LOYOLA COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS), CHENNAI – 600 034
B.A./B.SC./B.COM. DEGREE EXAMINATION – ENGLISH LITERATURE
SECOND SEMESTER – APRIL 2004
EL 2056 ENGLISH FOR SELF ENHANCEMENT
Date
: 01.04.04
Duration: 9 – 12 noon
I
Max
: 100 marks
Hours : 3 hrs
Read the following passage and fill in the blanks with appropriate letters to form a meaningful word suitable to the
context. Do not rewrite the entire passage. Write only the answers for incomplete words.
[5 x 1 = 5 marks]
A cholera epidemic broke out in Chennai. Marie, a sister of (i) c _a_ it_ was going to the hospital. On the way she
was rudely treated insulted by a workman; he followed (ii) s _o_ t ng bad language, and would have struck her if not
prevented by the bystanders, but she went quietly on her way. A few days later a new patient was brought to the
hospital, already (iii) cro_ ded with hundreds, with deaths every few minutes. “No rooms, not even for one more1”
said the officials at the door. The new patient was being turned away when sister Marie happened to pass and
recognized him; it was the man who had insulted her. “Oh, don’t send him away! I will find a corner for him
somewhere, I will look after him myself!” he was taken in, and the sister tended him unceasingly, in addition to all her
other patients. He did not recognize the sister as one of those he had insulted, for he had (iv) ins__l__ed so many. On
the eighth day he was out of danger, but found a new nurse looking after him. “Where is sister Maria?” he asked. “She
took the cholera herself and died last night”, (v) res__ond__d the nurse.
II Read the following passage and rearrange the jumbled letters of the words underlined. Do not rewrite the entire
passage. Write only the answers for the jumbled words.
[5 x 1 = 5 marks]
We all (i) nkwo the story of David and Goliath. There was a giant who was bullying and harassing the (ii) dhilrcne in
the village. One day, a 17-year-old shepherd boy came to visit his brothers and (iii) esdak, "Why don't you stand up
and fight the giant?" The brothers were terrified and they replied, "Don't you see he is too big to (iv) thi?" But David
said, "No, he is not too big to hit, he is too big to miss." The rest is history. We all know what happened. David killed
the giant with a sling. Same giant, different (v) necrepotip.
III Rewrite the following passage in your own words. Follow the guidelines given below:
 Do not use the words underlined.
 Rephrase questions into statements.
 Give another suitable title
[10 marks]
Matajura wanted to become a (i) great swordsman, but his father said he wasn’t quick enough and could never learn.
So Matajura went to the famous duelist Banzo, and asked to become his (ii) pupil. “How long will it take me to
become a master?” he asked. “Suppose I become your servant, to be with you every minute, how long?” “Ten years”,
said Banzo. “My father is getting old. Before ten years have passed I will have to return home to (iii) take care of
him. Suppose I work twice as hard; how long will it take me?” “Thirty years”, said Banzo. “How is that?” asked
Matajura. “First you say ten years. Then when I offer to work twice as hard, you say it will take three times as long.
Let me make myself clear. I will work (iv) unceasingly; no hardship will be too much. How long will it take?”
“Seventy years”, said Banzo. The he gave his (v) reasoning. “A pupil in a tearing hurry learns slowly.”
IV Read the following passage and write an essay/story in about 150 words on the last sentence: "A candle loses nothing
by lighting another candle".
[10 marks]
A few years ago, at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically/ mentally disabled,
assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash. At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a
relish to run the race to the finish and win. All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled
over a couple of times, and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back. Then
they all turned around and went back......every one of them. One girl with Down's Syndrome bent down and kissed
him and said, "This will make it better." Then all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line. Everyone in
the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several minutes. People who were there are still telling the story.
Why? Because deep down we know this one thing: What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves. What
matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course. "A candle loses
nothing by lighting another candle".
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V Suppose you were to shout like the little boy in the valley, what would you be shouting? Write ten sentences that you
would shout. Read the following passage and write the answer in TEN points.
[10 marks]
Life is an echo
A little boy got angry with his mother and shouted at her, "I hate you, I hate you." Because of fear of reprimand,
he ran out of the house. He went up to the valley and shouted, "I hate you, I hate you," and back came the echo, "I
hate you, I hate you." This was the first time in his life he had heard an echo. He got scared, went to his mother for
protection and said there was a bad boy in the valley who shouted "I hate you, I hate you." The mother understood and
she asked her son to go back and shout, "I love you, I love you." The little boy went and shouted, "I love you, I love
you," and back came the echo. That taught the little boy a lesson that our life is like an echo: We get back what we
give.
VI What improvements would suggest to the boy in his present life, so that, the next time he meets the old man his life
would be worthy enough to be saved? Read the following passage and answer the question.
[10 marks]
A boy was drowning in a river and he shouted for help. An old man passing by jumped in the river and saved the
boy's life. As the old man was leaving the boy said, “Thank-you.'' The old man asked, "For what?" The boy replied, "For
saving my life." The old man looked into the boy's eyes and said, make sure when you grow up that your life was worth
