1.

Fear-Khalil Gibran
Title: Fear
Writer: Khalil Gibran
The poem Fear written by Khalil Gibran, a Lebanese-American poet. He became famous for
his book "The Prophet', which is a collection of philosophical essays. The poem expresses
philosophical understanding of overcoming fear
In the poem, the fear of a river that flows into the sea is imagined by the poet. The river is
personified in the poem. The poet refers to the river as she' to infuse life into the river. He
talks about the fear of the river along with the fear that human beings encounter too. The
river travels through difficult paths before entering the ocean. Yet she trembles with fear at
the sight of the vastness of the ocean. She fears to go forward and looks back at the path.
She cannot go back. Nobody can go back. To go back is impossible in existence. The river
needs to take the risk of entering the ocean. Then, she realizes that it is not about merging
into the ocean but of becoming the ocean. As a result, people must take risks and believe in
themselves to achieve success. Thus, the message of the poem is 'overcoming fear.

*Fear is a reaction. Courage is a decision.”

2. Awake-Sarojini Naidu
Title: Awake
Writer: Sarojini Naidu
The poem "AWAKE" written by Sarojini Naidu, the Nightingale of India. It is a patriotic song.
The poem appears as an address to mother India. It stands out for its strong nationalistic
feelings.
The poem Awake is a lyric of eighteen lines. It expresses strong nationalistic feelings. It
appears as an address to Mother India. First, the nation is personified as our mother. All
Indians become her children. The poet imagines all children praying to mother. They are
ready to love her and protect her. It is a touching call to all Indians for unity and action. The
woes of bondage are to be cut. Mother India should gain its glory again and grow and glow.
One should remember the pride and power India basked in once. People of all faiths pledge
to come together to defend and guard their mother, queen and goddess.

"A nation's culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people”
3. On the Grasshopper and Cricket - John Keats
Title: On the Grasshopper and Cricket
Writer: John Keats
The poem "On the Grasshopper and Cricket" written by John Keats, an English Romantic
Poet The poem was written in 1816. It depicts Nature's eternal beauty, using the songs of
insignificant creatures like Grasshopper and Cricket
During the summer season birds stop singing. Nature's poetry offers us comfort and loy.
Seasons may come and go, but Nature never fails to inspire us with its songs. When birds
stop singing in extreme heat, the earth is filled with songs of a grasshopper. He sings
endlessly, but when tired, rests under some pleasant-weed. During winter birds stop singing.
There is a deathly silence. Frost spreads its blanket-over Nature. Regardless, a shrill sound
comes from beneath stones, and it is the cricket singing. The cricket's song restores warmth.
These small creatures prove to the world that the poetry of earth is never ceasing.

"If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.”

5. How to Avoid Foolish Opinions - Bertrand Russell

Title: How to Avoid Foolish Opinion.
Writer: Bertrand Russell
The essay "How to Avoid Foolish Opinions" written by Bertrand Russell, a British polymath.
He was a philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, writer, social critic, political activist
and Nobel laureate. In the essay, Russell gives us tips on how to avoid foolish opinions.
In this essay, Russell says that there are many ways to avoid bad opinions or being
dogmatic. First, make a keen observation to settle the matter. Next, to know what other
people think, one has to be aware of what they think. This can be done by going on vacation
and talking to people with different ideas. When an opinion contrary to your own makes you
angry. If contrary opinions make one angry, one has to rethink. The third is arguing with an
imaginary character who has a different point of view. The fourth one is to deal with one's
sense of self worth, which is the hardest. The only solution is to overcome conceit, we must
remember that our life is temporary. We live for a short while on a small planet in a vast
universe.

"No super human genius is required to avoid foolish opinions."

6. The Awakening of Women - K.M.Panikkar

Title: The Awakening of Women
Writer: K.M.Panikkar
The essay "The Awakening of Women" written by K.M.Panikkar. The article picturises the
position of women in India. It traces the evolution of their status.
Women in ancient India enjoyed a high status. The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries
witnessed a drastic fall in women's condition. Women in those days were kept behind the
'Purdah'. They were denied education, child marriages were the order. Early maternity,
men's high mortality rates and the resulting widowhood added to women's woes. Social
movements tried to improve women's condition but not with much success. The Gandhian
Movement affected the most spectacular transformation in women's progress in the National
Movement. Gandhiji was uncertain of women's participation in the National Movement. But
when the movement was actually started women were everywhere at the forefront. The true
test of the changed position of women is their free and equal
participation in all areas of national activity from work in villages to the government of the
country Some legislative reforms like right to independent property, to freedom of marriage,
to education and employment helped women to change their status.

