English Notes.pdf

English FYJC UNIT TEST 2024 Sep Important notes 1)Cherry Tree Eight years have passed Since I placed my cherry seed in the grass “Must have a tree of my own,” I said, And watered it once and went to bed And forgot, but cherries have a way of growing, Though no one's caring very much or knowin...

English FYJC UNIT TEST 2024 Sep Important notes 1)Cherry Tree Eight years have passed Since I placed my cherry seed in the grass “Must have a tree of my own,” I said, And watered it once and went to bed And forgot, but cherries have a way of growing, Though no one's caring very much or knowing. The poet Ruskin Bond states that it has been eight years since he planted a cherry seed in the grass. He did it so to have a tree of his own but after watering it just once, he forgot it completely. The poet informs the readers that cherries can grow even when they are not being taken care of. They can grow naturally without being watered every day or being taken care of. And suddenly that summer near the end of May, I found a tree had come to stay. It was very small, five months child, Lost in the tall grass running wild. Goats ate the leaves, the grass cutter scythe Split it apart and a monsoon blight Shrivelled the slender stem….Even so, Next spring I watched three new shoots grow, The young tree struggle upward thrust Its arms in a fresh fierce lust For light and air and sun. The poet notices suddenly that summer by the end of May a very young tree growing from the place he planted the seed. It was almost five months old and so small that it wasn’t even visible amongst the long grasses that covered it. The poet describes the threats to the cherry tree. It was hidden in the tall wild grass. Goats ate the leaves of the cherry. The grass cutter had split it apart while cutting the grass, and the monsoon caused damage to it by drying its thin stem. Despite all odds, the poet finds three new shoots growing next spring. The cherry sapling manages to survive in any bad condition. The young cherry tree struggled and pushed itself to grow upward, its branches were growing fast to take light, air, and sun rays. I could only wait, as one Who watched, wandering, while Time and the rain Made a miracle from green growing pain....... I went away next year- Spent a season in Kashmir- Came back thinner, rather poor, But richer by a cherry tree at my door. Further, the poet says that he could only watch nature’s ways of growing as anyone who just watched the growth of trees with time. The poet is wondering how time sustained the Cherry tree, and how it grew with the help of the rain. The poet wonders as to how the tree survived even in pain, by facing all the hurdles in its way. The poet goes to spend a season in Kashmir next year. He returns from Kashmir, being thinner and poorer but he feels richer when he finds a fully grown Cherry tree at his door. Six feet high my dark cherry, And I could scarcely believe it-a berry. Ripened and jeweled in the sun, Hung from a branch-just one! And next year there were blossoms of small Pink, fragile, quick to fall At the merest breath, the sleepiest breeze...... The cherry tree was six feet tall. The poet couldn’t believe that it was the same sapling of the cherry tree that he had planted. The tree had become mature and now it had a berry (fruit) hanging on one of its branches which was ripened and looked like a shining jewel in the sun. he says jewel because it was precious to him like a jewel. The next year, the Cherry tree was blooming with flowers that were small, pink in colour, very delicate, and quick to fall even at the slightest movement of breeze. I lay on the grass, at ease, Looking up through the leaves at the blue Blind sky, at the finches, as they flew And flitted through the dappled green. While bees in ecstasy drank Of nectar from each bloom and the sun sank Swiftly, the stars turned in the sky, And moon-moths and singing crickets and I Yes, I !- praised Night and stars and tree: That small, the cherry, grown by me. In the last stanza, the poet enjoys the sights of nature and its surroundings. The poet lies comfortably on the grass under the Cherry tree and looks up through the leaves clearly at the blue sky, the seed-eating birds (finches), bees, crickets, and the blooming cherry tree. Finches eat the seed and fly over the Cherry tree from the gap of leaves, and branches while the bees suck the nectar happily (ecstatically) from every bloomed flower. They drank the nectar until sunset. The sun sank very fast and stars appeared in the sky. The poet could hear the moon-moths and crickets singing on that peaceful night. The poet praised the beauty of the night and the stars and the Cherry tree that he had planted and that was fully grown now. Appreciation of the Poem’ The Cherry Tree’ Poem, Poet, and the title: The poem ‘Cherry Tree’ is composed by the well-known Indian English poet Ruskin Bond. The title shows that the poem pertains to a Cherry tree. The poet had a desire to plant and have his tree despite many threats and obstacles the tree grew into a fully blossomed tree after a wait of eight years. The poet emphasises the strong inner instinct of the cherry tree to survive to grow on its own. Important Themes in the Poem The Cherry Tree deals with the theme of struggle, resilience, and persistence against all adversities. It is a symbol of survival. Here the poem clearly emphasizes the importance of all these qualities in human life. The bond between the poet and the cherry tree is of care and nurture. He plays the role of a guardian to the cherry tree and at the end he feels proud to have the cherry tree