UNIT-1

PERSPECTIVES

The Generation Gap by Benjamin McLane Spock

A. Answer the following questions in 50-100 words each

1. Why do adolescents often feel irritated by their parents, and how does this relate to
their developing independence?
Adolescents often feel irritated because parents exercise authority at home, which seems
arbitrary or unfair to them. As teenagers grow in size, strength, and awareness of the outside
world, they resent being treated as children. This irritation is part of their natural
rebelliousness, helping them break dependence on parents. Such conflicts mark the transition
toward independence, as the young begin to test boundaries, form their own tastes, and seek
individuality separate from their parents.

2. What are some examples of productive versus unproductive adolescent

rebelliousness, according to the author?
The author explains that some rebelliousness can be productive, such as joining reform
movements or challenging outdated traditions, which contribute positively to society. On the
other hand, unproductive rebelliousness is expressed through negative behaviors, like
wearing soiled clothes on formal occasions, neglecting hygiene, or keeping living spaces in
disorder. These actions resemble the “messing” behavior of toddlers and serve only as
protest, without creating meaningful change or personal growth.

3. What is the first formative influence on the individual?

The first formative influence on an individual is the character developed in childhood. From
an early age, a boy strives to imitate his father and a girl imitates her mother, casting
themselves in their parents’ mold. These early identifications with parental figures shape the
foundation of their personality. Thus, the childhood struggle to model themselves after
parents provides the basis upon which later identity and independence are built.

4. Do children have to step into the shoes of their parents?

Children do begin life by stepping into their parents’ shoes, imitating their behavior, attitudes,
and roles. However, to become effective adults, they must eventually break away from
excessive dependence. The passage stresses that young people should develop their own
ideas and aims instead of simply continuing their parents’ ways. This separation is necessary
not only for personal independence but also for contributing new solutions to the problems of
their own generation.
5. In order to become an effective adult, what should a growing child do?
A growing child must gradually free themselves from reliance on parents, not just enough to
leave home but to form independent ideas and goals. They need to cultivate originality and
responsibility to face the challenges of their times. By moving beyond imitation of their
parents, they prepare to solve social problems in new ways. This process of questioning,
experimenting, and sometimes rebelling ensures the development of a distinct and effective
adult identity.

6. What is the second element that makes up the identity of an individual?

The second element shaping identity is the strength and form of rebelliousness. Each
adolescent expresses impatience and criticism toward parents differently, depending on
personality and circumstances. This rebelliousness pushes them to search for new methods,
ideas, and values, often contrasting with their parents’ generation. Thus, the way in which a
young person channels or controls their rebellion plays a crucial role in defining the identity
they ultimately achieve.

B. Answer the following questions in 250-300 words each

1. Explain the title of the chapter – The Generation Gap.

The title The Generation Gap refers to the psychological, emotional, and social distance that
naturally develops between parents and their adolescent children. As young people move
toward adulthood, they no longer see themselves merely as extensions of their parents.
Instead, they seek independence in tastes, opinions, and lifestyles. This desire for
individuality often leads to irritation, misunderstandings, and conflicts. Parents, representing
authority and tradition, tend to emphasize obedience and continuity, while adolescents value
freedom, innovation, and self-expression. This difference in outlook produces what we call
the “generation gap.” The passage explains that this gap is not accidental but rather a natural
and inevitable process that aids in the growth of the younger generation. It helps adolescents
to move beyond dependence, test boundaries, and prepare to solve the problems of their times
with fresh perspectives. The gap may manifest as direct rebellion, subtle criticism, or indirect
behaviors such as academic failures or alternative career choices. At its core, the generation
gap symbolizes the struggle of youth to find identity while still being shaped by their parents’
influence. It is both a source of tension and a driving force of progress, since dissatisfaction
with the older generation’s ways often inspires young people to envision and bring about new
possibilities.

