Conceptual Fruit Questions and Answers Plus One English Textbook Unit 6 Chapter 3 (Short Story)

Kerala Plus One English Textbook Conceptual Fruit Questions and Answers Unit 6 Chapter 3 (Short Story)

Conceptual Fruit (Short Story) Textual Questions and Answers

Question 1.
How does the wife, and the son, react to the man’s excitement? What does this tell us about their character?
Answer:
The wife and the son react to the man’s excitement in a negative way. They are uninterested in the whole thing. This tells that they are not much concerned with the happiness of Greta who is a differently-abled child.

Question 2.
Why are the son and the wife uninterested? Do you approve of their attitude?
Answer:
The son is not interested because he wants to devote all his life to karate. The wife says she has been sitting in front of the computer and she wants to spend her evenings in the garden. Both of them are not bothered in the welfare or happiness of Greta. I don’t approve of their attitude.

Question 3.
Greta is a special child. How do you know that? Have you ever visited a special school?
Answer:
I know that Greta is a special child because she had worked hard to tie her shoes by age ten. Although she was 16, she is in the 5th grade-level. Her younger brother who is 11 is in a higher grade. She went to a special school.
I have visited a special school and I have seen how differently-abled children are taught various skills.

Question 4.
What is the father’s expectation of his daughter’s future prospects?
Answer:
Greta could type very slowly. Her father expected that by the time she left her school, she might be able to type fast enough to get a job at some word processing centre. But he was not sure about it as Greta was a differently-abled child.

Question 5.
Who is Sam? Why he is mentioned here? Do yo have any friend who has done interesting things in the field of computers?
Answer:
Sam is the person who set up the whole library of classics on the Internet. He is mentioned here to show that people can do wonderful things if they worked with the computer diligently. I have a friend who has done interesting things in the field of computers. He works on cryptology – a secret language.

Question 6.
How is Greta described in these lines? What does this convey about the character of Greta?
Answer:
Greta is a young girl of 16. She is a differently-abled child. She is doing 5th grade-level. Her younger brother is in a higher level. She goes to a special school. She has blonde hair and blue eyes and she wears a sweater. She has the habit of repeating things * she hears. She picks at the sweater when she knows she has got something right. She makes a furtive smile when she pretends that she understood something that made no sense to her. She likes a big house with 11 windows. She wants sheer white curtains for all of them. She wants bowls of different fruits everywhere.

She loves peaches very much. She wants her bowls to be blue. She can type a bit. People hope when she leaves school she can work at word processing job. She is a helpful girl. When her mother is cutting blackberries she goes to help her.

Question 7.
What made Greta disappointed? How did her father try to console her? Was his explanation convincing?
Answer:
When she clicked bowl, the word peaches appeared. She thought she would get real peaches to eat and when they did not come she was disappointed. Her father says to get real peaches one has to go to the store. Her father further adds that when people see words like peaches or apples on the screen they are reminded of them and people like it. His explanation was convincing.

Question 8.
Why doesn’t Greta intend to have a bathroom in her house?
Answer:
Greta does not intend to have a bathroom in her house because it is not a real house and so people would not use it.

Question 9.
Why does she give a furtive smile when she saw the word ‘peaches’ on the computer screen? What does it indicate?
Answer:
Greta clicked and the word peaches appeared on the computer screen and then she smiled. It was a furtive smile -the smile she got when she pretended to have understood something which made no sense to her. It indicates the appearance of the word without the actual thing has no meaning for her.

Question 10.
Can you identify the words that tell you that she is disinterested?
Answer:
When her father says there could be other fruit – apples, pears and there could be flowers, she responds by saying, “Sure, there could be anything.” These words of hers tell us that she is disinterested.

Question 11.
What are the thoughts of the father? Do you think that they are touching? Why?
Answer:
The father knows that Greta would never have a house of her own. She would live in a group house with other people like her. He only hopes the house would be large and have sheer white curtains in all the rooms. He hopes it would have an orchard with fruit in real blue bowls: apples, pears, peaches – whatever Greta wanted.

His thoughts are touching as they are the sincere wishes of a loving father who knows her daughter is differently-abled and can’t have what she wants. He represents all fathers with differently-abled children.

Activity – I (Read and respond)

Question 1.
A story can be analysed based on its characters, setting, plot, mood, structure and its language. In the light of your reading of the story discuss these elements in groups and complete the table. The table gives you a few details about these elements.

Answer:
Characters: Greta, her father, her brother, her mother and Sam
Settings: The dining room in the home of Greta.
Plot: Greta’s father trying to make her, a differently abled girl, happy by making her a house of her choice in the cyberspace.
Mood: It is one of hope and joy. Greta gets what he wanted and she is happy.
Structure & Language: The writer has used simple, everyday language. The story is taken forward through dialogues. It has good characterization. It shows a loving father taking pains to make his differently-abled child happy.

