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Unit 05: Character Building
How Much Land Does A Man Need?
English II (C)
For Class XII (All Groups)
How Much Land Does A Man Need?
(BY Leo Tolstoy)
Pre-Reading
EXERCISE 01:Answer the following questions:
1. What do you think the title 'How Much Land Does a Man Need?' suggest?
Ans: The title suggests a question about human greed and contentment. It hints that no matter how much a person owns, he may still want more, and that in the end, a man needs only a little — just enough to be buried in.
2. Based on the title, what do you predict might be the main conflict in the story?
Ans: The main conflict is likely internal — between a man's desire for more and his inability to be satisfied. It may also involve the consequences of excessive greed and how it can lead to destruction.
3. Think about stories or fables you've heard where characters desire for more and more of something. Share with your classmates the moral you learn from them.
Ans: Here are some examples of stories or fables and their morals about characters who desire for more and more of something:
1. The Goose and the Golden Eggs: A farmer has a goose that lays golden eggs. He becomes greedy and kills the goose to get all the gold at once, but finds no eggs inside.
Moral: Greed can lead to losing what you already have.
2. King Midas and the Golden Touch: King Midas wishes everything he touches to turn to gold. He soon realizes that his greed makes him unable to eat or touch his loved ones.
Moral: Greed can make you blind to the true value of what you already possess.
3. The Fisherman and the Golden Fish: A fisherman catches a magical fish that grants wishes. His wife becomes increasingly greedy, demanding more and more, until the fish stops granting wishes altogether.
Moral: Greed can lead to losing everything.
4. The Ant and the Grasshopper: The grasshopper spends summer singing and not preparing for winter, while the ant works hard storing food. When winter comes, the grasshopper is hungry and regrets his greed for leisure.
Moral: Hard work and moderation are better than greed and laziness.
5. Greedy Dog: The dog had a bone but wanted another when he saw his reflection. He lost what he had.
Moral: The moral is: Greed leads to loss.
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While-Reading
EXERCISE 02:Work in pairs.Write the contextual meaning of the following words.
| Words | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Grew tired of | Became bored or frustrated with something over time. |
| To look after | To take care of or manage something or someone. |
| To reckon it out | To calculate or figure something out (like distance, time, or amount). |
| Go around on your feet | To walk from place to place; to travel by walking. |
| Get round | To complete a round trip; to return to the starting point. |
| Dispersed for | Scattered in different directions for a purpose (e.g., people going for work). |
| Saw through | Understood the real meaning or intention behind something. |
| Flashed above | Quickly appeared or became visible in the sky (like the setting sun) |
| Done up with | Exhausted or extremel tired; having. no energy left. |
| Giving way | Losing strength or contro;: about to collapse or fall down. |
EXERCISE 03:
Read the statements and choose the correct option.
1. One of the following objects used as metaphor in this story is _____.
(a) Sun
(b) Land ✔
(c) Spade
(d) fur cap
2. Pahom takes _____ with him as he starts measuring the land.
(a) a spade ✔
(b) a compass
(c) a map
(d) a sack of gold
3. The story expresses an irony on human's _____.
(a) success
(b) humility
(c) worldly possessions ✔
(d) desire to grasp more
4. Which of the following proverbs befit the message of the story?
(a) Tit for tat
(b) What you give, repays you
(c) Pride goes before a fall
(d) Greed is a bottomless pit ✔
5. Which of the following characteristics are found in Pahom?
(a) Unsatisfied and desirous ✔
(b) Contented and proud
(c) Humble and kind
(d) Wise and watchful
6. How does Pahom mark the land as he walks?
(a) He digs holes and piles up turf ✔
(b) He plants flags
(c) He piles the mud
(d) He digs holes and sows seeds
7. "Though it will make my land lopsided, I must hurry back in a straight line now...." the underlined word means.
(a) Balanced
(b) Uneven ✔
(c) Straight
(d) Round
8. The length of Pahom's grave at the end of the story symbolizes_____.
(a) His will for a simple burial
(b) His humility in death
(c) The irony of his greed for land ✔
(d) The Bashkirs' respect for his achievement
EXERCISE 04:
Answer the following questions after reading the text:
Q.l: What moral / lesson do you learn from the story of Pahom? Ans: The story teaches that greed can lead to one's downfall. Pahom was never satisfied with what he had and always wanted to get more land. In the end of the story, his uncontrolled desire for land caused his tragic death. Loe Tolstoy shows the message that humans often ruin themselves by wanting too much without any limit.
Moral: Be content with what you have, or you may lose everything chasing more.
Q.2: What urged Pahom to abandon his well-settled life and desire for more land?
Ans: Pahom heard from a man passing by that much land was for sale and the land was too good. Then, Pahom sold his land, homestead, and cattle and moved his family to the new settlement. This planted a seed of desire in his mind. He thought that if he had more land, all his problems would be solved. His increasing ambition and greed pushed him to leave his comfortable life in search of more land and wealth.
Q.3: Describe what thoughts Pahom had about grasping the land?
Ans: Pahom believed that the more land he owned, the happier, richer, and more powerful he would be. When he heard about the Bashkirs' offer_ thirteen thousand acres of land for only one thousand rubbles, he imagined owning a huge area and dreamed of endless fields, crops, and profit. His thoughts were filled with greed and avariciousness, with no concern for limits or danger.
Q.4: What strategy did Pahom use to mark the land that he covered while walking on it?
Ans: As Pahom walked, he dug small holes and placed pegs (sticks or markers) in the ground to show the corners of the land he was claiming. He tried to make a square or large loop, returning to the starting point by the sunset to make the land legally his.
Q.5: How did Pahom's attitude change, from being confident to fear of losing both life and land, as he went on in measuring the land?