2. Trace the stages through which a young person passes as he/she matures into an
individual.
The journey from childhood to adulthood involves several stages that shape an individual’s
eventual identity. In early childhood, boys and girls model themselves after their parents—
sons striving to imitate their fathers and daughters their mothers. This imitation provides the
foundation of character but also ties the child closely to parental influence. During
adolescence, the process changes. The young person begins to feel irritation and impatience
toward parents, resenting authority and testing independence. This stage of rebellion—
whether direct or indirect—helps the adolescent question old ideas and search for new
methods that reflect personal desires and social needs. At times, rebellion can surface in overt
conflicts, such as those seen in simpler societies where a son might physically confront his
father before leaving home. In professional or educated families, rebellion is subtler,
expressed through criticism, academic struggles, or career choices. Gradually, the adolescent
learns to balance rebellion with maturity, developing independent aims while acknowledging
parental influence. Finally, adulthood arrives when the individual is able to claim a distinct
identity, not merely repeating parental roles but contributing unique ideas and solutions to
society. Thus, maturity is a process of imitation, conflict, and eventual independence.

3. Write about the positive side of rebelliousness.

Though often seen as troublesome, rebelliousness has a positive and constructive side. It
represents the adolescent’s attempt to break free from parental dependence and search for
individuality. By questioning authority and criticizing old methods, young people open the
way for innovation and change. For instance, impatience with parents’ outdated ways pushes
adolescents to explore new ideas and adopt fresh approaches to solving problems.
Historically, many great advances in science, technology, and social reform have emerged
from this youthful dissatisfaction with the past. Young minds, unburdened by the need to
defend tradition, can envision possibilities that older generations might dismiss. Rebellion
also strengthens self-confidence by encouraging the adolescent to test boundaries and learn
responsibility for choices. Moreover, when directed productively, rebelliousness can channel
into meaningful causes such as reform movements, creative expression, or academic
exploration. Even small acts of criticism within families sharpen individuality and prepare the
youth to handle larger social challenges. Thus, rather than being suppressed, adolescent
rebelliousness should be guided and understood as a natural part of identity formation.
Properly channeled, it serves not only personal growth but also societal progress, as it helps
bridge the gap between old values and new demands of changing times.

4. Compare and contrast the experiences of adolescent rebellion in different social and
family contexts, as illustrated in the passage.
The passage highlights how adolescent rebellion varies depending on cultural and family
settings. In simpler societies, such as among Kentucky mountaineers, rebellion often takes a
dramatic and direct form. A son might openly defy his father, even resorting to physical
confrontation, after which he leaves home to assert his independence. This abrupt break
symbolizes the final severing of ties and marks the beginning of adulthood. In contrast, in
professional or educated families, rebellion is subtler and indirect. Sons in such households,
trained to respect authority and excel academically, rarely express open anger toward their
fathers. Instead, they may grumble, criticize their mothers, or displace their frustrations onto
teachers. Some display their rebellion through school failures, sudden loss of interest in
studies, or indecision about careers. While both forms of rebellion stem from the same
underlying desire for independence and identity, their expression differs. In traditional,
independent societies, rebellion is visible and decisive, often resulting in early self-reliance.
In professional families, it remains hidden, often creating inner conflicts and unconscious
struggles. Thus, the passage illustrates how cultural context, parental attitudes, and family
expectations shape the style of rebellion, though its presence is universal and necessary for
growth.

5. What are some indirect ways in which adolescents from educated, professional
families express their rebelliousness?
In educated, professional families, open rebellion against fathers is rare because sons are
trained to respect authority and value conformity. Instead, their rebelliousness surfaces in
indirect and often unconscious ways. One common method is criticism of mothers,
particularly regarding their appearance or behavior. Since it is difficult to challenge fathers
directly, irritation is displaced onto mothers. Another significant form is school failure.
Bright and capable students may suddenly lose motivation, perform poorly in exams, refuse
to write reports, or even stop attending classes. This behavior, though unconscious, serves as
a protest against parental expectations and pressures. It may also reflect fear of competing
with the father in his chosen profession—either the fear of failing and feeling humiliated or
of succeeding and provoking hostility. Career indecision is another indirect sign, with
adolescents initially rejecting their father’s field only to return to it later, often without
realizing the psychological conflict involved. Thus, in professional families, rebellion often
avoids open conflict but appears in subtle, displaced, and self-sabotaging forms. These
indirect outlets reveal the tension between parental influence and the adolescent’s struggle for
individuality.

