Part I English Coursebook - Digital World - Homemakafsal.weebly.com/uploads/3/7/2/9/3729622/english.pdf · Part I English Coursebook ... Practice Book that supplements the activities

State Council of Educational Research & Training (SCERT)Vidyabhavan, Poojappura, Thriuvananthapuram-12, Kerala

2006

Higher Secondary CourseClass XII

Part I

English Coursebook

Government of KeralaDepartment of Education

AcknowledgementEfforts have been made to obtain permission from copyright owners for reproducing the passages includedin this book. Due acknowledgements will be made as and when necessary permissions are obtained.

Director

Prepared by State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT)Poojappura, Thiruvananthapuram - 695 012, Kerala.

Website www.scert.kerala.gov.in e-mail [email protected]

Typeset and design by SCERT Computer Lab© Government of Kerala • Department of Education • 2006

CONSTITUTION OF INDIAPart IV A

FUNDAMENTALDUTIES OF CITIZENS

ARTICLE 51 A

Fundamental Duties- It shall be the duty of every citizen of India:

(a) to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and Institutions, the NationalFlag and the National Anthem;

(b) to cherish and follow the noble ideals which inspired our national struggle forfreedom;

(c) to uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India;

(d) to defend the country and render national service when called upon to do so;

(e) To promote harmony and the spirt of common brotherhood amongst all the peopleof India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities; torenounce practice derogatory to the dignity of women;

(f) to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture;

(g) to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers,wild life and to have compassion for living creatures;

(h) to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform;

(i) to safeguard public property and to abjure violence;

(j) to strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity sothat the nation constantly rises to higher levels of endeavour and achievements.

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PLEDGE

India is my country. All Indians are my brothers and sisters.

I love my country, and I am proud of its rich and varied heritage. Ishall always strive to be worthy of it.

I shall give my parents, teachers and all elders respect, and treateveryone with courtesy.

To my country and my people, I pledge my devotion. In their well-being and prosperity alone lies my happiness.

THE NATIONAL ANTHEMJana Gana Mana Adhinayaka Jaya He

Bharatha Bhagya Vidhata

Punjab Sindhu Gujarata MarathaDravida Utkala Banga

Vindhya Himachala Yamuna Ganga

Uchala Jaladhi TarangaTava Subha Name Jage

Tava Subha Ashisa Mage,Gahe Tava Jaya Gatha

Jana Gana Mangala Dayaka Jaya He

Bharatha Bhagya VidhataJaya He Jaya He Jaya HeJaya Jaya Jaya Jaya He.

The English Coursebook and its companion volume: the EnglishPractice Book developed by the SCERT Kerala for Standard XII markthe culmination of the learner-centred, activity -based and process-oriented curriculum introduced from Std II onwards.The main objectives of this curriculum are construction of languageand development of language skills through increased opportunitiesfor communication and interaction in the classroom.As a text designed for the terminal stage of school education, theCoursebook refines and consolidates the language-developing andknowledge-building measures initiated at the lower level. The basicpremise behind the text is that the learners will read the materialsprovided, perform the various language learning activities (individuallyand in groups) and become equipped to use English appropriately inreal life situations.The Coursebook comprises five blocks which introduce the differentgenres of literature, encourage aesthetic appreciation, familiarisedifferent types of writing like profile, letters, notices, newspaper reports,review and literary appreciation and introduces translation and medialiteracy too. The Coursebook forms part of a package that includes aPractice Book that supplements the activities of the Coursebook andSource book for teachers. These have been developed in a series ofworkshops organised by the SCERT in which a team of teachers fromthe Higher Secondary sector, Colleges and Universities participated.Learning becomes an exciting and enjoyable experience throughinteraction between learners, between learner and teacher, andbetween learner and the learning materials. The present Coursebooklends itself to the interactive learning process and enriches the learner'slanguage resources and sharpens his skills.Creative criticism and suggestions for improvement are most welcome.

Foreword

Thiruvananthapuram Dr E Valsala Kumar24.05.2006 Director

SCERT Kerala

Contents

Block

1 Peaks of ExcellenceOh! Public Performance...! 08

Let’s Respond to India’s Call 11

A Nice Citizen 19

Goldmine of Indian Health Traditions 23

Block

2 Heights of GloryDreams of a Girl 31

An Irish Rose 35

Best Buys for Health 42

The World Renowned Nose 47

Block

3 Wings of FancyThe Open Window 56

The Patriot 63

The King who Limped 67

Block

4 Frames of CultureOn Viewing the Television 82

Interview: Adoor Gopalakrishnan 86The Making of a Film 92

Screenplay: Pather Panchali 94

Making of ‘The Kid’ 100

Block

5 Rhythm of LifeMiddle Age 107The Lottery Ticket 111

The Dear Departed 119

Appendix 140

The heights by great men reached and keptWere not attained by a sudden flight,But they, while their companions slept,Were toiling upward in the night.

H.W. LongfellowH.W. LongfellowH.W. LongfellowH.W. LongfellowH.W. Longfellow

Peaks of ExcellenceThis Block is intended to help you use various forms ofcommunication, which you use in your day-to-day life.A variety of related activities such as dialogue, speech,group discussion, interview, debate, seminar andwriting reports and letters have been included toachieve this objective.This Unit comprises a short piece by Richard Wright,containing autobiographical elements, a speech byDr APJ Abdul Kalam, with a powerful message to theyouth of India, a panel discussion on our rich healthtradition and a letter by Abraham Lincoln that evokesindependent thinking.

BlockBlockBlockBlockBlock 1

Higher Secondary [Std XII] • Coursebook - English

8

Discuss

• Have you ever faced an audience?• Have you ever felt shy or embarassed in front of them?• How did you feel when you were first called to give a short

speech to your class? List out your experiences.

• Now read the extract given below.

• Make a list of the strange experiences of the boy in it.

Oh! Public Performance...!Richard Wright

But I was still shy and half paralysed1

when in the presence of a crowd, and myfirst day at the new school made me thelaughing stock of the classroom. I wassent to the blackboard to write my nameand address; I knew my name andaddress, knew how to write it, knew howto spell it; but standing at the blackboardwith the eyes of the many girls and boyslooking at my back made me freezeinside and I was unable to write a singleletter.

'Write your name,' the teacher said.I lifted the white chalk to the blackboardand, as I was about to write, my mindwent blank, empty; I could not remembermy name, not even the first letter.Somebody giggled2 and I stiffened3.'Just forget us and write your name andaddress,' the teacher prompted4. Animpulse5 to write would flash throughme, but my hand would refuse to move.

1. paralysed : unable to move 2. giggled : laughed quietly and repeatedly 3. stiffened : became unable to move (beingterribly nervous) 4. prompted : helped to do something 5. impulse : a sudden wish to do something

9

The children began to titter6 and Iflushed7 hotly.'Don't you know your name?' the teacherasked me.I looked at her and could not answer. Theteacher rose and walked to my side,smiling at me to give me confidence. Sheplaced her hand tenderly upon myshoulder.'What's your name?' she asked.

'Richard,' I whispered.'Richard what?'

'Richard Wright.''Spell it.'I spelled my name in a wild rush ofletters, trying desperately8 to redeem9 myparalysing shyness.'Spell it slowly so that I can hear it,' shedirected me.I did.'Now can you write?'

'Yes, ma'am.''Then write it.'

Again I turned to the blackboard andlifted my hand to write, then I was blankand void10 within. I tried frantically11 tocollect my senses but I could remembernothing. A sense of the girls and boysbehind me filled me to the exclusion ofeverything. I realised how utterly I wasfailing and I grew weak and leaned myhot forehead against the cold blackboard.The room burst into a loud andprolonged12 laugh and my muscles froze.'You may go to your seat,' the teachersaid.I sat and cursed myself. Why did Ialways appear so dumb when I wascalled to perform something in a crowd?I knew how to write as well as any pupilin the classroom, and no doubt I couldread better than any of them, and I couldtalk fluently and expressively when Iwas sure of myself. Then why did strangefaces make me freeze? I sat with my earsand neck burning, hearing the pupilswhisper about me, hating myself, hatingthem.

6. titter : laugh quietly in a high voice 7. flushed : became red in the face 8. desperately : hopelessly 9. redeem : freesomebody from something 10. blank and void : empty or vacant 11. frantically : in an extremely worried and frightened way12. prolonged : that continued for a long time


10

About the AuthorRichard Wright (1908-1960) was a Negro writer who gained immediatefame with his first novel Native Son (1940). His other novels include TheOutsider (1945) and The Long Dream (1958). He wrote his autobiography,Black Boy (1945) in the form of a novel. This work is considered importantfor an understanding of the life of blacks in America. His other publicationsinclude An American Hunger (1977), Black Power (1954), White Man,Listen! (1957) and The God that Failed (1949).

Wright was born near Natchez Miss. After living with his relatives inseveral places he moved to Chicago in 1927 and then to New York Cityin 1937. His first published fiction was Uncle Tom's Children (1938), acollection of four long stories. He lived in Paris from 1946 until his death.

Discuss

The boy’s feelings when he was sent to the blackboard.The reaction of his classmates.

Do you appreciate the behaviour of the teacher?Can you identify the real problem of the boy?The boy hated himself and his friends. Explain the reason.

Speech

Compare the experiences you listed earlier with the experiences ofthe boy and prepare a short speech. Present it to your class.

11

Imagine you are attending a walk - in - interview• You are well prepared

• You have a lot of ideas and you are boldBut when you walk into the room,

• Can you face the interview board?• Will you feel afraid or shy to meet the interviewers?Don’t you want to overcome your fright and nervousness?

Don’t you want to come out successful?Now, let’s learn to make a formal talk.Read the following speech and note down the main points.

