Category: Important Questions

A Pinch of Snuff Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Write down a summary of A Pinch of snuff.
Answer:
Given the prevalence of VVIP culture in India, it is quite natural to have a comic fallout in everything about the so-called influential persons. We have politicians and ministers who are pompous but basically ignorant. They depend on their secretaries and pas for disposal of their files. Ministers are an insecure lot. They aspire for all kinds of comfort and luxury; but they are afraid of losing their, portfolios or are desirous of such assignments which could improve their fortunes astronomically. They are therefore always in need of men who could help them their material goals.

In such a scenario enters a man like Nanukaka. Being endowed with a gift of acting and discerning eyes he is a fit person to prey upon such VVIPs. He can put on airs, he can disguise himself quite skilfully and can manipulate persons and things in his favour.

Manohar Malgonkar has created fin Nanukaka an endearing example of a resourceful person who, by his tricks, is able to befool the mighty officials and ministers and enjoy his success. We also enjoy his stratagems and feel the power of poetic justice in his pranks.

The young narrator, working in the Delhi secretariat, is informed by his mother of the arrival of Nanukaka. The latter is to meet a minister. The narrator dutifully escorts him to the residence of the minister. Nanukaka emerges back in a sullen mood.

The next day the narrator takes Nanukaka to Lala Sohanlal. As they are waiting to be ushered in the presence of the Lala, Nanukaka goes on eulogizing Hajrat Barkat Ali. The effect is magical. Lala comes out to receive Nanukaka personally. He then pleads humbly to Nanukaka to do a favour for his son. In a more adventurous turn, Nanukaka dons the role of an astrologer and makes a stunning impression upon the Welfare Minister.

Question 2.
Write down a character sketch of Nanukaka.
Answer:
Nanukaka is a man of the world who has knowledge of the selfishness and weaknesses of highly placed individuals over whom he can play any trick without compunction. He typifies the class of men that are found everywhere, especially in the Indian power circle. After independence, unfortunately, power has remained in most cases in the hands of the people who have risen in politics either because of wealth or of muscle power Naturally, their people are quite vulnerable-anybody who promises to further enhance their interest can have an easy influence over them. Nanukaka is one person who understands the basic hollowness of the so called powerful people and makes them bend before him by using psychological pressure.

Interestingly, Nanukaka is shown to be in love with the regional costumes. But again he wears a silk turban or carries a countrymade towel, not for patriotic reasons but to create an impression of being the son of the soil, of being a man of the grassroots.

Nanukaka can disguise himself so well that he can be taken to be a person that he wishes to be understood. He forces the narrator also to wear jodhpurs so that their princely connections could be apparently spotted.

And Nanukaka is a great conversationalist. He uses words, phrases and even distorted facts to make an impression on the listeners. It is by feigning intimacy with Hajrat Barkat Ali that he gains the audience of Lala Sohanlal.
“Quite a resourceful person in his own ways, Nahtikaka regains a comic figure” as he is used by the author to expose-the horrible weaknesses of the Indian political system.

Question 3.
Discuss the significance of the title. How is it related to the theme of the story?
Answer:
The title ‘A Pinch of Snuff’ is very appropriate and very symbolic. Like tobacco, snuff is also a thing, of addiction. But stuff has been a favourite of aristocratic people who keep a stall silver vial from which they take out snuff in small quantities and thrust it gently into their nostrils. The entire paraphernalia-from holding the silver vial to feeling the snuff and pushing it gently inside the nostrils-makes an interesting spectacle. Nanukaka, whether he is addicted to snuff or not, understands the aristocratic touch it gives to his personality. Therefore, he has stuck to the habit of taking a pinch of snuff, especially during moments of dramatic significance. To suggest how deeply he is in through or to show that he is quite relaxed he would put a pinch of snuff into his nostrils.

Since everything inNanukaka’s personality is designed to make impressions on powerful people this pinch of snuff is also calculated to make others understand his superior status. Naturally A Pinch of Snuff makes a very appropriate title.

Bihar Board Class 12th English Important Questions

How Free is the Press Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
The editorial policy of a popular daily is controlled by two chief factors. Which are they? Explain.
Answer:
The editorial policy of a popular daily is controlled by two chief factors; the first is the interest of the advertisers from how it gets the money which enables it to keep up its large circulation. No widely circulated newspaper dare support a public policy, however much in the national interest, that might conflict with the vested interests of its advertisers. Thus, any proposal to control the marketing of branded goods (as. For example, of margarine in 1939) will be violently opposed. On the latest hygienic grounds, by the papers that cany the branded advertising. On the other hand, any product that refuses to play the high advertising rates of a powerful national organ will be again on the highest moral grounds denounced, smashed and driven off the market.

Question 2.
Describe in your own words the instance of deliberate miracle mongering?
Ans. Deliberate Miracle-mongering it was recently reported in various local papers that, in a public address, I had delivered some 20,000 words in the space of an hour and a quarter. This would in any case have been impossible actually, the reporter had the full text of my speech in his hands and could have seen for himself that it consisted of almost exactly 8000 words. The error was thus precisely 150 percent, a useful figure on which to base one’s estimate of truth in reporting.

Question 3.
Have you ever written a letter of protest to any Newspaper? What was the fate of this letter?
Answer:
No, I do not ever write a letter of protest to any newspaper, flat suppression letters of protest man are written these may be (a) England, (b) Printed in full or in part, accompanied by an editorial comment to the effect that the words reported were actually said, and that the speaker must not expect to monopolise are paper’s valuable space (c) Answered privately by the editor, a manoeuvefe that does nothing to correct the false impression left in the public a maneuver that does nothing to correct the false impression left in the public mind only occasionally and usually from a provincial paper, does one receive a full apology and correction let me quote honoris cause, a note written to me from an editor of the lower school.

Bihar Board Class 12th English Important Questions

I Have a Dream Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Write down a summary of I Have A Dream.
Answer:
It is a very painful fact of the modem age that racial discrimination continued for a very long time — the whites in America denied the Negroes their citizenship rights and they tortured and persecuted them latter’without a feeling of guilt. The Americans forgot that Abraham Lincoln, their great president, more than a hundred years ago signed the Emancipation proclamation and promised to bring the Negroes on par with the Americans.

Martin Luther king, the great Negro leader, in this speech, sums up the actual conditions of poverty, discrimination and torture which the Negroes suffered in his time and exhorts them to wage a struggle against this injustice.

He reminds Americans of the big noble gesture shown by Lincoln and asks them to honour his commitment. He tells them that their belief inequality will remain a hollow slogan if they continued their policy of segregation.

To the Negroes Martin Luther king makes a fervent appeal to remain patient and unyielding in the face of violence and persecution. He tells them that this – was the beginning of a great movement that will stop only when the Negroes are given citizenship rights. He is aware of their suffering, but he believes that this suffering has powers of redemption.

Observing the presence of some Americans in the meeting he says that this is symbolic of goodwill that exists between the two communities. Although Martin Luther king believes in the Negro cause he does not believe that all Americans are enemies of Negro freedom. He tells his audience that one day the American nation will rise up and follow its creed of equality in true sense.

The tone of the speech is highly optimistic. Being a churchman king’s speech has the strength of conviction. His language has a biblical eloquence, his ideas have a religious basis. He feces the tragic facts of racial discrimination quite boldly and suggests that the ultimate solution will not be merely political, it will in feet come from spiritual understanding and deliver the Negroes from the darkness.

Question 2.
What would be fatal for the nation? Why? Explain.
Answer:
Martin Luther King belonged to the mainstream of the Negro movement and he knew that it had gathered such force that the Americans would be wrong if they deferred the granting of citizenship rights to Negroes. By 1963 there was a worldwide sympathy for the Negro cause-The Negroes themselves stood united and determined. Undeterred by torture and violence they were opposing the Americans with great dignity and discipline. Barring a few incidents of violence on both sides the Negroes remained peaceful and non-violent. This non-violence gave them the power of endurance and also great determination. On sensing, this very mood of the Negroes Martin Luther King asserts that it would be fatal to overlook the urgency of the moment.

Question 3.
What does Martin Luther King urge his people to do? How Should it be conducted?
Answer:
Martin Luther King believed in the power of non-violence. He, therefore, asks the Negroes to follow always the path of non-violence. He asks them to be patient and courageous in the face of violence. He asks them to cultivate the power of the soul to meet physical violence. And he also assures them that there is tremendous goodwill in the Americans as a whole: a small minority of the American population may entertain racial prejudices but majority of the Americans were in favour of justice and equality.

Question 4.
What was Martin Luther King’s dream? Elaborate.
Answer:
Martin Luther king believed in the ultimate reconciliation between the Americans and the Negroes. It is this idea of reconciliation that he expresses by reiterating his dream in various details. He had the dream of the American nation rising up and following its creed of equality in the true sense. He also had the vision of complete fraternity -he believed that a day will come when the colour of skin will not matter; a person will instead be judged by his character.

Another vision of his was that in Albania where there was presently much hostility the situation will be reversed and the Americans and the Negroes will walk one day on its street as brothers and sisters. And, finally, his vision was that the glory of God will be revealed to all the people, which will bring a complete cessation of all miseries.

Bihar Board Class 12th English Important Questions

A Marriage Proposal Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Write down a summary of the play A Marriage Proposal.
Answer:
A Marriage Proposal is a very amusing comedy by Anton Chekhov; the Russian writer. The comedy results from the temperamental weaknesses of the characters who display a total disregard of commonsense.

Choobookov and Lom Lomov are neighbours. One day the latter calls on his neighbour in morning coat and gloves. Choobookov is naturally happy to welcome him. But he wants to know why the young man should be unnecessarily so formal about his dress. Lomov goes on talking pleasantries. But he is quite nervous and goes talking sips of water to regain his composure and strength. In the midst of this mental condition anyhow Lomov manages to inform, Choobookov that he has come to ask for Natalia’s, his daughter’s hand in marriage. Choobokov is delighted. He goes inside to call Natalia. But he does not tell her why Lomov has come.

Natalia enters the drawing room and speaks words of welcome to Lomov. She also expresses her surprise to see that her neighbour has come to see her in such formal dress. In order to be pleasant to Natalia Lomov starts talking about the cordial relations that have prevailed between the two families for a long. And then he inadvertently refers to the OX Meadows which he calls his family property. This is a topic that angers Natalia who has always known that there was formerly some dispute over it but now the Meadows are settled in the name of their family. The debate between them takes an interminable form, making Lomov completely forget the marriage proposal he had come for.

