Chapter 3.6 – Think Before You Speak!
In Between the Lesson
Q1. Was Disraeli trying to give a scientific reason ?
Ans: No. Disraeli was not trying to give a scientific reason.
Q2. Was he only trying to give a message in a lighthearted but effective way?
Ans: Yes, he was only trying to give a message in a light-hearted but effective way.
Q3. You have learnt about ‘adaptation’ in your science textbook. Find the biological reasons why man’s ears and mouth have developed the way they are now?
Ans: Ears are sense organs that interpret sounds. Two ears will function better by capturing sounds from everywhere. Mouth is basically for feeding in all animals. It should be a single one. It then leads to a food pipe to carry swallowed food inside the body. With a single mouth, feeding is easier. However, ears should be two to gather all sound signals.
Q4. Draw a diagram to show the coming in and going out, of words in a human body.
Ans: Students must do this on their own.
Think about it :
Q5. Do you remember someone else speaking to you angrily, without thinking?
Ans: Yes. I remember many occasions when my sister, who is in Std X. spoke to me angrily, without thinking
Q6. What did you do on that occasion? Did you also speak angrily ?
Ans: In the beginning, I too used to talk back angrily and we used to have big fights. Then Mummy told me to be patient with her as she was in class X and had to study a lot. After that, whenever she gets angry. I keep quiet. After some time, she comes to me and hugs me and apologises for her anger.
Q7. Discuss what you can do to control your anger.
Ans: Anger is a normal emotion, like happiness and sadness. It leaves a bad influence on someone when he or she fails to control it in a difficult situation.
Anger management helps people escape certain situations or consequences. Experiments have been conducted to solve ill-temper. If people continuously practice these strategies, they can easily manage anger.
The four strategies to manage anger are:
(i) Drink water.
(ii) Count up to ten.
(iii) Make funny faces in the mirror.
(iv) Take five deep breaths.
Q8. Reflect : Have you ever passed on an empty remark or vain statement that might hurt someone else ? What can you do to avoid doing it again?
Ans: Yes, I have. I laughed and said that my younger brother was useless when he could not make it as a part of the football team. He was very upset and hurt by my thoughtless and empty remark.
To avoid doing it again, I will speak only after thinking and not reply immediately to anything.
ENGLISH WORKSHOP
1. The same word can be used as a noun in some sentences and as a verb in others. For example,
(1) Many are the empty remarks. __________ Noun.
(2) A wise man once remarked, __________ Verb.
Make two sentences of your own with each of the words given below, using the same word as a noun in one and as a verb in another.
- change
Ans:
As a Noun: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world,” said Mahatma Gandhi.
As a Verb: Please change this light bulb.
- show
Ans:
As a Noun: The show we saw this morning was excellent.
As a Verb: Rita, show me the way to your house.
- throw
Ans:
As a Noun: That was an excellent throw on the part of the fielder.
As a Verb: “Throw the ball to the bowler. Ramu,” said the captain.
- return
Ans:
As a Noun: The returns on this investment are excellent.
As a Verb: The actress returned home disappointed.
- benefit
Ans:
As a Noun: Please take the benefit of our yoga classes.
As a Verb: You will benefit from this treatment.
2. Complete the following.
- Our ears are like funnels because ________
Ans: there is no door with which you can close them.
- The two rows of teeth are like a fence because ________
Ans: if you have to speak even one single word, that word must pass through the teeth.
- The two lips are like a fence because ________
Ans: if you have to speak even one single word, that word must pass through the lips.
- Harsh words are like scattered bits of paper carried away by the wind because ________
Ans: once you have spoken the words aloud. It is very difficult to take them back.
3. Write a brief summary of the story of the young man and his spiritual teacher, making the young man the narrator.
You may begin as given below.
‘I went quickly to my spiritual teacher for advice because I had __________
(Now continue)
Ans: I went quickly to my spiritual teacher for advice because I had spoken very harshly to my friend and hurt him. I wanted to make amends. My spiritual teacher told me to write down on a sheet of paper all the harsh things I had said. After I did it, he told me to tear the paper into small bits and throw the bits out of the window. I obeyed, and the wind carried the bits far and wide. Then my teacher told me to go out and collect as many bits of paper as I could. I was shocked, but I did what he asked. However, I could not find a single bit of the paper that I had torn earlier. My teacher then said that this was what happened with the spoken word: once the words were spoken aloud, it was very difficult to take them back. Therefore, one had to think before speaking. It was a good lesson for me for the future.
4. Language study :
Adverbial : An adverbial is something that is used as an adverb. An adverbial is often one word, an adverb, as in the following example –
1.You have run fast
2. We played on the playground.
3. I will go home when the bell rings.
In sentence 1, ‘fast’ can also be a phrase or a clause. In sentence 2, the phrase ‘on the playground’ is used as an adverb. In sentence 3, the clause ‘when the bell rings’ is used as an adverb.