Activity : AUDIO with TEXT

Sample Video

Live English ! - What is Blogging?

Unit Four - Live English ! - What is Blogging?

What is Blogging? 

The term blog is short for web log. It is an online public diary which lists each diary entry in reverse order so that new diary entries are placed on the top of the page, and older entries are placed below. Each entry is called a post.

Who Blogs? 

Anyone can create a blog, if they have a basic understanding of the way the software works. There are privately owned blogs on individual webpages, which require a little knowledge about creating webpages, but there are also blog creation services which allow you to quickly and easily set up your own blog. You can add posts as often as you like, and can say almost anything that you want. Blogs are created for a lot of different reasons, and by many different people.

What Are Blogs About? 

There are many topics that a blog may contain, depending on who is updating it and why. Many blogs provide news or comment in response to a particular subject, like local news, politics or even hobbies. Food blogs are popular for people who want to share recipes, and many political activists and writers have blogs which are used to respond to current political topics. Many blogs also function as personal online diaries.

Blog Classification 

A blog is usually textual, based on news and commentary, although there are other types of blogs which are gaining popularity. Artlogs are blogs which focus on art, Photoblogs focus on photography, Sketch - blogs focus on sketching, and so on. There are also a few specialised types of blogs, including Vblogging or video blogging, and Podcasting or audio blogging.

Creating a Blog on the Internet 

If you have a good understanding of webpage design and development, you may be able to create your own blog on a personal website. Otherwise, your best option is to choose a website that does the setting up for you, so that all you have to do is join, customise a little and begin to write. There are many blog websites like www.livejournal.com, www.wordpress.com, www.blogger.com or www.blogs.myspace. com which will allow you to quickly and easily create your own blog. They also give you the option to set controls so that you can choose to allow only friends or only yourself to read them.

Blog Popularity 

Blogs are becoming more and more popular for many reasons. This is because they offer a wealth of information on a lot of different topics. They also drive traffic to websites by attracting new visitors with interesting blog column commentary. Blogs are a great tool because they allow anyone to express themselves on the Internet. If you are looking for a way to express yourself online, or to share information regarding a favourite subject of yours, beginning your own blog may be the best option for you because everyone has an opinion on the Internet, and soon everyone will have their own personal weblog too.

Listen to the audio of - Live English ! - What is Blogging?

A Brave Heart Dedicated to Science And Humanity

4.6 A Brave Heart Dedicated to Science And Humanity

The history of men’s progress from the darkness of ignorance to the glorious light of knowledge and enlightenment is full of chapters that tell of extraordinary men and women. These men and women worked with great courage, commitment, dedication and singleness of purpose in their effort to attain what seemed to be unattainable. These men and women were driven in their effort to uncover the truth and mystery of the universe with an indomitable spirit which characterises the human spirit. And this is the spirit that drove Columbus and Vasco de Gama to sail to the unknown seas, Robert Peary to race to the Pole, Sir Ronald Ross to fight against malaria, Hillary and Tenzing to reach the top of Everest, and Armstrong and his team to go to the moon. One great woman who dedicated her life to the cause of science and to the welfare of humanity is Madame Curie, the discoverer of radium. The mere statement that Madame Curie discovered the radium will never tell the true story of the extraordinary courage, determination and singleness of purpose that this noble woman showed in the face of extreme poverty, pain and suffering that comes along with such condition. Born Marja Sklowdaska in Warsaw, Poland on November, 7 1867, Marie Curie’s childhood dream was to study science in Paris, but her father could not afford the expense for this. So Marja took a job as a governess and saved a little money. With that little money she finally went to Sorbonne, the University of Paris, to study science. Her father could send her only a small amount and her life in the university was a disheartening experience in poverty and hunger. She lived only on bread, butter and tea, and she often fainted for lack of food. In spite of all this she pursued her studies indomitably and she topped her class with Honours in Physics and Mathematics. It was at the university that she met a Frenchman, Pierre Curie, a brilliant but poor scientist. Then they together began to work in a shabby laboratory. Soon, their friendship turned into love and in less than a year, in July, 1895, they were married. The couple then took a flat in Paris with scarcely any furniture in it except their books, a lamp, a white wooden table and two chairs. After the birth of a daughter, Irene, the next year, Marie and Pierre set up a laboratory in a wooden shed near their flat, It had a leaky skylight and an earthen floor. Here Marie, after her daily household work, settled down to study. Marie was specially interested in a substance called uranium which was obtained from pitchblende, a black, very hard and very expensive substance. Uranium was known to give off very powerful rays by which men could see through many substances. Now Marie discovered that what was left after obtaining uranium was even more powerful. Later on, Pierre and Marie found that there was not one, but two new substances giving off these rays although they had not yet been able to obtain either of them. They called one of them Polonium, in honour of her country. Poland and the other was called Radium. Radium is the most powerful of the radio-active elements. And radio-active elements can give off rays which can penetrate substances that are opaque to light. There was another French scientist called Henri Becquerel, who in 1896 had discovered that uranium possessed this property. But Polonium and Radium possessed radio-active in much higher degree. The Curies now began to work with greater enthusiasm, but they were poor and pitchblende itself was an extremely expensive substance, which they could not afford to buy in large quantity. They, however, sacrificed all the luxuries of life to save money to buy whatever little amount of pitchblende they could. They lived in utter penury, not buying costly food and warm clothes for the extremely cold Parisian winter. Often they could not sleep during the cold nights due to lack of warmth. Overwork seriously affected Madame Curie’s health. Often she was forced to leave the laboratory to take a much needed rest. Her husband begged her to give up the struggle, but she resolutely refused. Marie was driven by a mad determination to discover the mystery of radium. With courage she faced all the miseries of a life of poverty and carried on with her research along with her husband who loved and supported her. Luck, however, favoured the Curies and a windfall came to them. It was a gift of a ton of pitchblende from the emperor of Austria, who was an admirer of the Curies. It was the most precious gift the Curies had received and in their shabby laboratory they toiled along, boiled and burnt, overpowered by heat in summer and frozen with cold in winter. The Curies continued their work for four more years. Wearing an acid stained, dust covered mask, Marie toiled along stirring large pots of pitchblende ensuring that the fires beneath were active throughout the day and the night. Then in 1902, success finally came. On a September night the Curies, after a day’s tiresome work, went home. Then just as they were about to go to bed they went to the laboratory to have another look at the hundreds of small bowls into which they had poured filtered pitchblende. In the dark laboratory as they moved cautiously forward there were all around them rays of soft, bluish purple light coming from the small, glass covered bowls. Radium had been discovered ! Marie said to her husband, ‘Do you remember the day when you told me that you wanted radium to have a beautiful colour? Look …. look!’’ Actually, what they had produced was just a tiny pinch of white powder that looked like salt. But it was to become one of the wonders of the world. With its rays people would be able to see through the hardest of substances except lead. The benefits of radium in the world of medicine are incalculable. It has been used with great effect in the treatment of cancer. The bacteria of such diseases as typhus, cholera and anthrax can also be killed by radium. In 1903 the Curies along with Henry Becquesel, were awarded the Nobel Prize for physics for the discovery of Radium and Polonium. They wished, they could have patented their discovery and become rich, but this noble woman refused to do so and gave it free to the world to be used properly. In 1906, Pierre was knocked down and killed by a horse-drawn wagon. Marie clung to his lifeless body and remained disconsolate. In 1911, Marie was awarded the Nobel prize for the second time and this was for Chemistry. Madame Curie remained comparatively poor and when asked why she did not make money by her discoveries, she replied, ‘‘I am working for science. Radium belongs to the people, not to me.’’ In 1934, the health of Marie Curie failed and in the July of that year this great scientist, who had given her life for the cause of science and humanity, died. In every great man and woman there is a compulsive desire to discover the truth. Madame Curie, who pursued her life’s goal with great courage, endurance, dedication and strength of character, is a living example of this statement. There are also men and women who show extreme courage when they are face to face with great danger. But greater is the courage of men and women who display a strength of mind that is not defeated by extremely hostile and unfavourable conditions of life. Madame Curie certainly belongs to this latter group.

