Tuesday 4 October 2016

R 16 Regulations JNTUK I.B.Tech I-Sem English Material




Srinivasa Ramanujan

Introduction:
Srinivasa Ramanujan, a poor uneducated Indian, was one of the greatest and most unusual mathematical geniuses who ever lived, was born on 22nd December in 1887 in Erode in Tamilnadu. He grew up in Kumbakonam where his father K. Sirnivasa Iyengar worked as an accountant in a sari shop. His mother Kamalat Ammal was a house wife and also sang songs at local temple. 

Childhood:
Srinivasa Ramanujan started his schooling in 1892. He did not like school though he completed high school and tried twice to obtain a college education. But he failed both times because he was so obsessed by mathematics that he simply could not spend anytime on other subjects. He started excelling in mathematics. He came to think of his results or the source of his incredible outpouring of mathematics.

Early Life:
In 1909, when Ramanujan was 22 years old, he married 9 year old Janaki and took a clerical position in Madras Port Trust Office to support her and his mother who lived with them. While working as clerk, Ramanujan continued to pour out math results on wrapping paper in the office. He was tied up with mathematics in such a way that he forgot event to eat. His wife and his mother used to feed him at meal times so that he would continue writing while he ate. 

Education & Research:
Fortunately, both the chairman and manager of  Madras Port Trust Office were engineers who recognized his extraordinary mathematical talent. They urged him to send his results to English mathematics. He wrote to HF Baker & EW Hobson of Cambridge University. Both returned his letters without comment.
Then on 16th June 1913, he wrote to GH Hardy. He invited Ramanujan to come to England to study with him  Ramanujan accepted his invitation and arrived at Trinity college in April 1914. Hardy characterizes Ramanujan as a very great mathematician full of paradoxes, who defies all judgment. Ramanujan worked very hard in collaboration with GH Hardy. He used to work 24 to 36 hrs at a stretch and collapse and sleep for 12 hrs or more at a time. As he was a vegetarian it was difficult for him for food in England. It resulted that he was affected by mysterious illness that might be vitamin B2 deficiency caused by his poor diet. He returned to India in 1919. He died a year later at the age of 32. 

Conclusion:
Ramanujan left behind 3 notebooks, which he wrote before coming to England and which are filled with as many as 4000 results. GH Hardy showed a colleague of his Ramanujan’s strange letter which was crammed with as many as 60 mathematical theorems and formulas stated without any proofs. He made a significant contribution to mathematical analysis, number theory and continued fractions. 


HUMAN RESOURCES

1.      Which are the countries that attract a large number of Indian workers?
Ans: India has one of the world's most diverse and complex migration histories. Since the 19th century, ethnic Indians have established communities on every continent as well as on islands in the Caribbean and the Pacific and Indian oceans.
The composition of flows has evolved over time from mainly indentured labor in far-flung colonies to postwar labor for British industry to high-skilled professionals in North America and low-skilled workers in the Middle East. In addition, ethnic Indians in countries like Kenya and Suriname have migrated to other countries, a movement called secondary migration. I would like to provide a broad overview of Indian migration flows and major populations worldwide, both in the past and more recently.
Emigration during Colonial Rule
In ancient times, Indian traders established bases around the Indian and the Pacific oceans, especially in East Africa and Western and Southeast Asia. However, those flows were not the basis for Indian migration in the 19th century or the global dispersion seen today.
Rather, flows of the last 175 years began with the era of British colonial rule. The British had strategic portions of India under their control by the end of the 18th century and gained control over more territory in the 19th century. In 1834, Britain began exporting Indian labor to Mauritius. The Netherlands and France, which replicated the British system, also relied on Indian workers. By 1878, Indians were working in Guyana, Trinidad, Natal (South Africa), Suriname, and Fiji.
Minor Migration Flows to Northern America and the United Kingdom
Emigration to the United Kingdom and Northern America started during colonial rule in India. However, the number of emigrants was insignificant, both in relation to emigration from India, and to total immigration to those countries.
Between 1820 and 1900, no more than 700 persons moved from India to the United States. In the following 30 years, this number rose to a still insignificant 8,700; most were Punjabi Sikhs who worked in agriculture in California. Anti-Asian legislation in 1917 and 1924 banned immigration from south or Southeast Asia, including India, and ensured that Asians would not qualify for naturalization or land ownership. In 1904, there were about 100 Indians in Canada, also part of the British Empire at that time.
Post-Independence Migration to High-Wage Economies
In the first decades after independence, unskilled, skilled, and professional workers (mostly male Punjabi Sikhs) migrated from India to the United Kingdom. This is commonly attributed to Britain's postwar demand for low-skilled labor, postcolonial ties, and the United Kingdom's commonwealth immigration policy, which allowed any citizen of a Commonwealth country to live, work, vote, and hold public office in the United Kingdom.
Between 1995 and 2005, half of the Europe-bound Indian immigrants headed to the United Kingdom. The other half opted for other EU countries, primarily Germany and Italy, which received 18 percent and 12 percent of the flows, respectively. Substantial Indian migration to Northern America started only in the late 1960s. Both in the United States and Canada, major changes in immigration policy affected immigration flows generally, and Indian immigration specifically.
The Immigration Act of 1990, effective from 1995, facilitated this process further by introducing the H-1B temporary worker category. This visa category allows U.S. businesses to hire foreigners with at least a bachelor's degree in "specialty occupations" including scientists, engineers, and IT specialists. Indian citizens are by far the top recipients of H-1B visas each year.
2.      What kind of jobs do Indians primarily seek in other countries?
Ans: India has one of the world's most diverse and complex migration histories. Since the 19th century, ethnic Indians have established communities on every continent as well as on islands in the Caribbean and the Pacific and Indian oceans.
The composition of flows has evolved over time from mainly indentured labor in far-flung colonies to postwar labor for British industry to high-skilled professionals in North America and low-skilled workers in the Middle East. In addition, ethnic Indians in countries like Kenya and Suriname have migrated to other countries, a movement called secondary migration. I would like to provide a broad overview of Indian migration flows and major populations worldwide, both in the past and more recently.
In ancient times, Indian traders established bases around the Indian and the Pacific oceans, especially in East Africa and Western and Southeast Asia. On the labor-supply side of the equation, poverty among the South Asian peasantry accounted for the principal reason to leave the subcontinent. The bulk of workers in most French colonies, such as Guadeloupe, Martinique, and La Reunion, as well as the majority of indentured laborers in Natal (South Africa) were Indians. Laborers, mostly from rural areas, would initially sign up for a five-year contract. In addition to low-skilled workers, members of India's trading communities settled in many countries where indentured laborers had been brought or where business opportunities in the British Empire.
In the first decades after independence, unskilled, skilled, and professional workers migrated from India to the United Kingdom. This is commonly attributed to Britain's postwar demand for low-skilled labor, postcolonial ties, and the United Kingdom's commonwealth immigration policy, which allowed any citizen of a Commonwealth country to live, work, vote, and hold public office in the United Kingdom.
In many cases, the increased flow of Indians was triggered by European governments' attempts to tap India's highly skilled labor force. For example, Germany's temporary migration scheme, labeled "green card" and in place between 2000 and 2005, deliberately targeted Indian IT professionals. In the United States, the 1965 Immigration Act, which came fully into force in 1968, abolished national-origins quotas and made it possible for high-skilled immigrants from India, to gain permanent residence and bring their family members.
India's domination of computer-trained temporary workers is mainly attributed to the large supply pool in India and to the fact that prior waves of Indian IT workers had successfully established a significant presence in that industry.
Significant migration from India to the Persian Gulf began in the 1970s, following the oil boom. Since then, an increasing number of semi- and unskilled workers from South India have worked in the gulf countries on temporary migration schemes in the oil industry and in services and construction.

What are the reasons for Indians seeking employment outside the country?
Ans: India has one of the world's most diverse and complex migration histories. Since the 19th century, ethnic Indians have established communities on every continent as well as on islands in the Caribbean and the Pacific and Indian oceans.
There are various reasons for Indians seeking employment outside the country. The reasons usually include two aspects which respectively come from countries and individuals. In terms of countries, the reasons may be social environment (in source countries: lack of opportunities, political instability, economic depression, health risks, etc.; in host countries: rich opportunities, political stability and freedom, developed economy, better living conditions, etc.). In terms of individual reasons, there are family influence, and personal preference: preference for exploring, ambition for an improved career, etc.
India has skilled and semi-skilled, employed and unemployed human resource. Low salaries and inefficient working conditions can be the first motive that triggers the movement to the countries with better living standards and facilities. There is huge difference in terms of salary in all three groups of countries namely developed, developing and underdeveloped. To demonstrate, Skilled workers aim to get pleasing salaries in return for their labour but the working conditions in their homeland don't fulfill their wishes. Therefore, those workers prefer to move another country in order to have better living conditions with high salaries. Employment is one of the strong reason for brain drain in India.
The growth in knowledge intensive activities in the developed world has led to a growing demand for Science and Engineering professionals. With an important reserve of trained people in this domain, India is becoming a major supplier of human capital for the advanced economies. India is sending large numbers of these specialists compared to other important origin countries.
One of the main reasons is the widespread unemployment and underemployment in our country. The excess of skilled professionals in India has bred an army of educated unemployed. Rather than return home to unemployment, skilled Indians prefer to stay back in the West, where professionals command at better market value.
The lack of research facilities in India is also one of the causes for Indians seeking employment outside the country. Scientists and other research professionals need sophisticated equipment to carry on their research related works.
The better job conditions and higher standard of living in those countries lure these qualified professionals to decide to stay on there.

ROAD SAFETY MEASURES ININDIA

‘Speed thrills but kills’
Road traffic safety refers to the methods and measures used to prevent road users from being killed or seriously injured. Typical road users include pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, vehicle passengers, and passengers of on-road public transport (mainly buses and trains).
Road travel has become an integral part of all of us and cannot be avoided in our day to day life. With increasing economy and population, there has been an immense increase in the traffic on the roads over a period of time. While on the one hand it has made things convenient for us but on the other hand it also increases our concerns of road safety.
Even though India has the second largest road network in the world yet it has a high toll of road accidents. Every day around 350 people and every year more than one lakh people die in road accidents in India and the percentage is increasing each year. India accounts for about 10 percent of road accident fatalities in the world and has even overtaken the more populous China, which is alarming. Our roads have a heterogeneous mix of traffic with high speed vehicles, rickshaws, motorcyclists, scooters, cyclists and pedestrians all sharing the same space at the same time which makes things difficult, on an already overburdened road infrastructure leading to major accidents. The time has come to go for the high-end road safety measures in India, but before that we must understand the causes behind these accidents.

