12th English – Lesson 3 – Prose – In Celebration of Being Alive
12th English – Lesson 3 – Prose
– In Celebration of Being Alive
Warm Up
There are several
physically – challenged people who have lived successful and meaningful lives.
Here are a few personalities who have fought great odds and lived a life of blazing
achievements. Let’s share wdiat we know about each of them and complete the
table below.
Answer:
Name
of the Personality – Nature of Challenge – Field of achievement
e.g. Beethovan – Hearing impairment – Music
Demosthenes – Speech impaired – Oration
Helen Keller – Vision and multiple
disorders – Writing, Public Service
Mariyappan Thangavelu – Physically
handicapped – High Jump
Mozart – Hearing impairment – Music
John Milton – Hearing impairment – Poetry
Sudha Chandran – Hearing impairment – Dancing
1. Answer the following questions in one or two sentences based on
your understanding of the lesson.
(a)
What thoughts troubled Dr. Christiaan Barnard as he neared the end of his
career as a heart surgeon?
Answer:
Towards the end of his career, Dr. Christiaan Barnard was troubled by the
suffering of people and especially of young children. He could not accept the
fact that 12 million children are unlikely to reach the age of one and about 6
million children die annually before reaching the age of five.
(b)
What were Dr. Barnard’s feelings when he was hospitalized after an accident?
Answer:
He experienced not only agony but also anger after they had met with an
accident. He had eleven broken ribs and perforated lungs. His wife had a badly
fractured shoulder. He could not understand why they should undergo pain when
they had other important things to do in life during that time.
(c)
When and where did the accident occur?
Answer:
He and his wife were crossing the road after a lovely meal. A car hit him and knocked
him ’ into his wife. His wife was thrown into the other lane and was struck by
a car coming in the opposite direction.
(d)
How did the hospitalization of Dr. Barnard and his wife affect their routine?
Answer:
As a heart surgeon, he had to operate many heart patients. He was helpless as
he had perforated lungs and broken ribs. His wife could not take care of the
baby. Thus the routine life of both Dr. Barnard and his wife was affected
adversely.
(e)
How was Dr. Barnard’s attitude to suffering different from that of his
father’s?
Answer:
Dr. Barnard’s father accepted suffering as God’s will. He also believed that
suffering ennobles humans. But Dr. Barnard found no meaning in the agony and
suffering of patients and especially of the young children.
(f)
How was the unattended trolley put to use?
Answer:
The unattended trolley was used as a car for a race (Grand prix of Cape Town’s
Red cross childrens’ hospital) within the hospital.
(g)
What roles did the duo take up?
Answer:
The unattended trolley was commandeered by a crew of two boys. One served as
the driver and the other as a mechanic.
(h)
Why did the choice of roles prove to be easy for them?
Answer:
The mechanic provided motor power by galloping along behind the trolley with
his head down. The driver steered the trolley by scraping his foot on the
floor. The choice of the roles was easy because the mechanic was totally blind
and the driver had only one arm.
(i)
Who encouraged them and how?
Answer:
They were encouraged by laughter and shouts of encouragement from the rest of
the patients.
(j)
What does Dr. Barnard compare this entertainment to?
Answer:
Dr. Barnard compared the trolley race as much better entertainment than
anything anyone puts on at the Indianapolis 500 car race.
(k)
What happened in the grand finale?
Answer:
There was a grand finale of scattered plates and silverware before the nurse
and ward sister caught up with them.
(l)
How does Dr. Barnard know the boy who played the trolley’s driver?
Answer:
Dr. Barnard knew the trolley’s driver better. He had successfully closed a hole
in his heart a few years back.
(m)
What was the profound lesson that Dr. Barnard learnt from the boys?
Answer:
The boys had taught Dr. Barnard the lesson in getting on with the business of
living. The business of living is the celebration of being alive.
2. Answer the following questions in three or four sentences.
(а)
Detail the statistics Dr. Barnard has provided in his speech.
Answer:
Of the 125 million children bom that year, 12 million are unlikely to reach the
age of one. Another six million will die before the age of five. Among the
rest, many will end up as mental or physical cripples.
(b)
What happened when the doctor couple were crossing the street?
Answer:
After a nice meal, Dr. Barnard and his wife were crossing the street. A car hit
the doctor. He dashed against his wife who was thrown on the other side of the
road. She was hit by another car from the opposite side.
(c)
What injuries did they sustain in the accident?
Answer:
Dr. Barnard had eleven broken ribs. A lung was profoundly perforated. His wife
had a badly fractured shoulder.
(d)
Dr. Barnard couldn’t find any nobility in suffering. Why?
Answer:
As a doctor, he does not find any nobility in suffering. There is nothing noble
in a patient’s thrashing around in a sweat-soaked bed, mind clouded in agony.
He was against his dad’s faith that suffering ennobles human beings.
(e)
Why does Dr. Barnard find suffering of children heartbreaking?
Answer:
He has always found suffering of young children heart-breaking. Especially
because they have total faith in doctors. They believe doctors will help. They
don’t complain even after undergoing a mutilating surgery.
(f)
How did the boy who played the mechanic lose his eyesight?
Answer:
The mechanic was seven years old. One night, when his drunk father tortured his
mom, she threw a lantern at him. The lantern broke over the child’s head and
shoulders. He suffered third degree bums on the upper part of his body and lost
both of his eyes.
