Unseen Extract & Summary Writing – 1
Read the extract & complete the activities given below [12]
Shakespeare has rightly said, “Give many thy ears but few thy tongue ”. Listening is indeed an art which needs to be cultivated. Most of us merely hear, we don’t listen.
According to the dictionary, the word ‘listen’ means ‘to hear with thoughtful attention’. However, many a time a friend may be confiding his innermost secrets to us, but our thoughts wander away. We don’t pay attention to his words.
Though we may seem to be listening to him, we are in fact, miles away, lost in another world. Many of us may not be able to recall what someone said even 5 minutes back.
One reason why people are so inattentive today might be that they are becoming increasingly self-centered. ‘When the focus is on the individual, listening to other people suffers,’ is the view of the eminent psychiatrists. Egocentrism and selfishness make people interested only in themselves and their lives, as a result they are not even interested in listening to others.
In conversation, listening plays a crucial role. A good conversationalist is also a good listener. Unfortunately, more often than not, we are only interested in hearing the sounds of our own voices. The art of conversation consists as much in listening politely, as in talking agreeably. Being properly heard builds up your self-confidence and help to boost your self-image.
This does not – of course mean that you only listen silently, and do not take part in the conversation at all. This may make the other person feel that you are not interested in his talk or are bored at all. An occasional nod or a brief statement like ‘I understand’ and ‘yes, go on’ reassures the person that you are paying attention to what he is saying. Listening today, seems to have become a forgotten art. Perhaps the problem begins at home. Everybody is too engrossed in the TV serials or mobile phones to bother to listen to the other family members. Dinner-time is spent in silence, eyes glued to the TV. Even if someone tries to talk, he is immediately silenced. As a result, no one really listens to views, aspirations, dreams or fears of the family members. This is a dangerous trend.
A1] Global Understanding- [2]
Complete the web –
A2] Complex factual [2]
Make a list of our reactions when a friend confides his secret to us-
i)_______________ ii) _________________
iii) ______________ iv) ________________
A3] Inference/ Analysis – [2]
Explain why people are so inattentive today.
A4] Personal Response [2]
Do you agree that ‘a good conversationalist is also a good listener.’? Explain
A5] Language study [2]
Do as directed:
i] They are becoming increasingly self-centered. [Change into present perfect tense]
ii] This is a dangerous trend. [Frame a rhetorical question]
A6] Vocabulary [2]
Find & write words/phrases from the extract which mean–
i] intermittent
ii] entrusting
iii] occupied
iv] distinguished
B] Write a summary of the above extract with a suitable title with the help of given points -[3]
Listening – status of listening today —proper listening — benefits
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