A COURSE IN CONVERSATIONAL SKILLS

GENERAL ENGLISH
Second Year: B.A. / B.Com. / B.B.A.
SEMESTER-III

Lesson Writers

Dr. Inturi Kesava Rao, Dr. Ashok Vardhan Garikimukku,

TRR Government College, DVR & Dr. HS MIC College of
Kandukur, Prakasam district. Technology, Kanchikacherla,
NTR district

D.Annapurna,
Lecturer in English,
Triveni Degree College,
NTR District.

Lesson Writer & Editor

Prof. M. Suresh Kumar,

M.A, M.Ed, M.Phil, P.G.D.T.S, Ph.D,
Professor of English
Acharya Nagarjuna University.

Director
Dr. Nagaraju Battu
MBA, MHRM, LLM, M.Sc. (Psy.), MA (Soc.), M.Ed., M.Phil. , Ph.D.
Centre for Distance Education
Achaarya Nagarjuna University
Nagarjuna Nagar 522 510

Ph: 0863-2346222, 2346208

0863- 2346259 (Study Material)
Website www.anucde.info
E-mail: anucdedirector@gmail.com
2nd Year B.A. / B.Com. / B.B.A. Semester - III

A COURSE IN CONVERSATIONAL SKILLS

First Edition : 2023

No. of Copies :

© Acharya Nagarjuna University

This book is exclusively prepared for the use of students of Three-Year , UG

Programme, Centre for Distance Education, Acharya Nagarjuna University and this book
is meant for limited circulation only.

Published by :
Dr. NAGARAJU BATTU,
Director
Centre for Distance Education,
Acharya Nagarjuna University

Printed at :
 FOREWORD

Since its establishment in 1976, Acharya Nagarjuna University has been forging
ahead in the path of progress and dynamism, offering a variety of courses and
research contributions. I am extremely happy that by gaining ‘A’ grade from the
NAAC in the year 2016, Acharya Nagarjuna University is offering educational
opportunities at the UG, PG levels apart from research degrees to students from
over 443 affiliated colleges spread over the two districts of Guntur and Prakasam.
The University has also started the Centre for Distance Education in 2003-04
with the aim of taking higher education to the door step of all the sectors of the
society. The centre will be a great help to those who cannot join in colleges, those
who cannot afford the exorbitant fees as regular students, and even to housewives
desirous of pursuing higher studies. Acharya Nagarjuna University has started
offering B.A., and B.Com courses at the Degree level and M.A., M.Com., M.Sc.,
M.B.A., and L.L.M., courses at the PG level from the academic year 2003-2004
onwards.
To facilitate easier understanding by students studying through the distance
mode, these self-instruction materials have been prepared by eminent and experienced
teachers. The lessons have been drafted with great care and expertise in the stipulated
time by these teachers. Constructive ideas and scholarly suggestions are welcome
from students and teachers involved respectively. Such ideas will be incorporated for
the greater efficacy of this distance mode of education. For clarification of doubts and
feedback, weekly classes and contact classes will be arranged at the UG and PG levels
respectively.
It is my aim that students getting higher education through the Centre for
Distance Education should improve their qualification, have better employment
opportunities and in turn be part of country’s progress. It is my fond desire that in the
years to come, the Centre for Distance Education will go from strength to strength in
the form of new courses and by catering to larger number of people. My
congratulations to all the Directors, Academic Coordinators, Editors and Lesson-
writers of the Centre who have helped in these endeavours.

Prof. P. Raja Sekhar

Vice-Chancellor
Acharya Nagarjuna University.
 A COURSE IN CONVERSATIONAL SKILLS
Syllabus

Learning Outcomes :
By the end of the course the learner will be able to :
 Speak fluently in English
 Participate confidently in any social interaction
 Face any professional discourse
 Demonstrate critical thinking
 Enhance conversational skills by observing the professional interviews.

UNIT – I :
Speech : 1. Tryst with Destiny Jawaharlal Nehru
Skills : 2. Greetings
: 3. Introductions
UNIT – II :
Speech : 1. Yes, We Can Barack Obama
Interview: 2. A Leader Should Know How to Manage Failure
Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam/ India Knowledge at Whatron
Skills : 3. Request
UNIT – III :
Interview: 1. Nelson Mandela’s Interview with Larry King
Skills : 2. Asking and Giving Information
: 3. Agreeing and Disagreeing
UNIT – IV :
Interview: 1. JRD Tata’s Interview with T.N.Ninan
Skills : 2. Dialogue Building
: 3. Giving Instructions/Directions
UNIT – V :
Speech : 1. You’ve Got to Find What You Love Steve Jobs
Skills : 2. Debates
: 3. Descriptions
: 4. Role Play
*****
 MODEL QUESTION PAPER (301ENG21)
B.A. / B. Com. / B.B.A. DEGREE EXAMINATION.
Second Year : Third Semester
Part – I :English.

Paper – III : GENERAL ENGLISH

(A Course in Conversational Skills)
Time: Three hours Max. Marks: 70

1. Answer any THREE out of the Five following : (3 x 5 = 15)

(a) What are the distinguishing features of a Progressive nation, According to Nehru ?
(b) What is the pledge that Jawaharlal Nehru wants to take every citizen of India ?
(c) What message does Steve Jobs give to the youth through his stories ?
(d) What is the message conveyed to the Americans by Obama’s speech “Yes We Can"?
(e) Why does the Speaker praise death as life’s change event ?

2. Answer any THREE of the following : (3 x 5 = 15)

(a) How does Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam plan for an energy independent India ?
(b) Bring out the major changes in Indian Business noticed by JRD Tata.
(c) Why did Nelson Mandela say that Jail / Prison was not waste and he used the time ?
(d) What are the six traits of Leadership by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam ?
(e) What were the factors that increase corruption ?

3. Construct a dialogue of greeting where you have met a friend after a long time. (3)

4. Imagine that you are compeering the college day function. Introduce the chief guest to
the gathering. (2)

5. You have some difficulty in Learning English Grammar. Make a request to your English
Teacher asking to take tuitions (use polite forms convenience of time and place). (5)

6. Seek information from the office, about the course, fee structure, payment method, extra
– curricular activities, sports, scholarship etc. That offered in the college. (5)

7. Agree with your friend : (5)

Jerry : Our Exams are coming soon.
 Evy : ______________________
Jerry : Can we start combine studying.
Evy : ______________________
Jerry : We can share topics and helpful in revision.
Evy : ______________________
Jerry : We believe that we can finish our revision.
Evy : ______________________
Jerry : Hard work pays off dear, It’s the key to success.
Evy : ______________________

8. Write a conversation / dialogue between you and your friend about a summer classes to
be done in Hyderabad. (4)

9. With the help of the diagram given below direct your friend to reach Post Office from
Chinese Restaurant. (4)

10. List any five debate points to support the topic given :
“Addiction to Smart Gadgets” (4)

11 With the help of hints given below describe a birthday party. (4)
Birthday – Fun & enjoyment – Gifts – Preparations Decorations – food – cake – dances.

12. Write a Role-play between you and your sibling who frequently complains everything to
parents. (4)
__________________
 CONTENTS
PAGE NO.
Sl. No. TITLE OF THE LESSON
From To
1 TRYST WITH DESTINY – JAWAHARLAL NEHRU 1.1 – 1.7

2 YES, WE CAN- BARACK OBAMA 2.1 – 2.7

GREETINGS 3.1 – 3.6

3

4 INTRODUCTIONS 4.1 – 4.7

A LEADER SHOULD KNOW HOW TO MANAGE

5 FAILURES – INTERVIEW WITH Dr.A.P.J.ABDUL 5.1 – 5.9

KALAM

6 REQUESTS 6.1 – 6.5

7 SPEECH TRACKS AND USE OF QUESTION TAG 7.1 – 7.11

SPEECH PATTERNS ( COMPÈRE , ANCHORING) 8.1 – 8.13

8

9 NELSON MANDELA’S INTERVIEW WITH LARRY KING 9.1 – 9.19

10 DIALOGUE WRITING 10.1 – 10.9

11 AGREEING AND DISAGREEING 11.1 – 11.10

12 J.R.D.TATA’S INTERVIEW 12.1 – 12.8

13 DEBATES 13.1 – 13.7

14 VOCABULARY - ONE WORD SUBSTITUTES 14.1 – 14.13

YOU HAVE GOT TO FIND WHAT YOU LOVE – STEEVE 15.1 – 15.8
15
JOBS

16 DESCRIPTIONS 16.1 – 16.7

17 ROLE PLAY 17.1 – 17.5

 LESSON – 1

A TRYST WITH DESTINY

– Jawaharlal Nehru
LEARNING OUTCOMES :
After going through this lesson, students will be able to

 Speak fluently in English

 Learn the tale of India in a poetic form.
 Use of metaphors in your speech.
 Recognize it as one of the greatest speeches of the 20th century.
 Know of the two new nation- states immediately.
 End poverty and ignorance in India.
 Inspire the Indians.

STRUCTURE OF THE LESSON :

1.1 About the Author
1.2 Introduction of the lesson
1.3 Short Summary of the lesson
1.5 A Tryst with Destiny: Summary
1.6 Text of the lesson
1.7 Glossary
1.8 Self Study Questions

1.1 ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

Born in Allahabad, India, in 1889, Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister and
a statesman of an independent India. He was also a freedom fighter, a social reformer, a
lawyer by trade, and the author of many books. Because he went to Harrow, Cambridge, and
London for school, he has a western sense of style. They became some of the best-known
works of Indian English literature because he wrote them while he was in prison. A book he
wrote called “Letters from a Father to His Daughter” shows how much he cares about his
daughter. It includes important events in the history of India and his own personal
experiences as a freedom fighter. He died on May 27, 1964.

1.2 INTRODUCTION OF THE LESSON :

Jawaharlal Nehru came forward with the “Tryst with Destiny” speech, to the Indian
Constituent Assembly in The Parliament. Furthermore, this speech took place on the eve of
India’s Independence, at the hour of midnight on 14 August 1947. Moreover, Jawaharlal Nehru
Centre for Distance Education 1.2 Acharya Nagarjuna University

was certainly the first Prime Minister of independent India. This great speech focuses on the
aspects that transcend the history of India. Furthermore, A Tryst With Destiny happens to be one
of the greatest speeches of the 20th century. Moreover, this speech shows the essence of Indian
triumph over British colonial rule. Whenever you listen to this speech, it fills you up with
nationalistic pride and passion.

1.3 SHORT SUMMARY OF THE LESSON :

On August 15, 1947, India became its own country. Nehru spoke to the people of
India as the first prime minister of India on All India Radio. He gave a speech that is called “
A Tryst with Destiny.” First, he talked about Indians making a long time ago. They said that
they would fight for their country’s freedom, so they would be free. They should put their
lives into service for India and for the whole world, he told them. People who fought for
freedom for a long time made a lot of hard work to get where they are now. Based on what he
said, he thought that people in India would get their courage from people in the past.
The success celebrated on August 15 was the start of many more great things to come. This is
a big deal, and he wants everyone in India to do their best for the future of the country. He
told the people of India that being free and powerful comes with a lot of work. Take charge
of your own decisions and move forward. India needs to become a mature and wise country
that other countries can look up to and learn from. He thought that all Indians should work
hard to help their country grow. People all over India are poor and need help, so if you help
India, you help a lot of people all over. He thought that the past was over and that the future
had to be taken care of. He told the people to work hard and work for the dream to come true.
He said that no country can stay alive on its own. Peace, freedom, and prosperity are the main
things that everyone wants. As the world can’t be split into small, isolated parts, he told the
people that a disaster in one part of the world can affect everyone else.
General English 1.3 A Tryst With Destiny

1.4 A TRYST WITH DESTINY : SUMMARY

Nehru reminds the people of India that we made a Tryst with Destiny long ago. The
people of India should take a vow strongly. When the world sleeps, India will awake to life
and freedom. We step out from the old to the new. We take the pledge of dedication to the
service of India and cause of humanity. India discovers herself again. We accept the
challenge of the future. Freedom and power bring responsibility. The past is over and the
future is ahead. The future is fulfilled with incessant striving. The service of India means the
end of poverty, ignorance, disease and inequality of opportunity.
The ambition of the great man is to wipe tears of the people. So, we have to work hard
and give reality to our dreams for India. So, there is no place for distinctive criticism and
blaming others. We have to build the noble mansion of free India. We shared write new
history. India is a new star in the East with new hope. We have to architect free India. We
have to imprint indelible impressions on the minds of the great sons of India. We have to
serve honestly until our last breath.
We bring freedom and opportunity to the common man. We end poverty, ignorance
and disease by dint of hard work. We build up a prosperous, democratic and progressive
nation. We ensure justice and fullness of life to every man and woman.
We are citizens of a great country. We have to live up to that high standard. We are equally
the children of India with equal right, privileges and obligations. We send greetings and
pledge ourselves to the people of the world. We pay our reverence and homage to
motherland.
Nehru uses words “we” and “our” very often. He means that we are all one as a
whole. He personifies India as a motherland in his concluding lines. As children, we have to
serve the motherland as children. He gives us a vivid picture of the past glory of India. He
proposes to have great future for India.
Jawaharlal Nehru was the first prime minister and a statesman of an independent India.
He was also a freedom fighter, a social reformer, a lawyer by trade, and the author of many
books.
Jawaharlal Nehru came forward with the “A Tryst with Destiny” speech, to the Indian
Constituent Assembly in The Parliament. Furthermore, this speech took place on the eve of
India’s Independence, at the hour of midnight on 14 August 1947. Moreover, Jawaharlal Nehru
was certainly the first Prime Minister of independent India. This great speech focuses on the
aspects that transcend the history of India. A Tryst with Destiny happens to be one of the
greatest speeches of the 20th century. Moreover, this speech shows the essence of Indian
triumph over British colonial rule. Whenever you listen to this speech, it fills you up with
nationalistic pride and passion. We have to build the noble mansion of free India. We should
write a new history. India is a new star in the East with new hope. We have to architect free
India. We have to imprint indelible impressions on the minds of the great sons of India. We
have to serve honestly until our last breath. We bring freedom and opportunity to the
common man. We end poverty, ignorance and disease by dint of hard work. We build up a
prosperous, democratic and progressive nation. We ensure justice and fullness of life to every
Centre for Distance Education 1.4 Acharya Nagarjuna University

man and woman. We, the people of India, bring freedom and opportunity to the common
man. We end poverty, ignorance and disease by dint of hard work. We build up a prosperous,
democratic and progressive nation. We ensure justice and fullness of life to every man and
woman. We are citizens of a great country. We have to live up to that high standard. We are
equally the children of India with equal right, privileges and obligations. We send greetings
and pledge ourselves to the people of the world. We pay our reverence and homage to
motherland.
In his speech, “The great man” refers to Mahatma Gandhi. He is the greatest man of
our generation. The ambition of the great man i.e. Gandhi, is to wipe tears of the people. So,
we have to work hard and give reality to our dreams for India. So, there is no place for
distinctive criticism and blaming others. We have to build the noble mansion of free India.
We shared write new history. India is a new star in the East with new hope. We have to
architect free India. We have to imprint indelible impressions on the minds of the great sons
of India. We have to serve honestly until our last breath. He was also a freedom fighter, a
social reformer, a lawyer by trade, and the author of many books. We are citizens of a great
country. We have to live up to that high standard. We are equally the children of India with
equal right, privileges and obligations. We send greetings and pledge ourselves to the people
of the world. We pay our reverence and homage to motherland. Jawaharlal Nehru was the
first prime minister and a statesman of an independent India. He was also a freedom fighter, a
social reformer, a lawyer by trade, and the author of many books. The people of India should
take a vow strongly. When the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. We step
out from the old to the new. We take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and
cause of humanity. India discovers herself again. We accept the challenge of the future.
Freedom and power bring responsibility. The past is over and the future is ahead. The future
is fulfilled with incessant striving. The service of India means the end of poverty, ignorance,
disease and inequality of opportunity.

1.5 TEXT OF THE LESSON :

Fill in the blanks choosing the right option from those provided, to see what you know
about a formal speech.

1. A formal speech is ………(planned/unplanned)

2. A formal speech has a ……..(theme/story)
3. A formal speech may address ………..(all ages/ selected groups, both)
4. The language used in formal speeches is ……….(dignified/slang/jovial)

A Tryst with Destiny

-Jawaharlal Nehru

A Tryst with Destiny Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's Inaugural Address 14
August 1947.
General English 1.5 A Tryst With Destiny

Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall
redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially.

At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and
freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old
to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance.
It is fitting that at this solemn moment, we take the pledge of dedication to the service of
India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity.
At the dawn of history, India started on her unending quest, and trackless centuries are
filled with her striving and grandeur of her success and failures. Through good and ill fortune
alike, she has never lost sight of that quest, forgotten the ideals which gave her strength. We
end today a period of misfortunes and India discovers herself again.
The achievement we celebrate today is but a step, an opening of opportunity to the
greater triumphs and achievements that await us. Are we brave enough and wise enough to
grasp this opportunity and accept the challenge of the future?
Freedom and power bring responsibility. The responsibility rests upon this Assembly,
a sovereign body representing the sovereign people of India. Before the birth of freedom, we
have endured all the pains of labour and our hearts are heavy with the memory of this sorrow.
Some of those pains continue even now. Nevertheless, the past is over and it is the future that
beckons us now.
That future is not one of ease or resting but of incessant striving so that we may fulfill
the pledges we have so often taken and the one we shall take today. The service of India
means, the service of the millions who suffer. It means the ending of poverty and ignorance
and poverty and disease and inequality of opportunity.
The ambition of the greatest men of our generation has been to wipe every tear from
every eye. That may be beyond us, but as long as there are tears and suffering, so long our
work will not be over.
And so we have to labour and to work and work hard, to give reality to our dreams.
Those dreams are for India, but they are also for the world, for all the nations and peoples are
too closely knit together today for any one of them to imagine that it can live apart.
Peace has said to be indivisible, so is freedom, so is prosperity now, and also is disaster in
this one world that can no longer be split into isolated fragments.
To the people of India, whose representatives we are, we make an appeal to join us
with faith and confidence in this great adventure. This is no time for petty and destructive
criticism, no time for ill will or blaming others. We have to build the noble mansion of free
India where all her children may dwell.
The appointed day has come -the day appointed by destiny- and India stands forth
again, after long slumber and struggle, awake, vital, free and independent. The past clings on
to us still in some measure and we have to do much before we redeem the pledges we have so
often taken. Yet the turning-point is past, and history begins anew for us, the history which
Centre for Distance Education 1.6 Acharya Nagarjuna University

we shall live and act and others will write about. It is a fateful moment for us in India, for all
Asia and for the world. A new star rises, the star of freedom in the East, a new hope comes
into being, a vision long cherished materializes. May the star never set and that hope never be
betrayed! We rejoice in that freedom, even though clouds surround us, and many of our
people are sorrow stricken and difficult problems encompass us. But freedom brings
responsibilities and burdens and we have to face them in the spirit of a free and disciplined
people.
On this day our first thoughts go to the architect of this freedom, the Father of our
Nation, who, embodying the old spirit of India held aloft the torch of freedom and lighted up
the darkness that surrounded us.
We have often been unworthy followers of his and have strayed from his message, but
not only we but succeeding generations will remember this message and bear the imprint in
their hearts of this great son of India, magnificent in his faith and strength and courage and
humility. We shall never allow that torch of freedom to be blown out, however high the wind
or stormy the tempest.
Our next thoughts must be of the unknown volunteers and soldiers of freedom who,
without praise or reward, have served India even unto death.
We think also of our brothers and sisters who have been cut off from us by political
boundaries and who unhappily cannot share at present in the freedom that has come. They are
of us and will remain of us whatever may happen, and we shall be sharers in their good [or]
ill fortune alike.
The future beckons to us. Whither do we go and what shall be our endeavour? To
bring freedom and opportunity to the common man, to the peasants and workers of India; to
fight and end poverty and ignorance and disease; to build up a prosperous, democratic and
progressive nation, and to create social, economic and political institutions which will ensure
justice and fullness of life to every man and woman.
We have hard work ahead. There is no resting for any one of us till we redeem our
pledge in full, till we make all the people of India what destiny intended them to be.We are
citizens of a great country on the verge of bold advance, and we have to live up to that high
standard. All of us, to whatever religion we may belong, are equally the children of India
with equal rights, privileges and obligations. We cannot encourage communalism or narrow-
mindedness, for no nation can be great whose people are narrow in thought or in action.
To the nations and peoples of the world we send greetings and pledge ourselves to
cooperate with them in furthering peace, freedom and democracy.
And to India, our much-loved motherland, the ancient, the eternal and the ever-new, we pay
our reverent homage and we bind ourselves afresh to her service.
Jai Hind

1.6 GLOSSARY :
Tryst : An appointment to meet, to make an appointment with
 Beckon : Make a gesture, call
Destiny : Future
Isolated : Lonely cutoff
Redeem : Use
Fragments : Pieces
Substantially : significantly, largely
Mansion : House, building
Solemn : Serious
Dwell : Stay, settle
Sovereign : Independent

1.7 SELF STUDY QUESTIONS :

1. What, according to Nehru, is the significance of the occasion?
2. What, according to Nehru, is the future of India?
3. Freedom brings responsibility as per the speech, who has to shoulder the
responsibility?
4. What was the ambition of the “the great man” of the speaker’s generation? Try to
find out the name of this great man?
5. What does the speaker mean by the expression “service of India”?
6. How hard does one have to work to realize the vision of India? Pick lines from the
speech which explain the speaker’s view.

1.8 SUGGESTED READINGS :

1. Gopal, S. amd Uma Iyengar, eds The Essential Writings of Jawaharlal
Nehru (Oxford University Press, 2003)
2. Autobiography: Toward freedom, Oxford University Press
3. Letters for a Nation: From Jawaharlal Nehru to His Chief Ministers 1947–
1963 (Penguin UK, 2015).
4. Letters from a father to his daughter by Jawaharlal Nehru, Children's Book Trust
5. Independence and After: A collection of the more important speeches of
Jawaharlal Nehru from September 1946 to May 1949 (1949). Delhi: The
Publications Division, Government of India.
6. A Tryst With Destiny historic speech made by Jawaharlal Nehru on 14 August
1947

Dr. Inturi Kesava Rao

 LESSON – 2

YES, WE CAN
-Barack Obama
LEARNING OUTCOMES :
After going through this lesson, students will be able to

 Inspire and motivate the citizens towards progress and prosperity.

 Address the subjects of racial tensions, white privileges and inequality in the
United States.
 Transmit hope and the faith to believe in America as a great country as a great
future.
 Hope for a better world to be possible as long as one works hard.
 Create an optimistic atmosphere.
 Show his vision of a new United America.

STRUCTURE OF THE LESSON:

2.1 About the Author
2.2 Introduction of the lesson
2.3 Text of the lesson
2.4 Key words
2.5 Self Assessment Questions
2.6 Suggested Readings

2.1 ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

Barak Hussain Obama is the 44th President of the United States from2009to 2017. He
was awarded the Nobel peace prize in 2009. His story is the American story. He strongly
believes in values, strong family systems and hard work. Life is blessed to serve others. The
famous “yes ,we can” speech was delivered by Barak Obama, the first African- American
president of the USA on 8th Jan 2008 in New Hampshire prior to being elected on 4th Nov
2008. Yes, We Can is the campaign slogan of Obama. It brings change among the people. It
resolves the issues of America with the hope.

The speech is said to be historic in inspirational features. It hopes for unification

among the people. He mentions justice, equality, opportunity and prosperity which are the
dreams of the American. The speech created history for Obama.

2.2 INTRODUCTION OF THE LESSON :

Obama gave his maiden victory speech on 8th Jan, 2008. It is an answer to the
Centre for Distance Education 2.2 Acharya Nagarjuna University

questions for unity among the people of the USA. The speech is really historic, inspiring and
motivating when the USA is in dire need. He mentions justice, equality, opportunity and
prosperity which are American Dreams.
Our campaign was built by the little savings of the commons. The millions of
Americans proved that it was the government of the people, by the people and for the people
after two centuries. This is people’s victory.
Obama promises that the government can solve every problem of the America. This
victory changes the society. They celebrate that night. They knew the challenges ahead. Two
wars hit the worst financial crisis in a century. The brave Americans wake up in the deserts of
crag and mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for them. So, new jobs are to be created,
new schools to be built, and threats to meet. The road ahead will be long. We resolve work
harder. We should learn from financial crisis. The victory teaches humility and determines to
heal the divisions. A new dawn of American leadership is at hand.
The American strength lies in democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.
With these ideas we achieve tomorrow. These elections left so many memories for
generations. Obama told about Anna Nixon Cooper, a 106 year old woman. She stood in line
and cast her ballot in Atlanta. She saw a generations past slavery. She is the witness of the
progress. It is her victory because she was a woman and because of the colour of her skin.
She saw throughout her century in America. She saw a nation’s conquer fear itself with a
New Deal, New Jobs, a new sense of common purpose. She knows the best of times and
darkest of the hours took place in America. Obama emphatically said that our children should
see the next century as long as Ann Nixon Cooper. He told the Americans to restore
prosperity promote peace, and reclaim the American dream. He concludes his speech with the
prayer.
Barak Hussain Obama is the 44th President of the United States from2009to 2017. He
was awarded the Nobel peace prize in 2009. His story is the American story. The famous
“yes ,we can” speech was delivered by Barak Obama, the first African- American president
of the USA on 8th Jan 2008 in New Hampshire prior to being elected on 4th Nov 2008. “Yes,
We Can” is the campaign slogan of Obama. It brings change among the people. It resolves
the issues of America with the hope. The speech is said to be historic in inspirational features.
It hopes for unification among the people. He mentions justice, equality, opportunity and
prosperity which are the dreams of the Americans. The speech created history for Obama.
Obama gave his maiden victory speech on 8th Jan, 2008. It is an answer to the questions for
unity among the people of the USA. The speech is really historic, inspiring and motivating
when the USA is in dire need. He mentions justice, equality, opportunity and prosperity
which are American Dreams. Our campaign was built by the little savings of the commons.
The millions of Americans proved that it was the government of the people, by the people
and for the people after two centuries. This is people’s victory. Obama often quotes the
popular slogan in his speech. He uses the words repeatedly in his entire speech. It is a
campaign slogan of Obama to motivate and unite the Americans. He tries to bring change
among the people. He hopes for unification among the people. Throughout his election
campaign, he mentions justice, equality, opportunity and prosperity. He is ready to resolve
General English 2.3 Yes, We Can

the issues of America with the hope and will power. The brave Americans wake up in the
deserts of crag and mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for them. So, new jobs are to
be created, new schools to be built, and threats to meet. The road ahead will be long. We
resolve work harder. We should learn from financial crisis. The victory teaches humility and
determines to heal the divisions. A new dawn of American leadership is at hand. “Yes, We
Can” is the campaign slogan of Obama. The American strength lies in democracy, liberty,
opportunity and unyielding hope. With these ideas we achieve tomorrow. These elections
left so many memories for generations. Obama told about Anna Nixon Cooper, a 106 year
old woman. She stood in line and cast her ballot in Atlanta. She saw a generations past
slavery. She is the witness of the progress. It is her victory because she was a coloured
woman and has gone unnumbered troubles because of the colour of her skin. She saw
throughout her century many reforms in America. She saw a nation’s conquer fear itself with
a New Deal, New Jobs, a new sense of common purpose. She knows the best of times and
darkest of the hours took place in America. Obama emphatically said that our children should
see the next century as long as Ann Nixon Cooper. He told the Americans to restore
prosperity, promote peace, and reclaim the American dream. He is able to overcome the
challenges. He accomplishes the dreams of America. He concludes his speech with the
prayer. He prayed that God might bless the United States of America.