Listen to the audio of - A Brave Heart Dedicated to Science And Humanity

Joan of Arc

4.5 Joan of Arc

Geroge Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) was an Irish playwright and critic. He wrote more than sixty plays during his lifetime including major works such as Man and Superman (1902), Pygmalion (1912) and Saint Joan (1923). He was the leading dramatist of his time. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1925.

(The war fought between England and France from 1337 to 1453 has come to be known as the Hundred Years War. Joan was a peasant girl born in eastern France who led the French army to several victories during this war. This play begins at the time when all of northern France and some parts of the south-west were under foreign control. The English controlled some parts and the Burgundians controlled the others. The city of New Orleans, one of the few remaining French cities was held by the English. The year is 1429. Captain Robert de Baudricourt, a military officer is seated at the table. His steward stands facing him). Robert : I told you to throw the girl out. You have fifty armed soldiers and dozens of strong servants to carry out my orders. Are they afraid of her ? Steward : No sir, we are afraid of you, but she puts courage in us. She really doesn’t seem to be afraid of anything. Perhaps you could frighten her, sir. Robert : (grimly) Perhaps, where is she now ? Steward : Down in the courtyard, sir. (Robert goes to the window and asks the soldiers to send the girl up) (The girl enters. She is a well-built, strong country girl of 17 to 18 years. The squire’s glare neither frightens her nor stops her. She speaks confidently.)

Joan : Good morning, captain squire. You are to give me a horse and armour and some soldiers, and send me to the Dauphin.

Robert : This girl is mad. Why didn’t you tell me so, you blockhead ?

Steward : Sir, do not anger her. Give her what she wants.

Robert : I shall send you back to your father with orders to put you under lock and key.

Joan : You think you will, squire. But it won’t happen that way. You said you would not see me. But here I am.

Robert : So, you are assuming that I’ll give you what you want.

Joan : Yes, squire. (Continues busily) A horse will cost sixteen francs. It is a big amount of money. But I can save it on the armour. I don’t need beautiful armour made to my measure. I can find a soldier’s armour that will fit me well enough. I shall not want many soldiers. The Dauphin will give me, all I need, to free Orleans.

Robert : (Shocked) To free Orleans !

Joan : (Simply) Yes, squire. Three men will be enough for you to send with me. Polly and Jack have promised to come with me.

Robert : You mean Monsieur de Poulengey ?

Joan : Yes, Squire Jack will come willingly. He is a very kind gentleman, and gives me money to give to the poor. I think John Godsave will come, and Dick the Archer, and their servants, John of Honecourt and Julian. There will be no trouble for you, squire. I have arranged it all. You have only to give the order.

Robert : (To the steward) Is this true about Monsieur de Poulengey ?

Steward : (Eagerly) Yes, sir, and about Monsieur de Metz too. They both want to go with her.

Robert : (Goes to the window, and shouts into the court-yard) Send Monseiur de Poulengey to me, will you ? (He turns to Joan) Get out and wait in the yard.

Joan : (Smiling brightly at him) Right, squire. (She goes out).

Robert : (To the steward) Go with her. Stay within call and keep your eye on her. I shall have her up here again. (The steward retreats hastily. Bertran de Poulengey, a French guard, enters, salutes and stands waiting.)

Robert : She says you, Jack and Dick have offered to go with her. What for ? Do you take her crazy idea of going to the Dauphin seriously ?

Poulengey : (Slowly) There is something about her. It may be worth trying.

Robert : Oh, come on Polly ! You must be out of your mind !

Poulengey : (Unmoved) What is wrong with it? The Dauphin is in Chinon, like a rat in a corner, except that he won’t fight. The English will take Orleans. He’ll not be able to stop them.

Robert : He beat the English the year before last at Montargis. I was with him.

Poulengey : But this time, his men are cowed and now he can’t work miracles. And I tell you that nothing can save our side now but a miracle.

Robert : Miracles are all right, Polly. The only difficulty about them is that they don’t happen nowadays.

Poulengey : I used to think so. I’m not so sure now. There is something about her. I think the girl herself is a bit of a miracle. Anyhow, this is our last chance. Let’s see what she can do.

Robert : (Wavering) You really think that ?

Poulengey : (turning) Is there anything else left for use to think ? Let’s take a chance. Her words have put fire into me.

Robert : (Giving up) Whew! You’re as mad as she is.

Poulengey : (Obstinately) We want a few mad people now. See where the sane ones have landed us !

Robert : I feel like a fool. Still, if you feel sure... ?

Poulengey : I feel sure enough to take her to Chinon unless you stop me.

Robert : Do you think I ought to have another talk with her ?

Poulengey : (Going to the window) Yes! Joan, come up. (Joan enters.)

Poulengey : (Gravely) Be seated, Joan.

Robert : What is your name?

Joan : They always called me Jenny, in Lorraine. Here in France, I am Joan. The soldiers call me the Maid.

Robert : How old are you ?

Joan : Seventeen, so they tell me. It might be nineteen. I don’t remember.

Robert : I suppose you think raising a siege is as easy as chasing a cow out of a meadow. You think soldiering is anybody’s job ?

Joan : I don’t think it can be very difficult if God is on your side.

Robert : (Grimly) Have you ever seen English soldiers fighting ? Have you ever seen them plundering, burning, turning the countryside into a desert? Have you heard no tales of their prince who is the devil himself, or of the English king’s father ?

Joan : You do not understand, squire. Our soldiers are always beaten because they are fighting only to save their skins and the shortest way to save your skin is to run away. But I will teach them all to fight for France. Then, they will drive the soldiers before them like sheep. You and Polly will live to see the day when there will not be a single English soldier on the soil of France.

Robert : (To Poulengey) This may all be nonsense, Polly. But the troops might just be inspired by it though nothing that we say seems to put any fire into them. Even the Dauphin might believe it. And if she can put some fire into him, she can put it into anybody. Robert : (Turning to Joan) Now you, listen to me and don’t cut in before I have time to think. Your orders are that you are to go to Chinon under the escort of this gentleman and three of his friends.

Joan : (Radiant, clasping her hands) Oh, thank you, squire !

Poulengey : How is she to get into the royal presence ?

Robert : I don’t know. How did she get into my presence? I will send her to Chinon and she can say I sent her. Then, let come what may. I can do no more.

Joan : And the dress ? I may have a soldier’s dress, squire ?

Robert : Take what you please. I wash my hands off it.

Joan : (Wildly excited by her success) Come, Polly. (She dashes out.)

Robert : (Shaking Poulengey’s hand) Goodbye, old man, I am taking a big chance. Few other men would have done it. But as you say, there is something about her.

Poulengey : Yes, there is something about her. Goodbye.

