B.C.a - II Semester - GIMS Generic English Material.

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D.K.S. Charitable Institute (R)

GLOBAL INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCES
(Affiliated to Bangalore University, Recognized by Govt. of Karnataka and
Approved by AICTE, New Delhi)
#6, 3rd Cross, D Road, Ideal Homes Township, Rajarajeshwari Nagar,
Bangalore-560098
B.C.A
II Semester
(NEP)
Generic English Material
Language Department
Complied By: – Assistant Professor – Mr. Gadamsetty Surya

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GENERIC ENGLISH SYLLABUS FOR

II SEMESTER B.C.A

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PART 1 – WORKBOOK
Unit 1: Receptive Skills: Reading Skills and Listening Skills
1. Reading passage to give a Title

2. Reading for Vocabulary building - synonyms, homonyms,
homophones, suffixes, prefixes, collocations, often confused
words.
3. Reading passages on Specific fields for Vocabulary building.
4. Barriers for effective listening
5. Types of Listening
6. Techniques to improve listening skills.
7. Listening Activities - listening to pre-recorded audios, movies
and other listening activities.
Unit 2: Productive Skills: Speaking Skills and Writing Skills
8. Reported Speech
9. Dialogue writing
10. Verbal Communication and Non-verbal communication
11.Summarizing
12.Speech Writing
13.Essay Writing
PART II – COURSEBOOK CONFLATIONS – II
1. Earth Never dies- NiyiOsundare

2. The Death of a Government Clerk- Anton Chekhov
3. Bonds of Friendship- Craig Burkholder
4. A Corpse in the well- Shankar RamachandraKharat
5. The Refugee- Pearl S.Buck

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PART 1 - WORKBOOK

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UNIT 1: RECEPTIVE SKILLS: READING SKILLS AND LISTENING SKILLS
CHAPTER 1: READING PASSAGE TO GIVE TITLE

A common question seen in many competitive exams and entrance tests in the
reading comprehension section is the choice of an appropriate title. Questions that
ask you to provide a title for the passage require you to assume the role of an
author and to experience what he or she may have felt or wanted to convey while
writing the passage. In order to do that, you’ll need to read the passage carefully
and pick keywords and specific writing styles, only then will you be able to
ascertain whether the author is frustrated, annoyed, perplexed, supportive, etc.,
and from that information you’ll be able to quickly predict what the author might
say next and what an appropriate title may be. For questions that ask you to
provide a title of a reading passage, be sure to look at the passage as a whole.
Most importantly, don9t choose an answer just because it reiterates a single fact
explicitly stated in the passage. A title is meant to encompass the entire meaning
of a reading passage and not just a single point.
5 things to note before choosing TITLE of a passage:
1. If you have been asked to choose or write the “most appropriate” title you may
consider the “best” or “perfect” title for the passage. Broadly write few
relevant/appropriate titles and then you can eliminate some options as
inappropriate for one reason or another, you could possibly arrive at the correct
answer.
2. Title must not only cover the core idea (the content) of the passage, but should
also express the author’s tone. For example, consider a title that says “The dismal
state of Indian hockey”. From this, you immediately not only realize that the
passage will talk about the sport of hockey, but also know what the author’s
feelings or tone would be towards the current state of affairs. This is due to the
usage of the adjective “dismal”.
3. The title you mark as the correct option should be neither too broad nor too

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narrow in scope. Too “narrow” titles may focus on only a couple of paragraphs of
the passage and not the passage as a whole.
4. Remember that a title is like a common theme that runs through the passage i.e.
it integrates the various ideas or issues discussed.
5. A title is not a conclusion. This is a mistake that students commonly make. The
title is not meant to reflect the conclusion (inference) rather, a title summarizes
the author’s ideas or points succinctly and must come from what is directly stated
in the passage.
Sample 1:
The New Year is a time for resolutions. Mentally at least, most of us could compile
formidable lists of do's and don’ts. The same old favorites recur year in and year out
with monotonous regularity. Past experience has taught us that certain
accomplishments are beyond attainment. If we remain inveterate smokers, it is only
because we have so often experienced to frustration that result from failure. Most of us
fail in our efforts at self improvement because our schemes are too ambitious and we
never have time to carry them out. We also make the fundamental error of announcing
our resolutions to everybody so that we look even more foolish when we slip back into
our old bad ways.
Write a suitable title for the above passage:
Answer: New Year

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ResolutionsSample 2:
Opera refers to a dramatic art form, originating in Europe, in which the emotional
content is conveyed to the audience as much through music, both vocal and
instrumental, as it is through the lyrics. By contrast, in musical theater an actor's
dramatic performance is primary, and the music plays a lesser role. The drama in
opera is presented using the primary elements of theater such as scenery, costumes,
and acting. However, the words of the opera, or libretto, are sung rather than spoken.
The singers are accompanied by a musical ensemble ranging from a small
instrumental ensemble to a full symphonic orchestra.
Answer: 1.Opera – An art form 2. Opera – A musical drama
Exercise:
Write two titles for all the passages given below:
PASSAGE 1
The Woodstock Music and Art Fair better known to its participants and to history
simply as “Woodstock” should have been a colossal failure. Just a month prior to
its August 15, 1969 opening, the fair’s organizers were informed by the council of
Wallkill, New York, that permission to hold the festival was withdrawn. Amazingly,
not only was a new site found, but word spread to the public of the fair’s new
location. At the new site, fences that were supposed to facilitate ticket collection never
materialized, and all attempts at gathering tickets were abandoned. Crowd estimates
of 30,000 kept rising; by the end of the three days, some estimated the crowd at
500,000. Then, on opening night, it began to rain. Off and on, throughout all three
days, huge summer storms rolled over the gathering. In spite of these problems, most
people think of Woodstock not only as a fond memory but as the defining moment
for an entire generation.

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PASSAGE 2
Use of electronic mail (e-mail) has been widespread for more than a decade. E-
mail simplifies the flow of ideas, connects people from distant offices, eliminates
the need for meetings, and often boosts productivity. However, e-mail should be
carefully managed to avoid unclear and inappropriate communication. E-mail
messages should be concise and limited to one topic. When complex issues need
to be addressed, phone calls are still best.
PASSAGE 3
Mental and physical health professionals may consider referring clients and
patients to a music therapist for a number of reasons. It seems a particularly good
choice for the social worker who is coordinating a client’s case. Music therapists
use music to establish a relationship with the patient and to improve the patient’s
health, using highly structured musical interactions. Patients and therapists may
sing, play instruments, dance, compose, or simply listen to music. The course of
training for music therapists is comprehensive. In addition to formal musical and
therapy training, music therapists are taught to discern what kinds of interventions
will be most beneficial for each individual patient. Because each patient is
different and has different goals, the music therapist must be able to understand
the patient’s situation and choose the music and activities that will do the most
toward helping the patient achieve his or her goals. The referring social worker can
help this process by clearly communicating each client9s history. Although
patients may develop their musical skills, that is not the main goal of music
therapy. Any client who needs particular work on communication or on academic,
emotional, and social skills, and who is not responding to traditional therapy, is an
excellent candidate for music therapy.

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PASSAGE 4
Art refers to a diverse range of human activities in creating visual, auditory or

performing artifacts. These artworks express the author's imaginative or technical
skill. Art is intended to be appreciated for its beauty or emotional power. In their
most general form these activities include the production of works of art, the
criticism of art, the study of the history of art, and the aesthetic dissemination of
art. Art has had a great number of different functions throughout its history, making
its purpose difficult to abstract or quantify to any single concept. This does not
imply that the purpose of Art is "vague", but that it has had many unique, different
reasons for being created.
PASSAGE 5
Dolphins are regarded as the friendliest creatures in the sea and stories of them
helping drowning sailors have been common since Roman times. The more we
learn about dolphins, the more we realize that their society is more complex than
people previously imagined. They look after other dolphins when they are ill, care
for pregnant mothers and protect the weakest in the community, as we do. Some
scientists have suggested that dolphins have a language but it is much more
probable that they communicate with each other without needing words. Could any
of these mammals be more intelligent than man? Certainly the most common
argument in favor of man's superiority over them that we can kill them more easily
than they can kill us is the least satisfactory. On the contrary, the more we discover
about these remarkable creatures, the less we appear superior when we destroy
them.

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PASSAGE 6
Erosion of America’s farmland by wind and water has been a problem since
settlers first put the prairies and grasslands under the plow in the nineteenth
century. By the 1930s, more than 282 million acres of farmland were damaged by
erosion. After 40 years of conservation efforts, soil erosion has accelerated due to
new demands placed on the land by heavy crop production. In the years ahead, soil
erosion and the pollution problems it causes are likely to replace petroleum scarcity
as the nation’s most critical natural resource problem.
PASSAGE 7
Andrew Fang is a legend in bowling. He was voted Sportsman of the Year in 2000.
Andrew is only 23. He started bowling when he was nine, picking up the sport
from his parents... “When I was just starting out, my family supported me by
paying for my training and equipment,” says the Arts undergraduate whose major
is economics. Competition or not, Andrew has no problem keeping fit. “I like
biking. Rain or shine, you9ll find me on my mountain bike cycling for at least two
hours at Bukit Timah, four times a week. It takes my mind off problems and
troubles,” says Andrew. Rest and recreation are as important as exercise.
“I love sleeping, Andrew says. “When I’m preparing for tournaments, I usually
sleep eight to nine hours a day.” He also likes playing pool, reading a good novel
or watching a show with his friends. When it comes to food, Andrew says he takes
everything in moderation and stays away from fried and fatty food. He takes in
more protein than the average person and tries to drink as much water as he can to
prevent dehydration since he cycles so much. Because of his discipline, Andrew’s
working relationship with his coach has been very smooth. Andrew’s priority,
however, is education. “Getting my degree is my biggest wish now. After that, I
can concentrate fully on professional bowling,” Andrew states firmly.

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PASSAGE 8
Today’s postal service is more efficient than ever. Mail that once took months to
move by horse and foot now moves around the country in days or hours by truck,
train, and plane. If your letter or package is urgent, the U.S. Postal Service offers
Priority Mail and Express Mail services. Priority Mail is guaranteed to go
anywhere in the United States in two days or less. Express Mail will get your
package there overnight.
PASSAGE 9
Critical reading is a demanding process. To read critically, you must slow down
your reading and, with pencil in hand, perform specific operations on the text
Markup the text with your reactions, conclusions, and questions. When you read,
become an active participant.
PASSAGE 10
The use of desktop computer equipment and software to create high-quality

documents such as newsletters, business cards, letterhead, and brochures is called
Desktop Publishing, or DTP. The most important part of any DTP project is
planning. Before you begin, you should know your intended audience, the message
you want to communicate, and what form your message will take.

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CHAPTER – 2: READING FOR VOCABULARY BUILDING
Vocabulary is key to reading comprehension. Readers cannot understand what they

are reading without knowing what most of the words mean. As we learn to read
more advanced texts, we must learn the meaning of new words that are not part of
our oral vocabulary.
The scientific research on vocabulary instruction reveals that most vocabulary is

learnt indirectly and that some vocabulary must be learnt directly. Thus, research
supports using a combination of both indirect and direct approaches. In this chapter
we shall focus on various components of vocabulary like synonyms, antonyms,
homophones, suffix etc.
SYNONYMS:
What are Synonyms?
A synonym is a word having the same or nearly the same meaning as another word
in certain contexts. The adjective form is synonymous. Synonymy is the
relationship that exists between words with closely related meanings. The word
comes from the Greek meaning "same name."
angry annoyed connect join definite certain

admit confess complete finish enjoy like
answer reply complex explain clarify
complicate
d
awful terrible cold cool, chilly eager enthusiasti
c
approximatel about cut chop evaluate assess
y
begin start dangerous unsafe fair impartial
behave act danger harm false untrue
broad wide decide determine famous renowned

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A thesaurus is a resource similar to a dictionary that helps writers to search

synonyms - as a device to compose verbose and scintillating text.
Utilizing synonyms is an elegant and frequently applied method to make a text

more pleasant to read. If the same word is used very often in several sentences,
it might very well be the case, that this same word should describe something
different in each of the sentences. Since synonyms are usually nuanced
variations with slightly different meanings, their use will emphasize special
characteristics, and thus the text will be more precise.
Sample 1:
1. One of the missions of the Peace Corps is to help the people of interested
countries meet their need for trained men and women. People who work for
the Peace Corps do so because they want to, but to keep the agency
dynamic with fresh ideas, no staff member can work for the agency for
more than five years.
Choose the synonym for the highlighted word:
Dynamic:
a. Livelihood b. abandon c. lively d. effect
The right synonym for the word “dynamic” is lively.
Sample 2:
Sharp objects should be disposed of in hard plastic or metal containers with

secure lids. The containers should be clearly marked and be puncturing
resistant.
Choose the right synonym for the highlighted word:
Secure:
a. Tight b. liable c. part d. loose
The right synonym for the word “secure” is tight.

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Exercise 1:
In each of the following sentences replace the underlined word with synonyms
given in the brackets:
1. Windy days are typical of December.

2. Her moods are as changeable as the weather.
3. He tends to be ill-tempered before he has had breakfast.
4. We sailed around the entire boundary of the island.
5. The swindler tried to evade the law.
6. We heard the pots and pans clanking in the kitchen.
7. The defendant was grateful for the judge’s kindness.
8. His character was of the highest merit.
9. A chameleon disguises itself by changing color.
10. A good critic must be a man of great honesty.
(rattling, churlish, changeable, circumvent, camouflage, typical, circumference,

caliber, clemency, candor)
Exercise 2:
1. This bottle about a liter of water.

• Comprises
• Consists of
• Contains
• Includes
2. Betty, you promised to help me with my homework, now your promise.
• Execute
• Fulfill
• Realize
• Perform

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3. I think you have a good chance of getting your money back,on wood.
• Beat
• Hit
• Knock
• Strike
4. She doesn’t have any of humour.
• Emotion
• Feeling
• Sensation
• Sense
5. He was fired and he couldn’t find another in his field.
• Job
• Work
• Labor
• Toil
6. She won in a local chess tournament.
• Award
• Premium
• Prize
• Reward

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ANTONYMS:
What are antonyms?
An antonym is a word that has the opposite meaning of another word. For
example, the word small means of limited size, while big means of large size.
Happy, a feeling of gladness, is an antonym of sad, a feeling of sorrow.
Nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs can all have antonyms, though not all do. A
word can also have multiple antonyms. For example, the words fast, quick, speedy,
swift, and rapid are all antonyms of the word slow.
Many antonyms are formed by adding the prefix or suffix. The prefixes mis-, dis-,
in-, ir- and im- and il- are used instead of un- with some words to create
antonyms. For example by adding the prefix dis to the word agree we get the
antonym disagree.
Sample 1:
The most important part of any DTP project is planning. Before you begin, you
should know your intended audience, the message you want to communicate, and
what form your message will take.
Write the antonym for the word BEGIN
Answer: End
Write antonym for the word INTENDED using the correct prefix:
Answer: -un is added to the word intended to give the opposite meaning as
unintended. Sample 2:
Reality TV shows will have an adverse effect on traditional dramas and comedies.
As reality TV increases in popularity, network executives will begin canceling
more traditional programs and replacing them with the latest in reality TV.

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Give antonyms for the following words:
1. Traditional
2. Comedy
3. Increase
Answers:
1. Modern/ unconventional
2. Tragedy
3. Decrease
Exercises 1:
More and more office workers telecommute from offices in their own homes. The
upside of telecommuting is both greater productivity and greater flexibility.
Telecommuters produce, on average, 20% more than if they were to work in an
office, and their flexible schedule allows them to balance both their family and
work responsibilities.
Give antonyms for the following words:
1. More
2. Flexible
Write antonym for the following words using the correct prefix:
1. Own
2. Allow
3. Balance
4. Responsibility

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Exercise 2:
Black-and-white camera film, in the old days of film photography, was very
sensitive to blue light but not to red light. Blue skies would often show very
little detail, because the film couldn9t record all that it was seeing. To
compensate, photographers would put a red filter on the lens, darkening the sky
enough that the film could record its fluffy clouds.
Give antonyms for the following words. Prefix can also be used:
1. Old
2. Light
3. Fluffy
4. Little
5. Often
6. Sensitive
Exercise 3:
One New York publisher has estimated that 50,000 to 60,000 people in the
United States want an anthology that includes the complete works of William
Shakespeare. And what accounts for this renewed interest in Shakespeare? As
scholars point out, the psychological insights he portrays in both male and
female characters are amazing even today.
Give antonyms for the following words. Prefix can also be used:
1. Include
2. Complete
3. Interest
4. Scholar

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Exercise 4:
Power foods are foods that provide rich levels of nutrients like fibre, potassium
and minerals. With people becoming increasingly health conscious today, a lot
of fitness trainers encourage their clients to include these foods in their daily diet
to increase muscle development. There are various ways of incorporating power
foods in your daily diet. Of course, the key to enjoying power foods is proper
preparation of these foods, the use of season-fresh foods, and identifying your
choice of flavour among power foods. Some of the recommended power food
combinations are those that are prepared in our kitchens on a regular basis. Take
for instance, the combination of chickpeas and onions. This combination is a
powerful source of iron which is required by the body to transport oxygen to its
various parts. Iron deficiency can lead to anaemia, fatigue, brain fog and
tiredness. A study by the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry says that
sulphur compounds in onion and garlic help in the absorption of iron and zinc
from chickpeas. The combination is a hit with teenagers who need to be diligent
about getting iron in their diet. A quick way to prepare this power food is to
make a chickpea salad with chopped onions, chaat masala and cilantro.
Find words in the above passage with similar meaning for the words:
1. Many
2. Careful
3. Significant
4. Inspire

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Write antonyms for all the above
words. Exercise 5:
A sparrow is a small bird which is found throughout the world. There are
many different
species of sparrows. Sparrows are only about four to six inches in length. Many
people appreciate their beautiful song. Sparrows prefer to build their nests in
low places-usually on the ground, clumps of grass, low trees and low bushes. In
cities they build their nests in building nooks or holes. They rarely build their
nests in high places. They build their nests out of twigs, grasses and plant
fibres. Their nests are usually small and well-built structures.
Female sparrows lay four to six eggs at a time. The eggs are white with reddish
brown spots. They hatch between eleven to fourteen days. Both the male and
female parents care for the young. Insects are fed to the young after hatching.
The large feet of the sparrows are used for scratching seeds. Adult sparrows
mainly eat seeds. Sparrows can be found almost everywhere, where there are
humans. Many people throughout the world enjoy these delightful birds.
Find words in the passage with opposite meaning to the following words:
1. Often
2. Build
3. Young
4. Found

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HOMOPHONES AND HOMONYMS
What are Homophones?
A homophone is a word that is pronounced the same as another word but differs
in meaning. The words may be spelt the same, such as rose (flower) and rose (past
tense of "rise"), or differently, such as carat, caret, and carrot, or to, two and too.
Homophones Examples:
1. Altar/ Alter
2. Berth/ Birth
3. Cast/ Caste
4. Days/ Daze
5. Earn/ Urn
Sample Exercise:
Choose the appropriate homophone from the brackets and fill in the blank:
a. I turned when I dropped the water . (Pail/Pale)

b. Will the teacher give me a special now that I9m on the honor ?
(role/roll)
Answer: I turned pale when I dropped the water pail.
Will the teacher give me a special role now that I’m on the honor roll?

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Exercise 1:
Choose the appropriate homophone from the brackets and fill in the blank:
1. The teacher read the instructions to the students. (allowed/aloud)

2. The day was warm, so the students their lunch outside.(ate/eight)
3. He's taking a in marketing. (coarse/course)
4. The stairs in my house. (creak/creek)
5. Your parcel should arrive in three (days/daze).
6. I had to get up early, so I've been in a _ all morning. (days/daze)
7. Make your decision based on (facts/fax).
8. He released the brake, and the tractor slowly moved (foreword/forward).
9. The bag is made from fabric.(red/read)
10. The comedian's jokes are so bad that audiences usually instead of
laugh.(groan/grown)
11. We keep a , two cows, and six chickens. (hoarse/horse)
12. You have to repay the
by the end of the month.(loan/lone)
13. Training your dog requires a lorot

(patience/patients).
lot ofof ot
14. My great-grandfather was born during the __________ of Queen Victoria.
(rain/reign)
15. Wear leather gloves when pruning the ________ bush. (rose/rows)

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What are Homonyms?
The word “homonym” comes from the prefix “homo=, meaning “the same”, and
the “suffix - nym,” means “the name”. Hence, homonyms are words that sound
alike and have different meanings. They either sound the same or are spelt the
same, but their meanings are different.
Homonym Examples:
1. Address 3 location/ to speak to

2. Bark 3 the sound of dogs/ trees outer layer
3. Band 3 a ring/ a musical group
Sample:
Write two sentences for every word given below with different meanings:
1. Board
a. The teacher’s writing on the board is not visible.
b. Board members are waiting in the room for the meeting.
2. Race
a. Students are willing to participate in 200 mtr race.
b. There should be no discrimination based on race.