As the debate continues and both try to shout the other down there comes Choobookov who does not need much persuasion from Natalia in joining it. He also asserts his family’s claim to the Ox Meadows and tries to correct Lomov’s approach when Lomov does not relent both indulge in a sort of digging skeletons from the cupboard of their family histories. Finally, Lomov just staggers out of the drawing room.

It is then that Choobookov tells Natalia that Lomov had come with a proposal to marry her. Strangely, this has a hysterical effect on the girl who wants Lomov to be brought back. And when he comes they both forget the purpose of the resumption of the meeting. They now argue over the superiority of their hounds — Lomov says that his Guess is superior to the pug-jawed Leap of Natalia. In the meantime the condition of Lomov takes a worse turn — he almost gasps for breath and appears to have collapsed Natalia wishes to commit suicide. Lomov is revived after a few draughts of water. And then Choobookov, almost with a force, pushes their hands into a union and the marriage proposal is seasoned to be accepted.

Question 2.
Write a short note on the character of Lomov on the basis of his self-revelation in Scene I.
Answer:
Lomov is a young man, wanting confidence and abilities. No person in his sense would have gone in morning coat and gloves to make a marriage proposal. It is again surprising that in countries where the marriage takes place after courtship he should have thought of speaking to the father instead of to Natalia.

The way he says that he has come to seek Choobookov’s help makes the latter think that the boy needs money. That is, Lomov does not know how to speak plainly and directly At last, Choobookov has to warm him against beating about the bush.

By his own admission, Lomon’s nerves are in terrible condition and he frequently needs draughts of water to steady himself. All this suggests that Lomov has entered the house of Chbobookov in utter thoughtlessness. He should have taken some care of himself before venturing out in this manner. And it is this absolute lack of preparedness that makes Lomov a fool of him. In spite of the encouragement of Choobookov the young man fails to have control of himself and speak of his proposal in a proper way. Lomov turns out into a comic and ridiculous figure because of this lack of self-control.

Bihar Board Class 12th English Important Questions

The Earth Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Write down a summary of The Earth.
Answer: it is quite sad that children who owe so much to their parents do not look after them. As they depended on their parents in their infancy the latter also depends on them in old age. The theme of neglect of the parents in the current writing makes a painful but compelling note. There is another side to the issue: some parents by their pampering approach encourage children to become self-centered. H E Bates in this story presents such a case of defective upbringing. By their imprudence, the parents here make a young man selfish and cruel.

The story is about the Johnsons and their child Benjy. Johnson is a preacher who develops an excessive fondness for talking that virtually incapacitates him for hard work. He neglects work on his farms, his economic transactions and is unaware of what is happening in his household.

His son, Benjy, shows symptoms of mental retardation. He however manages to read write and learn elementary arithmetic. The doctor suggests that he should be put on some practical task. The parents accordingly give him a piece of land where he sets up a poultry business.

The result is startling. In a short time, Benjy turns out to be quite prosperous by practicing modem methods. His deposits in the local bank increase not only because of rising business but also because of the kindness of the parents who never demand any money from him. When Benjy turns twenty-one Johnson hands over to him the bank passbook. Benjy takes it without a show of gratitude, without even the formal thank you. The parents sense something abnormal in this gesture, but they keep mum.

There is a maid, Florence, on the farm who is now married to Benjy. This marriage took place in spite of the opposition of Mrs. Johnson. When Mrs. Johnson objected to certain habits of Florence, she was coolly told by Benjy to live separately. By this time the farms of Johnsons had become unproductive for want of attention. The final below to them came when Benjy took away their lands and turned them out.

The story makes a bitter reading. It is a psychological study of a callous child. But the writer does not ignore the shortcomings of Johnson who talked so much that he must have had an idea that the earth designed, created, and nourished by God would take care of itself… They had lived a vague, trusting life without a system as a result they had nothing.

Question 2.
Sketch the character of Johnson.
Answer:
Johnson has been presented in this story as a victim of the cunning and cruelty of his simple-looking son, Benjy. But H. E. Bates has made a critical study of the principal weakness of Johnson also. There is one crucial remark about him – he himself was lazy man with too large a trust in Providence. And this laziness combined with this obvious positive – like trust in providence ruins Johnson.

Johnson is a preacher who loves talking so much that he indulges in it more as giving vent to his ideas than as serious business which should be conducted at the appropriate time. Faith in God he had, but this faith should have been joined to industry and commonsense. Instead of attending to farming, he wastes his time over idle talk.

But Johnson is a very kind and considerate father. The retarded mental development of Benjy makes Johson more favrourably disposed to him than usual Again, his treatment of Benjy is guided by misguided kindness. He watches Benjy grow into a selfish and cruel young man without thinking of any suitable corrective step. The upshot of all this poor neglect of practical business is that the arrival of Florence creates a barrier between the son and the parents.

With great insight into human affairs. H,E. Bates has presented this shocking case of Johnson in order to highlight the value of prudence and practicality.

Question 3.
Sketch the character of Benjy.
Answer:
The complete focus in the story is on the nature and disposition of Benjy, the only child of Johnson born with ugly features. Benjy shows signs of mental retardation for whose treatment he is taken to a doctor. The latter advises Johnson to put the boy to some practical business to make him use the mental powers that he has. Benjy is asked to keep hens.

The boy who is otherwise imbecile understands every aspect of poultry farming. In a short time, he uses his studies to organise his business very scientifically, leading to his quick prosperity. But Benjy grows also into an utterly selfish and cruel person who pockets the passbook of his account in the bank without a word of thanks to his parents.

Benjy marries Florence in a heat of passion and this brings a woman who creates a barrier between him and his parents. A woman of poor taste, she shows a complete disregard of the feelings of Benjy’s parents, leading to final separation.

The way Benjy turns out his parents from their land is almost difficult to understand. Here is a case of cunning transforming itself into incurable cruelty and self-centeredness. H.E. Bates has therefore rightly repeated that behind simplicity Benjy had sharp cunning that deceived everybody.

Bihar Board Class 12th English Important Questions

Bihar Board Class 12th English Unseen Passages for Comprehension Important Questions

Read carefully the passage given below and answer the questions that follow—

Passage No. 1

We had read a lot about Victoria Falls and had long dreamt of taking a close look at this awe-inspiring and magnificent spectacle of nature. At last the dream came true. I was standing on a huge rock on the edge of the Rain Forest. A vast panorama of magnificent shapes and colours stretched in front of me.

Looking down I saw the grey mist rolling up from the abysmal death. Hundreds of dragonflies are diving in and out of the falling rain like flying emeralds. Right in front of me, on the other side of the abyss. I saw the Zambsi sliding over the milelong edge of the precipice. The sight was frightening, but it was also beautiful. One loves to see the mass of water tumbling down. But the spectator is blinded by the spray and deafened by the roar.

(a) Answer the following questions briefly:
(i) What are the two adjectives which best describe the Victoria Falls?
(ii) What is the forest near the Victoria Falls called?
(iii) How do the dragonflies look like?
(iv) Why does the author describe the falls frightening and beautiful?
Answers:
(a) The two such adjectives are—awe-inspiring and magnificent.
(b) The forest near the Victoria Falls is called Rain Forest.
(c) The dragonflies look like flying emeralds.
(c) The falls look beautiful because of the tumbling mass of water; but they look frightening because of the mighty roar.

Passage No. 2

So great is our passion for doing things for ourselves, that we are becoming increasingly less dependent on specialized labour. No one can plead ignorance of a subject any longer, for there are countless do-it yourself publications. Armed with the right tools and materials, newly-weds gaily embark on the task of decorating their own homes.

Men of all ages spend hours of their leisure¬time mistalling their own fire-places, laying out their own gardens, building garages and making furniture. Some really keen enthusiasts go so far as to make their own record players and radio transmitters.

Shops cater for the do-it yourself craze not only by running special advisory services for movices, but by offering consumers bits and pieces which they can assemble at home. Such things provide an excellent outlet for pent up creature energy, but unfortunately not all of us are bom handymen.

Wives tend to believe that their husbands are infinitely resourceful and versatile. Even husbands who can handly drive a nail is straight are supposed to be bom electricians, carpenters, plumbers and machanics. When lights fuse, furniture gets rickety, pipes get clogged or vacuum cleaners fail to operate, wives automatically assume that their husbands will some how put things right.

The worst thing about the do-it yourself game is that sometimes husbands live under the delusion that they can do anything even when they have been repeatedly proved wrong. It is a question of pride as much as anything else.

Last spring my wife suggested that I call in a man to look at our lawn- mover. It has broken down the previous summer, and though 1 promised to repair it, I had never got round to it. 1 would hear of the suggestion and said that I would fix it myself. One Saturday afternoon I hauled the machine into the garden and had a close look at it. As far as 1 could see, if only needed a minor adjustment: a turn of a screw here, a little tightening up there, a drop of oil and if would be as good as new. Invitably the repair job was not quite so simple.

The mower firmly refused to now, so I decided to dismantle it. The garden was soon littered with chunks of metal which had once made up a lawn-mower. But 1 was extremely pleased with myself. I had traced the cause of the trouble. One of the links in the chain that drives the wheels had shapped.

After buying a new chain I was faced with the insurmountable task of putting the confusing jigsaw puzzle together again. I was not surprised to find that the machine still refused to work after I had reassembled it, for the simple reason that I was left with several curiously shaped bits of metal which did not seem to fit anywhere.

I gave up in despair. The weeks passed and the grass grew. When my wife nagged me to do something about it, 1 told her that either I would have to buy a new mower or let the grass grow. Needless t o say that our house is now surrounded by a jungle. Buried some where in deep grass there is a rusting lawn-mower which I have promised to repair one day.

(a) Answer the following questions briefly:
(i) Who do people not rely on specialized labour so much now a days, according to the writer ?
(ii) How do shops encourage people to do thing for themselves ?
(iii) What do wives tend to believe about their husbands ?
(iv) Why do husbands think that they can do anything even when proved otherwise ?
(v) ‘Do-it-yourself craze has its own advantage. What is that ?

(b) Select the appropriate expression from the giveii options to convey the writers message. Do-it-yourself activities are good to pursue because
(i) they always provide an excellent outlet for creative energy.
(ii) they help husbands feel important in the eyes of their wives.
(iii) they are making people less dependent on specialised labour.

(c) Find words in the passage which convey the simplar as the following :
(i) break
(ii) zealous
(iii) carried.
Answers:
(i) They have developed a passion for doing things for themselves.
(ii) Shops cater to this passion by providing special advisory services for novices and also after consumers fits and pieces of machines for assemblage.
(iii) Wives think that their husbands are very resourceful and can put everything right.
(iv) Husbands are under illusion that they are very efficient; they also suffer from a sense of pride.
(v) ‘Do-it-yourself craze provides an excellent outlet for pent-up creative energy of a man.

