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Unit – 1 Short Answer Questions
Objectives
The main purpose of this unit is to familiarize students with the text English Language and Indian culture prescribed in all UG first-
year courses. After going through the prescribed text, you will be able to
 Understand the text.

 Talk about the text
 Think about language.
 Work with words.
 Notice forms and patterns.
 Enhance the power of grasping, and
 Answer the questions struck in the mind
Structure
1.1 Introduction
1.2 A General Idea of Each Chapter (1.2.1 to 1.2.14)
1.3 Short Questions from Each Chapter (1.3.1 to 1.3.14)
1.3.1 Short Answer Type Questions
1.3.2 Objective Type Questions
1.3.3 True/False Statements
1.4 Meaning of Difficult Words (1.4.1 to 1.4.14)
1.5 Summary
1.6 Key to the Questions asked in 1.3
1.7 Check Your Progress
1.8 Model Question Paper
1.9 Reference Books for Further Studies
1.1 Introduction
The book English Language and Indian

Culture systematically presents various aspects of Indian culture — ancient and modern. Its purpose is to impart knowledge to the
students and to inculcate noble ideas in them. We may read anything in English. But if this reading leads to the easy unfolding of
great thoughts and elating ideas of our great past, to say, India’s heritage and culture which would develop in them a sense of
history to be proud of as well as provide them a mould to shape their character, it would become more meaningful. The book fulfills
this aim as it is quite easy and helpful to understand. The teaching material has been systematically arranged so that students could
be motivated to learn a lot about the correct use of English language - both spoken and written. There are 14 chapters in the book
and these chapters comprise the Unit - 1. Short questions are asked from this unit and the students are required to answer each of
them in one or two sentences. Keeping in view the students of Bhoj Open University, Bhopal the following division(s)/sub-division(s)
of the unit will be a great help to answer the questions.
1.2 A General Idea of Each Chapter (1.2.1 to 1.2.14)
1.2.1 Chapter – 1 : Where the Mind is without Fear
- Rabindranath Tagore
Introduction: Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) composed & published the poem Where the Mind is without Fear in
Geetanjali in 1910. In it the poet prays to God that in his country there should be an atmosphere of fearlessness. Knowledge should
be free to all. The country men should not be divided over caste and creed. They should speak the truth and lead a perfect life and
not get tired of working. They should have the power to reason out the bad and useless customs. Only God can help by guiding the
people. God should make India a paradise on earth.
Central Idea: The poem is a reflection of the poet’s good and ideal nature. He has utmost faith in God. He prays to God with all his
heart that he should guide the countrymen to work hard, speak the truth, and be forward and logical in approach. The poet aspires
to see the country and his people to be in peace and prospering.
1.2.2 Chapter – 2: The Ideals of Indian Art
- K. Bharatha Iyer
Indian art is a fusion of many cultures. It is bound up with India’s past and has been shaped by the same in return.
Whosoever came to India settled here. The tribes and races that made India their home were Aryans, Parthians, Greeks, Sakas,
Kushans, Huns, Turks and Mangols. They brought with them their indigenous culture. Life of Indian people can not be seen without
art. Hindu women generally decorate their homes with beautiful rangoli designs early in the morning and some times during the
festivals. Indian art is very close to the daily life of the Indian people. There is nothing personal in Indian art and architecture. The
artists aimed at in voicing or giving shape to the visions and ideals of the race. Indian art is not devoid of life. But the main interest of
the Indian artist is to be noticed in the human form. This shows an intimate relationship of Indian life and art.
1.2.3 Chapter – 3: The Wonder that was India
- A.L.Basham
In his essay The Wonder that was India A.L. Basham shows his belief in the continuity of Indian civilization. He says that
Indian people still love the tales of the heroes of the Mahabharta and the Ramayana, that’s why their life is full of quiet and gentle
happiness.
In our ancient culture much that was useless has already stopped. The old family system has also undergone a great
change. In real sense the whole face of India has changed without losing its culture’s tradition. The Indian culture began to influence
Ceylon during the early period of 5th century B.C. A few Indian merchants found their way to Malaya and some other nearby
countries and some of them settled there. Then some Brahmans and the Buddhist monks went there and spread Buddhism. The Far
- East was mostly influenced by Indian Buddhism which spread to China, Japan, Korea and Tibet. But the most important
contribution of India was the decimal system of calculation along with the game of chess. Some Indians such as Paramhans Ram
Krishna, his disciple Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi influenced the West. Especially Gandhi’s principle of non-violence, sincerity
and energy influenced the West greater. Besides that Indian philosophy and religion also had a very great impact on western
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thinking. Philosophers like Hegel and Fichte were very much influenced by Upanishads. Even American philosophers like Emerson
and Thoreau studied much of Indian philosophy and thus their thoughts too had much likeness with Indian thought and philosophy.
It is hoped that the world of the future will have a single culture with many local differences and variations.
1.2.4. Chapter – 4: The Heritage of Indian Art
- Kapila Vatsyayan
The cultural heritage of India lies in the recognition of the inner landscape of man as its centre along with his outer
landscape. It has different colours but all are mixed like the colours of a rainbow. Multiple races, languages, religions, philosophy and
artistic expressions all have webbed into one. Whatever races and people came to India, they merged themselves into one and
became Indians. They held together just like the planets of an orbit. Indian architecture whether the stupas or the temples or the
mosques or the city plans or of any sort embodies the world views. Like Indian architecture, Indian sculpture also demonstrates the
vision of wholeness through a method of impersonalization. Indian figurative art is not portraiture of the specific. Each image is an
embodiment of a dominant abstraction of a given pose which looks still and dynamic movement together. Like Indian architecture
and sculpture, Indian paintings also manifest the theory of one infinite unity in the form of impersonalization. And finally, through a
beautiful and complete language of movement, Indian dance provides the most concrete manifestation of the inner state and vision.
1.2.5. Chapter – 5: Life in Vedic Literature
- Krishna Chaitanya
Vedic literature of India has sometimes been claimed to be the most ancient literature in the world but Mesopotamian
and Egyptian literatures are definitely prior to the Vedas. The word Veda means knowledge. Later on it was considered as sacred
knowledge. There are four Vedas – the Rig Veda, the Sam Veda, the Yajur Veda and the Atharva Veda. The oldest is the Rig Veda
which has ten thousand stanzas in the form of over a thousand hymns collected in ten cycles or mandals. The second important
Veda is Sam Veda which has 1875 verses full of sweet melody. Its 75 verses are taken from the Rig Veda chiefly from eighth and
ninth mandals. Yajur Veda came into existence later than Rig Veda and Sam Veda. It means a sacrificial formula. It has 2000 mantras
written in prose and the results are described which come from employing a particular rite or ritual. The last of all is the Atharva
Veda which contains 6000 mantras of magic and sorcery. In addition to these, there are some more treatises on Vedas known as
Brahmanics, Aryanaks and the Upnishads. The Brahmans are prose works which describe the rules and regulations of performing
religions rites or rituals. Aranykas mean forest texts which are composed by those saints who lived in the forest for the sake of
contemplation. Upanishad means those confidential discourses that took place between a teacher and his pupils. Along with them
we have Smritis, Samhitas and Vedangas.
1.2.6. Chapter – 6: The Ramayana and the Mahabharata
The Ramayana and the Mahabharata are the two great epics. The Ramayana by Maharshi Valmiki deals with the story of
Lord Ram. Ram was exiled from Ayodhya by his father Dasharat for fourteen years. Ram went to forest with his wife Sita and brother
Laxman. Ravan, a tyrannical giant abducted Sita. To rescue his wife, Sita from Ravan, Ram fought, defeated and killed him. Then Ram
came back to Ayodhya and became its ruler. In due course of time the story of Ram became a national treasure. Moreover, the story
was transported to nearby countries like Java, Sumatra, Thailand and Cambodia. Later on the great poet, Tulsidas composed the
same story in his Ram Charit Manas in Hindi language. An ideal society can be established on the basis of life of Ram. The
Mahabharata by Ved Vyas contained 24000 verses in Sanskrit. It tells the story of Bharat dynasty. Long after it became a theistic
treatise in which Lord Krishna is thought to be the Supreme Being. The religion of Mahabharata is Vedic. Indra, Vishnu, Agni, Surya,
Vayu, and Varun were important gods of the Vedic period. According to the Bhagvada Gita, Krishna is Supreme God. In the
Bhagavad Gita Lord Krishna gave Arjun some teachings. The battle continued for eighteen days and was won by the Pandvas. Thus
both the epics bear moral teachings.
1.2.7 Chapter – 7: Freedom Movement in India
- Sudhir Chandra
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The British aspired for establishing their Empire in India and after the downfall of Mughal Empire they began to work through
wars and diplomacy. They started to exploit the Indians. Then different sections of Indian society combined and challenged the
authority of British. In 1857 they tried to drive out the British from India. But this revolution was crushed in 1858. After 1857 they
began to realize the necessity of an organization, with the result Indian National Congress was founded in 1885 after the efforts of
A.O. Hume, a retired civil servant. The Indian National Congress held its first session in Bombay under the presidentship of W.C
Bannerjee. Dissatisfaction, however, was growing with the slow pace of political activity. Leaders like Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar
Tilak with his tone announced that “Swaraj is my birth right and I shall have it.” Those that did not believe in petitions and wanted to
do something revolutionary were called the extremists. Bal, Pal and Lal were the three very popular extremist leaders. At last in
1942 Quit India Movement was started by the Congress. After a great sacrifice India got Freedom on August 15, 1947.
1.2.8 Chapter 8: Dandi Salt March
- Louis Fischer
Mahatma Gandhi with his seventy eight male and female members of the ashram left Sabarmati for Dandi. In Young
India, the identity of each member was published for the benefit of the police. Dandi is in the South of Ahamdabad. This Dandi
March was done to break the salt law imposed by the British Government. He went through the dirty roads from village to village.
“We are marching in the name of God,” said Gandhi. During his march he taught the people to remove social evils like drinking and
child marriages and when the signal came, break the salt laws. Gandhiji did not feel any trouble in walking. For him, it was just
“Child’s play.” In this way he encouraged people and at last reached Dandi. He dipped in the sea and returned to the beach. There
he took a pinch of salt left by the waves as a symbol for breaking the law. It was indeed a great challenge for the British Government.
He called it a “nefarious monopoly.” He said that salt is essential for men like air and water. Subhash Chandra Bose compared the
salt March to “Napoleon’s March to Parish on his return from Elba.” Thus, Gandhiji communicated the idea of breaking British Laws
when necessary.
1.2.9 Chapter 9: Aspects of Indian Constitution
- M.C. Chagle
When a country drafts a constitution after a revolution there is always a danger of violent reaction. Our Constitution was drafted
after a revolution. The revolution which brought India freedom was bloodless. England surrendered the domination. The foundation
of our Constitution is based on all good things of the past. The aim of our constitution is to make provision for political and financial
stability. We are fully justified in congratulating the members of the constituent Assembly because they have given us the
constitution. The two most important aspects of our Constitution are democracy and secularism. India selected the responsible form
of government as in England. The party system has been worked almost to its perfection in England. In America there is a sharp
divorce between the executive and the legislature. An opposition is essential to the successful working of democratic institution as
the party in power. Criticism neither means vituperation nor abuse, it means putting before the country a point of view different
from the point of view which is officially put forward. Democracy can work only when we have strong, powerful and consistent
criticism. India is facing the problem of regionalism. It means thinking of the region, and not of the nation as a whole. India is a union
of states or regions and so it is very essential to think for the good of our nation. Then and then only we can hope for a strong and
powerful country. Another important aspect of our Constitution is that we have only one citizenship and one set of court law. Our
judiciary is one and it is an integrated one. In this way every democratic pattern has been laid down in our Constitution.
1.2.10. Chapter – 10: Individual Freedom
- Jawaharlal Nehru
Freedom is very essential for the proper development of an individual. Neither the old civilization nor the new western civilization
can solve problems of human beings because of overwhelming the real spirit of religion. Disillusionment followed. Communism
comes in the wake of this disillusionment and offers some kind of discipline. To some extent it fills a vacuum. It succeeds in some
measure by giving content to man’s life. But it fails because of its rigidity and because it ignores certain essential needs of human
nature. Nehru had great admiration for many of the achievements of the Soviet Union. But there is suppression of individual
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freedom. This is completely opposed to the peaceful approach which Gandhi taught us. Communists and anti - communists both
have no shades. Social progress can be achieved through co-existing and co-operation and by providing an individual the chances to
develop. The alliance of democracy and capitalism has brought much welfare to many countries and has curtailed many evils of the
society. Socialism lessens inequality in the society. To Nehru socialism is after all not only a way of life but a certain scientific
approach to solve social and economic problems.
1.2.11 Chapter 11: Fundamental Duties
Rights and duties go together. They are correlative and imply obligations. In our Constitutions we had adopted almost all
the principles of the Universal Declaration of human rights, but there was no provision of the Declaration which says: “Everyone has
duties to the country in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible”. To fulfill this, a section of
Fundamental Duties was incorporated in the Indian Constitution by an amendment of the Article 52-A. There are ten Fundamental
Duties which are enumerated in the Indian Constitution. The prime duty of the Indian citizen is: (i) To respect the ideals and
institutions like the National Flag and the National Anthem, (ii) To follow the noble ideals, (iii) To protect the sovereignty, unity and
integrity of India, (iv) To defend the country, (v) To promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood, (vi) To preserve our
rich heritage, (vii) To protect the natural environment, (viii) To develop the scientific temper and humanism, (ix) To abjure violence,
and (x) To strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity so that the nation constantly rises to higher
levels of endeavour and achievement.
The above duties are in nature of Ten Commandments. The significance of these duties is to create a climate in which the people will
feel that their obligations to society are as important as their rights.
1.2.12 Chapter – 12: Delhi in 1857
- Mirza Ghalib
Life of Indian people in Delhi in 1857 became miserable. Mirza Ghalib experienced such a bitter truth. The British soldiers
looted the whole city after the Indian mutiny had failed. But Ghalib’s house was escaped from their hands. Nothing was left to him
except the clothes to wear and bedding to sleep in because his wife without telling him sent her jewels and valuables secretly to the
house of Kale Sahib. Ghalib thought that he and his wife were destined to lose these things. He even did not hope to receive his
pension again which the British government previously granted him. Hence he started selling his clothes for buying food. He was as
worried about his servants and poor people as about himself and his wife because they lived on his charity before the 1857 mutiny.
If conditions did not improve, he would have been forced to live in some other land. To him, his distress would end either in death or
in beggary.
1.2.13 Chapter – 13: Rajah’s Diamond
- R.L. Stevenson
The detective under the order of his superior came to call the Prince Florizel of Bohemia as the latter was accused of theft
of the famous diamond of General Vandeleur and his brother. The Prince recognized him even after the lapse of eight years. The
prince pardoned the detective as he was acting on the orders of Vandeleur. He then told the story of the accursed Rajah’s Diamond.
He said that the world is full of wealth and beauty and a man can be easily tempted either by wealth or the beauty of a woman.
After hearing the talks of the king about human temptations, the officer regarded the kind wise and pious. The world looked like a
place of trial to the officer. The king faced many temptations in life but be could resist them by the grace of God. Both the Prince and
the detective are same because they fight against crimes though in a different way. The influence of the accursed diamond was
great on the king because only for this he was accused of theft. He told how this diamond over the years passed on from one person
to another and ruined the life of its possessors and he was the last person to receive this diamond. At last he threw it into the
flowing river.
1.2.14 Chapter – 14: Tree
- Tina Morris
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The poem Tree by Tina Morris, deals with the importance of trees. The poet shares her anguish if there is no tree, no
charm and life will be experienced. She shows her debt to trees. No life in general can be experienced without trees. We will be
unable to hear whispering of leave if they get dry. The poet tries to recreate a tree with paint and brush or with plastic materials but
in vain. She is unable to realize the freshness of trees through artificial efforts. Collecting paints and brush or plastic materials to
paint or make a tree are all like waste material. At last she tells that an artificial tree is no match to a real one.
1.3 Short Questions from Each Chapter (1.3.1 to 1.3.14)
1.3.1 Short Answer Type Questions (1.3.1.1 to 1.3.1.14)
1.3.1.1. Reply each of the following questions in one complete sentence:
1. Is reason, in the poem Where the Mind is without Fear, compared to a stream? Why?
2. What is meant by “knowledge is free” in the poem?
3. What is meant by “narrow domestic walls” in the poem?
4. Give the two qualities of mind described in the poem.
5. Why does the poet compare ‘dead habit’ to ‘dreary desert sand?’
6. To whom does the poet address his poem? (Chapter – 1)
1. Of which culture is the product of the main stream?
2. Give the name of tribes that made India their home.
3. Why is Indian art bound up with India’s past?
4. Why are the artists who painted the exquisite frescoes at Ajanta not known?
5. How are the figures of men and women depicted in Indian art?
6. What is trinity in Hinduism? (Chapter – 2)
1. Write the most significant quality of Indian civilization?
2. What is the most important characteristic of the Indian way of life?
3. How can you say that caste system in India is vanishing?
4. Who first went to the South East Asian Countries?
5. When did the real contact between India and China begin?
6. Write some ‘practical blessings’ conferred on the world by India.(Chapter – 3)
1.3.1.4. Answer the questions given below in one complete sentence:
1. Where does lie the cultural heritage of India?
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2. ‘Whoever came to India fell into its pattern?’ Explain this statement.
3. What did the Katha Upanishad speak about the body of man?
4. What is the significance of “Trimurti” in Elephanta?
5. What do Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh represent? (Chapter – 4)
1. 3.1.5. Answer the following Questions in one complete sentence:
1. Will it be correct to say that the Vedic literature is the most ancient literature in
the world?
2. How would you describe the Vedic hymns?
3. To what period do the first two Vedas belong?
4. What proves the Atharva Veda’s late origin?
5. Who composed the Aranyakas?
6. Explain the meaning of the term ‘Upanishad’. (Chapter – 5)
1.3.1.6. . Answer the questions given below in one complete sentence:
1. Name the writer who first wrote the story of Ram.
2. Where did Ram go to rescue Sita?
3. Who abducted sita?
4. What else, besides the story of Ram, does the Ramayana depict?
5. By what time did the story of Ram become a national treasure of India?
6. Which new order of deities occupies an important place in the Mahabharata?
7. Why are actions necessary? (Chapter – 6)
1. What happened in 1857?
2. What did the British say about their primary objective?
3. When was the dream of having a national organization finally fulfilled?
4. Write the two basic issues on which the congress petitioned to the British.
5. Write the slogan which Tilak gave to the Indian masses.
6. Write the response of Indians to the appeal made by the British.
7. Why were the Rowlatt acts known as the “Black Acts”? (Chapter – 7)
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1. When did Gandhiji leave for Dandi?
2. Why were the identities of the members joining the march to Dandi published?
3. What did Gandhi exhort people to do when he addressed them on the way to Dandi?
4. How many people finally reached Dandi along with Gandhiji?
5. What were the words of Mrs. Sarojini Naidu when Gandhi broke the salt law?
6. How did Subhash estimate that March?
7. What had Gandhiji communicated by breaking the salt law? (Chapter – 8)
1. When was our constitution drafted?
2. Write the danger when a country drafts a constitution after a revolution.
3. Give the two most important aspects of Indian constitution.
4. What should be our approach when we are dealing with public affairs?
5. What do you mean by regionalism? (Chapter – 9)
1.3.1.10. Answer each of the following questions in one or two complete sentences.
1. Why does according to author, communism fail in spite of its apparent success?
2. In what way has communism succeeded?
3. Is there suppression of individual freedom in democracy?
4. Which approach does Nehru think wholly unscientific and unreasonable?
5. What is socialism according to author? (Chapter – 10)
1.3.1.11 Answer each of the following questions in one complete sentence:
1. Write what the Universal Declaration of Human Rights says regarding duties.
2. How many duties are enumerated in the Indian Constitution?
3. Write the prime duty as mentioned in the first article of the Fundamental Duties
of the Indian citizen?
4. Which article speaks about the protection of the environment?
5. Give the significance of Fundamental Duties. (Chapter – 11)
1.3.1.12 Answer each of following the questions in one complete sentence:
1. Was Ghalib happy with the British rule in India?
2. Where did Ghalib’s wife send her jewels and valuables?
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3. What did Ghalib not hope to get again from the British Government?
4. Where will Ghalib go and live if the conditions of his life do not improve?
5. Whose house was not looted by the “looters”? (Chapter – 12)
1.3.1.13. Answer each of the questions given below in one complete sentence:
1. Why did the prince have to pardon the detective?
2. Write the truth that broke upon the Prince in a moment.
3. What was the influence of the accursed diamond on the life of the Prince?
4. How can a man be tempted? (Chapter – 13)
1.3.1.14. Answer each of the questions given below in one complete sentence:
1. What will be the result if the trees are not taken care of?
2. What will happen if the trees get dry?
3. Who does the poet mean by “they” in the first line of the poem Tree?
4. How do the trees sing? (Chapter – 14)
1.3.2 Objective Type Questions (1.3.2.1 to 1.3.2.14)
1.3.2. 1 Choose the answer that you think correct according to the text:
1. Tagore, in the poem, has faith in
(a) priest (b) god (c)poor (d) none of them
2. Reason, in the poem, is compared to
(a) a stream (b)mind (c) sky (d) none of them
3. The poet’s own country is asleep and so he wishes it to
(a) praise (b) condemn (c)awake. (d) hate (Chapter – 1)
1.3.2. 2. Choose the answer that you find best according to the text:
1. Indian art is bound up to India’s past because
(a) Her past is full of great men and women. (b) Her past is glamorous.
(c) Her past belongs to the Aryans.
(d) Indian culture and character have been shaped by many great events of
the past.
2. The tribes and races that made India their home brought with them
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(a) their statues of gold (b) their sacred books
(c) their great paintings (d) their indigenous culture (Chapter – 2)
1.3.2. 3. Choose the answer that you think correct according to the text:
1. The main problems of India are
(a) labour – saving devices (b) action and thought
(c) Disease and poverty (d) hectic ways of the world
2. The earliest influence of ancient Indian culture on South – East – Asia can be traced back to
(a) 4th century A.D. (b) 5th century B.C.
(c) 1st century A.D. (d) 9th century B.C.
3. In the beginning, cultural relations between China and India were
(a) Not very strong (b) mutually all assimilative
(c) Pervasive and predominant (d) pervasive and weakening (Chapter – 3)
1.3.2.4.Choose the answer from the following that you think correct according to the text:
1. Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh represent creation, evolution and . . . .
(a) Revolution (b) destruction (c) both of them (d) none of them
2. The twin paradoxical demands of Indian art are
(a) Impersonality and intensity (b) personality and intensity
(c) Personality and development (d) none of them (Chapter – 4)
1.3.2.5 Choose the answer from the following that you think correct according to the text:
1. Mesopotamian and Egyptian literatures are definitely:
(a) After the Vedas (b) prior to the Vedas
(c) after the Bible (d) None of them.
2. Most of the Verses of the Sama Veda are
(a) Original compositions (b) borrowings from the Rig Veda
(c) Written in prose (d) ritualistic instructions.
3. Name the third compilation of the Vedas
(a) RigVeda (b) Atharva Veda(c) Sama Veda(d) YajurVeda (Chapter – 5)
1. Which is the highest virtue according to the Mahabharata?
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(a) Falsity (b) Cleverness (c) Truth (d) None.
2. The scene of the Bhagvad Gita has been laid –
(a) In Ayodhya (b) in Sumatra (c) in Gandhar (d) in Kurukshetra
3. Lord Krishna created this world by his own
(a) Prakriti (b) sword (c) Chariot (d) None of them (Chapter – 6)
1. The first conference of the Indian National Congress held at Bombay was attended by
(a) 85 delegates (b) 87 delegates (c) 90 delegates (d) 45 delegates
2. Who was responsible for the partition of Bengal?
(a) Hitler (b) Tilak (c) J. Nehru (d) Lord Curzon (Chapter – 7)
1.3.2. 8 Choose the answer that you think correct according to the text:
1. How many members of the Sabarmati Ashram accompanied Gandhi on this march?
(a) Only 78 members (b) near about 78 members
(c) more than 78 members (d) None of them.
2. In which magazine were the names of the Marchers published?
(a) In New India (b) in Times of India
(c) In Young India (d) None of them
3. How many days did it take the satyagrahis to reach Dandi?
(a) 24 days (b) 24 months (c) 42 days (d) 28 days. (Chapter – 8)
1. Indian Constitution was drafted
(a) long before revolution (b) after a revolution
(c) Both of the above (d) None of the above.
2. Who pays the leader of the opposition in England?
(a) The government of England (b) the government of India
(c) Both of the above (d) None of the above. (Chapter – 9)
1.3.2. 10 Choose the answer that you consider the most suitable according to the essay:
1. What can be achieved through co-existing and co-operation?
(a) Conflict (b) Money (c) Social progress (d) None of them.
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2. Communism succeeds in some measure by giving content to man’s life but it fails because of
(a) its rigidity and because it ignores certain essential needs of human nature.
(b) Its flexibility and discipline (c) Its faith (d) Its increasing contradictions.
3. Nehru had great admiration for many of the achievements of the Soviet Union. Which of the following cannot be called
its achievement?
(a) Its system of education (b) The suppression of individual freedom (c) Its system of health (d) The
value attached to the child and the common man. (Chapter – 10)
1.3.2.11Choose the answer that you consider the most appropriate according to the essay:
1. Which article of the Fundamental Duties says that we should cherish and follow the noble ideals?
(a) First (b) second (c) sixth (d) ninth
2. Which article says that we must abjure violence?
(a) Second (b) fourth (c) sixth (d) ninth (Chapter – 11)
1.3.2. 12 Choose the correct answer according to the essay:
1. What do you means by “the looters” in Delhi in 1857?
(a) The Indian people (b) Ghalib’s father
(c) The common thieves (d) the British soldiers.
2. Ghalib’s wife sent her jewels and valuables to
(a) Her friends (b) her home
(c) Kale Saheb’s house (d) the looter’s house. (Chapter – 12)
1.3.2. 13. Choose the correct answer according to the context:
1. For whom the expression “Lump of sparking crystal” are used:
(a) For Rajah’s diamond (b) for detective’s diamond
(c) for Prefect’s diamond (d) none of the above.
2. Who was another in high station and above reproach?
(a) Thomas Vandeleur (b) A Young Priest
(c) An officer of the Indian Prince (d) None of the above. (Chapter – 13)
1.3.2. 14. Choose the correct answer from the following questions:
1. Who is the writer of the poem Tree?
(a) Nissim Ezekiel (b) Kamala Das (c) Tina Morris (d) R. N. Tagore
2. What is meant by “they” in the first line of the poem?
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(a) The parents of the poet (b) The readers of the poem
(c) The people in general (d) None of the above(Chapter – 14)
1.3.3 True/False Statements(1.3.3.1 to 1.3.3.14)
1.3.3. 1. Say whether the following statements are True or False:
1. Mind is influenced by God.
2. The world desired by the poet is to be divided into small parts.
3. Tagore aspires to see the country and his people to be in peace. (Chapter – 1)
1.3.3. 2. Mark the following statements True or False:
1. Indian art is not bound up with India’s past.
2. Only American and Africans made India their home. (Chapter – 2)
1.3.3. 3. Mark the following statements True or False:
1. The whole of South-East Asia received most of its culture from India.
2. Vijaya, the legendary Aryan is said to have conquered Ceylon first by the sword.
3. Emerson, Thoreau, Richard and Walt Whitman are some of the notable American writers who were influenced by
Indian thought. (Chapter – 3)
1.3.3. 4. According to the essay say whether the following statements are True or False:
1. The body of man was the microcosm representing the macrocosm.
2. Indian dance provides the most concrete manifestation of the inner state and vision.
3. Whosoever came to India fell into its pattern. (Chapter – 4)
1. The span of Vedic culture extended upto Indo Gangetic plains.
2. Buddhism did not protest against the Brahamana Vedic religion.
3. The three sacrificial fires are Sraut Sutra, Grihya Sutras and Dharma Sutras. They all are the parts of Kalpa Sutra.
(Chapter – 5)
1. Prakriti is composed of three qualities named as ‘gunas’ such as Sttwa,
(goodness), rajas (passion), and tamas (ignorance).
2. Lord Valmiki first wrote the story of Bharat. (Chapter – 6)
1.3.3. 7 Which of the following statements based on the text are True or False.
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1. The British said that they would leave India when the people here were fit for self-rule.
2. Tilak knew that the struggle against the British would be a long-drawn affair.
3. To bring about the end of the British rule Aurobindo tried revolutionary terrorism.
4. Since its earliest years the Indian National Congress was committed to India’s freedom. (Chapter – 7)
1.3.3. 8. Mark the following statements True or False according to the essay:
1. Gandhi and his followers reached Dandi on April 5, 1930.
2. Breaking the salt law, Subhash Chandra Bose compared the incident with the
great return of Napoleons from Elba to Paris.
3. Dandi is in the South of Ahamdabad. (Chapter – 8)
4. The length of Gandhiji’s bamboo was seventy four inches long with an iron tip.
1.3.3. 9. Tell whether the following statements are True or False:
1. In India, we do not have any official religion.
2. India selected the responsible form of government as in England.
3. There is no equality for all before law in India. (Chapter –9)
1.3.3. 10 Tell whether the following statements are True or False:
1. Communism can succeed only through violence, which is not a right means for
a good end.
2. There are no contradictions within the framework of communism itself.
3. Democracy and socialism are means to an end. (Chapter – 10)
1.3.3. 11 Mark the Statements True or False according to the essay:
1. It is the duty of the Indian citizen to uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India.
2. By the article 52-A, the lacuna regarding Fundamental Duties has been removed.
3. There is no chapter on Fundamental Duties in the Indian Constitution.
4. Fundamental Duties can be enforced through the courts of law. (Chapter – 11)
1.3.3. 12 Mark the sentences given below True/False according to the essay:
1. Ghalib knew that his wife sent her jewels and valuables to the house of Kale
Sahab.
2. Ghalib was very happy with the British rule in India.
3. Ghalib’s distress would end either in death or beggary.
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4. 1857 Mutiny made life very difficult for Ghalib. (Chapter – 12)
1.3.3. 13 Mark the sentences given below True or False:
1. The world is full of wealth and beauty.
2. The detective was the last person to receive the diamond.
3. The king was unable to resist temptations by the grace of God.
4. The world looked like a place of trial to the officer. (Chapter – 13)
1.3.3. 14 Say whether the statements given below are True or False:
1. To the poet, the trees did not tell us what would happen without them.
2. The leaves of trees whisper when they are not green.
3. The poet in her imagination makes effort to create a tree with paint and plastic. 4. The artificial tree is no match to real
one. (Chapter – 14)
________________________________________________________________________
1.4 Meaning of Difficult Words (1.4.1 to 1.4.14)
1.4.1. Word Meanings: Fragments – pieces; head is held high- self respect ; domestic- pertaining to family; striving – try hard;
tireless – without getting tired; stream – river; dreary-- dull; reason – intellect; dead habit – old customs; desert – dry area of land;
awake – to get up from sleep. (Chapter – 1)
1.4.2. Indelible – that can not be removed; merged – combined; invest – to cloth or cover with garment; idiosyncrasies – peculiarity
of mental constitution; onlooker – spectator; architects –one skilled in planning and erecting building; frescoes – a process of
painting pictures on wall before plaster is dry; phenomenal – very remarkable; array – to adorn; superb – magnificent; trait –
characteristics. (Chapter – 2)
1.4.3. Continuity – state of being continuous; graciousness- favour, mercy; hectic – without rest; extravagant – excessive;
hectotomb – great public sacrifice; sect - a group of people united by religious beliefs and opinions; indigenous – native; maritime
– connected with sea, ascetic – one who leads a retired life; pioneer – a foot soldier who marches before to prepare the way for
others; modus vivendi – manner of living; anachronism – error in regard to time. (Chapter – 3)
1.4.4. Heritage – inheritance; evoke – to call; landscape – the portion of land with its environs which they can view at a single
glance; myriad – a very large number; stagger – to totter; multiplicity – many of the same kind; architecture – the science of the
construction of buildings; sculpture - the art of carving in relief on stone, wood or clay; microcosm – miniature representation;
macrocosm – the universe or great whole; periphery – external boundary; androgyne – having both male & female characteristics;
harness – to equip with armour; benign – kind and gentle; cosmos – the universe. (Chapter – 4)
1.4.5. Prior – former; compilation – compiled materials; absorb – to suck up; radiant – shining; verse – poetry; hymn – a song of
praise to god; sacrifice – to offer to a god on an alter; chant – song; cater – to provide food or amusement; diction – choice of
words; legend – a myth; contemporaneous – happening or being at the same time; allocation – allotment; sacerdotal – priestly; cult
– systems of religious worship; canonical – according to law; etymology – facts relating to the origin, history, formation and
meaning of words; astronomy – the science which treats of heavenly bodies. (Chapter – 5)
1.4.6. Hail – to greet; rescue – to set free; abduct – kidnap; canto – division of a poem; couplets – verses having common ending;
polytheist – one who believes in several gods; dominant – influential; chaotic - disordered; consort – husband or wife; illiterate –
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one unable to read and write; encyclopedia – set of books giving information about every branch of knowledge; stationary – still;
progeny- offspring; qualm – anxiety; deify – to worship as a diety; salvation – deliverance from sin. (Chapter – 6)
1.4.7. Decline – to decrease; diplomacy – management of international relations; annexation – union; feudal- belonging to a feud;
emergence – an unexpected event; agitation – disturbance; grievance – cause of grief; province – territory ; legislator – one who
makes law; resistance – opposition unprecedented – without an example; constitutional – essential; monopoly – exclusive or sole
possession of some commodity or the exclusive right of selling it; resolute – determined. (Chapter –7)
1.4.8 Lean – thin, slender; lacquered – coated with varnish; winding – bending; sprinkled – showered with water; strewed –
scattered; festooned – decorated with a chain of flowers; halt – a temporary stoppage; exhorted – urged strongly; fatigued –
tired; footsore – having sore or tired feet, especially walking after a long way; Delicate – sensitive; rivet – a bolt for fastening
together two pieces of metal; showman – the exhibitor of a show; defiance - a challenge to fight. (Chapter – 8)
1.4.9. Revolution – a complete and forcible overthrow of an established government, a revolt; innovation – introduce something
new; stability – firmness; suffrage – a right to vote; executive – the administrative branch of government; legislature – a legislative
body; dictator – an absolute ruler; degenerate – decline; region- a tract of land, a country; vituperation - violent condemnation;
judiciary – the judges; incompatible - incapable of existing together in harmony; residuary – pertaining to the remaining part.
(Chapter – 9)
1.4.10. Enmesh – entangle, entrap; overwhelmed – to crush, to bear down; disillusionment – disenchantment; frigid – cold,
chill; contempt – hate; obviously – clearly; Vacuum – a space that is empty; spiritual - not of physical things; apparent – obvious;
tolerate – endure; tremendous – huge; evolve – develop naturally; precise – definite; equality – sameness; Capitalist – a rich man;
communism – vesting of property in the community; socialist – an advocate of socialism; lessen – to diminish. (Chapter – 10)
1.4.11. Obligation – a duty; lacuna – gap; incorporate – formed into a legal organization; sovereignty – absolute power; integrity –
wholesomeness, render – make; transcend – surpass; diversity – variety, renounce – give up; derogatory – degrading; compassion
– pity for suffering, strive – to try very hard to achieve something; abjure – give up an opinion; enforcement – the act of enforcing;
commandment – command, precept. (Chapter – 11)
1.4.12. Marvel – to wonder; emptied even of its dust – emptied completely; riddle – a puzzle; cellar – an underground room; reveal
– to disclose; pierce the heart – effected much or more painful; suppliant – asking submissively; desert – to give up; distress –
sorrow; disgrace – disfavour; crumb – a small piece; keep body and soul together – to live; noxious – harmful; tumult – a lot of
noice; ruined – severely damaged; comfort – a feeling of not suffering. (Chapter – 12)
1.4.13. Postern – back door; billet - a thick piece of wood; conceal - to hide; discretion - Judgment; effrontery – impudence;
astound – to surprise; ingenious – clever, skilful; subaltern – of inferior rank; indecent – obscene; combatant – a fighter; lucrative-
profitable; amiable – loveable; applaud – to praise ; tarnish- to become dull; sparkling - shining; trial – test, experiment,
examination; potentate – a ruler; connive- to wink at; trifle – mean; massacre – a general slaughter of human beings; dive – to
sink. (Chapter – 13)
1.4.14. Dusty – filled with dust; grey – dismal, hoary; imagine – to suppose; jade – used here in the sense of ‘hard green stone’; lean
– to incline; lend – to bestow, to give; nailed – motionless; spring – the season of the year following winter; stir – to set in motion;
vibrant – used here in the sense of ‘more rapidly, shake; whisper – speak softly. (Chapter – 14)
______________________________________________________ 1.5 Summary
______________________________________________________
In the poem Where the Mind is without Fear, the poet R. N. Tagore draws a picture of free India. He dreamt of a country
with no boundaries. It is his idealistic dream about India. The poet prays to God for the welfare of the country.
Indian art is a fusion of many cultures. Life of Indian people can not be seen without art. There is nothing personal in
Indian art and architecture. Indian art is not devoid of life. In his essay The Wonder that was India A. L. Basham says that Indian
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people still love the tales of the heroes of the Mahabharta and the Ramayana. In our ancient culture much that was useless has
already stopped. In real sense the whole face of India has changed without losing its cultures tradition.
It is sometimes claimed that Vedic literature of India is the most ancient literature in the world. There are four Vedas –
the Rig Veda, the Sam Veda, the Yajur Veda and the Atharva Veda. Besides these, there are some more treatises on Vedas. All the
treatises on Vedas are indeed the sacred doctrines full of philosophic contemplation. The influence of the Ramayana and the
Mahabharata on the mind and life of Indian people has been considerable. The Ramayana by Maharshi Valmiki deals with the story
of Lord Ram who is the eighth ‘avatara’ of the Hindus. The Mahabharata by Ved Vyas, tells the story of Bharat dynasty. Both the
epics show the victory of good over evil.
After the downfall of Mughal Empire the British began to work through wars and diplomacy. They aspired for establishing
the British Empire in India. Hence, they started to exploit the Indians. After a great sacrifice India got Independence on August 15,
1947. Mahatma Gandhi with his disciples left Sabarmati for Dandi to break the Salt Law imposed by the British Government. It was
indeed a great challenge for the British Government. Subhash Chandra Bose compared the salt March to “Napoleon’s March to
Parish on his return from Elba.” After the independence our leader thought to frame a constitution so they formed a constituent
committee. The main goal of our Constitution is to set up a democratic and secular state. Thus we have a democrative pattern in our
constitution.
Communism has succeeded in some measure by giving content to man’s life but it fails because of its rigidity and because
it ignores certain essential needs of human nature. Socialism aims at equality and according to Nehru it is not only a way of life but a
certain scientific approach to solve social and economic problems. Fundamental Duties are incorporated in our Indian Constitution
by an amendment. There are ten Fundamental Duties for an Indian citizen. Each Indian is obliged to follow.
Mirza Ghalib felt surprised at seeing the varied wonders of fate. His life became very difficult after 1857 muting. In the
days of looting his house was left by the “looters”. To keep body and soul together he had to sell the clothes. He was not only
worried about himself and his wife but his servants also. He thought that his distress would end either in death or in beggary.
Rajah’s Diamond by R.L. Stevenson is a story of an accursed stone (diamond) that over the years passed on from one person to
another person and ruined the life of its possessors. The Prince was the last person who was also accused of theft this diamond. At
last he threw it into the river. However, he was a wise and pious king. In the poem Tree, the poet Tina Morris describes the
importance of trees. If trees are not taken care of, there will be no charm in human life. No life can be imagined without trees.
1.6 Key to the Questions Asked in 1.3
1.3.1 Short Answer Type Questions (1.3.1.1 to 1.3.1.14)
Answers: 1.3.1.1.1. Yes, reason, in the poem Where the Mind is without Fear, is compared to a stream because like the stream,
reason is very clear and flowing.
2. The poet desires that there should be no restriction for getting knowledge. It should be free to all castes and creeds so
that all may acquire it.
3. It means that the world should not be divided into small parts on the basis of caste, creed or colour.
4. Ever widening thought and action are the two qualities of mind described by Tagore in the poem.
5. The poet compares dead habit to dreary desert sand because the dead habits are like dreary desert which is lifeless
and of no worth, so is the case with dead habits as they stop progress.
6.. The poet addresses his poem to God.
Answers: 1.3.1.2. 1. The mainstream is the product of the fusion of the great Dravidian and Aryan cultures.
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2. The tribes that made India their home are Aryans, Parthians, Greeks, Sakar, Kushanas, Huns, Turks and Mongols.
3. Indian art is bound up to India’s past because Indian culture and character have been shaped by many great events of
the past.
4. The artists who painted the exquisite frescoes at Ajanta are not known because of its truly nation character and
nothing personal in it.
5. The figures of men and women are depicted in Indian art from every possible angle.
6. The Hindu trinity means the three great gods – Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
Answers: 1.3.1.3. 1. The most significant quality of Indian civilization is that it will retain its continuity.
2. The most important characteristic of the Indian way of life is the charm and graciousness.
3. We can say that caste system in India is vanishing because all over India in trains and buses Brahman’s rub shoulders
with the lower castes without consciousness of grave pollution and temples are open to all by laws.
4. A few merchants went first to the South East Asian countries for trade and they were followed by the Brahmans and
the Buddhist monks.
5. The real contact between India and China was made in about 2000 years ago in the Han Empire.
6. Some practical blessings on the world by India are notably rice, cotton, the sugarcane, many spices, the domestic fowl,
the game of chess and most important of all, the decimal system of numeral notation.
Answers: 1.3.1.4. 1. The cultural heritage of India lies in the recognition of the inner landscape of man as its centre along with his
outer landscape.
2. Whatever races and people came to India they all merged themselves as one and became Indians.
3. The Katha Upanishad spoke of the body of the man as the charioteer and the chariot wheel.
4. The significance of “Trimurti” in Elephanta is that it is image of Lord Shiv as Sadashiva, as Parvati and as Aghora which
is symbol of magnificence of Indian art.
5. Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh represent creation, evolution and destruction.
Answers: 1.3.1.5. 1. No, it is sometimes claimed that the Vedic literature of India is the most ancient literature in the world but
Mesopotamian and Egyptian literatures are definitely prior to the Vedas.
2. The Vedic hymns are poetic poems to be sung.
3. The first two Vedas ‘Rig Veda’ and ‘Sam Veda’ are the oldest; they belong to pre-Vedic age.
4. The Atharva Veda’s late orgin is shown by the fact that tiger, a native of marshy Bengal and unknown to the other
Vedas, is often referred to as the terrible beast of prey in Atharva Veda.
5. The Aranyakas were composed by wise sages who lived in the forests so they are the result of their contemplation.
6. The term ‘Upanishad’ literally means the sitting down of the disciples near the teacher for a confidential
communication. Later it was baptized as a sacred doctrine.
Answers: 1.3.1.6. 1. Lord Valmiki first wrote the story of Ram.
2. Ram went to the far South to rescue Sita.

