Chapter 2 – Children at work

Content structure

  • 1. About the author – (Gita Wolf, Anushka Ravishankar, Orijit Sen)
  • 2. Theme
  • 3. Summary
  • 4. Unit wise explanation
    • Unit – I
    • Unit – II
    • Unit – III
  • 5. Word meanings
  • 6. Comprehension Check
    • Unit – I
    • Unit – II
    • Unit – III
  • 7. Exercise questions & answers
  • 8. Additional questions & answers
    • Multiple choice questions & answers (MCQs)
      • Unit – I
      • Unit – II
      • Unit – III
    • Fill in the blanks
    • True or false
    • Match the following
    • Short-type questions & answers
      • Unit – I
      • Unit – II
      • Unit – III
    • Long-type questions & answers

1. About the author – (Gita Wolf, Anushka Ravishankar, Orijit Sen)

Gita Wolf – She is a well-known author from India who writes books for children. She enjoys using different art styles in her books. Her stories show Indian culture and real-life problems, like how some children have to work instead of going to school. She started Tara Books, a company that makes beautiful and creative books.

Anushka Ravishankar – She is a famous writer from India who creates books for children. She writes in a fun and playful way, using rhymes. Her stories make children laugh while teaching them important lessons. She enjoys writing about Indian life in a way that is easy to understand and fun for young readers.

Orijit Sen (Illustrator) – He is an artist whose drawings help us understand the stories in a powerful way. He has illustrated books and also creates comics about real-life topics. His artwork is meaningful and engaging, bringing characters and scenes to life in a vivid and interesting way.

2. Theme

  • Firstly, the story shows how poor children are forced to work.
  • Secondly, the poem explains why a poor child cannot go to school.
  • Thirdly, the author encourages us to think about the education of poor children.

3. Summary

In the story Children at Work, the author talks about poor people and their struggles in life. The story focuses on two characters: Velu and Jaya. Velu was an 11-year-old boy who lived in a village. The only work he knew was farming. His father often took his money and spent it on alcohol so Velu decided to run away to Chennai. When he reached the crowded city, he felt hungry and tired. There, he met a girl named Jaya, who helped him find food and work. She collected garbage, such as plastic bottles and paper, and sold them. Velu did not like her way of working, but he agreed to do it because he had no one to help him in the city. He hoped that later, he would find a better job. The story makes us think about poor children’s education. Many children want to study and find better jobs, but their families or life situations do not support them. As a result, they are forced to live in weak and dirty houses made of tin, tires, and metal sheets, and they work as ragpickers

4. Unit wise explanation

Unit – I

Velu is an 11-year-old boy who runs away from home because his father hits him and spends his money on alcohol. He travels to Chennai by train without a ticket. When he gets to the station, he feels hungry, tired, and confused. The city is very crowded, and it surprises him. He has no money, only a small bundle with a shirt, towel, and comb. Velu sees a girl around his age. She is wearing an old, long shirt and carrying a big sack. She is picking up dirty plastic cups. The girl realizes that Velu has run away from home and asks him what he plans to do next, but Velu has no answer. Since Velu is hungry, the girl tells him he won’t find food by just sitting there. She offers to help him. At first, Velu isn’t sure what to do, but since he realizes there is no one else to help him, he decides to follow her

Unit – II

Velu had no one in the city, so he followed the girl after leaving the station. On the road, he saw many fast-moving vehicles and signboards with pictures of clothes and cars. The signs were in English, so he couldn’t read them. The girl pointed to a big building and warned him to be careful. Velu read the Tamil sign and realized it was a jail. He noticed the girl carrying a big sack so he asked what was inside. She said it had bottles and papers, but he didn’t understand why she carried it. As they walked, the hot road burned Velu’s bare feet but the girl was fine. After an hour they stopped near a garbage bin. Velu was shocked to see the girl searching for food in that place. She gave him a banana and vada. At first, he didn’t want to eat, but his hunger forced him to. He was still hungry, but the girl told him to wait for lunch leftovers. She collected some bottles and left. Velu panicked and followed her, not knowing what to do. He asked her name, and she said her name was Jaya. He asked if he could go with her. She agreed but said he needed a sack for work. Velu decided to stay because he had nowhere else to go.

