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TRANSCRIPT
DHANALAKSHMI COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, CHENNAI
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
HS6251 - TECHNICAL ENGLISH – II
UNIT – I
PART – A (2 MARKS)
Regular and Irregular Verbs
Regular Verbs
BASE FORM SIMPLE PAST PAST PARTICIPLE
Accept Accepted Accepted
Achieve Achieved Achieved
Add Added Added
Admire Admired Admirer
Admit Admitted Admitted
Adopt Adopted Adopted
Advise Advised Advised
Agree Agreed Agreed
Allow Allowed Allowed
Announce Announced Announced
Appreciate Appreciated Appreciated
Approve Approved Approved
Argue Argued Argued
Arrive Arrived Arrived
Ask Asked Asked
Assist Assisted Assisted
Attack Attacked Attacked
Bake Baked Baked
Beg Begged Begged
Behave Behaved Behaved
Boil Boiled Boiled
Borrow Borrowed Borrowed
Brush Brushed Brushed
Bury Buried Buried
Call Called Called
Challenge Challenged Challenged
Change Changed Changed
Chase Chased Chased
Cheat Cheated Cheated
Cheer Cheered Cheered
Chew Chewed Chewed
Clap Clapped Clapped
Clean Cleaned Cleaned
Collect Collected Collected
Compare Compared Compared
Complain Complained Complained
Confess Confessed Confessed
Construct Constructed Constructed
Control Controlled Controlled
Copy Copied Copied
Count Counted Counted
Create Created Created
Cry Cried Cried
Cycle Cycled Cycled
Damage Damaged Damaged
Dance Danced Danced
Deliver Delivered Delivered
Destroy Destroyed Destroyed
Divide Divided Divided
Drag Dragged Dragged
Earn Earned Earned
Employ Employed Employed
Encourage Encouraged Encouraged
Enjoy Enjoyed Enjoyed
Establish Established Established
Estimate Estimated Estimated
Exercise Exercised Exercised
Expand Expanded Expanded
Explain Explained Explained
Fry Fried Fried
Gather Gathered Gathered
Greet Greeted Greeted
Guess Guessed Guessed
Harass Harassed Harassed
Hate Hated Hated
Help Helped Helped
Hope Hoped Hoped
Identify Identified Identified
Interrupt Interrupted Interrupted
Introduce Introduced Introduced
Irritate Irritated Irritated
Joke Joked Joked
Jump Jumped Jumped
Kick Kicked Kicked
Kill Killed Killed
Kiss Kissed Kissed
Laugh Laughed Laughed
Lie Lied Lied
Like Liked Liked
Listen Listened Listened
Love Loved Loved
Marry Married Married
Measure Measured Measured
Move Moved Moved
Murder Murdered Murdered
Need Needed Needed
Obey Obeyed Obeyed
Offend Offended Offended
Offer Offered Offered
Open Opened Opened
Paint Painted Painted
Park Parked Parked
Phone Phoned Phoned
Pick Picked Picked
Play Played Played
Pray Prayed Prayed
Print Printed Printed
Pull Pulled Pulled
Punch Punched Punched
Punish Punished Punished
Purchase Purchased Purchased
Push Pushed Pushed
Question Questioned Questioned
Race Raced Raced
Relax Relaxed Relaxed
Remember Remembered Remembered
Reply Replied Replied
Retire Retired Retired
Return Returned Returned
Rub Rubbed Rubbed
Scold Scolded Scolded
Select Selected Selected
Smoke Smoked Smoked
Snore Snored Snored
Stare Stared Stared
Start Started Started
Study Studied Studied
Talk Talked Talked
IRREGULAR VERBS
Thank Thanked Thanked
Travel Travelled Travelled
Trouble Troubled Troubled
Type Typed Typed
Use Used Used
Visit Visited Visited
Wait Waited Waited
Walk Walked Walked
Want Wanted Wanted
Warn Warned Warned
Wink Winked Winked
Worry Worried Worried
Yell Yelled Yelled
Base Form Past Simple Past Participle
Abide Abode/Abided Abode/Abided
Alight Alighted Alighted
Arise Arose Arisen
Awake Awoke Awoken
Be Was/Were Been
Bear Bore Born/Borne
Beat Beat Beaten
Become Became Become
Begin Began Begun
Behold Beheld Beheld
Bend Bent Bent
Bet Bet Bet
Bid Bade Bidden
Bid Bid Bid
Bind Bound Bound
Bite Bit Bitten
Bleed
Bled Bled
Blow Blew Blown
Break Broke Broken
Breed Bred Bred
Bring Brought Brought
Broadcast Broadcast/Broadcasted Broadcast/Broadcasted
Build Built Built
Burn Burnt/Burned Burnt/Burned
Burst Burst Burst
Bust Bust Bust
Buy Bought Bought
Cast Cast Cast
Catch Caught Caught
Choose Chose Chosen
Clap Clapped Clapped
Cling Clung Clung
Clothe Clothed Clothed
Come Came Come
Cost Cost Cost
Creep Crept Crept
Cut Cut Cut
Dare Dared Dared
Deal Dealt Dealt
Dig Dug Dug
Dive Dived Dived
Do Did Done
Draw Drew Drawn
Dream Dreamt/Dreamed Dreamt/Dreamed
Drink Drank Drunk
Drive Drove Driven
Dwell Dwelt Dwelt
Eat Ate Eaten
Fall Fell Fallen
Feed Fed Fed
Feel Felt Felt
Fight Fought Fought
Find Found Found
Fit Fit/Fitted Fit/Fitted
Flee Fled Fled
Fling Flung Flung
Fly Flew Flown
Forbid Forbade Forbidden
Forecast Forecast/Forecasted Forecast/Forecasted
Foresee Foresaw Foreseen
Foretell Foretold Foretold
Forget Forgot Forgotten
Forgive Forgave Forgiven
Forsake Forsook Forsaken
Freeze Froze Frozen
Frostbite Frostbit Frostbitten
Get Got Got/Gotten
Give Gave Given
Go Went Gone/Been
Grind Ground Ground
Grow Grew Grown
Hang Hung/Hanged Hung/Hanged
Have Had Had
Hear Heard Heard
Hide Hid Hidden
Hit Hit Hit
Hold Held Held
Hurt Hurt Hurt
Inlay Inlaid Inlaid
Interlay Interlaid Interlaid
Keep Kept Kept
Kneel Knelt/Kneeled Knelt/Kneeled
Knit Knit/Knitted Knit/Knitted
Know Knew Known
Lay Laid Laid
Lead Led Led
Lean Leant/Leaned Leant/Leaned
Leap Leapt/Leaped Leapt/Leaped
Learn Learnt/Learned Learnt/Learned
Leave Left Left
Lend Lent Lent
Let Let Let
Lie Lay Lain
Light Lit Lit
Lose Lost Lost
Make Made Made
Mean Meant Meant
Meet Met Met
Melt Melted Molten/Melted
Mislead Misled Misled
Mistake Mistook Mistaken
Misunderstand Misunderstood Misunderstood
Mow Mowed Mown
Overdraw Overdrew Overdrawn
Overhear Overheard Overheard
Overtake Overtook Overtaken
Pay Paid Paid
Preset Preset Preset
Prove Proved Proven/Proved
Put Put Put
Quit Quit Quit
Re-prove Re-proved Re-proven/Re-proved
Read Read Read
Rid Rid Rid
Ride Rode Ridden
Ring Rang Rung
Rise Rose Risen
Run Ran Run
Saw Sawed Sawn/Sawed
Say Said Said
See Saw Seen
Seek Sought Sought
Sell Sold Sold
Send Sent Sent
Set Set Set
Sew Sewed Sewn/Sewed
Shake Shook Shaken
Shave Shaved Shaven/Shaved
Shear Shore/Sheared Shorn/Sheared
Shed Shed Shed
Shine Shone Shone
Shoe Shod Shod
Shoot Shot Shot
Show Showed Shown
Shrink Shrank Shrunk
Shut Shut Shut
Sing Sang Sung
Sink Sank Sunk
Sit Sat Sat
Slay Slew Slain
Sleep Slept Slept
Slide Slid Slid
Sling Slung Slung
Slink Slunk Slunk
Slit Slit Slit
Smell Smelt/Smelled Smelt/Smelled
Sneak Sneaked Sneaked
Sow Sowed Sown
Speak Spoke Spoken
Speed Sped/Speeded Sped/Speeded
Spell Spelt/Spelled Spelt/Spelled
Spend Spent Spent
Spill Spilt/Spilled Spilt/Spilled
Spin Span/Spun Spun
Spit Spat/Spit Spat/Spit
Split Split Split
Spoil Spoilt/Spoiled Spoilt/Spoiled
Spread Spread Spread
Spring Sprang Sprung
Stand Stood Stood
Steal Stole Stolen
Stick Stuck Stuck
Sting Stung Stung
Stink Stank Stunk
Stride Strode Stridden
Strike Struck Struck/Stricken
String Strung Strung
Strip Stripped Stripped
Strive Strove Striven
Swear Swore Sworn
Sweat Sweated Sweated
Sweep Swept Swept
Swell Swelled Swollen
Swim Swam Swum
Swing Swung Swung
Take Took Taken
Teach Taught Taught
Tear Tore Torn
Tell Told Told
Think Thought Thought
Thrive Thrived Thrived
Throw Threw Thrown
Thrust Thrust Thrust
Tread Trod Trodden
Undergo Underwent Undergone
Understand Understood Understood
Undertake Undertook Undertaken
Upset Upset Upset
Vex Vexed Vexed
Wake Woke Woken
Wear Wore Worn
Weave Wove Woven
Wed Wed/Wedded Wed/Wedded
Weep Wept Wept
Wet Wet/Wetted Wet/Wetted
Win Won Won
Wind Wound Wound
Withdraw Withdrew Withdrawn
Withhold Withheld Withheld
Withstand Withstood Withstood
Wring Wrung Wrung
Write Wrote Written
Active Voice and Passive Voice
Change the following sentences from impersonal Passive voice to Active Voice and Active Voice to Passive
Voice:
1. Wright Brothers made the propeller in 1902.
The propeller was made by Wright brothers in 1902.
2. Software has been installed by the hardware engineer.
Hardware Engineer has installed software.
3. The engine is being repaired by me.
I am repairing the engine.
4. A pendulum clock was made by Galileo in 1641.
Galileo made a pendulum clock in 1641.
5. Every country needs nuclear power in the future.
Nuclear power is needed by every country in the future.
6. Some programs have been deleted by the lecturer.
The lectured have deleted programs.
7. We still use miracle pump.
Miracle pump is still used by us.
8. We are operating the machine.
The machine is being operated by us.
9. Albert Einstein named the atom bomb, fat man and it weighed about 4500kg.
The atom bomb, Fat Man was named by Albert Einstein, and it weighed about 4500kg.
10. The TOEFL book was written by Mr. Barron.
Mr. Barron wrote the TOEFL BOOK.
11. ‗C‖ and ‗UNIX‘ will be taught by the guest lecturer tomorrow.
Tomorrow the guest lecturer will teach ‗C‘ and ‗UNIX‘.
12. Many students did not do the project.
The Project was not done by many students.
13. Berliner made the first gramophone in 1887.
The first gramophone was made by Berliner in 1887.
14. They have completed the work.
The work has been completed by them.
15. The HOD has met the Principal,
The Principal has been met by the HOD.
16. They designed their own engine.
Their own engine was designed by them.
17. A skilled operator can carry out many operations on a CNC machine.
Many operations can be carried out on a CNP machine by a skilled operator.
18. A transponder strengthens the weak signals received from the earth.
The weak signals received from the Earth are strengthened by a transponder.
19. Optical fiber cables reduce the load on satellite communication.
The load on satellite communication is reduced by optical fiber cables.
20. Left-handed people can do certain things better than right-handed people.
Certain things can be done better by left-handed people than right-handed people.
Change these sentences into Impersonal Passive Voice:
1. We can use coal to produce detergents, explosives and paints.
2. We can cast this type of metal into very complicated shapes.
3. They will start production on the new type of reactor soon.
4. The operator selects the appropriate gear for the job.
5. A lathe can cut screws.
6. The workers should adopt new methods of production.
7. A very small quantity of nuclear fuel can produce enormous amount of energy.
8. We smelt the ore in a blast furnace and reduce it to pg.
9. China produces thousands of electronic devices every year.
10. We can alter the characteristics of steel in various ways.
11. The man sharpened his tool.
12. Teachers can best sow the seed for good type of behaviors at a tender age.
13. A skilled operator can carry out many operations on a lathe
14. Indian airlines have introduced the automatic printing of tickets in major cities.
15. We clamp the two metal plates together.
16. We pass an electric current across the electrodes.
17. He welds the plates together.
18. Multinational companies make huge investments in oil – rich countries.
19. Coal miners produce millions of tons of coal every week.
20. We use radiation measuring instruments to monitor radiation levels.
21. The company marketed several new products every year.
22. They change the plan every five years.
23. We can generate heat on welding in several ways.
24. This will prevent metal surfaces from coming into contact.
25. Welders normally prefer a Vee- shaped weld.
26. The Egyptians knew the art of jewellery making as early as 3000 BC.
27. That country does not produce any heavy industrial machinery.
28. This allows the cross-slide to move across the saddle.
29. We must heat the steel above its critical temperature.
30. You must take care not to damage the machinery.
31. They would constitute separate committees under the Industrial development commissioner.
32. We call these supports bearings.
33. This will prevent damage to the shaft.
34. We can use thin grease as a lubricant in rolling bearings.
35. The driver starts the engine.
36. The furnace smelts the ore.
37. The man cut the trees.
38. Life science companies employ various methods to control the global bio-industrial markets.
39. He welded the plates together.
40. The workers should complete this building by the end of next year.
41. Open the door.
42. Inform him.
43. We are making an efficiency test.
44. In this day and age the computer is finding more applications than were ever conceived possible.
45. The writer has focused attention on the emerging trends of technology.
46. The new manger has called for quotations.
47. Calculate the rate of change of momentum.
48. Increase the temperature.
49. Find out the expansion of the metal.
50. Have you posted the Letters?
ANSWERS
1. Coal can be used to produce detergents, explosives and paints.
2. This type of metal can be casted into very complicated shapes
3. Production will be started on the new type of reactor soon.
4. The appropriate gear is selected for the job.
5. Screws can be cut.
6. The new methods of production should be adopted.
7. Enormous amount of energy can be produced.
8. The ore was smelt in a blast furnace and reduced to pig.
9. Thousands of electronic devices are produced every year.
10. The characteristics of steel can be altered in various ways.
11. His tool was sharpened.
12. The seed can be best sown for good type of behaviors at a tender age.
13. many operations can be carried out on a lathe
14. The automatic printings of tickets have been introduced in major cities.
15. The two metal plates are clamped together.
16. An electric current is passed across the electrodes.
17. The plates are welded together.
18. Huge investments are made in oil – rich countries.
19. Millions of tons of coal are produced every week.
20. Radiation measuring instruments are used to monitor radiation levels.
21. Several new products were marketed every year.
22. The plan is changed every five years.
23. Heat on welding can be generated in several ways.
24. Metal surfaces will be prevented from coming into contact.
25. A Vee- shaped weld is normally preferred.
26. The art of jewellery making was known as early as 3000 BC.
27. Any heavy industrial machinery is not produced.
28. The cross-slide is allowed to move across the saddle.
29. The steel must be heated above its critical temperature.
30. Care must be taken not to damage the machinery.
31. Separate committees would be constituted under the Industrial development commissioner.
32. Supports bearings are called.
33. Damage to the shaft will be prevented.
34. Thin grease can be used as a lubricant in rolling bearings.
35. The engine is started.
36. The ore is melted.
37. The trees were cut.
38. Various methods are employed to control the global bio-industrial markets.
39. The plates were welded together.
40. This building should be completed by the end of next year.
41. The door should be opened.
42. He should be informed.
43. An efficiency test is being made.
44. More applications are being found than were ever conceived possible.
45. Attention has been focused on the emerging trends of technology.
46. Quotations have been called.
47. The rate of change of momentum should be calculated.
48. The temperature should be increased.
49. The expansion of the metal should be found out.
50. Have the Letters been posted?
Change the voice. (AC-Active voice, PC-Passive voice, IP Impersonal passive)
1. I straightened the wire. (AV)
The wire was straightened by me. (PV)
The wire was straightened. (IP)
2. The Mason is building a wall. (AV)
A wall is being built by the mason. (PV)
A wall is being built. (IP)
3. My mother will look after you. (AV)
You will be looked after by my mother. (PV)
You will be looked after. (IP)
4. She admires the hero. (AV)
The hero is admired by her. (PV)
The hero is admired. (IP)
5. Sita gave me a book. (AV)
A book was given to me by sita. (PV)
A book was given to me. (IP)
6. We admire him. (AV)
He is admired by us.(PV)
He is admired. (IP)
7. We were playing a game. (AV)
A game was being played by us. (PV)
A game was being played. (IP)
8. May I take this book? (AV)
May this book be taken by me? (PV)
May this book be taken? (IP)
9. Will you help me? (AV)
Shall I be helped by you? (PV)
Shall I be helped? (IP)
10. They spoke to him. (AV)
He was spoken to by them.(PV)
He was spoken to. (IP)
Change the following into impersonal passive.
1. They sell radio here.
Radios are sold here.
2. They opened the theatre only last week.
The theatre was opened only last week.
3. They constructed this house forty years ago.
The house was constructed forty years ago.
4. We call these support bearings.
These are called support bearings.
5. He lubricated the ball-bearing.
The ball-bearing was lubricated.
6. We clamp the two metal plates together.
The two metal plates are clamped together.
7. They may construct a bridge across the river.
A bridge may be constructed across the river.
8. We can do this work now itself.
This work can be done now itself.
9. A skilled operator can carry out many operations on the lathe.
Many operations can be carried out on the lathe.
10. You must take care not to damage the machinery.
Care must be taken not to damage the machinery.
11. This will prevent damage to the shaft.
Damage would be prevented to the shaft.
12. We can generate heat for welding in many ways.
Heat can be generated for welding in many ways.
13. They have announced the results.
The results have been announced.
14. They have bought a car.
A car has been bought.
15. He had informed his friend.
His friend had been informed.
Homonyms Homonyms: Words that have the same spelling but different pronunciation and different meanings.
Directions: Choose (a) or (b)
Example: I hope you are not lying _ (a) _ to me. (a) telling a lie
My books are lying _ (b) _ on the table. (b) being in a horizontal position
1. The kids are going to watch ___ TV tonight. (a) small clock worn on the wrist
What time is it? I have to set my watch____. (b) look at
2. Which page _____ is the homework on? (a) one sheet of paper
Please page _____the doctor if you need help. (b) to call someone on an electronic
pager
3. Let‘s play ___ soccer after school. (a) participate in a sport
The author wrote a new play ___. (b) theater piece
4. Ouch! The mosquito bit ___ me! (a) a tiny amount
I‘ll have a little bit ___ of sugar in my tea. (b) past tense of bite
5. My rabbits are in a pen ___ outside. (a) a writing instrument which uses ink
Please sign this form with a black pen ___. (b) an enclosed area
Homophones Homophones: Words that have the same pronunciation, but different spelling
and different meanings.
Examples:
1) accept: to accept is to receive, admit or take on responsibility
I accept responsibility for the car accident.
except: usually a preposition meaning other than or a conjunction meaning if it weren't for the fact
that
I have every card except the ace of spades.
2) affect: usually a verb meaning to have an influence on, to bring about a change
Eating too much can affect your weight.
effect: usually a noun meaning result
The effect of the frost will be higher fruit prices.
3) advice: a noun meaning an opinion about an action
The pediatrician gave advice on how to bathe infants.
advise: a verb meaning to offer advice or recommend
I would advise you not to speed at night.
4) forth: an adverb meaning forward in time, place or order
We went forth with our plans to move.
fourth: follows third
I was fourth in line.
5) its: shows possession, answers the question, "Whose?"
Its gas tank was empty.
it's: contraction of it is
It's the third Sunday of the month.
6) lose: to misplace something
How can you lose your wallet?
loose: not tight, to set free
We let the dog loose during the day.
7) no: the negative
Staying home alone is no way to spend a Saturday night.
know: to possess knowledge
I know the entire alphabet.
8) new: not old
Every summer I buy a new swimsuit.
knew: past tense of know
I knew the answer but did not raise my hand.
9) of: a preposition that links words
The lion is the king of beasts.
10) have: a verb meaning to possess
They have eight children.
11) principal: adjective meaning important or having to do with interest/capital
the adjective is always spelled with an a
The principal of Denton High School is Bob Richards.
principle: noun that refers to a basic truth or law or a policy
It was against my principles to argue with the elderly man.
12) there: (1) indicates direction: The dog is over there.
(2) subject: There are five cookies left.
their: shows possession: That is their new home.
they're: contraction of they are: They're going to be late.
13) to: (1) preposition used to link words: Mary went to the library.
(2) infinitive form of the verb: Bob likes to juggle.
too: (1) refers to quantity: I ate too much.
(2) also: Sandy is going to the library too.
two: the number two: We had two flowers to plant.
14) were: verb: The twins were tired.
where: direction or place: Where did I leave my glasses?
15) whose: shows possession: Whose dirty shoes are on the carpet?
who's: contraction of who is: Who's coming for supper?
16) your: shows possession: Those are your dirty shoes.
you're: contraction of you are: You're always late for supper.
Directions: Choose the correct word.
Example: Please try not to waste (waste, waist) paper.
1. Can I go to the party (to, too, two)?
2. This is my favorite (pare, pair, pear) of jeans.
3. I (sent, scent, cent) a letter to my aunt in Vietnam.
4. The children got (bored, board) during the lecture.
5. Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez like to work in (there, they‘re, their) garden.
6. Alec is going to (wear, ware) his work boots today.
7. Do you think it is going to (rein, rain, reign) this afternoon?
8. I saw a restaurant just off the (rode, road) about a mile back.
9. David‘s brother is in a (band, banned) which plays Russian music.
10. Juana wants her socks because her (tows, toes) are cold.
11. The teachers walked down the (aisle, isle) between the rows of desks.
12. Hadil has a (pane, pain) in her shoulder.
13. The school (principal, principle) spoke to a group of parents.
14. The clerk wants to (sell, cell) as many TVs as possible.
15. I don‘t want to talk about the (passed, past) anymore.
16. Nobody (knows, nose) what you are thinking.
17. I have (for, four, fore) dollars in my pocket.
18. I need to take a (break, brake) from this exercise!
19. Humans have hands. Dogs have (paws, pause).
20. (He‘ll, Heel, Heal) be here in a few minutes.
PART – B (16 MARKS)
Short Messaging Service (SMS):
SMS stands for Short Messaging Service and is also called texting or text messaging. SMS messages or
texts are usually sent from one mobile phone to another. It is a quick and convenient way of sending a
short message to someone. One can also attach a video, photograph or audio to the SMS. This is called an
MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service). Service providers have limited the word limit to 160 for an SMS.
