Study Material

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

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’.

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’ in it unmistakably.

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 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 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

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 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.

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 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 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 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

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

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.

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 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

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!

Glossary:

OU Degree 3rd Sem English Study Material

Osmania University Degree 2nd Year 3rd Sem English Study Material

Unit 1

• Life Poem by Charlotte Bronte
• A Wrong Man in Workers’ Paradise by Rabindranath Tagore
• Unit 1 Vocabulary, Grammar

Unit 2

• Punishment in Kindergarten Poem by Kamala Das
• Toasted English by RK Narayan
• Unit 2 Vocabulary, Grammar

Unit 3

• Unit 3 Vocabulary, Grammar

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

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.

OU Degree 2nd Sem English Study Material

OU Degree 1st Sem English – Benaras Questions and Answers & Summary

Question 1.
How does Huxley connect the incident of the bull and the beggar to the rest of his essay? Expand your answer by elaborating on Huxley’s reflections.
Answer:
Aldous Huxley is an English writer of international reputation. His Brave New world is the most popular of his works. His non-fiction works are remarkable for his critical insight into human behaviour. His style very impressive and offers the readers a pleasant experience as they go through his works.

The present piece ‘Benares’ narrates his personal observations in that holy city. It was on a solar eclipse day. That particular eclipse was visible only in a far-off place Sumatra. But people in India had an eye of faith. They were able to see the eclipse from Benares. They believed that a demonic serpent would try to swallow the sun.

They hoped that their antics and rituals in the sacred river would help the sun to win over his enemy. For that prayer, they walked for miles. They didn’t mind dirt, fifth, fatigue etc. They forgot their hunger. Millions of them plunged into the river at the appointed hour. They performed various rituals which the author describes as antics.

The lanes and bylanes were lined up with beggars. The bowls in front of them had grains of rice offered by charitable pilgrims. A bull appeared there from under an arch. It noticed a beggar dozing. It put its muzzle in the sleeping beggar’s bowl and ate all the rice in it. Then it went off the way it came.

This is just a common incident. But the seeing eye of Huxley picked up a valuable point there. Intelligent and thinking men were behaving in an irrational way. But the mindless bull acted in a sensible way. It shows the value of reason, pragmatism and following nature’s lessons. The bull’s incident appears to be simple. But it conveys a valuable lesson. The writer’s arguments are convincing. They serve like an eye-opener.

Question 2.
Describe the arrival of the princesses in your own words.
Answer:
Aldous Huxley’s experiences in Benares were varied. His keen eye caught even microscopic detail. His artistic hand describes those details in an impressive way. The writer rowed along the ghats for about two hours. Some of the ghats were considered unsacred by people. They were, therefore, less crowded. To one such thinly crowded ghats came a palanquin.

It was canopied and covered with curtains of gold. It was carried carefully to the edge of the river by six red-liveried attendants. A head attendant was leading them. A barge, beautifully decorated and windows curtained, was floating there at the edge of the ghats.

The palanquin was slowly put down. A canvas path was quickly created from the entrance of the palanquin to the door of the barge. Then the palaquin’s doorway was opened. About half a dozen princesses came out of it and entered the barge. They did not have the freedom to watch around. They were not allowed to seen by others either.

After the barge floated to the mid-river the poor princesses removed the window curtains. They looked around freely. Even they looked at the writer’s camera. They were not permitted to take a holy dip in the open river. They were restricted to bath in the bilge water of the barge. Water in the open river itself was filthy.

One can well imagine how filthier the stagnated bilge-water would be! The royal ladies were less fortunate than their poor but free common women. The writer feels pity for them. Even the reader is moved to join the writer in sympathising with the caged-bird like ladies from the palaces.

Question 3.
What, according to Huxley, should be our attitude towards religion? Why?
Answer:
Aldous Huxley is known for his humane approach. His writings reflect rationalist outlook. He believes in religion. But he wants it to be free from dogma. He likes faith to help man to advance. He hates religion coming in man’s way towards progress. His thought-provoking essay ‘Benares’ explains his views about religion.

He exposes the Indian’s eye of faith that helps them to see the invisible and non-existent eclipse in Benares. He digs at their belief that a demoniac serpent was about to swallow the sun. He makes fun of their attempt to save the sun from the serpent. He pities the millions of poor, walking for miles, barefoot and with loads balanced on their heads, to offer their prayers for the sake of the sun.