Warm up :

Fill up the blanks using your general awareness.

1. The title “Yes, We Can” is a ………..affirmation. (Positive/negative)

2. It is a call for ………….work. (collective/isolated)
3. A positive attitude makes us …….. Challenges. (face/food)
4. We must have proper planning to reach our …… (Goals/food)
5. Nothing is impossible for a person having ……….confidence. (Courage/timidity)
6. Face the troubles and it----------------(Paves/ paid)Success.

2.3 TEXT OF THE LESSON :

Yes,WeCan
- Barack Obama
“Hello, Chicago.
If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things
are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still
questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers
this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the
first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices
could be that difference.

It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican,
Centre for Distance Education 2.4 Acharya Nagarjuna University

black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled.
Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of
individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.
We are, and always will be, the United States of America.
It’s the answer that led those who’ve been told for so long by so many to be cynical and
fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and
bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.
It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election
at this defining moment change has come to America.
We didn’t start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in
the halls of Washington. It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of
Concord and the front porches of Charleston. It was built by working men and women who
dug into what little savings they had togive$5 and $10 and $20 to the cause.
It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation’s apathy
who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.
It drew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat
to knock on doors of perfect strangers, and from the millions of Americans who volunteered
and organized and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people, by
the people, and for the people has not perished from the Earth. This is your victory. And I
know you didn’t do this just to win an election. And I know you didn’t do it for me.You did it
because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate
tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our life time —
two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.
Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts
of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.
There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after the children fall asleep and wonder
how they’ll make the mortgage or pay their doctors’ bills or save enough for their child’s
college education.
There’s new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to
meet, alliances to repair.
The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or
even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we
will get there.
I promise you, we as a people will get there.
There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won’t agree with every decision
or policy I make as president. And we know the government can’t solve every problem.
General English 2.5 Yes, We Can

But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you,
especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking
this nation, the only way it’s been done in America for 221 years — block by block, brick by
brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.
What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night.
This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change.
And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It can’t happen without you,
without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.
So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to
pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.
Let us remember that, if this financial crisis taught us anything, it’s that we cannot have a
thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers.
In this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let’s resist the temptation to fall
back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that have poisoned our politics for
so long.
Let’s remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the
Republican Party to the White House, a party founded on the values of self-reliance and
individual liberty and national unity.
Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party has won a great victory
tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have
held back our progress.
As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends.
Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. And to those
Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear
your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.
And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces, to
those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are
singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.
To those — to those who would tear the world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek
peace and security: We support you. And to all those who have wondered if America’s
beacon still burns as bright: Tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation
comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power
of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.
That’s the true genius of America: that America can change. Our union can be perfected.
What we’ve already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.
This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that’s
on my mind tonight’s about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She’s a lot like the
millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one
thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.
Centre for Distance Education 2.6 Acharya Nagarjuna University

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or
planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn’t vote for two reasons — because she was a
woman and because of the color of her skin.
And tonight, I think about all that she’s seen throughout her century in America—the heart
ache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can’t, and the
people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.
At a time when women’s voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see
them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.
When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation
conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.
When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness
a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.
She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and
a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that “We Shall Overcome.”Yes we can.
A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by
our own science and imagination.
And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because
after 106years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows show
America can change.

Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So
tonight, let us ask ourselves — if our children should live to see the next century; if my
daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see?
What progress will we have made?
This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.
This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to
restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and
reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we
hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can’t, we
will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.
Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.

2.4 KEY WORDS :

Endorsements : Seal of approval, agreement
Apathy : Lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern
Scorching : Fierce, blistering
Partisan ship : Strong and sometimes blind adherence to a particular party, faction,
cause.
General English 2.7 Yes, We Can

Hatch : Conspire to devise (a plot or plan)

Cynical : Distrustful of human sincerity or integrity.
Summon : Order to be present
Thrive : Prosper : Flourish

2.5 SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS :

1. What is the occasion for the speech “Yes, We Can”?
2. How do we know that Obama has the common’s support?
3. Why does Obama often quote the slogan “Yes, We can” in his speech?
4. What are the challenges ahead?
5. What does Ann Nixon Cooper represent?
6. What are the dreams America has?

2.6 SUGGESTED READINGS :

1. Obama, Barack (2004). Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance.
New York: Broadway.
2. Obama, Barack (2008). The Audacity of Hope. New York: Vintage.
3. Obama, Barack (November 17, 2020). A Promised Land. New
York: Crown. Editions of his speeches[edit]
4. Dionne Jr, E. J., and Joy-Ann Reid, eds. We are the change we seek: The speeches
of Barack Obama (Bloomsbury Publishing USA, 2017).
5. Easton, Jaclyn, ed. (2008). Inspire a Nation: Barack Obama's Most Electrifying
Speeches of the 2008 Election. Publishing .
6. Emerson, Ralph Waldo; Obama, Barack; Lincoln, Abraham (2009). The Inaugural
Address, 2009: Together with Abraham Lincoln's First and Second Inaugural
Addresses and the Gettysburg Address and Ralph Waldo Emerson's Self-Reliance.
New York: Penguin Books.
7. Olive, David I. (2008). An American Story: The Speeches of Barack Obama: A
Primer. Toronto: ECW Press.
8. Rogak, Lisa (2009). Barack Obama in His Own Words. Running Press, Miniature
Editions.
9. Ruth, Greg (2009). Our Enduring Spirit: President Barack Obama's First Words to
America. London: Collins.
10. Sharpley-Whiting, T. Denean (2009). The Speech: Race and Barack Obama's "A
More Perfect Union". Bloomsbury USA.

Dr. Inturi Kesava Rao

 LESSON - 3

GREETINGS
LEARNING OUTCOMES :
The objective of the lesson is to help the learner
 understand how to greet people in different contexts
 pick up formal and informal expressions to greet people
 learn different expressions to say goodbye to people
STRUCTURE OF THE LESSON :
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Activities
3.3 Some Expressions
3.4 Sample Dialogues
3.5 Practice Exercise
3.6 General Tips
3.7 Conclusion
3.8 Suggested Readings

3.1 INTRODUCTION :
First and foremost, greetings are a way of connecting, even briefly, with others.
Greeting someone you know is a vital part of courtesy and goodwill.

How do we greet our colleagues when we meet them?

at home?
at a party?
at a get-together?
in a formal meeting?

Greetings are an essential aspect of how we communicate with other people. We all use a
variety of informal and formal greetings in our day to day lives. When you greet someone,
you acknowledge their presence. Most people do this automatically But failing to offer a
greeting to someone you know is not acceptable in a civilized society. This can easily cause
feelings of hurt and misunderstandings as little can be considered more offensive than
ignoring someone.

Informal greetings can be verbal, gestured, or both. The most common classic greetings are
‘hello’ and ‘hi’. Some situations call for a more formal greeting.
Centre for Distance Education 3.2 Acharya Nagarjuna University

3.2 ACTIVITIES :
Activity 1
Read out these common greetings and identify whether they are formal, semi-formal or
informal.

1) Hi!
2) How do you do?
3) How are you doing?
4) What’s up?
5) Hello!
6) How are you?
7) Good Morning / Afternoon / Evening.
8) Good to see you.
9) How’s it going?
10) How are things?

Activity 2

Now, match the following expressions :

Hi Very well, thank you.And you?

How do you do? Hello / hi
How are you doing? Good to see you too.
What’s up? How do you do?
Hello Nothing much.
How are you? Good Morning / afternoon / evening
Good Morning / afternoon / evening Alright.How about you?
Good to see you Hi / hello

Activity 3

Identify the context of the dialogue

KISHORE ASHOK
Hi, Ashok. How are you? Fine. Thanks, Kishore.
Hope I have not kept you waiting. Not at all! What shall we order?
Anything is fine with me.

Identify the context of the dialogue

Urmila Anupama
How do you do, Ms. Anupama? How do you do, Ms Urmila?
Did you have a comfortable flight? Not too bad, thank you.
General English 3.3 Greetings

Note: When you meet someone the first time in a formal situation, it is common to greet the
person with "How do you do?"

The correct response to this is also "How do you do."

However, the stress pattern is different in both cases.
A: How do you do?
B: How do you do?

Note : Never ask anyone ‘What is your good name’.

Instead you may say ‘May I know your name please?’
(or)
‘I don’t think we’ve met. I’m ------. May I know your name please?’

3.3 SOME EXPRESSIONS :

Greetings when you meet someone: Formal
Some Expressions Some Possible Responses
Good morning (till 12 noon) Good morning (till 12 noon)

Good afternoon (from 12 noon till 4 pm) Good afternoon (from 12 noon till 4 pm)

Good evening (after 4 pm) Good evening (after 4 pm)

Hello/hi ------, how are you? Hi -----, I am good. How about you?

How are you? I am doing great. And you?

How do you do? How do you do?

How are things with you? Good. What about you?

How is the world treating you? Good. And you?

How is life? Excellent. Hope you are having a great

time.

Greetings when you meet someone: Informal

Hi
Hello
How are you doing?
What’s up?
What’s the matter?
What brings you here?
Centre for Distance Education 3.4 Acharya Nagarjuna University

Greetings before leaving: Formal

It was nice talking to you.

Nice talking to you.
Nice meeting you.
It was a pleasure seeing you.
It was a pleasure chatting with you.
Pleasure talking with you.
Pleased to meet you.
(Have a) Good day, sir.

Greetings before leaving: Informal

Bye
Good bye for now.
See you later.
Let’s catch up later.
Cheerio.

3.4 SAMPLE DIALOGUES :

Read this dialogue between Krishna and Ravi.

Ravi : Hello, Krishna! What’s up?

Krishna : Hey, Ravi! Am good. How about you?
Ravi : I am good too. What brings you here?
Krishna : I came to meet a friend. Catch you later.
Ravi : Bye.

Read this dialogue between an employee and her boss.

Employee : Good morning, sir. How are you?

Boss : Good morning, Latha. I am good. How are you?
Latha(Employee) : I am good, sir. I would like to know when we can expect the yearly
hikes, sir.
Boss: May be by next month end. I have got to go. See you later, Latha.
Latha(Employee) : Good day, sir.

Read this dialogue between a teacher and his student, who met after many years.

Student : Excuse me, sir. Good morning, sir.

Teacher : Good morning. I am sorry I didn’t recognize you.
General English 3.5 Greetings

Student : I can understand that, sir. It‘s been 10 years since we met. I am your student
Ravi of 2012 batch.
Teacher : Is it? Pleased to meet you, Ravi.
Student : The pleasure is all mine, sir.
Teacher : Where are you placed now?
Student : I am with Google, sir.
Teacher : Feels good to know that, Ravi. I am happy for you.
Student : It’s all your blessings, sir. Thank you for encouraging me.
Teacher : You are welcome, Ravi. My number is ---------------. Let’s keep in touch.
Student : Sure, sir. Thank you, sir. Take care.
Teacher : Thank you. Bye.

3.5 PRACTICE EXERCISE :

1) You run into a childhood friend of yours at the D Mart. You greet him,
exchange pleasantries and take leave. Write a dialogue.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
2) At a Conference of Managers held at the Taj Banjara Hotel, Hyderabad, you
have met your previous employer. You greet him, engage in a brief
conversation with him and take leave.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
3) You are waiting at Vijayawada International Airport. Sitting beside you is a
person whose face looks very familiar to you. Greet the person and engage in a
brief conversation with him.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
4) You are seated next to a woman at a hospital. Suddenly, you realize that she is
someone you have met before. Greet the person and pick up a conversation.
Write down the dialogue.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
5) You are Ramesh, a Sales Executive of LLOYD Electronics. Two woman have
come to the store you are working in. Greet them and engage in a conversation
with them in such a way that you close the sales deal. Write down a dialogue.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
6) Kavya who wants to become a director gets an opportunity to narrate a film
script to a popular hero. She meets him, greets him and narrates a story to
him. Write down a dialogue.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
Centre for Distance Education 3.6 Acharya Nagarjuna University

7) It is the first day of your college. You went to report to the HOD. You greet
him, tell him why you are there and find out about the formalities you have to
follow before going to the class room. Write down a dialogue.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
8) You went to Hyderabad for the first time in your life. You are not sure of
which road to take to go to Abids. You find a traffic police officer. Go to him,
greet him and engage in a conversation. Write a dialogue.
Write the answer in TEN LINES

3.6 GENERAL TIPS :

 When greeting someone you know or a stranger, always maintain a pleasant
expression and an open body language.
 S…M…I…L…E (and the world will smile with you).
 You need to maintain eye contact.
 If you are greeting an adult, smile politely and say hello.
 Use the name of the person when greeting someone you know. Say ‘Hello, Ashok’,
instead of a simple ‘Hello!’

3.7 CONCLUSION :
Even in your worst mood, when someone greets you and says, “Hello” or when
someone greets you with a genuine smile, you will feel delighted and acknowledge the
greeting and respond in an appropriate manner. Such greeting can be so powerful that it can
even turn your frown into a smile and drastically put you in a good mood.

3.8 SUGGESTED READINGS :

1. https://www.universalclass.com/articles/business/the-etiquette-involved-in-
greetings-and-introduction-to-know-as-an-etiquette-consultant.htm

2. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/say-hello-greet-everyone-greeting-key-
communication-vibes-sudhakar/

Dr. Ashok Vardhan Garikimukku

 LESSON – 4

INTRODUCTIONS
LEARNING OUTCOMES :
The objective of the lesson is to help the learner
 introduce himself / herself to someone else
 introduce someone to someone else
 speak about oneself in formal situations
 speak about oneself in interviews
 introduce a guest in formal situations

STRUCTURE OF THE LESSON :

4.1 Introduction
4.2 Activity
4.3 Some Expressions
4.4 Sample Dialogues
4.5 Practice Exercise
4.6 General Self-introduction
4.7 Self – Introduction for Interviews
4.8 Introducing a Chief Guest/Speaker
4.9 General Tips
4.10 Conclusion
4.11 Suggested Readings

4.1 INTRODUCTION :
We use greetings and introductions in our first-time interaction with people. While
greeting someone is a regular activity, introducing oneself to others or introducing one person
to the other person etc., are activities we need to engage in during first time interaction.
Learning how to introduce ourselves and how to show interest by asking personal
information questions is also a goal to reach since most conversations tend to go beyond a
simple greeting and introduction.
4.2 ACTIVITIES :
Activity 1

When you are in a new group, it is easy to start a conversation by doing an activity given
below :

The facilitator of this activity can have a ball in hand and say, “Hi, everyone! I am -------”
Centre for Distance Education 4.2 Acharya Nagarjuna University

and then he can throw the ball to another member of the group saying, “May I know your
name, please!”

The second person will catch the ball and holding it in his hand, will say, “Hello, everyone! I
am ------“. He can then throw the ball to any other person( not necessarily in clock-wise or
anti-clockwise direction) and say, “May I know your name, please!”

This activity can run for 10 to 15 minutes and this will help the members of the group to get
to know one another through this simple yet effective activity.

Activity 2

Identify the formal and informal expressions.

I am ---------
My name is ---------
This is ------------
------------
Hello! My name is -------------
Let me introduce myself. I’m ------------
I don’t think we have met before. I’m ----------

Activity 3

Do this activity!

Write down 10 statements about yourself—five true and five false. These statements can be
funny and creative. Share the list with your group, pretending all are true. Then, tell your
group that half the list is false. Have the other members of the group write down which ones
they think are true and which are false.

Once the other group members have determined what’s true about you, reverse the game and
have them write two true statements about themselves and one lie on an index card. Collect
the cards and try to determine what’s true or false about the other members of the group.
Soon, you will all learn something about each other.

4.3 SOME EXPRESSIONS :

Introducing Yourself
I am ---------(name). Formal
My name is ---------(name). Formal
This is ---------(name). Informal
---------(name). Informal
Hello! My name is ---------(name). Both
Let me introduce myself. I’m ---------(name). Formal
General English 4.3 Introductions

I don’t think we have met before. I’m ---------(name). Formal

Note:

Replies to an introduction could be

 Hello, Kiran! How do you do?
 Hi, Bharat, pleased/nice/glad to meet you.
 Hi. I am Bhavani.

Introducing Others
I don’t think you have met ---------(name) . Formal
May I introduce you to ---------(name). Formal
I don’t think you know ---------(name). Informal
---------(name), do you know ---------(name). Informal
---------(name), I would like you to meet ---------(name) . Formal
Mr. ---------(name), I would like you to meet ---------(name). Formal
Prof. ---------(name), let me introduce Dr. ---------(name) to you. Formal
---------(name, this is my friend ---------(name) . Informal

4.4 SAMPLE DIALOGUES :

Read this dialogue between Krishna and Ravi.

Ravi : Hello. I am Ravi. May I know your name, please?

Krishna : Hi, Ravi! I am Krishna. Glad to meet you.
Ravi : The pleasure is mine too.

Read this dialogue between two neighbors in an apartment.

Resident 1: Hi! I’m Ahmed. I live in Flat no. 205.

Resident 2: Hello, Ahmed. I am Kiran. I’m in Flat no. 106.
Resident 1: Nice to meet you!
Resident 2 Nice to meet you too!

Read this dialogue between two employees in the same organization, who are meeting
for the first time.

Employee 1 : Good morning. I don’t think we have met. My name is Raj. I work in the
purchase department.
Employee 2 : Glad to meet you, Mr. Raj. I am Chetan. I am in the Sales department.
Employee 1 : Pleased to meet you.
Centre for Distance Education 4.4 Acharya Nagarjuna University

Read this dialogue where a person introduces a friend of his to another friend of his.

Prasad : Hi, Rama Rao! Please meet my high school classmate Krishna. Krishna, this is
Rama Rao, my colleague at TCS.
Rama Rao : Hello, Krishna! Nice meeting you!
Krishna : Pleased to meet you, Rama Rao.

Read this dialogue where a person introduces a friend of his to another friend of his.

Prasad : Hello, Vasanthi! I don’t think you have met Chandu, my colleague in the Sales
Wing. Chandu, She is Vasanthi, my friend. She heads the HR section at
Capgemini.
Vasanthi : Hi, Chandu! Pleased to meet you!
Chandu : The pleasure is mine, Vasanthi.

4.5 PRACTICE EXERCISE :

1) You run into a stranger at the college canteen. You go to him, greet him and
introduce yourself to him.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
2) You are Ramya. You happened to meet your role model on a flight. Introduce
yourself to him/her and pick up a small conversation.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
3) You are Pranathi. Your father came to visit you in your office. While you were at
the cafeteria, you happened to see your boss. Introduce your father to your boss
and vice versa and engage in small talk. Write a dialogue.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
4) You joined the university as a student recently. You had some doubts regarding
the fee payment. You go to the HOD and introduce yourself to him and clarify
your doubts.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
5) You are Amit. You are in TCS office, Hyderabad. You are waiting for your turn
to attend the interview. You find that one aspirant is feeling nervous. Greet him,
introduce yourself and ensure that you give him a pep talk so that he feels more
confident and self-assured.
Write the answer in TEN LINES

4.6 GENERAL SELF-INTRODUCTION :

Sometimes you may have to formally introduce yourself at length. You may do so in the
model given below :
Your name : I am ------(name)
General English 4.5 Introductions

My name is ------(name)
This is -------(name)
Myself is ------(name) (Faulty expression)
Where are you from?
Family background (optional)
Your educational qualifications
Achievements, if any
Hobbies
Personal Traits
Strengths
Goal in life: long-term/short-term goals

4.7 SELF – INTRODUCTION FOR INTERVIEWS :

Sometimes you may have to formally introduce yourself during the recruitment process. In
this context, you will have to speak in such a way that the recruiter should understand how
you can contribute to the organization once you are selected. You may do so in the model
given below :

Your name : I am ------(name)

My name is ------(name)
This is -------(name)
Myself is ------(name) (Faulty expression)
Where are you from?
Your educational qualifications: from your most recent to the older ones
Skill sets
Certificate courses done, if any
Projects/Internships done, if any
Workshops/Trainings attended, if any
Achievements, if any
Strengths
Hobbies
Goals in life: long-term/short-term goals

4.8 INTRODUCING A CHIEF GUEST / SPEAKER :

Sometimes, a person may be called upon to introduce a Chief Guest/ Speaker to the
gathering. When you are asked to introduce a guest, you can keep these tips in mind:

 Keep it brief : Your introduction should be clear, concise, and focused.

Centre for Distance Education 4.6 Acharya Nagarjuna University

 Do your research : You may collect a biodata of the guest but your goal should be
to learn what is most interesting about this person.
 Make it personal : Let the introduction have a personal touch.
 Practice your introduction : It’s good to rehearse your introduction.
 Pronounce the guest’s name correctly : Make sure you have the correct
pronunciation of the speaker’s name. Nobody will like his/her name to be
mispronounced.
 Establish the speaker’s authority and experience : It’s important for you to
establish the speaker’s credibility.
 Show your excitement for the guest : How you say something is more important
than what you say. How you introduce a guest/ speaker can set the tone not only for
the speech but for your entire event.

Model

Introducing Prof. -------------------, Chief Guest of Annual Day

Pinnacle of success in the chosen field is reached when a person makes efforts in the right
direction either by following the path already trodden by others or by charting a path for
others to follow. The world calls them as trailblazers or trendsetters.

We are delighted that we have such a trailblazer amidst us in whose footsteps students can
chart their own future. Let me give a brief biodata of this illustrious personality before I
invite him on to the dais.

He did his Ph.D., in English from HCU.

He had an illustrious career worthy of high adulation and emulation.
He authored two books.
He presented 105 papers at various national and international venues and published them.
He guided 46 doctoral students and one post-doctoral student.
He served as the Registrar of HCU and now he is the Vice-Chancellor of the prestigious
IGNOU.

Ladies and gentlemen, what sets this eminent guest of today apart from others of his
generation is he is an avid reader, an eloquent orator and a columnist in the Hindu. On a
personal note, I wish to state that I am a regular reader of his articles circulated.

“Great minds have great purposes. Others have wishes. Little minds are tamed and subdued
by misfortune but great minds rise above them.”

Ladies and gentlemen,

General English 4.7 Introductions

In a gathering of great minds present here at ----- today, we are delighted to have Professor ---
----------- who is considered as
The highly pioneering and reformative educationist
The architect of IGNOU
The Missionary on the move, as the Chief Guest of the Annual Day.

Let us put our hands together once again to welcome Prof. ------ , the VC of IGNOU and our
Chief Guest on to the dais.

He will be extended floral welcome.

You are welcome, sir.

4.9 GENERAL TIPS :

9 Golden Rules for Effective Introductions and Greeting
 Maintain a positive body language.
 Stand Up. When you're greeting new people, do so face-to-face.
 Look them in the eye. Making eye contact indicates engagement and focus.
 Have a smile (and the world will smile back).
 Take initiative with a handshake. However, Indian women may not prefer
handshake. Don’t shake your hands unless they extend their hand to shake.
 Say who you are.
 Observe the hierarchy/gender.
 Get the names right.
 Use appropriate leave taking expressions.

4.10 CONCLUSION :
Even in your worst mood, when someone greets you and says, “Hello” or when
someone greets you with a genuine smile, you will feel delighted and acknowledge the
greeting and respond in an appropriate manner. Such greeting can be so powerful that it can
even turn your frown into a smile and drastically put you in a good mood. A good greeting
and a pleasant introduction will keep the machine of life oiled and running smoothly.

4.11 SUGGESTED READINGS :

1. https://www.mindtools.com/blog/7-rules-meeting-greeting/
2. https://www.continentalpress.com/blog/introduce-yourself-to-your-new-class/
3. https://www.johnmillen.com/blog/how-to-introduce-a-guest-speaker

Dr. Ashok Vardhan Garikimukku

 LESSON - 5
‘A LEADER SHOULD KNOW HOW TO MANAGE FAILURE’

- an Interview with Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam

at India Knowledge at Wharton
LEARNING OUTCOMES :
The objective of this lesson is to help the learner
 appreciate a literary text
 learn new vocabulary and use it contextually
 comprehend a literary text.
STRUCTURE OF THE LESSON :
5.1 The Background
5.2 Pre – reading
5.3 Reading
5.4 Key words
5.5 Exercises
5.6 Comprehension Questions
5.7 Suggested Readings

5.1 THE BACKGROUND :

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, (born October 15,
1931, Rameswaram, India—died July 27, 2015, Shillong) was India’s best known scientists. He
is fondly remembered as the ‘Missile man of India’. He worked for the Indian Space Research
Organization (ISRO) where he helped launch India’s first satellites into orbit. Later, Kalam
worked on developing missiles and other strategic weapons. He was widely regarded as a
national hero for leading India’s nuclear weapons tests in 1998. In 2002, Kalam was named the
country’s President, and he held that position until 2007.

5.2 PRE – READING :

Before reading the interview, please answer the following questions :

Do you have an aim in life? If you have it, what is your aim?
Do you believe that you can plan to achieve your aims?
What, do you think, are the factors that help a person seek after his/her goals and aims
and achieve them?
Do you know the meaning of ‘vision’?
What, in your opinion, are the traits of a good leader?
Centre for Distance Education 5.2 Acharya Nagarjuna University

During the Wharton India Economic Forum in Philadelphia, Kalam spoke with the
publication ‘India Knowledge at Wharton’ about his career as a scientist, his vision for India’s
future, and the most important traits for leaders, among other issues. An edited transcript of the
interview is given hereunder as a material for our study.

5.3 READING :
India Knowledge at Wharton : Since our publication is called Knowledge at Wharton, could
you tell us something about knowledge?

Kalam : I’ve written a four-line, poem-like thing called “Creativity.” It goes like this: “Learning
gives creativity. Creativity leads to thinking. Thinking provides knowledge. Knowledge makes
you great.” I have made at least a million children repeat these lines. I am very happy that
Wharton has created Knowledge at Wharton; it’s a beautiful idea. My greetings to all of you.

India Knowledge at Wharton : Perhaps we could begin by talking about your own past. You
were born in Rameswaram in 1931. What are the biggest differences between India as it was then
and India today?

