Module I

A) Developing Vocabulary
Introduction:
It is language that distinguishes human beings from other animals. Language is
the crux of human communication. It is made of signs and symbols which are primarily
words. Words are the smallest meaningful units of grammar. It is rightly pointed out that
without grammar little can be conveyed but nothing can be communicated without words.
This shows the importance of words in linguistic communication.
The present unit aims to focus some ways of developing vocabulary. It attempts to
help the students of English to know the words. The unit tries to give some clues that
would be useful in developing vocabulary.
If you wish to develop vocabulary, you must develop Reference skill in you. The
basic skills like Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing can be mastered with the help
of Reference skill. When you come across a new word, you should refer to a good dictionary
which makes you know about the pronunciation, class, meaning(s) and usage of that
word. A dictionary is the most important means for developing vocabulary. However, this
does not mean that you can master vocabulary by learning by heart the meanings of
words from a dictionary. A word can be mastered only when it is used in speech or writing
in its proper context. A standard dictionary like Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of
Current English can be a reliable resource to everything about an English word.
I. Vocabulary and Word-Formation Processes:
It is easy to understand a word both grammatically and semantically, if we know
how that word is formed. In English new words are formed by using the word-formation
processes like Affixation (rewrite, writer), Compounding (teapot, sunrise), Conversion (pen
(V), work (N)), Clipping (fridge, lab), Blending (Brexit, brunch), Reduplication (tick-tock,
nit-wit), Back derivation (edit, laze), and Acronymy (UNO, NASA)
Affixation, Compounding and conversion are the major word-formation processes
and the remaining are the minor word-formation processes. Affixation is a very common
and creative word-formation process in English. It involves forming new words by adding
an affix or affixes to the base of the word. It includes process like prefixation, infixation
and suffixation. In prefixation a prefix is attached in the beginning of a base of a word, on
the other hand, suffixation involves adding one or more suffixes in the end of a base.
Prefixes and suffixes are very commonly used in English.
Prefixes
All the prefixes in English are derivational. They are used to derive new words. On
this ground, lexically they can further be divided into: class changing and class maintaining
prefixes.

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B. A. Part- I
Class Changing Prefixes
A few prefixes that change the class of the root to which they are affixed are called
class changing prefixes, as their attachment converts the word from one part of speech
into another.
For example, word ‘friend’ is a noun. When the prefix, be- is affixed to it, verb
befriend is derived. A- in asleep, be- in becalm, en- in encage, de- in deforest, dis- in disbar, non-
in non-stick, and un- in unhorse are class changing prefixes. Almost all the other prefixes
are class maintaining.
Class Maintaining Prefixes
The majority of, or it would not be wrong to say almost all the prefixes, except the
one mentioned above are class maintaining. They are termed so because their affixation
or addition to the root of a word, no doubt creates a new word, but does not change the
class or part of speech of the root word to which they are affixed.
For example, ‘happy’ (Aj) ’! ‘unhappy’ (Aj), ‘cycle’ (N) ’! ‘bicycle’ (N), and ‘generate’ (V) ’!
‘degenerate’ (V).
Prefix de- is both class changing and class maintaining.
Semantic Classification of Prefixes of English
English prefixes are semantically classified. The prefixes are grouped under eight
different titles such as negative prefixes (un- (unhappy), non- (nonviolence), in- (incorrect),
a- (amoral)), reversative or privative prefixes (un- (undo), de- (decode), dis-(disconnect)),
pejorative prefixes (mis- (misunderstand), mal- (malpractice), pseudo- (pseudo-science)),
prefixes of degree or size (arch- (archenemy), super- (superfast), out- (outsmart), sur-
(surcharge), sub- (subcommittee), over- (overconfidence), under- (underuse), hyper- (hypertension),
mini- (minicomputer)), prefixes of attitude (co- (coauthor), counter- (counter-attack), anti-
(antisocial), pro- (pro-democracy)), locative prefixes(super- (superstructure), sub- (subway), inter-
(interschool), trans- (transatlantic)), prefixes of time and order(fore- (foretell), pre- (pre-lunch),
post- (post-lunch), ex- (ex-minister), re- (remake)), and number prefixes (uni- (uniform), mono-
(monorail), bi- (bicycle), di- (dialogue), tri- (triangle), multi- (multinational), poly- (polysyllable)).
Prefixes of English are rather more independent semantically than the suffixes.
Task 1 (A)
i. Fill in the blanks with a prefix that forms the opposite of these words.
…..patient …..happy ……pure ……honest
….friendly ….legible ……agree ……connect
…..logical …..regular ……visible ……correct
…..social …..lock …..do …..employed

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ii. Put the following prefixes in appropriate gaps in the following sentences:
dis- in- mis- re- un- under-
1. That is _____correct answer.
2. Let’s look at this study material again. We should _____view it before the exam.
3. The subway does not go over the land like a normal train. It moves _____ground.
4. The police saw a thief, but they could not find him. It seemed that
he _____appeared.
5. The students didn’t hear the teacher correctly. They _____understood him.
6. I just can’t believe it! The story is _____believable!
Suffixes:
English suffixes are either Inflectional or Derivational. Inflectional suffixes come
at the end of the word. They follow the derivational suffixes, but they are followed by
nothing. Therefore, when an inflectional suffix is added to a word, no further derivation is
possible through that word.
Inflectional Suffixes of English:
English has a limited number of inflectional suffixes. They are used to present
grammatical meaning. They are affixed to a stem of a word (such as Noun, Verb, Adjective,
Adverb) to create different grammatical forms of the same word. They express grammatical
concepts such as number, person, tense, case, and degree which means they have
grammatical function and are grammatically conditioned. English has following types of
inflectional suffixes:
i. The plural suffix -s is used to form the regular plural by adding the suffix, -s to the
nouns in the singular as in: apples, books, churches, babies.
ii. Genitive or Possessive suffix -’s is used to mark the possessive case as in: Virat’s,
boy’s, girls’ or Socrates’.
iii. Third Person Singular Subject Present Tense Suffix, -soccurs with verbs while
expressing present tense when the subject is third person and singular in form, as
in: walks, moves, catches.
iv. Past Tense Suffix, -ed is used to indicate simple past tense form of regular verbs as in
played, talked, wanted. It is also used with some irregular verbs likeburn, dream,
swell.
v. Present Participle Suffix, -ingis used to form the present participle of verbs which
normally follow a form of ‘be’ to indicate the progressive aspect of tense, e.g. coming,
working.

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vi. Past Participle Suffix, -ed is also called ‘Perfective and Passive Participle’. In regular
verbs it is spelt -ed, as in connected, called, talkedwhich is identical with the Past
Tense suffix. However, in the irregular verbs, it is represented differently, e.g. grown,
seen, taken and others.
vii. Comparative Suffix -er is attached to mono- and disyllabic regular gradable adjectives
and adverbs to form their comparative forms as in tall ~ taller, soon ~ sooner.
viii. Superlative Suffix -est is attached to mono- and disyllabic regular gradable adjectives
and adverbs to form their superlative degree forms as in tall ~ tallest, soon ~ soonest.
Derivational Suffixes of English
As mentioned earlier, affixation is the most commonly used word formation process,
and suffixation is the most common of affixations. The derivational suffixes are used to
create new words. The derivational suffixes of English can be classified variously. They
can be broadly classed into class maintaining derivational suffixes and class changing
derivational suffixes.
Classification of Derivational Suffixes:
Suffixes added to a particular class of word to derive a new word belonging to the
same class are called class maintaining derivational suffixes. For example, the suffix -
hood is class maintaining as it can be added to nouns like child, brother,and others to
derive nouns such as childhood, brotherhood.
English has a limited number of class maintaining derivational suffixes such as:
-(e)ry, -ese, -ess, -ette, -hood, -let, -ling, -ster, -eer, -ship and a few others.
Most of the derivational suffixes of English bring about change in the class of the
base to which they are added. Such suffixes are called class changing derivational suffixes.
For example, the suffix -ify changes the noun, class in the verb, classify. Hence, it is class
changing.
Suffixes like -able, -al, -ance/-ence, -ant/-ent, -ard, -arian, -ary, -ate, -ion(-tion, -ation, -
ition and others),-ative, -ed, -ee, -esque, -fold, -ic, -ify/-fy, -ism, -ist, -ite, -ity, -ive, -ize, -less, -ly, -
ment, -er, -or, -most, -ness, -ous/-eous, -some, -ure,-word(s), -wise, and others are class changing
derivational suffixes of English.
English has a few suffixes that can be both class changing and class maintaining
derivational suffixes. For example, the suffix, -dom becomes a class changing suffix when
it is attached to an adjective, free to derive the word freedom, a noun. It works like a class
maintaining suffix when it is added to a noun such asking to form a noun, kingdom. The
suffixes like -age, -an, -ian, -dom, -ful, -ing, -er, -y,-ish, can be the member of this group of
derivational suffixes. They may or may not bring about a syntactic category shift in the
base to which they are appended.

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 In English, it can be observed, prefixation is typically class maintaining while
derivational suffixation is typically class changing.
Classification of Suffixes as per the Class of Derivatives:
Suffixes of English can also be classified as per the part of speech of the derivatives
they form:
Noun Forming Suffixes of English are added to the variety of bases to form nouns.
Hence, the suffixes in this category can further be classified into:
The class of Suffixes Forming Nouns from Nouns includes suffixes like -dom
(king~kingdom), -ess (poet~poetess), -er (London~Londoner), -ette(kitchen~kitchenette),
-hood (child~childhood), -ism (Marx~Marxism), -let (flat~flatlet), -ling (duck~ duckling),
-scape (land ~ landscape), -ship (friend ~ friendship), and others.
The class of Suffixes forming Nouns from Verbs consists of suffixes like -ation
(examine ~ examination), -ee (employ ~ employee), -al (propose ~ proposal), -ary (dispense
~ dispensary), -er (work ~ worker), -ment (enjoy ~ enjoyment), and many others.
The suffixes like -cy (delicate ~ delicacy), -dom (free ~ freedom), -er (ten ~ tenner),
-hood (false ~ falsehood), -ist (social ~ socialist), -ness (happy ~ happiness), -th (warm ~
warmth), and others are the part of the class of Suffixes Forming Nouns from Adjectives.
Adjective Forming Suffixes are the Suffixes Forming Adjectives form Nounswhich
include -al (nation ~ national), -ate (passion ~ passionate), -en (gold ~ golden), -ese (Pekin
~ Pekinese), -esque (picture ~ picturesque), -ful (colour ~ colourful), -ic (artist ~ artistic),
-ly (friend ~ friendly), -ous (courage ~ courageous), -y (luck ~ lucky) and others.
Some English adjectives are formed by adding following suffixes to verbs: The
suffixes like -able(believe ~ believable), -ant/-ent (absorb ~ absorbent), -atory(affirm ~
affirmatory), -ful (scorn ~ scornful), -ive (possess ~ possessive), -less (count ~ countless),
and others belong to the class of Suffixes Forming Adjectives from Verbs.
The class of Suffixes Forming Adjectives from Adjectives is less productive. Its
members are -ish (red ~ reddish), -ly (good ~ goodly), -some (queer ~ queersome).
Verb Forming Suffixes:
English has only three suffixes for producing verbs:
a. -ify is added to nouns to form verbs as in class ~ classify, beauty ~ beautify, and
others.
b. -ize is appended on nouns (hybrid ~ hybridize) and affixed to adjectives (nasal ~
nasalize) to form verbal derivatives.
c. -en is attached to adjectives to form verbs, as in short ~ shorten, weak ~ weaken.

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Adverb Forming Suffixes:
-ly, -ward(s), and -wise are adverb forming suffixes of English. Out of these, -ly is
very productive with adjective bases. For example, happy ~ happily, home ~ homeward(s),
and student ~ studentwise.
The knowledge of the affixes helps the learners to a great extent in forming new
words. It is also helpful in understanding the existing words by decomposing them. If you
know an affix and its meaning, you can understand the usage and the meaning of the
derived /complex word easily.
Task 1 (B)
i. Put the words in the brackets in the appropriate form using suffixes:
1. He was acting in a very —————————— way. (child)
2. He wants to be an …………………, when he grows up. (act)
3. There is no ……………… in his presentation. (weak)
4. He completed the work in time. He became ………………… (success)
5. There were only a ………….. of people in the party. (hand)
6. You need a …………of motivation, organization and hard work to realize your
dreams. (combine)
7. The road was too narrow, so they had to ………………. it. (wide)
8. They require the ………… to arrange the function. (approve)
9. She loves ………….. in everything. (pure)
10. Amitabh Bachchan is a ………….. actor. (fame)
ii. Make Nouns of the following words by adding suffixes and use them in sentences:
prepare, refuse, run, manage, fail, private, good, wide, child, injure, clear, divide, mix
iii. Make Adjectives of the following words by adding suffixesand use them in
sentences:
function, affection, earth, China, acid,joy, cost, walk, act, cream, attract
iv. Make Verbs of the following words by adding suffixesand use them in sentences:
pure,actual, dark, simple, final, white
II. Vocabulary and Words in context:
Synonyms:
Context plays a very important role in developing vocabulary. When you study words,
you have to pay attention to the context of situation in which they are used. Actually, you

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can remember words better when you associate them with other words and understand
the similarity and difference between them as they are used in sentences. The words
having more or less the similar meanings are synonymous. The following are the pairs of
synonyms:
Beautiful : pretty, hurt : injure : wound,
distant : remote, mad : insane,
tidy : neat, glow : shine,
guard : protect
However, it should be noted that no two words have exactly the same meaning. It
is so because, even though two words have exactly the same referential meaning, they
may differ from emotive, associative or evocative point of views.
Two words are synonymous if their antonyms are same. However, this is also
context-dependent. That is two words may have same antonyms in one context but not in
the other. For example,
1. He studies English with profound interest.
2. He listened to the song with deep interest.
3. The valley is very deep.
The word profound and the word deep in the sentence (2) have the same antonym
word, superficial. Hence profound and deep in sentence (2) are synonyms. However, the
antonym of the word deep in the sentence (3) is shallow and therefore deep in sentence (3)
is not the synonym of profound.
Words can be synonymous in different patterns:
i. Words belonging to different dialects:
British American
autumn fall
biscuit cookie
chips French fries
flat apartment
kennel doghouse
lift elevator
queue line
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ii. Synonyms differing due to the point of view of their emotional overtones and
evocative effects:
liberty : freedom, politician : statesman,
hide : conceal
iii. Words belonging to two different registers:
children : kids, die : pop off, father : daddy, mother : mummy, gentleman : chap,
lady : woman, Daddy and mummy mostly belong to children’s language. Likewise,
woman is more likely to occur in the common man’s language and lady in the variety
of language used by upper classes.
This shows that synonymous words have similar general meaning but they have
different shades of meaning and are used in different contexts. Let us see some words
which are synonymous but have different shades of meaning.
A) Synonymous nouns in different shades of meaning:
The following group of nouns has same general meaning but they are used in
different contexts as they have different shades of meanings.
freedom, emancipation, liberty, independence
Freedom a native everyday word means the right to do or say what you want
without anyone stopping you. It is generally meant for the country. Emancipation, of Latin
origin, means act of setting free from the power of another, from slavery, subjugation, or
dependence. Liberty, a word borrowed from French means freedom to live as you choose
without too many restrictions from authority. It is meant for an individual and it is formal.
And independence is again from French and means freedom from dependence.
fame, repute, honour, glory, renown, credit, reputation, popularity, name, recognition,
stardom
Fame refers to the state of being known by many people. Glory is fame, praise or
honour that somebody gets after achieving something important. When we talk about
honour we refer to great respect or admiration for somebody. Repute is the opinion that
people have of somebody. Repute and reputation differ in usage as in ‘artist of repute’ and
‘artist’s reputation’. If you are a person of renown, you get fame and respect because of
something you have done. It is used in formal situation. Recognition is the public praise
and reward for somebody’s word or deeds. Stardom refers to the state of being famous as
an actor or a singer. Similarly, popularity means the state of being liked, enjoyed or supported
by a large number of people. Credit is the praise or approval you get for something goodyou
have done.

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Task 2 (A)
Study the core meaning of the following synonymous nouns and write sentences to
show how they are used differently:
1. pleasure, delight, enjoyment, joy, ecstasy, bliss, happiness
2. courage bravery, boldness, heroism, intrepidity, valour
3. brink, bank, edge, fringe, brim
4. fear, fright, horror, alarm, panic, terror, dread
5. luck, fortune, chance, prosperity, good stroke
6. knowledge, perception, wisdom, intuition, cognition, information, intelligence
7. house, residence, home, abode, hut, shack, shanty, pad, bungalow, mansion, villa,
flat
8. shopkeeper, grocer, green-grocer, merchant, trader, hawker, vendor
9. campaign, drive, expedition
10. war, battle, combat, contest, conflict, broil, row, fighting
B) Synonymous verbs having different shades of meaning:
Like nouns, there are verbs which mean almost the same but they are not perfect
synonyms.
build, construct, erect, assemble, fabricate, make
Build and construct are perfect synonyms. The only difference they have is of the
dialect. Build is British, while construct is American. Make is more general than build and
construct. Moreover, a computer can be assembled. Fabricate is used with steelwork or
making of goods and equipment from various different materials. Erect is used in formal
mode.
chase, follow, hunt, pursue, track
The police chase a thief when they see him or her and track one when they see the
marks left by a thief. We pursue a goal and hunt an animal and when we follow somebody
we go after him/her.
There are many such groups of verbs. They can be better understood by looking
up them in a dictionary and learning their meaning and usage. Some of the groups are
given below:
Verbs related to walk : stroll, wander, march, plod, strut, stride, stagger, stray, ramble,
stalk, stumble
Verbs related to smile: smile, sneer, grin, giggle, laugh, titter, chuckle, guffaw
Verbs related to pull: pull, draw, drag, jerk, lug, tug, wrench, haul, tow
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Verbs related to hold:hold, catch, grasp, clutch, seize, snatch, grip, clasp, clench
Task 2 (B):
i. Study the core meaning of the following synonymous verbs and note down their
meanings and write sentences to show how they are used in different contexts:
1. come, arrive, near, approach, advance, reach
2. stroll, wander, march, plod, strut, stride, stagger, stray, ramble, stalk
3. smile, sneer, grin, giggle, laugh, titter, chuckle, guffaw
4. pull, draw, drag, jerk, lug, tug, wrench, haul, tow
5. hold, catch, grasp, clutch, seize, snatch, grip, clasp, clench
ii.Study the following pairs of verbs. Write down their general meanings and use them
in your sentences so as to show how different they are.
Assure - ensure, bow - stoop, capture - arrest, disclose - reveal, evade - avoid, finish -
finalize, grab - catch, hire - rent, portray - delineate, lessen - lighten, prevent -forbid.
C) Synonymous adjectives having different shades of meaning:
Like nouns and verbs, many groups adjectives also have almost the same meaning
but at the level of context they are different.
holy, godly, saintly, sacred, hallowed, divine express generally the meaning of being holy.
Holy, divine and sacred mean ‘connected with God or a god’. Moreover, sacred means very
important and treated with respect as in - ‘Human life is always sacred’. ‘A godly man’ is
one who lives a moral life based on religious principles. ‘A saintly life’ is holy and good.
‘Hallowed traditions’ are important and respected.
Lonely, solitary, lonesome, forlorn have generally the same meaning. But lonely, lonesome
and forlorn have unfavourable meaning referring to unhappiness and isolation. On the
other hand, solitary has favourable meaning as in – ‘A solitary child enjoys being alone’.
Similarly, there are pairs of adjectives which appear to be related and to have nearly
the same meaning but they are used differently. Find out their meanings in the dictionary.
a. childish/childlike b. economic/economical c. historic/historical
d. sensible/sensitive e. true/truthful f. uneatable/inedible
g. unreadable/illegible h. young/youthful
Task 2 (C)
1. Use the following pairs of adjectives in your own sentences:
childish/childlike, economic/economical, historic/historical, sensible/sensitive, true/
truthful, uneatable/inedible, unreadable/illegible, young/youthful

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2. Find out other such pairs of adjectives;study the difference in their meanings and
use them in your sentences.
3. Study the adjectives in the following groups and use them in your sentences:
i. amicable - cordial - friendly ii. favourable - favourite, iii. trusting - trusted,
iv. lovable -loving, v. careful - caring, vi. cool - cold
Antonyms:
Now you know that your vocabulary can be developed through learning
synonymous words. Similarly, antonyms also help in developing our vocabulary. Antonyms
are the words with opposite meanings. Antonyms are used for clear and forceful
communication. We use a number of antonyms in our day-to-day communication. Consider
the following statements:
a. He is my friend. b. He is not my friend.
friend and enemy are antonyms but sentence (b) does not exactly mean what sentence
(a) means. It means antonymous words are contextually meaningful. Adjectives, nouns
and verbs have antonyms.
Antonymous adjectives: absent X present, beautiful X ugly, clever X dull, difficult X
easy, glad X sad, high X low, thick X thin, narrow X wide, rough X smooth, junior X
senior
Antonymous nouns: height X depth, arrival X departure, love X hatred, chaos X order,
consumption X preservation, controversy X agreement, confidence X diffidence, popularity
X notoriety, truth X falsehood, mercy X cruelty
Antonymous verbs: buy X sell, forget X remember, give X take, increase X decrease, hide
X seek, hasten X delay, gather X separate, destroy X create, permit X forbid, strengthen X
weaken
Task 2 (D)
i. Choose the word that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the word in capital
letters.
1. VACATE =A. abandon B. charter C. sever D. occupy E. discharge
2. AMASS = A. disperse B. meld C. muster D. compile E. infuse
3. ENAMOR =A. entice B. enlighten C. loathe D. subdue E. fascinate
4. RENOWN =A. acclaim B. obscurity C. villainy D. infamy E. prestige
5. AMPLIFY =A. magnify B. intensify C. allay D. withdraw E. lessen
6. FESTIVE = A. serene B. hearty C. gruesome D. jaunty E. dreary

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 7. WAN =A. pale B. drab C. anemic D. glowing E. kaleidoscopic
8. FORGO = A. despise B. revere C. indulge D. abstain E. waive
9. EXPEND =A. stash B. dispatch C. splurge D. exhaust E. smother
10. POROUS =A. fragile B. waterproof C. consolidated D. dense E. spongy

III. Problem words:

English has homonyms which can be problematic. These words look similar or
have same pronunciation but their meanings are different and unrelated. Such words are
considered problem words as they confuse us. Hence, the knowledge of meaning and
usage of such words makes them a part of your vocabulary and enrich it. Some problem
words are given below:
1. air : (mixture of gases we breathe) The air in the university campus is clean and
fresh.
Heir /eY/ : (one who inherits) Usually a son becomes the heir to the property of a
father.
2. wind /wInd/: (air in motion) The wind is blowing.
wind/waInd/: (to twist or bend something) The river winds its way between two
meadows.
3. except:(apart from) We work everyday except Sunday.
expect:(to think that something will happen, wish) She expects that she will be
the topper.
4. here:(in or at this place) A tiger had come here last night.
hear:(to listen or to pay attention) I hear songs on radio.
5. hoard (to collect and keep large amounts of money and food secretly) He hoarded
wealth greedily.
horde:(a large crowd of people) Cricket fans came in hordes.
6. adopt:(to take somebody’s child into your family and become its legal parent) She
adopted a girl from the orphanage.
adapt:(modify, to change something) We have to adapt quickly as per the new
technology.
adept:(skilful) He is adept at playing harmonium.

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Task 3
Look up the following pairs of words in the dictionary and use them in your sentences:
accept – except, advice – advise, affection – affectation, birth – berth, cast – caste,
complement – compliment, collision – collusion, confident – confidant, corps – corpse,
council – counsel, dairy – diary, device –devise, draft – draught, eligible – illegible, eminent
– imminent, human – humane, last – latest, licence – license, prophecy – prophesy,
persecute – prosecute, right – rite, story – storey, suit – suite, tale – tail, tire – tyre – tier
IV. Phrasal Verbs:
English can be used in both formal or polite way and informal, familiar or colloquial
manner. Those who learn English in the classroom and not exposed amply to outside the
classroom, may not have access to its colloquial variety. A phrasal verb is combination of
a standard verb (especially native) like ‘go’ or ‘look’ and a preposition or an adverb which
are called particles. This combination forms a new verb with totally different meaning.
For example, a. She put the book on the table. b. She put out a candle.
In the sentence (b) put out means ‘stop something from burning’. In the sentence
(a) put has its common meaning ‘keep’.
Phrasal verbs are important because they are extremely common in colloquial
English. If you are not familiar with them, you will find informal English difficult to
understand. A good dictionary has the entries of the phrasal verbs. If you want to master
phrasal verbs and consequently English, develop a habit to look for phrasal verbs. There
are three types of phrasal verbs:
1. Phrasal verbs (intransitive) that do not take an object:
blow in: My cousin blew in unexpectedly with his family. (visit unexpectedly)
come along : If you want, you can come along. (accompany)
2. Phrasal verbs (transitive) with an object:
hand back : Will he hand back my money? (return)
pick out : Anita picked out a lively dress. (choose)
3. Phrasal verbs with two particles:
stand up for: Everybody must stand up for the truth. (defend)
put up with : Nobody should put up with injustice. (tolerate)
Task 4
A) Each sentence given below contains an incomplete phrasal verb. Complete the
expression by supplying a suitable preposition or adverb particle. Choose your answer
from the options given in the brackets.

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1. She takes ……………………….. her grandmother. (after / off / in)
2. They assaulted the watchmen and took many precious paintings
………………………. (down / away / back)
3. These shoes don’t fit. I am going to take them ……………………….. to the store.
(back / away / off)
4. Don’t take him ………………….. an idiot. (for / in / off)
5. The dress was loose for me so I took it to the tailor and got it taken
…………………… (in / off / down)
6. Please take your shoes ……………………….. before entering the temple. (down
/ off / away)
7. How are you going to meet the deadlines if you take ………………………. too
many projects? (on / in / over)
8. If you love Susie why don’t you take her ………………………. on a date? (out /
up / off)
9. He took ………………… farming after retirement. (up / in / on)
10. We will take this issue ………………………. when we meet next week. (up / on
/ over)
B) Fill the phrasal verbs in the blanks according to their meanings in brackets:
1. . …………….your shoes.(Remove)
2. Somebody has to …………….. the baby. (Take care of)
3. She wants to …………… the truth? (Discover)
4. The truck ……………. in the desert. (stop working properly)
5. The heavy rains ……………… the road. (gradually destroy)
Exercises:
I. Make nouns from the following words:
admit, connect, laugh, weigh, brave, refer, great, height, equal, wed
II. Make adjectives from the following words:
air, brother, comfort, move, tire, talk, cease, cheer, fruit, gas
III. Make verbs from the following words:
circle, friend, prison, fame, glory, dark, special

14
IV. Choose the word which means almost same as the underlined words in the
following sentences:
1.She is very wealthy.
a) rich b) poor c) wise d) well
2.He made a real solution.
a) good b) nice c) genuine d) wrong
3.Every time you cannot blame the system.
a) accept b) accuse c) admit d) excuse
4.Education may end your misery.
a) mission b) machine c) sorrow d) happiness
5.She portrayed a painting.
a) drew b) spoiled c) photo d) picture
V. Choose the word which is opposite in meaning of the underlined words in the
following sentences:
1.Wild animals are very cruel.
a) aggressive b) beastly c) kind d) angry
2. Demonetization decreased corruption.
a) increased b) destroyed c) delayed d) discourage
3) It was a comic film.
a) lovely b) dirty c) serious d) good
4) He is a man of knowledge.
a) importance b) information c) ignorance d) wise
5. The umpire must not be partial.
a) fair b) part c) pleasing d) pure
VI. Choose the appropriate word from the pair given below and fill up the blanks
in the following sentences:
1. He is a man of ……………….. character. (lose/loose)
2. Heart ……………… caused her ………………. (decease/disease)
3. Do not ……………… your time and energy in useless things. (waste/waist)
4. The ……………….. is pleasant. (whether/weather)
5. The world requires ………………. (peace/ piece)

15
VII. Put the phrasal verbs given in the bracket in its correct place in the following
sentences:[carry on, give in, go through, jump in, make up]
1. Feel free to ………………. at any moment while we are talking.
2. Never …………………! You can do it!
3.Though he is tired, he wants to ……………….. his study.
4. Good friends must ………………… after trivial disputes.
5. Before the examination students …………………….. the notes.
VIII. Tick the correct meaning of the affix underlined in the following sentences:
1. Nothing is impossible.
a) not b) again c) more d) something
2. The assistant helped me in arranging things.
a) help b) action c) a person who… d) helper
3. She loves a creamy cake.
a) not b) full of c) oily d) man
4. He attended the pre-lunch session.
a) early b) after c) late d) before
5. They read the booklet on cashless transactions.
a) late b) big c) small d) good



16
 B) On Saying “Please”
A. G. Gardiner
Introduction:
Alfred George Gardiner (1865–1946) was a British journalist and author. His essays,
written under the pen-name Alpha of the Plough, are highly praised. He has penned
uniformly elegant, graceful and humorous essays. His uniqueness is found in his ability to
teach the basic truths of life in an easy and amusing manner. ‘Pillars of Society’, ‘Pebbles
on the Shore’, ‘Many Furrows’ and ‘Leaves in the Wind’ are some of his best known
writings. His essays have a refreshing frankness. He talks to us with the intimacy of friend.
The present essay talks about every day civilities of behaviour. Gardiner points out
that good and bad manners affect our daily life very much. Good manners help the machine
of our life oiled and running sweetly. Bad manners infect the world by poisoning the
stream of life. It shows how using nice words like ‘thank you’ and ‘please’ can change the
course of your day.