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Exercise 2:
Write two sentences for every word given below with different meanings:
1. Light
2. Sole
3. Mean
4. Right
5. Kind
6. Well
7. Match
8. Express
9. Pound
10. Spring
11. Tender
12. Stalk
13. Rock
14. Ring
15. Drop
16. Ruler
17. Scale
18. Can
19. Watch
20. Foot

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SUFFIX AND PREFIX:
What is a suffix?
Suffixes are placed at the end of a word in order to alter its meaning or change the
classification of the word.
We work hard in order to ensure our children’s happiness.
Happiness includes the state of being happy. By adding the suffix -ness, we have
changed our word from an adjective to a noun in order to fit grammatically in the
sentence.
Let’s look at an example of a suffix used in a sentence:
In classroom, students will research on the current elections

• Suffix = ions is added to elect to change the meaning and mean a
process.
Suffix Meaning Examples
-able able to, having the quality of comfortable, portable
-al relating to Annual, comical
-er comparative bigger, stronger
-est superlative strongest, tiniest
-ful full of beautiful, grateful
-ible forming an adjective reversible, terrible
-ily forming an adverb eerily, happily, lazily
-ing denoting an action, a material, or a gerund acting, showing
-less without, not affected by friendless, tireless
-ly forming an adjective clearly, hourly
-ness denoting a state or condition kindness, wilderness
-y full of, denoting a condition, or a diminutive Messy, hearty, tasty

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What does prefix mean?

A prefix is a group of letters placed before the root word. For example, the word
“unhappy=”consists of the prefix “un-” [which means “not”] combined with the root
word “happy”; the word
“unhappy” means “not happy.”
Prefix Meaning Examples
de- from, down, away, reverse, opposite decode, degrade
dis- not, opposite, reverse, away disagree, disappear
ex- out of, away from, lacking, former exterminate
il- not illegal, illogical
im- not, without impossible, improper
in- not, without inaction, invisible
mis- bad, wrong mislead, misplace
non- not nonfiction, nonsense
pre- before prefix, preview, precaution
pro- for, forward, before Proactive, proclaim
re- again, back react, reappear
un- against, not, opposite undo, unequal, unusual
Let’s try using a prefix in a sentence.
Craig was dissatisfied with the customer service he received at the store.
• Prefix = dis = negative

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Exercise 1:
Use suitable prefix to get the opposite meaning of the words given below:
1. Wrap
2. Comfort
3. Use
4. Fortune
5. Understand
6. Behave
7. Spell
8. Guide
9. Close
10. Agree
11. Fold
12. Construct
13. Appropriate
14. Healthy
15. Familiar
Exercise 2:
Fill in the blanks with appropriate prefix or suffix to the words in brackets:
1. He is acting in a very way. (child)
2. She looked . She started to cry. (happy)
3. He passed the exam. He was for the second time. (success)
4. The team that he supported won the . (champion)
5. I couldn’t find any in his theory. (weak)
6. He wants to be a when he grows up. (mathematics)
7. There were only a of people at the match. (hand)
8. The road was too narrow, so they had to it. (wide)
9. I think that you should your decision. (consider)
10. You need a of motivation, organization and hard work to
realize your dreams.(combine)

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COLLOCATIONS:
A collocation is made up of two or more words that are commonly used
together in English. Think of collocations as words that usually go together.
There are different kinds of collocations in English. Strong collocations are
word pairings that are expected to come together, such as combinations with
'make' and 'do': You make a cup of tea, but you do your
homework. Collocations are very common in business settings when certain

nouns are routinely combined with certain verbs or adjectives. For example,
draw up a contract, set a price, conduct negotiations, etc.
Some Common Collocations:

Here are a number of common collocations in English:
to make the bed I need to make the bed every day.

to do homework My son does his homework after dinner.
to take risk Some people don't take enough risks in life.
to give advice The teacher gave us some advice on taking tests.
Verb Collocations:
Some of the most common collocations involve verb + noun collocations

used in everyday situations. Here are some examples of the types of verb
collocations.
to feel free Please feel free to take a seat and enjoy the show.
to come prepared Make sure to come prepared for the test tomorrow.
to save time You'll save time if you turn off your smart phone and
concentrate on the lesson.
to find a replacement We need to find a replacement for Jim as soon as possible.
to make progress We're making progress on the project at work.

to do the washing up I'll do the washing up and you can put Johnny to bed.

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to open an account Would you like to open an account at our bank?

to forgive a debt Do you think the bank would forgive a debt?
to land a deal We landed a deal worth 3 million.
to key in a PIN Just key in your PIN at the ATM and you can make a deposit.
to deposit a check I'd like to deposit this check for 100.
hard-earned money Once you get a job, you'll know what hard-earned money
really is.
to close a deal I closed a deal on a new account last week.
to write up a Let's write up your contract.
contract
counterfeit money Be on the lookout for counterfeit money in circulation.
Business Collocations:
Collocations are often used in business and work settings. There are a number of
forms including adjectives, nouns and other verbs that combine with keywords
to form business expressions. Here are some business collocations for specific
situations.
Examples of collocations:
He had intended to take a holiday in New York.

He wanted to see if he could get a job with us.
I might take a lesson from you.
My goals were to go back to school and get a degree.
I’ll take a look at the website and let you know what I think.
He was beginning to get angry.
Can’t you do a favour and leave me
alone?

30
Exercises:
Choose the correct word from the brackets and fill in the blank:
1. The meeting took almost five hours, so it was difficult to (give/pay)
attention all the time.
2. The problem is difficult to (keep/hold) under control.
3. Only 30% of students who (made/took) the final exam passed it.
4. Accepting gifts from vendors is (strictly/strongly) forbidden.
5. I think you need to let it go, you should not (keep/hold) a grudge.
6. After (careful/cautious) consideration, we decided not to go with

it.
7. We are planning to move operations to a

(emerging/developi
ng) country.
8. The goal of the campaign is to (raise/create) awareness about

pollution and overfishing in India.
9. We would like to (warmly/cordially) invite you to the grand
opening.
10. A (vast/big) majority of our employees have a decade experience.

31
WORDS OFTEN CONFUSED:
Some words look the same, while others sound the same. Knowing the difference
between these similar words can be very tricky. Here, we have provided some of
the most commonly confused word pairs, with definitions for each and sentences
showing them in context.
For example:
Affect vs. Effect
Affect is a verb meaning to influence.
Effect is a noun meaning result.
While the student didn9t see how studying affected his test-taking, the positive
effects soon became clear.
Lie vs. Lay
Lie is a verb meaning to recline or rest on a surface.
Lay is a verb meaning to put or place.
Kim lies down to take a nap every day at 3:30 p.m. Before falling asleep, Kim lays
her bracelet on the table.

32
Exercise:
Find the meaning of the words given and frame sentence for each word:
1. Accept vs. Except

2. Allusion vs. Illusion
3. Appraise vs. Apprise
4. Capital vs. Capitol
5. Climactic vs. Climatic
6. Complement vs. Compliment
7. Elicit vs. Illicit
8. Emigrate vs. Immigrate
9. Ensure vs. Insure
10. Farther vs. Further
11. Imitated vs. Intimated
12. Passed vs. Past
13. Lose vs. Loose
14. Breath vs. Breathe
15. Principal vs. Principle
*********************

33
CHAPTER-3: READING PASSAGES ON SPECIFIC FIELDS FOR

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT
OBJECTIVES:
1. To familiarize students with use of language in specific fields in terms of

jargons/registers.
2. To enable the students to comprehend and analyze the texts on various fields.
Reading Comprehension:
To comprehend means to understand. In any academic curriculum, reading English

comprehension passages is an important topic. As a part of reading comprehension
passages, you need to very carefully go through a given passage, understand its
meaning, and notice the meaning of various contexts in which the sentences
appear.
Comprehension tests your vocabulary, so building a good vocabulary is

important to understand passages.
You need to develop the ability to identify the meanings of phrases or words
by reading the passage multiple times.
Jargons: Special words or expressions used by a profession or group that are

difficult for others to understand
Registers: In linguistics, register is defined as the way a speaker uses language
differently in different circumstances. It is also a variety of language used for a
particular purpose or in a particular communicative situation.

34
SAMPLE PASSAGES:
Health Care
America has a highly developed health care system, which is available to all
people. Although it can be very complex and frustrating at times, it has come a
long way from the health care organizations of yesterday. Previously, most health
care facilities were a place where the sick were housed and cared for until death.
Physicians rarely practiced in hospitals and only those who were fortunate could
afford proper care at home or in private clinics.
Today the level of healthcare has excelled tremendously. Presently the goal of
health care is to have a continuum of care for the patient; one which is integrated at
all levels. Many hospitals offer a referral service or discharge plan to patients who
are being discharged. Plans for the patient are discussed with a discharge planner.
A discharge planner is a person who is trained in assessing what the patient’s
requirements for healthcare will be after discharge from the hospital. This enables
the patients to continue their care at a level which is most appropriate for them.
Items reviewed for discharge planning include but are not limited to therapies,
medication needs, living arrangements and identification of specific goals. A few of
the options that are available for persons being discharged from an acute care
hospital can include home health care, assisted living facilities, long-term care or
hospice.
According to Growing Old in America (1996), “Home health care is one of the
fastest growing segments of the healthcare industry. Alternatives for home care can
meet both the medical and non-medical needs of a patient. These services are
provided to patients and their families in their home or place of residence. Home
care is a method of delivering nursing care and other therapies as required by the
patient’s needs. Numerous alternatives are available for persons seeking health care
at home. With transportable technologies such as durable medical equipment,
oxygen supply and intravenous fluids, there are countless possibilities for treatment

35
within the home setting. As stated in The Continuum of Long-Term Care, “Home
health programs range from formal organizations providing skilled nursing care to
relatively informal networks that arrange to housekeeping for friends.” This has
allowed for home care to quickly become an essential component of the health care
delivery system in the United States.
In a home health care situation, the primary caregiver is usually not the physician.
The physician is communicated with by phone and with documentation from
the caregivers. The primary caregivers are usually the nurses and other team
members who are involved directly with the patient’s care. But, the original order
to begin home care must be initiated by the physician if skilled care is to be
obtained. According to the 1995 Guide to Health Insurance for People with
Medicare, “Medicare pays the frill cost of medically necessary home health visits
by a Medicare- approved home health agency.” This coverage must meet specific
criteria, but it can be a relief to family members to know that their loved ones can
be taken care of at home without worrying about the expenses.
Comprehension Questions:
1. What is the goal of health care service in the present time?
Ans: Presently the goal of health care is to have a continuum of care for
the patient;
one which integrated at all levels.
2. Who is a discharge Planner?
Ans: A discharge planner is a person who is trained in assessing what are
the patient’s
requirements for healthcare after discharge from the hospital.
3. is a home providing care for the sick or temporarily ill. Ans: Hospice
4. What do you mean by “home care” according to the passage?
Home care is a method of delivering nursing care and other therapies as
required by the
Patient’s needs.
5. Mention the transportable technologies in the field of health care. Durable
medical equipment, oxygen supply and intravenous fluids etc

36
Soft Power
As we look forward to the bright future awaiting us, we must determine where our
strengths lie. Much of the conventional analyses of India's position in the world
rely on the all-too familiar indices of GDP, impressive economic growth rates and
our military prowess. But if there is one attribute of independent India to which we
have not yet paid much attention is its 'soft power'
The notion of soft-power is relatively new. It was coined by Harvard's Joseph Nye
to describe the extraordinary strengths of the United States that went well beyond
the American military and economic dominance. The fact is that the U.S. is home
to Boeing, Microsoft, Apple, Intel, MTV,
Hollywood, Disneyland, Kodak and so on - in short, most of the major products

that dominate daily life around the globe. This has ensured the maximization of the
soft power of the US - that is, the ability to attract and persuade others to adopt
America's agenda, rather than relying purely on the coercive hard power of
military force. Thus, this soft power is undoubtedly more important than the hard
power.
For India, it means paying attention to the aspects and products of our society that
the world would find attractive - not in order to directly persuade others to support
us but to enhance our country's standing in their eyes. Bollywood is doing a great
deal in this direction by bringing entertainment home to people (the diaspora) in
the U.S. and elsewhere. Indian classical music and dance have the same effect. So
does the work of our fashion designers, chefs and cricketers.

37
1. What are the indices that determine the economic growth of a country?
Ans: India's position in the world relies on the all-too familiar indices
of GDP,
impressive economic growth rates and our military prowess.
2. There is one attribute of independent India to which we have not yet paid
much attention is .
Ans: Soft power
3. Who coined the term “Soft Power”?
Ans: The term “Soft Power” was coined by Harvard's Joseph Nye.
4. Mention two products of US which dominated daily life around the globe.
Ans: The US products that dominated daily life around the globe are Boeing,
Microsoft, Apple, Intel, MTV, Hollywood, Disneyland, Kodak and so on
5. Pick out the word from the passage which means the movement of people
from any
nation or group away from their own
country. Ans: Diaspora

38
Passages to Comprehend (Vocabulary used in specific fields)
Read the passages carefully and answer the questions:
Sportsmanship
Sportsmanship can be conceptualized as an enduring and relatively stable

characteristic or disposition such that individuals differ in the way they are
generally expected to behave in sports situations. In general, sportsmanship refers
to virtues such as fairness, self-control, courage, and persistence, and has been
associated with interpersonal concepts of treating others and being treated fairly,
maintaining self-control if dealing with others, and respect for both authority and
opponents. Sportsmanship is also looked at as being the way one reacts to a
sport/game/player.
The four elements of sportsmanship are often shown being good form, the will to
win, equity and fairness. All four elements are critical and a balance must be found
among all four for true sportsmanship to be illustrated. These elements may also
cause conflict, as a person may desire to win more than play in equity and fairness
and thus resulting in a clash within the aspects of sportsmanship. This will cause
problems as the person believes they are being a good sportsman, but they are
defeating the purpose of this idea as they are ignoring two key components of
being sportsman like. When athletes become too self-centered, the idea of
sportsmanship is dismissed.
Today's sporting culture, in particular the base of elite sport, places great
importance on the idea of competition and winning and thus sportsmanship takes a
back seat as a result. In most, if not all sports, sportsmen at the elite level make the
standards on sportsmanship and no matter whether they like it or not, they are seen
as leaders and role models in society.

39
Since every sport is rule driven, the most common offence of bad sportsmanship is
the act of cheating or breaking the rules to gain an unfair advantage. A competitor
who exhibits poor sportsmanship after losing a game or contest is often called a
"sore loser", while a competitor who exhibits poor sportsmanship after winning is
typically called a "bad winner". Sore loser behavior includes blaming others for the
loss, not accepting responsibility for personal actions that contributed to the
defeat, reacting to the loss in an immature or improper fashion, making excuses
for the defeat, and citing unfavorable conditions or other petty issues as reasons for
the defeat. A bad winner acts in a shallow fashion after his or her victory, such as
by gloating about his or her win, rubbing the win in the face(s) of the opponent(s),
and lowering the opponent(s)'s self-esteem by constantly reminding the
opponent(s) of "poor" performance in comparison (even if the opponent(s)
competed well). Not showing respect to the other team is considered to being a bad
sportsman and could lead to demoralizing effects; as Leslie Howe describes: "If a
pitcher in baseball decides to pitch not to his maximum ability suggest that the
batter is not at an adequate level, [it] could lead to the batter to have low self-
confidence or worth.
1. Mention one of the virtues of sportsmanship.

2. What are the four elements of sportsmanship?
3. Why does sportsmanship take back seat sometimes?
4. Who is a 8sore loser9?
5. Mention one of the traits of a bad winner.

40
Artificial intelligence (AI)
Artificial intelligence (AI), sometimes called machine intelligence, is intelligence

demonstrated by machines, in contrast to the natural intelligence displayed by
humans and other animals. In computer science AI research is defined as the study
of "intelligent agents": any device that perceives its environment and takes actions
that maximize its chance of successfully achieving its goals. Colloquially, the term
"artificial intelligence" is applied when a machine mimics "cognitive" functions
that humans associate with other human minds, such as "learning" and "problem
solving".
The scope of AI is disputed: as machines become increasingly capable, tasks
considered as requiring "intelligence" are often removed from the definition, a
phenomenon known as the AI effect, leading to the quip, "AI is whatever hasn't
been done yet." For instance, optical character recognition is frequently excluded
from "artificial intelligence", having become a routine technology. Capabilities
generally classified as AI as of 2017 include successfully understanding human
speech, competing at the highest level in strategic game systems (such as chess
and Go), autonomous cars, intelligent routing in content delivery network and
military simulations. Artificial intelligence was founded as an academic discipline
in 1956, and in the years since has experienced several waves of optimism,
followed by disappointment and the loss of funding (known as an "AI winter"),
followed by new approaches, success and renewed funding. For most of its history,
AI research has been divided into subfields that often fail to communicate with
each other. These sub-fields are based on technical considerations, such as
particular goals (e.g. "robotics" or "machine learning"), the use of particular tools
("logic" or artificial neural networks), or deep philosophical differences. Subfields
have also been based on social factors (particular institutions or the
work of particular researchers).

41
The traditional problems (or goals) of AI research include reasoning, knowledge

representation, planning, learning, natural language processing, perception and
the ability to move and manipulate objects. General intelligence is among the
field's long-term goals. Approaches include statistical methods, computational
intelligence, and traditional symbolic AI. Many tools are used in AI, including
versions of search and mathematical optimization, artificial neural networks, and
methods based on statistics, probability and economics. The AI field draws upon
computer science, mathematics, psychology, linguistics, philosophy and many
others.
1. What do you mean by Artificial Intelligence?

2. What are the two cognitive functions that machine can perform?
3. Which is the technology excluded from Artificial Intelligence?
4. The subfields of Artificial Intelligence are based on
5. Mention two tools that are used in Artificial Intelligence.
Endangered species
Endangered species are the most dangerous species, which is the second most
serious conservation status in the International Union (IUCN) Red Data Book to
preserve the nature of wildlife. Any wildlife species has been classified as
endangered if any of the following criteria has been met, then the population size is
less than 250 mature members; Population reduction in the rate of 70% in the last
10 years; The probability of extinction in the wild is 20% over the next 20 years;
The high risk of extinction in the wild is facing. Species are considered as
building

42
blocks of biodiversity, however, due to the unprecedented proportion of the threat

due to urbanization, pollution and other anthropogenic interventions, biodiversity
is shrinking. Today, due to extinction of species, there is danger to the biodiversity
of the world. There are 35 hotspots worldwide, 43% are locally as birds, mammals,
reptiles and amphibians. There are three such centers of attraction in India- Eastern
Himalayas, Indo-Burma and Western Ghats. These areas also support numerous
wildlife populations. However, due to human encroachment, many of these
wildlife sanctuaries are threatened.
IUNC has prepared a list called 'Red Data Book' 'Lal' is a symbol of danger that
these species currently experience. IUCN has defined different categories or levels
in which different species have been placed in the list. Classification is a thing of
extinction, extinct in the wild, severely endangered, endangered, and weak, in
danger and at least a matter of concern.
IUNC classifies the species under different categories under the following categories:
Extinct species are species which their last member has died, thus leaving no living
person to reproduce.
The highest risk category specified for severely endangered wild species. This
means that the number of species has decreased or there will be a reduction of 80%
within three generations. Endangered species are populations of organisms that are
at risk of extinction because they are either very few in numbers or threatened by
changing environmental or rehearsal parameters. There are weak species which are
likely to be in danger, as long as there is no possibility of improving its existence
and reproduction in the circumstances. Extinct species are kept in captivity by the
living members or are known largely as a natural population outside its historic
boundary due to habitat loss in the wild. The threatened species are species that
can be threatened with extinction in the near future. The least concern species do
not qualify for any other category to pay attention to them. Lack of data species is
species which show that there is insufficient information to directly or indirectly
evaluate the risk of extinction tax on the basis of its distribution and / or population
status.

