Question 5 - Chapter 6 - Poets and Pancakes - Flamingo - Chapters (Literature) - English Class 12

Read the extract and answer the following questions.

Extract:

Gemini Studios was the favourite haunt of poets like S.D.S.Yogiar3 , Sangu Subramanyam, Krishna Sastry and Harindranath Chattopadhyaya4 . It had an excellent mess which supplied good coffee at all times of the day and for most part of the night. Those were the days when Congress rule meant Prohibition and meeting over a cup of coffee was rather satisfying entertainment. Barring the office boys and a couple of clerks, everybody else at the Studios radiated leisure, a prerequisite for poetry. Most of them wore khadi and worshipped Gandhiji but beyond that they had not the faintest appreciation for political thought of any kind. Naturally, they were all averse to the term ‘Communism’

(Poets and pancakes)

Question (i)

List any two sensory details present in this extract.

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

Two possible sensory details present in this extract are:

• The smell of good coffee at the mess
• The sight of khadi clothes worn by most of the people

Step-by-step explanation: 

• To answer this question, we need to identify two details from the extract that appeal to one or more of the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, or touch. 
• Sensory details help the reader to imagine and understand the situation better. 
• In this extract, one possible sensory detail is the smell of good coffee at the mess, which shows the availability and enjoyment of coffee at Gemini Studios. 
• Another possible sensory detail is the sight of khadi clothes worn by most of the people, which shows their respect and admiration for Gandhiji. 
• Therefore, these are two possible sensory details present in this extract.😊

Question (ii)

 What does Prohibition mean in this context?

1. The ban on alcohol
2. The ban on coffee
3. The ban on poetry
4. The ban on khadi

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

(a) The ban on alcohol

Step-by-step explanation: 

• To answer this question, we need to know the meaning of Prohibition in this context. 
• Prohibition is a noun that means the action of forbidding something by law, especially alcohol. 
• The extract tells us that those were the days when Congress rule meant Prohibition and meeting over a cup of coffee was rather satisfying entertainment. 
• This implies that alcohol was banned under Congress rule and people had to resort to coffee as a substitute for socializing and relaxing. 
• Therefore, the correct option is A. The ban on alcohol.😎

Question (iii)

 Complete the sentence appropriately.

 The phrase "radiated leisure" means ____________.

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

showed relaxation and ease

Step-by-step explanation: 

• To answer this question, we need to find a phrase that best completes the sentence and matches the context of the extract. 
• T he phrase "radiated leisure" means that they displayed or expressed a state of being free from work or duty and having time for enjoyment and rest. 
• The extract tells us that barring the office boys and a couple of clerks, everybody else at the Studios radiated leisure, a prerequisite for poetry. 
• Therefore, the phrase that fits the blank is showed relaxation and ease.👏

Question (iv)

Explain any one possible inference that can be drawn from the line "Gemini Studios was the favourite haunt of poets".

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

 One possible inference that can be drawn from the line "Gemini Studios was the favourite haunt of poets" is that Gemini Studios was a place where poets liked to visit frequently and spend their time. 

Step-by-step explanation: 

• They found Gemini Studios to be a suitable and attractive place for their poetic pursuits and interests. 
• They also enjoyed the company and hospitality of the people who worked there, especially Subbu, who was a poet himself.
•  Therefore, this line suggests the popularity and appeal of Gemini Studios among poets.🙏

Question(v)

 What does the term 'khadi' mean?

1. A type of cloth made from handspun yarn
2. A type of food made from fermented milk
3. A type of dance performed with sticks
4. A type of instrument played with strings

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

(a) A type of cloth made from handspun yarn

Step-by-step explanation: 

• To answer this question, we need to know the meaning of the term 'khadi'. 
• Khadi is a noun that means a type of cloth or fabric that is made from handspun yarn, usually cotton or wool. 
• The extract tells us that most of them wore khadi and worshipped Gandhiji, who promoted khadi as a symbol of selfreliance and nationalism. 
• Therefore, the correct option is A. A type of cloth made from handspun yarn.👍

Question (vi)

Which of the following headlines best suggests the central idea of the extract?

1. The Coffee and Khadi of Gemini Studios
2. The Poets and Politics of Gemini Studios
3. The Leisure and Poetry of Gemini Studios
4. The Prohibition and Communism of Gemini Studios

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

(c) The Leisure and Poetry of Gemini Studios

Step-by-step explanation: 

• To answer this question, we need to identify the main theme or message of the extract. 
• The extract focuses on how Gemini Studios was a place where leisure and poetry were prevalent and appreciated. The extract shows that most of the people who worked there had time for enjoyment and rest, which was a prerequisite for poetry. The extract also shows that Gemini Studios was the favourite haunt of poets who liked to visit and write there. 
• Therefore, the headline that best captures this idea is C. The Leisure and Poetry of Gemini Studios.😊