Advertisements
Advertisements
Question
You are on the editorial board for the column ‘Your Problems’ in The Teenager magazine. You have received these two letters asking for your advice. (They appear to have come from the same family)
|
Dear Helpful Avanti My fifteen year old son is crazy about film music. He seems to be wasting all his pocla:t money on these meaningless CDs. He cannot even study without this noise. Though he is good at studies, I remain disturbed about this new obsession. There are all kinds of strange-looking posters on the walls of his study and he always wears those gaudy T-shirts and faded patched jeans. Also, he is very fond of Junk-food. I fear he is breaking all links with our culture. |
|
Dear Helpful Avanti I love film music and I have bought a lot of CDs from my pocket-money allowance. But whenever I switch on my CD-player, my father frowns and orders me to switch off the 'jarring noise'. He calls it 'cheap' and 'uncivilised' stuff. It is not that I do not like classical music, but when I am with my friends, we listen to film music. I like Indian clothes and food. But, I also like to wear western clothes and eat continental food occasionally. I do not like to disobey my parents, but I do not want to give up my music and other interests. |
In pairs, decide what advice to give to each of them. Then write one letter each, so that both father and son get a reply from The Teenager. Remember to use some of the language in Question 5.
Advertisements
Solution
Reply to the first letter:
Dear Sir
You should appreciate that he has developed interest in something useful. He is utilizing his pocket money in pursuing his hobby. Maybe, you can make him to join some music classes. The fact that he is good at studies should make you proud. At his age he ought to plaster his walls with posters which may look weird to you. You should try to understand the taste for his age. Try to befriend your son and try to update yourself with changes in culture. His letter says that sometimes he listens to classical music as well. So your help and proper guidance are the right steps in the right direction.
Avanti
Reply to the second letter:
Hi Buddy
Try to explain the meaning- of the latest music to your father and to explain your passion for this. Whenever your father is at home try to play music in soft voice. This is a good way to respect his feelings. Share your room, your thoughts and your passions with your father. This will help him to understand you better. Hope your father doesn’t wear Indian outfits, like dhoti kurta and wears pants and shirts instead.
They are also western clothes.
Junk food is not good for health. Try to minimize its consumption. Whatever you do make your father a party to it. He will be your best friend.
Avanti
APPEARS IN
RELATED QUESTIONS
Have you ever been on a trip to any place in India, where you didn’t know the language spoken locally? How did you feel? How did you manage to communicate?
Answer the following question briefly:
Did Private Quelch’s day to day practices take him closer towards his goal? How can you make out?
Answer the following question:
When Mr. Bramble came to know that he was to become a father what were some of the names he decided upon? Why?
Here is a list of a few things. Can you tell how long each of them can live /exist?
(a) a dog
(b) an elephant
(c) a tree
(d) a human being
(e) a star
(f) a mountain
(g) a river
The poem is full of images that come alive through skilful use of words. Describe
any two images that appeal to you the most, quoting the lines from the poem.
Answer the following question briefly.
Describe the two roads that the poet comes across.
'Ode to Autumn' is a beautiful poem written by the famous poet John Keats.
Your teacher will read an excerpt from the poem. Pick phrases
which personify autumn.
Phrases
________________________ ______________________________
________________________ ______________________________
________________________ ______________________________
________________________ ______________________________
Ode to Autumn
John Keats
Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness!
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the mossed cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o'erbrimmed their clammy cells.
Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reaped furrow sound asleep,
Drowsed with the fume of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers;
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
You are JEANNE. After coming home you realize that the Villa was not actually
bought and your husband has fooled both you and the landlady of the Villa. You
are filled with rage, disgust and helplessness because of your husband's
betrayal. Write your feelings in the form of a diary entry.
The Convict goes to Paris, sells the silver candlesticks and starts a business. The
business prospers and he starts a reformatory for ex-convicts. He writes a letter to the
Bishop telling him of this reformatory and seeks his blessings.
As the convict, Jean Valjean, write the letter to the Bishop.
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 |
Choose a suitable word from the options given and complete the story from Tunisia.
