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As I Grew Older Poem Questions and Answers & Summary by Langston Hughes

August 19, 2023 by Prasanna

OU Degree 4th Sem English – As I Grew Older Poem Questions and Answers & Summary

Comprehension I (Short Answer Questions)

Question 1.
What did the poet have a “long time ago” and what happened to it?
Answer:
The poet says that long time ago he had a “dream”. But now, he has almost forgotten it

Question 2.
What does the poet compare his dream to? Why do you think he chose to make the comparison?
Answer:
The poet compares his dream to a bright sun. He says that it was bright like a sun. I think that the poet chose to compare his dream to the sun because he feels that his dream like the sun provides him with light to see the world.

Question 3.
The poet says that he has “almost forgotten” his dream. What made him forget it?
Answer:
Poet Langston Hughes says that he has “almost forgotten” his dream. It is the ‘wall’ (racial discrimination) that rose silently between the poet and his dream. Now the poet is not able to see his dream before him due to the “wall”.

Question 4.
“And then the wall rose”. Is it really a wall that the poet is referring to? If not, what do you think the ‘wall’ refers to?
Answer:
When Langston Hughes, the poet says “And the wall rose”, he is referring not to any physical wall. However, Langston Hughes is referring to racial discrimination and subjugation he is faced with. Because of the wall (racial discrimination), now the light from his dream was completely blocked and he was standing in the shadow of the wall. The wall symbolizes all the impediments and humiliations that confront the black man in America.

Question 5.
How does the poet hope to recover his dream?
Answer:
Towards the end of the poem, the poet becomes determined to do something and drops off his submissive acceptance of the racial discrimination. There is a shift in the energy. He wishes that with his dark hands he could break the wall, smash and shatter the darkness and reach out to the light. The poet imagines that once the wall is broken his dreams would be liberated and would soon see the light, would soon be a reality.

Question 6.
The poet uses various words to suggest ‘light’ and ‘darkness’. List the words.
Answer:
In the poem, poet Langston Hughes uses various words to suggest ‘light’ and ‘darkness’ such as ‘black’, ‘dark’, ‘shadow’, ‘night’, ‘sun’. The effective use of such words in the poem has furthered his idea of darkness in the absence of his cherished dream. By juxtaposing the images of light and shadow, Hughes turns the conflict between hope and despair into a universal experience. ‘ ‘

Question 7.
Describe how the poet brings together the colour of his skin and the state of his mind.
Answer:
In the poem ‘As I Grew Older’, Langston Hughes, the poet brings together the colour of his skin and state of his mind. He proclaims: “I am black” and it means that the colour of his skin is black. Similarly, the state of his mind is full of despair and agony. He says: “I lie down in the shadow” of the wall of racial discrimination and subjugation. The poet beautifully brings together his physical colour and the associated mental darkness in order to drive home his racial bias.

Question 8.
Look at the title of the poem. Explain its relevance to the theme.
Answer:
The poet chose the title “As I Grew Older” to this poem. The tile is appropriate since as he grew older, the poet, an African-American, had been witness and subjugated to racial discrimination and bias. As an adult, he is determined to shatter the ‘wall’ of racial bias and the ‘darkness’ and recover his dream back.

Question 9.
There are three time frames in the poem. Identify them.
Answer:
In the poem, As I Grew Older’, the poet uses three time frames: the past, the present, and the future. The poem begins with the past tense as the poet says: “It was a long time ago. I have almost forgotten my dream.” He emphasised that in the past the dream was there before him bright like a sun. Then the wall of racial discrimination rose between he and his dream.

The poet used the present tense saying: “I am black. 1 lie down in the shadow”, in order to emphasise his present mental agony and despair. In the end, the poet uses the future tense to break through the wall, shatter his darkness, smash the night and shadow to find his dream at least in the near future.

Question 10.
What is the poet’s attitude towards his dream at the beginning of the poem and at the end? Is it the same or is there any change?
Answer:
In the beginning the attitude of the poet is submissive and silently accepts racial discrimination (the wall) that is being meted down upon him. However, in the end he is determined to break the silence. He cries, “My hands! / My dark hands!” He wants to break through the wall and find his dream; he wants to break apart the darkness and “smash” the night.

He wants that shadow to break apart into a “thousand lights of sun” and “a thousand whirling dreams / of sunbathe poet forcefully commands his “dark hands” to break through the wall so he can access his dream. He is no longer willing to let it languish beyond his grasp. He wants to “shatter this darkness” and “smash this night.” Hughes uses this violent language to show that the speaker is suddenly empowered and feels no equivocation or anxiety about what he must do.

Comprehension II (Essay Type Answer Questions)

Question 1.
Bring out the central idea of the poem and explain how the poet conveys it.
Answer:
Langston Hughes was a leading writer and thinker of the Harlem Renaissance-the African-American artistic movement of the 1920s that celebrated African-American life and culture. He rode to fame with his collection of poetry The Weary Blues (1926) and Fine Clothes to the Jews (1927). He was an early inventor of ‘jazz poetry’. He condemned racism, promoted equality and celebrated the African-American life and culture through his writings.

The present poem ‘As I Grew Older’, though first published in 1925, is included in his first collection of poems The Weary Blues in 1926. The central idea of the present poem, “As I Grew Older” is about one’s dreams in life and the hardships one has to face and the strong will one needs to have to realise the dreams. The poet starts by describing a dream he used to have a “long time ago” that he has since nearly forgotten. But it was right in front of him. He says,

‘But it was there then,
In front of me,
Bright like a sun –
My dream.’

However a wall rose up slowly between the poet and his dream – it rose and rose until it touched the sky. The poet uses ‘wall’ in a figurative manner. Here, the ‘wall’ refers to ‘racial discrimination and injustice’ that the African-American people face in America. The wall is a shadow. The poet proclaims, “I am black. ” He lies down in the shadows, which prevents the light of the dream from shining on him. All he can see is:

Only the thick wall.
Only the shadow.

Hughes deliberately uses the symbol of a shadow as a way to actualize his character’s blackness. His race is the barrier that is keeping him from achieving his dream. As the poem progresses, though, the poet’s helplessness and apathy turns into determination and vigour, creating a shift of energy. He says,

‘My hands
My dark hands!
Break through the wall!
Find my dream!

By confronting the obstacle, the poet has found his voice and his purpose. Hughes uses this violent language to show that the speaker is suddenly empowered. The poet forcefully commands his “dark hands” to break through the wall to see his dream. In the beginning the attitude of the poet is submissive and silently accepts racial discrimination (the wall) that is being meted down upon him.

However, in the end he is determined to break the silence. He cries, “My hands! My dark hands!” He wants to break through the wall and find his dream; he wants to break apart the darkness and “smash” the night. He wants that shadow to break apart into a “thousand lights of sun” and “a thousand whirling dreams of sunP’ The poet forcefully commands his “dark hands” to break through the wall so he can access his dream.

He is no longer willing to let it languish beyond his grasp. He wants to “shatter this darkness” and “smash this night. ” Hughes uses this violent language to show that the speaker is suddenly empowered and feels no equivocation or anxiety about what he must do.

Question 2.
Analyse the imagery of the poem and its relation to the theme.
Answer:
Langston Hughes was a leading writer and thinker of the Harlem Renaissance-the African-American artistic movement of the 1920s that celebrated African-American life and culture. He rode to fame with his collection of poetry The Weary Blues (1926) and Fine Clothes to the Jews (1927). He was an early inventor of ‘jazz poetry’.

He condemned racism, promoted equality and celebrated the African-American life and culture through his writings. The present poem ‘As I Grew Older’, though first published in 1925, is included in his first collection of poems The Weary Blues in 1926. The central idea of the present poem, “As I Grew Older” is about one’s dreams in life and the hardships one has to face and the strong will one needs to have to realise the dreams.

The poem contains full of images and the imagery in the poem consists of a powerful mix of ‘light’ and ‘dark’ images. Imagery employed by poet Langston Hughes in. the poem creates symbols and pictures in the mind of the reader. The poet says that his dream is ‘Bright like a sun’. He says that the ‘thick wall’ that keeps rising till it touches the sky. Here the ‘wall’ refers to the racial discrimination and prejudice and the oppression that makes the African-American people unable to fulfil their dreams.

The poet also emphasizes that he lies in his ‘shadow’ of depression and despair. The poet cries, “My hands! / My dark hands!” He wants to break through the wall and find his dream; he wants to break apart the darkness and “smash” the night. He wants that shadow to break apart into a “thousand lights of sun” and “a thousand whirling dreams / of sun!”

The images of ‘light’ and ‘sun’ symbolize dreams, hope, optimism, possibilities/ opportunities, goodness, intellectual achievements, awareness (enlightenment). Darkness, on the other hand, symbolizes prejudice, discrimination, hatred, racism, evil, ignorance. Now he is determined to break through the barrier of being bom with a black skin in a white-dominant society. Thus the poem ends with a tremendous hope and strength. The imagery used in the poem is appropriate and apt for the theme of the poem.

Question 3.
What kind of statement do you think the poem is making about identity and its impact on one’s life?
Answer:
Langston Hughes was a leading writer and thinker of the Harlem Renaissance-the African-American artistic movement of the 1920s that celebrated African-American life and culture, He rode to fame with his collection of poetry The Weary Blues (1926) and Fine Clothes to the Jews (1927). He was an early inventor of ‘jazz poetry’.

The central idea of the present poem, “As I Grew Older” is about one’s dreams in life and the hardships one has to face and the strong will one needs to have to realise the dreams. He craves for restoring his identity and the struggle for existence. The poet starts by describing a dream he used to have a “long time ago” that he has since nearly forgotten. But it was right in front of him. He says,

‘But it was there then,
In front of me,
Bright like a sun-
My dream.’

However the wall’ rose up slowly between the poet and his dream – it rose and rose until it touched the sky. The poet uses ‘wall’ in a figurative manner. Here, the ‘wall’ refers to ‘racial discrimination and injustice’ that the African-American people face in America. The wall is a shadow. The speaker proclaims, “I am black. ” He lies down in the shadows, which prevents the light of the dream from shining on him.

This is fairly straightforward symbolism – the poet represents all African- Americans who had to relinquish their dreams due to “racial bias” in early 20th century American society. The poet may have experienced the wall of injustice that rises up to gradually block the sunlight. Hughes deliberately uses the symbol of a shadow as a way to actualize his character’s blackness. His race is the barrier that is keeping him from achieving his dream.

As the poem progresses, though, the poet’s helplessness and apathy turns into determination and vigour, creating a shift of energy. By confronting the obstacle, the poethas found his voice and his purpose. Hughes uses this violent language to show that the speaker is suddenly empowered. The poet forcefully commands his “dark hands” to break through the wall to see his dream. Identity and struggle for restoring the stolen identity is the central theme of the poem.

Question 4.
What is the poet’s dream? Does he specify it anywhere in the poem? Do you think it matters whether he does or does not state what his dream is?
Answer:
‘As I Grew Older’ is about the dream that never saw the light. There is no mention about what the dream was but all know that it was the dream for a better world for his African brethren. In the beginning of the poem, the poet recalls a dream he had long ago and had nearly forgotten, but now he can see it ahead of him once more.

But then it was clear in his mind, it shone like the sun in front of him. But as days passed a wall slowly rose between him and the dream. The wall grew so high that it seemed to be touching the sky. Now the light from his dream was completely blocked and he was standing in the shadow of the wall. The wall was high above him; not only was the wall high, it was thick too.

The shadow too was thick and overpowering. Towards the end of the poem the poet drops off his submissive acceptance and becomes determined to do something. There is a shift in the energy. He wishes that with his dark hands he could break the wall, smash and shatter the darkness and reach out to the light. The poet imagines that once the wall is broken his dreams would be liberated and would soon see the light, would soon be a reality.

This is fairly straightforward symbolism – the poet represents all African Americans who had to relinquish their dreams due to the pervasive discrimination and persecution in early 20th century American society. African American children may have experienced a few brief years of blissful ignorance (like the poet), but they all eventually became aware of their status as second-class citizens – a ‘wall’ of racial injustice that rises up to gradually block the sunlight.

Just because the wall has risen up, though, it does not mean that the dream ceases to exist – the poet simply cannot see it anymore. Hughes deliberately uses the symbol of a shadow as a way to actualize his character’s blackness, because the speaker’s race is the barrier that is keeping him from achieving his dream. In the entire poem, the poet does not specify what his dream is. However it does not matter to whether he does or does not mention it explicitly. From images and symbols employed in this poem, we can understand clearly that his dream is to achieve racial equality and justice.

Question 5.
Similarly, the poet uses the ‘wall’ in a figurative manner. What do you think the wall refers to in the context of the poet’s racial identity?
Answer:
Langston Hughes was a leading writer and thinker of the Harlem Renaissance-the African-American artistic movement of the 1920s that celebrated African-American life and culture. He rode to fame with his collection of poetry The Weary Blues (1926) and Fine Clothes to the Jews (1927).

He was an early inventor of ‘jazz poetry’. He condemned racism, promoted equality and celebrated the African-American life and culture through his writings. The present poem As I Grew Older’, though first published in 1925, is included in his first collection of poems The Weary Blues in 1926.

The central idea of the present poem, “As I Grew Older” is about one’s dreams in life and the hardships one has to face and the strong will one needs to have to realise the dreams. The poet starts by describing a dream he used to have a “long time ago” that he has since nearly forgotten. But it was right in front of him.

However a “wall” rose up slowly between the poet and his dream – it rose and rose until it touched the sky. The poet uses ‘wall’ in a figurative manner. Here, the ‘wall’ refers to ‘racial discrimination and injustice’ that the African-American people face in America. The wall is a shadow. The poet proclaims, “I am black. ” He lies down in the shadows, which prevents the light of the dream from shining on him. All he can see is:

Only the thick wall.
Only the shadow.

This is fairly straightforward symbolism – the poet represents all African- Americans who had to relinquish their dreams due to “racial bias” in early 20th century American society. The poet may have experienced the wall of injustice that rises up to gradually block the sunlight. Hughes deliberately uses the symbol of a shadow as a way to actualize his character’s blackness. The poet’s race is the barrier that is keeping him from achieving his dream.

As the poem progresses, though, the poet’s helplessness and apathy turns into determination and vigour, creating a shift of energy. He says,

‘My hands
My dark hands!
Break through the wall!
Find my dream!

However the poet uses the ‘wall’ in a figurative manner. Here ‘the wall’ refers to the racial bias or injustice or discrimination in the context of the poet’s racial identity. The wall symbolizes all the impediments and humiliations that confront the black man in America. He explicitly proclaims: “I am black” and “My dark hands” indicate his racial identity and the ‘wall’ represents the racial discrimination.

Question 6.
Describe the changing tone and mood of the poem.
Answer:
Langston Hughes was a leading writer and thinker of the Harlem Renaissance-the African-American artistic movement of the 1920s that celebrated African-American life and culture. He rode to fame with his collection of poetry The Weary Blues (1926) and Fine Clothes to the Jews (1927).

He was an early inventor of ‘jazz poetry’. He condemned racism, promoted equality and celebrated the African-American life and culture through his writings. The present poem ‘As I Grew Older’, though first published in 1925, is included in his first collection of poems The Weary Blues in 1926.

However a wall rose up slowly between the poet and his dream – it rose and rose until it touched the sky. The poet uses ‘wall’ in a figurative manner. Here, the ‘wall’ refers to ‘racial discrimination and injustice’ that the African-American people face in America. The wall is a shadow. The poet proclaims, “I am black.” He lies down in the shadows, which prevents the light of the dream from shining on him.

As the poem progresses, though, the poet’s helplessness and apathy turns into determination and vigour, creating a shift of energy. By confronting the obstacle, the poet has found his voice and his purpose. Hughes uses this violent language to show that the speaker is suddenly empowered. The poet force fully commands his “dark hands” to break through the wall to see his dream.

Help me to shatter this darkness,
To smash this night,
To break his shadow
Into a thousand lights of sun,
Into a thousand light whirling dreams
Of sun

Diminishing, Hiding, The light of my dream). In the lines 17-23, pessimistic, depressing, and angry (shadow, No longer the light of my dream, thick wall). In lines 24-33-the speaker becomes hopeful. The whole stanza expresses hope that the speaker can achieve his dream.

The poem’s changing tone indicates the speaker’s changing perspective on life as he grew older, i.e., he moves from childhood to young adulthood. Lines 1-6 reflect the speaker’s perspective as a child. Lines 7-16 reflect the moment when the speaker’s perspective begins to change. Lines 17-23 reflect his pessimistic, depressing, and angry view of the issue. Lines 24-33 reflect the speaker’s perspective now, meaning at the time the poem was written.

As I Grew Older Poem Summary in English

Langston Hughes was a leading writer and thinker of the Harlem Renaissance-the African-American artistic movement of the 1920s that celebrated African-American life and culture. He rode to fame with his collection of poetry The Weary Blues (1926) and Fine Clothes to the Jews (1927).

The central idea of the present poem, “As I Grew Older” is about one’s dreams in life and the hardships one has to face and the strong will one needs to have to realise the dreams. The speaker starts by describing a dream he used to have a “long time ago” that he has since nearly forgotten. But it was right in front of him. He says,

‘But it was there then,
In front of me,
Bright tike a sun-
My dream

However a wall rose up slowly between the poet and his dream – it rose and rose until it touched the sky. The poet uses ‘wall’ in a figurative manner. Here, the ‘wall’ refers to ‘racial discrimination and injustice’ that the African-American people face in America. The wall is a shadow. The speaker proclaims, “I am black.” He lies down in the shadows, which prevents the light of the dream from shining on him. All he can see is:

Only the thick wall.
Only the shadow.

This is fairly straightforward symbolism – the speaker represents all African- Americans who had to relinquish their dreams due to “racial bias” in early 20th century American society. The poet may have experienced the wall of injustice that rises up to gradually block the sunlight.

Hughes deliberately uses the symbol of a shadow as a way to actualize his character’s blackness. The speaker’s race is the barrier that is keeping him from achieving his dream.As the poem progresses, though, the speaker’s helplessness and apathy turns into determination and vigour, creating a shift of energy. He says,

‘My hands
My dark hands!
Break through the wall!
Find my dream!

By confronting the obstacle, the speaker has found his voice and his purpose. Hughes uses this violent language to show that the speaker is suddenly empowered. The speaker forcefully commands his “dark hands” to break through the wall to see his dream.

Help me to shatter this darkness,
To smash this night,
To break this shadow
Into a thousand lights of the sun,
Into a thousand light whirling dreams
Of sun!’

The poem contains full of images and the imagery in the poem consists of a powerful mix of ‘light’ and ‘dark’ images. Imagery employed by poet Langston Hughes in the poem creates symbols and pictures in the mind of the reader. The poet says that his dream is ‘Bright like a sun’.

He says that the ‘thick wall’ that keeps rising till it touches the sky. Here the ‘wall’ refers to the racial discrimination and prejudice and the oppression that makes the African-American people unable to fulfil their dreams. The poet also emphasizes that he lies in his ‘shadow’ of depression and despair.

The poet cries, “My hands! / My dark hands!-’ He wants to break through the wall and find his dream; he wants to break apart the darkness and “smash” the night. He wants that shadow to break apart into a “thousand lights of sun” and “a thousand whirling dreams / of sun!’’.

As the poem progresses, the tone and mood of the poem changes constantly. In lines 1-6, the speaker is naive, optimistic and innocent (Bright like the sun-My dream). In lines 7-16, the tone is depressing and angry (wall, between me and my dream. Diminishing, Hiding, The light of my dream). In the lines 17-23, pessimistic, depressing, and angry (shadow, No longer the light of my dream, thick wall). In lines 24-33-the speaker becomes hopeful. The whole stanza expresses hope that the speaker can achieve his dream.

As I Grew Older Poem Summary in Telugu

లాంగ్ణన్ హ్యూస్ 1920 లలో హార్లెం పునరుజ్జీవనం-ఆఫ్రికన్-అమెరికన్ కళాత్మక ఉద్యమం యొక్కప్రముఖ రచయిత మరియు ఆలోచనాపరుడు, ఇది ఆ(్రికన్-అమెరికన్ జీవితం మరియు సంస్తతిని జరుపుకుంది. అతను తన కవితా సంకలనం ది వేరీ బ్లూస్ (1926) మరియు ఫైన్ క్లాత్స్ టు ది యూదులతో (1927) కీర్తి పొందాడు. అతను ‘జాజ్ కవిత్వం’ యొక్క ప్రారంభ ఆవిష్కర్త.

అతను జాత్యహంకారాన్ని ఖండించాడు, సమానత్వాన్ని (్రోత్సహించాడు మరియు ఆఫ్రికన్-అమెరికన్ జీవితాన్ని మరియు సంస్కతిని తన రచనల ద్వారా జరుపుకున్నాడు. ప్రస్తుత కవిత ‘యాస్ ఐ గ్రూ ఓల్డర్, మొదటిసారి 1925 లో ప్రచురించబడినప్పదికీ, 1926 లో అతని మొదటి కవితా సంపుది ది వేరీ బ్లూస్లో చేర్చబడింది.

ప్రస్తుత కవిత యొక్క కేంద్ర ఆలోచన, “యాజ్ ఐ గ్రూ ఓల్డర్” అనేది జీవితంలో ఒకరి కలలు మరియు ఒకరు ఎదుర్కోవాల్సిన కష్టాలు మరియు కలలను సాకారం చేసుకోవాల్సిన బలమైన సంకల్పం. అతను చాలా కాలం క్రితం మరచిపోయిన “చాలా కాలం క్రితం” కలిగి ఉన్న ఒక కలను వివరించడం ద్వారా ప్రారంభమవుతుంది. కానీ అది అతని ముందు ఉంది. అతను చెప్తన్నాడు,

‘అయితే అది అక్కడే ఉంది,
నా ముందర,
సూర్యుడిలా ప్రకాశవంతంగా-
నా కల.’

అయితే కవికి మరియు అతని కలకి మధ ఒక గోడ నెమ్టిిగా పైకి లేచింది – అది ఆకాశాన్ని తాకే వరకు పెరిగింది. కవి ‘గోడ’ ను అలంకారిక పద్ధతిలో ఉపయోగిస్తాడు. ఇక్కడ, ‘గోడ’ అనేది అమెరికాలో ఆఫ్రికన్-అమెరికన్ ప్రజలు ఎదుర్కొంటున్న ‘జాతి వివక్ష మరియు అన్యాయాన్ని’ సూచిస్తుంది. గోడ నీడ. స్పీకర్ “నేను నల్లనివాడిని” అని ప్రకటించాడు. అతను నీడలలో పడుకున్నాడు, ఇది కల యొక్క కాంతి అతనిపై ప్రకాశించకుండా నిరోధిస్తుంది. అతను చూడగలిగేది: రచయిత యొక్క నిస్సహాయత మరియు ఉదాసీనత సంకల్పం మరియు శక్తిగా మారుతుంది, ఇది శక్తి యొక్క మార్పును సృష్టిస్తుంది. అతను చెప్తన్నాడు,

‘నా చేతులు
నా చీకది చేతులు!
గోడ విచ్ఛిన్నం!
నా కలను కనుగొనండి!

అడ్డంకిని ఎదుర్కోవడం ద్వారా, స్పీకర్ తన స్వరాన్ని మరియు అతని ఉద్దేశ్యాన్ని కనుగొన్నారు. స్పీకర్ హాాత్తుగా అధికారం పొందారని చూపించడానికి హ్యూస్ ఈ హింసాత్మక భాషను ఉపయోగిస్తాడు. తన కలను చూడటానికి గోడను పగలగొట్టమని స్పీకర్ తన “చీకటి చేతులను” బలవంతంగా ఆదేశిస్తాడు.

ఈ చీకదిని ముక్కలు చేయడానికి నాకు సహాయం చెయ్యండి,
ఈ రాత్రి పగులగొట్టడానికి,
ఈ నీడను విచ్ఛిన్నం చేయడానిక
వెయ్యి లైట్ల సూర్యునిలోకి,
వెయ్యి కాంతి సుడిగాలి కలలలోకి
సూర్యకి!

ఈ కవితలో చిత్రాలతో నిండి ఉంది మరియు కవితలోని చిత్రాలలో ‘కాంతి’ మరియు ‘చీకటి’ చిత్రాల శక్తివంతమైన మిశ్రమం ఉంటుంది. కవితలో కవి లాంగ్ణన్ హ్యూస్ ఉపయోగించిన చిత్రాలు పాఠకుల మనస్సులో చిహ్నాలు మరియు చిత్రాలను సృప్టిస్తాయి.

కవి తన కల ‘సూర్యుడిలా ప్రకాశవంతంగా’ ఉందని చెప్పాడు. ఆకాశాన్ని తాకే వరకు పెరుగుతూనే ఉండే ‘మందపాటి గోడ’ అని ఆయన అన్నారు. ఇక్కడ ‘గోడ’ అనేది జాతి వివక్ష మరియు పక్షపాతం మరియు ఆఫ్రికన్-అమెరికన్ ప్రజలను వారి కలలను నెరవేర్చలేకపోయే అణచివేతను సూచిస్తుంది. కవి తన నిరాశ మరియు నిరాశ యొక్క ‘నీడ’లో ఉందని నొక్కి చెప్పాడు.

కవి, “నా చేతులు! / నా చీకది చేతులు!” అతను గోడను పగలగొట్టి తన కలను కనుగొనాలనుకుంటున్నాడు అతను చీకదిని విడదీయాలని మరియు రాత్రి “పగులగొట్టాలని” కోరుకుంటాడు. అతను ఆ నీడను “వెయ్యి వెలుతురు” మరియు “వెయ్యి సుడి కలలు / సూర్యున్” గా విడదీయాలని కోరుకుంటాడు. ‘కాంతి’ మరియు ‘సూర్యుడు’ చిత్రాలు కలలు, ఆశ, ఆశావాదం, అవకాశాలు, మంచితనం, మేధో విజయాలు, అవగాహన (జ్ఞానోదయం). చీకది, మరోమైపు, పక్షపాతం, వివక్ష, ద్వేషం, జాత్యహంకారం, చెడు, అజ్ఞానం. తెల్ల ఆధిపత్య సమాజంలో నల్ల చర్మంతో పుట్టడానికి ఉన్న అడ్డంకిని అధిగమించడానికి ఇప్పుడు అతను నిశ్చయించుకున్నాడు.

రచయిత, పద్యం యొక్క స్వరం మరియు మానసిక స్థితి నిరంతరం మారుతుంది. 1-6 పంక్తులలో, స్పీకర్ అమాయక, ఆశావాది మరియు అమాయకుడు (సూర్యుడిలా (ప్రకాశవంతమైనది-నా కల). 7-16 పంక్తులో, స్వరం నిరుత్సాహపరుస్తుంది మరియు కోపంగా ఉంది (గోడ, నాకు మరియు నా కలకి మధ్య. తగ్గిపోతోంది, దాచడం, నా కల యొక్క కాంతి). 17-23 పంక్తులలో, నిరాశావాద, నిరుత్సాహపరిచే మరియు కోపంగా (నీడ, ఇక నా కల యొక్క కాంతి, మందపాది గోడ). 24-33 పంక్తులలో-స్పీకర్ ఆశాజనకంగా మారుతాడు. స్పీకర్ తన కలను సాధించగలడని మొత్తం చరణం ఆశాఖావం వ్యక్తం చేస్తుంది.

పద్యం యొక్క మారుతున్న స్వరం వక్త వయసు పెరిగేకొద్దీ జీవితంపై మారుతున్న దృక్పథాన్ని సూచిస్తుంది, అనగా అతను బాల్యం నుండి యవ్వనంలోకి వెళ్తాడు. 1-6 పంక్తులు చిన్నతనంలో స్పీకర్ దృక్పథాన్ని ప్రతిబింబిస్తాయి. 7-16 పక్తలు స్పీకర్ దృత్పథం మారడం ప్రారంభించిన క్షణాన్ని ప్రతిబింబిస్తాయి. 17-23 పక్తులు అతని నిరాశావాద, నిరుత్సాహకరైౖన మరియు కోపంగా ఉన్న దృక్పథాన్ని ప్రతిబింబిస్తాయి. 24-33 పంక్తులు ఇప్పుడు స్పీకర్ దృక్పథాన్ని ప్రతిబింబిస్తాయి.

As I Grew Older – Langston Hughes

It was a long time ago.
I have almost forgotten my dream.
But it was there then,
In front of me,
Bright like a sun –
My dream.
And then the wall rose,
Rose slowly,
Slowly,
Between me and my dream.
Rose until it touched the sky –
The wall.
Shadow.
I am black.
I lie down in the shadow.
No longer the light of my dream before me, Above me.
Only the thick wall.
Only the shadow.
My hands!
My dark hands!
Break through the wall!
Find my dream!
Help me to shatter this darkness,
To smash this night,
To break this shadow
Into a thousand lights of sun,
Into a thousand whirling dreams
Of sun!

Glossary:

OU Degree 4th Sem English Study Material

OU Degree 3rd Sem English Unit 3 Vocabulary, Grammar

August 19, 2023August 19, 2023 by Prasanna

OU Degree 3rd Sem English Unit 3 Vocabulary, Grammar

Essay Writing

Essay

An essay is perhaps the most common form of writing. It is important in academic life and later in the process of securing an employment.
The students must know how to write an essay (well-balanced).
The word ‘essay’ comes into English language from Latin and French languages. It means to examine, try test or weigh.

Quality of an Essay

1. An essay is an attempt to last or examine one’s ideas about a particular subject.
2. Essay writing involves number of skills : close reading, analysis, comparison and contrast, pervasions and exposition.
3. Essay should be concise and should have clarity in purpose and direction.

Types of Essays
1. Narrative : These essays tell us some events that happened.
Example: Cricket match; College day celebration.

2. Descriptive : These essays describe persons, places, things etc. A painter uses his colours to recreate a scene whereas a writer can use his rich vocabulary to describe a person, place or thing.
Example: A begger; An accident; My village.

3. Argumentative (Persuasive) : These essays deal with topics that are controversial issues.
Example : Democracy vs Dictatorship, Science – a necessary evil.
The most common essay geneses are the discursive and argumentative essays.

The Writing Process

Any piece of writing involves three stages
i. Pre – Writing
ii. The Writing
iii. Post writing

i. Pre – Writing
Step 1: Think and Grainstom, on the giverilSeleded topic
Step 2 : Job down the ideas that emerge from the thinking/brain-storming
Step 3 : Make an outline of the structure and select the ideas:
a. Introduction
b. Body
c. Conclusion.