43
1. Mention a criterion to consider the species as endangered.

2. Species are considered as building blocks of .
3. What is the major threat to the wildlife?
4. What does the “Red Data Book” consist of?
5. What are “threatened species”?
Comparing Technologies
Comparisons of technology are often difficult to make, not only because of the
rapid pace of improvements but also because of the many new applications that are
available as time progresses. If we were to consider the contemporary graphing
calculator and the calculation capacities of computing machines from fifty years
ago, there would be astounding improvements between these two devices.
However, the improvements are not reduced merely to speed improvements. A
graphing calculator also has numerous output capacities that far exceed those
available much older computers, none of which had the ability to represent their
output in any manner even closely resembling that of contemporary devices.
Merely consider the display capacities of such a device. These enable users to input
many new kinds of information, enabling design engineers to design new hardware
functions to match the new means of collecting user input. The situation is even
more obvious when one considers the numerous functions performed by a modern
“smartphone.” These devices are equipped with panoply of features. With all of
these new functions come many new types of computational capabilities as well. In
order to process images quickly, specialized hardware must be designed and
software written for it in order to ensure that there are few issues with the phone’s
operation.

44
Indeed, the whole “real time” nature of telecommunications has exerted numerous
pressures on the designers of computing devices. Layers of complexity, at all
levels of production and development, are required to ensure that the phone can
function in a synchronous manner. Gone are the days of asynchronous processing,
when the computer user entered data into a mainframe, only to wait for a period of
time before the processing results were provided. Today, even the smallest of
digital devices must provide seamless service for users. The effects of this
requirement are almost beyond number.
1. Why are the comparisons of technology often difficult?

2. What is the special feature of graphing calculator?
3. Pick out the word from the passage which means wide range or
collection of things which are impressive.

4. Why is specialized hardware required for smartphones?
5. What do designers of computing device ensure?
Legal System
In many countries the legal systems are very complex. This is because they have
been developed over very long times. Every time that a new case is decided it can
have an effect on future cases. This means that the people who work in legal
situations have to be clever. They have to know and understand all the rules and
precedents. A precedent is when a previous decision will have an effect on future
cases as it was related to an important point.
There are many people who work with the law, such as solicitors or judges. A
solicitor is a lawyer who spends most of their time advising their clients and
preparing legal documents, such as wills or contracts for buying and selling
houses. They need to be very careful and make sure that all the details are correct;
otherwise their clients might lose a lot of money.
45
A barrister is a type of lawyer who works in court rooms. They will either work for
the prosecution or defense sides. If they are a prosecution lawyer, they are trying to
prove that the defendant (the person on trial) committed a crime. They have to
present evidence to show that the defendant is guilty. If they are a defense lawyer,
then they work for the defendant and have to show that the evidence presented is
not enough to prove that their client is guilty and he should be judged to be not
guilty. Then there are judges and magistrates. A magistrate will hear trials about
less serious crimes, while a judge9s will be about more serious crimes. These are
the people who have to decide what punishment will be given to someone who is
guilty. The punishments could range from a small fine up to a long prison
sentence, and even a death sentence in some countries. The trial happens in the
judge’s courtroom, so the judge is responsible for making sure the trial is run
fairly and follows the law. If a lawyer believes that a trial was not fair or there was
a mistake in the law, they can ask for a new trial that will generally be hear by an
appeal court where an appeal judge will be in charge. Often appeal judges will be
the most experienced judges in a country, so they know a lot about the law and
how to apply it.
1. Mention the common reason for complexity of legal systems in many
countries.
2. What do you mean by “Precedent”?
3. What is the common function of a solicitor?
4. Barristers will either work for the or
5. Pick out the word from the passage which means a formal examination of
evidence by a judge.

46
Tourism
As we all know, India is one of the world's most famous countries for its unique
tourist and tourist destinations. Tourism in all countries plays a big role in the
economic growth and development of a country. If we see tourism in India, it is
India's second largest source of income through the foreign currencies of foreign
tourists. A large percentage of people's lives East based solely on tourism itself
because the tourism industry in India has employed a large number of people in the
category, skilled and unskilled. Tourism in any country promotes its national
integration and international fraternity.
Our country is naturally and culturally endowed with many beautiful and attractive
places that have fascinated people around the world. Our country is one of the rich
countries with legacies, historical monuments, forts, beaches, religious places,
mountain resorts, etc. attracting tourists from around the world. India is known for
its unity in diversity that enriches it with people from many cultures, traditions and
religions which is the big reason for good tourism here. Because of being rich with
people from many religions and languages, our country is full of diversity in
handicrafts, folk dances, fairs, festivals, music, ballet, clothing, eating habits,
lifestyle, languages, etc. which gives rise to the will or the desire in the hearts of
the people of the world to see India.
Nowadays, tourism in India is strongly promoted by tourism ministries thanks to
the help of many Bollywood actors at international and national level. All
measures to promote tourism and the circulation of tourists in the country are
recommended by the Tourism Advisory Council. Indian tourism is strongly
affected by terrorism, insecurity and pollution in the country; however, the sincere
efforts of the Government of India are continuing to develop the Indian tourism
industry. It is one of the most dynamic industries and plays a big role in the
economic development of the country. Our country is a popular country for tourist
destinations throughout Asia where a large crowd of people come every year
despite many problems. Our country is naturally limited in its four sides (one by
47
the Himalayas, and three other sides by the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and the
Indian Ocean) offering wide range of sightings.
Variety of interesting activities such as water sports, sailing, scuba diving, rafting,
skiing, mountaineering, barges, winter sports, etc. promote tourism in India. In
order to encourage people, a tourism campaign named "Incredible India" was
launched by the Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) in 2005. The
tourist spots in India have also been divided into sections like spiritual tourism,
ecotourism, spa tourism, "and" adventure tourism "to encourage tourism and better
growth in India.
1. Tourism in any country promotes its and .
2. Mention two fascinating aspects of India which attract tourists.
3. What are the factors that affect tourism in India?
4. is the term which focuses on socially responsible travel,
personal growth, and environmental sustainability.
5. What is the name of tourism campaign in India?
Jean Piaget and Constructivism
Jean Piaget (1896-1980) was a Swiss developmental psychologist and philosopher.

Originally trained as a botanist, he developed one of the most important theories of
cognitive development in the field of developmental psychology. He was born in the
French-speaking part of Switzerland. The son of a university professor, Jean was an
intellectually precocious child who was interested in the natural world and the subject
of biology. Piaget was growing up during a time when Sigmund Freud’s theory and
practice of psychoanalysis was developing and becoming popular, which
also influenced his interests. After graduating from his university studies, Piaget moved
to Paris and taught at a school directed by Alfred Binet, who developed standardized
intelligence tests still used today. As he helped to score Binet’s tests, Piaget noticed
patterns of consistent errors made by younger children but not by older children and
adults. He formed a hypothesis that young children thought differently than adults.
48
This was the germ of what would eventually become his theory of progressive, distinct
stages of cognitive development that people go through universally as they grow.
Piaget went from France back to Switzerland in 1921, where he directed the Rousseau
Institute in Geneva. When he and his wife had three children of their own, he studied
their behavior and learning from their births and through their childhoods. He used the
techniques of direct observation and the case study, a method of developing an in-
depth, multidimensional profile of each individual child. Piaget described children as
“little scientists” who learned through exploring, interacting with, and acting upon
their environments. Piaget proposed in his theory that in learning, just as in biology,
humans adapt to their environments through processes of assimilation and
accommodation. He proposed that babies form mental constructs to represent their
world, which he called schemata. An infant assimilates new information by fitting it
into an existing schema. When it will not fit, the child accommodates to it by
modifying an existing schema or forming a new one. Because of his emphasis on
children’s roles in actively constructing their own knowledge of reality, Piaget has
been called a great pioneer of constructivism, the theory that people build knowledge
based on interactions between their thoughts and experiences.
1. What was the contribution of Piaget in the field of Developmental Psychology?
2. What techniques did Piaget use to develop his theory?
3. Humans adapt to their environments through processes of and
4. What is Schemata according to Piaget?
5. Pick out one word substitute from the passage for a person who develops or
be the first to use or apply (a new method, area of knowledge, or activity)
Fashion and the world of cinema

The relationship between the world of fashion and the world of cinema is complex
and intertwined. Film allows us the opportunity to escape for a few hours into lives
that are not our own lives that may be, in fact, quite different from our own. In a
similar vein, fashion gives us the opportunity to re-invent ourselves by
49
constructing our external appearance to accommodate the shift in self-image.

These shifts in image often reflect the icons we admire in the movies. Perhaps we
cannot become them, but we can become like them. One way in which we do this
by following their lead: by adopting the distinctive fashion styles associated with
them. Sometimes, this can be something simple, such as buying a new pair of
designer jeans. At other times, this can mean embracing a culture that may be
foreign to us. This is how Hindi styles have begun to take hold in mainstream
fashion.
Film clearly has a symbiotic relationship with fashion. What is shown on the silver
screen often makes its way into our own lives on some level. There are a number
of dynamics at work here. As Entwistle has asserted, 8dress is tied up to social life
in more than one way: it is produced out of economic, political, technological
conditions as well as conditions shaped by social., cultural, aesthetic ideas
(2000:111).
The link between cinema and mainstream fashion is easily apparent. What is
seen on the silver screen by movie viewers one day will often end up being a
popular commodity the next. Movies provide an outlet for viewers a chance to
step out of their own lives and into the lives of other usually glamorous
people. Fashion does this in a similar way, allowing its adherents the freedom to
“re-invent” themselves. Often, the selves they try to emulate are those of the
icons they admire in film; therefore, it seems natural that they emulate the style of
dress of those they consider role models. As Joanne Entwistle has so aptly stated it,
8fashion opens up possibilities for framing the self, however temporarily
(2000:139).
The establishment of the Indian cinema also proved to be the strongest influence
on the fashion in the decade. Due to the western influence, the use of angarkhas,
choghas and jamas diminished considerably by this time, although the ceremonial
pagri, safa and topi were widespread as ever.

50
1. What opportunity does fashion offer to us?
2. Mention the ways which we follow the Fashion Icons.
3. Pick out the word from passage which means sharing a close physical
association or bond between organisms.

4. What do movies provide for its viewers?
5. What are the attires replaced by Western culture?
Online Shopping
Despite the global slowdown, the online shopping in India has increased.
The growing pace of online buying is because of the attractive discounted
prices of fered and the ability of the customers to research and compare the
prices across several outlets. The average frequency of online purchases in
India grew up to 2.9 in the fourth quarter of 2008 from 2.6 during the same
quarter in 2007, as reported by the survey of Master Card Worldwide. "The
economic meltdown has not affected our business," said the CEO of an e-
commerce portal which specializes in personalized gifting and merchandise
space in India. He said: "Our business has increased up to five t imes this
year despite the economic recession. Currently, we possess a database
of 25000 designs posted by a thousand designers so that the users can
create their own merchandise by selecting the designs sitting at home."
The CEO also said that with the rise in bandwidth penetration in India and
the increasing awareness of internet among people, the online shoppers
sense the convenience to click on the products they want to purchase.
Holding onto a similar conviction, the CEO of another Company said,
"With the convenience of online buying, customers can save their time and
money to move across multiple outlets for a product."
The online shoppers also plan their shopping in advance and conduct
research on their planned purchases. It becomes easier for the customers to
51
decide the price at which they want the products. Sharing views on this
point, the Manager of the e- commerce portal says, "Through the online
shopping, customers can attain the objective of value for money during
these tough times." Today, India is the on ly country where the 18 to 29
years age group has the highest average spend on online shopping. In India,
the popular online purchases include the home appliances and the
electronic gadgets like cell phones, camera, and laptops and so on.
According to the survey, the e-purchasing of electronic products has gone
up by 51%. So to drive these online shoppers, e-commerce portals are
adopting a networking culture by incorporating social networking feature in
their websites. So, that people can discuss with their friends and
relatives before buying the particular product. There are more startups,
who are innovating their products to combat slowdown.
1. Why has online shopping tremendously increased in India?

2. Pick out the expression from the passage used to indicate slowdown in
economic growth.
3. With the convenience of online buying, customers
andcan
a n d _________ to move across multiple outlets for a product.
4. Mention the popular online purchases in India.
5. What do e-commerce portals adopt to increase their
marketing?
***********

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CHAPTER 4: BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE LISTENING
In previous semester we have studied, what is listening, differences between

listening and Hearing, Types of Listening and the activities to inculcate and
enhance good listening skills. In this chapter we are going to understand the
barriers to effective listening skills.
Author Joseph DeVito has divided the listening skills into five stages:
The barriers of effective listening are present at every stage. At receiving stage,
insignificant noise can distort the incoming message. At interpretation or
understanding stage, abstract or complex ideas are making it difficult to
comprehend. At the recalling stage, the challenges in concentration or natural
limits to memory can interfere with remembering. At evaluative stage prejudices or
personal biases can block the versatility in communication. At responding stage,
hesitation, linguistic ability or paraphrasing skills can lead to misunderstanding.

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Barriers to effective listening:
1) Environmental Barriers
A noisy environment can interfere with the ability to concentrate and focus on the
incoming information making it difficult to process. Similarly, the lighting,
temperature, seating arrangements, the nature of the surroundings can be a
discomforting and distracting factor in effective listening process. In the interactive
communication process the ability to see and hear a person increases the possibility
of processing the information effectively unlike in one-way communication.
2) Technological Barriers
Technology can be a bane when it comes to concentrated listening. Electronic

gadgets and devices like cell phones, tabs, smart watches and various apps are the
never-ending challenges for a good listener. In the office environment the
employees are hooked to the social media and online apps during meetings and
conferences, showcase the low level of efficiency and productivity, making it one
of the major barriers in effective listening skills. To overcome such barrier, listener
needs to restrict the usage of technology in the day today life.
3) Physiological Barriers
It emanates from our physical body like; illness, injuries, dehydration, tiredness or
bodily stress. Ailments such as cold, cough, headache, broken hand or leg can
impact our listening ability as our mind and body are inseparable. The pain can
impair the ability to focus. Hence, physical health also becomes the crucial factor
for effective listening. We can9t be our best at all the time but having good health
on crucial days may enhance the outcome of listening.
4) Cognitive or psychological Barriers

Listeners ability to cognitively process different things while receiving a message
like multitasking, daydreaming, and glazing over or drifting off; creates the gap
into listening. The fact that human has ability to process more than one thing at a
time offers some advantages and disadvantages. But unless we understand how the

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cognitive capacities and our personal preferences affect our listening, we are going
to experience more barriers than the benefits.
5) Prejudices and Mind set

When we engage in prejudiced listening, we are usually trying to preserve our
ways of thinking and avoid being convinced of something different. This type of
prejudice is a barrier to effective listening, because when we prejudge a person, we
usually stop listening actively.
Prejudices also exhibit our mind sets. Prejudices those are based on person9s
identity, such as race, gender, age, occupation or appearance may lead us to
assume what speaker will speak, essentially closing down the listening process.
Keeping an open mind and engaging in perceptive evaluation can help to be more
competent listener.
6) Lack of Listening preparation

Though Listening is the fundamental level of the language acquisition process, we
never receive training in listening. The popular notion goes with listening as an
innate ability which a language user acquires over a period of time. Hence,
competent listening is very difficult and enhancing listening skills takes
concentrated efforts. Our society values speaking more than listening. Although
listening competence plays a crucial part in social interaction, listening doesn’t get
same kind of praise, attention, instruction or credibility as speaking.
7) Bad Message or Speaker

Sometimes the trouble of non-listening originates in the speaker. It can be poor
orating skills; in terms of verbal fillers, monotonous voice, distracting movements
or dishevelled appearance, message construction, language usage, use of abstract
concepts and jargons can lead to listening incompetence.

55
8) Bad Listening Practices

The Physical barriers or cognitive and perceptual limitations are hard to control.
But the conscious listening practices can help to control the bad listening habits
like interrupting, eavesdropping, aggressive listening, narcissistic listening,
distorted listening, pseudo listening.
Interrupting- It can be intentional or unintentional; in both cases the listening

activity gets disturbed. Intentional interruptions are not always a negative response
to the speaker; it can be due to over excitement or to show the support. Sometimes
we may interrupt out of necessity. All these interruptions are not called as barriers
unless they disturb the essence of the subject.
Eavesdropping- It is a planned attempt to secretly listen to the conversation which

is not meant for you. There is difference between overhearing and eavesdropping.
In former case the conversations heard at a public discourse whereas in latter it is
trespassing a personal space. This results into misunderstanding and
communication gap.
Aggressive Listening- In this listening practice listeners are participating to attack

whatever the speaker is speaking. Aggressive listeners like to ambush speakers in
order to criticize the idea, personality or characteristics.
Narcissistic Listening- It is a self-centered listening behavior. Narcissistic

listeners redirect the focus of the conversation to them by interrupting or changing
the topic.
Distorted Listening- It occurs in many ways. Sometimes we get the order of

information wrong making the listener’s mind to recount the presupposed things.
For example, if we forget to mention the order of turn correctly (Left, right, left or
right etc.) it will result in chaos and end up in casual listening. Rationalization can
also be considered as distorted listening, where we adapt or edit the information.

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Pseudo Listening- It is also known as “Fake Listening”. Pseudo-listening is

behaving as if you are paying attention to the speaker when you are actually not.
Outwardly attentive responses are part of good listening environment but using this
politeness strategy, pseudo listener is engaging in bad listening behavior.
Classroom Exercises: Discuss
1. Our mind plays with our attention. We may try to focus on the activity, but
it keeps drifting away. What makes your mind wander? How would you
control it and involve into concentrated efforts?
2.Bad speakers and messages are a common barrier to effective listening.
Describe a time recently when your ability to listen was impaired by the
poor delivery and/or content of another person.
3.Of the bad listening practices listed which one do you encounter the most?
Why do you think you use this one more than the others? What can you do
to help prevent or lessen this barrier?
Questions:
Answer the following questions in two to three sentences:
1. Mention any two listening barriers.

2. Name any two bad listening practices.
3. What are the first two stages of listening?
4. What is aggressive Listening?
5. Explain cognitive barriers in two to four sentences.
6. How can technology act as barrier of listening?
7. What is pseudo listening?
*************

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CHAPTER 5: TYPES OF LISTENING
While understanding the difference between Hearing and Listening we have seen
two major types of Listening; Discriminative and Comprehensive.
In this chapter we will have an elaborative understanding of these types and also
discuss the collection of types and differences one can notice in the listening
activity.
1) Discriminative Listening:
This type of listening identifies the variation in tones and sounds. It interprets the
verbal cues to understand what the speaker is truly saying. The nuances in their
voice help to distinguish what emotions they are going through. Discriminative
listening is a basic type of listening skill developed quite early in life, where
different sounds of the words are recognized without understanding their meaning.
For example, if a person speaks in a foreign language that you have difficulty
understanding, you can use discriminative listening skills to comprehend what is
going on to some extent, based on their tone, mannerisms or body language.
2) Comprehensive Listening:
After identifying the differences among the sounds, the next step is to comprehend
the meaning out of them. To comprehend the meaning first we need to have a
grasp on vocabulary and the awareness about the rules of grammar to understand
what others are saying. Same is true for visual components of communication and
understanding of body language. Comprehensive listening is also known as content
listening, informative listening and full listening.
3) Critical Listening:
An important element of critical listening is to have an open mind without any
preconceived ideas. Critical listening is listening to scrutinize or analyses the idea
being expressed. It can be judgmental and evaluates the depth of knowledge and
the trustworthiness of the speaker. This type of speaking helps to broaden your
knowledge and improve your interpersonal skills. It involves active listening which

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enables professionals to conduct brainstorming sessions, debates strategies and

develop innovative solutions. This type of listening is helpful for problem solving
and decision-making process.
4) Evaluative Listening:
Evaluative listening normally overlaps with critical listening. We seek to assess the
truth of what is being said. We tend to judge speakers on what they say about our
values, assessing them as good or bad, worthy or unworthy. Evaluative listening is
common for persuasive speeches or
when the persistent effort is made to influence the mind-set. Like discriminative, in
evaluative listening, listener discriminates the subtleties of language and try to
comprehend the inner meaning of what is said. It is also called as judgmental and
interpretive listening.
5) Biased Listening:
Biased listening happens only when person listens what they want to listen,
misinterpreting what the other person actually is saying. This listening is based on
stereotypes and other biases that the listener possesses. Biased listening is
evaluative in nature.
6) Appreciative Listening:
Looking for ways to accept and appreciate the other person through what they say
and seeking opportunity to praise. For example, when we listen to good music or
poetry or the speeches by great leaders or may be a walk in the woods and listening
to the nature, we enjoy and try to appreciate it rather than critically analyzing or
evaluating it. If a friend or a co-worker is giving a presentation, you can use eye
contact and nod to show that you are listening intently.
7) Sympathetic Listening:
In sympathetic listening we try to associate with speaker and show the concern in
the way we pay attention or our gestures of association like sorrow and joy.

