"A Letter to God" by G.L. Fuentes

A Letter to God

• G.L. Fuentes is the author.
• The story highlights Lencho's unwavering belief in God, despite being a poor farmer.
• Lencho hoped for a successful harvest.
• Hailstorm ruined his crops.
• Although impoverished, Lencho was literate and deeply religious.
• He requested 100 pesos in a letter to God to replant and sustain his family.
• He mailed his letter.
• The postman laughed when the letter was addressed to god.
• The postmaster, initially amused, became touched by Lencho's strong faith.
• The postmaster took it upon himself to maintain Lencho's faith in God.
• Post office workers, and the postmaster contributed from his own salary, to a fund.
• 70 pesos were collected, less than Lencho's requirement.
• The postmaster mailed the money in an envelope to Lencho.
• Lencho was unsurprised upon receiving a letter from God.
• Lencho was angered upon counting only 70 pesos instead of 100.
• Lencho believed that God would not make a mistake.
• Lencho wrote another letter asking for the remaining 30 pesos.
• Lencho told God not to send the money by mail because he thought the post office workers were crooks.

Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

• This is an extract from Nelson Mandela's autobiography.
• The text details the freedom movement for black South Africans.
• Nelson Mandela became South Africa's first black president on May 10, 1994.
• This event ended over three centuries of white rule.
• Mandela pledged equality and the eradication of discrimination based on race or belief.
• This was a victory for justice, peace, and human dignity
• Many thousands sacrificed to overturn apartheid.
• Apartheid was a system promoting racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa.
• The inauguration had both white and black national anthems.
• The black skinned people were previously exploited by the whites.
• Mandela thought hatred was learned, not innate, and that love is more natural.
• Bravery is triumph over fear, not the absence of it.
• Everyone is obligated to family and country.
• Before democracy, freedom was an illusion for black people.
• Both the oppressor and the oppressed require liberation.

Two Stories About Flying

• Consists of "His First Flight" and "The Black Airplane."

His First Flight

• Liam O'Flaherty is the writer.
• This is the story of a young seagull afraid to fly and distrustful of his wings.
• The other siblings flew without fear despite having smaller wings.
• The parents threatened starvation if he didn't fly, but it didn't work.
• One day as he was starving, the family mocked his cowardice.
• Driven by hunger, he leaped for food offered by his mother and then fell.
• As he fell his wings spread and he began to fly.
• His family helped him get over his fear

The Black Airplane

• Frederick Forsyth is the writer.
• A pilot flies from France to England, wanting to have breakfast with his family.
• He enters storm clouds and loses control.
• Another airplane appeared and guided him even though it had no lights on.
• Since he had no radio signal and was low on fuel, the pilot followed the plane blindly.
• He landed safely thanks to the other pilot.
• Air traffic control denied any other airplane was in the sky.
• Nobody knows who the pilot of the black airplane was.

From the Diary of Anne Frank

• Anne Frank recorded her thoughts in a diary.
• At first it felt strange to her writing down her thoughts.
• She called her diary 'Kitty' and considered it a good friend.
• She felt lonely and preferred to confide in her diary rather than people.
• She mentions her love for her father and her family gave her the diary when she turned 13.
• On June 20, 1942, she wrote that her class was nervous about exam results.
• She and her friend were trying to calm down the class.
• Her math teacher, Mr. Keesing, was annoyed by how much she talked.
• For talking too much, Mr. Keesing gave her extra homework as punishment.
• The first essay was on "A Chatterbox," with arguments she presented in her defense.
• The teacher found her arguments amusing and assigned her a second essay, "An Incorrigible Chatterbox."
• For the assignment, Mr. Keesing assigned "Quack, Quack, Quack, Said Mistress Chatterbox."
• With the help of her friend, Sanne she wrote satire verse.
• The teacher like the poem, and as a result, he let her talk and didn't assign her more homework.
• Anne was a victim of the Holocaust and along with her sister, passed away in a concentration camp during the Nazi's persecution of the Jews.

Glimpses of India

• Consists of "A Baker from Goa," "Coorg," and "Tea from Assam."

A Baker from Goa

• Lucio Rodrigues is the writer.
• This is about Goan culture and the influence of the Portuguese.
• Bakers were traditionally called "Paders."
• Bakers walked down the street selling bread loaves, all while making a jingling sound.
• The villagers enjoyed the loaves and bread bangles.
• Bakers wore a special outfit called "kabai," a single-piece frock.
• Baking was a profitable profession, and bakers were prosperous.

Coorg

• Lokesh Abrol wrote this section.
• Coorg is the smallest district of Karnataka.
• It is located between Mangalore and Mysore, filled with ever green forests and coffee plantations.
• Tourists come to visit between September and March.
• The air has a notable coffee scent to it.
• The people are independent and could have Greek or Arabic roots.
• The people of Coorg wear "kuppia," similar to what the Arabs wear.
• The people are brave.
• Being a major part of the Indian Army, the Coorg Regiment is significant.
• General Cariappa, the first Indian commander-in-chief, was from Coorg.
• Coorg's hills and forests serve as a large water source for the Kaveri River.
• Adventure sports and plenty of wildlife are available.

