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💊 Chapter 4: Vitamin-M

Verified step-by-step solutions for your class notes.

Check Your Understanding 4Critical Reflection 2Answer the Following Questions 8All Exercises 14
Q1
  1. Why did Grandpa dislike living in the city with his daughter?
  2. Why did Vidya not want her father to go out alone?
  3. Was Ravi in favour of his mother treating Grandpa like a child? How can you say so?
  4. Would Ravi be able to keep up his promise to his mother?
  1. I Answer: Grandpa hated the noise and bustle of city life, living confined in a "poky little flat", and sorely missed his quiet, independent brick house in town with its large mango tree and peaceful garden.
  2. II Answer: Vidya was worried for his safety because in the previous month he had taken a double dose of medicine, gotten lost on a walk, and previously fallen in his garden lying outdoors all night unattended.
  3. III Answer: No, Ravi was not in favour. This is evident when he winced at the loud tone his mother used, which sounded like she was speaking down to a child who could neither hear nor understand properly.
  4. IV Answer: Yes, Ravi manages to keep him safe, but only by following him discreetly through town and enduring numerous comical hurdles to ensure Grandpa comes to no harm.
Q2

I Complete the flow chart by describing Grandpa's day out.

  • Grandpa first stops at 1. ________________
  • buys 2. ________________ and watches ________________.
  • Grandpa next goes to 3. ________________
  • Ravi gets scolded by 4. ________________ and ________________.
  • Grandpa drinks 5. ________________ and eats ________________.
  • Grandpa crosses the road and enters a 6. ________________
  • Next Grandpa walks quickly to a 7. ________________ and ________________.
  • 1. children's park
  • 2. a paper-cone of peanuts; watches the children play
  • 3. the tea stall
  • 4. a little boy's mother and street vendors
  • 5. sugary tea; eats two bananas and an ice cream
  • 6. barber shop
  • 7. bus stop and boards a bus (after gifting his yellow cap to a stranger)
Q3
  1. Was Grandpa lost as feared by Ravi's mother?
  2. How would Ravi feel after seeing Grandpa?
  3. Do you think Ravi's mother will get to know about what had happened?
  1. II Answer: No, Grandpa was not lost at all. He made his way back home comfortably and was sleeping peacefully in his bed.
  2. III Answer: Ravi felt an overwhelming wave of delight, relief, and affection upon seeing his grandfather safely asleep.
  3. IV Answer: No, because Ravi chose not to mention anything to avoid revealing that he had trailed Grandpa, and Grandpa playfully teased Ravi about having disappeared instead.
Q4
  1. Describe how Ravi's emotional reaction upon finding Grandpa safe at home reveals his feelings towards his grandfather.
  2. What might be the significance of Grandpa's habit of giving gifts to everyone on his birthday rather than receiving them?
  3. Why do you think Grandpa gave Ravi a detective story book as a gift? What might this suggest about Grandpa's awareness of Ravi's actions earlier in the day?
  1. I Answer: Ravi puts his cheek against Grandpa's face and hugs him tightly. This shows that underneath his frustration, Ravi genuinely loves, cares for, and cherishes his grandfather.
  2. II Answer: It highlights his generous, patriarchal warmth and paternal love; he still views his adult children and grandson as his beloved young ones whom he wants to bring joy to.
  3. III Answer: Giving Ravi The Best Detective Stories and mentioning tips on "how to avoid getting fooled when one is trailing a suspect" reveals that Grandpa was fully aware that Ravi had been tailing him all morning!
Q5

I Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.

1. Grandpa hated the noise and bustle of city life and when they were on their own, he often spoke longingly of his small brick house in town. "Such a wonderful place...! With that big mango tree in the garden! It is so quiet that at dusk you can even hear a leaf fall!" But then Grandpa had slipped and fallen in the garden late one evening while he was pottering around and lain outside all night because there was no one at home to help him up.

