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.
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
Summary: I Learn to Talk Class 7 Wind Chimes
The story begins with the arrival of Anne Mansfield Sullivan, a teacher, in the life of Helen Keller. The teacher begins to teach Helen about words which define or denote particular objects. It all starts with a doll that Anne puts in the hands of Helen and then tries to spell the world doll on her palm. Helen finds the lesson meaningful and feels very proud once she is fully able to imitate ‘d-o-l-l’ and goes off to show her mother without even knowing what does all that mean. However, she is happier than ever by learning new things. The lesson goes on until Helen and Anne have a little implicit feud over the words ‘water’ and ‘mug’. Helen is confused about these two words and is not ready to accept that ‘mug’ is different from ‘water’. She also breaks the doll that Sullivan has given her. She feels satisfied once she hears the sound of pieces of the doll. Helen and Sullivan come out in the sunny day. Anne puts Helen’s hands under the spout of a hand pump. When Helen feels the water coming out of it, Anne spells the word ‘water’ on the hand of Helen. Then only Helen realises that water is different from the mug. She learns about many new words that day and also feels like she has awakened some inner strength. She comes back very happy and tries to collect the pieces of the broken doll. She regrets for what she has done. Tears come in her eyes but she is happy and waits excitedly for the new day to come for the first time.
- a. The speaker is Helen Keller.
b. ‘It’ refers to the day or time that connected her to her teacher.
c. She is talking about two lives; one before she met her teacher and the second after she met her teacher.
d. The contrasts are ‘immeasurable’ because she underwent a sea of change in this period of time.
- a. ‘Someone’ here was Helen’s teacher, Anne Mansfield Sullivan.
b. Her teacher took her hand and held her close to hers.
c. A new life awaited her. She was not aware of how her life would transform after this meeting.
d. Her gentle touch, familiarity with Helen showed that she loved her.
- a. The ‘living word’ referred here was when she felt the word ‘water’. It was when she could relate to things around having a name.
b. It gave hope, light and joy to Helen.
c. It gave her hope as it gave her something to look forward too. Despite her life being caught in the dark, she now had a purpose. She discovered everything had a name and this new name gave birth to a new thought.
d. He teacher Anne Mansfield Sullivan was responsible for this.
1. The most important day Helen Keller’s life was when her teacher Anne Sullivan came in her life as a teacher. The day was 3rd March 1887.
2. The date was 3rd March 1887
3. Helen was three months short of seven years when she met her teacher.
4. Miss Sullivan gave the doll as it was sent by the blind children of Perkins Institution.
She initially played with her and then dashed it on the floor and it got fragmented into pieces.
5. Miss Sullivan wanted her to learn to spell with fingers the word ‘d-o-l-l’ but Helen was not able to do so. After many attempts, she got frustrated and threw the doll on the floor out of frustration.
6. When Helen realised that everything has a name, and each name gave a new thought then she was filled with regret. Now she knew what her teacher wanted her to learn.
7. Miss Sullivan took Helen to the well-house. Helen felt someone was drawing water and just then Miss Sullivan placed her hand under the spout. As the cool stream gushed over one hand, Miss Sullivan spelled the word ‘water’ over her other hand. First slowly, and then rapidly. It was then that Helen realised that ‘w-at-e-r’ meant the wonderful cool something.
8. The words that made the world ‘blossom’ for her were mother, father, sister, teacher.
9. This line is in context with the thought of Helen when she discovered the names of things around her. He teacher made her learn that things around her had names. So, when she discovered the name ‘water’ she was filled with delight. She realised that despite being blind and in dark, there was so much that she could still learn and think about.
10. Miss Sullivan was a very patient and loving teacher because she did not give up despite tantrums of Helen. Just see how patiently she swept the fragments of the doll.
11. We can say that Helen’s whole attitude toward life and learning things changed. She got a new way of learning things around her. She became more inquisitive and serious toward knowing things. She herself has accepted that the 3rd of March 1887 was a turning point her life all because of Anne Sullivan.
1. dangerous 2. comfortable 3. ambitious 4. electrical 5. interesting 6. suitable 7. penniless 8. courteous 9. fashionable 10. frightening
- I told him that I would take him to shop with me the following week.
- My sister asked me to lend her the new book I bought.
- He wants his father to always support him.
- Rohan wishes to be famous when he grows up.
- I have decided to work hard.
- She hoped to pass the test this time.
- The girl knows how to behave in a classroom.
- All of them wished us to go and see a movie.
- My brother’s favourite hobby is painting.
- She loves walking in her garden.
- I love working in this office.
- My father likes cooking in his spare time.
- We are watching them learn skating.
- Forgiving and forgetting should be easy.
- I thought I would go shopping at the mall.
- It is fun sliding down this little hillock.
Answers1. interesting 2. honking 3. leaking 4. running 5. typing 6. babbling 7. falling 8. sparkling