He also sympathises with the ladies of the royal families. He criticises subtly their customs and traditions. He says they were less fortunate than poor people in not being able to take a holy dip in the sacred river. He appreciates the pragmatic practices of the mindless bull. He advises intelligent but sentimental Indians to learn a lesson or two from that innocent animal.

He whole-hearted respects religions. But he is against binding ourselves with blind beliefs. He argues that antics and rituals do not make a religion. The ultimate aim of any religion, he proposes, should be liberation of man, not imprisonment. His conclusion is to be religious with rationality.

Question 4.
What does the author propose for the betterment of India? Do you agree with his views? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
Aldous Huxley advises indians to be more rationalistic and less superstitious. He asserts that religion is a luxury which india cannot afford in that condition. He is surprised at indian’s immense energy being wasted in antics and vituals. He urges us to channelise into development programmes. His advice, if followed, is bound to liberate India from many vices.

I do fully agree to Huxley’s suggestions for India’s betterment. He was born in England. But he is more an Indian than the most patriotic Indian national in his concern for the welfare of India. He feels pity for the poor of India. He sympathises with them. He is sad as he notices barefoot old men and women walking for miles on dusty roads with loads balanced on their heads. His concern for lack of basic freedom to royal ladies also touches the readers. He appreciates the sensible behaviour of the mindless bull.

He asks sentimental Indians to learn from the innocent animal. He appeals reason to prevail upon religion. He see that reasoning ability in the bull. Now it is the turn of indians to see a point in the bull’s approach. Huxley admits that they respect their church. He quickly adds that their devotion never crosses the reasonable limits. He exhorts Indians of all faiths to follows their example. He expresses his willingness to arrange funds for the mission of establishing reason in india.

Pronunciation

Fricatives
The Fricative is a type of consonant sound made when air escapes from a narrow passage in the mouth, causing friction and a hissing sound. Fricatives have a looser construction in the mouth, which allows friction to be produced at the point of contact. There are nine fricatives in English. Four pairs and /h/ constriction between the lower lip and the upper teeth (labio-dental); /f/ is voiceless.
They are /f/, /v/, /θ/, /∂/, /s/, /z/, /f/, /3/, and /h/

Exercise:

Transcribe the following words using IPA symbols and underline the common fricatives in each set.

Grammar

Adjectives

Any word speaking about the noun or showing quality of the noun is called adjective.
Adjectives are qualifying words they describe noun or noun phrases.
An adjective describes some aspect of a noun or a pronoun when an adjective is describing a noun, we say it is modifying it.

Adjectives of Quality

It describe feelings or qualities, state nationality or origin; tell us about a noun’s characteristics, age, size, shape or colour, indicate what something is made of; and express judgements or values. They can be used in the following ways:

a. before a noun — Samera is a voracious reader.
b. after a ‘be’ verb — The movie was fabulous.
c. after the verbs appear, — She appears dull in that dress.
become, fell, get turns,
tastes, smells, sounds.
d. without nouns — The homeless (i.e., homeless people. need our help.

When adjectives are written one after another, there is an order in which they are placed.

Exercise

Choose the right order of adjectives from the given options.

Question 1.
Jitendra lives in the ______ house down the street.
a. pink, new, big
b. big, new, pink
c. new, big, pinki
Answer:
b. big, new, pink

Question 2.
The sunday market offers all kinds of ______ objects
a. fascinating, old, antique
b. old, antique, fascinating
c. old, fascinating, antique
Answer:
a. fascinating, old, antique

Question 3.
I was delighted to receive a _____ dairy from my pal.
a. large, beautiful, Leather-bound
b. leather-bound, large, beautiful
c. beautiful, large, leather-bound
Answer:
c. beautiful, large, leather-bound

Question 4.
His clown costume consists of a red nose, over sized shoes, and a jacket.
a. tight, polka-dotted, satin
b. polka-dotted, satin, tight
c. polka-dotted, tight, satin
Answer:
a. tight, polka-dotted, satin

Question 5.
My sister has a ______ dog
a. black, big, scary, Alsatian
b. big, black, scary, Alsatian
c. scary, big, black, Alsatian
Answer:
c. scary, big, black, Alsatian

Present and Past Participles of verbs can also be used as adjective.

