ESSAY WRITING

SUPERSTITIONS – EVEN TODAY (UNIT-17) (M-06)

Points: where do they come from – why do they continue to exist – who are the victims of superstitions?
Why? – How can people get rid of them?

Superstitions are nothing but a blind belief. There is no logic or scientific reason behind it. These
beliefs go against the law of nature. Superstitions were many in the past because people had no education.
Even today they prevail in one form or the other. The poor and the illiterate are their victims. We can not
get any reasonable proof for them. Today we live in twenty first century – a century of scientific
inventions. So we should not believe in superstitions.
There are superstitions all over the world. They are about birds, animals, natural calamities,
colours, numbers, particular behavior etc. Even there are superstitions about eclipse in Europe. There are
natural calamities like the earthquake, flood, drought, storm or the fire. Some of us think that they are
caused by anger of some gods or goddesses.
Even in 21st century, superstitions exist in civilized or educated countries. Even the educated people
believe in superstitions. Many people do not have a hair cut or a shave on Saturdays. Some people believe
no.13 as an unlucky number. Some consider the crossing of a widow to be a bad sign. Famous persons
consult astrologers while taking important decisions. A lot of people offer fruits, food, gold, silver etc. to
please God or win favour.
In India many people believe that if a black cat crosses in front of them , it will bring bad luck for the day.
In England many people believe that if a black cat walks towards a person ,it will bring good luck for the
day.
Superstitions are a great hindrance to the progress of our society. Superstitions people are generally
illiterate, ignorant, credulous and gullible. They are exploited by the ‘bhuvas’, ‘tantrics’ etc. Superstitions
people refused to see reason.
It is necessary to educate people to get rid of superstitions. It is also necessary to teach them
scientific truths. They should be made fearless against the result of such beliefs.

SATELLITE AT OUR SERVICE (UNIT-19)

Points: What is a satellite? How is it launched? What are the uses? Indian satellite

Satellites are manmade devices projected into orbit around the earth by means of powerful rockets.
Satellite are intended for research in places above the earth’s atmosphere’ and for communication. They
relay back the telephone messages or radio and TV signals received from another part of the earth.
Telephone system gets better facilities for intercity communication and helps the businessmen. Satellite
communication brings together people living in different parts of the world. It will also bring more
information to people and improve the quality of people’s life. Satellite communication thus promises a
powerful and significant experimental communication satellite which had some 400 telephone channels.
It worked satisfactorily still it was switched off in September 1983. The INSAT-IA was launched in
1992. It had exclusive use for TV relay. It had premature end after about five months. INSAT-IB was
launched into space in 1993. Now INSAT-IC has been launched. A great advantage of these INSAT
satellites is that the Indian telephone system gets better facilities for intercity communication. In short
satellite service has changed our lives for better.

1 SEM IV
 A VISIT TO A HAIRDRESSER’S SHOP (UNIT-15)
Points: the interior of the shop – decoration – mirrors – posters paining – razors, brushes, combs, etc. –
magazines and newspapers, customers

Most of the persons visit a hairdresser’s shop. It is also called ‘Saloon’. To get my hair cut. I visited
‘The Star Saloon’ last Sunday. The shop was shining very brightly on the sign board outside. As I entered
the shop, I felt great relief because of A.C. There was rush in the shop so I had to wait for some time.
There was some sitting arrangement for the waiting persons. Poster’s and paintings were also found on
the walls. There were news papers and magazines lying on a teapoy.
Sitting on a bench, I went on watching around me. I smelt of perfume, soap, hair oil etc. There were
newspapers and magazines on a teapot. Then I saw a fine interior design of the shop. There were a radio,
T.V. and a tape recorder in the shop. There was an attractive mirror on the wall. There were also wall-
papers on the walls. The colour of the wall-papers looked natural. There were the posters of some film
stars and natural scenes.
Then it was my turn and I moved on to a chair. The barber wraps me up with a white sheet. There
were scissors, razors, brushes, combs, powder tins, perfume bottles, hair oil bottles and other cosmetic
items for the barber to use. He roughly pushed my head down and my chin up. Then he began to cut my
hair with a comb and scissors. It took him just twenty minutes and he cut my hair very well. I saw some
customers waiting for their turns. They were busy in reading newspapers and magazines.
Our visit to a hairdresser’s shop lends us an opportunity to meet different people. Sometimes we learn a
lot of information about the surroundings and happenings from a hairdresser.
Really, I enjoyed my hair cutting. I left the shop saying the barber ‘good-bye’.