They always provide an excellent outlet for creative energy.
(i) shap
(ii) enthusiast
(iii) hauled.

Passage No. 3

Punctuality is a necessary habit in all affairs of a civilized society. Without it.nothing could ever be brought to a conclusion; everything would be in a state of chaos. Only in a spersely populated rural community is it possible to disregard it. In ordinary living there can be some tolerance of unpunctuality. The intellectual, who**is working on some abstruse problem, has everything coordinated and organized for the matter in hand.

He is therefore forgiven, if late for the dinner party. But people are often reproached for unpunctuality when their only fault is cutting things fine. It is hard for energetic, quick-minded people to waste time, so they are often tempted to finish a job before setting out to keep an appointment. If no accidents occur on the way, like punctured tires, diversion of traffic, sudden descent of fog, they will be on time.

They are often more industrious citizens than those who are never late. The over-punctual can as much be a trial to others as the unpunctual. The guest who arrives half an hour too soon is the greatest nuisance. Some friends “of my family had this irritating habit. The only thing to do was to ask them to come half an hour later than the other guests. Then they arrived just when we wanted them.

If you are catching a train, it is always better to comfortably early than even a fraction of a minute too late. Although being early may mean wasting a little time, this will be less than if you miss the train and have to wait an hour or so for the next one.

And you avoid the frustration of arriving at the very moment when the train is drawing out of the station and being unable to get on it.” An even harder situation is to be on the platform in good time for a train and still to see it go off without you. Such an experience befell a certain young girl the first time she was travelling alone.

She entered the station twenty minutes before the train was due, since her parents had impressed upon her that it would be unforgivable to miss it and cause the friends with whom she was going to stay to make two journeys to meet her. She gave her luggage to a porter and showed him her ticket. To her horror he said that she was two hours too soon. She felt in her hand bag for the piece of paper on which her father had written down all the details of the journey and gave it to the porter.

He agreed that a train did come into the station at the time on the paper and that it did stop, but only to take on water, not passengers. The girl asked to see a time-table, feeling sure that her father could not have made such a mistake. The porter went to fetch one and arrived back with the station masters who produced it with a flourish and pointed out a microscopic ‘O’ beside the time of the arrival of the train at his station.

This little ‘O’ indicated that the train only stopped for water. Just at that moment the train came into the station. The girl, tears streaming down her face, begged to be allowed to ship into the guard’s van. But the station master was adamant: rules could not be broken. And she had to watch that train disappear towards her destination while she was left behind.

(a) Answer the following questions briefly:
(i) Why is punctuality necessary in a civilized society ?
(ii) What are the dangers of leaving the base minimum of time for appointment ?
(iii) The over-punctual can be as much a trial to others as the unpunctual. Why ?
(iv) Why did the author’s family ask some guests to come half an hour later than others ?
(v) Why, according to the author, is it better to wait on the platform before the train arrives ?

(b) Find words in the passage which convey similar meaning as the following:
(i) hard working
(ii) blamed
(iii) thinly

(c) Select three appropriate expressions from the above passage that may prove that the author greatly favours observance of punctuality in life:
Answers:
(a)
(i) Punctuality is necessary for avoiding confusion and choas in the affairs of civilized society.
(ii) When we set out to keep an appointment we should leave early so that unexpected diversions and delays could not affect us.
(iii) Those who are over punctual can be a ruisance by arriving too early. They may disturb the arrangements that are being made.
(iv) The author’s family was forced to resort to this strategy in order to keep such guests who arrived too early away from interfering with the arrangements.
(v) It is better to wait a few minutes that to wait a whole hour or more for the next train.

(b)
(i) industrious
(ii) reproached
(iii) sparsely.

(c)
(i) Punctuality is a necessary habit in all affairs.
(ii) People are often reproached for unpunctuality.
(iii) Without it, nothing could be brought to conclusion, everything would be in a state of choars.

Passage No. 4

The New Year is a time for resolutions. Mentally, at least most of us could compile for midable lists of do’s’ and ‘don’ts’. The same old favorites recur ‘ year in and year out with monotous regularity. We resolve to get up earlier each morning, eat less, find more time to play with the children, do a thousand and one jobs about the house, be nice to people we don’t like, drive carefully, and take the dog for a walk everyday. Past experience has taught us that certain accomplishments are beyond attainment. If we remain deep-rooted lions, it is only because we have so often experienced the frustration that results from failure.

Most of us fail in our efforts at self-improvement because our schemes are too ambitious and we never have time to sany them out. We also make the fundamental error of announcing over resolutions to every body so that we look even more foolish when we slip back into our bad old ways. Aware of these pit falls, their year I attempted to keep my resolutions to myself.

I limited myself to two modest ambitions : to do physical exercise every morning and to read more in the evening. An all right party on New Year’s Eve provided me with a good excuse for not carrying out either of these new resolutions on

The daily exercise lasted only eleven minutes and I proposed to do them early in the morning before anyone had got up. The self-discipline required to drag myself out of bed eleven minutes earlier than usual was considerable. Nevertheless, I managed to creep down into the living-room for two days before anyone found me out.

After jumping about on the carpet and twisting the human frame into uncomfortable positions, I sat down at the breakfast table in an exhausted condition. It was this that betrayed me. The next morning the whole family trooped into watch the performance. That was really unsettling but I fended off the tanents and jibes of the family good humouredly and soon everybody got used to the idea.

However, my euthusiasm waned, the time I spent at exercises diminished. Little by little the eleven minutes fell to zero. By January 10th I was back to where I had started from. I argued that if I spent less time exhausting myself at exercises in the morning I would keep my mind fresh for reading when I got home from work.

Resisting the hypnotizing effect of television, I sat in my room for a few evenings with my eyes glued to a book. One night, however, feeling cold and lonely, I went downstairs and sat in front of the television pretending to read. That proved to be my undoing, for I soon got back to the old habit of dozing off in front of the screen. I still haven’t given up my resolution to do more reading. In fact, I have just bought a book entitled. ‘How to Read a ‘Thousand words a Minute’. Perhaps it will solve my problem, but 1 just haven’t had the time to read it.

(a) Answer the following questions briefly:
(i) What has past experience of New Year Resolutions taught us, according to the writer ?
(ii) According to the writer, why do most of us fail in our efforts for self-improvement ?
(iii) Why is it a basic mistake to announce our resolutions to every dody ?
(iv) Why did the writer not carry out his resolutions on New Year’s Day ?
(v) ‘The writer feels that the New Year Resolutions are not meant to be implemented’. Quote two expressions from the passage to prove it.

(b) Find words in the above passage which convey similar meaning as the following:
(i) over whelming
(ii) drawbacks
(iii) decrease

(c) Select the appropriate sentence-ending from the following given options:
The writer failed to implement his New Year Resolutions because-
(i) his family members disturbed him.
(ii) his resolutions were too ambitious.
(iii) he was looking for some convincing excuse to forget them.
Answers:
(a)
(i) Past experience has taught us that we have been very ambitious in setting our targets. The failures therefore make us frustrated.
(ii) The writer feels that most of us fail in our efforts at self-improvement because we do not sincerely follow our goals.
(iii) It is a basic error to announce our resolutions to everybody as it invites unnecessary observation and scruting of our programme. When we ship back to old habits people taunt us.
(iv) As the writer attended an all night party on the new year’s we it , provided him a valid excuse for not carrying out his resolutions on the New Year’s Day.,

(v) (a) ‘Certain accomplishments are beyond attainment’.
(b) ‘Our schemes are too ambitious and we never have time to carry them out’.

(b) (i) formidable
(ii) pitfalls
(iii)wane

(c) (iii) he was looking for some convincing excuse to forget them.

Passage No. 5

The Scandinavian countries are much admired all over the world for their enlightened social policies. Sweden has evolved an excellent system for protecting the individual citizen from high handed or incompetent public officers. The system has worked so well that it has been adopted in other countries like Denmark, Norway, Finland and New Zealand. Even countries with large populations are now seriously considering imitating the Swedes.

The Swedes were the first to recognize that public officials like civil servants, police officers, health inspectors or tax collectors can make mistakes or act over-zealously in the belief that they are serving the public. As long ago as 1809, the Swedish Parliament introduced a scheme to safeguard the interest of the individual.

A parliamentary committee representing all political parties appoints a person who is suitably qualified to investigate privale grievances against the state. The official title of the person is ‘Justice ambudsman’, but Swedes commonly refer to him as the ‘ J.O.’ or ‘Ombudsman’.

The Ombudsman is not subject to political pressure. He investigates complaints large and small that come to him from all levels of society. As complaints must be made in writing, the Ombudsman receives an average of 1200 letters a year. He has eight lawyer assistants to help him, and he examines every single letter in detail.

There .is nothing secresive about the Ombudsman’s work, for his correspondence is open to public inspections. If a citizen’s complaint is justified, the Ombudsman will act on his behalf. The action he takes varies according to the nature of the complaint. He may gently reprimand an official or eves suggest to parliament that a law be altered. The following case is a typical example of the Ombudsman’s work.

A foreigner living in a Swedish village wrote to the Ombudsman complaining that he had been ill treated by the police, simply because he was a foreigner. The Ombudsman immediately wrote to the chief of police in the district asking him to send a record of the case.

There was nothing in the record to show that the foreigner’s complaint was justified and the chief of police stoutly denied the accusation. It was impossible for the Ombudsman to take action on the complaint, but when he received a similar complaint from another foreigner in the same village, he immediately sent one of his lawyers to ftivestigate. The lawyer ascertained that a policeman had indeed dealt roughly with foreigners on several occasions.

The fact that the policeman was prejidiced against foreigners could not be recorded in the offical files. It was only possible for the Ombudsman to find this out by sending one of his representatives to check the facts on the spot. The policeman is question was severely reprimanded and was informed that if any further complaints were received against him, he would be prosecuted. The Ombudsman’s prompt action in the matter at once put an end to an unpleasant practice which might have gone unnoticed.

(a) Answer the following questions briefly:
Why did Sweden introduce the institution of Ombudsman ?
How is an Ombudsman chosen in Sweden ?
How does the Ombudsman deal with the complaints ?
How can the public find out about die Ombudsman’s work ?
What action does the Ombudsman take, if a complaint is justified ? How old is the Swedish institution of Ombudsman ?