Participle	Ending	Adjective function	Example
Past	– ed	describes how people feel	I was amused by the article
Present	– ing	describes what causes a feeling	It was an amusing article

Fills in the blanks with adjectives formed using the present and past participles of the verbs in brackets.

1. It was a boring book. I was bored by the book. (bore).
2. This film is frightening. I was frightened while watching it. (frighten).
3. I felt annoyed after I ran into him. That man is very annoying. (annoy).
4. It is an interesting topic. I am interested in learning more about it (interest).
5. I am tired because I’ve had a tiring day. (tire).

Adjectives of Quantity

Adjectives of quantity indicate the amount or number of the noun.
e.g. There are four apples in the basket. We need many more.

Exercise.

Choose the appropriate word as adjective from the options provided.

1. There isn’t much sugar in the pot. (much/many).
2. Tanya has very few options left. (little/few).
3. Rohan brought some food with him. (some/many).
4. I have little faith in Amar. (little / less).
5. People buy fewer newspapers these days. (fewer/less).
6. Do you have any further plans? (further / farther).
7. I ran pretty for yesterday, but I ran even farther today. (farther/further).
8. Of the two shirts, I prefer the latter (later/latter).
9. Sonia arrived at the party later than srinivas did (later/latter).
10. The people in the photo are Raju, Sonu, and Manu, The last is my brother (last/latter).

4. a. Comparative Degree : When we compare two people, places, etc., and say that a quality is not present equally in the two, we use the comparative degree of the adjective. The comparative form is always followed by ‘than’ (except in case such as inferior to and superior to.
E.g:

• Your pencil is longer than mine.
• The flower is more beautiful than its picture in the book.

b. Superlative Degree
When three or more things, animals etc., are compared and they have a particular quality in unequal measure, we use the superlative degree of the adjective. The superlative form always has the definite article ‘the’ before it.
E.g:

• Your pencil is the longest of the three in the box.
• The flower is the most beautiful of all those found in the region.

Exercise

Adjective	Comparative	Superlative
good/well	better	the best
bad/ill	worse	the worst
little	less	the least
much/many	more	the most
far	farther/further	the farthest/the furthest
simple	simpler	the simplest
important	more important	most important
small	smaller	the smallest

Fill in the blanks with adjectives formed from the words given in the brackets.

1. This is the most fascinating story I have ever read. (fascination).
2. Non-smokers usually live longer than smokers. (long).
3. A holiday by the sea is better than a holiday in the mountains. (good).
4. Today was the worst day of my Life (bad).
5. This is the least of the two evils. (less.

Fill in the blanks with the comparative and superlative forms of the adjectives given in the brackets.

1. My bungalow is larger than hers. My bungalow is the largest in my colony. (large).
2. I am the fastest runner in my school. But my sister can run faster than me (fast).
3. Not only is her handwriting better now, it is in fact the best in her class. (good).
4. This task is important to me. It is the most important task I’ll do this week. (important).
5. I thought the green ones would cost the least, but the red ones cost less (little)

Vocabulary

Oxymoron and Hyperbole

An oxymoron is a figure of speech that has two components which contradict one another. It combines words that have opposite or very different meanings.

Example

• She let out a quiet scream.
• The design is composed of an ineqular pattern.
• Parting is such sweet sorrow.
• He is always idle busy.
• Act Naturally
• Pretty Cruel
• Open secret

An Hyperbole is a figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for effect, but not intended to be taken literally.

Example

• The suitcase weighed a ton
• She is as skinny as a toothpick
• She wept oceans of tears.
• The sea rose mountain high.
• He has tons and tons of money.
• He is stronger than lion.
• It is an age since we met.

Exercise

Underline hyperbolic expressions in the sentences given below.

1. We had to wait forever for the bus.
2. I have a million things to do.
3. I could sleep for a year.
4. It was the most amazing sight ever.
5. I am so hungry I could eat a horse.
6. I’ve told you a hundred times to wash the dishes.

Spelling

Words ending in ‘-able’ or ‘-ible’
Words ending with – able and – ible are usually adjectives and mean ‘capable of’ or ‘suitable for’.

