Amma says I’m not allowed to speak to strangers. You would think that also meant that I  shouldn’t write to them. But since this is a school assignment. She says it’s okay.  

  a. Who is the speaker of the above lines?  
  b. What is the assignment that the speaker is talking about?  
  c. Do your parents allow you to talk to strangers? Why do you think they do/don’t? 

Why does Sarojini cross out the words ‘dead deceased passed on’? 
a. They were not kind words. 
b. She felt telling someone that they are dead was rude. 
c. They did not convey what she wanted to say. 
d. She thought her teacher would not like it. 

Tick the correct word. 
1. Annie Miss was like/not like any teacher Sarojini had known before. 
2. Annie Miss told them learning by heart without understanding was useful/of no use. 
3. Sarojini did/did not quite agree with Annie Miss. 

Fill in the blanks with appropriate words. 
1. Sarojini was _____________ a book about Sarojini Naidu. 
2. _____________ gave her the book. 
3. Sarojini liked the book so much that she decided to _____________. 

Why does Sarojini stay late at school? 

Why does Sarojini like Mrs Naidu? 

Who is Vimala Madam? Does Sarojini like to go to her house? Why? 

What reasons does Sarojini give for going to school? Why do you go to school? 

Discuss the differences between Sarojini and Mrs Naidu. 

What was Sarojini’s first assignment? What did she do to complete it? 

What do you know about Sarojini? Write three or four sentences.  

Here is a tip, Mrs Naidu. 

What does tip mean here? Can tip also mean something else? 

She says memorizing things and saying them back makes you a parrot. 

What words would be most appropriate to use in place of memorizing here – remembering, learning by rote, keeping in mind? 
What does Annie Miss mean? 

I don’t know the polite way to say it. 

What does it mean here? Why does Sarojini think that writing you are dead is not polite? 

She said that we could pick anyone, as long as we explain why. 
Which of these dictionary meanings of pick is the meaning here? 
Nibble   gather   provoke               choose pluck at                open a lock         without a key 

Match the subjects with the predicates. The sentences form a paragraph about Sarojini. Compare your sentences with your partner’s. 
1. Sarojini a. really liked what she read about her. 
2. Her mother b. decided to write to Mrs Naidu. 
3. Vimala Madam c. asked her to write a letter as an assignment. 
4. Sarojini d. worked in Vimala Madam’s house. 
5. Sarojini’s teacher e. gave her mother a book on Sarojini Naidu. 
6. So Sarojini f. Was a girl in class six. 

Read these sentences. Number them in the correct order to write a thank-you note. 
Dear Shekar, 
It was very nice of you to do this for me.                                                        ________
I hope it was not too much trouble.                                                                  ________
Thank you for returning my library books.                                                     ________
I am better now.                                                                                                       ________
I was very worried because they were due yesterday 
and the doctor said I couldn’t go out yet.                                                       ________
I hope to be back in school on Wednesday.                                                  ________

See you then, 
Salim 

Sarojini decided to write a thank-you note to Vimala Madam for the book. This is how she began the note. Complete it in about four or five sentences. 
 Dear Vimala Madam, 
 Thank you very much for the book you sent me. It was a pleasure . . .