THE VILLAGE SCHOOL MASTER

B. Comprehension

1. Answer the following questions.

(তলত দিয়া প্ৰশ্নসমূহৰ উত্তৰ দিয়া)

(a) What do you mean by 'yon'? What is furze?

Ans: ‘Yon’ means something that is at a distance but still visible. Furze is a thorny shrub or bush. (‘Yon’ মানে দূৰত থকা কিন্তু চকুত পৰা বস্তু। ‘Furze’ হৈছে কাঁইটীয়া জোপোহা গছ।)

(b) Whose 'mansion' is referred to here? Why is it called 'noisy'?

Ans: The ‘mansion’ refers to the village school. It is called ‘noisy’ because it is filled with the loud voices of children reading and reciting their lessons. (‘Mansion’ বুলি গাঁৱৰ স্কুলখনক বুজোৱা হৈছে। ল’ৰা-ছোৱালীৰ উচ্চস্বৰে পঢ়া-শুনাৰ শব্দেৰে ভৰি থকাৰ বাবে ইয়াক ‘noisy’ কোৱা হৈছে।)

(c) What is thought to be skirting the way? How does it skirt the way?

Ans: A fence of furze is thought to be skirting the way. It skirts the path in a scattered and uneven manner. (Furze গছৰ বেৰে ৰাস্তাটো ছিন্ন-বিছিন্নভাৱে ঘেৰি আছে।)

(d) What type of man was the village school master?

Ans: The village schoolmaster was strict but kind-hearted. He was humorous and deeply devoted to learning. He was respected and admired by all. (গাঁওৰ শিক্ষকজন কঠোৰ হলেও দয়ালু আছিল। তেওঁ কৌতুকপ্ৰিয় আৰু জ্ঞানপ্ৰেমী আছিল। সকলোৱে তেওঁক সন্মান কৰিছিল।)

(e) How did the poet know him well?

Ans: The poet knew him well because he had been his pupil and had experienced his discipline and methods of teaching. (কবি তেওঁৰ ছাত্ৰ আছিল আৰু তেওঁৰ শাসন আৰু পাঠদানৰ পদ্ধতিৰ অভিজ্ঞতা লাভ কৰিছিল, সেয়ে তেওঁক ভালদৰে জানিছিল।)

(f) Who is a truant? Was the poet a truant also?

Ans: A truant is a student who stays away from school without permission. The poet was not a truant. (‘Truant’ মানে অনুমতি নোলোৱাকৈ স্কুল এৰা ছাত্ৰ। কবি স্কুল পলোৱা নাছিল।)

(g) Quote a line from the poem to show the poet's feelings about the teacher.

Ans: “Amazed they gazed, and still the wonder grew, That one small head could carry all he knew.”

(h) What is 'busy whisper' referred to in the poem? Why was there such a busy whisper?

Ans: ‘Busy whisper’ refers to the soft murmuring among the students. They whispered among themselves about the teacher’s mood and strict behaviour. (‘Busy whisper’ বুলি ছাত্ৰসকলৰ মাজত হোৱা ফুচফুচনি বুজোৱা হৈছে। শিক্ষকজনৰ মেজাজ কেনেকুৱা তাক লৈ আলোচনা হৈছিল।)

(i) What is 'tidings'? Why is it called 'dismal'?

Ans: ‘Tidings’ means news or information. It is called ‘dismal’ because the news was about the teacher’s anger or stern mood. (‘Tidings’ মানে খবৰ। ইয়াক ‘dismal’ কোৱা হৈছে কাৰণ শিক্ষকজনৰ কঠোৰ মেজাজৰ বিষয়ে খবৰ আছিল।)

(j) What two other things could be done by the village school master?

Ans: He could write and cipher (do arithmetic). (তেওঁ লিখিব পাৰিছিল আৰু গণিতৰ হিচাপ কৰিব পাৰিছিল।)

(k) What do you mean by "Terms and Tides"?

Ans: “Terms and Tides” refer to legal expressions and important times or occasions. (‘Terms’ মানে আইন-সংক্রান্ত শব্দ আৰু ‘Tides’ মানে গুৰুত্বপূৰ্ণ সময় বা পৰিস্থিতি।)

(l) What does the poet mean by the term 'words of learned length'?

Ans: It means long and difficult scholarly words used by the schoolmaster. (ইয়াৰ অৰ্থ হৈছে শিক্ষকজনে ব্যৱহাৰ কৰা দীঘল আৰু কঠিন পণ্ডিতীয়া শব্দ।)

(m) Why did the 'rustics' gather around?

Ans: The rustics gathered around to listen to his arguments and admire his learning. (গাঁওবাসীয়ে তেওঁৰ তৰ্ক শুনিবলৈ আৰু তেওঁৰ জ্ঞানত আচৰিত হ’বলৈ গোট খাইছিল।)

(n) Who is referred to as 'One small head'?

Ans: The village schoolmaster is referred to as ‘One small head’. (‘One small head’ বুলি শিক্ষকজনক বুজোৱা হৈছে।)

(o) Make a list of things that 'One small head' could carry.

Ans: He could carry knowledge of writing, arithmetic, land measurement, legal expressions, argument skills and scholarly vocabulary. (তেওঁ লিখা, গণিত, মাটি জোখা, আইন-সংক্রান্ত শব্দ, তৰ্ক কৰাৰ দক্ষতা আৰু পণ্ডিতীয়া শব্দৰ জ্ঞান আয়ত্ত কৰিছিল।)

2. Answer in brief (About 50 words)

i) Give a character sketch of the village school Master.

Ans: The village schoolmaster was a strict yet kind teacher who taught in a small village school. He was humorous and loved learning deeply. His pupils could understand his mood by looking at his face. The villagers respected him as a learned man. He could write, cipher, measure lands and argue skillfully. (শিক্ষকজন কঠোৰ হলেও দয়ালু আছিল। তেওঁ কৌতুকপ্ৰিয় আৰু জ্ঞানপ্ৰেমী আছিল। ছাত্ৰসকলে তেওঁৰ মুখ চাই তেওঁৰ মেজাজ বুজিব পাৰিছিল। গাঁওবাসীয়ে তেওঁক জ্ঞানী ব্যক্তি হিচাপে সন্মান কৰিছিল।)

ii) Was the village School Master really a learned man? Give reasons for your answer.

Ans: Yes, the village schoolmaster was truly a learned man. He possessed knowledge of writing, arithmetic, land measurement and legal matters. He could argue skillfully using scholarly words. The villagers admired him greatly and were amazed that so much knowledge could be contained in one small head. (হয়, শিক্ষকজন সঁচাকৈয়ে এজন জ্ঞানী লোক আছিল। তেওঁ লিখা, গণিত, মাটি জোখা আৰু আইন-সংক্রান্ত বিষয় জানিছিল। তেওঁৰ তৰ্ক কৰাৰ দক্ষতা আছিল।)

A) Find rhyming pairs from the following words:

• Trace : face
• he : glee
• aught : fault
• around : sound
• skill : still
• grew : knew