Monday, September 13, 2021

ENGLISH GRAMMER : ANTONYMS AND SYNONYMS.


EVENTS CONVENT HIGH SCHOOL
13/09/2021                    SESSION 2021-22

ENGLISH grammer 

word antonyms & synonyms  

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Antonyms and Synonyms :-

  • Synonyms are words that have the same, or almost the same, meaning as another word.
  • Antonyms are words that have the opposite meaning of another word.


Word

Synonyms

Antonyms

abandon

desert, forsake

keep

ability

skill, aptitude,incompetence

inability

abundant

ample, sufficient scanty,

insufficient

achieve

accomplish, attain

fail

adjourn

postpone, recess

recommence, continue

amateur

beginner, novice

professional

artificial

fake, synthetic

real, authentic

beginning

start, initiate

finish, end

blend

combine, mix

separate

broad

wide, expansive

narrow

calm

quiet, tranquil, still

excited, turbulent

chubby

plump, pudgy

thin, skinny

coarse

bumpy, rough

fine, smooth

competent

capable, qualified

incompetent, inept

complex

complicated, intricate

simple

condemn

censure, denounce

approve

conflict

fight, battle, struggle

peace, harmony

congested

overcrowded, stuffed

empty, unfilled

conscientious

scrupulous, virtuous

neglectful, careless

consecutive

successive, continuous

interrupted

contaminate

pollute, defile, infect

purify

conventional

customary, traditional

unusual

courteous

polite, civil

rude

cranky

cross, irritable

good-humored

daring

bold, audacious

cautious

 

CLASS-12 SUBJECT ENGLISH CHAPTER-2 LOST SPRING


EVENTS CONVENT HIGH SCHOOL
13/09/2021      CLASS-12       SESSION 2021-22

ENGLISH CHAPTER-2

LOST SPRING 

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Notice these expressions in the text. Infer their meaning from the context.
(i) looking for
(ii) slog their daylight hours
(iii) roof over his head
(iv) imposed the baggage on the child
(v) perpetual state of poverty
(vi) dark hutments
Answer:
(i) looking for : in search of or to try to find.
(ii) slog their daylight hours : They (the children) work hard and steadily before the furnace during the day.
(iii) roof over his head : He has somewhere a place to live or a house of any kind.
(iv) imposed the baggage on the child : They have put an extra burden on the child’s head.
(v) perpetual state of poverty : when poverty remains with a person for ever or continuously.
(vi) dark hutments : very small hutlike places which are filled with darkness.

Lost Spring Think as you read (Page 17)

Question 1.
What is Saheb looking for in the garbage dumps ? Where is he and where has he come from ?
Answer:
Saheb is looking for or trying to find valuable things or money in the garbage dumps. He is in Delhi living at Seemapuri, which is at the outskirts of Delhi. He has come from Bangladesh.

Question 2.
What explanations does the author offer for the children not wearing footwear ?
Answer:
One explanation for the children remaining barefoot is that it is not lack of money but a tradition to remain barefoot. The author feels that this is only an excuse to explain away a continuous state of poverty.

Question 3.
Is Saheb happy working at the tea-stall ? Explain.
Answer:
I do not think Saheb is happy working at the tea-stall. Though he has regular income, yet his face has lost the carefree look and he is no longer his own master, as the author comments. On this basis we can say that he is not happy working at the tea-stall.

Lost Spring Think as you read (Page 20)

Question 1.
What makes the city of Firozabad famous ?
Answer:
The city of Firozabad is famous for its bangles. Every other family in Firozabad is engaged in making bangles.

Question 2.
Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry ?
Answer:
Working in the glass bangles industry is tedious and unhealthy. They have to work in the glass furnaces with high temperatures, in dark cells without air and light. Working continuously throughout the day under such conditions is too hazardous for the health and eyes, especially for a large number of children working there. They often lose the brightness of their eyes.

Question 3.
How is Mukesh’s attitude to his situation different from that of his family ?
Answer:
Mukesh’s attitude to his situation differs from his family as he wants to be a motor mechanic whereas his family has spent generations working around furnaces, welding glass, making bangles.