What are the causes of these accidents?
Around 80% of the road accidents happen because of the fault of the driver. There are several other reasons for these high accident rates in India such as-
§  Drunken driving.
§  Driver’s fault due to over speeding.
§  Incompetent, untrained drivers.
§  Pedestrian’s fault.
§  Bad and defective roads.
§  Mechanical defects in the vehicles.
§  Bad weather conditions.
What are the effects of these accidents?
§  Loss of life.
§  Loss of earnings for the family affected.
§  Costly injuries.
§  Property damages.
§  Primary accidents cause backups and lead to secondary accidents.
§  Loss of travel time and increased congestion on the road.
§  Increased noise and air pollution.
§  3 to 4% of Gross National Product is lost in road accidents.
§  Total annual economic loss to the country due to road accidents is more than Rs.3,00,000 crore therefore road accidents are a huge burden on the national economy.

What are the measures that can be taken to curb these accidents?
To make our roads safer and accident free, we have to take a few important steps in this direction such as-
§  Make Road Safety Assessment in India a compulsory part of the syllabus in schools as the children should learn about the rules and safety of roads early in life. It could be done through workshops, role plays, make believe situations, movies and field trips making it a fun and interesting subject for the students and teachers. A suitable road safety curriculum in India needs to be designed and structured.
§  Strict implementation of the traffic rules- The defaulters should be fined heavily for breaking the rules. There should be an enforcement of the use of seat belts in car and helmets on two wheelers.
§  Proper and authorized driver training institutes with adequate infrastructure. The government of India has decided to set up 10 modern driving schools costing Rs140 crores in different states to produce competent drivers.
§  Make licensing and driving tests stricter.
§  Enforcing the heavy vehicles to fix reflective tapes over them to be clearly visible during night time.
§  Mandatory registration of criminal cases if the vehicle is overloaded.
§  Imprisonment and heavy penalty for drunken driving.
§  Mandatory annual fitness checks of the school buses as well as drivers.
§  Emergency medical services such as crash rescue vehicles, paramedics, free trauma care etc. to be fully functional and in place for prompt relief and care of the accident victims.
§  Mandatory vehicle fitness checks for all vehicle owners.
§  Road infrastructure-The automobile population in India has grown up to 170 times in the past 50 years but the country’s road has grown only about 9 times. So there is a dire need to improve the quality of the roads in India. Flyovers, grade separators, service roads, sign boards, pavements, monitored crossings near schools and other safety features have to be the primary focus while designing new road infrastructure.
§  Need to provide well maintained, safe and efficient public transport systems.
§  Road Safety Awareness in Indiais very poor therefore there is a need to educate and make people aware of the road safety through various events and programs such as melas, exhibitions, seminars, cultural programs, mobile exhibitions through vans, education through announcements from PA system, following road safety weeks, providing on the spot help and first aid to road users, distribution of road safety literature etc. on a regular basis. This can be done with the help of schools, colleges, RWAs, NGOs, transport and trade unions.
§  There is also a need to follow and organize Road Safety Programs in India on a regular basis through road safety march, street plays, painting, essay and quiz competitions and through regular programs for school kids, pedestrians, drivers of commercial vehicles, auto drivers, bus drivers, truck drivers, two wheeler drivers, cyclists etc.
There is a dire need for road safety management in our country. Smart traffic management needs to be implemented in all the major cities of India. Some of the things that can be done are-
§  Installation of more CCTV cameras for better monitoring of traffic.
§  Highway patrolling using radar to detect overspending vehicles.
§  Highway advisory radios.
§  Center to center communications.
§  Weather monitoring stations.
§  To reduce primary and secondary accidents there is a need for a traffic incident management program which helps to reduce congestion and rescues the accident victims to nearest hospital promptly.
Who should share the responsibility of road safety?
§  First and foremost the citizens of the country. As responsible citizens of the country together we can make the change.
§  Government and legislative bodies of India.
§  Police – police can improve road use behavior through enforcement and strict measures.
§  Media- media can play a very important role in creating road safety awareness through advertisements on safe driving (use of seat belts and helmets, avoiding the use of cell phones and dangers of drunken driving etc.). Celebrity endorsements make the message even more effective.
§  NGO’s
Let us make our cities and towns’ safe and accident free with our conscious effort and positive attitude. We need to have voluntary discipline within ourselves to overcome this hurdle.

Summary of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring- “A Fable for Tomorrow”
            Rachel Carson’s article, “A Fable for Tomorrow,” is one of the essays contained in her book, Silent Spring, which was published in 1962. It is basically a story about a fictional land abundant in natural resources, vegetation, and various animals which was eventually destroyed by humans. At beginning of the story, the author first described the fields of grain, the farms, and the hillsides surrounding the town. Carson briefly described how, during spring, “white clouds of bloom” floated above the green fields and how, during autumn, oak, birch, and maple trees, create a “blaze of color” against the backdrop of pines. She also noted that road near the town was full of plants such as laurel, great ferns and wild flowers and that the place was popular for its variety of birds and fishes like trout. However, in an instant, the area began to change.
Based on Carson’s description, it was as if some “evil spell” had wiped out all the living things of the town including the chickens, the sheep, the pig, the cattle, and the birds, which were previously abundant in the community. A lot of the town’s residents also died due to a strange new illness. In short, according to the author, the once beautiful land was now nearly a barren wasteland where no life grew. However, the author pointed out that this was not the work of witchcraft, but the people themselves. At the end of the story, Carson explained that the town described above is purely fictional and does not actually exist. However, she emphasized that the town has many counterparts across America and in certain parts of the world. She ended by claiming that a “grim specter has crept upon us almost unnoticed” and noted that the “imagined tragedy” described in the story may soon become a reality that everyone will know.
In ‘A Fable for Tomorrow’, Rachel Carson’s lines overflow with forewarnings of things to come providing we don’t change.  Her writing sends a sharp, powerful message to the reader that seems very perceptive given that the time was 1962.  She has an important point that she wishes to convey, and executes it perfectly.

 Salim Ali

Salim Ali, one of the greatest ornithologists and naturalists of all time, is also known as the “birdman of India”. He was one of the very first scientists to carry out systematic bird surveys in India and abroad. His research work is considered highly influential in the development of ornithology.
Early Life:
As a 10-year-old, Salim once noticed a flying bird and shot it down. Tender at heart, he instantly ran and picked it up. It appeared like a house sparrow, but had a strange yellowish shade on the throat. Curious, he showed the sparrow to his uncle Amiruddin and questioned him about the bird’s kind. Unable to answer, his uncle took him to W.S. Millard, the Honorary Secretary of the Bomaby Natural History Society. Amazed at the unusual interest of the young boy, Millard took him to see many stuffed birds. When Salim finally saw a bird similar to the child’s bird, he got very excited. After that, the young Salim started visiting the place frequently.
Salim Moizuddin Abdul Ali was born on November 12, 1896. He attended college, but did not receive any university degree. To assist his brother in wolfram mining, he went to Burma, but spent most of his time looking for birds. Soon, he returned back to Bombay.
Contributions and Achievements:
As soon as Salim returned, he studied zoology, and secured a position of a guide at the museum of the Bombay Natural History Society. Only 20 years old, he conducted the visitors and instructed them about the preserved birds. His interest in the living conditions of birds grew even more. Therefore, Salim visited Germany and saw Dr. Irvin Strassman. He came back to India after one year but his post in the museum had been removed for financial reasons.
Salim Ali, as a married man, required money to make a living, so he joined the museum as a clerk. The job allowed him to carry on with his research. His wife’s house at Kihim, a small village near Mumbai, was a tranquil place surrounded by trees, where Salim would spend most of his time researching about the activities of the weaver bird.
He published a research paper discussing the nature and activities of the weaver bird in 1930. The piece made him famous and established his name in the field of ornithology. Salim also traveled from place to place to find out more about different species of the birds.
From what he had collected, he published “The Book of Indian Birds in 1941” in which he discussed the kinds and habits of Indian birds. The book sold very well for a number of years. He also collaborated with S. Dillon Ripley, a world-famous ornithologist, in 1948. The collaboration resulted in the ‘Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan’ (10 Volume Set); a comprehensive book that describes the birds of the subcontinent, their appearance, habitat, breeding habits, migration etc. Salim also published other books. His work “The Fall of Sparrow” included many incidents from his real life.
Later Life and Death:
Salim not only researched about birds, but also contributed to the arena of protection of nature. For his extraordinary efforts, he was given an international award of INR 5 lacs, but he donated all the money to Bombay Natural History Society. The Government of India honored him with Padma Vibushan in 1983.
This genius man died at the age of 90 on June 20, 1987.


Technology Is A Boon Or Bane?
Technology today is an integral part of everyday life. Rapid advancements in the field have increased the pace of life effectively coordinating reality with imagination. In other words, we virtually move with our thoughts and as we look ahead, today's technology becomes out dated tomorrow.
Technological innovations have ensured maximum customer satisfaction in a demanding market environment. Rapid changes in marketing strategies through technological innovations have caused traditional markets to face business crisis as their overheads exceed income. High rentals have to be compensated by them through unrealistic pricing. Consumers today prefer to shop from home. Online shopping and modern concepts of accessing bank accounts, railway, air, bus and even movie bookings have long since overtaken human intervention.
The move today is towards paperless functioning and reduction of cash transactions for cutting of costs, preventing tax evasion and ensuring financial safety. Public examinations for schools, universities and even job offers are conducted and evaluated online with early announcement of results. Public and private departments, financial institutions and business enterprises have turned tech-savvy. Even security forces, intelligence agencies and the local police access computers for investigations and i-data processing.
However, while all the above technological achievements deserve accolades and reflect on our scientific capabilities, we forget the loss of human touch. How often do we socially interact? A generation ago people met to exchange pleasantries and share views. Life moved at a slower pace but more qualitatively. Today, people meet and chat over the internet with total strangers whom they are never likely to meet in person. Family interactions, as had been known earlier, are no longer in vogue at the traditional dining room at home but characterized by distant correspondence across the globe with visitors proving to be more of a nuisance than a welcome presence under such circumstances.
The mobile phone in the pocket today is as important as the shirt on the body. In the absence of the mobile phone, life appears insecure. They are not mere instruments for conversation but also gadgets for photography, taping of conversation and storage of information both at home and office. This may also be an intrusion of privacy and a hindrance to exchange of confidential information whether at home or office. It may also prove to be a security hazard. Some institutions today prohibit the use of mobile phones within their premises for such reasons. The loss of or misplacement of a mobile phone creates a panic which was absent yesterday when the brain took care of storage of memory and timely delivery of output without SIM cards! 
Technology has, thus, combined innovation with tension. A Debit or Credit card may prove handy for a commercial transaction but careless handling may work to the detriment of the card holder. Expert hackers may read through the magnetic strip of your ATM card or even in the case of lesser mortals misuse a recorded or disclosed PIN.
The loss of a credit card may pose even greater problems for the card holder as unlimited transactions are put through on a lost card by fraudsters. A failure to close the transaction may also leak out information at an ATM outlet to the detriment of the account holder. Technology works both ways as intelligent criminals circumvent loopholes in safety of transaction which necessitates technologists to continuously stay on their toes. Today Invigilators at school, college and Board examinations also have to prevent use of electronic gadgets for unfair means.

