From the Diary of a Young Girl
By
Anne Frank
Exercise
Thinking about the Text
1. Was Anne right when She said that the world would not be interested in the musings of a thirteen-year-old girl?Answer: No she was not right because her diary published under the name “The diary of a Young girl” became one of the world’s most widely read and famous books.
2. In which language was The Diary Of Anne Frank originally written?
Answer: The diary was originally written in the Dutch language. Subsequently, it was translated into many other languages of the world.
3. Why does Anne need to give a brief sketch about her family? Does she treat Kitty as an insider or an outsider?
Answer: Anne gives a brief sketch of her family because no one shall understand the story that she wrote in the dairy named Kitty. Anne treats Kitty as an insider because she wants the dairy to be her friend and is ready to confide in it.
4. How does Anne feel about her father, her grandmother, Mrs Kuperus and Mr Keesing? What do these tell you about her?
Answer: Anne feels that her father is the most adorable father. Her statement, no one would understand her intensity of love for her grandma, tells that she loved her grandmother gravely. Moreover, the touching gesture of lighting up one candle for a grandmother on her birthday is also a poignant reminder of the love for grandma. She often misses her grandmother after death.
Mrs Kuperus, the headmistress is also dear to Anne. Both Anne and Mrs Kuperus were in tears when they departed from each other at the end of the year with a heartbreaking farewell.
Mr Keesing is her Maths teacher whom she calls an old fogey person. Anne was fond of talking too much. Mr Keesing thought talkativeness as a distraction for study and was annoyed with Anne. He punished her to write an essay on ’chatterbox’, the person who talks much.
Anne’s analysis of these characters shows that even at a young age she happens to be a good judge of human character.
Mrs Kuperus, the headmistress is also dear to Anne. Both Anne and Mrs Kuperus were in tears when they departed from each other at the end of the year with a heartbreaking farewell.
Mr Keesing is her Maths teacher whom she calls an old fogey person. Anne was fond of talking too much. Mr Keesing thought talkativeness as a distraction for study and was annoyed with Anne. He punished her to write an essay on ’chatterbox’, the person who talks much.
Anne’s analysis of these characters shows that even at a young age she happens to be a good judge of human character.
5. What does Anne write in her first essay?
Answer: In her first essay, Anne writes that talking is a student’s trait. She also writes that she will try to keep it under control but she can’t do so because her mother also talked as much as she does. Therefore is her inherited trait, one can do nothing about inherited traits.
6. Anne says teachers are most unpredictable. Is Mr Keesing unpredictable? How?
Answer: Yes Mr Keesing proves to be very unpredictable. When Anne comes out with the unbeatable argument in the essays assigned to her by him as a punishment for talking in the class. Mr Keesing changes his attitude towards her. He now allows her to talk in the class.
Language Work
I. Match the compound words of Column A with their meanings in B. Then use each in a sentence.
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| 1. Heartbreaking | Obeying and respecting the law |
| 2. Homesick | Thin about pleasant things, forgetting about present |
| 3. Blockhead | Something produced by a person, machine or organization |
| 4. Law-abiding | Producing great sadness |
| 5. Overdo | An occasion when vehicles/machines stop working |
| 6. Daydream | (an informal word) a very stupid person |
| 7. Breakdown | Missing home and family very much |
| 8. Output | Do something to an excessive defre |
Answer:
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| 1. Heartbreaking | Producing great sadness |
| 2. Homesick | Missing home and family very much |
| 3. Blockhead | (an informal word) a very stupid person |
| 4. Law-abiding | Obeying and respecting law |
| 5. Overdo | Do something to an excessive degree |
| 6. Daydream | Think about pleasant things, forgetting about present |
| 7. Breakdown | An occasion when vehicles/machines stop working |
| 8. Output | Something produced by a person, machine or organi |
II. Now find the sentences in the lesson that have the phrasal verbs given below. Match them with their meanings.
(i) plunge in : speak or write without focus
(ii) kept back: stay indoors
(iii) move up: make (them) remain quiet
(iv) ramble on: have a good relationship with
(v) get along with: give an assignment (home work) to a person authority (the teacher)
(vi) calm down: compensate
(vii) stay in: go straight to the topic
(viii) make up for: go to the next grade
(ix) hand in: not promoted
Answer:
(i) plunge in − go straight to the topic
Answer: Since no one would understand a word of my stories to Kitty if I were to plunge right in, I’d better provide a brief sketch of my life, much as I dislike doing so.
(ii) kept back − not promoted
Answer: The reason, of course, is the forthcoming meeting in which the teachers decide who’ll move up to the next form and who’ll be kept back.
(iii) move up − go to the next grade
Answer: The reason, of course, is the forthcoming meeting in which the teachers decide who’ll move up to the next form and who’ll be kept back.
(iv) ramble on − speak or write without focus
Answer: Anyone could ramble on and leave big spaces between the words, but the trick was to come up with convincing arguments to prove the necessity of talking.
(v) get along with − have a good relationship with
Answer: I get along pretty well with all my teachers.