Listen to the audio of - Joan of Arc

Unbeatable Super Mom- Mary Kom

4.4 Unbeatable Super Mom- Mary Kom

There had to be one successful story if Indians were to survive in sports and we have that story now. Enough has been said about this great warrior who conquered the world. This warrior is none other than Mary Mangte Kom-the Komqueror and the Komrade. She is famed as a five times World Boxing Champion and the only boxer to win a medal in every one of the six world championships. In the 2012 Olympics, she became the first Indian woman boxer to qualify and win a bronze medal in the 51 kg flyweight category of Boxing. Kom was born is Kangthei village, Moirang Lamkhai in Churachandpur district of rural Manipur in eastern India. She came from a poor family. Her parents, Mangte Tonpa Kom and Mangte Akham Kom were tenant farmers who worked in jhum fields. Kom grew up in humble surroundings, helping her parents with farm related chores, going to school and learning athletics initially and later boxing simultaneously. Her father was a keen wrestler in his younger age. She had an eager interest in athletics since childhood and the success of Dingko Singh a fellow Manipuri returned from the 1998 Bangkok Asian games with a gold medal, Kom recollects, had inspired many youngsters in Manipur to try boxing and she too thought of giving it a try. Mary Kom’s career started in 2000 after her victory in the Manipur State women’s boxing championship and the regional championship in West Bengal. In 2001, she started competing at international level. She was only 18 years old when she made her international debut at the first AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championship in United States, winning a silver medal in the 48 kg weight category. Her greatness is reinforced by the way she apoligized to the whole nation for not being able to win the Gold. She is a legend for sure and an idol for all the sportswomen to look up to.

AN INTERVIEW

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda correspondent Taruka Srivastava, Olympic Bronze medalist Mary Kom talked about her preparation for the Olympics and her elation at winning a medal.

Interviewer : First things first-you’re the first Indian female boxer to win an Olympics medal for India. Has the feeling completely sunk in ?

Mary Kom : I am really happy with my achievement and yes it is yet to sink in. I am just so exhilarated.

Interviewer : You were the only female representative from India in boxing. Did that put additional pressure on you?

Mary Kom : No, not at all. I was pretty confident about myself. I knew.

Interviewer : Your coach Charles Atkinson was not allowed to accompany you to the Olympics. How did that affect your preparations ?

Mary Kom : Well I did miss him there but thankfully, we had already done our homework and I was well prepared.

Interviewer : During your preparations for the Olympics, you sparred with the male boxers of the Indian contigent. Who was your favourite sparring partner ?

Mary Kom : (Laughs) Well, I trained hard in Pune and the male boxers were kind enough to practise with me whenever I required them. To name a favourite would be unfair.

Interviewer : You were quoted saying “Adams was very clever, a counter - puncher but, although she carried power, she wasn’t very tactical. I was scoring but the judges were not pressing the buttons.” Do you think dodgy judging was part of the reason for your loss in the semi - finals?

Mary Kom : Yes, I think some of the decisions were unfortunate and did not work to my benefit.

Interviewer : India managed just 6 medals in the 2012 Olympics even though we are a nation of 1.3 billion people. Where do you think a change is required to get help us win medals that are proportionate with our population ?

Mary Kom : I think more and more people should take up sports as a full - time career if we want more gold medals. More corporates should come in and sponsor players so that the players don’t have any financial pressure and can just focus on their games.

Interviewer : Do you think interest in boxing in India will ever go beyond the Olympics ?

Mary Kom : Yes, I am sure that in a few years boxing will be very popular among everyone in India, all the year round.

Interviewer : How aware are Indian women of their nutritional requirements? Diet and nutrition must’ve been a key factor in your conditioning for the Olympics. Do you think nutrition is a neglected area in Indian sports ?

Mary Kom : The awareness is growing now among the female athletes when it comes to nutritional requirements. Nutrition has definitely been a neglected area in Indian sports. I had to gain 3 kgs since I had to fight in the 51kg event instead of the usual 48kgs that I fight in. So I had to focus on what to eat. I gained weight by eating the right kind of healthy food rather than bad saturated fats.

Interviewer : How big a role did OGQ play in shaping the boxing scene in India for the better ?

Mary Kom : OGQ really played an important part in my success. They helped me out whenever I needed something. They took care of everything, which helped me focus on my boxing and kept me stress - free.

Interviewer : What’s your opinion on the future of Indian boxing ?

Mary Kom : The future is very bright and I am sure many more boxers will get medals for us.

Interviewer : Do you find it difficult to convince your children not to fight when they watch you go out and do it in style all the time ?

Mary Kom : Well, I have twins and yes, sometimes it becomes really difficult to keep them under control.

Interviewer : Will you train your kids to become boxers as well ?

Mary Kom : I haven’t really thought about it. As of now, just let their mother box !

Interviewer : You have broken several stereotypes about the women in India by showing that women can compete with men in any field. But how good are you at the ‘traditional’ feminine activities like cooking ?

Mary Kom : Well, I am good at cooking and other household work too.

Interviewer : Would you be interested in coaching Indian women in boxing one day ?

Mary Kom : Let’s see. In the future, may be yes.

Interviewer : What do you prefer being called-Super Mom or Super Boxer?

Mary Kom : I love being a mom. That’s the best thing that has ever happened to me.

Listen to the audio of - Unbeatable Super Mom- Mary Kom

O Captain! My Captain!

4.3 O Captain! My Captain!

Walt Whitman (1819 - 1892) was an American poet, essayist and journalist. He was the most influential poet in the American canon, often called the father of ‘free verse’. He breaks the boundaries of poetic form. He also used unusual images and symbols in his poetry. The poem is an elegy to the speaker’s recently deceased captain. While the nation is celebrating the victory of the battle, the speaker is mourning the loss of its great leader. The poem has a direct reference to the assasination of Abraham Lincoln after the American Civil war was won.

O Captain! My Captain! our fearful trip is done;
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won;
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.
O Captain! My Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up-for you the flag is flung-for you the bugle trills;
For you bouquets and ribbon'd wreaths-for you the shores
a-crowding;
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head;
It is some dream that on the deck,
You’ve fallen cold and dead.
My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;
The ship is anchor'd safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;
From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won;
Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!
But I, with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

