CHAPTER- 4
(Vitamin-M)

Check Your Understanding

I. Answer the following questions.

1. Why did Grandpa dislike living in the city with his daughter?

Answer: Grandpa disliked living in the city because he hated its noise and bustle. He missed his small brick house in the town, where it was peaceful and quiet. He especially loved the big mango tree in his garden and the silence of the place, where he could even hear a leaf fall at dusk.

2. Why did Vidya not want her father to go out alone?

Answer: Vidya did not want her father to go out alone because she was worried about his safety. Grandpa had become forgetful and had already taken a double dose of his medicines by mistake. On another occasion, he had gone for a walk, got lost, and forgotten the way home. He had also fallen in his garden and remained outside all night because there was nobody to help him.

3. Was Ravi in favour of his mother treating Grandpa like a child? How can you say so?

Answer: No, Ravi was not in favour of his mother treating Grandpa like a child. He felt uncomfortable when his mother spoke to Grandpa in an unnecessarily loud voice, as though he were a child who could not hear or understand. Ravi also felt guilty when Grandpa accused his mother of treating him like a baby. His actions show that he respected Grandpa's independence and dignity.

4. Would Ravi be able to keep up his promise to his mother?

Answer: No, Ravi would not be able to keep his promise to his mother. Although he had promised to look after Grandpa and not let him go out alone, Grandpa secretly went out to the corner shop. Ravi decided to follow him secretly from a safe distance to make sure that he came to no harm. Thus, instead of keeping Grandpa at home, Ravi followed him outside.

II. Complete the flow chart by describing Grandpa’s day out.

Completed Flow Chart

Grandpa goes out to get the Tamil newspaper → Ravi follows Grandpa → Grandpa first stops at the children's park → buys peanuts and watches the children → Ravi hides behind a bush to observe → Grandpa next goes to the tea stall → Ravi hides behind a banyan tree and watches → Ravi gets scolded by the little boy's mother and the vendors → Grandpa drinks tea and eats two bananas and an ice cream → Grandpa crosses the road and enters a barber shop → Grandpa walks quickly to a bus stop and boards the first bus → Ravi enters the bus only to discover that he has been fooled.

III. Answer the following questions.

1. Was Grandpa lost as feared by Ravi’s mother?

Answer: No, Grandpa was not lost. Ravi initially became worried because Grandpa disappeared from the places he had visited and then boarded a bus. However, when Ravi returned home, he was relieved to find Grandpa safely asleep in his bedroom. This shows that Grandpa had managed to return home safely on his own.

2. How would Ravi feel after seeing Grandpa?

Answer: Ravi would feel greatly relieved, happy, and affectionate after seeing Grandpa safe at home. He had been frantic and sick with worry because he could not find him. When he heard Grandpa snoring in his bedroom, he felt great relief and was overcome with affection, so he hugged his grandfather.

3. Do you think Ravi’s mother will get to know about what had happened?

Answer: No, Ravi's mother does not immediately find out what had happened. Ravi decides not to tell her that he had followed Grandpa because doing so would reveal that he had not followed her instructions. Grandpa also cleverly supports Ravi by saying that he had a quiet morning and that Ravi had disappeared instead of staying at home. Grandpa's behaviour suggests that he knew what Ravi had done but chose not to expose him.

IV. Check Your Understanding – Final Part

1. Describe how Ravi’s emotional reaction upon finding Grandpa safe at home reveals his feelings towards his grandfather.

Answer: Ravi's reaction shows that he deeply cared for and loved his grandfather. After failing to find Grandpa, Ravi became frightened and worried about his safety. When he finally heard Grandpa snoring safely in his bedroom, he felt immense relief. He knelt beside him, touched his face affectionately, and gave him a hug. His emotional reaction clearly shows his love, concern, and affection for Grandpa.

2. What might be the significance of Grandpa’s habit of giving gifts to everyone on his birthday rather than receiving them?

Answer: Grandpa's habit of giving gifts to everyone on his birthday shows that he is generous, loving, and thoughtful. Instead of expecting others to celebrate him, he enjoys making the people he loves happy. He still considers Ravi, Ravi's mother, and Ravi's father his “babies”, showing that his affection for his family remains strong despite his age.

3. 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?

Answer: Grandpa gave Ravi a detective story book because he had probably realised that Ravi had followed him throughout the day. The book contains tips about how a detective can avoid being fooled while following a suspect, which is a humorous reference to Ravi's actions. Grandpa's mischievous twinkle and his comments strongly suggest that he was aware that Ravi had been secretly following him. Instead of scolding Ravi, he gently teased him through the gift.

Critical Reflection

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

1. Read the following extract and answer the questions.

Grandpa hated the noise and bustle of city life and when they were on their own, he often spoke longingly of his small brick house in town. “Such a wonderful place…! With that big mango tree in the garden! It is so quiet that at dusk you can even hear a leaf fall!” But then Grandpa had slipped and fallen in the garden late one evening while he was pottering around and lain outside all night because there was no one at home to help him up.

(i) Choose the emotion displayed by the Grandfather.

Answer: D. Wistful

Grandpa speaks longingly about his old home and its peaceful surroundings. His words express a gentle longing for the quiet life he had enjoyed there.

(ii) Complete the following sentence with a reason.

Grandpa hated the busy and noisy city life because he preferred the peaceful and quiet surroundings of his small brick house in the town, where he could enjoy his garden and the silence of nature.

