Unit 4: Work and Leisure

Reading I: Cabbage White

A. Match the following meanings in the left column with the correct words in the right.

B. The word tiptoe refers to the way of walking with one’s heels off the ground, in order to make them taller or to move very quietly. Consult a dictionary and find the meanings of the following words related to walking.

C. Answer these questions.

a. Why do you think the man frowned his face when Sarah and Jamie gave him their school card?

=> Answer: The man reacted with a frown because he found it unusual that Sarah and Jamie had come to the farm in search of work when they were still school students.

b. Why were Sarah and Jamie looking for a job instead of going to school?

=> Answer: The children were spending their school vacation and decided to work during the break. Their intention was to earn some money and help their parents.

c. Why was the man ready to give them work in his farm?

=> Answer: The farmer was looking for people to deal with the caterpillar problem in his cabbage field. As Sarah and Jamie agreed to perform the necessary work, he was willing to employ them.

d. What work were they supposed to do at the man's farm?

=> Answer: Their assigned duty was to inspect the cabbages throughout the garden, remove the caterpillars they discovered, and gather them in pails.

e. Were there really a million or billion caterpillars in the cabbage field? If not, what do Sarah and Jamie mean by a million or billion caterpillars?

=> Answer: No, the field did not literally contain a million or billion caterpillars. The children were using exaggerated figures to express how overwhelmingly large the number of caterpillars appeared to them.

f. What were Sarah and Jamie desperate about?

=> Answer: They became desperate because the work was extremely tiring and the caterpillars seemed to be everywhere. The seemingly never-ending task made them feel that completing the job would be very difficult.

g. What was Sarah's 'brilliant' idea?

=> Answer: Sarah proposed preventing the problem from continuing by dealing with the butterflies that laid the eggs. She thought that removing the butterflies would stop the production of new eggs and, consequently, new caterpillars.

h. Were the children happy with their work? Give reasons for your answer.

=> Answer: No, the children were unhappy with the work. They became exhausted from the effort, and the cabbage patch was eventually left in a damaged and untidy condition, with hardly any cabbages and butterflies remaining.

i. Why did they run away from the farm secretly?

=> Answer: They decided to escape quietly because they were afraid of the farmer's reaction. They thought he might recognize them and become angry after discovering the damage done to his cabbage field and butterflies.

D. Read the story and write ‘True’ for true statements, and ‘False’ for false ones. If the information is not given in the text, write ‘Not Given’.

📚 Grammar I: Modal Verbs

A. Read the story below and tell what the underlined words are used for.

• •

  All he could see on the clear water was a little fish.
  could: indicating ability or possibility

• •

  This might be a good breakfast for me.
  might: expressing possibility or uncertainty

• •

  Master Heron should not be happy with such a tiny fish.
  should: expressing obligation, expectation or recommendation

• •

  I wouldn't even trouble to open my beak for anything like that.
  wouldn't: expressing a negative conditional

• •

  while I may have a lovely dinner.
  may: expressing possibility or permission

• •

  But I must play a trick on the octopus.
  must: expressing obligation or necessity

• •

  The poor Heron had to be content for breakfast on a tiny Snail.
  had to: expressing necessity or obligation

B. Complete the sentences below with the correct words given below.

[could, can't, must, may, should, might, would]

a. This can't be Safal's coat. It is too small for him.

b. Could you please tell me the way to the airport?

c. Would you like to stay with us at the weekend?

d. Do you know where Jack is? He might be in his office.

e. The sky is overcast. It may rain in the afternoon.

f. Sanam has been working in the field all day. She must be tired.

g. The film is really wonderful. You should see it at least once.

C. Complete the sentences below with must or can't in the blank spaces.

a. The man is looking around. He must be lost.

b. He can't be a doctor. He has not studied medicine.

c. Sushmita failed the test although she is a smart student. She must have not prepared well this time.

d. The restaurant always serves really good food. They must have employed excellent chefs.

e. There must be something wrong with the fan. It is making an unusual sound.

g. This can't be Sumana's book. There is a stamp of the library on it.

h. He must have had hard times. He has lost his job and has to support his elderly parents.

✍️ Writing I

A. Re-write the job application putting the sentences in correct order.

B. Read the following advertisement carefully and write a letter of job application for the advertised post. Consider yourself to be eligible for the post you want to apply.

📖 Reading II: Leave this Chanting and Singing

Exercise

A. Find the words from the poem which have the following meanings.

B. Find the modern equivalents of the following archaic words used in the poem.

C. Answer the following questions.

a. Who is the poem addressed to?

=> Answer: The speaker addresses people in general who practise worship by chanting, singing, and counting beads while searching for God inside a closed temple.

b. What does the speaker advise people?

=> Answer: The speaker urges worshippers to move away from merely performing external rituals, such as chanting, singing, and counting beads, and to recognize God through real-life involvement.

c. Where do people try to find the god?

=> Answer: They search for God within a secluded and dark corner of a temple whose doors have been shut.

d. Where, according to the speaker, does the god actually reside?

=> Answer: The speaker locates God among ordinary working people. God's presence is found where people perform demanding tasks such as cultivating the land and breaking stones.

e. How can people have a glimpse of the god?

=> Answer: People can come closer to God by stepping outside their isolated worship, becoming involved in everyday life, and sharing the work, struggles, and experiences of other people.

f. Why can't the god rescue people?

=> Answer: The poem explains that God has accepted the bonds of creation rather than remaining separate from the world. Because He shares the lives, joys, and difficulties of living beings, He does not simply stand outside their struggles to rescue them.

g. What does the speaker ask people to do in the last stanza?

=> Answer: The speaker asks people to stop their meditation and set aside their flowers and incense. They should go where others are working, stand with them, undertake hard labour, and experience the sweat of work just as God does.

D. Do you believe in the existence of God? What do you do to please him? Share your opinion.

📚 Grammar II

A. Match the following imperative sentences with their functions.

B. Change the following imperative sentences into negative.

a. Turn left at the junction.
=> Answer: Don't turn left at the junction.

b. Please open the door.
=> Answer: Please, don't open the door.

c. Let him tell a story.
=> Answer: Don't let him tell a story.

d. Put out the light.
=> Answer: Don't put out the light.

e. Let's play a friendly football match.
=> Answer: Let's not play a friendly football match.

f. Please help the man get out of well.
=> Answer: Please, don't help the man get out of well.

g. Instruct the people about how they should work.
=> Answer: Don't instruct the people about how they should work.

✍️ Writing II

B. Write a set of rules and regulations for the visitors in the following places. You may use the expressions given below.

......... is/are ........ (not) allowed to ..........

strictly prohibited/forbidden to ........

can/cannot ........

is/are required/expected to .....

must/must not ......

📚 Library Rules and Regulations

• •
  Visitors are required to remain silent inside the library. Loud talking is strictly prohibited.
• •
  Smoking and use of mobile phones are not allowed inside the library premises.
• •
  Food and drinks cannot be brought into the library.
• •
  Visitors must switch off their mobile phones or leave them at the reception.
• •
  Proper decorum is expected from all visitors using the library.

🏥 Hospital Rules and Regulations

• •
  Visitors must maintain silence in the hospital premises. Loud noises are strictly forbidden.
• •
  Use of mobile phones is only allowed in designated areas. Mobiles must be switched off near patients.
• •
  Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the hospital building.
• •
  Visitors are required to observe cleanliness and hygiene protocols.
• •
  Taking photographs of patients is strictly prohibited without permission.
• •
  Visitors cannot enter patient rooms without permission from the hospital staff.
• •
  Proper behavior and etiquette are expected from all visitors inside the hospital.