Prasanna

Plus One English Harmony of Life Questions And Answers

Class 11 English Unit 5 Question Answer

Good health is a state of complete physical, social and mental well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity Health is a resource for everyday life, not the object of living, and is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources as well as physical capabilities.

– WHO

Look at the Logo give below.

Question 1.
Can you identify the words that appear with the entry ‘wellness’ in the logo?
Answer:
The words are Health, exercise, flexibility, movement, balance, energy.

Question 2.
What is your idea of wellness?
Answer:
My idea of wellness is a state of complete physical, social, financial and mental well-being. In other words I should be physically healthy, free from diseases. Socially I must be accepted by others and they should like me. Financially I should be free so that I can have all the material that I think I need for my comfort and happiness. Mental well-being is a state which always keeps me happy, optimistic and contented, free from tensions, worries and anxieties.

Question 3.
Does it pertain to the physical realm alone?
Answer:
No. It also pertains to the social, mental and financial realms.

Question 4.
What are the activities conducted by your School Health Club for promoting wellness?
Answer:
Our School Health Club conducts many activities for promoting wellness. There is a trainer who gives the members yoga classes. Every day a few minutes are spent on physical exercises. Twice a week we have compulsory outdoor games at least for an hour. Once a month we go out trekking. We also have made it a regular practice to plant trees around the compound, or take care of the existing ones. As part of our program the members are asked not to overeat and oversleep. Whenever possible they are encouraged to swim. We also tell the members to come to the school on foot, and not in vehicles, if the distance is not much.

Question 5.
Prepare a logo, (This should be done by each student, ensuring that the logo reflects some of the aims (goals) of the Club.)
Answer:

Harmony of Life About the Unit

The holistic concept of wellness is the basic premise of this unit. It has a short story, a poem and an essay. The short story ‘Gooseberries’ by Anton Chekhov reflects on the belief in following one’s dream and doing whatever it takes to achieve that. The poem To Sleep’ by William Wordsworth stresses the importance of good sleep. The essay ‘Going out for a walk’ by Max Beerbohm challenges the notion that walking is a productive mental exercise – especially if one is with a talkative companion.

I. Read And Reflect

Chekhov’s ‘Gooseberries’ is a story of two brothers who pursue happiness in their own ways. The story gives plenty of opportunities to critically examine the ways they have chosen. The extent to which they succeed is a/so worth our consideration.

Plus One English Textbook Answers

Plus One English Words and Deeds Questions And Answers

Plus One English Unit 2 Questions And Answers

Let’s Begin

Question 1.
“Deeds must be an execution of words. Mahatma Gandhi was true to his words in his deeds. His life was a message.” This is what Albert Einstein wrote about Gandhi on his 70th birthday, in 1939:
Answer:
Mahatma Gandhi: He was a leader of his people, unsupported by any outward authority. He was a politician whose success did not rest upon craft or the mastery of technical devices but simply on the convincing power of his personality. He was a victorious fighter who always refused to use force. He was a man of wisdom and humility. He was armed with resolve and inflexible consistency. He devoted all his strength to the uplifting of his people and the betterment of their condition. He faced the brutality of Europe with the dignity of a simple human being.

Generations to come, it may be, will scarce believe that such a one as this, ever in flesh and blood, walked upon this earth.

Let’s discuss :

Question 2.
What impression of Gandhiji do you get from the brief description given above? Discuss.
Answer:
The impression I get is that Gandhiji was one of the greatest men the world has ever seen. He did not have any political authority but he was a true leader of the people. He was not a shrewd politician who was a master of all latest technologies, but he impressed people with his powerful personality. He always advocated non-violence. Even the might of England could not defeat this ‘Naked Fakirfrom India’ as Winston Churchill once called him. He was a man of wisdom and humility.

He would never run away from any risk and he was determined to succeed. His ambition in life was giving the people of his country freedom and good life which they could enjoy in peace and brotherhood. He advocated tolerance and he believed that God is one known by different names – Ishwar, Allah, God. All human beings are the sons and daughters of the same Father. Gandhi was not only a nationalist but a great internationalist who believed in the fraternity of the humankind all over the world. Gandhiji is the greatest son of India.

Question 3.
What kind of a ‘fighter’ is Gandhi?
Answer:
Gandhi is a fighter who believed in non-violence. He would never give up, fearing defeat. He was even willing to sacrifice his life to attain his goals which he believed to be just and right.

Question 4.
‘One must practise what one preaches.’ How far is the statement true of Mahatma Gandhi?
Answer:
Mahatma Gandhi always practised what he preached. He strongly believed that “Deeds must be an execution of words.” Empty words never came out of his mouth. If he said something people could be sure that he would do it. He even gave up his life to practise what he preached.

Read and Reflect

Question 1.
Jawaharlal Nehru writes about the timely arrival of Gandhiji to Indian politics. India was in great need of such a leader. Gandhiji was like a beam of light that removed the darkness. Nehru makes a right assessment of Gandhiji in his book ‘Discovery of India’. Here is an excerpt.

“Keep your thoughts positive
because your thoughts become your words
Keep your words positive
because your words become your behaviour.”

Words and Deeds About this Unit:

– Mahatma Gandhi

The theme of this unit is the need for the symbiotic relationship between words and deeds. The unit aims at inculcating the right values through a few examples. It has an essay by Nehru titled “And Then Gandhi Came”, a story written by Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay with the title The Price of Flowers’, translated by Lila Ray, and a poem ‘Death the Leveller’ by James Shirley.

The texts and the activities are designed to help the students to imbibe the values of good citizenship. They also enable them to acquire a strong linguistic foundation.

