| Book Name | : Blossom |
| Subject | : English |
| Class | : 6 (Madhyamik) |
| Publisher | : Prof. Nabanita Chatterjee |
| Chapter Name | : Rip Van Winkle (12th Chapter) |
Activity 1
Rearrange the following sentences in the correct order and put the numbers in the given boxes:
- Rip had to leave his group eventually.
- On one of these days, Rip had gone high up to the Kaatskill Mountains.
- Rip used to sit and talk with his friends.
- He heard a voice from the distance calling, “Rip Van Winkle I Rip Van Winkle.”
- His wife complained that his friends encouraged his idle habits.
- Poor Rip was reduced almost to despair.
Answer
- Poor Rip was reduced almost to despair.
- Rip used to sit and talk with his friends.
- His wife complained that his friends encouraged his idle habits.
- Rip had to leave his group eventually.
- On one of these days, Rip had gone high up to the Kaatskill Mountains.
- He heard a voice from the distance calling, “Rip Van Winkle! Rip Van Winkle.”
Activity 2
Fill in the blanks with words from the Help Box. There is one extra word :
Rip ____ children at their sports. He always helped others in their ____ His wife ____ about his idle habits. One day Rip went ____ up the Kaatskill Mountains.
Help Box : high, complained, assisted, encouraged, work
Answer
Rip assisted children at their sports. He always helped others in their work. His wife complained about his idle habits. One day Rip went high up the Kaatskill Mountains.
Activity 3
Answer the following question:
How do you think Rip felt when he heard a voice from the distance calling?
Answer
Rip felt surprised and curious when he heard the distant voice calling.
Activity 4
Write T‘ for true and ‘F’ for false statements in the given boxes. Give supporting statements for each of your answers:
- The stranger wanted to assist Rip.
- All the strangers had beards.
- Rip felt very thirsty.
- Rip saw that his village had become smaller.
Answer
T – The stranger wanted to assist Rip.
Supporting statement: In the passage, it is mentioned that the short old man with thick bushy hair and a beard made signs for Rip to assist him with the load. Rip, being helpful as always, did so.
T – All the strangers had beards.
Supporting statement: In the passage, it is stated that the group of people playing ninepins had beards of various shapes and colors. This indicates that all the strangers had beards.
T – Rip felt very thirsty.
Supporting statement: In the passage, after Rip and the old man arrived at the round hollow, they found a keg of liquid, and everyone drank from it. Rip also had several drinks from the keg, suggesting that he felt thirsty.
F – Rip saw that his village had become smaller.
Supporting statement: In the passage, it is mentioned that Rip noticed his village had become larger with more people. There were rows of houses he had never seen before, indicating that the village had grown, not become smaller.
Activity 5
Answer the following questions In complete sentences:
- How did the stranger look?
- What happened after Rip had drunk the liquid?
- Why was Rip surprised when he came near the village?
- What did Rip suddenly notice?
Answer
- The stranger looked like a short old man with thick bushy hair and a beard.
- After Rip had drunk the liquid from the keg, he fell into a deep sleep.
- Rip was surprised when he came near the village because he saw that the village had become larger with more people. There were rows of houses he had never seen before, and everything seemed unfamiliar to him.
- Rip suddenly noticed that his beard had grown a foot long.
Activity 6
Fill in the following chart with information from the text:
| Cause | Effect |
| (i) Rip had a long beard and wore a peculiar dress | |
| (ii) | Rip’s heart died away |
| (iii) Rip saw a fellow who looked exactly like his previous self | |
| (iv) | all stood amazed |
Answer
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| (i) Rip had a long beard and wore a peculiar dress | Attracted the attention of people. |
| (ii) All stood silent for a little while after Rip asked about Nicholas Vedder. | Rip’s heart died away, feeling alone in the world, as he learned that Nicholas Vedder had been dead for eighteen years. |
| (iii) Rip saw a fellow who looked exactly like his previous self | Realized that the person was his son, Rip. |
| (iv) Everyone came to know Rip’s story. | All stood amazed upon hearing about Rip’s extraordinary experience during his long sleep, where the whole twenty years had felt like one night. |
Activity 7
Answer the following questions in complete sentences:
- What attracted the attention of the people when Rip entered the village?
- What did Rip learn about Nicolas Vedder?