(b) Select the appropriate sentence-ending from the following given options:
The Ombudsman is not subject to political pressure because : he is empowered to take action aganist any public official, he derives his strength from his appointment by the parliament, he is assisted in his work by a good number of qualified lawyers.

(c) Find words in the above passage which convey similar meaning as the following:
(i) aggressive
(ii) project
(iii) biased.
Answers:
(a)
(i) Sweden introduced the institution of Ombudsman to project the individuals against high-handed public officials.

(ii) The Ombudsman is chosen by a parliamentary committee, composed of the representatives of all the political parties.

(iii) The Ombudsman receives a written complaint from the people who are victims of high-handed .officials. If the complaint is justified, the Ombudsman takes suitable action against the offending official. He is assisted in his wqrk by a panel of eight qualified lawyers.

(iv) The Ombudsman’s work is transparent; his correspondence is open to public inspection.

(v) The action against the guilty official varies according to the nature of the complaint. The Ombudsman can reprimand the official and he can even recommend amendment of the law.

(vi) The institution of Ombudsman is 196 years, old; it came into ‘ existence in 180?

(b) he derives his strength from his appointment by the parliament.

(c)
(i) high handed
(ii) safeguard
(iii) prejudiced.

Passage No. 6

When a brave mountaineer is assailing the Everest he is as great a hero as a cosmonaut rocketing towards Mars in his space capsule, and thousands of men and women in different countries back his progress with their good, wisher and share the thrills and anxieties of his hazardous journey to the roof of the world, while scores of anxious scientists wish him success in the hope of obtaining valuable information on atmospheric conditions in the upper regions of the earth.

Mountaineering is indeed a source of pleasure and a mine of useful knowledge which is constantly enriching the scientific vocabulary of geologists, mineralogists and glaciologists of the world.

Mountaineering is a perennial source of joy to those who have eyes that can appreciate beauties of nature. Nowhere does nature reveal her charm is greater abundance than as green and flowering mountaintops with transparent streams of water flowing down their slopes or on snow-clad hills where sunlight weaves its magic colours into their virginal whiteness.

To lovers of mountains, the sound of water falls is like the joyful clapping of merry, primitive dancers, and the howling of night winds contains a musical pleasantness which surpasses the highly Sustained rhapsodies of man-made organs. Lakes in high altitudes, holding within their cup-like mountainous enclosures the watery wealth of surrounding glaciers, treeless plateaus covered with rare varieties of grass, plants and flowers and yawning charms into whose dark, unfathomable interior, natures countless species of animals and plants carry on their fight for existence, are attractions so powerful and irresistible that no man or woman who is a member of a mountaineering party or club can turn a deaf ear to their call.

These widely scattered, ever-alluring treasures of nature are the climber’s greatest inducement to wander with a hungry heart in search of beauty, adventure and fame along the dangerous slopes of sky-embracing heights.

Mountaineering is an awfully risky venture in the case of those ambitious souls who are dreaming of conquering such majestic peaks as Annapurna, Dhaulagiri and Everest, and who wish to be.ranked among the world’s greatest climbers, Sir Edmund P. Hillary and tenzing Norgay.

Dozens of advanturers belonging to different nations with Their Hearts burning with a passion to conquer the highest peak in the world perished in the immortal shows of the Himalayas, after painfully inching their way to heights which were inclose proximity to the summit.

Expedition after expedition turned back exhausted, frost-bitten, and utterly disappointed Men the mighty Himalayas hurled icy winds, snow storms and blizzards at those who wanted to conquer Everest, thus banning their way to this pinnacle of glory. The bones of many men of unrealised ambition lie buried in the glacial wilderness which is the home of the highest peak is the world.

Such awful setbacks, however, did not dampen the enthusiasm of succeeding generations of mountaineers; the failures of early expeditions did not defer Colonel Hunt and his brave companions from trying to plant on the summit the flag of the victory of human defiance of nature’s death dealing agents in high altitudes.

(a) Answer the following questions briefly:
(i) Mountaineers are considered as heroes, why ?
(ii) In what way does mountaineering become a source of knowledge ?
(iii) What are the beautiful sights which catch a mountaineer’s eye ?
(iv) Why is mountaineering considered risky ?
(v) Setbacks in mountaineering do not dampen the spirit of many mountaineers. Why ?

(b) Find words in the above passage which convey similar meaning as the following:
(i) One who studies the science relating to the history and development of the earths’s crust
(ii) Lasting through the year
(iii) A blinding storm of wind and snow.

Mountaineers are considered as real heroes because their hazardous journey to the roof of the world provides thrills and anxieties to thousands of men and women throughout the world. Mountaineering is a great source of knowledge as it provides valuable information on atmospheric conditions of the upper regions, minerals and glaciers.

The mountaineer’s eye catches many beautiful sounds, colours and sights of nature. Claciers, snow-clad hills, new flowers and birds provide rare experiences of beauty at the great heights. Mountaineering is risky as people have to face icy winds, snow storms and blizzards.

Setbacks never dampen the spirit of mountaineers who are determined to hoist the flag of human victory on summits,
(i) geotogist
(ii) perennial
(iii) blizzard.

Bihar Board Class 12th English Important Questions

Ideas that have Helped Mankind Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Write a summary of India Through A Traveller’s Eyes.
Ans. India, despite her ups and downs, has always been a favoured destination for foreigners. The story of her civilization, the thinking of her philosopers and her architectural glories have inspired many a foreingner to visit India and enjoy the varieties of experience that she offers.

Pearl S. Buck, the Noble winning American writer, visited India just after the second world war when the freedom struggle in India was in its momentous phase. And the writer clearly says that she came to India to meet the young intellectuals and freedom fighters and not only to visit the TajMahal or Fatehpur Sikri. She did visit these monuments, but her main interest was in the political life of India and in the making of a new India under the leadership of Gandhi and Nehru.

She has put down her impressions quite candidly. She does not conceal her distress when she saw urchins begging m the streets. But she saw not only this painful poverty. She visited a few village households where she has experience of culture and dignity of living. She writes of a village house being cleaned by cow dung and where she was offered fresh rice, lentils and vegetables on banana leaves. The landlord of the house was a respected person and was seen being consulted by villagers.

The writer also had an occasion to visit Bombay and Delhi where she was quite happy listening to young political leaders speaking on their dreams of a modern society and on the strategies for independence. She expresses her great respect for Gandhiji’s belief in truth and non-violence. Already in her childhood days in China, she had read about Lord Buddha, She found Gandhi reviving the ancient teachings of India to galvanise the masses for the freedom struggle. She believes that this policy will bring success and will change the outlook of people all over the world.

Question 2.
What did Pearl S. Buck see in India?
Answer:
Pearl S. Buck came to India to meet her intellectuals and villagers who were both engaged in the struggle for freedom. And yet she could not check herself from visiting the ancient historical monuments like the Taj Mahal, the Fatehpur Sikri, and others, She visited cities and spoke to young people, the educated and the politically motivated persons. She found them well-disposed to all who cared for India. In them, she also noticed respect for modem education, reflected in their command over the English language. But they were also very much enthusiastic about their role in the liberation of their country. In villages, there was not much talk of politics. But the simple people were not without the intelligence or understanding of men. They respected Mahatma Gandhi because he was a truthful man, also a selfless person. This aspect of leadership made a deep impression upon Pearl S. Buck.

The author called on a few Indian homes and noticed no racial prejudice. She found the people open, courteous, and deeply religious.

Bihar Board Class 12th English Important Questions

Indian Civilization and Culture Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Write down a summary of Indian Civilization and Culture.
Answer:
After the European, and particularly the British, settled in India questions were raised about the Indian civilization and culture. Many educated Indians, like the Europeans, felt that the Indian way of living was backward. They also felt that the only way to galvanise the Indian society would be to adopt western ways and means wholesale.

But Mahatma Gandhi, along with other national leaders, advocated a harmony of the Indian and the western ways. Gandhiji in his dress and bearing reflected the utter simplicity of the Indian peasant.

In this essay he puts forth with great, force the superiority of the Indian culture. Materialism was never seen as a goal of human life in India. Man’s goal was liberation which could not be achieved without purity of conduct. This high goal is reflected in the simple living of Indians and in their belief in tradition. It would be wrong to say that technological skills were ignored in India. Ganghiji confines himself to agricultural tools but demonstrates that those tools may be simple and yet peculiarly suited to the Indian needs. Rightly does Gandhiji say that civilization is good to conduct? And this goodness of conduct is related to our perception of life’s goals.

Those who aspire for perishable things can never be persuaded to follow the right living. Only he who is aware of the futility of desire for material things can be selfless and detached. This lofty thought is the essence of Indian culture. And it is this that has let India survive amidst the worldwide scenario of quick destruction Many western civilizations reached great heights but they could not sustain themselves. That is why Gandhiji concludes that “a man should arrange his physical and cultural circumstances so that they do not hinder him in his service of humanity”.

The essay has continued to inspire the modem thinkers of India and the world as it touches upon the moral issues of human living.

Question 2.
I believe that the civilisation India has evolued is not to be beaten in the world! What does Gandhiji mean by this statement? Do you subscribe to his views ?
Answer:
Like so many great leaders of the freedom movement, who had an opportunity to spend some in the west, Gandhiji also studies the western civilization first hand by remaining in London for some years. He had also a grip over world history; this study and experience combined to give him a realistic understanding of Indian civilisation. He was familiar with its shortcomings and rigidities; he himself fought against untouchability and commenalism. And yet whenever there was an occasion he wrote and spoke in favour of the Indian civilisation. It is the same fact that he asserts here in this statement — because of emphasis on simplicity and spiritual goals Indian civilisation has been able to survive for millions of years. In other civilisation there is no such emphasis — from childhood men and women are taught to pursue material goals and selfish interests.

Question 3.
Discuss the negative features of the western civilisation.
Answer:
According to Mahatma Gandhi there are two negative elements — it over-emphasized material goals and it has led to multiplication of human wants. In Gandhiji’s time it was evident that the European nations indulged in wars merely to fulfil the material requirements of their society. The various means of warfare that they evolved and in which they really excelled was also only to have more material goods and services. Moreover, the way the individual was trained in comfortable, rather luxurious, living led to multiplication of human wants.

A new element has been added to the aspects of western civilization; and that is consumerism. Because of a false notion of controlling the forces of nature, the western technology has evolved such products and gadgets that they consume a very high portion of the natural forces. The men and women do not know where from water, oil, fresh air and electricity is to be had in future, if the same are irrationally exhausted. From the western countries this consumerism has spread to the other countries in the world.