Plus One English Textbook Answers

Plus One English Conceptual Fruit Questions And Answers

Class 11 English Unit 6 Chapter 3 Conceptual Fruit Questions And Answers

Question 1.
How does the wife, and the son, react to the man’s excitement? What does this tell us about their character?
Answer:
The wife and the son react to the man’s excitement in a negative way. They are uninterested in the whole thing. This tells that they are not much concerned with the happiness of Greta who is a differently-abled child.

Question 2.
Why are the son and the wife uninterested? Do you approve of their attitude?
Answer:
The son is not interested because he wants to devote all his life to karate. The wife says she has been sitting in front of the computer and she wants to spend her evenings in the garden. Both of them are not bothered in the welfare or happiness of Greta. I don’t approve of their attitude.

Question 3.
Greta is a special child. How do you know that? Have you ever visited a special school?
Answer:
I know that Greta is a special child because she had worked hard to tie her shoes by age ten. Although she was 16, she is in the 5th grade-level. Her younger brother who is 11 is in a higher grade. She went to a special school.
I have visited a special school and I have seen how differently-abled children are taught various skills.

Question 4.
What is the father’s expectation of his daughter’s future prospects?
Answer:
Greta could type very slowly. Her father expected that by the time she left her school, she might be able to type fast enough to get a job at some word processing centre. But he was not sure about it as Greta was a differently-abled child.

Question 5.
Who is Sam? Why he is mentioned here? Do yo have any friend who has done interesting things in the field of computers?
Answer:
Sam is the person who set up the whole library of classics on the Internet. He is mentioned here to show that people can do wonderful things if they worked with the computer diligently. I have a friend who has done interesting things in the field of computers. He works on cryptology – a secret language.

Question 6.
How is Greta described in these lines? What does this convey about the character of Greta?
Answer:
Greta is a young girl of 16. She is a differently-abled child. She is doing 5th grade-level. Her younger brother is in a higher level. She goes to a special school. She has blonde hair and blue eyes and she wears a sweater. She has the habit of repeating things * she hears. She picks at the sweater when she knows she has got something right. She makes a furtive smile when she pretends that she understood something that made no sense to her. She likes a big house with 11 windows. She wants sheer white curtains for all of them. She wants bowls of different fruits everywhere.

She loves peaches very much. She wants her bowls to be blue. She can type a bit. People hope when she leaves school she can work at word processing job. She is a helpful girl. When her mother is cutting blackberries she goes to help her.

Question 7.
What made Greta disappointed? How did her father try to console her? Was his explanation convincing?
Answer:
When she clicked bowl, the word peaches appeared. She thought she would get real peaches to eat and when they did not come she was disappointed. Her father says to get real peaches one has to go to the store. Her father further adds that when people see words like peaches or apples on the screen they are reminded of them and people like it. His explanation was convincing.

Question 8.
Why doesn’t Greta intend to have a bathroom in her house?
Answer:
Greta does not intend to have a bathroom in her house because it is not a real house and so people would not use it.

Question 9.
Why does she give a furtive smile when she saw the word ‘peaches’ on the computer screen? What does it indicate?
Answer:
Greta clicked and the word peaches appeared on the computer screen and then she smiled. It was a furtive smile -the smile she got when she pretended to have understood something which made no sense to her. It indicates the appearance of the word without the actual thing has no meaning for her.

Question 10.
Can you identify the words that tell you that she is disinterested?
Answer:
When her father says there could be other fruit – apples, pears and there could be flowers, she responds by saying, “Sure, there could be anything.” These words of hers tell us that she is disinterested.

Question 11.
What are the thoughts of the father? Do you think that they are touching? Why?
Answer:
The father knows that Greta would never have a house of her own. She would live in a group house with other people like her. He only hopes the house would be large and have sheer white curtains in all the rooms. He hopes it would have an orchard with fruit in real blue bowls: apples, pears, peaches – whatever Greta wanted.

His thoughts are touching as they are the sincere wishes of a loving father who knows her daughter is differently-abled and can’t have what she wants. He represents all fathers with differently-abled children.

Activity – I (Read and respond)

Question 1.
A story can be analysed based on its characters, setting, plot, mood, structure and its language. In the light of your reading of the story discuss these elements in groups and complete the table. The table gives you a few details about these elements.

Answer:
Characters: Greta, her father, her brother, her mother and Sam
Settings: The dining room in the home of Greta.
Plot: Greta’s father trying to make her, a differently abled girl, happy by making her a house of her choice in the cyberspace.
Mood: It is one of hope and joy. Greta gets what he wanted and she is happy.
Structure & Language: The writer has used simple, everyday language. The story is taken forward through dialogues. It has good characterization. It shows a loving father taking pains to make his differently-abled child happy.

Question 2.
Read the notes on characters on page 178. Classify the characters as primary secondary and tertiary.

Answer:

Primary	Secondary	Tertiary
Geetha and her father	Her mother	Sam and her brother

Question 3.
Can we call this a technology story?
Answer:
Yes, we can call this a technology story.

Question 4.
Why do you think so?
Answer:
I think so because here technology is used to make a differently-abled girl happy. Technology fulfils her dream.

Question 5.
Do you have any evidence to cite?
Answer:
Yes, I have. “Greta clicked and this time smiled.”

Question 6.
Write a short paragraph about this.
Answer:
Greta is a differently-abled girl. Differently-abled people have some physical or mental handicaps. Because of that they are not able to enjoy the normal charms of daily life. In such cases technology plays a big role. It gives the differently-abled people also to enjoy certain things. In the story, Greta wants to have a house of her own. She can’t get a real house of her choice. But technology comes to her rescue and gives an imaginary house.

She wants a blue bowl in every room. She wants peaches in the kitchen and living room and all the bedrooms. She wanted
11 windows covered with sheer white curtains. She wanted a kitchen, a dining room, a living room, a bedroom for a cat. She gets all that in the cyberspace and she is happy.