Question 2.
Read the notes on characters on page 178. Classify the characters as primary secondary and tertiary.

Answer:

Question 3.
Can we call this a technology story?
Answer:
Yes, we can call this a technology story.

Question 4.
Why do you think so?
Answer:
I think so because here technology is used to make a differently-abled girl happy. Technology fulfils her dream.

Question 5.
Do you have any evidence to cite?
Answer:
Yes, I have. “Greta clicked and this time smiled.”

Question 6.
Write a short paragraph about this.
Answer:
Greta is a differently-abled girl. Differently-abled people have some physical or mental handicaps. Because of that they are not able to enjoy the normal charms of daily life. In such cases technology plays a big role. It gives the differently-abled people also to enjoy certain things. In the story, Greta wants to have a house of her own. She can’t get a real house of her choice. But technology comes to her rescue and gives an imaginary house.

She wants a blue bowl in every room. She wants peaches in the kitchen and living room and all the bedrooms. She wanted
11 windows covered with sheer white curtains. She wanted a kitchen, a dining room, a living room, a bedroom for a cat. She gets all that in the cyberspace and she is happy.

Activity – II (Think and respond)

Read the excerpt given on p. 178 and answer the following questions.

‘When he told his family about the site on the Internet where you could create whole streets, his wife and son went on eating their pasta and artichokes. Only his daughter Greta looked up.’

Question 1.
What is interesting about this family?
Answer:
It is a small family and they eat their meals together.

Question 2.
Is it a middle class or upper class family?
Answer:
It is a middle class family.

Question 3.
How do you understand the characters of this story?
Answer:
Greta is differently-abled girl. She goes to a special school. She is 16, but is at a much lower class than her younger brother. She could tie her shoes only by the age of 10. Still she has some desires. She wants to have a big house. She loves peaches. She also loves cats and that is why she specifies that she needs a bedroom for her cat. Her father is quite a loving father. He tries hard to make his daughter happy by trying to give her what she wants on the cyberspace. Greta’s mother and her brother are not so affectionate or considerate. We see them making eyes when Greta asks her father to show her the place on the cyberspace.

Activity – III (Analysis)

Note down the words, phrases or passage that create a picture of the character in your mind in the column to left of the table. Now note your analysis of the characters on the column to the right.

Answer:

Activity – IV (Writing)

Question 1.
Read the last paragraph. If you were the author of the story, how would you end the story? Write an alternative ending of the story.
Answer:
Greta and her father continued the conversation. Her father told her that she was doing well with her typing. If she practiced a little more she could soon become art adept at it. Once she has the necessary speed, she could easily get a word processing job.

He further told her that the government has schemes to employ differently abled people in good positions with high salaries. The government also will give housing loans for such people on very easy terms. Once she has a job, she can buy a house of her choice and fulfil her dreams.

“Please bring my laptop, Dad,” Greta said. “I’m going to practice for more time from today.”
“I wish you all the luck in the world, beautiful girl,” her father said. As he was bringing her laptop to her his eyes were brimmed with tears.

Activity – V

Read the notes on page 179.

Question 1.
An email to a relative (telling him about the story)
Answer:
[email protected]
Today I want to tell you about a story I read. There is this girl named Greta. She is a differently-abled girl. She goes to a special school. She is 16, but is at a much lower class than her younger brother. She could tie her shoes only by the age of 10. Still she has some desires. She wants to have a big house. She loves peaches. She also loves cats. Her father is quite a loving father. He tries hard to make his daughter happy. He can’t buy her a real house. Instead he makes her a house on the cyberspace.

Greta wants a blue bowl in every room. She wants peaches in the kitchen and living room and all the bedrooms. She wants 11 windows covered with sheer white curtains. She has a kitchen, a dining room, a living room, a bedroom for a cat. Her mother and brother are not so understanding and compassionate liker her father. As the girl and the father make their plans for the house they make eyes to mean that he is just wasting his time. Greta is happy with her imaginary house. The father hopes and prays that one day Greta may live in a house of her dreams! I felt moved by the emotions of the loving father.

Hope you are keeping well. Write back to me at your earliest.

Lovingly,
job

Activity – VI (Word Power)

Read the notes on page 180.

Question 1.
Write down as many Internet related words as possible.
Answer:
Web, world wide web, cyberspace, cyber crime, cyber law, digital, on-line, download, upload, email, post, chat, access, tag, software, blocking, data stream, spam, virus, anti-virus, info superhighway, networking.

Extended Activities

Activity – I : (Application Letter and CV)

Read the advertisement given on page 180 of the Text.

