General English Language Skills-10 T-10

Syllabus topics (RTMNU)

• The Remorseful Sinner - Leo Tolstoy
• The Death of the Hero - Jai Nimbalkar
• The Night Train at Deoli - Ruskin Bond
• The Idea of India: India's Mosaic Multiplicities - Shashi Tharoor
• What We Must Learn from the West - Narayan Murty

1. The Remorseful Sinner – Leo Tolstoy

About the Author

Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) was a great Russian novelist and moral thinker. He is best known for War and Peace and Anna Karenina. In his later life he wrote short moral tales and parables based on Christian faith, love, humility and simple living.

Summary

• A man lives seventy years full of sin. He does not repent even when he falls ill.
• Only at the moment of death does he weep. He asks God to forgive him, just as Christ forgave the thief on the cross.
• His soul reaches the gates of Paradise and knocks. Apostle Peter refuses to let him in because of his sins. The sinner reminds Peter that he too was weak: he slept while Christ suffered and denied Him three times. Peter goes away.
• King David also refuses him. The sinner reminds David of his own grave sin and of his later repentance. David goes away.
• Finally John, the beloved disciple, comes. The sinner reminds him that he wrote that God is love. John embraces him and lets him enter Paradise.

Themes

• Repentance (remorse): sincere repentance, even at the last moment, can bring forgiveness.
• Divine love and mercy: God's love is greater than human sin.
• Human weakness: even saints have sinned, so no one should judge others harshly.

Style

It is a short parable (a moral story) with simple language and Biblical characters. The repeated pattern of three gatekeepers builds towards a powerful ending.

2. The Death of the Hero – Jai Nimbalkar

About the Author

Jai Nimbalkar is a Marathi writer. The story is read in English translation in the prescribed text. Students should read the author note given in Vital Voices for exact biographical details.

How to Study This Story

• Title: Ask who the 'hero' is and in what sense he is a hero. Is he a hero in society's eyes or only in the narrator's? Also ask what his 'death' means: physical death, or the end of an ideal or image.
• Characters: Make a short sketch of the main character and of the people around him.
• Setting and society: Note the social background, such as village or city, class or caste, and family life. Marathi short fiction often reflects these.
• Theme and message: Write 4–5 points on what the story says about heroism, sacrifice, disillusionment or social reality.
• Translation: Note how the story keeps a regional Indian flavour in English.

3. The Night Train at Deoli – Ruskin Bond

About the Author

Ruskin Bond (born 1934, Kasauli) is an Indian author of British descent who writes in English. He is known for simple, gentle stories set in the hills of Dehra Dun and Mussoorie. He won the Sahitya Akademi Award (1992), the Padma Shri (1999) and the Padma Bhushan (2014).

Summary

• The narrator is a college student. Every summer he travels by train to his grandmother's home in Dehra.
• The train stops early in the morning at Deoli, a small, empty station surrounded by forest.
• There he sees a young girl selling baskets. She has dark, beautiful eyes. They feel a silent attraction towards each other.
• On his return journey he meets her again. She seems happy to see him. They talk briefly and he touches her hand as the train moves away. He promises to come back.
• Next year she is not on the platform. The stationmaster knows nothing about her.
• The narrator never gets off at Deoli to search for her. He prefers to keep his hope and memory alive rather than face disappointment.

Themes

• Innocent first love and brief, chance meetings.
• Loss and longing: the pain of what is left incomplete.
• Hope versus reality: illusion can feel sweeter than truth.
• Loneliness of the small station and of the narrator.

Style

The story is told in the first person. It is nostalgic in tone, uses simple language and rich description of nature. It has an open, bittersweet ending.

4. The Idea of India: India's Mosaic Multiplicities – Shashi Tharoor

About the Author

Shashi Tharoor (born 1956) is an author, former United Nations (UN) official and Member of Parliament. His works include The Great Indian Novel and An Era of Darkness. He writes often on Indian identity and pluralism.