EACH ONE TREE ONE (UNIT-10)(J-08, J-09)(Q.Bank)

“Trees are like saints – We throw stones, they give us fruits.”
It is true that trees are a great boon to mankind. They are quite connected with human life. Without
trees, we can’t imagine human life. It is said that, “A friends in need is a friend indeed.”
Trees are our true and best friends. They are very useful to us in many ways. They keep the
environment clean and beautiful. They take in carbon dioxide and give out oxygen. They also keep the
temperature down and soil fertile. Trees are our natural wealth so we must not cut them down. We should
not let anyone cut down a tree. If we cut down trees, our life will be in danger. Without trees, the soil is
washed away and the land loses its fertility. There isn’t enough rainfall so the rivers are drying up. The
deserts are expanding and birds and animals are drying.
Trees give us fruits, vegetables, flowers, gum, rubber, medicine etc. They also give us wood for
fuel. Paper is also made from the bark of the trees. Timber is also used to build houses and make
furniture. Trees also give food and shelter for birds and animals. Thus, we must understand the value of
the trees.
If there were no trees, there would be no rain and land would turn into a desert. We would suffer for
want of food, water, fresh air, etc. So our prime and urgent duty should be to conserve exiting trees and
grow more trees.
It is good matter that the government has realized the importance of trees. So a tree plantation
programme known as “Van Mahotsav” is held every year. Each one of us must decide to grow and
protect at least one tree. We must not forget the wise saying, “Save the trees and the trees will save you.”

2 SEM IV
 TERRORISM
Terrorism is nothing else but a tyranny shown to the innocent citizens by some disruptive
forces. On one hand, we are trying to maintain international harmony & peace on other, the giant of
terrorism is keeping its jaws open to eat up as many countries as possible. The terrorist’s activities have
been developed in India for the last twenty years.
Terrorism basically rises from the political conflicts. The party which is defeated by the
ruling party tries to instigate the people to start the disruptive activities. Sometimes, people are also
convinced to perform certain crimes on account of their religious fanaticism. The politicians make the
unemployed youngsters involve in the activities like kidnapping, killing the famous personalities, creating
the communal riots etc. Terrorists run their struggle by hiding themselves in safe places. So it difficult to
arrest them. The problem of terrorism has done a great damage to the economy of the country. The
terrorists try to force the government to fulfill their illegal demands. It also creates a fear & insecurity in
the minds of the people.
Although, the present government has taken many steps to control the terrorist activities, we
have recently lost our dearest late Shree Rajiv Gandhi. He was killed by some unidentified terrorists. If
we let all these happen for another few years, it will be impossible for the citizens to move freely in their
own country. Let the government take some prompt actions so that we might create an atmosphere of
peace, prosperity & communal harmony.

UNITY IN DIVERSITY (UNIT-12)

