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A Baker from Goa Extracts

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A Baker from Goa Extracts

 By Lucia Rodrigues

 Read the extracts and answer the questions that follow.

1. He used to come at least twice a day. Once, when he set out in the morning on his selling round, and then again when he returned after emptying his huge basket’.

(a) Who is ‘he’ and where is he from?

(b) Name the items he sold from his huge basket.

(c) When did he come during the day?

(d) Where did he empty his huge basket?

Ans. (a) ‘He’ is the ‘baker’. He is from ‘Goa’.

(b) Bread loaves, cakes, bread–bangles, sweet bread, etc.

(c) He came twice—once in the morning on his selling round and again after the sale was over.

(d) He emptied his huge basket in the houses of his customers.




2. The baker usually collected his bills at the end of the month. Monthly accounts used to be recorded on some wall in pencil. Baking was a profitable profession in the old days. The baker and his family never starved. He, his family and his servants always looked happy and prosperous. Their plump physique was an open testimony to this. Even today any person with a jackfruit-like physical appearance is easily compared to a baker.

(a) Where were the monthly accounts of the baker recorded?

(b) Why did the baker and his family never starve?

(c) Why did the baker and his family always look happy and prosperous?

(d) What are bakers compared within today’s time?




Or

(a) When did the baker collect his bills?

(b) How can you say baking was a profitable profession?

(c) Who is being described in the above passage?

(d) What kind of business was baking considered?




 Ans. (a) On some wall in pencil.

(b) Because baking was a profitable profession.

(c) Because they never starved as baking was a profitable business.

(d) A person with a jackfruit-like physical appearance.

Or

(a) At the end of the month.

(b) Because the baker and his family always looked happy and prosperous.

(c) The baker.

(d) Baking was a profitable business in the old days.




3. Marriage gifts are meaningless without the sweet bread known as the bol, just as a party or a feast loses its charm without bread. Not enough can be said to show how important a baker can be for a village. The lady of the house must prepare sandwiches on the occasion of her daughter’s engagement. Cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas as well as other festivals. Thus, the presence of the baker’s furnace in the village is absolutely essential.

(a) Why is the baker’s furnace essential for the Goan people?

(b) On which occasions are the cakes and bolinhas necessary?

(c) When are marriage gifts rendered meaningless?

(d)  What are a must for Christmas and other festivals?

Or

(a) What does the lady of the house prepare on the occasion of her daughter’s engagement?

(b) What makes the marriage gifts meaningful?

(c) Name a necessary eatable that is a must to be served during engagement parties?

(d) Explain the phrase ‘loses its charm’?

Ans. (a) To prepare cakes, bolinhas, sandwiches on special occasions, rendering them necessary.

(b) On Christmas as well as other festivals and feasts.

(c) Marriage gifts are rendered meaningless without the sweet bread known as a hotel.

(d) Cakes and bolinhas.

Or

(a) Sandwiches.

(b) The presence of sweet bread known as but

(c) Sandwiches.

(d) Of not much value.




4. Our elders are often heard reminiscing nostalgically about those good Old Portuguese days, the Portuguese and their famous loaves of bread. Those eaters of loaves might have vanished but the makers are still there. We still have amongst us the mixers, the moulders and those who bake the loaves. That age-old time-tested furnaces still exist. The fire in the furnaces has not yet been extinguished. The thud and jingle of the traditional baker’s bamboo, heralding his arrival in the morning, can still be heard in some places. Maybe the father is not alive, but the son still carries on the family profession.

(a) What do the elders think fondly about their past?

(b) Who recollects nostalgically about Old Portuguese days?

(c) What are the elders nostalgic about?

(d) How can you say that bread making is still popular in Goa?

Ans. (a) The elders remember very fondly the good old Portuguese days and their loaves of bread.

(b) Elderly Goans.

(c) The good old Portuguese days and the Portuguese and their famous loaves of bread.

(d) The bakers are still there, as are the furnaces, and the tradition of baking.