I however do not wish to be called a pessimist but am only being realistic. Technological development and innovation are welcome to modern society but there are always two sides to a coin. Roads may be broad but there may be a pothole at some point. Traffic may be smooth but accidents do take place. So please permit me to listen to the music on my mobile for some time and mentally relax before I attend to it.
Technology - boon or bane!

The modern world despite all its technological innovations and inventions has not been successful in keeping human beings on earth together. We have the best gadgets, technologies and the rest of it but these have not been able to serve the purpose as the world is increasingly becoming a community centric place, each claiming their own place under the sun. Each nation is trying to assert their superiority and authority over others and the oddest side to this game is that these nations have communities inside them who too are seeking independence and sovereignty. The latest among them is United Kingdom (UK) where Scotland is going for a referendum this month to seek independence from the UK and add as a new country into the European Union (EU). If the September 18 referendum favors creation of Scotland as an independent state then Great Britain will certainly not remain as great as it is today. Britain, which ruled the world through its colonialism will be a fractured democracy despite being a member of the EU and geographically located in one of the most advanced parts of the world. But the question that haunts is advancement, unbelievable technological development and all those stuffs that helps a nation boast of at the first place is enough to keep the union going. Well, no matter whatever is the reason but these world developments indicates that preserving racial identities is a global concern now followed by the role of politics, businesses and what comes next in this list.

Although, sovereignty of any state will have a higher degree of politics and people’s will involved but what about families, neighborhoods, public institutions and all those classifications that is centered around humanity. They are faltering like ninepins, be it anywhere in the world, from the northeastern part of India to Africa to Europe, Middle East, in fact the world as a whole. Technology which is shaping up human lives in every possible manner, unimaginably, is also the bane here. If we see the use of social networking in recent times, it has created more friction in societies over the world than the good that it was designed with. Countries like China have come up with their own set of legislation towards use of such sites but this undreamed of freedom of expression is sinking more into the world of spreading hatred, jealousy, igniting comments, fanaticism and the rest which has created commotion and has even taken lives in many nations. Mischief mongers, groups with extremist motives use these platforms as it is very easy to open a fictitious account and do maximum harm, all but free. The time has come when users must be asked to produce documents, as required while opening bank accounts, to create email and social networking accounts given the number of misuse and damages that these ‘camouflaging’ mediums are producing on a daily scale. It cannot go on and on like what it is now where nuisance is going unabatedly as these forums have become safe heavens for them. No matter how good the intentions are but it cannot be denied that these mediums are playing mischief and has divided this world more than the wars and crimes it has seen.
We cannot deny the fact that most of these technological developments have truly taken place in advanced countries, mostly in America and Europe. If we analyze their use, form and freedom they are actually developed targeting the free economy and people of these nations. For an average American or a European, it is “cool” to say and post comments, which is a trend in their societies. Now, if some of these comments create any type of fissure in the country then they have a holistic legal framework in place to correct them. But in countries, outside the parent countries where these technologies are developed, it may not be in sync at the first place and the increasing animosities, trapping to false mails, creating law and order issues are some that is constantly reported in countries in Asia and other parts of the world. It has to be understood that technologies are after all the manifestation of intelligence inside a human brain and that manifestation may not necessarily work well all the time at all places until and unless it is a divine sanctity. What one cannot say, write or speak in regular frontline media, these social networking sites are thus allowing public to vent their anger with the most foulest of language never ever seen in any public domain earlier because it is just enough for the owner of such sites to escape prosecution with a nondescript disclaimer that any comments posted are not the views of these sites. In fact this disclaimer is the root cause of the danger associated with these sites. How absurd it is that the owners of such sites are roaming scot-free whereas a slightly absurd comment in the regular media, bosses are taken to task. The comments made in the social networking sites are not confined to specified geographical boundaries as seen in case of newspapers, television channels since they can be read and seen by anybody in any parts of the world and create local trouble. Their circulation is worldwide and so their bosses should be held more responsible for any problems that arises out of comments, videos and others postings in their sites.
 The divided world, in which we live, where families are shortened to a pigeon hole, is actually the result of our efforts trying to instill technology practically in everything in our daily lives. We have literally become slaves instead of technology being our slaves. This penetration into critical areas of human lives, where a human touch can do much good than any technological interference, is changing the dynamics of our society. Today people tend to rely on technology more as they prevent themselves from every possible personal contact with fellow beings and keep that up through the use of gadgets citing pretexts of one thing or other. People say, “we will keep in touch” whereas a neighbor is seen conversing via technology instead of a possible meet. This virtual reality is the new reality now as good wishes, greetings, condolences and everything else are all but possible through technology. The gap thus remains since there is no alternative to human to human contact and technology can never fill up that gap. Technologies which are designed to simplify human lives on earth have rather complicated it alarmingly. We may get heart-attack, nightmares and the rest if we are asked to imagine our lives for a day without it. But then what good have technologies done instead of taking us away from our roots. A rootless civilization will not last and continue to rupture no matter how advanced is our technologies. It is like shielding the exterior more and more ignoring the vital interior which is collapsing all the time and will bring down everything, one day. The present world civilization is sustaining on this falling core.

Essay on Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources

 

We can not use our feet to power our cars like the flinstones. So, how do cars move around? Energy! what is energy? energy is the ability to do work. All living things need energy to grow, plants use light from the sun to grow, also light is a type of energy we use all the time, we get most of the light from the sun, but at night we make our own light using another energy source known as electricity. Energy makes things move, cars run on the energy stored in gasoline sail boats are pushed by the energy in the wind. It takes energy to run our televisions, computers, and video games in the form of electricity, we use electricity all day long, it gives us light and heat, it makes things operate. After a long day don't you feel too tired to move? Well you have ran out of energy, you need some food to refuel. Imagine what your life would be without electricity?!
There are two main types of energy; renewable and non-renewable, basically Most of the energy we use comes from fossil fuels, such as coal, natural gas and petroleum. Uranium is another nonrenewable source, but it is not a fossil fuel. Uranium is converted to a fuel and used in nuclear power plants. Once these natural resources are used up, they are gone forever. The process of gathering these fuels can be harmful to the biomes from which they come. Fossil fuels are put through a process called combustion in order to produce energy. Combustion releases pollution, such as carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide, which may contribute to acid rain and global warming. Other than Renewable sources of energy can be used over and over again. Renewable resources include solar energy, wind, geothermal energy, biomass and hydropower. They generate much less pollution, both in gathering and production, than nonrenewable sources. But it is believed that petroleum in particular will not be depleted as it is generated in the deep sedimentary basins even if it will take thousands of years but it will be generated and petroleum will still be one of main and important sources of energy and the source upon which countries' economies depend on, in the following report we will try to identify different energy sources available in the world.
All the natural resources can be divided into two categories:
(i) Exhaustible natural resources (ii) Inexhaustible natural resources
Exhaustible natural resources are soils, forests, water, coal, petroleum, natural gas, minerals etc. These are consumed or exhausted through continuous use or misuse. Exhaustible natural resources can be further divided into two-
(a) Renewable natural resources
(b) Non-renewable natural resources
Inexhaustible natural resources are those which cannot be exhausted through continuous use or misuse eq. air and sunlight etc.
 Renewable Resources:
The natural resources which are consumed/exhausted/depleted through continuous use and can be recovered by very hard efforts taken up for long periods are called Renewable Resources, for e.g. Soils, forests, groundwater etc. In other words we can say that all renewable resources are replenished through natural cycles or manually. For example oxygen in air is replenished through photosynthesis. 'Forest is maintained themselves and manually. Similarly fresh water is available through cycles & manually too.
Most of the removable resources are interdependent to each other. Forests maintained the environment/climate; plants need to check soil erosion & soil is needed for plants. Air and insects are needed for pollination. Wood, fibre, fodder, fruits, vegetables, milk etc. are developed directly or indirectly by recent photosynthetic activity.
Thus the renewal of these resources will continue at as long as photosynthesis continues on this planet. These resources are the life support system which can fulfill all human needs. But its productivity/renewability is limited or depends upon availability of water, nutrients and environmental conditions.
The natural resources are useful to human society in one way or other. Hence we should ensure a continuous yield of useful plants, animals and materials by establishing a balanced cycle of harvest and renewal (Odom - 1971).
Non-Renewable Resources:
Non renewable resources are not replenished able or we cannot get back our coal and petroleum reserves in our life time, if ones they are consumed/exhausted completely. Non-renewable resources are metals (iron, copper, zinc etc.), coal, oil deposits, minerals, stone, mineral, salts (Phosphate, nitrates, carbonates etc.) etc.
Minerals are often called the 'STOCK' resources, because their new materials can only be extracted from the earth's crust once. But even in the transformed state in which they are used, they are not lost to the planet and so are ideally available for reuse. Metals/minerals come from a very slow process of geo-chemical concentration, which took millions of years to form. Therefore, these deposits which occur today can disappear at some point of time in future.
Coal, petroleum and natural gas are called as 'FOSSIL FUELS' because they are formed from dead remains of plants and animals buried in the earth long ago. They are called fuels because they are burnt to give off energy. Coal have a high heating value, hence it is a useful fuel. Since fossil fuels are non-renewable sources of energy, therefore it is essential to explore more and more alternatives. Today we are utilizing solar energy, wind energy, ocean, geothermal & atomic energy as alternative sources of energy.
Minerals, rocks, salts and chemicals etc. are termed as 'a biotic resources', as biological activity is not involved in their formation. Continuous over exploitation of these resources shall exhaust many of our valuable deposits, which took millions of years to form. They cannot be duplicated within the human scale of time.




PARAGRAPH QUESTIONS


The Forest Wealth of India
Forests are one of the most important natural resources on this earth. Covering the earth like a green blanket these forests not only produce innumerable material goods, but also provide several environmental services which are essential for life.
We do untold harm unknowingly to nature, to the majestic, broad trees of dense foliage which have been nurtured and grown over generations. We thoughtlessly felt the trees which are the suppliers of oxygen to us, for; they breathe in carbon dioxide from the air and give out oxygen so vital for our living. Formerly avenues were lined and decorated with trees of awesome growth, and the avenues were always cool and shady even if the scorching sun shone in the sky. By felling the trees in the villages, towns and cities we have intruded into the forbidden area of forests which are the exclusive habitat of the wild animals and birds and fell the trees stealthily for wood for cooking and for making furniture.
It is deplorable that the Government which emphasizes the importance of the forest cover or wealth commit the unpardonable crime of felling the trees of the ancient forests for the purpose of constructing a dam or an electricity project.
It is said that the ecological balance is maintained by the co-existence of populated villages, towns and cities and the forests and mountains inhabited by the wild animals.
Nowadays where there were trees, where there was a vast open stretch of land full of plants and trees, there are concrete buildings rising higher and higher till they touch very vault of the sky. We have done untold damage to our towns and cities by felling trees unnumbered and should we fell the trees of a forest, nature’s priceless wealth? Yes, forests are the wealth of a nation, just as the people of a nation are its wealth.
Forests are one of the essential causes of rain. If the trees in the forest are cut off regularly the forest becomes a barren land. Good rainfall is affected. As a result there is not enough water for the cultivation of fields, there is not enough drinking water, and there is not enough water for the functioning of the various factories. If the sun scorches the earth and if there is not enough rainfall the nation suffers from water famine. Water famine leads to food famine.
If the forests are cleared of trees gradually the wild animals living there stray into the human habitations and cause problems. We should preserve and develop the forest for its flora and fauna, for its beautiful flowers and for the wide variety of trees, some awesomely tall, some short and of broad trunk. Honey is obtained from the honeycombs built by the bees in the forest trees. The tribal people living in the forests trade on the honey they gather and nuts available in the forests. They sell their products in a cooperative market nearby and earn money.


Green Cover - Lifeline

Forests cover one third of the earth’s landmass, performing vital functions and services around the world which make our planet alive with possibilities. The forests serve as green lungs and water purifying systems in nature.  In fact, 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihoods.  They play a key role in our battle against climate change, releasing oxygen into the atmosphere while storing carbon dioxide.  Forests feed our rivers and are essential to supplying the water for nearly 50% of our largest cities.  They create and maintain soil fertility; they help to regulate the often devastating impact of storms, floods and fires. Forests are the most diverse ecosystems on land, and are home to more than half of the terrestrial species of animals, plants and insects. Forests also provide shelter, jobs, security and cultural relevance for forest-dependent populations.  They are the green lungs of the earth, vital to the survival of people everywhere -- all seven billion of us. Forests embody so much of what is good and strong in our lives. Yet despite all of these priceless ecological, economic, social and health benefits, we are destroying the very forests we need to live and breathe.  Global deforestation is growing at an alarming rate -- every year, 13 million hectares of forest are destroyed. Anthropogenic factors that can affect forests include logging, urban sprawl, human-caused forest fires, acid rain, invasive species, and the practice of shifting cultivation. If forests disappear, the amount of Carbon Dioxide in air will increase, resulting in increase of temperature of earth. Furthermore, it would cause global warming as the Carbon Dioxide gas will trap the heat radiated by the earth, resulting in the melting of glaciers. People who depend on forests for their livelihoods are struggling to survive.  Many precious species face extinction....

Deforestation
 A large area of land abounding with trees, bushes etc. are called forest. And deforestation means cutting down trees in large numbers. Trees are useful to us in various ways. They provide us with wood, food and other products, they give us shade and they help to prevent droughty and floods. But the third of these services of trees is the most important. To draw quick profit from trees, men cut them down in large numbers. Trees are destroyed mostly for being used as fire wood. This destruction disturbs our ecological balance. It leads to soil erosion and deprives us of fruit and timber and causes economic loss. So, we have to realize the bad effects of deforestation. In fact, if deforestation goes on our country will be changed into a desert. So, we have to educate our common people and to persuade them to abstain from cutting down trees. We should create awareness among the general people about the evils of destroying forests and motivate them to plant more and more trees. Otherwise the forests of our country will slowly disappear and we will be in great miseries. So, I think every man and woman should pant at least a tree every year.

Global Warming

Global warming is the increase of world's average temperature, mainly in the sector of atmosphere, seas and the land on Earth. here are three serious factor, namely the crack on the lower part of atmosphere, pollution on Earth an so many green houses. The first factor is on the atmosphere. Recent years, many researches show that atmosphere has some kind of crack because of the heat from sun's emission. The layer of atmosphere seems cannot take the heat anymore. The crack gets larger as the sun-ray holds in the atmosphere as there are gases as what it seems to be the cause. This second factor, pollution, takes its toll as the one which makes the sun-ray stuck n the atmosphere. These gases are very thick that even the sun-ray cannot get through it, or at least it is hard to do it. The third factor is that the green houses, reflected the sun-ray that supposed to be stayed on Earth sending the sun-ray back to space, but remember though, there is the gases that block the process of sending away the sun-ray. If the green houses don't stop being built, that will just be a helpful tool to make the atmosphere and our Earth worst. From these explanations, details and examples, my conclusion is that someone has got to do something and not just keep inventing new technology or fancy factories because what we need now is not something that can make life easier but something that can decrease the temperature.

Threat to Humans and Wildlife
Earth is home to millions of species. Just one dominates it. Us. Our cleverness, our inventiveness and our activities have modified almost every part of our planet. In fact, we are having a profound impact on it. Indeed, our cleverness, our inventiveness and our activities are now the drivers of every global problem we face. And every one of these problems is accelerating as we continue to grow towards a global population of 10 billion. In fact, I believe we can rightly call the situation we're in right now an emergency – an unprecedented planetary emergency.
There are few places left on the planet where the impact of people has not been felt. We have explored and left our footprint on nearly every corner of the globe.  As our population and needs grow, we are leaving less and less room for wildlife. Wildlife is under threat from many different kinds of human activities, from directly destroying habitat to spreading invasive species and disease.  Most ecosystems are facing multiple threats. Each new threat puts additional stress on already weakened ecosystems and their wildlife.

Chipko Movement
Environmental movements like Chipko have become historical landmarks because the ecological insights and political and moral strengths of women have fueled them.
It was a resurgence of woman power and ecological concern in the Garhwal Himalayas interwoven in a mosaic of various factors. The issue was of planting trees and planting ecologically appropriate trees. Women were protesting against the replacement of mixed forests by the commercially valuable pine, which was a major reason for increasing economical instability of the Himalayan region and the growing economic deprivation of Garhwali women.
Life-sustaining forestry was to give way to life-destroying practices. The Chipko movement showed that devolution of environmental rights and obligations is the more important aspect of environmental management.
This Chipko Movement was started by group of villagers in Uttrakhand who opposed the cutting of trees. It is the first organised movement started in April 1972 to protect the trees against the commercial Forest Policy. Though this Chipko movement gained its prominence in 1970s, the real movement occurred in 1604, when a large number of villagers from the Bishoni community embraced the trees in a forest (near Khejri village, close to Jodhpur) and prevented the king’s soldiers from cutting them down. That event has been recorded in Indian history as the Chipko Movement. Thus started, the Chipko Movement has now gained great significance throughout the world's conservationist circle for its successful attempts against deforestation. “Chipko” in local dialect means “to embrace” and refers to the method that has been applied to protect the forest from the commercial timber cutters. This revolutionary movement started by the villagers to save forests from deforestation soon got worldwide support and attention.


Government Plantation Programmes

 It is needless to speak the importance of trees. It is not possible to describe the importance and uses of trees in world. They are part and parcel in our day to day life. We cannot think our existence without trees. Rabindranath Tagore says “Back thy forest, take your town” Our government has also launched a massive and ambitious programme regarding tree plantation. We should not use and destroy trees at random. Rather we should plant trees more and for a better and healthier life. Trees bear a great impact on our climate. If we destroy trees at random, one day the country will turn into a great dearest. The country will bear the consequences of green house effect. There will be no rain and as a result the country will face a great crisis because our country is an agriculture depend country. Our agriculture is also depend on rain. So trees plays a vital role on our climate. Trees keep the soil strong. Trees save us from flood and many other natural climates. Hence, the A.P Government has decided to launch Haritha Andhra Pradesh Mission through "VANAM — MANAM" Programme with a view to secure green cover over 50% of the geographical of the state by 2029. Each and every citizen of Andhra Pradesh across the social, economic, demographic, gender, and political spectrum ought to become partners in this programme that would benefit not only the state but also the nation and the entire world through eco-regeneration. Apart from its impact on environment and climate change, the programme is an effort to strengthen the bond between the nature and people.


Van Mahotsav
Van Mahotsav or the festival of trees is a festival celebrated in India in the first week of July. This celebration was started in 1950 by Dr. K.M. Munshi the Agriculture minister for India during the same year. As part of the celebrations, millions of saplings are planted by people of all age groups from all over the country in the Van Mahotsav week.
All over the country, people are encouraged to plant trees. This practice is observed by schools all over the country. Schools usually declare this day to be a half day where classes are suspended and students are encouraged to plant trees. This helps in making the students better citizens and also spreads awareness as to the adverse effects of cutting trees.
This practice takes place every year and helps conserve the greenery of our country. The preservation of nature has become a very important part of our life due the acceleration in industrialization and the construction of so many factories, conservation of forests has become a point of major concern.
Due to the celebration of this festival in the month of July which is also the onset of the monsoon season, planting trees proves to be beneficial. Planting of trees also serves other purposes like providing alternative fuel options, food for cattle, helps in soil conservation and more than anything offers a natural aesthetic beauty. Planting of trees also helps to avoid soil erosion which may cause floods. Also, planting trees can be extremely effective in slowing down global warming and trees also help in reducing pollution as they make the air cleaner.
The constant felling of trees has been a problem for a long time now and as a result of that it is extremely important for us to create awareness for the same. And everyone must try and actively involve themselves in this practice as well. According to the forest department for every tree felled ten trees should be planted to regain the loss of one. The survival of plants and animals is also put in danger as each and every time a tree is felled or a forest is uprooted. Van Mahotsav is thus a widely celebrated festival and should be celebrated as more than a day of planting trees and celebrated as any other festival.
  
