Going Places, Explanation Line by Line, Meaning of Difficult Words, English CBSE Class 12 NCERT Flamingo Chapter 8

Going Places, Explanation Line by Line, Meaning of Difficult Words, English CBSE Class 12 NCERT Flamingo Chapter 8

GOING PLACES

(Explanation and Meaning of difficult words)

Author – A.R. Barton

Phrase	Meaning
Incongruity	Not matching, Strange
Arcade	Gallery with arch
Prodigy	Young person with talent
Amber glow	Yellow light
Chuffed	Became happy
Wharf	Boat
Solitary elm	The only elm tree
Pangs of doubts	Thoughts of doubt

Word	Meaning
Boutique	A small shop
Linking arms	Joining or holding arms
Takes money	Requires money

Two friends Sophie and Jansie were coming home from school. They were walking in a street. On their way, Sophie told that she would open a boutique after completing her schooling. Jansie joined her arms with that of Sophie’s and told that it was doubtful. She further told that it required lot of money to open a boutique.

Sophie said that she will earn or arrange money. She was looking at the other end of the street. [Means she was dreaming] Jansie replied that it took a long time to save enough money for boutique.

Word	Meaning
Straight off	In the beginning

Sophie said that she will start her career as a manger. She will do a job till she saves enough money. She said that she was aware how her boutique would look. Jansie replied that no one would make her a manager in the beginning.

Word	Meaning
Amazing	Best, Very beautiful

Mary Quant was a famous designer of fashionable cloths and an icon. Sophie says that she will be just like Mary Quant. Everybody will notice her right from the beginning. She says that she will own the most beautiful shop the city has ever seen.

Word	Meaning
Earmarked	Destined
Melancholy	Sad

Jansie knew that destiny of both of them was to work at the biscuit factory. So she became very sad. She hoped that Sophie would not dream of owning a boutique.

Soon two friends reached the street in which house of Sophie was situated. Jansie said that after few months they would be leaving school. She urged Sophie to be more sensible. Jansie said that payment for working at a shop is very low. Jansie reminded that Sopjie’s father would not allow her to work at a shop.

Word	Meaning
Real Money	More money
On the side	Additionally
Sophisticated	Elegant, Stylish

Sophie again tells her dreams to Jansie.

She thinks of becoming an actress because there is more money in this profession. And she wants to have a boutique also with her acting career. She thinks that actress need not work for full time of the day. She says that she would become a fashion designer or an actress. She wants to be do something which is stylish.

Sophie went into her house. Door of her house was open. Jansie was standing in the street in the rain. While entering her house, Sophie said to Jansie that whenever she had money, she would buy a boutique.

Word	Meaning
Scooping	To move with a scoop,
Shepherd’s pie	A dish of meat and potato
Plump	Round shape
Grimy	Full of dirt
Marked from the day	Looking tired after day’s work

Her father said that whenever she earned enough money she should buy a decent house for themselves. Father was eating shepherd’s pie with the help of a scoop. [scoop is a type of spoon].His round face was full of dirt and sweat. He looked tired after day’s work.

Word	Meaning
Hanging on	Standing
Money grows on trees	Easy to earn money

Her younger brother Derek was standing at the back of father’s chair. He said to his father that Sophie thought it was easy to earn money. Their mother took a deep breath.

Word	Meaning
Stooped	Bent
Incongruity	Not matching
Bow	Knot
Crooked	Curved

Sophie looked at the back of her mother which was bent over the sink. She thought at the mismatch of the soft knot of strings of the apron. The delicate bow and the curved back. The back had become curved due to hard work her mother had been doing.

Word	Meaning
Blackened in windows	It was dark, Sun was setting
Steamy	Full of smoke or steam
Cluttered	Scattered
Vest	Baniyaan
Washing	Clothes yet to be washed
Piled up	Heaped

It had already become dark outside i.e. the Sun had already set. Because of stove there was smoke in the room. The person (her father) was wearing a vest and breathing heavily. Many things were scattered in the room. Dirty clothes were heaped in a corner.

Word	Meaning
Felt tightening in throat	Felt uncomfortable or anxious
Look for	Search
Kneel	Sit or bend such that knee touches floor
Tinker	Attempt to repair, Fiddle with

Sophie felt uncomfortable. She started looking for her elder brother Geoff. He was in the next room. He was kneeling on the floor. He had spread a newspaper on the carpet. He had placed a part of his motorcycle on the newspaper. He was trying to repair it.

He had completed his schooling three years ago. He was now a trainee mechanic. He travelled to the other side of the city for his job.

