ENVISION BCom II Semester English Textbook PDF

ENVISION-II Generic English Textbook for II Semester B. Com/B.B.A. and other courses coming under the faculty of Commerce and Management, is prepared by the Members of the Textbook Committee, Bengaluru City University (BCU). Copyrights: Bengaluru City University (BCU) First Edition: 2022 Publish...

ENVISION-II Generic English Textbook for II Semester B. Com/B.B.A. and other courses coming under the faculty of Commerce and Management, is prepared by the Members of the Textbook Committee, Bengaluru City University (BCU). Copyrights: Bengaluru City University (BCU) First Edition: 2022 Published by: Bengaluru City University Press Bengaluru City University (BCU) Central College Campus Bengaluru-560001 i  FOREWORD The Generic English Textbook ENVISION-II for II semester B. Com/B.B.A. and other courses coming under the Faculty of Commerce and Management has been prepared by the members of the textbook committee of Bengaluru City University (BCU). This book has been designed as per the model and guidelines of NEP 2020. The workbook aims at improving the language competence of undergraduate students and prepare them for the competitive world. I congratulate the members of the textbook committee for their diligent work. They have ensured quality in every chapter of the book. I thank the Director of Bengaluru City University Press and their staff for bringing out the book neatly and quickly. I hope the text will be utilized by the teachers and the students skillfully to achieve the command over the language. Prof. Lingaraja Gandhi Vice-Chancellor Bengaluru City University Bengaluru-560001 ii  PREFACE ENVISION-II, the Generic English Textbook for II semester B. Com/B.B.A. and other courses coming under Faculty of Commerce and Management, Bengaluru City University (BCU), has been designed with the objective of enabling the language skills and competence of undergraduate students. It is the second book as per the guidelines of NEP. The chapters have been selected judiciously to meet the class room requirements. The selections aim at honing the skills of the students and making them industry- ready. I hope the students will make the best use of the material given, with the assistance of the teachers, to equip themselves in language skills. The teachers can use the tasks in the book to test the competence of the learners. I am sure the LSRW skills will be tuned and shaped with the help of the chapters provided. In the true sense, Envision- II has all the tools to enhance students’ ability to use language with joy and purpose. I congratulate the members of the textbook committee for bringing out this workbook studded with useful information on relevant topics of language learning. I thank the Director of Bengaluru City University Press and their staff for bringing out the book neatly and on time. Dr. Thandava Gowda TN Chairperson Board of Studies (UG) Bengaluru City University iii  MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF STUDIES-ENGLISH (UG) (BCU) Dr.Thandava Gowda T N Chairperson, PG Department of English, BCU 1 Dr. Rajaram 6 Mrs. Ayesha Firdose Associate Professor and Head Associate Professor Department of English Department of English St. Joseph’s College of Commerce Vijaya College, Jayanagar Bengaluru-560095 Bengaluru-560011 2 Dr. P. Sartaj Khan 7 Dr. Padmavathy K. Associate Professor and Head Professor and Head Department of English Department of English Al-Ameen Arts, Science and Sindhi College Commerce College Bengaluru-560024 Bengaluru-560027 3 Dr. R. V. Sheela 8 Mrs. Leena Karanth Associate Professor and Head Associate Professor and Head Department of English Department of English MES College of Arts, Science and Bishop Cotton Women’s College Commerce Bengaluru-560027 Malleswaram Bengaluru-560003 4 Dr. Anita Rao 9 Mrs. Prasanna Udipikar Associate Professor and Head Associate Professor and Head Department of English Department of English Govt. Science College V.V.N. Degree College Nrupatunga University Bengaluru-560004 Bengaluru-560001 5 Dr. Kavita Shastri 10 Dr. Narasimharaju K. Associate Professor and Head Associate Professor and Head Department of English Department of English Vijaya College, Jayanagar Govt. R.C. College of Commerce Bengaluru-560011 and Management Bengaluru-560001 iv  MEMBERS OF THE TEXTBOOK COMMITTEE (BCU) 1 Prof. N G Narasimhan 5 Prof. Kavitha Venugopal Chairperson Associate Professor Associate Professor and Head Department of English Department of English Sri Krishna Degree College Vijaya Evening College, R V Road ITI Layout Basavanagudi, Bengaluru-560004 Bengaluru-560085 2 Prof. Prasanna Udipikar 6 Prof. Akhila H G BOS Member Associate Professor Associate Professor and Head Department of English Department of English Jain College V.V.N Degree College Visveswarapuram, Visveswarapuram, Bengaluru-560004 Bengaluru-560004 3 Prof. Renuka R 7 Prof. Narayana Swamy Assistant Professor Assistant Professor and Head Department of English Department of English Government First Grade College S.J.P Degree College of Arts and Malleshwaram Commerce Bengaluru-560012 Hunasamaranahalli Bengaluru-562157 4 Prof. Chennappa V K 8 Prof. Ravi Kumar M S Head of the Department of English Assistant Professor Sha-Shib Degree College Department of English KIA Road, Bettahalasuru Cross, Vivekenanda Degree College Yelahanka, Bengaluru-562127 Rajajinagara Bengaluru-560055 v  Note to the Teacher ENVISION-II is the Generic English Textbook for II semester B. Com/B.B.A. and other courses coming under the Faculty of Commerce and Management in Bengaluru City University (BCU). This book has been designed as per the guidelines of new National Education Policy (NEP). It should also be noticed that under Ability Enhancement Compulsory Course (AECC), Generic English will be taught as L2. The workbook material reflects variety of language skills and communication tools spanning LSRW. The book has nine chapters which cater to different dimensions of language learning. These chapters include comprehension passages, vocabulary building, correction of sentences, listening activities related to interviews and conversations (pre-recorded audios), reported speech, dialogue writing, verbal and non-verbal communication, active and passive voice, introducing guests, welcome speech and vote of thanks. These chapters constitute the workbook syllabus for the second semester B. Com/BBA of BCU. Each chapter has a clear and well-defined objective, definition of the skill to be explained, examples and samples, tasks and exercises. It has been clearly mentioned in the chapters which task or exercise will be tested and examination-oriented as some tasks are exclusively meant for classroom activity and assignment. The teachers will get pointers in the chapters with respect to choosing certain tasks for Internal Assessment. A model question paper and question paper pattern have been given at the end for the benefit of teachers and students. Unit I deals with Receptive Skills and chapter1 introduces types of comprehension passages like global, factual and data compilation and students’ ability to read and comprehend these passages will be tested in the examination. Chapter 2 deals with vocabulary building in terms of usage of synonyms, antonyms, prefixes, suffixes, homonyms, homophones and collocations. In chapter 3, an attempt has been made to enlighten the student on different ways of correction of sentences. Chapter 4 deals with listening activities pertaining to listening to pre-recorded audios on interviews and conversations. It has several sample exercises and tasks which can be used for classroom activities such as role play, mock interview etc. They are not for testing in the examination. Audio and video links have been provided for classroom activity. Teachers can make the best use of their own resources as well. vi Chapter 5, that comes under Unit II—Productive Skills, reintroduces the nuances of reported speech. These will be tested in the examination. Also tested will be the skills of dialogue writing, which forms the core of chapter 6. In chapters 7, a brief introduction has been given to verbal and non-verbal communication and in chapter 8, active and passive voice exercises have been dealt with at length. Chapter 9 teaches the skills of introducing guests, welcome speech and vote of thanks. This enables the students in achieving mastery over speaking or oratory skills. To reiterate, except chapter 4, rest of the units will feature in the end semester examination question paper. The model question paper and its pattern will be of help for both teachers and students. The tasks and exercises in the chapters are meant for meaningful attempts to enhance the language skills of the students and later for testing in the end semester examination. The end semester examination will be conducted for 60 marks and 40 marks will be earmarked for Internal Assessment. Assessment details have been given for reference at the end of the book in question paper pattern section. In the examination, the Workbook component carries 40 marks and the Coursebook component carries 20 marks. The Committee expresses its gratitude to Dr.Thandava Gowda T N, Chairperson, (UG/PG) Bengaluru City University, for his constant support and inputs in the making of this book. The Committee also thanks Prof. Lingaraja Gandhi, the Honourable Vice-Chancellor of BCU for his insightful advice and suggestions. We are grateful to the Staff of the Prasaranga, Bengaluru City University Press, BCU, for their efforts in bringing out this book so neatly and on time. The Committee is indebted to the Principal and staff of Vijaya Evening College and V. V. N. Degree College for their invaluable support during textbook committee meetings. Thanks to the exemplary efforts made by the members of the committee. N G Narasimhan Chairperson Textbook Committee vii  CONTENTS WORKBOOK Chapter Unit-I Receptive Skills (Reading and Listening Skills) Page No 1 Reading Skills - Comprehension passages 2 – 25 2 Vocabulary building 26 – 47 3 Correction of sentences 48 – 70 4 Listening activities (interviews and conversations) 71 – 78 Unit-II Productive Skills (Speaking and Writing Skills) 5 Reported speech 79 – 96 6 Dialogue writing 97 – 104 7 Verbal and non-verbal communication 105 – 112 8 Active and passive voice 113 – 126 9 Introducing guests, welcome speech, vote of thanks 127 – 139 10 Question paper pattern 140 11 Model question paper 141 - 144 1  Chapter-1 READING SKILLS-COMPREHENSION PASSAGES OBJECTIVES:  To acquaint the students with reading comprehension strategies and skills that facilitate their understanding and analyzing of written texts effectively and easily.  