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HIGHER SECONDARY (CLASS X
XII) - ENGLISH
REVISION TIPS
Compiled By
SRG, ENGLISH
GOVT MHSS PERINTHALMANNA (11003)
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PLUS TWO ENGLISH – REVISION TIPS
CONTENTS
2 REVISION TIPS| Higher Secondary (Class XII) English

UNIT: 1 – FLIGHTS OF FREEDOM

The 3Ls of Empowerment (speech) - Christine Lagarde
The 3 Ls of women Empowerment is a thought-provoking speech
delivered by Christine Lagarde. She explains the three key factors which
constitute women empowerment as Learning, Labour and Leadership
o It is a speech on women empowerment.
o Women face many problems.
o There is no equal opportunity.
o There are 3 Ls of women’s empowerment.
o They are Learning, Labour and Leadership.
o Education is very important.
o It is the foundation of everything.
o A job is a must for women.
o It empowers them.
o Leadership is also important.
o Women should be ready to take risks.
o Then only they can succeed in their lives.
Ways of Empowering Women.
Giving quality education.

Giving equal status and equal wages.
Providing job opportunities.
Providing social Justice.
Ensuring participation in all fields.
Providing better health care.
Giving social security.
The 3Ls of Empowerment (speech) - Christine Lagarde
The 3 Ls of women Empowerment is a thought-provoking speech by

Christine Lagarde. The women of 21st century face innumerable challenges as
they are blocked from contributing their true potential. The per capita income of
some countries lags significantly as the women are denied equal opportunity.
Though women represent half the world’s population, their contribution is less
than fifty percentage of economic activity. She explains the three key factors
which constitute women empowerment as Learning, Labour and Leadership.
Higher Secondary (Class XII) English |REVISION TIPS 3

Learning is the first step of empowering women. Education is the

foundation upon which any change is built. Learning helps women to help
themselves and break the shackles of exclusion. The following African adage is
the best example to prove this.
“If you educate a boy, you train a man. If you educate a girl, you train a
village.”
Labour is the next step by which women empowerment can be envisaged.
Labour facilitates women to flourish and achieve their true potential.
Unfortunately, there is no equal pay for equal work. This inequality is reflected
whenever there is an economic participation of women. The per capita income
can only be realised by eliminating these gender gaps. The property and
inheritance laws should not discriminate against women. We must ensure access
to credit so that women can achieve greater economic independence.
Leadership enables women to rise and fulfil their innate abilities and
talents. It is high time that women should change their mindset and emerge out
as leaders. When women lead, they make decisions based on consensus -
building, inclusion and compassion. Women should come out from their
comfort zones and be ready to “dare the difference”.
Emancipation and empowerment of women can only be realised through
constant efforts from the government. It is high time they realised their innate
potentials. Then only, women can contribute their true potential to the process
of nation building.
Prepare a speech on Women’s Day on the role of women in the family

and society.
Respected principal, dignitaries on the dais, and my dear friends,
It is my privilege and honour to be here on this special occasion to share

my humble thoughts on the role of women in the family and society. As you all
know, that we celebrate March 8th as International Women’s Day. This day is
celebrated to ensure that women have an equal share in the progress of a nation.
Before I begin, let me ask you a genuine question. Do you really agree
that women share equal status with men? Definitely not. India, being a
developing country, most of the women address a lot of challenges. In a
patriarchal society, this gender discrimination is quite common. In my opinion,
female foeticide is quite common across our country. Women continue to live
like slaves among their father, husband and son.

According to Christine Lagarde, this situation can be tackled by 3L’s of

empowerment. Learning is the first of empowering women. Education is the
foundation upon which any change is built. Learning helps women to help
themselves and break the shackles of exclusion. The following African adage is
the best example to prove this.
“If you educate a boy, you train a man. If you educate a girl, you train a village.”
Labour is the next step by which women empowerment can be envisaged.
Labour facilitates women to flourish and achieve their true potential.
Unfortunately, there is no equal pay for equal work. This inequality is reflected
whenever there is an economic participation of women. The per capita income
can only be realised by eliminating these gender gaps.
Leadership enables women to rise and fulfil their innate abilities and
talents. It is high time that women should change their mindset and emerge out
as leaders. When women lead, they make decisions based on consensus -
building, inclusion and compassion. Women should come out from their
comfort zones and be ready to “dare the difference”.
Let me thank the principal for giving me a chance to share my thoughts
here. It is my humble request that women should take calculated risks and take
life in a challenging manner. I wish you success in your endeavours.
Thank you.
Any Woman (Poem) - Katharine Tynan

Katherine Tynan is an Irish born writer who enriched English literature
with her novels and poetry. A short poem of six stanzas ‘Any Woman’ by
Katherine Tynan is a beautiful portrayal of woman in her multifaceted role.
o “Any women” is a meaningful poem written by the famous poet

Katharine Tynan.
o Woman is the pillar and keystone of the house.
o Children get love and affection from the mother.
o Mother holds the family together.
o Mother is the foundation, protection and decoration of the house.
o The poem ends with a prayer to the God.
o The poem is full of metaphors.
o That makes the poem very effective
o In this poem she presents the all-embracing power of women to hold
a family together.

The multifaceted role of the woman is magnificently portrayed by

Catherine Tynan in the poem Any Woman. It celebrates the glory of
womanhood- the spirit behind the existence and sustenance of life on earth. The
poet metaphorically represents women as ‘the pillars of the house’, ‘keystone of
the arch’, ‘fire upon the hearth’, ’light of the sun’, ‘heat that warms the
earth’, ’light of love’, ‘twist of the sacred ring’, ‘knot of love’, ‘house from
floor to roof’, ‘wall against all danger’ and ‘door against wind and snow’.
The significance of the position of a woman in a family is so crucial. If
she is taken away, the whole edifice will be ruined, ruining her life as well. It is
her warmth that perpetuates the life on earth. Warmth is associated with fertility
and motherhood. Woman is responsible for supporting her children and
protecting them from all dangers. She is the source of love and life for the
‘precious’ children. The speaker glorifies womanhood as she is responsible for
all the house hold chores.
The poet concludes with a humble prayer. She yearns to prolong her life
till the children grow. The abundant use of poetic devices reinforces the theme
and message. The poem abounds with metaphors like “the pillars of the house”,
“the keystone of the arch”, “fire upon the hearth”, etc. These metaphors denote
the poignant maternal love. The poet uses the term ‘sacred ring’ to indicate the
divinity of marriage vows and the bondage of family. It is the love of the mother
that tethers the family and compels her children not to go astray. The usage of
the repeated word ‘I am’ is a fine example of enjambment.
The abundant use of poetic devices reinforces the theme and message. In
this modern era, when womanhood is tormented and tampered, Any Woman
becomes a poignant reminder to respect and recognise ‘womanhood’.
Match Box - Ashapurna Debi

“Match box”, written by Ashapurna Debi tells the story of Nomita
and Ajith. It unveils the unhealthy husband- wife relationship existing in
most Indian families. She compares women to matchboxes.
 Nomita is the central character in the short story “Matchbox”.
 Nomita is the wife of Ajith.
 She comes from a poor family.
 She is very beautiful. She is very bold and courageous.
 Ajith always reads the letters sent by her mother, without her permission.
 He always insults her. She questions this attitude of her husband.
 Nomita is a typical Indian woman

Character Sketch- Nomita
Nomita is the protagonist of the short story matchbox by Ashapurana