Let’s Respond to India’s CallDr APJ Abdul Kalam

Friends,I have three visions for India. In the past3000 years of our history people from allover the world have come and invaded1

us, captured2 our lands, conquered3 ourminds. From Alexander onwards. TheGreeks, the Turks, the Moguls, thePortuguese, the British, the French, theDutch, all of them came and looted4 us,took over what was ours. Yet we havenot done this to any other nation. Wehave not conquered anyone. We have notgrabbed5 their land, their culture, theirhistory and tried to enforce6 our way oflife on them. Why? Because we respect

the freedom of others. That is why myfirst vision is that of FREEDOM. I believethat India got its first vision of this in1857, when we started the war ofindependence. It is this freedom that wemust protect and nurture7 and build on.If we are not free, no one will respect us.My second vision for India isDEVELOPMENT. For fifty years wehave been a developing nation. It is timewe saw ourselves as a developed nation.We are one among the top five nationsof the world in terms of GDP8. We haveten per cent growth rate in most areas.Our poverty levels are falling. Our

1. invaded : attacked 2. captured : took by force 3. conquered : won control by force 4. looted : stole things during a war5. grabbed : took hold of something roughly 6. enforce : make people obey rules 7. nurture : bring up with care 8. GDP:Gross Domestic Product (Total market value of the goods and services produced in a country during a year)


12

achievements are being globallyrecognized today. Yet we lack the self-confidence to see ourselves as adeveloped nation, self-reliant and self-assured9. Isn't this incorrect?I have a third vision. INDIA MUSTSTAND UP TO THE WORLD. Because Ibelieve that unless India stands up to theworld, no one will respect us. Onlystrength respects strength. We must bestrong not only as a military power butalso as an economic power. Both mustgo hand-in-hand....Why are we in India so embarrassed torecognize our own strengths, ourachievements? We are such a greatnation. We have so many amazing10

success stories but we refuse toacknowledge them. Why? We are thefirst in milk production. We are numberone in Remote Sensing Satellites. We arethe second largest producer of wheat. Weare the second largest producer of rice.Look at Dr. Sudarshan, he hastransferred the tribal village into a self-sustaining, self-driving unit. There aremillions of such achievements but ourmedia is only obsessed with11 the badnews and failures and disasters. Why arethe media here so negative?I was in Tel Aviv once and I was readingthe Israeli newspaper. It was the day after

a lot of attacks and bombardments12 anddeaths had taken place. The Hamas13 hadstruck. But the front page of thenewspaper had the picture of a Jewishgentleman who in five years hadtransformed his desert land into anorchard and a granary. It was thisinspiring picture that everyone woke upto. The gory14 details of killings,bombardments, deaths, were in thenewspaper, buried among other news.In India we only read about death,sickness, terrorism and crime. Why arewe so NEGATIVE? Another question:Why are we, as a nation, so obsessedwith foreign things? We want foreignTVs, we want foreign shirts. We wantforeign technology. Why this obsessionwith everything imported? Do we notrealize that self-respect comes with self-reliance?I was in Hyderabad giving this lecture,when a 14 year old girl asked me for myautograph. I asked her what herambition in life was. She replied, “I wantto live in a developed India”. For her,you and I will have to build thisdeveloped India. You must proclaim15,that India is not an under-developednation; it is a highly developed nation.

Allow me to come back with avengeance16. Got ten minutes for yourcountry?

9. self-assured : confident 10. amazing : very surprising 11. obsessed with : strongly and unreasonably interested in 12.bombardments : attacks with guns and bombs 13. Hamas : a particular creed of people 14. gory : involving a lot ofbloodshed and violence 15. proclaim : announce solemnly 16. vengeance : (here) with greater strength

13

YOU say that our government isinefficient. YOU say that our laws are tooold. YOU say that the municipality doesnot pick up the garbage17. YOU say thatthe phones don't work, the railways area joke, the airline is the worst in theworld, mails never reach theirdestination18. YOU say that our countryhas gone to the dogs and is the absolutepits19. YOU say, say and say so.

What do YOU do about it? Take a personon his way to Singapore. Give him aname --- YOURS. Give him a face ---YOURS. YOU walk out of the airport andyou are at your International best. InSingapore you don't throw cigarette buttson the roads or eat in the stores. YOUare as proud of their Underground Linksas they are. You pay $5 (approx. Rs 60)to drive through Orchard Road(equivalent of Mahim Causeway orPedder Road) between 5 pm and 8 pm.YOU comeback to the parking lot topunch your parking ticket if you haveoverstayed in a restaurant or a shoppingmall20 irrespective of your status oridentity. In Singapore you don't sayanything, DO YOU? YOU wouldn't dareto eat in public during Ramadan, inDubai. YOU would not dare to go outwithout your head covered in Jeddah.YOU would not dare to buy an employee

of the telephone exchange in London at10 pounds (Rs 650) a month to, ‘see to itthat my STD and ISD calls are billed tosomeone else’s’. YOU would not dare tospeed beyond 55 mph (88 kph) inWashington and then tell the traffic cop21,‘Jaanta hai sala main kaun hoon (Do youknow who I am?). I am so and so's son.Take your two bucks and get lost.’ YOUwouldn't chuck22 an empty coconut shellanywhere other than the garbage pail onthe beaches in Australia and NewZealand. Why don't YOU spit Paan onthe streets of Tokyo? Why don't YOU useexamination jockeys or buy fakecertificates in Boston? We are still talkingof the same YOU. YOU who can respectand conform23 to a foreign system in othercountries but cannot in your own. Youwho will throw papers and cigarettes onthe road the moment you touch Indiansoil. If you can be an involved andappreciative citizen in an alien24 country,why cannot you be the same here inIndia? Once in an interview, the famousEx-municipal commissioner of BombayMr Tinaikar had a point to make. ‘Richpeople's dogs are walked on the streetsto leave their affluent25 droppings26 allover the place,’ he said. ‘And then thesame people turn around to criticize andblame the authorities for inefficiency and

17. garbage : waste material 18. destination : (here) the place to which something is sent 19. absolute pits : extremely bad20. shopping mall : shopping complex 21. cop : policeman 22. chuck : throw something in a careless way 23. conform: obey 24. alien : foreign 25. affluent : posh (used satirically) 26. droppings : solid waste of animals


14

dirty pavements27. What do they expectthe officers to do? Go down with abroom every time their dog feels thepressure in his bowels? In America everydog owner has to clean up after his pethas done the job. Same in Japan. Will theIndian citizen do that here?’ He'sright. We go to the polls to choose agovernment and after that forfeit28 allresponsibility. We sit back wanting to bepampered29 and expect the governmentto do everything for us whilst ourcontribution is totally negative. Weexpect the government to clean up butwe are not going to stop chuckinggarbage all over the place nor are wegoing to stop to pick up a stray30 pieceof paper and throw it in the bin. Weexpect the railways to provide cleanbathrooms but we are not going to learnthe proper use of bathrooms. We wantIndian Airlines and Air India to providethe best of food and toiletries but we arenot going to stop pilfering31 at the leastopportunity. This applies even to thestaff who is known not to pass on theservice to the public.When it comes to burning social issueslike those related to women, dowry, girlchild and others, we make loud drawing

room protestations32 and continue to dothe reverse33 at home. Our excuse? ‘It'sthe whole system which has to change,how will it matter if I alone forego34 mysons' rights to a dowry’? If so, who'sgoing to change the system? What doesa system consist of? Very convenientlyfor us it consists of our neighbours,other households, other cities, othercommunities and the government. Butdefinitely not me and YOU. When itcomes to us actually making a positivecontribution35 to the system we lockourselves along with our families into asafe cocoon36 and look into the distanceat countries far away and wait for a MrClean to come along and work miracles37

for us with a majestic38 sweep of his hand.Or we leave the country and run away.Like lazy cowards hounded39 by ourfears we run to America to bask40 in theirglory and praise their system. WhenNew York becomes insecure41 we run toEngland. When England experiencesunemployment, we take the nextflight out to the Gulf. When the Gulf iswar struck, we demand to be rescued42

and brought home by the IndianGovernment. Everybody is out to abuse43

and rape44 the country. Nobody thinks

27. pavements : sides of roads for pedestrians 28. forfeit : lose something valuable 29. pampered : looked after 30. stray:wandering 31. pilfering : stealing small amount of things 32. protestations : disagreements 33. reverse : opposite34. forego : decide not to have; give up 35. contribution : help 36. cocoon : (here) place of safety 37. miracles : wonders38. majestic : impressive 39. hounded : followed; threatened 40. bask : enjoy 41. insecure : not safe42: rescued : saved 43. abuse : say rude things 44. rape : (here) exploit; spoil

15

of feeding the system. Our conscience45

is mortgaged46 to money.Dear Indians, The article is highlythought inductive, calls for a greatdeal of introspection and pricksone's conscience too... I am echoingJF Kennedy's words to his fellowAmericans to relate them to Indians...

45. conscience : part of the mind that tells you what is wrong and right 46. mortgaged : (here) pledged as security

‘ask what we can do for India and do whathas to be done to make India whatAmerica and other western countries aretoday’.

Let’s do what India calls on us to do.(slightly adapted)

About the authorDr Avul Pakir Jainulubdeen Abdul Kalam, the presentPresident of India, was born on 15 October, 1931 atRameswaram in Tamil Nadu. He specialized in AeroEngineering from Madras Institute of Technology. Hebegan his career in DRDO in 1958 and then joined ISROin 1963. Dr Kalam has made a significant contributionto shaping the Indian Satellite and launch vehicles ofISRO and also to the missile programme of DRDO. Hewas also the Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister and the Secretary,Department of Defence Research and Development, from July 1992to Dec. 1999. Dr Kalam has served as the Principal Scientific Advisorto the Govt. of India with the rank of Cabinet Minister from Nov.1999 to Nov. 2001. He then took up academic pursuit as Professor,Technology and Societal Transformation, at Anna University,Chennai. Above all, he is on his mission to ignite young minds fornational development by meeting students across the country. Hehas been awarded Padma Bhushan in 1981, Padma Vibhushan in1990 and Bharath Ratna in 1997.The speech given here was made in Hyderabad where he addressedthe students.

Notes and ReferencesDr Hannumappa Reddy Sudarshan was born in 1950 and graduatedas a doctor in 1973. He turned his back on the possibility of lucrativeurban practice in favour of working with poor communities and in1979 he arrived in the Biligiri Rangana Hills to work among the Soligatribals. He founded Vivekannda Girijana Kalyana Kendra in 1981.It is based on a respect for tribal culture and a determination toperpetuate it, even while developing the requisite skills andcapabilities among the tribal people to enable them to become self-reliant in today's India, which is Sudarshan's eventual goal.


16

Based on your reading of the speech, prepare notes in the followingformat.1. Dr Kalam’s visions

1.1 ..................................................................................................

.................................................1.2 .................................................1.2.1 .................................................

1.2.2 .................................................1.3 .................................................1.3.1 .................................................

1.3.2 .................................................2. India’s strengths and achievements

2.1 .................................................2.2 .................................................2.3 .................................................

2.4 .................................................Speech

In the light of the notes you prepared, develop a speech on Yourdreams of a Developed India.Discuss

Pick out the salient features of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam’s speech. Youmay make use of the following hints.

the way he addressesopeningemphasising with current examplesposing issues and raising challengesquotations usedconclusion

17

Group Discussion

An extract from a newspaper report (The Hindu, March 2006) is givenbelow. Read and compare it with paragraph 5 of the speech givenand conduct a group discussion.Topic : Media Sensationalise; they don’t Sensitise.

Report

You have read the speech of Dr Kalam, which should have awakenedyour civic sense. Imagine that you are the Chief Editor of your schoolmagazine. You want to communicate this to your friends. Write areport focusing on the last part of Dr Kalam’s speech.

Debate

Dr A PJ Abdul Kalam concludes his speech with the statement ‘Askwhat we can do for India and do what has to be done to make Indiawhat America and other western countries are like today’.

Conduct a debate in your class.Topic : ‘We should follow the west for development and need not think ofour rich tradition’.

Even the media, I realised, was largelyexploiting the suffering of people for‘story material’ and catering to theelite; what actually matters is‘sensitisation’ but the media largely‘sensationalise’. Awareness can becreated not through witty sound bytesor crisp headlines but only throughcareful documentation of events andpersistent social activism.

What does Dr APJ Abdul Kalamtalk about in paragraph 5?What do the media exploit for storymaterial?What do they aim at?Are they able to describe thesituation?Are they going after catchyheadlines and news stories?


18

Againstconserve our traditionself-respectself-assuranceshould realise our positionstop abusing one anotherwe are to build up our countryshould not imitateobey rules as we do in other countriesdevelop our own technologyyou and I are to work for developmentand safeguard our tradition

Fordevelopment importanthave a sense of our achievementstand up to the worldtake a detached look at other countriesaccept what is good in otherstalking alone will not do any gooddo what is needed for developmentdo not be lazy -- tradition will notbring us everything

Hints:

You have won the prize for the best debater in your class. Write aletter to your friend to share with him the joy of winning the prize.

You wrote a letter sharing your joy of winning the prize in the debate,didn’t you?Now, let's think of other letters. What letters do we write often?Do your parents write letters? Do they write to your teachers?

What do they write?What do they often talk about, when they meet your teachers?

Your performance in the classYour character and conduct.....................................................

Imagine that you are the parent of a student. You write a letter tothe teacher of your ward. What would you write? Note down thepoints you would like to include.

.....................................................

.....................................................

19

A Nice CitizenAbraham Lincoln

He will have to learn, I know,that all men are not just1,all men are not true.But teach him also thatfor every scoundrel there is a hero;that for every selfish politician,there is a dedicated2 leader...Teach him for every enemy there is a friend,steer him away from envy,if you can,teach him the secret ofquiet laughter.Let him learn early thatthe bullies3 are the easiest to lick4...Teach him, if you can,the wonder of books...But also give him quiet timeto ponder5 the eternal6 mystery of birds in the sky,bees in the sun,and the flowers on a green hillside.In the school teach himit is far honourable to failthan to cheat...Teach him to have faithin his own ideas,even if everyone tells himthey are wrong...Teach him to be gentlewith gentle people,and tough with the tough.

1. just : morally right and fair 2. dedicated : spending one's time and effort for a cause 3. bullies : those who use their powerto frighten others 4. lick :(here) defeat 5. ponder : think about 6. eternal : everlasting

Here is a letter written by Abraham Lincoln to his son’s teacher.Read it carefully.


20

Try to give my sonthe strength not to follow the crowdwhen everyone is getting on the bandwagon...Teach him to listen to all men...but teach him also to filterall he hears on a screen of truth,and take only the goodthat comes through.Teach him if you can,how to laugh when he is sad...Teach him there is no shame in tears,Teach him to scoff 7 at cynics8

and to beware of too much sweetness...Teach him to sell his brawn9

and brain to the highest bidders10

but never to put a price-tagon his heart and soul.Teach him to close his earsto a howling moband to stand and fightif he thinks he's right.Treat him gently,but do not cuddle11 him,because only the testof fire makes fine steel.Let him have the courageto be impatient...let him have the patience to be brave.Teach him alwaysto have sublime12 faith in himself,because then he will havesublime faith in mankind.This is a big order,but see what you can do...He is such a fine fellow,my son!

7. scoff : laugh at 8. cynics : those who believe that people are not good, honest or sincere 9. brawn: physical health10. bidders : those who are ready to pay a particular price for goods; auctioneer 11. cuddle : hold someone very close12. sublime : noble

21

About the AuthorAbraham Lincoln (1809-1865) was one of the truly great men of alltime. As President he preserved the American Union during the CivilWar and proved to the world that democracy can be a lasting formof government. In 1834, Lincoln was elected to the legislature. Hehad become better known by this time. He worked to make thenation’s ideals come true.He became the 16th President of the United States on 4 March 1861.By late summer of 1862, President Lincoln was convinced that timehad come for a change in policy towards slavery. He abolished thesystem of slavery on 1 January 1863. As President, Lincoln wasbitterly criticised. After he was shot dead, even his enemies praisedhis kindly spirit and selflessness. Millions of people called him "FatherAbraham".

Discuss

• Do you think that it is an ordinary letter? If yes, why? If nothow is it different?

• Will you call it a letter? Why?

Group discussion

What does Abraham Lincoln want his son’s teacher to do? Do youthink that a teacher can develop all these qualities in his/ her students?List out the points and conduct a group discussion on the topicTeacher -- the Maker of a Better Citizen.Make use of the following hints:

• Teachers influence students / society• students respect teachers• student’s character is developed by teachers• society is shaped in the classroom•

Speech

Imagine that you are a teacher. You have read the letter carefullyand felt fascinated by it. You want to communicate Lincoln’s viewsto your students. Prepare a speech in your own words.


22

Letter

Write a letter to the editor of a local newspaper comparing Lincoln’sideas about a nice citizen with the ways of the present generation.You may use the following hints:

Lincoln’s views

• strong faith in one’s own ideas• accept failure• do not cheat• gentle with the gentle• do not follow the crowd• listen to all• accept the good in everything•

Views of present generation

• most have no strong faith intheir own ideas

• do not accept failure• don’t tolerate others• follow the crowd• do not listen to all• loves money•

Dear students, we had a heated debate on We should follow the Westfor development, even if we disregard our tradition. It was really wonderful.You did it well.Now, let’s look at some of our rich traditions. Can you name a fewof them?

....................................................................................

....................................................................................Discuss in groups

• Do people depend on ayurvedic treatment as much as they do onallopathic medicine?

• Why is ayurvedic medicine not so popular?• Do people dislike the traditional systems of medicine?List out your ideas

••

23

A V Balasubramanian: The uniquefeature of traditional medicine in Indiais that it flourishes1 at multiple levels.On the one hand you have practitionersof Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha systems,who are institutionally qualified andtrained in colleges. On the other hand,there is the folk stream or LokParampara, which is rich and diverse.This includes home remedies, dos anddon'ts in day-to-day life, adaptations tothe seasons, Pathyam and Apathyam ---knowledge of foods and properties offoods to be preferred and avoided invarious conditions, tribal or folk health

practitioners, families specialising in thetreatment of various diseases such asasthma, jaundice2, etc. and above allspecialists to take care of conditions suchas bone injury and treatment for poison.There are also practices like yoga ormartial3 arts, traditions such as Kalariand Silambam4, which have a preventiveor promotive role.The knowledge of the use of naturalproducts such as plants amongst ourpeople is truly phenomenal5. The AllIndia Coordinated Research Project onEthno-biology of the Department ofEnvironment reveals that the tribal

Goldmine of Indian Health Traditions

1. flourishes : develops; becomes successful 2. jaundice : a disease in which one's skin and eyes become yellow 3.martial: connected with war and fighting 4. Silambam : a kind of martial art where fencing is done with a staff 5. phenomenal:very unusual and impressive* Panel discussion : A discussion on a topic generally done by specialists or experts

PanellistsDr PLT Girija Ms Sheela Rani ChunkathDr Uma Krishnaswamy Mr AV BalasubramanianDr Hari John Ms R KrithikaDr T Tirunarayan Dr Harish Narain Das

Here is the recorded version of a panel discussion which tells us ofour rich health tradition.

Read it carefully.

Panel Discussion


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communities alone have a knowledge ofthe use of over 9,000 species of plants ofwhich the single major use category istraditional medicine for which over 7,500species are used.

However, traditional health practices areon the decline owing to modernisationand changes in lifestyle. Anotherimportant factor is the indifference of themodern medical practitioners and ourhealth policy makers to these traditions.By and large, they are of the view thatmost of these traditional practices shouldbe examined and proved by modernresearch methodology. Thus we seem tobe sitting on a gold mine of traditionalpractices being unable to build upon itfor the betterment of our peoples' health.How can we build on our peoples' healthtraditions?Dr Girija: There has always been thisambivalence6 with traditional medicine.On the one hand it is seen as beingunscientific and on the other, the constantdemand is that it needs to be validated7.I think this business of validating ourtraditional medicine should be met headon. While many of our herbs have foundtheir way into the modern medicalpharmacopoeia8, the dominant trendconstantly questions us and looks to theWest for solutions. The question iswhether Ayurveda needs validating,

and if so how? Here it must be pointedout that in India, from ancient times theissue of validating knowledge andexperiences had been dealt with verymeticulously9. If we turn to the NyayaSastra, the rules say that there are threesources of valid knowledge :

1) Pratyaksha or direct observation orexperience. Any theory that contradictsdirect observation and experience is notconsidered valid knowledge.

2) Shabda or Agama, which is theaccumulated10 wisdom of our entiretradition found in texts.

3) Anumana or inference, which is a sourceof valid knowledge when it does notcontradict direct observation, experienceand textual reference.

The science of Ayurveda is based uponthe above methodology applied in thecontext of maintaining human health. Itis based on rational11 and scientificprinciples and is sceptical12 of anyknowledge that is not acquired inpursuance of13 scientific method andrational means. Ayurvedic texts go to theextent of stating that any successachieved without following the correctmethod is sheer accidental14 success andit is to be discouraged. Based on thismethod, Ayurveda has developed itsown methodologies and concepts on

6. ambivalence : showing good and bad feelings 7. validated : proved true or correct 8. pharmacopoeia : book givinginformation about medicines 9. meticulously : very carefully 10. accumulated : stored up 11. rational : based on reason12. sceptical : doubtful 13. in pursuance of : following 14. accidental : happening by chance

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health and ill health, which find supportin their theoretical formulations. Andthese have been validated by practiceover thousands of years. Validationmeans validating traditional medicine interms of the current theories of molecularbiology and biochemistry. But theproblem is that these theories ofmolecular biology and biochemistry aretotally unstable and constantly changing.

Hence the basis and validity of theapproach itself has to be questioned.Thus drugs and therapeutics developedon a single bio-chemical factor ignoringa host of15 other factors have validlygiven rise to the talk of holistic16 health.If our modern medical practitioners hadtried to understand the Ayurvedic drugsand therapeutic practices like Vamanam(emesis), Virechanam (purgation), Vasti(enema), Nasya etc., and studied theiractions in the human body evenaccording to their science, they wouldhave made some original and usefulcontribution to their own field ofmedicine. Instead they constantly lookto the West for guidance and solutions.While India sits over a huge body ofknowledge in medical science and oughtto have been on frontiers of medicalscience, its policy makers and others areonly interested in exporting its herbs andmaking a quick buck.

Dr Hari John: Having worked withvillagers, there are three questions thatneed to be addressed.1) Why do we want to build on peoples'

health tradition ?2) Who will benefit from it?3) Will it go back to the people or the

managers ?

Prior to17 globalisation and commerciali-sation, knowledge came from thepeople. But now the people's healthtraditions are on the verge of18 gettinglost due to modern medicine'sonslaught19. If you examine theHippocratic oath20, it deals with thewhole person. In the Hippocratic systemthe body caused the diseases and thebody has the ability to heal itself. Thepractitioner and diet are aids in theprocess of healing. But from the 19thcentury, the body is seen as a battlefieldbetween the disease and an externalagent. As a reaction to all these, we haveturned towards alternative systems ofhealing. But the question is : is it possibleto take people’s health traditions, refine21

them and give them back to them?

We know well that the rural poor lackeven the most basic of facilities. The onlything that they have got, is cleaner air andenvironment apart from access to22

herbal medicine. If we are to take this

15. a host of : a large number of 16. holistic health : viewing the health of a person as a whole 17. prior to : before18. on the verge of : on the edge/ border of 19. onslaught : very strong attack 20. Hippocratic oath : the promise madeby doctors that they will keep to the principles of the medical profession 21. refine : improve 22. access to: possibility to reachor have


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knowledge, refine it and propagate23 it,whom will it benefit? We can be sure thateven this resource will be lost to them.More likely, it will benefit the so-calledresearchers who may get doctorates orinternational recognition. Also, surelythere will be commercialisation ofpeople's knowledge which will benefitthe middle classes. This threat has nowincreased amazingly due to globalisation,WTO, IMF, free trade and so on.Remember the patenting24 by anAmerican Company, of turmeric,something we have been using forcenturies? Or the patenting of neem? Weneed to constantly keep in mind as towhom this development of local healthtraditions is going to benefit. We needto keep constant vigil25 so that the poordo not get ripped off26 again.Sheela Rani Chunkath: We have startedan experiment in Tamil Nadu whereVillage Health Nurses (VHN) are for thefirst time being trained in SiddhaVaidyam and Ayurveda. This is a seachange from the earlier practice wherethe same people are explicitly27 told todiscourage all forms of local healthpractices. Now, through a 15 - day course,these nurses are being re-educated, bothto find out what the local health practicesare and to endorse28 these practices.I quite agree with Dr Girija that 3000

years have been more than enough as atrial period and these local traditionshave been refined and validated enough.Dr Uma Krishnaswamy: I agree thatthe important question is validation andI fully agree with Dr Girija thatAyurveda has its own method ofvalidating knowledge. It is time thattraditional practitioners got togetherand articulated29 this to the largerpublic. What we seem to have is acommunication gap.

Sheela: Validation of Ayurvedic drugsis no problem. The difficulty lies inthe standardisation of drugs. Eachmanufacturer prepares the same drug inso many different ways that we are notable to standardise them.Dr Tirunarayan: Lifestyles havechanged. Pollution has affected theenvironment. There are pesticides evenin tender coconut water. In the light ofthis we need to re-examine prescriptionsand proscriptions30.Sheela: Validation of drugs needsresources and the resources areforthcoming only from those who wantpatents and profits.

Uma: Commercialisation is a drivingforce for validation. I do not need anyoneto tell me that an oil bath is good forme.

23. propagate : spread 24. patenting : obtaining the right to sell or use a new invention or product 25. vigil : watch 26.ripped off: (here) exploited 27. explicitly : clearly 28. endorse : to express formal support 29. articulated : talkedeffectively 30. proscriptions : (here) something which is stated publicly

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Sheela: No. On the contrary, we all needto be told that an oil bath is good for us.In fact our health workers have beentelling our communities that the oil bathis a bad thing or of no particular use.Uma: I think we must make adistinction31 between research andtextbook medicine. Even in the textbookmedicine there is nothing whichcondemns32 the traditional medicine.Dr Tirunarayan: I think we need to makea distinction between principles andpractices. Principles are not wellunderstood. It is important that wepromote principles and not practices.Today, there is a brand of ‘oil’ in themarket which contains 99 per cent liquidparaffin33.Girija: We must be careful before we saywhether oil baths are good or bad. Whileit is certainly true that the application ofoil is a part of one's dinacharya (dailyroutine), and that it increases longevity34,promotes sleep, is good for the eyes andretards35 ageing etc., it is contra-indicated* in certain other cases.Balasubramanian: But if an explanationis given in Ayurvedic terms mostpatients may be unable to understandwhat is being said.

Sheela: It certainly means that if thecoming generations are to be able to

make sense of health, disease andtreatment in traditional terms, we needto introduce them to these concepts inour school curriculum.

Balasubramanian: There is a need toinitiate36 action at various levels. We allseem to agree that there is much that isvaluable in our health traditions thatneeds to be strengthened andpropagated. These practices can beunderstood and validated based on thetheory and practices of traditionalsciences themselves and do not stand inneed of a fresh validation based onmodern research. Standardisation ofdrugs or raw materials is being felt todayas a need due to current developments.We need to pay attention to this matter.We need to understand the principlesunderlying traditional practices ---- theymay need to be modified and adapted37

to suit the current lifestyle and situation.We must ensure that our interventions38

primarily benefit the local communitieswho are carriers of these traditions andnot just researchers or intermediariesfrom outside. Above all, we need toeducate the younger generation ---- notmerely introduce them to thisknowledge but also instil in themcertain confidence and pride in thesetraditions.

30. distinction : difference 31. condemns : disapproves 32. paraffin : an oil used in lamps and for heating (US word is‘kerosene’) 33. longevity : length of life 35. retards : delays 36. initiate : start 37. adapted : changed 38. intervention :doing something to deal with a problem (*) shown to be bad


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Pick out the main ideas from the panel discussion and compare themwith the ideas you listed earlier.Speech

In the light of your discussion and the comparison you made,prepare a speech on The Issues Related to Indian Health Tradition.

Hints : • validation of traditional medicine.• unstable and changing theories.• holistic health.• looking to the west for guidance.• interested in exporting herbs.• globalisation and commercialization.• standardization of drugs.

Group discussion

• Do we have standardised drugs in Ayurveda?• Do all manufacturers prepare Ayurvedic drugs in the same way?• Is there any relation between commercialisation and validation

of drugs?• Is validation of drugs necessary in Ayurveda?• If validation of drugs is to become scientific, what has it to be

based on?Discuss the above points in groups. Sum up your ideas and presentyour views in the form of a group discussion on the topic “ModernResearch Methodology Is Essential for Validating Traditional Medicine”.Seminar

On the one side we are taking steps to improve our health traditionsand practices. But, on the other side, unhealthy exploitation andpractices are growing at a high rate for quick cash. Health tourism isan example.