The young lift-man in a City office who threw a passenger out of his lift the other
morning and was fined for the offence was undoubtedly in the wrong. It was a question
of “Please”. The complainant entering the lift, said, “Top”. The lift-man demanded “Top-
please” and this concession being refused he not only declined to comply with the
instruction, but hurled the passenger out of the lift. This, of course was carrying a comment
on manner too far. Discourtesy is not a legal offence, and it does not excuse assault and
battery. If a burglar breaks into my house and I knock him down, the law will acquit me,
and if I am physically assaulted, it will permit me to retaliate with reasonable violence. It
does this because the burglar and my assailant have broken quite definite commands of
the law, but no legal system could attempt to legislate against bad manners, or could
sanction the use of violence against something which it does not itself recognize as a
legally punishable offence. And whatever our sympathy with the lift-man, we must admit
that the law is reasonable. It would never do if we were at liberty to box people’s ears
because we did not like their behaviour, or the tone of their voices, or the scowl on their
faces. Our fists would never be idle, and the gutters of the City would run with blood all
day.
I may be as uncivil as I may please and the law will protect me against violent
retaliation. I may be haughty or boorish and there is no penalty to pay except the penalty
of being written down an ill-mannered fellow. The law does not compel me to say “please”
or to attune my voice to other people’s sensibilities any more than it says that I shall not
wax my moustache or dye my hair or wear ringlets down my back. It does not recognize
the laceration of our feelings as a case for compensation. There is no allowance for moral
and intellectual damages in these matters.

17
 This does not mean that the damages are negligible. It is probable that the lift-man
was much more acutely hurt by what he regarded as a slur upon his social standing than he
would have been if he had a kick on the shins, for which he could have got a legal redress.
The pain of a kick on the shins soon passes away but the pain of a wound to our self-respect
or our vanity may poison a whole day. I can imagine that lift-man, denied the relief of
throwing the author of his wound out of the lift, brooding over the insult by the hour, and
visiting it on his wife in the evening as the only way of restoring his equilibrium. For there
are few things more catching than bad temper and bad manners. When Sir Anthony Absolute
bullied Captain Absolute, the latter went out and bullied his man, Fag, whereupon Fag
went out downstairs and kicked the page-boy. Probably the man who said “Top” to the lift-
man was really only getting back on his employer who had not said “Good morning” to him
because he himself had been henpecked at breakfast by his wife, to whom the cook had
been insolent because the housemaid had “answered her back”. We infect the world with
our ill humours. Bad manners probably do more to poison the stream of the general life
than all the crimes in the calendar. For one wife who gets a black eye from an otherwise
good natured husband there are a hundred who live a life of martyrdom under the shadow
of a morose temper. But all the same the law cannot become the guardian of our private
manners. No Decalogue could cover the vast area of offences and no court could administer
a law which governed our social civilities, our speech, the tilt of our eyebrows and all our
moods and manners.
But though we are bound to endorse the verdict against the lift-man most people
will have a certain sympathy with him. While it is true that there is no law that compels us
to say “Please”, there is a social practice much older and much more sacred than any law
which enjoins us to be civil. And the first requirement of civility is that we should
acknowledge a service. “Please” and “Thank you” are the small change with which we pay
our way as social beings. They are the little courtesies by which we keep the machine of life
oiled and running sweetly. They put our intercourse upon the basis of a friendly co operation
an easy give-and-take, instead of on the basis of superiors dictating to inferiors. It is a very
vulgar mind that would wish to command where he can have the service for asking, and
have it with willingness and good-feeling instead of resentment.
I should like to “feature” in this connection my friend, the polite conductor. By this
discriminating title, I do not intend to suggest a rebuke to conductors generally. On the
contrary, I am disposed to think that there are few classes of men who come through the
ordeal of a very trying calling better than bus conductors do. Here and there you will meet
an unpleasant specimen who regards the passengers as his natural enemies - as creatures
whose chief purpose on the bus is to cheat him, and who can only be kept reasonably
honest by a loud voice and an aggressive manner. But this type is rare - rarer than it used to
be. I fancy the public owes much to the Underground Railway Company, which also runs
the buses, for insisting on a certain standard of civility in its servants and taking care that
that standard is observed. In doing this it not only makes things pleasant for the travelling
public, but performs an important social service.
18
 It is not, therefore, with any feeling of unfriendliness to conductors as a class that
I pay a tribute to a particular member of that class. I first became conscious of his existence
one day when I jumped on to a bus and found that I had left home without any money in
my pocket. Everyone has had the experience and knows the feeling, the mixed feeling,
which the discovery arouses. You are annoyed because you look like a fool at the best and
like a knave at the worst. You would not be at all surprised if the conductor eyed you
coldly as much as to say, “Yes I know that stale old trick. Now then, off you get.” And even
if the conductor is a good fellow and lets you down easily, you are faced with the necessity
of going back and the inconvenience, perhaps, of missing your train or your engagement.
Having searched my pockets in vain for stray coppers, and having found I was
utterly penniless, I told the conductor with as honest a face as I could assume that I
couldn’t pay the fare, and must go back for money. “Oh, you needn’t get off: that’s all
right”, said he. “All right”, said I, “but I haven’t a copper on me.””Oh I’ll book you through,”
he replied. “Where d’ye want to go?” and he handled his bundle of tickets with the air of
a man who was prepared to give me a ticket for anywhere from the Bank to Hong Kong. I
said it was very kind of him, and told him where I wanted to go, and as he gave me the
ticket I said, “But where shall I send the fare?””Oh, you’ll see me some day all right”, he
said cheerfully, as he turned to go. And then, luckily, my fingers, still wandering in the
corners of my pockets lighted on a shilling and the account was squared. But that fact did
not lessen the glow of pleasure which so good-natured an action had given me.
A few days after, my most sensitive toe was trampled on rather heavily as I sat
reading on the top of a bus. I looked up with some anger and more agony, and saw my
friend of the cheerful countenance. “Sorry, sir”, he said. “I know these are heavy boots.
Got’em because my own feet get trod on so much, and now I’m treading on other people’s.
Hope I didn’t hurt you, sir.”He had hurt me but he was so nice about it that I assured him
he hadn’t. After this I began to observe him whenever I boarded his bus, and found a
curious pleasure in the constant good nature of his bearing. He seemed to have an
inexhaustible fund of patience and a gift for making his passengers comfortable. I noticed
that if it was raining he would run up the stairs to give some one the tip that there was
“room inside”. With old people he was as considerate as a son, and with children as
solicitous as a father. He had evidently a peculiarly warm place in his heart for young
people, and always indulged in some merry jest with them. If he had a blind man on
board it was not enough to set him down safely on the pavement. He would call to Bill in
front to wait while he took him across the road or round the corner, or otherwise safely
on his way. In short, I found that he irradiated such an atmosphere of good-temper and
kindliness that a journey with him was a lesson in natural courtesy and good manners.
What struck me particularly was the ease with which he got through his work. If
bad manners are infectious, so also are good manners. If we encounter incivility most of
us are apt to become uncivil, but it is an unusually uncouth person who can be disagreeable
with sunny people. It is with manners as with the weather. “Nothing clears up my spirits
like a fine day”, said Keats, and a cheerful person descends on even the gloomiest of us
19
with something of the Textbook benediction of a fine day. And so it was always fine
weather on the polite conductor’s bus, and his own civility, his conciliatory address and
good humoured bearing infected his passengers. In lightening their spirits he lightened
his own task. His gaiety was not a wasteful luxury, but a sound investment.
I have missed him from my bus route of late; but I hope that only means that he
has carried his sunshine on to another road. It cannot be too widely diffused in a rather
drab world. And I make no apologies for writing a panegyric on an unknown bus conductor.
If Wordsworth could gather lessons of wisdom from the poor leech-gatherer “on the lonely
moor,” I see no reason why lesser people should not take lessons in conduct from one who
shows how a very modest calling may be dignified by good-temper and kindly feeling.
It is a matter of general agreement that the war has had a chilling effect upon
those little every day civilities of behaviour that sweeten the general air. We must get
those civilities back if we are to make life kindly and tolerable for each other. We cannot
get them back by invoking the law. The policeman is a necessary symbol and the law is a
necessary institution for a society that is still somewhat lower than the angels. But the
law can only protect us against material attack. Nor will the lift-man’s way of meeting
moral affront by physical violence help us to restore the civilities. I suggest to him, that he
would have had a more subtle and effective revenge if he had treated the gentleman who
would not say “Please” with elaborate politeness. He would have had the victory, not only
over the boor, but over himself, and that is the victory that counts. The polite man may
lose the material advantage, but he always has the spiritual victory. I commend to the lift-
man a story of Chesterfield. In his time the London streets were without the pavements of
today and the man who “took the wall” had the driest footing. “I never give the wall to a
scoundrel,” said a man who met Chesterfield one day in the street. “I always do”, said
Chesterfield, stepping with a bow into the road. I hope the lift-man will agree that his
revenge was much more sweet than if he had flung the fellow into the mud.
Glossary and Notes :
complainant : a person who makes a formal complaint against
somebody in court
comply with : to obey a rule, an order, etc.
to hurl : to throw somebody violently
discourtesy : behaviour or an action that is not polite
assault and battery : the crime of threatening to harm somebody and then
attacking them physically
acquit : to decide and state officially in court that somebody
is not guilty of a crime
retaliate : take revenge

20
assailant : attacker
legislate against : to make a law affecting something
box somebody’s ears : to hit somebody with your hand on the side of their
head as a punishment
scowl : to look at somebody in an angry way
boorish : very unpleasant and rude
attune : to bring into harmony
wax : to remove
ringlet : a long curl of hair hanging down from somebody’s
head
laceration : wound, injury
slur : insult
brood : to think a lot about something
equilibrium : a calm state of mind and balance of emotions
henpecked : a husband who is dominated by his
insolent : extremely rude and showing no respect
infect : here to pollute, spoil
ill-humours : bad mood, anger
martyrdom : the suffering or death of a martyr
morose : gloomy, sad
administer : to manage or organize
verdict : a decision made by a jury
rebuke : harsh criticism
disposed : willing or prepared to do something
tribute : a statement of admiration or praise
knave : a dishonest man or boy
trample on : to step heavily on
inexhaustible : very great, that cannot be finished
solicitous : being very concerned for somebody; attentive
irradiate : to make something brighter and happier

21
infectious : can be spread easily
uncouth : rude or socially unacceptable
Keats : John Keats (1795-1821) an English poet of the early
nineteenth century
conciliatory : having the effect of making angry people calm
drab : dull and boring
to make no apologies : not to feel that you have said or done something
wrong
panegyric : piece of writing praising somebody
moor : a high open area of land that is not used for farming
and covered with rough grass
chilling : frightening
sweeten : here, to make something more pleasant or
acceptable
invoking : using a law
affront : a remark or an action that insults somebody
Chesterfield : Lord Chesterfield (1695-1773), English statesman,
author and patron of letters
scoundrel : a dishonest or immoral man; rogue
I) Skimming and Scanning Questions :
A) Answer the following questions in one sentence each:
1. What was the offence of the young lift-man?
2. What did the lift-man demand from the person entering the lift?
3. Why was the young lift-man in a city office fined?
3. Why did the lift-man throw the passenger out of the lift?
4. Why did Captain Absolute bully his man?
5. What kind of a conductor is regarded as ‘an unpleasant specimen’?
6. Why couldn’t the writer pay the bus fare?
7. When are we apt to become uncivil?
8. How did the conductor behave with old people?
9. How was the conductor with young people?
10. Whom does the writer refer to as ‘an unusually uncouth person’?
22
B) Complete the following statements by choosing the best alternative:
1. The pain of wound to …………………… lasts longer.
a) the image b) self-respect
c) emotions and feelings d) dreams
2. Bad temper and bad manners are more ………………. .
a) catching b) dangerous
c) attractive d) insulting
3. According to A. G. Gardiner, we infect the world with ………………. .
a) our talk b) money
c) our ill-humours d) our imagination
4. The law cannot become the guardian of our …………………. .
a) property b) knowledge
c) house d) private manners
5. According to Gardiner, the little every day civilities of behaviour make life
…………………… .
a) pleasing b) kindly and tolerable
c) simple d) beautiful
6. Captain Absolute bullied ………………
a) Fag b) Sir Anthony Absolute
c) page-boy d) the lift-man
7. The law does not offer allowance for ……………………….. .
a. honesty b. moral and intellectual damages in the matters of civilities
c. truth d. material damages of human property
8. ……………… is not recognized as a legally punishable offence.
a. Cheating b. Theft
c. Discourtesy d. Burglary
II. Comperhension Questins :
A) Answer the following questions in 3 to 4 sentences each:
1. What compels us to be civil in our social behaviour?
2 In what sense is courtesy an investment?
3. What penalty does one have to pay for being discourteous?
23
4. How does the writer describe ‘a vulgar mind’?
5. What are small courtesies, according to A.G. Gardiner? How do they help us in our
day to day life?
6. What better way of taking revenge does the writer suggest to the angry lift man?
7. How do good and bad manners affect the people around, according to A.G. Gardiner?
8. What are the advantages of using “please” and “thank you”, according to the writer?
9. What is the writer’s advice to the lift-man?
B. Write short notes on the following in 8 to 10 sentences each :
1. The lift-man
2. The bus conductor
3. Importance of civilities in social life
III. Vocabulary Exercises:
A. Complete the following table:

Noun Verb Adjective Adverb

Offence -- -- --
-- -- concessive --
-- Retaliate -- --
-- -- -- pleasantly
infection -- -- --
-- apologize -- --
B. Give synonyms and antonyms of the following words:
Word Synonym Word Antonym
assault -- idle --
liberty -- refuse --
deny -- courtesy --
offence -- civil --
vast -- inferior --

C. Find out the words formed with prefixes and derivational suffixes from the essay.
IV. Writing Activity
1. Write a paragraph of about 250 words on ‘Value-based Education’.
2. Write a paragraph on ‘Good manners are infectious’.
V. Suggestions for further reading:
1. The English Character by E. M. Forster
2. Jane Austen’s Guide to Good Manners: Compliments, Charades & Blunders
by Josephine Ross


24
 Module II
A) Narration
In learning the skill of ‘Narration’ you need to learn the use of the past tense.
This skill is useful in your social, professional life and it will be quite useful if you wish to
become a creative writer.

I) Narration is used for narrating past experiences. It is used in news reports,

storytelling and day-to-day informal conversation. It is usually in some kind of
chronological order. It requires the skill of explaining or telling something to someone.
We like to listen to stories, incidents, events in the life of others. Sometimes we love even
listening to the scary ghost stories around a campfire. The narrator of a story may be a
character having some name or just an outside observer. This narrator or a character or
author’s persona that tells a story has a control on everything you need to know about
the characters and the events.

The Narrator can be a FIRST PERSON narrator where an “I” (occasionally a “we”)
speaks from his/her/their subject position. This kind of narrator is usually a character
in the story interacting with other characters. We see those interactions through
the narrator’s eyes (point of view), and we can’t know the things that
the narrator doesn’t know or doesn’t wish that we should know.

The other type of narration gives us a THIRD PERSON point of view. It is told by
a narrator who projects himself/ herself as not being the part of the story and generally
uses pronouns such as: he, she, it, they, them, their, him, her and its.
See for example:

“Looking back on a childhood filled with events and memories, I find it rather diffi-
cult to pick on that leaves me with the fabled “warm and fuzzy feelings.” As the
daughter of an Air Force Major, I had the pleasure of traveling across America in many
moving trips. I have visited the monstrous trees of the Sequoia National Forest, stood
on the edge of the Grand Canyon and have jumped on the beds at Caesar’s Palace in
Lake Tahoe. However, I have discovered that when reflecting on my childhood, it is
not the trips that come to mind, instead there are details from everyday doings; a
deck of cards, a silver bank or an ice cream flavor.”

25
 OR

"There was something elusively whimsical about Einstein. It is illustrated by my

favorite anecdote about him. In his first year in Princeton, on Christmas Eve, so the
story goes, some children sang carols outside his house. Having finished, they knocked
on his door and explained they were collecting money to buy Christmas presents.
Einstein listened, then said, "Wait a moment." He put on his scarf and overcoat, and
took his violin from its case. Then, joining the children as they went from door to
door, he accompanied their
singing of 'Silent Night' on his violin.

Let’s start with these interesting stories:

What is the difference between the narrations of these two stories?

 In the first story, the narrator (using the first-person pronoun ‘I’) is a
character in the story. We can hear and see only what the narrator hears
and sees.

 In the second story, the narrator is an outside observer and plays no part
in the story but can tell us what all the characters are thinking and feeling.
He indirectly tells us that though Einstein was a great scientist he was
quite whimsical.

 Though the narrator of the second story is not a part of the story but he/
she knows everything. He/she knows all the details about the character
(Einstein) and reveals him to us. Interesting, isn’t it?

When you read newspapers you must see that many of the news items/news
reports do tell something that has happened in the recent past, especially what has
happened on the previous day. The reporter narrates it from his point of view.

You can also narrate some personal experiences or report some past happenings
(as you find in news reports).

Read the following news report for example:

26
 A 16-year-old set sail from Portsmouth harbour on Saturday in a bid to become the
youngest person to sail solo around the world. Michael Perham, who became the
youngest person to cross the Atlantic alone when he was 14, left Portsmouth at
11:10 am aboard a 50-foot (15-metre) yacht, his spokesman Kizzi Nkwoch told AFP.
He will cover 21,600 nautical miles, crossing every single line of longitude and the
equator, in four and a half months, and his only contact with family members
back home will be limited to brief satellite conversations.

This is narrated by a reporter making use of simple past tense. e.g.

told set sail

who became is expected back

will cover he was 14

In such kind of narrations, we find the use of past tense. You know that a
construction turns into past tense either by using verb forms as was/were or is regularly
formed in by attaching–ed to the main verb or by using the past participle of the main
verb.

For example:

i. The last train reached New Delhi in time. (to reach (v) – reached (simple
past))
ii. Gitanjali received a letter from the college office a week ago. (to receive (v)
– received (simple past))
iii. Prakash withdrew one hundred rupees in his first attempt at the ATM. (to
withdraw (v) – withdrew(simple past))
iv. Manoj and Yogesh spent one month in U.S. last year. (to spend (v) – spent
(simple past))
You need to study different types of verbs and try to make a list of them using a
good dictionary and any grammar book from your library. Remember that a good narrative
skill requires a sequence of past and past perfect tense.

The other distinction is of the use of past participle.

We use the verb had and the past participle for the past perfect:

The past perfect is used in the same way as the present perfect, but it refers
to a time in the past, not the present.

See for example:

27
  When we reached there, we found that he had managed to call his mother.
 She didn’t want to move. She had lived in that village all her life.
 I was sorry when the factory closed. I had worked there since I left school.

 My eighteenth birthday was the worst day I had ever had.

 I couldn’t get into the house. I had lost my keys.
Now, see the following example of narration of a personal experience.

After an hour, the train stopped at the next station where five pretty ladies occupied
the remaining berths in my coupe. They were well-dressed, seemed to be literate (I
can’t call them educated because you’ll come to know why). Within a few minutes
after they entered the coupe, they started claiming the berth I was sleeping on as
theirs. They even pulled out an e-ticket (the one you can print when you book a ticket
online) as a proof of their claim. Without even crosschecking the claims, the TTE (The
Travelling Ticket Examiner) raised his voice and asked me to get off my berth. I tried to
explain that I had already shown him my ticket and reminded him that he himself
cross-checked my credentials just an hour back when I boarded the train. But he was
not in a listening mode and demanded I vacate my berth (the upper one)

The other important thing that you should know while narrating experience is
the use of time-markers. While referring your past experiences or memories what do you
do? You try to relate your reflections using some timemarkers such as BEFORE, LATER,
SOON, STILL, EVER SINCE, etc. These time-markers introduce a time clause (an adverb
clause) marking time.
on Saturday later at first during for 15 minutes
during afternoon beginning, on time later This is the first time
hours ending
See how these/such types of time-markers are used in the following passage:
NEW DELHI: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis found himself in an
embarassing situation when his scheduled public rally in Pune on Saturday gathered
only a handful of people.
Fadnavis was in Pune to address a campaign rally in the run up to the Pune
Municipal Corporation polls. However, noting the thin crowd at the venue, Fadnavis
left the city without addressing the meeting. The chief minister later clarified that
he had cancelled the rally due to a miscommunication of time.
“I have cancelled my public meeting at Pune due to miscommunication of time of
rally. I regret for the same,” he said in a tweet.
28
 The fiasco occurred as the meeting was scheduled in the heart of the city during
afternoon hours, traditionally siesta time for Punekars.
Fadnavis, who reportedly reached the venue on time, waited for 15 minutes near the
stage for a crowd to materialise, but very few people turned up. This is the first time
that the chief minister was forced to cancel a campaign rally during the ongoing
election campaign.

The use of such kind of adverb clause relates the action of the main clause.
For example:
Caesar came out when he heard the cry of the crowd.
While waiting for the guests to arrive, we were happy to enjoy reading
the newspaper.
Later, as she returned to her bedroom, Kadambari looked at herself in
the mirror.
Before Komal got out of bed, she spent a little time thinking about what
she’ll be doing the rest of the day.
Most of the times, these time expressions are needed to arrange the order of actions
in our narration. These expressions help us to arrange our past experience in a specific
chronological order.
For example:
(a) To begin with, Mamta made all necessary preparations for making a cup
of tea.
(b) At first, Sonam helped Mamta with a teapot and they put it on the gas-
stove.
(c) Then, Mamta added the required amount of milk and water.
(d) Lateron, she added a tablespoon of sugar and allowed it to boil.
(e) After some time, she added a teaspoon of tea powder.
(f) In the end, she allowed this mixture to boil for a few more minutes.
(g) At last ,they enjoyed their first recipe, their own cup of tea.
Now, you can narrate the third person (she, they) tea-making experience in the first
person (I) narration in the following manner.

29
 How I prepared my first cup of tea

Last evening some of my friends came to my house. My mother was not at

home. So I myself had to make tea for my friends. I seated them in the drawing room.
Then I went to the kitchen and lighted a stove. I put some water into the kettle and
placed it on the stove. After some time the water began to boil. Now I put some tea-
leaves and sugar into the boiling water. Again I let it boil for a few seconds. Then I
added milk to it. The tea was ready to serve. It gave a very good flavour. I poured it
into the tea-pot and covered the tea-pot with a lid. I arranged the tea-pot, cups and
saucers in a tray and served to my friends.

I was happy that they all liked it.

TASK 1

(a) Rewrite the following sentences using appropriate simple past OR past
perfect forms of the verbs given in the brackets:
1. I found the wallet that he had (keep) in the cupboard for me.
2. She hit me from my back and (ask) me whether I (recognize) her.
3. He went on a long drive when he (get) the key of his father’s bike.
4. When the two friends Gitanjali and Kadambari (come) home they (see)
that their parents were already there.
5. I could not send you an email because I (lose) your email ID.
6. The rain washed away the home that the poor farmer had recently
(build) for him.
7. They (finish) their homework and went out to play.
8. Lalit (eat) all the food that Gitanjali had (cook) that evening.
9. She (recognize) him even in the Army Uniform.
(b) Complete the following piece of incomplete narration with the help of
appropriate time-markers and linkers.

A woman Chairperson of the housing society put an advertisement – paying guest

accommodation for deserving girls—undergraduate girl students of B. A. I attended
the interactive session – the Chairperson not happy with their English – nobody
spoke in English - there was Akash – a boy from a village but very active – was
waiting outside the gate of the society – knew that accommodation was only for
girls – Chairperson lady looked out of the window – sent the watchman to call
him in – Akash presented in pleasant manner and in good English- Chairperson

30
 made an exception to her own rule – he was willing to undertake petty jobs like
bringing grocery for the senior citizens- he got the paying guest accommodation.

(c) Narrate your experience:

i. Narrate the experience of your excursion to the nearby fort.
ii. Narrate the experience of your taking part in the Youth Festival.
iii. Narrate your college tour experience (the places you visited like Saanchi,
Bhopal, terrible winter etc)
iv. Do you remember your experience on the first day in the college?
Narrate it.
II) Use of linking words and phrases :
When you narrate an event in the past or your experience a few years ago, you
need to use time-linkers to link clauses and sentences in a paragraph. See, for example,
the expressions in the following paragraph:
BRAVE Samuel Thorne visited his house in seven months today in what was a precursor
to his fulltime return home late this year.

the Logan schoolboy was struck down by a severe case of a rare neurological condition,
transverse myelitis which extensively damaged his brain stem and spinal cord,
confining him to a wheelchair and requiring constant ventilation.

He does, have movement in his right foot which enables him to steer his wheelchair.

Samuel, 10, toured his Meadowbrook house and joined his family watching the Rio
Olympic Games coverage in the lounge room where Australian Emma McKeon’s swim
of a lifetime (bronze medal, 200m freestyle) put a smile on his face.

He had not been back to his family home since being admitted to Lady Cilento Hospital
last December with the life-threatening, rare neurological illness.

You need linkers or linking expressions which express intention, reasons, purpose, contrast,
consequence, comparison, to make additions, to give illustrations and to give examples,
etc.
While narrating, time markers, linking words and phrases can be helpful in
presenting your views and opinions effectively. These linkers are used for various purposes
such as supporting our opinions, giving emphasis, showing agreement or disagreement
or other such common purposes of communication. However, these words have different
meanings, nuances, and connotations. Before using a particular linker, be sure of its
meaning and usage. Some of the linking words and phrases are as follows:

31
Linking words used to show effect, result or consequences:
In consequence, as a result, for, consequently, under those circumstances, thus,
therefore, in that case, because, thereupon, for this reason, henceforth, hence,
accordingly, hence, etc.
Linking words used for your agreement or showing similarity:
Initially, in the first place, again, moreover, not only ... but also, as well as, as a
matter of fact, together with, in addition, likewise, comparatively, in the same
fashion, similarly, furthermore, by the same way, etc.
Linking words used in supporting examples, emphasis or point of view:
In other words, to put it differently, in fact, in particular, as an illustration, to be
sure, in detail, in this case, for this reason, to put it another way, that is to say,
with attention to, by all means, surely, certainly, absolutely etc.
Linking words used to suggesttime/chronology:
at the present time, after, henceforth, from time to time, later, whenever, sooner
or later, eventually, until, meanwhile, further, to begin with, since, during, in due
time, as soon as, prior to, by the time, all of a sudden, immediately, formerly,
suddenly, presently, finally, occasionally, etc
Linking words used to suggest space, location or place:
in the middle, here, further, to the left/right, beyond that, on this side, in the
distance, here and there, in the background, in the centre of, opposite to, near,
above, below, under, between, across, behind, alongside, etc.
Linking words used in showing opposition / limitation / contradiction:
although, although this may be true, but, in contrast. still instead, different from,
unlike, whereas, of course ... but, despite, on the other hand, on the contrary,
otherwise, at the same time, however, in spite of, besides, rather, above all,
notwithstanding, after all, in reality, etc.
Linking words used in cause/ condition / purpose:
in the event that, in this case, then, provided that, as / so long as, unless, given
that, on (the) condition (that), even if, with this intention, so as to, in the hope
that, while, due to, in view of, because of, etc.
There are many more. It is necessary for you to learn the use of these link words
and linking expressions to make your writing logically acceptable.

32
 For example:
 As soon as she landed in Mumbai, she got a good job.
 Will you please ask her to respond to my email quickly?
 While she was on board of the ship she enjoyed watching other ships.
 The boy troubled his mother all the while when she was shopping.
 During the rainy season farmers did lot of water harvesting.
 By the time our breakfast reached our table we had no desire to eat.
 Before we could get an umbrella we were all wet.
 He studied until midnight last night.
 She had looked after the baby until I came back from a three-day holiday.