Debi. The story unveils the unhealthy marital relationship that exists in some of
the Indian families. The title matchbox is a metaphorical representation of
Nomita, a poor Indian woman who bears every domestic violences with
immense tolerance. The letter from her indigent widowed mother takes us back
to the poor domestic backdrop. She is married to a wealthy man Ajit on the
strength of looks alone. His deliberate attempts to insult her dignity is portrayed
through out the story. Nomita tries to protest his actions through different means.
She even tells her mother, not to write on postcards for financial assistance.
Though poor, she has self-respect and dignity. Their quarrel reaches a climax,
where Ajit calls her ‘dung picker’s daughter’. She hisses like a snake and even
flares up her anchol of the sari. Though she cannot break the mask of Ajit’s
magnanimity, she could speak her mind. That is why no one in that joint family
attacks her outright. The author rightly compares her to a matchbox, which
seems to be meek and innocent, but has the potential to burn away. Here, she
represents the traditional tolerant wife who bears every injustice on the part of
the husband for the sake of the stability of the family.
Character Sketch- Ajit
Ajit is the husband of Nomita, the central character of the story Matchbox
by Ashapurna Debi. Ajit is the embodiment of a male chauvinist, who tries to
dominate his wife Nomita on every occasion. He even tries to shame and insult
her through his words and deeds. He calls Nomita ‘dung picker’s daughter’ and
reads every letter addressed to her. He is not afraid of Nomita’s anger and tries
to laugh at her reactions. This story reflects a typical Indian patriarchal family,
where women are treated like matchboxes. Ajit appears to be a magnanimous
gentleman to all the villagers. Though arrogant and bold, Nomita makes him
annoyed and perplexed after burning her anchol. But on the other hand, Ajith
still wears his mask of high mindedness and large heartedness.
Character sketch – Nomita’s mother
Nomita’s mother is an indigent widow, without husband or son. Though

she belongs to a poor family, she is able to marry her daughter to a wealthy
family. She is too proud to boast this matter, whenever she gets an opportunity.
She writes letters to her daughter, demanding monetary assistance. She informs

that the house ceiling is cracked and she may die out of a collapsed roof. As a
mother, she is too proud that her daughter is a queen and her son in law is large
hearted. Her letters are an insult to Nomita, who lives in a wealthy family. That
is why Nomita forbids her mother from writing her on post cards. The entire
story revolves round the letter by Nomita’s mother and the subsequent quarrel
episodes.
Panel Discussion
You conducted a panel discussion on the topic “Indian women –

finding a space in the socio-cultural milieu”. Prepare a script of a
speech welcoming the panellists and introducing them to the audience.
Good morning.
It gives me immense pleasure to welcome you all to this panel discussion.
We are here to discuss on the topic “Indian women – finding a space in the
socio-cultural milieu”. We all know that everything is not rosy for the women
in India. They are always being marginalised in this male-dominated society.
The panellists for today’s discussion are Dr. Ranbir singh, Head of the
Department of History, Delhi University, Dr. Geeta Michael, the principal of
Govt College, Trivandrum. We are extremely delighted to welcome Sri. S.
Venkat, the Senior Lecturer, Pune University.
I hope this discussion will definitely throw light on some of the
contemporary issues faced by the women of India. I once again welcome you all
to this panel discussion. Thank you.
Prepare a script for the speech after conducting the panel discussion.
Good evening ladies and gentlemen.

We have discussed a very relevant issue that women face in India. I am
very delighted to say that this discussion proved to be a fruitful venture. It is a
harsh reality that women in India are not able to find their space in the society.
Women still struggle to reach leadership and are left behind in the fields of
education and employment.
Dr. Ranbir Singh has rightly pointed out some valuable points regarding
the media representation of women. The aspect of healthy and intelligent
woman should be projected through the media. Sri. S Venkat made a right
observation on the marginalisation of women in all sectors. The only way out is

education. Dr. Geetha Michael made us feel proud of our women leaders of the
past. Women should come forward and take up leadership.
I thank all the panellists for their contributions to this healthy discussion.
I also thank the audience for their kind co-operation. I believe that this panel
discussion would benefit the marginalised section of Indian women to come out
of their comfort zones and dare the difference.
Thank you all.
Blurb: Prepare a blurb of Pratham Pratishruti making use of the hints

given below.
Pratham Prathishruti
Pratham Prathishruti is a novel about an uncommon woman, Satyavatie,
who dared to break the so- called rules made to control the lives of the Bengali
women in her days. The novel depicts the endless suffering and the liberation of
women in Bengal. In fact, it is the story of women everywhere in India.
Ashapurna Debi, the novelist, created a space of her own in the world of
creative literature, and Gender Studies. She once said, “Slowly and steadily a
completely new world was getting created within my mind. It was a world of
comprehension, of feeling. Most of her writings marked a firm protest against
the inequality and injustice rooted in gender discrimination.
Pratham Prathishruti inspires young minds to create an enlightened world,
free of segregation. It was published by Ananda Publiishers, first in 1964. Other
notable works of the writer are Subarnolata and Bakui Katha.
Horegallu - Sudha Murty

“Horegallu” is an anecdote by Sudha Murty. It literally means a stone that
can bear weight. The writer says that a Horegallu is important in everyone’s life.
We all carry burdens according to our situations and capacities. But we need to
stop and take rest for a while and continue our journey. The Horegallu gives
everyone a chance to do so before they take another burden. It helps people
regain their strength. Sudha Murty’s grandfather and Ratna did immense social
service by listening to others. They are examples of human Horegallu. In this
modern world of technological advancement, we seldom find time to listen to
others. We need to be good listeners and relieve the burdens of our fellow
beings.

Sudha Murty’s Grand Father

 Sudha Murty’s grandfather was a retired school teacher.
 He always spent his leisure time under a banyan tree in the village.
 He listened to the worries and problems of the innocent villagers.
 He was a living ‘horegallu’ like Ratna.
Ratna
 Ratna is an important character in “Horegallu”.
 Ratna is a colleague of Sudaha Murty.
 She listens to the problems of her colleagues.
 She never provides any solutions to their problems and worries.
 Moreover, she never reveals the secrets of their problems to anyone.
 Ratna is a living Horegallu.
Character sketch - Grandfather
Grandfather plays the role of a horegallu in the anecdote by Sudha Murty.

She reflects that her childhood memories are inextricably linked with
grandfather. He is a retired school teacher, who used to spend his leisure time
under a large banyan tree in the village. The travellers take rest under the
banyan tree and talk to her grandfather. Their conversations are mostly on the
daily lives and worries. Grandfather just listens to them with a compassionate
ear. It relives them of their worries. Grandfather used to say “Child, a horegallu
is essential in any journey”. His character reminds us that every once in a while
we need to stop and rest. Then only we can be refreshed to pick up the load and
continue our journey of life.
Character sketch- Ratna

Ratna is a crucial character in the anecdote Horegallu by Sudha Murty.
She is the colleague of Sudha Murty. She is middle-aged and always smiling.
She is a graduate, who has been working in the same office for nearly twenty
five years. But she is able to enjoy her repetitive, mundane work with an
infectious cheerfulness. The long chats of Ratna during the lunch intervals arise
curiosity in the narrator. Later the narrator realises that Ratna just listens to their
worries with compassion. “I am not a trianed counsellor or an intellectual. No
one can solve your problem. You have to do it yourself,” she says. Both Ratna
and Grandfather were doing tremendous social service, without access to any
wealth or reward. The only reward is the sheer happiness of these little acts of
kindness.

UNIT:2 – HEIGHTS OF HARMONY

Mending Wall – Robert Frost
o 'Mending wall ' is a symbolic poem.
o It is written by the famous poet Robert Frost.
o It has a good theme.
o The poet says that Nature is against wall.
o Poet is against the wall.
o Neighbour supports the wall.
o He says that 'good fences make good neighbours.'
o The poet is modern but the neighbour is conservative.
o The neighbour always follows the words of hhis father.
o The poem gives us a good message
message.
o The poet has used the figures of speech such as personification and
metaphor.
‘Good fences make good neighbours’ - Explain

 It is necessary to keep some limits between neighbours.
 It is essential for privacy.
 It is essential for maintaining good and healthy relations.
 Unlimited freedom between neighbours will destroy the rhythm and
harmony of life.
 Good fences are essential for keeping one's own property well.
MENDING WALL
ROBERT FROST
Prepare a note of appreciation of the poem ’Mending wall’.
“Mending Wall”, written by the great

American poet Robert Frost, is a stimulating and
interesting poem that discusses about the role of
boundaries in human life - limitations and their
benefits in the society. The poem revolves around
the story of two neighbours who come across
each other in spring every year to mend the stone
wall that separates their farms. The poem demonstrates how good fences create
good neighbours, and how people can preserve their long
long-lasting relations
relat with
neighbours by mending such walls. ‘Mending Wall’ also makes a plea to
Higher Secondary (Class XII) English |REVISION

