Unit 1.

Education

1. What is meant by ‘Clean Slates’? Do you think you are one?

Europeans grew up learning about culture and tradition. Bloom states that they came to a
university not to become immersed in world culture of traditions, but rather "to specialize."
Americans, in contrast, brought almost nothing to the university. They did not spend their
primary education immersing oneself in classical literature, culture, or tradition. They arrived at
a university as blank slates or clean slates eager to learn about the world.
(Personal response) I don’t think that I am a clean slate as school education has prepared me to
receive higher education at University level. It has given ability to understand and questioning.
School education has prepared me to work on bigger problems. It might not have prepared me in
communication skills but I am capable to understand new concepts.

2. What are the books that have influenced your thinking and outlook?
Name at least three or four important ones.
There are various books which have influenced my thinking and outlook. The books have taught
me how to behave with others. The books inspired me to take difficult tasks and succeed in them.
The books taught me to do time management. The books have given me a way of life.
Books- You Can Win by Shiv khera, King Lear by Shakespeare, Eat That From by Brian Tracy,
Wings of Fire by Dr. APJ Kalam, The Secret of Leadership by Prakash Iyer

3. You are going to be left alone on an island on which there are no people. You are allowed to
take three things with you. What are the three things you would like to take?
I would make a mental note of important things for survival-and-recreation, like places where I
could find some fruits, vegetables, or other sources of vegetation suitable for eating; sources of
fresh water, dry woods for fire, etc.
I would finalize 3 things. They are:
1. A book of Agriculture practices
2. seeds
3. An axe

4. What is mean by ‘natural savages’?

Natural savages means describing an animal as savage that it is true to its wild, ferocious nature,
but if you describe a person or the actions of a person as savage, it means "cruel" or "brutal."

5. What is better to come to the University with a lens through which you can see everything,
or to come as a natural savage? Give reasons for your answer.
It is better to come to the university with a lens through which I can see everything because it
will prepare me to understand and respond. It will prepare me to ask appropriate questions. It
will prepare me for the market. At the University, teaching and learning will be different. Hence,
a lens would be a gateway for new things.

1
6. In the context of education in India, do you think school education has fully prepared you
to receive university education? In what specific ways has it helped you? In what areas has
it failed you?
In the context of education in India, I don’t think that school education has fully prepared me to
receive university education. In terms of percentage around 70% school education has prepared
me. The basics of most of the subjects were cleared at school level hence it helped to understand
relatively bigger concepts at university level. I got inclination towards science projects during
school. It helped me to participate in similar kind of activities at university level. I participated in
elocution competition during school. It helped me to become a group leader. School education
has failed in developing reasoning skills and questioning skills in me.

7. What are you expectations when you come to the university? Can you specify at least five
important ones?
University can be a big jump from high school, and for many it is an overwhelming change. The
close-knit relationship students may have had with subject teachers at school; those many role
models, who appeared to focus on your educational career alone, are replaced by a professors
who you might see frequently in a semester unless you make the effort to seek them out yourself.
While these things are not inherently negative in nature, they can lead to students feeling isolated
on campus. Lecturers and seminar leaders don’t come looking for you. They are most likely to be
far too busy because many lecturers engage in research alongside their teaching. They will make
themselves available to you during their academic hours, but the responsibility to seek help is
yours.
My expectations from the university are
1. Classrooms having limited students
2. Strong Emphasis on practical Tests
3. The Need for Critical Thinking Skills
4. Practical exposure for becoming entrepreneurs
5. Field visits/excursions
6. Live demonstrations
7. Teaching with audio/visual aids
8. Less emphasis on theory and more weightage to practicals

9. In what ways does the older generation find fault with the younger generation?
Ann Landers has said that It is not what you do for your children, but what you have taught them
do for themselves, that will make them successful human beings.
The older generation always thinks that the younger generation is;
• Discontent with where they are, wanting to go further, faster
• Looking for an opportunity to lead now and get experience
• Eager to change the world with new ideas and do something BIG
• Aggressive in decision making
• Addict to technology
• Not ready to listen elderly advices
• Do not like to play outdoor sports
• Addiction
• Depression

2
10. In what ways will you find fault with the older generation?

• Not ready to change with technology

• Very rigid and orthodox
• Always talk about saving money for future and don’t enjoy present
• Very emotional
• Many parents will do anything to avoid having their kids experience even mild
discomfort, anxiety, or disappointment — “anything less than pleasant,” as he
puts it — with the result that when, as adults, they experience the normal
frustrations of life, they think something must be terribly wrong.
• Older generation should think to prepare the children for the road, not the road
for children.
• Older generation is child centered.
• Living vicariously through children. Older generation take great pride in their
children. When they succeed, it makes them happier than if they’d done it
themselves.
• Keep on Judging with others

11. Why do you think the students in our colleges and universities are restless? Give at least
five reasons
Today, with more than 170 universities and 6,000 affiliated colleges, the number of
universities in India offering undergraduate and graduate degrees has grown, and continues to do
so. Our students in colleges and universities have become restless because
1. There no sufficient job opportunities in the market.
2. The syllabus in colleges and universities do not meet the requirement of industry.
Hence, industries think that the graduates are useless. In spite of having a degree
students do not get a job.
3. Interfere of political parties in colleges and universities and funding students for
elections and other issues.
4. The state and central government do not fill the vacant posts regularly. Hence, budding
graduates do not get the opportunity.
5. Sleep disorders and academic performance. There are so many student who fail in
Mathematics and Engineering Mechanics and are not able to complete their degree.

12. In what ways can a college or university help you get good job? Name at least five
1. A degree
2. College placements
3. College Industrial trainings and linkages.
4. Brand of college or university
5. Can learn techniques of interview and practice aptitude tests in formal conditions.

