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RANJI had been less than a month in Rajpur when he discovered the pool in the forest. It was the height of summer, and his school had not yet opened, and, having as yet made no friends in this semi-hill station, he wandered about a good deal by himself into the hills and forests that stretched away interminably on all sides of the town. It was hot, very hot, at that time of the year, and Ranji walked about in his vest and shorts, his brown feet white with the chalky dust that flew up from the ground. The earth was parched, the grass brown, the trees listless, hardly stirring, waiting for a cool wind or a refreshing shower of rain.
Explanation:
The lesson "The Fight" is an exciting story written by Ruskin Bond. The lesson opens with the narrator introducing a young boy named Ranji to his readers. After introducing him, the narrator stated that it had not even been a month since Ranji came to Rajpur, and he had encountered a pool in the forest. It implies that Ranji had recently moved to Rajpur, and from there, he had spotted a pool in the forest.
Ranji encountered a pool in the forest
After explaining Ranji's exploration of the pool, the narrator then highlighted the season in Rajpur. The narrator stated that Rajpur was in the midst of summer, and Ranji's school hadn't even started again. The statement implies that Rajpur was experiencing a warmer climatic change, and meanwhile, Ranji was enjoying his vacation in Rajpur.
Moreover, the narrator claimed that Ranji had no friends in Rajpur because he had recently arrived in the town. Later the narrator stated that Ranji was an active boy, and he used to spend his daytime wandering in the hills and forests. Also, the narrator pointed that as he had no companionship, he would wander alone in the steep areas and woodland, exploring the endless hills and forests on both sides of the town. It signifies that the hills and trees are spread across all over the town. Moreover, the narrator described Rajpur as a "semi-hill station" because of the mountainous regions and trees covering the entire town.
Even though the narrator had earlier pointed out the season in Rajpur, he went on to say that the time of year Ranji resided in Rajpur was extremely hot. It implies that the weather was harsher at the time of Ranji's stay in Rajpur. Moreover, Ranji did not bother about the summer season, and he would roam around the forest and hilly areas wearing a vest and shorts. As he walked on the ground, his brown feet turned white because of the chalky dust that flew from the ground.
On the other hand, the narrator explained the impact of the heat in Rajpur. He went on to say that the sun's heat rays had caused the earth to dry out. He also mentioned that the green grass turned brown, and the trees appeared dull or lacking energy. The plants did not receive enough water due to the summer season, and the sun rays that fell on them dried them thoroughly. Furthermore, he claimed that the plants and trees in the hilly regions were barely moving. It implies that they were hoping for a cool breeze to blow on them or that they were eagerly waiting for the arrival of the rainshower that would revive them.
Dried land and green grass turned brown due to the summer season
Meanings of the difficult words:
| S.No | Words | Meanings |
1 | Discover | Find something unexpectedly or during a search |
2 | Wander | Walk or move in a leisurely or aimless way |
3 | Interminable | In a way that continued for too long or endless |
4 | Vest | A shirt without sleeves, usually made out of cotton that is worn in the summer |
5 | Shorts | Trousers that end above the knee or reach the knee, often worn in hot weather or when playing a sport |
6 | Parch | To dry something out because of too much heat and insufficient rain |
7 | Hardly stirring | Barely moving |
8 | Listless | Having no energy and enthusiasm and unwilling to do anything needing effort |
Reference:
National Council of Educational Research and Training (2008). It so happened. The Fight- Ruskin Bond (pp. 45-54). Published at the Publication Division by the Secretary, National Council of Educational Research and Training, Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi.
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