REVISION TIPS 11

demolish all kinds of human walls - whether they are religious, racial, political
or national. Thus, the poem presents two contrasting view points.
The poem begins in an arresting dramatic way, taking the reader to the
nature of things. The narrator says that there is something in nature that doesn’t
love a wall. All man-made walls get destroyed, either by nature or by the work
of hunters. So when the spring season comes, he informs his neighbor and they
begin to mend the wall that separates their properties.
During this mending, the narrator thinks of the utter foolishness of this
activity. In fact there is no need of a wall between them. He has only apple trees
and his neighbor has pine. His apple trees would never cross the border and eat
up the pine cones. Moreover, they do not have cows. So there is no possibility
of causing offence to the other. The narrator wants to put this notion to his
neighbor’s head. But like a stone-headed savage, he only repeats his father’s
saying, “Good fences make good neighbors.”
The title itself suggests what the poem is all about. On the one hand it is
about the experience of mending (verb) the wall. But on the other, it is also
about ‘the mending (adjective) wall’ – a wall that mends human
relationships. Throughout the poem, the wall functions as a metaphor,
indicating the need for simultaneous connection and separation between human
beings. The poem presents two different views - ‘something there is that
doesn’t love a wall’ and ‘good fences make good neighbors’ – both contrasting,
both true. As human beings we all want to stay connected. At the same time we
need our own worlds, detached from others.
Literary Devices in “Mending Wall”
Literary devices are used in the poem to convey the richness and clarity of
the texts of the poem. The writers and poets of the masterpiece use these literary
devices to make their poem or prose texts pleasing and expressive. Robert Frost
has also used some literary devices to converse the prominence of the fence.
The analysis of literary devices of the poem has been given below.
 Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same

line such as /e/ sound in “To please the yelping dogs. The gaps I mean,
No one has seen”.

 Imagery: Imagery is used to make the readers perceive things with

their five senses. Frost has used visual imagery in this poem such as,
“And some are loaves and some so nearly balls”, “He is all pine and I
am apple orchard” and “Not of woods only and the shade of trees.”
 Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the
same line such as /n/ and /t/ sounds “And set the wall between us once
again”.
 Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and
qualities, giving them symbolic meanings different from their literal
meanings. Similarly, “fence” symbolizes ‘gap’ that one should
maintain to establish long-lasting relationships and to maintain
privacy.
 Metaphor: It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is
made between objects different in nature. Metaphorical comparison is
used in seventeenth line where it is stated as, “And some are loaves
and some so nearly balls.” He compares the stone blocks to loaves and
balls.
Explain ‘Good fences make good neighbours’ and ‘something there is

that does not love a wall’.
(Elaborate the idea in the following line in a paragraph.

Good fences make good neighbours.)
The poem ‘Mending Wall’ presents a clash between two viewpoints. The
one is that ‘good fences make good neighbours’ and the other is ‘there is
something that does not love a wall’. The Poet has an orchard of apples. His
neighbour has farms of pines. There is a wall between them. But every year,
some portion of the wall falls down. Every year at the beginning of spring
season they meet and mend the wall. But the poet says that there is no need of a
wall between two. He says that there is something that doesn't love a wall. But
the neighbor wanted it to be there and beliefs in the old proverb that good
fences make good neighbor. The Poet wants his neighbour to understand his
point of view but the latter repeats, again and again, his father’s saying: ‘Good
fences make good neighbour’.

Amigo Brothers – Piri Thomas

Amigo Brothers is a thought provoking story of two teenagers of the
same age, written by Piri Thomas.
 The main characters are two thick friends, Felix Vargas and
Antonio Cruz.
 They were both seventeen years old.
 They were so together in friendship.
 They felt themselves as brothers.
 Antonio was fair, lean and lanky.
 Felix was dark, short and husky.
 Antonio's hair was always falling over his eyes.
 Felix wore his black hair in a natural Afro style.
 Each youngster had a dream to become the light weight
champion of the world.
They came face to face in the ring at Tompkins Square Park to
participate in the Golden Gloves Tournament. They fought like real boxers
and in the end they walked away arm in arm without waiting for the result.
They proved to the world that nothing is greater than real friendship
AMIGO BROTHERS
PIRI THOMAS
‘Amigo Brothers’ written by Piri Thomas tells the story of two
seventeen year old friends – Antonio Cruz and Felix Vargas- who are trying
to qualify for the Golden Gloves Championship tournament. They are born
and brought up in the Lower East Side of Manhattan in the United States.
The two boys have grown up together and
are such great friends that they feel like
brothers. (The Spanish word ‘amigo’ means friend).
Antonio and Felix are skilled,
enthusiastic and intensely passionate
boxers. Antonio was fair, lean and lanky,
while Felix was dark, short and husky. One
day, Antonio and Felix learn that they are
set to fight each other in an elimination
bout that will determine which of them goes on to compete in the Golden
Gloves—the first step towards a real professional fighting career. Since they

have to fight it out among themselves to fulfil their dream of one day
becoming the Light Weight Champion of the world, now they are facing one
of the biggest challenges of their life. They have to select between their
friendship and competition – two themes of the story ‘Amigo Brothers’ and
decide which is more important to them.
The two face internal conflicts about the value of friendship as they
prepare for the physical conflict. As the final is approaching, there develops a
wall between Antonio and Felix. One day Felix tells Antonio that he is worried
about their fight. He even wants to win, “fair and square”. Antonio replies that
once they enter into the ring, they will be like professional boxers who do not
give importance to friendship. Felix suggests him that it will be better if they do
not see each other till the match. Antonio also agrees. They agree to treat each
other like typical opponents in the ring, and they vow that, whatever happens,
their friendship will remain intact.
On the appointed day, both fighters come out swinging. Both of them
were so popular in their neighbourhood that the morning of the fight, Tompkins
Square was a beehive of activity. As the two climbed into the ring the crowd
exploded with a roar. Match started. They fought toe-to-toe. At the end of the
final round, the boys were fighting so intensely that they did not hear the bell,
and the referee and the two trainers pried them apart. When they understand that
the match is over, they hug each other and move out of the ring together.
They do not care about the result. For them, their friendship is more
valuable. As the announcer declares the result, there is no one in the ring.
Prepare a write-up on the friendship portrayed in the story

Antonio Cruz and Felix Vargas felt themselves to be brothers. They slept,
ate, rapped and dreamt positive. They had been friends since their childhood
and lived in the same building. Both of them had a dream of becoming a light-
weight champion of the world. Both of them worked hard to achieve this dream.
They would start their work out early morning. They would take part in many
tournaments. Once, they had to fight each other in the division finals. Only the
winner can represent the Boys’ Club. Both wanted to win the championship
without hurting the other one. They were praying for an easy knock out of the
other one. When they entered the boxing ring, they doubted whether they could
fight against each other well. Both of them could not think of punching and
striking each other hard. But they behaved like total strangers in the ring. Even
the crowd was shocked to see their savagery. But finally, they embraced each
other and went out of the ring without waiting to hear the result. Their
friendship was pure and innocent.

? The following announcement was made by the announcer before the

competition began. "Ladies and Gentlemen, now is the moment we have all
been waiting for--the main event between two fine young Puerto Rican
fighters." Imagine yourself to be the announcer of the sports day in your school.
Write the script of the announcement that you would make for any
one event.
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Now is the moment we have all been waiting for – the 4 x 100
meters relay. The much awaited 100 meters relay will start within a short
while from now. Four teams are participating in the final race. All the four
teams are ready and they have already taken position. The event is going to
be so stellar because they are the tough competitors. They all had been
champions in the different district and state events. Nobody is prepared to
give an inch to others. It shall be a marvellous and stunning show. The
referee is going to blow the whistle. Let us watch the fantastic event.
? The announcer turned to point to the winner and found himself alone. Arm in
arm, the champions had already left the ring.. The winner in the boxing
competition left without receiving the prize. This is against the rules and
regulations of a game. Do you agree to this opinion?
FOR
Participation is important than receiving a prize.
Friendship is greater than any prize.
They both considered themselves as champions.
Receiving a prize by one person will make other person unhappy.
Performance is greater than result.
AGAINST
This action is against the rules and regulations of a game.
Their action destroyed the beauty of the game.
Both of them were contestants and the winner had to represent the club.
So, it is important for them to know who the winner is.
Their action destroyed the status of a referee.
Their action was against the wish of the audience

