Unit 4: Vitamin-M
Page 98: Vocabulary II
frail: weak and delicate
shuddered: trembled or shivered because of fear or disgust
poky: uncomfortably small and cramped
forbid: to refuse to allow something; to ban
pottering: moving around in a relaxed, casual, or unsystematic way
winced: made a slight grimace because of embarrassment or pain
Page 102: Check Your Understanding (Section I)
I. Why did Grandpa dislike living in the city with his daughter?
Grandpa disliked city life because he found it too noisy, crowded, and busy compared to his quiet small town house with a big mango tree. He also felt like a prisoner in a small flat.
II. Why did Vidya not want her father to go out alone?
Vidya did not want him to go out alone because he had memory issues, poor eyesight, and poor hearing. Just last month, he had taken a double dose of medicine by mistake and once got lost when he forgot the way back.
III. Was Ravi in favour of his mother treating Grandpa like a child? How can you say so?
No, Ravi was not in favour of it. We can say this because he winced when his mother spoke to Grandpa in an over-loud, babying tone.
IV. Would Ravi be able to keep up his promise to his mother?
No, Ravi would not be able to keep it up completely because Grandpa secretly slipped out of the house to go to the corner shop, leaving Ravi torn between following him and breaking his promise.
Page 106: Check Your Understanding (Section II)
I. Complete the flow chart by describing Grandpa’s day out:
children's park
paper-cone of peanuts
tea stall
mother, grandfather (or similar context from text: mother/family getting worried)
tea, bananas / ice cream
barber shop
bus stop, boards a bus
II. Was Grandpa lost as feared by Ravi’s mother?
No, Grandpa was not lost; he was simply enjoying a trip around the neighbourhood and managed to return home safely on his own.
III. How would Ravi feel after seeing Grandpa?
Ravi would feel immense relief and joy to find his grandfather sleeping safely at home.
IV. Do you think Ravi’s mother will get to know about what had happened?
Grandpa subtly hinted at things during the evening (like giving the detective book), so she might eventually suspect something, though she was mostly left confused by Grandpa's clever remarks.
Page 109: Check Your Understanding (Section III)
I. Describe how Ravi’s emotional reaction upon finding Grandpa safe at home reveals his feelings towards his grandfather.
Ravi's quick relief, kneeling by the bed, touching his face, and hugging him show that he deeply loves, cares for, and feels a strong emotional bond with his grandfather.
II. What might be the significance of Grandpa’s habit of giving gifts to everyone on his birthday rather than receiving them?
It shows that he is loving, thoughtful, and views his family members as his children whom he loves to look after and pamper.
III. Why do you think Grandpa gave Ravi a detective story book as a gift? What might this suggest about Grandpa’s awareness of Ravi’s actions earlier in the day?
Grandpa gave him a detective book because he was fully aware that Ravi had secretly followed him around the neighbourhood like a spy, making it a playful joke on Ravi's "detective" skills.
Page 110–111: Critical Reflection (Section I)
1. Extract 1:
(i) C. nostalgic
(ii) Grandpa hated the busy and noisy city life because he preferred the quiet, peaceful environment of his small town home where it was so quiet you could hear a leaf fall.
(iii) Grandpa came to the city because he had slipped, fallen in his garden while pottering around, and lay outside all night without help since he was living alone.
(iv) D. pin drop silence
(v) Advantage: Peaceful and quiet environment; Disadvantage: Living alone meant no one was there to help him when he fell down.
2. Extract 2:
(i) C. calm
(ii) Ravi was confused and embarrassed because Grandpa told his mother that Ravi had disappeared instead of looking after him, exposing the fact that Ravi lost track of him.
(iii) Ravi’s mother was impatient because she thought Grandpa had forgotten the date, but it was actually her own memory lapse regarding birthdays.
(iv) False
(v) Grandpa said this because he knew Ravi had spent the morning secretly trailing and following him outside instead of staying indoors.
Page 111–112: Critical Reflection (Section II)
1. Grandpa is portrayed as a person with failing memory in the beginning of the story. Give two evidences to disprove the statement.
He vividly remembered thousands of historic chess games played by masters like Karpov and Bobby Fischer.
He remembered everyone's birthdays accurately, noting that it was his own birthday and giving gifts to everyone in the house.
2. Give two characteristic traits of each of the following characters:
(i) Grandfather: Independent and clever (crafty).
(ii) Ravi: Caring and obedient (yet adventurous when trying to protect his grandfather).
