Contents

There was a lot of shuffling around when the bell rang and everybody got up to leave. I checked my schedule and it said my next class was English, room 321. I didn't stop to see if anyone else from my homeroom was going my way: I just zoomed out of the class and down the hall and sat down as far from the front as possible. The teacher, a really tall man with a yellow beard, was writing on the chalkboard.

Kids came in laughing and talking in little groups but I didn't look up. Basically, the same thing that happened in homeroom happened again: no one sat next to me except for Jack, who was joking around with some kids who weren't in our homeroom. I could tell Jack was the kind of kid other kids like. He had a lot of friends. He made people laugh.

When the second bell rang, everyone got quiet and the teacher turned around and faced us. He said his name was Mr. Browne, and then he started talking about what we would be doing this semester. At a certain point, somewhere between A Wrinkle in Time and Shen of the Sea, he noticed me but kept right on talking.

I was mostly doodling in my notebook while he talked, but every once in a while I would sneak a look at the other students. Charlotte was in this class. So were Julian and Henry. Miles wasn't.

Mr. Browne had written on the chalkboard in big block letters:

P-R-E-C-E-P-T!

"Okay, everybody write this down at the very top of the very first page in your English notebook."

As we did what he told us to do, he said: "Okay, so who can tell me what a precept is? Does anyone know?"

No one raised their hands.

Mr. Browne smiled, nodded, and turned around to write on the chalkboard again:

PRECEPTS = RULES ABOUT REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS!

"Like a motto?" someone called out.

"Like a motto!" said Mr. Browne, nodding as he continued writing on the board. "Like a famous quote. Like a line from a fortune cookie. Any saying or ground rule that can motivate you. Basically, a precept is anything that helps guide us when making decisions about really important things."

He wrote all that on the chalkboard and then turned around and faced us. "So, what are some really important things?" he asked us.

A few kids raised their hands, and as he pointed at them, they gave their answers, which he wrote on the chalkboard in really sloppy handwriting:

RULES. SCHOOLWORK. HOMEWORK.

"What else?" he said as he wrote, not even turning around. "Just call things out!" He wrote everything everyone called out:

FAMILY. PARENTS. PETS.

One girl called out: "The environment!"

THE ENVIRONMENT.

He added: OUR WORLD!

"Sharks, because they eat dead things in the ocean!" said one of the boys, Reid, and Mr. Browne wrote down SHARKS.

"Bees!" "Seatbelts!" "Recycling!" "Friends!"

"Okay," said Mr. Browne, writing all those things down. He turned around and faced us again. "But no one's named the most important thing of all."

We all looked at him, out of ideas.

"God?" said one kid, and Mr. Browne wrote "God" down, but that wasn't the answer he was looking for. Without saying anything else, he wrote:

WHO WE ARE!

"Who we are," he said, underlining each word. "What kind of people are we? What kind of person are you? Isn't that the most important thing of all?"

He asked, "Did anyone notice the plaque next to the door of this school? It says: 'Know Thyself'."

"And learning who you are is what you're here to do."

"I thought we were here to learn English," Jack cracked, which made everyone laugh.

"Oh yeah, and that, too!" Mr. Browne answered.

He wrote in big block letters across the chalkboard:

MR. BROWNE'S SEPTEMBER PRECEPT:

WHEN GIVEN THE CHOICE BETWEEN BEING RIGHT OR BEING KIND, CHOOSE KIND.

"Okay, everybody," he said, "I want you to start a new section in your notebooks called Mr. Browne's Precepts."

He kept talking as we wrote.

"Put today's date. At the beginning of every month, I will write a new precept. You will write it down and discuss it. At the end of the month, you will write an essay about it. By the end of the year, you will have your own list of precepts."

"Over the summer, I ask students to write their own personal precept on a postcard and mail it to me."

"People really do that?" said one girl.

"Oh yeah," he answered. "It's pretty amazing."

He smiled and continued, "Next summer seems far away, so relax while I take attendance."

आफूलाई चिन्नु (Know Thyself)

घण्टी बज्ने बित्तिकै सबैजना उठेर बाहिरिन थाले र कक्षामा निकै हलचल भयो। मैले आफ्नो समयतालिका हेरेँ। त्यसमा मेरो अर्को कक्षा अङ्ग्रेजी विषयको, कोठा नम्बर ३२१ मा रहेको उल्लेख थियो। मेरो होमरुमका अरू विद्यार्थी पनि त्यतै जाँदैछन् कि भनेर मैले हेर्न पनि रोकिइनँ। म तुरुन्तै कक्षाबाट निस्किएँ, गल्ली हुँदै गएँ र अगाडिको भागबाट सकेसम्म टाढा बसेँ। शिक्षक निकै अग्ला थिए र उनको पहेँलो दाह्री थियो। उनी कालोपाटीमा केही लेखिरहेका थिए।

बच्चाहरू साना–साना समूहमा हाँस्दै र कुरा गर्दै कक्षामा प्रवेश गरिरहेका थिए, तर मैले टाउको उठाएर हेरेँन। होमरुममा जस्तै यहाँ पनि उही कुरा दोहोरियो। ज्याक बाहेक कोही पनि मेरो छेउमा बसेन। ज्याक केही विद्यार्थीहरूसँग ठट्टा गरिरहेको थियो जो हाम्रो होमरुममा थिएनन्। मैले बुझ्न सक्थेँ कि ज्याक त्यस्तो केटा थियो जसलाई सबैले मन पराउँथे। उसका धेरै साथीहरू थिए। उसले सबैलाई हँसाउँथ्यो।

दोस्रो घण्टी बज्दा सबै शान्त भए र शिक्षक हामीतर्फ फर्किए। उनले आफ्नो नाम मिस्टर ब्राउन भएको बताए र त्यसपछि यो सत्रमा हामीले के–के गर्नेछौँ भन्नेबारे कुरा गर्न थाले। A Wrinkle in Time र Shen of the Sea को चर्चा गरिरहेका बेला कतै उनले मलाई पनि देखे, तर आफ्नो कुरा भने निरन्तर जारी राखे।

उनी बोलिरहँदा म प्रायः आफ्नो कापीमा चित्र कोरिरहेको थिएँ। बेला–बेलामा भने मैले अरू विद्यार्थीहरूलाई चोर नजरले हेर्थेँ। चार्लोट पनि यही कक्षामा थिई। जुलियन र हेन्री पनि थिए। माइल्स भने थिएन।

मिस्टर ब्राउनले कालोपाटीमा ठूला अक्षरमा लेखेका थिए:

P-R-E-C-E-P-T !

“ठिक छ, सबैले यो आफ्नो अङ्ग्रेजी कापीको पहिलो पानाको सबैभन्दा माथि लेख।”

हामीले लेख्न थालेपछि उनले भने, “अब कसैले भन्न सक्छ, ‘Precept’ भनेको के हो? कसैलाई थाहा छ?”

कसैले पनि हात उठाएन।

मिस्टर ब्राउन मुस्कुराए, टाउको हल्लाए र फेरि कालोपाटीमा लेख्न थाले:

PRECEPTS = अत्यन्त महत्त्वपूर्ण कुराहरूका नियमहरू

“मोटो (Motto) जस्तै?” कसैले सोध्यो।

“हो, मोटो जस्तै!” मिस्टर ब्राउनले भने। “प्रसिद्ध भनाइ जस्तै, भाग्यफलको कागजमा लेखिएको वाक्य जस्तै, प्रेरणा दिने कुनै उक्ति वा नियम जस्तै। सरल शब्दमा भन्नुपर्दा, जीवनका महत्त्वपूर्ण निर्णयहरू गर्दा मार्गदर्शन गर्ने कुनै पनि कुरा ‘Precept’ हो।”

त्यसपछि उनले सोधे, “अब भन त, जीवनका महत्त्वपूर्ण कुराहरू के–के हुन्?”

केही विद्यार्थीहरूले हात उठाए र आफ्ना उत्तर दिए। मिस्टर ब्राउनले ती सबै कालोपाटीमा लेखे:

नियमहरू (Rules)
विद्यालयको काम (Schoolwork)
गृहकार्य (Homework)

“अरू के?” उनले सोधे।

विद्यार्थीहरूले बोल्न थाले:

परिवार (Family)
आमाबुबा (Parents)
घरपालुवा जनावर (Pets)

एउटी केटीले भनिन्, “वातावरण!”

त्यसपछि उनले लेखे:

वातावरण (The Environment)
हाम्रो संसार (Our World)

“सार्कहरू (Sharks), किनकि तिनीहरूले समुद्रका मरेका चीजहरू खान्छन्!” रिड नामको केटाले भन्यो।

त्यसैले उनले थपे:

सार्कहरू (Sharks)

अरू विद्यार्थीहरूले भने:

मौरीहरू (Bees)
सिटबेल्ट (Seatbelts)
पुनः प्रयोग (Recycling)
साथीहरू (Friends)

सबै कुरा लेखिसकेपछि मिस्टर ब्राउन फर्किए र भने,

“तर तिमीहरूमध्ये कसैले पनि सबैभन्दा महत्त्वपूर्ण कुरा भनेका छैनौ।”

हामी सबै उनलाई हेर्न थाल्यौँ। कसैसँग उत्तर थिएन।

“भगवान?” एक जना विद्यार्थीले भन्यो।

मिस्टर ब्राउनले “भगवान” पनि लेखे, तर त्यो उनले खोजेको उत्तर थिएन। त्यसपछि उनले अर्को कुरा लेखे:

हामी को हौँ ? (WHO WE ARE!)

“हामी को हौँ,” उनले प्रत्येक शब्दलाई रेखाङ्कन गर्दै भने। “हामी कस्ता मानिस हौँ? तिमी कस्तो व्यक्ति हौ? के त्यो सबैभन्दा महत्त्वपूर्ण कुरा होइन? के हामीले सधैँ आफैलाई सोधिरहनुपर्ने प्रश्न यही होइन?

‘म कस्तो व्यक्ति हुँ?’

“विद्यालयको ढोकाको छेउमा रहेको धातुको पट्टिका (Plaque) कसैले देखेको छ? त्यसमा के लेखिएको छ भनेर पढेको छ?”

कसैलाई पनि थाहा थिएन।

मिस्टर ब्राउन मुस्कुराउँदै भने,

“त्यसमा लेखिएको छ— ‘Know Thyself’ अर्थात् ‘आफूलाई चिन्नु।’ र तिमीहरू यहाँ आफू को हौ भन्ने कुरा सिक्नका लागि आएका हौ।”

त्यसै बेला ज्याकले ठट्टा गर्दै भन्यो,

“म त यहाँ अङ्ग्रेजी सिक्न आएको हुँ भन्ने सोचेको थिएँ।”

सबै हाँसे।

“हो, त्यो पनि हो!” मिस्टर ब्राउनले जवाफ दिए।

मलाई उनको जवाफ निकै राम्रो लाग्यो।

त्यसपछि उनले कालोपाटीभरि ठूला अक्षरमा लेखे:

मिस्टर ब्राउनको सेप्टेम्बरको सूत्र (Precept)

“सही हुनुभन्दा दयालु हुने अवसर मिलेमा, दयालु बन्न रोज।”

त्यसपछि उनले भने,

“अब सबैले आफ्नो कापीमा नयाँ खण्ड बनाऊ र त्यसको शीर्षक ‘Mr. Browne’s Precepts’ राख।”

उनी बोलिरहे:

“आजको मिति लेख। अबदेखि प्रत्येक महिनाको सुरुमा म एउटा नयाँ Precept लेख्नेछु। तिमीहरूले त्यो कापीमा टिप्नेछौ। त्यसपछि हामी त्यसबारे छलफल गर्नेछौँ। महिनाको अन्त्यमा तिमीहरूले त्यसको अर्थबारे निबन्ध लेख्नेछौ। यसरी वर्षको अन्त्यसम्ममा तिमीहरूसँग आफ्नै Precepts को सूची हुनेछ।”

उनले थपे,

“गर्मी बिदामा म आफ्ना विद्यार्थीहरूलाई आफ्नै व्यक्तिगत Precept बनाउन लगाउँछु। त्यसलाई पोस्टकार्डमा लेखेर जहाँ गए पनि मलाई पठाउन भन्छु।”

एउटी केटीले अचम्म मान्दै सोधी,

“साँच्चै मानिसहरूले त्यसो गर्छन्?”

“अवश्य गर्छन्,” उनले भने। “कतिपय विद्यार्थीहरूले त विद्यालयबाट उत्तीर्ण भइसकेपछि पनि मलाई नयाँ Precept पठाएका छन्। त्यो साँच्चै अद्भुत कुरा हो।”

उनले आफ्नो दाह्री सुम्सुम्याए र हाँस्दै भने,

“जे होस्, अर्को गर्मी बिदा आउन अझ धेरै समय बाँकी छ। त्यसैले अहिले आराम गर। म हाजिरी लिन्छु...”

— Wonder बाट अंश

लेखक: R.J. Palacio

Working with Words

A. Find the words from the text

a. Walking by dragging one's feet → Shuffling
b. Drawing pictures or patterns while thinking → Doodling
c. A piece of flat metal with writing on it → Plaque
d. A general rule intended to regulate behaviour or thought → Precept
e. Move or go in a furtive or stealthy way → Sneak / Zoom (used as “zoomed out” quickly in the text)

B. Thinking Skills (Definitions)

a. Convergent thinking:
Thinking that focuses on finding one correct answer or solution.

b. Divergent thinking:
Thinking that generates many possible ideas or solutions.

c. Critical thinking:
Careful analysis and evaluation of information to make a logical judgment.

d. Creative thinking:
Using imagination to create new, original, and useful ideas.

Comprehension

a. Who was Jack? How did he make children laugh?
Jack was a student. He made children laugh by joking and talking humorously with other students.

b. Why are "Sharks" important to Reid?
Reid thought sharks are important because they eat dead things in the ocean and keep it clean.

c. What does Mr. Browne think about the most important thing?
He thinks “Who we are” (our identity and character) is the most important thing.

d. What has not been noticed by the students?
The plaque that says “Know Thyself.”

e. How did Jack make fun of the English class?
He joked that he thought they were there only to learn English, not about life and personal values.

f. What were the students going to do at the end of the month?
They were going to write an essay about the monthly precept and its meaning.

g. What surprised a girl student?
She was surprised that students really sent their personal precepts to the teacher even after graduation.

Critical Thinking

a. My precept:
“Always be honest and kind, even when it is difficult.”

b. Justification:
Critical objectivity is an essential life skill because it helps people think clearly without bias. It allows individuals to separate facts from emotions, make fair decisions, and solve problems effectively. In modern life, where information is vast and sometimes misleading, critical thinking helps people choose the right path and avoid wrong judgments.

Writing

Email to a Friend

Subject: An Interesting Class I Had

Dear Friend,

I hope you are well. Today I had a very interesting English class. Our teacher introduced the idea of “precepts,” which are rules or sayings that guide our life decisions. He encouraged us to think about who we are and what kind of person we should become.

The most inspiring part of the class was his precept: “When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind.” It really made me think deeply about my behavior.

It was an enjoyable and meaningful class.

Your friend,
[Your Name]

Grammar: Question Tags

B. Question tags

a. Gill does not know Ann, does she?
b. I'm very patient, aren’t I?
c. They'd never met me before, had they?
d. Listen carefully, will you?
e. Let's have a break, shall we?
f. Let us invite them, will you?
g. Hari used to live in France, didn’t he?
h. You’d better not take a hard drink, had you?
i. Sheep eat grass, don’t they?
j. Mr. Pande can speak nine languages, can’t he?
k. She’s finished her classes, hasn’t she?
l. She barely managed to reach the goal, did she?
m. Don’t let him swim in that pond, will you?
n. There are lots of people here, aren’t there?

C. Situational Question Tags

a. It’s going to rain soon, isn’t it?
b. Shyam, you can help me, can’t you?
c. Nice to meet you, isn’t it?
d. The film was great, wasn’t it?
e. He gave an excellent performance, didn’t he?
f. Your father has arrived, hasn’t he?
g. Susan will join the job tomorrow, won’t she?
h. You have got a haircut, haven’t you?
i. Let’s go for a picnic, shall we?
j. Let me go for a walk, will you?

UNIT 2 Family

FAMILY

At its most basic, a family consists of an adult and his or her offspring. Most commonly, it consists of two married adults, usually a man and a woman (almost always from different lineages and not related by blood) along with their offspring, usually living in a private and separate dwelling. This type of unit, more specifically known as a nuclear family, is believed to be the oldest of the various types of families in existence. Sometimes the family includes not only the parents and their unmarried children living at home but also children that have married, their spouses, and their offspring, and possibly elderly dependents as well; such an arrangement is called an extended family.

At its best, the family performs various valuable functions for its members. Perhaps most important of all, it provides for emotional and psychological security, particularly through the warmth, love, and companionship that living together generates between spouses and in turn between them and their children. The family also provides a valuable social and political function by institutionalizing procreation and by providing guidelines for the regulation of sexual conduct. The family additionally provides such other socially beneficial functions as the rearing and socialization of children, along with such humanitarian activities as caring for its members when they are sick or disabled. On the economic side, the family provides food, shelter, clothing, and physical security for its members, some of whom may be too young or too old to provide for the basic necessities of life themselves. Finally, on the social side, family may serve to promote order and stability within society as a whole.

Historically, in most cultures, the family was patriarchal, or male-dominated. Perhaps the most striking example of the male-dominated family is the description of the family given in the Hebrew Bible (or Old Testament), where the male heads of the clans were allowed to have several wives as well as concubines. As a general rule, women had a rather low status. In Roman times the family was still patriarchal, but polygamy was not practiced, and in general the status of women was somewhat improved over that suggested in the Hebrew Bible, although they still were not allowed to manage their own affairs. The Roman family was an extended one. The family as it existed in medieval Europe was male-dominated and extended.

In the West, industrialization and the accompanying urbanization spawned—and continue to spawn—many changes in family structure by causing a sharp change in life and occupational styles. Many people, particularly unmarried youths, left farms and went to urban centres to become industrial workers. This process led to the dissolution of many extended families.

The modern family that emerged after the Industrial Revolution is different from the earlier model. For instance, patriarchal rule began to give way to greater equality between the sexes. Similarly, family roles once considered exclusively male or female broke down. Caring for the home and children, once the exclusive duty of the female, is often a shared activity, as, increasingly, is the earning of wages and the pursuit of public life, once the exclusive domain of the male. The structure of the family is also changing in that some couples choose not to marry legally and instead elect to have their children out of wedlock; many of these informal relationships tend to be of short duration, and this as well as the rise in levels of divorce has led to a rapid increase in the number of one-parent households.

Family law varies from culture to culture, but in its broadest application it defines the legal relationships among family members as well as the relationships between families and society at large. Some of the important questions dealt with in family law include the terms and parameters of marriage, the status of children, and the succession of property from one generation to the next. In nearly every case, family law represents a delicate balance between the interests of society and the protection of individual rights.

The general rule in marriages until modern times was the legal transfer of dependency, that of the bride, from father to groom. Not only did the groom assume guardianship, he usually assumed control over all of his wife's affairs. Often, the woman lost any legal identity through marriage, as was the case in English common law. There have been exceptions to this practice. Muslim women, for instance, had considerable control over their own personal property. The use of dowries, an amount of money or property given to the husband with the bride in compensation for her dependency, has long been practiced in many countries, but it has tended to disappear in many industrial societies.

In general, modern marriage is best-described as a voluntary union, usually between a man and a woman (although there are still vestiges of the arranged marriage that once flourished in eastern Europe and Asia). The emancipation of women in the 19th and 20th centuries changed marriage dramatically, particularly in connection with property and economic status. By the mid-20th century, most Western countries had enacted legislation establishing equality between spouses. Similarly changed is the concept of economic maintenance, which traditionally fell on the shoulders of the husband. Though many laws still lean toward this view, there was increasing recognition of a woman's potential to contribute to the support of the family. At the beginning of the 21st century, family law and the notion of family itself was further complicated by calls for acceptance of same-sex marriages and nontraditional families.

Dissolution of marriages is one of the areas in which laws must try to balance private and public interest, since realistically it is the couple itself that can best decide whether its marriage is viable. In many older systems—e.g., Roman, Muslim, Jewish, Chinese, and Japanese—some form of unilateral divorce was possible, requiring only one party to give notice of the intention, usually the male. Most modern systems recognize a mutual request for divorce, though many require an attempt to reconcile before granting divorce. Extreme circumstances, in which blatant neglect, abuse, misbehaviour, or incapacity can be demonstrated, find resolution in civil court. Many systems favour special family courts that attempt to deal more fairly with sensitive issues such as custody of children.

