1 Travel
and Holidays
Poon
Hill Yoga Trek in Nepal
The
Poon Hill Yoga Trek provides a wonderful opportunity to witness the beauty of
the Annapurna Range and the hidden treasures of Nepali culture. This programme
will help you integrate the principles of Yoga into your daily life with magnificent
views of snow-capped Himalayas and glaciers.
The main benefit of joining this programme is that it supports and encourages a
deep personal transformation process. This adventure journey passes through
many tourist hotspots and icy waterfalls which are very pleasant sights. Introducing
Hatha Yoga and meditation alongside a trekking experience allows ample benefits
for physical and mental health. The combination of Yoga and the Poon Hill Trek
creates a more fulfilling physical exercise while strengthening and opening the
mind for greater relaxation and awareness, all within the attractive natural
environment.
This
programme is open for all experience levels and is a unique chance for those
interested in the strengthening of the body, mind and soul. This may be the
short Yoga holiday you have always wished for providing an opportunity for you
to explore Nepali lifestyle and the secrets to happiness of the Nepali people.
Main
Highlights
Visitors
will be astonished by adorable landscapes and the enchanting
environment. Gazing at stunning views
of the Himalayas and savouring delicious Nepali meals is really incredible. They will be
attracted by different Nepali cultures, the diverse flora
and fauna, numerous perennial rivers and suspension bridges, and spectacular sunrise
and sunset views over high Himalayas will certainly encourage everyone to
self-transform with Yoga and meditation.
Itinerary
Day
01: Arrival in Kathmandu
We
will welcome you at the airport and provide a transfer to the centre. We will
also discuss the programme. Finally, we will be staying overnight at the
centre.
Day
02: Transfer to Pokhara
The
first activity is to drive to Pokhara in the morning. A standard micro bus or a
tourist bus will take about 4-5 hours. This bus ride passes along through the
hilly winding road alongside the Trishuli River having great views of the
river, forests and terraced fields. We will stay overnight in Pokhara.
Day
03: Pokhara – Tikhedhunga
We
wake up early in the morning and have tea before Yoga. We practice Yoga for an
hour. Then, it is time for breakfast. After breakfast, we drive to Nayapul. We
start our trek towards Tikhedhunga. On the trek, we pass through several towns.
We will reach Tikhedhunga and we will be staying there overnight.
Day
04: Tikhedhunga – Banthanti
After
tea, Yoga and breakfast in the morning; we start our trek towards Banthanti. On
the way, we cross a stream over a suspension bridge. We will be trekking to a Magar
village which is called Ulleri. Above the village where the trail climbs gently
through the cultivated fields, rhododendron and oak forests, we will stop at
Nangethanti for lunch and a short rest. After lunch we will start walking
towards Banthanti through the beautiful forest. Finally, we do evening Yoga,
have some relaxation and sleep in Banthanti.
Day
05: Banthanti – Ghorepani
As
soon as we wake up in the morning, we will have tea and then join the Yoga
class. After breakfast, we will start our hike towards Ghorepani, exploring the
local culture, landscapes and mountains. After we engage in Yoga there will be
some entertainment, we will then take dinner, and stay overnight in Ghorepani.
Day
06: Ghorepani – Poon Hill
We
will wake up early in the morning and go for one hour hike to Poon Hill where
we can enjoy panoramic mountain views and a beautiful sunrise. Then, we will trek down to
Ghorepani and have breakfast. From there we begin our trek to Tadapani, which
translated means far water supply in this village from long distance. The trail
climbs along ridges and through pine and rhododendron forests to Deurali. Then,
it descends to reach Banthanti; we reach Tadapani, and take part in Yoga in the
evening. We will be accommodated overnight in a tourist lodge.
Day
07: Tadapani – Ghandruk – Pokhara
We
will wake up in the morning and practise Yoga. After Yoga, we will have
breakfast. Then, our trek continues towards Ghandruk. After walking for around
four hours, we reach Ghandruk, a Gurung village which is the most interesting
ethnic village in Nepal, famous for its Gorkha soldiers. It has excellent
close-up views of Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre Himalayas. After lunch, we
drive back to Pokhara via Nayapul. We will stay overnight in Pokhara.
Day
08: Departure
We
will leave for the next destination in the morning after breakfast.
A.
Match the words in column A with their meanings in column B.
Column
A Column B
a.
magnificent i.
charming
b.
glaciers ii. surprised;
amazed
c.
hotspot iii. plants and
animals
d.
astonished iv. throughout
the entire year
e.
enchanting v. rivers of ice
f.
flora and fauna vi. extremely
attractive and impressive
g. perennial vii.
a place of significant activity
Answer:
a. Magnificent- vi. extremely attractive and impressive
b. glaciers – iv. rivers of ice
c. hotspot- vii. a place of significant activity
d. astonished- ii. surprised; amazed
e. enchanting – i. charming
f. flora and fauna – iii. plants and animals
g. perennial- iv. throughout the entire year
B.
Circle the correct answer.
a.
What are the visitors expected to achieve the most in this package holiday?
i.
enjoyment of panoramic views of mountain and landscapes
ii.
plenty of physical activity in the lap of nature
iii.
self-transformation with Yoga in serene hill stations
b.
What will the visitors do on the first day of their tour?
i.
go to Pokhara
ii.
discuss the programme
iii.
practise Yoga for an hour
c.
Where will they stay on the fourth day?
i.
at Tikhedhunga
ii.
at Banthanti
iii.
at Ghorepani
d.
What is the destination of the visitors on the sixth day?
i.
Ghorepani
ii.
Tadapani
iii.
Deurali
e.
Which place will the tourists visit last as a part of the package?
i. Ghandruk
ii. Nayapul
iii. Pokhara
C.
Answer the following questions.
a.
List any two advantages of the Yoga trek in the Nepali hilly region.
= i. strengthen
physical and mental health
ii. taste the
delicious Nepali meals
b.
Who can take part in this Yoga trek programme?
= This programme is open for all experience levels, so anyone
interested in strengthening their body, mind, and soul can participate
c.
What would you enjoy the most in Ghandruk if you were one of the
visitors?
Why?
= If I were one of the visitors, I would enjoy the close-up
views of Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre Himalayas in Ghandruk. The
breathtaking mountain vistas would provide a sense of awe and beauty, creating
a memorable experience
d.
How many days do the visitors do Yoga during the programme?
= The visitors do Yoga for 5 days during the programme.
e. How is the Yoga hour mainly managed every day on this holiday
trek?
= The Yoga hour is mainly managed by
starting the day with a morning Yoga session after waking up. Participants have
tea before the Yoga session and then have breakfast. This routine allows them
to begin their trek with physical and mental well-being.
Speaking:
B. What will your plans be in the following
situations? Share with your friends.
a. You want to go swimming this
Saturday.
Friend A: I
intend to go swimming this Saturday.
Friend B: I'm
planning to go swimming this Saturday.
b. You and your friends are going to play
football tomorrow evening.
Friend A: We're going to play football
tomorrow evening.
Friend B: I'm thinking of joining you guys to
play football tomorrow evening.
c. Your parents are planning to go to
Darjeeling next week.
Friend A: My parents are planning to go to
Darjeeling next week.
Friend B: I'm doing a small trek in the
nearby hills next week.
d. Your friend has invited you to a birthday
party tonight.
Friend A: My friend has invited me to a
birthday party tonight.
Friend B: I'll go to the birthday party
tonight as well.
e. You are invited to attend the wedding
ceremony of one of your friend's sister.
Friend A: I'm invited to attend the wedding
ceremony of one of my friend's sister.
Friend B: I'm planning to attend the wedding
ceremony as well.
C. Talk about your plans in pairs. Use the structures from the box.
a. After SEE
Person A: I intend to study history after
SEE.
Person B: I'm planning to study mathematics
after SEE.
b. After earning a lot of money
Person A: I'm thinking of opening a
supermarket after earning a lot of money.
Person B: I'm planning to go on a world tour
after earning a lot of money.
c. For a party
Person A: I'll go to the party by bus.
Person B: I'm going on my cycle to the party.
d. To improve vocabulary
Person A: I'm thinking of buying a Nepali
dictionary to improve my vocabulary.
Person B: I intend to buy an English
dictionary to improve my vocabulary.
e. After completing a Bachelor's degree
Person A: I'm planning to go abroad after
completing my Bachelor's degree.
Person B: I intend to start my own business
after completing my Bachelor's degree.
Grammar
I
A.
Study the following sentences.
a.
A: Did you call your mother?
B:
Oops, I’ve forgotten! I’ll do it
right now.
b. I
can't decide what to wear tonight. I think I'll wear my pink saree.
c.