(g) Why
does Dr. Barnard describe the blind boy as a ‘walking horror’?
Answer:
At the time of the grand prix, the boy was a walking horror. His face was
disfigured. A long flap of skin was hanging from the side of his neck to his
body. As the wound healed around his neck, his lower jaw became gripped in a
mass of fibrous tissue. The only way he could open his mouth was to raise his
head.
(h)
What were the problems the trolley driver suffered from?
Answer:
The trolley’s driver had a malignant tumour of the bone. A few days before the
race, his shoulder and arm were amputated. There was no hope of recovery.
3. Answer the following in a paragraph of 100 – 150 words each.
(a)
Give an account of the medical problems for which the two boys were
hospitalized.
Answer:
The
seven years old mechanic suffered third degree bums on the upper part of his
body. He had lost both his eyes. He was literally a walking horror. He was
disfigured. A long flap of skin w as hanging from the side of his neck to his
body. As the wound healed around his neck, his lower jaw became gripped in a
mass of fibrous tissue. The trolley driver had a malignant tumour of the bone.
A few days before the race, his shoulder and arm were amputated. There was
little hope of his recovery. If two adults had similar ailments, they would
have got dejected with life. But the boys were just happy celebrating the joy
of being alive.
(b)
“These two children had given me a profound lesson …” Elucidate.
Answer:
The
author had self-pity and was cursing the accident that had caused him and his
wife great pain and inconveniences in the daily routine. But the two little
boys, one almost scarred to death with both eyes gone and the other with
amputated arm and no hope of recovery wrere together celebrating the joy of being
alive. They minded the business of living ignoring pain, surgery and the sickly
environment. Dr. Barnard leamt the lesson from the children that the business
of living is joy in the real sense of the w ord. It was not just something for
pleasure, amusement or recreation. The business of living is the celebration of
being alive.
(c)
Describe the ‘Grand Prix’ at Cape Town’s Red Cross Children’s Hospital.
Answer:
The
author describes the event as “the Grand Prix of Cape Town’s Red Cross
Childrens’ Hospital”. A nurse had left a breakfast trolley unattended. Very
soon this trolley was commandeered by a daring crew of two, a driver and a
mechanic. The mechanic provided motor power by galloping along behind the
trolley head down. While the driver, seated on the lower deck held on with one
hand and steered it by scrapping his foot on the floor. The choice of roles wag
easy because the mechanic was totally blind and the driver had only one arm. It
was better than Indianapolis 500 car race. Patients shouted and cheered the
boys. There was a grand finale of scattered plates and silverware before the
nurse and ward sister took control of the situation.
(d)
How did a casual incident in a hospital help Dr. Barnard perceive a new
dimension of life?
Answer:
Initially
Dr. Barnard was grumbling. He wondered why on earth he and his wife should have
been subjected to agony and inconvenience. He couldn’t take his dad’s view that
suffering ennobles human beings. But the little boys taught him a profound
lesson of life. One should get on with the business of living irrespective of
whatever misfortune strikes one. You don’t become a better person because you
suffered, your suffering does not ennoble you. But you become a better person
because you have experienced suffering. It is not what you have lost is
important. What is important is what you have left. We can appreciate light
better once we have experienced darkness. Similarly, we can appreciate warmth
only after experiencing cold.
(e)
Life is unjust and cruel to certain people. Do they all resign themselves to
their fate? Can you think of some who have fought their disabilities heroically
and remained a stellar example for others? (for e.g. the astrophysicist Stephen
Hawking, a paraplegic). Give an account of one such person and his/her struggle
to live a fruitful life.
Answer: Alexis Leon lives in Kakkanad, Kerala.
He passed B.Tech from the university of Kerala with first rank. Then he did his
M.Tech. He met w ith an accident in 1993 which left him paralysed from chest
down and confined him to a wheel chair for the rest of his life. After a brief
spell of dejection owing to a suspended marriage, he made up his mind to write
books. He has written 50 books for Engineering graduates.
His notable w’ork
is ‘Internet for Everyone’ and ‘A Guide to Software Configuration Management’.
He is also a mentor at International Mentoring Network Association. He offers
software consultancy to international IT companies. He travels across the world
and delivers lectures to graduates and Corporates. His indomitable will has
made him strong. He has become a light house for many aspirants in the software
industry.
Vocabulary
1. More and more, as I near the end of my
career as a heart surgeon, my thoughts have turned to the consideration of why people
should suffer. Suffering seems so cruelly prevalent in the world today. Do you
know that of the 125 million children born this year, 12 million are unlikely
to reach the age of one and another six million will die before the age of
five? And, of the rest, many will end up as mental or physical cripples.
2. My gloomy thoughts probably stem from an
accident I had a few years ago. One minute I was crossing the street with my
wife after a lovely meal together, and the next minute a car had hit me and knocked
me into my wife. She was thrown into the other lane and struck by a car coming
from the opposite direction.
3. During the next few days in the
hospital, I experienced not only agony and fear but also anger. I could not
understand why my wife and I had to suffer. I had eleven broken ribs and a
perforated lung. My wife had a badly fractured shoulder. Over and over, I asked
myself, why should this happen to us? I had work to do, after all; there were
patients waiting for me to operate on them. My wife had a young
baby who needed her care
4. My father, had he still been alive,
would have said: “My son, it’s God’s will. That’s the way God tests you.
