SSLC KARNATAKA
Subject – English (3rd Language)
Textbook Solution
UNIT 7 – Prose
SOHRAB AND RUSTUM
Short Summary of the Lesson:
The story of *Sohrab and Rustum revolves around Rustum, a great warrior of Persia, and his son Sohrab. Unknown to Rustum, Sohrab grows up as a mighty warrior in the enemy land of Turan. Fate leads them to fight in a war, unaware that they are father and son. Despite Sohrab’s hope to reunite with his father, the two end up fighting fiercely. Rustum, not knowing Sohrab’s true identity, fatally wounds his son. It is only after Sohrab’s final words that Rustum realizes the tragic truth, leaving him in deep sorrow. The story is a powerful reflection of fate and human vulnerability.
Glossary:
Chase: To follow in order to catch.
Vein: A tube in the body through which blood flows.
Gratify: To please or satisfy.
Beget: To become a father.
Wean away: To separate from something or someone.
Combat: A battle or fight.
Come about: To happen.
Advance: To move forward.
Fiercely: With great force or violence.
Utter: To speak or express.
Choke: To stop someone from breathing or to make it difficult to breathe.
I. Comprehension questions :
A. Answer the following questions briefly.
1. Who was Rustum? Where did he live?
Ans. – Rustum was a great warrior who lived in Persia.
2. Who chanced to see Rustum when he went out for a hunt?
Ans. – A chieftain from Turan saw Rustum.
3. Who was Tahminah? Who did she marry?
Ans. – Tahminah was the daughter of the chieftain of Turan.She married Rustum.
4. What made Rustum ride away to his army in Persia?
Ans. – Rustum wanted to return to his army after some time of peaceful life with Tahminah.
5. Why did the king of Persia send for Rustum?
Ans. – The king sent for Rustum because Sohrab was causing terror for the Persian army.
6. What reply did Sohrab get when he was questioned?
Ans. – Rustum denied being Rustum to Sohrab.
7. Why did Sohrab not avail of the chance to kill Rustum?
Ans. – Sohrab’s heart did not permit him to kill Rustum.
8. What truth did Sohrab reveal when he was in a pool of blood?
Ans. – He revealed that he was Rustum’s son, showing the seal on his arm.
9. How did Rustum react when he came to know that he had killed his own son?
Ans. – Rustum was filled with horror and deep sorrow when he realized he had killed his own son.
B. Answer the following questions in four or five sentences.
Sit in groups, discuss the answer before writing.
1. What did Rustum say to his wife before going back to his army?
Ans. – Rustum asked Tahminah to keep a seal with her. If she gave birth to a son, she was to bind the seal on his arm, and if it was a daughter, she should put the seal on her neck with a chain.
2. What did Tahminah say to herself when a son was born of her?
Ans. – Tahminah decided not to tell Rustum that she had a son, fearing Rustum would take him away to make him a warrior.
3. What did Sohrab think of doing to meet his father Rustum?
Ans. – Sohrab planned to fight the Persian army, hoping that his father, Rustum, would come to battle.
4. What made Sohrab drop the covering shield?
Ans. – Sohrab dropped his shield when Rustum shouted his name during the battle.
5. How did Rustum come to know that Sohrab was his son?
Ans. – Rustum realized Sohrab was his son when Sohrab showed him the seal on his arm, which Rustum had given to Tahminah.
C. Read the following statements and answer the questions that follow:
1. If you beget a son, bind this seal to his arm and send him to me.
a. Who said these words?
Ans. –Rustum
b. Who were these spoken to?
Ans. –To his wife Tahminah
c. Why did he say so?
Ans. – He wanted to know if a son or daughter was born to him.
2. Are you not Rustum?
a. Who said this?
Ans. – Sohrab
b. Who was it said to?
Ans. – Rustum
c. Who was Rustum?
Ans. –Rustum was a great warrior of Persia.
3. That is what my mother said for fear of losing me to my father. Look at the seal on my right arm.
a. Who said these lines?
Ans. –Sohrab
b. Who were the words spoken to?
Ans. –To Rustum
c. Where did Sohrab say these words?
Ans. –In the battlefield after he was wounded.
II. Vocabulary:
- We can make opposites by adding prefixes such as dis, un, ir, in, im, mis, il, etc., Study the examples:
Examples : Happy – unhappy
Honour : dishonour
Write the opposites of the following words using the above prefixes:
advantage, believable, do, pleasant, trust, regular, continue, responsible, legal, decent, proper, direct, pure, order, literate, order.
