Class 10 English Unit: 4 Reading I: Cabbage White

 

Unit 4: Work and Leisure

Click for Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBN5wJn5vn4

Getting Started

Let them observe the activities shown in the picture and ask the students why they are important. (planting the rice, teaching-learning activities, swimming and trekking)

Reading I: Cabbage White

Vocabulary

a.      Tiptoe /ˈtɪptəʊ/ (Verb) - walk quietly on the toes

b.     Frowned /fraʊnd/ (Verb) - made a facial expression indicating disapproval

c.      Tough /tʌf/ (Adjective) - strong or difficult

d.     Pleaded /ˈpliːdɪd/ (Verb) - begged or requested earnestly

e.      Eliminate /ɪˈlɪmɪneɪt/ (Verb) - remove or get rid of

f.       Greenhouse /ˈɡriːnhaʊs/ (Noun) - a glass building for growing plants

g.     Open-mouthed /ˌəʊpənˈmaʊðd/ (Adjective) - showing surprise or shock

h.     Dispute /dɪsˈpjuːt/ (Noun) - an argument or disagreement

i.       Hideous /ˈhɪdiəs/ (Adjective) - extremely ugly or unpleasant

j.       Wriggled /ˈrɪɡld/ (Verb) - twisted and turned with quick movements

k.     Mocking /ˈmɒkɪŋ/ (Adjective) - making fun of someone in a cruel way

l.       Desperate /ˈdɛspərɪt/ (Adjective) - having a great need or desire for something

m.   Gaily /ˈɡeɪli/ (Adverb) - in a cheerful or happy manner

n.     Exhausted /ɪɡˈzɔːstɪd/ (Adjective) - very tired

o.     Admire /ədˈmaɪə/ (Verb) - regard with respect or warm approval

A.   Match the following meanings in the left column with the correct words in the right. (Answers only)

Column A	Column B
a.      to laugh at somebody in an unkind way	i.       mock
b.     very unpleasant	ii.       hideous
c.      to twist and turn the body or part of it with quick short movements	iii.     wriggle
d.     in a cheerful way	iv.  gaily
e.      very surprised or shocked	v.     open-mouthed
f.       to ask for something in a serious and emotional way	vi.  plead
g.     to make a facial expression indicating disapproval	vii.            frown
h.     to argue or disagree strongly with somebody	viii.         dispute

B.    The word 'tiptoe' refer to the way of walking with one's heels off the ground, to make them taller or to move very quietly. Consult a dictionary and find the meanings of the following words related to walking.

a.      Sneak /sniːk/ (Verb) - to move quietly and secretly to avoid being noticed, often with the intent of doing something forbidden or escaping detection.

b.     Stroll /strəʊl/ (Verb) - to walk in a leisurely and relaxed manner, typically in a public place, enjoying the surroundings without any particular hurry.

c.      Lurch /lɜːtʃ/ (Verb) - to make an abrupt, unsteady, uncontrolled movement or series of movements; to stagger or sway suddenly, often as a result of being unbalanced or hit.

d.     Stagger /ˈstæɡə/ (Verb) - to walk or move unsteadily, as if about to fall, often because of being drunk, ill, or injured; to astonish or deeply shock someone.

e.      Stride /straɪd/ (Verb) - to walk with long, decisive steps in a specified direction, often suggesting confidence and purpose.

f.       Stumble /ˈstʌmbl/ (Verb) - to trip or momentarily lose one's balance while walking or running; to make a mistake or blunder, often in speech or writing.

C.    Answer these questions.

a.      Why do you think the man frowned his face when Sarah and Jamie gave him their school card?

The man might have frowned his face when Sarah and Jamie gave him their school card because he thought that they were too young to work and should be studying in school instead.

b.     Why were Sarah and Jamie looking for a job instead of going to school?

Sarah and Jamie were looking for a job instead of going to school because their family was facing financial difficulties and they needed to earn money to support themselves.

c.      Why was the man ready to give them work on his farm?

The man was ready to give them work on his farm because he needed help with his farm work, and Sarah and Jamie were willing to work hard.

d.     What work were they supposed to do at the man's farm?

Sarah and Jamie were supposed to pick the caterpillars of the cabbages on the man's farm.

e.      Were there a million or billion caterpillars in the cabbage field? If not, what do Sarah and Jamie mean by a million or billion caterpillars?

There were not a million or billion caterpillars in the cabbage field. Sarah and Jamie exaggerated the number to emphasize the awfulness of the task and the difficulty of the work.

f.       What were Sarah and Jamie desperate about?

Sarah and Jamie were desperate because they were doing the job of eliminating caterpillars from the cabbage field was very tough and time-consuming.

g.     What was Sarah's 'brilliant' idea?

Sarah's 'brilliant' idea was to get rid of the Cabbage White butterflies that laid eggs on the cabbages, which then turned into caterpillars.

h.     Were the children happy with their work? Give reasons for your answer.

No, the children were not happy with their work. They found the job of picking caterpillars off the cabbages very difficult and unpleasant. they tried to get rid of the butterflies by swinging bamboo poles at them. The result was a destroyed cabbage patch and exhausted children.

i.       Why did they run away from the farm secretly?

The children ran away from the farm secretly because they destroyed all the cabbages while trying to kill the butterflies, and they were afraid that the man would be angry with them and would punish them instead of paying.

D.   Read the story and write 'True' for true statements, and 'False' for false ones. If the information is not given in the text write 'Not Given'.

a.      Sarah and Jamie's parents were unable to work to support the family. Not Given

b.     Sarah and Jamie have never been to school. False

c.      The man decides to pay them upon the completion of their work. True

d.     Sarah and Jamie had not expected to find so many caterpillars in the cabbage field. True

e.      Sarah's idea finally worked to finish off their job. True

f.       They were caught by the farm owner while running away. False

Pronunciation

Pronounce the words correctly ask the students to pronounce them in the same way and put them in the correct column below based on the pronunciation of vowels in red. 

Stood, their, support, plead, beautiful, afraid, hideous, seemed, lay, gaily, ground, exhausted, tiptoe, bamboo, pail

Short vowel	Long vowel	Vowel combination (Diphthongs)
1.     Stood /stʊd/ 2.     Support /səˈpɔːt/ 3.     Beautiful /ˈbjuːtɪfʊl/ 4.    Hideous /ˈhɪdiəs/	1.     Plead /pliːd/ 2.     Seemed /siːmd/ 3.     Exhausted /ɪɡˈzɔːstɪd/ 4.    Bamboo /ˌbæmˈbuː/	1.     Their /ðeə/ 2.     Afraid /əˈfreɪd/ 3.     Lay /leɪ/ 4.     Gaily /ˈɡeɪli/ 5.     Ground /ɡraʊnd/ 6.     Tiptoe /ˈtɪptəʊ/ 7.    Pail /peɪl/

Click for Video of Short & Long Sound:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4MivEQJvVI

Speaking

Work in groups of three. Student A will ask for permission and student B will either grant or deny it. Then, student C will report it as in the example.

Example: use the computer

Student A: Would it be alright if I used your computer?

Student B: Oh well, alright.

Student C: Student A asked Student B if he/ she could use his computer and he said he/ she could.

a.      Go out                   b. use the pen                 c. close the door 

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 Click for Next Lesson: https://limbuchandrabahadur.blogspot.com/2025/05/class-10-english-unit-4-grammar-i-modal.html