AP Board 7th Class English Solutions Unit 1 My Painted House, Friendly Chicken and Me

SCERT AP 7th Class English Government Textbook Answers Unit 1 My Painted House, Friendly Chicken and Me Textbook Questions and Answers.

AP State Syllabus 7th Class English Unit 1 Questions and Answers My Painted House, Friendly Chicken and Me

7th Class English Unit 1 My Painted House, Friendly Chicken and Me Textbook Questions and Answers

Observe the picture. Discuss and answer the questions.

Question 1.
Where are the children?
Answer:
The children are near their houses.

Question 2.
Is it a village or a town? Why?
Answer:
It is a village. It is not a town. The houses, the location and the animals reflect a village scene.

Question 3.
What are the boys looking at?
Answer:
The boys are looking at the animals and eggs.

Question 4.
Are the children friendly with the animals? Discuss.
Answer:
Yes, the children are friendly with the animals. They are helping the animals in different ways.

Question 5.
What are the children doing?
Answer:
The children are spending their time with the animals and birds.

Questions Given in the Lesson

Possible answers to the questions given in the middle of the lesson and at the end:

Question 1.
What’s in a name?
Find out more about your name. Does it have a special meaning? Share it with your classmates.
Answer:
My name is Nageswara Rao. It has a special meaning. Two Hindu deities are there in my name. ‘Naga’ means ‘Naga Devatha’ and ‘Eswara’ means ‘Lord Parameshwara’.

Question 2.
Can you think of some pictures that can be drawn with a feather?
Answer:
We can draw pictures of birds, moon, stars, sun, sky, all the things related to nature, different designs and a number of other things with a feather.

Question 3.
How are colours used to decorate the houses in villages during festivals?
Answer:
The villagers decora their houses with different colours during festivals. Most of them use dark colours which bring life to the painting. They paint the pictures of deities, some designs, circles, symbols, etc. on the walls of their houses and celebrate the festivals happily.

Question 4.
Where do you see such pictures?
Answer:
I find those pictures in the exhibitions and in the shops located in pilgrimage places.

Question 5.
List out the activities done by Ndebele women.
Answer:
i) They paint their houses with colourful and intricate patterns.
ii) They make good things with beads.
iii) They perform their household chores with love and affection.
iv) They respect their ancestors and follow their tradition strictly.

Question 6.
How do you dress up on your birthday?
Answer:
I wear new dress brought by my father on the occasion of my birthday.

Question 7.
What do you like to wear on special occasions?
Answer:
I would like to wear specially designed clothes of different colours on special occasions.

Question 8.
Describe your village and say about the people living there in your own words.
Answer:
Our village is Machayapalem of Bellamkonda Madal, Guntur district. It is a picturesque village with narrow streets. Greenery is found everywhere. We have all kinds of animals as pets such as cats, dogs, cows, buffaloes, oxen, goats, sheep, hens, cocks, etc. in our village. Most of us live in thatched houses. Our villagers are friendly in nature. Most of them are farmers. Though we lead an ordinary life, we are always happy. We come together and celebrate the festivals. I love to live in my village.

Question 9.
Describe your best friend. What characteristics make a good friend?
Answer:
Amith is my best friend. He is honest and a true friend of mine. The characteristics such as reliability, honesty, kindness, individuality, helping nature, patience, generosity, trust, etc. make a person a good friend.

Reading Comprehension

A. Answer the following questions.

Question 1.
Who is Thandi? Who is her best friend?
Answer:
Thandi is a girl who belongs to the tribe of Ndebele from Zimbabwe and north-eastern South Africa. Thandi’s best friend is her chicken.

Question 2.
How does Thandi snatch a feather from her chicken?
Answer:
Thandi snatches a feather very quickly when the chicken is distracted and does not notice.

Question 3.
What are the two hopes of Thandi?
Answer:
The two hopes are : (1) her name which means hope and (2) At the end of the story she can say ‘Good-bye friend’, not ‘Good-bye stranger-friend’.

Question 4.
Why do you think Ndebele people do not call anything beautiful?
Answer:
Because they live in a different world. They live away from common people.

Question 5.
According to Thandi, what are some of the points to be kept in mind while painting?
Answer:
The points to be kept in mind while painting are: (1) You have to have strong eyes to paint well. (2) Your hand must not shake like leaf on a tree (3) You must fill a chicken’s feather with paint and draw a line as straight as a spear. (4) You must have the pattern inside your head, even before you dip the feather into the paint.