Environmental Awareness
Environmental awareness is to understand the fragility of our environment and the importance of its protection. Promoting environmental awareness is an easy way to become an environmental steward and participate in creating a brighter future for our children.
To define environmental awareness we must first understand the environmentalist movement. Environmentalism is an ideology that evokes the necessity and responsibility of humans to respect, protect, and preserve the natural world from its anthropogenic (caused by humans) afflictions.
Environmental awareness is an integral part of the movement’s success. By teaching our friends and family that the physical environment is fragile and indispensable we can begin fixing the problems that threaten it.



PANORAMA  Non - Detailed  

 An Ideal Family – Katherine Mansfield



Comprehension Questions 

Q. 1. What are the feelings that Mr. Neave goes through at the beginning of the story?
Ans: Katherine Mansfield was one of the most prominent short story writers of New Zealand. The story ‘An Ideal Family’ is an insight into the mind of its chief protagonist - Mr. Neave. "An Ideal Family" is an examination of self-worth within a family social structure as seen through the eyes of an aging patriarch. Mr. Neave, centers the plot’s progression around the inner struggle of the main character as he comes to terms with his pending retirement.
Mr. Neave felt as if he were too old for spring this year. Walking home from work, as he had done countless times before, he suddenly felt very tired and subdued by his surroundings. He could not understand why. It had been an ordinary day at the office. Mr. Neave, a successful businessman, is reluctant to leave his profession and the only source of his true identity. His home life is dominated by his family, who he barely recognizes anymore, and he feels both unwelcome and out of place in their frivolous world of dinners and parties. Mr. Neave prided himself on his sense of duty and committed work ethic, which allowed for a bourgeois life of luxury for himself and his family. Now Mr. Neave sees his wife and adult children as if for the first time, realizing that he does not know them as well as he should and resents their dominate presence in his home. Life has passed him by. He isolated himself from his family in order to build his business, an investment that enabled him to successfully provided his family with everything they desired.

Q. 2. What kind of a person is Harold?
Ans: Katherine Mansfield was one of the most prominent short story writers of New Zealand. In ‘An Ideal Family’ by Katherine Mansfield we have the theme of change, trust, appearance, reliance, appreciation and awareness. Mr. Neave broods over his family who want him to retire and hand over the running business to his son, Harold.
Mr. Neave’s son, Harold, who stood to inherit the business, arrived hours late from lunch, sauntering into the office, apologizing to no one and yet everyone, especially his mother, forgave him all his faults. Harold was too handsome by far with his full lips and eyelashes. Mr. Neave thought them uncanny and recoiled at the praise of his son unjustly received from the family. Charlotte, his wife, and their daughters had made a “young god” of Harold. . Mr Neave, though felt that Harold only returns from lunch after four o’clock, never knows where he may have been. Harold was a boy who robbed money from his mother’s purse and left the purse in the cook’s bedroom. This incident is significant as it not only suggests that (as a child) Harold was untrustworthy but it may also highlight the sense of dissatisfaction that his father Mr Neave feels when it comes to his son.
Q. 3. Why do people call Mr. Neave’s family an ideal family?
Ans: Katherine Mansfield was one of the most prominent short story writers of New Zealand. The story ‘An Ideal Family’ is and insight into the mind of its chief protagonist - Mr. Neave. "An Ideal Family" is an examination of self-worth within a family social structure as seen through the eyes of an aging patriarch. Mr. Neave, centers the plot’s progression around the inner struggle of the main character as he comes to terms with his pending retirement.
Mr. Neave was a successful businessman. He prided himself on his sense of duty and committed work ethic, which allowed for a bourgeois life of luxury for himself and his family. His family is busy in their frivolous world of dinners and parties. Mr. Neave was motivated to work hard in order to support his family and to accommodate their extravagant lifestyle. They seem content living with one another and their mother while Mr. Neave pays for their parties, horses, sports, and seaside vacations. Often complimented on his “ideal family,” Mr. Neave thought of his wife and children as an extension of his success in the business world. Despite the outwardly appearance, that Mr. Neave and his family live an ideal life.

Q. 4. What kind of social strata does Mr. Neave belongs to? How can you tell?  
Ans: Katherine Mansfield was one of the most prominent short story writers of New Zealand. The story ‘An Ideal Family’ is and insight into the mind of its chief protagonist - Mr. Neave. "An Ideal Family" is an examination of self-worth within a family social structure as seen through the eyes of an aging patriarch.
Mr. Neave was a successful businessman. He prided himself on his sense of duty and committed work ethic, which allowed for a bourgeois life of luxury for himself and his family. His family is busy in their frivolous world of dinners and parties. His family spent an extravagant life style. Hence, I say Mr. Neave belongs to high social strata.

Q. 5. What is the attitude of Mr. Neave’s wife and daughters towards him?  
Ans: Katherine Mansfield was one of the most prominent short story writers of New Zealand. The story ‘An Ideal Family’ is and insight into the mind of its chief protagonist - Mr. Neave. "An Ideal Family" is an examination of self-worth within a family social structure as seen through the eyes of an aging patriarch.
Gender relations in "An Ideal Family" are very interesting. Mansfield has a talent for realism and masterfully illustrates various points of view on family. She is especially adept at creating sympathy for characters, like Mr. Neave. He leaves the management of his home to his wife and adult daughters. In doing so he relinquishes any authority in the home and once he succumbs to the inevitability of age, his family has no senior place for him in the home. He is admonished by his daughter for walking home alone and over a long distance, suggesting that he is too old to do so. His wife supports this decision momentarily but does not argue the point. Instead she greets her husband and although they sit side by side it is clear that she is the head of the household and he is a guest. Their relationship is stilted and almost impersonal. Mr. Neave, similarly, feels disconnected from his daughters who he is surprised to see have grown into very different women in comparison to their behavior as children. He is easily bullied by them to dress for dinner and is just as easily forgotten by them when he falls asleep in his room.

Q. 6. Why does Mr. Neave feel himself unable to cope with his daughters?  
Ans: Katherine Mansfield was one of the most prominent short story writers of New Zealand. The story ‘An Ideal Family’ is and insight into the mind of its chief protagonist - Mr. Neave. "An Ideal Family" is an examination of self-worth within a family social structure as seen through the eyes of an aging patriarch.
Gender relations in "An Ideal Family" are very interesting. Mansfield has a talent for realism and masterfully illustrates various points of view on family. She is especially adept at creating sympathy for characters, like Mr. Neave. He leaves the management of his home to his wife and adult daughters. In doing so he relinquishes any authority in the home and once he succumbs to the inevitability of age, his family has no senior place for him in the home. He is admonished by his daughter for walking home alone and over a long distance, suggesting that he is too old to do so. His wife supports this decision momentarily but does not argue the point. Instead she greets her husband and although they sit side by side it is clear that she is the head of the household and he is a guest. Their relationship is stilted and almost impersonal. Mr. Neave, similarly, feels disconnected from his daughters who he is surprised to see have grown into very different women in comparison to their behavior as children. He is easily bullied by them to dress for dinner and is just as easily forgotten by them when he falls asleep in his room. Despite Mr. Neave’s greatest attempts to prove himself-worthy of his family’s attention and admiration, his physical exhaustion outweighs his intentions and he falls asleep twice in a short amount of time.

Q. 7. Who was Charles?  
Ans: Katherine Mansfield was one of the most prominent short story writers of New Zealand. The story ‘An Ideal Family’ is and insight into the mind of its chief protagonist - Mr. Neave. "An Ideal Family" is an examination of self-worth within a family social structure as seen through the eyes of an aging patriarch.
Charles is a young man who looks after Mr. Neave carefully. He waits for him to dress him up and helps him cutting the grass on the tennis court. He gives Mr. Neave a folded handkerchief, his watch and seals, and spectacle case. Mr. Neave responds to his call for dinner. He is such a gentle servant to Mr. Neave.

Q. 8. What dream does Mr. Neave have?  
Ans: Katherine Mansfield was one of the most prominent short story writers of New Zealand. The story ‘An Ideal Family’ is and insight into the mind of its chief protagonist - Mr. Neave. "An Ideal Family" is an examination of self-worth within a family social structure as seen through the eyes of an aging patriarch.
Feeling both lost and unappreciated within his family, Mr. Neave retreats into sleep and dreams of an old man walking up an endless flight of stairs. Perhaps he feels he has failed his family by putting his business first. Mr. Neave finds it difficult to distinguish himself from his work and now that he will eventually spend most of his time at home, he finds that he is dreading the transition and fears he has no place of honor within his family’s social structure. The fact that the man is ‘climbing up endless flights of stairs’ may also be important as the writer may be suggesting the continued, unending struggle that Mr Neave faces when it comes to not only retiring but handing his business over to Harold. This surreal imagery is used to symbolize Mr. Neave’s growing anxiety about his retirement and the unease he feels about the life he has led.

WAR

Q.1. Why was the woman who entered the carriage upset?
Ans: Luigi Pirandello was an Italian dramatist, novelist, poet and short story writer. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1934 in Literature for “his almost magical power to turn psychological analysis into good theatre”. ‘War’ is a short story written Luigi Pirandello in the early 20th century. The story takes place on a train in Italy during World War I (1914 – 1918). The story depicts a time when a country is at war, and we see the parents of children, who are going off to war crammed into a small train car, travelling from Rome to Sulmona in Italy.
While the passengers are waiting a husband and wife board a small train carriage at dawn in Italy, joining the five people who have already spent the night in it. The woman is large and in deep mourning. Some of the passengers help her in and make room for her. She is described as a very large woman and he is very small.  The husband tells the people that his wife is upset because their only son has been called to the front to fight in the war. He explains to the others that their only son is being sent to war in three days and they’re going to see him off.
Q.2. How are the other passengers affected by war?
Ans: Luigi Pirandello was an Italian dramatist, novelist, poet and short story writer. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1934 in Literature for “his almost magical power to turn psychological analysis into good theatre”. ‘War’ is a short story written Luigi Pirandello in the early 20th century. The story takes place on a train in Italy during World War I (1914 – 1918). The story depicts a time when a country is at war, and we see the parents of children, who are going off to war crammed into a small train car, travelling from Rome to Sulmona in Italy.
At the very beginning of the story, the background itself brings us the sad and gloomy atmosphere of the “night express” which “stopped at the small station of Fabriano” and continue their journey by the small-fashioned local joining the main line with Sulmona”. Even when the dawn came, it only made the view more clearly for us to see how tragic the passengers became. By using such words like “mourning, moaning, weakly, death-white, shy, uneasy, hide her face”, the author completely directly defined how disastrous their situations even though we readers have not known yet. By accident, all of the passengers “in this stuffy and smoky second-class carriage” were the parents of soldiers who sent to the front in war. Their sons were died or wounded, which made the parents suffered the sadness, loneliness, bitterness and wretchedness inside each of them.