6. How can unconscious fears influence a teenager's academic performance, especially

when they are following in a parent's professional footsteps?
Unconscious fears can deeply affect a teenager’s academic performance, particularly when
the career path chosen mirrors that of a parent. The passage explains that such fears are
rooted in early childhood rivalries with the parent of the same sex. When adolescents
consider entering their father’s profession, unconscious anxieties may resurface. A boy may
fear he cannot match his father’s success and thus avoid humiliation by unconsciously
sabotaging his own efforts. Alternatively, he may fear that surpassing his father could
provoke anger or harm, echoing childhood anxieties about rivalry. These fears manifest in
academic struggles: inability to study, blanking out in exams, refusal to write assignments, or
sudden loss of interest in subjects. Though consciously the student appears to be trying, the
unconscious conflict blocks progress. School failure also becomes a way of punishing
ambitious parents without feeling guilty, since the reasons are hidden. Such struggles
illustrate how deep-seated psychological conflicts can shape educational outcomes, turning
natural rebelliousness into self-defeating behaviors. Ultimately, overcoming these fears
requires self-awareness, guidance, and the gradual realization that academic success need not
be a competition with the parent but an expression of individual identity.
 VOCABULARY

WORD FORMATION

A. Two examples of words formed through derivation from the passage:

1. rebelliousness (from rebellious + -ness)

2. independence (from independent + -ence)

B. Fill in the blanks:

1. The pain has become intolerable. (tolerable)

2. It is a very windy day. (wind)
3. You are clueless about how to get to the station, aren't you? (clue)
4. There has been a great deal of development here since the 1970s. (develop)
5. We helped the people rebuild the town after the earthquake. (build)
6. Could you untie the child's shoe laces, please. (tie)
7. Chetan is a dutiful son. (duty)

C. Match the items in columns A and B below to form compound words and use the
compounds to fill in the blanks in the sentences that follow. Look up the words in a
dictionary to see whether they are written as one word, with a hyphen or as separate
words.

Column A Column B Compound Word Form (One word / Hyphenated / Two words)
organic farming organic farming Two words
shopping list shopping list Two words
crash course crash course Two words
dairy farm dairy farm Two words
Open minded open-minded Hyphenated
bottom line bottom line Two words
cork farm cork farm Two words
pig sty pigsty One word

1. The bottom line is that we need to do something to conserve the earth's natural
resources.
2. Use a cork-stopper (or cork) to open the bottle.
3. I have enrolled for a crash course in C++.
4. Salil is open-minded about a lot of things.
5. My uncle does organic farming in Yercaud.
6. They work on an homogenous project. (from homo- + Greek; you may also accept
homosexual rights movement depending on context, but here “homogenous” fits
best)
 7. Where have all the animals in the pigsty gone?
8. Aslam can't find the shopping list his wife gave him.

PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES

A. Fill in the blanks with words formed by adding suitable suffixes

1. Let us stop this meaningless discussion. (meaning)

2. Have a spoonful of honey in the morning. (spoon)
3. We need the director's approval for the project. (approve)
4. Write a descriptive essay on the Golconda Fort. (describe)
5. Your offer is acceptable to us. (accept)
6. This is one of the earliest books on feminism. (feminine)

B. Fill in the blanks with words formed by combining the right prefixes and words

Prefix Base Word Formed

multi- pronged multipronged
mal- nutrition malnutrition
mis- placed misplaced
non- political nonpolitical
re- usable reusable
dis- like dislike
un- productive unproductive
a- stop astop* (uncommon, better form is nonstop)

1. A large number of NGOs in India work for the people. They are not concerned with
politics. They are nonpolitical.

2. The discussion was completely unproductive.

3. Studies show that a large number of children in rural areas of India suffer from
malnutrition.

4. I think your trust in him is misplaced.

5. Terrorism in any form is inhuman. We must use a multipronged approach to curb it.

6. The company manufactures reusable packaging.

7. Some people dislike eating bitter gourd.

8. The guest speaker lectured nonstop for more than an hour until the students slowly started
leaving the auditorium one after the other.
C. Guess the answer from the given clues. Each word is taken from the essay "The
Generation Gap Then, complete the rest of the table as shown in the example.