He was almost grown up i.e. a matured person. Sophie did not know about some parts of his life. So she had a doubt about those parts. He did not tell her anything about those parts. On his own he never told anything.

He had to be motivated to speak. It was similar to somebody digging the ground to obtain stones. [Meaning that he spoke very less.] Sophie did not like that he spoke so less.

When Geoff was not speaking it looked as if he was dreaming. He used to dream about some places she had never visited. [Meaning that Geoff used to think differently.]

Word	Meaning
Outlying	Away, Distant
Fascination	Liking

She did not know if those places were just outside the city. Or these were too far away and in the rural area around the city. These places were of special interest to her because she had not visited these places.

Perhaps in those places, there were some interesting people of foreign country. And he did not tell about those people, although Geoff did not make friends easily. Here Sophie is suspecting that Geoff has some friends and he is keeping it a secret.

Word	Meaning
Longed	Eagerly wanted

She eagerly wanted to know about them. She hoped that her brother would share many things with her. She wanted to feel affection of her brother. She wished that someday his brother will take her with him to those places.

Word	Meaning
Forbade	Refused
Too young	Very small, Not grown up
Impatient	Eager, In a hurry

Her father had refused that Geoff should take her with him. And Geoff did not tell his opinion. She was aware that Geoff thought she had not grown. But she was very eager to go with her brother.

Word	Meaning
Conscious	Aware
Vast	Very big
Instinctively	Think without logic, Inner voice
Feel at home	Feel comfortable or relaxed

She was aware that the huge world outside of her house was waiting for her. Her inner voice told her that she would be very comfortable in the world of the city. Because she had lived in the city for quite some time.

Word	Meaning
Expectantly	Eagerly, Excitedly
Cape	Shawl, A garment without sleeves
Applause	Clap, Appreciate

Sophie thought that the world was eagerly waiting for her arrival. She imagined that she was sitting on a bike behind Geoff. He was wearing new shining black clothes of leather. She was wearing a yellow dress and a shawl. The cape flew behind as they rode on the bike. All people clapped and appreciated them. The whole world was greeting them.

Word	Meaning
Frowning	Being angry
Cradled	Hold in hands with affection

Geoff was sitting and angrily looking at the part of his motorcycle. He was holding the part in his hands as if it was an animal who could not speak. And he wanted to speak to it. (Meaning that Geoff was fully occupied in repairing that part)

Sophie told Geoff that she had met Danny Casey. (Danny Casey is a very famous football player). Suddenly Geoff looked at Sophie and asked her where she met Danny.

Word	Meaning
Arcade	Gallery with arch

Sophie replies that she met him at the arcade. It was a funny incident. Geoff does not believe it. Sophie insists that she had met Danny. Geoff asks if Sophie had informed their father about it.

Word	Meaning
Chastened	Felt sad or unhappy, Regretted

Sophie shook her head, meaning that she had not told father. She felt sad that Goeff could not understand that she shared her secrets first with him. Geoff said that he could not believe that Sophie had met Danny.

Word	Meaning
Beside	Near

Sophie explains that she was looking at clothes in a store. Name of the store was Royce. There someone came and stood near her. She turned around and she saw that it was Danny Casey.

Goeff asks Sophie how Danny looks like. Sophie says that he himself knew about looks of Danny. Geoff insists to know from Sophie by saying how does Danny look when he is so close. [Meaning that they had never seen Danny from close.] Sophie should approximately narrate looks of Danny.

Sophie describes Danny. He has green eyes. Gentle eyes. He is not very tall as one would imagine. She wanted to say about his teeth, but she did not say.

Word	Meaning
Had washed	Had taken bath

Their father came to room after taking bath. His face and arms were clean and shining. Smell of soap was coming from his body.

Word	Meaning
Grunt	Low sound from throat

Father switched on the TV. He threw shoe of Derek from his chair to sofa. Then he sat down on his chair. He made a low sound from his throat while sitting.

Word	Meaning
Wriggled	Moved, Twisted
Disdain	Arrogance, Not happy

Geoff said that Sophie had met Danny Casey. Sophie moved at her place. Her father turned his thick neck to look at her. Her father was looking arrogant meaning that he was not happy to know. Geoff said that it was true.

Tom Finney was a famous football player of England. Her father continued to look at the TV. Her father said that once he knew a person, who knew Tom Finney. He further said that that was very long ago.

Geoff said that father had already told about it. Father said that Casey may become a good player. Geoff replied that Casey could become better that Tom Finney. In fact Casey is the best.