5.The baker made his musical entry on the scene with ‘bang, jhang’ sound of his specially made bamboo staff one hand supported the basket on his head and the other banged the bamboo on the ground.

(a) How did the bakers announce their entry?

(b) How were both of his hands occupied?

(c) How did the baker make his entry musical?

(d) How did he balance the basket on his head?

Ans. (a) By banging their bamboo staff on the ground.

(b) One hand supported the basket and the other banged the bamboo staff on the ground.

(c) He made ‘jhang-jhang’ musical sound with his bamboo staff.

(d) He balanced the basket on his head by sporting it with his one hand.

6. The presence of the baker’s furnace in the village is absolutely essential. The baker or bread-seller of those days had a peculiar dress known as the habai. It was a single piece long frock reaching down to the knees. In our childhood, we saw bakers wearing a shirt and trousers which were shorter than full-length ones and longer than half pants. Even today, anyone who wears a half pant which reaches just below the knees invites the comment that he is dressed like a pader!

(a) Why is a baker essential in the Goan village?

(b) How is a traditional baker recognised?

(c) What is a person called if he wears half pant that reaches just below his knees?

(d) What does the passage tell us about?

Ans. (a) People need bread for daily use and it is also essential for all festive seasons.

(b) The one who wore a single piece long frock reaching below the knees or one who wore pants longer than half pants, but shorter than full pants was instantly recognised as a traditional baker.

(c) He is called a pader or baker.

(d) The passage tells us about the dress of modern bakers.

7.We kids would be pushed aside with a mild rebuke and the loaves would be delivered to the servant. But we would not give up. We would climb a bench or the parapet and peep into the basket, somehow. I can still recall the typical fragrance of those loaves. Loaves for the elders and the bangles for the children. Then we did not even care to brush our teeth or wash our mouths properly. And why should we? And why was it necessary at all? The tiger never brushed his teeth. Hot tea could wash and clean up everything so nicely, after all!

(a) How did the children manage to see what was there in the baker’s basket?

(b) What did the children like most to eat?

(c) Why would the children peep into the basket?

(d) Why did he push aside the children?

Ans. (a) The children would climb a bench or the parapet to look into the baker’s basket.

(b) The children like bread-bangles the most.

(c) To check for their choice of bread.

(d) He did so because they used to peep into his basket and did not let him deliver the bread.

Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow :

PASSAGE 1

 Our elders are often heard reminiscing nostalgically about those good old Portuguese days, the Portuguese and their famous loaves of bread. Those eaters of loaves might have vanished but the makers are still there. We still have amongst us the mixers, the moulders and those who bake the loaves. Those age-old, time-tested furnaces still exist. The fire in the furnaces has not yet been extinguished. The thud and jingle of the traditional baker’s bamboo, heralding his arrival in the morning, can still be heard in some places. Maybe the father is not alive but the son still carries on the family profession. These bakers are, even today, known as pader in Goa.

 Word-meanings: Reminiscing = remembering (याद करना); vanished = disappeared गायब हो गया); moulders = those who mould (फफूंद बनाने वाले); extinguished = put out (बुझा देना); furnaces = ovens (भट्टियाँ)

 Questions :

  (a)  What do the elders remember nostalgically?

  (b)   Whom do the residents of Goa still have among them?

  (c)   What are the time tested things which still exist there?

  (d)   How are the bakers known as in Goa?

  (e)   Find a word from the passage which means ‘put out’.

 Answers :

  (a)   They remember nostalgically the old Portuguese days and the loaves of bread.

  (b)   They still have the mixers, the moulders and bakers of bread.

  (c)   The furnaces of the bakers are the time-tested things which still exist there.

  (d)   The bakers are known as pader.

  (e)   ‘extinguished’.




PASSAGE 2

  During our childhood in Goa, the baker used to be our friend, companion and guide. He used to come at least twice a day. Once, when he set out in the morning on his selling round, and then again when he returned after emptying his huge basket. The jingling thud of his bamboo woke us up from sleep and we ran to meet and greet him. Why was it so? Was it for the love of the loaf? Not at all. The loaves were bought by some Paskine or Bastin, the maid-servant of the house! What we longed for were those bread-bangles which we chose carefully. Sometimes it was sweet bread of special make.

