
12. rejection.

Passage 12.

In those days, the British Council Library had an entrance with no long winded signboards and notices to make you feel you were sneaking into a forbidden area. And there were copies of The Encounter lying about in various degrees of freshness, almost untouched by readers. When I read the editor’s name, I heard a bell ringing in my shrunken heart.

It was the poet who had visited the Gemini Studios I felt like I had found a long lost brother and I sang as I sealed the envelope and wrote out his address. I felt that he too would be singing the same song at the same time – long lost brothers of Indian films discover each other by singing the same song in the first reel and in the final reel of the film. Stephen Spender. Stephen, that was his name.

Questions:

1. What made one feel one was sneaking into a forbidden area?
2. What happened when the narrator read the editor’s name?
3. Who had visited the Gemini Studios?
4. What was the name of the editor?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘closed’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘final.
   Answers:
7. The British Council Library had an entrance with no long winded signboards and notices to make one feel one was sneaking into a forbidden area.
8. When the narrator read the editor’s name, he heard a bell ringing in his shrunken heart.
9. The editor had visited the Gemini Studios.
10. Stephen Spender was the name of the editor.
11. sealed.
12. first.

Passage 13.

And years later, when I was out of Gemini Studios and I had much time but not much money, anything at a reduced price attracted my attention. On the footpath in front of the Madras Mount Road Post Office, there was a pile of brand new books for fifty paise each.

Actually they were copies of the same book, an elegant paperback of American origin. ‘Special low-priced student edition, in connection with the 50th Anniversary of the Russian Revolution’, I paid fifty paise and picked up a copy of the book, The God That Failed.

Questions:

1. What attracted the narrator’s attention?
2. Where was the pile of brand new books available for sale?
3. What were those brand new books?
4. Which book’s copy was bought by the narrator?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘source’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘rough’.
   Answers:
7. Anything at the reduced price attracted the narrator’s attention.
8. The pile of brand new books was available for sale on the footpath in front of the Madras Mount Road Post Office.
9. Those brand new books were copies of the same book, an elegant paperback of American origin.
10. The narrator picked up a copy of the book, The God That Failed.
11. origin.
12. elegant.

Passage 14.

Six eminent men of letters in six separate essays described ‘their journeys into Communism and their disillusioned return’; Andre Gide, Richard Wright, Ignazio Silone, Arthur Koestler, Louis Fischer and Stephen Spender. Stephen Spender! Suddenly the book assumed tremendous significance.

Stephen Spender, the poet who had visited Gemini Studios! In a moment I felt a dark chamber of my mind lit up by a hazy illumination. The reaction to Stephen Spender at Gemini Studios was no longer a mystery. The Boss of the Gemini Studios may not have much to do with Spender’s poetry. But not with his god that failed.

Questions:

1. What did six eminent of letters describe in six separate essays?
2. Which poet had visited the Gemini Studios?
3. What was no longer a mystery?
4. Who may not have much to do with Spender’s poetry?
5. Find the word from the passage which means “importance’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘passed’.
   Answers:
7. Six eminent men of letters in six separate essays described their journeys into Communism and their disillusioned return’.
8. The poet named Stephen Spender had visited Gemini Studios.
9. The reaction to Stephen Spender at Gemini Studios was no longer a mystery.
10. The Boss of the Gemini Studios may not have much to do with Spender’s poetry.
11. significance.
12. failed.