The issue of children poses special problems for family law. In nearly every culture, the welfare of children was formerly left to the parents entirely, and this usually meant the father. Most societies have come to recognize the general benefit of protecting children's rights and of prescribing certain standards of rearing. Thus, more than in any other area, family law intervenes in private lives with regard to children. Compulsory education is an example of the law superseding parental authority. In the case of single-parent homes, the law will frequently provide some form of support. Legislation on child labour and child abuse also asserts society's responsibility for a child's best interests.

The succession of family interests upon the death of its members can be considered a part of family law. Most legal systems have some means of dealing with division of property left by a deceased family member. The will, or testament, specifies the decedent's wishes as to such distribution, but a surviving spouse or offspring may contest what appear to be unreasonable or inequitable provisions. There are also laws that recognize family claims in the event that property is left intestate (i.e., with no will to determine its distribution).

Alan John Barnard

परिवार

सबैभन्दा आधारभूत रूपमा, परिवार भनेको एक वयस्क व्यक्ति र उसका सन्तानहरू मिलेर बनेको समूह हो। सामान्यतया परिवारमा दुई विवाहित वयस्कहरू—एक पुरुष र एक महिला—र तिनका सन्तानहरू हुन्छन्, जो प्रायः छुट्टै घरमा बस्छन्। यस प्रकारको परिवारलाई एकल (न्यूक्लियर) परिवार भनिन्छ र यसलाई परिवारको सबैभन्दा पुरानो स्वरूप मानिन्छ।

कहिलेकाहीँ परिवारमा आमाबुबा र अविवाहित सन्तान मात्र नभई विवाहित सन्तान, तिनका पति वा पत्नी, नातिनातिना तथा आश्रित वृद्ध सदस्यहरू पनि समावेश हुन्छन्। यस्तो परिवारलाई संयुक्त (विस्तारित) परिवार भनिन्छ।

परिवारले आफ्ना सदस्यहरूका लागि विभिन्न महत्त्वपूर्ण कार्यहरू गर्दछ। सबैभन्दा महत्त्वपूर्ण कार्य भनेको भावनात्मक तथा मनोवैज्ञानिक सुरक्षा प्रदान गर्नु हो। परिवारमा सँगै बस्दा पति–पत्नी तथा आमाबुबा र सन्तानबीच प्रेम, आत्मीयता र साथको भावना विकास हुन्छ।

परिवारले सन्तान जन्माउने कार्यलाई संस्थागत बनाउने तथा यौन व्यवहारलाई व्यवस्थित गर्ने सामाजिक र राजनीतिक भूमिका पनि निर्वाह गर्दछ। साथै, बालबालिकाको पालनपोषण, समाजीकरण तथा बिरामी वा अशक्त सदस्यहरूको हेरचाह जस्ता मानवीय कार्यहरू पनि परिवारले गर्दछ।

आर्थिक दृष्टिले परिवारले आफ्ना सदस्यहरूलाई खाना, आवास, कपडा तथा शारीरिक सुरक्षा प्रदान गर्दछ। विशेष गरी बालबालिका र वृद्धहरूलाई जीवनका आधारभूत आवश्यकताहरू उपलब्ध गराउँछ। सामाजिक दृष्टिले परिवारले समाजमा शान्ति, व्यवस्था र स्थिरता कायम राख्न मद्दत गर्दछ।

इतिहासमा अधिकांश संस्कृतिहरूमा परिवार पितृसत्तात्मक (पुरुषप्रधान) थियो। यसको एउटा उदाहरण हिब्रु बाइबल (पुरानो नियम) मा पाइन्छ, जहाँ कुलका पुरुष प्रमुखहरूलाई धेरै पत्नी तथा उपपत्नी राख्न अनुमति थियो। सामान्यतया महिलाको सामाजिक हैसियत निकै कमजोर थियो।

रोमन कालमा पनि परिवार पितृसत्तात्मक नै थियो, तर बहुविवाहको अभ्यास थिएन। महिलाको स्थिति केही सुधारिएको भए पनि उनीहरूलाई आफ्ना व्यक्तिगत कार्यहरू स्वतन्त्र रूपमा सञ्चालन गर्ने अधिकार थिएन। रोमन परिवार संयुक्त परिवार थियो। मध्यकालीन युरोपमा पनि परिवार पुरुषप्रधान तथा संयुक्त स्वरूपको थियो।

पश्चिमी देशहरूमा औद्योगिकीकरण र सहरीकरणले परिवारको संरचनामा ठूलो परिवर्तन ल्यायो। धेरै युवाहरू गाउँ छोडेर शहरमा उद्योगहरूमा काम गर्न गए। यस प्रक्रियाले धेरै संयुक्त परिवारहरू विघटन हुन पुगे।

औद्योगिक क्रान्तिपछि विकसित भएको आधुनिक परिवार पहिलेको परिवारभन्दा फरक छ। पितृसत्तात्मक शासन क्रमशः महिला–पुरुष समानतातर्फ उन्मुख हुन थाल्यो। पहिले पुरुष वा महिलाका लागि मात्र मानिने पारिवारिक भूमिकाहरू साझा हुन थाले।

घरको काम र बालबालिकाको हेरचाह, जुन पहिले महिलाको मात्र जिम्मेवारी मानिन्थ्यो, अहिले प्रायः साझा जिम्मेवारी बनेको छ। त्यसैगरी आयआर्जन र सार्वजनिक जीवनमा सहभागिता, जुन पहिले पुरुषको मात्र क्षेत्र मानिन्थ्यो, अहिले दुवैले साझा रूपमा निर्वाह गर्न थालेका छन्।

परिवारको संरचनामा पनि परिवर्तन आएको छ। केही जोडीहरूले कानुनी विवाह नगरी सँगै बस्ने र सन्तान जन्माउने निर्णय गर्छन्। यस्ता सम्बन्धहरू प्रायः छोटो समय टिक्ने भएकाले तथा सम्बन्धविच्छेद (डिभोर्स) को दर बढेकाले एकल अभिभावक भएका परिवारहरूको संख्या बढ्दै गएको छ।

परिवारसम्बन्धी कानुन (पारिवारिक कानुन) संस्कृतिअनुसार फरक–फरक हुन्छ। यसको व्यापक अर्थमा यसले परिवारका सदस्यहरूबीच तथा परिवार र समाजबीचका कानुनी सम्बन्धहरूलाई परिभाषित गर्दछ।

पारिवारिक कानुनले विवाहका सर्तहरू, बालबालिकाको स्थिति तथा एक पुस्ताबाट अर्को पुस्तामा सम्पत्तिको हस्तान्तरणजस्ता विषयहरूलाई समेट्छ। यसले समाजको हित र व्यक्तिगत अधिकारहरूको संरक्षणबीच सन्तुलन कायम गर्ने प्रयास गर्दछ।

आधुनिक समयभन्दा पहिले विवाहपछि दुलहीको अभिभावकीय जिम्मेवारी बाबुबाट दुलाहातर्फ सर्ने कानुनी व्यवस्था थियो। दुलाहाले पत्नीको अभिभावकत्व मात्र होइन, उनका धेरैजसो व्यक्तिगत मामिलाहरूमा नियन्त्रण पनि लिने गर्थ्यो। विवाहपछि महिलाले आफ्नो स्वतन्त्र कानुनी पहिचान समेत गुमाउने अवस्था थियो।

यद्यपि केही अपवादहरू पनि थिए। उदाहरणका लागि मुस्लिम महिलाहरूलाई आफ्नो व्यक्तिगत सम्पत्तिमाथि पर्याप्त अधिकार प्राप्त थियो। दाइजो प्रथाअन्तर्गत दुलहीसँगै पैसा वा सम्पत्ति दिने चलन धेरै देशहरूमा थियो, तर औद्योगिक समाजहरूमा यो क्रमशः घट्दै गएको छ।

सामान्यतया आधुनिक विवाहलाई स्वेच्छिक सम्बन्धका रूपमा लिइन्छ। १९औँ र २०औँ शताब्दीमा महिलाको स्वतन्त्रता र अधिकार विस्तारसँगै विवाह प्रणालीमा ठूलो परिवर्तन आयो। विशेष गरी सम्पत्ति र आर्थिक हैसियतका विषयमा महिला–पुरुषबीच समानताको व्यवस्था हुन थाल्यो।

२०औँ शताब्दीको मध्यसम्म आइपुग्दा धेरै पश्चिमी देशहरूले पति–पत्नीबीच समानता स्थापित गर्ने कानुनहरू लागू गरिसकेका थिए। परिवारको आर्थिक जिम्मेवारीमा महिलाको योगदानलाई पनि मान्यता दिन थालियो।

२१औँ शताब्दीको प्रारम्भमा समलिंगी विवाह तथा परम्परागतभन्दा फरक परिवारहरूको स्वीकार्यताको माग बढेसँगै परिवार र पारिवारिक कानुनको अवधारणा अझ जटिल बन्दै गयो।

विवाह विच्छेद (डिभोर्स) पारिवारिक कानुनको अर्को महत्त्वपूर्ण क्षेत्र हो। पुराना कानुनी प्रणालीहरूमा एक पक्षको निर्णयबाट सम्बन्धविच्छेद सम्भव थियो, विशेष गरी पुरुषको पहलमा। आधुनिक कानुनी प्रणालीहरूले भने आपसी सहमतिमा डिभोर्सलाई मान्यता दिन्छन्, यद्यपि धेरै ठाउँमा मिलापत्रको प्रयास अनिवार्य गरिन्छ।

बालबालिकासम्बन्धी विषयहरू पारिवारिक कानुनका विशेष क्षेत्र हुन्। विगतमा बालबालिकाको हितको जिम्मेवारी पूर्ण रूपमा आमाबुबामा, विशेष गरी बाबुमा, निर्भर थियो। अहिले अधिकांश समाजहरूले बालअधिकारको संरक्षणलाई महत्त्व दिएका छन्।

अनिवार्य शिक्षा, बालश्रम निषेध, बालदुर्व्यवहार नियन्त्रण तथा एकल अभिभावक परिवारका बालबालिकालाई सहयोग प्रदान गर्ने व्यवस्था समाजले बालबालिकाको सर्वोत्तम हित सुनिश्चित गर्न अपनाएका उपायहरू हुन्।

परिवारका सदस्यको मृत्यु भएपछि सम्पत्तिको उत्तराधिकार र बाँडफाँड पनि पारिवारिक कानुनअन्तर्गत पर्दछ। मृत व्यक्तिले वसीयत (Will) मार्फत आफ्नो सम्पत्ति कसरी बाँड्ने भन्ने इच्छा व्यक्त गर्न सक्छ। तर जीवित पति/पत्नी वा सन्तानहरूले अन्यायपूर्ण वा असमान लागेमा त्यसलाई चुनौती दिन सक्छन्।

यदि कसैले वसीयत नगरी मृत्यु भयो भने (अर्थात् अवसीयत/Intestate अवस्थामा), सम्पत्तिको बाँडफाँड सम्बन्धी कानुनी व्यवस्थाहरू लागू हुन्छन्।

लेखक : एलन जोन बार्नार्ड

A. Find the words from the text and solve the puzzle.

ACROSS

POLYGAMY – the custom of having more than one wife at the same time

RECONCILE – to find an acceptable way of dealing with opposing ideas/needs

URBANIZATION – the process in which countryside becomes towns/cities

SOCIALIZATION – the process of learning to behave in an acceptable way in society

DOWN

PATRIARCHAL – ruled or controlled by men

SUCCESSION – the act of taking over a position

BLATANT – done without caring if people are shocked

ONE-PARENT – Single parent

B. Find the meanings of the following family-related words and use them in your own sentences.

1. Nuclear Family

Meaning: A family consisting of parents and their children only.
Sentence: I live in a nuclear family with my parents and younger brother.

2. Monogamy

Meaning: The practice of being married to only one person at a time.
Sentence: Monogamy is the most common form of marriage in many countries.

3. Sibling-in-law

Meaning: The brother or sister of one's spouse, or the spouse of one's sibling.
Sentence: My sibling-in-law helped us organize the family gathering.

4. Milk Kinship

Meaning: A social relationship between people who were breastfed by the same woman.
Sentence: In some cultures, milk kinship creates strong family-like bonds.

5. Matrilineal

Meaning: Relating to a system in which family descent is traced through the mother's side.
Sentence: The tribe follows a matrilineal system of inheritance.

6. Nepotism

Meaning: The practice of giving jobs or advantages to relatives regardless of their qualifications.
Sentence: The manager was accused of nepotism for hiring his cousin.

7. Maternity

Meaning: Motherhood or the period during which a woman is pregnant or has recently given birth.
Sentence: She is on maternity leave after the birth of her baby.

C. Make at least five words using the prefixes given.

Pre- (before)

Preview
Prepaid
Preschool
Predict
Prehistoric

Semi- (half/partly)

Semicircle
Semifinal
Semiconscious
Semiskilled
Semicolon

Sub- (under/below)

Submarine
Subtitle
Substandard
Subcontinent
Subgroup

Mis- (wrongly/badly)

Misunderstand
Misbehave
Misplace
Mislead
Misuse

Mono- (one/single)

Monologue
Monorail
Monosyllable
Monotheism
Monochrome

Un- (not/opposite of)

Unhappy
Unfair
Unknown
Unsafe
Untidy

In- (not/without)

Inactive
Incorrect
Incomplete
Insecure
Indirect

Inter- (between/among)

International
Interact
Interconnect
Interdependent
Intercollege

Meaning of the Prefixes

Prefix	Meaning
Pre-	Before
Semi-	Half, partly
Sub-	Under, below
Mis-	Wrongly, badly
Mono-	One, single
Un-	Not, opposite of
In-	Not, without
Inter-	Between, among

Comprehension

A. The headings of the first five paragraphs of the above text are given below. Write paragraph number next to them.

a. Patriarchal family — Paragraph 3
b. Functions of the family — Paragraph 2
c. Modern model of family — Paragraph 5
d. Effects of industrialization on family structure — Paragraph 4
e. Defining family — Paragraph 1

B. Answer the following questions.

a. What type of family is thought to be the oldest form of the family?

Answer: The nuclear family is thought to be the oldest form of the family.

b. How does a family provide security to its members?

Answer: A family provides emotional, psychological, social, economic, and physical security through love, care, companionship, food, shelter, clothing, and protection.

c. What were the features of medieval European family?

Answer: The medieval European family was male-dominated and extended in nature.

d. What caused the dissolution of extended families in the West?

Answer: Industrialization and urbanization caused many people to move from rural areas to cities for work, leading to the dissolution of extended families.

e. What change occurred in gender role in the modern family that emerged after the Industrial Revolution?

Answer: Traditional gender roles changed, and responsibilities such as earning income and caring for children and the home became shared by both men and women.

f. What is family law?

Answer: Family law is the branch of law that regulates legal relationships among family members and between families and society.

g. How is modern marriage defined?

Answer: Modern marriage is defined as a voluntary union, usually between a man and a woman, based on mutual consent.

h. What do special family courts try to do?

Answer: Special family courts try to deal fairly and sensitively with family matters such as divorce and child custody.

i. What does the legislation on child labour and child abuse declare?

Answer: It declares society's responsibility to protect children's rights and ensure their welfare.

j. What is common among most legal systems regarding property?

Answer: Most legal systems have provisions for the division and distribution of a deceased person's property.

Critical Thinking

a. What changes have started to occur in Nepali families in recent days? What impacts will they bring on society? Discuss.

Answer:

Nepali families have experienced significant changes in recent years. The traditional extended family system is gradually being replaced by nuclear families due to urbanization, foreign employment, education, and modernization. Women are becoming more educated and economically independent, and family members enjoy greater personal freedom and privacy.

These changes have both positive and negative impacts. On the positive side, nuclear families allow for better financial planning, independence, and personal growth. Women have more opportunities to participate in education and employment. On the negative side, family bonds may weaken, elderly people may receive less care and support, and traditional values of cooperation and mutual responsibility may decline. Therefore, society should balance modernization with traditional family values.

b. We see many elderly people in elderly homes these days in Nepal. Some of them are abandoned while others live there willingly. Do you think Nepali people are deviating from their traditional culture? Give reasons.

Answer:

Traditionally, Nepali culture emphasizes respect for elders and caring for them within the family. The growing number of elderly people living in old-age homes suggests that some aspects of traditional culture are changing. Urbanization, migration, busy lifestyles, and changing family structures have reduced the ability of many families to care for elderly members at home.

However, not all elderly people in old-age homes are neglected. Some choose to live there voluntarily because they receive better healthcare, companionship, and support. Therefore, while some traditional practices are changing, it would be unfair to say that Nepali people have completely abandoned their culture. Society is adapting to modern circumstances while still trying to maintain respect for senior citizens.

Writing

A: Essay on The Importance of Family

The Importance of Family

Family is one of the most important institutions in human life. It is the first place where a person learns love, care, respect, and responsibility. Family plays a vital role in shaping an individual's character and personality.

Family is important to me because it provides emotional support, security, and guidance. Whenever I face difficulties, my family encourages me and helps me overcome challenges. The love and affection of family members give me confidence and happiness. My family also teaches me moral values and helps me become a responsible person.

Family is equally important for society. It is the foundation of social life and helps maintain social order and stability. Families raise children, teach them social norms, and prepare them to become good citizens. Strong families contribute to a peaceful and prosperous society. Without families, it would be difficult to pass cultural values and traditions from one generation to another.

In the future, families may continue to change due to modernization, urbanization, and technological development. Nuclear families may become more common, and family members may live in different places because of education and employment opportunities. However, despite these changes, the importance of family will remain unchanged because people will always need love, care, and emotional support.

In conclusion, family is the backbone of both individual life and society. It provides security, guidance, and happiness, making it one of the most valuable aspects of human life.

Writing B: Essay on Nuclear Family and Extended Family

Nuclear Family and Extended Family

Family is an essential part of human life. Some people prefer living in a nuclear family, while others believe that an extended family offers more advantages. Both types of families have their own benefits and drawbacks.

A nuclear family consists of parents and their children. One of its major advantages is privacy and independence. Family members can make decisions more freely and manage their finances according to their needs. There is usually less conflict because fewer people live together. However, nuclear families may lack emotional and financial support during difficult times. Elderly parents may also receive less attention and care.

On the other hand, an extended family includes grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, and other relatives living together or maintaining close relationships. Extended families provide strong emotional support, cooperation, and security. Children benefit from the guidance and experience of older family members. Elderly people receive better care and companionship. However, extended families may face problems such as lack of privacy, disagreements among members, and difficulties in decision-making.

In my opinion, both family systems have advantages and disadvantages. The best family structure depends on the needs and circumstances of the members. What matters most is not the size of the family but the love, respect, cooperation, and understanding among its members.

In conclusion, both nuclear and extended families play important roles in society. A happy family environment, regardless of its type, contributes to the well-being of individuals and society as a whole.

Grammar

B. Choose the best answer to complete the sentences.

a. 'How much was your parking ticket?' 'Fifty rupees.' 'Oh well, it __________ been worse.'
i. could have
ii. must have
iii. should have

Answer: i. could have

b. It __________ got lost in the post. These things happen sometimes.
i. can't have
ii. might have
iii. must have

Answer: ii. might have

c. 'Sorry I'm late. I got delayed at work.' 'You __________ called. I was really worried about you.'
i. must have
ii. could have
iii. would have

Answer: ii. could have

d. 'I don't think he meant to be rude.' 'He __________ said sorry.'
i. must have
ii. might have
iii. would have

Answer: iii. would have

e. 'Whose signature is this?' 'I don't know. It __________ be Manoj's. That looks a bit like an M.'
i. must
ii. could
iii. should

Answer: ii. could

f. I had it when I left the office so I __________ lost it on the way home.
i. mustn't have
ii. must have
iii. should have

Answer: ii. must have

g. You __________ think it's funny, but I think it's pathetic.
i. might
ii. should
iii. could

Answer: i. might

C. Complete the following sentences with appropriate endings.

a. At the end of the course, I will be able to speak English fluently.

b. If you want to earn a lot of money, you must work hard.

c. You were not in your house yesterday. You might have gone to the market.

d. I'm quite busy tomorrow. I may not be able to meet you.

e. When you were a small kid, you could run very fast.

f. My car is broken. I must get it repaired.

g. I've got a fast-speed internet at home. I can download large files quickly.

h. Even though she didn't study well, she could pass the examination.

i. There are plenty of newspapers in the library. You can read them if you want.

j. What do you think you were doing, playing in the road? You could have been seriously injured.

k. I have no time. I must leave now.

l. You don't look well. You should see a doctor.