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8) Empathetic Listening:
Empathetic listening skills require excellent discrimination and close attention to
nuances of emotional signals. It is a way of listening for emotional support and
improves mutual trust and understanding. Listening with empathy means you place
yourself at speaker9s situation. When we are being truly empathetic, we actually
feel what speaker is feeling. Major quality of empathetic listening is to give
support and encouragement. This type of listening helps to learn about person’s
perspective regardless of how different it is from your own. For example,
counsellors or therapist uses the empathetic listening skills during therapy sessions.
9) Dialogic Listening:
The word “Dialogue” means “Through Words” in Greek; “dia” means “through”
and “logos” means “words”. It is also called as relational listening. Learning
through conversation and engage into exchange of ideas and information in which
we actively seek to learn more about a person’s thinking. Here listener
continuously interacts and seeks clarification.
10) Therapeutic Listening:

In therapeutic listening, the listener has a purpose of not only empathizing with
the speaker but also to use this deep connection in order to help the speaker
understand, change or develop in some way. This not only happens when you go
to see a therapist but also in many social situations, where friends and family seek
to both diagnose problems from listening and also to help the speaker cure
themselves, perhaps by some cathartic process. This also happens in work
situations, where managers, HR people, trainers and coaches seek to help
employees learn and develop.

60
11) Relationship Listening:

Sometimes the most important factor in listening is in order to develop or sustain
a relationship. This is why when we talk to our loved ones and attend closely to
what they have to say, when the same words from someone else would seem to be
rather boring. Relationship listening is also important in areas such as negotiation
and sales, where it is helpful if the other person likes you and trusts you.
Questions:
1. Evaluative listening is also called as listening and listening.

2. Mention any 4 types of listening.
3. What is relationship listening?
4. What is biased listening?
5. Who can use critical thinking?
6. Mention the difference between discriminative listening and comprehensive
listening.
***********

61
CHAPTER 6 : TECHNIQUES TO IMPROVE LISTENING SKILLS
Objectives:
1. To train the students as an active listener to understand the speaker's point
of view and to respond appropriately with empathy.

2. Effective listening skills are required for the listeners to ask questions to the
speaker so that they understand what is said.

Listening requires conscious effort. It is an active process. There are four methods
that enhance one9s listening. They are preparation, controlling distractions,
withholding evaluation and taking notes.
1. Preparation
The best way to speak or send effective message starts by receiving messages. One
should concentrate first on participatory or active listening. This skill improves
with not only practice but by shifting his/her consciousness from him/her to what
the other person is communicating now. One can try the following techniques,
when talking to one or two persons.
• Concentrate on other people while they are speaking

• Have eye contact
• Do not turn away your body from other person or keep scanning the
background
• Lean forward slightly
• Note other person9s body language
• Respond to what other person says
• Do not counter a question with another question or shift the topic
suddenly, but do not ask about what has been said to learn more about the
other point of view
• Occasionally rephrase what the other person has said and ask if your
understanding is correct

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These are the steps for preparing oneself to listen to a message. Going for
challenging listening situations can be a practice for listening. A discussion
on topics with friends, attending lectures on complex themes and watching
documentaries on television are some of the examples. Regular exercises of
like these can prepare one to listen better. Knowledge about the topic in
advance can make one to think about it. One can go to the class with the
prior knowledge of the topic. For example, if the lecture is on Rain forest
research centers, one can consider questions like these in advance: What are
rain forest research centers? What are the purposes of these centers? Where
are they set up? With answers for such questions, one can build a positive
situation for listening.
In the formal situations like class room or workshops, the listener should
observe the speaker. One should listen to discern the organization of the
presentation, should watch the body language and gestures. One should note
down the mistakes of the speaker which helps the listener to think about
how these mistakes can be avoided if he/she gives a presentation.
2. Controlling Distractions
There exist a lot of barriers to effective listening. The listener’s attentions to

any personal inconveniences or to the trivial happenings around are the
hindrances to his/ her active listening. They are called distractions.
3. Withholding Evaluation
We cannot let our evaluation of the topic come to the front before listening to
the entire lecture. One danger within the evaluation stage of listening is to focus
our evaluative lenses more on the speaker than the message. This can quickly
become a barrier to effective listening if we begin to prejudge a speaker based
on his or her identity or characteristics rather than on the content of his or her
message. In order to truly listen we should withhold our evaluation of the

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message until our objective of comprehending it is complete. In order to do this,

we should keep two things in mind.
1. We should not dismiss the topic as 8uninteresting9 until we have heard
all that the speaker has to say. Some topics sound interesting at first,
but if looked at closely enough they become fascinating. We should
also remember that the things of our interest may not emerge until the
speaker is well into the presentation.
2. We should not criticize the speaker’s presentation style or physical
appearance. (verbal & nonverbal aspects)
4. Note-Taking
Taking effective notes while listening to the lectures, conferences, seminars and
workshops, is an essential skill to test one’s listening skills. Good note-taking
allows a permanent record of key information that one can integrate with his/her
own writing, and use for later reference. Taking reliable, accurate notes also
reduces the risk of plagiarism. It helps one to distinguish where his/her ideas are
from and how and what he/she thinks about those ideas.
▪ Don’t try to write down everything what is being said
Be selective you don9t have to transcribe the entire lecture. Note taking
while listening involves recognizing key concepts and identifying and selecting
what is relevant. Listen for the overall argument and note the main points and key
information.
Answer the following in one or two sentences:

1. Write any two steps to be followed while preparing oneself to listen.
2. How does our body language influence listening skill?
3. What do you mean by withholding evaluation?
4. What is the benefit of good note taking skill?
************

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CHAPTER 7 : LISTENING TO PRE-RECORDED AUDIOS, MOVIES, AND

OTHER LISTENING ACTIVITIES
Last semester we have studied “how to listen”, “what to listen”, “tips for good
listening” and “listening barriers”. We had involved ourselves in some classroom
listening activities. In this session we are going to listen to different audio-videos
as part of classroom activity and try to apply the listening skills we have learnt so
far.
While listening to Pre-recorded audios, observe the following:
➢ Identify and note down specific expressions or jargons in the language.

➢ Understand the intonation pattern and pronunciation
➢ The significance of the content.
➢ Agreement or disagreement about topic
➢ Who are the target audience?
➢ Summarization of the text/story/movie/song/lecture/reading/etc.
➢ Analyze the Language
➢ Focusing on linguistic features
➢ Solving comprehension problems on specific text
Exercise: 1
Listen to the speech by President Abraham Lincoln9s Gettysburg Address

delivered on 19th 1863. Ask students to glance through the script while listening.
Link for the Speech Audio: Abraham Lincoln “ Gettysburg Address” American
Rhetoric
Gettysburg Address
Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new
nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are
created equal.

65
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation
so conceived and so dedicated can long endure.
We met on a great battlefield of that war.
We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting-place for those
who here gave their lives that that nation might live.
It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow
this ground. The brave men, living and dead who struggled here have consecrated
it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long
remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us
the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought
here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the
great task remaining before us 3
that from these 60 honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which
they gave the last full measure of devotion 3
that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have
died in vain; that this nation under God shall have a new
birth of freedom;
and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from
the earth.
For Listening skill development students can visit following links:
➢ Steeve Jobs 3One of the Greatest Speeches Ever | Steve Jobs 3 YouTube
➢ Dr.ShashiTharoor’s Interview on the book 8Inglorious Empire What the
British did to India ShashiTharoor on what the British did to India |

Antidote Festival at Sydney Opera House 3 YouTube

66
Exercise-2
Listen to the poetry By Maya Angelo: https://youtu.be/qviM_GnJbOM8Still I Rise9

by Maya Angelou (Live performance)
Still I Rise
Maya Angelou - 1928-2014
You may write me down in history
with your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.
Does my sassiness upset you?

Why are you beset with gloom?
Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.
Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise.
Did you want to see me broken?

Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops,
Weakened by my soulful cries?
Does my haughtiness offend you?

Don’t you take it awful hard
‘Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines
Diggin’ in my own backyard.
You may shoot me with your words,

You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.

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Does my sexiness upset you?

Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I’ve got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?
Out of the huts of history’s shame

I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear

I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise I rise I rise.
Exercise -3
Listen to Audio books Aesop9s fables. : 1,000 Free Audio Books: Download
Great Books for Free | Open Culture
https://www.openculture.com/freeaudiobook
Exercise-4
List of few Movies to improve English Listening Skills
➢ Forest Gump (1994)

➢ The King’s Speech (2010)
➢ Toy Story (1995)
Note to teachers: More pre-recorded audio can be explored for classroom

activity.
************
68
UNIT 2: PRODUCTIVE SKILLS: SPEAKING SKILLS AND WRITING

SKILLS
CHAPTER 8 : REPORTED SPEECH
In our everyday life, we describe an event or action; give an account of what we

have heard, seen, done or studied. To do this we either use Direct speech or
Indirect (Reported) speech.
When we quote the exact words spoken by the speakers, we use Direct Speech
Example: Raju said, I am going to college today,
Speaker reporting verb words spoken by the speaker
The words spoken by speaker are put in inverted commas, in direct speech.
On the other hand, when we report without using the exact words of the speaker, we
use Indirect Speech also called Reported Speech.
Example :Raju said that he was going to college that day.
verb dependent
noun clause
Speaker reporting
In reported speech, words used by the speaker undergo certain changes so that it
becomes a dependent noun clause.

69
Note
❖ The spoken part of direct speech is usually one of the following
sentences:
Statement
Question
Command or request
Exclamation or wishes
But the spoken part becomes a statement when reported, no matter what
sentence it previously was.
❖ The reporting verb indicates the kind of sentence that is being reported.
Points to remember while changing direct speech to reported speech:
Identify what kind of sentence is being reported.

Remove the inverted commas and link the speaker and words spoken.
Use relevant reporting verb based on the reported sentence.
Pronouns used as first and second person gets changed into third person.
If the person addressed in direct speech is reporting about what he/she has
spoken, then the pronoun is changed to the first person.
The present tense changes into the past tense and the past tense changes
into past perfect when the reporting verb is in past tense.
Some changes in tense are as follows:
1. do/does did
2. am/is was
3. are doing were doing
4. Did had done

70
5. has/have done had done

6. was/were doing had been doing
7. have/has been doing had been doing
8. will do would do
9. will be doing would be doing
10. shall should
11. May might
12. Can could
13. will have to would have to
14. have been able to had been able to
15. don9t have to didn9t have to
Changes in the adverbs of time are given below:
1 Yesterday previous day/the day before

2 Today that day/the same day
3 Tomorrow the day after/the following day
4 the day before yesterday two days before
5 last week the week before/the previous week
6 Now then/immediately
7 the day after tomorrow in two days time
8 next week the week after/the following week
9 Ago Before
Some Exceptions
❖ The tenses may not change if the statement is still true or a universal truth.
Example 1:
Direct: Ganga said, “The sun rises in the east”.
Indirect: Ganga said that the sun rises in the east.

71
Example 2:
Direct: The manager said, “The policy is not to hold customers liable”.
Indirect: The manager said that their policy is not to hold customers liable.
❖ If the reporting verb is in the Present Tense, the tense of the Direct Speech do
not change
Example 1:
Direct: Raju says, “I am unable to do it now”.
Indirect: Raju says that he is unable to do it now.
Example 2:
Direct: Megha says, “I shall come home tomorrow”.
Indirect: Megha says that she shall come home tomorrow.
Reporting statements
When reporting statements, the comma and quotation marks are replaced by
relative pronoun “that” and relevant reporting verb is used to indicate the tone
of the statement. Few reporting verbs for statements are: informed, declared,
announced, said, told etc.,
Example 1:
Direct: Ritwick said to me, “I am going to London next week”.
Indirect: Ritwick informed me that he was going to London the following week.
Example 2:
Direct: The principal said, “The colleges will be closed tomorrow”.
Indirect: The principal announced that the college would be closed the next day.

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Reporting questions
The interrogative form is replaced by the non-interrogative form and the question
mark is omitted. When there is no “wh” question then the reported speech begins
with whether or if. Few reported verbs for interrogative sentences are asked,
enquired, questioned, interrogated etc.
Examples 1:
Direct: Rakesh said, “Where is the class?”
Indirect: Rakesh enquired where the class was.
Example 2:
Direct: Suma said, “Are you the owner of the car?”
Indirect: Suma asked if/whether he was the owner of the car.
Reporting Imperatives:
While reporting commands or requests, infinitive form is used instead of

imperative. Few reporting verbs for imperative sentences are requested, ordered,
pleaded, commanded etc.,.
Example 1:
Direct: The convict said, “Let me go.”
Indirect: The convict pleaded to let go.
Example 2:
Direct: The teacher said, “Keep quiet”.
Indirect: The teacher ordered to keep quiet.

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Reporting exclamations and wishes:
When exclamatory sentences are reported, they become assertive sentences. Few
reporting verbs for exclamatory sentences are exclaimed, wished, applauded,
wondered etc.,
Example 1:
Direct: He said, “What a beautiful place!”
Indirect: He exclaimed that it was a beautiful place.
Example 2:
Direct: Ritu said, “Wow, what a great man!”
Indirect: Ritu remarked that he was a great man.
Reporting mixed type:
Sometimes, we may have to report Direct speech consisting of statements,

questions, commands in succession. Then more than one reporting verb will be
necessary. Each sentence must be introduced by an appropriate verb.
Examples:
a. “What are you going to do with the tinder-box?” asked the soldier. “That’s no
business of yours”, said the witch; “You9ve got your money; give me the
tinder-box”.
The soldier asked the witch what she was going to do with tinder-box. She replied
that was no business of his. Since he had got his money, she demanded that he
should give her the tinder box.

74
b. “How very well you speak Hindi!” Murali said. “I ought to know it”, Banu
modestly said. “I learnt it in school, and moreover my mother is from Delhi.”
Murali remarked that Banu spoke Hindi very well. Banu modestly said that she
ought to know it as she had learnt it in school and moreover her mother was from
Delhi.
c. He said, “Has your father been taken seriously ill. I understand he had a mild
heart attack. I hope he will soon be home, none the worse for the attack”.
He asked me if my father had been taken seriously ill. He understood that he had a
mild heart attack and hoped that my father would soon be home, none the worse for
the attack.
Exercises:
1. Change the sentences into reported speech by using appropriate reporting

verbs:
a. The old man said, “You must wake up early in the morning”.
b. He said to Prem, “My child is alone at home today”.
c. “Let us plan the vacation next week”, said Priya.
d. My mom said, “Where are you?”
e. The principal said, “Do not use the mobile phone in classrooms”.
f. Ranga said, “Be careful while trekking”
g. Keerthi said, “I am going out of Bangalore next week”.
h. She said, “Do you want this book?”
i. Hurry up”, the teacher told students.
j. The coach said, “How disappointing! They lost the match again”.
k. The diplomat said, “This is the most beautiful palace I have ever visited!”
l. They said, “Why has the train not yet reached!”
m. Peter said, “Please do not disturb me”.
n. “How kind of you!”, the beggar said.
o. Hritik said, “Nupur, are you coming to the movie?”

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2. Change the following to reported speech:
a. The beggar said, “I have been hungry for so many days. Will some kind-
hearted man take
pity on me and provide me with one square meal? I shall bless such a man.”
b. The shopkeeper said, “Look here, sir. We sell articles of the best quality at the
cheapest
rates. Did we not state all facts about our goods even in our pamphlets?”
c. “When Dr. Chanda came, Bepin Babu said,” I’m fine. It all came back as
soon as I got off the train at Ranchi.”
“A unique case, said Dr. Chanda. “I shall certainly write about it in a medical
journal.”
d. Ranjan said, “There are three reasons why I am not admitting my child to
that school. In the first place, the school is far away from where we live.
Yes, the school does have a bus, but can you imagine a child of 5 having to
spend nearly an hour to reach school?”
e. Residents called the police, who took the pair to headquarters. “There were
bullet holes above, bullet holes down and bullet holes all over the hallway”,
said one of the detectives. The other detective said, “The two men lived in
flats opposite each other and began quarreling in the hallway”.
*************

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CHAPTER 9 : DIALOGUE WRITING
Objectives:
• To hone the writing skills of second language English learners.

• To enable students to identify various unique ways a conversation can
take place and influence them to be better speakers.
Dialogue is basically a conversation between two or more people. Sometimes it is

an internal dialogue/ self-talking, known as a monologue. Dialogue writing is an
important discourse for second language learners of English to gain command over
the language. Since, dialogue writing is in conversational style, it helps the writers
to overcome the rigid, bookish language and acquire naturalness and ease while
using the language.
In dialogue writing, the writer has to imagine being all the characters in
conversation. He/she has to put himself/herself into the shoe of each character
therefore one has to be open to all possible opinions and arguments. This would
influence the way one perceives the situation, when faced in real time conditions,
besides it helps the writer to be better decision maker.
To write a good dialogue

• Understand the context/situation of the conversation.
• Brainstorm all possible opinions or arguments that can take place between the
characters.
• Arrange these ideas in a logical order.
• The dialogue should be conversational, spontaneous and impromptu.
• To make the dialogue lively, elements of surprise, irritation, pleasure
etc., may be introduced.
• The conversation may also be in the form of questions from one speaker and
answered by another speaker.
• The conversation should lead to a definite conclusion.
• Keep the conversation as realistic as possible.

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Examples
1. A conversation between two friends planning their weekend vacation

Sanjay: Hello Raghu, what are your plans for the weekend?
Raghu: Hi, not really planned anything.
Sanjay: Is it! Then, why don’t we go out for a short vacation this weekend?
Raghu: That’s great! But, where to?
Sanjay: I know a homestay in Coorg, housed in a very exotic location, maybe, we

can go there.
Raghu: Sounds exciting. Ok then, will meet at your place on Friday evening. We
can go in my car.
Sanjay: Done. Make sure to pack your hiking shoes along.
Raghu: Of course. Catch you up on Friday. Bye!
Sanjay: Bye!!
2. Conversation between two classmates over the phone about exam preparation
Ritu: Hi Sona, hope I9m not disturbing you.
Sona: Hey Ritu, not at all. I was taking some time off from my studies.
Ritu: Good, how is your preparation for the exams going on?
Sona: It9s going on well. How about you?
Ritu: Not that good.
Sona: Why? What’s the problem?
Ritu: Actually, I am unable to understand few concepts in Physics. Can you help me
with that?
Sona: Ya sure, not an issue. Why don’t you come home tomorrow evening? We both
can study together.
Ritu: Thanks Sona. You are a darling.
Sona: No problem. So, see you tomorrow then?
Ritu: Yes. Will meet you tomorrow. Bye!!
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Sona: Bye Ritu.
3. Two students conversation immediately after coming out of the examination hall.
Nanda: Hello, Ganga! How was your examination?
Ganga: Oh! Not so well.
Nanda: Strange!
Ganga: Why strange?
Nanda: You are such a brilliant student. Moreover, you had studied well.
Ganga: Unfortunately, that didn9t help.
Nanda: Why, what happened?
Ganga: I actually forgot to attempt questions from the last main.
Nanda: That’s very sad.
Ganga: Anyways forget it. How was your paper?
Nanda: It went well.
Ganga: Let’s worry about the next exam. I don9t want to mess that.
Nanda: True. Best wishes to you then.
Ganga : Thanks, same to you . Bye!!
Nanda : Bye!!
Exercises:
A. Develop a dialogue between:
1. An interviewer and an interviewee.
2. Two friends who have met after 10 years.
3. The bank manager and a customer who wants to stop the payment of a cheque he
has issued to someone.
4. Father and son about course selection after PU.
5. A doctor and his patient

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B. Complete the dialogues given below by filling in the blanks:
1. A police inspector meets a manager to enquire about a clerk in the manager9s

office.
Inspector: Good Morning Mr. Mehra.
Manager: ____________________________________________________?
Inspector: Is there one Mr. Ramprakash working in your office?
Manager: ____________________________________________________.
Inspector: Have you had any complaints about him?
Manager: ____________________________________________________.
Inspector: Off late, have you noticed any change in him?
Manager: ______________________________________________________.
Inspector: Could I talk to him?
Manager: _______________________________________________________?
Inspector: I have received some complaints against him. He has been accused of
cheating
someone.
Manager: ____________________________________________________.
Inspector: Ya sure, I will find out.
2. Conversation between a cab driver and a passenger

Cab driver: Hello sir, Where do you want me to drop you?
Passenger: ___________________________________________.
Cab driver: Shall I put your luggage in the trunk, Sir?
Passenger:________________________________________________.
Cab Driver: About 30 minutes, if take this route. Are you in a hurry?
Passenger: ____________________________________________.
Cab driver: Don9t worry, Sir. I can take the flyover, we will reach quickly.
Passenger: ______________________________________________?
Cab driver: No Sir, the traffic would be less at this time of the day.
Passenger: _______________________________________________?
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Cab driver: We will reach before the train arrives.