Bihar Board Class 12th English Important Questions

Bihar Board Class 12th English Precis Writing Important Questions

Precis writing is a very fine, significant and useful piece of composition to only from the point of the University examination or other examinations in e familiar sense, it is so even in the practical busy work-day life as a time¬saving device and ah impressive at work.

The precis writer has to attempt precis-writing and continue its practice with the following points in mind—

(i) Precis should be given approximately in one-third of the given passage of fixed number of words as per the question. However, this is not a concern of primary importance.

(ii) The point of greatest importance is how to shorten the given passage in compact language. We have to scissor off the superficial words or phrases, delete the examples and quotations and avoid the repetitions or elaboration of the facts or the subject matter.

(iii) The central subject should be reproduced systematically and logically. Besides, the answer has to be furnished only in one paragraph.

(iv) Precis has to be made invariably and as far as practicable in third person.

(v) The passage given should not be reproduced. Like every answer, may be even more than that, this answer has to be given in one’s own words.

(vi) The title of precis should bear on leading idea contained in the passage. Moreover, it should be short and suitable representation of the said idea.

(vii) Precis should be simple and straight.

(viii) Generally some reflective passages are given for precis-writing. Sometimes some descriptive or narrative passage is also set. However, every passage, whichever it may be, is descriptive of some important topic.

Example – 1

Some people consider that man is becoming the slave of the machine. Certainly machines are playing an ever increasing part in our lives. Let us hope that they will never become more important than the man they were invented to serve. Charlie Chaplin in his film, ‘Modem Time’ drew attention to this danger.

In the film he got a job in a factory that employed mass-production methods. He had to stand by a machine with a spanner in his hand. An endless belt passed in front of him carrying slowly an endless line of articles. As each one passed, he tightened one nut on one bolt with his spanner.

His work was done with one turn of the wrist repeated throughout the day. Very soon his mind became affected and the film shows the amusing things which he did as result of his mental disorder. Although it was very funny, the film had a serious side.

It showed that the kind of work which many people do, for from giving them pride and pleasure, is more likely to fit them for the lunatic asylum.We must all hope that means will be found to retain the advantages arising out of mass production, while at the same time giving the worker some of the pride and pleasure of the old craftsmen.

Title: Machines and Their Effect

Precis—Machines are playing constantly an increasing part in our life. Allegedly the man is being enslaved by the machine. The mechanical work affects the mind adversely. However, it should be hoped that advantages of large scale production will be kept. Besides, the worker will also get some pride and pleasure out of his work.

Example-2

Human life consists of a succession of small events, each of which is comparatively unimportant, and yet the happiness and success of every man depend upon the manner in which these small events are dealt with. Character is built upon little things—little things well and honourably transacted.

The success of a man in business depends upon his attention to little things. The comfort of a household is the result of small things arranged and duly provided for. Good government can only be accomplished in the same way— by well regulated provision for doing little things.

Accumulation of knowledge and experience of most valuable kind is the result of little bits of knowledge and experience carefully treasured up. Those who learn nothing in life are set down as failures—because they have neglected little things. They may have themselves considered that the world has gone against them, but in fact they have been their own enemies.

There has long been a popular belief in good luck, but like many other popular notions it is gradually giving way. The conviction is extending that diligence is the mother of good luck, in other words, a man’s success in life will be proportionate to his industry, to his attention to small things.

Negligent shiftless loose fellows never meet with luck because the result of industry is denied to those who will not use.the proper efforts to secure them. It is not luck but labour that makes men. Luck, says an American writer, is ever waiting for something to turn up. Labour with keen eye and strong will, turns up something.

Title: The Secret Of Success

Precis—Life is made of the stuff to small events. Much of our success and happiness depends on the manner we deal with small events. Those who neglect little things in their lives are bound to fail in life. Only labour counts and character is destiny. The man is the architect of his own fate. His success is in proportion to his industry. His failure is also due to him.

Example – 3

In every country people imagine that they are the best and the cleverest and the others are not as good as they are. The Englishman thinks that he and his country are the best; the Frenchman is very proud of France and everything French; the Germans and Italians think no end of their countries and many

Indians imagine that India is in many ways the greatest country in the world. This is all conceit. Everybody wants to think well of himself and his country. But really there is no person who has not got some good in him and some bad. And in the same way there is no country which is not partly good and partly bad.

We must take the good wherever we find it and try to remove the bad wherever it may be. We are, of course, most concerned with our own country, India. Unhappily, it is in a bad way today and most of our people are very poor and miserable. They have no pleasure in their lives.

We have to find out how we can make them happier. We have to see what is good in our ways and customs and try to keep it, and whatever is bad we have to throw away. If we find anything good in other countries we should certainly take it.

Title: Conceit

Precis—Citizens of different countries suffer from conceit. They suffer from superiority complex. They overrate themselves and their countries, but underrate others. Really, however, no country is fully good or bad. Besides, we should be receptive to the good and indifferent to the bad. We should surely take even the good found in others.

Example – 4

Occasions cannot make spurs for young men. If you expect to wear spurs you must win them. If you wish to use them you must buckle them to your heels before you go into the fight. Any success you may achieve is hot worth having unless you fight for it. Whatever you win in life you must conquer by your own efforts, and then it is yours—a part of yourself. Let not poverty stand as an obstacle in your way.

Poverty is uncomfortable, as I can testify, but nine times out of ten the best thing that can happen to a young man is to be tossed over board, and compelled to sink or swim for himself. In all my acquaintances I have never known one to be drowned who was worth saving . To a young man who has in himself the magnificent possibilities of life it is not fitting that he should be permanently commanded.

You must not continue to be employed, you must be employer. You must be promoted from the ranks to a command, go and find it, and command it. You can at least command a horse and there can be generalization of them, and may carve out a fortune with them.

Title: Success Honour

Precis—Opportunities themselves cannot honour the young men. For honour they have to make efforts and fight. Even success without fight is not deserved and attainable. Really, poverty cannot stand in the way of success. The established fact is that most of the people are themselves responsible for their rise or fall. Moreover, the young persons should never be parasites or dependent. They can even grow rich only when they command and function as employers.

Example – 5

Education is not an end but a means to an end. We do not educate children only for the purpose of educating them; the purpose is to prepare them for life. As soon as we realise this we will understand that it is very important to choose a system of education which will really prepare children for life.

In many modem countries it has for some time been fashionable to think that by free education for all—whether rich or poor, clever or stupid—one can solve all the problems of society and build a perfect nation. But we can already see that free education for all it not enough.

We find in such countries a larger number of people with university degrees than there are jobs for them to fill. Because of their degrees, they refuse to do what they think ‘low’ work. In fact, work with the hands is thought to be dirty and shameful in such countries.

When we say that all of us must be educated, what we mean is that all of us must be educated in such a way, that each of us can do whatever job is suited to his brain and ability. And, secondly that we can realize that all jobs are necessary to society and that it is very bad to be ashamed of one’s work or to scorn someone else’s. Only such a type of education can be called valuable to society.

Title: Education

Precis—Education is a means and its object is to prepare the students for living life. It is wrong to think that free education can solve all the chronic problems of our society. It has rather created more unemployment as the students getting this education dislike manual work which they take for a low work. This is a very wrong attitude. We should rather be ready to do any work suited to our brain and ability.

Example – 6

What is really needed in the world, perhaps more than ever before, is not some new world shattering discovery in nuclear physics, or some breath¬taking discovery in chemistry or medicine. The advance for which the world is waiting beyond any doubt, is a small advance—a slight advance in charity, in understanding, forbearance, tolerance, justice and mercy. That is what the world is waiting for and waiting rather anxiously.

But charity and tolerance and forbearance and understanding of one another are non-material matters. And in non-material things—in the simplest social things—science has been helpless. It cannot help us to distinguish good from evil.

May be, this will not always be so. Who knows ? It is quite possible that some day science will effect an improvement in human brain itself. Not a structural improvement, for in structure the human brain is the greatest miracle of all. Its understanding will come last.

But there might well be a functional improvement. This is far from fantastic. Already instances areknown, like amphcetamaine, which appear temporarily to increase the power of reasoning, other chemicals are known which give intellectual stimulation.

I should say there is hope that man will one day improve on natural man, raise his intellectual status and give him greater power of reasoning and understanding to abolish war. Whether that will be so, whether he will have a better understanding of his fellowmen remains to be seen.

There are troubulous times ahead. But those who fear the ftiture are the craven in spirit; for life is becoming more interesting and exciting.

Title: Ideal Human Qualities

Precis—The need of the hour is not any startling scientific discovery but ideal human qualities which the world is eagerly waiting for. These qualities are not material and so science has no grip over them. In the distant future, science may have functional development in human life.

The man may improve on the natural man, raise his intellectual level. But he may not have the better understanding of his fellowmen. However, as the future is troublesome and life exciting, man has to be fearless.

Example – 7

It is no doubt true that we cannot go through life without sorrow. There can be no sunshine without a shade. We must not complain that roses have thoms, but rather be grateful that thorns bear flowers. Our existence here is so complex that we must expect much sorrow and suffering.

Many people worry and torment themselves about the mystery of existence. But although a good man may, at times, be angry with the world it is certain that no man who was ever discontented with the world did his duty in it. The world is like a looking glass; if you smile, it smiles.

If you frown, it frowns back. If you look at it through a red glass all seems red and rosy: if through a blue, all blue; if through a smoked one, all dull and dingy. Always try, then, to look at the bright side of things; almost everything in the world has a bright side.

There are some persons, whose smile, the sound of whose voice, whose very presence is like a ray of sunshine, and brightens the whole room. Greet everybody with a bright smile, kind words and pleasant welcome. It is not enough to love those who are near and dear to us. We must be so that we do so.

While, however, you should be grateful and enjoy to the full the innumerable blessings of life. We cannot expect to have no sorrows or anxieties. Life has been described as a comedy to those who think and a tragedy to those who feel. It is indeed tragedy at times and a comedy very often, but as a rule it is what we choose to make it.

Title: Bright Side Of Life

Precis—We cannot escape from sufferings and sorrows in life. Our existence is really complex. There are both comedy and tragedy in life. But the world looks as the man looks at it. It is good and comfortable to those who look at its bright side while to pessimists it is sad and sullen. The judicious approach of life is only to welcome it as it is without questioning it. We have only to enjoy the essential real life.