Example:
enjoyable — able to be enjoyed
edible — suitable for eating
readable — capable of being read
reversible — capable of being reversed

The base word in words ending in – able is generally easily identifiable such as the word ‘adapt’ in adaptable and ‘bear’ in bearable, although there may be exceptions. If the base words ends with an ‘e’, it is usually dropped before adding the suffix, such as in the words debatable (from ‘debate’). and adorable (from ‘adore’).

The base word in words ending in -ible may not be easily identifiable, as in the ‘-ase of words such as ‘horrible’ and ‘feasible’. However there are many exceptions to this ‘principle’ such as accessible (from) ‘access’. and flexible (from ‘flex’).

Exercise

Complete the following words using the suffixes – able or – ible.

1. Permissible
2. Bearable
3. Breakable
4. audible
5. collapsible
6. movable
7. illegible
8. advisable
9. acceptable
10. responsible
11. inflatable
12. eligible
13. incredible
14. navigable
15. reversible
16. preferable
17. justifiable
18. invincible
19. capable
20. negligible

Punctuation

Colon and Em-Dash

1. Colon (:)
The colon (:) is a punctuation mark consisting of two equally sized dots centered on the same vertical line.
A colon means “that is to say” or “here’s what I means’

Rule 1
Use a colon to introduce an item or a series of items, when listing items one by one.
E.g

• This is what I need : Chart paper, marker pens, some glue, and coloured ribbons.
• I need an assistant who can do the following: Input data, write reports, and complete tax forms.

Rule 2
An explanation

• The reason he gave was this : he had not listened to the instructions carefully.
• He got what he worked for: he really earned that promotion.

Rule 3
A quotation

• The host made an announcement: ‘Theparty is over’.
• Dad often said to me: “Work hard, be honest, always show up on time”.

Note : While a semicolon links two balanced statements, a colon leads from one statement to the other.

Exercise.

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

Question 1.
you may be required to bring many things sleeping bags pans utensils and warm clothing.
Answer:
You may be required to bring many things: sleeping bagas, pans, utensils, and warm clothing.

Question 2.
I want the following items butter, sugar and flour.
Answer:
I want the following items: butter, sugar, and flour.

Question 3.
I need an assistant who can do the following input data write reports and complete tax forms.
Answer:
I need an assistant who can do the following: input data, write reports, and complete tax forms.

Question 4.
he got what he worked for a promotion.
Answer:
He got what he worked for a promotion.

Question 5.
I am soaking wet I forgot my umbrella.
Answer:
I am soaking wet: I forgot my umbrella.

2. em-dash (—).

The em dash is perhaps the most versatile punctuation mark.
1. It is used is pairs within a sentence, to mark off paranthetical information or ideas –
e.g: Thousand of children – like the girl in this photograph – need your help to survive.
2. To break off a statement without completing it.
e.g: I think it would have been better if –
3. To show other kinds of breaks in a sentence, usually represented by a comma, semicolon, or colon.
e.g: One thing’s for sure – he doesn’t want to face to truth.
Note: Dashes are more informal, relaxed and conversational in style. They are common in informal writing, such as in personal e-mails or blogs, but it is best to use them sparingly in formal writing.

Exercise

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

Question 1.
my son where has he gone
Answer:
My son – where has he gone?

Question 2.
Things have changed a lot in the last year mainly for the better.
Answer:
Things have changed a lot in the last year – mainly for the better.

Question 3.
All four of them vani kusum anu and priya did well in college.
Answer:
All four of them – Vani, Kusum, Mu, and Priya – did well in college.

Question 4.
How many times have I asked you not to payan suddenly stopped talking and stood up.
Answer:
‘How many times have I asked you not to -‘, Payan suddenly stopped talking and stood up.

Question 5.
Chocolate strawberry vanilla all ice cream tastes good, especially on a hot summer’s day.
Answer:
Chocolate, strawberty, Vanilla all-ice cream tastes good, especially on a hot summer’s day.

Conversation

Requests

When we are asking some one for something, we need to be polite and courteous. In the English language requests are made in the form of questions, and we use modal auxiliaries such as can, could, will, would, may, might to frame them. We also use the words please, sorry and thank you when we make or respond to requests.

Making a Request

• May I borrow your pen, please?
• Could I borrow your pen, Please?
• Would you mind lending men your pen, please?
• Would you be so kind as to Lend me your pen, please?
• Could you please do me a favour?
• Can you do me a favour, please?
• I was wondering if you could do me a favour.
• Will you please come with me to the doctor?
• Do you think you could possibly come with me to the doctor?