Word	Meaning
Keep head on shoulder	Be intelligent, To remain humble
Take care after	Look after, To give training
Distractions	Diversions
These days	Nowadays

Father says that Danny can become a better player if he remains humble. And if they take good care of him. (Here ‘they’ means coach and team of Danny). Nowadays, for a youngster, there are lot of opportunities for diversion.

Geoff says that he (Danny) will be all right because he is in the best team of the country. Father says that he is very young. Geoff say that Danny is older than him.

Father says that he (Danny) is very young so he should not be in the first team. Geoff says that he (father) should not say this for Danny because he (Danny) is a very talented player. Sophie says that Danny would be buying a shop.

Word	Meaning
Grimaced	Looked angrily

Father angrily looked at her and asked where she had heard about it. Sophie replied that Danny had told her.

Word	Meaning
Muttered	Said in low voice, Murmured
Inaudible	Not possible to hear
Dragged	Pulled
Wild story	Imagination

Father said something in low voice. It was not possible to hear what he said. Father pulled himself to turn in his chair. He further said that it was one of her imaginations.

Word	Meaning
Load of trouble	Lot of troubles
One of these days	Some day

Geoff told that she had met Danny in the arcade. Then he told him how they (Danny and Sophie) had met. Her father told angrily to Sophie that someday she may get into lot of trouble. Father thinks that Sophie is telling a lie.

Sophie says that Geoff knows that it is true. Father says he (Geoff) does not believe you. Though he wants to believe you.

* * *

Word	Meaning
Amber glow	Yellow light
Beneath	Below
Prodigy	Young person with talent

United is very famous football team in England.

The table lamp was giving yellow light on the wall of bedroom of her brother. On the wall was a big poster of first team of United. Below the poster was a row of coloured photographs of young players. One of the photo was of Casey. He was from Ireland so referred as Irish.

Sophie requested Geoff to tell to no one. Geoff replied there was nothing to tell anyone. (Meaning that what Sophie will tell is not important). Sophie asks Geoff to promise that he will not tell to anyone. She is afraid of her father. She thinks that her father will scold her a lot.

Geoff says that father will scold her if he thinks it was true. (Geoff wants to say that father would not believe that Sophie had met Danny) Sophie requests Geoff not to play jokes. Geoff says to Sophie that she is still in school. Meaning that at this tender age she should not meet Danny. He further says that Casey must be having many girlfriends. Sophie says he does not have any other girlfriend.

Word	Meaning
Jeered	Taunted, Teased

Geoff tauntingly asked Sophie how she knew about it. Sophie replied that Danny had told her. Geoff said that nobody would tell such things to a girl.

Sophie insisted that Danny had told her. Sophie thinks that Danny is not a person to have many girlfriends. He is peaceful person. Geoff replied that he does not seem to be such a peaceful person. [Geoff thinks that Danny has many girl friends]

Sophie told Geoff that she was the first who spoke to Danny. When she recognized him, she asked if he was Danny Casey. He was surprised at the question.

Word	Meaning
Accent	Style of speaking

He replied that he was Danny Casey. And I became sure that he was Danny. His style of speaking was exactly same as she had seen on a TV interview.

Sophie requested Danny to give an autograph. She wanted to get autograph for their younger brother Derek. But neither Sophie nor Danny had paper or pen. So they talked about clothes displayed at Royce.

Word	Meaning
Long way	Very far

He seemed lonely. Because he was far from his home situated in western part of Ireland. While going Danny asked Sophie if she would like to meet him next week. He would give her an autograph. Sophie agreed to meet him.

Word	Meaning
Show up	Come

Geoff said Danny is not likely to come again to meet Sophie. But Sophie says that now Geoff should believe her.

Word	Meaning
Dragged	Pulled
Pushed his arms into	Wore it
Wished	Hoped
Appearance	Looks

Geoff pulled his jacket from back of the chair. It was shining but was shapeless (not ironed). He wore the jacket. Sophie hoped that Geoff should be more careful about how his looks.

Sophie hoped that Geoff would take more care about his clothes. She thought that he was tall and had a slightly dark coloured face that looked strong. She thought Geoff looked handsome.

Geoff replied that Danny is unlikely to come to meet Sophie.

* * *

Word	Meaning
Pilgrimage	Fixed routine
Mates	Friends

Every Saturday, the family of Sophie had a fixed routine. They would watch a football game in which United was playing. Sophie, her father and Derek sat near the goal posts. Geoff sat with his friends far from them.

