Unit – 6

Let’s Begin:

A. Photographs of the Presidents of India are chronologically given below. Can you
identify them?

B. Discuss in pairs and write down their names.

C. Why is the President of India known as the First Citizen of the country?

Answer:
A. Yes, I can identify them.

B. (1) Dr. Rajendra Prasad

(2) Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
(3) Zakir Husain
(4) V.V. Giri
(5) Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
(6) Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
(7) Zail Singh
(8) R. Venkataraman
(9) Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma
(10) Dr. K.R. Narayanan
(11) Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
(12) Pratibha Devi Singh Patil
(13) Pranab Mukherjee
(14) Ram Nath Kovind

C. Our president is called as the First citizen of India because he/she is the
constitutional head of the state.

Reading Comprehension:

Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow.

Text – I

I must have been about seven when my father left Porbandar for Rajkot to become a
member of the Rajasthanik Court. There I was put into a primary school, and I can
well recollect those days, including the names and other particulars of the teachers
who taught me. As at Porbandar, so here, there is hardly anything to note about my
studies. I could only have been a mediocre student. From this school I went to the
suburban school and thence to high school, having already reached my twelfth year.

I do not remember having ever told a lie, during this short period, either to my
teachers or to my school-mates. However, I used to be very shy and avoided all
company. My books and my lessons were my sole companions. To be at school at the
stroke of the hour and to run back home as soon as the school closed that was my
daily habit.

There is an incident which occurred at the examination during my first year at high
school and which is worth recording. Mr Giles, the educational Inspector, had come
on a visit of inspection. He had set us five words to write as a spelling exercise. One
of the words was ‘Kettle’. Ii had misspelt it.
The teacher tried to prompt me with the point of his boot, but I would not be
prompted. It was beyond me to see that he wanted me to copy the spelling from my
neighbour’s slate, for I had thought that the teacher was there to supervise us
against copying. The result was that all the boys, except myself, were found to have
spelt every word correctly. I could never learn the art of‘copying’. Yet the incident
did not in the least diminish my respect for my teacher.

I was by nature, blind to the faults of elders. Later I came to know of many other
failings of this teacher, but my regard for him remained the same. Two other
incidents belonging to the same period have always clung to my memory. As a rule I
had distaste for any reading beyond my school books. The daily lessons had to be
done, because I disliked being taken to task by my teacher as much as I disliked
deceiving him. Therefore I would do the lessons, but often without my mind in them.

Thus, when even the lessons could not be done properly, there was of course no
question of any extra reading. But somehow my eyes fell on a book purchased by my
father. It was Shravana Pitribhakti Nataka. I read it with intense interest. One of the
pictures I was shown was of Shravana carrying, by means of slings fitted for his
shoulders, his blind parents on a pilgrimage. The book and the picture left an
indelible impression on my mind.
(An excerpt from The Story of My Experiments with Truth, Mohandas Karamchand
Gandhi)

Question 1.
Choose the correct option from the bracket and fill in the blanks.
(a) Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was a/an student. ( average, poor, intelligent)
(b) As a boy, Mohandas used to be very and avoided all company, (timid, fearful,
outspoken)
(c) The teacher tried to him with the point of his boot. (suggest, force, instruct)
(d) Young Mohandas any reading beyond his school books. (disliked, liked, hated)
(e) He read Shravana Pitribhakti with interest. (great, least, little)

Answer:
(a) average
(b) timid
(c) suggest
(d) disliked
(e) great

Question 2.
Answer the following questions in brief. (30 words).
(a) Where did Mohandas complete his primary education?
(b) Who were Mohandas Gandhi’s sole companions in his childhood?
(c) Which incident given- in the passage reflects Mohandas’s honesty?
(d) Which two things did Mohandas dislike the most?
(e) What did the picture of Shravana convey to Mohandas Gandhi?
(f) Pick out five qualities and traits which young Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
had. One is done for you.
Absolutely non-judgemental, couldn’t see the bad qualities of his teacher.

Answer:
(a) Mohandas completed his primary education in Rajkot. His father went there to
become a member of the Rajasthanik court. He read there in a primary school.

(b) His books and his lessons were his sole companions in his childhood. He was
very shy and avoided all company.

