Note Making

Notes are short written record of facts to aid the memory. Notes are
usually taken to record a speech or dictation while listening to it or
after reading a book, magazine or article. They are referred back
whenever needed and may be reproduced in the desired way.

The necessity of note making

Knowledge is vast and unlimited, but our memory is limited. We
cannot remember all the information all the time. Hence note-making
is necessary. With the help of notes we can recall the entire
information read/heard months ago. Note-making is quite useful to
students preparing so many subjects. At the time of examinations, it is
not possible to go through voluminous books. At such critical times,
notes are quite handy. Hence note-making fulfils three useful
functions:

1. It keeps a lot of information at our disposal for ready reference.

2. It helps us reconstruct what was said or written and thus
accelerates the process of remembering/recall. .
3. It comes in handy in delivering a speech, participation in a
debate/discussion, writing an essay and revising lessons before
an examination.

How note making helps us

While making notes we do not simply read the passage/listen to

speech but consider various points made by the writer/speaker and
draw our own inferences about what is being presented. Thus note-
making helps us in understanding the passage in a better way and
organising our thoughts systematically.

Characteristics of good notes

1. Short and Compact: Good notes must be short and compact.

2. Complete Information: They must contain all the important
information.
3. Logical: They must be presented in a logical way.
4. Understandable: They should be understandable when
consulted at a later stage.
Mechanics of note making

While making notes we follow certain standard practices. These may

be listed as follows:
(a) Heading and Sub-headings
(b) Abbreviation and Symbols
(c) Note-form
(d) Numbering and Indentation

Heading and sub-headings

The heading reflects the main theme whereas the sub-headings point
out how it has been developed. The selection of proper heading and
sub-heading reveals the grasp of the passage by the students. In the
absence of proper assimilation of main ideas and subsidiary points it
is impossible to make notes.

Abbreviations and symbols

They are used for precision and economy of words and hence quite
helpful in note-making. At least four recognisable abbreviations are to
be used in note-making in your board examination.
These are essential components of note-making. Students often make
use of abbreviations and symbols in doing their written work.
Note. Confusing abbreviations should be avoided, e.g., the
abbreviation ‘under’ may stand for understand, understood and
understanding. Similarly ‘indst’ may stand for industry, industrial,
industrious.

Note-Form
While making notes the whole information is listed in note-form in
points only. Notes should not be written in complete sentences as we
can’t remember the whole information. So only the main points are
listed one under the other and numbered.
It implies the logical division and sub-division of the listed information
by using figures, letters, dashes and spaces.
All examples and figurative speeches are eliminated.

Numbering and indenting

Indentation
Indentation means leaving space at the beginning of a line of print or
writing.
First write the title and then write down the notes in a logical order.
From the main headings to the sub-headings, the numbering should
be spaced a little to the right.

Conclusion
Note-making is a useful skill. You must develop it with constant
practice. Notes form an essential part of your academic life and will
serve you well in your School/Board examinations.

How to write note making

Follow the following steps:

Step 1 : (i)Read the passage carefully.
(ii)Try to get the theme and subject of the passage. You may ask
yourself: “What is this passage about?” This will provide you the gist.
Step 2 : Read carefully. Identify main ideas and important supporting
details.
Step 3 : Make notes of the main ideas under headings and add sub-
points under sub-headings.
Step 4 : Use proper layout/format, e.g.,
(a) Indented, linear form
(b) Sequential form
(c) Tabular form
(d) Flow chart
(e) Pie chart, graphs or diagrams, etc.
Step 5 : Use recognisable abbreviations wherever possible

Note making Examples Solved Questions

Read the following passages carefully:

Note making Example – Passage 1:

1. Conversation is indeed the most easily teachable of all arts. All

you need to do in order to become a good conversationalist is to
find a subject that interests you and your listeners. There are, for
example, numberless hobbies to talk about. But the important
thing is that you must talk about other fellow’s hobby rather than
your own. Therein lies the secret of your popularity. Talk to your
friends about the things that interest them, and you will get a
reputation for good fellowship, charming wit, and a brilliant mind.
There is nothing that pleases people so much as your interest in
their interest.
2. It is just as important to know what subjects to avoid and what
subjects to select for good conversation. If you don’t want to be
set down as a wet blanket or a bore, be careful to avoid certain
unpleasant subjects. Avoid talking about yourself, unless you
are asked to do so. People are interested in their own problems
not in yours. Sickness or death bores everybody. The only one
who willingly listens to such talk is the doctor, but he gets paid
for it.
3. To be a good conversationalist you must know not only what to
say, but how also to say it. Be mentally quick and witty. But don’t
hurt others with your wit. Finally try to avoid mannerism in your
conversation. Don’t bite your lips or click your tongue, or roll
your eyes or use your hands excessively as you speak.
4. Don’t be like that Frenchman who said, “How can I talk if you
hold my hand?”
2.1 Make notes an the contents of above paragraph in any format,
using abbreviations. Supply a suitable title also. 5
2.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:
2.1 Title: The Art of Conversation Notes:

1. Conv’n—most easily tch’ble art

(a) Reqd. interest’g subject – hobbies
(b) Talk about other fellow’s int./hobby
(c) Win’g reptn. as good conversationalist
(i) good f’ship
(ii) charm’g wit
(iii) brl. mind
2. Fit subs, for conversationalist
(a) What subs, to avoid/select?
(b) Avoid unpl’nt subs.
(i) sickness
(ii) death
(c) Avoid talk’g about self
3. Qualities of a good conversationalist
(a) What to say & how to say it
(b) ment’y quick & witty
(c) pleasant & unhurt’g
(d) avoid mannerisms.

2.2 Conversation is the easiest and the most effective tool than other
arts. To have such attractive quality, you need to pick a subject that
interest your listners more than you. Talk to your friends on topics that
can indulge your friends in the conversation for a longer period of
time. Being a good conversationalist, you have to quick and witty. You
should have a pleasant and unhurting quality. Mannerism should be
avoided.
Note making Example Passage 2:

1. A good business letter is one that gets results. The best way to
get results is to develop a letter that, in its appearance, style and
content, conveys information efficiently. To perform this function,
a business letter should be concise, clear and courteous.
2. The business letter must be concise: don’t waste words. Little
introduction or preliminary chat is necessary. Get to the point,
make the point, and leave it. It is safe to assume that your letter
is being read by a very busy person with all kinds of papers to
deal with. Re-read and revise your message until the words and
sentences you have used are precise. This takes time, but is a
necessary part of a good business letter. A short business letter
that makes its point quickly has much more impact on a reader
than a long-winded, rambling exercise in creative writing. This
does not mean that there is no place for style and even, on
occasion, humour in the business letter. While it conveys a
message in its contents, the letter also provides the reader with
an impression of you, its author: the medium is part of the
message.
3. The business letter must be clear. You should have a very firm
idea of what you want to say, and you should let the reader
know it. Use the structure of the letter—the paragraphs, topic
sentences, introduction and conclusion—to guide the reader
point by point from your thesis, through your reasoning, to your
conclusion. Paragraph often, to break up the page and to lend
an air of organisation to the letter. Use an accepted business-
letter format. Re-read what you have written from the point of
view of someone who is seeing it for the first time, and be sure
that all explanations are adequate, all information provided
(including reference numbers, dates, and other identification). A
clear message, clearly delivered, is the essence of business
communication.
4. The business letter must be courteous. Sarcasm and insults are
ineffective and can often work against you. If you are sure you
are right, point that out as politely as possible, explain why you
are right, and outline what the reader is expected to do about it.
Another form of courtesy is taking care in your writing and typing
of the business letter. Grammatical and spelling errors (even if
you call them typing errors) tell a reader that you don’t think
enough of him or can lower the reader’s opinion of your
 personality faster than anything you say, no matter how idiotic.
There are excuses for ignorance; there are no excuses for
sloppiness.
5. The business letter is your custom-made representative. It
speaks for you and is a permanent record of your message. It
can pay big dividends on the time you invest in giving it a
concise message, a clear structure, and a courteous tone.

2.1 Make notes on the passage using recognisable abbreviations in

any suitable format. Give a title to the passage. 5
2.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:
2.1 Title: Writing a Business Letter
Notes:

1. Features of a gd. busns letter

1.1 conveys info efficiently to get results
1.2 is concise
1.3 is clear
1.4 is courteous
2. How to write a gd. busns. letter
2.1 Making letter concise
2.1.1 Intro shd be brief
2.1.2 make your pt in precise words and sent’s
2.1.3 short letr more effective
2.1.4 style is imp.—may ocasnly have hum’r
2.2 Achieving clarity
2.2.1 Have a clear idea of what you wish to say
2.2.2 structr the letter—intro & conclsn.
 2.2.3 use accepted format; para, topic, sent’s
2.2.4 check facts, expl’ns, refs.
2.3 Being courteous
2.3.1 Expln. your pt. politely—avoid sarcasm/insults.
2.3.2 careful wrtg & typg.
2.3.3 gram. & spel’g errors to be avoided
3. Importance of busns. letr
3.1 a representative
3.2 permanent rec. message.

2.2 A good business letter is that lends you positive and quality
results. To get such results, a business letter should be effective in
appearance, style and content. Apart from this a letter should be
concise, clear and courteous. The business letter should be to the
point as the message can be clear to the reader with an impression of
you. The structure of letter should have topic sentence, introduction,
paragraphs to conclusion. Reread the points you have written to avoid
sarcasm and insults that can work against your motive. Further more
grammar and spelling errors need to be avoided.

Note making Example Passage 3:

1. Good decoration reflects the personality of the people who live

in the home. It should, first of all, be distinctive, just as each
person is distinctive. A home should have unity
not only within each room but also throughout the house. Rooms
should, to some degree, harmonize with each other. The colour
and styling of each room, particularly, should fit into the colour
and styling of the rooms which run out of it.
2. Attractive home furnishings set the stage for pleasant living. If
they are an expression of yourself, you will have a feeling of
satisfaction every time you enter your home, and friends will
share your enjoyment.
3. However, furnishings and surroundings expressive of just the
right note of restfulness, gay informality, or elegant simplicity are
not often assembled by accident. Even enthusiasm alone is not
enough. For most home decorators, it takes poring over plans,
trying colour schemes, finding ingenious ways to make the best
of what you have, and shopping around to search out just the
right purchases at prices you can afford to pay. But there is keen
 pleasure in striving for the perfect result, and great satisfaction in
achieving it.
4. A successful house and successful rooms will depend upon the
proper relationship of each element in it to the others and to the
whole. Therefore, in selecting each piece it is well to consider
the background, the usage, the draperies, the floor covering, the
upholstering materials, the woods, shapes, colour scheme, and
the “feeling” you prefer for the room.
5. Work and plan to enjoy your house. Limit the expenditures of
time, effort and money to the extent of your abilities, so that just
running the house doesn’t dominate your life. Elegance and
delicate things may be a drain you can afford only in a limited
way. If you can’t afford outside help, select a house and
furnishings that require less care. Plan your activities so that
tumult and upset are limited to a few rooms—an activity room or
a bedroom, or a comer of the dining room.
6. You’ll get more pleasure out of a house if you have a hobby
connected with it—collecting glass or antiques, gardening or
indoor flower growing ceramics, art, cooking, decorating, flower
arrangements, etc. And you’ll get more satisfaction and a great
deal of help from studying household activities.
7. You can select a pleasing combination of colours from a
wallpaper, a fabric, an oriental mg, a flower or scene, or even a
picture in a magazine. If you don’t already have the furniture or
mgs, it is a good idea to make up a colour scheme in this way.
Let one colour predominate. Limit a colour scheme to two or
three colours, with white or gray tones.

These points will help you:

1. Always choose colours that please you personally— subtle,

calm colours if you prefer a restful atmosphere, intense colours if
you like liveliness and cheer.
2. Don’t be afraid of colour. Experimenting on paper will give you
confidence. (But remember larger batches of colour are more
intense.) Try out various colour combinations, then live with
them—look at them frequently before you actually start buying.
3. Colours should harmonize with furniture, draperies, carpets.
2.1 Make notes on the passage in any suitable format. Use
abbreviations, wherever necessary. Give a suitable title. 5
2.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:
2.1 Title: Decorating One’s Home
Notes:

1. Home reflects personality of home-owner

1.1 unity & harmony bet. rooms
1.2 colour & styling sh’d match
2. Elements of decoration
2.1 colour schemes
2.2 draperies, rugs, upholstery, woods, shape
3. Plan to enjoy the House
3.1 limit time, effort & money
3.2 select fumish’gs which require little care
3.3 confine hectic activities to a few rooms
3.4 hobby connected with house—great pleasure.
4. Choice of Colours
4.1 one colour sh’d predominate
4.2 one can expt with colours
4.3 calm colours for restfulness; intense for liveliness
4.4 colours sh’d harmonise with furniture, draperies, carpets

2.2 The maintenance of the house reflects the personality of the

people who live in that. So the distinctive decoration is as important as
one attire in good clothes. A unity in the home can only be seen if the
rooms in the house have a degree of harmony, colour and styling.
Furniture is a working strategy for the pleasant living. If there is an
expression of oneself then one will have a mental satisfaction
everytime one enter one’s home. To attain such satisfaction one need
to pore over plants, try colour schemes, window shopping to search
the best thing for one’s home.

