Q2 of 12 Page 1

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

1. Have you ever failed at something so miserably that the thought of attempting to do it again was the last thing you wanted to do?


2. If your answer is yes, then you are “not a robot.” Unlike robots, we human beings have feelings, emotions, and dreams. We are all meant to grow and stretch despite our circumstances and our limitations. Flourishing and trying to make our dreams come true is great when life is going our way. But what happens when it‟s not? What happens when you fail despite all of your hard work? Do you stay down and accept the defeat or do you get up again and again until you are satisfied? If you have a tendency to persevere and keep going then you have what experts call, grit.


3. Falling down or failing is one of the most agonizing, embarrassing, and scariest human experiences. But it is also one of the most educational, empowering, and essential parts of living a successful and fulfilling life. Did you know that perseverance (grit) is one of the seven qualities that have been described as the keys to personal success and betterment in society? The other six are: curiosity, gratitude, optimism, self-control, social intelligence, and zest. Thomas Edison is a model for grit for trying 1,000 plus times to invent the light bulb. If you are reading this with the lights on in your room, you know well he succeeded. When asked why he kept going despite his hundreds of failures, he merely stated that what he had been not failures. They were hundreds of ways not to create a light bulb. This statement not only revealed his grit but also his optimism for looking at the bright side.


4. Grit can be learned to help you become more successful. One of the techniques that help is mindfulness. Mindfulness is a practice that helps the individual stay in the moment by bringing awareness of his or her experience without judgment. This practice has been used to quiet the noise of their fears and doubts. Through this simple practice of mindfulness, individuals have the ability to stop the self-sabotaging downward spiral of hopelessness, despair, and frustration.


5. What did you do to overcome the negative and self-sabotaging feelings of failure? Reflect on what you did, and try to use those same powerful resources to help you today.


(396 words)


[Adapted from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/debbie-lyn-toomey/grit_b_12768724.html]


2.1 On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer any four of the following questions in about 30-40 words each.


i. According to the passage, what are the attributes of a human?


ii. What is perceived as grit?


iii. How is ‘failing’ an educational and empowering part of human life?


iv. In what ways can grit be developed?


v. How does mindfulness help?


2.2 On the basis of your reading of the passage answer any four of the following: 1X4=4


i. While inventing the light bulb, Thomas Edison had failed __________


a. 1000 times


b. 10000 plus times


c. 1000 plus times


d. 10000 times


ii. Failure is a part of __________ life.


a. Normal


b. Common


c. Human


d. Ordinary


iii. In paragraph 2, __________ means continue.


a. Robots


b. Satisfied


c. Persevere


d. Flourishing


iv. In paragraph 3, the synonym of distressing is _______.


a. Embarrassing


b. Scariest


c. Agonizing


d. Failing


v. __________ helps in preventing individuals from going down the lines of despair.


a. Success


b. Fear


c. Doubt


d. Mindfulness

2.1. i. There are various attributes of human beings that make them differentiate from robots. Human beings have feelings and emotions and at the same time, they can dream. Apart from the difficult circumstances and limitations, we human beings possess the tendency to grow. Human beings flourish and try to make their dreams come true for a smooth going life.


ii. Grit means courage and resolves i.e. strength of character. In this context, it is being used to describe human nature. What human beings do irrespective of their continuous failure? Do they sit down and accept the defeat? Or do they stand up again and possess the tendency to accept the challenges of life and keep moving? So, the tendency of human being to keep going is being perceived as grit.


iii. Failing cause physical and mental pain also causes embarrassment and is one of the frightening experiences of human life. But at the same time, it makes an individual stronger and more confident. Failure is an important part of success and it is must for a successful and fulfilling life. Thus, ‘failing’ is an educational and empowering part as it is the key to personal success and for the betterment of society.


iv. Grit can be developed only when one is conscious or aware of something. The technique mentioned in the passage is ‘mindfulness’ in which an individual focus on one’s awareness on the present by accepting one’s feelings and thoughts. This is used generally to lower down the fears and doubts in the minds of an individual. It is basically done to prevent self-damage, raise hope and achieve success.


v. Mindfulness helps an individual in many respects. It helps human beings to stay calm in every situation. It creates self-awareness by minimizing the doubts and fears in the minds of human beings. With the continuous practice of mindfulness, one can stop any interference in long-standing goals. It can raise hope by minimizing anguish and annoyance. Thus, mindfulness helps a lot in overcoming negativity.