The Hour of Truth – Percival Wilde
‘The Hour of Truth’ is a one act play written by Percival Wilde. The
play focuses on the corrupting influence of money on people. The two
main characters in this play are Robert Baldwin, the secretary of a
powerful bank and his boss Mr. John Gresham, the bank President. The
other characters are Martha, John and Evie
 Robert Baldwin is a good character.
 He is honest and bold.
 He didn’t accept the bribe offered by Gresham.
 His family persuaded him to accept the bribe money.
 But he stood for truth and justice.
 He was ready even to speak against Gresham at the court.
 He never supported Gresham in the Bank wreck case.
 At last he got a good job offer from Marshall.
 It was a reward to his honest character.
Striking Expressions Speaker What does it Mean?.
Your father will do his duty, Martha She says her husband Baldwin is an
John, no matter what comes of upright man
it.
People have been saying things. Join He means the unpleasant news about
Baldwin’s suspected rote in the
misappropriation of money.
Your father will do his duty, Martha She says her husband Baldwin is an
John, no matter what comes of upright man.
it.
People have been saying things. John He means the unpleasant news about
Baldwin’s suspected role
But you let your name rest Martha She is telling Baldwin that by not telling
under a cloud meanwhile. what happened, he is letting others
suspect him.
I’ve got only a few years to live, Baldwin He says he wants to die without
but I’ll live those as I’ve lived committing any sin knowingly
the rest of my life. I’ll go to my
grave clean!
A compliment which cost you a John Baldwin sticking to his honesty will lose
hundred thousand dollars. the chance of getting a huge amount of
money.
We have seen our soul naked, Baldwin By asking him to accept the bribe they
and they stink to Almighty are showing their true colours and God
will not like it, as it is a sin.
Heaven.

THE HOUR OF TRUTH

PERCIVAL WILDE
Percival Wild’s play, “The Hour of Truth” is an intense psychological
study on the corrupting influence of money on people. This play shows how
easily people forget their morals and values before fortune.
Robert Baldwin is the protagonist of the
play. He is working in a private bank owned by
Mr. Gresham. They are close friends for over
thirty years. He finds out that his boss has been
misappropriating money very cleverly.
Gresham, who is charged with the
misappropriation of money, begs Mr. Baldwin,
the only one witness in this case to say three words “I don’t remember” during
his examination on trial. As a reward, he offered him one hundred thousand
dollars. This would help Gresham get out of the problem safely. Baldwin was
shocked by the offer.
He went home and told Martha, his wife and G Gresham
resham Baldwin about the
offer. On hearing the handsome offer, both the wife and son persuade him to
take the money as it was just a technicality and the depositors would not lose
money. Actually, Baldwin had a faith that his family regarded his integrity far
higher than material gains. When he learnt his son and family members were
trying to convince him to take the money, he felt disgusted. Hee goes above the
temptation and admits courageously that he cannot accept the bribe
Just then, Mr. Marshal, President
President of third National Bank, informed
Baldwin that his boss Mr. Gresham has confessed his crime. He had told him
that one hundred thousand dollars couldn’t shake Baldwin’s integrity. Mr.
Marshal offered him a position in his bank. Virtue is rewarded in the ende as
Baldwin’s honesty provides him an employment in the Third National. Baldwin
sheds tears as virtue is rewarded in the end.
Character sketches
ROBERT BALDWIN
Robert Baldwin is the protagonist of the play The Hour of Truth by
Percival Wilde. He is the embodiment of truth and sticks on to his principles of
morality till the end. He is the governor of a bank owned by John Gresham.
John Gresham misappropriates the bank money and is imprisoned for the trial.

As Baldwin is the only witness of this misappropriation, Gresham offers him a

bribe of hundred thousand dollars to say ‘I don’t remember’, when questions are
asked in the court. Even his wife Martha and children tempts him to accept the
bribe money. But Baldwin wants to go to his grave clean and is unwilling to
accept the bribe amount. He says:
“But amongst ourselves, John! Whatever we are to the world, let us be honest
with each other”
His wife and children try their best to make Baldwin change his mind. Baldwin,
on the other hand, loves Gresham as he even named his son after him. But he
denies to tell a lie to save his friend. Virtue is rewarded in the end as Baldwin’s
honesty provides him an employment in the Third National. Baldwin sheds tears
as virtue is rewarded in the end.
MARTHA
Martha is the wife of Robert Baldwin, the banker. She is proud of her
honest husband. She tries to guilt her husband by saying that he shouldn’t send
his old friend Gresham to jail. She even adds that John is named after John
Gresham and that by sending him to jail is like sullying the name of their son.
Martha is seen an honest wife at the beginning. But as the drama unfolds, we
find her giving up her principles. She looks for loopholes to take the money
without any guilty feeling.
Martha says:
“ A hundred thousand would mean a great deal to us, Robert. If you don’t find
a position soon, John will have to support us.”
Martha can be considered as a worldly woman who can’t resist the twinkle of
money.
JOHN GRESHAM
John Gresham is the friend of Robert Baldwin, who is always behind the
curtains. His character is revealed through the mouth of other characters in the
drama. We can assume that Gresham values his friendship, as he appoints his
boyhood friend Baldwin in his bank. On the other hand, Donovan the cashier
claims that the closure of the bank came as a rude shock. The misappropriation
of the funds leads him to imprisonment for further trails. Gresham urges
Baldwin to say three words “I don’t remember’ to acquit him. Martha supports
Gresham with the following words:

“It doesn’t seem right to me to send an old friend to jail.”

But in the end, we realise that Gresham too acknowledges the honesty of his
friend Baldwin. He confesses his guilt and is ready to take the punishment.
From the words of Marshall, it is evident that Gresham values the feelings of
Baldwin and his honesty.
JOHN
John is the 27- year-old son of Robert Baldwin and Martha. He earns just
30 dollars a week. Initially he supports the truth. But the lure of money makes
him forget his moral values and principles. He even says:
“It’s a technicality, that’s what it is. Nobody loses a cent. Nobody wants to see
him punished.”
He urges Baldwin to take the bribe amount for a simple lie.
EVIE
Evie is the daughter of Baldwin and Martha. She is proud of her honest
father and loves him dearly. She wants him to stick to the truth. But on hearing
about the offer of 100,000 dollars for a small lie, her morality is shaken to the
roots. She even says:
“ Mr Gresham hasn’t done anything really wrong.”

She is a typical American, who can’t resist the twinkle of money.
SCRIPT FOR INTRODUCTION

Respected principal, teachers and my dear friends,
You are going to witness a one-act play The Hour of Truth by
Percival Wilde. This play deals with the corrupting influence of money in
the modern world. Robert Baldwin is the protagonist of the play, who is an
embodiment of honesty. He lives with his wife Martha, son John and
daughter Evie. Things change as we find John Gresham misappropriates
the bank money. He offers Baldwin a huge amount of bribe money. Will
he be able to uphold his morals? Will the family support his decision?
Let’s watch this remarkable morality play by the eminent playwright
Percival Wilde. Thank you.

CORRUPTION CURTAILS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COUNTRY
o Corruption is a cancer of a society.

o Corruption is against democracy.
o Corruption is against development.
o Corruption makes imbalance in the society.
o Corruption is a big crime.
o Corruption is an evil practice.
The dishonest and fraudulent act by those in power is generally

termed as corruption. Insatiable love for worldly pleasures and extravagant
life style are the prominent causes of corruption. It is a curse upon
humanity as it leads to lack of social commitments. The insincere attitude
of the officers often leads to bribes and unlawful activities.
Let’s see what the drastic effects of corruption are. The services are
not provided in time as the officers demand large amount of bribe. There
will be inequality in the society and it blocks the development of a nation.
People become lazy as they look for shortcuts to make money. Hard work
and diligence won’t be evaluated, which in turn brings immorality in the
society. Thus, money becomes the ultimate aim in the society.
The solution to curb this menace is to have effective parenting.
Parents must inculcate a strong sense of nationalism in children. Thus,
they can remain loyal to their motherland. The laws should be made more
rigid and effective. There should be anti-corruption measures within the
government to identify and rectify corruption. Even the political parties
need to be corruption free.
The Hour of Truth is a striking psychological study on the corrupting
influence of money on people. We must all work together for a better
country, with lots of positive attitude and moral values.

