Question

Complete the table by explaining the following phrases/ sentences in your own words:

Phrases	Meanings
happy memories light up a life that is nearing its close
the sounds helped him along his lonely way
the cold used sleep to extend its sway over all things even as a false friend lulls his chosen victim with caressing smiles
when the evening of his life was drawing in, he left his old ways and suddenly took a new turn
the whole universe is built up through love and that the grief of separation is inescapable
the post-master, a man with a face as sad and as inexpressive as a pumpkin, would be seen sitting on his chair inside
And so the clerk, like a worshipper of Vishnu, repeated his customary thousand names
The haughty temper of the official had quite left him in his sorrow and anxiety, and had laid bare his human heart

Answer 1

1. When the life of a human being is drawing near its end, happy and pleasant memories of one’s earlier life help one in removing the dark shadow of approaching death.

2. In the early hours of dawn when Ali was going to the Post Office, there was no living creature present around him. But he heard the singing of the women who were up early and the grinding noise of hand-mills, barking of dogs, the sound of foot-steps of a work-man. All these sound gave him solace and comforted him that he was not all alone.All these sound gave him solace and comforted him that he was not all alone.

3. Just as an unfaithful friend hides his evil designs under a cover of affectionate smiles when he tries to play a dirty and fraudulent game with his friend, in the same way cold weather makes people sleep longer in their comfortable beds forgetting the biting cold and wind.

4. Evening indicates the closing of the day. Many of the activities, din and noise of day-time comes to an end at evening. Ali was growing old. His end was approaching. Therefore, he gave up his sportive passions like hunting and brought a sedateness and steadiness in his life which suited his old age. Now going to the Post Office and waiting for his daughter’s letter became his daily practice. This change came to him at the evening of his life.

5. Ali realized in his later years that it is perseverance, love and compassion that matter not destroying and teasing others. The existence of the entire universe is based on love. It is the element of love which has created the world. Just as the joys of love are essential for the creation of the world, in the same way, pain and grief, caused by separation of dear ones are unavoidable. These are two eternal truths of human life.

6. The writer compares the face of the postmaster with a pumpkin. Just as a pumpkin is hardly attractive and appealing to the eyes, in the same way the face of the postmaster did not reveal any kind of joyful feeling. Only sadness was visible on his face which made the expression of his face quite hard and stony, capable of expressing no emotion.

7. At the time of distribution of letters, the clerk calls out the names of the people whose letters he comes across. This daily practice of the clerk is compared with the mode of worship adopted by a worshipper of Vishnu. The writer means to say that worshipper of Vishnu calls out various names of Vishnu while he offers prayers to his sacred deity.

8. The postmaster, who was the incharge of the Post Office, was very haughty and rude in the beginnning. Later on, when his daughter fell ill and he received no information from his sick daughter, his heart was afflicted with deep grief and agony. Now his fatherly instinct compelled him to express his painful feeling and he realized miserable condition of old Ali.