Lost Spring Understanding the text

Question 1.
What could be some of the reasons for the migration of people from villages to cities ?
Answer:
A large number of people are forced to migrate to cities from their villages, looking for various means of livelihood. The land in the villages is limited for agriculture. When the families grow, they are not able to accommodate all the members in their ancestral agricultural profession. As a result of it, they go to the cities to earn their livelihood. Sometimes because of frequent natural calamities like storms etc.

which swept away their fields and homes, they are forced to come to big or small cities. However, some villagers also come to the cities being attracted and fascinated by the facilities which the city life provides. Moreover most of the big industries which provide employment to a large number of people are in the cities.

That is why to seek employment people from villages come there. Many rickshaw pullers and some auto rickshaw drivers also come from the villages to earn money. Some villagers also start jobs like dairy farming and supply milk in the cities to enhance their incomes.

Question 2.
Would you agree that promises made to poor children are rarely kept ? Why do you think this happens in the incidents narrated in the text ?
Answer:
It is generally seen that promises made to the poor children are most often not kept. For instance, in this lesson the author asks Saheb to go to school. When Saheb replies that there is no school in the neighbourhood, the author asks him half-jokingly that if she starts a school, then he would come.

The promises thus made with the poor children are not real or serious or they are made “half-jokingly’. Saheb, like other poor children, takes the promises made to them seriously, and asks the author if her school is ready. That is why the author says that, ‘But promises like mine abound in every corner of his bleak world’.

Similarly, promises made to poor children or steps supposed to be taken for their welfare by government or other agencies hardly materialise either because of lack of sincerity or excuse of having not enough resources.

Question 3.
What forces conspire to keep the workers in the bangle industry of Firozabad in poverty ?
Answer:
Firozabad is famous for its bangles and bangle industry. There families have spent generations working around furnaces, welding glass and making bangles. There are around 20,000 children working in miserable conditions in bangle industry of Firozabad. But the workers involved in this industry are forced to lead a life of poverty.

They cannot send their children to schools nor they can provide sufficient food for their family-members. Most of them have not enjoyed even one full meal in their entire lives. It is because the vicious circle of middlemen take most of their profit. They are entrapped throughout their lives in “a web of poverty” caused by a vicious circle of the moneylenders, the middlemen, the policemen, the keepers of the law, the bureaucrats and the politicians. They are entrapped in this web from one generation to another.

Lost Spring Talking about the text

Question 1.
How, in your opinion, can Mukesh realise his dream ?
Answer:
Mukesh belongs to Firozabad, where every other family is engaged in making bangles. Mukesh’s family also is doing the same job for the last many generations. But Mukesh does not want to adopt his family profession. Rather, he wants to become a motor mechanic. Mukesh is justified in thinking so. He has seen that despite working so hard and so steadily under unhealthy and hazardous conditious, his family is so poor that it is difficult to maintain or provide even the bare necessities of life.

In my opinion, Mukesh can realise his dream of being a motor mechanic because of the indomitable will power and firm determination he seems to possess. Though his family- members are unlikely to agree to what he wishes to do leaving the long-preserved art of bangles-making, yet I hope he will be able to overcome the resistance.

He has many reasons to convince his family-members that what he wishes to do is right and ultimately beneficial for him and his family. Besides economic advantages, Mukesh can convince his family- members that the job of a motor mechanic will be good for his health. Moreover, he would not face the risk of gradually losing eyesight as he would if he becomes a bangle-maker.

Question 2.
Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry.
Answer:
It is tedious and unhealthy to do working under unhygenic conditions in the glass bangles industry. They have to work on the furnaces with high temperature, in dark cells without air and light. Moreover they have to inhale suspended particles of the material used for making bangles. Working with continuous hours throughout the day and night under such dreary conditions is too hazardous for the health especially for the lungs and eyes. A large number of children working there are forced to lose their brightness of childhood even.

Question 3.
Why should child labour be eliminated and how ?
Answer:
Child labour is a curse on humanity and civilisation. But unfortunately it has been prevalent in developed, underdeveloped or undeveloped countries since times immemorial. Not to speak of countries like India, at one time or another it has been prevalent in countries like England a few centuries ago.

But fortunately now more and more countries are passing laws to eliminate this menace. The worst part is that child labour has been exploited to a great extent because labour laws were not applicable on them. Moreover the poor and helpless children had been working off the record, without any protection provided in the labour laws.

