CHAPTER 5: A HERO 🦸‍♂️

Section D: Let's understand the text 📖

Question 1: Swami was very much interested in the newspaper report about the brave village boy. What were Swami's views? (ସାହସୀ ଗାଁ ପିଲା ବିଷୟରେ ଖବରକାଗଜ ରିପୋର୍ଟରେ ସ୍ୱାମୀ ବହୁତ ଆଗ୍ରହୀ ଥିଲେ। ସ୍ୱାମୀଙ୍କର ମତ କ'ଣ ଥିଲା?)

Answer: Swami's view was that the boy who fought the tiger must have been a very strong and grown-up person, not a boy at all, because he believed a young boy could not fight a tiger.

Question 2: Why did Swami's father want him to sleep alone? (ସ୍ୱାମୀଙ୍କ ବାପା କାହିଁକି ତାଙ୍କୁ ଏକୁଟିଆ ଶୋଇବାକୁ ଚାହୁଁଥିଲେ?)

Answer: Swami's father wanted him to sleep alone to test his courage and to stop his disgraceful habit of sleeping beside his granny or mother like a baby.

Question 3: How did Swami react to his father's proposal to sleep alone? (ଏକୁଟିଆ ଶୋଇବା ପ୍ରସ୍ତାବରେ ସ୍ୱାମୀ କିପରି ପ୍ରତିକ୍ରିୟା ପ୍ରକାଶ କଲେ?)

Answer: Swami was terrified by the proposal. He mumbled weakly, tried to change the subject by talking about his cricket club, and went to bed early hoping his father would forget about it.

Question 4: How did Swami feel when he was left alone in his father's office at night? (ରାତିରେ ବାପାଙ୍କ ଅଫିସ୍ ରୁମରେ ଏକୁଟିଆ ରହିବା ବେଳେ ସ୍ୱାମୀ କିପରି ଅନୁଭବ କଲେ?)

Answer: Swami felt completely cut off from humanity. He was pained, angry, and faint with fear as he remembered all the terrifying stories of ghosts and devils he had heard.

Question 5: What kind of dreams did he have while he was sleeping there? (ସେଠାରେ ଶୋଇଥିବା ବେଳେ ସେ କିପରି ସ୍ୱପ୍ନ ଦେଖିଲେ?)

Answer: In his sleep, he had a terrible nightmare that a tiger was chasing him. His feet were stuck to the ground, and he could hear the tiger's claws scratching behind him.

Question 6: Why did he wake up? (ସେ କାହିଁକି ଉଠିପଡିଲେ?)

Answer: He woke up groaning in despair because the frightening nightmare of the tiger chasing him threatened to continue all his life, forcing him to open his eyes with utmost effort.

Question 7: What made Swami desperate? (କେଉଁ କଥା ସ୍ୱାମୀକୁ ନିରାଶ ବା ପ୍ରାଣବିକଳ କଲା?)

Answer: When he stared into the darkness and saw a shape moving towards him, he was convinced it was a devil coming to tear him to shreds. This thought that his end had come made him desperate.

Question 8: What made him attack the burglar? (ସେ ସିନ୍ଧିଚୋରକୁ କାହିଁକି ଆକ୍ରମଣ କଲେ?)

Answer: Driven by absolute desperation and the terrifying belief that the moving figure was a deadly devil, Swami hugged its leg and bit it hard to save his own life.

Question 9: Suppose you were asked to describe Swami in a few words, how would you do it? Write the most appropriate answer. (ଯଦି ତୁମକୁ ସ୍ୱାମୀଙ୍କୁ ବର୍ଣ୍ଣନା କରିବାକୁ କୁହାଯାଏ, ତୁମେ ସଠିକ୍ ଉତ୍ତରଟି କ'ଣ ବାଛିବ?)

a) Young, strong and brave.

b) Well-behaved and polite.

c) Disobedient, disrespectful and naughty.

d) Clever but not courageous.

Answer: d) Clever but not courageous.

Question 10: What did Swami dream in the office? (ଅଫିସରେ ସ୍ୱାମୀ କ'ଣ ସ୍ୱପ୍ନ ଦେଖିଲେ?)

a) The devils came up and clutched at his throat.

b) A tiger chased him and he tried hard to escape but couldn't.

c) As a devil came nearer he put his arms around the devil and held tightly.

Answer: b) A tiger chased him and he tried hard to escape but couldn't.