Unit 3 SportsReadingEuro 2020
Italy wins Euro 2020, beats England in penalty shoot-out

By Associated Press

LONDON, July 12: Italian soccer’s redemption story is complete. England’s painful half-century wait for a major title goes on.And it just had to be because of a penalty shootout.Italy won the European Championship for the second time by beating England 3-2 on penalties on Sunday. The match finished 1-1 after extra time at Wembley Stadium, which was filled mostly with English fans hoping to celebrate the team’s first international trophy since the 1966 World Cup.“It’s coming to Rome. It’s coming to Rome,” Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci shouted into a TV camera amid the celebrations, mocking the famous lyric “it’s coming home” from the England team’s anthem.For England, it was utter dejection again — they know the feeling so well when it comes to penalties — after Gianluigi Donnarumma, Italy’s imposing goalkeeper, dived to his left and saved the decisive spot kick by 19-year-old Londoner Bukayo Saka, one of the youngest players in England’s squad.

That was England’s third straight failure from the penalty spot in the shootout, with Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho — players brought on late in extra time seemingly as specialist penalty-takers — also missing.As Saka and Sancho cried, Donnarumma was mobbed by his teammates as they sprinted toward him from the halfway line at the end of the second penalty shootout in a European Championship final.Then Italy’s jubilant players headed to the other end of the field and ran as one, diving to the ground in front of the Italian fans who have witnessed a rebirth of their national team.It was less than four years ago that Italy plunged to the lowest moment of its soccer history by failing to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in six decades. Now, they are the best team in Europe and on a national-record 34-match unbeaten run under Roberto Mancini, their suave coach who has won an international trophy in his first attempt to add to the country’s other European title — in 1968 — and its four World Cups.Mancini joined his players on the podium as Italy captain Giorgio Chiellini lifted the Henri Delaunay trophy to the backdrop of fireworks and tickertape.

“It was impossible even to just consider this at one stage,” Mancini said, “but the guys were just amazing. I have no words for them.”For England, it’s the latest heartache in shootouts at major tournaments, after defeats in 1990, 1996, 1998, 2004, 2006 and 2012. They ended that losing streak by beating Colombia on penalties in the round of 16 at the 2018 World Cup, but the pain has quickly returned.“The boys couldn’t have given more,” England captain Harry Kane said. “Penalties are the worst feeling in the world when you lose. It’s been a fantastic tournament — we should be proud, hold our heads up high. It’s going to hurt now; it’s going to hurt for a while.”England’s first major final in 55 years had all started so well, too, with Luke Shaw scoring the fastest goal in a European Championship final by meeting a cross from opposite wing back Kieran Trippier with a half-volley that went in off the post in the second minute.It was Shaw’s first goal for England and it prompted a fist-pump between David 18 Beckham and Tom Cruise in the VIP box amid an explosion of joy around Wembley, which had at least 67,000 fans inside. Maybe more, given dozens of ticketless England fans managed to barge their way past stewards and police and into the stadium in unsettling scenes before kickoff.That was the only time Italy’s famously robust defense was really opened up in the entire 120 minutes.Indeed, after Shaw’s goal, England barely saw the ball for the rest of the game.Italy’s midfielders dominated possession, as widely predicted before the match, and England simply resorted to dropping deep and getting nine or even all 10 outfield players behind the ball. It was reminiscent of the 2018 World Cup semifinals, when England also scored early against Croatia then spent most of the game chasing its opponent’s midfield before losing in extra time.Italy’s equalizer was merited and Bonucci was the unlikely scorer. He put the ball in from close range after a right-wing corner was flicked on to Marco Verratti, whose stooping header was tipped onto the post by goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

England managed to hold on for extra time — the way three of the last six European finals went — and actually had the better of the final stages.Just not the shootout, again.After the misses of Rashford — he stuttered up to the ball and then hit the post — and Sancho, whose shot was saved by Donnarumma again down to his left, Jorginho had the chance to win it for Italy.Incredibly, the midfielder who converted the decisive penalty in a shootout win over Spain in the semifinals also failed to score as Pickford tipped the effort off the post.It was Donnarumma who then made the crucial saves and within minutes he had also been named player of the tournament, the first goalkeeper to be so honored.So instead of coming home, the trophy is headed to Rome.“We’d heard it day in, day out from Wednesday night — we heard it would be coming home to London,” Bonucci said. “I’m sorry for them, but the cup will be taking a nice flight, making its way to Rome so Italians all over the world can savor this.”

इटालीले युरो २०२० जित्यो, पेनाल्टी सुटआउटमा इंग्ल्यान्डलाई हरायो

लन्डन, जुलाई १२: इटालीको फुटबल पुनरुत्थानको कथा पूर्ण भएको छ। अर्कोतर्फ, इंग्ल्यान्डले ठूलो अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय उपाधिको प्रतीक्षामा बिताएको पीडादायी आधा शताब्दी अझै जारी रहेको छ।

र अन्ततः खेलको निर्णय पेनाल्टी सुटआउटबाट नै भयो।

आइतबार इटालीले पेनाल्टीमा इंग्ल्यान्डलाई ३–२ ले पराजित गर्दै दोस्रो पटक युरोपियन च्याम्पियनसिपको उपाधि जित्यो। निर्धारित समय र अतिरिक्त समयपछि वेम्ब्ली रंगशालामा खेल १–१ को बराबरीमा सकिएको थियो। सन् १९६६ को विश्वकपपछि पहिलो अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय उपाधि जित्ने आशामा अधिकांश इंग्लिस समर्थकहरूले रंगशाला भरिभराउ बनाएका थिए।

उत्सवका बीच इटालीका रक्षक लियोनार्डो बोनुच्चीले टेलिभिजन क्यामेरातर्फ हेर्दै, “यो रोम आउँदैछ, यो रोम आउँदैछ,” भनेर चिच्याए। उनले इंग्ल्यान्ड टोलीको चर्चित गीत “It's Coming Home” को व्यङ्ग्य गर्दै यस्तो भनेका थिए।

इंग्ल्यान्डका लागि भने यो फेरि एकपटक गहिरो निराशाको क्षण बन्यो। पेनाल्टी सुटआउटमा हार्नु कस्तो पीडादायी हुन्छ भन्ने अनुभव उनीहरूलाई राम्ररी थाहा थियो। इटालीका प्रभावशाली गोलरक्षक जियानलुइजी डोनारुम्माले बायाँतर्फ उत्कृष्ट डाइभ गर्दै इंग्ल्यान्ड टोलीका सबैभन्दा कान्छा खेलाडीमध्ये एक, १९ वर्षीय बुकायो साकाले प्रहार गरेको निर्णायक पेनाल्टी बचाए।

पेनाल्टी सुटआउटमा इंग्ल्यान्डका लागि यो लगातार तेस्रो असफलता थियो। अतिरिक्त समयको अन्त्यतिर विशेष रूपमा पेनाल्टी प्रहार गर्न मैदानमा ल्याइएका मार्कस रासफोर्ड र जेडन सान्चो पनि गोल गर्न असफल भए।

साका र सान्चो आँसु झारिरहेका बेला, युरोपियन च्याम्पियनसिपको फाइनलमा दोस्रो पटक भएको पेनाल्टी सुटआउट समाप्त हुनेबित्तिकै इटालीका गोलरक्षक डोनारुम्मातर्फ उनका साथी खेलाडीहरू मध्यरेखाबाट दौडिँदै पुगे र खुसीयाली मनाउँदै उनलाई अँगालो हाले।

त्यसपछि इटालीका उल्लासित खेलाडीहरू मैदानको अर्को छेउमा पुगे र आफ्नो राष्ट्रिय टोलीको पुनर्जागरण देखिरहेका इटालियन समर्थकहरूको अगाडि एकसाथ दौडिँदै जमिनमा हाम फालेर विजय उत्सव मनाए।

चार वर्षभन्दा पनि कम समयअघि, छ दशकयता पहिलो पटक विश्वकपका लागि छनोट हुन नसकेपछि इटाली आफ्नो फुटबल इतिहासकै सबैभन्दा कठिन अवस्थामा पुगेको थियो। तर अहिले प्रशिक्षक रोबर्टो मान्चिनीको नेतृत्वमा इटाली युरोपको उत्कृष्ट टोली बनेको छ। मान्चिनीको प्रशिक्षणमा टोलीले लगातार ३४ खेल अपराजित रहने राष्ट्रिय कीर्तिमान पनि बनाएको छ। उनले आफ्नो पहिलो प्रयासमै सन् १९६८ पछि इटालीलाई अर्को युरोपियन उपाधि दिलाए, जसमा देशका चार विश्वकप उपाधिहरू पनि थप गौरवका रूपमा रहेका छन्।

आतिशबाजी र रङ्गीन कागजी फिताहरू (टिकरटेप) बीच इटालीका कप्तान जर्जियो किलिनीले हेन्री डेलाउने ट्रफी उचाले। त्यस अवसरमा प्रशिक्षक मान्चिनी पनि आफ्ना खेलाडीहरूसँगै पुरस्कार मञ्चमा सहभागी भए।

“एक समय त यस्तो उपलब्धिको कल्पना गर्नु पनि असम्भव जस्तै लाग्थ्यो,” प्रशिक्षक रोबर्टो मान्चिनीले भने, “तर यी खेलाडीहरू साँच्चै अद्भुत छन्। उनीहरूको प्रशंसा गर्न मसँग शब्द नै छैन।”

इंग्ल्यान्डका लागि भने प्रमुख अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय प्रतियोगिताहरूको पेनाल्टी सुटआउटमा यो अर्को पीडादायी हार बन्यो। यसअघि पनि उनीहरू सन् १९९०, १९९६, १९९८, २००४, २००६ र २०१२ मा पेनाल्टीमा पराजित भएका थिए। सन् २०१८ को विश्वकपको अन्तिम १६ मा कोलम्बियालाई पेनाल्टीमा हराएर उनीहरूले त्यो हारको शृङ्खला तोडेका थिए, तर यो पीडा फेरि दोहोरियो।

इंग्ल्यान्डका कप्तान ह्यारी केनले भने, “खेलाडीहरूले आफ्नो तर्फबाट दिन सक्ने सबै दिएका छन्। हार्दा पेनाल्टीभन्दा दुःखद अनुभूति संसारमा अरू केही हुँदैन। यो प्रतियोगिता हाम्रो लागि उत्कृष्ट रह्यो। हामीले आफ्नो प्रदर्शनमा गर्व गर्नुपर्छ र शिर ठाडो राख्नुपर्छ। अहिले यो हारले धेरै दुःख दिनेछ, र केही समयसम्म त्यो पीडा रहिरहनेछ।”

५५ वर्षपछि पहिलो पटक ठूलो प्रतियोगिताको फाइनल खेलेको इंग्ल्यान्डले खेलको सुरुआत निकै उत्कृष्ट गरेको थियो। खेलको दोस्रो मिनेटमै कियरन ट्रिपियरको क्रसमा लुक शले हाफ–भली प्रहार गर्दै पोस्टमा ठोक्किएर गोल गरे। यो युरोपियन च्याम्पियनसिपको फाइनल इतिहासकै सबैभन्दा छिटो गोल थियो।

यो इंग्ल्यान्डका लागि लुक शको पहिलो अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय गोल पनि थियो। त्यस गोलपछि वेम्ब्ली रंगशालामा उपस्थित कम्तीमा ६७ हजार समर्थकहरू खुसीले झुमे। भीआईपी कक्षमा रहेका डेभिड बेकह्याम र टम क्रुजले पनि खुसी व्यक्त गर्दै एकअर्कासँग मुट्ठी ठोक्दै उत्सव मनाए। खेल सुरु हुनुअघि टिकटविहीन दर्जनौँ इंग्लिस समर्थकहरूले सुरक्षाकर्मी र प्रहरीलाई छल्दै रंगशालाभित्र प्रवेश गरेका कारण केही अव्यवस्थित दृश्यसमेत देखिएका थिए।

पूरा १२० मिनेटको खेलमा इटालीको बलियो र प्रसिद्ध रक्षापङ्क्ति साँच्चै खुला भएको त्यो एकमात्र अवसर थियो। वास्तवमा, लुक शको गोलपछि इंग्ल्यान्डले बाँकी खेलभरि बलमा निकै कम नियन्त्रण राख्न सक्यो।

खेलअघि गरिएको अनुमानअनुसार इटालीका मिडफिल्डरहरूले बलमाथि पूर्ण नियन्त्रण जमाए। त्यसको सामना गर्न इंग्ल्यान्डले आफ्ना नौ वा कहिलेकाहीँ सबै १० बाहिरी खेलाडीलाई पछाडि फर्काएर रक्षात्मक शैली अपनायो। यो दृश्य सन् २०१८ को विश्वकपको सेमिफाइनलसँग मिल्दोजुल्दो थियो, जहाँ इंग्ल्यान्डले क्रोएसियाविरुद्ध सुरुमै गोल गरे पनि त्यसपछि अधिकांश समय विपक्षीको मिडफिल्डको पछि दौडिँदै बितायो र अन्ततः अतिरिक्त समयमा पराजित भयो।

इटालीको बराबरी गोल पूर्ण रूपमा योग्य थियो, यद्यपि गोल गर्ने खेलाडी लियोनार्डो बोनुच्ची हुने अपेक्षा धेरैले गरेका थिएनन्। दायाँतर्फबाट आएको कर्नरलाई मार्को भेरात्तीले हेडमार्फत अगाडि बढाए। उनको झुकेर गरेको हेडरलाई गोलरक्षक जोर्डन पिकफोर्डले पोस्टतर्फ धकेले पनि रिबाउन्ड भएको बललाई बोनुच्चीले नजिकैबाट जाली चुमाए।

इंग्ल्यान्डले खेललाई अतिरिक्त समयसम्म त पुर्‍याउन सफल भयो, जसरी पछिल्ला छवटा युरोपियन च्याम्पियनसिपका फाइनलमध्ये तीनवटा अतिरिक्त समयमा पुगेका थिए। खेलको अन्तिम चरणमा इंग्ल्यान्डको प्रदर्शन केही राम्रो देखिए पनि, पेनाल्टी सुटआउटमा भने उनीहरू फेरि असफल भए।

मार्कस रासफोर्डले पेनाल्टी प्रहार गर्दा दौडिने क्रममा केही क्षण रोकिए र उनको प्रहार पोस्टमा लाग्यो। त्यसपछि जेडन सान्चोको प्रहारलाई पनि गोलरक्षक जियानलुइजी डोनारुम्माले बायाँतर्फ डाइभ गर्दै बचाए। त्यसपछि इटालीका लागि जोर्गिन्होसँग खेल जिताउने अवसर आयो।

अचम्मको कुरा, सेमिफाइनलमा स्पेनविरुद्ध निर्णायक पेनाल्टी गोल गरेका जोर्गिन्हो यसपटक भने गोल गर्न असफल भए। उनको प्रहारलाई इंग्ल्यान्डका गोलरक्षक जोर्डन पिकफोर्डले छोएर पोस्टतर्फ फर्काइदिए।

तर अन्ततः निर्णायक बचाउ फेरि डोनारुम्माले नै गरे। केही मिनेटभित्रै उनलाई प्रतियोगिताको उत्कृष्ट खेलाडी (Player of the Tournament) घोषित गरियो। यो सम्मान प्राप्त गर्ने उनी युरोपियन च्याम्पियनसिप इतिहासका पहिलो गोलरक्षक बने।

यसरी, ट्रफी “घर” (इंग्ल्यान्ड) फर्किनुको सट्टा रोमतर्फ लाग्यो।

लियोनार्डो बोनुच्चीले भने, “बुधबार रातिदेखि हामीले दिनरात एउटै कुरा सुन्दै आएका थियौँ— ट्रफी लन्डनमा नै रहनेछ, घर फर्किनेछ भन्ने। उनीहरूको लागि मलाई दुःख लागेको छ, तर अब यो कप सुन्दर यात्रामा रोम जाँदैछ, जहाँ संसारभरका इटालियनहरूले यसको सफलताको स्वाद लिन पाउनेछन्।”

A. Find out the origin and meaning of the following words.

Word Origin Meaning

penalty Latin (poena) A punishment; in sports, a punishment for breaking a rule.

major Latin (major) Important; greater in size or importance.

stadium Greek (stadion) via Latin A large sports ground where games are played.

trophy Greek (tropaion) A prize awarded to the winner of a competition.

defender Latin (defendere) A player whose main job is to stop the opposing team from scoring.

anthem Greek (antiphona) An official or patriotic song of a country or team.

dejection Latin (deicere) A feeling of sadness or disappointment.

jubilant Latin (jubilare) Feeling or expressing great happiness and celebration.

record Latin (recordari) The best performance or an official account of achievements.

suave Latin (suavis) Polite, charming, and confident.

podium Greek (podion) A raised platform for winners or speakers.

tournament Old French (torneiement) A series of sports competitions to decide the champion.

reminiscent Latin (reminisci) Making someone remember something from the past.

incredible Latin (incredibilis) Very amazing or difficult to believe.

savor Latin (sapor) To enjoy or appreciate something fully.

B. Define the following cricket terms.

Wicket: Three stumps with two bails; also the dismissal of a batter.

Stump: One of the three vertical wooden sticks in a wicket.

Crease: The marked line on the cricket pitch.

Boundary: The edge of the playing field; reaching it scores four or six runs.

Sixer: A shot that crosses the boundary without touching the ground, scoring six runs.

Googly: A deceptive spin delivery by a leg-spinner.

Leg-bye: Runs scored after the ball hits the batter's body (not the bat).

Wicket maiden: An over in which no runs are scored and a wicket is taken.

Pitch: The central strip where the bowler bowls and the batter bats.

Power-play: A period with fielding restrictions.

No-ball: An illegal delivery by the bowler.

Yorker: A delivery that lands at or near the batter's feet.

C. Divide the words according to pronunciation.

/aɪ/ fine, shine, why, height, bright, might, five, sight, white, by

/eɪ/ rein, rail, sleigh, snail, break, fake, freight, eight, game, claim, gait, hail, frame

Comprehension

A. State whether the following sentences are True (T), False (F) or Not Given (NG).

a. England was the champion of the 1996 World Cup Football. — True

b. Italy bagged its first Euro Cup trophy in Euro Cup 2020. — True

c. The English team has won more trophies in international football than Italy. — False

d. According to the captain of the English team, the pain of losing a match has lasting effects. — Not Given

e. The Italian team was playing on their home ground. — False

f. The goalkeeper of the Italian team had performed the best among all the players in the match. — True

B. Answer the following questions.

a. Why does the reporter say that England is waiting to heal its half-century-long pain?

Answer: Because England had not won a major international football title since the 1966 FIFA World Cup, making fans wait for more than 50 years.

b. How did the Italian players react as soon as they became the champions?

Answer: They celebrated with great joy, rushed towards goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, hugged him, and later celebrated in front of the Italian supporters.

c. Why did Saka and Sancho cry?
Answer: They cried because they missed their penalties in the shootout, which contributed to England's defeat.

d. Penalty shoot-outs have long been a bitter experience for the English team. Why?
Answer: Because England has suffered several defeats in penalty shoot-outs in major tournaments, including in 1990, 1996, 1998, 2004, 2006, 2012, and again in the Euro 2020 final.

e. State the contribution of Roberto Mancini to Italian football.
Answer: Roberto Mancini rebuilt the Italian team after its failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, guided them to a national record of 34 unbeaten matches, and led Italy to win the Euro 2020 championship.

f. How does the Euro Cup 2020 final remind the audience of the 2018 World Cup semifinal?
Answer: In both matches, England scored an early goal but gradually lost control of the game, allowed the opponents to dominate possession, and eventually lost in extra time or through penalties.

Critical Thinking

a. "Every match is a new opportunity. Put its failure behind and start over again." Does this apply to the Italian football team? Explain.

Answer: Yes, this statement perfectly applies to the Italian football team. Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which was one of the biggest disappointments in its football history. Instead of giving up, the team worked hard under coach Roberto Mancini. They improved their performance, remained unbeaten for 34 matches, and won the UEFA Euro 2020 championship. Their success shows that failures should be treated as lessons and that determination, teamwork, and hard work can lead to great achievements.

b. Does playing on the home ground help a team win, or can it create pressure? What do you think?