- Walt Whitman

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Bholi - Part 2

4.2 Bholi

Part 2

Thus the years passed. The village became a small town. The little primary school became high school. There were now a cinema under a tin shed and a cotton ginning mill. The mail train began to stop at their railway station. One night, after dinner, Ramlal said to his wife, “Then, shall I accept Bishamber’s proposal?” “Yes, certainly” his wife said. “Bholi will be lucky to get such a well to do bridegroom. A big shop, a house of his own and I hear several thousands in the bank. Moreover, he is not asking for any dowry”. “That’s right, but he is not so young, you know-almost the same age as I am- and he also limps. Moreover, the children from his first wife are quite grown up”. “So what does it matter ?” his wife replied. “Forty five or fifty-it is no great age for a man. We are lucky that he is from another village and does not know about her pockmarks and her lack of sense. If we don’t accept this proposal, she may remain unmarried all her life.” “Yes, but I wonder what Bholi will say”. “What will that witless one say ? She is like a dumb cow.” “May be you are right”, muttered Ramlal. In the other corner of the courtyard, Bholi lay awake on her cot, and listened to her parents’ whispered conversation. Bishamber Nath was a well- to - do grocer. He came with a big party of friends and relations with him for the wedding. A brass band playing a popular tune from an Indian film headed the procession, with the bridegroom riding a decorated horse. Ramlal was overjoyed to see such pomp and splendour. He had never dreamt that his fourth daughter would have such a grand wedding. Bholi’s elder sisters who had come for the occasion were envious of her luck. When the auspicious moment came the priest said, “Bring the bride”. Bholi, clad in a red silken bridal dress, was led to bride’s place near the sacred fire. “Garland the bride,” one of his friends prompted Bishamber Nath. The bridegroom lifted the garland of yellow marigolds. A woman slipped back the silken veil from the bride’s face. Bishamber took a quick glance. The garland remained poised in his hands. The bride slowly pulled down the veil over her face. “Have you seen her?” said Bishamber to the friend next to him. “She has pockmarks on her face.” “So what? You are not young either.” “Maybe. But if I am to marry her, her father must give me five thousand rupees.” Ramlal went and placed his turban- his honour- at Bishamber’s feet. “Do not humiliate me so. Take two thousand rupees.” “No. Five thousand, or we go back. Keep your daughter.” “Be a little considerate, please. If you go back, I can never show my face in the village.” “Then out with five thousand.” Tears streaming down his face, Ramlal went in, opened the safe and counted out the notes. He placed the bundle at the bridegroom’s feet. On Bishamber’s greedy face appeared a triumphant smile. He had gambled and won. “Give me the garland,” he announced. Once again the veil was slipped back from the bride face but this time her eyes were not downcast. She was looking up, looking straight at her prospective husband, and in her eyes there was neither anger nor hate, only cold contempt. Bishamber raised the garland to place it round the bride’s neck but before he could do so, Bholi’s hand struck out like a streak of lightening and garland was flung into the fire. She got up and threw away the veil. “Pitaji” said Bholi in a clear loud voice; and her father, mother, sisters, brothers, relations and neighbours were startled to hear her speak without even the slightest stammer. “Pitaji”, take back your money. I am not going to marry this man.” Ramlal was thunderstruck. The guests began to whisper, “So shameless ! So ugly and so shameless !” “Bholi, are you crazy ?” shouted Ramlal. “You want to disgrace your family ? Have some regard for out izzat!” “For the sake of your izzat,” said Bholi, “I was willing to marry this lame old man. But I will not have such a mean, greedy and contemptible coward as my husband. I won’t, I won’t, I won’t.” What a shameless girl ! We all thought she was a harmless dumb cow.” Bholi turned violently on the old woman, “Yes, Aunty, you are right. You all thought I was a dumbdriven cow. That’s why you wanted to hand me over to this heartless creature. But now the dumb cow, the stammering fool, is speaking. Do you want to hear more?” Bishamber Nath, the grocer, started to go back with his party. The confused bandsmen thought this was the end of the ceremony and struck up a closing song. Ramlal stood rooted to the ground, his head bowed low with the weight of grief and shame. The flames of the sacred fire slowly died down.

Everyone was gone. Ramlal turned to Bholi and said, “But what about you, no one will ever marry you now. What shall we do with you ?” And Sulekha said in a voice that was calm and steady, “Don’t you worry, “Pitaji ! In your old age I will serve you and mother and I will teach in the same school where I learnt so much. Isn’t that right, Ma’am?” The teacher had all along stood in a corner, watching the drama. “Yes, Bholi, of course,” she replied. And in her smiling eyes was the light of a deep satisfaction that an artist feels when contemplating the completion of her masterpiece.

- K. A. Abbas

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Bholi - Part 1

4.2 Bholi

K.A.Abbas (1914-1987) was an Indian film director, novelist, screenwriter and a journalist in the Urdu, Hindi and English languages. His films won National Awards. He is considered one of the pioneers of Indian parallel or neo - realistic cinema. His column ‘Last Page’ holds the distinction of being one of the longest running column in the history of Indian Journalism.

Part 1

Her name was Sulekha but since her childhood everyone had been calling her Bholi the simpleton. She was the fourth daughter of Numberdar Ramlal. When she was ten months old, she had fallen off the cot on her head and perhaps it had damaged some part of her brain. That was why she remained a backward child and came to be known as Bholi, the simpleton. At birth the child was very fair and pretty. But when she was two years old. She had an attack of small pox. Only the eyes were saved. But the entire body was permanently disfigured by deep black pockmarks. Little Sulekha could not speak till she was five and when at last she learnt to speak, she stammered. The other children often made fun of her and mimicked her. As a result, she talked very little. Ramlal had seven children, three sons and four daughters and the youngest of them was Bholi. It was a prosperous farmer’s household and there was plenty to eat and drink. All the children except Bholi were healthy and strong. The sons had been sent to the city to study in schools and later in colleges. Of the daughters Radha, the eldest had already been married. The second daughter Mangla’s marriage had also been settled Ramlal would think of third Champa. They were good looking, healthy girls. And it was not difficult to find bridegrooms for them. But Ramlal was worried about Bholi. She had neither good looks nor intelligence. Bholi was seven years old when Mangla was married. The same year a primary school for girls was opened in their village. The Tehsildar sahib came to perform its opening ceremony. He said to Ramlal, ‘‘As a revenue official you are the representative of the government in the village and so you must set an example to the villagers. You must send your daughter to school.’’ That night when Ramlal consulted his wife. She cried, ‘‘Are you crazy? If girls go to school, who will marry them?’’ But Ramlal had not the courage to disobey the Tehsildar. At last his wife said, ‘‘I will tell you what to do. Send Bholi to school. As it is there is little chance of her getting married, with her ugly face and lack of sense. Let the teachers at school worry about her.’’ The next day Ramlal caught Bholi by the hand and said. ‘‘Come with me. I will take you to school.’’ Bholi was frightened. She did not know what a school was like. She remembered how a few days ago their old cow. Lakshmi had been turned out of the house and sold. ‘‘N-n-n-n No. no-no-no’’ she shouted in terror and pulled her hand away from her father’s grip. ‘‘What’s the matter with you, you fool?’’ shouted Ramlal, ‘‘I am only taking you to school.’’ Then he told his wife. ‘‘Let her wear some decent clothes today. Or else what will the teachers and the other schoolgirls think of us when they see her?’’ New clothes had never been made for Bholi. The old dresses of her sisters were passed on to her. No one cared to mend or wash her clothes. But today she was lucky to receive a clean dress which had shrunk after many washing and no longer fitted Champa. She was even bathed and oil was rubbed into her dry and matted hair. Only then did she begin to believe that she was being taken to a place better than her home! When they reached the school, the children were already in their classrooms. Ramlal handed over his daughter to the headmistress. Left alone, the poor girl looked about her with fear laden eyes. There were several rooms. And in each room girls like her squatted on mats, reading from books or writing on slates. The headmistress asked Bholi to sit down in a corner in one of the classrooms. Bholi did not know what exactly a school was like and what happened there. But she was glad to find so many girls almost of her own age present there. She hoped that one of these girls might become her friend. The lady teacher who was in the class was saying something to the girls but Bholi could understand nothing. She looked at the pictures on the wall. The colours fascinated her. The horse was brown just like the horse on which the Tehsildar had come to visit their village : the goat was black like the goat of their neighbour : the parrot was green like the parrots she had seen in the mango orchard : and the cow was just like their Lakshmi. And suddenly Bholi noticed that the teacher was standing by her side, smiling at her. “What’s your name. little one?’’ ‘‘Bh-Bho-Bho.’’ She could stammer no further than that. Then she began to cry and tears flowed from her eyes in a helpless flood. She kept her head down as she sat in her corner, not daring to look up at the girls who, she knew were still laughing at her. When the school bell rang. All the girls scurried out of the classroom. But Bholi dared not leave her corner. Her head still lowered. She kept on sobbing. ‘‘Bholi.’’ The teacher’s voice was so soft and soothing! In all her life she had never been called like that. It touched her heart. ‘‘Get up.’’ said the teacher. It was not a command, but just a friendly suggestion. Bholi got up. ‘‘Now tell me your name.’’ Sweat broke out over her whole body. Would her stammering tongue again disgrace her? For the sake of this kind woman. However she decided to make an effort. She had such a soothing voice : she would not laugh at her. ‘‘Bh-Bh-Bho-Bho-,’’ she began to stammer. ‘‘Well done, well done.’’ The teacher encouraged her. ‘‘Come on now- the full name?’’ ‘‘Bh-Bh-Bho-Bholi.’’ At last she was able to say it and felt relieved as if it was a great achievement. ‘‘Well done.’’ The teacher patted her affectionately and said. ‘‘Put the fear out of your heart and you will be able to speak like everyone else.’’ Bholi looked up as if to ask. ‘Really?’ ‘‘Yes, yes, it will be very easy. You just come to school everyday, will you come?’’ Bholi nodded. ‘‘No. say it aloud.’’ ‘‘Ye-Ye-Yes.’’ And Bholi herself was astonished that she had been able to say it. ‘‘Didn’t I tell you? Now take this book.’’ The book was full of nice pictures and the pictures were in colour dog, cat, goat, house, parrot, tiger and a cow just like Lakshmi. And with every picture was a word in big black letters. ‘‘In one month you will be able to read this book. Then I will give you a bigger book, then a still bigger one. In time you will be more learned than anyone else in the village. Then no one will ever be able to laugh at you. People will listen to you with respect and you will be able to speak without the slightest stammer. Understand? Now go home, and come back early tomorrow morning” Bholi felt as if suddenly all the bells in the village temple were ringing and the trees in front of the school house had blossomed into big red flowers. Her heart was throbbing with a new hope and a new life.