Section E: Let's understand the text better 🧠

Question (i): Discuss how Swamy felt being forced to sleep alone. (ସ୍ୱାମୀ ଏକୁଟିଆ ଶୋଇବାକୁ ବାଧ୍ୟ ହେବାରୁ କିପରି ଅନୁଭବ କଲେ ଆଲୋଚନା କର।)

Answer: Swami felt terribly frightened and miserable. He felt a strain of cruelty in his father's nature and felt isolated from humanity, sweating with fear throughout the night.

Question (ii): How would you feel if you were made to sleep alone in a room? Do you share Swami's feelings? (ଯଦି ତୁମକୁ ଗୋଟିଏ କୋଠରୀରେ ଏକୁଟିଆ ଶୋଇବାକୁ କୁହାଯାଏ, ତୁମେ କିପରି ଅନୁଭବ କରିବ? ତୁମର ଅନୁଭବ ସ୍ୱାମୀଙ୍କ ସହ ସମାନ କି?)

Answer: Yes, like Swami, I would feel very scared and nervous if forced to sleep alone in a dark room suddenly, especially if I was used to sleeping near my parents or grandparents.

Question (iii): How did Swami feel in the darkness? (ଅନ୍ଧାରରେ ସ୍ୱାମୀ କିପରି ଅନୁଭବ କଲେ?)

Answer: In the absolute darkness, Swami was paralyzed with fear. Every small noise like the ticking of the clock or rustling of leaves sounded terrifying, and he imagined ghosts waiting to grab him.

Question (iv): Discuss Swami's response to the movement in the darkness. (ଅନ୍ଧାରରେ ହଲଚଲ ଦେଖି ସ୍ୱାମୀଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତିକ୍ରିୟା ଆଲୋଚନା କର।)

Answer: When Swami saw movement in the dark, his survival instinct kicked in. Believing it was a monster, he crawled out, tightly clutched the intruder's leg, and bit it with all his might like a mortal weapon.

Question (v): Was Swami really courageous? What did people think about him? (ସ୍ୱାମୀ ପ୍ରକୃତରେ ସାହସୀ ଥିଲେ କି? ଲୋକେ ତାଙ୍କ ବିଷୟରେ କ'ଣ ଭାବୁଥିଲେ?)

Answer: No, Swami was not actually courageous; he acted purely out of extreme fear. However, the police, his headmaster, and friends thought he was exceptionally brave and treated him like a true hero.

Question (vi): "Courage is everything, strength and age are not important." ("ସାହସ ହିଁ ସବୁକିଛି, ଶକ୍ତି ଏବଂ ବୟସ ଗୁରୁତ୍ୱପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ନୁହେଁ।")

Answer: This statement by Swami's father highlights that a person's mental willpower and bravery to face fear are far more valuable than just having physical strength or being older in age.

Section F: Let's learn some new words 📝

Rewrite each sentence using the appropriate form of the word in brackets.

Question 1: The plan of action suggested by the students was not accepted by the headmaster. (proposition) (ଛାତ୍ରମାନଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ଦିଆଯାଇଥିବା ପ୍ରସ୍ତାବକୁ ପ୍ରଧାନ ଶିକ୍ଷକ ଗ୍ରହଣ କଲେ ନାହିଁ।)

Answer: The proposition suggested by the students was not accepted by the headmaster.

Question 2: The child spoke in an unclear manner which her mother couldn't hear. (mumble) (ପିଲାଟି ଅସ୍ପଷ୍ଟ ସ୍ୱରରେ କହିଲା ଯାହା ତା ମାଆ ଶୁଣିପାରିଲେ ନାହିଁ।)

Answer: The child mumbled which her mother couldn't hear.

Question 3: My friend sleeps in a separate room because he breathes noisily while asleep. (snore) (ମୋ ସାଙ୍ଗ ଅଲଗା ରୁମରେ ଶୁଏ କାରଣ ସେ ଶୋଇବା ବେଳେ ଘୁଙ୍ଗୁଡି ମାରେ।)

Answer: My friend sleeps in a separate room because he snores.

Question 4: The patient's painful condition affected everyone. (agonize) (ରୋଗୀର ଯନ୍ତ୍ରଣାଦାୟକ ଅବସ୍ଥା ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କୁ ପ୍ରଭାବିତ କଲା।)

Answer: The patient's agonized condition affected everyone.

Question 5: The boy was not prepared and so did not want to take the examination. (hesitate) (ପିଲାଟି ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତ ନଥିଲା ତେଣୁ ପରୀକ୍ଷା ଦେବାକୁ ଦ୍ୱିଧା କରୁଥିଲା।)

Answer: The boy hesitated to take the examination because he was not prepared.