Note:

• Would you ……. and could you ……….. are more polite and formal than will you …….. and can you ……..
• Indirect requests such as I wonder if you could lend me your pen are more formal than direct requests such as could you lend me your pen.
• Adding expressions such as I’m sorry to bother you, but .. to a request makes them more polite.

Agreeing to a Request

• (May I borrow your pen, please?) Yes, of course./Yes, please do./Certainly./Sure, no problem.
• (Would you mind lending me your pen, please?) Not at all.
• (Can you do me a favour, please?) Of course, by all means.
• (Will you please come with me to the doctor?) Sure; I’d be glad to help.

Declining a Request

• (May I borrow your pen, please?). No I’m sorry. I need it.
• (Could you lend me your pen, please?). I wish I could have, but I don’t have it with me.
• (Would you mind lending me your pen, please?). I’m afraid I can’t
• (Could you please come with me to the doctor?). I’m sorry, I can’t. I’m very busy today.
• (Could you please tell me the way to the station?). I’m afraid I don’t know. I’m sorry.

Note:

• If a request Is framed as Would you mind …., you can respond positively using the expression not at all, which means ‘I do not mind’.
• When refusing a request (No, I’m sorry., it is considered polite to give a short explanation for denying the request (I need it/I don’t have it with me/I’m very busy today).
• I’m afraid is an expression used to politely introduce bad news or disagreement.

Exercise

Based on the hints given, frame a polite request, as well as a polite response (either positive or negative, as indicated).

1. A : Would you please help me with my homework?
B : (negative). I’m sorry, I can’t. I got some urgent work.

2. A: Would you mind helping me with my homework?
B: (positive). I do not mind/Not at all

3. A : Will you please give me your car?
B: (negative) No. I’m sorry. I need it.

4. A : Do you mind to lend me your car, please?
B: (positive. I wish I could have, but I don’t have it with me now.

5. A : These boxes are too heavy. Could you please help me to carry them?
B: (negative. I’m sorry. I can’t. I’m very busy now.

Reading Passage

Burrakatha : an Oral Narrative Performance

Burrakatha is an art form in which stories are told by performers on a stage. It is part of the katha traciflon. It is named so because of the use of burra which is shaped like a skull made out of baked clay, copper, or dried pumpkin. This art form is found in the villages of Telangana, Rayalaseema and Andhra Pradesh.

It is called as Tamburakatha or saradakatha, in Rayalaseema, it is called as Tandanakatha or suddulu and in the coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh, It is called as Tamburakatha or Saradakatha, in Rayalaseema, it Ís called as Tandanakatha or Suddulu and in the coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh, it is called as Jangamkatha.

Burrakatha began in the form of songs sung by Nomadic tribal people who move from one place to another place for their livelihood. it is said that the ancestors of one of such tribe were cursed by the goddess parvati to live a difficult life. They are known as the Jangam tribe. In the 20th century, these tribes were greatly influenced by a saint called Basava of kamataka and adopted Virashaivism as their religion.

Their performance consists of a story told by a team of two or three people who belong to the same family. The main storyteller of the performance is known as the kathakudu who wear anklets and metal rings on their fingers to produce music as they dance.

He narrates the story to the accompaniment of music produced by the tambura. The other performers assist in telling the story, playing small drums called gummeta or budike, and playing the role of homourists (hasyakas. or political commentators (rajakiyas..

Burrakatha is mostly performed during Dussehra and Sankranti in the evenings.
They begin with devotional songs before the kathakuda introduces the story. The stones performed tend to be based on history or mythology, particularly of the great epics the ramayana and the Mahabharata.

Writing

Informal Letters

Informal letters are written to friends, family and relatives. Their tone is informal and the style of language used in these letters is casual and conversational. These letters could be about your home, family, friends, relatives, work or about something interesting that happened to you.
The block format is the preferred modem style for writing both formal and Informal

Letter. All entries are aligned to the left margin. The various parts of an informal letter are as follows.

1. The Sender’s Address:  The complete address of the letter writer must be given if the letter is written to a person for the first time, or if there is a change in the address of the writer. It can be written on left hand comer or at the right side.