2.2


i. Ans. c


The given passage talks about the seven qualities to success i.e. grit, curiosity, gratitude, optimism, self-control, social intelligence, and zest. So, Thomas Edison is being referred in the passage as a model for perseverance for trying 1000 plus times to invent the light bulb.


ii. Ans. c


It has been clearly mentioned in the passage that, failure is one of the painful, humiliating and terrifying experiences of human life but at the same time it is necessary for a successful and fulfilling life.


iii. Ans. c


‘Persevere’ means continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no indication of success. In paragraph 2, ‘Persevere’ means continue. The paragraph talks about that one should overcome all defeat and must have the tendency to keep going in all the difficult situations. ‘Flourishing’ means developing rapidly and successfully; thriving


iv. Ans. c


In paragraph 3, the synonym of distressing is ‘agonizing’. It means causing great physical or mental pain. ’Embarrassing’ means causing embarrassment, ‘scariest’ means frightening; causing fear, ‘failing’ means a weakness, especially in a person's character; a shortcoming.


v. Ans. d


Mindfulness helps in preventing individuals from going down the lines of despair. The passage talks about grit that helps an individual to become more successful in life with the help of a technique called mindfulness. It helps human beings in bringing self-awareness by overcoming fears and doubts.


More from this chapter

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1

Read the passage given below –

1. Necessity is indeed the mother of invention. When areas in and around Leh began to experience water shortages, life didn’t grind to a halt. Why? Because Chewang Norphel, a retired civil engineer in the Jammu and Kashmir government came up with the idea of artificial glaciers.


2. Ladakh, a cold desert at an altitude of 3,000-3,500 meters above sea level, has a low average annual rainfall rate of 50mm. Glaciers have always been the only source of water. Agriculture is completely dependent on glacier melt unlike the rest of river/monsoon-fed India. But over the years with increasing effects of climate change, rainfall and snowfall patterns have been changing, resulting in severe shortage and drought situations. Given the severe winter conditions, the window for farming is usually limited to one harvest season.


3. It is located between the natural glacier above and the village below. The one closer to the village and lowest in altitude melts first, providing water during April/May, the crucial sowing season. Further layers of ice above melt with increasing temperature thus ensuring continuous supply to the fields. Thus, farmers have been able to manage two crops instead of one. It costs about Rs.1, 50, 000 and above to create one.


4. Fondly called the “glacier man”, Mr. Norphel has designed over 15 artificial glaciers in and around Leh since 1987. In recognition of his pioneering effort, he was conferred the Padma Shri by President Pranab Mukherjee, in 2015.


5. There are few basic steps followed in creating the artificial glacier.


6. River or stream water at higher altitude is diverted to a shaded area of the hill, facing north, where the winter sun is blocked by a ridge or a mountain range. At the start of winter/November, the diverted water is made to flow onto sloping hill face through distribution channels. Stone embankments are built at regular intervals which impede the flow of water, making shallow pools and freeze, forming a cascade of ice along the slope. Ice formation continues for 3-4 months resulting in a large accumulation of ice which is referred to as an “artificial glacier”. (349 words)


Adaptedfrom:https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/a-himalayan-solution/article7927749.ece)


1.1 Attempt any eight of the following questions on the basis of the passage you have read.


1. Who was Chewang Norphel?


2. What kind of landform is Ladakh?


3. Why have Glaciers been the only source of water for Ladakh?


4. Why has the pattern of snowfall and rainfall changed?


5. How are Glaciers significant for irrigation?


6. How do farmers manage to grow two crops instead of one?


7. In which year did President Pranab Mukherjee confer Padmashri to Mr. Norphel?


8. How many months does the ice formation continue for?


9. Find the word in the paragraph 6 which means the same as ‘gathering’?

3

You are Sujal /Sujata of Pragya Public School, Nangal, Punjab who had arranged a trip for fifty students to Nanital in summer vacations for ten days with „Mount Travels and Tourism‟. The arrangements done by the travel agency were far below the standard. The accommodation and food facilities were inferior in quality. Write a letter of complaint to the director of the agency to stop duping tourists with false promises as it tarnishes the image of locals. (100-120 words)

OR


India is a highly populated country. People lack in maintaining proper sanitation and hygiene, as a result, they suffer from various diseases. India has a serious sanitation challenge; around 60 percent of the world’s open defecation takes place in India. Poor sanitation causes health hazards including diarrhea, particularly in children under 5 years of age, malnutrition, and deficiencies in physical development and cognitive ability. You are Nitish /Nikita, head boy/girl of Anand Public School, Jaipur. Write a letter to the editor of a national daily, highlighting the problem and suggesting practical ways to ensure public sanitation and the right to dignity and privacy. (100-120 words)


 4

Develop a short story with the help of the given visual / starting line .Give a suitable title to your story. (150-200 words)

A.



OR


B. It was an amazing day, full of fun and frolic. We all stood aghast to see a strange flying object over our heads. We started guessing …(write in 150-200 words)

 5

Fill in any four of the blanks choosing the most appropriate option from the ones given in the box. Write the answers in your answer-sheet against the correct blank numbers.

1. Butterflies are abundant (a) ___________ the Central African Republic.


2. It (b) ___________home to nearly 600 identified species.


3. Many butterflies are brilliantly coloured and small(c) __________ some are as big as saucers.


4. Farmer Philippe (d) __________ solace in collecting butterfly wings from his fields and turning them into works of art.


5. My favorite hobby, since my childhood, is (e) __________ butterflies.