Unit 1 - Three Days To See - Textual Notes

Author: Helen Keller

Genre: Autobiographical Essay / Essay

Theme: Value of human senses, gratitude, power of perception, mindfulness, and appreciation of nature and human effort.

PRE-READING EXERCISES

Let us do these activities before we read (Page 28)

I. Recall a visit to a place that you liked. Discuss the details of that place and write about the following:

1. Name of the place: A public garden / park in my town.

2. The person(s) you went with: My family and best friend.

3. The things that you could:

See:  Bright flowers (roses, lilies), lush green trees, flying birds, and kids playing on swings.

Listen: Singing birds, rustling leaves, laughter of children, and flowing water in a small fountain.

Smell: Fresh wet soil, scent of blooming roses and jasmine.

Taste: Ice cream and fresh juice from a nearby stall.

Touch and feel: The soft green grass, cool water from the fountain, and smooth tree bark.

II. How does this memory make you feel?

 This memory makes me feel peaceful, happy, refreshed, and grateful for nature's beauty.

III. Do you think your visit/experience would be different if you could not see or hear? Share your answers.

Yes, it would be very different. Without sight, I wouldn't see the rich colors or views, but I would rely heavily on my touch, smell, and imagination to experience the surroundings. Without hearing, I would miss the music of nature but focus entirely on visual details.

WHILE READING / LET US DISCUSS

Let us discuss (Page 31 & 32)

I. Identify the statements that are TRUE from the ones given below:

1. The author expresses a deep longing to experience the world through the sense of hearing. 

FALSE (She longs to see through the sense of sight).

2. The author would like exploring the city only to observe how people are suffering. 

FALSE (She wants to see smiles, determination, and all aspects of daily life).

3. The author would spend the first day seeing the people whose kind-heartedness and friendship have enriched her life. 

TRUE

4. The author acknowledges that even in three days, she would not be able to see everything. 

TRUE

5. The author feels that everyone can find the greatest joy merely by the sense of touch.

 FALSE (She believes sight is the most delightful sense).

6. The author advises those who can see to appreciate every moment as if they might lose their senses tomorrow. 

TRUE

7. The author would like to observe people in their daily lives and understand their experiences on the third day. 

TRUE

II. Complete the table given below with what Helen Keller wanted to do on the three days if she had sight:

Day	What Helen Keller Wanted to Do
Day 1	See the people whose kindness and companionship made her life worth living, look into the eyes of friends ("window of the soul"), and see their faces.
Day 2	Arise with the dawn to see the transformation of night into day; visit museums to see the history of the earth, nature, pre-historic animals, and the pageant of human progress.
Day 3	Spend time in the workaday world in the city; stand at a busy corner to observe everyday people going about their lives, seeing smiles, determination, and suffering.

III. The author refers to the eye as the 'window of the soul'. How is the narrator able to understand the feelings of a person without sight?

 Without sight, the narrator understands the feelings of a person through her 'fingertips' by feeling the outlines, expressions, and subtle movements on their faces, allowing her to detect laughter, sorrow, and other emotions.

POST-READING EXERCISES

Let us think and reflect (Pages 32 & 33)

I. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow:

Extract 1:

"I feel the delicate symmetry of a leaf. I pass my hands lovingly about the smooth skin of a silver birch, or the rough, shaggy bark of a pine..."

1. What does the 'delicate symmetry of a leaf' symbolise?

It symbolises the perfection, balance, order, and intricate beauty found in nature.

2. List two phrases from the extract that describe the texture of objects in nature.

1. "smooth skin of a silver birch"

2. "rough, shaggy bark of a pine"

3. Complete the sentence appropriately:

The phrase 'awakening Nature after her winter's sleep' refers to 'the arrival of spring, when plants begin to bud and trees wake up after winter'.

4. What is the tone of the writer in this extract?

C. admiring (She holds deep love and admiration for nature's subtle details).

Extract 2:

"The next day I should arise with the dawn and see the thrilling miracle by which night is transformed into day..."

1. Which of the following words does not match with the word 'thrilling'?

C. knowledge (Experience, tale, and adventure match with 'thrilling').

2. Why does the writer refer to the earth as 'sleeping earth'?

Because during the night, the world is quiet, dark, and inactive, as if resting or asleep before the sunrise awakens it.

3. Complete the sentence with an appropriate reason:

The writer wishes to dedicate the day to a brief look at the present and past world because she wants to witness the history of the earth and the full pageant of human progress.

4. Why does the writer use 'should' multiple times in the extract?

She uses 'should' to express her strong intention, longing, and hypothetical plans for what she would do if given the opportunity to see.