2. Date:  The date should be written in the sequence data, month, and year, as in ‘14 November 2016’.

3. Salutation : It is always written at the left hand margin of the page, followed by a comma.
The salutation is usually in form of ‘Dear’, ‘My Dear’, suggests intimacy and can be used only for relatives or close friends. Friends can also be addressed by their names.

4. Body of the Letter : The body of an informal letter is usually longer than that of a formal letter, and is written is as many paragraph as required by the content. The first paragraph contains greetings and general enquiries. The actual content of the letter is covered in the second paragraph in free and spontaneous language.

5. Complimentary Close : It is placed the body of the letter. The most commonly used closing phrases in letters to very close friends and relatives are, ‘Yours lovingly,’ Yours affectionately’,  ‘Your loving’.

6. Signature : It comes below the complimentary close, and the fîrst name of the person is written instead of the complete name.

Sample -1.

Anita Shinde
Flat No. 301, Bluebird Aprts
Bangaluru-580023
15 September 2016
My dear Jo,
I’m so glad to hear that you have joined a new company in Bangalore as Head of Human Resources. You were looking for a change and I’m sure
that the new company you’re working for now will give you the mileage you were looking for. Your daughter must be excited, too, as educational opportunities in Bangalore are better than those in the town you were in earlier. I think your husband has to make some adjustments with his work to join you. How about planning a get-together in Hyderabad during a weekend next month? We could meet our other college friends. Once you get comfortable with your relocation, let me know the dates convenient for you. I’ll take up the responsibility of coordinating with the others. We will certainly have a blast!
Convey my regards to your husband and love to your daughter.
Yours affectionately,
Anita.

Sample -2.

As Bhushan Bose, write a letter to your friend, inviting him/her to your brother’s wedding.
Answer:
Banjara Hills,
Road No. – 12, Hyderabad,
14-November-20 16
My Dear karan,
Hope everything is fine with you. It’s been two months that I was not incontact with you, as J was busy in marriage preparations. No, do not get me wrong, I am not getting married, but its my brothers wedding. Finally he’s getting settled with the girl of his choice. I am not getting married, but its my brothers wedding. Finally, he’s getting settled with the girl of his choice. I am extremely happy to invite you with your whole family, as my brother’s marriage is on 28th, Nov 2016 at Tivoli Gardens, Secunderabad at 7 pm. I have invited all out friends and we will have a great time. Karan come at least two days before in advance. Waiting for your arrival.
Bye and Take care.
Yours Lovingly,
Bharath

Exercise

Question 1.
You have decided to start organic farming in your hometown after acquiring prestigions MBA degree from a reputed university. Your best friend is unsure if the choice you are making is a good one. Write a letter to him/her justifying your decision and also underlining the dignity one can derive from getting into a occupation like agriculture.
Answer:
Date : 29, Nov 2016
Dear Rai,
How are you? I am fine. I have gone through your letter and have come to know about your decision to start organic farming in your hometown. I felt very happy one way, but other side I feel that acquiring a prestigious MBA agree from a reputed university and again choosing agriculture as your occupation seems to be little doubtful.

You were always topper in the college and you got a very good placement in cognizant too. I am not sure whether the decision you have taken is best or not. But I know you are clever enough and your decision is always rights. It is good on a part that you feel like to develop your own hometown in the field of organic farming.

You can also help many poor farmers in this way. Really you are great and I am very happy to have a best friend like you. Convey my regards to your parents. May God bless you in all whatever you choose to be in life. Take care, bye.
Yours Affectionately
Sagar Gupta

Question 2.
Write a letter to your cousin who lives in another town, inviting her/him to stay with you during dussehra.
Answer:
H.No. 4-9/2,
Salaj nagar,
Karim nagar
Date: 18 Sep 2016
My dear Nikhil,
Many thanks for your letter. I was very pleased to learn that your school remain closed for a week on account of Dussehra. It will be very kind of you come over here during these holidays. We shall all have a nice time, have plenty of fun, laughter and sight-seeing.

As you know that Dussehra here is celebrated with gusto. The effigies of Rayana is made with great labour, it is quite big in size and every care is taken to keep intact his ancient character. The fireworks fixed in the effigies are very powerful and their deafening noise is an experience unheard of anywhere else.

