Professional English for Arts and Social Sciences
1st Year, 2nd Semester
Unit 1
Communicative Competence
Speaking: Small group discussions
Speaking
Activities (Book Page No: 21)
1.
Students can be asked to have group discussion on the following topics.
a) Present Status of Indian
Economy
Ans:
Ravi:
What do you think is the present state of Indian economy?
Devi:
It is in a state of ups and downs, one can’t be sure.
Akash:
I think the economy is world based. If something happens in America, the Indian
economy too is disturbed.
Ravi:
You are right. As you know a good number of Indians are working there and the
government is trying to bring them under their control.
Devi:
The US economy itself is undergoing serious turns nowadays.
Akash:
The Indian Finance Minister has imposed GST on all products to boost income for
the government.
Ravi:
Alongside it proposes to divest shares from the public companies. The private
industrialists are on the rise.
Devi:
The greatest worry for the country’s economy is the politician- supported bigwigs
who swindle government money to crores and crores.
Akash:
Unless these mafias are wiped out nothing can be done to promote the economy of
our country.
Ravi:
Yes, it is true. Let us hope that Indian economy will come out of their
clutches.
b) Panchayat Raj System
Ans:
Sneka:
In India, the Panchayati Raj now functions as a system of governance in which
gram panchayats are the basic units of local administration.
Priya:
Panchayats having powers has been translated into reality with the introduction
of three-tier Panchayati Raj system. The system has three levels: Gram
Panchayat (village level), Mandal Parishad or Block Samiti or Panchayat Samiti
(block level), and Zila Parishad (district level).
Selvi:
In the pre independence period, during the time of Viceroy Lord Ripon, there
was an attempt to establish local bodies. In Rajasthan, the princely states of
Jodhpur, Bharatpur, Jaipur, Sirohi, Udaipur, and Karauli enacted legislations
on Panchayats. Bikaner state had its own Gram Panchayat Act much earlier in
1928.
Sneka: The Panchayat Raj system was first adopted by
the state of Rajasthan in Nagaur district on 2 Oct 1959 but first started by
Andhra Pradesh.
Priya:
In the history of Panchayati Raj, in India, on 24 April 1993, the Constitutional
(73rd amendment) Act 1992 came into force to provide constitutional
status to the Panchayati Raj institutions.
Selvi:
This amendment was extended to Panchayats in the tribal areas of eight states,
namely: Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh,
Odisha, and Rajasthan beginning on 24 December 1996.
Sneka:
There are number of committees appointed by the Government of India to study
the implementation of self-government at the rural level and also recommend
steps in achieving the goal.
Priya:
List of committees constituted for recommendations regarding Panchayati Raj in
India:
Balwant
Rai Mehta -1957
V.T.
Krishnammachari -1960
Takhatmal
Jain Study Group -1966
Ashok
Mehta Committee -1978
G.V.K.
Rao Committee -1985
Dr.
L.M. Singhvi Committee -1986
P.K.
Thungon Committee -1989
S.
Mohinder Singh -2013
c) American Independence
Struggle
Ans:
Kannan:
American Revolution, also called United States War of Independence or American
Revolutionary War, (1775–83), insurrection by which 13 of Great Britain’s North
American colonies won political independence and went on to form the United
States of America.
Kani:
The war followed more than a decade of growing estrangement between the British
crown and a large and influential segment of its North American colonies that
was caused by British attempts to assert greater control over colonial affairs
after having long adhered to a policy of salutary neglect.
Kavitha:
Britain did this primarily by imposing a series of deeply unpopular laws and
taxes, including the Sugar Act (1764), the Stamp Act (1765), and the so-called
Intolerable Acts (1774).
Kannan:
Until early in 1778 the conflict was a civil war within the British Empire, but
afterward it became an international war as France (in 1778) and Spain (in
1779) joined the colonies against Britain.
Kani:
Meanwhile, the Netherlands, which provided both official recognition of the
United States and financial support for it, was engaged in its own war against
Britain.
Kavitha:
From the beginning, sea power was vital in determining the course of the war,
lending to British strategy a flexibility that helped compensate for the
comparatively small numbers of troops sent to America and ultimately enabling
the French to help bring about the final British surrender at Yorktown.
d) Role of Indian Women
Freedom Fighters
Ans:
Anitha:
The history of Indian Freedom Struggle would be incomplete without mentioning
the contributions of women. The sacrifice made by the women of India will
occupy the foremost place.