Now, conduct a seminar on Health Tourism : a Boon or Curse.You may make use of the following hints and work in groups.Ayurveda • becomes popular.

• regains its lost name and prestige.

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• becomes a means to gain foreign money.• becomes alien to common folk.• gives room for exploitation.• gives rise to social and cultural problems.• .............................................................................• .............................................................................

Report

Prepare a report of the seminar you conducted in your class andsend it to the local English newspaper.

Let’s now complete the tasks in the Practice Book

A few more tasks based on this block have been given in the PracticeBook. They also form an integral part of this unit. Don’t forget tocomplete them. Your teacher will help you.

My world will light its hundred differentlamps with

Thy flame and place them before the altar ofthy temple

Rabindranath TagoreRabindranath TagoreRabindranath TagoreRabindranath TagoreRabindranath Tagore

Heights of GloryThis Block provides you a chance to know more aboutvarious literary forms. It comprises a profile, a story,an editorial and a translation. A few other forms havebeen included in Work sheet 2 of the Practice book. Thetexts and activities in this Block are linked with the samein Block 3 and Block 5 of this book. It is also an extensionof Block 2 on a variety of literary forms entitled ‘Hymnto Life’ included in the Course book of Plus One.Dreams of a Girl - a profile on Kalpana Chawla, An IrishRose - a story by A J Cronin, Best Buys for Health - aneditorial and The World Renowned Nose - a translatedversion of the story Viswavikyathamaya Mooku, by RE Asher are included in this block. All theses texts andthe texts given in the worksheet 2 (Practice book) mayhelp you develop your literary skills.

BlockBlockBlockBlockBlock 2

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Discuss

Who are more courageous - boys or girls?Here is a profile of Kalpana Chawla, who became a greatinspiration to the women of the world, and who proved thatnothing can hold her back from realizing her dream.Read the profile and find out the adversities she had to face tofulfil her dream.

Dreams of a Girl

Born into a conservative1, middle classfamily in a small provincial2 town inHaryana, Kalpana Chawla dreamt of thestars. And through sheer perseverance3,indomitable4 intelligence and immensebelief in herself she became the firstIndian woman to travel to space.Kalpana was born on July 1, 1961 atKarnal in Haryana. There were twodaughters before Kalpana in the Chawlafamily. It was a mud house in the modeltown Karnal where Kalpana was born.She belonged to a family of refugees who

had migrated from Pakistan afterpartition in 1947 and had settled downat Karnal.Kalpana completed her schooling atTagore Bal Niketan, Karnal and obtaineda degree in Aeronautical Engineeringfrom Punjab Engineering College,Chandigarh.

1. conservative : tending not to like change 2. provincial : region away from the capital 3. sheer perservance : strongdetermination 4. indomitable : unconquerable/ unyielding.


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5. pursue : to follow/ go on with

When Kalpana decided to join the PunjabEngineering College in Chandigarh, shehad to face strong resistance from herfather Banarsi Lal. He wanted Kalpanato pursue5 her career in medical orteaching field because he was thinkingthose were more respectable professionsfor girls. She had to really persuade herparents to let her study aeronauticalengineering. When she joined the PunjabEngineering College (PEC) inChandigarh, she faced disapproval, notonly from home but also from thecollege's Department of AeronauticalEngineering. She was the only woman tohave taken up aerospace engineering, afact she was well aware of. She was a girlwith strong will power and nobody couldchange her mind. She would often say,‘If the boys can do it, then why can't I’?Kalpana Chawla decided to move to theUnited States of America to study further.But no one in her family supported herchoice. She also faced opposition fromher friends and relatives. Kalpana wentback to Chandigarh, where she wasoffered a job as an ad-hoc lecturer in thePunjab Engineering College. Her planwas to work in that college for one yearand with her salary income purchase herticket and study in the U.S. When herfather and other members in the familyrealised that they could not stop Kalpana

from going to US, they did the next bestthing, that is, to yield to her wishes.She immigrated to the United States,earned a doctoral degree in AerospaceEngineering, and against all odds,became an aeronaut. In 1984 she finishedher post graduation from the Universityof Texas. In 1993, she joined OversetMethods Inc., Los Altos, California, asVice President and Research Scientist.She completed her Ph D in 1998 from theUniversity of Colorado, Boulder.

Her husband JP Harrison encouraged herto follow her dreams and to fly. Herflying instructor husband would oftenteach her various techniques related toflying.

After the success of her first space flightin Columbia in 1997, she was hailed asthe proud daughter of the globe. Hersecond flight ended abruptly onFebruary 1, 2003 when the space shuttleColumbia and her crew perished during

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‘The remarkable journey of courageand determination that made thisIndian woman, hailing from a smalltown in Haryana, a citizen of theMilky Way will remain a source ofpride for all’

Dr A P J Abdul Kalam

entry, 16 minutes prior to scheduledlanding. Kalpana's achievementsattracted world- wide attention. Sherepresents not only India and the USAbut also the whole world.

(‘Life and Dreams of Kalpana Chawla’

by Gurdeep Pandher)

(slightly adapted)

Discuss

What qualities of Kalpana helped her become the first Indianwoman to travel into space?

The Punjab Engineering College at first hesitated to admitKalpana in the Department of Aeronautical Engineering as shewas a girl. Do you agree with the decision of the authority?Give reasons.What was her father’s desire about her career?Without the permission of her parents Kalpana joined thePunjab Engineering College as an ad-hoc lecturer. Was it goodto take such a decision?Who helped her to become an aeronaut?Can you say Kalpana achieved what she expected? Why?

About the AuthorGurdeep Pandher was born at Siahar near Ludhiana. His bookDiving into Heat brought him global recognition. It was also featuredby Advance magazine, USA and many other literary magazines inEurope and Asia.


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The boxes below tell us certain features of a profile. But a few boxesare left blank.Read the profile once again and complete the boxes.

Birth and childhood

Character Achievements

Speech

Kalpana Chawla once said, ‘The path from dreams to reality doesexist. May you have the vision to find it, the courage to get on to it,and the perseverance to follow it’What do you want to become in your life? Sit in groups and shareyour dreams with your friends. Selected items from each group maybe presented to the class.

Discuss and write

The following table tells us about people who sacrificed their livesfor the sake of others. Discuss with your partner and complete thetable.

Sl.No Name of martyr/ What he/ she How he / she famous person did for others died

1. Bhagatsingh took part in the hanged tofreedom struggle death

2.

3.

4.

Now, write a profile of any one of them.

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An Irish RoseA J Cronin

Here is an anecdote by A J Cronin about a girl who sacrificedher life for an eight month old child. Read the story and findout for who the child was, and what made her do so.

Last summer, I was in Ireland, that green,beloved country, and once again,between duty and devotion, I made apilgrimage that never fails to stir myheart.Years ago, I had come to Dublin as ayoung physician to take a graduatecourse at the Rotunda Hospital. Thecases allotted to me lay in one of thepoorest sections of the city and it wasduring my rounds in this dreary1

neighbourhood that I first encounteredRose Donegan.I would meet her in Loughran Street,fetching water from the public water-tapwith the baby in her arms, a heavy infantof nine months, bound to her skimpy2

person by a tattered shawl. Rose wasabout fourteen, with deep-blue eyeswhich somehow seemed enormous inher serious little face. Three other

children, their ages between five andnine, hung about her skirt, a certainsimilarity of feature and the uniformredness of their hair proclaiming3 themto be Donegans also.The contrast between the squalor4 of herbackground and the intrepid5 brightnessof her gaze aroused my curiosity in thisstrange little creature. I began by wishingher good morning and, after a few days,this greeting drew from her a grave andbashful6 answering smile. Gradually ----for her reserve was not easy to overcome-I progressed to terms of friendship.

I learned then that Rose, the threeyounger children and baby Michael hadlost their mother eight months before.They lived with their father, DannyDonegan, in a basement in the teemingwarren7 of Loughran Street. Danny, whoworked occasionally at the docks8, was

1. dreary : dull and not interesting 2. skimpy : scantily clothed 3. proclaim : show (something) clearly 4. squalor : dirt andunpleasantness 5. intrepid : not afraid of danger or difficulties 6. bashful : shy and easily embarrassed 7. teeming warren: very crowded and confusing place 8. docks : a place in a port where ships are loaded and unloaded; jetty


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a weak, utterly good-natured character.Soft-spoken and full of the bestintentions, he spent most of his time andmoney at the adjacent Shamrock Bar.Thus it fell upon Rose to sustain theburden of the household, to keep the tworooms clean and tidy, to manage hererrant father and salvage9 the remnants10

of his earnings as best she could, to dothe cooking and attend to the children.

Although there was affection for all ofthem in Rose's heart, beyond everyoneshe adored11 baby Michael. As shecarried him on sunny afternoons to theoutskirts of Phoenix Park she staggeredunder his weight, but that did not daunther. Nothing daunted her. As I saw hergo resolutely along the crowded,unsavoury12 pavement, bent on someerrand13, to bargain with the butcher foran end of ham or coax14 the baker toextend her credit for an extra loaf, Imarvelled at the temper of her spirit. Shewas not blind to the sights around her.She had the slum child's elementalknowledge - an absolute unblushing15

understanding of the hard mysteries oflife, mingled with an innocence that wassublime. Those wide, reflective eyes, setin that small grimy face, held the wisdomof the ages. But more than that ---- theyheld a fathomless fount of love.

