Develop a short story in 150-200 words with the help of the given beginning. Suggest a suitable title also.

It was a lovely rainy day. I was enjoying a cup of tea while sitting on the balcony of my 1st floor flat. Suddenly, I felt dizzy and the cup fell from my hand. I

OR

Reena, a 10 year old brave girl lived in a slum with her relatives. One day when she was alone at home

The youth of different states should be given a chance to meet one another through national meets and other programmes. Taking ideas from the MCB unit, National Integration and your own ideas write an article in 100-120 words on the topic, Youth and National Integration You are Ram/Rama.

Write a short story in 150-200 words on the basis of the hints provided.
Ratan was in Goa on a school trip. The teacher asked everyone to play and remain on the seashore..............
                        

Write a short story in 150-200 words on the basis of the hints provided.
Hari drove fast. He was already late for office. He had got up late and it was his first day of work.......

Read the passage given below:

(1) The hopping kangaroo is a familiar sight in every snapshot relating to Australia. Member of the kangaroo family can be as small as a rat or as big as a man. Kangaroos are found mainly in Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea. Kangaroos which are big-footed marsupials that evolved in Australia use their short front legs like arms. The man-sized kangaroos of Australia are capable of speeding up to 88 km/hr for short distances, their means of locomotion being their powerful hind legs, which carry them over the ground in jumps of 9 m or more at a time.

(2) Weighing around 70 kg they have an average lifespan of around six to eight years and a maximum lifetime of 20 years. When bothered by predators kangaroos often head for the water, standing submerged to the chest, and attempting to drown the attacker by holding him under water. Another defensive technique is to get their back to a tree and kick and their adversary with their clawed hind feet, sometimes with sufficient force to kill a man. Normally shy animals, they alert other kangaroos to danger by beating on the ground with their hand feet. This loud alarm signal carries over a long distance.

(3) The tail is important for kangaroos. It holds them in balance and supports them when they sit or fight against other kangaroos. The kangaroo uses its short legs as arms. With them, it scratches itself, cleans its fur and holds branches when its eats leaves. Kangaroos are marsupials and the females carry newborns in a pouch in front of their abdomens. The babies are born small and climb up into the safety of the pouch. There for the next 225 days or so, they eat, sleep, and grow. Once they reach full development they leave the pouch. A young kangaroo that leaves the pouch is called a 'joey'. To keep from getting too hot the kangaroos take naps in the afternoon and do most of their gazing at night. But the best stay-cool secret of these creatures is the spit bath! Kangaroos drool and lick saliva all over their faces and bodies to cool down.

1.1 On the basis of your reading of the above passage, complete the following sentences with appropriate words/phrases.

a) When followed by predators kangaroos submerge __________ and __________.

b) The powerful hind legs help kangaroos to __________.

c) Kangaroos are mainly found in Australia and are __________.

d) They use their front legs to __________.

e) Kangaroos warn others of danger by __________.

f) The secret of kangaroos to stay cool is __________.

g) They use their tails to __________.

h) Before becoming 'joeys' the young ones stay in the __________ and __________.

Read the passage given below:

1. It is rare to find someone with a good technical and communication skills. You can get far ahead of your colleagues if you combine the two early in your career. People will judge, evaluate, promote or block you based on your communication skills. Since habits form by repeating both good and bad forms of communication, learn to observe great communicators and adopt their styles and traits’ in written and verbal forms. The art of listening and learning from each and every interaction is another secret recipe. Develop the subconscious habit of listening to yourself as you speak and know when to pause.

2. Learning what not to say is probably more important than learning what to say. As your career develops, you will realise that the wise speak less. Speak when you have value to add, else refrain. Poorly constructed e-mails with grammatical errors are acceptable between friends, but they should be seriously avoided while communicating formally with your seniors. Avoid any communication in an emotional state when you might say things you will regret later. One unnecessary word uttered at the wrong time or place can ruin a relationship, career or even your life. Such is the power of words. If such a thing happens, you should immediately apologise; else it may haunt you for life.

3. Another problem to overcome is speaking too fast since our minds are working faster than our speech, we are inclined to speak fast. This does not necessarily mean that the person hearing it will get it any faster. On the contrary, it is always the reverse. So slow down, think before you speak. 'When I get ready to speak to people,' Abraham Lincoln said, 'I spend two-thirds of the time thinking what they want to hear and one-third thinking what I want to say.' Adding humour and wit is also essential. But realise that not all jokes are funny and observe certain boundaries. Never say anything that could offend. Remember you are not a comedian who must offend as many people as you can to be witty.