The bus will arrive here
soon.
d.
They have bought a lot of chocolates. They are going to have a party.
e.
The sky is overcast. It is going
to rain.
f. I'm meeting Jane at 8 o'clock on
Saturday.
g.
A: We're having a
party next Saturday. Would you like to come?
B:
I'd love to, but I'm quite busy that day.
h. I’m visiting my grandparents next week.
i. Are you doing anything interesting this
weekend?
B. Choose
the correct answer to complete the following sentences.
a.
It's really hot here. …….a window.
i.
I’ll open ii. I’m
opening
b. I
don't have a bank account. ............ an account in Nepal Bank Ltd.
i.
I’ll open ii. I’m
going to open
c.
A: Would you take tea or coffee?
B:
……… a coffee, please.
i.
I’ll have ii. I’m going to have
d.
I've decided that ……… to the class teacher about my family situation.
i.
I’ll speak ii.
I’m going to talk
e.
Next week, we .............. on lake Rara.
i.
will boat ii. will be
boating
f. I
would love to go out with you tomorrow but ……… dinner with Dolma.
i.
I’ll have ii. I’m
having
g. I
can't come to class next Monday .……… a tooth taken out.
i. I’ll have ii. I’m having
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy
Evening
Whose woods these are I think I know
His house is in the
village though;
He will not see me
stopping here
To watch his woods
fill up with snow.
My little horse must
think it queer
To stop without a
farmhouse near
Between the woods and
frozen lake
The darkest evening
of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is
some mistake.
The only other
sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely,
dark and deep,
But I have promises
to keep,
And miles to go before
I sleep,
And miles to go
before I sleep.
-Robert Frost
A.
Find the words from the text that match the following meanings.
a. an area of trees,
smaller than a forest
= woods
b. strange or unusual
= queer
c. the main house on
a farm, usually where the farmer lives
= farmhouse
d. a set of leather
and metal pieces that is put around the body of a horse
= harness
e. movement of the
air
= wind
f. covered in
something very soft
= downy
B.
Choose the correct answer.
a. Why does the
speaker stop while on the journey?
i.
to watch the woods filled up with snow
ii. to find food for
his or her horse
iii. to say hello to
the owner of the woods
iv. to go skating on
a frozen lake.
b. What is the setting of the
poem?
i. the woods on a bright, snowy
afternoon
ii. a village on a dark, snowy
evening
iii. a frozen lake on a bright,
snowy afternoon
iv. the woods on
a dark, snowy evening
c. Which one of the following
statements is true?
i. The woods are far away from
the village.
ii. The woods
are near some houses.
iii. The owner of the woods and
speaker are friends.
iv. The speaker of the poem does
not like the owner of the woods.
d. How did the horse respond when
the speaker stopped there?
i. stood calm
ii. did nothing
iii. shook its
harness
iv. asked the speaker a question
e. What does 'miles to go before
I sleep' mean?
i. The speaker feels tired and
sleepy.
ii. The speaker has lots of
desires to fulfill.
iii. The speaker
has lots of responsibilities to fulfill.
iv. The speaker has a long
distance to travel.
C.
Fill in the gaps with appropriate words from the box to complete the summary of
the poem.
[ promises, traveller,
journey, death, the woods, destination]
The
poet compares human life with a………. The speaker of the poem is a………... He has
to reach his ………before taking a rest. However, he is distracted by the
momentary pleasure in
the
form of……... His companion, the horse, reminds him of his ………….in life. The
speaker realizes that he has to fulfill many responsibilities before his…………...
The
poet compares human life with a journey. The speaker of the poem is a traveller.
He has to reach his destination before taking a rest. However, he is
distracted by the momentary pleasure in the form of the woods. His
companion, the horse, reminds him of his promises in life. The speaker
realizes that he has to fulfill many responsibilities before his death.
Grammar
A.
Use the correct form of the verbs given in the brackets to complete the
sentences.
a. As per the
schedule, the train ……….......… (leave) at 3 o'clock.
b. Look, that
aeroplane is looking shaky! It …..............…… (crash).
c. My daughter says
she ….........… (be) a doctor when she is older.
d. Tomorrow
……..........……… (be) a sunny day, according to the weather forecast.
e. A: What ….......……
(do) tomorrow evening?
B: Nothing special. I
think I ………....…… (stay) at home.
f. It’s very stuffy
here. Don't worry, I ….................… (open) the windows for you.
g. Ann is driving.
There is very little petrol left in the tank. The nearest petrol station is a
long way from here. She …… (run) out of petrol.
h. There is a hole in
the bottom of the boat. It is filling up with water quickly. It……………(sink).
Answer:
a.
As per the schedule, the train leaves at 3 o'clock.
b.
Look, that airplane is looking shaky! It is going to crash.
c.
My daughter says she wants to be a doctor when she is older.
d.
Tomorrow will be a sunny day, according to the weather forecast.
e.
A: What are you doing tomorrow evening?
B:
Nothing special. I think I will stay at home.
f.
It’s very stuffy here. Don't worry, I will open the windows for you.
g.
Ann is driving. There is very little petrol left in the tank. The nearest
petrol station is a long way from here. She will run out of petrol.
h.
There is a hole in the bottom of the boat. It is filling up with water quickly.
It is sinking.
2 Health and Hygiene
The
Acceleration behind Telehealth Services
(In this interview, Chun-Kai Chang ,
the Business Development Manager of Telehealth at Advantech, talks to
News-Medical about the acceleration behind telehealth services.)
Reporter
: To begin, can you give us a brief introduction into telehealth and what it
involves?
Chang
: Telehealth is a method of providing medical care remotely, usually
through video chat. Telehealth makes it possible to connect patients and clinicians from any location. It provides
access to a wide range of care, including primary care consultations, psychotherapy, physical therapy, and even
emergency services. It allows primary care clinicians and specialists to
further their reach for treating patients wherever there is an internet connection.
The benefits of telehealth for healthcare providers and patients is that these
services can be faster, safer, more effective, and less expensive in the long
run, especially during a time like the COVID-19 pandemic, where telehealth has
allowed access to medical care without going to hospitals to protect patients
and hospital staff from being exposed to the infection.
Reporter
: What are some of the main drivers behind the acceleration and momentum
of telehealth services?
Chang
: There are two major drivers for this fast-growing market. The
first and most recent driver for telehealth has been the global COVID-19
pandemic. Strong social distancing and minimal physical contact
precautions have pushed the shift to telehealth and remote consultations as it
aids in infection protection. These precautions and increased hospital bed
shortages have forced medical facilities to incorporate more telehealth technologies to keep up
with demand and maintain care continuity for patients at home. The second
driver is the shortage of medical professionals when demand is increasing every
year due to an aging population and more and more patients with chronic and non-communicable diseases.
For people living in rural areas, their medical demands are underserved due to insufficient
resources and long distances to drive into cities for care. Telehealth is one
of the promising ways to tackle the challenge of doctor shortages and expand specialists
and doctors' reach to patients.
Reporter
: In terms of this acceleration and momentum of telehealth services, we are
currently seeing, what are some items we can expect to see in the future?
Chang
: Telehealth will not replace face to face care services, but we will
incorporate it
into healthcare facilities' infrastructure. Patients will be selecting
providers based on their accessibility to telehealth services. With more access
to doctors, increasing patients using preventative care services and follow-up
care due to convenience will
start to emerge. These can lead to fewer readmissions and patient
complications. We will also see more use for early screening of patient triage in the field before they arrive
at hospitals.
Reporter : When it comes to remote patient monitoring for
clinicians, what impact does telehealth have on this?
Chang
: Remote patient monitoring could be one of the applications of
telehealth. Remote patient monitoring usually involves continuously collecting
patient's health data through wearable devices, such as vital signs and blood
sugars. The patient's data is then transmitted in real-time, monitored, and
reviewed by medical providers.In this way, medical providers could acquire a
whole picture of a patient's health condition and give a more precise diagnosis.
Reporter
: How has telehealth shaped the way clinicians work with each other?
Chang
: Clinician-to-clinician telehealth services have enabled medical professionals
to collaborate virtually with specialists in other locations to deliver
treatment and care to patients jointly. This service can range from remote
surgical mentoring to Tele-ICU and Tele-ER (like a stroke), in which on-site
staff work together with a remote physician/specialist team to assess patient's
condition. Telehealth solutions relieve the pressure of staffing gaps seen in
critical departments such as an emergency room and ICU.
Reporter
: What would you say are some of the biggest challenges clinicians currently
face with telehealth?