13. Professor Bloom says that in the field of education in America there are some vexing
questions that cry out for answers. Can you identify some vexing questions in the field
of education in India that cry out for answers.
Vexed - an issue that is much debated and discussed. The following vexing questions in the
field of education in India that cry out for answers.

3
1. Does Indian Education System promote ‘Rat Race’?
2. Does Indian Education system follow Critical Analysis?
3. Are the Teachers Trained and Efficient?
4. Is Indian Education system Irrelevant to Job-Market?
5. Is Indian Education System missing Innovation & Creation?
6. Why the students are happy in getting a highly paid salary job and lacks ambition to
become entrepreneur?
7. Is education system creating only Babu’s
8. Why Indian Education System cannot end social disparity?

Matching Game: Match the words with their meanings

1. Snobbism Paying too much respect to social

2. Witty Full of humour

3. Thoughtful Full of careful thinking

4. Outrageous shocking

5. Chilling Making one feel cold

6. Impoverished Made poor

7. Constraints checks

8. Perennially always

9. Prodigy A person (esp. child or youth) with

remarkable talents or abilities

10. counterpart Person corresponding to another

4
 Unit 2. Employment

1. What is meant by placement?

Placement is a pretty broad term. It is the temporary posting of someone in a work place
to enable them to gain work and experience. Campus placement is the programme
conducted within the educational institutes to provide jobs to students pursuing or in the
stage of completing the programme.
2. Why the Employment Exchanges are called ‘Exchanges’? What is exchanged in
them?
Employment Exchange refers to an office of the central or state government, which
collects and furnishes information on the prospective employers, available vacancies and
job seekers, thereby facilitating jobseekers to find a suitable job and for industry to find
the suitable manpower.\

Employment Exchange means any office or place established and maintained by the
Government for the collection and furnishing of information, either by the keeping of
registers or otherwise, respecting---
(i) Persons who seek to engage employees.
(ii) Persons who seek employment, and
(iii) Vacancies to which persons seeking employment, may be appointed;

Job seekers register themselves with the Employment Exchanges and get notified as soon
as any vacancy matches their desired profile.

The main activities of the employment exchanges are registration and placement of job
seekers, and to some extent career counselling and vocational guidance particularly for
the under-privileged sections of the society, and collection of employment market
information. Some of the State Governments arrange disbursement of unemployment
allowance to certain specific categories of job seekers out of their own resources through
the employment exchanges registered with them.
Employment Exchange works as facilitator between suitable candidate and industry.
Information of candidates is shared to industry and candidates are given information of
possible vacancies.

3. What is meant by ‘Live Register’ and ‘Live Rolls of Employment Exchange’?

Live Register means it is register in which information of all jobseekers, Jobseekers

allowance, part time workers, seasonal and casual workers is available for the year under
repot. The classification of male and female, handicapped persons, youth aging between
15-29, youth from minority community is available.

5
 ‘Live Rolls of Employment Exchange’ means it is a facility created by state or national
government to register the individual name for seeking job opportunity. During a year,
those people who register on the live rolls are considered for providing job opportunities.

4. What is the difference between an occupation and a profession?

Occupation is an activity undertaken by the person to earn his livelihood. It can be

business, profession or employment that a person undertakes to make money. Many think
that occupation and profession are synonyms, but the fact is they are different.
Profession is an activity that requires specialized training, knowledge, qualification and
skills. It implies membership of a professional body, and certificate of practice. The
individuals who undertake a profession of rendering personalized services are called
professionals, who are guided by a certain code of conduct, set up by the respective body.
The difference between occupation and profession can be stated with a simple example:
Designing a building would be called a profession, whereas, constructing a building is an
occupation. A profession needs extensive training and specialized knowledge.

5. What is meant by ‘jobs with adequate security’?

Job security is the probability that an individual will keep their job till his or her wish or
retirement. Job Security means assurance that an employee has about the continuity of
gainful employment for his or her work life till retirement. Job security also includes
regular payment, increments, allowances, holidays, leaves, PF and pension.

6
 Unit 3. Unemployment

1. Who is said to be unemployed? Several questions have been raised in the first two paragraph.
Read them again and complete the following sentence?
If a person wants to work full time but finds only half time job is he employed or unemployed or
half employed?
If a person seeks only part time job is he employed?
If a person wants to work only at higher wages while a job is available at lower wages, is he
unemployed?

I. Word Hunt
1. Words=Words
A synonym is a word that is similar to another word to nearly the same in meaning. The first
word in each list given below appears in the passage. Underline the synonym of the first
word in each list.
(a) Status = rank
(b) Commission = Council
(c) Compile = collect
(d) Statistics = facts
(e) Magnitude = enormity
(f) Determine = decide

2. Words X Words
(a) Precede succeed
(b) Clear X vague
(c) Centre X periphery
(d) Postpone X propone
(e) Civilian X military

7
 Unit 5. Planning

Q.1. What is a Curriculum Vitae?

Ans. It gives information about person. It is a profile of career. It is a resume or summary of

one’s personal record- a brief biography.

Q.2. What is the format of Curriculum Vitae?

Ans. The format of C V as given below…

1. Name :
2. Marital status :
3. Date of birth :
4. Nationality :
5. Address :
6. Language known
7. Education:

2Course of Study From To School, College, Main Subjects Exam Results

University, etc

8. Employment:

From To Name and Job title Consolidated

Address of salary
Employer

9. References: (Name of two persons including address, mob. No. & email)
10. Any further information:
Signature:
Date:
Q.3. Use the following words in your sentences:

Always, generally, normally, usually, often, sometimes, seldom, rarely, never

1. he always brings me flowers when she comes to visit.