Hence, people use short forms like ASAP (As Soon As Possible).
Emoticons:
Emoticons are a set of keyboard symbols that represent the expression on somebody‘s face, used in SMS,
to show the feelings of the person sending the message.
Blogs
Blogs are also called web logs.
Short articles called posts, which are changed regularly in a website are called blogs. Some blogs are
written by one person about his/her own opinions, interests and experiences, while others are written by
many different people. Most blogs allow comments from readers. A blog may also be defined as ‗a journal
or diary written for public viewing on a website and consisting typically of personal reflections, commentary
on current events, etc. arranged chronologically‘.
Examples of Blogs 1. The following is a blog expressing the author‘s personal feelings. Mentality Almost all people love a good job. A job that would help them feed their families and get their desires
accomplished. A person in a regular job spends his/her life mostly in the work spot. The place of work
becomes a second home for many. Some come to work eagerly in order to avoid or to stay away from the
pressures of household members. Some straggle into work revolting the necessity of work but unable to
stay at home for fear of losing regular means of income. Into this scenario are found some pushed in by a
tall wave, still being tossed about, not sure of what they are going to do in future. Then comes a select
group that has come because of the love for the subject concerned. The people in that category are usually
envied for they stand tall amongst the ruins. They have absolute confidence in their stream and they know
what they teach. They believe in what they proclaim. They are strong. They usually do not compromise, for
they need not. Others crave their help and attention. This is more so in the teaching field. They are the
pillars of the institution that they work in. They are indispensable. The cog revolves around them. But alas!
If only someone could peep into their mindset!! It is true that they are the best. It is a fact that they are
sought after by almost all. Yet, the turmoil inside their heads is unbearable. Man is a social animal. He
needs interaction. How can you expect a first grader to regularly hang out with a college graduate? This is
the usual level of disparity. The Intellectuals run around trying to find someone….anyone…to share their
thoughts with, in vain. The solace they need, the network of ease that anyone needs is denied to them. The
privilege of leading a normal work life combined with learning is prohibited. They can never learn or expect
to learn from such an environment. The institution sucks the life out of them and throws them out at last
when it has drunk…..drunk them….to the lees. But no one in that group ever seems to be aware of this.
They go as a sheep is led to be butchered. They realize the fact when the arrow pierces their livers. Alas!!!!!
So many wasted lives.
Source: http://jannekerlawrence.blogspot.in/
2. The following is a blog expressing the author‘s views regarding globalisation.
The United Colours of Globalisation!
ARINDAM CHAUDHURI | New Delhi, December 20, 2013 11:05
Tags : Arindam Chaudhuri | Globalisation |
Truly said, every coin has two sides. But when it comes to policies and politics, a random toss can be really
catastrophic. The same can be said for globalisation. Of course, globalisation came with its own set of
advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand where it made the world a melting pot, then on the other
it also became the reason for the cracks on that very pot – making it fragile and susceptible.
With the advent of globalization, the concept of nation-state – or rather, shall I say nationalism – gradually
started diminishing! The world-order started getting governed more by knowledge and communication
technologies. Along with knowledge and technology, the ease of mobility acted as catalyst to make the
world smaller, more congested and heterogeneous. So when migration and cross-culture relationships
were augmenting each other, in some other part of the world national identities were getting lost. That said,
nationalism has the ability to enhance solidarity, but if not channelized under controlled conditions, then it
can backfire as hostility and increase xenophobia. December 18 was International Migrants Day, a day
when the United Nation‘s officially exhorted people and governments to end xenophobia and to support
migrant communities. But that‘s easier said than done.
Recently, a nation famous for its stringent civilian rules and regulations and subsequently also for its
benchmark target of zero crime, saw globalisation and xenophobia at loggerheads in the most unexpected
manner, especially given the social history of that nation. A few days ago, hundreds of foreign residents in
Singapore resorted to violence, vandalism and even attacked the police in one of the worst riots in the last
four decades of Singaporean history, after a bus (evidently accidentally) killed an Indian migrant worker
near Little India, a region that typifies India and is populated significantly by Indian migrants. The riots
occurred despite the fact that Singapore has one of the most stringent laws for rioters. Without an iota of
doubt, accidents are uncommon in Singapore where laws are followed religiously, literally and verbatim.
But then, this one incident acted as a trigger to the suppressed animosity that foreign workers were
carrying in their minds and hearts since long, due to their perception of being xenophobically (if one could
call it that) targeted since long by the Singaporean nationals. This riot seemed more of a frustration emitting
exercise by local Asians residing in Little India who are still not treated as par with permanent residents of
the island nation.
The Second Minister for Home Affairs in Singapore, S. Iswaran, told BBC that there was no room for
xenophobia in Singapore and social tension wasn‘t the reason the outburst happened. That‘s clearly a very
diplomatic statement. Migrants still suffer from lower pay, less vacations, unfair treatment, bad working
conditions, discriminatory access to public services and general discrimination in the society. If one
remembers, just last year, in a xenophobic protest, several local permanent residents had come out on the
streets with slogans like ―Singapore for Singaporeans.‖ Even this time, after the riots (something that
cannot be justified at all, irrespective of the reason), the evidence of racist anti-foreigner sentiments
seething within the domestic community was quite evident from the way people (apparently Singaporean
nationals) reacted on social media forums after the riots.
There are signs of xenophobia (or racial/nationalistic/ethnic discrimination, if you wish to call it that) all
across the world. According to the Ministry of Justice, UK, the discrimination between races in the ‗stop and
search‘ procedures by UK police has increased phenomenally in recent years. The numbers of blacks and
Asians stopped by the police increased by 70 per cent from 2005 to 2009. As per official estimates, more
than 310,000 blacks and Asian people were searched in 2008-09, in comparison to 178,000 in 2004-05.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) found that black people were 29 times more likely to
be stopped by the police, compared to their non-black counterparts.
Cross over to the US and the situation is as bad. New York Civil Liberties Union revealed that in the first
three quarters of 2013, the police stopped New Yorkers 179,063 times. 89% of people stopped were totally
innocent. An overwhelming 56% people stopped were blacks; and 29% were latinos. If the argument is that
that happens across the world because blacks, latinos and Asians, if you may, commit more crimes, then
that is a xenophobic self-fulfilling prophecy. If one keeps repeatedly questioning the alleged criminal
antecedents of people from specific races/religions/nationalities, or keeps discriminating against them, then
these communities would erupt in unison against the powers that be at the first tipping point chance they
get – which is what I believe occurred in Singapore, or France (the annual car torching episodes by
disenfranchised communities on the advent of every New Year), or China (the Uyghur riots of 2009)...
...or in Russia. On October 13, 2013, in this story from the other side, a mob of nationalists vandalised their
own capital city destroying property and shops after a murder of a Russian local by a Caucasian migrant.
The streets were filled with locals shouting slogans like ―Russia for Russians‖. It‘s no secret that the
Russian government never treated its migrant communities warmly and largely lacked a structured
migration strategy and services. There have been numerous cases of corruption in the migration process,
visas, employment benefits and housing. This has propelled even the borderline Russian nationalist to
become xenophobic. This unchecked nationalism coupled with the mistreatment of migrants has, since
long, been increasing the friction between different classes/nationalities in Russia. The Russian Federal
Migration Service Chief Konstantin Romodanovsky confirmed this in a December 2013 meeting with the
Russian Human Rights Commissioner by mentioning, ―Unfortunately, more cases of intolerance and
xenophobia can be observed, which eventually leads to an escalation of inter-ethnic disputes‖. Without
understanding the true reasons, he put the whole blame for the recent tensions on the behaviour of
foreigners
EU is another burning example of xenophobia in the era of globalisation. EU is today synonymous with
unemployment, riots, inhuman working conditions and deteriorating lifestyles – all thanks to availability of
cheap labour that is ready to work under any given condition. This was precisely the reason why France
rejected the EU Constitution. The influx of Polish, who are giving competition to French nationals in
employment (by agreeing at lower wages), is one of the main reasons why xenophobia is increasing
amongst the French.
Then where is the solution? It starts with governments and global institutions realising that one cannot
mindlessly praise the positive effects of globalisation, and be blind to the subsequent issue of xenophobia,
which goes hand in hand with civil unrest (whether from the nationalists or from the migrants). Little India is
just one crying example. Governments opening up their economies have to deeply study and balance the
effects that such opening up can have. Giving relatively equal rights to an individual, irrespective of his/her
nationality, can be a solution only if the domestic communities do not end up perceiving a situation of being
significantly disadvantaged. And vice versa too, where prejudice against migrant communities will only work
to destroy the social fabric of the nation. I‘ll go as far as to say that the current form of globalisation is less
globalisation and more fascism. If this has to be changed, then governments have to understand that
globalisation cannot be viewed only through the economic lens, but has to be considered through the
social, cultural and nationalism lenses too.
Source:http://www.thesundayindian.com/en/story/the-united-colours-of-globalisation/48551/
3. The following is a blog, in which the author comments on a movie.
Thalaivaa
Posted by Ramsu under Review, Thamizh padam Thalaivaa begins, as all films in multiplexes do these
days, with a fairly long and graphic advisory on the hazards of tobacco consumption. While I appreciate the
thought, I cannot help but chuckle at the irony of placing it at the beginning of a film about an underworld
don and the son who takes his place. The characters in this film could inject heroin into their eyeballs every
morning and still stand a better chance of being shot or hacked to death than ODing.
But this is a minor quibble. By far the biggest criminal act committed in the film is the screenplay, which
makes a mockery of the opening dedication to the director‘s gurus, Mani Ratnam and Ram Gopal Varma,
two filmmakers whose best-known films have been set in the same milieu.
While Satya is, in my opinion, the more accomplished script and is extraordinarily well-
directed, Nayakan works better at an emotional level by creating a sigma field around the hero for much of
its running length and making us care about what happens to him. These two films, between them,
encapsulate the reasons why we love good movies: Create a plausible universe whose workings are a
source of fascination, populate it with characters who can draw us in, and find an emotional truth in the
storytelling. Thalaivaa, in contrast, knows the words but not the music.
The film begins with the death of Varadaraja Mudaliar, the man who inspired Nayakan. In the power stuggle
that follows, one man emerges victorious. But in order to insulate his son from the life he has to lead, he
sends him away with a friend to Australia. The boy grows up into an adult who talks to his dad regularly but
operates under the assumption that he is some sort of businessman. When he comes home and finds out
the truth, circumstances force him to take up his father‘s mantle.
Apart from the obvious implausibility of the idea that a man could remain so clueless about his dad in the
highly networked world of today, this is not a bad storyline. But the script is an utter letdown. Neither does it
draw a convincing portrait of the Mumbai underworld and the characters who inhabit it, nor does it make us
implicit participants in the hero‘s transformation from carefree youth to dreaded don (or uber-vigilante, if you
will). A crucial moment, where he has to consciously choose a violent path rather than just react to the
violence directed at him, is well-conceived but not as well-executed as it needs to be. By the next morning,
the man has accepted his role and what it entails. Instead of a character arc, you see the end points.
The tragedy here is that this could‘ve been a half-decent film. Sathyaraj brings an understated dignity to his
part, and Vijay chooses to play his character on a quieter key than he normally would have a few years
ago. Over the last few films, he seems to have consciously dialed it down, and this is not a bad thing. He
gets one scene to unleash his inner ranter and raver in a hospital ward when he rips a rioter a new one.
And even then, he raises his intensity but not his voice. After the high-decibel death metal thrashing of
Surya in Singam 2, this is a blessing. The romance between Vijay and Amala Paul has an unforced charm.
The story goes nowhere for the first hour, but the film is far lighter on its feet (in more ways than one)
during this stretch than elsewhere. A crucial sequence in the final third where hero and villain play a cat-
and-mouse game while searching for an incriminating videotape is beautifully done. There are no jarring
shifts in tone, even when the action moves from the quiet roads of Sydney to the mean streets of Mahim.
There‘s around half an hour of pretty good stuff in there, which is more than most films can claim. But
wading through three hours of dreck to find it is a bridge too far.
Source: http://celluloidrant.wordpress.com/
4. The following is a blog maintained by a non-profit trust organization.
Kitaabnama : A Peep into Chapters from Indian Literature
Via The Hindu
Oroon Das‘ voice resonates long after the song — which appears over a collage of book covers at the
beginning of Doordarshan‘s new book show, Kitaabnama: Books and Beyond — is over. The song
‗Kitaabein kartin hain baatein‘, written by Prasoon Joshi, speaks personally to every book lover. ―That is
exactly what we wanted to do in this show as well,‖ says well-known author Namita Gokhale who conceived
the show. The show has a fairly flexible format, including small discussions and interviews with eminent
people on literature and book readings.
The 60-plus literary fests in the country that have sprung up over the past few years, says Gokhale,
indicate that there is a hunger for good reading in this country. ―But the readers are unsure of what they
should read,‖ she says. And she hopes this show will encourage readers to pick up a wide variety of books.
Importantly, at a time when publishing is booming, the show introduces the readers to prominent writers of
prose and poetry across the country. ―We try to showcase good writing,‖ says Gokhale.
Kitaabnama tries to showcase the multilingual diversity of Indian literature by inviting laureates from
different languages to talk about their work. It reminds one of the times when book stores were not
overwhelmed by technical writing and self-help books; when literature and quality writing were not
considered a waste of time; when the pleasure of reading was experienced by many.
The show airs on DD Bharti at 8.00 p.m. on Sundays, and DD National at 6.00 p.m. on Saturdays.
Source: http://blog.prathambooks.org/
5. The following is a blog voicing the opinions of the author regarding Nelson Mandela.
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela R.I.P.
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela is no more. He died on 5th December, 2013, at the ripe old age of ninety-five.
Another leader of world ranking, whom the world loved and admired is no more. Not merely a leader but a
patron of sports, a statesman, and an individual who had achieved the aspirations of his people. The
aspiration in this case was freedom from an oppressive rule by the formerly racist regime in South Africa
(SA).
We saw an interview with the captain of the SA rugby team, a white man. He talks of how Mandela, also
called Madiba – a Xhoso clan (his clan) name which mean ―father‖ – was instrumental in promoting his
sport and was also protective of the cultural diversity of the country. Without him white South Africans
could have been the target of rampaging mobs as seen in his neighbouring country Zimbabwe. He was a
pacifist and one who believed in human values and therefore eschewed any feelings of revenge. It paid off
well, too, because SA gained from this policy of tolerance and democracy. Our cricket team which is in SA
should pay homage to this leader who displayed a more than normal interest in the game.
Altogether he spent 27 years in jail fighting for his cause. His cell wasn‘t very luxurious and he slept on the
floor (we saw this on the BBC), sometimes wracked with fever. The long incarceration must have taken a
big toll on his health but he remained cheerful till the very end. Yet, he suffered all this because he knew his
dream would one day come true. Under him the African National Congress (ANC) became a multi-ethnic
and tolerant organization. He also built up an impeccable hierarchy of leaders who are leading the country
now.
Admittedly, Madiba was the father figure whose word was still held in high esteem. He could have
remained President but preferred to pass the baton to younger men. After all, he didn‘t believe – unlike
Indian leaders – in dynastic rule. Now how the SA political narrative unfolds – in the post-Mandela scenario
– no one knows. There is still poverty in the slums and ghettos and immense unrest. There is also violence.
How the country will deal with these problems will unravel only in the coming months.
Meanwhile, here‘s raising a hand to salute the father, the Madiba, who led a people to freedom from his jail
cell.
Source: http://johnpmathew.blogspot.in/
UNIT – II
PART – A (2 MARKS)
MODAL VERBS
Fill in the blanks with suitable Modal auxiliaries:
1. The window ------------ not be opened.(can)
2. ----------- I be excused from class? (may)
3. You ---------- be interested in this. (may)
4. Children -------- be taught to respect their elders.(must)
5. This book ------------ be returned to the library before Friday. (must)
6. Meat ------------- be kept in a refrigerator or it will spoil.(must)
7. A person ------------ eat in order to live.(must)
8. A person --------------- eat a balanced diet.(should)
9. If you want to become a doctor, you ---------------- go to medical college for five years. (should)
10. We ------------- go to Canada for vacation. (will)
11. According to my academic advisor, I ------------- take another English course.( must)
12. I -------------- write to my family tonight, but I think I will wait and do it tomorrow.(should)
13. You -------------- have a passport if you want to travel abroad. (must)
14. Every one ----------------- have certain goals in life. (should)
15. Rice ---------------- have water in order to grow.(must)
16. I --------- go to class, but I don‘t feel good. I think I would better stay.(must)
17. If a door is locked, you --------------- use a key to open it.(should)
18. I don‘t have enough money to take the bus, so I -------------- walk home.(should)
19. If you don‘t know how to spell a word, you --------------- look it up in the dictionary.(must)
20. This dish is very good. You ----------------- try a piece.(can)
21. He is sick. He ------- see a doctor.(should)
22. I have a class, so I ---------------- meet you for a cup of coffee.(can‘t)
23. I have to stop at the drugstore because I ------------- buy some medicines.(should)
24. I don‘t have stamps. I ---------- go the post office.(should)
25. I can‘t see the board. I -------------- sit in the front row.(must)
26. I ------------- go the class, because I -------------- pick up my brother at the airport.(can‘t, should)
27. All applicants --------------- take an entrance exam.(must)
28. Every driver --------------- have a valid license.(should)
29. It looks like rain. We -------------- shut the windows.(must)
30. Ann, --------------- you hand me that dish? Thanks.(would)
31. -------------- I make an appointment to see Dean William? (may)
32. -------------- you cash this check for me ?(could)
33. Tigers are magnificent animals. We --------- allow them to become extinct.(should)
34. This is none of his business. He ------------- stick his nose into other people‘s business. (shouldn‘t)
35. Think it over for a few days. You --------------- make up your mind right now.(should)
36. We ___ obey the laws of our country. (must)
37. I don‘t think I _____ be able to go.(shall)
38. You ____ be punctual. (should)
39. I wish you ______ tell me earlier. (would)
40. ____ I assist you. (shall)
41. ____ you please help me with this? (would)
42. He said I _____ use his telephone at any time. (might)
43. He ____ not ask for a rise, for fear of losing his job. (need)
44. How _______ you lie in front of me? (dare)
45. I _______ swim across the river when I was young. (could)
46. I enjoyed her first novel, so the new one _____ to be good.(ought)
47. The key ____ not fit the lock. (will)
48. ___ you wait a moment, please? (can)
49. ____ I come in? (May)
50. We ______ obey the laws of our country. (must)
Phrases / structures indicating use and purpose
Combine the following to indicate purpose:
1) Safety valve : release excess pressure.
The purpose of safety valve is to release excess pressure.
The safety valve is used for releasing excess pressure.
The safety valve is used to release excess pressure.
2. Aerial : receives broad cast signal
The purpose of an aerial is to receive broad cast signal.
3. Robots : perform heavy and dangerous job
Robots are used to perform heavy and dangerous job.
4. Catalyst : speed up the chemical process
The purpose of a catalyst is to speed up the chemical process.
5. Camera : take photographs
The Camera is used for taking photographs.
6. A Clamp : holds two things firmly together
A Clamp is used to holds two things firmly together.
7. An Experiment : demonstrates a principle
The purpose of an experiment is to demonstrate a principle.
8. A flowchart : represent a process as a series of steps
A flow chart is used for representing a process as a series of steps.
9. Carbon paper : make duplicate copies
The purpose of a carbon paper is to make duplicate copies.
10. Barometer : measure atmosphere pressure
Barometer is used to measure atmosphere pressure.
Write purpose statement for the following:
1. Refrigerator
The purpose of a refrigerator is to keep the food fresh and cool.
2. Washing Machine
The purpose of a washing machine is to wash the clothes.
3. Constructing a by-pass road
The purpose of constructing a by-pass road is to control traffic.
4. A lever
The purpose of a lever is to operate machinery.
5. A flashlight
The purpose of a flashlight is to see objects in the dark.
6. Cell phone
The purpose of a cell phone is to communicate.
7. Computer
The purpose of a computer is to store datum and files.
8. I-pod
The purpose of an I-pod is to listen to songs.
9. Printer
The purpose of a printer is to take hard copies.
10. Thermometer
The purpose of a thermometer is to check the temperature.
Combine the following to indicate purpose:
1. He went to Harvard University. He got his M. S. Degree.
He went to Harvard University in order to get his M. S. Degree.
2. The aircraft has been skillfully designed. It can fly at a speed of 3000kmph.
The aircraft has been skillfully designed in order that it can fly at a speed of 3000kmph.
3. The state Government took immediate measures. The government wanted to control the growth of
population.
The state Government took immediate measures in order to control the growth of population.
4. Fire extinguishers are painted red. People will see them clearly.
Fire extinguishers are painted red so that people will see them clearly.
5. The mechanic fitted a diesel engine in his car. He wanted to reduce the running cost.
The mechanic fitted a diesel engine in his car in order to reduce the running cost.
Phrasal verbs and their meanings Separable Phrasal Verbs The object may come after the following phrasal verbs or it may separate the two parts:
You have to do this paint job over. You have to do over this paint job.
When the object of the following phrasal verbs is a pronoun, the two parts of the phrasal verb must be
separated:
You have to do it over.
Verb Meaning Example
blow up explode The terrorists tried to blow up the railroad station.
bring up mention a topic My mother brought up that little matter of my prison record again.
bring up raise children It isn't easy to bring up children nowadays.
call off cancel They called off this afternoon's meeting
do over repeat a job Do this homework over.
fill out complete a form Fill out this application form and mail it in.
fill up fill to capacity She filled up the grocery cart with free food.
find out discover My sister found out that her husband had been planning a surprise party for her.
give away give something to someone else for free
The filling station was giving away free gas.
give back return an object My brother borrowed my car. I have a feeling he's not about to give it back.
hand in submit something The students handed in their papers and left the room.
(assignment)
hang up put something on hook or receiver
She hung up the phone before she hung up her clothes.
hold up delay I hate to hold up the meeting, but I have to go to the bathroom.
hold up (2) rob Three masked gunmen held up the Security Bank this afternoon.
leave out omit You left out the part about the police chase down Asylum Avenue.
look over examine, check The lawyers looked over the papers carefully before questioning the witness. (They looked them over carefully.)
look up search in a list You've misspelled this word again. You'd better look it up.
make up invent a story or lie She knew she was in trouble, so she made up a story about going to the movies with her friends.
make out hear, understand He was so far away, we really couldn't make out what he was saying.
pick out choose There were three men in the line-up. She picked out the guy she thought had stolen her purse.
pick up lift something off something else
The crane picked up the entire house. (Watch them pick itup.)
point out call attention to As we drove through Paris, Francoise pointed out the major historical sites.
put away save or store We put away money for our retirement. She put away the cereal boxes.
put off postpone We asked the boss to put off the meeting until tomorrow. (Please put it off for another day.)
put on put clothing on the body
I put on a sweater and a jacket. (I put them on quickly.)
put out extinguish The firefighters put out the house fire before it could spread. (They put it out quickly.)
read over peruse I read over the homework, but couldn't make any sense of it.
set up to arrange, begin My wife set up the living room exactly the way she wanted it.