Passenger:_________________________________________________.
3. A conversation between a student and a teacher

Teacher: _________________________________________________?
Student: I am really sorry. I missed the bus.
Teacher : __________________________________________________.
Student : The alarm didn9t ring and I over slept.
Teacher : __________________________________________________.
Student: I couldn9t find any .
Teacher: __________________________________________________.
Student: Sorry again mam. I won9t be late again.
4. A mechanic and a car owner

Mechanic: How can I help you, Sir?
Car owner: _________________________________________.
Mechanic: The engine has some _________________________.
Car owner: ___________________________________________.
Mechanic: It may take a couple of days to repair it.
Car owner: ____________________________________?
Mechanic: I can try but can9t guarantee anything.
Car owner: Ok then, I will leave the car. ________________.
Mechanic: ___________________________________.
5. A customer visits a showroom to buy a washing machine

Sales person: ________________________________________________?
Customer: I want to buy a washing machine. Can you help me?
Sales person: _______________________________________________.
Customer: Is it good? I am actually looking for the latest model.
Sales person: ___________________________________________________.

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Customer: What is the cost of it?

Sales person: ___________________________________________________.
Customer: Do you have any offers on this model?
Sales person: ___________________________________________________.
Customer: When can the delivery be expected if I book it now?
Sales person: ___________________________________________________.
Customer: How about the demo and installation?
Sales person: ___________________________________________________.
Customer: Ok then. Where should I make the payment?
Sales person: ____________________________________________________.
C. Develop dialogues for the given narrative:
Once upon a time a poor woman was walking from one village to another carrying a
bundle on her head. Unable to lift it easily, she rested every now and then. A horseman
passed by. The woman requested him to carry the bundle on horseback till the next
village. He refused and said that she would walk slowly and he would be delayed. The
old woman requested again. Looking at her condition, he finally agreed.
An old man came to the farm; the owner of the farm needed a person exactly like him.
His arrival to the farm improved the income but made the farmer lethargic. His wife
found all this strange. She informed this to the old man and requested him to leave the
farm.
One day a wolf was drinking at a stream. He saw a lamb that was farther down. The
wolf made up his mind to eat the lamb. He ran up to the lamb and started a fight over
the muddy water. He said that the lamb had made the water muddy. The lamb replied
that he did not understand how that can be, since the water was running from the wolf
to him and not from him to the wolf.
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CHAPTER 10: VERBAL COMMUNICATION AND NON VERBAL

COMMUNICATION
Verbal communication:
It is the most clear and known mode of communication. Furthermore, a powerful
tool among many communication tool box. In precise, verbal communication is the
sharing of information between two or more individuals or a group of people with
words either written or spoken. In Verbal communication, the presence of both the
parties are not required at same the place or time.
Types of Verbal communication:

There are two types of verbal communication:
1. Oral communication.
2. Written communication.
1. Oral communication:
This implies communication through mouth. Be it face to face conversation or
telephonic conversation, meetings, speeches, lectures, presentations and
discussions are considered as oral communication.
Advantages of oral communication:
• It is less time consuming, more direct, simple and the least expensive.
• It is more communicative, interactive and effective.
• It provides an immediate feedback.
• More personal and can be informal.
• Helps to foster better rapport with co-workers and friends.
• Since every information cannot be written down, majority of the
information conveyed by means of oral instructions, mutual discussions and
telephonic conversations.

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Disadvantages of Oral communication:

• Verbal talks may often be distorted if there is some cause of indifference
between the receiver and the sender.
• Sometimes due to physical or mental barriers communication is incomplete.
• Not convenient for long messages.
• Spontaneous responses may not be carefully thought.
• The spoken words can be more easily misunderstood than the written
words, even forgotten unless it’s recorded.
• There is no consideration of legal worth evidence.
2. Written communication:
Written Communication means conveying message through the written symbols,
sending of messages like circulars, manuals, reports, memos, bulletins in writing.
Letters, E-mails, manuals are forms of written communication.
Advantages of written communication:
⚫ Easy to preserve as permanent and legal records.
⚫ Longevity and used as a reference.
⚫ Easy to verify and make it effective.
Disadvantages of written communication:

⚫ Expensive and time consuming.
⚫ Cannot be comprehended by illiterates.
⚫ Delayed response results in delayed decision making.
⚫ Difficult to interpret jargon and vocabulary as language is sometimes complex.
⚫ Difficult to maintain secrecy.

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Non-verbal communication:
A message can be sometimes expressed without the help of words. Non verbal
communication is the process of communicating without the use of any spoken or
written words. There are various forms of nonverbal communication. Some are
kinesics, haptic, vocalic. It takes place through non verbal human responses like
facial expressions, gestures, touch, eye contact, space or closeness. Nonverbal
communication is also known as “silent language.” It also involves the use of clues
of para linguistics i.e., vocal characteristics like pitch, speed, tone and volume.
Addition to these clothes and colors communicate in creating impressions.
Kinesics:
Kinesics is the technical term for body language. It is the interpretation of body
language such as facial expressions and gestures or, more formally, non-verbal
behavior related to movement, either of any part of the body or the body as a
whole. Every body movement conveys certain meanings like feelings, emotions
and attitudes.
Gestures:
Gestures are the movements of hands, face or other parts of the body in a way that
conveys meaning , either in conjunction with verbal communication such as
frowning while saying harsh words against someone, or in isolation such as
smiling at a stranger to express pleasure at ones presence. Drumming of the finger
on the table or a continual tapping of the feet on the floor signals impatience.
Body movement
Body movement is the voluntary or involuntary movement of parts of the body
such as hands, feet, legs, and shoulders, which may either reinforce or contradict
what is communicated verbally. Shoulder shrug conveys messages like “don’ t
know”, “don’t care” depending on the situation. Thumbs up is used as sign for
boosting up one9s confidence, also as dominant aggressive attitude.

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Posture
The way you sit, stand, slump or slouch indicates your status, sex, self-image,
attitude and emotional state. Sitting with your head in your hands often indicates
that you are feeling low. A slouching body posture may indicate submissive
attitude or fatigue.
Facial expression
This refers to a certain movement or condition of the facial muscles that facilitate
the nonverbal communication of some thought, emotion or behavior. It is the main
channel to understand intensity of human feelings. Happiness through smile, a face
devoid of smile expresses sadness; wider open eye indicates surprise or interest,
anger maybe expressed by steady eyes, narrowing eyes and grimacing mouth
indicates disgust, whereas trembling and wider eyes express fear.
Eye Contact
It is a natural and important aspect of effective communication. Eye contact

indicates degree of attention or interest, regulates interaction, communicates
emotion, and defines power and status. Even your look towards person invites to
communicate with you. Lowering eyes usually is a sign of submission. In case of
shyness, dishonesty, less attention or politeness there will be less eye contact. To
express arrogance, dominance or lack of respect, in general there is too much of
eye contact.
• Haptic:
It is the nonverbal communication which happens via the sense of touch. This
includes handshakes, holding hands, kissing, back slap, giving high-five, shoulder
pat, brushing arm, etc. The sense of touch allows one to experience different
sensations such as: pleasure, pain, heat, or cold. The sense of touch is the
fundamental component of haptic communication for interpersonal relationship.
Touch can be categorized in many terms such as positive, playful, control,
ritualistic, task-related or unintentional.

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• Proxemics:
It is the study of human use of space and its effects. It involves the distance between
ourselves and others when having a conversation. The amount of space we leave between
the other person and ourselves can signal our level of trust or relationship with that
person. This is the unspoken rules depending on how close we perceive the relationships
to be or based on the setting, such as work or school.
We may determine these signals either consciously or subconsciously.
Proxemics communicates levels of intimacy with those near or around us.
A person can signal to someone else that they don't feel very safe
around them by standing further away.
We signal to a comfortable partner that we want affection by standing closer.
The distance people place between themselves and others can vary greatly by
culture.
The space between people can be defined by four proxemic zones:
⚫ Public: Over 12 ft. away - Delivering a lecture or speech.

⚫ Social: 4-12 ft. away - Addressing a customer/employee at a store.
⚫ Personal: 1-4 ft. away - Conversing with a friend/family member or about to
shake hands with a colleague.
⚫ Intimate: Less than 1 ft. away or touching - Reserved only for people we
are intimately close with, such as romantic partners.

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Clues of Para Linguistics:
This is a nonverbal dimension of speech. It has to do with the manner in which you
say something rather than what you say.
⚫ Rate: Speed at which you speak. A well-paced, varied message suggests

enthusiasm, self- assurance and awareness of audience.
⚫ Volume: Loudness or quietness of vocal speech. Confidence, assertiveness and
boldness are reflected in volume of speech.
⚫ Pitch: the highness or lowness of vocal tone. Voice, pitch determine whether
making a statement or asking a question or expressing concern or conviction.
Also express emotional state like annoyance, patience and anger.
Dress and Colour:
Clothing and appearance are used to determine status, credibility and situations of
formal and informal. Colour choice influence on thoughts, memories and
stimulates the senses. So, each colour carries a message. Such as, white indicates
peace and red as provocative and high energy. Examples: Traffic signal lights,
black for mourning and protesting, green for vegetarian and herbal products etc.

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Advantages of Non-verbal communication:
1. Easy presentation: Information can be easily presented in non-verbal

communication through using visuals, audio-visuals and silent means of non-
verbal communication.
2. Substituting: Non-verbal message may substitute for the verbal message
especially if it is blocked by noise, interruption, long distance etc. For example;
gestures-finger on lips to indicate to remain silent, facial expression or a nod
instead of an yes.
3. Helpful to illiterate people: This type of communication use gestures, facial
expressions, eye contact, proximity, touch etc. So, it is very helpful to illiterate
people.
4. Aid to differently abled /physically impaired people: Non-verbal cues of
communication greatly help physically impaired people especially deaf. Deaf
people exchange messages through them movements of hands, fingers, eyeball etc.
5. Attractive presentation: Non-verbal communication can be effective with
attractive visuals, pictures, graphs, signs etc.
6. Quick expression of message: Non-verbal cues of communication like sign and
symbol can also communicate some messages very quickly than written or oral
messages.
7. Saves time: The message of non-verbal communication reaches the receiver
very fast. For this reason it saves valuable time of the communicator.
Disadvantages of Non-Verbal Communication:
1. Vague and imprecise: Non-verbal communication is quite vague and imprecise,
since there is no use of words or language.

2. Long conversations are not possible: In non-verbal communication, long
conversation and necessary explanations are not possible. No party can discuss the
nuances of the messages.

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3. Difficult to understand: Non Verbal communication requires a lot of repetition
since it uses gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, touch etc. It may appear
difficult to people due to multiple interpretation.
4. Expensive: In some cases non-verbal communication involves huge cost. For
example, neon sign, power point presentation, cinema etc are very much costly
compared to other forms of communication.
5. Distortion of information: Since it uses gestures, facial expressions, eye contact,
touch, sign, sound, para language etc. for communicating with others, there is a
great possibility in distortion of information in non-verbal communication.
Answer the following questions in one or two sentences:

1. Name any two differences between oral and written communication?
2. Define proxemics.
3. Name any two written communication forms.
4. Kinesics is form of communication.
5. Give any two examples for positive postures in communication.
6. Define “paralinguistic clues” in nonverbal communication.
7. Give any two advantages of oral communication.
8. Give any two examples for dress or colour as indicators of nonverbal
communication
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CHAPTER 11: SUMMARIZING
Summarizing helps students learn to determine essential ideas and consolidate

important details. It helps the reader to get a quick understanding of an article or
passage. Students can learn the technique of taking out the most important ideas
from a text. They also learn to ignore irrelevant information that is present in the
text, and with these skills they are capable of integrating the central ideas in a
meaningful way from any theory or conceptual write-up.
What is Summary?
Summary is a shortened version of a passage written in one’s own words. A
summary always covers the essential points of the original passage. It presents
large chunks of information in short, cohesive sentences. The length of the
summary can be a maximum of one-third length of the original passage. It should
not exceed this limit.
A Summary can be used:
* To sum up information.
* To present information concisely
* To state the main and essential points without any detailed explanation.
* To refer to a body of work.
* To give examples of several points of view on one subject.
Guidelines for summarizing a passage:

* Read and reread the passage.
* Make a note of key words, main points or arguments and topic sentences.
* Form a brief outline of the passage.
* Use the outline to form a summary of the passage.
* Use your own language to convey the ideas.
* Use some key words in the summary and accordingly give a title for the summary.
* Write in simple and understandable English.
* The summary must be objective and written in third person.
* Illustrations, examples, quotations etc., can be omitted.
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* Replace long phrases with single words and use participle clauses instead of full
clauses.
* Write a rough draft, edit and adjust the length.
* Follow the original organization of the passage and avoid your own opinion and
give credit to the source.

* Compare the summary to the original passage for accuracy.
* Check the draft for spelling mistakes, punctuation and grammatical errors.
* Form a fair draft of the summary
Exercise:
Read the text about “Fishing in India” followed by the summary of the text:
Sample 1
FISHING IN INDIA
The subcontinent of India includes an incredible range of geographic features, and
the fish species found here do not disappoint in their size or variety. The choice of
venues is already good, but, since fishing as a sport for locals is relatively new, we
can expect this to get even better as the years roll on. The best fishing is almost
always found in remote spots and is therefore easily combined with other activities
such as trekking or observing wildlife. One issue to note: several of the species
used to be found as much larger specimens. That should be a warning against over-
fishing. The species concerned are slow-growing and obviously no adults are
actually surviving long enough to reach the size that attracts special attention. We
support a Catch and Release policy whether or not one is imposed by local
authorities. We hope all anglers will support us in this. The mightiest fighting fish
found in fresh water is the Golden Mahseer. Though it is not the largest fish in
India, it has a reputation for surprising anglers; more than one has been grateful for
their ghillie's hand to stop a headlong plunge after a huge tug on the line.

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Also known as the Putitor, Yellow-fin, Common Himalayan or Copper Mahseer,

as well as a host of other names, these fish inhabit streams, rivers and lakes along
the Himalayan range as well as on the Deccan Plateau. They prefer deep pools in
fast flowing water with a rocky bed. The largest Golden Mahseer on record was
2.75 meters in length and weighed 54 kilograms. That's a mighty size for any fish
and, given that these are powerful fighters that must have been an epic battle.
Summary:
There are many different large fish available for fresh water anglers in India and
the sport of fishing is improving here all the time. There is one problem, however,
and that is, that fish are no longer living long enough to grow to large sizes, so we
have a policy of releasing all the fish that are caught.
The mightiest fighting fish to be found is the Golden Mahseer, which is also
known by other names locally, can be found in streams, rivers and lakes in the
Himalayas. The largest one found was 2.75 meters long and weighed 54
kilograms.
Sample 2
Write the summary of the following passage:
This century is the age of Science. We cannot imagine our lives sans Science.
Science has become a part and parcel of our lives. Science has become a symbol of
progress. The progress is in the field of medicine, education, industry, etc., and we
enjoy the comforts of science in all fields. Science has developed an effective
transport and communication system. Buses, cars, trains, planes have made
transportation easy and comfortable, safe and fast. Man has even landed on the
moon with the help of technology.
In the field of medicine, science has worked wonders. Almost all kinds of diseases
are entirely cured by modern drugs and medicines. Medicine has reduced pain and
suffering. Electricity is another important scientific invention. The comforts of our
life like electric lamps, refrigerators, fans, grinders, washing machines, etc. are all
run by electricity.
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Scientific methods of cultivation have solved the flood problem. The pests
destroying the crops are killed immediately by pesticides. Poultry and sericulture
are also improved. Thus science is helpful in all walks of life and makes our life
comfortable and happy.
Summary:
In the present times, one cannot imagine their lives without science. Science has
made a mark able space in fields like medicine, education, industry. It has also
helped in developing easy and fast mode of transportation like buses, cars, trains,
planes. One enjoys the comfort of science in every aspect of life. Science has also
helped the field of medicine to flourish. Almost all kinds of diseases can be cured
by advance medicines and drugs reducing the pain and suffering. Electricity is
another field which has been benefited by science. All the machinery inventions
like refrigerators, fans etc are run by electricity. Scientific methods are also used in
the field of agriculture and poultry.
Exercise:
Summarize the following passages:
PASSAGE 1
In the middle of Katraj Snake Park, Mr. Khaire, the director of the park, and his
team look after a host of poisonous and non-poisonous snakes which live in
specially dug pits. The aim of the park is to educate visitors about snakes. Mr.
Khaire's interest in snakes began during the monsoon of 1969 when he saved the
life of a poisonous snake in a holiday camp he was managing at the time. He later
released the snake safely into the wild. Khaire then bought a book about snakes
and began to study. He rescued snakes which were in danger of being beaten to
death and released them. As a result, he realized that 85% of snakes are not
poisonous. They are largely harmless and generally only bite when provoked or
threatened. Khairer realized that he had found his mission in life: to educate

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people about snakes. To reinforce this idea, Mr. Khaire carried out a stunt. This
involved spending 72 hours in a glass enclosure with 72 poisonous snakes. He was
hoping to clear up misconceptions about snakes. His experiment attracted a lot of
attention and created awareness about these reptiles. Following this, he approached
the authorities for a pace in which to create a snake park. Here snakes could be kept
to educate the public and rescued snakes could find shelter. Four snake pits were
dug and an exhibition hall was built. The park was opened in 1986 and since then
Mr. Khaire and his team of volunteers have been looking after the snakes.
They maintain the park, give lectures, create exhibitions and conduct research
about snakes. They also identify rare types of snake and study their breeding
patterns. Although the initial objectives of the snake park were to rescue, release,
breed and create awareness about snakes, the team also nurse and release other lost
and injured animals and birds. All can find a shelter there and become part of the
snake park family until fully recovered. An orphanage was created in order to
nurse these extra creatures back to health. The snake park team is always busy.
Zoos with reptile problems often contact the park for information and people who
have spotted a snake near their homes call the snake park frequently for help!
PASSAGE 2
Vivekananda was known as Narendranath Datta on 12 January 1863. He was an

Indian Hindu monk and chief disciple of the nineteenth-century saint Ramakrishna.
His father, Vishwanath Datta, was a successful attorney, and his mother,
Bhuvaneshwari Devi, was endowed with deep devotion, strong character and other
qualities. With his knowledge and efforts, he proved to be a key figure in
introducing the Indian philosophies of Vedanta and yoga to the Western world.
Swami Vivekananda9s inspiring personality was well-known, both in India and
America in the late 19th and early 20th century.

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A talented boy, Narendra excelled in music, gymnastics and studies. By the time he
graduated from Calcutta University, he had acquired a vast knowledge of different
subjects, especially Western philosophy and history. Born with a yogic
temperament, he used to practice meditation from his boyhood days. In his early
youth, he was entangled with doubts about the existence of God. This made him
meet Sri Ramakrishna, who was staying at the Kali Temple in Dakshineshwar.
Apart from removing doubts from the mind of Narendra, Sri Ramakrishna won
him over and thus began a guru-disciple relationship between them.
After a few years, two events caused Narendra considerable distress: one was the
passing away of his father and the other was when Sri Ramakrishna gave up his
mortal body. After this, in 1887 he took the formal vows of sannyasa, thereby
assuming a new name. Narendra now
became Swami Vivekananda. Soon, Vivekananda heard the inner call for a greater
mission in his life. His master taught him that service to men was the most effective
worship of God. He realized the importance of Sri Ramakrishna’s message and
decided to spread it to the modern world and to India in particular.
Narendra travelled extensively in India, acquainting himself with diverse religious
traditions and social patterns. During his travels, he was deeply moved to see the
terrible poverty and backwardness of the masses. He was the first religious leader
in India to understand and openly declare that the real cause of India’s downfall
was the neglect of the masses.

