Lesson No.3 - Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed - Questions, Answers and Summary

Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed 

Summary and Questions and Answers

This story shows the effects of their strange new surroundings on a family of travelers to Mars. It is also a suspense story. Ray Bradbury’s description of Mars and the reactions to it of the Bittering family give warning that something could go wrong. The atmosphere is one of apprehension and foreboding. Slowly but surely, the circumstances tighten around Harry Bittering. Perhaps, too, the story is a parable, illustrating the ways that people respond to the environments in which they find themselves. The atomic war has caused the Bittering family, natives of Boston; Harry, Cora, and their children, Dan, Laura, and David; to flee, joining the small population of humans who have colonized a somewhat terraformed Mars. Shortly after their arrival, Harry decides he wants to go back to Earth, as Mars is too different from Earth. Unfortunately, a nuclear bomb hits New York City destroying the ships, making the Bitterings stranded on Mars. Uneasily settling into their new environment, Harry begins to notice subtle changes to the plants and animals. (The family dairy cow has grown a third horn and the grass is now purple, for example.) Harry also begins to notice that the people in town are referring to local mountain ranges in the Martian language, easily unsettling him. Upon realizing there is something seriously wrong, Harry becomes scared of living on Mars, and although his wife and children think nothing of it, Harry begins to suspect a Martian virus that is in the soil they grow their crops in, making them act like Martians. While his family begins to fear his sanity, Harry begins eating only frozen food that was grown on Earth in his deep freeze. Unfortunately, that runs out quickly, and Harry quickly grows desperate, buying the metal and blueprints for a rocket to transport himself and his family home to Earth, despite the imminent danger and the nagging doubt that he will not be able to build a sturdy rocket. He tries to convince some of his friends to help him build the rocket and return home, but they laugh and talk about him. Harry gets into several arguments with them, but oddly enough, they never raise their voices. Harry’s boy, Dan, wants to be called a Martian name (Linnl), and he himself is using Martian words (iorrt for Earth). In the meantime, Harry and his family become very dark skinned, tall, thin, and golden-eyed. Harry slowly stops resisting the change, and he is convinced that they, along with the rest of the colonists, should spend the rest of the summer in the cool Martian villas (ancient Martian mansions in the hills), where they can swim in the water canals. They eventually become Martians, and stay in the villas because that is where they “belong”. After a time in the hills, the colonists completely forget about their human origins and transform completely into Martians. This is implied when Harry notices their old homes and remarks how the “Earthlings’” houses are built silly. At the end of the story a group of American G.I. astronauts arrive a few years later to tell the human colonists that the war on Earth is over and rescue them, but there are no humans left, only the buildings and a rusted rocket. Instead, they find Martians, and at first suspect the Martians may have killed the colonists, but then they realize the Martians are too friendly for that. The astronauts conclude that a plague wiped out the colonists and make plans to recolonize Mars, even naming the mountains after famous things from Earth. The ending is a foreboding feeling that what happened to the Bitterings will soon happen to these new. colonists

Short Questions

Q1. Why did Harry want to go back to Earth?
Ans. Some strange changes had been taking place in him, his wife and his children. That is why he wanted to go back to Earth.

Q2. Why did he want to stay on the Mars? 
Ans. His rocket had been destroyed. He could not go back to the Earth. He had no other choice. That is why he wanted to stay on the Mars.

Q3. What was the climate they faced on the Mars?
Ans. The climate of the Mars was hot and dry. Strong wind blew all the time. All the canals had been dried.
Q4. What was the shocking news that Laura brought? 
Ans. Laura brought the shocking news that the war has been broken out on the Earth.

Q5. What was the condition of the Bittering family on hearing the news of war on Earth? 
Ans. When Bittering family heard that war had been broken out on the Earth, they became much worried.

Q6. What did they want to grow on Mars? 
Ans. There was nothing to eat on the Mars. Therefore they wanted to grow vegetables, crops and fruits.

Q7. What was the condition of their house? 
Ans. Their house was in a very bad condition. Strong wind in the day time and dense fog at night destroyed it badly.