Activity – II (Think and respond)

Read the excerpt given on p. 178 and answer the following questions.

‘When he told his family about the site on the Internet where you could create whole streets, his wife and son went on eating their pasta and artichokes. Only his daughter Greta looked up.’

Question 1.
What is interesting about this family?
Answer:
It is a small family and they eat their meals together.

Question 2.
Is it a middle class or upper class family?
Answer:
It is a middle class family.

Question 3.
How do you understand the characters of this story?
Answer:
Greta is differently-abled girl. She goes to a special school. She is 16, but is at a much lower class than her younger brother. She could tie her shoes only by the age of 10. Still she has some desires. She wants to have a big house. She loves peaches. She also loves cats and that is why she specifies that she needs a bedroom for her cat. Her father is quite a loving father. He tries hard to make his daughter happy by trying to give her what she wants on the cyberspace. Greta’s mother and her brother are not so affectionate or considerate. We see them making eyes when Greta asks her father to show her the place on the cyberspace.

Activity – III (Analysis)

Note down the words, phrases or passage that create a picture of the character in your mind in the column to left of the table. Now note your analysis of the characters on the column to the right.

Answer:

Textual information	Reader’s Response
Greta often repeated whatever she heard.	She is not normal.
She could tie her shoes only when she was 10.	She is not normal.
She was in a lower class than her younger brother.	She is not normal.
His wife and son made eyes.	Greta’s mother and her brother were not loving.
Greta say she wants peaches, pears and artichokes.	She loves fruits and vegetables.
She wants white curtains and blue bowls.	Greta loves white and blue things.
I could buy a house on Pomanger street.	Greta’s father wants to give her what she wants.

Activity – IV (Writing)

Question 1.
Read the last paragraph. If you were the author of the story, how would you end the story? Write an alternative ending of the story.
Answer:
Greta and her father continued the conversation. Her father told her that she was doing well with her typing. If she practiced a little more she could soon become art adept at it. Once she has the necessary speed, she could easily get a word processing job.

He further told her that the government has schemes to employ differently abled people in good positions with high salaries. The government also will give housing loans for such people on very easy terms. Once she has a job, she can buy a house of her choice and fulfil her dreams.

“Please bring my laptop, Dad,” Greta said. “I’m going to practice for more time from today.”
“I wish you all the luck in the world, beautiful girl,” her father said. As he was bringing her laptop to her his eyes were brimmed with tears.

Activity – V

Read the notes on page 179.

Question 1.
An email to a relative (telling him about the story)
Answer:
[email protected]
Today I want to tell you about a story I read. There is this girl named Greta. She is a differently-abled girl. She goes to a special school. She is 16, but is at a much lower class than her younger brother. She could tie her shoes only by the age of 10. Still she has some desires. She wants to have a big house. She loves peaches. She also loves cats. Her father is quite a loving father. He tries hard to make his daughter happy. He can’t buy her a real house. Instead he makes her a house on the cyberspace.

Greta wants a blue bowl in every room. She wants peaches in the kitchen and living room and all the bedrooms. She wants 11 windows covered with sheer white curtains. She has a kitchen, a dining room, a living room, a bedroom for a cat. Her mother and brother are not so understanding and compassionate liker her father. As the girl and the father make their plans for the house they make eyes to mean that he is just wasting his time. Greta is happy with her imaginary house. The father hopes and prays that one day Greta may live in a house of her dreams! I felt moved by the emotions of the loving father.

Hope you are keeping well. Write back to me at your earliest.

Lovingly,
job

Activity – VI (Word Power)

Read the notes on page 180.

Question 1.
Write down as many Internet related words as possible.
Answer:
Web, world wide web, cyberspace, cyber crime, cyber law, digital, on-line, download, upload, email, post, chat, access, tag, software, blocking, data stream, spam, virus, anti-virus, info superhighway, networking.

Extended Activities

Activity – I : (Application Letter and CV)

Read the advertisement given on page 180 of the Text.

Question 1.
Type an application Letter and a CV on your desktop or laptop.
Answer:

Application Letter

Jobhaven
Azad Road
Irinjalakuda
Kerala, India
PIN-680 125
17 October 2014

The Manager
Lee Shipping Co. Ltd.
4545 Changi Boulevard
Singapore

Dear Sir,

Application for the post Receptionist/Booking Clerk

This is in response to your advertisement appearing in the “Malaysia Manorama” dated 15 October 2014. I am a B.Com Graduate with 80% marks in the aggregate. I speak and write three languages fluently – English, Hindi and Malayalam. I have completed a course in Microsoft Word and Excel for which I hold a certificate. I have some experience in office work as I worked as a clerk in the KSE Ltd. Irinjalakuda, Kerala, for 2 months during the summer vacation. My detailed C.V. and my recent photograph are enclosed.