- Who looked exactly like Rip’s previous self
- How long did twenty years seem to Rip?
Answer
- Rip’s long beard and peculiar dress attracted the attention of the people when he entered the village.
- Rip learned that Nicolas Vedder had been dead for eighteen years when he asked about him.
- Rip’s son looked exactly like Rip’s previous self.
- Twenty years seemed to Rip as if they had passed in just one night.
Activity 8
Fill in the blanks with appropriate verbs from those given in brackets:
- A hundred rupees ____ too much for this item (is/are)
- The accountant and the cashier ____ absconded.(has/have)
- Time and tide ____ (wait/waits) tor none
- Either he or I ____ mistaken (is/am)
- The ship with its crew ____ delayed (was/were)
Answer
- A hundred rupees are too much for this item.
- The accountant and the cashier have absconded.
- Time and tide wait for none.
- Either he or I am mistaken.
- The ship with its crew was delayed.
Activity 9 (a)
Make meaningful sentences of your own with the following words:
- hollow
- fearful
- ruins
- gaze
Answer
- The old tree had a hollow trunk, providing a cozy shelter for woodland creatures.
- She felt fearful of the dark forest as she heard mysterious sounds echoing through the trees.
- Once a grand palace, the ancient ruins now stood as a reminder of a glorious past.
- The children’s curious gaze followed the shooting star as it streaked across the night sky.
Activity 9 (b)
Identify the types of sentences given below:
- Rip’s sole follower was the dog Wolf.
- What was to be done?
- All was silence.
- Sure enough! It is Van Winkle!
Answer
- Rip’s sole follower was the dog Wolf. – Declarative sentence (states a fact or makes a statement).
- What was to be done? – Interrogative sentence (asks a question).
- All was silence. – Declarative sentence (states a fact or makes a statement).
- Sure enough! It is Van Winkle! – Exclamatory sentence (expresses strong emotion or surprise).
Activity 10 (a)
Write a short story in about sixty words using the hints given below. Add a title to it:
you went on a tour with your friends — stayed the night in a house inside a forest —slept in separate rooms — when you woke up your friends were all gone — your feelings — how you returned home
Answer
Title: Lost in the Enchanted Forest
On a tour with friends, we stayed the night in a forest house. I woke up to an empty room; my friends had vanished. Panic set in, but I gathered courage and retraced our steps. Following the trail, I finally found the exit and reached home, bewildered yet grateful to be back. The forest held secrets I’ll never forget, and my heart cherished the bond of true friendship.
Activity 10 (b)
Imagine that you have a very lazy brother who is always late getting up from sleep. Write an imaginary conversation between you and your brother on the usefulness of early rising.
Answer
You: Hey, bro, can we talk for a moment?
Lazy Brother: yawns Yeah, what’s up?
You: I wanted to discuss the importance of waking up early. It’s essential for a productive day.
Lazy Brother: Oh, not this again. I’m just not a morning person, you know.
You: I get that, but there are so many benefits to starting the day early. You’ll have more time to get things done, plan your day, and avoid rushing.
Lazy Brother: I don’t see why I can’t do all that later in the day.
You: Sure, you can, but think about the peace and quiet in the morning. It’s the perfect time for some personal space and reflection.
Lazy Brother: I still prefer my sleep, though. It’s tough for me to wake up early.
You: I understand it might be challenging at first, but it’s all about forming a routine. Try going to bed a bit earlier, and you’ll see how refreshing it is to wake up with the sun.
Lazy Brother: I don’t know if it’s worth the effort.
You: Trust me, it is. Early risers often feel more energized, focused, and less stressed throughout the day. You might discover a new side of yourself.
Lazy Brother: Fine, I’ll give it a shot. But don’t expect a complete transformation overnight.
You: That’s fair. Take small steps, and remember, I’m here to support you. You’ll see the positive changes in no time.
Lazy Brother: Alright, I’ll try it out. But you owe me one if this doesn’t work!
You: Deal! Let’s make a pact to improve our habits together. Who knows, we might become the most productive duo around!
Lazy Brother: Haha, let’s see about that. Thanks for talking to me, though. I’ll give early rising a chance.
You: That’s all I ask for. You won’t regret it, I promise. Now, let’s get some rest, and we’ll start fresh tomorrow morning!
Lazy Brother: Agreed. Goodnight, and see you in the morning.