Q8. What was the advice Harry gave to the people? 
Ans. Harry and other people wanted to go back to Earth. Therefore Harry advised the people to build a rocket.

Q9. How much dangerous a Martian virus can be? 
Martian virus might be very dangerous. It can change the external body of human. It can reduce the height. It can change the colour of eyes.

Long Questions

Q1. Under what circumstance had the Bittering Family to pass through?

Ans: According to the writer the Bittering family had to pass through an strange condition and mental agony when they had landed on Mars.
What Harry Felt on Mars?
Mr. Harry felt his hair flutter.
He felt the tissue of his body draw tight.
His wife seemed to whirl away in smoke.
The children as small human seeds might be sown to all the Martian climes.
He felt as if the Martian air might draw his soul from him.
He felt as if the Martian air might draw his soul from him.
He had the feeling as if he was submerged in a chemical that could dissolve his mind and cause oblivion of his past.
They saw that Martian hills had been worn.
The old cities had been lost in their meadows and lying among lake of grass
The children shouted but there was no echo.
Only the wind hissed through the stiff grass.
There was constant fear they felt on Mars.

Q2. How social were the people of Mars?

Ans: Actually they were the people of the earth but as they had undergone physical and mental changes due to the Martian atmosphere, they seemed to be the people of Mars. They were not social but they were friendly and they could learn English fast. The lieutenant hoped that the earth people would enjoy friendly relationship with them. They six to eight hundred people living in marbles ruins in the hills. Their women were tall, healthy and beautiful. They were amazingly peaceful.

Q3. How did the life change finally? Was this worse or better?
Ans: Some time after the Bittering family landed on Mars, life changed in both the physical as well as environmental sense. There was burning air on Mars in summer season which affected everything - their houses were got twisted out of shape, the canal turned dry, he paints on the wall houses was flaked and peeled. Later on, they looked strange and ridiculous. Physically all earth people became slender, golden eyed and looked younger in age. They turned to be like aliens and forgot their past. It was better  because they were safe from the destruction of the nuclear bombs which was going on earth. 

Q4. What differences can you point out in the life of the two different plants?
Ans: There is a big difference in the life of the two planets. The people on earth lived in well built houses and had the travelling facilities. They had gas, electricity, sanitation, water etc. The people on earth had religions and educations. But, in spite of all these things, they had hate, rancour, grudges and belligerent feeling for others.
On the other hand, the people on Mars were deprived of these facilities. They looked physically dark, thin, tall, yellow-eyed and younger than their age. Their women were tall, healthy and beautiful. But they were forgetful of their past. They mostly lived in the hills. There the seasons had the intensity of destroying the houses.  They were peaceful and didn't have idea of war. They were rather friendly.

Q5. What is the moral lesson or theme of the story "Dark They Were and Golden Eyed"?
Ans: The moral lesson of this story is that human beings should put an end to war preparations and hatred for one another on earth. Wars causes destruction and nothing else. So, they should solve all their problems on earth and then should start living in peace. In such conditions they may be able to visit other planets but if the nations on this planet live the life of enmity and hostility, they will never be able to impress the inhabitants of other planets if there is any.   

Lesson No. 2 - Clearing in the Sky - (HSSC-1)