2. Generally speaking, Americans like coffee.
3. Generally, women live 10 years longer than men.
4. Generally speaking, boys can run faster than girls
5. Breathe normally.
6. I don't normally lie.
7. Just breathe normally.

8
 8. Tom is walking normally.
9. We usually win.
10. I usually eat out.
11. I don't usually cry.
12. I usually eat a lot.
13. Tom is quite often late.
14. Tom often has headaches.
15. Do you often eat granola?
16. Do you often go shopping?
17. He's often late for work.
18. Tom sometimes has trouble keeping his balance.
19. I sometimes feel drowsy in the early afternoon.
20. Even intelligent people are sometimes absent-minded.
21. Tom sometimes says things he doesn't really believe.
22. Sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do.
23. The trouble with him is that he is seldom punctual.
24. Being careful about his health, he seldom gets sick.
25. He seldom reads an editorial and is not a book worm.
26. Bob seldom talks with Maria without making her angry.
27. Such a man does not go hunting and seldom owns a gun
28. Dad rarely gets back home before midnight.
29. The truth is rarely pure and never simple.
30. Troublemakers rarely become model citizens.
31. Although she lives nearby, I rarely see her.
32. He is rarely, if ever, late for appointments.
33. I've never been better.
34. I've never been robbed.
35. I've never been skiing.
36. I've never felt better.
37. I've never left Boston.
Q.4. Imagine you are the manager of a company and that you are interviewing a
candidate who has applied for a position in your company. What questions will you ask
to find out the following?

1. The organization he is working in at present.

2. The year he joined that organization.
3. His reason for wishing to change his job.
4. The time he will need to join if he is selected.
5. The department in which he would like to work if he is selected.
6. The reasons for his choice of that department
7. The manner in which he will increase the company’s production.

9
Q.5. Have you ever noticed the big crowds waiting in front of employment exchanges?
Here is the report of an incident at one such exchange. Using these clues given in
brackets rewrite the sentences and complete the narration.

1. There was a huge crowd which was waiting at the employment Exchange (yesterday,
patiently, Khairatabad).
2. The crowd was waiting (gate to open, two hours).
3. It began to get restless and started throwing stones (12 noon, vehicles, passing by)
4. The Director of the Exchange phoned the Superintendent of Police to disperse the
crowd (at once, firm, tactful).
5. The Superintendent got together about forty policemen (ten minutes, Tank Bund Police
Station).
6. The crowd started running (police arrive, all directions).

Q.6. Application for the post of Education Instructor in Indian Air Force

Varun Vihar
Rajarampur 6th Lane,
Kolhapur
3 August, 2017

To,
The President,
Central Airman Selection Board,
Race Course Camp,
New Delhi- 110 003

Sub.: Application for the post of Education Instructor in the Indian Air Force…

Dear Sir

I wish to apply for the post of Educational Instructor in response to advertisement published in
the daily newspaper, The Hindu dated on 25th July, 2017.
I am an Indian and 22 years old. I completed B. Sc. (honours) in the year 2016 from Pune
University, Pune. I have all necessary physical standards as per given in the advertisement.
My native language is Marathi but I am well verse in English and Hindi. In addition, I joined
and completed Diploma in Teacher’s Training.

I have attached all necessary documents along with this application letter.
If I am eligible, I am happy to meet you for an interview as early as possible.

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully
Varun Vihar

10
 UNIT 7. INTERVIEW

Telling why and How

1. Why should appear neat and tidy at an interview?
Ans. Grooming and the way you dress for an interview are clues that you provide—
intentionally or not—to your prospective employer about who you are and, in
particular, your suitability for the job. As a form of nonverbal communication, attire
and grooming convey intention. A short skirt implies a party, dirty nails indicate poor
hygiene,"
2. Why should arrive for the interview a few minutes before time?
Ans. You should arrive about 10 minutes early for your interview. Any earlier than 15
minutes is too early. Late or too early can be a problem, keeping to a schedule is one of
the many skills needed to be an asset to a design team. I would arrive about 10
minutes before the interview, because you'll need extra time to get into the building
and up the elevator. It's definitely possible to be too early. If someone is expecting you
at a certain time, showing up half an hour early only adds stress to their day.
3. How should you sit during the interview?
Ans. Keep your posture open at all times. Crossed arms suggest a closed and defensive
position, so practice sitting so that your hands are comfortably rested one on top of the
other, or one on the arm of the chair and the other one in your lap.
4. Why should you anticipate the questions which may be asked at the interview?
Ans. Your interviewer will be looking for strengths that will help you shine in the job
and weaknesses that won't be handicaps. Walk me through your resume. Be prepared
to describe each position concisely, with emphasis on the experience and
responsibilities most relevant to the opportunity at hand.
5. How should you adjust your voice when speaking at the interview?
Ans. There’s not much you can do about how high or low your voice is, but you might
as well know that for men, lower voices are seen as more authoritative and people
with voices like this are seen as more appropriate for managerial jobs.
6. What are the reasons for many candidates failing at interviews?
Ans. It is common knowledge that an interviewee should give precise examples of
previous work in relation to questions, maintain regular eye contact with their
interviewer and arrive on time. However, there are other potential mistakes that you
may not realise, which can be avoided.
1. Applicants can make their life a lot easier by making sure that they are well prepared
before they even leave for the interview.
2. It is amazing how many applicants really do not consider what they are wearing to an
interview. There are those who really do turn up to an interview in just jeans and a t-
shirt.

11
 3. Spend some time researching the company. Often one of the first questions asked in
an interview is “what do you know about X?” By showing your knowledge of the
company to the interviewer, you can demonstrate that you are organised and have
done the research.