Clue Answer Word/Root Suffix

Someone who climbs mountains (example) mountaineer mountain -eer
1. Intentionally disrespectful behaviour/attitude irreverence reverence -ir (prefix) + -ence
2. The trait or quality of being without fear fearlessness fear -less + -ness
3. Full of or exhibiting respect respectful respect -ful

WORDS OFTEN MISSPELT

A. Spot the incorrect spelt words in each sentence and correct the spelling mistakes

1. In simple societies this rivalri with the parent often comes right up on to the surface in the
later adolecent years.
✅ Correct: rivalry, adolescent

2. At the opposite end of the behaviors scale is the typical sun of a professional man.
✅ Correct: behaviour, son

3. A fairly common sign of rivalry in familys which value education highly is school failur.
✅ Correct: families, failure

4. Rebelliousnes against parents is a natural, inevitabel aspect of adolescence.

✅ Correct: rebelliousness, inevitable

5. Because they were impatient with the achievements of the past and because they had no
need to defend the present, they were able to envition and bring on the future.
✅ Correct: envision

6. There are three principle elements that go to make up the identity an individual finally
acheives.
✅ Correct: principal, achieves

B. Fill in the blanks using the correct spellings of the words.

1. Last year's harvest exceeded expectations. This year, however, the bad weather will result
in a disappointing yield.

2. The people were inoculated against the disease.

3. A good calendar is indispensable for efficient time management.

4. He copied from the work of an amateur writer, but his plagiarism was soon discovered.

5. Their economy has grown; ours has been comparatively stagnant.

6. Please save the receipt of this transaction for future reference.

SYNONYMS

A. Word Matching with words that mean the same

abate → d. lessen

yearly → e. annually

meticulous → f. careful

appear → j. seem

broad → g. wide

futile → a. useless

lucid → i. clear

elementary → c. basic

wreck → h. destroy

mandatory → b. compulsory

B. Rewrite the sentences using words that mean the same as the italicised ones.

1. She is tall and slim.

2. Perhaps they will come tomorrow.

3. Have you got the computer fixed?

4. The paragraphs are mixed up. Put them in the right order.

5. She is an outgoing person, who likes meeting new people.

6. Someone telephoned for you. I'm afraid I don't remember the person's name.

ANTONYMS
A. Select the closest antonym

1. resilience → closest antonym: reliance (since resilience = strength/self-reliance, opposite

is dependence/reliance).

2. manoeuvre → closest antonym: mishandle (since manoeuvre = handle skillfully, antonym

= handle badly).

3. diffident → closest antonym: confident (diffident = shy/lacking self-confidence).

4. extempore → closest antonym: well-prepared (extempore = spoken or done without

preparation).

5. frivolous → closest antonym: serious (frivolous = not serious; although "ferocious" was
given, the closest intended opposite here is serious).

6. subside → closest antonym: increase (subside = diminish, antonym = rise/increase).

B. Formation of antonyms by adding either prefix or suffix

1. accurate → inaccurate
2. careless → careful
3. proper → improper
4. interior → exterior
5. injustice → justice
6. understand → misunderstand

C. Fill in the blanks using antonyms

1. Reveal the evidence you have. Do not try to conceal it.

2. Do not be a follower all your life. You have the qualities of a leader.

3. She walked into the house purposefully. She found the children sitting around aimlessly.

4. I am eager to go sightseeing. My sister is very reluctant to come along.

5. The change in weather was not expected. It was expected (or anticipated).

6. You can exclude some points we discussed in your essay. But you must include the
advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad.

D. Find the meaning and antonyms of the given words. There can be multiple correct
answers.
1. heartless
(meaning: cruel, unfeeling)
👉 Antonyms: kind, compassionate, sympathetic, tender-hearted, humane

2. underhanded
(meaning: secretive, dishonest)
👉 Antonyms: honest, fair, straightforward, open, trustworthy

3. egoless
(meaning: humble, selfless, without ego)
👉 Antonyms: arrogant, boastful, conceited, egotistical, self-centered

4. inflammable
(meaning: easily set on fire)
👉 Antonyms: fireproof, non-flammable, incombustible, flame-resistant

5. reckless
(meaning: careless, rash, irresponsible)
👉 Antonyms: cautious, careful, prudent, responsible, thoughtful

6. disgust (verb: to sicken/offend; noun: strong dislike)

👉 Antonyms: delight, pleasure, admiration, attraction, enjoyment

GRAMMAR

COMMON ERRORS IN THE USE OF ARTICLES

A. Fill in the blanks using appropriate articles wherever necessary

An official of a cellular service provider said the Indian cellular market is new and
inexperienced one compared to that of the US and they have still a lot to learn about gadget.
The Indian consumers and have a voice dependency to a great extent. They require to be
connected at all times. Whereas in the older markets such as that of the US and the UK,
where mobile phones have been around for some time, the voice dependency is not as great.