UNIT:3 – CHALLENGES OF LIFE

A Three wheeled Revolution – Irfan Alam
An interview with the social entrepreneur Irfan Alam from Bihar

His journey from being a young entrepreneur to somebody who changed
the lives of thousands of rickshaw pullers around the country
Irfan Alam was a very promising child who started a portfolio
management firm at the age of thirteen.
He discovered a business opportunity that could revolutionise the
rickshaw sector.
After finishing his studies he won the famous reality show Business
Baazigar.
He rejected the prize money and founded SammaaN foundation in 2007
with the aim of uplifting the lives of poor rickshaw pullers.
SammaaN foundation helped these people to avail loans to buy rickshaws,
trained them and provided them with ID cards, insurance and uniform.
This has helped them to increase their income and standard of living.
SammaaN foundation is also profitable.
Ifran Alam promotes entrepreneurship amongst youngsters, as it can
reduce unemployment in our country. But he warns them to take
calculated risks.
What are the qualities you think an entrepreneur should possess?
According to Irfan Alam an entrepreneur is the one who identifies an

opportunity and puts in conscious effort to make it an enterprise. It is a tough
job since it involves the input of a lot of effort and money. But it is also the need
of the hour because this can decrease the problem of unemployment in our
country. Youngsters should take calculated risks to achieve their dreams. Parents
should encourage the children who chose to tread this path.
E-MAIL
The R and D wing of SammaaN is planning to redesign rickshaw

with necessary improvements. Imagine that you write an e-mail to Irfan
Alam, giving your suggestions. What would you write?

To : irfanalam@gmail.com
CC :
Sub : Suggestions to modify SammaaN Rickshaws
Dear Sir,
I am a Plus Two student from Kerala studying in GMHSS
PERINTHALMANNA. Recently I came to know about you and your
social entrepreneurship venture SammaaN foundation through an
interview in our textbook. I am greatly impressed by the way through
which you have changed the lives of thousands of rickshaw pullers. You
are an inspiration to plenty of students like me.
I came to know that your R and D wing is working hard to redesign
the rickshaws to optimise them. I would like to add a few ideas of my own
that may help them. Providing charging slots for mobiles and laptops can
be beneficial. An option to provide Wi-Fi for the travellers can be
attractive. The rickshaw pullers can collaborate with grocery stores and
courier companies for home delivery. An app to book and track rickshaws
may increase their accountability.
I hope my ideas can help the poor rickshaw pullers to avail more
economic benefits.
Yours truly,
Sangeetha Murali
Introducing Irfan Alam
Good morning
Dear teachers and my dear friends,
I am happy to be here on this occasion. I would like to introduce a
guest to you - The founder of SammaN Foundation and a world
famous social entrepreneur. Yes, Irfan Alam is our chief guest. He is a
young business man. He is from Bihar. He organized the Rickshaw
pullers. He is the founder of SammaN Foundation. He is a role model for
us. I welcome the guest. Let’s give him a big applause. I welcome all of
you.
Thank you

Interview
Question 1 : Would you mind spending some time with me for an
interview?
Answer : No, I wouldn’t. You can take as much time as you want.
Question 2 : What prompted you to select this field?
Answer : My Childhood experiences, wide reading and the realities
around me prompted me to select this field.
Question 3 : Who is your role model?
Answer : I don’t consider anyone as my role model. Everyone who
comes into my life teaches me something new.
Question 4 : You might have come across failures in life. How did you
overcome failures?
Answer : All my friends and well wishers stood by me in moments of
crisis. My hard work also helped me to lessen the impacts of
failures
Question 5 : Would you like to give a piece of advice to the present
generation?
Answer : Yes, I think our youth have immense potential to change the
ways of the world. They should use their talents, knowledge
and skills to create a better world.
Didi – Shaheen Mistri
o Shaheen Mistri is the CEO of the Teach for India Project.

o She founded the Akanksha Foundation for the poor children of India.
‘Didi’ is an extract from Shaheen Mistry’s autobiography.

As a child she always questioned the purpose of life.
She used to frequent orphanages and School of Blind during her
childhood.
Comparing the plight of the poor, destitute children to her own luxurious
life gave her an insight into the inequity prevalent in the world.
Her occasional visits to Mumbai familiarised her with the life of children
who had to beg to make living.
At this point Shaheen Mistri felt that may be she can do something to
help to improve their lives.
She chose St Xavier’s college for her higher studies.

Since she was not happy with the bookish system of education, she
decided to go out into the world.
She wandered in the slums familiarising herself with the horrifying
realities of slum life.
The seeds of Akanksha Foundation were sawn there.
The slum children became her first students.
At the beginning she found it difficult to find classrooms for these
children, but she overcame such difficulties.
Now the Akanksha foundation has 58 centres and 6 schools with over
3500 students.
The programme has developed very organically, over years.
Write a Blog on Teach for India Movement of Shaheen Mistry.

The Woman behind Teach for India: Shaheen Mistry
Malavika
When the world is caught in a rat race of ambition along with selfishness, it
is people like Shaheen Mistry who make this a place worthy of living. This
kind and unassuming personality has changed the lives of thousands of
children in India, who were deprived of basic education.
As a child Shaheen always questioned the purpose of life. She used to
frequent orphanages and School of Blind during her childhood. Comparing the
plight of the poor, destitute children to her own luxurious life gave her an
insight into the inequity prevalent in the world. Her occasional visits to
Mumbai familiarised her with the life of children who had to beg to make
living. At this point Shaheen Mistri felt that may be she can do something to
help to improve their lives. She decided to stay back in Mumbai. She chose St
Xavier’s college for her higher studies instead studying in US.
Since she was not happy with the bookish system of education in India, she
decided to go out into the world .She wandered in the slums familiarising
herself with the horrifying realities of human life. The seeds of Akanksha
Foundation were sawn there. The slum children became her first students. At
the beginning she found it difficult to find classrooms for these children, but
she overcame such problems eventually. Now the Akanksha foundation has 58
centres and 6 schools with over 3600 students.
The life of Shaheen Mistry is truly an inspiring one. She realised and that
one cannot remain happy when the people around us are deprived and
suffering. Her service to humanity is invaluable

Job Application and Resume
From
Priya Sekhar
‘Happy Villa’
Vattiyoorkavu P O
Thiruvananthapuram – 695023
To
The HR Manager
Teach for India
Mumbai, India
Sir,
Sub: Application for the post of _______ (write the name of the post)_______.
Ref: Advertisement in The Times of India dated 25/01/2020.
With reference to the advertisement in ‘The Times of India’ dated

25.01.2020, I would like to apply for the post of ___________ (write the name of
the post)________ in your esteemed institution. I am a graduate in English
Language and Literature and have an experience of two and half years in a
private institution in the city.
I will be extremely pleased to be a part of your company. If selected

I promise to serve the company in the best possible way.
Please find enclosed a copy of my resume. I look forward to hearing

from you.
Yours faithfully,
Sd/-
Priya Sekhar

Resume
(Your Name)
(Your e-mail) (PHOTO)
(Your phone number)
(Address for Communication)
Objective:
To work in a firm where I can utilize my abilities for its overall
development
Educational Qualification:
MA, B.Ed., NET
Activities:
· Worked in National Service Scheme for two years
· Served as College Union Chairman during post-graduation
· Won essay and quiz competitions at graduation level
Achievements:
· Won the best volunteer award during my term in NSS
Skills:
· Computer expertise with P.G. diploma in Computer Application
· Skilled in MS Word, MS Excel, and Power Point
Languages:
· English, Hindi, Malayalam (speak, read, and write)
Interests:
· Travel, Reading and Badminton
Declaration:
I hereby declare that the details given above are true to the best of
my knowledge and belief
(Signature)
(Name)

PROFILE
Shaheen Mistri
Born : 16 March 1971
Education : BA Sociology, St Xavier’s College, Mumbai.
MA from University of Manchester.
Occupation : CEO, Teach For India.
Known for : Akanksha Foundation and Teach for India.
Book : Redrawing India
Shaheen Mistri
Shaheen Mistri is a social activist and educator who was born on 16
March 1971. She completed her B A in Sociology from St. Xaviers College
and got her M A degree from University of Manchester. She is the founder
of Akanksha Foundation a non-profit initiative. She is also the CEO of
Teach for India. She wrote the book Redrawing India. Her initiative to
teach children of low income areas is now functioning successfully in
several Indian states.
Stammer – Satchidanandan
o Stammer is a poem written by Satchidanandan.