4. Your introduction to the interviewer is one of the most important moments of the
interview. Many hiring managers do state that they make a decision on whether the
candidate is suitable or not for the role by the way that they introduce themselves.

Starting off on the right foot for an interview is paramount. Help yourself by
preparing thoroughly and ensuring that you have a smooth introduction to the
interviewer. Connecting with them by showing a strong interest in the company and
respecting all those that you meet on the day; will all help to achieve landing that
dream job!

Sound –alike words:

The words write and right are homonyms or homophones.

1. Pale Pail 6. Plan Plain

2. Here Hear 7. Blue Blew
3. Die Dye 8. Rows Rose
4. Pray Prey 9. Meet Meat
5. sales Sails 10. ale Ail

Rhyming words

1. Post Roast 6. Fine Line

2. Sales Tales 7. Lot Cot
3. Come Gum 8. Like Bike
4. Found Round 9. Now Bow
5. seem Beam 10. Neat Meet

12
 Unit 9. General Knowledge

Abbreviations:
VCR- videocassette recording
PC - personal computer
Pa - "Personal Assistant"
BC- before Christ
A. M. - Ante Meridiem, Latin = "before midday,
P.M. - Post Meridiem, Latin = "after midday", afternoon
e.g. - exempli gratia and means “for example.”
etc - et cetera (“and the rest [of the things]; and the other things”).
Ibid -- Latin, short for ibidem, meaning the same place
Et al - the Latin phrase et alia which means "and others."
N.B. - “note well
i. e. - id est and means “in other words.”

i. Do you know?
1. One who foretells the course of things by the stars is an astrologer
2. One who foretells the future by reading palms is a palm reader/palmist.
3. One who foretells events is a futurist .
4. One who studies stars is an Astronomer.
5. One who performs daring gymnastic feats is a Acrobat.
6. One who studies the evolution of mankind is an Anthropologist.
7. One who walks in sleep is a somnambul.
8. One who talks in sleep is a Somniloquy.
9. One who eats human flesh is a cannibal.
10. One who looks on the bright side of things is a optimistic.
11. One who looks on the dark side of things is a pessimist..
12. One who things of only his own welfare and talks about himself is selfish.

13
1. Who or what are these? Complete the sentences given below:
(a) One who never drinks alcohol is a teetotaler .
(b) A place where spirits are manufactured is a distillery.
(c) One who compiles dictionaries is a lexicographer.
(d) A substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself
undergoing any permanent chemical change is a catalyst.
(e) A Street or passage closed at one end is a cul-de-sac.
(f) One who makes or sells women's hats is a milliner.
(g) The money a husband's (or wife's) provision for a spouse after separation or
divorce; maintenance is alimony.
(h) A poem of serious reflection, typically a lament for the dead is an elegy.

14
 Unit 10: STRESS

Q.1 Do you agree that stress is a twentieth century illness? Why/Why not?

Ans Yes, I do agree that stress is a twentieth century illness.

The twentieth century witnessed a tremendous progress in almost all the fields. This progress led
to competition in every sphere of life. Everyone wanted to be successful giving rise to an urge to
outcompete others. This ‘rat-race’ has many ill effects on the lifestyle of the man, for the life has
become speedy to keep the pace with speed of progress. In this race, the people, who were not
able to grab the opportunities, by this reason or that, got disheartened. Moreover, even the
successful people, even today, we can see under some kind of stress. The effects of this modern
‘dis-ease’ are evident in the form of blood pressure, heart attacks, diabetes, sleeplessness, anxiety
and so on.

Q. 2 What are the main causes of stress?

Ans Social isolation, overcrowding, the competitiveness of our society and many other factors
are the main causes of stress.

Q. 3 In what ways does speed cause pressure on us today?

Ans Keeping pace with the speed of life today is difficult for many of us. Some get tired
easily, others get depressed; others are often irritable or worried and so on. The speed affects
everybody in society. There is always something that worries us. Sometimes the pressures on us
are too great, that may lead us even to suicide.

Q. 4 Is there a lot of competition in our country? In what areas? What sort of

competition is there? Does is affect you? How?

Ans Yes, there is a lot of competition in our country.

We have to face competition in almost all the aspects of life. We face competition right from
getting admission to school to finding job or occupation and surviving in the profession. The
competitions we confront at each move of life are appalling and definitely affect us. These
dreadful competitions sometimes become a cause of frustration and depress us. If we fail to
overcome the adverse situation the stress is sure and many of us have to suffer the ill effects of
that.

15
Q. 5 Why do people commit suicide?

Ans Today’s life compels people to cope with the speed of the world around them. They have
to face a huge competition to be successful at every turn of life. This competition may be
tiresome for some of them. It is depressing too. Failure may be irritating for some of them.
Others are always worried about something. The pressure such people sometimes becomes
unbearable that they commit suicide.

Q. 6 How do you react to stress?

Ans First of all I figure out where the stress is coming from. Instead of feeling like I am flail
day to day, I try to identify what I am actually stressed about. Is it a specific project at work, an
upcoming exam, a dispute with my boss, a heap of laundry, a fight with my family? Then I try to
consider what I can control and work on that. You can’t control what your boss does, what your
in-laws say or the sour state of the economy; you can control how you react, how you
accomplish work, how you spend your time and what you spend your money on.

I Do what I love and manage my time well as one of the biggest stressors for many people is lack
of time.

I review my daily and weekly activities to see what I can accomplish. I try to get sufficient sleep
and do physical activity to come out of the stress. I always embrace mistakes - or at least don’t
drown in perfectionism. Another mindset that can exacerbate stress is perfectionism. Trying to
be mistake-free and essentially spending your days walking on eggshells is exhausting and
anxiety-provoking. Talk about putting pressure on yourself! And as we all know but tend to
forget: Perfectionism is impossible and not human, anyway.