Ans: At first, Pahom felt strong, excited, and confident, believing he could easily cover a massive area. But as the day went on, the sun got hotter, his body grew tired, and he realized he had gone too far. Fear gripped him, he was worried that he wouldn't make it back in time and would lose both the land and his life. He became desperate, panicked, and exhausted at the end of the story.
Q.6: Do you think Pahom was pushing himself too hard while walking to cover as much land as possible? How?
Ans: Yes, Pahom was pushing himself far beyond his physical energy and limits. Despite signs of fatigue, thirst, and pain, he kept walking and extending his route to claim more land. Even when he knew he might not make it back by the sunset, he chose greed over caution, ultimately collapsing from exhaustion just as he reached the finish line.
Q.7: Why was the Chief of Bashkirs laughing on Pahom's efforts?
Ans: The Chief laughed because he saw how foolish and desperate Pahom became in trying to claim more land. From the Chiefs point of view, it was obvious that Pahom's greed was leading him to destruction. The Chiefs laughter was not out of joy, but a reflection of how ironic and tragic human greed can be.
Q.8: What does the ending of the story reveal about Pahom's character?
Ans: The ending reveals that Pahom is blinded by greed and ignores all warnings and limits. He risks everything for more land and ends up with nothing but a grave. It shows that he lacks self-control, contentment, and wisdom, and that his downfall is caused by his own choices and the character flaw is uncontrolled greed.
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Post-Reading
EXERCISE 05:Following table contains the events / Incidents occurring in the above-story. Read the story carefully and give numbers to the events / incidents in proper order as they occur in the story.
| No. | Event / Incident |
|---|---|
| 5 | He marks on the land by digging a hole and piling the turf on it. |
| 7 | He feels tired and exhausted yet does not stop from running to grasp more. |
| 9. | Out of exhaustion, fatigue and tiredness, he loses his breath and dies. |
| 10 | He is buried in the grave of six feet. |
| 6 | He runs hard to grasp as much land as possible when sun is above his head. |
| 8 | He feels he would not be able to reach at the starting point when the sun is about to set. |
| 4 | Bakhsir's chief shares the terms and conditions for the land purchase. |
| 3 | Bakhshir receive him and serve him with delicious food. |
| 2 | Pahom Sells his land, homestead, and other things to buy the land beyond Volga. |
| 1 | Pahom is introduced to the reader. |
Answer: Event / Incident in Proper Order
1. Pahom is introduced to the reader.
2. Pahom Sells his land, homestead, and other things to buy the land beyond Volga.
3. Bakhshir receive him and serve him with delicious food.
4. Bakhsir's chief shares the terms and conditions for the land purchase.
5. He marks on the land by digging a hole and piling the turf on it.
6. He runs hard to grasp as much land as possible when sun is above his head.
7. He feels tired and exhausted yet does not stop from running to grasp more.
8. He feels he would not be able to reach at the starting point when the sun is about to set.
9. Out of exhaustion, fatigue and tiredness, he loses his breath and dies.
10. He is buried in the grave of six feet.
EXERCISE 06:
Read each statement below and write T for true or F for false.
| No. | Statement | True/False |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Pahom was a wealthy landowner who was satisfied with his land. | F |
| 2. | Pahom heard about fertile land beyond the Volga from a passing traveler. | -T |
| 3. | After selling his land and cattle, Pahom moved his family to new settlement. | T |
| 4. | Pahom was content with his new land and did not want any more. | F |
| 5. | A land dealer told Pahom that he could buy land from the Bashkirs for a very low price. | T |
| 6. | The bashkirs sold land by the acre, and Pahom knew exactly how much he could buy. | F |
| 7. | Pahom was required to return to the starting point before sunset to keep the land he covered. | T |
| 8. | Pahom took many breaks during his land measuring journey. | F |
| 9. | Pahom was able to successfully return to the starting point before the sun set. | T |
| 10. | Pahom died of exhaustion just as he reached the cap marking the end of his journey. | T |
EXERCISE 07:
Match the sentences of actions by Pahom in column A with the reasons in column B and write the complete statements in your notebook.
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| Pahom was not satisfied with his forty acres of land | Because he imagined the riches that owning more land could bring him. |
| Pahom decided to sell his homestead and move to the new settlement | Because he wanted to increase his harvest and earn more profit. |
| APahom was motivated to seek out the Bashkirs' land | Because he was driven by greed and the desire to claim as much land as possible. |
| Pahom felt a growing sense of urgency | Because he heard it was available at an incredibly low price. |
| Pahom ultimately collapsed and died | Because he believed that more land would lead to greater prosperity. |
| Pahom ignored his physical limits during his journey. | Because he was enticed by the tales of fertile land beyond the Volga. |
| Pahom felt a sense of excitement and hope. | Because the sun was setting, and he needed to return to the starting point to secure his land. |
| Pahom rented additional land for wheat cultivation. | Because he pushed himself too hard in his quest for more land. |
Answer: Statements:
1. Pahom was not satisfied with his forty acres of land because he believed that more land would lead to greater prosperity.
2. Pahom decided to sell his homestead and move to the new settlement because he was enticed by the tales of fertile land beyond the Volga.
3. Pahom was motivated to seek out the Bashkirs' land because he heard it was available at an incredibly low price.
4. Pahom felt a growing sense of urgency because the sun was setting, and he needed to return to the starting point to secure his land.
5. Pahom ultimately collapsed and died because he pushed himself too hard in his quest for more land.
6. Pahom ignored his physical limits during his journey. because he was driven by greed and the desire to claim as much land as possible.
7. Pahom felt a sense of excitement and hope. because he imagined the riches that owning more land could bring him.
8. Pahom rented additional land for wheat cultivation. because he wanted to increase his harvest and earn more profit.
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