1. Read the following passage and answer the questions below it.

It had been well established (and the Commission's field visits have confirmed) that in most agricultural and unorganised industrial activities, women perform the most arduous, monotonous and drudgery-laden tasks,
e.g. transplanting, weeding, threshing rice­husking, fuel searching and carrying, beedi­rolling, tobacco-processing, scavenging, collecting corr, yam-spinning, coir rope-making, cashew and fish processing. These are only a few illustrations. Most of these activities are almost entirely manually performed with only primitive tools and implements.

However, whenever a better, labour-saving, productivity-increasing or safer technology becomes available for such the women who traditionally performed them are almost immediately eased out and replaced by males.

Several illustrations of this are near to hand; automatic grain threshers, almost exclusively operated by men, are present in all intensive agriculture/green revolution belts, whether in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh or Rajasthan. But only a couple of decades ago, threshing of harvested grains was done only by women, and was an important source of income for women agricultural labourers and peasants.

Similarly, the introduction of a rice-husking machine by the government, with credit provided by banks, eliminated women in rice-growing areas such as West Bengal, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh, from what had been a major source of income, particularly for destitute women and widows.

The new technology and the credit needed to acquire it, was captured by local menfolk who would never have been caught dead husking rice by hand, which was considered a "Women's small job." The same is true of net-making in Kerala.

Again, milling of grain by hand on stone flour mills was another tasks almost solely performed by women in various parts of the country. Today, with "electrification of villages" proceeding at a rapid rate, electric flour mills can be seen even in small hamlets, owned and operated by men.

Micro studies from all over the country have also reported that the arrival of even non-job-related technological innovations like bicycles have not helped women. It is a common sight to see a man riding his bicycle while his wife follows on foot with a load of firewood on her head.

State whether the following statements are true or false in the light of the text you have read:

Traditional tools had lessened women's work load in agricultural activities.

Women have been losing their jobs to men because of improved technological aids.

Electric mills are an example in the text to show that rural people have progressed greatly.

How has technology in agriculture and unorganised industrial activities impacted women? Give examples.

local menfolk would never have been caught dead husking rice by hand" means that (tick one answer).

Men are afraid of husking rice.

Men prefer to use machines for husking rice.

Men do not want to husk rice.

What does "Drudgery-Iaden task" mean?

Give a title to the passage. Give one reason why you have chosen this title?

2. Pick out words/expressions from the text which mean the same as the following:

difficult, involving a lot of effort.

boring

collecting things by searching them among waste and unwanted objects.

opposite of 'mechanically'.

removed

examples

very poor

entirely

opposite of 'macro'.

new ideas

A man is in the hospital. Complete what his friends are saying about him using the modals in the box.

Couldn't may have may not could have may might have

He be in hospital for weeks.

He recover completely.

But it been worse. He been killed.

This is a very good hospital. He get better medical treatment anywhere else.

Complete the dialogue, using appropriate prepositions.

'When did you get home

got the plane at five O'clock and arrived home six clock'.

Did you come bus the airport

No, we got the first taxi that we saw.

Complete the text, using the. Sunita and Lalit are looking for new house in town where they live. They like house they're living in, but rooms are too small, and it's difficult to find parking-place. Street is noisy too. Sunita wants bigger house away from the city-centre. They both want house in quiet part of town.

4. You have been asked to submit a project proposa1 by tomorrow morning. You have not completely prepared it. You need a few more days to finish it. You want to ask your manager for extra time. Write a dialogue asking the manager for a few more days. Write about ten turns.

5. Write an essay in about 250 words on anyone of the following

The positive effects of technology in an urban woman's life.

The internet is the most significant development of the last fifty years.

Environmental concerns that need to be addressed immediately.

6. Write a letter to a newspaper editor complaining about the noise pollution in your area due to the presence of too many banquet halls where marriages are constantly taking place with loud­ speaker blaring all the time.

7. Write your C.V for the job of a teacher of science in a school in your city/ town.

1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions below it.

1 Physical health affects the mind and vice versa. A sound mind in a sound body are prerequisites for high efficiency and good quality work in the office, factory or field which leads to a sense of achievement and fulfilment.

2 Our health is, of course, important not only to us, but also to our families and even to our employers. No wonder then that employers everywhere have a stake in the health and fitness of their employees and are willing to spend considerable money towards this purpose. Japanese companies particularly, excel in this and the more successful among them start the day off with a body bending and stretching session and even singing the company song designed to promote loyalty and motivation among the work force! This is considered an important factor contributing to high productivity and quality. Here is a lesson which has been emulated elsewhere in the world and could work wonders in India.

3 It is estimated that some 20,000 American firms have established in-house health clubs. Typical of these is the soft drink manufacturer, Pepsi Cola, who have -spent about two million dollars in setting up a health club at their head office in New York state. Such expenditure has proved to be a wise investment in achieving better efficiency and higher productivity. It has indirectly also helped to reduce the premium on the health insurance of its staff. This business has grown so large that hundreds of consultancies have sprung up for the management of health dubs and fitness centres. Though many firms in India have generous medical schemes, the movement towards health clubs and the like is yet to gather momentum.

Fill in the blank

When the writer says "vice versa" in the first sentence he means that

Why are the employers concerned about the health of their employees

Discuss what the Japanese do to increase productivity and quality in their companies.

In what way is the American employee experiment different from the Japanese? Discuss.

Give a title to the passage 1

Find words from the passage which mean the same as the following:

requirements (para

having a share in (para

are very good at (para

imitated/copied (para

payment made to buy insurance (para

Make a sentence with each of the following words/ phases

fulfilment

motivation

setting up

investment

gather momentum

Structure of a report

Stages in a presentation

Characteristics of technical writing

Difference between a generalization and a definition

How to write an abstract

Difference between face-to-face and telephone conversation

Two colleagues are discussing their plans for the weekend. Complete the dialogue in any suitable way. The first sentence has been done as an example. You may take about 10 turns.

X What are you doing this weekend, Radha/Samir

You were disappointed to find the Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary virtually birdless. You feel that the influx of visitors and their behaviour disturbs the birds. Write a notice in about 50 -100 words that serves as a warning to the visitors, requesting them to make the sanctuary a conducive environment for the birds.

You've just come back from a very disappointing adventure holiday organised by a travel company. Write a letter to the travel company complaining about the holiday and ask for some sort of a refund.

Write of any process of your choice using appropriate sequence markers.

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate form of the verbs given in brackets.

She (leave) for Delhi tonight. Her train (leave) at 7 pm.

As the train (approach) the seaside town where I to spend my holidays, I into the corridor to stretch my legs.

Turn the following sentences into Direct Speech.

I told him that his sister was a very nice girl.

He exclaimed that it was a terrible storm.

The teacher ordered the boys to leave the class at once.

The teacher advised the boys to study hard.

He urged them to listen to his words and act upon them.

Complete the text, using a/the where necessary.

John Smith's father is in hospital. He is suffering from disease which cannot be diagnosed.

Pallak and Sonam are looking for new house in town where they live.

Pallak want's bigger house away from the city centre.

Complete the following sentences with appropriate relative Clauses.

Any man can become rich.

This is the book

I remember the house

You must not drink the water

They never fail