For too long a period and even now to some extent, in many industries in India child labour was employed to do various unskilled jobs. Child labour was engaged in carpet making, ‘beedi’- making, bangles-making and in so many other industries. Now in most of the countries, including India, child labour has been banned by law. But still there are many kinds of industries where child-labour is engaged.

I think child-labour can be abolished not merely by imposing laws, but also to make the people realise that it is against humanity. A child is supposed to go to school and develop as a good and useful member of the society. But even this awareness is not enough. We have to realise why a child is forced to do menial jobs. It is because of poverty. So, not only education of such children should be free, but they should be provided with other stipends and scholarships also. In any case, they should not be deprived of studying and become worthy of earning when they grow up.

CLASS-11 SUBJECT-ENGLISH CHAPTER-4 LANDSCAPE OF THE SOUL


EVENTS CONVENT HIGH SCHOOL
13/09/2021      CLASS-11       SESSION 2021-22

ENGLISH CHAPTER-4

LANDSCAPE OF THE SOUL

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Landscape of the Soul Understanding The Text

Question 1. (i) Contrast the Chinese view of art with the European view with examples.
Answer:
The European view of art is to reproduce an actual view. A Western or European painting is ‘figurative’ or emblematic. The European painter wants you to borrow his eyes and look at a particular landscape exactly as he saw it. He wants us to watch the painting from a specific angle from his point of view. In European painting more attention is paid to “delicate realism” It can be illustrated from the example of Quinten Metsys, a master blacksmith, who painted a fly on the latest panel of a painter, with whose daughter he fell in love. It looked so real that the painter admitted him as his apprentice.

But a classical Chinese painting is not meant to reproduce an actual view. The Chinese painter does not choose a single viewpoint. His landscape is not a ‘real’ one, and you can enter it from any point and then travel in it. This is because the artist creates a path for your eyes to travel up and down, then back again, in a leisurely movement. This is even more true in the case of the horizontal scroll.

In it the action of slowly opening one section of the painting, then rolling it up to move on the other, adds a dimension of time. This is unknown in any other form of painting. It also requires the active participation of the viewer, who decides at which pace he will travel through the painting. Thus the participation is physical as well as mental. The Chinese painter does not want you to borrow his eyes. On the other hand, he wants you to enter his mind. The landscape is an inner one, a spiritual and conceptual space.

(ii) Explain the concept of ‘Shanshui’.
Answer:
The literal meaning of ‘Shanshui’ is ‘mountain-water’. When used together it represents the word ‘Landscape’. These are more than two elements of an image. These represent two complimentary poles, reflecting the Daoist view of the universe. The mountain Yang, is reaching vertically towards Heaven. It is stable, warm, and dry in the sun. The water is Yin horizontal and resting on the Earth. It is fluid, moist and cool. Yin is the receptive, feminine aspect of universal energy. Its counterpart Yang is active and masculine. The interaction of Yin and Yang is of course the fundamental notion of Daoism.

However, there is an essential third element, the Middle Void, where the interaction of Yin and Yang takes place. This can be compared with the yogic practice of ‘pranayama’, where we breathe in, retain and breathe out. Thus the suspension of breath is the void where meditation occurs. So the Middle Void is essential-nothing can happen without it. That is why there is the importance of the white, unpainted space in Chinese landscape. This is also where man finds a fundamental role. In that space between heaven and Earth, he becomes the conduit of communication between both poles of the universe.

Question 2. (i) What do you understand by the terms ‘outsider art’ and ‘art brut or ‘raw art’ ?
Answer:
The concept of ‘art brut’ in the 1940’s was first originated by the French painter Jean Dubuffet. This genre is described as art of those who have ‘no right’ to be artist as they have no formal training, yet show talent and artistic insight. It is a stimulating contrast to the main stream style of art. In the beginning, very few people had interest in this form of art. But now ‘outsider art’ has gradually become the fastest growing art of interest in contemporary art internationally.

The notion of ‘art brut’ or ‘raw art’ was of works that were in their raw state as regards cultural and artistic influences. Anything and everything from a tin to sink to a broken down car could be material for this work of art. Thus it is totally different from the concept of the traditional art of painting where brush and colours are used. The Rock Garden created by Nek Chand at Chandigarh is perhaps the best example of such a form of art.