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PASSAGE 3
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-

CoV-2 virus. Most people infected with the virus will experience mild to moderate
respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. However, some
will become seriously ill and require medical attention. Older people and those
with underlying medical conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic
respiratory disease, or cancer are more likely to develop serious illness. Anyone can
get sick with COVID-19 and become seriously ill or die at any age.
The best way to prevent and slow down transmission is to be well informed about
the disease and how the virus spreads. Protect yourself and others from infection
by staying at least 1 metre apart from others, wearing a properly fitted mask, and
washing your hands or using an alcohol- based rub frequently. Get vaccinated
when it’s your turn and follow local guidance. The virus can spread from an
infected person’s mouth or nose in small liquid particles when they cough, sneeze,
speak, sing or breathe. These particles range from larger respiratory droplets to
smaller aerosols. It is important to practice respiratory etiquette, for example by
coughing into a flexed elbow, and to stay home and self-isolate until you recover if
you feel unwell.
The risks of getting COVID-19 are higher in crowded and inadequately ventilated
spaces where infected people spend long periods of time together in close
proximity.
Outbreaks have been reported in places where people have gather, often in
crowded indoor settings and where they talk loudly, shout, breathe heavily or sing
such as restaurants, choir practices, fitness classes, nightclubs, offices and places
of worship.
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CHAPTER – 12: SPEECH WRITING
Speech writing is a way of sharing your thoughts with an audience through words.
A good speech is well-timed, informative and thought provoking. There are three
general purposes that all speeches fall into: to inform, to persuade and to entertain.
Format of Speech Writing:
* Introduction: Greet the audience, tell them about yourself and further introduce the
topic.
* Body: Present the topic in an elaborate way, explaining its key features, pros and
cons.
* Conclusion: Summary of the speech, wrap up the topic and leave your
audience with a compelling reminder to think about.
Speech is intended for:

• Cultural /social events
• Informative - to pass on some information
• Entertainment - stand-up comedy
To deliver a good speech it requires prior preparation as follows:

• Know the purpose - Educate, inspire, argue - your goals will result appropriately.
• Keep the language simple
• Structure the speech properly
• Cite a quotation correctly
• Collect information about whom /what you are speaking.
• Use active voice.
• Prepare the speech without errors.

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Welcome Speech: A welcome speech is a short expression of words which is

delivered at the starting of any event, meeting, gathering, celebration or program. It
is a statement which includes greeting to all the audience, special guests,
participants, delegates or whoever is present for the occasion. Optimistic words
that cast an encouraging feedback from the audience is the main expectation from a
good welcome speech.
• Welcome speech should contain brief introduction of the chief

guest, his work, achievements and contribution.
• Convey gratitude towards the guest for taking time and being present.
• Should conclude with welcoming everyone present for the event as per the
hierarchy and protocol.
Expressions used for welcoming:

• I am extremely proud to welcome
• I am overwhelmed to get this opportunity to welcome
• I feel proud and honored to welcome
• With immense affection and admiration I welcome
• I am immensely pleased to welcome.

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Example of welcome speech:
A warm welcome to everyone to this program.

I am XXX from first year XXX. With immense affection and admiration I welcome
you all on
this auspicious occasion of <Literary Club Inauguration=.
Today we have Mr. as our chief guest. It is an honor for me to

welcome Mr. on behalf of college. He is an accomplished writer
& with several published well-known works. His books motivate all of us to dream
big & achieve. The literary work by him has ignited the fire among all of us.
Besides being a writer, he is a well-known social worker who loves to serve
society. He is a person who provides free education to a lot of underprivileged
children. His love for nature & greenery is well known to all of us as he organizes
plantation drive every year in the city.
It is a pleasure for all of us to have such a great personality among us. We all are
keen to hear from you sir about your journey, knowledge & success mantras.
Thank you for taking out time for all of us from your busy schedule to share your
thoughts with us. Once again, I welcome you to the function, sir.
With immense affection and admiration I welcome all the invitees who made
efforts to join us today I am extremely happy to welcome all the teaching and non-
teaching staff present here today.
Finally, I welcome all the friends present here to make this event
huge success. Welcome one and all.

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Inaugural speech:
Inaugural speech is made at an inauguration of any cultural or social event. It
could also be done for the opening ceremony of any new office store or a company.
Inaugural address should contain the following:
• Inspirational thoughts
• Motivation for the betterment of the individual and institution
• Some examples of great minds who made the nation proud
Good morning/afternoon/evening to everyone present here, it is my greatest honor

and privilege to give the inaugural address today on your official opening of this
school/college. I am particularly happy to be with young minds which will be a
value addition to the future of our country and have the great responsibility in your
hands. You have to make up your mind to give the best to your great nation. Many
great minds have treaded this path to take our country to greater heights. As your
learning begins you will discover that the knowledge to acquire is vast. There is a
well-equipped house of knowledge which will enable you acquire day after day.
By the time you leave this temple of learning, you will be equipped for your bright
future. Have the perseverance and determination to unleash the potential in you.
The inspiring lessons that your teachers will provide will let you off as a holistic
person, to face many challenges in your future life. Make use of this opportunity
through your hard work, which will never let you down. “Time and tide waits for
no man” so grab the chance and unleash your potential to make your parents, your
institution and your nation proud. Go for higher education with higher purpose.
Wishing you all the best for your new beginning. I thank you for giving me this
golden opportunity to spend some valuable time with you. Wishing you the best of
luck.

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Vote of Thanks: A vote of thanks is a well-prepared speech given formally and

publicly to thank the host, the organizer and other participants for their
presence and contribution to an event.
It is very important that you do not miss out to include any of the esteemed guests,
the host and the dignitaries in your speech. Make sure that you do not write long
unwinding sentences. Keep it short and simple.
Expressions of gratitude:
• I am extremely proud to propose the vote of thanks
• I am overwhelmed to present the vote of thanks
• I feel proud and honor to present the vote of thanks
• With immense affection and admiration I thank
• It is my pride and privilege to thank.
Example:
A warm and graceful morning to all.
On behalf of all students and staff, I am glad to be standing here to propose my
vote of thanks on this auspicious occasion of . First and foremost, I would like to
thank our Chief
Guest, for accepting our invitation and being here with us today.
Your thoughts have truly inspired us.
I extend my sincere thanks to our Principal who provided all the support for
us to make this event happen. Your thoughtful words have enlightened us.
Our teachers always put in a lot of effort and love to make each one of us a good
student and a wonderful human being, thank you dear teachers and my fellow
students who have made this day possible.
I would also like to thank each and every one of you for being here and making this
day a wonderful and memorable one.
Thank you once again.

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Farewell Speech:
A farewell speech is a professional gesture you may deliver to your colleagues if
and when you9re leaving the workplace. You might also give a farewell speech
when you are retiring, leaving your organization. Individuals sometimes give
farewell speeches in their offices on their last day with the company or at official
leaving parties or ceremonies
Example: Farewell Speech for a Colleague
Good morning to one and all present here. Today we all have gathered here to bid
farewell to one of our best colleagues, . It is so difficult to let go of a person
who has done so much for the company and is that person. He has filled
this place with joy in this company for 5 years and throughout all those years he
has never let the organization down. He is known for his professionalism and hard
work and has set a benchmark.
Whatever the task was, did it effortlessly. You are always creative when it
comes to ideas and how to execute them and because of that many projects which
were under you have been successful and many people have learnt from it.
In addition to your professionalism, you have a set of personality traits that many
wish to have. You are a talented and honest person who is always productive and
can be trusted to get the job done. I am sure seeing your work at the company
many of your colleagues will get inspired.
To conclude, I would like to say that it is sad to see you leave but the moments we
all shared and the memories we made with you will always be remembered. On
behalf of everyone, I wish you good luck with your new job. I am sure that you
will find your new workplace pleasant and will surely reach greater heights. Thank
you for your stay at the company.

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Exercises:
1) Inauguration of Sports Association is to be held in your college. Draft a welcome

speech.
2) Imagine your college invites Sudha Murthy to preside over the 8Women9s
Day9 celebration. Draft a Vote of thanks for this occasion.

3) You have cleared IAS Exam. You have been invited as a guest to inaugurate
the new MBA department and give the inaugural address to the students. Write an
inaugural speech.
4) Write a farewell speech for a colleague who is retiring from the job.
***********

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CHAPTER 13: ESSAY WRITING
Essay writing is a literary composition on any subject. This written composition

comprises writer’s subjective ideas or opinions on the topic. Writer’s subjective
ideas or opinions on the topic. It also gives objective information on any
selected subject. The essays can be narrative or descriptive in style.
Characteristics of Essay writing:
A good essay contains the following characteristics:
1. Unity/ Cohesion: All paragraphs need to relate to the central idea. Need to
be in orderly manner of one subject.

2. Order: Chronological order of time, spatial arrangements of paragraphs from
top to bottom, emphatic order proceed from least important to most important.
3. Brevity: Concisely written and not too long.
4. Style: Simple, direct and clear. Avoid canned expressions, obscure jargons which
serve no purpose.
5. Personal touch: Writing should have individuality with some personal touch of the
writer.
Types of Essay writing:

The essays are categorized under four main groups like:
1. Narrative Essays
2. Descriptive Essays
3. Expository Essays
4. Argumentative Essays

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1. Narrative Essay: A narrative essay details a story. This is about a real life
experience with a set of characters, location and a plot.

2. Descriptive Essay: It paints a picture with words. Here writer could describe a
place, person, object and even a memory of a special significance using colorful
words and sensory details.
3. Expository Essay: Writer defines a topic with the help of facts, statistics
and examples. Expository essays compare, contrast and show cause and
effects.
4. Argumentative Essay: In an argumentative essay you will be attempting to
convince your reader about an opinion or point of view. This is similar to

persuasive essay.
Format of Essay writing:
The very basic format for an essay consists of five paragraphs may extend to more
paragraphs as needed. These paragraphs can be classified into 3 sections.
1. Introduction
2. Body
3. Conclusion
1. Introduction: This is the opening part of the essay. It provides a brief

overview and a preface of what the topic is all about. It is usually short but has
to be interesting as it is a road map to the full length of essay. Hence, this
paragraph needs to act as attention grabber.

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2. Body: This is where the writer places his/her arguments and supporting
statements for the topic. It can contain two to three paragraphs or depending on
the length and scope of the subject. To connect the supporting paragraphs, the
writer needs to use special transition words. Each paragraph of the essay
contains topic sentence, detail sentence which tells more about the topic and
concluding or transitional sentence which wrap up what is already said and
make readers get ready for the next paragraphs.
3. Conclusion: The summary writing of the whole essay is contained in the

conclusion. It is a short recap of the main point presented in the essay. It has
two parts. i.e., summary statement which restates and reinforces the main
idea. The clincher is a final thought which creates a lasting impression on the
reader.

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Essay-1 Health and Healing At your fingertips (An Argumentative Essay)
Throw out the bottles and boxes of drugs in your house. A new theory suggests
that medicine could be bad for your health, which should at least come as good
news to people who cannot afford to buy expensive medicine. However, it is a
blow to medicine industry, and an even bigger blow to our confidence in the
progress of science. This new theory argues that healing is at our fingertips: we
can be healthy by doing reiki on a regular basis.
Supporters of medical treatment argue that medicine should be trusted since it is

effective and scientifically proven. They say that there is no need for spiritual
methods and scientifically proven. They say that there is no need for spiritual
methods such as Reiki, Yoga and Tai Chi. These waste our time, something
which is quite precious in our material world. There is medicine that can kill our
pain, x-rays that show us our fractured bones or MIR that scans our brain for
tumours. We must admit that these methods are very effective in the examples that
they provide. However, there are some “every day complains” such as back pain,
headaches, insomnia, which are treated currently with medicine. When you have a
headache, you take an Aspirin, or Vermidon, when you cannot sleep; you take
Xanax without thinking of the side effects of these. When you use these pills for a
long period, you become addicted to them; you cannot sleep without them. We pay
huge amounts of money and become addicted instead of getting better. How about
a safer and more economical way of healing? When doing Reiki to yourself, you
do not need anything except your energy so it is very economical. As for its
history, it was discovered in Japan in the early 1900s and its popularity has spread
particularly throughout America and Western Europe. In quantum physics, energy
is recognized as the fundamental substance of which the universe is composed.
Reiki depends on the energy within our bodies. It is a simple and effective way of
resorting the energy flow. There are no side effects and it is scientifically
explained.

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Essay-2 The Thunderstorm (Descriptive Essay)
I watched a thunderstorm, far out over the sea. It began quietly, and with nothings
visible except tall dark clouds and a rolling tide. There was just a soft murmur of
thunder as I watched the horizon from my balcony. Over the next few minutes, the
clouds closed and reflected lightning set the rippling ocean aglow.
The thunderheads had covered up the sun, shadowing the vista. It was peaceful for
along time.
I was looking up when the first clear thunderbolt struck. It blazed against the sky
and sea; I could see its shape in perfect reverse colors when I blinked. More
followed. The thunder rumbled and stuttered as if it could hardly keep up. There
were openings in the cloud now, as if the sky were torn, and spots of brilliant blue
shone above the shadowed sea.
I looked down then, watching the waves. Every bolt was answered by a
moment of spreading light on the surface. The waves were getting rough,
rising high and crashing hard enough that I could hear them.
Then came the rain. It came all at once and in sheets, soaking the sand, filling the
sea. It was so dense I could only see the lightning as flashes of light. It came down so
hard
the thunder was drowned. Everything was rhythmic light and shadow, noise and
silence, blending into a single experience of all five senses.
In an instant it stopped. The storm broke. The clouds came apart like curtains. The
rain still fell, but softly now. It was as if there had never been a storm at all, except
for a single signature. A rainbow, almost violently bright, spread above and across
the a single signature. A rainbow, almost violently bright, spread above and across
the water. I could see the horizon again.

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Essay-3 My First Foreign Friend (Narrative Essay.)
My first foreign friend broke my heart. However, before I could have a foreign
friend, I needed to travel aboard first. I have always wanted to go abroad and make
friends around the world. Last winter, I was able to study abroad for four weeks in
Toronto. While I was studying in Toronto, I met a Canadian girl named Jem. She
told me that she wanted to make Japanese friends, so I was happy to talk to her. I
was also happy to talk to her because she is so beautiful. Jem is half white and half
Filipino, and I had never seen anyone like her before. It is safe to say that I fell in
love with her at first sight, but not everything is meant to be.
In the beginning of our friendship, I was able to meet Jem often because we were
language exchange partners. Jem helped me study English, and I helped her study
Japanese. Gradually we became more and friendlier, so I invited her to go out to
eat dinner with me. We went to a restaurant with her friends who also study
Japanese. I talked a lot with her and her friends in English, and we ate katsudon. It
is very delicious. Having dinner together made me very happy, and I think that my
language skill improved.
went to a restaurant with her friends who also study Japanese. I talked a lot with
her and her friends in English, and we ate katsudon. It is very delicious. Having
dinner together made me very happy, and I think that my language skill improved.
At last, the day I went back to Japan, I heard from Jem by email. In her email,
she wrote,
“thankyou for being my friend. I want to meet you and speak in Japanese when I
go to Japan this summer.” Heremail really made me smile. I forgot about my
feelings at the football game and remembered all the great times I had in Toronto.
Overall, I learned that life is made up of good and bad memories, but it is most
important to remember the good ones.

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Essay-4 Education (Expository Essay)
To begin with, while traditional education considers the main value of educational
process to be the knowledge transferred to the student, Botkin’s innovative
education presents the knowledge as a means rather than an end, at the same time
orienting at the development of the student9s personality through knowledge. It is
less concerned with controlling the educational process, trying to create
circumstances in which the student would establish his or her own goals and
achieve them, while transforming his or her own self and self-regulating the
studying process. Traditional education represents in itself more or less stable
structure, without undergoing dramatic differences in the course of years. The
accumulation of knowledge goes on, of course, but only in the subjects where it is
impossible to avoid, for example, history and literature, which are being expanded
all the time. Curriculum for exact sciences, like physics or mathematics may not
change for decades. Botkin offers another decision, which presupposes that
educational system is dynamic, ever-changing structure that is being regrouped and
renewed constantly, with new programs and educational disciplines appearing all
the time. As opposed to reproductive nature of traditional education (the student
perceives information and reproduces it), innovative education is supposed to be
only and specifically creative process. It should teach students to create text
irrespectively of its subject, understand information even if it has never been
perceived by the student yet, and solve any problems by means of independent
thinking rather than applying preexisting, memorized solutions. It also cancels the
long-lasting tradition of relationship “teacher-student as “superior-inferior”,
making both the teacher and the student equal participants of educational process,
who work on one and the same task in cooperation, rather than submission. Any
kind of outside control is supposed to be harmful for the process and, therefore,
abolished, with its place taken by self-control, mutual control and coordination. Of
course, the self-sufficient system of education based on equality of teacher and
student may look really alluring, but all the same, it is more of a utopia than reality.