Unit – III

Jaya and Velu walked for half an hour until they reached a bridge. Jaya told Velu they were in Triplicane and pointed to Buckingham Canal. Velu was surprised because the canal was very dirty. Near the canal, he saw small huts that were very weak and made from metal sheets, tires, bricks, wood, and plastic. He told Jaya that in his village, houses were made from mud and palm leaves. Jaya went to one of the huts, dropped her sack, and gave Velu an empty sack and an old shoe that had no laces. Velu was confused because he only knew farming. Jaya explained that they were ragpickers meaning they collected paper, plastic, and glass from garbage bins to sell to Jam Bazaar Jaggu. Velu asked why anyone would want to buy garbage. Jaya laughed and said Jaggu sold it to factories. At first Velu did not want to do the work but Jaya reminded him that she had given him food. Velu thought about it again and decided to do the work for now hoping to find a better job later

5. Word meanings

WordsMeaning
WobblyUnsteady
BumpingHitting against something
Pulled in Arrived
TerribleVery bad
MiserableVery sad
ExhaustedVery tired
GrimaceA painful face
PinchingSqueezing between fingers
GlumlySadly
GrazingEating slowly
DraggedPulled with effort
Making his head spinFeeling dizzy
SquintedHalf-closed eyes to see better
BlastedHit strongly
RubbishGarbage
SquashySoft and easy to press
Stomach squeezed himFelt very hungry
Gulped downSwallowed quickly
CrookedlyNot straight
Dumped her sackThrew her bag down
WeedingRemoving unwanted plants
ShovePush hard
RagpickersPeople who collect garbage to sell
PokedStick
BlockheadFoolish person

6. Comprehension Check

Unit – I

1. Velu stood on the platform, but he felt “as if he was still on a moving train.” Why?
Ans: Velu had never left his village before so everything in the city was new and strange to him. He had been on the train for a long time and his body felt like it was still moving even after he had stepped off. This is because when we travel for a long time sometimes our body keeps feeling like it is moving even after we stop.

2. What made him feel miserable?
(i) Velu traveled without a ticket. Why?
(ii) How did he escape the ticket collector’s attention?
Ans:
(i) Velu didn’t have a ticket because he didn’t know about it. He was just a young boy who had never traveled on a train before.
(ii) Velu didn’t know about the ticket collector, so he didn’t plan to escape but when he reached the city of Mumbai he was surprised so he sat calmly in one corner. Because of this, the collector did not notice Velu.

3. Why had Velu run away from home?
Ans: Velu ran away from home because his father often hit him and took his money to buy alcohol. Velu felt scared and unhappy at home so he decided to leave and go to a new place to find a better life.

4. Why did he decide to follow the ‘strange’ girl?
Ans: Velu decided to follow the ‘strange’ girl because he was alone in Chennai, and the girl told him she would help and gave him food. He did not know anyone in the city, and he felt hungry, tired, and confused also, he did not know where to go or what to do next

Unit – II

1. Can Velu read Tamil and English? How do you know?
Ans: Velu could read Tamil because he understood the words “Central Jail” on a building. But he could not read English. When Jaya showed him signboards with English words he could only look at the pictures and did not understand the words.

2. “If you are not careful, you will soon be counting bars there,” the girl said.
(i) What is she referring to?
(ii) What does she mean when she says “If you are not careful…”?
(She says something a little later which means the same. Find that sentence.)
Ans:
(i) She is talking about jail.
(ii) She means that if Velu does something wrong, like stealing, the police will catch him and put him in jail. The sentence “Jail is the end of your life” means the same thing.

3. (i) Where did the girl lead Velu to?
(ii) What did they get to eat?
Ans:
(i) Jaya took Velu through the busy city and brought him to a large wedding hall. After that, she led him to a garbage bin behind the hall where they could look for food.
(ii) In the garbage they found a banana and a vada. Velu was hungry so he ate them.