(vi) calm down − make (them) remain quite
Answer: Even G.’s pleading advances and my angry outbursts can’t calm them down.
(vii) stay in − stay indoors
Answer: I thought of this saying on one of those days when I was feeling a little depressed and was sitting at home with my chin in my hands, bored and listless, wondering whether to stay in or go out.
(viii) make up for − compensate
Answer: This birthday celebration in 1942 was intended to make up for the other.
(ix) hand in − give an assignment (homework) to a person in authority (the teacher)
Answer: I handed it in, and Mr Keesing had nothing to complain about for two whole lessons.
(i) plunge in : speak or write without focus
(ii) kept back: stay indoors
(iii) move up: make (them) remain quiet
(iv) ramble on: have a good relationship with
(v) get along with: give an assignment (home work) to a person authority (the teacher)
(vi) calm down: compensate
(vii) stay in: go straight to the topic
(viii) make up for: go to the next grade
(ix) hand in: not promoted
Answer:
(i) plunge in − go straight to the topic
Answer: Since no one would understand a word of my stories to Kitty if I were to plunge right in, I’d better provide a brief sketch of my life, much as I dislike doing so.
(ii) kept back − not promoted
Answer: The reason, of course, is the forthcoming meeting in which the teachers decide who’ll move up to the next form and who’ll be kept back.
(iii) move up − go to the next grade
Answer: The reason, of course, is the forthcoming meeting in which the teachers decide who’ll move up to the next form and who’ll be kept back.
(iv) ramble on − speak or write without focus
Answer: Anyone could ramble on and leave big spaces between the words, but the trick was to come up with convincing arguments to prove the necessity of talking.
(v) get along with − have a good relationship with
Answer: I get along pretty well with all my teachers.
(vi) calm down − make (them) remain quite
Answer: Even G.’s pleading advances and my angry outbursts can’t calm them down.
(vii) stay in − stay indoors
Answer: I thought of this saying on one of those days when I was feeling a little depressed and was sitting at home with my chin in my hands, bored and listless, wondering whether to stay in or go out.
(viii) make up for − compensate
Answer: This birthday celebration in 1942 was intended to make up for the other.
(ix) hand in − give an assignment (homework) to a person in authority (the teacher)
Answer: I handed it in, and Mr Keesing had nothing to complain about for two whole lessons.
III. 1. Here are a few sentences from the text which have idiomatic expressions. Can you say what each means? (You might want to consult a dictionary first.)
(i). Our entire class is quaking in its boots. __________________________.
(i). Our entire class is quaking in its boots. __________________________.
(ii). Until then, we keep telling each other not to lose heart. ____________________________________
(iii). Mr Keeping was annoyed with me for ages because I talked so much.______________________________
(iv). Mr Keeping was trying to play a joke on me with this ridiculous subject, but I’d make sure the joke was on him.___________________________
(iii). Mr Keeping was annoyed with me for ages because I talked so much.______________________________
(iv). Mr Keeping was trying to play a joke on me with this ridiculous subject, but I’d make sure the joke was on him.___________________________
Answers:
(1)Our entire class is quaking in its boots. Shaking with fear and nervousness
(2) Until then, we keep telling each other not to lose heart. Not to lose hope
(3) Mr. Keeping was annoyed with me for ages because I talked so much. Since a long time
(4) Mr. Keeping was trying to play a joke on me with this ridiculous subject, but I’d make sure the joke was on him. He was outwitted by her
(1)Our entire class is quaking in its boots. Shaking with fear and nervousness
(2) Until then, we keep telling each other not to lose heart. Not to lose hope
(3) Mr. Keeping was annoyed with me for ages because I talked so much. Since a long time
(4) Mr. Keeping was trying to play a joke on me with this ridiculous subject, but I’d make sure the joke was on him. He was outwitted by her
2. Here are a few more idiomatic expressions that occur in the text. Try to use them in sentences of your own.
(i) caught my eye
(ii) he’d had enough
(i) caught my eye
(ii) he’d had enough
(iii) laugh ourselves silly
(iv) can’t bring myself to
Answer
(iv) can’t bring myself to
Answer
(i) caught my eye
An SUV car passing by caught my eye.
(ii) he’d had enough
Tabish had a hard time raising enough money to build the school he’d promised to build.
(iii) laugh ourselves silly
One girl said something funny, and we laughed ourselves silly.
(iv) can’t bring myself to
I can’t bring myself to eat anything but chocolates.
An SUV car passing by caught my eye.
(ii) he’d had enough
Tabish had a hard time raising enough money to build the school he’d promised to build.
(iii) laugh ourselves silly
One girl said something funny, and we laughed ourselves silly.
(iv) can’t bring myself to
I can’t bring myself to eat anything but chocolates.
