Letter to editor appealing to light a candle and lamp of hope for nine minutes.

 Q. You are Yaksh/ Yakshya. You have heard Prime Minister's appeal to the Indian citizens to light lamp or a candle at 9:00 p.m. after switching off the lights as an expression of hope and solidarity (unity) against India's corona virus fight. He said that the gesture world would make us feel that we were not alone but together in this fight against COVID-19. Write a letter of a national daily appealing one and all to rise above petty politics, religion and caste and light a candle and lamp of hope for nine minutes on 5th April 2020.

61, Kirti Nagar

Yamuna Nagar

Jan. 22, 20xx

The Editor
The Hindustan Times
New Delhi

Sir, 

Subject: Appeal to light a candle and                   lamp of hope for nine minutes

Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I wish to appeal to one and all to light a candle and lamp of hope for nine minutes.

The country is facing severe pandemic, covid-19 now a days. It is transmitting from one person to another at a very high rate. People are getting sick and die. Till now, there is no vaccine and medicine of this virus all over the world. Scientists, doctors, WHO, researchers are continuously performing their experiments to invent medicine and vaccine of this fatal disease.

The authorities are doing their best. Our PM is also continuously making the attempts to eradicate this virus from the country. He said that the gesture world would make us feel that we are not alone but together in this fight against COVID-19. He asked to light candles, lamps and hold mobile torches for nine minutes at 9:00 P.M.

This fatal disease cannot be eradicated by these people alone. PM made it clear that corona virus can be combated with the cooperation of people. The general public should come forward. Through this column, I make an appeal to one and all to rise above petty politics, religion and caste and light a candle and lamp of hope for nine minutes on 5th April 2020 as an expression of hope and solidarity against India's corona virus fight.

Yours truly

Yaksh

Unseen passage: Valentine's day.

 Q.  Read the following passage carefully:

Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14 every year to honour St.Valentine. The association of St.Valaentine’s Day with love and courtship rose from coincidence of the date with the Roman festival of Lupercalia. The festival is believed to have been in honour of Faunus, the Roman God of flocks and fertility. Also known as Lupercus, he was worshipped in a temple on Palatine Hill, and the festival was celebrated on February 14. The festival survived until the 5th century A.D. The Christian church ended the feast of Lupercalia, transforming it into the feast of St. Valentine. The name St. Valentine is given to two legendary Christian martyrs whose feasts were formerly observed on February 14. One was a Roman priest martyred in 269 A.D. The second was a Bishop of Terni martyred in Rome. In 1969, the feast day was dropped from the Vatican calendar. The great popularity of greeting cards, however, began in 19th Century England and America with cheap, efficient,colour printing methods and low postage rates. By the 1880s there were hundreds of varieties of mass-printed Christmas, New Year’s and Valentine cards. But it was Esther Howland, a 19-year-old American girl, who turned it into a global event. Born in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1828, she was the youngest of three children. She recognised the potential in mass-producing Valentine’s Day cards, when she received a fancy card from her father’s friend. She felt she could make a better one. She designed her first card and showed it to her father, who was impressed. He encouraged her to make more cards.She sent several cards to her brother, when he went on a sales trip to New York. Much to hers surprise he returned with more than $5000 in orders. Faced with the huge order, she asked her three best friends to help her. A Valentine assembly line was born at the Howland home. Esther placed her first a in the local paper, The Daily Spy on February 5, 1850. Business grew rapidly and in 1879, The New England Valentine Company was born. She rented a building and moved the business. She published 31 pages of verse in a small book called The New England Valentine Co.’s Verse Book for 1879, and this book allowed the customer to choose the verse for the card.

Questions
(i) When is the Valentine’s Day celebrated and to honour whom?  1

(ii) What are the two emotions associated with the Valentine’s Day?    2

(iii) What were the two factors that contributed to the great popularity of greeting cards?        2

(iv) What ‘potential’ did Esther Howland recognise? 1

(v) How could a customer choose a verse for the card? 1

(vi) Write the synonym of ‘attractive’ from the passage? 1

ANSWERS
(i) 14th February - St. Valentine

(ii) love/courtship

(iii) efficient colour printing methods - low postage rates

(iv) mass production of Valentine’s Day cards

(v) from the book published by Esther

(vi) fancy

Staying fit- The need of the hour

 Q.  Modern lifestyle is sedentary and is giving rise to increasing cases of obesity amongst the youth. What aggravates the situation further is the careless attitude of the youth towards physical fitness. Write an article on "Staying Fit- The Need Of the hour".