Suffering ennobles you – makes you a better person.”
5. But, as a doctor, I see nothing noble in
a patient’s thrashing around in a sweat-soaked bed, mind clouded in agony. Nor
can I see any nobility in the crying of a lonely child in a ward at night.
6. In those days, they didn’t have
sophisticated heart surgery. I have always found the suffering of children
particularly heartbreaking–especially because of their total trust in doctors
and nurses. They believe you are going to help them. If you can’t they accept
their fate. They go through mutilating surgery, and afterwards they don’t
complain.
7. One morning, several years ago, I
witnessed what I call the Grand Prix of Cape Town’s Red Cross Children’s
Hospital. It opened my eyes to the fact that I was missing something in all my
thinking about suffering – something basic that was full of solace for me.
8. What happened there that morning was
that a nurse had left a breakfast trolley unattended. And very soon this
trolley was commandeered by an intrepid crew of two – a driver and a mechanic.
The mechanic provided motor power by galloping along behind the trolley with
his head down, while the driver, seated on the mower deck, held on with one
hand and steered by scraping his foot on the floor. The choice of roles was
easy because the mechanic was totally blind and the driver had only one arm.
9. They put on quite a show that day.
Judging by the laughter and shouts of encouragement from the rest of the
patients, it was a much better entertainment than anything anyone puts on at
the Indianapolis 500 car race. There was a grand finale of scattered plates and
silverware before the nurse and ward sister caught up with them, scolded them
and put them back to bed.
10. Let me tell you about these two. The
mechanic was all of seven years old. One night, when his mother and father were
drunk, his mother threw a lantern at his father, missed and the lantern broke
over the child’s head and shoulders. He suffered severe third-degree burns on
the upper part of his body, and lost both his eyes.
At the time of the Grand Prix, he was a
walking horror, with a disfigured face and long flap of skin hanging from the
side of his neck to his body. As the wound healed around his neck, his lower
jaw became gripped in a mass of fibrous tissue. The only way this little boy
could open his mouth was to raise his head. When I stopped by to see him after
the race, he said, “You know, we won.” And he was laughing.
11. The trolley’s driver I knew better. A
few years earlier, I had successfully closed a hole in his heart. He had
returned to the hospital because he had a malignant tumour of the bone. A few
days before the race, his shoulder and arm were amputated. There was little
hope of his recovery. After the Grand Prix, he proudly informed me that the
trolley’s wheels were not properly oiled, but he was a good driver, and he had
full confidence in the mechanic.
12. Suddenly, I realized that these two
children had given me a profound lesson in getting on with the business of
living. Because the business of living is joy in the real sense of the word,
not just something for pleasure, amusement, recreation. The business of living
is the celebration of being alive.
13. I had been looking at suffering from
the wrong end. You don’t become a better person because you are suffering; but
you become a better person because you have experienced suffering. We can’t
appreciate light if we haven’t known darkness. Nor can we appreciate warmth if
we have never suffered cold. These children showed me that it’s not what you’ve
lost that’s important. What is important is what you have left
(a) Go through the lesson and spot the words which mean the same as
the following.
profession (para 1)
sorrowful (para 2)
decency (para 5)
destiny (para 6)
hijacked (para 8)
motivation (para 9)
serious (para 10)
significant (para
13)
Answer:
career
gloomy
nobility
fate
commandeered
encouragement
severe
important
(b) Go through the lesson and spot the words opposite to the
meaning of the following.
rare (para 1)
primitive (para 6)
fiction (para 7)
fearful (para 8)
benign (para 11)
diffidence (para
11)
boredom (para 12)
criticize (para 13)
Answer:
prevalent
sophisticated
fact
intrepid
malignant
confidence
recreation
appreciate
(c) Frame illustrative sentences to distinguish the meaning of the
words in the following clusters.
1.
career – carrier – courier
Answer: A
J. Cronin started his career as a doctor but eventually became a writer.
The curry spilled over as the tiffin
carrier lid was not tightly closed.
The courier office is closed on Sundays.
2.
patients – patience – patents
Answer: I
saw a large number of patients standing in queue in front of the Government
Hospital.
The patience of the gardener got paid well
when the garden bloomed.
No other scientist in the world has got so
many patents as Edison did.
3.
accident – incident – incidence
Answer: The
accident took place in front of the hospital.
The incident of the French camp is an
interesting poem.
The rising incidence of cross border terror
attacks has annoyed India.
4.
scraping – scrapping – scrubbing
Answer:
Scraping of NEET
may help rural students to get into Government Medical Colleges.
Anil Ambani’s
company suffered through several bankruptcies, resulting in scrapping of many
deals.
After scrubbing the
stains for a long time, she found that the stain was gone but the cloth had got
damaged.
5.
accept – except – expect
Answer:
Don’t accept bribe.
Except Raghu all
had paid the fees for NEET coaching.
Those who don’t
expect much gain a lot in life.
6.
lesson – lessen – lesion
Answer: Dr.
Barnard leamt a great lesson from the two disabled kids.
This medicine will lesson the pain.
The protruding thorn caused a lesion in his
forearm.