Besides enjoying the Dussehra celebrations, we will go together sightseeing. The caves and the small mountain hills are a big attraction for tourists: Convey my regards to uncle and aunt. Bring them along with you. Elders will have their fun too. Hoping to hear from you soon.
Your loving brother
Dilip

Question 3.
Write a letter to your parents who do not believe in your decision of having an alternative career option and want you to get into the family business immediately after your graduation.
Answer:
D.No. 77/7
Maruthinagar,
Hyderabad.
Date: 18 Nov 2016
Dear dad and mom,
How are you? I am fine by the grace of God. How about grandparents? I would like to share few of my feelings with you regarding my career option. Naturally every parent wants the best for their child, and they want to see their children settle in good carrers.

I know it is your desire to make me a businessman taking care of the family business. Being in city Like Hyderabad, I have come to know about so many job opportunities to settle well in the Life and take care of the family. Actually we had campus selections in our college, luckily I got a job in one of the top most company Infosys.

I am going to get a very good package too. I have decided to join the company after graduation. Hope you understand my passion to be placed in such a famous multinational company. As lam not interested in business, I may not do justice to the profession. I know you are so loving and wanted me to always be in a good position.
Take care of your health.
Your loving son
Abhay

Soft Skills

Leadership:

Leadership skill is a soft skill which is an ability to motivate others towards achievement of a common goal. They are the skills required to effectively motivate and lead a group of people or an organisation. Leadership is important to handle any internal or external changes in the environment, incomplete organizational structure, motivate and inspire people towards achieving a common goal. Employers are constantly on the lookout for those exhibiting such skills.

The following are some of the personality traits of a leader.

1. Communication: This trait determine how effectively you interact with others in and outside the organization. Only through open communication can a leader coordinate with his or her co-workers and delegate tasks, monitor progress, address issues, help, inspire, and ensure deadlines are met.

2. Self-Confidence: Leader are often expected to make difficult decisions. In order to do so they must have faith in their choices and must be confident in their own skills to such an extent that they can motivate those they supervise.

3. Honesty : In order to maintain a company’s integrity, leaders must be honest and ethical, ensuring co-workers never to do things they might be uncomfortable doing. This trait shows how loyal and honest you are towards the organization.

4. Fairness : A leader will have to assign projects to co-workers. This means that she/he must understand the strengths and weakness of her/his co-workers and then delegate tasks fairly, in a diplomatic and objective manner. Doing so will help resolve any potential work issues.

5. Positivity : Focussing on the positive and always looking for solutions can result in a leader inspiring co-workers. Leaders must thus strive to be good role models.

6. Adaptability: This skill shows how well you adapt yourself to changing situation and priorities.

7. Alertness : It shows how active and alert you are in different situation.

8. Problem solving : This skill is treated very important as this determines how well you solve any problem.

Value Orientation

The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword
The pen is mightier than the sword mean that communication is far more effective, influential and powerful than weapons or violence. Writing can instill a number of emotions within a reader, joy, grief, love, anger, jealousy etc. This is a powerful means by which many who have wielded a pen have been able to connect with a large audience and trigger massive changes.

The power of pen is enormously larger than a sword. What a sharp edged sword can’t achieve can be achieved by the help of a minute tip of a pen. What it implies is that the power of writing is much stronger than the power of hatred, war, and fighting. The pen is usually linked with writing. It helps the writer to record his thoughts on paper. Sword is a weapon used forcefully against someone. A sword can be wielded well only by those who are physically fit.

But words can flow from the pen of even a feeble man. If he is a good writer, he can use the words to their desired effect. Many great writers had inspired revolutions. The French revolution for example was the result of the writings of great French writers like Rousseau. Writings can evoke different emotions as love, hatred, sympathy etc. It is something that is to be regarded with awe and respect. Hence pen is a mightier device than the word.

Benaras Summary in English

Aldaus Huxley in his essay ‘Benares’ presents satirically the disillusionment in social life. This essay mirrors the empty lines of the Hindus and their loss of the old cultural values. The glance at the middle class conventional morality is scaring and pitiless, while the mass literacy of the crowd becomes an obsession.