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3. Ravan abducted Sita.
4. Besides the story of Ram, the Ramayana depicts the social life, the beliefs, customs and traditions of those days.
5. By the beginning of the Charistian era, the story of Ram had become a national treasure of India.
6. The new order of deities represented by Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva occupy an important place in the Mahabharata.
7. Actions are necessary because according to the Bhagvad Gita man can not live without action.
Answers: 1.3.1.7. 1. In 1857 different sections of Indian society rose to challenge the British authority.
2. The British said that their primary objective in India was about the welfare of the Indian people.
3. In 1885, the dream of having a national organization was finally fulfilled by the establishment of All India National
Congress.
4. The two basic issues on which the congress petitioned to the British were representation in government and
Indianization of the administration.
5. The slogan which Tilak gave to the Indian masses was, “Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it.”
6. The Indians agreed to help the British during the First World War because they thought that India would be rewarded
in the form of self government.
7. Rowlatt Acts were known as ‘Black Acts’ because they curtailed Indian freedom.
Answers: 1.3.1.8. 1. Gandhiji left for Dandi on Mrch 12, 1930.
2. The identities of the members joining the march to Dandi were published for the information of the police so as to
make their arrest easier.
3. Mahatma Gandhi exhorted the people to wear Khadi, abjure alcohol and drugs, abandon child marriage, keep clean
and lead a pure life on the way to Dandi.
4. Thousands of people reached Dandi when Ganhiji finally reached there.
5. Mrs. Sarojini Naidu cried, “Hail, Deliverer” when Gandhiji broke the salt law.
6. Subhash compared this march with that of Napolean’s march to Parish from Elba.
7. Gandhiji had communicated the idea of breaking laws of the British administration to the people of this country and as
a symbol they were asked to break salt law.
Answers: 1.3.1.9. 1. Our constitution was drafted after a revolution.
2. When a country drafts a constitution after a revolution, there is always the danger of a violent reaction against the past
and a dangerous desire for innovation.
3. The two important aspects of Indian Constitution are that it sets up a democratic and a secular state.
4. When we are dealing with public affairs, our approach should be secular and we must feel as an Indian and not of a
particular community or class.
5. Regionalism can be defined as excessive loyalty to one’s region at the cost of the greater interests of the nation.
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Answers: 1.3.1.10. 1. According to author, in spite of its apparent success communism fails because of its rigidity and because it
ignores certain essential needs of human nature.
2. Communism has succeeded in some measure by giving content to man’s life.
3. No, there is no suppression of individual freedom in democracy.
4. Nehru thinks that having no approach to tolerance to the point of view of others is all unscientific and unreasonable.
6. According to the author it is very difficult to define socialism in exact terms but it lessens economic inequalities and
adds to productive forces.
Answers: 1.3.1.11. 1. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights says: “Everyone has duties to the country, in which alone the free
and full development of his personality is possible.”
2. Ten Fundamental Duties are enumerated in the Indian Constitution.
3. The first and the prime duty of the Indian citizen are to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions,
the National Flag and the National Anthem.
4. The seventh article of 52(a) speaks about the protection and improvement of the environment.
5. The significance of these duties is to create a climate in which the people will feel that their obligations to society are
as important as their rights.
Answers: 1.3.1.12. 1. No, Ghalib was not happy with the British rule in India.
2. Ghalib’s wife sent her jewels and valuables to Kale Sahab’s house.
3. Ghalib did not hope to get again the pension which the British government formerly granted him.
4. Ghalib would have been forced to go and live in some strange land if the conditions of his life did not improve.
5. Mirza Ghalib’s house was not looted by the looters.
Answers: 1.3.1.13. 1. The Prince had to pardon the detective because he was acting on the orders of Vandeleur.
2. The truth that broke upon the Prince in a moment was that he was called by the Prefect who had accused him of theft
of the diamond.
3. The influence of the accursed diamond was great on the life of the Prince because only for this he was accused of theft.
4. A man can be tempted either by wealth or the beauty of a woman.
Answers: 1.3.1.14. 1. If the trees are not taken care of, there will be no charm in human life.
2. There will be no whispering of leaves if the trees get dry.
3. The poet means to say the people in general.
4. When a gentle wind blows, the leaves of trees start making a soft rustling sound so this whispering sound is supposed
that the trees are singing.
Answers: 1.3.2.1. 1. b , 2. a, 3. c. 1.3.2. 2. 1. d ; 2. d.
1.3.2. 3. 1. c; 2. b; 3. a. 1.3.2. 4. 1. b; 2. a.
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1.3.2. 5. 1 b; 2. a; 3.d. 1.3.2. 6 . 1. c; 2. d; 3. a.
1.3.2. 7. 1.a; 2. d. . 1.3.2. 8. 1. a; 2. c; 3.a.
1.3.2. 9. 1. b; 2. b. 1.3.2. 10. 1. c; 2. a; 3. b.
1.3.2. 11. 1. b; 2. d. 1.3.2. 12. 1. d; 2. c.
1.3.2. 13. 1. a ; 2. a. 1.3.2. 14 1. c, 2 c.
Answers1.3.3. 1. 1.True; 2. False; 3.True. 1.3.3. 2. 1.False; 2.False.
1.3.3. 3. 1. True; 2. True; 3. True. 1.3.3. 4 1. True; 2. True; 3.True.
1.3.3. 5. 1.True; 2. False; 3. True. 1.3.3. 6. 1.True; 2.False.
1.3.3. 7. 1.True; 2. True; 3.True: 4.False. 1.3.3.8. 1. True; 2. True; 3.True; 4. False.
1.3.3.9.1. True; 2. True; 3. False. 1.3.3.10. 1. True; 2. False; 3. True.
1.3.3.11. 1.True; 2.True; 3.False; 4. False. 1.3.3.12. 1. False; 2.False; 3. True; 4. True.
1.3.3.13.1.True; 2. False; 3. False; 4. True.1.3.3.14.1.True;2.False;3.True;4. True.
Questions: 1.7.1. Reply each of the following questions in one complete sentence:
1. What is influenced by God?
2. For what does the poet pray to God?
3. Say whether the following statements are True or False:
(i) Narrow thought and action are the two qualities of mind described by Tagore in the poem.
(ii) Reason, in the poem, is compared to stream. (Chapter – 1)
Answers: 1.7.1. 1. Mind is influenced by God.
2. The poet prays to God for the welfare of the country.
3. (i) False, (ii) True.
1. What did the tribes that made India their home bring with them?
2. How were the arts integral to life in India’s past?
3. Mark the following statements True or False:
(i) The main stream of Indian civilization shows fusion of races and cultures.
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(ii) Aryanisation uprooted the old indigenous culture.
4. Choose the answer that you find best according to the text:
(i) The temples of ancient India are adorned with
(a) Golden domes (b) Sculpture and painting
(c) Moghul architecture (d) Indian painting
(ii) The sacred Hindu trinity includes
(a) Isvara, Shiva and Vishnu (b) Shiva, Surya and Vishnu
(c) Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva (d) Brahma, Isvara and Vishnu. (Chapter – 2)
Answers: 1.7.2. 1. The tribes that made India their home brought with them their indigenous cultures.
2. The arts were integral to life in India’s past as they were very near to the daily life of the people and never considered
far away from their life.
3.(i) True (ii) False. 4. (i) b; (ii) c.
1. Where did the Indian merchants go for trade?
2. What aspect of Indian culture influenced the Far-East most significantly?
3. Choose the answer that you think correct according to the text:
(i) The old face of India
(a) has already changed fully (b) is vanishing daily
(c) is changing fast (d) is not likely to change at all
(ii) Vijaya, who is said to have conquered Ceylon first, was
(a) a king from folk tales (b) a kind from fables
(c) a kind from epics (d) a kind from real life (Chapter – 3)
Answers: 1.7.3. 1. Indian merchants went to Malaya and Sumatra and other parts of the South- East Asia for trade.
2. The Far – East was influenced most by Indian Buddhism which spread to China, Japan, Korea and Tibet.
3.. (i) c, ( ii) a.
Questions: 1.7.4. Reply the following questions in one complete sentence each:
1. ‘Time is one but its expressions many’. From which source this quotation has been extracted?
2. What are the twin paradoxical demands of Indian art?
3. Is Indian figurative art portraiture of the specific?
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(i) Indian painting is personal in essence.
(ii) Impersonality and intensity are the twin paradoxical demands of Indian art which is life bound and beyond it. (Chapter
– 4)
Answers: 1.7.4. 1. The quotation ‘Time is one but its expressions many’ has been extracted from the Rig Veda.
2. Impersonality and intensity are the twin paradoxical demands of Indian art.
3. No, Indian figurative art is not a portraiture of the specific.
4 (i) False; (ii) True.
Questions: 1.7.5. Answer the following questions:
1. How many Vedas are there?
2. What was the purpose of the Brahmana Granthas?
3. When did the Vedic culture begin to decline?
(i) The Atharva Veda is the compilation of 6,000 mantras related magic, sorcery and fighting against diseases and demons.
(ii) The Kalpa Sutra are regarded as the oldest works on Indian mathematics. (Chapter – 5)
Answers: 1.7.5. 1. There are four compilations of the Vedas- the Rig Veda, the Sam Veda, the Yajur Veda and the Atharva Veda.
2. The purpose of the Brahamana Granthas was to give the rule or precept for rituals and explanations.
3. The Vedic culture began to decline since the advent of Buddhism.
4. (i) True; (ii) False.
Questions: 1.7.6. 1. How many cantos were there in the original Ramayana?
2. How many Sanskrit couplets are there in the Ramayana?
3. What sort of religion did the Vedic people have?
4. Who wrote the Ramcharita Manas?
5. Choose correct answer according to the text.
(i) Lord Krishna is identified in the Mahabharata with
(a) Brahma (b) Vishnu (c) Shiva (d) None
(ii) What should human beings accept with equanimity?
(a) pleasure and pain (b) only happiness (c) only pains (d) None of them (Chapter – 6)
Answers: 1.7.6. 1. There were five cantos in the original Ramayana.
2. There are more than 24000 Sanskrit couplets in the Ramayana.
3. The Vedic people had polytheistic religion.
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4. Tulsidas wrote the Ramcharita Manas. 5. (i) b; (ii) a .
Questions: 1.7.7. Answer the following questions:
1. When was the need for an organization that could safeguard national interests felt?
2. Which period is known as the moderate phase of the Indian National Congress?
3. Write two major festivals popularized by Tilak.
4. When was the All India Muslim League formed and where?
5. Choose the correct answer from the following;
(i) The British came to India as
(a) rulers (b) traders (c) visitors (d) None of them
(ii) The Indian National Congress was established in
(a) 1857 (b) 1885 (c) 1887 (d) 1947
6. Which of the following statements based on the text are True or False:
(i) The British could fulfill their political ambition because of the decline of the Mughal rule.
(ii) With Lal, Bal, Pal, nationalism became a sort of religion. (Chapter – 7)
Answers: 1.7.7. 1. When the political and national consciousness grew, a need was felt for an all India organization.
2.The period from 1885 to 1905 is known as a moderate period for the National congress.
3. Ganpati and Sivaji festivals were popularized by Tilak.
4. All India Muslim League was formed at Dacca in 1906.
5. (i) b; (ii) b. 6. (i) True; (ii) True.
Questions: 1.7.8. Answer the following question in one complete sentence:
1. What was the length of the Staff which Gandhi on this occasion carried?
2. On which date did Gandhi and his followers reach Dandi?
3. To whom do Mrs Sarojini Naidu’s words ‘Hail Deliverer’ refer?
4. Mark the statements True or False in the context of the text:
(i) The Villagers gave the marchers a cold reception.
(ii) Gandhi’s Dandi Salt March started on March 12,1930.
5. Choose the answer from the following questions that you think correct:
(i) If Gandhi had gone by train to Dandi to make salt, it would have made
(a) no impact at all (b) more of an impact (c) equal impact (d) less of an impact.
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(ii) Who does ‘a sophisticated critic and some one fierce opponent’ of Gandhi refer to?
(a) the illiterate peasant (b) Subhash Chandra Bose
(c) Gandhi himself (d) Napoleon. (Chapter – 8)
Answers: 1.7.8.
1. The staff that Gandhiji carried with him was only 54 inches long and one inch thick.
2. On April 5, 1930 Gandhiji and his followers reached Dandi.
3. Mrs Sarojini Naidu’s words ‘Hail Deliverer’ refer to Gandhiji.
4.(i) False;(ii)True. 5. (i) d; (ii) c.
Questions :1.7.9. 1. What is the foundation of Constitution?
2. What sort of executive is there in the United States?
3. Of which fallibility is a democrat always conscious?
4. Mark the Statements True or False in the context of Text:
(i) The party system has been worked almost to its perfection in England.
(ii) The government of England pays the leader of the opposition in England.
(iii) The revolution which brought India freedom was a bloody one.
5. Choose the correct alternative from the following:
(i) Our constitution sets up
(a) a secular state (b) a non-secular state (c) an orthodox state (d) none of them.
(ii) Who surrendered a domination?
(a) America (b) Canada (c) England (d) India (Chapter – 9)
Answer: 1.7.9. 1. The foundation of our constitution is based on all good things of the past.
2. In the United States the executive is divorced from the legislature.
3. A democrat is always conscious of human fallibility. He must always understand and appreciate the other man’s point
of view or even opponents.
4. (i) True; (ii) True; (iii) False. 5. (i) a; (ii) c.
Questions: 1.7.10 Answer the following questions in one complete sentence each:
1. How does communism succeed?
2. What hardly convey a clear and unambiguous meaning?
3. What does Nehru think about socialism?
4. Tell whether the following statements are True or False:
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(i) Communism fails because of its flexibility and discipline.
(ii) Nehru had great admiration for many of the achievements of the Soviet Union.
(iii) Socialism does not lessen inequalities.
(i) Welfare state, democracy and socialism convey
(a) an unclear meaning (b) a clear and unambiguous meaning
(c) both of the above (d) none of the above
(ii) Socialism aims at
(a) conflict (b) equality (c) nothing (d) None of the above. (Chapter – 10)
Answers 1.7.10. 1. Communism succeeds only through violence, which is not a right means for a good end.
2. Welfare state, democracy and socialism hardly convey a clear and unambiguous meaning.
3. To Nehru, socialism can wipe out the wide gap between capitalism and common man in society.
4. (i) False; (ii) True; (iii) False. 5. (i) b; (ii) b.
Questions: 1.7.11 Answer the following questions in one complete sentence:
1. Give the No. of the article by which the lacuna regarding fundamental duties was removed form the Indian
constitution.
2. What does the first article of Fundamental Duties direct us?
3. What is the fifth article of Fundamental Duties?
4. Choose the most suitable alternative from the following questions:
(i) What is the fourth article of Fundamental Duties:
(a) to defend the country and render national service when called upon to do so. (b) to preserve our heritage.
(c) Both of them (d) None of them.
(ii) Which article tells to uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India? (a) First (b)
Second (c) Third (d) None
5. Tell whether the following statements are True or False:
(i) Indian Constitution boasts to ten Fundamental Duties. (Chapter – 11)
(ii) We should not value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture.
Answers: 1.7.11. 1. By the article 52-A, the lacuna regarding Fundamental Duties was removed from the Indian constitution.
2. The first article of the list of Fundamental Duties directs us to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and
institutions, the National flag and the National Anthem.
3. The fifth article of the Fundamental Duties directs us to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood
amongst all the people of India transcending religions, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities.
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4. ( i) a; (ii) c. 5. (i) True; (ii) False.
Questions: 1.7.12. Answer the questions given below in one complete sentence:
1. Where in Kale Saheb’s house were the jewels and valuables of Ghalib’s wife stored?
2.. In addition to himself and his wife who else depended on Ghalib for their bread?
3. In what will Ghalib’s distress end?
4. Choose the correct answer according to the text:
(i) Ghalib’s house was not looted by
(a) The looters (b) his wife (c) his servants (d) none of them
(ii) Ghalib’s wife sent her jewels and valuables to a friend’s house because she feared that
(a) Ghalib would take them away from her (b) The looters would take them
(c) The British soldiers will loot them (d) Ghalib would sell them
5. Mark the sentences given below True or False:
(i) Ghalib did not hope to regain the pension granted by the British Government.
(ii) The looters looted Ghalib’s house like the houses of others. (Chapter – 12)
Answers: 1.7.12. 1. The jewels and valuables of Ghalib’s wife were stored in a cellar of Kale Saheb’s house.
2.. In addition to himself and his wife, his servants and other people also depended on Ghalib for their bread.
3. Ghalib’s distress would end either in death or in beggary.
4. (i) a; (ii) b. 5. (i) True; (ii) False.
1. Did the King pardon the detective?
2. What carries away the honesty of man according to the Prince?
3. Give the name of the last person in the story to receive the diamond.
4.. Mark the sentences given below True or False:
(i) The King pardoned the detective because he was there under the order of his superior.
(ii) The detective did not consider the king as wise and pious.
(i) In Rajah’s Diamond the word “semi barbarian” means.
(a) Beasts (b) Indian Prince (c) Vandeleur (d) None of them
(ii) Who can be tempted by wealth or the beauty of a woman?
(a) A man (b) only a king (c) a detective (d) None of them (Chapter – 13)
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Answers: 1.7.13.1.Yes, the king pardoned the detective.
2. Wealth and love of woman can easily take away the honesty of a man.
3. The Prince was the last person to receive the diamond.
4.. (i) True; (ii) False. 5. (i) b; (ii) a.
Questions: 1.7.14. Answer each of the questions given below in one complete sentence:
1. What would happen without trees?
2. What does the poet mean by ‘whispering of leaves would go silent?
3. State whether the statements given below are True or False:
(i) Only the garden of the poet would be affected if there were no more trees.
(ii) In the second line of the poem, the poet means by ‘it’ human life in general.
4. Choose the correct alternative from the following questions:
(i) Who did not tell us in the first line of the poem Tree ?
(a) Tree (b) Man (c) Priest (d) None of the above
(ii) The leaves whisper
(a) When the children swing on them. (b) When the birds sing among them.
(c) When they are green and the wind passes through them.
(d) When the people are taking a walk in the garden. (Chapter – 14)
Answers: 1.7.14. 1. There will be no life and charm in the world without trees.
2. The poet means to tell that there will be no whispering of leaves if the trees get dry.
3. ( i) False; (ii) True. 4. (i) a ; (ii)
1.8 (a) Answer the questions given below in one complete sentence:
1. Who wishes to awake the country?
2. What was the main aim of the artist to achieve in ancient India?
3. How do illiterate people try to learn the story of Ram?
4. Who were called the extremists?
5. What was Gandhiji’s signal supposed to tell the nation?
6. What is the aim of Indian Constitution?
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7. What kind of the law of life should be?
(b) Choose the answer that you think correct according to the text:
1. Indian art in almost all its form remarkably stresses
(a) the artist’s vision of the land of his origin. (b) the artist’s individuality.
(c) the artist’s vision and ideals of the race. (d) the artist’s racial prejudices.
2. Indian dance provides the most concrete manifestation of
(a) the inner state and vision. (b) the outer vision.
(c) The worldly vision. (d) None of them
3. Satyagraha against the Rowlatt Acts was started by
(a) Tilak (b) Mahatama Gandhi (c) Nehru (d) None of them
4. In India we have
(a) Dual citizenship (b) single citizenship (c) No citizenship (d) none of the above.
(c) Say whether the following statements are True or False:
1. Indian art is very close to the daily life of the people.
2. Varun was the chief of the Vedic gods.
3.We should congratulate the members of the constituent assembly who were responsible for giving us this Constitution.
4. The forces of a capitalist society tend to make the rich richer and the poor poorer and thus increase the gap between them.
Answer: 1.8 (a) 1.The poet, Rabindranath Tagore wishes to awake the country.
2. The main aim of the artist was the voice or give shape to the visions and ideals of the race.
3. The illiterate people try to learn the story of Ram through its presentation in Ramlila.
4. Those that did not believe in petitions and wanted to do something revolutionary were called the extremists. Bal, Pal and Lal were
the three very popular extremist leaders.
5. Gandhiji’s signal was supposed to tell the nation to oppose the unjust laws of the government.
6. The aim of Indian constitution is to make provision for political and financial stability.
7. According to Nehru, the law of life should be co-operation.
(b) 1. c; 2. a; 3. b; 4. b. (c) 1.True; 2. False; 3. True; 4. True.
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English Language and Indian Culture - Dr.R.S.Pathak, Dr.Nirmaljeet Oberoi, Dr.M.C. Saxena, Prof. Zaki – ur - Rahman Khan
(Madhya Pradesh Hindi Granth Academy, Bhopal).
A Practical English Grammar – A. J. Thomson and A.V. Martinet.
Hints on the Study of English – Rowe and Webb.
Unit 2 Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary
Objectives
The main objective of including an exercise on (a) reading comprehension and (b) vocabulary in the course of UG level is
to test the reading and understanding power of the student. After studying this unit you will be able to
 inculcate the habit of active reading in them,

