AAteam
08/09/2025
09/09/2025

Chapter 11 – A Shipwrecked Sailor Solutions

Content Structure

1. About the author – Daniel Defoe
2. Theme of A Shipwrecked Sailor
3. Summary of A Shipwrecked Sailor
4. Word meanings
5. Exercise Solutions
- Exercise – 1
- Exercise – 2
- Exercise – 3
6. Grammar in use
- Exercise – 4
- Exercise – 5
- Exercise – 6
- Exercise – 7
7. Composition
- Exercise – 8
- Exercise – 9

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1. About the author – Daniel Defoe

Daniel Defoe was a famous English writer, journalist, and businessman who was born on 13th September 1660. He is known for his adventure story Robinson Crusoe, which many people believe to be the first real English novel. His books were written in simple, clear language so that even ordinary people could enjoy them. He was interested in politics, trade, and religion, and he often wrote pamphlets and articles about these topics. He also wrote stories that mixed real events with imagination, which made his writing exciting and new for readers. He died on 24th April 1731.

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2. Theme of A Shipwrecked Sailor

The main idea of the story is about a sailor who is left alone on an island after a shipwreck. With no help, no house, and little food, he struggles hard to stay alive.
The sailor feels very sad and lonely. He calls the place the “Island of Despair” because he is afraid he will have to live there forever.
He builds a small shelter, finds food, makes a fence for safety, and counts the days. His hard work helps him live on the island.
He never loses hope and waits near the sea for a ship, showing his courage and strong wish to live.
The story also shows that nature can both hurt and help. Storms, rain, and wild animals bring danger, but the land also gives him fruits, water, and useful things.
The story teaches us that with patience, courage, and cleverness, people can face any problem. It also tells us never to give up, even in the hardest times.

3. Summary of A Shipwrecked Sailor

On September 30, 1659, Robinson Crusoe was shipwrecked in a terrible storm. He reached a lonely island, which he named the “Island of Despair,” while all his shipmates drowned. He had no food, clothes, or shelter and feared wild animals. That night, he slept on a tree in the rain. He swam to the broken ship and brought back many useful things such as food, wood, a gun, nails, a knife, a hammock, and canvas. He also found money, but it was of no use on the island. He built a tent near a cave on a hill and made a strong fence with wood and ropes to keep himself safe. He worked hard to make boxes for storing food, and this gave him hope for more food in the future. By June 1660, he fell sick with fever but later recovered. In July, he explored the island and found grapes, melons, cocoa, oranges, and lemons growing near a brook. Ten months later, he made a small lamp from tallow and a wick to give him light at night. He also began keeping a journal of his daily life. On September 30, 1660, he realized that a full year had passed since he had been alone on the island.

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4. Word meanings

	Word	Meanings
1.	Miserable	Very unhappy or sad
2.	Dismal	Very dark, gloomy, or sad
3.	Despair	Loss of hope
4.	Drowned	Died under water
5.	Devoured	Eaten up quickly
6.	Gusts	Strong blows of wind
7.	Wreck	A broken ship
8.	Hammock	A swinging bed made of cloth or rope
9.	Barren	Empty
10.	Leagues	Miles
11.	Desolate	Empty
12.	Hollow	Hole
13.	Pitch	Set up
14.	Fence	A wall made of wood, wire, or sticks
15.	Fortified	Protected
16.	Notch	A small cut or mark
17.	Feed	Food for animals
18.	Husks	Dry outer covering of seeds or corn
19.	Stalks	The stem of a plant
20.	Barley	Grain
21.	Astonished	Surprised
22.	Pleasant	Nice and enjoyable
23.	Meadows	Fields
24.	Abundance	Plenty
25.	Homeward	Returning
26.	Tempted	Attracted
27.	Tallow	Fat from animals used to make candles
28.	Clay dish	A pot or dish made of clay
29.	Wick	Cotton string in a lamp or candle
30.	Circumstance	Situation
31.	Notches	Small cuts or marks
32.	Gradually	Slowly
33.	Ink	Liquid used for writing
34.	Previously	Happened before
35.	State	Condition
36.	Affairs	Matters
37.	Rescued	Saved from danger
38.	Enclose	Cover
39.	Valley	Low land between hills or mountains

5. Exercise solutions

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Exercise – 1

Tick the correct answer from the given alternatives

1. Robinson Crusoe was shipwrecked in
(a) 1659
(b) 1559
(c) 1359
(d) 1959

Ans: (a) 1659

2. Robinson Crusoe used canvas to make a
(a) Bed
(b) Sail
(c) Tent
(d) Curtain

Ans: (c) Tent

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3. The distance between the stakes Robinson Crusoe drove into the ground was
(a) Five inches
(b) Seven inches
(c) Four inches
(d) Six inches

Ans: (b) Seven inches

4. Crusoe saw some fair weather in the month of
(a) December
(b) November
(c) September
(d) October

Ans: (d) October

5. The journey homeward with the fruit parcel took Crusoe
(a) Five days
(b) Ten days
(c) Three days
(d) Four days

Ans: (c) Three days

Exercise – 2

Answer the following questions within fifteen words:

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1. What name did Crusoe give to the dismal island?
Ans: He called it the “Island of Despair.”