TASK 2

Use the following linking words or connecting/cohesive devices in your own

sentences suggesting various purpose/s.

linking words/connecting/cohesive devices to...

of

ADDITION TIME PLACE COMPARISON CONTRAST

furthermore immediately opposite to in the same way nevertheless
in addition meantime beyond similarly on the contrary
even more simultaneously nearby in like manner and yet
finally until now adjacent to in similar fashion on the other
hand
besides sometimes below likewise at the same time

III) Some more examples of Narration :

Narration is not always narration of action or event. It may be narration of details
of life of someone. There may not be a single word or linking expression as above, but
there is a sequence of sentences according to birth, schooling, higher education,
achievements in person’s life. For example, see how the biographical details of a person
are expanded into a small paragraph:

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was a prominent Indian scientist who served as the 11th President
of India from 2002 to 2007. Renowned for his pivotal role in the nation’s civilian space
programme and military missile development, he was known as the Missile Man of
India. He made significant contributions to India’s Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998
which established him as a national hero. An alumnus of the prestigious Madras
Institute of Technology, Kalam began his career as a scientist at the Aeronautical
33
 Development Establishment of the Defence Research and Development Organization
(DRDO). He was later transferred to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
where he served as the project director of India’s first Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-
III). He eventually rejoined DRDO and became closely involved in India’s space
programme. he served as the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister in the
1990s before becoming the President of India in 2002. Immensely popular during his
term, he earned the moniker of People’s President. He was honored with several
awards including the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, for his contribution
to the nation’s space and nuclear programme.

See another example of the first-person narration by the great English writer Charles
Dickens where he is telling of his childhood memories and his association with his late
father:

‘I was a posthumous child. My father’s eyes had closed upon the light of this world
six months, when mine opened on it. There is something strange to me, even now,
in the reflection that he never saw me; and something stranger yet in the shadowy
remembrance that I have of my first childish associations with his white grave-
stone in the churchyard, and of the indefinable compassion I used to feel for it lying
out alone there in the dark night, when our little parlour was warm and bright with
fire and candle, and the doors of our house were—almost cruelly, it seemed to me
sometimes—bolted and locked against it.’

You can narrate an event or a story as the third person or an observer. For example,
a news item is a narration by a third person or a reporter. The same story or an event can
be narrated by the person involved in the event, but with a third person point of view.
Few changes occur in such a narration. Read the following incident:

My father was busy in the kitchen. He sent me to go to the grocer and get some salt.
Our house is located out of the town. I took my bicycle and went to the town. There
was a huge crowd in the grocery shop. I kept the bicycle in the nearby lane.
Unfortunately, I forgot to put a lock. When I returned with the salt, I was shocked to
see the empty place where my bicycle was kept. My bicycle was lost! I enquired in
the surrounding area, asked many persons but nobody knew about it. I did not
know how to face my father. I was quite frightened. I told my mother about the
tragic loss of our bicycle. She shouted at me. I could only hang my head and listen!
I could not believe my eyes when I saw my own friend riding merrily to my home on
my bicycle. I was relieved.
34
 This is a brief account of what happened with the narrator.

You have already seen how past tense and past continuous tense are used in
narratives like this. This gives you a good example of the use of past tense. Note the
following expressions:

My father wanted to..., He sent me to..., I took my bicycle ..., There was a huge
crowd in the grocery shop..., I kept my bicycle..., I forgot to..., When I returned..., I was
shocked, bicycle was lost..., I enquired..., etc.

The narrator has given almost all details of the incident. But this is narrated from
the first-person narrator’s point of view. You can change the narrator also. You can rewrite
this incident from the ‘Father’s Point of View’.

How will the narrator’s father narrate it from his point of view? What changes
will be there in the narration if the same incident if it is told by ‘the father’? Try to rewrite
it in the father’s point of view.

TASK 3

Take any news item from the newspapers like Times of India or Indian Express.
Find out any news story or report and try to rewrite it / narrate it from your point
of view (first person narration).

Exercises:

1. Describe the most memorable incident in your life.

2. Complete the following narratives by using your imagination.

a) A beggar – in the bus stand – begging for something to eat - two rich students
boarding the bus – their wallet falls down – the beggar runs after the bus shouting
“wallet, wallet” – the bus stops – students are overwhelmed – offer a hundred
rupee note – he denies and takes only ten rupees to eat vada-paav – students report
the incident to their father – the beggar is rewarded for his honesty – is given the
charge of the farm labourers – honesty gives the beggar a happy living

b) Dipak – a rich farmer – not happy with limited wealth from farming – visits relatives
and friends and breaks families by creating misunderstanding among members of
the family – accumulates wealth with the help of corrupt police – tries to play his
trick in honest but very intelligent teacher’s family- the matter reaches higher courts
– misguides society – wise judges give right verdict- Dipak is dragged to court – is
punished for his crimes – the teacher leads a happy life ahead.



35
 B) In Passion’s Shadow
Mohan Rakesh
Mohan Rakesh (1925 - 1972): Mohan Rakesh was a famous Hindi playwright of
India. But he was popularly recognized as an author of fiction. Mohan Rakesh was born in
Amritsar, Punjab in 1925. His family background was somewhat conservative. He
completed postgraduate degrees in Sanskrit and Hindi, and started writing short stories
at an early age. He edited a literary journal ‘Sarika’ for some time. After a few stints at
teaching he took up freelancing as a profession because of his temperament. He was a
rebel and wanderer. His small body of plays can be mentioned as Ashadh ka ek din (One
Day in Ashadha) (1958), Lahron ke rajhans (Swans of the Waves), Adhe-adhure (One Half
Unfinished) and the unfinished Pair tale ki zamin (Ground Beneath the Feet).
He brought a completely new sensibility to the realistic genre of Indian Drama.
Thematically, his primary interest lay in human relations. He focused on man woman
relationship in the contexts of conflict within a creative artist in Ashadh Ka Ek Din, conflict
between material and spiritual in Lahron Ka Rajhans, and fast-changing values of middle-
class urban life in Adhe-adhure. However, in all these plays he emphasized a restless search,
clearly a manifestation of his own life experience. He always stressed the meaningful
relationships beyond existing social norms, creative expression without compromises,
and stability without losing one’s self.

I had seen Pushpa for the first time drawing water at the hand pump. She had
eyes like thin sea shells. When she looked at me twice or thrice, I had felt that either my
hair had grown greyer than usual or I was looking four or five years younger. Otherwise
there could have been no reason for her to look at me with complete trust as if saying
“Would you like to play hide & seek.”
Pushpa must have been thirteen years old or at the most fourteen. She was fair of
complexion. It would take her two or three years to attain maidenhood. Yet her eyes
showed awareness of the meaning of youth which comes generally at this age; as if she
was surprised that she alone knew why the rose is red.
“You can fill your bucket first,” Pushpa had said to me removing her own bucket.
Thinking that she had offered this to respect my greying hair, I had replied,” No, you fill
up first.”

36
 “You have to go to office so you had better fill up yours first,” she had said. I had
felt happy that she knew about my existence, what I did and the consideration was not
only on account of my greying hair.
“What is your name?” I had asked her filling up my bucket. “Pushpa” she had
replied with a little hesitation.
“Which class do you study in?”
She had replied with some the same hesitation,”I don’t go to school.”
“Why?” I had asked. I was surprised that a girl with such beautiful eyes does not
go to school. Normally I don’t enter into conversation with girls because they are in the
habit of attaching importance even to casual conversation. But Pushpa had not yet reached
the age when a girl is to be treated as a girl.
“I don’t live here,” she had said in a manner as if my question was irrelevant. “I
have come with my father from the village. Bapu has some work here. As soon as it
finishes we shall return home.”
I had noticed that her eyes had not yet learnt to blush like a young girl. She had
come from the village and will go back to the village. The yellow ‘sarson’ flowers will be
her playmates and she will grow up on the delicious and delicate stems of ‘sarson’ saag.
Some one will sing Heer at night and she will listen to it with rapt attention. If not that,
the music of the breeze at night will lull her to sleep. She will get up in the morning and
tend the cattle. Some will loll around in the stream as long as she wants. Her wet hair will
dry of their own and she will be oblivious of the fact. She will not be bothered with
arithmetic. Geography will not have to go through dictionaries to find meanings of words
in poems. In fact wherever she goes she will give birth to poetry.
Suddenly I had found that I was still working the hand pump although my bucket
was already full and the water was over-flowing. To cover my absent-mindedness and to
thank Pushpa for her courtesy in letting me fill up my bucket first, I had picked it up and
filled up Pushpa’s bucket.
“Oh,” she had said, getting back a little, “My bucket has been touched.”
“Touched?” I had asked insulted.
Pushpa had caught the hint of my remark and said by way of apology, “I had
brought my bucket after cleaning it. Yours has not been cleaned.”
I had reminded myself that unless the bucket is cleaned with some ash and earth,
it is not considered having been properly cleaned. After that it matters little whether the
37
place where it is put is filthy and littered with twigs used as tooth brushes. “ I had also
cleaned mine in the morning,” I had lied to her. To lie comes easy to me. I lie without
reason, several times during the day. I like it, honestly. Anyone does not tell a lie openly
tells it all the time inwardly. And anyone who tells a lie in his mind is more dangerous
than me because he claims to speak the truth and is therefore a bigger lier.
Pushpa had smiled, emptied her bucket, picked up some earth from the ground
and had started cleaning her bucket. I had started filling my bucket again.
Someone had shouted for her, “Pushpi.”
“Coming Bapu,” she had replied.
“Haven’t you filled up your bucket yet?”
“Not yet Bapu.”
“Hurry up,” he had said adding a curse.
I had looked up and found a tall, old Jat tying his turban standing in the verandah
upstairs in house nearby. Not only was his voice rough, he had sharp, pointed beard as if
it was used for slaughtering chickens. His eyes appeared bloodshot as if he had spent the
night in drinking. He had wiped his hands on the beard after tying his turban and had
shouted again, “Hurry up you wretch unless you want a good beating.”
Seeing that my bucket was only half filled, I had started working on the hand
pump faster. The Jat had turned his backs towards us. Pushpa had looked at me and
smiled as if saying “A father’s curses do not affect a daughter.”
I had seen Pushpa twice or thrice after that. I do not know why but I had started
associating her with red velvety flowers. In my younger days I used to wear such flower
in my button hole.
I had also seen Pushpa’s father twice or thrice- brushing his teeth with a twig or
tying his turban or cursing her. I associated him with birds’ droppings which start melting
after a heavy rain and start trickling down tin roofs.
That day while returning from office, I had gone barely a furlong from the Nakodar
bus stand when I noticed that the old man was walking almost by my side. I started
walking faster. He also increased his pace. I slowed down. He did likewise.
I cannot bear to keep pace with anyone while walking because I feel that the
person not only expects me to keep pace with him but also expects me to think like him.

38
But if someone walks by my side I somehow like it because he keeps pace with me but
keeps busy in his own thoughts.
To draw my attention he asked, “Where are you going Babuji?”
“To Model Town,” I replied in a tone which conveyed that I belonged to a higher
strata and was walking merely because I liked evening walks.
“I am also going there,” he said, “Do you know Dr Gurbux Singh Madan? He is
from our village. We stay with him when we come to town. Then coming nearer he added,
“while walking two are better than a loner.”
Trying to be more familiar he asked, “Do you belong to these parts?”
“No,” I replied.
“Since when are you in Jullundur then?” he asked
To satisfy his curiosity about me once and for all I considered it appropriate to
answer all his questions at one go. I told him that I was there since the last two months;
I worked as Assistant Supervisor in the Secretariat; the salary was Rs. 120/- p.m. and there
were possibilities of extra income. I was still a bachelor but was on the look out for a
suitable girl and that I was a graduate. I added that among vegetables, I like cauliflower,
among fruits I was partial to mangoes, every Sunday I massaged myself with mustard oil,
my food was cooked for me by a man from Gadhwal aged around forty years and the
cleaning was done by his daughter aged around twenty.
After telling him all this I said to myself – let us see if he has anything else to ask.
The Jat had still more to ask, “Why has the servant not married off his daughter
yet?”
This was almost the limit. But I did not lose patience. I pride myself on the fact
that I do not lose patience easily, “She is a widow,” I gave a factual reply considering that
perhaps the question was natural.
“If she is a widow,” said the Jat, “ then he must be looking for someone to settle
her with.”
If I had been a student of current history and customs, I would have ascertained
from the Gadhwali what he intended to do for her. But my connection with history had
ended with Temur’s wars. Regardless, I considered it necessary to reply to the Jat. To while
away the time I said, “I think he is looking around but it will all depend on the girl’s luck.”
“Is she good looking?” asked the Jat. I noticed signs of virility appearing in the old
bones.

39
 “She is not only good looking but also has a sweet temperament,” I replied wanting
to add a touch of romance to the conversation.
“Really ,”said the Jat. “ Is she hardworking also?” “No,” I said, “She is lazy but talks
a lot.” “ It is difficult to work hard with the heat of youth in the veins,” observed the Jat.
Enjoying his remark, I looked at him. I found his eyes covetous like those of a hungry tom-
cat. His lips were wet. To break his train of thought, I looked off me one of my shoes,
started cleaning it and said, “Walking on these dirty, Kuchcha roads ruins the shoes, Sardaji.”
He paid no heed to my attempt at changing the subject. Continuing with his train of
thought he said, “ Babuji, is it possible to meet your Gadhwali?” “Why?” I asked looking
towards him, and felt as if the shadow of passion I had perceived earlier on his face had
become keener and deeper.
“ I need a wife, Babuji,” he said, “ I am a Zamindar. I have four acres of land in a
nearby village ; five acres I have in Karnal district. I am the Nambardar of the village there.
My wife is dead. There is a young daughter in the house. If I marry her off, there would be
no-one to look after me. I also have a cow and two buffalos. If there is a woman in the
house, she can look after the Cattle and I can also be taken care of.” He caught me by the
arm and said entertaining, “Kindly help me in this and I would be ever so grateful.”
As he spoke, his voice gave me different meaning of his words. He seemed to be
saying “Even though I am old, I have nine acres of land. There are Cattle in the house and
everything else. It lacks only a woman. Please help me to get green fodder for these
hungry bones.”
To somehow get out of the situation I said, “ Gadhwalis do not marry Panjabis,
Sardarji. He will only gi….. to a Gadhwali.” This was a damper for him. I felt that his
moustaches had limped. He sighed and said, “ I am not destined to succeed it seems. I
had heard that one and a half year’s efforts have all been a waste of time. Doctor Sahib
had fixed a woman for four hundred rupees but seeing my grey beard she also backed
out.”
“ You need someone to look after the house,” I said, “ Why don’t you employ a
servant?”
“ A servant is not sufficient.” he replied, “ It is after all a Zamindar’s household.
There are guests to be looked after. Also the Cattle. Only a wife can do all this.”
“ So you want a young woman to look after you as well as milk the Cattle.”
“ Why would she milk the Cattle, Sir,” he replied, “she would sit in comfort in the
house. I am here to milk the Cattle.”
40
 To see how far he was prepared to bargain, I said, “ At this age, Sardarji, if you get
someone , she would have passed through many hands. Would you be prepared to take
such a woman?”
There was glow again on his face. He caught me by the arm and said, “ I am certain
you have someone Babuji, I am dead certain.”
I had not imagined that my remarks could convey such an impression. To clear the
air I said, “ I did not mean that. I said that only to express an opinion.” “ You definitely
have someone, Babuji,” he insisted with entreaties, “Please help me. Assure me that you
have someone.”
I looked at him from head to foot. Even his eyebrow had greyed. The eyes had
shrunk to mere points. The skin of the cheeks was hanging loose. Half the teeth were
missing ; the rest had decayed badly. Every time he spoke, spit smeared his white beard.
And he was asking me for an assurance that I had a woman who can be his fodder, who
can offer her youth to him because he is a Zamindar, because he has a cow and two
buffalos. His purse has power though his bones may be weak. “ Do please tell me honestly,
Babuji,” said the Jat again agitated and impatient. “ I do not know anyone,” I replied in a
slow tone.
Model Town was in front of us. As soon as we reached the Pucca Road, I saw
Pushpa, who was waiting for her father in the verandah. I was again reminded of the red
velvety flower. I asked the Jat, “ You would be our neighbor for a few more days, Sardarji,
won’t you?”
“ No,” he replied, “ we are going back to our village tomorrow. There is no hope
here. Let me go and try again in the village. If nothing else, let me see if an exchange can
be arranged.”
“ An exchange ?” I asked surprised.
“ We have this custom, Babuji,” he said. “An exchange can be arranged between
two equal status housed if they can offer equal for exchange. Let us see if this can be
organized.”
I saw Pushpa waiting. “ A farher’s curse is going to fall on her soon”, I said to
myself.

41
Glossary and Notes:
blush : to show shyness on the face, the natural quality of a young girl.
playmates : companions to play with
Heer : the traditional Panjabi folk song expressing separation of the lover
and the beloved
yield : give way to arguments, demands, or pressure
rapt attention : bound for a certain destination
breeze : a gush of fresh cool air
littered : spread
wretch : an abuse
trickling : slowly coming down
higher strata : rich class in society
loner : alone
ascertain : to confirm the truth
virility : having a strong capability of manliness
entreating : requesting in very polite manner
damper : disheartening
destined : having a possibility of happening something
shrunk : had become small
smeared : covered
agitated : angry
I. Skimming and Scanning Questions:
A. Write answers of the following questions in one word / one phrase/one
sentence.
1 When and where did the narrator see Pushpa for the
first time?
2 What age did the narrator guess Pushpa to be?
3 Why did Pushpa offer her turn to fill the bucket to the
narrator?
42
 4 What made the narrator happy when Pushpa first spoke to him?
5 In which class did Pushpa study?
6 Why does the narrator not enter into conversation with girls?
7 What caused the quarrel between Algu’s wife and that of Jumman’s?
8 Whose bucket was already full and the water was overflowing?
9 Who lies several times during the day?
B. Complete the following statements by choosing the best alternatives:
1 Pushpa ————— her bucket and started to clean her bucket
a) filled b) kept down
c) patted d) touched
2 The narrator saw the old Jat tying his turban in the standing in the ——
—— of the house nearby.
a) balcony b) verandah
c)corridor d) door
3 The jat had such a sharp, pointed beard that the narrator
thought it could be used for slaughtering—————
a) pigeons b) goats
c) chickens d) lions
4 The narrator had started associating Pushpa with ——— flowers
a) red b) yellow
c) orange d) velvety
5 The narrator associated the Jat, Pushpa’s father with birds’
————— that start trickling down tin roofs
a) feathers b) nests
c) droppings d) clipped tails
6 When the narrator went from the Nakobar bus stand he saw the ———
— was walking by his side.
a) young girl b) old lady
c) village priest d) old man

43
 7 The narrator replied that he was going to ———
a) Model Town b) Jullundur
c) Gadhwal d) Chandigarh
8 The narrator told him that he was in the town since last — months.
a) ten b) five
c) two d) three

II. Comperehension Questions :

A Answer the following questions in 3 to 4 sentences each:

1 How was the first meeting of the narrator and Pushpa?

2 Why did the narrator’s bucket start to overflow?

3 Why was the narrator surprised when Pushpa told him that she didn’t
go to school?

4 Why had Pushpa come to Jullundur?

5 What did the narrator imagine about Pushpa’s life in the village?

6 How did Pushpa clean her bucket?

7 Who is more dangerous than who according to the narrator as far as

telling lies is concerned?

8 How did the Jat treat Pushpa when she took some to return home?

B Write short notes on following in 8 to 10 sentences each:

1 Pushpa’s father

2 The meeting of Pushpa’s father with the narrator

3 The Jat’s ideas about marrying off the daughter

4 The narrator’s description about himself to the Jat.

5 The custom of ‘Exchange’ as described by the Jat.

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III Vocabulary Exercises:
A. Complete the following table filling in the appropriate form of the given words

Verb Noun Adjective Adverb

draw ---------- ---------- ----------
---------- consideration ---------- ----------
---------- ---------- clean ----------
---------- ---------- ---------- entreating
---------- destiny ---------- ----------

B. Give Synonyms of the following words:

1. draw
2. trust
3. hesitation
4. beautiful
5. delicious
6. hint
IV. Writing activity
1. Comment on the effective portrayal of gender politics and inhuman treatment
given to the girl child in India.
2. Express your honest opinion on the Jat as an old father having no affection for
his young daughter.
3. Describe the picture of the society in Punjab as you know from the story.
V. Suggestions for further reading
Watch the cine play Aadhe Adhure Mohan Rakesh
online : http://www.cineplay.com/pages/adhe-ad...
Kanya-Daan Vijay Tendulkar



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 Module III
A) English for General Purposes
Introduction:
Now-a-days, language is one of the most esteemed properties of man. It is a
repository of wisdom. Eventually English language became a link of the world. Though
English is not our first language, it has become an integral part of India. Consequently the
demand of English for General Purposes (EGP) has increased in India. English for General
Purposes is not a grammar teaching. It is designed to meet learner’s day today common
needs. It should be learner-centered. A learner should be well acquainted with practical
use of English language. As EGP is an exhaustive topic, it is not possible to deal with all its
aspects. Hence, a precise area is considered in the present unit.
The present unit focuses on the day today common communicative needs and
practices of the students. In the present unit you are going to study a certain language
skills especially speaking and writing. A learner can acquire these skills through consistent
practice. Here, you are introduced greetings, friendly communications and self-
introductions, formal conversation, making small talk with a stranger, interacting at market
place, writing SMS, writing e-mails, etc.
I) Friendly communications:
Conversation is the most common form of communication. It links people together.
In conversation, there is an oral, informal or friendly exchange of feelings, views, ideas,
etc. Many times we converse with our friends, relatives and colleagues. A friendly
communication begins with a topic between the speaker and the listener in which both
of them have some interest. During the course of conversation, call listener by his or her
name and look at him or her while speaking.
a) Friendly greetings on Special Occasion:
Special greetings are expressed during the festivals and anniversaries. Such
greetings are pleasant compliments that create a healthy relationship among the friends
and relatives. Study the following examples of greetings exchanged during the festivals
and anniversaries:
: Happy Diwali! : Happy New Year!
: Merry Christmas! : Id Mubarak!
: Happy Birthday! : Happy Anniversary!
: Many Many Happy Returns of the day.

46
 Many times greetings are also a message of good wish to somebody’s health,
happiness, etc. Such greetings help to develop friendly and healthy relations. Study the
following examples of greetings that we use commonly:
: Have a good day! : Nice day to you!
: Wish you a successful day! : A happy journey to you!
: God bless you! : Safe journey to you!
: All the best ! : Best of luck!
: Good luck! : Come out with flying colours!
You may express the special greetings in both formal and informal situations.
Moreover, you may express cheerful greetings in your friendly conversation.While
expressing greetings be always polite and cheerful and feel interested in what is being
said. Don’t be argumentative because it may spoil your conversation. For example:
: Good morning Rahul.
: Hello.
In the above short dialogue, a speaker is very polite in his greetings and the listener
has replied in a very familiar way. ‘Hello’ or ‘Hi’ are the informal and familiar expressions
used in friendly talk. See another example:
Hemant : Hello Anil, how are you? (greetings)
Anil : Fine, Thank you. How are you?
Hemant : I am fine too. (responding to greetings)
In the above another short dialogue, some more expressions are given to develop
informal friendly dialogue. Note how the greetings and responses to the greetings are
expressed. Remember that while speaking with familiar person, we ask ‘how are you’,
but with unfamiliar person we say ‘how do you do’. Now see how both of them continue
their conversation in the following manner:
Hemant : Anil, yesterday I saw your brother going to Jeevanjyoti
hospital. What’s the matter?
Anil : My father has been admitted there. He had a mild heart attack.
Hemant : How sad! It’s very unfortunate. (expressing sympathy) Oh!
How is he now?
Anil : He’s still in the ICU. But the doctor says that there is nothing
to worry.
Hemant : Thank God! (expressing relief) I wish him a speedy recovery.
Hope he’ll get well soon.

47
 Anil : I hope so too. See you later.
Hemant : See you. Bye! (taking leave)
Note in the above example, how the dialogue continues with friendly talk and
certain expressions of sympathy, relief and leave taking, etc. Look at the following
expressions used to greet people. Note the use of contracted forms such as ‘I’m’ for “I am”
and ‘you’ll’ for ‘you will’.
1. : Good morning, how are you?
2. : I’m fine, thanks.
3. : Hello! What a lovely surprise!
4. : Just fine, thanks.
Read another dialogue below. Pay attention to the expressions used in informal
situation where people greet and take leave of one another.
Alisha : Good morning Mr. Anand. How are you?
Mr. Anand : Good morning, Alisha. I’m very well, thank you. What about you?
Alisha : I’m fine, thanks. We haven’t met for quite sometime, have we?
Mr. Anand : Yes, you’re right. I have been away in Nagpur. Have you
found something interesting to buy?
Alisha : No, not really. I just came in a few minutes ago.
Mr. Anand : Well, it was nice meeting you, Alisha. I could have given you
a lift home but I’m afraid I have to rush to keep an appointment. I do hope you’ll
excuse me.
Alisha : Yes, please do come over sometime. Bye!
Alisha : Bye, bye, Mr. Anand!
Introducing Yourself:
Many times you have to introduce yourself to others. So pay attention to
the expressions used in informal situation where people introduce themselves to each
other. Note that the same expressions can be used in the formal situation as well. Study
the following example:
Informal Dialogue:
Priya : Akshay, this is my sister, Rajani. She’s a cashier in the Bank of
Maharashtra. Rajani meet Akshay. He’s my classmate.
Akshay : Hi, Rajani. It’s nice meeting you too. I used to know your
cousin Smita at S. P. College of Science.

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Formal Dialogue: Mr. Patil: Good morning! I’m Sachin Patil. I’ve joined the bank today as
an assistant accounts officer. I was with a private finance company in Pune earlier.
Mr. Dixit : Good morning! I’m happy to meet. I’m Suhas Dixit, and I’m a
manager in the housing loan division. Welcome to our bank!
Mr. Patil : Thank you, Mr. Dixit. Very nice meeting you too.
Look at the following expressions used in both formal and informal situations to
introduce yourself to somebody. Study each of them and repeat by filling in the name of
your choice:
1. : Good morning! My name is …………………
2. : Hi! I’m ……………..
3. : I’m from ………………
Introducing People to One Another:
In different situations, you have to introduce people to one another. Read the
expressions used in situations where a person introduces people to one another. Study
the following dialogues in both the formal and informal situations.
Mrs. Joshi : Dr. Jadhav, I’d like introduce you to Mr. Harun Shaikh.
He is our company secretary. Mr. Shaikh, please meet
Dr. Shrikant Jadhav, an educational advisor with the KIIT.
Dr. Jadhav : (shaking hands) How do you do, Mr. Shaikh? I’m
happy to see you.
Mr. Shaikh : Thank you, Dr. Jadhav. This is indeed a pleasure. Mrs.
Joshi has spoken to me about the fine work that you are
doing among children in government schools.
Look at the following expressions used in both formal and informal situations to
introduce two persons to each other. Study them and repeat by filling in a name of your
choice:
1. : I’d like to introduce you to …………………
2. : Please meet …………………….
3. : I’m happy to meet you.
4. : Nice meeting you.
b) Formal conversation:
Here is an example of a formal conversation at a college library.
Siddharth : Good afternoon, Sir. (greeting)

49
 Librarian : Good afternoon, Siddharth. What can I do for you?
(offering to help)
Siddharth : I need a book on English grammar.
Librarian : What is it for, Siddharth?
Siddharth : I’ll refer it to prepare my notes.
Librarian : That’s fine. (appreciating a proposal)
Siddharth : Could you tell me where I can get it, Sir? (making a polite request)
Librarian : Look at that last cupboard.
Siddharth : Do you mean the fifth one?
Librarian : Exactly! That’s one.
Siddharth :Oh,Isee.May I borrow it for a day? (asking for permission)
Librarian : Sorry, the reference books are not for lending.
Siddharth : There is no place around. May I sit here and take notes?
Librarian : Yes, you may. (granting permission)
Siddharth :Thank you, Sir. (thanking)
Librarian : Welcome. (responding to thanks)
Task I
A) Imagine that your friend with his younger brother meets you at bus station. Write
a piece of friendly conversation with him and his brother. (Imagine necessary
details.)
B) Imagine that you are visiting Mumbai for the first time. Write a piece of
conversation in English with a policeman asking about Assembly House. (Imagine
necessary details.)

II Conversation with an unfamiliar people:

a) Conversation with a stranger :
While speaking with the strange person we should make certain changes in our
expressions. A strange person does not use familiar expressions. Many times, a stranger
asks for help and it is expected that we should talk with him or her in respectful manner
and help him or her if possible. Now see the following dialogue which may help you to
know a conversation with a stranger.
Stranger : I wondered if you could tell me where the boys’ hostel is.