Question 1.
Type an application Letter and a CV on your desktop or laptop.
Answer:

Application Letter

Jobhaven
Azad Road
Irinjalakuda
Kerala, India
PIN-680 125
17 October 2014

The Manager
Lee Shipping Co. Ltd.
4545 Changi Boulevard
Singapore

Dear Sir,

Application for the post Receptionist/Booking Clerk

This is in response to your advertisement appearing in the “Malaysia Manorama” dated 15 October 2014. I am a B.Com Graduate with 80% marks in the aggregate. I speak and write three languages fluently – English, Hindi and Malayalam. I have completed a course in Microsoft Word and Excel for which I hold a certificate. I have some experience in office work as I worked as a clerk in the KSE Ltd. Irinjalakuda, Kerala, for 2 months during the summer vacation. My detailed C.V. and my recent photograph are enclosed.

I am prepared to come for the interview on any day in the month of October at any place of your choice in India, preferably Kochi. You are assured of full satisfaction if you give me a chance to work under you. Hoping to hear from you soon,

Yours faithfully,
Shweta Raj

Encl: 2

Curriculum Vitate Of Shweta Raj

Name: SHWETA RAJ
Address: Jobhaven, Azad Road, Irinjalakuda,
Kerala, India, PIN 680125
Phone No.: 8547028805
E-mail : [email protected]
Career Objective: To associate myself with a prestigious organization that provides a challenging job and an opportunity to prove innovative and diligent work.
Education

Achievements
Member – College Handball Team
Secretary – Commerce Club
Stood second in an Inter-Collegiate Debate
Experience – Worked for2 months as a clerk in KSE Irinjalakuda.
Languages known – English, Hindi and Malayalam (fluent in all of them.)
computer training- Microsoft Word, Excel, Tally, Unix

Personal Details
Date of birth – 20 August 1994
Sex – Female
Nationality-Indian
Marital status – single
References-Available on demand

(Shweta Raj)

Activity – II (Telephone Interview)

Question 1.
Imagine that the company accepted your application and asked you to give a telephone interview. Prepare the script of the telephone interview.
Answer:
Shweta: Good morning! May I know whom I am speaking to?
Manager: Good morning! I am Lee, the Manager of Lee Shipping Co. We got your application and we want to have an interview with you over the phone.
Shweta: That’s great. You may go ahead.
Manager: Shweta, you said in your application that you can speak and write 3 languages fluently. How good are you in English?
Shweta: I feel I am quite good. Ours was an English medium school and so I can speak English quite fluently. I can also write it well.
Manager: You said you have some certificates in computer courses. How good are you with Microsoft Word and Excel?
Shweta: I can’t say that I’m a great expert. But I am quite okay in them and I can do all the normal tasks.
Manager: What salary do you expect, Ms Shweta?
Shweta: I understand that you have offices in India and Singapore. If I have to work in Singapore, I expect a salary of US $ 4000 p.m. If I am posted in India, I can accept a lesser salary, the equivalent of US $2000.
Manager: You will be working in our Indian office. But we can’t pay you US$2000. Will you accept the job if we pay the equivalent of US $ 1500 p.m.?
Shweta: I will accept the offer for the time being.
Manager: When can you join us?
Shweta: Currently I am working with a local firm. So I will need one month’s time.
Manager: Agreed. We expect you to join us on the 1st of October.
Shweta: It’s fine.
Manager: Is there anything you would like to ask?
Shweta: Will I get a chance to come to Singapore anytime?
Manager: Yes, we usually have get-together of all the employees during X-mas time. Then you can come and we will pay you all the expenses of coming, provided you have proved yourself an asset to the company.
Shweta: I assure you I will prove that.
Manager: Okay then! I will send you the necessary papers to sign. Goodbye for now.
Shweta: Goodbye, and have a nice day!

Activity – III (Write-up)

Question 1.
The interview board asked you to prepare a write-up on ‘Why you want this job.’ Prepare a write-up on this in about one-and-a half pages.
Answer:
I want this job because of different reasons. First of all, I am an ambitious person who wants to make use of the talents God has given me. I don’t believe in doing the minimum and getting the maximum. I believe in doing the maximum and getting the maximum. This way I will benefit myself and also my employer.

I want this job because I know that Lee shipping Co. is one of the most prestigious in the world. I have heard that the company appreciates talented people and does its best to promote them to do their best. I understand that the Company gives incentives to those who prove themselves to be competitive and sincere in their work.

I want this job for another reason. I learnt that all the employees of the Company are called for a get- together in Singapore at the time of Christmas. I have heard a lot about Singapore and its achievements. I have heard that Singapore is the cleanest city in the world. I want to visit Singapore and experience myself some the marvels Singapore has.