2.1 Answer the following question briefly.

a. Why is it necessary to have good communication skills?
b. How can communication skills be developed?
c. What according to the writer should be avoided while communicating?
d. Why should you be careful when you tend to be humorous?

2.2 Choose the most appropriate meanings of the given words from the options provided.

a. evaluate

(i) estimate
(ii) assume
(iii) punish
(iv) evolve

b. trait

(i) treaty
(ii) trail
(iii) quality
(iv) liberty

c. utter

(i) flatter
(ii) speak
(iii) rot
(iv) unique

d. haunt

(i) hunt
(ii) chant
(iii) trouble
(iv) avoid

The tourism industry can bring valuable income to the country. Using your ideas along with ideas from the MCB unit, Travel and Tourism, write a letter to the editor of a popular daily on how the government and the public can boost the development of this industry. Write the letter in 100-120 words. You are Rama/Ram, 4 Rani Road, Ranchi.

The youth of different states should be given a chance to meet one another through national meets and other programmes. Taking ideas from the MCB unit, National Integration and your own ideas write an article in 100-120 words on the topic, Youth and National Integration You are Ram/Rama.

Write a short story in 150-200 words on the basis of the hints provided.

Ratan was in Goa on a school trip. The teacher asked everyone to play and remain on the seashore..............

Write a short story in 150-200 words on the basis of the hints provided.

Hari drove fast. He was already late for office. He had got up late and it was his first day of work.......

Read the passage given below: 

The Perfect Dog
1. In the summer of 1967, when I was 10 years old, my father caved into my persistent pleas and took me to get my own dog. Together we drove in the family station wagon far into the Michigan countryside to a farm run by a rough-hewn women and her ancient mother. The farm produced just one commodity-dog. Dogs of every imaginable size and  shape and age and temperament. They had only two things in common: each was a mongrel of unknown and distinct ancestry, and each was free to a good home.

2. I quickly decided the older dogs were somebody else's charity case. I immediately raced to the puppy cage. 'You want to pick one that's not timid,' my father coached. 'Try rattling the cage and see which ones aren't afraid.'

3. I grabbed the chain-link gate and yanked on it with a loud clang. The dozen or so puppies reeled backward, collapsing on top of one another in a squiggling heap of fur. Just one remained. He was gold with a white blaze on his chest, and he charged at the gate, yapping fearlessly. He jumped up and excitedly licked my fingers through the fencing. It was love at first sight.

4. I brought him home in a cardboard box and named him Shaun. He was one of those dogs that gives dogs a good name. He effortlessly mastered every command I taught him and was naturally well behaved. I could drop a crust on the floor and he would not touch it until I gave the okay.

5. Relatives would visit for the weekend and returned home determined to buy a dog of their own, so impressed were they with Shaun-or 'Saint Shaun,' as I came to call him. Born with the curse of an uncertain lineage, he was one of the tens of thousands of unwanted dogs in America. Yet by some stroke of almost providential good fortune, he became wanted. He came into my life and I into his-and in the process, he gave me the childhood every kid deserves.

6. The love affair lasted fourteen years, and by the time he died I was no longer the little boy who had brought him along on that summer day. I was a man, out of college and working across the state in my first real job. Saint Shaun had stayed behind when I moved on. It was where he belonged. My parents, by then retired, called to break the news to me. My mother would later tell me, 'In fifty years of marriage, I've only seen your father cry twice. “The first time was when we lost Mary Ann'-my sister, who was stillborn. 'The second time was the day Shaun died.'

7. Saint Shaun of my childhood. He was perfect dog. At least that's how I will always remember him. It was Shaun who set the standard by which I would judge all other dogs to come.

(Marley and Me by John Groan)

1.1 Complete the following statements:
(a) The dog farm was run by .................... .
(b) The author did not want an old dog because.................... .
(c) He fell in love with the dog the moment the latter.................... .
(d) Shaun became so obedient that he.................... until the author allowed him.
(e) After visiting them their relatives wanted.................... .
(f) When Shaun died even.................... .

1.2 Find words from the passage which mean the same as the following:
(a) urgent request (para 1)
(b) falling (para 3)