A1. Simple Factual Activities:
State whether the following statements are True or False:
(1) Bishamber was a young bridegroom.
(2) Ramlal had never dreamt that his fourth daughter Bholi would have such a grand wedding.
(3) When Bholi was brought near the sacred fire she was in a red silken bridal dress.
(4) Bholi felt herself lucky to get a well-to-do bridegroom like Bishamber.
Thus the years passed.
The village became a small town. The little primary school became high school. There were now a cinema under a tin shed and a cotton ginning mill. The mail train began to stop at their railway station.
One night, after dinner, Ramlal said to his wife, “Then, shall I accept Bishamber’s proposal?”
“Yes, certainly” his wife said. “Bholi will be lucky to get such a well to do bridegroom. A big shop, a house of his own and I hear several thousands in the bank. Moreover, he is not asking for any dowry”.
“That’s right, but he is not so young, you know -almost the same age as I am- and he also limps. Moreover, the children from his first wife are quite grown up”.
“So what does it matter ?” his wife replied. “Forty five or fifty-it is no great age for a man. We are lucky that he is from another village and does not know about her pockmarks and her lack of sense. If we don’t accept this proposal, she may remain
unmarried all her life.”
“Yes, but I wonder what Bholi will say”.
“What will that witless one say ? She is like a dumb cow.”
“May be you are right”, muttered Ramlal. In the other corner of the courtyard, Bholi lay awake on her cot, and listened to her parents’ whispered conversation.
Bishamber Nath was a well - to - do grocer. He came with a big party of friends and relations with him for the wedding. A brass band playing a popular tune from an Indian film headed the procession, with the bridegroom riding a decorated horse. Ramlal was
overjoyed to see such pomp and splendour. He had never dreamt that his fourth daughter would have such a grand wedding. Bholi’s elder sisters who had come for the occasion were envious of her luck.
When the auspicious moment came the priest said, “Bring the bride”. Bholi, clad in a red silken bridal dress, was led to bride’s place near the sacred fire.
“Garland the bride,” one of his friends prompted Bishamber Nath.
A2. Complex Factual Activities:
Complete the following web :
A3. Activities based on Vocabulary:
Complete the following sentences using the words given in the brackets:
(envious, procession, overjoyed)
(1) Most of the youngsters like to dance in marriage _______________.
(2) He was _______________ to see his friend after a long time.
A4. Activities based on Contextual Grammar:
Change the following sentences in indirect speech:
(1) "What will that witless one say? She is like a dumb cow". "May be you are right," muttered Ramlal.
(2) "Yes, certainly," his wife said, "Bholi will be lucky to get such a well-to-do bridegroom."
A5. Personal Response:(1) What is your opinion about Bholi's bridegroom? Should she get married to him?