The ideas may be jatted down as Table of Contents
a. Introduction: Clearly state the topic to be discussed often with a topic sentence (one paragraph).
b. Body: Clearly state points and exemplify/justify them In (one or three) separate paragraphs.
c. Conclusion: Summarise or conclude by restating your ideas (one paragraph)
Check the following points:

All the points have to be included
There no point that not necessarily I irrelevant.
There are no repetitive ideas
Think again cross check add I delete if necessary

ii. The writing stage
Tips for wilting effective essays:

Use a style/tone appropriate to the kind of essay being written (A discursive essay is a presentation of ideas, facts in logical, neutral and balanced form.
Use an impersonal and format style.
Avoid contractions (eg: ‘aren’t, ‘he’s etc.,) short forms, idioms, colloquial expression and so on.
Avoid strong, emotional language (eg: I love English, “I hate exams” etc.,)
Avoid over-generalization (eg: Slow and steady wins the race”)
Use reliable sources of information for reference.
Be neutral and make general statements even if one differs in opinion.
Use linerslconnectiveWdiscourse makers.to bring out the logic, connect the sentences and paragraphs:
Use if appropriate, a direct or thought-provoking question, a quotation or striking the statement o begain the essay.

iii. Post – Writing Stage

After the first draft, do some basic editing.
Check for topic sentence.
Check for cohesion and effectiveness through the use of connections.
Check against the outline prepared in stage I and the draft of stage lito check whether all the points are covered.
Check the length, style, points covered and add or delete to make it effective.
Write the final draft.

Points to Remember for Writing an Essay

Choose an apt title for the essay. The little is important to convey the main idea of the essay.
Brainstorm, prepare an outline and develop the these is statement. These are important and preliminary steps.
Use liners to connect ideas within the essay.
Start and end, if you wish, with a quotation, statement or rhetorical question to make essay impressive.
Remember the three stages of writing: Pre-writing, writing, post – writing.
Get your facts right.
Be balanced/unemotional/impersonal in tone.
Use &mple language and appriate vocabulary and eliminate grammatical errors.
Use separate paragraphs (generally, one paragraph for one idea) for different ideas and links them.
Pay attention to editing in the post writing stage.

Discursive Essay :

Exercise 1.

Question 1.
Define the term ‘essay’. List the types of essays and explain the features of a discursive essay.
Answer:
The term ‘essay is derived from Latin through french it means ‘to test and to
examine’. The main quality of an essay is to examine the ideas on a particular subject. There are four types of essays in general. They are:

Narrative
Descriptive
Discursive (or) expository
Argumentative (or) Ersuasive

Discursive Essay
A discursive essay will normally contain an introduction followed by a series of paragraphs which gradually, through the main body of the essay, build a cohesive argument leading to a concluding statement of the writer’s own position on the topic under discussion.This conclusion should be natural, convincing and, at best, inescapable.

Features:

Explores an issue or an idea and may suggest a position or point of view
Approaches a topic from different angles and explores themes and issues in a style that balances personal observations with different perspectives
Uses personal anecdotes and may have a conversational tone
Primarily uses first person although third person can also be used.
Uses figurative language or may be more factual.
Draws upon real life experiences and/or draws from wide reading.
Uses engaging imagery and language features.
Begins with an event, an anecdote or relevant quote that is then used to explore an idea.
Resolution may be reflective or open-ended.

Question 2.
Explain the pre-writing, writing and post writing stages of a discursive essay.
Answer:
i. Prewriting : The pre-writing stage of a discursive essay can be. split into three steps. The first
step is to think and brainstorm on the given topic. The second stage is jotting down the ideas derived from thinking. The third stage is making outline of the structure of the essay.

Generally, the essay has three main paragraphs i.e., introduction, body of the essay and the conclusion of the essay. The last stage in the pre-writing level is checking. One must check if all the relevant points are included. Delete the irrelevant points and repeated points, if any.

ii. Writing : The writing stage begins with the first draft. The ideas must be written in a logical manner. The tone should be neutral and balanced. It should be written in an impersonal style. Avoid colloquial language. Avoid emotional language. Use reliable sources of information.

iii. Post Writing : Post-writing stage begins by editing the draft especially focusing on spelling mistakes, mistakes in grammar etc. Check for the topic sentence, cohesiveness and also check whether all the points are covered or not. Check also the length, the style of writing etc. Write the final draft.

Question 3.
Describe the structure of a five-paragraph discursive essay.
Answer:
The First Paragraph: The Introduction
The first paragraph will introduce your topic. The introduction is the most important paragraph because it provides direction for the entire essay. It also sets the tone, and you want to grab the reader’s attention with interest and clarity. The best way to tackle the introduction is to:

Describe your main idea, or what the essay is about, in one sentence. You can usually use the essay writing prompt or question to form this sentence.
Develop a thesis statement, or what you want to say about the main idea. When the writing prompt is a question, your thesis is typically the answer to the question.
List three points or arguments that support your thesis in order of importance ; (one sentence for each).
Voila! You’ve just written your introductory paragraph.

The Second, Third and Fourth Paragraphs: Supporting Details
These three paragraphs form the body of the essay. They provide details, such as facts, quotes, examples and concrete statistics, for the three points in your introductory paragraph that support your thesis. Take the points you listed in your introduction and discuss each in one body paragraph. Here’s how:

First, write a topic sentence that summarizes your point. This is the first sentence of your paragraph.
Next, write your argument, or why you feel the topic sentence is true.
Finally, present your evidence (facts, quotes, examples, and statistics) to support your argument.

Now you have a body paragraph. Repeat for points two and three. The best part about introducing your main points in the first paragraph is that it provides an outline for your body paragraphs and eliminates the need to write in transitions between paragraphs.

The Fifth Paragraph: The Conclusion
The concluding paragraph must summarize the essay. This is often the most difficult paragraph to write. In your conclusion, you should restate the thesis and connect it with the body of the essay in a sentence that explains how each point supports the thesis. Your final sentence should uphold your main idea in a clear and compelling manner. Be sure you do not present any new information in the conclusion.

Exercise II.

Write Discussive essay on the following topics

1. Duties of a good citizen

India is a great country. The citizens of India are blessed with many rights and also responsibilities. A good citizen is one who is aware of both duties and responsibilities. He or she should perform for the sake of the society and also for the nation. Morality and statesmanship is necessary.

He or she should serve the society. Community services, programmes must be organised and he should participate volunteerly to serve others.
Honesty and sincerity is necessary.
Obey the law, norms and rules.
He or she should enhance the right of other’s by his behaviour.
a. Respecting others
b. Protecting the property of others
Adoptability, flexibility and responsibility of his actions
Observation of the environment.

2. Education as Empowerment:

Education may be defined as the process of facilitating learning or acquiring knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits. Education as human endeavour is said to be an empowering agency. It helps human beings build a better world with their knowledge, skills and values.

It is widely accepted that true education has the power to help us reduce poverty and inequality that exist in our society. Education enables the marginalized people to claim their status as full participating members of a community in the economic, social, political and cultural spheres. Hence education can be equated with empowerment.

Firstly, education is useful in enhancing one’s social status. Human history is replete with so many instances where an educated person always enjoyed high social regard. For example, people like, Kalidas, Aryabatta, Charaka, Annamayya, etc., were respected in their contemporary society.

Secondly, education empowers its possessor with financial growth. Educated people are sought after by the prospective employers, since the knowledge and skills associated with education play a crucial role in setting up a human organisation and its smooth administration. It is quite natural that the more the educated, the more the chances of getting employed and getting more associated salary and emoluments.

Thirdly, education also empowers people politically. Education provides the required awareness about the nature of governance, constitutional provisions, parliamentary procedures, peoples’ aspirations, rights and duties of citizenry. The trained and aware citizenry is the hallmark of any democratic dispensation.

Hence education empowers people with social status, wealth and economic stability, and also provides with political empowerment. It helps us in preserving our culture and tradition. There is a high difference between the educated and the uneducated in many ways. Therefore education plays an empowerment role, and helps us realize a variety of human capabilities and make the world better to live in.

3. Privatisation of Education:

With the advent of New Economic AIicy 1991, the many sectors of the Indian economy have been liberalised, privatised and globalised. Education Is one of such sectors opened up for the private players. Privatisation of Education refers to private ownership of educational institutions-schools, colleges and universities and keeping them under private management and control. It breaks the state monopoly in education sector.

The effect of privatization of education, like many other sectors, is slowly being felt in India. Since our independence, the responsibility for expansion and development of education has been largely on the governments. With development of the society and an increase in its economic capacity, it becomes obligatory for the state to increase its allocation of resources to the education sector.

Education has recently given the status of fundamental right and now the government is mandated to provide free, and compulsory education to all children under the age of 14; higher education for its citizens so that they can lead quality life; and equal opportunities for education to those who
belong to the weaker sections of the society.

Over the years, education has become one of the fastest growing service sectors in the Indian economy. Our government’s spending on education in India was limited to 3.3% of its GDP in 1999-2000 while the average spending on education by the top

100 countries in the world was 5.24% of their GDP instead of spending more to expand and strengthen the public-funded education institutions, the Indian governments, irrespective of the political affiliations, have started resorting to allow the private players into education sector.

With the changing priorities of the government, public education is slowing losing its strength and giving way to the private sector. The state is no longer coping with the situation where the private players are to take up the responsibility of providing education. Some people are looking towards privatization of education as a panacea. Education is a necessity for human development.

Since the government feels that it is unable to find the funds required for it, and wants to create a competitive environment for public- funded educational institutions, privatization may seem to be the only answer. However, the state should provide safeguards to ensure the educational needs of the weaker sections of the society who have been hitherto deprived of education. And the governments should not forego their responsibility towards them.

4. True Friendship

A friend in need is a friend indeed. A friend is a companion and partner to share happy and sorrowful moments of life. Through freindship one can forget all the pains and gets new energy with lot of enthusiasm. Friendship need trust and understanding. It enhances life and pushes us to new horizon to explore. The needful help and support can be gained by friendship. In scriptures the ideal friendship is between lord Krishna and Kuchela. Nowadays Twitter” is used for passing on and sharing the opinions. Friendship enhances strength, encouragement and motivation.

5. Technology and Human Relationships

The rapid technological advancement has brought about significant changes in human lives, especially in their relationships. The latest technologies such social media and online gaming, have turned this world into a “global village” but the way humans interact with each other, the types of relations and their importance has changed a lot.

There is a perception that human relationships are getting weakened with wide use of technology, especially, widespread use of the social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, etc.

Firstly, technology provides an opportunity for virtual reality, i.e., hyperreality. This hyperreality seems to be more real than the reality. Those who are habituated to the use of addictive technology, tend to prefer more the virtual reality and unintentionally lose the value of human touch and human relationships.

Secondly, technology has brought us closer and reduced the physical distance between people. However, in reality, it has taken us away from each other. With addiction to technology, people are moving towards isolated and individualistic life even in the presence of other people. For instance, let us imagine a situation where a family is at the dining table with sumptuous food to eat.

While having their breakfast, the daughter and the son are immersed in their mobile phones, chatting with their friends on WhatsApp. The father has a smart phone in his hands, reading the e-newspaper. The mother is searching for the recipe for preparing a new food item. Here in this context, all the members of the family are physically close and virtually “socializing” but are psychologically emotionally at distant from each other. The situations like this are quite common these days.

Thirdly, the advancement in technology has brought us close. However, it is also taking away us from each other. Until, the later part of the twentieth century, the means of communication were limited such as writing letters or sending telegrams. The number of people one knew of was limited. At that time, one might not know the person living on the other side of globe.

But they talked and interacted with each other and understand each other. Today, one knows the person who lives several thousand miles away through social media but sadly, one does not know his or her next door neighbour. People now seem to be spending more of their time on either on social media or in playing online video games.

Technology is widely accepted as an enabling agent for realisation of human capabilities. However, if not used properly, it can spoil the very human capabilities. Now is time to realise the harmful impact of the negative use of technology on human relationships and train the young mind to use it in a positive manner.

6. Peaceful Coexistence

To be peaceful is a great mental state and adjustment and co-operation is necessary for peaceful co-existence in life. This is possible by understanding and rising to different situations. We should live in the right way and also allow other to live and let live is a meaningful sologan in daily life. Peace prevails only when hearts unite together.

We should try to listen others problems and also we should express our own facts and ideas. An open mind and a loving heart can create cecellency around the atmosphere. Peaceful existence is so desirable for a long and comfortable life.

7. India’s Plural Culture

India has a rich culture of diversity and is known as a ‘land of unity in diversity for its vibrant diverse culture. Historically, India has absorbed and assimllated into its own many religions, cultures and other varied identities. India is blessed with different traditions, and customs. Be in religions, races, Languages, intellectual achievements, performing arts, our country has made us a vivid and colourful; rich and diverse nation.

The pluralistic culture of our country can be explained as follows: Firstly, India is a land of many religions. Major religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhisni were born in this land and spread all over the world. Over 80 percent of the people follow Hinduism; the other faiths are also respected. The Constitution of India proclaims itself as secular and treats all religions equally. The people of different faiths live harmoniously in this country, though there are testing times with religious turbulences.

Secondly, our country is a land of multiple languages. According to an estimate, more than 19,500 mother tongues are spoken in India. However the Indian Constitution has officially recognized 22 Languages. Besides English, Hindi is treated as official language. Barring some anti-Hindi movements in the southern parts of the country, the people of this country with diverse linguistic background co-exist with a sense of brotherhood.

Thirdly, India is a land of many races Indians consist of Aryans, Dravidians, Mongoloid, etc. However people of different races feel oneness in their racial plurality. The plural culture of India can also be witnessed in terms of diverse climatic conditions. food habits, dressing, and celebration of different festivals and even in political view points.

Thus, the unity in diversity is the hail mark of Indias pluralistic culture, People of this country enjoy the comingling and assimilation into Indianness. making this land multicultural nation which can be an example of how ‘plurality lives together in singularity’ in the present strife-torn world.

8. Meaningful Life

The question ‘what makes our life meaningful?’ is difficult to answer. In the pursuit of their life, human beings are always confronted with this question. The meaning of life may vary from person to person and from perception to perception. Some people try to find the meaning of life in wealth: some others try to find it in name and fame;

some more in health; and some others in spirituality. In this essay, an effort is made to look at the meaningful life through two different perceptions: the perception of spirituality and philosophy, and the perception of worldliness (material happiness).

From the perception of life through the Lenses of philosophy and spirituality, the ultimate goal of our existence and the purpose of human race is the development of spiritual and moral character of an individual. In one situation, people can make their life meaningful through their activities. For example, a person can see the meaning of his or her life in pursuit of happiness and well-being; and in other situation, such as hostile environments of existence, life may assume different meaning. In some other situations, life is an eternal struggle to chase our dream. in contrast to tranquillity and harmony.

From the perception of worldliness, the meaning of life assumes an altogether different proposition. For those who are fully involved in world affairs, the life is meaningful when we put our efforts in the pursuit of matenal happiness. This perception of life entirely depends on the notion of non existence of life after death. Those who believe in this perception feel that whatever life offers in this world in tenns of satisfying material needs should be enjoyed without any complaint. For them, fulfilment of material happiness makes life meaningful.

However it is very difficult answer the question of ‘what makes our life meaningful. We may conclude that life is meaningful if we realise our potential and use our energies to make this world better to Live in, giving voice to the voiceless; and power to the powerless. We may make our life meaningful in serving the humanity manavasevemadhawaseva.

9. India since Independence

Since independence, India has achieved a lot of success In many areas, however with some exceptions Ever since India attained independence from the British in 1947, there were misconceptions about the ability of the Indians to run their own country after freedom. However, the Indians have not only dispensed with the misconceptions but have also attained excellence in the field of agriculture, education, health, space and nuclear technology. and information and communication technology (IT).

However, there are certain areas we are still lagging behind the world. First and foremost thing that India has achieved after independence is the upholding of democratic traditions. Presently, India is the world’s largest democracy. Since independence, india is the only country in the entire Asia that has remained democratic; the only exception to this is the brief period of the Emergency in 1975-76.

Many in the world were doubtful about the viability of democracy in india. Their belief was further strengthened when several countries in the region, including Pakistan, failed as democracies and chose authoritarian and militarist regimes. However, India has crossed almost seventy year as a democracy. In India, it is the ballot, and not the bullet, that reigns supreme.

The second thing that India can be proud of is its self-sufficiency in food production. Immediately after independence, India was not in apposition to feed its own people and in dire need of food imports. The Green Revolution of 1960’s has brought technology into the Indian agricultural sector. This has resulted in massive scaling up of food produce, leading to stocks to fend off any untoward situation. Now our country is in a position to export food to other needy countries.

India’s contribution to the UN Food Programme to support the poor countries is well-appreciated. The third thing that India has achieved after its independence is its advancement in the field of science and technology, especially in the area of information and communication technology. We are the leading nation in proving the IT and ITES to the world. Our self-sufficiency in the nuclear and space technology is known to the entire world.

However, India is still struggling with its own inhibitions such as caste and religious strife. Some deficiencies in our democracy, illiteracy, poverty and inequalities in the society are some of the failures of India even after its independence. Still we are a nation in the making and have miles to go before we take rest.

10. Globalisation and its Impact

Ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990’s, the world has moved towards more liberal and private view of economies. It was in that context, the advent of ‘globalization’ as a concept and practice has assumed importance. The term ‘globalisation’ is used to describe the growing interdependence of the world’s economies, cultures, and populations.

Globalisation has brought about by the seamless cross-border trade in goods and services, technology, and flows of investment, people, and information. It has transformed the entire world as ‘global village’. The amalgamation of varied activities associated with ‘globalisation’ has influenced the entire human race in one way or the other. The impact of globalisation may be explained in the following:

Globalisation has offered an opportunity to move goods, services, investment and people from country to another without any restrictions. It created the world as one market for all. Some goods, which were hitherto not available to some countries, started reaching to the needy throughout the world. Investment has become cheaper for the developing countries, like India and contributed in their development.

Globalisation has also provided safeguards for the poor and least developed countries in terms of preferential tariffs. With the seamless movement of people from part of the globe to another, cultures and traditions have got into constant contact. Influencing and getting influenced has happened, leading to formation of multi-cultural and cosmopolitan cultures. Food habits, dressing, popular cultures such as movie, entertainment, etc., have been in constant change which makes it easier to understand each other.

On the negative side of it, globalisation has its own limitations. All is not well with it. Especially, globalization does not hold the same benefits for all members of the global community. Too much interdependence of economies has made some countries at disadvantage. It holds more benefit for members of developed nations such as the USA, the U.K. etc., while many developing nations are deprived of their rightful place in trade and business.

Influx of goods and services into the developing countries has not only eroded economic independence of these countries but also affected their political independence. Due to the disorder created by globalisation, the poor are getting poorer; the rich getting richer- poverty increased, inequality increased, and world peace disturbed.

Every coin has two sides and similar is the case with globalisation. Globalisation has offered plenty of opportunities for many disadvantaged countries. It also provides a level playing field for individuals who can now venture into the world markets to explore their possibilities. Still globalisation has its own limitations.

11. Protection of Bio-diversity

Biodiversity refers to the variety and variability of both terrestrial and aquatic life on Earth. It is typically a measure of variation at three levels-genetic, species, and ecosystem. It is because of human intervention in the form of industrialisation, urbanisation, and human induced climate change and global warming that the biological diversity is getting disturbed.

As the result, some of the species which once existed on the earth have now become extinct; some are endangered; and some others are on the brink of extinction. It is in this context, protection and conservation of biodiversity is the vital measure for the survival of various species, including the human being, on the planet Earth.

Conservation of biodiversity is possible when we take measures for protection and preservation of the flora and fauna on the Earth. Through a variety of protective measures, the richness of ecosystem can be conserved and quality of human life, including life of the other species improved. We the human beings should ensure equilibrium in the well-established food chains in different ecological habitats.

Protection of biodiversity is possible if we adopt more sustainable development models that minimize our intervention in the natural ecosystem. It is now a well-established fact that human activities in the form of the industrial revolution, ever-expanding improper urbanisation, pressure on natural resources, have severely affected the conservation of biodiversity.

As the result, deforestation; high level of air, water, sound, and soil pollution; global warming, extreme weather conditions such as frequent floods, famines, threat of locust, rise of sea and ocean levels, etc., are disturbing the whole ecological balance. Sustainability is the only panacea for the impending disaster for biodiversity.

Serious steps need to be taken in order to protect and conserve biodiversity. Especially, human beings should realise that every single class of flora and fauna possesses its unique place in the environmental and ecological structure and helps others survive. It is a win-win situation for everyone and it should not be one’s survival as others’ extinction, but the extinction of all.

For example, if a single species gets extinct from the food chain, it will affect the other species that survive on the former and eventually gets on the queue of destruction. The richer the biodiversity in an ecosystem, the healthier will be the species living in them. Hence, sustainable development is the only measure to protect the endangered biodiversity. Live, let others and posterity to live.

12. Nature and its important

A life intune with nature is serene peaceful and balanced. In oldens days people used to live according to natural laws. Nature takes care of eco-system in a creative way

The learning method takes place naturally
Health” aspect improves fastly quick recovery for patients
The aspects of food, hygene and thinking power, inner peace all depend on natural life.

Natural Sources
Oceans, rivers, mountains, seas all take park in maintaining natural eco-balance and life sustainity. Forest conservation, greenary maintenance is important. In ozone protection, river purification and strategies to protect environment are necessary.

Argumentative Essay

Exercise 1.

Question 1.
Explain the features of an Argumentative Essay.
Answer:
Features of argumentative essay:

The purpose of argument in writing is to convince or move readers toward a certain point of view, or opinion.
An argument is a reasoned opinion supported and explained by evidence. To argue, in writing, is to advance knowledge and ideas in a positive way.
A thesis that expresses the opinion of the writer in more specific terms is better than one that is vague.
It is essential that you not only address counterarguments but also do so respectfully.
It is also helpful to establish the limits of your argument and what you are trying to accomplish through a concession statement.
To persuade a skeptical audience, you will need to use a wide range of evidence. Scientific studies, opinions from experts, historical precedent, statistics, personal anecdotes, and current events are all types of evidence that you might use in explaining your point.
Make sure that your word choice and writing style is appropriate for both your subject and your audience.
You should let your reader know your bias, but do not let that bias blind you to the primary components of good argumentation: sound, thoughtful evidence and respectfully and reasonably addressing opposing ideas.

Question 2.
Compare and contrast Discursive and Argumentative essays.
Answer:

	Discursive Essay	Argumentative Essay
1.	The questions end with “Discuss”.	Questions end with “Do you agree?” Alternative, they might compel writers to make a stand throught he use of absolute terms such as “alway”, “definitely” etc.
2.	Focus is on explaining one’s perspectives and thoughts.	Focus is on making a stand on an argument and providing elaboration and examples to reinforce this stand.
3.	Writing is often balanced, with arguments on both sides of the issue.	Writing is often inclined towards the writer’s stand and often offers a counter argument, of which it is often rebutted.
4.	Focus is more on the expression and clarity of the writer’s thoughts and perspectives.	Focus is more on being persuasive, convincing the readers to the writers’ point of view.

Question 3.
Describe the structure of three – paragraph argumentative essay.
Answer:
The Structure of an Argumentative Essay

The introductory part may begin with a general statement on the given topic but by the end of the topic should be in line with the writers position.
The body should contain all the cons of the topic is one paragraph and proving the falsity with the pros in the next paragraph.
The role of linkers and cohesive markers is important in effecting a smooth transition of ideas within the paragraph and among the paragraphs.
Conclusion should be logical and effective and should arise out to he arguments provided in the preceding paragraphs.
The writers tone should remain logical arid balanced. He or she should use an ’emotional personal tone except for espressing individual opinion or clarifying the stand taken.

There are three possible structures of an argumentative essay.
Structure 1
Para 1 : Introduction
Para 2 : Supporting argument 1
Para 3 : Supporting argument 2
Para 4 : Opposing argument or argument with refutations
Para 5 : Conclusion

Structure II
Para 1 : Introduction
Para 2 : Opposing argument or arguments with refutations.
Para 3 : Supporting argument 1 Para 4 : Supporting argument 2
Para 5 : Conclusion

Structure III
Para 1 : Introduction
Para 2 : Opposing argument 1 and refutation
Para 3 : Opposing argument 2 and refutation
Para 4 : Opposing argument 3 and refutation
Para 5 : Conclusion

Exercise – II.

Using either the three-paragraph or the five-paragraph method, develop the following hints into argumentative essays and give suitable titles.

Question 1.
Treating women as objects Patriarchy: women as property Popular culture: portrayal of women in popular cinema, media and advertisements Religion: women as impure and inferior Violence in society and violence against women Need for gender sensitization Teaching non violent behaviour Changing gender stereotypes Awareness through education.
Answer:
Since time immemorial women is treated as an object. She is an in many forms like house wife, mother, servant, sex object and so on. She is. used as stage properly in popular culture. The portray of women in cinemas, media and advertisements reflects various stages of victimisation and exploitation. Father and husband take decisions at institutional level and they execute the things without the consent of women.

Even in religious level women is portrayed in victimised status. It is understood that violence in society is violence against women. They are impure in all aspects and inferior to men. It is high time to recognise the need of women empowerment. This can be possible through the promotion of creating awareness among the women the need of education. Mere stereotype characters will not help you in any way. Men have to develop the sensitive attitude of non-violent behaviour.

Question 2.
Lack of family time Distractions – Modem age communication technologies and devices Internet, smart phones and selfie mania Sleep disorders Accidents Behavioural changes Radiation risks Unrealistic aspirations increasing crime – Social cost of economic and technological progress.
Answer:
We are living in jet-speed life. Man is full of worries, anxieties. He has no time to establish good relation with others. He uses all the time a mono syllabic words. His communicative abilities are distracted by several drawbacks like using cell phone, using internet and other communication technologies.

As a result he kills his imaginative and creative power. He at great risk. His behavioural pattern changes cynically. He is man without voice. He imitates crime and allows himself to grow unrealistically. He is standing in the way of National progress and true spirit of technological progress.

Exercise III.

Using either the three-paragraph or the five paragraph method, write argumentative essays on the following topics:

Question 1.
Should Schools do away with Homework ?
Answer:
Homework is a must for children because it enhances the motor skills learning takes place fastly. It is old practice traditionally followed by ‘Gurukula system’.

The Role of the School
If teaching is qualitative and methodical the child need not have homework from the school curriculum. He should not be burdened by it but it should enhance his learning process.

Home Work in holidays
In traditional way of learning abundant quantitative level of homework is entrusted to children. It is done mostly by other members in the family hence the child can not be benefited.

Sincerity and Honesty
Children should be taught values while using cell phones and other technological devices for the homework.

Question 2.
Do ends always justify means ?
Answer:
It depends on the goals, what means one is suppose to select. The goal has to be noble and ideal. One can be highly benefitted by means also. The means is to be an open channel and it should purify and mend the individual.The approach is also important it depends upon the attitude. In ethics the right
means lead to right goal.

Moralitical foundation is most important in imparting education. A society with corrupted minds and criminals cannot sustain by itself. Our heritage and culture and upanishads teaches us to stand by truth and non-violence.

Question 3.
Can one use western gadgets but remain unaffected by of western culture ?
Answer:
Indian Culture, which is one of the oldest and richest cultures in the world with varied languages, customs, beliefs, ideas, taboos, codes, instructions, works of art, architecture, rituals, ceremonies etc. India’s cultural history of several thousands years old and it shows a continuity and subtle change with strong thread of continuity, epitomised in the assimilative power of culture and unique display of unity in diversity’.

With the conquest of European powers and subsequent British rule in India has had a profound effect of eastern culture on Indian society. Western culture has made its presence in various forms. Westernization is defined as incorporation of the norms, values and culture of the west into our culture. It as greatly affected our traditions, customs, our family and our respect and love for others.

The concept: joint families is fastly decreasing everyone wants to remain aloof from others and has given rise to ngle families. Marriages are fast breaking down & our tolerance and patience has given the answer.

Question 4.
Is science always right ?
Answer:
Science itself is beneficial but it. depends on the persons who are handling it and on their altitude. The benefits of science are multiple. There are many people in the society blindly following science by experiments and proofs.

They are intellecually stagnated. The society economically and socially. Promoting education and skills is an important aspect to lift them to heights. Parents while bringing up children can inculcate sensitivity and respect towards them. The attitude towards women can be changed rapidly by sing media. The non-cooperative rigid views is to be transformed into co-operative and non-violent and tenderness.

Question 5.
Should government schools and hospitals be made mandatory for I government officials and politicians
Answer:
This policy should not be one at mandatory for any government employees. There are many facts which we have to think over. The first one is that all government employees cannot send their children to government schools whose standard is at low level.

The government employees must have good and well equipped hospitals for their I hygene and secured life. For residential purpose government employees cannot be isolated from other society and live in separate colonies. The freedom to get qualitative education freed to select the means and ways is for all. India is a diversified country but its constitution is strong and well framed.

Question 6.
Is the right to privacy sacrosanct ?
Answer:
Our is a democractic country. The law and order is highly appreciated. The citizens of India are more powerful to vote and select a government. Privacy of the people should be limited in life. The law is above to it. the law ban implemented at any moment to contrail the access of the people for the sake of welfare of the society. Ex : The Central Beaura of investigation and other departments of law is always vigilant on the section of the people crossing the lines.

Question 7.
Should private coaching institutions be banned ?
Answer:
Private coaching institutions are, necessary as educational scenario is changing drastically the traditional way of teaching changed. Students face lot Of competition for competitive exams. Coaching centres help students to achieve their goals in specified time. Before scantioning recognition or affiliation government should make policy about infrastructure and quality.

Private institutions should not be banned but there should be certain regulation on its management. The financial status of the students varies so graduation or the students with good ranks can be given preference. The fees and the working hours are to be observed.

The commercial purpose need not be encouraged. The burden the stress and strain students in the name of competition is not a healthy sign. Limited and beneficial methodical teaching can support the students to fulfill their aspirations

Question 8.
Is the law always just ?
Answer:
The law is for the people the down trodden must benefited and encouraged for social upliftment. As India is democratic country law helps us for protecting liberty and fraternity. Sovernity also depends on law. The government should make law helpful to people should realise the value of constitution. The brotherhood of the people india is possible by following the law. The law is for enhancement of a sound life.

Question 9.
Should religion play any role in public life ?
Answer:
Religion imparts values in human life. It is important and plays a vital role. The foremost point is character building which is imbibed by religious life. The code of conduct, the personality behaviour depends on what we learn form religion. We learn the most important aspect i.e., faith from our scriptures. Religions values changes person and purifies the inner most layers of the soul. It transforms animal to human and then devine. Thus religion plays an important role in our life.

10.
Advertisements benefit the manufactures and not the customer
Answer:
The manufacturing company should maintain quality of the product. Then the company sales can rise and reputation of the company can be sustainable. Through advertisements, company will be benefited. It helps the advertiser. Without quality advertisements cannot support the company’s name and fame.

Without quality products advertisements are just a waste for the manufacturer. Advertisements brings happiness and information to the customer. Customer’s satisfaction depends on the quality and reasonable cost of the product. Advertisements should be attractive and plays a vital role to increase the market sales.