Huxley mocks at the corrupting influence of religion on Hindus. The story of the essay is woven round the legend of solar eclipse and the superstition that the sun is swallowed up by the monster serpent. The essay opens with the description of the gathering of millions of Hindus on the bathing ghats along the river Ganges in Benares (now Varanasi)

The people coming from rural areas through previous night and day are seen marching bare footed in an endless procession with bundles of provisions, cooking utensils, dried dung or fuel and new clothes mounted on their heads. While women are portrayed as walking in a trance in fatigue, men are seen taking rest under the wheels of passing animal driven vehicles. On the day of the eclipse and at one of the less crowded ghats,a princess is seen descending from her palanquin from behind the glittering curtain with all her royal robe.

So that the princess could take bath due to passing boats and for fear that she will be shot by the writer’s camera. A row of priests are also seen the day of solar eclipse a little distance away. They are seen sitting on narrow ledges above the water “cross-legged, their hands dropped limply, palm upwards, on the ground beside them, they contemplated the brown sweating tips of their noses.

He concludes the essay by advising Indians of all religious persuasions to assemble to save India rather than assembling and wasting their energies over superstitions. Despite his derisive tone, Huxley’s fascination for the place and the rituals is very apparent.

Benaras Summary in Telugu

ఆల్డస్ హగ్జలె ప్రపంచ్ ప్రఖ్యాత, నవలా, వ్యాస, కవితల, నాటక, విమర్శల మరియు సంభాషణల రచయిత. Brave New World, Eyeless in Gaza and Ape and Essence లాంటి వారి రచనలు విశ్వవ్యాప్త ఆదరణ, అభినందనలు పొందినవి. ప్రస్తుతం వ్యాసం ‘బనారస్’ ఒక సూర్య గ్రహణం రోజున ఆ పవిత్ర నగరంలో రచయిత స్వీయ పరిశీలనలను వివరిస్తుంది.

రచయిత తన అనుభవాలను అతి సూక్ష్మ వివరాలతో సహా చిత్రిస్తున్నారు. లక్షలాది బీద భారతీయులు కాశీ ఇరుకు వీధులలో, సందులలో ప్రయాణించడం, మురికి బజారులు, వెడల్పెన కాని అపరిశుభ్ర ఘాట్లు, దీర్ఘ చతురస్రాకార చితులు శవాలను దహించడం ఒక్క చిన్న వివరం కూడా ఆయన దృష్టి నుండి తప్పించుకోలేదు.

సుమత్రా లాంటి సుదూర ప్రాంతాలలో సంభవించే సూర్యగ్రహణనన్ని, గ్రహణం అసలు కనిపించని చోటైన బనారస్లో ‘చూడగల’ భారతీయలుల ‘శక్తి’ పట్ల రచయిత ఆశ్చర్యం వ్యక్తీకరిస్తున్నారు. ఒక దుష్ట సర్పం బంధం నుండి సూర్యుడిని కాపాడాలనే భారతీయుల కోరికను ఆయన విమర్శిస్తున్నారు. రాజ కుటుంబ మహిళలకు నదిలో పవిత్ర మునక వేయుటకు సామాన్యులకున్న స్వేచ్ఛ లేకపోవటం పట్ల సానుభూతి ప్రకటిస్తున్నారు.

కునుకు తీస్తున్న బిక్షకుడి గిన్నెలోంచి కొన్ని బియ్యం తినే అవకాశాన్ని సద్వినియోగం చేసుకొన్న ఒక ఎద్దు యొక్క ఆచరణాత్మక దృక్పథాన్ని అభినందిస్తున్నారు. ఆలోచించలేకున్నా అర్థవంతంగా ప్రవర్తించిన ఎద్దు నుండి తెలివి ఉండి చాదస్తంగా ఆలోచించే భారతీయ మనిషి గుణపాఠాలు నేర్చుకోవాలని వ్యంగంగా సూచిస్తున్నారు రచయిత.

అన్ని మతాలకు చెందిన భారతీయులకు ఆయన మనఃపూర్వక అభ్యర్థన చేస్తున్నారు తార్కికంగా, అర్థవంతంగా ఆలోచించమని, భారతావనిని బీదరిక, నిరక్షరాస్య, అజ్ఞాన, మూఢనమ్మకాల బంధాల నుండి కాపాడుటకై ఒకది కమ్మని! ప్రతి ఒక్కరిని ఆలోచించేలా చేస్తుంది ఈ వ్యాస పఠనానుభవం. భారతీయులకైతే అత్యంత విలువైన గుణ పాఠాన్నందిస్తుంది!

OU Degree 2nd Sem English Study Material