India is a democratic country. It is a very big and great country. India is a very big
country with 28 states. India is such a country which has a variety of people, cultures, customers,
traditions, food habits, dresses, languages and beautiful places. People from all over the world come to
see India and its diversity. Though there is diversity, there is unity in Indians. We all love very much. It is
said that there is unity in diversity in India. But they all mingle into one when they are called Indians.
There is a lot of variety in the physical features of India. People of India follow different customs and
traditions.
The Hindus, the Muslims, the Parsis, the Christians, the Sikhs etc. have different places of worship.
They have also different ways of prayers. Thus, India is known for secularism. Secular countries are rare
in the world expect India. Though the India people follow different religions and customs, they live in a
friendly manner with one another.
People of India have diversified interest. Different festivals are celebrated throughout the
year. There are artists and scientists who are famous all over the world. There are also various ideologies
in India. There are superstitions too because of different ideas. But the Indian people are progressive who
hold belief based on education.
India is a very colourful country. Costumes, jewellery, food habits and the ways of people
are colourful. People of India are very fond of variety of food. There are so many languages, that
sometimes we are surprised to know the list. There are languages like Gujarati, Bengali, Malayalam,
Kannada, Punjabi and above all the national language-Hindi. It is said in India that you will find a new
language at distance of every 12 miles.. Sometimes we are surprised to know the list.
Thus, India is a country of diversity but there are similarities and differences bith. But
ultimately, people of India respect and love one another.

THE PROBLEM OF NOISE POLLUTION (UNIT-18) (M-07) (J-07)

To pollute means to make dirty, impure, poisonous or dangerous. Ecological disturbance by
man is pollution. Man pollutes enviourment for his selfish purposes. Pollution is a dangerous problem that
we are facing today. Pollution can be of different type-air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution etc.
Any sound that interferes with hearing or has other harmful effects human health and well
being is termed as noise pollution. Many sounds associated with human activities contribute to noise
pollution. For example, our community festivities. Religious processions like those on Ganpati immersions

3 SEM IV
days when hundred of groups converge towards a few common points. Air pollution is caused by gases and
smoke emitted by vehicles and factories. Water pollution is caused due to the dumping of chemical wastes
from nearby industries. Sewage is released into the rivers and the seas. Thus, air pollution and water
pollution are very dangerous. But we are hardly aware of noise pollution.
Noises are of different kinds. They create from blasting a bomb, firing of crackers, heavy
machines, vehicles, musical instruments etc. These all noises pollute the environment and harm us. When
noise levels exceed 90 decibels, it harms us. In big towns and cities, the problem of noise pollution is very
serious. It is a growing threat to hearing.
Noise pollution is our great enemy. It harms us in many ways. It may affect our nervous
system very badly. Constant and loud noise can bring about gradual deafness. We can’t enjoy mental peace
too. There is no immediate effect of this problem. So we do not pay attention to this. But there is a solution
to this noise pollution and it is easy to handle.
We should make minimum use of loud speakers, vehicles, etc. We all should co-operate
mutually for the controller removal noise pollution.

HOW SHOULD ANIMALS BE TREATED

Universe is made of many types of creatures, animals, birds and people. There are lots of
species of animals on the earth. Some live on land, some live in water and some live on both land and in
water. Animals have a great usefulness. They are very useful to mankind.
Animals have been man’s friends for centuries. They have also our constant companions
because they help us in many ways. Their services to mankind is great and unbelievable. Meat, skin,
bones and milk of animals are used all over the world. The horse, the camel, the elephant, the donkey, the
reindeer etc. are used for traveling and transportation. Thus, they are very useful to mankind.
But how we treat the animals ? We have been extremely selfish in the use of the animals.
We have overloaded beasts of burden. We have starved them or flogged them if they don’t learn and
perform tricks well in a circus. We do experiments on them and kill them for inventing new medicines.
This makes animals suffer a lot. We should remember that our debt to these unfortunate helpless creatures
can’t be repaid. It is the milk of the cow and the buffallow which nourishes us from our infancy.
The question is, how animals should be treated ? We should be grateful to them. We should
not harass them for our selfish purposes. We should not overload them for transportation or kill them for
our needs. The hunters should not hunt them. We should not flog them for our selfish purposes. In zoo,
the animals should be looked after well. The visitors also should not tease or harass them.
We should love animals and take care of their lives. We should treat them with care and
love because their lives are as important as ours.