Note making Example Passage 4:

EXERCISE YOUR WAY TO A HEALTHY HEART

1. The epidemic of heart attacks has been attaining alarming

proportion in recent times causing grave concern specially to the
medical fraternity.
2. To contain and control the increasing death and disability from
heart attacks and to focus on public awareness and their
involvement at global level, the World Health Organisation
(WHO) and the World Heart Federation observed September
24th as the World Heart Day.
3. What causes heart attacks? Dr H.S. Wasir, Chief Cardiologist
and Medical Director, Batra Hospital and Medical Research
Centre lists four main habits which adversely affect the heart
health. These are lack of physical exercise, wrong eating habits,
cigarette smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, and
stressful lifestyle.
4. The importance of physical exercise in minimising the incidence
of heart attacks cannot be underestimated. “Physical exercise,”
says Dr Wasir, “plays a major role in achieving a long and
healthy life in general and prevention of heart attacks in
particular.” There are several studies showing that physically
active people have higher longevity than those sedentary or
physically inactive.
5. In fact, the review of modern medical literature sums up the role
of physical activity in health as ‘Regular physical exercise adds
not only years to life but also life to years’. It is the experience of
many modern day physicians that some patients of angina
(chest pain or discomfort on physical or mental exertion or after
meals) do get relief with regularly done physical exercise.
6. What type of physical exercise and how much, one may ask. It is
the isotonic (dynamic) exercise that is beneficial for the heart
and not the isometric (static) exercise which should be avoided
 by heart patients. Weight lifting, carrying heavy suitcases while
travelling, pushing a car are some of the examples of isometric
exercises. Examples of the beneficial type of physical activity
(dynamic exercise) are brisk walking, swimming, golf without
power carts, badminton and tennis (doubles for those with old
heart attacks but fully recovered, to be started only after
physician’s advice).
7. Walking is the best mode of doing regular physical exercise
which requires no equipment, money, material or membership of
a club! 30 to 60 minutes brisk walk even on alternate day has
been proven to be beneficial. Stationary cycling or walking on a
treadmill at home are the other alternatives.
8. Walking up the stairs instead of using a lift if going up to three or
four floors or getting off the lift two or three floors before the
destination and walking up the rest through stairs. Going up
several floors in a overcrowded lift with limited fresh air to be
shared by so many may also prove unhealthy.
9. Park a little away from the work place and walk that healthy
distance.
10. Best time for brisk walks would be the early mornings
before the traffic flow picks up and walking in the parks with thick
plantation. Jogging on the roads with heavy traffic should be
avoided as you will be inhaling air polluted with the toxins from
vehicular exhaust such as dioxides of sulphur and nitrogen.
11. “Before starting any physical exercise programmes for the
first time, one must get fully evaluated by a cardiologist so as to
avoid any harm being done by exercise if there is serious
underlying heart disease needing treatment,” warns Dr Wasir.

2.1 Make notes on the above passage in any suitable format using

recognizable abbreviations wherever necessary. Assign a suitable
heading to the passage. 5
2.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:
2.1 Title: Having a Healthy Heart
Notes:

1. World Heart Day. 24 Sept.

(a) to control death & disability
(b) to increase awareness
2. Causes of Heart Attacks
(a) lack of phy’l exercise
(b) wrong eating habits
(c) smoking & alcohol
(d) stressful lifestyle
3. Role of Physical Excse.
(a) prevents hrt attacks—longer life
(b) isotonic-beneficial; isometric—harmful
(c) walking: best excse.
(i) 30 to 60 mts. brisk walk
(ii) no equipment, money, mat’l or membership of club
(iii) early morning: ideal for walking
(d) Other beneficial excses
(i) stay cycling
(ii) swimming
(iii) walk’g on treadmill
4. Consult cardiologist before beginning an excse progrme.

2.2 In recent times, heart attack is an epidemic disease that cause

grave concern to the medical fraternity. To have control on increasing
death and disability due to heart attacks, the World Health
Organisation (W.H.O) and World Heart Federation has observed
September 24th as the World Heart Day to focus on public
awareness. According to health expert there are four main habits that
cause heart attack, these are lack of physical exercise, wrong eating
habits, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and stressful
lifestyle. The affects of heart attack can be reduced to greater extent
with the help of regular exercise.

Note making Example Passage 5:

1. Scientists in the USA and Japan are developing a set of smart
materials that clean themselves off dirt and stains besides
eliminating foul odours and dangerous bacteria.
2. Exploiting powerful catalytic properties, researchers succeeded
in creating tiles, glass, paint, paper and cloth that can keep
themselves sparkling clean.
3. The first item to reach the market, a self-cleaning wall and
counter tile, can not only kill bacteria but also eliminate odours
and staining associated with smoke from cooking oils and
cigarettes, reports the journal Technology Review.
4. The key to the self-cleansing world of the future is the interaction
between titanium dioxide and ultraviolet rays from the sun or
fluorescent lights. The special properties of titanium dioxide—a
substance used to make paint and tooth-paste white—were first
discovered by Tokyo University chemist Akira Fujishima and
Associates in 1969. Their research showed that when exposed
to solar energy, titanium dioxide has the ability to break down
water into hydrogen and oxygen.
5. After a quarter-century of observation, scientists now understand
that the reaction occurs as titanium dioxide absorbs ergy from
the UV band of sunlight and reacts with water vapour in the air
to produce oxygen molecules. These molecules are energetic
enough to break down organic matter into carbon dioxide and
trace elements.
6. “When light shines on the white paint pigment, titanium dioxide,
it produces an active form of oxygen that can burn combustible
material at room temperature,” says David Ollis, Professor of
Chemical Engineering at North Carolina State University. “It is a
fire without a flame.”
7. Scientists have discovered that titanium dioxide-coated
materials can easily remove thin deposits such as bacteria and
fingerprints, though they are unable to break down thick
splotches of organic materials—such as blood stains—because
light and oxygen in the air cannot reach the surface where the
reaction occurs.
8. Fujishima says that when titanium-dioxide tiles were used in the
operating rooms and bathrooms of Ako Central Hospital in Ako,
Japan, they killed 99.9 per cent of bacteria on their surface.
Included among them were penicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
and other germs that can cause secondary infections among
patients.
9. The tiles—marketed by Japan’s Toto Corp under the name
NeoClean—remain effective even though they are coated with a
layer of titanium dioxide only one micron thick, about one-fiftieth
the diameter of a human hair. Once the fine layer of compound
is permanently affixed—it is commonly sprayed and then baked
onto the tile’s surface— the company says it is resistant to the
abrasion of ordinary scrubbing that might be needed for thicker
stains. Moreover, because titanium dioxide acts only as a
catalyst for the photochemical reaction, it theoretically never
gets used up.
10. While cleaning time varies with the thickness of the
deposit, Adam Heller, a professor of Chemistry at the University
of Texas at Austin, says his experiment shows that titanium
dioxide-treated glass removed fingerprints in about two hours.
This glass, versions of which both Heller and Fujishima have
developed, could be made reactive on both sides, making it
ideal for everything from sky-scraper windows to car window
glass.
11. The Japanese have tested other titanium dioxide-treated
materials as well. Kazuhito Hashimoto, a chemist at Tokyo
University, applied the compound to a porcelain urinal. After a
month, the treated urinal looked sparkling clean while an
untreated unit was blotched and yellowed. Elsewhere,
researchers are experimenting to see if the tiles can keep
themselves clean on the walls of heavily polluted car and truck
tunnels. And a Japanese paper company is developing windows
and partitions for Japanese houses while a camping equipment
manufacturer is testing a self-cleaning tent fabric.
12. But the most promising self-cleaning product is likely to be
a wash-itself paint. Both the Texas and the Tokyo laboratories
have demonstrated the self-cleaning capacities of paints
containing titanium dioxide. While they are not saying exactly
how they did it, both claim to have overcome an intrinsic
problem in which titanium dioxide breaks down materials that
bind pigments in coloured paints.
2.1 Give a suitable title to the passage. 1
2.2 Make notes of the contents of the passage you have read. Use a
format you consider suitable. Use recognizable abbreviations
wherever necessary. 4
2.3 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:
2.1 Title: Self Cleaning Materials
2.2 Notes:

1. Self clg. mats.

(a) clean dirt, stains
(b) eliminate foul odour & dang, bacteria
2. Self clg. tiles—pple. of wk.
(a) uv rays —> TiO2
3. Spl. props, of TiO2
(a) Ti02 makes paint/tooth paste white
(b) ability to break down H20 into H2 and O2
(c) abs. energy from uv band + reacts with H2O vapours —>
prod. O2—> brk. org. matter —> CO2 + trace elements
4. Discovery Testing & Research
(a) dis.- Akira Fujishima (Tokyo Univ.)—1969
(b) Testg.- Ako Central Hospl.
(c) Adam Heller (Texas Univ.)—TiO2 coated glass—removed
finger prints in 2 hrs.
5. Marketing
(a) Tiles called ‘Neo clean’
(b) Jap. Toto Corp.
6. Future Prospects wash itself paint
2.3 Scientists of Japan and USA have developed many smart
materials that not only clean themselves off dirt and stains but also
eliminate adours and dangerous bacteria. Some tiles, glass, paint,
paper and cloth have been introduced those can be kept clean
manually. Titanium dioxide and ultraviolet rays from the sun are the
keys to the self cleaning world. But the most effective and promising,
self cleaning product is likely to be wash itself paint.

Note making Example Passage 6:

1. It’s headache having a headache. Almost all of us have suffered

from a headache at some time or the other. For some headache
is a constant companion and life can be a painful hell of wasted
time.
2. The most important step to cope with headaches is to identify
the type of headache one is suffering from. In tension
headaches (two hand headache), a feeling of a tight band
around the head exists along with pain in the neck and
shoulders. It usually follows activities such as long stretches of
driving, typing or sitting on the desk. They are usually short-
timed, but can last for days or weeks?
3. A headache is usually caused due to spinal misalignment of the
head, due to poor posture. Sleeping on the stomach with the
head turned to one side and bending over positions for a long
time make it worse.
4. In migraine headaches (one handed headaches), the pain is
usually on one side of the head and may be accompanied by
nausea, vomiting, irritability and bright spots of flashes of light.
This headache is made worse by activity, especially bending.
The throbbing pain in the head gets worse by noise and light.
Certain triggers for migraines may be chocolate, caffeine,
smoking or MSU in certain food items. The pain may last from
eight to 24 hours and there may be a hangover for two-three
days.
5. Migraines are often preceded by an aura—changes in sight and
sensation. There is usually a family history of migraine.
6. In a headache the pain originates not from the brain but from
irritated nerves of muscles, blood vessels and bones. These
send pain signals to the brain which then judges the degree of
distress and relays it at appropriate sites. The pain may
 sometimes be referred to sites other than the problem areas.
This is known as referred pain and occurs due to sensation
overload. Thus, though most headaches start at the base of the
skull the referred pain is felt typically behind the eyes.
7. Factors causing headaches are not fully understood but it is
known that a shift in the level of body hormones and chemicals,
certain food and drinks and environmental stress can trigger
them.
8. If headaches trouble you often, visit the doctor, who will take a
full health history relating to diet, lifestyle stresses, the type of
headache, triggering factors and relief measures. You may be
asked to keep a “headache diary” which tells you to list the time
the headache started, when it ended, emotional, environmental
and food and drink factors which may have contributed to it. The
type and severity of pain and the medications used which
provided most relief, are also to be listed.
9. This helps the doctor in determining the exact cause and type of
headache and the type of drugs to use. Apart from this a
physical examination is done to rule out any serious underlying
cause. The blood pressure is recorded, vision tested and muscle
coordination o; the eyes is checked to rule out these as causes.
Blood tests may be done to rule out anaemia, diabetes and
thyroid disease. If any of the above is abnormal or otherwise a
CT Scan or MRI may be done to see tissues and structures
around the brain. These will rule out causes such as tumors,
haemorrhage and infection of the brain, this examination gives a
clear picture of the problem to the doctor.
10. Immediate relief can be obtained by certain medications
and a few simple self-care techniques. Using ice against the
pain site, covering eyes with dark glasses, drinking plenty of
fluids and lying down in a dark and quiet room, provide relief in a
migraine attack. Pain killers like aspirin, ibuprofen (brufen) and
crocin can be taken and provide relief in different proportions.
These should be used with caution and under medical
supervision, if used for long periods and large quantities as all of
them can cause many side effects. An antiemetic like perinorm
can help the nausea associated with a migraine.
2.1 On the basis of your reading of the passage make notes on it,
using recognizable abbreviations wherever necessary. Use a suitable
format. Supply an appropriate title. 5
2.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answer

2.2 All of us suffer from headache. It can be of many types. The

tension headache is short lived. But there can be headache due to
body posture. Migraine headache is caused due to nausea, vomitting
and irritability. In headache pain starts from irritated nerves of
muscles; blood vessels and bones. There are many other factors like
food environment and body postures that may result in a headache. It
can be cured through physical examination of doctor. Other diseases
like B.P., diabetes may also be got checked. The best technique is to
have self care or to use pain killers as per prescription of the doctor.

Note making Example Passage 7:

1. It is an unpretentious structure tucked in a comer of Chandni

Chowk. It could be missed by a passer-by but for the chirping
which gives away its unique mission. The Charity Birds Hospital
is the only one of its kind in the country. Many people arrive here
daily with injured birds which they may have found lying by the
roadside. After a quick inspection, an attendant makes a simple
entry in the register: name of the person, kind of bird and date
and “admits the patient” for treatment free of cost. The bird then
becomes the sole responsibility of the hospital.
2. The ailing bird is administered first-aid and then kept in an
isolated cage. Often medication and proper care is all that is
needed. After the wound heals, the bird is moved to a common
section with other birds of its kind. Soon it will be healthy enough
to fly away, may keep visiting the terrace for food and water. The
work began way back in 1929 in a small one-room structure.
One Lala Lachumal Jain, along with others, decided to start a
medical facility for birds. A few years later it became increasingly
difficult to treat the large number of birds being brought. In 1957
the present building was inaugurated.
3. The progress of the hospital has been slow but steady. Till 1968
only ayurvedic treatment was being administered. Allopathy was
adopted that year. And it was as recently as in 1992 that a
laboratory was set up to conduct pathological tests. Though
surgery is conducted at times and doctors try their best to save
the bird’s life, it is often too late. The mortality rate is quite high:
around five to six birds die everyday.
4. The hospital survives only on charity. The trustees proudly claim
that there is a steady flow of donations. Rich businessmen,
visitors and even tourists donate generously. Till date they have
never approached the government for funds. However, the
hospital has drawbacks. It does not accept carnivorous birds
and does not admit pet birds. Moreover, the bird is subjected to
a lot of stress as, being in old Delhi, the place is not easily
accessible. Since it survives on charity, it is unable to take up
research work.
 5. But work goes on. The staff says, they have received as many
as 50-60 cases a day. The hospital has an emergency ward and
stays open round the clock. It spends approximately ? ₹ 6 lakh
to ? ₹ 7 lakh annually and at any given time looks after 4000 to
5000 birds.

