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Helen demands John Hallock to restrain his friends and acquaintances from using the Ouija board and if he was successful, she would give him a plot for writing his ghost stories. She does so because she and the other ghosts were unhappy to be at the beck and call of the Ouija board fanatics in order to answer their questions. This did not leave them with any time for their amusement or for haunting others. Therefore, they had decided to call for a strike. This strike will mean that the ghosts would not appear or provide ideas to people for writing ghost stories. In other words, Helen threatens John that if he does not agree to her conditions she will stop inspiring him

Mrs. Lavinia was a spendthrift. She was unconcerned about John’s financial problems. She didn’t bother that her husband was a writer and supplemented his income by his writings. She was not amenable to suggestions, hence refused to get rid of the Ouija board even though her husband insisted on it. She was fond of parties. She didn’t think too much before reacting.

14-B

ABC Street,

8 March, 19XX

Dearest sister,

Hope this letter finds you in the best of spirits. I am hale and hearty and look forward to meeting you in the Easter holidays.

I have a special reason to write this letter to you. Something very strange and curious happened recently. As you know, John writes ghost stories. Apparently, it was a ghost named Helen who had been inspiring him all this time. One day, during the Ouija Board party, her name cropped up and the next day I overheard him and Helen talking. I was furious, thinking her to be some lady flirting with my husband. I was all set to leave the house, until I saw the ghost myself. At first, I couldn’t believe my eyes! Overjoyed to discover the truth, I hugged John with all my love-feeling guilty about my thoughts. I can’t wait to share the details of this episode in person. Pay my regards to Mr. Brown.

Love Lavinia

The ‘Ouija Board party’ proved to be disastrous for John Hallock. This is a very ironic statement and could be proved wrong because ultimately Hallock got a plot to write a ghost story. It was disastrous because it might have destroyed his marital relationship. He met Helen, the ghost in the story, while he was thinking of a plot for his ghost story. However, when the mention of Helen came up, Hallock’s wife suspected him of having an illicit or extra-marital affair with Helen. She was about to leave the household when she confronted Helen, smiled and found out how silly her presumptions were. Because in the arrival of the ghost, the Ouija Board party and the skeptical nature of his wife, he found the “bulliest plot for a ghost story.”

Value Points :

Felt jealous – embarrassed in the Ouija Party – every board claiming that her husband had an affair with a woman named Helen.

Detailed Answer :

John Hallock was a ghost-story writer. Lavinia, his wife was very angry and felt jealous when the Ouija board showed her husband as a ‘traitor’. She thought that John had been cheating on her with a woman named Helen. She suspected him of doing something wrong and hence decided to leave John Hallock and go to her grandmother’s house. Helen, the ghost was forcing the narrator to convince people to stop using Ouija Boards. But when his own wife held an Ouija party at home, he became scared of the ghost’s anger. He knew that if Lavinia saw the ghost she would get scared. But his apprehensions of being protecting his wife proved to be unnecessary. Next morning when Lavinia came to John’s room to say goodbye she found that he was trying to hide someone in the room. She became more furious. But when she came face to face with Helen, she felt relieved and a contentment spilled over her face on realizing that Helen was just a ghost.

Value Points :

Trust - most essential for sustaining human relationships - Lavinia suspicious of John - suspects him of having conversation with somebody known to her in his room - thinks husband is flirting with Laura - messages on Ouija board further increase suspicion - her nature threatens to destroy their marriage.

Detailed Answer : Trust is the most essential element for sustaining human relationship. In the absence of trust, how relationship is threatened can be learnt through the behavior of Lavinia.

Lavinia hosted an Ouija Board party to which she invited all the members of her book club. Since one of the members was absent she called John Hallock to be the partner of Laura Hinkle. The moment Laura Hinkle started asking the Ouija Board some questions, all the boards spelt out ‘traitor’ pointing towards Hallock by indicating ‘Ask him’. Lavinia was informed of this by Laura and she suspected her husband of infidelity. After the party she went to his room and informed him that she was leaving the house and that her lawyer would talk to him later. Their marriage was on the verge of a break-up. At that moment, she noticed Helen’s presence in the room. She realized that Helen was not a real person. It was only a spirit and immediately concluded to herself that Hallock could not be having an affair with a ghost. Thus, she got rid of her superstitious belief in Ouija Boards and told her cook to throw them in fire. No doubt her suspicioun threatened to destroy their marriage.

