Moments - Class IX
Reprint 2025-26
This story reflects the challenges of being a teenager and the problems of growing up. It describes how the author loses his home in a fire, struggles with a new school, and eventually discovers the meaning of friendship and community.
In this interactive lesson, we'll explore Zan Gaudioso's personal account of loss, adaptation, and the discovery that a home is more than just a physical structure - it's the relationships and connections we form with others.
The story we shall read is about how a teenager's house burns down, and how he overcomes his problems. It explores the meaning of 'home' versus 'house' and the importance of community support.
Have you ever experienced a significant loss or had to start over in a new environment? How did you cope with the change? What helped you adjust to the new situation?
What makes a house a "home"? In pairs, discuss the difference between a house (the physical structure) and a home (the emotional connection and sense of belonging). List five elements that transform a building into a home.
Think about what you would miss most if you had to leave your home suddenly. Would it be the physical objects or the emotional connections?
Read these sentences from the story:
It was a cold and windy fall day, and we had a fire going in our fireplace. As usual, my red tabby cat was lying on top of all my papers, purring loudly and occasionally swatting at my pen for entertainment's sake.
Let's learn some new vocabulary words from the story:
1. Stoking
2. Surreal
3. Zombie
4. Milling around
5. Shove
Look at these sentences from the story:
I would go over to watch them clear away debris, hoping that my cat was somewhere to be found. She was gone. I kept thinking about her as that vulnerable little kitten. In the early morning when I would disturb her and get out of bed, she would tag along after me, climb up my robe and crawl into my pocket to fall asleep.
Words can be formed by adding prefixes (placed before) and suffixes (placed after) to root words.
1. The fire was (complete) out of control by the time the firefighters arrived.
2. The cat was (terrible) frightened by the fire.
3. The author felt (secure) at his new school.
4. The (kind) of his new classmates helped him recover.
5. It was (possible) to save all their belongings.