 Q.3. Why does the man feel that it is more difficult to lose an only son than one of many?
Ans: Luigi Pirandello was an Italian dramatist, novelist, poet and short story writer. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1934 in Literature for “his almost magical power to turn psychological analysis into good theatre”. ‘War’ is a short story written Luigi Pirandello in the early 20th century. The story takes place on a train in Italy during World War I (1914 – 1918). The story depicts a time when a country is at war, and we see the parents of children, who are going off to war crammed into a small train car, travelling from Rome to Sulmona in Italy.
A husband and wife board a small train carriage at dawn in Italy, joining the five people who have already spent the night in it. The woman is large and in deep mourning. Some of the passengers help her in and make room for her. The husband inquires if she’s all right, but she doesn’t answer. He explains to the others that their only son is being sent to war in three days and they’re going to see him off.
A passenger says he has two sons and three nephews at the front, prompting the husband to stress that they’re risking their only son. This sets off a passionate discussion about who is sacrificing the most. The husband says a man who loses one son has another left to comfort him, but the passenger responds that such a man has an obligation to live for his other son, and thus can’t end his misery at his own hand.
Q. 4. How does the other passenger counter him?
Ans: Luigi Pirandello was an Italian dramatist, novelist, poet and short story writer. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1934 in Literature for “his almost magical power to turn psychological analysis into good theatre”. ‘War’ is a short story written Luigi Pirandello in the early 20th century. The story takes place on a train in Italy during World War I (1914 – 1918). The story depicts a time when a country is at war, and we see the parents of children, who are going off to war crammed into a small train car, travelling from Rome to Sulmona in Italy.
A husband and wife board a small train carriage at dawn in Italy, joining the five people who have already spent the night in it. The woman is large and in deep mourning. Some of the passengers help her in and make room for her. The husband inquires if she’s all right, but she doesn’t answer. He explains to the others that their only son is being sent to war. A passenger says he has two sons and three nephews at the front, prompting the husband to stress that they’re risking their only son. He even countered the husband that it couldn’t make any difference. Moreover, he might spoil his son with excessive attention. He further said that parental love is not like bread that can be broken into pieces and split amongst the children in equal shares. It is equally shared by a father to each one of his children whether they are one or ten.
  Q. 5. What are the fat man’s feelings towards sending children to war?
Ans: Luigi Pirandello was an Italian dramatist, novelist, poet and short story writer. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1934 in Literature for “his almost magical power to turn psychological analysis into good theatre”. ‘War’ is a short story written Luigi Pirandello in the early 20th century. The story takes place on a train in Italy during World War I (1914 – 1918). The story depicts a time when a country is at war, and we see the parents of children, who are going off to war crammed into a small train car, travelling from Rome to Sulmona in Italy.
The "fat man" is meant to offer the ultimate justification in sending boys and soldiers off to war. He asserts that their children don’t belong to them. They have interests of their own, including a love for their country, and they gladly fight for it. They don’t want tears because if they die, they die happy. And dying young and happy is all anyone could want as it spares them of the boredom and disillusionment of life. Why, he doesn’t even mourn the death of his own son. He explains their sorrow by saying that a parent’s love for their children is simply greater than their love for country, as evidenced by any parent’s willingness to take their son’s place at the front. On the other hand, a young person loves their country more than they love their parents.
Q. 6. What did the fat man’s son do before dying?
Ans: Luigi Pirandello was an Italian dramatist, novelist, poet and short story writer. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1934 in Literature for “his almost magical power to turn psychological analysis into good theatre”. ‘War’ is a short story written Luigi Pirandello in the early 20th century. The story takes place on a train in Italy during World War I (1914 – 1918). The story depicts a time when a country is at war, and we see the parents of children, who are going off to war crammed into a small train car, travelling from Rome to Sulmona in Italy.
The "fat man" is meant to offer the ultimate justification in sending boys and soldiers off to war. He asserts that their children don’t belong to them. They have interests of their own, including a love for their country, and they gladly fight for it. They don’t want tears because if they die, they die happy. And dying young and happy is all anyone could want as it spares them of the boredom and disillusionment of life. He asserted that everyone should stop crying; everyone should laugh, as he does...or at least thank God—as he does —because his son, before dying, sent me a message saying that he was dying satisfied at having ended his life in the best way he could have wished. Hence, he doesn’t even mourn the death of his own son.
 Q. 7. How does the fat man react to woman’s question about the death of his son?
Ans: Luigi Pirandello was an Italian dramatist, novelist, poet and short story writer. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1934 in Literature for “his almost magical power to turn psychological analysis into good theatre”. ‘War’ is a short story written Luigi Pirandello in the early 20th century. The story takes place on a train in Italy during World War I (1914 – 1918). The story depicts a time when a country is at war, and we see the parents of children, who are going off to war crammed into a small train car, travelling from Rome to Sulmona in Italy.
The "fat man" is meant to offer the ultimate justification in sending boys and soldiers off to war. He asserts that their children don’t belong to them. They have interests of their own, including a love for their country, and they gladly fight for it. They don’t want tears because if they die, they die happy. And dying young and happy is all anyone could want as it spares them of the boredom and disillusionment of life. He asserted that everyone should stop crying; everyone should laugh, as he does...or at least thank God—as he does —because his son, before dying, sent me a message saying that he was dying satisfied at having ended his life in the best way he could have wished. Hence, he doesn’t even mourn the death of his own son. The woman asks the man if his son is not really dead.  He contemplates her question, realizes his son is truly dead and that he will never see him again. He then breaks down and cries.

Q. 8. What is the message that the author wishes to convey through this story?
“War is like love, easy to begin, hard to end and impossible to forget”, a famous saying about war can express almost of the loss which wars cause for human being. From the very past of history to the present, even though many wars have proven to us the cruel, inhuman and violent they were, more and more wars still happen with more barbarous and fiendish. The higher in techniques we reach, the deeper we sink in wars. In the end, wars do not bring any efforts, benefits or rights and interest for people. To get matters worse, the truth is war only take countries lower, poorer and deeper in the circle of sin. “War” of author Luigi Pirandello is one of many works which is against wars, especially World War I. The story takes place on a train in Italy during World War I (1914 – 1918). Italy entered the war in 1915. Using indirect description by telling the whole story in the third-person perspective and defining clearly the emotions of characters, Luigi easily helped readers to understand the cruelty and fierceness of the war.

 Q. What is the central theme of the story, "War"?
Ans: Luigi Pirandello was an Italian dramatist, novelist, poet and short story writer. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1934 in Literature for “his almost magical power to turn psychological analysis into good theatre”. ‘War’ is a short story written Luigi Pirandello in the early 20th century. The story takes place on a train in Italy during World War I (1914 – 1918). The story depicts a time when a country is at war, and we see the parents of children, who are going off to war crammed into a small train car, travelling from Rome to Sulmona in Italy.
The theme of Pirandello's short story is that there can be little justification to the horrific nature of war.  At the time of Pirandello's writing, World War I had been waged by many countries in the name of many ideals.  Nationalism, pride in one's country, upholding national traditions, expansion of one's country, and service to the greater good were all invoked by national leaders to justify the war enlistment.  As the war increased in scope and depth, the body count did as well.  Europe was left shattered in that so many were killed, wounded, abandoned, and orphaned. In the end, the old regimes and old methodologies that justified war were questioned as individuals felt betrayed and led astray.  As Yeats writes, "Things fall apart/ the center cannot hold."  While this was the case, Pirandello's story helps to capture this essence in a series of discussion points where people grasp faintly at the idea of trying to hold on to things and cling to what might be true, only to realize that there is no sanctuary or refuge for those who must deal with the harsh truth of war and its unending sense of loss.


VERGER

Short Questions & Answers
Q. What was Albert Foreman’s Profession? Or What kind of person is Albert Foreman?
Ans: William Somerset Maugham was a British playwright, novelist, and the author of numerous short stories. ‘The Verger’ is a story with an unexpected twist, much like many other stories by Somerset Maugham. It is a simple tale about a simple man who does his duties with great joy and dedication. 
Albert Edward Foreman has been the verger of his church for sixteen years, doing all the menial and manual duties of the vicarage. He was so devoted in his profession that there were no complaints against him till now. Albert started his career as a page-boy in the house of a merchant prince.  He had risen by due degrees from the position of a footman to a single handed butler to a widowed peeress.  Later, he joined as a Verger at St. Peter’s Neville square.

Q. What were Foreman’s feelings about the new vicar?
Ans: William Somerset Maugham was a British playwright, novelist, and the author of numerous short stories. ‘The Verger’ is a story with an unexpected twist, much like many other stories by Somerset Maugham. It is a simple tale about a simple man who does his duties with great joy and dedication. 
Albert Edward Foreman has been the verger of his church for sixteen years, doing all the menial and manual duties of the vicarage. He loved his job and there were no complaints about him until a new vicar from the east end was appointed in St. Peter’s Neville Square.  Albert found the new vicar was very different from the predecessor.  He was a red-faced energetic man in the early forties. In his opinion the new vicar was a man of discreet ways of his fashionable congregation. 

Q. Why does the new vicar want the Foreman to leave his position?
Ans: William Somerset Maugham was a British playwright, novelist, and the author of numerous short stories. ‘The Verger’ is a story with an unexpected twist, much like many other stories by Somerset Maugham. It is a simple tale about a simple man who does his duties with great joy and dedication. 
Albert Edward Foreman has been the verger of his church for sixteen years, doing all the menial and manual duties of the vicarage. He loved his job and there were no complaints about him until a new vicar from the east end was appointed in St. Peter’s Neville Square.  Albert found the new vicar was very different from the predecessor.  He was a red-faced energetic man in the early forties. In his opinion the new vicar was a man of discreet ways of his fashionable congregation. One day christening ceremony was conducted by the new vicar.  After that, the new vicar called the verger to the vestry. The vicar praised Albert for his sincerity and capability of doing the work.  He also pointed out the illiteracy of the verger and immediately fired him.  