Value Points : 

Shouldn’t depend on devices like Tarot Cards and Ouija Boards to solve problems because superstitions lead to unnecessary troubles/increased his dependence/stunted his creativity/when Lavinia threw away the Ouija Board - misunderstandings got cleared/wife returned/Gladolia (maid) returned/the ghost was no longer a threat to the wife. 

Man gifted with wit and intelligence, should use them to solve his problems – this will give him a better control over his life 

Detailed Answer :

I duly agree that a man has no right to invoke supernatural powers through Ouija Boards, Tarot cards etc. to solve his problems and that one should face life boldly and overcome difficulties using his own wit and intelligence. Ouija Boards and Tarot cards are appendages used by those who do not know how to face life’s adversities and depend on such supernatural paraphernalia to understand life. ‘A Shady Plot’ shows us how such things can backfire and that one should exercise caution in invoking powers over which they do not have any control. Most of the situations and characters remain unclear and foggy. At first instance, the writer is plagued by doubts regarding the plot of the story. He tries really hard and it appears he is chasing the shadows in search of a ghost story. The appearance of the ghost is open to interpretation. Is it there, or is it not there? There is doubt regarding the existence of Helen, she is spooky and gives rise to apprehensions. The existence of Helen is questionable, no one else will believe it, it is beyond the realm of reality. Moreover, doubts are cast over John’s character, his honesty is questioned, his relationship with Helen is hidden, concealed and he alone knows it. The appearance of Helen upsets John’s life. His wife and cook threaten to quit and shadows of divorce loom large over his relationship with his wife. The plot for a new story remained ‘‘unclear’’ for a long time. It is only in the end, that John can visualise an excellent plot in its perfection. Moreover, the ghost and apparitions are always believed to remain concealed, relegated to shady and dark areas. So one should always try to achieve excellence with their own wit, intelligence and wisdom.

There are no Shortcuts to Success

Success is something which everyone wants to achieve but few want to persevere for it. Only some people realize that success comes to only those who aspire for it and that it goes hand in hand with perfection. To achieve perfection in any field, one must dedicate oneself to it. Commitment towards the completion of that job must be one’s motto. One must aim higher and for that diligence is also required along with hard work. If one does not work hard to achieve one’s goals one can never be successful in life. Everyone knows that life is not a bed of roses. Still people try to find the shortest route to reach the topmost position or to achieve their goal. But this is wrong. If they do their work with dedication, diligence and commitment, they will never face failure rather they will come out victorious in a perfect way.

Lavinia is John Hallock’s wife. The author has depicted her as a very colourful character who is a lady fond of fun and is extravagant. John is quite scared of her fancy shopping. One evening she buys ‘the loveliest’ and duck liest, Ouija Board at a bargain sale. She finds Ouija Boards ‘awfully thrilling’ whereas John considers them to be ‘positively devilish’. He wants her to get rid of the Boards. But she is so amazed at the power of these Boards that she even suggests to her husband to take the help of the Ouija Board to write his stories. Later, she suspects him of flirting with Helen. His domestic life is disturbed but Lavinia when she encounters Helen, the ghost, her doubts are laid to rest. She falls forgivingly into John’s arms and both are reunited.

We should go to him/her and always help him/her who is in trouble.

The old man tripped and fell down. Rachel’s aunt ran and helped him.

Rachel wanted to make a bouquet of garden flowers for herself.

Rachel went to Mysore with her parents on her vacation.

Rachel and her parents were excited because they were going to visit the Brindavan garden.

a. Rachel is on a vacation.... 

b. About two million tourists visit Brindavan garden. 

c. Rachel exclaimed, “Wow, what beautiful flowers and fountains are these!” 

d. “Aunt, did you know the old man whom you helped?” 

e. The Ganga flows through the state of Uttar Pradesh. 

f. “Thank you for the nice present,” said Tanu.