2.1 On the basis of your reading of the passage make notes on it,
using recognizable abbreviations wherever necessary. Use a format
you consider suitable. Supply a suitable title. 5
2.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:
2.1 Title: Charity Hospital for Birds
Notes:

1.
1. Place & Origin
1.1 Locn. : Corner of Ch. Chowk
1.2 Founder : Lala Lachumal Jain (1929)
1.3 Growth : 1929 – 1 room struc.
1957 – pres. bldg.
1.4 Facilities : Upto 1968 – ayurvedic treatment
from 1968 – allopathy introduced
from 1992 – path, lab tests & surgery
2. Procedure of treatment
 3.

4. Uniqueness
4.1 charitable—no govt, funds
4.2 free of cost trtmt—4000 to 5000 birds per day
4.3 expenditure: Rs 6 – 7 lakhs annually
5. Drawbacks
5.1 carnivorous & pets excluded
5.2 locn. inaccessible
5.3 no research wk.

2.2 Chandni Chowk has an unpretentious structure that is charity

birds hospital which is one in the whole country. Birds are treated in
the hospital after making an entry to the register, name of the person
who carries the injured bird and treatment starts free of cost. The
hospital takes the sole responsibility to heal the wounds of a bird. The
bird is kept under observation till it become able to move to the
common section with other birds. The hospital gets fund from tourists,
visitors and common men but it does not get any fund from the govt.
It’s annual expenditure is ? ₹ 6-7 lakhs.

Note making Example Passage 8:

1. The term earthquake is applied to any tremor or shaking of the
ground. Many earthquakes are so gentle as to pass almost
unrecognised, others are sufficiently pronounced to excite
general alarm, while some spread enormous destruction.
Destructive earthquakes are usually confined to limited regions.
The usual phenomena recorded in well-known earthquakes are
first a trembling, next one or more severe shocks, and then a
trembling which gradually dies away. In most cases, each shock
lasts only a few seconds, but the tremblings that follow may
continue for days, weeks, or even months. Noises of various
kinds usually accompany an earthquake. They have been
likened to the howling of storm, the growling of thunder, the
clanking and clashing of iron chains, or the rumbling of heavy
wagons along a road. Such noises are conducted through the
ground, or thev may travel through the sea or air, and are often
heard at great distances from the place where the shock is felt.
Some earthquakes, however, are not accompanied by these
noises. At the time of the terrible shock which destroyed
Riobamba in Ecuador on February 4, 1797, a complete silence
reigned.
2. Many changes are produced on the earth’s surface by
earthquakes. They cause landslips and cracks in the earth,
which will sometimes alter the drainage system of a country.
They are frequently accompanied by great seawaves, which will
often sweep rocks and sand great distances inland. Permanent
elevations and depressions of land are sometimes caused. After
the great earthquakes of 1750, the coast of Chili was found to
have been permanently raised from three to four feet. Well-
known examples of permanent depressions are those of the
Runn of Kutch and the coastlands near Chittagong, which
suddenly sank during the Bengal earthquake of 1762.
3. Earthquakes are the most common in volcanic and mountainous
regions, and many of them are no doubt due to volcanic action.
These appear to originate in the sea, and may be due to the
flashing into steam of the water which finds its way down
through cracks to the underlying heated rocks. Others appear to
originate in volcanoes themselves, being due to the explosion of
vapours which expand. Many other causes are ascribed, of
which two may be mentioned. Some earthquakes may be due to
the collapse of hollows beneath the ground, and others again to
the snapping of strata which has been subjected to too great a
 strain. It is noticeable that most earthquakes occur during the
cold months of winter.
4. Among destructive earthquakes in modern times may be
mentioned the one that altered the Straits of Messina between
Italy and Sicily in 1908, and the terrible upheaval in Japan in
1925, which destroyed whole towns and caused the death of
thousands of people.

2.1 Make notes of the contents of the passage you have read. Use a
format you consider suitable. Use recognizable abbreviations where
necessary. Give a suitable title to the passage. 5
2.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:
2.1 Title: Earthquake
Notes:

1. Defn.-tremor/shak’g of grnd
2. Types ofE’quake
(a) Gentle – unrecog’d
(b) Suff. pron’d – gentle alarm
(c) Severe—eno. dest’n
3. Signs of Occurrence
(a) Trembl’g – 1 or more severe shocks – trembl’g
(b) Various Noises
(i) howl’g of storm
(ii) growl’g of thunder
(iii) clank’g / clash’g of iron chains
(iv) rumbl’g of heavy wagon on road
 (c) Range – thro’ grd, sea, air – heard at distance
(d) Some e’quakes silent
4. Changes in Earth’s Surface
(a) Landslips and cracks – drainage alt’d
(b) E’quake + sea waves – roAt. & :;.rr,d awept inland
(c) Perm’t elev’ns/depr’ns
5. Origin
(a) mount, region
(b) sea
(c) volcanoes
6. Causes
(a) Volcanic action in mount.
(b) Sea water entg. heated rocks
(c) Explo’n of expanding vapour
(d) Collapse of under grd. hollows
(e) Snap’g of strata
7. Occurrence – cold months/winter
8. Most Dest. E’quakes
(i) 1908 – straits of Messina altered
(ii) 1925 – Japan – Upheaval – Towns dest’d – thousands kill’d

2.2 Earthquake takes place due to tremor or shaking of the ground.

Some earthquakes are so gentle that these are known unrecognised
while some spread destruction. Destructive earthquakes are noisy,
linked to the howling of storm, the growling of thunder, the clanking
and clashing of iron chains. Many earthquakes also cause land slips
and cracks in the earth that sometimes affect the drainage system of
the country. In volcanic and mountainous regions, earthquakes are
common. It is also noted that most earthquake occur during winter.

Passage 9:

1. The one industry that remains unaffected by any depression in

trade is the beauty industry. The women world over continue to
spend money on their faces and bodies even when there is a
great slump in other areas of trade. The number of
advertisements proclaiming the miracles performed by the
various beauty aids goes to support the fact that, today, with all
the talk about emancipation, equality of sexes and feminism,
women are still observed with their physical beauty as they were
in the times of Cleopatra.
2. America leads the figures, literally and metaphorically. Many
parts of Europe by virtue of being affected by political and
economic instability, leave precious little for women to beautify
themselves. May be, all that women in Europe, can then do is to
wash and hope for the best. But, the rich and upper middle class
women, everywhere in the world, block a substantial amount of
their income on beautifying themselves. Why is it so?
3. The richer the man gets the more obsessed he becomes with
high powered cars and electronic gadgets and bank balances.
On the contrary, the women, especially the urban upper middle
class women, find their bodies and faces worthy of investing a
major part of their income.
4. Women, these days, are much freer than they were in the last
century. Not only are they free to take part in social and
professional functions of a society as an equal to man, but also
to look attractive in any given situation. The beauty industry is
shrewd enough to exploit this trend and women in every walk of
life have something to buy from the range of products that the
beauty industry offers. The British matron, today, is the thing of
the past.
5. As a result of the number of beauty parlours that have sprung up
in every street corner of the metropolises, and the exercises, the
health motors and the skin foods that they offer, you can hardly
run into an old woman these days. One could say ‘old ladies’ are
fast becoming an extinct species. White hair, wrinkles, bent
backs and hollow cheeks are features of a bygone era.
Cosmetic surgery has slowly eradicated these unwanted
phenomena. If children of posterity want to look at an old
woman, they might have to run to an art gallery and find a
medieval painting.
2.1 On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes
on it, using recognizable abbreviations where necessary. Use a
format you consider suitable. Supply an appropriate title. 5
2.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:
2.1 Title: Beauty Industry
Notes:

1. Flourishing Ind.
(a) Unaffected by depn.
(b) Advts. – miracles of bty. aids .
(c) Phy. bty – still pop. among women
2. Craze for Beautification
(a) America leads figs.
(b) Parts of Europe – little for bty. aids
(c) Everywhere in the world – sub. amt.
(i) Rich
(ii) Upp. mid. els.
3. Reasons
(a) Rich women – invt on bodies & faces
(b) Women’s freedom – eq. to man
(i) social/prof, funct. of soc.
(ii) Look attractive in any sitn.
(c) Shrewdness of bty ind.
(i) Exploits the trend to look btyful
(ii) Women of all classes – buy beauty aids
4. Old ladies – extinct species
(a) Beauty parlours
(i) ex. thro, health motors
(ii) skin foods
(b) Cosmetic surgery
No white hair, wrinkles, bent backs or hollow cheeks

2.2 Beauty industry has become flourishing industry which is

unaffected by any depression. Advertisements proclaim miracles of
beauty aids. Women loves to maintain their physical beauty in all
nations. America leads the figures, though in some parts of Europe
the women are not crazy for beauty. Yet everywhere in the world the
women spent a big amount of their income on beautifying themselves.
The women of all classes buy beauty aids and pay a handsome
amount in beauty parlours. The features of old age has been
challenged by cosmetic surgery. So the old ladies are fast becoming
an extinct species.

Passage 10:

1. According to the National Council for Applied Economic

Research’s latest report, India’. Human Development Report
which is a profile of the Indian states in the 1990s, there are
many problems in women’s education. Girls are taken out of
school as soon as some calamity hits the family’s fortunes. They
are made to look after their younger siblings and they are not
looked upon as ‘investment’. In order to marry them off early and
without problems, girls are not allowed to traverse long
distances to go to schools. They are not allowed to study under
male teachers. Affluent families invest in girls’ education only if
they are assured of getting better bridegrooms.
2. So high is the girls’ drop out rate that there are only 52 girls to
every 100 boys who complete middle school. Gender disparity is
higher among matriculates and 40 women to every 100 men
ever pass the examination. The only gender egalitarian state is
Kerala and it is very difficult to come across a female graduate in
a village excepting in Kerala. Gender disparity varies with
household income and poverty level and the poorer the family,
the greater the temptation to invest in boys’ education. It also
varies according to social class. The lowest level of matriculates
is among the SC/STs and Muslims.
3. Another important finding is that at the critical age of 25 to 34
years, there is higher gender disparity in education, with high
levels of female illiteracy, in the problematic central Indian states
(Bihar, MP, Rajasthan and UP). This is indicative of other
connected problems that these states face. When women are
illiterate, they are not able to look after their children’s health and
the mortality rate may be high. Faced with a high mortality rate
of children, there is a tendency to have more children and the
fertility rate remains high. Among the SC/ST women in the
reproductive age of 15 to 35, only 6 to 9 percentage of literacy
can be found in Bihar and UP.
4. Female labour participation reveals that as soon as the family’s
income improves, women give up working whether in the fields
 or in non-farm activities or at home in income generating
activities. It is not surprising that they stop working because
there is a huge gender disparity in wage rates. Even when
women do the same arduous work they are paid on average ? ₹
17 a day as compared to ? ₹ 23 for men.
5. When women are educated they can at least look after their own
and the family’s health, better. Without adequate education,
there is a low level of awareness about ailments and sheer
ignorance can cause them to ascribe ailments to non-medical,
often supernatural causes. Uneducated women are often too
shy to reveal their diseases and many do not go to doctors out
of fear that it may cause undue expenses to their budgetary
balances. Pregnant women in many villages have been found
not to be given any special diet. In fact they often reduce their
food intake because of the prevailing belief that they cannot
digest heavy food. There is gender disparity in most states in the
treatment of young children and the elderly.
6. In any case, a majority of the rural areas do not have provision
for primary health care services. The prevalence of diseases is
rather high in the southern states, West Bengal and Punjab
perhaps because of better reporting of sickness and the
availability of treatment. About 41 million individuals receive
medication for major illnesses at a point of time in India and the
highest prevalence is of hypertension followed by tuberculosis.
The critical issues of education and health are closely connected
with expansion of job opportunities and while reducing
unemployment has been a standard slogan during the elections
by all parties, the emphasis on health and education has been
subdued.

2.1 Make notes on the contents of the passage you have read. Use a
format you consider suitable. Use abbreviations where necessary.
Also give a suitable title to the passage. 5
2.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:
2.1 Title: Neglect of Women’s Education & Health
Notes:

1. Female drop-outs in schools

(a) family hit by calamity—girl looks after siblings
(b) girl’s edn. – not regarded invt.
(i) rich – invt. if better bridegm
(c) prob. free mar’ge
(i) early age
(ii) no long dist. to sch’l
(iii) no male trs.
2. High drop-out rate/illiteracy
(a) gender disparity in edn – directly: to
(i) h.h. income & poverty level
(ii) social clusters
(iii) prob. central Indian states
3. Female labour participation
(a) family income imps. – women give up wkg
(b) huge gender disparity in wage rates
4. Results of inadequate female edn.
(a) Health probs.
(i) ignorance
(ii) superstitions
(iii) shyness about disease
(iv) fear of undue expenses
(v) lack of proper diet to preg. wn.
5. Lack of rural/health care services
(a) high prevalence of diseases
41 millions get medn.
(b) southern states, W.B. & Pun.
(i) better report’g of sickness
(ii) availability of trtmt.
(c) most com’n diseases
(i) h’tension
(ii) T.B.
2.2 Women’s education is still legging behind under various factors. If
any calamity hits the family girls are taken out of school to look after
their younger siblings. Girls education is not regard as investment.
Only the rich class educate their girls for better match. Most of the
parents do not like to send their girl child in distant school or taught by
male teachers. The working womens give up their job with an
increase in their family income. Secondly inadequate education in
female create health problems due to ignorance, superstitions and
fear of undue expense. There is lack of rural health care services so
the rural women become victims of diseases like T.B., hypertension
etc.