I am prepared to come for the interview on any day in the month of October at any place of your choice in India, preferably Kochi. You are assured of full satisfaction if you give me a chance to work under you. Hoping to hear from you soon,

Yours faithfully,
Shweta Raj

Encl: 2

Curriculum Vitate Of Shweta Raj

Name: SHWETA RAJ
Address: Jobhaven, Azad Road, Irinjalakuda,
Kerala, India, PIN 680125
Phone No.: 8547028805
E-mail : [email protected]
Career Objective: To associate myself with a prestigious organization that provides a challenging job and an opportunity to prove innovative and diligent work.
Education

Exam	Institution	Year	% obtained
B.Sc	Christ College, Irinjalakuda	2014	85
+2	St. Mary’s H.S.S. Irinjalakuda	2012	83
S.S.L.C.	St. Mary’s H.S.S. Irinjalakuda	2010	80

Achievements
Member – College Handball Team
Secretary – Commerce Club
Stood second in an Inter-Collegiate Debate
Experience – Worked for2 months as a clerk in KSE Irinjalakuda.
Languages known – English, Hindi and Malayalam (fluent in all of them.)
computer training- Microsoft Word, Excel, Tally, Unix

Personal Details
Date of birth – 20 August 1994
Sex – Female
Nationality-Indian
Marital status – single
References-Available on demand

(Shweta Raj)

Activity – II (Telephone Interview)

Question 1.
Imagine that the company accepted your application and asked you to give a telephone interview. Prepare the script of the telephone interview.
Answer:
Shweta: Good morning! May I know whom I am speaking to?
Manager: Good morning! I am Lee, the Manager of Lee Shipping Co. We got your application and we want to have an interview with you over the phone.
Shweta: That’s great. You may go ahead.
Manager: Shweta, you said in your application that you can speak and write 3 languages fluently. How good are you in English?
Shweta: I feel I am quite good. Ours was an English medium school and so I can speak English quite fluently. I can also write it well.
Manager: You said you have some certificates in computer courses. How good are you with Microsoft Word and Excel?
Shweta: I can’t say that I’m a great expert. But I am quite okay in them and I can do all the normal tasks.
Manager: What salary do you expect, Ms Shweta?
Shweta: I understand that you have offices in India and Singapore. If I have to work in Singapore, I expect a salary of US $ 4000 p.m. If I am posted in India, I can accept a lesser salary, the equivalent of US $2000.
Manager: You will be working in our Indian office. But we can’t pay you US$2000. Will you accept the job if we pay the equivalent of US $ 1500 p.m.?
Shweta: I will accept the offer for the time being.
Manager: When can you join us?
Shweta: Currently I am working with a local firm. So I will need one month’s time.
Manager: Agreed. We expect you to join us on the 1st of October.
Shweta: It’s fine.
Manager: Is there anything you would like to ask?
Shweta: Will I get a chance to come to Singapore anytime?
Manager: Yes, we usually have get-together of all the employees during X-mas time. Then you can come and we will pay you all the expenses of coming, provided you have proved yourself an asset to the company.
Shweta: I assure you I will prove that.
Manager: Okay then! I will send you the necessary papers to sign. Goodbye for now.
Shweta: Goodbye, and have a nice day!

Activity – III (Write-up)

Question 1.
The interview board asked you to prepare a write-up on ‘Why you want this job.’ Prepare a write-up on this in about one-and-a half pages.
Answer:
I want this job because of different reasons. First of all, I am an ambitious person who wants to make use of the talents God has given me. I don’t believe in doing the minimum and getting the maximum. I believe in doing the maximum and getting the maximum. This way I will benefit myself and also my employer.

I want this job because I know that Lee shipping Co. is one of the most prestigious in the world. I have heard that the company appreciates talented people and does its best to promote them to do their best. I understand that the Company gives incentives to those who prove themselves to be competitive and sincere in their work.

I want this job for another reason. I learnt that all the employees of the Company are called for a get- together in Singapore at the time of Christmas. I have heard a lot about Singapore and its achievements. I have heard that Singapore is the cleanest city in the world. I want to visit Singapore and experience myself some the marvels Singapore has.

I want this job for yet another reason. I am told that Lee Shipping Company encourages hardworking and intelligent people by giving them special training to do more responsible jobs where they will have a lot of benefits. I feel that I am intelligent and hardworking and I will also be noticed by the authorities and they give me a chance to grow to the greatest potential I am capable of.

Last but not the least I want this job because of the good salary I am offered. With my qualification and experience I feel this is the best I can get. With encouragement and assistance from the authorities I am sure I will be able to go higher in my life and achieve my aims. I have dreams of a good life and I am sure this job will help me to realize my dreams.

Conceptual Fruit (Short Story) About the Author

Thaisa Frank is a famous short- story writer. She worked as a psychotherapist before becoming a full time writer. She also teaches at the University of San Francisco. This short story is about the Internet.

Conceptual Fruit (Short Story) Summary in English

Page 174: When he told his family about the site on the Internet where you could create whole streets, his wife and son went on eating pasta and artichokes (edible flower buds). Only his daughter Greta looked up. He said he could buy a house on Pomanger Street. He could put as many rooms in it as he wanted and fill them with fruit. He could also make his own library.

His son, who was eleven, agreed with him. His son knew how to programme computers. But he was not interested. He wanted to give away his books and devote his life to karate.

His wife ate the heart of the artichoke carefully. He wanted to know her opinion. She said that she was in front of the computer the whole day and she wanted to spend the evenings in the garden. He knew that she was not interested.

Greta looked up from her artichoke leaves. She was arranging them in a circular pattern in her bowl. She said: “You said that there were streets. You said there could be fruit.” Greta often repeated what she heard. She had worked hard to tie her shoes by age ten and could read at fifth grade level, five grades below Joel, even though she was sixteen. She went to a special school. She said she wanted to see the place. Her father said he would show her. His wife and his son made eyes indicating their displeasure. They thought: “He is at it again. He’s getting Greta into it, too.”

Page 175: He said he would show her where she can make up streets and bowls of fruit. Greta sat in his chair and he sat next to her. Greta could type very slowly. By the time she left her school, she might be able to type fast enough to get a word processing job. But nobody was certain.

The man said that there was this guy named Sam who set up that whole library of classics. He lived in Illinois, but he made this wonderful place. He wanted her to watch. He clicked into the programme and was about to show Greta the collection of books when he saw her staring into space. He asked her if she wanted something of her own.