She set it up.
take down make a written note These are your instructions. Write them down before you forget.
take off remove clothing It was so hot that I had to take off my shirt.
talk over discuss We have serious problems here. Let's talk them over like adults.
throw away
discard That's a lot of money! Don't just throw it away.
try on put clothing on to see if it fits
She tried on fifteen dresses before she found one she liked.
try out test I tried out four cars before I could find one that pleased me.
turn down lower volume Your radio is driving me crazy! Please turn it down.
turn down (2)
reject He applied for a promotion twice this year, but he was turned down both times.
turn up raise the volume Grandpa couldn't hear, so he turned up his hearing aid.
turn off switch off electricity We turned off the lights before anyone could see us.
turn off (2) repulse It was a disgusting movie. It really turned me off.
turn on switch on the electricity
Turn on the CD player so we can dance.
use up exhaust, use completely
The gang members used up all the money and went out to rob some more banks.
Inseparable Phrasal Verbs (Transitive)
With the following phrasal verbs, the lexical part of the verb (the part of the phrasal verb that carries the
"verb-meaning") cannot be separated from the prepositions (or other parts) that accompany it: "Who
will look after my estate when I'm gone?"
Verb Meaning Example
call on ask to recite in class
The teacher called on students in the back row.
call on (2)
visit The old minister continued to call on his sick parishioners.
get over recover from sickness or disappointment
I got over the flu, but I don't know if I'll ever get over my broken heart.
go over review The students went over the material before the exam. They should have gone over it twice.
go through
use up; consume They country went through most of its coal reserves in one year. Did he go through all his money already?
look after take care of My mother promised to look after my dog while I was gone.
look into investigate The police will look into the possibilities of embezzlement.
run across
find by chance I ran across my old roommate at the college reunion.
run into meet Carlos ran into his English professor in the hallway.
take after resemble My second son seems to take after his mother.
wait on serve It seemed strange to see my old boss wait on tables.
Three-Word Phrasal Verbs (Transitive) With the following phrasal verbs, you will find three parts: "My brother dropped out of school before he could graduate."
Verb Meaning Example
break in on interrupt (a conversation)
I was talking to Mom on the phone when the operator broke in on our call.
catch up with
keep abreast After our month-long trip, it was time to catch up with the neighbors and the news around town.
check up on
examine, investigate The boys promised to check up on the condition of the summer house from time to time.
come up with
to contribute (suggestion, money)
After years of giving nothing, the old parishioner was able tocome up with a thousand-dollar donation.
cut down on
curtail (expenses) We tried to cut down on the money we were spending on entertainment.
drop out of leave school I hope none of my students drop out of school this semester.
get along with
have a good relationship with
I found it very hard to get along with my brother when we were young.
get away with
escape blame Janik cheated on the exam and then tried to get away with it.
get rid of eliminate The citizens tried to get rid of their corrupt mayor in the recent election.
get through with
finish When will you ever get through with that program?
keep up with
maintain pace with It's hard to keep up with the Joneses when you lose your job!
look forward to
anticipate with pleasure I always look forward to the beginning of a new semester.
look down on
despise It's typical of a jingoistic country that the citizens look down on their geographical neighbors.
look in on visit (somebody) We were going to look in on my brother-in-law, but he wasn't home.
look out for be careful, anticipate Good instructors will look out for early signs of failure in their students
look up to respect First-graders really look up to their teachers.
make sure of
verify Make sure of the student's identity before you let him into the classroom.
put up with tolerate The teacher had to put up with a great deal of nonsense from the new students.
run out of exhaust supply The runners ran out of energy before the end of the race.
take care of be responsible for My oldest sister took care of us younger children after Mom died.
talk back to answer impolitely The star player talked back to the coach and was thrown off the team.
think back on
recall I often think back on my childhood with great pleasure.
walk out on abandon Her husband walked out on her and their three children.
Intransitive Phrasal Verbs The following phrasal verbs are not followed by an object: "Once you leave home, you can never really go back again."
Verb Meaning Example
break down stop functioning That old Jeep had a tendency to break down just when I needed it the most.
catch on become popular Popular songs seem to catch on in California first and then spread eastward.
come back return to a place Father promised that we would never come back to this horrible place.
come in enter They tried to come in through the back door, but it was locked.
come to regain consciousness
He was hit on the head very hard, but after several minutes, he started to come to again.
come over to visit The children promised to come over, but they never do.
drop by visit without appointment
We used to just drop by, but they were never home, so we stopped doing that.
eat out dine in a restaurant When we visited Paris, we loved eating out in the sidewalk cafes.
get by survive Uncle Heine didn't have much money, but he always seemed to get by without borrowing money from relatives.
get up arise Grandmother tried to get up, but the couch was too low, and she couldn't make it on her own.
go back return to a place It's hard to imagine that we will ever go back to Lithuania.
go on continue He would finish one Dickens novel and then just go on to
the next.
go on (2) happen The cops heard all the noise and stopped to see what wasgoing on.
grow up get older Charles grew up to be a lot like his father.
keep away remain at a distance
The judge warned the stalker to keep away from his victim's home.
keep on (with gerund)
continue with the same
He tried to keep on singing long after his voice was ruined.
pass out lose consciousness, faint
He had drunk too much; he passed out on the sidewalk outside the bar.
show off demonstrate haughtily
Whenever he sat down at the piano, we knew he was going toshow off.
show up arrive Day after day, Efrain showed up for class twenty minutes late.
wake up arouse from sleep I woke up when the rooster crowed.
PART - B
Summary
A summary is condensed version of a larger reading. A summary is not a rewrite of the original piece and
does not have to be long nor should it be long. To write a summary, use your own words to express
briefly the main idea and relevant details of the piece you have read. Your purpose in writing the summary
is to give the basic ideas of the original reading. What was it about and what did the author want to
communicate?
While reading the original work, take note of what or who is the focus and ask the usual questions that
reporters use: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? Using these questions to examine what you are
reading can help you to write the summary.
Sometimes, the central idea of the piece is stated in the introduction or first paragraph, and the supporting
ideas of this central idea are presented one by one in the following paragraphs. Always read the
introductory paragraph thoughtfully and look for a thesis statement. Finding the thesis statement is like
finding a key to a locked door. Frequently, however, the thesis, or central idea, is implied or suggested.
Thus, you will have to work harder to figure out what the author wants readers to understand. Use any hints
that may shed light on the meaning of the piece: pay attention to the title and any headings and to the
opening and closing lines of paragraphs.
In writing the summary, let your reader know the piece that you are summarizing. Identify the title, author
and source of the piece.
Examples of Summary Writing:
1. The Tempest
A storm strikes a ship carrying Alonso, Ferdinand, Sebastian, Antonio, Gonzalo, Stephano, and Trinculo,
who are on their way to Italy after coming from the wedding of Alonso‘s daughter, Claribel, to the prince of
Tunis in Africa. The royal party and the other mariners, with the exception of the unflappable Boatswain,
begin to fear for their lives. Lightning cracks, and the mariners cry that the ship has been hit. Everyone
prepares to sink.
The next scene begins much more quietly. Miranda and Prospero stand on the shore of their island, looking
out to sea at the recent shipwreck. Miranda asks her father to do anything he can to help the poor souls in
the ship. Prospero assures her that everything is all right and then informs her that it is time she learned
more about herself and her past. He reveals to her that he orchestrated the shipwreck and tells her the
lengthy story of her past, a story he has often started to tell her before but never finished. The story goes
that Prospero was the Duke of Milan until his brother Antonio, conspiring with Alonso, the King of Naples,
usurped his position. Kidnapped and left to die on a raft at sea, Prospero and his daughter survive because
Gonzalo leaves them supplies and Prospero‘s books, which are the source of his magic and power.
Prospero and his daughter arrived on the island where they remain now and have been for twelve years.
Only now, Prospero says, has Fortune at last sent his enemies his way, and he has raised the tempest in
order to make things right with them once and for all.
After telling this story, Prospero charms Miranda to sleep and then calls forth his familiar spirit Ariel, his
chief magical agent. Prospero and Ariel‘s discussion reveals that Ariel brought the tempest upon the ship
and set fire to the mast. He then made sure that everyone got safely to the island, though they are now
separated from each other into small groups. Ariel, who is a captive servant to Prospero, reminds his
master that he has promised Ariel freedom a year early if he performs tasks such as these without
complaint. Prospero chastises Ariel for protesting and reminds him of the horrible fate from which he was
rescued. Before Prospero came to the island, a witch named Sycorax imprisoned Ariel in a tree. Sycorax
died, leaving Ariel trapped until Prospero arrived and freed him. After Ariel assures Prospero that he knows
his place, Prospero orders Ariel to take the shape of a sea nymph and make himself invisible to all but
Prospero.
Miranda awakens from her sleep, and she and Prospero go to visit Caliban, Prospero‘s servant and the son
of the dead Sycorax. Caliban curses Prospero, and Prospero and Miranda berate him for being ungrateful
for what they have given and taught him. Prospero sends Caliban to fetch firewood. Ariel, invisible, enters
playing music and leading in the awed Ferdinand. Miranda and Ferdinand are immediately smitten with
each other. He is the only man Miranda has ever seen, besides Caliban and her father. Prospero is happy
to see that his plan for his daughter‘s future marriage is working, but decides that he must upset things
temporarily in order to prevent their relationship from developing too quickly. He accuses Ferdinand of
merely pretending to be the Prince of Naples and threatens him with imprisonment. When Ferdinand draws
his sword, Prospero charms him and leads him off to prison, ignoring Miranda‘s cries for mercy. He then
sends Ariel on another mysterious mission.
On another part of the island, Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Gonzalo, and other miscellaneous lords give
thanks for their safety but worry about the fate of Ferdinand. Alonso says that he wishes he never had
married his daughter to the prince of Tunis because if he had not made this journey, his son would still be
alive. Gonzalo tries to maintain high spirits by discussing the beauty of the island, but his remarks are
undercut by the sarcastic sourness of Antonio and Sebastian. Ariel appears, invisible, and plays music that
puts all but Sebastian and Antonio to sleep. These two then begin to discuss the possible advantages of
killing their sleeping companions. Antonio persuades Sebastian that the latter will become ruler of Naples if
they kill Alonso. Claribel, who would be the next heir if Ferdinand were indeed dead, is too far away to be
able to claim her right. Sebastian is convinced, and the two are about to stab the sleeping men when Ariel
causes Gonzalo to wake with a shout. Everyone wakes up, and Antonio and Sebastian concoct a ridiculous
story about having drawn their swords to protect the king from lions. Ariel goes back to Prospero while
Alonso and his party continue to search for Ferdinand.
Caliban, meanwhile, is hauling wood for Prospero when he sees Trinculo and thinks he is a spirit sent by
Prospero to torment him. He lies down and hides under his cloak. A storm is brewing, and Trinculo, curious
about but undeterred by Caliban‘s strange appearance and smell, crawls under the cloak with him.
Stephano, drunk and singing, comes along and stumbles upon the bizarre spectacle of Caliban and
Trinculo huddled under the cloak. Caliban, hearing the singing, cries out that he will work faster so long as
the ―spirits‖ leave him alone. Stephano decides that this monster requires liquor and attempts to get
Caliban to drink. Trinculo recognizes his friend Stephano and calls out to him. Soon the three are sitting up
together and drinking. Caliban quickly becomes an enthusiastic drinker, and begins to sing.
Prospero puts Ferdinand to work hauling wood. Ferdinand finds his labor pleasant because it is for
Miranda‘s sake. Miranda, thinking that her father is asleep, tells Ferdinand to take a break. The two flirt with
one another. Miranda proposes marriage, and Ferdinand accepts. Prospero has been on stage most of the
time, unseen, and he is pleased with this development.
Stephano, Trinculo, and Caliban are now drunk and raucous and are made all the more so by Ariel, who
comes to them invisibly and provokes them to fight with one another by impersonating their voices and
taunting them. Caliban grows more and more fervent in his boasts that he knows how to kill Prospero. He
even tells Stephano that he can bring him to where Prospero is sleeping. He proposes that they kill
Prospero, take his daughter, and set Stephano up as king of the island. Stephano thinks this a good plan,
and the three prepare to set off to find Prospero. They are distracted, however, by the sound of music that
Ariel plays on his flute and tabor-drum, and they decide to follow this music before executing their plot.
Alonso, Gonzalo, Sebastian, and Antonio grow weary from traveling and pause to rest. Antonio and
Sebastian secretly plot to take advantage of Alonso and Gonzalo‘s exhaustion, deciding to kill them in the
evening. Prospero, probably on the balcony of the stage and invisible to the men, causes a banquet to be
set out by strangely shaped spirits. As the men prepare to eat, Ariel appears like a harpy and causes the
banquet to vanish. He then accuses the men of supplanting Prospero and says that it was for this sin that
Alonso‘s son, Ferdinand, has been taken. He vanishes, leaving Alonso feeling vexed and guilty.
Prospero now softens toward Ferdinand and welcomes him into his family as the soon-to-be-husband of
Miranda. He sternly reminds Ferdinand, however, that Miranda‘s ―virgin-knot‖ (IV.i.15) is not to be broken
until the wedding has been officially solemnized. Prospero then asks Ariel to call forth some spirits to
perform a masque for Ferdinand and Miranda. The spirits assume the shapes of Ceres, Juno, and Iris and
perform a short masque celebrating the rites of marriage and the bounty of the earth. A dance of reapers
and nymphs follows but is interrupted when Prospero suddenly remembers that he still must stop the plot
against his life.
He sends the spirits away and asks Ariel about Trinculo, Stephano, and Caliban. Ariel tells his master of
the three men‘s drunken plans. He also tells how he led the men with his music through prickly grass and
briars and finally into a filthy pond near Prospero‘s cell. Ariel and Prospero then set a trap by hanging
beautiful clothing in Prospero‘s cell. Stephano, Trinculo, and Caliban enter looking for Prospero and, finding
the beautiful clothing, decide to steal it. They are immediately set upon by a pack of spirits in the shape of
dogs and hounds, driven on by Prospero and Ariel.
Prospero uses Ariel to bring Alonso and the others before him. He then sends Ariel to bring the Boatswain
and the mariners from where they sleep on the wrecked ship. Prospero confronts Alonso, Antonio, and
Sebastian with their treachery, but tells them that he forgives them. Alonso tells him of having lost
Ferdinand in the tempest and Prospero says that he recently lost his own daughter. Clarifying his meaning,
he draws aside a curtain to reveal Ferdinand and Miranda playing chess. Alonso and his companions are
amazed by the miracle of Ferdinand‘s survival, and Miranda is stunned by the sight of people unlike any
she has seen before. Ferdinand tells his father about his marriage.
Ariel returns with the Boatswain and mariners. The Boatswain tells a story of having been awakened from a
sleep that had apparently lasted since the tempest. At Prospero‘s bidding, Ariel releases Caliban, Trinculo
and Stephano, who then enter wearing their stolen clothing. Prospero and Alonso command them to return
it and to clean up Prospero‘s cell. Prospero invites Alonso and the others to stay for the night so that he can
tell them the tale of his life in the past twelve years. After this, the group plans to return to Italy. Prospero,
restored to his dukedom, will retire to Milan. Prospero gives Ariel one final task—to make sure the seas are
calm for the return voyage—before setting him free. Finally, Prospero delivers an epilogue to the audience,
asking them to forgive him for his wrongdoing and set him free by applauding.
2. Robinson Crusoe
Robinson Crusoe, as a young and impulsive wanderer, defied his parents and went to sea. He was
involved in a series of violent storms at sea and was warned by the captain that he should not be a
seafaring man. Ashamed to go home, Crusoe boarded another ship and returned from a successful trip to
Africa. Taking off again, Crusoe met with bad luck and was taken prisoner in Sallee. His captors sent
Crusoe out to fish, and he used this to his advantage and escaped, along with a slave.
He was rescued by a Portuguese ship and started a new adventure. He landed in Brazil, and, after some
time, he became the owner of a sugar plantation. Hoping to increase his wealth by buying slaves, he
aligned himself with other planters and undertook a trip to Africa in order to bring back a shipload of slaves.
After surviving a storm, Crusoe and the others were shipwrecked. He was thrown upon shore only to
discover that he was the sole survivor of the wreck.
Crusoe made immediate plans for food, and then shelter, to protect himself from wild animals. He brought
as many things as possible from the wrecked ship, things that would be useful later to him. In addition, he
began to develop talents that he had never used in order to provide himself with necessities. Cut off from
the company of men, he began to communicate with God, thus beginning the first part of his religious
conversion. To keep his sanity and to entertain himself, he began a journal. In the journal, he recorded
every task that he performed each day since he had been marooned.
As time passed, Crusoe became a skilled craftsman, able to construct many useful things, and thus
furnished himself with diverse comforts. He also learned about farming, as a result of some seeds which he
brought with him. An illness prompted some prophetic dreams, and Crusoe began to reappraise his duty to
God. Crusoe explored his island and discovered another part of the island much richer and more fertile,
and he built a summer home there.
One of the first tasks he undertook was to build himself a canoe in case an escape became possible, but
the canoe was too heavy to get to the water. He then constructed a small boat and journeyed around the
island. Crusoe reflected on his earlier, wicked life, disobeying his parents, and wondered if it might be
related to his isolation on this island.
After spending about fifteen years on the island, Crusoe found a man's naked footprint, and he was sorely
beset by apprehensions, which kept him awake many nights. He considered many possibilities to account
for the footprint and he began to take extra precautions against a possible intruder. Sometime later, Crusoe
was horrified to find human bones scattered about the shore, evidently the remains of a savage feast. He
was plagued again with new fears. He explored the nature of cannibalism and debated his right to interfere
with the customs of another race.
Crusoe was cautious for several years, but encountered nothing more to alarm him. He found a cave,
which he used as a storage room, and in December of the same year, he spied cannibals sitting around a
campfire. He did not see them again for quite some time.
Later, Crusoe saw a ship in distress, but everyone was already drowned on the ship and Crusoe remained
companionless. However, he was able to take many provisions from this newly wrecked ship. Sometime
later, cannibals landed on the island and a victim escaped. Crusoe saved his life, named him Friday, and
taught him English. Friday soon became Crusoe's humble and devoted slave.
Crusoe and Friday made plans to leave the island and, accordingly, they built another boat. Crusoe also
undertook Friday's religious education, converting the savage into a Protestant. Their voyage was
postponed due to the return of the savages. This time it was necessary to attack the cannibals in order to
save two prisoners since one was a white man. The white man was a Spaniard and the other was Friday's
father. Later the four of them planned a voyage to the mainland to rescue sixteen compatriots of the
Spaniard. First, however, they built up their food supply to assure enough food for the extra people. Crusoe
and Friday agreed to wait on the island while the Spaniard and Friday's father brought back the other men.
A week later, they spied a ship but they quickly learned that there had been a mutiny on board. By devious
means, Crusoe and Friday rescued the captain and two other men, and after much scheming, regained
control of the ship. The grateful captain gave Crusoe many gifts and took him and Friday back to England.
Some of the rebel crewmen were left marooned on the island.
Crusoe returned to England and found that in his absence he had become a wealthy man. After going to
Lisbon to handle some of his affairs, Crusoe began an overland journey back to England. Crusoe and his
company encountered many hardships in crossing the mountains, but they finally arrived safely in England.
Crusoe sold his plantation in Brazil for a good price, married, and had three children. Finally, however, he
was persuaded to go on yet another voyage, and he visited his old island, where there were promises of
new adventures to be found in a later account.
3. The adventures of Robin Hood
When the evil Sheriff of Nottingham discovers that Robin Hood, the popular robber of Sherwood Forest, is
really the land-owning Robin Fitzooth of Locksley, he devises a plan to catch him at his wedding to Marian
Fitzwalter. But, as always when cornered by the sheriff, Robin uses his superior skill and cunning to evade
capture. However, he cannot now return to his lands, and becomes an outlaw.
He settles in the forest of Sherwood with a band of trusty men. King Richard supports him and restores
Robin‘s land. Richard dies, his brother John ascends to the throne and once more Robin finds himself
pitted against the sheriff.
Inevitably he escapes, but not before receiving a mortal wound. He dies and is buried in the forest of
Sherwood.
Chapter 1: Sir George Gamwell fights against a Norman lord who wants his lands. His two sons and his
wife are killed, leaving him with his only daughter, Joanna. He teaches her to defend herself. She falls in
love with a Norman and, as her father will not accept him, she escapes to the forest with him. They have a
boy, Robin Fitzooth. Joanna teaches her son to live in the forest.
Chapter 2: At twenty-five, Robin is a kind man who helps poor villagers. When the Sheriff hears stories
about a robber called Robin Hood on his lands, he sends one of his men in disguise to find out about him.
The robber is Robin of Locksley. The Sheriff has a plan: he will go to St. Mary‘s Abbey the next day with his
men and arrest Robin before he marries Lady Marian.
Chapter 3: On his wedding day to lovely Lady Marian, the Sheriff‘s men interrupt the ceremony and there is
a fight outside the abbey. Robin now has to hide in the forest because the Sheriff knows who he is, but he
asks Marian to wait for him.
Chapter 4: After the events at the church, Prince John sells Robin‘s lands to the Sheriff and the situat ion of
the villagers gets worse. Much the forester is found carrying a dead deer and, as he cannot pay for it, the
Sheriff will kill him. He then tells the Sheriff he can lead him to Robin, but escapes into the forest. He is
killed and his house burnt down. Much‘s son joins Robin.
Chapter 5: On a walk along the forest, Robin meets Little John, a big and strong man. They fight. Little
John wins and throws Robin into the river. Robin then invites him to join his group in the forest.
Chapter 6: Will finds a sad Sir Richard of Lee in the forest and takes him to Robin. He needs help to repay
the money lent to him by the Abbot of St Mary‘s to save his son‘s life. Robin offers him the sum he needs
and Little John goes with him, but they want to test the Abbot and see if he‘s ready to be flexible.
Chapter 7: They find out the Abbot will not wait another year for the money so that he can have Sir
Richard‘s lands and house. When Little John adds the sum Sir Richard needs to meet the full amount of the
debt, the Abbot is very angry.
Chapter 8: In the summer, Lady Marian and her father have their big party. The Sheriff knows Robin will be
there. When his men try to catch him, another fight breaks out.
Chapter 9: The next day, the Sheriff visits Marian‘s father and announces he wants to marry his daughter.
Marian does not talk to him but she listens behind a door. Her father advises her to marry the Sheriff but
she refuses.
Chapter 10: Now Marian has to flee to the forest too, as she refuses to marry the sheriff. She brings with
her Friar Tuck, but they get separated in the forest. Robin and Marian want him to marry them, but first they
need to find him!
Chapter 11: Robin finds Friar Tuck working as a ferryman and has some fun with his boat before asking the
friar to officiate at his marriage to Marian, and then to join the outlaw band.