(iii) Why did Grandpa come to the city despite his dislike for city life?

Answer: Grandpa came to the city because living alone in his house had become unsafe for him. He had slipped and fallen in his garden and had remained outside all night because there was nobody at home to help him. Therefore, his family felt that he should live with his daughter in the city so that someone could look after him.

(iv) Choose an expression similar in meaning to ‘you can even hear a leaf fall’.

Answer: D. Pin drop silence

(v) State one advantage and one disadvantage of the Grandfather living in the house in town.

2. Read the following extract and answer the questions.

“I had a quiet morning, but I don’t know about Ravi. He just disappeared instead of staying at home to look after me like you told him to,” answered Grandpa coolly, while Ravi just looked confused and embarrassed.

Grandpa had another surprise for Ravi. A gift-wrapped parcel!

“But, Papa, Ravi’s birthday was three months ago. Have you forgotten?” exclaimed Ravi’s mother, impatiently.

(i) Choose the option that displays the tone of the Grandfather’s response.

Answer: C. Calm

Grandpa answers “coolly”, showing that he remains calm and composed while speaking about Ravi.

(ii) Why was Ravi confused and embarrassed?

Answer: Ravi was confused because Grandpa claimed that he had spent a quiet morning, even though Ravi knew that Grandpa had gone out and that he had secretly followed him. Ravi was embarrassed because Grandpa mentioned in front of his mother that Ravi had disappeared instead of staying at home to look after him. Ravi did not know whether Grandpa was unaware of his actions or was deliberately teasing him.

(iii) Complete the sentence with a suitable reason.

Ravi’s mother was impatient because she thought that Grandpa had forgotten Ravi’s birthday, which had occurred three months earlier.

(iv) State whether the following sentence is true or false.

Statement: Grandfather forgot that Ravi’s birthday was three months ago.

Answer: False.

Grandpa had not forgotten Ravi’s birthday. He deliberately explained that he always gave a gift to every child in the house on his own birthday. His gift to Ravi was therefore a separate birthday tradition.

(v) Why did Grandpa say he didn’t know what kind of morning Ravi might have had?

Answer: Grandpa said this because Ravi had disappeared instead of staying at home with him as his mother had instructed. Grandpa was aware that Ravi had secretly followed him, but he chose to speak indirectly and humorously rather than reveal Ravi’s actions.

II. Answer the following questions.

1. Grandpa is portrayed as a person with failing memory in the beginning of the story. Give two evidences to disprove the statement.

Answer: Grandpa's actions later in the story show that his memory is not necessarily failing. First, he remembers his habit of giving a gift to every child in the house on his birthday and gives gifts to Ravi, his daughter, and his son-in-law. Second, he remembers Ravi's actions during the day and gives him a detective story containing advice about following a suspect without being fooled. His mischievous behaviour also suggests that he is mentally alert.

2. Give two characteristic traits of each of the following characters.

Explanation: Grandpa is generous because he gives gifts to everyone in the family and is willing to share his cap with a stranger. Ravi is caring because he follows Grandpa to ensure his safety, and he is curious because he behaves like a detective. Ravi's mother is concerned and protective because she worries about Grandpa's safety and does not want him to go out alone.

3. Why was Ravi worried about what Grandfather had at the tea stall?

Answer: Ravi was worried because Grandpa consumed things that his mother had forbidden him to have at home. Grandpa drank a sugary cup of tea, ate two bananas, and then had an ice cream. Ravi knew that his mother would be extremely upset if she saw Grandpa eating these things.

4. Do you think it was easy for Ravi to follow his Grandfather? If yes, why? If no, why not?

Answer: No, it was not easy for Ravi to follow his grandfather. Ravi had to remain hidden so that Grandpa would not notice him. He hid behind a bush, a banyan tree, and a car, and even had to crawl and duck behind benches. He was also questioned and scolded by people in the park and near the tea stall. Later, he had to run after Grandpa when he boarded a bus. Thus, following him was tiring, embarrassing, and difficult.

5. ‘Ravi is a good detective’. Give one argument in favour of and against the given statement.

Conclusion: Ravi shows enthusiasm and determination like a detective, but his mistakes show that he still has much to learn.

6. Was Grandfather aware that Ravi was following him? How do you know?

Answer: Yes, Grandpa was most probably aware that Ravi was following him. The strongest evidence is the detective story he gave Ravi at the end. He specifically mentioned that it contained tips about how to avoid getting fooled when trailing a suspect. Grandpa's mischievous twinkle also suggests that he knew what Ravi had been doing and was teasing him without directly exposing him.

7. In your opinion, who needs Vitamin-M? And why?

Answer: In the story, Ravi's mother is the person Grandpa jokingly suggests needs Vitamin-M because of her memory. She had forgotten that Grandpa's birthday tradition was to give a gift to every child in the house. More broadly, the story suggests that people should not judge older people only by their age or assume that they are incapable of remembering, deciding, or acting independently.

8. Some people believe society shows bias based on age (being young or old). Give an example where you might have experienced or observed such discrimination, when opinions were disregarded because of age.

Answer: Age-based discrimination can occur when people ignore someone's opinion simply because they are young or old. For example, an elderly person's suggestion about handling a family matter may be dismissed because others assume that the person is too old to understand modern situations. Similarly, a young person's useful idea may be ignored because people think that the person lacks experience. Such behaviour is unfair because the value of an opinion should depend on its reasoning and usefulness, not merely on a person's age.