Answer: Playing on the home ground has both advantages and disadvantages. Home supporters encourage the players and create a positive atmosphere, which can increase the team's confidence and motivation. However, playing in front of thousands of home fans also brings pressure because everyone expects the team to win. If players cannot handle that pressure, they may become nervous and make mistakes. Therefore, while home support is an advantage, success ultimately depends on the players' performance, teamwork, preparation, and mental strength.

Writing

A. Punctuate the following passage.

A lot of people try to get away from home for a few days each year for a holiday. There are lots of things to choose from, and where you go depends on how much money you have got to spend. Ideas for holidays include relaxing on a beach, exploring cities, and skiing. One man wanted to go to Australia but thought he'd never have enough money to get there. He will go to his brother's caravan at the seaside instead. A young woman wanted to go clubbing in Ibiza as she'd heard it's a lot of fun.

B. Write a news story based on the given information.

Argentina Beat Brazil to Win Copa America

By Reuters

RIO DE JANEIRO, July 10: Argentina won the Copa America title by defeating Brazil 1–0 in the final. It was Argentina's first major international title in 28 years and Lionel Messi's first senior international trophy with the national team.

Ángel Di María scored the only goal of the match to give Argentina a historic victory. With this win, Argentina claimed its 15th Copa America title, equaling Brazil's record.

Brazil played more aggressively in the second half and created several scoring opportunities, but Argentina's outstanding defense successfully protected the lead until the final whistle. The victory marked a memorable achievement for Argentina and their captain, Lionel Messi.

C. Essay

Topic: Hosting an International Sports Event: More Benefits or More Problems?

A complete answer should be about 500 words. You can include these ideas:

Hosting international events improves a country's global image.

It boosts tourism and creates employment opportunities.

It leads to better roads, stadiums, airports, and other infrastructure.

It encourages sports and inspires young athletes.

However, hosting such events requires huge financial investment.

There may be cost overruns, debt, traffic congestion, security concerns, and environmental impacts.

Overall, if planned and managed properly, the long-term benefits can outweigh the challenges

Grammar

B. Complete the sentences with much, many, few or little.

a. He is an introvert. He has got very few friends.

b. I am busy preparing for my examinations. I have very little time to give to you.

c. The entire winter season was dry this year. We had little rain.

d. Our town has almost been modernized. There are few old buildings left.

e. You can come today. I haven’t got much to do.

f. The party was crowded. There were many people.

g. How many photographs did you take while you were in Switzerland?

h. There was little traffic, so I came on time.

i. Can I borrow a few books from you?

j. Mohan can’t be a good teacher. He has little patience.

C. Put each or every in the blanks.

a. The party split into three factions, each faction headed by a former prime minister.

b. Leap years occur every four years.

c. Every parent worries about their children.

d. We had a great time in Singapore. We enjoyed every minute of our time.

e. I could catch the main idea of his speech, but I didn’t understand every of his words.

f. In Nepal, every motorcycle rider should wear a helmet.

g. You must read each of these books for the exam.

D. Rewrite using all of, most of, none of, both of, or some of.

a. Your garden is superb. All of the flowers are beautiful.

b. Do you know Bharat and Kamal? Of course, I do. Both of them are my friends.

c. I bought a box of apples thinking it would be cheaper, but I was mistaken. Some of them were rotten.

d. When I was in the town, I asked some people for directions, but none of them were able to help me.

e. We all were soaked in the rain because none of us had carried an umbrella.

f. My father is healthy in his seventies, but he feels isolated because most of his friends are dead now.

g. All of the tourists are not Chinese. Some of them are Korean too.

E. Choose the correct word.

a. Give me the money I owe you.

b. I want a boat which would take me to the island.

c. Could you pour me some water, please?

d. Only a few employees know how important the project was.

e. He was looking for an umbrella.

f. A large amount of water was evaporated due to excessive heat.

Unit 4: Technology

Hyperloop

A hyperloop is an ultra-high-speed ground transportation system for passengers and cargo. It allows people and freight to travel at speeds of up to 760 mph (1,220 km/h) in floating pods that move through giant low-pressure tubes built either above or below the ground.

Hyperloop is a new form of transportation that is currently being researched and developed by several companies. Although the idea has existed for many years, the technology is still under development. Early commercial services were expected around 2020, but further testing and improvements have delayed large-scale implementation.

How Is Hyperloop Different from Traditional Rail?

There are two major differences between a hyperloop and conventional trains.

First, passenger pods travel inside sealed tubes from which most of the air has been removed. This greatly reduces air resistance (friction), allowing the pods to travel at extremely high speeds.

Second, instead of using wheels, the pods float above the track using air skis (similar to an air hockey table) or magnetic levitation (maglev) technology. This further reduces friction and increases efficiency.

Advantages of Hyperloop

A hyperloop offers several advantages. It is faster than trains and cars, cheaper than building traditional high-speed rail, less expensive and less polluting than air travel, helps reduce traffic congestion, improves travel between cities, and supports economic growth through faster transportation.

History of Hyperloop

The concept of transporting people through low-pressure or vacuum tubes is not new.

In 1864, the Crystal Palace Pneumatic Railway in London used air pressure to move railway wagons. Since the late nineteenth century, pneumatic tube systems have been used in banks, hospitals, and supermarkets to transport money and small packages.

In the early twentieth century, Robert Goddard developed the vactrain concept, which inspired many later ideas.

The modern hyperloop gained worldwide attention in August 2013 when entrepreneur Elon Musk published the Hyperloop Alpha paper, explaining how the system could work and what it might cost.

How Does a Hyperloop Tube Work?

Hyperloop pods travel through tubes located either above or below the ground.

Most of the air is removed from the tubes using powerful pumps, creating a low-pressure environment. Since air resistance is one of the greatest causes of energy loss during high-speed travel, reducing it allows the pods to move almost as fast as airplanes while remaining on the ground.

According to Elon Musk's design, the air pressure inside the tube would be about 100 pascals, approximately one-sixth of the atmospheric pressure on Mars. This reduces air resistance by about 1,000 times compared with sea-level conditions.

How Do Hyperloop Capsules Work?

Hyperloop capsules float above the track using air-bearing skis or magnetic levitation.

The pods are initially accelerated by a linear electric motor and then continue moving through the near-vacuum tube with occasional boosts every 70 miles.

Each capsule is designed to carry about 28 passengers, luggage, and, in some versions, cargo or vehicles. Pods could depart every two minutes or every thirty seconds during peak demand.

How Is Hyperloop Powered?

Hyperloop uses linear electric motors to accelerate the pods.

According to Musk's proposal, solar panels installed on top of the tubes would generate enough electricity to power the entire system, potentially producing more energy than the hyperloop consumes.

What Does Travelling in a Hyperloop Feel Like?

Some critics believe that rapid acceleration and turns might cause discomfort or nausea.

However, developers claim that travelling in a hyperloop would feel similar to riding in an elevator or flying in a commercial airplane. Acceleration and deceleration would be gradual, reducing discomfort and turbulence.

Since the pods travel inside enclosed tubes without windows, passengers would enjoy digital displays showing scenic landscapes and personal entertainment systems.

Will Hyperloop Be Successful?

The future of hyperloop remains uncertain.

The technology is still in the experimental stage. Building hundreds of kilometres of vacuum tubes is expensive, maintaining low pressure is technically challenging, and large-scale passenger capacity remains uncertain. Business models and ticket pricing also need further development.

Despite these challenges, hyperloop has the potential to provide faster travel, reduce traffic congestion, lower pollution, and promote economic development.

Several companies continue to develop the technology, but widespread commercial use will depend on successful testing, affordability, safety, and public acceptance.

एकाइ ४ : प्रविधि (Technology)

हाइपरलुप (Hyperloop)

हाइपरलुप यात्रु र सामान (कार्गो) ढुवानीका लागि प्रयोग हुने अति उच्च गतिको (Ultra-high-speed) स्थल यातायात प्रणाली हो। यसमा मानिस र सामानलाई जमिनमाथि वा जमिनमुनि निर्माण गरिएका विशाल कम चाप (Low-pressure) भएका ट्युबभित्र तैरिने क्याप्सुल (Pods) मार्फत ७६० माइल प्रतिघण्टा (१,२२० किमी/घण्टा) सम्मको गतिमा यात्रा गराइन्छ।

हाइपरलुप नयाँ प्रकारको यातायात प्रणाली हो, जसको हाल विभिन्न कम्पनीहरूले अनुसन्धान र विकास गरिरहेका छन्। यसको अवधारणा धेरै वर्षदेखि भए पनि यसको प्रविधि अझै विकासकै चरणमा छ। प्रारम्भिक व्यावसायिक सेवा सन् २०२० तिर सुरु हुने अपेक्षा गरिएको थियो, तर थप परीक्षण र सुधार आवश्यक परेकाले यसको व्यापक प्रयोग अझै हुन सकेको छैन।

हाइपरलुप परम्परागत रेलभन्दा कसरी फरक छ?

हाइपरलुप र परम्परागत रेलबीच मुख्यतः दुईवटा फरक छन्।

पहिलो, यात्रु बोक्ने क्याप्सुलहरू अधिकांश हावा निकालिएको बन्द ट्युबभित्र यात्रा गर्छन्। यसले हावाको प्रतिरोध (घर्षण) निकै कम गर्छ, जसका कारण क्याप्सुल अत्यन्त उच्च गतिमा चल्न सक्छ।

दोस्रो, हाइपरलुपमा पाङ्ग्राको सट्टा एयर स्की (Air Skis) वा चुम्बकीय उत्थापन (Magnetic Levitation/Maglev) प्रविधि प्रयोग गरिन्छ। यसले घर्षणलाई अझ कम गरी यात्रालाई बढी प्रभावकारी बनाउँछ।

हाइपरलुपका फाइदाहरू

हाइपरलुपका धेरै फाइदाहरू छन्।

रेल र कारभन्दा धेरै छिटो हुन्छ।

परम्परागत उच्चगतिको रेल निर्माणभन्दा कम खर्चिलो हुन्छ।

हवाई यात्राभन्दा सस्तो र कम प्रदूषणकारी हुन्छ।

सडकको ट्राफिक जाम घटाउन मद्दत गर्छ।

सहरहरूबीचको यात्रा छिटो र सहज बनाउँछ।

द्रुत यातायातका कारण आर्थिक विकासमा सहयोग पुर्‍याउँछ।

हाइपरलुपको इतिहास

कम चाप वा निर्वात (Vacuum) ट्युबमार्फत मानिसलाई यात्रा गराउने अवधारणा नयाँ होइन।

सन् १८६४ मा लन्डनको क्रिस्टल प्यालेस न्यूम्याटिक रेल्वे (Crystal Palace Pneumatic Railway) ले हावाको चाप प्रयोग गरी रेलका डिब्बा चलाएको थियो।

उन्नाइसौँ शताब्दीको अन्त्यदेखि बैंक, अस्पताल तथा सुपरमार्केटहरूमा पैसा र साना सामान ओसार्न न्यूम्याटिक ट्युब प्रणाली प्रयोग हुँदै आएको छ।

बीसौँ शताब्दीको प्रारम्भमा रोबर्ट गोडार्ड (Robert Goddard) ले भ्याक्ट्रेन (Vactrain) को अवधारणा प्रस्तुत गरेका थिए, जसले पछि हाइपरलुपजस्ता विचारहरूलाई प्रेरणा दियो।

आधुनिक हाइपरलुपले विश्वव्यापी चर्चा सन् २०१३ अगस्ट मा पायो, जब उद्यमी एलन मस्क (Elon Musk) ले Hyperloop Alpha नामक अनुसन्धानपत्र प्रकाशित गर्दै यसको कार्यप्रणाली र लागतबारे जानकारी दिएका थिए।

हाइपरलुपको ट्युब कसरी काम गर्छ?

हाइपरलुपका क्याप्सुलहरू जमिनमाथि वा जमिनमुनि बनाइएका ट्युबभित्र यात्रा गर्छन्।

शक्तिशाली पम्पको सहायताले ट्युबभित्रको अधिकांश हावा निकालिन्छ, जसले कम चापको वातावरण सिर्जना गर्छ।

हावाको प्रतिरोध उच्च गतिमा ऊर्जा नष्ट हुने प्रमुख कारण भएकाले यसलाई कम गर्दा क्याप्सुलहरू विमानसरह गतिमा जमिनमै यात्रा गर्न सक्छन्।

एलन मस्कको डिजाइनअनुसार ट्युबभित्रको हावाको चाप करिब १०० पास्कल हुनेछ, जुन मंगल ग्रहको वायुमण्डलीय चापको करिब एक-छैटौँ भाग बराबर हो। यसले समुद्री सतहको तुलनामा हावाको प्रतिरोध करिब १,००० गुणा कम गर्छ।

हाइपरलुपका क्याप्सुलहरू कसरी काम गर्छन्?

हाइपरलुपका क्याप्सुलहरू एयर-बेयरिङ स्की वा चुम्बकीय उत्थापन (Maglev) प्रविधिबाट ट्र्याकभन्दा केही माथि तैरिन्छन्।

सुरुमा रेखीय विद्युतीय मोटर (Linear Electric Motor) द्वारा तीव्र गति दिइन्छ। त्यसपछि क्याप्सुलहरू निर्वातजस्तै ट्युबभित्र यात्रा गर्छन् र करिब ७० माइलको अन्तरालमा आवश्यक परे थप गति दिइन्छ।

प्रत्येक क्याप्सुलमा करिब २८ जना यात्रु, उनीहरूको सामान तथा केही मोडेलमा मालसामान वा सवारीसाधन पनि बोक्न सकिन्छ।

सामान्य अवस्थामा प्रत्येक २ मिनेटमा एउटा क्याप्सुल छुट्न सक्छ भने अत्यधिक भीड भएको समयमा ३० सेकेन्डको अन्तरालमा पनि सञ्चालन गर्न सकिन्छ।

हाइपरलुपलाई ऊर्जा कसरी प्राप्त हुन्छ?

हाइपरलुपले क्याप्सुललाई गति दिन रेखीय विद्युतीय मोटर प्रयोग गर्छ।

एलन मस्कको प्रस्तावअनुसार ट्युबको माथि राखिएका सौर्य प्यानलहरू ले सम्पूर्ण प्रणाली सञ्चालन गर्न आवश्यक बिजुली उत्पादन गर्नेछन्। सम्भवतः यसले प्रयोगभन्दा बढी ऊर्जा उत्पादन गर्न सक्नेछ।

हाइपरलुपमा यात्रा गर्दा कस्तो अनुभव हुन्छ?

केही आलोचकहरूको विचारमा तीव्र गति, मोड तथा द्रुत त्वरणका कारण यात्रुलाई असहजता वा वाकवाकी हुन सक्छ।

तर विकासकर्ताहरूका अनुसार हाइपरलुपमा यात्रा गर्नु लिफ्टमा यात्रा गर्नु वा व्यावसायिक विमानमा उड्नुजस्तै सहज अनुभव हुनेछ। गति बढ्ने र घट्ने प्रक्रिया बिस्तारै हुने भएकाले असहजता कम हुनेछ।

ट्युब पूर्ण रूपमा बन्द हुने भएकाले झ्याल हुँदैन। त्यसैले यात्रुहरूका लागि डिजिटल स्क्रिनमा सुन्दर दृश्य तथा मनोरञ्जनका सामग्री देखाइने व्यवस्था हुनेछ।

हाइपरलुप सफल हुनेछ त?

हाइपरलुपको भविष्य अझै निश्चित छैन।

यो प्रविधि अझै परीक्षणकै चरणमा छ। सयौँ किलोमिटर लामो निर्वात ट्युब निर्माण गर्नु निकै महँगो छ। कम चाप कायम राख्नु प्राविधिक रूपमा चुनौतीपूर्ण छ, साथै धेरै यात्रु बोक्ने क्षमताबारे पनि अझै निश्चितता छैन। व्यापारिक मोडेल तथा टिकट मूल्य निर्धारणसमेत विकास गर्न बाँकी छ।

यी चुनौतीहरू हुँदाहुँदै पनि हाइपरलुपले छिटो यात्रा, ट्राफिक जाम न्यूनीकरण, प्रदूषण कम गर्ने तथा आर्थिक विकासमा योगदान दिने ठूलो सम्भावना बोकेको छ।

धेरै कम्पनीहरूले यसको विकासलाई निरन्तर अघि बढाइरहेका छन्। तर यसको व्यापक व्यावसायिक प्रयोग सफल परीक्षण, किफायती लागत, सुरक्षा तथा जनस्वीकृतिमा निर्भर रहनेछ।

Working with Words

A. Choose the correct words from the box to complete the following sentences.

Words: freight, levitation, gridlock, pneumatic, predecessor, envisioned, equivalent, subsonic, turbulence, deceleration

a. I think that covering up the facts is equivalent to lying really.

b. If there is not a substantial move to public transport, we will have gridlock and the whole regeneration will not work.

c. Each new leader would blame his predecessor for all the evils of the past.

d. We have, in fact, envisioned a better world and have made it happen.

e. The main linear actuators of the pneumatic systems are cylinders.

f. The barrel was short and the bullet emerged at subsonic speed.

g. The city is said to receive two-fifths of the total freight delivered in the country.

h. It would still take four hours to get down, in a spiral of deceleration.

i. Apparently, the magician will be doing some levitation on the stage tomorrow.

j. We might be experiencing some turbulence on this flight due to an approaching electrical storm.

B. Add three more words that are formed with the following prefixes.

a. hyper- : hyperloop, hypermarket, hyperlink, hyperactive

b. ultra- : ultrahigh, ultraviolet, ultrasound, ultramodern

c. up- : uphill, upgrade, upload, update

d. over- : overcoming, overcome, overtake, overestimate

e. multi- : multibillion, multimedia, multinational, multicultural

Comprehension

a. What is a hyperloop? How does it work?

A hyperloop is an ultra-high-speed transportation system for passengers and cargo. It works by moving floating pods through low-pressure tubes at very high speeds using magnetic levitation or air skis.

b. How is hyperloop more beneficial than the traditional trains?

Hyperloop is faster, cheaper to build, more energy-efficient, less polluting, and reduces traffic congestion compared to traditional trains.

c. Does hyperloop have a successful history? How?

No. Hyperloop is still in the experimental stage. Although the idea has existed for many years, it has not yet been widely used commercially.

d. Write the contributions of Robert Goddard and Elon Musk for the development of hyperloop.

Robert Goddard developed the early concept of the vacuum train (vactrain). Elon Musk revived the idea by publishing the Hyperloop Alpha paper in 2013 and proposed a practical design for the system.

e. What relation does speed have with air resistance? Explain.

As speed increases, air resistance also increases. Hyperloop reduces air resistance by removing most of the air from the tubes, allowing the pods to travel much faster with less energy.

f. What are hyperloop capsules compared with? How are they similar?

Hyperloop capsules are compared with the puck used in an air hockey game. Both float above a surface on a cushion of air, reducing friction.

g. How do the passengers feel while travelling via hyperloop? What will be done to make it luxurious?

Passengers are expected to feel as comfortable as they do while travelling in an elevator or an airplane. To make the journey luxurious, the pods will have digital landscape displays and personal entertainment systems.

h. Why does the writer doubt about the success of hyperloop? What does the success depend on?

The writer doubts its success because the technology is still under development and there are engineering, financial, and business challenges. Its success depends on safety, affordability, public acceptance, and successful commercial operation.

Critical Thinking

a. Is the hyperloop the future of transportation or just a dream? What do you think? Justify your opinion with suitable reasons.

I believe that the hyperloop has the potential to become the future of transportation. It is faster, cleaner, and more energy-efficient than existing transport systems. It can reduce traffic congestion and save travel time. However, it still requires further technological development, investment, and safety testing before becoming widely available.

b. The number of private vehicles is increasing day by day in Nepal beyond the capacity of our infrastructure. What do you think should be done to curb the ever-growing number of private vehicles? Discuss.

The government should improve public transportation by providing safe, comfortable, and reliable buses and trains. Better road planning, strict vehicle registration policies, higher parking fees, and promotion of cycling and walking can also help reduce the number of private vehicles. Public awareness about environmental protection is equally important.