as parents are proud of their children. Another theme of the poem is the ability to do something new. The poet conveys that life is short, and time passes rapidly. So, the only thing a person can do is to relish each moment that he has. Nature will go do its job it is up to humans to decide whether they enjoy it or not its loveliness. Summary (Write about the stanza which comes in the exam in short) The language is very simple and lucid to understand. The poet has used various figures of speech like Alliteration, Antithesis, and climax. The rhyme scheme of the poem is aa, bb, dd, eye. The poem has a fine picturesque quality by showing the colourful image of nature and scenery. Message: The way the cherry plant went through many obstacles but with strong determination it grew, similarly we can also overcome our difficulties and become resilient like the cherry tree. How we can sow seeds, grow, and enjoy nature and its surroundings. Opinion: I like the poem for its positive, optimistic tone. The poet has also created a beautiful picture of the cherry tree with the use of figurative language. Figures of Speech: Climax: Pink, fragile, quick to fall. Here words, phrases sentences are arranged in ascending order. Alliteration: 1) Shrivelled the slender stem. Here the sound of 's' has been repeated. 2) The sun sank. Alliteration the sound of 's' has been repeated. Personification: 1) Five-month-old child. 2)The young tree struggle upward thrust. (In both places the tree has been given human quality) Onomatopoeia I hear the bright bee hum: The poet has used the word 'hum' which indicates the sound made by the bee. It is an example of Onomatopoeia. 2) Expansion of Idea Expansion of an idea is to elaborate an idea in paragraph form. Paragraph: A paragraph is necessarily a series of connected sentences that develop one topic into a sentence. Topic sentence: It is a subject/proposition/ statement expressed in a sentence. A good topic sentence is brief and encapsulates the central theme. Ideally, it is written in three parts (1) Introductory paragraph (2) Core content (Note: Topic sentence can never be removed from a paragraph.) (3) Concluding paragraph. Introductory paragraph A good paragraph is always associated with a topic sentence at the beginning. The literal/symbolic/metaphorical meaning needs to be given. To expand an idea the in the middle or at the end. The symbolism or the idea should be clearly understood or deeper thought behind the given idea. In short, the given idea should be well focused on words and expression of thoughts to put forth the hidden meaning evaluated and interpreted accordingly. Core Content While elaborating on various aspects of the idea, remember that the following points need to be taken into consideration: Explore perspectives, give instances and anecdotes, experiences, or even personal experiences. There should be unity and clarity of thoughts. * Maintain coherence and a logical link between two distinct points in the sentences. For this, discourse markers, conjunctions, and conjunctive phrases can be used. * Each paragraph or point should support the central idea, but the 'proportion of space' should be considered. * Remember that this is the most creative part of demonstrating your language skills. Conclusion In the end, we need to sum up suitably with strong and relevant points. The use of proverbs is appropriate at the end with a similar meaning sentence given in the topic sentence. e.g. (1) The given one is- 'Tit for tat' you may sum up using another similar one 'Reap as you sow.' 1) Expand the following idea in about 100/150 words with the help of the points given below. 1 )'All is well that Ends well'. (Oct 2021) * Well begun is just half done It's all about the finishing touch * Patience and perseverance are always counted * A happy ending leads to satisfaction 2)Expand the following idea by using the following points. 'Time and tide wait for none'. (March 2022) * Meaning of the proverb * Proper time management * Importance of time * Add your points 3)Expand the following idea with the help of the points given below in about (100-150 words) “Social Distancing -A need of today” (July 2022) * Need Roles and responsibilities * Acceptance of the fact * Purpose * Awareness 4)Expand the following idea with the help of the points given below in about 100-150 words. “Experience is the best teacher” (Feb 2023) -It is practical and not theoretical experience. -Learn from Situations -direct and first-hand knowledge -Real life versus Bookish 5) Expand the following idea with the help of the points given below (100/150 words): 'Actions speak louder than words (July 2023) * Focus on actions *Words are useless where there is no action. * Actions lead to success/result. A few more important topics: Expand the following idea in about 100 to 150 words by using the points 6)Slow and steady wins the race. *Meaning of the proverb *Importance of persistent effort *A positive approach will bring success *Add your points 7) The pen is mightier than the sword. *Meaning of the proverb * Importance of pen * Add your points 8) A friend in need is a friend indeed. * Meaning of the proverb *How friends are important * What friendship teaches you in life. * Add your points Answers 1) All is well that ends (Oct 2021) The above proverb is used whenever a person has successfully achieved his/her goal after going through pitfalls and later on overcoming those obstacles. In simple language, if we have to explain it, we can say that though the journey is difficult in the end, everything turns out to be good as intended. In other words, no matter how many