Main Ideas

• Diversity: India has many religions, languages, castes, cuisines, climates and customs. No single feature defines being Indian.
• Mosaic, not melting pot: Different groups keep their own identity, yet together they form one picture. Tharoor famously compares India to a thali: many dishes in separate bowls, all part of one meal.
• Multiple identities: An Indian can belong at once to a region, language, religion and nation without conflict.
• Democracy and pluralism hold India together. Different groups can disagree yet live together.
• Secularism and tolerance are central to the 'idea of India'. Narrow, single-identity nationalism threatens it.
• India as an idea: India is not based on one race or faith. It rests on a shared commitment to living together.

Style

The essay is argumentative and reflective. Tharoor uses witty language, vivid metaphors and examples from history and daily life.

5. What We Must Learn from the West – Narayan Murty

About the Author

N. R. Narayana Murthy is a co-founder of Infosys (founded 1981), a leading Indian information technology company. He is known for honest business practices and simple living. He received the Padma Vibhushan (2008). The piece is a speech-essay.

Main Ideas

Murthy says Indians have strong family values, while Western societies show strong social values. India should take the good values of the West and keep its own good values.

Message and Style

The message is to learn without blindly copying: we should combine Indian family values with Western civic values to build a better nation. The style is direct, practical and persuasive, with examples from everyday life.

Likely exam questions

1. (Long answer) Narrate the story 'The Night Train at Deoli' by Ruskin Bond and discuss its main themes.
2. (Long answer) Explain Shashi Tharoor's view of India's 'mosaic multiplicities' as presented in 'The Idea of India'. How does he explain unity in diversity?
3. (Short answer / short note) How does the sinner gain entry into Paradise in Tolstoy's 'The Remorseful Sinner'?
4. (Short answer / short note) What values, according to Narayana Murthy, must Indians learn from the West?
5. (Short answer / short note) Write a short note on the significance of the title 'The Death of the Hero'.

Syllabus topics (RTMNU)

• Laugh and Be Merry - John Masefield
• Stay Calm - Grenville Kleiser
• If We Must Die - Claude McKay
• Dawn at Puri - Jayant Mahapatra
• The Felling of a Banyan Tree - Dilip Chitre

Laugh and Be Merry - John Masefield

About the Poet

John Masefield (1878–1967) was an English poet, novelist and playwright. He went to sea as a young boy, and the sea appears often in his poems, such as 'Sea-Fever'. He was the Poet Laureate of Britain from 1930 until his death. His poems are known for simple language, music and love of ordinary life.

Summary

The poet asks people to laugh and be merry because life is short. A world filled with song and cheer is a better world. Being cheerful does not mean being weak, though. The poet also wants us to strike a blow against wrong and injustice. He imagines that God made the universe in a joyful mood, and the shining stars show that joy. Human beings are like brothers staying for a short time as guests in a beautiful inn, which is this world. So we should stay glad together until the music of life stops and the dance ends.

Themes

• Joy and optimism: happiness is a duty, not a luxury.
• Shortness of life: life is a brief stay, so do not waste it in gloom.
• Brotherhood: all humans are fellow guests and should be friendly.
• Courage against wrong: merriment goes together with fighting injustice.
• Divine joy in creation: the universe itself is a product of delight.

Style

• Repetition of the refrain 'laugh and be merry' gives a song-like effect.
• Long, flowing lines with a strong musical rhythm.
• Metaphors: the world as an 'inn', life as music and dance.

Stay Calm - Grenville Kleiser

About the Poet

Grenville Kleiser (1868–1953) was a Canadian-born American writer and teacher. He is best known for books on public speaking, personal development and self-improvement, such as How to Speak in Public. His writing is practical, encouraging and morally uplifting.

Central Idea (General Guidance)

As the title suggests, the poem is a piece of inspirational or didactic verse, meaning poetry that teaches a lesson. It praises calmness and self-control in difficult times. Students should read the prescribed text closely and note the following points:

• Message: keeping a calm mind helps a person think clearly, avoid anger and face problems wisely.
• Link with the poet's life-work: Kleiser's self-help writings stress inner peace, confidence and discipline. The poem carries the same spirit.
• Relevance for students: calmness helps during exams, interviews and stressful situations. This links to the 'soft skills' focus of the textbook.
• Style to look for: direct advice to the reader, simple words, rhyme and repetition, and an encouraging tone.

If We Must Die - Claude McKay

About the Poet

Claude McKay (1889–1948) was born in Jamaica and later moved to the USA. He was an important writer of the Harlem Renaissance, a cultural movement of African-American art and literature in the 1920s. His novel Home to Harlem is well known.

Background

The poem was published in 1919. That year, during the period called the 'Red Summer', violent racial attacks were made on Black communities in many American cities. The poem is a response to this violence.

Summary

The speaker tells his oppressed companions that if they must die, they should not die like hogs that are hunted and trapped while mad dogs mock them. They should die with dignity, so that even their enemies are forced to respect them. He calls them 'kinsmen' and urges them to face the common enemy bravely. They are outnumbered, but they should strike back hard. Even with their backs against the wall, they must die fighting like men and not like cowards.

Themes

• Resistance to oppression and racial violence.
• Dignity and honour in death.
• Unity and solidarity among the oppressed.
• Courage against heavy odds.

Form and Style

• It is a Shakespearean sonnet: 14 lines, three quatrains and a final couplet, written in iambic pentameter.
• Animal imagery: 'hogs' for victims and 'mad dogs' or 'monsters' for attackers.
• It never names a race, so it has a universal appeal for all who resist injustice.
• The tone is angry, heroic and rousing, like a call to battle.

Dawn at Puri - Jayant Mahapatra

About the Poet

Jayanta Mahapatra (1928–2023) was from Cuttack, Odisha. He was a physics teacher who began writing poetry late in life. He was the first Indian English poet to receive the Sahitya Akademi Award, which he won for Relationship. His poems are rooted in Odisha's landscape, rituals, history and suffering.

Summary

The poem describes early morning at the seashore of Puri, the holy town of the Jagannath Temple. The scene opens with the endless noise of crows. A human skull lies on the sacred sand, a sign of death and hunger. White-clad widows, whose lives seem to have passed their centre, wait to enter the Great Temple. Their eyes look trapped, held by the thin threads of faith. In the weak dawn light, leper beggars huddle together like broken shells. A lonely funeral pyre burns in the wind. The poet then thinks of his ageing mother's last wish: to be cremated in this holy place.

Themes

• Faith and decay: the holy town also shows poverty, disease and death.
• Death and mortality: the skull, the pyre and the mother's wish.
• Plight of widows and the poor: social criticism without preaching.
• Personal and collective: the public scene ends in a private memory.

Style

• Free verse with sharp visual imagery.
• Irony: 'dawn' usually means hope, but here it shows suffering.
• Symbolism: crows, the skull, the net and the pyre.
• The tone is quiet, sad and reflective.

The Felling of a Banyan Tree - Dilip Chitre

About the Poet

Dilip Chitre (1938–2009) was a bilingual poet who wrote in Marathi and English. He was also a painter, filmmaker and translator. He is famous for translating the poems of Sant Tukaram into English (Says Tuka).

Summary

The poem is autobiographical. The speaker recalls how his father asked the tenants living around their house to leave, and then pulled down their homes. Next, all the trees on the land were cut down. His grandmother believed that trees are sacred and that cutting them is a sin, but the father went ahead anyway. The huge, very old banyan tree was the hardest to destroy. Its roots seemed deeper than the lives of the family. Many men worked for many days to bring it down, and its trunk showed its great age. Later, the family moved to Bombay, a city with hardly any trees. The memory of the felling haunts the poet like a recurring nightmare.

Themes

• Ecology: human greed destroys nature.
• Tradition versus modernity: the grandmother's reverence against the father's practical, destructive attitude.
• Loss of roots: the banyan stands for family heritage and culture, and the move to the city means rootlessness.
• Guilt and memory: the act leaves lasting pain.

Style

• Free verse with a conversational, narrative tone.
• The banyan works as a symbol of age, stability and Indian tradition.
• Words like 'massacre' make the trees seem human.

Comparison at a Glance

Likely exam questions

1. (Long answer) Discuss 'If We Must Die' by Claude McKay as a poem of protest and resistance. Comment on its background, themes and sonnet form.
2. (Long answer) Explain how Dilip Chitre's 'The Felling of a Banyan Tree' presents the conflict between tradition and modernity and the theme of ecological loss.
3. (Short answer / short note) Write a short note on the imagery used in Jayanta Mahapatra's 'Dawn at Puri'.
4. (Short answer / short note) What message does John Masefield give in 'Laugh and Be Merry'?
5. (Short answer / short note) Write a short note on the central idea of 'Stay Calm' by Grenville Kleiser.

Syllabus topics (RTMNU)

• Punctuation
• Types of Sentences (Simple, Compound, and Complex)

Punctuation

Meaning: Punctuation is the use of special marks in writing to separate sentences and their parts and to make the meaning clear. In speech we use pauses and tone of voice. In writing, punctuation marks do this job. Wrong punctuation can change the meaning. For example, compare 'Let's eat, Grandpa.' with 'Let's eat Grandpa.'

Importance of Punctuation

• Clarity: It shows where a sentence or idea begins and ends.
• Correct meaning: It removes confusion (ambiguity).
• Tone: It shows a statement, a question, surprise or emotion.
• Readability: It makes long sentences easy to follow.

Main Punctuation Marks and Their Uses

1. Capital Letter: Used at the beginning of a sentence, for proper nouns (Nagpur, Ruskin Bond), for days and months, and for the pronoun 'I'.
   Example: Ravi and I visited Delhi in May.
2. Full Stop (.): Used at the end of a statement or command, and in some abbreviations.
   Example: Please close the door.
3. Question Mark (?): Used after a direct question. It is not used after an indirect question.
   Example: Where do you live? But: He asked me where I lived.
4. Exclamation Mark (!): Shows strong feeling such as joy, surprise, anger or pain.
   Example: What a beautiful sunrise!
5. Comma (,): Shows a short pause. It is used:
   • to separate items in a list: I bought pens, books and a bag.
   • before a coordinating conjunction joining two clauses: She was tired, but she kept working.
   • after an introductory word or clause: However, he did not come. / When it rained, we stayed inside.
   • to address a person: Rahul, come here.
   • around extra information: Mr. Sharma, our principal, is very kind.
   • before or after direct speech: She said, "I am ready."
6. Semicolon (;): Shows a longer pause than a comma. It joins two closely related independent clauses without a conjunction. It also separates list items that already contain commas.
   Example: I love poetry; my brother prefers novels.
7. Colon (:): Introduces a list, an explanation or a quotation.
   Example: You need three things: patience, practice and hard work.
8. Apostrophe ('): Shows possession and short forms (contractions).
   Examples: the boy's book (one boy), the boys' hostel (many boys), don't = do not, it's = it is. Note: its (possessive) has no apostrophe.
9. Quotation Marks (" " or ' '): Enclose the exact words of a speaker and titles of short works such as poems and essays.
   Example: Tolstoy wrote 'The Remorseful Sinner'.
10. Hyphen (-): Joins words to make compound words.
    Example: well-known writer, twenty-five, mother-in-law.
11. Dash (—): Shows a sudden break or adds extra emphasis.
    Example: He had one dream — to become a pilot.
12. Brackets ( ): Enclose extra information that is not essential to the sentence.
    Example: Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is rising.

Exam Tip: In the 'punctuate the passage' question, first find where each sentence ends. Then add capital letters. After that, add commas and quotation marks, and finally apostrophes.

Types of Sentences (Simple, Compound, and Complex)

A sentence is a group of words that gives complete sense. It has a subject and a verb (predicate). Sentences are classified by their structure, that is, by the number and kind of clauses they contain.