HOW YOU FEEL WHEN YOU ARE ANGRY

Man is an intelligent animal. But at the same time he is sensitive. Anger is man’s greatest
enemy. One does not get angry automatically. There are some circumstances which make one angry. I am
emotional so I generally get annoyed quickly and there is a change in my behavior.
When I am calm, I always think rationally and act wisely. But once I get angry, I lose the
power of thinking properly. It is difficult to me to control myself. When I get angry, there are terrible
changes in my mentality. My voice becomes louder and my eyes become red. I cannot think properly. I
lose control over myself. I am ready to attack the person or harm him physically. I start quarrelling with
the person with whom I get angry.
But after some time, I calm down and start thinking properly. I realize that I have done a
great wrong. I also realize my mistakes. I become aware of my bad habits. I feel quite relaxed after anger
and I repent a lot for my behavior. I know that I lose my friends this way but I can’t help myself.
It is said that anger is a temporary madness. I have also read that anger is very harmful to
our health. It greatly affects blood pressure. It also spoils our relationships and makes us disappointed. To
get rid of anger, I have started ‘meditation’ and ‘Pranayam’. I hope that I will be successful in controlling
my anger.

4 SEM IV
 NATURAL CALAMITIES
Points : Nature’s frowning mood – kinds of calamities – damages done by them – measures to be taken –
man’s helplessness – hand of sympathy – nature’s upper hand.
Mother nature is always kind to her children. She loves them more than herself. But
sometimes she becomes angry and punishes her children. Her anger is come out many ways. Some of
them are – floods, famine, earthquake, storms or cyclones, heavy rain etc.
When there is heavy rainfall, the rivers are flooded. Flooding rivers or tides in the sea make
people homeless. Lots of people and animals lost their lives. Houses collapse and standing crops are
destroyed. There is a great loss of people and property. Famine is caused by lack of rain or too little rain.
Crops are destroyed due to famine. Fields, forests, lands and gardens look barren. There is the shortage of
food and water. A lot of people and animals die because of thirst and starvation.
An earthquake is caused by sudden shaking of a part of the earth’s surface. It lasts for a few
seconds or a few minutes. But it destroys houses, dams, bridges and buildings. Thousands of people are
crushed under the debris and lose their lives.
Storms also cause a great damage to us. Storms below up everything. Sometimes heavy storms cause
flood in the rivers and sea which destroy thousands of human lives.
A great damage is caused by storms. Storms blow up everywhere. A lot of creatures become
the victims of storms. Man has been trying to face all these natural calamities. But he is always helpless
against the anger of nature. He has built dams to check floods. He tries to bring artificial rains and
increasing irrigation facilities. But man has always proved helpless and hopeless against these natural
calamities.
The nature has always an upper hand. It proves that how small and helpless we are! It is not
in our hands to stop the natural calamities. The government and other institutes start relief works after
natural calamity. The sufferers are given the help as early as possible. It is our duty to show sympathy and
help them.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF LOAN SYSTEM

Point : Advantages : can buy a house, vehicle or a gadget even without enough funds on hand – easy to
pay back by installments – can fulfil your dream or desire; Disadvantages : a trapping temptation – taking
loan without planning causes anxiety – sometimes leads to misery
In this world of Hi – Fi gadgets, man’s wants are increasing day by day. Man is not satisfied
with what he has. Seeking ‘loan’ means borrowing money for a purpose. It has become fashion and even
easy way to get material pleasure. At present, loan system helps the people to realize their dreams of
pleasure. The bank provides its customers with a loan on equal monthly installment with the lowest rate
of interest. Some agencies and other financial institutions are also ready to lend money on easy terms.
With the help of a loan, a man can buy a house, a vehicle or a gadget even without enough
funds on hand. He can also do any business and buy the things he likes. It is easy to pay it back by
installments. Thus, he gets the facility of easy installments and can fulfill his dream or desire.
But it is not so easy as it seems for all. It is trapping temptation. Some people take loan
without proper planning for their repayment. Then there creates a problem of paying back by
installments. It causes great anxiety and hardship. He loses his sleep, thinking about paying back the loan.
It leads him to a life of misery. He repents for taking loan. He cannot enjoy the things he has bought.
Thus, a man should think very wisely and patiently before taking a loan. He should use the
loan system with planning.