Kalam : Since then I have orbited the sun 76 times. I have seen when I was a young boy the
Second World War coming to an end, and the effect of war and injuries. I saw India attain her
freedom in August 1947; I saw the economic ascent phase of India [beginning in] 1991. I have
worked with visionaries like Prof. Vikram Sarabhai. I have seen the green revolution, the white
revolution, and the telecom revolution; I have also seen the growth of information and
communication technologies (ICT), as well as India’s successes in the space program and self-
sufficiency in strategic weaponry. These are some of the things I have witnessed. Of course, we
have a long way to go. Since we have to bring smiles to the faces of more than one billion people,
we have many challenges ahead.

India Knowledge at Wharton : After studying aeronautics at the Madras Institute of

Technology, you were one of India’s top scientists at the Defense Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) and then at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). You helped
launch several successful missiles, which led to your getting the nickname, “Missile Man.” What
challenges were involved in getting this program going and leading it successfully?

Kalam : I worked for ISRO for about 20 years. My team and I worked to put India’s first satellite
into space. Then our team took up the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program. These
were youthful teams that worked with me, and they have gone on to take up much larger projects.
These in turn have led to great value addition in areas such as technology, infrastructure and,
above all, human resources.

One of the important lessons I learned in the space and missile program was not just how to
handle success but how to deal with failure. Wharton is in the management environment. I would
like young people to understand how they should manage failure. In any project you take up, you
will face problems. These problems should not become the captain of the project chief; the
project chief should be the captain of the problems and defeat the problems.
General English 5.3 A Leader Should Know…

India Knowledge at Wharton : You were actively involved in India’s nuclear weapons tests in
1998. Could you tell us about that experience and the lessons you learned?

Kalam : The main lesson I learned was how multiple technical teams and departments of the
government of India could work together for a great mission as an industrial partnership. It was a
great experience.

India Knowledge at Wharton : You are known to be deeply spiritual. Did you ever feel
conflicted, or guilty, about developing missiles and nuclear weapons? Why, or why not?
Kalam : I realize that for my country’s development, peace is essential. Peace comes from
strength — because strength respects strength. That is how our weaponized missiles were born.
You need strength to keep the nation peaceful, so that you can focus on the necessary
developmental missions. That is how I see it.

India Knowledge at Wharton : How did you come to become India’s President in July 2002?
What leadership qualities does one need to lead a country as large, complex and chaotic as India?

Kalam : Well, I won’t call India chaotic, because order comes from disorder. That is what is
happening now.

I was elected President of India — from 2002 to 2007 — through a well-structured election
process. Any leadership — whether it is political leadership or leadership in technology —
requires that the leader have six traits. What are these traits?

First, the leader must have vision. Without vision, you cannot be a leader. Second, the leader
must be able to travel into an unexplored path. Normally the tendency is for people to travel
along well-laid out ways. Third, the leader must know how to manage success, and even more
importantly, failure.

India Knowledge at Wharton : Could you give an example, from your own experience, of how
leaders should manage failure?

Kalam : Let me tell you about my experience. In 1973 I became the project director of India’s
satellite launch vehicle program, commonly called the SLV-3. Our goal was to put India’s
“Rohini” satellite into orbit by 1980. I was given funds and human resources — but was told
clearly that by 1980 we had to launch the satellite into space. Thousands of people worked
together in scientific and technical teams towards that goal.

By 1979 — I think the month was August — we thought we were ready. As the project director, I
went to the control center for the launch. At four minutes before the satellite launch, the computer
began to go through the checklist of items that needed to be checked. One minute later, the
computer program put the launch on hold; the display showed that some control components
were not in order. My experts — I had four or five of them with me — told me not to worry; they
had done their calculations and there was enough reserve fuel. So I bypassed the computer,
switched to manual mode, and launched the rocket. In the first stage, everything worked fine. In
the second stage, a problem developed. Instead of the satellite going into orbit, the whole rocket
system plunged into the Bay of Bengal. It was a big failure.
Centre for Distance Education 5.4 Acharya Nagarjuna University

That day, the chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization, Prof. Satish Dhawan, had
called a press conference. The launch was at 7:00 am, and the press conference — where
journalists from around the world were present — was at 7:45 am at ISRO’s satellite launch
range in Sriharikota [in Andhra Pradesh in southern India]. Prof. Dhawan, the leader of the
organization, conducted the press conference himself. He took responsibility for the failure — he
said that the team had worked very hard, but that it needed more technological support. He
assured the media that in another year, the team would definitely succeed. Now, I was the project
director, and it was my failure, but instead, he took responsibility for the failure as chairman of
the organization.

The next year, in July 1980, we tried again to launch the satellite — and this time we succeeded.
The whole nation was jubilant. Again, there was a press conference. Prof. Dhawan called me
aside and told me, “You conduct the press conference today.”

I learned a very important lesson that day. When failure occurred, the leader of the organization
owned that failure. When success came, he gave it to his team. The best management lesson I
have learned did not come to me from reading a book; it came from that experience.

India Knowledge at Wharton : That is a great story; thank you for sharing it.

Kalam : Continuing further with the six traits, the fourth trait is that the leader should have the
courage to make decisions. Fifth, the leader should have nobility in management. Every action of
the leader should be transparent. And finally, the leader should work with integrity and succeed
with integrity.

All the traits apply especially to the President of a country. The President continuously must be in
touch with the people. The Rashtrapati Bhavan [i.e., the presidential residence in New Delhi,
India’s equivalent of the White House] must become the people’s residence. When I was
President I travelled to every state, cutting across hills, deserts, and seas. I was in touch with
millions upon millions of people.

India Knowledge at Wharton : In your vision for India 2020, you envisaged that differences
between the urban areas and the countryside would gradually disappear. Could you explain your
concept of “PURA” and how that brings about this transformation?

Kalam : The concept of PURA — which stands for “Providing Urban amenities in Rural Areas”
— is about giving a cluster of villages physical, electronic and knowledge connectivity. The idea
is to empower the villagers, so that economic connectivity can emerge. We planned about 7,000
PURAs for the country — including hill PURAs, coastal PURAs and plains PURAs. I believe
that connectivity is the key to bridging the rural-urban divide. The core-competence of the village
will enable the production of competitive products for national and international markets. This
will lead to rural enterprises which will create jobs in villages and lead to a vibrant economy in
India’s hinterland. That is how prosperity will emerge in the rural environment.

India Knowledge at Wharton : How can India become energy independent by 2030?

Kalam : Today fossil fuels dominate the energy sector throughout the world. The World Energy
General English 5.5 A Leader Should Know…

Forum predicts that in five to eight decades, the fossil fuels will run out because these sources of
energy are not renewable. Also, energy costs will go up. Oil is already at $110 per barrel, and if
this continues, this situation will be very tough to manage.

So I set a goal of energy independence for my country. It’s a three-dimensional approach. First,
we should invest in solar power. Today solar power is not economical because the efficiency of
solar cells is just 15% to 20%. So we should use CNT (carbon nano tubes) composites that can
increase the efficiency of solar cells to 45% or 50%. Second, we should use nuclear energy,
because India has abundant thorium based nuclear reactors. This is definitely a clean solution to
energy needs. The third focus area should be bio-fuels, including ethanol as well as bio diesel
made from jatropha [a plant that grows in wastelands] and algae. These three initiatives can free
India from dependence on fossil fuels. It will also help maintain a clean environment.

India Knowledge at Wharton : In your vision for India’s future technology plays an important
role. How will social grids — such as the knowledge grid, the health grid and e-governance grid
— help make India a developed country?

Kalam : The idea is that the knowledge grid empowers the village citizens with skill and
knowledge. The health grid brings the super-specialty healthcare that is available in the cities to
the doorsteps of rural citizens. And the e-governance grid brings transparent governance to the
citizens. All these grids lead to economic growth and social transformation.

India Knowledge at Wharton : During your years as India’s president, what was the biggest
leadership challenge that you faced and how did you overcome it?

Kalam : I returned the Office of Profit Bill to the Parliament. The reason was that I felt there
was no transparent system for determining whether a post was an office of profit. That was a
major decision. I studied the bill and returned it to the parliament for reconsideration. It created its
own dynamic, but I felt I did the right thing.

India Knowledge at Wharton : If you could rewind and replay your years as President, what
might you do differently? Is there anything you wanted to accomplish that you were unable to
do?

Kalam : Last year I came up with an idea: I felt I should power the Rashtrapati Bhavan
completely with solar power. For that I worked on a proposal after completing four years of my
Presidential term — and at the beginning of the fifth year. But then the environmental agencies
raised a lot of questions. Before I could answer them, my term ended. I would have liked the
Rashtrapati Bhavan to be the first home in India to be powered completely by solar energy.

India Knowledge at Wharton : One last question — you are a gifted poet. Could you please
recite some lines of your favorite poem?

Kalam : My favorite poem is “The Vision.” I recited it in Parliament, and I will recite it for you.

I climbed and climbed

Where is the peak, my Lord?
Centre for Distance Education 5.6 Acharya Nagarjuna University

I ploughed and ploughed,

Where is the knowledge treasure, my Lord?
I sailed and sailed,
Where is the island of peace, my Lord?
Almighty, bless my nation
With vision and sweat resulting into happiness.

5.4 KEY WORDS :

 Ascent : Climb up something
 Visionaries : A person with original ideas about what the future will or could
be like
 Mission : An important assignment given to a person or group of people
 Self-Sufficiency : The quality of being self-reliant
 Infrastructure : The basic physical and organizational structures and facilities
(e.g. buildings, roads, power supplies) needed for the operation
of a society or enterprise
 Chaotic : In a state of complete confusion and disorder
 Unexplored : Not evaluated or discussed in detail
 Components : Parts
 Trait : A distinguishing quality or characteristic
 Plunge : Embark impetuously on a speech or course of action
 Jubilant : Feeling or expressing great happiness and triumph
 Transparent : (here) Having thoughts or feelings that are easily perceived;
open.
 Transformation : A sudden dramatic change
 Core-Competence : The capabilities, knowledge, skills and resources that
constitute its "defining strength
 Hinterland : The remote areas of a country away from the coast or the
banks of major rivers
 Renewable : A natural resource or source of energy that is not depleted by
use, such as water, wind, or solar power
 Empower : Give power to
General English 5.7 A Leader Should Know…

5.5 EXERCISES :
1. Read the following sentences and find out whether the statements given are
‘True or False’, based on your reading of the interview.

1. It was Prof. Satish Dhawan who taught Kalam a great management lesson in
handling failure.
2. During his presidency, Abdul Kalam made the Rashtrapati Bhavan to be the
first home in India to be powered completely by solar energy.
3. Abdul Kalam mentions 6 traits of a good leader and the third trait is ‘the leader
must know how to manage success, and even more importantly, failure’.
4. Abdul Kalam passed the Office of Profit Bill.
5. Kalam believes that social grids —the knowledge grid, the health grid and e-
governance grid — will help make India a developed country.
6. Kalam feels that India can become energy independent by 2030.
7. Kalam likes chaos and disorder.

2. Read the passage given below.

Today fossil fuels dominate the energy sector throughout the world. The World
Energy Forum predicts that in five to eight decades, the fossil fuels will run out because
these sources of energy are not renewable. Also, energy costs will go up. Oil is already at
$110 per barrel, and if this continues, this situation will be very tough to manage.
So I set a goal of energy independence for my country. It’s a three-dimensional
approach. First, we should invest in solar power. Today solar power is not economical
because the efficiency of solar cells is just 15% to 20%. So we should use CNT (carbon
nano tubes) composites that can increase the efficiency of solar cells to 45% or 50%.
Second, we should use nuclear energy, because India has abundant thorium based nuclear
reactors. This is definitely a clean solution to energy needs. The third focus area should be
bio-fuels, including ethanol as well as bio diesel made from jatropha [a plant that grows in
wastelands] and algae. These three initiatives can free India from dependence on fossil fuels.
It will also help maintain a clean environment.

Now, answer the following questions :

1. What will happen to the fossil fuels, according to the World Energy Forum?
2. Are fossil fuels renewable sources of energy? Mention a few renewable sources of
energy you know.
3. What is the meaning of ‘energy independent’ goal?
4. Mention Kalam’s three-dimensional approach.
5. What is the problem with solar power? What is the alternative to be used to
increase efficiency of solar cells?
Centre for Distance Education 5.8 Acharya Nagarjuna University

6. Write any four antonyms of ‘efficiency’?

7. What is the synonym of ‘dependence’?
8. Write down a few non-renewable energy resources that you are aware of.

3. Read the poem given below and write a summary in your own words.

I climbed and climbed

Where is the peak, my Lord?
I ploughed and ploughed,
Where is the knowledge treasure, my Lord?
I sailed and sailed,
Where is the island of peace, my Lord?
Almighty, bless my nation
With vision and sweat resulting into happiness.

Write the answer in TEN LINES

4. There is a quote that states, “When the going gets tough, the tough gets going”.
Google the quote and find out the meaning of the quotation and write a paragraph
of 100 words about a person who “got going even when the going got tough”.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
5. Refer to the youtube video available at the link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6tjNypLDxs and write down what Abdul
Kalam says about the quotation “The best brains of the nation may be found on
the last benches of the classroom”.
Write the answer in TEN LINES

5.6 COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS :

I. Answer the following questions :

a. Sketch the character of Abdul Kalam as observed by you through this interview at
Wharton.
b. Abdul Kalam is a ‘man on a mission’ and a ‘visionary beyond comparison’. Do
you agree with the statement? Why/why not? Explain your stand with examples
taken from this interview.
c. Mention the six traits of character a leader should possess, as mentioned by Abdul
Kalam in this interview. What examples does he give to prove his point?
d. Explain the three dimensional approach proposed by Kalam for India to become
‘energy independent’.
General English 5.9 A Leader Should Know…

II. Answer the following questions, in brief :

a. What’s Kalam’s opinion about ‘knowledge’ and creativity’?

b. Why does Kalam say ‘order comes from disorder’?
c. How did Prof. Dhawan handle failure?
d. Write briefly about the concept of PURA(providing urban amenities in rural
areas).
e. How can India become ‘energy independent’ by 2030?
f. How did Kalam differentiate between the India of his childhood and the India of
the 21st century?
g. ‘Peace comes from strength because strength respects strength’. What does Kalam
mean by making this statement?
h. What is the biggest leadership challenge Kalam faced?
i. How should one handle failure, in your opinion?

5.7 SUGGESTED READING(S) :

1. https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/former-president-apj-abdul-kalam-a-
leader-should-know-how-to-manage-failure/
Dr. Ashok Vardhan Garikimukku
 LESSON – 6

REQUESTS
LEARNING OUTCOMES :
The objective of the lesson is to help the learner
 understand how to make requests
 learn vocabulary and expressions to be used to make requests
 understand how to respond to requests/how to say ‘no’ to a request
STRUCTURE OF THE LESSON :
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Activities
6.3 Making Request: Some Expressions
6.4 Accepting a Request: Some Expressions
6.5 Refusing a request: Some Expressions
6.6 Sample Dialogues
6.7 Practice Exercise
6.8 Conclusion
6.9 Suggested Readings
6.1 INTRODUCTION :
Man is a social animal. He is dependent, independent and interdependent. As he is an
interdependent and dependent animal, he may require the services of the second person. In
order to seek their services, one has to depend on making polite requests. In this context, it is
important to learn different ways of making requests. One should also learn how to respond
to requests as we need to learn to say ‘no’ politely. Requests are more polite than instructions.

6.2 ACTIVITIES :
Activity 1

Reorder the following expressions in the order of ‘less polite’ to ‘more polite’

 Please take me to the hospital.

 Can you please take me to the hospital?
 I wonder if you could take me to the hospital.
 Do you think you could take me to the hospital?
 Could you please take me to the hospital?
 Take me to the hospital.
Centre for Distance Education 6.2 Acharya Nagarjuna University

 Can you take me to the hospital?

 Would you mind taking me to the hospital?
 If you could take me to the hospital, I would be delighted.
 I’d be grateful if you could take me to the hospital.
 Mind taking me to the hospital?

Activity 2

Make ‘proper requests’ for the situations given below:

 Request the police to show you the way to the post office.
 Request the enquiry clerk at the railway station to tell you the timings of the trains
to Vizag.
 Request your friend to lend you his record.
 Request a co-traveler in the train to look after your bag .
 Request your teacher to permit you to go home.

6.3 MAKING REQUESTS – SOME EXPRESSIONS :

 Please take me to the hospital.
 Can you please take me to the hospital?
 I wonder if you could take me to the hospital.
 Do you think you could take me to the hospital?
 Could you please take me to the hospital?
 Take me to the hospital.
 Can you take me to the hospital?
 Would you mind taking me to the hospital?
 If you could take me to the hospital, I would be delighted.
 I’d be grateful if you could take me to the hospital.
 Mind taking me to the hospital?
 Would you take me to the hospital?
 Will you take me to the hospital?
 I’m sorry to bother you but I have a request to make. Would you take me to the
hospital?

6.4 ACCEPTING A REQUEST – SOME EXPRESSIONS :

 Certainly
 Sure
General English 6.3 Requests

 Yes, of course
 Of course
 All right
 Ok
 No problem at all!
 Certainly… I shall be glad to help.
 Of course, by all means.
 By all means

6.5 REFUSING A REQUEST – SOME EXPRESSIONS :

While it is an easy process to accept a request, it is very difficult to say ‘NO’ to a
request because a person who makes a request doesn’t want to hear a ‘NO’ as an answer. Yet,
sometimes, you will have to refuse a request. If a request is refused, the reason for doing so
should be explained. You can do so by using the following expressions:

 I am sorry, but… (give reason)

 Sorry, but …(give reason)
 I would like to, but I am afraid I can’t because …(give reason)
 I am afraid I can’t because … (give reason)
 I wish I could have, but …(give reason)

6.6 SAMPLE DIALOGUES :

1. Read this dialogue between Krishna and Ravi

Ravi : Hello, Krishna!

Krishna : Hey, Ravi!
Ravi : When will you return from Hyderabad?
Krishna : By this Saturday. Why did you ask?
Ravi : Just wanted to know if you can bring me a few books.
Krishna : Of course. Send me the details on my mail and I will surely bring them.
Ravi : Thank you, Krishna.
Krishna : You are welcome, my friend.

2. Read this dialogue between an HOD and a student.

Student : Excuse me,sir. Good morning.

HOD : Good morning, Latha. How can I help you?
Latha(Student) : May I request you to grant me leave for a week.
Centre for Distance Education 6.4 Acharya Nagarjuna University

HOD : A week! But, why?

Latha(Employee) : My brother’s wedding is scheduled on 22.15022, sir.
HOD : I understand, but I am sorry I can’t accept your request because
you will have mid exams during this time.
Latha(Employee) : It’s OK, sir.

3. Read this dialogue between two friends.

Friend 1 : Can you help me with my assignment?

Friend 2 : I am afraid I can’t because I have to prepare PPT for my
presentation tomorrow.

4. Read this dialogue between a father and his son. (Accepting a request)

Son : Dad, can I take your laptop to college for a week because I need it for
my lab?
Dad : Sure!
Son : Thank you, dad!

5. Read this dialogue between a father and his son. (Refusing a request)

Son : Dad, can I take your laptop to college for a week because I need it for
my lab?
Dad : I am sorry, my dear, I can’t because I will need it in my office daily.
Son : Dad!
Dad : If it is very urgent, we will try to make an alternative arrangement.
Son : Thank you, dad!

6.7 PRACTICE EXERCISE :

1) Request your class teacher to attend your sister’s wedding. She refuses because
she has another wedding to attend. Write a dialogue.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
2) Mrs. Urmila goes to a bank and requests the clerk to guide her on how to open
a bank account. The clerk accepts her request and guides her. Write a
dialogue.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
3) You are the student representative of your college. You are requesting a bank
manager in your locality to attend a Cultural Club inauguration in your
college. He accepts to come. Write a dialogue.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
General English 6.5 Requests

4) You are requesting your friend to lend you his car for two days. Your friend
has a prior appointment to keep. He refuses your request. Please write a
dialogue.
Write the answer in TEN LINES

5) You are the organizer of a cultural fest in your college. You are looking for
sponsors. You meet the MD of Kalanjali, Vijayawada and request him to
sponsor the event. He accepts. Write a dialogue.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
6) You are offered placement in a company. The date of joining coincides with the
date of your brother’s wedding. Meet the Manager and request him to give you
permission to join the company at a later date. Write down the dialogue.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
7) Your father has a Honda City car. You want to take the car to go on a long
drive to Visakhapatnam with your friends for 5 days. You and your friends
request him. Your father says that he has some work in Hyderabad. Somehow
you try to convince him and he gets convinced. Write a dialogue.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
8) You are the organizer of a cultural fest in your college. You are looking for
sponsors. You meet the MD of Kalanjali, Vijayawada and request him to
sponsor the event. He doesn’t accept your request. Write a dialogue.
Write the answer in TEN LINES

6.8 CONCLUSION :
One reason declining requests is important is that you have a limited amount of time
in your day and others may ask you to do more than is possible. As mentioned before,
accepting a request is easy but refusing a request has to be dealt with cautiously and wisely
because one has to learn polite ways of refusing a request.

6.9 SUGGESTED READINGS :

1. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-politely-
decline-a-request
2. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/requests

Dr. Ashok Vardhan Garikimukku

 LESSON – 7
SPEECH TRACKS AND
USE OF QUESTION TAG

LEARNING OUTCOMES :
After going through the lesson, the student will be able to understand:
 Speech tracks and Types of articles.
 When the articles should not be used in speech.
 The relations expressed by prepositions.
 Choosing appropriate prepositions.
 The formation of a question tag.
 Rules of placing a right question tag.
STRUCTURE OF THE LESSON :
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Articles
7.2.1 Choice between a or an
7.2.2 Uses of the definite article the
7.2.3 Uses of the indefinite article a or an
7.2.4 Omission of the articles
7.2.5 Exercise
7.3 The Preposition
7.3.1 Certain relations expressed by prepositions
7.3.2 Appropriate prepositions
7.3.3 Exercise
7.4 Question tag
7.4.1 Important points to remember
7.4.2 Exercise
7.5 Exercises for Self Learning
7.6 Suggested Readings

7.1 INTRODUCTION :
In this lesson, you are going to learn articles, prepositions and question tags. Articles
are structure words. They are demonstrative adjectives used before nouns. For using the
articles effectively, one should know the types of articles, the use of articles and also special
Centre for Distance Education 7.2 Acharya Nagarjuna University

cases which require no article. Like articles, prepositions are also structure words. Most of
the students get confused in choosing the right preposition due to the want of considerable
knowledge of the relations expressed by various prepositions and the appropriate prepositions
used after particular words. It is not an exaggeration that the use of the right prepositions
shows the proficiency one has in the English language. The use of question tags is more
frequent in spoken English rather than in written form. Instead of using the right question tag,
it has become a common mistake of using ‘isn’t it?’ for all statements. Therefore, one should
learn articles, prepositions and question tags and understand the set of rules governing their
usage so that one may not make common mistakes in English.

7.2 ARTICLES :
The structure words a, an and the are called articles in English. They are determiners
used before nouns.
Articles are of two types :
1. The Indefinite Article: A or an are called the indefinite articles as they do not specify
a particular person or a thing.
A student (any student)
2. The Definite Article: The is called the definite article as it refers to a particular person
or a thing.
I saw the beggar (a particular beggar)
7.2.1 Choice between ‘a or an’ :
● An is used before the words beginning with a vowel sound.

An apple, an island, an electrician, an inspiring story, an honest man and an

MP, an MLA etc.

● A is used before the words beginning with a consonant sound.

A boy, a tree, a rose and also a one eyed man, a European, a University, a
unicorn etc.
7.2.2 Uses of the Definite Article ‘the’ :
The definite article ‘the’ is used before :

 A particular person already referred to.

Once there lived a king. The king had four sons.
 Nouns, which are unique of their kind.
the sun, the moon, the earth, the world, the Charminar, the Red fort, the ocean, the
sea etc.
 Names of the musical instruments.
The violin, the tabla, the veena, the flute etc.
General English 7.3 Speech Tracks and Use...

 Superlatives.
The most, the greatest, the tallest etc.
 Ordinals
The first, the second, the fifth etc.
 Most common time expressions.
The evening, the morning, the afternoon
 Names of seas, rivers, mountain ranges, groups of Islands etc.
The Dead Sea, the Red Sea, the Godavari, the Himalayas, the Andamans etc.
 Names of religious scriptures or epics.
The Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Quran, the Bible, the Iliad, the odyssey etc.
But Vyasa’s Mahabharata, Valmiki’s Ramayana, Homer’s Iliad
 The adjective to give it the force of a plural noun.
The rich ought to help the poor.
Here, the rich means rich people and the pure means poor people.
 Surnames used in the plural.
The Tatas, the Birlas etc.
 With the comparative adjective as an adverb.
The more, the merrier. The more you sow, the more you reap.
 A singular noun to denote the whole class.
The cow is a useful animal.
Here, the cow represents the whole class in the sense that cows are useful animals.
7.2.3 Uses of the Indefinite Article ‘a or an’ :
The indefinite article is used :
 In the numerical sense of ‘one’.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
 In the vague sense of ‘a certain’.
A Ram came to meet you when you were away.
Here, Ram is not known to the speaker.
 Before a proper noun to make it a common noun.
A Tendulkar came to play.
Here. Tendulkar refers not to the famous cricketer Tendulkar but to a great cricket
player.
 Before a singular countable noun to represent the whole class.
A dog is a faithful animal.
Here, a dog represents the whole class in the sense that any dog is a faithful
animal.
 Before names of professions.
Ramakrishna is a teacher.
Centre for Distance Education 7.4 Acharya Nagarjuna University

7.2.4 Omission of the Articles :

Articles are not generally used :
 Before abstract nouns like politeness, kindness, happiness, wisdom etc.
 Before material nouns like gold, silver, platinum etc.
 Before proper nouns like Hyderabad, India, Vijayawada etc.
 Before human body parts, used with possessive pronouns like my legs, his
hands, my face etc.
 Before names of meals like lunch, dinner, supper in general.
Note : But when used specifically, they take articles before them.
This chain is made of gold. (general)
The gold that he bought is 22 carat only. (specific)
Lunch is ready. (general)
The lunch I had at DV Manor is very tasty. (specific)
 Before certain places like hospital, school, college, church, temple, prison when
these places are visited for their primary purpose.
Raju went to hospital for health check up (primary purpose)
Raju went to the hospital to see his friend. (secondary purpose)
7.2.5 Exercise :
Fill in the following blanks with suitable articles.

1. Vishal is _____ software professional. a

2. It is ______ interesting story. an
3. _____ Bhagavad Gita is an epic. The
4. Lord Krishna played on ____ flute. the
5. The Chief Minister will attend the function in ____ evening. the
6. I saw ___ one eyed beggar in the Zoo. a
7. _____ movie that I watched last night was very horrible. The
8. Venu is one of ___ tallest boys in the class. the
9. She is ____ first woman to raise her voice against gender discrimination. the
10. ____ more you go up, ____ more it becomes difficult. The, the
11. _____ Tatas are the pioneers of the aircraft industry in India. the
12. They have purchased ____ new car. a
13. Honesty is _____ best policy. the
14. My father came to ____ college to pay my fees. the
15. ____ over can alter the victory of a cricket team. An
General English 7.5 Speech Tracks and Use...

16. Delhi is ____ capital of India. the

17. Traffic rules are laid down by _____ Transport Department. the
18. Twelve inches make ____ foot. a
19. ____ sun shines brightly. The
20. She likes to walk in ___ open . the
21. I did not tell my mother about _____ accident. the
22. Do you come for ___ walk with me? a
23. He pretends to be ____ original writer. an
24. I have not seen her since she was ___ child. a
25. They started the concert late in ____ evening. the
26. West Bengal is _____ largest producer of paddy. the
27. ____ Andamans are a group of islands in the bay of Bengal. The
28. Rajahmundry is on ____ Godavari. the
29. Swami Vivekananda was ____ great orator. a
30. How wonderful ____ painting looks! the

7.3 THE PREPOSITION :

Prepositions are structure words that appear in front of nouns or pronouns to denote
the relation the noun or pronoun has with something else in the sentence. They are useful in
framing a syntactic and semantically sound sentence.
There is a dog in the garden.
At times, the use of the prepositions is confusing as most of them can be used to
denote more than one meaning.
There are three classes of prepositions.
1. Simple prepositions
yet, by, for, from, off, on, out, through, till, to, up, with.
2. Compound prepositions
They are formed by adding a or b meaning no or by respectively to nouns,
adjectives or adverbs.
about, above, across, along, before, behind, between, among etc.
3. Phrase prepositions
These are a group of words used in a sentence as a single preposition.
according to, in place of, in front of etc.
7.3.1 Certain Relations Expressed by Prepositions :
Prepositions indicate different relations like time, place, purpose, direction,
movement, agency, instrumentality, concession, comparison, source, manner etc.
Centre for Distance Education 7.6 Acharya Nagarjuna University

o Ramu sat between Raju and Gopal. (position)

o Swati travelled from Delhi to Vijayawada. (movement or direction)
o He rang me at 6 o'clock. (time)
o The highway is blocked because of the truck accident. (reason)
o My brother went to the park for a walk. (purpose)
o Deepika cut the mango with a knife. (instrumentality)
o Devi comes to college by bus. (means)
o In spite of being weak, he completed the project in time. (concession)
o She dances like a peacock. (comparison)
o The inspector investigated the murder case with utmost care. (manner)
 Special attention should be given to the following prepositions.
In – at :
● Both in and at can be used before the names of cities, towns or villages. In
denotes the place as an area and at as a point.
They stayed in Hyderabad for 20 years.
The Prime Minister stopped at Vijayawada on his way to Delhi. (a point).
● In is used with street names and at with door numbers.
Priyanka lives in Rajagopalachari Street.
Priyanka lives at number 72, Rajagopalachari Street.
Till – to :
 The preposition till refers to time and to refers to place.
He did not wake up till 9 o'clock.
He walked to the end of the corridor.
With – by :
 With is used with the instrument of action and by with the agency of action.
The two birds were killed by the hunter with one shot.
Since – for :
o Since is used to denote the point of time i.e. the starting time of an action. For
denotes the period of time i.e. the total time period from the beginning to the the
time of speaking of an action.
They have been living in Guntur since 2001.
They have been living in Guntur for 20 years.
In – within :
 Both in and within can be used to denote time. In indicates ‘at the end’ of the
scheduled time period and with indicates ‘before the end’ of the scheduled time
period.
General English 7.7 Speech Tracks and Use...

I shall return the book in two days. (at the end of two days)
I shall return the book within two days. (before the end of two days)
Beside – besides :
 Beside means ‘by the side of’ and besides means ‘in addition to’.
Raju sat beside his sister.
Ravi can speak French besides English.
Between – among :
 Between is used when there are two persons or two things and among is used
when there are more than two persons or things.
Ravali sat between Jyoti and Priya.
She sat among her friends.
Mode of transport :
 One travels by car, by taxi, by bus, by train, by bicycle, by bus etc.
He came to college by bicycle.
 Using ‘by walk’ for ‘on foot’ is wrong.
Right : Raju comes to college on foot.
Wrong : She comes to college by walk.
7.3.2 Appropriate prepositions :
● Certain nouns, verbs and adjectives always go with particular prepositions. They
are called appropriate prepositions. Some of the important appropriate
prepositions are :

account for careful about opposed to

accurate in comment on popular with
accused of comparison with preside over
acquaint with compete with protest against
addicted to complaint with proud of
affectionate to confident of quarrel with
affection for congratulate on refer to
afraid of consist of rely on
agree to something contribution to resemble to
agree with a person deal with revenge on
alarmed at delight in revolt against
angry at a thing depend on satisfy with
angry with a person derived from subsist on
Centre for Distance Education 7.8 Acharya Nagarjuna University

annoy with differ from suffer from

anxious about disappoint with sufficient for
apologize to something wrong discussed with suitable for
apologize to a person divide into surprise at
argue for a point eager for sympathy for
argue against a point eligible for thankful to
argue with a person escape from translate into
arrive at exempt from trust in
ashamed of fall from your place vote for
associate with fall in love vote against
astonished at fall into a trap weak in
aware of fall into a river welcome to
revenge on familiar to wonder at
based on famous for jealous for
beg for fond of
begin with glad at
believe in good at
belong to married to
beware of jealous of
boast of know about
borrow from listen to
busy with obedient to

7.3.3 Exercise :
1. We are sorry ___ disturbing you. for
2. The clients are happy _____ Rajan’s argument. with
3. Chocolates were distributed ______ the children. among
4. The flower pot was kept ______ the refrigerator. beside
5. Start anytime ________ 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. between
6. It has been raining ____ two hours. for
7. There is a musical concert ____ the evening. in
8. Gandhi was born ____ 2nd October. on
General English 7.9 Speech Tracks and Use...

9. She has been suffering ____ covid-19. from

10. We went to the zoo ____ bus. by
11. She has to come to college ___ foot due to the RTC strike. on
12. Follow the guidelines _____ page number 30. at
13. Ajay is fond ____ classical music. of
14. He died _____ cancer. of
15. The Prime Minister left ____ Malaysia. for
16. Vijay prefers coffee ____ tea. to
17. Ramesh is good ____ English. at
18. He offered me a cup ____ coffee. of
19. Doctor advised him to abstain ____ liquor. from
20. The inspector inquired _____ the case. into
21. She insisted ______ continuing the game. on
22. The principal is not satisfied ______ his explanation. with
23. He aimed ______ climbing Everest. at
24. Recently, there has been a reduction _____ the price of petrol and diesel. in
25. He failed to give a satisfactory explanation _____ his failure. for
26. Only post graduates are eligible to apply ____ the job. for
27. He is very sensitive _____ criticism. to
28. Sneha is afraid _____ dogs. of
29. His lecture does not rest _____ firm foundation. on
30. Divya is weak _____ physics. in

7.4 QUESTION TAG :

Question tags are short questions added at the end of a statement for emphasis,
listener’s agreement or confirmation. They are commonly found in spoken English.
7.4.1 Important Points to Remember :
 The question tag begins with a small letter and ends with a question mark.
 It is separated from the statement by a comma.
 It consists of a helping verb, usually given in the sentence, followed by a pronoun
corresponding to the subject of the statement.
 The negative question tag consists of the abridged form of the helping verb and
not.
Amn’t, isn’t, aren’t, wasn't, weren’t, hasn't, haven't, hadn't, won’t. shan’t etc..
 A positive statement takes a negative question tag.
Centre for Distance Education 7.10 Acharya Nagarjuna University

He is coming to college, isn't he?

 A negative statement takes a positive question tag.
He did not come to college, did he?
 Statements without helping verbs i.e. the simple present tense and the simple past
tense take don't, doesn't, or didn't depending on the main verb of the statement.
They work in the factory, don't they?
Moti likes music, doesn't he?
They went to Hyderabad, didn't they?
 Statements expressing negative ideas take a positive question tag.
She met none there, did she?
None of the songs was melodious, was it?
 The words little, few, hardly and scarcely etc. are semi-negatives. Therefore, a
statement with any of these words takes a positive question tag.
Few people attended the meeting, did they?
Little alteration was made to the design, was it?
Note : But a few and a little are positive, therefore, a negative question tag
follows the statement.
A few people attended the meeting, didn't they?
A little alteration was made to the design, wasn't it?
 Statements that express ‘wishes’ take ‘won't you’ as the question tag.
Have a nice day, won't you?
 Statements with everyone, everybody, someone, no one, nobody, anyone, none
take ‘they’ as a pronoun.
Everyone tried to see the chief guest, didn't they?
 Irrespective of positive or negative, imperative sentences usually take ‘will you’
as the question tag.
Close the door, will you?
Don't wait there, will you?
 Statements with some of you take ‘you’ as the pronoun.
Some of you have been shortlisted for the interview, haven't you?
 A statement with let's take ‘shall we’ as the question tag.
Let’s go for a walk, shall we?
 But statements with let me take ‘will you’ as the question tag.
Let me do this, will you?
 Statements with I am take ‘aren’t I’ as the question tag and I am not take ‘am I’
as the question tag.
I am a citizen of India, aren't I?
I am not a player, am I?
General English 7.11 Speech Tracks and Use...

7.5 EXERCISES FOR SELF LEARNING :

1. Raju repaired the television, __________? didn't he?
2. They were going to the movie, _________? weren’t they?
3. Lucy loves ice cream, __________? doesn't she?
4. Let’s go to the movie, _______? shall we?
5. She could hardly walk, _______? could she?
6. Keep quiet, ________? will you?
7. You are fine now, ________? aren’t you?
8. Have some more rice, ________? will you?
9. There is a temple in that village, ________? isn't there?
10. Someone has called me,________? haven't they?

7.6 SUGGESTED READINGS :

1. https://www.mindtools.com/blog/7-rules-meeting-greeting/
2. https://www.continentalpress.com/blog/introduce-yourself-to-your-new-class/
3. https://www.johnmillen.com/blog/how-to-introduce-a-guest-speaker

Prof. M. Suresh Kumar

.
 LESSON – 8

SPEECH PATTERNS
LEARNING OUTCOMES :
The objective of the lesson is to help the learner
 understand how to give a speech in different contexts
 pick up formal and informal expressions to greet people
 Learn different expressions in speeches.
STRUCTURE OF THE LESSON:
8.1 Introduction of Speech Patterns
8.2 Activities
8.3 Some Expressions and Phrases
8.4 Sample speeches
8.5 Practice Exercise
8.6 General Tips
8.7 Conclusion and Self Assessment questions
8.8 Suggested Readings
8.1 INTRODUCTION OF SPEECH PATTERNS :
Speech patterns are basically five types :

1. Categorical/Topical speech : The goal of this speech pattern is to help the speaker to
organize the message in a consistent fashion on a topic. Example: Giving a speech to
persuade a group of students to join a specific course in a particular college or to
organize a event.
2. Compare and Contrast speech pattern : The goal of this speech pattern is to help
the speaker to organize the message in a comparison and contrast mode on a topic.
Example : Giving a speech to persuade a group of students to select a specific college
in comparison with another college by comparing the two institutes’ facilities and
sources.
3. Descriptive speech pattern : The goal of this speech pattern is to help the speaker to
organize the message in a consistent fashion on a topic in a descriptive manner on a
topic or thing/place. Example: Giving a speech to biology students how the urinary
system works.
4. Chronological speech pattern/ Logical / Psychological speech pattern : The goal of
this speech pattern is to help the speaker to present the message in a backward or
Centre for Distance Education 8.2 Acharya Nagarjuna University

forward time order on a topic. Example: Giving a speech to the students on a topic like
the life before the Covid-19epidemic and after the epidemic.
5. Biographical speech pattern : The goal of this speech pattern is to help the speaker
to give an inspiring speech based on his own life or someone he/she knows on a
specific topic. Example: Giving a speech to persuade a group of students to join a
specific course Aeronautical Engineering by quoting the life of A.P.J.Abdul Kalaam in
a particular college.

Categorical / Topical Speech – Compère (Anchoring)

Compère (anchor) plays a vital role in making an event successful. An anchor of the
event can radiate energy by being lively, by using the right tone and modulation, by using
impressive expressions, by using the right body language, by dressing sensibly etc. Here are
some tips given for the anchors:

Tips for the Anchors :

1. Some Anchors tend to give importance to accent and fluency rather than clarity. An
anchor should try to speak loudly and clearly rather than striving to use American
accent. Many people think that fluency is speaking more number of words per minute,
which is completely wrong. Fluency means speaking without having breaks. Speak at a
reasonable pace quite clearly. Your tongue should touch the hard palate of your mouth
strong enough for your voice to sound clearly to the audience.
"Brit or American, flaunt that accent only if you know how to do it correctly, else you
couldjust end up making a fool of yourself"
-an excerpt from an article on fake accent in Deccan chronicle on 1st September 2010
2. An anchor of the event must consider himself /herself as the representative of the college
/organization that is organizing that particular event. You need not hesitate to use the
word "I" to start the proceedings.
3. Minimizing the use of paper to do the anchoring helps you in maintaining eye contact
with the audience.
4. Remember that the lectern on the dais is not to hide yourself behind it.
5. Wear a smile on your face, which acts as an antidote to your nervousness and makes
your Tone impressive.

8.2 ACTIVITIES :
A) Welcoming the guests on to the dais :

Before inviting the guests on to the dais, it is essential to brief the gathering about the
essence of the event and about your institute. I have here given a sample introduction :

"Good Afternoon! I am Harita iii semester B.Sc, Food technology welcome you all to
the STANZA-2023. SPMVU College became a renowned place of learning over the last ten
years, as it has the pride of producing several luminaries in different disciplines. If you take a
General English 8.3 Speech Patterns

quick look around you, I am sure you will agree that our institute has come a long way in the
last few years. The diligent efforts of the V.C, Registrar, various principals, and all the
employees have seen a remarkable spurt in making the college as the most preferred one in
this region. We feelproud to be the students of this College because we are provided with
the state-of-heart Infrastructure, well qualified faculty, a perfect atmosphere for academic
pursuit. The pristinesurroundings of our college stage the most conducive atmosphere
reminding us the ancient gurkulaswhich were located in this kind of an atmosphere. The
annual day of our college is really a moment that we should enjoy . Although we have miles
to go, we need to celebrate each and every mile stone in order to go ahead with added
enthusiasm."

After the brief introduction, the anchors should invite guests on to the dais. While
inviting the guests on to the dais, The Anchors should avoid using the same expression to
invite all the guests on to the dais.
He/she has to use different expressions to invite different guests otherwise the language of the
anchor appears monotonous thus He/she fails to be impressive. Here are different phrases to
invite the guests on to the dais:

Remember :
1. Before you invite the guests on to the dais, ensure that you have got the list of all the
guests to welcome.
2. Before starting the proceedings, check with the chief Coordinator or organizers,
whether there are any additions or deletions in the list of the guests given to you.
3. Double check that the remarks you are going to make about your guests are factually
correct.
4. Make sure that you pronounce their names correctly.

Expressions to invite the Guests on to the dais :

1. I consider it a great honour to welcome Mr./Ms/Sri/Smt/Dr./Prof _______________ on

to the dais.

2. May I Invite the chief guest Mr./Ms/Sri/Smt/Dr./Prof __________________ on to the

dais.

3. The next dignitary to honour us with his/her presence is. Mr./Ms/Sri/Smt/Dr./Prof

_______________ .

4. I am glad to invite Mr./Ms/Sri/Smt/Dr./Prof ______________________ on to the dais.

5. It will now be the turn of _____________________ to come on to the dais.

6. I request Mr./Ms/Sri/Smt/Dr./Prof_________________________ to grace the dais.

7. Next, we look forward for the presence of ___________________ on the dais.

Centre for Distance Education 8.4 Acharya Nagarjuna University

8. It is my privilege to invite Mr./Ms/Sri/Smt/Dr./Prof ____________________ on to the

dais.
9. With equal pleasure invite______________ on to the dais.
In some of the events, the role of the anchor is confined only to invite the guests on to
the dais and the later proceedings are looked after by the president of the meeting. In that case
afterinviting the guests, use the following phrases and leave the stage :

 Now, I request _______________________ (president) to preside over the meeting.

 Now over to Mr./Ms____________________ .

Expressions to Honour the guests :

 Now the dignitaries on the dais will be garlanded and offered bouquets.
 I request Ms. Veena of I B.Sc to honour the chief guest with a bouquet.

B) Welcome speech :

After inviting the guests on to the dais and honoring them with bouquets, it is our
tradition to have a welcome address. Anchor may invite someone representing the institute to
welcome the guests and all the invitees one by one. A sample welcome address is given
below. The essential elements to cover in your welcome speech are :

 to specifically acknowledge any important guests

 to generally welcome all the guests, stating the name of the event and host and thank
them for coming
 to give a brief introduction of the host
 to give a brief introduction of the occasion
 to give any especial welcomes ie.,to the important guests
 to introduce the next speaker if appropriate

C) Expressions to request the guest to address the gathering :

 Ladies and Gentlemen, we rarely get this kind of an opportunity to listen to the words
of great personality Mr. / Ms / Sri / Smt / Dr ./ Prof______________________, So let
us have the privilege of listening to the message of Mr. / Ms / Sri / Smt / Dr. / Prof
____________________
 I Invite Mr. / Ms / Sri / Smt / Dr ./ Prof ____________ to address the gathering.
 Now, let us have the pleasure of listening to the opening remarks of the Honourable
principal.

D) After the Speech :

 That was really an inspiring speech. Sir, On behalf of all the students of our college ,I
promise to put your words into practice
General English 8.5 Speech Patterns

 Thank you sir for your cogent message, we are charmed by your sharp eloquence
 Sir/madam, I thank you for making such a thought provoking speech.
 Thank you sir/madam, we have now come to know your secret of success, you have
just now preached what you have practiced. I assure you that we would follow in your
foot steps to reach the stars.
 That was really an amazing speech, wasn't it (to the audience...). Sir/madam, I must
tell you that you have got the gift of the gab (ability to speak easily and confidently in
a way that makes people want to listen to you and believe you).
 Thank you sir… Thank you for your words of wisdom.

E) During the prize distribution:

 I request the chief guest _______________ to give away the prizes to the winners of
literary events / sports.
 Thank you sir / madam for taking the trouble of giving away so many prizes. I am
sure all the winners felt proud of receiving the prizes from your hands. While
announcing the names of the prize winners, the compère has to maintain the same
kind of energy to invite all the winners in different categories. There is nothing like
prestigious events and non prestigious events. The person winning the Essay writing
competition should equally be treated as the one who wins the 100meters sprint as
both of them have put in a lot of effort, one physically and the other mentally.
Some useful phrases during prize distribution :
 The winner / runner of 400meters running is ______________ .
 The best student award for the academic year 2010-11 goes to________________.
 Ladies and gentlemen put your hands together to invite the winner of Jam competition
Mr. / Ms.__________ .
 I request the prize winners to come closer to the dais so that we don't squander the
valuable time.

F) Cultural Activities :

Everyone may not agree with me but the home truth is that people wish that the
cultural Activities start as early as possible. The person who does the anchoring for the
cultural activities can afford to a bit informal than the previous events. At this juncture,
completely do away with the prewritten scripts. All you need to remember is the name of the
performer and what he/she is going to perform.

8.3 SOME EXPRESSIONS AND PHRASES :

Some phrases :
 Now we are going to have a very flamboyant and raucous event
 Now, we are going to have a rocking performance by Mr. Syam of III B.Tech
Centre for Distance Education 8.6 Acharya Nagarjuna University

Let's give a big round of applause to Ms Vandana of IV B.Tech, who is going to sing
a melodious song for us.
That was a splendid performance... Mr. Syam
It was an incredible dancing performance by Ms Meena
 Wow... what an amazing performance
It was a class act.
As we normally do not use any negative description in the college function as does by in the
reality shows on Telugu TV channels, any of the following phrases could be used based on
the suitability.
o Gorgeous o Vivacious
o Alluring o Energetic - Head turner
o Attractive o Humorous - Smart
o Appealing o Witty - Funny
o Sweet o Stunning - Lovely
o Good-looking o Superb - Exquisite
o Charming o Fabulous - Excellent
o Glamorous o Fantastic - Outstanding
o Beautiful o Exceptional- Terrific
o Eye-catching o Wonderful - Glittering -
o Smart Likeable - Attention - grabbing -
o Striking Impressive
o Fascinating o Sparkling - Remarkable
o Beautiful o Marvelous - Prominent
o Bubbly o Pleasing - Extraordinary
o Sparkling o Great - Amazing
o Full of life o Elegant - Fashionable
o Shining
o Stylish ...etc

8.4 SAMPLE SPEECHES :

HERE IT IS PROVIDED A SAMPLE SPEECH FOR VOTE OF THANKS

Vote of Thanks :

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great honour and privilege to be called upon to propose a Vote of Thanks. I thank Prof
D.N.Reddy, whose presence today is a great source of motivation to us. We are extremely
General English 8.7 Speech Patterns

grateful to Mr. ___________ Rao to have acceded to our request to join with us for our
college annual day celebrations.

I thank all the guests for being patient and giving away so many prizes. I would like to thank
all our honoured guests for their presence and participation today.
I thank our principal for enunciating the college report and promising more achievements for
the next academic year. I thank the officers' trio, Mr. __________Reddy, Mr.__________
Prasad and Mr.___________Rao, who have given yeomen's service and setting a right
example of administrating and monitoring the work.

I thank all the members of different committees for their unstinted support for this function
by working with great alacrity. I express my deep sense of gratitude to all the vivacious
volunteers, who have done a commendable job in making the arrangements.

I would like to congratulate all the prize winners for leading the way in attaining many great
accomplishments.

I thank from the bottom of the heart, the conveners of various events for the successful
conduction of various events.

I thank all the energetic performers in the cultural activities for enthralling performances.
I would like to thank again all the guests, staff, parents and all our students for sharing the
responsibilities and joy with us today. I hope the memories of this day will be alive forever.

8.5 PRACTICE EXERCISE :

Exercise :
1. Give a Speech on the occasion of your college bags a first prize in university QUIZ
Competitions.
2. Give a speech in your Apartment to the residents on the need of maintenance of
“Clean and Green in the premises.

8.6 GENERAL TIPS :

Class Room Expressions for the Teachers and the Students :

Teachers have to be good communicators in English. Every teacher should always bear
in their mind that the students observe and catch the language of the teachers hence the
teachers must use right expressions In English. Students irrespective of their back grounds,
use the expression "may I come in sir/madam" so easily for the obvious reason is that the
expression has been used for a long time by them. All the expressions given in this chapter
are also as easy as the expression "May I come in sir?" But this small talk has to be
internalized by the teachers and students and should be able to speak these expressions as
effortlessly as "May I come in sir/madam". This small talk helps a lot in boosting the
confidence of the students, which would pave the way for them to speak some longer
sentences. There are two types of English :

 Conversational English  Subjective English

 Some students are proficient in conversational English and some in subjective
English. Conversational English is to speak some small expressions in English fluently like
requesting, taking permissions, seeking information and so on. A person is considered to have
subjective English if he/she can speak or write on intellectual topics. Some students are good
at both; some students are good at conversational English and some are good at subjective
English. Obviously, speaking subjective English is much more difficult than conversational
English; however, people who speak conversational English make a very good first
impression. These people use very small expressions like "Hi", "How is the day so far...",
"have a nice day..." with a good accent thereby making the other people feel that he/she is
very good at English but if you want them speak on any of the intellectual topic, their true
colours would be revealed. However one has to take a leaf out of their book. They are
creating very good first impression, which is the best impression. If you go to an interview
and make this good first impression to get the job, what else you need? So, use every
opportunity to use the conversational English and it has to be started in the class room. So let
us see different expressions to be used in the classroom.

Greetings and small expressions :

o Good morning everybody / Good afternoon everyone
o See you tomorrow / next week l. How are you today?
o Fine, Have a nice day

Teacher to student classroom English :

♦ What we are going to cover today is...
♦ Today, I am going to talk about...
♦ The important point I want to make today is...
♦ Last time, we talked about...; today we will go on and...
♦ First of all, I would like to talk about...
♦ Today's topic is...
♦ What I want to do today is...
♦ Before starting the lesson, let me briefly recap yesterday's lesson
♦ Now, let's start today's lesson
♦ Have you done the homework?
♦ Today we will be discussing….
♦ The importance of this topic is
♦ If that's clear, we will go on to the next point.
♦ Now, let's approach the problem in a different way.
♦ The second point I want to make is...
♦ Let's get back to the idea of...
♦ I'd like to finish talking about... before we move on.
General English 8.9 Speech Patterns

♦ Are you following? Or day dreaming?

♦ Will you please keep quiet?
♦ Are you ready?
♦ Let me give you an example.
♦ For instance
♦ Let us take_______ for example.
♦ What's the problem
♦ Excellent! You have the work very well; however, there is some room for improvement.
♦ If anybody requires some additional information, you can meet me in staffroom.
♦ Could you speak louder please? I can't hear you
♦ Now, let's move on to…
♦ That's correct
♦ Listen carefully
♦ That's right
♦ Perfect
♦ What is another meaning of ____________?
♦ The study material is with the CR (class representative), you can get it Xeroxed, if you
want.
♦ Let me take the attendance.
♦ Why were you absent yesterday?
♦ It is easy to fall behind with your studies if you miss even just a few classes.
♦ I am sorry to say that if you keep on skipping the classes like this, you will be in the
danger of detention.
♦ Yesterday, I have observed that some students have given proxy attendance. I hope they
would rectify their before I resort to severe actions.
♦ You can dress down on Saturdays (dress code relaxation). But on the remaining days,
you should be in the formal outfits.
♦ You should know the subject Inside out.
♦ Rote – learning (mugging up) is not at all useful.
♦ Your performance in the I Midterm examination is quite satisfactory.
♦ Have a look at the past papers, it will help you in getting an idea about the exam pattern.
♦ You do not need to be in panic about the exams.
Centre for Distance Education 8.10 Acharya Nagarjuna University

Student to teacher classroom English :

o Can I come to your office
o Would you give us an example
o Sir, would you mind repeating that
o Could you say that again please?
o Sir/madam, your voice is not audible to the last benches; could you speak a little louder?
o How do you say_________ in English
o What page?
o I don't understand
o I am sorry sir I am not able to recall the answer
o Sir/madam… Please do not erase the board..I am yet to copy the information on it
o What is the difference between "a" and "b"?
o Could you explain a little bit more about it
o I didn't understand today's lesson
o When is the homework due?
o When shall we submit the assignment?
o Excuse me sir/madam, can I talk to you for a minute
o Can I change seats?
o I'm sorry I am late
o I am not feeling well can I go to the rest room?
o Sir/madam, I hope you take this in the right spirit, I am not able to make out the concept
you are teaching.
o I am terrible sorry if I had done anything wrong. I assure you that I won't repeat it again
o I have nauseous feeling, shall I go to the wash room.
o I was absent yesterday because I was feeling a bit feverish yesterday.
o My head is throbbing shall I leave the class.
o When I sat down and looked at the exam paper my mind just went blank
In the examination hall :
 Please be seated according to the given seating arrangement
 Verify your details on the OMR sheet.
 Do not write anything on the question paper except your hall ticket number
 Deposit your mobile phones and wallets with me
 Do not forget to fill in your set number and question paper code.
 Only half an hour left.
General English 8.11 Speech Patterns

 Strike off the blank pages

 Make it fast, we are running out of time
In the laboratory :

 Wearing apron is obligatory in the chemistry laboratory.

 Please handle the equipment carefully
 You will not be allowed into the lab without record/observation/drafter.
 Sign in the log in register before turning on the system.
 After the successful execution of the experiment, handover the equipment to the lab
assistant.
 Please arrange the chairs before leaving the lab

8.7 CONCLUSION AND SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS :

In this lesson we learn about what is speech pattern and different types of speech
patterns and Topical speech pattern in detail with some examples and exercises. Here is a
sample speech given by a student to improve English language skills. Observe it.
Sample speech 1:
Speech on improving English
Good afternoon everybody, I am Sri Lakshmi Charita of M.B.A (A) section, I am
glad to say today a few words on the subject which is of vital importance to us, English is
now the international language .So it is very important to learn English well. We should study
English in the correct way, so that we can make the most of the time we spend learning
English. Discovering ways to improve their English is a problem which baffles many
students.
There are three ways to improve English First of all, we have to learn many English
words and study English grammar in great detail. Reading is the best way to increase
vocabularies and learn how to avoid making grammar errors. If we read magazines written in
English, regular reading will make it easier for us to remember the many new words we come
across. Having a dictionary is just like having a teacher close at hand. We need to use a
dictionary to look up those words that we don't know. It makes reading a very enjoyable
pastime.
Secondly, besides learning to read English, we must learn to understand spoken
English, and practice speaking. Try listen to radio stations, if at first you don't understand,
keep listening and maintain a regular habit of listening to radio stations. Repeat after the
broadcast and learn how to pronounce correctly and frequently.
Thirdly, we should try to talk with people who will give you conversation practice.
Don't be afraid to speak, afraid to be laughed at. If we never learn to take risks to open
mouths, it will be impossible to improve speaking skills. There is no reason to be ashamed of
speaking poor English. If we can learn from our mistakes, failure can become part of our
success. In fact, the secret of success may come from failure.
Centre for Distance Education 8.12 Acharya Nagarjuna University

In conclusion, there is no short cut to learning English. Persistence is the major secrets
of success. If you want use English as your native language, don't ever give up trying to
achieve your goal. If we are prepared to work hard at it, we will be successful in the end.

Sample Speech 2 :
Independence Day celebrations
Good Morning Everybody,

At this congregation to celebrate the 64th Independence Day, I should only say that
on this day it is incumbent on us to remember our national leaders who have made sacrifices
for getting independence for the country. We all should be proud to be born in this country.
Our country is a perfect example of "unity in diversity". India is the largest democracy in the
world. Our economy is developing in leaps and bounds. There are so many things we should
feel proud of however; there are some problems posing a serious threat to the nation's
development. The gap between the rich and poor has always been formidable and has only
made the poor people more frustrated. Terrorists want to create unrest in the country.
Corruption is obstructing the fruits of development reaching the poor people.

My dear friends! Now is the time to show our courage, now is the time to display our
unity, and now is the time to fight against the poverty. We, the youngsters should shoulder
the responsibility of transforming India from developed country from being developed
country.
If you cannot fight against corruption, try to stay away from it. If you can't eradicate
poverty in the country, at least eradicate poverty at your home. If you can't imbibe values in
the society, at least inculcate them within you.

It is also time for us to do away from the blaming the society and the government.
John F Kennedy said. "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can for the
country". We can contribute to the development of our country by doing our work sincerely.
On this auspicious day I declare that I practice what I have preached and I hope you all do the
same.
Thank you very much.

Sample Speech 3 :
Senior student's suggestion for the I B.Tech students during the orientation
programme.
Good Afternoon Everybody.
Today, I would like to extend a warm welcome to the I B.Tech students. Let me first
congratulate you all for choosing the best college in the region. To achieve your goals or
expectations, you need to do some small things right, they are small things but big things
happen when you do the small things right. The first thing that I want you to do is to be
regular to the college. You should not miss any classes or labs. Students tend to think that
they need only 75% of attendance to attend the examinations yes, it is enough to attend the
exams but not enough to become merit student. You should not miss any classes or labs. The
General English 8.13 Speech Patterns

next thing I suggest you is to do away with the procrastination or postponing. So many
surveys have proved that it is the biggest enemy to many students. Especially you the I
B.Tech students have to fight against this enemy. You can be a bit lethargic as you have been
idle for almost for 6 months.

You have to finish studying the topics that have been taught in the classes on the same
day itself as soon as you go home. For that you need to bury yourself in books for at least
four hours a day. Learning the core subject inside out is so important but there is one more
important thing that every student should learn almost parallel with your core subject is "
English language" you should spend at least one hour a day to learn English. Of course, you
have to communicate only in English in the college campus. You should not feel shy to speak
English. Do not think that if I make mistakes while speaking in English, people would make
fun out of me. That won't happen in SPMVU. Everybody will appreciate you speaking in
English. Nobody minds if it is a broken English or Spoken English I asked you to spend four
hours for studying core subjects and one hour for learning English language, which means
that you need to spend at five hours with your studies. You may think that it is not possible. I
can confidently say that it is possible provided that you should avoid the timewasters. The
time waster number one is your mobile phone. We do not allow the students to carry their
mobile phones into college campus rather than we forcing you, you should have a self control
over using phone. For all the parents who are here, I would like to stress that if you want your
son or daughter to prosper in their career, you should not give him a mobile phone. The time
waster number two is the television. You should stop gluing to the television in order work
on some productive work. Our College is the most preferred college just because of the
standards we maintain in providing the quality education to the budding professionals. I hope
you all work hard to keep the flag of our college to fly high. Thank you.

SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS :

1. Write a Speech on the introduction of Semi High speed trains in India..
2. Create a speech to be made on annual day celebrations in your college.
3. Write a speech on the need of Better Health Facilities to all and particularly for the
rural people.
4. Write a speech on the role of a Teacher in the Nation Building.
5. Write to the customers about the launch of a new mobile phone by your company.

8.8 SUGGESTED READINGS :

1. Burton Sarah, Jem Poster, The Book You Need to Write the Book You want to Write,
A Handbook for Fiction Writers, 2022, Cambridge University press.
2. Grant Taylor, English Conversation Practice(India Higher Education Competitive
3. Examinations Others)2001,McGraw Hill Education

Prof. M.Suresh Kumar

 LESSON – 9
NELSON MANDELA’S INTERVIEW WITH LARRY KING

LEARNING OUTCOMES :
After going through this lesson, students will be able to
 Fight for the rights of people with non- violence towards noble cause.
 Acquire wisdom by reading books.
 Visualise the real experience with pictorial description.
 Use forgiveness as a weapon in real life situations.
 Face any professional discourse.
 Demonstrate critical thinking.
 Enhance conversational skills by observing professional interviews.
STRUCTURE OF THE LESSON :
9.1 About the Author
9.2 Introduction of the lesson
9.3 Text of the lesson
9.4 Key words
9.5 Self Assessment Questions
9.6 Suggested Readings

9.1 ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

Nelson Mandela (1918 -2019) was former South African President and civil rights
advocate. He dedicated his life to fighting for equality — and ultimately helped topple
South Africa's racist system of apartheid, Mandela fought against white domination in
South Africa. He fought for the rights of African people with non-violence like Mahatma
Gandhi in India. Larry King was an American television and radio host of CNN's Larry
King's Live, which ran from 1985 to 2010. He interviewed Mandela in 2000 about his
release from prison after 27 years. King declared that interviewing Mandala was one of
the greatest moments of his life.

9.2 INTRODUCTION OF THE LESSON :

Nelson Mandela was a former South African President and Civil Rights Advocate. He
dedicated his life for equality. He fought against the White Domination. Among his many
awards are: Bharat Ratna, Nobel Peace Prize, etc. He was a South African Anti – Apartheid
Revolutionary Statesman and Philanthropist.
Larry King was an American Television and Radio host of CNN’s Larry King live, which ran
from 1985 to 2010. He interviewed Mandela in 2000 after 27 years from Prison.
Centre for Distance Education 9.2 Acharya Nagarjuna University

Nelson Mandela spent 26 of his life in Prison fighting for the freedom. He believed in
collective leadership, team work and high qualified men and women. They contributed a lot
to the struggle. He joined the African National Congress in 1944. He was an Advocate from
1952. He fought for the oppressed. He was arrested and isolated for 26 years. Instead of death
sentence he was imprisoned for life.
He gained a lot of wisdom in prison through literature of Tolstoy, the biographies and
history. The prisoners raised their voice in hunger strike for better treatment. He realized that
it was the best weapon. They sacrificed so many pleasures in the prison. In the prison some
wardens were kind and he taught save illiterate white Wardens. The white President F.W. De
Klerk became the South African National Congress on Feb 11, 1990. He ordered the release
of Mandela after 27 years as a Political prisoner.
He did not wish to become the President of South Africa. He preferred Thabo Mbeki,
the young man. Thabo died of heart stroke. So he was forced to became the President. He did
not revenge on Whites. Instead of destroying the Nation in the name of revenge, he focused
on building of the Nation. He gives hope and joy to the tired souls of slaves. Mandela
believes in “Forgiveness is a Powerful Weapon on which Liberates the Soul and Removes
Fear”.
Nelson Mandela was a former South African President and Civil Rights Advocate. He
dedicated his life for equality. He fought against the White Domination. Among his many
awards are: Bharat Ratna, Nobel Peace Prize, etc. He was a South African Anti – Apartheid
Revolutionary Statesman and Philanthropist. They had to fight for better treatment. At first
they were treated miserably. They handled the situation very patiently. They fought for better
facilities in non violent manner. They fought against the system. The prisoners raised their
voice in hunger strike for better treatment. He realized that it was the best weapon. They
staged a number of hunger strikes. He realized that it was the best weapon. They refused to
carry out humiliating instructions. They were punished for that. When the International Red
Cross came to island, they relaxed the rules. They were allowed visitors, and members of
family. . Nelson Mandela was a former South African President and Civil Rights Advocate.
He dedicated his life for equality. He fought against the White Domination. Among his many
awards are: Bharat Ratna, Nobel Peace Prize, etc. He was a South African Anti – Apartheid
Revolutionary Statesman and Philanthropist.
Mandela was surrounded in prison with highly capable men. They had the highest
degrees overseas. They were widely travelled. It was real pleasure and inspiration to talk to
them. He was able to read very good literature such as Tolstoy’s “War and Peace,” and other
classics, “Grapes of Wrath.”He enjoyed himself with biographical works and history. Thus he
acquired wisdom through the association of wise people and literature. Nelson Mandela was
a former South African President and Civil Rights Advocate. He dedicated his life for
equality. He fought against the White Domination. Among his many awards are: Bharat
Ratna, Nobel Peace Prize, etc. He was a South African Anti – Apartheid Revolutionary
Statesman and Philanthropist.

Mandela stayed in prison for twenty six years. Mandela requested De Klerk , the
General English 9.3 Nelson Mandela’s Interview...

president of Africa, for three more weeks to stay in. He was very keen to go out. But he
wanted his people to arrange for his release. So they can welcome him properly to Paari.
They looked after him very well. He wanted to have the opportunity for them to come. He
can say to them “Thank you for what you have done for me”.

9.3 TEXT OF THE LESSON :

1. Who was Nelson Mandela?
2. What were the awards won by Mandela?
3. What do you know about “apartheid movement”?
4. What are the works of Mandela?
5. Who is Larry King?

Nelson Mandela’s Interview with Larry King

Larry King, Host : Tonight, a legendary world leader in a rare one-on-one interview, Nelson
Mandela for the full hour, next on Larry King Live.

Good evening.
It is our special honor tonight to have as our guest a gentleman I’ve looked forward
to, to having on this program ever since this program began, President Nelson Mandela, the
former President of South Africa, and the 1999 Nobel Prize winner, who spent 26 years of his
life in a prison because he wanted freedom. Not only did he get freedom, he got to be the
President of his country. I got to meet him in South Africa when we were there a couple
months ago. An honour to have him with us tonight. When, Mr. President-how early on in
life were you angry? When did you get mad at what you had to live with?
Nelson Mandela, Former President of South Africa : I cannot remember, but everything
that I’m going to say here must be understood from the point of view that I was a member of
an organization which had believed in collective leadership, teamwork, a team of highly
qualified men and women who made an enormous contribution to the struggle, and…
King : Were you very young when that started?
Mandela : Well, I started in 1944 when I joined the African National Congress Youth
League.
King : You were a lawyer, right?
Mandela : Yes, I was a lawyer as from 1952
King : Did you ever practice law in South…
Mandela : Yes, I did. I did until, of course, I was-I went underground, and thereafter, I was
arrested.
King : When did-were you a-you were a revolutionary. Were you a terrorist? Did you ever
commit acts of aggression, violence?
Centre for Distance Education 9.4 Acharya Nagarjuna University

Mandela : Well, terrorism depends on…

King : … who wins?
Mandela : That’s right. I was called a terrorist yesterday, but when I came out of jail, many
people embraced me, including my enemies, and that is what I normally tell other
people who say those who are struggling for liberation in their country are
terrorists. I tell them that I was also a terrorist yesterday, but, today, I am admired
by the very people who said I was one.
King : And they’re very thankful that you choose not to be angry. We will get to all of that.
Mandela : Thank you.
King : All right. You were charged-why were you arrested? What were they after you for?
Mandela : Well, of course, I was-I appeared in a number of cases, but in the Rivonia trail
which sent me to prison, we were charged precisely for terrorist activities.
King : Amounting to treason?
Mandela : Amounting to treason. We could have got a death sentence.
King : Why didn’t they give you a death sentence?
Mandela : Well, I think that South Africa was completely isolated by the world as a result of
the activities of our people, led by one of the ablest leaders South Africa has
produced, people like Oliver Tambo, and they had completely isolated South
Africa, and that, during the trail, many countries, like Lord Hume…
King : In London.
Mandela : … in London, like people like the President of the Soviet Union at the time, the
President of India, and many other made representation that a death sentence
should not be imposed.
King : So they gave you life in prison, right?
Mandela : Oh, certainly. They gave us life, yes.
King : When that was-how old were you then?
Mandela : Well, that was in 1964.
King : So we’re talking 96 years ago.
Mandela : Right.
King : You were…
Mandela : Well, I was…
King : … in your 40s
Mandela : Yes, I was in my 40s at that point in 19…
General English 9.5 Nelson Mandela’s Interview...

King : What was that moment like when they said, “Life in prison”?
Mandela : We were triumphant because…
King : You’re kidding.
Mandela : … throughout that trail, we used the courtroom as a platform to address the
country and the world.
King : But you knew you were going to be put away for life.
Mandela : No, we expected that. We also expected the death sentence because our lawyers
thought it was their duty to tell us that the prosecution was going to ask for a death
sentence, especially against some of us…
King : And you included.
Mandela : … including Mr. Walter Sisulu, myself, Nkova (ph) Mbeki, the father of the
present President.
King : And you would have accepted-what could you have done?
Mandela : Well, in court we challenged the government; we said that the government should
be in the docket, not us. That was our stand.
King (Laughter) : Pretty arrogant.
Mandela : Well, it may be. It may be.
King : So you marched out of that courtroom for life in prison acting like a winner.
Mandela : That was the point, because we believed that the death sentence was going to be
passed on some of us and, therefore, we should be role models and disappear
under a cloud of glory. That is what we decided to do.
King : Did you ever believe you would get out?
Mandela : Well, I must be frank, one of the things that inspired us in prison was the fact that
the ideas for which we were in prison were quite alike, and that our people and
the international community were supporting us, but there were moments when it
appeared that the government had crushed the resistance inside the country, and
it was natural that we should have doubts where that would come out, but those
moments were few and far between.
King : We’ll talk about that and other things-how you handled prison, life after prison, and
other things the horror that was apartheid with one of the great, if not the greatest,
figures of the 20th century. A recent novelist said, if there were two people you want
to meet in this century, it would be Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa.
After a small break
King : We’re back with Nelson Mandela. Did you ever explain to yourself apartheid? I mean,
did you ever understand it, why people were held in mass slavery in a sense?
Centre for Distance Education 9.6 Acharya Nagarjuna University

Mandela : Well, it’s difficult to understand such a phenomenon, but I think that in a country
like South Africa where the overwhelming majority of the population were black
and that the ruling party merely about 14 percent of the population, they regarded
it as the best way to protect white supremacy, to cut us out completely from all the
rights of citizenship.
King : And how did you even deal-explain that to yourselves?
Mandela : Well, we did not explain it. We just said…
King : It’s wrong.
Mandela : … it’s wrong and racism is a characteristic feature of South Africa. We must fight
it to the death.
King : Twenty-six years in prison. Tell-take me back to the beginning. You-were you taken
right to the jail in Cape Town?
Mandela : Well, I was first imprisoned in Pretoria, and then, thereafter, I was taken to
Robben Island. I stayed there for a couple of weeks. I was taken back to Pretoria
when I was charged in the Rivonia trial, when I was then sent to Robben Island
for life.
King : And Robben Island is, kind of, South Africa’s Alcatraz, right? It’s an island across
from Cape Town. Did you get to see the beauty of Cape Town every day?
Mandela : Oh, yes we did. No, we did. And we looked forward to going out to work because
if you were on the eastern part of the island, you could then see Cape Town,
Table Mountain. You could actually see the models moving around and,
especially, what is called the Deval drive (ph). And, it was very lovely to work
on that part of the island.
King : What kind of work?
Mandela : Well, different. We start, first, with crushing stones, making gravel for the roads.
Then, we went to the quarry and dug a quarry again for the roads. But, as time
went on, we got friendly with the wardens, and I would come talk to them to say:
What is going on there? We loved that work near the rubbish dump.
King : Why ?
Mandela : Because we could then salvage newspapers, which were thrown away. We were
not getting newspapers for a long time and we could then get the newspapers,
clean them, and go and read them in the evening in prison.
King : How were you treated by your guards? They don’t call them guards. They call them
wardens, right?
Mandela : Wardens.
King : How did they treat you?
General English 9.7 Nelson Mandela’s Interview...

Mandela : Well, we had to fight for better treatment. The treatment, at first, was very bad for
all of us. But, as a result of the fight that we put up, our situation improved.
King : How did you-how can you fight the system?
Mandela : Well, first, we staged a number of hunger strikes and-which is one of the best
weapons which the prisoners had. We also refused to carry out humiliating
instructions, and were punished for that. And-but we insisted. And then, of
course, we had-the Red-the International Red Cross, which would come to the
island, and before they come, they would, of course, relax and, they would say:
No, you don’t have to work all day. If you wanted to go for a walk, you want to
go to the wash room; you are free to do so. Then, we knew that somebody
important was coming.
King : Were you allowed visitors?
Mandela : Yes, we were allowed visitors at first, one visitor every six months, every six
months, your close family, your wife or your children or your brothers, but
nobody outside that family as now already defined.
King : What kept you going?
Mandela : Well, I was surrounded-I was in prison with highly capable men, some of whom
had the highest educational qualifications, who had obtained their degrees
overseas, and men who were widely traveled, and it was real pleasure and
inspiration to sit down and get to talk to them. And then, secondly, we were able
to read very good literature.
King : After a while, they let you have books and stuff?
Mandela : Yes, yes, literature such as Tolstoy’s “War and Peace,” and other classics,
“Grapes of Wrath,” and we were able to enjoy ourselves, especially me, with
biographical works and history.
King : You told me when we was at your home that prison wasn’t a waste, that you used the
time - explain.
Mandela : That is true. Well, especially for those of us who lived in single cells, you had the
time to sit down and think, and we discovered that sitting down just to think is
one of the best ways of keeping yourself fresh and able, to be able to address the
problems facing you, and you had the opportunity also, of examining your past.
You could stand away from yourself in the past and examine whether your
behavior was befitting to a person who tried to serve society, and there are many
cases in which I felt ashamed of myself.
King: We’ll pick right up on that right after this with Nobel laureate Nelson Mandela. Don’t
go away.

(After small break)

Centre for Distance Education 9.8 Acharya Nagarjuna University

King : So, Nelson Mandela’s in prison. He’s using the time. What did you look back to say, I
did wrong?
Mandela : Well, when I came to Johannesburg from the countryside, I knew nobody, but
many strangers were very kind to me. I then was dragged into politics and then,
subsequently, I became a lawyer. I became so busy that I never thought about the
people who were so kind to me, who made life bearable for me.
But it was when I was in prison, when I had the opportunity to sit down and think
that I felt that I did something inexcusable, somebody who is unable to
acknowledge hospitality when nobody knew you and that people went out of
their way to be kind to you. For me, when I became a lawyer, to have forgotten
about them was something that was painful to me.
King : And, in prison, you got the chance to think about that?
Mandela : I did.
King : Were you allowed conjugal visits? Could your wife visit you?
Mandela : Yes, our wives would visit us, but not in the sense of a conjugal visit, where you
can have physical contact with them. For a long time, you were separated by a
glass wall with the wardens breathing on your shoulders, listening very carefully
to what you say.
I only had the advantage of conjugal visits when, in 1988, I was then separated
from the others and thus removed to a different prison, then my wife could come
and sleep in prison, but she refused to do so, a decision which I fully supported.
King : Why?
Mandela : Because that privilege was not enjoyed by other prisoners, by my colleagues, and
I saw no reason why…
King : So, you denied yourself sexual pleasure because others couldn’t have it?

Mandela : No, I-yes I was forced because we had been brought up, as I say, in an
organization that believed in collective leadership…
King : One for all, all for one.
Mandela : … collective suffering and I couldn’t enjoy privileges which my own people, my
own colleagues in other prisons did not enjoy.
King : How did you live without that in your life? I mean, you’re a vibrant man. You’ve had
many children, grandchildren. How did you live without physical contact?
Mandela : Well, it is easy. I mean, it’s sometimes very difficult. I had to forget about things
that you were used to. But, prison life, fortunately, I spent a lot of years, about 18
years with other prisoners and, so I say, they enriched your soul. The type of
conversations we had, the experiences we shared…
King : You also…
General English 9.9 Nelson Mandela’s Interview...

Mandela : … and, when I went alone then, when I was isolated I was used to it.
King : You also made friends with wardens, did you not? Some came to your inauguration.
Mandela : Yes, certainly. Well, that was something very important, which influenced our
own approach because, in prison, there was a debate amongst other wardens,
some saying, let us be tough on these people to save white supremacy, they must
never regard the prison as a five-star hotel.
But the other says, no, we have to be very careful because, in history, these
people frequently win, let us treat them well in accordance with the regulations,
so that if they every win and form the government, they should also treat us well.
We took advantage of that and supported those wardens who put forward this
attitude and would benefit tremendously because we became aware if it were not
that even the apartheid supporters are not monolithic. There are those who are
thinking in a humane manner.
King : And you told me some of them were illiterate. You helped them write letters and some
of them…
Mandela : Oh, yes.
King : … had lawsuits…
Mandela : Of course.
King : … you helped them file lawsuits, right?
Mandela : Yes, that’s true.
King : So, you were friendly to them?
Mandela : No, no, no, we did that, because in prison, the government settles those things.
The top fellows did not care for juniors. They treated them, you know, like rags.
And we brought about a change, because we looked upon everybody as a human
being with hopes and aspirations and that is how we treated them.
King : More about the life and times of Nelson Mandela and the incredible story of his
release and then the presidency and his boxing career, too.
Unidentified Male : There’s Mr. Mandela, Mr. Nelson Mandela, a free man taking his first
steps into a new South Africa.
Unidentified Male : That is the man who the world has been waiting to see, his first public
appearance in nearly three decades, 72 years old, walking strongly, step
by step, further into freedom.
King : We’re back with Nelson Mandela.
Tell us about how you learned they were letting you out.
Mandela : I became aware that I was being released when I was invited by President de
Klerk, and I had a discussion with him.
Centre for Distance Education 9.10 Acharya Nagarjuna University

King : He took you out of prison?

Mandela : He took me out of prison
King : To where?
Mandela : To Stainhess (ph), which is the office of the President in Cape Town.
King : Someone had to tie your tie, right? You forgot how to tie…
Mandela : No, that was P.W. Botha before…
King : Oh, when you were dealing with Botha
Mandela : …de Klerk became President. And when I went to see him because I wanted to
convince him that it is important that the government and the aides, they should
sit down and negotiate. That is when they bought me a new suit and then a
warden came in the morning and found that I was not properly dressed and untied
my tie, because…
King : But that was with Botha, right?
Mandela : That was with P.W. Botha.
King : But it was de Klerk who let you out?
Mandela : It was de Klerk who let me out.
King : And he set-what was that meeting like?
Mandela : Well, he called me at about 6:00 in the afternoon
King : In the morning?
Mandela : No, in the afternoon
King : You were in your cell?
Mandela : Huh?
King : You were in your cell?
Mandela : No, no, no. They took me to Stainhess again.
King : OK
Mandela : And they then told me that: Look, you’re being released on Saturday. We are
going to fly you to Cape Town, keep you there for a day or two, and then deliver
you to your family. So, my attitude was: No, no, no, I want to be released in
Victor Verster, the prison where I was, and I don’t want to be taken to
Johannesburg. I’ll make my own way.
King : Why?
Mandela : It is because I wanted, first and foremost, to great the people of Cape Town who
General English 9.11 Nelson Mandela’s Interview...

actually had looked after me and especially, the people of Verster, I mean, of
Paari in the district in which my prison-last prison.
King : So, you wanted to go out where they took you in?
Mandela : Yes, no, no, I wanted to go out to there.
King : Yes.
Mandela : And then I also asked that, look, give me three weeks before you release me,
because I wanted my people to prepare for my release.
King : Wait a minute; you could have gotten out the next day…
Mandela : Yes.
King : … after 26 years, and you asked for three more weeks to stay in?
Mandela : Yes, quite. I was keen to go out, but I wanted my people to arrange for my release
so that they can welcome me properly, especially the people of Paari because
they looked after me very well and I wanted to have the opportunity for them to
come so that I can say to them : Thank you for what you have done for me.
King : We’ll be back with the incredible Nelson Mandela on this special one-hour journey
through a man’s life after this.
Mandela : I, Nelson Mandela, do hereby serve to the faithful of the Republic of South Africa
King : We’re back with Nelson Mandela.
I’ve said 26. You were 27 years in prison, and you count the days, yes.
Mandela : Twenty seven, that’s correct, yes.
King : A year is a year. Although, with you, you would have asked to stay another year, if
people could have planned it. Did you ever think, as you were going to leave, that you
would someday be president of your country?
Mandela : No. As I say, our attitude is made up as a result of collective leadership.
King : Yes, but someone has to be the leader.
Mandela : That’s right. But, Oliver Tambo, my friend, we were together at Wassages (ph).
Then, we formed the Youth League together and, of course, with others, and
then, we formed a legal partnership, and I came to know him very closely and to
respect him. I used to say: If I parted with Oliver Tambo, I would know that I
was on the wrong.
King : So you thought he would be…
Mandela : Yes
King : …the leader?
Mandela : Yes, no, he was the leader of our organization.
Centre for Distance Education 9.12 Acharya Nagarjuna University

King : Tell me about the day you walked out.

Mandela : Well, before I walked out of the prison, the SABC phoned…
King : That’s the South African Police?
Mandela : That’s right, custom corporation.
King : Oh.
Mandela : They phoned from the gate to say: Please, when you reach the gate, get out of the
car, because we want to photograph you walking toward the gate.
Now, I am very bad in anticipation. I expected just (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the
wardens I had asked to go and wait for me at the gate, together with their families,
so that I could thank them for the way they looked after me. But I was shocked
when I found that the crowd at the gate-I was completely nonplused.
King : Thousands, right?
Mandela : Yes, thousands. And-but I had nevertheless walked towards the gate and I could
not even see those wardens I had asked to stand at the gate there because of the
crowds and…
King : Well, what were you thinking as you walked?
Mandela : No, I was thinking, of course, of freedom, that now I’m going to have the
opportunity of joining my beloved family, my children and my people. I am now
going to do something creative in order to help to speed up the liberation of my
people.
King : He has been on this program. I met him the day before I saw you in South Africa.
Frederik de Klerk now studies racism with a concept of his own, a foundation of his
own…
Mandela : Yes.
King : …and a wonderful film. Sidney Poitier played you and Michael Caine played him.
What do you think of de Klerk? How important is he is in this whole story?
Mandela : Well, I am concentrating on one aspect, President de Klerk has a place in history,
because he had the decision to realize that at the time of apartheid was up, and he
had therefore the courage to come out to say: We must release political prisoners.
We must unban the African National Congress, the Communist Party, Nkuda
Wasusi (ph), the PAC.
And so, he has a place in history because we were alone. The African National
Congress, the PAC, Azapo (ph), the Liberal Party and other individuals, we were
alone in destroying white supremacy, but we could not have affected the
transformation alone. So, President de Klerk played a critical role in that.
King : All right, now, why or-people were worried when you were coming into prominence
to be president that if you were angry, and many white South African has told me this,
if you were angry and wanted revenge, there would be a lot of bloodshed.
General English 9.13 Nelson Mandela’s Interview...

Mandela : Yes
King : But, logically, you should have been angry. Logically, you should have wanted
revenge. Why not?
Mandela : Well, you have to understand the thinking of the men around me in prison,
especially those who spent long terms of imprisonment. They lost an opportunity
to serve their people during those years, and they were, therefore, determined to
catch up. They could only catch up if they were properly focused and
concentrating on both things, which will help out the liberation of their people. I
am not the only one who did not want revenge. Almost all my colleagues in
prison did not want revenge, because there is no time to do anything else except
to try and save your people.
King : Didn’t you hate your white captors?
Mandela : No, because one has to take into account that many people in the situation in
which we were-a promotion to higher position depended on the extent to which
you supported apartheid and, therefore, good people would have the attitude-had
the attitude – a forced attitude of saying, “I want promotion. Therefore, I must
do what my superiors want me to do.”
King : I see. But you were able to understand that?
Mandela : Oh, yes. Our experience in jail made us understand that because some of the
wardens spoke openly to us, and they became friendly, and they wouldn’t do
anything to us which was below our dignity.
King : We’ll be back with more of Nelson Mandela after this.
King : By the way, you like boxing, right, as an aside? You boxed, didn’t you?
Mandela : Oh, yes. I did. I…
King : Did you want to be a professional boxer?
Mandela : No, not a professional, but amateur. And, of course, our hero is those days was
Joe Louis, people like Joe Walcott…
King : Oh, you know them all, huh?
Mandela : These were our heroes.
King : And Ali much later on.
Mandela : Oh, well, Muhammad Ali is a young man, but…
King : That’s right. Yes, he’s a kid
Mandela : Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier-those are legends, and they are people who also are
political, because every time I came to the United States of America, they gave
me a lot of support, people like Evander Holyfield, like Mike Tyson, like Sugar
Ray Leonard, they were all very good to us.
Centre for Distance Education 9.14 Acharya Nagarjuna University

King : And Bill Clinton is a very good friend, is he not, of yours?

Mandela : Oh, yes. Absolutely. Bill Clinton and I became friendly long before either of us
became President, and he helped me a great deal.
King : And he has told me he regards you as the greatest leader of this country.
Mandela : Well, I regard him, by the way, as one of the best leaders of the United States of
America.
King : Why did you want to be president of your country?
Mandela : Now, that’s an important question, because when I was asked to be president,
I refused because I was 75 and I said South Africa needs a young man because
our politics are very robust, and I preferred personally either the present
president, Thoba Mbeki or Sero Romapulsa (ph), and-but I was forced to take the
position.
King : Because?
Mandela : Especially because Oliver Tambo, who really overshadowed all of us in his
wisdom, his commitment, his humility, but he had the stroke and he eventually
died.
King : So you were the logical person to be the first president?
Mandela : I wouldn’t say that because you had people like Walter Sisulu. You had…
King : You were the most famous name.
Mandela : Well, I was…
King : Certainly, you were.
Mandela : Well, I was made so by my organization. They deliberately decided to use me in
order to mobilize the organization and the international community.
King : And, at the same time, your marriage ended, right?
Mandela : Yes, right. Yes.
King : Was that very difficult for you to face a personal problem while involved in a
political- we have a mayor of New York with the same kind of problem.
Mandela : Yes, quite. Well, I sympathize with Mayor Giuliani, but my former wife is a
remarkable person whom I respect even today. She suffered a great deal and kept
the name Mandela alive when I was in jail. She also looked after my children and
played a very prominent role in the struggle, but there were certain personal
things I will not go into which made it difficult for us to live together.
King : You liked being…
Mandela : But she is a remarkable lady.
King : Did you like being president?
General English 9.15 Nelson Mandela’s Interview...

Mandela : Well…
King : It’s not a bad job for someone in the prison.
Mandela : No, I enjoyed it more because of the people around me, but I must indicate to you,
right from the beginning, the President Thaba Mbeki played a very important role.
I came from prison. He never enjoyed the Youth. He wants abroad and helped the
president, Oliver Tambo. He was able to meet heads of states.
King : In exile almost.
Mandela : In exile, yes.
King : Why did it succeed when everyone was thinking that you couldn’t run a country,
you’d been in prison for 27 years, how could the blacks run things, you know, the
whites had been in control all these years, they weren’t educated enough, et cetera?
How did it work?
Mandela : Well, that’s important question, because if you are talking about the government
in the United States of America or somewhere in Europe, you are dealing with
people who are prepared…
King : Right.
Mandela : …for governance, who went to the best schools, and who had parents with a high
level of education.
King: Hold it right there, because I want to get the answer, I’ve got to take one more break.
Mandela: OK
King : We’ll be right back with Nelson Mandela and answer that question of why it worked
and then some current things right after this.
William J. Clinton, President of the United States :
It is in our profound interest to support the positive changes in Africa’s life. Nowhere
is this more evident than in the miracle you have wrought here in South Africa, and I think
everyone knows that the most important reasons for our success is President Mandela.

(Applause)
King : OK, why did it work?
Mandela : Well, I say that, that is a question you must always consider, because we had no
experience in governance whatsoever.
King : So?
Mandela : Our people were in exile, others were working underground under difficult
conditions, still others were in jail. Then, suddenly, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) were
asked to run this country, but-excuse me-our people had the experience of
mobilizing the international community, being in touch with government
leaders, and they acquired a practical experience in running affairs, and that is
Centre for Distance Education 9.16 Acharya Nagarjuna University

why they became so successful as a government, even though they had no

previous training in government.
King : And you, of course, take-I-when I flew back on South African Airlines, the two pilots
were Afrikaaners, and they worship you. They think you saved South Africa, and they
all said the same, if you were angry that country was in trouble. Did you have any
inner anger?
Mandela : No.
King : No inner anger?
Mandela : I try to- it’s unfair to attribute what happened in South Africa to all individuals.
I played a part as part of a team, and…
King : Where is your ego?
Mandela : No, the ego lies in the fact that I share it with men and women, some of whom are
more capable than me. That is my ego.
King : And many died in this effort?
Mandela : Oh, yes, absolutely.
King : Some current things: Sierra Leone, we are not going to send troops. The
revolutionaries seem to hold a lot of eggs in their basket. What do you think is going
to happen?
Mandela : Well, I am going to discuss this matter with President Clinton tomorrow, because
the solution for that situation is that the Nigerian army, which is conversant with
the situation, should go back and defend it, and they are the people who have got
the experience and who can deal with this rebel in an effective and ruthless
manner, but that they must be given resources to do so.
King : You agree with us giving resources, but you don’t think America should send its
troops?
Mandela : Well, I would welcome America sending its troops. I would welcome that. And
I believe-I haven’t ascertained this, but yesterday I got the information that
actually Britain has put its army inside Sierra Leone.
King : Really?
Mandela : Not only to rescue its nationals, but I believe they’re inside Sierra Leone.
King : Oh, that’s news.
Mandela : But I will still ascertain this, because I got it from a reliable source yesterday.
Now, if that happens, then I know that the days of the rebels and all their
destructive activities are numbered.
King : And you meet with the president tomorrow?
Mandela : I meet with the president tomorrow.
General English 9.17 Nelson Mandela’s Interview...

King : So the British navy, that’s-we’ll follow that up. We’ll be back with our remaining
moments with Nelson Mandela right after this.
King : You have how many children?
Mandela : Well, I can’t remember now.
King : Grandchildren, you have a lot.
Mandela : No, I have five-six grandchildren, and two passed away. I now have four. But
I have 29 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
King : And tell me about the current Mrs. Mandela?
Mandela : Well, that’s a wonderful lady.
King : How did you meet?
Mandela : Well, I went to Mozambique in 1990 when I returned from the United States of
America. I went around Africa and I also went to Mozambique. That’s how I met
her. I knew of her because her husband, the late Samura Merced (ph), was one of
the outstanding African statesmen and he was my hero. And although he came up
while I was still in jail-but he was a remarkable man. And then when I went to
Mozambique I asked to see his wife, and so, that’s how we met.
King : Are you happy?
Mandela : Oh, very happy indeed, very, very happy. She’s a wonderful lady.
King : Do you like-well, you’re not retired are you? You still go around helping people?
Mandela : No, I am retired. I have left everything now to President Thabo Mbeki, who is
doing a remarkable job. But I do things on the fringes and-which I enjoy.
King : You still like travelling? You still like playing a part in world affairs?
Mandela : Well, not that I like travelling. I prefer staying at home, writing my memories of
the presidential years.
King : You are doing that now?
Mandela : Yes, I’m doing that. But I could not avoid going to Burundi, because I was asked
by the leaders of the Great Lakes, as well as President Thabo Mbeki to undertake
this role, and I couldn’t say no. But after Burundi, I think I’ll have more time to
stay at home.
King : How about your health? You’re how old?
Mandela : Now, my health, I’m on top of the world.
King : How old are you?
Mandela : Well, I’m now 82-I’ll be 82 in July.
King : And nothing-everything good, the organs are OK?
Centre for Distance Education 9.18 Acharya Nagarjuna University

Mandela : No, no, no, everything is all right. I have regular medical check-ups and they saw
I won’t die this week.
(Laughter)
King : Only your knees, right? You have trouble walking stairs.
Mandela : Yes, my knees, they were injured in jail, and it chipped and little bone between
the joints. And so, there has been an argument between my doctors, the military
wanted to give me an artificial (UNINTELLIGIBLE), but my cardiologist said:
Do you get pains? I said: No, I have no pains, except perhaps when I walk up the
steps or going down. But if I’m walking, it doesn’t hurt. There are no pains at all.
And he says : no operation.
King : When you look back, we only have a minute or so left.
Mandela : Yes, go ahead.
King : You had a remarkable life, what do you think about it? What do you want us to think
about you?
Mandela : No, that must be left to future generations, because what happens today may not
be shared by future generations. So, it’s better for us to leave to others to charge
the role which one has played.
King : Do you ever go and look at the prison?
Mandela : Yes, I like to do that.
King : You do?
Mandela : I always like to go back on to Robben Island and go on to Pollsmoor, I go to
Victor Verster, an I like visiting other prisons, to see people and to make them
happy.
King : Thank you so much.
Mandela : Thank you, Larry. Thank you very much. It has been my pleasure.
King : What can you say? Nelson Mandela, who will meet the President Clinton tomorrow,
he was with us tonight. We thank him very much.

(source:http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0005/16/1k1.00.html)

9.4 KEY WORDS :

Salvage : Rescue, retrieve
Apartheid : A policy or system of segregation or discrimination on grounds of race
Crush : Violently subdue; quell; put down
Stand : An attitude towards a particular issue; a position taken in an argument
Overwhelm : Have a strong emotional effect
General English 9.19 Nelson Mandela’s Interview...

Numbered : To restrict to a definite number- not lasting

Outstanding : Exceptionally good
Running : The activity of controlling or taking care of something
Deliberately : Consciously and intentionally
Nevertheless : Inspite of that : not withstanding

9.5 SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS :

1. What is team leadership or collective leadership? What does Mandela say about it?
2. As Prisoners, Why did Mandela and others prefer to work near the dump yards?
3. How were the prisoners treated initially?
4. Why did Mandela and his fellow prisoners do to get better facilities in prison?
5. How did Mandela acquire wisdom in prison?
6. Why did Mandela want to stay for three more weeks in prison when he was being
released?

9.6 SUGGESTED READINGS :

1. Mandela, Nelson (1994). Long Walk to Freedom Volume I: 1918–1962. Little,
Brown and Company.
2. Mandela, Nelson (2004) [1994]. Long Walk to Freedom Volume II: 1962–
1994 (large print ed.). London: BBC Audio Books and Time Warner Books Ltd.
3. Mandela, Nelson(1964,)"I Am Prepared to Die"
4. Mandela, Nelson(1999) The Authorised Biography
5. Mandela, Nelson(2017)Dare Not Linger: The Presidential Years

Dr. Inturi Kesava Rao

 LESSON – 10
DIALOGUE WRITING

LEARNING OUTCOMES :
The objectives of the lesson is to help the learner
 introduce Dialogue Writing
 Purpose of Dialogue Writing
 Types of Dialogues
 Examples of Dialogue Writing
 Improve one’s Writing and speaking skills of dialogue.
STRUCTURE OF THE LESSON :
10.1 The Purposes of Writing a Dialogue
10.2 Types of Dialogues
10.3 Fundamental Rules to be Followed When Writing a Dialogue
10.3.1 Basic Structure and Format of a Dialogue
10.3.2 Punctuation
10.4 What Not to Do when Writing a Dialogue? – Points to Remember
10.5 Examples of Dialogue Writing
10.5.1 Dialogues from Stories and Plays
10.5.2 Dialogues from Movies and TV Shows
10.5.3 Formal and Informal Conversations
10.6 Exercises to practice
10.7 Self Assessment questions
10.8 Suggested Readings

What is dialogue writing?

The Collins Dictionary defines the term 'dialogue' as “a conversation between two
people in a book, film, or play”. Transcribing a dialogue in writing or presenting a
conversation in text is referred to as dialogue writing. The term ‘dialogue’ is something all
of you would be familiar with. As social beings, people communicate with each other. Such a
communication where both parties involve in the conversation have something to say about
the topic being discussed can be said to be a dialogue. A dialogue can be on any topic. The
only point that you should remember is that a dialogue isn’t just any conversation but a
conversation between two people.
Centre for Distance Education 10.2 Acharya Nagarjuna University

10.1 THE PURPOSES OF WRITING A DIALOGUE :

As we define it, dialogue is “a communicative process in which people with
different perspectives seek understanding.” To be in dialogue means that participants are
not only engaging each other in light of their different views, but they are also striving to
achieve a degree of mutual understanding. Dialogues portray the emotional state, mindset,
background information and attitude of the speakers. This will always be more effective as it
would let the readers connect with the characters on a more personal level.

Dialogue writing is also one area where the writers get to be creative even to the
extent of breaking some conventional grammatical rules. For instance, elongating a word or
writing the whole word in capital letters or using multiple question marks or exclamation
marks to stress on whatever is being said. For example: YESSSS!!

Another component of dialogue writing is adding stage directions. Stage directions

are short phrases written in brackets that give the reader an idea of what the character is doing
as they engage in the dialogue.

10.2 TYPES OF DIALOGUES :

Dialogues can be classified into two main types namely,
 Inner Dialogue
 Outer Dialogue.
 Inner dialogue - Character talks to himself/herself. Conversation between the
character and the mind, is also known as Monologue.
 Outer dialogue - As the name suggests, ‘outer dialogues’ are thoughts that are
spoken aloud. They refer to everything the two characters involved in the dialogue
talk to each other. Outer dialogues are usually written in formal and informal
contexts.

10.3 FUNDAMENTAL RULES TO BE FOLLOWED WHEN WRITING A

DIALOGUE :
Dialogue writing can look and sound simple; however, when actually putting dialogue
in writing, there are certain rules regarding the structure and format you need to follow. Go
through each of these in detail in the sections given below.
10.3.1 Basic Structure and Format of a Dialogue :
Dialogues can be part of a story, a play or a movie. Each one has a different structure
and format in which the dialogues have to be presented; however, there is a basic structure
that can be followed. Go through the following points to learn the essential attributes a
dialogue must have.
 The first thing you have to do before you write a dialogue is to decide who the
characters are.
General English 10.3 Dialogue Writing

 You should also have a clear idea of the plot of the story, or in general, the context
of the dialogue.
 Dialogues can be just a sentence, two or three lines or even a short paragraph.
Whatever be the case, always remember that each character’s dialogue, no matter
how short or long, has to be written on the next line. In other words, no two
dialogues should appear on the same line.
 If the dialogues are one-liners, you can write them one after the other. On the
contrary, if each of your characters are speaking in chunks (short or long
paragraphs), it is mandatory that you show the difference by using an optimum line
spacing.
 Be very careful with the tense used in the dialogue.
 It is better to skip the small talk (including greetings) and start off with the point of
discussion unless the small talk is crucial to setting the mood of the conversation.
10.3.2 Punctuation :
In every form of writing, punctuation is an important factor that makes it sensible. In
the same manner, dialogue writing also would not make any sense without proper
punctuation. Learn how to punctuate dialogues by going through the following points.
 The first rule would be adding a colon after the name of the character to indicate
that the particular character is the one speaking at the moment. Sometimes, a
hyphen is used instead of a colon.
 The name of the character should always start with a capital letter as it is a proper
noun. Sometimes, you will have characters such as, student 1, student 2, etc. In
these cases also, you will have to use a capital letter.
 Dialogues are to be placed within quotation marks.
 If you are including a character’s dialogue in another character’s dialogue, it has
to be placed within single quotation marks. For example: “Don’t you think john
saying ‘I will take the lead’ has some hidden agenda?”
 Also remember that any punctuation mark corresponding to the dialogue should
always be placed within double quotation marks. For instance, if the dialogue is
an interrogative sentence, the question mark has to come first marking the end of
the sentence followed by the double quotation marks marking the end of the
dialogue.
 A dialogue can be separated using dialogue tags like ‘he said’ to attribute the
dialogue to a speaker.
 When you insert the tag in the middle of the dialogue, make sure you close the
quotation marks before the tag. The tag is preceded and followed by a comma.
When you open quotation marks to continue the dialogue, see to it that you
use a small letter to begin with if it is the continuation of the dialogue, and
Centre for Distance Education 10.4 Acharya Nagarjuna University

close the quotation marks once the dialogue is complete. For example: “Do
you know”, he shouted to everyone, “who the new manager is?”
 A dialogue can also appear at the end of the sentence. In this case, the
quotation comes first. Once you punctuate the quote and close the quotation
marks, place the dialogue tag. Note that the dialogue tag is not capitalised. For
example: “Are you coming with us?” Sarab asked.
 If a character’s dialogue is being interrupted by another character, use a dash to
indicate the interference. For example: “I was wondering –”“Are you ready to
go?”

10.4 WHAT NOT TO DO WHEN WRITING A DIALOGUE? – Points to Remember

Now that you know how to write a dialogue, let us also look at what all you are not
supposed to do when writing a dialogue..
 Dialogues need not be grammatically correct all the time. That does not mean you
can write structure less sentences. You can have individual words or phrases as a
dialogue. For example: “What?”, “Of course!”, “She started the fight?”
 Using dialogue tags does give some clarity about the action and body language of
the characters, but see to it that you do not use dialogue tags with every single
dialogue. Also, make sure you don’t use too little.
 Using colloquial language is allowed in dialogue writing, but use them only if it
matches the context.

10.5 EXAMPLES OF DIALOGUE WRITING :

To help you understand and learn the art of dialogue writing, here are a few examples
from some famous stories, plays, movies and TV shows.
10.5.1 Dialogues from Stories and Plays :
Example – 1 :
A few examples from ‘The Crocodile and the Monkey’ are given below. Go through
them and try to analyse how the description and dialogues are written.
 The crocodile’s wife thought to herself, “If the monkey eats only these sweet
rose-apples, his flesh must be sweet too. He would be a delicious dinner.”
 When they reached, the monkey climbed up the tree to safety. He looked at the
crocodile and said, “Now you can go back to your wicked wife and tell her that
her husband is the biggest fool in this world. Your foolishness has no parallel.
You were ready to take my life because of an unjust demand from your wife.
Then you were stupid enough to believe me and brought me back to the tree.”
Example – 2 :
Here are a few examples from the short story, ‘The Gift of the Magi’ by O. Henry.
Check them out.
General English 10.5 Dialogue Writing

 “Twenty dollars,” said Mrs. Sofronie, lifting the hair to feel its weight.
“Give it to me quick,” said Della.
 “Jim, dear,” she cried, “don’t look at me like that. I had my hair cut off and sold
it. I couldn’t live through Christmas without giving you a gift. My hair will
grow again. You won’t care, will you? My hair grows very fast. It’s Christmas,
Jim. Let’s be happy. You don’t know what a nice—what a beautiful, nice gift I
got for you.”
Example – 3 :
Here are a few quotes from the play, ‘The Merchant of Venice’ by William Shakespeare.
Shylock : Three thousand ducats; well.
Bassanio : Ay, sir, for three months.
Shylock : For three months; well.
Bassanio : For which, as I told you, Antonio shall be bound.
Shylock : Antonio shall become bound; well.
Bassanio : May you stead me? Will you pleasure me? shall I know your answer?
Shylock : Three thousand ducats for three months and Antonio bound.
Bassanio : And do you, Gratiano, mean good faith?
Gratiano : Yes, faith, my lord.
Bassanio : Our feast shall be much honour’d in your marriage.
Gratiano : We’ll play with them the first boy for a thousand ducats.
10.5.2 Dialogues from Movies and TV Shows :
Check out the following section to learn how dialogues from movies and TV shows
are written. Furthermore, analyse the style and language used.
Example :
The following sample conversation is from the Disney movie ‘Moana’.
Maui : Boat! A boat! The Gods have given me a (screams)
Moana : Maui, shapeshifter, demigod of the wind and sea. I am Moana…
Maui : Hero of Man.
Moana : Wh..What?
Maui : It’s actually Maui, shapeshifter, demigod of the wind and sea, hero of man. I
interrupted, from the top, hero of man. Go.
Moana : I am Mo…
Maui : Sorry, Sorry, sorry, sorry. And women. Men and women. Both. All. Not a guy-girl
thing. Ah, you know, Maui is a hero to all. You’re doing great.
Centre for Distance Education 10.6 Acharya Nagarjuna University

Moana : What? No, I came here to…

Maui : Oh, of course, of course. Yes, yes, yes, yes. Maui always has time for his fans.
When you use a bird to write with, it’s called tweeting. (laughs) I know, not
every day you get a chance to meet your hero.
Moana : You are not my hero. And I’m not here so you can sign my oar. I’m here because
you stole the heart of Te Fiti and you will board my boat, sail across the sea, and
put it back.
10.5.3 Formal and Informal Conversations :
Example – 1 :
Conversation between Teacher and Student about Future Plans
Teacher – Good morning, Nandini. How are you?
Nandini – Good morning, Ma’am. I am fine. How are you?
Teacher – I am doing fine. What are your plans after the Class 12 Boards examination?
Nandini – Well, Ma’am, I am planning to pursue English Literature.
Teacher – I thought so! I know how much you love English. So, did you decide from
which college you want to pursue English Honours?
Nandini – Yes, Ma’am, I have made a list of a few colleges; they are quite good. But
ultimately, it will depend on how much I manage to score in my Board exams.
Teacher – I am sure you will fare well in the exams, and I’m also pretty sure that you’ll
score the highest mark!
Nandini – I hope so, Ma’am.
Teacher – I wish you all the best for your Board results and future too.
Nandini – Thank you for your encouragement.
Example – 2 :
Conversation between Shopkeeper and Customer while Purchasing a WATCH

Shopkeeper – Good morning, sir. How may I help you today?

Customer – Good morning. I want to buy a Gents’ watch as a gift to someone.
Shopkeeper – Oh, that is great. Do you have a budget?
Customer – Yes, my budget is around Rs. 2500. Please show me watches within this
range.
Shopkeeper – Sure, sir. Just a moment, please. (takes out SIX toSEVEN watches and starts
showing.) Here you go, sir. These six watches are within your budget.
General English 10.7 Dialogue Writing

Customer – Oh wow, they are beautiful. I hope they will work fine and not cause any
problems soon.
Shopkeeper – Sir, if there’s any problem with the watches within the warranty period, then
all you need to do is bring the watch to us with the receipt, and we’ll replace
it.
Customer – Well, in that case, I will take the third watch, the gold-coloured one.
Shopkeeper – Sure, sir. (packs and hands over the watch) Thank you for shopping with us.
Example – 3 :
Conversation Between Two Friends Who Meet in a Restaurant

Radha – Hey Usha? Is it you?