To introduce the learners to different types of reading comprehension passages which focus on Factual & Global relevance and Data Compilation.  Reading comprehension is the fundamental skill which is influenced by external factors. The reader’s cognitive skills, such as visual processing, processing speed, and reasoning skills, can impact one’s ability to comprehend text. Prior knowledge, language fluency, and the ability to make inferences will also play a role in a reader’s comprehension. Reading comprehension involves both text comprehension and vocabulary knowledge. It is essential to know what each word means individually and as a part of the whole in addition to what the text is trying to convey. Definition: Comprehension is the understanding and interpretation of what is read. To be able to accurately understand the written material, students must be able to (1) decode what they read; (2) make connections between what they read and what they already know; and (3) think deeply about what they have read. WHY IS COMPREHENSION SKILL IMPORTANT? Reading comprehension demonstrates your ability to understand, interpret, analyze, and infer written information. Reading comprehension level is indicative of many other important, and sought-after, skills in the workplace. Communication skills, critical thinking skills, giving attention to details, decision- making ability, and ability to concentrate can all contribute towards understanding what is read. 2 5 Types of Reading Comprehension Lexical comprehension Understand key vocabulary in the text.  Preview vocabulary before reading the story or text  Review new vocabulary during or after reading the text Literal comprehension Answer Who, What, When and Where questions.  Identify the main ideas of the paragraph.  Ask questions from the beginning, middle, and end of the story. Interpretative comprehension Answer What if, Why and How questions.  Understand ‘facts’ that are not explicitly stated in the story.  Predict endings and anticipate consequences Applied comprehension Relate story to existing knowledge or opinion.  Not a simple question that can be marked ‘right’ or ‘wrong’.  Challenge readers to support their answers with logic or reason. Affective comprehension Understand social and emotional aspects  Preview social scripts to ensure understanding of plot development.  Connect motive to plot and character development. To really understand these different levels, let’s take a familiar text and see how different types of questions probe different understandings of the same story. Cinderella was a simple hardworking girl who lived with her stepmother and stepsisters in her house. Her stepmother and stepsisters used to harass Cinderella and make her do all the household work. One day a message was sent from the royal house in the city that the prince is looking for a girl for his wedding. Because of 3 which he invited all the girls of the city to the ball party. In such a situation, all the girls of the city including her step sisters started getting ready to go to this party. But Cinderella’s stepmother did not allow Cinderella to go to the party. All the people went to the party while Cinderella was left crying in her house. Then suddenly there was a burst of light and an angel, who was Cinderella’s God mother appeared in front of her. With a flick of magic, she changed Cinderella’s dress into a beautiful gown and gave her beautiful glass sandals. The angel with the wave of her magic wand, turned a pumpkin which was there into a chariot and the 6 rats which was with Cinderella into horses and one of them was replaced as the charioteer. Before Cinderella happily left for the ball, the angel tells her that she must return from the party before the fairy magic ends at 12:00. Cinderella went to the party and the prince’s eyes fell on Cinderella and was enchanted by her beauty. The prince danced with Cinderella the entire time and at 12:00 O’clock Cinderella remembered the angel’s warning and started to run to her chariot. In the hurry, Cinderella left one of her glass sandals on the stairs of the palace. The prince tells his soldiers to find out about Cinderella in the whole city, with the help of the same sandal. The prince’s men finally discover Cinderella with the help of that sandal. Then both, Prince and Cinderella married to each other and Cinderella went to live in the palace happily.  Preview vocabulary before reading the story or text. Lexical comprehension  Review new vocabulary during or after the text. Understand key vocabulary in the Example Lexical comprehension questions : text What does ‘enchanted' mean? What words are most like “enchanted”: Magical or funny? Scary or special? Comments  Identify the main ideas of the paragraph.  Ask questions from the beginning, middle, and end Literal comprehension of the story Answer who, what, when, and where Example Literal comprehension questions questions. Who was the girl who lost the glass slipper? Where did Cinderella go to live at the end of the story? 4   Understand “facts” that are not explicitly stated in the story or Reading between the lines Interpretative comprehension  Predict endings and anticipate consequences Example Interpretative Comprehension Answer What if, Why and How questions: questions How did the pumpkin turn into a carriage? What would have happened to Cinderella if she had not lost her slipper?  Not a simple question that can be marked right or wrong Applied comprehension  Challenge readers to support their answer with logic Relate story to existing knowledge or reason Example Applied comprehension questions: or opinion Do you think Cinderella was wrong in going to the ball even after her stepmother told her she shouldn’t go? Comment  Previews social scripts to ensure understanding of plot development Affective comprehension  Connect motive to plot and character development Example Affective comprehensive questions: Understand social and emotional What do you do when you’re disappointed because you aspects cannot do something fun? Is that how Cinderella reacted? Different types of Reading Skills: One of the most obvious, but unnoticed, aspects related to reading purpose is the consideration of the different types of reading skills. There are four types of reading skills. We had become familiar with two of these reading skills in ENVISION -I. Skimming: Reading rapidly for the main points Scanning: Reading rapidly to find a specific piece of information Extensive Reading: Reading a longer text, often for pleasure with emphasis on overall meaning Intensive Reading: Reading a short text for detailed information Here in this text, we are introducing learners to passages which have Global and Factual relevance and also Data compilation passages. 5 PASSAGES FOR COMPREHENSION: Sample passage 1: Factual passage: Read the following passage and answer the questions given below: Our country is facing a severe environmental crisis. If not tackled on a war footing, it will certainly lead to socio-economic and ecological disaster, which will seriously affect the lives of millions of people, especially the poor. Government data usually understate the extent of environmental destruction. The recent satellite data has revealed that India is losing millions of hectares of forest every year which is many times more than the annual rate of deforestation put out by the forest department. Q1. Choose the most appropriate option 1. If India’s environmental problem is not dealt with urgently, it will a. Lead to war. b. Make people unemployed. c. Create problem of poverty. d. Lead to ecological disaster Ans: Lead to ecological disaster. Q2. Who will be most seriously affected by the ecological disaster? Ans: Millions of people, especially the poor will be affected by the ecological disaster. Q3. The recent has revealed that India is losing millions of hectares of forest every year Ans: Satellite data. Q4. The word ‘understate’ in the paragraph means- Choose the correct options from below: a. Exaggerate b. Overture c. Undervalue d. Overvalue Ans: c -Undervalue Q5. The forest department every year puts out the correct annual rate of deforestation. True / False. Ans: False. 6 Sample Passage 2: Global passage Most of us have experienced war only through books or the media. However, war is a lot more than that, especially for the people who had experienced war personally. The memories of the hardship and difficulty they experienced are firmly imprinted in their minds for the rest of their lives. It is indeed sad that leaders of certain countries quickly declare war whenever there is conflict between two countries. In the past, leaders of countries were seldom concerned with maintaining good relationships with their neighbors but were more interested in gaining more power by conquering other cities. This is why there have been two world wars in the first fifty years of the twentieth century. War may occur because of various reasons, but more often than not, the reason of war is quickly forgotten amidst the tragedy of it. The amount of destruction that takes place during war is massive and once started, war spreads like a disease and rarely achieves anything. Many have questioned the necessity of war, especially because of the huge number of towns and cities that are destroyed and people who are killed. The people who call for war are usually the leaders of the country. Ironically, they are also the ones who are safely and comfortably protected in their homes when war happens. The people who come forward and are prepared to sacrifice their lives are the common people, who are also the ones to suffer from the shortage of food and water that is inevitable in any war. Q1. When the writer says that ‘Most of us have only experienced war through books or the media’, he means that- a. Most people have only read about war or seen films about war but have not personally experienced war b. Books give the complete experience of war more than what the media gives. c. Most of us have experienced war in real life than that is shown in books or media. d. Media gives us the experience of war more than that the book can give us. Ans: option a. Q2. Why were there two world wars in the first half of the twentieth century? Ans: Leaders of countries attacked one another as they wanted to increase their power. Q3. Once started, war spreads like a and rarely achieves anything. 