B. Rewrite sentences using correct articles

1. If you are a boy, realise that you will soon be a man, with a job, a wife and a home of your
own.

2. So he'd turn on his heel, walk off to the nearest town and look for a job.

3. A fairly common sign of rivalry in families which value education highly is school failure.
4. ✅ Correct as is: A third element is the nature of the times and the needs of the times.

5. Many of the advances of civilisation—technical inventions, scientific discoveries—have

been conceived by young people just on the threshold of adulthood.

6. The government needs to enforce pollution laws. Governments around the world need to
cooperate in the fight against pollution.

7. Have you been to the Nilgiri Hills?

8. History is not really Faiza's favourite subject, but she finds the history of Greece
fascinating.

9. The English language is full of confusing rules. English also has many strange idioms.

10. The gold you buy here is of excellent quality.

C. Identify the incorrect use of artcles

1. I want to do a MTech in energy systems.

❌ Incorrect: a Mtech
✅ Correct: an Mtech (because M begins with a vowel sound).

2. He had spelt the word with a ‘s’ instead of a ‘c’.

❌ Incorrect: a ‘s’
✅ Correct: an ‘s’ (same vowel sound rule).

3. I always use a HB pencil.

❌ Incorrect: a HB
✅ Correct: an HB (H = vowel sound “aych”).

4. In the class, the children were having arithmetic lesson.

❌ Incorrect: arithmetic lesson without article
✅ Correct: … having an arithmetic lesson.

5. My brother is electrical engineer.

❌ Incorrect: is electrical engineer
✅ Correct: My brother is an electrical engineer.

6. The war lasted almost hundred years.

❌ Incorrect: almost hundred years
✅ Correct: The war lasted almost a hundred years.

7. I always get headache if I don’t wear my glasses.

❌ Incorrect: get headache
✅ Correct: I always get a headache…
8. Swiss are very fussy about hygiene.
❌ Incorrect: Swiss (needs an article here when referring to people collectively)
✅ Correct: The Swiss are very fussy…

9. His lawyer produced an important new evidence.

❌ Incorrect: an important new evidence
✅ Correct: … produced important new evidence (uncountable noun, no article).

10. We must try harder to stop these people from destroying the nature.
❌ Incorrect: the nature
✅ Correct: … from destroying nature.

COMMON ERRORS IN THE USE OF PREPOSITIONS

A. Fill in the blanks with correct prepositions

1. The classes are held on the third floor.

2. We will be gone for two days.

3. Tanuj and his friend will divide the money between themselves.

4. Many foods besides milk contain calcium.

5. I will arrive at six o'clock.

6. I have known her since last year.

7. The meeting is scheduled between 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.

8. My house is near the park. (no preposition)

B. Fill in the blanks with correct prepositions

1. We played a joke on him.

2. Who else has access to the computer files?

3. Missing the bus is no excuse for being late.

4. I have confidence in his ability.

5. The report should shed some light on the situation.

6. She has a reputation for having the ability to deal with any situation.
7. People often make fun of what they do not understand.

8. We will take a survey of the participants.

C. Rewrite the sentences using correct prepositions

1. The bag is on the top rack in the cupboard.

2. They are sorry for having disturbed you.

3. The woman in the car is my neighbour.

4. Did you see the article on the applications in biotechnology?

5. Shikha spent a day at her aunt’s.

6. The baby slept peacefully when the telephone rang.

7. During the bandh, people went out to work.

8. Rini was angry with Sahaj and spoke harshly to him.

9. How do you cope with your studies in BTech?

D. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions

I wanted to live in Bengaluru and I was looking for a flat in Yelahanka. The estate agent took
me to see one. The flat was near a temple and a park. It was above a restaurant. We stood on
the pavement outside the restaurant. It was raining so I held a newspaper over my head. The
entrance to the flat was at the side of the restaurant. I asked the agent where I could park my
car. He said there was a parking place behind the restaurant. 'Now, would you like to see
inside the flat?’ he asked me. There were four rooms in the flat. The bathroom was between
the bedroom and the living room. The kitchen was adjunct to the living room; there was a
table and two chairs under an old sheet. 'All included in the price!' the agent said. The flat
was beside a pond on top of a hill, and there was a lovely view. I stood with the estate agent
at the living room window. I could see Yelahanka park below us. There were some parrots in
the trees of the park. And I could see the pond through the trees.