Question 6.
Describe the clothing of Ndebele women.
Answer:
The clothing of Ndebele women is made of beads. They shine like stars while dancing.

Question 7.
Why couldn’t Thandi’s brother be friends with chicken?
Answer:
Thandi’s brother could not be friends with a chicken because he was not able to understand animals. He shouts at chickens and they run away from him.

Question 8.
What did Thandi say about her best friend, chicken?
Answer:
Thandi says that her best friend is her chicken. The chicken listens to her stories. Her feathers are used as brushes to paint. She always spends her time with Thandi. Thandi takes her in her arms and tells her many things.

B. Say whether the following statements are True/ False:

1. Thandi’s chicken listens to her stories and has other uses.
2. Ndebele people call everything beautiful.
3. All Ndebele women paint their houses.
4. Thandi’s father built them small houses, and her mother painted them.
5. Thandi’s brother is not so mischievous.
Answer:

1. True
2. False
3. True
4. True
5. False

C. You have read the story, ‘Painted House, Friendly Chicken and Me’.

Read the interesting aspects of village life shared by Thandi mentioned in the help box.

Help Box

• Thandi’s best friend
• String and sew
• Penny whistles and bicycles
• Hand must not shake like a leaf on a tree
• Amaphotho and ghabi
• Pretend to go inside small houses built by father
• You must have the pattern inside your head.
• One can tell all their secrets

Place the sentences under the right heading. One is done for you.

Answer:

Vocabulary

A. VISUALISE – Text to Mind

Read the following sentences taken from the story, locate the phrases that are highlighted /expressions / part.

You must have the pattern inside your head, even before you dip the feather into the paint. Here the highlighted part, ‘have the pattern inside your head’ means one should visualise or have clear picture before any work.

To Visualise means to form a picture of someone or something in your mind, in order to imagine or remember him, her, or it.

Activity : Visualise the text given and draw the picture of it. One is done for you.

Note : Students are advised to do this activity on their own.

Grammar

A. Read the following sentences from the story.

1. I don’t know why, but Ndebele people do not call anything beautiful.
2. ………… no one’s house is as good as my mother’s.
3. ………. he tries to get into everybody’s business.

The highlighted words use apostrophe (‘). Now guess the use of apostrophe.

Apostrophe ( ‘ ) can be confusing or tricky. However, they aren’t difficult to learn. Sometimes they form possessives and sometimes they form contractions. Here are some tips to remember.

Apostrophe for possessions:
1. For most singular nouns, add apostrophe + s :
The cat’s tail, the student’s book, the manager’s room

2. For most plural nouns, add only an apostrophe :
The cats’ tails (multiple cats), the students’ books (multiple students); the managers’ rooms (multiple managers)

Apostrophe for contractions:
A contraction is a shortened form of a word (or group of words) that omits certain letters or sounds. In a contraction, an apostrophe represents missing letters.
He would = He’d
They are = They’re
I have = I’ve
You cannot = You can’t

Exercise

A) Write the contraction for each pair of words. Example: should not – shouldn’t
1. are not _____
2. he is _____
3. I am _____
4. she will _____
Answer:
1) aren’t
2) he’s
3) I’m
4) she’ll

B) Complete each sentence. Write the possessive forms of the noun given in the brackets.
Eg : The baby’s doll is a new brand one. (baby)
1. This is _____ textbook. (Angel)
2. The _____ blanket is blue, (boy)
Answer:
1) Angel’s
2) boy’s

B. Present Perfect Tense :

Let’s consider the following sentences from the text which denote just completed actions.
1. She has started to teach me to paint good, very good designs.
2. I have enjoyed telling you about my village.

These actions are said to be in present perfect tense (have/has + past participle).

Here are some more examples of the present perfect tense (underlined):
1. Bobby has eaten the breakfast.
2. They have called the police.
3. Has she painted the wall?

The Present Perfect Tense is used for unfinished actions with stative verbs and finished actions with focus on present situation.

Positive	Positive Short Form (Contracted Form)
I have played.	I’ve played.
You have worked.	You’ve worked.
He has written.	He’s written.
She the has walked.	She’s walked.
It has rained.	It’s rained.
We ave travelled.	We’ve travelled.
They have studied.	They’ve studied.