o Stammer is not a handicap.
o It is a mode of speech.
o It is a language
o When all people stammer it becomes their mother tongue.
o Everybody stammers in this world.
o Even God might have stammered when he created man.
o Stammer is a meaningful poem.
o It has a good message.
The poem stammer begins with a surprising statement.
Stammer is no handicap
It is a mode of speech.
Stammer is considered as the inability to speak fluently. The poet is

bringing in a totally new perspective to this speech impediment. He argues that

it is a mode of speech not a disability. Through the following stanzas he tries to

justify the opening statement by putting forward a few interesting arguments.
Stammer is the silence that falls
Between the word and its meaning.
Just as lameness is the silence
that falls between the word and the deed.
Human beings as species are also called homeo significanes or meaning

makers. When we use a language in its written form or in its spoken form, we
are creating meanings. But the question is, can language convey an
idea completely without any loss of meaning? The answer is a big No. This
loss of meaning while we communicate is something that has been discussed
actively in Semiotics. Now what is semiotics? Semiotics is a branch of
linguistics that regards words in a language as signs. A sign or a word has two
parts - an idea and the form (spoken or written words) in which it is
communicated. But this relation between the idea and its form is not complete.
When an idea takes a form (word) there is always a loss of meaning. Here the
poet Satchidandan calls this lose of meaning as silence. This loss according to
the poet happens due to the weakness of the language itself or sometimes due to
the weakness of the user. The laws of a country or the political situation in
which the person lives may not allow him to speak his mind out. The result is
the silence that is created between the word and its meaning. This helplessness
also creates the difference between a person's words and deeds. The poet calls
this difference between speech and action as lameness. So
Stammer is the silence that falls

Between the word and its meaning
just as lameness is the
silence that falls between
the word and the deed.
Did stammer precede language

or succeed?
Is it only a dialect or
language itself?
These questions make
the linguists stammer.

The poet raises some questions here and tries to get answers from the
linguists. But we can see that these questions are in turn making the linguist
stammer. Language is a communication system used by a particular community.
The first question is whether stammer precede language or succeed it. This
question is very complicated. It leads us to think more about the relation
between language and culture. Let us say that language and culture are two
sides of the same coin. Each culture has its on variety of language. By culture
we mean the characteristics and thought patterns of a particular group of
people. A culture creates language and language creates culture. In other words
if language is flesh then culture is blood.
In this stanza somehow stammer becomes synonymous with culture. The
tendency of losing or hiding meaning, the inability to speak out openly, has
become the part of culture of a society. ie, stammer has become the part of
culture of that society. So let us put the question like this: Did language come
before culture or after it? This question is still under debate.
The next question is whether stammer is a dialect or a language. Dialect
is a particular form of a language used in a particular region or by a social
group. Question is whether there is some kind of regional variety of culture like
a dialect or whether it is the part of the culture of a whole community of people
like language. These questions can never have a precise answer. So the linguists
are confused and they stammer.
Each time we stammer

We are offering a sacrifice to the God of meaning.
Stammer is now labeled as a sacrifice.
When a whole people stammer

Stammer becomes their mother tongue,
Just as it is with us now.
When a whole community begins to stammer, it becomes part of their

identity just like mother tongue. Something that everyone understand, uses and
follows.
Just as
It is with us now.

Art is often employed as a tool for social criticism. It is often said that art
is the reflection of the society in which it is created. Here in these lines the
poem Stammer becomes a potent weapon of social criticism. The point is that
stammer or silence is like a mother tongue in our society. We live in constant
fear of authorities and communal forces. We fail to react. Even when we react,
we speak less and act less. Stammer is part of our culture now and it permeates
our language.
From the next stanza onwards the poem assumes a philosophical tone.
God too must have stammered

When He created man.
That is why all the word of man
carry different meanings.
That is why all the words of man carry different meanings.
In these lines human beings are referred as imperfect creations of a

perfect God. These imperfections can be the result of the ’Original Stammer'
made by God himself. God too must have stammered while he created man.
This stammer created imperfections in man.
That is why all the word of man

carry different meanings.
That is why everything he utters
from his prayers to his commands
stammers,
like poetry
The poet adds. Ancient philosopher Plato says art is an imperfect imitation of
ideas. Poetry, a sublime form of art is imperfect by nature. It can never express
the idea it tries to communicate into the mind of the poet to the readers
completely. So stammer becomes the character of poetry too. Poetry too makes
sacrifices when it tries to communicate meanings. Like man, his creativity is
also flawed.

UNIT:4 – LIVE AND LET LIVE

When a Saplin is Planted – Wangari Maathai
Wangari Mathai says women are often the first to become aware of
environmental damage....... Do you agree with her opinion?
Substantiate your answer.
I quite agree with the opinion of Wangari Maathai that 'Women are
often the first to become aware of environmental damage'.
Wangari Maathai is a Kenyan environmentalist and political activist who

led a crusade against deforestation. She got the Nobel Prize in 2004 for her
contribution to sustainable development, peace and democracy. She made the
above remark in her Nobel Prize Acceptance speech.
Being a Kenyan woman she was especially speaking of the women of

Africa. She spoke from her childhood experiences and observations of nature in
rural Kenya. As she was growing up she noticed that forests were cleared and
were and were replaced by commercial plantations. This destroys the local bio-
diversity and the ability of the forests to conserve water.
As a result of large scale deforestation the African women lacked

firewood, clean drinking water, balanced diets, shelter and income. In Africa
women are the primary caretakers. They till the land and feed their families. So
they were the first to notice the environmental damage as resources become
scarce, making it difficult for them to maintain their families.
It is women who are very close to nature. Their life depends upon the
perfect harmony of nature. Hence any disturbance to nature upsets her first.
Climate changes and environmental degradation poses a threat to her very
existence.
Environmental Issues
There are many environmental issues facing our world today. Global
warming, ozone depletion, acid rain, energy and water deficits are all
problems that challenge humanity and its progress
Air pollution, poor management of waste, growing water scarcity,
falling groundwater tables, water pollution, preservation and quality of

forests, biodiversity loss, and land/soil degradation are some of the major
environmental issues India faces today. Population growth adds pressure
to environmental issues and its resources.
Environmental protection is becoming more and more important and
necessary. Without protecting nature, we can’t live in this world. The
aggravation of these problems can be prevented through education,
awareness and action.
A seminar on “Mangroves: A Rich Source of Bio-diversity” was

conducted in your school. Read the programme schedule of the
seminar and prepare a report.
Seminar on “Mangroves : A Rich Source of Bio-diversity”
Venue : School Auditorium

Time : 10 a.m
Date : 20-07-2015
Programme
Prayer : School Choir
Welcome speech : Mrs. Suseela Kumari, Principal
Presidential Address : Dr. Satheesh Chandran, Environmental Activist
Felicitation : Santhi, Ward Councillor
Paper Presentations :
1. Mangroves: A Source of Bio-diversity – Athira M.
2. Pokkudan – The Legend of Mangroves – Noufiya
3. Ways to preserve Mangroves – Syam Gopal
4. Mangroves in Kerala – Vaisakh
Vote of Thanks : Divya Krishna, School Leader
National Anthem
A REPORT
A seminar was conducted in the school auditorium on 27th July 2015

on the topic “Mangroves: A Rich source of Biodiversity”. The seminar began at
10 am with a prayer by the school choir. It was followed by a welcome speech
by Mrs. Suseela Kumari, the Principal. Then came the presidential address by
Dr. Satheesh Chandran, a renowned environmental activist. He stressed the

need to preserve our environment. He showed how we human beings are

destroying nature by cutting down trees, filling up ponds and waterways and
using insecticides everywhere and throwing garbage wherever we please. He
said that unless we change, nature will destroy us through earthquakes,
droughts, tsunamis and the like. There was felicitation by Ms. Santhi, the Ward
Counsellor, who said that the Ward was doing all its best to preserve the
environment. Then came Paper Presentations. There were four Papers by the
following people: “Mangroves: of Biodiversity” by Athira M„ “Pokkudan-The
Legend of Mangroves” by Noufiya, “Ways to Preserve Mangroves” by Syam
Gopal, and “Mangroves in Kerala” by Vaishakh. A discussion followed in
which members of the audience clarified their doubts. This was followed by a
Vote of thanks by Divya Krishna, the school leader. She said all the participants
were immensely benefitted by the seminar. More seminars would be conducted
in the immediate future. The seminar came to a close at 1 o’clock with the
National Anthem.
Rice – Chemmanam Chacko
o The poem ‘Rice' is a satire by Chemmanam Chacko.

o The poet says that farmers of Kerala are not interested in food crops.
o Farmers plant rubber and arecanut palms
o The poet was eager to eat a meal of 'athikira' rice.
o But he saw his brother bringing wheat from ration shop.
o Farmers think that the rubber is profitable.
o The poem is a satire.
o The poem has a good message.
o The poet has used many figures of speech.
o 'Ship of the sky' is an example for metaphor.
Prepare a write up on the socio-cultured changes satirised by

Chemmanam Chacko in the poem 'Rice'.
Chemmanam Chacko is a master satirist who has fought many a battle
with the system through his writings. He always pokes fun at our own mistakes
with his sharp lampoon. The poem 'Rice' is a good example for his attack on
people's vices. The poet derides the farmers who switched their crop preference
and thus brought out a devastating change in culture, tradition, life style and
more than all ecological balance.