7 Ans: disease Q4. The phrase ‘firmly imprinted’ which is in the paragraph 1 mean- a. Printed firmly b. Cannot forget c. imprints are firm d. impress Ans: b - Cannot forget Q5. Suggest a suitable title for the above passage. Ans: War and its consequences Sample Passage 3 Data Compilation Passage: FINANCIAL FRAUDS Banks and other financial institutions reported frauds worth 1.38 trillion in 2020- 21, down 25% compared to the previous year, when the amount involved was 1.85 trillion, according to the Reserve Bank of India's annual report. In terms of number, these entities reported 15 percent fewer frauds in 2020- 21, at 7,363 compared to the previous year's 8,703 cases. The RBI data takes into account frauds of 1 lakh and above only. Also, the central bank has changed its accounting year to April-March from July-June, and hence, the latest report only covers nine months (July 2020-March 2021). In 2019-20, the total fraud cases involving 1 lakh and above had shot up by 28% by volume and 159% by value. The RBI suggests that the share of public sector banks in frauds, both in terms of number and value, has fallen, while that of private sector banks increased in the corresponding period. 8 Furthermore, most frauds are occurring in the loan portfolio of financial institutions, the report says. In 2020-21, the loan portfolio saw 47.5% of the frauds in terms of number and 99% in terms of the amount involved. "The average time lag between the date of occurrence of frauds and the date of detection was 23 months for the frauds reported in 2020-21. However, in respect of large frauds of ₹100 crore and above, the average lag was 57 months for the same period," the RBI said. Recently, it was reported that cumulatively, banks in India suffered frauds worth 4.92 trillion as of March 31, 2021, or nearly 4.5 per cent of the total bank credit. This was based on RBI data, which was sought under the Right to Information Act by Saurabh Pandhare. The data showed 90 banks and financial institutions reported a total of 45,613 cases of loan fraud till March 31, 2021. Also, the RBI report said there was an increase of 31.3% in counterfeit notes detected in the denomination of ₹500 in 2020-21 compared to the previous year. However, there was a decline in counterfeit notes detected in other denominations. Based on your understanding of the data given in the passage, answer the questions given below: Q1. What was the average time lag with respect to large frauds of Rs.100 crore and above that was reported in 2020-21? a. 59 months 9 b. 23 months c. 57 months d. 32 months Ans: c -57 months Q2. Why does the latest report only cover nine months? Ans: The central bank has changed its accounting year to April-March from July- June, and hence, the latest report only covers nine months. Q3. As per the data in the table given, the number of fraud cases in the financial year 2021(FY21) found in PSBs (Public sector banks) is cases. Ans: 2,903 Q4. Based on RBI data, which was sought under the Right to Information Act by Saurabh Pandhare, we can understand that- a. banks in India suffered frauds worth 4.92 trillion as of March 31, 2021. or b. banks in India gained profits worth 4.92 trillion as of March 31,2021 Ans: a- banks in India suffered frauds worth 4.92 trillion as of March 31,2021. Q5. In the year 2020-21, a decline was detected in the counterfeit notes of denomination Rs.500/- compared to notes of other denominations. True / False. Ans: False Factual Passages: Practice Test 1 Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow: There is no general agreement about how the planets were formed. The most widely accepted theory is that about 5000 million years ago swirling clouds of matter began to condense. Through the action of centrifugal force, the heavier molecules were concentrated near the centre of the eddies and the lighter, gaseous material was thrown out towards the periphery. Such is the theory. What is known is that nine satellites began orbiting round the sun. These are the planets. The planet on which man lives is the third closest to the sun, with the third shortest orbit. It also has something none of the others has- an atmosphere that can support life in all the manifold forms that exist on our planet. There may be satellites circling other stars in other parts of the universe that have the right ingredients for some sort of life to evolve, but the earth is the only one in the solar system. 10 Q1. Choose the most appropriate option: The theory of the formation of the planets a. Is generally agreed upon by everyone b. Is a debatable one c. Covers a very wide area. d. Is fairly well-known Q2. According to the passage, what is the theory behind the formation of Planets? Ans: Q3. The Earth is the planet which is closest to the sun. Q4. In the passage, the word Periphery means: a. Heart b. Centre c. Middle d. Edge Q5. The atmosphere of the earth makes it possible for the presence of life on it. True / False. Practice Test 2 A noble purpose gives meaning to one’s own life and is of benefit to others. I realized this when researching on and writing about the life of Jamshedji Tata. What gave one man living in a colonized country the vision to advance it in the community of nations? He not only gave India the power of steel and hydroelectric energy, but also an institution of research. He sent an educationist to Europe and the United States to report on what should be the best model for India. The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore was recommended as the model. But Jamshedji made it a point to see that his name was not associated with the university. After his death, his dream came true with the establishment of the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru. It was to be the fountainhead of science in the decades to come. There are others too whose purpose in life has made a difference to society. Mother 11 Teresa had a comfortable life at Loretto Convent, Kolkata. On a train journey to Darjeeling, she felt her ‘calling’ and wanted to give up her comfortable life in the convent and serve the poor and the needy. After that, she took a three–month nursing course and returned to Kolkata. She devoted her time to the sick and the homeless. Touched by her sacrifice, some of her students joined her and work began. Not everyone has such a strong calling. When I asked her how one could be sure of one’s calling, she replied, “Deep down in our hearts we know exactly what our calling is, if we are sincere.” Q1. Choose the most appropriate answer: (a) Jamshedji Tata sent an educationist to Europe and the United States because he wanted ………………………… a. him to go abroad b. the educationist to be away from him c. him to understand the model best suited for India d. to send him for a vacation Q2. What are the contributions of Jamshedji Tata to our country?. Q3. When mother Teresa felt her “calling’ she was on her way to a. Darjeeling b. Dehradun c. Delhi d. Dimapur Q4. Mother Teresa served the sick and the homeless in Kolkata. True / False Q5. Identify the theme of the passage and suggest a suitable title. Practice Test 3 Diabetes is a metabolism abnormality that affects the way your body uses blood sugar (glucose), your main source of energy. To understand diabetes, you have to start from the beginning – with food. Your body converts a portion of the food you eat and digest into glucose. Glucose is then absorbed into your bloodstream, where it can enter the individual cells of tissue throughout your body to be used as energy. Before your cells will let glucose in, however, they need the help of insulin. 12 Insulin is a hormone produced by your pancreas – a gland located just behind your stomach. Normally, insulin acts like a master key, unlocking the doors of your cells and allowing glucose inside. To simply maintain this process, such as at night when you’re asleep, the pancreas releases a low level of insulin on a constant basis. When necessary, such as after a meal, your pancreas increases insulin supply to meet demand. After you eat a meal or a snack, your pancreas releases more insulin to make sure the extra glucose in your bloodstream can enter your cells. If you have more glucose than you need, your body can remove the excess from your blood and store it in your liver and muscles or convert it to fat. Then, when you run low on fuel, your body can release this stored energy back into your bloodstream, where insulin is waiting to usher it into your cells. If you have diabetes, this whole process goes awry. Instead of entering cells throughout your body, excess glucose builds up in your bloodstream and some of it may eventually be excreted in your urine. This can happen when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin (Type 1 diabetes), when your cells have become resistant to the effects of insulin (Type 2 diabetes) or, more commonly, when both of these problems occur. Q1. Choose the most appropriate answer: Diabetes is a a. nervous disorder b. metabolic disorder c. throat disorder d. physical disorder Q2. What is ‘Insulin’? Q3. If your body does not produce sufficient insulin you have Diabetes. Q4. Secretions of pancreas decrease during the night. (True/False) Q5. ‘Insulin is waiting to usher it into your cells’- The word ‘usher’ in the sentence means: a. lead b. follow 13  c. trail d. route Global passages: Practice Test 4: Climate change across the world. The weather is a common conversation for many people each day. The weather can change day-to-day or even from hour-to-hour. On the other hand, the climate in an area usually takes a long time to change. It is the average temperature and conditions in a specific place over a long period of time, in years. Climate does not change day- to-day or even month-to-month, but usually takes hundreds, thousands, or millions of years to change. The climate in one place on Earth is different from another place. For example, the climate in a desert may be hot and dry, but in a rainforest, it is usually warm and humid, and in some mountain areas and other places it will be cold all year long. In the world today, the words climate change is often heard, and it usually refers to the process of the Earth heating up, which is often called global warming. Most people can agree on the weather, but sometimes climate change or global warming leads to disagreement. The Earth is about 4.5 billion years old, and during its life, the climate has changed quite often and has experienced an Ice Age, warming, and everything in between. All scientists agree that the climate changed often during the first 4.5 billion years. However, it is also a proven fact that the Earth's average temperature has increased about 1.33°F over the past 100 years between the 1900s and 2000s. Reviewing the past 200 years it has increased about 1.8°F. It may not sound like a big change, but it will influence the Earth. The Earth is covered like a greenhouse, which is used by some farmers, florists, and others to grow plants, it is a 'glass-covered' building that absorbs the heat from the Sun. Greenhouses are very hot. Of course, the Earth is not covered with glass, but the greenhouse effect refers to the retention of the Sun's warmth in the Earth's lower atmosphere by greenhouse gases. The greenhouse gases include mostly carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. These gases (instead of glass) act as a blanket for the Earth, helping to keep the Earth warm enough to support life, an average of about 59°F. An increase in the greenhouse gases causes the Earth to become warmer. Think of it as a heavier blanket. 14 One of the greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, is absorbed by the trees and forests throughout the world, and then released as oxygen. Unfortunately, deforestation, the cutting down of trees and forests to make way for farms, roads, oil mines, and dams further leads to the greenhouse effect and a thicker 'blanket'. A warmer climate can affect the planet negatively. It could lead to heavier precipitation, unusual season changes, heat waves, etc. Polar animals' natural habitats are melting because of warmer temperatures, affecting polar bears, and seals. Orangutans in the rainforests are losing their homes, and sea turtles are losing nesting beaches because of rising sea levels. Farming in developing countries faces increased rain, floods, and droughts; plus, certain kinds of food items may become scarce, unavailable, or more expensive for people to purchase. In summary, there has been climate change before humans began living on the Earth, but the average temperature has increased over the past 200 years. Many scientists believe it is a result of human behavior and changing some of those behaviors will have a positive effect on climate change and global warming. Q1. Choose the most appropriate answer: Which of the following best explains the difference between climate and weather as it relates to the temperature, precipitation, etc. in an area of the world? a. Climate is daily change and weather is change over a long-time period b. Climate and weather are basically the same c. Climate cannot be measured daily but weather can d. Climate does not change day-to-day; weather can change day-to-day Q2. What does ‘greenhouse effect’ refer to? Q3. The Earth is about years old. Q4. Select the Natural habitat of the following animals: a. Seals: (i) Polar region (ii) beach b. Orangutans: (i) Desert (ii) rainforest Q5. Identify the theme and suggest a suitable title to the passage. 15 Practice Test 5 The Global Pandemic- Coronavirus The novel coronavirus has given rise to a global pandemic that has destabilized most institutional settings. While we live in times when humankind possesses the most advanced science and technology, a virus invisible to the naked eye has massively disrupted our lives, economies, healthcare, and education systems worldwide. Given the corona virus’s current situation, some households have also had time to introspect on gender roles and stereotypes. For instance, women are expected to carry out household chores like cooking, cleaning, and looking after the family. With men sharing household chores responsibilities during the lockdown period, it gives hope that they will realize the burden that women have been bearing and will continue sharing such responsibilities. This tough period also gave people some time to reflect on the importance of keeping themselves fit. With sufficient time in hand, people started investing their time learning new ways to exercise. Those who never exercised before, giving excuses of busy lives, too developed some new habits of Yoga, Pranayama and exercises during the lockdown period. These new habits and people’s increased focus on their health, wellness and immunity will surely change the way we lead our lives even in future. Nature too healed itself during the lockdown period. Restricted human movement led to better air quality, cleaner water bodies and joyful wildlife movements. The human beings, we hope, reflected during this time, how some of their unconscious activities cause disruption in nature and worked out ways to adopt environmental- friendly options for their activities in future. This situation also affected the education sector to a great extent. It has forced us to shift from offline to online mode of teaching-learning process, almost immediately without prior preparation. Is it giving us a peek into the reality ahead? Technology- enabled teaching is definitely the future we are looking towards, but it is important to identify key challenges for students and teachers in the current scenario. Once identified, academic leadership and the government can address these through innovations in the focused areas to minimize the effect of pandemic on the education of the students. 16 It is our responsibility that we take all necessary precautions through mask- wearing, physical distancing, and hand hygiene as part of daily life. It is highly important to make these new behaviours part of our everyday habits. Travelling to new places, casual café visits with a large bunch of friends, spending our weekends in shopping, window-shopping and casual strolls, large gatherings in birthday parties and other celebrations; will require some modifications and patience to fit into “New Normal” keeping all the safety norms in mind. Q1. Choose the most appropriate answer: The outbreak of COVID-19 is called a pandemic because- a. It has spread across the globe. b. It has spread across India c. It is invisible to naked eye d. It has disrupted many institutional settings Q2. According to the passage the lockdown period made people introspect on gender roles and stereotypes because Q3. Choose the option that is NOT TRUE: People, who never exercised before, started exercising during the lockdown period because- a. They had sufficient time in hand b. Exercise was the only way to treat people from the novel coronavirus. c. People learnt new ways to exercise their body. d. People understood the importance of health and wellness in the face of the pandemic Q4. Fill in the blank with the correct option: The pandemic also affected the education sector to a great extent. It has forced us to shift from offline to online mode of teaching-learning process ________ a. Almost immediately without prior preparation b. With a lot of preparation and training. Q5. According to the paragraph, the phrase ‘New normal’ means- a. Doing things normally like before b. A new way of living and going about our lives c. Which is expected to become abnormal. d. Doing normal things in a new way. 17 Practice Test 6 Worldwide, females are generally treated lower in status and power, relative to males. This may be called gender stratification, although it is sometimes referred to as gender inequality, sexism, patriarchy, and female disadvantage. Many feminists view men’s greater economic power and, correspondingly, women’s economic dependence on men, to be at the heath of women’s lower status and power. Once societies based on money evolved, men’s labor appeared to have greater value because it was done for money or the exchange of goods. The important economic contributions that women make collecting fuel, taking care of animals, growing vegetables, doing laundry, preparing food, taking care of children, and so on are frequently forgotten or devalued as “natural”. Worldwide, men control economies and resources, own more property, and occupy more positions of power in business and banking. This is true in virtually every country, including industrialized nations such as the United States. Men make more money than women, and even when they work the same jobs as women, this tends to be true. Politics is another arena in which women’s low power and status are apparent. In the twentieth century, activists worked to gain women the right to vote (called women’s suffrage). In most countries, voting rights have only been awarded to women in the last thirty years. Even in the United States, it was not until 1920 that women were granted the right to vote. By the year 2003, all countries that allow males to vote have granted women that same right, except for Kuwait. Not only are male activities valued over female ones, but in most countries, females themselves value male children over female children, in what is known as son preference. All over the world, people greet the birth of boys and girls differently (Mosse, 1993). For example, among the Turkana people of northern Kenya, great feasting accompanies the birth of a boy, but there is no feasting if the baby is a girl. According to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (2003), the areas most affected by son preference are South Asia (Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan), the Middle East (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Morocco, the Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, Turkey) and parts of Africa (Cameroon, Liberia, Madagascar, Senegal). Although son preference is not as obvious in the West, great value is still placed upon producing a male heir to carry on the family name. 18 Q1. Choose the most appropriate answer: The Passage indicates that Gender Stratification means: a. Men and women fighting for rights. b. Females being lower in status and power relative to males. c. Gender statistics not being maintained. d. Advantage of being a woman. Q2. According to the passage, which are the important economic contributions that women make but, which are devalued? ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Q3. By the year women of all the countries got the right to vote. Q4. Tick the correct option ‘Son Preference’ means - a) Females valuing male children over female children. b) Females valuing female children over male children. Q5. Identify the theme of the passage and suggest a suitable Title. Data compilation: Practice Test 7 Read the passage carefully and understand the data given: The UN’s 2017 International Year tells that sustainable tourism is an important tool for development, most importantly in poor communities and countries. Today sustainability –environmental, social, and economic – is increasingly recognized as the benchmark for all tourism business. As noted by the UN World Tourism Organization, 57% of international tourist arrivals will be in emerging economies, by 2030. The various ‘Tourism Terms’ are defined as follows: 19 Based on data collected by a survey by Travel Bureau, the following market profile of an ecotourist was constructed: - Age: 35 - 54 years old, although age varied with activity and other factors such as cost. Gender: 50% female and 50% male, although clear differences based on activity were found. Education: 82% were college graduates, a shift in interest in ecotourism from those who have high levels of education to those with less education was also found, indicating an expansion into mainstream markets. Household composition: No major differences were found between general tourists and experienced ecotourists** Party composition: A majority (60%) of experienced ecotourism respondents stated they prefer to travel as a couple, with only 15% stating they preferred to travel with their families, and 13% preferring to travel alone. (** experienced Eco tourists = Tourists that had been on at least one “ecotourism” oriented trip.) Trip duration: The largest group of experienced Eco tourists- (50%) preferred trips lasting 8-14 days. Expenditure: Experienced Eco tourists were willing to spend more than general tourists, the largest group (26%). Important elements of trip: Experienced Eco tourists top three responses were: (a) wilderness setting, (b) wildlife viewing, (c) hiking/trekking. Motivations for taking next trip: Experienced Eco tourists' top two responses were (a) enjoy scenery/nature, (b) new experiences/places. Q1. Choose the most appropriate answer: The World Tourism Organization of the UN, in an observation, shared that a. Emerging economies of the world will gain 57% of their annual profits from international tourists. b. Countries with upcoming economies shall see maximum tourist footfall from all over the world in the next decade. c. A large number of international tourists in 2030 will be from developing countries. d. Barely any tourist in the next decade shall travel from an economically strong nation to a weak one. 20 Q2. Define the term ‘Ecotourism’. _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Q3. According to the survey, when it comes to the Education of Eco tourists, 82% of them were. Q4. According to the survey conducted by the Travel Bureau, the total percentage of experienced Eco tourists who DID NOT prefer to travel alone was a) 60%. b) 75%. c) 15%. d) 13%. Q5. According to the survey, one of the most powerful driving forces leading experienced ecotourism to invest in new trips was to enjoy scenery and experience a new place. True / False. Practice Test 8 Read the passage given below and understand the Data. Technological evolution is a certainty. Cyber-physical systems, Big Data and the Internet of Things (IoT) have been changing the infrastructure of our world. In the 2020s, these phenomena, which are still in their nascency, will rapidly accelerate due to the increasing digitization of key areas such as health, science, transport, communications and energy. The ubiquity of technology, and its increased ability to connect and communicate, has paved the way for this tipping point. Beneath the surface, we are moving towards an explosion of change Over 50% of our global population is now online, and the other half is following fast. To be precise, around 726 million people joined the web in the last three years. These new users will change the shape of the internet. Many of them will be lower income. They are choosing smart phones over laptops and tablets and are more likely to use voice commands. 21 - Geodata and the IoT will create new markets and supply chains. The automation of manufacturing, services and mobility has already begun. Artificial Intelligence (AI) will reach what Gartner terms the ‘Plateau of Productivity’, in which the technology becomes both mainstream and viable. McKinsey estimates that 70% of companies may adopt at least one AI technology by 2030. It is unlikely they will all use it well, but those that do could manage to take us to a place where man and machine are indistinguishable. Bioscience has the potential to be transformative in the 2020s. Gene editing (CRISPR) technology will likely soon be able to edit genomes to allow animal organs to be accepted into human bodies – transforming, and perhaps saving, the lives of people currently waiting for organ transplants. Similar technology can also be used to combat inherited diseases, and even cancer. Elsewhere, gene therapy experiments are using the body’s immune system to fight cancer through re- engineering our cells. Technology has inarguably improved science, health, communications and transport. However, technology has not necessarily corresponded to increased economic productivity. Indeed, many of the most technologically advanced countries have seen productivity stagnate and stall, as discussed in growing inequality and opportunity. In the 2020s many questions around technology will be resolved. The scaffolding is in place. This will be the decade in which AI, geodata, the IoT, bioscience, and quantum computing are given the opportunity to change our world. Whether this change will be surface- level or truly transformative remains to be seen. 22 Q1. Choose the most appropriate answer: According to McKinsey, a. 70% of companies will employ more labor force by the year 2030 b. Nearly 70% of the companies will adopt use of one AI by the end of this decade c. Nearly 70% of all the companies will stop using AI by the end of 2030 d. 70% of all companies will depend on people who can use computers by the end of 2030. Q2. How can Gene editing transform the lives of human beings in the future? _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Q3. The total percentage of smart homes in the US by the year 2024 will be. Q4. According to the report, what will generate new market and supply chains? a. Artificial Intelligence b. Artificial Intelligence and Internet c. Geodata and Internet of Things d. Access to meta-data Q5. According to the passage, technology has most necessarily corresponded to increased economic productivity. True / False Practice Test 9 Read the following excerpt from a case study titled Impacts of Festivities on Ecology. Festivals are synonymous with celebration, ceremony and joy. However, festivals bring to fore the flip side of celebrations – pollution – air, water, soil and noise. This led to the need of assessing the awareness level among people about ecological pollution during festivals. So, a study was conducted by scholars of an esteemed university in India. This study was titled Awareness towards Impact of Festivals on Ecology. There were two main objectives of the study. The first one was to assess the awareness level among people about ecological protection during festivities. Exploring solutions to bring awareness about celebrating festivals without harming ecology was the second objective. The method used to collect data was a simple questionnaire containing 6 questions, shared with 50 respondents across four selected districts of a state in the southern region of India. The research began by understanding the socio-economic conditions of the respondents before sharing the 23 questionnaire. Once the responses were received, the data collected was tabulated (Table 1), for analysis. Table-1: Awareness level among respondents The study recommended the imposition of strict rules and regulations as opposed to a total ban on all festive activities which have a drastic impact on our environment. The researchers believed that such measures would help in harnessing some ill- effects that add to the growing pollution and suggested further studies be taken up across the country to assess awareness about ecological degradation. The observations made in the study pointed to the environmental groups and eco- clubs fighting a losing battle due to city traffic issues, disposal of plastics, garbage dumping and all sorts of ecological degradation. The researchers stressed that the need of the hour is increasing awareness among people to reduce ecological pollution which can be facilitated by celebrating all festivals in an eco-friendly manner. Q1. Choose the most appropriate answer: The reason to conduct the study on Impact of Festivals on Ecology was: a. To assess the awareness among people about economical disturbances in life. b. To assess the awareness level among people about ecological pollution during festival. c. To assess the awareness 24 Q2. Which are the two main objectives of the study. Q3. According to the survey, % of the respondents believe that celebrations and festivals unite people. Q4. The phrase ‘flipside’ in the paragraph means: a. Converse b. Best side c. Wrong side d. Equal side Q5. 