1.8 Voyaging towards excellence – Activity 2

1.8 Voyaging towards excellence – Activity 2

Read the extract & complete the activities given below. [12]

I scored 100% marks in Mathematics in almost all the examinations that I appeared for from my 1st standard until IIT, barring only a few times. I stood 16th in the SSC Board (at that time, this examination was for the whole of Maharashtra, including Nagpur) and I stood 1st in the University in all subjects put together. Those days, you could get an admission into IIT without the entrance test (JEE) if you had secured the 1st rank in the University. Therefore, I did not have to appear for the entrance test to get the admission into Solapur told me about it, for I doubt if anybody in Solapur even knew about this rule. Therefore, I appeared for the entrance examination, and I secured a very good rank in the same.

I was quite happy getting into I IT, but my joy was short-lived. At Solapur I had not seen any building which was more than three storeyed. Mumbai however was full of skyscrapers. At I IT, most of the students and professors used to converse in English whereas my English was very poor. I had my entire education in Marathi. My spoken English was quite pathetic. Not only did I have a very weak vocabulary, but, my pronunciation also was terrible and my construction of English sentences very awkward to say the least. Due to all this, I was feeling quite lonely and terrified in Mumbai in general and IIT in particular. I had developed an inferiority complex and wanted to run away from IIT and even Mumbai.

A1] Global Understanding- [2]

State whether the following statements are true or false.

1. The narrator got admission in IIT without appearing the entrance test.
2. The narrator’s hometown is Nagpur.
3. The narrator had completed his entire education in Marathi.
4. The narrator was not at all comfortable in the Mumbai city.

A2] Complex factual – [2]

       Complete-

1. Earlier one could get admission to IIT without the entrance test if ……..
2. The narrator had a proven track record of 100% marks in …………

A3] Analysis/ Interpretation – [2]

Give reasons-

The narrator wished to run away from IIT & Mumbai because..

A4] Personal Response – [2]

Explain your views on the importance of English language. – [2]

A5] Language Study [2]

Do as directed:

1. Nobody in Solapur told me about it. [Remove negative]
2. I secured a very good rank . [Rewrite the sentence beginning with – “A very good rank….”]

A6] Vocabulary – [2]

 Match the following

       A                                    B

1. Inferiority          a) unsophisticated

         complex

2. Barring              b) temporary
3. Awkward           c) unrealistic feeling   

                                      Of inadequacy

4. Short-lived        d) except

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