7.
severe – sever – sewer
Answer:
Prime Minister of
India warned Pakistan of severe consequences of Pulwana terror attack.
It is difficult to
sever the relationship on flimsy reasons.
Madras Corporation
has invested a lot in laying underground sewer.
8.
raise – rise – rice
Answer: The
philanthropist raised funds for the benefit of relations of those warriors who
laid down their lives in Pulwana.
“The rise and fall of Roman empire” is an
interesting book.
Many poor people do not use the ration rice
but exchange it for other items.
9.
quiet – quite – quit
Answer: Sheela
lives in her quiet cottage in Chengalpattu with her retired husband.
Life in Coimbatore is quite expensive.
Some players, who are jealous of Dhoni’s
reputation, want him to quit before the world cup matches.
10.
final – finale – feline
Answer: You
must be relaxed before the final examination.
The performance of the child with autism in
super singer in the grand finale was amazing.
I have a young feline pet who is very
naughty.
(d) Fill in the blanks with the words given in brackets.
[profound, amusement, confidence, agony,
solace, intrepid, disfigured, perforated]
Theatrical plays were a main source of
________ before the advent of television.of police.
The ________ warriors of the Spartan Army
marched into battle against a powerful enemy.
The ________ of parents finally came to an
end when their lost child was found with the help
Social media has brought about a ________
impact on the lives of millennial.
The tyres of the car got ________ when the
vehicle rolled over the rusted nails scattered on the road.
Thomas Alva Edison did not lose his
________ , even after facing a series of experimental’ failures in his quest to
discover tungsten.
Many victims of the pipeline explosion in
an oil refinery were left permanently ________
The old lady found ________ in the company
of the children in the neighbourhood
Answer:
amusement
intrepid
agony
profound
perforated
confidence
disfigured
solace
(e) Form a phrase with each of the
muscle + pain – muscular pain
skeleton + system – skeletal system
nerve + disorder – nervous disorder
digestion + enzymes – digestive enzyme
surgery + instruments – surgical
instruments
agony + experience – agonising experience
glory + victory – glorious victory
fancy + idea – fanciful idea
emotion + song – emotional song
sense + issue – sensitive issue
(f) Fill the empty boxes with suitable
words under each word class.
Answer:
| NOUN | VERB | ADJECTIVE | ADVERB |
|---|---|---|---|
| amusement | amuse | amusing | amusingly |
| appreciation | appreciate | appreciative | appreciably |
| success | succeed | successful | successfully |
| pride | be proud | proud | proudly |
| hope(n) | hope (v) | hopeful | hopefully |
(g) Spot the errors in the following sentences and rewrite them
correctly.
1. My
grandfather is well-known in the village for his nobel deeds.
Answer: My
grandfather is well-known in the village for his noble deeds.
2. I
had my evening meals in a restaurant near my office.
Answer: I
had my dinner in a restaurant near my office.
3. The
Boss had full confidence on his Manager for successful completion of the
project.
Answer: The
Boss had full confidence in his Manager for successful completion of the
project.
4. After
the complicated surgery, the patient hoped of complete recovery.
Answer: After
the complicated surgery, the patient hoped for complete recovery.
5. The
new health care scheme announced by the Government will bring relief to the
children suffering with acute tuberculosis.
Answer: The
new health care scheme announced by the Government will bring relief to the
children suffering from acute tuberculosis.
6. In
spite of his poverty and setbacks, he was able to launch his dream carrier.
Answer: In
spite of his poverty and setbacks, he was able to launch his dream career.
Listening Activity
Listen to the passage being read out. Based
on your understanding, complete the statements given below with appropriate
answers.
Boredom
We have all experienced boredom sometime or
the other. Boredom occurs when a person is unable to stay attentive. It is
something more than an unpleasant feeling. It can make you angry and frustrated
and lead to negative physical health consequences.
How boredom affects one physically
A study reveals that when a person is
affected by acute boredom his eyelids droop and the face assumes a frown. There
is a gradual loss of ability to coordinate movements. These symptoms are
accompanied by mental fatigue and a slowing down of thought processes. A bored
person at work is likely to make many more errors than one who is not bored. We
should never let boredom take charge. There are several easy ways to overcome
boredom.
Here are a few practical suggestions:
Set goals for yourself, work towards them.
Develop an interest in hobbies and crafts.
Socialize, stay in the company of cheerful
people.
Take up a charitable cause.
Exercise regularly.
Coming out of boredom will feel like
breaking free from a cold, dark room into the outdoors on a warm, sunny day
Questions:
Boredom occurs when a person is unable to
______ and ______ are emotional
consequences of boredom.
Two physical signs of acute boredom are (a)
______ (b) ______
How does boredom affect the quality of work
a person does?
Mention two ways by which one can overcome
boredom. (a) ______ (b) ______
Answer:
stay attentive
Anger, frustration
(a) Drooping eyelids, (b) Frown
A bored person commits a lot of errors in
his work.
(a) Goal setting, (b) stay in the company
of cheerful people
Speaking Activity
1.
You are rushing to attend to an important work and you witness an accident on
your way. Will you go to the rescue of the injured person? Share your views
with the class.