(ii) Who was the ‘untutored genius who created a paradise’ and what is the nature of his contribution to art ?
Answer:
The ‘untutored genius’ is the 80-year-old Nek Chand who has created a paradise in the form of the world-famous Rock Garden at Chandigarh. He is the creator-director of Rock Garden. He is called ‘untutored’ because he never had any formal training in art. He is a genius because he had made himself a garden sculpted with stone and recycled material, when years ago he began clearing the little patch of jungle, which was then at the outskirts of Chandigarh.

Nek Chand is now hailed as India’s biggest contribution to outsider art. He has also taken the form of art called ‘art brut’ or ‘raw art’ to dizzying heights. The Swiss Commission for UNESCO has recognised his art as “an outstanding testimony of the difference a single man can make when he lives his dream”

The Swiss Commission will be honouring him by way of a European exposition of his works. The five-month interactive show, “Realm of Nek Chand” was held at leading musliums in Switzerland, Belgium, France and Italy. ‘Raw vision’ is UK-based magazine pioneer in outsider art publications. Its 50th issue (Spring 2005) has featured Nek Chand. His Rock Garden sculptor ‘Women by the Waterfall’ was published on its anniversary issue’s cover.

Landscape of the Soul Talking About The Text

Discuss the following statements in group of four :

Question 1.“The Emperor may rule over the territory he has conquered, but only the artist knows the way within.”
Answer:
The author illustrates this statement with an old Chinese tale. A Chinese painter Wu Daozi lived in the eighth century. His last painting was a landscape commissioned by the Tang Emperor Xuanzong, to decorate a palace wall. The master painter had hidden his work behind a screen, so only the Emperor would see it. For a long while, the Emperor admired the wonderful scene, discovering forests, high mountains, waterfalls, clouds float¬ing in veiy huge sky, men on hilly paths and birds in flight.

The painter said to the king that in this cave, at the foot of the mountain, a spirit lives. Then the painter clapped his hands, and the entrance to the cave opened. He said to the Emperor, “The inside is splendid, beyond anything words can convey please let me show Your Majesty the way.” Then the painter entered the cave but the entrance closed behind him. Before the astonished Em¬peror could move or utter a word, the painting had vanished from the wall. And the artist was never seen again in his world.

Though this story seemed unbelievable, yet it teaches us a very good lesson. The Emperor had commissioned a painting but he could appreciate its outer appearance only. But the artist re vealed to him the true meaning of his work. The Emperor may be the ruler of the territory conquered by him. But only the artist knows the way within. He is more aware of the mysterious works of the universe. The painting is no more there. But the artist has reached his goal-beyond any material appearance.

Question 2.“The landscape is an inner one, a spiritual and conceptual space.”
Answer:
In Chinese painting, the landscape is an inner one. It is not figurative like the Western painting. It is rather spiritual and pertaining to mental conception. Like a Western painting, a classical Chinese landscape is not meant to reproduce an actual view. The Chinese painter does not choose a single viewpoint. His landscape is not a ‘real one’, and you can enter it from any point and then travel in it.

The artist creates for our eyes a path to travel up and down, then back again in a leisurely movement. This is even more true in the case of the horizontal scroll. In it the action of slowly opening one section of the painting, then rolling it up to move on to the other, adds a dimension of time. It is quite unknown in other form of painting. It also requires the active participation of the viewer, who decides at which pace he will travel through the painting. This participation is physical as well as mental. That is why the Chinese landscape is an inner one, a spiritual and conceptual space.

 Landscape of the Soul Thinking About Language

Question 1.
Find out the correlates of Yin and Yang in other cultures.
Answer:
To my mind the correlates of Yin and Yang are found in Hindu mythology— ‘Aakash’ and ‘Patal’—‘Aakash’ relates to Yang] whereas ‘Patal’ relates to ‘Yin’.

Question 2.
What is the language spoken in Flanders ?
Answer:
The author belongs to Belgium, a European country. I think besides other Eu¬ropean languages, English is also spoken there.