IV. Match the following:
Answer:
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| (i) Journal | A book with a seperate space or page for each day, in which you write down your thoughts and feelings or what has happened on that day |
| (ii) Diary | A full record of a journey, a period of time, or an event, written every day |
| (iii) Log | A record of a person's own life and experiences (usually, a famous person) |
| (iv) Memoir(s) | A written record of events with times and dates, usually official |
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| (i) Journal | A full record of a journey, a period of time, or an event, written every day. |
| (ii) Diary | A book with a seperate space or page for each day, in which you write down your thoughts and feelings or what has happened on that day. |
| (iii) Log | A written record of events with times and dates, usually official. |
| (iv) Memoir(s) | A record of a person's own life and experiences (usually, a famous person) |
1. Here are some entries from personal records. Use the definitions above to decide which of the entries might be from a diary, a journal, a log or a memoir.
(i) I woke up very late today and promptly got a scolding from Mum! I can’t help it − how can I miss the FIFA World Cup matches?
Ans: _____________________________
Answer: Diary
(ii) 10:30 a.m. Went to the office of the Director
01:00 p.m. Had lunch with Chairman
05:45 p.m. Received Rahul at the airport
09:30 p.m. Dinner at home
Ans: _____________________________
Answer: Log
(iii) The ride to Ooty was uneventful. We rested for a while every 50 km or so, and used the time to capture the magnificent landscape with my Handy Cam. From Ooty we went on to Bangalore.
What a contrast! The noise and pollution of this once − beautiful city really broke my heart.
Ans: _____________________________
Answer: Journal
(iv) This is how Raj Kapoor found me − all wet and ragged outside R. K. Studios. He was then looking for just someone like this for a small role in Mera Naam Joker, and he cast me on the spot. The rest, as they say, is history?
Ans: _____________________________
Answer: Memoir
(i) I woke up very late today and promptly got a scolding from Mum! I can’t help it − how can I miss the FIFA World Cup matches?
Ans: _____________________________
Answer: Diary
(ii) 10:30 a.m. Went to the office of the Director
01:00 p.m. Had lunch with Chairman
05:45 p.m. Received Rahul at the airport
09:30 p.m. Dinner at home
Ans: _____________________________
Answer: Log
(iii) The ride to Ooty was uneventful. We rested for a while every 50 km or so, and used the time to capture the magnificent landscape with my Handy Cam. From Ooty we went on to Bangalore.
What a contrast! The noise and pollution of this once − beautiful city really broke my heart.
Ans: _____________________________
Answer: Journal
(iv) This is how Raj Kapoor found me − all wet and ragged outside R. K. Studios. He was then looking for just someone like this for a small role in Mera Naam Joker, and he cast me on the spot. The rest, as they say, is history?
Ans: _____________________________
Answer: Memoir
V. Personal Pronouns
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of pronoun in the following:
1. He swallowed certain rare drug and _______ body became transparent.
Answer: his
2. The horse fell down and broke ______ leg.
Answer: his
3. There are six doors in this room, but ______ are closed.
Answer: they
4. I can't find ______ watch.
Answer: my
5. It's hard to believe that_______ have changed _________ approach.
Answer: he, his
6. This book is ________.
Answer: mine
7. Is that my book or_________?
Answer: yours
8. Nobody but_______ was absent.
Answer: he
9. I found _________ very helpful.
Answer: him
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of pronoun in the following:
1. He swallowed certain rare drug and _______ body became transparent.
Answer: his
2. The horse fell down and broke ______ leg.
Answer: his
3. There are six doors in this room, but ______ are closed.
Answer: they
4. I can't find ______ watch.
Answer: my
5. It's hard to believe that_______ have changed _________ approach.
Answer: he, his
6. This book is ________.
Answer: mine
7. Is that my book or_________?
Answer: yours
8. Nobody but_______ was absent.
Answer: he
9. I found _________ very helpful.
Answer: him
10. Wait for _________, or go with.
Answer: me, him.
Q. Write the character sketch of Anne Frank?
Answer: Anne Frank is very intelligent and perceptive. She introduces herself as a lonely adolescent who has no one around her to open her heart. She is given a diary on her thirteenth birthday. She has many friends but she can’t open her heart to them. Hence she finds ‘Kitty’ or her diary. She can express her innermost thoughts and feelings only by writing a diary.
Anne adores her father but the age difference prevents her from sharing some intensely personal issues with him. She craves for emotional support as well as for physical love. Anne is divided against her ownself. She has an identity problem. She considers herself a German but has lost her citizenship. She has only God and her faith to look for redemption. She hopes to get freedom peace and fresh air after the war.
Answer: me, him.
Q. Write the character sketch of Anne Frank?
Answer: Anne Frank is very intelligent and perceptive. She introduces herself as a lonely adolescent who has no one around her to open her heart. She is given a diary on her thirteenth birthday. She has many friends but she can’t open her heart to them. Hence she finds ‘Kitty’ or her diary. She can express her innermost thoughts and feelings only by writing a diary.
Anne adores her father but the age difference prevents her from sharing some intensely personal issues with him. She craves for emotional support as well as for physical love. Anne is divided against her ownself. She has an identity problem. She considers herself a German but has lost her citizenship. She has only God and her faith to look for redemption. She hopes to get freedom peace and fresh air after the war.
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