Answer: There
is nothing more valuable than a human life. I would suspend whatever important
work I have in hand and call 108 and summon the ambulance. I will try to get
the contact number . of the next of kin of the injured person if he/she is
conscious. I will inform them the incident without causing panic. I will
accompany the injured person to the hospital. In our NSS team, we have blood
donors whatsapp group. I will find out if blood is required and inform in my
blood donor group to ensure blood donation to the injured person. Only after
the doctor confirms that the injured person is out of danger, I will leave the
place.
I draw my inspiration to help people in
distress from the life of Abraham Lincoln. He was a budding lawyer. He had to
walk 2 hours to reach the court. On his way, he found a pig sinking in mud and
grunting in agony. It was scared that it would die. Abraham Lincoln was on his
only best dress. He just got into the mud, lifted the pig and left him safely
on the hard surface. As he reached the court everyone laughed at his dirty coat
but Abraham Lincoln just smiled and argued well in favour of his innocent
client and got him acquitted too.
2.
Every person should take up the responsibility to serve the society in his or
her own way. Discuss the various ways in which you can serve the society.
Answer: Elders
keep on telling that students should not enter into politics, instead should
focus on studies and scoring high marks. I’ve a sincere feeling that life is
more than marks. Students can do a lot of service which would certainly make
the society a better place. Though the state government has banned the use of
single use plastics, it is widely used. Hot sambar curry and tea are packed in
small plastic bags. People just use them.
We can generate awareness to all sellers
and buyers in places where large number of people gather that by eating hot
things from single use plastic bags, we are increasing the chances of getting
cancer.The plastic covers thrown away blatantly does not degenerate for
hundreds of years, it does not allow percolation of rain water and soon after
rain, we suffer from water scarcity. The rain water runs away and joins the
oceans.
We can tell the importance of rain water
harvesting and make farming practises economically viable. During elections we
can campaign for judicious use of voting rights to elect a person who has both
the capacity and love for citizens to serve without expecting anything in
return. We can also spread hygiene among the masses.
(a)
Pair work: Practise the dialogue with another student. Then write a similar
dialogue between a student and the class teacher regarding an educational trip.
Teacher : We plan to go on an excursion.
Student A : Where sir?
Teacher : We will discuss and finalise it
today.
Student B : Sir, how about Vandaloor Zoo?
Teacher : it is a very hot season now, all
the animals will be taking shelter under distant trees
Student A : We can’t see all of them. What
about Vedanthangal?
Teacher : No, only after the rains foreign
birds visit it.
Student B : What about Birla Planetarium?
Teacher : Fine, that is a good choice. We
will go there next week.
(b)
Build a conversation for the following situations with a minimum of five
exchanges.
1. A passenger and a railway staff
regarding the cancellation of the reserved tickets.
Passenger : Sir, I want to cancel a ticket.
Clerk : When was the journey planned?
Passenger : Sir, next Monday, the 23rd of
March.
Clerk : Well, still three days are there.
Passenger : This is my ticket and take the
filled in cancellation form. Tell me sir, how much will you deduct.
Clerk : Well, we will deduct only the
reservation charges and you will get the balance amount. Take the money and
count it, it is Rs. 280/ Thank you sir.
2.
Two friends about the NSS camp which they are going to attend.
Tarun : I am leaving for NSS camp.
Kavin : How many days?
Tarun : One week.
Kavin : Where are you going?
Tarun : To Madagupatti.
Kavin : That village has no electricity.
Tarun : Yes. That’s why we are going there
to help them in small possible ways.
Kavin : What will you do?
Tarun : We will deepen the lakes, clean the
streets, remove the unneeded thorny
Kavin : bushes from the school and temple
premises.
Tarun : That is a lot of work.
Kavin : We will conduct a medical camp with
the help of doctors too.
Tarun : Sounds exciting. Can I join you?
Tarun : No, brother. Wait till you become
old enough to become a volunteer.
Kavin : Well, I’m ten years old already.
3. A
salesman and a customer at an electronic shop.
Customer : Good evening sir.
Salesman : Good evening. What shall I do
for you?
Customer : We bought a Smart TV last week.
It is not working properly.
Salesman : May be the problem is with your
dish antenna or cable connection.
Customer : No, the fault is only with the
TV.
Salesman : Please leave your address and
phone number. I will send the TV mechanic in half an hour.
Customer : Thanks.
4. A
father and his daughter about the advantages of the habit of newspaper-
reading.
Father : Maydhini my dear, you must read
newspapers daily.
Maydhini : How does it help dad? Will they
ask questions in the examination from them?
Father : No, newspapers help you know about
the world.
Maydhini : I’m a small girl. Are there
sections in a newspaper which will have things to my taste?
Father : Why not? You read young world in
the Hindu. In fact, children write and send things to be published here.
Maydhini : Can I send my puzzles and
paintings?
Father : Yes, of course.
Maydhini : Ok dad, I will read newspaper
everyday.
(c) Extend the conversation with two more relevant exchanges.
1. Receptionist : Good evening, sir.
Welcome to Chennai.
Traveller : I would like to book a deluxe
room in your hotel for 3 days.
Receptionist : (i) ________
Traveller :(ii) ________
Receptionist :(iii) ________
Traveller :(iv) ________
Answer:
(i) How many people intend to stay sir?
(ii) Three members
(iii) For Deluxe A/C room the charge is Rs.