Usha – Oh Radha! How are you? It’s been a long time.
Radha – I am fine, what about you? Yes, we last met during the board exams.
Usha – I’m good too.
Radha – What are you doing now?
Usha – Well, I have started my undergraduate studies in English Honours at St. Anns
College in Mumbai.
Radha – Wow! You finally got to study the subject you loved the most in school.
Usha – True. What about you Radha? Wasn’t History your favourite subject?
Radha – You guessed it right. I took up History Honours in Lady Shri Ram College for
Women in Delhi.
Usha – That’s nice. I am so happy for you.
Radha – I am happy for you too. Let’s meet up again soon.
Usha – Yes, sure! We have a lot to catch up on.
Radha – Bye for now. I have to pick up my sister from tuition. Take care.
Usha – Bye, will see you soon.
Example – 4 :
A Telephonic Conversation Between Two Friends about a Reunion

Jayanth – Hello? Am I talking to Pradeep ?

Pradeep – Hello. Yes, I am Pradeep. May I ask who is speaking?
Jayanth – Pradeep, it’s me Jay Roy from college. Remember?
Pradeep – Hey Jay, how are you? It has been such a long time.
Jayanth – I am doing good. Yes, four long years after college. I got your contact number
from Praneeth . You remember him, right?
Centre for Distance Education 10.8 Acharya Nagarjuna University

Pradeep – Yes, yes, I do remember him. Wasn’t he the one who topped our engineering
batch last year?
Jayanth – Yes, that’s him! He’s in America working for a big MNC now.
Pradeep – Wow! Good for him.
Jayanth – The main reason I called you up is because I am planning to organise a reunion
of our batch and wanted to know if you could make it.
Pradeep – Really? Yes, I would love to attend the reunion. Just let me know the time and
venue.
Jayanth – Do you remember the auditorium of our college where we had our orientation
program?
Pradeep – How can I forget that auditorium? We all have spent so much time in that place
over the years.
Jayanth – That’s the place for our reunion. I called up the college regarding this and they
gave us permission to have the reunion there. In fact, some of our professors
might also be there. I’ve sent out invitations to them too.
Pradeep – Wonderful! I am eagerly looking forward to the reunion.
Jayanth – I have to contact a few others too. I will let you know the details within two
days. Meet you soon. Bye
Pradeep – Sure, Bye.

10.6 EXERCISES TO PRACTICE AND SAMPLE QUESTIONS :

A : Complete the following dialogue between a girl and her mother.
Mother : I want you to learn to prepare a few dishes during these vacations.
Daughter : Is it really necessary?
Mother : (a) ___________________________________________
Daughter : (b) ____________________________________________
Mother : (c) ____________________________________________
Daughter : (d) ____________________________________________
Mother : (e) ____________________________________________
B : Read the following conversation between a guide and a tourist. Complete the
blanks in a suitable way.
Guide : Sir, this way leads (a) ________ and this leads to the lakeside.
Tourist : (b) _________________ peak some other day. (c) _________________
Guide : (d) _________________ would you like to take a bath?
General English 10.9 Dialogue Writing

Tourist : A bath! In the frozen lake? No way. By the way, (e) _______________
Guide : Yes, Sir, They’ve (f) _________________
Tourist : (g) _________________ ! I’d love to go for ice-skating.

Dialogue writing between two friends

Complete the following dialogue.
Friend – 1 : Priya ; Friend – 2 : Hema
Priya : (a) _____________________________________________ !
Hema : Actually, I am going for an interview.
Priya : (a) _____________________________________________ !
Hema : Well, It begins in half an hour.
Priya : (a) _____________________________________________ !
Hema : Oh! Come on. Who sticks to the watch?
Priya : (a) _____________________________________________ !
Hema : Yeah, I’ve called them up and secured an appointment for myself.
Priya : (a) _____________________________________________ !
Hema : Thank you so much.

10.7 SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS :

1. Write a dialogue between Two friends about Mahesh Babu’s latest movie.
2. Write a dialogue between a Teacher and a student about annual day celebrations
3. Write a dialogue between a Doctor and a patient
4. Write a dialogue between a Teacher and a student about exams
5. Write a dialogue between a Shopkeeper and a customer about mobile phones
6. Write a dialogue between a Mother and a son about vacations
7. Write a dialogue between a Teacher and a student about future studies
8. Write a dialogue between Mother and daughter about dusting the home.
9. Write a dialogue between Bank manager and student for education loan
10. Write a dialogue between Conductor and passenger

10.7 SUGGESTED READINGS :

1. Sarah Burton, Jem Poster, The Book You Need to Write the Book You want to
Write, A Handbook for Fiction Writers, 2022, Cambridge University press.
2. Grant Taylor, English Conversation Practice(India Higher Education Competitive
Examinations Others)2001,McGraw Hill Education
D. Annapurna
 LESSON – 11
AGREEING AND DISAGREEING
LEARNING OUTCOMES :

The objective of the lesson is to help the learner

 introduce agreeing and disagreeing
 Purpose of agreeing and disagreeing
 Examples of agreeing and disagreeing
 Improve one’s conservation skills
STRUCTURE OF THE LESSON :
11.1 What is the meaning of agreeing and disagreeing?
11.2 The Purpose of agreeing and disagreeing
11.3 Types of Agreeing and Disagreeing
11.3.1 Stating an opinion
11.3.2 Asking for an opinion
11.3.3 Expressing agreement
11.3.4 Expressing disagreement
11.3.5 Interruptions
11.3.6 Settling an argument
11.4 Useful expressions for agreeing and disagreeing.
11.4.1 Expressions Used to Show Agreement with examples
11.4.2 Expressions Used to Show Disagreement with examples
11.5 Other expressions for Agreeing and Disagreeing
11.6 Basic grammar rules in Agreeing and Disagreeing:
11.7 Exercises to practice
11.8 Self Assessment questions
11.9 Suggested Readings

11.1 WHAT IS THE MEANING OF AGREEING AND DISAGREEING ?

Agreeing to disagree means coming to an understanding with someone you disagree with.
When you agree to disagree, you accept that neither of you is going to change the other’s mind.
That’s when you stop arguing and move on!

Simplistically, agreeing with someone means to approve their opinion, statement, or

action. Disagreeing, on the contrary, is the opposite of agreeing, because of the prefix dis-, which
means “not / the opposite of”.
 Centre for Distance Education 11.2 Acharya Nagarjuna University

11.2 THE PURPOSES OF AGREEING AND DISAGREEING :

Every day, we disagree at home, at school, in the office, when we are together with our
friends, or even with strangers. The act of agreeing and disagreeing is part of everyone’s daily
conversation in any language.

Agreements and Disagreements are a big part of most discussions. Learning some simple
ways to agree and disagree in English will help you improve your conservation skills and be able
to take part in Group discussions with native English speakers.

In this lesson, You’ll be able to learn some basic expressions on how to agree and
disagree politely in English.

11.3 TYPES OF AGREEING AND DISAGREEING :

11.3.1 Stating an Opinion :
 In my opinion...
 The way I see it...
 If you want my honest opinion....
 According to Lisa...
 As far as I'm concerned...
 If you ask me...
11.3.2 Asking For an Opinion :
 What's your idea?
 What are your thoughts on all of this?
 How Do you feel about that?
 Do you have anything to say about this?
 What Do you think?
 Do you agree?
 Wouldn't you say?
11.3.3 Expressing Agreement :
 I agree with you 100 percent.
 I couldn't agree with you more.
 That's so true.
 That's for sure.
 (slang) Tell me about it!
 You're absolutely right.
 Absolutely.
 That's exactly how I feel.
 General English 11.3 Agreeing and Disagreeing

 Exactly.
 I'm afraid I agree with James.
 I have to side with Dad on this one.
 No Doubt about it.
 (agree with negative statement) Me neither.
 (weak) I suppose so./I guess so.
 You have a point there.
 I was just going to say that.
11.3.4 Expressing Disagreement :
o I Don't think so.
o (strong) No way.
o I'm afraid I disagree.
o (strong) I totally disagree.
o I beg to differ.
o (strong) I'd say the exact opposite.
o Not necessarily.
o That's not always true.
o That's not always the case.
o No, I'm not so sure about that.
11.3.5 Interruptions :
 Can I add something here?
 Is it okay if I jump in for a second?
 If I might add something...
 Can I throw my two cents in?
 Sorry to interrupt, but...
 (after accidentally interrupting someone) Sorry, go ahead. OR Sorry, you were
saying...
 (after being interrupted) You didn't let me finish.
11.3.6 Settling an argument :
 Let's just move on, shall we?
 Let's drop it.
 I think we're going to have to agree to disagree.
 (sarcastic) Whatever you say. / If you say so.
 Centre for Distance Education 11.4 Acharya Nagarjuna University

11.4 USEFUL EXPRESSIONS FOR AGREEING AND DISAGREEING :

11.4.1 Expressions Used to Show Agreement with examples :
1. Absolutely! / Definitely! / Of Course!
These words express a strong agreement with another person.
Examples :

Do you think learning English is very important?

Absolutely!
Do you believe that honesty is the best policy?
Definitely!
Will you buy this dress if you have extra cash?
Of course!
2. I also think so.
You can use this simple phrase to show you completely agree with someone.
Examples :
The sky is cloudy. I think we better bring umbrellas to avoid getting wet if the
rain falls.
I also think so.
She better study hard if she wants to pass the test.
I also think so.
3. I agree with you a hundred percent. / I agree with you entirely.
We use these statements to express complete agreement with someone.
Examples :
I’d rather spend money on food than on alcohol.
I agree with you a hundred percent.
He’s been sick for two days now. I Don’t think he’ll make it today.
I agree with you entirely.
4. You can say that again!
This shows a very strong agreement. Usually, people Don’t take this phrase literally
(word for word) and Don’t actually repeat what they just said.
Examples :
To be happy and positive always, we must focus on things we can control and not
on what we can’t`.
General English 11.5 Agreeing and Disagreeing

You can say that again!

Nothing beats loving yourself first more than anyone else.
You can say that again!

5. That’s so true!
Examples :
Going to the gym always keeps me energized and alive all the time.
That’s so true! It makes me energized and alive too!
I prefer sleeping to going to the club one weekend.
That’s so true! Sleeping is way better than going to the club one weekend.
6. I was just going to say that!
Examples :
It was freezing yesterday!
I was just going to say that!
They all admire Beyonce’s dancing talent.
I was just going to say that!
7. You have a point there.
Examples :
I think learning classes online even once a day is better than not doing anything at
all.
You have a point there!
You look fatter than before. I think you should start dieting and Do exercise daily.
You have a point there. I look like a pig and I’m getting worried about my size
now.
8. Tell me about it!
We use this slang term to agree with someone’s thought or opinion. Although it’s
acceptable, we Don’t really use this phrase in informal situations.
Examples :
The COVID-19 pandemic is really affecting businesses globally.
Tell me about it!
I wish I could find a job that pays a higher salary and start my dream business.
Tell me about it!
9. I have no objections.
This is perhaps one of the weaker phrases we use to agree with someone in English.
 Centre for Distance Education 11.6 Acharya Nagarjuna University

Usually, people say this when they’re not really sure about something but see no
reason why they should oppose it either.
Examples :
The Philippines truly has the most beautiful attractions in the whole world.
I have no objections to this. The Philippines has amazing beaches.
We should take a break for 30 minutes and have a coffee.
I have no objections to that plan. I’m ready for a break whenever you are.
11.4.2 Expressions Used to Show Disagreement with examples :
1. I beg to differ.
We use this phrase to disagree with someone strongly. Despite being considered a
strong form of disagreement, we use this expression in a formal and very polite phrase
situation.
Examples :
Lady Gaga is the best performer of all time.
I beg to differ. While Lady Gaga is a brilliant performer, MaDonna and Michael
Jackson are also fantastic. Just saying.
English is a more difficult language than Chinese.
I beg to differ. English is difficult but I guess Chinese is the most difficult of all
the languages.
2. No way!
This is an informal way to disagree. Besides, we also use this expression to express a
feeling of surprise and disbelief.
Examples :
My friend can finish 5 kilograms of meat in just one meal!
No way!
I bought this jewelry for only $20.
No way!
3. Yes, but…
We use this phrase to show partial agreement with some points, but not in total
agreement with the other party involved.
Examples :
I think you ought to buy a new phone since yours has scratches already.
Yes, but I Don’t have the budget for a new phone this time.
We should buy new furniture for our bedroom.
General English 11.7 Agreeing and Disagreeing

Yes, but we no longer have enough space inside.

4. To be honest, I Don’t agree with that.
We use this expression to disagree with someone politely.
Examples :
We should retrench some staff since we Don’t need such a workforce this time.
To be honest, I Don’t agree with that. I think we better keep them and let them Do
other necessary staff for us to get things Done efficiently.
Cats are more a Dorable pets than Dogs.
To be honest, I Don’t agree with that. I know cats are cute but Dogs are cuter and
more respectful pets than cats.
5. That’s not always true. / That’s not entirely true.
Examples :
Drinking tea every morning is the best way to stay healthy.
That’s not entirely true. You must also Do exercise and have a healthy breakfast.
Celebrities and other rich people are the happiest people.
That’s not always true. In fact, they have the darkest and hardest lives of normal
people.
6. As a matter of fact, I Don’t think that’s correct.
We use this expression to show a firmer but more formal way of a disagreement.
Examples :
It’s okay not to be sexy when you’re already married.
As a matter of fact, I Don’t think that’s correct.
All people work better when they’re alone.
As a matter of fact, I Don’t think that’s correct.
7. You can’t be serious!
We use this expression to disagree with someone informally and strongly. Moreover,
this form of disagreement also expresses disbelief.
Examples :
I think books are no longer useful for us now since we can read almost everything
online.
You can’t be serious!
There’s no use in saving money.
You can’t be serious!
 Centre for Distance Education 11.8 Acharya Nagarjuna University

11.5 OTHER EXPRESSIONS FOR AGREEING AND DISAGREEING :

Agreeing :

That’s right!
Exactly!
Me too!
Yes, I agree!
I totally agree!
That’s right!
I couldn’t agree more!
I see exactly what you mean!
You’re right. That’s a good point.

Disagreeing :

I Don’t agree!
I totally disagree!
Absolutely not!
That’s not right!
I’m not sure about that.
Partly agreeing
I agree up to a point, but …
I see your point, but …
That’s partly true, but …
I’m not so sure about that.
It is always a good idea to justify your opinions. Don’t just say ‘I agree’, but say ‘I
agree because I think that … (explain your reason).’

11.6 BASIC GRAMMAR RULES IN AGREEING AND DISAGREEING :

( So Do I / Neither Do I / Nor Do I )

We use fixed expressions like the ones we have above for agreeing and disagreeing.
However, we can also use so, neither and nor. In order for you to use them correctly, you just
need to remember some basic grammar rules. Here’s what you need to remember.

We use “So Do I” if we agree with a positive statement :

We use so + auxiliary / modal verb + pronoun :
‘I prefer coffee to tea’.
 General English 11.9 Agreeing and Disagreeing

‘So Do I’.
We use “Nor / Neither Do I” if we agree with a negative statement :
We use nor / neither + auxiliary/modal verb + pronoun :
“I Don’t like spicy foods”.
‘Nor Do I.’ or ‘Neither Do I’.
To disagree with a positive statement :
We use pronoun + auxiliary / modal verb + not (-n’t) :
“I like black coffee with creamer and sugar”.
‘ I Don’t ’.
To disagree with a negative statement :
We use pronoun + auxiliary / modal verb:
‘I Don’t eat chocolate and strawberry cake’.
‘I Do’.

11.7 EXERCISES TO PRACTICE :

Answer the following questions
1. Complete the dialogue using the following words :
{ 1. convinced 2. definitely 3. get me wrong 4. got a point,
5. I disagree, 6. not so sure, 7. right, 11. what you mean}

A : Here’s my design for the new advertising campaign. What do you think?
B : I’m not (1).................................... that this is what the client wants.
A : But they asked for bright colours.
B : I think (2)....................... . They said they wanted the design to be fresh and fun.
A : But this design is fresh and fun.
B : I’m (3).................................... .
A : Really?
B : Don’t (4).................................... , I like your design but it Doesn’t fit the brief.
A : I see (5).................................... . I guess it’s a bit too flashy.
B : What about changing the red and the stars?
A : Maybe you’ve (6)..................... there. I think you’re (7)............... . Is that better?
B : Yes, (11).................................... .
 Centre for Distance Education 11.10 Acharya Nagarjuna University

ANSWERS :
1. convinced 5. what you mean
2. I disagree 6. got a point
3. not so sure 7. right
4. get me wrong 8. definitely

11.8 SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS :

1. Parents should never hit their children. Do you agree or disagree?
2. English is easy to learn. Do you agree or disagree?
3. Money is more important than love .Do you agree or disagree?
4. Students should be required to study English in elementary school. Do you agree or
disagree?
5. Violence is sometimes necessary .Do you agree or disagree?
6. Personality is more important than beauty .Do you agree or disagree?
7. People who live in apartments shouldn't own pets. Do you agree or disagree?
8. No job is perfect do you agree or disagree?
9. Everyone is good at something. Do you agree or disagree?
10. We are not alone in the universe. Do you agree or disagree?
10. Life was better 20 years ago. Do you agree or disagree?
11. The most important thing about a job is the salary. Do you agree or disagree?
12. You can know a lot about a person from the clothes he or she wears. Do you agree
or disagree?
13. Teachers should be able to use physical punishment. Do you agree or disagree?
14. Global warming isn't real Do you agree or disagree?

11.9 SUGGESTED READINGS :

1. Sarah Burton, Jem Poster, The Book You Need to Write the Book You want to
Write,A Handbook for Fiction Writers, 2022, Cambridge University press.
2. Grant Taylor,English Conversation Practice(India Higher Education Competitive
Examinations Others)2001,McGraw Hill Education.

D. Annapurna
 LESSON – 12
J.R.D. TATA’S INTERVIEW WITH T.N. NINAN

LEARNING OUT COMES :

After going through this lesson, students will be able to
 How to analyze past and present situations.
 How to ask questions
 How to reply honestly.
 How to decrease corruption practices in India.
 How to understand the situation and significance of selection of diction

STRUCTURE OF THE LESSON :

12.1 About the Author
12.2 Introduction of the lesson
12.3 Text of the lesson
12.4 Key words
12.5 Self Assessment questions
12.6 Suggested Readings

12.1 ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata (29th July, 19012 – 29th Nov, 1993) was an Indian
Aviator, Industrialist, Entrepreneur and Chairman of Tata Group. Born into the Tata family of
India, he was the son of noted business man Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata. He became the first
licensed Pilot in India. He is also best known for being the founder of several industries under
the Tata Group including T.C.S., Tata Motors, Titan Industries, Tata Salt, Voltas and Air
India. He received the highest Civilian Award, the Bharat Ratna. His contributions to Indian
Industry are highly commendable.

The interview is an excerpt from J.R.D. Tata’s interview with Executive Editor T.N.
Ninan, India Today. In this interview, J.R.D. differentiates the past and present situations in
business, growing business of Dhirubhai Ambani and so on.

12.2 JRD TATA’S INTERVIEW WITH TN NINAN : SUMMARY

Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata (29th July, 19012 – 29th Nov, 1993) was an Indian
Aviator, Industrialist, Entrepreneur and Chairman of Tata Group. Born into the Tata family of
India, he was the son of noted business man Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata. He became the first
licensed Pilot in India. He is also best known for being the founder of several industries under
the Tata Group including T.C.S., Tata Motors, Titan Industries, Tata Salt, Voltas and Air
Centre for Distance Education 12.2 Acharya Nagarjuna University

India. He received the highest Civilian Award, the Bharat Ratna. His contributions to Indian
Industry are highly commendable.
The interview is an excerpt from J.R.D. Tata’s interview with Executive Editor T.N.
Ninan, India Today. In this interview, J.R.D. differentiates the past and present situations in
business, growing business of Dhirubhai Ambani and so on.
Tata explains the major changes in Indian business for the last 60 years. These were
no licensing system, so there was nobody to bribe. Business was reasonably honest. The taxes
were reasonable so there were no evasions of taxes. When Nehru implemented a license –
permit and had a heavy taxes, black marketing and corruption.
When Rajiv Gandhi became the Prime Minister of India, people began to trust on the
public sector instead of private sector. V.P. Singh attacks on corruption. It has been done in a
dignified and fair way. A Tata’s company Voltas makes Air Condition. The Government
changed heavy excise duty on Air – Conditioners, then the Voltas has no choice to close
down or sell legally.
JRD Tata is not still happy about his achievements. Being the young he was frustrated
due to the colonial rule and people were oppressed. In his old age, he has been very frustrated
because of all the opportunities have been missed. Pandit Nehru and Mrs. Gandhi have
developed the similar ways of telling him shut up. But, he had good relation with Nehru. JRD
started the subject of economic policy; Nehru turned a deaf ear to it. Mr. Gandhi did the
same. But, Mr. Rajiv Gandhi is different. Naturally he being young wants to talk to the young
people.
JRD opines that G.D. Birla was a thinking man and a man of vision. His family pro
spewed. Birla became almost as big as Tata. Regarding Reliance industries, Dhirubhai
Ambani has tremendous capacity and novelty of ideas.
He was 82 still groups Chairman. He followed Jamshedji’s ideas and stayed united the
group. He welcomed independent TISCO, TELCO or TATA Chemicals, etc. They belong to
the Tata Group with high reputation. Tata Group has been charged of insider trading in Tata
Tea Shares. TOMCO (Tata Oil Mills Company) invested in Tea. It needed money. So, they
sold a tiny percentage of the capital of Tata Tea. There was an uproar in Calcutta that the
Tatas were playing the market. Those are all the charges of insider trading in Tata Tea shares.
Mr. Ratan Tata is a young man with a young mind. Tata Groups make use of his
services with novel ideas and strategies. He is the Chairman of the Tata Group. The
Chairman of the Group is appointed by the Board. He brought new business to the Tata
Groups. He proved himself that he was suitable for the Chairman of Tata Sons.
Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata (29th July, 19012 – 29th Nov, 1993) was an Indian
Aviator, Industrialist, Entrepreneur and Chairman of Tata Group. Born into the Tata family of
India, he was the son of noted business man Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata. He became the first
licensed Pilot in India.Tata explains the major changes in Indian business for the last 60
years. These were no licensing system, so there was nobody to bribe. Business was
reasonably honest. The taxes were reasonable so there were no evasions of taxes. When
General English 12.3 J.R.D. Tata’s Interview…

Nehru implemented a license – permit and had a heavy taxes, black marketing and
corruption. It is a known fact that people earned the enormous money in the business which
was sent to abroad. All politicians are helping to the businessmen. The government needs
money to mange elections. Elections are costly affair in post Independence. So the culture has
been changed totally. Taxes are levied on industries .The corporate sector has started to fund
the government. As a result corruption becomes the order of the day. There is some
understanding among them. For the last thirty years, a single businessman was not sent to jail
on corruption charges. Tata said that Voltas is a clean company, it’s a part of the Tatas.
Voltas make air-conditioners. The Government charged heavy excise duty on air-
conditioners in the organized sector. There were no taxes on the smaller sectors. In a
competitive market, Voltas should not sustain. So they have to close down or sell it. The
lawyers of Tata advised them to find some way without breaking the law. The Voltas stood
against the politics and went on legally.
JRD and Nehru were good friends. He opposed the over population, but Nehru said
that population is the greatest strength of nation. Nehru trusted him. JRD disagreed with all
Nehru’s economic policy. Nehru sympathized with pro- Soviet policy. JRD started the
subject of economic policy; Nehru turned a deaf ear to it. Thereafter JRD never discuss
economic matters before Nehru. Pandit Nehru and Mrs. Gandhi have developed the similar
ways of telling him shut up. But, he had good relation with Nehru. JRD started the subject of
economic policy; Nehru turned a deaf ear to it. Mr. Gandhi did the same. Mrs. Gandhi later
developed this similar little polite way of telling him to shut up. When he started to bring up
the subject of economic policy, Mrs. Gandhi would turn around and look out of the window.
She doodled. She started picking up envelopes, cutting open the envelopes and pulling out
letters. It was a polite indication that she was bored. But he had a good relationship and
friendship with her. JRD opines that G.D. Birla was a thinking man and a man of vision. His
family pro spewed. Birla became almost as big as Tata. Regarding Reliance industries,
Dhirubhai Ambani has tremendous capacity and novelty of ideas.

12.3 TEXT OF THE LESSON :

1. Try to recall any product you use or know which are from the Tata.
2. What does the brand name indicate?
3. Google to see the generosity of the TATAs towards its employees during Covid
pandemic.