challenges were faced to achieve a goal, if that goal has been achieved and if it is a good one the whole process can be justified. This idea is based on the principle that if a good result is achieved. it doesn't matter what was done to achieve that goal. This idea is always prevalent throughout human life. If I have to give an example, I can say that a boy/girl who is preparing for his/her competitive examination like UPSC goes through plenty of grueling studies, burns the midnight oil, appears in many mock tests and interviews, and then finally clears that exam and get selected for that coveted position. This saying encourages us to look at our life positively and also tells us that doing something stressful or sometimes getting angry to get an end good result is justifiable. However, it is unjustifiable it does not matter what we do to achieve our goals. Those who are against it according that good results can be achieved only through good deeds or actions. In the end, we can say this proverb is one of the greatest tools in our positive thinking toolbox. This proverb emphasizes the good in life and puts an end to or diminishes the negative effects that had troubled and challenged in the past may have on our minds in the present. 2) "Time and tide wait for none".(March 2022) The meaning of the proverb: The above proverb means that once time is lost is lost forever. Whenever we get an opportunity, we must make the best of it and if we can't make use of it, it is lost forever. Both time and tide have their course. Both do not wait for anyone. We must act immediately when the proper time for taking some action comes. Once we lose an opportunity, there is no meaning in regretting it. In short, this proverb means that we need to do our duty on time. Importance of time and time management: If we students are wasting our time in colleges and school We will miss the golden opportunity of getting a sound and effective education. We won't realize the loss unless we grow up. We all know the farmer dries the hay when the sun shines, if he does it in the rain or rainy season it will decay. Look at the blacksmith he strikes the iron when it is hot and then only, he can give the desired shape to it. Indirectly one needs to have proper management of time else we will not make any progress. Our growth will become stagnant like water in a ditch. Conclusion: In conclusion, I can say that it is unwise to delay any action on our part. When we are presented with an opportunity, we must decide quickly and act promptly without wasting time. Later on, regretting about lost opportunity will do nothing to us. 3) "Social Distancing- A need of today” (July 2022) I think we all know how important is for us to maintain social distancing in today's 21st century. Especially during the coronavirus pandemic, we all were constantly told to keep a social distance and avoid going to crowded places like commuting by train, bus, or marketplaces so that we will be saved from the disease coronavirus. Not only to save ourselves from various diseases like tuberculosis, influenza, coronavirus, etc. social distancing is a must but, also to avoid noise pollution in overcrowded cities we need to maintain social distancing. With this distancing, we need to keep social distance from digital media too. This digital media is also becoming a cause of our unrest. We all are losing our concentration capacity because of social media and not maintaining social distance from all these things. The young generation and even the old people have become part of this habit. To maintain this habit, we should develop an interest in indoor/outdoor games, take part in sports, do Yoga, read, etc. Unless and until we won't practice these things, we will be away from mental peace and health. To develop the idea of social distancing we have to make our schedule and learn to follow it. As and when it is needed, we have to be with all but all the time you cannot be with everyone. Sometimes we need to be with ourselves. It is our responsibility to be part of all things and accordingly, we should play our role in day-to-day life. One fact we all have to accept is that man is a social animal and we cannot stay away from society. Conclusion: Finally, I can say that it is wise to maintain social distancing whenever needed and required, we must decide quickly and act promptly without wasting time. Later on, regretting it won't help us. 4) "Experience is the Best Teacher".(Feb 23) The above proverb means that only when a person gets the experience, he or she learns things. Many a time our forefathers though illiterate were experts in their field. All this expertise they had because of practice and experience. Experience is the lesson for our future work. If you warn a child not to put his hand near the fire, he or she may not listen to you. But if the child touches the flame out of curiosity, he or she will get burnt. Through experience, the child will learn that putting One's hand in the fire can cause a lot of pain and physical damage.  Most of our study is based on books. But only by visiting the Taj Mahal, one will experience its grandeur. Direct knowledge gives personal experience. There are so many skills where mere theoretical knowledge cannot supply complete information. Practical knowledge gives us complete, impartial, and permanent information about the thing we are studying. We learn through our mistakes more than what we learn from bookish knowledge. Learning by doing is the most effective way of education. Hence, we can conclude that 'Practice makes a man perfect'. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx