UNIT – III

Reviewing a Book

A Book Review describes analyses and judges the quality of a book. It does so by focusing on the
book's content, purpose and significance. Analyze the book's strengths and weakness and give your
personal opinion on how well the author has succeeded in her/his purpose, while presenting evidence to
support your evaluation.
Sample Book Review: Wings of Fire
Author : Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
Publication Year : 1999
Publishers : Universities Press
Pages of the book : 180
Wings of fire are an autobiography of Abdul Kalam written jointly by Arun Tiwari and Abdul
Kalam. This book was first published in 1999. This book is translated in Gujarati by Haresh Dholakiya.
This book covers Kalam's life before he became the president of India. The book covers his early life and
his work in Indian Space Research and missile programs. It is the story of a boy from humble background
who became a great scientist in the field of space research, missile programs and later became the
president of India. The chapters of this books are also touching i.e. Orientation, Creation, Propitiation.
The book is worthof being read by every Indian who can read. Positive thinking of kalam can be found
throughout this book. He held many high ranked position in various organizations.

Film Review:
One of my favourite films is one of the Star Wars series. I've got the video. It's an exciting
science fiction film and it's called The Phantom Menace. It's the first part of a trilogy about a boy called
Anakin Skywalker.
In this film Anakin is nine years old and he lives with his mother on planet Tatsin. Strange-
looking creatures rule this planet and Anakin and all the other human beings are slaves. Anakin's dream is
to become one of the Jedi knights, the brave guardians of the galaxy and free his people. One day two
Jedi Knights land on Tatsin and Anakin thinks his dream might finally come true.
I enjoy watching this film because it's never boring. The story is full of surprises and suspense.
And the action never stops. There are spaceship races, battles with robots and really exciting fight scenes
with the Jedi knights. I like those the best. Also, the space scenes and the different creatures on the
planets are amazing and they look so real.
You must go and see this film or get the video. You may no like science fiction but this film is
special. The story is exciting a the scenery and acting is brilliant. And it's not just a film for child All the
family should see it. I can't wait to see the next two films in the trilogy.

Exercise:

1. Note how the speakers begin and end the TED talks
2. Go through the following beginning and ending phrases of TED talks and prepare a TED-talk on the
topic of your interest using the following beginning and ending phrases:
a. A few opening phrases / sentences used in Ted Talks I want to interact with you about why we need to
work harder to achieve today.....
b. Few weeks back I saw something that I thought I would never tell anyone but I feel obliged to discuss
it here...
c. You will have a chance to add a few months of life span as you watch this talk....
When I was in the boy scouts, I got a chance to meet a rare and exquisite creature...
e. Albert Einstein said that....
f. Do you think it is possible to overcome procrastination just by blindly working....
g. Imagine yourself ten years from now....

Closing phrases/sentences
...this is how I made it possible and I use this opportunity to send out a call for action on your part.
b ...now this is the big picture I have been discussing all along
... let me up sum up
d .....Recognize and understand these things as early as possible to avoid them and to live a peaceful life.
Thank you.
e ... all you need is to recall these few minutes everyday and say them to yourself
Exercise:

Prepare the verbal and visual content for short presentations on the following topic.
b. How to learn second language in an easy way?
* Studying grammar by learning words. When you want to learn grammar easily, you need to start from
the word level.
* Do not limit yourself on words Grammar is very broad and you should not limit yourself to words. This
might be an initial preparation for you to go on to other areas in grammar.
* Talking to others Talking to other people is a funny way to grasp English grammar. When you talk to
others, you become practically a speaker, though it is wrong or right.
* Watching and learning Learners tend to retain more when they watch compared to reading. Watching
movies and videos can greatly improve one's learning of the second language.
c. What is feminism in the modern era?
* The feminist movement refers to a series of political campaigns for reforms on issues such as
reproductive rights, domestic violence, maternity leave, equal pay, women's suffrage, sexual harassment
and sexual violence. The movement's priorities vary among nations and communities and range from
opposition to female genital mutilation in one country, to opposition to the glass ceiling in another.
Feminism in parts of the Western world has gone through a series of waves.
* Modern Feminism Before the 1960s, traditional American society encouraged young women to find
happiness and fulfillment through marriage and homemaking. Television shows like "The Donna Reed
Show" presented an image of domestic bliss in a pleasant suburban setting.
* Feminism has provided Western women with increased educational opportunities, the right to vote,
protections against workplace discrimination and the right to make personal decisions about pregnancy.
In some communities, feminism has also succeeded in challenging pervasive cultural norms about
women.
d. How does 80s parenting differ from current parenting?

With that in mind, we're taking a walk down memory lane and considering these very big differences
between now and when our parents were in charge:
1. When we were little our parents weren't distracted by cell phones.
2. We would play outside without a worry.
3. Watching cartoons was something special and done on Saturday mornings and after school.
4. Our parents took pictures of us and had them developed. 5. The only way to speak to other people in
your home was by actually speaking to them.
6. We wrote letters and had pen pals.
7. Kids listened to the radio and watched MTV (back when it aired music) instead of iTunes and
YouTube.
8. We would rent family movies on the weekends.
Gone are the days of roaming the aisles of Blockbuster and renting VHS tapes or DVDs for
Friday night. With online streaming and the Redbox movie stations, the video stores have closed their
doors. And while parents today still have family movie nights with the kids, we kind of miss the
experience that came along with going to the video store each week.

On flights, in cars, and while out to dinner, there were no iPads to keep the kids distracted.
We had to chat during dinners out, there were no TVs in cars, so we gazed out the windows, and on
airplanes we had to pack in-flight entertainment because there were no screens to keep kids content.
While these modern devices definitely make leaving the house easier for the parents. it's an interesting
thought to think of their absence.
e. Green campus is the need of the hour.
1. Take notes electronically - Instead of using paper notebooks and agendas, use your laptop to take notes
and keep track of assignments and meetings. Solar outdoor classrooms have become a new trend that
many schools and businesses are implementing!
2. Purchase reusable bags - Not only are these great for groceries, they can also be used to carry other
classroom items and supplies.
3. Invest in one good water bottle Stop buying and using plastic water bottles. Instead, find a nice,
reusable bottle (can be found at any pharmacy) to refill throughout the day. If water quality is a problem,
simply buy a filter for your sink, or a pitcher with a built-in water filter to keep in the refrigerator.
4. Recycle-One of the oldest tricks in the "sustainability book is also one of the most effective. If your
room or does not have a bin available, request one from your school.
5. Compost-See if it is possible for your campus to provide a compost bin for food waste from the
cafeteria.
6. Create a campus garden - Plant a garden to beautify your space, or use it to grow some of your own
vegetables.
7. Be smart about transportation - It is widely known that automobile emissions are a significant
contributor to pollution. Offset this by biking or walking where possible, or take your campuses public
transportation to classes.
8. Check your lighting - CFL or LED bulbs not only provide a better quality of light, but they also use
less electricity.
9. Only use what you need - So much power goes to waste when we leave lights and devices on when
they are not in use. Be sure to flip the switch when you leave the room & unplug your devices when they
are finished charging.
10. Use real dishes and towels - Plastic or paper cutlery, plates, and towels are wasteful. Buy a set of
silverware and plates to use whenever possible and opt for dishtowels that can be reused instead of paper.

f. Evolution of lifestyle in the Internet era.

The Internet has turned our existence upside down. It has revolutionized communications, to the extent
that it is now our preferred medium of everyday communication. In almost everything we do, we use the
Internet. Ordering a pizza, buying a television, sharing a moment with a friend, sending a picture over
instant messaging. Before the Internet, if you wanted to keep up with the news, you had to walk down to
the newsstand when it opened in the morning and buy a local edition reporting what had happened the
previous day. But today a click or two is enough to read your local paper and any news source from
anywhere in the world, updated up to the minute.
The Internet itself has been transformed. In its early days-which from a historical perspective are still
relatively recent-it was a static network designed to shuttle a small freight of bytes or a short message
between two terminals; it was a repository of information where content was published and maintained
only by expert coders. Today, however, immense quantities of information are uploaded and downloaded
over this electronic leviathan, and the content is very much our own, for now we are all commentators,
publishers, and creators.
In the 1980s and 1990s, the Internet widened in scope to encompass the IT capabilities of universities and
research centers, and, later on, public entities, institutions, and private enterprises from around the world.
The Internet underwent immense growth; it was no longer a state-controlled project, but the largest
computer network in the world, comprising over 50,000 sub-networks, 4 million systems, and 70 million
users.
g. How to clean a house: Smart way
Here are some smart ways housekeeping services apply to give you a satisfactory result without wasting
your time. Here you go!
1. Planning is very important for any work and cleaning is not an exception. A professional will take a
look at your home and chalk out a plan of how and when to do each part of cleaning. You can make a
plan as well and share it with them.
2. They always keep themselves prepared with handy cleaners and dusters. You can keep some at your
place as well to lend them a helping hand; it's a good gesture you know!
3. While cleaning the rooms, they will gather lots of dust and dirt of course. They will have their own dust
collectors, but you can keep some trash cans around so that they can speed up the work. A pair of gloves
and hats will also help them out if they require any.
4. The cleaning should be done from the top otherwise double effort may have to be put in. Don't try to
help them by cleaning anything on your own, before they reach it. The most you can do is collect
scattered items from around the house and place them somewhere out of the way. The professionals from
housekeeping services know that the cleaning should be done from top to bottom. If you clean the carpet
first, they will have to clean it again after the ceiling. It's a waste of time and energy!
Tasks

Write an e-mail of complaint about any two of the following issues:

1. To an electronic accessory company about a faulty printer delivered
2. To a Fibernet service provider regarding an intermittent. internet connection
3. To an online clothing company regarding an error in the size of a dress ordered and paid for
4.To a mobile phone company regarding excessive post-paid billing received
5. To a courier service complaining regarding the delay in the delivery of a product couriered

Answers:
1. To an electronic accessory company about a faulty printer delivered.
From: rajasalem@gmail.com
Subject: non-functioning of the printer supplied by you.
Reference: Receipt No. 2268 dated 22.10.2020.
To: standard electric co@gmail.com
Dear Sir/Madam,
This is with reference to the TVS printer that I bought from your shop on 22.10.2020. The product
supplied by you is not functioning properly and it gets stuck up at critical moments. I request you to
kindly supply me an alternative, well-functioning machine. In its absence you kindly pay back my money
at the earliest. Thanking you,
Yours sincerely.
S Raja

2. To a Fibernet service provider intermittent internet connection.

From: anand@gmail.com
Subject: A Fibernet connection not properly connected.
Reference: Your service agreement dated 23-7-2020.
To: edison fibernet service@gmail.com
Dear Sir/Madam,
I wish to complain about the intermittent connectivity with fibernet supplied by you these few days. I
would like you to attend to this fault immediately. If there is no response from you I will be forced to
disconnect with you and go for a fresh connection with others. Copies of the agreement and receipt of
payment till date are enclosed here. Please do the needful at the earliest.

Yours sincerely.
R.Anand.

3. To an online clothing company regarding an error in the size of a dress ordered and paid for.

From: venkat@gmail.com
Subject: error in size of a dress material. Reference: Your memo dated 5.11.2020.
To: sanjivi dressmakers@gmail.com
Dear Sir/Madam,
I wish to draw your attention to the lapse on my part regarding the size of a dress material that I ordered
from you. The size is actually 14 and not 16 as you supplied me wrongly. Kindly take note of this change
in size and get me the right material accordingly. If it is not possible for you, kindly pay my money back.
Thank you.

Yours sincerely.
S. Venkat.
4. To a mobile phone company regarding excessive post-paid billing received.

From: raghu@gmail.com
Subject: excessive billing for mobile phone.
Reference: a copy of the bill dated 21.1.2020.
To: edison electronics service@gmail.com

Dear Sir/Madam,
I wish to complain about excessive billing for this month for my mobile connection with you. Ordinarily I
pay only Rs.500 or so every month. This month you have sent me a bill for Rs.1010/ which is too high an
amount for which I have not done any spending. Please revert to my correct bill of Rs.500 or so. If not let
me disconnect the service with your company. Kindly treat this as urgent and do the needful.

Yours sincerely.
Raghu.
5. To a courier service complaining about the delay in the delivery of a product couriered.

From: gopal@gmail.com
Subject : Delay in the delivery of a washing machine.
Reference: Waiting List No. 330 dated 20.10.2020.
To: professional couriersvpm@gmail.com
Dear Sir/Madam,
I wish to complain that the Godrej washing machine purchased by me 10 days back has not been
delivered by your courier service yet. If you are not able to supply the machine in time, kindly return my
money towards the payment of the machine.
Copies of the bill and your assurance to send the product in time are sent herewith.
Yours sincerely,
Gopal.
Preparing Short Assignment

Exercises:

Write short assignments on the given topics, following the structure of 1) Introduction 2) Discussion and
3) Conclusion

1. Youngsters spending unreasonable time on social media.

Introduction
The young people have been spending unreasonable time on social media. This creates a kind of
phobia that compels them to go to it again and again. But this makes them shirk other important duties
during the day. This trend is dangerous and will lead to unreasonable and unacceptable demands later on
in their lives.

Discussion

Life is to be led with certain principles. One's duty to his parents, society and the nation should be
viewed as quite essential one. Unless the youngsters learn to divide time suitably, they will come to feel
for it later on. They should spend their time on studying books and other useful magazines. They can get
to know the world before them. The problems facing the world are brought to the doorstep through the
newspapers. Research activities in any particular field should have priority with the students. It is not
sufficient to have only a bird's eye view of everything. If Covid-19 has killed so many lives in the world,
certain awareness should be created among the people. The social problems concerning a locality can be
solved through discussions and welfare measures. The media like television and internet should be put to
good use. Too much of the same will result in the youngsters becoming addicts and their lies also will get
spoiled

Conclusion

Thus it is made clear that the use of social media should be restricted and time should be allotted
equally to all other works and activities.

2. The need for better healthcare in India.

Introduction
Making quality healthcare available to the masses is the most pressing need of the hour. The
government and the states should spend more on health sector and all stakeholders must focus more on
medical services. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was committed in expanding the medical sector and the
PM wants to have medical college in every district and trained medical staff in all these facilities.
Discussion
Though India has made great medical advancements in recent times, she is still lagging behind in
spite of the progresses.
Inviting the private sector to chip in substantially to help the health sector grow, we can make
progress in the field of healthcare There is a need to develop a Public-private partnership (PPP) model
too. We treat a doctor as one who takes care of our lives. Medical profession is a noble profession as
doctors are serving the society.
Pointing out that modern lifestyle has made people shun physical exercise, the experts advocate some sort
of physical exercise and spiritual activities during the day which may help keep people fresh and stress-
free.
Conclusion
The sedentary lifestyle of Indians has to change and doctors and scientists should educate people.
There were 69.1 million cases of diabetes in India, according to a 2015 census. It is necessary to call for
the need to create greater awareness among the youth about the dangers of sedentary lifestyle and eating
junk food.
3. Reasons for your preference of a tourist place.

Introduction
I like Kodaikanal as a tourist place. It has all the potentialities drawing visitors throughout the year. The
hill station is ideal for visiting in summer season. Nature's bounty is seen at its best here. The climate and
living conditions during the short spell of one's visit are laudable indeed.
Discussion

Going round the hill to see the various sites is a pleasant experience. The lake is the first attraction.
Boating in the lake with people of different states is again thrilling. The showers that drop down
Occasionally make it more pleasurable. After this we can go to the observatory where the instruments to
record the weather have been kept and a museum also is kept open nearby. Kurinji temple is another place
of interest. The flower that blooms once in twelve years is very rare to be seen. The botanical garden is
full with plants and creepers of so many sorts. Some medicinal plants and flower beds give a queenly
look. The tourists can enjoy the atmosphere by having a sojourn here.
Conclusion
Hence a short stay in Kodaikanal would be a very thrilling affair, as it provides the much-needed
breakthrough from the workaday world. Life is full of moments both happiness and sadness. We forget
ourselves by coming off to a pleasant and unforgettable locale.

4. A book or a movie you liked a lot.

Introduction
I liked the film Karnan very much. It is about the warrior-hero Karnan who was indeed the son of
the sun god born to Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas. His helping tendency to the people who come to
him seeking succour is really appreciable. Despite his being the prince by virtue of his birth, he could not
be made known to the world until his last moments in the battle field.
Discussion
Like all the Pandavas, Karnan too had his training in archery thanks to the patronage of the
Kaurava leader, Duryodhana. Though a charioteer took him from a sailing boat as a child, Duryodhana
helped him come up in life. Karnan was given a state to rule. Under Drona, he took lessons in archery and
performed quite well in the competitions.
He donated large sums and money to all the poor each and every day. He did service under the
sage Parashuram who trained him in soldiery. When it came to the question of his birth, he could not say
from which caste he hailed. This earned displeasure from the sage and Kaman was taken to task for this.
His mother had two vows from him-one is that he should not reveal his identity to the world until his last
breath. Another is that he should not use nagasthra against his on brother, Arjuna more than once. Karnan
readily obliged much taking risks for himself.
Conclusion
Later in the war Lord Krishna begs him for whatever dharma he has done so far in his life. The
warrior does not hesitate and he gives all the credits conferred on him by the goddess of dharma. This
character who sacrifices himself for the sake of others really impressed me while reading the
Mahabaharatha.

5. Your opinion on farmers' conditions in India.

Introduction
Farmers' conditions in India are not satisfactory. They suffer throughout the year for very many
factors. Right from sowing the seeds in spring, up to the harvest time at the end of the year it is a tale of
sorrow for them. Unless their grievances are redressed, Indian agriculture will go into doldrums.
Discussion
 The farmers do not get their subsidized seeds, fertilizers and other connected products necessary
for farming. The banks always insist on a spencer rate of interest. The insurance companies do not come
forward to pay the amount due to the loss of crops in flood or drought. The farm equipments like tractors
and harvesting machines are not available to them at subsidized rates. The government's procurement
price also is below their target of good price for the crops. The woes of farmers are not looked into by the
proper agencies governed by the states and the centre. During floods their crops get washed away leaving
practically nothing for them. In drought situation there is no water, since water has become a bone of
contention between the states. In this troubled circumstances it is becoming increasingly difficult for the
farmers to go on with their agricultural practices.
Conclusion
Hence what is needed is a supervisory agency to look after the interests of farmers at all levels.
The government should come forward to do everything possible to take care of the farmers' welfare. If
timely action is taken, the problems getting mounted up can be brought down to the minimum level.

Cross Word

Answer:

Across:
1. People living during the same period: CONTEMPORARIES
4. a person in love with himself/ herself: NARCISSIST.
5. a person who has left one country and moved to another. EMIGRANT.
6. a person trained in spacecraft: ASTRONAUT
7. a person employed to drive a car: CHAUFFEUR.
8. a person who suffers from imaginary illnesses: HYPOCHONDRIAC.
Down:
2. a person who supervises in the examination hall: INVIGILATOR.
3. A place where grain is stored: GRANARY.
6. A large enclosure or building for keeping birds: AVIARY.
9. A person who can speak many languages: POLYGLOT.