5000/- per day and for Non A/C it is Rs. 3500/-
(iv) If it includes GST, please book Deluxe
A/C room. Take my card and book the room.
2.
Student : Good morning, sir. May I come in?
Teacher : Good morning, why are you late
today?
Student : (i) ________
Teacher : (ii) ________
Student : (iii) ________
Teacher : (iv) ________
Answer:
(i) There was a traffic jam sir.
(ii) Why?
(iii) A political party had staged a
protest blocking the vehicles. I was stranded and helpless.
(iv) Oh! The politicians should keep in
mind the difficulties common people face when doing such protests. Okay, go to
your seat now.
Reading
Read the passage given below and answer the
questions that follow.
Humans have long been fascinated by
fiction. We experience excitement in assigning supernatural power to imaginary
characters in fictional stories – and so we have Spider man, Batman, He man,
Titans and many more. The ‘Cyborg’ was an offshoot of such wild imagination of
humans to invest our species with superhuman powers. Today, the Cyborg is no
more an imaginary organism. We are living in a world where a sizeable
population of humans have merged their bodies with technological implants. The
term ‘Cyborg’, short for ‘cybernetic organism’, was coined to describe a man,
whose body is implanted with technological devices to supplement and substitute
body functions.
Cyborgs include people with cardiac
pacemakers, contact lenses, bionic ears and eyes, prosthetics and so on. In
other words, a cyborg is partly human and partly machine. The technological
innovations in the field of medicine and healthcare augment humans with
machines, producing a beta version of the human body. The advent of brain
machine interfaces is certain to blur the boundary between humans and machines.
Scientists are working hard to find a technique for age reversal too. People do
not want to die, so mankind is striving to get to the final frontier, which is
development of machines and devices that would accord man immortality.
The needs of humans are not limited. As
time passes, food habits change, thinking patterns change, and even appearances
change. We are about to travel by driverless, folly automated vehicles.
Computers and smart phones have become our masters. The more we depend and
merge with technological advancements, the more the humanness in us slowly
erodes. Intelligence is sought to be infused into machines and robotics are
designed in such a way to give man a virtual human companion.
The field of artificial intelligence is
overtaking the human brain and many fear that it could even harm the human
race. Despite certain limitations and potential threats, many believe that
cyborgs will be the next step in the evolution of mankind. The amalgamation of
man and machine is sure to add a new dimension to the life of mankind and this
will prove to be the ‘biggest evolution in Biology’ since the emergence of
life, four billion years ago.
(a) Account
for the popularity’ of characters with supernatural powers.
Answer: Human
beings want to achieve things far above their natural capacity. The superheroes
like Spiderman, Batman and He man do great feats on screen. So, people like
them.
(b) Who
is referred to as a ‘Cyborg’?
Answer: Cyborg
is a man whose body is implanted with technological devices to supplement and
substitute body functions.
(c) What
is expected to happen with the advent of the brain machine interface?
Answer: The
advent of brain machine interface is certain to blur the boundary between
machines and humans.
(d) The
needs of humans are not limited. How is this statement elaborated in the
passage?
Answer: As
the time passes, food habits change, thinking patterns change, even appearances
change. We are about to travel by driverless, folly automated vehicles.
(e) How
can a machine turn into a virtual companion for humans?
Answer: Intelligence
is sought to be infused into machines and robots are designed in such a way to
give man a virtual human companion.
(f) Explain
the flipside of the rapid technological advancement.
Answer: The
more we depend and merge with technological advancements, the humanness in us
slowly erodes.
(g) Identify
the word in para 2 which means ‘everlasting life’.
Answer: Immortality
in para 2 means ‘everlasting life’.
(h) Which
of the following words is synonymous with ‘amalgamation’?
(a) recreation
(b) integration
(c) exploration
(d) proposition
Answer: (b)
integration
(i)Which
of the following options is the antonym of the word ‘advent’?
(a) drawback
(b) dispute
(c) departure
(d) danger
Answer: (c)
departure
(J) Find
out the word which is the antonym of ‘natural’ in para 2.
Answer: Prosthetics
Grammar
Tenses
Task 1
Change
the following sentences into Passive Voice.
(a) The Governor inaugurated the exhibition
at ten o’ clock.
Answer: The
exhibition was inaugurated by the Governor at ten o’ clock
(b) The
crowd expected their leader to arrive early in the morning.
Answer: The
leader was expected to arrive early in the morning.
(c) Who
taught her Computer Science?
Answer: By
who was she taught Computer Science.
(d) They
unanimously named Ravi the captain of team.
Answer: Ravi
was named the captain of the team unanimously.
(e) The
President gave the commander an award.
Answer: An
award was given to the commander by the president.
(f) Do
not tell a lie.
Answer: Let
not a lie be told.
(g) Please
open the door.
Answer: Let
the door be opened please.
(h) It
is time to stop the work.
Answer: It
is time for the work to be stopped.
(i)They
say he is a spy.
Answer: It
is said that he is a spy.
(j)One
should keep one’s promise.
Answer: Promise
must be kept.
(k) People
burn a great deal of w ood in winter.
Answer: A
great deal of wood is burnt in the winter by people.
(l) Where
had you kept the book?
Answer: Where
had the book been kept by you?
(m) When
did you feel the tremors?
Answer: When
was the tremors felt by you?
(n) How
did you do the experiment?