She said she wanted peaches and pears and artichokes. He asked her if she wanted them with bowls in a kitchen of a house or in a garden. He was typing, creating a street called Greta’s Street, a house called Greta’s house. Greta wanted to know why he was writing all that down. He said he was writing them down because they all were hers. Greta looked at the screen. Her blond hair blended with her sweater. Her blue eyes were the only colour in her face.

She said she wanted a bowl in every room. She wanted peaches in the kitchen and living room and all the bedrooms. He asked her if she did not want artichokes. Greta picked at her sweater. This is something she did when she knew she had got it right. She had forgotten about the artichokes and he was sorry that he had reminded her. He said he would put peaches everywhere. He wanted to know if the bowls should be of the same colour. She said they all should be blue colour. He then asked her how many windows she wanted and whether there should be a fireplace and if there should be curtains. Greta wanted 11 windows covered with sheer white curtains as the ones she had in her bedroom.

Page 176: He said he would start with the fruit in the kitchen. He wrote Greta’s kitchen and asked her to walk around and take fruits from the bowl and eat them. She asked where the peaches were. He said they would come in a minute. She should click under bowl and see what happens. He covered the screen for a moment and wrote peaches. He asked to try it by clicking bowl. Greta clicked bowl and the word peaches appeared. She told him that it was just a word. He said that was the idea and she can see a picture of the fruit.

She said she thought she would make real peaches. He said she had to go to the store to get them. She said here she just saw only words and wanted to know why people liked them. He said that they reminded people of the things the words stand for as she saw in her books.

He created other rooms as wanted by Greta: a kitchen, a dining room, a living room, a bedroom, a room fora cat and one bathroom. Then she said there was no need for a bathroom as it is not a real house and so people would not use it. He agreed. He programmed bowls of peaches in every room. He asked Greta to click.

Greta clicked and smiled when the word peaches appeared. It was a shifty smile – the smile she got when she pretended to have understood something which made no sense to her. He said there could be other fruit like apples, and pears and there could be flowers. Greta agreed and said there could be anything.

His wife was cutting blackberries in the garden. Greta was getting up from her chair to help her. Greta would never have a house of her own. She would live in a group house with other people like her. He hoped the house would be large and have sheer white curtains in all the rooms. He hoped it would have an orchard with fruit in real blue bowls: apples, pears, peaches-whatever Greta wanted.

Conceptual Fruit (Short Story) Vocabulary

Plus One English Textbook Answers

Plus One English Is Society Dead Questions And Answers

Class 11 English Unit 6 Chapter 2 Is Society Dead Questions And Answers

Question 1.
What aspect of New York did the author notice?
Answer:
The aspect of New York that the author noticed was that its nightlife was very much dead.

Question 2.
The day life in New York is powerfully presented in these lines. Suppose you describe the same in your own city, what points will you note?
Answer:
I will note the noise of people talking and rushing, the vehicles hooting, the haste and hurry both by people and vehicles, the vendors of various fancy items trying to make a buck, and the worried faces of people.

Question 3.
Have you noticed i-Pod people in your town too? Is there any difference between toe i-Pod generation in New York and those in your own town?
Answer:
Yes, I have noticed them in my town also. There is some difference between the i-Pod generation in New York and those in my town. Here the i-Pod people do not emit strange tuneless squawks and snap their fingers. Their arms don’t twitch here, as in New York.

Question 4.
What, according to the author, are the markers to identify the i-Pod generation?
Answer:
According to the author, they walk down the street in their own MP3 cocoon, bumping into others, deaf to small social cues, shutting out anyone not in their bubble. Every now and then, some start emitting some strange tuneless sounds and their fingers snap or their twitch some soundless rhythm. When people tell them, ‘Excuse me’ or ‘Hello’, there is no response. They hear so little.

Question 5.
This article is replete with powerful anti-technology words for presenting the arguments of the author. Try to list down those expressions, e.g., anesthetized technology.
Answer:
In their own MP3 cocoon, i-Pod generation emitting strange tuneless squawks, their fingers snap and their arms twitch, glazed pupils, white box worshipers, compulsive obsession, atomization by little white boxes and cell phones, hermit crabs, addictive cults, white wires hanging from their ears, i-Pod generation.

Question 6.
Why does the author say that technology has given us a universe entirely for ourselves?
Answer:
The people today are cut off from the affairs of the world by their technological devices. They do not see or hear anything as they are immersed in a world of their own choice where nothing happens by chance. All technological devices like the satellite radio, cable TV and Cell phone support this world of exclusion so the author says that technology has given us a universe entirely for ourselves.

Question 7.
The author has described the experiences of music in the past and the present to drive home his point. Compare the experience of music in the past with the experience of music in the present.
Answer:
In the past music was a communal experience, shared by people. You had it in the living room or concert hall so that it was a shared experience. It brought people with the same interest together. In the present, music is a secret and each person listens to it individually and we never know what the other person is listening to and so we will never get to know him.

Question 8.
What were the nicer aspects of life that the author noticed when he forgot to take his i-pod on a trip?
Answer:
The author noticed many of the nicer aspects of life when he forgot to take his iPod. He noticed the rhythms of others, the sound of the airplane, the opinions of the taxi driver, and small social cues that he would not notice if he had his iPod.

Question 9.
How did the author enjoy the new experience?
Answer:
He enjoyed the new experience as he felt connected to others as he became more aware of the world around him.

Question 10.
Do you notice anything special about the ending of the essay?
Answer:
Yes. The author has enjoyed the experience of not being a slave to devices the like i-Pod and he seems to be surprised and happy. He realises that the world has a special and interesting rhythm or sound-track of its own and he encourages everyone to listen to it and experience it.