Negative	Negative Short Form (Contracted Form)
I have hot eaten.	I haven’t eaten.
You have not been to America.	You haven’t been to America.
He has not seen.	He hasn’t seen.
She has not played.	She hasn’t played.
It has not gone.	It hasn’t gone.
We have not danced.	We haven’t danced.

Note : Contracted forms are used in spoken form not in written form.

Exercise

Fill in the blanks with the Present Perfect form of the verb. One is done for you.
Eg : I have worked (work) today.

1. I _____ (not/work) today.
2. We _____ (buy) a new lamp.
3. We _____ (not / plan) our holiday yet.
4. Where _____ (be / you) ?
5. He _____ (write) five letters.
6. She _____ (not / see) him for a long time.
7. _____ (be / you) at school ?
8. The school _____ (not / start) yet.
Answer:

1. have not worked
2. have bought
3. have not planned
4. have you been?
5. has written
6. has not seen
7. Have you been
8. has not started

Writing

A. Read the passage from the narrative/ story. Write a dialogue.

Hello Stranger-friend,

I am Thandi, an Ndebele girl in South Africa. I am eight years old, and my best friend is a chicken. You may laugh at that, but when I tell my friend secrets, she can talk all she wants… but no one can understand her… except another chicken, of course. My chicken not only listens to my stories; she has other uses. If you play with her and take her mind off what’s going on, you can quickly – very quickly – snatch a feather or two when she is distracted. She doesn’t notice, and the feathers will come in handy later, of course.

Complete the conversation.

Thandi : Hello! Stranger-friend!

Stranger-friend : Hello! What is your name?

Thandi : I am Thandi.

Stranger-friend : Where are you from?

Thandi : I am …………………..

Stranger-friend : …………………………. ?

Thandi : I am eight years old.

Stranger-friend : …………………….. best friend?

Thandi : ………………..

Thandi : Hello Stranger-friend !

Stranger-friend : ……………………. tell …………. ?

Thandi : Secrets.

Stranger-Mend : Can …………. understand your words?

Thandi : Yes, of course.

Stranger-Mend : What else do you do with your chicken?

Thandi : ……………………………………..

Stranger-Mend : How do you snatch her feathers?

Thandi : …………………………..
Answer:
Thandi : Hello! Stranger-friend!

Stranger-Mend : Hello! What is your name?

Thandi : I am Thandi.

Stranger-Mend : Where are you from?

Thandi : I am an Ndebele girl in South Africa.

Stranger-Mend : How old are you?

Thandi : I am eight years old.

Stranger-Mend : Who is your best friend?

Thandi : My best friend is my chicken.

Thandi : Hello Stranger-friend!

Stranger-Mend : What would you tell your chicken (best friend)?

Thandi : Secrets.

Stranger-Mend : Can the chicken understand your words?

Thandi : Yes, of course.

Stranger-Mend : What else do you do with your chicken?

Thandi : I will use her feathers to paint.

Stranger-Mend : How do you snatch her feathers?

Thandi : I snatch her feathers when she does not notice.

B. Letter Writing : (Informal Letter)
Read the letter written to a friend describing the beauty of her1 village and the people living in it.

Gandhipuram. Feb 01, 2021. Dear Gayatri,I hope this letter finds you in good health.My village is near Anantapuram. It is about 100 kilometres away from the district headquarters. We have fresh air, water, and a clean environment in my village. My village is beautiful with many green fields, cattle and mango trees. We are the leading producers of mango, coconut and also tamarind. We get pure honey and ghee as well. We play in the sandy beach every evening. My friends and 1 play many Indian games that are forgotten those days like marbles, Kho- Kho, Kabaddi, etc.The villagers are helpful and cooperative to one another. We like to celebrate different occasions. We are peace-loving people. We enjoy holidays with relatives and friends. My village is a land of relations that follows the traditions and culture inherited from our ancestors. Please convey my regards to aunt and uncle. Awaiting your reply.Yours lovingly, Razia

Now, imagine you are Gayatri and write a reply letter describing the village/ locality you live in.