My first interest in this child turnedgradually to deep concern. I felt I mustdo something for her and, havingdiscovered by chance when her birthdaywas, I had a parcel delivered to her froman outfitter's16 in O'Connell Street. It wasgood to think of her in a warm tweeddress, with sound shoes and stockings,everything to match.I kept out of the way for a few days, butI chuckled17 as I pictured her in her finery,marching proudly to Mass on Sunday,her shoes squeaking18 magnificentlydown the aisle. Yet when I saw her thefollowing Monday, to my dismay shewas still wearing her ragged clothing,still bound by her tattered19 shawl to theinfant.‘Where are your new clothes?’ I burstout.She coloured to the roots of her hair, thensaid, ‘It was you.’ After a long pause, notlooking at me, she added simply,‘They're pawned20. There was nothing inthe house, Michael had to have his milk.’I stared at her in silence, aware that shewould always sacrifice herself, yieldeverything that was hers to this belovedbaby brother. She looked so frail that afresh wave of pity swept me. Next day Iwent to Father Walsh, who had chargeof the Loughran Street parish.

9. salvage : save 10. remnants : the small remaining quantity 11. adored : loved deeply 12. unsavoury : unpleasant13. errand : odd job 14. coax : persuade someone to do something 15. unblushing : unashamed 16. outfitter : a shopthat sells men's clothes 17. chuckle : to laugh quietly 18. squeaking (v) : making short high noise 19. tattered : old and torn20. pawned (v): left to somebody as security for the money borrowed

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His face lit up when I spoke of Rose, andafter I had made my plea he consideredfor a few moments, then slowly noddedassent.

‘You'll have a job to persuade her.’ Hesmiled wryly21 as he accompanied me tothe door. ‘She's a perfect little mother.That's the force that fills her life.’A week later, after an exchange of letters,I went determinedly to Loughran Street.The children sat round the table whileRose, with a worried frown, was slicingthe remnants of a loaf. ‘Rose,’ I said, ‘youare going away.’

She gazed up at me withoutcomprehension, pushing back the strandof hair that fell across her puckeredbrow.‘To friends of mine in Galway,’ I wenton steadily. ‘For a month. To a farm,where you'll have nothing to do but feedthe chickens and run wild in the fieldsand drink gallons of milk.’Momentarily a bright expectationflooded her face, but it swiftly faded. Sheshook her head.‘No, I have to see to the children. . . andDad.’‘That's all arranged. The Sisters will takecare of them. You must do it, Rose, oryou'll have a breakdown.’

‘I can't,’ she said. ‘I couldn't leave thebaby.’‘Confound you, then. You can take himwith you.’Her eyes sparkled with a wonderfullight. They shone even brighter when, onthe following day, we packed her and hercharge into the train. As the enginepulled out she was dandling the babyon her bony little knees and whisperingin his ear:

‘Cows, Michael....’It was good to have news of them fromour friends, the Carrolls. Rose wasputting on weight, helping in thefarmyard. Her own mis-spelledpostcards breathed a happiness she hadnever known before----and endedinvariably with a glowing account ofhow well the country suited Michael.The month slipped away. Then, near itsend, came the bombshell. The Canollswanted to adopt Michael. They were amiddle-aged couple, childless andprosperous. They had grown fond of thechild and could offer him advantages farbeyond anything he would have athome.Danny, of course, thought theopportunity ‘stupendous22’. But therewas Rose to consider, and the decisionwas left to her.

21. wryly : with a mixture of amusement and disbelief 22. stupendous : extremely large/ impressive, great


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None of us knew what that decision was,or how much it cost her to make it, untilshe came back ---- alone.She was glad to see the other childrenand her father, but all the way from thestation she sat silent and withdrawn, asthough wrapped in a tragic dream. AtLoughran Street she pulled herselftogether, and gradually she took up thereins of her old position. She was,indeed, more conscientious than before.Under her promptings Danny tookhimself in hand23 and, one memorableday, actually signed the pledge24. Therewas no guarantee of permanence in hisregeneration; still, while he kept soberand in steady employment, Rose wasable to redeem from pawn all thepledged household goods, so that thebasement rooms really took on an air ofhome. Some Saturdays she managedeven to tuck away25 a few shillings in thetea canister26 on the mantelpiece.Yet when I called in one afternoon tocongratulate her, I found her weepingher heart out at the kitchen table. I didnot ask the reason of her distress. Insilence I took her hand, and held it for along time.

‘Well, it's for his good,’ she sighed at last,and bravely wiped her eyes. ‘I wouldn'tstand in his way.’

From time to time news came of thebaby's progress. Michael's foster parentsspared no effort to make him happy;already they spoke of him as their own.

Then one morning a frightful letterarrived. Michael was down withpneumonia.With pale cheeks and compressed lipsRose sat staring at the letter. Then shemoved rigidly to the canister on themantel, counted out the money for herrailway fare.‘I'm going to him.’

Fiercely, she brushed aside allopposition. Didn't they know that shecould do anything with the child ---- makehim take nourishment when he wasfeverish and his medicine when he wasfretful. Why, by stroking his forehead,she could even send him to sleep. Witha fixed expression she made herselfready for the journey, arranged with aneighbour to care for the children, thenset out by tram for the station.

That same evening at the Carroll farm,taking no denial, she established herselfas Michael's nurse.

It was a serious attack. Often, as Rosewatched his laboured breathing, a lookof unbearable anguish27 would comeupon her face. The coughing was theworst. With her arm round his neck,

23. took himself in hand : decided to discipline himself; change his ways 24. signed the pledge: (humorous) agree not todrink any alcohol 25. tuck away : store something, 26. canister : a metal container for keeping something in 27. anguish: mental or physical suffering caused by extreme pain or worry

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heedless28 of the danger to herself, shesupported him until the spasm29 wasover. She spent herself upon him, dayand night.

At last the crisis passed; she was told thatMichael would recover. She rosedizzily30 from beside the bed, pressingboth hands against her brow. ‘Now, I canrest.’ She smiled weakly. ‘I have such anawful headache. . . .’She had caught the germ from Michael.But it did not attack her lungs. Whathappened was worse. She developedpneumococcal meningitis, and neverrecovered consciousness. I think I toldyou. . . she was just fourteen years old.

LAST SUMMER, in the lonely moorlandchurchyard, a soft west wind wasblowing from Galway Bay, carrying fromnearby whitewashed cottages the tang ofturf smoke, the breath, the very soul ofIreland. There were no wreaths upon thenarrow mound of green, but, half hiddenin the grass, I saw a tiny shoot of brier,bearing upon its thorny stem a singlewhite wild rose. And suddenly, frombehind grey clouds, the sun came forthand shone with all its radiance upon thewhite flower, upon the small white tabletthat bore her name.

28. heedless : not paying attention to 29. spasm : an occasion when your muscles suddenly become tight, causing you pain30. dizzling (v) : excitingly

About the authorAJ Cronin (1896-1974) was a doctor by training. He practisedmedicine in Wales and in London. It was while recovering from abreakdown in health that he wrote his first novel Hatter’s Castle. Itwas a big success. Cronin gave up practising medicine and took towriting as a career. He wrote a number of novels and short stories.Among his best-known novels are The Citadel, The Key of the Kingdom,and The Spanish Gardener. Some of his novels have been made intosuccessful films.


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Discuss

Why did the author come to Dublin?Rose and her brothers lived with her father. Even though thefather was the head of the family, Rose took up the responsibilityof the family. Do you support her action? Why?

What, according to the author, held the wisdom of the ages?What was the birthday gift given to Rose by the author?

Rose pawned the birthday gift for buying milk to her baby. Is ita good thing to lose a gift? Give reason.

What made Rose become a perfect little mother?What was her demand when she accepted to go to the proposedplace of work? How was it met?How did Rose nurse Michael?Rose came to know that Michael was down with pneumonia.What would you do if you were Rose?What did the author see when he visited Rose’s tomb in summer?

Diary

The author realized that Rose had pawned the birthday gift tobuy milk for her beloved baby brother. A fresh wave of pityswept over him. This experience haunted his mind and he couldnot shake it off. The author made an entry in his diary thatevening. What would have he written in his diary?

Write

Duty and devotion is the theme of the story An Irish Rose. Doyou agree with this statement? Write your answer in a paragraphor two.Sketch the character of Rose Donegan.

Compare and contrast the character of Kalpana Chawla andRose Donegan with regard to their courage, determination, willpower, ambition, service and sacrifice.

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Debate

• Who should shoulder the responsibilities of the family, man orwoman? (Hints: cooking, buying vegetables and other things,educating children, managing the house etc.)

Project

Make a comparative study of any two stories you have readwhich have something in common. Discuss the contents intheme, characters, style of narration, language and portrayal ofscenes etc. If you want you can take ‘Two Gentlemen of Verona’(English Coursebook, Std X) and ‘An Irish Rose’.

Discuss

• How did Rose Donegan die?

• Is pneumonia infectious?• Can you list the names of a few epidemics?• Is it possible to treat an epidemic?

• What precautions would you take to prevent an epidemic?


