KKHSOU General English Assignment (2nd Semester)
2014-15
GENERAL ENGLISH: ASSIGNMENT
Sem II (2014-15)
A. Answer
the following in 50 words
4x2=8
Q.1 Why
does Bill find love letters easier to write in the essay “On
Letter Writing”?
Ans: Bill finds writing
love letters easier to write because he thinks that one does not really have to
bother writing anything. All that is required is a page full of crosses, that
stand for kisses and the letter is finished soon enough. The problem is that
letters to one’s wife or mother or brother cannot be filled up with crosses.
Also in other letters he cannot think of beyond asking their well being and his
wellness.
Q.2 Mention
the contribution of Addison and Steele in the development of the essay in
England?
Ans: At
the end of the seventeenth century essay in England was gaining popularity
however it was due to Addison and Steele that the essay in England truly came
to its own. They wrote a type of essay which has come to be known as the
periodical essay. Together they produced three publications: the Tatler
(1709-11), the Specator (1711-12), and the Guardian (1713). They wrote essays
on various subjects like Tombs in Westminster Abbey, Ladies’ Head-dress, Cries
of London, Recollections of Childhood etc. which appeared in their
publications.
Q.3 “I
had better cells in other prisons, but in Dehra Dun I had one privilege which
was very precious to me.”What is the privilege that the author talks of in
“Animals in Prison” and why?
Ans: The
gaol or jail in Dehradun was a very small one but the author was kept in an old
lock- up outside the gaol walls, but within the gaol compound. The author was
allowed to go out the goal and walk up and down in front of the gate in the morning
and evening. This was the privilege that the author talks of. He felt
privileged because he got the feeling of freedom as they can view of the
mountains and the fields and a public road at some distance.
Q.4 Name
the various animals adopted as symbols by the following nations:
a. Germany
b. France c. Russia d. England
Ans: The various
animals adopted as symbols by the following nations are-
a. Germany :
Eagle c. Russia :
Bear
b. France :
Fighting Cock d. England :
Lion and Bull Dog
B. Answer
the following in 75 words ` 3x4=12
Q.1 Which
poet and author wrote an autobiography titled Rashidee Ticket? Name the
awards and honours acclaimed by the same author.
Ans: Amrita
Pritam (1919-2005), an eminent Punjabi poet and a prolific short story writer wrote her autobiography titled “Rashidee
Ticket”. She is the first most prominent woman Punjabi poet, a
novelist and a short story writer of great eminence in India. She was a
recipient of the Sahitya Akademy Award and the first Punjabi poet to receive
Padmashree and Padma Vibhusan from the President of India. She won Jnanpith
Award in 1982 for her work Kagaj ke Canvas. She won three D.Litt degrees from
Delhi University, Jabalpur University and Vishwa Bharati University . These
laurels came her way as a recognition of her immense contribution to Indian literature.
Q.2 Briefly
discuss the life and the major works of Jawaharlal Nehru.
Ans: Jawaharlal
Nehru was born on 14th November, 1889.
He was born and brought up in a elite and political background. He went
to Harrow school and later studied law in Trinity College, Cambridge. After a
stint at the English Bar, he returned to India in 1912 and joined the Allahabad
High Court Bar. It was in the year 1916, that he met Mahatma Gandhi for the
first time at an Indian National Congress and his political journey begins. He
was one of the top leaders who led India to freedom and became the first Prime
Minister of India. He died on 27th May 1964 following a heart
attack.
He was also one of the best prose writers.
His writings include his Autobiography: Toward Freedom; The Discovery of India;
Glimpses of World History; Letters from a Father to his Daughter etc.
Q.3 What
does Angoori refer to when she says “for city women, it’s no
sin. It is for village women”? According to you why does she utter such a
statement?
Ans:
Angoori is referring reading book as “no sin” for the city women. She thinks
it’s a sin to study or read a book for a women residing in village. She was an
uneducated village women who never went to school and didn’t know to read and
write. When she told that reading is a sin, the author replied that “am I doing
a sin by reading”. On this she replied sheepishly and uttered the statement “for
city women, it’s no sin. It is for village women”.
Q.4 Mention
the important points to note while writing a DO letter (Demi-official’
letter)
Ans: A DO letter is a ‘ Demi–official’
letter exchanged between colleagues or officials to give a little amount of
informality or personal touch to an otherwise official letter.
·
In a DO letter it is customary to use the
surname of the person to whom the letter is written eg: Dear Professor Baruah,
Dear Mr. Khan etc.
·
The language of the DO letter is less formal
than that of an official letter.
·
The complimentary close of a DO letter gives
a personal touch with expressions like “please keep in touch,” “with kind
regards” etc.
·
The subscription of a DO letter makes use of
the expression “your sincerely” after which the letter is signed.
·
The full name and address of the receiver is
given at the bottom left- hand side of the page.
C.Answer
the following in 150 words5x2=10
Q.1 How
does Nehru describe the oncoming of the seasons as observed from his cell at
Dehra Dun Jail?
Or
Briefly
discuss Gardiner’s reference to good letter-writers such as
De Quincey, Carlyle and Keats.
Ans: Nehru describes
the changing seasons and landscape that he witnessed during his stay at
Dehradun gaol very beautifully. He seems to have been particularly happy in the
Dehradun gaol, as he mentions, despite the rather poor living conditions. This
happiness was due to the proximity of the Himalayan ranges and the spectacular
view that he could observe in the course of his brief evening walks. These
evening walks seem to have been the high point of Nehru's stay at the Dehradun
gaol. This was the time when Nehru had the pleasure of observing the serene
beauty of the Himalayas, and observe the changing hues of the mountain range at
different times of the year. This time of the evening was deemed very precious
by Nehru. After the lifeless winter landscape, spring was very pleasant in
Dehradun. The magnificient peepal trees with green leaves, the fresh reddish
brown, russet coloured mango leaves, the monsoon rain ending the summer heat
were very must enjoyable. Again autumn was pleasant. This way Nehru enjoyed
every season in the Dehradun gaol.