II. Short/Long Answer Questions (Page 33)

1. The sense of touch makes up for the loss of sight and hearing. Explain this statement with reference to the text.

For Helen Keller, touch replaces sight and hearing by serving as her primary bridge to the world. She uses her fingertips to feel the textures of trees, the symmetry of leaves, the vibration of a bird singing, and even facial expressions to recognize her friends and their emotions.

2. Why does the author believe that the sense of sight is the most wonderful?

She believes sight is the most delightful sense because it reveals the full, vivid panorama of beauty, color, human progress, and emotion that cannot be fully captured through touch alone.

3. How might the author's opinion on making the most of our senses guide us to be kinder towards people with special abilities?

It helps us appreciate how much effort and perception people with special abilities use to experience the world. It fosters empathy, respects their heightened reliance on other senses, and inspires us to create inclusive environments.

4. What is the significance of imagining the loss of a sense, according to the author?

Imagining the loss of a sense makes people realize its true value. It urges people not to take their abilities for granted and teaches them to live mindfully and appreciate every sensory experience daily.

5. How does the author encourage people to approach their everyday sensory experiences?

She encourages people to use every sense as if they would lose it tomorrow—listening to music, looking at surroundings, touching objects, and tasting food with full attention and gratitude.

6. What do the author's choices for the three days tell us about her values and priorities?

Her choices show that she deeply values human relationships and love (Day 1), nature, history, and knowledge (Day 2), and empathy, daily human life, and hard work (Day 3).

Let us learn: Vocabulary & Grammar (Pages 34 & 35)

I. Complete the table with sensory words from the text (Column 2) and add new words (Column 3):

Column 1 (Sense)	Column 2 (From Text)	Column 3 (New Words)
What you see	panorama, glimpse, light, pageant	dazzling, vivid, brilliant, shadowy
What you hear	music, song, strains, quiver	echo, whisper, melody, buzz
What you smell	perfume	fragrance, aroma, scent, pungent
What you taste	relish, morsel	savory, sweet, tangy, delicious
What you feel	rough, smooth, shaggy, delicate	silky, coarse, slimy, velvety

III. Identify the modal verbs and choose their functions:

(Functions: possibility, necessity, polite request, ability, moral obligation)

Sentence	Modal	Function
You can learn a lot from this experience.	can	Ability / Possibility
They might arrive late due to traffic.	might	Possibility
She must finish her homework before dinner	must	Necessity / Obligation
They ought to apologise for their mistake.	ought to	Moral obligation
He would like to have some lassi, please.	would	Polite request

IV. Fill in the blanks with appropriate modal verbs (Page 35):

Situation	Function	Modal Used	Completed Sentence
1. Leave work early	Permission	May / Can	(i) May I leave early today if I finish all my tasks?
2. Important deadline	Obligation	must	(ii) I must finish this by tomorrow.
3. Friend joining class	Advice	should	(iii) You should consider all the pros and cons...
4. Dark clouds	Possibility	might / may	(iv) It might rain later today.
5. Pass the salt	Polite request	Would / Could	(v) Would you pass the salt, please?
6. Apologise for mistake	Moral obligation	ought to	(vi) You ought to apologise for the mistake...
7. Picnic location	Suggestion	could / can	(vii) We could go to any park nearby

Let us listen (Page 36 & Transcript Page 41-42)

Select 4 TRUE statements based on the listening conversation:

1. Anuj finds the concept of Braille fascinating and wants to learn more about it. — TRUE

2. Mother is unsure of the school's efforts... — FALSE

3. Anuj initially thinks that Digital India is only about learning how to use computers. — TRUE

4. Mother believes that screen readers are very effective for persons who are visually impaired. — TRUE

5. Anuj already knew... — FALSE

6. Anuj wants to know about... — FALSE

7. Mother believes a right mindset is the best support. — TRUE

Let us write: Descriptive Paragraph (Page 37)

Topic: A Visit to a Hill Station / Nature Park

Title: A Peaceful Retreat into Nature

Visiting the big garden last Sunday was a lovely break from my busy life. As I walked through the main gate, I could smell the nice wet soil and sweet flowers right away. The garden looked beautiful with soft green grass, red roses, and yellow sunflowers moving gently in the cool wind. I could hear the leaves rustling above me and small birds singing happily in the trees. While walking on the path, I came near a clean pond and touched the cool water with my hands. Breathing in the fresh, clean air made me feel happy and relaxed. This quiet park taught me how important it is to slow down and enjoy nature.