50
 Raju : That’s not too far from here.
Stranger : Which way should I go?
Raju : Take the road right in front of you. (giving directions) Walk
for about half a kilometre.
Stranger : Yes!
Raju : You’ll see on your right, a Plane Building.
Stranger : Oh, I see, Plane Building.
Raju : The very next building is the boys’ hostel.
Stranger : OK, thank you Sir.
Raju : Welcome.
Note the beginning of a stranger’s conversation, how a stranger directly asks a
question regarding the destination. It is expected that if possible we should help a stranger
with a few formal words. Note how the second speaker gives directions and a stranger
shows his polite responses.
Here is another example of a conversation with a foreigner. Study the interactions
between a speaker and a foreigner. Learn the expressions which may help you to talk with
any foreign person. See the example:
Deepika : May I introduce myself?
My name is Miss Deepika. (introducing oneself)
Katherine : I am Miss Katherine.
Deepika : How do you do? (responding to introduction)
Katherine : How do you do?
Deepika : Where are you from, Miss Katherine? (asking for information)
Katherine : I’m from the UK. How about you?
Deepika : I belong to Kolhapur. How long have you been here?
Katherine : I’ve been here for two weeks.
Deepika : Are you going to stay for long?
Katherine : No, I’m just on a short holiday.
Deepika : Do you like Kolhapur? (asking for likes/dislikes)
Katherine : Yes, I am enjoying it here. (expressing likes/dislikes)
Deepika : Is it too hot for you?

51
 Katherine : No, not too hot.
Deepika : And how do you like the food here? (asking for likes/dislikes)
Katherine : It’s delicious and tasty, but a little hot and spicy. (expressing
likes/dislikes)
Deepika : Do you like Kolhapuri Bhel?
Katherine : I love the soft Bhel. It’s fantastic.
Note the different expressions in the above example such as introducing oneself,
responding to introduction, asking information, and likes and dislikes, expressing likes
and dislikes, etc. You may practice to speak in English with a foreigner by taking the
above expression into consideration.
b) Conversation at Market:
In the market when you want to buy something else, you make inquiries about it
and how a salesman gives responses to your inquiries. See the example:
Customer : Excuse me.
Salesman : Yes, please. What do you want?
Customer : I want to buy some sweets and snacks.
Salesman : What kind of sweets and snacks would you prefer sir?
Customer : Let me see what is available at your shop?
Salesman : These two varieties of sweets have just arrived, and are very fresh.
Customer : Please give me one kilo of each and two dozen of Samosas.
Salesman : Here you are, sir. Please pay the bill at the cash counter.
Customer : Thank you.
Salesman : You are welcome sir.
Note the simple expressions of the customer and the responses given by the
salesman. Normally, a conversation at a market place takes place in the above manner.
However, you need to put into practice such a conversation in your day toady life which
may develop you confidence to speak and bring fluency.
Task II:
A) Fill in the blanks choosing the appropriate word given in brackets and practise the
conversations:
1. A: Do you........ (enjoy/want) reading Hindi novels?
B: Yes, I............ (like/want) to read Hindi novels. But I prefer Marathi fiction.

52
 A: Who do you............. (love/like) talking to?
B: I like talking to children.
2. A: Have you been to Mumbai?
B: Yes, I went there last year
A: How did you like it?
B: I had a................... (great/best) time there.

B) Imagine that you are at Mahabaleshwar and meet a foreigner. Write a piece of
conversation with him introducing you and asking him about his likes/dislikes,
etc. (Imagine necessary details)

C) Imagine that you are in the fruits-market to buy some fruits. Write a short piece of
formal conversation with the sales person. (Imagine necessary details.)
III English for Writing SMS:
SMS is an abbreviation of Short Message Service. It is a service that enables the
transmission of typed text messages from one mobile phone to another. In the present
situation the facilities such as cell phone handsets, network subscriptions and recharging
cards are easily available in an affordable cost. In the present circumstances, SMS is cheaper
than a voice call. It is the fastest way of communication. It is less intrusive, and it can be
saved for future reference. However, the language of SMS is an independent register that
does not follow the conventions of the written language. The language of SMS is used in
a very free way just like speech between very close friends. Therefore the SMS language is
a threat to standard writing which may evoke fears among the language teachers and
academicians. They compare the language and syntax of SMS with formal and written
English.
Nevertheless, SMS has become an effective means of communication. Now-a-days,
the greeting cards have been replaced by the SMS. The SMS style of communication was
initially used for different communication purposes such as exchanging information on
events; invitation to religious, social, political, academic meetings, making business
contacts and sending goodwill messages. Today students use SMS texting to chat, to pass
information concerning meetings, lectures, assignments, and social networking. Study
the following examples:
Hai, how R U?
Wel n gud
Thank U
Rn’t U wel ?

53
 Note that the SMS is a system of providing the quickest means of communication
in a brief a manner. Therefore, it employs brevity of words through representation or
sounds. It is for this reason that SMS words are numbers and letters or alphabets accordingly.
For example:
How are you? how are u?
You are too good to be true. U’r 2 gud 2 b true.
The SMS text messages commonly use words that are shortened through the use
of symbols to represent the word. For example:
“2morrow” is used for “tomorrow”
“4U” is used for “for you”
“2U” is used for “to you”
“b4” is used for “before”
In the text of SMS the homophones are regularly used which save the space and
provide expected message. Study the following examples:
“C” is used for “see”
“U” is used for “you”
“d” is used for “the”
The deletion of middle letters is another method has been popularized by the text
of SMS. Study the following examples:
“aft” is used for “after”
“mgmt” is used for “management”
“nxt” is used for “next”
“tx” is used for “thanks”
The acronyms and initials are also commonly used to convey the message in a
brief manner. For example;
“LOL” is used for “Laugh out loud”
“BTW” is used for “by the way”
“OMG” is used for “oh my God”
In writing SMS non conventional spellings are common forms that minimize the
space and convey expected message. For example:
“nite” is used for “night”
“guday” is used for “good day”
“pliz” is used for “please”
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 There are also other forms of non conventional spellings which are pronounced in
different way. For example:
“klass” is used for “class”
“klub” is used for “club”
“kam” is used for “come”
In showing emotions in the SMS, people use exclamation marks and full stops. For
example:
“Ah!!!!!!!.” is used for “Hahaha....”
Thus, with the help of the above examples, you can prepare a number of examples
of SMS. Remember that SMS is specially a means of informal communication. Therefore, in
formal communication you should follow the conventions of the written language.
Task III
A. A few contexts are given below read them and prepare SMS.
1. Birthday invitation
: ......................................................................
2. Desirous to know where is your friend?
: ................................................
3. Instructing your friend
: ......................................................................
4. Requesting to come
: ......................................................................

B. Match the boxes:

SMS Message Moods reflected
1. Pls forgiv me a) Expressing concern
2. y dint u call ? b) Feeling sorry
3. 1 hr more. R u redi ? c) Gratitude
4. Got it. Thank U d) Angry for not calling
C. Write SMS texts to your friend on the following situations.
1. Timely help and express your concern.
2. Invitation for your sister’s wedding ceremony.


55
 B) The Solitary Reaper
William Wordsworth

Introduction:
William Wordsworth (1770-1850) was a major English Romantic poet. He was a
founder of the Romantic Movement of English literature. He was often called a nature
poet because of his emphasis on the connection between humans and the natural world.
He finds friend, philosopher and guide in nature. He became widely successful and was
named Poet Laureate of England in 1843.
Wordsworth presented the common subjects uncommonly in the common man’s
language through his poetry. The present poem is a lyrical ballad. It is about a girl who
works alone in the field. She cuts and binds the sheaves of corn. She sings a very sad song.
The poet does not understand the meaning of her song as she sings in a language unfamiliar
to him. She sings a melancholy song but the poet enjoys its melody and thinks it eternal.
The song echoes in his imagination even after it was heard no more.

Behold her, single in the field,

Yon solitary Highland Lass!
Reaping and singing by herself;
Stop here, or gently pass!
Alone she cuts and binds the grain,
And sings a melancholy strain;
O listen! for the Vale profound
Is overflowing with the sound.

No Nightingale did ever chaunt

More welcome notes to weary bands
Of travellers in some shady haunt,
Among Arabian sands:
A voice so thrilling ne’er was heard
In spring-time from the Cuckoo-bird,
Breaking the silence of the seas
Among the farthest Hebrides.

56
 Will no one tell me what she sings?—
Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow
For old, unhappy, far-off things,
And battles long ago:
Or is it some more humble lay,
Familiar matter of to-day?
Some natural sorrow, loss, or pain,
That has been, and may be again?

Whate’er the theme, the Maiden sang

As if her song could have no ending;
I saw her singing at her work,
And o’er the sickle bending;—
I listened, motionless and still;
And, as I mounted up the hill,
The music in my heart I bore,
Long after it was heard no more.
Glossary and Notes :
single in the field : loneliness of the girl is emphasized. It intensifies the
pathos
Yon : that
Highland : from high mountainous country
lass : girl
reaping : cutting and collecting a crop from a field: harvesting
melancholy : very sad
strain : music, song or verse
Vale : a valley
profound : very great or felt very strongly
overflow : to be so full that the contents go over the sides
Nightingale : a small brown bird, the male of which has beautiful song
weary : very tired
bands : groups of travellers (of Arabia)

57
haunt : a place that somebody visits often
Cuckoo-bird : a bird with a call that sounds like its name
Hebrides : a group islands off the west coast of Scotland
Will no one tells…….sings : The girl is singing in Gaelic, a native dialect of
Scotland. Consequently, the poet doesn’t
understand the meaning of the song.
plaintive : very sad
humblelay : a song about an day-to-day matter
mountedup past tense : to go up something
form of ‘to mount’
bore past tense form : (formal/ old fashioned) carry
of ‘bear’
I) Skimming and Scanning Questions:
A. Answer the following question in one word / phrase/ sentence:
1. Where did Wordsworth behold the solitary reaper?
2. Who is the solitary reaper?
3. What kind of song was the girl singing?
4. To what does the poet compare the reaper’s song?
5. Why was the poet puzzled with the song?
6. What is meant by ‘melancholy strain’?
7. What does the ‘vale profound’ refer to?
8. What is meant by ‘plaintive numbers’?
B. Complete the following the statements by choosing the best alternative:
1. The central idea of the poem ‘The Solitary Reaper’ is _____.
(i) well sung songs give us happiness (ii) melodious sounds appeal to all
(iii) beautiful experiences give us life-long pleasure (iv) reapers can sing like birds
2. To whom does the poet say ‘ Stop here or gently pass’?
(i) to the people cutting corn (ii) to himself
(iii) to the people who make noise (iv) to all the passers by
3. The girl in ‘The Solitary Reaper’ is singing while _________________.
(i) walking (ii) reaping
(iii) dancing (iv) watching natural beauty

58
4. The poet laments that __________.
(i) he cannot understand the song (ii) he did not know the lass
(iii) she stopped singing at once (iv) he had to move away
5. The poet tries to imagine that the girl’s song is about _________________ .
(i) the nightingale and cuckoo (ii) her work and life full hardships
(iii) some past or some present sorrow, (iv) her loneliness
pain or loss
6. The pronoun ‘she’ in the poem refers to the ________________.
(i) solitary reaper (ii) nightingale
(iii) cuckoo-bird (iv) Vale
7. The setting of the poem is ___________.
(i) Arabia (ii) Hebrides
(iii) Scotland (iv) England
II. Comprehension Questions :
A. Answer the following questions in 3 to 4 sentences each:
1. What were the poet’s first thoughts when he saw the solitary reaper?
2. How does the poet highlight the loneliness of the reaper girl?
3. What kind of song was the girl singing?
4. Why was the valley filled with music?
5. For whom did the nightingale sing? Why?
6. Why could not the poet understand the theme of the reaper girl’s song??
7. How did the reaper’s song affect the poet?
8. Why does the poet ask ‘Will no one tell me what she sings?’
B. Write short notes on the following in 8 to 10 sentences each :
1. The theme of the poem, “The Solitary Reaper”
2. The significance of the title of the poem
3. The impact of the girl’s song on the poet
4. Atmosphere of silence in the poem
5. The girl in “The Solitary Reaper”

59
II. Vocabulary exercises:
A. Match the words given under A with their meanings under B:
A B
chant still
single plaintive
melancholy lass
maiden sing
motionless alone
B. Find out the synonyms of the following words from the poem:
reap, solitary, unhappy, farthest
III. Writing Activity
1. Write a paragraph of about 250 words on ‘Effect of Nature on our Mind’.
2. Write a paragraph on ‘A Day in the Company of Nature’.
IV. Suggestions for further reading:
1. Wordsworth’s poems like ‘My Heart Leaps up’, ‘I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud’, ‘To
the Cuckoo’ and others.



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 A) My School
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore(1861-1941), a man of versatile genius, was an authority of
art and literature. He always kept on burning the lamp of light and knowledge throughout
his life. He won the Noble Prize for literature in 1913 for his poetical work Gitanjali. Besides
his achievement in the field of verse, drama, essay, novel, dance, painting and music, his
extraordinary genius can also be traced out in the aesthetic and poetic presentation of his
short stories.
In 1900 he started a small school at Shantiniketan on the pattern of the ancient
Indian forest schools where the pupils led simple lives and learnt the truths of life from
Nature and their gurus. This school developed into a university called Visva-Bharti in 1921.
In this extract from a lecture which Tagore delivered in America in 1915, he explains the
circumstances in which he started his school. He has mingled his art and music in the
present short story. He has also weaved his theme of social consciousness, social reality
and spiritual issues through the medium of art and beauty. Like all his short-stories, the
present story also bears the impress of his literary craftsmanship.

I started a school in Bengal when I was nearing forty. Certainly this was never
expected of me, who had spent a greater portion of my life in writing, chiefly verses.
Therefore, people naturally thought that as a school it might not be one of the best of its
kind, but it was sure to be something outrageously new, being the product of daring
inexperience.
This is one of the reasons why I am often asked what is the idea upon which my
school is based. The question is a very embarrassing one for me, because to satisfy the
expectation of my questioners I cannot afford to be commonplace in my answer. However,
I shall resist the temptation to be original and shall be content with being merely truthful.
In the first place, I must confess it is difficult for me to say what is the idea which
underlies my institution. For the idea is not like a fixed foundation upon which a building
is erected. It is more like a seed which cannot be separated and pointed out directly it
begins to grow into a plant….
In India we still cherish in our memory the tradition of the forest colonies of great
teachers. The places were neither school nor monasteries in the modern sense of word.
They consisted of homes where with their families lived men whose object was to see the
world in God and to realize their own life in Him. Though they lived outside society, yet
they were to society what the sun is to planets, the centre form which it received its life
and light. And here boys grew up in an intimate vision of eternal life before they were
thought fit to enter the state of the householder.

61
 Thus in ancient India the school was there where was the life itself. There the
students were bought up, not in the academic atmosphere of scholarship and learning, or
in the maimed light of monastic seclusion, but in the atmosphere of living aspiration.
They took the cattle to pasture, collected firewood, gathered fruit, cultivated kindness to
all creatures, and grew in their spirit with their own teacher’s spiritual growth. This was
possible because the primary object of these places was not teaching but giving shelter to
those who lived their life in God.
That this traditional relationship of the masters and disciples is not mere
romantic fiction is proved by the relic we still possess of the indigenous system of education.
These Chatuspathis, which is the Sanskrit name for university, have not the savour of the
school about them. The students live in their master’s home like the children of the house,
without having to pay for their board and lodging or tuition. The teacher prosecutes his
own study, living a life of simplicity, and helping the students in their lessons as a part of
his life and not of his profession. This ideal of education, through sharing a life of high
aspiration with one’s master took possession of my mind. Those who in other countries
are favoured with unlimited expectations of worldly prospects can fix their purposes of
education on those objects. But for us to maintain the self-respect which we owe to
ourselves and to our creator, we must make the purpose of our education nothing short of
the highest purpose of man, the fullest growth and freedom of soul. It is pitiful to have
scramble for small pittances of fortune. Only let us have access to the life that goes beyond
death and rises above all circumstances let us find our God let us live for that ultimate
truth which emancipates us from the bondage of the dust and gives us the wealth, not of
things but of inner light, not of power but of love. Such emancipation of soul we have
witnessed in our country among men devoid of book-learning and living in absolute poverty.
In India we have the inheritance of this treasure of spiritual wisdom. Let the object of our
education be to open it out before us and give us the power to make the true use of it in
our life, and offer it to the rest of the world when the time comes, as our contribution to
its eternal welfare.
I had been immersed in literary activities when this thought struck my mind with
painful intensity. I suddenly felt like groaning under the suffocation of nightmare. It was
not only my own soul, but the soul of my country that seemed to be struggling for its
breath through me. I felt clearly that what was needed was not any particular material
object, not wealth or comfort or power, but our awakening to full consciousness in soul-
freedom, the freedom of the life in God.
Fortunately for me I had a place ready to my hand where I could begin my work.
My father, in one of his numerous travels, had selected this lonely spot as the one suitable
for his life of communion with God. This place, with a permanent endowment, he dedicated
to the use of those who seek peace and seclusion for their meditation and prayer. I had
about ten boys with me when I came here and started my new life with no previous
experience whatever.

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 All around our ashram is a vast open country, bare up to the line of horizon
except for sparsely-growing stunted date-palms and prickly shrubs struggling with ant-
hills. Below the level of the field there extend numberless mounds and tiny hillocks of red
gravel and pebbles of all shapes and colours, intersected by narrow channels, of rain-
water. Not far away towards the south, near the village, can be seen through the intervals
of a row of palm trees, the gleaming surface of steel-blue water, collected in a hollow of
the ground. A road used by the village people for their marketing in the town goes
meandering through the lonely fields, with its red dust staring in the sun. Travellers
coming up this road can see from a distance on the summit of the undulating ground the
spire of a temple and the top of a building, indicating the Shanti-Niketan ashram among
its amalaki groves and its avenue of stately sal trees.
And here the school has been growing up for over fifteen years, passing through
many changes and often grave crisis. Having the evil reputation of a poet, I could with
great difficulty win the trust of my countrymen and avoid the suspicion of the bureaucracy.
My resources were extremely small, with the burden of a heavy debt upon them. But this
poverty itself gave me the full strength of freedom, making merely upon truth rather than
upon materials.
But the question will be asked whether I have attained my ideal in this institution.
My answer is that the attainment of all our deepest ideals is difficult to measure by outward
standards. Its working is not immediately perceptible by results. We have fully admitted
the inequalities and varieties of human life in our ashram. We never try to gain some kind
of outward uniformity by weeding out the differences of nature and training of our
members. Some of us belong to Brahma Samaj sect and some to other sects of Hinduism;
and some of us are Christians. Because we do not deal with creeds and dogmas of
sectarianism, therefore this heterogeneity of our religious beliefs does not present us
with any difficulty whatever…..
In the teaching system of my school I have been trying all these years to carry out
my theory of education, based upon my experience of children’s minds.
I believe that children have their subconscious mind more active than their
conscious intelligence. A vast quantity of the most important of our lessons has been
taught to us through this. Experiences of countless generations have been instilled into
our nature by its agency, not only without causing us any fatigue, but giving us joy. This
subconscious faculty of knowledge is completely one with our life. It is not like a lantern
that can be lighted and trimmed from outside, but it is like the light that the glow-warm
possesses by the exercise of its life-process.
Fortunately for me I was brought up in a family where literature, music and art
had become instinctive. My brothers and cousins lived in the freedom of ideas, and most
of them had natural artistic powers. Nourished in these surroundings, I began to think
early and to dream and to put my thoughts into expression. In religion and social ideals

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our family was free from all convention, being ostracized by society owing to secession
from orthodox beliefs and customs. This made us fearless in our freedom of mind, and we
tried experiments in all departments of life. This was the education I had in my early
days, freedom and joy in the exercise of my mental and artistic faculties. And because this
made my mind fully alive to grow in its natural environment of nutrition, therefore the
grinding of the school system became so extremely intolerable to me.
I had only this experience of my early life to help me when I started my school. I
felt sure that what was most necessary was the breath of culture and no formal method of
teaching.
Have not our books, like most of our necessities, come between us and our world?
We have got into the habit of covering the windows of our minds with their pages, and
plasters of book phrases have stuck into our mental skin, making it impervious to all
direct touches of truth. A whole world of bookish truths have formed themselves into a
strong citadel with rings of walls in which we have taken shelter, secured from the
communication of God’s creation. Of course, it would be foolish to underrate the advantages
of book. But at the same time we must admit that the book has its limitations and dangers.
At any rate during the early period of education children should come to their lesson of
truths through natural processes – directly through persons and things.
Being convinced of this, I have set all my resources to create an atmosphere of
ideas in the ashram. Songs are composed – not specially made to order for juvenile minds.
They are songs that a poet writes for his own pleasure. In fact, most of my Gitanjali songs
were written here. These, when fresh in their first bloom, are sung to the boys, and they
come in crowds to learn them. They sing them in their leisure hours, sitting in groups,
under the open sky on moonlight nights, in the shadows of the impending rain in July. All
my latter-day plays have been written here, and the boys have taken part in their
performance. Lyrical dramas have been written for their season-festivals. They have ready
access to the room where I read to the teachers my new things that I write in prose or in
verse, whatever the subject may be. And this they utilize without the least pressure put
upon them; feeling aggrieved when not invited. Very often they themselves write plays or
improvise them, and we are invited to their performance. They hold meetings of their
literary clubs, and they have at least three illustrated magazines conducted by three sections
of the school, the most interesting of them being that of the infant section. A number of
our boys have shown remarkable powers in drawing and painting, developed not through
the orthodox method of copying models, but by following their own bent and by the help
of occasional visit from some artists to inspire the boys with their own work.
When I first started my school my boys had no evident love for music. The
consequence was that at the beginning I did not employ a music teacher and did not force
the boys to take music lessons. I merely created opportunities when those of us who had
the gift could exercise their musical culture. It had the effect of unconsciously training the
ears of the boys. And when gradually most of them showed a strong inclination and love

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for music I saw that they would be willing to subject themselves to formal teaching, and
it was then that I secured a music teacher.
In our school the boys rise very early in the morning, sometimes before it is light.
They attend to the drawing of water for their bath. They make up their beds. They do all
those things that tend to cultivate the spirit of self-help.
I believe in the hour of meditation, and I set aside fifteen minutes in the morning
and fifteen minutes in the evening for that purpose. I insist on this period of meditation,
not, however, expecting the boys to be hypocrites and to make believe they are not
meditating. But I do insist that they remain quiet, that they exert the power of self-control,
even though, instead of contemplating on God, they may be watching the squirrels running
up the trees.
Any description of such a school is necessarily inadequate. For the most important
element of it is the atmosphere, and the fact that it is not a school which is imposed upon
the boys by autocratic authorities. I always try to impress upon their minds that it is their
own world, upon which their life ought fully and freely to react. In the school
administration they have their place, and in the matter of punishment we mostly rely
upon their own court of justice.
Glossary and Notes:
outrageously : greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation;
shockingly
embarrassing : hard to deal with; causing a feeling of confusion
monastery : the residence of a religious community
maimed : having a part of the body crippled or disabled
seclusion : privacy
indigenous : local, native
savour : taste,flavor but here, signs of
prosecutes : carries on
scramble : to move hurriedly
pittance : an inadequate payment
emancipates : frees, liberates
communion : rapport; fraternize; sharing thoughts and feelings
sparsely : in a sparse manner; scattered
meandering : winding
undulate : move in a wavy pattern or with a rising and falling
motion
creed : any system of principles or beliefs
dogma : a doctrine or code of beliefs accepted as authoritative;
article of faith

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 sectarianism : a narrow-minded adherence to a particular sect or
party or denomination
instill : impart gradually or enter drop by drop; fill, as with a
certain quality
ostracize : expel from a community or group; cast out
secession : separation or withdrawal from
impervious : cranky; insensitive
citadel : fortress
juvenile : of or relating to children or young people
autocratic : bossy; dominating

I. Skimming and Scanning Questions :

A. Answer the following questions in one word/phrase/ sentence.
1. What was not expected of Tagore?
2. What was the question often asked to Tagore?
3. What, according to Tagore is the ‘idea’ like?
4. What was the primary object of the ancient Indian schools?
5. Where did the students live during the ancient Indian schools?
6. Which ideal of education took possession of Tagore’s mind?
7. What, according to Tagore should be the purpose of our education?
8. What, according to Tagore, will emancipate us from the bondage of
the dust and give us the wealth?
9. Which wealth Tagore aspires for?
10. Which treasure does Indian inherit?
11. With how many boys did Tagore start his new life?
12. How does the children learn the most important of their lessons?
13. What was most necessary to Tagore when he started his school?
14. What, according to Tagore has come between us and the world?
15. How, according to Tagore, children should come to their lessons of
truth?
16. What did help the boys to develop powers in drawing and painting?
17. Why Tagore did not employ a music teacher at the beginning?
18. How much time did Tagore set aside for meditation?
B) Complete the following sentences by choosing the correct alternatives:
1. Tagore started a school in ________________.
a) Bengal b) Gurukul
c) Shanti- Niketan d) forest colony

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 2. Tagore started school when he was nearing _____________.
a) fifty b) forty
c) sixty d) seventy
3. Tagore had spent the greater portion of his life in ________________.
a) running school b) writing verses
c) music d) Shanti- Niketan
4. In the ancient India, the students were brought up in the atmosphere
of _____________ .
a) scholarship b) learning
c) living aspiration d) forest
5. _________ emancipates us from the bondage of the dust and gives us the
wealth.
a) The ultimate truth b) Education
c) Learning d) God
6. Indian inherits the treasure of _____________.
a) wealth b) knowledge
c) spiritual wisdom d) beauty
7. Tagore’s father had selected the lonely spot as the one suitable for _____.
a) running school b) his life of communion with god
c) Pasture d) eternal welfare
8. In his school, Tagore carries out his theory of education, based upon ____.
a)his experience of childhood mind b) his spiritual wisdom
c) music d) music and art
9. Tagore sets all his resources to create an atmosphere of _______ in the
ashram.
a) ideas b) truth
c) living aspiration d) knowledge
II. Comprehension Questions :
A) Answer the following questions in 3 to 4 sentences each :
1. Describe the tradition of the forest colonies of great teachers.
2. How are the Chatuspathis different from the modern universities?

67
 3. How did Tagore get over the barriers between religions in his school?
4. How did Tagore’s family background help him to run his school?
5. How did Tagore develop a love for music in the pupils?
6. What is Tagore’s view regarding the working of the subconscious mind in
the children?
B) Write short notes on the following in 8 to 10 sentences each :
1. Tagore’s family background
2. Tagore’s view of book learning
3. An atmosphere of ‘ideas’ in Tagore’s ashram-school
4. Tagore’s view of meditation in the life of a pupil
III Vocabulary Exercises:
A) Complete the following table filling in the appropriate form of the words given:

Verb Noun Adjective Adverb

Expect
Outrage
Embarrassing
Inheritance
Perceptible
B) Write synonyms of the following words:

1. Savour
2. Indigenous
3. Emancipate
4. Endowment
5. Citadel
6. Ostracize
IV. Writing activity
Use the following words and phrases in sentences of your own:
Outrageous; embarrassment; maimed; indigenous; savour; prosecute; weed out;
bureaucracy; dogmas; instinct; meditation.

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68
 B) All the World’s a Stage
William Shakespeare
The greatest genius, myriad-minded Shakespeare was born at Stratford-on-Avon
in 1564. His father, John, was a small shop-keeper and there were two sisters and three
brothers to the poet. His education was cut short when he was 13 years of age, and that
he had to work to help the family. He soon took up the profession of an actor, and published
his first work Venus and Adonis in 1593. He wrote 37 plays and 2 long poems. He had so
perfect a knowledge of passions, the humours and sentiments of mankind. He painted all
characters, from kings down to peasants, with equal truth and equal force. Shakespeare’s
characters are not individuals, they are a species eternal. He was not of an age but for all
times, because his men and women are true to the eternal facts of human life. He breathed
his last on his birthday, April 23rd, 1616.
The present poem is one of Shakespeare’s most frequently-quoted passages. It is
taken from his play As You Like It. The poem begins with a phrase, ‘All the World’s a Stage’,
which is very famous all over the world. Here, Shakespeare compares life to a stage and
has divided life into seven stages each having its own varied qualities and features.

All the world’s a stage

And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms.
Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon’s mouth. And then the justice,

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 In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slippered pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.
Glossary and Notes:
merely players: life is but all a ply and that there is no reality in it.
exits: departures
seven ages: seven stages of life- infant, schoolboy, lover, soldier, judge,
pantaloon and old age, second childishness.
mewling: crying
puking: throwing out milk
mewling and puking: the idea here is of an infant crying and then throwing
up part of the milk.
whining: complainng
satchel: bag
creeping like snail: moving at a snail’s pace as unwilling to go to school. A
boy is compared with a snail …… use of ‘simile’.
sighing like a furnace: like the outrush of smoke from the chimney.
like the pard: probably rough and shabby.
jealous: here ‘sensitive’.
bubble reputation: reputation which is as unsustainable as a bubble.
in the cannon’s mouth: at the risk of his life.