Answer: How
was the experiment done by you?
(o) Whose
car did someone park in front of your gate?
Answer: Whose
car was parked in front of your gate?
Task 2
Change the following sentences into Active Voice.
(а) The
smuggler has been nabbed by the police.
Answer: The
police have nabbed the smuggler.
(b) By
whom were you interviewed?
Answer: Who
interviewed you?
(c) Why
were you scolded by your parents?
Answer: Why
did your parents scold you?
(d) Not
a word was spoken by the convict in self-defence.
Answer: The
convict spoke not a word in self-defence.
(e) Good
news is expected shortly.
Answer: We
expect good news shortly.
(f) The
mail has just been received.
Answer: We
have received the mail just now.
(g) Sundari
has been taken to hospital by her husband.
Answer: Sundari’s
husband has taken her to the hospital.
(h) Our
television is being repaired now.
Answer: We
are repairing our TV now.
(i)Sweets
have not been distributed to children by the organisers.
Answer: The
organization have not distributed sweets to children.
(j) Prizes
were being given by the chief guest.
Answer: The
chief guest was giving prizes.
(k) Nobody
has been seen in the library this week.
Answer: The
librarian has not seen anybody in the library this week.
(l) Nobody
would have known the truth if you had not disclosed it.
Answer: Nobody
will know the truth if you have not disclosed it.
(m) You
are advised to help the poor and needy.
Answer: Help
the poor and the needy.
(n) You
are requested to make a cup of tea for the guest.
Answer: Please
make a cup of tea for the guest.
Interrogations Or Questions
Task 1
Add suitable question tags to the following sentences and punctuate
properly.
1.The
children are very happy today.
Answer: The
children are very happy today, aren’t they?
2.You
have not returned my books yet.
Answer: You
have not returned my books yet, have you?
3.We
enjoyed the trip very much.
Answer: We
enjoyed the trip very much, didn’t we?
4. Let’s
clean the shelves this weekend.
Answer: Let’s
clean the shelves this weekend, shall we?
5.My
mother rarely travels by bus.
Answer: My
mother rarely travels by bus, does she?
6.Somebody
must bell the cat.
Answer: Somebody
must bell the cat, mustn’t they?
7.Anita
never comes late to office.
Answer: Anita
never comes late to office, does she?
8.Iam
always the winner.
Answer: I
am always the winner, aren’t I?
9.Don’t
commit this mistake again.
Answer: Don’t
commit this mistake again, will you?
10.There
is a pharmacy near that bus stand.
Answer: There
is a pharmacy near that bus stand, isn’t it?
11.Bacteria
can never survive in extreme weather conditions.
Answer: Bacteria
can never survive in extreme weather conditions, can it?
12.I
am not as smart as you are.
Answer: I
am not as smart as you are, am I?
13.The
boys broke the window pane last evening.
Answer: The
boys broke the window pane last evening, didn’t they?
14.Leaves
wither during autumn.
Answer: Leaves
wither during autumn, don’t they?
15.You
should add a little salt to the buttermilk.
Answer: You
should add a little salt to the buttermilk, shouldn’t you?
Task 2
Correct the error found in the question tag in each of the
following.
1.The
evil doers cannot cross the path of truth, can’t they?
Answer: The
evil doers cannot cross the path of truth, can they?
2.The
vegetables in the fridge are still fresh, aren’t it?
Answer: The
vegetables in the fridge are still fresh, aren’t they?
3.The
village head understood the intention of the politician, doesn’t he?
Answer: The
village head understood the intention of the politician, didn’t he?
4.I
claim to be a person of faith and prayer, aren’t I?
Answer: I
claim to be a person of faith and prayer, don’t I?
5.The
employees are seldom allowed to meet their boss, aren’t they?
Answer: The
employees are seldom allowed to meet their boss, are they?
6.Let’s
organize a trip to Goa, can we?
Answer: Let’s
organize a trip to Goa, shall we?
7.The
landlady will charge me for the damage, shan’t she?
Answer: The
landlady will charge me for the damage, won’t she?
8.Both
the sisters have left for Canada, aren’t they?
Answer: Both
the sisters have left for Canada, haven’t they?
9.That’s
definitely not the right thing to do in this situation, isn’t that?
Answer: That’s
definitely not the right thing to do in this situation, isn’t it?
10.We
needn’t apply for a bank loan, do we?
Answer: We
needn’t apply for a bank loan, need we?
11.The
Chief Guest spoke a few words, did he?
Answer: The
Chief Guest spoke a few words, didn’t he?
12.The
rhinoceros has a horn made of keratin, haven’t they?
Answer: The
rhinoceros has a horn made of keratin, hasn’t it?
Writing
Story Writing
Task 1
Expand the following outlines into complete stories and supply a
suitable title for each.
1.Big
cotton merchant – owned a factory – many employees – one day a heap of cotton
stolen – no clue – merchant’s secretary assured to find out – asked him to host
dinner – invite all workers – merchant agreed – middle of feast – secretary
suddenly shouted – cotton sticking to hair of thieves – the guilty dusted their
heads – tried to clear – caught in the trap – punished.