Q. What happens when the Foreman walks out of the church?
Ans: William Somerset Maugham was a British playwright, novelist, and the author of numerous short stories. ‘The Verger’ is a story with an unexpected twist, much like many other stories by Somerset Maugham. It is a simple tale about a simple man who does his duties with great joy and dedication. 
Albert Edward Foreman has been the verger of his church for sixteen years, doing all the menial and manual duties of the vicarage. He loved his job and there were no complaints about him until a new vicar from the east end was appointed in St. Peter’s Neville Square.  In spite of his love for the job, the new vicar fired him that he could not read. After giving his resignation, the verger locked and walked out of the church.  He was sad.  He did not know what to do next.  He took a wrong road out of his sadness.  He wanted to smoke a cigarette.  He searched for a shop to buy a cigarette.  He could not find a shop to buy a cigarette.  He stopped and looked reflectively up and down.  Then he decided to start a tobacco shop.

Q. What happens when the Foreman walks out of the church?
Ans: William Somerset Maugham was a British playwright, novelist, and the author of numerous short stories. ‘The Verger’ is a story with an unexpected twist, much like many other stories by Somerset Maugham. It is a simple tale about a simple man who does his duties with great joy and dedication. 
Albert Edward Foreman has been the verger of his church for sixteen years, doing all the menial and manual duties of the vicarage. In spite of his love for the job, the new vicar fired him that he could not read. After giving his resignation, the verger locked and walked out of the church.  He was sad.  Albert explained his wife about starting a very practical business.  Within twenty four hours, he took a shop in the street and started the business as a tobacconist and news Agent.  Later he took up a second shop and put a manager in.  Within ten years, he had acquired no less than ten shops.  He earned much and deposited in a bank. 
A man lost his low-paying job as a verger because it was discovered that he was illiterate, but he adapted to his problem by becoming a successful shopkeeper. He found that he was better off being illiterate.

Q. Narrate the discussion between the bank manager and Foreman.
Ans: William Somerset Maugham was a British playwright, novelist, and the author of numerous short stories. ‘The Verger’ is a story with an unexpected twist, much like many other stories by Somerset Maugham. It is a simple tale about a simple man who does his duties with great joy and dedication. 
Albert Edward Foreman has been the verger of his church for sixteen years, doing all the menial and manual duties of the vicarage. A man lost his low-paying job as a verger because it was discovered that he was illiterate. He started a tobacco store where he found the place fit to his practical business. Within ten years, he had acquired no less than ten shops.  He earned much and deposited in a bank. 
One day the manager at the bank told Albert that Albert had thirty thousand pounds in his account.   The manager added that his money would be deposited in various schemes and would set better rates of interest.  The manager asked him to read and sign the bond.  Albert replied that he couldn’t read and write.  The manager was stunned and asked with wonder what he would have become if he had been able to read and write.  Albert replaced that he would be the Verger of St. Peter’s Neville square.
The writer highlights the strength of the human spirit that can triumph over all obstacles, through sheer courage and determination.



THE SCARECROW

Q. Who was Mriganko Shekhar Mukhopadhyay?
Ans: Satyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker, widely regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of the 20th century. He was also a fiction writer, publisher, illustrator, calligrapher, music composer, graphic designer and film critic. He authored several short stories and novels. Feluda, the sleuth, and Professor Shonku, the scientist in his science fiction stories, are popular fictional characters created by him. The Government of India honored him with the "Bharat Ratna" in 1992.
In the present short story, the protagonist Mriganko Shekhar Mukopadhyay was a well-known Bengali writer. He was invited by a club in Durgapur to a cultural function where he would be felicitated. He was an amiable man. He never believed in superstitions. 

Q. Why was he stuck in the middle of nowhere?
Ans: Satyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker, widely regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of the 20th century. He was also a fiction writer, publisher, illustrator, calligrapher, music composer, graphic designer and film critic. He authored several short stories and novels, primarily aimed at children and adolescents. Feluda, the sleuth, and Professor Shonku, the scientist in his science fiction stories, are popular fictional characters created by him. The Government of India honored him with the "Bharat Ratna" in 1992.
In the present short story, the protagonist Mriganko Shekhar Mukopadhyay was a well-known Bengali writer. He was invited by a club in Durgapur to a cultural function where he would be felicitated. He was stranded in the middle of nowhere when his car ran out of petrol. Even though he pointed out to his driver Sudhher to check the condition, he didn’t pay any attention. It was because of his driver’s negligence he sat alone in the car in the middle of nowhere for more than two and a half hours.

Q. What did Mriganko Babu notice while waiting for his driver to return? and
Q. How did Mriganko Babu pass time while waiting for his driver?
Ans: Satyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker, widely regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of the 20th century. He was also a fiction writer, publisher, illustrator, calligrapher, music composer, graphic designer and film critic. He authored several short stories and novels, primarily aimed at children and adolescents. Feluda, the sleuth, and Professor Shonku, the scientist in his science fiction stories, are popular fictional characters created by him. The Government of India honored him with the "Bharat Ratna" in 1992.
In the present short story, the protagonist Mriganko Shekhar Mukopadhyay- a famous Bengali author, was stranded in the middle of nowhere when his car ran out of petrol. He sends his driver to Panagarh to fetch petrol. He had to while away the time till the driver returned. He lit a cigarette and looked around the barren land stretched out for miles. It was winter when the farmer completed his harvest. There was no sign of habitation on one side. He could see a small hut standing next to a tamarind tree and the row palm trees beyond which lay a dense, dark forest. On the other side he was greeted by a few trees and two huts where there was no sign of people living. In the middle of the field there was a scarecrow.  He took out a detective novel from his bag to read but could not concentrate on it either. 

Q. Describe Mriganko Babu’s reaction to the scarecrow?
Ans: Satyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker, widely regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of the 20th century. He was also a fiction writer, publisher, illustrator, calligrapher, music composer, graphic designer and film critic. He authored several short stories and novels, primarily aimed at children and adolescents. Feluda, the sleuth, and Professor Shonku, the scientist in his science fiction stories, are popular fictional characters created by him. The Government of India honored him with the "Bharat Ratna" in 1992.
Mriganko Babu was stranded in the middle of nowhere when his car ran out of petrol. While waiting for his driver to return, he saw a scarecrow in the middle of the field on the western side in winter. He experienced the selfish nature of fellow humans who never respond to same human suffering. Unable to concentrate on anything, he walked a few faces in the middle of the road. It seemed the road was deserted. But he felt someone else was there in the cloudy evening. It was that scarecrow. It was fixed to the bamboo sticks right in the middle of the field. It was wearing a torn, red and black printed shirt. An earthen pot painted black, with huge white eyes had been placed upside down as its head. It was a weird figure. He felt as if this weird figure frightened birds to cause no harm to the crop. 

Q. Who was the scarecrow?
Ans: Satyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker, widely regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of the 20th century. He was also a fiction writer, publisher, illustrator, calligrapher, music composer, graphic designer and film critic. He authored several short stories and novels, primarily aimed at children and adolescents. Feluda, the sleuth, and Professor Shonku, the scientist in his science fiction stories, are popular fictional characters created by him. The Government of India honored him with the "Bharat Ratna" in 1992.
Mriganko Babu was stranded in the middle of nowhere when his car ran out of petrol. While waiting for his driver to return, he saw a scarecrow in the middle of the field on the western side in winter. At the sunset Mriganko Babu found the scarecrow came to life. He heard that it was calling him. He was trembled that it had spoken with a human voice. He recognized it. It was Mriganko Babu’s old servant Abhiram. He remembered that Abhiram inivited him to visit his village somewhere in this region at once. As the scarecrow headed towards him, he was terrified and took a few steps back. It enquired Mriganko Babu if he could recognize him. He mustered his courage and said it was Abhiram. 

Q. Narrate the incident that occurred between Abhiram and Mriganko Babu?
Ans: Satyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker, widely regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of the 20th century. He was also a fiction writer, publisher, illustrator, calligrapher, music composer, graphic designer and film critic. He authored several short stories and novels, primarily aimed at children and adolescents. Feluda, the sleuth, and Professor Shonku, the scientist in his science fiction stories, are popular fictional characters created by him. The Government of India honored him with the "Bharat Ratna" in 1992.
Mriganko Babu was stranded in the middle of nowhere when his car ran out of petrol. He found a scarecrow in the middle of the field. He recognized it by its torn, red and black printed shirt that it was his old servant Abhiram. He spoke to Mriganko Babu as a normal human. Abhiram lost his job for stealing the gold watch of Mriganko Babu which was given as a wedding gift. Abhiram asked him what had happened to him later. He could work nowhere and fell ill. He had no money to go to the doctor and died. After his death his son wore that red and black printed shirt for some time and kept it on me. And that he had become a scarecrow. He said that he had been waiting for this time to tell what had happened. His heart longed to prove that he was not a thief but trusted servant. He asked Mriganko Babu to find the watch under the wardrobe.

Q. Justify the title of the story ‘The Scarecrow”.
Ans: In the present short story “The Scarecrow”, a writer gets stranded near a paddy field on his way to the city and encounters the scarecrow in the field that becomes alive. It seemed to be a Ghost, which occupied an abandoned burnt bungalow told about its past life and how it was to be a ghost. In the case of Mrigaonko Babu, the protagonist felt that he had not evolved as a complete human being. The scarecrow which had come to life and talked to him what had happened before. Abhiram accused Mriganko Babu of being unjust toward him and made certain revelations that created a dramatic twist in the story. It was not his fault to lose trust least he was punished. He could not prove his honesty as he  was servant to his master. Unable to cope with poverty, he could do no job anywhere and died. The story presented the real human psyche where one had lost trust he could no longer survive. People were also indifferent to the fellow human suffering. It was a pathetic story of Abhiram who turned himself as a scarecrow and scared his master. His heart longed till he proved that he was innocent. 


 

A VILLAGE LOST TO THE NATION

Q. How are the villages affected by the Hirakud Dam?
Ans: Jawahar lal Nehru, our first Prime Minister, dedicated Hirakud Dam in 1957.  The massive and majestic and the world’s longest dam was built on the mighty turbulent Mahanadi River about 15 km from Sambalpur in the state of Odisha in India. 
In the upper drainage basin of the Mahanadi River, centered on the Chhattisgarh Plain, periodic droughts contrasted with the situation in the lower delta region where floods might damage crops. The dam was constructed to help alleviate these problems by creating a reservoir and controlling river flow through the drainage system. The main purpose of the Hirakud Dam was to check the massive floods that were affecting a large part of coastal Odisha. But, the construction of the dam was greatly affected the natives of the western part of Odisha. Nearly 400 villages and 150,000 people were affected by the Hirakud project and nearly 22,000 families were displaced as the water kept rising to the maximum storage level of 630 feet.  

