🧠 Critical Thinking
📚 Working with Words
A. Find the words from the text that match with the following meanings.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| a. Shuffle | Walking by dragging one's feet along or without lifting them fully from the ground |
| b. Doodle | Drawing pictures or patterns while thinking about something else |
| c. Plaque | A piece of flat metal with writing on it |
| d. Precepts | A general rule intended to regulate behavior or thought |
| e. Sneaky | Move or go in a furtive or stealthy way |
B. Consult your teacher and define the following thinking skills.
a. Convergent thinking
=> Answer: Convergent thinking is a focused approach to problem-solving in which different possibilities are gradually narrowed down until one suitable answer is obtained. The main purpose is to identify the single solution that is considered most appropriate or generally accepted.
b. Divergent thinking
=> Answer: Divergent thinking is a form of mental exploration in which a person develops numerous possible ideas instead of immediately settling on one answer. It encourages imaginative thinking, the examination of alternatives, and the discovery of unexpected relationships between different ideas.
c. Critical thinking
=> Answer: Critical thinking is the careful assessment of information, facts, and evidence before forming an opinion or judgment. It requires logical reasoning and fair evaluation so that conclusions are not based simply on emotions, assumptions, or personal prejudice.
d. Creative thinking
=> Answer: Creative thinking refers to the ability to come up with ideas that are both original and useful. It encourages individuals to approach familiar situations from new perspectives and to develop solutions that may differ from conventional methods.
📖 Comprehension
✏️ Answer the following questions.
a. Who was Jack? How did he make children laugh?
=> Answer: Jack was a friendly, outgoing, and well-known child among his peers. Since he had many friends and enjoyed entertaining others, he often made the children laugh through his jokes and humorous remarks.
b. Why are “Sharks” important to Reid?
=> Answer: Sharks have importance for Reid because they serve a useful purpose in the ocean ecosystem. They consume dead organisms and thereby help maintain the cleanliness of the marine environment.
c. What does Mr. Browne think about the most important thing?
=> Answer: Mr. Browne places great value on self-understanding. He believes that people should learn about their own personalities and examine their character honestly. Such self-awareness helps them recognize their weaknesses and strengths and work toward becoming better individuals.
d. What is that has not been noticed by the student?
=> Answer: The student had failed to observe the notice displayed on the board at the entrance of the school. The statement written there was “Know Thyself.”
e. How did Jack make fun of the English class?
=> Answer: Jack turned the teacher's question “Why are you here?” into a joke. He answered it humorously by explaining that they were there to attend an English class, making the situation amusing rather than responding seriously.
f. What were the students going to do at the end of the month?
=> Answer: The students were expected to complete an essay toward the end of the month. The essay would be written around the precept given by Mr. Browne.
g. What particular act of students surprised a girl student?
=> Answer: The girl student was surprised by the students' practice of creating individual precepts for themselves. After completing their studies, they wrote those personal principles on postcards and sent them to Mr. Browne.
🧠 Critical Thinking
a. Have you made your own precept after you read this lesson? What is it? Share it with your friends.
-> Answer: Yes, I have developed my own precepts after going through the lesson. They are:
- •“Success is temporary but failure is permanent.”
- •“Always stay positive.”
- •“Believe in karma rather than fate.”
- •“Anything that happens, happens for good.”
b. According to Josh Lanyon, “If there was one life skill everyone on the planet needed, it was the ability to think with critical objectivity.” Justify this statement with your logic.
-> Answer: Josh Lanyon's statement emphasizes that the ability to think objectively is one of the most valuable skills a person can possess. Critical objectivity enables individuals to look at a situation from a balanced perspective, examine reliable facts, and reach conclusions through reason rather than simply following emotions or personal preferences.
The progress of human society demonstrates why this ability matters. People have developed numerous skills and inventions because they have questioned existing ideas, investigated problems, and searched for logical answers. Careful observation, analysis, and rational decision-making have played an important role in turning difficulties into opportunities for improvement.