Answer:
Once upon a time
there was a big cotton merchant. He owned a factory. Many employees were
working in it. One day a bale of cotton was stolen. The merchant had no clue as
to who might have stolen the bale of cotton. The merchant’s secretary assured
him that she will find out the thief. She asked him to host a dinner and invite
all the workers. Merchant agreed. When the feast was in progress, the secretary
shouted suddenly, “There is cotton sticking on to the hair of the thieves. The
guilty ones involuntarily dusted their heads to clear it. They were caught
unawares. They were sacked from their jobs as a punishment for their theft.
2. Mr.
X, a rich businessman – runs a company – always very busy with office work –
one day his son – 10 years old – approaches dad and asks – how much he earns in
one hour – father gets furious – boy persuades – father says Rs. 500 –
immediately son asks for ’ Rs. 300 – father shouts – wasting money on toys –
son leaves to his room crying – father feels bad – thinks might need some
stationery – enters boy’s room and gives money – boy becomes happy – takes some
crumpled notes – under his pillow – counts everything together – total Rs.500 –
gives it to dad – wants to buy – one hour of his time – father realizes his
mistake – feels sorry and guilty – hugs son – closes all office files – takes
him on a picnic – decides to spend more time w ith near and dear ones.
Answer:
Mr. X is a rich
business man. He runs a company. He is always busy with his office work. Like a
snail, he carries his office work everywhere. His young son one day asks him,
“How much do you earn in an hour?” The father gets furious and refuses to
reply. But the son coaxes him to give the answer. The father grudgingly says,
“Rs. 500/- an hour.” Immediately the boy asks his dad to give him three hundred
rupees. He reprimands his son for trying to waste his hard earned money. The
boy cries and goes to the bedroom without dinner. The father feels guilty.
He realises that
the boy might really need the money for buying some stationary. He gives him
three hundred rupees. The next moment, the boy collected all the crumpled notes
from under his pillow. Dad asks, “why did you ask for money when you have so
much?” Without replying the boy handed him Rs. 500/- and said, “this is the
amount you earn in an hour, I have given you that money. Now will you spend an
hour with me?” The father realises his mistake. He suspends his work and takes
the boy out on a picnic. Then onwards he regularly spends time with near and
dear ones.
Task 2
Continue and complete the following stories and suggest suitable
titles for the same.
1. A
rich man had a neighbour who was suffering from acute poverty. The rich man was
proud of his wealth and treated his poor neighbour with disrespect and
derision. One day, a fortune-teller told the rich man that all his wealth would
be possessed by his neighbour within a month. The rich man became greatly
worried and spent sleepless nights. He did not know how to safeguard his wealth
round the clock. Suddenly he thought of a plan. He disposed of everything he
had and with all that money, he bought a large, precious diamond. He sewed up the
diamond in his turban. He proudly said to himself, “Now, there’s no way. My
poor neighbour can never secure my wealth. The words of the fortune-teller will
prove false.” _______
Answer:
Once, he had to go
to a distant town with his merchandise. His poor neighbour’s wife came to
borrow the turban on the occasion of attending a marriage function in the town.
The rich man’s wife wasn’t aware of the value of the turban. She gave it to
him. This poor neighbour wore the turban proudly and attended the wedding. When
he was returning, he had a feeling that something hurt like a stone. On
reaching home, he took a needle and untied the stitches.
He was amazed at
the hidden diamond. He threw the turban into the rich man’s compound and
vacated the house at night and ran away with his family. When the rich man
returned, he saw the turban lying in his compound. He shouted at his wife for
not keeping the turban in its proper place. He hurriedly took the turban and
touched at the bottom. He was shocked to find the diamond missing. He realized
that the fortune-teller w as proved right.
Title: The Rich man’s
turban and the fortune-teller
2. Four
friends decided to go to a restaurant for dinner. They ordered an extra-large
pizza with grated cheese and other choice toppings. The next 20 minutes seemed
to be too long a time. Their eyes widened and their mouth watered, when the
server brought the steaming hot pizza and placed it on the table. They could
barely control the drool. Simultaneously, all the four hands pulled at a slice
from the plate, their faces beaming with a victorious grin. Silence prevailed
as they were absorbed in the taste of their favourite food. They relished every
mouthful to the core and savoured the taste of each topping with a smile of
approval. Soon, the plate was empty and clean with no trace.
The
boys dabbed their mouths and wiped their hands with tissues. Mission
accomplished, they leaned back with immense joy and satisfaction not knowing,
it would be short-lived. The waiter arrived with the bill. Joseph, who had
brought the others to the restaurant for a treat casually slipped his hand into
his pocket to get his wallet. He gave a soft shriek accompanied by an
expression of dismay and utter disbelief. He exclaimed, “It’s not there!
Someone has pinched my wallet! What are we to do now?”______
Answer:
One of the friends
sprang up saying, “take it easy. Our government has made things simple for us.
See we are going digital, isn’t it. So now consider the problem we encountered
to be solved.’”Joseph, still will, asked, “What do you mean?” Simple, let me
pay the bill through the Paytm app in my mobile. The money will be transferred
instantly. Everyone was overjoyed at the turn of the event. They walked out
with their pride being saved. It is important to be safe and to have an
alternative option in unwarranting situations.
UTHIRA is an event conducted by the NSS unit of ABC Hr Sec School.
Imagine you are a volunteer and help a parent fill in the following
registration form. (Invent necessary details)
Question 2:
Answer:
