U1 [A] The snake and the mirror. WRITING, STUDY SKILLS, LISTENING

 WRITING

1. Write a descriptive essay on any unusual or humorous incident you           may have witnessed or experienced.

     Features:

     • Title

     • Providing main ideas/details 

     • Sequencing of ideas

     • Introduction/Thesis statement

     • Providing supporting ideas/details

     • Giving appropriate conclusion

A.                  An Unusual Incident

        An unusual incident took place recently

     at the Lecture Hall in our school. It was

     on the occasion of 50th anniversary of

     our school and we had invited a gues

     speaker from a local educational trust to

     present a speech. 

        It was 2.30 p.m. and the huge crowd of

     children was already waiting at the old

     Lecturing Hall. Outside, it was                           drizzling and this caused some

     uneasiness among the organisers as they

     have planned to have the reception out in

     the front lawn.   

        The speaker arrived on stage at 2.45

     p.m. The rain got heavier and it became

     very dark. A damp patch appeared on the

     ceiling directly above the speaker who

     was then engrossed in his speech. Tiny

     drops of water began to fall from the

     patch on the ceiling. The speaker

     pretended to ignore this but he could not

     do this for long as the sudden downpour

     outside caused water to really fall down

     from the ceiling.

        The speaker was drenched from head to

     toe. A few of the organizers rushed up

     onto the stage. There was confusion on

     the stage as people tried to persuade the

     speaker to come down. Before he could

     do so, the ceiling collapsed directly above

     him. The unfortunate speaker was hurt

     very badly and was given first aid

     treatment on the spot. Panic in the hall

     continued as the speaker was taken away.

        While the commotion was continuing, a

     voice announced over the public address

     system that the meeting which was

     scheduled after the reception was to be

     cancelled.

                          A Funny Incident

I still remember it was 19th of May in summer holidays. It was the day after my 13th birthday. That night. I went for a session of spoken English class which was started at 7.00p.m. and ended at 9.30 p.m.

  When the class was over, I rushed out from the institute and sat on my bag waiting for my car. I was so angry because my car had not arrived yet. I wanted to rush home to continue to play a computer game as Friday was the only day I can play computer games.

  

 II. Preparation of a Poster : 

     Tell the names of some important                 events happenings. If you want to                 puplicize the matter, what would you         do? Look at the poster given below.

     Now reflect on the following questions.

     What are the elements of an effective             poster? (colour, size, layout, font size,             language etc.)

     ◆ Who Issued the poster?

          (THE HYDERABAD LAUGHING CLUB,               Nampally, Hyderabad)

     ◆ What is the purpose of the poster?                    (Awarding THE RAJABABU PRIZE for               the best write-up on THE ROLE OF                   COMEDY IN HUMAN LIFE)

     ◆ What is the deadline?

          (July 27)

     ◆What are the other details highlighted?            (Write-up languages, Amount of the                 prize money, Contact Details)

    ◆ What should be highlighted in a poster?

         (Issuing Authority, Purpose, Deadline,             Contact Information, Targeted                           Audience. Other Details)

    ◆ Who are the target audience of the

         poster?

        (Print Media Journalists)

    Now prepare a poster using the

    information given below by arranging        it in proper sequence.

    

Ans. 

 

STUDY SKILLS 

     Here is a short narration. Read It

     carefully and make a list of important

     points, especially with regard to what

     are facts and what are superstitions.

     Suggest o suitable title for it.

        The young doctor married a rich fat

     foreign woman. He told her the episode

     of the snake and the mirror'. She laughed

     heartily. He went on talking about cobras

     and some funny facts (associated) related

     to them. He said to her "Cobras are the

     most poisonous, active and dangerous

     snakes. But, surprisingly, most Hindus

     worship them.

        It is funny to know that

     some women drop eggs and pour milk

     into the anthills where cobras usually

     reside. It is funny to know that some

     people believe cobras dance to the tunes

     of charmers. In fact, they have no ears. It

     is equally humorous to be aware of the

     fact that most cobra victims go to the

     charmers instead of the doctors. The

     charmers enchant some so-called

     mantras taking some neem leaves into

     their hands. The cobra victim dies and

     they say the victim came late to them. It is

     funnier to know that some farmers

     cremate cobras and perform funeral rites

     as one of the members of their family has

     died." "Are there any other funny stories

     related to cobras?" The young wife

     enquired. "Yes". There are so many stories

     to tell but I will tell them tomorrow. The

     patients may be waiting for me at

     hospital" The doctor said and left for

     hospital in a hurry.

Answer :-

COBRAS: SOME BELIEFS AMONG HINDUS

• An Indian doctor tells his foreign wife

  about cobras and some beliefs about them.

• Cobras are the most poisonous, active and

  dangerous snakes.

• Yet, most Hindu women worship cobras.

• Women offer eggs and milk to cobras.

• People believe cobras dance to the tunes of

  charmers. Cobras do not have ears.

• Cobra victims go to charmers, instead of to

   doctors.

• Some farmers cremate cobras and perform

  funerals.

Listening

     Practise listening carefully. Then you

     will be able to speak. Your teacher will

     tell you the story, 'Master of the                     Game." Listen to it carefully and

     answer the following questions.

     Answer the following questions.

1.  What made the old man talk to the

     boys?

A. The old man lived in a small side street in

     the city of Mumbai. He had to put up with

     the nuisance of having boys play cricket

     outside his house at night. One evening

     the boys were particularly noisy. That

     made the old man talk to the boys.

2.  Why did the boys stop playing cricket

      in the night outside the old man's

      house?

A.  The old man made the children feel they

      were playing for money by offering

      money to them. In the beginning he gave

      them ₹25 each week. Later in the fourth

      week he paid only 5 instead of 25. So the

      boys decided not to play in the street for

      just 5₹