Activity – I (writing)

When you read any article you will realize that some of the statements made are facts and some others are mere opinions. A good reader must be able to distinguish between the facts and opinions presented in any article.
Now, sit in pairs and identify examples of facts and opinions from the article ‘Is Society Dead’? You may write them in two columns:

Answer:

FACT	OPINION
a) I was visiting New York last week. b) When people say excuse me’ there is no response. c) You get your news from your favourite blogs. d) Technology has given us a world entirely for ourselves. e) Human beings have never lived like this before. f) We have always had homes, retreats or place where we went to relax, unwind or shut out the world.	a) Each was in his/her own musical world. b) I witnessed the glazed New York look. c) Don’t ask, don’t tell, do not over hear don’t observe. Just tune in and tune out. d) The serendipity of meeting a new stranger, hearing a piece of music we would never choose ourselves, etc. e) External stimulation can crowd out the interior mind.

Activity – II (Short essay)

Question 1.
This article you have read discusses how technology, especially the MP3, kills social interaction, in the lives of people. Being a member of technology-friendly generation, you intend to argue for the benefits of technology in enhancing social interaction.
What are the points that you will bring in, other than the ones listed below? Sit in groups and find a few more points.
Answer:
Technology makes communication faster. Technology affords diverse formats of interaction. Technology brings people of different places closer. We have such a variety now. Now the whole world is a global village. Face Book and WhatsApp connect people in much a bigger way than before. Technology brings relaxation and a relaxed mind is a more competent mind.

Question 2.
Prepare a short essay on the topic: Technology: Making Society Alive to be published in TECH-WATCH, the school magazine tracking the latest developments in the technology field.
Answer:
Technology: Making Society Alive
In the modern world, technology has made society very much alive. The extensive use of computers, mobiles phones, i-Pods and i-Pads, MP3 and a host of other gadgets has transformed the world into a tiny village. What happens in one part of the world is beamed instantly so that people everywhere in the world come to know about it even as it is happening. Technology has unified the world, at least in the world of sports and entertainment. Programmes of one country are enjoyed by others also.

The world has become a richer place because we have so much to choose from. At the click of a button things far away will be transported to you for your enjoyment. You can see your friends and relatives who are and chat with them when you like. Even if they are in another country, we feel they are next door and ready to meet us when we want them.

Face Book and What’s App have revolutionized the society. You can send out all the news and photographs of yourselves, your friends and family to all those who are interested in your affair. You can also get news and pictures of those you love. This way society has become much alive.

Because of this boredom has been taken away from the lives of people. In the past people sitting at home, especially women and children, did not know how to spend their leisure time, especially when the weather was bad. But now they have their Face Book and What’s App to keep them busy all the time. A society that is alive is a healthy society. Thanks to technology, we now live livelier and fuller lives.

III. Read And Reflect

Differently-abled children are an important part of our society. The daily charms of a regular life are denied to them. Technology extends a helping hand and acts as a leveller in such cases. This story reveals the human face of technology in helping a young girl shape the world around her.

Is Society Dead? (Article) About the Author

Andrew Michael Sullivan is a British author, editor and blogger. He is an influential commentator and a renowned lecturer. His writings are well-known for their imagery.

Is Society Dead? Summary in English

I was visiting New York last week and noticed something that I could not believe about the city. Nightlife was very much dead and I’m not the first one to notice it. Today life, that mad mixture of yells, chatter, hustle and rudeness, was quieter.

Lower Manhattan is now a Disney-like string of malls, riverside parks and pretty upper middle class villages. There was something else. When I looked at the throngs on the pavements, I saw the reason.

There were little white wires hanging down from their ears or tucked into their pockets, purses or jackets. The eyes were a little vacant. Each was in his or her musical world, almost oblivious to the world around them. These are the i-Pod people.

Even without the white wires you can tell who they are. They walk down the street in their own MP3 cocoon, bumping into others, deaf to small social cues, shutting out anyone not in their bubble.

Every now and then, some start emitting some strange tuneless sounds and their fingers snap or their arms twitch with some soundless rhythm. When people tell them, ‘Excuse me’ or ‘Hello’, there is no response. You are among so many people and hear so little. But each one is hearing so much.

Page 170: I am one of them. I also have white wires peeping out of my ears. I joined the group a few years ago, the group of the little white box worshippers.

Others began as I did with a Walkman and then an MP3 player. But this sleekness of the i-Pod won me over. Unlike other models, it gave me my entire music collection to rearrange as I saw it. Once it was a musical diversion. Now it is a compulsive obsession.

Like all addictive cults, it is spreading. Walk through any airport in the US these days and you will see many of them. You will see them on a subway. Don’t ask, don’t tell, don’t overhear, don’t observe. Just tune in and tune out.

The worrying fact is that it is part of something bigger. You get your news from your favourite blogs, the ones that won’t challenge your view of the world. You tune into a satellite radio service for your modern rock or liberal talk. Television is cable. Your mobile phones get email feeds from your favourite bloggers or get sports scores for your team. Technology has given us a universe entirely for ourselves. The chance of meeting a new stranger, hearing a piece of music we would never choose for ourselves, or an opinion that might change our mind about something is removed.

This is atomization by little white boxes and mobile phones. It is a society without the social. We choose what we want and not meet at random. People never lived like this before. Of course we had homes, retreats or places where we went to relax, unwind or shut out the world. But we did not walk around like hermit crabs.

Page 171: Music was limited to the living room or the concert hall. Sometimes it was solitary but primarily it was a shared experience that brought people together. But now it has become a personal affair. It is now a secret. You never know what the other person next to you is listening to. You will never see him. By his white wires he is showing that he doesn’t want to know you.