Word	Meaning
Blend	Mixture
Innocence	Simplicity
Screaming	Shouting
Hesitating	Uncertain

United won the game by the score of two-nil. Casey had scored the second goal. This goal was a mix of simplicity and genius. At the edge of the penalty area, Casey went around two defenders. Sophie’s father was shouting that Casey should give a pass. But Casey took a shot himself from about 12 yards from the goal. The goalkeeper did not know how to stop the shot.

Word	Meaning
Ecstatic	Overjoyed, Jubilant
Englishman	Person from England

Sophie was proud that Casey had scored a goal. Geoff was also very happy. The family was returning in a bus. Someone in bus said that it would have been good if Casey were an Englishman.

Derek came home with his sister Sophie. He told his mother that Ireland would win world cup. Father had gone to the bar to celebrate victory of United.

Next week Jansie asked Sophie about something she (Sophie) had been telling. Sophie asked what was she asking about. Jansie replied that Geoff had told Frank that Sophie had met Danny Casey. Frank is brother of Jansie.

Word	Meaning
Inquisition	Inquiry, Questioning
Nosey	Curiosity in other’s matters
Startled	Greatly surprised

Sophie was greatly surprised. She thought it was not an inquiry. It was being curious in other’s matters. She tried to avoid answering it by saying Oh, that.

Word	Meaning
Frowned	Became angry
Sensing	Understanding, Realising
Covering	Hiding
Exclaimed	Shouted in surprise

Jansie became angry. She understood that Sophie was trying to hide something. She replied that yes, she was asking about that. Sophie accepted that she had met Danny. Jansie was surprised but could not believe.

Sophie looked at the ground. Now she understood that Jansie had come to know because of Geoff. Her meeting with Danny was supposed to be a special thing between Geoff and Sophie. It was to be a secret. But Geof had told Frank and Frank told Jansie.

Word	Meaning
Gawky	Awkward, Not disciplined
Sacred	Pious, Holy

Sophie concluded that it was not a fault of Jansie. If you tell anything to Jansie, then everybody will come to know about it. She did not have discipline in this matter. Sophie cursed Geoff and wished he had kept it a secret.

Word	Meaning
Meant to be	Required to be

Sophie told Jansie that it was required to be a secret. Jansie promised that she will keep it a secret.

Word	Meaning
Row	Noisy argument
Blinked	Quick closing and opening of eyes
Chuffed	Became happy

Sophie told that she did not want to tell about it to anyone. If her father comes to know about it, there will be a noisy argument. Jansie said why should there be an argument. He should feel very happy about it.

Word	Meaning
Breathed easily	Felt relaxed

Sophie understood that Jansie did not know about the date of their next meeting. Geoff had not told about it. She felt relaxed.

Word	Meaning
Let her down	Disappointed her

So Geoff had not disappointed Sophie. He believed her. He had kept certain things as secret.

Sophie tells Jansie that it was just a small meeting. I had asked for an autograph. But we did not have pen or paper. So I could not get his autograph. She wonders how much Geoff has told Frank. Jansie wished that she too should have been there.

Sophie says to Jansie that her father did not believe it. She further says that her father is a bit of problem. He would be sad to know this.

Word	Meaning
Murder me	Punish me
Hushed	In a low and serious voice

Sophie did not want people to ask her father about her meeting Danny Casey. Sophie tells Jansie that if that happens her father will punish her. And her mother will get disturbed if there is a noisy argument in the house. Jansie seriously told Sophie that she would not tell anybody about it.

* * *

Word	Meaning
Sheltered	Covered
Wharf	Boat
Unceasing	Continuous, Non-stop
Drone	Humming noise, Unclear sound
Muffled	Not loud

After it had become dark, Sophie was walking along the canal. It was a covered path. The covered path was getting light from the lamps of boats parked in the river. The continuous noise (humming) from the city was not loud. It appeared to be coming from a large distance.

Word	Meaning
Solitary	Only one, Alone
Elm	Type of tree

Sophie used to play there when she was a child. There was only one tree of elm. Below the tree was a wooden bench. Lovers used to sit on this bench. She sat there to wait for Danny Casey.

Sophie had thought that it was the perfect place for meeting Danny Casey. It was a meeting place for those who did not want people to see them. She thought that Danny Casey will like this place.

Word	Meaning
Sometime elapsed	Sometime passed

While waiting, Sophie imagined that Danny was coming. She imagined that he was coming out of the shadows near the canal. And she was so happy to see him. When Danny did not come even after considerable time, she started thinking that he may not come.

Sophie started talking to herself. She thought that she is sitting here in the hope that Dany would come. But she could feel that lot of time has passed.