 examine their knowledge of English language,
 judge their ability to comprehend a given passage of prose or poetry,
 improve their power of expression,
 develop their stock of vocabulary, and above all
 make them master in the art of comprehension.
Structure
2.1 Introduction
2.2 How to Attempt Comprehension
2.3 Some Useful Hints
2.4 Ten Solved Passages for Practice
2.5 Vocabulary Items Based on the Text Book
2.6 Summary
2.1 Introduction
________________________________________________________________________ Comprehension is a very
important exercise to be an expert in any language. Comprehension means to understand fully, to say, to find out the required
information from a given passage as efficiently as possible. In this way a student can get the main points of the passage and extract
specific details. Under this unit a seen or an unseen passage in prose or poetry is given, and certain questions based on the given
passage are asked. This means that a student is expected to grasp the content of the given passage he has acquired through his
study of the textual material, supplemented by extra reading. The answers to these questions would reveal how far the student has
been able to understand or comprehend the given passage.
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The most essential requirement for understanding the passage is to know meaning of the words used in it. If the students
don’t know the meaning of words or have a satisfactory level of words, it will never be possible to grasp the meaning. For enhancing
and enlarging their vocabulary, it is very essential for them to attempt a few exercises on comprehension. They must learn new
words phrases during the practice. The wider the reading of them, the greater is the ability in understanding of the passage.
________________________________________________________________________ 2.2 How to Attempt

Comprehension
While attempting the passage, the students must keep the following points in his mind:
 Read the passage slowly and carefully at least two or three times so as to understand clearly the main theme of it.
 Read the questions & re-read the passage.
 Don’t get upset if you come across some difficult words in the passage. Make a guess and relate them to the preceding
and the following sentences. It can serve your purpose to grasp the meaning of the passage.
 Take up the first question and mark the portion of the given passage to which the question refers.
 Now take up the other questions and mark the portions like the first one they refer to.
 Answer the questions asked in your own words with the help of the marked portion.
 Don’t copy out the language or the structure of the passage.
 Remember your answer must be brief, correct and to the point.
 Be Careful that your answers must be free from grammatical errors.
 Try to use simple, clear but effective language.
 Concentrate on the vocabulary items and answer them clearly in your own words.
 Don’t forget to revise your answer.
_______________________________________________________________________ 2.3 Some Useful Hints
No rules for answering the questions of comprehensive passage can be made, but certain hints can really be suggested for the same.
 Answer the questions correctly and precisely but to the point.

 Use the same tense in which it has been asked.
 Always use indirect speech to answer the questions.
 Use the third personal pronouns only in your answer. Some times we may use first person plural also.
 Write your answer in your own words and in a simple and lucid language.
 No answer should be there outside the meaning and thought of the passage.
 No thought or view or opinion of your own should be added in answering any of the questions.
 Answer in those sentences which contain some words of the question itself.
 Write each answer separately at a certain distance from the answer preceding it.
 Attempt the questions on vocabulary carefully and clearly in your own words.
 Suggest a suitable title to the passage if required.
 Remember that the title must be derived from the central idea of the passage.
 Generally the title is provided with some key-word, phrase, statement or proverb which you can often get from the first
or the last sentence of the passage.
 Finally revise the answers thoroughly to ensure that your answers are clear and complete and represent the idea of the
relevant part of the passage. Add a point/points if required to make your answer comprehensive.
Some passages for practice in comprehension are being given below. They have been fully solved for the convenience of the
students and others given in 2.7. have been left to solve for them.
________________________________________________________________________ 2.4 Ten Solved Passages