What do we get from this? We get the chance to slip away from everydayness, to give our lives its own sound tracks, to get away from the monotony of commute and to listen more closely and carefully to music that can lift you and keep you going. We become masters of our own interests. We keep connected to people like us over the Internet. We get in touch with anything we want or think we want.

We miss many things. The funny piece of an overheard conversation that stays with you; the talk of the child on the pavement that will take you back to your childhood; birdsong; weather; accents; the laughter of others. We also miss those thoughts that come to our mind when we allow it to wander aimlessly through the background noise of human and mechanical life.

External stimulation can crowd out the interior mind. Even boredom has its uses. We are forced to find our own methods to overcome it.

Recently, I was on a trip and I realized I had left my i-Pod behind. But then I noticed the rhythms of others again, the sound of the airplane, the opinions of the taxi- driver, the small social cues that had been left out before. I noticed how others related to each other. I felt more connected and more aware.

Try it. There is world out there. It has a soundtrack of its own.

Is Society Dead? Vocabulary

Plus One English Textbook Answers

Plus One English The Cyber Space Questions And Answers

Class 11 English Unit 6 Chapter 1 Going Out For A Walk Questions And Answers

Question 1.
What is special about the ‘modern psyche’?
Answer:
The modern psyche loves new frontiers. We love wide-open spaces; we like to explore; we like to make rules instead of following them.

Question 2.
What is cyberspace? How has it evolved over the years?
Answer:
Cyberspace is the community of networked computers. It is the imagined place where electronic data goes. Before J#was a playground for computer nerds and techies. But now it embraces all kinds of people, including children.

Question 3.
What type of metaphor is used by the author to describe cyberspace?
Answer:
To describe the cyberspace the author has used the metaphor of real estate. Real estate is an intellectual, legal, artificial environment constructed on top of land. It recognizes the difference between parkland and shopping mall, between red-light zone and school district, between church, state and drug store. In the same way we can think of cyberspace as a giant and unlimited world of virtual real estate.

Question 4.
Mention some of the traditional metaphors used to denote cyberspace.
Answer:
Some of the traditional metaphors used to denote cyberspace are highways and frontiers.

Question 5.
Why does the author maintain that censorship will not work in the case of cyberspace?
Answer:
The author maintains that censorship will not work in the case of cyberspace because it is not a frontier where bad people can grab unsuspecting children. It is also not a giant television that telecast offensive messages at unwilling viewers. In cyberspace users choose where they visit, what they see and what they do. It is optional.

Question 6.
Why is cyberspace described as a voluntary destination? Do you agree with the author here?
Answer:
Cyberspace is a voluntary destination because you have to go some place in particular. People can choose where to go and what to see. I fully agree with the author.

Question 7.
Who, according to the author, are the right people to set the standards?
Answer:
According to the author, the right people to set the standards are the cyberspace communities themselves.

Question 8.
What are the three major areas of services available in cyberspace?
Answer:
The three major areas of services available in cyberspace are: First, the private email conversations similarto the talks you have on the telephone or voice mail. Second, the information and entertainment services. Here people can download anything. These places are like book stores, malls and movie-houses. Third, there are ‘real communities’- groups of people who communicate among themselves. They are like shops or restaurants or playgrounds. Each participant contributes to a general conversation, generally through posted messages. Other participants may simply listen or watch.

Question 9.
What is in store for cyber communities in future?
Answer:
Cyber communities will have to have a moderator because anyone is free to post anything. Because of that there will be unwanted advertising, discussions that are. not healthy and rude participants. Then the cyberspace will become too noisy. To keep these negative elements in check a moderator would be needed.

Question 10.
What are the comparisons made by the author between cyberspace and terrestrial communities?
Answer:
What is special about cyberspace is that it frees us from the tyranny of power structures of the terrestrial communities. Cyberspace allows communities of any size and kind to flourish. In cyberspace communities are chosen by the users, not forced on them by accidents of geography. This freedom gives the rules in cyberspace a moral authority that rules in terrestrial environments don’t have. Most people are forced to stay in the country of their birth. But if you don’t like the rules of cyberspace community, you can quit. It is love it or leave it, which is not possible in terrestrial communities.

Activity -1 (Writing)

Question 1.
A group of students are asked to prepare a list of Dos and Dont’s of using the cyberspace. They list the points as given on p. 167 of the Text. Classify the ideas generated under the following heads. Write the corresponding number.
Parents : …………
Teachers : …………
Students : …………
Counsellor: …………
Answer:
Parents : 2, 4,7
Teachers : 5, 8
Students : 1
Counsellor: 3,6,9

Question 2.
Now, write an article on the use and misuse of cyberspace for your School Magazine using the hints given in the text.
Answer:
Use of computers has become widespread and accordingly the uses and misuses of the cyberspace have also multiplied. Cyberspace is an excellent way of getting information, giving information and also for entertainment. But it has potential dangers. These days we hear a lot about cybercrimes. The culprits are mostly young people, including students. Even as we acknowledge the importance of cyberspace in the modem world, should be aware of its potential dangers and how to avoid them.

Cyberspace is full of sites that give vulgar and explicit sex material. Young children are naturally curious about these things. So to prevent them from watching these things privately in their own rooms, computers should be kept in open view in a common hall. This way, children will be discouraged from visiting bad sites. There should be specific time schedule for browsing the net. Late-night browsing should b discouraged. When students are given assignments and projects they rush to the cyberspace for material. They download material from it and copy it in their assignments. Teachers should check the authenticity of the sources used in the papers given by the students. Many schools and colleges now have computers and the Internet, including Wi-Fi. Teachers must ensure that students do not misuse these facilities.

Counsellors have also a big role to play in the right use of the cyberspace. They should conduct awareness programmes on the various cyber security measures. The net addicted children should be given counselling in the school.