I want this job for yet another reason. I am told that Lee Shipping Company encourages hardworking and intelligent people by giving them special training to do more responsible jobs where they will have a lot of benefits. I feel that I am intelligent and hardworking and I will also be noticed by the authorities and they give me a chance to grow to the greatest potential I am capable of.

Last but not the least I want this job because of the good salary I am offered. With my qualification and experience I feel this is the best I can get. With encouragement and assistance from the authorities I am sure I will be able to go higher in my life and achieve my aims. I have dreams of a good life and I am sure this job will help me to realize my dreams.

Conceptual Fruit (Short Story) About the Author

Thaisa Frank is a famous short- story writer. She worked as a psychotherapist before becoming a full time writer. She also teaches at the University of San Francisco. This short story is about the Internet.

Conceptual Fruit (Short Story) Summary in English

Page 174: When he told his family about the site on the Internet where you could create whole streets, his wife and son went on eating pasta and artichokes (edible flower buds). Only his daughter Greta looked up. He said he could buy a house on Pomanger Street. He could put as many rooms in it as he wanted and fill them with fruit. He could also make his own library.

His son, who was eleven, agreed with him. His son knew how to programme computers. But he was not interested. He wanted to give away his books and devote his life to karate.

His wife ate the heart of the artichoke carefully. He wanted to know her opinion. She said that she was in front of the computer the whole day and she wanted to spend the evenings in the garden. He knew that she was not interested.

Greta looked up from her artichoke leaves. She was arranging them in a circular pattern in her bowl. She said: “You said that there were streets. You said there could be fruit.” Greta often repeated what she heard. She had worked hard to tie her shoes by age ten and could read at fifth grade level, five grades below Joel, even though she was sixteen. She went to a special school. She said she wanted to see the place. Her father said he would show her. His wife and his son made eyes indicating their displeasure. They thought: “He is at it again. He’s getting Greta into it, too.”

Page 175: He said he would show her where she can make up streets and bowls of fruit. Greta sat in his chair and he sat next to her. Greta could type very slowly. By the time she left her school, she might be able to type fast enough to get a word processing job. But nobody was certain.

The man said that there was this guy named Sam who set up that whole library of classics. He lived in Illinois, but he made this wonderful place. He wanted her to watch. He clicked into the programme and was about to show Greta the collection of books when he saw her staring into space. He asked her if she wanted something of her own.

She said she wanted peaches and pears and artichokes. He asked her if she wanted them with bowls in a kitchen of a house or in a garden. He was typing, creating a street called Greta’s Street, a house called Greta’s house. Greta wanted to know why he was writing all that down. He said he was writing them down because they all were hers. Greta looked at the screen. Her blond hair blended with her sweater. Her blue eyes were the only colour in her face.

She said she wanted a bowl in every room. She wanted peaches in the kitchen and living room and all the bedrooms. He asked her if she did not want artichokes. Greta picked at her sweater. This is something she did when she knew she had got it right. She had forgotten about the artichokes and he was sorry that he had reminded her. He said he would put peaches everywhere. He wanted to know if the bowls should be of the same colour. She said they all should be blue colour. He then asked her how many windows she wanted and whether there should be a fireplace and if there should be curtains. Greta wanted 11 windows covered with sheer white curtains as the ones she had in her bedroom.

Page 176: He said he would start with the fruit in the kitchen. He wrote Greta’s kitchen and asked her to walk around and take fruits from the bowl and eat them. She asked where the peaches were. He said they would come in a minute. She should click under bowl and see what happens. He covered the screen for a moment and wrote peaches. He asked to try it by clicking bowl. Greta clicked bowl and the word peaches appeared. She told him that it was just a word. He said that was the idea and she can see a picture of the fruit.

She said she thought she would make real peaches. He said she had to go to the store to get them. She said here she just saw only words and wanted to know why people liked them. He said that they reminded people of the things the words stand for as she saw in her books.

He created other rooms as wanted by Greta: a kitchen, a dining room, a living room, a bedroom, a room fora cat and one bathroom. Then she said there was no need for a bathroom as it is not a real house and so people would not use it. He agreed. He programmed bowls of peaches in every room. He asked Greta to click.

Greta clicked and smiled when the word peaches appeared. It was a shifty smile – the smile she got when she pretended to have understood something which made no sense to her. He said there could be other fruit like apples, and pears and there could be flowers. Greta agreed and said there could be anything.

His wife was cutting blackberries in the garden. Greta was getting up from her chair to help her. Greta would never have a house of her own. She would live in a group house with other people like her. He hoped the house would be large and have sheer white curtains in all the rooms. He hoped it would have an orchard with fruit in real blue bowls: apples, pears, peaches-whatever Greta wanted.

Conceptual Fruit (Short Story) Vocabulary

Plus One English Textbook Answers