4.

Environment
Water: The Elixir of Life
By C.V. Raman

INTRODUCTION

q In this essay “Water-The Elixir Of Life”, Sir. C.V. Raman

brings out how water is indispensable to plant and human
life and how it also causes evils like soil-erosion.

q He also tells excess of water can be preserved for good

purposes.
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Summary
q In the first part of the essay, Raman talks poetically of the beauty of water.
Water trickling down the rocks or water collected in small ponds that satisfy the
thirst of passing cattle are beautiful sights. Big tanks play a vital role in South
Indian agriculture. Much of the rice is grown under them. It is a beautiful sight to
watch the sun rise or set over them.

q One of the most remarkable facts about water is that it carries silt to far-off
places where it is finally deposited .The land where silt is deposited is usually
very fertile. The silt that mixes with the salt water of the sea precipitates rapidly.
The color of the water changes successively from the muddy red or brown to
yellow and green and finally to the blue of the deep sea. These varying shades
are also fascinating.
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q The flow of water has undoubtedly played a great part in geological processes.
Rapidly flowing water carries away the rich top layer of the soil. This phenomenon
is called soil erosion.

q The problem of soil erosion is of major significance in various countries

especially in India.

q Soil erosion in the initial stage is unnoticed. Later, it results in the formation of
deep gullies, ravines and ruts. These things affect agriculture.

q The terracing of the land, the construction of bunds to check the flow of water,
the practice of contour cultivation and the planting of some types of vegetation
are the measures that can be used to check soil erosion.
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q Water is the basic of all life. Every animal and plant contains
water in its body. Water is essential for its body. Moisture in the soil
is equally important for the life and growth of plant trees.

q The conservation and utilization of water is fundamental for

human welfare. At present streams and rivers wastefully empty
themselves into the sea. It is clear that the adoption of techniques
preventing soil erosion would help to conserve and keep the water
where it is wanted.

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Exercises

q Comprehension
q Vocabulary
- Synonyms
q Grammar
- Verb
q Writing
- Writing Technical Report

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Vocabulary

Synonyms

An synonym is a word that is similar or same in

meaning to another word.
tale = story
house = home

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Vocabulary
A. Mark the right meanings or synonyms of the words in the sets
given below.

1. stagnate
a. intimate b. stimulate c. Vegetate

2. vacillation
a. indecisiveness b. oscillation c. dissimulation

3. enervation
a. negation b. exhaustion c. synergism

4. negate
a. Recapitulate b. castigate c. deny
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5. abnegate
a. sacrifice b. hoard c. reduce
6. easily tricked
a. incredulous b. ingenious c. gullible
7. inexperienced
a. credulous b. naïve c. credible
8. noble
a. Pusillanimous b. morally good c. unanimous
9. frank
a. ingenious b. ingenuous c. intrepid
10. ennui
a. illness b. boredom c. lifelessness 8
ANSWERS:
1. stagnate c. vegetate
2. vacillation a. indecisiveness
3. Enervation b. exhaustion
4. negate b. castigate c. deny
5. abnegate a. sacrifice
6. easily tricked c. gullible
7. inexperienced a. incredulous b. naïve
8. noble b. morally good
9. frank b. ingenuous
10. ennui b. boredom c. lifelessness
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Grammar
Verb
When the verb in the main clause is in the past tense, the verb in
the subordinate clause also is usually in the past tense.
- I told him that he should be back home.
- He said he would be back home after three months.
But this is not applicable always. For example, in
- Copernicus proved that the earth moves round the sun.
What Copernicus said in the past holds good for all time and
therefore though ‘proved’ is in the simple past tense, ‘moves’ is in
the habitual present as it refers to a general truth for all time.
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If the verb in the main clause is in the present or
future tense, the verb in the subordinate clause
may be in the past tense or present tense according
to the context.
- I think Ravi has written the essay.
- I think Ravi wrote the essay.
- I shall prove that Ravi wrote the essay.

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A. Fill in the blanks with the correct tense form of the verb or the
auxiliary in the brackets.

1. He gave me as much advice as I …….(need)

2. Whenever I …..there, I remember my mother (go)
3. Though he came last of all, he ……the first to go. (be)
4. Keep these papers in your cupboard so that they ……be safe. may/might)
5. He has not come, just as I …… (think)
6. He …….write only if he has a pen. (can/could)
7. His writings were much better than I …..(expect)
8. There are more books here than I ….(imagine)
9. He talks as if he …… just returned from abroad. (has/had)
10. We took some food with us so that we did not …. On our way. (starve)

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B. The following passage has not been edited. There is one error in
each line. Underline each error and write the correction in the space
provided. The first correction has been done as an example.

