I Learn to Talk: Solutions Summary & Word Meanings Class 7

Helen Adams Keller (1880-1968) was an American author, political activist, and lecturer. Helen was stricken with a severe illness at 19 months of age that left her blind and deaf. Her teacher, Anne Sullivan is remembered as the Miracle worker for her lifetime, dedication, patience and love. During her remarkable life, Keller stood as powerful example of how determination, hard work, and imagination can allow an individual to triumph over adversity.

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Word-Meanings of Chapter I Learn to Talk

immeasurable – too great to be measured

contrast – difference

vague – not clear, indistinct

penetrate – to enter, pass through, go into something

linger – to stay at a place for longer

unconsciously – unwillingly, unknowingly

blossoms – flowers

come forth – come forward

prey upon – victimise, affect greatly and adversely

languor – the pleasant state of feeling lazy and without energy

tangible – that which can be touched or felt

plummet – drop, steep and rapid fall

imitate – to copy somebody or something

flushed – excited or elated, feeling very happy

uncomprehending – not understanding

confounding – confusing

fragments – pieces

gushed – flowed out

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Summary: I Learn to Talk

The story commences with the arrival of Anne Mansfield Sullivan, a teacher, into Helen Keller’s life. Anne starts teaching Helen words that represent specific objects. The first lesson involves a doll that Anne places in Helen’s hands and spells out the word ‘doll’ on her palm. Helen feels proud and rushes to show her mother, even though she doesn’t fully comprehend the meaning of the word. Nevertheless, she is overjoyed by the experience of learning. The lessons continue until a disagreement between Helen and Anne arises over the words ‘water’ and ‘mug’. Helen is confused and reluctant to acknowledge that they have different meanings. In addition, she breaks the doll that Anne has given her, but feels content after hearing the sound of its pieces.

On a sunny day, Anne takes Helen outside and places her hands under the spout of a hand pump. When Helen feels the water flowing, Anne spells out the word ‘water’ on her hand, and Helen finally comprehends the difference between ‘water’ and ‘mug’. She learns numerous new words that day and feels as if she has unlocked an inner strength. Upon returning home, she tries to gather the pieces of the broken doll, regretful for her actions. Despite her tears, she feels elated and eagerly awaits the next day for the first time.

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Textbook Solutions

Comprehension

A. Make complete sentences by matching Column A and Column B.

Answer:

A	B
1. The day Miss Sullivan came into Helen’s life	c. was the most important day of her life.
2. Sometimes Helen’s anger	a. was a result of her impatience with Miss Sullivan’s repeated attempts to make her learn new words.
3. The light of love that shone on Helen	b. was brought in by Ann Sullivan.
4. The day Helen’s life was filled with hope	e. was the day she realised that she had broken her doll.
5. The day Helen felt sad and repentant	d. was when she learnt the meaning of the word ‘water’.

B. Answer these questions with reference to the context.

1. I am filled with wonder when I consider the immeasurable contrasts between the two lives which it connects.
   a. Who is the speaker?
   b. What does ‘it’ refer to?
   c. Which two lives is the speaker talking about?
   d. Why are the contrasts ‘immeasurable’?
2. Someone took it, and I was caught up and held close in the arms of her who had come to reveal all things to me, and, more than all the other things, to love me.
   a. Who was ‘someone’?
   b. What did someone take?
   c. What was to be revealed to the speaker?
   d. What shows you that this person loved the speaker?
3. That living word awakened my soul, gave it light, hope, joy, set it free.
   a. Which ‘living word’ is referred to here?
   b. Whom did it give hope, light and joy?
   c. Why did it give the person hope?
   d. Who was responsible for making this happen?

