Activity No-2

Read the extract and solve the activities.

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I scored 100% marks in Mathematics in almost all the examinations that I

appeared for from my 1st standard until IIT, barring only a few times. I stood 16th in the SSC Board (at that time, this examination was for the whole of Maharashtra,including Nagpur) and I stood 1st in the University in all subjects put together. Those days, you could get an admission into IIT without the entrance test (JEE) if you had secured the 1st rank in the University. Therefore, I did not have to appear for theentrance test to get the admission into IIT, but nobody in Solapur told me about it, for I doubt if anybody in Solapur even knew about this rule. Therefore, I appeared for theentrance examination, and I secured a very good rank in the same. I was quite happy getting into IIT, but my joy was short lived. At Solapur I had not seen any building which was more than three storeyed. Mumbai however was full of skyscrapers. At IIT, most of the students and professors used to converse in English whereas my English was very poor. I had my entire education in Marathi. My spoken English was quite pathetic. Not only did I have a very weak vocabulary, but, my pronunciation also was terrible and my construction of English sentences very awkward to say the least. Due to all this, I was feeling quite lonely and terrified in Mumbai in general and IIT in particular. I had developed an inferiority complex and wanted to run away from IIT and even Mumbai.

One day, I was sitting at my mess table in the hostel sipping tea when a senior guy came and sat on the chair adjacent to me. He was a convent educated guy with fairly sophisticated English- at least spoken or colloquial English. He was a bit arrogant and wanted to pull my leg. He tried to engage in some conversation with me and started pointing out errors in just about every sentence or everything that I said.

After about 5 minutes he walked away after insulting me.I felt extremely humiliated and upset. As it is, I was feeling quite depressed and diffident and this incident was the last straw. I was almost broken. I felt out of place there and literally wanted to run away to Solapur that very moment. However, it was only my self-esteem which stopped me. Suddenly, a feeling of determination and strength came over me and gripped me. Despite hailing from Solapur, if I could be a rank holder in the school, college and IIT with many awards in Mathematics, there must be something right with me. Why should I give up? And that too for a silly and small thing like English? I was not to give up anymore, and I was determined to fight back.

A1

Complete the given statements.

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i.

The writer got admission in IIT as he ….

Ans: He appeared for the JEE entrance exam and secured a good rank.



ii.

The poor English of the writer was responsible for ….

Ans: He felt depressed and diffident so his joy was short lived.

A2

Describe the state of mind of the writer when he came from Solapur.

Ans He didn’t see the skyscrapeers, his English was very poor so he felt extremely humiliated and upset. He didn’t converse with his professor or friends so he felt lonely and terrified.

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A3

The incident of the insult by a senior was a blessing in disguise for the writer.

Explain.

Ans :-

A feeling of determination and strength came over him and gripped him and he made a determination to get mastery over English language.

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A4

We need a punch to push ourselves forward. Share your experience.

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Ans: Every punch, insult or humiliation gives us a lesson to overcome the difficulty and mastered the situation.

A5

Do as directed.

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i.

Not only did I have a very weak vocabulary, but my pronunciation also was terrible.

[Choose correct alternative to rewrite the sentence as a simple sentence]

a. I had a very weak vocabulary with terrible pronunciation.

b. I had a very weak vocabulary and my pronunciation was terrible.

c. I did have a very weak vocabulary along with terrible pronunciation.

d. I had a weak vocabulary as well as terrible pronunciation.

Ans:a. I had a very weak vocabulary with terrible pronunciation.

ii.

I felt extremely humiliated.

[Choose correct alternative to rewrite the sentence using the noun form of

the underlined word.]

a. I felt extremely humiliation.

b. I felt extremely humiliating.

c. I felt extreme humiliation.

d. I felt extreme humiliating.

Ans:c. I felt extreme humiliation.

A6

Prepare a word register for ‘language’.

Ans: pronounciation, colloquial, vocabulary.