saving."
PART - B
I.
Read the following Passage and answer the questions that follow:-
[5 x 2 = 10 marks]
When I was in the fifth standard at the Rameshwaran Elementary School, a new teacher came to our class one day. I
used to wear a cap which marked me as a Muslim, and I always sat in the front row next to Ramandha Sastry, who wore a
sacred thread. The new teacher could not comprehend a Hindu Priest’s son sitting with a Muslim boy. In accordance with
our social ranking as the new teacher saw it, I was asked to go and sit on the back bench. I felt very said, and so did
Ramanadha Sastry. He looked utterly downcast as I shifted to my seat in the last row. The image of him weeping when I
shifted to the last row made a lasting impression on me. After school, we went home and told our respective parents about
the incident. Lakshmana Sastry summoned the teacher, and in our very Presence, told the teacher that he should not
spread the Poison of social inequality and Communal intolerance in the minds of innocent children. Lakshmana Sastry
very bluntly asked the teacher either to apologize or quit the school and the island. Not only did the teacher regret his
behaviour, but the strong sense of Conviction Lakshmana Sastry Conveyed ultimately reformed this young teacher.
1. What, according to the writer, did mark him as a Muslim?
2. Why did the new teacher ask the writer to sit on the back bench?
3. How did Ramanadha Sastry react when the writer shifted to the last row?
4. Why did Lakshmana Sastry Summon the teacher?
5. What made the new teacher reform his action?
II. Read the following Passage and choose the right answer for each question or statement:-
[1 x 10 = 10 marks]
The unfortunate Part of life is as Oliver Wendall Holmes said, “Most People go to their graves, with music still in
them.” We don’t achieve excellence because of our own back of vision. If want to roar like an eagle, you have to learn the
ways of an eagle. If you associate with achievers, you will become one. If you associate with thinkers, you will become
one. If you associate with givers, you will become one. If you associate with negative people, you will become one.
Whenever people succeed in life. Petty people will take Cracks at them and try to pull them down. When you refuse to
fight Petty People, you win. In martial arts, they teach that when some one take a crack at you, instead of blocking you
should step away. Why? Blocking requires energy. Why not use it more productively? Similarly in order to fight Petty
People, you have to come down to their level. That is what they want, because now you are one of them. Don’t let
negative people drag you down. Remember that a person’s character is not only judged by the company they keep but also
by the company they avoid.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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One’s association with achievers will make him
a) a thinker
b) a giver
c) an achiever
Vision leads to
a) Success
b) Excellence c) achievement
To learn the ways of an eagle
a) to fly like an eagle b) to watch like an eaglec) to soar like an eagle
‘Petty People’ is this Passage refers to
a) Negative people
b) like-minded People b) Pretty People
Negative People will always
a) let us down
b) drag us down
c) exalt us
When we accept to fight Petty People, we
a) lose
b) win
c) neither lose nor win
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7. Energy is required for
a) Success
b) Positive thinking
c) blocking
8. In martial arts, when some one takes a Crack at another, he must
a) block
b) knock
c) step away
9. A person’s character is best judged by
a) Money
b) the company he avoids
c) Education
10. Which one of the following titles best suits the Passage?
a) Influence of Negative People
(b) Ways to manage crisis (c) Tips to stay away from Negative influence
III. Write two Paragraphs on the following topics in about 100-150 words each:-
[5 x 2 = 10 marks]
1. Explain any two steps to build and maintain a positive attitude with examples.
2. Describe some of the unique qualities of Dr. A.P.J. Abdulkalam which have made him “THE MISSILES MAN OF
INDIA”.
IV. Using the Principles of Scanning, Scan the following Passage:-
[10 marks]
Ostrich, the largest of living birds, cannot fly. Its small wings are used as balance when it is running at high
speeds. The Ostrich may reach eight feet in height and often weighs 300 pounds.
Today the ostrich is found only in two large areas in Africa but a few hundred years ago it lived throughout
Africa.
The head and neck of the ostrich are nearly bare of feathers. Its legs are long with only two toes each. The
plumage of the male (cock) is brown of black with while tail and wing plumes. The female is much dull coloured and
smaller.
The beautiful male plumage formerly was prized for decoration, especially for women’s hats.
Most of the years ostriches only make a loud hissing noise, but during the mating reason, the cocks make a loud
booming roar. During this time, the cock lives with three or four hens to lay their eggs in one shallow hole scooped in the
sand. The hens sit on the eggs to keep them warm. The cock takes his burn at night. There may be 10-25 large white
heavy-shelled eggs in one nest. Each egg is equal to two dozen chicken eggs and just as good to eat.
The ostrich is a greedy eater. Is food is mainly plants, barrios and seeds. At times it will swallow large stones, bits
of iron etc..,
V. Arrange the words in each list below in the correct alphabetical order and find out their meanings with the help of
Dictionary:[1/2 x 10 = 5]
A
C
Separate
Prayer
Sanction
Proficient
Sublime
Prudent
Stately
Practice
Space
Presentation
VI. Look up the following words in the dictionary and find the three different kinds of information about each word:
[1 x 5 = 5]
i. Parts of speech (Noun, Verb, Adjective etc..,)
ii. Inflected forms (Tenses of verbs, Plurals of nouns etc..,)
iii. Meaning.
a) book
b) lead
c) Advise



d) trouble some

e) caution.

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