Writing

A. Read the press release issued by Bahamasair about their irregular operations.

(Activity-based question)

B. Press Release

Press Release

Nepal Airlines Corporation

Date: __________

Flight Cancellation Notice

Nepal Airlines regrets to inform all valued passengers that all scheduled flights to the mountain regions have been cancelled today due to adverse weather conditions. Poor visibility, heavy rainfall, and strong winds have made flying unsafe.

The safety of our passengers and crew is our highest priority. Therefore, this decision has been made following the recommendations of aviation authorities.

Passengers are requested to contact the nearest Nepal Airlines office for rescheduling or refund procedures. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused and appreciate your patience and understanding.

For further information, please visit our official website or contact our customer service center.

General Manager
Nepal Airlines Corporation

Grammar

B. Rewrite the following sentences.

a. The invitation is for one person. I don’t mind whether you or she comes to the party.

b. Neither the MPs nor the Prime Minister has felt regret for the party split.

c. I don’t care whether he or she wins the lottery.

d. Either the Kantipur or the Republica is used for the advertisement.

e. She speaks in a strange accent. Neither I nor my sister understands her.

f. I forgot whether the singers or the actress was given the Film Fair Award last year.

g. Neither the tracksuit nor the pajamas fit me perfectly.

h. Neither the gas fire nor the electric heaters are suitable for room heating.

C. Corrected Passage

Within the state of Arizona, Rob, along with his family, moves frequently from city to city. After his arrival, one of his first tasks is to find an apartment close to work as he does not have a car. Usually, there are many different places to choose from, and he considers cost, location, and luxury. If one apartment has a washing machine and dryer and costs four hundred dollars a month, he prefers to rent it over another apartment which has significantly less rent located two blocks from a Laundromat.

Rob's family never wants to live in an apartment on the thirteenth floor since all of them fear heights. He also tries to choose an apartment with landlords recommended by former tenants. Everybody knows that it is important to find a responsible landlord. Rob and his wife love to cook together when both are free, so he needs a spacious, well-equipped kitchen. Rob also looks for a place with an air conditioner because there are so many scorching days and nights in Arizona. Whenever Rob finds a new apartment, all of his concerns disappear. He feels relieved and calls his mother. Someone understands!

Unit 5 Education

A Story of My Childhood

‘Vanakkam, Aiya! I have some good news for you!’It was my Mathematics teacher from class four and he was standing just outside the house and calling out to my father. He looked quite excited, so we all rushed out to greet him and invite him inside. My father offered him a seat and then looked on expectantly.

‘Abdul, come up here, to me,’ my teacher beckoned to me. I was standing with all the other children, peeping from behind my elder brother. I came up shyly to him. He pulled me close affectionately, then turned to my father and said, ‘Abdul has scored full marks in Mathematics in the exam! And not only in Mathematics but in Science as well, and he has done very well in English and Tamil too! We teachers are very proud of him.’

I was so pleased to hear this result. But I was even more pleased because my teacher had taken the trouble to come all the way to my house to tell us about this. He had finished his work at the school, and then instead of hurrying back home he had come here, to share his pride and happiness with my family. Our school was small, but it had many such teachers like him. They taught us with love and care and felt the same joy English: Grade 12 37 in our achievements as we did.

That evening, my mother made special poli (a flat chapatti-shaped sweet) to celebrate. We all loved polis and ate many helpings till we were told we’d had enough and sent off to bed in case we got tummy aches! My love for this sweet endures to this day, and when I travel in south India, I have friends who make it at home and bring it to me wherever I am. I make sure to steal a few minutes from my schedule and enjoy this sweet dish that carries so many memories of childhood for me.

As a child, my day started very early. It began with my mother gently shaking me awake very early in the morning, before sunrise. ‘Abdul, wake up kanna,’ she would call affectionately and I got up, wiping the sleep from my eyes. I had two places to go to before school. One was the Arabic tuition class that all of us attended. There, we learnt to read the Koran. After it was over, I went to my Mathematics teacher’s house. He took a special class for students who showed promise in the subject. I have always loved learning about numbers and their rules and patterns. I had learnt addition and subtraction, and multiplication, and all the other basic functions very quickly. Now I was raring to know about more complex problems. My teacher had started the class for students just like me and I enjoyed going there and grappling with number problems in the early hours of the day.

I ran back home once the class was over. My mother would have a hot meal ready. We all ate our fill. In our school, children did not carry tiffin boxes and water bottles so I ate the mid-morning meal hungrily, enjoying the rice and vegetables and chutney and dal. Some days she would make piping hot dosas and I still remember their thick crispy texture and the spicy powder smeared on them.

The children all walked to school together. Our school was the Rameswaram Elementary School and the only one in the town then. We walked along the cobbled roads together, chatting and playing little games. We had to carry only a few books with us and no one took schoolbags. The school building had rows of classrooms and a small playground. In the class I sat with RamanadhaSastry, my best friend. We had known each other from the first day we came to school and had been friends ever since. He and I loved to chat and somehow we never ran out of things to say to each other and do together.

Our whole fleet of boats set sail on the puddles. If I saw an ant or some other insect I carefully made sure it got a ride on my boat to safety. I don’t know if the ants were any grateful for this unexpected joyride, but we were thrilled to see them clinging on to the flimsy leaf boats and sail away.

Ramanadhan and I sat next to each other in class. Once it so happened that a new teacher joined our school. As soon as he entered the class, he saw from our attire that Ramanadhan was a Brahmin and that I was a Muslim. These were divisions we had never thought of earlier but the teacher was not happy that a Hindu and a Muslim boy were sitting together. He made me get up and go sit elsewhere. I was shocked and heartbroken. I remember crying because I had been made to give up my seat next to my best friend. And, who knew that a Muslim and a Hindu boy could not sit together?

That evening, Ramanadhan’s father, who was also head priest at the Rameswaram Shiva temple, heard about this and told my father about it. Together, they spoke to the teacher and told him that he should not have brought the divisions of religion into the classroom. Children should grow up together, studying and playing, without their faiths coming in between. The teacher understood this and Ramanadhan and I went back to sitting together as usual.

However, our time together was not indefinite. Soon we had to go our separate ways. The school in Rameswaram had classes only till the secondary level and to study further one had to go to the bigger towns nearby. I had another teacher called Sivasubramania Iyer. He, too, was very fond of me and like Jalaluddin, kept encouraging me to think about higher studies.

Sivasubramania Iyer taught me when I was ten years old and in the fifth standard. He was a great teacher and all of us loved to attend his class and listen to him. One day, he was teaching how birds fly. He drew a diagram of a bird on the blackboard depicting the wings, tail and the body structure. He explained how birds create the lift and fly. He also explained to us how they change direction while flying. For nearly twenty-five minutes, he gave the lecture with various information such as lift, drag and how birds fly in formations of ten, twenty or thirty. At the end of the class, he wanted to know whether we had understood what he had been teaching. I spoke up and said I had not understood. When I said this, he asked the other students whether they had understood or not. Many students then said that they too had not understood. Our response did not upset him at all.

When we were scheduled to have our next class with him, he had a wonderful surprise. He said that he would take us to the seashore that evening! The whole class went to the seashore of Rameswaram. We enjoyed looking out at the roaring waves. In the sky, there were many birds flying around. He pointed out the birds that were flying in formations of ten or twenty numbers and we observed the marvelous flight formations they made. He asked us to watch how they looked when they were in flight and how they flapped their wings. He then told us to look at the tail and see how they used the combination of flapping wings and twisting tail in their flying. We noticed closely and found that the birds were able to fly in the direction they wanted to by using both tail and wings.

Then he asked us, ‘Where is the engine in this bird? Do you know what engine powers each bird?’ He explained that each bird is powered by its own life force and the motivation of what it wants. In the space of fifteen minutes, he explained the concept of flight dynamics in birds and we understood everything. He gave us a theoretical lesson coupled with a live practical example available in nature. This was real teaching. That evening, I did not merely understand how a bird flies. It went much deeper. I felt as though the bird’s flight entered into me and created a special feeling. From that evening, I was sure that my future study had to be with reference to flight and flight systems. My teacher’s teaching and the event that I witnessed decided my career path. One evening after the classes, I asked him, ‘Sir, please tell me, how can I progress further in learning all about flight?’ He patiently explained to me that I should complete my eighth standard here, and then go to high school. After that, I should go to engineering college where I would be able to learn about flight. If I completed each step, I would beable to do something connected with flight sciences. This advice and the lesson that evening by the seashore, gave me a goal and a mission for my life. - A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (Excerpt from My Life: an Illustrated Autobiography)

एकाइ ५ : शिक्षा

मेरो बाल्यकालको एउटा कथा

"वनक्कम, अय्या! तपाईँका लागि मसँग एउटा खुसीको खबर छ!"

यो मेरो कक्षा ४ का गणित शिक्षक हुनुहुन्थ्यो। उहाँ हाम्रो घरबाहिर उभिएर मेरो बुबालाई बोलाइरहनुभएको थियो। उहाँ निकै उत्साहित देखिनुहुन्थ्यो। त्यसैले हामी सबै उहाँलाई स्वागत गर्न र घरभित्र बोलाउन हतारियौँ। बुबाले उहाँलाई बस्नका लागि कुर्सी दिनुभयो र उत्सुकतापूर्वक उहाँतर्फ हेर्नुभयो।

"अब्दुल, यहाँ आऊ," शिक्षकले मलाई बोलाउनुभयो। म अरू बच्चाहरूसँग दाइको पछाडि लजाउँदै उभिएको थिएँ। म बिस्तारै उहाँतिर गएँ। उहाँले मायालु ढङ्गले मलाई आफ्नो नजिक तान्नुभयो र बुबालाई भन्नुभयो,

"अब्दुलले परीक्षामा गणितमा पूरा अंक ल्याएको छ। गणित मात्र होइन, विज्ञानमा पनि पूरा अंक ल्याएको छ। साथै अंग्रेजी र तमिलमा पनि उसले निकै राम्रो गरेको छ। हामी शिक्षकहरू उसप्रति धेरै गर्व गर्छौँ।"

यो नतिजा सुनेर म अत्यन्त खुसी भएँ। तर अझ बढी खुसी यस कारण भएँ कि मेरो शिक्षकले विद्यालयको काम सकेपछि सीधै घर नफर्की हाम्रो घरसम्म आएर यो खुसीको समाचार सुनाउनुभएको थियो। उहाँ हाम्रो सफलतामा हामीजत्तिकै खुसी हुनुहुन्थ्यो। हाम्रो विद्यालय सानो थियो, तर यस्ता धेरै माया गर्ने र समर्पित शिक्षकहरू थिए। उनीहरूले प्रेम, स्नेह र समर्पणका साथ पढाउनुहुन्थ्यो।

त्यस साँझ आमाले हाम्रो सफलताको खुसीयालीमा पोली (रोटी जस्तै देखिने एउटा मीठो परिकार) बनाउनुभयो। हामी सबैलाई पोली निकै मन पर्थ्यो। हामीले धेरै खायौँ, अन्त्यमा पेट दुख्ला भनेर आमाले हामीलाई सुत्न पठाउनुभयो। आजसम्म पनि मलाई पोली निकै मन पर्छ। दक्षिण भारत जाँदा मेरा साथीहरूले घरमै पोली बनाएर जहाँ भए पनि ल्याइदिन्छन्। म आफ्नो व्यस्त समयबाट केही मिनेट निकालेर बाल्यकालका ती मीठा सम्झनाहरू बोकेको यो परिकार स्वाद लिएर खान्छु।

बाल्यकालमा मेरो दिन निकै बिहानै सुरु हुन्थ्यो। सूर्य उदाउनुअघि नै आमाले मायालु स्वरमा भन्नुहुन्थ्यो,

"अब्दुल, उठ न बाबु।"

म आँखा मिच्दै उठ्थेँ। विद्यालय जानुअघि म दुई ठाउँ जान्थेँ। पहिलो, अरबी ट्युसन जहाँ हामी सबैले कुरान पढ्न सिक्थ्यौँ। त्यसपछि म गणित शिक्षकको घर जान्थेँ। उहाँ गणितमा राम्रो सम्भावना भएका विद्यार्थीहरूलाई विशेष कक्षा लिनुहुन्थ्यो।

मलाई सधैँ सङ्ख्या, तिनका नियम र ढाँचाहरू सिक्न मन पर्थ्यो। जोड, घटाउ, गुणा, भागजस्ता आधारभूत गणित मैले छिट्टै सिकिसकेको थिएँ। अब म अझ जटिल प्रश्नहरू सिक्न उत्साहित थिएँ। बिहान सबेरै सङ्ख्यासँग सम्बन्धित कठिन समस्याहरू समाधान गर्न पाउँदा मलाई निकै आनन्द लाग्थ्यो।

कक्षा सकेपछि म घर फर्कन्थेँ। आमाले तातो खाना तयार पारिसक्नुभएको हुन्थ्यो। हामी सबै पेटभरि खान्थ्यौँ। त्यसबेला विद्यालयमा टिफिन बक्स वा पानीको बोतल लैजाने चलन थिएन। त्यसैले बिहानको खाना राम्रोसँग खान्थेँ। आमाले भात, तरकारी, चट्नी, दाल, अनि कहिलेकाहीँ ताताताता दोसा बनाउनुहुन्थ्यो। आज पनि मलाई त्यसको बाक्लो, कुरकुरे बनावट र मसलेदार स्वाद सम्झना आउँछ।

हामी सबै विद्यार्थीहरू पैदल विद्यालय जान्थ्यौँ। हाम्रो विद्यालयको नाम रामेश्वरम एलिमेन्टरी स्कूल थियो र त्यो समयमा गाउँको एउटै विद्यालय थियो। हामी ढुङ्गा बिछ्याइएका सडक हुँदै हाँस्दै, खेल्दै विद्यालय पुग्थ्यौँ। हामीसँग केही किताब मात्र हुन्थे, कसैले पनि विद्यालय झोला बोकेको हुँदैनथ्यो।

म कक्षामा आफ्नो सबैभन्दा मिल्ने साथी रामानाध शास्त्रीसँग बस्थेँ। विद्यालयको पहिलो दिनदेखि नै हामी असल साथी भएका थियौँ। हामीसँग कुरा गर्न र सँगै खेल्न कहिल्यै विषय सकिँदैनथ्यो।

वर्षायाममा हामी पानी जमेको खाल्डोमा पातका साना डुङ्गा बनाएर तैराउँथ्यौँ। यदि कुनै कमिला वा सानो कीरा देखेँ भने त्यसलाई पनि सुरक्षित रूपमा पातको डुङ्गामा राखिदिन्थेँ। कमिलाहरूलाई त्यो रमाइलो लाग्थ्यो वा लाग्दैनथ्यो, मलाई थाहा छैन, तर उनीहरूलाई पातको डुङ्गामा तैरिँदै गएको देख्दा हामी अत्यन्त रमाउँथ्यौँ।

एकदिन हाम्रो विद्यालयमा नयाँ शिक्षक आउनुभयो। उहाँले कक्षामा प्रवेश गर्नेबित्तिकै रामानाधको पोशाकबाट ऊ ब्राह्मण र मेरो पोशाकबाट म मुस्लिम भएको चिन्नुभयो। हामीले पहिले धर्मको यस्तो भिन्नताको कहिल्यै अनुभव गरेका थिएनौँ। तर उहाँलाई हिन्दू र मुस्लिम विद्यार्थी सँगै बसेको मन परेन। उहाँले मलाई उठाएर अर्को ठाउँमा बस्न भन्नुभयो।

म निकै स्तब्ध र दुःखी भएँ। मेरो सबैभन्दा मिल्ने साथीसँग बस्न नपाउँदा म रुन थालेँ। त्यसबेलासम्म मलाई हिन्दू र मुस्लिम बालक सँगै बस्न नहुने भन्ने कुरा थाहा नै थिएन।

त्यस साँझ रामानाधका बुबा, जो रामेश्वरम शिव मन्दिरका मुख्य पुजारी पनि हुनुहुन्थ्यो, उहाँले यो कुरा सुन्नुभयो। उहाँ र मेरा बुबाले मिलेर शिक्षकसँग कुरा गर्नुभयो। उनीहरूले भन्नुभयो कि विद्यालयमा धर्मका आधारमा विभेद गर्नु हुँदैन। बालबालिकाले धर्मको भेदभावबिना सँगै पढ्न, खेल्न र हुर्किन पाउनुपर्छ।

शिक्षकले आफ्नो गल्ती स्वीकार गर्नुभयो। त्यसपछि रामानाध र म फेरि पहिलेझैँ सँगै बस्न थाल्यौँ।

तर हाम्रो साथ सधैँका लागि रहने थिएन। रामेश्वरमको विद्यालयमा माध्यमिक तहसम्म मात्र पढाइ हुन्थ्यो। थप अध्ययनका लागि नजिकका ठूला शहर जानुपर्थ्यो।

मेरा अर्को प्रेरणादायी शिक्षक शिवसुब्रमणिया अय्यर हुनुहुन्थ्यो। उहाँले मलाई उच्च शिक्षा लिन सधैँ प्रेरणा दिनुहुन्थ्यो।

जब म कक्षा पाँचमा थिएँ, उहाँले एकदिन चराहरू कसरी उड्छन् भन्ने विषय पढाउनुभयो। उहाँले कालोपाटीमा चराको चित्र बनाएर पखेटा, पुच्छर र शरीरको बनावट देखाउनुभयो। उहाँले उडानमा लिफ्ट (Lift), ड्र्याग (Drag), दिशा परिवर्तन र चराहरू समूहमा कसरी उड्छन् भन्ने कुरा करिब २५ मिनेटसम्म विस्तारमा पढाउनुभयो।

कक्षाको अन्त्यमा उहाँले हामीले बुझेका छौँ कि छैनौँ भनेर सोध्नुभयो। मैले इमानदारीपूर्वक भनेँ, "सर, मैले बुझिनँ।" त्यसपछि धेरै विद्यार्थीहरूले पनि आफूले नबुझेको बताए। हाम्रो उत्तरले उहाँलाई रिस उठेन।

अर्को कक्षाको दिन उहाँले हामीलाई एउटा अनौठो उपहार दिनुभयो। उहाँले हामी सबैलाई साँझ समुद्र किनारमा लैजानुभयो। त्यहाँ हामीले आकाशमा चराहरू समूह बनाएर उडेको देख्यौँ। उहाँले पखेटा फटफटाउने, पुच्छर मोड्ने र दिशा परिवर्तन गर्ने तरिका प्रत्यक्ष देखाउनुभयो।

त्यसपछि उहाँले सोध्नुभयो,

"चराको इन्जिन कहाँ हुन्छ? त्यसलाई उडाउन शक्ति कसले दिन्छ?"

उहाँले भन्नुभयो कि प्रत्येक चरालाई उडाउन बाहिरी इन्जिन होइन, त्यसको आफ्नै जीवनशक्ति, इच्छा र प्रेरणाले शक्ति दिन्छ।

केवल पन्ध्र मिनेटको प्रत्यक्ष अवलोकनले हामीले चराको उडानका सबै सिद्धान्त बुझ्यौँ। उहाँले सैद्धान्तिक ज्ञानलाई प्रकृतिमा देखिने वास्तविक उदाहरणसँग जोडेर सिकाउनुभयो। यही नै वास्तविक शिक्षा थियो।

त्यो दिन मैले चराहरू कसरी उड्छन् भन्ने मात्र बुझिनँ, मेरो मनभित्र पनि उडानप्रतिको सपना जन्मियो। त्यसै दिनदेखि मैले आफ्नो भविष्य उडान विज्ञान (Flight Science) सँग जोड्ने निर्णय गरेँ।

पछि मैले उहाँलाई सोधेँ,

"सर, उडानसम्बन्धी अझ धेरै ज्ञान हासिल गर्न मैले के गर्नुपर्छ?"