Q. What were the people forced to do because their homes were submerged?
Ans: Jawahar lal Nehru, our first Prime Minister, dedicated Hirakud Dam in 1957.  The massive and majestic and the world’s longest dam was built on the mighty turbulent Mahanadi River about 15 km from Sambalpur in the state of Odisha in India. 
The main purpose of the Hirakud Dam was to check the massive floods that were affecting a large part of coastal Odisha. But, the construction of the dam greatly affected the natives of the western part of Odisha. The author could remember vividly that his own village Rampella which was among many vanished at the first. The people were forced to vacate the villages unminding their belongingness to the land which gave birth to them. 

Q. What were the feelings of the author’s parents regarding their village?
Ans: Jawahar lal Nehru, our first Prime Minister, dedicated Hirakud Dam in 1957.  The massive and majestic and the world’s longest dam was built on the mighty turbulent Mahanadi River about 15 km from Sambalpur in the state of Odisha in India. 
The main purpose of the Hirakud Dam was to check the massive floods that were affecting a large part of coastal Odisha. But, the construction of the dam greatly affected the natives of the western part of Odisha. The author could remember vividly that his own village Rampella which was among many vanished at the first. The villagers were known to be proud of their lineage. They remembered the original name of their village, Ramya Palli which meant ‘the enchanting village’. Their heads were down and eyes choked in tears when they were forcibly evacuated from their village. Even aftermath, the parents could vision the submerged and perished village as their ‘dear old village’. They recited about their dear village citing instances and anecdotes galore to their children.

Q. What were the author’s feelings for his lost home?
Ans: Jawahar lal Nehru, our first Prime Minister, dedicated Hirakud Dam in 1957.  The massive and majestic and the world’s longest dam was built on the mighty turbulent Mahanadi River about 15 km from Sambalpur in the state of Odisha in India. 
To the Nation’s prosperity Hirakud Dam was constructed and dedicated to the nation. Due to the construction many villages were submerged and people were displaced. The author felt so sorry for the unplanned development could ensue the tragedy in his village. He returned to visit his old dear village ruined by the river. He was nostalgic of his village where both brothers played the kabaddi and football. He along with his parents recognized his home tracing the temple remnants. The emotion-choked parents surveyed the whole premise that had once belonged to them. They were upset that the rudimentary herbs which cured all kinds of their ailments now lost. He felt that he had lost his village forever in the depth of the reservoir. 

Q. What is the theme of the passage?
Ans: Jawahar lal Nehru, our first Prime Minister, dedicated Hirakud Dam in 1957.  The massive and majestic and the world’s longest dam was built on the mighty turbulent Mahanadi River about 15 km from Sambalpur in the state of Odisha in India. 
The present extract ‘A Village Lost to the Nation’ by Krishna Chandra Pujari was published in Indian Express on18th March 2009. It is a poignant article by the author who relives the loss of his home to the Hirakud dam constructed by the government. Due to the construction on the Mahanadi River, more than 400 villages were submerged and people were displaced. The author highlights the other side of development and the tragedy that unplanned development can ensue. He then describes the feelings of the people who returned to visit their old village, now ruined by the river. There lay the remnants of their village. The concluding lines depict that a big sacrifice must be made to make one’s nation prosper. It might be their village that gave solace to all their parents who had made the last walk from the village a decade ago.




Martin Luther King and Africa


Q. How did Martin Luther King embrace his African roots?
Ans: Chinua Achebe was a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic. His first novel ‘Things Fall Apart (1958) is also considered his ‘magnum opus’, and is the most widely read book in modern African literature. In the present essay “Martin Luther King and Africa” he draws out the complex issues of racial discrimination. Chinua Achebe discusses the legacy of Martin Luther King how he was able to fight racial discrimination and slave trade.  
According to Chinua Achebe, the death of Martin Luther King left a strong feeling that he had belonged to Africa in a very special sense which the author felt very proud that his ancestors were brought to America from Africa. It was this fact that Martin Luther King had embraced the pain and suffering of the African continent even though he had got no choice in his involvement in the Atlantic slave trade. He had developed a strong vision in his early life to bring down the structures of racism by sheer moral force.

Q. What is James Baldwin’s view about African history?
Ans: Chinua Achebe was a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic. His first novel ‘Things Fall Apart (1958) is also considered his ‘magnum opus’, and is the most widely read book in modern African literature. In the present essay “Martin Luther King and Africa” he draws out the complex issues of racial discrimination. Chinua Achebe discusses the legacy of Martin Luther King how he was able to fight racial discrimination and slave trade.  
African-Americans suffered the awkward form of sophisticated slavery for centuries. James Baldwin, African-American writer had called this historical alienation, ‘the African Conundrum’, was a bitter immemorial grievance. He lamented that the African history was an unnatural and indescribable crime of the horrendous transatlantic slave trade. In the words of Basil Davidson, the distinguished British historian, it was the greatest crime against humanity in the history of the world.

Q. In what way does the author disagree with the American Professor of history?
Ans: Chinua Achebe was a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic. His first novel ‘Things Fall Apart (1958) is also considered his ‘magnum opus’, and is the most widely read book in modern African literature. In the present essay “Martin Luther King and Africa” he draws out the complex issues of racial discrimination. Chinua Achebe discusses the legacy of Martin Luther King how he was able to fight racial discrimination and slave trade.  
It was some time ago in a heated TV discussion an American Professor declared that the Africans had captured their own people in the hinterland and sold them to the white people. The author disagreed that the victim was blamed for the crime which was touted as the cause of it. He pointed out that the very archives of Europe had the entries of the long nights of the slave trade for centuries. Thomas Jefferson compared Negros to Whites and concluded that Negros were inferior in all aspects. The other American, Imlay White, responded that it was more uncertain and false comparison of the intellect and talents of the two races of men. One race was enslaved, degraded and fettered and the other was free, independent. In his opinion Chinua Achebe felt that the unequal exchange was the fright between reason and canon.

Q. In what way did Mahatma Gandhi influence Martin Luther King?
Ans: Chinua Achebe was a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic. His first novel ‘Things Fall Apart (1958) is also considered his ‘magnum opus’, and is the most widely read book in modern African literature. In the present essay “Martin Luther King and Africa” he draws out the complex issues of racial discrimination. Chinua Achebe discusses the legacy of Martin Luther King how he was able to fight racial discrimination and slave trade.  
Chinua Achebe met James Baldwin at the Annual Conference of the African Literature in Florida. They spoke how Martin Luther King was when he died. Martin Luther King died at the age of thirty nine, but Mahatma Gandhi had not even returned to India at the age of thirty-nine. He had learnt from Gandhi that human beings have a fundamental obligation to respect life even in the midst of a great struggle. If they should forget this obligation and violate the lives of others, they would cheapen their own lives. We should not crush the humanity of others under our feet least we could devalue our own.  How much the African-Americans were suppressed for the lost time we should never know. Martin Luther King was worthy of honor for he had stood in a long line of a people’s struggle for freedom and justice.

Q. According to author, Martin Luther King achieved two things. What is his first achievement?
Ans: Chinua Achebe was a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic. His first novel ‘Things Fall Apart (1958) is also considered his ‘magnum opus’, and is the most widely read book in modern African literature. In the present essay “Martin Luther King and Africa” he draws out the complex issues of racial discrimination. Chinua Achebe discusses the legacy of Martin Luther King how he was able to fight racial discrimination and slave trade.  
According to the author Martin Luther King was worthy of honor for he had stood in a long line of a people’s struggle for freedom and justice. He said that there were two things which had made him a hero, a champion of apartheid. First, Martin Luther King struggled to conquer in himself both fear and hate which were the most destructive emotions of human being. He stood strongly where most of us vulnerable to fear and prejudice and all the other frailties of human situation. It was that which made us close to Martin Luther King of his heroic journey and able to dare the obstacles on our own little side roads.

 Q. What is Martin Luther King’s second achievement according to the author?
Ans: Chinua Achebe was a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic. His first novel ‘Things Fall Apart (1958) is also considered his ‘magnum opus’, and is the most widely read book in modern African literature. In the present essay “Martin Luther King and Africa” he draws out the complex issues of racial discrimination. Chinua Achebe discusses the legacy of Martin Luther King how he was able to fight racial discrimination and slave trade.  
According to the author Martin Luther King was worthy of honor for he had stood in a long line of a people’s struggle for freedom and justice. He said that there were two things which had made him a hero, a champion of apartheid. Second, he became significant as a staging post in a long history of struggle for freedom and a sign post for future battles. He was really a man who struggled valiantly to restore humanity against the tyrannical oppression.

Q. What are the author’s views on racism?
Ans: Chinua Achebe was a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic. His first novel ‘Things Fall Apart (1958) is also considered his ‘magnum opus’, and is the most widely read book in modern African literature. In the present essay “Martin Luther King and Africa” he draws out the complex issues of racial discrimination. Chinua Achebe discusses the legacy of Martin Luther King how he was able to fight racial discrimination and slave trade.  
In the United States, racism has been a major problem. From the 1600’s to 1865, white people used black people as slaves. After slavery ended, white people still looked down on black people. From 1876-1965, there were laws that segregated blacks and whites. Martin Luther King was a black leader who said that segregation and racism were wrong. He worked to bring freedom and equality to blacks. The author said that the racial discrimination eclipsed the whole African people for centuries. In his view it was the greatest crime against humanity.
                    
Q. What is the central theme of the passage?
Ans: Chinua Achebe was a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic. His first novel ‘Things Fall Apart (1958) is also considered his ‘magnum opus’, and is the most widely read book in modern African literature. In the present essay “Martin Luther King and Africa” he draws out the complex issues of racial discrimination of Africans, by tracing it back to the horrific practice of slavery. Chinua Achebe discusses the legacy of Martin Luther King how he was able to fight racial discrimination and slave trade.  He asserts the fact that it was Martin Luther King’s indomitable spirit that led him to fight against prejudice and oppression. It is appropriate to celebrate that Martin Luther King worthy of a heroic heart who lives on in the minds of African-Americans.