Example – 8

In a civilised life there is a rule against violence. Against taking the law into our own hands : it is a rule which most of us observe—so many, indeed, that a great number of people go through life accepting orderlines and non¬violence as part of the scheme of Nature. But when some individual comes into their midst who refuses to observe the current rules and follows the simple rule fhat might is right, the law abiding citizens of society do not know what do to and look on in helpless bewildered confusion.

The last two wars did something to alter men’s attitude towards the ruF of life, but much less than might have been expected. Men went into the fighting line, not, because as our generals love to say, “Man is a fighting animal”, but because there were law abiding citizens obediently doing what the state told them to do.

It was the duty of the soldier to commit violence and murder upon his country’s enemies but he did these things under the order and the doing of them hardly impaired his normal law-abidingness. Considering the fact that for many years half the grown up men in Europe were engaged in trying to murder one another one can only be astonished that the postwar increase in crimes of violence has not been vastly greater. That is proof of how deeply the habit of playing according to the rules has become ingrained in us.

Title: Right is Might

Precis—Sometimes ‘might is right’ theory prevails. For a long time the adults in Europe remained, engaged in violence. The two World Wars negatived the conception of law abidingness of people. But really the rule of law prevails in a civilized society. Even in the period following two World Wars the people resumed the course of order and safety.

Example – 9

What is a democratic government to do in a country where people are steeped in ignorance and superstition, where there is opposition or resistance to even mild reforms from vested interests in society ? It can be said that if the government is to go by consent or consensus it will not be able to do anything.

Could the government ever get the consent or consensus of people for abolition of untouchability ? But has untouchability been really abolished ? Frankly speaking, even now the code of Manu is in operation, the large part of code, prepared by Dr. Ambedkar is not in actual operation.

No law, perhaps, can come into full operation unless it is acceptable to the people. And it is not nesessary to say that acceptability cannot come without conviction. The government has been taking measure after measure to change the socio-economic structure or to remove disparities, social and economic. Not that all the measures have gone in vain. Feudalism has been abolished.

gates of universities, legislatures, government services etc. have been thrown open to all castes and communities, exploitation of the weaker sections of the people has been considerably reduced. But there has been no change in the outlook of the people.

Politicians and administrators still behave like fedual lords; corruption, favouritism and nepotism have not shown any sign of abatement, faith in caste system and all that it may stand for has not weakened. In one word, independence, democracy etc. have not shattered the age-old beliefs and convictions. No wonder the blind are leading the blind.

Title: Failure Of Modern Democracy

Precis—Acceptability of law is subject to conviction and conviction is ‘ not possible as long as there are ignorance and superstition. In the modem I democracy, there is no conviction at all as the conditions for the same are not met. Our society is still conservative.

The government has made some pieces of legislation for the betterment of society, but society does not change for the better. Still vested interests who are blind are leading the other 1 unenlightened people under democracy. Besides it can be said that nothing positive is possible if we want to do it with the consent or consensus of the present people.

Example – 10

‘ We have been asked whether we are happy to be living now or whether we , wish we had lived in the past, a few centuries ago. I am clear in my view and I must say emphatically that I am glad, very glad to be living in the modem age.
There were pleasures in the past and there were adventures and many other charms by which I am impressed, but there was also a great deal of „ ignorance and dullness and many other disadvantages on account of which I think life is happier today than it was in the past.

I am interested in education. Today all children receive free education from the age of five or six until they are fifteen or sixteen. If they are clever, they continue to receive education even while they are at the University. How many children in the past learnt even to read and write ? Very few, indeed. This is a great advantage of the modem age. .

I love travelling, for I find it a source of pleasure as well as education. It brings new contact and experience which add to richness of life. Travelling is much easier today than it was in the past and now we can even think of flying to the moon. This was never possible in the past.

Then there are pleasures of music. Today thanks to the radio and the television all of us can enjoy the best music in our homes. This pleasure was not available in the past.

Title: Past Vrs. Present

Precis— One is very glad to be living at present. No doubt there were pleasant things in the past—advantages and charms. One is impressed with them. But in the past there were ignorance, dullness and many other disadvantages too. On the other hand, today we have educational facilities.

We have universal and even free education today upto the age of sixteen right from the age of five. One can cleverly enjoy free education even at the university level. Besides, travelling facilities and the pleasures of music from radio and television sets are also available to us. Thus life is happier today and our modem age is better than the ancient times.

Example – 11

When we survey our lives and endeavours, we soon observe that almost the whole of our actions and desires is bound up with the existence of other human things. We notice that our whole nature resembles to that of the social animal. We eat food that others have produced, we wear clothes that others have made, we live in houses that others have built.

The greater part of knowledge and belief has been communicated to us by other people through the medium of language which others have created. Without language our mental capacities would be poor indeed, comparable to those of higher animals; we have therefore, to admit that we owe our principal advantage over the beasts to the fact of living in human society. The individual if left alone from birth, would remain, primitive and beastlike in his thoughts and feelings to a degree that we can hardly conceive.

The individual is what he is and it is his living in community which directs material and spiritual existence from the cradle to the grave. A man’s value to his community depends primarily on how far his feelings, thoughts and actions are directed towards promoting the good of his fellow beings. We call him good or bad according to his attitude in this respect.

Title: Man’s Social Instinct

Precis—Our life and actions are vitally linked with those of our fellow creatures. Our food, clothes and houses are all prepared by others. We owe language and beliefs to other people. They have been imparted to us through language. Our intellectual facilities would not have grown in the absence of language. We are superior to other animals in so far as we live in human society. Aman deprived of human society would behave like primitive animals. A man’s value is judged in relation to the great human community. The greater his usefulness for his fellows, the better he is.

Example – 12

Nations, like individual, derive support and strength from the feeling that they belong to an illustrious race, that they are the heirs of their greatness and ought to be promoters of their glory. It is of momentous importance that a
nation should have a great past to look back upon.

It inspires the life of the present, elevates and upholds it and enlightens and lifts it up, by the memory of the great deeds, the noble sufferings and the marvellous achievements of the old. The life of nations, as of men, is a great treasure of experience, which wisely used, leads to social progress and improvement; or misused, to dreams, delusion and failures. Like men nations are purified and strengthened by trials.

Some of the most glorious chapters in their history are those containing the record of suffering by means of which their character has been developed. Love of liberty and patriotic feeling may have done much, but trial and suffering nobly borne have done more than all.

Title: The National Life

Precis—Nations get support and power from their sense of belongingness to a celebrated race. They should be endowed with a rich past having the glorious history of trials, sufferings and sacrifices of the men of old. They are strengthened when they pass the ordeal or trials. Living for liberty, the feeling of patriotism and the bravely borne trials and sufferings have contributed to the life of nations and history bears a testimony to this.

Example – 13

The test of a great book is whether we want to read it only once or more than that. Any really great book we want to read the second time even more we wanted to read it the first time; and every additional time that we read it we find new beauties in it.

A book that a person of education and good taste does not care to read more than once is very probably not worth much. But we cannot consider the judgement of a single individual infallible. The opinion that makes a book great must be the opinion of many. For the greatest critics are apt to have dullness, certain in appretiations. Carlyle for example, could not endure Browning, Byron could not endure some of the greatest English poets.

A man must be many sided to utter a trustworthy estimate of many books. We may doubt the judgement of the single critic at times. But there is no doubt possible in regard to judgement of generations. Even if we cannot at once perceive anything good in a book which has been admired and praised for hundreds of years we may be sure that by trying, by studying it carefully, we shall at least be able to feel the reason of that admiration and praise. The best of all libraries for a poor man would be a library composed of such great works only, books which have passed the test of time.

Title: The Test of A Book

Precis— A great book always gives a new meaning and fresh beauties in every reading. This is the test of a great book and not that the quality of a book be judged by any particular scholar or critic. The opinion of many on the merit of a book is honourable. Besides, the judgement should be time honoured. Great books must stand the test of times.

Example – 14

Newspapers form an important link with the outside world. They provide a common man information about important events like earthquakes, cyclone, air crash, floods, result of an election, hijacking of an aeroplane, outbreak of an epidemic, visit of a foreign dignitary. Not only that, the newspapers also tell us about the weather, the sunrise and sunset time, temperature on each day.

They give information about the various entertainment programmes like films, dramas and music concerts and dance performances. In today’s engagement columns, they tell us about the seminars and symposia being held in different parts of the city. Besides, the traders and manufacturers advertise their products through newspapers. There are several other kinds of advertisements which are of use to the readers.

For example, the Situations vacant columns help the job seekers The matrimonial columns help the anxious parents to find suitable matches for their sons and daughters. Sale and purchase of property, both movable and immovable, is conducted through the newspaper columns. Thus the through the newspaper columns. Thus the newspapers occupy an important position in the lives of people. That is why we begin to feel uneasy if we do not get our newspaper on time and everyday.

Title: Importance of Newspapers

Precis— The area of coverage of newspapers had widened to such an extent that they have become important for all classes of men and women, especially for professionals. From natural disasters to political happenings, from cultural events to artistic activities, from advertisements of goods and services to information on jobs — all this information is available in newspapers They have become vital for jobseekers, manufacturers and consumers. And they help us plan our day with inputs on weather, temperature and cultural engagements in our city.

Example – 15

The university everywhere in the world is an important institution for the advancement of the people. The traditional view of a university which was regarded as a place where students would carry on their scholarly activities and build themselves as intellectuals, as isolated from rest of the society, has to be changed to a place where it becomes an institution fully conscious of the changes taking place in society and making due contribution to this change.

Universities in India have been functioning under several pressures The fast development that is taking place in society thus makes university lift- complex. The student now finds himself a victim of sudden breaking of social ties — family, village and culture. He finds that his studies have no roots is his own culture and his university education based on foreign standards is cracking.

The solution lies in better understanding of the puspose of university education among the teachers and students and in the creation of a sense of community. The students and teachers are supposed to be mindful of the real purpose of education and reorient it to suit -the changed conditions. The university authorities should, on their part, be careful not to assume that new techniques of teaching are good simply because they are new.

Title: The True Aim of University Education

Precis— The nature and functioning of a university has changed substantially. It is no longer an institution where students devote themselves merely to acquistition of knowledge; it has become an institution that is ever in touch with changes taking place in society as a whole. As a result, it has become important that the university teachers integrate modem knowledge with the social changes. In India students face a lot of difficulties arising out of the disharmony that exists between rural roots and knowledge that has a foreign base. This must be tactfully resolved.

Bihar Board Class 12th English Important Questions

Bihar Board Class 12th English Essay Writing Important Questions

1. Computers

Computers are an electronic device that help us perform arithmetical and logical operations at a fast speed. In ancient times there was abacus to do calculations; later on some other instruments were devised to perform special types of calculations.