(c) Once an educational Inspector, Mr Giles came on inspection and gave five words
to students as spelling exercise. Gandhiji misspelt the word ‘kettle’. The teacher
suggested him to copy the spelling from another student but Gandhiji couldnot do
so.

(d) Gandhiji disliked being taken to task by the teacher and he disliked copying or
deceiving the teacher.

(e) In one of the pictures, Shravana was carrying his blind parents on his shoulders
on a pilgrimage. It left an indelible imprint on his mind.

(f) Good memory – he could well recollect the names and other particulars of the
teachers who taught him in the primary school.

• Truthful – never told a lie either to the teacher or school-mates.

• Very shy – avoided all company, his books and lessons were his sole
companions.
• Punctual – Always reached school on time and returned home as soon
as the school closed.
• Distaste for reading – only did his daily lessons to avoid being taken to
task by any teacher.
• Honest – he could not copy the spelling of the word, ‘Kettle’ from his
classmate even after being suggested by the teacher.
Question 3.
Locate words from the passage with similar meaning:
(a) reduce ___________
(b) only one ___________
(c) dupe ___________
(d) permanent effect ___________

Answer:
(a) diminish
(b) sole
(c) deceive
(d) indelible

Text – II

Indra Krishnamurthy Nooyi is an Indian Amarican business executive. She is the

Chairjnapi ana Chief Executive Officer of Pepsico. She is one among the world’s most
powerful women. She delivered the following speech at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on
14 December 2013. She was named one of the 25 Greatest Living Legends by NDTV,
and was awarded by the then President of India, Pranab Mukherjee at the
Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Read the speech delivered by Indra Nooyi and answer the questions that follow.
Mr President and NDTV, thank you very much for this incredible honour. Malcom
Gladwell in his book, Outliers says: “Who you are cannot be separated from where
you came from.”

I left India 35 years ago, went to the USA and had tremendous success in the
meritocracy. But none of that could have happened if I would not have had
wonderful upbringing very much here in India. So I have a lot to thank India for.
Now my three lessons I would like to share with you.

First, please be a lifelong student. You know when we were kids, we used to ask
questions like “Why is the sky blue?”, “Why the birds flying so high?”But for some
reasons, as we get older, that curiosity goes away. And if we are happy with the
knowledge we have, then we are actually going to atrophy. So, please remain a
lifelong student, don’t lose that curiosity.

Second, whatever you do, throw yourself into it, throw your head, heart and hands
into it. I look at my job not as a job, I look at it as a Calling, as a Passion and I don’t
care about the hours, about the hardships, because to me everything is a joy. So
whatever you do, please look upon it as a Calling, a Passion, not as a job, not as
something temporary.

The third and the most important one, please help others rise. Greatness comes not
from a position, but from helping build a future. All of us in position of power have
an obligation to pull others up. You know, as I stand here today, I look at my
responsibility not as accepting an honour, I look upon it as accepting a challenge and
a responsibility, an obligation to actually make it possible for people who are
younger to come up and achieve levels of greatness, so they too can be on the stage
sometime in the future.
(Source: Speech delivered by Indra Nooyi at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on 14
December 2013)

Question 1.
What has Malcom Glad well said in his book, that Indra Nooyi is refering to in her
speech?

Answer:
Indra Nooyi referred to in her speech Malcom Gladwell’s words in his book,
‘Outliers’ where he said, “Who you are cannot be separated from where you came
from.”

Question 2.
What according to Indra Nooyi helped her achieve great success?

Answer:
Nooyi mentioned about her tremendous success in the meritocracy. She gave the
credit to the wonderful upbringing that she got in India.

Question 3.
What is the first lesson that Indra Nooyi has talked about in her speech?

Answer:
The first lesson that Indra Nooyi gave was that one should remain a lifelong student.
We should not limit our knowledge. We should be curious to learn more in life.

Question 4.
What element should we have to be a lifelong student?

Answer:
The element of curiosity makes us a lifelong student. We should not limit our
knowledge, if we do so, we are going to atrophy.

Question 5.
How does she look at her job?

Answer:
She takes her job as a calling, as a passion and doesn’t care about the time spent or
hardships in it. She takes it as a joy without any pressure.

Question 6.
What is her third lesson? Why is it important?