Tea from Assam

• Arup Kumar Datta wrote this.
• Rajvir and Pranjol traveled to Assam.
• They discussed the local tea while they purchased it.
• Everyday, 80 crore cups of tea are consumed throughout the globe.
• Assam's tea plantations were very enjoyable to Rajvir, while Pranjol was busy reading a detective novel.
• It is known for its large tea plants.
• According to a Chinese Legend, tea was created on accident during the reign of a Chinese emperor.
• According to Indian legend Bodhi Dharma cut off his eyelids, which then lead to the creation of tea plants.
• They got to Mariani Junction and then made their way to the Dhekiabari Tea Estate.
• They saw tea pluckers with bamboo baskets.
• Pranjol's father owned a tea estate, and he was very surprised by how much Rajvir knew.
• Rajvir wanted to learn more from Pranjol's father.

Mijbil the Otter

• Gavin Maxwell is the author.
• This is about the relationship between him and his pet otter, Mijbil.
• Maxwell traveled to Basra, Iraq to find an otter for a pet.
• A friend suggested getting an otter from the Tigris marshes in Iraq.
• Maxwell named the otter Mijbil, also known as Midge.
• Midge adapted, enjoyed playing with water, and could open the faucet.
• Maxwell wanted to take Midge to England, however British airlines had restrictions on certain animals.
• He booked a flight with an airline that allowed Midge.
• The airline required Midge to be boxed, and Midge ended up hurting himself in the box.
• Maxwell cleaned the box and spoke to an air hostess about what happened.
• The air hostess permitted Maxwell to keep Midge on his lap.
• Midge escaped on the flight, causing chaos, but an employee ended up returning the otter.
• In London, Midge's toys were marbles and ping-pong balls.
• During walks, people would try and guess Maxwell's pet.
• People confused Midge for a seal, beaver, and squirrel but some even confused him for a hippo.

Madam Rides the Bus

• Vallikannan is the author
• Valli, an eight-year-old girl, is interested in seeing the world.
• She enjoys observing the street activity outside from her home.
• Valli is happy and excited about the bus trip between her town and the village.
• Valli collected information about the bus timings in order to ride.
• Determined that its about 6 miles and the fare is 30 pese for a one-way trip.
• Valli made plans to go as her mother slept in the afternoon.
• The conductor was happy and called her "Madam."
• Valli saw that it was painted with white, along with green stripes on the bus.
• She liked looking at the beautiful scenery from the bus.
• She was amused by a cow running in front of the bus.
• She had dreamed of the trip on the bus, so she was fascinated by the experience.
• The bus was becoming empty, she told them she had little money, and asked to be taken back.
• She noticed the dead cow on the way back, she became sad when she figured out this was the same cow that she saw running wildly.
• After arriving, she got dropped off and returned home and no one suspected that she had left.
• She overheard her mother and aunt talking about the meaning of life she knew they wouldn't understand.
• They left her mom confused and it made her smile.

The Sermon at Benares

• This illustrates the teachings of Lord Buddha.
• Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who was born in North India, was Lord Buhhda.
• At age twelve, he studied Hindu scriptures.
• He married a princess, and they had a son.
• He was a royal for ten years.
• He was sheltered from all suffering.
• After seeing an ailing man, an old man, a funeral procession, and a monk, he was so moved that he gave up his royal life.
• Under a tree, he attained enlightenment and renamed it the Bodhi Tree (tree of wisdom).
• He started preaching and sharing his new understanding.
• He became known as Buddha (the awakened or enlightened).
• In Benares, he gave his first sermon.
• He spoke about Kisa Gotami, she was a lady whose only son had died.
• She looked for medicine to bring him back to life from others.
• This surprised people.
• She was told to meet with Lord Buddha.
• Kisa Gotami requested Buddha to cure her son
• Buddha asked her to get mustard seeds from a house where no one has ever died.
• She went from house to house and realized that this was impossible very quickly.
• She learned that humans are mortal so what she was looking for cannot be done.
• She understood humns are mortal, life and death is the cycle of the universe, and no one is able to escape it.
• Those who are wise understand the way of nature , and they must no lose hope.

The Proposal

• Anton Chekhov wrote this comedy drama.
• This is about two wealthy families trying to form ties via marriage.
• Ivan Lomov went to Stephen Chubukov in order to ask for his daughter's hand in marriage.
• Lomov is 35 and has heart problems.
• He wanted to marry Chubokov's daughter and thought she'd make a great wife.
• Lomov tells Chubokov that he wants to marry his stephen Chubukov, who is 25.
• Chubokov was very happy and embraced him, because Lomov was a worthy son-in-law.
• An argument began, and Lomov brought up his land
• Natalya stated that the land belonged to her family.
• During the argument, Lomov had palpitation attacks.
• Chubukov and Natalya insulted Lomov.
• Lomov left the house insulted.
• Chubokov tells Natalia about Lomovs intention was for them to marry.
• The young man returned, and Natalya began a conversation about dogs, which lead to another debate.
• The three people began to argue with each other.
• Lomov fainted with palpitation.
• Natalya asked her father to wake him up, and that she wanted to marry him.
• They agreed that Lomov and Stephen Chubukov would marry off for the blessing
• The argument continued, and the daughter argued that their dog "squeezer" was better than Lomov's dog.
• The play finishes with their verbal fight still going on.

This quiz covers "A Letter to God" by G.L. Fuentes. The story explores Lencho's unwavering faith in God after a devastating hailstorm destroys his crops. He writes a letter to God seeking help, and the postmaster attempts to provide assistance, highlighting themes of faith and human kindness.