16
 Unit 14. Computeracy

Q.1 What is the myth which has been carefully fostered by giant computer
corporations? What is myth?

Ans : There is a myth, which has been carefully fostered by the giant computer corporation,
that there is something magical about computers and the people who run them. Myths
are made up stories that try to explain how our world works and how we should treat
each other. The stories are usually set in times long ago, before history as we know it was
written.

In other myths, gods or “super-beings” used their powers to make events happen.
Or the stories were the adventures of gods, goddesses, men and women.

“Myth” comes from the Greek word “mythos” which means “word of mouth”.

Q. 2 What is the legend about computers and programmers? What is a legend?

Ans : The legend has got about that computers the ‘electrnic brains’ and that programmers are
some sort of superman.

Q.3 What is the fact about computers and programmers?

Ans : The fact are that computers are very stupied and the people who program are normal
human beings. Anyone who can count from 0 to 7 on his or her fingers and make 8 can
learn to a programmer. The business is the difficult it is just tricky.

Q.4 In what sense are computers and programmes half alive?

Ans : It is very misleading to imagine that computers can ‘think’ like people. They cannot.
They have no more a mind of their own than a lawn mover however, they make it
possible for people to ‘bottle’ thought. Your work out how to do a particular job or solve
a proble, write a program, and the computer will then apply your thinking to that job or
problem as long and so often as you like. In this sense computers and programs are half
alive because they perpeturate the thinking of their creators.

17
Q.5 What are the revolutionary inventions we have had in recent history? In what sense
are they revolutionary?

Ans : The information processing revolution promises to make profound changes ion our way
of life, but these changes will be no more difficult than many others which have been
successfully assimilated. In recent history we had the revolutions of painting, industrial
production, railways, electricity telegraph and telephones, flying, radio and television.
Computing is merely one more step in the human race’s continuous drive to master its
environment. We invented machinery to save and surpass our bodies labour; now we
have invented computers to save the labour of our minds.

Q.6 When did the computing business start? On what two fronts is change happening
rapidly in the computer industry? With what other industry does the author
compare the change and why?

Ans : Even though the computing business only started during the second world war and has
been in existence for such a short time, it has produce a very rich and complicated culture
all its own. But although history is important, the pace of change is so fast that anyone
with a good idea has an excellent chance of making a mark on the industry. Change is
happening on two fronts simultaneously. The hard ware of computer is getting daily
cheaper and more powerful. This means that job which a few years ago could only be
attempted on huge machine by their dedicated attendants can now be done as routine on
tens of that sand of office desks. The second change is that computing is being brought
out into the light of every day to be the tool of every man. No long are these machines
used only by a lavishly paid casts of high priests talking their own brand of mumbo –
jumbo; they have been joined by perfect ordinary people who are interested in getting a
job done rather that in the intricacies of computing. This is changing computers in just the
same way that mass markets changed motorcars.

Q.7 Why does the author compare the computing business with the world of high
fashion?

Ans : In fact the computing business is strangely like the world of high fashion. Computing too
has its share of fads and fashions, offballs, fanatics, charlatans and lunatics - and a large

18
 number of hard- working, interesting, sensible people who are fascinated to be at the
frontier of human progress, doing whatever seems best at the time to help the whole thing
for ward.

Q.8 How was the wild west of America in the last century? Why does the author
compare the computing world with the Wild West?

Ans : The computing world is like the wild west of America in the last century. The territory is
so vast, the riches so huge, that no one had time to sit still and brood. The industry sucks
people in like leaves. It has a voracious appetite for new hands and new ideas. It demands
performance rather than qualifications. In the wild west, if you could shoot straight and
had an honest face, you were made sheriff. In the computer business if you can do the
job you have it. No one cares where you learned to do it or what letters you have after
your name.

Q.9 What are the several forces that draw people in to the computing world?

Ans : There are several forces that draw people in. One is, no doubt, the fact that the micro
industry offers jobs when jobs are scarce. Secondly, if offers a field wide open to all the
talents: the whole a world is in the process of being computerized, and so the industry
needs people who know about everything under the sun. Thirdly the financial rewards are
potentially vast. The growth of mass market opens up the possibilities of Hollywood style
money.

Q.10 What does BASIC stand for? What are the other computer language? What are
apple computer?

Ans : Certainly, it is true now that the computer sector of many national economies is one of
the few that show any signs of life. Young computer scientists straight out of university
command substantial salaries as professional in the hardware and software industries.
People with much slighter skills perhaps no more than a few months experience o self
taught BASIC are beginning to be in demand to manage microcomputers in business. The
two teenage founders of Apple computer, who had to sell a van and calculator to finance
their first machine, were millionaires five years later.

19
11. Can you explain the difference between hardware and software?

Computer hardware is any physical device used in or with your machine, whereas
software is a collection of code installed onto your computer’s hard drive. For example,
the computer monitor you are using to read this text and the mouse you are using to
navigate this web page is computer hardware.

Systems software includes the operating system and all the utilities that enable the
computer to function. Applications software includes programs that do real work for
users. For example, work processors, spreadsheets, and database management systems
fall under the category of applications software.

Computer software (often called just software) is a set of instructions and

associated documentation that tells a computer what to do or how to perform a task or it
can mean all the software on a computer, including the applications and the operating
system.

A dictionary of computing. Software technology a general term covering the

development methods, programming languages, and tools to support them that may be
used in the development of software.

