Summary: Ju’s Story
Ju is a young girl who lived with her mother. Her father had been killed in a tragic
accident a few years ago. Her mother was a domestic help and so many of the things
that Ju used—textbooks, schoolbag, lunch box and umbrellas—were second-hand.
However, Ju looked after all her things well and is a cheerful and practical girl.
Ju never thought of the gifts she received as being old. They were entering her life
for the first time and therefore, they were brand new as far as she was concerned.
She felt as if she were making new friends. That was why she did not cross out the
names of the original owners of the books before writing her own name, which was
PR Manju— Poomarathil Ramu Manju.
Manju became Ju because that was the name that her mother used for her. Ju felt
that her mother rationed her name too, like she did rice, dal, salt, soap and oil. But Ju
also loved her name because she felt that people remembered it easily. So, because
it was a short name and easy to remember, everyone started calling her by it.
One day, Ju was surprised when an old lady she knew stopped her in the street. The
old lady had mistaken Ju for her granddaughter. This was because Ju was wearing a
dress that had once belonged to Lisie. It might also be that Ju did look a little like
Lisie or maybe they were close in age, so the old lady had mistaken her for her
granddaughter. She offers to help the old lady but she refuses but calls Ju beautiful.
Ju is taken aback when Lisie’s grandmother calls her a beautiful girl. Even after the
old lady had left, Ju still wandered about it.
Ju always found little keepsakes of the previous owners in the pages of the books her
mother brought. There were pictures of filmstars, of football and cricket players, of
singers, and of gods and goddesses, dried flowers, peacock feathers, sometimes a
little poem, and sometimes a prayer. And sometimes there were stamps.
Each stamp was like a mystery speaking silently to Ju. She had never received a letter
in her life. She had watched the postman passing their home and dreamt about his
stepping into their yard with a letter in his hand. Nor had she or her mother written a
letter. They had never bought a postal envelope, inland letter, postcard or stamp.
Sometimes, she found unused stamps. But Ju couldn’t think of using them to write to
anybody but her father.
One day, Ju’s mother, Madhu, took Ju to Ali’s shop. She told him proudly that Ju was
entering high school that year. Ali had worked with and had been a friend of Ju’s
father. He had seen Ju grow and knew how difficult her life was and how she was a
young girl who made the best of her situation. So, he wanted to do something to
make her happy and to honour his friend. He offered to make new clothes for her.
Madhu cried and smiled at the same time because she was very happy for Ju. She
was glad that her daughter was finally getting some new clothes and she was very
proud of her for all that she had accomplished. Ju was very happy too.
Ali’s gift of new dresses came the day before school reopened. As Madhu held each
dress against Ju’s body, Ju breathed in the delicious scent of new clothes.
This story tells us the story of Ju in a warm but unsentimental manner. Ju has a hard
life but she does not wallow in self-pity. She finds the best in every situation and is a
thoughtful and helpful girl. The story still brings out the poignancy of Ju receiving
new clothes for the first time and how something that is ordinary for many of us was
a moment of great happiness for her.
UNIT 9 JU’S STORY
Warm Up
Free Response
Embedded Questions 1
● She liked them very much and felt as though she was making new friends.
● Poomarathil Ramu Manju
● Free Response
Embedded Questions 2
● NT
● NT
● NT
Embedded Questions 3
● She announces that her daughter is entering high school that year.
● Madhu burst into tears even as she smiled. Ju stared in disbelief at the fabrics.
Comprehension
A. 1. she felt as though she was making new friends.
2. begging Ali with whom Ju’s father had sharedwork, to alter them to suit Ju.
3. nobody had called her beautiful before.
4. she had never had new clothes before and she was taking in the fact that she now had them.
B. 1. a. he first thing we learn is that Ju is a helpful girl and the second thing we learn is that she is not
vain.
b. The old woman was probably touched by how kind Ju was. Also, Ju reminded her of her own
granddaughter and so she thought that Ju was beautiful.
2. a. She probably felt amazed and full of joy.
b. Ali was probably feeling very affectionate as he watched Ju look at the fabrics.
C. 1. Manju became Ju because that was the name that her mother used for her. Ju felt that her mother
rationed her name too, like she did rice, dal, salt, soap and oil. But Ju also loved her name because
she felt that people remembered it easily. So because it was a short name and easy to remember,
everyone started calling her by it.