Twentieth-century witnessed the development of computers that can perform multiple tasks of storing information systematically and retrieving that in a short time. Many varieties of computers are in use today — desktop, laptop, tablet etc. Even smartphones are fitted with computers. Basically, computers are made up of two components — hardware and software. Hardware consists of all physical objects such as keyboard, motherboard, chips etc. Software is the internal programming that enables computers to perform specific tasks.

Internet is run on computers. It is the greatest storehouse of information on all subjects. Students and academicians have become dependent on internet. There is no need to write notes on paper; they can be written in M S Word and can be e-mailed all over the world. Computers have become essential for ordinary people as well as professionals.

2. Secularism

Secularism is today used as an antonym to religious belief. It is correct in this sense that in the beginning secular was used as being opposite to the Church. It was first of all used in the field of education – all those subjects like history, philosophy, mathematics and science that did not deal with religious issues were called secular.

Today secularism has acquired a strict political connotation. Except for a few countries that are known for their religious bias, most of the countries profess that they follow the policy of secularism, that is, of total non-discrimination in the field of law and administration.

Every person living in a country is allowed perfect freedom to follow his mode of worship; communities are permitted to build their places of religious worship and congregation. This is the need of the hour as well. No country has a homogeneous population. People of many divergent beliefs and ideals are living in India, US, UK, Russia, China and other countries. Our country is also secular.

Secularism is part of the Preamble of the Indian Constitution, introduced by way of 42nd amendment in 1976. It guarantees to each individual freedom to profess and propagate religion and assures strict impartiality.

3. Cleanliness

Cleanliness is today a national campaign in India. Gandhiji, though very appreciative of the Indian way of living, was critical of the general lack of cleanliness in India. He always spoke of the need of cleanliness of surroundings.
As a matter of fact, cleanliness is a personal habit and almost a compulsion.

Can we wear dirty clothes ? Can we remain unwashed ? Can we put up with a person who has a dirty and shabby appearance ? Indian women sweep the floor, scrub it with a duster as their first duty in the morning. Everybody brushes and bathes and then puts on clean clothes.

But this spirit of cleanliness is sadly not extended to our surroundings. Lanes, streets and even roadside areas are left dirty, garbage and nightsoil piling up here and there. We drink mineral water, take cold drinks and throw away empty bottles on road.

That is why there is a need for cleanliness drive. We should not depend on the municipal corporation. We should Volunteer to keep our roads and streets clean and give up the habit of throwing waste just anywhere. Only then a clean India will take shape.

4. Unemployment

Employment is a basic need of every grown up person. One needs a job in order to maintain oneself and one’s family. There was a time when traditional occupations fulfilled this vital need easily. Men and women stepped into the professions of their elders and forefathers.

Things have taken a bad turn these days in every country. New jobs and professions have come up; but the competition is so high that even skilled and the highly educated people have difficulty in finding a job. The result is that many young people are taking to criminal activities to meet their personal needs.

The solution is not easy. In the first place the governments have to link education with job opportunities. A regular assessment of viable jobs should be made. Men should also be encouraged to start their own business. The recent steps taken up by the Govt, of India have been successful – many small scale industries have come up to generate employment. It is a very good sign that many IIT graduates have built up innovative business by forming groups of their own. However, it must be admitted that long-term steps are needed to solve unemployment.

5. World Cup 2015 Or, A Cricket Match

Having been disappointed completely by the exit of India from the world cup it took me some time before I could switch on TV to watch the final struggle between New Zealand and Australia. The three of us my dad, Abhishek and myself-had now sympathy for the New Zealand that had qualified for the match for the first time.

We clapped when New Zealand won the toss. But in fifteen minutes Guptill was out at only fifteen runs; McCullum was out at only three runs. This was a bad omen. We just remained glued to TV; but it was a great emotional effort on our part as the other batsmen of New Zealand could not support the team.

In 45 overs New Zealand could secure only 183 runs. The match was already infavour of Australia and in just 33 1 overs is secured 186 runs and inflicted defeat on New Zealand by seven wickets. The star players on the Australian side were Michael Clarke, Steve Smith and David Warner. This was the end of the World Cup 2015 with the crown black with Australia.

6. A Visit To A Historical Place

Our history teacher persuaded our Principal to allow us to visit the temple of Konark. The Principal was not ready to allow us to go to such a distant place. But our teacher convinced him of the value of the place.

Already when we were jn our train our teacher explained to us the achievement of the Hindu architects who is early centuries had shown great scientific expertise and skill in the construction of temples.

After a nightlong journey we reached Puri where we stayed at a hotel. The very sight of the sea where we went for a bath refreshed us. Then around noon we proceeded for Konark. We took a local guide also’. And in an hour we were at the gate of the temple. I was particularly impressed by the huge chariot.

The guide explained in detail the architecture and style of the temple. Our teacher noted down a few facts which he said he would discuss in the classroom. The sun is the primary source of energy in the world and it is quite fitting that there should be a magnificent temple to the god of light.

7. English as International Language or, English as World Language
English has become today the widely spoken language on earth. Every tenth person in the world is using English as his primary tongue. More that 70% of the world’s mail is written and addressed in English. Most importantly, it is the language of web. Any person who wishes to visit website must be some knowledge of English.

One of the reasons of the phenomenal spread of English is its rich and luxuriant vocabulary which is cosmopolitan in character. Throughout the centuries it has borrowed freely and profusely form almost every important language of the world. There are Arabic, Dutch, Italian, Persian Sanskrit, and even Chinese words in today’s English. Alcohol, algebra, chemistry are Arabic; brandy, gold, duck are Dutch; guru, pundit, juggernaut are Sanskrit; mandarin, poker, ping pong are Chinese.

8. My New Year Resolutions

This is the last week of December. There is a chill in the air. The wind becomes so cold in the evening that we have stopped remaining out doors. But a new hope is stirring in the hearts of the old and the young. They are very eager to welcome the New year.

I am also planning for the New Year’s Day along with my friends of the colony I am also trying to make resolutions for the New Year. I have spoken to may father and mom about it. And they have offered many suggestions regarding new interests and new activities that I could take up in the new year.

I have decided to do some regular exercises of Yoga every day. One day I practised a few breating and posture exercises from which I felt more refreshed, more energetic. I have therefore decided to leam some exercises from Sharma uncle and practise them regularly in the morning.

I have further decided to cut my hours of TV watching. No more cartoons, no more viewing of sports events. I wish to watch a few educational programmes and, of course, news coverage.

In the last I wish to take up study of literary classics. I felt jealous when I found Amrit replaying to questions on However, Virgil and Milton with great confidence in the last quiz. 1 would like to begin with The Iliad. My God help me keep my resolutions.

9. Terrorism

Over the last few years terrorism has become the greatest challenge before the modem would. The attack on twin towers of World Trade Centre in the USA in September 2001 is quite fresh in the minds of the people.

Terrorism is an act of deliberate violence against a government, the civilians and the armed personnel of a country to achieve political aims. Cross border terrorism is a new variety in which members of a terrorist group enter a country claudestinely, run training camps in remote forests, induct local young people and carry out their destructive activities with greater success. Jammu and Kashmir and eastern states in India have been a victim of the kind of terrorism.

The countries of the world have to make councerted efforts to Curb terorism. The young people require to be made aware of the threats of terrorism. A greater cooperation between the police and the detective agencies in also required.

10. Cruelty Against Women

In the last two years there has been a shocking increase in the number of -incidents of violence against women in India women are not safe in Delhi, Bombay, Jaipur or in small towns and villages.

This development in quite shameful. In recent years India has made considerable economic development. But all this comes to a cipher when our women are not safe. It is to address these problem that a new act against the atrocities of women was passed by the Parliament.

It may now be possible to award harsh punishments to people who try to harass women. But law is not enough. We have to make every office and educational institution and public places safe for women. We have to see that young girls go told schools and colleges with out fear. The number of working women is increasing. We have to provide safe working environment for them. We must, in short, take every step that assures our women a dignified place in the society.

11. Our Environment

When we move a sound, either within our town, or go to other towns and cities we are pained to see how our forests, rivers, mountains and trees have been badly affect in the name of industrial development. Forests have been cut, trees have been felled, gallons of waste are allowed to flow directly into the Ganga and the Jamuna and hills havebeen blown by dynamite to obtain minerals or stone chips.

Yet much survives in the natural world even after this daily raw age. We must protect, in a systematic and scientific way, what ever remains of our rivers and forests. We can restrict the follow of drains and waste into rivers; we can build up alternative channels. Only concerted effort on the part of the government and the voluntary organisations can help us in maintaining the ecological balance without which cannot have healthy food grains, pure drinking water or pure air.

12. Rising Prices Of Essential Commodities

There was a time when prices of foodgrains, edible oils and vegetables used to remain fixed for a long time. We hear form our grand fathers about rice being sold at one hundred rupees a quintal. The gold age of stable prices has simply disappeared Now prices of essential commodities changes at least every month, if not every week. People are particularly apprehensive about prices of petroleum products and LPG cylinder. Onion has got the notoriety of bringing tears merely by the mention of its price. Pulses have acquired the same notoriety.

The situation has because so grain that even a child is sensitive to it as he hears his parents and elders taking about prices rise and making hopeless strategies of running family expenses. Even periodic rise in dearness allowance of government must set up local agencies to monitor the prices, to check hoarding and black marketing. Above all, the government must keep prices of petrol and diesel in check.

13. My Aim In Life

Ever since I saw my cousin, Mrityunjay, moving in a big car fitted with all equipment to record and transmit video clips of meetings, events and public demonstrations a debate is going on in my mind. What should I do—to become a doctor or a media man? The more I give a thought to it the more inclamed I feel towards becoming a journalist. Even if I get a job in a print media I will be happier.

Ajoumalist’s world has no limits. Today he is in-his own country, tomorrow he may be in the UK or France or at a war-front. He is always witness to exciting events be if a grand state ceremony, a mass demonstration or the launch of a space craft. He records all charge that is taking place in human life, he interprets this change and helps common men, business men, scientists and even politicians take right decisions. I cannot now sit idle; 1 have to prepare myself for this great career.

14. Life Of The Old Men

The breakdown of the joint family system is India has very adversely affected the lives of the old men. With their sons and daughters away in metropolistan cities or in foreign countries on account of jobs, most of them are left completely above and helpless at a stage of life which is rightly called second childhood. When they need support they find that they have been left to the mercy of fate.