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Botkin idealizes children and thinks that it is possible to create such system; reality
would most likely say “no”.
Essay-5 Frustration at the Airport (Descriptive Essay)
I had never been more anxious in my life. I had just spent the last three endless
hours trying to get to the airport so that I could travel home. Now, as I watched the
bus driver set my luggage on the airport sidewalk, I realized that my frustration had
only just begun.
This was my first visit to the international terminal of the airport, and nothing was
familiar. I could not make sense of any of the signs. Where was the check-in
counter? Where should I take my luggage? I had no idea where the immigration
line was. I began to panic. What time was it? Where was my plane? I had to find
help because I could not be late!
I tried to ask a passing businessman for help, but my words all came out wrong. He
just scowled and walked away. What had happened? I had been in this country for a
whole semester, and I could not even remember how to ask for directions. This
was awful! Another bus arrived at the terminal, and the passengers came out
carrying all sorts of luggage. Here was my chance! I could follow them to the right
place, and I would not have to say a word.
I dragged my enormous suitcase behind me and followed the group. We finally

reached the elevators. Oh, no! They all fit in it, but there was not enough room for
me. I watched in despair as the elevator doors closed. I had no idea what to do next.
I got on the elevator when it returned and gazed at all the buttons. Which one could
it be? I pressed button 3. The elevator slowly climbed up to the third floor and
jerked to a stop. A high, squeaking noise announced the opening of the doors, and
I looked around timidly.
Tears formed in my eyes as I saw the deserted lobby and realized that I would miss
my plane. Just then an elderly airport employee shuffled around the corner. He saw
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that I was lost and asked if he could help. He gave me his handkerchief to dry my
eyes as I related my predicament. He smiled kindly, and led me down a long
hallway. We walked up some stairs, turned a corner, and, at last, there was
customs! He led me past all the lines of people and pushed my luggage to the
inspection counter.
When I turned to thank him for all his help, he was gone. I will never know that
kind man’s name, but I will always remember his unexpected courtesy. He helped
me when I needed it the most. I can only hope that one day I will be able to do the
same for another traveler who is suffering through a terrible journey
Exercise:
1. Living a day without my smartphone
2. The best gift I have ever received in my life
3. Impact of internet on society
4. The dying habit of reading newspaper
5. An event that changed your life
6. Drug addiction
7. Knowledge is Power
8. Online schooling
9. OTT - an emerging entertainment platform
10. Selfie - An addiction
*************

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PART 2 – COURSE BOOK

PERCEPTIONS II

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CHAPTER 14: EARTH NEVER DIES- NIYI OSUNDARE
ABOUT THE POET:
Niyi Osundare is a Nigerian poet, dramatist, literary critic and a political activist. He
has been a committed writer with a staunch belief in freedom of speech. His collection
of poems, The Eye of the Earth won the Commonwealth Poetry Prize and Waiting
Laughters won the Noma Award. This poem portrays with its vivid imagery the total
destruction of nature. In his quest for supremacy and insatiable greed for material
acquisition, man has dealt an axe blow to ecology. Will the Earth survive this
onslaught by irrational man? The poem, in the beginning, is depressingly bleak in its
depiction of contemporary realities but ends with a tone of optimism. This poem is also
written for performance and participation. Chants to the rain, earth, river and chants
that accompany the rhythmic pounding of ingredients for evening meals are part of
their daily activities. In many African languages, the words for poem, song and music
are the same or closely related syntactically.
SUMMARY:
The first stanza immediately introduces us to what the poet is trying to express in this
poem. The beginning is describing how the earth is maltreated comparing the earths
treatment to that of slaves shows how the depth of maltreatment. Despite all this the
poet persona believes that the “…earth will not die”.
The second stanza is describing the kind of relationship that industries and agriculture
have. It explains how industrialization appears to be mistreating the earth and
poisoning it. Here we see the poet persona explaining how the earth minus being
mistreated is also helpless to do anything but receive the treatment. Yet again the poet
believes that earth will go on.
The third stanza is full of rhetorical questions. These questions are to show how we
reading the poem as inhabitants of earth should not assume that the people carrying out
the suffering on and maltreatment of earth is none other than us.
The fourth stanza continues on with industrializations’ effects on planet earth. It says
how “the rain falls, acid, on balding forests”, showing us acid rain, which is an after
effect of the exhaust fumes from factories all over the world. Yet again the earth is
helpless as “weeping willows drip mercury tears/In the eye of sobbing terrains”. In this
stanza we also see that the suffering of earth is affecting things on earth even the

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humans as the poet persona says that “a nuclear sun rises like a funeral ball/Reducing
man and meadow to dust and dirt”.
The fifth stanza helps to show that human beings are not the only life force on earth. It
shows how the animals such as the rabbits, fish and birds have died in their habitats. In
spite of all this though the poet still believes that the earth will not perish.
The sixth and last stanza of the poem shows us so much hope. The poet persona
believes that “our earth will see again/eyes washed by a new rain”. The poet persona
has simply been saying that the earth will stand despite all negativity potrayed but in
the last stanza the poet persona shows that his hope is not him settling. The poet
persona strongly believes that the earth will get better and not stay the way it is. This
stanza changes the mood of the poem from the previous serious one.
THEMES:
HELPLESSNESS
The beginning of the poem and almost throughout the poem the poet explains how the
earth is treated horribly and without any form of respect. The first six lines of the poem
compare the earth’s treatment by those who live on it to the way slaves were treated.
This is where helplessness of the planet begins to show itself. The earth just like the
slaves is displeased or not satisfied with the way those in control of it are handling it
but cannot do anything more than feel displeased because it is helpless to do anything.
HOPEFULNESS
The poem seems to have an exceptionally sad tone but there is a hint of hopefulness
within every stanza. The poet continues to explain how the earth is being mistreated
and manhandled and makes it seem like these issues are grave and not being paid close
attention to. Yet the poet persona strongly believes that the earth will still not die
despite the circumstances. The last stanza of course gives the most hope. In the
previous stanzas the poet persona is simply saying how the earth will not die in spite of
suffering while the last stanza shows how the poet persona is so hopeful that he
believes that the earth has a future of more than mistreatment.
LOVE FOR NATURE

The most dominant theme is the love for nature. The poet persona speaks of the
pollution of nature in a tone that suggests displeasure. The poet persona loves nature
that he refuses to give up hope on the revitalisation of the earth seeing rain as a
cleaning agent. The poet persona also emphasises the strength has to become better
after suffering.

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CHAPTER 15: THE ADVENTURE OF THE THREE STUDENTS –

SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (1859–1930) was a Scottish writer and a Physician
born on May 22, 1859, in Edinburgh, Scotland. Doyle's The Sherlock Holmes stories
are generally considered milestones in the field of crime fiction. Doyle wrote over fifty
short stories featuring the famous detective. In addition to the series of stories
chronicling the activities of Sherlock Holmes and his friend Dr. John Watson for
which he is well-known, he wrote on a wide range of topics, both fictional and
nonfictional. He was a very prolific writer who wrote more than 240 kinds of fiction of
all genres like History, fantasy, adventure, Science-fiction, crime, drama, war and
more than 1200 other works as essays, pamphlets, articles, and letters to the press,
poems, interviews and plays.
CHARACTERS:
• Sherlock Holmes, a detective

• Hilton Soames, a professor and lecturer
• Bannister, Hilton's servant
• Gilchrist, a student and athlete
• Daulat Ras, a hard- working Indian student who is weak in Greek
• Miles McLauren, a brillian student and almost got expelled from the university
• Dr. Watson, the narrator
SETTING:
• Time: 1895 AD
• Place: a university building in an unnamed town
THEMES:
• Crime, mystery and investigation

• Summary
SUMMARY:
‘Three Students’ is one of the Sherlock Homes stories, written by Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle. The story deals with a case of stealing the exam questions from a university
professor’s room.

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The story took place in 1895. Sherlock Holmes and his friend Dr. Watson were in one
of England’s most famous university towns doing some research. They received a visit
from Hilton Soames, a tutor and lecturer at the College of Saint Luke's. He looked very
nervous. He explained Holmes that a crime had been committed at his college. In order
to prevent a scandal, Soames wanted Holmes to find the culprit without involving the
police.
Soames had been reviewing papers containing a large passage in Greek that was to be
translated during an examination for the Fortescue Scholarship. He left his office for
an hour. Upon his returning, he discovered that Bannister, his servant, had left the keys
in the lock, and someone had disturbed the papers on his desk and left the traces that
showed it had been partially copied. Bannister not only denied the misconduct but also
appeared to be very upset by it. The cheater left clues such as shavings from a pencil, a
cut in the leather surface of the desk, and a small piece of black clay with sawdust.
Holmes and Watson went to the College of Saint Luke's. The ground of floor of a
building was Soames’s room. Three students lived above him in the same building, one
on each floor. Inspecting the lecturer's bedroom, Holmes found another ball of dough,
and assumed that it was the place where the thief hid when he heard Soames coming
back.
Soames’s told Holmes about three students. Gilchrist was a good student and an
athlete, Ras was a serious and peaceful Indian fellow, and McLaren was brilliant, but
unprincipled. Holmes visited them to check their pencils and their heights.
The next morning, as Homes and Watson went back to the college, Holmes told
Watson that he had solved the mystery. He asked Soames to fetch Gilchrist and
accused him of being a cheat in Bannister's presence. The young man fell apart as
Holmes explained what happened. He was tall enough to have seen the papers on the
desk as he passed the window when coming back from athletic training holding his
muddy shoes. Climbing the stairs, he saw the keys in the lock and couldn't resist the
temptation to enter and copy the translation. When he heard Soames come back, he hid
in the bedroom.
Bannister who had known Gilchrist since his childhood, helped him to escape,
convinced the young man that he could not benefit from his actions. Gilchrist revealed
that had already written a letter to Soames in which he confessed to the crime. He had
already decided not to take part in the examination and to join the police in Rhodesia.
Holmes told Gilchrist that a bright future awaited him in Rhodesia.

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CHAPTER 16: THE DEATH OF A GOVERNMENT CLERK-

ANTON CHEKHOV
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860-1904) was a Russian playwright and short-story
writer, who is considered to be one among the greatest writers of short fiction in
history. In his career as a playwright, he produced four classics, and his best stories are
held in high esteem by writers and critics. Some of his noteworthy and acclaimed plays
are The Seagull, The Cherry Orchard, Uncle Vanya, Ivanov, Three Sisters etc. The
Bet, The Lady with the Dog, The Chameleon, The Man in the Case are his most
appreciated short stories. "The Death of a Government Clerk" is a short story published
in 1883. It deals with the theme of embarrassment, fear, anxiety, worry, insecurity and
appearance. An act of sneezing is natural but its consequences spell doom in this story.
In some editions the same story is referred to as "The Death of an Official".
SUMMARY:
In The Death of a Government Clerk by Anton Chekhov we have the theme of
embarrassment, fear, anxiety, worry, insecurity and appearance. Taken from his The
Complete Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an
unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story the reader realises that Chekhov
may be exploring the theme of embarrassment. Though sneezing is a very natural act
Tchervyakov feels the utmost embarrassment for his actions. If anything, he over plays
the fact that he has sneezed on Brizzhalov.
However, it might be important to remember that Brizzhalov is of a higher rank in the
government than Tchervyakov which may be the reason that Tchervyakov fears the
consequences of his actions. There is a sense that Tchervyakov may feel as though he
could be reported by Brizzhalov to his own superiors which may result in his dismal
from his job. It is also possible that Chekhov is highlighting the very human fear that
many government clerks or those in lowly positions in the government may have felt at
the time when it came to their superiors. Each individual would have a set role to play
and Tchervyakov would be at the lower end of the scale when it comes to his
employment. A complaint by Brizzhalov could easily result in Tchervyakov’s dismal
from his job.
How anxious Tchervyakov feels is also noticeable by the fact that he attempts on
several occasions to explain himself to Brizzhalov. Not only does he confront him at
the opera but he also goes to Brizzhalov’s place of work. This may be important as

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Tchervyakov may have very real fears that he is to lose his job over the sneezing
incident and that Brizzhalov may consider the incident to be one of insolence. Should
Tchervyakov lose his job he would end up living a very different type of life. Quite
possibly a life in poverty. It might also be a case that Brizzhalov’s disregard of
Tchervyakov apology is symbolic of how those in government, who wielded power,
may have felt about those subordinate to them. They gave them little or no time.
Which is very much the case when it comes to Brizzhalov and Tchervyakov. At no
stage does Brizzhalov take Tchervyakov’s apology serious. Though it may also be
important to remember that the incident itself is not worthy of the efforts that
Tchervyakov puts into it.
As readers we know that Tchervyakov’s sneezing was not only unavoidable but
accidental too. We also suspect that Brizzhalov holds no ill will towards Tchervyakov
and only becomes annoyed with Tchervyakov when he continues to attempt to
apologize.
Some critics might also suggest that Tchervyakov is being paranoid when Brizzhalov
has taken no obvious offence to the sneezing incident and there is some validity in this
view point. However because of the structure of the government at the time and the
obvious fears of Tchervyakov that he might lose his job the reader must also consider
that Tchervyakov is being rational.
Rational to the point of his understanding of how the government worked at the time.
There may not have been very much job security for a clerk at the time the story was
written. With each clerk being easily replaced by somebody else. If it is a case that
Tchervyakov is paranoid about his actions this would lead the reader to consider the
fear that Tchervyakov feels over the sneezing incident. Even his wife thinks that he
should apologize to Brizzhalov. Considering should he not do so that Brizzhalov may
think that Tchervyakov doesn’t know how to act in public. Which would play on the
theme of appearance and the importance of appearance to some.
The end of the story is also interesting as Tchervyakov has magnified the incident to
such a point that he ends up going home and dying of a possible heart attack. So
concerned is he that he will be punished by Brizzhalov. Even though there is no
evidence to support this. Brizzhalov throughout the story has placed no importance on
the incident with the only person who is truly worried being Tchervyakov. So
overwhelming are the feelings that Tchervyakov feels that he ends up dying from fear
(and anxiety).
Which as suggested already may mirror how many clerks in government felt when it
came to an engagement with somebody more senior than themselves. Tchervyakov
throughout the story is a man who appears to worry over the slightest thing and may
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have a predisposition to worry. A disposition that has cost him his life. It is also
possible that Tchervyakov is so wrapped up in his job that he cannot see that what he
has done is an accident. He appears to have a natural fear of authority. Which some
critics may suggest is not justified yet there may be others who would suggest that
Tchervyakov had every reason to worry as Brizzhalov on a whim could have changed
Tchervyakov’s life. Being a government clerk at the time was most likely the lowest
position that one could have within government. Answerable to others and fearful of
the actions of those more superior than themselves.

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CHAPTER 17: IGNORANCE ISN’T BLISS-TABISH KHAIR
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

TabishKhair is an eminent writer, Journalist and at present an Associate Professor of
English at the University of Aarhus in Denmark. As a journalist, he worked for of
India and later on contributed articles to written acc The Things About Thugs, How to
Fight Islamist Terror from the Missionary Position and present article published in The
Hindu that without awareness of our ignorance, we are condemned to stay ignorant, no
matter how much information we collect aided by the internet.
As a journalist, he worked for Times and later on contributed articles to The Hindu. In
the The Hindu, the author asserts without awareness of our ignorance, we are ant, no
matter how much information we collect aided by the internet. Ascertain the
authenticity and credibility of the news has become a daunting task.
SUMMARY:
We have been brought up with the hubristic and misleading belief that knowledge
makes us truly human. What makes us truly human is our knowledge of our ignorance.
We seem to be on the verge of forgetting this in our Internet age, with its misleading
surfeit of 'knowledge' - as the brasher 'new atheists', opinionated trolls, radicals of a
particular religion, ideologues of the other, a leader's die-hards, climate change deniers,
and many others prove.
All complex beings have knowledge of different sorts. Birds can navigate their way
thousands of miles in the sky and many species of fish can do so in the ocean.
Many birds and animals know when to seek each other and when to run: the small bird
doing its dentistry in the lion's or the crocodile's jaws, the large fish being cleansed of
parasites by a sea bird.
These are all kinds of knowledge, and some are beyond the capacity of human beings.
We explain away our species deficiency by talking of instincts and so on, but the fact
remains that we are still talking of ways of knowing.Human beings and other
organisms One can argue that at least all complex organisms think in some way or the
other.
Apes for instance, may think more like us than some other animals.Eduardo Kohn even
argues in his book How Forests Think: Toward an Anthropology Beyond the Human
that forests "Think".Birds and animals definitely have knowledge of things - where to
nest, how to build, where to dig, how to stash for the winter, when to run, when to
bluff, and so on.
No, it is not knowledge that distinguishes human beings from other complex

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organisms. What we have and what they do not seem to have is knowledge of
ignorance. Human beings do not just know what they know; they also have a fairly
good idea of what they do not know. Non-human beings too know what they know, but
there is nothing to indicate that they are aware of what they do not know.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are? Thus runs the nursery rhyme.
What it conveys is not just wonder, which all complex beings have, but also
knowledge-ignorance. A dog looking up at something twinkling would wonder too, as
wondering grows from simple curiosity. Only the child can wonder about that
twinkling as what is known to be a star and as stars we remain vastly ignorant of.
It can be argued that the truly educated are distinguished not by the extent of their
knowledge, but by a greater and more nuanced awareness of their areas of ignorance.
Actually, the two go hand in hand: true knowledge comes only with awareness of one's
ignorance, which is something that neither Internet trolls nor religious fundamentalists
have fully understood.
It is knowledge of ignorance that makes us truly human, and it is this that I am afraid
we are forgetting with the rise of the so-called information society.
Now, information is not the same as knowledge, but there can be no knowledge
without information. There is an unspoken myth that individually and collectively we
have more knowledge of things and ourselves now than ever in the past.
We have the Internet, cyber-linked libraries, 24-hour TV, what not.Interestingly, what
unites all Internet trolls - whether they are fanatics of a particular religion screaming
about how every scientific discovery has taken place in a golden era of their country or
others claiming that their version of the religion is the most perfect system ever, a
leader's supporters insinuating about conspiracies and rigging - is the fact that they surf
only for information that confirms their 'knowledge' and does not challenge their
'ignorance'.
It is outright misleading when we are convinced of our own knowledge, and not
willing to challenge it. Without awareness of our ignorance, we are condemned to stay
ignorant - no matter how much information we collect. The Internet enables this more
than anything else in the past, as it enables a solitary, selective, isolated, hidden,
unabashed-of-ignorance search for 'information', and its instantaneous, too-fast
dissemination. Books and the Internet You might claim that so did books to some
extent: after all, one could read books in isolation, shut up in a room.
This is true, but only if one confined oneself to a narrow book and its strict acolytes:
something that fundamentalists - religious or political - have done and still do. The
Nazi reading only Mein Kampf and Nazi commentaries is no different from the
religious fanatic reading only one sacred text and its 'true' commentaries. The moment
one starts reading books in general, one is forced to encounter opinions and
information that do not necessarily fit one's world view.

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It seems easier to avoid such encounters on the Internet. In a world of books,

knowledge was by definition beyond any set of covers, any fixed reading. This seems
to have disappeared with the rise of cyber culture because the myth has arisen that all
knowledge is now at our fingertips.
This is reflected not only in our tendency to Google medical treatments but also in the
inanity of many cyber reviews, where reputed classics and complex books are
dismissed with a line like "I found it boring".
It is reflected, above all, in the screams of Internet trolls, all of them seeking and
disseminating only 'information' that suits them. Can there be any knowledge without a
humble awareness of ignorance?

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CHAPTER 18: BONDS OF FRIENDSHIP-CRAIG BURKHOLDER
ABOUT THE POET:

Craig Burkholder published this poem first time in the social media in 2014. A well
composed poem about reunion with a childhood friend is what the poem is all about.
Social media is catching the imagination of the Gen Next and a lot of young poets are
taking to write and publish poetry through the social media. This is what Craig
Burkholder has to say about the poem: "This poem was written for a very special
childhood friend that I reconnected with after many years. I was experiencing turmoil
from a tragic personal situation, and she was suddenly introduced into my life. She is
an amazing listener and friend, and I'll love her always." This poem is introduced to
the students to inspire them to try their hand in composing poetic lines.
SUMMARY:
The poem “Bonds of Friendship’ is by Craig Burkholder, which was published in the
social media in 2014.
The poet composed the poem to celebrate the reunion with a childhood friend. The
poet says ‘The poem was written for a very special friend that I reconnected with after
many years. I was experiencing turmoil from a tragic personal situation, and she was
suddenly introduced into my life. She is an amazing listener and friend and I 'IL love
her always’.
The narrator begins the poem describing his childhood friend. (There is no mention of
her name) The poet admits that from the very day they were first introduced to each
other, he knew that her heart was pure and kind. He describes her smile as ‘sweet and
innocent’.
Her sense of wit was pure and intelligent. Her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm and
eagerness. The author praises his girlfriend for being in a firm and real friendship with
him. The girt! friend had the virtue of speaking softly and lovingly to him. The poet
found her humour attractive.
The poet says that they, he and his girlfriend grew up together, laughed and played
together and also shared their dreams and aspiration. Even though they shared their
dreams and feelings with each other, the poet feels that they might have concealed
their love for each other.

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The poet writes about how he and his girl— friend grew apart. As years passed, they
started pursuing their own areas of interest — and became involved in their career and
forgot about each other and eventually lost contact with each other. Both the poet and
his special friend ‘forget our youthful bliss of the tender carefree years’; since they got
involved in pursing their career, they soon forgot their carefree childhood years spent
together. They lost contact with each other- “we didn’t talk or keep in touch”, even
when they were in ‘pain and tears’,- even in their sorrow and sadness.
Here the poet reveals that ‘Then my darkest hour came/ And tried me to my core”. The
poet implies that he was experiencing turmoil from a personal tragic incident in his life
which ‘tried me to my core’ which tested his will - power in life and it seems that he
was so depressed by the incident that he felt suicidal and to save himself from such
thoughts ‘I closed and locked the door’. He began to lead a reclusive life.
Here the poet writes that when he had lost hope of reviving his life and shut himself
from the world, his dear friend had suddenly reappeared in his life. The poet felt as if
the ‘old familiar smile’ had slowly come in his life again. Many years had passed and
fate had played its role in their lives but when she reappeared in life, he felt as if he
had not missed a ‘Second of the past’ He felt reassured that now everything appeared
as it was in the past when they spent their time with each other.
The poet’s friend has listened to his turmoil ‘with attentive care’ and he felt reassured
in his life. He felt that ‘loving hearts are still alive’ with ‘purpose and design’ to
rebuild his life all over again. Her love and compassion for the poet reassured him to
regain the purpose of his life and he began to plan for the future course of his life with
his dear friends help.
The poet now confesses to the reader that he had ‘locked away’ his true ‘emotions’ for
his special friend ‘deep inside’ his heart’. But he strongly feels that eventually in the
future when their ‘bonds’- relationship — will grow strong again, he might be able to
reveal his true emotions to her.
For the time being he just thanks his dear friend for talking time off her busy career to
come all the way to console him in his hour of turmoil and for demonstrating her love
for him.
The poet feels that her love is ‘yet another blessing’ that he doesn’t deserve because he
had deserted her and parted ways with her. But she demonstrated her love for him, by
coming back into his life when he needed love and care. The poet is optimistic that one
day he will surely reveal his true love for her.