for Practice
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________________________________________________________________________
2.4. Read the passage carefully and answer the questions given under each of them.
2.4.1. The main interest of the Indian artist, it will be noticed, is the human form. It was an unending source of creative joy to him.
The teeming array of figures in Indian art is itself something phenomenal, something indisputably worldly. The figures of men and
women are depicted from every possible angle; they are caught in a thousand attitudes in the course of rhythmic movements both
instinctive as well as studied. Such variegated and lovely patterns made by the body when swayed by the playful forces of emotion
and deliberation can hardly be found in the art of any country. The abundance of female figures in Indian art of all periods displaying
the varied charms of womanhood is another striking trait that hardly fits in with other worldly intentions and the religious bias which
have been attributed to Indian art.
Questions: (a) (i) Is the main interest of the Indian artist in the human form? Why?
(ii) How are the figures of men and women depicted in Indian art?
(iii) What can hardly be found in the art of any country?
(iv) Write the striking characteristic of Indian art.
(v) Write a suitable title of the passage.
(b) Write any three synonyms of the following words:
(i) Phenomenal, (ii) Variegated, (iii) Varied, (iv) Trait .
(c) Write any two antonyms of the following words:
(i) Creative, (ii) Indisputable, (iii) Possible, (iv) Abundance.
Answers: (a) (i) Yes, the main interest of the Indian artist is in the human form because it has been a source of unending
creative joy to him.
(ii) The figures of men and women are depicted in Indian art from every possible angle.
(iii) Various postures and movements of dance during performance by men and women with playful forces of their
emotion can hardly be found in the art of any country.
(iv) The abundance of female figures of all periods having the varied forms of womanhood is the most striking
characteristic of Indian art.
(v) “Indian Art” is a suitable title of the passage.
(b) (i) Phenomenal - Very remarkable
(ii) Variegated - Marked with different coloured patches;
(iii) Varied - Of many different types
(iv) Trait - Chief feature
(c) (i) Creative – Destructive (ii) Indisputable – Disputable
(iii) Possible - Impossible (iv) Abundance – Shortage.
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2.4.2. The Ramayana and the Mahabharata may be hailed as the two feet on which ancient Indian culture stands. Their influence on
the mind and life of the people of this country has been considerable. The Ramayana is the story of Lord Ram who is the eighth
“avatar” of the Hindus. Lord Ram’s story was first penned by Lord Valmiki in about fourth century B.C. Valmiki’s story is known as the
Ramayana. The Ramayan relates the story of Ram who was the son the Dashrath, the king of Ayodhya. This northern prince went to
the far south to rescue his wife, Sita, who had been abducted by Ravana.
Question : (a) (i). Write the name of the two feet on which ancient culture stands?
(ii) Who first wrote the story of Lord Ram?
(iii)Who is the eighth “Avatar” of the Hindus?
(iv) When was the Ramayana penned by Lord Valmiki?
(v) Where did Rama go to rescue Sita.
(b) Find out the meanings of the following words with the help of a dictionary and use them in your own sentences (any five):
(i) pen (ii) relate (iii) abduct (iv) rescue (v) hail (vi) stand
Answers (a): (i) The Ramayana and the Mahabharata are the two feet on which the Indian culture stands.
(ii) Lord Valmiki first wrote the story of Lord Rama.
(iii) Lord Ram is the eighth “avatar” of the Hindus.
(iv) The Ramayana was panned by Lord Valmiki in about 4th Century B.C.
(v) Rama went to the far south to rescue his abducted wife, Sita.
(b) (i.) Pen – to write.
The secretary penned a letter to the editor of Nai Dunia.
(ii) Relate – to tell a story.
Our grandmother generally relates her childhood experiences to her grand sons and daughters.
(iii) Rescue – to set free.
The police rescued a child from drowning.
(iv) Abduct – kidnap.
A dacoit has abducted a manager.
(v) Hail – to greet.
The police inspector has been hailed as a hero for saving a girl from drowning.
(vi) Stand – to take an upright position or to maintain position.
Mary is too weak to stand.
2.4.3. The cultural heritage of India lies in its recognition of sustaining an inner landscape of man which is the centre and the
recognition that it expresses itself in an outer landscape of man comprising myriad petals of a lotus flower. Whenever, however, the
33
vision may have come, it is clear that had this not been the guiding star of this country it would not have been possible for it to have
a staggering multiplicity of racist strands, languages, religions, philosophic systems, social structures and artistic expressions, all
webbed together in one wholeness. The proverbial staggering multiplicity is held together as planets in a single astronomical orbit.
Staged differently all manifestations in time and space, varied and different are the rainbow colours of a single white luminosity.
Whoever came to this country fell into this pattern.
Questions: (a) (i) In what does the cultural heritage of India lie?
(ii) What has been webbed into one?
(iii) How has Indian heritage been mixed with different colours?
(iv) Who ever came to this country fell into this pattern? Explain this statement.
(v) Give a suitable title of the passage.
(b) Give the meaning of the above underlined words and use them in sentences of your own. ( any five).
Answers (a) (i) The cultural heritage of India lies in the recognition of the inner landscape of man as its centre along with his outer
landscape.
(ii) In India all the racist strands, languages, religions, philosophy and artistic expressions have webbed into one whole
ness.
(iii) The Indian heritage has different colours but all are mixed like the colours of a rainbow.
(iv) Whatever races and people came to India they all merged themselves as one and became Indians.
(v) “The Cultural Heritage of India” is a suitable title of the passage.
Answer: (b) (i) heritage – that which is inherited.
The Taj Mahal is a part of our national heritage.
(ii) Landscape – the portion of land with its environs which they can view at a single glance.
Woods and fields are the special features of the English landscape.
(iii) Myriad – an extremely large number of something
Designs are available in a myriad of colours.
(iv) Multiplicity – a great number and variety of something
This situation can be influenced by a multiplicity of different factors.
(v) Orbit – The path in which the heavenly bodies move.
A new satellite has been put into orbit around the earth..
(vi) Pattern – the regular way in which something happens or is done.
These paintings seem to follow a pattern.
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2.4.4. ‘I marvel at the varied wonders of fate. In the days of killing and looting, when it seemed that every house in the city was
emptied even of its dust, my house escaped the looters’ grasping hands. Yet I swear even so that nothing but clothes to wear and
bedding to sleep upon was left to me. The answer to this riddle and the key to this false seeming truth is this: that at the time when
the black rebels seized the city, my wife, without telling me gathered her jewels and valuables and sent them secretly to the house
of Kale Saheb. There they were stored in the cellar, and the door of the cellar blocked up with clay and smoothed over. When the
British solders took the city and were given leave to loot and kill, my wife revealed this secret to me. Now there was nothing to be
done to go there and bring them back was impossible. I said nothing and comforted myself with the thought that we were destined
to lose these things and that it was well that they had not been taken from our own home.
Question: (a) (i) Whose house was not looted by the looters?
(ii) What do you mean by the “looters?”
(iii) Where did Ghalib’s wife send her jewels and valuables?
(iv) Where in Kale Saheb’s house were those jewels and valuables stored?
(v) Who seized the city?
(b) Match the words in column A with their meanings in column B:
A B
1. Marvel - 1. Disclose
2. Riddle - 2. A feeling of not suffering or worrying so much
3. Cellar - 3. Feel surprised
4. Reveal - 4. An underground room
5. Comfort - 5. A statement not easily understood
Answers: (a) (i) Mirza Ghalib’s house was not looted by the looters.
(ii) Here the ‘looters’ means the British soilders.
(iii) Ghalib’s wife sent her jewels and valuables to the house of Kale Saheb.
(iv)The jewels and valuables were stored in a cellar in the house of Kale Saheb.
(v) The British soldiers seized the city.
(b) 1. Marvel - Feel surprised
2. Riddle - A statement not easily understood
3. Cellar - An underground room
4. Reveal - Disclose
5. Comfort - A feeling of not suffering or worrying so much
2.4.5. According to the Bhagvad Gita the world was produced by Krishna from his own prakriti (nature). Krishna says: “All things
exist in me. Supported by my material exigency, I cause this entire system of existing things to emanate again, without any power of
their own, by the power of their material essence, when a devotee recognizes the individual essence of everything to be
comprehended in one and to be the only emanation of it, he then attains to the supreme spirit. Earth, water, fire, wind, ether, heart,
35
intellect, and egoism into there eight components is my nature divided. The nature is an inferior one: but learn my superior nature
other than this, of a vital kind, by means of which this universe is sustained. Understand that all things are produced from this latter,
or higher, nature.”
Question: (a) (i) How did Lord Krishna create this world?
(ii) Who says this statement, “All things exist in me?”
(iii) Write the eight divine components of Krishna’s nature.
(iv) When does a devotee recognize the individual essence?
(v) How is this universe sustained?”
(b) Make nouns of the following verbs (any five):
(i) Produce (ii)Emanate (iii) exist (iv) recognize (v)comprehend (vi) attain.
Answers: (a) (i) Lord Krishna crated this world from his nature or prakriti.
(ii) Krishna says this statement, “All things exist in me.”
(iii) The eight divine components of God’s nature are earth, water, air, wind, ether, heart, intellect and egoism.
(iv) The devotee recognizes the individual essence of everything to be comprehended in one and to be only emanation of
it he attains to the supreme spirit.
(v) The Universe is sustained by his superior nature.
(b) Verb Noun
(i) Produce - Production
(ii) Emanate - Emanation
(iii) Exist - existence
(iv) Recognize - recognition
(v) Comprehend - comprehension
(vi) Attain - attainment
2.4.6. I see no sign that I shall again receive the same pension which the British government formerly granted me. And so I sell the
clothes and bedding to keep body and soul together, and a man might say that where others eat bread, I eat cloth. I go in fear and
when all the cloth is eaten I shall die naked and hungry. Of the servants who had long been with me there are some few who even in
this tumult did not desert me. These too I must feed, for in truth man may not turn his back on man and I too need them to serve my
needs. Besides, there are those suppliants who in former days laid claim to a share in the gleanings of my harvest. Even in these bad
times they cry to me and their cry, more unwelcome than the cock’s untimely crow, pierces my heart and adds to my distress. And
now that these raging sicknesses and sorrows which oppress my body and soul have sapped all my strength and spirit, the thought
comes suddenly to my mind. “How long can I occupy myself adorning this toy I call a book?” – Mirza Ghalib.
Questions: (a) (i) What did Ghalib not hope to get again from the British Government?
(ii)What do you mean by this statement, “I eat cloth?” Explain it in one sentence.
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(iii) In addition to himself and his wife who else depended on Ghalib for their bread?
(iv) Who is the narrator here?
(v) Is it true that Ghalib was as worried about his servants as about himself and his wife?
(b) Make nouns from the following verbs (any five):
(i) add, (ii) cry, (iii) oppress, (iv) desert, (v) die, (vi) adorn
Answers: (a) (i) Ghalib did not hope to get again the pension which the British Government formerly granted him.
(ii) When Ghalib say that he eats cloth, it means to say that he buys food with the money he gets on selling his clothes.
(iii) In addition to himself and his wife, his servants and other people also depended on Ghalib for their bread.
(iv) Mirza Ghalib himself is the narrator here.
(v) Yes, it is true that Ghalib was as worried about his servants as about himself and his wife.
(b) Verbs Nouns
(i) Add addition
(ii) Cry cry
(iii) Oppress oppression
(iv) Desert desert
(v) Die die/ death
(vi) Adorn adornment
2.4.7. The Bhagavad-Gita is part of the epic Mahabharata. Since the theme of the Mahabharata is the struggle between rival
factions of the Bharat clan, the Bhagavad-Gita begins with a description of the battlefield and the innumerable warriors lined up for
fighting. The scene is laid in Kurukshetra, near Hastinapur, near modern Delhi. We find Arjun, one of the warrior princes, stationary
in a kind of no man’s land between the two warring armies, his own and the enemy’s. Krishna is his charioteer. Arjun expresses
some qualms about killing people, some of them his own kinsmen. This leads Krishna to expound his philosophy which is contained
in this beautiful work.
Question: (a) (i) Write the theme of the Mahabharata.
(ii) How does the Bhagavad-Gita begin?
(iii) Where is the scene of the battle laid?
(iv) Where do we find Arjun stationary?
(v) When does Krishna expound his philosophy?
(b) Give the synonyms of the following words (any five):
(i) Faction (ii) Warrior (iii) Stationary (iv) Qualm (v) Kinsmen (vi) Philosophy
Answers: (a) (i) The theme of the Mahabharata is the struggle between rival factions of the Bharat clan.
(ii) The Bhagavad-Gita begins with the description of the battlefield and innumerable warriors lined up for fighting.
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(iii) The scene of the battle is laid in Kurukshetra, near Hastinapur.
(iv) We find Arjun, one of the warrior princes, stationary in a land of no man’s land between the two warring armies, his
own and the enemy’s.
(v) When Arjun expresses some qualms about killing people, some of his own kinsmen, Krishna, his charioteer, expound
his philosophy which forms the Bhagavad-Gita.
(b) (i) Faction tumult, dissension
(ii) Warrior soldier
(iii) Stationary motionless, still
(iv) Qualm feeling of doubt or anxiety about what might happen
(v) Kinsman relative
(vi) Philosophy teaching
2.4.8. Events were so shaping themselves in Johannesburg as to make this self – purification on my part a preliminary as it was to
Satyagraha. I can now see that all the principal events of my life, culminating in the vow of brahmacharya, were secretly preparing
me for it. The principle called Satyagraha came into being before that name was invented. Indeed when it worn, I myself could not
say what it was? In Gujarati also we used the English phrase ‘passive resistance’ to describe it. When in a meeting of Europeans I
found that the term ‘passive resistance’ was too narrowly construed, that it was supposed to be a weapon of the weak, that it could
be characterized by hatred, and that it could finally manifest itself as violence, I had to demur to all these statements and explain the
real nature of the Indian movement. I was clear that a new word must be coined by the Indians to designate their struggle.
But I could not for my life find out a new name and therefore offered a nominal prize through Indian opinion to the
reader who made the best suggestion on the subject. As a result Maganlal Gandhi coined the word ‘sadagraha’ (sat - truth, Agraha -
firmness) and won the prize. But in order to make it clearer I changed the word to ‘Satyagraha’ which has since become current in
Gujarati as a designation for the struggle.
- M.K. Gandhi
Question: (a) (i) What was the earlier usage of Satyagraha in Gujrati?
(ii) Did the author realize the narrowness of the term ‘Passive resistance?’ When?
(iii) When was it realized to coin a new word for the Indian movement?
(iv) Who coined the word ‘Sadagraha’?
(v) Name the man who changed the term from ‘Sadagraha’ to ‘Satyagraha?’
(b) Give the synonyms of the underlined words:
Answers: (a) (i) In Gujrati, Satyagraha was used as ‘passive resistance.’
(ii) Yes, the author realized the narrowness of the term ‘passive resistance’ when he was in a meeting with the
Europeans.
(iii) When the author realized that there was some tinge of hatred and violence in it, he felt the need to coin a new word
for the Indian Movement.
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(iv) Maganla Gandhi coined the word ‘Sadagraha.’
(v) Mahatma Gandhi changed the term Sadagraha into Satyagraha.
(B) Word - Synonym
(i) Principal - Chief, most important
(ii) Invented - discovered
(iii) Construed - interpreted
(iv) Manifest - clear, evident
(v) Demur - create doubts or difficulties
(vi) Coined - invented
2.4.9. Socialism, of course, deliberately wants to interfere with the normal processes and thus not only adds to the productive forces
but lessons inequalities. But, what is socialism? It is difficult to give precise answer and there are innumerable definitions of it. Some
people probably think of socialism vaguely just as something which does good and which aims at equality. That does not take us very
far. Socialism is basically a different approach from that of capitalism; though I think it is true that the wide gap between them tends
to lesson because many of the ideas of socialism are gradually incorporated even in the capitalist structure. Socialism is after all not
only a way of life but a certain scientific approach to social and economic problems.
Questions: (a) (i) Define Socialism.
(ii) What does socialism deliberately want?
(iii) What do the common people think about socialism?
(iv) What does socialism do for the society?
(v) From what does socialism differ?
(b) Give antonyms of the following words (any five):
Interfere, innumerable, normal, add,
inequality, difficult, answer, far, wide, precise.
Answers : (a) (i) Socialism is something which does good for society and aims at equality.
(ii) Socialism deliberately wants equality in the society.
(iii) The common people think that socialism fills the gap between the poor and the rich.
(iv) Socialism is not only a way of life but a scientific approach to solve social and economic ills.
(v) Socialism is basically a different approach from that of capitalism.
(b) Word - Antonym
Interfere - support
Innumerable - numerable
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Normal - abnormal
Add - subtract
Inequality - equality
Difficult - easy
Answer - question
Far - near
Wide - narrow
Precise - imprecise
2.4.10. Nothing gave Lincoln greater joy than saving a life. When he was President and the American Civil War was going on, a group
of soldiers came to him and asked him to pardon a young soldier who was to be shot, the next day for sleeping on guard duty.
“William Scott slept when he was on duty because he was tired after a long march,” they said. Lincoln promised to do what he could
in the matter. Lincoln was very busy for the rest of the day and he remembered his promise only late in the evening. He at once set
out for the camp where Scott was kept prisoner. He met the young man and talked to him sometime, and then said, “My boy, you
won’t be shot tomorrow, because I believe you and I am going to pardon you. But who is going to pay the bill for the trouble I have
been put to? The young soldier said that his friends would pay it, if it wasn’t more than five hundred dollars. “No”, said Lincoln,
“There is only one man who can pay and that is William Scott. He can pay the bill by promising to do his duty for this country.” Scott
gave his word and Lincoln went back pleased with the young man and at peace with himself.
Questions: (a) (i) What gave Lincoln the greatest joy?
(ii) What was going on when Lincoln was President?
(iii) Why was William Scott to be shot?
(iv) Why did the soldier ask Abraham Lincoln to pardon William Scott?
(v) Who can pay the bill and how?
Joy, day, tomorrow, young, do, peace.
Answers : (a) (i) Lincoln found the greatest joy in saving a life.
(ii) The American Civil War was going on when Lincoln was President.
(iii) William Scott was to be shot because he slept when he was on duty.
(iv) The soldier asked Abraham Lincoln to pardon William Scott because he was tired after a long march and hence slept
when he was on duty.
(v) Scott can pay the bill by promising to do his duty for his country.
(b) Word - Antonym
Joy - sorrow
Day - night
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Tomorrow - yesterday
Young - old
Do - undo
Peace - war
________________________________________________________________________
2.5 Vocabulary Items based on the Text Book
________________________________________________________________________
2.5.1. Antonyms
Word Antonym
High Low
Fear Courage
Knowledge Ignorance
Fragments Whole
Perfection Imperfection
Wide Narrow
Freedom Bondage
Mind Body (Chapter – 1)
Many Less
Variegated Blurred
Wandering Static
Beauty Ugliness
Divorce Marriage
Creative Destructive
Lovely Ugly
Zenith Bottom
Collective Single
Excel Inferior (Chapter – 2)
Poverty Richness
Vanish Appear
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Long Short
Rapid Slow
Assimilate Separate
Dubious Certain
Disparage Appreciate
Insincerity Sincerity
Adequate Inadequate (Chapter – 3)
Truth Falsehood
Unity Disunity
Renounce Possess
Protect Unprotect
Human Inhuman (Chapter – 11)
Tarnished Untarnished
Loathsome Lovable
Sparking Dull
Trifle Important
Denial Acceptance
Arrest Release
Applaud Criticize (Chapter – 13)
2.5.2. Synonyms
Word Synonym
Expanse width
Mingling Intermixing
Designs Plans
Isolation Separation
Image Idol
Divorce Dissolution
Emphasis Stress
Array Arrangement
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Assimilate Absorb (Chapter – 2)
Ancient Old
Basic Fundamental
Custom Ritual
Obtain To get
Evolution Natural growth (Chapter – 5)
Rescue Free
Dominant Influential
Larded Decorated
Chaotic Disorderly
Progeny Breed
Qualm Anxiety, doubt (Chapter – 6)
2.5.3. Match the Words with their meanings:
1. Variegate a. the highest point
2. Impressive b. marked with differently coloured patches
3. Idiosyncrasy c. very remarkable
4. Phenomenal d. an aspect of something
5. Mansion e. having a strong favourable effect
6. Zenith f. what is generally expected about how people should act
7. Convention g. a person’s particular way of thinking, behaving, etc
8. Facets h. a large house (Chapter – 2)
1. Hectic a. leader of a clan or tribe
2. Hectotomb b. a group of people united by religious beliefs and opinions
3. Sect c. native
4. Leavened d. connected with sea or navigation
5. Indigenous e. without rest
6. Maritime f. quality or influence spreading in and changing something
7. Impetuous g. driving forces
8. Chieftain h. great public sacrifice (Chapter –3)
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1. Lacquered a. scattered
2. Festooned b. spoilt
3. Sprinkled c. tired
4. Strewed d. urged strongly
5. Traversed e. showered with water
6. Fatigued f. decorated with a chain of flowers, flags, etc.
7. Exhorted g. traveled across
8. Pampered h. coated with varnish (Chapter –8)
1. Marvel a. a person asking for something in a humble way
2. Riddle b. a state in which one loses honour
3. Cellar c. great pain or sorrow
4. Suppliant d. a statement not easily understood
5. Distress e. a very small piece
6. Disgrace f. harmful, very pleasant
7. Crumb g. a lot of confused or excited noise
8. Noxious h. feel surprised
9. Tumult i. an underground room
10. Ruined j. severely damaged (Chapter –12)
Answer:
1. Variegate marked with differently coloured patches
2. Impressive very remarkable
3. Idiosyncrasy a person’s particular way of thinking, behaving, etc
4. Phenomenal an aspect of something
5. Mansion a large house
6. Zenith the highest point
7. Convention what is generally expected about how people should act
8. Facets having a strong favourable effect (Chapter – 2)
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1. Hectic without rest
2. Hectotomb great public sacrifice
3. Sect a group of people united by religious beliefs and opinions
4. Leavened quality or influence spreading in and changing something
5. Indigenous native
6. Maritime connected with sea or navigation
7. Impetuous driving forces
8. Chieftain leader of a clan or tribe (Chapter –3)
1. Lacquered coated with varnish
2. Festooned decorated with a chain of flowers, flags, etc.
3. Sprinkled showered with water
4. Strewed scattered
5. Traversed traveled across
6. Fatigued tired
7. Exhorted urged strongly
8. Pampered spoilt (Chapter –8)
1. Marvel feel surprised
2. Riddle a statement not easily understood
3. Cellar an underground room
4. Suppliant a person asking for something in a humble way
5. Distress great pain or sorrow
6. Disgrace a state in which one loses honour
7. Crumb a very small piece
8. Noxious harmful, very pleasant
9. Tumult a lot of confused or excited noise
10. Ruined severely damaged (Chapter –12)
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2.5.4. Give the meaning of the following words and use them in sentences of your own:
Heritage, evoke, microcosm, macrocosm, juxtapose, harness, cyclic, benign, concentric, cosmos (Chapter -4); rescue, abduct,
couplet, polytheistic, treasure, worship, dominant, encyclopedia, chronology (Chapter -6).
Answer:
Word – Meaning – Usage
(i) Heritage – inheritance - This grand building is a part of our national heritage.
(ii) evoke – to call - The music can evoke memories of our youth.
(iii)Microcosm – a thing that has all the features and qualities of something much larger -
The family is a microcosm of society.
(iv) Macrocosm – any large complete structure that contains smaller structures –
The body of man was the microcosm representing the macrocosm.
(v) Juxtapose – to put things/people together -
In the exhibition, abstracted paintings are juxtaposed with shocking photographs.
(vi) Harness – to equip with armour - The brave knights have harnessed their horses well.
(vii) Cyclic – recurring in cycle - The Whole universe follows a cyclic pattern.
(viii) Benign – kind and gentle - His benign behavior made him very popular .
(ix) Concentric – having the same centre - Children are drawing many concentric circles in their note books.
(x) Cosmos - The universe - There are many planets in the cosmos.
(xi) Rescue – to set free - You rescued me from an embarrassing situation.
(xii)Abduct – Kidnap - The child was abducted in the Manohar Park.
(xiii)Couplets – Two lines of poetry of equal length one after the other - Tulsidas wrote many couplets in Ramcharit Manas.
(xiv) Polytheistic – Believer in many gods - The religion of Hindu is polytheistic.
(xv) Treasure – collection of valuable things - The ring gifted by kind is a valuable treasure to me.
(xvi) Worship – The practice of showing respect for God - We generally worship in temple.
(xvii) Dominant – More powerful than other thing - The firm has achieved a dominant position in the whole market.
(xviii) Encyclopedia – a book having information in alphabetical order - A student can easily get every sort of information in
encyclopedia.
(xix) Chronology – The order in which as series of events happened - The main events of history are provided in a chronological
order.
2.5.5. One Word Substitution
1. Biennial – That which happens in two years.
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2. Polygamy – The practice of marrying more than one wife at a time.
3. Widow – A woman whose husband is dead.
4. Omnipresent – One who is present everywhere.
5. Egoist – A Lover of oneself.
6. Pessimist – A person who looks to the dark side of things.
7. Optimist – A person who looks to the bright side of things.
8. Patriot- A person who loves his own country.
9. Suicide – murder of one self.
10. Illiterate – One who does not know reading and writing.
11. Democracy – Government of the people, for the people and by the people.
12. Maiden – The first speech delivered by a person.
13. Patricide – Murder of father.
14. Fratricide – Murder of brother.
15. Honorary – An office for which no salary is paid.
16. Teetotaler – One who does not take any intoxicating drinks.
17. Pioneer – One who leads others in any field.
18. Inevitable – Incapable of being avoided.
19. Immigrant – A person who comes to one country from another in order to settle there.
20. Obsolete – A word which is no longer in use.
________________________________________________________________________
2.6 Summary
________________________________________________________________________
In short, comprehension tests the student’s knowledge of English language and their ability to understand it. It also tests their
skill in expressing themselves adequately. Moreover, it helps the students in enhancing and enlarging their vocabulary. Keeping all
these things in mind students should practice a passage regularly to become an expert in the art of comprehension.
________________________________________________________________________
2.7 Check Your Progress.
2.7.1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given at the end:
India was in my blood and there was much in her that instinctively thrilled me. And yet I approached her almost as an
alien critic, full of dislike for the present as well as for many of the relics of the past that I saw. To some extent I came to her via the
West, and looked at her as a friendly westerner might have done, I was eager and anxious to change her outlook and appearance
and give her the grab of modernity. And yet doubts arose within me. Did I know? - I who presumed to scrap much of her past
heritage? There was a great deal that had to be scrapped that must be scrapped; but surely India could not have been what she
undoubtedly was, and could not have continued a cultured existence for thousands of years, if she had not possessed something
very vital and enduring. - Jawaharlal Nehru.
Questions : (a) (i) What made India a great country?
(ii) “India was in my blood”, Examine this statement.
(iii) What kind of appearance did the writer want to give India?
(iv) Did the writer ever think of destroying the great cultural heritage of India?
(v) Who is the writer of the passage?
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(b) Give the meaning of the following words/ expressions(any five):
(i) instinctively (ii) thrilled (iii) via the West, (iv) garb of modernity
(v) heritage, (vi) cultured existence.
2.7.2. The Vedic literature of India has sometimes been claimed to be the most ancient literature in the world. This claim is not
tenable. For Mesopotamian and Egyptian literatures are definitely prior to the Vedas. But the Vedas still remain the oldest literature
of all the Indo – European races taken together.
Etymologically, the word Veda means knowledge and in later times came mean more specifically, sacred knowledge. The
basic texts are the four samhitas or compilations of metrical hymnals or Mantras. Mantra means that which is thought out by the
mind and the sage or Muni is the person who is capable of that deep absorption of the mind which leads to the formulation of the
Mantra.
Questions: (a) (i) Is the Vedic literature the most ancient literature in the world?
(ii) Write the name of literatures which are prior to the Vedas?
(iii) Give the meaning of Veda.
(iv) Which are the basic texts?
(v)What do you understand by Mantra?
(b) (i) Give the meaning of any one of the following:
(a) Basic (b) definite
(ii) Make sentence of any one of the following:
(a) Tenable (b) races
(iii) Write antonyms of any two of the following:
(a) Knowledge (b) more (c) capable
(iv) Write synonym of any one of the following:
(a) sacred (b) ancient
Answers to 2.7.1. (a) (i) It was the culture of India that made her a great country.
(ii) This statement “India was in my blood” expresses the feeling of the writer who was born and brought up in India that
excited him always.
(iii) The writer wanted to change the outlook and appearance of India and to give her the garb of modernity.
(iv) No, the writer never thought of destroying the great cultural heritage of India.
(v) Jawaharlal Nehru is the writer of the passage.
(b) Word/expression – Meaning
(i) Instinctively – Naturally
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(ii) Thrilled – excited,
(iii) Via the West – from the point of view of a westerner,
(iv)Garb of modernity – Making her modern in her outlook and appearance,
(v) Heritage – Inheritance
(vi) Cultural existence – Civilized life.
Answers to 2.7.2. (a) (i) No, it is not correct to say that the Vedic literature is the most ancient literature in the world.
(ii) Mesopotamian and Egyptian literatures are prior to the Vedas.
(iii) The word Veda means Knowledge.
(iv) The basic texts are the four samhitas or compilations of metrical hymnals or Mantras.
(v) Mantra means that which is thought out by the mind and the sage or Muni is the person who is capable of that deep
absorption of the mind which leads to the formulation of the Mantra.
(b) (i) (a) basic – necessary: (b) definite – certain
(ii) (a) Tenable – The arguments put before the authority by you are not tenable.
(b) Races – There are many races in our India.
(iii) (a) Knowledge – ignorance (b) more – less (c) capable – incapable
(iv) (a) sacred – holy: (b) ancient – old
2.8 Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given at the end:
2.8.1. Machines were made to be man’s servants. Yet he has grown so dependent on them that they are in a fair way to become his
masters. Already, most men spend most of their lives looking after and waiting upon machines. And the machines are very strict
masters. They must be fed with coal given petrol to drink and oil to wash with and they must be kept at the right temperature. And,
if they do not get their meal, they refuse to work, or burst with anger and spread ruin and destruction all around them.
This brings us to the question, “ what do we do with all the time which the machines have saved for us, and the new
energy they have given us? For the most part we use our time and energy to make more and better machines, but more and better
machines will only give us still more time and still more energy; and what are we do with them.
The answer is that we should try to become more civilized. For the machines, and the power which machines have given
us, are not civilization but helps to civilization. Being civilized means making and liking beautiful things, thinking freely; living
rightly, and maintaining justice equally, between man and man. Man has a better choice today to do these things than he ever had
before. He has more time, more energy, less to fear and less to fight against. If he will give his time and energy, which his machines
have won for him to making more beautiful things, to fighting out more and more about the universe, to discovering how to prevent
poverty, than I think our civilization would certainly be the greatest, as it would be the more lasting, than there has ever been.
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Questions:(a) (i) Give a suitable title to the passage.
(ii) Why were machines made?
(iii) How have machines become our master?
(iv) How do we use the chief benefits we get from the machines?
(v) What is meant by being civilized?
(i) dependent (ii) after (iii) more (iv) answer (v) beautiful (v) poverty.
Answers to 2.8.1. (a) (i) “Men and Machine” is a suitable title to the passage.
(ii) Machines were made to be servants of man.
(iii) We have become so dependent on machines that they have become our masters. (iv) We get two chief benefits from
the machines. They are that we save our time and energy.
(v) Being civilized means making and liking beautiful things, thinking freely, living rightly, and maintaining justice equally
between man and man.
(b) Word – Antonym
(i) Dependent – independent
(ii) After - before
(iii) More – less
(iv) Answer – question
(v) Beautiful - ugly
(vi) Poverty - Prosperity.
College Composition - H. Martin.
A hand Book of English Grammar - R.W. Zandvoort.
English Grammar and Composition - Wren and Martin
Unit – 3: Paragraph Writing
Objectives
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After studying this Unit, you will be able to
 write a good paragraph

 learn how to write a paragraph in a proper way
 understand that writing is a process
 identify the main idea of paragraphs and the purpose of a topic sentence
 know how to edit and create effective and interesting paragraph
 describe that coherence, clarity and unity are its important constituents,
 explain that the art of writing a good paragraph can be cultivated by constant practice.
 express that it is a device to write sentences about a certain topic in a compact form.
Structure
3.1 Introduction
3.2 How to Write a Good Paragraph?
3.3 Some Important Hints for Writing a Good Paragraph
3.4 Some Specimens of Paragraph Writing
3.4.1 Topics from the Text Book
3.4.2 Other General Topics
3.4.3 Proverbs and Axioms
3.5 Summary
3.1 Introduction
A paragraph is a collection of sentences. The test of good paragraph is that its theme can be expressed in one sentence
known as the topic sentence. All the sentences in a paragraph should be so grouped together that they must serve to develop the
main theme. It means a paragraph is the full and logical development of a single idea. The single idea may be one in a series of
related ideas which form the general subject matter of an essay. Hence, a paragraph is a subdivision of the main subject.
Paragraph writing may be considered as the first exercise in good essay writing or article on paper writing. A student is
asked to attempt a paragraph of his own choice and of which he has a considerable knowledge from the given topics in about 100-
150 words. So the most important thing about paragraph writing is that it should not exceed the given word limit. The student
should include all the relevant matter in it and should express it briefly and concisely.
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3.2 How to Write a Good Paragraph?
A paragraph is a coherent whole. There are a series of sentences is a paragraph. However, their connection is always
essential with the main point of idea. In other words, writing paragraph is just an expansion of an idea. Technique of coherence,
clarity and unity of ideas are followed in paragraph writing. Paragraph can be written on any topic. It may be descriptive or narrative.
In a descriptive paragraph you describe a thing, place or person, while in a narrative writing you give an orderly amount of
happening or incident. In narrating a paragraph there should be excitement having reference to striking and significant events only.
A good paragraph avoids monotony by having recourse to a variety of sentences. It contains both short and long sentences.
3.3 Some Important Hints for Writing a Good Paragraph
While writing a good paragraph the students should keep in their mind the following points:
(i) Collect all ideas about what you are going to write.
(ii) Concentrate on one idea, one thought or one theme only.
(iii) Arrange the ideas clearly and in a logical order.
(iv) Keep in mind that a paragraph does not describe but only states the views of its writer.
(v) Avoid citing examples in support of an idea as it may add to the length of the paragraph and an important idea may
have to be sacrificed.
(vi) Avoid using idiomatic expressions for the sake of clarity of expression. Simple and precise expressions should be used.
(vii) Make a good beginning and an equally effective ending.
(viii) Important points should be mentioned first and minor points afterwards.
(ix) Avoid grammatical and spelling mistakes.
(x) Use proper punctuation marks for effective writing.
3.4 Some Specimens of Paragraph Writing
3.4.1 Topics from the Text Book
1. Hindu Homes and Art
Art and life of people are very much interlinked in India. Life of Indian people can not be seen without art. Even no home
of theirs is found without art. Hindu women generally decorate their homes with beautiful rangoli designs early in the morning and
some times during the festivals. They decorate not only their homes but their domestic utensils like brass wares lamps and vessels
also. Other goods are also decorated with colourful designs. The household deity is adorned with beautiful garlands, gold and silver
ornaments. The ornaments which the Indian women wear are beautifully decorated. Not only that they decorate their dresses,
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sarees and other wears with beautiful designs but also they decorate walls of the houses with one form of art or other. In this way it
may be said that the Hindu homes are full of various manifestations of the Indian art.
2. Fusion of Culture in India Art
India art is a fusion of many cultures. Indian art is bound up with India’s past because Indian culture and character have
been shaped by many great events of the past. Whosoever came to India settled there. The tribes and races that made India their
home were Aryans, Parthians, Greeks, Sakas, Kushans, Huns, Turks and Mangols. They brought with them their indigenous culture.
They all merged themselves into the vast Indian community. The main stream of Indian civilization showed fusion of races and
cultures. This made Indian culture very rich. But most of the Indian culture is the product of the fusion of the great Dravidian and
Aryan cultures.
3. Anonymity of Indian Art
Indian art is very close to the daily life of the Indian people. There is nothing personal in Indian art and architecture. It is
anonymous because in it no place for individual performance is given. Therefore no artist worked for his name or fame but took care
for national development. The artist and the onlooker both had a common inspiration and thus nobody knows now as who were the
artists who made big shrines in the past. The artists who painted the exquisite frescoes at Ajanta, Bagh, Sittanavasal and
Kanchipuram are still unknown. The artists aimed at in voicing or giving shape to the visions and ideals of the race. Their contribution
is only for the nation; hence their art is impersonal and anonymous.
4. Art and Indian Life
There is no exaggeration to say that Indian life is full of different forms of art, Temples of ancient India are adorned with
sculpture and painting. They all give glimpses of Indian Life. Indian art is not devoid of life. But the main interest of the Indian artist is
to be noticed in the human form. This shows an intimate relationship of Indian life and art. The picture of the men and women are
painted in every possible angle. Plentiful figures in Indian art are displayed to show the various moods of them. This shows an
intimate relationship of art with Indian life.
5. Hindu Trinity
The sacred Hindu trinity includes Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. In the Vedic period Brahma was not considered an important
deity. Vishnu was hardly known and Siva appeared late. To say, there was the idea of one supreme God. But in due course of time
the non-Aryan deity came to be recognized as a great God and found his place in the Hindu trinity (Brahma, Vishnu and Siva). The
work of the God has been classified as evolution, involution and destruction. Thus on the basis of the division of work, the idea of
three gods was conceived. Thus the whole creation of the Universe was supposed to have the supreme God having three forms
which were incorporated in Hindu art.
6. Indian Architecture
Indian architecture whether the stupas or the temples or the mosques or the city plans or of any sort embodies the world
views. It has one centre and in it every branch of architecture is attached which manifest a unity that has a complete harmony and
equanimity. Brick by brick, stone by stone, an immense epic poem of the infinite is made. Though all parts can be separated but they
do not have their separate existence because all are interwoven in a whole. In its totality, it represents heaven on earth. All the
buildings of the past whether it is of Sanchi or Bharhut speak the same language of transcendence and enlightened experience of
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bliss in spite of cultural specifics of their historical monuments. Thus impersonality and intensity are the twin paradoxical demands
of this art which is life bound and beyond it. The cultural heritage illustrated by these monuments bears testimony to the
concretization of this vision through a perfect language of art which was as universal pan- Indian as specific in time, religion a
locality.
7. Indian Sculpture
Like Indian architecture, Indian sculpture also demonstrates the vision of wholeness through a method of
impersonalization. Indian figurative art is not portraiture of the specific. Each image is an embodiment of a dominant abstraction of
a given pose which looks still and dynamic movement together. Each one is a complete world in itself which has deep relation with
life and becomes a part of the cultural fabric. Buddha is Buddha the historical prince Siddhartha and Sakyamuni, but he is more. His
sculpture bears not only the historical image but the glimpses of Sakya Muni having compassion, pathos and grace and thus it
becomes a cultural entity. The spirit and soul of the cosmic infinite is contained in the body of the particular but impersonal form.
The image of Buddha though differs in different countries but in essence they are the same having the above mentioned attributes.
The images of Shiva and Vishnu are also represented in the same way having the power of involution, evolution and devolution. So is
the case with the famous image of Shiva in Elephanta called “Trimurti”. All images represent the one infinite unity.
8. Indian Paintings
Like Indian architecture and sculpture, Indian paintings also manifest the theory of one infinite unity in the form of
impersonalization. Painting schools and styles ranging from those of Ajanta, Ellora to the caves of Bagh and Mural of Alchi are
evidence of this avowed faith which have expressed in cultural specifics. At one time there were as many schools of painting as there
were dynasties but all of them have the same reflection of the ultimate goal. Though there is a long variety of range in painting -
from Ajanta to Sittanavasasl, the Islamic geometrical designs - but all have the same vital and fundamental expression. Hence there
is not much difference among the Hindu, Buddha and Jain paintings as well as the Islamic ones. Really speaking Indian painting is
wonderful skill of past. Like Indian paintings, dance also provides the most concrete manifestation of the inner state and vision. The
themes which the Indian dancer portrays are not only the raw material of literature, but are also the finished products of literary
creation. In real sense this form of art is both sensuous and spiritual.
9. Vedic Literature
Vedic literature of India is the most ancient literature in the world but Mesopotamian and Egyptian literatures are
definitely considered prior to the Vedas. There are four Vedas – the Rig Veda, the Sam Veda, the Yajur Veda and the Atharva Veda.
The Rig Veda has ten thousand stanzas in the form hymns. The verses of Sam Veda are full of sweet melody. Yajur Veda came into
existence later than Rig Veda and Sam Veda. It means a sacrificial formula. The mantras of Atharva Veda are full of magic and
sorcery. Besides these, there are some more treatises on Vedas known as Brahmanics, Aryanaks and the Upnishads. The Brahmans
are prose works which describe the rules and regulations of performing religions rites or rituals. Aranykas mean forest texts which
are composed by those saints who lived in the forest for the sake of contemplation. Upanishad means those confidential discourse
took place between a teacher and his pupils. Along with them we have Smritis, Samhitas and Vedangas. All the treatises on Vedas
are indeed the sacred doctrines full of philosophic contemplation.
10. The Ramayana and the Mahabharata
The Ramayana and the Mahabharata are the two feet on which ancient Indian culture stands. Their influence on the
mind and life of Indian people has been great. The Ramayana by Maharshi Valmiki is a great epic. It deals with the story of Lord Ram.
Ram, the son of Dasharath, is the eighth ‘avatara’ of the Hindus. Ram was exiled from Ayodhya by his father Dasharath, the King of
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Ayodhya for fourteen years. Ravan, King of Lanka, abducted Sita. Ram went to the Far South to rescue his wife Sita. Ram fought with
Ravan and defeated and killed him. Ram came back to Ayodhya after fourteen years and became its ruler. Ram is symbol of
perfection. In the same manner his wife Sita is the ideal of Hindu womanhood. Of the two great epics, the Mahabharata occupies a
pride of place. It was written by Ved Vyas, a great Rishi. The battle of Mahabharata had been fought in about 1100 B.C. The
Bhagavad-Gita, a part of Mahabharata, was written in battle field of Kurukshetra. When Arjun, a brave warrior, became stationary
and expressed his doubt to kill his relatives in the battle, Lord Krishna, his charioteer, gave him some teachings which form the
Bhagavad-Gita. The battle continued for eighteen days and five Pandvas who remained alive with Krishna, won the battle. Thus both
the epics show the victory of good over evil.
11. Dandi March
Mahatma Gandhi with his seventy eight male and female members of the ashram whose identities were published in
Young India left Sabarmati for Dandi. Dandi is in the South of Ahamdabad. This march known as Dandi March was done to break the
salt law imposed by the British Government. Gandhi with his disciples went through the dirty roads from village to village. “We are
marching in the name of God,” said Gandhi. On the way the peasants of the village greeted the marchers. Several times a day the
marchers halted for a meeting. During this march Gandhi exhorted the people to abandon social evils like drinking and child
marriages. He also told them when the signal came, break the salt laws. He did not feel any trouble in walking. For him, it was just
“Child’s play.” He spun every day for an hour and kept a diary. In this way he encouraged people and at last reached Dandi. He
dipped in the sea and returned to the beach. There he took a pinch of salt left by the waves as a symbol for breaking the law.
Subhash Chandra Bose compared the salt March to “Napoleon’s March to Parish on his return from Elba.” It was indeed a great
challenge for the British Government.
12. Aspects of Indian Constitution
The Constitution of India was drafted after a revolution. The revolution which brought India freedom was bloodless.
England surrendered the domination. The foundation of our Constitution is based on all good things of the past. The aim of our
constitution is to make provision for political and financial stability. There are three aspects of our Constitution – legislature,
executive and judiciary. The two most important aspects of our Constitution are democracy and secularism. India selected the
responsible form of government as in England. The party system has been worked almost to its perfection in England. In America
there is a sharp divorce between the executive and the legislature. An opposition is essential to the successful working of democratic
institution as the party in power. Democratic spirit is the sprit which recognizes the value and importance of an individual. Another
important aspect of our Constitution is that we have only one citizenship, one set of court law. Our judiciary is one and it is an
integrated one. In this way every democratic pattern has been laid down in our Constitution.
13. Our Indian Constitution
Our Constitution was drafted after a revolution. The foundation of our Constitution is based on all good things of the
past. Democracy and secularism are the two most important aspects of our Constitution. There are three aspects of our Constitution
– legislature, executive and judiciary. To a democrat every human soul has the same value before law. He is always conscious of
human fallibility and about the view of other men. A dictator who has people behind him can do more harm to the people and the
country than a dictator raised to power without people’s support. Hence, we should know the power and function of criticism.
Democracy can work only when we have strong, powerful and consistent criticism. India is a union of states or regions and so it is
very essential to think for the good of our nation. In our country we have no official religion. We look upon ourselves primarily as
Indians. The most important aspect of our Constitution is that we have only one citizenship, one set of court law. Hence, we have a
democratic pattern in our constitution.
14. Individual Freedom
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Freedom is considered a great virtue and it is very essential for the proper development of an individual. Neither the old
civilization nor the new western civilization can solve problems of human beings because of enmeshing and overwhelming the real
spirit of religion. Disillusionment followed. Communism comes in the wake of this disillusionment and offers some kind of discipline.
To some extent it fills a vacuum. It succeeds in some measure by giving content to man’s life. But it fails because of its rigidity and
because it ignores certain essential needs of human nature. It suppresses individual freedom and succeeds only through violence
which is not a right means for a good end. In the modern world an attempt at forcible imposition of ideas on any large section of
people is bound to fail. This may lead to war. The conflict of Hungary represents nationalism striving for freedom. Social progress can
be achieved through co-existing and co-operation and by providing an individual the chances to develop. Socialism is something
which does well for society and aims at equality. It is basically a different approach from that of capitalism. It lessens inequality in
the society. It can wipe out the wide gap between capitalism and common man in the society.
3.4.2 Other General Topics