The poem has two parts. In the first part the speaker expresses his longing
to return to his home. On his way back in the train, his mind glides through the
nicest things waiting for him in his native place. The sweetest expectation
among them is the 'Athikira rice' which his mother cooks. He has already fed up
with eating Chapatties in North India. Hence rise becomes nostalgia for him.
But everything changes drastically when he comes back after four years of
research in North India. He works hard for four years eating chappathi day after
day, and finally succeeds in getting a doctorate. He must have thought of doing
research on the possibilities of husk as the son of a rice farmer he had plenty of
husk at home and in the houses nearby. The changes he noticed are in the
second part of the poem.
Here is the anticlimax. When he came back with his well-earned

doctorate on making toys with husk, there is no husk at all in his house or
around. Farmers had shifted to cash crops especially rubber. There are no more
palm thatched houses. His father wears a contented look while fixing machines
to make rubber sheets. His brother brings wheat supplied through public
distribution system. His father explains that they have stopped working on all
rice. It was quite inconvenient and unprofitable. Farmers gain nothing from
paddy cultivation. Only fools turn to rice farming.
Here the poet criticizes the attitude of keralites towards paddy cultivation.
He scorns them as they forget their land and its scent. They are no more willing
to sweat in the fields. They become money-minded. Even the government does
not take any measures to make our traditional agricultural system profitable.
Instead chief minister goes to the centre like an arrow to clamour for more
grains. The poet openly condemns that here no one promotes the farming of
rice.
The poet concludes the poem with the question whether we get some
husk from the centre to make toys with it. This question is for ridiculing the sad
state of affairs in Kerala. The poet employs irony and satire to expose our
follies. Thus Chemmanan Chacko has done a good job in showing how the
farmers have changed from simple people to shrewd commercial minded
people. Being a satirical poem, the style is simple, direct and lucid and it suits
the theme.

DANGERS OF DRUG ABUSE – Dr. Hardin. B. Jones
 Drug abuse is a serious menace disturbing our society.

 Teenagers and the youngsters are mainly affected by this.
 It has a negative effect on the mental and physical health of the
individual.
 Alcohol, heroin, cocaine, opium and marijuana are some of the
drugs.
 Curiosity, peer pressure and availability of drugs such as cigarettes
and alcohol are the immediate cause of drug abuse.
 The ‘naked’ advertisement of alcohol and cigarettes influence the
youngsters to get addicted to it.
 Prolonged use of drugs affects the user’s judgment and thinking
ability.
 This leads to complex social, medical and psychological problems.
 Drug addicts lose money and health.
 They lose the joy of life.
 Drug consumption leads to violence in the society.
 The principle ‘say no to drugs, say yes to life’ should be encouraged
in the schools.
The present situations give us an alarming picture of the menace of

the abuse of drugs among the younger generation. Prepare a seminar
paper on the topic 'The vicious web of drugs spoils the dreams and
lives of the young’
The problem of drug abuse has become a serious menace threatening
the future and even the life of the youth, especially the school and college-
going youth. This age group is more vulnerable to drug abuse because
most of them are teenagers. Teenage is the time of stress and strain. To
overcome their stress and strain, many of them start using drugs. These
drugs give them temporary pleasure, relieving them of their tensions for
some time.
Sensual drugs havoc with the body and mind of their users. The drug
addict experiences sensory deprivation. He has a general feeling of
physical discomfort and there are personality changes in him. The addict

feels depressed. His mental disturbance can be like paranoia. The addict
knows he has a problem. But he does not know its source. He looks at
external objects with suspicion. Anything outside scares him and he
withdraws further and further into himself.
Drugs also affect the body adversely .Dirty needles and solutions can
cause liver diseases, venereal diseases and infection of the kidney and
brain. Sniffing cocaine and amphetamines can damage the tissue of the
nose. Marijuana and tobacco smoking can cause lung diseases. Babies of
women who are addicted to drugs are likely to be born with a lot of
problems. A drug addict can easily get pneumonia, tuberculosis and have
problems of malnutrition and weight loss. An overdose of any drug can
cause respiratory or cardiac failure and death.
The drug problems can be solved only through the concerted efforts
of the parents, teachers, community leaders and the law-enforcing
agencies. Awareness programmes should be conducted about the
dangerous effects of drug abuse. The community leaders should help the
youth to channel their energies in the right directions. The police must
ensure that sensual drugs are not easily available. Drug abuse is a demon
that should be exterminated from our society with all the might we can
muster. Our young generation should develop optimistic attitude and must
be bold enough to say No to drugs.
UNIT: 4 – THE LIGHTER SIDE

POST EARLY FOR CHRISTMAS – R. H. Wood
 R H Wood’s ‘Post Early for Christmas’ is a one-act play.

 The play takes place inside a small post office in an English Village
during the Christmas Season
 There are many humorous situations in the play.
 Somebody coming to the post office and asks where he can get stamps.
 Another person demands for a pint of beer.
 The deaf man hears book as cook, bed and ted.
 An old lady coming to get medicine for her cat.
 The 'time-bomb' episode is another example.

THIS IS GOINGTO HURT JUSTA LITTLE BIT – Ogden Nash
o ‘This is going to hurt just a little bit' is an interesting poem.

o The poem by Ogden Nash is about a person’s experience at a dental clinic
o The poet says that dental torture is both physical and mental
o The poet compares the work of a dentist on the mouth to a road that is
being repaired.
o The poet has used many figures of speech such as simile, metaphor and
hyperbole
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT – R. K. Narayan

 The story is a satire on over parenting in nuclear families.
 The background is a single child school where the teacher gives some
math lessons.
 The boy was not in a mood to study.
 He made the teacher angry by deliberately giving him wrong answers.
 The teacher got angry and slapped the boy.
 The boy blackmailed the teacher saying that he would complain to his
parents.
 The teacher was forced to act many roles and became tired.
 The slap was a ‘crime’, and the teacher underwent due ‘punishment’.
Spare the rod and spoil the child was a dictum prevalent in the past.
What is your opinion about it? Should there be any type of corporal
punishment in a learning environment? If so, what should be the
mode?
Corporal punishment is "purposeful infliction of bodily pain or
discomfort by an official in the educational system upon a student as a penalty
for unacceptable behaviour". It is a way of punishing the student deliberately for
his or her misconduct or indiscipline, with a view to bring a desirable change in
his or her behaviour. Those who advocate corporal punishment in school argue
that it makes the child immediately disciplined. They think that students who
are punished thus quickly come back to the classroom and learn. Such a child is
reminded of his physical discomfort and pain when he wants to break the rule.
He doesn’t want to be hurt anymore and thereafter he shows desirable character
traits. Opponents of this idea of corporal punishment, including a number of
medical and psychological experts, along with human-rights groups, argue that
physical punishment is ineffective in the long term. They argue that it interferes
with learning. Sometimes it leads to antisocial behaviour as well as various

forms of mental distress. Child rights activists clamour that it is a form of

violence that breaches the rights of children.
As of 2015, many of the developed countries have abolished this practice.
But corporal punishment is still used in most of India. The Delhi High Court
banned its use in Delhi schools in 2000. 17 out of 29 states claim to apply the
ban, though it is not strictly enforced. A number of social and cultural groups is
campaigning against corporal punishment in India. In many states, corporal
punishment is still practised within most schools. The State of Kerala considers
it as the right of the child to enjoy learning without any form of torture. Hence
schools in the government sector have given up corporal punishment. But in
many schools it is still prevalent. Education is meant for the overall
development of a child’s personality. Hence it should be imparted in a healthy
environment. To a child, learning should be an enjoyable experience. It should
not in any way tax a child’s brain. Learning takes place in a mind which is free
and open. Lessons don’t enter a mind where there is fear and anxiety. Years of
schooling after all should not produce criminals and psychopaths. If a student is
not interested in studies, he lacks motivation. The role of the teachers and
parents are to create this motivation in a child.
Instead they should not inflict any cause of physical harm to the child. So
no form of corporal punishment in advisable in educational institutions. Spare
the rod, spoil the child, the dictum cannot be accepted hence.
DISCOURSES – EASY TIPS

Appreciation of a poem
Summary of the FIRST Poem
+
_____ (write the name of the poem)____ is a great poem. It is written by ______
(write the name of the poet)_____. This is a very interesting poem. The author has used
good language in the poem. The poem is about _______ (theme)______. The poet
has written a lot of similar poems. But this one is his best.
____________________________________
These are the most beautiful lines of the poem. These lines convey a lot of
meanings. Every reader will like these lines. The ending of the poem is perfect.
+
Both the poems convey good message. The poems share many things in
common. We can also see striking contrasts. Both the poets use figures of
speech. They make them effective. The poets view the same issue from different
angles.

