Public demonstration causes a lot of disturbance in daily routine of common man. You almost missed your important entrance examination as people blocked the highway. As Tarun / Taruna, a student aspiring to be a doctor, write a letter to the Editor of The Times of India highlighting the need to discourage such demonstrations and disturbance by public on highways which cause a great loss of time and opportunity for many. (100-125 words)

OR

You are Tarun / Taruna who bought a new Luminous Inverter for your home from R.K. Electronics, Noida but found many functional problems as the charging is not done properly and battery water is getting leaked. Write a letter of complaint to the proprietor to take care of the same. (100-125 words)

Read the passage and answer the questions given below:

1. There is a clear dichotomy between Jayashankar Prasad’s daily life and the one that found expression in his literature. In his literary formulations, Prasad advocated an escape- from- personality ideal and categorically stated: “An artist’s art, and not his person, is the touchstone to assess his work . . . it is only after losing his personality that he emerges in his art as an artist”.

2. In Prasad’s works – his poems, short stories, novels, dramas etc. – what emerges is life as shaped in the writer’s inner self by his emotions, fancies, dreams, reveries . . . His writings are a record not of outer reality, but of the artist’s inner world. As such, of a proper appreciation and understanding of his works more emphasis needs to be placed on the working of his mind, than the events of his day to-day life.

3. Prasad was born in a renowned family of Varansi. His grand-father Shiv RatanSahu, a dealer in high quality perfumed tobacco (snuff). Besides being an astute businessman, he was endowed with a marked cultural taste. His home was the meeting place of the local poets, singers, artists, scholars and men of religion. Prasad’s father Devi Prasad Sahu carried forward this high tradition of family. Prasad, therefore, had a chance to study the various phases of human nature in the light of the business traditions, artistic taste and religious background of his family.

4. When the business had somewhat recovered, Prasad planned the publication of a literary journal. Prasad started the “Indu”. The inaugural number appeared in July 1909. By this time Prasad’s notions of literature had crystalized into a credo. In the first issue of Indu, he proclaimed, “Literature has no fixed aim; it is not slave to rules; it is free and all-embracing genius, gives birth to genuine literature which is subservient to none. Whatever in the world is true and beautiful is its subject matter. By the dealing with the True and Beautiful it establishes the one and affects the full flowering of the others. Its force can be measured by the degree of pleasure it gives to the reader’s mind as also by criticism which is free of all prejudice”. The words sound like the manifesto of romanticism in literature.

5. Even while recognizing the social relevance of literature, Prasad insisted, “The poet is a creator . . . he is not conditioned by his milieu; rather it is he who moulds it and gives it a new shape; he conjures up a new world of beauty where the reader for the time being, becomes oblivious of the outer world and passes his time in an eternal spring garden where golden lotuses blossom and the air is thick and pollen”. Thus, the chief aim of literature according to Prasad is to give joy to the reader and to create a state of bliss in him. Later under the impact of Shaivadvaitism, this faith of Prasad got further strengthened.

(Extract from ‘Jayashankar Prasad- His mind and Art’ by Dr. Nagendra)

2.1 On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, make notes on it using headings and subheadings. Use recognizable abbreviations (wherever necessary-minimum four) and a format you consider suitable. Also supply an appropriate title to it.

2.2 Write a summary of the passage in about 100 words.

You are Simar / Smriti of Lotus International School, Jodhpur. Your school is organizing a workshop on “Prevention of Drug Abuse” in the coming week. Prepare a poster with complete information for the students of class X-XII.

OR

You are Simar / Smriti of Lotus International School, Jodhpur. Your school has decided to contribute in controlling traffic near your school and requires the names of volunteers from IX to XII. Write a notice to be displayed on the notice board. (50 words)

You are Mukul / Mahima of Alps Public School. Your school has organized a debate on “Social Media and It’s Effects’ and you will be participating from your school. Prepare your views against or in favour of the motion. (150-200 words)

OR

As Mukul / Mahima of Alps Public School, write a speech to be delivered in school assembly highlighting the importance of cleanliness suggesting that the state of cleanliness reflects the character of its citizens. (150-200 words)

By 2050, India will be amongst the countries which will face acute water shortage. You are highly alarmed and terrified of the future world without water. So, write an article on “Save water- are we doing enough?” for the local daily in 150-200 words.

OR

You are Karan / Kirti of L.M. Memorial Public School, Dwarka. Your school has adopted a village as a social responsibility. Students are being taken to teach the children of that village on a regular basis. Write a report, for your school magazine, on the various other programmes organized there in 150-200 words.