Answer:

Reply Letter Bhaskarnagar. Feb 7, 2021. Dear Razia, I have just got your letter this month. I knew from your letter about your town. Now it is my turn to write about me. You know that I live at Guntur. It is my hometown. It is one of the wonderful places. There are a lot of historical places. In fact, it is very beautiful, and neat and clean. There are many big shops and you can buy many things you want. The climate is pleasant. This village is famous for rich culture. On every Makara Sankranti, there will be a lot of people because there will have the bullfight. This is one of the traditional cultures. As I know this culture is given by our ancestors for 200 years. A lot of tourists come to see and enjoy. Guntur is famous for fairs. Though it is a city, It is full of greenery, farmland is full of crops and farmers are busy in their fields, trying to produce more, and more crops to be able to feed more and more people. There is no scarcity of pure milk and fresh vegetables. Guntur is famous for red chillies and pickles. People are friendly and very much concerned with each other. I send you a lot of photos of Guntur, You will know all about my town. 1 hope to hear from you soon. Yours lovingly, Gayatri.

C. Write a letter to Thandi. Describe similarities and differences between yours and her hopes, likes, dislikes and her games so that you may become good \ friends.
Answer

Guntur. July 5, 2021. Deatj Thandi,I am Mohana. I became your friend after reading your story. Now I am not your stranger friend. I am your dear friend. I want to share something with you and write this letter. I hope you are doing well.I understand that you want a life with freedom and want to be friends with animals find birds. I also have the same interest. I always spend my time with doves and hens at home. You wear your school uniform when you go to school and in free time, you wear the clothes made of using beads. 1 like the clothes of that kind. But we do not get them here in our town. Here we get dresses with embroidery designs. 1 prefer them a lot. I also go to big cities for shopping along with my mother and father. 1 like your village life. We can be very good friends hereafter.Please write to me describing your feelings.Yours lovingly, Mohana

Talking Time

A. Language Function : Introducing self, (use the help box)
Hello ! My name is ……………… .
I come from ……………… (name of the place)
I am ……………… years old. (age)
There are ……………… people in my family, (number of family)
I’m a student at ……………… (name of the school)
My favourite subject is ……………… . (favourite subject)
My hobbies are ………………, ………………., and ……………… . (hobby)
In my free time, I also enjoy ……………… . (sports/music)
I like/dislike/hate ……………… . (like/dislike)
My favourite food / drink is ……………… . (favourite food)
I study English because ……………… . (purpose)
I would like to become ……………… in future, (aim in life)

Answer:
Hello! My name is Pranavi.
I come from Kandukur. (name of the place )
I am thirteen years old. (age)
There are five people in my family, (number of family)
I’m a student at Z.P.High School, Kandukur. (name of the school)
My favourite subject is English. (favourite subject)
My hobbies are playing chess, listening to music, and gardening. (hobby)
In my free time, I also enjoy playing volleyball, (sports/music)
I like spending my time on the beaches. (like / dislike)
My favourite food is vegetable birvani. (favourite food)
My favourite drink is Sprite. (favourite drink)
I study English because I want to go abroad. (purpose)
I would like to become an English teacher in future, (aim in life)

B. Language Function: Introducing others
You have learnt how to introduce yourself. Now introduce your friend to your class using the hints given.
Hello! Friends! This is ……………… .
He/ She is from ……………… .
He/ She is in ……………… .
His / Her favourite subject is ……………… .
…………………………………………………………..
Answer:
Hello! Friends, This is Mokshitha.
She is from Lakshmi Puram. Guntur.
She is in Class Seven.
Her favourite subject is Science.
She wants to become a cardiologist in future.
She likes reading books and playing video games.
Milk is her favourite drink.
She spends her leisure time with pet animals.
She is very much interested in cricket.
She knows how to play the violin.
She is a very good friend of mine.

Listening

Listen to the following story.

UBUNTU
An anthropologist (someone who scientifically studies humans and their customs, beliefs, and relationships) created a game for the African tribal children. He placed a basket of sweets near a tree and made the children stand 100 metres away. Then he announced that whoever reached first would get all the sweets in the basket.

When he said, ready, steady, go!
Do you know what these children did?
They all held each other’s hands, ran together towards the tree, divided the sweets equally among themselves, ate the sweets, and enjoyed it. When the anthropologist asked them why they did so, they answered ‘Ubuntu’.
Which meant…’How can one be happy when the others are sad?’
Ubuntu in their language means – ‘I am because we are!’
Let all of us always have this attitude and spread happiness wherever we go.