उहाँले धैर्यपूर्वक भन्नुभयो,

"पहिले यहाँ कक्षा आठसम्म पढ। त्यसपछि उच्च माध्यमिक विद्यालयमा जाऊ। त्यसपछि इन्जिनियरिङ कलेजमा अध्ययन गर। यदि प्रत्येक चरण सफलतापूर्वक पूरा गर्यौ भने उडान विज्ञानसँग सम्बन्धित क्षेत्रमा काम गर्न सक्षम हुनेछौ।"

समुद्र किनारको त्यो पाठ र शिक्षकको त्यो अमूल्य सल्लाहले मेरो जीवनको लक्ष्य र उद्देश्य तय गरिदियो।

— ए. पी. जे. अब्दुल कलाम (आत्मकथा My Life: An Illustrated Autobiography बाट साभार)

Working with Words

A. Match the words in Column ‘A’ with their meanings in Column ‘B’.

Column ‘A’	Column ‘B’ (Meaning)
a. expectantly	vi. in a way that shows you are hoping for something, especially something good or exciting (आशापूर्वक, उत्सुकतापूर्वक)
b. beckon	viii. to give a signal to somebody to move nearer or to follow you (इशारा गरेर नजिक बोलाउनु)
c. grapple	v. to try hard to find a solution to a problem (कुनै समस्या समाधान गर्न कडा प्रयास गर्नु)
d. texture	ii. the way food or drink tastes or feels in your mouth (खानाको बनावट वा मुखमा महसुस हुने गुण)
e. cobbled	vii. having a surface that is made of small round stones (ढुङ्गा बिछ्याइएको)
f. flimsy	iv. thin and easily torn (पातलो र सजिलै च्यातिने)
g. attire	i. clothes, especially fine or formal ones (पोशाक, विशेष गरी राम्रो वा औपचारिक लुगा)
h. marvelous	ix. extremely good; wonderful (अद्भुत, अत्यन्त राम्रो)
i. dynamics	iii. the science of the forces involved in movement (गतिको विज्ञान)

B. Meanings of Words Related to People's Life Stories

Word	Meaning (English)	नेपाली अर्थ
Hagiography	A biography of a saint or a person admired greatly, often praising them too much.	सन्त वा महान् व्यक्तिको प्रशंसात्मक जीवनी
Psychobiography	A biography that explains a person's life using psychological theories.	मनोवैज्ञानिक दृष्टिकोणबाट लेखिएको जीवनी
Pathography	A biography focusing on a person's illness, suffering, or disease.	रोग वा पीडामा केन्द्रित जीवनी
Chronicle	A factual record of events arranged in the order they happened.	घटनाक्रम अनुसार लेखिएको ऐतिहासिक अभिलेख
Obituary	A notice or article about a person's death, giving details of their life.	मृत्यु समाचार वा श्रद्धाञ्जलि लेख
Character Sketch	A brief description of a person's personality and qualities.	व्यक्तित्वको संक्षिप्त चित्रण
Profile	A short description of a person's life, achievements, and background.	व्यक्तिको संक्षिप्त परिचय
Memoir	A book or written account of the writer's own memories and experiences.	आत्मसंस्मरण (संस्मरणात्मक लेख)

C. Intonation Patterns

Sentence	Intonation Pattern
a. I have some good news for you!	Falling (↘)
b. I was so pleased to hear this result.	Falling (↘)
c. My mother would have a hot meal ready.	Falling (↘)
d. The whole class went to the seashore of Rameswaram.	Falling (↘)
e. Who knew that a Muslim and a Hindu boy could not sit together?	Falling (↘) (Wh-question)
f. He also explained to us how they change direction while flying.	Falling (↘)
g. He asked the other students whether they had understood or not.	Falling (↘)
h. Where is the engine in this bird?	Falling (↘) (Wh-question)
i. How can I progress further in learning all about flight?	Falling (↘) (Wh-question)
j. Should I go to engineering college where I would be able to learn about flight?	Rising (↗) (Yes/No question)

Comprehension

A. Put the following events in chronological order.

c. Abdul Kalam attended an elementary school at Rameswaram.
f. One day Abdul Kalam’s teacher visited them to share his pride and pleasure about his performance.
a. They celebrated happiness with poli.
g. A new teacher in the school forbade Abdul Kalam to sit together with his Brahmin friend.
e. Many students did not understand well of Sivasubramania Iyer’s lecture.
d. He then took the students to the seashore for a practical class.
b. Abdul Kalam was determined that he would make a future study about flight and flight systems.

B. Answer the following questions.

a. What were the causes of Abdul Kalam’s happiness?

Answer:
Abdul Kalam was happy because he scored full marks in Mathematics and Science and did very well in English and Tamil. He was even happier because his Mathematics teacher came to his home personally to congratulate him and share the good news with his family.

b. Which two places did Abdul Kalam visit before going to school?

Answer:
Before going to school, Abdul Kalam visited:

The Arabic tuition class to learn the Koran.
His Mathematics teacher’s house to attend a special Mathematics class.

c. What did he like about mathematics?

Answer:
He liked numbers, their rules, and patterns. He enjoyed solving mathematical problems and learning complex concepts.

d. Why was the new teacher unhappy?

Answer:
The new teacher was unhappy because Abdul Kalam, a Muslim boy, was sitting beside Ramanadha Sastry, a Brahmin Hindu boy. He believed children of different religions should not sit together.

e. Why did Abdul Kalam have to split with his intimate friend?

Answer:
Abdul Kalam had to separate from his close friend because after completing secondary school in Rameswaram, they had to go to different towns for higher education.

f. What was the topic of Sivasubramania Iyer’s class?

Answer:
The topic of the class was how birds fly and the principles of flight.

g. How was the teacher’s reaction when the students told him that they did not understand his lecture?

Answer:
The teacher was not upset. Instead, he decided to teach the lesson again using a practical demonstration at the seashore.

h. Why did Sivasubramania Iyer take his students to the seashore?

Answer:
He took his students to the seashore so they could observe birds flying in nature and understand the principles of flight through practical observation.

Critical Thinking

a. APJ Abdul Kalam became a renowned aerospace scientist in his later life. Do you find any association of his childhood days in shaping his career? Explain with specific instances from the text.

Answer:
Yes, Abdul Kalam’s childhood had a strong influence on his future career. From an early age, he loved Mathematics and enjoyed solving problems. His teacher, Sivasubramania Iyer, inspired him by explaining how birds fly and later taking the students to the seashore to observe birds in flight. This practical lesson awakened Kalam’s interest in flight science. The teacher also advised him to study hard, complete engineering, and pursue a career related to aviation. These experiences motivated him to become an aerospace scientist and later contributed to his success in India's space and missile programs.

b. Kalam mentions an instance of discrimination against him in his school life. What picture of society does he want to depict by mentioning the incident? Discuss.

Answer:
By mentioning this incident, Abdul Kalam shows that religious discrimination existed in society, even in schools. However, he also highlights that such discrimination can be overcome through wisdom and mutual respect. Ramanadha Sastry’s father and Abdul Kalam’s father opposed the teacher’s biased behavior and taught that children should study and grow together regardless of religion. The incident conveys the message that unity, equality, secularism, and mutual respect are essential values for a peaceful society. It also emphasizes that education should promote harmony rather than division.

Writing

Autobiography (My Childhood Life)

My Childhood Life

I was born on 15 March 2008 in Mahottari District, Nepal. I belong to a simple and loving family. My parents always encouraged me to study hard and respect others. They taught me the values of honesty, discipline, and kindness.

My childhood was full of happiness and unforgettable memories. Every morning, I woke up early, completed my homework, and got ready for school. After school, I played football and cricket with my friends. In the evening, I studied my lessons and spent time with my family.

I studied at a government school in my hometown. My teachers were kind, supportive, and inspiring. I enjoyed learning English, Mathematics, and Science. I also participated in quizzes, sports, and cultural programs organized by the school.

One of the most memorable events of my childhood was winning the first prize in a school quiz competition. It increased my confidence and inspired me to work harder in my studies.

Looking back, my childhood was a wonderful period filled with learning, friendship, and joy. The experiences and values I gained during those years continue to guide me in my life today.

Grammar

A. Connectives (Underline the Connectives)

a. Although she spoke very fast, I understood what she meant to say.

b. In spite of her hard labour, she failed her exam.

c. Though he had all the required qualifications, he did not get the job.

d. Despite having all the qualifications, he did not get the job.

B. Join the sentences

a.

i. Although he is a millionaire, he lives in a simple house.

ii. He lives in a simple house despite being a millionaire.

b.

i. Although the weather was extremely bad, the pilot landed the plane safely.

ii. The pilot landed the plane safely despite the extremely bad weather.

c.

i. Although we study in the same college, we hardly see each other.

ii. We hardly see each other despite studying in the same college.

d.

i. Although it rained heavily, we enjoyed our holiday.

ii. We enjoyed our holiday despite the heavy rain.

e.

i. Although I had an umbrella, I got wet in the rain.

ii. I got wet in the rain in spite of having an umbrella.

f.

i. Although I was really tired, I could not sleep a moment.

ii. I could not sleep a moment despite being really tired.

g.

i. Although she has a very good accent in English, she failed the interview for a newsreader.

ii. She failed the interview for a newsreader despite having a very good English accent.

h.

i. Although Lhasa has extremely cold weather in winter, millions of tourists go there in January.

ii. Millions of tourists go to Lhasa in January despite its extremely cold winter weather.

i.

i. Although he was badly injured in the first round of the boxing match, he was victorious in the third round.

ii. He was victorious in the third round despite being badly injured in the first round.

C. Complete the sentences

a. He passed the exam although he was seriously ill.

b. She climbed the mountain in spite of her old age.

c. He did not give any alms to the beggars even though he was very rich.

d. In spite of his poor eyesight, he reads books every day.

e. She has many friends though she is very sociable.

f. He could not pass the driving test in spite of his ten attempts.

g. He refused to eat anything despite being very hungry.

h. He could not score good grades in the SEE exams in spite of studying hard.

i. She accepted the job although the salary was low.

j. Even though we had planned everything carefully, the event did not go as expected.

Unit 6 Money and Economy

QR Code

Quick Response Codes – more commonly known as QR codes - are an increasingly common form of merchant payment, with its origins in South East Asia, in particular, Japan and, later, China. The international standard ISO/IEC 18004 for QR codes was approved in 2000. Its first adoption and use in mobile phones came with the rise of the smartphone, when it was used to access information (for example, extracting URLs from posters in public places). For payments, proprietary standards were adopted by Tencent and Alibaba, and the payments industry standard was developed by EMVCo in 2017.

As an important step in increasing customer familiarity with the codes, QR codes were English: Grade 12 45 adopted as an integration service for Tencent’s social media service WeChat, allowing face-to-face ‘friending’ by scanning a QR code displayed on a friend’s mobile phone screen. Later QR codes were adopted for use in the Alipay service to facilitate Alibaba payments. At the same time WeChat was extended to include WeChat Pay, a payment service directly integrated into the social media service. Both Alipay and WeChat Pay now support both face-to-face and remote payments, the latter encompassing e-commerce and bill payments, including utilities.

There are two broad models to a QR code payment service in a face-to-face environment: either the user presents a QR code for scanning by the merchant, or the merchant presents a QR code for scanning by the user. Where the customer presents a QR code, the transaction value can be set by the merchant before scanning and communicated to the customer. On agreement, the QR code is scanned, and the merchant’s terminal requests payment from the customer’s account, either directly from the scheme operator or via an acquirer. Both the customer and the merchant receive a notification of the success or failure of the payment, and the merchant then hands over the goods. In this model, the customer is vulnerable to an unscrupulous merchant setting (and obscuring) the wrong transaction value before scanning. Such a scheme therefore needs a robust claims mechanism. Where the customer scans the merchant’s QR code – which may be useful in some environments, such as quick service retail or market stalls – the transaction is potentially more complex. If the transaction value is fixed, the customer can scan the code, review the transaction details (including the merchant name and value), and agree to the transaction, which is then forwarded to the scheme operator/acquirer, as before.

In general, there are then two options: first, and somewhat unsatisfactorily, the customer scans the code, validates the merchant name and then inputs a transaction value – which then notifies the merchant, along with transaction status. If all is well, the merchant hands the goods to the customer; otherwise a dispute arises. The second option is to use a dynamic QR code, which necessitates the merchant having either a smartphone or a POS device capable of displaying QR codes. In this case, the merchant enters transaction details into their device, which generates a QR code that incorporates the transaction value as well as the details of the merchant. After scanning the code, the customer reviews the details, and approves payment, and the transaction is then forwarded to the scheme operator/acquirer, as before.

The most prominent examples of QR code payments are AliPay and WeChat Pay. However, these are effectively closed loop payments, with all transactions taking place 46 English: Grade 12 inside the walled garden of the scheme; a similar approach has been taken by bKash in Bangladesh. A more open loop approach has been implemented in Singapore, where a series of initiatives have resulted in the development of a national QR code payment service based on bank and nonbank DFS accounts. In contrast, the international card payment schemes Visa and Mastercard have launched multiple services around the word linking QR code payments to debit and credit card accounts.

QR Codes – International Card Schemes

In the wake of the publication of the EMVCo standard, both Visa and Mastercard launched QR code-based payment services in 2017 with a focus on emerging economies. Both Visa and Mastercard are focusing on merchant presented QR codes, whether static or dynamic; where the code is static, the customer is required to enter the transaction amount. The transaction is secured using their card PIN. Visa and Mastercard have deployed their services in several countries, including India, Pakistan, Kenya, Nigeria (in partnership with Interswitch), Cambodia, Egypt, Ghana, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Rwanda, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda and Vietnam. Visa’s service is branded as mVisa QR, and Mastercard’s as Masterpass QR. In general, these services are only relevant to banked customers who also have an eligible Visa/Mastercard debit or credit card. It is also a requirement that their bank has enrolled in the scheme, as it needs to be integrated into their mobile banking app. To use the service, customers download their bank’s mobile banking app onto their smartphone and personalize it with their account details. There is no requirement for specific enrolment to use QR codes. However, the standards themselves can be used outside the realms of the international payment schemes – one example being EcoCash in Zimbabwe, which uses the Masterpass QR standard in the operation of the EcoCash Scan & Pay service

QR based payment scheme

Any QR code-based payment scheme needs a scheme operator, responsible for scheme branding at acceptance points, defining the scheme rules and providing a mechanism for handling disputes and exceptions. In addition, the scheme operator must provide a mechanism for acquiring and settling transactions; this can vary substantially, from the walled gardens of WeChat Pay and AliPay, to the acquiring services provided by the card payment schemes and their member banks, to the open, push payments developed in Singapore. The scheme operator is responsible for either operating such a service on behalf of the scheme, or securing cost-effective, reliable and enduring access to one for use by the scheme’s participants.

QR code payments security

Security concerns have often been raised around QR code payments. There is little English: Grade 12 47 security around the codes as currently used; a static code displayed by a merchant could easily be attacked by an unscrupulous criminal sticking their own code over the merchant’s code, which might not be noticed. The primary defense against this attack is the use of merchant IDs, registration and real-time notification of payment. Scanning the code simply retrieves the merchant ID, for submission to the scheme/acquirer for payment. An attacker would need to have a valid merchant ID to which payments could be diverted for this attack to be successful, and the merchant onboarding process would provide sufficient information for the criminal to be identified. If a customer made a payment, but the merchant did not receive notification, then the merchant would not hand over the goods and an investigation would be initiated to see where the customer’s funds had gone – leading directly to the criminal.

But this is a time consuming and expensive process (in a busy shop with frequent low value transactions the lack of a notification might not be noticed), and it would be better to stop the fraud happening in the first place rather than trying to correct it later. The first line of defense should be the customer; if the app displayed the merchant’s name (the “trading as” name, not the company name), the customer could check that it was correct. This could be part of more robust protection, achieved through the use of a digital signature, so that the merchant ID and merchant name are authenticated by the mobile banking app as well as the customer before the payment is made; in this way, the app can be sure that the merchant name is correct, that the QR code was issued by the scheme, and hasn’t been faked (the same approach can be used to secure dynamic QR codes, by using the signed merchant ID and merchant name, and leaving the transaction value unsigned).

QR कोड (QR Code)

क्विक रेस्पोन्स कोड (Quick Response Code) अर्थात् QR कोड आजकल व्यापारीहरूले भुक्तानी (Payment) गर्न प्रयोग गर्ने एक लोकप्रिय माध्यम बनेको छ। यसको सुरुवात दक्षिण–पूर्वी एसियामा, विशेष गरी जापान र पछि चीनमा भएको हो। QR कोडका लागि अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय मापदण्ड ISO/IEC 18004 सन् २००० मा स्वीकृत गरिएको थियो। स्मार्टफोनको विकाससँगै यसको प्रयोग मोबाइल फोनमा सुरु भयो। सुरुमा सार्वजनिक स्थानका पोस्टरहरूमा रहेका URL वा अन्य जानकारी छिटो प्राप्त गर्न यसको प्रयोग हुन्थ्यो। पछि भुक्तानी प्रणालीका लागि Tencent र Alibaba ले आफ्नै मापदण्ड विकास गरे भने सन् २०१७ मा EMVCo ले अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय भुक्तानी उद्योगका लागि मानक तयार गर्यो।

ग्राहकहरूलाई QR कोडसँग परिचित गराउन Tencent को सामाजिक सञ्जाल WeChat मा यसको प्रयोग सुरु गरियो। प्रयोगकर्ताहरूले एक–अर्काको मोबाइलमा देखिएको QR कोड स्क्यान गरेर सजिलै साथी (Friend) बन्न सक्थे। त्यसपछि Alibaba को Alipay सेवामा पनि QR कोड प्रयोग गरियो। पछि WeChat Pay पनि सुरु गरियो, जसले सामाजिक सञ्जालभित्रै भुक्तानी सेवा उपलब्ध गरायो। अहिले Alipay र WeChat Pay दुवैले प्रत्यक्ष (Face-to-face) तथा अनलाइन (Remote) दुवै प्रकारका भुक्तानी सेवा प्रदान गर्छन्। यसमा अनलाइन किनमेल, बिजुली, पानीजस्ता युटिलिटी बिल भुक्तानी पनि समावेश छन्।

प्रत्यक्ष भुक्तानीमा QR कोड प्रयोग गर्ने दुई मुख्य तरिका छन्। पहिलो, ग्राहकले आफ्नो QR कोड व्यापारीलाई देखाउँछ, जसलाई व्यापारीले स्क्यान गर्छ। दोस्रो, व्यापारीले आफ्नो QR कोड ग्राहकलाई देखाउँछ, जसलाई ग्राहकले स्क्यान गर्छ।

यदि ग्राहकको QR कोड स्क्यान गरिन्छ भने व्यापारीले पहिले नै भुक्तानी रकम निर्धारण गर्छ। ग्राहकले सहमति जनाएपछि QR कोड स्क्यान गरिन्छ र व्यापारीको प्रणालीले ग्राहकको खाताबाट रकम माग गर्छ। सफल वा असफल दुवै अवस्थाको सूचना ग्राहक र व्यापारीलाई तुरुन्तै प्राप्त हुन्छ। त्यसपछि व्यापारीले सामान ग्राहकलाई दिन्छ। तर यस विधिमा व्यापारीले गलत रकम राखेर ग्राहकलाई ठग्न सक्ने सम्भावना हुन्छ। त्यसैले यस्ता समस्याको समाधानका लागि प्रभावकारी उजुरी तथा दाबी (Claims) प्रणाली आवश्यक हुन्छ।

यदि ग्राहकले व्यापारीको QR कोड स्क्यान गर्छ भने प्रक्रिया केही फरक हुन्छ। यदि सामानको मूल्य निश्चित छ भने ग्राहकले QR कोड स्क्यान गरेर व्यापारीको नाम र रकम जाँच गर्छ, त्यसपछि भुक्तानी स्वीकृत गर्छ। यदि मूल्य निश्चित छैन भने ग्राहकले आफैँ रकम प्रविष्ट गर्नुपर्छ, जसले कहिलेकाहीँ विवाद उत्पन्न गर्न सक्छ।

यस समस्याको समाधानका लागि Dynamic QR Code प्रयोग गरिन्छ। यसमा व्यापारीसँग QR कोड देखाउन सक्ने स्मार्टफोन वा POS (Point of Sale) मेसिन हुनुपर्छ। व्यापारीले सामानको विवरण र मूल्य प्रविष्ट गरेपछि QR कोड तयार हुन्छ। ग्राहकले त्यसलाई स्क्यान गरी विवरण जाँच गरेर भुक्तानी स्वीकृत गर्छ।

विश्वभरि QR कोड भुक्तानीका सबैभन्दा प्रसिद्ध उदाहरणहरू Alipay र WeChat Pay हुन्। यी प्रणालीहरूलाई Closed Loop Payment System भनिन्छ, किनभने सबै कारोबार एउटै प्रणालीभित्र हुन्छ। बंगलादेशको bKash ले पनि यस्तै प्रणाली अपनाएको छ।