Vocabulary – Idioms

Question 1.
What is an idiom?
Answer:
An idiom is an expression whose meaning can not be worked out from the words it contains. In an idion the group of words have a fixed order and as a group, they have a meaning of the individual words in the group.

Ex : If somebody is described as a person who has both her feet on the ground, it means she is ‘sensible’ ‘realistic’ and practical person. An idiom is more like a saying or an expression (or proverb. that is specific to a culture!

Use : Idioms are used in informal English. It is advisable to avoid idioms in formal contexts such as academic, scientific and technical writing.

Exercise 1.

Choose the Correct Meaning of the Idiom

Question 1.
To pay through the nose
a. Doing something correctly or well.
b. To pay more for something than its actual worth.
c. To show your anger.
d. To spend more time or energy on something than is necessary.
Answers :
b. To pay more for something than its actual worth.

Question 2.
To take something to heart
a. A lot of worry of excitement about a situation that is not important.
b. To not allow criticism to worry or upset you
c. To allow something to affect or upset you deeply.
d. To start behaving in an unacceptable way.
Answers :
a. A lot of worry of excitement about a situation that is not important.

Question 3.
To not have the stomach for something.
a. To be born to rich parents
b. To exist with very little money
c. To not feel interested, strong or brave enough to do something.

Question 4.
On the ricks
a. In trouble
b. Near failure or defeat
c. To do things in the wrong order
d. To settle down or become established
Answers :
a. In trouble

Question 5.
To show someone the rope
a. To annoy someone
b. To impress of influence someone
c. To put pressure on someone
d. To show someone what to do.
Answers :
d. To show someone what to do.

Question 6.
To see red
a. To small, visible part of a large problem.
b. To become angry
c. To be suspicious of what you bear, to not believe everything you bear
d. To turn a small problem into a large one.
Answers :
d. To turn a small problem into a large one.

Question 7.
To hold the fort
a. To accept the good and bad aspects of something
b. To be experienced and good at something
c. To do a job for some one (e.g. while they are away or busy.
d. To make some one or something seem less lood or important
Answers :
c. To do a job for some one (e.g. while they are away or busy.

Question 8.
To lead someone up the garden path .
a. To be funny or isonic
b. To deceive some one (often over a long period of time.
c. To embrass someone
d. To get out of control
Answers :
b. To deceive some one (often over a long period of time.

Question 9.
To get something off your chest
a. To dd something that harts yourself
b. To have many things to do or worry about
c. To relase
d. To talk about something that has been worrying you for a long time
Answers :
c. To relase

Question 10.
To take a leaf out of someone’s book
a. To be involved in something
b. To be sensible and realistic
c. To follow someone’s example
d. To look after someone to take care of them
Answers :
c. To follow someone’s example

Exercise II.

Match idiom in Column I with the meaning in Column II.

Column I	Column II
1. If something fits the bill	(a) It has difficulties at the start.
2. If you do something at the drop of a hat	(b) It is not clear until the last moment who will win.
3. If you don’t bat an eye	(c) They are in conflict.
4. It something has testing problems	(d) You manage your finances badly
5. If people are at loggerheads	(e) It is not what you believe in
6. If something goes against the grain	(f) It is difficult.
7. If you’re penny wise, pound foolish.	(g) You do it without hesitation.
8. If a race down to the wire	(h) It is what is required.
9. It something is like clock work	(i) You show no reaction.
10. It something is not bed of roses.	(j) It is punctual and regular.

Answer:
1. (h)
2. (g)
3. (i)
4. (a)
5. (c)
6. (e)
7. (d)
8. (b)
9. (J)
10. (f)

Grammar Connectives

Connectives are variety of words and phrases that can be used to Link sentences and organise text. Connectives help in establishing connections within and between sentences.
Connectives help the reader to move smoothly from one idea to another.
Connectives can be classified into different categories based on the functions they perform.

1. Connectives are used to add further information.
Example: Air conditioners use lot of energy. Additionally they cause pollution.

2. Sequencing connectivies help develop the logical ‘sequence of ideas and show a chronological order.
Example: Initially he injected a small amount later he asked his friends invest.

3. Emphasising connectives help highlight in it certain points.
Example: Work hard especially if you wish to top the class

4. Comparing connectives show the difference between two ideas
Example: I am tall whereas my sister is short.

5. Cause and effect connectives explain why something happens.
Example: The girl missed her bus. Consequently, she was late for her class.

5. Illustrating connectives are used to provide examples.
Example: (She eat a lot of fruits such as apples, bananas, water melons etc.)

Exercise I.

Choose the appropriate connective

1. _______ we started late, we still arrived in time. (AlthougMnspite of)
2. Many people in the office tried to helps. They were friendly (too/as well)
3. I love carom my friends prefer cricket. (further more, whereas)
4. ________ ¡ didn’t know anyone at the party, I left early (As/so)
5. Manu wanted to watch the film, he fell asleep halfway through (but, because)
Answers :
1. Although
2. too
3. whereas
4. As
5. but

Exercise II.

Fill in the gaps with a suitable connective more than one connective may be possible

1. They took a map along …………. they lost their way.
2. She had sprained her ankle that, …………. she managed to participate in the dance competition.
3. My handwriting is terrible ………… my sister’s handwriting is beautiful.
4. She came late to the exam hall …………. she forgot to bring a pen.
5. He is a bad driver …………. he hasn’t had any accidents.
Answers :
1. However
2. Inspite of
3. whereas
4. moreover
5. yet

Exercise III.

Link the sentences in a logical way with an appropriate connective. Do not repeat the connectives.

1. The firm was doing badly. It was closed.
2. It is your money you can do what you like with it.
3. The programme was cancelled. All the tickets had been sold out.
4. It’s very hot. Turn on the air conditioner.
5. I slipped and fell. I fractured my knee-joint.
Answers :
1. The firm was doing badly. I as a result It was closed.
2. It is your money certainly you can do what you like with it.
3. The programme was cancelled even though all the tickets had been sold out.
4. It’s very hot hence/win on the air conditioner.
5. I slipped and fell as a result I fractured my knee-joint.

Exercise IV.

Read the sentence and correct the errors in the use of connectives.

1. I will call you wherever I have the results.
2. You keep my books when you like.
3. My sister went shopping Moreover she didn’t buy anything.
4. My nephew is good at languages. Because my niece is good at maths.
5. It was getting late. Though the guests didn’t leave
Answers :
1. after
2. As long as
3. however
4. whereas
5. But

Exercise V.

Re arrange the jumbled sentences in a proper order using the hints provided by the connectives ( in italics)

Accident on NH 65
1. On Friday night, two buses collided in heavy rain one NH 65.
2. One was a sleeper bus going to Hyderabad.
3. The other one was a Volvo Bus in which a marriage party was travelling from Hyderabad to Pune.
4. Both the vehicles suffered considerable damage, though
5. In spite of this damage, the two vehicles managed to reach the nearby depot.
6. Luckily, there was.no loss of life, but the drivers and five passengers sustained minor injuries.
7. Eye – witnesses said that neither of the vehicles was speeding at the time of the accident.
8. However, because of the heavy rain, the drivers could not see the danger until a few seconds before the collision,
9. Consequently, there was no time for them to avoid the accident.
10. A spokes person for the RTA said a committee of enquiry would be setup to investage the matter and look at the causes.
11. The official added that the Principal Secretary, Ministry of Transport, would be leading the committee.
Answers :
1. Two buses collided on NH 65 in heavy rain on Friday night.
2. One sleeper bus was going to Hyderabad.
3. A Volvo bus in Which a marriage party was travelling from Hyderabad to Pune was the other one.
4. Though both the vehicles suffered considerable damage.
5. The two vehicles managed to reach nearby depot, inspite of this damage.
6. The drivers and five passengers sustained minor injuries but there was no loss of life luckily.
7. Neither of the vehicles was speeding at the time of the accident, said the eye witnesses.
8. The drivers could not see the danger until a few seconds before the collision because of the heavy rain.
9. To avoid the accident consequently there was no time.
10. “A committee of enquiry would be setup to investigate the matter and look into the causes said spokes person for the RTA.
11. The Principal Secretary Ministry of transport would be leading the Committee, the official added.

OU Degree 3rd Sem English Study Material

OU Degree 3rd Sem English Unit 2 Vocabulary, Grammar

August 17, 2023 by Prasanna

OU Degree 3rd Sem English Unit 2 Vocabulary, Grammar

We often see the difference between British and American English in terms of spelling Ex: “colo(, “labor”, check (instead of colour, labour, cheque) ‘The most noticeable difference between British and American english is Vocabulary.

The words are different to refer the something:

Exercise -1.

Read the American English word in italic with a British English word

1. Where did you buy the drapes ? They are beautiful
2. The elevator is out of order. Please use the stairs.
3. I would Like toy a new purse
4. Have you been to Rashi’s new apartment yet? It is huge and beautiful
5. I have fever. Please bring me some medicines from the drug store.
6. On my way to city, I shall stop by to fill my car with gas.
7. Please dear the baggage from aisle
8. I am planning to go on a tour after my second semester
9. The buses are off the roads. Let’s get back home by a cab.
10. Look at my closet! It is full of new dresses.
Answers:

American English	British English
drapes	Curtain
Elevator	Lift
purse	Wallet
Apartment	Flat
Drug	Pharmacy
Gas	Petrol
Baggage	Luggage
Semester	Term
Cab	Taxi
Closet	Wardrobe

Exercise – II

Replace the British English word in italics with an American English word.

Yesterday, I drove to the city in my car. I stopped infront of a Cash point to ask for directions. A young boy told me to take a left twin at the crossroads and ask again at the petrol station. There, a man told me to take the first exit after the flyover. On the way, I saw lorries carrying goods. After I had crossed a huge flat. I parked my car and walked to the stadium to watch football match

British English	American English
Car	Cab
Cashpoint	atm
Crossroads	Inter section
Petrol	gasoline
Flyover	Overpass
trucks	lorry
Flat	apartment
football	soccer

Exercise – III.

Fill in the blanks with appropriate words

1. In London, you buy biscuits at the confectioners in the US you buy _______
2. In the US you take a cab; in the UK you take a _______
3. In the UK you wear trousers, in the US you wear______
4. In the US, you plan to go on a location; in the UK, you go on _______
5. You wait in a queue to board a bus in the UK, in the US, you wait in a _______
6. In the US, a period is put at the end of every sentence, in the UK a is put _______
7. In the UK, you click your photo; in the US you take your _______
8. In the US, you talk on a cell phone; in the UK, you talk on a _______
9. In the UK schools ‘time to ble’ is displayed on the notice boards, in the US_____ is displayed.
10. When there is a blackout in the UK, you light a torch; in the US, you use a_______
Answers :
1. cookies
2. taxi
3. pants
4. holiday
5. line
6. full stop
7. picture
8. mobile phone
9. schedule
10. flash

Exercise -IV.

Using the ItallcLzed words as clues, Identify whether the following sentences are in British English (BE) (or) American English (AE) Give the alternative word.

1. Have you seen the moues that released yesterday?
2. I’ve applied for my driving licence.
3. Please submit your resume by tomorrow
4. I left my room key at the reception.
5. I displayed the poster on the notice board.
6. The Janitor opened the rooms when we arrived.
7. His car bonnet was badly damaged In the accident
8. The parking lot was full
9. He asked me to call him tomorrow
10. I am very food of my motorcycle
Answers:
1. Movies: Films
2. Drivers licence : Transporting
3. Resume : Cumcuium vitae
4. Reception : Front desk
5. Noticeboard: Bulletin Board
6. Jonitor: Caretaker
7. Bonnet: Hood
8. Parking : Car parking
9. Call : Telephone
10. Motor Cycle : Motor bike

Grammar : Voice

Voice describes the relationship between the verb and the subject

i. Active Voice
When the subject is does of the action, the verb is said to be In the active voice Rishi ate the mango
The verb ‘ate’ Is in active voice because the subject of the sentence ‘Rishi’ is performing the action expressed by the verb.

ii. Passive Voice
The mango was eaten by Rishi the verbal phrase was eaten’ is in the passive voice because the subject (The mango) is the receiver of the action. We should always use the active voice when there is no direct object or when the object is not imporant.

Example:

The singer performed for an hour
The teacher taught very well Nominalisation Converting a verb, adjective or adverb into a noun or a noun phrase is called “nominalisation”.

Example :
The participant could not arrive a conclusion on anything
The participants could not conclude anything

Exercise – I.

Rewrite the following sentences, changing the noun forms to verb forms.

1. They only made a translation of previous studies.
2. We held a discussion on an important topic.
3. They could not reach an agreement on any issue.
4. We put forth a proposal for an alternative plan.
5. The police conducted an investigation into the matter.
6. Buyers should make a comparison between competing products.
7. Researchers were asked to make an analysis of the results.
8. The members raised an objection to the new proposal.
9. The company made a decision to expand its reach.
10. We did not get a chance to give an explanation.
Answers :
I. They only translated the previous studies.
2. We discussed an important topic.
3. They could not agree on any issue.
4. We proposed an alternative plan.
5. The police investigated the matter.
6. Buyers should compare competing products.
7. Researchers were asked to analyse the results.
8. The members objected to he new proposal.
9. The company decided to expand the each.
10. We did not get a chance to explain (or) we got no chance to explain.

Exercise – II.

Convert the following sentences from the active voice with passive voice

1. Han ate six puns at dinner.
2. My friend has completed the work.
3. Sunita changed the bed sheet.
4. Sara ran the hurdle race in record time.
5. My mom painted the picture in one day.
6. The student wrote a brilliant review.
7. Thousands of tourists view the Taj Mahal every year.
8. The Indian team will play the game tomorrow.
9. The manager will give you your job.
10. The landlord painted the hose to let it out.
Answers :
1. Six puns were eaten by Han at dinner.
2. The work has been completed by my friend.
3. The bedsheet was changed by Sunita.
4. The hudle race was run by Sara in record time.
5. The picture was painted by mom in one day.
6. There view was written by the student brilliantly.
7. Taj Mahal is viewed by thousands of tourists every year.
8. The game will be played by the Indian team tomorrow.
9. Your job will be given to you by the manager.
10. The house was painted by the landlord to be let out.

Exercise – III.

Convert the following sentences from the passive voice into active voice

1. A refresher course will be attended by the faculty every year.
2. An application for the new job was sent by her.
3. A beautiful picture was painted by Tony.
4. That song has been sung really sweetly by the choir.
5. By whom were you asked to write?
6. Wildlife was destroyed by the forest fire.
7. Money was donated by Sam to the orphanage.
8. For the college fest, two skirts will be performed by Suma.
9. The experiment was conducted by the science teacher.
10. All the arrangements will be made by the event manager
Answers:
1. Every year the faculty will attend a refresher course.
2. She sent an application for a new job.
3. Tony painted a beautiful picture.
4. The choir has sung really a sweet song.
5. Who asked you to write?
6. The forest fire destroyed wildlife.
7. Sam donated travel to the orphanage.
8. Suma will perform two skits for the college fast.
9. The science teacher conducted the experiment
10. The event manager will make all the arrangements

Exercise – IV

Read the following passage written in the passive voice Rewrite It using the active voice

Last year, a cyclone was expenenced by my family and me for the first time. It was severe and caused much damage to our house, The damage was caused by its strong gales of wind of 170 miles per hour along with heavy rains. The old banyan tree in our courtyard was uprooted and thrown across the roof of our house, creating a huge cave through which the rain water poured in.

Our drawing room was flooded with water, which rose to a height of two feet. When we began to think that the storm was over, we heard a huge crash and peeped out of the window to see that our van had been hit by our neighbour’s fallen neem tree, breaking the roof and smashing all the windows. For the first time myself and my family experienced a cyclone last year.

It was severe aid caused much damage to our house. Its strong gales of wind of 170 miles per hour aton. with heavy rains caused the damage. It uprooted the old banyan tree in our Courtyard and threw it across the roof of our house. Creating a huge cave through which the rain water poured in. Water ‘nose to a height of two feet flooding our drawing room.

As we thought that the storm was over, we heard a huge crash. Peeping out of the window, we saw our neighbours neem tree had tallen hitting our van, breaking the roof and smashing all the windows.

OU Degree 3rd Sem English Study Material

Toasted English Questions and Answers & Summary by RK Narayan

August 25, 2023August 17, 2023 by Prasanna

OU Degree 3rd Sem English – Toasted English Questions and Answers & Summary

Comprehension – I

Question 1.
“Americans too went through a phase…”. Why does the author use too? Which other country is he referring to and what did the country do?
Answer:
The author, RK Narayan, uses the word too in the sentence “Americans too went through a phase of throwing out the British but retaining their language and letting it flourish on American soil”. Here he refers to Americans have thrown away the British but retained their English language with some changes, as a concession to its origin. The word too is used to refer to India which has also struggled for independence from the British.

Question 2.
“…much of the formalism… has been abandoned”. According to the author, in which country does formalism surround the use of English? And in which country has it been given up?
Answer:
According to the author, the formalism associated with the British has been abandoned by the Americans through the process of ‘toasting’ of the language. The resultant language which is known as the American English is much simpler than the British English. Due to the abandonment of formalism, Americans use simple and shorter sentences. According to the author, the British and the Indians still surround formalism in the use of English.

Question 3.
In the first paragraph, the author, directly and indirectly, refers to the use of English in three different countries. Which are the three countries?
Answer:
In the first paragraph, the author directly and indirectly refers to the use of English in three different countries. They are: America, Briton and India. RK Narayan talks about the similar way in which the Indians and the Americans have thrown out the British. However, the Americans have effected changes in the use of the language through the process of ‘toasting’. The same is not the case in India where formalism still surrounds in its use.

Question 4.
How has English changed in America as a result of ‘toasting’?
Answer:
RK Narayan says that Americans have effected some changes in English through the process of ‘toasting’. The resultant changes have made the language simpler, as much of the formalism associated with the use of English has been abandoned. The Americans have also freed the language from the stifling tyranny of the Passive Voice. They have also evolved certain basic key words which have universal and multipurpose use and may be used anywhere and anyhow.

Question 5.
“…America…freed the language from the stifling tyranny of the Passive Voice”. Where, according to the author, does the tyranny still persist?
Answer:
The author observes, “…America…freed the language from the stifling tyranny of the Passive Voice”. Instead of using complex passive sentences such as ‘Trespassing Prohibited’, 20 line inscription, etc., on the signposts, Americans simply note, ‘Do Not Enter’ for the convenience to the motorists and pedestrians. However, the writer says that the Indians still follow the tyranny of passive voice in the use of English.

Question 6.
“In a similar situation…a twenty-line inscription”. Does he actually mean exactly 20 lines? If not, what does he really mean?
Answer:
In his essay titled ‘Toasted English’, RK Narayan explains how Americans have abandoned the tyranny of Passive Voice in the use of English, and have simplified its use. He compares the use of English in America with its use in India, especially with regards to using the Passive Voice. In America, they use direct and simple language on the sign boards.

No motorist and pedestrian need spend too much time in studying the notices. Narayan ironically says that in India a 20- line inscription is planted for the same purpose. The author does not literally mean to say ‘20 lines’but to exaggerate the strict use of passive voice in notice boards in India. “Gentle irony’ is the hallmark of RK Narayan’s writing and has employed the same in this context.

Question 7.
In the second paragraph, the author contrasts the use of English in America with that of another country. Which is that country?
Answer:
In his essay titled ‘Toasted English’, RK Narayancompares the use of English in America with its use in India, especially with regards to using the Passive Voice. In America, they use direct and simple language on the sign boards. No motorist and pedestrian need spend too much time in studying the notices. Narayan ironically says that in India a 20- line inscription is planted for the same purpose. The author does not literally mean to say ‘20 lines’ but to exaggerate the strict use of passive voice on notice boards in India.

Question 8.
In all, how many American ‘key words’ does the author mention in the third and fourth paragraphs?
Answer:
RK Narayan says that Americans have evolved certain ‘basic key words’ which have universal and multipurpose use. In order to substantiate his observation, he mentions 4 such key words and. their different uses: check- your check, check room, check girl, check in, check out; fabulous, okay, and sir- Yes sir, Yes darling.

Question 9.
In the third and fourth paragraphs, the author discusses the use of English in which country/countries?
Answer:
In the third and fourth paragraphs of the essay, the author, RK Narayan, discusses the use of English in America and Britain (London). In the third paragraph, he discusses the basic key works evolved by Americans with some examples and in the fourth paragraph, he shares his observation of using English on a London bus and in any western country.

Question 10.
“In a London bus…ticket.” Where will you hear this and why?
Answer:
In the fourth paragraph of his essay, RK Narayan explains the use of English in Britain where English has a bazaar status. He shares his observation of its use on a London bus where a bus conductor never cries for issuing tickets.

Instead, he approaches the passenger and simply says “Thank you” and repeats the same on receiving the fare. Narayan humorously says that the number of passengers on the bus can be arrived at by halving the number of “Thanks” heard. Whereas, in india a bus conductor has to cry “Ticket, Ticket”, many times to collect fare.

Question 11.
What are expressions such as “Thank you” and “Excuse me” examples of?
Answer:
In the fourth paragraph of his essay, RK Narayan explains the use of English in Britain where the English language enjoys a bazaar status. He shares his observation of its use on a London bus where a bus conductor never cries for issuing tickets. Instead, he approached the passenger and simply says “’l hank you” and repeats the same on receiving the fare.

Narayan humorously says that the number of passengers on the bus can be arrived at by halving the number of “Thanks” heard. Whereas, in india a bus conductor has to cry “Ticket, Ticket”, many times to collect fare. Similarly, the author also explains the use of the expression “Excuse me” to politely tell a person for blocking our passage. It may also mean to say impolitely “stand aside”.

Question 12.
Who, according to the author, has used English so far in India?
Answer:
According to the author, so far in India, English has comparatively confined to a very limited Circles. It has been used primarily in the halls of learning, justice or administration. Hence RK Narayan advocates for a Bharat brand of English adopting our complexion of our life and assimilate its idiom.

Comprehension – II

Question 1.
Narayan refers to muffins at the beginning of the essay. Does he say anything more about them later in the essay? What is the real subject of the essay and how is the title related to the subject?
Answer:
In the beginning of the essay, the author, RK Narayan, refers to ‘muffins’, recalling his experience in an American restaurant where people call for ‘Toasted English’ referring to ‘English muffins’ (small, cup-shaped bread). Though muffins are being made in America, the Americans have still retained the word ‘English’ in calling them, just as sort of concession to their origin in Britain. Except in the initial paragraph, RK Narayan does not use the word ‘muffins’ in the essay anymore.

However, in the same paragraph, he introduces the subject of his easy. He says that like Indians, Americans have too gone through a phase of throwing out the British but retained their language and let it flourish on American soil. Here he refers to Americans throwing away the British but retaining the British English with some changes, as a concession to its origin. RK Narayan says that Americans have effected some changes in English through the process of ‘toasting’.

The resultant changes have made the language simpler, as much of the formalism associated with the use of English has been abandoned. The Americans have also freed the language from the stifling tyranny of the Passive Voice. They have also evolved certain basic key words which have universal and multipurpose use and may be used anywhere and anyhow.

Thus the real subject of the essay is about how Americans have made changes in the British English and evolved their own ‘American English’ with the process of ‘toasting’. The tide of the essay ‘Toasted English’ here refers to the way in which Americans have evolved their own brand of English. Here in the context the essay, the word ‘toasted’ does not directly refer to ‘muffins’ mentioned in the beginning of the essay, but refers to the process of changes in the English language in America.

Question 2.
What, according to Narayan, are the features of American English?
Answer:
In his essay ‘Toasted English’, R.K. Narayan brings out the difference between American English and its British counterpart in a humorous way with suitable examples. The author interestingly points out that, like Indians, Americans have also thrown away the British out of their country. However, they have allowed English to flourish on their soil.

Even though they have retained the English language, Americans have made changes in the use of English through the process of ‘toasting’. The resultant language is completely different from the British English. According to the author, American English is simpler and more of informal in nature. They have developed such English through the process of ‘toasting’. The resultant changes have made the language simpler, as much of the formalism associated with the use of English has been abandoned.

RK Narayan gives the details/features of the American English in the second and third paragraphs of the essay. In America, they have freed the language from the stifling tyranny of Passive Voice. They use direct and simple language on the sign boards. No motorist and pedestrian need spend too much time in studying the notices.

Narayan ironically says that in India a 20- line inscription is planted for the same purpose. The author does not mean to say ‘20 lines’, but to exaggerate the strict use of passive voice in notice boards in India. He compares the use of English in America with its use in India, especially with regards to using the Passive Voice.

Another feature that the American English as the result of the process of ‘toasting’ is that they have evolved certain ‘basic key words’ which have universal and multipurpose use. In order to substantiate his observation, he mentions 4 such key words and their different uses: check- your check, check room, check girl, check in, check out; fabulous, okay, and sir- Yes sir, Yes darling.

Question 3.
According to Narayan, what are the differences in the use of English among America, Britain and India?
Answer:
In the first paragraph, the author directly and indirectly refers to the use of English in three different countries. They are: America, Briton and India. RK Narayan talks about the similar way in which the Indians and the Americans have thrown out the British. However, the Americans have effected changes in the use of the language through the process of ‘toasting’.

According to the author, American English is simpler and more of informal in nature. They have developed such English through the process of ‘toasting’. The resultant changes have made the language simpler, as much of the formalism associated with the use of English has been abandoned. The same is not the case in India and Britain where formalism still surrounds in its use.

RK Narayan mentions another difference between American English and its British and Indian counterparts. In America, they have freed the language from the stifling tyranny of Passive Voice. They use direct and simple language on the sign boards. No motorist and pedestrian need spend too much time in studying the notices.

Narayan ironically says that in India a 20-June inscription is planted for the same purpose. The ,, author does not mean to say ‘20 lines’ but to exaggerate the strict use of passive voice in notice boards in India and Britain. Especially, he compares the use of English in America with its use in India, especially with regards to using the Passive Voice.

Another difference that is found between American English and the English used by Indians and the British is the evolution of some basic key words in American English. The American English has, as the result of the process of ‘toasting’, evolved certain ‘basic key words’ which have universal and multipurpose use/Iri order to substantiate his observation, he mentions 4 such key words and their different uses: check- your check, check room, check girl, check in, check out; fabulous, okay, and sir- Yes sir, Yes darling. The author indirectly states that, in India, words are used in their literal meaning only.

Question 4.
Discuss Narayan’s attitude towards American English.
Answer:
In his essay, Toasted English”, RK Narayan exhibits positive attitude towards the American English. He treats it as simpler, less formal, and direct in its use. Another feature that attracted the author’s attention is that it has some basic key words which can have universal and multipurpose use.

According RK Narayan, American English is simpler and more of informal in nature. He feels that they have developed such English through the process of ‘toasting’. The resultant changes have made the language simpler, as much of the formalism associated with the use of English has been abandoned. The same is not the case in India and Britain where formalism still surrounds in its use.

RK Narayan is impressed with American English for its abandonment of Passive ’ Voice. He explains that Americans have freed the language from the stifling tyranny of Passive Voice. They use direct and simple language on the sign boards. No motorist and pedestrian need spend too much time in studying the notices.

Narayan ironically says that in India a 20- line inscription is planted for the same purpose. The author does not mean to say ‘20 lines’ but to exaggerate the strict use of passive voice in notice boards in India and Britain. Especially, he compares the use of English in America with its use in India, especially with regards to using the Passive Voice.

Similarly, the author is attracted to another feature of American English, i.e., the . evolution of some basic key words in American English. RK Narayan explains that the American English has, as the result of the process of ‘toasting’, evolved certain ‘basic key words’ which have universal and multipurpose use.

In order to substantiate his ‘ observation, he mentions 4 such key words and their different uses: check- your check, ; check room, check girl, check in, check out; fabulous, okay, and sir- Yes sir, Yes darling. But, in India, words are used in their literal meaning only. ” In this way, the author, RK Narayan, shows positive attitude towards the American English Language for its simplicity, adoptability and universality.

Question 5.
Explain the various ways in which Narayan makes the essay humorous.
Answer:
In the essay ‘Toasted English’, R.K. Narayan employed different ways to make his essay humourous. He brings out the difference between American and British English in an amusing and humourous way with suitable examples. The author interestingly points out that like Indians, Americans also drove the British out of their country but allowed English to stay back.

“Gentle irony’ is the hallmark of RK Narayan’s writing. He has employed the same in the context of the essay. Irony is a way of using words and tone to mean something quite opposite to what is actually being said. Here RK Narayan employs ironyto compare the use of English in America with its use in India, especially with regards to using the Passive Voice.

In America, they use direct and simple language on the sign boards. For example, instead of, “Trespassing Prohibited” they say, “Newly planted, don’t walk” on the notice-board. No motorist and pedestrian need spend too much time in studying the notices. Narayan ironically says that in India a 20- line inscription is planted for the same purpose. The author does not mean to say,‘20 lines’ but to exaggerate the strict use of passive voice in notice boards in India.

RK Narayan also uses humour in explaining the use of basic key words by Americans with universal and multipurpose applicability. He says that the word ‘check’ may be labelled ‘the American National Expression’ for its use anywhere, anyhow. He says, “…one may blindly utter it and still find that it is appropriate for the occasion.”

Similarly, R.K. Narayan employs humour when he discusses ‘the bazaar status’ of English and its use in a refined way in London. RK Narayan explains that the conductor will never say, ‘Ticket, Ticket’ on a London bus but dimply go near the passenger and say ‘Thank you’ on receiving the fare and utter the same while issuing the ticket as well. RK Narayan’s mastery in applying humour is at best when he says that we can arrive at the exact number of passengers on board by halving the number of ‘Thanks” uttered by the conductor. Likewise, ‘Excuse me’ may have different meaning in a context.

Question 6.
How and when, according to Narayan, will a Bharat brand of English brand of English and how will it acquire that character?
Answer:
According to RK Narayan, now the time has come for English to come to the dusty streets, market places and under banyan tree. Like Americans, we the Indians should also adopt English according to the Indian needs and purposes. He desires to have a kind of English which must adopt the complexion of our life and assimilate its idiom. He proposes for developing a ‘Bharat brand of English’.

However, RK Narayan emphatically mentions that he is not advocating ‘mongrelisation’ i.e. hybridization of English. Bharat English will respect the rule of law and maintain the dignity of grammar. The author asserts that Indian English should have its own identity and its ‘Swadeshi stamp’.

He gives the examples of such Swadeshi things, like the Madras handloom check shirt, the Tirupati doll, etc.The author wishes that Indians should develop their own English which would be more unique and distinct than the present English. R.K. Narayan feels that like ‘Toasted English of Americans, India should also develop a Bharat brand of English.

Question 7.
What, according to Narayan, should be the character of a Bharat brand of English and how will it acquire that character?
Answer:
According to RK Narayan, now the time has come for English to come to the dusty streets, market places and under banyan tree. Like1 Americans, we the Indians should also adapt English according to the Indian needs and {SnJltttses. He desires to have a kind of English which must adopt the complexion of our life and assimilate its idiom. He proposes for developing a ‘Bharat brand of English’.