In a few cases when they happen to be living with their children they find that their lives have been confined to a single room. They cannot meet guests nor can have social life of their own physical problems like joint pains, disorders of heat, weaknesses of different sorts require extra expenses and nursing.

They find that their children or grand children being to ignore then after a time. This is a sad state of affairs in a country where there is so much emphasis on worship of ancestors. The government has taken some measures to improve the condition of the old people. But basically, it in the duty of children to care for them.

15. Technical Education

The superiority of Europe was established due to the industrial Revolution that occurred in the sixteenth century. It enabled European countries to quicken production of material goods in such a manner as to inspire them to expand their markets. And the lesson has been learnt by all countries in the world. It is now believed that without technical education which enables man to use applications of science, development of a society, is not possible.

The backwardness of India has been attributed to the lack of technical education. But after independence the government as well as private groups have given importance to the founding of engineering and medical colleges. During the last two decades many institutions have been founded where training in computer operation is given.

Technical education provides country with the personnel who solve problems of communication, rural health and development, population, supply of drinking water and maintenance of defence force in a scientific manners.

16. A Pilgrimage

My grandmother always wished to visited the holy shrine of Vaishno Devi. This summer vacation grandfather took us all to Jammu from where we reached Katra in one and half hour. It is from Katra that the trekking for the shrine starts. The next morning we had our registration slips and then we started the journey. We wished to cover the fourteen kilometer route on foot. But grandfather realzed it would be risky. So we based horses.

We stopped half-way for tea and snacks. It was quite exciting to look at the Trikuta mountains enveloped in the clouds. The ground was simply invisible. At last we reached the newly constructed Bhavan. We must have stayed in quene for about thirty minutes after which a serpentine walk led us to the door of the cave within which stood the three stone slabs supposed to be three principal forms of the Almighty Mother. It was a moment of bliss. People shouted or changed mantras or recited bhajans. It was ecstasy that had overtaken us all. we prayed humbly and left in a stale of great happiness and bliss.

17. Hundred Years Of Indian Cinema

In 2013 Indian cinema is celebrating its journey of a hundred years. It was in 1913 that the first silent movie, a mytholgical Raja Harishchandra, was produced by Dadasahep Phalke. Since then Indian cinema has covered a long  distance. From Bombay it has moved to Calcutta, Hydrabad, Chennai and several cities where films are today produced in a number of Indian languages

There is of course a change of content and style when we turn from Hindia films to vernacular films. But he salient feature is the same—family and social issues, romance, songs, erotic locations with a sure touch of comedy continue to be the main elements of an Indin film.

In more them one way the Hindi films have represented the cultural temper of India. They have been very popular in Russia, China and all the Asian countries. The element of music was very strong in the old Hindi films. People still like the songs of Mohammed Rafi, Mukesh and Lata Mangeshkar from the films of the fifties and sixties. And who can forget Satyajit Ray who, in his presentation of nuances of culture, social issues and the community life was so
stylistic ?

18. My Favourite Book

So far I have read only a few novels, plays and short stories, My uncle it was who gave me an anthology of short stories of Premchand. and I continue to love his writings. When in thick of one book which continues to haunt me I can certainly name Godan.

Published in the late thirties, it is the inaturest work of Premchand. Here is the life of Hori, a small farmer, living in a village of Uttar Pradesh where Premchand hailed from. The life of a village, its people, their bonds with one another, their quarrels and jealousies have never been so well documented in any other work. But the importance of the novel lies in including characters form the nearby city. They represent the progressive force, the political power, and the modem ideas of equality and justice.

The focus is, however, on Hori, his family life and the ultimate tragic end. Being simple and generous, the falls a victim to the unjust treatment of his younger brother, to the tricky money lenders, to the changes in the village life.

But more pathetically it is his passion for the cow, the legendary symbol of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, that finally rains him. Hence the title of the novel, referring to the ritual of donating a cow to a brahmin before death for a happy journey to heavens which Hari is denied because of abject poverty.

19. My Favourite Season

People react sharply when I tell them that I like winter the most. There is a reason behind this disapproval of the people. In the last ten years the fall in temperature has been very sharp and also quite universal. These was a time :
when only Simla, Kashmir and Jalandhar were known as places of snowfall and extreme cold. But form Delhi to Patna, from Calcutta to Ahmedabad, cold winds. continue to upset the lives of the old and the young right form the first weak of ! December to the end of February Winter has now a longer spell in India.

And yet I like it most. In the first place it gives me an opportunity to cover myself in the best woollen clothes my parents can afford for me. A new pullover or jacket is regularly added to my wardrobe. Then nobody asks me to bathe everyday. I can bathe only when I am in the right mood.

Generally schools are closed from X-Mas to the first fortnight of January. I am free from the drudgery of homework and other lessons. And I greatly enjoy my evenings in the drawing rooms, sitting by a heater and drinking endless cups coffee and simply talking to mother and sister.

20. The Indian Monsoon

Monsoon is derived from Arabic mausam and it has come to mean rains caused by seasonal reversal in the direction of wind. In India this occurs around the first week of June every year known as the breaking of monsoon this phenomenon is called also the Indian monsoon. Strong winds blowing at an average speed of thirty kilometers per hour cover the entire country. They are associated with thunder, lightning and heavy downpour.

Now after three mouths of scorching summer in the Indian plains the monsoon is a greatly welcome events every year. It provides not only relief from heat but also prepares the fields for cultivation. Farmers therefore celebrate the monsoon through songs addressed to the raingod.

The whole landscape acquires a colourful look. Trees and leaves look bright green. The earth is covered with fresh grass. Flowers blossom is gardens and forest. In hilly areas, the flow of rivulets fills the atomosphere with a variety of sounds as they are mixed with ecotic cries of birs and frogs.

21. Importance Of Female Education

It is a pity that even after more than six decade of independence female educations is India continues to be neglected. Though in towns and cities we find girls enrolling them selves in schools, colleges and universities, there is a large number of girls belonging to poor families remaining uneducated.

This is a very sad state of affairs. The state governments in India have ’ woken up to this fact and have launched many schemes to promote female education. It is a welcome step in which voluntary organisations are also associated. We must understand that only educated women will be able to solve issues related to them and to children. An educated women would be able to take care of the health of her children; she would see to it that they get nourishing food and spend their time in healthy activities.

She can supervise their education at home, help them understand the concepts at of civics, hygienic and elementary science. And above all only an educated woman can enjoy financial independence by taking up jobs she is qualified for. She will be a true asset to society; she will not then be a member of the weaker sex.

22. Women Empowerment

The current emphasis on women empowerment in India and many Asian countries is a very right stem. Howing a comprehensive goal; it aims mainly ai providing education to women, opening all kinds of jobs to them and reserving; seats for them in various legislative bodies.

Education is the key component of these scheme. Education will open the minds, make them understands the milien, help them form opinions on social and political issues, and provides the women the strength to participate in every activity of social life. Closely linked to education is the financial independence. Women cannot lead a meaningful life unless they are provided facilities to support themselves.

It is said that the work you do forms your mind and character. When a woman works within the confines of a household, can she develop a personality of her own ?

Reservation of seats for women in panchayat, state legislature and parliament in also being seen as a powerful instrument to help them achieve a more dignified status. But it must not be done in a hasty manner; it should always be backed by educational programme.

Bihar Board Class 12th English Important Questions

BSTBPC BSEB Bihar Board Class 12 English Important Questions and Answers Rainbow Part 2 English Book 100 & 50 Marks.

Bihar Board Class 12th English Important Questions and Answers 100 & 50 Marks

Bihar Board Class 12th English 100 Marks Important Questions and Answers

Bihar Board 12th English 100 Marks Important Questions Prose

1. Indian Civilization and Culture Summary
2. Bharat is My Home Summary
3. A Pinch of Snuff Summary
4. I Have a Dream Summary
5. Ideas that have Helped Mankind Summary
6. The Artist Summary
7. A Child Born Summary
8. How Free is the Press Summary
9. The Earth Summary
10. India Through a Traveller’s Eyes Summary
11. A Marriage Proposal Summary
12. Bihar Board Class 12th English Important Questions Prose Section

Bihar Board 12th English 100 Marks Important Questions Poetry

1. Critical Appreciation of The Poem Sweetest Love I do not Goe
2. Critical Appreciation of The Poem Song of Myself
3. Now the leaves are falling fast
4. Critical Appreciation of The Poem Ode to Autumn
5. Critical Appreciation of The Poem An Epitaph
6. Critical Appreciation of The Poem The Soldier
7. Critical Appreciation of The Poem Macavity: The Mystery Cat
8. Critical Appreciation of The Poem Fire Hymn
9. Critical Appreciation of The Poem Snake
10. Critical Appreciation of The Poem My Grandmother’s House
11. Bihar Board Class 12th English Important Questions Poetry Section

• Marriage is a Private Affair Summary
• Teaching of English in India Summary
• A Trick Summary
• Cold Wave Summary
• Preface to Bombay London New York Summary
• Bihar Board 12th English The Story of English Important Questions

Bihar Board Class 12th English 50 Marks Important Questions and Answers

• Bihar Board 12th English 50 Marks Important Short Answer Questions Prose Section
• Bihar Board 12th English 50 Marks Important Long Answer Questions Prose Section
• Bihar Board 12th English 50 Marks Important Short Answer Questions Poetry Section
• Critical Appreciation of The Poem The Lake Isle of Innisfree
• Critical Appreciation of The Poem If
• Show your acquaintance with the Poem The Daffodils
• Critical Appreciation of The Poem The Daffodils
• Critical Appreciation of The Poem Everyone Sang
• Show your acquaintance with the Poem Adlestrop
• Bihar Board 12th English David Copperfield Important Questions
• Character Sketch of Mr. Micawber in David Copperfield
• Character Sketch of David Copperfield
• Character Sketch of Betsey Trotwood in David Copperfield
• Character Sketch of Agnes in David Copperfield
• Character Sketch of Uriah Heep in David Copperfield

Bihar Board 12th English Writing Important Questions

• Essay Writing Important Questions
• Precis Writing Important Questions
• Unseen Passages for Comprehension Important Questions
• Letter and Application Writing Important Questions
• Paragraph Writing Important Questions
• Group Discussion Important Questions
• Article Writing Important Questions

Bihar Board 12th English Grammar Important Questions

• Idioms and Phrases Important Questions
• Tenses Important Questions
• Modal Auxiliaries Important Questions
• Combination of Sentences (Synthesis) Important Questions
• Analysis Important Questions
• Narration Important Questions
• Active and Passive Voice Important Questions
• Translation Important Questions