π Education and Humanity
π Ways with Words
A. Find the words from the text which mean the following.
| Questions | Answers |
|---|---|
| a. a messenger or representative, especially one on a diplomatic mission | ans: envoy |
| b. the state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect | ans: dignity |
| c. harm done to someone in response to harm | ans: revenge |
| d. a person who holds extreme views in political or religious matters | ans: extremist |
| e. sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others | ans: compassion |
| f. a person who is believed to speak for God | ans: prophet |
| g. the study of the nature of knowledge, reality and existence | ans: philosophy |
| h. the use of physical force so as to injure, abuse, damage or destroy | ans: violence |
| i. an unreasonable dislike of a particular group of people or things | ans: prejudice |
B. Match the words on the left with their opposite meanings on the right.
| Words | Opposite meanings |
|---|---|
| honour | disgrace |
| innocent | guilty |
| brutality | kindness |
| forgiveness | punishment |
| illiteracy | literacy |
C. Using Dictionary π
a. Study the dictionary entry above and answer these questions.
i. What is the headword in the first entry?
=> Answer: Humanity** is the headword presented in the first dictionary entry.
ii. How many meanings of the word βhumanityβ are given?
=> Answer: The dictionary entry gives four meanings of the word βhumanityβ.
iii. What do the abbreviations U, OPP, pl, and sth stand for?
=> Answer: The abbreviations U, OPP, pl, and sth mean uncountable, opposite, plural, and something respectively.
iv. What is the British English spelling of βhumanizeβ?
=> Answer: The British English spelling of βhumanizeβ is humanise.
v. How is the word βhumanizeβ pronounced?
=> Answer: βHumanizeβ** is pronounced /ΛhjuΛmΙnaΙͺz/.
vi. If we say Every person should have the sense of humanity, which meaning of βhumanityβ is applied?
=> Answer: In this sentence, βhumanityβ is used in the sense of the quality of being kind to people and animals by making sure that they do not suffer more than is necessary.
b. Arrange the following words in alphabetical order.
i. advance analysis amuse assure allergy attain aid anxiety acute agreement
=> Answer: acute, advance, agreement, aid, allergy, amuse, analysis, anxiety, assure, attain
ii. smoke small smart speaking smelling smoothly smuggler smashed smearing smallpox
=> Answer: small, smallpox, smart, smashed, speaking, smearing, smelling, smoke, smoothly, smuggler
iii. terminal terminate terminology termite terms terrace terrible terribly
=> Answer: terminal, terminate, terminology, terms, terrace, terrible, territory, terror
π Comprehension
a. Why did the speaker receive thousands of good-wishes cards and gifts from all over the world?
=> Answer: Following the Taliban attack in which the speaker was shot on the left side of her forehead, she was admitted to hospital for medical care and recovery. Her difficult situation attracted worldwide sympathy, and people expressed their support by sending her thousands of cards and gifts.
b. According to the speaker, what are hundreds of human rights activists and social workers struggling for?
=> Answer: The speaker states that hundreds of human rights activists and social workers are continuously working toward the achievement of education, peace and equality.
c. What has she learnt from Gandhi?
=> Answer: She has gained from Gandhi the lesson and importance of nonviolence.
d. In what sense is peace necessary for education?
=> Answer: Peace is a basic condition for effective education. Children need to feel secure before they can attend school regularly and concentrate on their studies. When violence and fear prevail, schooling becomes difficult and learning suffers. Thus, peaceful surroundings are necessary for children to receive useful and productive education.
e. According to the speaker, what are the main problems faced by both men and women?
=> Answer: The major difficulties common to both men and women are poverty, ignorance, injustice, racism and deprivation of basic rights.
f. What is Malala calling upon all governments?
=> Answer: Malala appeals to governments around the world to make free education accessible to every child, take action against terrorism and violence, and keep children safe from brutality and harm.
g. What is the main message of this speech?
=> Answer: The speech conveys that education can serve as a strong means of eliminating illiteracy, terrorism, violence and the violation of fundamental human rights. Therefore, every government should give the education of children the greatest importance.
π Critical Thinking
a. βAll children have the right to quality education. How can we ensure this right to every child? Discuss the role of the government and the parents to make sure that every child can attend school.β
ΰ€ΰ€€ΰ₯ΰ€€ΰ€° :
Quality education is an essential requirement of the 21st century. Making such education available to every child requires the joint involvement of the government, parents and schools. Each has a different responsibility in creating suitable opportunities for children's learning.
Role of Government
- β’The government can provide financial assistance to economically disadvantaged families, including support for school fees.
