UNIT 5: THE CONCERT
I HIGHLIGHTS:
Smita’s brother Anant is suffering from cancer and her family shifts to Bombay for his
treatment.
Anant is a talented boy. He is the fastest runner and the best table tennis player in the school.
He also plays the sitar well and composes his own tunes.
Smita reads the newspaper that Pt. Ravi Shankar is going to perform at the auditorium.
Anant is excited and says that it is the chance of a lifetime.
Smita is upset that Anant cannot attend the concert as he has cancer.
Smita had an idea while walking in the park.
The next day Smita attends the concert with her father.
After the concert, Smita goes up to Pt. Ravi Shankar and requests him to perform for Anant.
Pt. Ravi Shankar and Ustad Allah Rakha perform for Anant.
MOST LIKELY QUESTIONS:
II Answer the following questions in 2 – 3 sentences each: (2/3 Marks)
1. What makes you think that Aunt Sushila supported Anant’s family? OR
“Aunt Sushila was a generous lady.” Justify.
Ans: Whenever Smita’s family came to Bombay for Anant’s treatment they stayed in Aunt
Sushila’s house. Though her house was small, she always provided them a room.
2. How do you say that Anant was a talented boy?
Ans: Anant was the best table tennis player and the fastest runner. He was learning to play the
sitar and was able to compose his own tunes.
3. Pandit Ravi Shankar, the Sitar maestro deserves our appreciation. Support this statement.
OR The artists’ visit to Anant’s house was unusual. Explain briefly / Justify. OR
What makes the readers appreciate Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Allah Rakha? OR
The response of Ravi Shankar and Ustad Allah Rakha to Smita’s request was unusual. Justify.
Ans: Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Allah Rakha were great musicians. They were busy people.
They were kind and sympathetic. On hearing the story of Anant, they visited his home and played
for Anant.
4. Suddenly a daring thought came to Smita. What was it? OR How did Smita fulfil her
brother’s wish? OR How did Smita try to bring Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Allah Rakha
to her house? OR Why do you think Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Sahib agreed to play
for Anant?
Ans: Smita had planned to request Pandit Ravi Shankar to play for her brother. After the concert,
Smita approached Pandit Ravi Shankar. She explained the condition and the wish of her brother.
They were touched by her brother’s story. They came to her house and played for the boy.
5. The neighbours of Aunt Sushila could not believe their eyes. What made them feel so?
Ans: The neighbours could not believe their eyes that Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Allah Rakha,
the two great maestros came to their apartment to play for Anant.
Read the Extracts and answer the questions that follow:
1. “Panditji is a busy man. You must not bother him with such requests.”
a. Who is the speaker? Ans: The moustachioed man.
b. Who was trying to bother Panditji? / Who is the ‘you’? Ans: Smita
c. What was the request? Ans: To come home and play for her brother Anant.
2.“Tomorrow morning we perform for the boy.”
a. Who does ‘we’ refer to? Ans: Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Allah Rakha.
b. Why did they decide to perform for the boy?
Ans: Smita told them that her brother was suffering from cancer. They were touched by her
brother’s story and decided to play for the boy.
c. What does it reveal about the speakers? Ans: They were kind and sympathetic.
3.“It’s the chance of a life time.”
a. Who is the speaker? Ans: Anant
b. What was the chance? Ans: To hear and see Pandit Ravi Shankar.
c. Why was the speaker not able to attend the concert?
Ans: He was suffering from cancer and was in bed.
d. When did the speaker get the chance to see and hear Pandit Ravi Shankar?
Ans: When they came to Anant’s house to play for him.
4.“Take him home. Give him the things he likes, indulge him.”
a. Who made this statement? Ans: The doctors who were treating Anant.
b. Who was it said to? Ans: Anant’s parents.
c. Who does ‘him’ refer to? Ans: Anant
d. What made the speaker say so? Ans: Because Anant’s health condition grew worse.
e. What does ‘indulge‘ mean in the context? Ans: Allow yourself to do what you like.
5.“Suddenly a daring thought came to her. “
a. Who does ‘her’ refer to? Ans: Smita
b. What was the daring thought?
Ans: To request Pandit Ravi Shankar to come to her house and play for her dying brother.
c. Where was the speaker when she got this daring thought? Ans: In the park.
6.“I must hear him and see him.”
a. Who is the ‘I ‘? Ans: Anant
b. Who did the speaker want to see? Ans: Pandit Ravi Shankar
c. What chance did the speaker not want to miss? Ans: The concert of Pandit Ravi Shankar.
7.“But they did not voice their fears.”
a. Who does ‘they‘ refer to? Ans: Anant’s parents and his sister / Anant’s family.
b. What was their fear? Ans: Anant would die of cancer.
c. How did they take care of the boy? Ans: They laughed, talked and surrounded Anant with
whatever made him happy. They fulfilled his every wish.
8. They could not believe their eyes.” It is ——– it is not possible.”
a. Who does ‘they‘ refer to? Ans: The neighbours of Aunt Sushila.
b. What was not possible, according to them?
Ans: Pandit Ravi Shankar, a great sitar player coming to Aunt Sushila’s house to play for the boy.
c. Why did they think so? Ans: Pandit Ravi Shankar was a busy person. He is a world class
musician. How could he come to an ordinary person’s house?
9.“They had come with high hopes in the miracles of modern science.”
a. Who does ‘they‘ refer to? Ans: Anant’s family.
b. What high hopes did they have? Ans: They hoped that Anant would be cured of cancer.
c. Why were their hopes not fulfilled?
Ans: Anant’s health condition grew worse and the doctors had given up hope.
10. “A walk in the park might make you feel better.”
a. Who made this statement? Ans: Aunt Sushila
b. Who was this said to? Ans: Smita
c. Why did the speaker suggest this?
Ans: Smita was sad because Anant could not go with her to the concert.
11. “We mustn’t miss the chance”
(a) What chance did the boy not want to miss?
Ans: He did not want to miss the chance of listening to Pt. Ravi Shankar’s concert.
(b) Why did he not want to miss? Ans: Because it was the chance of a life time for him.
(c) Why would the boy, not get a chance in the future?
Ans: The boy was suffering from cancer.
12. “You’ll wake him up. You know he needs all the sleep and rest he can get”
(a) Who is the speaker? Ans: Anant’s mother
(b) Who was sleeping? Ans: Anant
(c) Why does he need rest?
Ans: Anant was suffering from cancer and had become very weak.
III SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES:
Activity 01: List the characters in the lesson ‘The Concert’:
1. ___________________________
2. ___________________________
3. ___________________________
4. ___________________________
5. ___________________________
6. ___________________________
Activity 02: Fill in the Flow Chart choosing the appropriate sentences in correct order:
1.Anant says that it is the chance of a lifetime.
2.Smita had an idea while walking in the park.
3.The next day the maestros went to their house and performed for the boy.
4.Anant is excited that Pt. Ravi Shankar is going to perform.
5.Smita reads the newspaper that Pt. Ravi Shankar is going to perform at the auditorium.
6.Next day she attended the concert and listened to the heavenly music.
7.Smita is upset that Anant cannot attend the concert as he has cancer.
8.After the concert, Smita went up to Pt. Ravi Shankar and requested him to come and play for her
brother.