Banu:
Woman's participation in India's freedom struggle began as early as in 1817. Bhima
Bai Holkar fought bravely against the British colonel Malcolm and defeated him
in guerilla warfare.
Chithra:
Rani Channama of Kittur, Rani Begam Hazrat Mahal of Avadh fought against
British East India company in the 19th century; 30 years before the “First War
of Independence 1857”
Anitha:
Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi whose heroism and superb leadership laid an
outstanding example of real patriotism. Indian women who joined the national
movement belonged to educated and liberal families, as well as those from the
rural areas and from all walk of life, all castes, religions and communities.
Banu:
Sarojini Naidu, Kasturba Gandhi, Vijayalakmi Pundit and Annie Bezant in the
20th century are the names which are remembered even today for their singular contribution
both in battlefield and in political field.
Chithra:
Sarla Devi, Muthulaxmi Reddy, Susheela Nair, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, Sucheta
Kripalani and Aruna Asaf Ali are some the women who participated in the
non-violent movement.
e) Modern Psychologists –
Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung.
Ans:
Hema:
Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung had very different approaches to psychology, but
both are considered to be the founders of the modern psychoanalytic movement. Their
efforts in a dynamic field has made psychology school a popular choice of study.
Jeeva:
Because of Freud and Jung’s different points of view, most of us assume that
the two disparate pioneers were enemies, or at least unfriendly toward each
other; in truth, they were close friends for quite some time.
Iniya:
In April, 1906 Freud began a correspondence with the young psychiatrist, Carl
Jung. They later met in person when Jung traveled to Vienna in 1907 and the two
men became fast friends. Their first meeting alone lasted twelve hours.
Hema:
Jung thought of Freud as “extremely intelligent, shrewd and altogether
remarkable,” and Freud considered Jung his peer, even calling him “my eldest
son,” and deeming him heir to his psychoanalytic process.
Jeeva:
According to Freud theories, the human psyche is divided into the id, the ego
and the super ego. The id is connected to our unconscious drives and the ego is
linked to our conscious experiences. Lastly, the super ego mediates our
behavior by balancing the impulses of the id and the ego. Moreover, he is
specifically known for theorizing the Oedipus Complex.
Iniya:
Jung justified human behavior by exploring the sense of connectedness that we
feel regarding our emotions and actions. Jung’s ideas were influenced by his
extensive knowledge regarding philosophy, mythology and religion.
Hema:
Freud and Jung were both interested in the unconscious mind. In 1906 they
worked together as colleagues and started doing extensive research,
particularly regarding dream studies. Freud believed that Jung had the
potential to be his predecessor.
Jeeva:
The two psychologists both utilized transference as a tool to treat patients.
However, they used in different ways. Transference is the process of projecting
feelings, desires and thoughts onto another person as a means of analyzing a
situation.
****
2.
Students can be put in the following context and asked to structure their
conversation accordingly.
a)
As a social awareness exercise, students are divdeded into two groups and
discuss ways and means for the regular maintenance of channels and water bodies
for resolving drinking water issues and overcoming cyclone caused damages.
Group
I – Improper maintenance of water channels is the reason for inundation of
dwelling areas and breaching of water bodies – Don’t you think so?
Group
II - Yes. You are absolutely right. we the students have the responsibility to
ensure that there is no encroachment on channels and water bodies. So that we can
curb people’s miseries during monsoon. What do you think are the measures to
prevent it?
Group
I – In each area we have to form a watchdog group to keep vigil on encroachers
and stop their activities. We have to get the concurrence of the people living
in these areas. Every week this group will report to the office bearers about
the progress.
Group
II – Then, another batch will supervise the environment cleanliness. For this a
few workers can roped in. They will see that each area is clean and neat. Every
day the health workers should do their cleaning activity without fail.
Group
I – For the purpose a corpus fund can be collected from the people. We can even
approach the government for carrying out the necessary cleaning and supervisory
activity.
Group
II – We agree. Let us all make concerted arrangements to make our region free
from littering and all kinds of waste.
*****
Writing
Pre-Writing (Book Page No:
30)
B.
Look at the following pictures related to Egypt. Do you know their historic
significance? Write about them briefly.
1.
Mummy
Ans:
The afterlife was an important part
of Ancient Egyptian culture. One of the ways they prepared for the afterlife
was to try and preserve the body as long as possible. They did this through a
process called embalming. These embalmed bodies are called mummies.
