Maharashtra Board Class 10 English Chapter 1.1 A Teenagers Prayer Solutions

Warming Up!

Chit-chat

 

Question 1. Form Groups of 5 to 6 and discuss. Give a rating of 1 to 5 to each of the following. When you have to make important decisions what do you generally do?
(a) Consult parents/elders [ ]
Answer: (a) Consult parents/elders [ 5 ]
In simple words: When we have to make big decisions, it is best to ask our parents or elders for advice because they have more experience and can guide us in the right direction.

🎯 Exam Tip: For personal response questions, always provide a logical rating and be prepared to justify your choice with a simple, clear reason.

 

Question 1. Form Groups of 5 to 6 and discuss. Give a rating of 1 to 5 to each of the following. When you have to make important decisions what do you generally do?
(a) Consult parents/elders
(b) Contact friends for advice
(c) Pray to God for guidance
(d) Think deeply in silence
(e) Ask your teacher for help
(f) Toss a coin to decide
Answer:
(a) Consult parents/elders [b]
(b) Contact friends for advice [d]
(c) Pray to God for guidance [e]
(d) Think deeply in silence [a]
(e) Ask your teacher for help [c]
(f) Toss a coin to decide [f]
(Note: Students may note their own rating after discussion.)
In simple words: This activity helps you think about who or what you rely on most when making important decisions, like asking parents, friends, or thinking quietly.

🎯 Exam Tip: When answering discussion-based questions, express your personal preferences clearly and support them with simple reasons.

Figure of Speech: Apostrophe

In poetry, very often, there are lines in which the poet seems to talk directly to an absent person, an abstract idea or thing/object. Such a tactic/device used by the poet is the Figure of Speech 'Apostrophe'.
For example,
Twinkle, twinkle little star ...........
Death! Where is thy sting?
O Cave man! I wish I could live with you.

 

Question 1. Complete the following, creating examples of Apostrophe of your own.
(a) O, Life! How ........................................................................
(b) Dear God, Please ........................................................................
(c) Books! You are ........................................................................
(d) Exams! I wish ........................................................................
(e) O, You beautiful sky ........................................................................
Answer:
(a) O, Life! How beautiful and mysterious you are!
(b) Dear God, Please guide me through these difficult times.
(c) Books! You are my best friends and greatest teachers.
(d) Exams! I wish you would never come.
(e) O, You beautiful sky, paint my world with your wonderful colors.
In simple words: An apostrophe is when you talk directly to something that cannot talk back, like life, God, books, exams, or the sky, as if they were real people listening to you.

🎯 Exam Tip: To write a perfect Apostrophe, address the non-living thing or abstract idea directly using words like 'O', 'Dear', or by calling its name directly with an exclamation mark.

 

Question. Complete the following lines:
(a) O, Life! How ....................................................................................
(b) Dear God, Please ............................................................................
(c) Books! You are ................................................................................
(d) Exams! I wish ..................................................................................
(e) O, You beautiful sky ........................................................................
Answer:
(a) O, Life! How Strange are your ways?
(b) Dear God, Please keep me calm in my difficult days.
(c) Books! You are my dear companions.
(d) Exams! I wish you were never there, never!
(e) O, you beautiful sky send all your beauty to the earth.
In simple words: These sentences show how we can express our deep feelings directly to things, life, or God as if they are listening to us.

🎯 Exam Tip: When completing apostrophe-based poetic lines, ensure your additions match the tone and emotion of the addressed subject.

English Workshop

 

Question 1. Choose the correct alternatives and complete the sentences:
(a) According to the poet, ............. are brought by each new day. (new beginnings/new endings)
(b) We must decide to take the road which leads to ............. . (great distress/great success)
(c) The poet prays to the Lord to help him stand for what is ................. . (might/right)
(d) The poet wants to see that his teenage years have been the ............ years of his life. (worst/best)
Answer:
(a) According to the poet, new beginnings are brought by each new day. (new beginnings / new endings)
(b) We must decide to take the road which leads to great success. (great distress/great success)
(c) The poet prays to the Lord to help him stand for what is right. (might/right)
(d) The poet wants to see that his teenage years have been the best years of his life. (worst/ best)
In simple words: Every new day brings new opportunities, and we should choose the right path to achieve success and make our teenage years the best time of our lives.