Word-meanings: Greet = welcome (स्वागत करना): longed for = wished for (इच्छा करना )

  Questions :

  (a)   What was the baker’s place in Goa in the author’s childhood days?

  (b)   What happened after the author woke up on hearing the baker’s jingling sound?

  (c)   Who bought the loaves?

  (d)   What did the narrator long for?

  (e)   Find a phrase front the passage which means ‘wished for’.

 Answers :

  (a)   In those days the baker was the friend, companion and guide.

  (b)   He ran to meet and greet hint.

  (c)   The maid-servant of the house bought the loaves of bread.

  (d)   The author longed for ‘bread-bangles’.

  (e)   ‘longed for’.




PASSAGE 3

 The baker made his musical entry on the scene with the ‘jhang, jhang’ sound of his specially made bamboo staff. One hand supported the basket on his head and the other hanged the bamboo on the ground. He would greet the lady of the house with “Good morning” and then place his basket on the vertical bamboo. We kids would be pushed aside with a mild rebuke and the loaves would be delivered to the servant. But we would not give up. We would climb a bench or the parapet and peep into the basket, somehow. I can still recall the typical fragrance of those loaves. Loaves for the elders and the bangles for the children. Then we did not even care to brush our teeth or wash our mouths properly. And why should we? Who would take the trouble of plucking the mango-leaf for the toothbrush ‘? And why was it necessary at all? The tiger never brushed his teeth. Hot tea could wash and clean up everything so nicely, after all!                                      

                                                                                                                                                           [H.B.S.E. March 2017 (Set-C)

 Word-meanings: Supported = helped (सहारा देना); banged = beat with (ठक-ठक करना ); greet = welcome (स्वागत करना); fragrance = smell (सुगन्ध) I

Questions :

  (a)   How did the baker make his musical entry?

  (b)   What can the author still recall?

  (c)   What did the author and the other kids do to look into the baker’s basket?

  (d)   What was thought as a nice mouth-wash to clean up everything?

  (e)   Find a word from the passage which means ‘chide’.

 Answers :

  (a)   The baker made his musical entry with the ‘jhang, jhang‘ sound of his bamboo staff.

  (b)   The author can still recall the typical fragrance of the loaves.

  (c)   They would climb a bench or the parapet to look into the baker’s basket.

  (d)   ‘Hot tea’ was considered a nice mouth-wash.

  (e)   ‘rebuke’.




PASSAGE 4

Marriage gifts are meaningless without the sweet bread known as the bol, just. as a party or a feast loses its charm without bread. Not enough can be said to show how important a baker can be for a village. The lady of the house must prepare sandwiches on the occasion of her daughter’s engagement. Cakes and Bolinas are a must for Christmas as well as other festivals. Thus, the presence of the baker’s furnace in the village is absolutely essential.

Word-meanings : Feast = grand party (दावत); charm = attraction (आकर्षक); absolutely = completely (पूरी तरह); essential = necessary (आवश्यक) l

Questions :

  (a)   Name the chapter and the writer.

  (b)   What makes marriage gifts meaningless?

  (c)   When does a party or a feast lose its charm?

 (d)   What has the lady of the house to do on the occasion of her daughter’s engagement?

  (e)   What is a must for Christmas?

 Answers :

  (a)   Chapter: A Baker From Goa.

      Writer: Lucio Rodrigues.

 (b)   Marriage gifts are meaningless without the sweet bread known as the bol.

  (c)   A party or a feast loses its charm without bread.

  (d)   She must prepare sandwiches on such an occasion.

  (e)   Cakes or bolinhas are a must for Christmas.




PASSAGE 5

The baker usually collected his bills at the end of the month. Monthly accounts used to be recorded some wall in pencil. Baking was indeed a profitable profession in the old days. The baker and his family starved. He, his family and his servants always looked happy and prosperous. Their plump physique open testimony to this. Even today any person with a jackfruit-like physical appearance is easily a baker.