The author wishes that Indians should develop their own English which would be more unique and distinct than the present English. He gives the examples of such Swadeshi things, like the Madras handloom check shirt, the Tirupati doll, etc. R.K. Narayan feels that like Toasted English of Americans, India should also develop a Bharat brand of English.

Rasipuram Krishnaswami IyerNarayanswami (1906-2001), known as R.K. Narayan, was bom in Madras on October 10, 1906. He was a prolific writer and published nearly 60 books. Besides 15 novels, Narayan wrote numerous short stories, essays and an autobiography. Most of his stories are set in ‘Malgudi’, a fictional, semi- urban South Indian town that he created. His writing is characterised by genial humour, gentle irony, and ‘compassionate realism’. Some of his novels such as Swami and Friends, Mr Sampath, The Financial Expert, The Guide, The Vendor of Sweets, and short stories have been adapted into films and television series.

He received numerous awards and honours, including the SahityaAkademi Award, Padma Bhushan,PadmaVibhushan. He was nominated to the RajyaSabha in 1989 and made fervent appeal to make the school bag lighter and restore to the children the joys of childhood. R.K. Narayan is regarded as one of the greatest Indian English writers. The essay “Toasted English” is taken from Narayan’s collection of essays titled Reluctant Guru (1974). In this essay, he records some of his impressions of America during his stint as a Visiting Professor at an American university in 1969.

In the beginning of the essay, the author, RK Narayan, refers to ‘muffins’, recalling his experience in an American restaurant where people call for Toasted English’ referring to ‘English muffins’ (small, cup-shaped bread). Though muffins are being made in America, the Americans have still retained the word ‘English’ in calling them, just as sort of concession to their origin in Britain.

However, in the same paragraph, he introduces the subject of his easy. He says that like Indians, Americans have too gone through a phase of throwing out the British but retaining their language and letting it flourish on their American soil. Here he refers to Americans throwing away the British but retaining the English language with some changes as a concession to its origin. RK Narayan says that Americans have effected some changes in the use of English through the prpcess of ‘toasting’. The resultant changes have made the language simpler, as much of the formalism associated with the use of English has been abandoned. Americans have also freed the language from the stifling tyranny of the Passive Voice.

RK Narayan says that Americans have evolved certain ‘basic key words’ which have universal and multipurpose use. In order to substantiate his observation, he mentions 4 such key words and their different uses: check- your check, check room, check girl, check in, check out; fabulous, okay, and sir- Yes sir, Yes darling.

In the fourth paragraph of his essay, RK Narayan explains the use of English in Britain where the English language enjoys a bazaar status. He shares his observation of its use on a London bus where a bus conductor never cries for issuing tickets. Instead, he approached the passenger and simply says “Thank you” and repeats the same on receiving the fare. Narayan humorously says that the number of passengers on the bus can be arrived at by halving the number of “Thanks” heard. Whereas, in India a bus conductor has to cry “Ticket, Ticket”, many times to collect fare. Similarly, the author also explains the use of the expression “Excuse me” to politely tell a person for blocking our passage. It also means to say impolitely “stand aside”.

The author advocates that we the Indians, like Americans, should also adopt English according to the Indian needs and purposes. He desires to have a kind of English which must adopt the complexion of our life and assimilate its idiom. He proposes for developing a ‘Bharat brand of English’. However, RK Narayan emphatically mentions that he is not advocating ‘mongrelisation’ i.e. hybridization of English. Bharat English will respect the rule of law and maintain the dignity of grammar. The author asserts that Indian English should have its own identity and its ‘Swadeshi stamp’ andwhich should be unique and distinct, unlike the present English. R.K. Narayan feels that, India should also develop a Bharat brand of English, like Toasted English of Americans.

“Gentle irony’ is the hallmark of RK Narayan’s writing. Irony is a way of using words and tone to mean something quite opposite to what is actually being said.Here RK Narayan employs irony to compare the use of English in America with its use in India, especially with regards to using the Passive Voice.Narayan ironically says that in India a 20- line inscription is planted for the same purpose. The author does not mean to say ‘20 lines’ but to exaggerate the strict use of passive voice in notice boards in India.

RK Narayan explains that the conductor will never say, ‘Ticket, Ticket’ on a London bus but simply go near the passenger and say ‘Thank you’ on receiving the fare and utter the same while issuing the ticket as well. RK Narayan’s mastery in applying humour is at best when he says that we can arrive at the exact number of passengers on board by halving the number of ‘Thanks” uttered by the conductor.

Toasted English Poem Summary in English

Most of his stories are set in ‘Malgudi’, a fictional, semi- urban South Indian town that he created. His writing is characterised by genial humour, gentle irony, and ‘compassionate realism’. Some of his novels such as Swami and Friends, Mr Sampath, The Financial Expert, The Guide, The Vendor of Sweets, and short stories have been adapted into films and television series.

He received numerous awards and honours, including the Sahitya Akademi Award, Padma Bhushan,Padma Vibhushan. He was nominated to the RajyaSabha in 1989 and made fervent appeal to make the school bag lighter and restore to the children the joys of childhood. R.K. Narayan is regarded as one of the greatest Indian English writers. The essay “Toasted English” is taken from Narayan’s collection of essays titled Reluctant Guru (1974). In this essay, he records some of his impressions of America during his stint as a Visiting Professor at an American university in 1969.

RK Narayan says that Americans have effected some changes in the use of English through the prpcess of ‘toasting’. The resultant changes have made the language simpler, as much of the formalism associated with the use of English has been abandoned. Americans have also freed the language from the stifling tyranny of the Passive Voice.

Narayan humorously says that the number of passengers on the bus can be arrived at by halving the number of “Thanks” heard. Whereas, in India a bus conductor has to cry “Ticket, Ticket”, many times to collect fare. Similarly, the author also explains the use of the expression “Excuse me” to politely tell a person for blocking our passage. It also means to say impolitely “stand aside”.

Bharat English will respect the rule of law and maintain the dignity of grammar. The author asserts that Indian English should have its own identity and its ‘Swadeshi stamp’ andwhich should be unique and distinct, unlike the present English. R.K. Narayan feels that, India should also develop a Bharat brand of English, like Toasted English of Americans.

Toasted English Poem Summary in Telugu

ఆర్.కె నారాయణ్ హోస్టడ్ ఇంగ్లీషు అనే పదజాలంలో ఒక వ్యాసాన్ని రచించాడు. ఆర్ నారాయణ్ ఇండో అంగ్లియన్ రచయిత ఈ వ్యాసములో ఆయిన అమెరిక ఇంగీషు భాష ప్రిటీష్ ఆంగ్ల భాష వాడకములో ఉండే ‘భేదాలు వాటి శైలి గురించి చర్చించాడు.

ఈయన ఉదాహరణలతో వాదిని వివరించారు. భారతీయులలోనే అమెరికన్లు కూడ బ్రిదిషు వారిని తరిమి తమ కంటు ప్రత్యేక ఆంగ్ల పదాలను పదిల పరుచుకున్నారు. అమెరికన్ల ఈ ఇంగ్లీషు భాషను ‘హోస్టడ్’ అంటే వోవన్లో తయారైన ఇంగ్లీషు అంటారు. అమెరికన్లుపేసివ్ వాయిస్ను వాడరు. వారి పదాలు సరళముగా ఉంటాయి. అవి చెక్ రూమ్, చెక్ ఇన్, చెక్ అవుట్ ఫేల్యూలస్, వోకే మొదలైనవి. ఆర్.కె నారాయణ్ బజారు స్టేటస్ అనే పదములో ఇంగ్లిషులో వాడుక పదాలను సూచిస్తున్నారు.

బస్ కండక్టర్ లండన్తో “దికెట్” “టికెట్” కి బదులుగా ‘ధాంక్యూ’ అనే ఇంగీష్ల పదాన్ని వాడతారు. ఇదే విధంగా భారతీయులమైన మనము మన ప్రత్యేక శైలిలో, స్వదేశీ విధానంలో ఇక ఆంగ్ల భాషా శైలిని ఏర్పరచాలి. అది ఇపుడు మనం వాడే ఇంగ్లీషు కన్నా ప్రత్యేకంగా ఉండాలి అని వివరించారు.

Glossary:

OU Degree 1st Sem English Study Material

Punishment in Kindergarten Poem Questions and Answers & Summary by Kamala Das

August 16, 2023 by Prasanna

OU Degree 3rd Sem English – Punishment in Kindergarten Poem Questions and Answers & Summary

Comprehension-I.

Question 1.
The speaker of the poem says, “Today the world is a little more of my own”. What does she mean? ‘Little more’ compared to when?
Answer:
Poet Kamala Das is the speaker of the poem and recalls one of her childhood experiences. When she was in the kindergarten, she, along with her schoolmates, went to a picnic to Victoria Gardens in Calcutta. She was all alone near a hedge, while other girls were playing and sipping sugarcane on the lawn.

The insensitive teacher, who is referred to as “a blue-frocked woman”, chided and scolded her for being alone. Her schoolmates laughed at her. The teacher’s words and the laughing faces of her schoolmates hurt her tender heart. She compares her childhood innocence with the matured adult peace. As an adult today, Kamala Das feels that her world is ‘little more’, i.e., broader and matured.

Question 2.
Who was the “blue-frocked woman” and what did she do?
Answer:
In the poem, the teacher of Kamala Das was referred to as the “blue-frocked woman”. The insensitive teacher chided and scolded Kamala Das for being alone. She told the child (Kamala Das), “Why don’t you join the others, what a peculiar child you are!” Her insensitive and indifferent words hurt the tender girl and drained away the ‘honey-coloured peace’ of the picnic day.

Question 3.
The poet uses several expressions such as “blue-frocked” and “honey- coloured”. Find out what such hyphenated words are called and how they are used.
Answer:
In the present poem ‘Punishment in Kindergarten’, Kamala Das uses several expressions such as “blue-frocked”, “honey-coloured”, “sun-warmed”, and “steel- white”. The hyphenated words are compound words and are generally used as adjectives in the poem. The innovative adjectives are usually employed in descriptive writing. Kamala Das is adept in creating language to give expression to her intense personal experience.

Question 4.
Why was the speaker called a “peculiar” girl? What was peculiar about her behaviour? How was she expected to behave?
Answer:
When poet Kamala Das was studying in kindergarten, they went for a picnic to Victoria Garden, Calcutta. The schoolmates were sitting as a group in lawn and sipping sugarcane. But Kamala Das was standing alone near a hedge.

On seeing her, the insensitive teacher (a blue-frocked woman) told her, “Why don’t you join the others, what a peculiar child you are!” The indifferent words of the teacher hurt the tender heart of the child (Kamala Das). Usually, she was expected to behave as the normal children of her age playing with friends, instead of standing all alone.

Question 5.
The speaker uses the “children… laugh in mirth at others’ tears”. Do you agree with the statement? Justify your response.
Answer:
The speaker of the poem ‘Punishment in Kindergarten’ says, “Children are funny things, they laugh in mirth at others’ tears.” The schoolmates of Kamala Das laughed at her when their teacher scolded her for being alone. Hence 1 agree with the statement.

Childhood is the age of innocence since children do not differentiate between good and bad. Especially, when they are in a group, they behave in line with the other children. The speaker of the poem ruminates over the childhood pain with a sense of matured detachment.

Question 6.
Look at expressions such as “throwing words… like pots and pans”, smelt the flowers and the pain”. Can you really ‘throw words’ or smell pain’? Poetry often uses such figurative language. Find out the difference between literal and figurative language.
Answer:
In the poem ‘Punishment in Kindergarten’, Kamala Das uses expressions such as “throwing words… like pots and pans”, smelt the flowers and the pain”. The expression ‘throwing words like pots and pans’ is used to convey how the insensitive words of the teacher caused intense personal pain in the tender heart of the girl. Similarly, ‘smell pain’ is used to explain how the pain is absorbed by the girl deep into her heart.

Question 7.
The speaker says “words are muffled” and “faces only a blur”. What is she referring to? What does she mean?
Answer:
The speaker of the poem says “words are muffled” and “faces only a blur”. Here she is referring to the matured detachment as an adult. When she was a child, she was hurt by the words of her insensitive teacher. Besides the teacher’s words, the laughing faces of her schoolmates added salt to the wound.

Now the words of the teacher are muffled or muted. Similarly, the laughing faces of the schoolmates have become blurring. It means that she starts forgetting the painful childhood experience. She says that she has found ‘adult peace’ and matured detachment as time passes by.

Question 8.
What do the lines “The years… Sadly on” mean? How is the meaning of these lines related to the “adult peace” that the speaker claims to have found?
Answer:
The speaker of the poem says that now the words of the teacher are muffled or muted. Similarly, the laughing faces of the schoolmates have become blurring. It means that she starts forgetting the painful childhood experience. Kamala Das is philosophical about time.

She says that years pass by stopping at beloved halts and moving on sadly. We can understand that time has healed her pain and she is now happy about her childhood experience. She declares that she has now found ‘adult peace’ and matured detachment with the passing of time.

Question 9.
The speaker says that there is “no need to remember” in the first as well as the last stanza of the poem. Is she referring to the same things on both occasions or is there a difference in the meaning?
Answer:
The speaker in the poem repeatedly says that there is “no need to remember” in the first as well as the concluding stanza of the poem. By saying so, she is referring to the same things on both occasions. In the first stanza, she says that there is no need to remember the pain caused by a blue-frocked woman.

But she gives every minute details of the painful experience such as exact words spoken by her teacher, the laughing faces of her schoolmates, the lawn, sipping sugarcane, burying face in the sun-warmed hedge, etc.

In the concluding stanza, she also says that there is no need to remember the picnic day experience. Years pass by still she is able recollect everything that happened on the painful picnic day. The only difference is that she now looks at the painful childhood experience with the matured detachment. She says that she has found ‘adult peace’ with the passage of time.

Question 10.
In the last stanza, the sun is remembered as being “lonely”. Is it in any way related to the speaker’s own condition described in the first stanza? Reflect on the difference between being ‘lonely’ and being ‘alone’ and between ‘loneliness’ and ‘solitude’.
Answer:
In the concluding stanza, the sun is remembered as being “lonely”. It is somewhat related to the speaker’s own condition described in the first stanza when she is standing alone by a sun-warmed hedge. The insensitive teacher is harsh towards the tender girl by saying: “Why don’t yoifljoin the others. What a peculiar girl you are!” for being alone. However in the concluding stanza of the poem, she talks about the steel-white sun standing lonely in the sky. Here the difference between being ‘lonely’ and being ‘alone’ is the difference between ‘loneliness’ and ‘solitude’. Being ‘lonely’ means not being socialised, whereas being ‘alone’ means having own space and enjoying.‘solitude’

Comprehension II.

Question 1.
What is the central idea of the poem, “Punishment in Kindergarten”? How does the poet express it?
Answer:
The poem, “Punishment in Kindergarten” is a little autobiographical poem. Poet kamala Das recalls one of her painful childhood experiences. When she was in the kindergarten, she, along with her schoolmates, went for a picnic to Victoria Gardens in Calcutta. She was all alone near a hedge, while other girls were on the lawn, sipping sugarcane and making merry. The insensitive teacher, who is referred to as”a blue- frocked woman”, chided and scolded her for being alone. The teacher said to her,

‘Why don’t you Join the others, what
A peculiar child you are!’

On hearing this, her schoolmates laughed at her. The child felt it very much. She became sad at the words of the teacher. But the laughter by the children made her sadder. Riled with sorrow and shame, she hid her face in a hedge and wept. This was indeed a painful experience to a little child in the nursery school.

Now she has grown into an adult. She has only a faint memory of the blue- frocked woman and the laughing faces of the children. Now she has learned to have an ‘adult peace’. The subject matter of the poem has two parts: the description of the painful experience of the kindergarten days and the adult’s attitude to die incident at present as an adult. Kamala Das says, ‘My mind has found an adult peace.’ Kamala Das recalls the childhood pain with a sense of matured detachment.

Question 2.
Summarise the speaker’s experience on a picnic day when she was in kindergarten.
Answer: .
The poem, “Punishment in Kindergarten” is a little autobiographical poem. Poet Kamala Das recalls one of her childhood experiences. When she was in the kindergarten, one day the children were taken for a picnic to Victoria Gardens in Calcutta. She was all alone near a hedge, while other girls were sipping sugarcane and making merry at a distance. The insensitive teacher, who is referred to as “a blue-frocked woman”, chided and scolded her for being alone. The teacher said to her,

‘Why don’t you join the others,
what A peculiar child you are!’

On hearing this, her schoolmates laughed at her. The child felt it very much. She became sa 1 at the words of the teacher. But the laughter by the children made her sadder. Filkd with sorrow and shame, she hid her face in a hedge and wept. This was indeed a painful experience to a little child in the nursery school.

Now She has grown into an adult. She has only a faint memory of the blue- frocked woman and the laughing faces of the children. Now she has learned to have an ‘adult peace’. The subject matter of the poem has two parts: the description of the painful experience of the kindergarten days and die adult’s attitude to the incident at present as an adult.

Kamala Das says, ‘My mind has found an adult peace.’ Kamala Das recalls the childhood pain with a sense of matured detachment. The speaker of the poem says,The words are muffled now, the laughing Faces only a blur. The years have Sped along, stopping halts and moving Sadly on.’

She remembers some things clearly, for example, a blue-frocked woman, the exact words spoken by the teacher, her schoolmates sipping sugarcane, etc. She also remembers some other things vaguely. The teacher’s identity gets shrinked to a blue- frocked woman but the words she ‘threw’ at her are still remembered as pots and pans. She is able to forget the muffled words and blurred faces. But she is unable to forget the pain they have left on her. The poet, (the speaker) repeats that there is no need to remember that picnic day.

Question 3.
Discuss the language and images used in the poem to express the emotions of the speaker.
Answer:
In the present poem ‘Punishment in Kindergarten’, Kamala Das employs a simple and lucid language in order to express her intense childhood painful experience. Even the construction of the poem and its colloquial diction are apt for the theme of the poem.

Poet Kamala Das uses several expressions such as “blue-frocked”, “honey- coloured”, “sun-warmed”, and “steel-white”. The hyphenated words are compound words and are generally used as adjectives in the poem. The innovative adjectives are usually employed in descriptive writing. Kamala Das is adept in creating language to give expression to her intense personal experience.

In the poem, the poet uses expressions such as “throwing words… like pots and pans”, smelt the flowers and the pain”. The expression ‘throwing words like pots and pans’ is used to convey how the insensitive words of the teacher caused intense personal pain in the tender heart of the girl. Similarly, ‘smell pain’ is used to explain how the pain is absorbed by the girl. The tone of the poem is pensive if not sad. It is a tone of compromise in the face of inevitability. The images used again are deceptively simple.

The imagery used in the poem is suitable for conveying the intense emotions of the speaker. The images of the ‘blue-frocked woman’, ‘honey-coloured day’, ‘sun-warmed hedge’, ‘smelling flower end pain’ ‘muffled words’, ‘blurring faces’ and ‘steel-white suh standing lonely in the sky’ are relevant and evocative. The figures of speech such as, “throwing words at me like pots and pans” (the simile), “A blue-frocked woman” (the metonymy) add beauty to the poem.

Question 4.
The title of the poem is “Punishment in Kindergarten”. What was the ‘punishment’ given to the girl? And why did she consider it a punishment?
Answer:
The poem, “Punishment in Kindergarten” is a little autobiographical poem. Poet Kamala Das recalls one of her childhood experiences. When she was in the kindergarten, she, along with her schoolmates, went for a picnic to Victoria Gardens in Calcutta. She was all alone near a hedge, while other girls were sipping sugarcane on the lawn and making merry. The insensitive teacher, who is referred to as “a blue-frocked woman”, chided and scolded her for being alone. The teacher said to her,

‘Why don’t you join the others, what
A peculiar child you are!’

On hearing this, her schoolmates laughed at her. The child felt it very much. She became sad at the words of the teacher. But the laughter by the children made her sadder. Filled with sorrow and shame, she hid her face in a hedge and wept. This was indeed a painful experience to a little child in the nursery school.

At surface level, the words of the teacher and laugh of the school children seem normal. We as adult may not consider the experience as a painful one. But at the deeper level, they have caused inexplicable pain to the tender girl who is still at the kindergarten.

It is quite natural that a girl of such age tends to consider the words and the laughing faces as punishment. They are indigestible for her at that time. The speaker is now an adult and is able to look at the experience in matured detachment. She says that she is able to forget the muffled words and blurred faces and found “adult peace” with the passage of time. ‘

Question 5.
Explain the difference between the speaker recounting the incident and the girl who experiences it.
Answer:
Kamala Das is well-known as a confessional poet. It is her brutal frankness of her poetry that shocked and attracted readers. The poem, “Punishment in Kindergarten” is a little autobiographical poem which consists of two time zones- past and present. In the first two stanzas, poet Kamala Dasrecollects the painful experience when she was a child studying at kindergarten.

One particular day, she along with her schoolmates went for a picnic to Victoria Gardens in Calcutta. She was all alone near a hedge, while other children were on the lawn, sipping sugarcane. The insensitive teacher, who is referred to as “a blue-frocked woman”, chided and scolded her for being alone. She said to the girl: ‘Why don’t you join the others, what a peculiar child you are In the concluding stanza of the poem, the speaker recounts the incident again.

Now she says that the teacher’s words are muffled or muted and the laughing’ faces of her schoolmates are blurring. She says that she can forget the painful experience. She feels that she has found ‘adult peace’ and can look at the incident with matured detachment. She is now philosophical in saying that years pass by sadly, with some memorable stops.

Question 6.
While recollecting the picnic day, the speaker remembers some things clearly and others only vaguely. What are the things she is able and unable to forget?
Answer:
In the first as well as the concluding stanza of the poem, the speaker of the poem says that there is “no need to remember” the pain. While recollecting the picnic day experience, the speaker remembers some things clearly and others only vaguely. In the first stanza, she says that there is no need to remember the pain caused by a “blue-frocked woman”.

But she gives every minute details of the painful experience such as exact words spoken by her insensitive teacher, “Why don’t you join the others, what a peculiar child you are!” She also recalls the laughing faces of her schoolmates, the lawn where they are sitting, sipping sugarcane, burying face in the sun-warmed hedge, smelling the flowers and the pain, etc.

In the concluding stanza, she says that there is no need to remember the picnic day experience. But she say feels that the words are muffled and the laughing faces of schoolmates are blurring. The speaker can remember them vaguely. Years pass by still she is able recollect everything that happened on the painful picnic day.

However, she repeatedly says that there is no need to remember the pain caused by her teacher and the laughing faces of her schoolmates. Still she is able to recollect every minute thing in detail. The only difference is that she now looks at the painful childhood experience with the matured detachment. She says that she has found ‘adult peace’ with the passage of time.

Question 7.
The speaker repeats that there is no need to remember that picnic day. Do you think she would ever be able to forget it? Discuss the possibilities either way.
Answer:
In the first as well as the concluding stanza of the poem, the speaker of the poem says that there is “no need to remember” the pain. While recollecting the picnic day experience, the speaker remembers some things clearly and others only vaguely.

In the first stanza, she says that there is no need to remember the pain caused by a “blue-frocked woman”. But she gives every minute details of the painful experience such as exact words spoken by her insensitive teacher, “Why don’t you join the others, what a peculiar child you are!” She also recalls the laughing faces of her schoolmates, the lawn where they are sitting, sipping sugarcane, burying face in the sun-warmed hedge, smelling the flowers and the pain, etc.

In the concluding stanza, she says that there is no need to remember the picnic day experience. But she say feels that the words are muffled and the laughing faces of schoolmates are blurring. The speaker is able remember them vaguely. Years pass by still she is able recollect everything that happened on the painful picnic day.

Punishment in Kindergarten Poem Summary in English

Kamala Das (1934-2009) is well-known as a confessional poet. It is her brutal frankness of her poetry that shocked and attracted readers. She writes candidly, making forays into the emotional lives of women.

Her literary works Summer in Calcutta (1965) and The Old Play House and Other Poems (1973) and her autobiographical work My Story (1976) have received great recognition. She published many of her works in Malayalam under the pen name “Madhavikutty”. Kamala Das writes about intensely personal experiences, including her growth into womanhood.

The poem “Punishment in Kindergarten” is a little autobiographical poem written by Kamala Das. In this poem, shere calls one of her childhood experiences. When she was in the kindergarten, she along with her schoolmates wastaken for a picnic to Victoria Gardens in Calcutta.

She was all alone near a hedge, while other girls were sipping sugarcane on the lawn. The insensitive teacher, who is referred to as “a blue-frocked woman”, chided and scolded her for being alone. The teacher told her,

‘Why don’t you join the others, what
A peculiar child you are!’

Now she has grown into an adult. She has only a faint memory of the blue- frocked woman and the laughing faces of the children. Now she has learned to have an ‘adult peace’. The subject matter of the poem has two parts: the description of the painful experience of the kindergarten days and the adult’s attitude to the incident at present as an adult. Kamala Das says, ‘My mind has found an adult peace.’ Kamala Das looks at the childhood pain with a sense of matured detachment.

She is able to forget the muffled words and blurred faces. But she is unable to forget the pain they have left on her. The poet, (the speaker) repeats that there is no need to remember that picnic day. Still, she says,

‘The words are muffled now, the laughing
Faces only a blur. The years have
Sped along, stopping halts and moving
Sadly on.’

The poem is very simple in its construction and even colloquial in diction. The tone of the poem is pensive if not sad. It is a tone of compromise in the face of inevitability. The images used again are deceptively simple. The images are evocative yet blurred.

The images of the hedge, the sun and the smell of flower and pain are remarkable and relevant. The figures of speech such as, “throwing words at me like pots and pans” (the simile), “A blue-frocked woman” (the metonymy) add beauty to the poem.

Punishment in Kindergarten Poem Summary in Telugu

ఈ రోజు ప్రపంచము నాది అని అనగలను. ఇక నేను ఆ బాధను గుర్తు చేసుకోవలసిన అవసరము లేదు. ఈ నీలి గౌను వేసుకున్న ఆవిడ చెప్పిన పరుష మైన వాక్యాలు నాకు కుండలు పెనాలు మీద విసిరినంత భాధని కలుగజేసాయి. ఆ దినము అశాంతిని అనుభవించాను. నేను నా తోటి వారితో ఉండకుండా ఆ తోటలో మొక్కల, పొదల మధ్య ఒంటరిగా ఉండి సూర్యకాంతిని వీక్షిస్తున్నాను.

నా తోటి సహ విద్యార్ధులు అందరూ సమూహలుగా విడి వోయి ఆహ్లదము చెరుకురసాన్ని ఆస్వాదిస్తున్నారు. ఆ ఈనందకర వాతావరణంలో పిల్లలు నన్ను చూసి హేళనగా నవ్వి నప్పుడు నా ముఖాన్ని దించుకొని నేను నాలోనే ఉండి పోయాను.

ఇప్పుడు నాకు ఆ వాక్యాలు, పదాలు బాధ పడేటట్లుగా లేవు. ఆ ముఖాలు కూడా మటు మాయమయ్యాయి.చాలా సంవత్సరాలు గడిచాయి. ఇప్పుడు నాకు సంపూర్తిగా శాంతి లభించింది. ఆ బాధాయూతమైన రోజుల్ని గుర్తు చేసుకోనవసరం లేదు. ఆకాశంలో మెరిసే సూర్యుని నేను ఈ తోటలో ఒంటరి, తనంతో చూసి భాద పడే అవసరములేదు.

Punishment in Kindergarten – Kamala Das

Today the world is a little more my own.
No need to remember the pain
A blue-frocked woman caused, throwing
Words at me like pots and pans, to drain
That honey-coloured day of peace.
‘Why don’t you join the others, what —.
A peculiar child you are!’

On the lawn, in clusters, sat my
schoolmates sipping
Sugarcane, they turned and laughed;
Children are funny things, they laugh
In mirth at others’tears, I buried
My face in the sun-warmed hedge
And smelt the flowers and the pain.

The words are muffled now, the laughing Faces only a blur.
The years have Sped along, stopping briefly
At beloved halts and moving Sadly on.
My mind has found An adult peace.
No need to remember
That picnic day when I lay hidden
By a hedge, watching the steel-white sun
Standing lonely in the sky.

Glossary:

Punishment in Kindergarten Poem Questions and Answers & Summary by Kamala Das

OU Degree 3rd Sem English Study Material

OU Degree 3rd Sem English Unit 1 Vocabulary, Grammar

August 17, 2023August 16, 2023 by Prasanna

OU Degree 3rd Sem English Unit 1 Vocabulary, Grammar

Synonyms

A ‘Synonym” is a word or phrase that has exactly the same, nearly same or meaning as another word or phrase in the same language. Example observe the different words and their

Meaning

buy – purchase
gift – present
understand – comprehend

a. The source of English Vocabulary

Germanic language
Romance language

Large number of words are borrowed from Latin and French languages.

b. The history England

French and Latin words entered the English language
Britain colonisatin and conducted Business with other parts of the world. ‘Synonyms must be used according to the context
Example: Beautiful has ‘20’ synonyms.

Beautiful is used generally for women
Handsome for men
Good looking for both
Pretty is used less than ‘beautiful’ and pretty is used for children and young girls.

Exercise – 1.

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word.

Example: She looked pretty in the fancy dress, (pretty / delightful)

1. The china cups were brightly coloured and ………………………….. (dainty / bonny)
2. Disappointment was write large on his …………………………. force, (beautiful / handsome)
3. The design on the hand made hawls was …………………………. (exquisite / ravishing)
4. The celebrations were followed by a …………………………. fireworks display, (spectacular / delectable).
5. The sunrise at Kanyakumari is ……………………. (beguiling / gorgeous)
6. The peacock is a very showy bird with ……………………. phimage. (resplendent / comely
7. Each feather of the peacock is tipped with an ……………………. eyespot. (iridescent / alluring)
8. The handmade chocolates were ………………………….. (delectable / dazzling)
9. The village by the sea offers ………………………….. shops and restaurants. (Alluring / admirable)
10. Benares presents ………………………….. a maze of narrow streets, (statuesque / picturesques)
Answers :
1. dainty
2. handsome
3. exquisite
4. spectacular
5. gorgeous
6. comely
7. iridescent
8. delectable
9. alluring
10. picturesque

Exercise – II.

From the words given in the box, choose the most appropriate ‘Synonyms’ for the words in italics

Vacant	weak	awful	historic	complete
polite	baffling	secure	loyal	annoyed

1. The dog is a faithfull animal ………………..
2. The man was old and looked frail ………………..
3. Being courteous costs you nothing…………………
4. The huge mansion looked empty…………………
5. The police ensured that the street was safe…………………
6. He was bothered by loud music…………………
7. The Jugglers tricks were confusing…………………
8. The city was hit by a terrible storm………………..
9. A huge crowd had gathered on momentous occasion…………………
10. This is not an exhaustive list of synonyms…………………
Answers :
1. loyal
2. weak
3. polite
4. vacant
5. secure
6. annoyed
7. baffling
8. awful
9. historic
10. complete

Exercise – III.