Chapter 12: To recover the money they have given to Sir Richard, Robin‘s men invite two rich churchmen
to a forest dinner and rob them of their clothes, their horses and their bags full of gold.
Chapter 13: When Sir Richard tries to return the money Robin has lent him, he does not take the gold.
Instead, he gives him fine clothes and a beautiful white horse for his wife.
Chapter 14: Once again, the sheriff devises a cunning plan to catch Robin. He organises an archery
contest, knowing that Robin will be tempted to prove his mastery. Robin duly comes, wins the contest and
escapes.
Chapter 15: King Richard arrives in Sherwood himself to check up on Robin Hood. When he has satisfied
himself about the outlaw‘s true self, he reveals himself and restores Robin‘s lands. Chapter 16: King
Richard dies and Robin is caught and wounded. From the St. Mary‘s Abbey, where he lies dying, he shoots
an arrow and is then buried in the forest where it falls.
The original text
There are several versions of the Robin Hood story. Robin of Locksley first appears in English songs of the
fourteenth century. Many of the people in the songs are real – King Richard, who ruled England from 1189
to 1199, and his brother, John, who became King when his brother died.
Many of the places are real, too – Sherwood Forest, for example, and the nearby city of Nottingham, with
its famous castle. There were certainly people living in the forests throughout The Middle Ages. They killed
and ate the king‘s deer, which was against the law. It is uncertain, however, whether there was one
particular outlaw called Robin Hood. A chronicler has it that he was a Wakefield man and took part in
Thomas of Lancaster‘s rebellion in 1322.
Robin became a popular folk hero because of his generosity to the poor and down-trodden peasants, and
his hatred of the Sheriff who enforced the oppressive forest laws, made him their champion. Some
chroniclers date his exploits as taking place during the reign of Edward II, but other versions say the king
was Richard I, or Richard the Lionheart.
All versions of the Robin Hood story give the same account of his death. As he grew older and became ill,
he went with Little John to Kirklees Priory to be treated by his aunt, the Prioress, but a certain Sir Roger de
Doncaster persuaded her to murder her nephew and the Prioress slowly bled Robin to death. With the last
of his strength he blew his horn and Little John came to his aid, but too late.
Background and themes
In Robin Hood, the good thief who steals from the rich to give to the poor exists in many cultures and goes
back hundreds if not thousands of years. The stories abound in situations where people do not even have
enough food to feed their family, and in this situation the ethical question arises: Is it acceptable to steal
when the only alternative is starvation for yourself and your family? On a theoretical level it seems, from the
success of these stories, that the answer is yes, but when a person actually becomes a victim of a crime,
the answer sometimes changes. In many societies, particularly modern ones, there is the notion of the
victimless crime. Nobody suffers because the victim has enough money not to miss it, or because the
insurance company will pay. In truth, of course, there is no such thing as a victimless crime.
4. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, four siblings in World War II-era England, are sent away from London to
live in the countryside, where they will be safe from air raids and bombings. While they are staying in a
large, historic country house owned by an old professor, Lucy discovers that a certain wardrobe in a spare
room is a gateway to a magical land called Narnia. In Narnia, Lucy meets and becomes friends with a Faun
named Mr. Tumnus, who tells her that Narnia is ruled by an evil White Witch who oppresses the people and
magically creates an everlasting winter. Lucy returns home and tells her brothers and sister about her
experience, but they don't believe her because the wardrobe now has a normal wooden back.
One rainy day, Lucy returns to Narnia through the wardrobe and Edmund follows her. While Lucy goes to
visit Mr. Tumnus, Edmund is left alone and discovered by the White Witch as she travels through the
countryside on her sledge. The Witch coaxes Edmund into telling her about his family and is disturbed to
learn that there are four of them, two boys and two girls. She bewitches Edmund with an enchanted version
of his favorite candy, Turkish Delight, and convinces him to bring his brother and sisters to her. After the
Witch departs, Lucy discovers that Edmund has entered Narnia. Returning home again, she is sure he will
back up her story, but instead he lies, telling Peter and Susan that Lucy's Narnia is make-believe.
Some time later, all four children are forced to hide in the wardrobe to escape from the housekeeper, Mrs.
Macready, and a group of sightseers touring the country house. All four children find themselves in Narnia.
Lucy takes them to visit her friend Mr. Tumnus, but they find that he has been arrested by the White Witch's
secret police. While they are deciding what to do, a robin leads them to a talking Beaver, who introduces
himself as a friend of Mr. Tumnus. Mr. Beaver takes the children home to his dam, where he introduces
them to his wife Mrs. Beaver. The Beavers feed the children a solid meal and explain about the prophecies
of Narnia: when four human beings, two male and two female, sit in the four thrones at Cair Paravel, a
castle on the country's eastern coast, then the White Witch will be destroyed. The Beavers also tell the
children about a lion named Aslan, the Lord of the Wood, who has returned to Narnia after a long absence.
Aslan has the power to end the winter created by the Witch.
While the Beavers are explaining Narnian history and prophecy to the children, Edmund sneaks away and
goes to the White Witch's house, where he discloses all their plans. He is horrified when the Witch treats
him coldly and reveals that she intends to capture and murder his siblings. Taking Edmund as a hostage,
she attempts to intercept the Beavers and the children by traveling quickly on her sledge. However, in a few
hours, the endless winter dissolves into a beautiful spring, and the Witch is forced to march across country
with Edmund and one servant, a Dwarf.
Meanwhile, Peter, Susan, Lucy, and the Beavers have escaped, taking only a little food with them. They
head toward the Stone Table, an ancient monument, where Aslan is rumored to have set up camp. During
their journey, they meet Father Christmas, who gives them weapons to use in the battle he anticipates
between Aslan's forces of good and the White Witch's forces of evil. When they arrive at the Stone Table,
they are awed by Aslan's presence, but Aslan is saddened by the news of Edmund's betrayal. Aslan
speaks to Peter of Cair Paravel, but they are interrupted by Fenris Ulf, a fierce wolf in the service of the
Witch. Peter slays Fenris and is knighted by Aslan.
Nearby, the Witch has decided to murder Edmund to prevent fulfillment of the prophecy. Just before she
strikes, Edmund is rescued by some of Aslan's people. The Witch goes to see Aslan under a flag of truce
and demands her right to Edmund's blood, citing the Deep Magic from the Dawn of Time, which gives her
control over all traitors. Aslan comes to a private agreement with the Witch and she renounces her claim on
Edmund. Depressed and subdued after this meeting, Aslan orders his people to move their camp away
from the Stone Table.
At night, Aslan leaves camp alone and goes back to the Stone Table. Lucy and Susan follow him – feeling,
but not understanding, his sorrow. As he gets close to the site, he insists that they remain behind, hidden.
When Aslan walks into the clearing by the Stone Table, the White Witch and all the evil creatures she has
gathered are there to meet him. They bind and torment him, but he bears their cruelty with patience. In the
end, the Witch murders Aslan with an enormous stone knife. Then all the evil creatures rush away to do
battle with Peter, Edmund, and Aslan's other followers.
Susan and Lucy weep over Aslan's dead body. With the help of some friendly mice, they remove the cords
and muzzle that bind Aslan. All through the night, they mourn. At sunrise, the Stone Table breaks in half
with a loud noise and Aslan is miraculously resurrected. He explains to the astonished girls that there is a
Deeper Magic from Before the Dawn of Time: because he was an innocent, willing victim and was
sacrificed in place of a traitor, the Stone Table broke and Death worked backwards. The girls frolic with
Aslan, who is feeling lively. Then they all rush over to the Witch's house and free her captives. Aslan is able
to reverse the effects of the Witch's magic wand, turning many people and creatures from stone statues
back into themselves.
With this new band of followers, Aslan and the girls return to the others, where they find Peter and Edmund
fighting a losing battle against the Witch. The freed captives quickly turn the tide of battle as they join in on
the side of Good, and Aslan kills the Witch. Lucy uses her Christmas present, a magic cordial, to heal the
wounded, and Aslan cures those who were turned to stone by the Witch. Everyone goes to Cair Paravel,
the castle on the eastern sea, where Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy are crowned as kings and queens.
They reign for many years and Narnia prospers, although Aslan comes and goes.
One day, while hunting a stag that grants wishes, King Peter, Queen Susan, King Edmund, and Queen
Lucy find a lamppost in the woods. They begin to remember their lives in England, and as they go further
into the woods, they find themselves back in the wardrobe, and then back in the spare room in the country
house. No time has passed in England since they first entered Narnia together, and they are children again.
5. The Hound of the Baskervilles
The Hound of the Baskervilles opens with a mini mystery—Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson speculate on
the identity of the owner of a cane that has been left in their office by an unknown visitor. Wowing Watson
with his fabulous powers of observation, Holmes predicts the appearance of James Mortimer, owner of the
found object and a convenient entrée into the baffling curse of the Baskervilles.
Entering the office and unveiling an 18th century manuscript, Mortimer recounts the myth of the lecherous
Hugo Baskerville. Hugo captured and imprisoned a young country lass at his estate in Devonshire, only to
fall victim to a marauding hound of hell as he pursued her along the lonesome moors late one night. Ever
since, Mortimer reports, the Baskerville line has been plagued by a mysterious and supernatural black
hound. The recent death of Sir Charles Baskerville has rekindled suspicions and fears. The next of kin, the
duo finds out, has arrived in London to take up his post at Baskerville Hall, but he has already been
intimidated by an anonymous note of warning and, strangely enough, the theft of a shoe.
Agreeing to take the case, Holmes and Watson quickly discover that Sir Henry Baskerville is being trailed in
London by a mysterious bearded stranger, and they speculate as to whether the ghost be friend or foe.
Holmes, however, announces that he is too busy in London to accompany Mortimer and Sir Henry to
Devonshire to get to the bottom of the case, and he sends Dr. Watson to be his eyes and ears, insisting
that he report back regularly.
Once in Devonshire, Watson discovers a state of emergency, with armed guards on the watch for an
escaped convict roaming the moors. He meets potential suspects in Mr. Barrymore and Mrs. Barrymore,
the domestic help, and Mr. Jack Stapleton and his sister Beryl, Baskerville neighbors.
A series of mysteries arrive in rapid succession: Barrymore is caught skulking around the mansion at night;
Watson spies a lonely figure keeping watch over the moors; and the doctor hears what sounds like a dog's
howling. Beryl Stapleton provides an enigmatic warning and Watson learns of a secret encounter between
Sir Charles and a local woman named Laura Lyons on the night of his death.
Doing his best to unravel these threads of the mystery, Watson discovers that Barrymore's nightly jaunts
are just his attempt to aid the escaped con, who turns out to be Mrs. Barrymore's brother. The doctor
interviews Laura Lyons to assess her involvement, and discovers that the lonely figure surveying the moors
is none other than Sherlock Holmes himself. It takes Holmes—hidden so as not to tip off the villain as to his
involvement—to piece together the mystery.
Mr. Stapleton, Holmes has discovered, is actually in line to inherit the Baskerville fortune, and as such is
the prime suspect. Laura Lyons was only a pawn in Stapleton's game, a Baskerville beneficiary whom
Stapleton convinced to request and then miss a late night appointment with Sir Charles. Having lured
Charles onto the moors, Stapleton released his ferocious pet pooch, which frightened the superstitious
nobleman and caused a heart attack.
In a dramatic final scene, Holmes and Watson use the younger Baskerville as bait to catch Stapleton red-
handed. After a late supper at the Stapletons', Sir Henry heads home across the moors, only to be waylaid
by the enormous Stapleton pet. Despite a dense fog, Holmes and Watson are able to subdue the beast,
and Stapleton, in his panicked flight from the scene, drowns in a marshland on the moors. Beryl Stapleton,
who turns out to be Jack's harried wife and not his sister, is discovered tied up in his house, having refused
to participate in his dastardly scheme.
Back in London, Holmes ties up the loose ends, announcing that the stolen shoe was used to give the
hound Henry's scent, and that mysterious warning note came from Beryl Stapleton, whose philandering
husband had denied their marriage so as to seduce and use Laura Lyons. Watson files the case closed.
REVIEWS
A critical appraisal of a book, play, film, gadget, etc. published in a newspaper, magazine or the internet
may be called a review.
Some examples of reviews are as follows:
1. A review on iphone5S
The iPhone 5S: a phone that looks like the iPhone 5, but goes so much further under the hood. Is that
going to be enough to impress the baying hoardes?
We've been here before: the iPhone 'S' conundrum. The new phone comes along, taking the shell of the
previous model, adds some new bits and pieces, and then claims to be an entirely new phone.
Which it is, of course. But also it isn't. Well, mostly is. To be sure, it's the kind of move that only Apple can
pull off with any kind of conviction: the notion that it can take the same chassis, have a little tinker, throw in
a new CPU, slightly better battery and camera, and call it an all-conquering device.
But then again, such is the clamour to know all about it, is that such a bad move? There are literally millions
of people the world over who can't wait to see what the next handset from Apple will be, and there was no
surprise with the iPhone 5S.
There are a few who question whether it's 'fair' to launch a phone and then append an 'S' to the same thing
a year later - Apple's response would likely be that nobody is forcing you to buy the new hardware. And
that's a fair point. Yes, this is a phone that bears far too many hallmarks of its predecessor. And yes, this is
the third time Apple has done this.
It's also managed to try to pop it onto the market complete as one of the most expensive smartphones out
there, even on 3G plans. You'll be looking at post £50 a month to get one without an upfront fee in the UK,
and £549 will be the price if you want the low end model, pushing all the way up to over £700 for the 64GB
variant.
But if it was such a bad business move, if the market wasn't willing to accept such a thing, then Apple
would have folded as a smartphone brand years ago... or at least been lagging behind the competition.
That said, times are changing in the smartphone landscape. Where before Apple was able to just create
the phone it wanted, and forget the competition in the knowledge that it wasn't going to have to worry about
losing consumers to a competitor, now it's been forced to realise that there are at least four decent options
for a consumer to think about if they want to get a rather good handset.
Apple is obviously aware of this change, be it the aluminium unibody of theHTC One, the new fight into low-
light cameras or the need for a strong processor as a headline to shout about. And to be fair, it's addressed
these needs to some degree or other on the iPhone 5S.
Be it the all-new Touch ID home button (which is excellent, more on that later), the huge jump in CPU
power or the fact the camera has, once again, been improved no end, the new iPhone is clearly Apple's
attempt at bringing as much as it can to the party without having to re-design the whole concept all over
again.
There are many that think releasing the same design twice is cheeky, and there are others who realise that
sometimes there's no need for change. It's easy to fall into the former camp, and while Apple will happily
point out it's not forcing anyone to buy its phones, its acutely aware the competition is now scarily strong
and it needed to bring its best to stay relevant.
2. A review on the movie GRAVITY
Alfonso Cuarón's incredibly exciting, visually amazing film is about two astronauts floating in space. The
title refers to the one big thing almost entirely absent from the film: it's like The Seventh Seal being called
Levity or Last Tango in Paris Chastity. With gorgeous, tilting planet Earth far below in its shimmering blue
aura, a bulkily suited spaceman and spacewoman veer, swoop and swerve in woozy slo-mo as they go
about their business tethered to the station, like foetuses still attached to their umbilical cords. The movie's
final sequence hints at some massive cosmic rebirth; a sense that these people are the first or last human
beings in the universe, like something by Kubrick.
Sandra Bullock plays a scientific engineer, Dr Ryan Stone, who after six months' specialist Nasa training
has been allowed into space to attach a high-tech new scanning device to the Hubble telescope. She is
under the watchful supervision of Matt Kowalski, a genial and grizzled space veteran played by George
Clooney. The voice of Houston mission control is played by Ed Harris, in playful homage to Ron Howard's
1995 space-disaster classic Apollo 13. Only this time it is him telling them about the problem. Soon, a
terrifying situation unfolds. Director and co-writer Cuarón brilliantly manage to create both awe at his
glorious space vistas, and knuckle-gobbling tension at what's happening in the foreground. It's like a bank
heist in Reims cathedral – in space. You could find yourself asthmatically gasping with rapture and
excitement at the same time. After it was over, I was 10 minutes into my tube ride home before
I remembered to exhale.
Since its release, various specialist observers have unsportingly emerged to say that the science involved
in Gravity is fanciful and wrong. No matter. What makes Gravity so gripping, and so novel, is that it
behaves as if what everyone is doing is happening in a world of commonplace fact: like a movie about two
drivers on a runaway train or hot-air balloon. A movie set in space tends to trigger an assumption: that it is
set in the future (although not the case with Star Wars). If it is not like Apollo 13, about the bygone era of
space exploration carried out by guys in quaint crewcuts, then it is going to be set in some madeup futurist
world about space exploration in aluminium-foil costumes and spacecraft doors opening and closing with
zhhh-zhhh sounds – a world that may or may not involve extraterrestrial creatures, but which importantly
and patently doesn't exist; a movie whose effects depend, at least partly, on the assumption that what is
being shown is not true.
Gravity isn't like that. It's not sci-fi, more a contemporary space thriller. It's happening in the here and now.
That is why it is so absorbing, although you may have to abolish your own scepticism-gravity – suspending
disbelief at the idea that Stone's training would have allowed her to be reasonably familiar with the control
panels of Russian and Chinese spacecraft with their Cyrillic and Chinese letterings. Of course, these
aspects may have been cunningly devised by Cuarón so that his movie can blast off in Russian and
Chinese territories.
The movie draws, broadly, on the style, if not the substance, of that dystopian tradition stretching from
Kubrick's 2001 (1968): it is comparable to Alien (1979) or Dark Star (1974) or Silent Running (1972), in that
it adopts something of their downbeat, quasi-realist behaviour, applied to something notionally real; it has
some of their flashes of humour and horror and tension, but it is without cynicism or satire, without
monsters or talking computers. Incidentally, the deeply scary question of what happens if you accidentally
become detached from your spacecraft and float irreversibly off into space brought back memories of Brian
de Palma's little-liked Mission to Mars (2000). But importantly, it's supposed to be real.
Clooney effectively concedes star status to Bullock and Stone's face, as she finally reveals the personal
anguish she's brought up to space inside her, becomes gaunt and waxy and agonised: a very
real 3D image of pure human pain. When she cries in zero-gravity, with real tears floating away from the
face, it is a heart stopping spectacle. Kowalski's gallantry and Stone's yearning are compelling and
unexpectedly romantic.
Is Gravity very deep or very shallow? Neither. It is a brilliant and inspired movie-cyclorama, requiring
neither gravity nor gravitas. This is a glorious imaginary creation that engulfs you utterly, helped by
superlative visual effects design from Tim Webber, cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki and production
design by Andy Nicholson. As you sit in the cinema auditorium, you too will feel the entertainment G-forces
puckering and rippling your face.
3. A review on the book Train to Pakistan
Khushwant Singh has always been a very straightforward writer. He doesn't believe in sugar-coating or
candy-wrapping his opinions and views and his writing has always reflected that. Born in a pre-
independence and pre-Partition India, his writings have been a huge contribution to understanding how
India was at that time, in terms of the lives of people, political intricacies and the social dynamics of society.
His works depicting Partition have been brutal and even depressing to some extent, but have nevertheless
helped the reader to come to terms with the brutality and horror of the time that actually was like that.
Khushwant Singh can always be counted upon as an author to present his honest opinion, and his book,
Train to Pakistan is very much a testimony of that. Published in 1956, the book recounts the sombre story
of a fictional village Mano Majra, situated on the border of India and Pakistan. The village was
predominantly inhabited by Muslims and Sikhs who lived in peaceful harmony at a time when every village
and area around the village was surrounded by angry mobs of religious zealots- Sikh and Muslim alike,
seeking to extinguish the opposite community. But as Partition approaches, even within this peaceful
bubble of theirs, villagers of Mano Majra start feeling the tensions of displacement, wherein the Muslim
residents are informed that the village become a part of the new Indian nation and they will be transported
to Pakistan. Thus, with the subsequent series of events, the peace-living residents of Mano Majra are
transformed into hate-spewing and highly violent individuals which leads to a major massacre and tragedy
towards the end of the book.
For a relatively short book, the story is highly descriptive and vibrant in its narrative, outlining in dark detail
the transformation that took over the village. Even though Mano Majra was a fictional village, it
nevertheless portrays the story of countless other areas which oversaw the same series of events. People
evacuating their homes rarely fathomed that they would never be returning back to them, and thus, left
most of their possessions and personal belongings behind, never to return and claim them. The author
paints a gruesome picture in the form of mass charred and massacres bodies of victims lining huge areas,
trains being burnt and ransacked, women being raped and murdered in front of their husbands from the
opposite community, and houses of the departed residents being looted for all their worth.
Not exactly a very happy read, this book will definitely burst some bubbles of people who still perceive the
1940s and 50s to be the peaceful political transition that it never was.
4. A review on the play The Apple Cart
I was dreading Peter Hall‘s revival of The Apple Cart. This late play by George Bernard Shaw, completed in
1928 when he was in his early seventies, was revived more than 20 years ago in a production starring
Peter O‘Toole at his most tiresomely mannered.
I found the parade of almost indistinguishable talking-heads banging on about politics and constitutional
monarchy one of the most bum-numbingly boring plays I had ever endured.
But in recent years, Hall has converted me into a Shavian, with a succession of superbly lucid productions
of his major plays that have caught GBS‘s effervescent wit, his searching intelligence, and the fact that
there is more emotional life in his dramas than I‘d suspected.
And there is an ―interlude‖ between the two main acts of The Apple Cart – in which the king dallies with and
is mocked by his irresistible mistress, Orinthea – that proves as stylishly sexy and amusing as anything I
have seen on stage all year. But then a dimpled, leg-revealing, irresistibly flirtatious Janie Dee is playing
the mistress, inspired by GBS‘s own feelings for the actress Mrs Pat Campbell. I categorically insist that
Miss Dee must have a role in every major Shaw revival. He would never be seen as a dry old stick again.
The play‘s politics prove fascinating and eerily timely, too. Shaw set the play in a Britain run by a clapped-
out, quarrelsome government, and almost totally in hock to big business, which has created a bubble of
prosperity that only King Magnus realises could burst at any time.
The public is too apathetic to vote and, in the last act, America annexes Britain by announcing that it wishes
to tear up the Declaration of Independence and become a colony again with King Magnus as puppet
emperor.
You get inklings here of Shaw‘s impatience with democracy, and his developing belief in rule by a ―strong
man‖ that was eventually to lead to his embarrassing admiration of Stalin, but his views haven‘t become too
noxious yet, and the political arguments and gripping plot about constitutional monarchy, democratic
government and where the real power lies fizz in Hall‘s sharp and entertaining production.
Charles Edwards brings dash, style, cunning and a hint of melancholy to the King, Barry Stanton is
hilarious as a dyed-in-the-wool Lefty bedazzled by the royal charm, while James Laurenson‘s ineffectual
prime minister makes Gordon Brown seem strong and decisive. Highly recommended.
In contrast, David Storey‘s absurdist drama Home, which famously united John Gielgud and Ralph
Richardson in 1970, seems past its sell-by date. It‘s attitude to senility and mental illness feels voyeuristic –
as if the audience were being invited to visit Bedlam – and the attempt to turn five mentally confused
characters into a state-of-the-nation drama fails to come off. David Calder and Stephen Moore star in
Gielgud‘s and Richardson‘s old roles, but in Stephen Unwin‘s unfocused production they fail to locate the
haunting stage poetry of their illustrious predecessors.
5. A review on the comparison between KTM Duke 390 and Yamaha RD 350.
KTM Duke 390 vs Yamaha RD350, you read it first on MotorBeam. It‘s not every day when milestones
occur and you are there, in that particular era to witness it. It‘s a privilege, which very few witness. The two
machines we have here today belong to different times. Both the KTM Duke 390 and Yamaha RD350 came
and conquered hearts instantly. They are not here for a face off or to prove anything. It‘s the parallels which
they share, reunites them. Just like two friends meeting after almost three decades, sharing a laugh over
the same jokes, which they cracked in their childhood, talking about the good old days and sharing
memories.
Ladies and gentlemen, on the left side of the corner from the land of the rising sun is the iconic speed king,
the dragon from Japan who spits blue smoke rather than fire, ever since the 1980‘s, the Yamaha RD350!
On the right corner, we have the finest finesse from ‗eastern kingdom‘ painted in loud orange, it comes
from, where music is more important than food, the Mattighofen growler, the sprinter, the KTM Duke 390,
the new generation speed king, a modern interpretation of the icon which left us with no other choice than
up till now.
Enough has been said about both these motorcycles. The Yamaha RD350 has still been in the talks after
its launch in the late 1980‘s because there was not a single machine, which matched the sheer symphony
and bliss of what the Yamaha RD350 provided. Shocking part is that all this happened when most of us
were in diapers. The KTM Duke 390 on the other hand, well, ever since it was a concept, it has been a
celebration with goose bumps rather than balloons. The feel of the Duke 200 and specifications of the Duke
390 combined such a fury that impatient enthusiasts just could not wait to get their hands on this machine.
The Yamaha RD350 looks like a thorough classic. It is best described in two words, chrome everywhere.
The handlebars, the gleaming exhaust pipes, front fender and plain yet beautiful touch to the side panels
and no nonsense fuel tank and round headlight are the real highlights on the RD350. The low stance and
wide and long seat give it thorough classic feel. The Duke 390 is a modern playboy. Wearing hooligan loud
colours and sleek machined body parts make it undoubtedly resemble its elder siblings, and make us look
at it in wonder.
Let us get a bit logical now. When you compare these two machines, there is a subtle amount of
differences. The 373cc Duke 390 is a single-cylinder unit producing 43 BHP of power, weighing 154 kgs
and sprint from 0-100 km/hr in 5.8 seconds. The Yamaha RD350 is a legend for a reason. Each one of the
two-cylinders displace around 173.5cc, which when you observe are today‘s workhorses, for an example a
180cc motorcycle. The parallel twin unit and this particular model, the LT, produces 28 BHP of power and
weighs little over 140 kgs. This means, complete riding nirvana, 0-100 km/hr comes in under a mind-
numbing 8 seconds.
The Indian spec Yamaha RD350 is slower than the KTM Duke 390 which it has to be, considering the time
frame and better numbers in every aspect like horse power, torque and a bit more displacement. However,
if this RD350 had been the Japanese spec model, which came with 41 BHP, it would have been impossible
for the Duke 390 to match. Kick start the engine and it comes to life with a loud soundtrack. Sounds like
some creatures in the engine sacrificed their lives to bring the motor to life. Give it some revs and pop the
clutch and the front is lively and wants to touch the sky. Open the throttle and it will scare the hell out of you
at first.
If you are a rider who tames his machine in the same fearsome way the machines scares you, then you
can tame the RD350 in few runs. The gearbox is like any other Yamaha. Yamaha two-stroke motorcycles
which we have ridden till date still have reasonably slick shifting capabilities and to our surprise this was no
exception either. For a 25-year-old motorcycle, it still is reasonably slick. The parallel-twin engine provides
great flexibility. The motor feels immensely tractable for a stock motor and drivability is good too. When it
comes to motorcycles, it is all about power to weight ratio, on paper at least. What the Yamaha RD350
gives is truly unmatched, the lovely, busy bee, crackling feeling from the engine, the relentless, reckless
redlining nature that it has and then it‘s the motorcycle, which keeps provoking the rider to do so and much
more and it is all part of the lunatic riding experience.
The ride in typical Yamaha fashion was stiff, did not crash and was not harsh, but perfectly tuned. Finally,
it‘s the way it disappears, forming a cloud of smoke, generating a biblically loud engine note and it‘s gone!
Makes you feel, black magic does exist. The RD350 we had with us was in pristine condition inside out. All
suspension and panels were original, the engine was rebuilt with new pistons, rings, and other bits found in
the block. The owner is extremely proud of his machine and loves his vintage bike collection, and rightly
so…
The KTM is the new kid on the block but it has done its homework very well. Given the pedigree of
lightness and hooliganism, it delivers so much power and carries minimum weight with it, hence the biblical
performance numbers and jaw dropping riding experience. The Duke 390 is reminiscent of the two-stroke
family. The power band, the frantic performance and the buzzyness is all undoubtedly two-stroke, in terms
of feel. A small common phenomenon of both these machines is that they need some serious revs to be
dialled before you pop the clutch. After riding them back to back, we felt just at home. Splendid brakes and
chassis and immensely agile dynamics makes it more fun to rode. Given the fact, we call it the modern day
interpretation is because it comes with all the luxuries, which the RD350 does not possess (it‘s not its fault)
hence it‘s the definitive performance motorcycle of the current era.
Bigger part of the lunacy is aided by lightness, which these motorcycles posses. Given the fact that twin-
cylinder engines are always lighter than single-cylinder units, this does not mean the Duke 390 is heavier.
KTM has achieved a feat with the engine. The engine weighs just 36 kgs. The lightness comes in from the
light Trellis frame and aluminium swing arm. KTM has a lot more features than the Yamaha RD350 too.
Bigger brakes and proper wheels and tyres. In short, both these motorcycles are lightweight in their own
way. Meanwhile, the RD350 comes with spoke wheels and tyres that you see on entry-level motorcycles,
which are slapped onto 18-inch wheels. The only weak point to the RD350 is the brakes. Drums at both
ends sound crazy in the first place, imagine on the road doing 120 km/hr and you need good stopping
power, which isn‘t the RD‘s forte, but the brakes still give you a sense of unholy fear that only an RD can
give.
All right, there are lot of RDs which have been modified with disc brakes at the front and international
versions did come with discs which India didn‘t get due to Indian mentality in those days (and still is) that
disc brakes are killers. Killing reminds us that the motorcycle was named RD by Yamaha as their road
going two=strokes but people named it as Racers Delight and mostly commonly Rapid Death. All this is
true after all, any motorcycle with 30 BHP and 209 BHP per tonne with drum brakes and puny tyres will be
baptised as a suicide machine for sure. It‘s not a surprise, going back in time will tell you that after all
Japanese are the ones who invented the concept of Kamikaze, and those of you who do not know what it
is, Google and find out.
By now you might have understood that the Yamaha RD350 is truly an icon and what Yamaha made 30
years ago, finally gets an answer today. Yamaha proved in the present too that it can set benchmarks in
segments and the company is known to create segments too. Be it the spectacular FZ series of
motorcycles or the superlative flagship R15. We would love to take this opportunity and ring the bell at
Yamaha‘s door and tell them it‘s high time to give what we need (an RD replacement), enough said, and
we hope Yamaha takes note of this seriously.
Anyways, ever since we rode the KTM Duke 390, it was very clear that it was evocative of the RD350 on
how the motorcycle becomes berserk after 5000 RPM and how quickly it reaches the horizon. For us it has
been a magnificent day riding these beauties back to back, for a short time, but every minute was special.
The Yamaha RD350 then still represents what two-stroke performance machines are, but frankly, they are
dead thanks to all sorts of misgivings. After all, what modern interpretations are here for? The Duke 390 fills
in the shoes marvellously and gives us the thrills of the machine we aspired for years with all the luxuries
which are required for daily practicality in our time. There is a saying ―two-strokes are crazy and four-
strokes are lazy‖ but here and now, with the Duke 390, it‘s not the case anymore, not at all. The king would
be dead, but for some RD lovers who still manage to maintain their machines in pristine conditions
throughout the country. So we say, long live the king, the RD350.It‘s taken 30-years for the Yamaha
RD350′s spiritual successor to hit our roads. The Duke 390 is now the king of speed but the Yamaha
RD350 continues to remain the king of our hearts.
INFORMAL LETTER WRITING
Writing of letters to friends, relatives and family members would come under Informal Letter Writing.
Informal letters can also include letters sent to congratulate others, letters thanking others and personal
letters. Although there are many ways in which informal letters can be written, a standard procedure
followed as benchmark, is given here with some examples.
1. Write a letter to one of the employees, congratulating her on the good job that she had done in
decorating the shop.
26.12.2013
22B Baker Street,
London.
Dear Emily,
I am very happy with the way in which you have been working lately, especially towards the new that look you have given our shop.
What a fabulous job you did with the store renovations! The merchandise displays are wonderful, and the decor complements the atmosphere you are trying to create beautifully.
Without your thoughtful planning and oversight, an undertaking like this would have been nearly impossible.
Heart felt congratulations and best wishes for your continued success in the organization.
Regards,
Kathy
2. Write a letter of congratulation to an employee who has done extra work in the organization.
Ian Benedict,
Cluster Leader – Project Managers,
PLOSHER ENTERPRISES,
Chennai.
15-12-2013
Elizabeth Lauvanne,
Project Manager,
PLOSHER ENTERPRISES,
Chennai.
Dear Elizabeth,
Congratulations on completing the requirements for your Certification.
Doing all that extra work while continuing in your full time position was extremely ambitious, and took a lot of effort and dedication on your part.
I'm sure it was worth it all, knowing that your achievement will make such a positive difference in your career path. Well done!
Regards,
Ian Benedict.
3. Write a letter congratulating your friend who has been promoted as Regional Manager. 24-02-2014,
18th main road,
Chennai.
Dear Trystan,
I am sound here and I am sure you are great where you are now.
Congratulations on your promotion to Regional Manager at Pembroke Videos. It was truly nice seeing you
on television as you were offered the promotion. I've always been impressed with your dedication and
problem solving skills. You have done an excellent job there, and recognition of this kind is well deserved.
Your love of movies has certainly paid off in this and I am sure you will love this job even more. This is a
milestone in your career!
Well done, and I wish you continued success.
Regards,
Sebastian
4. Write a letter to your friend telling him/her about the good time you are having in your grandmother‘s
house
28-02-2014,
Charing Cross Street,
Wessex.
Dear Raja,
It‘s been a while since I wrote to you. I am sorry about that. I did not have time to write as I had my
semester exams. Now that I have completed my exams, I am free. I have written my exams well and I
sincerely hope you too would have done a good job in your exam hall.
Right now I am in my grandma‘s house in the countryside. How I wish you were here with me!!! The
countryside is filled with ever – rolling meadows dotted with fat and lazy cows grazing peacefully. The
sound of their bleats is music to ones ears. The people here are so very much ‗alive and human‘ unlike the
people in the city (like us) who are so very mechanical. No one is ever in a hurry and everyone is happy. I
went to the pond today morning and had my bath there. The cool water rejuvenates our body and mind too.
The garden here is filled with so many kinds of birds. The sound made by them is very musical and new to
me. I have never seen many of the birds here before and the birds are beautiful too. I woke up to the sound
of the milkman today morning. There are no shops here selling milk in packets. That too was and is still a
surprise for me.
You must pay a visit to my grandma‘s place in the next vacation. We can enjoy to our heart‘s delight. Do
write to me when you have time. Address the letter to my house and not to my grandma‘s because I will be
leaving this place in three days time.
Expecting a letter in my house by the time I reach there.
Your friend,
Rakesh
UNIT – III
PART – A (2 MARKS)
IF Conditionals
Complete the following sentences indicating the conditions in which something will happen:
1) If the battery of the car is down, it will not run.
2) If the airplane cannot take oil, it will not fly smoothly.
3) If you want to get good marks in the examinations, you have to work hard.
4) If the pedestrians do not use the subways for crossing main roads, the accidents will
5) occur.
6) If the weather had been fine, I would have gone for trekking.
7) If you remove this fuse, the supply of power will stop.
8) If he ran all the way, he would get there in time.
9) If the weather is good, I will go for a walk.
10) If the economic downtrend continues, many will become underemployed.
11) If the pollution had been controlled, global warming would have been reduced.
12) If you practice hard, you will pass the exam easily.
13) If I were you, I would accept the offer.
14) Unless he invites me in person, I will not go.
15) If I dropped this watch, it would break.
16) If I am free, I will meet you.
17) If the battery of the car is down, it will not run.
18) If the aeroplane cannot take oil, it will not fly smoothly.
19) If you want to get good marks in the examinations, you have to work hard.
20) If the pedestrians do not use the subways for crossing main roads, the accidents will
occur.
21) If the weather had been fine, I would have gone for trekking.
22) If you remove this fuse, the supply of power will stop.
23) If he ran all the way, he would get there in time.
24) If the weather is good, I will go for a walk.
25) If the economic downtrend continues, many will become underemployed.
26) If the pollution had been controlled, global warming would have been reduced.
27) If you practice hard, you will pass the exam easily.
28) If I were you, I would accept the offer.
29) Unless he invites me in person, I will not go.
30) If I dropped this watch, it would break.
Cause and Effect Expressions
Combine the following sentences using words to show casual relation:
1. Safety precautions were not observed .There were many accidents in the factory.
Safety precautions were not observed, so there were many accidents in the factory.
2. Training is given to the employees. They update their technical knowledge.
Training is given to the employee in order to update their technical knowledge.
3. All data was lost. The power supply was interrupted.
As the power supply was interrupted all data were lost
4. The temperature reached very high. Some method of cooling must be adopted.
The temperature reached very high so that some method of cooling must be adopted.
5. This type turbine is very widely used. It has a much greater efficiency.
This type turbine is very widely used because it has a much greater efficiency.
6. The steam from the boiler is wet. It has to be passed through a super heater.
As the steam from the boiler is wet, it has to be passed through a super heater.
7. Atomic power is not available in sufficient quantity. Coal is still a very valuable source of power.
As atomic power is not available in sufficient quantity, Coal is still a very valuable source of power.
8. The carburetor may become choked with dirt. An air filter is fitted.
The carburetor may become choked with dirt so, an air filter is fitted
9. Vertical boilers were installed in the factory. Only a limited floors space was available.
Vertical boilers were installed in the factory because of limited floors space.
10. The Neutron is an unchanged particle. No repulsive forces are exerted on it by the nucleus.
As the Neutron is an unchanged particle, no repulsive forces are exerted on it by the nucleus
11. National criteria for handling waste have not been fixed. Traders take full advantage of it.
As national criteria for handling waste have not been fixed, traders take full advantage of it.
12. There is considerable increase in the number of industries. The quantum of wastes has also
increased.
Due to considerable increase in the number of industries, the quantum of wastes has also
increased.
13. The reprocessing units in our country are far below the standard of efficiency. The
environmentalists suggest a blanket ban on the import of wastes.
The reprocessing units in our country are far below the standard of efficiency therefore the
environmentalists suggest a blanket ban on the import of wastes
14. Recycling and disposal of wastes require sizable expenditure. In such situations, industries
preferred to export their wastes to other countries.
Recycling and disposal of wastes require sizable expenditure therefore, industries preferred to
export their wastes to other countries.
15. We were late. It rained heavily.
We were late because it rained heavily
16. The price of petrol has gone up. The essential commodities have become costlier.
The essential commodities have become costlier due to the rise in the price of petrol.
17. Safety precautions were not observed. There were many accidents in the factory.
Safety precautions were not observed; consequently there were many accidents in the
factory.
18. Newspapers will survive. They are a cost efficient way of providing information.
Newspapers will survive as they are a cost efficient way of providing information.
19. The steel tray is painted black. The black paint prevents the heat from escaping.
The steel tray is painted black because the black paint prevents the heat from escaping.
20. Training is given to employees. They update their technical knowledge.
Training is given to employees, because they can update their technical knowledge.
21. The machine was tested .It was installed.
The machine was tested and therefore it was installed.
22. I reached the station early .I boarded the train.
Since I reached the station early, I boarded the train.
23. The operation is successful. The patient is alive.
Owing to the fact that the operation is successful, the patient is alive.
24. He is very kind man. You can get whatever you want.
He is such a kind man that you can get whatever you want.
25. The temperature is high in summer. An A.C. unit should be installed.
As the temperature is high in summer, an A.C. unit should be installed.
26. He did not write the exams well. He did not write the exams well.
As he did not write the exams well, he did not write the exams well.
27. Ravi was a spendthrift. He became bankrupt.
Ravi was a spendthrift and therefore he became bankrupt.
28. Metal expands when it is heated expansion joints are fitted to steam pipes.
Expansion joints are fitted to steam pipes because metal expands when it is heated.
29. A library edition has a strong binding. It is costlier than a paperback edition.
As library edition has a strong binding, it is costlier than a paperback edition.
30. Advertising is designed in an attractive way. It stimulated demand.
Advertising is designed in an attractive way, because it stimulated demand.
Words used as Nouns and Verb without changing the spelling
Frame sentences by using a word as noun and verb.
1. Book
Noun :Suresh was developed the habit of reading books.
Verb: Priya has booked a ticket in a theater.
2. Catch
Noun: Mr. Dhoni had a good catch.
Verb: The fisherman could‘nt catch the fire.
3. Drink
Noun: He got down the train for a drink.
Verb: Drink milk every day.
4. House
Noun: We live in Houses
Verb: The bush houses the bearing.
5. Lead
Noun: You must take the lead and help for campus cleaning work.
Verb: Lead kindly light.
6.Make
Noun: The teacher wants to know the make of the students to get good marks in their exams.
Verb: She made the good quality of the product.
7. Photograph
Noun: This is our Prime Minister‘s childhood photographs.
Verb: Kishore photographed the natural scenery .
8. Record
Noun: The students should submit the records.
Verb: The Programme was recorded.
9. Respect
Noun: You should command respect by your hard work.
Verb: She promised to respect my wishes .
10. Tear
Noun: Tears rolled down her cheeks.
Verb: Mad people tear their dresses.
11.Throw
Noun: It was a good throw.
Verb: He threw the stone against the dog.
PART- B (16 MARKS)
Minutes of meeting
1. Senior managers of SoviyaPvt.Ltd., MayurVihar, New Delhi have recommended to increase the salary for the employees. Write the minutes of meeting for the above.
SoviyaPvt.Ltd
MayurVihar
New Delhi
Minutes
A meeting of senior managers to recommend increase in salary for all employees of SoviyaPvt.Ltd.,
MayurVihar, New Delhi was held at Zenhall at 2.30 p.m. on 16 December 2013.
Presiding: Mr. Danish Zafar Khan, President
Members present:
1. Mr. John Paul
2. Mr.Verma
3. Mr.Anush
4. Mr.Anand
5. Mr.Nameera Khan
The members of the committee discussed the following to increase the salary for the employers.
1. The secretary read the notice of the meeting dated 16 December 2013 convenng the meeting.
2. Mr.Verma read the auditor‘s report on annual accounts and balance sheet. It was unanimously
approved.
3. Mr.Anand reported that the pay scales for all the employees should be reviewed in the light of
prevalent pay scales of the other organisations.
4. Mr.Jhon Paul agreed to study the revised pay scale pattern of the other organisations before taking
a final decision.
5. It was decided to hold the next meeting on 11 March 2014.
6. The meeting ended with vote of thanks to the President.
16 December,2013
Verma Danish Zafar Khan
Secretary President
2. After a minor earthquake in Chennai, the chairman of a car manufacturing company called for a meeting
to discuss the damages that the earthquake caused. Write the minutes of meeting for the same.
Prosperity Automobile Company
Poonamallee high road
Chennai
Minutes of the 25th executive body emergency meeting held at the seminar hall on 28.11.2013 at 10 am.
The following members were present:
1. Mr.Sathiskulkarni, Chairman
2. Mr.Piyushlal, Vice-President
3. Mr.Humayun, Administrative Officer
4. Mr.Pratapkumar, Security Officer
The members of the executive body discussed the aftermath of the earthquake that shook Chennai on
24.11.2013 and adopted the following resolutions.
1. Undertake complete assessment of the building regarding their ability to withstand
earthquakes.
2. Adopt the just-in-time approach for manufacturing and despatching cars from the plant.
3. Tie up with the professional body that will warn against any possible threat of natural calamities
for early information and precaution.
4. Insure all company staff and properties against any natural calamity with an international
insurance agency.
5. Entrust all work related to safety against natural calamities to the security officer who will work
in close association with the chairman.
The meeting ended with a vote of thanks to the chair.
Sathishkulkarni
Chairman
Sample of Board Meeting Minutes
Name of Organization
(Board Meeting Minutes: Month Day, Year)
Board Members:
Present: Bhata Bhatacharia, Jon White , Douglas Carver, Elizabeth Drucker, Pat , Jack Porter.
Others Present:
Exec. Director: Sheila Swanson
Other: Susan Johns, Consulting Accountant
Proceedings:
Meeting called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Chair, Elizabeth Drucker
(Last month's) meeting minutes were amended and approved
Chief Executive's Report:
Recommends that if we not able to find a new facility by the end of this month, the organization should stay
where the current location over the winter. After brief discussion, Board agreed.
Drucker asserts that our organization must ensure its name is associated with whatever materials are
distributed at that practitioner's meeting next year.
Finance Committee report provided by Chair, Elizabeth Drucker:
Drucker explained that consultant, Susan Johns, reviewed the organization's bookkeeping procedures and
found them to be satisfactory, in preparation for the upcoming yearly financial audit.
Funds recommend that our company ensure the auditor provides a management letter along with the audit
financial report.
Drucker reviewed highlights, trends and issues from the balance sheet, income statement and cash flow
statement. Issues include that high accounts receivables require. After brief discussion of the issues and
suggestions about how to ensure receiving payments on time.
Meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m.
Minutes submitted by Secretary, Bhata Bhatacharia.