2. The old lady mistook Ju for her granddaughter. This was because Ju was wearing a dress that had
once belonged to Lisie. It might also be that Ju did look a little like Lisie or maybe they were close
in age, so the old lady mistook her for her granddaughter.
3. Each stamp was like a mystery speaking silently to Ju. She had never received a letter in her life.
She had watched the postman passing their home and dreamt about his stepping into their
yard with a letter in his hand. Nor had she or her mother written a letter. They had never bought
a postal envelope, inland letter, postcard or stamp. Sometimes, she found unused stamps. But Ju
couldn’t think of using them to write to anybody but her father.
4. Ali had worked with and had been a friend of Ju’s father. He had seen Ju grow and knew how
difficult her life was and how she was a young girl who made the best of her situation. So he
wanted to do something to make her happy and to honour his friend. This seemed the best way
to him because Ju had never owned new clothes and it would be a wonderful, new experience
for her.
D. 1. The incident with Ju and Lisie’s grandmother shows us that Ju was not vain. We know this because
she is truly taken aback when Lisie’s grandmother calls her a beautiful girl. Even after the old lady
had left, Ju was still wondering about it. This shows us that she had never given her appearance
any thought and therefore it was not very important to her.
2. Madhu cried and smiled at the same time because she was very happy for Ju. She was glad that
her daughter was finally getting some new clothes and she was very proud of her for all that she
had accomplished. She cried because she was overwhelmed by her emotions and maybe a part of
her was sad that she had not been able to provide the same for her child.
E. Suggested answer (Accept any logical answer).
1. We can learn to be happy with what we have and not long for other things all the time.
2. We can learn to value old things and take care of them.
3. We can learn how to prioritise other things than our appearance.
Grammar
A. 2. reading 3. broken 4. worried 5. missing 6. painted
B. 2. G 3. NG 4. G 5. NG 6. NG
Vocabulary
1. a. great b. grate
2. a. there b. they’re c. their
3. a. pared b. pair
4. a. your b. You’re
5. a. farther b. father
Writing
Suggested answer (Accept any logical answer).
1. NOTICE
Ban Plastic in School Drive
A ‘Ban Plastic in School Drive’ will be held for three days in our school. Events planned for the drive
are
● handing out of flyers, posters and pamphlets about the harmful effects of plastic
● a screening of a documentary on the harmful effects of plastic
● a talk by a local environmentalist about alternatives to plastic
● students will also be canvassing local businesses around the school to refrain from using
plastic bags
Interested students may give their names to Rekha Joseph from 6B. The details are given below:
dates: 08 August 2018 to 10 August 2018
time: after school
venue: The Sunshine School Auditorium
eligibility: Classes 4–12
last date for submitting names: 06 August 2018
Pooja Shetty
Secretary of the Eco Club
6B, The Sunshine School
2. NOTICE
One-day School Outing
An outing for students has been planned for December. The students will be visiting a local farm
followed by a visit to the on-site restaurant. The students will learn how to make woodfired pizzas
here followed by a dinner made with local organic ingredients.
Interested students may give their names to Mr Ganesh from the English Department. The details
are given below:
date: 08 December 2018
time: The school bus will leave the school at 8.30 a.m. and will return at 6.30 p.m.
eligibility: Classes 8–12
last date for submitting names: 03 December 2018
Mala Sharma
12A, Oakridge Academy
Speaking
1. Would you like some help with that project?
Yes, that would be great. Thank you!
2. Shall I help you with that, Mother?
That’s very kind of you, Mrinal. Yes, thank you.
3. Would you like me to show you how to get there?
It’s very good of you to offer but I think I will use the Maps app.
4. May I help you with that, miss?
Thank you but I can manage.
5. Would you like some tea or coffee? Or how about some orange juice?
Thank you. But I would prefer some cold water instead, if you have it?
6. Can I help you water the garden, Mr Gupta?
How lovely! The help would be much appreciated.
Listening
Listening Text
Friends
by Elizabeth Jennings
I fear it’s very wrong of me,
And yet I must admit,
When someone offers friendship
I want the whole of it.
I don’t want everybody else
To share my friends with me.
At least, I want one special one
Who indisputably,
Likes me much more than all the rest,
Who’s always on my side,
Who never cares what others say,
Who lets me come and hide
Within his shadow, in his house—
It doesn’t matter where—
Who lets me simply be myself,
Who’s always, always there.
Answer
The speaker wants a special/best friend who will always be there for them.