Passage 11:

1. The recently concluded Kyoto Conference on the production of

gases with a greenhouse effect on the environment has again
brought into focus the issue involving the chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs).
2. These are widely used for their cooling and propelling actions in
equipment such as air- conditioners, fire extinguishers and
refrigerators. Most of the CFCs are non-toxic, inert and non-
inflammable, therefore, ideal for both domestic and commercial
use. In medicine, their use is widespread for general purposes
listed above. More specifically, they are used as propellants for
inhalational drugs commonly used by patients with asthma and
other lung diseases. Millions of patients using metered dose
inhalers (MDI) are thus dependent on CFCs—until CFC-free
inhalers become available.
3. The inhalational therapy, which almost revolutionised the
management of asthma, is apparently in danger. It was in the
1970s when the scientists first discovered that the CFCs were
dangerous for the environment. CFCs released in the
environment are broken down by the sunlight to release chlorine
atoms. It is the chlorine atom which destroys the ozone layer
present about 40 km above the earth.
4. The effect is so potent that one atom of chlorine can destroy up
to 100000 molecules of ozone.
5. The normally present ozone layer prevents the entry of the extra
terrestrial rays on the earth. A hole created in this protective
umbrella allows the harmful ultraviolet and other rays to pass
 unfiltered. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as the
greenhouse effect resulting in global warming. The size of the
hole which was supposedly of a football ground until a few years
ago, has grown to that of Antarctica. That in itself speaks of the
enormity of the problem.
6. The contribution of CFC propellants used in medicine to the
greenhouse effect is negligible. CFCs used in inhalers are less
than 0.5 per cent of its total worldwide use. In fact, propulsion of
a single satellite in space releases more chlorine than that by
the worldwide use of MDIs for a whole year. Even the Montreal
Protocol which introduced total ban on CFCs had spared the
essential uses such as that for MDIs.
7. But a ban on CFCs for most of their uses is bound to affect their
inhalational therapy. Production of CFCs is likely to stop in the
near future. Moreover, a relative scarcity of CFCs is likely to
greatly increase the costs of inhalers. Alternative approaches,
therefore, are immediately required.
8. Inhalational therapy is now established as an important method
of administration of drugs. It is certainly the mainstay for
treatment of asthma. But several other drugs, including
antibiotics are administered in inhaled forms. CFCs are required
only when a drug is available in a premixed form in a canister for
direct inhalation. But drugs, other than those for asthma are not
available as ready-made inhalers. Most of those drugs, including
many used for asthma as well, are given by nebulization which
involves the use of compressed air (or oxygen) to change the
liquid solution into a vapour-form. But nebulization does not
solve the problem as it cannot replace the inhalers.
9. Alternative propellant gases using fluorocarbons without a
chlorine atom, are being developed. Fluorine released by these
propellants is considered to be safe for the ozone layer. But
inhalers employing such gases are yet not available.
10. Another novel technique is to substitute the liquid
inhalational drug with a powdered form. Several kinds of dry-
powder inhalers are already available in the market. The
methodology is easy and simple for the patient but for the
problem of dosage. Per dose the amount of drug which can be
inhaled in a powder form is generally less than that from an MDI.
We have différé .t rotahalers and rotacaps available in India.
Elsewhere, in the world, there are disc-halers where a single
disc contains multiple (six to eight) blisters of the drug, or a
 turbohaler where 100 to 200 dosages are made available in a
single unit. It is only a question of time when these forms shall
be marketed in this country as well. Those are bound to be
costlier to absorb the expenses of research, development and
marketing.
11. Undoubtedly, better alternatives will be developed in
future. Until then, one hopes that the benefits of inhalational
therapy with or without the use of CFCs are not denied to the
patients.

2.1 On the basis of your reading of the above passage make notes
using appropriate symbols and abbreviations in any one of the
accepted formats. Also supply an appropriate title. 5
2.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:
2.1 Title: Inhalers and Environment
Notes:

1. CFCs & Envt

(a) dangerous for envt.
(b) releases Cl – dest. Og
(c) green-house effect—global warm’g
2. Use of CFCs
(a) Domestic & commercial
(i) AC, fridge.
(ii) fire extg.
(b) Medicine
(i) propellants for inhal. drugs
(ii) MDI for asthma.
 3. Inhaler Therapy
(a) CFC inhal’s – neg. gr’n house eff.
(b) Trtmt. of asthma.
(c) Admn. antibiotic in inhaled forms.
4. Alternative Approach
(a) neb’n
(b) FCS w’out Cl
(c) dry powder inhs.—prob. of dosages
1. rotahalers & rota caps.
2. disc halers – 6 to 8 dos.
3. turbohalers – 100 to 200 dos.

2.2 CFCs is dangerous for environment as it releases chlorine atoms

which destroy the ozone layer, causes greenhouse effect and global
warming. It is widely used in domestic and commercial purposes. CFC
inhalers contribute negligible greenhouse effect. It is not only
treatment of Asthma but also administrates antibiotic in inhaled forms.
As alternate approaches FCs without chlorine atom are being
developed. Another novel technique is to substitute the liquid
inhalational drug with a powdered form. Different rotahalers and
rotacaps are available in India.

Passage 12:

1. This may seem like straight out of a Harry Potter book, but it
happens to be true. The three thousand year old publishing
medium – Paper, might soon get obsolete. Or, its use might get
severely curtailed, with the arrival of electronic ink – a close
cousin to the e-paper.
2. The functionality of the whole experiment lies in its simplicity.
The new technology not only looks, feels and is portable like the
conventional paper, but is also eco-friendly.
3. E-ink, a US based company is on the fast track of developing e-
ink that looks just like grey paint, but inside there are hundreds
and thousands of microcapsules, which change their colour from
light to dark when exposed to an electronic field.
4. Since these microcapsules float free in an oil-based liquid – the
“carrier medium”, they can be printed on just about any flat
surface, convex, concave or even cloth material. Currently, e-ink
is hawking this technology only to the likes of JC Penney, which
has begun to use its simplified versions for a futuristic
 promotional campaign. Commercial application is still a bend
away. The primitive version of the technology was developed at
the Xerox Palo Alto Research Centre and was promptly
christened Gyricon (from a Greek word standing for rotate +
image). This was because the technology involved floating
microspheres.
5. The success formula behind the cutting-edge technology lies in
the reusable paper that can ‘typeset’ itself through a wireless
system, enabling updation of contents throughout the day-
almost like a web update.
6. The fundamentals are so simple, it is amazing how it eluded
scientists for so long. In a nutshell, it combines the clarity,
userfriendliness and affordability of the conventional paper, with
the immediacy of the Web and can even be folded and kept in
the briefcase for an easy lugging to the office.
7. “There is a strong demand to retain all the good properties of
paper and yet couple it with electronic distribution”, says a senior
scientist associated team on the company’s Web site. In other
words, if one is to replace paper, the electronic alternative
should also look like paper. This might even please the strong
environmentalists’ lobby, who have always stood up in arms
against the massive tree-felling by the paper industry. According
to one conservative estimate, an average reader consumes
nearly 740 pounds of paper pulp every year.
8. Another drawback with the paper industry is that the printed
words are so static that they can neither be erased nor updated.
The new technology creates a dynamic high resolution display
over a thin and flexible medium and is expected to hit the market
by 2003. It will perhaps herald an altogether new reading style
with the paraphernalia of e-books and e-paper that can display
volumes of information as easily as turning a page and
permanent newspaper surfaces that update themselves daily via
a wireless broadcast.
9. E-ink constitutes of millions of microcapsules having a
transparent outer shell. Inside are tiny white pigment chips that
float in a blue coloured dye. These white spheres carry a
positive charge. The e-ink with millions of such microcapsules
are placed between two electrodes. When the top electrode
layer is negatively charged, it draws the positively charged white
coloured pigment chips towards the top, reading surface, making
them shine and stand out against the background of the blue
 dye. And, Loila! the letters and images become legible. A similar
charge in the lower layer pulls the white pigments down, making
them invisible to the eye. A combination of such white pigment
chips on the surface make the words and images visible. These
characters can easily be changed any time by altering with the
charge on the electrode layers, which is manipulated through the
wireless signals. The e-ink is already in use on display boards at
several US supermarkets, airports, ATMs and offices.
10. The commercial advantages include its thinness, low
weight and power efficiency (0.1 watts). The system is
networkable through wireless and wired systems and is also
mobile (if supported by wireless system). Thus, the displays can
be controlled from one central location. Need a publisher or,a
reader ask for anything more? (For more details access the
official site, www.eink.com).

2.1 Make notes on the contents of the passage above. Use a format

you consider suitable. Use abbreviations where necessary. Also give
a suitable title to the passage. 5
2.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

2.1 Title: E-ink & E-paper .

Notes:

1. Characteristics of E-ink
(a) looks like grey paint
(b) mns. micro caps.
(c) oil-based liquid
(d) printed on any surface.
(i) flat (ii) convex (iii) concave (iv) cloth
 2. E-paper – Qualities
(a) reus’le – typset itself
(b) updat’g contents – like web
(c) clarity, userfr’dliness, affordability – convn’l paper
(d) imm’cy of web
(e) foldg. & lug’g
3. Advantages of E-paper
(a) no tree fell’g – envt. lobby pleased
(b) printed words stat. – no erasion no. updt’g
(c) high display over thin & flex’le medium
4. Working of E-ink
(a) white pigment chips inside micro caps —> +ve charge
(b) blue coloured dye
(c) E-ink placed between 2 electrodes
(d) – ve charged top elec, layer – pig’ts shine – letters image
(e) – ve charged lower layer – pig’ts invisible
(f) manipulation by wireless

2.2 Electronic ink-a close cousin of the e-paper looks like grey paint.
This oil based liquid has thousands of microcapsules as carrier
medium. They can be printed on just about any flat surface, convex,
concave or even cloth material. The E-paper is eco-friendly. The
printed words are static that they can neither is erased nor updated.
High resolution is displayed over a thin and flexible medium. The tiny
white pigment chips carry a positive charge. The commercial
advantages include its thinness, low weight and power efficiency. The
system is manipulated by wireless.

Passage 13:

1. Many have labelled the prevailing drought situation as a man-

made disaster. Towns and villages over large parts of the
country are desperate for water. Many are dependent on
periodic tanker supplies ferried across considerable distances.
As summer advances, communities may be compelled to
migrate unless help comes their way.
2. Rainfall is often erratic and unevenly distributed over space and
time. Many regions regularly experience recurrent drought
and/or flood as part of their normal hydrological cycle. Droughts,
like floods, are therefore no surprise. It can be mitigated, even
 averted, by drought-proofing and, like flood, must be
appropriately managed as and when it occurs.
3. Population growth and development aimed at enhancing the
quality of life entails larger water use. This is subjecting India to
increase seasonal and regional water stress, with deteriorating
water quality being an aggravating factor. Water conservation at
all times and places, improved water management and
maintaining water quality are therefore critical.
4. These measures are not necessarily mutually exclusive and
each has certain costs and benefits. The objective should be to
secure optimality. The notion that rainwater harvesting,
groundwater recharge and sound water management by
themselves can provide a complete or sufficient answer to
India’s water needs is mistaken. Pursued as a panacea that
obviates the need for large dams, it could rob the country of vital
insurance against disaster.
5. It is wholly fallacious to argue that if hundreds of large dams
(over 15 metres high) have not averted the drought this year, the
hugely demonised Sardar Sarovar, for instance, will make no
difference. The simple answer is that the hundreds of dams and
storages on local rain-fed rivers and smaller conservation works
and traditional systems must fail if the rains fail. Deserted
villages are mute testimony to this truth.
6. Sufficient rain must first fall before it can be harvested in situ.
North Gujarat, Saurashtra and Kutch suffer aridity. But the
Narmada rises over 1300 kilometres away in a relatively high
rainfall region. If its abundant flood waters are stored, these can
be diverted from the terminal Sardar Sarovar dam to the very
areas of Gujarat most troubled by drought. Gujarat’s allotted
share of nine million acre feet of water—or even half that
quantum— would have averted much of the present distress had
the dam height reached 110 metres when the canals would
begin to flow and generate energy.
7. The distribution system is far advanced and would have
guaranteed drinking water, fodder and livelihood to millions. It
would have recharged groundwater and filled hundreds of village
ponds and depressions en route.
8. Dams are not a unique or absolute solution. But it is a
dangerous mantra that small is beautiful, big is bad. The two go
together. What would northwest India, indeed all of India, be
minus the Bhakra-Pong? The country has a huge task ahead to
 manage its water resources sensibly, optimally and equitably.
This is what the nation must address unitedly without losing
more time in futile, wholly unproductive arguments. The present
drought is both a crisis and an opportunity. Which shall it be?

2.1 Make notes on the contents of the above passage in any format,

using abbreviations. Supply an appropriate title also. 5
2.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:
2.1 Title: Managing Country’s Water Crisis
Notes:

1. Effects of Drought
(a) towns & vills. desperate for water
(b) periodic tanker supply
(c) mign. in sum. if ho help
2. Cause of Drought
(a) erratic & uneven rainfall
(b) population growth & development – large water use
(c) deterioration in water quality
3. Measures to Overcome Drought
(a) wat. conservat’n
(b) improved water management
(c) maintain’g water quality
(d) harvest’g rain water
(e) recharg’g ground water
(f) storage – micro to mega
4. Water Mgmt. by Dams
(a) stor. & prop, distn.
 (i) drkg. wat.
(ii) fodder
(iii) livelihood
(b) supplements traditional measures
(i) recharg’g grd wat.
(ii) filling vill. ponds & depressions
5. Ideal Solution
dams + trad’l measures

2.2 Drought is manmade disaster. Towns and villages disperate of

water get periodic taker supply. In summer in lack of sufficient supply
people have to migrate. Drought cause due to uneven rainfall, large
use of water by large population. To overcome drought water
conservation, water management, rain water harvesting and
recharging of the ground water should be promoted. Hundreds of
dams and storage on local rain fed rivers and small traditional
manners can also reduce the problem of water drought.

