Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
1. Too many parents these days can't say no. As a result, they find themselves raising 'children' who respond greedily to the advertisements aimed right at them. Even getting what they want doesn't satisfy some kids; they only want more. Now, a growing number of psychologists, educators and parents think it's time to stop the madness and start teaching kids about what's really important: values like hard work, contentment, honesty and compassion. The struggle to set limits has never been tougher ‒ and the stakes have never been higher. One recent study of adults who were overindulged as children, paints a discouraging picture of their future: when given too much too soon, they grow up to be adults who have difficulty coping with life's disappointments. They also have distorted sense of entitlement that gets in the way of success in the work place and in relationships.
2. Psychologists say that parents who overindulge their kids, set them up to be more vulnerable to future anxiety and depression. Today's parents themselves raised on values of thrift and self-sacrifice, grew up in a culture where no was a household word. Today's kids want much more, partly because there is so much more to want. The oldest members of this generation were born in the late 1980s, just as PCs and video games were making their assault on the family room. They think of MP3 players and flat screen TV as essential utilities, and they have developed strategies to get them. One survey of teenagers found that when they crave for something new, most expect to ask nine times before their parents give in. By every measure, parents are shelling out record amounts. In the heat of this buying blitz, even parents who desperately need to say no find themselves reaching for their credit cards.
3. Today's parents aren't equipped to deal with the problem. Many of them, raised in the 1960s and '70s, swore they'd act differently from their parents and have closer relationships with their own children. Many even wear the same designer clothes as their kids and listen to the same music. And they work more hours; at the end of a long week, it's tempting to buy peace with 'yes' and not mar precious family time with conflict. Anxiety about future is another factor. How do well intentioned parents say no to all the sports gear and arts and language lessons they believe will help their kids thrive in an increasingly competitive world? Experts agree: too much love won't spoil a child. Too few limits will.
4. What parents need to find, is a balance
between the advantages of an affluent society and the critical
life lessons that come from waiting, saving and working hard to
achieve goals. That search for balance has to start early.
Children need limits on their behaviour because they feel better
and more secure when they live within a secured structure. Older
children learn self-control by watching how others, especially
parents act. Learning how to overcome challenges is essential to
becoming a successful adult. Few parents ask kids to do chores.
They think their kids are already
overburdened by social and academic
pressures. Every individual can be of service to others, and life
has meaning beyond one's own immediate happiness. That
means parents eager to teach values have to take a long, hard
look at their own.
Answer :
(a)
(1) Teachers and parents want children to learn values like hard
work, contentment, honesty and compassion.
(2) When children are given too much too soon, they grow up to be
adults who have difficulty coping with life's disappointments. Such
children may develop a distorted sense of entitlement that hampers
their success in the work place and in relationships.
(3) Today's children want more because there is so much more to
want. Moreover, they consider luxurious items as essential
utilities.
(4) In today's world, parents need to strike a balance between the
advantages of an affluent society and the critical life lessons
that come from waiting, saving and working hard to achieve
goals.
(5) There is a need to set limits for children because they feel
better and more secure when they live within a
secured structure.
(b)
(1) contentment
(2) precious
(3) essential
Read the passage carefully.
1. I remember my childhood as being generally happy and can recall experiencing some of the most carefree times of my life. But I can also remember, even more vividly, moments of being deeply frightened. As a child, I was truly terrified of the dark and getting lost. These fears were very real and caused me some extremely uncomfortable moments.
2. Maybe it was the strange way things looked and sounded in my familiar room at night that scared me so much. There was never total darkness, but a street light or passing car lights made clothes hung over a chair take on the shape of an unknown beast. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw curtains move when there was no breeze. A tiny creak in the floor would sound a hundred times louder than in the daylight and my imagination would take over, creating burglars and monsters. Darkness always made me feel helpless. My heart would pound and I would lie very still so that 'the enemy' wouldn't discover me.
3. Another childhood fear of mine was that I would get lost, especially on the way home from school. Every morning, I got on the school bus right near my home ‒ that was no problem. After school, though, when all the buses were lined up along the curve, I was terrified that I would get on the wrong one and be taken to some unfamiliar neighbourhood. I would scan the bus for the faces of my friends, make sure that the bus driver was the same one that had been there in the morning, and even then ask the others over and over again to be sure I was in the right bus. On school or family trips to an amusement park or a museum, I wouldn't let the leaders out of my sight. And of course, I was never very adventurous when it came to taking walks or hikes because I would go only where I was sure I would never get lost.4. Perhaps, one of the worst fears I had as a child was that of not being liked or accepted by others. First of all, I was quite shy. Secondly, I worried constantly about my looks, thinking people wouldn't like me because I was too fat or wore braces. I tried to wear 'the right clothes' and had intense arguments with my mother over the importance of wearing flats instead of saddled shoes to school. Being popular was very important to me then and the fear of not being liked was a powerful one.
