π POWER AND POLITICS
π Working with Words
A. Find the words from the text for these meanings. The first letters have been given for you.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Reluctance | unwillingness or disinclination to do something. |
| Repressive | preventing the expression or awareness of thoughts or desires. |
| Mutilation | the infliction of serious damage on something. |
| Ghettoized | restricted to an isolated or segregated place, group, or situation. |
| Herstory | feminist history viewed from a female or specifically feminist perspective. |
| Genital | relating to the human or animal reproductive organs. |
| Hysterectomies | surgical operations to remove all or part of the uterus. |
| Paranoid | obsessively anxious, suspicious, or mistrustful. |
| Eventuation | thrusting forward of abdominal organs through the abdominal wall. |
B. Complete the chart.
| Verb | Noun | Adjective |
|---|---|---|
| commit | commitment | committed |
| nurture | nurturance | nurturable |
| legitimate | legitimization | legitimize |
| oppress | oppression | oppressive |
| defense | defensiveness | defensive |
| victimize | victimization | victimized |
C. Consult a dictionary and define these terms.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Racism | the belief that different races possess distinct characteristics, abilities, or qualities, especially so as to distinguish them as inferior or superior to one another. |
| Lesbian | relating to gay women or to homosexuality in women. |
| Radical | forming an inherent or fundamental part of the nature of someone or something. |
| Feminist | the advocacy of women's rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes. |
| Patriarchy | a system of society or government in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it. |
D. Underline the consonant clusters in the following sentences.
a. Fluffy went flip-flop all over the floor.
b. The whites sing a song about the striking stars.
c. Here are some flowers and a flask of tea of your favourite flavour.
d. Smita fell ill with flu.
e. My friend is frightened of frogs.
f. Thumbelina stumbled out of the green bush.
g. She heard a rumble and a cry.
h. βClimb upβ, said Tom.
i. Freedom needs to be strived for.
j. Children were munching crunchy French fries.
π Comprehension
a. Why does Audre Lorde think that Mary got a sort of victory in the University of Boston?
=> Answer: Lorde considers Mary's experience at the University of Boston to be a kind of victory because Mary was encouraged by the presence of many women at the speak-out. Their participation showed that women were prepared to stand together and make their voices heard. For Lorde, such collective involvement could open new spaces for women to develop their abilities and express their concerns.
b. Why is Lorde thankful to Mary?
=> Answer: Lorde expresses gratitude to Mary because she gave her the book Gyn/Ecology. Lorde found the book useful and stimulating, particularly because its ideas encouraged her to think carefully about women's experiences and related issues. She regarded the work as meaningful and empowering.
c. What impression has the writer had about the way white women looked upon black women?
=> Answer: Lorde feels that the attitude of white women toward Black women was often unsatisfactory. She believed that Black women were not always listened to properly or understood according to their own experiences. This lack of genuine attention created frustration and left Black women's perspectives inadequately recognized.
d. Why did Mary not cast black women as goddesses in her book according to Lorde?
=> Answer: According to Lorde, Mary limited her discussion to Western European women and their mythology. Because the subject of the book was restricted to that cultural and historical tradition, Black women were not represented as goddesses in it.
e. Why did Lorde think that she misused her words?
=> Answer: Lorde felt that her words had been treated in a way that distorted their intended meaning. They were separated from the context in which she had spoken them and then used against her as a woman of colour. Therefore, she believed that her actual message had not been properly understood.
f. For Lorde, how were women, especially from the black community, undervalued?
=> Answer: Lorde argues that Black women were undervalued because their lives and experiences were judged within a system centred on white and Western European patriarchal assumptions. Their histories, identities, and personal realities were given less importance. As a result, Black women's voices could be pushed aside even in discussions about women as a whole.
g. How does Mary take white women as? Does Lorde agree with Maryβs view?
=> Answer: Mary regards white women as superior to non-white women. She treats the history and mythology of white women as the legitimate and central history and mythology of women in general. The histories of non-white women are therefore reduced to secondary or decorative illustrations of female victimization.
No, Lorde does not agree with Mary's view. She objects to the assumption that white women's experiences can represent every woman. She criticizes the way Black women are marginalized and their histories, suffering, and oppression are overlooked while white women's experiences are given greater authority.
h. What is Afrekete? How does it connect to this lesson?
=> Answer: Afrekete represents the collective voice and tradition of Black lesbian writing. It is linked with the lesson because the writer emphasizes the importance of recognizing Black women's own voices, experiences, and literary perspectives. It expresses the need for their presence and identity to be acknowledged within Black women's literature.
π Critical Thinking
a. βThe oppression of women knows no ethnic or racial boundaries.β Do you agree or not? Justify with your reasons.
-> Answer: Yes, I agree with the statement because discrimination against women can be experienced in societies belonging to different racial, ethnic, and cultural groups. The circumstances are not necessarily identical everywhere, but gender-based inequality has affected women in many parts of the world.
Women have historically struggled to obtain rights and opportunities that men were more readily given. Even today, they can experience inequality in employment, payment, education, social status, and access to decision-making. Violence and other forms of discrimination also continue to affect women in different societies.
The unequal treatment of girls in education is one example. In certain communities, traditional attitudes lead families to place greater importance on boys' education. Financial hardship can further reduce the educational opportunities available to girls, especially in disadvantaged families. Cultural expectations can also discourage them from continuing their studies.
Another problem is the failure to recognize women's labour. Women perform extensive domestic duties and unpaid care work, yet this contribution is often regarded as an ordinary responsibility instead of meaningful work. Consequently, their economic role may be underestimated.