STAYING FIT- THE NEED OF THE HOUR

Change is inevitable. Due to liberalisation and globalisation the world is changing very rapidly. Lifestyle and eating habits are changing continuously. Obesity has increased among youth in leaps and bounds. Staying fit is the need of the hour.

There are various ways and means to stay fit. Firstly, we should go for a morning walk which is very good for health. One get fresh oxygen at morning. It is rightly said that walking bare feet on grass is very helpful in improving eyesight. Also one get energy from the sun at morning, which is also a good source of vitamin c. 

Secondly, Exercising is necessary to stay fit to be survive according to modern lifestyle. Cycling, yoga, gymnastics etc. are some of the ways to remain fit and healthy. Good eating habits should be developed among the youth. Fresh and home cooked food should be consumed. 

Staying fit helps in promoting strong bones and muscles, maintaining healthy weight, reducing the risk of type-2 diabetes and cancer. It also plays a vital role in improving respiratory and cardiovascular health.

If our body is fit, we will be strong enough to cope with various illnesses and stress in our day-to-day life. So, one should always stay fit and happy.

Speech on Generation Gap.

 Q. You are Hary/Sara of class VIII. You have received an iPhone as a birthday present from your uncle. You spend a lot of time exploring its features. Your parents disapprove of it thinking that you are wasting time on social media but you disagree with it. Write a speech in 150 words to be delivered in the morning assembly on the topic 'Generation Gap- The need to bridge it'. Take ideas from the unit 'Changing Times' of My English Reader along with your own ideas. [DAV Sample paper 2021-22]

 Generation Gap- The need to bridge it

Respected Principal, My worthy teachers and dear friends. A very good morning to all. Today I stand before you to share my views on the topic 'Generation Gap'

Generation Gap means the gap between old people and the young. It is the difference in attitude, lifestyle, priorities, values and views among generations. The people belonging to the old generation always wonder what has gone wrong with the new generation. They feel that during their time, young children were better behaved, more obedient and had greater respect for their elders. Young people, on the other hand feel that they are capable enough to learn on their own rather than depending on the older generation for any guidance. Young people do not like to be spoon fed by their elders. They are aware of their choices and are independent.

Proper relationship must be developed from the very starting so that the understanding increases. When children are supported by their parents in their aims and choices, they develop more respect for their parents. It gives them confidence and they excel well in their fields and brings pride to the family. So, parents should understand this fact and provide a healthy environment to maintain peace in the family.

Thankyou. 

Q. Every generation revolts against its fathers and makes friends with its grandfathers. And Raghu proves it true very aptly. Taking ideas from the unit- Changing Times- of English Reader along with your own ideas write a speech on the topic- Generation Gap. 

Speech urging to plant more and more trees.

 Q. Now a days people are mercilessly cutting down trees without caring for its consequences. You are moved to see the plight of the poor tree which is source of life to the world and decide to make a speech urging (requesting) upon the people to plant more and more trees. [Class VI BBC COMPACTA]

PLANT MORE AND MORE TREES

because they:
provide us wood, rubber, medicine etc.
prevent droughts and floods
reduce pollution
keep soil intact the fertility of soil
help in bringing rain
provide sweet and tasty fruits

PLANT MORE AND MORE TREES

Respected Principal, My worthy teachers and dear friends. Good morning to all of you. Today I stand before you to speak on the topic "Plant more and more trees".

Can you imagine this World without trees? Trees are one of the major life supporting system on the Earth. It is persumed that trees preceded man. They are the root of our existence on this earth. It is the trees with the help of which we are surviving on this Earth. They are considered as the greatest purifiers in the world and our best friends. 

Trees are considered as the source of life to the world. As being they provide us wood, rubber, sweet and tasty fruits, medicines etc which are useful in many aspects. For instance, wood is used for various purposes such as to make paper, for burning, to build houses, furniture etc. Fruits can be used by both animals and human beings etc. Industries use various products as raw materials of finished products etc. 

The basic objective behind planting more and more trees is to increase the level of oxygen in the atmosphere. They are considered as the lungs of the world. They make the air fresh by reducing pollution. thus, make the surrounding clean and green along with maintaing the ecological balance in the world. Moreover, They play a significant role in bringing rain and helps to prevent droughts and floods. Trees hold the soil tightly and hence, keep intact the fertility of soil. 

So, I expect the maximum contribution of (I urge) people to plant more and more trees. 

Thank you.

Debate against the motion 'There is no schools At All'.