In each of the following sentences, identify two words that have a similar meaning.

Example: The unhappy ending of the story made us all sad

1. If I do my normal work, I will get my regular salary.
2. You throw the ball to the dog and it will toss it back to you.
3. You will find your way if you stay on the right path.
4. The stuntman leaped into the air and jumped over the fire.
5. If you listen carefully, you can hear the bird’s song.
6. The gloomy day was marked by dark clouds.
7. His hourly wages are much higher than my monthly salary.
8. The car’s engine was noisy and the hom was loud:
9. The gang of robbers disappeared into the crowd.
10. Titad cautiously when you walk in the garden.
Answers:
1. Normal — regular
2. throw — toss
3. way — path
4. leaped — jumped
5. listen — hear
6. gloomy — dark
7. wages — salary
8. noisy — loud
9. gang — crowd
10. Tread — Walk

Antonyms

‘Antoným’ is a word or phrase that has the opposite meaning to another word or phrase in the same language.
Poor — rich
Swift – Slow

Exercise – 1.

From the words given in the box, choose the appropriate ‘Antonym’ for the words In italics

Praised	Welcomed	Explicit	early	secure
biased	wonderful	notorious	rough	handy

1. The fabric was very smooth
2. The desert was awful
3. Monsoon arrived late this year
4. The umpire’s decision was fair
5. His inaction shows his tacit support
6. When the government changed, his position became precarious
7. The teacher berated the students for their performance
8. The map is very inconvenient
9. Big Cities are becoming famous for their pollution
10. The leader expelled the new entrants
Answers :
1. rough
2. wonderful
3. early
4. biased
5. explicit
6. secure
7. praised
8. handy
9. notorious
10. welcomed

Exercise – II.

Select the most appropriate antonyms for the words in italics.

Stale	diligent	triumphs	oblivion	retreats
vain	abolished	conceal	synthetic	exotic

1. While more schools should be established, child labour should be __________
2. When the army advances, the enemy __________
3. Only fools are __________ wise people remain modest.
4. Natural dyesare eco-friendly; __________ones are harmful.
5. Sometimes, the lazy ones prosper and the _________ ones suffer.
6. The survival rate of indigenous plants is better than that of_________ ones.
7. Many former heroes now live in __________ for public memory is short.
8. Statistics are often used not to reveal but to the __________ truth.
9. Although marketed as fresh, the vegetables were pretty__________
10. Neither defeats nor __________ should affect us.
Answers :
1. abolished
2. retreats
3. vain
4. synthetic
5. diligent
6. exotic
7. oblivion
8. conceal
9. stale
10. triumphs

Grammar : Prepositions

Preposition show a relationship between other words in a two sentences.
The relationship may be between a noun/pronoun and a verb or two nouns or two pronouns.

Types of Prepositions

There are some prepositions that are common in every type of preposition as they function in a versatile way. Those types of prepositions are given below in the table:

Prepositions of time — after, around, at, before, between, during, from, on, until, at, in, from, since, for, during, within
Prepositions of place — above, across, against, along, among, around, at, behind, below, beneath, beside, between, beyond, by, down, in, inside, into, near, off, on, opposite, out, over, past, through, to, toward, under, underneath
Prepositions of direction/movement: — at, for, on, to, in, into, onto, between
Prepositions of manner; by, on, in, like, with
Other types of prepositions: by, with, of, for, by, like, as

Rules of Prepositions

Rule 1 : A preposition cannot be followed by a verb. Verbs placed immediately after preposition must be in gerund form. Examples:

He prevented me from drinking hot water.
He insists on trying once again.

Rule 2 : When ‘object’ of the preposition is an Interrogative Pronoun What, Who, Whom, Which, Where etc., the preposition usually takes end or front position. Examples:

May I know who were you talking to?
What are you thinking of?

It used to be thought as ungrammatical, to end a sentence with a preposition, but it is now well accepted.

Rule 3 : When ‘object’ of the preposition is a relative Pronoun ‘that’, the preposition takes end position. Examples:

Here is the magazine that you asked for.
This is the dish that she is fond of.

Rule 4 : When the ‘object’ of the preposition is infinitive (to + verb), preposition is placed after infinitive. Examples:

This is a good hotel to stay at.
I need a pencil to write with.

Rule 5: In some sentences, preposition is attached with the verb. Examples:

I hate being laughed at.
This I insist on.

Rule 6: In interrogative sentences preposition comes in the beginning. Examples:

By which train did you come?
For whom was instructions given?

Verbs + Prepositions

1. Agree is a verb
to is a preposition
Agree to – Agree to some plan
Agree to some proposal
We agree to it.

2. Agree with — someone
I agree with him.

Appeal to (a person, higher court)
Regarding the case, I appeal to highcourt.
Appeal for — I appeal for top management
Appeal against — a decision
We appeal against the manager of the company
Apologies to (someone)
¡ apologise my brother when committed a mistake
Apolotise for (something — bad behaviour etc)
I apologise the hotel authorities for my friends behaviour,
Bring to (light — to make something known)
I bring to the notice of the principal about the incident in the college.
Being down (Prices)
The new government is focussing on bring down the prices
Brihng out (facts, abook)
I try to bring out at the meetirg.
Complain of (Something — pain etc.)
They complain of the suffering
Complain to (Someone)

I complain to Bank authorities about the money transaction
Complain against (Someone or something)
The team complain against the convenor

Personal pronous
I — we — you — he — she — it — They

Correponding forms used after prepositions
Me, us, you, him, her, it them

Pronouns after prepositions
He gave a book to me (Me — First-person Singular)
He likes all of us (Us — First person Plural)
I gave a book to you (You — Second person Singular or plural)
I gave a git to him (Him — Third person Singular Masculine)
He took the book from her (Her — third person Singular, Faminine)
I went to the library with them (Them — Third person Plural)

Some Commonly confused pairs of prepositions

The pen is in the box (‘in’ indicates a state of rest)
He came into the room (‘into’ indiëates movement)
He sat on the wall (on refers to things of rest)
The tiger jumped upon the deer (upon refers to things in motion)
He lives in Hyderabad (‘in’ is used with the names of countries and states etc)
He lives at Madhapur in hyderabad (‘at’ is used with the names of locations)
My house is by the market (by — near)
My house is beside the market (beside – by the side of)
Near my house, there is a theatre, besides a market (Besides — In addition to)
The match is between india and Pakistan (Between is used to refer two people)
The world up will be played among 16 teams (Among is used to refer to more than two people, two groups or two things)

Exercise — I

Fill In the blanks with the appropriate word.

1. The principal presided the meeting
2. The report dealt _______ the academic activities of the college.
3. The principal thanked the students _______ their cooperation
4. The chief guest congratulated the student _______ their performance.
5. He said that the secret _______ success lies in hardwork
6. He advised the staff not to quarrel themselves.
7. It would be wrong he said to complain each other
8. He pointed out that students depend them.
9. He warned that he would not put up any indiscipline.
10. _______ a brief speech, the chief guest gave away the prizes.
Answers:
1. over
2. with
3. for
4. on
5. of
6. among
7. about
8. upon
9. with
10. After

Exercise — II

Correct the common errors In the use of prepositions in the following sentences

1. He picked up a fight with me.
2. I ordered for a coffee
3. He replied me in the negative
4. He is unable to move from bed
5. They were talking something
6. This paper is inferior than that
7. Everyone should pray god
8. He will be cured from his fever
9. Write the answers with ink
10. This is a comfortable house to live
11. This building is built by bricks
12. I shall inform them this
Answers:
1. He picked a fight with me
2. I ordered a coffee
3. He replied to me in the negative
4. He is unable to move out of bed
5. They were talking about / of something
6. This paper is inferior to that
7. Every one should pray to god
8. He will be cured of his fever
9. Write the answers In ink
10. This is a comfortable house to live in
11. This building is built with bricks
12. I shall inform them about this.

Prepostional Phrases

A prepositional phrase is the preposition, the object of the preposition and all the
modifiers between the two Examples:

There are fruits in (Preposition) the basket (Object)
in – preposition
basket – object

They left just before us (modifier before the preposition) Phrase can function as either adjective phrases or adverb phrases to modify other words In a sentence.

Prepositional phrases functioning as Adverb Phrases
Example : It irritates me when people talk during a performance (during — Preposition,during a performance — The prepostitional phrase that functions as an adverb modifying the very talk)

Exercise III.

Fill in the planks with the appropriate prepositional phrases given in the box:

Incase of	instead of	in addition to	on behalf of	in anyway
out of	inspite of	according to	in favour of	on the whole

1. I gave a presentation all my classmates.
2. it was a pretty good film.
3. He withdraw his application his rival
4. _______ the heat, we all worked during summer
5. _______ of a fire, exit from the near window
6. Can I help you?
7. I would rather have water _______ a soft drink
8. We all have to work – government rules
9. He opened the attachment curiosity
10. _______ to the crew, there ware 60 passengers on the flight
Answers :
1. on behalf of
2. On the whole
3. in favour of
4. Inspite of
5. In case of
6. in anyway
7. instead of
8. according to
9. out of
10. In addition to

OU Degree 3rd Sem English Study Material

A Wrong Man in Workers’ Paradise Questions and Answers & Summary by Rabindranath Tagore

August 14, 2023 by Prasanna

OU Degree 3rd Sem English – A Wrong Man in Workers’ Paradise Questions and Answers & Summary

Comprehension – I.

Question 1.
What sort of things did the man do on earth?
Answer:
The man, who was the main character of the story, never believed in utility or in doing any useful work. And so, he indulged in mad whims and wishes. He was a painter and sculptor. He would spend his time in making small pieces of sculptures such as men, women and castles, and quaint earthen things dotted over with sea shells. Since he would waste his time on all useless and unnecessary things, people laughed at him. He spent his life on earth in doing such useless work.

Question 2.
What was the ‘mistake’ of the aerial messenger?
Answer:
The man was a painter and sculptor. He wasted his time on all useless and unnecessary things such as painting and sculpturing. People laughed at him. He spent his life on earth in doing useless work. Tagore’s genius as a writer has come to the fore, when he writes, “Some boys never ply their books and yet pass their examinations.”

Similar thing happened to this man. Though he had not done any useful and productive work on the planet Earth, he got invitation to paradise after his death. However, the aerial messenger, who took charge of this man, mistakenly sent him to the “Workers’ Paradise”.

Question 3.
How do people in Workers’ Paradise spend their time?
Answer:
The people in the Workers’ Paradise were busy in their work. For them, time was precious. They exclaimed that they hardly had time to spare. The women in the Workers’ Paradise would complain that they always had handful of work and were making use of every single minute. They would feel happy and exulted in doing work, without wasting a single minute of their time.

Question 4.
Why did the man not fit in with the others in Workers’ Paradise?
Answer:
The Workers’ Paradise was a place for work. The people living there were busy in their work. For them, time was precious and hardly had time to spare. They always had handful of work and were making use of every single minute. They would feel happy and exulted in doing work without taking any rest.

This was the scheme of things in the Workers’ paradise. Naturally, the newcomer (the man-artist)), who had spent his entire time on the planet Earth in doing useless things such as painting and sculptures, did not fit in well with the scheme of things in the Workers’ Paradise. He lounged in the streets absent-mindedly and was jostled by the hurrying men. He lay down in the green meadows, spent near a torrent (running stream) and still he was always in way of the busy farmers.

Question 5.
How is the girl described?
Answer:
The busy girl of the Workers’ Paradise is described as hustling and active. She went to the silent torrent to draw water in her pitcher (pot). The quick movement of her feet were compared with the rapid movement of a skilled hand oh the strings of a guitar. Her hair was carelessly done; a few inquisitive wisps of her hair flew on to her white forehead as if they were trying to peep into her beautiful eyes. Tagore’s artistic genius comes to the fore in the description of the girl in the story.

Question 6.
What was the girl’s initial impression of the man?
Answer:
When the girl first saw the unemployed man, she was filled with pity. Her feeling was like the feeling of a princess who sees a lonely beggar through her window and is filled with pity. The girl of the Workers’ Paradise felt that the man without work was equal to a beggar without food. Hence she showed pity towards him.

Question 7.
What did the girl do after taking home the painted pitcher?
Answer:
After taking home the painted pitcher, the girl held it in light, away from the prying eyes. She examined it from all angles. Even at night, she scanned the painting again, in silence and wonder. For the first time in her life, she had seen something that had no meaning and no purpose. The man’s painting had a profound effect on her behaviour and attitude towards life and work. The hurrying feet of the girl were slowing down. Now she was attracted to the art.

Question 8.
What is the effect of the man’s creations on the girl and others in Workers’ Paradise?
Answer:
The man’s painting had a profound effect on her behaviour and attitude towards life and work. The hurrying feet of the girl were slowing down. Now she was attracted to the art. Next time, the wrong man offered to make ribbons for her hair, the girl eagerly said, “And what for?” After receiving the coloured ribbons, she started spending a lot of time daily in tying the coloured ribbon round her hair.

As her time slid by, much of her work left unfinished. Because of the influence of the art and artist, work in the Workers’ Paradise began to suffer. Many people, who had been active before, were now idle. They were now spending their precious time on unnecessary things such as painting and sculpture.

Question 9.
What was the decision taken by the elders? Were they justified?
Answer:
Since the work in the Workers’ Paradise began to suffer, the anxious elders called for a meeting. All agreed that such a thing had not known in the history of Workers’ Paradise. Then the aerial messenger appeared and made a confession that he had mistakenly brought a wrong man into the Workers’ Paradise and felt that it was due to this man’s influence that the people of the Workers’ Paradise had become idle.

The artist was summoned and ordered to leave. The president justified the decision saying that Workers’ Paradise was not the place for the likes of the man. When the man was about to leave, the girl-of-the-silent-torrent wanted to go with the wrong man. The elders gasped in surprise because they had never seen a thing such as this in the Workers’ Paradise – a thing that had no meaning and no purpose at all.

Question 10.
What was the man’s reaction to the elders’ decision?
Answer:
When the president and elders of the Workers’ Paradise ordered him to leave, the man felt greatly relieved. He collected his brushes and paintings, and was about to leave, the girl-of-the-silent-torrent wanted to go with him. The elders gasped in surprise because they had never seen a thing such as this in the Workers’ Paradise – a thing that had no meaning and no purpose at all.

Comprehension – II.

Question 1.
The man indulged in “mad” whims and “wasted” his time painting. From whose point of view are these terms used? What is the author’s attitude towards the man and his preoccupations?
Answer:
In Rabindranath Tagore’s short story, ‘A Wrong Man in Workers’ Paradise’, the highlighted terms in the given sentence ‘The man indulged in “mad” whims and “wasted” his time painting are used from the point of view of the people who believe in the utilitarian philosophy of life.

The Utilitarianism propagates that every piece of work should have “utility”, “purpose” or “use”. The people who think that it is the utility or purpose that stimulates every human action and without use, there will be no human effort.

From the point of view of such people, the man (artist) did not believe in utility and had no useful work to do. Hence he indulged in “mad” whims and “wasted” his time on useless and unnecessary things such as painting and sculptures. He would spend his time in making small pieces of sculptures such as men, worsen and castles, and quaint earthen things dotted over with sea shells. Since he would waste his time on all useless and unnecessary things, the people who believe in utility laughed at him.

Rabindranath Tagore was a versatile genius and excelled in almost all art forms. Here in this story, he employs irony as a literary device with which he indirectly adorns the man-painter and sculptor- for indulging in mad whims, i.e., for following his heart. Tagore’s genius as a writer has come to the fore, when he writes, “Some boys never ply their books and yet pass their examinations.”

Similarly, after the death of an artist, the gates of Paradise flung open. It means that an artist is always destined to go to paradise, though s/he has not done any useful and productive work on the planet Earth. However, the aerial messenger who took charge of this man mistakenly sent him to the “Workers’ Paradise”. Thus the author shows positive attitude and high regards towards the man and his preoccupations with artistic creation.

Question 2.
Explain the gradual changes that come in the girl’s attitude towards the man.
Answer:
When the girl first saw the unemployed man, she was filled with pity. Her feeling was like the feeling of a princess who sees a lonely beggar through her window and is filled with pity. The girl of the Workers’ Paradise felt that the man without work was equal to a beggar without food. Hence she showed pity towards him.

When she enquired him about his work, he replied that he had not a moment to spare for work. The girl could not understand what he said and offered to spare some work for him. The man told her that he had been waiting there only to take some work from her. Finally, he requested the “girl of the silent torrent” to give him one of her pitchers (pots).

The busy girl enquired him if he would draw water from the torrent. But his reply. surprised her, when he said that he would like to draw pictures on her pitcher. Annoyed, the girl left the place saying that she had no time to waste on such people.

After his repeated persuasions, the girl spared a pitcher for this man. The man drew line after line, put colour after colour. He painted on the pitcher! When the girl stared at ‘ the painted pitcher and her eyes were filled with wonder and amazement. With surprise, she asked him about the purpose of the lines and colours. The man laughed and said that a picture never had any meaning and it never served any purpose.

At home, she held the painting in light, away from the prying eyes. She scanned it again in silence and wonder. For the first time in her life, she had seen something that had no meaning and no purpose. The man’s painting had a profound effect on her behaviour and attitude towards the man and towards her work. The hurrying feet of the girl were slowing down. Now she was attracted to the art.

Next time, the wrong man offered to make ribbons for her hair, the girl eagerly said, “And what for?” After receiving the coloured ribbons-, she started spending a lot of time daily in tying the coloured ribbon round her hair. As her time slid by, much of her work left unfinished. Finally, the elders of the Workers’ Paradise ordered the man to leave the place. She came forward to accompany him, leaving the elders in shock and surprise.

Question 3.
Describe the author’s view of the “.scheme of things” in Workers’ Paradise.
Answer:
Rabindranath Tagore’s Workers’ Paradise was a place for work. The people living there were busy in doing their work. For them, time was precious and hardly had time to spare. The men and women in Workers’ Paradise always had handful of work and were making use of every single minute. They would feel happy and exulted in doing their physical work without taking any rest. This was the scheme of things in the Workers’ paradise.

Naturally, the newcomer (the man/artist)), who had spent his entire time on the planet Earth in doing useless works such as painting and sculptures, did not fit in well with the scheme of things in the Workers’ Paradise.

He lounged in the streets absent-mindedly and was jostled by the hurrying men. He lay down in the green meadows, spent near a torrent (running stream) and still he was always in way of the busy farmers. The main purpose of the author seems to denounce the “scheme of things” of the Workers’ Paradise.

The routine and monotonous work done by the people of the Workers’ Paradise is likeself-inflicted slavery. The life in the Workers’ Paradise is boring and dull. In the absence of any art and recreation, life becomes drudgery. The presence of the artist on the planet Earth and in the Workers’ Paradise has provided some soothing effect on the ruffled minds of the mundane people. The artist represents life of leisure and recreation to human heart. Thus, the author takes the side of “the man”, i.e., the artist.

Question 4.
The man says, “A picture may have no meaning and may serve no purpose”. Explain the sentence in the context of the central idea of the story.
Answer:
The story ‘A Wrong Man in Workers’ Paradise’ illustrates the famous slogan “Art for art’s sake” coined in the early 19th century by French philosopher Victor Cousin. The slogan expresses the idea that true art needs no justification.

It does not need to serve any political, didactic, moral or practical purpose. However, art is valuable as art. The only purpose of art is the pursuit of pure beauty and pleasure. Rabindranath Tagore conveys this complex concept in a simple and humourous narrative. The story also reminds us of a popular proverb, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”.

In the story, the man says, “A picture may have no meaning and may serve no purpose”, but it gives happiness to our senses. An artistic creation such as painting, sculpture, literary work, song, etc., can arouse variety of emotions in human heart.

The aesthetic value of art cannot be measured on utilitarian scale. The central idea of Tagore’s story is “Art for art’s sake”. It means that art need riot have to teach values, give instructions or take sides. Still it can be enjoyed and appreciated even in the absence of its purpose.

The story begins with the line “The man never believed in utility” which means that the man never believed in doing things which are useful and productive. The girl-of-the- silent-torrent initially believed in mere routine work.

Later due to the influence of the man, she evolved into a different person who could appreciate the beauty of art. Finally, she decided to accompany the artist, when he was ordered to leave the Workers’ Paradise. The artist also successfully influenced other people in the Workers’ Paradise who of late developed passion for painting and sculptures, even at the cost of their mundane daily work.

Question 5.
The author presents the man as an idler and calls the other place “paradise”. Are we supposed to take his words literally or does he mean something different? Irony is a way of using words and tone to mean something quite opposite to what is actually being said. Discuss the author’s use of irony in the story.
Answer:
In his present story ‘A Wrong Man in Workers’ Paradise’, author Rabindranath Tagore presents the man as an idler and calls the other place “Paradise”. Since Tagore employs ‘irony’ as-the literary device to convey his message, we are not supposed to take his words literally. Irony is a way of using words and tone to mean something quite opposite to what is actually being said. Hence Tagore does mean something different from what he says in this story.

The man in the story is a painter and sculpture and does not believe in utility. Instead of doing useful and purposeful works, he indulges in mad whims and wishes on the planet Earth. The people who are driven by purpose and utility laugh at him.

Tagore feels that artists deserve paradise after their death. When the man enters the Workers’ Paradise after his death, he doe? not fit in with the scheme of things there. However with his artistic creation, the man influences the girl and other men and women of the Workers’ Paradise. Finally, they start indulging in mad whims and appreciating art.

The story presents two diametrically opposite worlds, i.e., the world of the idler (artist) and the world of the hustlers (people in the Workers’ Paradise). The two worlds are equally important. We can understand from the man’s attitude towards work and life that any work which gives happiness and pleasure to our mind and makes this world appear beautiful is quite significant.

The world of the idler/artist is important because it makes our mind happy and relaxed. In this world, we forget our despair and disappointment. Though the world of aesthetics seems to have no meaning and no purpose, it makes our life colourful. The world of Workers’ Paradise is also equally significant. Here physical work of the people can feed our mouths and helps us survive. Hence the art (mind) and physical work (body) are complimentary to each other and equally important.

Tagore uses the literary device ‘irony’ in order to convey his opinion about the intrinsic value of art. He opines that human beings should not always be driven by utilitarian motives, i.e., use and purpose. We need to have some recreation and know the aesthetic value of art.

Through this simple and humorous narrative, Tagore launches a subtle attack on tired people in die “Workers’ Paradise” who are obsessed with mundane and dull drudgery. Tagore also differs with the writers who believe that art should have a purpose. The author tries to convey the idea that art is valuable as art – Art for art’s sake. According to Tagore, the only objective of art is the pursuit of pure beauty and pleasure.

A Wrong Man in Workers’ Paradise Poem Summary in English

Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) was a versatile artistic genius – a poem novelist, playwright, painter, music composer, philosopher and visionary educationist. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913 for his seminal work “Gitanjali”. He was the first Asian to receive the Nobel Prize. He composed the national anthems of both India and Bangladesh.

As a visionary educationist, he founded the experimental school “Shantiniketan”. Tagore was given the honorific “Gurudev” by Mahatma Gandhi. Tagore was not only a great living institution but also the voice of India’s spiritual heritage in the Western world.

Rabindranath Tagore’s short fictional story A Wrong Man in Workers’ Paradise’ begins with the introduction of the protagonist (an artist). He was a painter and sculptor. The man never believed in utility or in doing any useful works. And so, he indulged in mad whims and wishes.

He would spend his time in making small pieces of sculptures such as men, women and castles, and quaint earthen things dotted over with sea shells. Since he would waste his time on all useless and unnecessary things, people laughed at him. He spent his life on earth in doing such useless work.

Tagore’s genius as a writer has come to the fore, when he writes, “Some boys never ply their books and yet pass their examinations.” Similarly, the man/artist after his death got invitation to paradise, though he had not done any useful and productive work on the planet Earth. The aerial messenger, who took charge of this man, mistakenly sent him to the “Workers’ Paradise”.

The people in the Workers’ Paradise were busy in their work. For them, time was precious. They exclaimed that they hardly had time to spare. The women in the Workers’ Paradise would complain that they always had handful work and were making use of every single minute. They would feel happy and exulted in doing work.

However, the newcomer (the man/artist)) did not fit in well with the scheme of things in Workers’Paradise. He lounged in the streets absent-mindedly and was jostled by the hurrying men. He lay down in the green meadows, spent near a torrent (running stream) and still he was always in the way of the busy farmers.

An active and hustling-bustling girl went every day to a silent torrent (silent since in the Workers’ Paradise even a torrent wouldn’t waste its energy singing) to Fill her pitchers with water. She seemed to be wasting no time at all and so her hair was carelessly done. The girl’s movements were compared with the rapid movements of a skilled hand on the strings of a guitar.

When the girl first saw the unemployed man, she was filled with pity. Her feeling was like the feeling of a princess who sees a lonely beggar through her window and is filled with pity. The girl of the Workers’ Paradise felt that the man without work was equal to the beggar without food. Hence she showed pity towards him.

Finally, he requested the “girl of the silent torrent” to give him one of her pitchers (pots). The busy girl enquired him if he would draw water from the torrent. But his reply surprised her, when he said that he would like to draw pictures on her pitcher.

Annoyed, the girl left the place saying that she had no time to waste on such people. After his repeated persuasions, the girl spared a pitcher for this man.’The man crew line after line, put colour after colour. He painted on the pitcher! When the girl ‘. stared at the art and her eyes were filled with wonder and amazement. With surprise, she asked him about the purpose of the lines and colours. The man laughed and said that a picture never had any meaning and it never served any purpose.

At home, she held the painting in light, away from the prying eyes. She scanned it again in silence and wonder. For the first time in her life, she had seen something that had no meaning and no purpose. The man’s painting had a profound effect on her behavior and attitude towards life and work. The hurrying feet of the girl were slowing (down.

Now she was attracted to the art. Next time, the wrong man offered to make ribbons for her hair, the girl eagerly said, “And what for?” After receiving the coloured ribbons, she started spending a lot of time daily in tying the coloured ribbon round her hair. As her time slid by, much of her work left unfinished.

Because of the influence of the art and artist, work in the Workers’ Paradise t regan to suffer. Many people, who had been active before, were now idle. They were m ow spending their precious time on unnecessary things such as painting and sculpture.

The anxious elders called for a meeting. All agreed that such a thing had not known in the history of Workers’ Paradise. Then the aerial messenger appeared and made a confession that he had mistakenly brought a wrong man into the Workers’ Paradise and felt that it was due to this man’s influence that the people of the Workers’ Paradise had become idle. The artist was summoned and ordered by the president to leave.

They justified their decision by saying that this was not the place for the likes of the man. When the president and elders of the Workers’ Paradise ordered him to leave, the man felt greatly relieved. He collected his brushes and paintings and about to leave. Suddenly, the girl-of-the-silent-torrent wanted to go with the wrong man. The elders gasped in surprise because they had never seen a thing such as this in the Workers’ Paradise – a thing that had no meaning and no purpose at all.

A Wrong Man in Workers’ Paradise Poem Summary in Telugu

రవీంద్రనాధ్ ఠాగూర్ ఒక మహ వ్యక్తి. ఆయన శాంతి నికేతన్ని స్ధాపించెను. ఆయన గీతాంజలి అనే గ్రంధాన్ని రచించినందుకు అయనకు నోబుల్ పరష్ఠరం లభించినది. ఆయన ఒక పని లేని వాడుగా గుర్తింపబడిన కళాకకారుడు ఒక పేరడైజ్ అనే ప్రదేశంలో అడుగుపెట్టినప్పుడు ఏమైనవి అనే అంశమే ఈ కధాంశము. ఆ పేరడైజ్లో ప్రజలు భశమించి ఒక నిమిషమైన విశ్రాంతి లేకుండా పనిచేస్తారు.

ఒక కణాకారుడు అక్కడ ప్రవేశించడానికి అనుమతి పొంది కొన్ని కళాఖండాలను చిన్న చిన్న నీది కుండలపై చిత్రిస్తారు. అతను ఆ పేరడైజ్ ప్రజలచేతే గెద్టింపబడతారు. రవీంద్రనాధ్ ఠగూర్ జాక్ అనే అబ్బాయికి పని మాత్రమే తెల్సి ఆటలాడే సమయం లేదటి అది ఆ ఆబ్బాయిని ఒక తెలివి తక్కువ వానిగా చేస్తుందనే హస్య కధాంశమే ఇది. కళ కళ కోసమే గాని దానికి ఎటువంటి నిరూపణలు అవసరం లేదని ఈ కధలో కవి రవీంద్రనాధ్ ఠాగూర్ చక్కగా వర్ణించారు.

A Wrong Man in Workers’ Paradise – Rabindranath Tagore

Glossary:

OU Degree 3rd Sem English Study Material

Life Poem Questions and Answers & Summary by Charlotte Bronte Poem

August 14, 2023August 14, 2023 by Prasanna

OU Degree 3rd Sem English – Life Poem Questions and Answers & Summary

Comprehension – I.

Question 1.
The poet says that sages describe life as dark and gloomy. Does she agree with them?
Answer:
Poet Charlotte Bronte says that sages describe life as dark and gloom. She does not agree with their conventional wisdom. She feels that life is not a dream, but is real. The poet reminds us that the clouds of gloom (difficulties) are only temporary; there will be the sunny hours of life, i.e., the moments of joy.

Question 2.
“O why lament its fall?” Whose fall is the poet referring to? Why does she ask us not to lament its fall?
Answer:
When the poet writes, “O why lament its fall?” She is referring to the ‘shower’, i.e., rainfall. She asks us not to lament the rainfall because it will make the roses bloom and blossom.

Question 3.
What do life’s “sunny hours” refer to, and according to the poet, how should we respond to them?
Answer:
In the present poem “Life”, the life’s “sunny hours” refer to “joyous moments” of our life which usually flit away. Poet Charlotte Bronte advises us to enjoy the beautiful moments of life “gratefully and cheerily” as they fly. She urges us to appreciate the value of the joyous moments that life has to offer.

Question 4.
According to the poet, why should we not lose hope?
Answer:
According to the poet, Charlotte Bronte, we should not lose hope in our life. She says that sometimes ‘hope’ seems to fell, but it is unconquered and knows no defeat. She encourages us not to be disheartened by temporary setbacks. According to the poet, with courage we can quell despair. She urges us to have positive attitude in all situations.

Question 5.
What seems to win initially and over what?
Answer:
Charlotte Bronte says that initially ‘sorrow’ seems to win over ‘hope’. In the battle of life, despair may seem more powerful initially. However, it is transient (temporary) only. Finally, it is ‘hope’ that is the ultimate winner.