Therefore, women's oppression cannot be connected only with one ethnic or racial group. Although its form may vary according to social and cultural conditions, gender discrimination can exist across boundaries. Women should have equal dignity, rights, education, employment opportunities, and social recognition regardless of their background.
b. Why is it important to question our beliefs and values? How are they set up in a personβs mind?
-> Answer: It is necessary to question our beliefs and values because some of the ideas we accept may come from habit or influence rather than careful thought. Examining them gives us a chance to decide whether they are truthful, reasonable, and fair. This process can also help us become more open-minded and intellectually mature.
People sometimes hold tightly to familiar beliefs because those ideas have become part of their understanding of life. As a result, they may feel uncomfortable when someone challenges them. Nevertheless, critically examining a belief can reveal its strengths as well as its negative consequences.
It is also important to apply the same honesty to our own thinking that we apply to other people's opinions. When we discover that one of our beliefs is wrong, accepting the mistake gives us an opportunity to develop. Revising an incorrect idea demands both honesty and courage.
Beliefs and values are formed gradually through the influence of family, society, education, culture, traditions, personal experience, and relationships with other people. These influences begin early in life, so many ideas become deeply rooted long before a person starts questioning them independently.
Therefore, people should regularly reconsider what they believe. Such reflection helps them identify assumptions that may no longer be reasonable and encourages a more independent, balanced, and rational way of thinking.
βοΈ Writing
B. Write an article for a national daily on βThe Status of Women in Nepali Society.β
The Status of Women in Nepali Society
Nepal is characterized by considerable geographical, cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity. Nevertheless, patriarchal traditions continue to influence the lives of women in many communities. In some families and social settings, women remain strongly influenced by fathers, husbands, and sons. These conditions may be reinforced by cultural practices, social expectations, and certain legal or institutional structures. The status of women is therefore shaped by the patriarchal system as well as by cultural values, legal rights, and government policies intended to promote women's development.
The position of women differs among ethnic communities because each group may have its own customs and social practices. Their experiences are therefore not uniform throughout the country. Despite these differences, women make major contributions to the well-being of their families and communities. Much of their effort, however, is overlooked because domestic duties and traditional responsibilities are commonly treated as expected obligations rather than as valuable contributions.
Women's health remains a significant issue. In some communities, girls still marry during their teenage years. Early marriage can result in pregnancy at a young age, and this can expose young mothers to serious health risks. Such situations may contribute to maternal deaths and other health complications.
Education is another area in which women have historically faced disadvantage. Women's literacy and participation in higher and technical education have remained lower than men's. Traditional beliefs and cultural attitudes have contributed to the difference. In some rural communities, a daughter may be viewed as "paraya dhan", or someone else's property. This way of thinking can cause families to place less emphasis on educating girls.
Women's involvement in economic life is also affected by inequality. Much of their work is performed within the household, including unpaid domestic and care responsibilities. Because this labour is often not recognized as formal economic activity, the real value of women's contribution can be underestimated. Women also remain less represented in professional and formal employment. Even when they have professional education, they may face social and economic obstacles while entering certain professions or trying to progress in them.
The situation of women in Nepali society has improved in several areas, but substantial challenges remain. Genuine equality requires better opportunities in education, healthcare, employment, equal wages, legal protection, and participation in decision-making. Women's contributions should be properly recognized, and they should enjoy rights and opportunities equal to those of men. Such changes will enable women to take part fully in the development of their families, communities, and the nation.
π Grammar
B. Choose the correct alternative.
a. an old foreign car / a foreign old car
=> Answer: an old foreign car
b. a beautiful white dress / a white beautiful dress
=> Answer: a beautiful white dress
c. a nice tall young man / a tall nice young man
=> Answer: a nice tall young man
d. a big black wooden desk / a black wooden big desk
=> Answer: a big black wooden desk
e. a delicious Italian pizza / an Italian delicious pizza
=> Answer: a delicious Italian pizza
f. a huge brown bear / a brown huge bear
=> Answer: a huge brown bear
g. a purple cotton sleeping bag / a cotton purple sleeping bag
=> Answer: a purple cotton sleeping bag
h. a beautiful old Indian village / an old beautiful Indian village
=> Answer: an old beautiful Indian village
i. a cute little kitten / a little cute kitten
=> Answer: a cute little kitten
j. an expensive antique table / an antique expensive table
=> Answer: an expensive antique table
C. Put the adjectives in the following sentences in the correct order.
a. I bought (red / a / comfortable / new) scooter.
=> Answer: I bought a comfortable new red scooter.
b. She reached home and sat on (relaxing / old / her / wooden) chair.
=> Answer: She reached home and sat on her old relaxing wooden chair.
c. We ate (Chinese / delicious / some) food.
=> Answer: We ate some delicious Chinese food.
d. I need (golden / delicious / some / round) apples.
=> Answer: I need some delicious round golden apples.
e. We like to live in a (calm / unmediated / remote) place for some time.
=> Answer: We like to live in a calm unmediated remote place for some time.
f. She is wearing (silver / beautiful / a(n) / old) ring.
=> Answer: She is wearing an old beautiful silver ring.
g. I am looking for (golden / stylish / a / Japanese) watch.
=> Answer: I am looking for a stylish Japanese golden watch.
h. She dropped (old / china / attractive / a(n)) cup and smashed it.
=> Answer: She dropped an old attractive China cup and smashed it.
i. He wants to marry (young / pretty / educated / a(n) / rustic) girl.
=> Answer: He wants to marry a pretty young educated rustic girl.
j. We stayed in a (luxurious / five star / new) hotel in Dubai.
=> Answer: We stayed in a new luxurious five-star hotel in Dubai.