4. What work did she do? Think of a one-word answer.
Ans: She was a ragpicker, which means she collected things like old paper, plastic bottles, and glass from garbage bins and then sold them to make money.

Unit – III

1. (i) What material are the ‘strange’ huts made out of?
(ii) Why does Velu find them strange?
Ans:
(i) The huts were made from strange materials like metal sheets, old tires, bricks, wood, and plastic. These things were not normally used to build houses, which made the huts look very different to Velu.
(ii) Velu found the huts strange because they were different from the houses in his village. In his village, the houses were made of mud and palm leaves, so he had never seen houses made from things like metal or plastic before.

2. What sort of things did Jaya and children like her collect and what did they do with those things?
Ans: Jaya and other children like her collected things such as paper, plastic, and glass from the garbage. They collected these items because they could sell them to Jam Bazaar Jaggu. By selling these things, they earned money.

3. Is Velu happy or unhappy to find work? Give a reason for your answer.
Ans: Velu is unhappy because he doesn’t like picking up garbage. He thinks the work is dirty and hard but he has no other choice right now and hopes he can find a better job later.

7. Exercise questions & answers

Discuss the following questions in small groups. Write their answers afterwards.

1. Is Velu a smart boy? Which instances in the text show that he is or is not?
Ans: No, Velu is not a very smart boy. When he arrives in Chennai he feels confused and does not know what to do. He does not know how to cross the busy road and he ca not read English. These things show that he is not very clever.

2. Do you think Jaya is a brave and sensitive child with a sense of humour? Find instance of her courage, kind nature and humour in the text.
Ans: Yes, Jaya is a brave and sensitive child with a sense of humour. She knows how to handle life’s struggles. She knows how to cross the road, how to earn money, how recycling works, and how to find food. All these things show that she is smart, courageous, and has a good sense of humour.

3. What one throws away as waste may be valuable to others? Do you find this sentence meaningful in the context of this story? How?
Ans: Yes, this sentence is meaningful in the story. Velu is surprised when he sees Jaya collecting plastic, paper, and glass from the garbage. These things are trash to others but Jaya knows they can be recycled and sold to factories. This shows that things people throw away as trash can actually be useful and important to someone else.

8. Additional questions & answers

Multiple choice questions & answers (MCQs)

Unit – I

1. How long had Velu gone without food?
(a) One day
(b) Two days
(c) Three days
(d) Four days

Ans: (b) Two days

2. How did Velu feel when he got off the train?
(a) Happy
(b) Wobbly
(c) Excited
(d) Angry

Ans: (b) Wobbly

3. Where did Velu sit at the station?
(a) On the floor
(b) On a bench
(c) Near the train door
(d) On the luggage

Ans: (b) On a bench

4. What did Velu eat before reaching Chennai?
(a) Rice and curry
(b) Peanuts and jaggery
(c) Bread and butter
(d) Fruits

Ans: (b) Peanuts and jaggery

5. Where did Velu sleep on the train?
(a) On a seat
(b) Near the door
(c) On the luggage rack
(d) He didn’t sleep

Ans: (b) Near the door

6. What were the men doing on the train?
(a) Sleeping
(b) Playing cards
(c) Talking loudly
(d) Eating

Ans: (b) Playing cards

7. What was the girl collecting?
(a) Coins
(b) Dirty plastic cups
(c) Old books
(d) Toys

Ans: (b) Dirty plastic cups

8. What was the girl wearing?
(a) A red dress
(b) A school uniform
(c) A long banian
(d) A saree

Ans: (c) A long banian

9. How was the girl’s hair?
(a) Long and silky
(b) Stiff and brownish
(c) Short and curly
(d) Black and shiny

Ans: (b) Stiff and brownish

10. How did Velu say his name?
(a) Loudly
(b) Happily
(c) Mutters softly
(d) He did not say his name

Ans: (c) Mutters softly

Unit – II

1. What language were the signboards written in?
(a) Tamil
(b) Hindi
(c) English
(d) Telugu

Ans: (c) English

2. What flew at Velu, making his head spin?
(a) Smoke and dust
(b) Water and wind
(c) Leaves and paper
(d) Stones and sand

