The Homemaker The topic of today’s class discussion is “The Homemaker”. The class “The Homemaker” is part of Class 7, English 1st Paper, Unit 4, Lesson 7. We have taken two episodes class in this series on The Homemaker.
The Homemaker
Lesson 6: The homemaker (1)
A . Look at the pictures and discuss the following question in pairs.
Where do you think the family lives?
B . Ask and answer the question in pairs: What do you see in picture 1 / 2/ 3 / 4 /5 / 6?
C . Read about the family.
Mrs Nazma and Mr Joynul Ali live in a small village with their daughters, Mitu aged 7 and Nitu aged 5. Joynul is a carpenter. He is hired by the villagers to make chairs, tables, pira (low stool) and other furniture. He is also asked to do small repair work. But Joyful does not find work every day. He lives from hand to mouth.
Nazma does all the work at home from morning to night, rain or shine. Sometimes she sits with Mitu and Nitu and teaches them Bangla and English alphabets and some numbers. They do not go to school. Nazma could study only up to class 5. Joynul is illiterate.
Make two lists of what Nazma and Joynul do in the table below.
| List A (Nazma) | List B ( Joynul) |
| cooks washes clothes cleans[dash] Continue …… | makes cots [dash] [dash] Continue ….. |
E . Match the phrases/words with their meanings.
| Phrases / Words | Meanings |
| live from hand to mouth | all the letters in a language |
| rain or shine | a person who does not know how to read and write |
| alphabet | spend all the money you earn on basic needs, e.g. food and clothes—you cannot save any money |
| illiterate | in good or bad weather |
F . First discusses in groups and then write an answer to this question:
What do you think is the reason why Mitu and Nitu do not go to school?
Lesson 7: The homemaker (2)
Keywords:
| favour | wildly | gratitude |
A Read and try to find out why Nazma and Joynul are quarrelling.
One day Joynul looked for work in his village and in the next village. But his luck did not favour him. He was angry—angry with everybody. When he was back home, Nazma failed to serve his meal. That made him shout at Nazma.
“I had a severe headache and a fever,” said Nazma.
Joynul was trembling in anger. “The cooking is almost done. Wash your hands and feet. I’ll bring the food soon,” she said.
“Soon! It will take ages!” Joynul shouted wildly.
“What do you do the whole day at home? I work and earn money to run the family. You can’t even cook my meals in time!”
“I don’t earn money, but I also run the family. I do all the work at home cooking, cleaning, washing, husking, taking care of the children- everything, said Nazma.“Remember, you work for money and my work in the home can make the family stick together and make it happy. So both types of work are equally important.”
Never before has Joynul thought about these things. He feels guilty. Never before has he looked at Nazma with so much admiration and gratitude.
B . Read the text again and tick the best answer.
1. Joynul was angry with everybody because
a. he was looking for work in his village and in the next village.
b. he was hungry and Nazma could not cook food at the proper time.
c. he did not find any work in his village and in the next village.
2 . Joynul shouted loudly at Nazma because
a. she could not give him food in time.
b. she had a bad headache.
c . she forgot to cook food in time.
3. It will take ages. The underlined words mean
a . Nazma is suffering from old age.
b. a very long time will be needed.
c. Joynul is willing to wait long.
4. Who should run the family?
a. Joynul
b. Nazma
c . Joynul and Nazma
5 . What can make a family happy?
a . money and housework
b. work that Nazma does at home
c . work that Joynul does to earn money
6 . All members in a family should
a. do their individual work separately.
b. live together and support each other.
c . earn and spend money equally.
Details about The Homemaker – English Grammar :