The mummification process took seventy
days. Special priests worked as embalmers, treating and wrapping the body. The
first step in the process was the removal of all internal parts that might
decay rapidly. The embalmers then removed the organs of the abdomen and chest
through a cut usually made on the left side of the abdomen. They left only the
heart in place, believing it to be the center of a person's being and
intelligence. The other organs were preserved separately, with the stomach,
liver, lungs, and intestines placed in special boxes or jars today called
canopic jars. These were buried with the mummy. In later mummies, the organs
were treated, wrapped, and replaced within the body. Even so, unused canopic
jars continued to be part of the burial ritual.
The embalmers next removed all moisture from the body.
This they did by covering the body with natron, a type of salt which has great
drying properties, and by placing additional natron packets inside the body.
When the body had dried out completely, embalmers removed the internal packets
and lightly washed the natron off the body. The result was a very dried-out but
recognizable human form. To make the mummy seem even more life-like, sunken
areas of the body were filled out with linen and other materials and false eyes
were added. Next the wrapping began. Each mummy needed hundreds of yards of
linen.
2.
Cairo City, Capital of Egypt:
Ans:
Cairo is the capital and largest city
of Egypt. The city's metropolitan area is the largest in the Middle East and
the Arab world, and 15th-largest in the world, and is associated with ancient
Egypt, as the famous Giza pyramid complex and the ancient city of Memphis are
located in its geographical area. Located near the Nile Delta, modern Cairo was
founded in 969 CE by Jawhar al-Siqilli ("the Sicilian") of the
Fatimid dynasty, but the land composing the present-day city was the site of
ancient national capitals whose remnants remain visible in parts of Old Cairo.
Cairo has long been a center of the region's political and cultural life, and
is nicknamed "the city of a thousand minarets" for its preponderance
of Islamic architecture.
Cairo has the oldest and largest film and music
industries in the Arab world, as well as the world's second-oldest institution
of higher learning, al-Azhar University. Many international media, businesses,
and organisations have regional headquarters in the city; the Arab League has
had its headquarters in Cairo for most of its existence.
3.
Pyramid:
Ans: The Egyptian pyramids are ancient pyramid-shaped
masonry structures located in Egypt. As of November 2008, sources cite either
118 or 138 as the number of identified Egyptian pyramids. Most were built as
tombs for the country's pharaohs and their consorts during the Old and Middle
Kingdom periods.
The earliest known Egyptian pyramids are found at
Saqqara, northwest of Memphis, although at least one step-pyramid-like
structure has been found at Saqqara, dating to the First Dynasty: Mastaba 3808,
which has been attributed to the reign of Pharaoh Anedjib, with inscriptions,
and other archaeological remains of the period, suggesting there may have been
others. The otherwise earliest among these is the Pyramid of Djoser built c.
2630–2610 BCE during the Third Dynasty. This pyramid and its surrounding
complex are generally considered to be the world's oldest monumental structures
constructed of dressed masonry.
The most famous Egyptian pyramids are those found at
Giza, on the outskirts of Cairo. Several of the Giza pyramids are counted among
the largest structures ever built. The Pyramid of Khufu is the largest Egyptian
pyramid. It is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still in
existence.
4.
Suez Canal:
Ans: The Suez Canal (In Arabic: Qanat as-Suways ), is an
artificial sea-level waterway running north to south across the Isthmus of Suez
in Egypt to connect the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. The canal separates
the African continent from Asia, and it provides the shortest maritime route
between Europe and the lands lying around the Indian and western Pacific
oceans. It is one of the world's most heavily used shipping lanes.
The Suez Canal is one of the most important waterways
in the world. The canal is extensively used by modern ships , as it is the
fastest crossing from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean . Tolls paid by
the vessels represent an important source of income for the Egyptian
government.
Railway and a sweet water canal are run on the west
bank parallel to the Suez Canal.
The Canal runs between Port Said harbor and the Gulf
of Suez , through soils which vary according to the region. At Port Said and
the surrounding area, the soil is composed over thousands of years of silt and
clay sedimentations deposited by the Nile waters drifted by Damietta branch.
This formation extends to Kantara, 40 km to the south of Port Said , where silt
mixes with sand. The central region of the Canal between Kantara and Kabret consists of fine and coarse
sands, while the southern region contains dispersed layers of rocks, varying in
texture from soft sand to some calcium rocks, The side gradient of the water
cross section differs according to the nature of the soil, which is 4:1 in the
north and 3:1 in the south.