यसको विपरीत, सिङ्गापुर ले बैंक तथा गैर-बैंक डिजिटल वित्तीय सेवाहरू (DFS) जोडेर राष्ट्रिय स्तरको खुला (Open Loop) QR भुक्तानी प्रणाली विकास गरेको छ। त्यस्तै Visa र Mastercard ले पनि विश्वका विभिन्न देशहरूमा QR कोडलाई डेबिट र क्रेडिट कार्डसँग जोडेर भुक्तानी सेवा सञ्चालन गरेका छन्।

QR कोड र अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय कार्ड प्रणाली

EMVCo को मापदण्ड सार्वजनिक भएपछि Visa र Mastercard ले सन् २०१७ मा QR कोडमा आधारित भुक्तानी सेवा सुरु गरे। विशेष गरी विकासशील देशहरूलाई लक्षित गरी यी सेवाहरू सञ्चालन गरिए। दुवैले व्यापारीद्वारा प्रस्तुत गरिने स्थिर (Static) र परिवर्तनशील (Dynamic) QR कोड दुवैलाई समर्थन गर्छन्।

यदि स्थिर QR कोड प्रयोग गरिएको छ भने ग्राहकले आफैँ रकम प्रविष्ट गर्नुपर्छ। भुक्तानी ग्राहकको कार्डको PIN प्रयोग गरेर सुरक्षित गरिन्छ।

यी सेवाहरू भारत, पाकिस्तान, केन्या, नाइजेरिया, कम्बोडिया, इजिप्ट, घाना, इन्डोनेसिया, काजाकिस्तान, मलेसिया, रुवान्डा, तान्जानिया, थाइल्यान्ड, युगाण्डा, भियतनाम लगायतका देशहरूमा सञ्चालनमा छन्।

Visa को सेवा mVisa QR र Mastercard को सेवा Masterpass QR नामले परिचित छन्।

यी सेवाहरू प्रयोग गर्न ग्राहकसँग Visa वा Mastercard को डेबिट वा क्रेडिट कार्ड हुनुपर्छ। साथै ग्राहकको बैंक पनि उक्त प्रणालीमा आबद्ध भएको हुनुपर्छ। ग्राहकले बैंकको मोबाइल बैंकिङ एप डाउनलोड गरी आफ्नो खातासँग जोड्नुपर्छ। QR कोड प्रयोग गर्न छुट्टै दर्ता (Registration) आवश्यक पर्दैन।

QR कोडमा आधारित भुक्तानी प्रणाली

कुनै पनि QR कोड भुक्तानी प्रणाली सञ्चालन गर्न Scheme Operator आवश्यक हुन्छ। यसले प्रणालीको ब्रान्डिङ, नियम निर्माण, विवाद समाधान तथा कारोबारको व्यवस्थापन गर्छ। यसले भुक्तानीको रकम सङ्कलन (Acquiring) र अन्तिम हिसाब–किताब (Settlement) गर्ने कार्य पनि गर्छ।

कतिपय प्रणालीहरू, जस्तै WeChat Pay र Alipay, आफ्नै बन्द (Closed) प्रणालीभित्र सञ्चालन हुन्छन् भने कार्ड कम्पनीहरूले बैंकमार्फत सेवा प्रदान गर्छन्। सिङ्गापुरको प्रणाली भने खुला (Open) भुक्तानी प्रणाली हो।

QR कोड भुक्तानीको सुरक्षा

QR कोड भुक्तानीमा सुरक्षासम्बन्धी चिन्ता पनि उठ्ने गरेको छ। उदाहरणका लागि, कुनै व्यापारीले राखेको स्थिर QR कोडमाथि कुनै ठगले आफ्नै QR कोड टाँसिदिन सक्छ। ग्राहकले त्यसैलाई स्क्यान गरेमा रकम गलत खातामा जान सक्छ।

यसको समाधानका लागि Merchant ID, व्यापारीको दर्ता, तथा वास्तविक समयमा (Real-time) भुक्तानी सूचना (Notification) प्रयोग गरिन्छ। यदि रकम गलत खातामा पुगेमा अनुसन्धान गरेर दोषीलाई पहिचान गर्न सकिन्छ।

तर यस्तो अनुसन्धान समय लाग्ने र खर्चिलो हुने भएकाले धोका हुनुभन्दा अगाडि नै रोकथाम गर्नु राम्रो हुन्छ। त्यसका लागि मोबाइल एपमा व्यापारीको सही नाम देखिनुपर्छ ताकि ग्राहकले नाम जाँच गर्न सकोस्।

अझ सुरक्षित बनाउन Digital Signature प्रयोग गर्न सकिन्छ। यसले व्यापारीको ID र नाम प्रमाणित (Authenticate) गर्छ। यसरी मोबाइल एपले QR कोड नक्कली नभएको र आधिकारिक रूपमा जारी गरिएको हो भन्ने सुनिश्चित गर्छ। यही विधि Dynamic QR Code लाई पनि सुरक्षित बनाउन प्रयोग गर्न सकिन्छ।

Working with Words

A. Match the given words with their meanings.

Words	Meanings
a. prominent	vi. standing out so as to be seen easily; conspicuous
b. vulnerable	iv. exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed
c. potentially	viii. with the capacity to develop or happen in the future
d. transaction	i. an instance of buying or selling of something
e. initiatives	ii. the power or opportunity to do something before others do
f. launched	iii. to introduce a new plan or product
g. enduring	ix. lasting over a period of time; durable
h. robust	v. strong and unlikely to break or fail

B. Full Forms of Abbreviations

Abbreviation	Full Form
QR	Quick Response
ISO	International Organization for Standardization
IEC	International Electrotechnical Commission
URLs	Uniform Resource Locators
EMVCo	Europay, Mastercard and Visa Company
PIN	Personal Identification Number

C. Identify the vowel sounds /ʊ/ and /u:/

/ʊ/ (Short vowel sound)

put
push
hood
full
bull
book
foot
look
hook
cook
should
soot
stood

/uː/ (Long vowel sound)

boom
fool
food
loose
boost
groom
moon
soon
room
soothe

Comprehension

A. Decide whether these statements are True, False or Not Given.

Statement	Answer
a. The system of QR codes was first launched in South Asia.	False
b. The standards of payments via the QR codes were approved by EMVCo.	True
c. All sorts of businesses are aided by the QR code payments.	Not Given
d. There are several models to the QR code payment service.	True
e. In countries like Nepal, the QR code paying system is a complete fiasco.	Not Given
f. The QR codes payment service is not applicable to small business.	False

B. Answer the following questions.

a. How can one pay with QR codes paying system?

Answer:
One can pay by scanning a QR code with a smartphone and approving the payment through a mobile banking app or digital wallet. The customer or the merchant can scan the QR code depending on the payment model.

b. How did Tencent and Alibaba companies utilise the QR code services at the beginning?

Answer:
Tencent first used QR codes in WeChat to allow users to add friends by scanning QR codes. Alibaba later adopted QR codes in Alipay to facilitate digital payments.

c. How do the QR code based payment services launched by Visa and Mastercard mitigate payment problems?

Answer:
Visa and Mastercard use secure QR code standards, card PIN verification, and merchant identification to make payments safer, reduce fraud, and ensure secure transactions.

d. Why do we need a scheme operator to run the QR code based payment system?

Answer:
A scheme operator is needed to manage the payment system, set rules, handle disputes, process transactions, settle payments, and ensure that the system operates efficiently and securely.

e. What basic requirements are needed to use the QR codes services?

Answer:
The basic requirements are:

A smartphone
A mobile banking app or digital wallet
A bank account or eligible debit/credit card
Internet connection
The bank must support the QR code payment system.

f. How can security concerns related to payment via QR codes be addressed?

Answer:
Security concerns can be addressed by using merchant IDs, digital signatures, customer verification, real-time payment notifications, secure mobile apps, and verifying the merchant's name before making payment.

g. Who should be more careful: customer or the merchant in terms of payment issues? Why?

Answer:
Both customers and merchants should be careful. However, customers need to be especially cautious because they should verify the merchant's name, payment amount, and the authenticity of the QR code before approving any payment.

h. Do you think the QR code based payment can be a panacea for all sorts of payment problems? Why?

Answer:
No. QR code-based payment makes transactions faster, easier, and more convenient, but it cannot solve every payment problem. It still depends on internet connectivity, smartphones, digital literacy, banking facilities, and strong security measures. Therefore, it is helpful but not a complete solution.

Critical Thinking

a. Some business houses, shops and department stores in city areas have started to adopt QR code payment systems in Nepal, too. What should be done to make it more accessible? Discuss.

Answer:
To make QR code payment more accessible in Nepal, the government and financial institutions should expand internet services, especially in rural areas. Banks and digital wallet companies should provide easy-to-use mobile apps and educate people about digital payments. Small businesses should be encouraged to adopt QR code systems by reducing service charges and providing technical support. Public awareness campaigns and training programs can also increase people's confidence in using digital payment methods. Ensuring strong cybersecurity and reliable customer support will further promote the use of QR code payments across the country.

b. The payments landscape is shifting gears from cash to digital mode. Digital payment brings ease and convenience to the consumer. Is it possible to apply such cashless methods in payments in Nepal? Discuss.

Answer:
Yes, it is possible to apply cashless payment methods in Nepal. The use of mobile banking, eSewa, Khalti, IME Pay, and bank QR services has already increased significantly. Digital payments are fast, secure, and convenient. However, challenges such as limited internet access, lack of digital literacy, cybersecurity risks, and inadequate banking services in remote areas still exist. With better internet infrastructure, public awareness, government support, and improved security, Nepal can successfully expand cashless payment systems and reduce dependence on cash.

Writing

A. Punctuate the paragraph.

It was a cold, freezing day. It had been snowing all day in New York. Mr. Tim Cook and I went outside to play in the snow. We had not seen much snow since we went skiing in Sweden last year. Mrs. Smith was right because she had said that we'd see snow the next day. We had a really wonderful time there, didn't we?

B. News Article about Digital Payment Systems in Nepal

Digital Payment System Expanding Rapidly in Nepal

Kathmandu, July 23: Digital payment systems are becoming increasingly popular across Nepal. More people are using mobile banking, QR codes, eSewa, Khalti, IME Pay, and ConnectIPS to make payments quickly and securely.

Banks, shops, restaurants, hospitals, and government offices have widely adopted QR code payment services. Customers can now pay for goods, utility bills, and online shopping simply by scanning a QR code with their smartphones.

The Government of Nepal and Nepal Rastra Bank have encouraged digital transactions to reduce the use of cash, increase financial transparency, and improve banking services. Although digital payment has made transactions easier and faster, challenges such as poor internet connectivity, cybersecurity risks, and limited digital literacy still exist, especially in rural areas.

Experts believe that improving internet access, strengthening security, and raising public awareness will help make digital payment systems more reliable and accessible throughout the country.

Grammar

A. Types of Questions

Question	Type
a. Do you like this country?	Yes/No Question
b. Where is she from?	Wh-question
c. How many eggs do we need for this cake?	Wh-question
d. Whose children are playing in the yard?	Wh-question
e. Does she like ice cream or sweets?	Choice Question
f. She sent him an invitation, didn't she?	Tag Question
g. Could you tell me if the doctor is available?	Indirect Question
h. Do you know how tall they are?	Indirect Question

B. Complete the sentences

a. Is your friend a scientist? – No, he's an artist.

b. Does Naresh live in Kathmandu? – No, he lives in Pokhara.

c. When did you get home? – I got home yesterday.

d. What time do you get up? – I get up at 6:00.

e. Did the children go to the party? – Yes, they went there after school.

f. Are you going to school? – No, I'm going home.

g. Can you speak Chinese? – Just a little.

h. Where did you grow up? – I grew up in Okhaldhunga.

C. Make Wh-questions

a. Who loves Juliet?

b. What did your mother make yesterday?

c. Who composed the music?

d. What are you looking for?

e. What were they talking about?

f. Where did she get the idea from?

g. How does she always go to school?

h. How often does she go to the cinema?

i. How long have they been waiting?

D. Change indirect questions into direct questions

a. Where is the Market Street?

b. What time does the bank open?

c. How has he managed to get in shape so quickly?

d. How much does this motorcycle cost these days?

e. Did he leave the car in the park?

f. Has the train left?

g. Do they speak English well?

h. How can we get to the post office from here?

i. Did I lock the front door?

Unit 8: Human Culture

Land of Plenty

On sodaigomi nights in Japan, we learn what kind of people we are. Sodaigomi, which rhymes with “oh my homey,” means “bulky garbage.” It is sometimes used colloquially to describe husbands who have retired from the salaryman life and now spend their time around the house. That kind of sodaigomi may be a burden for Japanese families, but sodaigomi in its literal sense presents an even greater challenge for my family.

Three nights a week, the residents of our neighborhood in Yokohama place their household garbage at designated collection points on street corners. Wrapped neatly in bundles, the trash almost looks like gifts, and by dawn it has disappeared. During the last few nights of each month, however, residents bring out the sodaigomi—large household items that are no longer wanted and are too bulky for regular garbage collection. The items can be enormous: sofas, refrigerators, bookcases, chairs, bed frames, vacuum cleaners, motorcycles, television sets, and even an acetylene welding tank.

There are two main reasons why sodaigomi exists. The first is the small size of the typical Japanese home, which usually has no attic, basement, garage, or spare room for storage. When a new television arrives, the old one must go. The same is true of cars. Before buying a new car, owners must prove to the government that they have a parking space, which usually means getting rid of the old vehicle. I still cannot figure out what happens to the old cars. They are certainly not on the roads, and I have never seen one in a sodaigomi pile.

The second reason is the Japanese preference for freshness and purity. Most people dislike using items that have previously belonged to someone else. My Japanese friends view buying a second-hand radio, lamp, or table much the way I would feel about buying someone else’s socks. There is a recycle shop in our neighborhood that sells used clothes and toys at very low prices. Someone must shop there because the business continues to operate, but most shoppers pass by quickly, almost embarrassed, as though they were walking past an adult store. Whenever I listen to the Far East Network, the U.S. military’s radio station, and hear advertisements for garage sales, I realize that American soldiers are unusual not only because they have garages but also because they sell their old possessions instead of throwing them away.

Our first sodaigomi night came shortly after we moved into our current house. Unlike our neighbors, we faced a unique problem. We had no furniture, dishes, or household belongings because everything except the clothes in our suitcases was still on a five-week sea voyage from our previous home in Malaysia.

We had also come from a culture with a completely different attitude toward used goods. Malaysia is a land of tropical abundance, yet almost nothing is thrown away. Before leaving, we auctioned off every extra item we owned—from frying pans and mosquito nets to half-used rolls of Scotch tape. Some buyers were even eager to purchase the shirts my sons were wearing. It was difficult to move from such a culture to one where we owned almost nothing, could not afford the expensive new furniture in the stores, and yet saw piles of clean, nearly new items left on the streets.

You can probably guess what happened next. We simply could not resist. We quickly grew tired of eating, studying, relaxing, and doing everything else while sitting on the floor as we waited for our belongings to arrive. At dinner, my wife would call, “Set the floor, please, boys.”

I lay flat on my stomach in front of my computer, trying to type while supporting myself on my elbows and imagining Abraham Lincoln studying before the fireplace as a boy.

Then one evening, while walking home from the train station at twilight, we noticed two freshly stocked sodaigomi piles. One contained a perfectly good plastic lawn chair, and the other held a low Japanese tea table. Although the two did not match very well, the table would at least allow us to eat without bending over our plates on the floor, which made me feel like a husky eating its meal.

We were surrounded by other people when we first noticed the sodaigomi, so we were too embarrassed to take anything immediately. That night, however, I watched the garbage piles from our kitchen window. Nearby was the entrance to a juku, or cram school. The last group of students usually left around eleven o’clock. After midnight, trains from Tokyo became less frequent, creating long gaps between groups of tired salarymen returning home. At 12:30 a.m., the street was finally empty, so I made my move.

The next morning, we enjoyed breakfast at our newly acquired table, and I relaxed in my full-length lawn chair while reading the newspaper.

The sodaigomi collectors did not arrive for another two days. During that time, we gathered as many useful items as we reasonably could: a shiny bicycle bell for one of my sons, a small wooden cupboard, a complete toolbox with wrenches and screwdrivers, a Naugahyde-covered barstool, and a lacquer serving tray. Had I not already known English, I might even have taken the four large boxes of Advanced Conversational English cassette tapes. One day my son came home carrying a black-and-white television and proudly announced, “Guess what?”

To defend ourselves, I should mention that almost everything we found looked perfectly clean, complete, and fully usable. In almost any other culture, no one would have believed these items had been thrown away.

That was last summer, and we have learned a great deal since then. We now understand that sodaigomi is part of a larger cycle in which it is important to give as well as receive. When our household goods finally arrived, we returned the lawn chair to the sodaigomi pile. Later, when we bought a new color television, we left our black-and-white television there for someone else.

We have also learned that we are not the only people who secretly search through sodaigomi. Last month, I met an American writer living on the outskirts of Tokyo. I admired his leather notebook and asked where he had bought it.

“You’ll never believe this...” he replied.

We have also discovered that some Japanese people overcome their hesitation about second-hand goods. Occasionally, when I stay up late, I notice a van slowly driving back and forth near the sodaigomi piles. By morning, the best items have disappeared.

Finally, I have learned where to draw the line. As the only foreigners in our neighborhood, we are impossible to miss. People probably know that we quietly collect useful things from the sodaigomi, but as long as we do so discreetly in the middle of the night, everyone can politely pretend not to notice.

One night, while walking home from the train station, I spotted two beautiful wooden bookcases beside a lamppost. Thinking about the books stacked on our floor, I looked around carefully and happily carried one bookcase home.

It took me fifteen minutes to return for the second one.

By then, it was gone.

About twenty yards away, I saw a hunched old man in a filthy overcoat with a crippled left leg slowly dragging the bookcase toward his shelter. Without hesitation, I turned around and headed home, pretending I had never dreamed of wrestling a homeless man over a bookcase.

But I still remember my very first thought as I watched my treasure disappear:

“I can take this guy!”