Word-meanings: Recorded = written (लिखे जाते थे); starved =die of hunger (भूख से मरना); prosperous well to do (खुशहाल); plump = having a soft round body (गोल-मटोल)

 Questions :

  (a)   When did the baker usually collect his bills?

 (b)   How were the monthly accounts recorded?  

 (c)   How can you say that the baker and his family never starved?

 (d)   What kind of a person is easily compared to a baker?

 (e)   Which word in the passage means the same as ‘proof or example.’

 Answers :

  (a)   The baker usually collected his hills at the end of the month.

  (b)   The monthly accounts were recorded on some wall in pencil.

  (c)   The baker and his family had a plump physique.

 (d)   Any person with a jackfruit-like physical appearance is easily compared to a baker.

 (e)   Testimony.




PASSAGES FOR PRACTICE (UNSOLVED)

PASSAGE 6

The baker or bread-seller of those days had a peculiar dress known as the labia. It was a single-piece long frock reaching down to the knees. In our childhood, we saw bakers wearing a shirt and trousers which were shorter than full-length ones and longer than half pants. Even today, anyone who wears a half pant which reaches just below the knees invites the comment that he is dressed like a pader !

 The baker usually collected his bills at the end of the month. Monthly accounts used to be recorded on some wall in pencil. Baking was indeed a profitable profession in the old days. The baker and his family never starved. He, his family and his servants always looked happy and prosperous. Their plump physique was an open testimony to this. Even today any person with a jackfruit-like physical appearance is easily compared to a baker.

 Word-meanings: Peculiar = strange (विचित्र); starved = die of hunger (भूख से मरना); prosperous = well to do (खुशहाल)

Questions :

  (a)   Describe the dress worn by the bread-sellers of old days.

  (b)   When is a person said to be dressed like a pader ?

  (c)   When did baker collect his bills?

  (d)   How does the narrator estimate that the baker used to be rich?

  (e)   Find a word from the passage which means ‘strange’.

Passage-7: (Pages 85 & 86)

Our elders are often heard reminiscing nostalgically about those good old Portuguese days, the Portuguese and their famous loaves of bread. Those eaters of loaves might have vanished, but the makers are still there. We still have amongst us the mixers, the moulders and those who bake the loaves. Those age-old, time tested furnaces still exist. The fire in the furnaces has not yet been extinguished. The thud and jingle of the traditional baker’s bamboo, heralding his arrival in the morning, can still be heard in some places. Maybe the father is not alive, but the son still carries on the family profession. These bakers are, even today, known as pader in Goa.

Word-Meaning: Reminiscing—thinking of the past, Nostalgically—thinking fondly of the past, Portuguese days(here) days when Portuguese ruled over Goa, Loaves of bread—pieces of bread, Vanished—disappeared, ended Moulders—those who mould, Bake—roast cook on fire Age-old—since ages, Furnaces—hearths, Exist—present, Extinguished—put off, Thud—the sound of something falling on the ground, Jingle—sound of bells, Traditional—conventional, Bamboo—a rod of bamboo Heralding—announcing the coming of, Arrival—coming, Carries on—carries forward, Profession—job,

Questions:

(a) What do our elders often reminisce?

(b) How are the age-old furnaces time tested?

(c) What does the thud and jingle of the baker’s bamboo herald?

(d) What are bakers called in Goa?

Answers:

(a) Our elders fondly remember the Portuguese days and their famous loaves of bread.

(b) The age-old furnaces still exist in Goa.

(c) The thud and jingle of the baker’s bamboo herald the arrival of the baker.

(d) The bakers are even today known as paders in Goa.

