Review of passives
Look back on the exercises in this Unit. Discuss why the passive is used in each of these different circumstances.
Can you think of any other times when it is best to use the passive?
The passive is used in the following circumstances:
1. The originator {doer) of the action is considered less important than the action itself. In other words, when the action is to be given more importance or is to be highlighted, we use passive voice.
2. We do not want to identify the originator (doer) of the action eg, (in the sentence Oranges are grown in Morocco.)
3. It is not necessary, relevant and not helpful to mention the originator {doer) of the action. For example, in the headline Terrorists Arrested mentioning the Police is irrelevant as it is implied or understood.
This is especially useful when we want to be brief and eyecatching as in headlines, and notices etc.
4. We have to be more objective in a statement. For example, instead of saying ‘I think the Taj Mahal is the most beautiful mausoleum in the world’ we suggest (in not writing ‘I think’) that it is generally thought to be so. This is effectively done in shifting from a subjective view (T think’) to the objective one by not adding ‘I think’.
5. We are writing in a formal and academic style eg, reports of scientific experiments or of meetings etc. In writing these, the emphasis is merely on the facts etc. Therefore, these are to be as neutral and objective as possible. Repeating or mentioning the originator or the doer in them would look foolish.’
6. It is not known about the originator or the doer of the action eg, when a crime has been committed.
7. We want to describe events and actions from a single point of view eg, the report of Inspector Narayan.
(b) The other times when the passive is used are when a commentary is broadcast eg, of the Republic Day Parade etc.
Why did the women at the temple discuss the latest episode of ‘Kashi Yatre’?
Answer the following question briefly.
What made Triveni a popular writer?
Answer the following question briefly:
What were the Professor’s ambitions in the army?
Identify the rhyme scheme of the poem.
The brook appears to be a symbol for life. Pick out examples of parallelism
between life and the brook from the poem.
Answer the following question.
"….All can hear, but only
The sensitive can understand'
What does the poet want to convey?
Answer the following question.
The Poem invokes beautiful imagery which is built around 'sigh of the sea', 'laughter of
the field' and 'tears of heaven'. Explain the three expressions in the context of rain.
The term irony refers to a discrepancy, or disagreement, of some sort. The
discrepancy can be between what someone says and what he or she really
means. on verbal irony. The discrepancy can be between a situation that one
would logically anticipate or that would seem appropriate and the situation that
actually develops or situational irony. The discrepancy can even be between the
facts known to a character and the facts known to us, the readers or audience or
dramatic irony.
Working in groups of four complete the following table. Find instances of irony from the play
and justify them.
| Extract | Justification |
| I believe you want to convert me; save my soul, don’t you call it? Well, it’s no good………. see? I don’t want any damned religion. ● ________________________________ ●_________________________________ |
Later, the convict says, “its a queer thing to ask, but-could you, would you bless me before I go.” ●______________________________ ●______________________________ |
| ● Why the devil do you leave the window unshuttered and the door unbarred so that anyone can come in? ’ ●__________________________________ ●__________________________________ |
If the door had been barred the convict couldn’t have entered the house. ______________________________ ●______________________________ |
| ● My mother gave them to me on………………………. on her death bed just after you were bom, and…………….. and she asked me to keep them in remembrance of her, so I would like to keep them. ● _______________________________ ● _______________________________ |
Later he hands the convict the candlesticks and tells him to start a new life. ● _________________________ ● __________________________ |
Imagine that you are on an uninhabited island with a group of children of your age. In groups of four, discuss and enumerate the strategies that will be adopted by you to survive. You can think on the following lines :
| food | protection against animals |
| shelter | life-skills (problem-solving, decision-making) |
| means of escape | protection against harsh weather conditions |
Look at the verbs in the box and put them in the correct columns in the table that follows
|
believe wish see belong |
hate own regret measure |
know understand forget touch |
weigh prefer hear
|
smell find imagine
|
think cost remember
|
suppose like taste
|
| thought | emotion | possession | perception (often used with can) | measurement |
Some verbs, like the ones mentioned above, are not normally used in the continuous (- ing) form. However, we do sometimes use such verbs in the continuous form. Look at the following examples.
1. “I can’t concentrate on my work because I’m thinking about that beautiful scene.”
2. “I think it is beautiful.”
(а) Mohan comes in wearing overalls and is covered in paint.
(i) _______________________________________
(ii) _______________________________________
(b) Ramesh comes in with a smile on his face. He is holding a trophy.
(i) _______________________________________
(ii) _______________________________________
(c) Monica returns home with lots of packets in her hands.
(i) _______________________________________
(ii) _______________________________________
(b) Sheela comes in with red eyes and a wet handkerchief.
(i) _______________________________________
(ii) _______________________________________
Now try to build your own similes for the following :
Add other similes of your own and write them in your notebook.
Answer the following question by ticking the correct option :
What did the man do to prove his point?
Future Perfect and Future Continuous
Look at the following sentences.
Match words from the different columns to make reasonable predictions. Then write them down in the space below. One has been done as an example.
Discuss in groups
(a) Have you heard of the Bermuda Triangle? If so, what have you heard about it?
(b) Have you ever heard of an airplane or a boat disappearing without a trace?
(c) Can you think of an explanation for an airplane or a boat that disappeared without a trace?
Work in pairs. Tell your partner what you are not able to do now because of the fast-paced life.
e.g. I could play in the open ground but now I can’t.
I could visit my aunt on weekends but …………
On a cold winter night you hear a loud shrieking noise at repeated intervals. What might have caused this?
Write down your ideas using the pattern below.
| it |
might could must |
have been |
the owl hooting a ghost____________ |
List some phrases and words that come to your mind, when you look at the picture given below
The Passive in Tentative Statements
The passive is often used in tentative statements where the writer tries to be as neutral as possible.
| considered | to | be… | ||
| It | is | said | ||
| known | to | have been… | ||
| They | are | acknowledged believed regarded as… |
8.1
Look at the box below. Write tentative statements following the pattern in the table above.
Prepositions of Location
Picture Dictation
Work in pairs - Student A and Student B. Student A only (picture given below) - . Keep the picture secret from Student B. Describe exactly what you see to Student B, who must draw the picture from the information given. At the end, compare the two pictures. Draw your picture in the box below.
e.g.
In the middle there’s a small house. Behind the house there are two hills. Several birds are flying over the house…