(iii) Ravi’s mother: Anxious and protective.
3. Why was Ravi worried about what Grandfather had at the tea stall?
Ravi was worried because Grandpa ate sugary items, bananas, and ice cream, all of which were strictly forbidden for him by his doctor and mother.
4. Do you think it was easy for Ravi to follow his Grandfather? If yes, why? If no, why not?
No, it was not easy because Ravi had to constantly hide behind bushes, trees, and cars, deal with angry strangers and vendors, and narrowly avoid getting caught or entering the wrong shops.
5. ‘Ravi is a good detective’. Give one argument in favour of and against the given statement.
In favour: He successfully tracked Grandpa across various spots in the neighbourhood without getting spotted directly.
Against: He was easily fooled by a stranger wearing a similar cap and outfit on the bus.
6. Was Grandfather aware that Ravi was following him? How do you know?
Yes, Grandpa was likely aware, which is proven when he humorously gifts Ravi a book on detective stories and gives tips on how not to get fooled while trailing a suspect.
7. In your opinion, who needs Vitamin-M? And why?
Grandpa jokingly suggested that Ravi's mother needs "Vitamin-M" (memory vitamin) because she forgot who the birthday person was and needed reminders.
8. Some people believe society shows bias based on age... (Sample answer)
Sometimes elderly people's opinions on modern technology or gadgets are ignored by younger generations simply assuming older people cannot understand new things.
Page 112–113: Vocabulary and Structures in Context (Section I & II)
I. Classification:
Column 1 (Movement): pottering, twirling, crouch, crawl, creeping, ducked, zigzagging, evicted, briskly, sprinting, jumping, darted, trailing
Column 2 (Sound): boomed, thudded, shrieks, whirr, grunted, snoring
Fill in the blanks:
trailing
bustle
briskly
thudded
crouching / ducked (accept context)
crouch
creeping
grunted (or tripped)
sprinted
whirr
II. Synonyms for Dilemma:
QUANDARY
PREDICAMENT
Page 113–116: Vocabulary and Structures (Sections III, IV, V, VI, VII)
III. Table completion:
craftily: cunningly | Adverb | cleverly | straightforwardly
dilemma: a difficult choice | Noun | quandary | certainty
furious: extremely angry | Adjective | enraged | calm
boomed: made a loud, deep sound | Verb | roared | whispered
humiliation: loss of pride / embarrassment | Noun | shame | dignity
attire: clothing / clothes | Noun | outfit | undress
IV. Matching Emotions:
embarrassed | (v) felt uncomfortable
countered | (iv) reply to an argument
flushed | (vi) became red in the face
stricken | (i) affected severely by an unpleasant feeling
gleam | (iii) expression of emotion
V. Prepositions Fill in the Blanks:
(i) against
(ii) through
(iii) over
(iv) near
(v) in
(vi) along
VI. Interrogative Sentences:
A. (i) interrogative
B. (ii) Yes/No type
C. (iii) Wh- type, (iv) two
VII. Reported Speech Fill in the Blanks:
helped in taking care of her grandparents at home
take turns making sure they're alright
if he had grandparents living with him
his parents and he visited his grandpa every weekend
how they managed their grandparents' medical needs
had a schedule for giving medications and visits to the doctor
Additional Exam-Oriented Questions & Solutions
Q: Explain the irony behind the title of the story "Vitamin-M".
Solution: The title "Vitamin-M" humorously refers to "memory" as a vitamin that Grandpa's family thinks he lacks. However, the irony is that Grandpa actually has a sharp memory, and it is revealed at the end that the mother is the one who forgot the date, making her the one who truly needs a dose of "Vitamin-M".
Q: How does the author build suspense when Ravi is trailing his grandfather through the neighbourhood?
Solution: The author creates suspense by detailing Ravi’s constant anxiety of being spotted, his hurried attempts to hide behind trees and cars, and his panic when he loses sight of Grandpa or gets confused by a stranger wearing a similar outfit.
Q: What does Grandpa's choice of escape destinations reveal about his personality?
Solution: Grandpa's visits to the children's park, a tea stall, and a barber shop show that he is deeply social, independent, and yearns for the lively, engaging routine of normal life rather than being confined indoors.
Q: Discuss the relationship between Ravi and his grandfather based on the text.
Solution: Ravi and his grandfather share a warm, affectionate, and playful bond. Ravi is fiercely protective of him, while Grandpa affectionately teases Ravi, treating him like an equal partner in a clever game of hide-and-seek.