Clearing in the Sky 

Written by Jess Stuart

BUTTON, BUTTON

Written and Compiled by M. Shaheen

M.A English, B. Ed., Dip. In TEFL, C.T

Lecturer at GIK College Topi Swabi

Words’ Meanings

S. No	Words	Meanings
1	Clearing	Land made cleared of trees
2	Stream of sweat	Continuous flow of sweat
3	Made up his mind	Decided
4	Pasture	Grassland with plants
5	Meadow	A wide area of grassland
6	Protest	Oppose
7	Bragged	Boasted; talked highly of himself
8	Woods	Land with growth of trees
9	Rugged	Rough; uneven
10	A wisp of alfalfa	A thin stem of leafy green hay, used to feed horses and cows
11	Cliffs	Pointed rocks
12	Steep	Difficult to climb
13	Sapling	A young tree
14	Braced	supported
15	Herb	Plant with pleasant smell
16	Fence	Wooden or wired barrier
17	Curtly	Rudely
18	Fertile	Highly productive
19	Loam	A mixture of clay, silt and sand
20	Whiffed	Inhaled
21	Whispered	Spoke softly
22	Patch	A small area of land
23	Oak	An evergreen tree
24	Stump	Short part of tree
25	Weed	Wild plant
26	Bandana	A large handkerchief
27	Motioning	Signaling
28	Vines	Climbing plants
29	Sift	Pass through
30	Bluff	Cliff
31	Wound	Was in a round manner
32	Black gum	A tree having light but black gum
33	Mess of fox	A quantity of fox squirrel enough to cook for a meal

Questions and Answers

Lesson No. 2

Clearing in the Sky

SHORT QUESTIONS

English BOOK I - Inter Part 1

Written and Compiled by M. Shaheen

M.A English, B. Ed., Dip. In TEFL, C.T

Assistant Director at GIK College Topi Swabi

Q1.      Why did not the old man follow the advice of the doctors?

Ans.     The old man did not follow the advice of the doctors because he was very strong-willed, courageous and hard working. It was his habit and nature to make the things possible. He wanted to support his family and wanted to live like a healthy man. He didn’t want to die on bed.

Q2.      What had the doctors told the old man?

Ans.     The doctors had told the old man that the rest of his life was very short. He was suffering from severe heart disease. He badly needed rest because, according to them, he could die any moment.

Q3.      Where did the old man take his son?

Ans.     The old man took his son, Jess, to his farm which was on the top of the mountain where he had cleared that land as a result of his great labour.

Q4.      Had the son been there before?

Ans.     Yes, he had been there for many times.

Q5.      What were the names of the vegetables the old man grew on his farm?

Ans:     The old man grew a number of vegetables on his farm. These vegetables were potatoes, tomatoes and yams.

Q6.      Why did the old man take the steep paths?

Ans:     The old man was very hard working. It was his habit and nature to work hard. He took steep paths to know his physical condition and strength. It gave him surety that he was getting better and better.

Q7.      Why did the son at the age of six cried?

Ans:     When Jess was at the age of six, his father had made a wooden plough for him. It was lost. That is why he had cried. His father made another plough for him but he didn’t love this one.

Q8.      What were the feelings of the old man at the age of seventy?

Ans:     At the age of seventy, the old man was very happy and satisfied about his life. He felt more powerful and wanted to work more hard. He would recall the exciting memories of his past.

Q9.      Why did the old man plant his secret garden?

Ans:     The old man had planted his secret garden because he wanted to grow new things on the new soil and also he wanted to cheat death by thickly involving himself in hard work.

Lesson No. 2

Clearing in the Sky

Long Questions

Written and Compiled by M. Shaheen

M.A English, B. Ed., Dip. In TEFL, C.T

Assistant Director at GIK College Topi Swabi

Q1.      Describe the physical appearance of the old man.

Ans:     Though the old man is seventy years old, he is smart and active even at that age.  He is a heart patient but he never loses his courage. He has a stick in hand to support himself up climbing different paths. Physically he is thin. He has a red wrinkled face and pale blue eyes. He used to wear a bandana to wipe his sweat.

Q2.      How did the old man feel about his hand?

Ans:     He extremely loved his land which he had cleared on the top of mountain. He had also fenced it. In clearing and fencing this piece of land he was greatly helped by his wife. Because of working hard on this farmland, he had a great attachment to it. The soil of this land was very fertile and he used to enjoy its smell. He was a strong believer in the great productive power of his land. 

Q3,      What did the son remember from his childhood? Were these good memories?

Ans:     Jess, the son of the old farmer, remembered how he spent the time of his early childhood on his father’s land. The very story has been written by him. S he remembered most of the events about his early life. He remembered the time when his father had found a coffee tree in the woods. This had made him and Jess very happy as it was the only tree of its kind growing there. When he was six years old, hi father made him a little wooden plough.

Q4.      Write the story in your own words.