1. Saving the Environment
Deforestation, urbanization and industrialization have ruined our environment. They have converted green belts into
jungles of concrete. Environment pollution, smoke and dirt have turned major cities into gas-chambers. So it is essential to save the
environment for getting a happy and healthy life. Keeping the environment safe is now a great problem of not only our country but
also the whole world. Our rivers, lakes and streams have become the dumping pools of the industrial waste. Green belts are
disappearing fast. Unplanned urbanization has brought only degradation of the environment. The increasing quantity of Carbon-
dioxide is also responsible for damaging the ozone layer which protects us against the ultra violet rays of the sun. As a result the
temperature of the globe is day by day increasing and posing threats for our survival. The need of the hour is to protect and preserve
the environment and the ecological balance. This danger can be fought against only by creating awareness among the people. The
need of the hour is to plant more and more trees and not to disturb the nature and the system for our immediate interests. Only
then our country will become a pleasant and clean place to live in.
2. Importance of English
Any language is a medium of expression and communication. English language is one of many spoken languages through
which man is connected all over the world. English is not only a very popular language but a link language also. It is used as a second
language in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh etc. It is also used as foreign language in many other countries. Importance of English
lies in the fact that there are a large number of native speakers of this language and it is spoken extensively. Not only this, it is the
only language used internationally for all purposes. The language is closely connected with the scientific technology and economic
development. It has its own treasures full of wise, seer and deep thoughts related to knowledge, science and literature. Really it is a
rich language. Now-a-days English is a top requirement of job seekers not only in India but in many other countries also. For
maintaining international relationship foreign affairs and commercial enterprises, top priority is given to English speaking people;
hence they enjoy more political and economic influence.
3. Value of Games and Sports
“Sound Mind lives in a sound body.” It is true that nothing can be done if our mind and body do not work in order. To
keep our mind and body fit, there is a great need to know the value of games and sports. Books develop our mind but games
develop our body. Physical fitness is the desire of every human being. Games if properly played make our body sound, full of
strength and vigor. A physically fit person is mentally sound and no doubt, he better concentrates in studies. Games and sports teach
us many things which books can not teach. They inculcate in us a spirit of sportsmanship, honesty, punctuality, regularity of habits,
team spirit, leadership and obedience. They provide us a good training for playing the games of life in a sportsman’s way. A true
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sportsman will not be sorry on his defeat, and will not be elated on his success. He will lead a balanced life. Games also teach
discipline, which is always needed in every walk of life to achieve something more and higher. The value of games and sports is
unquestionable. However, excessive indulgence in games can harm the health as well. So, we should maintain a proper balance of
study and sports in life.
4. Television
In an age of science and technology, television is a great means of entertainment. It not only entertains us but gives us
education. In Hindi we call it ‘Door Darshan’ (distance seeing). Sitting at our homes we can see live telecast of all programmes like
serials, plays, matches, social and cultural documentaries , meetings and so on. It is a very powerful audio- visual means to spread
knowledge amongst the people. It can be called a mini-cinema because it is easily available in our homes. All sorts of programmes -
educative, informative, recreational, motivational, enthusiastically and others - can be seen with the help of television. Even the
talks and speeches of great leaders can be heard. Not only Indian but foreign programmes can be viewed everyday. As an
educational device, it brings class rooms at our homes. Our government tries at the best to educate the public with the help of
Television. The NCERT and UGC programmes prepared for school and college students respectively are telecast all over the country.
Television also helps to teach moral lesson to students and to reduce the burden of availability of good materials and lectures of
teachers. But sometimes it seems an idiot box because of its whole day tiring programmes. Indirectly it does a lot of harm to
students making them busy in viewing and keeps far away from studies. However it is not its fault. We should view good and useful
programmes full of educational value.
5. Our Heritage
Our India, a world in itself, is an ancient country. We feel proud of our India. Our cultural heritage has been our guiding
force from the very beginning of human civilization. The Heritage of Indian Art is vivid, varied and marvelous. It shows us the love of
people for fine art. Events of past which have been shown through pictures leave indelible impression upon Indian culture. Imposing
architecture decorated with sculpture and painting, festival, dances related to religious rites, all these bring culture and arts very
near to daily life. Really Indian art is full of reality, beauty and joy. Not only art but Hindu civilization also guides the path of people.
The Bhagavad-Gita and Upanishads will ever go on inspiring the men of action and thought. Hence Indian art is closely connected
with the religion. We can see God worshipping masses in the Indian art. The history of Indian art has been a series of faith and
religion, Religion can not be separated from Indian art. Thus the various experiences of life have been taken a shape in a member of
forms of fine arts since the beginning of the Indian civilization.
6. Uses of Computer
In an age of science and technology computer has played a vital role in our life. Computer has revolutionized the world
and has shrunk the world into a village. We are amazed to see that such a small instrument can do even difficult calculations within a
very short time. It is a machine like a television set with a screen. It has key board just like that of typewriter. Its importance can not
be denied as any incidents or happenings at the far off places can be heard or known in no time. In the beginning its work was only
to process facts and figures but now it has improved much and is rightly called scientific wisdom. It has replaced human mind in
many ways. In it, programmes are fed which can be used at various places and times. A medical computer diagnoses the disease and
suggests the treatment. Our Government is using them at railway stations. In Banks its uses increases efficiency, accuracy and
rigidity. Seeing its importance the schools and colleges have started giving its training to students. The increasing use of it will help a
lot to make progress in every field of life. The day is not for away when we have to depend totally on it. Though it is a bit costly
affair, no body can deny the fact of its bright future.
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3.4.3 Proverbs and Axioms
1. Knowledge is Power
Knowledge is indeed a source and root of all power. Even physical and military power is lame without knowledge. A man
who has knowledge can rule all over the world and even can change his own destiny. A man of knowledge possesses immense
power. We can find scientific knowledge behind all modern armaments and military maneuvers. Nature is an inexhaustible source of
power. Nature reveals all her sources of power to a man of knowledge. It is the scientist, the man of knowledge, who can harness
the mighty forces of nature and press them to human service. Now we are living in a democratic world. The dark days of “might is
right” are gone. The bright light of advancement of computer and technology is guiding our path. We have a number of ways to
acquire knowledge. Books, Magazines, Newspapers, Radio, Television, Internet, etc are good source of knowledge. And above all,
the highest form of knowledge is the knowledge of self. Know thyself. This is the key of all spiritual and mystical experiences. To get
knowledge is an insatiable thirst and it can not be quenched in a single life- span. It is a well known fact that a man of knowledge is
more powerful than others.
2. Necessity is the Mother of Invention
Necessity is a good teacher. It compels a man to find out ways and means to fulfill the necessities of life. This gives rise to
the invention of new things and ideas. Man had very few necessities in the beginning of life. Gradually these necessities began to
increase. He had no clothes to wear. He had no house to live in. He had no fire to cook his food. He waited to protect himself from
sun, cold and rain. So he began to cover his body with skins of animals. He began to live in caves. He discovered fire to cook his food.
Thus necessity taught him to make one invention or the other. As population increased and as man’s needs increased new invention
began to be made in every field. New means of transport, communication, production, recreation and entertainment were
discovered to quench the growing thirst of man. But necessity may be constructive and not destructive. Constructive necessity leads
to the invention of things while destructive lead to the path of curse. New invented things make life beautiful and worthy of living.
Thus we can safely say, “No need, no invention” but “Necessity is the mother of invention.”
3. Work is Worship
Man is born in this world to perform his own assigned work. Work is duty. Hence, the man should perform his task
honestly and promptly. However, birds and animals have no work to perform. In the same way man doesn’t need to do any work
because Nature nourishes all living creatures. But this is not the right way. Work is performed to give satisfaction for his own cause
and for the good of society as well as for whole human beings. It brings money which is indispensable in man’s life. Life doesn’t seem
boring if a man is engaged in his pursuit. Without doing any work and having high ambition to acquire money is not considered good
by the society and that type of man never finds a respectable position. Therefore a man should treat work like worship of God and
try to perform his task to the best of his knowledge and ability. Like others Swami Vivekananda also voiced that work is worship.
4. God Help Those Who Help Themselves
There is a good deal of truth in the saying “God helps those who help themselves.” There are some persons who think
that what is fated can not be blotted. They do not move an inch to change their present distressed condition and miserable lot. They
always lead a beastly life under the false assumptions that God has created them to suffer serving the causes of poverty and misery.
But this is a wrong idea. God will never help us in overcoming our miseries and misfortunes unless we struggle and endeavors. Effort
and endeavors overcome mountains. That’s why Napoleon used to say “Impossible is a word, which is found in the dictionary of
fools.” Life is full of difficulties. The path of success is strewn with a lot of obstructions. They may be physical, financial, social,
political, moral and ethical. But people with a resolute will can overcome them and achieve success. Therefore God fulfills the
desires of those who deserve. It we help ourselves, it is sure that God will help us.
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5. Honesty is the Best Policy
Honesty is, undoubtedly, the best policy if we understand and interpret this proverb correctly. A noble and virtuous man
is the noblest creation of God, God’s own image. Honesty is the best virtue. ‘Policy’ here does not mean a certain kind of tact or
strategy but it means conduct of life. Similarly “honesty” here does not mean merely honest dealings in money matters or business.
It means thought and action in its widest sense. We may easily compare honesty with truth in its widest and fullest sense. There, the
proverb prescribes truthful, noble and conscientious conduct of life in all spheres, private and public. One must follow the path of
truth, virtue and nobility in all situations of life. One should conduct oneself in life in such a way that one may not feel ashamed
before God in the heaven. In our day-to-day life, our own experiences show that dishonesty may serve a turn and bring temporary
results but honesty is the best in the end. Indeed, an honest man never loses his peace of mind and gains success in his life.
6. All that Glitters is Not Gold
It is an old proverb which gives us a good lesson that things are not what they seem. Appearance is often deceptive. Gold
is a highly glittering metal but it does not mean that “all that glitters is not gold.” Several ornaments seem like gold but they are not
and they haven’t the value of gold. In the same way, in real life, we see several people seem noble and honest but actually they pose
before us being noble and honest only to fulfill their own selfish interests. Once their interests fulfill they kick us without casting a
glance on our feelings. So we should always beware of such persons. This not only happens in the physical world but in the moral
world also it happens. Appearance belies the inner reality. Many a fool passes off as a brilliant and learned scholar. The shinning
appearance conceals foulness, contamination and ill will. Good behaviors, refined manners, kind acts and appearance are often
misleading. But it doesn’t mean that the world is full of deceptive ones. There are a number of people who bear noble soul. Hence
we should be careful in reposing our trusts in others and try to know their real appearance.
7. Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed
A true friend is he who helps us in our need. When we have money or power we are surrounded by many friends. Due to
power, money and influence they try to please us. They praise and flatter us. They do all things with a motive. For getting more and
more advantage from us they try to do all the things of our like. We think them to be very true friends. That’s why we help them
with our might and main. But when we fall on evil days, they leave us and never take care of ours. We have no money or influence to
advance their interests. So the friends who have enjoyed fair weather desert us and we feel alone. They neither support nor stand
by us in our times of difficulty. Only then we are able to assess them that they are not true friends. A true friend never deserts his
friend alone. He always gives support in times of thick and thin and tries to stand by him. But fair weather friends were with us only
to gain their own interests and motives. They neither love us nor our true friends. They loved only our money, power and prestige.
They were with us to have their selfish ends served. Finding us penniless, they left us. Thus we test our friends when we are caught
in trouble. Prosperity gains friends, but diversity tries them. We know that a friend in need is a friend indeed.
3.5 Summary
A good paragraph must possess unity, order, emphasis and variety. A paragraph should contain only one main theme and
all sentences in it must develop or expand the main idea or theme. The thoughts in a paragraph should be arranged clearly and
logically. Emphasis should be laid on the most important sentence of a paragraph by placing it in the beginning of the paragraph.
Good variety may be maintained by constructing the sentences vary in length and structure.
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3.6. Write a paragraph in about 100 - 150 words on each of the following topics, drawing your matter, as far as possible
from the text:
1. Influence of Indian Culture on South – East Asia
2. Indian Art and Human Form
3. The Mahabharata, Our Greatest Epic
4. Fundamental Duties
5. Life Mirrored in Vedic Literature
6. Importance of Tree
7. Where there is a Will there is a Way
3.6. 1. Influence of Indian Culture on South – East Asia
The Indian culture began to influence Ceylon during the early period of 5th century B.C. A few Indian merchants found
their way to Malaya and some other nearby countries and some of them settled there. Then some Brahmans and the Buddha monks
went there and spread Buddhism. Some Indians such as Paramhans Ram Krishna, his disciple Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi
influenced the West. Especially Gandhi’s principle of non-violence, sincerity and energy influenced the West greater. Besides that
Indian philosophy and religion also had a very great impact on western thinking. The great western philosophers like Schopenhauer
were much indebted to Buddhism. Even American philosophers like Emerson and Thoreau studied much of Indian philosophy and
thus their thoughts too had much likeness with Indian thought and philosophy.
2. Indian Art and Human Form
Art is very integral to life. Life of Indian people can not be seen without art. Indian life is a fusion of many cultures. There
is nothing personal in Indian art. Indian art is not devoid of life There is no exaggeration to say that Indian life is full of different
forms of art. Temples of ancient India are adorned with sculpture and painting. They all give glimpses of Indian Life. But the main
interest of the Indian artist is to be noticed in the human form. This shows an intimate relationship of Indian life and art. The picture
of the men and women are painted in every possible angle. Plentiful figures in Indian art are displayed to show the various moods of
them. This shows an intimate relationship of art with Indian life.
3. The Mahabharata, Our Greatest Epic
The Mahabharata is considered a great story telling book. The Ramayana and the Mahabharata are the two great epics
on which ancient Indian culture stands. Of the two great epics, the Mahabharata occupies a pride of place. It was written by Ved
Vyas, a great Rishi. It contained 24000 verses in Sanskrit. It tells the story of Bharat dynasty. It is said that the battle of Mahabharata
had been fought in about 1100 B.C. It was originally a heroic poem but later on acquired a religions orientation. Long after it became
a theistic treatise in which Lord Krishna is thought to be the Supreme Being. The religion of Mahabharata is Vedic. Indra, Vishnu,
Agni, Surya, Vayu, and Varun were important gods of the Vedic period. According to the Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna is Supreme God.
The Bhagavad-Gita was written in battle field of Kurukshetra. When Arjun, a brave warrior, became stationary and expressed his
doubt to kill his relatives in the battle, Lord Krishna, his charioteer, gave him some teachings which form the Bhagavad-Gita. Lord
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Krishna tells Arjun to perform actions which are allotted to him. He must fight battle to get salvation which comes through devotion
to Krishna. The battle continued for eighteen days and five Pandvas who remained alive with Krishna, won the battle. Thus the epic
Mahabharata shows the victory of good over evil.
4. Fundamental Duties
Rights and duties are the two sides of the same coin. They are correlative and imply obligations. One can not exist
without the other. In our Constitutions we had adopted almost all the principles of the Universal Declaration of human rights, but
there was no provision of the Declaration which says: “Everyone has duties to the country in which alone the free and full
development of his personality is possible”. To fulfill this, a section of Fundamental Duties was incorporated in the Indian
Constitution by an amendment of the Article 52-A. There are ten Fundamental Duties which are enumerated in the Indian
Constitution. The prime duty of the Indian citizen is to respect the ideals and institutions like the National Flag and the National
Anthem. Moreover, people of India should follow the noble ideals, protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India, and defend
the country. They should promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood, preserve our rich heritage, protect the natural
environment, develop the scientific temper and humanism, abjure violence, and strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual
and collective activity so that the nation constantly rises to higher levels of endeavour and achievement. These duties are in nature
of Ten Commandments. The significance of these duties is to create a climate in which the people will feel that their obligations to
society are as important as their rights.
5. Life Mirrored in Vedic Literature
Vedic literature has influenced the life of Indian people to a great extent. The people of the Vedic age were a great
devotee to God. They lead a very simple life. They were full of joy and happiness. They used to worship Nature and Gods. Primarily
they worshipped one God, the Supreme, but later on they started worshipping Trinity. People praised God in the form of prayers
and hymns. They admired Him and his creation the universe. With the passage of time along with Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh they also
worshipped Indra, Agni Varun, Kuber, Surya, and Chandra. They showed their great faith in these Gods. Brahma was the God of
creation and Vishnu supported the world. Mahesh was God of Sanhar. Indra was king of Dewas, Varun was the God of sea. Not only
that they had faith in worshipping rivers and cows. Rivers gave them water and calves of cows helped them in agriculture. Some
people of those days used to live in the forest for the sake of contemplation and meditation which augmented their philosophical
thinking. Their various experiences and thoughts were included in some treatises on Vedas which became an integral part of their
life. Thus the people of the Vedic age led a spiritual life with calm and quiet.
6. Importance of Tree
Trees play a very important role in life of every living creature. No life can be imagined or experienced without trees.
They keep a balance in nature. If trees are cut down ruthlessly, the rivers will be over flooded and this will cause soil erosion which
will lead to poor yield of crops and food grains. Trees give us fresh air. They absorb Carbon Dioxide and release oxygen which is very
essential for human life. So it is our sacred duty to save trees. More and more trees should be planted. It should be remembered
that they not only refreshes the body and mind but they give also food and shelter. That is why after realizing the importance of
trees the Government of India has started a festival of growing plants which is celebrated as Van Mahotsava in the months of July
and August. Hence, No one can deny the importance of trees.
7. Where there is a Will there is a Way
There is always a way to complete a task if there is a will. We know that great souls have strong will while weak ones only
build castles in the air. Napoleon once said, “The Word ‘Impossible’ exists only in the dictionary of the fools.” Mountains can be
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moved by patience, determination and strong will. A successful man rises from the lowest position to the highest. It is because he
possesses a strong will and determination. The unsuccessful man, on the other hand, lacks strong will and determination. He wavers
and hesitates in doing a work. He can never do anything great in his life. We can find many examples of great men of strong will
power in our history. Mahatma Gandhi is one of them who with his firm, bold and fearless strong will overcame all the difficulties
come in his way and his efforts were crowned with success. Livingstone who explored the dark region of Africa, Garibaldi who united
Italy, Bismarck who made Germany a strong nation and Lenin who made Russian free from the tyrannies of the Czars were some
examples of great men of success. They all had a very strong will. So they found a way of achieving their heart’s desire.
3.7. Write a paragraph in about 100 - 150 words on each of the following topics, drawing your matter, as far as possible
from the text:
1. Heritage of India
2. Struggle for Freedom
3. Ragging in Colleges
4. Example is better than Precept
3.7. 1. Heritage of India
Our heritage of India lies in the recognition of the inner landscape of man as its centre along with his outer landscape. It is
a world in itself. It has different colours but all are mixed like the colours of a rainbow. Multiple races, languages, religions,
philosophy and artistic expressions all have webbed into one. Whatever races and people came to India, they merged themselves as
one and became Indians. They held together just like the planets of an orbit. Indian architecture whether the stupas or the temples
or the mosques or the city plans or of any sort embodies the world views. Brick by brick, stone by stone, an immense epic poem of
the infinite is made. Though all parts can be separated but they do not have their separate existence because all are interwoven in a
whole. In its totality, it represents heaven on earth. Like Indian architecture, Indian sculpture also demonstrates the vision of
wholeness. Its figurative art is not portraiture of the specific. Each image is a complete world in itself which has deep relation with
life and becomes a part of the cultural fabric. Like Indian architecture and sculpture, Indian paintings also manifest the theory of one
infinite unity in the form of impersonalization. And Indian dance also through a beautiful and complete language of movement
provides the most concrete manifestation of the inner state and vision.
2. Struggle for Freedom
The British first came to India as traders. With the passage of time they started to take part in Indian politics. They began
to work through wars and diplomacy. They aspired for establishing the British Empire in India. They laid foundation of British Empire
after the battle of Plassy and Baxar and started to exploit the Indians. In consequence of that many sections of Indian society
combined and challenged the authority of British. They waged war against the British in 1857. But this revolution was crushed in
1858. This marked the end of a significant phase in the history of modern India, and the beginning of another. After 1857 a national
consciousness arose in Indians. Leaders like Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak asserted that something more than constitutional
agitation was required as freedom could not be realized by his present generation. The tone of his speaking was patriotic. He
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announced that “Swaraj is my birth right and I shall have it.” A revolution group was also formed to over throw the British rule.
Chandra Shekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Khudi Ram Bose, Ram Prasad Bismil and others began to fight against British rule. At last in
1942 Quit India Movement was started by the Congress. After a great sacrifice India was divided on the eve of Independence i.e.
August 15, 1947 and thus two independent countries came into existence.
3. Ragging in Colleges
In our schools and colleges ragging is a very common but bad practice. In the name of introduction the seniors (either
boys or girls) try to humiliate the new comers. Sometimes it is too mean to cost human life or to depress the new ones. The methods
adopted by the seniors are too cheep to disclose before the parents and the elders. They ask the new comers to sing a vulgar or sexy
song, to put the clothes out from the body, to run a race for a mile, to walk on a rope, to dance overnight, to kiss a girl and so on.
They have to face too much humiliation in the name of introduction. Severe beating and copying old notes are also included in it.
Out of these fears many new comers stop to turn up their classes regularly or leave their studies. Seeing the bad effects of all these
happenings, educationists and parents have raised their voice against the ragging. But to surprise it is increasing day by day. Even
the Managements, the Head of the institutions and Professors have failed to stop or to put a brake on such activities. This problem
has been taken a serious one so all concerning persons have been trying their best to solve it. Now it is considered a crime and those
who find involving in Ragging are punished according to Law.
4. Example is better than Precept
It is very easy to quote scriptures but too difficult to follow. Examples are quoted to give a lesson but only great soul can
follow them. In real life it seems very easy to preach but on the other hand it seems difficult to practice. Theoretical preaching is
very easy but their practical application in the conduct of life is very difficult. Anybody can preach, but very few can practice what
they preach. A mere theoretical preaching makes no real impact on the people. This is why great saints and sages first practiced in
their own life and conduct what they sought to preach. Their life and conduct were practical lessons in the highest values of life.
Lord Christ was a living Example of human love and compassion. Mahatma Gandhi was an apostle of truth and non- violence. Thus
one practical example is better than a hundred theoretical examples.
3.8 Suggested Books
Living English Grammar and composition – M.L.Tickoo, A.E. Subramanian, P.R. Subramaniam (Orient Longman limited, New
Delhi).
Cotemporary English Grammar, Structure and Composition - David Green.
The Universal Dictionary of the English Language – Henry Cecil Wyld.
A Senior Course of English Composition – J. C. Nesfield.
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Unit 4: Letter Writing
Objectives
 develop a good quality or skill in writing of letters