Answer:
In the third lesson she says that greatness does not come from a position, rather we
should help others to rise and build a better future. It is our responsibility to do so.

Question 7.
What obligation does she talk about in her speech?

Answer:
She talks about the obligation to pull our youngers up by and help them to achieve
levels of greatness.

Vocabulary:

Question 1.
Make noun forms of the given words. One is done for you.

Example:
happen happening
(а) know ___________
(b) accept ___________
(c) separate ___________
(d) oblige ___________
(e) achieve ___________

Answer:
(a) knowledge
(b) acceptance
(c) separation
(d) obligation
(e) achievement

Question 2.
Take words from the box given below and match the words that go along with them.
You may use some of the words more than once.

Example:
Communal-harmony:
tune – paper – system – fine – water
communal – news – heart – sound – study
black – kill – felt – proof – tour
joy – harmony
Write the words here.

Answer:

• Water-proof
• Sound-system
• Heart-felt
• Study-tour
• News-paper
• Fine-tune
• Black-water
• Communal-kill

Question 3.
You would have come across some words from Indian languages used in the chapter
‘My Childhood’ in your textbook, Beehive.

Example: pucca.
Look up the dictionary in the English language and find ten words which are of
Indian origin. Two are done for you:

Answer:

• Chutney
• Karma
• Jugaad
• Dadagiri
• Achcha
 • Bapu
• Surya Namaskar
• Anna
• Abba
• Gulab jamun
• Mirch masala
• Keema

Grammar:

Question 1.
Fill in the blanks to complete the process of washing clothes in a machine. Use
passive form of the verbs given in brackets.
Dirty clothes are ___________ (take) for washing. Clothes are ___________ (separate) on
the basis of texture, colour, etc., and (make) into piles. Each pile is ___________(put) in
the washing machine tub. Then detergent powder is ___________ (add) and the
required programme is ___________ (set). Once the washing is over the clothes are
___________ (remove) from the tub and (hang) for drying.

Answer:
taken; separated; made; put; added; set; removed; hung.

Question 2.
Passive voice
Expand the News Headlines into three to four sentences of a short article. Use
passive voice wherever it is required.

Example:

(а) Mumbai flooded with rain water

Answer:
Yesterday Mumbai was hit by incessant rain. The city is flooded with rain water
now. Water is being pumped out from the roads. The residents are requested by the
Municipal Corporation to remain indoors.

(b) The fire caused by crackers

Answer:
Yesterday, fire broke out in a shop at Uttam Nagar. The fire brigade was called
immediately. People were asked to stay away from the spot. It was extinguished
within 2 hours. No casualty has been
reported but the articles in the shop were gutted down completely.

(c) Bank robbed in broad daylight

Answer:
Axis Bank at Khari Baoli was robbed of Rs. 50 lakhs by 5 miscreants yesterday. The
robbery was committed in broad daylight. Two of the five miscreants have been
nabbed by the police. Rest of them will soon be arrested, assured the DCP.

(d) Taxes lowered for some commodities

Answer:
Sailing against the tide, the taxes on some essential commodities have been lowered
by the government. It is hoped that the lower strata of society will be relieved.
Articles like soaps and cereals will now be easily available to poor people. It was
celebrated as a victory of the poor people.

3. Phrasal Verb:

In the lesson ‘My Childhood’ in your textbook, Beehive, the phrasal verb ‘break out’
is used by combining a verb (break) with a preposition (out) denoting the meaning
‘to begin’. Many more phrasal verbs can be formed with the same verb
“break’joining with other prepositions. They are –
break into – break away – break open
break down – break up
Now, replace the underlined words with a phrasal verb from the list given above
using the correct form.

(a) The passengers were troubled when the bus stopped due to engine failure.

Answer:
The passengers were troubled when the bus broke down.

(b) Neha’s relationship with Rohan came to an end over a very silly matter.

Answer:
Neha’s relationship with Rohan broke up over a very silly matter.

(c) The burglar in spite of all security, entered Mir Khan’s house and took away all
valuables.
Answer:
The burglar in spite of all security, broke into Mr. Khan’s house and took away all
valuables.

(d) The child attempted to leave the mother’s grasp, but she held fast.

Answer:
The child attempted to break open but she held fast.