Ans:     “Clearing in the Sky” is story which shows the great struggle and strong determination of a man who was the father of the story writer. His father never lost his courage in spite of the fact that he was a heart patient. Forty years ago, the doctors had told him to stop all activities and live the few days at home he had left with him. But in spite of the doctor’s advice, he worked hard because he had to support the family of five children. The old man tells his son how he cleared the land, and grown the best ever plants. He had grown alfalfa, hickory, and pines, tall up to sixty feet high. He hunted rabbits and fox squirrels for their meals. He had coffee trees on his land.  He cleared three to four acres of land where which he had fenced to protect it from animals. He knew that this new soil had a better flavor. He would climb up the steep path to reach this farm. The reason is that climbing makes him fit and smart man in spite of his age and heart disease. Following the old man, we should never sit idle to waste our precious time.

Q5.      What is the moral theme of the story?

Ans:     The story “Clearing in the Sky” teaches an exemplary lesson. It teaches us that a person who exercises his body regularly and works actively remains healthy until his very old age. One who avoids physical exertion and chooses to rest most of the time grows weaker and weaker, and even dies early. In the story, Jess’s father was in the habit of walking long distances and doing work physically, even against the advice of his doctors, and he remained healthy and happy.

Lesson No. 6 - The Reward (HSSC- 1)

Summary and Questions and Answers of the lesson "The Rewad"

Lesson No. 6

HSSC-I, FBISE, FG Board Islamabad

In the beginning of this story Terbut and Jorkens are busy in an active discussion about opportunity and determination. Jorkens is of the view that a man can achieve anything if he remains determined and steadfast to his ambition and does not lose hope. Terbut disagrees with him. To justify his point, Jorkens tells a tale of an acrobat named Gorgios, who has that unique ambition to become a Court Acrobat. To fulfil his dream, Gorgios works hard and for a long time tries his best to achieve his objective. He joins politics, makes speeches and when his words are appreciated and given weight by the public, he advocates the proposition of his ambition. He argues that there must be a post of Court Acrobat to impress other nations and encourage their students to remain physically fit. The post is created and he is made the first court acrobat. A great ceremony is held as soon as the post is created. Everything is embellished, colourful and glittered. Dressed in his tight, red, velvety dress; Gorgios appears and is relatively sad. Though he has achieved what he aimed for yet still he is old now and is unable to perform gymnastics or acrobatics. The crowd also expects no physical performance from him keeping in view his elderly age. Nonetheless, with sheer determination and great, continuous effort, Gorgios was able to fulfil his dream. 

Short Questions and Answers 

Q1. What was the subject discussed at the Club? 

Ans. The subject discussed at the Club was about opportunity and determination. Some were of the view that opportunity was required for success while others thought that only determination was necessary for success. Jorkens emphasized if man stuck to get something, he got his objective.

Q2. What did Terbut think of Jorkens’ argument? 

Ans. Terbut disagreed with Jorkens when he claimed that anything could be achieved with determination. He asked Jorkens if it was possible to get ‘Anything’. Jorkens stuck to his claim and said 'Anything'. Terbut inquired if someone could be the skating champion of Sahara. Jorkens again replied in affirmation. 

Q3. How did Jorkens convince that a man can become a skating champion of the Sahara? 

Ans. In order to convince that a man can become a skating champion of the Sahara, Jorkens said that he should make the money, and he should build a skating-rink in the Sahara and organize a competition there. He further said that he would become skating champion all right, if he really gave all his time to it. 

Q4. How did Gorgios persuade his people to make his country strong? 

Ans. Gorgios delivered speeches to persuade his people to make his country strong. He told them that the glory of their country and of its ancient throne would be increased if the post of Court acrobat were created. He gave examples of other Courts and greater ones. 

Q5. What was the viewpoint of the parents of Gorgios? 

Ans. The viewpoint of the parents of Gorgios was like that of many other people. His parents also thought that only determination was not sufficient for success. They were of the view that opportunity was also needed along with the determination for success. 

Q6. What were the arrangements made for the function of inauguration? 