 know how to write a clear and readable letter
 understand that letter writing is the best medium of communication in written form
 explain that letter writing is an art which can be learnt by practice.
 describe what makes an effective letter
 learn the types of letters and the steps involved in the letter writing process.
Structure
4.1 Introduction
4.2 The Form of Letters
4.3 Specimens of Informal or Personal Letters
4.4 Specimens of Formal or Official Letters
4.5 Summary
4.1 Introduction
A letter whether dealing with a personal or a business topic, is a kind of essay and is thus subject to the ordinary rules of
composition; but as a form of writing it has certain characteristics that must receive special attention. Everyone has sometimes to
write personal or business or official letters of some sort. In writing the letters he may have to face the problem how to write good
letters. The art of letter writing is not only ornamental accomplishment but something more than that which he should learn for
practical purposes. Under this unit a question is asked to write a formal or informal letter and a student is expected to give his
answer in about 100-150 words.
4.2 The Form of Letters
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In form of letters, messages are read. Certain letter forms have been established by experience and custom as the most
useful forms of conveying message of different sorts. So a person who writes a letter should know about these forms and patterns
or neglect of them is a sign of ignorance and carelessness. Basically there are two types of letters:
(a) Informal or Personal Letters
(b) Formal or Official or Business Letters.
Each of the above has its own particular form. But there are certain matters of form which apply to all, and they are as
followed:
(i) The Heading: The Heading consists of the writer’s address and date. Write you own address at the right hand corner of
the top of the page and put the date just below it. For Example:
405, Gandhi Road,
New Delhi -110061
25th November, 2012
The date may be written as follows:
(25 November, 2012 / November 25, 2012)
Or abbreviated (Nov.25th, 2012 or 25-11-2012)
(ii) Greeting or Salutation: After you have written your address and the date, go to the left – hand side of the paper and
write the Salutation at a lower level than the Heading. The form of greeting will depend upon the relation in which you stand to the
person to whom you are writing.
(a)To members of your family, for example, it will be as follows:
My dear father, My dear Mother, Dear Uncle, Dear Aunt, Dear Suresh, Dear Reena, etc.
(b) To friends, it will be as follows:
Dear Mr. Goyal, Dear Mohan, Dear Suri, Dear Singh, My dear Pooja.
(c) To business people, it will be as follows:
Dear Sir/Madam, Gentlemen, etc.
(The use of the term Dear is purely formal and is a mere polite expression, not necessarily implying any special affection)
(iii) The Communication or Body of the Letter: This is, of course, the main part of the letter. It should be written in a
natural and easy way. The style of a letter will depend upon the kind of letter you wish to write. However, a few hints that apply to
all letters are given here. It should be divided into paragraphs if the letter is long. The language used should be simple and direct. All
the points should be in logical order and neatly written. Be careful to put commas and full stop in their proper place or incorrect
punctuation may alter the whole meaning of a sentence.
(iv) Leave – taking or Subscription: When you have finished your letter, at the end of it, write the words of leave – taking
at the right –hand side of the letter. The first word of the Subscription must begin with a capital letter. Different leave taking forms
are used in different kinds of letter such as –
65
(a) To close relatives – Yours affectionately, Your affectionate son/ daughter/ brother/ sister, Your loving son/daughter,
etc.
(b) To friends – Yours sincerely, Sincerely yours.
(c) To strange officials and firms – Your faithfully, Your truly.
(d) To teachers/headmaster/Principal – Yours obediently / Yours faithfully
(e) To acquaintances – Your lovingly.
(v) The Signature or Name of the Writer: Write your name just below the subscription as
Yours faithfully,
Jai Kumar
In a letter to strangers, the signature should be clearly written, so that the reader may know whom to address in reply. A lady should
prefix to the name Smt. or Kumari or Ms in brackets as,
Sincerely Yours
(Smt.) Asha Rani
(vi) Address on the Envelope: This should be written very clearly thus-
Mr. Jai Kumar,
544, Jiwaj Nagar,
New Delhi – 110061
4.3 Specimens of Informal or Personal Letters
4.3.1. Write a letter to your father informing him about your studies.
544, Gandhi Road,
25th November, 2012
My dear Papa,
I received your letter yesterday and I was very glad to read it. Papa, you will be glad to know that I am quite well here and
hope the same for you.
66
I am working hard now-a-days. My studies are going fairly well. I am sure that I will get very good marks in the
examination.
After the examination I have planned to join a short – term course of English conversation for one and half months. This
course will be fruitful to me. I assure you that I will leave no stone unturned to make it up. I will work hard to learn it well. I have also
bought a few books of English suggested by my English teacher. I will do at my best..
Rest is o.k..
I wish you to convey my regards to mother and love to Sonu.
Yours Affectionate Son
Vivek Kumar
2. Write a letter to your father telling him what you propose to do in future.
544, Gandhi Road,
25th November, 2012
My dear Father,
I am writing this letter to find you in good health. I received your letter a few days ago. I am sorry I could not reply in time
because I was busy in my examination. I did well in it. I hope to get through it with good marks.
Now I have firmly decided to make my career in the Banking Sectors. A number of vacancies are advertised in Banks.
There is a great opportunity to get selected in this competitive examination. I know it is a difficult job but I’ll leave no stone
unturned to make it up. I’ll work hard. I have decided to start my studies right now. A Career Institute gives coaching to students
appearing at this examination. If I have problem, I’ll join it. I know your blessings are with me.
Rest is O.K.
Kindly convey my best regards to mother and love to Ranu.
Yours loving daughter
Meena
3. Write a letter to your younger brother asking him to take more interest in his studies.
S-1, Lalit Colony,
Lal Bagh,
25 November, 2012
67
My dear Jai,
I am writing this letter to see you in good condition. I am sorry to write that you are taking less interest in studies than
the interest you are taking in games. I have nothing to say against your interest in games for it is necessary. I can only remind you
that your final examination is quite at hand. You also know that this is your final year at school, next year you will have to join a good
college for further studies.
Your admission to the graduate courses depends on your performance at the coming examination. It is because of this
that I ask you to pay a little more attention to your studies so that you can get good marks and you won’t have to face any difficulty
in getting admission to a good college.
Please take care of yourself. Closing with love.
Your elder sister
Meena
4. Write a letter to your sister telling her what you want to become in future.
30, Gandhi Nagar,
Jhansi Raod,
Gwalior – 474011
25 November, 2012
Dear Sister,
Thanks very much for your sweet letter. I was very happy to read it. At present I am working hard not only to get good
marks in the Senior Secondary Examination but also to get through the most prestigious examination known as IIT. It’s my dream to
study in Roorkee Engineering College. I hope you will also be working hard.
If I qualify the IIT exams and get a good division, I will be selected for the Engineering division. Nowadays our country
needs qualified technical hands. There is very little scope for art students. I want to be a good engineer and wish to work in the
automobile industry.
Will you kindly persuade dear father to send me to Roorkee in July this year?
I’ll earnestly wait for your reply.
Convey my regards to mummy and papa and love to Shreya.
Your loving brother
Jai Kumar
5. Write a letter to your mother, asking her to send you some money for buying books.
Room No. 21, Shanta Ayatan,
68
Banasthali Vidyapeeth,
Banasthali – 304022
01 August, 2012
My dear Mother,
Thanks you very much for your kind letter. It was delivered to me yesterday evening. All is well here and hope you will be
enjoying the same. I am working hard to get through my examination with good marks. Mummy, I need some reference books to
consult the topics of my syllabus as suggested by my teachers.
Please send me Rs. 500/- for buying books by money order as earliest as possible.
I wish you to convey my regards to father and love to Jai.
Please do send the money.
More when we see.
Shreya
6. Write a letter to your father describing your college Hostel life.
Room No. 21, Shanta Ayatan,
Banasthali Vidyapeeth,
Bansthali – 304022
08 July, 2012
My dear Father,
All is well here and hope you will be enjoying the same. Since long I was eager for your kind letter which I received
yesterday evening and I felt overjoyed. There is nothing to worry about my accommodation in the hostel. I am glad to inform you
that I am living in a double seated room. My room mate, Meenu, is my class fellow. She is a good student. Her father is a doctor. She
comes from a well educated family.
In the beginning I felt shyness. I did not mix with other girls. They made fun of me. But now they have become my good
friends.
Our hostel is quite good. We get healthy food to eat. Special food is also served time to time. On Thursday fruit are
distributed. There is a prayer hall and a good library with a number of good books. We are allowed to play football, volley-ball, bat
minton and other games of our own interest in the playground in the evening. There is a good healthy atmosphere for competitive
examination.
I am also trying at my best to prove myself. You should not worry about me.
Please convey may respect to my loving mother and sweet love to Jai.
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Rest is o. k.
Shreya
7. Write a letter to your friend who has had a road accident wishing him speedy recovery.
15, Pinto Park,
Sadar Bazar, Gwalior (M.P.)
25th Nov., 2012
My dear Jai,
Thanks for your kind letter which I received yesterday evening. After reading your letter I came to know about your
serious accident. I felt really sorry that I was not there to support you. Now I am very anxious to know about your health and injury.
My parents too are very eager to know about your well being.
As your have mentioned that a scooter had struck your cycle and pushed you towards a wall and your head was seriously
injured. Really you are a lucky man that you were looked after by the scooter driver like his son. I am coming soon to give a lot of
thanks to the caring man. Meanwhile take care of yourself and take your medicine timely. I hope you will be all right in a few days.
Don’t bother much about the injury.
More when we meet.
Yours ever
Shiv Kumar
8. Write a letter to your friend who is in another town, inviting him to spend the holidays with you and your family.
15,Pinto Park,
25th Nov., 2012
Dear Jai,
I hope you have not forgotten your promise to come and spend a few days of your holidays with me. The winter holidays
start from 22nd of Dec. to 31st Dec. By the time this letter reaches you, your examination will be over. How have you done in the
examination? I hop you will obtain good marks.
It will be really such a great pleasure to me and my family if you come over here and stay with us during the holidays. I
assure you that you will certainly enjoy not only your visit but the beauty of this place. There are many historical monuments,
palaces and gardens. Gwalior Fort, Jai Vilash Palace, Zoo, Museums, Sun Temple and a number of others are very famous places.
70
They all are worth seeing. Besides, there are many places of outing. We will also visit beauty of mountains, temples, springs, etc. I
have a number of friends here. They are sure to amuse us.
How anxiously I am expecting a reply to this letter! Please let me know when you will come here.
Please convey my regards to your parents. Rest is o. k.
Sincerely Yours
Bharat Kumar
9. Write a letter to your friend who is worried about you because of the earth quake that shook your city a month ago.
15, Pinto Park,
25th Nov., 2012
My dear Bharat,
I am quite well here and hope the same for you. I received your letter yesterday which gave me a lot of joy. You are
worried about the earth quake occurred here. It was too horrible to say. I with my family was sleeping in sound sleep at 4:30 a.m.
when the earth began to shake. A terrible voice was heard and we got up and hurriedly rushed out of the house. We escaped from
this horrible occurring but a lot of people were crushed under roofs of the high buildings. There was a great loss of life and property.
We are safe with the blessing of God but our house was collapsed and we are living with our neighbors. There is nothing
to worry.
Please convey my regards to your parents.
More when we meet.
Yours Sincerely
Jai
10. Write a letter to your brother telling him about what in Indian culture has already perished.
57, Radio Colony,
Chauk Bazar,
Chhatarpur- 471001
15-11-2012
Dear Pratap,
I hope this letter will find you in good health. I received your letter a few days ago. I was very happy to read it. In the
letter you have asked about the social practices of the Indian culture which have already perished. In this reference I would like to
say that Indian culture had many social evils like Sati Pratha, Child Marriage, Untouchability, orthodox family system and so on. But
71
these things have become the matter of the past. Nowadays people of different caste, religion and colour easily travel in trains and
buses without consciousness of grave pollution. Temples are open to all by low. Untouchability has been prohibited and had been
made an offence. The old family system has also undergone a great change. In real sense the whole face of India has changed
without losing its cultural tradition.
I think you are doing at your best in studies. Take care of yourself.
More when we meet.
With love,
Yours elder brother
Madhu Sudan
11. Write a letter to your friend inviting him to your Birthday Party.
57, Radio Colony,
Chauk Bazar,
Chhatarpur- 471001
15-11-2012
Dear Pratap,
I received your letter yesterday and I was very glad to read it. You will also be glad to know that I have planned to
celebrate my Birthday at Central Park, City Centre, Gwalior. I hope your remember your promise to come to my Birthday Party on 9th
January, 2013. Daya, Jai, Pratap, Ruchi, Pinki, Gopal are expected to come early morning of 9 th Jan. My parents have also invited
some close relatives and their friends. A grand party is to be arranged on this occasion. I invite you to come and join this party. We
with our friends will enjoy too much. The party will be started on 9th January 2013 at sharp 8 p.m. The formal invitation card is also
attached herewith.
Please convey my best regards to uncle and aunty.
More when we see.
Yours Sincerely
Radha Raman
12. Write a letter to your friend congratulating him on his brilliant success.
30, Gandhi Nagar,
Jhansi Raod,
Gwalior – 474011
72
25 November, 2012
Dear Mohit,
Yesterday I received your letter, I was very happy to read that you have passed your examination with flying colours. May
I offer my heartiest congratulations on your brilliant success? Really my joy knew no bounds when I read that you have secured fifth
rank in a state and also won a merit scholarship. May God bless you always in the same way. It is a great achievement of which not
only you but your parents also ought to be proud. Undoubtedly you deserved the rank you have secured.
My parents also congratulate you on this success. When are you planning to give a party to celebrate such occasion? I’m
excited enough to come to see you.
Please pay my regards and congratulations to Uncle and Aunty and love to Shobhit.
Please do reply. More when we meet.
Yours ever
Pratap
13. Write a letter to your friend inviting him to attend the marriage of your elder sister.
45, National Colony
Jabalpur – 475001
25-11-2012
Dear Mayank,
I am quite well here and hope you will be hale and hearty there. You will be glad to know that my elder sister’s marriage
ceremony will take place on 28th Jan.2013. The marriage party will come from Delhi. As I told you earlier that my father is alone and
he is bed-ridden. A number of arrangements are to be made. I need your help. If possible, please come earlier. It will be a great help
and my work will be lightened if you come at least before seven days of marriage.
Let me know about your plan. I think uncle and aunty will allow you to come here. Please convey my regards to them and
love to Romi.
Please do come and reply this letter.
Everything is all right here. More when we meet.
Yours ever
Prabhat
14. Write a letter to your friend in New York describing the cultural heritage of your country.
57, Radio Colony,
Chauk Bazar,
Chhatarpur- 471001
73
15-11-2012
Dear Pratap,
I hope this letter will find you in good health. I received your letter a few days ago. I was very happy to read it. In the
letter you have asked about the Cultural Heritage of India. Regarding this I would like to say that Indian People still believe in the
continuity of Indian civilization. Indian culture is very old and it revolves a round man with its inner and outer self. It has different
colours but all are mixed like the colours of a rainbow. Multiple races, languages, religions, philosophy and artistic expressions all
have webbed into one. Whatever races and people come to India, they merged themselves as one and became Indians. They held
together just like the planets of an orbit.
Indian people still love the tales of heroes of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. Both the epics are in the soul of
Indian people. The ancient works like that of Vedas and Upanishads also acclaim the same. In them we see the mirror of our culture.
Indian culture is clearly manifest in its art such as architecture, sculpture and other find arts. And finally, through a beautiful and
complete language of movement, Indian dance provides the most concrete manifestation of the inner state and vision.
What I know about the great heritage I have mentioned it briefly. It will be worthwhile if you read the book Great
Heritage of India which I am herewith sending you. Please convey my respectful compliments to your parents and uncle and love to
Reena.
The more you’ll see in the next letter. Rest is O.K.
Yours Sincerely
Vikash Kumar
15. Write a letter of condolence to your friend who has recently lost his father sending a message of grief and condolence.
55, Gandhi Nagar,
Lal Bagh
Jhansi (UP)
November 07, 2012
Dear Ajay,
I am very sorry to hear the sad demise of your father. We have missed a great power that inspired us. I have no words to
express my grief at this juncture. It seems vain to try to console you and express feelings of intense sorrow. You have really suffered
an irreparable loss.
God has snatched your loving father from your family. Your family will suffer a lot in absence of him. But death is
inevitable and we are pigmy being before the giant circumstances. My parents also sympathies with you deeply and I assure you any
kind of help you need.
May God give you strength to bear the bolt of the sad demise and give eternal peace and rest to the departed soul.
In deepest sympathy,
Yours ever
74
Vijay
16. Write a letter to your uncle thanking him for the present, he sent to you on your birthday.
55, Gandhi Nagar,
Lal Bagh
Jhansi (UP)
November 07, 2012
My dear Uncle,
Many thanks for the precious gift you parceled me which I received yesterday on my birthday. I celebrated my birth day
at home with my family members and some close friends. I expected you at the time but I knew that due to some your own
problems you couldn’t come. I liked your present too much because it was my longing to have a nice wrist watch. It was my great
demand that was fulfilled by you. I also read your message that you tagged on it “Be punctual and make best use of your time.”
Uncle, believe me I’ll follow your advice and make the best use of my time like watch. Please convey my respect to
Aunty and love to Mohan.
Thank you once again.
Yours affectionate Nephew
Ramesh
4.4 Specimens of Formal or Official Letters
4.4.1. Write an application to the Registrar, Jiwaji University, Gwalior to issue a duplicate Mark-Sheet of B.Sc. Final.
To,
The Registrar,
Jiwaji University,
Gwalior (MP)
Subject: For issuing a duplicate Mark-sheet of B.Sc. Final.
75
Sir,
With humble request I beg to say that I appeared in B.Sc. Final examination as a regular student of Govt. V. R. G. College,
Gwalior in 2010. My Roll No. is 112310 and enrollment no. is Bsc/2007/1511. Unfortunately the original mark sheet is lost and I need
it urgently for an interview.
I, therefore, request you to kindly issue me a duplicate mark sheet of the above said class for which I am
enclosing a draft of Rs. 100/- drawn in favour of Jiwaji University, Gwalior as required fee for the same. For this act of kindness I shall
be highly thankful to you in my life.
Thanking you.
Date: 8th November, 2012 Yours faithfully
Vijay Kumar
15, Tansen Road,
Gwalior - 474011
2. Write an application to the Principal of your college for granting leave.
To,
The Principal,
Govt. Arts & Commerce College,
Ratlam (M.P.)
Sir,
With due respect I beg to say that I have been suffering from fever since last night so I’ll be unable to attend my classes
for three days.
I, therefore, request you to kindly grant me leave for three days i.e. beginning from 7th Nov.2012 to 9th Nov.2012.
I shall be highly obliged for this act of kindness.
Thanking you.
Dated: November 07, 2012 Yours obediently
Rajesh Kumar
Student of B.A. Final
76
3. Write a letter to the Editor of a news paper about Environmental Pollution.
14, Jawaharlal Road,
Indore (M.P.)
15 October, 2012
To,
The Editor,
The Times of India,
New Delhi
Sir,
Kindly allow me to express through your esteemed paper my views about the need of environment awareness and about
pollution hazards. Environmental pollution is a very acute problem facing the modern civilization. All advancements become useless
if man does not get necessities of life, i.e. fresh air and pure water. We know that only trees can do this service to man, but man, out
of his ignorance, has been destroying trees for fuel and for building houses. Thus he has been destroying his own benefactors; there
was a time when 50% of the Indian soil was covered with forests. But man, in his greed, has reduced it to a mere 8% now. Since our
government has become aware of the gravity of the situation and it has put a ban on cutting green trees.
Also, various steps have been taken by our government to keep the environment free from pollution. Now more
attention is being paid to a forestation. Not only is the unauthorized cutting of trees checked, but planting more and more trees and
plants is being encouraged. Besides, scientists are developing methods to minimize the effect of smoke let out by our autos and
chimneys. Infect, environmental awareness is a social necessity. It is not only the duty of the government, but also social
responsibility of every individual to help in keeping the environment free from pollution. It is a service not only to oneself but also to
the entire humanity.
Thanking you
Yours Sincerely
Tarik Husen
4. Write a letter to the Mayor of the Municipal Corporation, Bhopal, complaining about the insanitary condition of your locality.
To,
The Mayor,
Municipal Corporation,
Bhopal (MP)
Dear Sir,
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I would like to draw your kind attention to the insanitary condition of my locality where I live. The locality has become the
centre of dirt, refuse and disease. The sweepers are very careless and irregular. Sometimes no sweeper comes for many days and
the drains remain dirty. The heaps of refuse are lying here and there. The drains have chocked for want of cleaning. They give out
foul smell and mosquitoes and flies breed in them. As a result of all this we fear that any infectious disease may break out any day. I
wrote to the Sanitary Inspector drawing his kind attention to this sad condition but with no result.
I, therefore, request you to visit the locality personally and look into the matter and instruct the concerning personnel to
see the grievances of us.
Thanking you in anticipation.
Date: 12-11-2012 Yours sincerely,
Rajeev Kumar
44, Shahpur
Bhopal (MP)
5. Write an application to the Principal of your college requesting him to condone the shortage of attendance.
To,
The Principal,
M.L.B. Govt. College of Excellence,
Gwalior (M.P.)
Sir,
With humble request I beg to say that in the month of Oct. 5, 2012 I met an accident in which my leg was broken and my
doctor advised to take rest for 20 days so I couldn’t come to the college. Hence, my attendance has become some what sort. As a
result of that I shall not be able to appear in the coming examination. My attendance is short only by 5 P.C. and which is in your
power to condone. I have already submitted the medical certificate of mine for the above stated period.
I, therefore, request you to kindly condone my shortage of attendance so that I may be able to fill the form and appear in
the examination. I shall remain thankful to you for this kind act.
Thanks.
Date: 12.11.2012 Yours obediently
Prakash Kumar
B.Com. Part I
6. Write a letter to a Bank Manager for early settlement of your bill.
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To,
The Branch Manager,
State Bank of India,
New Market, Bhopal
Subject : Encashment of my bill No. 816 dated 20.11.2012.
Dear Sir,
With due respect I have state that I have deposited a bill for encashment a week ago, but I am surprised to know that the
bill has not been paid to me so far. Further it has not been credited in my account.
Kindly look into the matter and consider the case personally. Please do the needful at your earliest convenience.
Thanking you in anticipation.
Date: 2nd November, 2012 Yours Sincerely
Prakash Kumar
405, New Market, Bhopal
7. Write a letter to the Postmaster complaining about the irregular delivery of the letters.
To,
The Postmaster,
Head Office,
Jabalpur (M.P.)
Sir,
I am very sorry to state that the people living in the locality have not been receiving their letters timely. Moreover, the
Postman of our area throws our letters carelessly and does not deliver them to the right persons. His behavior is also very rude when
we talk about or inquire about the letters. He is very irresponsible man. Hence, many important letters never reach us. Every body is
very unhappy with his work.
Kindly look into the matter and assure to give the best services by delivering our letters properly to us and oblige.
Thanking you
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Date: 17-11-2012 Yours faithfully
Meena
8. Write a letter to a bookseller asking him to send some books.
To,
M/S Sahitya Prakashan,
401, South Enclave,
Dear Sir,
I shall be obliged if you please send me the following books by V.P.P. at your earliest convenience. The name of the book
is as given below:
Name of the book
(i) Advance Learners Dictionary by A. S. Hornby
(ii) Living English Structure by W.S. Allen
(iii) A Remedial English Grammar for Foreign Students by F.T. Wood
(iv) Applied Grammar for Competitive Examination by P. D. Pathak
Thanking you in anticipation
Date: 18 November, 2012 Yours faithfully
Kaushal Kishore
9. Write a letter to the Librarian of your college informing him that you have lost the book issued to you last week.
To,
The Librarian,
M.L.B. Govt. College of Excellence,
Gwalior (M.P.)
80
Sir,
Most respectfully I beg to say that I have lost a book named Living English Structure By W. L. Allen issued to me last week.
I, therefore, request you to let me know how much money I should deposit for the loss of this book. Sir, I really regret the
mistake.
I shall be highly obliged for this act of kindness.
Date: 28th November, 2012 Yours obediently
Gopal Kumar
Student of B.Com Part I
10. Write an application for the post of clerk to the Manager, State Bank of India, Jabalpur (M.P.)
15, Patel Nagar,
City Center, Gwalior
To,
The Manager,
State Bank of India,
Jabalpur (M.P.)
Sir,
With reference to your advertisement in the Hindustan Times, New Delhi for the post of a clerk I submit my application
to offer my services.
As regards my qualifications, I passed my B.Com in 2010 in the first division with Advance Accountancy from Jiwaji
University, Gwalior. I know English and Hindi typing well. I can type with ease and accuracy. I am a young man of twenty two years
and possess a sound health and good moral character. Original Certificate can be viewed at the time of interview.
If I’m appointed, I shall do my best to give you complete satisfaction as for as my work and behavior are concerned. A
favorable decision will oblige me.
Date: 28th November, 2012 Yours Sincerely
Gopal Kumar
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4.5 Summary
In writing a good letter of any kind, some main points should be kept in mind. Before writing a letter you should think
clearly what you want to say. If the letter is long one, divide the body of the letter into paragraphs. The first sentence of the letter
leaves five spaces to the left. It is the space for all the paragraphs of a letter. Simple language should be used. You should write
neatly and legibly and you should punctuate it properly. In most cases, letters are written on one side of the paper only. A good
margin adds to the value of a letter. It is a good practice to get letters revised before being put up for signature or dispatched.
Questions: 4.6.1. Write a letter to your friend asking him to spend the summer vacation with you after the examination.
2. Write a letter to your father informing your welfare, giving him an account of accident which recently happened to you.
3. Write a letter to your brother advising him to study hard.
4. Write an application to the Registrar of your university asking him for an early declaration of result.
5. Write an application to the Principal of your college to issue Transfer Certificate/ Character Certificate in favour of you.
Answers to Question 4.6.1
18, Laxmi Bai Park,
Sadar Bazar, Jhansi (U.P.)
22nd April., 2012
Dear Hasan,
Thanks for the letter which I received yesterday. I was very glad to read that you have not forgotten your promise to
come and spend a few days of your holidays with me. The summer vacation starts from 11th of May to 21st June. By the time this
letter reaches you, your examination will be over. How have you done in the examination? I hope you will secure good division.
It will be really such a great pleasure to me and my family if you come over here and stay with us during the holidays. I
assure you that you will certainly enjoy your visit and the beauty of this place. There are many historical monuments, palaces and
gardens. Jhansi Fort, Rani Laxmi Bai Park, Zoo, Museums, Radha - Krishan Temple and a number of others are very famous places.
They all are worth seeing. Besides, there are many places of outing. We will also visit beauty of mountains, temples, springs, etc. I
have a number of friends here. You will really enjoy their company.
Please do reply and let me know when you will come here. I wish you to convey my regards to your parents and love to
Shahni.
Rest is o. k. More when we see.
Sincerely Yours
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Rahul Kumar
Ans. 2.
18, Laxmi Bai Park,
Sadar Bazar, Jhansi (U.P.)
22nd Oct., 2012
My dear Papa,
Thanks for your kind letter which I received yesterday evening. Your letter gave me a lot of comfort and consolation.
Papa, you have not written about your health, how are you? Please don’t worry about my accident. I’m all right. A scooter driver hit
my cycle and pushed me towards a wall. My head was seriously injured. At first I was very nervous to see my head injury. But by the
grace of God I was well looked after by my friend, Rohit and his parents. The scooter driver also took a great care of me like his son.
Papa, you should also give a lot of thanks to the caring man. I am taking care of myself and also taking medicine timely.
Hoped I will be all right in a few days. Don’t bother much about the injury. Please convey my respect to Mummy and
Aunty and love to Rohan.
Rest is o.k.
More when we meet.
Yours ever
Om Kumar
Ans. 3.
S-1, Lalit Colony,
Lal Bagh,
25 November, 2012
My dear Alok,
I am quite well here and hope that you will be in good condition there. I came to know that you are taking less interest in
studies than the interest you are taking in games. I have nothing to say against your interest in games for it is necessary. I can only
remind you that your final examination is quite at hand. You also know that this is your final year at school, next year you will have
to join a good college for further studies.
Your admission to the graduate courses depends on your performance at the coming examination. It is because of this
that I ask you to pay a little more attention to your studies and you won’t have to face any difficulty in getting admission to a good
college. I hope you will take my advice seriously and will not leave any stone unturned to pass the examination with flying colours.
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Please take care of yourself. With love
Yours ever
Sawan Kumar
Ans. 4.
To,
The Registrar,
Bhoj Open University,
Bhopal (MP)
Sir,
With due respect I have to state that I want to apply for seeking admission in P.G. Course outside of Bhopal in the best
colleges. But the main problem which I have to face is that the result of B.A. Final has not been declared so far. The dead line for
applying the course is 15th June.
Kindly declare the aforesaid result as soon as possible so that I may apply for further course.
Thank you.
Date: 11 May, 2012 Yours faithfully
Gaurav Kumar
Student of B.A.Final
Ans. 5.
To,
The Principal,
Govt. Degree College,
Datia (M.P)
Sir,
84
Respectfully I beg to say that I have passed the B.A. Examination from your college in 2011. I had been studying there as
regular student since July, 2008.
Now my father has been transferred from Datia to Raipur so I wish to seek admission there. Moreover, being a graduate I
want to do some job. I have applied for private job and sent my applications to many places. So far I have received call letters for
interview from two places. They require a character certificate from you.
I, therefore, request you to issue transfer certificate and a character certificate in favour of me. I shall be highly obliged
for this act of kindness.
Thanking you.
Date: 12/11/2012 Yours obediently