 Q. Your school is organising a debate on the topic "There Should Be No Schools At All." You have to speak against the motion. Write your speech in about 120 words with the help of hints given below.

HINTS:

1. schools have been there for ages  

2. must for education

3. develop total personality

4. provide opportunities for doing sports, art, music, adventure

5. healthy competition, cooperation, tolerance

6. must for higher education

7. graded curriculum

8. uniformity in education

THERE SHOULD BE NO SCHOOLS AT ALL

Honourable Principal, Respected teachers and my dear friends!

I stand here to oppose the motion that There should be no schools at all. 

Contrary to what my opponent says, not all schools have high fees. Majority of people says that there should have been schools for different age groups people. And it has recently been proved that schools play a vital role in overall development of a child. Shools are must for education of the children. It is the only education that helps in developing the total personality of an individual. Not only for education, schools helps/ encourages the students to take part in various curricular activities such as doing sports, art and craft activities, music, adventure etc. It encourages team work, cooperation, tolerance and instill a spirit of competition to score better. 

Students can make new friends at school to perform in a team that enhances their qualities such as patience, mutual support, accepting others views etc. Through exams and tests, students can experience healthy competition with their peers of different calibre which teaches the importance of hard work, honesty and fair play to children. 

Schools must be there for higher education which helps to us to grow further. Teachers teach uniformly in schools and there is uniformity in education and without any discrimination. Graded curriculum should be adopted by schools to eradicate tensions and stress among students.

Overall, schools lay a platform for building up a good career. They are considered as temples of learning and play an immense role in the life and future of every individual.

Thus, I oppose the motion there should be no schools at all.

Debate in favour of 'There Should Be No Schools At All'.

 Q. Your school is organising a debate on the topic "There Should Be No Schools At All." You have to speak in favour of the motion. Write your speech in about 120 words with the help of hints given below.

Hints:
1. too much time spent at school
2. one can study at home 
3. online education
4. schools are expensive; it's difficult to get admission.
5. unnecessary competition
6. emphasis only on bookish knowledge
7. promote learning by rote
8. make students copy cats 

THERE SHOULD BE NO SCHOOLS AT ALL

Good Morning Everybody. I'm Abc and in today's debate, I stand before you to speak in favour of the motion 'There Should Be No Schools At All'.

There is no denying to the fact that right from the play way, there isn't even a single kid who want to go to school. There are many things that are not taught in schools that help children in their real life. Secondly, schools consume most of the time of the children. They spend too much time at school. Some students has also complain of spending half of their day at school. Even they are hard to find some time for their family.

 It would costs money to run the schools. All the expenses are pass on to children in the form of high fees. It is very difficult for a student to get admission in schools because of too much paper work and formalities. It appears that schools are only for the children of high salaried class people. It gives only burden to childrens because of too much homework and useless projects. This create stress and tension in their minds.

Thirdly, schools lay emphasis only on bookish knowledge, which is of no use in the future of the children. So, schools are not considered as right place for learning new things. It does not have definite or correct method of learning. So, it only promote rote learning instead of practicality. My next argument is that school encourages unnecessary competition among students and creates stress and tension in their minds. It also impose unnecessary rules and restrictions on students.

The basic purpose of schools is to provide education, which can be provided at homes as well. then I want to ask why there is a need of school ? Schools consume too much time of students. (Students spent too much time at school) Consequently, there is no time left with them for play or any recreational activity and makes them book worm or copy cats.

So, In the light of above arguments, I whole heartedly support the motion There should be no schools at all instead there should be an online education for students.

Thank you.

Article writing on 'Advantages Of Solar Energy'.

 Q. Adoption of eco-friendly Solar power consumption is the next step towards a greener nation. As a member of your School's science club, Write an article discussing the advantages of Solar energy and steps that can be taken for its promotion.

SOLAR ENERGY- A BOON

By: Manoj

 The Sun is an indispensable element in our life. It is the gift from nature to us. And the energy from the sun in the form of radiations is called as Solar energy. This is very popular source of energy known to human beings. Presently, It is used in many households across the globe. 

There are numerous advantages of solar energy. Firstly, It can be produced without building expensive power plants. Its production is very simple, which means it just needs the sun. That is, there is no need to build or fix expensive power plants. One only needs to install solar panel on the roof to generate adequate amount of energy. Because sunlight is available in abundance, solar energy has become the better alternative to other forms of energy. 

Secondly, It is the only environment friendly source of producing energy. It does not cause any pollution as it does not contains green house emissions, contaminations and any toxic chemicals. So, It does not harms the environment. There is no moving parts in solar devices too which does not cause any noise pollution and considered as a clean and natural resource. 