  • (i) Choose the emotion displayed by the Grandfather.
    A. regretful
    B. apologetic
    C. nostalgic
    D. wistful
  • (ii) Complete the following sentence with a reason.
    Grandpa hated the busy and noisy city life because ________________.
  • (iii) Why did Grandpa come to the city despite his dislike for city life?
  • (iv) Choose an expression similar in meaning to, 'you can even hear a leaf fall'.
    A. end of one's life
    B. arrival of autumn
    C. sign of good luck
    D. pin drop silence
  • (v) State one advantage and one disadvantage of the Grandfather living in the house in town.
  • (i) Answer: D. wistful (or C. nostalgic)
  • (ii) Answer: he was used to the absolute peace, independence, and greenery of his quiet hometown house.
  • (iii) Answer: After he slipped and lay outside in his garden all night alone, his daughter locked up his house and insisted on bringing him to the city for safety.
  • (iv) Answer: D. pin drop silence
  • (v) Answer:
    • Advantage: Peaceful, green surroundings and freedom to manage his own life.
    • Disadvantage: Lack of immediate care and medical assistance in case of accidents.
Q6

2. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.

"I had a quiet morning, but I don't know about Ravi. He just disappeared instead of staying at home to look after me like you told him to," answered Grandpa coolly, while Ravi just looked confused and embarrassed.
Grandpa had another surprise for Ravi. A gift-wrapped parcel!
"But, Papa, Ravi's birthday was three months ago. Have you forgotten?" exclaimed Ravi's mother, impatiently.

  • (i) Choose the option that displays the tone of the Grandfather's response.
    A. apologetic
    B. hurtful
    C. calm
    D. puzzled
  • (ii) Why was Ravi confused and embarrassed?
  • (iii) Complete the sentence with a suitable reason.
    Ravi's mother was impatient because ________________.
  • (iv) State whether the following sentence is true or false.
    Grandfather forgot that Ravi's birthday was three months ago.
  • (v) Why did Grandpa say he didn't know what kind of morning Ravi might have had?
  • (i) Answer: C. calm
  • (ii) Answer: He was embarrassed because he couldn't defend himself without admitting he had been following Grandpa all along.
  • (iii) Answer: she assumed Grandpa had once again suffered a memory lapse and confused Ravi's birthday with today.
  • (iv) Answer: False
  • (v) Answer: He was slyly teasing Ravi, knowing fully well that Ravi had spent a chaotic, exhausting morning tailing him!
Q7

1. Grandpa is portrayed as a person with failing memory in the beginning of the story. Give two evidences to disprove the statement.

1. Answer: First, he recalled intricate historical chess moves made by grandmasters like Karpov and Bobby Fischer. Second, he clearly remembered that it was his own birthday and kept up his custom of gifting others, while his daughter was the one who forgot!

Q8

2. Give two characteristic traits of each of the following characters: (i) Grandfather, (ii) Ravi, (iii) Ravi's mother.

  • (i) Grandfather: Independent, witty, generous, and sharp-minded.
  • (ii) Ravi: Caring, obedient, observant, and loving.
  • (iii) Ravi's mother: Anxious, protective, well-meaning, but overbearing.
Q9

3. Why was Ravi worried about what Grandpa had at the tea stall?

3. Answer: Grandpa indulged in sugary tea, two bananas, and an ice cream—all of which were strictly prohibited for his health at home. Ravi worried it would make him ill and feared his mother's reaction.

Q10

4. Do you think it was easy for Ravi to follow his Grandfather? If yes, why? If no, why not?

4. Answer: No, it was very difficult. Ravi was confronted by an angry mother in the park, questioned by loud vendors near the banyan tree, evicted from a ladies' salon, and misled onto a crowded bus.

Q11

5. 'Ravi is a good detective'. Give one argument in favour of and against the given statement.

  • In favour: He showed relentless dedication, quick reflexes, and sprinted through town without losing determination.
  • Against: He blew his cover repeatedly, drew public attention, and got completely tricked by a swapped yellow cap.
Q12

6. Was Grandfather aware that Ravi was following him? How do you know?

6. Answer: Yes, he was completely aware. He gifted his cap to a stranger in the barber shop to throw Ravi off the scent, and gave Ravi a detective book teasing him about how not to get fooled while trailing suspects.

Q13

7. In your opinion, who needs Vitamin-M? And why?

7. Answer: Ironically, Ravi's mother needed 'Vitamin-M' the most! While she assumed Grandpa was losing his memory, she was the one who forgot her own father's birthday despite having circled it in red on the calendar.

Q14

8. Some people believe society shows bias based on age (being young or old). Give an example where you might have experienced or observed such discrimination, when opinions were disregarded because of age.

8. Answer: In families, elderly members are sometimes treated like helpless children whose independent desires and capabilities are dismissed, while younger children are often told they are too inexperienced to have valid opinions during family discussions.