80% of the respondents were aware of waste segregation and disposal guidelines. True / False. Reference: https://www.understood.org/articles/en/video-why-learning-to-read-is-harder-than- learning-to-speak https://www.zippia.com/advice/skills-employers-look-for/ https://handinhandhomeschool.com 25  Chapter-2 VOCABULARY BUILDING Objective:  To enrich the vocabulary of the learners.   To equip the learners with the skills of vocabulary building.   To make the stakeholders competent to face competitive examinations.   To enhance the communication skills of the learners.  Vocabulary building is very essential in learning a language. It enables one to know the meaning, spelling and pronunciation of a word. Understanding of a word extends to understanding of a family of words. For instance, the words able and create acquire different forms after being affixed or collocated with a few letters or words. Able- enable, unable, ability, ably, able administrator Create- creator, creative, creation, pro-creation, creativity. This unit focuses on inducing unquenchable thirst for words. Sound vocabulary is essential for reading, writing, speaking and understanding spoken English. Hence emphasis is laid on exposing the learner to synonyms, antonyms, homonyms, homophones, affixes and collocations. SYNONYMS Synonym is a word, the meaning of which is similar to that of another word. In other words, Synonyms are words that are similar in meaning. E.g., See - look, watch, notice, view, observe Although these words are similar or close in meaning, they cannot always replace one another. The usage of each of these words varies with or depends on the context. It is only with extensive reading and writing practice that one learns to use the right word at the right place. Learners are required to enrich or expand their vocabulary with synonyms so that they become language proficient. Also, learning of synonyms enables the learners to fare well in the competitive examinations. List of Synonyms:  ability - competence, skill  26  achieve - attain, accomplish, realize, reach   attribute - characteristic, trait   beautiful - attractive, pretty, lovely, stunning   bossy - controlling, domineering, overbearing   challenge - dispute, question   cold - indifferent   create - generate, make, produce   cute - adorable, delightful, endearing   develop - evolve, expand, grow   different - distinct, unusual   difficult - grueling, hard, strenuous, tedious   effective - functional, operational, successful   example - illustration, instance   excited - exhilarated, thrilled   fun – amusement, enjoyable   funny - humorous, comical, hilarious   goal - intent, purpose, target   good - acceptable, satisfactory   great - exceptional, extraordinary   happiness – gladness, mirth, joy   hardworking - diligent, industrious, enterprising   hate - abhor, loathe, detest, despise   honest - fair, sincere, trustworthy   important - vital, essential, significant, critical   intelligent - smart, clever, bright, brilliant, sharp   introvert - shy, quiet, withdrawn   judge – evaluate, determine, decide, gauge   justify - substantiate, demonstrate   journey - trip, travel,   key - critical, crucial, fundamental, vital   kind - considerate, amiable, merciful, gentle   knowledge - awareness, understanding   lazy - idle, lackadaisical, lethargic, indolent   love – passion, deep affection,   lucky - fortunate,   mean - unpleasant, bad-tempered   nice - pleasant, agreeable   need - require, want   old - antiquated, ancient, obsolete, extinct  27  opportunity - chance   pacify - appease, placate, mollify, console   positive - optimistic   question - inquire, enquire, interrogate   qualified - eligible, competent   recalcitrant - obstinate, stubborn, ungovernable   rich - affluent, wealthy, prosperous   strong - stable, secure, solid, tough   true - genuine, accurate, correct, real   turbulent - violent, unsettled   unhappy - sad, depressed, miserable   weak - frail, infirm, puny, fragile   xenophobia - intolerance, ethnocentrism, isolationism   yummy - delicious, tasty   zealous - ardent, fervent   zero - nil, nothing  Exercise 1: Pick the odd word out of the given set of words: 1. angry, furious, irate, glad 2. baffle - bewilder, confuse, perplex, convince 3. challenge - dispute, yield, question, debate 4. fair - just, impartial, wrong, unbiased, 5. hypocrisy – conceit, deceit, duplicity, honesty 6. lavish – simple, abundant, excessive, extravagant, 7. frivolous- silly, petty, trivial, grave 8. zone- area, position, region, sector 9. valid - right, outdated, legitimate, authentic 10. quarantine - seclusion, liberty, separation, confinement, isolation ANTONYMS Antonym is a word that means the opposite of another word. Learning antonyms enriches the vocabulary and also proves beneficial while facing competitive examinations. Learners are suggested to add a minimum of five sets of antonyms and synonyms to their vocabulary every day.  advance - retreat  admire – detest, abhor  cordial -hostile  abundant – scarce 28  accept - decline, refuse  admit – deny, dismiss  ally – enemy  ancient – modern  appear – vanish  approve-reprove  ascend – descend  attractive – repulsive  blame – praise  bless – curse  board - alight  bold - meek, timid  boon-bane  bound – free  bravery – cowardice  captive – free, liberated  crooked – straight  concise - elaborate  cheap – expensive, dear   conceal – reveal  contract – expand  courteous – rude  dainty – clumsy  deep – shallow  despair – hope  denial - acceptance   exterior – interior  external – internal  foolish – wise  friend - foe, enemy  frequent – seldom, rare  fresh – stale, rotten  giant - tiny, dwarf  guilty – innocent  humble – proud, haughty  inhale – exhale  intelligent – stupid, foolish   lazy – industrious  maximum – minimum  miser – spendthrift  optimism- pessimism  polite – rude, arrogant, haughty  real – fake, virtual 29  shallow – deep  simple – complex  success – failure  transparent – opaque  virtue – vice Note: Learners may practice antonyms in different parts of speech. For example:  ascent-descent; ascend-descend  virtue-vice: virtuous-vicious  humility-pride; humble -proud  acceptance-denial; accept-deny Exercise 2: Fill in the blanks with the antonyms: 1. arrive X ; arrival X 2. wise X : stupid X 3. major X : majority X 4. permanent X : permanence X 5. innocent X : innocence X Exercise 3: Match the words in column A with the antonyms in column B: A B Advance foe cordial pessimism accept clumsy ally vanish appear spendthrift dainty Retreat frequent hope miser seldom optimism hostile despair decline Opposite words are also formed by adding or changing affixes.  Able x Unable Agree x Disagree Careful x Careless  Do x Undo Efficient x Inefficient Encourage x Discourage  Fire x Misfire Graceful x Disgraceful Happy x Unhappy  Just x Unjust Legal x Illegal Relevant x Irrelevant  Sure x Unsure Told x Untold Understand x Misunderstand 30  Wanted x Unwanted  Exercise 4: Fill in the blanks with the words opposite in meaning to the words given in brackets after adding suitable affixes: 1. Dr. Sandeep doesn’t want his wife to _(understand) him. 2. Disha decided to dispose the (wanted) things off. 3. Ravina expressed her (ability) to complete the task in time. 4. Madhurima proved that she is not an (responsible) girl. 5. Mahatma Gandhi advocated truth and (violence). Note: The list of synonyms and antonyms is not exhaustive. Learners are required to explore more synonyms and antonyms and thus enrich their vocabulary every day. Words Synonyms Antonyms – Opposites Abate Subside, moderate Aggravate Adhere Comply, observe, conform Ignore, disregard Abolish Annihilate, eradicate, Sustain, cherish obliterate. Acumen Discernment, talent Stupidity, ignorance Absolve Pardon, forgive, exonerate Condemn, Accuse Abject Despicable, dismal, servile Commendable, Praiseworthy Feeble weak, frail Strong, Robust Abound Flourish, proliferate Deficient Accord Agreement, harmony Discord Adversity Misfortune, calamity Prosperity, Fortune Bleak Grim, Austere Bright, Pleasant Barren Desolate, Sterile Fertile Audacity Boldness, Courage Mildness, Cowardice Benevolent Benign, Generous Malevolent, Miserly Concede yield, accept Deny, reject Feeble weak, frail Strong, Robust Feud strife, quarrel Harmony, fraternity Thrifty Frugal, prudent Extravagant Generosity Altruism, bounty Stinginess, greed Forsake desert, renounce Hold, maintain 31 Exercise 5: Pick the right synonym of the following words: 1. Frantically A - satisfactory B - amok C - calmly D - meek 2. Contempt A - approval B - regard C - sanction D -scorn 3. Chaos A - interruption B - order C - disorder D - organization 4. Controversial A - undoubted B - litigious C - define D - certain 5. Metamorphosis A - unchanging B - stagnation C - transfiguration D - shrinkage 6. Predict A - foretell B - decide C - prevent D - discover 7. Fraud A - malevolent B - argument C - imposter D -clown 8. Ignite A- switch B- trigger C- transform D- change 9. Wary A - calm B - curved C - confused D - cautious 10. luminous A - clear B - bright C - brittle D -clever Exercise 4: Pick the right antonym of the following words: 1. Tedious A- unwavering B- frightening C- horrible D- easy 2. Flaunt 32 A- regard B- sink C- hide D- propose 3. Stamina A-weakness B- clear C- decisive D- calmness 4. Concede A- sit B – withstand C- dismiss D- elaborate 5. Placate A- appease B- lose C- tremendous D- enrage 6. Extravagant A- unknown B- dear C- thrifty D- lose 7. Resilient A- stubborn B- careless C- substantial D- vulnerable 8. Attain A- crave B- lose C- harbour D- credit 9. Curtail A-remain B- detain C- placate D- prolong 10. Magnify A- attract B- contemporary C- diverse D- diminish Exercise 6: Some of the questions from General English paper in various competitive examinations are given for reference. Prior knowledge of synonyms is essential to choose the right answer. Directions – From the given options, choose the option that is nearest in meaning to the highlighted words in the sentences given below. Q.1. The coming decades will likely see more intense clustering of jobs, innovation and productivity in a smaller number of bigger cities and city-regions. 