Answers:

1. a. The speaker is Helen Keller.
   b. ‘It’ refers to the concept of language and communication, represented by the manual alphabet that Helen learned.
   c. The two lives being contrasted are Helen Keller’s life before and after she learned language and communication through the efforts of her teacher, Anne Sullivan.
   d. The contrasts are ‘immeasurable’ because they signify the vast difference between Helen’s isolated, dark, and silent world before learning language and the illuminated, connected, and communicative world after acquiring language. The transformation was so profound and significant that it cannot be measured in conventional terms.
2. a. ‘Someone’ refers to Helen Keller’s teacher, Anne Sullivan.
   b. Anne Sullivan took Helen’s hand, which symbolizes her guidance and the means through which Helen learned to communicate.
   c. Someone came to reveal all things to Helen, including the world around her, through language and communication. More importantly, she came to reveal love to Helen.
   d. The fact that the person (Anne Sullivan) held Helen close in her arms and came to reveal all things to her, especially love, demonstrates the deep affection and care that she had for Helen. The physical act of holding Helen close reflects love and protection.
3. a. The ‘living word’ refers to language and communication, specifically the manual alphabet that Helen Keller learned from Anne Sullivan.
   b. It gave hope, light, and joy to Helen Keller, the speaker.
   c. Learning the language through the manual alphabet gave Helen hope because it opened up a new world of communication and understanding, breaking her isolation and darkness. It provided her with the ability to express herself and connect with others.
   d. Anne Sullivan was responsible for making this transformation happen. She taught Helen the manual alphabet and helped her understand the world of language, bringing light, hope, and joy to Helen’s life.

C. Answer these questions.

1. When was the most important day in Helen’s life?

2. On which date did Miss Sullivan arrive?

3. How old was Helen when Miss Sullivan came into her life?

4. Why did Miss Sullivan give Helen a doll? What did Helen do with it?

5. Why hadn’t Helen loved the doll?

6. What made Helen feel bad that she had broken the doll?

7. How did Miss Sullivan teach Helen the meaning of the word ‘water’?

8. Which words made the world ‘blossom’ for Helen?

9. Explain the line: Everything had a name, and each name gave birth to a new thought.

10. How do you know that Miss Sullivan was a very patient and loving teacher? Support your answer with the help of details from the text.

11. How did Helen change as a person after Miss Sullivan came into her life?

Answers:

1. The most important day in Helen’s life was when Miss Sullivan arrived and brought meaning to her world by teaching her language and communication.
2. Miss Sullivan arrived on third of March,1887
3. Helen was seven years old when Miss Sullivan came into her life.
4. Miss Sullivan gave Helen a doll as a birthday gift. Helen did not comprehend the concept of love or play, so she did not form an attachment to the doll and used it as she would any other object.
5. Helen hadn’t loved the doll because she did not understand the abstract concept of love. She perceived the world through touch and lacked the ability to connect with the doll emotionally.
6. Helen felt bad that she had broken the doll because it was her first realization of cause and effect. She understood that her actions could damage objects, leading to consequences.
7. Miss Sullivan taught Helen the meaning of the word ‘water’ by taking her to the water pump. She pumped water over Helen’s hand while fingerspelling the word ‘water’ into her other hand. This tactile experience helped Helen associate the word with the sensation of water, leading to her comprehension.
8. The words that made the world ‘blossom’ for Helen were those Miss Sullivan spelled into her hand. These words helped Helen connect with the world and understand its concepts, giving her a profound sense of discovery and understanding.
9. The line “Everything had a name, and each name gave birth to a new thought” means that as Helen learned words, she gained the ability to conceptualize things around her. Each word became a doorway to understanding, enabling her to grasp new ideas and expand her knowledge.
10. Miss Sullivan’s patience and love are evident in her dedicated efforts to teach Helen language. She persistently spelled words into Helen’s hand, even when Helen was resistant. Despite challenges, Miss Sullivan remained patient, using various methods to help Helen understand, showcasing her love and commitment to her student’s education.
11. After Miss Sullivan came into her life, Helen underwent a significant transformation. She gained the ability to communicate, which opened up the world of knowledge and understanding to her. She became more aware, intelligent, and engaged with her surroundings, evolving from a frustrated and isolated child into a confident and educated individual, empowered by language and communication.

Vocabulary:

A. Fill in these blanks by adding a prefix to the words in brackets. You may change the form of the words in the brackets.