UNIT – IV
PART – A (2 MARKS)
Numerical Expressions
Give the Numerical Expressions for the following:
1. A tank with the capacity of 6000 liters - a 6000 liter tank.
2. A pipe is five feet long - a five foot pipe.
3. A monitor with a size of 20 inches - a 20 inch monitor.
4. An interval of 15 minutes - a 15 minute interval.
5. A certificate course for 12 months - a 12 month certificate course.
6. An incline of 45 degrees - a 45 degree incline.
7. An investment of Rs.45, 000 - a 45,000 rupee investment.
8. A DC supply of 240 volts - a 240 volt DC supply.
9. A workshop lasting for 2 days - a 2 day workshop.
10. An engine with a capacity of 100 ccs power - a 100 cc power engine.
11. A team of 5 members - a 5 member team.
12. A lamp with a power of 40 watts - a 40 watt lamp.
13. A book with a value of Rs. 100 - a 100 rupee book.
14. A tour lasting for 7 days - a 7 day tour.
15. A play lasting for 8 hours - an 8 hour play.
16. A budget estimate of 5 lakhs - a 5 lakh budget.
17. A project for three years - a three year project.
18. A motor bike of 100 kilograms - a 100 kilogram motor bike.
19. A tank with a capacity of 1000 gallons - a 1000 gallon tank.
20. A walk for five miles - a five mile walk.
21. A jewel of 8 grams - an 8 gram jewel.
22. A pipe with a length of 10 metres - a 10 metre pipe.
23. An hotel having the status of 3 stars - a three star hotel.
24. A flask with a capacity of 5 litres - a 5 litre flask.
25. An expedition for 3 weeks - a 3 week expedition.
Discourse Markers or connectives
1. Karen is rich; ___, her cousin Kate is poor.
a. therefore
b. however
c. otherwise
2. You'd better take a taxi. ___, you'll arrive late.
a. Consequently
b. Furthermore
c. Otherwise
3. I enjoy reading this new magazine. ___, it has good articles.
a. Moreover
b. Nevertheless
c. However
4. Jack wasn't tired. ___, he took a nap.
a. Otherwise
b. Hence
c. Nevertheless
5. Phil was not thirsty; ___, he drank five glasses of water.
a. however
b. moreover
c. furthermore
6. The kids didn't study. ___, they failed the course.
a. Therefore
b. Nonetheless
c. Otherwise
7. The weather was terrible. ___, we decided to delay our trip.
a. Furthermore
b. Besides
c. Therefore
8. You must buy the tickets; ___, we won't be able to see that play.
a. otherwise
b. although
c. besides
9. The neighborhood isn't very interesting. I like the house, ___.
a. moreover
b. thus
c. though
10. We live in the same building; ___, we hardly see each other.
a. however
b. therefore
c. furthermore
11. He didn't earn enough money. ___, his wife decided to get a job.
a. Moreover
b. Therefore
c. Although
12. That house isn't big enough for us, and ___, it's too expensive.
a. furthermore
b. hence
c. although
13. We have plenty of money and workers; ___, we hope to finish the house remodeling soon.
a. nevertheless
b. unless
c. thus
14. She's extremely rich; ___, she's not snobbish.
a. hence
b. however
c. otherwise
15. It was a windy and rainy night. ___, I decided to go out.
a. nevertheless
b. otherwise
c. hence
Choose words from the box to fill in the spaces in the exercise below.
moreover
on the other hand
at least
however
besides
firstly
whereas
then
actually
though
1. I had a terrible day at work and lost my umbrella too. At least I spoke that nice guy who works in the coffee shop at last!
2. Television turns people into lazy couch potatoes. On the other hand, there are some educational
programmes on.
3. Firstly, I would like to welcome you all to the conference today.
4. Though the film was a little boring, we still had a nice evening out.
5. I've always known Caroline as a mean person. However, she lent me $10 yesterday without having to
ask twice!
6. I got up at 9 o'clock yesterday and had a cold shower. Then, I had breakfast and left for work.
7. My brother works in a large office whereas I work on my own at home.
8. Why don't you think I would want to go out tonight? Actually, I would be delighted to get out of the house.
9. You should go to university as it gives you a chance to meet so many new people. Moreover, it gives you
the chance to get important qualifications and get a better job.
10. I don't want to go to the football game. Football bores me and I don't want to pay $40 for a ticket.
Besides, look at the weather! All that rain!
Idioms and their meanings An idiom is a distinctive expression whose meaning cannot be deduced from the combined meanings of its
actual words. It means something it just doesn‘t say! These words and phrases are widely used in spoken
English, and present problems to learners of English, because the word meanings rarely lead to
comprehension.
as easy as pie: very easy.
"I thought you said this was a difficult problem. It isn't. In fact, it's as easy as pie."
at the eleventh hour: at the last minute; almost too late.
"Yes, I got the work done in time. I finished it at the eleventh hour, but I wasn't late.
bad-mouth: say unkind, unflattering, embarrassing (and probably untrue) things about someone.
A: "I don't believe what Bob said. Why is he bad-mouthing me?" B: "He's probably jealous of your success."
be a piece of cake: be very easy.
A: "Bob said the test was difficult, but I thought it was a piece of cake.""
be all ears: be eager to hear what someone has to say.
A: "I just got an e-mail message from our old friend Sally." B: "Tell me what she said. I'm all ears!"
be on the road: be traveling.
beat around the bush: evade an issue; avoid giving a direct answer.
"Quit beating around the bush! If you don't want to go with me, just tell me!"
beat one's brains out: try very hard to understand or do something.
"Can you help me with this problem? I've been beating my brains out with it, but I just can't solve it."
before long: soon.
A: "I'm really tired of working." B: "Just be patient. The weekend will be here before long."
bite off more than one can chew: take responsibility for more than one can manage.
"I'm really behind with my project. Can you help me? I'm afraid I bit off more than I could chew!"
blow one's top: become extremely angry.
A: "Was your father upset when you came home at 3 AM?" B: "He was more than upset. He blew his top!"
broke: without money.
A: "Can you lend me 10 dollars?" B: "I'm afraid not. I'm broke."
bull-headed: stubborn; inflexible.
"Don't be so bull-headed. Why can't you admit that others' opinions are just as good as yours?"
burn the midnight oil: study/work all night or until very, very late at night.
"I'm not ready for the test tomorrow. I guess I'll have to burn the midnight oil."
"I haven't written to my parents for a long time. I'd better drop them a line today or tomorrow."
drag one's feet: delay; take longer than necessary to do something.
"Joe should have finished his project a week ago. Why is he dragging his feet?"
an eager beaver: a person who is always willing to volunteer or do extra work.
"Jan is certainly an eager beaver. Any time there's work to be done, she's the first to say she'll help."
an egghead: a very intelligent person.
"Jake didn't make very good grades in school, but his sister was a real egghead."
far-fetched: difficult to accept; difficult to believe.
"That story's pretty far-fetched. Nobody's going to believe it."
feel blue: feel sad and depressed.
"I'm feeling blue because I haven't had any mail except bills for a long, long time."
fire someone: dismiss someone from a job because of poor performance.
"If you continue to be late for work, the company will fire you."
for ages: for a very long time.
"Where's Marie? I haven't seen her for ages."
get going: leave.
"Look at the time! I'd better get going!"
get it: understand something (often negative).
"I don't get it. What do you mean?"
get on one's nerves: irritate someone; make someone upset.
"I know you like that song, but it's getting on my nerves. Can you play something else?"
get a move on: hurry
"If you don't want to be late, you'd better get a move on."
get out of hand: become out of control; become badly managed.
"Your absences are getting out of hand, Bob. You'd better do something quickly to improve the situation if
you want to keep your job."
give someone a hand : help someone.
"I can't do this alone. Can you give me a hand?"
go with the flow: take things as they come.
"There's no need to worry. Everything will be OK if you just go with the flow."
grab a bite: get something to eat.
"I'm really hungry. Would you like to grab a bite with me?"
green: inexperienced.
"I don't think you can depend on Jack to do that job by himself. He's too green."
hard feelings: anger; animosity; bitter feelings.
A: "I'm sorry that Jim got the job instead of you." B: "I have no hard feelings toward him; I know that he had
stronger qualifications."
hard-headed: stubborn; inflexible; unwilling to change.
"I don't think Julie will change her mind. She's pretty hard-headed."
have one's hands full: be extremely busy.
A: "Will you be able to help us this afternoon?" B: "I'm afraid not. I'll have my hands full trying to finish my
research paper."
head honcho: person in charge; top boss.
"Dave's the head honcho of the ESL Cafe on the Web."
hit the books: study.
"I wish I could go to the movies, but I've got to hit the books."
hit the hay: go to bed; go to sleep.
"It's late, so I guess I'll hit the hay."
inside out: with the inner part on the outside and the outer part on the inside.
"Why are you wearing your tee shirt inside out?"
in the black: profitable; not showing a financial loss.
"What did you do to increase profit and eliminate losses? We've been in the black for two months in a row."
in the red: unprofitable; showing a financial loss.
"We have to do something to increase profit and decrease losses. We've been in the red for two months in
a row."
jump all over someone: severely criticize / find fault with someone.
A: "What's wrong with Joe?" B: "He's feeling bad because his boss jumped all over him this morning."
jump the gun: do something before it's time to do it.
A: "How did Marsha know about the party? It was supposed to be a surprise."
B: "Chuck jumped the gun. Without thinking, he said, 'I'm bringing the cake at your party; I hope you like it!"
jump to conclusions: decide something too quickly and without thinking about it or considering all the facts.
A: "Angela just doesn't like me. She won't even say hello." B: "You're jumping to conclusions. Actually,
she's very shy."
keep an eye on: check something regularly.
"You're busy, so you'll need to keep an eye on the time. Remember that we have to leave at 4:30."
keep an eye out for: watch for.
"I'll keep an eye out for John. If I see him, I'll tell him you want to talk to him."
keep one's chin up: remain brave and confident in a difficult situation; don't despair or worry too much.
"I know that things have been difficult for you recently, but keep your chin up. Everything will be better
soon."
keep one's nose to the grindstone: stay diligent; steadily work hard, without breaks or an uneven pace.
"If I keep my nose to the grindstone, I should be finished by the end of the day."
a know-it-all: someone who acts as if he/she knows everything--as if no one can tell him/her anything that
he/she doesn't already know.
"Don't try to make any suggestions to Bob. He's a know-it-all and won't pay attention to anything you say."
lend someone a hand: help someone.
"I can't do this alone. Can you lend me a hand?"
Let sleeping dogs lie.: Don't cause problems by doing something when it isn't necessary.
"I know that what Julie said made you angry, but let sleeping dogs lie. If you say or do anything, you'll only
make things worse."
live from hand to mouth: survive on very little money; have only enough money to pay for basic needs.
"Chuck and Alice are living from hand to mouth since Chuck lost his job."
a low blow: a big disappointment.
A: "Fred seems depressed. Is he OK?" B: "He's OK, but not good. It was a low blow for him to be laid off
from his job."
make a mountain out of a molehill: make something seem much more important than it really is.
"Calm down. There's really nothing to worry about. You're making a mountain out of a molehill."
No way!: Absolutely not! / Definitely not!
A: "You didn't open this letter addressed to me, did you?" B: "No way! I'd never read look at else's mail!"
Not on your life!: Absolutely not! (a strong "no").
A: "Someone said you cheated on the test. Did you?" B: "Not on your life!"
bushed: very tired; exhausted.
"I'm going to lie down for a while. I'm really bushed."
by the skin of one's teeth: barely succeed in doing something.
"I'll have to start earlier the next time. This time I only finished by the skin of my teeth."
call it a day: stop work for the day.
"It's late and you've accomplished a lot. Why don't you call it a day?"
can't make heads or tails of something: can't understand something at all; find something confusing and
illogical.
"I can't make heads or tails of your e-mail. Were you having problems with your computer?"
catch one's eye: attract one's attention/interest.
"This brochure about Tahiti caught my eye when I was at the travel agency."
catch some Zs: sleep for a while; take a nap.
"You look tired, Dave. Why don't you catch some Zs?"
change one's mind: decide to do something different from what had been decided earlier.
A: "Why are you working this week? I thought you were going to be on vacation." B: "I changed my mind.
I'm taking my vacation next month."
couch potato: someone who spends too much time watching TV.
"You're a real couch potato, Jay. You need to get more exercise!"
Cut it out!: stop doing something (that's annoying).
"You kids are making too much noise. Cut it out!"
Don't count your chickens until (before) they hatch (they've hatched).: Don't assume that something will
happen until it has happened.
A: I'm sure that I'm going to win a lot of money in Las Vegas." B: "Don't count your chickens until they
hatch!"
on the dot: exactly at a given time.
"We're leaving at 9:00 on the dot. If you're late, we'll go without you."
(on the) cutting edge: using the most recent technology.
"The university's computer lab is (on the) cutting edge. It has all the latest hardware and software."
over one's head: too difficult or complicated for someone to understand.
"This explanation of cgi scripting is over my head. Can you explain it in a less technical way?"
pay the piper: face the consequences for something you've done.
"I stayed up too late tonight. Tomorrow I'll have to pay the piper."
pull an all-nighter: study or work all night without getting any sleep.
A: "You look really tired." B: "I am. I pulled an all-nighter to get ready for the meeting this morning."
pull someone's leg: tease someone by trying to make her/him believe something that's exaggerated or
untrue.
A: "Wow! Carl has done some really amazing things!" B: "Don't believe everything he tells you. He was
probably pulling your leg."
rain or shine: (describing something scheduled) no matter what the weather is.
"We're leaving tomorrow, rain or shine."
rain cats and dogs: rain very hard.
"You can't leave just now! It's raining cats and dogs and you don't have an umbrella or raincoat!"
shoot the breeze: make relaxed, casual conversation.
"No, we weren't talking about anything important. We were just shooting the breeze."
Someone's made his/her own bed; now let him/her lie in it.: Someone has caused his/her own problems;
he/she will have to solve them himself/herself.
A: Jim upset everyone when he got angry at the meeting. Can we do anything to make the situation better?
B: No. He's made his own bed; now let him lie in it."
sooner or later: eventually.
"You've been working too hard for too long. If you don't relax a little, sooner or later you're going to get
sick."
tell a white lie: say something that isn't true in order not to hurt or offend someone.
"The cake that Susan made tasted terrible, but I knew that she made it because she wanted to please me,
so when she asked if I liked it, I told a white lie and said it was good."
toss something: throw something away; put something in the trash.
"These shoes are worn out. I guess I'll have to toss them."
tight-fisted: very frugal; unwilling to spend money unnecessarily.
A: Do you think Charlie will donate any money to the activities fund? B: No way! He's too tight-fisted!
a tightwad: someone who is very frugal and unwilling to spend money unnecessarily.
A: Will Charlie donate any money to the activities fund? B: Absolutely not! He's a real tightwad!"
two-faced: deceitful; disloyal; someone who pretends to be a friend but isn't.
"I thought he was my friend, but he's two-faced. He says nice things to me when we're together, but makes
jokes about me when we aren't.
under the weather: ill; sick; unwell.
"Ted was feeling under the weather yesterday, so he decided not to go to work."
until hell freezes over: forever.
"Chris can practice the piano until hell freezes over, but he'll never play well because he's tone-deaf."
Note: This expression is used to describe something that will not change, no matter how long or how often
it's done.
until you're blue in the face: forever.
"You can talk until you're blue in the face, but I won't change my mind."
Note: This expression is used in the same way as "until hell freezes over."
a yes-man: someone who tries to get approval by agreeing with everyone.
A: "Why does the boss think Arnold is so intelligent?" B: "Because Arnold is a yes-man. He agrees with
everything the boss says!"
You don't say!: Really? / Is that really true?
A: "Have you heard the news? Jessica got married!" B: "You don't say!"
You've got to be kidding!: You can't be serious! (What you said can't be true. What you said is very
surprising/hard to believe.) "
A: "Did you know that Bob quit his job?" B: "You've got to be kidding!"
PART – B (16 MARKS)
JOB APPLICATION
1. Write an application for the post of General Manager in a car company.
Raju .M
No 25 cross street
Nehru colony
Chennai-112
Ph: 93939393993
12.12.2013
The HR Manager
XYZ Car Motor Company
Chennai -12
Sir
Sub: Application for the post of General Manager in your company-Reg.
Ref: Your advertisement in ―The Indian Express‖ dated 09.12.2013
With reference to the above cited advertisement, I hereby apply for the post of General
Manager in your company. This position matches with my career interest and is absolutely suitable to my
skill and experience.
I have completed MBA with I class. I have gained 15 years of experience in my field. My high
degree of motivation has been recognized by my previous employers who have promoted me to positions
of great responsibility. I do possess good managerial skill and interpersonal skill.
All my experience has given me the courage and confidence to perform well.
By considering my qualification and experience, Imaybe appointed as a General Manager in your
esteemed company.
I have enclosed a copy of my resume for your kind consideration .
I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you.
Yours truly,
(Jegan.M)
Encl: Resume
Resume
Jegan .M
No 105,12th cross Street
Nehru colony
Chennai-600112
Ph: 93939393993
Objective
To work in a professionally managed environment that provides opportunities for my career growth and to
contribute to the productivity and effectiveness of the organization.
Educational Qualification
MBA (General Management), IIT Kanpur,(1996) 85.39% (Gold Medalist)
BBA, Anna University, Chennai,(1994) 84%.
HSC, Sundar Higher Secondary School, Chennai- 6000116(1991) with an aggregate mark of 90%
SSLC, Santhome Higher Secondary School,(1989),95.4%
Achievements
Received the best manager award in 2008
Achieved a good quality managementsystem in the previous company, followingan International Standard.
Technical Skills
Operating System : Microsoft Windows 98/XP/Vista.
Languages : C,C++,Java.
Application : HTML, Javascript.
Project
The Study of the Growth and Decline of Car Companies in India Extra Curricular Activities
Cricket
Carom
Personal Skills
Good Communication Skills and Managerial skills.
Punctuality and Honesty.
Believing in team work, hard working in nature and willingness to learn
Adaptability.
In plant Training
BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED(BSNL)
Airport Authority Of India(IAD)
Personal Details
Father‘s Name :Mr.MaruthuPandian
Age&DOB : 37 & 24/01/1974
Marital Status : Married
Nationality : Indian
Languages Known : English, Tamil and Hindi
Declaration
I hereby declare that all the given details are true to the best of my Knowledge.
Place :Cheenai
Date : 12.02.2012 Jegan.M
Sample 2
Harshavardhan. M
No.105,III Main Road
Gandhi nagar
Tambaram east
Contact no: 9111234567
Email:[email protected]
Career Objective
Seeking a position to utilize my skills and abilities in software industry that offers a professional growth
while being resourceful and innovative.
Educational Qualification
B.E in Computer Science Engineering (2009)from ABC Engineering College with 84%.
Higher Secondary: Bharathi Higher Secondary School,(2005) with 86%.
SSLC from DVA Higher Secondary School (2003) with 89%.
Software Proficiency
Languages : C,C++
DBMS Packages: Oracle 8i
Front End: VB 6.0
Operating Systems: MS DOS, Windows98, NT,2000, XP
Web Designing: JAVA, HTML, XML
Achievements
1. Participated in an international conference in 2007 and presented a paper on embedded
systems.
2. Participated in college and school level competitions and received many prizes.
3. Secured third rank in National talent search examinations.
Project
Intelligent heart disease prediction system using data mining techniques.
Extracurricular activities
1. Ball Badminton state level champion in School level competition in 2004.
2. Captain in college cricket team
3. Organized technical events in College as an event organiser
Personal details
Fathers name: Mr.Manivannan
Age and DOB: 24 and 24/01/1987
Marital Status: Unmarried
Nationality : Indian
Personal Traits: Team worker, hard working and good communication skills
References:
1. Dr. S. Alexander Director / Intelligence Software Solutions
42 Anna Salai
Chennai – 600002
Phone: 044 22345674
2. Dr. R. Jayabalan HOD/ Department of Marine Engineering
RVS Engineering College
Karur main road
Erode – 600342.
Phone:0321-225453
Date: 12.02.2012 (HarshaVardhan M)
Sample 3
V. Bharathi
45 RVS Avenue
NH2, Maraimalai Nagar,
Kancheepuram – 601203
Contact Number – 9111393939
E-mail: [email protected]
Carrier Objective
To secure a challenging position where I can effectively contribute my skill as software professional.
Educational Qualification
S. No Degree College/University Year Class/Percentage
1. M.E (EEE) ABC College of Engineering,
Anna University 2004 I Class/ 87%
2. B.E (EEE) Arun Engineering College,
Anna University 2002 I Class/92.7%
3. HSC Government Higher Secondary School,
1998 I Class/90%
4. SSLC Government Higher Secondary School,
1996 I Class/93%
Experience
S.
No Designation
Organization or
Company Period Remarks
1. Junior
Engineer
Ram Car motor
Company 2004 – 2008
Received best Junior engineer
award in 2007
2. Senior
Engineer
RAJ Car Motor
Company
2008 – till
date Known for my innovative ideas
Achievements
1. Awarded for introducing new safety valve for cars in the year 2009 2. Received a cash price for maintaining good quality control.
Special Skills
1. Proficient in MS DOS, Microsoft Windows, Excel and XP 2. Good problem solving skills 3. Excellent communication skills and interpersonal skills 4. Competent in speaking German and French 5. Maintained consumer relation through effective presentation of technical expertise
Personal Details
Father‘s Name: Mr. R. Viswanathan
Age&DOB : 37 & 24/01/1974
Marital Status : Married
Nationality : Indian
Languages Known : English, Tamil and Hindi
Declaration
I hereby declare that all the given details are true to my knowledge.
Place : Chennai
Date: 12..2.2002 (Bharathi. V)
UNIT – V
PART – A (2 MARKS)
Collocation
Choose the appropriate word to complete the sentence?
1. We made a rough calculation but it turned out to be very wide of mark.
2. It‘s so quiet there. Nothing seems to disturb the perfect calm.
3. She made an emotional and rousing call to the workers to take strike action.
4. This research is very delicate and calls for special care.
5. The factory is operating at maximum capacity.
6. I have to go to Head of the office to attend a board meeting.
7. The matter is serious. We need to refer it to our advisory body for consideration.
8. Working together under such pressure created a strong bond between the team.
9. I‘m afraid that the thought provoking book is out of print.
10. The customers have great brand loyalty.
11. The argument led to a total breakdown in the negotiations.
12. Our expenditure has gone over the annual budget.
13. It‘s time we got down to business.
14. Economists are forecasting an economic boom.
15. We await the news with bated breath.
16. The negotiations are teetering on the brink of the total collapse.
17. They have accumulated a large amount of capitaland they are planning to take us over.
18. He fought an energetic campaign for the presidency but lost.
19. Although I have had a long and successful career, it has its ups and downs.
20. The factory is operating at maximum capacity.
Capital Campaign Brink Breath Boom Business Budget
Breakdown Brand Book Bond Body Board Capacity
Care Call Calm Calculation
Sample Collocations
There are several different types of collocation. Collocations can be adjective + adverb, noun + noun, verb + noun and so on. Below you can see seven main types of collocation in sample sentences.
1. adverb + adjective
Invading that country was an utterly stupid thing to do. We entered a richly decorated room. Are you fully aware of the implications of your action?
2. adjective + noun
The doctor ordered him to take regular exercise. The Titanic sank on its maiden voyage. He was writhing on the ground in excruciating pain.
3. noun + noun
Let's give Mr Jones a round of applause. The ceasefire agreement came into effect at 11am. I'd like to buy two bars of soap please.