Basic Terms

• Phrase: A group of words without a subject-verb pair, e.g. in the morning.
• Clause: A group of words with a subject and a finite verb.
• Independent (Main) Clause: It can stand alone as a sentence, e.g. She smiled.
• Dependent (Subordinate) Clause: It cannot stand alone. It begins with a subordinating word, e.g. because she was happy.

1. Simple Sentence

A simple sentence has only one independent clause (one finite verb) and no subordinate clause. It may have a compound subject or a compound verb and many phrases, but it still has one clause.

• The train stopped at Deoli.
• Ravi and Meena laughed and sang. (compound subject and verb, but still simple)
• Being tired, he went to bed early.

2. Compound Sentence

A compound sentence has two or more independent clauses of equal importance. They are joined by:

• Coordinating conjunctions (remembered as FANBOYS): for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.
• A semicolon, or a conjunctive adverb such as however, therefore, otherwise.
• Paired conjunctions such as either...or, neither...nor, not only...but also.

Examples: He worked hard, so he passed. / She was poor, but she was honest. / Hurry up; otherwise you will miss the train.

3. Complex Sentence

A complex sentence has one independent (main) clause and one or more dependent (subordinate) clauses. The subordinate clause begins with a subordinating conjunction (because, although, when, if, unless, since, while, after, before, that) or a relative pronoun (who, which, whose, that).

• He passed because he worked hard. (adverb clause)
• The man who lives next door is a doctor. (adjective clause)
• I know that he is honest. (noun clause)

Note: A compound-complex sentence has at least two main clauses and at least one subordinate clause. Example: When the bell rang, the students left and the teacher locked the room.

Comparison Table

Transformation of Sentences (Very Important for Exams)

• Simple: In spite of his poverty, he is honest.
• Compound: He is poor, but he is honest.
• Complex: Although he is poor, he is honest.

Likely exam questions

1. (Long answer) What is punctuation? Explain the uses of any eight punctuation marks with suitable examples.
2. (Long answer) Define simple, compound and complex sentences with examples. Distinguish between them and transform a sentence of your choice into all three types.
3. (Short answer / short note) Write a short note on the uses of the semicolon and the colon, with examples.
4. (Short answer / short note) Explain the uses of the apostrophe and quotation marks with examples.
5. (Short answer / short note) What is the difference between a compound sentence and a complex sentence? Give two examples of each.

Syllabus topics (RTMNU)

• E-Mail Writing (Formal/Informal)
• Newspaper Report (Accident, addressing a public issue, Natural calamity) and Feature Writing (People-based, Places, Lifestyle)

1. E-Mail Writing (Formal/Informal)

Meaning: An e-mail (electronic mail) is a message sent from one person to another through the internet. It is the most common way of written communication today in offices, colleges and personal life. It is fast, cheap, can reach many people at once, and can carry attachments such as documents and photos.

Parts (Format) of an E-Mail

1. From: The sender's e-mail address. It is usually filled in automatically.
2. To: The main receiver's e-mail address.
3. CC (Carbon Copy): People who should get a copy. All receivers can see these addresses.
4. BCC (Blind Carbon Copy): People who get a hidden copy. Other receivers cannot see these addresses.
5. Subject: A short, clear line that tells what the mail is about. This is very important in formal mails.
6. Salutation: The greeting, e.g. Dear Sir/Madam, Respected Principal, Hi Rahul.
7. Body: The main message. It has an opening line, the details and a closing line.
8. Complimentary Close: The polite ending, e.g. Yours sincerely, Regards, With love.
9. Signature: Name, and in formal mails also designation, organisation and phone number.
10. Attachment: Any file sent along with the mail, which should be mentioned in the body.

Formal vs Informal E-Mail

Etiquette (Good Practices)

• Write a clear subject line and use a proper (preferably professional) e-mail ID.
• Keep paragraphs short and stick to one main topic per mail.
• Avoid writing whole words in CAPITAL LETTERS, because it looks like shouting.
• Check spelling, grammar and attachments before you click Send.
• Reply on time and be polite even when you are complaining.

Sample Formal E-Mail (short)

To: principal@abccollege.edu
Subject: Request for Leave from 10 to 12 March
Respected Sir,
I am a student of B.A. Semester 5. I request leave for three days, from 10 to 12 March, as I have to attend my sister's wedding in Pune. I will complete all pending assignments after I return.
Yours sincerely,
Ankit Sharma, B.A. Sem 5, Roll No. 24

Sample Informal E-Mail (short)

Subject: Guess what?
Hi Neha,
I cleared my scholarship test! I'm so happy and wanted you to be the first to know. Let's celebrate this Sunday. Call me soon.
Love,
Riya

2. Newspaper Report (Accident, addressing a public issue, Natural calamity) and Feature Writing (People-based, Places, Lifestyle)

A. Newspaper Report

Meaning: A newspaper report is a factual, objective account of a recent event, written to inform the public. It answers the 5 Ws and 1 H: What, When, Where, Who, Why and How.

Structure: the Inverted Pyramid – the most important facts come first and less important details come later.

1. Headline: A short, catchy title, often without articles, e.g. 'Bus Overturns Near Wardha, 12 Injured'.
2. Byline: The reporter's name, e.g. By a Staff Reporter.
3. Dateline: The place and date, e.g. Nagpur, 5 August.
4. Lead (Intro) paragraph: Answers most of the 5 Ws in one or two sentences.
5. Body: Gives details, eyewitness accounts, statements from officials and quotes.
6. Conclusion: Gives the present situation, action taken, or appeal or advice.

Language features: past tense, third person, frequent passive voice (e.g. 'the injured were rushed to hospital'), no personal opinion, simple and precise words, short paragraphs.

Types Prescribed

• Accident Report: Covers the type of accident (road, rail, fire), place and time, number of dead or injured, cause (overspeeding, short circuit), rescue work, police action, and any compensation announced.
• Report Addressing a Public Issue: Covers problems such as potholes, water shortage, garbage, pollution or stray dogs. It includes the problem, the people affected, citizens' complaints, the authorities' response and suggested solutions.
• Natural Calamity Report: Covers floods, earthquakes, cyclones, landslides or drought. It includes the area affected, loss of life and property, relief and rescue work (e.g. by the NDRF, the National Disaster Response Force), government aid, and an appeal to the public.

B. Feature Writing

Meaning: A feature is a longer, creative and descriptive article that explores a person, place, trend or human-interest topic in depth. It is not limited to breaking news. It aims to inform, entertain and touch the reader's emotions.

Features of a Feature Article: a catchy title, an attractive opening (hook), a descriptive and vivid style, some personal voice or opinion, quotes and anecdotes, and a lasting interest (it can be read even weeks later).

Structure: Title → Hook (a question, quote or anecdote) → Body (details, interviews, descriptions) → Conclusion (a reflection or message).

Types Prescribed

• People-based (Profile) Feature: Describes the life, struggle and achievements of a person, e.g. a village girl who became a national athlete, or a local tea-seller who teaches poor children. It includes background, turning points, quotes and the person's inspiring message.
• Places Feature (Travel/Heritage): Describes a place such as a hill station, a fort, a lake or a tiger reserve. It includes location, history, sights, food, culture, the best time to visit and how to reach. It appeals to the senses through sight, sound and taste.
• Lifestyle Feature: Deals with daily living, such as fitness, food habits, fashion, social media use, minimalism or work-life balance. It includes the trend, its causes, merits and demerits, expert views and tips for readers.

Newspaper Report vs Feature Article

Likely exam questions

1. (Long answer) What is an e-mail? Explain the parts of an e-mail and the differences between formal and informal e-mails. Write a formal e-mail to the manager of a company applying for an internship.
2. (Long answer) What is a newspaper report? Explain its structure and language features. Write a report on a flood that has affected your district.
3. (Short answer / short note) Write a short note on the features and types of feature writing (people-based, places, lifestyle).
4. (Short answer / short note) Write a newspaper report on a road accident that took place near your college.
5. (Short answer / short note) Differentiate between a newspaper report and a feature article.