It is the need of the hour that government should come forward to promote solar energy in the country. Various environmental awareness programmes for creating awareness about solar energy should be organised (conducted). Government should also provide more financial support and subsidies to install solar power panel or stations in the country and make this country a better place to live in. 

Article on 'Importance of Self-defence classes'.

 Q. Self-defence for women is of utmost importance in the present day society. Rape, kidnapping, acid-attacks, eve-teasing etc. are some of the common forms of crimes against women. Write an article for the newspaper in about 120 words stating the importance of self-defence classes for women and how it can help them to protect themselves and other girls from being victims to such crimes. You are Pratibha/Prateek. 

SELF DEFENCE CLASSES- A BOON FOR WOMEN

By: Prateek

Long gone are the days when women used to be safe in this world. But In this modern era, Rapes, kidnapping, acid-attack, eve-teasing etc. against women have increased in leaps and bounds. So, for the sake of women, self defence classes (are very beneficial.)(are of utmost importance.) play a very crucial role in today's society.  

Self defence classes to put it simply means the classes for the protection of oneself from any external harm. The most prominent benefit of these classes is that it gives a sense of security to woman and to save (protect) herself from being hurt or injured in attack, Rape, kidnapping etc. It develops warrior spirit among women that helps them and their family from the various crimes and anti social elements of the society or against anything that is unacceptable in terms of social conduct or safety. Moreover, These classes build self- confidence, self-discipline and self- respect in them and makes them independent. It reduces or eradicates the discrimination on the basis of sex, physical ability and stamina.   

Moreover, These classes are very useful to aware the general public about the safety and security of women and thereby opens the doors of freedom for them. These classes empowers the women, that has positive influence on life. These classes also provide tips and tricks to handle emergency situations also. It has made their life secure and free of worries. 

By the means of (Through the medium of) these classes, girls and women protect themselves and other girls or women by applying (using) various techniques that are taught in these classes. And one day these classes add wings to the achievements of our country. 

So, we must join our hands to support these classes and government should make it compulsory (mandatory) for each and every women of the country and make their future bright.

Speech on 'Benefits of Watching Television'.

 Q. Write a speech to be delivered in the morning assembly of your school on the topic 'Benefits of Watching Television' in 150-175 words. 

BENEFITS OF WATCHING TELEVISION

Honorable Principal, Respected Teachers and dear friends!

Good morning ! I stand before you to speak on the topic 'Benefits of Watching Television'. 

In this contemporary world, we cannot imagine our life (a single day) without modern gadgets and T.V. is one of them. It has become an indispensable part of our modern life. It cannot be denied in today's (modern) life. It is considered as a boon for the society and a need of humans.  T.V. is one of the wonderful invention of science and an improvement over the radio. (Due to advancement of science and technology, the greatest invention of the T.V. has taken place.) 

There are many benefits of watching television. The prominent one is, it is considered as a powerful and the cheapest means of entertainment and recreation for people of almost all age groups. It is one of the ways of mass communication among the different nations of the World. Also, T.V. keeps us update on the latest news, weather, sports etc. It is a great way to learn something new and extending one's range of interests and considered as great resource of subjects to discuss.  

It has many different educational programmes that helps the students a lot. Also it provides material to various authors on their field of study such as environment, law, nature, wildlife, economic and political situations etc. 

The recent studies have proved that T.V. increases the general vocabulary of the people and broaden their outlook (point of view). It has done a wonderful service in providing distance education to lakhs of students at secondary and senior secondary level. It also inculcates various skills in us such as team work, confidence, communication skills etc. It also encourages us to take active participation in various activities. It has been steadily (continuously) promoting health and hygiene among the common masses. It also removes loneliness and boredom from the life of people. 

Furthermore, T.V. is being used by the government to aware or inform the general public on various problems, issues, schemes etc. Companies or businessmen use it to promote their products and offers, medicines, vaccines, any new product etc. By the way of news channels, T.V. informs us what is going on around us and Thus, keeps us up to date. 

Moreover,  It trains our mind to cope up with the different/various challenges in life and inspire us to achieve something in life. It also makes us aware about various tricks that people can play. It makes us happy and healthy by decreasing our stress and tension from our life. 

So, it is needless to say that T.V. is the most essential resource in one's life and revolutionised the life of every human being around the world. 

Thankyou!

Article on "Problems Children Have To Face".