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 justice: judge
capon: castrated cock
saws: sayings
instances: illustrations.
pantaloon: here ‘old man’. The reference her is to “Don Pataleone” the old
man deceived by his young wife.
shrunk: shriveled, lean and wrinkled.
shank: the part of the human leg between the knee and the ankle. Here ‘leg’.
treble: threefold. Here, ‘shrill accents of a child’.
oblivion: forgetfulness
sans: without.
I. Skimming and Scanning Questions:
A) Answer the following questions in one word/phrase/ sentence each.
1) What is compared to the stage in the poem?
2) What are the seven stages of man?
3) What is the second stage of man?
4) Who sighs like furnace?
5) Who is compared to the snail’s pace?
6) What is compared to reputation in the poem?
7) Why does the poet call the last stage second childhood?
8) Who are compared to the actors in the play?
B) Complete the following sentences by choosing the correct alternatives:
1. According to Shakespeare all the world is _____________.
a) a burden b) beautiful
c) a stage d) dangerous
2. By ‘exits and entrances’ the poet means ________________.
a) deaths and births b) dramatic acts
c) departures and entries d) stage directions
3. ______________ writes woeful ballads.
a) A schoolboy b) A lover
c) A soldier d) The poet
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 4. One man in his lifetime plays many parts, his acts being _____________.
a) varied b) myriad
c) many d) seven ages
5. ________ is jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel.
a) A schoolboy b) A lover
c) A soldier d) An old man
6. The justice is full of wise saws and ______________.
a) jealous in honour b) strange oaths
c) modern instances d) with spectacles
7. _____________ is second childhood.
a) Sixth age b) Seventh age
c) Infancy d) Fifth age
II. Comprehension Questions :
A) Answer the following questions in three to four sentences each:
1) Shakespeare alludes to the poetic rage in his age through ‘lover’.
Illustrate.
2) Point out a satire on the Elizabethan Justices of the Peace.
3) In what way does Shakespeare speak about the customs and manners of
his age through ‘soldier’?
B) Write short notes on the following in 8-10 sentences each:
1) Shakespeare’s allusions to the customs and manners of his age
2) Seven ages of Man’s Life.
III) Vocabulary exercises:
A) Complete the following table filling in the appropriate form of the word given:
Noun Adjective Adverb
Woeful
Strange
Fairness
Eventually
B) Give synonyms of the following words:
1) Exit 2) Entrance 3) Satchel
4) Woeful 5) Wise 6) Shrunken
7) Childish

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72
 C) The Secret
V. V. Shirwadkar (‘Kusumagraj’)
Mr V V Shirwadkar’s original name was Gajanan Ranganath Shirwadkar. After
adoption, his name was changed to Vishnu Waman Shirwadkar. He was born in Pune on
27th February 1912 . His poems and articles were published in the magazine ‘Balbodhmewa’
(ed. D.N.Tilak) in 1929, when he was seventeen. . He joined H.P.T. College in 1930 and his
poems were then published in the magazine ‘Ratnakar’. In 1932, he took part in the
‘Satyagraha’ (A Peaceful Resistance for truth) for the entry of the untouchables in the
‘Kala Ram Temple’ in Nashik. Since then the budding poet started soaring up in the sky of
literature - by writing not only poems, but stories, plays and also writing for the news
papers like ‘Weekly Prabha’, ‘Daily Prabhat’, ‘Sarathi’, ‘Dhanurdhari’, Navyug etc. In 1942
a very famous anthology of his poems Vishakha was published. Other well known
anthologies of his poems are Jeevan Lahari (1933) Kana (1952), Meghdoot (A Marathi
Translation of Kalidas’ Sanskrit poem) (1956), Swagat (1962) and Himaresha (1964). He also
wrote short stories. A few of his anthologies of short stories are Phulwali, (A Flower Girl)
Chhote ani Mothe (The Big People and the Small People) and Jaduchi Hodi (A Magic Boat) (for
children). His plays Yayati ani Devayani (Yayati and Devayani) and Veej Mhanali Dhartila
(Lightening said to the Earth) and Natasamrat (The Emperor Actor). Natasamrat is considered
as his best play and it received wide acclaim. It is the milestone on Marathi Stage. The
theme of this play is the tragedy of one time best actor in his old age. His children neglect
him and the surrounding society has turned to the popular entertainment of cinema. His
sole companion, his wife also dies in this misery. There is clear impact of Shakespeare’s
King Lear on this play.
He wrote his poems under the pen name of ‘Kusumagraj’ (i.e. Kusum’s elder
brother). His love poem ‘Pruthviche Premgeet’ (‘The love song of the Earth for the Sun’) is
extremely famous in which the earth is personified as a passionate lover who aches to
meet the sun. The poem for your study ‘Secret’ is an expression of ‘unheard melody’ or
rather ‘unplayed melody’. The narrator has a secret which he is determined never to
share with anyone. There is metaphysical connotation in the poem.
I have to say something
but I shall not
At the door of the temple
I shall not weigh faith

Within me the fragrance

of the heavenly tree
But its petals
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 Would never blossom
I have found the secret
In the names of stars
But it would not get
the touch of letters
Cloud purple lonely
at the border of the sky
Its secret will not
be known to anyone

In the distant harbour

a silver ship awaits
Its treasures would never
Touch the shore
With your kind grace
I own the forest-fire
I would never burn thee
in its embers.
(Tr. By Prabhkar Machwe)

Glossary and Notes.

fragrance : sweet smell of a flower or a perfume
blossom : to become a flower
harbour : a place where a ship is parked
thee : you
embers : burning coal
I. Skimming and Scanning Questions :
A. Answer the following questions in one word/phrase/sentence.
1) Does the narrator want to tell his secret?
2) Where does the narrator say that he shall not weigh his faith?
3) What type of fragrance is there within the narrator?
4) Where is the lonely purple cloud?

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 5) Will anyone know the secret of the lonely cloud?
6) Where does the silver ship await?
7) Will the treasure of the ship reach the shore?
8) What does the narrator own by the grace of someone?
II. Comprehension Questions
A. Answer the following questions in 3 to 4 sentences each :
1) What does the poet compare the secret in his mind with?
2) Which incomplete things in nature and the surrounding world the poet
describe to support his decision to keep the secret?
B. Write short notes on the following in 8 to 10 sentences each :
1) The things in nature described in the poem
2) The theme of the poem
III. Vocabulary Exercises
A. Supply appropriate forms of the words (wherever necessary) and complete
the following table.
Noun Verb Adjective Adverb
-- blossom - -
- touch - -
- - kind -
treasures - - -

B. Use the words given in brackets in the appropriate forms.

1. He ......... to me that he will not go the garden ( say)

2. She ......... into a fine lady by the good training given by her mother (blossom)

3. My ...... hearted principal helped me during my admission. (kindness)

4. My mother’s affectionate. ..... always gives me encouragement to study more.

(touched)

5. We will surely ....... the sweet memories of college days after our graduation
(treasures)

C. Give synonyms for the following words. Say, harbour, touch, kind

D. Give antonyms for the following words. Border, grace, awaits, distant

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IV. Writing Activity

Write a small paragraph on the sweet secrets of your childhood

V. Suggestions for further reading and listening

1) Read Marathi poems of Kusumagraj.

2) Watch the original Marathi poem rendered by Shridhar Phadke in the video on
You Tube: https://youtu.be/h_klpgRTHpc

3) Watch another video of the song composed by Shridhar Phadke and sung by
Asha Bhosale ‘Phulale Re Kshan Maze Phulale Re’ on You Tube: https://youtu.be/
M5ICKRpqeR4

(Source: Indian Poetry Today: Volume Two, 1980, Ed: L. Machwe Prabhakar, Indian Council
for Cultural Relations, New Delhi)

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76
SEMESTER II
(PAPER B)

77
78
 Module V
A) Making Enquiries
Making enquiry or asking for information or giving instructions is a natural human
tendency. In your day-to-day life, you come across such incidents on many occasions. By
making enquiry you try to get the exact information about places, things or even events.
When you are in an unknown city or place you make enquiries about residing place, about
meals, or about sight-seeing places. At the railway station or central bus stand you also
make enquiries about the train and bus time table, reservations and so on. Today with the
help of tracker app facility on internet you can collect information easily about different
places and things, yet as a human being it is our nature to gather exact and genuine
information by inquiries. While making inquiries you must be brief and precise, so that
you can get proper response and exact information from a respective person. It is also
important that while making enquiries one must be polite and gentle in his / her tone. So
that you can also get polite and gentle response from the person concerned. At the same
time, while making enquiries you must remember that you should not ask confusing
questions or insufficient and irrelevant information.
The objective of this module is that students should be well acquainted with the
skills of language for making enquiries and giving instructions in day-to-day life.
1) Hiring A Taxi
TD : Taxi-driver
Pass : Passenger
Pass : Taxi, taxi!
TD : Yes, Sir? Would you like to hire the taxi, Sir?
Pass : No, I just want to make an enquiry. Where can I find a taxi for the airport?
TD : Well, sir you have it right here. I can take you to the airport. Which airport would
you like to go, sir?
Pass : Gentleman , I would like to go Indira Gandhi Airport.
TD : Indira Gandhi International, or the other one for domestic flights?
Pass : Indira Gandhi International. What will be the fare?
TD : I’ll charge by the meter-reading. It’d come to between thirty to forty rupees.
Pass : Why between thirty to forty? Why not thirty or forty? You should be taking
passengers to the airport every day. You should know what exactly the fare will
come to.
TD : I do, Sir. And that’s why I’m saying it’d come to between thirty and forty.

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Pass : But why gentleman?
TD : Because, Sir the taxi doesn’t cover exactly the same distance every time it goes
from this taxi stand to the airport.
Pass : But why gentleman? What’s the mystery there? You mean to say that the road
from this point to the airport is flexible? Does it expand and contract with the
temperature like a rubber band, or something?
TD : Come on, Sir. There is no mystery at all. It’s straight and simple. The airport is
quite far from here. The distance travelled, as the meter records, will depend upon
the lane you travel in, the number of times you change lanes, the number of times,
you overtake, and so on.
Pass : All right, all right. Let’s go. Would you help me with these bags?
TD : By all means, Sir. It is my great pleasure.
The above dialogue clearly shows that a passenger curiously but in a polite manner
making enquiry about taxi fare to a taxi driver. His enquiry is polite and he is addressing
even taxi driver as a gentleman. So it is very essential that in your day-to-day life you
must be gentle and polite, and then you will get the same response from the other person.

Expressions in an enquiry
Formal expression:
Excuse me, Sir, would you please guide me where to pay the bill?
Excuse me, Mam, may I know if the Karnataka Express takes halt at Bengaluru
cantonment?
When you are making an enquiry, your language must be polite with a gentle tone,
especially when that person is a senior citizen, an elderly gentleman or a lady.
Informal expression:
When you are making conversation with you friend, classmate, or a colleague, you may
use informal expression as follows:
Hello, Prafull, would you please tell me how to go the Nehru Planetorium?
Hello, Pooja, do you have any idea about how to operate this washing machine?
Prashant, could you tell me about your investment plans?
Hey, let me ask you how you’re going to plan your summer vacation? Would you let
me know when the guests are arriving?
In making enquiries at different places ‘WH’ questions prove very effective for getting
precise answers:

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1) What’s the regular price for the refrigerator?
2) What does that gold pin cost?
3) What do you call a big grocery store like this?
4) Who’s that very handsome man?
5) What’s the weather like there in spring?
The enquiries above are in the form of ‘WH’ questions. So in your daily conversation
you may use ‘WH’ questions, which will help you to develop your communication.
Now let us have a glance at the few pieces of conversation.
1) A: Where do I get the downtown bus?
B: Walk straight ahead one block.
A: Thank you very much.
B: It’s all right.
2) Enquiry about cashless transactions:
Now let us see how a common man wants to know about cashless transactions,
how he expresses his concerns about bank transactions. His curiosity and enquiries will
be as follows:
Common man: Excuse me sir, may I know what cashless transaction is?
Officer : Sir, don’t worry. Be seated in the chair. I will explain all the details of
cashless transactions.
Sir, cashless transaction is the method in which one can do transactions
at market place, at petrol pump, super market, movie theatre and even
at hotel without using cash money.
Common man : But let me know sir, how is it possible? How can I operate it?
Officer : Have patience Sir, it is very easy method and no complications in it. Any
common man can do his transactions through ‘Net banking’, ‘debit card’,
‘credit card’, ‘E-wallet’, ‘by the way of cheques’, ‘D.D.’ . More over,
different ‘apps’ are also available by which you can do your transactions
in the market.
Common man: Excuse me Sir, could you tell me is it possible for me?
Because I have never used such things in my life.
In the above conversation, the expressions like ‘Excuse me’, ‘May I know’, express
politeness in enquiry. If you use such expressions in your daily conversations or at the
time of enquiries, it creates positive impression on others. In the enquiries you also come
across expressions such as “Could you tell me?”, “The next thing I wanted to ask was”,
“Just one last question”, “I beg your pardon” “Please, tell me.....”
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3) Railway Reservation:
: Excuse me, could you please tell me if I can get a ticket for Goa from this counter?
: Sorry sir, you will have to go to counter No: 4. This counter is only for group
booking.
: Could you please tell me whether a reservation for the 22nd of this month is
available?
: Pardon Sir, the enquiry counter will tell you about this. It is at the entrance of the
building.
: Thank you. Here is the enquiry counter. Let me find out whether there are any
reservations available for the 22nd of this month?
4) At a Post Office:
Ram : Sir, I sent off a registered parcel to Kolkatta about a fortnight ago; but I got
a letter today from my friend to whom it was addressed, and he says he
has not received it.
Clerk : Kindly tell me Sir, have you got the receipt Sir?
Ram : Yes; here it is. You can see it was dispatched on March 10th and it was also
insured for Rs. 200.
Clerk : It should certainly have reached Kolkatta some time ago.
Ram : Sir, will you please make enquiries? I am very anxious about it and my
friend is annoyed because he has not got it.
Clerk : Yes, sir, I will report the matter to the Post Master at once.
5) Enquiry for B.A. part I admission:
Student : Good morning Sir, just I’ve passed H.S.C. examination in March 2017, and I
would like to take admission in your college. Sir, will you guide me which
subjects I’ve to take?
Teacher : Listen carefully, first of all you have to fill the admission form in a black ink
and select your compulsory subject and four optional subjects from the
prospectus.
Student : Thank you sir! But let me know if can I take English optional from optional
subjects groups? Sir would you tell me what is the difference between
compulsory English and optional English? How far will it help me to develop
my career?
Teacher : Oh! You are really a curious student. Now listen carefully. I am an English
teacher and it will be my kind advice to you that optional English is totally
different from that of compulsory English. In optional English you have to
study poetry, short stories, novels etc. which will develop your creative
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 faculty. At the same time, this subject will develop your language skills
and competency.
Student : Thank you sir, but let me know one thing that after completion of B.A.
degree in English special, how much scope will be for this subject?
Teacher : Obviously there is a lot of scope in special English subject. You can be a
good translator, because today there is ample scope for the translators,
who are translating great books from different languages and earning
money from the publishers. At the same time English subject is also useful
for competitive examinations. Today it is observed that English is emerging
as an indispensible subject in every field and you have a lot of choice and
scope in it.
Student : OK Sir. Let me know one more thing, how many books are prescribed
for this paper?
Teacher : Only two books are prescribed for B.A. Part I optional English. One
book for short stories and another one is for the novel.
6) At the Restaurant:
Jatin : Well, friend, here we are. Do you like the place?
Mahesh : Lovely! Very nice!
Jatin : Ah, I hoped you would like this place. Let’s go and sit in the corner
there, shall we?
Mahesh : Yeah.
Jatin : Now then, let’s see if we can get some service.
Mahesh : Well, we need a menu first, don’t we?
Jatin : We haven’t got one here. Have we? Could you ask those people
behind us?
Mahesh : Excuse me, could you give us a menu?
These are the occasions of everyday situations. If you use such expressions and
polite enquiry in your daily routine life then it will help to improve your conversation. At
the same time it will also develop your confidence and command over the language
especially when you are in other state or nation. The expressions like ‘Excuse me’, ‘let me
know’, ‘may I know’, ‘one more thing I would like to ask you’ create positive impression
and you can deal with situation in a proper way. So let us develop such type of expressions
and dialogues, when you are talking to your friends, relatives, or elderly persons. Now let
us try to solve the following tasks by using proper expressions.

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Task1
A. Complete the following pieces of conversation by using appropriate expressions:
Mohan : Good afternoon.
Enquiry Clerk : Good afternoon
Mohan : ………………………… what time is the Mahalaxmi
Express expected?
Enquiry Clerk : The scheduled time of its departure is 7.45 PM but
…………………………
Mohan : But it’s already fifteen minutes past eight and there’s yet
no sign of its arrival.
Enquiry Clerk : …………… Sir, I’m afraid ………………..
Mohan : ………………………. . When exactly will the train arrive?
Enquiry Clerk : I’m ………………. but I can’t help it. Bear …………
Please………………………
a) · ……………………………………?
· I’d like to see overcoats, please.
· ………………………..sir ?
· I’d like to see winter overcoats –Probably wool.
· OK. …………………………….
· ……………………………… this is not of my size.
· OK ………………………….. I will show some other varieties.

b) A: I have a complaint ……………..

B: ………………….. What’s it about?
A: I bought this electric oven only yesterday.
B: What’s …………… then?
A: It is not working properly.
B: ………………… Sir, Let me see ………….. See. Its working.
You might not have plugged it properly. It seems.
A: There’s ……………….. Its timer doesn’t work.
B: ……………………….. . We’ll get it repaired.

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 c) Customer : Can I cash a cheque here?
Clerk : ……………. Sir. Go to another counter. That one there.
Customer : (at the second counter) ………………….. please?
Clerk : What’s the amount? Let me see the cheque. It’s less than two
thousand. Go to the teller’s counter ……….. sir.
Customer : (at the teller’s counter) Take this cheque ………….. and give
me the amount …………… Be a little prompt, …………..?
Clerk : ……………… Your signature here, just over the date on the
right hand corner.
B. Write a piece of conversation making enquiries with a manager about hotel booking
at Mahabaleshwar. (Make the enquiry of type of suites available, AC / Non AC
facility, type of food, such and other facilities)
C. Write a piece of enquiry & intimation to a Bank Manager that recently you have
lost your ATM Debit card. Ask what procedure you have to follow.

II. Giving Instructions: In daily life you will find that sometimes a stranger arrives in a
city or village or meets you on the road and asks you about the particular address, or a
Govt. office, a theatre, a temple, cinema hall, marriage hall etc. On such occasions, you
guide or give him instructions about how to reach that place. Even instructions are also
given by your teacher, when you are on excursion tour. You abide by these instructions.
Even on special occasions or in festival time you want to prepare a new dish. On such
occasions you like to follow instructions of your mother or elder sister. Thus instructions
are given for the preparation of a particular item. When you are preparing a particular
thing or producing something, you have to follow a series of instructions.
So for these instructions there are some common and useful language features.
Generally all the instructions are in imperative form. You must also be well aware that,
while you are seeking guidance from others especially from an unknown person, you
must be polite and gentle in your language. For seeking information and giving instructions
there are specific structures of language, you should use them effectively. Let us now have
a glance at the language of instructions and of seeking guidance.
Study the language of instructions from the following conversation:
Stranger: Excuse me, would you tell me how I can find Bhave Natya Mandir?
Citizen : Yes, gentleman. Look you are now at Congress Bhavan. The road to
your left is Old Station Road. So take this road and go straight until
you reach Bharati Bhavan, then you should turn to your right. The

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 road is called as Harbhat Road; you will see the building of Sangli
Urban Co-operative Bank, closer to it is Bhave Natya Mandir.
Stranger : OK. Thank you very much sir. Is it too far from here?
Citizen : No, the distance is not too long, but you may take an auto-rickshaw
or any city bus up to Bharati Bhavan, then you will reach there easily.
In the above conversation you can find that a citizen is guiding a stranger by
using an imperative tone. Verbs such as ‘Look’, ‘take this’, ‘go straight’, ‘turn to right’ are
used in the imperative form for guiding a person. The Citizen also instructed or guided
him by saying ‘take an auto rickshaw’ or ‘city bus’, which is also in imperative tone. So
when you are guiding or instructing someone, you must use imperative sentence beginning
with a verb. You can use the following expressions for giving instructions.
‘go left’, ‘turn left’, ‘it’s on the left’, ‘take the second turning on the left’, ‘go ahead’, ‘go
straight ahead’, ‘walk until you reach’, ‘over there’, ‘between the north and the east’.
Besides use of the imperative sentence structure, use of prepositional phrases
also proves useful for locating the exact place or particular location.
‘Behind the stature/post’, ‘in front of’, ‘at the back’, ‘towards your left’, ‘between two
lanes’, ‘across the wood bridge’, at the square lane’, ‘near Mukta Multiplex’, ‘beyond
Sunder Garden’, ‘By the river’.
Imagine that on the occasion of annual social gathering programme of your college
you and your friends are going to perform a scene from Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of
Venice’. This play is being directed by an expert Director. Let us see how he gives
instructions and directs your group. How his instructions help you to excel in your
performance and how you learn even minor things.
Director :- Well Boys, I hope that you all are ready for the enacting of The Merchant of
Venice. Keep in mind that you are performing different roles. Auyash keep in mind you are
playing the role of Antonio, and Preeti you are playing the role of Portia and Anuj, you are
playing the role of Shylock. Be ready for entry. Don’t forget your dialogues. Don’t make
hurry in uttering your dialogues. Anuj show your facial expressions like a villain. Preeti
you are playing the role of Portia and you enter the stage from right side.
Auyash :- Sorry sir, when I enter on the stage I get a little bit confused and forget my
dialogues. So please tell me sir, how can I memorize the dialogues.

Director :- Auyash , Anuj and Preeti keep in mind that when you enter the stage memorize
the dialogues in a proper manner. Be confident and don’t be discouraged. Anuj, remember

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to take with you this dagger. Make sure you have your turn not at a time but make entry
as per demand of the plot.

From the above situation you will learn that while the Director is giving his instructions
to the actor, he uses imperative expressions in his talk. The expressions like ‘keep in mind’
, ‘don’t forget’, ‘Be ready for’, ‘Show’, ‘Be confident’, ‘make sure’ are imperative sentences.

The above dialogues are in imperative form and as the director is a senior person, he is
addressing by the names of character.

Task 2.

A) Imagine that you are studying in M.A Part-II English in Shivaji University, Kolhapur.
Your younger brother is coming to Shivaji University to take the passing certificate.
Advise him how to reach Shivaji University.
1) Get down at Central Bus Stand Kolhapur.
2) Turn to the left side, walk a few distance to railway gate.
3) Take the K.M.T. bus or Auto Rickshaw to University at railway gate.
4) Get down at Main Building in Shivaji University.
5) Then we will both go to the examination building.
6) Bring with you, the Xerox copy of your mark list
B) A stranger old man looking for the State Bank of India. Give him directions of how
to go to the State Bank of India, names of street, the distance of the location and
so on.
In the library we can see the books or monthly magazines on cookery in which we
can see different recipes of dishes. Let us see the following examples :

1. In case of Gas cylinder leakage

First of all open all the windows and doors of the house. Then ask your children
and old aged people to vacate the kitchen. Don’t switch on the lights. After that
remove the nob of the regulator and make it free from the cylinder. Then bring gas
cylinder in the open air and let it release the leakage gas in the open air. Don’t dip or
release the gas in the gutter or in the water.

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 2. Dialogue for Giving Instructions
I. Prafull : How do you operate this tread mill ?

Staff: First, turn it on, then set the controls for speed, distance or time. Then, press
the start button.

Prafull : Can you show me how to hold the putter ?

Staff : First, grasp the club with your left hand. Your thumb should be pointing
down and parallel to the shaft. Next put your right hand below your left hand, with
your right pinkie finger touching your left index finger. Grip the shaft by placing the
palm your right hand over your left thumb. Your right thumb should also be pointing
down and parallel to the shaft.

II. Pooja : Do you Know how to make a paper kite?

Staff : Sure, first get two thin strips of light weight balsa wood, one three feet and
another two feet long. Next join the strips, forming a diamond shape. Then, glue
large sheets of paper onto the twine and wooden strips of Wood cross to from the T.

To make a negative imperative put “do not” or “don’t” before the verb. Don’t is
more informal than “do not”. For example “don’t go!”, “Do not walk on the grass”
Useful verbs for instructions
Turn off / switch off (deactivate power of electricity)
For example: “Turn off the lights when you leave”
Take off / remove (detach something from another thing)
“Remove the plastic before you put the cake in the microwave”
Proceed / continue
“Proceed, you are on the right track, soon you’ll find out the solution”.
Put back / replace
“Replace the cover after changing the battery”

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Giving extra help
When you give instructions, you can help the other person with extra information
and advice.
Remember to turn off the electricity before touching any cables.
Be careful not to open the cap of pesticides in the presence of children.
Try to see, if the light bulb is broken or just loose.
Try to see, whether any question in the answer book remained incomplete.
Always wear gloves when you touch a light bulb
Always wear helmet while you are long drive on your motorbike
Always wear loose and white cotton clothes in hot summer season to save from sunstroke.
Here are some more examples :
Important instructions regarding utilization of RuPay Debit card
 On receipt of your card, please sign immediately on the signature panel
provided on reverse of the card.
 Keep your PIN as secret and do not share your PIN with anybody so as to
prevent any unauthorized use of your card at ATM.
 Do not place two cards with magnetic stripes together.
 Keep your card away from the heat, direct sunlight. Do not bend the card.
 Treat your card in the same way as you treat card and safeguard your card
by keeping it safely in your own custody.

Keeping Your Refrigerator Spic and Span

Interior
 Remove all foodstuff and accessories.
 Wipe the interior of your refrigerator and the removable accessories with a
soft cloth or sponge dipped in a weak solution of bicarbonate soda.
 Ensure that water does not get into any electrical components.
 Carefully clean the door seals with soft cloth dipped in a weak solution of
baking soda.
Exterior
 Wipe the exterior of refrigerator with a weak soap solution.
 After that, wipe it with a soft damp cloth and finally wipe it dry with a soft
dry cloth.
 Apply good silicon or wax polish to preserve the new looks your refrigerator
for a long time.

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Frequently we also listen to a how a mother gives instructions while a child eats. These
instructions are as follows.
This food is too hot to eat.
Be careful. It’s hot enough to burn your tongue.
It will be cool enough to eat if you wait few minutes.
Yes, but let’s not wait until it’s too cool to enjoy.
Now study the instructions or directions which are generally given on the bottles of
medicines, ointments and creams.
1) For external use only.
2) Store in a cool place.
3) Keep out of reach of children.
4) Store protected from light & moisture at a temperature not exceeding 30 0c.
5) Keep the tube tightly closed after the use.
6) Avoid contact with eyes and mouth.
7) For dermatologic use only.
8) Take the pills only after the meal.

You can see traffic notices in big red capital and just one or two words can be quickly
seen and understood by the people. Let us study the language used in the traffic
instruction.

SCHOOL ZONE.
WORK IN PROGRESS.
SPEED BREAKER AHEAD.
NO PARKING.
WORK IN PROGRESS.
NO ENTRY.
DEAD SLOW.

Some notices are in the form of warnings, instructions and prohibitions. They are
always in precise words.

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Warnings : 1) Glass with care.
2) Wet paint.
3) Beware of the dog.
Prohibitions : 1) No Smoking.
2) Not to be loose shunted.
3) Do not spit.
Instructions : 1) Use me.
2) Spittoons.
3) This side up.
Task 3:
A) Your younger brother is going to Saudi Arabia for the first time as he is appointed
a Software Engineer. Give him a set of suggestions regarding passport, visa, rules
of foreign currency, physical fitness, necessary medicines, from which Airport to
board (Mumbai or Pune), Cell No’s of friends and relatives and so on.
B) Imagine that you are the Librarian of Mahatma Gandhi Library, Sangli. Write a set
of revised rules and instructions for the members who borrow books from the
library.
C) Imagine that you are N.S.S volunteer of your college. You are going to join N.S.S
special camp at nearby adopted village. Your friend was absent for the meeting at
the time of giving instructions by your N.S.S Programme Officer. Inform him about
these instructions in written form with all the details.



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 B) The Lost Child
Mulk Raj Anand
Mulk Raj Anand was a famous Indian writer and art critic. He was born in Peshawar
in the Punjab on December 12, 1905. He spent his early life in military campus. He was
educated first at the Punjab University. Then he went to England and studied Philosophy
in London and Cambridge Universities. He was awarded the Ph. D. Degree by the London
University for his original research in Philosophy. While in England he was for sometime
lecturer in Philosophy and literature to the London County Council. He was, also on the
staff of the B.B.C. and a film-script writer under the British Ministry of Information. He
returned to India in 1929. He edited several magazines. Later, he became the editor of
‘Marg’, a famous art journal. He breathed his last on September 28, 2004.
‘The Lost Child’ is a short story about a child and his aspiration, demands and
realization. The story is mainly focused on the awareness for parents. We really don’t
understand the true value of parents and take them as granted. The significance of parents
is only revealed once they are out of sight and we realize the world is upside down. This
is what the little child realized once he got lost in fair. The ending is somewhat
contemplative as the reader keep on guessing whether the lost child meets his parents or
not.