Students should be aware of the risks involved in the use of cyberspace. It is easy to fall into the mire of bad habits. It would be difficult to get out. Ultimately they are responsible for their acts and they are the masters of their destiny. They should not reveal their e-mail address to everyone and should use the cyberspace sensibly. Cyberspace is a double edged tool. It is like a knife and it can be used to cure (like a surgeon) or to kill.

Activity – II (email)

Read the email given on page 168.

Question 1.
What is this mail about?
Answer:
It is an application for a job.

Question 2.
How is it different from surface mails?
Answer:
It is different from surface mails in different ways:

• It has no address of the receiver (except the email address),
• It has no date
• It has no signature of the sender
• The sender’s name and address are given at the bottom with the mobile number and email address.

In the surface mail these appear on the top part of the letter.

Question 3.
Analyze the language structure, style and format of the email.
Answer:
The language is simple and straight. Block style is used with all the paragraphs aligned to the left.

Question 4.
Imagine that you organize a seminar on Technology and English language Teaching in your school. In order to ensure the presence of the distinguished scholars invited, you draft a detailed email about the seminar.
Draft the email to be sent to the visiting dignitaries.
Answer:
To: [email protected]
Subject: Seminar on Technology and English language Teaching

Dear Prof. Job
Our school is organizing a seminar on Technology and English language Teaching. As a person renowned in this realm, we would very much like to have your presence during the Seminar. The seminar will begin at 9.00 in the morning and it will end by 1.00 p.m. Please make it a point to come. Your expertise and experience will be of great use to our students as well as staff.
We look forward to meeting you.

Sincerely,
Simi Hyder

Simi Hyder
Secretary, Students’ Welfare Association
AlAzharHSS
Mala
PIN – 679342
Mobile: 8547028805
Email – simihyder@gmail. Com

II. Read And Reflect

Are you familiar with the i-pod generation? You see them everywhere, at railway stations, busy places in the city, or even in remote villages. You may be one of them. What is so special about them and how do you distinguish them? Read on to know about the ultramodern representatives of today’s youth.

The Cyber Space (Essay) About the Author

Esther Dyson is an American technology analyst. She is a leading commentator on digital technology, biotechnology and space. The present article is a discussion on the possibilities and challenges involved in the use of cyberspace.

The Cyber Space (Essay) Summary in English

Page 164: Something in the modern psyche loves new frontiers. We love wide-open spaces; we like to explore; we like to make rules instead of following them. Is there a place you can go and be yourself without worrying about the neighbours?

Yes, there is such a place: cyberspace. Before, it was a playground for computer nerds and techies. But now it embraces all kinds of people, including children. Can they all get along in a friendly way in the cyber world? Or will our fear of kids misusing the cyberspace provoke a crackdown?

First of all we ought to know what cyberspace is. For this we have to leave behind metaphors of highways and frontiers and think instead of real estate. Real estate is an intellectual, legal, artificial environment constructed on top of land. It recognizes the difference between parkland and shopping mall, between red-light zone and school district, between church, state and drug store.

You can think of cyberspace as a giant and unlimited world of virtual real estate. Some property is privately owned and rented out; other property is common land; some places are suitable for children; others should be avoided by all but the strangest citizens. Unfortunately, it is those places that are now capturing the popular imagination. They make cyberspace sound like a bad place. Good citizens therefore say: Regulate it.

Page 165: Using censorship to silence cyberspace misinterprets the nature of cyberspace. It is not a frontier where bad people can grab unsuspecting children. It is also not a giant television that telecast offensive messages at unwilling viewers. In this kind of real estate, users choose where they visit, what they see and what they do. It is optional. It is easier to bypass a place on the net than it is to avoid a block of bad stores on the way home.

Cyberspace is a voluntary destination or many destinations. You choose a site. That means you can where to go and what to see. Community Course Book standards should be enforced but those standards must be set by cyberspace communities themselves. We don’t want control from outsjjfe; we need self-rule.

The cyberspace is so interesting because it is different from shopping malls, television, highways and other terrestrial jurisdiction. So, let us define its territory:

First, there are private email conversations similar to the talks you have on the telephone or voice mail. These are private and done with the consent of both the parties. So they require no regulation.

Second, there are information and entertainment services. Here people can download anything. These places are like book stores, malls and movie-houses. The customer needs to request an item. Some of these services are free, for some you have to pay.

Third, there are ‘real communities’-groups of people who communicate among themselves. They are like shops or restaurants or playgrounds. Each participant contributes to a general conversation, generally through posted messages. Other participants may simply listen or watch. Many of these services started out un¬moderated. But now some rules are imposed because of unwanted advertising, outside discussions, and increasingly rude participants. Without a moderator, the decibel level often gets too high.

Page 166: What is special about cyberspace is that it frees us from the tyranny of power structures. In a democracy, minority groups and minority preferences get squeezed out. Cyberspace allows communities of any size and kind to flourish. In cyberspace communities are chosen by the users, not forced on them by accidents of geography. This freedom gives the rules in cyberspace a moral authority that rules in terrestrial environments don’t have. Most people are forced to stay in the country of their birth. But if you don’t like the rules of cyberspace community, you can quit. Love it or leave it.

What is likely to happen in cyberspace is the formation of new communities. Instead of a global village, we will have another world of self-contained communities that will cater to the wishes of their members without interfering with anyone else’s. We will be able to test and evolve rules regarding what should be governed. These may include content and access control, rules about privacy and free speech.

Our society needs to grow up. It means understanding that there are no perfect answers and solutions. We don’t have a perfect society on earth and so we won’t have a perfect cyberspace. What we can have is individual choice and individual responsibility.

The Cyber Space (Essay) Vocabulary

Plus One English Textbook Answers