20
 Unit 15. Entertainment

Q.1 How does an entertainer entertain or make people laugh? What are those moments? How
do they create the right mood?
Ans : Some people tell jokes and stories and make people laugh or be deeply moved. Other
people try to tell a story or a joke which may be just as good but ----- total failure!
Laughter, emotions, and the wish to understand are all within each person. The successful
entertainer releases laughter, emotions and interest, but there are moments when people
are ready to be interest and there are moments when they aren’t. A good entertainer is
very sensitive to the right and wrong moment a good entertainer listens and looks to see
how the other person feels. Of course, good entertainers can create the right mood and
expectation before beginning their joke or story game or trick , and will find a way of
linking what they want to do with what has been happening.
Q.2 What are the different ways of being entertained? How are they an asset to a party?
Ans : Your personality the personality of the other person (or people), the occasion and the
place where you are and several other things contribute to entertainment. Some people
are naturally quiet and enjoy listening and encouraging other people to speak, that is one
way of being entertaining. There are other who don’t mind talking and they may even
want to control everything and organize all the entertainment! And such people can also
be a wonderful asset to a party. Some old people are full of youthful fun and some young
people are rather old fashioned; people’s personalities are more important than their age.
It takes all sorts to make a world, all sorts of people can contribute to the whole art of
being amusing so that all can share a good time together. Each one must say. ‘Your
pleasure is mine.’
Q.3 What is it that makes people laugh? How can you be more humorous and entertaining?
Ans : “Laugh, and the world laughs with you; weep, and you weep, alone” Freud, the famous
psychologist, said, “it is a fact that if we try to examine and to explain the techniques of a
joke, the joke will disappear.” That was why Mark Twain said, ‘There are several kinds
of stories, but only one difficult kind- the humorous. If you make your language richer
and poetic, you will be more entertaining because people enjoy the entertaining use of
language. There is an English saying: ; it is not what a person says but how he says it
which matters.

21
 Unit 16 . You and Your English

Q.1 What according to Shaw are the advantages in learning to speak well?
Ans : The advantages learning to speak well according to Shaw that they would not only be
intelligible in every English speaking country, but would stamp the speaker as a
cultivated person as distinguished from an ignorant and illiterate one. All we can claim is
that they can speak presentably, and that if you speak as they do, you will be understood
in any English speaking country and accepted as a person of good social standing.

Q.2 What are the two simplest and commonest words in English?
Ans : That committee knows as much as anyone knows about English speech; and yet its
members do not agree as to the pronunciation of some of the simplest and commonest
words in the English language. The two simplest and commonest words in any language
are “Yes” and “No”. But no two members of the committee pronounce them exactly
alike.

Q.3 When can we say that somebody’s speech acceptable?

Ans : There are Irish members, Scottish members, Welsh members,, Oxford University
members, American members: all recognizable as such by their differences of speech.
They differ also according to the country in which they were born. Now as they all speak
differently, it is nonsense to say that they all speak correctly. All we can claim is that they
all speak presentably, and that if you speak as they do you will be understood in any
English- speaking country and accepted as a person of good social standing.

Q.4 Why are home manners different from company manners?

Ans : Even when our home manners are as good as our company manners and of course they
ought to be much better they are always different and the difference is greater is speech
than in anything else.

Q.5) Why does Shaw urge foreigners not to try to speak English perfectly?
Ans : I have already explained that though there is no such thing as perfectly correct but in
London Nine Hundred and Ninety Nine out of every thousand people not only speak bad

22
 English but speak even that very badly. You may say that even if thery do not speak
English well themselves they can at least understand it when it is well spoken. They can
she the speaker is English; but when the speaker is a foreigner, the better he speaks, the
harder it is to understand him. No foreigner can ever stress the syllables and make the
vice rise and fall in question and answer assertion and denial in refusal and consent, in
enquiry or information, exactly as native does. Therefore the first thing you have to do is
to speak with a strong foreign accent and speak broken English : that is English without
any grammar.

Q.6) “In London nine hundred and ninety nine out of every thousand people not only speak bad
English but speak even that very badly.”
Can you explain what it means?
Ans : He will be interested in you because you are a foreigner, and pleased by his cleverness in
making out you meaning and being able to tell you what you want to know, If you say
“will you have the goodness, Sir to direct me to the railway terminus at Charing Cross, :”
Pronouncing all the vowels and consonants beautifully he will not understand you and
will suspect you of being a beggar or a conference trickster, But if you shout, Please !
Charing Cross ! Which way !” you will have no difficulty. Half a dozen people will
immediately overwhelm you with directions.

Q.7) “Even among English people, to speak well is a pedantic affectation” What does it mean?
Why?
Ans : Even among English people, to speak too well is a pedantic affectation, in a foreigner it
is something worse than an affectation: it is an insult to the native who cannot understand
his own language when it is too well spoken. That is all I can tell you: the record will
hold no more.

23
 Unit 17. Usage and Abusage

Only and one

Q:- (a) “He only died last week.” Do you think such a sentence is
likely to be misunderstood?
(b) What do the purists say about this sentence?
(c ) What does Thurber say about the sentence?
Where to use "only” in a sentence is a moot question, one of the mootest questions in all
rhetoric. The purist will say that the expression: “He only died last week” is incorrect, and that it
should be: “He died only last week." The purist’s contention is that the first sentence, if carried
out to a natural conclusion, would give us something like this: “He only died last week, he
didn’t do anything else, that’s all he did.” It isn’t a natural conclusion, however, because nobody
would say that and if anybody did, it would be likely to lead to stomping of feet and clapping of
hands, because it is one of those singy-songy expressions which set a certain type of person to
acting rowdy and becoming unmanageable. It is better just to let the expression go, either one
way or the other, because, after all, this particular sentence is of no importance except in cases
where one is breaking the news to a mother.
In such cases one should begin with: “Mrs. Gormley, your son has had an accident," or: “Mrs.
Gormley, your son is not so good," and then lead up gently to: “He died only last week.”