— James Fallows

एकाइ ८ : मानव संस्कृति (Human Culture)

प्रशस्तिको भूमि (Land of Plenty)

जापानमा ‘सोडाइगोमी’ (Sodaigomi) को रातमा हामी आफू कस्ता मानिस हौँ भन्ने कुरा थाहा पाउँछौँ। ‘सोडाइगोमी’ को अर्थ ‘ठूला आकारका फोहोर सामान’ हो। बोलचालको भाषामा भने यस शब्दलाई जागिरबाट अवकाश पाएर दिनभर घरमै बस्ने श्रीमान्लाई व्यङ्ग्यात्मक रूपमा पनि प्रयोग गरिन्छ। यस्तो प्रकारको सोडाइगोमी जापानी परिवारका लागि समस्या हुन सक्छ, तर यसको वास्तविक अर्थमा रहेको सोडाइगोमी हाम्रो परिवारका लागि झन् ठूलो चुनौती बन्यो।

हप्तामा तीन रात, योकोहामास्थित हाम्रो छिमेकका बासिन्दाहरूले घरको फोहोर सडकका कुनामा तोकिएका स्थानहरूमा राख्छन्। फोहोरलाई यति सफा र व्यवस्थित रूपमा बाँधिएको हुन्छ कि ती उपहारजस्तै देखिन्छन्, र बिहान उज्यालो हुनुअघि नै सबै फोहोर गायब भइसकेको हुन्छ। महिनाको अन्त्यतिर दुई–तीन रात भने मानिसहरूले सोडाइगोमी बाहिर ल्याउँछन्। यी घरमा अब आवश्यक नरहेका र सामान्य फोहोरसँग लैजान नसकिने ठूला सामानहरू हुन्। यस्ता सामानहरू साँच्चै धेरै ठूला हुन सक्छन्। मैले त्यहाँ सोफा, फ्रिज, किताब राख्ने दराज, कुर्सी, पलङका फ्रेम, भ्याकुम क्लिनर, एसिटिलिन वेल्डिङ ट्याङ्की, मोटरसाइकल तथा धेरै टेलिभिजन सेटहरू देखेको छु।

सोडाइगोमी हुनुका मुख्य दुई कारण छन्। पहिलो कारण भनेको जापानी घरहरू सामान्यतया निकै साना हुनु हो। त्यहाँ अटारी, भुइँतलाको कोठा (बेसमेन्ट), ग्यारेज वा अतिरिक्त कोठा हुँदैन। त्यसैले नयाँ टेलिभिजन ल्याउँदा पुरानो टेलिभिजन घरबाट निकाल्नैपर्छ। यही नियम गाडीमा पनि लागू हुन्छ। नयाँ गाडी किन्नुअघि सरकारले पार्किङ गर्ने ठाउँ भएको प्रमाण माग्छ। त्यसका लागि धेरै मानिसहरूले पुरानो गाडी हटाउनुपर्ने हुन्छ। तर ती पुराना गाडी कहाँ जान्छन् भन्ने कुरा मैले अझै बुझ्न सकेको छैन। ती सडकमा देखिँदैनन्, र मैले अहिलेसम्म कुनै पनि पुरानो गाडी सोडाइगोमी को थुप्रोमा पनि देखेको छैन।

दोस्रो कारण भनेको जापानीहरूको नयाँपन र सफाइप्रतिको विशेष रुचि हो। यहाँका मानिसहरू अरूले प्रयोग गरिसकेको सामान फेरि प्रयोग गर्न खासै मन पराउँदैनन्। मेरा जापानी साथीहरूका लागि पुरानो रेडियो, बत्ती वा टेबुल किन्नु भनेको मलाई कसैको प्रयोग गरिसकेको मोजा किनेको जस्तै लाग्ने कुरा हो। हाम्रो छिमेकमा एउटा रिसाइकल पसल छ, जहाँ पुराना लुगा र खेलौनाहरू निकै सस्तो मूल्यमा बेचिन्छन्। त्यहाँ कसैले न कसैले त सामान किन्छन् होला, त्यसैले पसल अझै चलिरहेको छ। तर धेरैजसो मानिसहरू त्यहाँबाट लाज मानेर छिट्टै हिँड्छन्, मानौँ त्यो कुनै लाज लाग्ने पसल हो।

जब म अमेरिकी सेनाद्वारा सञ्चालन गरिएको फार ईस्ट नेटवर्क रेडियो सुन्छु र त्यहाँ ग्यारेज सेल (Garage Sale) को विज्ञापन सुन्छु, तब मलाई अमेरिकी सैनिकहरू फरक किन छन् भन्ने थाहा हुन्छ। उनीहरूसँग ग्यारेज मात्र होइन, आफ्ना पुराना सामान फाल्ने होइन, बेच्ने बानी पनि हुन्छ।

हामी यस घरमा सरेको केही समयपछि हाम्रो पहिलो सोडाइगोमी को रात आयो। त्यो रात हाम्रो छिमेकीहरूको भन्दा हाम्रो परिवारका लागि धेरै फरक थियो। किनभने हाम्रो सबै फर्निचर, भाँडाकुँडा र घरायसी सामानहरू मलेसियाबाट जहाजमार्फत पाँच हप्ताको समुद्री यात्रामा थिए। हामीसँग हाम्रो सुटकेसमा भएका लुगाबाहेक अरू कुनै सामान थिएन।

हामी यस्तो संस्कृतिबाट आएका थियौँ जहाँ पुराना सामानप्रतिको सोच बिल्कुलै फरक थियो। मलेसिया उष्णकटिबन्धीय प्राकृतिक सम्पत्तिले भरिपूर्ण देश हो, तर त्यहाँ मानिसहरूले कुनै पनि सामान सजिलै फाल्दैनन्। त्यहाँबाट निस्कनुअघि हामीले घरका सबै अतिरिक्त सामानहरू—फ्राइप्यान, लामखुट्टेबाट बच्ने झुलदेखि लिएर आधा प्रयोग भइसकेका स्कच टेपसम्म—लिलामी गरेर बेच्यौँ। केही ग्राहकहरू त मेरा छोराहरूले लगाइरहेका कमिज किन्न पनि उत्साहित थिए।

त्यस्तो संस्कृतिबाट यस्तो ठाउँमा आउनु, जहाँ हामीसँग घरायसी सामान थिएन, पसलमा पाइने नयाँ सामान अत्यन्त महँगा थिए, र सडकमा सफा तथा नयाँजस्तै देखिने सामानहरू थुप्रै फालिएका देखिन्थे—हाम्रो लागि निकै पीडादायी अनुभव थियो।

अब तपाईंले अनुमान गर्न सक्नुहुन्छ कि त्यसपछि के भयो। हामी आफूलाई रोक्नै सकेनौँ। हाम्रो जहाजमा आएका सामानहरू आइपुग्ने प्रतीक्षा गर्दै भुइँमै बसेर खाना खाने, पढ्ने, आराम गर्ने र घरभित्रका सबै काम गर्ने बानीबाट हामी छिट्टै दिक्क भइसकेका थियौँ।

खाना खाने बेला मेरी श्रीमतीले हाँस्दै भन्नुहुन्थ्यो, "छोराहरू, भुइँ तयार गर।" अर्थात् हामीले भुइँमै खाना खानुपर्ने हुन्थ्यो।

म कम्प्युटर चलाउँदा पनि पेटको बल भुइँमा पल्टिएर, कुहिनामा शरीर अड्याउँदै टाइप गर्थें। त्यसबेला म आफूलाई सान्त्वना दिन बाल्यकालमा आगोको छेउमा भुइँमै पल्टिएर पढ्ने अमेरिकी राष्ट्रपति अब्राहम लिंकन को कल्पना गर्थें।

एक साँझ, जब हामी रेल स्टेसनबाट साँझपख घर फर्किरहेका थियौँ, हामीले नयाँ–नयाँ सामानले भरिएका दुईवटा सोडाइगोमी का थुप्रा देख्यौँ। एउटा थुप्रोमा राम्रो अवस्थामा रहेको प्लास्टिकको लन चेयर (बगैँचामा प्रयोग हुने कुर्सी) थियो भने अर्कोमा सामान्य जापानी चिया खाने होचो टेबुल थियो।

यी दुवै सामानलाई एकैपटक सहज रूपमा प्रयोग गर्न सकिँदैनथ्यो। यदि लन चेयरमा बसियो भने टेबुल धेरै होचो हुने भएकाले त्यससम्म हात पुर्‍याउन गाह्रो पर्थ्यो। तर टेबुल भए पनि कम्तीमा हामीले खाना खान भुइँसम्म झुक्नुपर्ने थिएन। त्यसअघि भुइँमा राखिएको थालमा खाना खानुपर्दा मलाई कुकुरले आफ्नो खाना खाएको जस्तै अनुभव हुन्थ्यो।

त्यो बेला वरिपरि धेरै मानिसहरू भएकाले हामी त्यहीँबाट सामान उठाउन निकै लजाएका र डराएका थियौँ। त्यसैले त्यस क्षण केही पनि उठाएनौँ।

तर त्यस रात म हाम्रो भान्साको झ्यालबाट सडकको अन्त्यमा रहेको सोडाइगोमी को थुप्रोलाई हेर्दै बसिरहेँ।

त्यसको नजिकै जुकु (Juku) अर्थात् अतिरिक्त पढाइ गराइने कोचिङ केन्द्र थियो। त्यहाँका अन्तिम विद्यार्थीहरू करिब राति एघार बजे घर फर्कन्थे। मध्यरातपछि टोकियोबाट आउने रेलहरू पनि कम चल्न थाल्थे, त्यसैले कार्यालयबाट फर्कने नशामा रहेका कर्मचारीहरूको समूहहरू बीचमा पन्ध्र–बीस मिनेटको खाली समय हुन्थ्यो।

राति १२:३० बजे सडक एकदम सुनसान देखियो। त्यसपछि मैले आफ्नो योजना कार्यान्वयन गर्ने निर्णय गरेँ।

भोलिपल्ट बिहान हामीले नयाँ प्राप्त गरेको चिया टेबुलमा बिहानको खाना राख्यौँ। म भने लामो प्लास्टिकको लन चेयरमा आरामसँग बसेर बिहानको पत्रिका पढ्दै आनन्द लिइरहेको थिएँ।

फोहोर सङ्कलन गर्ने कर्मचारीहरू आउन अझै दुई दिन बाँकी थियो। ती दुई रातमा हामीले सकेसम्म धेरै उपयोगी सामानहरू संकलन गर्यौँ, तर सभ्यताको सीमा ननाघ्ने गरी।

हामीले एउटा छोराको साइकलका लागि चम्किलो नयाँ घण्टी, सानो तर आकर्षक काठको दराज, फलामको बाकसमा राखिएको रेन्च र स्क्रुड्राइभरहरूको पूरा सेट, नगाहाइड (कृत्रिम छाला) ले ढाकिएको बार स्टुल, र लाह (Lacquer) लगाइएको सुन्दर सर्भिङ ट्रे भेट्टायौँ।

यदि मलाई पहिलेदेखि अंग्रेजी भाषा नआएको भए, म Advanced Conversational English नामक पाठ्यक्रमका दर्जनौँ क्यासेटहरू राखिएका चारवटा ठूला बाकस पनि उठाएर ल्याउने थिएँ।

एक दिन मेरो छोरा घरभित्र पस्यो र उत्साहित हुँदै भन्यो,
"बुबा, के ल्याएँ, अनुमान गर्नुहोस्!"

त्यसपछि उसले एउटा कालो–सेतो टेलिभिजन देखायो।

हाम्रो बचाउमा यति मात्र भन्न चाहन्छु कि हामीले ल्याएका केही खिया लागेका रेन्चहरू बाहेक सबै सामानहरू एकदमै सफा, पूरा र प्रयोग गर्न मिल्ने अवस्थामा थिए। संसारका धेरैजसो संस्कृतिमा यस्ता सामानहरू कसैले फालिदिएको हो भनेर विश्वास गर्नै गाह्रो पर्थ्यो।

त्यो घटना गएको गर्मी याम को हो। त्यसयता हामीले धेरै कुरा सिकेका छौँ।

हामीले बुझ्यौँ कि सोडाइगोमी केवल सामान उठाउने ठाउँ मात्र होइन, यो दिने र लिने दुवै प्रक्रिया भएको एउटा चक्र हो। त्यसैले जब हाम्रो जहाजबाट ल्याइएका घरायसी सामानहरू आइपुगे, हामीले पहिले उठाएको लन चेयर फेरि सोडाइगोमीको थुप्रोमै राखिदियौँ।

पछि हामीले नयाँ रङ्गीन टेलिभिजन किन्यौँ र आफूले प्रयोग गरिरहेको कालो–सेतो टेलिभिजन पनि अरू कसैले प्रयोग गर्न सकून् भनेर सोही ठाउँमा राखिदियौँ।

हामीले अर्को कुरा पनि थाहा पायौँ—यसरी चुपचाप सोडाइगोमी बाट सामान उठाउने हामी मात्र रहेनछौँ।

गत महिना टोकियोको बाहिरी क्षेत्रमा बस्ने एक जना अमेरिकी लेखकसँग मेरो भेट भयो। उनको हातमा रहेको छालाको सुन्दर नोटबुक मलाई निकै मन पर्यो। मैले सोधेँ,

"यो नोटबुक कहाँबाट किन्नुभयो?"

उनी मुस्कुराउँदै भने,

"तपाईंले विश्वास नै गर्नुहुन्न..."

यस घटनाबाट हामीले बुझ्यौँ कि केही जापानीहरू पनि प्रयोग भइसकेका सामानप्रतिको आफ्नो हिच्किचाहटलाई जित्न थालेका रहेछन्।

कहिलेकाहीँ म राति अबेरसम्म जागा बस्दा सोडाइगोमी राखिएको ठाउँतिर हेर्छु। अहिले हाम्रो घर आवश्यक सामानहरूले भरिएकाले पहिलेजस्तो लोभ लाग्दैन। तर कहिलेकाहीँ एउटा भ्यान त्यहीँ वरिपरि बिस्तारै घुमिरहेको देख्छु, मानौँ राम्रो सामान खोज्दै निरीक्षण गरिरहेको हो।

बिहान उठेर हेर्दा, सबैभन्दा राम्रा र उपयोगी सामानहरू त्यहाँबाट हराइसकेका हुन्छन्।

अन्ततः मैले एउटा कुरा सिकेँ—कुन सीमासम्म जाने र कहाँ रोकिने भन्ने।

हाम्रो छिमेकमा हामी मात्रै विदेशी भएकाले सबैको नजरमा सजिलै पर्थ्यौँ। मानिसहरूलाई हामी सोडाइगोमी बाट उपयोगी सामान उठाउँछौँ भन्ने कुरा पक्कै थाहा थियो। तर यदि हामीले मध्यरातमा कसैलाई बाधा नपुग्ने गरी चुपचाप त्यसो गर्यौँ भने, सबैले नदेखेजस्तो गर्ने र कसैलाई पनि लाज नमान्नुपर्ने अवस्था आउँदैनथ्यो।

एक रात रेल स्टेसनबाट घर फर्कँदै गर्दा मैले सडकको बत्तीमुनि राखिएका दुईवटा सुन्दर काठका पुस्तक राख्ने दराज (बुककेस) देखेँ। भुइँमा थुप्रिएका आफ्ना पुस्तकहरू सम्झेर मैले वरिपरि एकछिन नजर दौडाएँ र खुसी हुँदै एउटा बुककेस दुवै हातले बोकेर घरतिर लागेँ।

त्यसपछि अर्को बुककेस लिन फर्किन मलाई करिब पन्ध्र मिनेट लाग्यो।

तर म फर्केर पुग्दा त्यो बुककेस त्यहाँ थिएन।

करिब बीस गज पर मैले एउटा झुकेको शरीर भएको वृद्ध मानिसलाई देखेँ। उसले फाटेको र मैलो ओभरकोट लगाएको थियो र उसको देब्रे खुट्टा अशक्त थियो। ऊ निकै कठिनाइका साथ त्यो बुककेस तानेर आफ्नो बासस्थानतर्फ लैजाँदै थियो।

त्यो दृश्य देख्नेबित्तिकै म चुपचाप घरतिर फर्किएँ। मैले कहिल्यै एउटा बुककेसका लागि कुनै गरिब वृद्ध मानिससँग झगडा गर्ने कल्पनासमेत गरेको थिइनँ भन्ने जस्तो व्यवहार गरेँ।

तर जब मैले आफ्नो "खजाना" अरूले लगेको देखें, त्यस क्षण मेरो मनमा सबैभन्दा पहिले चम्किएको विचार भने यही थियो—

"म त यस मान्छेलाई सजिलै हराउन सक्छु!"

Working with Words

A. Complete the sentences with suitable words from the box.

Words: wrapped, embarrassment, abundance, ordinary, teetering, outskirts, dragging

a. The annual report has caused acute embarrassment to the government.

b. Ellen has worn high-heels. She is teetering.

c. Look! The poor horse is dragging a heavy load.

d. As they approached the outskirts of the city, Ella's mood visibly lightened.

e. The parcel was wrapped in plain brown paper. It still looks attractive.

f. Fruits and vegetables grow in abundance in the Terai region.

g. They can abstract precious medicines from ordinary substances.

B. Word Formation

Root Word	Suffix	New Word	Part of Speech
neighbour	hood	neighbourhood	Noun
comfort	able	comfortable	Adjective
shop	keeper	shopkeeper	Noun
husk	y	husky	Adjective
squeamish	ness	squeamishness	Noun
change	able	changeable	Adjective
shine	y	shiny	Adjective
colloquial	ly	colloquially	Adverb
collect	ion	collection	Noun
embarrass	ment	embarrassment	Noun
persuade	ive	persuasive	Adjective
type	writer	typewriter	Noun
differ	ence	difference	Noun
ship	ment	shipment	Noun
tropic	al	tropical	Adjective
drive	er	driver	Noun
reside	nt	resident	Noun
brother	hood	brotherhood	Noun
fresh	ness	freshness	Noun

C. Make sentences

Sewage: The city is improving its sewage treatment system.
Sludge: The workers removed the sludge from the drain.
Organic waste: Organic waste can be used to make compost.
Inorganic waste: Plastic bottles are inorganic waste.
Methane: Decaying garbage produces methane gas.
Waste reduction: Everyone should practice waste reduction.
Monofil: The fishermen use monofil fishing nets.
Market waste: Vegetable peels are common market waste.
Incineration: Incineration helps reduce the volume of garbage.
Hazardous waste: Hospital chemicals are hazardous waste.

Comprehension

a. How does the author describe the Japanese waste management system?

Answer:
The author describes it as well-organized, clean, systematic, and efficient. Household waste and bulky garbage are collected separately on scheduled days.

b. What are the two reasons behind the existence of sodaigomi in Japanese culture?

Answer:
The two reasons are:

Japanese houses are small and have little storage space.
Japanese people prefer new, clean items and dislike using second-hand goods.

c. What, according to the author, do the Japanese feel at the thought of buying second-hand items?

Answer:
They feel uncomfortable and embarrassed because they prefer fresh and unused goods.

d. How is Malaysian culture different from Japanese culture concerning used items?

Answer:
In Malaysia, people rarely throw away useful items and often sell or reuse them, whereas in Japan people usually discard old items and buy new ones.

e. Why did the author feel awkward at the sodaigomi pile?

Answer:
He felt awkward because he was embarrassed to pick up discarded items in front of other people.

f. How many articles did the author bring to his house one after another?

Answer:
He brought many items, including a lawn chair, a tea table, a bicycle bell, a cupboard, a toolbox, a barstool, a serving tray, a black-and-white television, and later a bookcase.

g. Why do most people try to find things in the trash pile 'in the dead of the night'?

Answer:
They do so to avoid being seen by others because collecting discarded items is considered embarrassing.

h. How did the author's family assimilate Japanese culture in using consumer goods?

Answer:
They learned to return useful items to the sodaigomi pile when they no longer needed them, following the Japanese practice of giving as well as receiving.

Critical Thinking

a. If you happen to be in Japan someday, will you collect articles from sodaigomi? Why or why not?

Answer:
Yes. I would collect useful and clean items because it saves money, reduces waste, and promotes recycling. However, I would make sure the items are safe and in good condition.

b. There are some second-hand shops in Nepal, too. But people are not much interested in them. What practice would be suitable in managing second-hand items in Nepal?

Answer:
Nepal should encourage people to donate, repair, reuse, and recycle used items. Public awareness campaigns, community donation centers, online resale platforms, and well-managed second-hand markets can help reduce waste and promote sustainable living.

Writing

A. Paragraph on 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle)

The 3Rs—Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle—are the most effective ways to manage garbage and protect the environment. Reducing means using fewer resources and avoiding unnecessary waste. Reusing means using items again instead of throwing them away. For example, old clothes, bottles, and bags can be used many times. Recycling means converting waste materials such as paper, plastic, glass, and metal into new products. Following the 3Rs helps reduce pollution, conserve natural resources, save energy, and keep our surroundings clean. Every citizen should practice the 3Rs to build a cleaner and healthier society.

B. Letter to the Editor

To
The Editor,
The Kathmandu Post,
Kathmandu.

Subject: Solving Garbage Problems

Dear Sir/Madam,

Through your respected newspaper, I would like to draw the attention of the concerned authorities to the growing garbage problem in Nepal's cities. Poor waste management has created serious health and environmental hazards.

To solve this problem, municipalities should ensure regular waste collection, promote waste segregation at the household level, establish recycling centers, and encourage composting of organic waste. Public awareness campaigns should also be conducted to educate people about proper waste disposal. Strict laws should be enforced against littering, and more dustbins should be placed in public areas.

I hope the concerned authorities will take immediate action to make our cities clean and healthy.

Yours faithfully,
ABC

Grammar

B. Complete the sentences

a. This house is very small. I want to buy a much bigger one.

b. I liked the magic show. It was far more exciting than I'd expected.

c. It was very cold yesterday. It's a bit warmer today.

d. The warmer the weather, the better I feel.

e. An average American earns considerably higher than an average Nepali.

f. Health care in Nepal is not as expensive as it is in the US.

g. I think the problem is far more complicated than it seems.

h. You are driving very fast. Would you please drive a bit more slowly?

i. Your handwriting is not legible. Can you write a bit more neatly?

C. Rewrite the sentences

a. He is not as intelligent as he pretends.

b. I'm not as busy today as I was yesterday.

c. Bikram has lived in Kathmandu longer than Hari.

d. I don't study as much as I used to.

e. In fact, it's the best room in our hotel.

f. He spends more than he earns.

g. Mt. Everest is the highest mountain in the world.

h. It was not as far as I thought.

i. Mohan can't play as well as Bharat.

Class 12 English

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Unit 8: Human Culture

Land of Plenty

एकाइ ८ : मानव संस्कृति (Human Culture)

प्रशस्तिको भूमि (Land of Plenty)

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