Question 6.
What is described as “unconquered” and why?
Answer:
In the present poet Life, “hope” is described as “unconquered”. According to t poet Charlotte Bronte, ‘sorrow’ seems to win over ‘hope initially. However, it is only a temporary phenomenon. Ultimately, ‘hope’ shows resilience, will win eventually. Hence the poet describes ‘hope’ is unconquered and knows no defeat.

Question 7.
Throughout the poem, the poet uses images of nature-flowers, rain, birds and so on. Identify all the words and images associated with nature.
Answer:
Throughout the poem, the poet uses different images of nature. The imagery such as morning rain, pleasant day, clouds of gloom, shower, blooming roses, sunny hours, golden wings, etc. are closely associated with nature.

Comprehension – II.

Question 1.
Examine the poet’s view of life and how it differs from conventional
Answer:
Charlotte Bronte (1816-1855) was a 19th century English writer. She was one of the three Bronte sisters – Charlotte, Emily, and Anne. Like many women writers of her time, Charlotte Bronte originally published her poems and novels under a male pseudonym (pen name): Currel Bell. Her novel Jane Eyre (1847) is considered a classic of Western literature.

In the present poem, Charlotte Bronte feels that life is not a dream, but real. Conventional wisdom describes life as full of problems and despair. However, the poet differs with sages and their conventional wisdom of life. She views that life is not as dark as sages/wise people usually describe.

Charles Bronte reminds us that we have to face the moments of joy as well as sorrow, hope as well as despair in life. She urges us to have a positive attitude and not be disheartened by temporary setbacks. The poet says,

“Sometimes there are clouds of gloom,
But these are transient all;”

The poet encourages us to look beyond the immediate disappointments and appreciate the pleasures that life has to offer. She asks us,

“If the shower will make the roses bloom,
O why lament its fall?”

Bronte urges us to enjoy the “Life’s sunny hours” (happy moments in life) gratefully and cheerily. There will be times when “sorrow seems to win, /O’er hope.” Bronte adds that “Hope again elastic springs.” The spring is the season of rebirth. In this way, the poet’s views about life are positive and full of hope. Thus her views about life are different from the conventional wisdom which describes it as a sorrowful and full of despair.

Question 2.
Explain the attitude to life that the poet is recommending in the poem Life.
Answer:
Charlotte Bronte (1816-1855) was a 19th-century English writer. Her novel Jane Eyre (1847) is considered a classic of Western literature. In the present poem, Charlotte Bronte recommends a positive attitude to life. She feels that life is not a dream, but real. According to sages and their conventional wisdom, life is full of problems and despair.

However, the poet differs with them. She views that life is not as dark as sages/wise people usually describe. She also motivates us to face the moments of joy as well as sorrow, hope as well as despair in life. The poet says,

“Sometimes there are clouds of gloom,
But these are transient all;”

Charles Bronte urges us to have a positive attitude and not be disheartened by temporary setbacks. She encourages us to look beyond the immediate disappointments and appreciate the pleasures that life offers. She asks us,

“If the shower will make the roses bloom,
O why lament its fall?”

According to Bronte, we should learn to value the happy moments of life and enjoy them when life offers them. She urges us to enjoy “Life’s sunny hours” (happy moments in life) gratefully and cheerily. She considers life as a battle between hope and despair. In the battle of life, there-will be times when “sorrow seems to win, / O’er hope.”

But they are transient/temporary such as clouds of gloom. Sometimes, ‘hope’ may seem to fell down. Ultimately, it is unconquered and knows no defeat. Bronte adds that “Hope again elastic springs” with her golden wings can bear us all. The spring is the season of rebirth.

In end of the poem, the poet says that if we adopt positive attitude towards our life, we can face the problems manfully and fearlessly; and gloriously and victoriously. According to the poet, we can quell despair, with our courage.

Question 3.
Discuss the language and tone of the poem Life.
Answer:
Charlotte Bronte (1816-1855) was a 19th century English writer. She was one of the three Bronte sisters – Charlotte, Emily, and Anne. Like many women writers of her time, Charlotte Bronte originally published her poems and novels under a male pseudonym (pen name): Currel Bell. Her novel Jane Eyre (1847) is considered a classic of Western literature.

Charlotte Bronte is a poetic genius. In her poem, she is able to express her views about life effectively. Accordingly, she uses simple and lucid language to express very complex philosophical aspects of life. Nowhere in the poem can we see any unnecessary word. This shows her aptness in writing poetry. The verse (poem) is simple in its structure as well. The lines such as, Life, believe, is not a dream”, can be understood by even a layman.

The tone adopted by Charlotte Bronte is positive and is optimistic. Nowhere in the poem can we find a negative tone. The softness with which the voice of the poem speaks out will have a soothing effect on the ruffled minds. Her encouraging tone to face moments of joy as well as sorrow, hope as well as despair in life will fill our minds with positive vibrations. Due to the apt language and tone, she is successful in expressing her views about life in a convincing manner.

Question 4.
Describe the imagery and its effectiveness in the poem Life.
Answer:
In the poem Life, imagery is used aptly. With the suitable imagery and symbols, beauty is added to the ideas of the poet, Charlotte Bronte. The poet uses imagery, such as, dream, morning rain, pleasant day, clouds of gloom, the shower, blooming roses, sunny hours, Death, Hope, golden wings, etc., to convey her views about life in an effective way.

The poem begins with the line, “Life, believe, is not a dream” Dream symbolizes something that is not true. For the poet, life is real and serious and urges us to live in reality. Early in the poem, she remarks that “morning rain” can foretell a “pleasant day.” Similarly, “clouds of gloom” represent the problems that we have face in our life. She says that “these are transient all”. It means that the human problems are temporary in nature and they pass away with the passing time.

In order to convey her positive outlook towards life, Charlotte Bronte uses the image of “blooming roses” and “sunny hours” of life. She explains that the shower (rain) will help rose bloom. Similarly, the image of “sunny hours” symbolizes ‘the happy moments in our life’ that we have to enjoy gratefully and cheerily.

The images of “Death” and “Hope” are personified giving them the attributes of living beings. According to the poet, hope, though sometimes seems fell, “elastic springs” and is unconquered and knows no defeat. With ‘her golden wings” hope can bear us all. Thus the imagery used in this poem is apt and suitable to the theme of the poem.

Question 5.
Bring out the main argument of the poem and judge whether it is convincing.
Answer:
In her poem titled “Life”, Charlotte Bronte puts forth an argument which can inject a positive attitude into our life. She feels that life is not a dream, but it is real. She opposes the conventional wisdom that describes life as full of problems and despair. For the poet, life is not as dark as sages/wise people usually describe. She also motivates us to face the moments of joy as well as sorrow, hope as well as despair in life. The poet says,

“Sometimes there are clouds of gloom,
But these are transient all;”

Charles Bronte urges us to have a positive attitude and not be disheartened by temporary setbacks. The poet encourages us to look beyond the immediate disappointments and appreciate the pleasures that life has to offer. She asks us,

“If the shower will make the roses bloom,
O why lament its fall?”

The poet urges us to enjoy the “Life’s sunny hours” (happy moments in life) gratefully and cheerily. Otherwise the joyous moments will fly away unnoticed. There will be times when “sorrow seems to win, / O’er hope.” But as the poet believes, “Hope again elastic springs” is unconquered and knows no defeat. Ultimately, it is hope that wins. Here, spring refers to the season of rebirth. With courage, we can quell despair.

The language adopted by Charlotte Bronte in the poem is lucid and simple. The tone of the poem is also optimistic and convincing. She says that we have to face moments of joy as well as sorrow, hope as well as despair in life. She expresses her views in a convincing manner.

Life Poem Summary in English

Charlotte Bronte (1816-1855) was a 19th-century English writer. She was one of the three Bronte sisters Charlotte, Emily, and Anne. like many women writers of her time, Charlotte Bronte originally published her poems and novels under a male

pseudonym (pen name): Currel Bell. Her novel Jane Eyre (1847) is considered a classic of Western literature. In this poem, Charlotte Brontë believes that life Is not a dream, but is real. She differs with the conventional wisdom in which sages (wise people) describe life is full of gloom and darkness.

The poet reminds us that we have to face the moments of joy as well as sorrow, hope as well as despair In life. Charles Bronte urges us to have a positive attitude and not be disheartened by temporary setbacks. The poet says,

“Sometimes there are clouds of gloom,
But these are transient all;”

The poet encourages us to look beyond the immediate disappointments and appreciate the pleasures that life has to offer. She asks us,

“If the shower will make the roses bloom,
O why lament its fall?”

Bronte urges us to enjoy the “Life’s sunny hours” (happy moments in life) gratefully and cheerily. There will be times when “sorrow seems to win, I O’er hope.” Bronte adds that “Hope again elastic springs.” The spring is the season of rebirth.

The poet uses imagery, such as, morning rain, pleasant day, Death, Hope, clouds of gloom, the shower, the roses, sunny hours golden wings, etc., to convey her views about life in an effective way. Early in the poem, she remarks that “morning rain” can lead to a “pleasant day.”

The language used by Charlotte Bronte is lucid and simple. The tone of the poem is optimistic. She says that we have to face moments of joy as well as sorrow, hope as well as despair In life. She expresses her views in a convincing and effective manner.

Life Poem Summary in Telugu

భ్రాంటే సిస్టర్సులో అందరికంటే పెర్ద వారైన చార్లట్ భ్రాంటీ నవలలు, పద్యాలు ఏ్రాసి గొప్ప పేరు, కీర్తి సంపాదించారు. ‘Life’ అనబడే ఈ పద్యము, జీవిత సత్యములను; ఎంతో ఆకట్టుకొనే రీతిలో చూవిన్తున్నది. జీవితము అనేది సంతోషము మరియు విచారము అను రెండు అంశముల కలయిక అని కవి వర్ణించారు. జీవితము ఒక కలవందిదని, దాని వలన ఏ ప్రయోజనము లేదని, ఋషులు తలంచుచుందురు.

ఉదయ కాల వర్షము, అ రోజున మంచి ఆవ్లాదకరంగా ఉంటుందని చూపిస్తుంది. విచారమును సూచించు మేఘములు, అనછికాలంలోనే త్రోలవేేబడతాయి. గులాది పూలు రాలిపోతాయి. అందువలన నిరాశ కలుగుతుంది. కానీ త్వరలోనే క్రాత్త పూలు వచ్చి, తమ సహాయము లేకుండా ఈ ప్రకృతిని తియ్యని సువాసనతో నింపుతున్నాయి. సంతోషమైన ఘుడియలు వస్తాయి.

చాలా తక్కువ సమయంలో వై్లిపోగా, విచారకరమైన వార్తలు ముందుకు వస్తాయి. ఒక్క్క్క్ సమయంలో విచారం గెలించిందని, అది ఖాయమయ్యింది అని తలంచగలము. మొదట్లో అది నిజముగానే కనబడుతుంది. కానీ చివరికి ఒక ఐలమైన కోరిక మనసులో కలిగి అది బలపడుతుంది.

ఈ సత్యములను చార్లట్ బ్రాంటీ వరుసగా బ్రాశారు మరియు ప్రతి వ్యక్తికి మంచి భవిష్యత్తు ఉంటుంది. అని కూడా చెప్పారు. అందుచేత అైపుగా ప్రయత్నించడానికి గొప్ప ఆశ కలిగియుండాలి. అనేకమైన సంతోషాలు అనుభవించడానికి ఉన్నాయి. మనోనిబ్బరము ముండు తాత్కాలిక అపజయాలు నిలబడలేపు.

ఈ అవర్రాల గుండా, ఒక వ్యక్తిని ధైర్యము అనేది నడుపగలదు. మనిషి చేరవలసిన గమ్యము విజయము. అందుకోరకు ధైర్యముగల హృదయం కావాలి. నిరాశను అణగద్రోక్కుము. జీవితము పట్ల సానుకూల ప్రవర్తన కలిగియుండును. ఈ విధంగా జీవిస్తూ, జీవింతో వచ్చే సవాళ్లకు అనుకూలంగా స్పందించాలి.

పద్యంలో images ఉన్నాయి. విచారము అనే మేఘాలు, పూస్తున్న గులాబీలు, మరణం, స్పింగ్ సీజన్ను, అశ యొక్క బంగారు రెక్కు మరియు ఫైర్యము మొదలైనవి జీవితంలో ఎదురయ్యే విషయములైయున్నవి. వ్యతిరేక ఆలోచనలు, భావనలు పారద్రోలాలి మరియు ఒక ఘనమైన భవిష్యత్తును ఆహ్వానించాలి.

Life – Charlotte Bronte

LIFE, believe, is not a dream
So dark as sages say;
Oft a little morning rain
Foretells a pleasant day.
Sometimes there are clouds of gloom,
But these are transient all;
If the shower will make the roses bloom,
O why lament its fair?

Rapidly, merrily,
Life’s sunny hours flit by,
Gratefully, cheerily
Enjoy them as they fly!

What though Death at times steps in,
And calls our Best away?
What though sorrow seems to win,
O’er hope, a heavy sway?
Yet Hope again elastic springs,
Unconquered, though she fell;
Still buoyant are her golden wings,
Still strong to bear us well.
Manfully, fearlessly,
The day of trial bear,
For gloriously, victoriously,
Can courage quell despair!

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OU Degree 3rd Sem English Study Material

Shakespeare Retold Julius Caeser Questions and Answers & Summary William by Shakespeare

August 14, 2023August 14, 2023 by Prasanna

OU Degree 1st Sem English – Shakespeare Retold Julius Caeser Questions and Answers & Summary

Question 1.
How does Brutus justify the assassination of Caesar?
Answer:
In his speech to the Roman crowd after Caesar’s assassination, Brutus emphasizes first that the he was Caeser’s best friend, but that he had to kill him for the good of Rome. In short, he claims that his action demonstrated “not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more”.

It was out of a sense of duty to the Roman Republic, which Brutus argued was under threat due to Caesar’s ambition. As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as a valiant, I honor him, but as he was ambitious, I slew him.

He concludes his speech by offering the citizens of Rome a stark choice, essentially arguing that had Caesar survived, he would have deprived them of their status as citizens of a free republic, and because none wanted to see that happen. Brutus says, “none have I offended.” The crowd agrees with Brutus, but of course is then swayed by Antony’s oration, which drew heavily on pathos.

Brutus and the conspirators Kill Julius Caesar because they believe he is bent on tyranny and is set to dissolve the senate. When Cassius speaks to Brutus to convince him that Caesar must be killed before he can be crowned emperor, Brutus compares Caesar to a serpent.

Thus the murder of Caesar is justified by Brutus as a way of defending the integrity of the state. If Caesar lived, according to Brutus, then all of Rome would have been subject to the will of Caesar. He goes to grea. lengths to paint Caesar as the ambitions figure and to depict himself as a humble servant of Rome.

Question 2.
Describe how Antony employs irony in his speech.
Answer:
Mark Antony, who is a true friend of Caesar, promises Caesar’s soul that he’d seek revenge against the conspirators for his brutal murder. Shakespeare employes dramatic irony when Brutus takes Antony’s promise of not saying anything against the conspirators in front of the crowd for the audience know Antony’s true intentions already. Unfortunately for Brutus, Antony gets a chance to address the Plebeians alone. Antony’s speech is one of the finest and most remembered.

The speech functions to nullify the effect of Brutus’ convincing explanation of Caesar’s murder, to hide his own intentions of revenge, to bring a culmination to the conspirators scheme of veiling their brutal act, and to shift the mood of the mob.

Antony knows that the crowd is convinced that Caesar’s murder happened in the best interest of Rome. He carefully tries to take a neutral ground to win the trust of the crowd. He says that Caesar is remembered for evil things after his death for the people of Rome forgot his good deeds.

He makes the Plebeians believe that the act of murder was not noble and aroused from hatred by showing them the brutally stabbed body of Caesar. He strategically reads out Caesar’s will in the end that piques the mob to seek revenge against the conspirators. He had Caesar’s will bequeathing money and lands to the citizens. Antony had his strong emotions of love for his dead friend Caesar and hatred for the men who had killed him. Antony shows unexpected eloquence in his oratory.

Question 3.
What are the similarities in the two orations of Brutus and Mark Antony?
Answer:
In William Shakespeare’s play, Juluis Caesar there is a major difference between two of the characters, Brutus and Mark Antony. Brutus was very honorable and Antony was very persuasive. When Brutus spoke at Caesar’s funeral, he appealed to the people’s logic and Antony spoke to the emotions of the people. Antony is very smart and uses his brain frequently during the play and Brutus is very naive about many of things. Brutus speech was very short and to the point and spoke to the logic of the people in the crowd.

Brutus spoke in a detached way about Caesar’s death while Antony spoke the to the emotions of the crowd by crying and talking about all the good things that Caesar did for Rome. Antony’s intelligence was very apparent throughout the play and Brutus appeared to be naive. Antony was manipulative in his emotional approach to persuade people to become outraged at Brutus. There is more of difference than similarities between the two characters which appears to be their ability and inability to be both honorable and persuasive.

Question 4.
What was the effect of Antony’s oration on the crowd?
Answer:
Antony’s speech at Caeser’s funeral is a masterpiece of rhetoric. He uses it to rally the people of Rome to his side against Brutus and the other conspirators who killed caeser. When Antony addresses the crowd, he skillfully undermines Brutus’s speech without even appearing to do so.

He never condemns Brutus directly, in fact he keeps on calling Brutus ‘an honourable man’ while at the same time contradicting Brutus claims that Caesar was too ambitious and therefore had to be killed. He does this by citing instances of Caesar’s generosity and compassion for the people, and also the time when Caesar refused to take a crown that was offered to him.

When Caesar’s friend Antony comes to the pulpit to address the crowd, public opinion is very much in favour of the conspirators. Antony can not condemn the conspirators without harm to himself. He claims he has no intention of praising his dead friend; he praises the murders instead as ‘honourable men’. He says that if Caesar was ambitious as described by Brutus, then his murder was indeed justified.

He presents many arguments to prove that Caesar was not ambitious, while at the same time enumerating Caesar’s good qualities. He uses emotional appeals to stir the crowd. Not once does he say anything against the conspirators, but his clever speech hits its mark.

The crowd reasons that if Caesar was not ambitious as claimed by Brutus, then his murder was a grave injustice. The mood of the commoners changes sharply once again, and they cry out for the blood of the murderers. This was the effect of Antony’s speech on the crowd.

Annotate the following lines in about 250 words each.

Question 1.
It is not that I loved Caesar less than anyone else, but that I loved Rome more than everything else.
Answer:
The Poem (prose form) and the Poet: The given words I are powerfully pursuasive. They are from the most popular poet of all ages William Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar”. Act III Scene 2 contains these words. “Julius Caesar” is the touching tragedy from the Bard of Avon.

The Context: Caesar was a popular Roman general and statesman. Growing jealous of his rising popularity, Brutus and party killed Caesar cruelly. But they were worried that people might revolt against them. They wanted to explain to people the reason for their killing and defend themselves. Brutus used these words in that context.

The Meaning : Brutus appealed for patient listening. He requested the citizens to be calm. He pleaded for wise judgement. Then he went on to explain his stand. He declared, that he loved Caesar as any other Roman loved Caesar. But, he quickly added, he loved Rome the most. He implied that his love for Rome led him to kill Caesar to save Rome from him. His love for Rome was more than his love for Caesar.

The Significance : The words highlight the pursuasive power of Brutus. They also show us that logic and rhetoric play a pivoted role in moulding public opinion. Simple words here serve a profound purpose. They also prove that the pen is mightier than the sword.

Question 2.
Let Brutus become our ruler !
Answer:
The Poem and the Poet: This cryptic but powerful imperative and exclamatory sentence is taken from “Shakespeare Retold : Julius Caesar”. The piece is the prose version of a short extract from Act III, Scene 2 of “Julius Caesar”. “Julius Caesar” is one of the greatest tragedies composed by William Shakespeare, the most mesmerizing creative genius this world has ever seen.

The Context: Caesar was a very popular Roman general. Brutus and his party assassinated Caesar brutally. They just couldn’t tolerate Caesar grow in fame and power. But they were afraid that people might revolt against them. So, Brutus said to the citizens th.it they killed Caesar only to save Rome and Romans from his cruel rule.

The crowd was convinced. They believed that Brutus was their saviour. It is then, one of tin- citizens assembled at the funeral said these words. The Explanation : Brutus defended their cruel killing of Caesar. The mob was mesmerized. The credulous crowd accepted every word Brutus said as right. They wanted their saviour Brutus to be their ruler. That desire is expressed in these words of the third citizen at the funerals of Caesar. The words express the crowd’s collective will to see Brutus as their ruler.

The Significance: “Brevity is the soul of wit” is a famous saying from Shakespeare. And this great master practised what he preached. The given sentence is an excellent example of that ‘soul of wit’. In these five words, the speaker expressed what others need volumes to convey. The words are significant from another point of view also. They reflect the impact of Brutus’ words on the crowd. Thus the words serve multiple purposes.

Question 3.
I’m not here to contradict Brutus, but only to speak about what I do know.
Answer:
The Poem and the Poet : We come across these wonderful words in “Shakespeare Retold : Julius Caesar.” The piece is the paraphrase of a small section from scene 2, Act III of “Julius Caesar”. This great historical tragedy flowed out from the mighty pen of William Shakespeare. The whole world regards Shakespeare as the poet of all ages.

The Context: Caesar, the popular Roman general, was brutally assassinated by Brutus and team. At the funeral procession, Brutus spread blatant lies about Caesar. With his speech skills, Brutus convinced tire crowd that he was their saviour.

The mob was carried away by the rhetoric. Then, it was the turn of Mark Antony to address the gathering. Antony was a loyal friend of Caesar. He knew well what all Brutus said was wrong. He was already warned not to say anything against Brutus. In this context Antony said these words.

The Explanation : Antony here said that he did not want to condemn Brutus. His purpose was not to say anything against Brutus. His intention was clear. He just wanted to tell them what he knew. He did not want to say anything else. He loved to present facts.

The Significance: The words sound simple. They came straight from the heart of the honest Antony. He knew well what Brutus said was falsehood. Yet, he could not say it openly. He could not, at the same time, keep quiet too. His will and wit showed him the way. He claimed that he would not oppose Brutus. Yet, he asserted that he would state what he knew! The words serve a great purpose.

Question 4.
If that’s true, certain people are going to pay dearly for what they have done.
Answer:
The Poem and the Poet : These words to precise prediction are a part of “Shakespeare Retold : Julius Caesar”. The selection is from the tragic play “Julius Caesar”. It was penned by William Shakespeare. The great poet dramatist is respected all over the world as the greatest writer.

The Context: Caesar was assassinated. And his murderers projected Caesar as ambitious and tyrannical. Brutus presented that false picture at the funeral procession. Mark Antony, a loyal friend of Caesar, spoke later. He presented facts cleverly and correctly. The crowd saw through the schemes of Brutus and his associates. Then, the first citizen responded in the given words.

The Explanation: The crowd understood what Antony said was correct. The first citizen then said that the evil-doers must pay a heavy price for their sins. Antony explained to them the good deeds, of Caesar. Hence the citizens declared that killing Caesar was a serious crime. The criminals, therefore, should be punished severely.

The Significance: This comment from a citizen indicates the success of Antony in adverse conditions. It also proves that no one can fool everyone all the times. It indicated what would happen to the brutal and cruel Brutus and his friends. It shows that good will certainly – sooner or later – win over evil. The words are remarkable for the cautious approach of the citizens.

Pronunciation

Approximants

Approximants are consonant sounds that are produced by bringing one speech organ (such as the tongue or lips) close to another without actually touching it. This group of sounds includes /l/, /r/,/j/ and /w/. It is a consonant that sounds in some ways like a vowel. For example, lateral approximants like the sounds for ‘l’ in the English word ‘Like’, the sound for ‘r’ in the English word ‘right’ and semivowels like the sound for ‘y’ in ‘yes’ and the sound for ‘w’ in wet are all approximants.

Approximant	In initial position	In medial position	In final position
/l/	lamp, lid	flower, silly	call, feel
/r/	rain, ribbon	stream, carrot	– –
/j/	yellow, union	beauty, pupil	– –
/w/	water, one	always, squeeze	– –

1. The letter 7’ is silent in certain words like talk, half, calm, should, would i.e., there is no /l/ sound in these words.
2. When the letter V is followed by a consonant, its /r/ sound is unheard, e.g. bark, curd, port, interview.
3. When the letter ‘r’ comes at the end of a word, its /r/ sound is not pronounced in British English; e.g Better, Car, Fur, Singer
4. In British English, the sound of the phoneme /r/ is heard only when the letter /r/ is followed by a vowel sound, e.g.: break, drive, hundred, rat.
5. When the letter ‘w’ is followed by the letter /r/, the /w/ sound is unheard, E.g: Write, Wrong, Wriggle

Exercise:

Write down the approximate consonant sound represented by the underlined letters in the given words.

1. twing /w/
2. badly /l/
3. greeting /r/
4. student /j/
5. crazy /r/
6. new /j/
7. healthy /l/
8. rupees /r/
9. young /j/
10. wine /w/

Do the following sounds contain any approximant consonant sounds? If yes, which one? If no, put a cross against the word.

1. queen — queen /w/
2. card — x (No approximate sound)
3. future — future /j/
4. apple — apple /l/
5. half — x
6. heart — x
7. wrist — wrist /r/
8. balm — x
9. whom — x
10. yolk — yolk /j/
11. never — x
12. wallet — wallet /w/and /I/
13. traffic — taffic /r/
14. colonel — Colonel /I/
15. two — x
16. cow — x
17. palm — x
18. answer — x
19. chalk — x
20. sword — x

Grammar

Adverb

Adverbs are words used to modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. They add meaning to the ‘word they’ modify.

Example
1. The old man walks slowly
adverb slowly modifies the verb walks

2. This place is very peaceful
adverb very modifies the adjective peaceful

3. The news came quite suddenly
adverb quite modifies the adverb suddenly

There are different types of adverbs.

Adverb type	Tells us….	Example
Manner	how something happens	She came in quickly.
Frequency	how often something happens	He goes to the market daily
Time	When something happens	Students have a farewell party today
Place	Where something happens	He wants us to wait outside his room
Degree	the intensity or degree of something	The new shop is too far

Example
1. Sita was running
Sita was running fast → Adverb to say how

2. I met Lilly
I met Lilly at coffee shop → Adverb to say where

3. Our office starts
Our office starts at nine sharp → Adverb to say when

4. Roohi goes to shopping
Roohi usually goes to shopping → Adverb to say how often.

5. Neha is coming to the restaurant
Neha is certainly coming to the → restaurant Adverb to say how certain we are.

Exercise

Fill in the blanks with suitable adverbs, using the adjectives in brackets as clues. In the space provided after it, write down what kind of adverb it is.

1. Come quickly before it finishes [quick]
[Adverb of manner]

2. Although he is a good student, he did not do well in the exam, [good]
[Adverb of manner]

3. Telugu is my mother tongue. I speak it fluently [fluent]
[Adverb of manner]

4. He did not complete the course as easily as he thought he would, [easy]
[Adverb of degree]

5. I reached on time because I left home early [early]
[Adverb of time]

Correct the error in the use of adverbs in each of the following sentence. If there is no error in the sentence, put a tick mark in the space provided

1. My sister always worked hardly
My sister always worked hard.

2. He is driving too fastly.
He is driving too fast.

3. He is dressed casually No Error

4. The plane flew highly in the sky.
The plane flew high in the sky

5. The pan is really hot.
No error

Fill in each blank with the correct adverb from the choices given below.

1. Mrs Reddy had begun the class early. I had been late “Sometimes and was punished severely for it.
I decided to sneak into class. I tiptoed in quickly from the back door and slip into my seat quietly before she noticed.

2. I go to the park every evening. I often run into my neighbour, Tara. Herpet dog wags its tail happily when it sees me.

Vocabulary

Palindromes

A palindrome is a word, phrase, number, or other sequence of symbols that reads the same backward as forward. It is read the same way from either direction.

Exercise

Fill in each blank with a palindrome based on the give clue.

1. When both hands of a clock are on 12, and the sun is overhead noon.
2. A part of the body eye
3. A male member of the family dad
4. A female member of the family mom
5. The smallest palindromic number greater than a 11
6. The next palindromic number after the one above 22
7. The smallest palindromic number greater than 99 101
8. The greatest palindromic number less than 99 88

Spelling

Derived Forms of Words

A Word may exist in several forms – noun, verb, adjective, adverb. For example, the noun carefulness has the adjective careful and the adverb carefully as its derived forms. It is important to note the spelling of these various forms.

For e.g.

grace (N), gracing (V), graceful (Adj), gracefully (Adv)
mistake (N), mistaking (V), mistaken (Adj), Mistakenly (Adv)
separator (N), separating (V), separate (Adj), separately (Adv)

Exercise

Complete the following table with the derived forms of the words already in the table.

Noun	Verb	Adjective	Adverb
attraction	attract	attractive	attractively
reduction	reduce	reducible	reducibly
worship	worshipping	worshipful	worshipfully
securement	secure	securable	securely
collection	collect	collectable	collectively
activation	activate	active	actively
glory	glorify	glorious	gloriously
Power	empower	powerful	powerfully

Punctuation

Inverted Comma (”) or (” “)
The inverted comma (also called a quotation mark) is a punctuation mark used in pairs to set off a speech, a quotation, a phrase or a word.
For example
Shakespear said : “All the world’s a stage.
‘What do you mean?’ Justin asked The ‘rambutan’ is a kind of fruit

Note : Inverted commas may be used singly (‘ ’) or doubly (“ ”).
Single inverted commas are preferred in British English
American English uses double inverted commas.

Uses
1. We use them in the direct speech
eg : She said to him, “What is your name?”
“I hope you will be here,” he said.

2. To quote someone word to word
eg : He told us that we ‘must attend’ the meeting.

3. To enclose titles of articles short poems, and short stones
eg : ‘A Psalm of Life’ by Longfellow.

4. To enclose definitions
eg : The abbreviation GMT stands for ‘Greenwich Mean Time’

5. To indicate irony, inaccuracy, or unusual use.
eg: Your ‘friend’ Danny stole your money.

Exercise

I. Identify the sentence that has been punctuated correctly.

1. Aman told me that he was going to Paris next week.
Aman told me ‘that he was going to Paris next week’.
Aman told me, that he was going to Paris next week.
Answer:
Aman told me that he was going to Paris next week.

2. Ali said I’m giving up smoking from tomorrow.
Ali said ‘I’m giving up smoking from tomorrow’.
Ali said, ‘I’m giving up smoking from tomorrow.’
Answer:
Ali said, ‘I’m giving up smoking from tomorrow.’

3. ‘Yes’, said Laila, ‘I’ll be happy to cover your shift.’
‘Yes, said Laila’, ‘I’ll be happy to cover your shift.’
‘Yes’, said Laila, I’ll be happy to cover your shift.
Answer:
‘Yes’, said Laila, ‘I’ll be happy to cover your shift.’