Question 6: The low continuous sound of the bee adds charm to the garden. (humming) (ମହୁମାଛିର ଗୁଣୁଗୁଣୁ ଶବ୍ଦ ବଗିଚାର ସୌନ୍ଦର୍ଯ୍ୟ ବଢ଼ାଏ।)

Answer: The humming of the bee adds charm to the garden.

Question 7: The surface of my car was damaged due to the accident. (scratch) (ଦୁର୍ଘଟଣା ଯୋଗୁଁ ମୋ କାରରେ ଦାଗ ଲାଗିଗଲା।)

Answer: My car got a scratch due to the accident.

Question 8: Read the story again and pick out ten such words which can function both as nouns and as verbs. Then use each word in two different sentences. (କାହାଣୀରୁ ୧୦ଟି ଶବ୍ଦ ବାଛ ଯାହା ଉଭୟ ବିଶେଷ୍ୟ ଓ କ୍ରିୟା ଭାବେ ବ୍ୟବହୃତ ହୁଏ ଏବଂ ସେଗୁଡିକୁ ବାକ୍ୟରେ ପ୍ରୟୋଗ କର।)

Section G: Let's Learn Language 🗣️

Question 1: Turn the following statements into indirect speech. Father said, "I don't at all like the way you are being brought up". (ନିମ୍ନଲିଖିତ ବାକ୍ୟଗୁଡ଼ିକୁ ପରୋକ୍ଷ ଉକ୍ତିରେ ପରିବର୍ତ୍ତନ କର।)

Answer: Father said that he didn't at all like the way he was being brought up.

Question 2: "If you do it, mind you, I will make you the laughing stock of your school."

Answer: Father warned Swami that if he did it, he would make him the laughing stock of his school.

Question 3: Report the following dialogue:

"Let me sleep in the hall, father" Swami pleaded. "Your office room is very dusty and there may be scorpions behind your law books".

"There are no scorpions, little fellow. Sleep on the bench if you like".

"Can I have a lamp burning in the room?"

"No. You must learn not to be afraid of darkness. It is only a question of habit. You must cultivate good habits".

"Will you at least leave the door open ?"

"All right. But promise you will not roll up your bed and go to your granny's side at night".

Answer: Swami pleaded with his father to let him sleep in the hall, pointing out that his office room was very dusty and there might be scorpions behind his law books. His father affectionately replied that there were no scorpions and permitted him to sleep on the bench if he liked. Swami then asked if he could have a lamp burning in the room. His father firmly refused, advising him that he must learn not to be afraid of darkness as it was a question of habit, and he must cultivate good habits. Swami further requested if he would at least leave the door open. His father agreed but asked him to promise that he would not roll up his bed and go to his granny's side at night.

Section H: Let's write ✍️

Question 1: Imagine that you are Swami and give an account of what followed from your point of view. (ମନେକର ତୁମେ ସ୍ୱାମୀ ଏବଂ ତୁମ ଦୃଷ୍ଟିକୋଣରୁ କ'ଣ ଘଟିଲା ତାହା ବର୍ଣ୍ଣନା କର।)

Answer: It was a terrible experience. Father told me to sleep in the office room alone to do away with fear. Till then I always used to sleep safely beside my granny in the passage. Father dragged me to the dusty, dark room and closed the door. Left alone, I trembled and sweated, remembering all the horrible stories of devils. I crawled under the bench to feel safe. Suddenly, in the dead of night, I saw a creepy figure moving towards me. Believing my end had come and a devil was going to eat me, I desperately hugged its leg and bit it with all my might. The man screamed and fell down. My family rushed in and caught him. He turned out to be a notorious burglar! My fear for darkness remained unchanged and I still had the habit of sleeping with granny. But the incident made me a hero overnight.

Question 2: Write a citation (a statement about someone's character or brave actions) to be read out on the occasion of the award giving ceremony in honour of a brave young man of your locality who has been selected for the "Bravery Award" by the government. (ସ୍ଥାନୀୟ ଜଣେ ସାହସୀ ଯୁବକଙ୍କ ସମ୍ମାନାର୍ଥେ ଏକ ପ୍ରଶଂସାପତ୍ର ଲେଖ।)

Answer: This citation is proudly presented to Master Swami for his exemplary courage, presence of mind, and outstanding bravery. On that fateful night, displaying valour far beyond his young age, he fearlessly tackled a dangerous situation in absolute darkness. Relying on his quick instincts, he single-handedly attacked and helped capture one of the most notorious house-breakers wanted by the district police. His bold action not only saved his household but also brought a menace to justice. We honour him today with the National Bravery Award as a true hero and an inspiration to our society.