4.

UNCLE PODGER LEAVES FOR WORK Reference to context

Warm-up (page 55) 2. a. The narrator was referring to the scene
Encourage the students to think creatively and of gentlemen going to work running the
formulate their own answers. last quarter of a mile to the station.
b. The spectators of the show included
• I missed the bus so I got late.
nursemaids, errand boys and sometimes
• There was a traffic jam. a perambulating costermonger (pedlar).
• There was no electricity so I could not get c. The participants did not run well or fast,
ready in time. but they put in a lot of effort and did
their best.
In-text questions (pages 56–57) 3. a. Them refers to Unle Podger’s children
• The people had to run to the railway station here.
because they all started late in the morning, b. They were assembled in the hall to say
and to reach the station in time for the train, goodbye to Uncle Podger who was
they all had to run the last quarter of a mile. leaving for work.
• Uncle Podger thought that he was c. As soon as it was discovered that one of
surrounded by conjurers because his them was missing, all the children who
newspaper went missing every day and were present would scatter around
he believed that he wasn’t responsible for looking for the missing child.
it. He thought that the people in the house 4. a. As Uncle Podger was about to leave
made the newspaper disappear on purpose, for work at nine, the eldest boy would
merely to irritate him. announce that all the clocks in the house
were running five minutes slow. This
• Aunt Maria gathered all the children in the
would send the uncle rushing to the gate.
house as a custom, to say goodbye to Uncle
b. In rush, Uncle Podger forgot to carry
Podger who was ready to go to work.
the bag and the umbrella. The children,
in turn, would run after him with the
Making connections (pages 58–59)
umbrella and the bag.
Quick answers c. In all the rush, Uncle Podger forgot
1. a. It was an eight minutes’ walk from Uncle to carry the most important thing, the
Podger’s house to the railway station. newspaper.
b. All men carried a black bag, a newspaper
and an umbrella to the station. Read, reflect and write
c. People knew that that Uncle Podger 5. It seemed to be a custom of all the gentlemen
had lost something by his expression of from Ealing that they always started late
astonished indignation with which he and ran for the last quarter of a mile to the
regarded the world in general on such station.
occasions. 6. Uncle Podger had convinced himself that
d. Uncle Podger lost his newspaper almost whenever he lost a thing, it was everybody
everyday. else’s fault in the house but his own. He
e. Most often, Uncle Podger would be always blamed them for his troubles and
sitting on the newspaper he had lost. never once thought that it may be his

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 own fault too. He was never thankful to f. shout: scream (synonym), whimper
others for their help. For instance, Uncle (antonym)
Podger misplaced his newspaper every g. previous: earlier (synonym), present
other day and suspected others of hiding (antonym)
it deliberately. Even when he was found h. important: significant (synonym),
to be sitting on the newspaper, he never unimportant (antonym)
admitted his mistake. 2. a. quiet b. dismayed
7. It was not right for Uncle Podger to blame c. optimistic d. illiterate
others because he misplaced the newspaper e. rigid
himself. It is not right to blame others for
your mistakes. Grammar time (pages 61–62)
(Answers will vary for the second part.) 1. a. Time and tide wait for no man.
8. Encourage the students to think creatively and b. No one was absent yesterday.
formulate their own answers. c. The bag, with all its contents, has been
You may ask them: found.
Do you pack your bag the night before? Is d. Neither the President nor the ministers
your uniform ironed and ready? Do you were there.
have breakfast early and be ready before e. The famous writer and director has
it is time for the school bus? Or do you do arrived.
everything last minute, rushing through f. The principal and her colleagues were
things and forgetting things? appreciated for their efficiency.
9. The students should expand upon the following g. Gold and silver are valuable metals.
points. h. Science is taught in every school in the
Describe how Uncle Podger’s mornings country.
were always rushed even though he woke i. The new pair of scissors is in the cupboard.
up early. He misplaced his newspaper 2. a. √
almost every day and wasted a lot of time b. The quality of the chocolates is poor.
finding it. He made everyone run around to c. Most of the milk has gone bad.
carry out his orders. He kissed his children d. √
before leaving for work; this added to the e. √
chaos. f. √
g. The team has won the hockey match.
Word wall (pages 59–60) h. Oil and water do not mix together.
1. a. allow: grant (synonym), deny (antonym) i. √
b. careless: casual (synonym), careful
(antonym) Spelling (pages 62–63)
c. scatter: distribute (synonym), gather 1. a. unforeseen b. category
(antonym) c. embarrassment d. guarantee
d. recollect: recall (synonym), forget e. restaurant f. dilemma
(antonym) g. occurrence
e. lose: dispossess (synonym), gain
(antonym)

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Write well (page 63) in a traffic jam. I was feeling nervous and
1. Encourage the students to think creatively and agitated. It seemed like I would not be able
formulate their own answers. to make it to the tournament. Then I saw
It was the day of my tennis tournament. my cousin on a scooty at the traffic signal.
I had waited long and trained hard for I got on to his scooty and he manoeuvred
that day. But it seemed that someone had it among heavy traffic and got me to the
conspired to make it go wrong for me. First, tennis academy just in the nick of time. My
my alarm didn’t work in the morning for father also eventually joined us. I played
some reason. I had to skip breakfast in order well that day and also won a prize.
to get ready in time. When I and my father Listen and speak well (pages 63–64)
were getting into the car, we realized that
1. a. and b.
one of the tyres was punctured. We quickly
2. Students may be encouraged to speak on their
changed tyres but unfortunately got stuck
own.

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