Rachel and her parents were excited because they were going to visit the Brindavan garden.

Rachel’s uncle ……………………………… pluck flowers. 

हिन्दी अनुवाद- रेचल के चाचा और चाची मैसूरू रहते थे। रेचल और उसके माता-पिता उनके साथ अपनी छुट्टियाँ बिताने मैसूरू गए। वे सब उत्साहित थे क्योंकि वे वृंदावन उद्यान जा रहे थे। रास्ते में उसकी चाची ने उन्हें बताया कि हर साल लगभग बीस लाख यात्री बृंदावन उद्यान देखने आते हैं। 

रेचल ने कहा “चाची, यह बहुत ही मज़ेदार होगा।” जैसे ही वह उद्यान के अन्दर पहुँचे, रेचल बोली, “वाह, कितने सुंदर फूल और फव्वारे हैं ये! मुझे अपने लिए एक गुलदस्ता बनाना चाहिए।” जैसे ही उसने एक फूल तोड़ने का प्रयास किया, उसकी चाची ने उसे रोका और कहा, “ऐसा मत करो, हमें फूल नहीं तोड़ने चाहिएं।” 

After taking a ……………………… responsible citizens. 

हिन्दी अनुवाद- पूरे उद्यान का एक पूरा चक्कर लगाने के बाद वे स्नैक्स खाने बैठ गए। चाची सबके लिए पॉपकार्न, समोसे, सैंडविच और फल लाई थीं। रेचल ने अपना स्नैक्स खत्म किया, और अपनी प्लेट और ग्लास को बैंच के नीचे फेंक दिया। उसकी चाची ने विनम्रता से उससे पूछा, “क्या तुम घर पर अपनी पढ़ाई की मेज़ या सोफा के नीचे भी कचरा फेंकती हो? रेचल, अपने आस-पास, सार्वजनिक स्थलों जैसे- सड़कों, पार्को, स्कूलों, अस्पतालों आदि की स्वच्छता बनाए रखना हमारा कर्तव्य है। हमें पूरे देश को अपने घर की ही तरह समझना चाहिए।” रेचल तुरंत समझ गई और कचरा इकट्ठा किया और उसने कूड़ादान में फेंक दिया। 

स्नैक्स खाने के बाद वे संगीतमय फव्वारों की तरफ गए जहाँ उन्होंने लाइट एंड साउंड शो का आनन्द लिया। जब वे बाहर आए तो उन्होंने देखा एक बूढ़ा आदमी ठोकर खाकर गिर पड़ा। उसकी चाची भागीं और बूढ़े आदमी की मदद की, जबकि बाकी लोग अभी सोच ही रहे थे कि क्या किया जा सकता था। उनके दयालु कर्म के लिए बूढ़े आदमी ने चाची का धन्यवाद किया। 

वापस आते समय रेचल ने अपनी चाची से पूछा, “आपने जिस बूढ़े आदमी की मदद की, क्या आप उन्हें जानती थीं?” उसकी चाची ने उत्तर दिया, “नहीं रेचल, मैं नहीं जानती थी, पर वे संकट में थे इसलिए मैंने उनकी मदद की। जो लोग संकट में हों, हमें उनकी हमेशा मदद करनी चाहिए। हमें अपने आसपास के लोगों की देखभाल करनी चाहिए, ठीक उसी प्रकार जिस प्रकार हम अपने परिवारजनों की देखभाल करते हैं। इस प्रकार से हम अच्छे और ज़िम्मेदार नागरिक बन सकते हैं।

A good citizen should always be ready to help those in trouble. He/she should take care of people around him/her. These qualities make us a good citizen.

Rachel wanted to make a bouquet of garden flowers for herself.

Rachel went to Mysore with her parents on her vacation.

a. Neeta is planning to visit Kashmir in summer vacation. 

b. Garima is excited to see her gift. 

c. The teacher spoke to Manish politely. 

d. Kartik enjoyed his ride on the bicycle. 

e. Priti’s irresponsible behaviour has caused her a lot of trouble.

the old man tripped and fell down. Rachel’s aunt ran and helped him.