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The World is Mine

4.1 - The World is Mine

Today on a bus, I saw a lovely girl with silken hair
I envied her, she seemed so gay, and I wished I was so fair
When suddenly she rose to leave, I saw her hobble down the aisle
O God, forgive me when I whine
I have two legs, the world is mine
And then I stopped to buy some sweets
The lad who sold them had such charm
I talked with him, he seemed so calm, and if I were late, it would do no harm,
And as I left he said to me “I thank you, you have been so kind”
It’s nice to talk with folks like you. You see, I’m blind
O God forgive me when I whine
I have two eyes, the world is mine
Later walking down the street, I saw a child with eyes of blue
He stood and watched the others play; it seemed he knew not what to do
I stopped a moment, then I said, why don’t you join the others dear”
He looked ahead without a word, and then I knew he could not hear
O God forgive me when I whine
I have two ears, the world is mine
With legs to take me where I’ll go
With eyes to see the sunset’s glow
With ears to hear what I would know
O God forgive me when I whine
I’m blessed, indeed, the world is mine

- Joy Lovelet Crawford

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Live English - Be A Netizen

Unit Three - Be A Netizen

Be A Netizen

(a) Read the extract and underline the words which suggest that the emails are fast, cheap and an easy communication tool.

Email stands for electronic mail. Slowly and gradually email has replaced the ordinary postal mails or snail mails.

Having an email address is like having a postal address in a global village of internet. If you do not have one, you do not exist in today’s virtual world.

The reasons for popularity of email are many. Emails can be archived, saved, retrieved and e-mail is eco-friendly as people rarely take print outs of the mails. The main reason is its ease of access as anybody can access it on phone at the cost of cheap internet, anytime, anywhere. Email writing is easy but its different from writing text messages. Text Message is informal and a rapid sharing of thoughts between two acquaintances. Emails are written and read by professionals, however, both arrive in Inbox.

Like a citizen has his own home address, let’s sign up for the email and be a netizen. There are many free email service providers like Google, Yahoo, Outlook, Rediff, iCloud etc.

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The Alchemy of Nature

3.5 The Alchemy of Nature

To see a world in a grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour
- William Blake
We instinctively turn to outdoor activities and nature as a way of relaxing and enhancing our wellbeing. Nature soothes and nurtures. Nature fulfils and motivates. Nature whispers and commands. Are you listening ? When I do, it leaves me in complete awe. We have a hibiscus plant in our garden. Every fortnight a flower blooms on it-big, bright and tender. Through the day it smiles with the sun and dances with the wind, but as evening approaches, it starts wilting. The morning after, it withers completely and by evening it falls and becomes one with the earth again. The flower comes to life only for a day, yet it does so in full splendour. What if we too lived our life, however short, to its fullest? We went to a rocky beach and saw the spread of the majestic ocean and the rocks alongside, carved, sculpted and shaped by the water. Water is so gentle, rock so hard, yet, as the water flows over it every day, for years, the rock gives in. It takes the shape that the water commands. Our problems are so colossal and we are so small, yet if we persist... We saw small bits of grass peeping through the small cracks in a concrete pavement. It left us thinking : however impossible things may look, there is always an opening... We saw a tree bare of all leaves in the cold winter months. We thought its chapter was over. But three months passed, spring set in and the tree was back to its green majesty once again, full of leaves, flowers, birds and life. What if we too had the conviction that, however difficult things are right now, it will not remain so for ever. Remember, this too shall pass. We saw an army of ants lugging a fly which was at least ten times the ant’s size. The ants organized themselves around the fly, lifted it on frail feelers and carried it to quite a distance. Their teamwork and perseverance were impressive. What if we too are consistent, organized, focused...Spider webs are delicate, yet very strong. A rainbow colours the entire sky. Oysters take in a grain of sand they open up with a pearl. Innumerable stars shine across the infinite sky. Clouds take new shapes with every passing moment. The wind makes trees dance with unhindered passion. Water, without hint of ego, changes its form according to the dictates of the sun and the wind. When we see a caterpillar turn into a butterfly, a flower turn into a fruit, we experience the alchemy of nature... we touch it and become gold ourselves.

