MAK LABS — Std 9 English 3.2 Reading Works of Art

1Complete the following idioms using the appropriate colour term (blue, black, green, red).

give someone a black look (a look of anger, dislike, etc.)
out of the blue (suddenly, unexpectedly)
black sheep (a person who brings disgrace to the family)
once in a blue moon (very rarely)
a black list (a list of defaulters)
a green belt (area of fields, woods, etc. around a city)
vanish into the blue (leave without any trace)
blue blood (royal blood, aristocratic origin)
blue eyed boy (favourite person)
to have green fingers (be good at gardening)
catch someone red handed (catch someone in the act of doing something wrong)
be green with envy (feel very jealous)
roll out the red carpet (give a special welcome)
give someone/get the green signal (give/get permission to do something)
a bolt from the blue (a sudden shock, surprise)
a red herring (something that diverts attention from the main issue)
see red (become angry)

2What are you reminded of when you think of the following colours: purple, orange, yellow, pink, white.

Purple: Royalty, luxury, mystery, and magic.
Orange: Energy, enthusiasm, beautiful sunsets, and oranges (fruit).
Yellow: Bright sunshine, happiness, sunflowers, and friendship.
Pink: Sweetness, delicate flowers like lotuses or roses, and affection.
White: Purity, peace, cleanliness, innocence, and fluffy clouds.

1Spot the error in the spelling of the following words with reference to the passage and rewrite them correctly.

Incorrect Spelling	Correct Spelling
renouned	renowned
feetures	features
tribel	tribal
circals	circles
geomatric	geometric
figars	figures
mithology	mythology
acheiving	achieving
penting	painting
innar	inner
erthen	earthen
diffarent	different
vilage	village
mediam	medium
dicided	decided

2Complete the following with reference to the passage: Characteristic features of Raza's paintings.

Simple geometric shapes
Striking colour combinations
Captivating compositions

3Complete the following diagram for Gond art.

Developed and preserved by: Gond tribal people
A medium of: recording and preserving what is seen
Preparing the canvas (medium): you yourself prepare the canvas
Preparing colour: using soils of different shades, juice of plants, leaves, tree bark, flowers, fruits, coal, and cow-dung
Outlines: may vary a little from artist to artist
Variation in drawing: a picture drawn this way or the other can look equally beautiful
Texture designs: achieved using dots, straight lines, dotted lines, curvy shapes and circles

4Complete the following with reference to the passage.

(a) Raza's paintings do not depict lifelike human figures or copies of scenes from his environment.
(b) Raza's paintings are done in the abstract style.
(c) Raza's paintings are not inspired by any external factor.
(d) Raza's paintings present images from his own inner mind.
(e) Raza's paintings radiate peace and life at the same time.
(f) The 'bindu' or point became the core of Raza's paintings.
(g) For an artist like Raza, his work, or paintings are an effective medium of communication.

5Write about the following important features of Gond art with the help of the passage.

Gond art is a rich tribal art developed and preserved by the Gond people residing largely in Central India (Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha). Originally, it was drawn on earthen walls to decorate houses. A unique feature is that artists naturally prepare their own canvases and colours using soils, plant juices, leaves, tree bark, flowers, and even cow-dung. While outlines may vary among artists, they fill the pictures with lively designs using dots, straight lines, curvy shapes, and circles, creating an amazingly beautiful overall effect.

6Why does the author think that the roots of folk art lie in women's chores?

The author believes that the roots of folk art likely lie in women's daily chores because historically, women were the ones who cleaned and decorated their houses. Furthermore, they regularly dealt with natural colours in the course of cooking and engaged in artistic creation during their leisure time activities.

7From the passages, list the words related to (a) geometry (b) colours (c) designs.

(a) geometry: geometric shapes, circles, triangles, squares, rectangles, lines, points, dots.
(b) colours: orange, blue, shades, paint.
(c) designs: compositions, patterns, textures, outlines.

8Compare the points for a book review, a review of a play, and a review of a painting. Present the comparison in the form of a chart.

Points	Book Review	Review of a Play	Review of a Painting
The creator	Author / Writer	Playwright / Director	Artist / Painter
Theme or subject matter	Plot and Storyline	Story and central conflict	Visual theme / Subject of the art
Type of art	Fiction / Non-fiction genre	Tragedy, Comedy, Skit	Abstract, Portrait, Landscape, Tribal
Individual style	Narrative voice, tone, vocabulary	Acting style, pacing, stage direction	Brush strokes, choice of medium, aesthetic
Presentation techniques	Chapters, dialogue, descriptions	Lighting, sets, costumes, sound	Colour combinations, geometry, textures
Its effect on viewers	Engages imagination and empathy	Elicits live emotional response	Radiates mood (e.g., peace, energy) visually
Message or interpretation	Moral lesson or philosophical idea	Social commentary or dramatic irony	Expression of inner mind or nature's mysteries

9Using the information given in the passage, write a short note on the following in your mother tongue: (a) The paintings of Raza (b) Gond art.

Note for Students: You must translate the English summaries provided below into your mother tongue (e.g., Marathi or Hindi) as a practice activity.

Summary of Raza's paintings: Raza was a renowned Indian artist famous for his abstract style. His paintings did not show real-life figures. Instead, he used simple geometric shapes (circles, triangles) and striking colours like blue and orange. His paintings expressed his deep inner thoughts and radiated peace.

Summary of Gond art: Gond art is a traditional tribal folk art from Central India. Originally drawn on mud walls, the art uses natural colours made from soil, leaves, and cow-dung. It features beautiful textures created using dots and lines, making every picture look incredibly attractive and lively.

10Gather information on any one of the following... and write a short note on it in English.

A special dish prepared on a special occasion at home: Puran Poli

In Maharashtra, 'Puran Poli' is a very special and traditional sweet flatbread prepared during major festivals like Holi, Gudi Padwa, and Diwali. The dish has two main parts: the 'Puran' (the sweet stuffing) and the 'Poli' (the outer covering). The Puran is made by boiling chana dal (split yellow gram) and mashing it with jaggery, cardamom powder, and a pinch of nutmeg for flavour. The Poli is a dough made from wheat flour and sometimes a little refined flour. The sweet Puran is stuffed inside a small dough ball, rolled out flat, and roasted on a hot griddle with plenty of pure ghee. It is typically served hot with extra ghee or milk. The process of making it is an art passed down through generations, and its sweet aroma instantly brings a festive atmosphere to the entire house.

11Find one example of an adjective clause, an adverb clause, and a noun clause from the passages. Note the linking word.

Adjective clause: "...the designs that fill it make the whole picture look lively..."
(Linking word: that)
Adverb clause: "When we see these pictures, we realise..."
(Linking word: When)
Noun clause: "...we realise that a picture drawn this way or the other can look equally beautiful."
(Linking word: that)

3.2 Reading Works of Art

Warming Up!

English Workshop