Passage-8: (Page 86)

During our childhood in Goa, the baker used to be our friend, companion and guide. He used to come at least twice a day. Once, when he set out in the morning on his selling round, and then again when he returned after emptying his huge basket. The jingling thud of his bamboo woke us up from sleep and we ran to meet and greet him. Why was it so? Was it for the love of the loaf? Not at all. The loaves were bought by some Paskine or Bastine, the maid-servant of the house! What we longed for were those bread-bangles which we chose carefully. Sometimes it was a sweet bread of special make.

Word-Meaning: Guide—showing the way Set out—started, Emptying—making empty, Huge basket—big basket, Greet—welcome, Maid-servant—maid doing the household work, Longed for—waited anxiously, Bread-bangles-round bunches of bread like bangles, Special make—special design

Questions:

(a) What did the children think about the baker?

(b) What made people wake up from sleep?

(c)Who used to buy loaves in the house?

(d) What did the children long for?

Answers:

(a) The children thought the baker as their friend, companion and guide.

(b) The jingling thud of the baker’s bamboo woke up the people from their sleep.

(c) The maid-servant of the house used to buy loaves from the baker.

(d) The children longed for bread-bangles.

passage-9: (Page 87)

Marriage gifts are meaningless without sweet bread known as the bol, just as a party or a feast loses its charm without bread. Not enough can be said to show how important a baker can be for a village. The lady of the house must prepare sandwiches on the occasion of her daughter’s engagement. Cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas as well as other festivals. Thus, the presence of the baker’s furnace in the village is absolutely essential.

Word-Meaning: Meaningless—useless, Bol—sweet bread, Feast—festivity, party Charm—beauty, Engagement—ceremony before marriage, Thus—in this way, Presence—existence, Absolutely—completely, Essential—necessary,

Questions:

(a) What is the importance of the bol?

(b) What usual dish is prepared on the daughter’s engagement?

(c) What are the essentials for Christmas?

 (d) What is the position of the baker’s furnace in the village?

Answers:

(a) Marriage gifts are meaningless without the sweet bread or the bol.

(b) The lady of the house must prepare sandwiches on the occasion of her daughter’s engagement.

(c) Cakes and `bolinhas’ are a must for Christmas.

(d) The presence of the baker’s furnace in the village is absolutely essential.

Passage-10: (Page 87)

The baker or bread-seller of those days had a peculiar dress known as the kabai. It was a single-piece long frock reaching down to the knees. In our childhood, we saw bakers wearing a shirt and trousers which were shorter than full-length ones and longer than half pants. Even today, anyone who wears a half pant which reaches just below the knees invites the comment that he is dressed like a pader!

Word-Meaning: Peculiar—special, Single-piece—with no joint, Comment—remark, Pader—baker,

Questions:

(a) What was the traditional dress of the baker?

(b) What was that dress like?

(c) Who is a pader?

(d) When did the author usually see the baker?

Answers:

(a) The peculiar dress of the baker was known as the kabai.

(b) It was a single piece long frock reaching down to the knees.

(c) A pader is a person who bakes bread.

(d) He usually saw the baker in the morning.

Passage-11: (Page 87)

The baker usually collected his bills at the end of the month. Monthly accounts used to be recorded AI some wall in pencil. Baking was indeed a profitable profession in the old days. The baker and his family never starved. He, his family and his servants always looked happy and prosperous. Their plump physique was an open testimony to this. Even today any person with a jackfruit-like physical appearance is easily compared to a baker.

Word-Meaning: Recorded—noted down Profitable—that gives profit, Starved- died of hunger, Prosperous—well-off, Plump—fleshy, rather fat and round, Treral Physique – body, Open—(here) clear, Testimony—test, proof, Jackfruit like—like a jackfruit, Physical—bodily Appearance—looks,

Questions:

(a) Why was the end of the month remarkable for the baker?

(b) How was baking as a profession in the old days?

(c) What sort of life did the baker and his family live?

(d) What is the physical appearance of the baker compared with?

Answers:

(a) The bakers collected his bills at the end of the month.

(b) Baking was quite a profitable profession in the old days.

(c) The baker and his family always looked happy and prosperous.

(d) His physical appearance is compared with a man with jack fruit.

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