Speech (Format)
Dear friends,
I am here in front of you to speak a few words on the topic “____
(name of the topic)___”. I am very happy that I got a chance to talk to you. I have
a lot of ideas about this topic. I thank the organizers for giving me an
opportunity to speak before you. You can agree or disagree with my
views. Please be patient to hear my words.
+
__________(few sentences about the topic)____________
+
It is time to end my speech. Thank you for your patience. Please
think about my ideas. Ideas can change lives. It is time to be active. We
hope for a better tomorrow. Always remember that. Wishing you all a
great day. Thank you.
Letter to the Editor

From
Name
Address
To
The Chief Editor
Times of India, Kochi
Sir,
Sub:- __________ (name of the topic)__________
I read Times of India daily. It is a great news paper. You report

everything truthfully. I write this letter to share my ideas on the topic ____
(name of the topic)___. I have my own opinion about this issue. Please consider
my ideas. Please publish it in the newspaper.
+
__________(few sentences about the topic)____________
+
_____ (name of the topic)_____ is an important issue. Government must
think about this. Similar issues come up every day. There are positive and
negative sides to every subject. We have to accept the positives and reject
the negatives. The Government and the readers should open their eyes. It
is time to be active. We hope for a better tomorrow. I conclude the letter.
Thank you
Yours Faithfully,
Name.

Diary
4th March 2020

What a day it has been for me today! I cannot forget this day in
my life. I am sad / happy this day. What am I to do? How can I Sleep?
……………………..………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Profile
TITLE
He/She was born on (date) at(place)in(city/state/year)
 He/She was born in Russia in 1920 (on 25th March 1920)
 He/She was educated at the University of Oxford.
 He/She has won several awards including Padmasree.
 He/She is the recipient of many national and international awards
including Padmabhushan.
 His/Her major works include A,B,C and D (Develop the hints to write the
Profile)
R.K NARAYAN
R.K. Narayan was born in 1906 in Tamilnadu. He completed his education in
Chennai and Mysore. He is famous as a writer. His important works are The
Guide, Swami and Friends, Malgudi days. He was awarded Sahithya Academy
Award in 1951 . He passed away in 2001 . He continues to live in the minds of
people even today.
Letter
08/08/2014
Thiruvananthapuram
Dear,
How are you? I think you are going smooth there. I am somewhat fine
here. I think it is long since we wrote each other.
I am writing this letter to tell you an important matter. …………………..…………
……………………………………………………………………………………………..…..………………………
Convey my regards to all. Hoping to see you soon. I stop my letter
Lovingly,
Sd/-
Name

Notice
ABCD SCHOOL KOZHIKODE

------(Write the name of the function)------
It has been decided to conduct a____________(name of the

programme)_____ on _________(date)________ under the auspicious of
___________(name of club) in ABCD School,at __________(time)am/pm. The
venue is __________. The __________(name of inaugurator) will inaugurate
the function. All are welcome
Place: _______ Signature

Date: _______ Secretary/Convenor
Name of the Club
Programme
Prayer : School Choir

Welcome Speech : Headmaster
Inauguration : (Name of Inaugurator)
Felicitations : 1. (Name of the speaker, his/her designation)
2.(Name of the speaker, his/her designation)
Vote of Thanks : Convenor(Name)
National Anthem
NOTICE
GOVT. HIGH SCHOOL KOZHIKODE

Seminar on Poverty: a Social Issue
It has been decided to conduct a Seminar on Poverty a Social Issue on

nd
2 February 2013 under the auspicious of the Englsih Club in Govt. High
School ozhikode ,at 2pm. The venue is School Auditorium The Panchayat
President, Ms. Haseena will inaugurate the function. All are welcome
Place: Kozhikode Signature

Date: 20/01/2013 Secretary/Convenor
English Club

Slogans / Placards
Save trees, Save Earth Green Kerala, Clean Kerala
Good Earth, Green Earth Preserve forest Reserve water
Plan and plant trees Save Earth Save Life
Agree / Disagree
 I agree with it.

 It is right
 I don’t agree with it.
 It is wrong.
 It is good.
 There are many merits and demerits.
? Imagine that you are participating in a debate on the topic

'Empowerment of a woman begins at home.' Write four points to justify
your arguments
a) I agree with it.
b) Empowerment of woman begins at home.
c) Women should get freedom at home.
d) Women do many things at home.
Courtesy
STEP UP, Vijayabheri – District Panchayath, Malappuram
‘Kaithangu’, Published by District Panchayath, Pathanamthitta
Smt. Sajeena Shukkoor, HSST English, GHSS Madayi, Kannur
Delta Thrissur, Internet and Other sources.
Higher Secondary (Class XII) English |REVISION
REVISION TIPS 43

SRG, ENGLISH
GOVT MHSS PERINTHALMANNA (11003)
www.englishpmna.in | Email: english11003@gmail.com
Higher Secondary (Class XI) English | REVISION TIPS 44

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HIGHER SECONDARY (CLASS X

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2 REVISION TIPS| Higher Secondary (Class XII) English

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UNIT: 1 – FLIGHTS OF FREEDOM

Ways of Empowering Women.

Giving quality education.

The 3 Ls of women Empowerment is a thought-provoking speech by

Higher Secondary (Class XII) English |REVISION TIPS 3

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Learning is the first step of empowering women. Education is the

Prepare a speech on Women’s Day on the role of women in the family

Respected principal, dignitaries on the dais, and my dear friends,

It is my privilege and honour to be here on this special occasion to share

4 REVISION TIPS| Higher Secondary (Class XII) English

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According to Christine Lagarde, this situation can be tackled by 3L’s of

Any Woman (Poem) - Katharine Tynan

o “Any women” is a meaningful poem written by the famous poet

Higher Secondary (Class XII) English |REVISION TIPS 5

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The multifaceted role of the woman is magnificently portrayed by

Match Box - Ashapurna Debi

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Character Sketch- Nomita

Nomita is the protagonist of the short story matchbox by Ashapurana

Character Sketch- Ajit

Character sketch – Nomita’s mother

Nomita’s mother is an indigent widow, without husband or son. Though

Higher Secondary (Class XII) English |REVISION TIPS 7

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You conducted a panel discussion on the topic “Indian women –

Good evening ladies and gentlemen.

8 REVISION TIPS| Higher Secondary (Class XII) English

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Blurb: Prepare a blurb of Pratham Pratishruti making use of the hints

Horegallu - Sudha Murty

Higher Secondary (Class XII) English |REVISION TIPS 9

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Sudha Murty’s Grand Father

Character sketch - Grandfather

Grandfather plays the role of a horegallu in the anecdote by Sudha Murty.

Character sketch- Ratna

10 REVISION TIPS| Higher Secondary (Class XII) English

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UNIT:2 – HEIGHTS OF HARMONY

‘Good fences make good neighbours’ - Explain

“Mending Wall”, written by the great

Higher Secondary (Class XII) English |REVISION

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Literary Devices in “Mending Wall”

 Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same

12 REVISION TIPS| Higher Secondary (Class XII) English

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 Imagery: Imagery is used to make the readers perceive things with

Explain ‘Good fences make good neighbours’ and ‘something there is

(Elaborate the idea in the following line in a paragraph.