4. ‘Come.’ said Darshan, ‘let’s go.’
‘Come’, said Darshan, ‘let’s go.’
‘Come’, said Darshan, ‘let’s go.’
Answer:
‘Come’, said Darshan, ‘let’s go.’

II. Punctuate the following sentences by using, wherever necessary, capitals and all the punctuation marks you have learnt so far.

Question 1.
mary is trying hard to complete the project her friend said.
Answer:
“Mary is trying hard to complete the project,” her friend said.

Question 2.
no the man answered curtly i don’t care.
Answer:
“No,” the man answered curtly, “I don’t care.’

Question 3.
Invictus is a short Victorian poem by the english poet william emest henley
Answer:
“Invictus” is a short Victorian poem by the English poet William Ernest Henley.

Question 4.
my father told me that he won’t give me pocket money anymore.
Answer:
My father told me that he won’t give me pocket money anymore.

Question 5.
yes of course she replied i’ll take care of it.
Answer:
“Yes, of course,” she replied, “I’ll take care of it.”

Conversation

Interview Skills

Preparing for an Interview : Preparing for an interview helps you face the panel of interviewers with confidence. Remember the following points when you are preparing for an interview.

Brush up on the subject or the area related to the interview and update yourself on recent developments.
Prepare answers to some general questions you think the interviewers will ask; e.g., Tell us a little about yourself; Why do you want to be with us?; What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Arrange the papers and certificates that you may be asked to produce neatly in a folder.
Wear something formal and comfortable for the occasion.
Plan to reach the place of the interview a little early as this will give you time to familiarise yourself with your surroundings and to relax.
Think positive, pleasant thoughts and try to regulate your breathing to remain calm.

Facing an Interview

1. Wait for your name to be announced, and knock or seek permission before you enter.

2. Greet the people in the room formally, but in a pleasant manner.

3. Do not sit down until you are asked to.

4. Look at the interviewers. Be conscious about making eye contact with the person speaking to you and of maintaining a proper and relaxed body posture and a steady tone of voice, which should not be either too loud or too soft.

5. Remember not to interrupt the. interviewer and allow him/her to finish speaking before you respond.

6. Listen carefully to the interviewers’ questions and comments, and speak clearly and at a moderate pace to avoid having anyone repeat themselves.

7. In case you do not hear a question you are asked, or if you do not understand it, you could politely ask for it to be repeated or explained. For example: I’m sorry, but could you repeat the question, please; or I’m afraid I’m not sure what you mean. Are you asking me if I… ?; or Could you clarify the question, please.

8. Avoid answering questions with just ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. Even in the case of yes-no questions, the interviewer will find it more satisfying if you add to your reply or explain it briefly. Thus, in reply to is your mother tongue Telugu?, you could say, No, it’s Urdu. But I can speak Telugu fluently. ‘

9. Do not feel embarrassed to say that you do not know the answer to a question. Use expressions such as I’m afraid I don’t know … and I’m sorry, but I’m not really certain.

10. Do not get into arguments or speak negatively or criticise former teachers, colleagues or employers.

11. Do not boast or display your knowledge, skills and experience, but if asked, state your achievements simply and honestly.

12. Wait for the interviewer to invite you to ask questions in case you have queries. If this does not happen, wait until you sense that the interviewers are done before asking them politely if they could clarify something for you. Examples of the questions you may want to ask the interviewer are Could you tell me whether the position involves travelling, please and Could I know when I can expect to hear from you, please.

13. Wait for the interviewer to tell you that the interview has ended before you get up
from your chair. Thank all the people in the room before walking out of the door and closing it softly behind you.

Sample:

Interviewer : Good afternoon
James : Er, good afternoon
Interviewer : Please sit down. Did you find our offices all right?
James : Yes, with no difficulty. I’ve passed this building several times before.
Interviewer : Right. Well, I can see from your CV that you like meeting people and enjoy being sociable
James : Yes, I’m a very outgoing sort of person and I’m not afraid to take the initiatives although my friends say I tend to talk too much.
Interviewer : Well, that’s exactly the kind of person we need. Why do you think you will do good at this job? Though you won’t be meeting people in person but only over the phone.
James : I think I have a good telephone voice, and I am very confident on the phone. I’ve also some experience in sales, as you can see from my CV. I think I would find this work interesting, and it will give me some good work experience.
Interviewer : Okay. As you know we need someone for at least three hours, three evenings a week. Will you be able to cope with this and your school work as well.
James : I’m confident that I can do that.
Interviewer : Right, then, Shall we give you a trial period of say… two weeks? If you’d like to come with me I’ll introduce you to my floor manager who will show you the ropes.
James : Yes, and thank you very much.

Reading Passage

The Handicrafts of Telangana

The arts and crafts of Telangana have always occupied a place of distinction in India. Communities across the state of Telangana who have embraced handicrafts industry as a means of earning a livelihood are,

1. Banjara needle crafts : These are traditional handmade fabrics made by the gypsy tribes of Telangana famous for their colourful, rich embroidery and mirror work.

2. Bidriwave : It is a metal handicraft which makes use of zinc and copper alloys decorated with thin sheets of silver. Flowers, vines and geometric patterns are found, which are typically showpiece items like hookahs, vases, jewellery boxes, paper weights, earrings and trays. Bidriware is regarded as the pride of the state, important handicrafts of India and symbolises wealth.

3. Bronze Castings : Telangana artists are known for their amazing bronze castings. They learn it by studying the shilpa shastram.

4. Dokra Metal Crafts : It is also known as bell metal crafts, where a number of artists from Ushegaon and Chittalbori have settled. It is speciality of the Adilabad. district of Telangana. They use a technique called, ‘lost-wax castings’, sculptors are able to create figures of gods, animals (like horses, elephants and peacocks), folk motifs etc.

5. Lacquer ware : It can be traced to the Etikoppaka town of Telangana, where objects are decoratively covered with lacquer and remarkable designs are created. Lac bangles are popular form of Lacquerware.

6. Nirmal Artwork : This art is originated from the period of the kakatiya dynasty and follows Indian and Mughal schools of art. Artisans from the Nirmal town of the Adilabad district are famous for their dazzling oil paintings which depict scenes from Indian mythology. This also include Lacquered furniture, wall hangings decorative boxes, etc.

Writing

Formal Letters

In English there are a number of coventions that should be used when writing a formal or business letter. Care should be taken while writing official letters because they leave a lasting impression with the person or organization you write to.

Few guidelines for Writing Formal Letters are:

They must be clear and concise, stating the reason for writing the letter.
The writing style should be formal with simple language.
Must be written in the right format.

Elements of Official Letters

Sender’s address should be written in the top left-hand comer of the letter.
Address of the person you are writing to should be written on the left, below the sender’s address
Date
The salutation of greeting e.g: Dear Sir, Respected Sir
The subject line
The body of the letter
The complimentary close e.g: Yours Faithfully or Yours Sincerely
Your signature, the sender’s signature

Leave Application Letter :

The format of a leave application letter should be in formal. When applying for leave from college, be sure to include details such as your roll number, department, and other personal details related to the college. Some institutes require you to submit a medical certificate if the leave is for more than three days due to illness.

Sample 1.

Michelle Johnson
III BTech (IT)
ID No : IT270934
8 March 2016
The Principal
Sarabah College of Technology
Arasampatti
Chennai 635201
Dear Madam,
Sub: Request for two weeks’ leave
I am Michelle Johnson, studying in Ill-year Information Technology. My student ID number is IT270934. I am writing to inform you that I am going to undergo a small surgery on 12 March 2016 to remove kidney stones. Doctors have advised me to take complete bed rest for one week after the surgery.
I request you to kindly grant me leave for two weeks from 10 March 2016. If I am forced to extend my leave, I shall inform you well in advance.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
Michelle Johnson
Parent’s signature mariam
Enclosure: Medical certificate dated 6 March 2016

Sample 2.

Sheena Joyce
III B.com (Computers)
ID No. 6897391
18. Nov. 2016
To
The Principal
Chaitanya Women’s College,
Sanathnagar,
Hyderabad.
Sub : Requisition for three days leave
Respected Madam,
I would like to bring to your kind attention that my name is K. Sheena Joyce and I am pursuing B.Com final year in your college. My roll no. is 16541692. I am really very sorry to inform you that after a prolonged illness, my paternal uncle died. I would be needed to be present at the funeral and is required to do rituals for the peace of his soul. Considering my situation, I request you to grant me leave for three days starting from 19 Nov 2016 to 21 Nov. 2016.1 hope you understand my condition.
Thanking you,
Yours Obediently
Sheena Joyce

Exercise

Write a letter to the principal of your college requesting him/her to grant you permission to leave early every day for a month, so that you can attend an evening course that you have joined.
Pranay Paul,
St. Pauls Degree College,
Himayathnagar 20 Nov. 2015
To
The Principal,
St Paul’s Degree College,
Himayathnagar.
Sub : Request to leave early for classes.
Respected Sir,
I Pramay Paul student of your college pursuing BBA II year, bearing roll No. 9641. I have joined a crash course to improve my skills recently. My classes we during evening session for two hours every day, for a month. In this regard, I would like to leave one hour early from college to reach to my institute.
So, Kindly request you to permit me to leave one hour daily for a month i.e., from Dec. 1, 2016 to Dec. 31, 2016.
Thanking you,
Yours Obediently
Pranay

Banking Correspondence:

Banks need to exchange various kinds letters with their different stakeholders. As all of us use banking facilities, it is a good idea to practise writing such type of letters. The following letter is an application for an account statement.

Neha Kumari
3-6-342 Himayatnagar
Hyderabad 500029
E-mail: neha.kumari@gmail.com
Phone: 09398817523
30 October 2016
The Branch Manager
HBL Bank Pvt Ltd
65A Bank Street,
Koti Hyderabad 500095
Dear Sir,
Subject: Request for account statement
I hold an account in the Koti branch of HBL Bank since 2012. My account details are as follows:
A/c type: Savings bank A/c number: HBL0133956480 A/c name: Neha Kumari I am a student and am applying for an internship abroad. The visa application requires a bank statement for the last three months. May I request you to please issue an account statement for the period 01 August 2016 to 31 October 2016. I would greatly appreciate it if you could please send the statement to me as soon as possible, as I need to submit my documents to the concerned embassy in a week’s time.
Thank you very much.
Yours faithfully,
Neha Kumari

Exercise

Imagine you are. the proprietor of Garuda Traders, Hyderabad. You would like to open a current account in a bank. Write a letter to the Branch Manager of ABC Bank making this request.
Answer:
The Proprietor,
Garuda Traders,
Hyderabad.
10 April 2009 To
The Branch Manager,
ABC Bank,
Hyderabad, Telangana.
Sub : Opening of a current account Dear Sir,
We want to open a current account with your bank. We are enclosing herewih a certified copy of the company’s resolution concerning opening of a current account with you and appointing your bank. The ABC Bank at Hyderabad – as our banker. Please find enclosed herewith the following documents as required by you.

Account opening form duly completed.
Specimen signatures of the co-ordinators.
Copies of the company’s certificate of incorporation and certificate to commence trading.
Certified copy of resolution sanction of the carrent account as above.

I, The proprietor of Garuda Traders, authorized to sign on behalf of the company all the cheques and other documents. Please open the account and issue a cheque book containing hundred leaves.
With thanks
Yours Faithfully Raj kumar
The Proprietor.

Soft Skills

Etiquette and Grooming
Etiquette is the customary code of polite behaviour in society or among members of a particular profession or group.

Be punctual.
Greet colleagues with a smile and a handshake. Remember to be friendly.
Keep your workspace neat and tidy.
Do not invade your colleagues’ office space without permission.
Do not speak loudly or disturb others when answering phone calls.
Be honest and fair when trying to resolve issues.
Listen to others and try to help them with tKeir problems.
Do not try to avoid responsibilities or shirk duties.
Respect other people’s feelings.
Do not damage office property.

Grooming is the art of cleaning, grooming, and maintaining parts of the body. The things that you do to make your appearance clean and neat. It is care for one’s personal appearance, hygiene, and clothing.

Pay special attention to personal hygiene and cleanliness.
Dress in clothes that fit you well and reflect your age and personality. In a working environment, you must take care to dress professionally.
Dress neatly, in clothes that are clean and ironed.
If you wish to use perfume or aftershave, use one sparingly so that you do not overwhelm those around you.

Value Orientation

Necessity is the Mother of Invention

The meaning of the proverb ‘Necessity is the mother of invention’ is that when we stand in dire need of a thing. We can never rest satisfied until we get it. We strain every nerve to have it, as if some inward force were compelling us to act. Most of the great and good things of the world are the products of divine discontent in the mind of man.

When a man feels the pinch of hunger, it cannot be said that his want is trifling it is then a pressing want, for unless it is satisfied, he will die of starvation. Human beings make their every effort to get that is essential for life. Even small necessities of life push us to work hard. The major inventions and discoveries are all the result necessities of human life and the desire of human to make the world a better place.

The English proverb ‘necessity is the mother of invention’ means that when you have to complete a task, and you have absolutely no choice but to complete the task, then you will think in radical, new, out-of-the-box ways to attempt to solve your problem. Because of necessity, you are forced into finding or creating solutions.

It is particularly applicable when working on projects that may seem impossible to complete. Under such circumstances, necessity can motivate you into thinking of ways in which you can increase efficiency. Put simply, if you must do something, then you will think of a way to do it.

Shakespeare Retold Julius Caeser Summary in English

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) is considered the greatest dramatist and poet of the English language. In Shakespeare’s hands, English drama achieved a matchless brilliance that fast shone forth in his early history plays, such as those based on the reigns of Henry VI, Richard II and Richard III; maturing into the romantic comedy of As You Like It and A Midsummer’s Night Dream: and finally reaching its zenith in the great tragedies, Hamlet; King Lear, and Macbeth, and in romances such as The Tempest. Shakespeare is also remembered for his many sonnets, the beauty and lyricism of which are admired even today.

Julius Caesar is one of Shakespeare’s great tragic plays. It opens with great celebration in the streets of Rome. The Roman general and statesman Julius Caesar has returned from a battle after defeating his political rivals. Rome is a republic, governed by elected noblemen. Some of them fear that Caesar (who is popular among the common citizens and has the support of the army) could seize power and declare himself a king. Many Roman politicians-including Cassias and Brutus-watch Caesar’s rise to political power with suspicion. While Cassias is outright jealous, Brutus has the larger interests of Rome’s people at heart.

Cassius, Casca and other politicians persuade Brutus that Caesar must be killed in order to save Rome. The thought troubles Brutus because Caesar has been a friend to him, but he agrees to join the conspiracy because he thinks it is best for the country. During a Senate meeting at the Capitol, Rome’s legislative assembly, the conspirators brutally stab Caesar to death. The people of Rome are confused and agitated by the murder of a popular leader, and demand answers.

The text you have just read is a prose paraphrase of an extract from Act Ill, Scene 2 of Shakespeare’s play. (The original extract may be found in Appendix I, after this lesson.) Here, Brutus calms the restless crowd of commoners. He explains to the Roman citizens his fears concerning Caesar’s ambition, and why it was necessary to kill him. After listening to his speech, the crowd is convinced that Brutus and the conspirators did the right thing.

They praise him for assassinating Caesar and delivering Rome from the evils of a dictatorship. Caesar’s friend Mark Antony then addresses the crowd, as it is a tradition to speak at the funeral of a leader. Antony has been warned by the conspirators not to say anything against them. Antony does not say anything directly against the conspirators; instead, he reminds the crowd of Caesar’s many services to Rome. His praise of Caesar sways the crowd, who now turn against the conspirators.

Shakespeare Retold Julius Caeser Summary in Telugu

అన్ని కాలాలకు చెంది అత్యుత్తమ కవిగా పేరు గాంచిన విలియమ్ షేక్స్పియర్కు 26 ఏప్రియల్ 1564న ఇంగ్లండ్లో బాప్టిజమ్ ఒసంగబడెను. అతి గొప్ప రచయితగా స్తుతించబడిన ఆయన 38 నాటకాలు, ఇంకెన్నో ఇతర రకాల రచనలు సృష్టించారు. “బార్డ్ ఆఫ్ ఎవాస్’గా వినుతికెక్కిన షేక్స్పియర్ 1616 ఏప్రియల్ 23న కన్నుమూసెను. బాగా పేరుగాంచిన ఆయన నాటకాలలో ప్రముఖ స్థానం పొందినది “జూలియస్ సీజర్”. అతని అతి గొప్ప విషాదాంత నాటకాలలో ఇది ఒకది.

ఈ చారిత్రక, కదిలించే విషాదాంతంలోని 3వ అంకం రెండవ దృశ్యం నుండి సేకరించిన ఒక చిన్న భాగపు గద్యరూపం ప్రస్తుత పాఠ్యాంశం. ప్రఖ్యాత జాతీయవాది, గౌప్ప సైనికాధికారి అయిన రోమ్ నాయకుడు సీజర్ను బ్రూటస్ మరియు ఇంకొందరు కలిసి కుట్రపూర్వకంగా హత్యచేస్తారు. ఇప్పుడు అదే బ్రూటస్, తన అద్భుత వాక్పటిమతో రోష్ వాసులను ప్రశాంతంగా వినవలసిందిగా అభ్యర్థిస్తాడు. సీజర్ తనకు మంచి మిత్రుడని నొక్కివక్కాణిస్తాడ.

అయినప్పదికి తను (పేమించిన, తనను కపేమించే సీజర్ను చంపడానికి కారణం రోమ్ అంటే తనకు సీజర్ మీద కన్నా ఎక్కువ (పేమ ఉంది కాబట్టీ అంటారు. సీజర్ది అత్యాశ అని ధృవీకరిస్తాడు. ఆయన ఆశలు నెరవేరనిచ్చినట్లేతే, రోమ్ బానిసల దేశంగా మారిపోయేది అంటారు. ఱ్రూటస్ యొక్క వాగ్ధాదిలో సాధారణ ప్రజలు కొట్టుకుపోతారు.

బ్రూటస్ రోమ్ను, రోమనులను సీజర్ నియంతృత్వం నుండి కాపాడుటకే ఆయనను చంపాడు అని జనం నమ్ముతారు. ఆ మైకంలో బ్రూటసే తమ రాజు అని అరుస్తారు. అప్పుడు సీజర్కు విధేయుడైన స్నేహితుడు ఆంటోనికి మాట్లాడే అవకాశం వస్తుంది. బ్రూటస్ బృందం యొక్క క్రూర కుట్రలకు సీజర్ బలి అయ్యాడని ఆంటోనికి తెలాసు. అఁ్బనప్పదికి అ విషయాన్ని ఆంటోని బహిరంగంగా చెప్పలేని స్థితి. అలా నిశ్శబ్దంగా కూడా ఉండలేడు. ‘కుక్కకాటు’కు చెప్పదెబ్బ’ను ప్రయోగించాడు.

బ్రూటస్ ఉపయోగించిన వాక్పటిమనే సామాన్యలను ఒప్పించుటకు దాడుకున్నాడు. సీజర్ యొక్క నైపుణ్యాలను, డేశభక్తి లక్షనాలను ఏకరువు పెట్టాడు. అదే సమయంలో ణ్రూటస్ అతి గౌప్ప నిజాయితీ పరుడని, కాదట్టీ అతను సీజర్ గురించి చెప్పిందంతా నిజమేన. మళ్ళీ నుళ్ళీ విన్నవించాడు. ఉర్దేశించిన సమాచారం విజయవంతంగా అందించబడింది. ఫ్రజలకు ట్రూటస్ యొక్క ఐృందం యొక్క కుట్ర అర్ధం అయింది. నాటకలోని తగుపాతి భాగాలలో కుట్రదారులందరు చంపబడుతారు, అంటోని మరియు అతని నిజాయుతీ సలబడటం చూస్త్రము. ఈ దిధంగా సీజర్ యొక్క దేశభక్ల కూడా నిరూపించబడుతుంది.

OU Degree 2nd Sem English Study Material

Stanzas Written in Dejection, Near Naples Questions and Answers & Summary by PB Shelley

August 14, 2023August 11, 2023 by Prasanna

OU Degree 1st Sem English – Stanzas Written in Dejection, Near Naples Questions and Answers & Summary

Question 1.
What is the tone and mood of the speaker of the poem?
Answer:
The theme and tone of the poem by Percy Shelley are two separate, but linked, concepts. The theme of the poem are rejection, love, union and disappointment as they can be beautifully represented through nature. Because of the rejection and disappointment in love, the poet feels rejected and hurt. He feels he is the victim in this situation and the love he feels for another is unwanted.

The title states that the poet was writing these stanzas in a state of dejection. The poem does not state the reason for his melancholy mood. Although the poem begins with beautiful, uplifting descriptions of nature, it ends on a rather sorrow-filled note. Shelley is able to see the beauty of nature, is able to describe it with love and vigour, but when it comes to his own life, he is unable to find even a glimmer of hope.

Question 2.
Discuss shelley as a poet of nature with reference to this poem.
Answer:
The present poem was written when shelley and his wife Mary visited Naples during winter from November 1818 to February 1819, When the climate was pleasantly warm. The poem Is a description of the way that the poet felt at the time of its composition.

The poem begins with a detailed description of a pleasant natural scene. Shelley describes a beautiful day, probably on the Gulf of Naples, as the poet references “Waves” and winds, the birds, the ocean floods. He sits alone on the sand, observing the sparking ocean and listening to the sound of the waves. How pleasant all this would be if there were someone with whom he could share the emotion he feels.

Unfortunately, Shelley lacks hope, health peace, calmness, contentment, fame, power, love and leisure. He sees others who enjoy all these and find life a pleasure. It is otherwise with him. Death would steal upon him quietly, turning his warm cheeks cold while the waves continued their monotonous rhythm as consciousness grew fainter.

Some might mourn his death just as he will regret the departure of this beautiful day to which his melancholy is in contrast. In this poem, the poet’s state of dejection is artistically placed in a sharply contrasting setting that effectively emphasises the dejection.

Question 3.
What does the poet lament in the poem.
Answer:
Shelley was suffering from depression due to a number of reasons his first wife had committed suicide; the courts had taken from him the custody of his two children; his poetry was neglected by the public and condemned by the critics; he was plagued by financial problem

He suffered from poor health and his wife, Mary Shelley, was estranged from him following the death of their daughter. In this poem, the poet’s state of dejection is artistically placed in a sharply contrasting setting that effectively emphasises the dejection.

The poem begins with a detailed description of a pleasant natural scene. The poem seems to be a contrast between his own despair and the relative comfort he finds in nature. Shelley contrasts his own feelings of emptiness with what he see as the fullness of others lives. While he is dejected, his feelings are tempered by nature around him. He feels that he could weep and even die here in this setting.

He closes the poem by saying that he may be lamented after his death, but he feels that he will not be missed that much, as he says, “for lam one/whom men love not,” people will regret that he is gone, but the memory of nature, of the day that surrounds him, will only bring pleasure.

Shttley prioritizes the beauty of the natural setting and its ability to yield positive emotions. Those emotions range from ‘joy’ at the end of the poem to the relative comfort. This emotional state appears to be allayed by the nature surrounding him, while the causes for his dejection are related to society.

Question 4.
Comment on the speaker’s complaints hopes and fears. How has the poet tied the end of the poem to its beginning?
Answer:
Shelley’s poem “Stanzas Written in Dejection, Near Naples” is about depression. The speaker, whom we can assume to be the poet himself, is sitting at the shore watching the light on the water and thinking about his life, actually, feeling a little sorry for himself.

He sees the beauty around him and knows he should be able to appreciate it, but he cannot. He sees people going about their daily business and bemoans that life has dealt him “another measure” so that he cannot take joy in his surroundings.

Yet he admits that his despair is “mild, even as the winds and waters are” and not so consuming that he cannot live. He even thinks he might “lie down like a tired child” and passively wait for death rather than do anything to hasten it. It seems at first as if he may be suffering over a lover, but in this last stanza he appears to be lamenting that he is not well-known and appreciated when he says “ I am not whom men loved not”, and he hopes that someone might lament for and regret his passing.

Annotate the following lines in about 250 words each.

Question 1.
Like many a voice of one delight,
The winds, the birds, the ocean floods,
The City’s voice it self, is soft like Solitude’s.
Answer:
The Poem and the Poet: The given words appear in the poem “Stanzas Written in Dejection, Near Naples”. They form the last three lines of the first stanza of this lyrical poem. It was penned by PB. Shelley, an English poet of extraordinary poetic skills. Shelley’s love for nature is visible clearly here. The poem proves Shelley’s ability to present precise imagery in an impressive way.

The Context: Shelley was going through a sad phase of his life. He was spending time in Naples, a very pleasant and beautiful port city in Southwest Italy. The sky was clear. The sun was bright. The blue sea was like a crystal. Sea waves were dancing fast. Isles and mountains were glowing. Shelley, the poet’s soul was fascinated. His imagination flew sky high. And the poem flowed down in a flood. The result: a feast to every reader!

The Explanation: Nature was at its best in manifesting itself beautifully. Every element in nature started singing its glory. The wind whistled. The birds chirped. The sea murmered. Naple’s voice echoed everywhere. All voices joined into one. They became one voice of happiness. They sounded soft like the song of solitude. The theme of the song is the beauty of nature. It makes everyone happy.

The Significance: The (ines project the poet as a philosopher and an artist. He suggests that happiness comes from unity and happiness results in unity. He adds that ‘happiness’ has a soft voice always, never a harsh one. He also indicates his preference for loneliness. He appears to tell us that the voice of delight and that of solitude are soft and therefore the one gives the other! Many lessons are there in these lines for the readers to pick up !

Question 2.
Yet now despair itself is mild,
Even as the winds and waters are;
I could lie down like a tired child,
And weep away the life of care
Answer:
The Poem and the Poet: These thought-provoking and heartrending lines form a part of ‘Stanzas Written in Dejection, Near Naples’. This touching poem was created by. RB. Shelley, a poetic genius born in England. The poet had a flair for writing about nature. And his personal life was misery incarnated. And the artist in Shelley did magic in blending his personal tragedy with nature’s beauty in a balanced manner in his poems. The present poem stands as an example in support of this statement.

The Context : Shelley suffered several shocks in his personal life. He was seeking solace in nature’s lap near Naples. The seashore there was glittering in glory. Shelley was excited. His imagination was ignited. Image after image flowed out. A beautiful painting of nature in words was evolving. Pathetic scenes from personal life flashed in the poet’s mind. He pictured them too. He wove a connecting bond too. The united whole looks artistically integrated.

The Explianation: The poet says that his sorrow has slowly been becoming soft. The winds and the sea too are slowing down. An exhausted infant cries and cries constantly. His stress and suffering are thus swept away. In the same way, the tired poet is trying to forget his painful and pathetic past.

The Significance: The contrast between nature’s beauty and the poet’s personal tragedy is complete. The connecting bond is strong. The poet draws a comparison. The winds and waters are gradually slowing down. So are his personal problems. Equating the poet’s personal condition with a tired child’s position is impressive. The comfort thus he drew is consoling. A child’s innocence and crying away offer solutions to some complicated issues.

Question 3.
Some might lament that I were cold,
As I, when this sweet day is gone,
Which my lost heart, too soon grown old,
Insults with this untimely moan;
Answer:
The Poem and the Poet: We come across these moving words in the wonderful poem ‘Stanzas Written in Dejection, Near Naples’. The poem is remarkable for its precise images and melodious music. RB. Shelley composed this masterpiece. Born in England, Shelley became famous for his radical ideas.

The Context: Fate shocked Shelley many times. Misfortune greeted him from multiple corners. His country, public, his critics and even his wives were united in troubling Shelley in various ways. He became dejected. He turned to nature. He reached Naples. He derived some comfort there. The seashore there presented him with pleasant sights. He pictured that beauty. He described his pathetic state too. He connected both. Thus Shelley produced this artistic poem.

The Explanation: The poet-philosopher sees his end someday. He visualises someone mourning his death. He doubts their sincerity. He draws an equation between their lament and his lost heart’s untimely moan for the passed sweet day. He gives reason for his heart’s untimely cry. He suggests that the reader should see for himself why someone’s lament is not from the heart.

The Significance: The poet’s stoic acceptance of imminent death is touching. His clear vision of post- death scene is appealing. His humble admission of his lost heart’s untimely moan is moving. His selection of diction is artistic. His mastery of syntax is simply superb. The content and its communication compete with each other in impressing the reader.

Question 4.
……………… this day, which, when the sun
Shall on its stainless glory set,
Will linger, though enjoyed,
like joy in memory yet.
Answer:
The Poem and the Poet: The given words conclude the beautiful poem “Stanzas Written in Dejection, Near Naples”. A poetic genius with peerless mastery of poet is techniques, RB. Shelly composed this marvellous piece The poem is an example of Shelley’s power to produce images of precision. The poem is also known for it- lyrical quality.

The Context: Shelly was in despair. He lost health wealth, name and finally hope. His first wife committed suicide. His daughter died young. His second wife had strained relations with him. He needed some consolation badly. He sought it in nature. He went to Naples, a city known for nature’s beauty. He projects that beauty poetically. He recollects his gloom too. He draws a comparison between the two. The ‘stanzas’ came out brilliantly.

The Explianation: The poet imagines his end. He describes how others would lament his death. He connects his end to the closing of the day. He says the day comes to a close as the sun sets. Yet the day remains in memory. The beauty is cherished. The memories are preserved. The day might have gone. But the memory of it remains. He seems to wish that he might be remembered long after he is gone.

The Significance: The lines form a fitting end to a wonderful poem. The title refers to the poet’s dejection. It also talks about nature’s beauty near Naples. And these bottom lines reflect perfectly both the ideas. The bond is made strong with these words. The climax is commendable. The poet pays rich tributes to nature’s ability to make man happy. The readers love to offer their compliments to the poet’s skill.

Pronunciation

Affricate
The affricate is a type of consonant sound which combines a plosive with an immediately following fricative articulated at the same point. Affricates are consonants that begins as stops, rather than directly into the following vowel. They are produced by a complete closure of the passage of air through the mouth followed by a slow release such as [t] or [d]. The English affricates are /t∫/ and /dδ/.