Ans. The great throne-room had been turned into a kind of gymnasium. Great curtains of red and gold were hung along the walls. High swings of acrobats hung down with gilded ropes from ceiling. A row of neat hurdles was arranged on the polished floor.  

Q7 Describe the scene of inauguration. Write five sentences. 

Ans. The throne-room was decorated for the inauguration. Gorgios had worn a brilliant dress. He walked slowly in his pointed shoes and leaned on a gilded stick. He came to the hurdles. Royal smiles were directed towards him and gentle applause broke out. Then, he was led to a seat. His life’s ambition was achieved. 

Q8. What were the feelings of Gorgios on the occasion? 

Ans. Gorgios had mixed feelings on this occasion. He was happy that he had at last achieved his life’s ambition. At the same time, he was sad as his ambition had taken the golden period of his life to be achieved. One more thing which worried him was that he had become too old to perform any trick. 

Q9. Did Gorgios use any short cut to achieve his ambition? 

Ans. No, Gorgios did not use any short cut to achieve his ambition. He stuck to his ambition with determination. He worked hard for it. He spent a long time for the purpose. He sacrificed the golden period of his life to achieve his ambition. Even, he had to join politics to become a Court acrobat. 

Q10. How long had Gorgios to stick to get his ambition achieved? 

Ans. Gorgios had stuck for more than sixty years to get his ambition achieved. It seems to be unbelievable that a person can be so determined to achieve his ambition but it was true in Gorgios’ case. He was very young and strong in the beginning but became very old and feeble in the end. 

Long Questions and Answers 

Q1. Discuss the political view of Jorkens. 

Ans. Continuous struggle combined with full determination to achieve ambition is key to one’s success in life. He believes in organization and competition to achieve one’s aim. One should stick hard to one’s purpose. One should go into politics harder and never give up his ambition. In politics, many people oppose the ambitious person but he should persevere and remain steadfast. That is also politics. Physically fit and powerful soldiers should win the just rights of the nation through victorious battle against the enemy. The politicians should preach the idea to win support of the people for its success as Georgis did. At the fulfilment of the ambition the man who has pursued it with constant struggle is awarded due recognition by the country men. 

Q2. How did Georgis achieve his ambition? 

Ans. Georgis hit upon the idea of a court acrobat at the age of 16 when he had won the high jump, and the hurdles and the hundred yards at school. He went into politics. He made speeches on many subjects. With the passage of time he had enough power to preach his ambition openly. He told the people that the glory of their country and its ancient throne would be enhanced if the post of court acrobat were created. Many other politicians opposed him tooth and nail. But he persevered and remained steadfast. He stuck to his idea firmly. He did not give in. He continued to pursue his idea and convince the people for its success. As time went by, he dashed down the arguments of the opponents. He taught the people that it would serve as a lesson to all nations to have a young athlete at court. His perfect physical fitness would be an example for their soldiers who would fight for their just rights against their enemies. The idea caught on and the coveted post was created at the court. He was given due recognition. A grand ceremony was arranged for his inauguration. The whole country was in jubilation at the occasion. A full athletic atmosphere was created and he was led to his much desired and hard won seat of the court acrobat. It took him more than 60 years to achieve his ambition through constant struggle and long perseverance. He stuck to it hard enough and long enough. That was the key to his success. 

Q3. Do you agree or disagree with the view point of the writer? Give five reasons. 

Ans. No, I can agree more to the point of view of the writer. For success in life, continuous struggle and lot of perseverance is required. One should aim at something and must have the will to pursue it till success is achieved. The following reasons are given in support of the view point: 

i. Determination to achieve something is the key to success. In the race of life, only those succeed who don’t give up and keep going on. 

ii. An individual must stick to the aim hard enough and long enough to translate the idea into reality. 

iii. If for achieving one’s goal money is required, an individual must first make money. 

iv. If the ambition is related to the general public, one must try to win the favour and support of the general public. 

v. Achieving a goal needs devotion to cause. A person must remain devoted and dedicated to his aim even if it takes his whole life and must not stop the struggle to purse his ambition.

Q4. Why were the brilliant dresses put in the shade of the inauguration?

Q5. What is the lesson that the story teaches?