4. noun + verb
The lion started to roar when it heard the dog barking. Snow was falling as our plane took off. The bomb went off when he started the car engine.
5. verb + noun
The prisoner was hanged for committing murder. I always try to do my homework in the morning, after making my bed. He has been asked to give a presentation about his work.
6. verb + expression with preposition
We had to return home because we had run out of money. At first her eyes filled with horror, and then she burst into tears. Their behaviour was enough to drive anybody to crime.
7. verb + adverb
She placed her keys gently on the table and sat down.
Mary whispered softly in John's ear. I vaguely remember that it was growing dark when we left.
Collocations Lists
On this page you can find a few short lists of collocations to give you more of an idea about them. Many good learner's dictionaries show collocations associated with specific words. There are also dictionaries of collocations, though these are more difficult to find.
Some common verbs
have do make
have a bath
have a drink
have a good time
have a haircut
have a holiday
have a problem
have a relationship
have a rest
have lunch
have sympathy
do business
do nothing
do someone a favour
do the cooking
do the housework
do the shopping
do the washing up
do your best
do your hair
do your homework
make a difference
make a mess
make a mistake
make a noise
make an effort
make furniture
make money
make progress
make room
make trouble
take break catch
take a break
take a chance
take a look
take a rest
take a seat
take a taxi
take an exam
take notes
take someone's place
take someone's temperature
break a habit
break a leg
break a promise
break a record
break a window
break someone's heart
break the ice
break the law
break the news to someone
break the rules
catch a ball
catch a bus
catch a chill
catch a cold
catch a thief
catch fire
catch sight of
catch someone's attention
catch someone's eye
catch the flu
pay
save
keep
pay a fine
pay attention
save electricity
save energy
keep a diary
keep a promise
pay by credit card
pay cash
pay interest
pay someone a compliment
pay someone a visit
pay the bill
pay the price
pay your respects
save money
save one's strength
save someone a seat
save someone's life
save something to a disk
save space
save time
save yourself the trouble
keep a secret
keep an appointment
keep calm
keep control
keep in touch
keep quiet
keep someone's place
keep the change
come go get
come close
come complete with
come direct
come early
come first
come into view
come last
come late
come on time
come prepared
come right back
come second
come to a compromise
come to a decision
come to an agreement
come to an end
come to a standstill
come to terms with
come to a total of
come under attack
go abroad
go astray
go bad
go bald
go bankrupt
go blind
go crazy
go dark
go deaf
go fishing
go mad
go missing
go on foot
go online
go out of business
go overseas
go quiet
go sailing
go to war
go yellow
get a job
get a shock
get angry
get divorced
get drunk
get frightened
get home
get lost
get married
get nowhere
get permission
get pregnant
get ready
get started
get the impression
get the message
get the sack
get upset
get wet
get worried
Miscellaneous
Time Business English Classifiers
bang on time
dead on time
early 12th century
free time
from dawn till dusk
great deal of time
annual turnover
bear in mind
break off negotiations
cease trading
chair a meeting
close a deal
late 20th century
make time for
next few days
past few weeks
right on time
run out of time
save time
spare time
spend some time
take your time
tell someone the time
time goes by
time passes
waste time
close a meeting
come to the point
dismiss an offer
draw a conclusion
draw your attention to
launch a new product
lay off staff
go bankrupt
go into partnership
make a loss
make a profit
market forces
sales figures
take on staff
Imperative sentences
1. Pour me a glass of water.
2. Leave the package at the door.
3. Take me to the library.
4. Walk through this door and turn left at the next hallway.
5. Come over here, look at this specimen, and tell me what you think.
6. Put that down now!
7. Tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
8. Honk if you like my driving.
9. Don‘t worry, be happy.
10. Have a Coke and a smile.
11. Do it.
12. Honor thy father and mother.
13. Do not kill.
14. Do not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
15. Do not covet.
16. Park your vehicles in the parking area.
17. Wear tie when you come into my room.
18. Do not spit.
19. Maintain your computer properly.
20. Do not destroy plants.
21. Follow the rules.
22. Obey your parents.
23. Clarify your doubts.
24. Switch on the lights.
25. Close the windows.
Examples:
A. Write two imperative sentences to keep your class room clean:
1. Throw the waste paper into the dustbin.
2. Sweep the floor daily.
B. Write two imperative sentences to avoid accidents:
1. Follow the traffic rules.
2. Wait for the signals.
C. Assume yourself as a teacher and write two imperative sentences focusing on students:
1. Submit the assignment before this week.
2. Write the test on Monday on Matrices.
Articles
Fill in the following questions with the definite, indefinite and zero articles:
1. I like the blue T-shirt over there better than the red one.
2. Their car does 150 miles an hour.
3. Where's the USB drive I lent you last week?
4. Do you still live in x Bristol?
5. Is your mother working in an old office building?
6. Carol's father works as an electrician.
7. The tomatoes are 99 pence a kilo.
8. What do you usually have for x breakfast?
9. Ben has a terrible headache.
10. After this tour you have the whole afternoon free to explore the city.
11. My grandmother likes x flowers very much.
12. I love the flowers in your garden.
13. See you on x Wednesday.
14. I always listen to the radio in the morning.
15. Alex goes to work by x bus.
16. Don't be late for x school.
17. Listen! Dennis is playing the trumpet.
18. We often see our cousins over x Easter.
19. She has never been to the Alps before.
20. What about going to Australia in x February?
21. Last year we visited x St. Paul's Cathedral and the Tower.
22. x Mount Everest is the highest mountain on earth.
23. x Loch Ness is the most famous lake in Scotland.
24. x most children like x sweets.
25. The summer of 1996 was hot and dry.
26. The Plaza Hotel is on the corner of x 59th Street and x 5th Avenue.
27. My sister often stays at x Uncle Tim's in Detroit.
28. Our friends the Millers moved to Florida last August.
29. x smog is a problem in x big cities.
30. Our children go to x school by x bus.
31. Lucy has a dog.
32. Let's sing a song.
33. Emily needs a new desk in her room.
34. I need a blue pen.
35. Ben has an old bike.
36. Peter has an aunt in Berlin.
37. We listen to an English CD.
38. She has an exercise book in her school bag.
39. The speed of this car was 160 miles an hour.
40. They finished a unit.
41. There is a new English book on the desk.
42. She's reading an old comic book.
43. They've got an idea.
44. He is drinking a cup of coffee.
45. The girl is a pilot.
46. Leipzig has an airport.
47. This is an expensive bike.
48. Look! There's a bird flying.
49. My father is an honest person.
50. My friend likes to be an astronaut.
PART – B (16 MARKS)
CHECKLIST
1. Imagine that you are going to buy a new bike. Prepare a checklist of eight important things before buying a bike.
Yes No
1) Have I asked about the mileage of the bike?
2) Are test rides available?
3) Am I convenient with the model?
4) Have I asked for the resale value of the bike?
5) Is the price affordable for me?
6) Is there any guarantee for the engine?
7) Have I enquired about the shock absorbers?
8) Are free gifts available with the bike?
2. Checklist for conducting inaugural function:
Yes No
1) Is the auditorium decorated properly?
2) Have I made arrangements to receive the Chief Guest?
3) Is the PA system in good condition?
4) Has the seating arrangement been made properly on the dias?
5) Are the student volunteers ready?
6) Have arrangements been made to honour the chief guest?
7) Are the banners and posters displayed properly?
8) Is the programme sheet ready?
3. Write a check list of eight points to maintain a pollution free environment in your public places.
Yes No
1) Is the industry sewage water being diverted to the drainage?
2) Is sweeping and cleaning taking place daily?
3) Have the people been advised not to spit here and there?
4) Have the public been instructed to put the wastes in the dustbin?
5) Are the government buildings being maintained properly?
6) Have the authorities taken steps to avoid deforestation?
7) Has the used water been diverted to plants and tree?
8) Imagine that you have to go to Delhi to attend an interview.
4. Write a checklist containing eight items which will help you prepare for the interview.
Yes No
1) Is the original address ready?
2) Have I taken the interview card?
3) Are the original certificates kept ready?
4) Have I collected all information about the company?
5) Have I made arrangements for travelling?
6) Have I prepared well for the interview?
7) Have I taken sufficient amount of money for my travel?
8) Have I informed my uncle at Delhi?
5. Write a check List of eight points to provide clean drinking water to urban area in your district.
Yes No
1) Is environment maintenance properly looked into?
2) Are awareness programmers being conducted for the people about the difficulties in
procuring water?
3) Are the employees regularly monitoring the purification process?
4) Have rain water harvesting been taken to manage the scarcity of water?
5) Have arrangements been made for proper maintenance?
6) Have the people been instructed about the economical of use?
7) Are the people properly advised to be the guidance of with the authorities?
8) Has the provision been indentified for providing water?
REPORT WRITING
Sample 1
Report on the Fire Accident
Prepared By
Mr. Siva
The Safety Engineer
ALMON MOTOR COMPANY LTD.
Chennai
ALMON MOTOR COMPANY LTD
58, NEW STREET, CHENNAI – 108
To: The Managing Director Ref: AMC/155/B9
From: The Safety Engineer 05 May 2009
Sir,
Sub: A report on the fire accident in our Factory – reg.,
With reference to your intimation dated 04 may 2009; a detailed study has been made on the fire
accident that took place on the 2nd of this month in our factory.
On the above mentioned date, a huge fire had broken out around 11 a.m. in our Welding
Department. It spread so quickly that it consumed fairly a large number of tools and spare parts. Above all,
Mr.Sai, our chief welder was also badly hurt. Luckily he was the only person working at that time as the
other workers had gone for tea break. Immediately, fire men were summoned and they extinguished the fire
after battling for about half-an-hour. Mr.Sai was hospitalized and he is now recovering fast.
Under investigation, it is found that the fire broke out because of a short circuit in the main line. As
Mr. Sai had been welding at that time, the fire had spread quickly. In addition, the wires had worn out and
needed replacement. All these had resulted in the devastating fire. The total loss is estimated to be nearly
Rs.1, 50,000.
To avoid such mishaps in the future, it is recommended that
i. Wiring should be replaced and be checked at regular intervals
ii. Enough fire extinguishers must be kept handy.
iii. Automatic fire extinguishing sprays can be installed.
iv. Proper fuses should be used to avoid excess flow.
v. Employees should be given proper training with regard to the use of electrical components and fire extinguishers.
If all these measures are taken, definitely such accidents can be prevented in future and thereby, great loss
to human as well other resources could be averted.
Yours faithfully
Siva
Safety Engineer
Sample 2
Report on Industrial Visit
Bhilai Industrial Visit - A Report
A place usually invokes a special reaction when we see it for the first time. In such a vein, when someone sets his eyes on the Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) the first adjective that flashes across one‘s mind is that it is monstrous. For all of us who have read about Blast Furnaces, Ladles, Convertors... (and even for those who have not) nothing will prepare us for the sheer size and complexity of the plant.
The plant visit is part of the Industrial Training program and is compulsory for all students of metallurgy and is conducted usually at the end of the 7th semester. The timing is so chosen so that students would have finished the relevant theory courses that would enable them to understand and appreciate the functioning of the Steel Plant. An Integrated Steel Plant (ISP) is chosen so that students can see all the various stages starting right from the iron ore processing to the final steel production. BSP is ideally suited for this purpose since it is one of the largest ISPs of our country and it is self sufficient in all aspects including power, water and other auxiliary requirements. The tour itself is arranged in such a way that the order of visits to the various units closely resembles the flow of material through the plant and helps in a better understanding of the entire operation.
Our entire training was for a duration of 10 days with 8 days of plant visit, during the latter part of December, 2001. The first day involved getting the required gate pass for entry into the steel plant. BSP is a high security place and getting in is not easy. Also all of us were supplied with safety helmets, which are mandatory for entry into the plant. The first day of visit was to the Coke Ovens. As those of you who might remember, metallurgical coke used in the furnace is got by reductive destruction of coal. This along with iron ore and limestone flux (used to remove impurities like Si, P, S) is charged from the top into the Blast Furnace (BF). The BF comprised the second day of the visit. BSP has totally 7 BFs with both the Bell-less and Big Bell variety. The total capacity of the 7 BFs put together amounts to around 11,000t of hot metal per day. This hot metal produced serves as the raw material for production of steel.
The Steel Making Shop (SMS) was the next stage of the visit. BSP has totally 2 SMSs - called SMS I and SMS II. These 2 are different in their methods of production of steel and also in the final form in which the steel is produced. SMS I uses a twin-hearth method of production. This is similar to the earlier popular practice of Open Hearth process with a slight modification to improve process efficiency. The final steel produced is tapped in ladles and then cast in the form of ingots. The cast used for this is made of concrete and the ingots are then transported for further processing. SMS II, on the other hand, uses a more modern LD converter route for steel production. It also uses a Continuous Casting Processing route. In this the molten steel from the converter is poured into a turndish and then from this is allowed to flow through a casting mold. This ensures that the casting process is continuous and the product after rolling in the hot condition is got directly in the form of slabs. The advantage of this continuous casting route is that the formation of bulky ingots is bypassed so that the transport is much easier and faster. The output of the two SMS acts as the starting material for the mills for further processing.
The visit to the mills was preceded by a visit to the Sintering Plants. There are a total of 3 sinter plants in BSP and our visit was to Sinter Plant 2. Sintering can be defined as the process of consolidation of fine size particles into larger particles by the application of heat and pressure. The ore, coke and limestone fines (fine particles) cannot be directly used in the BF as they will not be reduced and will only serve to block the
passage of the Hot Blast. The sintering machine used in BSP is the most commonly used Dwight-Lloyd Sintering machine. This is a type of continuous sintering machine whose product contains some amount of reduced iron. This is advantageous because there is a reduction in the coke consumption (coke rate) of the BF.
The first mill to be visited was the Wire Rod Mill (WRM). As the name suggests the final products produced are wires and rods. The input to the WRM is the billets that are produced in the Blooming and Billet Mill (BBM) that was visited later. The WRM mill uses a series of rollers to reduce the cross section. The rolling is usually done in the hot condition - all the mills usually have a preheating factory (soaking shop) for heating of the raw material before rolling. The Plate Mill, which was visited next, uses the slabs produced from the Continuous Casting Shop in SMS II and reduces them into plates. The Merchant Mill (MM) works on these plates further to produce thin sheets. The Blooming and Billet Mill (BBM) and the Rail and Structural Mill (RSM) were visited on the last day of the visit. The input to the BBM is the ingots produced in SMS I. The stripped ingots (ingot separated from the die) are taken and the cross section reduced to form first blooms and then billets. The Rail and Structural Mill, as the name suggests, manufactures rails for supply to the Indian Railways and also produces structural components. BSP is the only steel plant to have such a plant in India.
Taken as a whole, BSP manages to cater to the varied tastes of its diverse customers. The total production of BSP is around 4.3 million tons of crude steel (i.e. steel before rolling). There is a high emphasis on safety. Also, much importance has been given to process control and automation. Process control of both the unit process (chemical reactions like in the BF and SMS) and the unit operations (physical reactions like rolling) is extremely important and great care is taken in that regard. A modernization plan is also in the process of implementation that will further help in the increased productivity of the plant.
On the whole, the entire industrial visit to the Bhilai Steel Plant can be considered to be highly fruitful. It helps to gain a better understanding of the process of Iron and Steel Making and helps us in appreciating the effort and dedication involved in the successful working of a huge Integrated Steel Plant.
Sample 3 Recommendation and Feasibility Reports Date: April 20, 2004 To: Richard Vinz From: Steven Vinz Subject: Purchase Recommendation for Shop Milling Machine The purpose of this report is to recommend the milling machine you should purchase for your auto repair shop. I have investigated two milling machines that will meet your needs: the Central Milling Machine 01649-3VTA and the Central Milling Machine 02119-3VTA. In determining which of these milling machines to purchase, I used the following criteria:
1. Machine capacity 2. Machine capabilities
3. Implementation cost 4. Cost
RECOMMENDATION I recommend that you purchase the Central Milling Machine 02119-3VTA, which has many more features and capabilities. This milling machine has a larger table to hold bigger parts for repair, as well as a longer table travel than the other mill. It has a 2 HP reversible motor, compared to the other mill's 1/4 HP motor, and a larger drill capacity. The Central Milling Machine model 102119-3VTA is within implementation costs. BACKGROUND I researched many different milling machines to find those that are best suited for your auto repair shop. I assessed your needs during my recent visit to your shop, and I determined that you need the mill to repair and alter existing parts, as well as to create new parts. Because of my previous experience as a machinist, I am able to find the milling machine that will fill your needs at the least expense. I searched for a mill that is of high quality and will last long time. You have 110/115 and 220/230 volts currently wired into the shop. You need a mill that has comparable wiring to reduce set-up time and cost. You have a $1,300.00 budget to cover purchase, tax and shipping. The milling machine may be purchased from Harbor Freight Industrials Sales company. MACHINE CAPACITY The new milling machine must be able to hold a part that is 8" x 22" x 5" in size. Milling machine 02119-3VTA can hold 9" x 23" x 10" parts, whereas milling machine 06149-3VTA can hold 5" x 24" x10" parts. Conclusion Only milling machine 02119-3VTA has the capacity that meets your requirements. MACHINE CAPABILITES The milling machine must meet the following requirements to do the different types of milling with several types of tools. The machine
1. Must have minimum 6" table travel in the Y axis. 2. Must have minimum 15" table travel in the X axis. 3. Must have 5" spindle travel. 4. Must have minimum of 1 HP reversible motor. 5. Must have a 1" drill capacity.
The following table shows the comparison of the milling machine capabilities:
TABLE 1 Machine Capabilities Comparison
Criterion 02119-3VTA 06149-3VTA
Table travel Y (inches) 7 3/8" 5. 5"
Table travel X (inches) 15.5" 15"
Spindle travel (inches) 5" 4"
Motor 2 HP (REV) 1/4 HP
Drill capacity (inches) 1 1/4" 1/2"
Milling machine 012119-3VTA has ample table travel to allow you to mill larger slots and contours in less time. It has 5 inches of spindle travel that will allow you to make deeper cuts into parts. With a 2 HP reversible motor it will be able to make heavier cuts to save time. The ability to hold a drill up to 1 1/4 inches means that it is very versatile. In short, it meets all of the established requirements. Model 01649-3VTA only has 5.5 inches of Y table travel—not enough to address your needs. It has 15 inches of "X" travel; this meets the requirement. It has a spindle travel with only 4 inches. The motor is small, however, and does not meet the requirements. At only 1/4 HP this motor will make you take lighter cuts, increasing your run time. It does not have a large enough drilling capacity at 1/2 inch to be versatile. Capacity Conclusion The milling machine 02119-3VTA meets all of the set criteria. The milling machine #01649-3VTA falls short of the standards except one. In conclusion, I must recommend the milling machine 02119-3VTA for your set of requirements. IMPLEMENTATION COSTS The cost of setting up the mill in the shop should be minimal.
1. Should have same wiring systems as current setup. 2. Should not take up more than 4 feet by 4 feet in the shop.
Milling machine 02119-3VTA has 115/230 voltage wiring. This mill is compatible to our current wiring systems. The costs will be minimal. The size of the mill is within the required size allowed. Milling machine 01649-3VTA has 110 volt, 1-phase wiring. This mill is also compatible to our current wiring system. The cost will be minimal. This mill is also within the allowed size requirements. Implementation Conclusion
Both milling machines met the implementation costs. COSTS The total cost of the machine must be less than $1,300.00 including shipping. Both milling machines, 02119-3VTA and 06149-3VTA, have the same price, $1,155.00 including tax. Shipping is free. Cost Conclusion Both mills are within the allowable cost factor.
Sample 4 Recommendation and Feasibility Reports Date: April 29, 2002 To: Dan Riordan, Plant Manager From: Craig Cardell, Manufacturing Engineer Subject: Recommendation to Purchase a Dunham-250 Lathe Introduction The purpose of this report is to recommend the purchase of a specific lathe model. You assigned this project after a feasibility study showed that a new lathe would lower the average manufacturing lead time from 10 days to 5 days for products made in work cell "X." Recommendation I recommend that you purchase a Dunham-250 Lathe. I conducted research by talking with sales representatives from the top five brand-name manufacturers that advertised in the Thomas Registerand narrowed the options to two lathes: the Dunham-250 and the Badger CNC-3 50. The lathes were evaluated based on criteria and standards provided by the Industrial Engineering Department:
Average setup Time—less than 5 minutes Total cost—less than $20,000 Capacity range—150 to 250 parts per hour
Background This background section will summarize three areas of Johnson Manufacturing's effort to implement JIT in work cell "X": the original problem/solution, machine setup time reduction, and some principles of cellular manufacturing.
The original problem was the efficiency policy; we were producing as many parts per hour as possible based on machine capacities rather than market need. When machines sat idle there were lower efficiencies, so machines were run continuously to keep efficiencies high. Unfortunately, the result was high work-in-process inventory of unneeded parts, and long manufacturing lead times of 25 days (the total time from receipt of a customer order until the product is produced). The solution was to eliminate the efficiency policy, and to produce parts only to meet market need. The machine setup time reduction came next. Setup time is the total time that elapses when a machine sits idle as tooling adjustments are made to different parts. When setup times are long, fewer setups are scheduled, and large production batches of unneeded parts are made. But when setup time is small, more frequent set-ups are scheduled, and smaller batches of different (and needed) parts are produced. The end result is shorter manufacturing lead times on all products. DISCUSSION This section evaluates the two lathes using several criteria and provides each manufacturer's quoted capabilities and total cost. Table 1 summarizes this information.
TABLE 1. Which Lathe Meets Our Needs
Lathe Setup time (minutes) Total cost Capacity range (parts per hour)
Dunham-250 4.8 $16,800 150-250
Badger CNC-350 3.2 27,400 175-350
Which lathe meets the set-up time criterion? Dunham-250 and Badger CNC-350 Setup time is the most important criterion. The standard for average setup time for the new lathe must be less than 5 minutes. This standard was chosen because it is equal to the setup time of the drill press. Table 1 illustrates that the Dunham-250's setup time is just less than 5 minutes. The Badger CNC-350 has even shorter setup time: 3.2 minutes. Setup times are shorter on the Badger CNC-350 because computer hardware and software precisely control tooling adjustments with pneumatic signals. Which lathe meets the total cost criterion? Dunham-250 Total cost includes the machine cost, installation, and training. The standard total cost must be less than $20,000. The budget for the JIT project was originally set as $50,000, and $30,000 has already been spent. Table 1 shows that the Dunham-250 will cost $16,800. Their sales representative quoted the machine cost at $10,000, installation at $4,000, and training at $2,800 (56 hours of training at $50/hr). The Badger CNC-350 costs $27,400. Their sales representative quoted machine cost at $16,900, installation at $5,000, and training at $5,500 (110 hours of training at $50/hr). Which lathe meets the capacity criterion? Dunham-250
The capacity criterion is the least important. Our capacity standard for a lathe in work cell X must fall in the range of 150 to 250 parts per hour. Past demand data for products made in work cell X demonstrates that, during the slowest part of the year, we only need the capacity to make 150 parts per hour. During the busiest part of the year, capacity must peak at 225 parts per hour. Our standard provides a 25 part per hour capacity cushion for unexpected demand during the busy part of the year. Table 1 shows that the Dunham-250 has a capacity range from 150 to 250 parts per hour, well within our requirements. Also note that the Badger CNC-350 has a range from 175 to 350 parts per hour, which does not meet our requirements. Keep in mind that additional capacity is of no value in our JIT work cell because the capacity of all three machines should be as close to equal as possible. SUMMARY The Dunham-250 lathe should be purchased because it meets all three criteria: setup time is 4.8 minutes, total cost is $16,800, and the capacity range is 150 to 250 parts per hour.