Q 2:- Look at the following sentences:

(a) I’ve only got six rupees.
(b) I only saw Jim, not Robert.
(c) They only arrived at 2 a.m.
Are they ambiguous? What are the possible meanings?
According to author there are several uses in English which are ambiguous. They often
cause more confusion than making the matters clear. Everything depends on their proper
and right use in right place.
The first sentence “I’ve only got six rupees” is a typical example of ambiguous use of
preposition “Only.”
The sentence gives the impression that the speaker only has got six rupees. In other
words, nobody else has got six rupees or even he/she is the only person there who has the
previllage of having six rupees
Now, if the sentence is structured like this:
“I’ve got six rupees only”, the meaning shall altogether be different. It will, in that case
mean that he/she has an amount of six rupees only.
Similar is the case with sentence number 2. “I only saw Jim not Robert.”
It means that the speaker has seen Jim alone.
With the change of place the word “Only” will alter its meaning.
“I saw Jim and Robert only” means that the speaker has seen both Jim and Robert and
none else.
The third sentence “ They only arrived at 2 a. m.” means that they alone arrived at 2 a. m.
“They arrived at 2 a. m. only” will mean that they finally arrived at 2 o’clock in the
morning.

Q 3:- What is the solution offered by Thurber regarding the use of ‘only’?
Thurber says that there are expressions in English which are, at times, very confusing. They

24
 create tricky situation if not used properly and in appropriate way. The placement of preposition
‘Only’, for example, can altogether alter the entire meaning of an expression.
Author, therefore, advices to avoid use of such ambiguous words or expressions. One should
instead use other suitable alternatives to make one’s meaning cristal clear. He gives an example
as well.
The best way is often to omit "only” and use some other expression. Thus, instead of
saying: “He only died last week,” one could say: “It was no longer ago than last Thursday that
George L. Wodolgoffing became an angel.” Moreover, this is more explicit and eliminates the
possibility of a misunderstanding as to who died. The greatest care in this regard, by the way,
should be taken with the verbs “to die,” “to love”, “to embezzle” and the like. In this connection,
it is well never to use "only” at the beginning of a sentence — "Only one person loves me,” for
example. This of course makes it necessary to capitalize “only” and there is the risk of a hurried
reader taking it for a proper noun and confusing it with the late Richard Olney, who was
Secretary of State under Cleveland.

Q 4:- What, according to Thurber, is the risk involved in using ‘only’ at the beginning of a sentence?
Thurber says that there are expressions in English which are, at times, very confusing. They
create tricky situation if not used properly and in appropriate way. The placement of preposition
‘Only’, for example, can altogether alter the entire meaning of an expression.
Author, therefore, advices to avoid use of such ambiguous words or expressions. One should
instead use other suitable alternatives to make one’s meaning cristal clear. He gives several
example as well.
He says using “only” in the beginning of a sentence could give a different meaning than if the
same preposition is used at the end or at any other place. “He died only last week” means that he
died last week and nothing else happened during that time.
“They only came at 2 am” means that only they came at 2 am and nothing occurred under the
sun at that time. As a matter of fact, these meanings are not intended by anyone. The above
sentences could have been expressed with ‘Only’ at proper place to give suitable meaning.
Author, therefore warns against using words indiscriminately.
“He died last week only” and “They came at 2 am only” give different meaning than previous
examples.

25
 Lesson No 18: War Minus Shooting
The Sporting Spirit

George Orwell

I. Given below are some sentences from the essay. If you agree, give reasons; if you don’t,
state the reasons.
a. Nearly all the sports practiced nowadays are competitive.
It is true that nearly all the sports practiced nowadays are competitive. Competition is
composed of victory of one over the other or defeat of one by the other. If the
competition is between two or more groups, then the individual prestige of each group is
at stake. In order to maintain the pride and the prestige of one’s group or one’s own place
winning becomes an absolute must. Victory in any competition boosts the nationalistic
feeling of the winning group. Every individual belonging to the winning group or
supporting that group derives immeasurable satisfaction and pride. Therefore, nearly all
the sports practiced nowadays are competitive.

b. International sporting contests lead to orgies of hatred

Certainly! Any international sporting contests lead to orgies of hatred primarily because
these competitions are contested by different nations and every nation competes to win
the event and increase the number of medals won. Higher the number of total medals
won, greater the satisfaction and pride of being at the top. Therefore, love for the sport
gets sacrificed and the craze for the sports turns into frenzy often leading to violence. At
the international level Football match between Brazil and Germany or a Cricket match
between India and Pakistan more often than not lead to orgies of hatred.

c. Even a leisurely game like cricket, demanding grace rather than strength, can cause
much ill-will.
Truly it is so. Even a leisurely game like cricket, demanding grace rather than strength,
can cause much ill-will. India and Pakistan are neighboring countries. Certain unsolvable
political and social disputes prevail between these nations specifically from August 1947
when they became individual sovereign countries. Both the countries understand the evils
of war and the enormous loss of lives and the collapse of economy. Therefore, the
respective governments engage in peace talks. But, for the commoners of these countries,
there is no outlet to vent their anger. Victory over Pakistan or Defeat of India gratifies the
morose egos of the common peoples of these two nations. The ill-will and hatred, more
often than not, get nurtured and perpetrated by vested interests for political and other
benefits.

d. In countries and Burma, it is necessary at football matches to have strong cordons

of police to keep the crowd from invading the field.
It is true and one must agree that in countries and Burma, it is necessary at football
matches to have strong cordons of police to keep the crowd from invading the field. The

26
 people of the Northeastern part of India love football and it is a craze in all the seven
states there. Same is the case with Burma. Burmese are mad after football. Being the
neighboring countries the political and social disputes are at the peak always. India being
more prosperous than Burma, quite a few Burmese nationals indulge in illegal
immigration and create social and political problems. In turn Indians too often enter the
Burmese territory and try to attack the Burmese in the border areas. Political solutions
involves enormous amount of time and procedures. Because of this, the only means of
taking revenge for the common people is physically fight it out at the football matches.
Therefore, police force surrounds the football grounds when these two nations play
football.

e. Even when the spectators don’t intervene physically, they try to influence the game
by cheering their own side and “rattling” opposing players with boos and insults.
Yes! Even when the spectators do not intervene physically, they try to influence the game
by cheering their own side and “rattling” opposing players with boos and insults, because
that is the only way they can taken on the opposite group. The sense of belonging to a
group and its desire you take revenge or to show its power over the team or group or any
nation that is against it. The triumphalist instinct urges them to apply all their inner force
and apply any tactic to boost the morale of their group, team or nation which quite often
leads to insulting the opposite team, group or nation.

f. Playing games is simply a waste of time

Never! Playing games provides robust health to the body and mind of the layers. While it
strengthens the body and mind of the players, it also provides them opportunities to
acquire leadership qualities such as Team Building, Communication Skills, Problem
Solving, Being Empathetic, Time Management, Handling Difficult Situations and People,
Approach to Media and Public etc. Players need to hone their skills, practice their
techniques, plan their games and strategize their approach and script their win. Therefore,
they need to think, plan, maintain calm both during the euphoria of their victory or during
the disquiet and despair after defeat. Such a learning and practice make them successful
players. At the national and international level, it brings honour and pride to the
individual as well as the team and therefore to the nation too.

g. Games have been built up into heavily financed activity

True. With the advent of the electronic media, the comfort of watching every match
sitting at the drawing-room and interacting with the supporters at the stadium and at other
places, however distant they could be, through the Internet and through the cell phones
has increased the cost of organizing and telecasting any event. The finances required for
popularizing the sport has also increased. The funding agencies such as the governments
and the corporate houses provide very meager funds. Therefore, the organizing agencies
opt for sponsors and raise enormous amount of funds through advertisements and telecast
rights. Funds are generally utilized for the maintenance of the stadia, playgrounds,
payments to the players, hospitality, travel and other logistics. Thus, any game or sport
without funds will not flourish and spread. Though Hockey is the National Sport of India,
Cricket haunts the minds of every Indian. It is mainly because of availability of funds for

27
 Cricket. IPL is a world phenomenon in the sense that every country gets an opportunity to
play in India. Besides, it generates an abundant amount of money and honour to the
individual players. Since the teams comprise players from different countries, no nation
has any occasion to celebrate as a group or as a team.

h. Big-scale sport is merely another effect of the causes that have produced
nationalism.
It is neither true nor false. It is so because, big-scales sport like football has divided the
nations and has lead to riots and mass violence. However, Cricket has developed itself
and diversified its approach. The Test matches, ODIs and Twenty-20s are played as a
team of nation resulting into national victory or defeat. But IPL is a gentle approach
where there is no room for hatred. There is always confusion as whom to hate. It is
because every team consists of players from different groups and different countries.
Therefore, the pride is of different kind. In this version of Cricket, spectators can only
judge the individual players and the teams. They can never hate any country.

II. Answer the following

1. What is sport? Try to define it.
Sport or Sports includes all forms of competitive physical activity or games which,
through casual or organized participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical
ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and in some cases,
entertainment for spectators.
2. Who is a sportsman?
A Sportsman is a person who is good at a sport with necessary skills and competes in one
or more sports that involve physical strength and endurance.
3. What is sportsmanship?
Sportsmanship is an aspiration or ethos that a sport or activity will be enjoyed for its own
sake, with proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship
with one’s competitors.
4. What is meant by “the sporting spirit”?
The Sporting Spirit is competing in a fair manner without favouring oneself or others
unjustly and never giving up when things are hard accepting defeat and victory without
arrogance or bitterness.
5. What is the difference between “sporting” and “sportive”?
The difference between Sporting and Sportive is that as Adjectives, Sporting pertains to
sports while Sportive is playful, merry, and frolicsome. As Nouns, Sporting is an act of
participating in a sport.

6. Make the list of the sports mentioned in the essay.

The sports mentioned in the essay are: 1. Football 2. Cricket 3. Boxing

7. Do you regard the following as sports? Give reasons for your answer.
Chess, Dancing, Monopoly, Knitting, Fishing, Cooking, Bird-Watching, Motor-Racing,
Gardening, Shooting

28
 8. What are the differences between sports and hobbies? What is your hobby?

Sl No Sports Hobbies

A sport is an organized game with A hobby is something you do for fun,

rules, usually involves other people, usually creative, that is generally
1
being outside and some sort of physichally non-taxing.
playing field/court.

2 A sport can be a hobby. A hobby cannot be a sport

It is an organized game, and you A hobby is an activity done regularly in

compete for a title or a trophy and one's leisure time for fun like building
3 model airplanes, or playing video
have a set of rules or guidelines and
are usually taxing or physical. games, or collecting cards.

III. Match the activity / sport with its dominant criterion.

Martial Arts Gives a great sense of rhythm

Parachuting Builds up stamina
Dancing Gives moderate exercise and helps mobility
Boxing Teaches self-discipline and self-defense
Ping-Pong Develops a sense of awe and mental peace
jogging Develops muscular strength

Answers

Martial Arts Teaches self-discipline and self-defense

Parachuting Develops a sense of awe and mental peace
Dancing Gives a great sense of rhythm
Boxing Develops muscular strength
Ping-Pong Gives moderate exercise and helps mobility
jogging Builds up stamina

29