🎯 Exam Tip: Read the options carefully and choose the words that align with the positive and hopeful theme of the poem.

 

Question 1. Find and write the pairs of rhyming words from the poem.
Answer:
1. make – take
2. success – distress
3. see – me
4. way – day
In simple words: Rhyming words are words that end with the same sound, like "make" and "take". Finding these pairs helps us enjoy the musical rhythm of the poem.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always write rhyming pairs exactly as they are spelled in the poem, separating them with a clear hyphen.

 

Question 1. What is the rhyme scheme of the poem? Choose the correct one from the following options.
(i) aabb
(ii) abed
(iii) abeb
(iv) abba
Answer: (iii) abeb
In simple words: A rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhyming sounds at the end of each line in a stanza. In this poem, only the second and fourth lines rhyme with each other, creating this specific pattern.

🎯 Exam Tip: To identify a rhyme scheme, assign a new letter of the alphabet to each new ending sound in a stanza to see which lines match.

 

Question 1. Match the lines in Column 'A' with the Figures of Speech in Column 'B'.

Column 'A'	Column 'B'
(i) Decisions, I must make	(a) Apostrophe
(ii) Please open up my eyes, dear Lord	(b) Inversion
(iii) Travel down the darkened road	(c) Metaphor
(iv) I can choose to take the road of life	(d) Alliteration

Answer:
(i) Decisions, I must make – (b) Inversion
(ii) Please open up my eyes, dear Lord – (a) Apostrophe
(iii) Travel down the darkened road – (d) Alliteration
(iv) I can choose to take the road of life – (c) Metaphor
In simple words: Figures of speech are creative ways of using language, such as changing the normal word order (Inversion), speaking directly to God (Apostrophe), repeating starting sounds (Alliteration), or comparing life to a journey (Metaphor).

🎯 Exam Tip: When answering matching questions, always write out the full matching pairs side-by-side in a neat list instead of drawing criss-cross lines.

Answer:

Column ‘A’	Column ‘B’
(i) Decisions, I must make	(d) Inversion
(ii) Please open up my eyes, dear Lord.	(a) Apostrophe
(iii) Travel down the darkened road	(b) Alliteration
(iv) I can choose to take the road of life.	(c) Metaphor

Elements of Planning An Interview : (Group Activity)

Form groups and discuss each element of planning an interview and prepare notes on each element.

• Format - Structure
• Size/Length - How much
• Do's and Dont's - Rules and Regulations
• Type of Questions - Yes/No questions or Wh Type.

Notes on Elements of Planning an Interview:

• Format - Structure: An interview should have a clear structure consisting of an introduction (welcoming the guest), the body (main questions), and a conclusion (thanking the guest).
• Size/Length - How much: Decide the duration of the interview beforehand (e.g., 15-20 minutes) and limit the number of questions to around 8-10 to keep it engaging.
• Do's and Dont's - Rules and Regulations:
  • Do's: Be polite, listen actively, ask open-ended questions, and research the interviewee beforehand.
  • Dont's: Do not interrupt, avoid asking highly personal or offensive questions, and do not exceed the time limit.
• Type of Questions - Yes/No questions or Wh Type: Use a mix of questions, but focus more on Wh-questions (What, Why, How) to get detailed answers, using Yes/No questions only for quick confirmations.

 

Question 1. Prepare a set of 10 questions to interview any successful teenager. You may use the following guidelines.
Answer: Here is a set of 10 questions to interview a successful teenager:
(1) Welcome! How does it feel to achieve such great success at such a young age?
(2) Can you tell us about your childhood and how your journey began?
(3) Who has been your biggest inspiration or support system during this journey?
(4) What were some of the major challenges you faced, and how did you overcome them?
(5) How do you manage to balance your academics along with your passion and work?
(6) Was there a specific moment when you realized you had achieved something extraordinary?
(7) How do your friends and family react to your success?
(8) What is the most important lesson you have learned so far in life?
(9) What are your future goals and aspirations?
(10) What advice or message would you like to give to other teenagers who want to follow their dreams? These questions are designed to cover all aspects of the teenager's journey from struggle to success.
In simple words: These are 10 simple questions you can ask a successful teenager to learn about their life, struggles, achievements, and future plans.

🎯 Exam Tip: When writing interview questions, ensure they are polite, structured logically from introduction to future plans, and mostly open-ended (Wh-questions).