A shoemaker named Simon, who had neither house or land nor

of his own, lived with his wife and children in the peasant’s hut ---------------
and earned his living by the work. Work was cheap but ---------------
bread was dear, and which he earned he spent for food. ---------------
The man and the wife had but one sheepskin coat ---------------
Among them for winter wear, and even that was worn to ---------------
Tatters, and this was the second year he had been wanted to---------------
Buy sheepskin for the new coat. Before winter Simon saved up ---------------
Few money: a three-rouble note lay hidden in his wife’s box. ---------------

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ANSWERS:

A shoemaker named Simon, who had neither house or land nor

of his own, lived with his wife and children in the peasant’s hut a

and earned his living by the work. Work was cheap but what

bread was dear, and which he earned he spent for food.

The man and the wife had but one sheepskin coat his

among them for winter wear, and even that was worn to between

tatters, and this was the second year he had been wanted to wanting

buy sheepskin for the new coat. Before winter Simon saved up sheepskins

few money: a three-Rouble note lay hidden in his wife’s box. A little
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Writing
WRITING TECHNICAL REPORTS
Some useful points to remember:
qTechnical reports are written on receiving instructions from a person in
authority.

q They are investigative in nature for they are written after studying or
surveying a subject area, a situation, the working of an industry, etc.

q Technical reports are most often used in making decisions.

q The first step in writing a technical report involves

the collection of data through investigations, inquiry, meetings, surveys, etc.

qThe second step is to arrange the information in a format used for the
purpose.

q The style and tone used in such reports is usually formal.

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Look at the format used to write technical reports and note how it
is divided into sections.
1. To appear on the front cover
- To: name of the person to whom the report is being sent
- From: name of the person writing the report
- Topic or title: a brief statement of the subject of the survey
- Date: when the report is being submitted
2. Introduction
- Terms of reference: answers the questions ‘Who instructed the writer to
prepare the report?’, ‘What was he or she asked to investigate?’ and
‘When was the report to be submitted?’
- Abstract: a summary often given with long reports so that busy
officials get their essential substance through a quick reading.
- Procedures followed: how the writer of the report collected
the necessary information 16
3. Findings
- a concise description of the situation in a simple, direct style
- problems/ strengths/weaknesses
- conclusions
4. Recommendations
- solutions
- advantages of suggested solutions
- cost implications, requirements, etc.

A technical report must be accompanied by a formal covering letter thanking

the person, persons or the organization concerned for assigning to you the task
of making the report and stating your availability for further discussions and
clarifications.

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Exercises
A. You are the designs engineer in a bicycle manufacturing company. The
general manager has received a new design and a prototype bicycle from a
small engineering firm. He has asked you to test the new bicycle thoroughly and
send him a report. Write the report in the form of a letter, following the model
given in the discussion. Plan your letter carefully. Mention the tests you have
carried out and the results. The notes below list some of the
features of the new bicycle.

cheaper – designed to carry more than one person – size reduced to make it
lighter and stronger – medium-sized wheels, to gain safety and stability and to
reduce cost – hub brakes instead of rim brakes – lamp and bell permanently
fixed on the bicycle – low crossbar – adjustable seat height

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B. Look at the following terms of reference forming part
of a report.

To investigate and evaluate the office procedure currently

followed in the customer care cell of the Delhi office and
recommend ways of streamlining the procedure to make it quicker
and more customer-friendly. A committee, consisting of the
managers of the Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai offices, was set up to
conduct the investigation and submit a report with its
recommendations on or before 1 October 2005.

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C. Write similar terms of reference for any one of the following
reports.
1. The management of a newspaper wants to start a weekly
magazine and has nominated a committee to make a study
of magazine readership in the state.
2. A committee consisting of professors and Education Department
officials has been formed to recommend reforms in the
examination system.
3. A committee of teachers and students is to study the functioning
of the college library.

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Report Writing Format

Paper size: A4

Front page

Topic/Title: Use of Solar Lights in Dharan Sub-Municipality

Name: Date:
Class : …….. Roll No. ………

Submitted to ……………………………
Head of Department

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Top spacing 2’0
Bottom 1’0
Left and Right indent 1’0
Font size Topic 18 Aerial Font
12 for general

Research Methodology:
MLA Modern Language Association
APA American Psychology Association
(most preferred in science stream) Please
check in the internet for sourcing citation.
Google/ Wikipedia.com/youtube
Next page
Index/Table of contentsTop spacing 2’0
Bottom 1’0
Left and Right indent 1’0
Font size Topic 18 Aerial Font
12 for general

Research Methodology:
MLA Modern Language Association
APA American Psychology Association (most
preferred in science stream) Please check in
the internet for sourcing citation. Google/
Wikipedia.com/youtube 22
! Introduction/ Summary
2
3
4
Summary
Introduction/ Abstract
Contents/ Research/ Reports
Conclusion
Citation/References/ acknowledgement
www.wikipedia.com>www.google.com>para
graph/ abstract/article no1234
Sharma R.K, Solar lights in Nepal, published
1990, Ekta Book ktm

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