A weary traveller stopped at a Bedouin’s tent and asked for shelter for the night. Without (a)_______ delay, the man killed (b) _______chicken and handed it to (c)_______ wife for (d)___________ guest’s supper. As the woman stirred the meat in (e) _______ copper cooking pot, she smelled the rich steam and could not resist tasting (f)________ of the meat and soup, to see if it was soft and tasty. But mouthful followed mouthful, and there wasn’t (g)__________chicken left but for the neck piece, which she gave to her little son to nibble. The boy found it so tasty that he whined, “Give me (h)_______ more chicken, mother!” The woman slapped the little boy and scolded him: “It’s a shameful habit (i)______ father taught you, enough of it, I tell you!” On the (j) _______ side of the wooden hanging which screened the woman’s part of the tent from the rest, the traveller overheard them. “What habit has (k)______ father taught (l) _______ child?” he asked curiously. “Oh,” said the woman, “whenever a guest arrives at (m)_______ tent, he cuts off his ears and roasts them over the fire for (n)______ son to eat.” Making not a sound, the traveller picked up (o)_______ shoes and ran.
| (a) (i) no any (ii) little (iii) any (iv) no |
| (b) (i) a few (ii) some (iii) few (iv) a |
| (c) (i) his (ii) her (iii) their (iv) there |
| (d) (i) the (ii) a (iii) theirs (iv) their |
| (e) (i) her (ii) hers (iii) the (iv) an |
| (f) (i) some (ii) few (iii) a few (iv) more |
| (g) (i) any (ii) some (iii) a few (iv) few |
| (h) (i) little (ii) a little (iii) a few (iv) some |
| (i) (i) hers (ii) yours (iii) their (iv) his |
| (j) (i) another (ii) another (iii) other (iv) one |
| (k) (i) hers (ii) her (iii) him (iv) his |
| (l) (i) a (ii) an (iii) the (iv) x |
| (m) (i) x (ii) our (iii) ours (iv) their |
| (n) (i) their (ii) his (iii) him (iv) our |
| (o) (i) her (ii) his (iii) our (iv) x |
Duties and privileges of an Environment Monitor.
e.g. You must ensure that the campus is clean.
Did you know?
should and ought to have similar meanings. They show obligation or duty. However there is a slight difference in meaning.
ought to has an objective meaning whereas should is more subjective.
We ought to / should save water.
We ought to save money but we are unable to. (In this sentence should will not be appropriate.).
Look at the text below. The sentences have been jumbled up. Write them in order out to produce a complete paragraph. The first sentence has been given to help you.
(a) To conclude, like many things in life it is up to the individual to use TV wisely, or to abuse it and become its slave.
(b) By contrast, those who attack TV state that it makes people lazy by doing everything for them.
(c) Television is here to stay.
(d) In other words, it stifles rather than stimulates the imagination.
(e) Defenders of TV say that it is a wonderful source of information about things we can never hope to see or do in person.
(f) Moreover, they say it makes topics interesting which would otherwise be boring and difficult in books. .
(g) However, is it a boon or a curse?
(h) In fact, it has become an indispensable part of our lives.
(a) Television is here to stay. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) What helped you to put the sentence back in the correct order?
Answer the following question by ticking the correct option.
The Manor House stood out because of its _______________
Fill in the table to identify the subject, verb and object in the sentences listed above. You may include the object/agent where necessary.
| Subject | Verb | Object |
| Kareena’s hometown |
had not been invaded |
(by) the marvels of technology. |
| Industries | ___________ Was not polluted |
__________ __________ |
| Stories | __________ | __________ |
Did you know?
A passive construction does two things.
(i) it brings the object to the position of the subject.
(ii) it introduces the verb be and the past participle form of the verb. (-ed/ -en)
A passive construction is be used when
(a) the agent is unknown
e.g. Gold jewellery worth one crore was found missing.
(b) the agent is too obvious
e.g. The speeding car was stopped at the signal for violating the traffic rules.
(c) the process is more important than the doer.
e.g. Vanilla flavour is added to the milkshake.
(d) the speaker wants to hide the source for confidentiality.
e.g. I was informed that the staff accept gifts from the customers.
Fill in the empty bubbles in Column C with reports of what was said in Column A, as in the box given above.

You will now hold an actual class debate on the topic 'Computers and Children: A Boon or a Bane'.
In groups of four decide whether your group is FOR or AGAINST the motion. Then draft your debate. Each member of the group must participate in the written as well as the spoken matter. The spoken matter can be divided thus
• One introduces the topic
• One discusses points favouring the motion
• One argues the opponent's points
• One concludes
This description is taken from a well-known film. Can you guess which one?
A man in a red cape and blue tights is flying over a city. On his chest is the letter S. Below him a large crowd is pointing up at him.
Imagine a scene from a play, film or TV show you have seen.
Describe (a) where things and people are, and (b) any movement. Follow the example.
Show your description to your partner. Guess each other’s play or film.____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Look at the map below.
You have invited three friends to a party at your house. Write three separate notes, giving them directions from 1, 2 and 3 to your house. You may use the words in the box.

The directions from (1) are given here as an example
Go down Diwan Marg and turn right down Antonio Avenue. Walk as far as the traffic lights then turn right into Mount Road. Turn first left into The Crescent and my house is on the left.
________________________________
You have recently been to a wedding. A British pen friend asks you to describe it. Using the words in the box, describe the different stages. Write only the body of the letter below.