Youth is the best stage of the life of a man because during this age he lives a free and fearless life. He lives his life for others and ready to fight for the rights of others as a soldier. He takes risks and tries to get honour from others for his works. He roams like a leopard freely. He grows beard on his face and enjoys the freedom of life and tries to touch new targets of his life. He has the sense of sacrifice for others.

जवानी आदमी के जीवन की सबसे अच्छी अवस्था होती है। क्योंकि इस अवस्था के दौरान वह स्वतन्त्र और निर्भय जीवन जीता है। वह अपना जीवन दूसरों के लिए जीता है और एक सैनिक की तरह दूसरों के अधिकारों के लिए लड़ने को तैयार रहता है। वह जोखिम उठाता है और अपने कार्यों से सम्मान प्राप्त करना चाहता है। वह तेंदुए की तरह स्वतन्त्र घूमता है। वह चेहरे पर दाढ़ी उगाता है और स्वतन्त्र जीवन का आनन्द लेता है तथा जीवन में नए लक्ष्य बनाता है। वह दूसरों के लिए बलिदान की भावना रखता है।

The poet calls the old age as the second childhood because during this age a man becomes like a child without teeth, without taste and does not remember anything. He speaks in absurd language like a child due to absence of teeth, he cannot pronounce the words properly. The air comes out through his mouth like a whistle.

कवि आदमी की वृद्धावस्था को दूसरा बचपन कहता है। क्योंकि इस अवस्था के दौरान आदमी बच्चे की तरह हो जाता है। उसके मुँह में दाँत नहीं होते हैं। उसे किसी स्वाद का एहसास नहीं होता है। वह कोई चीज याद नहीं रखता है। वह बच्चे की तरह तुतली भाषा में बोलता है क्योंकि मुँह में दाँत नहीं होते हैं। उसके मुँह से सही शब्द नहीं निकलते हैं। उसके मुंह से हवा निकलती है और सीटियाँ बजती हैं।

A man plays various roles in his youth. Sometimes he becomes a soldier and takes an oath to fight for others. He desires to get honour from others. He also grows a beard on his face, roams in the society like a leopard without fear and he is ready to take any risk.

आदमी अपनी युवावस्था में विभिन्न प्रकार की भूमिकाएँ निभाता है। कभी वह सिपाही बनता है और दूसरों के लिये युद्ध करने के लिए शपथ लेता है। वह दूसरों से सम्मान पाने की इच्छा रखता है। वह अपने चेहरे पर दाढ़ी उगाता है, तेन्दुए की तरह समाज में निर्भय होकर स्वच्छन्द घूमता है और कोई भी खतरा लेने को तत्पर रहता है।

The man lives a free life as a school boy. There is brightness of the sun on his face. He carries a bag on his back and goes to school against his will. His eyes are full of new ideas, different acts and experience of the world. He does not bother about anything and remain happy.

आदमी स्कूली लड़के के रूप में स्वतन्त्र जीवन जीता है। उसके चेहरे पर सूर्य जैसी चमक होती है। उसके पीठ पर एक बस्ता होता है तथा वह इच्छा के विरुद्ध स्कूल जाता है। उसकी आँखों में नए विचार, अलग कार्य तथा इस संसार के विचित्र अनुभव होते हैं। वह किसी के बारे में नहीं सोचता है तथा खुश रहता है।

The poet says that the world is a stage and a man is a performer of this stage. The poet expresses his views on the seven ages of a man by means of his roles on the stage. It is a natural process which is governed by God. God is our creator and He is the supreme power of all beings. The poet insists us to play our roles successfully and patiently. We should be genuine in playing all the roles. These roles remind our duties towards mankind.