IT was the festival of Spring. From the wintry shades of narrow lanes and alleys
emerged a gaily clad humanity, thick as a crowd of bright-coloured rabbits issuing from a
warren, and entering the flooded sea of sparkling silver sunshine outside the city gates,
sped towards the fair. Some walked, some rode on horses, others sat, being carried in
bamboo and bullock carts. One little boy ran between his father’s legs, brimming over
with life and laughter, as the joyous, smiling morning, with its open greetings and
unashamed invitations to come away into the fields, full of flowers and songs.
“Come, child, come,” called his parents, as he lagged behind, arrested by the toys in the
shops that lined the way.
He hurried towards his parents, his feet obedient to their call, his eyes still lingering on
the receding toys. As he came to where they had stopped to wait for him, he could not
suppress the desire of his heart, even though he well knew the old, cold stare of refusal in
their eyes.”I want that toy,” he pleaded.
His father looked at him red-eyed, in his familiar tyrant’s way. His mother, melted
by the free spirit of the day, was tender, and giving him her finger to catch, said: “Look,
child, what is before you.”
The faint disgust of the child’s unfulfilled desire had hardly been quelled in the
heavy, pouting sob of a breath, “M-o-th-e-r,” when the pleasure of what was before him
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filled his eager eyes. They had left the dusty road on which they had walked so far to
wend its weary way circuitously to the north, and had entered a footpath in a field.
It was a flowering mustard-field, pale, pale, like melting gold, as it swept across
miles and miles of even land, a river of yellow light, ebbing and falling with each fresh
eddy of wild wind, and straying at places into broad, rich tributary streams, yet running
in a constant sunny sweep towards the distant mirage of an ocean of silver light. Where
it ended, on a side stood a dense group of low, mudwalled houses put into relief both by
the lower forms of a denser crowd of yellow-robed men and women and by high-pitched
sequence of whistling, creaking, squeaking, roaring, humming noises that rose from it,
across the groves, to the blue-throated sky like the weird, strange sound of Siva’s mad
laughter.
The child looked up to his father and mother, saturated with the shrill joy and
wonder of this vast glory, and feeling that they, too wore the evidence of this pure delight
in their faces, left the footpath and plunged headlong into the field, prancing like a young
colt, his small feet chiming with the fitful gusts of wind that came winnowing from
fragrance of more distant fields.
A group of dragon-flies were bustling about on their gauzy, purple wings,
intercepting the flight of a lone black bee or butterfly in search of sweet perfume from the
hearts of flowers. The child followed them in the air, with his gaze, till one of them would
fold its wings and sit down, and he would try to catch it. But it would go, fluttering,
flapping, hovering in the air, when he had almost caught it in his hands. One black bee,
having evaded capture, sought to tempt him by whining round his ear, and nearly settled
on his lips, when his mother made a cautionary call:
“Come, child, come; come on to the footpath.”
He went towards his parents gaily, and walked abreast of them for a while, being,
however, soon left behind, attracted by the little insects and worms along the footpath
that were coming out teeming from their hiding places to enjoy the sunshine.
“Come, child, come,” his parents called from the shade of a grove where they had
seated themselves on the edge of a well. He ran towards them.
An old banyan here outstretched its powerful arms over the blooming jack and
jaman and neem and champak and serisha, and cast its shadows across beds of golden
cassis and crimson gulmohur, as an old grandmother spreads her skirts over young ones.
The blushing blossoms freely offered their adoration to the Sun, however, in spite of their
protecting chaperon, by half uncovering themselves; and the sweet perfume of their pollen
mingled with the soft, cool breeze that came and went in little puffs, only to be wafted
aloft by a stronger gush.
A shower of young flowers fell upon the child as he entered the grove, and,
forgetting his parents, he began to gather the raining petals in his hands, but lo! he heard

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the cooing of doves and ran towards his parents, shouting, “The dove! The dove!” The
raining petals dropped from his forgotten hands. A curious look was in his parents’ faces,
till a koel struck out a note of love and released their pent-up souls.
“Come, child, come,” they called to the child, who had now gone running in wild
caper round the banyan tree and, gathering him, they took the narrow, winding footpath
which led to the fair from the mustard fields.
As they neared the village, the child could see many other footpaths full of throngs,
converging to the whirlpool of the fair, and felt at once repelled and fascinated by the
confusion of the world he was entering.
A sweetmeat-seller hawked, “Gulab-jaman, rasgula, burfi, jalebi,” at the corner of
the entrance, and a crowd pressed round his counter at the foot of an architecture of
many-coloured sweets, decorated with leaves of silver and gold. The child stared open-
eyed, and his mouth watered for the burfi that was his favourite sweet. “I want that
burfi,” he slowly murmured. But he half knew as he made the request that it would not be
heeded, because his parents would say he was greedy. So without waiting for an answer,
he moved on.
A man stood holding a pole with yellow, red, green and purple balloons flying
from it. The child was simply carried away by the rainbow glory of their silken colours,
and he was possessed by an overwhelming desire to possess them all. But he well knew
his parents would never buy him the balloons, because they would say he was too old to
play with such toys. So he walked on farther.
A juggler stood playing a flute to a snake which coiled itself in a basket, its head
raised in a graceful bend like the neck of swan, while the music stole into its invisible ears
like the gentle rippling of a miniature water-fall. The child went towards the juggler. But
knowing his parents had forbidden him to hear such coarse music as the jugglers play, he
proceeded farther.
There was a roundabout in full swing. Men, women and children, carried in a
whirling motion, shrieked and cried with dizzy laughter. The child watched them intently
going round and round, a pink blush of a smile on his face, his eyes rippling with the same
movement, his lips half parted in amaze, till felt he himself was being carried round. The
ring seemed to go fiercely at first, then gradually it began to move less fast. Presently, the
child rapt, his finger in his mouth, beheld it stop. This time, before his over-powering love
of his anticipated sensation of movement had been chilled by the fact of his parents’
eternal denial, he made a bold request: “I want to go on the roundabout, please, father,
mother.”
There was no reply. He turned to look at his parents. They were not there, ahead of
him. He turned to look on either side. They were not there. He looked behind. There was
no sign of them.

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 A full, deep cry arose within his dry throat, and with a sudden jerk of his body he
ran from where he stood, crying in real fear, “Mother, father.” Tears rained down from his
eyes, heavy and fierce, his flushed face was convulsed with fear. Panic-stricken, he ran to
one side first, then to the other, before and after in all directions, knowing not where to
go. “Mother, father,” he wailed, with a moist, shrill breath now, his throat being wet with
the swallowing of his spittle. His yellow turban came untied, and his clothes, wet with
perspiration, became muddy where the dust had mixed with the sweat of his body. His
light frame seemed heavy as a mass of lead.
Having run to and fro in a rage of running for a while, he stood defeated, his cries
suppressed into sobs. At little distances on the green grass he could see, through his filmy
eyes, men and women talking. He tried to look intensively among the patches of bright
yellow clothes, but there was no sign of his father and mother among these people, who
seemed to laugh and talk just for the sake of laughing and talking. He ran hotly again, this
time to a shrine to which people seemed to be crowding. Every little inch of space here
was congested with men, but he ran through people’s legs, his little sob lingering, “Mother,
father.” Near the entrance of the temple, however, the crowd became very thick: men
jostled each other - heavy men, with flashing, murderous eyes and hefty shoulders. The
poor child struggled to carve a way between their feet, but, knocked to and fro by their
brutal paws, he might have been trampled underfoot, had he not shrieked at the highest
pitch of his voice, “F-ather, mother.” A man in the surging crowd heard his groan, and,
stooping with great difficulty, lifted him up in his arms.
“How did you get here, child? Whose baby are you?” the man asked as he steered
clear of the mass.
The child wept more bitterly than ever now and only cried, “I want my mother, I
want my father.”
The man tried to soothe him by taking him to the roundabout. “Will you have a lift
on the horses?” he gently asked as he approached the ring.
The child’s throat tore into a thousand shrill sobs and he only shouted, “I want my
mother, I want my father.”
The man headed towards the place where the juggler still played on the flute to
the swaying cobra.
“Listen to that nice music, child!” he pleaded.
But the child shut his ears with his fingers and shouted his double-pitched strain, “I want
my mother, I want my father.”
The man took him near the balloons, thinking the bright colours of the balls would
distract the child’s attention and quieten him. “Would you like a rainbow-coloured balloon?”
he persuasively asked.

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 But the child turned his eyes from the flying balloons and just sobbed, “I want my
mother, I want my father.”
The man, still importunate in his kindly desire to make the child happy, bore him
to the gate where the flower-seller stood. “Look! Can you smell these nice flowers, child?
Would you like a garland to put round your neck?”
The child turned his nose away from the basket and reiterated his sob, “I want my
mother, I want my father.”
Thinking to humour his disconsolate find by a gift of sweets, the man took him to
the counter of the sweet-shop. “What sweets would you like, child?” he asked.
The child turned his face from the sweet-shop and only sobbed, “I want my mother,
I want my father.”
Glossary and notes :
spring : one of the four conventional temperate seasons, following
winter and preceding summer.
wintry : characteristic of winter, especially in feeling or looking very
cold and bleak.
alley : a person, group, or nation that is associated with another or
others for some common cause or purpose.
clad : dressed
warren : rabbit burrow
brim : filled with
lag : delay
recede : moving back
quell : suppress, control
pout : show displeasure
wend : go in a specified direction, typically slowly or by an indirect
route.
circuitously : roundabout
eddy : a circular movement of water causing a small whirlpool.
tributary : a river or stream flowing into a larger river or lake.
mirage : an optical illusion caused by atmospheric conditions.
weird : suggesting something supernatural; unearthly.

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saturated : holding as much water or moisture as can be absorbed;
thoroughly soaked.
prance : move with high springy steps.
colt : a young male horse, in particular one less than four years
old.
chime : a bell or a metal bar or tube, tuned and used in a set to produce
a melodious series of ringing sounds when struck.
gust : a sudden strong rush of wind.
winnow : blow a current of air through (grain) in order to remove the
chaff.
bustle : move in an energetic and busy manner
gauzy : thin and translucent.
intercept : obstruct.
whine : give or make a long, high-pitched complaining cry or sound.
bbreast : side by side.
teem : be full of or swarming with.
crimson : pink.
chaperon : a person who accompanies and looks after another person or
group of people.
caper : skip or dance about in a lively or playful way.
flushed : rosy, blushing
spittle : saliva, especially as ejected from the mouth.
turban : a man’s head covering consisting of a long length of material
wound around a cap or the head, worn especially by Sikhs and
Muslims.
perspiration : the process of sweating.
congested : so crowded with traffic or people as to hinder or prevent
freedom of movement.
jostle : push
persuasively : convincingly
importunate : persistent, especially to the point of annoyance.
reiterate : repeat.
disconsolate : unhappy, gloomy
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 I. Skimming and Scanning Questions:
A) Answer the following questions in one word / phrase / sentence each:
1) What was the speciality of the day?
2) What was the child’s favourite sweet?
3) What would the child’s parents say about his plea to buy sweets?
4) What did fall upon the child as he entered the grove?
5) What do child’s parents say about the balloons?
6) When does the child realize that he has lost his way?
7) Who rescued the lost child?
8) How did the man try to soothe the child?
B) Rewrite the following sentences by choosing the correct alternative:
1) The child was going to ……… with his parents.
a) school b) sweet shop c) fair d) Grand parents’ home
2) ……… was the child’s favourite sweet.
a) Gulab jamun b) Burfi c) Pasagula d) Jalebi
3) The child’s parents say about the balloons that ………
a) the balloons were costly b) they did not have money
c) the balloon would burst out d) he was too old to play with such toys
4) The word …….. from the passage means ‘speak in low sound’.
a) hawked b) needed c) started d) murmured
5) The child was gathering ………… in his hands.
a) sweets b) the raining petals c) burfi d) balloons
II. Comprehension Questions :
A) Answer the following questions in 3 to 4 sentences each:
1) Where did the child go with his parents? What did he want there?
2) What are the things the child sees on his way to the fair?
3) How did the mother distract the child’s mind from the toy seller?
4) Why didn’t the boy wait for an answer after he had pleaded for sweets?
5) What happened when the child entered the grove? How did he enjoy
there?

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 6) When does the child realize that he has lost his way?
7) How was the child separated from his parents?
8) What was the first reaction of the child when he realized that he had lost
his parents?
9) Why does the lost child lose interest in the things he had wanted earlier?
10) Why did the lost child refuse to take his favourite things in the fair
after loosing his parents?
11) What happened when the lost child reached the temple door?
B) Answer the following questions in 8 to10 sentences each :
1)What is the theme of the story ‘The Lost Child’?
2)Bring out the humour in the story ‘The Lost Child’.
3)Draw the picture of the lost child as a nature lover.
4)What are the different reactions of the lost child after his separation from
his parents?
III) Vocabulary Exercises.
A) Complete the following table.
Noun Verb Adjective Adverb
- - - Freely
- Bloom - -
- - Brutal -
distraction - - -

B) Give synonyms and antonyms of the following

Word Synonym Word Antonym
cold - Hide -
constant - Narrow -
Intercept - Dry -
crimson - Sweet -

IV) Writing Activity.

1) Narrate an unforgettable incident from your childhood life.
2) Write the significance of parents in your life.



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 Module VI
A) Telephonic Communication
Today, mobiles or cell phones or smart phones have become the most favourite
gadget in the hands of youth , elders and even children. Nowadays, everybody is talking
of ‘Global Village’ and “Duniya Meri Mutti Mei’. Telecommunication has entered in almost
all walks of life and has become very vital in our modern life. Resultantly, it is very necessary
to acquire the skill of telecommunication. So here we will learn appropriate language
skills that can be used during telephone communication.

It is very important to note that speaking English on the telephone can be very
tough , challenging and frustrating task for us whose mother tongue is not English.

The purpose of the unit is to make students familiar with the spoken English used
in telephone communication. Telephone communication is both, formal as well as informal
but, the present unit focuses on the formal type. In modern business establishments, the
receptionist, the switch-board operator, the Office-assistant are required to talk to people
on telephone. Telephonic communication is used to give information, make inquiries,
give messages, fix appointments, book a hotel room or a train/ bus/ plane ticket, to deal
with complaints etc. Telephonic communication needs to be clear and precise to be effective.
Effective communication results in productive relationships and can yield better customer
service and sale. We shall see some basic telephonic interactions and the necessary spoken
expressions.

Any phone call begins with an introduction. Here are some common expressions
used while introducing oneself on the telephone:
“Hello, this is ——— . “
“Good morning, ——— here.”
“This is ——— speaking.”
“Could I speak to ——— please?”
One of the most important things to remember during a phone call is to maintain
a polite and friendly tone. Usually in business calls the language used is formal spoken
English. One of the most important things to remember during a phone call is to maintain
a polite and friendly tone. Usually in business calls the language used is formal spoken
English. However, some informal expressions may be used provided the tone is polite and
friendly as in:
Also, note that while requesting or asking for help or information, you should use:
‘please’, ‘thank you’, ‘thank you very much’ etc.

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Study some more examples :

“Could you connect me to Mr.John, please?”

“Could I speak to ——— please?”

“ I Would like to speak to———.”

“ I am ———, Can I talk to Mr/Mrs........?”

“Is Mr. —— there, please?”

After introduction, sometimes we need to give additional information like

where you are speaking from or on whose behalf you are speaking:

“I’m calling from Satara.”

“I’m calling on behalf of Shahaji College, Kolhapur.”

“May I know where are you calling from?”

“Can I ask who is speaking/ calling, please.”

“Hello, Makarand Bhosale here”.

“Arwind Mills, Good Morning. How can I help you?”

“Yes. Hold on the line please.”

“May I know who’s speaking please?”

“Can I take a message.”

However, some informal expressions may be used in a very polite and modest
manner.

“Just a minute, Sir.”

“Hang on for a moment,”

“Okay, Bye.”

“Thanks.”

“Cheers.”

“No problem.”

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Task 1

i) Give appropriate expressions for the following purposes:

a) Introduce yourself and ask for a particular person

b) Ask the caller to hold on giving reason

c) Tell the caller that the particular person is out of station

d) Ask for the name and phone number of the caller

ii) Complete the following telephonic conversation using appropriate expressions:

Receptionist : Amey Computers. Good Morning.

Mr.Patil : Good Morning, Mr.Patil here. I’d like ———————————.

Receptionist : I’ll get through to Mr. Deshpande who looks after sales.

Mr.Patil : —————————.

Receptionist : ——————————— please Mr. Desai. Here you are.

Mr. Deshpande: Mr. Deshpande here. —————————— I help you?

Mr.Patil : I’m interested in your exchange offer for old washing machines.

Mr. Deshpande: I’m sorry Mr. Patil, the offer was———————.

Mr.Patil : Oh, I’m sorry.

Mr. Deshpande: It’s all right. —————— your telephone number? ————
——know if the offer is extended.

Mr.Patil : My—————— . Thanks a lot.

Mr. Deshpande: Thank you for —————.

Mr.Patil : Bye

Sometimes the person wanted is not available or the caller has dialed a wrong
number. In such cases you need to give a negative reply. But, it should not sound rude. You
can use expressions like:

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 I’m afraid ——— is busy at the moment, can I take a message?

I’m sorry; Miss. Suvarna is out of station today.

Sorry, you may have dialled the wrong number.

I’m afraid the line is busy at the moment.

“Could you connect me to Mr. John, please?”

“Could I speak to ——— please?”

“I would like to speak to———.”

“I am ———, Can I talk to Mr/Mrs........?”

“May I have ———phone number, please?”

“Is Mr. —— there, please?”

When there are some problems on telephone line or phone is not working clearly,
we need to use following expressions.

“I am afraid I can’t hear you well.”

“ Could you speak little loudly, please?”

“ Sorry, I didn’t catch that well”

“ Sorry, the line is quite bad.”

“Could you repeat that please?”

Now study the following telephonic conversations carefully:

Example 1 : Taking a message :

Nisha : Hello it’s Nisha here. Can I speak to Mrs. Pradhan, please?

Rupali : Phoenix Sales. Good morning Nisha.

Nisha : Can I talk to Mrs. Pradhan please?

Rupali : I’m afraid she’s busy at the moment. Can I take a message?

Nisha : Yes, please. We met Mrs Pradhan last week. She asked me tophone her
when I was

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 in Satara. It’s about organising a function. As I am leaving for Hydrabad
tonight it would be good if she could call me before then. Could you ask
her to call me?

Rupali : Sure. Could you give me your number please?

Nisha : It’s 07524722864.

Rupali : That’s fine. I’ll ask her to ring you when she’s free.

Nisha : Thanks, Bye.

Example 2: Making enquiries:

Priya : Hello, Priya Mehta here.

Mona : Model College. Good morning Priya.

Priya : I’d like to join the Fashion Designing Course in your college. Could you
guide me about the details?

Mona : Yes, sure. It’s a certificate course of one year duration and is recognized by
the UGC. You can apply for the course online. The details regarding fees,
syllabus and schedule are available on the college website.

Priya : Could you give the site address please?

Mona : Sure. It’s www.modelcollege.edu.in

Priya : Thank you so much.

Mona : My pleasure, goodbye.

In the same manner you can also inquire about hotel booking, train/ bus/ plane
ticket booking and the like.

Task 2

I) Give appropriate expressions for the following situations:

a) As a switch-board operator, tell the caller that you’ll connect him to the
person wanted. Imagine the names and other details.

b) As a receptionist at Hindustan Paints, ask the caller for the message to

be given to the officer.

c) Respond to the second situation above.

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II) Complete the following telephonic conversation using appropriate expressions :

Sanket : Hello, this is Sanket Raje speaking.

Komal : Universal Computer Solutions, Good————————. How————

———you?

Sanket : Can I—————-——Mr. Rawat? He had asked———————him.

Komal : I’m———————————meeting.

Sanket : When will he be free?

Komal : ———————————by 4 pm. May I ask him to———————?

Sanket : Yes,———————.

Komal : May I—————————————number please?

Sanket : It’s————————————.

Komal : 9482562506 Have I got it right?

Sanket : Yes,——————

Komal : Bye.

Sometimes a person speaks fast or in a low voice or there is some problem in

communication then the other person should get the things clarified and ask for
repeating the point.

I’m afraid I can’t hear you very well.

Could you repeat that please?
Would you mind speaking up a bit loud please?
Could you call bach later please?
A receptionist or office assistant is often required to take or give messages during a
telephonic call. The following expressions are useful in such circumstances:
Can I have your name and number please?
Can I have a message please?
Could you please ask _______to call me back?
Could you spell that for me please?
Can I just check the phone number please?
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 Thus, communicating properly on the telephone is extremely important because
the person you are talking to cannot see you or your facial expressions or your other
features of body language. The person completely has to rely on what you are saying on
phone and most importantly how you are saying. So for successful and effective telephonic
communication, speaking clearly in a very modest manner is very necessary.

Task 3

i) Write a telephonic conversation between Rekha and Roopa. Use the following points:
booking a hotel room, type of room, rate, facilities, duration of stay etc.

ii) Complete the following telephonic conversation:

Sanjay : Hello, is it Kesari Travels?

K.T. : Yes, how may I help you?

Sanjay : I’m interested in your——————tour. Could you tell me about it please?

K.T. : Yes, sure, Mr. ——— ?

Sanjay : Sanjay, Sanjay Pathak.

K.T. : The cost per person for 15-day Europe Premium Tour is Rs.—————.

Sanjay : Oh, I see. When is the ——————?

K.T. : It starts from Jan. 15, 2017.

Sanjay : Then please book two tickets for me please.

K.T. : —————— Sanjay, the booking for the ———— tour is full. But, let
me see .., two seats are available for the next tour scheduled for———

Sanjay : ————. I shall—————————amount by RTGS tomorrow itself.

K.T. : In that case you are entitled for a discount of Rs.————— per seat. The
————are available on our website. Thank you for—————.

Sanjay : ———————.

As a receptionist or an office assistant, you may have to encounter angry callers

and deal with their complaints. In such situations you should not lose your calm. Whenever
you are dealing with clients over the phone, remain positive and all that you can to satisfy
them, empathize with them when necessary.

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Now Read the following telephonic conversation carefully:
Robert : Hello, this is Robert from Karad.
Rakesh : Sage Publications, Delhi. Good morning, Robert. How may I help you?
Robert : My college hasn’t received the International journals in English Literature and
Social Sciences. It is two months now since paying the subscription. It’s very
shocking and not at all expected from a reputed Publication like yours.
Rakesh : I’m sorry to hear that Robert. Could you please give me your subscriber number?
Robert : Just a moment. Here you are. It’s 54628/2017-18
Rakesh : Please hold on for a moment. Let me check.. Yes. We have received your
subscription. The journals have already been dispatched on Jan 7, 2017 to Modern
College, Delhi. It is surprising you haven’t received them.
Robert : Excuse me, it should have been Model College and not Modern College. How
could
you be so negligent?
Rakesk : I am extremely sorry, Robert. Be assured you will soon receive the next issue and
we shall reschedule your subscription from February onwards for two years.
Robert : Thanks a lot.
Task 4
i) You have bought a new mobile handset which has suddenly stopped functioning.
Write a telephonic conversation between you and the dealer who supplied the same
to you.
Exercises:
i) Write a short conversation between Anita and Latika regarding getting an
appointment with Ms. Pradnya Kulkarni. Imagine the details like timing, work etc.
ii) Write a conversation between Latika, the office assistant and Ms. Pradnya Kulkarni
wherein Latika gives her Anita”s message regarding an appointment.
iii) Write a conversation between Sejal and a receptionist at a hospital asking for an
ambulance. Imagine the details.
iv) Write a telephonic conversation between Manoj of National Stationers and Mehta
Publishes, Pune complaining about the dispatch of their order. Imagine the problem
and other details.



107
 B) To My Countrymen
Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam
Avul Pakir Jainuabdeen Abdul Kalam is a renowned Indian scientist and
administrator and 11th President of India for the period of 2002 to 2007. He was born on
15th October 1951 in a Muslim Tamil family in Rameshwaram, Dhanush Kodi in
Ramanthpuram District. He is proud recipient of ‘Padma Bhushan’ in 1981, ‘Padma
Vibhushan’ in 1990 and India’s foremost civilian honour ‘Bharat Ratna’ in 1997. He was
also honoured with the King Charles II medal by the Royal Society, U.K. in 2007. The
Callifornia Institute of Technology, USA presented Kalam with Von Karman Wings Award
in the year 2009. He is a man of vision, who is always full of ideas aimed at the development
of the country.The nation knows him as a nuclear scientist and the father of India’s
successful missile programme. For the same, he has been popularly tagged as the “Missile
Man of India”. Kalam became the first scientist and the first ever bachelor to occupy the
Rashtrapati Bhavan. His contribution at the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)
has been immense and noteworthy.
Apart from a scientist and administrator, Kalam is also popular as prolific writer.
Wings of Fire (1999), India 2020-A vision for the New Millennium (2003), Indomitable Spirit
(2009), Ignited Minds: Unleashing the power within India (2003), Target 3 Billion: Innovative
Solutions Towards Sustainable Development (2011), Turning points: A Journey through
Challenges (2012), Thoughts for change, We Can Do It (2012), Envisioning and Empowered
Nation: Technology for Societal Transformation (2004), The Scientific India: A Twenty-First
Century Guide to the World Around Us (2010) are some of the significant literary
contributions by APJ Abdu Kalam.

Where the mind is without fear and head is held high

Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up in fragments….
My father, let my country awake.
-Rabindranath Tagore
All through this book I have spoken about the power of the imagination. It lies at
the heart of the creative process and is the very substance of life, allied as it is to the
power to attract to us what we most desire. This power makes all the difference between
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the winners and the losers. I would like to see in twenty years a literate and poverty-free
India. I dream of an India governed by noble leaders. I dream of a system where the work
of scientists and technologists is focussed on specific missions driven by goals relevant to
the common man. How is this dream to be made real?
We need to realize that missions are always bigger than organizations, just as
organizations are always bigger than the individuals who run them. Missions need effort
and the mind provides the purpose. Seen this way, consider, which department or ministry
will take man to Mars and build a habitat there? Can 200,000 MW of electric power be
generated by isolated efforts in thermal, hydroelectric, nuclear and non-conventional
sectors without an integrated effort? Can the second green revolution happen without
agricultural scientists, bio-technologists and irrigation experts working together? Without
proper diagnostic facilities in clinics and affordable drugs reaching our masses, our bio-
technological laboratories and medical councils will continue to perpetuate each other’s
survival without serving the purpose of their existence: to set in place the most advanced
medical facilities and make these available to the people at the reasonable prices.
I have dwelt upon my own experiences that made me aware of the energy field
which is created by a vision. It is a power that arises from deep within you. This power is
the basis for the movement towards excellence we saw at the time of independence. I
have been touched by this power on many occasions while facing a challenge. Pre-
independence India reverberated with it. It helped us humble a mighty empire.
Jamshedji Nusserwanji Tata brought the steel industry to India even though the
British rulers were not favourably disposed to the idea. Acharya P.C. Ray nurtured the
chemical and pharmaceutical industries. We saw the birth of many institutions like the
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, started by J. N. Tata, the Banaras Hindu University
established by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, and Aligarh Muslim University set up by
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. Some of the progressive maharajas too set up universities, as in
Baroda. There are many examples. In all these cases, the motivation was to see India come
up in the world, to demonstrate that ‘India can do it’.
Are we in a position to continue that work, revive that spirit of enterprise? Shall we
ever see cars designed and manufactured in India dotting the roads of Frankfurt or Seoul?
Or Indian satellite launch vehicles place communication, weather and remote sensing
satellites of other nations in orbit? Or see India build power stations for the USA, Japan,
and China? The possibility will remain remote if we stay with the present trend of low
aim.

