"MASS-ACRE - Meaning lots of land?" Udaya scratched his head as he squinted at the word in front of him.
"Plural of MASCARA?" Nivi giggled. She was the fashionista of the class.
After coming up with no other meanings, the class turned to Kanchana ma'am for its actual meaning.
It was a routine of the class to come up with meanings, which they felt suited the word before they learned what the word meant.
Kanchana ma'am wanted her students to be able to think outside the box. She wanted them to learn new things about their surroundings and history. She felt that only textbook learning was no good.
"MASSACRE- means to kill in large numbers." She looked around, ensuring that the attention was on her. "To kill people who are unarmed and do not fight back."
The class fell silent. It was indeed a very deep word for the students and definitely not an everyday word, and not one for young minds.
"But why would anyone kill in such a manner? It is inhumane and unethical," Sachdev was the first one to recover from the enormity of the word.
"True, Sachdev. But, in real life, such incidents do happen," Kanchana ma'am said.
"If I come across an anthill and pour a bucket full of water on it, will it become a massacre? Or maybe if I kill freshlybloomed flowers for no reason, will it become a massacre?" Kirthi asked, trying to understand the word better.
Kanchana ma'am thought for a while.
"Technically, yes, you can call it that. But, generally for animals, insects and flowers too, we use the term 'Butcher' or 'Slaughter'. 'Massacre' is a term used mostly for human beings."
"Can you give us an example of such an incident, ma'am? I don't think people can do such things," Priya asked.
Kanchana ma'am closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
She knew her class would ask this question and that was the reason she chose the word for today as well.
She began narrating.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der April First 2024-Ausgabe von Champak.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der April First 2024-Ausgabe von Champak.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Brave Hippo
Henry Hippo was chosen for the prestigious Anandvan Bravery Award for saving Madhav monkey's son Zain from a hungry hyena by risking his own life.
THE POLLINATOR GARDEN BLOOM SHOW
Siya gazed at the glossy brochure that her neighbour Trisha had shown her.
Aarau Learns a Lesson
It was Sunday, and Aarav woke up leisurely in the morning.
The Gift of Braille
Tanmay was going to the market with his grandfather when he noticed a blind man attempting to cross the road amidst heavy traffic.
What An idea!
Baddy fox had been eyeing Mani deer for a long time. However, he was unable to catch him because Mani was extremely fast.
BUT, IT IS NOT CHOCOLATE
\"I HATE HIM!\" Hamsa kicked her sandals out. They went flying in opposite directions, just like her mood-cross.
Bhima's Resolve
It was the year 1901, a time when India was under British rule. In Satara, - Maharashtra, ten-year-old Bhima lived with his elder brother, his nephew and their grandmother. His father worked as a cashier in Koregaon.
King Muddleberry and Cheeku
Cheeku rabbit and Meeku mouse had embarked on a world tour. While roaming, they arrived at the outskirts of town called 'Jumble Tumble'.
The Tale of Ratty's Tail
Ratty mouse lived in Anandvan with his cousin, Chinky chipmunk, who had come from London two months ago. One day, Ratty was sitting in his home, feeling sad.
The Turning Point
\"Very well class, the new word for today is: 'M-A-S-S-A-C-R-E.' Kanchana ma'am wrote down the word, letter by letter on the blackboard.