(i) In ‘What’s your dream’, the beggar approaches the young boy and asks him what his dream is. On hearing that the boy wants a room, the beggar gives his first advice, being that the boy must be in charge of his dream and not let greed into his heart. He must remember his goals and work towards them. He must work hard and take each success as a stepping stone. One must not allow success to make one proud and forget one’s roots. One must always remember their humble beginnings. He must make a definite pathway to reach his goals, but not take away someone else’s dreams either.

(ii) In the lesson, the Hum of Insects, they talk about the different kind of insects we see including bees, wasps and mosquitoes. Bees and wasps are welcome in a garden, whereas mosquitoes are always considered a nuisance. The buzz of insects in a garden transports us into our childhood, defined by playful days spent in such gardens. It was a carefree time when nothing could affect us. We believed in the goodness in the world and that every thing was perfect in our little world. The cruelty of the outside world couldn’t touch us and we loved happily, surrounded by buzzing bees and beautiful butterflies.

(iii) The judgement of Paris was that Quinquart was the better actor. This was determined by their acts. While Robichon impersonated a executioner who had had a change of heart, he shows his acting skills even in the sphere of melancholy. On the other hand, Quinquart disguises as an old man and blames Robichon to have murdered his son as he claimed in his speech. Robichon believes this and he gets terrified when he is informed of the poison in his drink. Thus, Quinquart was the better actor of the two as he fooled even Robichon himself. Suzanne too was overjoyed and willingly got married to Quinquart. Hence, the Judgement of Paris was Suzanne’s judgement too.

(b)

I have, indeed, lost the hand of Suzanne to my dear friend Quinquart. I am deeply sad, however it was well-deserved. I went out of my way to ensure I get a role that was melancholic to prove that I was the better actor of us two. I thought I would be able to please the people of Paris through this. I did put up a very convincing performance and I truly believed I had won. When I got the invitation from Marquis, I was over joyed on the opportunity to meet a noble man. However, I got out-witted. It was, however, a relief to know that it was only Quinquart. I had been terrified that I was being murdered for a crime I didn’t commit. I am saddened for having lost Suzanne, but I am glad I am alive.

OR

Jawaharlal Nehru believes that the past is full of magic for those willing to see it. He said that when learning about a person from history one must keep in mind everything that made that era. One must remember the social, religious and political stand point that the person lived in. It is important to look at history as an organic subject and not just a story. One must have sympathy for the person who lived in the past. Without understanding their circumstances, one cannot judge their actions. Nehru believed that the past was built on faith whereas the present is based on disillusionment. The present is uncertain, however, it is based on logic and reasoning