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 Today we are witnessing good progress in the software sector but almost of the
hardware is imported. Can we rise higher on the value scale there? Can India design an
operating system that will become a household name in the world of computers? Our
exports consist to large extent of low value raw material such as iron ore and alumina.
Can we not convert these into a wide range of products that find an international market?
We have hundreds of defence production industries but why does India not manufacture
and market the Main Battle Tank, missiles, aircraft, guns, and other defence equipment?
We have the most important core competence in the form of our multifaceted manpower
and basic infrastructure. What is that we don’t have?
Let us think what prevents us in undertaking challenges. We have to analyse how
we can give a new dimension to our style of functioning, by cutting across the individual
interests of various ministries and even industries and institutions, to follow an integrated
action plan. The motive force has to be love for the country. We need a vision that is
shared by the entire nation.
In the drive for development, some states are faring better than others in the country.
Bright young entrepreneurs have energized the national technology scene. Bangalore,
Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, and Hyderabad are hubs of business activity. But even though
the IT sector is a very visible area of success and has brought in some capital investment,
in terms of overall development this is not enough. Even if you take up the IT area as a
mission, manpower is the most important need. Those living away from the cities must
also have access to a good education to join the talent pool. And this should happen fast.
My visits to the northeastern states –Tripura and Assam-and to Jharkhand showed
me our untapped potential. Tripura’s economy rests on forest products, including bamboo
cultivation. It is difficult to travel, interact and organize business. There is isolation. In
Jharkhand too there is mineral wealth besides its resources in terms of forestry products
and handicrafts, all of which need to be developed. In Assam, there is no shortage of
resources and the state has good educational infrastructure. All the ingredients required
for a developed economy are there but there is insurgency and unrest among people. A
focussed mission will integrate people.
States such as Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Karnataka have made me
realize that much can be achieved once efforts are made to channel development funds
for improvement in areas such as education and health. These and other states can become
good examples of economic development.
Our intellectual forums, political platforms, academic institutions and chambers
of commerce are full of discussion and debates. There is noise, a lot of it in fact. There are
110
endless debates, arguments, hypotheses, and theories, and yet there is little progress.
However, the theme of a developed India is not discussed in board rooms and technology
conferences. I want all of us- institutions, political parties, industries, communities, families,
individuals- at every level to take full responsibility for what is good or bad in our situation,
for what we possess and that which we do not. This would mean that we stop blaming
others for the circumstances we find ourselves in. Taking responsibility also means a
willingness to exercise our abilities to the fullest. This will make us worthy of enjoying
the benefits that come with effort.
What I have tried to tell you in this book is that we must be aware of our higher
self and view ourselves as citizens of a developed nation. We are a great civilization and
each one of us born here must trust in the wisdom of the civilization. Our scriptures tell
us that there is no barrier between us and the world, that we are the world just as the
world is in us. It is for you to put yourself in tune with the music of the universe.
There are a few points I would like to mention. The needs of a nation’s people are
bigger and much more important than any other considerations. The mission of Parliament
is that it has to be alive and dynamic over issues vital to the existence of our very
nationhood. Our freedom did not come as a gift. The whole country struggled for decades
to achieve the first vision of independence, so we have to protect it. There were excellent
leaders in all walks of life- science, education and industry. To preserve this freedom from
intruders and others who would compromise it is our bounden duty and not a matter of
choice and convenience. No ideology is above the security and prosperity of our country.
No agenda is more important than harmony among the people. Students should get ready
to transform India into a developed nation. Ignite your minds and think big. A teacher
once said, ‘Give me a five-year-old child. After seven years, no God or Devil will be able to
change the child.’ Will all teachers be such gurus?
The administrators have a great opportunity to link the people and political
leaders. They should always take decisions that are good for the people. I believe it is only
executives like empowered district collectors who can assist transformation. The state-
Central integrated fund has to be deployed in mission mode programmes.
Fifty years after independence, the results of scientific effort have not reached the
people to the extent required. It is the time the advances in science and technology are
deployed in a big way to transform rural life.
Global competition is on, be it WTO, competition from multinationals or China.
For industrialists, competing with high-performance and cost-effective products will result

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in growth for the industry. Competitiveness and innovation are the two pillars of industrial
growth. Industries by working together can generate multinational institutions, reversing
the present trend.

The IT community, by its innovativeness has given India stature in the world.
India is a competitive nation in IT today. IT must be used for healthcare, telemedicine, to
remove illiteracy, generate skills and for e-governance and tele-education. Transform the
nation into a knowledge society with IT as the linking tool.
Finally, the farmers have given this country surplus food with their sweat. Time
has come for two events to take place in agricultural sector. One, the value addition of all
agriculture products. The second is to improve the quality of agriculture products and
compete in the world market. Above all marketing itself is a great business tool; we have
to create a new cadre for this purpose. These steps will bring relief to the farmers.
And to God the Almighty! Make my people sweat. Let their toil create many more
Agnis that can be annihilate evil. Let my country prosper in peace. Let my people live in
harmony. Let me go to dust as a proud citizen of India, to rise again and rejoice in its glory.

Glossary and Notes:

habitat : natural surroundings of animals or plants.

diagnostic : related to recognizing exact nature of diseases

perpetuate : to cause something to continue

reverberated : having effect in the surroundings for some time

motivation : enthusiasm/ need/ reason for doing something

revive : bring/ come back to life/health

multifaceted : having many different parts

drive : special motive

untapped : not yet used

insurgency : fight or oppose to the government

to channel : to direct something

scriptures : holy writings of a religion

dynamic : energetic and forceful

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intruders : someone unwanted ( who enters without permission)

bounden : something that must be done

deployed : arranged in needy or useful manner

I. Skimming and Scanning Questions:

A. Answer the following questions in one word/one phrase/one sentence each:
1. What sort of India the author would like to see in twenty years?
2. How, according to A.P.J.Abdul Kalam , energy is created?
3. What has to be the motive force according to A.P.J.Abdul Kalam?
4. What is the most important need in terms of overall developments?
5. What is required for a developed economy in North eastern states?
6. Which states can become good examples of economic developments?
7. What opportunity do the administrators have?
B. Complete the following statements by choosing the best alternative:
1._______brought the steel industries during the british rule.
a) Acharya P.C. Ray b) Jamshetji Tata
c) Maharaja of Baroda d) Dadabhai Naoroji
2. The Banaras Hindu University was established by _______.
a) Jamshetji Tata b) Sir Syed Ahmed Khan Khan
c) Acharya P.C. Ray d) Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya
3. Indian exports to large extent consist of low value raw material like______
dots.
a) petro-chemicals b) gold and silver
c) iron-ore and alumina d) drugs and chemicals
4. Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad are ______.
a) hubs of business activity b) most costly metrocities
c) educational hubs d) religious places

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 5. Dr. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam dreams of an India governed by ______.
a) smart farmers b) united workers
c) teachers d) noble leaders
6._______ was the founder of Aligarh Muslim University.
a) Jamshetji Tata b) Sir Syed Ahmed Khan Khan
c) Acharya PC Ray d) Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya
7. In the IT area ______ is the most important need.
a) computers b) electricity
c) man power d) infra-structure
8. Tripura’s economy mainly rests on ______.
a) education b) forest productions
c) tourism d) gold mining
9. _______ and ________ are the two pillars of industrial growth.
a) Competitiveness and innovation b) Infrastructure and raw material
c) Education and training d) Experience and monopoly
10._______ tell us that there is no barrier between us and the world.
a) Our forefathers b) Books
c) Our experiences d) Scientists
II. Comprehension Questions :
A. Answer the following questions in 3 to 4 sentences each:
1.Describe the dream of an India seen by A.P.J.Abdul Kalam.
2.Which great institutions were established during British rules?
3.What are the expectations of A.P.J.Abdul Kalam in the computer field?
4. What prayer does Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam do to the God almighty?
5. What exactly is expected by A.P.J.Abdul Kalam after 50 years of independence?
6.What steps will bring relief to the farmers in India?

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B) Write short notes on the following in 8 to 10 sentences each.
1. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam’s visit to the Northeaster states
2. Noisy situation in the intellectual fields.
3. The situation of India in I.T. sector.
4. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam’s views about freedom and its protection.
III. Vocabulary Exercises :
A) Complete the following table filling in the appropriate form of the words given:
Verb Noun Adjective Adverb
creative
govern
motivation
intelectual
resposibility
revive

B) Write antonyms of the following words:

1. exports
2. possible
3. success
4. natural
5.preserve
6. shortage
IV. Writing Activity
1. Write a paragraph of about 250 words on ‘India in my Dream’.
2. Write a paragraph on ‘How administrators can change India?’.
V. Suggestions for further reading:
1. Read A.P.J.Abdul Kalam’s ‘Ígnited minds’/ ‘Wings on Fire’
2. Read Sudha Murty’s ‘Wise and Otherwise’or its translation in Marathi.



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 Module VII
A) Description
Introduction

It is necessary for students to learn how to use English for describing places,
people, objects and routine in life. They have to equip themselves with the knowledge
and use of English structures and vocabulary to be able to meet the requirement of the
job market, after their graduation. They may take up a job of a salesman, tourist guide, or
they may even like to take up journalism as their career. Whatever field they choose, they
will need English for their efficient functioning in that field.

The Objectives of this module are to get ideas about daily routine, practices in one’s
life and to get encouraged to talk about you and talk about others in respect of daily
routines.

I ) Describing Objects

If you want to describe anything, you must have an eye for the detail. You must be a good
observer. Suppose you were going for a morning walk. There was a school boy struggling
up the road on his bicycle. Suddenly, a truck came at a great speed, its horn screaming,
and its fending struck the cyclist. The cycle and the boy fell down. The truck did not stop.
There was an enquiry. The traffic police inspector asked you:

The Traffic Police: Can you identify the truck?

You : It was a goods carrier.

The Traffic Police: Are you sure?

You : Yes.

The Traffic Police: Can you remember the number of the truck?

You : No, I am sorry. It happened so quickly. I was looking at the boy who fell down.

The Traffic Police: Couldn’t you at least see if the truck was from this state or from outside?

You: Well, the first letters were definitely KA 23 or something. Quite certainly K.A.

The Traffic Police: Well, thank you.

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 You can see how details are very important. The inspector can now concentrate
on a truck or trucks registered in Karnataka. The search can, thus, be restricted to those
trucks only.

Note the pattern of descriptive sentences:

It was ——————

The truck was ————

The first letters were ———

We have a habit of noticing details and remember them. There are number of
things in our house, in the college, in the village, in the town, etc. But, if you are asked to
describe the things in the library or the hall or your own room, will you be able to describe
them? Here is the picture of a hall. There are a number of things in the hall.

This is a hall in a house. In the hall, there is a stylish wall on which there are LED
TV and Wall picture of Nature. In the middle of the hall, there is a big teapoy and on it
beautiful Urn with flowers as well as two magazines. There is also sofa set and near the
sofa coach, there is a small computer table with laptop. In the hall, there are a number of
things like paper-table, serving –table, two armchairs and ceiling fan, etc. There is also a
glass partition wall.

Note the structure again: This is —--, There is ——, There are ——. Note also a
number of prepositional phrases used here to state the place or location of things:

on the wall, on the table, near the sofa, etc.

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TASK 1:
1) Describe LED TV in the picture given below.
2) Describe the following things:
i) Your note-pad
ii) Your Laptop
Your cell-pohone

II Describing Persons:
Read the following very short descriptions of persons and the descriptive phrases,
adjectives, used in the decription:
1. Nirmala Desai is twenty five years old. She is very slim and has long curly hair. The best
feature in her face is a set of lovely dimples when she smiles, which she often does.
2. Sudhanshu is twenty three years old. He is a slim man. He has fair complexion and a
small moustache.
3. Rani is a sixteen year old girl. She is dark skinned, and has a broad face and very long
hair.
It is very important to observe people and be able to describe them. A woman was
going for a walk in the evening, and someone came running from behind, snatched her
chain from her neck and ran away. These incidents are now frequently being reported. The
police will ask questions to the woman:
: Can you describe the person?
: He was a young man, Sir. He was of a medium height. I saw only the side
of his face. He was rather dark-skinned. He had short black hair. He had
put on a half-sleeved shirt of grey colour and faint blue trousers. He slipped
while running and I saw yellow rubber slippers on his feet.
This lady has been able to give comparatively better description, because normally,
in such a situation, a woman is so frightened that she may not be able to give any details
of the chain-snatcher. But it is not only chain-snatcher that you are going to describe. You
may have to describe people, young or old, who you come across in your life. What do you
notice first when you meet strangers, or even persons familiar to you? Here is Khushwant
Singh, a very well known writer, describing his very old grandmother.
Note the descriptive details, adjectives and other expressions used by the writer.
My grandmother, like everybody’s grandmother, was an old woman. She had been
old and wrinkled for the twenty years that I had known her. People said that she had once
been young and pretty and had even had a husband, but that was hard to believe. She had
always been short and fat and slightly bent. Her face was a criss-cross of wrinkles running
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from everywhere to everywhere. No, we were certain that she had always been as we had
known her. Old, so terribly old that she could not have grown older, and had stayed at the
same age for twenty years. She could never have been pretty; but she was always beautiful.
She hobbled about the house in spotless white with one hand resting on her waist to
balance her and the other telling the beads of her rosary. Her silver hair was scattered
untidily over her pale puckered face, and her lips constantly moved in prayer.
(Khushwant Singh)
You must have come across old men and women. Note how the writer has given
here the details of appearance of his grandmother. Study the following descriptive
details:
age : old, terribly old
face : wrinkled, puckered
general appearance : not pretty, but beautiful
figure : short and fat and slightly bent
manner of walking : hobbled, with one hand resting on her waist
hair : silver, scattered untidily
dress : spotless white
action : lips moved in prayer, hand telling rosary beads.

The passage is written in the past tense. Most of the verb phrases are in the past
tense or in the past perfect tense, because the writer is talking about his grandmother
who is no more. But you can see what details of personality can be given while describing
a person.
You can write about age, height, weight, face, head and hair, etc. in general
terms. See for example:
Age : You may not know the age in years. But you can say an infant, a child, a teen-
ager, a young man/woman, a middle-aged Man /woman, an old man, an old lady,
etc.
Height : Normally we talk of height in feet. We can only guess someone’s height. We can
say, he must be five feet six inches tall. She is about five feet three inches. But
very often we say that he is rather tall. She is rather short. She may come up to
my shoulders. He is of a medium height. He is very tall for an Indian. She cannot
be more than five feet.
Weight : If we know, we can say how much a person weighs. But while describing, we talk
about weight in general terms. We make use of adjectives such as fat, thin, slim,
overweight, plump, famished, well-built, stocky etc.

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 These are all adjectives. Fat, overweight and famished and thin have unfavorable
meaning. We mean to criticize the person we are describing. But, plump and slim are
favorable in their meaning. For example, ‘She is slim and looks pretty.’ ‘Well-built’ is
favorable in meaning, but stocky is not.

Face and Head : When you describe someone’s face you say something about his or her
eyes. Eyes can be blue, black, brown, grey or green. Eyes can also be round
or elongated or slit eyes. Face and head include hair, nose, moustache, lips
and ears.
Hair : Hair can be black, blond, in color. In size the hair can be long or short, curly,
wavy, straight, closely cropped, tied in a bun, or left loose round the
shoulders.
Moustache: This is in the case of men. There can be a thin moustache or ample
moustache, curved or sloping down. Or a man can be just clean shaven.
Lips : lips can be thin, red, or wide, and thick

While describing a person you can use the following expressions (mostly adjectives),
which can be your general impression about the person you are describing.
smart, efficient, mischievous (about children), elegant, thoughtful, melancholy,
gentle, untidy, easy-going, eccentric, good-humored, businesslike, etc. Then you can
describe the clothes a person puts on:
Dress : A young man puts on trousers or jeans and a shirt that has long or short
sleeves. A girl puts on a saree and a blouse or jeans and shirt, or a skirt
and a blouse, or a kurta and pyjama.

While describing a familiar person, you can write about what he or she does for
living. A woman may be a teacher, an officer in a government department, or in a bank,
etc. A man can also be a teacher, an officer, or a businessman running a cloth-shop, a
garage, a shop of electric goods, etc. You can also write about their financial status, e.g. a
poor family, a middle-class family, quite well-to-do or a very rich family.
Now here are two small passages describing persons. Study the descriptive
details about the physical features, profession, financial status, etc.
Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli is twenty eight years old. His Nickname is Cheeku. He is over 5 ft 9 in
(1.75 m) tall and has a muscular physique. He is a very physical type of player. He likes to
impose himself on the game, backs it up with his skill. He has dark black eyes and straight
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black hair. Kohli is superstitious. He wears black wristbands as a cricket superstition;
earlier, he used to wear the same pair of gloves with which he had “been scoring”. Apart
from a religious black thread, he has also been wearing a kara on his right arm since
2012. Born and raised in Delhi, Kohli represented the city’s cricket team at various age-
group levels before making his first-class debut in 2006. He captained India Under-19s to
victory at the 2008 Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia, and a few months later, made
his ODI debut for India against Sri Lanka at the age of 19. Initially having played as a
reserve batsman in the Indian team, he soon established himself as a regular in the ODI
middle-order and was part of the squad that won the 2011 World Cup. He made his Test
debut in 2011. A typical modern-day cricketer, Virat Kohli plays his game aggressively,
bares his emotions loudly in public, yet retains the element of maturity that forms an
integral part of every good and great player. Virat loves eating fresh home cooked food.
Eating less to be in shape doesn’t seem to be Virat’s idea of staying fit. He is not shy of
eating food but he is not a food junkie. He has a gym in his house where he works out
with his personal trainer for three hours every day. The rest of the day is spent in practicing,
driving and with friends. He has four cars including an open sports car and huge collection
of dark glasses and designer watches.

Now note the details of Virat Kohli’s personality:

Personal details : his age, height, physique, colour of eyes, hair.
His family : parents and residence in Delhi.
His eating habits : right kind of food with reasonable quantities
His daily routine : physical exercise for three hours, then practicing, driving
cars, spending time with friends.
His personal collections : four cars, collection of glasses and designer watches
His nature : plays his game aggressively, bares his emotions loudly in
public.
You can get such descriptive details of film stars, sports persons, etc. from
magazines and newspapers. Try to write short descriptive passages about some of them.

Task II
1) Make a list of the verb phrases from the passage on Virat Kohli. Use these verb
phrases in your own sentences to describe a person familiar to you.
2) Make a list of the verb phrases from the passage on Virat Kohli. Use these verb
phrases in your own sentences to describe a person familiar to you.
3) Write short descriptive passage about:
a) Your favourite teacher

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 b) A railway ticket checker
c) A sports person you like
d) Your mother
e) A film personality

III) Describing Places:

While writing description of places, you need to write about :
1) where it is (its location), what it is — a castle, a museum, an art gallery, a temple, a
palace, etc
2) if it is a historical place, it’s possible period, when it was built,
3) its structure and its present state,
4) if it is a town, a hill station, then where it is situated, what it is known for, etc.
Read this description of Mahabaleshwar , a hill station in Maharashtra:
Mahabaleshwar is 1,372 meters above sea level, around Lake Venna, is the highest
hill station in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra. It is one of the most spectacular and the
largest of Maharashtra hill-stations. Mahabaleshwar in Sanskrit means God of Great Power.
The Britishers built various mansions, cottages and bungalows around the town, lending
it a charming, sophistication. There are 30 valley viewpoints with panoramic vistas
scattered around the hill station and their access roads make for shady, pleasant walks
and treks. Mahabaleshwar along with Panchgani makes the most popular hill resorts in
the Maharashtra state of India. Far away from the madding crowds the hill resort makes
an excellent holiday destination. The natural beauty of Mahabaleshwar attracts nature
lovers, film directors, holidaymakers, peace seekers and adventurers alike. The heat and
the dust of the plains give way to the cool breezes and the gorgeous greens of
Mahabaleshwar. The hill resort of Mahabaleshwar derives its name from the God
“Mahabali”. There is a temple dedicated to Lord Mahabali namely the old Mahabaleshwar
Temple.
Note the structures in this descriptive passage. The sentences are all in the present
tense. And you come across structures like:
It is ——, there are——, there is——, it is ———
And there are descriptive noun phrases such as :
panoramic vistas scattered around the hill station, charming and pleasant hill station,
far away from the madding crowds, etc.

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Here is another small passage describing a protected forest area:
Nagzira:
Nagzira is a well known protected jungle area in the district of Gondia in
Maharashtra. There is a big lake near the rest house bungalow. On the full moon night,
you can watch the moon reflected in the calm water of the lake. There is a hill called
Nagdeo near the lake. In this forest you come across a great variety of trees like teak,
dhavda, etc. Besides, there are thick clusters of Bamboo. The forest is full of a variety of
animals such as wild pigs, leopards, tigers, deer, etc. Evenings here are very pleasant.
You can see that in describing a place, we mostly find the structures like:
There is ——, there are, it is——, this is——
as we have noted in the earlier passage. You also come across expressions like,
you see, you come across, etc.
Note also the descriptive noun phrases such as:

The hill called Nagdeo, a great variety of trees, a variety of animals, etc. The noun phrases
in such descriptive passages are longish with adjectives, and prepositional phrases
(describing location), and even clauses.

You may write about the climate, some typical geographical feature, crops, etc. See for
example, the following short descriptive pieces:
Jaipur : Jaipur has extreme climate with hot and humid summers particularly
from April to July. The temperature reaches 45oc. And during the winter
months, the days are fairly sunny and pleasant, and the nights are quite cold as
the temperature goes below zero.
Bhopal : Bhopal has long slopes of sandstone, which is a part of the Malwa Plateau. The
summers from April to June are quite hot. The winters from November to February
are cool and pleasant.
Banglore : Bangalore has moderate and pleasant climate. The summers from April to June
have an average temperature of 23o c and the winters from October to February
are cool and comfortable.
Note the expressions describing specially the climate in the summer and the winter. Note
also the adjectival phrases used to describe the climate.
Task 3:
1) Describe, giving necessary details, the following locations visited by you:
A hill stations ( like Panchagani, Matheran, Mahabaleshwar, or any other)
A temple ( like Jotiba, Mahalaxmi, Jejuri’s Khandoba, or any other)
A fort ( like the Panhala fort, the Raigad fort , the Sajjan fort, or any other)
2) Describe giving necessary details, the following locations visited by you:
a shopping mall, a gym, a vegetable market in your town.
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VI) Describing Daily Routine: Unit-2

Making use of English for communication involves talking about what you do in
your daily life, or what the other people do. This is the skill our students need for speaking
as well as writing in their future career. While facing a board of interviewers, many job-
seekers fumble for words and expressions, and they cut a sorry figure before them. It is
extremely necessary for our students to acquire spoken as well as written skill in English
to be able to succeed in their career. They ought to acquire the skill of writing and speaking
in English to be able to talk about themselves and others. Describing is a skill they need in
any kind of job they do in future.

A) Read the following short conversations:

: When do you normally get up?
: I have to get up at 5.30 a. m. as I have a morning college. Of course, on
Sundays I get up a little late.
: When does your college start?
: It starts at 8.00 a. m, and it’s over by 12.30 p.m.
: When do you have your breakfast?
: I’ve my breakfast at about 6.30 a. m. But sometimes I skip it to avoid
being late. Then I have it at the college canteen during the short recess.
This is how you talk about the routine things in your life. You make use of verbs in
simple present tense. This sounds very easy and simple, but when you face an interview,
these simple things become difficult and you remain tongue-tied. Anyway, read the
following piece of daily routine of someone like you, Shailesh, doing first year of college:

I usually get up at six. My college starts at eight o’clock. So I’m always in a hurry
in the morning. You know, if you watch TV late at night, you can’t get up early. Then I
often get scolding from both mother and Dad. I just skip my breakfast to attend the first
lecture. It’s English, you see. So I have to be there. The teacher is very strict. But I enjoy
the English lecture. In the short recess, I go to the college canteen with my friends and
enjoy some snacks. I usually come back home by one o’clock. I have lunch with my sister,
who also comes back home by the same time. I spend my afternoon studying for some
time. If there is nothing much to do, I watch TV. I go to college ground for playing cricket
with my friends. After coming back I listen to the news, read the newspaper, because I
can’t read it in the morning. Then we all of us watch some popular TV serials. We have our
dinner in front of the TV. How about you?
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B) Daily Routine of an office employee:
Now let us read what the daily routine is of an office-employee:

Neha leads a very much disciplined life. She usually gets up at 5 a.m. in the morning
every day and goes for a morning walk in the garden near her house. She has bath at 7 a.
m. followed by prayers. At eight, she has her breakfast. By 8.30 a.m., she leaves the house
for her office. Her office is far away. She normally takes a bus to the railway station and
then catches a local train. She reaches office at 10 o’clock. She works till 1 o’clock, when
she takes a lunch break. She is back at her desk at 1.45 p.m., and works till 6 p.m. She has
her dinner with her family, at 9 p.m. After that she sometimes watches TV with her family
or reads some interesting books, and goes to bed at11p.m.

C) Daily Routine in the Past:

When we talk about daily routine, we think of the routine at present. But we can
also talk about ours or someone else’s daily routine in the past. You made use of present
tense to describe daily routine of people now. Here we are talking about the past routine
of some people. Read the following small passage. Here also we can talk about past practice.
Read the following short passage:

Until a few decades ago, the landlords used to own vast lands, which were tilled
by the landless labour they employed. Most of the time, the landlords did not even visit
their fields. And yet the people who had worked for them for years could never hope to
own even a tiny piece of land. The landlords did not believe in working in the field, as they
used to consider themselves masters. They used to spend time and money on bad habits.

This small passage describes the past practice. This is just like routines in those
days. Note the use of expressions:

used to own vast lands, used to consider themselves masters, used to spend time and
money, etc.

The expression ‘used to + Verb’ is used to talk about past practices or routines.

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Task 4:
I) Prepare questionnaire for your classmates, and ask them to fill it up.
Name —————————————————— Class —————————
When do you ————
1. get up in the morning ————————
2. have breakfast ————————
3. leave for college ————————
4. have lunch ————————
5. do homework ————————
6. go to play ————————
7. read newspaper ————————
8. watch TV ————————
9. have dinner ————————
10. go to bed ————————
Besides, what do you do when you have no lecture? Do you ever go to the
college library? What do you read there?
Now write a paragraph of the daily routine of your classmate. You can
start with : Nilesh gets up at ————

II) Write about 8 to 10 lines describing daily routine of the following persons
with the help of the points given:
a) an Iron-man
When does his day start? His vehicle? How many houses does he go to? Difficulties
he faces? How does he keep the accounts of his customers? His behaviour? How
does he talk to people? his relationship with the customers. Any other points about
his personality.
b) a maid-servant
Her name. What kind of work does she do? For how many families does she work?
When does her day start? How many children does she have? Why does she work?
What do you feel about her as a person?
C) Ask your Dad or Mother what their daily routine was when they were in school or
college. And write a passage using the past tense.
d) You are in the college now. Describe your routine when you were in school, in the
6th or 7th standard. Write about your school timings, the games you played, your
teachers, etc. Use past tense and also ‘used to+ Verb’ phrase where necessary.


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 B) A Village Girl
Mohan Singh
Mohan Singh (1905-78) was the greatest 20th century Punjabi poet. He obtained a
Master’s degree in Farsi and started his career as a lecturer in Persian at Khalsa College,
Amritsar before the independence. He resigned this job and shifted to Lahore in 1939 to
launch a Punjabi monthly ‘Punj Darya’. After a few years, he started as a full-time writer.
He published his first collection of poems, Save Pattar (Green Leaves) in 1935, and some of
his poems have become household songs of the people. He wrote extremely beautiful
love poems.
‘A Village Girl’ is a Punjabi poem translated into English by Balwant Gargi. It is
first published in ‘The Beliot Poetry Journal’ in 1962. The romantic anxiety and longing
appeared strongly in the writings of Mohan Singh. The present poem reflects a blend of
the romantic temper through a description of a village girl.

A bundle of grass on the head

She came, hips swinging
Like wine pitchers,
She, my village belle,
Pataki and mustard flowers,
Like blue and yellow eyes,
Peep through the green grass
Hanging over her eyes
A net of grass dreams
Her face caught in it.
She lifts her skirt up to her knees
And holds my arm to cross the Suhan river
Ankle-deep water rises to her knees, to her waist,
Her legs disappear beneath the shimmering water,
And her skirt goes up like an upturned umbrella
The water goes down her thighs, her knees, her ankles
So does her skirt.
‘Thank you, brother,’ says she,
Like the koel cooing from a mango grove
And leaves my arm and goes away.

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 On the sandal-hill, her footprints
Gleam like a prisoner’s chain,
She goes up the mound
Tall and slender like a sugarcane
And becomes a part of the green tree.
She did not look at me
I could not see her face caught in the green net
But I cannot shake off
The dust of her touch.
Glossary and Notes :
swing : move or cause to move back and forth or from side to side.
pitcher : a water jug
belle : a beautiful girl or woman
peep : look quickly and furtively at something,
shimmer : shine with a soft, slightly wavering light.
koel : an Asian and Australasian cuckoo with a call that
resembles its name.
gleam : shine
I. Skimming and Scanning Questions:
A) Answer the following questions in one sentence each:
1) What is on the head of a village girl?
2) Where is the green grass hanging?
3) What does the girl lift up to her knees?
4) Which river do the narrator and a village girl cross?
5) Where does a village girl go away?
B) Rewrite the following sentences by choosing the correct alternatives.
1.………… translated the poem ‘A Village Girl’ into English.
a. Mohan Singh c. Khushwant Singh
b. Mulk Raj Anand d. Balwant Gargi
2.The poem ‘A Village Girl’ centres on ……..
a. The description of a village girl c. beauty and its appreciation
b. Man in nature d. the elegance of a girl
3.………. of a village girl gleam like a prisoner’s chain.
a. The skirt c. The footprint
b. A bundle of grass d. The green grass
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 4.“Tall and slim like a sugar cane” is an example of ……..
a. sarcasm. c. simile.
b. Hyperbole. d. symbolism.
5.“Mustard flowers peep through the green grass” is an example of ………..
a. exaggeration. c. parallelism.
b. apostrophe. d. personification.
II. Comprehension Questions :
A) Answer the following questions in 3 or 4 sentences each.
1) How does a narrator describe a village girl?
2) How does a narrator feel the departing notes of a village girl?
3) What does a narrator describe about the footprints of a village girl?
4) Why cannot a narrator see the face of a village girl?
B) Answer the following questions in about 7 or 8 sentences each.
1) What is the central idea of the poem ‘A Village Girl’?
2) Explain the figurative devices used by the poet to describe a village girl.