Passage 14:

1. The world today is confronted with a large number of problems

like arms proliferation, fundamentalism, separatist movements
as well as international terrorism. International terrorism has
today emerged as one of the most ominous threats to world
peace and security. There has been considerable growth of
terrorism between the 1960s and 1980s. This has largely been
due to the characteristics of the international system. The most
important of these are deep and bitter ethnic, religious and
ideological conflicts which remain unresolved and which fester in
the international system, spawning many forms of violent
conflicts, terrorism and periodically erupting into civil and
international wars.
2. Another underlying factor for the growth of terrorism is the use of
unconventional and proxy war methods. Here terrorism
becomes an attractive instrument of policy for states and sub-
state organisations such as national liberation movements. Such
methods are low-cost, relatively low-risk and yet afford the
possibility of high yields.
3. The worldwide dissemination of new technology has also
facilitated the growth of terrorism. For example, the development
of international civil aviation has created new vulnerabilities and
 lucrative targets for terrorists to exploit. Modern weapon
technology has also proved to be a boon to terrorists.
4. Terrorism today has taken different forms. These include
political terrorism involving not only the use of terrorism by the
state but also against the state, religious terrorism, micro
terrorism as well as the recent emergence of nuclear terrorism.
5. The legitimacy of terrorism depends on various factors.
Perceptions vary. The greatest justification which a terrorist finds
is in a struggle between two adversaries: it is not the means but
the end which is important. The United Nations Human Rights
Commission has recognised that terrorism can destroy human
rights and fundamental freedom of the people and threatens the
territorial integrity of nations.
6. One of the most basic rights of every individual is the right to life.
Terrorism, which basically involves violence and killing thus
takes away this right from individuals. Besides, the use of
violence for achieving a goal, no matter how justified it is the
same cannot be approved.
7. Terrorism also poses a law and order problem for the state while
at the same time the economy suffers as a result of damage to
trade, valuable resources as well as scaring away of investors. It
is thus imperative to look for some mechanism to check the
problem of international terrorism. Although there exists a large
number of treaties including extradition treaties, they have not
been able to check terrorism. This has happened due to the
failure of states to comply with the provision of the treaties.

2.1 On the basin of your reading of the passage , make notes on it

using recognizable abbreviations wherever necessary. Also suggest a
suitable title to the passage. 5
2.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:
2.1 Title: International Terrorism
Notes:

1. Terrorism—threat to world peace & security

(a) probs. like crime proliferation
2. Causes of terrorism
(a) deep & bitter ethnic, rel. & ideo. conflicts
(b) periodical civil & internat’l wars
(c) unconv’l & proxy war methods
(i) low cost
(ii) low-risk
(iii) high yield
(d) dissemination of new technology
(e) modem weapon tech.
3. Diff. forms of Terrorism

4. Justification of Terrorism
(a) struggle between 2 adversaries
(b) end imp. not means
5. Dangers of Terrorism
(a) destroy human rights & freedom of people
(b) threatens terr’l integrity of nations
(c) law & order prob.
(d) setback to economy
(i) damages trade & resources
(ii) scares away investors

2.2 Terrorism is threat to world peace and security. The causes

behind it are deep and bitter ethnic, religious and ideological conflicts,
periodical civil and international wars. Unconventional and proxy war
methods are also another factor. The worldwide dissemination of new
technology support the terrorism while modem weapon technology
has also proved to be a boon to terrorism. Basically terrorism has
taken different forms like political, religious, microterrorism and
nuclear terrorism. Terrorism is struggle between two adversaries as it
destroy human rights and freedom of people. So it must be eradicated
to protect integrity of nations.

Passage 15:

1. Out of the staggering amount of money that the state and central
government spend on higher education, fifty per cent is wasted
due to fifty per cent failures in the university examinations all
over the country. There is a single strong reason why a
university degree should be paid for in full by the student
himself.
2. This thinking has been gathering momentum since January
1986, when the pay scales of college and university teachers
were revised and which put an additional burden of more than a
hundred crores on the University Grants Commission and the
state governments. Arrears to the tune of ₹ 5,000 to ₹ 22,000
were given to all teachers in most of the 150 universities and
5,000 colleges of the country. Because of the enhanced salary
and dearness allowance, which is revised every January and
July, the government expenditure on higher education has
almost doubled during the last five years.
3. As against this, the tuition fees have remained static since
Independence (with minimal revisions last year). Not that the
governments did not consider the question of raising them, but
the threat of student agitation and political unpopularity proved a
hurdle too strong to surmount. Consequently, there is now a
yawning gap between what a college student pays and what the
state spends on him.
4. According to UGC sources, a student pays rupees 200, 250 and
325 per annum for education in arts, commerce and science
respectively, whereas the government subsidy amounts to
Rupees 2800, 3400 and 4200 annually. This includes the
expenditure incurred by some trust managed colleges which,
according to the rules of the states in which they function, comes
to 5 per cent to 3 per cent. But as most of the colleges have
found ways to evade even this responsibility, the ultimate burden
falls on the governments themselves.
5. A way out of the imbroglio was thought out in recent years. The
Human Resources Development Ministry floated the concept of
autonomous colleges. After much public debate it was decided
 that some hundred colleges should be granted autonomy to
begin with. Now about 90 colleges are autonomous. They are
making appointments, framing their own syllabi and conducting
examinations, but have not yet been able to muster up courage
to enhance fees. They continue to eive maintenance grants from
the state coffers.
6. Under the circumstances, the concept of self-financing higher
education seems to be a remote dream. Secondly, as most of
the university campuses are politically alive and financially
bankrupt, the government will have to continue paying them their
annual grants. Suddenly, converting them into self-financing
institutions has become impossible. It is a different matter if the
states start a new set of educational institutions as totally self-
financed. But who will bear the huge initial expenditure—the
parents or the government?

2.1 On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes
on it, using recognizable abbreviations where necessary. Use a
format you consider suitable. Supply an appropriate title. 5
2.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:
2.1 Self-financing University Education

1. Reasons for making univ. degrees paid in full

1.1. huge expenditure due to hr. edu.
1.2 50% wastage due to univ. exams
1.3. univ. income static
1.4. wide diff. between income & exp.
2. Reason for keeping tuition fee static
2.1. threat of student agitation
2.2. fear of political unpopularity
 3. Concept of autonomous colleges
3.1. HRD Ministry’s brain child – a way out
3.2. have autonomy in
(i) framing syllabi
(ii) appointments
(iii) exams.
3.3. Fees not enhanced yet
4. Self-financing hr. edu. remote
4.1. univ. campus politically alive, financially bankrupt
4.2. new set of educational institutions – totally self-financed
4.3. to introduce self-financing or not
4.4. huge initial expenditure – who will bear – parents/govt.?

2.2 Fifty percent of staggering amount of money spent by govt, on

higher education is wasted. There are various reasons for making
university degree paid in full. Huge expenditure due to higher
education, static income of university. Fear of political unpopularity
and threat of student agitation prevent universities in revising the fees.
Autonomous colleges have also failed to enhance fear. Most of the
university campuses are politically alive and financially bankrupt. Self
financial educational institutions are remote dream under these
circumstances but who will bear the huge initial expenditure – the
parents or the government?

Passage 16:

1. There are so many things we humans tend to hold back on. We

repress a lot of our emotions, whether they are considered
‘good’ or “had’ ones.
2. Sometimes we hold back on expressing our love for fear of
being misunderstood, or perhaps thinking the timing is not ‘right’.
Most commonly, we have been taught to hold back on our
‘negative’ emotions fear, anger, sorrow, pain, etc.
3. As a child, I was often told to squelch those emotions that
demonstrated ‘weakness’. I held back my tears in order to
appear strong. I repressed my anger to be a ‘good girl’ and
‘loving’.
4. Yet, I now realize that holding back anger or any other emotion
affects negatively the person who is holding back. The anger I
refused to let out stayed locked up inside, fermented, and gave
rise to all kinds of poison. Frustrations and anger were withheld,
 only to explode when I’d ‘had enough’. This anger later had to
be released through illness, situations where the anger was
unleashed at someone or something else (or at myself), or
through therapy.
5. What happens when you feel anger (consciously or sub-
consciously) but want to hide it? Whatever we hold back
becomes a part of us and gets stored in our body as a tangible
manifestation in the form of headaches, tension, pain, illness,
ulcers, cancer, arthritis, back pain, and many other physical
ailments.
6. Of course, we feel that by holding back on expressing our anger
we are doing the ‘right’ thing and not hurting anyone. Yet, little
do we know, the other person may need to hear what we have
to say, just as much as we need to express it.
7. Of course, we need to learn how to express our anger or
discontent without ‘dumping’ on the other. We can express
ourselves without destroying the other person’s sense of self-
worth or attacking them emotionally, verbally, or physically.
8. Expressing our deepest feelings also applies to expressing
feelings of love and appreciation. How many times have we felt
gratefulness towards another being, sometimes just for their
presence in our life, and failed to express it? That person may
really need to hear your words of praise to give them a boost in
their own self-esteem. May be they are unaware of what you so
clearly see in them.
9. I have found that at times when I expressed feelings of gratitude
and love to others, they were surprised at the way I saw them.
Never assume that the other person knows how much you
appreciate them. If you think it and feel it, then say it.
10. Our rational mind has been well trained to dissect and
analyse. It likes to hold back on acting instinctively and instead
question scientifically what is the ‘right’ action to take. So, we’ve
held our true selves back, and not expressed that inner
inspiration to laugh, cry, scream, give a hug, or say a kind word
when our first feeling guided us to do so.
11. Whatever first thought or feeling comes to you is your
intuition, or in other words, your divine inspiration. Any other
thoughts that follow, i.e. “may be I shouldn’t say that”, etc., are
only your mind (ego) doubting and questioning, afraid of making
a ‘mistake’.
 12. The best thing to do is to follow your first instinct, your
inner guidance, which comes as the first feeling or thought. That
is your ‘God-self.’ The universal power of Love guides us
towards happiness, and that is why our first instinct is always the
one that will bring us true happiness and inner peace.
13. We can choose to let go of the fear of being wrong, or
appearing ridiculous, etc., and act on our feelings. Be true to
yourself. Holding back is only postponing the truth and can harm
the other as well as ourselves. Holding back is postponing the
freedom to be who we really are loving, truthful children who
desire to be happy and free from negativity.
14. Let go! Express your truth today! You and your world will
be better for it.

2.1 On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes
on it, using recognizable abbreviations where necessary. Yse a format
you consider suitable. Supply an appropriate title. 5
2.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:
2.1 Title: Repression V/s Expression of Emotions
Notes:

1. Repression of emotions
(a) children taught to repress -ve emotions
(b) even love not expressed
(i) fear of being misunderstood
(ii) time not rt.
2. Negative Effects of Repressed emotions
(a) suppressed anger & frustration —> poison —> sudden
explosion
(b) ways of Release:
 (i) illness
(ii) situations
(iii) therapy.
(c) Tangible manifestations
headache, tension, pain, ulcers, cancer, arthiritis, etc.
(d) postponing truth
∴ harmful to self & others
(e) postponing freedom to be real self i.e.
loving, truthful, happy & free from-vity
3. Rational Mind V/s Instinct
(a) Mind dissects & analyses
∴ checks instinctive reaction
(b) First instinct inner inspiration or intuition
∴ gives love, happiness and peace
4. Conclusion
(a) follow inner inspiration
(b) express yourself freely

2.2 Children are taught to repress negative emotions. Fear of being

misunderstood prevent them even in expressing love. Repressed
emotions suppressed anger, frustration, poison and sudden explosion
which may cause illness like headache tension, pain, ulcers, cancer,
arthirites etc. In life postponing truth is harmful to self as well as
others. So freedom should not be postponed to make your world
better and happier.

Passage 17:

1. Had it not been for an alert and environmentally conscious

judiciary, chances are that we would have literally been
wallowing in our own filth. Once again, the Supreme Court has
intervened decisively to prevent the further degradation of the
Yamuna by asking industries discharging effluents into the river
to install treatment plants by November 1 or face closure. The
river, once Delhi’s lifeline, is now ‘dead’ for a stretch of around
32 km around the Capital. The courts have been forced into this
sort of judicial activism time and again in the face of blatant
violations of environmental norms both by industries and
citizens. Over the last few years, the courts have facilitated the
introduction of lead- free petrol, ordered the phasing out of
automobiles which are over 15 years old and made pollution
 checks for all vehicles mandatory. The apex court has been
relentless in its opposition to any move which affects the
environment adversely. From banning polythene bags in cities to
censuring polluting shrimp farms in Tamil Nadu and chemical
units in Rajasthan, it has always upheld the principle that
pollution prevention is better than control. The courts have laid
down rigorous standards for industries right from the inception
stage. Indian industry has been particularly indifferent to
preserving the environment and the health of those in and
around industrial units.
2. The Central Pollution Control Board has come up with a number
of positive suggestions on enforcing the green agenda. But the
response from industries has been tardy. One was a scheme
which sought to pool the resources of industrial units so as to
fund a common effluent treatment plant. But, industries find it
more convenient to discharge their waste any which way,
endangering the lives of those in the vicinity and degrading
common resources like land and water. Proposals to levy
commercial rates on water supply to industries have been
overlooked so far, leaving industries with little incentive to treat
and reuse water. Now the government itself has agreed to foot
part of the cost to set up effluent treatment plants in the hope
that this will motivate industry to take action. The common
refrain that the technology required for waste management is
expensive is valid, but industries have to realise that they cannot
indulge in poisonous practices in the pursuit of profit to the
detriment of the greater common good. It is this attitude that the
polluter will not pay that has led the courts to step in. An
example of the efficacy of judicial activism is the manner in
which Agra has been rid of highly polluting industries which were
destroying the fabled Taj. The Indian experience has shown that
when faced with censure, industries prefer to shut shop rather
than invest in clean technology. Many do so in order to cash in
on burgeoning real estate prices as in the Bombay mills story. In
this context, the courts’ insistence that environmental norms be
built into project proposals is commendable. Denying permission
to set up shop is hitting industry where it hurts the most. This
will, in the long run, force it to stop taking the green agenda quite
so lightly.
2.1 Make notes on the contents of above passage in any format,
using abbreviations. Supply a suitable title also. 5
2.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:
2.1 Title: Clearing the Mess
Notes:

1. Yamuna – life line of Delhi

dead river for 32 km
2. SC’s order to industrialists
(a) instal effluent trtmt. pit. by Nov. 1
(b) face closure
3. SC’s Jud’l Actvsm
(a) lead free petl.
(b) phasing 15 yrs. old autos
(c) mandatory polln. check
(d) ban. polybags
(e) censur’g shrimp farm’g in TN
(f) chem. units in Raj
4. Responsibility of Industrialists
(a) CPCB’s +ve suggestion: Indus. – ve response
(i) pool resources – com. effluent trtmt. pit.
(b) No incentive for trtmt. & reuse of water
(i) comm’l rates on water supply – o’looked
(c) Govt, setting up eff. trtmt. pit.
(i) Indus, to follow
 (d) Tech, for waste management expensive – discharge waste
anyhow
5. SC’s Intervention
(a) indus, not. profit only – responsibility
(b) common good – no poisonous polln.
(c) polluter won’t pay – S.C. intervention
(d) censured indus: reacts -ve
(i) stops
(ii) no investment in cleaning tech.
(e) SC’s insistence on envtl. norms

2.2 Yamuna, once Delhi’s life line, is now dead for a stretch of around
32 km around the capital. The industries were forbidden to discharge
effluents in the river by court. Courts have facilitated the introduction
of lead free petrol to check pollution by old automobiles, polybags,
consuming shrings farming in Tamil Nadu and chemical units in
Rajasthan. The Central Pollution Control Board suggestion got
negative response. Govt, is setting up effective treatment plant.
Though technique for waste management
is expensive. Yet it is responsibility of all. Overall supreme court
insists on environment norms.

