One morning I woke up with a sore throat. When I swallowed, I felt great pain. I
had a terrible headache too.
My mother decided that I should skip school that day. She was going to take me
to see a doctor.

At 9.00 a.m., my mother and I took the bus to the doctor’s clinic. We waited for
a while to see the doctor. There were many patients waiting to see him. The
waiting room was full. Many people were coughing and sneezing. It was flu season!

Finally, it was my turn. Dr Mathur examined me carefully. I had a slight fever.

The doctor said that all my symptoms indicated that I was coming down with the flu.
The doctor prescribed an oral medicine. He told me to drink as many fluids as
possible and to gargle with hot water and salt at bedtime.

Dr Mathur gave me a certificate so I could be absent from school for a couple of
days.

My grandmother made me drink a glass of warm milk with a teaspoon of turmeric
dissolved in it. Twice a day, I also drank hot water boiled with tulsi leaves and ginger.

I took the medicine diligently. I rested for a couple of days and gargled and drank
warm fluids.

Soon I was well again!

A) Written exercise
Use your imagination to complete these sentences.
Example: My friend . . .
My friend has gone to her village.
My friend is celebrating her birthday today.
1. I have never . . .
2. I would like to . . .
3. I once dreamt that . . .
4. When it is very hot . . .
5. . . . makes me hungry.

B) Points for discussion
1. If you had a business, what would it be?
Would you run a shop?
If so, what would you sell?
Does someone in your family own a shop? If so, what do they sell?
2. What is your favourite meal? Is it breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Why is it your favourite meal?
Do you make this meal yourself?

C) Words that describe a person, place, or thing are adjectives or describing words.
They make our conversation and writing more interesting.
Example: The beautiful park is filled with colourful flowers.
Fill in the blanks with adjectives:
1. My brother is very __.
2. We should keep our city __.
3. A __ boy helped the __ woman to cross the __ road.
4. I do not like this purple kurta because my favourite colour is __.
5. Ram tells __ jokes and makes us laugh.
6. The film was __ even though it had a __ ending which made me cry.
7. I see a __ sky. I know it is going to rain.
8. Her dog is __. He frightens the __ squirrels in the park.
9. It is so __ today that I need a __ bath.
10. I love butterflies. They are __. They have __ wings.

D) Poem
I Asked the Little Boy Who Cannot See

I asked the little boy who cannot see,
“And what is colour like?”
“Why, green,” said he,
“Is like the rustle when the wind blows through
The forest; running water, that is blue;
And red is like a trumpet sound; and pink
Is like the smell of roses; and I think
That purple must be like a thunderstorm;
And yellow is like something soft and warm;
And white is a pleasant stillness when you lie
And dream.”

1) What is your favourite colour?
2) What do you associate or connect with this colour?
3) Write ‘orange’ and ‘black’ on a piece of paper. What events, stories, feelings,
or sounds do you associate with these colours?
4) How would you describe black and orange to someone who cannot see?
5) Did you like the poem? If so, why?

Revised July 2020

Audio courtesy Tara Kriplani: