Modals - Modal auxiliary verbs

Modals: (Modal auxiliary verbs)

Modal auxiliary verbs are:

Shall, will, can, may, ought, should, would, could, might, need, dare

Modal verbs have no ‘—s’ in the third person singular

I am catching the 10.30 train. What time shall I be in Hyderabad? / What time will I be in Hyderabad?

We can use ‘will’ and ‘shall’ to express the idea of future happenings

We can use ‘Shall’ when we make offers, or suggestions, and when we ask for orders or advice.

We can use

‘can’ to express ability of so something.

‘may’ to express the idea of probability.

‘should’ and ‘must’ to express the idea conditional or compulsory.

1.           What shall we do?

2.           Shall I carry your bag?

3.           Shall we go out for lunch?

4.           She may know his address.

5.           Can you swim?

6.           You should not do that?

7.           We may go climbing in the Himalayas nest summer.

8.           She may be here tomorrow.

9.           May I put on TV?

10.        You may be right.

11.        She will be here tomorrow.

12.        I may come tomorrow if I have time.

Fill in blanks with suitable modals:

1.           He is over fifty but -------- still read without glasses. (can / will)

2.           Take taxi. You ---------- miss he train. (ought / might)

3.           She --------- not find her purse. (could / shall)

4.           I had no key so I --------- open the door. (may not / cannot)

5.           If you -------- forgive me, I promise never to do it again. (might / will)

6.           --------- I look after your luggage. (shall / would)

7.           Soldiers ---------obey orders without question. (must / can)

8.           India is ready to ------- any foreign attack. (ought / dare)

9.           She -------- sing well. (can / shall)

10.        I wish you ---------- go away. (would / may)

11.        My mother is --------- getting up early in the morning. (used to /dare to)

12.        This ---------- be your book. Your name is written on it. (must / can)

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Tintern Abbey - William Wordsworth's "Nature Philosophy"

Tintern Abbey - William Wordsworth’s  “Nature Philosophy”.

When William Wordsworth has first visited the Wye In 1793, the sights and sounds of Nature intoxicated him. Nature was then a passion with him and the spontaneous joy of senses thrilled him. On his second visit to the place, he finds that the earlier delight is lost to him. The beautiful sights of nature no more throw him into that rapture, that ecstasy which he had known five years back. This change in his attitude towards Nature is to be traced in the sad events of the French Revolution, which left Wordsworth a thoroughly disillusioned and sad man. Wordsworth in his early life was an ardent supporter of liberty and republican principles. When French revolutionaries tried to overthrow the crushing yoke of monarchy, Wordsworth greeted the new movement with great enthusiasm and fervour. To Him the Revolution symbolized the regeneration of the suffering humanity. He identified himself completely with the cause of the Revolution as is evident from these lines.

Europe at that time was thrilled with joy,

France standing on the top of golden hours,

And human nature seeming born again.

But bitter disillusionment was in store for him. The Revolution, which had started as a cry for liberty, equality, and fraternity, for recognition of the innate dignity of man, was soon turned into an instrument for annihilating these very ideals. From a fight for liberty it was turned into a war of conquest. This pained Wordsworth greatly and all his hopes were dashed to the ground. He lost his faith in humanity, Nature and even in God. Recoiling from this disappointment, he tried vanity to seek shelter in the dry intellectualism of Godwin, but it was not the balm he so badly needed to comfort his hurt soul. For a long time Wordsworth’s vision was obscured by this spiritual crisis which had brought inner darkness and despair in its train. However, he gradually recovered his confidence in Nature and human nature, thanks largely to the healing influence of Dorothy. He confesses his debt to her.

She gave me eyes; she gave me ears;

And humble tears, and delicate fears;

A heart, the fountain of sweet tears,

And love, and thought, and joy.

Therefore, when Wordsworth visits Tintern Abbey a second time he is not the same buoyant person who had come there five years ago. Now he is a sad person, one who has submitted himself to the chastening influence of suffering.

Thus Wordsworth is deprived of his early raptures, yet he is compensated by Nature in others ways. The impact of suffering on his mind has quickened his sensibilities and sharpened his insight into the life of things. He now discovers a spiritual life in Nature in contemplation of which he seeks his consolation. He realises that truth which was to sustain him in his after life. It is the firm belief of Wordsworth that there is a preconceived harmony between Nature and the mind of Man. This mystical philosophy is the cornerstone of Wordsworth’s poetry.

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Conjunctions

Conjunctions

Definition:

v A conjunction is a word, which merely joins together sentences, and sometimes words.

v Conjunctions join together sentences and often make them more compact.

Example – 1:

·      Balu is a good singer.

·      Vithal is a good singer.

Join these sentences together with a conjunction ‘and’

·      Balu is a good singer and Vithal is a good singer.

Further we can compact this sentence with the help of the conjunction

·      Balu and Vithal are good singers.

Conjunction ‘and’ joins words only

·      Two and two make four.

·      Hari and Rama are brothers.

·      Hari and Rama came home together.

Example – 2:

·      The man is poor.

·      He is honest.

The above two sentences can be joined together with a conjunction ‘but’

·      The man is poor, but he is honest.

We can compact the above sentence further.

·      The Man is poor, but honest.

v Sometimes Relative Pronouns, Relative Adverbs and Prepositions are also connecting words.

·      This is the house that Jack built. (Relative Pronoun)

·      This is the place where he was murdered. (Relative Adverb)

·      We came after they had left. (Preposition)

v Some conjunctions are used in pairs

1	either ----or	Either take it or leave it.
2	neither----nor	It is neither useful nor ornamental.
3	both ---- and	We both love and honour him.
4	though---yet	Though he is suffering much pain, yet he does not complain.
5	whether----or	I do not care whether you go or stay.
6	not only---- but also	Not only he is foolish but also obstinate.

v Certain words are used both as prepositions and conjunctions

Prepositions	Conjunctions
Stay till Monday.	We shall stay here till you return.
I have not met him since Monday.	We shall go since you desire it
He died for his country.	I must stay here, for such is my duty.
The dog ran after the cat.	We came after they had left.
Everybody but Ganpat was present.	He tried, but did not succeed.
He stood before the painting.	Look before you leap

v Join each pair of the following sentences by means of a suitable conjunction. Make such changes as are necessary: ⎯

·      My brother is well, but my sister is ill.

           

2. He sells mangoes.               He sells oranges.

·      He sells mangoes and oranges.

3. He did not succeed.            He worked hard.

·      He did not succeed though he worked hard.

4. Rama played well.              Hari played well.

·      Rama and Hari played well.

5. I honour him.                      He is a brave man.

·      I honour him as/because he is a brave man.

6. You may go.                       I will stay.

·      You may go, but I will stay.

7. Rama reads for pleasure     Hari reads for profit.

·      Rama reads for pleasure, but Hari reads for profit.

8. We decided to set out.        It was late.

·      We decided to set out though it was late.

9. He was poor.                       He was honest.

·      He was poor but honest. (or) Though he was poor, he was honest.

10. He is not a knave.             He is not a fool.

·      He is neither a knave nor a fool.

  Fill in the blanks with suitable conjunctions:

1.     Be just --------- fear not.                                (and)

2.     I ran fast. -------- I missed the train.             (but)

3.     He fled, ----------- he was afraid.                   (for)

4.     Make haste, ------------ you will be late.       (or /else/otherwise)

5.     --------- you try, you will not succeed.          (unless)

6.     I am sure ---------- he said so.                       (that)

7.     Wait --------- I return.                                    (till)

8.     Do not go ----------- I come.                           (till)

9.     He finished first ------------ he began late.    (though/although)

10. Take care --------- you fall.                            (lest)

11. Take a lamp, ----------- the night is dark.     (as/because)

12. ------------- he was ambitious I slew him.     (as/because)

13. Open rebuke is better ----------- secret love. (than)           

14. ------------ you eat too much you will be ill. (if)

15. I shall not go ---------- I am invited.              (unless)

16. He has succeeded better ------------ he hoped. (than)

17. I do it ----------- I choose to.                          (as)    

18. ---------------- duty calls us we must obey.   (as/ because)

19. Live well ------- you may die well.                (that)

20. Think nought a trifle, ----------- it small appear. (though/although)

21. The purse has been lost ----------- stolen.    (or)

22. Rustum is slow ------------- sure.                   (but)

23. He remained at home -------------- he was ill. (as/because)

24. --------- he was industrious, I encouraged him. (as)

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Death of a Salesman - Arthur Miller

Death of a Salesman – Arthur Miller (Summary)

Willy Loman is a salesman living in New York City in the late 1940’s. He lives with his wife, Linda, in the same house for the last twenty-five years. The house once set apart from other houses, now it is surrounded by apartment buildings, which makes Willy feel closed in.

Willy is having trouble in concentrating on driving and often makes mistakes such as crossing the white line, driving off the road, and running red lights, while stopping for green lights. He has begun to talk to himself more and more, which causes concern for Linda. He, at the beginning of the play, has come home from a business trip because he has had trouble with his driving. He is also concerned, because his sons are not progressing in the business world the way he had hoped they would. His first son Happy does have a job and lives in his own apartment, but his second son, Biff, rambles from job to job, as a farmhand, never making much money.