5. One of the processes of evolving from a child to an adult is being able to recognise and overcome our fears. I have learnt that darkness does not have to take on a life of its own, that others can help me when I am lost and that friendliness and sincerity will encourage people to like me. Understanding the things that scared us as children helps to cope with our lives as adults.
(a) On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes using headings and subheadings. Use recognizable abbreviations wherever necessary.(b) Make a summary of the passage in not more than 80 words using the notes made and also suggest a suitable title.
Answer :
(a)
1. Recalling childhood moments
1.1. happy & carefree
1.2. terrified of darkness & getting
lost
2. Childhood fears
2.1. Feeling helpless in dark
2.1.1 Strange shadows - an
unknown beast
2.1.2. Moving curtains
2.1.3. Creaking sounds
2.1.4. Imagining burglars &
monsters
2.1.5. Lying still, with
pounding heart
2.2. Fear of getting lost (on way home)
2.2.1. Scanning school buses - familiar
faces, same driver
2.2.2. re-confirming the bus
2.2.3. Not letting leaders out of
sight
2.2.4. Avoiding adventurous act.
2.2.5. Going with surety of not being
lost
2.3. Fear of not being liked
2.3.1. Quite shy
2.3.2. Worried about looks - fat, wore
braces, clothes
2.3.3. Wearing right clothes
2.3.4. Flat vs. saddled shoes for
school
2.3.5. Imp. of popularity
3. Coping with childhood fears as an adult
3.1. Undg. evolution process - child to adult
3.2. Recognising & overcoming fears
3.3. Accepting help from others
3.4. Role of friendliness & sincerity
3.5. Undg. things that scared
List of abbreviations used 1. & - and 2. act. - activities 3. vs. - versus 4. imp. - importance 5. undg. - understanding |
An interschool Kabaddi Competition is organized by your school. Write a notice, in not more than 50 words, requesting the students to be present at the venue to encourage the players. Invent all the necessary details. You are Arjun, the sports captain of your school.
Answer :
XYZ SCHOOL, Delhi NOTICE INTER-SCHOOL KABADDI COMPETITION February 11, 2014
An inter-school kabaddi competition will be held on
Saturday, February 20, from 9 a.m. in our
school playground. All the students are requested to be
present at the venue to cheer and encourage the
participants. For any query, contact the undersigned. Arjun Sports Captain |
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Incessant rain has caused irrecoverable damage in your area. As an active participant in the flood relief programme, write a report in 125‒150 words on the different flood relief measures carried out. You are Krishan/Krishna.
Answer :
You are the librarian of Amla Public School. You had placed an
order for text books with Dhanpati & Sons. Since the books
did not arrive on time, you have decided to cancel the order.
Write a letter to the Manager, Dhanpati & Sons, Chennai,
cancelling the order.
(125−150 words)
Answer :
You are Rajendra Kumar, a social worker. You read an article in The Hindu on 'Health Care for Indian Workers'. Write a speech in 125‒150 words on the importance of health care to be delivered at a public function to create awareness among the workers.
Answer :
Read the following extract and answer the questions that
follow:
All lovely tales that we have heard or read;
An endless fountain of immortal drink.
Pouring unto us from the heaven's brink.
(a) Name the poem and the poet.
(b) What is the thing of beauty mentioned in these lines?
(c) What image does the poet use in these lines?
Answer :
Answer any two of the following questions in
about 30‒40
words:
(a) How does Kamala Das try to put away the thoughts of her
ageing mother?
(b) Which is the exotic moment that the poet refers to in
'Keeping Quiet'?
(c) What are the difficulties that aunt Jennifer faced in her
life?
Answer :
Answer any six of the following questions in
30‒40
words:
(a) Why did Gandhiji feel that taking the Champaran case to the
court was useless?
(b) Why did the peddler derive pleasure from his idea of the
world as a rattrap?
(c) How is Mukesh different from the other bangle makers of
Firozabad?
(d) What tempted Franz to stay away from school?
(e) Why did the maharaja ban tiger hunting in the state?
(f) How was the skunk's story different from the other stories
narrated by Jack?
(g) Which words of her brother made a deep impression on Bama?
Answer :
Answer the following in about 100‒125
words.
Has Sophie met Danny Casey? What details of her meeting with
Danny Casey did she narrate to her brother?
Answer :
Read the following and answer the question that follows:
The story "Deep Waters" has made you realize that with
determination and perseverance one can accomplish the impossible.
Write a paragraph in about 100 words words on
how a positive attitude and courage will aid you to achieve
success in life.
Answer :
Write a character sketch of Mr. Barrymore in about 125 words.
Answer :
Describe Miss Stapleton's first encounter with Sir Henry in about 125 words.
Answer :
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