General English

General English

(Published in Prajavani for PDO Competitive examination on 27/6/11)

VI. Direction – Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in it. The error, if any, will be in one part of the answer. If there is no error, the answer is (5). (Ignore errors of punctuation, if any)

(a)    You may not know it (1)/ but his engine is (2)/ claimed to have [mp1]  twice (3)/ as powerful; as the previous one. (4)/ No error (5)

(b)   Nothing ever becomes real (1)/ till it is experienced. (2)/ Even a proverb is no proverb to you (3)/ till life has illustrated with[mp2]  it. (4)/ No error (5)

(c)    I missed the last train (1)/ which I usually catch (2)/ and have [mp3] to stay at the station (3)/ on my way back home yesterday. (4)/ No error (5)

(d)   The house where the dead man was found (1)/ is being guarded by police (2)/ to prevent it from being entered (3)/ and the evidence interfered[mp4]  with. (4)/ No error (5)

(e)    I remembered my childhood days (1)/ when I was used to go [mp5] (2)/ to the farm with my father (3)/ and help him in his work. (4)/ No error (5)

(f)    Suresh who is living [mp6] (1)/ in his town since 1995(2)/ is a well-known scholar of history (3)/ and distinguished musician. (4)/ No error (5)

(g)   If you had read (1)/ the literature [mp7] carefully (2)/ you would have answered (3)/ most of the questions correctly. (4)/ No error (5)

(h)   The judge asked the man (1)/ if the bag he had lost (2)/ contain [mp8] five lakhs of rupees (3)/ the man replied that it did. (4)/ No error (5)

(i)    I trust you will show (1)/ forbearance to me (2)/ a few minutes more (3)/  so that I can finish this work. (4)/ No error [mp9] (5)

(j)    We all [mp10] shortsighted (1)/ and very often see but one side of the matter. (2)/ Our views are not extended (3)/ to all that has[mp11]  a connection with it. (4)/ No error (5)

(k)   Just loss [mp12] or no restraint on (1)/ the freedom of good, (2)/ for good man desires nothing (3)/ which a just law interferes[mp13] . (4)/ No error (5)

(l)    The ground out side the village (1)/ abounding with frogs snakes [mp14] (2)/ the enemies of mankind (3)/ is soft and marshy. (4)/ No error (5)

(m)  If he had done (1)/ his homework well (2)/ he would not have (3)/ suffered this embarrassment. (4)/ No error [mp15] (5)

(n)   He was angry with me (1)/ because he thought my (2)/ remark was aimed (3)/ before [mp16] him. (4)/ No error (5)

(o)   We were happy that (1)/ the audience responded well (2)/ and gave all the speakers (3)/ a patiently [mp17] listening. (4)/ No error (5)

(p)   He received timely support (1)/ from his elder brother (2)/ who is working [mp18] abroad (3)/ for the last six years. (4)/ No error (5)

(q)   The notorious gang opened (1)/ the door quietly and (2)/ escaped in the dark with (3)/ whatever they would[mp19]  collect. (4)/ No error (5)

(r)    One of the security men (1)/ rushed forward and asked (2)/ me whether I (3)/ had anything objectionable. (4)/ No error [mp20] (5)

Key:
a. 3       b. 4       c. 3       d. 4       e. 2       f. 4        g. 5       h. 3       i. 3        j. 4        k. 4       l. 5               m. 5      n. 4       o. 4       p. 3       q. 4       r. 5

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 [mp1]There must be to be instead of to have

 [mp2]No need of preposition illustrated with it

Simply illustrated it

 [mp3]The clause of the sentence is in past tense so the next following verbs should in past perfect tense had

 [mp4]Wrong usage of verb it should be tampered not interfered

 [mp5]I was used to go is passive voice it should be in active voice as I used to go

 [mp6]There must be Suresh has been living (present perfect continuous instead of present continuous Suresh is living)

 [mp7]Instructions not literature

 [mp8]It should be in past tense contained

 [mp9]No error

 [mp10]We are all not we all

 [mp11]Use plural verb have instead of singular verb has

 [mp12]It is Just laws not Just loss

 [mp13]Interprets not interferes

 [mp14]Frogs and snakes not frogs snakes

 [mp15]No error

 [mp16]aimed at not aimed before

 [mp17]a patient listening not a patiently listening

 [mp18]who has been working not who is working

 [mp19]they could collect not they would collect

 [mp20]no error

Swami and Friends - R K Narayan

Swami and Friends [mp1] – R K Narayan

Swami and Friends, set in British-colonial India in the year 1930, begins with an introduction to Swaminathan and his four principal friends: Somu, Sankar, Mani, and the Pea. Swaminathan appreciates his friends’ dramatically different personalities, and these differences only strengthen their powerful bond.

The arrival of Rajam, who is the son of Malgudi’s new police superintendent, changes everything. Initially, Swaminathan and Mani despise Rajam, but the three boys become best friends after confronting him. Likewise, Swaminathan’s friendship with Rajam also initially infuriates Somu, Sankar, and the Pea, but Rajam convinces all six of the boys to be friends, becoming the de-facto leader of their group in the process.

When Swaminathan joins a mob protesting the recent arrest of a prominent Indian politician in Malgudi[mp2] , his life changes forever. Inflamed and intoxicated by the mob’s nationalist fervour, Swaminathan shatters the windows of his headmaster’s office with a thrown rock. Though the crowd is dispersed by Rajam’s father, there are grave consequences. Several people are injured in the violence, and Swaminathan’s participation in the violence not only forces him to switch schools, but upsets Rajam, creating a rift in their friendship. Ultimately, Swaminathan atones for his regretful actions, earning Rajam’s forgiveness. Seeking a less destructive means to channel his passions, Swaminathan decides to join Rajam in founding a new cricket team, called the M.C.C.[mp3] 

A match is scheduled between the M.C.C. and another local youth team called the Y.M.U, but new tensions mount between Rajam and Swaminathan in the build-up to the match. Swaminathan misses several practices due to the heavy homework load at his new school, and his truancy infuriates Rajam, who threatens to never speak to him again if he misses the Y.M.U. match.

Swaminathan fails to persuade his stern headmaster at the new school into allowing him an early dismissal to attend M.C.C’s practices. Forbidden from participating with M.C.C., Swaminathan loses his cool, and throws his headmaster’s cane out the window. Terrified of the consequences, Swaminathan decides to flee Malgudi for good.

Swaminathan becomes lost during his (what) from Malgudi. By the time he is rescued, he has already missed the M.C.C.’s match and ruined his friendship with Rajam. He learns from Mani that Rajam’s father has been transferred to a new city, and that the boy will be departing for good on the following morning. Swaminathan decides to say goodbye to Rajam at the train station, and plans to give him a book as a parting gift

Unfortunately, on the morning of Rajam’s departure, the train station is hectic and Swaminathan cannot reach Rajam before he boards the train. As the train prepares to depart, Mani pulls Swaminathan through the crowd, and up to the window of Rajam’s compartment. When Rajam refuses to speak to Swaminathan, Mani hands Swaminathan’s book to Rajam as the train departs. Mani attempts to console Swaminathan, reassuring him that Rajam intends to write and that he accepted his book; however, Swaminathan does not believe Mani, and the novel ends on a note of ambiguity and uncertainly, represented by Mani’s indecipherable facial expression.

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 [mp1]R K Narayan’s first novel

 [mp2]Fictitious town in Tamil Nadu somewhere between Madras and Tiruchi as it is compared to Essex in Thomas Hardy’s novels

 [mp3]Malgudi Cricket Club

The Sporting Spirit - George Orwell

The Sporting Spirit

Introduction:

George Orwell is a famous essayist and novelist.  His frank critical satire on communism in ‘Animal Farm’ and his vision of future novel ‘1984’ are very interesting. In this essay ‘The Sporting Spirit’ Orwell looks at sports from a different angle. Exchange of sports teams and athletic teams is generally expected to bridge a friendly relationship between the countries concerned. But Orwell warns that, unless the players have real sporting spirit and ‘play the game’, the result of such will be bitterness rather than friendliness.

Anglo-Soviet Relationship:

The author says he can speak very openly when many people cannot comment publicly before the arrival of the Dynamos football team from Russia.  The sports cause ill-will and the visit of Dynamo football team would not improve the relationship between Britain and Russia.  The match played between these two countries league team led to much bad feeling.  The players fought with each other or the crowd booed, or it was free-for-all from the beginning.  The controversy amongst the Russian team was they said it is not the Arsenal League team, rather it comprises of all England players. But the England claims that it was just a league team of Arsenal football club.  Overall it created a bitter relationship between the two nations.

The author often believed that sports increases good will between the nations.  He gives out an example as the 1936 Olympics under Hitler’s rule that the above opinion was wrong.  The international sporting contested lead to hatred and bitterness.

Sports are Competitive:

Sports which are practiced today are very competitive.  They do not play for fun.  They just play to win.  Prestige issue plays a vital role even in a school football or cricket matches.  At the international level sports is frankly a mimic warfare (small battle).  More than the behaviour of players the attitude of the spectators is really stunning.  Orwell gives out illustration from the Australian match being played against England in the year 1921 created controversy regarding the body line bowling.  Football is even worse, whereas Boxing is the worst of all sport.  The match played between a black and white among the mixed audience will create the most disgusting moment in boxing sport.  Women spectators are more horrible, so the army by its regulations does not permit women to watch the contest.

Audience from different countries:

Various countries react differently for different sports.  In England the obsession (fixation) with sports is very bad.  Countries like India and Burma should have a strong cordon of police to keep the crowd away from entering into the field during cricket and football matches.  Supporters break through the security force and disabled the goalkeeper of the opposite side at a crucial moment.  People wanted to see only one side on top and the other side to be humiliated and defeated badly.  Serious sports have nothing to do with fair play.  It is just the war without shooting.

Modern Sports:

Most of the games played today were played in olden days too.  But they played with different spirit.  Dr. Arnold generally known as the founder of Modern Public-School looked games as a waste of time.  Then cheaply in England and United States games were turned into money yielding factors by attracting vast crowds and the infection spread from country to country. Spirit of Nationalism aroused due to competitive sporting events.  The crowds feel with a group of people and imagined that their victory or defeat affected them and their nation.  Games were played in Rome and Byzantium as serious as they are played now, but they never mixed sports with politics or group hatreds.

Conclusion:

The author says that if one wants to worsen the world condition today is one can do it by a series of football matches watched by a mixed audience.  He does not mean that a sport is one of the main causes of international rivalry.  Orwell does not want the visit of the Dynamos to be followed by the visit of a British team to Russia and worsen the relationship more than ever by encouraging young men to kick each other of shins (below knee) among the mixed audience.