"Women of all classes are awakening to the necessity of self support."

7. Solution to Plastic Pollution

Title: Solution to Plastic Pollution
Source: Internet
Inventor: Dr R Vasudevan (Plastic Road Man)
The lesson "Solution to Plastic Pollution is an article taken from the internet. It is about Dr.
Vasudevan's research project. In this article he focused his research on the methods of
recovery and rescue of plastic waste.
After receiving the Doctorate in Science in 1974 from the University of Madras, Dr. R.
Vasudevan joined the Thiagarajar College of Engineering in 1975 as a member of the
faculty. He focused his research on the methods of recovery and reuse of plastic waste. This
is how the idea of plastic roads was born. With his research in his lab, he showed permanent
solution as to how plastic waste can be used in laying roads. That made him popular as the
Plastic Road Man. He transformed plastic waste into a material that replaced a small portion
of bitumin(tar) used in road construction. When Kalam visited the college, Vasudevan
presented him his project. Kalam told him that one day his test would become the
convention. He encouraged him to continue his work without any disappointment. The
advantages are: 1. Low cost 2. Simple technology 3. Spot use of waste plastic 4. Water
proof roads that last up to 60 years 5. Doubling of road strength 6. Higher load carrying
capacity.

"Be part of the solution but not the pollution."

9. The Woman on Platform No. 8-Ruskin Bond

Title: The Woman on Platform No. B.
Writer: Ruskin Bond.
The story The Woman on Platform No. 8 is written by Ruskin Bond. He is an Indian author of
British descent.
The story narrates the experiences of a young boy. Arun is a twelve-year-old boy studying in
a boarding school. He is confident and independent and is not afraid to travel alone at
midnight. He meets a strange woman on platform No 8. Her voice is soft and sweet. She is
in a white saree and treats him like her son. She offers him tea and Samosas. He relaxes
and shares his details with her. He meets Satish and his mother on the platform. Satish's
mother is a large imposing lady. She is impatient and seems to grumble at everything. She is
so suspicious about strangers and constantly keeps warning Arun about them. Probably due
to this attitude he develops a dislike of Sathish's mother. Anun compares the two ladies
standing near him. He finds that the stranger is kind and more gentle than Sathish's mother.
Finally, he says goodbye to her by calling her 'mother. Thus the story highlights love and
affection that transcends all barriers of kinship.

"Words are not enough to express the unconditional love of a mother."

10. A Gift for Christmas - O. Henry

Title: A Gift for Christmas

Writer: O. Henry.
The story "A Gift for Christmas" is written by William Sydney Porter. He is known by his pen
name O. Henry. The story is taken from his collection The Four Million.
The story narrates about the life of a young married couple, Della and Jim. Della is proud of
her long beautiful hair. Jim is proud of his gold watch that has been his father's and
grandfather's. They live in a small flat. They love each other very much. They are willing to
sacrifice something in order to buy a Christmas gift for the other. The young couple sacrifice
their precious possessions to buy a gift for each other. Della sells her long and beautiful hair
to buy an expensive gift for Jim. She buys a platinum watch chain for Jim. And Jim sells his
gold watch to buy expensive ivory combs for Della. Thus the story teaches us the valuable
lesson of loving and caring for others. Both Della and Jim sacrifice their most valuable loved
possessions in order to buy something beautiful for each other. Thus, they show true
meaning of love, sacrifice and generosity for happy living. It is an example of comic irony.

"Love the giver more than the gift.

11. The Doctor's Word - R. K. Narayan

Title: The Doctor's Word
Writer: R.K. Narayan
The story "The Doctor's Word" written by R.K Narayan, the a leading writer of early Indian
literature. Malgudi, his fictional creation, forms the setting of his works.
The story is remarkable for its gripping narration. The story highlights how a doctor's word
saved the life of a patient. Dr. Raman is the main character in the story. He is a doctor. He is
an expert in his profession. He maintains a high standard of ethics. He never believes in
soothing lies. Dr. Raman and Gopal were the greatest friends for forty years now, starting
with their kindergarten days. In his busy round of work Dr. Raman had not noticed that Gopal
had not called in for over three months now. One crowded morning Dr. Raman had a chance
meeting with Gopal's son who conveyed the message that his father was ill. Dr. Raman
rushed to his friend's house as soon as he had finished the operation. When he reached
Gopal's house, he found his friend in a bed ridden-condition. He started treatment of his
friend after he talked to his wife. The patient was staring at the doctor appealingly. The
doctor said to himself, If my word can save his life, he will not die. Finally, he chose to use
his assuring words. And the doctor's word saved Gopal from the Jaws of death.

"Medicine cures diseases but only doctors can cure patients.