We have compiled solutions and summaries for all the chapters (poetry and prose) of BSEM/BoSEM Class 10 Additional English for students studying under the Manipur Board. To access the answers for each chapter, click on the provided link under the respective chapter. It is important to note that these notes and solutions should be used as a reference and should be modified to meet individual needs and requirements.
Poetry (BSEM/BoSEM cLass 10 Additional English)
Poetry Chapter 1: A Requiem
Introduction: In the poem “Fear No More” written by William Shakespeare, the speaker exhorts the reader to abandon their fears of the grave and the unknowable. The speaker reassures the listener that fear of dying is unnecessary because death is a natural part of life. The poem also exhorts the reader to enjoy every moment of life while they still have it because death will come to everyone eventually. While the poem has a melancholy tone, its main goal is to comfort and reassure the reader that death is not the end of the world.
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Poetry Chapter 2: To the Cuckoo
Introduction: “To the Cuckoo” is one of William Wordsworth’s best poems. This William Wordsworth poem is the best there is to say about springtime. In the spring, an animal with feathers that he called a cuckoo started making the cheeriest of sounds, at least in his opinion. Amazingly intricate stanzaic structure marks this poem, this piece serves as a fitting epitaph for the cuckoo, and its title says it all. The cuckoo, a bird to which the poet has dedicated this poetry, appears frequently, and the poet’s devotion to the cuckoo, as well as the reader’s experience of this devotion, are recurrent themes.
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Poetry Chapter 3: Traveller’s Return
Introduction: The poet writes the poem from the point of view of a traveller. The traveller reports a pleasant morning with the sky just beginning to lighten. The skylark’s sweet song welcomes the new day as dawn breaks. The journey is going swimmingly, and the traveller is enjoying every minute of it. Weary from a day of sight-seeing, the traveller is looking for a place to rest for the afternoon. He ducks into the shade of a nearby tree to escape the heat of the day. He is able to temporarily forget his exhaustion thanks to the river’s calming sound.
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Poetry Chapter 4: The Stream’s Song
Introduction: The poem “The Stream’s Song” by Lascelles Abercrombie is about a stream that is not afraid of obstacles in its path, even though they are bigger and stronger. As it flows, the stream confidently asks if the rocks and boulders it encounters are afraid of it. The poem uses the stream as a metaphor for determination and persistence, despite facing challenges. The message is that even though the rocks may seem more durable and long-lasting, the stream’s persistence is ultimately more powerful. The lines “crumble, crumble voiceless things; no faith can last that never sings” show that the stream’s constant movement and flow can ultimately break down and erode even the toughest obstacles.
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Poetry Chapter 5: A Psalm of Life
Introduction: H.W. Longfellow’s poem “A Psalm of Life” exhorts the reader to live in the moment and take advantage of their existence. The speaker makes the case that life is not a dream and that there is more to life than simply surviving death. Instead of wallowing in self-pity or misery, the poem implores the reader to act and have a positive impact on society. The author exhorts readers to live fully in the present as if a benevolent God is watching them instead of placing faith in the future or reflecting on the past.
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Poetry Chapter 6: Indian Weavers
Introduction: In her short poem “Indian Weavers” Sarojini Naidu uses the idea of weavers making cloth to represent the various stages of a person’s life. In the poem, the poetess observes weavers making a white shroud for a deceased person’s funeral, a blue cloth for a newborn baby, and a colourful cloth for a queen’s bridal gown. The poem ultimately serves as a symbolic representation of the journey of human life because the colours and imagery it uses represent the themes of birth, marriage, and death. The poem is a compelling and thought-provoking piece due to its simplicity and use of folk song elements.
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Prose (BSEM/BoSEM Class 10 Additional English)
Prose Chapter 1: The Need for Religion
Introduction: Gandhiji expresses his disappointment with the absence of faith and the pervasiveness of fear among today’s youth in this article. In his view, the first step toward attaining anything worthwhile is to abandon all fear. He warns against pupils immersing themselves in books and instructs them to exercise prudence in the face of the abundance of available reading material. In his final remarks, he challenges the students to develop a “living faith in God” in the mould of history’s greatest leaders rather than relying solely on their intellect.
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Prose Chapter 2: A Glory has Departed
Introduction: The murder of Mahatma Gandhi and the sense of failure and shame it instils in both the Indian people and the government are topics covered by the speaker in this lecture, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru. The speaker also notes that they are perilously perched on a cliff between the present and the future, facing a multitude of threats. However, the biggest threat comes from the loss of trust, sense of helplessness, and sinking of the heart and spirit that come from seeing principles go awry. He urges the people to dedicate themselves to the enormous work he began in honour of his memory. In the wake of his dying, the people are also experiencing a sense of loss and sadness, which he admits, but he urges them to change this attitude into one of haughty thankfulness.
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Prose Chapter 3: The Conquest of Malaria
Introduction: The extract describes the discovery of how malaria is transmitted, specifically through the Anopheles mosquito. Sir Ronald Ross conducted experiments disproving the theory that it was spread through infected water and found that it was only the female of a certain variety of mosquito that was able to spread the disease. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for medicine in 1902 and an institute of tropical diseases in Putney is named after him. The story highlights Ross’s dedication and perseverance in his research, as well as the significant impact of his discovery on tackling the disease that affected millions of people worldwide.
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Prose Chapter 4: After 20 Years
Introduction: “After 20 Years” is a story by O. Henry that follows two childhood friends, Jimmy Wells and Bob Burke, who made a pact to meet 20 years after they last saw each other in New York City. Bob arrived early at the designated spot and was approached by a policeman who asked about his story. Bob explained that he was waiting for Jimmy and that they had corresponded for a while before losing touch. A tall man approached Bob asking if he was Bob, and Bob excitedly thought it was Jimmy. However, when the two approached the light, Bob realized the man was not Jimmy and he was handed a note from the real Jimmy, explaining that the tall man was a plain-clothes patrolman and that Jimmy had identified Bob as the wanted criminal in Chicago. The story ends with Bob being arrested and realizing that the policeman who approached him was indeed Jimmy.
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Prose Chapter 5: The Age of Computer
Introduction: Computers have a rich history dating back to 3500 BC with the use of early calculators like the abacus. The first digital computer was created in 1944 and digital vacuum tube computers like ENIAC appeared in 1946. John von Neumann’s idea to store computer instructions in memory was a key advancement. Computers continued to develop and improve over time, from first generation vacuum tube-based computers in 1950, to fourth generation computers with smaller integrated circuits on a single chip in the 1970s. Despite predictions that computers would be obsolete by 1990, technology has only continued to advance and improve.
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Play/Drama (BSEM/BoSEM cLass 10 Additional English)
Drama: If I were You
Introduction: In the opening scene, we see a man named Gerrard in his cottage, making a phone call and packing a bag when he is suddenly interrupted by an intruder. The intruder is armed and demands to know if Gerrard lives alone and if he runs a car. Despite the intruder’s threats, Gerrard tries to remain calm and nonchalant, ultimately admitting to owning a car. The intruder also questions if many people visit Gerrard, to which he responds that few people take the trouble to visit him. The scene is filled with tension as the intruder is menacing, but Gerrard tries to maintain his composure. The identity and intentions of the intruder are left unknown.
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