 Landscape of the Soul Working With Words

I. The following common words are used in more than one sense :
NCERT SNCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Hornbill Chapter 4 Landscape of the Soul
Examine the following sets of sentences to find out what the words ‘panel’ and ‘essence’ mean in different contexts :
Question 1.
(i) The masks from Bawa village in Mali look like long panels of decorated wood.
(ii) Judge H. Hobart Grooms told the jury panel he had heard the reports.
(iii) The panel is laying the groundwork for an international treaty.
(iv) The glass panels of the window were broken.
(v) Through the many round tables, workshops or panel discussions, a consensus was reached.
(vi) The sink in the hinged panel above the bunk drains into the head.

Question 2.
(i) Their repetitive structure must have taught the people around the great composer the essence of music.
(ii) Part of the answer is in the proposition; but the essence is in the meaning.
(iii) The implications of these schools of thoughts are of practical essence for the teacher.
(iv) They had added vanilla essence to the pudding.

II. Now collect five sentences each for the rest of the words to show the different senses in which each of them is used :
Answer:
1. Studio :
(i) The painter is painting a portrait in his studio.
(ii) Rohit has kept a studio couch in his office. He uses it as a bed for one hour after lunch.
(iii) The photographer taught me how to develop a film in his studio.
(iv) All the studios of cinema companies in Mumbai are called today.
(v) Radio and T.V. programmes are recorded and are regularly broadcast from the studio

2. Material :
(i) Yam is the basic raw material used for making clothes of various kinds.
(ii) Western countries have achieved material progress, but spiritually eastern countries are far advanced.
(iii) This material is not enough to stitch two coats.
(iv) Food, housing and clothes are the basic material needs of a person.
(v) The judge warned the witness not to hold back material facts, which might influence the decision.

3. Brush :
(i) I always brash hay teeth twice a day.
(ii) Roman brushed away a fly from his nose.
(iii) He tries to get the girl to go out with him, but she always brushes him off.
(iv) If you are going to France you’d better brush up your French.
(v) The leaves of the trees brushed my face as I ran through the forest.

Landscape of the Soul Noticing Form

  • A classical Chinese landscape is not meant to reproduce an actual view, as would a Western figurative painting.
  • Whereas the European painter wants you to borrow his eyes and look at a particular landscape exactly as he saw it, from a specific angle, the Chinese painter does not choose a single viewpoint.

The above two examples are ways in which contrast may be expressed,

Combine the following sets of ideas to show the contrast between them.

Question 1.
(i) European art tries to achieve a perfect, illusionistic likeness.
(ii) Asian art tries to capture the essence of inner life and spirit.

Question 2.
(i) The Emperor commissions a painting and appreciates its outer appearance.
(ii) The artist reveals to him the true meaning of his work.

Question 3.
(i) The Emperor may rule over the territory he has conquered.
(ii) The artist knows the way within.
Answer:
1. European art tries to achieve a perfect, illusionistic likeness whereas Asian art . tries to capture the essence of inner life and spirit.
2. The emperor commissions a painting and appreciates its outer appearance but the artist reveals to him the true meaning of his work.
3. The emperor may rule over the territory he has conquered while the artist knows the way within.

Landscape of the Soul Things To Do

Question 1.
Find out about as many Indian schools of painting as you can. Write a short note on the distinctive features of each school.
Answer:
India has a vast country having innumerable diverse cultures. So there are a large number of schools of painting. I am aware of a few schools of painting, which are mentioned below :

  • Mewar school of painting : It depicts mostly paintings based on religious scriptures.
  • Marwar school of painting : It depicts mostly religious, social, war and hunting themes.
  • Kishangarh school of painting : It depicts mostly the paintings based on Shri Rrishana and Radha.
  • Dhundhar school of painting : It depicts mostly the paintings based on contem-porary and themes relating to Mughal period.

Question 2.
Find out other experiments in recycling that help in environmental conservation. ;
Answer:
A painting by an 86-year old Chinese master has gone under the hammer for a record 30 million yuan, highlighting soaring world interest in Chinese art. The work by Wu Guanzhong depicting a cluster of colourful parrots sitting on tree branches smashed the previous record price for a Chinese ink painting of 23 million yuan for a 12th century masterpiece by the Song Dynasty emperor Huizong. “Wu Guanzhong has successfully melded Chinese and Western artisitic traditions,” said Ma Zhefet, marketing manager from China’s Poly Art and Culture Co., which ran Monday’s auction in Beijing.