Affricate	In initial position	In medial position	In the final position-
/t∫/	champion, check	matching, bachelor	Preach. Snatch
/dδ/	jug, just	adjust, subject	ridge, badge

Few more examples
/t∫/ → chance, champs, cheese, crunch, twitch, picture
/dδ/ → jam, jaile just, soldier, budget, judgment

Nasal

A nasal consonant sound is produced when there is a complete closure of the air passage in the mouth and the air escapes through the nose. Nasal sounds are those sounds that you need to.use your nose to create. There are three voiced nasal consonants in English. The English nasals are

Nasal	In initial position	In medial position	In fined position
/m/	man, must	grammar, smooth	game, fame
/n/	next, now	manage, answer	ban, cane
/η/	–	finger, uncle	ring, bang

Few more examples

m : money, – manic – mines
mother – maids – merit
tamed – campo – camps

n : nab – nil – nob
canoe – rance – ranch
fanes – ranks – thin

ng/η/ : bring – ring – swing
wing – lung – sing
thing – sung– king

Grammer

Articles

English language has three articles namely ia’, ‘an’, and the’ Articles are adjectives used before nouns. They are used before nouns to define their use in the context of the sentence. There are two kinds of articles, they are indefinite article: a, an, and definite article: the. In certain instances no article is used before a noun.

A. Indefinite article: ‘A’

1. ‘A’ is used before singular nouns and countable nouns beginning with consonant sounds.
Consonants (b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, w, x, y, z)
eg: He is a teacher
I just ate a pizza.

2. It is used before words such as ‘European’ or ‘University’ where the initial vowel is pronounced like a consonant. Remember, it is the sound and not the spelling which is important.
eg: He is a European
She has a one-rupee coin.

B. Indefinite article: ‘An’

1. ‘An’ is used before singular, countable nouns which begin with vowel sounds.
Vowels (a, e, i, o, u)
eg: He is an actor.
This is an apple

2. ‘An’ is used before a word beginning with a silent/hi Before a singular noun beginning with a vowel sound.
eg: He was late by an hour.
He is an honourable man

C. Definite article: The

1. ‘The’ is used when talking about something which is already known to the listener or which has been previously mentioned, introduced or discussed.
eg: I have a pen. The pen is blue
The stone hit me on back of my leg.

2. It is used before the names of oceans, seas, coasts, rivers, mountain ranges, groups of islands, planets, gulfs, newspapers, magazines, musical instruments directions, deserts, names of trains, hotels, holy books, ordinal numbers and superlative degrees.

eg: The Arabian Sea, The Atlantic ocean, The Western Coast,
The Godavari, The Himalayas, The Andaman and Nicobar islands,
The Earth, The Gulf of Kutch, The Times of India, The India today,
The guitar, The South, The Thar Desert, The Rajdhani Express
The Taj hotel, The Bible, The First, The longest etc.

3. ‘The’ is used before proper nouns for the sake of comparison
eg : Kalidas was regarded as the Shakespeare of India

D. No Article

1. English, some nouns are uncountable
eg: information, air, advice, salt, water, paper, milk, coffee, rice, cloth, wood, etc.

I drink coffee every morning. I also have bread and butter.
Have you had breakfast?

Exercise.

I. Fill in the blanks with indefinite articles where necessary. ‘x’ indicates

No Article.
1. She doesn’t own a car.
2. He came from x humble beginnings.
3. I saw x bears at the zoo.
4. He asked for x milk.
5. She didn’t get an invitation.
6. I saw an eagle fly.
7. She was an English teacher. She taught at a European University.
8. He bought x milk, x butter, and a loaf of bread.
9. The table is made of x wood.
10. Dr. Abdul Kalam was an honest man.

Correct the following sentences by inserting articles wherever necessary.

Question 1.
There is book in my backpack. Book is very heavy.
Answer:
There is a book in my backpack. book is very heavy.

Question 2.
Do you know where I left car keys?
Answer:
Do you know where I left car keys?

Question 3.
I enjoy reading detective novels, especially ones by famous author Arthur Conan Doyle.
Answer:
I enjoy reading detective novels, especially ones by famous author Arthur Conan Doyle.

Question 4.
French drink wine, while Americans drink beer.
Answer:
The French drink wine, while Americans drink beer.

Question 5.
Group of MBA students from university of Mumbai visited Harvard University in United States.
Answer:
group of MBA students from University of Mumbai Visited of Harvard University in United States.

Question 6.
Bible was first book to be printed by Gutenberg in fifteenth century.
Answer:
If Bible was the first book to be printed by Gutenberg in fifteenth century.

Question 7.
I am fond of music of Mozart. My grandfather owns antique piano.
Answer:
I am fond of music of Mozart. My grandfather owns antique piano.

Question 8.
Cloth is sold by metre. Metre of this fabric cost me moon.
Answer:
Cloth is sold by a metre. metre of this fabric cost me in moon.

Question 9.
Sun is at highest point in sky at noon.
Answer:
The Sun is at the highest point in the sky at noon.

Question 10.
After human, chimpanzee is most intelligent among animals.
Answer:
After humans, Chimpanzee is most intellIgent among animals.

Vocabulary

Portmonteau Words

A portmanteau is a new word formed by joining two (or multiple) words and combining their meanings. A portmanteau word fuses both the sounds of the orginal words and the meanings of its components. Here are some examples –

1. advertorial – advertisement + editorial
2. biopic – biography + picture
3. blog -web+iog
4. edutainment – education + entertainment
5. emoticon – emotion + icon
6. internet – International + network
7. malware – malicious + software
8. multiplex – multiple + complex
9. motel – motor + hotel
10. pixel – picture + element
11. romcom – romantic + comedy
12. smog -smoke + fog
13. brunch – breakfast + lunch
14. chunnel – channel + tunnel
15. netizen – internet + citizen
16. workaholic – work + alcoholic
17. telethon – television 4 marathon

Loanwords:

A Loanwords is a word taken from a foreign language with little or no change. Here are some examples.

Loanword	Borrowed from	Present English meaning
avatar	Sanskrit	manifestation, personification
guru	Hindi	a spiritual teacher or recognized leader
cafe	French	a small restaurant selling drinks and snacks
kindergarten	German	a pre school for children aged 4 to 6
cigar	Spanish	a roll of tobacco for smoking
vodka	Russian	a distilled alcoholic beverage
ennui	French	boredom
bazaar	Hindi	a market place covered with shops and stalls.
doppelganger	German	Someone who looks spookily like you or shadow of yourself
hoi polloi	Greek	ordinary people

Spelling

Words endig In-aI, – once, -ence, -Ic, -ify, and -ive
The following suffixes are used to form new words –

Suffix	Meaning	Words
– al	of, belonging to, pertaining to	acoustical, ancestral, medical
-ance	quality, action, state or process	appearance, assurance, performance
-ence	quality, action, state or process	independence, innocence, difference
– ic	having the nature of, like	antibiotic, logarithmic, stylistic
-ity	quality, state	ability, maturity, toxicity
-ive	tending to, performing	addictive, defective, supportive

Example:
Complete the following words using the suffixes al, ance, ence, -ic, -ity or -ive

1. iconic
2. confidence
3. dominance
4. avoidance
5. poetic
6. productive
7. capacity
8. acceptance
9. classic
10. insurgence
11. curiosity
12. reactive
13. parental
14. futility
15. rhythmic
16. kinetic
17. national
18. vindictive
19. opacity
20. ambulance

Punctuation

Hyphen (-)
A hyphen is used to:
The hyphen is a punctuation mark used to join words and to separate syllables of a single word.

Rule 1
Generally, hyphenate two or more words when they come before a noun they modify and act as a single idea. This is called a compound adjective.
Eg: well-known writer
two-year-old child
state-of-the-art

Rule 2
To Indicate numbers, fractions, measurements when written out.
Eg: inch – long nail
two-kilometre walk
one – third

Rule 3.
To separate certain prefixes from root words.
Eg: trans – American
ex-colleague
mid – forties
re-elect

Rule 4.
To remove ambiguity
Eg: Little – used boat
man-eating shark

Note:
1. Do not use a hyphen between an adverb ending in -ly and a verb ending in -ed.
Eg: finely tuned
poorly received
smartly dressed
2. Never use a hypen after ‘very’
Eg: very well dressed

Exercise:

Punctuate the following sentences by using, wherever necessary, capitals, and all the punctuation marks you have learnt so far.

Question 1.
Sushil kumar my mathematics teacher is an absent minded person the day before yesterday he walked into the biology class and started teaching algebra
Answer:
Sushil Kumar, my Mathematics teacher, is an absent-minded person. The day before yesterday he walked into the Biology class and started teaching Algebra.

Question 2.
sandhya balasubrarnanlum was not only a world famous bharatnatyam dancer but also a leading camatic music vocalist
Answer:
Sandhya Balasubramanium was not only a world famous Bharatnatyam dancer, but also a leading Camatic music vocalist.

Question 3.
banif abbas a kenyan born runner of indian origin won the 100 metre bronze at the london olympics
Answer:
Hanif Abbas, a Kenyan born runner of Indian origin won the 100-metre bronze at the London Olympics.

Question 4.
Mount Fuji with its beautiful snow capped peak is a well known japanese icon.
Answer:
Mount Fuji, with its beautiful snowcapped peak is a well-known Japanese icon.

Question 5.
Dr B.R. ambedkar is regarded as the chief architect of the constitution of india with the adoption of the constitution the union of india officially became the republic of India the indian constitution came into force on 26 january 1950 an event that is celebrated each year as republic day.
Answer:
Dr B.R. Ambedkar is regarded as the chief architect of the Constitution of India. With the adoption of the Constitution, the Union of India officially became the Republic of India. The Indian constitution came into force on 26 January 1950- an event that is celebrated each year as Republic day.

Conversion

Conducting a Meeting
Very often, organisations conduct weekly, monthly, quarterly, or special meetings to discuss certain issues and make decisions and/or plans. The steps below are useful guidelines for conducting an effective meeting.

Purpose

Identify the purpose and expected results of the meeting.
Identify whether the meeting is conducted for delivering information, sharing information, or collecting information.

Agenda

The agenda is a list of the item issues that are to be discussed in a meeting.
Limit the number of item/issues, keeping in mind the time available.

Participants

Identify and invite only those participants necessary for the meeting.
Make sure that every participant has something to contribute with regard to the agenda of the meeting.

Preparation

Decide the date, venue and time of the meeting.
Communicate the agenda to the participants at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.

Meeting Principles

Request all participants to turn their mobiles off or to keep them in silent or vibrate mode.
Disallow any sort of electronic communication during the meeting.
Respect the opinion of each participant. Encourage openness among participants.
Ask questions to clarify doubts during discussions.

Meeting Facilitator

Designate a skilled facilitator who Is aware of the meeting principles and the agenda. This person will ensure that the meeting is conducted in a smooth manner.
Rotate facilitators regularly during scheduled meetings.

Time

Designate a timekeeper who works with the meeting facilitator to restrict discussions to the time limit.
Start and end every section of the meeting on time. Check the time periodically to see whether you are following the time limit scheduled for each item.
Allow flexibility in the schedule when the occasion demands.

Conducting the Meeting

Open the meeting by announcing the ground rules and the agenda.
Cover one item/issue at a time.
Invite and encourage everyone to participate and contribute his or her ideas.
Do not stray from the planned agenda.
Summaries the discussion and recommendations at the end of each planned section.

Minutes

The minutes of the meeting are a written account of what transpired at a meeting.
Designate a member to write the minutes of the meeting while discussions go on.
Make detailed minutes since this record is important for further follow-up on key issues.
Highlight key points for each item and identify the items that are to be discussed in future meetings.

Concluding a Meeting

Review the items/issues discussed at the meeting and the resolutions taken.
Decide time frames for taking action with those who are responsible for the execution of action plans.
Announce the agenda, time and venue for the next meeting.
Thank the attendees for their participation.

Evaluation

Ask each attendee to evaluate the meeting, either in writing or by using the open discussion approach.
Pose questions such as ‘What can we do better next time?’ and ‘What parts of the meeting worked well, or did not work well?’ as feedback for conducting the next meeting.

Exercise

Sample 1:

Invitation letter for a business meeting – Deepa Kaushik
Date: 17 Dec. 2016

I, Deepa Kaushik, the Managing Director of MNC International Fabric Co. Ltd., call for an urgent land meeting following the sudden cancel of order from one of our major UK clients. This meeting is to discuss the reasons, and the measures to rectify the same.

The meeting will be held at our Aguilla Conference Hall, at 11.00 AM, today, that is 1 hour from now. As you all must be aware that MP Boutiques one of our main clients, have suddenly cancelled the order placed an 1’ March’16 scheduled to be delivered on 6th March’16. understand that we have already completed with the production of the units to be supplied and the packaging of the some Is already under process. Though the tentract was signed as always with this client, that holds.

Just for the 50% cash back for the complete order signed. As per the contract tennis, they have intimated us by 3rd March ‘16 that is by mid of the contract period. So liable to pay only 50% of the signed amount. And we being at a point of packing have almost completed with the order.

Cancelling the order at this stage, counts for a loss of around 1 million for us, which is definitely a huge set-have for the company. We can give a grace period for the payment if they have any financial crunch. I understand we have never delayed any order delivery from our end, or have compromised with the quality of the products. I also hope, the agents, haven’t handled them harshly in this communications.

Be prepared with all the paper works, the contract, the invoices, the communication letters and emails, and all other documents in relation with this client and contract. I look forward to’ some valid explanations for this big loss.

Reading Passage

Flower-Boat

Bathukamma, the golden pattern
Of chosen blooms piled, cone-shaped!
Gowramma on the
Platform of pumpkin petals!
On the flower-hillock
Golden blossoms offer boons
A fortune line for children.

Different may be the hues
Dissimilar may be the scents
Yet the ripples of soft floral steps
Offer a new kinship
A celebratory gathering of flowers!
And the broken ties getting
Reunited by flower ceremonies!

The flowers kiss the fingertips
Of maidens with glee.
To prepare a Bathukamma,
The damsels become
Arched rainbows of prime youth.
The thangedu flowers vying with
The golden lustre of damsels’ bodies
Bow with humility
In the hands of young dames!

Tender lips are Bougainvilleas
Pearls of smiles are Cunugu flowers
Collyrium lines of eyes are lpomoeas
Descended moonlights are beera blooms
Marigolds mount palanquins of young maidens
Kanakambarams deck decoratively
The plants of young ladies!

Bathukamma is the bloomy veneer
On the body of waters.
Beauties perched on palanquins
Emanate glorious lustre touching the sky.
Bathukamma is a flower-boat
flipping inside our eyes!

Writing

Formal Letters

Formal letters deal with affairs of official and public nature, for instance, a letter to a government official, a newspaper editor, a college principal, and so on. The block format is the preferred modern style for writing formal letters. All entries are aligned to the left margin. Follow these rules regarding the structure of the Letter

1. Sender’s Address : It should be written on the top-left comer of the page.

2. Date : The date is placed below the sender’s address eg: 15 April 2016.

3. Inside Address : It is the receiver’s address and written below the line of the date.

4. Salutation : The most common forms of salutation are ‘Dear Sir or Dear Madam, Respected Sir or Respected Madam. If you know the name of the person you can write as ‘Dear Ms Urna Verma’ or ‘Dear Dr Krishna’,

5. Subject : It is a feature of all kinds of official letters. It is a brief statement of the subject of the letter.

6. Body of the Letter : This is the main part of any letter. The contents of an official letter should be brief, clear precise and complete with respect to their information being conveyed.

7. Complimentary Close : Yours faithfully, Yours Sincerely, Yours Obediently (for a student) need to be used for complimentary close.

8. Signature : Official letters must have the full signature, with the person’s name and designation in two separate lines below it.

In Addition to these, some official letters have:

1. Reference numbers : Official letters sent from organisations are assigned numbers that help in having the letters filed according to their subject. This is placed above the sender’s address.

2. Attention Line : This appears above the salutation. It contains the name of the person to whom the letter is to be directed, especially in large organisation.

3. Enclosures: This is placed below the signature line.
For example end.

budget for 2016-2017
auditor’s report

4. Copies : If copies of the letter are going to other persons, their names are mentioned below the list of enclosures.
Reference number
Sender’s address
………………………………….
………………………………….
………………………………….
Date
Inside address
………………………………….
………………………………….
Attention: ……………………………
Salutation,
Subject:
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Complimentary close,
Signature …………………………………
Full name
Designation
Eraclosed :
1. ………………………………….
2. …………………………………..
cc: …………………………………..
………………………………….

Examples of Formal Letters

Question 1.
Letter to a college principal
M. Sharath
III BSc (MPC), Roll 238-011
Government Degree College
Wanaparthy
15 April 2016
The Principal
Government Degree College
Wanaparthy
Dear Sir,
Sub: Request for the issue of Transfer Certificate, Bonafide Certificate, and Memorandum of Marks
With reference to the subject cited, I would like to bring to your kind notice that I completed my BSc (MPC) from our college during the academic years 2013- 2016, and passed in the first division. I require my Transfer Certificate, Bonaflde Certificate, and Memorandum of Marks for further studies. May I request you to please issue the above certificates to me at the earliest. I enclosed the necessary challans and’ no-dues certificate for your reference:
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
M.Sharath

Question 2.
A letter to the Inspector of police, Railways
Answer:
129 Neeti Apartments
Kasturba Nagar
Warangal 506 009
15 October 2016
The Inspector of Police
Warangal Railway Station
Warangal 506 009
Dear Sir,
Sub: Request to trace missing laptop
On the night of 14 October 2016,I was travelling from Secunderabad to Warangal by the Charminar Superfast Express with a lot of luggage in Coach S4, Seat 16. The train departed at 7 p.m. from Secunderabad station. There was a huge crowd of passengers due to the Sankranthi festival. I reached Warangal station by 9 p.m.

To my shock, I found my laptop missing when I checked my luggage. It might have been taken by fellow travellers in the train, as I am certain I did not misplace it. I therefore request you to please take necessary action to trace It. Please treat this as a formal complaint. (hope you will be good enough to make enquiries into the missing laptop.
Thank you very much for your help.
Yours faithfully,
pallavi.M.

Question 3.
You are Rohit sen of A-2/251, Saket, New Delhi 110017. Write a letter to the manager of the Silver Star, Lasjan, Srinagar 191101, saying that you want to book two rooms for three days for you and your family. Enquire about the rates and avaiability of rooms for the dates of your visit there.
Answer:
From
A-2/251, Sket,
New Delhi, 110017
To,
The Manager
Silver Star, Lasjan,
Snnagar, 191101,
17-Januaiv-2014
Dear Hotel Manager,
Sub : Booking of two rooms for three days at the Hotel.
I wold like to reserve accommodiation for two rooms in your hotel for three days for me and my family. Arrival date will be on 25th, January, 2014 at 6 am. Departure date will be on 28th, January, 2014 at 5 am. I request you to inform me about the availability of the rooms and the rates, so that I will confirm about booking them.
Thanking you
Yours faithfully,
R.Sen
Rohit Sen.

Question 4.
Write a letter to the editor of a local newspaper complaining about the nuisance created by stray dogs in your locality.
Answer:
From:
Farha,
Tolichowki,
Rd. No. 3
Ph No. 3
Ph. No. 8692157210
Email Id : farha@yahoo.com
Date: 23 July 2014
To
The Editor,
Deccan Chronicle,
Hyderabad.
Respected Sir,
Sub : Complain about the nuisance of stray dogs. This letter is for the concerned authorities who deal with the complaints regarding the stray dogs. I would like to bring to your notice the nuisance created by stray dogs in the locality of Toli Chowki. As they are increasing in number day by day, children, elderly citizen and common people are unable to come out of their houses.

Yesterday, a six year old boy was bitten by a stray dog. This is a third incident reported in this locality since last two weeks. This situation is unacceptable to many here. Also, street dogs pull the trash out of the garbage bins and scatter all over the street. Foul smell from the carcass of the dead dogs overrun by vehicles is very disturbing. Additionally, dogs bark at odd hours of night continuously. I request the concerned authorities to kindly take some as soon as possible.
Thanking you
Yours truly,
Farha

Exercise

Question 1.
Write a letter to the GHMC Corporator of your locality, complaining about the delay in garbage collection.
Answer:
From
P. Shyam
15/2 Siddharth Endave
Balajinagar,
Dilsulthnagar,
Hyderabad.
28 December 2016
To
The Corporator,
GHMC
Hyderabad.
Dear Sir,
Sub: Complain regarding the delay in garbage collection.
IP Shyarn, resident of Balajinagar. In our area there is delay in garbage collection in our area. Atleast for the last suc months this has become a habit. The municipal sweepers do not dean our locality regularly. And even when they appear, they pile the garbage dump in front of our residence. This pile is left here for weeks, this leads to other people to dump all the waste in our area. Due to this, the whole area is filled with unhygienic atmosphere resulting inconvenience, diseases and mosquitoes. So, its my humble request to please take action as soon as possible and help us to get rid from this problem.
Thanking you
Yours Faithfully,
Shyam
P. Shyarm

Question 2.
Write a letter to the editor of a local newspaper, suggesting that news Items of national and global significance should be given greater importance than celebrity gossip and news of a sensational nature.
Answer:
From
Rai Purohith,
H.No. 2-227
Anjanailu nagar,
Kakinada
29 January 2016
To
The Editor
Andhra Jyothi
Dear Sir,
Sub: Suggestion to give importance to global news.
I am Raj Purohith, resident of Anjanailu nagar, Kakinada. I am a regular reader of your newspaper. I have been observing that lots of importance is been given to celebrity gossip and sensational news in your paper. I feel this sort of news is not of utmost importance which is celebrities personal affair. Instead if you will provide news related to national and global significance coveting will social, economic, political and cultural aspects. Lam sure news of this type will definitely bring awareness in a common man which is very useful now a days. It is just a suggestion from my side. Kindly if you feel my advice to be fine you can bring improvement to the society as a whole.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully
Signature
Raj
Rai Purohith

Question 3.
Write a letter giving positive feedback to the coordinator of a personality development course you attended.
Answer:
From
Renny Joyce,
D.No. 15-9/2,
Dathunagar,
Hyderabad
Date: 14 Nov. 2016
To
The Coordinator,
Ramakrishna Math,
Hyderabad.
Dear Sir,
Sub : Positive feedback for the personality development course.
I, Renny Joyce pursuing B.Tech final year attended personality development course conducted by your institute last week. I was one of the student enjoyed all the classes and learnt a lot from this course. Each and every session was really very inspiring to me. I got motivated by all the topics discussed over there. I kindly request you to do conduct many such programmes so that the young generation may learn to live the life to the fullest.
Thank you sir,
Yours faithfully
Renny
Renny Joyce

Soft Skills:

Stress Management
Stress Is the overwhelming feeling when a person undergoes a lot of mental or emotional pressure due to work responsibilities, studies, financial worries, or any of life’s other demands. Stress is a very common occurrence in our modem life.

We are always under many pressures from our family and professional life, it is a long term condition. Stress affects a person’s hormones and body chemistry, which makes him anxious, irritable, angry, depressed low in self-confidence, lethargic or drained of energy or sleepy.

There is no predictable pattern to stress. For some, giving a presentation to a group of co-workers can be stressful, while for others, tight deadlines can be a source of tremendous worry. it is important to recognize the stress producing situation. There is no quick fix for stress. But one has to determine what helps him/her to manage stress best.

Some Strategies to Cope up with Stress

Exercising: Have a healthy lifestyle. Sometimes, going for a run or playing a sport with your friends clears your mind and helps relieves stress.
Connecting with Loved Ones : Share your feeling with your friend and family. Talking to others might lead to brainstorming and solutions to your problem.
Relaxing : Taking time off from work to socialise or indulge in a hobby can make a huge difference in your mental well-being. Getting a solid eight hours of sleep will recharge the body and the mind.
Avoid unhealthy Habits : Many people use alcohol or smoking to cope, but these habits will deteriorate your health.
Meditation : Breathing exercises like pranayama or meditation helps a person to relieve of stress.
Find Help : Talk to your general physician if you fear that stress is overwhelming your life, as they will be able to put you in touch with experts who are familiar with stress and capable of alleviating your tension.
Manage your time better and organize your task
Have a healthy lifestyle including propr diet, exercise and enough sleep.
Read interesting books or watch television programmes that entertains you a lot.

Value Orientation

Practice Makes Perfect

Practice makes perfect is a popular expression that emphasises the importance of doing something again and again until you are capable of completing the task in the best manner possible. Every individual learns from their mistakes you will steadily improve. Practice is the act of rehearsing a behaviour over and over, or engaging in an activity again and again, for the purpose of improving or mastering it. Sports teams practice to prepare for actual games.

What is needed in order for a person to be able to master a musical instrument. For e.g : A violinist does not learn to play the instrument after one lesson, but keeps at it, working hard and practicing daily until they master the art. Even then, in order to maintain their fluency, they must practice. The same holds true for sports people as well.

Tendulkar became the ‘Little Master’ only through perseverance, practising in the nets day in and day out for many years. The proverb stresses the importance of continuous practice to learn anything. There is no short-cut to get mastery in a trade, art or sport. Only rigorous practice wilL make a person perfect in any field of activity. Mere knowledge of a thing is not enough to acquire mastery in it. One has to practice it to have mastery over it. Perfection can be achieved only through practice. A child learn things through practice.

We may know a rule in physics or mathematics. But we can have perfection in the subject only when we practice similar examples again and again. ‘Practice makes perfect’ is applicable in the world of academics as well; merit- holders in board examinations achieve such high marks by studying and revising every day so that they have a thorough understanding of the subject. Only through regular practice can you become perfect or proficient in something.

Stanzas Written in Dejection, Near Naples Summary in English

Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792.1822) was an English poet. Born to a wealthy upper class family. His poetry shows a remarkably fine blending of idealistic message, precision of imagery and captivating melody. The poem. “Stanzas written in dejection, “Near Naples” was written when shelley and his wife Mary visited Naples during winter from November 1818 to February 1819, when the climate was pleasantly warm.

It is a description of the way that the poet felt at the time of its composition. The title states that he was writing these stanzas in a state of dejection. The poem begins with beautiful, uplifting descriptions of nature, it ends on a rather sorrow – filled note. He is able to see the beauty of nature, is able to describe it with love and vigour, but when it comes to his own life, he is unable to find even a glimmer of hope.

The day is warm, the sky is clear, the waves sparkle. Blue islands aid snow – topped mountains look purple in the midday light. Buds are ready to blossom. The sounds of the winds, the birds, the waves and of Naples itself blend in pleasant harmony. He sees the seaweed on the ocean bottom and watches the waves dissolve into light as they strike the shore. He sits alone on the sand, observing the sparking ocean and listening to the sound of the waves. But he feels that how pleasant all this would be if there were someone with whom he could share his emotions.

Unfortunately, Shelley lacks hope, health, peace, calmness, contentment, fame, power, love and leisure. He sees others who enjoy all these and find life a pleasure. It is otherwise with him. He would like to lie down like a tired child and “weep away the life of care” which he has endured and must continue to endure.

Death would steal upon him quietly, turning his warm cheeks could while the waves continued repeated rhythm as consciousness grew fainter. Some might mourn his death just as he will regret the departure of this beautiful day to which his melancholy is in contrast. He is not popular, but nevertheless they might mourn his death while disapproving of his life. The end of this day will not bring mixed feelings to him. Since it has been enjoyed, it will live on in his memory.

Other causes undoubtedly contributed to Shelley’s death-wish at Naples. His first wife, Harriet Westbrook, and Mary Shelley’s half sister had committed suicide, the courts had taken from him the custody of his two children by Harriet, friends had turned against him, his poetry was neglected by the public and condemned by the critics, and he was plagued by financial and personal problems.

Shelley experienced one of the lowest periods of his life while he was in Naples. His desire to free himself by death from his troubles does not necessarily reveal any moral or character weakness but an understandably profound discouragement at a time when everything seemed to be going wrong. Nature, no matter how beautiful, was of little help.

So, the central meaning of the poem seems to hinge on the relationship between the beauty and comfort of nature and the speaker’s dejected emotional state. The emotional state appears to be allayed by the nature surrounding him, while the causes for his dejection are related to society.

Stanzas Written in Dejection, Near Naples Summary in Telugu

Percy Bysshe Shelley అనబడే 18వ శతాబ్దపు ఇంగ్లీషు రచయిత. ‘Stanzas Written in Dejection Near Naples’ అనబడే ఈ పద్యము ఏ్రాశారు. ఆ పద్యములు సంగీతబద్ధంగా ఉంటాయి. To A Skylark, Adonais’ మొదలైన గీతములు అయన యొక్క కవితా వైదుష్యమును చూపును. ఈ పద్యము ఆయన తిరస్కార బుద్దితో వ్రాశారు.

ఆయన ఈ పద్యాన్ని ప్రకృతిని అందంగా వర్ణిస్తూ ప్రారంభించారు. తన భార్యతో కలిసి, నేపుల్స్కు వెళ్ళినష్పుడు ఈ పద్యాన్ని వ్రాశారు. దానిని పరిసరాల అందమైన చిత్రీకరణతో (్రాశారు. అది పగది సమయము. గాలులు, పక్షులు అలలు, నగరం యొక్క ధ్వని అన్నీ కూడా చాలా సున్నితంగా ఉన్నాయి. అక్కడ ఉన్న ఇసుక మీద కూర్చుండి, రంగులో ఉన్న సముద్రపు కలుపు యొక్కలను చూశాడు.

సముద్రపు హోరు, దాని అలల మెరుపులు చూసి, అయన నోటిమాట రాకుండా ఉండిపోయాడు.
అతడు వెనకటి విషయాలు గుర్తు చేసికొన్నాడు గానీ ఇప్పటి అతని పరిస్థితి అతణ్ణి తిరస్కారపు స్థితికి నడిపింద. ఆయన కష్టాలు ఎన్నో ఆయన భార్య చనిపోయింది. పిల్లలు ఆయన నుండి వేరుచేయబడ్డారు. రెండవ భార్య విడిచి వెళ్ళిపోయింది. అతనికి ఆశలేదు, ఆస్థి లేదు, ఘనత లేదు, గౌరవము గానీ అధికారము గానీ లేవు,పేమ లేదు, విశ్రాంతి కూడా లేదు – అతని స్నేహీతులకు అన్ని ఆనందాలు ఉన్నాయి.

అయన నిరాశలో నుండి, అలసిపోయిన చిన్న పిల్లవాడి లాగా ఏడ్చాడు. అతడు చావు కొరకు ఎదురు చూడవలసివచ్చింది. ఆయన చనిపోయినప్పుడు ఆయన స్నేహితులు అతని కొరకు విలపించారు. ఈ విలాపము, ఆయన ఉద్దేశ్యములో, సరిఘైన సమయములోనిది కాదు.

ఆయన మానసిక వ్యధలోనుండినప్పుడు ఎవ్వరూ పట్దించుకొనలేదు. సూర్యాస్తమయము సహజంగా వచ్చింది అలాగే ఆయన మరణం కూడా సహజమే. ఆయన ఆ విలాపమును అంగీకరించలేదు.
కవి, ఈ పద్యాన్ని తిరస్కారమైన స్థితిలోనుండి వ్రాశారు. ముందు లైనులలో ప్రకాశవంతమైన పగదిని గురించి, చివరి పంక్తులు సూర్యాస్తమయమును అనగా రోజు పూర్తయిన సమయమును అనగా కవి యొక్క చివరి రోజులకు వర్ణిస్తున్నవి.