Ans: (a) Smoke and dust

3. What was in the girl’s sack?
(a) Clothes
(b) Food
(c) Bottles and paper
(d) Money

Ans: (c) Bottles and paper

4. How long did Velu and the girl walk?
(a) 10 minutes
(b) Half an hour
(c) Almost an hour
(d) All day

Ans: (c) Almost an hour

5. What was Velu soaked in?
(a) Water
(b) Mud
(c) Sweat
(d) Oil

Ans: (c) Sweat

6. What animals were on the garbage pile?
(a) Cows
(b) Dogs
(c) Goats
(d) Cats

Ans: (c) Goats

7. What food did the girl give Velu first?
(a) Rice
(b) Banana
(c) Roti
(d) Sweets

Ans: (b) Banana

8. What were the goats fighting over?
(a) A banana leaf
(b) A piece of bread
(c) A plastic bottle
(d) A mango

Ans: (a) A banana leaf

9. What food did the girl throw to Velu?
(a) Idli
(b) Dosa
(c) Vada
(d) Rice

Ans: (c) Vada

10. When could they find more food?
(a) After breakfast
(b) After lunch
(c) At night
(d) Before lunch

Ans: (b) After lunch

Unit – III

1. What did the huts near the canal look like?
(a) Big and beautiful
(b) Small and strange
(c) Made of glass
(d) Like a palace

Ans: (b) Small and strange

2. What was the name of the canal?
(a) Ganga Canal
(b) Yamuna Canal
(c) Buckingham Canal
(d) Krishna Canal

Ans: (c) Buckingham Canal

3. What were the houses in Velu’s village made of?
(a) Mud and palm leaves
(b) Bricks and wood
(c) Plastic and metal
(d) Stones and tiles

Ans: (a) Mud and palm leaves

4. What was missing from the shoes Jaya gave Velu?
(a) The soles
(b) The laces
(c) The color
(d) The size

Ans: (b) The laces

5. How long did Jaya and Velu walk before reaching the bridge?
(a) 10 minutes
(b) Two hours
(c) One hour
(d) Half an hour

Ans: (d) Half an hour

6. What job does Jaya do?
(a) A teacher
(b) A farmer
(c) A ragpicker
(d) A doctor

Ans: (c) A ragpicker

7. Who does Jaya sell the collected things to?
(a) A shopkeeper
(b) Jam Bazaar Jaggu
(c) Her teacher
(d) Her parents

Ans: (b) Jam Bazaar Jaggu

8. What did Jaya call Velu when he was surprised?
(a) A hero
(b) A blockhead
(c) A smart boy
(d) A king

Ans: (b) A blockhead

Fill in the blanks

1. Velu had run away from his _________________. (village)
2. Jaya picked up plastic cups from the ________________. (ground)
3. Velu had never seen so many _________________ before. (people)
5. Velu was scared when he saw the _______________ moving fast. (vehicles)
7. Jaya told Velu not to just stand there like a _______________. (hero)
8. Jaya laughed when Velu asked if there were any ____________ in the city. (farms)
10. Jaya’s hair was stiff and _______________. (brownish)
11. Velu had only a shirt, a towel, and a _____________ in his bundle. (comb)

True or false

1. Jaya only helped Velu on the first day to collect food. (False)

2. Velu only read a Tamil sign. (True)

3. Jaya gave a banana and vada Velu to eat food. (True)

4. Jaya knows the recycling, so collect all important things and again sell them in the market. (True)

5. Velu and Jaya walked two hours before reaching the bridge. (False)

6. Velu was happy for the job of ragpickers. (False)

Match the following

Column AColumn B
(i) Jaya made the hut a) Tamil sign
(ii) In villages made a hut b) Plastic, paper, bottles
(iii) Velu knows c) A shirt, a towel, and a comb
(iv) Jaya collect c) Kanyakumari Express
(v) Velu carried e) Sister
(vi) Velu have a f) Metal sheet, tires, plastic, bricks, wood
(vii) Chennai traing) Mud and palm leaves