Chang
: Many hospitals are still facing the lack of infrastructure to implement
telehealth successfully, insufficient hardware, and the right technology for
each specialty. Some hospitals struggle with reliable networking
infrastructures like broadband, 4G, or Wi-Fi. This could limit the connectivity
within facilities and provide remote care to rural areas or mobile clinics.
Having
the right technology and tools, and place will be crucial to successful
telehealth programs. Even
though this new technology is quickly being integrated, there is a
learning curve to using telehealth versus traditional healthcare operations.
Users face obstacles such as learning to use different tools, online scheduling
for virtual visits, triage procedures, and billing policies. To overcome these
challenges, telehealth should be encouraged as a regular service and included
in health insurance. There would be more motives for healthcare providers to
invest in infrastructures and information system integration and deploy telehealth technology.
A.
The meanings of some of the words from the interview are given
below.
Find the words and fill in the crossword puzzle.
Across
1. psychological treatment of people using dialogue = PSYCHOTHERAPY
2. process of sorting patients =
TRIAGE
3. to prepare and arrange =
ARRANGE
4. special department of a hospital for intensive care of patients = ICU
Down
5. to include as a part =
INCORPORATE
6. identification of nature and cause of a disease = DIAGNOSIS
7. not having sufficient service =
UNDERSERVED
8. epidemic over a wide geographical area = PANDEMIC
B.
Read the interview again and write whether the following statements are True
or False.
a. Internet service
is necessary to use telehealth services. TRUE
b. While providing
telehealth services, health professionals are at high risks of being infected due
to the exposure to patients. FALSE
c. Telehealth service
can be the best alternative to a face to face service TRUE
d. The problem with
the lack of medical staff will be solved to a great extent with telehealth
technology. TRUE
e. The success of
telehealth programmes depends on the infrastructure and the best use of IT
tools. TRUE
C.
Answer the following questions.
a.
What is telehealth service?
= Telehealth service is a method of providing medical care
remotely, usually through video chat.
b.
What are the advantages of using telehealth programmes?
= The advantages of using telehealth programs include faster,
safer, and more effective medical care, lower costs, and increased
accessibility to healthcare services.
c.
Why, according to Dr. Chang, is the telehealth service growing rapidly?
= According to Dr. Chang, the telehealth service is growing
rapidly due to the global COVID-19 pandemic and the increasing demand for
healthcare services.
d.
How is the telehealth programme important during a pandemic?
= During a pandemic, telehealth programs are important as they
allow access to medical care without the need to visit hospitals, reducing the
risk of infection for both patients and healthcare staff.
e.
Why are the patients in remote areas not getting adequate health services?
= Patients in remote areas may not be receiving adequate
healthcare services due to insufficient resources and long distances to travel
for medical care.
f. Mention the top three
challenges of telehealth services.
= The
top three challenges of telehealth services are the lack of infrastructure,
limited Connectivity in certain areas, and the learning curve for healthcare
professionals to adapt to telehealth technology.
Grammar
I
B.
Choose the correct answer.
a. I need help,
doctor. My baby doesn't sleep well. What ............. ?
i. had I better do ii. should I do iii. I should do
b. The aeroplane only
allows two pieces of luggage. You ...............pack too much or you will have
to take it out at the airport!
i.
had better not ii.
better not iii.
had not better
c. A: I think that
the grade my teacher gave me on my test is wrong.
B: Really? You
.................... to her after class today.
i. should to talk ii. ought to talk iii.
ought talk
d. It's raining and I
don't want to get my dress wet. I..............an umbrella.
i. had better not take ii.
had better to take iii.
had better take
e.
Dinesh loves chocolate, but he ....................too much or he will put on
weight.
i.
shouldn't eat ii.
should eat not iii.
should eat
f. My mother isn't
feeling well, so I told her that she ............. to the doctor.
i. ought go ii.
ought to go iii.
ought
g. A: It's so hot. B: You ...............your
jacket!
i.
should take off ii.
should put on iii.
should to take off
h. I'm going to visit
your country. Where ............. if I want to go
shopping?
i. should I go ii. I should go iii. ought to I go
Health is Wealth
Once
upon a time, there lived a benevolent
and kind-hearted king. But, the people weren’t happy with him
because he was very lazy and would not do anything other than eating and
sleeping.
He
spent days, weeks and months in his bed either eating something or sleeping.
The king became a couch potato and
the people started to worry about him.One day, the king realized that he
couldn’t move his body, not even his foot. He became very large and his obesity became a matter of fun,
calling him ‘bulky king’.
The
king invited expert doctors
from various parts of his country and offered them generous rewards to make him
fit. Unfortunately, none could help him gain his health and fitness back. The
king spent an enormous amount of money but everything went in vain.
One
fine morning, a holy man
visited the country. He heard about the ill health of the king, and informed
the minister at the palace that he could easily cure the king. Hearing these
promising words, the minister became very happy. He requested the king to meet
the holy man to get rid of his problem.
The
holy man resided at a
distant place. Since the king could not move his body, he asked the minister to
bring the holy man to the palace, but the holy man refused. He said that the
king had to go to him, in order to get cured. After strenuous efforts, the king met the
holy man at the latter’s residence. The holy man complimented the king saying that he was a good
ruler, and said that he would soon regain his health. He asked the king to come
for treatment the next day. He also told the king would be treated only if he
came on foot to the holy man’s residence.
The
king was unable to walk even a few steps on the road, but aided by his followers,
he reached the holy man’s place. Unfortunately, the holy man was not available
there and his devotee requested
the king to come and meet him the next day for treatment. This was repeated for
two weeks and the king never met the holy man, and never had any treatment.
Gradually,
the king realized that he felt a lot lighter, lost a considerable amount of
weight and felt more active than before. He realized the reason why the holy
man asked him to reach his place by walking. Very soon, the king regained his health, and the people
were very happy in his kingdom.
A.
Learn these words and complete the sentences with them.
[ benevolent, couch potato, obesity,
devotee, strenuous]
a.
………….. can increase the risk of heart disease because obese people are likely
to suffer from heart problems.
b. My father is kind,
helpful and generous. He has a…………….. attitude.
c. Take rest for a
week. Avoid tasks which require ………. physical activity.
d. I like God Shiva.
I'm actually a ………………… of him.
e. My younger sister
is a great ………… She can watch TV 24 hours a day.
a. Obesity can increase the risk of heart
disease because obese people are likely to suffer from heart problems.
b. My father is kind, helpful, and generous.
He has a benevolent attitude.
c. Take rest for a week. Avoid tasks which
require strenuous physical activity.
d. I like God Shiva. I'm actually a devotee
of him.
e. My younger sister is a great couch potato.
She can watch TV 24 hours a day.
B.
Answer the following questions.
a.
Why did people not like the king though he was kind?
= People did not like the
king because he was lazy and would not do anything other than eating and
sleeping.
b.
Why were the specialists called to the palace and offered huge prizes?
= The specialists were called
to the palace and offered huge prizes to help the king regain his health and
fitness.
c.
Why did the minister become so happy?
= The minister became happy
because a holy man visited the country and claimed that he could cure the
king's illness.
d.
Why did the holyman tell the king to come to his place on foot for treatment?
= The holy man told the king
to come to his place on foot for treatment to make the king realize the
importance of physical activity and effort.
e.
Why did the holyman disappear after the first meeting with the king?
= The holy man disappeared
after the first meeting with the king to make the king realize the value of
effort and self-motivation.
f.
How did the king recover his health?
= The king recovered his
health by making the effort to reach the holy man's place on foot, which
resulted in him losing weight and becoming more active
g.
What lesson did you learn from the story?
= The lesson from the story
is that good health requires effort, and relying on others or seeking quick
solutions may not always lead to the desired results. Physical activity and
self-motivation are essential for maintaining health and well-being.
Grammar
II
A.
Study these sentences.
a. The king would
be treated only if he came on
foot to the holy man’s residence.
b. If Sarita had
an android mobile phone, she would join the
virtual classroom.
c. If the king had
lived an active life, his health would not have worsened.
d. Had
she studied hard, she would
have secured the best result.
e. If we had
listened to the radio, we would have heard the
news.
f. It would
not surprise me if he knew the answer.
B.
Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the verbs
given
in the brackets.
a. I had seen
Tshering a few minutes ago. If you had come round earlier, you ……(see) him too.
b. I wish I were a
bird. If I were a bird, I ….. (fly) round the world.
c. Provided that
you……(be) twenty, you could play the match.
d. George was happy
that he came to Nepal. If he hadn’t, he ….(not see) Mt. Everest.
e. What would you do
if you …(win) the lottery of Rs. 1,00,000?
f. Seema missed the
bus to go home. If she ….(come) in time, she would have caught the bus.
g. She would lose
weight if she ….. (not eat) a lot of sweets.
h. They might have
helped you if you ….(ask) them.
i. If he …(drive)
more carefully, he might not have had that accident.
j. If everyone
….(turn) off unwanted lights, we could save a lot of electricity.