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Best Buys for Health

In developing countries, more than 13 million children dieeach year before their fifth birthday. At least 70 per cent ofthese deaths can be avoided by simple, low cost interventions

that would have a positive impact on maternal and infant health.Cardiovascular disease kills more people across the world each yearthan any other ailment1, and studies show that death rates can bebrought down by a combination of lifestyle changes, adoptingsimple strategies for prevention, and policy measures that wouldinhibit2 the use of tobacco. About 40 million people live with HIVworldwide; tuberculosis caused the deaths of 1.7 million people in2003; and a preventable disease like malaria kills a million childreneach year. Death and disability from many of these conditions canbe vastly reduced by low- cost health care interventions. A list of 10‘best buy’ health interventions has been identified by the DiseaseControl Priorities Project (DCPP), a collaborative effort of the FogartyInternational Centre of the US National Institutes of Health, theWorld Health Organisation, and the World Bank, supported by a

The following diagram suggests certain ways to fight illness

Read the following editorial Best buys for health and complete thediagram.

hygiene vaccination

illness

1. ailment : illness 2. inhibit : to prevent

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grant from the Gates Foundation. The project advocates3, through atrio4 of new books, meaningful and cost-effective remedies,particularly in developing countries, that could reduce disabilityand illness and save millions of lives each year. These include simplemeasures like optimum care of pregnant mothers and the newborn;teaching mothers and birth attendants to keep infants clean andwarm, thereby reducing illness and death; vaccinating children atthe right time; arresting the spread of HIV through promotingcondom use; providing antiretroviral medicines to HIV-infectedindividuals; providing insecticide-treated bed nets in malariainfested areas; promoting the use of aspirin to prevent heart attacksand stroke; and enforcing traffic regulations by installing speedbumps to bring down the number of deaths from road accidentseach year.In India, although life expectancy has gone up to 64 years and infantmortality rates have seen a dramatic decline, critical health issuesremain. Children continue to die from infectious diseases; the under-five mortality rate stemming from preventable diseases remains high.In adults, deaths from cardiovascular disease, cancer, tuberculosis,and HIV infections are on the rise. The effectiveness of low-cost healthinterventions, particularly in conditions of mass deprivation5, hasbeen demonstrated by some remarkable examples ---- which needscaling up as a national public health priority. For instance, theChennai-based Kidney Help Trust has had considerable success inimplementing6 an effective low-cost protocol for early diagnosis andtreatment of hypertension7 and diabetes in the Sriperumbudur talukof Tamil Nadu. Clearly, positive health interventions that areinexpensive and effectual8 should become a viable9 part of nationalhealth policies for the benefit of millions of poor people.

Editorial - The Hindu (7 April 2006)

3. advocates : speaks in support of 4. trio : three things in a group; (here) books 5. deprivation : lack of the things that arehighly necessary 6. implement : putting into operation 7. hypertension : high blood pressure 8. effectual : producing thentended result 9. viable : capable of working successfully


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Noteslow cost interventions : low cost remedies or devicescardiovascular disease : disease related to heartmortality rate : death ratelife expectancy : the length of time that a living

being is likely to liveantiretroviral medicines to HIV infected: Medicines which are used in

HIV/ AIDS to resist theviruses of other diseases toenter the body

critical health issues : health problems which are ofgreat concern or danger

deprive of (v) : take something away fromsomeone

deprivation (n) : eg: There is awful deprivationof basic necessities in someStates in India

Discuss

What do you think is the issue/ problem being discussed inthe given editorial?What do you mean by ‘best buys’?‘Most of the people are not aware of the possible ways of curingdiseases’. Do you agree with this statement? Quote evidencesfrom the editorial to support your case.What critical health issues still remain to be taken care of inIndia?Does the editorial suggest ways and means to address thoseproblems?

Complete the notes

Read the editorial once again. Pick out the main points and listthem in the following way:

1. The alarming death rate among children in developing countries.2. The major causes of alarming death rate.

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3. ..............................................................................................................

4. ..............................................................................................................5. ..............................................................................................................Survey

Choose one or two similar editorials from any English dailies andcompare them with the given editorial.

issue/ facts and examples suggestionsproblem figures

discussedThe Editorial -Best Buysfor Health

Editorial 1

Editorial 2

Editorial 3

Write

‘Women in the present society face a lot of adversities.’ Commenton this statement and prepare a write-up for an editorial. You maycollect material from popular magazines and newspapers on theissue.

Read the following extracts

People from distant lands came to see him. They stood stunned withsurprise at his long nose. Some touched it too. But no one asked ‘Haveyou eaten today’? ‘Why do you look so weak?’ There was no money in thehut: not even to buy a small packet of snuff. Was he a wild animal to bekept starving? He might be a fool, but he was a human being. One day hecalled his mother aside and told her in a whisper, “Get these horrid peopleout and shut the door”.


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Have you read the two extracts? What do you feel about theseextracts? Do you think that the English version is the exact translationof the Malayalam piece? What changes do you note when a text inMalayalam is translated into English? What words has the writer inEnglish used, to retain the local elements of the Malayalam story?Is it an easy task to bring out all the local flavour while translating?Discuss and write

Now sit in groups; read the extracts once more and find out theexact Malayalam words used for the following words, phrases andsentences in English. (If you don’t know Malayalam, take any extractfrom any standard translated version of a story and compare thewords in the original story with that in the translated version.)

(a) distant lands : .............................................................................(b) stood stunned : .............................................................................(c) there was no money in the hut : ...................................................(d) not even to buy a small packet of snuff : .....................................(e) to get these horrid people out : ......................................................Compare and contrast

Here is another translated version of the same story. Compare andcontrast the two translated versions.

Zqc-tZ-i-ß-fn¬ \n∂p-t]mepw Bfp-Iƒ Abmsf ImWm≥ hcp-∂p. Zo¿L-ta-dnb aq°p-

t\m-°n-s°m≠v A¤pXkvX_v[-cmbn \n¬°p-∂p. Nne¿ sXm´p t\m°p-∂p-≠v. F∂m¬

Bcpw ....... Bcpw ‘\nßƒ Blm-c-sam∂pw Ign-®nt√? F¥m C{X £oWw?’ Fs∂m∂pw

tNmZn-®n-√. Hcp hen-°p-s]mSn hmßm≥ t]mepw B hoń¬ Hºn-Sn-°m-in√. ]ń-Wn-°n-´-

ImgvNarK-amtWm Abmƒ? a≠-\m-sW-¶nepw a\p-jy-\t√? Abmƒ Xs‚ hr≤-am-Xm-

hns\ hnfn®p cl-ky-ambn ]d™p, ‘Cu aqti-´-Isf Bń-s∏m-d-Øm°n hmXn-e-S-t®’.

People come even from distant places to see him. They stand dumbfoundedlooking at his extraordinary nose. But no one asked anything like, 'Haven'tyou eaten anything? Why so tired?' There wasn't a pie in the dwelling noteven for buying one pinch of snuff. Is he a wild animal, for exhibition left tostarve? Though a fool, is he not a human being, too? He called his old motherand said to her in private, ‘Drive these never-do-wells out and close the dooron them, won't you’?

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The World Renowned Nose

It is a startling1 piece of news. That nosehas become a matter of dispute amongintellectuals.I record here the true story of that nose.The owner of that world-renowned nosehad completed twenty four years of age,when the story began. No one knew himbefore that. Does the twenty-fourth yearin a person's life have any specialsignificance2? Who knows? If one looksthrough the recorded pages of worldhistory one finds that the twenty-fourthyear had a significance in many greatlives. Students of history need hardly betold this.The hero of our story was a cook, akitchen worker if you like. He was notparticularly intelligent. He could not

read and write. His world was confinedto3 the kitchen. He was totally indifferentto happenings outside the kitchen. Whyshould he pay attention to them? Hecould eat to his satisfaction; inhale asmuch snuff as he wanted; sleep; work.His daily routine was confined to theseactivities.He did not know the names of themonths of the year. When it was time forhim to receive his salary his motherwould come and take it. If he wantedsnuff the old lady herself would buy itfor him. He lived a contented life till hereached his twenty-fourth year. Then anamazing thing happened!His nose grew slightly in length. It passedhis mouth and reached the level of hischin.

1. startling : very surprising 2. significance : importance 3. confined to : restricted to/ limited to

Here is a piece of satire from one of the best writers of Malayalamfiction - Vaikom Muhammed Basheer. The translation is by RE Asher


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The nose began to grow in length everyday. Was it possible to hide this? Withina month the nose reached his navel4. Didhe feel uncomfortable? Not in the least!He could breathe freely. He could inhalesnuff. He could distinguish betweensmells. No inconvenience worth talkingabout.However, because of his nose, the poorcook was dismissed from service.What was the reason?

No group came forward with the battlecry: 'Take back the dismissed employee.'Political parties shut their eyes to thispiece of rank injustice.'Why was this man dismissed?' No loverof humanity came forward with thisquery.

The poor cook!No one had to tell him why he had losthis job. The reason was that the peopleliving in the house where he workedcould find no peace or quiet because ofhim. People came visiting night and day,to see the long-nosed one and his nose.Photographers pestered5 them. Newsreporters became a nuisance. A numberof things were pilfered6 from the house.As the dismissed cook sat starving in hislowly hut, he was convinced of onething: his nose had acquired greatpublicity!

People from distant lands came to seehim. They stood stunned with surpriseat his long nose. Some touched it too. Butno one asked: 'Have you eaten today?Why do you look so weak?' There wasno money in the hut: not even to buy asmall packet of snuff. Was he a wildanimal to be kept starving? He might bea fool, but he was a human being. Oneday he called his old mother aside andtold her in a whisper: 'Get these horridpeople out and shut the door!'The mother promptly put them all outand closed the door.Good fortune dawned on the mother andson after that day! People began to bribethe mother to see the son's nose! Someupholders of justice protested againstthis corruption. But the government didnot take any action. Many protestedagainst the inaction of the governmentand joined revolutionary parties, out tosabotage the government!

The income of the long-nosed one grewday by day. Why say more? In six yearsthe poor cook became a millionaire.He acted thrice in films. What vastaudiences were attracted by thetechnicolour feature film: 'The HumanSubmarine!’ Six poets wrote epic poemsabout the noble qualities of the long-nosed one! Nine well-known writers

4. navel : middle of a person's stomach 5. pestered : behaved in an annoying manner 6. pilfered : stolen

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wrote biographies of the long-nosed oneand won wealth and acclaim.His princely abode was also a guest-house open to all. Anyone at any timecould get a meal there; and a sniff ofsnuff.

He had two secretaries. Two comely7,accomplished8 women. Both of themloved the long-nosed one. Both of themworshipped him. When two beautifulfemales love the same person at the sametime, there is bound to be trouble.Troubles came into the life of the long-nosed one.