Passage 18:

1. Shop till you drop is no longer a problem that only women with
money in their purses and time on their hands suffer from.
Excessive shopping and insatiable appetite for goods are
causing problems in all countries which have hitherto promoted
naked
consumerism because personal debts are mounting, creating
innumerable difficulties for credit card businesses. Millions are
gripped by an insatiable appetite to spend and visit the frequent
sales that keep occurring in New York, Milan, London or Paris.
People can become compulsive buyers of anything from
household gadgets, food, clothes, to cars.
2. Compulsive buying has now been diagnosed as a disease and
is the result of the growing advertising campaigns and
competition in which shops and firms undercut each other with
huge price discounts. If shops are closed and it is too late, there
is always the possibility of shopping through the net. The
addiction to shopping is spreading all over the world. In UK, 2.5
 million people are gripped by the shopping fever. In America, a
shopper’s paradise, the number is much more at 15 million. With
rising incomes, millions of Indians could join the league of
‘shopoholics’. It is called ‘oniomania’ which is a compulsive
disorder that drives people to buy in a repetitive and
uncontrolled manner regardless of consequences.
3. Self-help groups are springing up to help compulsive shoppers.
Because people affected by this problem suffer greatly from
feelings of isolation, guilt and fear. It can lead to a break down of
relationships under the burden of debt and deceit. Women are
more vulnerable than men to this addiction because they tend to
believe that to be valued by society they have to look good.
They are more insecure about their image and while they are
shopping, they get a boost to their self image from the attention
they get from shop assistants. They come back feeling beautiful
and successful. Men too are now joining the ranks of keen
shoppers.
4. The results can be devastating and debts can be huge.
Compulsive shoppers keep borrowing on their credit cards.
Psychologists are now saying that people have to face
compulsive shopping as a disorder. It is like the eating disorder
or work or exercise addiction. Most people with eating disorders
also have shopping/spending problems. To break the habit
various tips are now being offered and one of the important tips
is not to look at glossy magazines. Most of these magazines
work on people’s aspirations and make the readers discontented
with their lifestyle and prompt them to buy more. Other tips
include taking regular stock of one’s clothes and accessories
and piling them up in heaps to convince oneself that one doesn’t
need more.
5. Other ways to discourage shoppers is to make credit less easily
available. Advertising that encourages consumers to borrow and
buy instantly are also encouraging shopoholics. Easy credit to
the young is one way of encouraging them to shop without guilt
and thus more careful screening of potential card holders is
necessary to ward off future bad debts. But unfortunately, these
deterrents may not work because like the children of alcoholics
and drug addicts turn to these substances, children of shoppers
 also indulge in compulsive shopping.

2.1 On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes
on it. using recognizable abbreviations where necessary. Supply a
suitable title. 5
2.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:
2.1 Title: Compulsive Buying
Notes:

1. Consumerism
1.1. insatiable appetite for goods
1.2. mount’g debts.
2. Compulsive buying – a disease
2.1. a disorder called ‘oniomania’
2.2. price discounts
2.3. grow’g advt. camp’n & compta
2.4. shop’g thro’ net
2.5. credit cards – easy & instt. borrowing
2.6. shopoholics – worldwide
3. Problems of compulsive buyers
3.1. Isolation, guilt & fear
3.2. breakdown of relationship
(i)debt
(ii)deceit
3.3. women more vulnerable to addiction
4. Tips to break habit of compulsive buying
4.1. Avoid looking at glossy mag’s
4.2. Take regular stock of clothes/accessories
 4.3. Making credit less easily available
4.4. Check on advt. encouraging easy borrowing

2.2 Consumerism encourage insatiable appetite for goods which

mount debts compulsive buying is a disease or a disorder called
‘oniomania’. Price discount, Net shopping growing advertisement,
credit cards etc. promote this disorder. This results in isolation, guilt
and fear. Women are more vulnerable to addiction. This disorder can
be checked by avoiding looking at glossy magazines, taking regular
stocks of accessories and making credit less easily available.
Advertisements encouraging easy borrowing must be strictly checked.

Passage 19:

1. Ever since the first genetic sequence was elucidated in the 70s,
biotechnology has fast evolved into an information science.
Scientists have already compiled the three gigabytes that spell
out the human genetic code—a quantity of information that
might fill more than 2,000 standard computer diskettes. But
that’s just the initial trickle of a flood of knowledge to be tapped
from the Human Genome Project. Considering that the project
aims to identify all the estimated 80,000 genes in human DNA,
the sequences of its three billion chemical bases will definitely
be deciphered by the end of 2005. And once these genes are
known, the data available will be mammoth, as scientists try to
understand how these genes impact health and diseases.
2. “At that point,” asserts Dr Philip Campbell, Editor-in-Chief,
Nature, “a marriage between biology and computer science will
become increasingly crucial within the peripheries of the biotech
industry.” In fact, according to a CII (Confederation of Indian
Industry) study, the challenge of processing complex colossal
data has already spawned a hot global industry called
bioinformatics, poised to touch $ 60 billion by 2005. Major
players all over the globe have, as a result, formed
bioinformatics groups, thereby creating a boom in job
opportunities.
3. Those in bioinformatics need to perform two critical roles:
develop IT tools embodying novel algorithms and analytical
techniques, or apply existing tools to achieve new insights into
molecular biology. There are, however, other opportunities as
well. Jobs range from testing, documentation, running operating
 procedures and database administration to programming,
software development, algorithm creation and scientific
visualisation.
4. One needs to be either a biologist with a certain degree of
computer knowledge or a computer professional with a serious
interest in biology. For increased career opportunities,
possessing both skill-sets is a good idea though employers
usually desire a knowledge in computer applications.
Companies need people at all levels. M.Sc., M.Tech., and
Ph.Ds. In fact, a number of professionals do advanced diploma
courses in bioinformatics, though the most sought-after
candidates are those who have done a Masters degree.
5. Professionals trained in bioinformatics can expect to earn
salaries upwards of ₹ 2,00,000 per annum. A key indicator of
the popularity of the field is the placement of students. For
instance, students from the University of Pune have been lapped
up by various Indian and multinational biotech and
pharmaceutical companies. With experience, professionals can
expect to earn anything between ₹ 30,000-75,000 per month.
6. In fact, industry watchers feel that since the earning potential in
the West is much higher, most scientists and professionals from
premier research organisations leave for greener pastures,
forcing Indian research institutes to go on recruitment drives.
7. “We should make job positions in India much more lucrative,”
says Prof. P.C. Trivedi, Head, Biotechnology Department,
Maharaja’s College, Jaipur. This is more so because there is
going to be a huge demand for top class database management.
As creating a database is an expensive proposition in the West,
Indian IT companies have a cost- advantage when it comes to
offering complete database solutions to pharmaceutical and
genome-based biotech companies worldwide. Says Prof. Raka
Kamal, Principal, Maharani’s College, Jaipur, “Because of its
strength in the fields of mathematics, IT, physics and chemistry,
the nation is ideally positioned to emerge as a front-runner in
biotech and bioinformatics.” What we need is investment,
bandwidth and integrated databases. With these in place, India
 is set to go to the top in this particular race.

Answers:
2.1 Title: Bioinformatics Bonanza
Notes:

1. Biotech becoming hot

1.1. Developing as info. Sc.
1.2. Expanding Human Genome project
(i) 80,000 human genes
(ii) Deciphering 3 bn. chem’l bases by 2005.
2. Union of Biology and Computer Sc.
2.1. processing complex collosal data
2.2. bioinformatics industry: $ 60 bn by 2005
(i) boom in job opportunities
3. Career in Bioinformatics
3.1. Job opportunities: 2 main fields
(i) dev’g IT tools
(ii) new insight into molecular biology
(iii) other opportunities
4. Qualifications!Skill needed
4.1. Biologist + compu. awareness
4.2. Compu. prof’l + awareness of Bio.
4.3. Compu. appl’s
4.4. Dip. in bioinformatics
5. Salary & Mobility
5.1. upwardly of 2,00,000 p.a.
(i) with experience: 30,000 – 75,000 p.m.
5.2 easy placement.
5.3 high earn’g pot’l in West.
6. Checking Migration of Scientists
6.1. making job positions in India more lucrative
 6.2. India’s strength in IT, Math, Phy. & Chem.
6.3. Investment, bandwidth & strong databases

2.2 Biotechnology has fast evolved into an information science and

expanded human genome project. As Union of Biology and computer
science it process complex data and become boon in job
opportunities specially in developing IT tools, new insight into
molecular biology and other opportunities. A deserving candidate
should be biologist with computer awareness diploma in
bioinformatics and knowledge of computer applications are desirable
for attractive salaries and easy placement. Capable scientists should
have job positions in India.

Passage 20:

1. While there is no dearth of activists shouting themselves hoarse

about skyrocketing air and water pollution levels in the Capital, it
is unfortunate that the equally escalating and medically injurious
noise pollution level is totally ignored. With Diwali round the
corner, many are resigned to suffering the bone-jarring
explosions of firecrackers, not to mention the pollutants they
emit.
2. Well, it seems everyone is getting into the act. The Department
of Environment has carried out campaigns in 150 schools this
year to educate children about the harmful effects of bursting
crackers on the eardrums and the lungs. The Delhi Pollution
Control Committee (DPCC) has already initiated its campaign
entitled “Say no to crackers, join the anti-cracker campaign.”
NGOs like Pravaha and Pandies Theatre along with the DPCC
have organised meetings and plays to get the message across.
Last year, the stipulation on restricting cracker burning from 6.00
pm to 11.00 pm on Diwali went a long way in curbing noise
levels. The Delhi Government is also requesting people this year
to keep away from streets and parking lots within residential
colonies and to burst crackers in open spaces and parks. Infants
and pregnant women are more vulnerable to the ill-effects of
noise pollution.
3. But by and large, the problem of noise pollution remains ignored.
Despite warnings from the Central Pollution Control Board
(CPCB) the decibel levels on the street are way above safe
levels – even in the silence zones. While traffic congestion and
 increasing population are the main culprits, lack of public
awareness and civic sense compounds the problem. The CPCB
standards have fixed the daytime noise limits to 55 dB in a
residential colony and 45 dB for night. Almost all Delhi colonies
are well over these marks. The health and behaviour patterns of
those exposed to high noise levels above 55 dB changes.
Aggressive behaviour and sleep disturbance along with
annoyance and irritability become marked. Regular exposure to
65 dB can lead to hypertension. Anything above 75 dB can
cause extreme stress, increasing heart rates and potential
hearing loss. In infants, noise pollution can cause speech
disorder and decreased learning ability. The medical fraternity
maintains that 2 per cent of the Indian population has a hearing
problem, the percentage being even greater in metros and
industrial townships.
4. In Delhi vehicular traffic, three wheelers, trucks and motorcycles
with silencers chopped off contribute the most to noise pollution
levels. Then there are the zillion generators in residential,
commercial and industrial locations. The Delhi High Court had,
in August this year, directed the Union Ministry of Environment
and Forests to notify the emission norms for portable generators
and asked the CPCB to finalise noise standards. Meanwhile the
National Committee on Noise Pollution Control (NCNPC)
recommended reduction of 5 to 15 dB in the noise levels for
gensets up to 2.5 KVA. Unfortunately nothing has been done on
this front and gensets of all shapes and sizes continue to drone.
5. A gazette notification from the NCNPC will soon make it
mandatory for manufacturers to display how noisy each
domestic gadget is. According to a study, mixer grinders, which
can be heard churning a block away, are also a major source of
noise pollution in residential colonies, apart from coolers and
gensets. The Delhi Ridge and the Zoo are the major sufferers.
The high noise levels in the arterial roads around the Zoo along
with the noise caused by movement of trains makes the animals
irritable and in some cases has also affected the mating pattern.
The silence zones, particularly schools and hospitals, have also
been badly hit. In fact, sometimes the biggest culprits are the
police—at the busy AIIMS intersection, they use loudspeakers to
control traffic and pedestrian movement. Yes, there is no dearth
of laws and regulations to curb the noise menace but it’s the
implementation that remains tardy. Air horns and loudspeakers
 are banned in public, but who cares.

2.1 Make notes on the contents of the above passage in a suitable

format, using abbreviations where necessary. Also supply an
appropriate title. 5
2.2 Make a summary of the passage. 3

Answers:
2.1 Title: Noise Menace
Notes:

1. Noise pollution – ignored

(a) escalating & medically injurious
(b) near Diwali
(i) noise of crackers
(ii) pollutants emitted
(c) Some reactions
(i) DOE – campaigns in schs. – harmful effs. of crackers on
eardrums & lungs
(ii) DPCC – say no to crackers
(iii) NGO – meetings & plays
(iv) D.Govt. – burst crackers in open spaces/ parks
2. Prob. of Noise Polln.
(a) Above CPCB stds 55dB(day)
resdl. colonies 45 dB(night)
(b) Causes
(i) traffic cong’tn
(ii) increasing population
(iii) lack of pub.awareness
(iv) generators
(v) airhoms
 3. Effect of Noise Polln.on Health & Behaviour

4. Laws & implementation

(a) many laws & regulations
(b) tardy impl’n

2.2 Noise pollution should not be ignored. It is escalating and

medically injurious. Near Diwali noise of crackers may harm ear
drums and lungs by noise and emitted pollutants. Except it sound
above 55 dB results in aggressive behaviour, sleep disturbance,
annoyance and irritability. While upto 65 dB cause hypertension and
above 75 dB leads to extreme stress, increasing heart rate and
potential hearing loss. To check noise pollution many laws and
regulations have been made but their implementation remains tardy.