Rahul Kumar
Questions: 4.7.1. Write a letter to your elder brother informing him about your admission in the college and hostel.
2. Write a letter of condolence to your friend who has lost his mother in a bus accident.
3. Write a letter to the Editor of a news paper about the bad condition of roads in your area.
Answers to Question 4.7.1.
Room No. 25,
Shriram hostel,
Jiwaji University,
Gwalior – 474011
12-08-2012
My dear Brother,
All is well here and hope you will be enjoying the same. There is nothing to worry about my admission and
accommodation in the hostel. I am glad to inform you that I am living in a double seated room. My room mate, Sanu, is my class
fellow. He is a good student. His father is a lawyer. He comes from a well educated family.
In the beginning I felt some nervousness. I did not mix with other boyss. They made fun of me. But now they have
become my good friends.
Our hostel is quite good. We get healthy food to eat. Special food is also served time to time. On Thursday fruit are
distributed. There is a prayer hall and a good library with a number of good books. We are allowed to play football, volley-ball, bat
minton, cricket and other games of our own interest in the playground in the evening. There is a good healthy atmosphere for
competitive examination.
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I am also trying at my best to prove myself. You should not worry about me.
Please convey may respect to my loving mother and father and sweet love to Jai.
Rest is o. k.
Yours younger brother
Aryan
Ans. 2.
Sarafa Marg,
Near City Kotwali,
Indore (M.P.)
November 07, 2012
Dear Suresh,
I am very sorry to hear the heart breaking news of your mother’s death in a bus accident. I have no words to express my
grief at this juncture. It seems vain to try to console you and express feelings of intense sorrow. You have really suffered an
irreparable loss.
God has snatched your loving mother from your family. Your family will suffer a lot in absence of her. But death is
inevitable and we are pigmy being before the giant circumstances. My parents also sympathies with you deeply and I assure you any
kind of help you need.
May God give you strength to bear the bolt of the sad demise and give eternal peace and rest to the departed soul.
In deepest sympathy,
Yours ever
Pawan Kumar
Ans.3.
14, Jawaharlal Road,
Indore (M.P.)
15 November, 2012
To,
The Editor,
86
The Times of India,
New Delhi
Sir,
Subject: Complaining about the bad condition of roads.
Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I would like to invite the attention of Municipal Authorities of this
city to the bad condition of the road in my area. For years, roads have not been repaired. Pits have appeared here and there. After
rains, the condition of roads becomes worse. Driving of vehicle has become a hazardous job. Even peddlers feel difficult to walk
along these roads. Will the municipal authorities ever wake up and get the roads repaired in my area? After all, our colony is also a
part of city.
Thanking you
Yours Sincerely
Siddharth Kumar
4.8 Suggested Books
A Remedial Englilsh Grammar for Foreign Students - F.T. Wood.
Modern English Grammar - J.C. Nesfield.
Grammar & Composition - B.B. Jain
English Grammar and Composition - Wren and Martin.
Unit 5: Grammar
Objectives
 know the rules and regulations for correct usages of English language
 construct simple sentences in correct grammatical structure
 develop a knowledge and understanding of correct use of the Tense Forms
 recognize different parts of a sentence: subjects, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, conjunctions, and prepositions
 identify three main types of sentences: simple, compound, and complex
 familiarize with the use of Conditional sentences
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 recognize and define a variety of patterns of development in writing such as narration, description, and process analysis
 understand correct use of preposition.
Structure
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Determiners and Countable / Uncountable Nouns
5.3 The Tense Forms
5.3.1 The Present, 5.3.2 the Past, and 5.3.3 the Future Tense
5.3.4 Use of Some / Any 5.3.5 Use of too / Enough
5.4 Conditional Sentences
5.5 Modals
5.6 Direct and Indirect Speech
5.7 Active and Passive Voice
5.8 Preposition
5.9 Summary
5.10 Check your Progress
5.1 Introduction
English is a media through which we express our feelings, emotions and activities all the time. A language is useless or
dumb when it does not follow grammar. Grammar is nothing but a special branch of Science that teaches us the rules and
regulations for correct usages of a language. All the lessons of English Language and Indian Culture not only present one or the other
aspect of Indian culture - ancient and modern in a systematic way but also introduce the elementary grammar. For the convenience
of students, all the rules and structures of grammar have been explained in brief and in a simple language by citing some examples.
The main aim of this unit is to take the student slowly and by degrees, into the more difficult problems of the English language. For
this purpose, some exercises have been provided for practice along with their answers just below them under each section of
grammar. 20 grammatical items from the prescribed text book are asked from this unit and the students are required to attempt any
15 items.
5.2 Determiners and Countable / Uncountable Nouns
Determiners determine the number and definiteness of the noun phrase to which they are attached. The commonest
determiners are as given below:
Articles: a, an, the.
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Demonstratives: this, that, these, those.
Possessives: my, your his, her, its, our, their, mine, yours, theirs.
Numbers: one, two, three…
Indefinite determiners: all, any, both, each, either, every, few, less, more, enough, neither, several, some, only.
Nouns in English occur either alone or with a determiner. Nouns are of different types according to whether they have
both a singular and a plural form, whether they must be used with a determiner and whether a verb should be singular or plural in
order to agree with the noun.
The two biggest groups of nouns are Countable Nouns and Uncountable Nouns. Most Countable Nouns are words for
separate things which can be counted like books, students, teachers, etc. Uncountable nouns are usually words for things thought of
as a quantity or mass, like water or time, not as separate items. Only countable nouns take a or an. Uncountable nouns and
countable nouns in plural are preceded by some when a certain quantity or number is implied.
5.2. Supply a, an, some or the where necessary:
(i) - - - milk comes from a - - - cow.
(ii) - - - ring is made of - - - gold or - - - silver.
(iii) I like jam on - - - piece of - - - bread.
(iv) - - - fruit is very good to eat.
(v) I want - - - glass of - - - lemonade with - - - sugar in it.
(vi) Coffee is - - - drink.
(vii) There is - - - fly in - - - lemonade.
(viii) - - - birds can fly very high in - - - sky.
(ix) - - - book on that table is - - - interesting one.
(x) - - - honesty is - - - best of all - - - virtues.
(xi) I should like - - - house in - - - garden.
(xii) We had - - - dinner at - - - new restaurant - - - last night.
(xiii) Jack and Jill went up - - - hill to fetch - - - pail of - - - water.
(xiv) Do you prefer - - - book of - - - poetry?
(xv) - - - youngest brother is at - - - school now.
(xvi) I want - - - tin of - - - peaches - - - sugar and - - - pound of - - - jam.
(xvii) Give me - - - ink to write - - - letter.
(xviii) - - - man gave me - - - books this morning.
(xix) - - - cat has - - - tail.
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(xx) - - - apple has sweet taste.
Answer: 5.2. (i) x, a ; (ii) a, x, x ; (iii) a, x ; (iv) x ; (v) a, x, some/x ; (vi) a; (vii) a, the; (viii) x, the; (ix) the, an; (x) x, the, x/the; (xi) a, the;
(xii) x, a/the, x; (xiii) the, a x; (xiv) a, x; (xv) the, x; (xvi) a, x, some, a x; (xvii) some, a; (xviii) a, some; (xix) a, a; (xx) an.
5.3 The Tense Forms
The form of the verb in the context of time, i.e. present, past and future is called Tense. The verb that indicates an action
or event which takes place in present time is called Present tense. For example: He goes to school. The verb that indicates an action
or event which took place in the time gone by is called Past tense. For example: He went to school yesterday. The verb that indicates
an action or event which will take place in the time to come by is called Future tense. For example: He will go there.
Each tense has four forms:
(i) Indefinite Form: It refers to an action which is in the process of being performed.
(ii) Continuous Form: It indicates an action which is in the progress.
(iii) Perfect Form: It refers to an action which is complete. and
(iv) Perfect Continuous Form: It refers to an action that was started sometime before and is still in progress.
5.3.1. The Present Indefinite Tense: The tense expresses habitual actions, universal truths, what is now taking place and
a future action when the futurity is clear from the context. For example:
(a) Children love to play cricket.
(b)The sun rises in the East.
(c) See, how Raj jumps!
(d) The college reopens on 22nd Jun.
The Present Continuous Tense: The tense expresses a habit that is often repeated (with adverb ‘always’), an action that
is in progress at the time of speaking and an action in the near future. For example:
(a)He is writing a story.
(b) She is crying now.
(c) My nephew is coming to spend his vacation with us next month.
The Present Perfect Tense: The tense is used to express a past action with current relevance, to express an experience in
the past and to express an action which began in the past and continues still. For example:
(a) Meera has found a job.
(b) Deenu has seen the Red Fort.
(c) They have lived in London for ten months.
The Present Perfect Continuous Tense: The tense expresses an action/event that began sometime ago and is still going
on and an action which was going on till a recent point of time and whose result is still present. For example:
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(a) He has been living in this town since 1964.
(b) Deenu feels fever because he has been swimming for two hours.
5.3.1.1. Supply Present Indefinite or the Present Continuous forms of verbs provided in the brackets. Choose the form of
each verb according to the meaning of the sentence:
(i) The girls generally - - - to their grandparent’s house for the holidays, but this year they - - - there. (go, not go)
(ii) My son - - - here next week. He usually - - - his vacation here. ( arrive, spend)
(iii) He generally - - - a bus to the office, but today he - - - on a scooter. ( take, ride)
(iv) My brother - - - a novel now. ( read )
(v) These boys - - - about their food. ( always complain)
5.3.1.2. Rewrite the following sentences using the verbs in brackets in Present Perfect or Present Perfect Continuous
forms:
(i) She (study) medicine for the last four years.
(ii) We (work) all day; we must be extremely tired.
(iii) How long you (wait) for me?
(iv) Mother (cook) all the morning but the meal is not yet ready.
(v) She (learn) English for the last seven years, but she still (not learn) it well.
(vi) We (live) in this small house for two years, but we now (decide) to move to a large house.
(vii) The volcano (create) havoc ever since it erupted.
(viii) She (take up) the new job already.
Ans.5.3.1.1. (i) go , are not going; (ii) is arriving, spends; (iii) takes, is riding (iv) is reading; (v) always complain.
Ans.5.3.1.2. (i) has been studying; (ii) have been working; (iii) have you been waiting(iv) has been cooing; (v) has been learning, has
still not learnt; (vi) have been living, have now decided; (vii) has been creating; (viii) has taken up.
5.3.2. The Past Indefinite Tense: The tense is used to express habitual or regular actions in the past and an event that
happened at a particular time in the past usually used with an adverb or adverb phrase. For example:
(a) He never told a lie in his life.
(b) He lived in Jabalpur for twenty years.
(c)The Sun rose at 6.50 yesterday.
The Past Continuous Tense: The tense is used to express an action in progress at a point or some point of time in the past
when another action took place and two or more actions going on at the same time. For example:
(a) At 6.00 p.m. I was playing a game.
(b) The bus was crossing the bridge when the bridge collapsed.
(c) While I was reading a book my friend was walking.

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The Past Perfect Tense: The tense is used to express an action in the past completed before another action also in the
past and an action or event that happened earlier when looked at from a point of time in the past. For example:
(a) By ht e time the doctor arrived the patient had died.
(b) At 9 o’clock the train had left.
The Past Perfect Continuous Tense: The tense is used to express an action or event that had begun and was going on up
to a point of time point in the past. For example:
The telephone bell had been ringing for two minutes but there was nobody to attend to it.
5.3.2.1. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct Past Tense:
(i) She always (wear) a blue sari.
(ii) It (smell) good.
(iii) He (get) up at 6.30.
(iv) Raina (cry) when she (be) hurt.
(v) The aeroplane in which the soldiers (travel) crashed soon after taking off.
(vi) The car had nobody in it but the engine (run).
(vii) Are you going to Indore? I thought you (go) to Bhopal.
(viii) He had a bad fall while he (repair) his house.
(ix) Just as I (wonder) what to do next the call bell rang.
(x) Mother (be) very tired. She (work) the whole day.
(xi) Several hours before the cricket match (begin) the spectators (fill) the stadium.
(xii) By the time the ambulance (arrive) the patient (die).
(xiii) We (understand) the lesson after the teacher (explain) it to us.
(xiv) I wish you (submit) your thesis by the due date.
(xv) Sandeep (hope) to get a first class. He (get) only a second class and was naturally disappointed.
Ans.5.3.2.1. (i) wore; (ii) smelt; (iii) got up; (iv)cried, was; (v) were traveling; (vi) was running; (vii) were going; (viii) was repairing;
(ix) was wondering; (x) was, had worked; (xi) began, had filled; (xii) arrived, had died; (xiii) understood, had explained; (xiv) would
submit; (xv) had hoped, got.
5.3.3. The Future Tense: English verbs do not have a special form for expressing future time. Instead there are several
ways of expressing it. To express simple future action shall is used with the first person and will with all other words. For example:
(a) I shall go now.
(b) He will sleep now.
To express command, promise, threat and determination we use will with the first person and shall with the second and third
person. For example:
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(a) I will try to do better next time. (Promise)
(b) You shall be punished for this. (Threat)
The going to form is used to express the speaker’s intention to perform a future action or an action that is expected to
take place. For example:
I am going to purchase a new scooter.
The Future Continuous Tense: The tense is used to express an action or event that is expected to take place in the future
in the natural course and to express an action or event that is expected to be in progress at a point of time in future. For example:
(a) A new batch of students will be arriving in July.
(b) When he reaches Patna, it shall be raining there.
The Future Perfect Tense: The tense is used to express an action expected to be completed by a certain time in the
future. For example:
I shall have finished writing this monograph by the end of next month.
5.3.3.1. Put the verbs in brackets into be going to form or future indefinite:
(i) When you (pay) the electricity bill?
(ii) Look at the sky. It (rain).
(iii) He (grow) sugarcane next year.
(iv) The men in the helicopter (try) to save the wounded soldiers.
(v) They (know) the result in couple of days.
(vi) If the class four employees go on strike all office work (stop).
(vii) Unless he makes haste he (not catch) the train.
(viii) If you learn English you (get) a better job.
Ans. 5.3.3.1. (i)When are you going to pay…? (ii) is going to rain; (iii) is going to grow; (iv) are going to try; (v) will know; (vi) will stop;
(vii) will not catch; (viii) will get.
5.3.4. Use of Some –Any: Some means particular or known and any means general or whatever you like. Some is
generally used in affirmative statements and any in negatives and questions. In questions their use depends on the expected or
implied reply.
5.3.4. 1. Add some or any as required:
(i)There isn’t - - - milk in the pot.
(ii) You have - - - fine flowers in your garden.
(iii) ‘Give me - - - more pudding.’ ‘I’m sorry but there isn’t - - -.’
(iv) I can’t eat - - - potatoes, but I should like - - - beans.
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(v) There aren’t - - - matches left; we must buy - - - more.
(vi) You must tell us - - - more about your experiences.
(vii) You asked me for - - - ice, but I can’t find - - -.
(viii) Have you had - - - coffee? I can give you - - -.
(ix) Can you get - - - money from the bank?
(x) Can you give me - - - more information?
Ans.5.3.4. 1. (i) any; (ii) some; (iii) some, any; (iv) any, more; (v) any, some; (vi) some; (vii) some, any; (viii) any, some; (ix)
any; (x) some.
5.3.5. Use of Too – Enough:
Too is an adverb of excess. It is used with to + infinitive and/ or for + noun. Too has a negative sense of ‘so that ……not.’
Enough is also used with infinitive. It has a positive sense. It comes in front of a noun and after an adjective or adverb.
5.3.5.1. Rewrite the following sentences, using too or enough:
(i) It’s very cold; we can not go out.
(ii) This book is very difficult; I can’t read it.
(iii) It’s very dark; I can’t see anything.
(iv) It’s very far; we can’t go on foot.
(v) The music is very soft; we can’t hear it.
(vi) You are quite clever; you know it well.
(vii) You are quite old now; you ought to understand better.
(viii) The fruit is ripe; we can pick it.
(ix) That man is stupid; he believes her.
(x) It’s very small; this is a big room.
Ans. 5.3.5.1. (i) It’s too cold for us to go out. (ii) This book is too difficult for me to read. (iii) It’s too dark for me to see
anything. (iv) It’s too for to go on foot. (v) The music is too soft to hearit. (vi) You are clever enough to know it well. (vii) You are old
enough now to understand better. (viii) The fruit is ripe enough (for us) to pick. (ix) That man is stupid enough to believe her. (x) It’s
too small for this big room.
5.4 Conditional Sentences
5.4. Conditional Sentences: Conditional Sentences are of three types: Type A, Type B, Type C. In type A, the basic form
contains the simple present tense in the conditional clause and the modal will/shall in the main clause. In this type the if clause
expresses the open condition: it may or may not be fulfilled. E.g.
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If he works hard, he will get success in the examination.
In the Type B of conditional sentence, the if-clause is in the simple past form and the main clause uses would/should + infinitive (also
called the conditional tense). The if-clause represents a possible condition but one which is unlikely to be fulfilled: the condition is
therefore hypothetical. E. g.
If he worked hard, he would get success in the examination.
In the Type C of conditional sentence, the if-clause uses past perfect form (had + past participle) and the main clause uses
would/should + have + past participle. The if-clause in such sentences refers to past time and describes a condition which was not
met. The main clause describes a result which would have occurred if the condition had been met. The sentence is therefore quite
contrary to fact. E. g.
If he had worked hard, he would have got success in the examination.
Even if for if: A clause beginning with even if is not really conditional: it is called a concessive clause. Other words that
introduce concessive clauses are although, even though, while and whereas. E.g.
Even if you have a strong heart, this evening’s movie will come as a shock to you.
If and Unless: Like if, unless also introduces clauses of condition. The difference is that if introduces a positive condition
while unless introduces a negative condition. This means that if followed by a negative equals unless followed by an affirmative verb.
E.g.
Don’t watch the film on the TV this evening if you have a weak heart.
Don’t watch the film on the TV this evening unless you have strong heart.
If and Otheerwise: Otherwise means “If this doesn’t (didn’t etc.) happen. E.g.
Watch this evening’s movie if you have a strong heart, this evening’s movie will come as a shock to you.
5.4.1. Using conditional sentences of Type A, say what happens/ may happen, when the following conditions are met:
(i) You don’t sleep well at night.
(ii) You eat a heavy lunch.
(iii) You miss your favourite TV programme.
(iv) Water is heated to 100o c.
5.4.2. Using conditional sentences of the Type B, say what would you do if….:
(i) In the middle of an examination you find that your pen had run out of ink.
(ii) After eating a meal at a restaurant you found that you had left your wallet at home.
(iii) You had ten thousand rupees to spend in a day.
(iv) You were to win a ten-lakh rupee prize in a lottery-draw.
5.4.3. Rewrite the following sentences using conditional sentences of Type C:
(i) I didn’t see you, so I didn’t stop.
(ii) You weren’t careful; that is why the accident occurred.
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(iii) They didn’t play as a team; that is why they lost.
(iv) I didn’t leave early enough, so I missed the train.
Ans.5.4.1. (i) If I don’t sleep well at night, I will not feel happy in the morning.
(ii) If I eat a heavy lunch, I can not work throughout the day.
(iii) If I miss my favourite TV programme, I will miss the link.
(iv) If water is heated to 100o c, it will begin to boil.
Ans.5.4.2. (i) If in the middle of an examination I found that my pen had run out of ink, I would borrow one from my
friend.
(ii) If after eating a meal at a restaurant I found that I had left my wallet at home, I would leave my gold ring at the
counter.
(iii) If I had ten thousand rupees to spend in a day, I would like to donate it to the Old Shelter Home.
(iv) If I were to win a ten-lakh rupee prize in a lottery-draw, I would like to donate it to the Charitable Society.
Ans.5.4.3. (i) If I had seen you, I would have stopped.
(ii) If you had been careful, the accident would not have occurred.
(iii) If they had played as a team, they would not have lost.
(iv) If I had left early enough, I would not have missed the train.
5.4.4. Supply if, even if, unless, or otherwise in the following sentences as appropriate:
(i) You will be dismissed - - - you agree to do as you are told.
(ii) You must do as you are told; - - - you will be dismissed.
(iii) I’ll only do what I think is right - - - you dismiss me for it.
(iv) - - - you don’t like samosas, try one of these.
(v) - - - you don’t like samosas, try something else.
(vi) I never eat samosas - - - I am sure that they are home made.
(vii)I eat samosas only if they are home made; never - - -.
Ans.5.4.4. (i)unless; (ii) otherwise; (iii) even if; (iv)even if;(v) if; (vi) unless; (vii) Unless.
5.5 Modals
5.5 Modals: The modal verbs are can, could, may, might, must, ought to, shall, should, will and would. Dare, Need and
used to also share some of the features of modal verbs. Modals verbs have no ‘s’ added to the third person singular form.
Can has the meaning of ability, the sense of permission and possibility.
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May is used to express wishes and hopes. It also has the sense of permission.
Could is the past time equivalent of can in the sense of ability. Could shows greater politeness.
Could and might are used to express remote possibility.
Should expresses desirability or duty. Ought to like should expresses desirability or duty. Hence both of them can be used
in place of each other in this sense.
Must indicates an obligation or duty which can not be avoided and thus it differs from should.
Must not (mustn’t) is used to express an obligation or duty not to do something.
Would like will expresses willingness.
Shall, when used with second or third person subject, expresses coloured with promise, threat, or strong will.
Dare is an auxiliary verb like shall, should, must, can, etc. It means ‘be brave enough to.’
5.5.1. Fill in the blanks with suitable modals for the meaning given in brackets:
(i) We should - - - aim at noble goals. (desirability)
(ii) You - - - leave the office early today. (permission)
(iii) The govt. has declared that any enemy plane seen flying over its land - - - be shot down. (threat)
(iv) He has sent the message that he - - - be late. (possibility)
(v) She - - - tell her father the whole truth. (absence of courage)
(vi) It’s raining I - - - take my rain coat. (compulsion)
(vii) The country - - - build submariners before the Second World War. (ability)
(viii) You are very late. However, you - - - meet him if you hurry up. (remote possibility)
(ix) I - - - run a mile when I was young. (ability in the past)
(x) “You - - - be looked after well”, said the manager of the hotel. (promise)
(xi) - - - you prosper and live long! (blessing)
(xii) Students - - - do their lesson every day. They - - - not to forget to do their home work. (duty)
(xiii) “ - - - I stay here tonight? Said the stranger. (polite request)
(xiv) Visitor’s to the steel plant - - - cross the railing put round the furnace. (prohibition)
(xv) You - - - not hide from your parents what they - - - know. (obligation/necessity)
Ans. 5.5.1. (i) should; (ii) may; (iii) shall; (iv) may; (v) dare not; (vi) must; (vii) could; (viii) might; (ix) could; (x) shall; (xi)
May; (xii) must, ought; (xiii) could; (xiv) must not; (xv) should, must.
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5.6 Direct and Indirect Speech
5.6 Direct and Indirect Speech: Observe the following:
(a) He said, “I’m learning French.”
(b) He said that he was learning French.
Sentence (a) and (b) represent the two ways of stating what a person has said - - direct and indirect. In direct speech we repeat the
speaker’s exact words. The words repeated are put between inverted commas as in (a). In indirect speech we report the speaker’s
speech and in doing so we give the exact meaning of his speech without using his exact words as in (b). There is no comma after the
verb ‘say’ (here ‘said’). The verb ‘say’ (said) is called the ‘reporting verb’. When we turn direct speech into indirect or reported
speech, some changes become necessary as shown below:
Statements: When the reporting verb is in present or perfect tense or combined with a modal auxiliary, we report direct
speech without any change in the tense form of the verb(s). E.g.
He says, “I do not complete the work.”
He says (that) he does not complete the work.
But the reporting verb is usually in the past tense. Verbs in the direct speech have then to be changed into a
corresponding past tense form. The changes are listed below using the verb ‘go’:
Direct Speech Indirect Speech Direct Speech Indirect Speech
Go (simple present) went (simple past) went (simple past) had gone (Past Perfect)
am/is/are going was/were going was/were going had been going (Present Continuous) (Past Continuous)
(Past Continuous) (Past Perfect Continuous)
Has/ have gone had gone will/ shall go would/ should go
(Present Perfect) (Past Perfect) can/ may could/ might
Has/have been going had been going could, might, would, should, ought to, must,
(Present Perfect Continuous) (Past Perfect Continuous) used to . . . do not normally change.
Pronouns normally change from first or second person to third person.
Words indicating nearness in time and place are usually changed into words indicating distance. The changes are:
Direct Speech Indirect Speech Direct Speech Indirect Speech
This/ these that/ those here there
Now then today/tonight that day/that night
Last week/year the previous week/year tomorrow the next day
Next week/year the following week/year yesterday the day before
Ago before/ earlier the day before yesterday two days before
The day after tomorrow in two days’ time
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5.6.1. Rewrite the following in reported speech:
(i) The visitor said, “I want to speak to you.”
(ii) The student said to the teacher, ‘We are sorry, we are very late.”
(iii) My wife said, “I’ll answer the phone for you.”
(iv) His neighbour said, “You have an excellent cook.”
(v) “If it rains, we’ll have to cancel the match,” the captain said.
Ans.5.6.1. (i) The visitor said that he wanted to speak to me.
(ii) The student told the teacher that they were sorry as they were very late.
(iii) My wife said that she would answer the phone for me.
(iv) His neighbour said that I had an excellent cook.
(v) The captain said that he would have to cancel the match if it rained.
Questions: Wh-Questions (Questions beginning with question words like what, where, when, why, how). E.g.
(a) He said, “Where is he going?”
(b) He asked where he was going.
The question changes into a statement and therefore the interrogative form of the verb, the form of the verb used in questions,
changes to its declarative form (the form of the verb used in statements) and the question mark (/) is dropped. The reporting verb
say is changed to a verb like ask, inquire, wonder, want to know, etc. depending upon the sense of the question. Changes in regard
to tenses and words indicating nearness in time and place are the same in the case of statements.
Yes/ No questions (questions which can be answered in yes or no)
(c) Ram said, “Do you work hard?”
(d) Ram asked if (whether) I worked hard.
You have seen that the question-word where in (a) is repeated in (b) when the question is reported. When we have no question
word as in a yes/no-questions like the one (c) we use if or whether. If is more usual than whether. The other changes that apply to
wh-questions apply to yes/no questions as well.
(i) My wife asked, “How many of your friends are coming to dinner?”
(ii) His mother asked, “Why didn’t you get up earlier?”
(iii) The secretary enquired, “Can anyone tell me why the boss was so angry?”
(iv) “Shall I live to be a hundred?” the old man said.
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(v) He said to his son, “Did you lock the house or not?”
Ans 5.6.2. (i) My wife asked how many of my friends were coming to dinner.
(ii) His mother asked why he had not got up earlier.
(iii) The secretary enquired if anyone could tell him why the boss had been so angry.
(iv) The old man asked if he would live to be a hundred.
(v) He asked his son if he had locked the house or not.
Commands, requests and advice:
(a) The teacher said, “Sit down, Suresh.”
(b) The teacher told Mohan to sit down.
The command, request or advice when put into indirect speech changes into the to + infinitive construction. The verbs like tell,
advice, ask, beg, command, encourage, forbid, invite, order, request, remind, and warn etc. may be used as reporting verbs. The
choice of reporting verb will naturally depend upon the sense of the imperative (command, request or advice). The negative
command, request or advice are reported by using not + to+ infinitive construction.
(i) He said to him, “Get to bed right now and get up early in the morning.”
(ii) The Director said to the driver, “Drive as fast as you can because I don’t want to be late.”
(iii) Gopal’s mother tells me, “Don’t tell lies.”
(iv) The teacher asked me, “Tell me the truth.”
(v)Rubi said to Juhi, “Please lend me dictionary.”
Ans. 5.6.3. (i) He told him to get to bed right then and to get up early in the morning.
(ii) The Director instructed the driver to drive as fast as he could because he didn’t want to be late.
(iii) Gopal’s mother warned me not to tell lies.
(iv) The teacher asked me to tell him the truth.
(v)Rubi requested Juhi to lend her dictionary.
Exclamations take the form of statements in reported speech. We can also use the following in place of said:
Exclaimed with surprise / joy / sorrow / disgust etc.
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(i) Ram said, “What a grand building!”
(ii) Meena said to him, “What a dirty face you have!”
(iii) He said, “Thank you!”
Ans.5.6.4. (i) Ram exclaimed with surprise that it was a grand building.
(ii) Meena exclaimed with disgust to him that he had a dirty face.
(iii) He thanked me.
Sentence Synthesis: When we combine two simple sentences with the same subject into one simple sentence, we use
the participle form of the verb. For example, two sentences
He asked me to follow. He marched ahead.
are combined into
Asking me to follow, he marched ahead.
When the subjects to the two sentences are not the same, we use another kind of construction (with having or being + past
participle). E.g.
The rain stopped. The play resumed.
are combined into
The rain having stopped, the play resumed.
When the first sentence is in the passive form, the structure is having + been + past participle.
5.6.5. Combine the following sets of simple sentences into one simple sentences:
(i) Mrs. Naidu was standing by his side.
Mrs. Naidu cried, ‘Hail, Deliverer.’
(ii) Gandhi returned to the beach.
Gandhi picked up some salt.
(iii) They walked at a fast pace.
They covered two hundred miles in twenty four days.
(iv) The crowd shouted slogans.
The crowd marched to the collector’s office.
(v) The President took his seat on the platform.
The meeting began.
(vi) The students had left for their homes.