 Q. In an on-the-spot article writing competition, you have been asked to write on the topic "Problems Children Have To Face". Write your article in about 120 words highlighting such problems as child labour, child abuse, child marriages, corporal punishment and other crimes against children. Conclude your article by emphasizing  the need for the better and safer childhood for all children. (Class VII BBC COMPACTA)

PROBLEMS CHILDREN HAVE TO FACE

By: Rahul 

 Children are considered as the and wealth of the nation. They have the power to transform the world. They are considered as the doctors, politicians, scientists and architects of the tomorrow. But their way is full of stones and problems which they have to face with.  

Various problems are prevalent there in our society, which children have to face with. For instance, child labour, child abuse, child marriages, corporal punishment and various other crimes against children. It is very common to see the children working as dhabha workers, industry workers, household worker etc. Inspite of so many advancements in the world, problems faced by children still continue. It is not only disturbing but shocking also that we find these problems in the headlines of all the newspapers. It is considered as stigma for our society. 

The most important reason that children have to face these problems is that we are under the trap of multiple anti-social elements in the society. Lack of awareness, education, political and moral support are also some of the factors responsible for the problems faced by children. And all this negligence of ours has resulted in the deprived of education, play and development of these children. 

Government, society and the concerned authorities need to wake up from the eternal sleep. There is an urgent need of social awareness among the youth and society. Various laws should be framed and implemented by the government to say permanent good bye to the problems faced by children. 

It is better late than never, we can still expect a bright and safe childhood for all children.

 

Speech Writing on 'Diwali without Fire crackers'.

 Q. As head boy/ head girl of your school, you have to deliver a speech in the morning assembly on "Diwali without firecrackers". Write the speech in about 150 words pointing out the ill-effects of firecrackers i.e. wasteful expenditure, air pollution due to poisonous chemicals released in the air, child labour in cracker manufacturing units.  

  DIWALI WITHOUT FIRE CRACKERS

Respected principal, My worthy teachers and dear friends. A very Good Morning to all of you gathered here. Today I am here to express my views on the topic "Diwali without fire crackers". 

India is a land of festivals. The Diwali is one of the most significant festivals of the Hindus. It is celebrated as the return of homecoming of lord Rama after the 14 years of exile. But people fire a lot of crackers during this festival, (Firing crackers during Diwali has increased in leaps and bounds) which is very harmful to our lives as well as the environment. The bursting of crackers during Diwali contribute towards the air pollution due to various poisonous chemicals released in the air, which is the major cause of (respiratory) breathing problems such as asthma among people. It also causes throat, nose and eye related problems. Birds, animals and pets too affected by its sound and pollutants from crackers causes the death and noise pollution. It is considered as a wasteful expenditure for the most of the parents. It is their children's desire which force them to burst crackers. 

And our persistent firing of crackers has resulted in the degradation of the environment, increase of children working in the cracker manufacturing units as the most of these units employ only children as labourers. To put this practice to an end, government needs to take strict action against these units. It makes the streets full of waste of burnt crackers. 

Instead of firing crackers, people should find out the alternative ways to celebrate diwali. They can worship the goddess Lakshmi and pray for health, wealth and prosperity. Then they can also distribute sweets among their relatives, friends and orphan children. They can decorate their houses, lit candles and earthen pots to celebrate this loveliest festival. So, I urge the public not to fire crackers at all.

Thank you.

Report on World Food Day celebrations.

Q.  You are Hiten/ Harshita, Your school recently celebrated 'World Food Day' by organising a healthy cooking competition, painting and poster competition. Eminent nutritionist, Ms. Rama khana was the chief guest. Write a report on the celebration for your school magazine in about 150-200 words. 

          World Food Day Celebrations

World food day was celebrated by our school on 16th October 2021. Various programs were organised in the school multipurpose hall. Ms. Rama khana, an eminent nutritionist, was the chief guest. Our school principal welcomed the chief guest. The main purpose of this celebration was to create awareness about healthy food and dietary habits among students. The hall was beautifully decorated with slogans and posters. The emphasis would laid on ill effects of fast food. Various events and competitions were organised like poster making, painting competition, salad making, healthy cooking without fire, role play with a message of "Healthy Heart, Healthy Body" etc. Through inspirational speeches, thoughts and quotations students highlighted the demerits of consuming junk food and benefits of consuming healthy fresh food. The students were motivated not to waste food as wasted food means wasted of money and efforts instead it should be distributed among the poor. Students were encouraged to adopt healthy eating habits, which reduces the risk of many diseases. It end with a thanking speech of principal. Really, it was a great success.