Ans:

Column AColumn B
(i) Jaya made the hutf) Metal sheet, tires, plastic, bricks, wood
(ii) In villages made a hutg) Mud and palm leaves
(iii) Velu knowsa) Tamil sign
(iv) Jaya collectb) Plastic, paper, bottles
(v) Velu carriedc) A shirt, a towel, and a comb
(vi) Velu have ae) Sister
(vii) Chennai trainc) Kanyakumari Express

Short-type questions & answers

Unit – I

1. Describe Jaya’s looks.
Ans: Jaya was wearing a long, loose shirt that reached her knees. Her hair was rough and brownish, and she carried a large sack on her shoulder.

2. Who did Velu meet in Chennai?
Ans: Velu met Jaya, a young girl who lived on the streets. She noticed that Velu was hungry and decided to help him.

3. Why did Jaya help Velu?
Ans: Jaya saw that Velu was alone and hungry. She understood that he had run away from home, so she decided to help him by giving him food and showing him how to find work.

4. Describe the Chennai railway platform.
Ans: The Chennai railway platform was very busy and noisy. Many people were rushing around with suitcases. Some people were playing cards while waiting for their trains. A TV was hanging from the roof.

5. Why did Velu’s face look so painful?
Ans: Velu’s face looked painful because he hadn’t eaten for two days. His stomach was empty and hurting. He was tired, weak, and very hungry, which made his face look painful.

Unit – II

1. Why was Velu’s heart beating fast?
Ans: Velu’s heart was beating fast because he had never seen so many vehicles on the road before. The noise and speed of the cars made him feel scared. He did not know how to cross the road safely, which made him feel more nervous.

2. Where did Velu find the food?
Ans: Velu and Jaya found food in the garbage near the Sri Rajarajeshwari Prasanna Kalyana Mandapam building.

3. Why did Velu refuse to eat the bananas?
Ans: Velu refused to eat the squishy bananas because they were found in the garbage, and he thought they were too dirty to eat.

Unit – III

1. Where did Jaya live?
Ans: Jaya lived in a small, dirty hut near Buckingham Canal. The area was not clean and the hut was made of old tires, metal sheets, bricks, and plastic. It looked very strange and weak compared to the village huts.

2. What did Jaya give to Velu?
Ans: Jaya gave Velu a sack to carry things, a stick to pick up trash, and an old pair of shoes without laces to keep his feet safe when he walked around.

3. Why was Velu hoping to find a better job?
Ans: Velu did not like the job of a ragpicker because the work was dirty and hard. But he had no other choice, so he continued the job for now and still hoped to find a better and cleaner job in the future.

Long-type questions and answers

1. Describe the difference between the two characters, Jaya and Velu.
Ans: In the story, the author introduces two characters, Velu and Jaya. Jaya is shown as an independent, clever, and responsible girl, while Velu is nervous, unsure, and hoping for a better life.

  • Velu is a simple boy who ran away from home because his father tortured him. He felt scared and confused about how to live in the crowded city of Mumbai. He had only known farming. He didn’t know how to cross busy roads or where to find food and work. He did not have the confidence or skills to solve problems.
  • Jaya is a smart and hardworking girl who knows how to take care of herself. Instead of feeling sad, she tries to find ways to fix her problems. She collects garbage like paper, plastic bottles and sells them in the market. This shows she understands the value of recycling. She is also kind because when she saw Velu sitting alone and helpless, she decided to help him. She showed him places to get food and work.

2. Which things does the author teach in the story “Children at Work?”
Ans: In the story “Children at Work,” the author talks about poor children and their struggles. She shows two types of poor children:

  • Velu, who dreams of a better life and wants to find a clean place to live and a better job.
  • Jaya, who is hardworking and finds ways to earn money by collecting garbage. She understands recycling and sells useful things from the trash to survive.

The story shows that poor children want to learn, work, and have a better life, but they do not get the help they need. They have no choice, so they eat leftover food and live in small houses made of plastic and metal near dirty canals. The author wants us to think about poor children and understand that they also deserve education and a better life, just like rich children.

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