कवि कहता है कि ये दुनिया एक मंच है और मनुष्य इस मंच पर प्रस्तुति देने वाला एक किरदार है। कवि मनुष्य की सात अवस्थाओं को सात भूमिकाओं के रूप में प्रस्तुत करता है। यह एक सामान्य प्रक्रिया है जिसे भगवान नियन्त्रित करता है। भगवान हमारा रचयिता है और वही सर्वशक्तिमान है। कवि हमें अपनी भूमिका संसार रूपी मंच पर धैर्यपूर्वक और सफलतापूर्वक प्रदर्शित करने का आग्रह करता है। हमें सभी भूमिकाओं के प्रदर्शन में सच्चा होना चाहिए। यही भूमिकाएँ मानव मात्र के प्रति हमें अपने कर्तव्यों की याद दिलाती हैं।

In the first stage of life as a man takes birth as an infant and does not know anyone. He spends most of his time in the arms of his nurse and remains crying and vomiting without having any sense of his family members and lives free life without any sorrow or attachment.

मानव जीवन की प्रथम अवस्था में एक शिशु के रूप में जन्म लेता है तथा किसी को भी नहीं पहचानता है। वह अपना अधिकतर समय अपनी आया की गोद में गुजारता है तथा अपने परिवार के सदस्यों के बारे में कोई ज्ञान नहीं रखता है और हमेशा रोता रहता है व उल्टियाँ करता रहता है और अपना जीवन बिना किसी दुःख और लगाव के जीता है।

The poet presents this world as a stage because he would like to clear that the man is not permanent in this world. So that he should not become materialistic and enjoy his short life in association of the nature and worship his maker and love the creation of God to become his favourite.

कवि इस संसार को एक मंच के रूप में पेश करता है क्योंकि वह स्पष्ट करता है कि आदमी इस संसार , में स्थाई नहीं है। इसलिए उसे भौतिकवादी नहीं बनना चाहिए तथा अपने छोटे से जीवन काल को प्रकृति के साथ में गुजारना चाहिए तथा अपने निर्माता की पूजा करनी चाहिए और ईश्वर की रचना से प्रेम करना चाहिए ईश्वर का चहेता बनने के लिए।

(i) Poet call this world huge theatre because men and women who are born in this world play different roles assigned to them by destiny and God is the spectator of this drama performed by them.  

(ii) The poet calls men and women merely players because they do not choose their roles themselves. They are merely puppets in the hands of God. Their roles are allotted to them and they can not oppose their roles. 

(iii) Figure of speech ‘metaphor’.

(iv) The poet has mentioned seven stages-infant, school-going boy, lover, soldier, judge, the man of age and the dotage of old age.

All the men and women have to play various roles in their life which is like a stage in this world.

सभी स्त्री-पुरुषों को अपने जीवन में विभिन्न भूमिकाएँ निभानी पड़ती हैं जो कि इस संसार में एक रंगमंच की तरह होता है।

He (lover) plays a role of a youthful lover passionately sighing deep as the blast of furnace and composes tragic verses to the eye of his beloved.

In the second stage, he (man) is in the role of the mischievous and unwilling school-boy who goes to school, with his bag, creeping slowly and reluctantly.

Correct option is (c) Differentiation

Correct option is (d) Statement of expected results expressed in numerical terms

Correct option is (b) Budgeting

Correct option is (c) modest, oriented to maintaining the quality of life and tender.

Correct option is (b) Value analysis

(i) Poet call this world huge theatre because men and women who are born in this world play different roles assigned to them by destiny and God is the spectator of this drama performed by them.

(ii)The poet calls men and women merely players because they do not choose their roles themselves. They are merely puppets in the hands of God. Their roles are allotted to them and they can not oppose their roles.

(iii) Figure of speech ‘metaphor’.

(iv)The poet has mentioned seven stages-infant, school-going boy, lover, soldier, judge, the man of age and the dotage of old age.

Correct option is (c) As a machine.

Correct option is (d) Perishability

Correct option is (b) assertive, oriented to material success and strong.

Correct option is (c) Henri Fayol

Correct option is (d) Motion study.

Correct option is (b) content

Correct option is (c) Leadership

Correct option is (a) offer, delivery and image of the organization.

Correct option is (d) Consumer Services

Correct option is (a) Human