2. Where did he pitch the tent?
Ans: He pitched his tent against a rock by the seaside.

3. How did Crusoe go over the fence?
Ans: He used a ladder to go over the fence.

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4. Why did he keep a journal?
Ans: He kept a journal to record daily events and keep track of time.

Exercise – 3

Answer the following questions within twenty-five words:

1. What were the items Robinson Crusoe collected from the wrecked ship?
Ans: Crusoe collected food, clothes, tools, gunpowder, arms, nails, sails, canvas, ironwork, and many useful items from the wrecked ship.

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2. How did Crusoe keep track of the number of days he spent on the island?
Ans: He cut marks on a wooden post, making one mark every day to count days and months.

3. In what way did Crusoe make himself a lamp?
Ans: Crusoe used a piece of rope or cloth dipped in animal fat to make a lamp.

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Grammar in use

Exercise – 4

Underline the adverbs and state their kinds:

1. It is too hot today.
Ans: Adverb of degree

2. The girl Seldom visits my house.
Ans: Adverb of frequency

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3. He searched everywhere for the book.
Ans: Adverb of place

4. The boy runs fast.
Ans: Adverb of manner

Exercise – 5

Underline the clause in the following sentences and state what kind of clauses they are:

1. She asked me what my name was.
Ans: Noun clause

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2. He is a friend who has always helped me.
Ans: Adjective clause

3. Please enter the room when you are asked to.
Ans: Adverb clause of time

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4. That he will win is known to us.
Ans: Noun clause

Exercise – 6

Identify the following sentences as simple, complex and compound:

1. They predicted that it would rain.
Ans: Complex sentence

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2. The weather being fine, the children went out to play.
Ans: Simple sentence

3. Ravi woke up early but he could not reach school on time.
Ans: Compound sentence

4. Finishing his work, my father returned home.
Ans: Simple sentence

Exercise – 7

Do as directed:

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1. Tatar hoped to do well in the examination. (Change into a complex sentence)
Ans: Tatar hoped that he would do well in the examination.

2. The headmistress arrived and the meeting began. (Change into a complex sentence)
Ans: The meeting began when the headmistress arrived.

3. Ayesha was surprised when she heard the news. (Change into a simple sentence)
Ans: Hearing the news, Ayesha was surprised.

4. You must work hard to be successful in life. (Change into a compound sentence)
Ans: You must work hard, or you will not be successful in life.

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Composition

Exercise – 8

You had been ill for three days. Write a letter to the headmaster/headmistress of your school seeking leave of absence for those days.

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To
The Headmaster/Headmistress
Delhi Public High School
138, Ruby Park road, kolkata – 700024

Respected Sir/Madam,

I beg to state that I had been suffering from fever for the last three days, from the 5th to the 7th of September. I was unable to attend school during this period. Now I am feeling better and wish to resume my classes.

I kindly request you to grant me leave of absence for the above-mentioned days and oblige.

Yours obediently,
Suraj Roy
Class – X
Roll No. – 4

Exercise – 9

You want to visit a tourist spot during the puja vacation. Write a letter within 100 words to the manager of a hotel enquiring about the availability of rooms, cost involved and sites to be seen.

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To
The Manager
Hotel Sea View
Marine Drive
Puri – 752001, Odisha

Subject: Enquiry about accommodation during Puja vacation

Respected Sir,

I wish to spend my upcoming puja vacation at Puri and would like to stay in your hotel. I shall be visiting with my family and need accommodation from the 10th to the 15th of October. Please let me know whether rooms will be available during this period.

Kindly inform me about the types of rooms, the daily charges, and whether food is included in the cost. I would also like to know about the important tourist attractions nearby, such as the Jagannath Temple, Puri Beach, and Konark Sun Temple, and whether your hotel provides any guidance for sightseeing.

I would be grateful if you send me the details at your earliest convenience, so that I may make my booking.

Yours faithfully,
Ankit Sharma

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