Question

Notice the different senses of the word ‘take’.  

(i) to take to something: to begin to do something as a habit  

(ii) to take ill: to suddenly become ill 

Locate these phrases in the text and notice the way they are used.

Answer 1

The instances where these phrases have been used in the story are given below. 

(i) “... she took to feeding sparrows in the courtyard of our city house”.  

This phrase refers to the daily activity that the author‟s grandmother took up when they shifted to the city. 

(ii) “The next morning she was taken ill.”  

This phrase refers to the author‟s grandmother‟s sudden illness.