Answer:
a. I had seen Tshering a few minutes ago. If
you had come round earlier, you would have seen him too.
b. I wish I were a bird. If I were a bird, I would
fly round the world.
c. Provided that you were twenty, you could
play the match.
d. George was happy that he came to Nepal. If
he hadn't, he would not have seen Mt. Everest.
e. What would you do if you won the
lottery of Rs. 1,00,000?
f. Seema missed the bus to go home. If she had
come in time, she would have caught the bus.
g. She would lose weight if she didn't eat
a lot of sweets.
h. They might have helped you if you had
asked them.
i. If he had driven more carefully, he
might not have had that accident.
j. If everyone turned off unwanted
lights, we could save a lot of electricity
C.
Complete each sentence in a suitable way.
a.
If you had studied well, ……………..
b.
If you asked me, ……….
c.
If we had gone to the cinema, ………….
d.
If you spoke English, ………….
e.
If they listened to me, ………………
f.
………………….. if I had your address.
g.
………………….. I would have taken part in the contest.
h.
………………….. we would walk to the museum.
i.
………………. if there were not many sharks there.
j.
………………. if she had taken the right bus.
a. If you had studied well, you would have
passed the exam.
b. If you asked me, I would help you.
c. If we had gone to the cinema, we would
have watched a movie.
d. If you spoke English, we could
communicate better.
e. If they listened to me, they would
understand the situation.
f. I would have sent you a letter if I
had your address.
g. If I had known, I would have taken
part in the contest.
h. If the weather was nice, we would
walk to the museum.
i. It would be safer if there were not
many sharks there.
j. She would have arrived on time if
she had taken the right bus.
Unit
3 Family, Market and Public Places
Thomas
and Jerry
Once
upon a time in a village, there was an old man named Jerry. He hadn’t seen his
son who lived in the city for a few years and wanted to meet him. He started
his journey and came to the city where his son used to work and stay. He approached the place where he used to
get letters from a long time ago. When he knocked on the door he was excited
and smiled with joy to meet his son. Unfortunately, someone else opened the door. Jerry
asked, “I suppose Thomas should be staying in this place.” The person said,
“No! He has left and moved to a different location.” Jerry was disappointed and just pondered how he was going to meet his
son.
He
started to walk down the street and the neighbours asked Jerry, “Are you
looking for Thomas?” Jerry responded by nodding his head. The neighbours gave Thomas’s office address to Jerry.
Jerry thanked them and started towards the path which would lead to his son.
Finally, Jerry
arrived
at the office and asked at the reception counter, “Could you please tell me
Thomas’s location, in this office?” The receptionist asked, “May I know how you are related
to him?” Jerry responded politely by saying,“I’m his father.” The receptionist
asked Jerry to wait for a moment then rang Thomas and conveyed the message.
Thomas was stunned and
told the receptionist to send his father to the cabin immediately.
Jerry
entered the cabin. As soon as he saw Thomas, his eyes were filled with tears.
Thomas was happy to see his father. They talked for a while and Jerry asked
Thomas, “Son! Mom dearly wants to see you. Will you go home with me?”
Thomas
responded, “I’m afraid, I can’t go home, father. I am very busy working for my
success and it’s hard to take leave to visit as my hands are full with lots of
stressful work.” Jerry gave a simple smile and said, “Okay! You may do your
work. I’ll be going back to our village this evening.” Thomas asked, “Would you
stay for a few days with me, please?” Jerry responded after a moment of
silence, “Son, you are busy with your tasks. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable
or become a burden for
you,” he continued, “I hope if I ever had a chance to meet you again, I would
be happy.” Then, he departed.
After
a few weeks, Thomas wondered why his father came alone after a long time, he
felt bad for treating his father in a weird manner. He felt guilty so took leave for a few days and went to
his village to meet his parents. When he went to the place where he was born
and grew up, he saw that his parents were not there. He was shocked and asked
the neighbours, “What happened here? My parents have to be here. Where are they
now?” The neighbours gave the address of the place where his parents were
staying.
Thomas
scurried to
the place and noticed that it was like a graveyard. His eyes were filled with tears and started to walk slowly
towards the place. His father noticed Thomas in the distance and waved his hand
to draw his attention. Thomas saw his father; started to run and hugged him as
soon as they met.
Jerry
asked, “How are you?” and continued, “What a surprise to see you here. I didn’t
expect that you would be coming to this place.” Thomas felt ashamed and kept his head down.
Jerry said, “Why are you feeling bad? Has anything wrong happened?” Thomas responded,
“No father” he continued, “It’s just I never knew that I would be seeing you in
this position in our village.”
Jerry
smiled and said, “I had taken a loan when you moved to the city for your
college to pay for your education, then again when you wanted a new car. But
due to a loss in farming, I couldn’t pay the loan back. I thought of
approaching you for help, but you were very busy and bustled with your work. I didn’t
want to burden you with our problem and remained silent. I had to let our home
to go repay the
loan.”
Thomas whispered,
“You could’ve told me. I’m not an outsider.” Jerry turned around and said, “You
were very busy and stressed with your work which made me remain quiet. All we
wanted was your happiness."
Thomas started to cry and hugged his father again. He apologised
to his father and asked him to forgive him for his mistake. Jerry radiated and said, “No need for that.
I’m content with
what I have now. All I want is that you spare some time for us, we love you very much and at this old age it’s
hard to travel to see you often.”
A.
The words in red in the story correspond to the meanings below.
Find the words and write them.
a. a load, typically
a heavy one =
burden
b. came near
approached
c. so shocked that
one is temporarily unable to react =
stunned
d. left, especially
in order to start a journey =
departed
e. a burial ground =
graveyard
f. very strange;
bizarre =
weird
g. satisfied =
content
h. shined with energy
or happiness =
radiated
i. moved or ran
somewhere suddenly or rapidly =
scurried
30 English
9
B.
Read the story again and decide whether the following statements are true
or false.
a. Jerry did not use
to get letters from his son. =
False
b. The neighbours
helped Jerry find the way to meet his son. =
True
c. Thomas was eager
to meet his father in his office. =
False
d. Thomas asked his
father to stay with him for a week. =
True
e. Thomas felt bad to
see his father in his workplace. =
False
f. The story tries to
show that parents’ happiness is tied up with their children’s success and
happiness. =
True
C.
Answer the following questions.
a. Why did Jerry go to the
city?
= Jerry
went to the city to meet his son whom he hadn't seen in a few years
b. What
did the father want from his son?
= The father wanted his son, Thomas, to come home with him and
visit his mother.
c.
Did the father come back to the village happily? Why?
= The father came back to the village disappointed because his
son, Thomas, couldn't accompany him and he had to sell their home to repay a
loan.
d.
What made Thomas decide to visit his father?
= Thomas felt guilty for not spending time with his father and
realized the importance of family. He decided to take leave from work and visit
his parents in the village.
e.
Why did Jerry take the loan?
= Jerry took the loan to pay for Thomas' education and later
for a new car.
f.
Why did Jerry return home without telling his son about the loan?
= Jerry didn't want to burden his busy and stressed son with
their financial problems, so he remained silent about the loan
g.
What lesson do you learn from this story?
= The story highlights the importance of family,
communication, and making time for loved ones. It reminds us that parents' happiness
is tied to their children's well-being and that open and caring relationships
are essential.
Grammar
I
A.
Study the following examples about making requests and offers along with their
responses.
a. ‘Can I help you?’ ‘Yes, sure.’
b. ‘Would you like some help?’ ‘Yes,
of course.’
c. ‘Would you like to come for lunch
this weekend?’ ‘Oh, I’d love to, thank you.’
d. ‘Can you help me with this desk
for a moment?’ ‘Yes, sure. Where do you want to put it?'
e. ‘Could you say congratulations to
your brother on my behalf?
B.
Complete the following conversations using can, could
and would.
a. A: …… I get you
something to drink?
B: Yes, please. A
glass of lemonade for me.
b. A:…….. you tell me
where the nearest community school is, please?
B: I’m sorry, I’m not
from around here.
c. A:
................ you like me to answer the phone?
B. Yes, please, that
...... be lovely.
d. A: I’ve finished
my homework. …….. I play now?
B: OK. You may.
e. A: ….. I come
round to your house sometime later?