1. It was wise of you to come home early but it was ………………………… of your brother to go out in the rain. (not wise)

2. She agrees with us but her father …………………………. (does not agree)

3. This is a reliable car, but that one is quite ………………………….(not reliable)

4. I am interested in this game, but my sister is ………………………… in most games. (not interested)

5. I think we have a sufficient amount of sugar but the flour is …………………………. (not sufficient)

6. I am ………………………… to help you but I am sure my mother can help you. (not able)

7. The clouds appeared in the sky but they have ………………………… after it has rained. (does not appear)

8. It connected the wires but my sister ………………………… them. (did not connect)

9. My friends behave themselves but some of the children in that class …………………………. (do not behave)

10. I read most of the words correctly but I ………………………… the new words. (did not read correctly)

Answers:

1. It was wise of you to come home early, but it was unwise of your brother to go out in the rain.
2. She agrees with us, but her father disagrees.
3. This is a reliable car, but that one is quite unreliable.
4. I am interested in this game, but my sister is uninterested in most games.
5. I think we have a sufficient amount of sugar, but the flour is insufficient.
6. I am unable to help you, but I am sure my mother can help you.
7. The clouds appeared in the sky, but they have disappeared after it has rained.
8. It connected the wires, but my sister disconnected them.
9. My friends behave themselves, but some of the children in that class misbehave.
10. I read most of the words correctly, but I misread the new words.

B. Complete these sentences by adding suitable suffixes to the words given in the brackets.

1. It is ………………………… to drive fast. (danger)

2. This is a very ………………………… chair. (comfort)

3. She is a very ………………………… leader. (ambition)

4. The plane was caught in an ………………………… storm. (electric)

5. I read a really ………………………… story yesterday. (interest)

6. I found a ………………………… cover for this cushion. (suit)

7. After the mishap, he was left …………………………. (penny)

8. The girl was ………………………… towards her teachers. (courtesy)

9. My sister is extremely …………………. and always likes to look her best. (fashion)

10. The scene was so ………………………… that I ran away. (frighten)

Answers:

1. It is dangerous to drive fast.
2. This is a very comfortable chair.
3. She is a very ambitious leader.
4. The plane was caught in an electric storm.
5. I read a really interesting story yesterday.
6. I found a suitable cover for this cushion.
7. After the mishap, he was left penniless.
8. The girl was courteous towards her teachers.
9. My sister is extremely fashionable and always likes to look her best.
10. The scene was so frightening that I ran away.

Grammar

A. Rewrite these sentences using infinitives.

1. I told him that I would take him shopping with me the following week.

2. My sister asked me if I could lend her the new book I bought.

3. He wants that his father should always support him.

4. Rohan only wishes that he be famous when he grows up.

5. I have decided that I will work hard.

6. She hoped that she would pass the test this time.

7. This girl knows how one should behave in a classroom.

8. All of them wished that we could go and see a movie.

Answers:

1. I told him to go shopping with me the following week.
2. My sister asked me to lend her the new book I bought.
3. He wants his father to always support him.
4. Rohan only wishes to be famous when he grows up.
5. I have decided to work hard.
6. She hoped to pass the test this time.
7. This girl knows how to behave in a classroom.
8. All of them wished to go and see a movie.

B. Change the infinitives in these sentences to gerunds without changing the meaning of the sentence.

1. My brother’s favourite hobby is to paint.

2. She loves to walk in her garden.

3. I love to work in this office.

4. My father likes to cook in his spare time.

5. We are watching them learn how to skate.

6. To forgive and to forget should be easy.

7. I thought I would go out to shop at the mall.

8. It is fun to slide down this little hillock.

Answers:

1. My brother’s favourite hobby is painting.
2. She loves walking in her garden.
3. I love working in this office.
4. My father likes cooking in his spare time.
5. We are watching them learning how to skate.
6. Forgiving and forgetting should be easy.
7. I thought I would go out shopping at the mall.
8. It is fun sliding down this little hillock.

C. Use the correct forms of the verbs given in the brackets to fill in these blanks with participles.

1. This is an ………………………… film. (interest)

2. I don’t like ………………………… cars. (honk)

3. The ………………………… pipe must be replaced. (leak)

4. The ………………………… train speeded over the rails. (run)

5. His ………………………… speed was less than ideal. (type)

6. We watched the ………………………… brook. (babble)

7. Jane loves the noise of ………………………… rain. (fall) 8. We had a drink of the ………………………… water. (sparkle)

Answers:

1. This is an interesting film.
2. I don’t like honking cars.
3. The leaking pipe must be replaced.
4. The running train sped over the rails.
5. His typing speed was less than ideal.
6. We watched the babbling brook.
7. Jane loves the noise of falling rain.
8. We had a drink of the flowing water.

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