Advantage → Disadvantage
Believable → Unbelievable
Do → Undo
Pleasant → Unpleasant
Trust → Distrust
Regular → Irregular
Continue → Discontinue
Responsible → Irresponsible
Legal → Illegal
Decent → Indecent
Proper → Improper
Direct → Indirect
Pure → Impure
Order → Disorder
Literate → Illiterate
B. Use the following phrases in sentences of your own.
As long as, to fall in love with, to give birth to, to get tired, to wean away, to give up.
As long as : You can stay here as long as you wish.
To fall in love with: He fell in love with the beautiful view.
To give birth to : The cat gave birth to four kittens.
To get tired : She got tired after the long walk.
To wean away : The child was weaned away from his bad habits.
To give up : He decided to give up smoking.
C. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbal phrases given in brackets. Make necessary changes, if, necessary
(Consist of, fond of, look after, send for, die of)
1. Parents look after their children.
2.The school consists of 15 rooms.
3.The mother sent for a doctor to attend her sick son.
4.Jawaharlal Nehru was fond of children.
5. He died of cancer.
III. Languages Exercises:
A. Sit in groups. Discuss and match the following ‘wh’ words in ‘A’ with their functions
A. Matching Wh- words:
Where → Place
When → Time
How → Manner
Who → Doer
Why → Reason
B. Work in pairs. Ask questions that will get you the following answers. Begin the question with the words given in brackets. Compare with other pairs and know how many are correct. One has been shown.
1. I stay at the guest house.
Where do you stay?
2. My father will give me the money.
Who will give you the money?
3. She travels by train.
How does she travel?
4. He went to the battlefield to fight.
Why did he go to the battlefield?
C. Work in pairs. Underline the ‘wh’ word which gets the underlined words as answer.
Ex: Sohrab was in the battle field. (When/where)
1. Tahminah sent the false information to Rustum that a daughter was born to him (what/why)
Ans. – Why
2. Rustum agreed to fight in order to save the honour of his country (what/why)
Ans. – Why
3.Sohrab did not kill Rustum because his heart did not permit him. (how/why)
Ans. – Why
4. Rustum gave a seal to his wife Tahminah. (who/what/which)
Ans. – What
5. Sohrab bravely fought with his father. (who/how/when/where)
Ans. – Who
D) Complete the following conversation. Then practise with a partner.
A: Who was Sohrab?
B: Sohrab was the son of Rustum.
A: When was he born?
B: He was born while his father was away in a battlefield.
A: When did Sohrab challenge the bravest soldier?
B: Sohrab challenged the bravest soldier when the Turans attacked Persia.
A: What did the Persian champion do?
B: The Persian champion cried out his name, ‘Rustum.’
A: When did Sohrab realise?
B: Sohrab realised that he was fighting with his father.
Here are some one-mark questions with answers for practice.
1. Who was Rustum?
Rustum was a great warrior from Persia.
2. Where did Rustum live?
Rustum lived in Persia.
3. What did Rustum do when he went hunting?
He chased a wolf near the border of Turan.
4. Who took Rustum as a guest in Turan?
A chieftain of Turan.
5. Who was Tahminah?
Tahminah was the daughter of the chieftain of Turan.
6. Who did Rustum marry?
Rustum married Tahminah.
7. What did Rustum give Tahminah before leaving?
He gave her a seal.
8. What did Tahminah tell Rustum about their child?
She told him they had a daughter, but it was actually a son.
9. What was the name of Rustum and Tahminah’s son?
His name was Sohrab.
10. Why did Tahminah hide the truth about Sohrab?
She feared Rustum would take him away to make him a warrior.
11. What did Sohrab want to do when he grew up?
He wanted to meet his father, Rustum.
12. Why did Sohrab join the war?
He thought it was a way to meet his father.
13. Who did the Persian king send to fight Sohrab?
The king sent Rustum.
14. Did Rustum know Sohrab was his son during the fight?
No, Rustum did not know Sohrab was his son.
15. What did Sohrab ask Rustum during the fight?
He asked if he was Rustum.
16. What was Rustum’s reply when Sohrab asked his name?
Rustum denied being Rustum.
17. How long did the fight between Rustum and Sohrab last?
The fight lasted for three days.
18. Why didn’t Sohrab kill Rustum when he had the chance?
Sohrab’s heart did not allow him to kill Rustum.
19. What happened when Rustum shouted his name?
Sohrab dropped his shield and fainted.
20. What did Sohrab show Rustum before dying?
He showed him the seal on his arm.
21. What did Rustum realize when he saw the seal?
He realized that Sohrab was his son.
22. How did Rustum feel after discovering Sohrab was his son?
Rustum was filled with horror and sorrow.
23. What were Sohrab’s last words?
He asked Rustum to let him die at his feet.
24. Why did Sohrab think his father was Rustum?
He had heard stories of Rustum’s greatness.
25. What was the cause of Rustum’s sorrow in the end?
Rustum was heartbroken because he unknowingly killed his own son.