III. Vocabulary Exercises.

A) Complete the following table.
Noun Verb Adjective Adverb
dream - - -
- - - touchingly
- shimmer - -

B) Give synonyms and antonyms of the following

Word Synonym Word Antonym

rise - peep -
gleam - tall -

IV) Writing Activity.

1) Describe the remarkable place that you visited.
2) Find a poem with full of artistic devices

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 MODULE VIII
A) My Elder Brother (Bade Bhai Sahib)
Munshi Premchand
Premchand (1880-1936) is one of the India’s greatest story writers in Hindi literature.
His original name was DhanpatRai but he wrote his work in Urdu as a NababRai and in
Hindi literature he wrote as Premchand. He was the editor of the well-knownHindi
magazines” Hans” and “Madhuri”.
His popular novels are ‘Godan’,‘Gaban’,‘Sevasadan’,‘Nirmala’, ‘Kamibhumi’,
‘Rangibhumi’, ‘Kayakalp’,and ‘Mangalsutra’ (incomplete). There would be very few people
who would not know the name Munshi Premchand. He is perhaps the only name in Hindi
literature to have captured the true picture of his era – the 1900s. His stories were always
about liberating man from the bonds that gripped him whether it was social or economic.
His stories were powerful and over the years, film and theatre directors have brought
alive some of his remarkable work with brilliant result.
‘My Elder Brother’ is one such story that tells a story of the relationship between
two brothers –Both live away from home in a hostel to study. The elder brother, spends all
his time reading. Such is his passion to understand each and every word written in the
book that sometimes he stays in one class a couple of times just to grasp the meaning of
what is written. The younger brother, is just the opposite of elder. He is more interested
in playing with friends than in studying. But he is terrified of his elder brother and to
please him starts studying the minute he sees him. Both the brothers try to prove that
his way of living is correct that leads to comic situations all through the story.
My elder brother was five years older than me, but only three grades higher. He
began school at the same age as I did, but he didn’t like to rush through such an important
matter as an education. In fact, he wanted to build a strong foundation of though so that
a grand palace could then be constructed upon it. To that end, he would complete one
year’s worth of work in two whole years; sometimes it took him even three. If the
foundation is not well-built, how can the house be stable? I was small, and he was big. I
was nine years ole and he was fourteen. It was his birthright to supervise me and scold
me, and I was so dutiful that I understood his command as law.
He was naturally very studious. Always, he was sitting with an open book. And
sometimes to relax his mind he would draw pictures of birds, dogs, and cats on the margins
of his copy. Sometimes, he would write one name or word or sentence ten or twenty
times. Sometimes, he would imitate over and over again the beautiful letters of a poem.
On other occasions, he would write without any meaning or sense. For example once, on
his paper, I saw these words: “special,” “ameena,” brothers-brothers,” “in face.” “brother-
brother,” “raadheshyaam,” “shriyuktraasheshyaam,” “up to one hour” – after this gibberish
there was also a man’s face drawn closeby. I tried very hard to extract some meaning from
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this riddle, but I remained unsuccessful. He was in the 9th grade, and I was in the 5th and
I couldn’t dare ask him. His writings were simply too immense for someone as miniscule
as myself.
Speaking of me, I really did not like to study. Reading a book for one whole hour
seemed as difficult as climbing a mountain. As soon as I had the opportunity, I would
leave my hostel and throw stones, fly paper butterflies, and meet with a friend somewhere.
Sometimes we would climb up on the surrounding-wall and jump down; sometimes we
would sit on the gate and enjoy its back-and –froth movement. But as soon as I came back
in the room I saw my angry-looking brother and my stomach dropped. His first question
was always this – Where were you? He would always ask this question in the same tone
and I was always mute, unable to answer. I didn’t know why I couldn’t just tell him that
I was playing outside. My silence told him that I had done something wrong, and for my
brother there was no cure other than to welcome me with words of affection mixed with
anger.
“If you study English in this manner, then you will continue studying the rest of
your life, and still not learn a single letter. Learning English is no joke. Not just any anybody
can read. Not just anyone can become fluent in English. I have to stay awake my eyes
aching and taxing myself day and night, and only then, do I gain an understanding. Even
very scholarly people can’t write or speak pure English, and I say, you’re such a nail that
even after seeing me you don’t learn a lesson. I work so hare, you have seen this with your
own eyes, and if you can’t see it, then it’s your eyes’ fault, or a fault in your intelligence.
So many events and fairs take place, but have you ever witnessed me go to one? Every
day there are cricket and hockey matches. I never venture near them. I’m always studying.
In spite of this, I stay in every grade for two or three years. Nevertheless you somehow
expect that while wasting time playing sports you will pass? It takes me two or three
years to pass a grade; you will be rotting in the same grade your whole life! If you want to
waste time like this then it’s better if you go home and have fun playing gulli-danda. Why
are you wasting grandfather’s hard-earned money?”
I would start to cry having heard such a scolding. What answer did I have? I did do
something wrong, who else should be scolded? My older brother was perfect in the art of
preaching. His words were like perfectly-aimed arrows that broke my soul into pieces and
crushed my courage. After breaking me down like this, I couldn’t find the strength in
myself to work any harder and for a while, in disappointment, I would think: “Why don’t
I just go home?” why would I ruin my life by putting my hands into a task that’s way
beyond my abilities? I was willing to remain a fool, but not work hard like this! I become
dizzy; though, after an hour or two, the cloud of disenchantment would pass and I would
try to sweat a little by studying hard. I’d quickly make a schedule. After all, without
sketching a map of activities or preparing some strategy, how could I begin to work? On
my agenda there was no timeslot for playing. Wake up in the morning; wash my face and
hands, eat breakfast, and sit down to study at 6; English from 6 to 8; math from 8 to 9;

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history from 9 to 9:30, then food and school. A half hour of rest after coming back from
school at 3:30; geography from 4 to 5:30; grammar from 5 to 6; half an hour of strolling
outside the hostel; English composition from 6:30 to 7; then after eating, translation from
8 to 9; Hindi from 9 to 10; different subjects from 10 to 11, then rest.
But making a schedule is one thing and following it is another. I disobeyed it on
the first day! The happy greenery of the field, the light blow of the wind, the jumping
action of soccer, the tackling of kabbadi, the agility and speed of volleyball; they somehow
pulled me towards them and when I got there I forgot everything else. That life-draining
timetable, those eye-straining books, none of these memories perpetuated, and it gave
my big brother the opportunity to give me suggestions and insults. I ran from his shadow,
trying to stay far from his gaze, coming quietly into the room so he didn’t know. He saw
me and my stomach dropped. It feels like there’s always a drawn sword hanging above
my head. Nevertheless, like how even between death and a calamity a man can remain
tight in the bond of affection and illusion, even after being scolded so heavily I cannot
give up playing.
Our yearly exams came and left. My brother failed; I passed, scoring first in my
class. A gap of only two years remained between us. I considered confronting him and
saying: “So, what good was all your seriousness? Look at me; I played all the time, and I’m
still first in my class!”. Yet he was so miserable, so downtrodden that I sympathized with
him, and even the thought of pouring salt on his wound seemed utterly shameful. Yes, I
had become a tad proud, and my self-confidence had increased as well. My brother no
longer wielded the same influence over me that he once did. I began to romp and play
freely. My spirit was strong. If he scolded me again, I would say clearly: “You killed yourself
in working so hard, but what did you achieve? Me, I ran around and played and still
placed first in my class.Although I did not have the courage to speak so arrogantly aloud,
it was quite clear from my behavior that my brother could no longer inflict upon me the
consternation that he once had. His common sense being as keen as it was- he figured this
out and one day when I returned to eat after having dedicated the entire morning to gulli-
danda, his wrath fell upon me like an unsheathed sword:
“I see…so, this year you passed and came first in your class, so now you think you’re so
smart. But little bro’, even great men don’t remain proud for long, so who are you to be so
arrogant? Surely, you’ve studied the story of Ravana in history. What lesson did you learn
from his behavior? Or did you not read it for any meaning at all? You know, passing a test
means nothing;the real point is to develop knowledge and understanding. Whatever you
study, be sure to understand its meaning. Ravana was the ruler of planet earth. We call
kings like him emperors. These days, the British empire is quite expansive, but you can’t
refer to its rulers as emperors. All over the world, there are many nations who don’t
accept the domination of the British; they’re completely sovereign. But Ravana was a king
with absolute and complete dominion over everything- all the nations on Earth served
him. Great gods were slaves to his will. Even the gods of fire and water were subordinate

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to him. But what was his downfall? Pride took away everything he had, right down to the
power that his name once held so that not even one person remained who would give
him a handful of water.
A man can commit any other misdeed he would like, but don’t be proud under any
circumstances. Commit the sin of pride, and you’ll have been lost to religion and the
world. You must’ve read the story of Satan as well. Satan was so proud that he thought
that God had no true followers aside from himself! In the end, he was driven from heaven
into hell. A Caesar from Rome was also arrogant once. He died begging. You’ve only passed
one grade. Think of it this way: you didn’t pass because of your hard work; rather, the
blind man stumbled upon a jackpot. Remember things like luck can only work the first
time, not over and over again. Sometimes even in gulli-danda blind luck places the ball in
the hole, however, no one becomes a successful player because of chance. A thriving
player is someone who doesn’t relie on luck. Don’t be deceived by my past failures! To get
to my grade level, you will have to cut your teeth on difficult problems of algebra and
geometry and you will be forced to study the history of England.
By the way, memorizing the names of emperors isn’t effortless. Throughout time,
there have been eight Henry’s. Do you think it’s easy to remember what happened during
which Henry’s rule? Instead of Henry VII, if one writes HenryVIII, you lose all the points
for the question! You won’t even get a zero! What have you been thinking! Contless James’s,
William’s and Charles’s have come and gone! The mind gets easily overwhelmed by this
thought. You even start to fell ill. It’s impossible to attach properly the names to these
terrible people. After the same name, you have do differentiate and correctly write first,
second, third, fourth, fifth, etc. Yet, telling you a hundred-thousand names of various
people is preferable to attempting geometry! For instance, while attempting one problem,
I wrote A, C, B instead A, B, C, and again, I lost all my points for the question!
No one asks these cruel examiners what difference does it make in the end whether
one writes A, B, C or A, C, B and also, why do they torture students over such irrelevant
things? If a person eats lentil-rice-bread in place of rice- lentils-bread, what’s the big deal?
But what do these examiners know? They only see what’s written in books. They want
boys to cram all these letters into their heads. And they call this mindless memorization
‘teaching’. And what use is there to study what these idiots instruct us to study? “Let this
weight fall to that point and the measurement will be twice as much”. Tell me, do you
need to know this? But you will have to know this to pass the test and so, you better
memorize all of this nonsense! The instructor might say, ‘Write an essay of no less than
four pages on ‘time management’. And so, you open the notebook in front of you, take the
pen in your hand and cry out the name of God! Who doesn’t know that time management
is a good thing? With it, comes control of one’s life. Also, others see the disciplined person
and being to admire him, and eventually, the man’s business becomes prosperous. But
how can we write four pages on this puny little proverb? Why is it necessary to write four
pages on a topic that can be explained in one sentence? I call that stupidity. This isn’t

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using one’s time wisely; rather, it’s the inapprotiate usage of time to try to uselessly cram
any old subject into an essay. I want people to say whatever they have to say with some
creativity, in their own style. But no, you have to fill four pages, however you want, just
write. And be sure you use the whole page!If this isn’t tyranny against the students, then
what is it? It’s absurd that they say to write concisely. Write a concise essay on time
management that is no less than four pages. Okey! Couldn’t write it concisely in four
pages? Maybe we’ll make you write one of two hundred pages. Run quickly, but be slow.
Is this a regressive thought or what? A baby could understand that, but these teachers
don’t even have that much common sense. They just say, ‘We’re teachers.’ You’ll come to
my class Lala, and you’ll have to produce all of this work, and then you’ll know what
exactly Herculers’ labours were. Little bro’, you came first in your current grade, and now
your head is in the clouds. But listen to what I’m saying, because even though I’ve failed
many times, I’m still older than you; I have more life experience than you. Whatever I say,
take it to heart. If you don’t, you’ll regret it”.
School was about to start, and God only knew when my brother’s lecture would
end. My food seemed flavourless that day. If I got this much contempt after having passed,
he might just have killed me if I failed. Whatever horrible images my brother had of
studies from his own experience, he forced them on me, and I became frightened. Once
school began, I didn’t run straight home as would have been expected. Still, my interest in
books also did not increase, even after such a harsh scolding. I didn’t let any opportunity
to play slip away. I studied, too, but very little- only enough to complete my daily tasks
and to not fall behind. That confidence that had been born in me was lost again, and I
returned to living my life like a convict.
The final exams took place again and it was by pure luck that I passed and my
brother once again failed. I had not worked very hard. I don’t know how, but I was first in
my class. I was surprised. My brother had worked especially hard, he had crammed into
his mind every word spoken in the course. Form 10:00 at night until the beginning of the
next day at 4:00 (down) he studied, and then, he studied some more between 6:00 am and
9:30 am. Yet, right before he went to school, my brother fell into a state of lethargy. And
the poor guy failed. I felt sorry for him! When the result was announced, he started crying
and I started crying too. The happiness of my own success was halved. If I had failed too,
my brother would not have been as sad, though who can push off fate?
Now there was only one grade level difference between my brother and me. And
ominous thought arose in my mind: “if my brother fails one more year, I’ll be in the same
grade as him and then, on what basis would he be able to lecture me?” But I forcibly
pulled this horrible though out of my mind. After all, he yells at me for my own good. It
feels very bad to me at this time, but maybe it is because of his admonitions that I passed
with ease and with such good marks.

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 Now my brother had gotten much less chatty. On several occasions even when
there was reason to yell at me he showed patience. Perhaps he began to understand that
he did not have the right to scold me, and if a right remained, it was very limited. I started
taking undue advantage of his tolerance of me. I started feeling that I will pass anyway,
whether I study or not. My fortunes are very good or so I though and the little that I
studied before for fear of my brother, I stopped doing that as well. As a matter of fact, I
took up a new hobby, to fly a kite and all my free time went towards that. Despite what it
seemed like, I still did respect my brother, and so, I would only fly my kite out of his site.
All associated tasks such as preparing the kite’s thread, threading the kite, and other
tasks for the kite tournament were dealt with in secret. I did not want my brother to
suspect that my esteem and consideration for him had reduced in any way.
On day in the evening, far away from my hostel, I was running after the kite. My
eyes were towards the sky and my mind was on this flying companion who was moving
slowly downwards, as if a soul from the heavens was descending to earth in a detached
way to accept a new life. A whole army of children was carrying bamboo poles attached
to thorny brush to welcome these. Nobody had paid any attention to what was in front of
behind them. It felt as though everybody was flying with that kite in the sky, where
everything is equal, no motorcars, trams, or vehicles.
Suddenly I ran into my brother, who was probably returning from the bazaar. He
caught my hand and angrily said, “Aren’t you ashamed of parading around with these
good-for-nothing boys for a two-rupee kite? Don’t you have any pause for the fact that
you are not in a lower grade anymore? You’rein eight grade now and only one grade
below me. After all a man has to have some consideration for his social position. There
was a time when having passed eight-grade people could still become a deputy tax collector.
I know many eighth grade educated people who today are top notch deputy magistrates
of superintendents. Many people educated up to eight grade are our leaders and editors
of our newspapers. Many learned people work under them as subordinates. And you in
the eightgrade are running around with these goo-for-nothing boys for a two-rupee kite.
I feel sorry for your lack of wisdom. You are a smart man, there is no doubt about it, but
what good is that acumen that would strangle your own self-respect. You might think “I
am only one grade below my brother, and now he has no right to tell me anything”, but
this is your mistake. I am five year older than you and even if you come in my own grade
today and if the examiners remain as they are; then undoubtedly next year you’ll be with
me and perhaps a year later you might go ahead of me.
That said, there is still a five-year difference between you and me; even God is not
able to change that! I am five years older than you and it will always remain that way! You
cannot match my experience in the world and in life even if you somehow attain an M. A.,
D. Litt, or D. Phil. Understanding does not come from reading books; it comes from seeing
the world. Our mother did not pass any grade level, and our grandfather also may not
have gone further than the fifth or sixth grade; yet both of them wish to study the

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knowledge of the entire world. Yet, the responsibility to teach and educate will always
remain with both mother and grandfather. This is not only because they are our elders,
but also because they always will have more experience in the world forever.
How are the ruling arrangements in America, and how many weddings did Henry
the Eight have, and how many stars are there in the sky? These questions you and I wish
to learn and our parents do not know, but there are thousands of topics like these which
they know more about than myself and you. God forbid if I become sick today, then your
hands and feet will become swollen with extra work. Other than grandfather’s telegram,
you will not attend to anything else. Though it should be noted, if grandfather was in
your place, he would not send a telegram to anyone. He would not get scared and not be
unconscious. First, he would diagnose the sickness himself but if this is not successful
then he would call a doctor. Illness is such a big difficulty! You and I do not even know
how a month’s stipend can last a whole month. Whatever grandfather sends us, we spend
these monies in twenty of twenty-two days, and after that, we lack even a few rupees.
Breakfast disappears, we hide from the drycleaners and the barber, but however
much you and I spend today, grandfather made due with half as much money, for most of
his life. A life lived with honesty and respect and he took care of a family that altogether
contained nine people. Look at your own headmaster, as an example. Does he have an M.
A. or not? He, in fact, does have and M. A. but not from here. Think Oxford. He earns on
thousand rupees, yet who manages his house? His old mother. The headmaster’s degree
has become completely worthless to him here. He used to manage his own household
before. His earnings did not last the entire month. He remained in debt. Ever since his
mother took the funds into her hands, it was as if happiness arrived in their house.so
little brother, remove all pried from your heart and thought that you have come close to
me and are independent. Under my guidance, you will not stray down the wrong path. If
you do not listen to this, then I can slap some sense into you. “I know that my words may
seem like poison to you.”
I accepted his new argument whole-heartedly. Today, I really understand my own
complacency and mistake, and in my mind, I have gained respect for my brother. With
respectful eyes, I said, “Absolutely not. Any saying that you utter is absolutely true and
you have the utmost right to tell me.” My elder brother hugged me and replied, “I am not
forbidding you to fly kites. My heart also yearns to fly a kite, but what can do? If I follow
the wrong path, then how will I protect you? If I follow the wrong path, then how will I
protect you? This responsibility is also mine!”
By chance, right then, a kite that had been cut off from its owner flew off over our
heads. It’s string was hanging. One group of boys was running after the string. Brother is
tall! After jumping, he grabbed the string and ran toward the hostel without a thought. I
ran right behind him!
(Translated from Hindi by M.J. Warsi)

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Glossary and Notes :
dutiful : accepting of one’s legal or moral obligations
gibberish : unintelligible, incoherent
riddle : puzzle, mystery
immense : huge, large, supremely
miniscule : misspelling of minuscule (colloquial)
mute : not having the power of speech, dumb
fluent : ability to speak accurate and rapidly
aching : present participle of ache i. e. pain
venture : risky, daring, journey
preaching : present participle of preach
ruin : destroy, defeat
dizzy : sensation, feeling unbalanced
disenchantment: illusion, false belief
soccer : football (UK)
agility : quickness of motion, strength
perpetuate : to prolong the existence of
calamity : disaster, an event resulting in great loss
inflict : to thrust, to impose
I. Skimming and Scanning Questions:
(A) Answer the following in one word/phrase/sentence each :
1. What is the age of the elder brother?
2. What is the age of the narrator, younger brother?
3. Who is the narrator of the story?
4. What is the age difference between the elder and the younger brother?
5. What was the question his brother always asked?

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 6. At what age did the brothers start their school.
(B) Fill in the blanks
1. The elder brother is — — years older than the younger one.
2. Though five years older, the elder brother was only ————- grades higher.
3. Why you are wasting ——— hard-earned money?
4. For the narrator. Reading a for a whole hour is as difficult as ———— .
5. A five years difference between the two brothers; even ———— is not able
trychange that!
6. According to elder brother understanding does not come from reading books; it
comes from seeing the————— .
7. I know my words may seem like ——— to you.
II. Comprehension Questions :
(A) Answer the following questions in 3 to 4 sentences each :
1. The elder brother’s attitude towards younger brother.
2. How elder brother says that experience is more important than education?
3. Ending of the story
4. Why did the narrator take his brother’s word as low?
(B) Write Short notes on the following in 8 to 10 sentences each :
1. The elder brother’s philosophy about education
2. Bring out the different nature in the two brothers.
3. Why elder brother always scolds to his younger brother?
(III) Writing activity
Bring out the difference and similarity between you and your brother/ sister
with the following points: age, habits, class/standard, different attitude, behavior,
interests, aims etc.
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 B) The Tiger (From ‘Songs of Experience’)
William Blake

“The Tiger” is the most famous and the most impressive short poem bythe English
poet William Blake (1757-1827) published in 1794 in his famous collection Songs of Experience.
In ‘The Tiger’, Blake sees the power of God majestic and terrifying. Blake’s contrary views of
God are embodied in the two poems: “The Lamb” and “The Tiger” Jesus symbolized as the
lamb was meek and mild. But Jesus as represented in the “Tiger” was conceived as one who
disrupted the habitual lives of men, questioned and denied the established law.

Tiger! Tiger! burning bright,

In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies.

Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand, dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder, and what art,

Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? and what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain,

In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp,
Dare its deadly terrors clasp!

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 When the stars threw down their spears
And water’d heaven with their tears:
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tiger! Tiger!burning bright,

In the forests of the night:
What immortal hand or eye,
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
Glossary and Notes :

burning bright : tiger represents a burning quality – wrath, passion and ardour
fiery eyes and bright colour of the tiger
frame : fashion; shape
symmetry : harmonious proportions
deeps : oceans
aspire : mount up
shoulder : the word here stands for strength
twist : shape by twisting
sinews : muscles
the chain : symbol of intellectual confinement.
anvil : an iron lock on which smith’s hammer metals into shape
stars : angels. Blake’s use of the stars to symbolize the Angels is Biblical
I. Skimming and Scanning Questions:

(A) Answer in one word/phrase/sentence

1. What is the central idea of the poem?

2. The present poem is taken form which collection?
3. From where the eyes of the tiger brought?

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(B) Fill in the blanks

1.Tiger! tiger! burning bright In the forests of the ———— .

2.The ‘Tiger’ poem belong to the collection of ———— .
3.“The songs of Experience” published in ———— .

II. Comprehension Questions :

(A) Write short notes on the following in 8 to 10 sentences each :

1. The beauty of the Tiger

2. “The Tiger” is considered Blake’s masterpiece.
3. The rare combination of the beauty and power in the tiger.
4. Write a critical appreciation of Blake’s poem “The Tiger”.
(III) Writing activity :

Write the description of the animal which you like and give the reason
why you like it.

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 C) A POET
Chandrakant Patil
The present poem is written by Chandrakant Nageshrao Patil, popularly known as
Chandrakant Patil. He is born on 30th Sept. 1944 at Ambajogai (Beed). He is a popular
Marathi poet, translator and critic. To bring the generation of past sixty in the main stream
of Post-Modern Marathi literature he vigorously contributed for writings of short
periodicals. This is his significant contribution and great achievement for the Post Modern
Marathi Literature. He is bilingual poet and critic, who writes in Marathi as well as in
Hindi. He is the recipient of prestigious award of ‘Maharashtra Bharati’, conferred by All
India level Maharashtra State Hindi Sahitya Akademy in 2012.
The present poem is translated into English by Santoshkumar Bhoomkar.
Chandrakant Patil’s poetry tries to define World’s complex relationships at the root of
nature, society and civilization. His poetry appears different because of its quality of honest
introspection. The present poem narrates the power, strength and greatness of words in
the poetic world. And at the root of these words, there is sole existence of poet, who gives
them strength in different context.

Words are not just sounds

nor mere concepts.
There is a destructive energy
at the core of words
which leaps out
after crashing against other words.

Poets too, like words,

crash against the dark shadows of others
carrying energy in their hearts.

Words constantly struggle to stay alive.

They find their existence
amid the very conflict,
just like poets.

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 Words can never be
mere concepts or codes.
Like poets they cannot be
without other words,
without relations and nature.

Every word in the poet’s brain

keeps expanding
and becomes a gigantic tree
whose roots creep
in the heart
in search of water.

A poem is a forest
in the brain of a poet.
And in its fresh light he looks for
dreams,
a spring
and the lost man.

Glossary and Notes :

destructive : devastating
core : Kernel, the centre of an object
shadow : Shade within clear boundries
existence : the state or fact of being objectively real
amid : among, amongst
conflict : an open clash between two simultaneous but imcompatible feelings
code : a coding system used for transmitting messages
gigantic : so exceedingly large, big
creep : crawl

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I. Skimming and Scanning Questions:
A) Answer the following questions in one sentence, one word or a phrase.
1) What did the words contain at their core?
2) What did the poets carrying in their hearts?
3) What did the words constantly do to stay alive?
4) Where did the words find their existence?
5) What did the poet looks for in his dreams?

B) Choose the correct alternative from the ones given below each of the following.
1) Words are not only sounds nor were concepts, but there is a ……..
a) beauty and pleasure b) destructive energy
c) creative power d) reconstructive power

2) Poets too are like words, who carrying ……… in their hearts.
a) love b) sympathy c) energy d) passion

3) Words find their existence amid the very …………

a) conflict b) heart c) brain d) imagination

4) Every word in the poet’s brain keeps expanding and becomes a ………
a) gigantic tree. b) rainbow.
c) beautiful flower. d) gigantic cloud.

5) According to poet ‘the poem is forest in the brain poet’, and in it poet looks for ……
a) dreams, a spring and the lost man. b) dreams, a summer and the idle man.
c) dreams, a winter and colourful world. d) dreams, a rainbow and the image of God.

6) The present poem is translated into English by ……………

a) Santosh Kumar Bhoomkar b) Prafull Patil
c) Santosh Kumar Patil d) Dilip Chitre

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II. Comprehension Questions :
A ) Answer the following questions in three or four sentences each :
1) Why did the poet describe that ‘the words have destructive energy’?
2) According to Chandrakant Patil, Why poets too are like words?
3) Why did the poet feels that ‘words can never be mere concepts or codes’?
4) Why did the poet think that ‘words become a gigantic tree’?
5) What did the poet look for in the forest of the poem?
B) Write short notes on the following in 8 to 10 lines each :
1) Power and strength of words in the poetry.
2) Tools and techniques of the poet in creating poetic world.
3) Reflection of poet’s image and feelings in the poetry.
4) Poet’s search for poetic beauty in the poetry.
III) Vocabulary Exercises:
A) Complete the following table:
Noun Verb Adjective Adverb
destructive
strugglingly
constant
B) Give synonyms and antonyms of the following:

Word Synonym Word Antonyms

Shadow Conflict
Gigantic Root
Forest Light

IV) Writing Activity:

i) Write a paragraph of about 250 words on “My Favorite Poet” (Marathi, Hindi or English)
ii) Write an essay of about 250 words that “Poetry has the power to change society”.
V) Suggestion for further reading:
1) Indian Literature Sahitya Akademi’s Bi-Monthly Journal, Jan/Feb. 2011, No. 261, Vol. LV. No. 1.



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 Pattern of Question Paper
SEMESTER I (Paper A)

Total Marks: 50

Q.No Sub. Type of Question Based on Unit Marks

Q.
Q.1 A Four multiple choice questions with Prose and
four alternatives to be set. poetry units. 04
B Answer in one word/phrase/sentence
each. Prose and 04
poetry units.
Q.2 A Answer the following questions in three Prose and
to four sentences each (4 out of 6) poetry units 08

B Write short notes on the following in

about seven to eight sentences each Prose and 09
(3 out of 5) poetry units

Do as directed: (Based on Developing

Q.3 --- Vocabulary) Module I A 08
Four different exercises to be set for 2
marks each.
Q.4 A Question to be set on Module III A 08
English for General Purposes

B Question to be set on Narration Module IIA 09

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 Pattern of Question Paper
SEMESTER II (Paper B)
Total Marks: 50

Q.No Sub. Type of Question Based on Marks

Q.
Unit
Q.1 A Four multiple choice questions with Prose and
four alternatives to be set. poetry units. 04
B Answer in one word/phrase/sentence Prose and
each. poetry units. 04
Q.2 A Answer the following questions in three Prose and
to four sentences each (4 out of 6) poetry units 08

B Write short notes on the following in

about seven to eight sentences each Prose and 09
(3 out of 5) poetry units

Question to be set on
Q.3 A Making Inquiries Module V A 8

B Question to be set on
Telephonic Communication Module VI A 7

Q.4 A Question to be set on Description Module VIIA 5

(Describing objects or persons )

B Question to be set on Description Module VIIA 5

(Describing places or Daily Routine)

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