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The campus looked deserted.
(vii) He raised his hand.
He asked the people to be quiet.
Ans.5.6.5. (i) Standing by his side, Mrs. Naidu cried, ‘Hail, Deliverer.’
(ii) Returning to the beach, Gandhi picked up some salt.
(iii) Walking at a fast pace, they covered two hundred miles in twenty four days.
(iv) Shouting slogans, the crowd marched to the collector’s office.
(v) Taking his seat on the platform, the President began the meeting.
(vi) The students having left for their homes, the campus looked deserted.
(vii) Raising his hand, he asked the people to be quiet.
5.7 Active and Passive voice
5.7 Active and Passive Voice: A Verb is said to be in the Active Voice when the doer or actor does something; as, Ram
plays cricket. When the subject of a sentence is acted upon, the verb is passive; as, Ram is loved by his parents.
When a verb in the Active Voice is changed into Passive Voice, the following changes take place: (a) The object of the
Verb (always in case of a Transitive Verb) becomes the subject. (b) The Past Participle of the Verb is always used after the Verb be (is,
are, was, were, am) according to the tense in the Active Voice e.g. Suresh loves Gunjan becomes Gunjan is loved by Suresh. (c) The
Subject in the Active Voice becomes the Object of the Preposition by; as in the above examples. Note: Sometimes it is not necessary
to mention the Subject as an Object governed by the Preposition by; e.g., The watch is stolen. Sometimes there are two objects of an
active subject, e.g. They gave me a watch. (Active) I was given a watch. (Passive) A watch was given to me. (Passive). Such sentences
can be transformed into the passive voice in two ways as shown above.
5.7.1. Change the voice of the following sentences:
(i) Someone is following us.
(ii) English is spoken all over the world.
(iii) The original has been destroyed.
(iv) Open the door.
(v) Can you speak English?
(vi) The Head Master read the annual report.
(vii) The earth is known to be round.
(viii) A mistake was made in identifying the criminal.
5.7.2. Rewrite the following sentences in the passive. Use by + agent only when it is necessary:
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(i) Bulldozers remove the top soil.
(ii) They invited Tanuja to deliver a speech.
(iii) Somebody stole the typewriter from the office.
(iv) People blame the government for everything.
(v) Someone broke the rear mirror of my car.
(vi) How can we serve the people?
(vii) The workers have decorated the marriage pandal very beautifully.
(viii) People have praised his work.
(ix) The robbers had looted the village before the police could arrive.
(x) They have elected my father chairman of the college management society.
5.7.3. Change the voice of the following sentences:
(i) Someone has stolen my wristwatch.
(ii) Does cotton grow in Egypt?
(iii) What did the members of the interviewing Committee ask you at the interview?
(iv) The identities of the marchers were published in Young India.
(v) Gandhi broke the British Salt Law.
(vi) Somebody provided a horse for Gandhi, but he never used it.
(vii) He likes people to call him Sir.
(viii) Gandhi is about to give a signal to the nation.
(ix) He compared the Salt March to Napoleon’s march to Paris.
(x) Three hundred headmen gave up their government posts.
Ans.5.7.1. (i) We are being following.
(ii) People speak English all over the world.
(iii) Somebody has destroyed the original.
(iv) Let the door be opened.
(v) Can English be spoken by you?
(vi) The annual report was read by the Head Master.
(vii) We know the earth is round.
(viii) They made a mistake in identifying the criminal.
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Ans.5.7.2. (i) The top soil is removed by the Bulldozers.
(ii) Tanuja was invited by them to deliver a speech.
(iii) The typewriter was stolen from the office.
(iv) The government is blamed for everything.
(v) The rear mirror of my car was broken.
(vi) How can the people be served?
(vii) The marriage pandal has been very beautifully decorated.
(viii) His work has been praised.
(ix) The village had been looted by the robbers before the police could arrive.
(x) My father has been elected chairman of the college management society.
Ans.5.7.3. (i) My wristwatch has been stolen.
(ii) Is cotton grown in Egypt?
(iii) What were you asked at the interview?
(iv) Young India published the identities of the marchers.
(v) The British Salt Law was broken by Gandhi.
(vi) A horse was provided for Gandhi, but it was never used by him.
(vii) He likes to be called Sir.
(viii) A signal to the nation is about to be given by Gandhi.
(ix) The Salt March was compared to Napoleon’s march to Paris by him.
(x) The government posts were given up by three hundred headmen.
5.8 The Preposition
5.8 The Preposition: A preposition is a word place before a noun or a pronoun to show some relation between the noun
or pronoun to some other words in a sentence. For example:
The bird is sitting on the ground.
This is a work of mine.
The noun or the pronoun that is used with the preposition is called its object and is said to be governed by the preposition. In the
above sentences, The noun ground is governed by the preposition on. The pronoun mine is governed by the preposition of.
The word preposition (Pre + position) means, placed before. When a preposition is used with an infinitive, the preposition
is placed at the end, e.g. They need a house to live in.
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When the object of a preposition is a relative pronoun which is understood, the preposition is placed at the end, e.g. This
is the boy whom she was speaking of.
When the object of a preposition is an interrogative pronoun, the preposition is placed at the end, e.g. Whom are you
hinting at?
When the object of a preposition is the relative pronoun, the preposition is placed at the end and not before the object,
e.g. Show me the pencil that you were sitting with.
As a rule, a preposition is placed before its object, e.g.The child fell from the tree.
Kinds of Prepositions
(a) Simple Prepositions: on,in at, by, of, far, to, up, from, through, under, over, off.
(b) Compound Prepositions: They are formed by fixing a preposition, usually “a” (on), (by) to a noun, an adjective or an
adverb; as, Amidst (on + middle), behind (by + hind), before (by + fore), across, along, below, between, inside, etc.
(c) Phrase Prepositions: These consist of groups of words used with the preposition. They usually end with a simple
preposition; as, by way of, for the sake of, instead of, away from, because of, in favour of, according to.
(d) Participle Prepositions: There are a few words which are present participles of verbs, but are used without any noun
or pronoun attached to them. They are used as prepositions, e.g. Considering (taking into account) the condition, the injured should
be taken to the hospital. Touching (with regard to) this matter, we have decided to leave it at first.
(e) Double prepositions: These are used whenever a simple preposition fails to express the correct sense. Into, onto, from
above, from within, etc.
5.8.1. Inseert a preposition if necessary. Choose from at, by, for, in, of, on,past, till/until. To, with.
(i)Manu asked - - - her father - - - money.
(ii) Harish paid - - - me - - - the piano.
(iii) Keep - - - me a place, and keep a place - - - Rhea too.
(iv) They showed - - - us photographs of their twin daughters.
(v) Aparna is knitting socks - - - war widows.
(vi) Sitting - - - the floor is not very comfortable.
(vii) Could you lend - - - me your English work-book.
(viii) I explained - - - him that it was a custom - - - India to greet people with folded hands.
(ix) Rhea told - - - them to wait - - - her - - - the bridge.
(x) He advised - - - the strikers to go back - - - work. They received his advice - - - shouts - - - contempt.
(xi) The policeman ordered - - - us to give - - - him all the maps - - - our possession.
(xii)He told lies - - - the police.
5.8.2. Fill in the blanks with a suitable preposition where necessary:
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(i) Shiva lived - - - a house which was located just outside Mussoorie - - - The Himalayan.
(ii) Rubi asked - - - her teacher to take a book.
(iii) “What are the pebbles - - - ? He asked.
(iv) Grandfather told him stories - - - people who turned - - - animals and ghosts.
(v) When the tree was about half a meter high, a goat entered the garden and ate - - - the leves.
(vi) - - - the end of the rainy season, new leaves appeared - - - the tree.
(vii) He stood - - - the cherry tree and looked - - - it - - - a long time.
(viii) I promised my brother a toy train - - - a birthday gift.
(ix) I wrote - - - my father a letter - - - last week.
(x) If you are going - - - the post office, could you buy me some stamps.
Ans.5.8.1. (i) x, for; (ii) x, for; (iii) for, for; (iv) to; (v) for; (vi) on; (vii) x; (viii) to, in; (ix) x, for, at; (x) x, to, with, of; (xi) x, x,
in; (xii) to.
Ans.5.8.2. (i) in, on; (ii) x; (iii) for; (iv) about, into; (v) up; (vi) at, in; (vii) under, at, for; (viii) for; (ix) to, x; (x) to.
5.9 Summary
This Unit introduces the rules and regulations for learning the correct usage of English language. There is a great need of
practice the exercises of the tenses, auxiliary verbs, different types of sentences, determiners, narration, active and passive voice,
preposition and punctuation. Grammar is only a language learning tool, but not an aim. The aim of learning a language is
communication and expressing ones feelings, emotions and activities all the time. By constant practice one can develop a knowledge
and understanding of the different ways in which grammar has been described and get mastery over it.
5.10 Do as directed:
5.10.1. Supply a, an, some or the where necessary:
(i) - - - chair is made of - - - wood.
(ii) - - - orange grows on - - - tree.
(iii) I like music - - - very much.
(iv) He makes - - - toys in - - - evening.
(v) Put - - - butter on - - - potatoes.
(vi) Do you prefer - - - book of - - - stories of - - - adventure?

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2. Supply the correct present form of the verb given in brackets:
(i) I - - - any thing during vacations. ( not study)
(ii)Ask the woman what she - - - . (want)
(iii) She (watch) the TV all evening.
(iv) I (talk) about grammar for the last half an hour, but you (not listen).
(v) You ever (read) Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice?
3. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct Past Tense:
(i) I (meet) him on Monday.
(ii) Reena and Sohan (go) to work by car.
(iii)The children were frightened because it (get) dark.
(iv)While they (watch) TV somebody entered the house from the back.
(v) My wife and I (talk) about you the other day.
4. Put the verbs in brackets into be going to form or future indefinite:
(i) If you don’t hurry you (miss) your train.
(ii) They (change) their old car.
(iii) You (have) time to help me this weekend?
5. Add some or any as required:
(i) Go and ask him for - - - paper. I haven’t - - - in my desk.
(ii) I have - - - more work for you to do.
(iii) Put - - - salt in it; the cook hasn’t put - - - .
6. Supply if, even if, unless, or otherwise in the following sentences as appropriate:
(i) He will come - - - you write to him.
(ii) He won’t come - - - you write to him.
(iii) Write to him - - - he won’t come.
(iv) - - - you don’t have TV at home you must watch this programme. It’s so good.
7. Fill in the blanks with suitable modals for the meaning given in brackets:
(i) - - - he be so foolish as to behave like this? (possibility)
(ii) “You - - - not go until you tell me the truth”, said the police officer. (threat)
(iii) There is no other offer. I - - - accept this job. (compulsion)
107
8. Rewrite the following in reported speech:
(i) The doctor said to me, “You have to take rest for a week.”
(ii) The employee said to him, “Do you think you can learn English in a year?”
(iii) He said to his son, “Save some money for the future.”
(iv) He said, “Happy New Year!”
9. Change the voice of the following sentences:
(i) The inspector did not examine the finger prints.
(ii) Make these announcements.
(iii)The students are decorating the hall.
(iv) Somebody has stolen my book.
(v) Should you not tell the police about it?
(vi) The government called out the army to control the riots.
(vii) The guilty officer was suspended.
10. Fill in the blanks with a preposition where necessary:
(i) He sold the statue - - - an American dealer - - - Rs. Sixty thousand.
(ii) Vikas promised - - - us a share - - - the profits.
(iii) I can not tell - - - you what she said - - - me - - - confidence.
(iv) We must try to get - - - home - - - time - - - tea.
(v) I am going - - - home - - - Sunday.
(vi) She pressed the seed - - - the soil - - - her thumb.
(vii) One morning, grandfather went - - - the garden to get some sun.
Answer: 5.10.1. (i) a, x ; (ii) an, a; ; (iii) x ; (iv) x, the ; (v) some, the ; (vi) a, some, x.
2. (i) do not study; (ii) wants; (iii) has been watching; (iv) have been talking, are not listening; (v) Have you ever read.
3. (i) met; (ii) went; (iii)was getting; (iv) were watching; (v) were talking.
4. (i) are going to miss; (ii) are going to change; (iii) Will you have …?
5. (i) some, any; (ii) some; (iii) some, any.
6. (i) if; (ii) unless; (iii) otherwise; (iv) even if.
7. (i) can; (ii)shall; (iii) must.
8. (i) The doctor told me that I had to take rest for a week.
108
(ii) The employee asked him if he could think to learn English in a year.
(iii) He advised his son to save some money for the future.
(iv) He wished me a happy new year.
9. (i) The finger prints were not examined by the inspector.
(ii) Let these announcements be made.
(iii)The hall is being decorated by the students.
(iv) My book has been stolen.
(v) Should it not be told to the police?
(vi) The army was called out to control the riots.
(vii) He suspended the guilty officer.
10. (i) to, for; (ii) x, in; (iii) x, to, in; (iv) at, on, for; (v) to, on; (vi) under, with; (vii) to.
5.11 Do as directed:
5.11. (a) Supply a, an, some or the where necessary:
(i) - - - clouds over - - - sea are lovely today.
(ii) There is - - - horse in - - - garden.
(b) Supply the correct Present form of the verb given in brackets:
(iii) They (walk) ten miles and are resting now.
(iv) Suresh (suffer) from fever for a week now, but he (do) nothing about it so far.
(c) Put the verbs in brackets into the correct Past Tense:
(v) The teacher (say) they could go home when they (complete) their work.
(vi)He (be) hungry because he (have) nothing to eat since the previous day.
(d) Put the verbs in brackets into be going to form or future indefinite:
(vi) If he works well I (pay) him handsomely.
(vii) The Prime Minister (present) the awards.
(e) Add some or any as required:
(viii) I’ve lost my pencil. Have you - - - to lend me?
109
(ix) Will you have - - - more tea?
(f) Fill in the blanks with suitable modals for the meaning given in brackets:
(x) How - - - you insult me? (presence of courage)
(xi) They - - - gladly accept the offer. (willingness)
(g) Rewrite the following in reported speech:
(xii) The husband said to his wife, “Who called while I was away?”
(xiii) Sheela said to Meera, “Don’t try to be very clever.”
( h) Change the voice of the following sentences:
(xiv) Gandhi gave a signal to the nation.
(xv) This door must be kept shut.
(xvi) Someone is following us.
(i) Fill in the blanks with a preposition where necessary:
(xvii) We must try to get - - - home - - - time - - - dinner.
(xviii) Buying presents - - - children is sometimes very difficult.
Answer: 5.11. (a) (i) the, the; (ii) a, the. (b) (iii) have walked; (iv) has been suffering, has done. (c) (v) said, had completed; (vi)was,
had had. (d) (vi) shall pay; (vii) will present. (e) (viii) any; (ix) some. (f) (x) dare; (xi) would. (g) (xii) The husband asked his wife who
had called him while he was away. (xiii) Sheela warned Meera not to try to be very clever. ( h) (xiv) A signal to the nation was given
by Gandhi. (xv) You must keep this door shut. (xvi) We are being followed. (i) (xvii) x, in, for; (xviii) for.
Living English Structure – W. S. Allen.
Oxford Advance Learner’s Dictionary – A.S Hornby.
A Remedial Englilsh Grammar for Foreign Students - F.T. Wood.
English Grammar and Composition - Wren and Martin.
Living English Grammar and composition – M.L.Tickoo, A.E. Subramanian, P.R. Subramaniam (Orient Longman limited, New
Delhi).
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111

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Unit – 1 Short Answer Questions

 Understand the text.

1.2 A General Idea of Each Chapter (1.2.1 to 1.2.14)

1.3 Short Questions from Each Chapter (1.3.1 to 1.3.14)

1.3.1 Short Answer Type Questions

1.3.2 Objective Type Questions

1.3.3 True/False Statements

1.4 Meaning of Difficult Words (1.4.1 to 1.4.14)

1.6 Key to the Questions asked in 1.3

1.7 Check Your Progress

1.8 Model Question Paper

1.9 Reference Books for Further Studies

The book English Language and Indian

1.2 A General Idea of Each Chapter (1.2.1 to 1.2.14)

1.2.1 Chapter – 1 : Where the Mind is without Fear

1.2.2 Chapter – 2: The Ideals of Indian Art

1.2.3 Chapter – 3: The Wonder that was India

1.2.4. Chapter – 4: The Heritage of Indian Art

1.2.5. Chapter – 5: Life in Vedic Literature

1.2.6. Chapter – 6: The Ramayana and the Mahabharata

1.2.7 Chapter – 7: Freedom Movement in India

1.2.8 Chapter 8: Dandi Salt March

1.2.9 Chapter 9: Aspects of Indian Constitution

1.2.10. Chapter – 10: Individual Freedom

1.2.11 Chapter 11: Fundamental Duties

1.2.12 Chapter – 12: Delhi in 1857

1.2.13 Chapter – 13: Rajah’s Diamond

1.2.14 Chapter – 14: Tree

1.3 Short Questions from Each Chapter (1.3.1 to 1.3.14)

1.3.1 Short Answer Type Questions (1.3.1.1 to 1.3.1.14)

1.3.1.1. Reply each of the following questions in one complete sentence:

2. What is meant by “knowledge is free” in the poem?

3. What is meant by “narrow domestic walls” in the poem?

4. Give the two qualities of mind described in the poem.

6. To whom does the poet address his poem? (Chapter – 1)

1.3.1.2. Reply each of the following questions in one complete sentence:

1. Of which culture is the product of the main stream?

2. Give the name of tribes that made India their home.

3. Why is Indian art bound up with India’s past?

6. What is trinity in Hinduism? (Chapter – 2)

1.3.1.3. Reply each of the following questions in one complete sentence:

1. Write the most significant quality of Indian civilization?

2. What is the most important characteristic of the Indian way of life?

3. How can you say that caste system in India is vanishing?

4. Who first went to the South East Asian Countries?

6. Write some ‘practical blessings’ conferred on the world by India.(Chapter – 3)

1.3.1.4. Answer the questions given below in one complete sentence:

1. Where does lie the cultural heritage of India?

4. What is the significance of “Trimurti” in Elephanta?

5. What do Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh represent? (Chapter – 4)

1. 3.1.5. Answer the following Questions in one complete sentence:

2. How would you describe the Vedic hymns?

3. To what period do the first two Vedas belong?

4. What proves the Atharva Veda’s late origin?

5. Who composed the Aranyakas?

6. Explain the meaning of the term ‘Upanishad’. (Chapter – 5)

1.3.1.6. . Answer the questions given below in one complete sentence:

1. Name the writer who first wrote the story of Ram.

2. Where did Ram go to rescue Sita?