Other people also loved the long-nosedone. That long nose reaching down to thenavel was considered a sign of greatness.The long-nosed one gave his opinion onimportant world events. Newspaperspublished his comments:'An aeroplane with a speed of 10,000miles an hour has been built! The long-nosed one commented thus on theevent........!’

'Doctor Bundros Furasiburose hasbrought a dead man to life! The long-nosed one made the following speechabout it.........!'When people heard that the highest peakin the world had been scaled9, theyasked: 'What does the long-nosed onesay about this?'

If the long-nosed one said nothing aboutan event... Phoo! It was unimportant.And so the long-nosed one was expectedto comment about anything andeverything! Painting, the watch trade,mesmerism, photography, the soul,publishing house, the writing of novels,life after death, the conduct ofnewspapers, hunting.It was at this time that conspiracies werehatched to capture the long-nosed one.Capturing something, taking somethingby physical conquest, was nothing new.The major part of world history consistsof conquests and captures.

What is this capturing? Suppose youplant coconut seedlings on a piece ofbarren land. You water the land andmanure it. You fence it in. Expectantyears slip by and the trees bear fruit.Coconuts hang in proud clusters from thepalms. Then someone takes that gardenaway from you.

First of all, it was the government thatmade an attempt to capture the long-nosed one. They tried a confidence trick.The government awarded him the title'Chief among the long-nosed ones' andgave him a medal. It was the Presidenthimself who tied the bejewelled goldmedal round the neck of the long-nosedone. Then instead of shaking the long-nosed one by the hand, the President

7. comely : attractive in appearance 8. accomplished : skilled 9. scaled : (here) climbed


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tweaked10 the tip of the long nose. Thiswas filmed by newsreel cameramen andshown in all theatres.By that time the political parties in thecountry came forward enthusiastically.Comrade Long-Nose must giveleadership to the people's struggle!Comrade Long-Nose indeed! WhoseComrade? Comrade in what? God! Poorlong-nosed one!The long-nosed one must join the Party!Which party? There were many parties.How would the long-nosed one joindifferent parties at the same time?

The long-nosed one said in his owntongue, 'Why should I join party andparties? Me. I am too tired.Then one of the secretaries said: 'IfComrade Long-Nose likes me, he mustjoin my party.'The long-nosed one said nothing to that.

'Should I join any party?' the long-nosedone asked the other secretary. Sheunderstood what he was aiming at. Shesaid: 'Why should you?'But that time one of the political partieshad come out with the slogan, 'Our partyis the long-nosed one's party, the long-nosed one's party is the people's party !’The long-nosed one said nothing to that.

Members of other parties wereincensed11 by this. They got at one of the

secretaries and made her issue ascathing12 statement against the long-nosed one: 'The long-nosed one hasdeceived the people! He has beencheating them all this while. He hasmade me a partner in this fraud. Let medeclare the truth to the public: the longnose is made of rubber!'Wow ! ! ! All the newspapers splashedthe news on their front pages. The noseof the long-nosed one is made of rubber!Would the people keep quiet at this?Would they not react in anger? Cables,telephone calls, letters from all parts ofthe world! The President was allowed nopeace or quiet. 'Destruction to the rubbernose of the long-nosed one! Down withthe long-nose party! Long liverevolution!'When the anti-long-nose party put outthis statement, the opposing party madethe other secretary issue a counterstatement: Beloved countrymen, citizens!What she has said is a lie. ComradeLong-Nose did not love her. This is herrevenge for that. She was trying to keepfor herself the wealth and good name ofComrade Long-Nose. One of herbrothers is in the opposite party. Let mereveal the true colours of the membersof the other party. I am the faithfulsecretary of Comrade Long-Nose. Iknow for a fact that the nose of the

10. tweaked : pulled or twisted 11. incensed : made extremely angry 12. scathing : severely and unkindly critical

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Comrade is not made of rubber. It is asreal as my own heart beating inside me.Long live the members of the partysupporting Comrade Long----Nose at thiscritical juncture! They have no motivesof gain other than the progress of thepeople. Long live revolution!'

What was to be done? There wasconfusion in the minds of the people.The leaders of the party against the long-nosed one began finding fault with thePresident and government. Stupidgovernment! They gave the title of ‘Chiefamong the long-nosed ones’ to thedeceiver of the people. They gave him abejewelled gold medal. The president isalso party to this fraud. There is betrayalof national interest in all this. ThePresident must resign. The ministrymust resign! The rubber-nosed one mustbe killed!'

The President reacted angrily. Onemorning the army and air tankssurrounded the house of the poor long-nosed one. He was arrested and takenaway.

There was no news of the long-nosed onefor some time. The people forgot abouthis existence. Then came fresh news withthe impact of a nuclear bomb! Do youknow what happened? Just when thepeople had forgotten everything came abrief announcement from the President:The trial of the ‘Chief of the long-nosed

ones’ will take place on 9th March. Expertdoctors who come as representatives of48 countries will examine him. All thenewspapers of the world will berepresented by their accreditedcorrespondents. The proceedings will befilmed for all the world to see. Peoplemust keep calm’.People are people. They could not keepcalm. They came in large numbers intothe metropolis. They invaded the hotels.They burnt public conveyances. They setfire to police stations. They destroyedgovernment buildings. There werecommunal riots. Quite a number of menand women died as martyrs in this fightfor the long-nosed one.March 9, eleven a.m. The square in frontof the Presidential palace was a vast seaof humanity. The loud speakers blared13

forth: 'People must be disciplined. Theexamination has begun!’The doctors surrounded the long-nosedone in the presence of the President andcabinet ministers. One doctor blockedthe nostrils of the long-nosed one; heimmediately opened his mouth wide.Another doctor took a needle andpunctured the tip of his nose. To hisamazement a drop of blood appeared atthe tip of the nose.

The doctors gave their unanimousverdict14: 'The nose is not made of rubber.It is genuine.'

13. blared : sounded loudly and unpleasantly 14. verdict : judgement


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One of the female secretaries kissed thelong-nosed one on the tip of the nose.'Long live Comrade Long----Nose! Longlive the chief of the long nosed ones!Long live the Progressive People's Partyof the long----nosed one!'.

As this shouting and revelry15 ended, thePresident thought of another gimmick16.He nominated the long-nosed one as a

15. revelry : merrymaking 16. gimmick : trick

Member of Parliament! That was the endof it all.But the parties of which the long-nosedone was not a member formed a UnitedFront and began to say: 'The ministrymust resign! Look at the way falsehoodwas being perpetuated!' Would there notbe confusion of thought? What wouldthe poor intellectuals do?

About the AuthorVaikom Mohammed Basheer (1910 - 2000 ) is, perhaps one of thegreatest writers in Malayalam. His novels and stories present a keenobservation of the development of contemporary society. There is avivid strain of realism in his stories and they always leave a smile onthe lips of his readers. As he is critical about populist views on love,politics, religion and other socio-ethical elements of life, his storieshave a universal appeal. In many of his stories, he attempts to satirizethe psychology of the masses. His characters are picked from thesociety in which we all live.

Notessnuff (n) : tobacco in the form of a powder for breathing into the

nose. Sniffing snuff and smoking cigar are habits whichare injurious to health.

sabotage : the wilful damaging or destroying of something.abode : house, place of living.scale (v) : measure, climb. eg: The prisoner scaled the high prison

wall and ran way.mesmerism : hypnotismfraud (n) : deceitperpetuate (v) : cause something to continue to exist for a long time.

eg: People put up a statue to perpetuate the hero’smemory.

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Discuss

The writer (author) starts the story saying that ‘It is a startlingpiece of news’. What is the startling piece of news?

What happened to the cook in his twenty fourth year?‘The long nosed one was dismissed from service’. It should nothave happened. Do you think it was fair?How did he become rich?The government awarded him the title ‘Chief among the longnosed ones’ and gave him a medal. Do you agree with the actionof the government? Give your reasons.What conspiracies were hatched to capture the long-nosed oneand how were they solved?‘There was no news of the long-nosed one for some time’. Why?What were the incidents which led to his arrest?Some people often create problems in society by makingunnecessary comments against others’. What do you think?

Write

‘The World Renowned Nose’ is a satire against the contemporarysociety. Illustrate this statement on the basis of the story. You mayquote from the text. Compare these sentences or expressions withthe same in the original story.Discuss

An illiterate fellow one day becomes a very important person.Bring in parallels from recent politics or social life.Why do writers/ film makers/ mimicry artists take up suchincidents as the theme of their work?How do such incidents affect the existence of a government,cause riots and give rise to new political parties?


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Workshop

Attempt a translation of the following pieces into your mother tongue:(i) The nose began to grow in length everyday. Was it possible

to hide this? Within a month the nose reached his navel. Didhe feel uncomfortable? Not in the least! He could breath freely.He could inhale snuff. He could distinguish between smells.No inconvenience worth asking about.

(ii) He had two secretaries. Two comely, accomplished women.Both of them loved the long nosed one. Both of themworshipped him. When two beautiful females love the sameperson at the same time, there is bound to be trouble.

Review

The teacher (or a learner) reads the original story in Malayalam,the learners listen to it and write a review on the translatedversion of the story (various problems of translation in terms ofvocabulary, linguistic variants, etc., can be brought in to bediscussed).

Manuscript Magazine

Compile the various creative writings you developed in thisBlock to form a manuscript magazine. Don’t forget to write aneditorial for the magazine on rising road accidents.

Let’s now complete the tasks in the Practice Book

A few more tasks based on this block have been given in the PracticeBook. They also form an integral part of this block. Don’t forget tocomplete them. Your teacher will help you.

Documents

Part I English Coursebook - Digital World - Homemakafsal.weebly.com/uploads/3/7/2/9/3729622/english.pdf · Part I English Coursebook ... Practice Book that supplements the activities