Gulliver in Lalliput - 1 by Jonathan Swift

Class 9th Lesson No. 2 Subject English

Thinking About the Text

 Q1. Why did Reldresal visit Gulliver?

Ans. Reldresal was the Chief Secretary for Private Affairs. He visited Gulliver to discuss about the problems of the state, created by two political parties. The Country was in great threat from external danger, so the King need his help for defence.

Q2.  How did Gulliver receive Reldressal?

Ans. Gulliver received him with honour and offered him to lie down, so that he could properly speak to him, but Reldresal preferred to be held in hand during their conversation.

Q3.  What were the two political parties in Lilliput? What was their difference?

Ans. High Heels and Low Heels were the two political parties in Lilliput. These parties were differentiated by the heels of their shoes, they wore. The party, that wore shoes of high heels was called as High Heels party and the party  with low heel shoes was called as Low Heel party.

Q4. Why was the Government in the hands of the Low Heels though they were less numerous than the High Heels?

Ans. The government was in the hands of Low Heels because the Emperor was in favour of Low heels and himself wore low heel shoes.

Q5. What was the external danger that the country had to face?

Ans. The invasion from the Blefuscu was the external danger, that the country had to face. Blefuscu was the other great empire of the universe.

Q6. What was the question of religious principle that gave rise to the war between Lilliput and Blefuscu?

Ans. The religious principle that gave rise to the war between two countries was, whether one should break an egg at the bigger end or at the smaller end. The ancient practice of the course was to break it at the bigger end.

Q7. Why was the ancient way of breaking an egg prohibited in Lilliput?

Ans. The ancient way of breaking an egg was prohibited because the emperor’s grandfather happened to cut his finger, when he was a boy, while breaking an egg at the bigger end.

Q8. How did the people take the new law?

Ans. There was a bitter opposition to the new law, and there were frequent rebellions on account of it, which resulted in the death of thousands of people.

Q9. What was the Emperor of Blefuscu’s part in the internal troubles of Lilliput?

Ans. After the imposition of new law many rebels escaped to Blefuscu, the Emperor of Blefuscu gave them his sympathy and encouragement, thus interfering in the internal affairs of Lilliput. He also charged Lilliputian Emperor of making people to disobey the old teaching of their religion.

Q10. What was the teaching of their ancient religion about the right way of breaking eggs?

Ans. The teaching of their ancient religion about the right way of breaking eggs was that ‘all believers should break their egg at the convenient end’. This teaching was given in the 54^th chapter of their holy book.

11. What, in Reldressal opinion, was the meaning of teaching?

Ans. In Reldresal’s opinion, there was a question for each man to decide, which was the convenient end, to break an egg.

Q12. What did Gulliver promise to do for the Emperor?

Ans. Gulliver promised the Emperor to defend his honour and the honour of the country, if there was any kind of invasion from the Blefuscu.

 Language Work

 a) Use the following phrases in your own sentences

Wait upon: The Emperor waited upon till the reply came from the scout.

Carry out: He honestly carried out all the tasks of his lord.

Attend on: The house owner himself attended on his all guests.

Depend on: Students always depend on the dictionary to find the meaning of new words.

Discuss with: He discussed his problems with his best friends.

Engage in: While the employees were suffering a lot, the government was engaged in elections.

Engage with: His marriage was engaged with a beautiful girl.

Charge with: He charged the Emperor with causing divisions in religion among people.

Prefer to: Most of the people of Kashmir prefer to be with Pakistan.

On account of: He was released on account of being an innocent.

b) Give the adjectives of the following nouns and use them in your own sentences:

Attention: Attending – The doctor is attending his patients regularly.

Basic: Basic – A Clerk needs a basic knowledge of computers for office work.

Convenience: Convenient – The college in the middle of the area is convenient to all the students for higher studies.

Empire: Empirical – He made an empirical statement of, teaching only the children of high-class families.

Majesty: Majestic – Taj Mahal is a majestic building in the world.

Honour: Honourable – PM is considered as an honourable person in the country. His honourable statements are praised by all.

Opposition: Opposite – He always have an opposite attitude towards other religions.

Religion: Religious – One cannot play with the religious sentiments of the other.

Sympathy: Sympathetic – He is more sympathetic towards poor people.

Invasion: Invasive – Influenza is more invasive than any other communicable diseases.

c) Use the following words as nouns and verbs in your own sentences

Charge:

Noun: He tried to charge the batteries but they were dead.

Verb: He was charged of being taking bribe from his own employee.

Converse:

Noun: He had a private conversation with his friend.

Verb: Reldresal conversed with Gulliver about their private affairs in the country.

Divide:

Noun: They tried a lot to divide people in the name of religion but people cannot accept this division.

Verb: British divided people by applying divide and rule policy.

Honour:

Noun: We should love and honour each other. He is a man of honour, as never breaks his promises.

Verb: Mr. Naik was honoured with noble prize in his great work towards students.

Principle:

Noun: A man of principles avoids politics.

Verb: He was respected by his officer on his principled behavior.

Rebel:

Noun: Many rebels escaped to other countries during the war.

Verb: They rebelled against the new law imposed by the government.

Report:

Noun: This kind of report is suspicious to us, so we cannot take any action on this report.

Verb: The informers reported that the enemies are ready for the invasion.