- Raksha Bharadia

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Let’s March! - Part 2

3.4 Let’s March!

Part 2

We can do it ... You may ask that - what can one person do? I would recall a story of my childhood: A heavy fire had broken out in the forest. All the animals were running away, including lion, the king of the forest. Suddenly, then he saw a tiny bird rushing towards the fire. He asked the bird, “What are you doing?” To the lion’s surprise, the bird replied “I am going to extinguish the fire.” The lion laughed and said, “How can you do it keeping just one drop of water, in your beak?” The bird was adamant, and she said, “I am doing my bit.” Eighteen years ago, millions of individuals marched across the globe. And demanded a new international law for the abolition of worst form of child labour, and it has happened, we did it, millions of individuals did it. Friends! We live in an age of rapid globalisation. We are connected through high-speed Internet. We exchange our goods and services in one single global market. Thousands of flights every day connect us from one corner to another corner of the globe. But there is one serious disconnect and there is a lack of compassion. Let us inculcate and transform these individuals’ compassion into a global compassion. Let us globalise compassion. Mahatma Gandhi said, “If we are to teach real peace in this world... we shall have to begin with the children.” I humbly add, let us unite the world through the compassion for our children. I ask - Whose children are they who stitch footballs, yet never played with one? Whose children are they who harvest cocoa, yet have never tasted chocolate? Whose children are they who are dying of Ebola? Whose children are they who are kidnapped and held hostage? They are all our children. I remember an eight-year-old girl we rescued from intergenerational forced labour from stone quarries. When she was sitting in my car right after her rescue, she asked me: “Why did you not come earlier?” Her angry question still shakes me – and has the power to shake the whole world. Her question is for all of us. What are we doing? What are we waiting for? How many girls will we allow to go without rescue? Children are questioning our inaction and watching our actions. We need collective actions with a sense of urgency. Every single minute matters, every single child matters, every single childhood matters. Therefore, I challenge the passivity and pessimism surrounding our children. I challenge this culture of silence and this culture of passivity, this culture of neutrality. I call upon all the governments, intergovernmental agencies, businesses, faith leaders, workers, teachers and NGOs, and each one of us, to put an end to all forms of violence against children. Slavery, trafficking, child marriages, child labour, sexual abuse, and illiteracy these things have no place in any civilised society. Friends, we can do this. Governments must make child - friendly policies, and invest in education and young people. Businesses must be more responsible, accountable and open to innovative partnerships. Intergovernmental agencies must work together to accelerate action. Global civil society must rise above the business-as-usual and fragmented agendas. Faith leaders and institutions, and all of us must stand with our children. We must be bold, we must be ambitious, and we must have the will. We must keep our promises. Over fifty years ago, on the first day of my school, I met a cobbler boy, my age sitting outside the gate of my school. I asked my teachers: “Why is he working outside? Why is he not with us in the school?” My teachers had no answer. One day, I gathered the courage to ask the boys’ father. He said: “Sir, I have never thought about it. We are born to work.” His answer made me angry. It still makes me angry. As a child, I had a vision of tomorrow. A vision of that cobbler boy sitting with me in my classroom. Now, that tomorrow has become TODAY. I am TODAY, and you are TODAY. TODAY it is time for every child to have a right to life, right to freedom, right to health, right to education, right to safety, right to dignity, right to equality, and right to peace. TODAY, beyond the darkness, I see the smiling faces of our children in the blinking stars. TODAY, in every wave of every ocean, I see my children are playing and dancing. TODAY, in every plant, in every tree, and mountain, I see our children growing freely with dignity. Friends, I want you to see and feel this TODAY inside you. My dear sisters and brothers, as I said many interesting things are happening today. May I please request you to put your hand close to your heart - close your eyes and feel the child inside you? I am sure you can - Now, listen to that child. Listen please. Today, I see thousands of Mahatma Gandhis, Nelson Mandelas and Martin Luther Kings calling on us. Let us democratise knowledge. Let us universalise justice. Together, let us globalise compassion! I call upon you in this room, and all across the world. I call for a march from exploitation to education, I call for a march from poverty to shared prosperity, a march from slavery to liberty, and a march from violence to peace. Let us march from ignorance to awakening. Let us march from darkness to light. Let us march from mortality to divinity. Let us march!

- (Nobel Acceptance Speech by Kailash Satyarthi)

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Let’s March! - Part 1

3.4 Let’s March!

Part 1

My dear children of the world ... Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses, Excellencies, distinguished members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, dear brother Tom Harkin, brothers and sisters, and my dear daughter Malala. From this podium of peace and humanity, I am deeply honoured to recite a mantra from the ancient texts of wisdom, Vedas. This mantra carries a prayer, an aspiration and a resolve that has the potential to liberate humanity from all man-made crises. Let’s walk together. In the pursuit of global progress, not a single person should be left out or left behind in any corner of the world, from East to West, from South to North. Let’s speak together, let our minds come together! Learning from the experiences of our ancestors, let us together create knowledge for all that benefits all. I bow to my late parents, to my motherland India, and to the mother earth. With a warm heart I recall how thousands of times, I have been liberated, each time I have freed a child from slavery. In the first smile of freedom on their beautiful faces, I see the Gods smiling. I give the biggest credit of this honour to my movement’s Kaalu Kumar, Dhoom Das and Adarsh Kishore from India and Iqbal Masih from Pakistan who made the supreme sacrifice for protecting the freedom and dignity of children. I humbly accept this award on behalf of all such martyrs, my fellow activists across the world and my countrymen. My journey from the great land of Lord Buddha, Guru Nanak and Mahatma Gandhi; India to Norway is a connect between the two centres of global peace and brotherhood, ancient and modern. Friends, the Nobel Committee has generously invited me to present a “lecture.” Respectfully, I am unable to do that. Because, I am representing here - the sound of silence. The cry of innocence. And, the face of invisibility. I represent millions of those children who are left behind and that’s why I have kept an empty chair here as a reminder. I have come here only to share the voices and dreams of our children - because they are all our children - [gesture to everyone in the audience]. I have looked into their frightened and exhausted eyes. I have held their injured bodies and felt their broken spirits. Twenty years ago, in the foothills of the Himalayas, I met a small, skinny child labourer. He asked me: “Is the world so poor that it cannot give me a toy and a book, instead of forcing me to take a gun or a tool?” I met with a Sudanese child-soldier. He was kidnapped by an extremist militia. As his first training lesson, he was forced to kill his friends and family. He asked me: “What is my fault?” Friends, all the great religions teach us to care for our children. Jesus said: “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to them.” The Holy Quran says: “Kill not your children because of poverty.” Friends! There is no greater violence than to deny the dreams of our children. Therefore ... I refuse to accept that all the temples and mosques and churches and prayer houses have no place for the dreams of our children. I refuse to accept that the world is so poor, when just one week of global military expenditure can bring all the children to classrooms. I refuse to accept that all the laws and constitutions, police and judges are unable to protect our children. I refuse to accept that the shackles of slavery can ever be stronger than the quest for freedom. I REFUSE TO ACCEPT here. My only aim in life is that every child is free to be a child, - free to grow and develop, - free to eat, sleep, and see daylight, - free to laugh and cry, - free to play and learn, - free to go to school, and above all, - free to dream. I have the privilege of working with many courageous people who have the same aim. We have never given up against any threat or attack and we never will. We have made progress in the last couple of decades. We have reduced the number of out-ofschool children by half. We have reduced the number of child labourers by a third. We have reduced child mortality and malnutrition, and we have prevented millions of child deaths. But, let us make no mistake, great challenges still remain. Friends! The biggest challenge or biggest crisis knocking on the doors of humankind is fear and intolerance. We have utterly failed our children in imparting an education. An education that gives the meaning and objective of life. An education that gives a sense of global citizenship among the youth. I am afraid that the day is not very far away when the cumulative result of this failure, will culminate in an unprecedented violence, and that will be suicidal for humankind. Rights, security, hope can only be restored through education. Young people like Malala ... I’ve started calling her my daughter Malala not just Malala ... So my daughter Malala and other daughters including Kayanat.. in fact.. two Kayanats, and Shazia, and the daughters from Africa, and from all over the world. They are rising up and choosing peace over violence, tolerance over extremism, and courage over fear. The solutions are emerging. But these solutions cannot be found in the deliberations in conferences alone, and cannot be found in prescriptions from a distance. They lie in small groups and local organisations and individuals, who are confronting with the problem every day. Even if they remain unacknowledged, unrecognised and unknown to the world the solution are with them.

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Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

3.3 Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Robert Lee Frost (1874-1963) was an American poet. He is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech. He is one of the most popular and critically respected American poets of the 20th century. He received four Pulitzer prizes for poetry. In this poem, the poet describes a little incident happening in a snowy evening. As a traveller, the poet is fascinated by the beautiful scenes in the woods. He stops to enjoy but his mind urges him to go on.

