Page 7 - Success Plus English Language and Literature Class 10

Discursive Passages
12 marks each
Solved Exercises
1. the jungle grandmother of kerala
1. January 2018 saw the announcement of
the list of Padma awardees. 75-year-old
tribal woman Lakshmikutty from Kerala,
popularly known as ‘Vanamuthassi’
(Grandmother of the Jungle), was
recognised by the Central Government
for her contributions as a healer and
practitioner of herbal medicine.
2. Lakshmikutty lives deep in the forest of
Kallar in Thiruvananthapuram district.
A poet, poison healer and teacher at
Kerala Folklore Academy, Lakshmikutty’s
determination and persistence made her the
only tribal girl from her village to attend
school in the 1950s.
3. In an interview, she said, “I still wonder
how I went to school. I was persistent
that I go to school and my father finally
had to agree.” Lakshmikutty would walk
ten kilometres every day to get to school,
accompanied by two boys from her village.
However, she could not study beyond
Class 8 as her school did not have higher
education.
4. Her mother, who was a midwife, passed
on all her knowledge of herbal medicine to
Lakshmikutty, who now prepares as many
as 500 herbal medicines from memory. She
is known to have helped cure thousands of
people.
A Answer the following questions based on the passage you have just read.
1. What made Lakshmikutty so special as a child?
2. Where did Lakshmikutty learn her medical skills from?
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5. In 1995, Lakshmikutty was noticed by
people beyond the confines of her forest
when she received the Naattu Vaidya
Rathna award (award for naturopathy)
from the Kerala government.
6. From snakebites to injuries to diseases,
Lakshmikutty treats all ailments. She
even gives lectures on natural medicine at
various institutions across the five southern
states.
7. According to her, the dream is to convert
her humble hut into a small hospital, where
patients requiring long-term treatment
can stay and be treated till they are fully
healthy.
8. Beyond the world of natural medicine,
Lakshmikutty is also known for her
satirical poems and writings. She has
written numerous articles ranging from
tribal culture to the forests, which have
been published as books.
9. Despite all her achievements, the
septuagenarian says, “The outer world has
given me a lot – awards, honour, published
books and so on. But I want to stay here.
To live in the forest, you need courage.”
(4 × 2 = 8 marks)