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CHAPTER 19: A CORPSE IN THE WELL -

SHANKAR RAMACHANDRA KHARAT
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shankar Ramachandra Kharat (1921-2001) was a Marathi writer and an associate of

Dr. B R Ambedkar. His writings mainly dealt with the plight of Dalits, their life and
experiences. He had served as the Vice-Chancellor of Marathwada University and later
as a Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council. He converted to Buddhism at a
later stage in his life.
SUMMARY:
A Corpse in the well is a short story that focuses on caste discrimination that is deep
root in the sum of the Indian Villages. An outcaste called Anna in the story is asked to
take care of a corpse that has fall in into the well. He had to stand and god the well
throughout the night till the cops. The police arrived and threatened Anna to fetch the
body from the well. After completing the job and returning home Anna’s son the
narrator recollects the injustice done to his father in the name of caste discrimination.
A Corpse in the Well is an extract from the book Taral Antaral, an autobiography by
Shankar Ramchandra Kharat, an established Dalit writer in the post independence
Indian literature scene. The story’s primary themes seem to be on emphasizing the
difference in power that exists in villages, and how the Mahars, or Dalits, are treated
cruelly and in an almost sub-human fashion. The unfair method in which they are
bossed around serves to highlight a broken system and ideology. In the story, the boy’s
father, referred to only by the title ‘Anna’, is performing his village duties.
A corpse had been found recently in the well, and the Mahar on duty (Anna) was
assigned to guard it until the police arrive. Anna had been waiting at the well for the
entire night, when his son, the narrator, arrives to give him some food. The father, in
an exemplary display of loyalty towards his duty, refuses, saying that he’ll only eat
once relieved of his duties. At this point of time, the police arrived, and ordered Anna
to fetch the body from the well. Anna refuses initially, but, noticing the policeman’s
flaring temper, he enters the well. A snake in the well’s shallow water causes a fright
in both the son and the father, but eventually the body and Anna are successfully
drawn up from the well. As the son heads home, he reflects on the injustice and the
deadly work involved in village duty. The head constable, or the policeman, is
depicted in quite a negative light throughout the story. The fact that he, a police
officer, a supposed implementer of the law, resorts to such primeval means of
discrimination to get his job done, induces a sick sort of irony in the reader.

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CHAPTER 20: THE REFUGEE -PEARL.S.BUCK
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Pearl. S Buck (1892-1973) was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of
missionaries she went to China and taught at Chinese universities. Of her many novels
the best known is The Good Earth, for which she was awarded Nobel Prize in 1938. It
is the first of a trilogy, The House of Earth, which includes Sons and A House Divided.
Her stories are collected in The First Wife, Today and Forever and Far and Near. She
devoted her talents to promoting understanding between the East and the West. 'The
Refugee' is a story of Chinese peasants who were forced, when the rivers were in
flood, to leave their land and, as a result, suffered untold hardships. Pearl Buck's
description of their plight is stark and moving.
SUMMARY:
The refugees were walking in a city where they were looked upon as an unwelcome
crowd who would create many problems for the original residents. This city which was
the capital of their country, was just a few hundred miles away from their own lands,
but they felt like outsiders here. They had to leave their lands because of sudden and
unexpected floods caused by a big breach in the dikes. While walking on the concrete
roads these refugees did not look at anything although many things were quite new to
them. They were too hungry and weak to take any active interest in new sights and
sounds. They were provided shelter in large camps outside the new capital’s city wall.
The refugees would pour in large numbers and usually produced bitterness in city
dwellers who would feel disgusted at their sight. Their bitterness was caused by their
fear that the presence of these hungry crowds will create many problems for them. This
made them hostile and they would often shout rudely at many of the beggars. It also
made people merciless in paying smalls fares to rickshaw-pullers. Some of the
refugees would pull rickshaw at a much cheaper price and caused competition; some
would try their luck in every possible unskilled profession, while others would bend to
begging. All this made the city dwellers look upon them as a big nuisance and tended
to close their hearts to their suffering.
These refugees had to face penury because of a natural calamity. They were otherwise
very proud and self-respecting people and felt ashamed of themselves when they were
forced by their helpless condition to take resort to begging. They were tall and strong,
wearing clothes made up of dark blue cotton stuff. Their clothes were cut in an old-
fashioned way and had long sleeves. Their coats were also long and full. The smocked

128
apron of men had strange, complicated and yet beautiful designs while women had
bands on their heads wrapped like kerchief. Every man carried clean and well made
clothes and some bedding in two baskets which hung from a pole across his shoulders.
There were cooking utensils on each basket but there was no sign of food being cooked
in them. A close look at their faces showed that they were homeless, sad and had lost
hope of surviving for long, but they bore their difficult situation with patience and
courage.
One of the refugees, the last one in the long procession, was an old man who had a
wrinkled face and a weak body. Like other refugees, he also carried a load of two
baskets – one had a quilt with a cauldron on it while the other had another quilt but no
cooking utensil placed on it. He was tired and breathing heavily because the load was
quite heavy for the old man. He stopped and after putting his load down, sat down to
restore his strength. A passer-by stopped by, felt pity and offered him a bit of money
so that the old man could eat noodles and save himself from being starved. But the old
man had his dignity and self-respect and did not put his hand out to receive the alms.
He told the passer-by that he was not a beggar and had fertile land at home. The
passer-by, without paying much attention, dropped the money into the old man’s
smocked apron and went away after making a sympathetic comment which also
carried a tinge of dry humour.
A vendor was selling noodles close-by. He asked the old man whether he would like to
buy a big or small bowl of noodles. The old man saw the two coins and said that one
small bowl would be sufficient for him. The vendor felt surprised at this preference for
a small bowl even when the old man was very hungry. The vendor prepared a small
bowl and after handing it over to the old man waited to see who would eat it.
The old man rose with an effort and with the bowl went to the other basket. The
vendor watched the old man pulling the quilt away and noticed a little boy with a
sunken face. The old man, with great love and care, lifted up the little child’s head and
made him swallow the food. It was his grandson. After covering the little soul
affectionately, the old man licked the little bowl and finished even the last trace of
food on it. This was his only meal. When the old man returned the bowl to the vendor
and ordered nothing more, he reminded the old man that he still had money to buy
another bowl to save himself from hunger. The old man, however, declined to buy any
more because he wanted to keep the rest of the seed purchase money. He decided to
return to his native land, sow seeds and grow crops. He gave more priority to his
obligation to grow new crops on his land than to remove his hunger by buying a bowl
of noodles for himself with the silver coin he had with him. He added that he would
not take care of his own life in an effort to make his grandson’s life easier and

129
healthier. He picked up his load again and began to walk on his old, shaky legs again.
The attitude of the old man reveals the integrity and optimism that can keep the
peasantry moving even in the most difficult and insufferably painful situation.
THE CHARACTER SKETCH OF THE OLD MAN IN THE REFUGEES
The old was very weak such that his steps were infirm. But he was also hard working
and self-respecting person. He had his dignity and never sought help from others. He
did neither beg nor extend his hand to receive alms offered to him by the generous
passer-by. Looking at him a passer by took pity on him and offers him one silver coin
and a copper penny. But the old man had his dignity and self-respect and did not put
his hand out to receive the alms. The old man replied “I did not beg of you, we have
good land and we have never been starving like this before”. The passer-by, without
paying much attention, dropped the money into the old man’s smocked apron and went
away after making a sympathetic comment which also carried a tinge of dry humour.
This incident shows how self-respecting and morally strong the old man really was.
And their life was filled with conflicts because of flood. Even the seeds he saved for
planting, people ate because of hunger. The old man said “Sir we have no seed left
even, we have eaten our seed. I told them we cannot eat the seed. But they were young
and hungry they ate it.”
The vendor was selling noodles close-by. He asked the old man if he’d like to buy a
big or tiny bowl of noodles. The old man saw the two coins and said that one small
bowl would be enough for him. The vendor was shocked by this desire for a small
bowl even though the old man was really hungry. The vendor prepared a small bowl
and, after handing it over to the old man, waited to see who was going to eat it.
The old man rose with an effort and with the bowl went to the other basket. The
vendor watched the old man pulling the quilt away and noticed a little boy with a
sunken face. The old man, with great love and care, lifted up the little child’s head and
made him swallow the food. It was his grandson. After covering the little soul
affectionately, the old man licked the little bowl and finished even the last trace of
food on it. This was his only meal.
When the old man returned the bowl to the vendor and ordered nothing more, he
reminded the old man that he still had money to buy another bowl to save himself from
hunger. The old man, however, declined to buy any more because he wanted to keep
the rest of the seed purchase money. He decided to return to his native land, sow seeds
and grow crops. He gave more priority to his obligation to grow new crops on his land

130
than to remove his hunger by buying a bowl of noodles for himself with the silver coin
he had with him. He added that he would not take care of his own life in an effort to
make his grandson’s life easier and healthier. He picked up his load again and began to
walk on his old, shaky legs again. The attitude of the old man reveals the integrity and
optimism that can keep the peasantry moving even in the most difficult and
insufferably painful situation.

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REFERENCES:
https://www.studocu.com/in/document/bangalore-university/bachelor-of-computer-
applications/null-simple-notes/30318586
https://www.suryaxetri.com/2022/07/class-12-optional-english-note-summary-
summary-of-three-students-by-sir-arthur-conan-doyle.html
https://recap.study/summary/2020/british/70.html
http://sittingbee.com/the-death-of-a-government-clerk-anton-chekhov/
https://www.kngac.ac.in/elearning-
portal/ec/admin/contents/3_18K5E11_2020112207192045.pdf
https://smartenglishnotes.com/2021/01/09/the-refugees-by-pearl-s-buck-summary-
theme-and-questions-and-answers/

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MODEL QUESTION PAPER

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Max Marks: 60
Section 3 A Workbook - 40 marks
I. Summarize the passage in 75-100 words and give a suitable title: 5 marks
Many people who are looking to get a pet dog get a puppy. There are many
reasons why people get puppies. After all, puppies are cute, friendly, and
playful. But even though puppies make good pets, there are good reasons why
you should consider getting an adult dog instead. When you get a puppy, you
have to teach it how to behave. You have to make sure that the puppy is
housebroken so that it does not go to the bathroom inside the house. You have to
teach the puppy not to jump up on your guests or chew on your shoes. You have
to train the puppy to walk on a leash. This is a lot of work. On the other hand,
when you get an adult dog, there is a good chance that it will already know how
to do all of the previously mentioned things. Many adult dogs have already been
housebroken. Many adult dogs will not jump on or chew things that you do not
want them to jump on or chew. Many adult dogs will be able to walk on a leash
without pulling you to the other side of the street. Puppies also have a lot of
energy and want to play all of the time. This can be fun, but you might not want
to play as much as your puppy does. Puppies will not always sleep throughout
the night or let you relax as you watch television. On the other hand, most adult
dogs will wait on you to play. What is more, they will sleep when you are
sleeping and are happy to watch television on the couch right beside you. There
is one last reason why you should get an adult dog instead of a puppy. When
most people go to the pound to get a dog, they get a puppy. This means that
many adult dogs spend a lot of time in the pound, and some never find good
homes. So if you are looking to get a dog for a pet, you should think about
getting an adult dog. They are good pets who need good homes.

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II. Do as directed:
1. Xandersol, a new, potentially lethal drug, is being blamed for numerous
illnesses and the deaths of six Anchors9 town residents. According to water
and sewer authority officials, the drug has somehow found its way into the
city water system, resulting in the contamination of household drinking
water for thousands of local residents.
a. Find a word in the above passage which means “deadly”. 1 mark
b. Write antonym for the word “numerous”. 1 mark
2. Add appropriate prefix or suffix to the following words: 2 marks
a. Musical
b. Examination
3. Choose the appropriate word/phrase from brackets: 4 marks
a. Students wear torn to college. (genes/jeans)

b. The prisoner was hanged for
murder. (committing/doing)
c. He offered a kind to the chef of the

restaurant. (compliment/complement)
d. We started to investigate the of this

civilization. (root/route)
III. Read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below: 1x5=5
Remote sensing and GIS are promising tools for handling spatial and temporal
data and help in integrating them for successful planning of natural resources. It is
the science of measuring the earth using sensors mounted on high-flying aircrafts
or satellites. These sensors collect data in the form of images and provide insights
for manipulating, analyzing and visualizing those images. Since natural resources
are not uniformly distributed and are spatially varied, it is challenging to

135
capture the correct picture. Management of natural resources calls for scientific
tools for timely and accurate dissemination of information. In natural resource
management, remote sensing and GIS are mainly used in the mapping process.
These techniques are useful in management of land, soil, coastal, watershed, urban
and many more.
In India, the agriculture sector alone sustains the livelihood of around 50 percent
of the population. Therefore, increase in crop productivity has been a major
concern. Since, the scope for increasing area under agriculture is limited, advanced
crop production forecasting is required for better policymaking. Indian Space
Research Agency (ISRO) and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
successful Experiment-Agricultural Resource Inventory and Survey Experiment
(ARISE) used aerial color photographs to estimate crop acreage in many states of
India. Other Important uses of remote sensing include crop identification, stress
detection, and crop yield modeling, drought monitoring, land degradation mapping
and more. Urbanization is important and inevitable for development, but its proper
planning and management is crucial for sustenance. One of the important features
of GIS is multilayered mapping. This kind of mapping helps municipal
corporations, town planning boards to build cities that are better organized. The
information systems with socio-economic data overlaid upon satellite data makes
urban planning cost-effective and accurate.
Coastal ecosystems have high ecological significance. GIS and remote sensing
data are used to study coastal ecosystem and marine living resources which
include habitats like mangroves,
coral reefs and more. Apart from this, suspended shoreline dynamics can be
studied and climatic changes leading to cyclone and sea level rise may be of
special interest too. Geospatial data is effective in the analysis and determination of
factors that affect the utilization of these resources. The technologies provide a
platform through which we can generate information that can be used to make
sound decisions for sustainable development of the natural resources of India.

136
Questions:
1. What is remote sensing?

2. In what way remote sensing and GIS are helpful in 8natural resource
management?
3. What is the necessity of advanced crop production forecasting?
4. Mention one of the important features of GIS.
5. Pick out the word from the passage which means 8able to be maintained at a
certain rate
or level.9
IV. Answer any three of the following questions in a sentence or two: 2x3=6
1. What is aggressive listening?
2. Define nonverbal communication.
3. Write any two barriers to listening.
4. Mention the benefits of note taking.
5. Define discriminative listening.
V. Change the following paragraph to reported speech: 3 marks
“We must have some place to work. After a long wait we have got something to
do,” said Gulam Azad. “My hands are full of orders. My unit’s turnover could
cross Rs 40 lakh mark,” replied Nazir Ahmad.
VI. 3 marks
1. You have invited Mr.AnilKumble for annual sports meet in your
college. Prepare a welcome speech for this occasion.
OR
2. Prepare a speech to thank Ms.Anitha Nair who inaugurated the 8Literary Club9
in your college.

137
VII. Write an essay on any one of the following topics: 5 marks
a. Use of technology for education during Pandemic

b. Organic Farming - a way to healthy life
c. Social Responsibility in youth
VIII. Write a dialogue between an interviewer and a writer about the release
of the recent book. 5 marks
OR
Complete the given dialogue by filling the blanks:
Reporter: Congratulations on your achievement. Who is your inspiration?

Athlete: ___________________________________________________.
Reporter: How is your preparation for the national games going on?
Athlete: ____________________________________________________.
Reporter: Can we expect the same performance in those games too?
Athlete: __________________________________________________.
Reporter: ____________________________________________________?
Athlete: No, I’m not changing my coach.
Reporter: Best wishes for your upcoming games and thank you for your time.
Athlete: _______________________________________________________.

138
SECTION 3 B
Coursebook - 20 marks
IX. Answer any five of the following questions in one or two sentences: 2x5=10
1. Mention the effect of “acid rainfall” in the poem “Earth Never Dies”.
2. Who did Ivan sneeze on in the story, “The Death of the Government Clerk”?
3. In the poem “Bonds of Friendship” the poet describes the friend9s heart as and
4. Why did the constable yell at Anna, in the story “The Corpse in the Well”?
5. What made the refugees leave their village in the story, “The Refugee”?
6. How bright will the westering sun be in the poem “Earth Never Dies”?
7. Why did the speaker in the poem “Bonds of Friendship” recall his
friendship during the “darkest hour”?
X. Answer any two of the following questions in a paragraph: 5x2=10

1. Comment on the embarrassment faced by Ivan in the story “The Death of a
Government Clerk”.
2. The story “A Corpse in the Well” criticizes the attitude of society towards
Mahar
community. Explain.
3. Describe the plight of the refugees as narrated in the story “The Refugee”.
4. “The rapid industrialization has brought us to the brink of the world”.
Substantiate this statement with reference to the poem “Earth Never

Dies”.
*****

139
PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTION PAPER

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1

D.K.S. Charitable Institute (R)

Complied By: – Assistant Professor – Mr. Gadamsetty Surya

GENERIC ENGLISH SYLLABUS FOR

Complied By: – Assistant Professor – Mr. Gadamsetty Surya

Unit 1: Receptive Skills: Reading Skills and Listening Skills

1. Reading passage to give a Title

Unit 2: Productive Skills: Speaking Skills and Writing Skills

PART II – COURSEBOOK CONFLATIONS – II

1. Earth Never dies- NiyiOsundare

5. The Refugee- Pearl S.Buck

Complied By: – Assistant Professor – Mr. Gadamsetty Surya

Complied By: – Assistant Professor – Mr. Gadamsetty Surya

UNIT 1: RECEPTIVE SKILLS: READING SKILLS AND LISTENING SKILLS

CHAPTER 1: READING PASSAGE TO GIVE TITLE

5 things to note before choosing TITLE of a passage:

Complied By: – Assistant Professor – Mr. Gadamsetty Surya

it integrates the various ideas or issues discussed.

Write a suitable title for the above passage:

Answer: New Year

Complied By: – Assistant Professor – Mr. Gadamsetty Surya

Answer: 1.Opera – An art form 2. Opera – A musical drama

Write two titles for all the passages given below:

Complied By: – Assistant Professor – Mr. Gadamsetty Surya

Complied By: – Assistant Professor – Mr. Gadamsetty Surya

Art refers to a diverse range of human activities in creating visual, auditory or

Complied By: – Assistant Professor – Mr. Gadamsetty Surya

Complied By: – Assistant Professor – Mr. Gadamsetty Surya

The use of desktop computer equipment and software to create high-quality

Complied By: – Assistant Professor – Mr. Gadamsetty Surya

CHAPTER – 2: READING FOR VOCABULARY BUILDING

Vocabulary is key to reading comprehension. Readers cannot understand what they

The scientific research on vocabulary instruction reveals that most vocabulary is

What are Synonyms?

angry annoyed connect join definite certain

Complied By: – Assistant Professor – Mr. Gadamsetty Surya

A thesaurus is a resource similar to a dictionary that helps writers to search

Utilizing synonyms is an elegant and frequently applied method to make a text

The right synonym for the word “dynamic” is lively.

Sharp objects should be disposed of in hard plastic or metal containers with

Choose the right synonym for the highlighted word:

a. Tight b. liable c. part d. loose

The right synonym for the word “secure” is tight.

Complied By: – Assistant Professor – Mr. Gadamsetty Surya

1. Windy days are typical of December.

(rattling, churlish, changeable, circumvent, camouflage, typical, circumference,

1. This bottle about a liter of water.

Complied By: – Assistant Professor – Mr. Gadamsetty Surya

Complied By: – Assistant Professor – Mr. Gadamsetty Surya

What are antonyms?

Write the antonym for the word BEGIN

Complied By: – Assistant Professor – Mr. Gadamsetty Surya

Give antonyms for the following words:

Give antonyms for the following words:

Complied By: – Assistant Professor – Mr. Gadamsetty Surya

Complied By: – Assistant Professor – Mr. Gadamsetty Surya

Complied By: – Assistant Professor – Mr. Gadamsetty Surya

Write antonyms for all the above

Complied By: – Assistant Professor – Mr. Gadamsetty Surya

HOMOPHONES AND HOMONYMS

What are Homophones?

a. I turned when I dropped the water . (Pail/Pale)

Answer: I turned pale when I dropped the water pail.