DEGREES OF COMPARISON

A. Fill the incomplete table with regular degrees of comparison.

Positive Comparative Superlative

tall taller tallest
young younger youngest
great greater greatest
poor poorer poorest
strong stronger strongest
easy easier easiest
fine finer finest

B. Fill the incomplete table with regular degrees of comparison.

Positive Comparative Superlative

distinguished more distinguished most distinguished
satisfied more satisfied most satisfied
gracious better best
leisurely more leisurely most leisurely
gracious more gracious most gracious
dependant more dependant most dependant
far farther/further farthest/furthest

C. Write the comparative and superlative degrees of the following words

1. clearly

 Comparative: more clearly

 Superlative: most clearly

Sentences:

 She explained the concept more clearly than the teacher.

 Among all the speakers, Ramesh spoke the most clearly.

2. heavy

 Comparative: heavier
 Superlative: heaviest

Sentences:

 This bag is heavier than yours.

 That trunk is the heaviest of all.

3. elderly
  Comparative: more elderly
 Superlative: most elderly

Sentences:

 He looked more elderly than his actual age.

 The most elderly person in the village is over ninety years old.

4. low

 Comparative: lower
 Superlative: lowest

Sentences:

 The prices are lower this season.

 This is the lowest point in the valley.

5. little

 Comparative: less
 Superlative: least

Sentences:

 I have less interest in politics than in sports.

 She shows the least concern for money.

READING

A. Answer after reading the essay

1. According to the passage, what are some areas in which adolescents want to differ
from their parents?
Adolescents often want to differ from their parents in their tastes, opinions, habits, and even
their choices of career or lifestyle. They feel the need to establish their own identity and
independence, rather than simply copying what their parents do.
2. Why might adolescents feel irritated by their parents' authority, even if they still
admire them?
Adolescents may feel irritated because parental authority often limits their growing
independence. Even if they love and admire their parents, they resent restrictions or rules
imposed on them, especially when these seem unnecessary or controlling.

3. What does the word arbitrarily most likely mean as used in the sentence: “especially if
they use it arbitrarily”?
Arbitrarily means “without fairness or reason; in a random or unfair way.” Here, it refers to
parents using their authority without proper explanation or justification, which frustrates
adolescents.

4. How does the passage explain the origin of adolescent rebelliousness?

The passage explains that rebelliousness arises from the adolescent’s natural struggle for
independence. As they grow, they feel the urge to create a separate identity and resist the
authority or control of their parents, which often causes conflict.

5. How is adolescent rivalry with parents in simple societies described differently from
that in more complex ones?
In simple societies, rivalry with parents often comes openly to the surface during
adolescence. In contrast, in more complex, educated families, the rivalry is subtler and often
expressed indirectly, such as through school failure or withdrawal.

6. Why does the author include the anecdote about mountaineer boys leaving home?
The anecdote illustrates the extreme form of adolescent rebellion—how young boys,
frustrated with dependence, leave home to assert their independence. It shows the intensity of
the adolescent desire to break away from parental authority.

7. What is the tone of the passage in discussing adolescent behaviour—sympathetic,

critical, humorous, or detached?
The tone is sympathetic. The author tries to explain adolescent rebelliousness as a natural
and inevitable part of growth, rather than criticizing it.

WRITING

A. Identify the following sentences: assertive, interrogative, imperative or exclamatory

 1. Is the towel on the bed? – Interrogative
2. Hand me the purse. – Imperative
3. What a clever strategy! – Exclamatory
4. They don't like travelling. – Assertive
5. Switch on the light. – Imperative
6. Oh, that I had wings to fly! – Exclamatory

B. Rewrite the jumbled sentences in correct order.

1. He loved old songs.

2. A dog is sitting on the grass.
3. The train is on the platform.
4. How cold the water is!
5. Where is the capital of the country located?
6. The moon rose at seven o'clock.
7. A man is ringing the doorbell.
8. The library is not on the first floor.
9. They watched a movie last night.
10. I walk to college every day.

C. Underline subject, main verb and direct object in the following sentences

1. Imran drives a truck.

 Subject: Imran
 Main verb: drives
 Direct object: a truck

2. She threw the ball at me.

 Subject: She
 Main verb: threw
 Direct object: the ball

3. Vijaya drives well.

 Subject: Vijaya
 Main verb: drives
 Direct object: None (adverb well modifies the verb)

4. Kunal asked me a question.

 Subject: Kunal
 Main verb: asked
 Direct object: a question
 Indirect object: me
5. Are you combing your hair?