Punctuation
1. We should cover the furniture before painting, Renu.
2. My grandmother does not like the cold, so she always wears two sweaters!
3. I wanted to go with Leena to the park, but she had already left.
4. It was very hot outside, so I decided to stay indoors until it was cooler.
5. Pick the T-shirt you like the best, Shreyas.
6. I wanted to watch television, but my sister wanted to study
JU’S STORY
A. Answer in brief.
1. Why was Ju dependent on second-hand things for herself?
Ans: Ju could not afford new things for herself. She was the daughter of a poor domestic-help
who barely managed to keep the home-fires burning. As the money earned and saved by her
mother went for her education, Ju depended on second-hand things to help her carry on with
life.
2. How did Ju cherish the gifts she received?
Ans: Ju never thought of the gifts she received as being old. For her the gifts were entering her
life for the first time and they were as good as new. Every time she received a gift, it was like
making new friends. She would not even cross out the names of original owners of the books as
for her they were her friends.
B. Answer in detail.
1. What kind of a girl was Ju? Support your answer with examples from the text.
Ans: Ju was a happy child. Though she was poor, she had no complaints about her life and was
content with the borrowed books and dresses and cherished them as if they were new ones.
She never got offended by people. When people wanted to know what religion her short name
signified, she politely replied that it was just a name. Similarly she was not offended when Lisie’s
grandmother mistook her for her granddaughter. On the contrary she reminded the old lady that
it was because she was wearing Lisie’s dress and even offered to walk her to the church. Ju was a
pleasant child who was happy with the limited things life had given her.
2. Though Ju was content and satisfied with her life, there was a touch of sadness associated with
her life. Elaborate.
Ans: Though Ju never complained about her life and led a life which seemed happy and pleasant,
it is sad to note that she had to compromise a lot at such a young age. She did not know what
it was to own a new book or new dress. So when for the first time when she was given the new
dress by her father’s friend she was so happy that she could dance. The scent of new clothes was
unfamiliar for her but it was delicious scent and she was happy to wear them on the first day of
her high school. It is sad to note that for so many years she had been deprived of such a happy
feeling.
C. Read the given lines and answer the questions that follow:
1. Nobody had called that before.
a. What is Ju talking about?
b. Why did the person mistake Ju?
c. How did Ju feel on hearing the remark?
Ans: a. An old lady who mistook Ju to be her granddaughter had called her beautiful.
b. The old lady mistook Ju to be her granddaughter because Ju was wearing her
granddaughter’s dress which had been donated to her.
c. She was surprised and wondered why the old lady made that remark as no one had
called her so till then.
2. One day, when she took Ju to Ali to alter the old dresses, she announced to him proudly, ‘Do you know
Ju is entering high school this year?”
a. Who is ‘she’ in the above lines?
b. How did Ali react to her?
c. What was his gift to Ju for her high school entry?
Ans: a. ‘She’ in the above lines is Madhu, Ju’s mother.
b. Ali was equally proud of Ju and wanted to make sure that Ju got the best dresses for
high school.
c. Ali pulled out some colourful new fabrics from the shelf and made new dresses for Ju.
D. Answer in brief. (Think and answer)
1. Many children take pleasure in pressing butterflies or small insects in their note books. Do you
appreciate that? Give reasons.
[Free response] Suggested answer: Though some children press insects in their notebooks,
it is a cruel thing to do. Other creatures have a right to life just as much as we do and hence
it is wrong to indulge in such practices. These little insects should be allowed to move and fly
freely.
2. How did Ali bring a change in Ju’s life?
Ans: When Ali learnt that Ju was entering high school, he wanted to make her happier by
presenting her new clothes to wear for high school. It was Ali who introduced Ju to the scent of a
new fabric. Ali’s gift must have made not only Ju but also her mother experience the happiness of
possessing new things in life.
E. Answer in detail. (Think and answer)
What role do you think Madhu played in bringing up Ju?
Ans: Ju had lost her father in an accident a few years ago. Madhu, Ju’s mother, had to bring her
daughter up alone making sure that she grew up to be a healthy girl and also studied well. She had to
work hard to earn their living. At the same time, she made Ju understand the value of money. Madhu
with the full support from the women of the houses she worked in, provided Ju with decent clothes
and necessary books to manage her education. Madhu must have made Ju understand why she was
given used clothes or books and also value the gifts she received. As a mother, she must have instilled
in her daughter good values. That could be seen in Ju’s attitude towards her life.
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