(e) The new director desired to discard the age-old practices in the office.

Answer:
The new director desired to break away the age-old practices in the office.

Editing:

Use capital letters, full-stops, commas and inverted commas wherever necessary in
the following story. Some words are also wrongly spelt. Check the spelling errors
and correct them.
Once the Fairies of the Trfees set out to choose their dwelling places some were
wise in making their choices and some were foolis the wise fairies shunned the trees
that stood alone in the open fields, and settld in a thick forest, but the foolish ones
said, Why should we crowd together in a forest Let us go and live in lonely trees
near villages, where humans will bring us gifts.

One night a greate tempest swept over the countri the lonely trees were blown
down, and the foolis fairys became homeless; but the great, dense forest resisted the
fury of the storm. The wise fairies said to the foolish ones Peopl should stand
together like a dense forest. It is only the solitary tree, growing unprotekted in the
open field that is overthrown by a silly thing like a storm

Question 1.
Write the corrected story here.

Answer:
Once the fairies of the trees set out to choose their dwelling places, some were wise
in making their choices and some were foolish. The wise fairies shunned the trees
that stood alone in the open fields and settled in a thick forest. But the foolish ones
said, “Why should we crowd together in a forest ? Let us go and live in lonely trees
near villages where humans will bring us gifts.”
One night a great tempest swept over the country. The lonely trees were blown
down and the foolish fairies became homeless; but the great, dense forest resisted
the fury of the storm. The wise fairies said to the foolish ones,’“People should stand
together like a dense forest. It is only the solitary tree, growing unprotected in the
open field that is overthrown by a silly thing, like a storm.”

Listening:

Given below is an extract from Malala Yousafzai’s speech at the UN General

Assembly on 12 July 2013. Malala Yousafzai is a young Pakistani girl who was shot
at by the Taliban because she wanted to study. She was awarded the Nobel Peace
Prize in 2014 for her struggle for the right of all children to education.

The teacher or one of your classmates will read out the extract. Answer all the
questions after listening to the extract. Honourable UN Secretary General Mr Ban Ki-
moon, respected President of the General Assembly Vuk Jeremic, honourable UN
envoy for global education Mr Gordon Brown, respected elders and my dear
brothers and sisters: Assalamu alaikum.

Today it is an honour for me to be speaking again after a long time. Being here with
such honourable people is a great moment in my life and it is an honour for me that
today I am wearing a shawl of late Benazir Bhutto. I don’t know where to begin my
speech. I don’t know what people would be expecting me to say, but first of all thank
you to God for whom we all are equal and thank you to every person who has
prayed for my fast recovery and new life.

I cannot believe how much love people have shown me. I have received thousands of
good-wish cards and gifts from all over the world. Thank you to all of them. Thank
you to the children whose innocent words encouraged me. Thank you to my elders
whose prayers strengthened me. I would like to thank my nurses, doctors and the
staff of the hospitals in Pakistan and the UK and the UAE government who have
helped me to get better and recover my strength.

… There are hundreds of human rights activists and social workers who are not only
speaking for their rights, but who are struggling to achieve their goal of peace,
education and equality. Thousands of people have been killed by the terrorists and
millions have been injured. I am just one of them. So here I stand, one girl among
many. I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who
have fought for their rights …Their right to live in peace. Their right to be treated
with dignity. Their right to equality of opportunity. Their right to be educated.
… the compassion I have learned from Mohamed, the Prophet of Mercy, Jesus Christ
and Lord Buddha. This the legacy of change I have inherited from Martin Luther
King, Nelson Mandela and Mohammed Ali Jinnah.

This is the philosophy of non-violence that I have learned from Gandhi, Bacha Khan
and Mother Teresa. And this is the forgiveness that I have learned from my father
and from my mother. This is what my soul is telling me: be peaceful and love
everyone … Thank you.

Question 1.
Why did the Taliban shoot Malala?

Answer:
Malala Yousafzai was a young Pakistani girl who was shot by the Taliban because
she wanted to study.

Question 2.
Why was Malala awarded the Nobel Peace Prize?

Answer:
Malala was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for her struggle for the right of
all children to education.

Question 3.
Who all did Malala thank in her speech and why?