B: Well, actually, my
dad’s not feeling well. Maybe another time.
f. A: ……. you mind
passing me that register, please?
B: Yes, of course.
Here you go.
g. A: …….. you like
me to talk to the head teacher?
B: Oh. Yes please! ……
you?
h. A: ......... you
lend me Rs. 200, please?
B: I suppose so, but
I need it back before next month.
i. A: ……you mind if I
used your pen, madam?
B: Not
at all, go ahead.
Answer:
a. A: Can I get you something to drink?
B: Yes, please. A glass of lemonade for me.
b. A: Could you tell me where the nearest
community school is, please?
B: I'm sorry, I'm not from around here.
c. A: Would you like me to answer the
phone?
B: Yes, please, that would be lovely.
d. A: I've finished my homework. Can I
play now?
B: Okay. You may.
e. A: Could I come round to your house
sometime later? B: Well, actually, my dad's not feeling well. May be another
time.
f. A: Would you mind passing me that
register, please?
B: Yes, of course. Here you go.
g. A: Can you like me to talk to the head
teacher?
B: Oh. Yes, please! Would you?
h. A: Would you lend me Rs. 200, please?
B: I suppose so, but I need it back before next
month
Dance
The
first time I went to a disco I was very young and shy. However, I decided to
go. Do you remember the Star Disco in Thamel? It was a lovely place….. always
full of beautiful girls. Of course, most of them are grandmothers now!
When
I went to the disco, I was much too shy to ask anyone for a dance. So I sat down
and thought I'd watch for a while. You know, see how the other lads did it. There was a lovely
girl in a blue dress. A man walked up to her and said, "Excuse me. May I
have the pleasure of
the next dance?" She looked up at him and said "Eh? What did you
say?" So he said, "I wonder if you would be kind enough to dance with
me?.....er….if you don’t mind?” “No, thank you very much."
A
few minutes later, this other chap
arrived. He gave her this big smile and said, "Would you be
so kind as to have the next dance with me?" “Pardon?” she said. "Would you
mind having the next dance with me?" he said, a bit nervously this time,
"No thanks."
Then,
this third fellow came
over. He was very good-looking, you know, black teeth, white hair- sorry, I
mean white teeth, black hair! He said, ever so politely, "Can I...I mean...could
I... no, might I have the next dance with you?" "Sorry", she
said, "My feet are aching."
By
now, I was terrified. I
mean, she'd said 'no' to all of them! Then this fourth character thought he'd
try. "Would you like to dance?" She looked straight at him.
"No."
Well,
I decided to go home. I was wearing an old jacket and trousers, and nobody
would say that I was good-looking! Just as I was walking past her, she smiled.
"Er... dance?" I asked. "Thank you very much," she replied.
And that was that! It's our twentieth wedding anniversary next week.
A.
Find words from the story which are similar in meaning to the words given
below.
a. man = chap fellow lad
b. came = arrived
c. clothes = dress jacket and trouser
B.
Choose the correct answer from the alternatives given and complete the
sentences
a. The storyteller is
probably…
i. a
comedian ii. a musician iii. an actor
b. When he arrived at
the disco, he first…..
i. saw his
grandmother ii. saw some guys
dancing iii. saw a beautiful girl
c. Now his age may be
about…
i. 20 years ii. 30 years iii. 40 years
d. The lovely girl….
i. didn’t dance at
all ii. became nervous iii. danced at last
e. The story can be
best described as…
i. humorous ii.
serious iii.
sad
Grammar II
A. Match
the sentence halves to make full sentences.
a. I'd i. a good
dentist?
b. Would it be ii.
a table for six?
c. Would you be able
to iii. possible to invite my
cousin?
d. Could you
recommend iv. you like me to call a
taxi?
e. Can I book a v. get me a ticket for
the concert?
f. Would vi. like to
rent an apartment.
Answer:
a. I'd like to invite my cousin.
b. Would it be possible to get me a ticket
for the concert?
c. Would you be able to recommend a good
dentist?
d. Could you get me a table for six?
e. Can I book a taxi?
f. Would you like to rent an apartment?
B.
Complete the sentences below in any way you like to make
requests
or offers.
a.
Would you like me to help you with your luggage?
b.
Can I offer you a cup of coffee?
c.
Could you please pass me the salt?
d.
Would it be possible to borrow your car for the weekend?
e.
Would you mind closing the window?
f.
Could you possibly lend me some money?
g.
Would you like to join me for dinner?
Unit
4 Life and Death
Death is a Fiction
Did
you ever see somebody who actually died and came back? No. There may be a near
death experience. Near is not good enough. Near water is not as good enough as
water, isn’t it? So, some people have nearly died, that is not good enough. So you
have not experienced it, you have not seen it, nor have you had a first-hand
information from anybody. So from where did you get this idea that there is
something called as death? Death is a fiction created by ignorant
people. Death is the creation of people who live their lives in
total unawareness. There is only life, life and life
alone, moving from one dimension to another, another dimension to another. See, what you call as
life right now, the process of life; you can also refer to it as death. You can
say “I am living right now” or you can say “I am dying right now.” Actually,
from the day you are born you are slowly dying. One day the process will be
complete. Right now it is on the way. You may be thinking you are going to many
places, but as far as your body is concerned, without a moment’s distraction, it
is going straight to the grave, nowhere else. Isn’t it so?
So,
is death okay or not okay? Even these kinds of questions which are coming up
are silly, because whether you say it is okay or not okay, anyway you will
die. Every moment you are playing between life and death and life and death –
actually it is so. This inhalation, exhalation... You inhaled, life happened. You exhaled and did not inhale
again, death happened, isn’t it?
See,
every moment in Yoga we say inhalation is life, exhalation is death. You
exhale, and if you do not take in the next inhalation it dislodges
you from the body. So fragile,
isn’t it so? Something so fragile is the basis of your existence here. Death is
walking with you every step. It is so close all the time.
There
is nothing wrong with death; it has to happen. Only because there is death,
there is life. You need to understand that the moment you are born, you have a
death sentence upon you. When, where, and how is the only question, but you are
on death row. Your death is confirmed, isn’t it? We do not know whether you
will get educated or not; we do not know whether you will get married or not;
we do not know whether you will know joy or not; we do not know whether you
will know misery or not; but we know one day you will die. That one thing is guaranteed. This
whole fear of death has come simply because you have no idea what it is. You
have formed ideas about everything, just about everything. But it does not
matter what ideas you have formed about life, when you are confronted
with the moment of death, you really do not know anything.
That is one space of
life which has remained uncorrupted by the human mind. Everything else we
have corrupted, isn’t it? Whatever was supposed to be sacred,
all these things are hugely corrupted by the human mind.
Human
minds have corrupted love, relationships, God, Divinity –
everything they have corrupted and twisted out
whichever way they want. Death is one thing that they are still clueless
about–though a lot of people would like to talk authoritatively about
it. They know they are going to go
to
heaven; they are dead sure about it. If they are so sure, I don’t see what they
are waiting for. They are doing everything not to go to heaven.
Why? If you are so sure you are going to a wonderful place, a better place than
this, and then you must hurry up. But because you are not sure, you talk. You
are not 100% sure where you will go, what will happen to you. Just to solace
yourself, just to be able to psychologically handle life, you
create all these things. But essentially,
the very idea of death has come to you because people have been talking about
it without knowing about it. Otherwise, if your societies did not speak about
it, you would just know the way you are right now, your present existence, is
not permanent. That you would know, but you would not have any other ideas
about it. Even now you do not have any idea about it; you imagine that you
have.
-Sadhguru
(excerpt from Life and Death in one breath)
A.
Find the words from the text that have the following meanings.
a. a
thing that is imagined: fiction
b. a
way of looking at something: perspective
c. to
force somebody to leave: dislodge
d.
faced somebody so that you could not avoid: confronted
e. to
make somebody feel better: solace
B.
Fill in the blanks with appropriate words.
a.
Death is a fiction created by human beings.
b.
Ultimately, we are moving straight to the grave.
c.
According to the speaker, death is confirmed. It is sure to
happen.
d.
Human beings have corrupted everything and they have twisted it
whichever way they want.
C.
Answer the following questions.
a.
According to the speaker, there is only life. How?
According
to the speaker, there is only life because life is a continuous process, moving
from one dimension to another.
b.
According to the speaker, what is life?
According
to the speaker, life is the process of existence, which includes both
inhalation (life) and exhalation (death).
c.
Why is there nothing wrong with death?
There
is nothing wrong with death because it is a natural part of life. Without
death, there would be no life.
d.
Why do we fear death?