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

- Robert Frost

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A Lesson in Life from A Beggar

3.2 A Lesson in Life from A Beggar

Meena is a good friend of mine. She is an LIC officer earning a good salary. But there was always something strange about her. She was forever unhappy. Whenever I met her, I would start to feel depressed. It was as though her gloom and cynicism had a way of spreading to others. She never had anything positive to say on any subject or about any person. For instance, I might say to her, ‘Meena, did you know Rakesh has come first in his school ?’ Meena’s immediate response would be to belittle the achievement. ‘Naturally, his father is a school teacher’, she would say. If I said, ‘Meena, Shwetha is a very beautiful girl, isn’t she?’ Meena would be pessimistic. ‘When a pony is young, he looks handsome. It is age that matters. Wait for some time. Shwetha will be uglier than anyone you know.’ ‘Meena, it’s a beautiful day. Let’s go for a walk’. ‘No, the sun is too hot and I get tired if I walk too much. Besides, who says walking is good for health ? There’s no proof.’ That was Meena. She stayed alone in an apartment as her parents lived in Delhi. She was an only child and had the habit of complaining about anything and everything. Naturally, she wasn’t a very pleasant company and nobody wanted to visit her. Then one day, Meena was transferred to Bombay and soon we all forgot about her. Many years later, I found myself caught in the rain at Bombay’s Flora Fountain. It was pouring and I didn’t have an umbrella. I was standing near Akbarallys, a popular department store, waiting for the rain to subside. Suddenly, I spotted Meena. My first reaction was to run, even in that pouring rain. I was anxious to avoid being seen by her, having to listen to her never-ending complaints. However, I couldn’t escape. She had already seen me and caught hold of my hand warmly. What’s more, she was very cheerful. ‘Hey ! I am really excited. It’s nice to meet old friends. What are you doing here ?’ I explained that I was in Bombay on an official work. ‘Then stay with me tonight,’ she said. ‘Let’s chat. Do you know that, old friends and memories are precious and rare ?’ I couldn’t believe it. Was this really Meena? I pinched myself hard to be sure it wasn’t a dream. But Meena was really standing there, right in front of me, squeezing my hand, smiling, and yes, she did look happy. In the three years she had been in Bangalore, I had never once seen her smiling like that. A few strands of grey in her hair reminded me that years had passed. There were a few wrinkles in her face, but the truth was that she looked more attractive than ever before. Finally, I managed to say, ‘No Meena, I can’t stay with you tonight. I have to attend a dinner. Give me your card and I’ll keep in touch with you, I promise.’ For a moment, Meena looked disappointed, ‘Let’s go and have tea at least’, she insisted. ‘But Meena, it’s pouring.’ ‘So what ? We’ll buy an umbrella and then go to the Grand Hotel,’ she said. ‘We won’t get a taxi in this rain’, I grumbled. ‘So what ? We’ll walk’. I was very surprised. This wasn’t the same Meena I had known. Today, she seemed ready to make any number of adjustments. We reached the Grand Hotel drenched. By then the only thought in my mind was to find out who or what had brought about such a change in the pessimistic Meena I had known. I was quite curious. ‘Tell me Meena, is there a Prince Charming who has managed to change you so ?’ Meena was surprised by my question. ‘No, there isn’t anyone like that’, she said. ‘Then what’s the secret of your energy ?’ I asked, like Tendulkar does in the advertisement. She smiled, ‘A beggar changed my life.’ I was absolutely dumbfounded and she could see it. ‘Yes, a beggar,’ she repeated, as if to reassure me. ‘He was old and used to stay in front of my house with his five-year old granddaughter. As you know, I was a chronic pessimist. I used to give my leftovers to this beggar every day. I never spoke to him. Nor did he speak to me. One monsoon day, I looked out of my bedroom window and started cursing the rain. I don’t know why I did that because I wasn’t even getting wet. That day I couldn’t give the beggar and his granddaughter their daily quota of leftovers. They went hungry, I am sure. ‘However, what I saw from my window surprised me. The beggar and the young girl were playing on the road because there was no traffic. They were laughing, clapping and screaming joyously, as if they were in paradise. Hunger and rain did not matter. They were totally drenched and totally happy. I envied their zest for life. ‘That scene forced me to look at my own life. I realized I had so many comforts, none of which they had. But they had the most important of all assets, one which I lacked. They knew how to be happy with life as it was. I felt ashamed of myself. I even started to make a list of what I had and what I did not have. I found I had more to be grateful for than most people could imagine. That day, I decided to change my attitude towards life, using the beggar as my role model.’ After a long pause, I asked Meena how long it had taken her to change. ‘Once this realization dawned’, she said, ‘it took me almost two years to put the change into effect. Now nothing matters. I am always happy. I find happiness in every small thing, in every situation and in every person.’ ‘Did you give any gurudakshina to your guru ?’ I asked. ‘No. Unfortunately, by the time I understood things, he was dead. But I sponsored his granddaughter to a boarding school as a mark of respect to him.’

- Sudha Murthy

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If

3.1 If

Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) : Rudyard Kipling was an English journalist, short story writer, poet and novelist. Kipling was one of the most popular writers in the United Kingdom, in both prose and verse, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1907 at the age of 42. He was the first writer writing in English to receive the prize.
This poem deals with advice given by father to his son.

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream and not make dreams your master;
If you can think and not make thoughts, your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth, you’ve spoken,
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings, nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And which is more you’ll be a Man, my son!

- Rudyard Kipling

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Live English - Slide Shows - Making PowerPoint Presentations

Unit Three - Live English - Making PowerPoint Presentations

Making PowerPoint Presentations

(a) Read the following paragraph about PowerPoint. A PowerPoint is like a magic wand that makes you a wizard in presentation skills. There are innumerable uses of PowerPoint and it has been one of the most popular application of Microsoft Office since the very beginning. A slide show can help a teacher deliver a lesson, illustrate historical and geographical facts and data, easily display and analyse statistical information, or in training. A slide show can be a valuable tool for learning and sharing for the learners. Whether presenting at annual events, science meets or convincing parents to get a gadget, PowerPoint presentations are very useful. Gaskins has saved our hours of painstakingly handcrafting displays by inventing PowerPoint. Here are steps on how to create a basic slide show using Microsoft PowerPoint.

Step 1: Open Microsoft PowerPoint

Step 2: Go to File at the top of the screen and click “New”. Choose Blank Presentation or any of the Templates from the right side of your screen. Click it to create new Presentation 1.

Step 3: Slide Design You may choose a different color and design for your template by clicking on “Design” button in the Menu option.

Step 4: Adding Text Enter your text by clicking and then typing in the box titled “Click to Add Text” or “Click to Add Title” on the Slide 1.

Step 5: Adding Pictures Click on Insert in the File and click on “Pictures” to add picture from your computer. Or just Drag and Drop the picture in Slide layout from the folder in your computer.

Step 6: Resizing Pictures You may change the size of your picture by clicking on the picture. The picture will then have black lines around it with small bubbles or boxes in the corners. Place your mouse over the bubbles or boxes and click. Holding the mouse pointer down, drag the picture to the size you want. Various image formatting tools can be accessed from “Format” in the Menu.

Step 7: Add Transitions Add effects to your presentation by selecting different transition modes for different slides from “Transition” in the Menu.

Step 8: You’re Done Wasn’t that easy? Now you can do it again to make more Slides. Select design of your new slide from “New Slide” button under “Home” Menu. Keep adding!

Step 9: Go Live! Start your Slide Show. Click “From Beginning” button under “Slide Show” in the Menu.