1. Concentrated 2. Forceful 3. Passionate 4. Energetic Q.2. Most of human history has been a part of the Paleolithic period or the old stone age. The exponential change in the development of human civilization came in the recent few centuries. 1. Great 2. Fast 3. Tremendous 4. Increasing 33 Q.3. “I can’t stand this anymore,” said Lalit, noticing that Rustam did not relish Zuker’s conversation. 1. Gaiety 2. Savour 3. Vindicate 4. Desire Directions – From the given options, choose the option that is the most opposite in the meaning to the highlighted words in the sentences given below. Q.4. Neither the Gods nor the Kings have anything to say in a politically enlightened community. 1. Civilised 2. Ignorant 3. Stupid 4. Uncivilized Q.5. These bottles are harrowing. How could she spend so much money on something that is so drab? 1. Unattractive 2. Attractive 3. Gruesome 4. Adorable Note: Apart from MCQ type questions, questions on synonyms and antonyms are set in reading comprehension section. Candidates who aspire to appear for the various competitive examinations must regularly update their vocabulary by adding more words to the list of Synonyms and Antonyms. AFFIXES Affixes are letter/letters fixed before or after a root word to form a new word or to alter its form. They also affect the meaning of the words. They may be called prefixes or suffixes depending upon whether fixture is added at the beginning of the word or at the end. Prefixes are fixed at the beginning of the words. For example: befriend, co-curricular, disagree, encourage, ignoble, ill-treat, imperfect, indirect, mismanage, non-violence, pre-determine, re-generate, uncertain… Exercise 1: Fill in the table with the words that can be fixed with the prefixes listed in the first column: Prefix Word Prefixed Prefixed word Prefixed word word1 2 3 a vow Ex: avow Ex: abiotic Ex: aplenty anti thesis antithesis auto biography autobiography 34  be little belittle co operate cooperate de forestation deforestation dis advantage disadvantage em power empower en compass encompass extra ordinary extraordinary fore tell foretell ig noble ignoble il treat ill-treat im perfect imperfect inter national international ir relevant irrelevant mega event mega event mis manage mismanage non violence nonviolence over sight oversight pre view preview post graduate postgraduate re generate regenerate Semi final semifinal sub standard substandard super star superstar un certain uncertain uni lateral unilateral under estimate underestimate Suffixes are fixed at the end of the words. For example: Artist, artful, artless, beautify, casually, greatness, hearty, loyalty, manifestation, priority, socialize………. It may be noted that a word can take more than one suffix depending on the context. The word Commerce (noun) with a suffix ial is commercial (adjective); with ially commercially (adverb) with ialization is commercialization (noun). 35 Exercise 2: Fill in the table with words that can be fixed with the suffixes listed in the second column: Word Suffix Suffixed word Suffixed Suffixed word 1 word 2 3 adore able adorable play er player cash ier cashier write r writer art ist artist beauty ful beautiful parent hood parenthood Harm less harmless kind ness kindness rationalise ation rationalisation national ism nationalism study ious studious friend ship friendship Exercise 3: Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the words given in the brackets after affixing them: 1. The device is (able) now. 2. The girl is (fortune). She survived the fatal accident. 3. Students submitted their (assign) before the due date. 4. Audience was overwhelmed by the performance of the artiste. (ordinary) 5. Reshma was instructed to ____ (boot) her device whenever it (functions). 6. Oxygen is ___________ (colour) and __________ (taste) 7. Audience was overwhelmed by the performance of the artiste. (ordinary) 8. Reshma was instructed to ____ (boot) her device whenever it (functions). 9. Oxygen is ___________ (colour) and __________ (taste) 36  HOMOPHONES AND HOMONYMS HOMOPHONES (Home: same; phone: sound) Homophones are words that sound the same but differ in spelling and meaning. One tends to get confused while using such words. It is therefore required to learn the correct spelling and meaning of such words and use them correctly. Example: There-their, buy-by, hour-our, eye-I, wood-would, knew-new, know-no, some-sum, to-two and one-won. Their-there : Their children found their belongings there. Buy-by : Sanjay decided to buy a laptop for his sister and visited the store by car. Hour-our : Swathi waited for an hour to receive our parcel. eye-I : I could see the problem eye to eye. wood-would : I would rather choose the table with the legs made of wood. Knew-new : Dhruthi knew that Samrat was a new recruit. know-no : Wasim Akthar and Lahari know that there is no scope for reconciliation. some-sum : Some of the students were wrong in calculating the sum. to-two : The award was given to the two participants from Bengaluru. Here is a list of homophones. Learners are required to learn the spelling and meaning of each of these words and construct sentences using them. Ascent- berth-birth ball-bawl boar-bore bough-bow assent brake-break cast-caste cell-sell cent-scent-sent check-cheque cite-site- complement- dear-deer descent-dissent desert-dessert sight compliment dew-due dual-duel flea-flee fore-four foul-fowl feat-feet grate-great hair-heir heal-heel hole-whole Lack-lac- idle-idol knight-night loan-lone mail-male lakh 37  mask- meat-meet meter-metre naught-nought pail-pale masque pain-pane peace-piece, pray-prey reign-rein right-rite role-roll root-route scene-seen, scent-sent sole-soul scene-seen, scent-sent sole-soul Sun-son soar-sore steal-steel storey-story tail-tale tire-tyre vain-vein-wane wail-whale waste-waist way-weigh weak-week wear-ware-where weather- which-witch. yoke-yolk floor-flour weight-wait whether Exercise 1: Construct sentences using the homophones listed here forth: Example: Ascent: Hilary’s ascent of Mount Everest was commendable Assent: Tanmayi’s employer gave assent to her project. Berth Birth Complement Compliment Dual Duel Feat Feet Grate Great Heal Heel 38 loan lone Meter Metre Peace Piece Right Rite Site Cite Tire Tyre Vain Vein Weather Whether Yoke Yolk 39  HOMONYMS (homo-same; nym-name) Homonyms are the words that possess different meaning in different context. Some of the homonyms are dear, feet, fine, mine, key, sole, mean, free, rest, play, watch, principal, fair, right, left and train. Fine : In spite of paying a heavy fine (penalty), he sounded fine (a sense of well-being). Mine : That mine (quarry) is mine (belongs to me). Key : The bunch of keys (tools to open locks) played a key (significant) role in solving the crime. Mean : Souharda didn’t mean (intend) to be mean (self-possessed) to her friend. Free : You are free (not restricted) to avail the free (no cost) offer by the end of May. Rest : Visitors are allowed to rest (relax) for the rest (remaining part) of the day. Play : Rose wanted to play (recreate) games after watching the play (drama). Principal : The Principal (Head) laid emphasis on the principal (important) objectives. Fair : It is not fair (right/just) to prevent children from visiting the fair (mela) this year. Right : It is right (correct) to be aware of our fundamental rights (entitlement). Left : All the students who were seated on the left (direction) hand side left (went out of) the hall. Train : All the teachers decided to train (coach) the kids to follow safety measures before they boarded the train (mode of transport). Exercise 2: Construct two sentences each for the homonyms listed here-forth: Course: : 40 Press: Long: : Notice: - 41  COLLOCATIONS Objectives:  To aid the understanding of proper structure of the English language.  To make the use of the English language natural and interesting  Make better use of words or group of words by presenting it in better form  It enhances the use of language and thereby comparatively leads to innovation of the English language. It may be observed that some words fit together naturally. Such group of words or phrases is referred to as Collocation. For example, do well, make the most of, strong feeling, light rain, good job, have a break, go astray and so on. Definition and Meaning:  Collocation is the habitual juxtaposition of a particular word with another word or words with a frequency greater than chance.   Collocation is a pair or group of words that are habitually juxtaposed.  Collocation is a familiar grouping of words which appear together because of their habitual use. Collocation may be classified into different types based on the words grouped together: noun collocation, verb collocation, adjective collocation, adverb collocation. 1. Noun Collocations (noun-noun, noun-verb): Words collocated with nouns. a) Noun-noun collocation: cash flow, bottle neck The company is trying to stabilize the cashflow. The construction of Metro rail has created a bottle neck at this junction. b) Noun-verb collocation: companies merged, products launched The companies merged to create a win-win situation. The products launched proved better than the products manufactured by the rival company. 2. Verb collocation (verb-noun, verb-preposition, verb-adverb): Words collocated with verbs. a) Verb-noun collocation : have fun, take action We shall have fun after the examinations. The Principal has decided to take action immediately. b) Verb-preposition collocation: go about, get along 42  The girl was instructed to go about the task smoothly. Samyukta decided to get along well with her classmates. c) Verb-adverb collocation : react instantly The counselor advised not to react instantly. 3. Adjective Collocation: Words collocated with adjectives. For example: heavy rain, deserted road Bengaluru received heavy rains yesterday. I was scared to walk along the deserted road 4. Adverb Collocation: Words collocated with adverbs For example: slow moving, flatly refuse The slow-moving metro traffic drove the tourist crazy. The driver flatly refused to drive slowly. Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with the right collocation: 1. He didn't know anything about business, so starting his own business was. a) a leap into the cloud b) a leap in the dark c) a leap into the whole 2. I hate the way he criticizes everybody. It really rattles a) my back b) my bones c) my cage 3. When her business crashed, she had to pick up and start again. a) the fragments b) the pieces c) the stones 4.I used to go to church under false. I never wanted to go but my mother made me. a) agreements b) feelings c) pretences 5. One minute they were just talking and then all hell broke and everybody started screaming and shouting. a) free b) loose c) over 6. He never cheats or tricks anybody when he plays. He always goes by the. a) book b) instructions c) principles 7. Don't tell Mary your plans or she'll tell everybody. She is always her mouth off. a) shooting b) speaking c) talking 8. Tom might be able to help with your problem. He has friends in high who might be able to change the decision. a) jobs b) places c) spots 43 Exercise 2: Complete the expressions using the right verb given in the brackets: (miss, get, do and make) a) a goal j) ready b) peace k) progress c) lost l) someone’s help d) a home m) nothing e) an appointment n) an effort f) a lesson o) one’s best g) homework p) furniture h) the cooking q) the shopping i) someone a favour r) trouble Exercise 3: Identify the collocation and construct sentences of your own. a) do progress/make progress: b) strong rain/heavy rain: c) hard traffic/heavy traffic: d) do a mistake/make a mistake: e) big decision/heavy decision: f) best friend/ great friend: Exercise 4: Use the listed collocations in your sentences. 1. To do a favour: 2. Get ready: 3. Make friends: 44 4. have a break: 5. Give a minute: 6. Good job: 7. Extremely hot: 8. Break the record: 9. Big decision: 10. Demanding situation: Exercise 5: Describe your hometown using the collocations generally used to describe places. Note: One must listen and read regularly to master using collocations as naturally as a native speaker. It is also essential to construct sentences using the collocations. JARGON  Words and expressions used in a particular profession or by a particular group of people, which are difficult for other people to understand. Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 45   The technical terminology or characteristic idiom of a special activity or group. Merriam Webster Students are required to learn jargon and use judiciously. Jargon Economics Law Medicine Recession Affidavit Abrasion Unemployed Alimony Benign Money Annulment Chronic Investment and capital Appeal Fracture Government spending Bar Hypertension Welfare economics Bench Outpatient Efficient Custody Relapse Cost and profit Civil case Suture Demand Civil Court Transplant Supply Complaint Vaccine Marginal Contempt Sepsis Significant Court Infection Biased Decision Wound Dummy Decree Surgery Elasticity Defendant Diabetes Rational Evidence Prescription Rent Summons diet Note: Explore jargon employed in different streams Points to be remembered: 50  Sound vocabulary is essential for reading, writing, speaking and understanding spoken English.   Vocabulary must be regularly updated by adding more Synonyms and Antonyms.  Affixes are letter/letters fixed before or after a word to form a new word or to alter its form.  Updating the list of homophones and using them in own sentences help to prevent errors in spelling while writing.  Homophones are words that sound the same but differ in spelling and meaning. 46  Homonyms are the words that possess different meaning in different context.   A familiar grouping of words which appear together because of their habitual use is called collocation.  Practice of listening and reading regularly facilitates use of collocations as naturally as a native speaker.  An extensive vocabulary aids expression and communication.  Link to be tapped: https://youtu.be/rrztIQ0F2-M 47  Chapter – 3 CORRECTION OF SENTENCES Objectives: i) to refine the LSRW skills of the learners ii) to identify and rectify common errors in usage of English iii) to enable the learners to use the right vocabulary and diction Accuracy is an important part of the language. To avoid miscommunication, one should be proficient in the nuances of grammar and usage. Even though English language has been very accommodative of many words from other languages around the world, certain basic language structure is unchanged. English has been adapted to the needs of English language users in India too. However, not all the syntactical and dictional usage is accepted globally. Correction of Errors or Error Correction in English language has become an integral part of the entrance tests and competitive examinations which requires thorough and accurate knowledge of English language. The Error correction questions are generally related to parts of speech, singular- plurals, infinitives, participles, tenses, use of articles, redundancy, punctuations, usage etc. To rectify the errors in the sentence, students need to be aware of basic grammar skills. To be able to answer the error spotting questions, it is essential that students build up a good command over English Grammar and vocabulary. This unit gives a glimpse of some common errors committed by the second language users and the right usage. 1. Articles: The articles – a, an, the form the basis of determination of number of nouns; They also determine the generic and specific nature of nouns in a sentence. A singular countable common noun always requires an article before it whereas a plural common noun does not always require an article. A plural common noun can have the article ‘the’ whenever the noun needs to be particularized.  For example:  I saw a snake. (Refers to a random snake)  I saw snakes in a zoo. (No article is required)  I have seen the snake again. (Refers to the snake I have already seen earlier)  I saw the snakes again before leaving the zoo. (Refers to the particular snakes of the zoo which I saw earlier.)  The choice between the two indefinite articles – a and an – is determined by 48  sound of the first letter of the word (vowel sound or consonant sound). For instance:  a university, a union, a useful book, etc.  a one-dollar note, a one-man army, etc.  an MA, a BA, an LLB, a BSC,  an M.L.A but a Member of Legislative Assembly  an M.P, but a Member of Parliament  Zero Article: It refers to an occasion in speech or writing where no article is required. The zero article is also known as the zero determiner. No article is required: 1. to refer to the plural and uncountable nouns or when talking about things in general:  I'm terrified of heights  I'm into drum and bass.  I hate cheese. 2. before (proper nouns) the names of countries, cities, towns, streets, languages and mountains:  I'm from China.  Kavita is from Mumbai.  I've climbed Mount Everest.  She speaks French. 3. before some places and means of transport:  I live at home with my parents.  I came here by car.  He goes to work by bus. Note: However, article the is used before the names of the trains and buses. Ex: Dhruv commutes by the Shatabdi Express every day. 4. In exclamatory sentences with what + uncountable noun:  What beautiful weather!  What loud music!  What disgusting food! Classroom activity: Cite more instances wherein the definite article the is used. B) Fill in the blanks with the suitable article, if necessary: a) Paris is capital of France. I’d like to visit it one day. b) Alisha loves walking in rain. She likes rainy days rather than sunny ones. 49  c) He is most famous actor I know. d) I have e) I try to go for idea! __________ run three times week. 2. Prepositions: A preposition shows the relationship between two nouns/ two pronouns in a sentence. They may be classified as simple (in, by, to, from, under etc.) compound (amongst, between, in front of, outside, without etc.) and phrasal prepositions (according to, by means of, in front of, in spite of, on behalf of, in addition to etc.), phrasal verbs (bring down, call off, give up, take over, show down etc.) according to their structure. They are categorized as prepositions of time (at, on, in, before, after, etc.), place/position (on, under, behind, in, at etc.) and movement/direction (along, across, around, over, opposite etc.) according to their usage. Prepositions are harder to master for non-native speakers of English as the first-language nuances hinder understanding of proper preposition usage. Each language has its own set of grammar rules, so there are points of conflict when someone wants to learn a second language. Common errors in the use of prepositions are as follows:  Transfer of a specific preposition from their native language into English (substitution);  I’m angry on you. (incorrect) I’m angry with you (correct)  Sahil is in a call with his client. (incorrect) Sahil is on a call with is client. (correct)  Usage of a preposition when it should not be used (addition);  Roshan’s office is near to Mahi’s house. (incorrect) Roshan’s office is near Mahi’s house. (correct)  She is of the same age as me. (incorrect) She is the same age as me. (correct)  An obligatory preposition is omitted in some cases (omission).  He is neither ashamed nor sorry for his misdeeds. (incorrect) He is neither ashamed of nor sorry for his misdeeds. (correct)  The design of this house is different and inferior to that of other houses. (incorrect) The design of this house is different from and inferior to that of other houses. (correct) 50 Classroom activity: Complete the conversation using prepositions given in brackets: (in, on, at, for, of, with, between, before, about, to) Student: Excuse me, when are your office hours? Instructor: I am available to meet you Thursday 13:30 and 15:30. Student: I have class that time. Can we meet lunch? Instructor: Is it urgent? Student: Yes, I have some questions to ask you the mid-term exam. Instructor: You can come my office 11:00. Does that work you? Student: Yes, thank you. Can you remind me where your office is? Instructor: My office is the third-floor room A321 the Unity building. Stu