We fear
death because we do not fully understand it and because it represents the
unknown. The fear of death arises from the uncertainty of what happens after
death and the attachment to life.
e.
Why do people have an idea of death?
People
have an idea of death because it has been talked about and discussed, even
though their understanding of it may be limited or based on beliefs and
assumptions.
D. What is your view about
death? Write a short paragraph
Death
is a natural and inevitable part of life. It is the end of our physical
existence, but what happens after death remains unknown. While death may evoke
fear and uncertainty, it is important to accept its inevitability and focus on
living a meaningful and fulfilling life. Death reminds us of the impermanence
of life and can serve as a motivation to make the most of the time we have. It
is a reminder to cherish our loved ones, pursue our passions, and contribute
positively to the world. While death may be a difficult concept to comprehend,
it is essential to approach it with acceptance and a sense of peace.
Grammar
I
A.
Rewrite the following sentences using the correct form of the verbs given in
the brackets.
a. The winter follows
the autumn season.
b. The human body consists
of some 60 trillion individual cells.
c. Cows feed
on grass.
d. He earns a
handsome salary every month.
e. Akila makes
delicious cookies.
f. Arati and her husband live
in Singapore.
g. Do you like
chocolate milk?
h. He does not want to
go to the movies.
i. My grandfather adores
his pet dog.
j. Plants need
water and sunlight for photosynthesis.
k. He has a
big apartment in Venice.
B.
Make a statement or a question using these prompts. Use the present simple.
a. I/not/check/my
emails when I get to school.
b. you/watch/the news
on TV every day?
c. she/wear/a red
dress.
c. you/have/a school bus?
d. what/you/want to
drink?
e. you/not/need more
reading practice.
f. your
friend/not/like computer games.
g. mum/wash/car once
a week.
Answers:
a. I do not check my emails
when I get to school.
Do you check your emails when you get to
school?
b. Do you watch the news on
TV every day?
c. She wears a red dress.
c. Do you have a school bus?
d. What do you want to
drink?
e. You do not need more
reading practice.
f. Your friend does not like
computer games.
Does your friend like computer games?
g. Mom washes the car once a
week.
Does mom wash the car once a week?
C.
Change the following sentences into negative and question.
a. The swimming pool
opens everyday at 9: 30 am.
b. I use my car very
often.
c. John comes from
Mexico.
d. I play the piano very
well.
e. Ann watches
television a lot.
f. I write to my
parents every month.
g. This car breaks down
every five hours.
Answers:
a. Does the swimming pool
open every day at 9:30 am?
The swimming pool does not open every day at
9:30 am.
b. I do not use my car very
often.
Do you use your car very often?
c. Does John come from
Mexico?
John does not come from Mexico.
d. I do not play the piano
very well.
Do you play the piano very well?
e. Ann does not watch
television a lot.
Does Ann watch television a lot?
f. I do not write to my
parents every month.
Do you write to your parents every month?
g. This car does not break
down every five hours.
Does this car break down every five hours?
Crossing the Bar
Sunset and evening
star,
And one clear call
for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to
sea,
But such a tide as
moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound
and foam,
When that which drew
from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.
Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the
dark!
And may there be no
sadness of farewell,
When I embark;
For tho' from out our
bourne of
Time and Place
The flood may bear me
far,
I hope to see my
Pilot face to face
When I have crost the bar.
-Alfred
Lord Tennyson
A.
Match the words in column A with their meanings in column B.
a. moaning= v. complaining
b. boundless= iv. never-ending; infinite
c. twilight= vii. dusk
d. embark= iii. go on board
e. tho’= ii. though
f. bourne= i. a boundary; a limit
g. crost= vi. crossed
B.
Fill in the gaps with the words/phrases given below to complete the
paraphrase
of the poem.
I notice the
sunset and evening star in the sky, and hear a sound calling for me loud
and clear. I hope that the sandbar will not be disturbed when I go out
to sea. Instead, I want to be carried out floating on a tide moving so
slowly it seems almost asleep, and which is too swollen to make a sound. That's
what I want when I return home to the depths of the great unknown.
Twilight comes with
the evening bell, which will be followed by darkness. There don't need
to be any sadness goodbyes when I go.
Even though I'll be
going far from this time and place, on the tide of death, I hope to meet God,
who has been like my pilot in this journey, when I've made it across the bar.
C. Answer
the following questions.
a.
Where does the speaker have to go crossing the sandbar?
The speaker has to go out to sea, crossing
the sandbar.
b.
Why can't the tide make a huge sound or create a lather?
The tide is described as moving so slowly
that it seems almost asleep, and it is too full (swollen) to make a sound or
create a lather.
c.
What do the twilight and the evening bell suggest in the poem?
Twilight and the evening bell suggest the
approaching darkness and the end of the day.
d.
Where is the speaker going without accepting sad goodbyes?
The speaker is going on a journey, crossing
the bar (symbolizing death), without accepting sad goodbyes.
e.
Who is the only agent that helps the speaker to go far on his journey?
The speaker hopes to meet God, who has been
like a pilot, to help him go far on his journey.
f.
Does the speaker fear death? Why/Why not?
The speaker does not explicitly mention
fearing death in the poem. However, the speaker expresses hope and a desire for
a peaceful transition, suggesting a certain acceptance of the inevitable.
g.
What does the pilot symbolize?
The pilot symbolizes God or a divine
presence who guides and assists the speaker on their journey, possibly
representing a spiritual or religious belief in the afterlife.
Grammar II
A.
Complete the following sentences with the correct adverbs from the
brackets.
a. I see one or two
movies every week. I often go to the movies.
b. I let my roommate
borrow my car just once. I rarely let my roommate borrow my car.
c. Maria eats cereal
for breakfast seven days a week. Maria usually eats cereal for
breakfast.
d. Four out of five
visitors to the museum stay for three hours or longer. Museum visitors
usually stay for at least three hours.
e. We occasionally
have quizzes in history class. The teacher sometimes gives quizzes in
history class.
f. Subina always
misses the morning assembly. She rarely arrives at school on time.
g. In the desert, it
rains only two days between May and September every year. It rarely
rains there in the summer.
h. Rohit asks me to
go to the winter camp, but I don't accept his invitation. I seldom go to
the winter camp.
i. Lisa and Samrat go
fishing at least three times a week. They seldom go out to dinner with
each other.
B.
Rewrite the following sentences with the correct alternatives from
the
brackets.
a. Your friendship over the
years and your support has meant a great deal to us.
b. Hamilton Family Center, a
shelter for teenage runaways in San Francisco, offers a wide variety of
services.
c. One of the major sources
of income of Trinidad is tourism.
d. The chances of your being
promoted are excellent.
e. There was a
Pokemon card stuck to the refrigerator.
f. Neither the professor nor
his assistants were able to attend the conference.
g. Many hours at the driving
range have led us to design golf balls with GPS locators in them.
h. Discovered in the soil of
our city garden was a button dating from the turn of the century.
5 Ethics, Norms and Values
Why “I’m Sorry” Doesn’t Always Translate
Even
after decades of cooperation in business and politics, America and Japan still trip
over a seemingly simple concept: the apology. Neither culture appears
to fully understand what the other means or expects. For instance, most
Americans were unmoved by Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda’s effusive apologies
in 2010, after widespread reports of malfunctioning
Prius accelerators. Japan,
for its part, bristled when a US submarine commander didn’t immediately apologise after colliding
with and sinking a Japanese fishing boat off Hawaii in 2001.
The
confusion over the meaning of and occasion for “I’m sorry” extends beyond those
countries; indeed, it seems that virtually every culture has its own rules. In
India, other researchers have noted, apologies are far less common than in
Japan. In Hong Kong, they are so prevalent and ritualized
that many people are inured to
them.
Our
own work found that a core issue is differing perceptions of culpability:
Americans see an apology as an admission of wrongdoing, whereas Japanese see it
as an expression of eagerness to repair a damaged relationship, with no
culpability necessarily implied. And this difference, we discovered, affects
how much traction an apology gains.
In
an initial survey of US and Japanese undergraduates, the US students were more
likely to say that an apology directly implied guilt. The Japanese students
were more likely to apologise even when they weren’t personally responsible for
what had happened. Perhaps for this reason, they apologised a lot more; they
recalled issuing an average of 11.05 apologies in the previous week,
whereas
US students recalled just 4.51.
In a
second study, we looked at the utility of apologies for
repairing trust. We asked undergraduates from both countries to imagine that
they were managers and showed them a video in which an applicant for an
accounting job apologised for having deliberately filed an incorrect tax return
for a prior client. The Japanese students were more willing than their US counterparts
to trust the candidate’s assertion that
she wouldn’t engage in such behavior again and to offer her a job. We believe
that this is owing to Americans’ inclination to
associate apologies with culpability.