 

Question 1. Prepare a set of interview questions for a blind musician based on the standard template.
Answer:
Standard Template for Conducting an Interview:
• Name of the Interviewee
• Name of the Interviewer
• Topic - (Personal/Recent/Sports/Business/Music/Art)
• Venue - (Studio/TV channel/ Auditorium Hall/etc.)
• Date - Time - Duration -
• (Total 10 questions)
• Mix up of Yes/No and Wh questions.
• Place a proper background before every question.
• Conversation should sound like a real interview.
• Avoid very personal questions.
• Avoid very casual, cheap and vulgar language.

Interview questions for blind musician:
1. Could you please tell me about your family?
2. How did your blindness affect your career as a musician and composer?
3. Who supported you in your venture?
4. Who were your Gurus and what sort of training did you receive?
5. What is your speciality in singing?
6. Which was the best performance in your life according to you?
7. What are the awards you have received?
8. What are your plans for future?
9. What is your advice to young aspirants?
10. What can you do to encourage them?
In simple words: This is a list of ten polite and structured questions to ask a visually impaired musician about their life, training, achievements, and advice for others.

🎯 Exam Tip: When drafting interview questions, ensure a logical flow starting with introductory questions, moving to core achievements, and ending with future plans and advice.

 

7. Read the poem. Write an appreciation of the poem in about 12 to 15 sentences with the help of the following points.

 

Question 1. Read the poem. Write an appreciation of the poem in about 12 to 15 sentences with the help of the following points.

Point
Title
Poet
Rhyme scheme
Favourite line
Theme/Central idea
Figures of speech
Special features - Type of the poem, language, style, tone, implied meanings etc.
Why I like/dislike the poem

Answer:
1. Title: ‘A Teenager’s Prayer’.
2. The name of the Poet: J. Morse.
3. Rhyme scheme: The rhyme scheme of the poem is ‘abcb’.
4. Figure of speech (Any 1): Apostrophe, Inversion, Metaphor.
5. Theme/Central Idea: The theme of the poem is a teenager’s dilemma about making the right decisions. This prayer highlights the universal need for direction during transitional phases of youth. The responsibility of choice falls fully on him/her. A wrong decision may ruin the whole life. Hence the teenager in the poem prays to God for His help and guidance.
In simple words: This poem is about a teenager asking God for guidance to make the right choices in life. It shows how difficult it can be to grow up and make big decisions.

🎯 Exam Tip: When writing a poem appreciation, make sure to structure your answer using the exact points asked in the question to secure full marks.

 

8. Compose a short prayer in English asking God to guide you in your teenage years. Later, you can even try to make the lines rhyme to give it a poetic form.

 

Question 1. Compose a short prayer in English asking God to guide you in your teenage years. Later, you can even try to make the lines rhyme to give it a poetic form.
Answer:
• O God, bless me with friends
• with purest heart,
• Who'll always stand by me in dark and dust.
• Let our friendship grow clean and right.
• My future bright will be in my sight.
This heartfelt prayer serves as a daily reminder to seek positive paths and make wise choices during these formative years.
In simple words: This is a short prayer asking God to bless us with good, honest friends who will support us through difficult times. It also asks for guidance to keep our friendships pure and our future bright.

🎯 Exam Tip: When writing a poem or prayer, try to use simple rhyming words at the end of lines (like 'dust' and 'trust', or 'right' and 'sight') to make it flow beautifully.

 

Question 1. Look around in your vicinity – your family, friends, neighbours, classmates, etc. and write about any four teenagers who have made a name for themselves by doing something extraordinary.
Answer: Here is a list of extraordinary teenagers from my surroundings who have achieved great things through dedication, bravery, and hard work:

Teenager Group	Name	Special/extraordinary tasks/things performed
1. Family	Vishal	Healthy young boy-body-building was his passion-trained-hard work-took part in various competitions-became 'Mumbai Shree' at the age of 20-opened his own Gym.
2. Friends	Rohan	Saved a drowning child from a local pond during the heavy monsoon rains, showing immense bravery and quick thinking.
3. Neighbours	Sneha	Started a free weekend tutoring class for underprivileged children in our locality, helping them pass their school exams.
4. Classmates	Amit	Developed a simple mobile application to help local senior citizens order groceries and medicines easily during emergencies.