Answer the following questions :
1. Who is an ‘anthropologist’?
Answer:
An anthropologist is someone who scientifically studies humans and their customs, beliefs and relationships.

2. What game did the anthropologist plan with the basket of sweets ?
Answer:
The child who reaches the sweet basket first will get all the sweets in it.

3. What instructions did the anthropologist give to the children to do?
Answer:
The anthropologist told them to stand 100 metres away. He placed the basket of sweets near a tree. He announced that whoever reches first would get all the sweets in the basket.

4. What did the children do on hearing the anthropologist’s instructions?
Answer:
They all held each other’s hands, ran together towards the tree, divided the sweets equally among them, ate the sweets and enjoyed.

5. What does the word ‘UBUNTU’ mean in the African tribal language?
Answer:
I am because we are.

Painted House, Friendly Chicken and Me Summary

The writer here adopts the voice of an eight-year-old Ndebele girl of South Africa, who addresses the reader as her “stranger-friend.” Thandi, whose name means Hope, describes some of her favorite things: the chicken to whom she confides her secrets, the intricately painted houses in her village, the beads her mother strings. Thandi’s narration is strong and direct, and provides a lively introduction to a long-neglected people and culture. It attempts to embrace the reader, however, seem somewhat strained (“You may call me friend, and 1 would like to call you friend”), and the use of many sizes and arrangements of type creates some choppiness. The accompanying photographs, on the other hand, do full justice to the brilliant colors of the beadwork, blankets and decorated houses of Thandi’s village, and to the various attitudes of the carefully adorned people in it.

Painted House, Friendly Chicken and Me About the Author

Maya Angelou born Marguerite Annie Johnson; (April 4,1928 – May 28, 2014) was an American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning over 50 years. She received dozens of awards and more than 50 honorary degrees. The first one I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969); tells of her life up to the age of 17, and brought her international recognition and acclaim. Her famous poems are And Still I Rise’ (1978), ‘Mother, A Cradle to Hold Me’ (2006).

Meanings For Difficult Words

stranger-friend : someone whom you feel as your friend but
Thandi : the name of a girl who belongs to the tribe of Ndebele in South Africa
Ndebele (n) : a tribe from Zimbabwe and north-eastern South Africa and they speak the Bantu language, one of the official languages of South Africa.
chicken (n) : hen
laugh at (jphr.v) : speak something to make somebody seem silly
of course : naturally / certainly
take her mind off (phrase) : to stop her thinking about something
snatch (v) : quickly seize (something) in a rude or abrupt way
feather (n) : soft, light and hairy thing that covers a bird’s body
distracted (adj.) : unable to concentrate / inattentive
come in handy (idiom) : to be useful
later (adv.) : at a time in the future / afterward
hope (n) : a feeling of expectation for a particular thing to happen
pattern (n) : a particular way in which something is done, is organized, or happens
fringed (adj) : having a decorative border of hanging threads for clothing
pretend (v) : to give a false appearance of being, possessing, or performing; pose.
penny whistles (n) : flute like wind instrument
lose themselves (idiom) : give all their attention to something

put on (phr. v) : wear
dry (adj) : lacking freshness
wagon (n) : farm cart
mule (n) : an animal that has a horse and a donkey as parents
stare (v) : look fixedly or intently
city folk (n) : city people
mischievous (adj) : causing or showing a fondness for causing trouble in a playful way; naughty way.
tend (v) : care for or look after
get into (phr.v) : enter / interfere
can’t help (idiom) : can’t control
errand (n) : a short journey either to take a message or to take or collect something
squirmy (adj) : to twist about in a wriggling, snake like motion

Tom Paints the Fence

Comprehension

A. Answer the following questions :

Question 1.
What was the name of Tom’s Aunt ? Why was he living with his aunt?
Answer:
Tom’s Aunt was Polly. Tom was living with his Aunt Polly as he lost his mother.

Question 2.
How did Aunt Polly prove that she was strict?
Answer:
Aunt Polly proved that she was strict by asking Tom to whitewash the fence on a Saturday which was a holiday.

Question 3.
What work was assigned to Tom to do?
Answer:
Tom was assigned to paint the fence.

Question 4.
Describe the feelings of Tom when his aunt asked him to paint the fence.
Answer:
He felt that life was a burden. He sighed to do the work.

