Read the passage given below:
According to a survey, out of the world’s hundred richest people today, 27 are heirs and 73 are self-made. Of the self-made 18 have no college degrees and 36 are children of poor parents, but some billionaires had neither a degree nor wealthy parents. In other words, super-achievers are not born; they are self- made people. It is not external favour that makes one a super-achiever, but one’s own struggle. Super achievement is not got through inheritance, but is self- acquired success.
No one is a born billionaire, but everyone is a potential billionaire. It is the unfolding of one’s own potential that makes one a billionaire or super achiever. Nature does not discriminate between one person and another. Nature’s gifts come to everyone equally. It is the receiver himself who either utilizes them or not. So called deprived persons are in fact, privileged persons. Their state of deprivation serves as inner motivation when they see others are progressing, it creates a strong incentive in their mind. It is this incentive that makes a person super. It inculcates a strong urge in the individual to make something of his life.
Any state of deprivation brings about a kind brainstorming which enhances inner spirit. They enter the world of competition working to their full capacity. They develop the spirit of doing or die. It is this spirit that leads them to success.
There are numerous examples of one rising to a high position through one’s own struggle, while one’s children might have turned ‘dull’. The reason is simple. The parent started his life with the spirit of discontent; while his children started their lives with contentment. This reason is responsible for the difference between parents and children.
One who is born into a poor family and achieves success by way of struggle achieves one more thing, which is more important than wealth i.e. intellectual development. His circumstances automatically develop an intellectual struggle in his mind. This struggle unfolds his inner capacity, and consequently, he emerges an intellectually developed person.
The laws of nature are greater than everything else. They are eternal they cannot be changed. The law of nature in this regard says that it does not ease but difficulty, effort not facility makes achievers out of ordinary people. So the future is full of hope and opportunity!
On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions:
i. How can deprived people become privileged people?
ii. How do the children of some successful parents become ‘dull’ according to the writer of this passage?
iii. Why does intellectual development take place faster in children of ‘poorer parents’?
iv. What is the message the author is trying to give in this passage?
v. Identify the meaning of the word “potential”
a. Latent qualities
b. Prospective
c. Possible
d. Probable
vi. Identify the word which means same as ‘incentive’
a. Motivation
b. Enticement
c. Consideration
d. Temptation
vii. Identify the word which means the same as ‘discontent’
a. Struggle
b. Dissatisfaction
c. Deprivation
d. Discrimination
viii. Identify the word which means the same as ‘eternal’
a. Intellectual
b. Ephemeral
c. Everlasting
d. Incentive
(i) It is well known that no one is born millionaire but everyone is a potential billionaire. There is no discrimination between one person and another by nature. The gift of nature is equal for everyone. It is the potential within an individual to utilize it to the fullest. So, the deprived people are in fact the privileged person.
(ii) The children of some successful parents are dull because one raises in his/her position through one’s own struggle. Many parents started their life with the spirit of discontent and hence are successful because they are aware of the realities of life, while their children started their life with contentment. So, they become dull as they don’t struggle in their life. Thus, this is the only reason for the difference between parents and children.
(iii) The intellectual development takes place faster in children of poorer parents because the circumstances of the children of poorer parents automatically develop an intellectual struggle in their mind. And because of this struggle, it automatically gets unfolded in their inner capacity and thereby emerging an intellectually developed person.
(iv) The message that the author is trying to give is that life is full of opportunity. It is our take how to react to it. No one is born poor and no one is born rich. Nature has given equal gifts to everyone. It’s our responsibility how to utilize it fruitfully and come up with flying colours. Also, the author wants to clear one point that success cannot be inherited. It can only be achieved through our hard work.
(v) (b)
‘Potential’ means having or showing the capacity to develop into something in the future. Thus, ‘prospective’ is correct. The passage is stating that no one is born billionaire but with the efforts and hard work, everyone is a prospective billionaire.
(vi) (a)
‘Incentive’ means a thing that motivates or encourages someone to do something. The passage talks about inner motivation. And that motivation acts as a strong incentive which will make a person super in his or her field.
(vii) (b)
‘Discontent’ means dissatisfaction with one's circumstances; lack of contentment. The passage is talking about why the children of some parents are dull. This is because the dissatisfaction level in parents is more than that of a child.
(viii) (c)
Solution: ‘Eternal’ means lasting or existing forever; without end. So, the word that has a similar meaning is ‘everlasting’. It also means lasting forever or a very long time.
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