Abbreviations and symbols

They are used for precision and economy of words and hence quite
helpful in note-making. At least four recognisable abbreviations are to
be used in note-making in your board examination.
These are essential components of note-making. Students often make
use of abbreviations and symbols in doing their written work.
Note. Confusing abbreviations should be avoided, e.g., the
abbreviation ‘under’ may stand for understand, understood and
understanding. Similarly ‘indst’ may stand for industry, industrial,
industrious.

Note-Form
While making notes the whole information is listed in note-form in
points only. Notes should not be written in complete sentences as we
can’t remember the whole information. So only the main points are
listed one under the other and numbered.
It implies the logical division and sub-division of the listed information
by using figures, letters, dashes and spaces.
All examples and figurative speeches are eliminated.

Numbering and indenting

Indentation
Indentation means leaving space at the beginning of a line of print or
writing.
First write the title and then write down the notes in a logical order.
From the main headings to the sub-headings, the numbering should
be spaced a little to the right.

Conclusion
Note-making is a useful skill. You must develop it with constant
practice. Notes form an essential part of your academic life and will
serve you well in your School/Board examinations.

How to write note making

Follow the following steps:

Step 1 : (i)Read the passage carefully.
(ii)Try to get the theme and subject of the passage. You may ask
yourself: “What is this passage about?” This will provide you the gist.
Step 2 : Read carefully. Identify main ideas and important supporting
details.
Step 3 : Make notes of the main ideas under headings and add sub-
points under sub-headings.
Step 4 : Use proper layout/format, e.g.,
(a) Indented, linear form
(b) Sequential form
(c) Tabular form
(d) Flow chart
(e) Pie chart, graphs or diagrams, etc.
Step 5 : Use recognisable abbreviations wherever possible

Note Making format

1. Read the passage carefully.

2. Give a heading to your work. The heading will be based on the
following considerations.
(i) What is the main idea of the passage?
(ii) Frame a heading based on the main idea.
(iii) Write it in the middle of the page.

3. Give subheadings
(i) How has the main idea been presented and developed?
(ii) Are there two or three subordinate/associated ideas?
(iii) Frame subheadings based on these.

4. Points are to be noted under each subheading.

Are there further details or points of the subtitles that you wish to keep
in these notes? These are called points. Points may have subpoints.

5. All subheadings should be at a uniform distance from the margin.

6. Indenting – Points should also be at the same distance away from
the margin.
7. Do not write complete sentences.
8. Abbreviations should be used.

II. Help with abbreviations:

1. Use standard abbreviations and symbols as far as possible.

(i) Capitalise the first letters of the names of states, countries or

organisations.
For example: UP, USA, UK and UNO.

(ii) Common abbreviations

Sc. (for science), Mr, Mrs, Dr, govt, BSc, etc.

(iii) Common symbols such as i.e., e.g., Rx, /, ∴ , +ve, -ve, → (leading
to) ↑ (rising), ↓ (falling), =, >, <

(iv) Measurements and figures – 100″, 100′, 100 kg, 100 mm, 100 mL.
2. Make your own abbreviations.

(i) Keep the main sounds of the words: edn (education), progm.
(programme).
(ii) It is a good practice to keep the first few and the last letters of the
word such as education – edu’n, developing – dev’ing. Retain the
suffix so that later when you are going over the notes, you may recall
the full form of the word, for example: ed’nal (educational), prog’ve
(progressive).

3. Take the following caution:

(i) Do not get overenthusiastic about abbreviations.

(ii) You should not abbreviate every word.
(iii) One abbreviation in one point is enough.
(iv) As a general rule, the heading should not be abbreviated.
(v) You may use abbreviations in subheadings.

III. Your notes should look like this:

(i) Indenting is essential.

Notice that indenting, i.e. shifting from the margin, has been used to
clearly indicate subheadings, points and subpoints. Subheadings,
though separated by points, occur below one another. Similarly,
points and subpoints should also come below one another. Such use
of indenting gives your notes a visual character. At a glance, you can
see the main idea and its various aspects.

(ii) Numbering-You may follow any system but you should be

consistent, that is, you should follow the same system throughout.
Some examples are given below.

IV. Abbreviations:

Note-making is an informal exercise as it is meant for your use only.

You will not present a formal document in note form. Notes will be
developed into a more formal piece of writing. Since notes are
informal and are meant for your use only, you can abbreviate long
words or use accepted abbreviations and symbols.

Writing a summary: The summary is an abstract of the passage.

Expand your heading and subheadings and write down the ideas
developed in the passage in the specified word limit.

Format
Heading / Title

It shows the topic or the heading of the note. The

heading should be very clear and brief in order to have a
clear idea of the notes made. It gives the main idea of
the passage.

Subheading

As the name suggests, a subheading is a subdivision of

the main topic. One can use as many subheadings as he
or she wants. It is like the heading to the subsections of
the passage.

Point
Below subheading, there are some points which are the
part of the main topics.

Sub-subheading

One can add more headings below the points for

showing the category, types, advantages, etc.

Indentation

It refers to the proper alignment and spacing in the

written matter. Indentation means shifting from the
margin. It indicates the subheadings, points, sub-points,
sub-subheadings, etc. clearly. Indentation offers a well-
defined structure for a note. It makes it readable and
increases the objectives of the content.

Key

When a person writes a note, he or she uses some keys to

save time. It has the various codes, symbols or the
abbreviation for the clear understanding in the note
making format.

I. Abbreviations

These are used in order to save time and space when you
write notes. Their use makes it easier to read. An
abbreviation can be made by

 Using the beginnings of words

Info. – Information

Stat. – Statistics

Max. – Maximum

Min. – Minimum

 Using the beginnings of words with the last letter

Dept. – department

Govt. – government

Prodn. – Production

 Omitting Vowels
Prblm. – Problem

Wrd. – word

Schl. – school

 Using the first and the last letter of a word

Mt – mount

Mr – Mister
  Shortening the suffix at the end of the word
Productn – Production

Distributn – Distribution

II. Symbols

You may also use some commonly used symbols when

you write notes. These symbols save a lot of time and
easy to understand.

Symbol Meaning Symbol Meaning

→ leads to ← caused by

↑ increase ↓ decrease

> greater than < less than

= equal to ∴ therefore

at the rate of (or

@ % percent
rate)
 100 hundred e.g. example

i.e., that is viz. namely

& and / or

III. Acronyms

They are words consisting of the first letters of each

word in the name of something.

Acronym Meaning Acronym

Central Board of Secondary National Council o

CBSE NCERT
Education

CM Chief Minister PM Pr

United Nations Educ

UNO United Nations Organization UNESCO
O

WHO World Health Organization COD Cas

 FIFO First In First Out PTO Plea

DOB Date of Birth SUV Sport

HR Human Resources PR Pub

CEO Chief Executive Officer CFO Chief F

UK United Kingdom USA The Unite

Note Making
Making notes is a useful practice as it often helps students during
lectures, while preparing for exams and revising for them. It also helps
condense long chapters into short, to the point material, which further
helps one to remember the gathered information. Moreover, texts are
better understood with the help of notes.

Today, extensive reading is the buzz word in every field of study or

research. While reading, we are often bombarded with information of
a vast ambit. It often becomes difficult to recall all the key points of a
passage/ article we may have read.

Note-making is a means to capture the key ideas of a given passage

in an easily readable, logically structured format. The style is fairly
casual and we are even allowed to use abbreviations. The key to
abbreviations at the end of the task ensures that any other reader may
also be able to interpret the gist of the passage. Thus, note-making
can be a wonderful tool to take notes in class, share notes with each
other and even revise for an exam.

How to Make Notes

1. Read the passage carefully and understand the main/general
meaning of the passage. You must comprehend the theme and
subject of the passage.
2. Once you know what the passage is all about, mark the main
components or sub parts of the passage. Look for details, points,
opinions or conclusions drawn from the passage. Make sure, no
important point is missed out.
3. Give your notes a title, make sure it’s short and crisp. It should
be based on the central idea of the passage.
4. Next, frame, main headings and subheadings to put across
crucial components given in the passage. It should be the main
idea of the passage presented in bullets or numbered points.
5. In case, the subheadings can be further provided with important
details, write them in points specifically under the subheading to
which it belongs.
6. Do not write full sentences; use abbreviations whenever
necessary.
7. Use proper indentation to present the notes. Sub-sections are
written a little further from the main heading; be consistent
while numbering.
How to Use Abbreviations and Symbols
While making notes, using abbreviations and symbols help in saving
time and space. There are different ways to abbreviate long or
complicated words:

 Using the initials of two or more words e.g., United Nations –

U.N., etc.
 Using the first few letters of the words e.g., construction – Const.,
abbreviation – abbr., etc.
  Universally recognised abbreviations e.g., Opposite – Opp.,
government – govt., department – dept., etcetera – etc., that is –
i.e., etc.
 Removing the vowels e.g., reading – rdng, books- bks, shopping
– shppng, etc.
 Universally recognised symbols e.g.,\ Therefore, Q because, >
greater, larger, < less, smaller, ↓ falling, decrease,↑ rising,
increase
How to Write Summary:
A summary is usually one-third the length of the original passage.
Ideally, a summary must provide the information in the same order as
given in the original passage. While writing the summary, it is
advisable that you refer to the notes you have already made. This will
help you in keeping your summary short and crisp, informative and
original. However, make sure, all the important components of the
passage have been covered in the summary.

Note Making Format

Title
 Heading 1
1. Supporting points 1
2. Supporting points 2
3. Supporting points 3
 Heading 2
1. Supporting points 1
2. Supporting points 2
3. Supporting points 3
 Heading 3
1. Supporting points 1
2. Supporting points 2
3. Supporting points 3
 Heading 4
 Supporting points 1
 Supporting points 2
 Supporting points 3
 Key to Abbreviations

1. eg. – example

2. etc. – etcetera

3. & – and

Note Making: Contamination of the Environment

The most alarming of man’s assaults upon the environment is the
contamination of air, earth, rivers, and sea with lethal materials. This
pollution is for the most part irrevocable; the chain of evil it initiates is
for the most part irreversible. In this contamination of the
environment, chemicals are the sinister partners of radiation in
changing the very nature of the world; radiation released through
nuclear explosions into the air, comes to the earth in rain, lodges into
the soil, enters the grass or com, or wheat grown there and reaches
the bones of a human being, there to remain until his death. Similarly,
chemicals sprayed on crops lie long in soil, entering living organisms,
passing from one to another in a chain of posioning and death. Or
they pass by underground streams until they emerge and combine
into new forms that kill vegetation, sicken cattle and harm those who
drink from once pure wells.

It took hundreds of millions of years to produce the life that now

inhabits the earth and reached a stage of adjustment and balance with
its surroundings. The environment contained elements that were
hostile as well as supporting. Even within the light of the sun, there are
short wave radiations with power to injure. Given time, life has
adjusted and a balance reached. For time is the essential ingredient,
but in the modern world there is no time.

The rapidity of change and the speed with which new situations are
created follow the heedless pace of man rather than the deliberate
pace of nature. Radiation is no longer the bombardment of cosmic
rays; it is now the unnatural creation of man’s tampering with the
atom. The chemicals to which life is asked to make adjustments are no
longer merely calcium and silica and copper and all the rest of the
minerals washed out of the rocks and carried in the rivers to the sea;
they are the synthetic creations of man’s inventive mind, brewed in his
laboratories, and having no counterparts in nature.

Q. One the basis of your understanding of the above passage make

notes on it using headings and sub-headings. Use recognizable
abbreviations (wherever necessary-minimum four) and a format you
consider suitable. Also supply a title to it.

Answer
THE DEGRADATION OF ENVIRONMENT
1. Contamination of the environment
1. Pollution is for most part irrevocable
1. Initiates an irreversible chain of evil.
2. Chemicals are the sinister partners of radiation
1. Radiations released through nuclear exp.
2. Comes to Earth in F. O. rain.
3. Enters the body of humans and remain till death.
3. Chemical & lying in soil
1. Passes from one to another in F. C.
2. kills veg.’ sickens cattle etc.
2. Establishment of life on earth.
1. Took hundreds of millions of yrs.
2. The env. contained elements that were hostile and
supporting.
3. Changes in life on earth
1. Life has adj. and reached balance.
2. Time is essential but modem world has no time.
3. The heedless pace of man
1. Radiation no longer the bombardment of cosmic
rays.
2. The chemicals are no longer natural.
3. They have tinned out to be synthetic.
Key:
  exp. – explosions
 F.O. – form of
 F.C. – food chain
 veg. – vegetation
 yrs. – years
 env. – environment
 adj. – adjusted
Note Making: Epidemic of Heart Attacks
The epidemic of heart attacks has been attaining alarming proportion
in recent times causing grave concern especially to the medical
fraternity.

To contain and control the increasing death and disability from heart
attacks and to focus on public awareness and their involvement at
global level, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World
Heart Federation (WHF) observed September 24th as the World Heart
Day.

What causes heart attacks? Dr. H.S. Wasir, Chief Cardiologist and
Medical Director, Batra Hospital and Medical Research Centre, lists
four main habits which adversely affect the heart health. These are:
lack of physical exercise, wrong eating habits, cigarette smoking,
excessive alcohol consumption and stressful lifestyle.

The importance of physical exercise in minimising the incidence of

heart attacks cannot be underestimated. ‘‘Physical exercise,’’ says Dr.
Wasir, ‘‘plays a major role in achieving a long and healthy life in
general and prevention of heart attacks in particular.’’ There are
several studies showing that physically active people have higher
longevity than those sedentary or physically inactive.

In fact, the review of modern medical literature sums up the role of

physical activity in health as ‘regular physical exercise adds not only
years to life but also life to year.’ It is the experience of many modern
day physicians that some patients of angina (chest pain or discomfort
on physical or mental exertion or after meals) do get relief with
regularly done physical exercise.

What type of physical exercise and how much, one may ask. It is the
isotonic (dynamic) exercise that is beneficial for the heart and not the
isometric (static) exercise which should be avoided by heart patients.
Weight-lifting, carrying heavy suitcases while travelling, pushing a car,
etc., are some of the examples of isometric exercises. Examples of the
beneficial type of physical activity (dynamic exercise) are: brisk
walking, swimming, golf without power carts, badminton and tennis
(doubles for those with old heart attacks but fully recovered, to be
started only after physician’s advice).