Question 5.
How did Tom become rich with gifts by the end of the day?
Answer:
Tom made his friends feel to paint the fence. They gave him some gifts to get the opportunity of painting work. Thus he became rich with the gifts by the end of the day.

Question 6.
What does “Spare the rod and Spoil the child” mean?
Answer:
If you do not punish a child when they do something wrong, they will not learn what is right.

B. Choose the correct answer from the options given.

1. What did Tom plan to do on a Saturday?
a) go to school
b) do homework
c) go for swimming
Answer:
c) go for swimming

2. Tom did not want the boys to see him whitewashing because they would
a) make fun of him
b) tell their teacher
c) throw mud at the fence
Answer:
a) make fun of him

3. How did Tom make Ben and others paint the fence?
a) by bribing them with money
b) by pretending painting to be fun
c) by threatening them
Answer:
b) by pretending painting to be fun

4. Tom was really in wealth at the end of the day, because……
a) many boys paid him
b) aunt Polly gave him money
c) he sold the paint
Answer:
a) many boys paid him

5. What did aunt Polly give him for painting the fence?
a) a doorknob
b) an apple
c) a new dress
Answer:
b) an apple

Fun Time

1. Teacher : Which one is closer, Sun or Africa?
Boddy : Sun
Teacher : Why?
Boddy : We can see the sun, but can’t see Africa.

2. What day do the chickens hate most?
Answer:
Friday (FRY-day)

Project

You have read the story “Painted House, Friendly Chicken and Me”.You might have understood how Thandi has enjoyed telling you about her village, her hopes, her mother, her brother, the beads, the painted house, and her good friend, the chicken.

Now, collect information regarding your family, friendship, home, village/ locality, traditions and culture, and make a picture gallery with your paintings, art and craft.
Answer:
My family is a joint family. We are ten in our family. I have a grandmother and a grandfather. I have two sisters and a younger brother. My uncle and aunt also live with us. My father is a farmer and my mother is a housewife. My two sisters are studying and my little brother is at play school. Our grandmother always tells us interesting stories. We usually have good time at home. 1 have two friends at my village. I play with my friends and two sisters. My village is surrounded by green fields. We make idols of Lord Ganesha with clay and worship Him. We draw many pictures on walls. We have fresh air and clean water. We celebrate all festivals and follow the old traditions. We wear new clothes on festivals. We spend time together joyfully.

Check Point

Tom Paints the Fence Summary

Tom Sawyer was an imaginative and mischievous boy. He was living with his Aunt Polly on the banks of the Mississippi. Aunt Polly was strict. She wanted to make Tom work on Saturday. So, she asked him to paint the fence. He unwillingly went near the fence with a brush and paint. He was very disappointed when he remembered his plans for the day, like going for swimming. He was upset with the thought that the boys would ridicule him for having work to do. Then he got a brilliant idea. He took his brush and started his work.

Then a boy named Ben Rogers came that way and told Tom that he had got to work even on a holiday. Tom pretended that he was doing that work willingly because that work would give him pleasure and he was enjoying himself in doing so. Soon, Ben begged Tom that he would help him and offered him an apple. Tom gave him the brush and Ben started painting. As Ben was painting, other boys named Billy and Johnny Miller also begged Tom to allow them too to paint. They presented him a kite and a pair of marbles in return. Thus, Tom turned the punishment into a bit of entertainment and tricked other boys to finish the work for him. The whole fence was whitewashed nicely within afternoon. When Aunt Polly saw the painted fence, she was so amazed that she gave him the best apple and allowed him to play.

Tom Paints the Fence About the Author

Mark Twain (1835-1910) whose real name was Samuel Langhorne Clements, was an American writer. He is best remembered as the man who gave the immortal characters of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.

Meanings For Difficult Words

fence (n) : a structure that divides two areas of land, similar to a wall but made of wood or wire
pavement (n) : a flat part at the side of a road for people to walk on hollow
hollow (adj) : having a hole or an empty space inside an object
existence (n) : being real or living or of being present
ridicule (v) : make fun of somebody/something or make them look silly; mockery
magnificent (adj) : extremely attractive and impressive; deserving praise; splendid
resume (v) : begins again or continues after being interrupted
dreading (v) : to be very afraid of something; to fear that something bad is going to happen