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World Heritage

2.6 World Heritage

A World Heritage Site is a site determined by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to have significant cultural or natural importance to humanity. As such the sites are protected and maintained by the International World Heritage Programme which is administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. Because World Heritage Sites are places that are significant culturally and naturally, they vary in type and include forests, lakes, monuments, buildings and cities. World Heritage Sites can also be a combination of both cultural and natural areas. For example, Mount Huangshan in China is a site with significance to human culture because it played a role in historical Chinese art and literature. The mountain is also significant because of its physical landscape characteristics.
HISTORY OF WORLD HERITAGE SITES
Although the idea of protecting cultural and natural heritage sites around the world began in the early twentieth century, momentum for its actual creation was not until the 1950s. In 1954, Egypt started plans to build the Aswan High Dam to collect and control water from the Nile River. The initial plan for the dam’s construction would have flooded the valley containing the Abu Simbel Temples and scores of ancient Egyptian artefacts. To protect the temples and artifacts, UNESCO launched an international campaign in 1959 that called for the dismantling and movement of the temples to higher ground. The project cost an estimated US $80 million, $40 million of which came from 50 different countries. Because of the project’s success, UNESCO and the International Council on Monuments and Sites initiated a draft convention to create an international organization responsible for protecting cultural heritage. Shortly thereafter in 1965, a White House Conference in the United States called for a “World Heritage Trust” to protect historic cultural sites but to also protect the world’s significant natural and scenic sites. Finally, in 1968, the International Union for Conservation of Nature developed similar goals and presented them at the United Nations conference on Human Environment in Stockholm, Sweden in 1972. Following the presentation of these goals, the Convention concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage was adopted by UNESCO’s General Conference on November 16, 1972.
THE WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE
Today, the World Heritage Committee is the main group responsible for establishing which sites will be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Committee meets once a year and consists of representatives from 21 State Parties that are elected for six year terms by the World Heritage Center’s General Assembly. The State Parties are then responsible for identifying and nominating new sites within their territory to be considered for inclusion on the World Heritage list.
BECOMING A WORLD HERITAGE SITE
There are five steps in becoming a World Heritage Site, the first of which is for a country or State Party to take an inventory of its significant cultural and natural sites. This is called the Tentative List and it is important because nominations to the World Heritage List will not be considered unless the nominated site was first included on the Tentative List. Next, countries are then able to select sites from their Tentative Lists to be included on a Nomination File. The third step is a review of the Nomination File by two Advisory Bodies consisting of the International Council on Monuments and Sites and the World Conservation Union, who then make recommendations to the World Heritage Committee. The World Heritage Committee meets once a year to review these recommendations and decide which sites will be added to the World Heritage List. The final step in becoming a World Heritage Site is determining whether or not a nominated site meets at least one of ten selection criteria. If the site meets these criteria, it can then be inscribed on the World Heritage List. Once a site goes through this process and is chosen, it remains the property of the country on whose territory it sits, but it also becomes considered within the international community.
TYPES OF WORLD HERITAGE SITES
As of 2009, there are 890 World Heritage Sites that are located in 148 countries (map). 689 of these sites are cultural and include places like the Sydney Opera House in Australia and the Historic Center of Vienna in Austria. 176 are natural and feature such locations as the U.S.’s Yellowstone and Grand Canyon National Parks. 25 of the World Heritage Sites are considered mixed i.e. natural and cultural Peru’s Machu Picchu is one of these. Italy has the highest number of World Heritage Sites with 44. India has 36 (28 cultural, 7 natural and 1 mixed) World Heritage Sites. The World Heritage Committee has divided the world’s countries into five geographic zones which include (1) Africa, (2) Arab States, (3) Asia Pacific (including Australia and Oceania), (4) Europe and North America and (5) Latin America and the Caribbean.
WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN DANGER
Like many natural and historic cultural sites around the world, many World Heritage Sites are in danger of being destroyed or lost due to war, poaching, natural disasters like earthquakes, uncontrolled urbanization, heavy tourist traffic and environmental factors like air pollution and acid rain. World Heritage Sites that are in danger are inscribed on a separate List of World Heritage Sites in Danger which allows the World Heritage Committee to allocate resources from the World Heritage Fund to that site. In addition, different plans are put into place to protect and/or restore the site. If however, a site loses the characteristics which allowed for it to be originally included on the World Heritage List, the World Heritage Committee can choose to delete the site from the list. To learn more about World Heritage Sites, visit the World Heritage Centre’s website at whc.unesco.org.

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Book Review - Swami and Friends by R. K. Narayan

2.5 Book Review - Swami and Friends by R. K. Narayan

A little bit about the book...

Anything I mention about the book can be mistakenly understood as 'spoilers', so I would rather give a glance into the book without mentioning any events or plots of the story. Swami is a mischievous little kid of about 10 years old and living in the era where India was under the British rule... Like most kids of that age, Swami is a kid who cannot stay at one place and absolutely hates school, even worse Mathematics. School is his absolute nightmare. Anyway the story unfolds around the happenings of this kid and how he constantly gets into trouble and gets a good beating from his father. Swami is a talkative little kid and thinks that’s his way of facing life, talking himself out of everything. But he does learn the truth the harsh way. As many teens back then, all he wants to do is play under the sun, kick something, climb a tree, break something and harass somebody (unlike kids today!!!). This, in fact, was (and in most parts of India, still is) the life of a typical boy growing up. Technology isn’t big in a kid's life. All they want is to play havoc!!! In what ways is Swami a typical boy in his growing years ? In this regard, Narayan gets deeply into the workings of Swami’s ten year old mind, explaining exquisitely how he thinks and what his perspective of the world is. The reader does feel like Swami and gets very attached with the character as the story progresses. That's the magic of Narayan.

Significance of the book...

‘Swami and Friends’ by R. K. Narayan is not merely an interesting read that could be enjoyed from top to bottom, but the work attributes a lot of literary values even if it is a teen book. ‘Swami and Friends’ is a good read for the kids and teens alike. Also the book is widely used in the Asian continent as a study text for the students who study literature as a subject at schools. This does not mean that the book is filled with heavy grammar and technical jargon. Actually the truth is in contrary to this. Swami and Friends is written in such simple English it is hard to imagine that it is a work of such a literary genius like R. K. Narayan. The English used in the book is both plain simple, without any troubling words for the kids. Also the use of simple and short sentences adds to the simplicity of the book. It is mentioned in the description that the book is about a mischievous ten year old Indian boy, and some parents may be concerned about the influence this will have on their already mischievous children. But the book is as such, that it encompasses the mischief of the kids in a view of the kid which is harmless and pure in his perspective. Also amidst all the mischief and naughtinees, we actually find that Swami is a loving and a tender kid who's actually very sensitive. It is also a known fact that mischievous kids are the most sensitive and loving people of all. And R. K. Narayan does a great job conveying that to all of us. So in conclusion it can be said that this book is a good read for children of all ages, who may just enjoy a good read or who may want to improve their English skills.

About the author...

The author of 'Swami and Friends' is India's one of the greatest authors of all time, R. K. Narayan. R. K. Narayan is responsible for many of the outstanding literary works India has ever produced. And this book in particular captures the essence of India under British ruling and the mind and life of a typical teenage kid. Other great works by Narayan include - ‘Malgudi Days’, ‘The Guide’, ‘The Painter of Signs’ and many more literary works such as ‘The Ramayana’ : A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic and ‘The Mahabharata’ : A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic Go take a look at them if you are interested..

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