Walking is the best mode of doing regular physical exercise which

requires no equipment, money, material or membership of a club! 30
to 60 minutes brisk walk even on alternate day has been proven to be
beneficial. Stationary cycling or walking on a treadmill at home are the
other alternatives.

Walk up the stairs instead of using a lift if going up to three or four

floors or getting off the lift two or three floors before the destination
and walk up the rest through stairs. Going up several floors in an
overcrowded lift with limited fresh air to be shared by so many may,
however, prove unhealthy.

Park a little away from the workplace and walk that healthy distance.

Best time for brisk walks would be the early mornings before the
traffic flow picks up and walking in the parks with thick plantation.
Jogging on the roads with heavy traffic should be avoided as you will
be inhaling air polluted with the toxins from vehicular exhaust such as
dioxides of sulphur and nitrogen.

‘‘Before starting anyphysical exerciseprogrammes forthe firsttime,

onemust getfully evaluatedby a cardiologist, so as to avoid any harm
being done by exercise, if there is serious underlying heart disease
needing treatment,’’ warns Dr. Wasir.

Q. Make notes on the above passage in a suitable format. You

should use recognizable abbreviations wherever necessary. Give a
suitable title to your passage.
Increase in Heart Attacks at Alarming Rate
1. World Heart Day
1. Observed pm 24 Sept.
2. Observed by WHO and World heart Federation
2. Causes of heart att by Dr. H.S. Wasir:
1. Lack of physical exercise
2. Wrong eating habits
3. Cig. Smoking
4. Excessive alcohol consumption
5. Stressful lifestyle.
3. Exercise beneficial for hlth:
1. Brisk walking
2. Swimming
3. Golf without power carts
4. Badminton and tennis
4. Precautions:
1. Avoid overcrowded lift
2. Avoid jogging on heavy traffic roads
3. Consult physn. before any physical exercise prog.
Key to Abbreviations

1. hlth – health

2. att – attack

3. Sept. – September

4. cig – cigarettee

5. physn. – physician
 6. prog. – programmes

Note Making: Pangolin

If you saw the Pangolin, you would probably find it quiet adorable. It’s
a shy stooped creature that ambles close to the ground, looking
furtively at the world through beady eyes. When threatened, this pre-
historic mammal curls up into a ball, presenting a hide covered in
overlapping scales so tough, they can withstand a tiger attack or
blows from an axe. These scales are also the reason the Pangolin is on
the endangered list. For one thing, they make it easy to capture and
impossible to kill. So about 3,500 Pangolin are boiled alive in India
every year, and about 10,000 worldwide according to the data from
the UK based NGO Environmental Investigation Agency.

Thus separated from the skin, the scales fetch up to ` 15,000 per kg in
the market, to eventually be used as a ‘tonic’ in traditional Chinese
medicine. All this has made the Pangolin the most poached mammal
in India and the world. And yet there is little data on its decline, only
vague estimates of how few are left, just the fact that the young are
being poached so extensively to hint at how few adults probably
remain. Chances are, you’ve never even seen a picture of one.

It is essentially, an orphan in the wild. Poached, seriously endangered

and still largely ignored. And in the sense, if no one other, the
Pangolin is not alone. Its predicament is shared by the Slender Loris
and the Red Line Torpedo Barb, which are trapped and sold by the
thousands as exotic pets. Likewise, the Dugong or Sea Cow is hunted
for its flesh, and the first owlet is sought after for its supposedly
magical properties. The Sea Cucumber, which is hunted as a delicacy
and an ingredient in traditional Chinese and South-East Asian
medicine, has been wiped out in many parts of the western coast. The
Sea Horse, traded in thousands as aquarium pets, dried curios and
‘cure’ for asthma, faces the same fate on the eastern coast.
At a time when the impact of human activity is contributing to, if not
causing, climate change, species around the world are in peril; some
still more than others. But within the world of endangered animals,
discrimination persists. Worldwide, the species that pull on
heartstrings and purse-strings tend to either be large, powerful
animals at the top of a food chain (like the tiger and whale) or
charismatic creatures (like the elephant or koala bear).

The hundreds of other critically endangered are left to make do with

the scraps of attention, awareness and budgetary allotment left. Some
like the Pangolin, amble into the news when their numbers drop very
far or very fast, or both. Others, like the Red Line Torpedo Barb, which
makes up 60 percent of India’s decorative fish exports, may make it to
the news when they have disappeared altogether. “With the bulk of
endangered species, the conservation efforts end at moving them
from one list to another as their numbers drop and they become more
and more endangered. This is just a cosmetic change since it does not
reflect any changes of real significance on the ground,” says Shikhar
Niraj, head of TRAFFIC India, a joint programme of World Wide Fund
for Nature and the World Conservation Union. Since ‘celebrity’ animals
like the tiger or the elephant are international symbols of Indian
Wildlife, they tend to hog public attention. This is bad news.

As marine ecologist Deepak Apte puts it, “We may concern ourselves
with the flagship species but it is the minutiae that actually balance
the ecosystem. Be it the Scavenger species, the Sea Cucumber or the
Insectivorous Loris, it is these species that keep the ecosystem healthy
and clean.”

Q. On the basis of your reading the passage, make notes using

recognisable abbreviations wherever necessary. Use a format you
consider suitable, supply a suitable title.
Endangered Animals
1. Animals often poached:
1. Pangolin
2. Slender Loris
 3. Red Line Torpedo Barb
4. Sea-Cucumbe
5. Dugong
2. Pangolin
1. shy stooped creature
2. ambles close to ground
3. beady eyes
4. looks furtively
5. hide covered with overlapping scales
3. Reasons for poaching:
1. Pangolin
1. used as a tonic in chinse medcn
2. Loris & Red Line Torpedo Barb
1. sold as pets
3. Dugong or Sea Cow
1. hunted for flesh
4. Sea Cucumber
1. eaten as a delicacy
2. ingr. in chinse. medcn.
5. Sea Horse
1. traded as aquarium pet
2. cure for asthma
4. Need for consrvtn:
1. balance the ecosystem
2. keep the ecosystem healthy and clean.
Key to Abbreviations

1. chinse chinese

2. medcn medicine

3. & and

4. consrvtn conservation

5. ingr. ingredient
Note Making: Reading Comprehension
Reading Comprehension (RC) is the most peculiar section in almost all
scholastic, entrance and employment tests. The skills in RC make a lot
of difference in one’s chances of good grades/selection.

Most students find it difficult to tackle topics that are diverse from the
field they are in or from which they are comfortable with. So one
needs to develop a taste for even the most obscure and boring topic
on this planet. For success in RC one should be able to understand it.
And even with an average speed, one can succeed if one implements
the strategies.

Broadly speaking, RC passages can be classified in a few categories.

Fact based RC is the simplest form of RC. These types of passages
have a lot of information in the form of names, numbers, etc. In these
types of passages, one should read very fast. Don’t try to memorise
any facts. Just mark what the author is talking about in each
paragraph.

Inference based RC is the toughest form of RC. Here, the passage is

fairly tough to understand. This includes passages on topic like
Religion, Spirituality, Philosophy etc. Most of the students will be
comfortable attempting these passages. The way to master them is to
read them again and again.

Topic based RC includes passages on any particular topic like

economics, astrology, medical sciences etc. Generally what makes
these passages difficult is usage of technical terms. For success in
these types of passages, we need to have a fair understanding of the
definition of the term if it is defined in the passage. Assume them to
be non-existent and proceed. The key principle in these passages is
that don’t go to the next line until the previous line is clear.

Reading the question first and then passage is the usual strategy
followed by a few students. They just look at the questions and not
options. The objective is that after seeing the questions when you
read the passage then you read only that part carefully where the
answer is given. The flaw with this strategy is that you will not be able
to remember all the questions. Besides this, this strategy fails when
there are questions that require understanding of the passage.
Therefore, the best way to attempt an RC is to understand the passage
very well first, and then to answer the questions.

Q. On the basis of reading of the above passage, make notes on it

in points only by writing headings and sub-headings. Use
recognizable abbreviations wherever necessary (minimum 4). Also
give a suitable title.
Comprehension Passages
1. Reading comprehension
1. Most peculiar section
2. In almost all tests
3. Make a lot of diff. in getting good grades
2. Classification of comprehension passages:
1. Fact based passages
1. Simplest form of passages
2. Have lots of information
2. Inference based RC
1. Toughest form of passages
2. Based on topics like religion, philosophy etc.
3. Easy to attempt
3. Topic based RC
1. Based on a particlr topic
2. Needs fair understanding
3. Usual strategy of students:
1. First look at questions
2. Then read the passage
3. Not a good strategy
4. Best way to solve RC:
1. Understand the passage
2. Answer the ques.
Key to Abbreviations
 1. diff. – difference

2. RC – reading comprehension

3. particlr – particular

4. ques. – question

Note Making: Mynah

The mynah perhaps needs to make some apology for his yellow
stockings, since such mustard-coloured understandings are not usual
among small birds, pertaining rather to the rapacious tribe, and being
thus a badge of anything but respectability. But the mynah atones for
his yellow legs, feet, and face, by the exceedingly decorous plumage
which covers the rest of him; no objection can be to his black hood, or
the sober chocolate of his body colour, or to the plain black,
diversified with white, of his quills and tail.

Nevertheless as a starling our present subject is a rather big and

showy bird, being certainly equal in looks to any of his relatives in
Calcutta, none of which bear the shot silk sheen of green and purple
which adorns the home starling, also a visitor to India, for this starling
or Mynahs are in great force in the East, which is their true home, and
the common Mynah is a good type of the clan.

Bold, vigorous and pushing, he secures to himself a large share of all

the good things in the way of insects and fruit that may be going, and
is a bird ofremarkably allround abilities, though not particularly
graceful in his movements. On the ground he runs and walks well,
hopping when he wants to put an extra spurt, albeit there is a swing in
his gait which is not particularly elegant. No doubt, however, he is
proud of this, as it is a family character; geese, which do not not suffer
from excessive modesty, have a similar style of going, are known to
bare doubtable pedestrians in their quiet way.
Mynah, unlike other ground birds, is nimble and active in a tree as
well; and his flight, though not remarkably fast, is tolerant enough for
ease, and he feels sufficient confidence in it to occasionally attempt a
little insect-catching on the wing, when his quarry has got away from
him on foot. When he flies, he tucks up his long yellow shanks to his
breast, showing conclusively that birds which stow their legs this way
when on the wing do so by custom, not for convenience, for from
their size one would think that he would do better to stow them
astern like the paddy bird and other waders.

Q. On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make note

on it using headings and sub-headings. Use recognizable
abbreviations (wherever necessary-minimum 4) and a format you
consider suitable. Also supply an appropriate title to it.
Mynah
1. Description of mynah:
1. sober choc. body colour
2. yellow legs, feet & face
3. black hood
4. black & white quills & tail
5. bold and vigrus.
2. Feeds on:
1. insects
2. fruit
3. Movements:
1. not graceful
2. runs & walks well on ground.
3. hops to put extra spurt
4. swing in gait
4. Flight of mynah:
1. remrkbly fast
2. confident
3. tucks yellow shanks to breast
1. a custom
2. not for convenience
 Key to Abbreviations

1. choc chocolate

2. vigrus vigorous

3. & and

4. remrkbly remarkably

Note Making: Hearing is Different from Listening

It is surprising that sometimes we don’t listen to what people say to
us. We hear them, but we don’t listen to them. I was curious to know
how hearing is different from listening. I had thought both were
synonyms, but gradually, I realized there is a big difference between
the two words. Hearing is a physical phenomenon. Whenever
somebody speaks, the sound waves generated to reach your ears and
you definitely hear whatever is said to you. However, even if you hear
something, it doesn’t always mean that you actually understand
whatever is being said. Paying attention to whatever you hear means
you are really listening. Consciously using your mind to understand
whatever is being said is listening. Diving deeper, I found that listening
is not only hearing with attention, but is much more than that.
Listening is hearing with full attention, and applying our mind. Most of
the time, we listen to someone, but our minds are full of needless
chatter and there doesn’t seem to be enough space to accommodate
what is being spoken.

We come with a lot of prejudices and preconceived notions about the

speaker or the subject on which he is talking. We pretend to listen to
the speaker, but deep inside, we sit in judgement and are dying to
pronounce right or wrong, true or false, yes or no. Sometimes, we
even come prepared with a negative mindset of proving the speaker
wrong. Even if the speaker says nothing harmful, we are ready to
pounce on him with our own version of things.
What we should ideally do is to listen first with full awareness. Once
we have done that, we can decide whether we want to make a
judgement or not. Once, we do that, communication will be perfect
and our interpersonal relationship will become so much better.
Listening well doesn’t mean one has to say the right thing at the right
moment. In fact, sometimes if words are left unspoken, there is a
feeling of tension and negativity. Therefore, it is better to speak out
your mind but do so with awareness after listening to the speaker with
full concentration. Let’s look at this in another way. When you really
listen to, you imbibe not only what is being spoken, but you also
understand what is not spoken as well. Most of the time we don’t
really listen even to people who really matter to us. That’s how
misunderstandings grow among families, husbands and wives,
brothers and sisters.

Q. On the basis of your reading of the above passage make notes on it,
using headings and sub-headings. Use recognizable abbreviations
(wherever necessary – minimum four) and a format you consider
suitable. Also supply an appropriate title to it.

Answer
Listening Vs. Hearing
1. Difference between the two synonyms
1. Hearing but not listening
2. Paying attention
3. Hearing as a physical phenomenon
4. Consciously using your mind
5. Minds are full of needless chatter
6. Accommodating what is said
2. Barries to Listening
1. Prejudices and preconceived notions
2. Negative Mindset
3. Pretend to listen
4. Proving our ver. of things right
3. Ideal way of listening
1. Listen first
 2. Listen with awareness
3. Think before you judge
4. Words unspoken leave a feeling of tension and negativity
5. Speak your mind out
4. Listening to understand people
1. Imbibe what is not spoken
2. Times when we don’t listen to people who matter
3. Triggers misunderstanding
5. Importance of listening
1. Reduce misunderstanding
2. Perfect communication
3. Inprove interpersonal relationships
List of abbreviations used
1. Vs. – Versus
2. Ver. – Version
3. Don’t – Do not