Sample 5
Recommendation and Feasibility Reports
Date: November 17, 2003 To: Steven Jones From: Michelle Royer Subject: Purchase Recommendation for a Bakery ven INTRODUCTION The purpose of this report is to recommend the purchase of a bakery oven. Manuals and actual observations of machines during operation provided me with the information necessary to evaluate the different ovens. After comparing a wide variety of ovens, I narrowed it down to two: Hitachi Model HB-B101 and Chefmate Model HB-215. In order to determine which oven to recommend, I evaluated them using the following criteria in ranked order.
1. Width of machine‘s front panel 2. Cost 3. Safety lock on panel 4. Timer
Recommendation I recommend that you purchase the Hitachi Model No. HB-101. This model meets or exceeds three of the four criterion standards, including the one ranked most important. The remainder of this report will compare the two models.
DISCUSSION This section compares the two ovens in terms of width of front panel, cost, safety lock on panel, and timer. Width of Front Panel The width of the bakery‘s oven front panel is the vertical measurement of the machine‘s side that will face forward. If the machine‘s dimensions are such that it does not fit on the countertop, it will have to be stored. This would be very bothersome because it would require unpacking and repacking the machine before and after each usage. Thus, it is necessary to find a machine that will fit the available counter space. It is the width of the machine‘s front panel that is most significant when considering counter space. All of the machines I researched fit the required depth and height dimensions for our available space. However, only 12 inches are available on the countertop for the width of the machine. Since not many machines met this requirement, this criterion received first priority. Hitachi. The Hitachi‘s design orientation allows for a short front panel of 9 15/16 inches. This easily meets the criterion that is necessary for it to fit on the counter. Chefmate. The Chefmate‘s orientation is opposite of the Hitachi. It has a wide front and short side panel. As shown in Table 1, the width of the front panel is 13 inches. Conclusion. The Hitachi model meets the requirement for width of machines‘ front panel, whereas the Chefmate does not. The design of the Hitachi is such that it will easily fit in the limited space available.
TABLE 1. Bakery Oven Comparison
Criterion Standard Hitachi Chefmate
Width of front panel <12 9 15/16 13
Cost <$175.00 $189.89 $133.11
Safety lock on panel Yes Yes No
Timer <12 hr delay 13 hrs 12 hrs
Cost The cost of purchasing the bakery oven is the only initial expense of the machine. No other additional costs are involved. The price of the machine should not exceed $175.00.
Hitachi. The Hitachi oven costs $189.89, which is not within budgetary limits. However, it is only about $15.00 over the allotted amount, which is not unreasonably out of our range. Chefmate. As seen in Table 1, the Chefmate oven easily meets the cost criterion, with a price tag of only $133.11, well within the amount you would like to spend. Conclusion. Although the Hitachi oven does not meet the cost criterion, that does not rule out the machine. As long as the other criteria are met, the extra $15.00 may be worth spending. Even though the Chefmate is well within budget, it does not meet the size requirements, thus making the Hitachi a better choice, despite a higher cost. Safety Lock on Control Panel The safety lock is a function button on the control panel that prevents anything or anyone from disrupting the programmed baking process. When activated after the machine has been programmed, this function locks in the programmed setting and all other buttons are blocked. In other words, if someone were to come along and start pressing buttons while the bread is baking, the baking process would not be affected. Because the kitchen is a busy place with many people using it, this feature is a necessity. Hitachi. As seen in Table 1, Hitachi‘s Model HB-101 includes a safety lock for the control panel settings. Chefmate. The Chefmate model lacks the safety lock feature on the control panel. This means that anything or anyone can easily disrupt the baking cycle by bumping or pressing the panel buttons, resulting in a failed product. Conclusion. The Hitachi bakery oven possesses the required design feature of a safety panel lock, whereas the Chefmate oven does not. Timer The digital timer, a function button on the control panel, allows a person to set the desired time for the bread making process to begin. The minimum requirement is the timer can be set at least 12 hours in advance. Hitachi. The Hitachi model has a timer which can be set 13 hours in advance, providing one hour more than necessary. Chefmate. The Chefmate model also has a timer. Its timer can be set 12 hours in advance, thus also meeting the criteria. Conclusion. Both ovens have the delayed timing feature. The additional hour provided by Hitachi oven does not make it a better choice. It is only important that the oven meets the 12-hour minimum, Thus, the criterion is not a decisive factor since both machines possess this feature.
Sample 6 Date: April 29, 2002 To: Dan Riordan, President From: Bradley Flagge, Vice-President of Operations Subject: Recommendation for Purchase of a New Two-Color Printing Press Introduction This memo is in response to your request for a recommendation concerning the purchase of a new two-color printing press. The purpose of this memo is to analyze two printing presses and recommend the best choice. The two printing press manufacturers I researched are Roland Press Inc. and Heidelberg Press Company. I spent a week at each facility observing the Roland 200 GTO and the Heidelberg Speedmaster in operation. I also met with their engineers, sales representatives, and support staff to obtain detailed information on each press. I recommend the purchase of the Heidelberg Speedmaster. Criteria The criteria that have been established for the recommended purchase of a new printing press are as follows:
1. Price must not exceed our $500,000 budget limit. 2. Press capacity must be 10,000 impressions per hour. 3. Available options must include ultraviolet dryers, computer control console, and automatic register
systems. 4. Maximum sheet size must be 52 inches. 5. Press size must be less than 6,000 square feet and its weight no more than 15,000 pounds.
Discussion The remainder of this memo will discuss the criteria and conclude with my recommendation. Must not exceed our $500,000 budget limit The Heidelberg two-color Speedmaster Press has a base price of $350,000. The three options we require cost $135,000 each, for a total of $485,000. Roland's 2000 GTO has a base price of $335,000 with the options costing an additional $180,000, for a total of $515,000 (see Table 1). Heidelberg has the best value per dollar compared to the Roland.
TABLE 1 Cost Comparison
Criterion Heidelberg Roland
Base price $350,000 $335, 000
Ultraviolet dryers 35,000 45,000
Computer control console 75,000 90,000
Auto register system 25,000 45,000
Total $485,000 $515,000
Press Capacity must be 10,000 impressions per hour Both printing presses have a higher impressions-per-hour rate than our current presses. The Heidelberg's impression-per-hour rate is 10,500 and the Roland's rate is 9,500. In this category the rate of both presses rate is nearly equal. Options available must include ultraviolet dryers, computer console, and automatic register systems Options for both companies vary not only in price but in what the price includes. Heidelberg has a more advanced computer control console and includes two UV dryers. Roland has a more advanced register system but only includes one UV dryer and a digital control console (see Table 2). Heidelberg rates higher in this category because it meets two out of the three criteria.
TABLE 2 Options Comparison
Criterion Heidelberg Roland
Ultraviolet dryers Two dryers One dryer
Computer controlled console CRT update Digital update
Auto register system Gage controlled Computer controlled
Maximum sheet size must be 52 inches Both the Roland and the Heidelberg press have maximum sheet sizes of 52 inches. In this category, both presses meet the criterion. Press must fit within 6,000 square feet, and weigh no more than 15,000 pounds The Heidelberg Speedmaster weighs 16,000 lbs. And has a size of 5,800 sq. ft. The Roland 2000 GTO weighs 14,500 lbs. and has a size of 5,200 sq. ft. (see Table 3). The Roland 2000 GTO conforms to all of our specification but the Heidelberg Speedmaster's weight would require that the floor to be reinforced. The cost of reinforcing the floor is $8,000. This cost can be added onto the total cost of the Speedmaster, and it will still be within our budget ($485,000 base price + $8,000 reinforcement = $493,000).
TABLE 3 Size and Weight Comparison
Criterion Heidelberg Roland
Size 5,800 sq. ft 5,200 sq. ft.
Weight 16,000 lbs. 14,500 lbs.
Recommendation I recommend the Heidelberg Speedmaster printing press, which meets all of our criteria. More importantly, the Speedmaster would cost $493,000 and the Roland 2000 GTO would cost $515,000. Even with the cost of reinforcing the floor, the Speedmaster press is still a better deal. If this recommendation receives your approval, I will schedule preliminary meetings with Heidelberg Press Company.
Transfer of information (Bar Chart, Flow Chart)
1. Convert the following flow chart into a paragraph of about 150 words.
Raw Materials
Limestone Clay
Crushed Washed
Sized Crushed
Dried Dried
Stored in storage bins Stored is bins
Mixed in correct proportions
Ground in a tube mill (slurry)
Stirred in a correcting basin
Storage tank
Rotary Kiln lobe burnt at 1000C to1700 C
Clinkers are formed
Gypsum is added
Cooled in a cooler
Mixed and powdered
The powder is stored in storage bins
Cement is ready for distribution
Answer:
The process of making cement is described in this flow chart. The two raw materials used in the process are limestone and clay. Limestone is crushed, sized, dried and stored in storage silos. In the same way, Clay is washed, crushed, and dried in storage basins. The two materials are mixed in the correct proportion and ground in a tube mill (This mixture is known as slurry) and stirred in a correcting basin. It is then stored in a storage tank. From there, it is fed into the rotary kiln where it is burnt at a high temperature of 1000 to 1700°C. Here clinkers are formed which are sent to a cooler, to be cooled. At this stage, Gypsum is added to the clinker and this mixture is powdered. The powdered mixture is the finished product, cement, and it is sent to the storage silos ready for distribution. 2. Convert the following passage into a flow chart.
Impure
Heated in a blast furnace with coke
Hot air is blown from the bottom to provide oxygen
Ore becomes
Oxides combine Non metallic constituents combine with carbon form with limestone to Pig iron
Melted in another furnace coupled with coke and limestone Trapped into moulds
Cast Answer:
The earth contains a large number of metals which are useful to man. One of the most important of these is Iron. The Iron ore which we find on the earth is not pure. It contains some impurities which we must remove by smelting. The process of smelting consists of heating the ore in a blast furnace with coke and limestone and reducing it to metal. Blasts of hot air enter the furnace from the bottom and provide the oxygen which is necessary for the reduction of the ore. The ore becomes molten, and its oxides combine with carbon from the coke. The nonmetallic constituents of the ore combine with limestone to form a liquid slag. This floats on top of the molten iron and passes out of the furnace through a tap. The metal which remains is pig iron. We can melt this again in another furnace – a cupola – with more coke and limestone and tap it out into a ladle or directly into moulds. This is cast iron.
3. Given below is a process description. Read it and draw a flow chart representing the process described.
Rayon is a man-made fibre. It is a reconstituted natural fibre-cellulose. Rayon is made by dissolving cellulose in a solution of sodium hydroxide, or caustic soda. The cellulose is obtained from shredded wood pulp. The dissolved cellulose is formed into threads by forcing it through a spinneret in a setting bath of dilute sulphuric acid. The threads are drawn from the setting bath, wound on a reel, washed, then dried on a heated roller, and finally wound on to a bobbin.
Process of making Rayon
Shredded wood pulp
Cellulose
Dissolved in Sodium Hydroxide
Forced through a spinneret in dilute sulphuric acid
Threads formed
Wound on a reel
Washed
Dried on a heated roller
Wound on a bobbin
4. The table given below shows the sale of scooters and motorcycles for the period 1993 – 2000 in 1000
units. Transfer the information in the date to a paragraph of not less than 150 words.
Years Scooters Motor Cycles Total
1993 8.50 9.25 17.75
1994 10.25 10.20 20.45
1995 10.30 10.40 20.70
1996 10.25 10.45 20.70
1997 11.00 10.60 21.70
1998 10.90 10.89 21.79
1999 11.10 11.10 22.20
2000 11.00 11.30 22.30
Answer:
The given table describes the sale of scooters and motorcycles between the period1993 – 2000 in 1000
units. The year 1993 saw 8,500 scooters and 9.250 motorcycles produced with the total coming to 17,750
two-wheelers. The year 1994 saw a good increase in the production of two-wheelers, the number rising up
to 20,450. The number of scooters was 10,250 units and the number of motorcycles was 10,200 units. In
1995, there was a slight increase in the production, the scooter segment producing 10,300 units and the
motorcycle segment producing 10,400 units and the total coming up to 20,700. The year 1996 saw the total
number of two-wheelers remain the same 20,700 whereas the scooter production came down to 10,250
and the motorcycle production went up to 10,450. In 1997, the scooter division churned out 11,000 units
and the motorcycle division manufactured 10,600 units taking the total number to 21,700. 1998 saw scooter
production coming down to 10,900 and the motorcycle production shooting up to 10,890. The total was
21,790. 11,100 scooters and 11,100 motorcycles were manufactured in 1999 and the total number was
22,200. The year 2000 saw a slight decrease in the scooter production that came down to 11,000 and an
increase in the motorcycle division that shot up to 11,300. The total was 22,300.
Sample 1
Professional Journal Article Summary
In Distance Learning’s Downfall, Dr. Doogie Horowitz talks about the ups—and, more recently, multiple
downs—of the online-based learning systems we‘ve all seen on late-night commercials and in online ads.
While the Internet has its education potential, Horowitz says that for-profit institutions can also use it for
less altruistic purposes in the names of higher learning.
The abundance of opportunities to cheat are first on Horowitz‘s list of problems. With a simple online
search, less scrupulous students can find ghostwriters willing to sit through an entire semester‘s worth of
classes for around $1500. Plagiarism is a problem anywhere, of course, but the anonymous nature of
online classes, specifically those that don‘t require webcams, can cause huge trouble.
Worse are those institutions that seem not to care as long as they‘re paid for it. Horowitz has few figures to
back this up, since these institutions have no obligation to discuss their internal policies and practices.
However, he makes the rational claim that those companies most driven to big advertising programs, and
thus likely making the biggest profits, would probably have an incentive to be lax with their expulsions and
suspensions. At the very least, he argues, lax policies, like those not requiring webcams as part of class
attendance, or those that don‘t wish to pay for online anti-plagiarism software, indicate a commercial
motive, not an educational one.
There is also, Horowitz says, the lack of hands-on experience inherent in many online classes. While some
do require external volunteer work, internships, or classwork, nothing matches the experience of attending
a class, looking a professor in the eye, and getting your hands dirty with various lab activities. For this
argument, Horowitz produces an online article that claims learning absorption is better done in an area
devoted to learning. Other places, like coffee shops or the living room couch, often provide distractions
outright banned in the classroom.
Finally, Horowitz claims that the educators in this field are often little more than mercenaries. He claims that
his own biases from his time as a university professor might shine through, but that overhearing online
teachers in the pub bragging that they get paid X amount for X classes in a semester is a microcosm of the
whole for-profit online learning ―scheme.‖ While any education is better than none, he claims, a student
might be better served attending a nearby community college—many of which cost a fraction of an online
tuition bill.
In the end, Horowitz says online classes are ―a problem—maybe not a catastrophic one, but a problem.‖
Because of the for-profit motive and cheater-friendly systems, he says, education as a whole is
compromised. Given the reputation even traditional colleges have received, all reputable learning systems
should work to distance themselves from their less honest cousins.
Sample 2
Scientific Journal Article Summary
In Professor Miller‘s class, we just finished reading Ellison‘s Nature’s Way: Trees and Their Importance to
Our Environment. As part of this assignment, Professor Miller has asked us to summarize the work.
Miller‘s main point in Nature’s Way is that trees provide so much more than the necessities, like oxygen. In
fact, trees are integral to the entire human experience, he argues. From creating the houses we live in to
the parks we enjoy to the leaves that fall and feed the grass, losing trees would mean so much more to us
than losing air. Though oxygen is perhaps their most unique resource, no other resource (or combination
thereof) could ever match the humble tree‘s contribution to our society.
Miller first uses houses to explain his point. While a house could be built without wood, it would be a
chore—even with modern construction technology, he notes—and probably would have been impossible
even a few hundred years ago.
Miller next brings up the environment. Not the environment that keeps us alive, but the environment that we
enjoy looking at. Trees break up the endless blue of the sky, he claims. This can help at least give us
humans something visually interesting to look at. Similarly, they break up long stretches of flat ground.
Every plain, as he puts it, is a few hundred trees away from being a forest. It may seem like a minor change
(or a large one, depending on perspective), but it means everything about how we enjoy our surroundings,
the paper says.
From a more ecological standpoint, trees also house many other living things—from plants to animals to
insects. This, he says, ties into two arguments: the one stated in the previous paragraph regarding our
environment and our enjoyment of it, as well as another, easier-to-prove one regarding the fragile nature of
our ecosystem and all the various species it sustains.
Miller agrees that trees must be killed for us to live, and says we are overall doing a very good job
sustaining them through mass planting operations as seen in Quebec, the Pacific Northwest, and other
sites worldwide. He agrees that the systems have their flaws, notes that all programs like this are imperfect,
and says that, until a better method is found, what we have should sustain us for the foreseeable future.
His message of hope doesn‘t come without warning. We must slow down excessive tree-killing, as seen in
the overproduction of phone books and the like, and be more conscious of those wood products we do
consume.
Other than that, though, Miller argues trees are doing well. It‘s a good thing, too. Without them, we wouldn‘t
be doing very well ourselves!
Sample 3
DeBono, K.G., Leavitt, A., & Backus, J. (2003). Product packaging and product evaluation: An individual
difference approach. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 33, 513-521.
Past research suggests that packaging and appearance of products can have a direct influence on
how people evaluate the quality and performance of that product. This represents what is known as an
image variable, which is the image a consumer feels they would have by owning a specific product.
Individuals can be broken down into two groups, high self-monitors and low self-monitors, with the first
group judging the quality of products based on their appearance, and the later judging the quality of
products based on their actual performance. DeBono, Leavitt, and Backus (2003) developed two
hypotheses, that high self-monitors will be moreinclined to choose products with more attractive packaging,
and that low self-monitors will be more inclined to choose products with higher quality and performance.
In the first study, 64 Union College students were classified as low self-monitors or high self-
monitors by their scores on the Self-Monitoring Inventory. All participants were asked to sample four types
of chocolate, coffee, and bottled water which were placed next to the packaging from which it supposedly
came. The participants were unaware that all four samples of each item were identical, differing only in the
level of attractiveness of the packaging. They were then asked to complete a questionnaire and decide
which of the four samples of each item they preferred. If they chose the one with the most attractive
packaging they received a score of 4; they scored a 3 for the second more attractive, and so on. High self-
monitors had higher total scores for each product, suggesting that they chose the sample corresponding to
the most attractive packaging with more frequency than low self-monitors.
In the second study, 200 male and female undergraduates were again classified as low self-
monitors or high self-monitors by their scores on the Self-Monitoring Inventory. Participants were then
given a bottle of cologne or perfume in either an attractive or unattractive bottle which contained either a
pleasant-smelling scent or a less than pleasant-smelling scent and asked to spray a little bit and smell the
scent. Participant then completed an evaluative questionnaire about their opinions of the cologne or
perfume. The results showed that high self-monitors preferred the cologne or perfume that came from the
attractive bottle regardless of scent. Low self-monitors preferred the cologne or perfume with the pleasant-
smelling scent regardless of the bottle.
The results of both studies support the experimenters‘ hypothesis that high self-monitors evaluate
products based on the attractiveness of packaging more often than low self-monitors. The second study
also lends support to the second hypothesis that low self-monitors favor products with better quality and
performance. This suggests that high and low self-monitors form different strategies for evaluating
products based on what is important to them.
Sample 4
Susan McDonald‘s [scholarly writers name their sources] Professional Academic Writing in the Humanities
and Social Sciences (1994) [scholarly writers name the texts they summarize and the dates those texts
were published] is a cross-disciplinary study [scholarly writers name the kind of writing they are
summarizing] which articulates epistemological differences in disciplinary practice as they manifest through
recurrent rhetorical practices [scholarly writers describe their source‘s main finding or conclusion]. To help
clarify differences in knowledge-making practices, she identifies [scholarly writers keep in touch with their
source, ―she,‖ i.e., MacDonald, and use reporting language, e.g., ―identifies‖] four patterns of variation in
epistemological practice within disciplines that range from scientific to humanistic.
Sample 5
Educational Journal Article Summary
In Distance Learning’s Downfall, Dr. Doogie Horowitz talks about the ups—and, more recently, multiple
downs—of the online-based learning systems we‘ve all seen on late-night commercials and in online ads.
While the Internet has its education potential, Horowitz says that for-profit institutions can also use it for
less altruistic purposes in the names of higher learning.
The abundance of opportunities to cheat are first on Horowitz‘s list of problems. With a simple online
search, less scrupulous students can find ghostwriters willing to sit through an entire semester‘s worth of
classes for around $1500. Plagiarism is a problem anywhere, of course, but the anonymous nature of
online classes, specifically those that don‘t require webcams, can cause huge trouble.
Worse are those institutions that seem not to care as long as they‘re paid for it. Horowitz has few figures to
back this up, since these institutions have no obligation to discuss their internal policies and practices.
However, he makes the rational claim that those companies most driven to big advertising programs, and
thus likely making the biggest profits, would probably have an incentive to be lax with their expulsions and
suspensions. At the very least, he argues, lax policies, like those not requiring webcams as part of class
attendance, or those that don‘t wish to pay for online anti-plagiarism software, indicate a commercial
motive, not an educational one.
There is also, Horowitz says, the lack of hands-on experience inherent in many online classes. While some
do require external volunteer work, internships, or classwork, nothing matches the experience of attending
a class, looking a professor in the eye, and getting your hands dirty with various lab activities. For this
argument, Horowitz produces an online article that claims learning absorption is better done in an area
devoted to learning. Other places, like coffee shops or the living room couch, often provide distractions
outright banned in the classroom.
Finally, Horowitz claims that the educators in this field are often little more than mercenaries. He claims that
his own biases from his time as a university professor might shine through, but that overhearing online
teachers in the pub bragging that they get paid X amount for X classes in a semester is a microcosm of the
whole for-profit online learning ―scheme.‖ While any education is better than none, he claims, a student
might be better served attending a nearby community college—many of which cost a fraction of an online
tuition bill.
In the end, Horowitz says online classes are ―a problem—maybe not a catastrophic one, but a problem.‖
Because of the for-profit motive and cheater-friendly systems, he says, education as a whole is
compromised. Given the reputation even traditional colleges have received, all reputable learning systems
should work to distance themselves from their less honest cousins.