Something Unexpected Happens - II
- from Heidi
by Johanna Spyri (Roots)
Comprehension
Read and answer
1. Put a tick (✓) against the things that Clara and Heidi saw on the mountainside.
a. roses. [ ]
b. clear sky. [✓]
c. white clouds. [ ]
d. a dog. [ ]
e. a crow. [ ]
f. snow. [ ]
g. a field. [ ]
h. a cows. [ ]
i. cistus flowers. [✓]
j. roses. [ ]
2. Arrange these sentences in the correct order.
a. Grandfather asks Peter if he has seen the chair. [1]
b. Heidi goes to the field of flowers. [3]
c. Heidi wants Clara to see the field of flowers. [4]
d. Clara sits on the shawls spread out by Grandfather. [2]
e. Heidi and Peter help Clara walk without her chair. [5]
Reference to context
3. "Oh Heidi, it is lovely, it is lovely!" Clara cried, looking round her."
a. Where are Clara and Heidi?
= Clara and Heidi are on the sunny slope of the hill.
b. Who else is with them?
= Heidi's Grandfather is with them.
c. What does Clara find lovely?
= Clara finds the surroundings lovely.
4. "Oh, you must come," she said excitedly, "it is more beautiful than you can imagine. I can help you walk."
a. Who is 'she'? Who is she talking to?
= 'She' is Heidi.
She is talking to Clara.
b. Describe the place that she is talking about.
= It is a field of flowers. There are lots of shining yellow cistus flowers among many others.
c. Whom does 'she' want to help walk? How does 'she' do that?
='She' wants to help Clara walk.
'She' looked round and saw Peter sitting up above, looking down them. Heidi called Peter to come to them and help her to hold Clara to walk.
5. "Put your foot down firmly once," suggested Heidi, "I am sure it will hurt you less after that."
a. Why was it difficult to take Clara to the beautiful place?
= It was difficult to take Clara to the beautiful place because she could not walk of her own. She used her wheelchair to move. Clara was up one side and down the other because Peter and Heidi were of different heights.
b. Did Clara listen to Heidi's suggestion? What did she do?
= Yes, Clara listened to Heidi's suggestion.
She put one step on the ground and then another.
c. Did the suggestion help Clara? Give reasons for your answer.
= Yes, the suggestion helped Clara.
It was less painful. She tried again.
6. "Try again," said Heidi. And Clara went on putting one foot after another until all at once she called out, "I can do it, Heidi! Look! Look! I can take proper steps!"
a. What did Heidi ask Clara to try again? What does this tell us about Heidi?
= Heidi asked Clara to try again because Clara was feeling less painful.
This tells that Heidi is very supportive towards her friends.
b. What happened after Clara kept putting one foot after another?
= After Clara kept putting one foot after another, she was able to take proper steps. Clara felt stronger with every step.
c. What according to Clara is the greatest joy in the world?
= According to Clara, to be strong and able to walk like other people, is the greatest joy in the world.
Reflect and answer
7. Do you think Grandfather knows what happened to the chair? Give reasons for your answer.
= Yes, I think Grandfather knows what happened to the chair. Because when they reached the spot where the goats usually pastured, they were surprised to find them already feeding there, and Peter with them. He suspected that Peter had done something to the chair. He asked Peter if he had seen the chair or not. Peter refused and then he said no more.
8. Why do you think Peter agreed to help Heidi and Clara?
= I think Peter agreed to help Heidi and Clara because Heidi had talked to him at last. And may be he was feeling bad for his misdeed. So he helped Heidi and Clara to get rid of the hard feeling.
9. Would Clara's life be any different after she starts walking? How?
= Yes, Clara's life would be totally different after she start walking.
Now she can walk of her own. She doesn't need the wheelchair anymore. She doesn't need anyone's help. She can go wherever she likes and enjoy her life.
About the Author :
Johanna Spyri (1827-1901), a nature lover, was born in a small village in Switzerland. She shifted to Zurich after her marriage. Just like her most famous character, Heidi, Spyri was never really happy with life in the city. She wrote many other books but Heidi remains her most popular work. It has been translated into 50 languages, and even made into films and cartoon shows for television. There is even a Heidi Village in Switzerland.