In simple words: This table lists four teenagers from different groups like family, friends, and classmates who did amazing things. They showed great dedication, bravery, and kindness to help others and achieve their goals.

🎯 Exam Tip: When filling out tables in exams, ensure your points are concise, clear, and directly address the headings of each column.

-	-	trained many body-builders-they won many titles-became rich and famous.
2. Friends	Meera	Disabled-lost a leg in an accident-prosthetic leg at the age of 15-she excelled in studies-after graduation she appeared for Maharashtra Public Service Commission exams-passed at first attempt-ranked 5th among all-became Tehsildar-worked for common man-all people loved and admired her administration.
3. Neighbours	Yashraj	Special child-born blind-inclined to music since childhood-distressful life-did not give up-used to listen to songs on transistor and TV.-practised-learnt harmonium, guitar, tabla, etc.-sang classical songs-mastered every type of music-arranged many concerts-today he is a famous music director at the age of 30.
4. Classmates	Jacob	Wealthy family-were in big business-father wanted him to get into business-but he wanted to change the face of villages-adopted some backward villages-worked selflessly with the poor and needy people-with great patience, perseverance and sacrifice did his noble work-brought transformation in their life-improved their overall quality of life-he is respected as God by the villagers.

Complex Factual Activity

 

Question. Complete the webs:
Answer: (Answer is directly given in the table above.)
In simple words: The table details the inspiring life stories of different individuals who overcame challenges to achieve great success and help others.

🎯 Exam Tip: Pay close attention to the key milestones in each person's journey, such as their initial struggles, their efforts, and the final positive impact they made.

Question 1. Complete the web diagram showing the decisions that the speaker has to make.
Answer:
The decisions that the speaker has to make:

• (1) Choosing the right path of life lying before him.
• (2) Deciding if to choose the road that leads to success or to great distress.

In simple words: The speaker has to make important choices about which path to take in life and whether it will lead to success or trouble.

🎯 Exam Tip: Present the points clearly in a bulleted list or flowchart format to make it easy for the examiner to read.

 

Question 2. Complete the diagram showing where the road of life leads to.
Answer:
The road of life leads to:

• Great success
• Great distress

In simple words: The journey of life can lead a person either to a very successful future or to a difficult and painful one.

🎯 Exam Tip: Use contrasting terms like 'success' and 'distress' to highlight the dual possibilities of life's journey.

Complex Factual Activities

 

Question 1. Complete the sentences with the help of the extract:
(i) The person should strictly say ‘no’ to...
(ii) It’ll keep...
Answer:
(i) The person should strictly say ‘no’ to any temptation that comes in his way.
(ii) It’ll keep a person’s body clean and fit.
In simple words: We must say no to bad things that tempt us, which helps keep our mind and body healthy and clean.

🎯 Exam Tip: Underline the completed part of the sentence to clearly show your answer to the examiner.

 

Question 2. Whose company does the poet wish for, in the walk of life? Why? OR What effect does the speaker wish to see in himself at the end of his teens?
Answer: The poet wishes for the company of God because, by the time his teenage years are over, he will know that the life he lived under the guidance and help of the Almighty was the best. Walking with God ensures a righteous and successful path through these crucial years.
In simple words: The poet wants God to guide him through his teenage years so that when he grows up, he can look back and know he lived a good and happy life.

🎯 Exam Tip: When answering an 'OR' question, make sure your response addresses both aspects of the prompt clearly and concisely.

Question 3. In what condition does the poet wish to maintain his body?
Answer: The poet wishes to maintain his body and keep it clean and fit each day, when temptation attracts him to do anything bad or wrong. Keeping the body healthy and clean helps in maintaining a pure and focused mind.
In simple words: The poet wants to keep his body clean and healthy every day so he can resist doing anything wrong.

🎯 Exam Tip: Mention both aspects—keeping the body clean and keeping it fit—to secure full marks for this question.

 

Activities Based On Poetic Devices

 

Question 1. Identify the following figures of speech :
Answer: These figures of speech help to emphasize the poet's intense prayer and desire for a purposeful life.
1. Please open up my eyes, – Apostrophe dear Lord.
2. And fit for life each day. – Alliteration
In simple words: Figures of speech are special ways of using words to make the poem more beautiful and meaningful.

🎯 Exam Tip: Underline the identified figure of speech clearly in your answer sheet to make it easy for the examiner to grade.