Critical objectivity is also useful in ordinary personal life. People regularly encounter information, opinions, disagreements, and challenging situations. If they judge such matters according to prejudice or uncontrolled emotion, they may make poor decisions. In contrast, examining evidence calmly allows them to understand circumstances more accurately and choose appropriate solutions.
Therefore, critical and objective thinking is important not only for solving individual problems but also for personal development and social advancement. A person who learns to question, analyze, and judge information fairly becomes better equipped to make responsible decisions and deal with life's challenges.
✍️ Writing
Write an email to your friend explaining an interesting class you had.
Ans:
From: binodkumar12@gmail.com
To: shristi2011@gmail.com
Subject: Interesting class that I had
Dear Shristi,
I hope everything is going well with you and that you are enjoying good health. I am fine here. Today, I am writing to share my memories and experience of my English classes with you.
Among the subjects I studied during my school years, English was one of the classes that I enjoyed the most. It was not only an interesting subject for me but also one in which I performed very well. I understood the lessons properly and regularly obtained the highest marks in my class. More importantly, the subject provided me with basic English knowledge as well as personal qualities and interests that remained useful during my later education.
I remember feeling particularly happy whenever I found out that we would have an English lesson the next morning. Those 45-minute periods seemed enjoyable because every class gave me something interesting to learn. My interest gradually extended beyond the classroom. Unlike my experiences with subjects such as Science, Nepali, and Mathematics, I became interested enough in English to create an English-related group on social media. This later became helpful during my university studies.
The English class also helped me understand the importance of cooperation. Working and interacting with other students strengthened my ability to function as part of a team. This quality became especially valuable when I later entered the engineering profession, where teamwork was an important part of my career.
I still remember the English teachers who taught me in primary school and high school. They were patient, supportive, and encouraging. Whenever I experienced failure repeatedly, they motivated me to keep trying instead of giving up. Their advice helped me gain confidence and develop the discipline and determination required for success.
For all these reasons, English remains a particularly memorable subject for me. It gave me knowledge, enjoyment, confidence, and useful life skills. I can therefore say that it was the class I enjoyed most during my school days.
Regards,
Binod Kumar
🔤 Grammar
📝 Rewrite the following sentences adding appropriate question tags.
a. Gill does not know Ann, does he?
b. I’m very patient, aren't I?
c. They’d never met me before, had they?
d. Listen carefully, will you?
e. Let’s have a break, shall we?
f. Let us invite them, will you?
g. Hari used to live in France as a boy, didn't he?
h. You’d better not take a hard drink, had you?
i. Sheep eat grass, don't they?
j. Mr. Pande can speak nine languages, can't he?
k. She’s finished her classes, hasn't she?
l. She barely managed to reach the goal, did she?
m. Don’t let him swim in that pond, will you?
n. There are lots of people here, aren't there?
💬 Read the following situations. What do you say in these situations? Use question tags.
a. The sky is full of cloud. You can see lightning and hear thunder.
=> Answer: It’s going to rain soon, isn't it?
b. You want to pay the taxi fare but you are short by 100 rupees.
=> Answer: Shyam, you have to lend me Rs. 100, haven't you?
c. You have met a stranger at a party and you want to have a chat with him/her.
=> Answer: We will talk later, won't we?
d. You came out of the film hall with your friend. You enjoyed the film.
=> Answer: The film was very enjoyable, wasn't it?
e. You and your friend listened to a comedian on the stage and felt spellbound by his/her performance.
=> Answer: He gave an excellent presentation, didn't he?
f. You think your friend’s father has arrived from the US but you are not sure.
=> Answer: Your father has not arrived from US, has he?
g. You think Susan will join the new job tomorrow but you are not sure.
=> Answer: Susan will go to her new job tomorrow, won't she?
h. Your friend’s hair looks too short.
=> Answer: You have got too short hair, haven't you?
i. You want to go for a picnic with your friends in class.
=> Answer: Let’s go to picnic, shall we?
j. You want permission from your father to go for a walk.
=> Answer: Let me go for an evening walk, will you?