Q.2 “They
don’t see what happens is that a man makes the girl eat the weed and then she
starts loving him.” Briefly discuss the conversation between Angoori and the
author regarding the ‘weed’.
Ans: The statement
given in the question starts with the discussion on love affairs between the
author and Angoori. Author asks Angoori that whether a girl sees her future
husband before her marriage. Angoori replied that girls cannot see her future
husband, but those who have love affair see them. On this answer author asked
her that do girls have love affairs in village and if they, aren’t it
considered as sin? In reply of this question Angoori replies “They
don’t see what happens is that a man makes the girl eat the weed and then she
starts loving him.” She told author that they were given a wild weed
unknowingly in “Paan” or the betal leaves to eat and it makes them to think
only about their man and she always wanted to be with her man. She told the
author that she had seen such incident with her eyes which happened with her
older friend. She was given weed in a sweet brought from the city by a man and
her friend left her parents for that man. However she haven’t took weed from
anyone as her mother warned her that she shouldn’t take anything offered by
man.
D. Answer the
following in 300 words
10x2=20
Q.1
Describe how the character of Chandran is developed dramatically through a
series of adventures in the novel Bachelor of Arts.
Ans: R. K. Narayan is one of
the prominent novelists among Indian writes in English. 'The Bachelor of
Arts" is one of the famous novel by R.K. Narayan, where we can find his
autobiographical touch. Hence the characterisation is realistic. The characters
are familiar and true to life. He has superbly developed the character of
Chandran
who is the hero of the novel. He is an intelligent and ambitious youth. He is a
student of B.A. studying English Literature and History. He is an intelligent
and laborious student and an excellent orator. Apart from being a diligent
student, he is an easy going social young man. He leads an easy going and
carefree life.
His
life changes when he met very young girl Malathi, whom he wants to marry. He is
impatient to marry the girl and insists on his parent’s arranging this
marriage. His mother does not like the idea but he expresses his determination
in marrying Malathi. But when this marriage did not materialize he feels
dejected and disappointed. He is deeply frustrated and so he leaves Malgudi and
goes to Madras. His extreme sentimentality and emotional nature leads him to
become an ascetic (Sanyasi) when he fails to win his dream – girl Malathi. He
suffers so much by wandering aimlessly and remaining on alms and charity. But
soon he realizes his mistake of becoming a Sanyasi. His gradual maturity and
sobriety is seen when he finally reunites with his parents. After his
realization he finally decides to marry
Susila and he proved to be a loving husband to Susila and his conjugal
life seemed to be peaceful and happy.
Hence we can see that the character of
Chandran is developed dramatically through a series of adventures. He passes
through three phases –as student in the last year of his college life, as a
romantic lover, and as a frustrated lover who turned Sanyasi. He returned to
the realities of life after disillusionment about his romantic notion of love
and life.
Q.2 Write
an essay keeping in mind the importance of a central controlling idea and necessary
techniques on the topic: “The development of Indian
English Literature.”
Ans: Development of Indian
English Literature in India gathered momentum with the consolidation of British
imperialism in India. There is a variety of opinion about the first definitive
Indian text in English, although critics agree that Indian literature in
English dates back to at least the early nineteenth century. Its beginnings
receive their impetus from three sources - the British government`s educational
reforms, the work of missionaries, and the reception of English language and
literature by upper-class Indians.
First, there are the
educational reforms called for by both the Charter Act of 1813 and the 1835 English
Education Act of William Bentinck. In an effort to redress some of the greedy
practices of the British East India Company
servants, the English Parliament approved the Charter Act, which made England
responsible for the educational improvement of the natives. The subsequent
English Education Act, prompted by Macaulay`s famous minute on Indian
education, made English the medium of Indian education and English literature a
disciplinary subject in Indian educational institutions.
It may be noted here that
even before Bentinck`s 1835 English Education Act, instruction in English
existed in Indian colleges. In the early 1800s, English was taught side by side
with Oriental studies, its teaching marked by the sort of classical approach
taken to Latin and Greek in British colleges. However, with the withdrawal of
funds to Oriental studies, the secular character of such instruction was to
give way to an increasingly Christian inflection.
Missionary activity, the
second aspect contributing to the origin of Indian literature in English,
profited directly from this shift in emphasis. The 1813 Charter Act had opened
India to the missionaries, but it posed no serious threat to the Orientalists.
With the passing of the 1835 English Education Act, Orientalism received its
most severe blow, and, most satisfyingly to the missionaries, English emerged as
the sole bearer of morality.
However, above and beyond
the educational reforms and the missionary activities, it was the vested
interests on part of the higher class Indians to receive the benefits arising
out of English education that assured the place of English language and literature
in the stream of Indian education. Hence, the third impetus to the beginnings
of Indian writing in English would have to engage this reception.
All of this is to suggest
that the reception of English in India, or the third impetus to early Indian writing
in English, needs to be understood as radical and history-changing, yet subject
to mixed-feelings, negotiation and rebellious appropriation on the part of
Indians themselves. Thus the development of English Literature in India
was a result of the inter-mingling of the social codes of the British and the
Indians. There was a definite change in the mindset of the people as well a
greater reception of English language in the country which prompted many
writers to take up English as the medium of instruction and expression, and
thus English literature gradually developed.
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