Willy has been demoted from a salaried employee to a commission employee at his job. This means he makes less money to support himself and his wife. This combined with the constant driving and lacklustre sales, causes Willy so much stress, that he begins to hallucinate. He thinks he is living in an earlier time in his life. He speaks to people who aren’t there, and he disturbs his friend, Charley, who come over to play cards with Willy. During the game Willy thinks his dead brother, Ben, is in the room with them. He is talking to Ben and Charley at the same time, which causes Charley and Willy to have a disagreement about the card game, Charley leaves, but Willy is still talking to Ben asking him how he made his fortune. Ben had gone to Africa and worked in the diamond mines; this is how he became rich. Willy also needs Ben to tell him he is proud of Willy and his sons. During this hallucination the boys are teenagers and Biff is the sports star at his school. Willy sees a very bright future for his son, but in reality, this does not come to pass. Willy is not as proud of Happy, who does all he can to garner some attention from his father. He is constantly telling his dad about the weight he has lost, but Willy instead of praising his son, tells him more ways in which to lose weight.

Biff and Happy are surprised at the turn their father has taken. Happy knew his father would often talk to himself but did not know he was so loud about it and how often it occurred. Biff, meanwhile, had no idea his father was behaving in this manner. Now their mother tells them the car accidents Willy has been having, are in fact attempts at suicide. The boys agree to try to stay closer to home and start a business together. Biff decides to ask his former boss for a loan to help start the new business.

At the beginning of act two. Willy and Linda are full of hope for their family’s future. Willy is going to talk to his boss, Howard, and try to change his job from that of traveling salesman to floor salesman in the store. They are also hopeful about Biff’s and Happy’s future business venture. If Biff can receive the loan from his former employer, then it will mean a bright future for the boys. Biff at age 34, needs to settle down and make a career for himself, he sees that and so does his parents.

Willy tries to talk to Howard about the job change, but Howard tells him he just doesn’t have a position open for him in the store. He needs Willy to keep selling to the clients in the New England area. Willy becomes angry with Howard and starts to yell at him. Howard after trying to calm Willy down, eventually has to fire him.

Biff is left waiting in his former boss, Bill Oliver’s office for six hours and he only sees Bill, as he is leaving for the day. It is clear either doesn’t remember Biff or doesn’t want to speak to him. Biff, after all did steal some basketballs from Bill’s business. Biff in a pique of anger enters Bill’s office and steals his pen. As he is making his escape from Bill’s office, he realizes he and Bill never did have a real relationship and he has made a mess of his life.

Biff and Happy have made plans to meet their father in a restaurant to celebrate the anticipated good news from the day. Instead, it is all bad news and Willy is not willing to accept the truth from Biff. The two boys meet some girls and leave Willy alone in the restaurant, which causes Willy to have another hallucination about a woman he had used to cheat on Linda.

At home, Linda is furious with the boys for leaving their father behind at the restaurant. She tells them it would be better if they left and never returned, because they cause so much stress for their father. Willy and Biff finally tell each other how they feel, which makes Willy understand that his son loves him. Willy decides the insurance money, or twenty-five thousand dollars would benefit his family. He talks to Ben and decides to kill himself. Afterward, Linda has a hard time dealing with Willy’s death. She cannot bring herself to cry, because she keeps on waiting for him to return from another business trip. She is sad, because finally the house is paid for and now, she does not have a husband to share it with.

This play shows how false perceptions of ourselves and others can bring about the ruin of a person. If a life is based on a lie, then eventually the truth can be too much to endure.

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Madam and Her Madam - Langston Huges

Madam and Her Madam

Langston Hughes - 1902-1967

I worked for a woman,
She wasn't mean—
But she had a twelve-room
House to clean.

Had to get breakfast,
Dinner, and supper, too—
Then take care of her children
When I got through.

Wash, iron, and scrub,
Walk the dog around—[mp1] It was too much,
Nearly broke me down.[mp2] 

I said, Madam,
Can it be
You trying to make a
Pack-horse [mp3] out of me?

She opened her mouth.
She cried, Oh, no!
You know, Alberta,
I love you so!

I said, Madam,
That may be true—
But I'll be dogged
If I love you!

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 [mp1]Taking her Mistress’s dog for outing  for daily exercise

 [mp2]Broke down with tiredness  

 [mp3]Packhorse used to carry loads: the ore had to be transported back packhorse.

A pack horse refers to a horse, mule, donkey or pony used to carry goods on its back, usually packhorses are used to cross difficult terrain, where the absence of roads prevents the use of wheeled vehicles, use of pack horses dates from the Neolithic period to the present day.