5 SEM IV
 INDIA – A DEMOCRATIC NATION
India is a democratic country. Democracy is a popular and acceptable form of government
because every person becomes a part of government directly or indirectly. That’s why Linclon has rightly
defined ‘democracy is a government of the people , for the people and by the people’ so it is most
effective and popular.
In democracy the decisions are taken in the common interest of the whole nation by the
majority of the elected representatives. If we have a look at the strength of our country, we can boast of
being self–reliant in a number of matters in the years after our independence. We don’t need to import
edible oil or food – grains from other countries now. We can say that we are now self – reliant. We do
produce more than our requirement due to the green revolution. We leading producers of milk products,
we have also made a good deal of progress by white revolution. We have invited ultra modern dern
machines and techniques to process milk.
We have also made progress in space exploration. The information Technology revolution
has changed the face of the whole country. Now people of the world don’t dare to look down upon us as a
country of jugglers. We are one of the leading developing nations. In all fields of production and progress
we have achieved success. The government has been trying to remove the problems like;
over population , poverty , illiteracy , corruption , communal harmony etc; we can achieve a god success
in solving such problems only if we have a clear mandate. Education plays a major role in democracy
only through education, people can be made aware of their rights and duties.
Let’s hope we are able to mould as an ideal nation. “Mera Bharat Mahan”

Importance of sports in education

One of the wise saying – “A healthy mind in a healthy body.” Education and sports are like
two sides of a coin. Both are equally important for children. Sports and games are as much a necessity as
food and drink. True education should aim at the all round development of a child. It means that
education should result in the mental, moral and physical development of children. But unfortunately,
sports education is neglected in India. The mind and the body are inter-related. Sports can make the
students alert and active. Sports and games should also be included in the school curriculum studies.
We all know that physical training and sports refresh and entertain children. Mental or moral
development is not possible without physical development. The saying is true –“ All work and no play
makes jack a dull boy.” Sports can relax the students from the tension and studies. If there is sound body,
there will be sound mind, so sports are necessary to make body sound. Sports make us broad-minded.
Besides, we have regular exercise and regular food because of sports, which are essential for healthy
body. Sports develop many good qualities like self-confidence, sportsmanship,
honesty, punctuality, tolerance, team-spirit, leadership and obedience. Sports teach us to develop co-
operation and brotherhood. In short, sports develop the qualities of the head as well as the heart. It is the
inevitable part of education. It is rightly said, “Sound mind rests upon sound body. The Original aim of
education is not to offer only bookish knowledge. The true aim is to develop the total personality of a
child. Education should provide growth to mind, body and spirit. In order to have a perfect personality, it
is necessary, to have mental, moral and physical development too. Education aims at the total
development. For physical and mental development, it is necessary to take interest in sports and games
but unfortunately in the present day education, very little stress is laid on physical activity. More stress is
seen on mental development. Sports and games fill one’s time with joy and freshness. In the
modern stressful life, it is very necessary to play a game or two to refresh oneself. Sports provide
recreation to the tired mind and body. It is very necessary to forget the tensions of life. Sports help us to
do so. Sports provide training and entertainment to us. It is not possible to have a strong mind and
morality if physical development is missing. One who possesses a tired and sick body, also has a weak
has a weak mind and personality.
There are many problems and hurdles in our life. In order to fight out the problems of life, we
should possess a strong body. Sports not only makes one strong physically, it develops some important
qualities in a child. One learns sportsmanship, honesty, regularity, tolerance, team spirit and unity and
leadership. These qualities help a person in different fields of life. Sports also teaches us co-operation and
togetherness. We also become disciplined. We become open-minded and generous.

6 SEM IV