The Suez Canal is a sea level Canal and the height of
water level differs slightly and the extreme tidal range is 65 cm in the north
and 1.9 m in the south. The banks of the Canal are protected against the wash
and waves, generated by the transit of ships, by revetments of hard stones and
steel sheet piles corresponding to the nature of soil in every area. On both
sides of the Canal, there are mooring bollards every 125 m for the mooring of
vessel in case of emergency, and kilometric sign posts helping locate the
position of ships in the waterway. The navigable channel is bordered by light
and reflecting buoys as navigational aids to night traffic.
4.
Nile River:
Ans: The Nile River flows over 6,600 kilometers (4,100
miles) until emptying into the Mediterranean Sea. For thousands of years, the
river has provided a source of irrigation to transform the dry area around it
into lush agricultural land. Today, the river continues to serve as a source of
irrigation, as well as an important transportation and trade route.
The Nile River flows from south to north
through eastern Africa. It begins in the rivers that flow into Lake Victoria
(located in modern-day Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya), and empties into the
Mediterranean Sea more than 6,600 kilometers (4,100 miles) to the north, making
it one of the longest river in the world. The Nile River was critical to the
development of ancient Egypt. In addition to Egypt, the Nile runs through or
along the border of 10 other African countries, namely, Burundi, Tanzania,
Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia,
and South Sudan. Its three main tributaries are the White Nile, the Blue Nile,
and the Atbara.
The soil of the Nile River delta between El Qâhira
(Cairo) and the Mediterranean Sea is rich in nutrients, due to the large silt
deposits the Nile leaves behind as it flows into the sea. The banks of the Nile
all along its vast length contain rich soil as well, thanks to annual flooding
that deposits silt. From space, the contrast between the Nile's lush green
river banks and the barren desert through which it flows is obvious.
For millennia, much of Egypt's food has been
cultivated in the Nile delta region. Ancient Egyptians developed irrigation
methods to increase the amount of land they could use for crops and support a
thriving population. Beans, cotton, wheat, and flax were important and abundant
crops that could be easily stored and traded.
The Nile River delta was also an ideal
growing location for the papyrus plant. Ancient Egyptians used the papyrus
plant in many ways, such as making cloth, boxes, and rope, but by far its most
important use was in making paper. Besides using the river's natural resources
for themselves and trading them with others, early Egyptians also used the
river for bathing, drinking, recreation, and transportation.
C.
Make a summary of the following passage.
(Book
Page No: 31)
Ans: Egypt is called “the Gift of the Nile.” It remained one
of the richest and most civilized lands for more than 2000 years now. The
Egyptians belief in life after death was an important part of their culture. The
dead person’s body had to be preserved, or mummified and buried, along with
supplies of food and drink, tools and utensils and other valuables. Kings and
other wealthy persons had elaborate tombs built for them. The Step Pyramid was
designed as a tomb for King Zoser. Three Great Pyramids at Giza, on the west
bank of the Nile River housed the Pharaohs’ bodies and served as reminders of
their almighty power. Cairo, Egypt’s commercial and cultural centre and also
the capital city. Egypt’s second largest city Alexandria situated at the Port
Said northern end of the Suez Canal. Egypt’s historical sites include the
Temple of Luxor, the temple of Karnak and the Valley of the Kings.
A. Write creatively about the following pictures in a few sentences. (Book
Page No: 32)
Two Children are flashed in this picture.
Ans: They wear masks to protect themselves, as a precaution to the
danger disease Covid-19. They give awareness to the people to wear masks in
public places. Wearing mask will help us to keep safe and others from spreading
Corona virus.
The Indian soldiers with National Flag
Ans: This picture shows that their solidarity with the nation by demonstrating
before the snow-clad Himalayas. The man standing center of the picture holding
the national flag and others raise slogans in support of their mother country by
lifting their hands. It shows that the soldiers are ready to fight with enemy
to protect their country.
The Indian farmer ploughing the land by using his two bullocks.
Ans: This picture is clearly describing the pre work of agriculture.
The farmer is ploughing the land by using his two bullocks. The land is completely
parched and is in need of water. The land is good for dry crops. We also can
the hard work of farmer.
Girl children in school
Ans: The picture shows the importance of education, particularly for
girl children. The children faces are eagerly looking forward. It reflects their
interest and involvement. By giving good education to them means giving better
future to country.
*****
Click the below image for remaining task answers for
Unit-1, Professional English, Softskills paper for Arts and Social Science UG
Degree 1st Year 2nd Semester.
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