- β’It should maintain equality in education by ensuring that public schools provide learners with quality knowledge.
- β’Teachers should receive appropriate salaries so that they remain motivated and committed to their educational responsibilities.
- β’The government should establish effective measures to remove outdated syllabuses because unsuitable curricula can mislead both teachers and learners.
Roles of Parents
- β’Parents have a strong influence on children, so they should demonstrate good learning habits and become positive examples.
- β’They should discuss school experiences and memories with their children and show interest in their school life.
- β’Parents should help children organize their everyday activities and make adequate time available for study.
- β’They should create a calm, comfortable and pleasant atmosphere at home so that children can study properly.
b. βDo you think that there is still discrimination between sons and daughters in terms of providing education in our country? What strategies do you suggest to overcome such discrimination against girls?β
ΰ€ΰ€€ΰ₯ΰ€€ΰ€° :
Yes, educational discrimination between sons and daughters can still be found in Nepal. Although government schools offer free education, they are often regarded as less adequately funded and less effective than private schools. As a result, some families provide their sons with opportunities to attend private schools while their daughters study in government institutions.
One important cause of this unequal treatment is the traditional gender-based thinking found in society. Some parents believe that daughters will move to another family after marriage and therefore will not be able to take care of their parents in their old age. Another traditional belief is that males are physically, mentally and politically stronger. Because of these attitudes, parents may consider high-quality education more necessary for sons than for daughters.
Several strategies can be adopted to eliminate such discrimination:
- β’Gender biases should be ended.
- β’Women should be given platforms to be in power and achieve economic success.
- β’Violence and sexual assault against women should be ended.
- β’The preference for the son should be removed from the peopleβs psychology.
- β’Money given in the name of dowry should be invested in the girl's education.
c. βA Chinese philosopher Confucius said, βIf your plan is for one year, plant rice; if your plan is for ten years, plant trees; if your plan is for one hundred years, educate children.β What is the meaning of this saying? Elaborate this with examples.β
ΰ€ΰ€€ΰ₯ΰ€€ΰ€° :
Confucius's statement compares the results of short-term, medium-term and long-term efforts. Rice can provide benefits within a year, while trees need around ten years to produce their value. Educating children represents an investment whose effects can continue for a hundred years or even longer through the generations that benefit from it.
The quotation particularly stresses the far-reaching importance of education. Education develops people's knowledge, abilities and understanding, enabling them to shape their lives more effectively. An uneducated person lacks the intellectual foundation needed for many forms of progress. In the same way, a country cannot realistically aim for development without giving proper attention to the education of its people.
For example, children who receive quality education can grow into capable citizens and contribute to the advancement of their country. Their knowledge, skills and understanding can help create a more developed and civilized society. Therefore, educating children should be regarded as a long-term investment because its benefits eventually extend from individuals to the entire nation.
π€ Grammar
Classify the underlined words into different word classes.
a. The man who is wearing glasses is my uncleβs friend.
=> Answer: who β pronoun
- β’wearing β verb
- β’my β determiner
b. I bought a round table in the supermarket.
=> Answer: round β adjective
- β’the β determiner
c. Alas, she is dead.
=> Answer: Alas β interjection
d. Hari works very hard all the time but his wife is very lazy.
=> Answer: hard β adverb
- β’wife β noun
- β’very β adverb
e. I have never been to Japan.
=> Answer: never β adverb
f. Ann drove a car safely.
=> Answer: Ann β Noun
- β’Safely β Adverb
g. Nobody has claimed it.
=> Answer: nobody β pronoun
- β’it β pronoun
h. She cut her hand with a knife.
=> Answer: her β determiner
- β’with β preposition
i. They have postponed the program because of rain.
=> Answer: have β verb
- β’because of β preposition
- β’rain β noun
j. Everybody comes to the party.
=> Answer: everybody β pronoun
k. All such people ought to be avoided.
=> Answer: all β determiner
- β’such β determiner
l. All of the food has gone.
=> Answer: all β pronoun
m. What was that noise?
=> Answer: what β pronoun
n. One must not boast of one's own success.
=> Answer: one β pronoun
o. Nobody was there to rescue the child.
=> Answer: nobody β pronoun
p. Neither of the accusations is true.
=> Answer: neither β pronoun
q. Neither answer is correct.
=> Answer: neither β determiner
r. Here is the book that you lent me.
=> Answer: here β adverb
- β’that β pronoun
s. Without health there is no happiness.
=> Answer: without β proposition
- β’health β noun
- β’happiness β noun