The
finding that Americans link apologies with blame is in keeping, we’d argue,
with a psychological tendency among Westerners to attribute
events to individuals’ actions. Thus it makes sense that in the US
an apology is taken to mean “I am the one who is responsible.” It also stands
to reason that in Japan which, like many other East Asian countries, has a more
group-oriented culture; apologies are heard as “It is unfortunate that this happened.”
Researchers who’ve compared apologies in America and China have found a similar
pattern: US apologies serve to establish personal responsibility, while Chinese
ones focus on the larger consequences of the transgression.
Only
with a deep understanding of such differences, the executives can make
effective use of the apology as a tool for facilitating negotiations, resolving
conflicts, and repairing trust. And misunderstandings over apologies are just
one aspect of a broad semantic disconnect between East and West that’s too often ignored in the rush
to globalisation. Managers would do well to tune in to other
cultural nuances that are easily lost in translation.
-William Maddux, Peter H. Kim, Tetsushi Okumura, and Jeanne Brett
A.
Find the words/phrases from the text for the following meanings.The first
letter has been given.
a. t……........ to
have difficulty saying something clearly or correctly
b. e………… showing too
much emotion
c. b………… became
annoyed or offended
d. i………... accustomed
to do something
e. c……….. the fact of
being responsible
f. a…..... ... a
statement saying that you strongly believe something to be true
g. a…....... to say
or believe that something is the result of a particular thing
h. s……… connected
with the meaning of words and sentences
i. n……… a very slight
difference in meaning
Answers:
a.
stumble
b.
effusive
c.
bristled
d.
inured
e.
culpability
f.
assertion
g.
attribute
h.
semantic
i.
nuance
B.
Match the first halves in column A with their endings in column B to
make
complete sentences.
a. Americans didn't
show iv. sympathy to Akio Toyoda's effusive apologies.
b. People are
accustomed iii. to an apology in Hong Kong.
c. Japanese use an
apology v. to repair their damaged relationship.
d. American
participants seemed i. less interested in a second research.
e. Researchers
found ii. similar patterns in East Asian countries.
C.
Answer the following questions.
a.
Why did Japan become annoyed with the US submarine commander?
Japan became annoyed
with the US submarine commander because he didn't immediately apologize after
colliding with and sinking a Japanese fishing boat off Hawaii in 2001
b.
How do Americans and Japanese perceive an apology?
Americans perceive an
apology as an admission of wrongdoing, while the Japanese perceive it as an
expression of eagerness to repair a damaged relationship without necessarily
implying culpability.
c.
What, according to the survey, is the average result of an apology in Japanese
and American students?
According to the
survey, Japanese students recalled issuing an average of 11.05 apologies in the
previous week, while US students recalled just 4.51
d.
What was displayed in a video show?
The video displayed
an applicant for an accounting job apologizing for having deliberately filed an
incorrect tax return for a prior client.
e.
Who were the respondents of the second study?
The respondents of
the second study were undergraduates from both the United States and Japan.
f.
How can the executives apply an apology?
Executives can apply
an apology as a tool for facilitating negotiations, resolving conflicts, and
repairing trust by understanding the cultural nuances and differences
associated with apologies in different cultures.
Grammar
I
A.
Read the text and underline the verb forms in present continuous tense.
Hello
everybody! Look at this nice picture. Here is one of the moments I prefer when
we are all together on a nice Sunday afternoon. But let me introduce myself!
I’m Bob, I am standing in front of my father who is reading the
newspaper. Mum is listening to her favourite songs on the radio. My two
sisters, Rose and Sally, are playing with their dolls. My grandfather is
having a nap and granny is drinking a cup of tea. The cat is running
after the birds as usual and only my cousins are doing real activities;
Ken is watering Mum’s flowers and Mike is cleaning the
windows.
“Can you imagine that Sunday afternoon!”
B.
Use the correct form of the verbs in brackets to complete the sentences.
a. Be quiet! The baby is sleeping.
b. It is raining cats
and dogs here in the Monsoon season.
c. John is busy. He is
working at the moment.
d. Please keep quiet, I am
listening to the radio. You know I am listening to the news in the
mornings.
e. What time does the
first bus leave for Kathmandu?
f. I usually don't wear
a scarf, but today I am wearing one because it's unusually cold.
g. She is traveling
to Dhangadhi next weekend.
h. Pasang is in the
classroom at the moment. He is studying History.
i. These days most people are
writing emails instead of writing letters.
j. What sort of clothes are
teenagers wearing nowadays?
k. What are you doing
tonight? Would you like to come and watch the game?
l. You look worried. What are
you thinking of?
m. She usually drives a
taxi. But today, she is driving a lorry.
n. These kids are not
doing what I've asked them to do.
Dear JetBlue Customers,
We
are sorry and embarrassed. But most of all, we are deeply sorry. Last week was
the worst operational week in JetBlue’s seven year history. As a customer
scheduled to be on one of our flights during this period,we know we let you
down. Following the severe winter ice storm in the
Northeast,
we subjected you to unacceptable delays, flight cancellations, lost baggage,
and other major inconveniences. The storm disrupted
the movement of aircraft, and, more importantly, disrupted the movement of JetBlue’s
pilot and inflight crewmembers who were depending on those planes to
get them to the airports where they were scheduled to serve you. With the busy
President’s Day weekend upon us, rebooking opportunities were scarce and hold
times at 1-800-JETBLUE were unacceptably long or not even available, further hindering
our recovery efforts.
Words
cannot express how truly sorry we are for the anxiety, frustration and inconvenience
that you experienced. This is especially saddening because JetBlue
was founded on the promise of bringing humanity back to air travel and making
the experience of flying happier and easier for
everyone
who chooses to fly with us. We know we failed to deliver on this promise to you
last week.
We
have begun implementing immediate corrective steps to regain your confidence in
us as part of a comprehensive plan to provide better and timelier information to
you, more tools and resources for our crewmembers and improved procedures for
handling operational difficulties in the future. We are confident, as a result
of these actions that JetBlue will emerge as a
more reliable and even more customer responsive airline than ever before.
Most
importantly, we have published the JetBlue Airways Customer Bill of Rights; our
official commitment to you of how we will handle operational interruptions
going forward including details of compensation. I have a video message to
share with you about this industry leading action. You deserved better, a lot
better, from us last week. Nothing is more important than regaining your trust
and all of us here hope you will give us the opportunity to once again welcome
you onboard and provide you the positive JetBlue experience you have come to
expect from us.
Sincerely,
David Neeleman
Founder and CEO JetBlue Airways
A.
Match the words in column A with their meanings in column B.
a. disrupt -
iii. to make it difficult for something to continue in the normal way
b. crewmembers - v. all the people working on a ship,
plane, etc.
c. hinder - iv. to make it difficult
for somebody to do something or for something to happen
d. inconvenience - ii. trouble or problem, especially
concerning what you need or would like yourself
e. emerge - i. to come out of a dark,
confined or hidden place
B.
Answer the following questions.
a.
Who has written the letter?
- David Neeleman
b.
Who is it addressed to?
- JetBlue Customers
c.
How long has JetBlue been serving its customers?
- Seven years
d.
What was the main cause of inconvenience to the passengers?
- Severe winter ice
storm in the Northeast
e.
What sort of service does this company promise?
- Bringing humanity
back to air travel and making the experience of flying happier and easier
f.
What does the JetBlue Airways Customer Bill of Rights contain?
- Details of how they
will handle operational interruptions in the future, including compensation.
Grammar
II
A.
Use the correct form of the verbs given in the brackets to rewrite this text.
Sophiya is sitting
in the classroom. Her teacher is standing in front of the class
teaching. But, Sophiya is doing something else. She is daydreaming. She is
not in the class. She is dancing on a stage in front of hundreds of
people. She is wearing a beautiful costume. She is tapping and
twirling. She is spinning on one leg. She is kicking her feet.
She is leaping and flying through the air. The audiences are
standing on the floor. They are clapping and shouting “Bravo!
Bravo!!”.
“Sophiya?”
“Sophiya?” her
teacher is calling. He is not teaching anymore.
“Yes?” Sophiya is
feeling a bit embarrassed. Her cheeks are getting red.
“Are you feeling
okay? You shouted ‘Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!’ in the class.”
“Sorry! I am just
enjoying the class so much. ‘Bravo! Bravo!’.”
B.
Complete the sentences with the use of correct form of any relevant verbs.
a. A: We are going
to the cinema tonight.