Answer:
Malala thanked God, first of all. Then, she thanked all the people who prayed for her
fast recovery. She thanked the children for their encouraging words, her elders
whose prayers strengthened her. She also thanked her doctors, nurses, hospital staff
and the UAE government.

Question 4.
What are the activists and social workers struggling for?

Answer:
Hundreds of human rights activists and social workers are struggling to achieve
their goal of peace, education and equality.

Question 5.
What rights did she talk about in her speech? Tick (✓) the right answers.
(a) right to live in peace
(b) right to be treated with dignity
(c) right to have a safe home
(d) right to equality of opportunity
(e) right to fight for self
(f) right to be educated

Answer:
(a); (6); (d); (f)

Question 6.
From whom did Malala learn
(а) compassion
(b) the philosophy of non-violence
(c) forgiveness

Answer:
(a) She learned compassion from Mohamed, the Prophet of mercy, Jesus Christ and
Lord Buddha.
(b) She learned it from Gandhi, Bacha Khan and Mother Teresa.
(c) She learned it from her father and mother.

Speaking:

Question 1.
Prepare five slips with the following words written on them. The class will be
divided into 4 groups. Each group’will be asked to pick up a slip and discuss the
topic for 5 minutes. Finally, one representative from the group will make a brief
presentation on the topic.
1. ancestral house
2. secure childhood
3. primary school
4. social barriers
5. communal harmony

Some words given in the box below may be helpful. You can use any other words
that are appropriate to the topic. ,
ancient – large – emotional – co-existence
upbringing – inequality – system – tradition
friendship
Communal Harmony:
We live in a society where people are divided on the basis of their caste or religion.
Since India is the only country in the world with so many different religions, ethnic
communities, unity is a must so that the largest democracy in the world survives.
We must respect each other’s caste, community and religion. India is a secular
country, all religious groups are given freedom to practise their faiths. If we are
broad minded and give space to each other, we can live” in peace and it can
eradicate various social ills in our country. So we can say that communal harmony is
the basic requirement for the progress of our country.

Writing:

Question 1.
In 2010, the United Nations declared Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s birthday (15th
October) as World Students’ Day. Write an article on the importance of the
youth/young students in the making of a New India. (120-150 words)

Answer:
The importance of youth/young students in the making of a New India Every citizen
of the country makes or mars the future of the nation in his own way; some leave a
positive impact while the other, negative one. Youths are the backbone of a nation;
their dynamism gives shape and direction to the hopes and aspirations of the whole
country. Hence it is imperative to channelize their unending energy for the building
of bright future of the nation. The society in India suffers from different social
malaise like-child marriage, dowry system, superetion, girl child facticide, illiteracy
etc.

If the youths are brought forward to follow – ‘each one, teach one’ – most of the ills
of the society will be automatically eradicated. Youths need to be trained in different
skills to combat disasters so that they can rescue the victims of these calamities.
They should be taught to look after their parents in their old age and should not
redeem themselves by pertting them in old age homes. Youths can pert
farwardnewideas to comfront poverty andilleteracy of the people. They should be
allowed to do so. Only then we can hope to build a new India.

Project:

Question 1.
Collect your favourite quotations by M.K. Gandhi, Dr Abdul Kalam, Mother Teresa,
Lai Bahadur Shastri, J. Krishnamurti, any other personalities that you admire. Make
a collage for display in the monthly wall magazine of your class.
Answer:
The following quotes can be used to make collage. You can take photos also from
somewhere.

Quotations:

M.K. Gandhi :

1. The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.
2. An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.
3. Live as if you were to die tomorrow; learn as if you were to live forever.

Dr. Abdul Kalam :

1. If you want to shine like a sun, burn like a sun.

2. Man needs his difficulties because they are necessary to enjoy success.
3. Building capacity dissolves differences; it irons 4 out inequalities.

Mother Teresa:

1. Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible

poverty.
2. Love begins by taking care of the close ones – the ones at home.

Lai Bahadur Shastri:

1. Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan

J. Krishnamurti :

1. It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick

society.

2. I maintain that truth is a pathless land and you cannot approach it by

any path whatsoever, by any religion, by any sect.

3. The ability to observe without evaluating is the highest form of

intelligence.

4. It is truth that liberates; not your effort to be free.