 Subject: you
 Main verb: are combing
 Direct object: your hair

6. Fishing is very relaxing.

 Subject: Fishing
 Main verb: is
 Direct object: None (very relaxing is a subject complement/adjective phrase)

PHRASES AND CLAUSES IN SENTENCES

A. Identify phrases and clauses in the sentences given below

1. This table is made of wood.

 of wood → Phrase (prepositional phrase describing “made”)

2. He opened the book and it was interesting to study.

 it was interesting to study → Independent clause (can stand alone as a sentence)

3. The politicians do not know what the people want.

 what the people want → Dependent clause (noun clause acting as object of “know”)

4. That my friends will succeed in their attempt, I have no doubt.

 That my friends will succeed in their attempt → Dependent clause (noun clause
acting as subject)

5. Milk is good for health.

 for health → Phrase (prepositional phrase describing “good”)

6. Their house is on Convent Road, where we played cricket as children.

 where we played cricket as children → Dependent clause (adverbial clause

modifying “on Convent Road”)

7. The reason why he was dismissed is not known.

 why he was dismissed → Dependent clause (noun clause modifying “reason”)

8. Walking down the road, I met Sukhbir.

  Walking down the road → Phrase (participial phrase describing “I”)

IMPORTANCE OF PROPER PUNCTUATION

A. Rewrite the passage after correcting Capitals and Pronunciations

1. Only about three per cent of the Earth's water is fresh, but most land plants and animals
depend on this water for their survival. Water continuously moves around the Earth's surface,
changing from one form to another.

2. The stenogram is efficient, reliable, time-saving, and economical. Backed by our

international reputation for reliability, it is in regular use in many offices all over the country.
It is unbelievably simple to use: just slip in a preloaded cassette, press a button, and it is ready
to record your dictation, telephone conversations, interviews, or whatever you require.

3. An expository essay contains the thoughts of its author on a certain subject. Often, it also
explains or expands the topic. The discussion is usually based on the author's knowledge,
experience, or imagination. This kind of essay is written on abstract subjects, e.g., truth,
friendship, bravery, and on social, political, and religious questions, e.g., female education,
joint families, Christianity, and Hinduism.

B. Rewrite the sentences after correcting Capitals and Pronunciations

1. I speak Telugu and Hindi better than English. What about you?

2. I need an assistant who can do the following: input data, write reports, and complete tax
forms.

3. Who's there? Oh, it's you.

4. The Ganges is considered a holy river by the Hindus. Its source is the Gangotri Glacier in
the Himalayas, and it empties into the Bay of Bengal in eastern India.

5. I drove my rusty old green Ambassador back home. As it chugged slowly down the street,
its engine grunting and wheezing, its wheels wobbling all the way, I realised it was time to
buy a new car.

6. He got what he worked for: a promotion.

7. It's a lovely day today, isn't it? I want to go to the park, but I'm not sure if it's open.

8. You may be required to bring many things: sleeping bags, pans, utensils, and warm
clothing.

9. I'd forgotten that he'd mentioned that it's there.

10. Sultan was born at Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Hyderabad. He's an investment banker.
He lives in New York, but he visits India often. His sister's birthday is in January, on New
Year's Day.

NATURE AND STYLE OF FORMAL WRITING

A. Correct the errors in the formality of the sentences below

1. The individual did not show up, so we had to cancel the entire plan.

2. Many engineers have tried this method, but it does not work well.

3. The system was somewhat disorganized because of the bug.

4. It seems that the author is suggesting that people should not interfere with nature.

5. He is completely mistaken if he thinks that will succeed.

6. They did not perform adequately because they were unmotivated.

7. Many details were omitted from the report.

8. In my opinion, the writer appears to be impartial toward both sides.

B. Rewrite the passage in formal style

People are increasingly indifferent to the state of the planet. Pollution levels are rising
significantly, and deforestation is occurring at an unprecedented rate, as forests are cleared to
make way for buildings and other constructions. Wildlife is losing its natural habitat, while
factories and vehicles continue to release harmful substances into the atmosphere. Improper
disposal of waste is further contaminating land and water resources. If immediate measures
are not taken, environmental conditions are likely to deteriorate rapidly.