B: Can I go with you?
b. A: I go on
holiday two or three times a year.
B: That's great! And where are you going this
year?
c. I think it's
better to stay. It is raining and we need an umbrella.
d. Who is that man?
Why is he staring at us? What does he want?
e. Tomorrow, I am
visiting my doctor in the morning.
f. Where's John? He is
listening to a new song in this room.
g. Rita worked
hard all day yesterday, but she is not working today.
h. Nitu is
reading a story at the moment.
i. The plane is
leaving the runway now. You are too late.
j. I told you that I am
not working with you anymore. You're simply not a team player.
Unit6 Custom and Culture
Sky Burials
Sky Burials are
traditional custom in Tibetan Buddhism to say farewell to their dead. These days,
outsiders are mostly forbidden from witnessing
them.I had heard of Tibetan Sky Burials with a mixture of horror and fascination.To put it bluntly, a dead body is
chopped up into pieces and fed to waiting vultures.
So, we arrived at a
very isolated and traditional Tibetan
Buddhist monastery near Tagong in
North Eastern Sichuan. I thought, "let's just look at the site where it happens". We'd been told that
foreigners were not allowed to
experience the secret ritual anyway. Our driver directed
us up to the top of the mountain where the burials take place. It was
surrounded by a sea of Tibetan prayer flags and you could just make out a
kind of stone slab.
So we hiked up
there. Upon arriving, we could hear Tibetan nuns chanting. "How lovely?"
I thought.
Then I turned and
saw about 100 vultures sitting on the hill, waiting and then, what looked
like a body bag on the stone slab.
I actually couldn't
believe it. “Have we stumbled into the start of a
sky burial?” Through a translation app I asked one of the
Tibetans next to me what was happening.
"Flesh eating
birds," he replied.
"Oh, can we
stay?" I asked.
"Yes, but on
the side and no photos," he replied.
"This is
amazing," I thought, but then I saw my kids. My wife and I had to make quick decisions.
We gave our
six-year-old son the iPad to play computer games. He was thrilled, and we had never
before been so happy to give it to him. He was too young to see
this.
As for my
11-year-old son and my 13-year-old daughter, my wife Catherine quickly sat them
down and told them what was about to happen and said it was their choice
to stay or go.
We gave it to them
straight, but told them the cultural and religious context.To their credit they
stayed. I was nervous. The first time I'd seen a dead body when I was 12 and it
had a profound effect on me. Before
we knew it, the bag was taken off and the corpse was revealed. It looked like a
middle-aged woman.
The Rogyapa, body breaker, stormed up the side of
mountain. He was dressed in a thick, dark scarlet coloured coat with
a black hood. With a butcher
knife in hand, he wasted no time in carving up the body. My stomach sunk. It
was gruesome, and I just
stopped myself from throwing up. My kids though seemed to take it in their stride.
The vultures were
growing impatient and started to jump
at site of the flesh. The body breaker gave the signal and the Tibetans holding
the birds back let them through.
They swarmed, in a frenzy jumping on top of
each other tearing at the flesh. It was unbelievable.
It only took at
most 15 minutes and the entire corpse was gone. Every last piece of flesh had
been eaten, leaving only the bones behind. Then the body breaker gathered up
the human bones and began to pulverize them with a mallet. He mixed that
with yak butter and barley flour. In one
last gesture, he
walked into the middle of the vultures and threw it high in the air. And with
that he was gone.
There was
absolutely nothing left of the body. It is considered a bad omen if vultures don't
eat the body or even if small bits are left. Tibetans see the vultures as Dakinis, like angels who
take soul into the heavens to await reincarnation and the next life. They consider the body as a mere vessel for the
soul.
And at the end of
it all, a peace and calmness seemed to descend
over the scene. Everyone seemed happy that the ritual had been fulfilled.My
kids too, surprisingly, were fine. They seemed to be able to understand it; an
ancient culture giving a meaning to lives.
I was a proud dad
on that day, proud of their maturity and intelligence. But as for my
six-year-old son, he was none the wiser. He'd been deeply engrossed by his iPad,
playing Minecraft the whole time.
-
Matthew
Carney
A. Choose the words
from the box that match with the given meanings from a - h.
forbidden fascination profound gruesome frenzy pulverise omen engrossed
a. ………… very great
b. ………… a state of great activity and
strong emotion
c. ………… very unpleasant and filling with
horror
d. ………… not allowed
e. ………… a sign of what is going to
happen in the future
f. ………… very strong attraction
g. ………… involved in something with whole
attention
h. ………… to make something into a fine
powder
Answer:
a. profound
b. frenzy
c. gruesome
d. forbidden
e. omen
f. fascination
g. engrossed
h. pulverize
B. Write True for true statements
and False for false ones.
a. Foreign visitors are welcome to see
Sky Burial rituals.
b. The visitors are not allowed to take
photos of the rituals.
c. The vultures took more than fifteen
minutes to finish the entire corpse.
d. The Tibetans perceive the body as a
vessel for the soul.
e. The youngest son of the writer was
busy with his toys.
f. The author
visited the burial sites with his wife and three children.
Answers:
a. False
b. True
c. False
d. True
e. True
f. True
C. Answer the
following questions.
a. Why did the
author visit a traditional Tibetan Buddhist monastery?
The author visited the traditional
Tibetan Buddhist monastery to witness the Sky Burial ritual or observe the site
where it takes place.
b. What did the
author see on the hill?
On the hill, the author saw a stone slab
and around 100 vultures waiting, along with what appeared to be a body bag.
c. Why did the
author give the iPad to his youngest son?
The author gave the iPad to his youngest
son to keep him occupied and distracted from witnessing the Sky Burial, as he
was considered too young to see it.
d. Describe the
appearance of a Rogyapa, the body breaker.
Rogyapa, the body breaker, was dressed
in a thick, dark scarlet-colored coat with a black hood and carried a butcher
knife.
e. What did the
body breaker do after collecting the bones?
After collecting the bones, the body
breaker pulverized them with a mallet. He then mixed the pulverized bones with
yak butter and barley flour. Finally, he threw the mixture into the air amidst
the vultures.
f. What is
considered to be a bad sign?
It is considered a bad sign if vultures
don't eat the body or if small bits of the body are left behind.
g. Why did the
author feel proud?
The author felt proud because his older
children, despite their young age, showed maturity and intelligence by choosing
to stay and witnessing the Sky Burial ritual, understanding its cultural and
religious context.
Grammar I
A. Match the
questions in column A with the answers in column B.
a. Are you ready? = ii. Yes, nearly.
b. Can I carry something for you? = iv. No, it's OK. It's not that heavy.
c. May I use your phone? = i. Yes, it's on the chair.
d. Has anyone seen my bag? = v. Yes, someone has.
e. Would you like to come to a party?=
iii. Yes, I'd love to.
B. How do you ask
questions in these situations?
a. You want to know if it is raining.
= Is it raining?
b. You want to know if Harish plays
football.
= Does Harish play football?
c. You want to know if the bus is on
time.
= Is the bus on time?
d. You want to know if your friend,
Ramesh went to the market yesterday.
= Did Ramesh go to the market yesterday?
e. You want to know if it is Tuesday
today.
= Is it Tuesday today?
f. You want to know if your teacher
opened your letter.
= Did your teacher open your letter?
g. You want to know if your brother has
gone to sleep.
= Has your brother gone to sleep?
h. You want to know if there will be a
food party.
= Will there be a food party?
C. Circle the
correct answer.
a. Are you busy today?
i. Yes, busy. ii. Yes, I am.
b. Is it too hot in here for you?
i. No, it isn't. ii. No, I'm fine, thanks.
c. Tell me, did you steal my money?
i. No. I won't ii. No, I didn't steal your money.
d. Can I carry your bags?
i. No, you can't. ii. It's all right, thanks.
D. Write yes/no
questions for these statements.
a. The family has got three mobile
phones.
b. Januka works at the supermarket.
c. Anita is learning English.
d. The meeting will be held next
Tuesday.
e. Tanka switched off the computer.
f. He went to the cinema yesterday.
g. Everyone is ready.
h. It is raining outside.
i. Vicky's lost her credit card.
j. She'd done the work on time.
Answers:
a. Does the family have three mobile
phones?
b. Does Januka work at the supermarket?
c. Is Anita learning English?
d. Will the meeting be held next
Tuesday?
e. Did Tanka switch off the computer?
f. Did he go to the
cinema yesterday?
g. Is everyone ready?
h. Is it raining outside?
i. Has Vicky lost her credit card?
j. Had she done the work on time?