J.R.D. Tata’s Interview with T.N. Ninan

Q. To start by looking back, what do you think are the major changes in Indian business
in the 50 years that…
A. When I started in business-nearly 60 years ago-the conditions were very different to
what they became. There was no licensing system, so there was nobody to bride.
Business was reasonably honest. The taxes were reasonable. So there was no great
inducement to evade taxes.
Centre for Distance Education 12.4 Acharya Nagarjuna University

But then came a controlled society, under the impulse of Jawaharlal. The Government
needed money to run elections, and the whole culture changed. Along with this came
punitive taxes of 98 percent. When you have a licence-permit and very heavy taxes,
you
get evasion, black-marketing, and corruption.
Q. Are things now moving back?
A. Yes, undoubtedly, but only since Mr. Rajiv Gandhi came. During the whole of the last
30 or 35 years, the business world was suspect. To a large extent yes, deservedly so.
Knowing all the black money that has been made. But the private sector was not
trusted and everything was thrust on the public sector.
Q. You don’t see any benefits of having created this public sector?
A. Assets were created. But the time they took to blossom, the lack of return…
Q. You think controls and political corruption went together?
A. We know that enormous fortunes were made, enormous sums were sent abroad.
During those 30 years, I haven’t heard of a single businessman who was sent to jail.
Q. So you don’t criticise V.P. Singh’s cracking down on corrupt elements?
A. No, this must be done in a dignified and fair way. What happened to Kirloskar was an
outrage on human dignity.
Q. How about the Voltas case? This was one of your companies.
A. These are big companies. It’s possible at various levels. Sales people are told to sell
more. There’s always a reason for this, I think, Voltas is a clean company, it’s a part
of the Tatas. If they’ve done something wrong, why? Voltas make air-conditioners.
The Government charged heavy excise duty on air-conditioners made in the organized
sector and on the smaller sector no duty at all, or not much duty. And in a very
competitive market. So what do we do? Close down or sell? So they try and find some
way in without breaking the law… their lawyers advised them, that’s how it is done.
Q. In the Voltas case, the lawyers had said that this would be contravening the law, but
the company went ahead.
A. Well, I don’t know. (Tata Sons Director S.A. Sabavala: The chairman of Voltas
contradicted the Finance Minister’s statement in the Rajya Sabha: that was totally
incorrect.) But why do these things happen? Because laws put people in the position
of saying: all right, we’re going into liquidation or compete. This does not involve
moral turpitude…
Q. To whom extent have you achieved what you set out to achieve in industry?
A. I must confess that I’ve been very frustrated. When I was young I was an angry young
man : we were under foreign rule, people were oppressed. Now I’m an angry old man
because of all the opportunities that have been missed.
General English 12.5 J.R.D. Tata’s Interview…

Q. This has been your biggest frustration.

A. Yes of course. And even on things that were not business. I was the first in India 35
years ago to sound the alarm on the population. I made a speech. I was wrapped on
the knuckles, whom do you think by? Nehru. His words will always ring in my ears:
“Nonsense, J. A large population is the greatest source of strength of any nation.” And
after that, we’ve added 350 million people.
Q. Didn’t you argue with him?
A. You don’t argue with Jawaharlal. He didn’t want to discuss it. But the interesting
thing was I was a good friend of his. He trusted me. He knew I admired him. But he
knew I disagreed with all his economic policies, and I even didn’t agree with his
foreign policy. I felt that Krishna Menon and others like that were pro-Soviet. So
I never was able thereafter to discuss economic matters.
Q. Did you try?
A. Yes. He and Mrs Gandhi later developed this similar little polite way of telling me to
shut up. Jawaharlal, when I started to bring up the subject of economic policy, would
turn around and look out of the window. Mrs Gandhi did something else.
Q. She doodled?
A. Yes, she doodled. Doodling I didn’t mind so much. She started picking up envelopes,
cutting open the envelopes and pulling out letters. It was a polite indication that she
was bored.
Q. That’s not very polite.
A. Well, never mind. Once she got angry… I was talking, she was picking up envelopes,
and Russi Mody whispered loudly to me: “I think she’s bored.” And she said, “No
please go on, I’m listening very carefully.” But I had a good relationship, very
friendly. Rajiv would have been different. But now I am an old man of 82, Rajiv is a
young man: naturally, he wants to talk to young people.
Q. Does Mr. Ratan Tata see him quite frequently?
A. Yes, that’s right. But I’ve never had that opportunity. All these years since freedom,
no one in the Government of India, any of the Prime Ministers, even came to me, or
sent for me, and said, J, what do you think? Just this question. The only time I was not
frustrated, funnily enough, was with T.T. Krishnamachari.
Q. Why?
A. He was in many ways a terrible man, very authoritarian. But he was the only one who
ignored this socialism thing and did what he thought was right. He’s the one who
encouraged TELCO to manufacture trucks. He almost instructed Tata Steel to put in
another million tones, double capacity, in 19512.
Centre for Distance Education 12.6 Acharya Nagarjuna University

Q. You and G.D. Birla are the two great personalities in Indian business. What did you
think of him?
A. We never got together in anything. Except that I recognized that this was a thinking
man and a man of vision.
Q. He was so different from you. How did you see him in his role, his genius?
A. I don’t think that I’m anyone to criticize his system or his approach to business life.
But we know the ethical standards of some people or some groups or some
communities are different from others. His family prospered. Birla became almost as
big as Tata. The Congress party needed funds, and we’d do it openly. But those who
paid more, who paid beyond the need, go the rewards. And we were not among those.
Q. Would you put Reliance Industries in the same category?
A. I don’t know enough about it. He (Dhirubhai Ambani) has tremendous drive,
tremendous capability, tremendous novelty of ideas. I respect that. But I don’t know
enough. It seems that too much has been done too quickly. And my view has been the
same that the Government ultimately acted upon, on this question of converting non-
convertible debentures. Things of that kind, I felt, were wrong. But I have no
particular views.
Q. What would you like to do now?
A. I’m 82, I’m still group chairman. I’ll help the group to stay united and to follow
Jamshedji Tata’s ideals.
Q. Do you see the group breaking up? There are only two or three Tatas…
A. There’s no family really. But I don’t see the group breaking up at all. However
independent TISCO, TELCO or Tata Chemicals are, there is an advantage in
belonging to a group with such a high reputation. It’s something that’ worth it, to
make a Tata product.
Q. Your companies have strong, independent chairmen. If it’s your personality that binds
the group together.
A. Well, some people say that, but I don’t think… Mr. Moolgaokar is the creator of the
modern TELCO. His way of management is strongly independent. Sometimes
I wished he would consult me more, but it was working so well, and this was the way
to get the best out of him.
Q. Talking of your group’s traditions, there have been charges of insider trading in Tata
Tea shares.
A. I had made H.N. Sethna of the Atomic Energy Commission, chairman of TOMCO,
which had investments in tea. It needed money, I was abroad and Sethna sold some
investments that were not specific to TOMCO. We sold a tiny percentage of the
capital of Tata Tea. There was uproar in Calcutta, that the Tatas were playing the
General English 12.7 J.R.D. Tata’s Interview…

market. When I came back I sent for Sethna and he said, frankly I didn’t know…
I said, you might have consulted me. That’s all.
Q. Why did you pick Mr. Ratan Tata as your heir apparent by making him chairman of
Tata Industries?
A. Mr. Ratan Tata is a young man with young mind, and he said, “Let’s make use of Tata
Industries, let’s sponsor new industries. It bears a good name, it’s a good instrument.”
So I said, “Yes, you go ahead and be chairman of it.”
Q. You were not signalling that he would be your successor as chairman of Tata Sons,
the mother company?
A. It can be interpreted in any way. But my successor as what? When I die, or if I retire,
the chairman of Tata Sons will be appointed by the board. I can’t appoint.
Q. You haven’t indicated your preference?
A. Well, we know that I think that this is a young man with modern ideas…
Q. Did you see him already slipping into that role?
A. Yes. I think he’s doing what he can. He’s introducing new ideas, new strategic
planning. He’s brought new business to us. And I think he’ll do well.
(source:https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/interview/story/19860815-both-nehru-
and-mrs-gandhi-developed-polite-ways-of-telling-me-to-shut-up-j.r.d.-tata-801137-
1986-08-15)(source:https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/interview/)

12.4 KEY WORDS :

Strategic : calculated, tactful
Successor : inheritor
Uproar : a public expression of protest or outrage
Drive : manage; direct
Doodle : Scribble, absent- mindedly
Turpitude : wickedness; immorality
Outrage : an extremely strong reaction of anger
Crackdown : deal with or illegal behaviour in a more severe way
Punitive : corrective, disciplinary
Inducement : incentive; encouragement

12.5 SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS :

1. What are the factors that increase corruption?
2. What would have happened if “controls and political corruptions” were not
together?
Centre for Distance Education 12.8 Acharya Nagarjuna University

3. How does Tata defend the Voltas Company?

4. In which areas did JRD disagree with Nehru?
5. How does Indira Gandhi Show her Boredom? Why does she do so?
6. What do you assess about JRD from his observations on G. D. Birla and Dhirubhai
Ambani?.

12.6 SUGGESTED READINGS :

1. Pai, Anant (20012). JRD Tata: The Quiet Conqueror. Mumbai: India Book House.
2. Lala, R. M. (1992). Beyond the Last Blue Mountain: the Authorised Biography of
J.R.D. Tata. Viking.
3. Mambro, Arvind, ed. (20012). J.R.D. Tata Letters. Rupa.
4. Lala, R.M. (1993). Beyond the last blue mountain : a life of J.R.D. Tata (New &
updated ed.). New Delhi, India: Viking.

Dr. Inturi Kesava Rao

 LESSON – 13

DEBATES
LEARNING OUTCOMES :
The objective of the lesson is to help the learner
 understand the nature of a debate
 pick up nuances of presenting his/her viewpoint
 learn how to support one’s arguments and counter the opposing views logically

STRUCTURE OF THE LESSON :

13.1 Introduction
13.2 Activities
13.3 Features of a Debate
13.4 Some Expressions
13.5 Sample Debates
13.6 Tips
13.7 Topics for Debates
13.8 Practice Exercise
13.9 Conclusion
13.10 Suggested Readings

13.1 INTRODUCTION :
According to britannica.com, a debate is ‘a discussion between people in which they
express different opinions about something’. A debate can be an organized event involving
two individuals or two teams arguing ‘For’ or ‘Against’ the topic called technically as the
‘Motion’. It can also be an informal discussion between two or more people or a general
discussion that involves many people. It can also be a discussion that happens between the
ruling party and the opposition parties in the parliament or in the assembly. In short, a debate
is a formal discussion where arguments ‘For’ or ‘Against’ the motion are presented and
solutions are offered at the end of it. In this unit, we will be discussing formal and organized
debates.

A formal debate will help a student to sharpen his/her:

 listening and speaking skills
 interpretative ability
 logical thinking
Centre for Distance Education 13.2 Acharya Nagarjuna University

 communication skills
 problem solving skills
 negotiation skills
 team spirit, and
 ability to defend the ‘first’ stand taken

13.2 ACTIVITIES :
Activity 1

Write arguments ‘FOR’ and ‘AGAINST’ the motion for the topic ‘Social Media has a
Negative Impact on the Youth’. You can refer to the internet to collect your points.

Arguments for the Motion( Arguments to say social media has negative impact on
the youth)

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Arguments for the Motion (Arguments to say social media has positive impact on
the youth)

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Activity 2

Write arguments ‘FOR’ and ‘AGAINST’ the motion for the topic ‘Youth should join
politics’. You can refer to the internet to collect your points.

Arguments for the Motion( Arguments to say youth shall join politics)

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General English 13.3 Debates

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Arguments against the Motion (Arguments to say youth shall not join politics)

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Activity 3

Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW1lY5jFNcQ and watch the video of the

first 2020 presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. What did you
observe? Write down your observations.

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13.3 FEATURES OF A DEBATE :

 A topic is chosen. This is called ‘The Motion’.
 In a debate, there are two people/teams/groups: the one which speaks ‘For the
Motion’ and the other which speaks ‘Against the Motion’.
 The speeches and speaking time are divided equally between the two teams.
 The arguments in the debate will be monitored by the Chairperson or the Speaker.
 Both teams are given a choice to speak one after the other. First, a person speaks
for the duration allotted to him. The members from the other team will have to
patiently listen to the points raised by the speaker ‘For the Motion’. He can
present his views ‘Against the Motion’ only after the speaker ‘For the Motion’ has
completed.
 When the first speaker ‘Against the Motion’ speaks, the first team will have to
wait for their chance and later, the second speaker ‘For the Motion’ can present
his views. Later on, the second speaker ‘Against the Motion’ can present his
views.
Centre for Distance Education 13.4 Acharya Nagarjuna University

 The topic can be made open to both the groups. Participants from either side can
pose questions to the other team and the other team members have to answer and
vice versa.
 At the end, the final rebuttal speeches will follow summarizing and rebutting the
arguments of the speakers from the opposite side.
 The strength of the argument, logical thinking etc., will be judged by a group of
adjudicators. They may evaluate the arguments for clarity, knowledge of the
subject, logical reasoning, communication skills and the ability to give a good
rebuttal based on facts.

13.4 SOME EXPRESSIONS :

Wish everyone
Dear Chairperson, adjudicators and honorable members from the other side, good
morning to you all.
Introduce the topic
The Motion for today’s debate is -----------------------------------------------------------------
Introduce yourself
I am ---------------------. I am speaking ‘For the Motion’ i.e., ---------------------------------

Plunge into the topic

The first reason we are speaking ‘For the Motion’ is ------------------------------------------
The second reason is --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For instance, -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Summarize
Let me summarize our position on this debate
Conclude with thanks
Thank you for giving me an opportunity to present my views on the topic ----------------

13.5 SAMPLE DEBATES :

The Motion : ‘The college students shall be given unlimited freedom’

Arguments AGAINST THE MOTION

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. The topic is ‘The college students shall be given
unlimited freedom’. I am speaking ‘Against the Motion’. I think that the teenager
should not be allowed to probe the mysteries of the world all on his/her own. I strongly
feel that some kind of guidance is necessary for their young and impressionable minds.
It is true that the modern world offers a variety of opportunities for all age groups in all
the fields of knowledge, and everything is accessible at the click of a button. But, with
one click on the wrong button, one could get access to harmful knowledge. Therefore,
General English 13.5 Debates

there needs to be some kind of control over the kind of freedom a teenager enjoys. One
could argue that aren’t teenagers capable of deciphering the good from the bad as they
are on the threshold of adulthood? I agree with this thought but too much curiosity can
lead to added confusion, and even chaos. Some kind of parental guidance should be
exercised on teenagers. Therefore, I think teenagers, on their part, should not insist on
complete freedom to make their choices in life. Thank you.

The Motion : Social Media and its Effects

For the Motion :
Honourable judges, teachers and my worthy opponents, thank you for giving me the
opportunity to join this debate on the topic, ‘Social Media and its Effects’.
I am Mukul / Mahima and I would like to speak in favour of the motion.
How many people do not have a smile on their faces on finding an old friend on
Facebook? Well, social media has removed all the barriers and boundaries to
communication by bringing the globe on a single platform. While business
opportunities have widened, marketer’s reach has broadened. It keeps us updated about
everything going on in every nook and corner of the world on a real-time basis.
From emergency alerts, announcements and declarations to knowing how our friends
are doing-everything has become convenient. It provides freedom of speech and thus
enables everyone to speak their mind.
With so much advancement and innovation, it would be an unimaginable world without
having social media in it. Someone has rightly put it into words by saying, "Social
media is addictive precisely because it gives us something that the real world lacks: it
gives us immediacy, direction and a value as an individual."
Thank you.
Against the Motion:
What a world it is, with everyone on their phones, all the time, faking their lives and
keeping a count of their likes!
Good Morning, ladies and gentlemen! I am Mukul / Mahima and my topic for the day
is, "Social media and its effects". I would like to speak against the motion.
It has now become doubtful to trust the saying that goes "Technology was developed to
save time and make our lives easier", because people have become addicted and
unproductive.
It takes a lot of effort and discipline to stay away from social media. Results have
shown that it has had adverse effects on human minds and their functioning. Outdoor
activities among children have also reduced significantly.
No doubt it provides access to useful information, but, it is hard to ignore the quantum
of fake news that spreads like wildfire and the extent of impact it has on the society. In
Centre for Distance Education 13.6 Acharya Nagarjuna University

fact, fake whatsapp forwards was a clear pattern that was observed behind the recent
cases of mob lynching or rather, "Death by social media".
It is one of the reasons behind insecurities and depression among teenagers. It is right
that technology was introduced to save time, but we forgot to mention, "In the right
amount". So, remember, you leave the present moment every time you check the phone.
Thank you for your cooperation and time.

13.6 TIPS :
 Do a comprehensive research on your topic. Do brainstorming.
 Identify the materials from the authentic sources that will support your point.
 Collect all relevant materials, facts, figures, tables, news items.
 Your Arguments should have a strong line of reasoning backed by facts that
support your arguments.
 The language could be firm, forceful but polite.
 Do not spend too much time on a single topic.
 You can use cue cards to remember the points.
 Have a positive body language. Make good eye contact with the individuals.
 Use your voice well.
 Use words and phrases you are comfortable with. You need not use flowery
language.
 Follow rhetorical approach when delivering a point.

13.7 TOPICS FOR DEBATES :

 Is digital technology making children's lives better?
 Teachers should be allowed to smack naughty children.
 Books are better than television.
 Computers should replace teachers.
 Every child should have a pet.
 Ban homework.
 All people should be vegetarians.
 Healthcare should be universal.
 Banning plastic.

13.8 PRACTICE EXERCISE :

1) ‘Smoking in public places shall be banned’ is the topic given for debate in your
college.
General English 13.7 Debates

Write the answer in TEN LINES

2) Write down a speech debating why smoking in public places should be banned.
You may refer to the internet for identifying the right and logical arguments.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
3) ‘Private schools are better than government run schools’ is the topic given for
debate in your college. Write down a speech debating why and how government
run schools are better than private schools. You may refer to the internet for
identifying the right and logical arguments.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
4) ‘Private schools are better than government run schools’ is the topic given for
debate in your college. Write down a speech debating why and how private
schools are better than government run schools. You may refer to the internet
for identifying the right and logical arguments.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
5) ‘Religion does more harm than good’ is the topic given for debate in your
college. Write down a speech debating why and how religion does more harm
than good. You may refer to the internet for identifying the right and logical
arguments.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
6) ‘Democracy is the best form of government’ is the topic given for debate in your
college. Write down a speech debating why democracy is the best form of
government. You may refer to the internet for identifying the right and logical
arguments.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
7) ‘Democracy is the best form of government’ is the topic given for debate in your
college. Write down a speech debating why democracy is NOT the best form of
government. You may refer to the internet for identifying the right and logical
arguments.
Write the answer in TEN LINES

13.9 CONCLUSION :
Many students study debate in high school or college to improve their speaking
skills. As a debater, you learn how to clearly and logically structure and present an
argument. The skills you develop as a debater will help you on many occasions.

13.10 SUGGESTED READINGS :

1. https://wps.pearsoned.com/wps/media/objects/6524/6681325/Debate_writing.pdf
2. https://www.teachmint.com/tfile/assignment/class-
11th/english/debatewriting/32114c9a-af2c-4577-8fbc-2b24ecb983a7
Dr. Ashok Vardhan Garikimukku
 LESSON – 14
ONE WORD SUBSTITUTION
LEARNING OUTCOMES :
The objective of the lesson is to help the learner
 introduce one word substitutes
 introduce use of one word substitutes
 Types of one word substitutes
 Different Exercises in one word substitutes
 Improve one’s vocabulary power

STRUCTURE OF THE LESSON :

14.1 One word substitution -Introduction
14.2 Importance of learning one word substitution
14.3 One word substitution is by using the root method
14.4 Fill in the blanks with suitable one word substitute
14.5 Suggested Readings

14.1 ONE WORD SUBSTITUTION – INTRODUCTION :

One word substitution replaces words and communicates the meaning more
effortlessly. It also lessens the words. Thus, saving time and space. 'One-word substitution' is
a replacement for long and lengthy sentences or definitions. It falls under the category of
'Vocabulary' as word, sentences, definitions are parts of a speech as well. Our brain
comprehends information better when we receive it in the simplest form. Simply put, one-
word substitution is replacing a long, complicated, or wordy sentence/phrase with one
word. This makes the sentence short, crisp, and also more meaningful without being lengthy.

14.2 IMPORTANCE OF LEARNING ONE WORD SUBSTITUTION :

One word Substitution is one of the integral parts of vocabulary. It simply means that
a sentence has to be replaced with a single word. This area requires a good vocabulary to
solve the questions well. Questions based on one word substitution are often asked in various
competitive exams.

14.3 ONE WORD SUBSTITUTION IS BY USING THE ROOT METHOD :

One easy method of doing one word substitution is by using the root method. Roots
are nothing but the words from which the main word has been derived. In our other series of
vocabulary, we have consolidated the lists of root words that will ease your preparation.
Learning through word roots will make it easy for you to grasp more and enhance your
vocabulary. The given list of word roots will surely help you in this regard. It's always
Centre for Distance Education 14.2 Acharya Nagarjuna University

advisable to learn one word substitution with the help of word roots to ease your vocabulary
building and expand your word base exponentially.
For example :
Look at the root word - CRACY.
CRACY = RULE / GOVERNMENT
 A government by the people - Democracy
 A government by a king or queen - Monarchy
 A government by the officials - Bureaucracy
 A government by the rich - Plutocracy
 A government by few - Oligarchy
 A government by the nobles – Aristocracy
OMNI = ALL
 One who is all powerful - Omnipotent
 One who is present everywhere - Omnipresent
 One who knows everything - Omniscient
CIDE = KILLING
 Killing of a human being - Homicide
 Killing / Murder of a king - Regicide
 Killing of an Infant/ newborn baby - Infanticide
 Killing of a race or community - Genocide
 Killing of One's sister - Sorocide
 Killing of self or self-murder - Suicide
 Killing of either or both parents - Parricide
 Killing of one's brother - Fratricide
 Killing of one's father - Patricide
 Killing of one's mother - Matricide
 Killing of one's husband - Mariticide
 Killing of one's wife - Uxoricide
Ible = Able to be
 Inaudible - a sound that cannot be heard
 Inaccessible - that cannot be easily approached
General English 14.3 One Word Substitution

 Incorrigible - incapable of being corrected

 Irreparable - incapable of being repaired
 Illegible - incapable of being read
 Inevitable - incapable of being avoided
 Impracticable - incapable of being practiced
 Invincible - one, too strong to be overcome
 Indelible - that cannot be erased
 Indefatigable - one, who does not tire easily
 Infallible - one, who is free from all mistakes and failures
Phobia means fear or dislike
o Zoophobia – zoo + phobia means fear of animal
o Androphobia – Andro means boys / male so androphobia means the one
who don’t like boys.
o Gynophobia – Gyno means girl / women so gynophobia means the one
who don’t like girls
o Pedophobia – Pedo means child so pedophobia is the one who don’t like
children’s.
o Demophobia – demo means people so demophobia means the one who
fear of public speaking.
o Anthropophobia – anthro means human being so anthropophobia mean
fear of human being or the one who don’t like the
company of human being or in simple word aloof
(living alone)
o Theophobia – theo + phobia means fear of religion
Thei meaning god / religion
Ist meaning follower
 Theist meaning the one who believes in God
 Atheist meaning the one who don’t believe in God.
 Monotheist mono + theist mono (only one) so monotheist means the
one who believes in one god.
 Polytheist Ploy means many so polytheists means the one who believe in
many gods.
 Pantheist Pan mean all over so pantheist is one who believe in all gods
across all religion.
Centre for Distance Education 14.4 Acharya Nagarjuna University

Pan – All, any, everyone

♦ Panacea – a cure for all diseases or problems
♦ Panorama – an all- around view
♦ Pantheism – the worship of all gods
♦ Pandemic – affecting all
Path – Feeling, emotion
 Antipathy – a feeling of great dislike
 Apathy – a lack of feeling or interest
 Empathy – ability to understand another’s feelings
Uni – One, single
 Unicycle- a vehicle with one wheel
 Unilateral- decided by only one person or nation
 Unique- the only one of its kind
 Unison- as one voice
Exercises :

1. A handwriting by which cannot be easily read

A. Illegible B. Legible C. Lucid D. Edible

2. One who comes to settle in a country

A. Tourist B. Emigrant C. Immigrant D. Visit

3. A person living permanently in a certain place

A. Resident B. Native C. Domicile D. Subject

4. One who loves mankind is called

A. Optimist B. Philanthropist C. Optometrist D. Truant

5. A Government run by a dictator is termed as

A. Autocracy B. Democracy C. Oligracy D. Theocracy

6. A remedy for all disease is

A. Medicine B. Medical C. Medica D. Panacea
General English 14.5 One Word Substitution

7. More than enough in amount or capacity

A. Derisory B. Ample C. Inadequate D. Liberal

8. An office for which no salary is paid

A. Hospitable B. Free C. Honorary D. Gratis

9. One who is habitually good to others:

A. Helper B. Altruist C. Angel D. Humanitarian

ME ENGLISH SCIENCE COMPUTER DB TET PROGRAMMING

10. A place to bury dead bodies :

A. Catacomb B. Crypt C. Cemetery D. Sepulcher

11. Living for years and years

A. Perennial B. Permanent C. Annual D. Continuous

12. The yearly return of a date :

A. Birthday B. Recurrence C. Anniversary D. Ceremony

13. One who cannot be changed or reformed

A. Invulnerable B. Hardened C. Incurable D. Incorrigible

14. The cessation of warfare before signing a treaty :

A. Armistice B. Truce C. Ceasefire D. Suspension

15. The absence of government :

A. Misrule B. Unruly C. Anarchy D. Chaos

16. A broad road bordered with trees

A. Boudoir B. Avenue C. Boulevard D. Facade

17. The killing of one man by another man

A. Suicide B. Homicide C. Fillicide D. Insecticide

18. A hundred year old man :

A. Century B. Centurion C. Cent D. Centenarian
Centre for Distance Education 14.6 Acharya Nagarjuna University

19. A substance in the blood tending to neutralize matter that is harmful:

A. Antidote B. Antibiotic C. Antiseptic D. Antibody

20. One who has exaggerated anxiety about one's health

A. Pediatric B. Hypochondriac C. Verbatim D. Petrify

21. A person who is skilled in horsemanship

A. Cavalier B. Equestrian C. Jockey D. Cavalryman

22. The mistake of placing something in the wrong period of time:

A. Misdate B. Anachronism C. Misplacement D. Prolepsis

23. A low area storm with high winds rotating about a centre of low atmospheric pressure
A. Cyclone B. Tornado C. Typhoon D. Hurricane

24. A doctor who specializes in diseases of the nose [SSC CGL Exam 2014]
A. Rhinology B. Otologist C. Pathologist D. Podiatrist

25. One who entertains his guest well

A. Inhospitable B. Incognito C. Parasitic D. Hospitable

26. Place where birds are kept

A. Zoo B. Apiary C. Armoury D. Aviary

27. That which is contrary to law

A. Legal B. Legacy C. Illegal D. Imminent

28. Of unknown authorship :

A. Incognito B. Pseudo C. Anonymous D. Unidentified

29. That which cannot be attacked or taken by force

A. Pregnable B. Impregnable C. Autopay D. Anarchy

30. A trite, stereotyped expression:

A. Cliche B. Proverb C. Idiom D. Buzzword

31. One who travels from place to place

A. Itinerant B. Mendicant C. Journeyman D. Tramp

32. One who is unable to read or write

General English 14.7 One Word Substitution

A. Genius B. Illiterate C. Palisade D. Pulverize

33. A part of a word that can be pronounced separately [SSC CGL Exam 2014]
A. Particle B. Sibilant C. Syllable D. Letter

34. One who lacks knowledge

A. Intelligent B. Ignorant C. Credulous D. Colleague

35. A person who renounces the world and practices self-discipline in order to attain
salvation :
A. Sceptic B. Ascetic C. Devotee D. Antiquarian

36. One who abandons his religious faith :

A. Apostate B. Prostate C. Profane D. Agnostic

37. A hater of knowledge and learning :

A. Bibliophile B. Philologist C. Misogynist D. Misologist

38. Commencement of words with the same letter :

A. Pun B. Alliteration C. Transferred epithet D. Oxymoron

39. Science of origin of universe

A) astronomy B) astrology C) cosmology D) numerology

40. Study of plant and animal cells

A) histology B) biology C) cytology D) zoology

41. Misappropriation of money

A) fraud B) spendthrift C) embezzlement D) cheapskate

42. A disease prevailing in a locality

A) epidemic B) exotic C) endemic D) systemic

43. A person who rides on horse back

A) equestrian B) cavalry C) pedantic D) fastidious

44. To remove all objectionable matter

A) expurgate B) censure C) edit D) photoshop
Centre for Distance Education 14.8 Acharya Nagarjuna University

45. Handing over person accused or convicted of a crime to another country

A) immigrate B) emigrate C) extradite D) intradite

46. A strong desire to take liquor

A) dipsomania B) kleptomania C) misophonia D) melomania

47. Failing to discharge one’s duty

A) honourary B) destitution C) dereliction D) restitution

48. A group of soldiers living in a town/fort and defending it

A) artillery B) garrison C) cavalry D) mutineer

49. An animal story with a moral

A) fable B) tale C) anecdote D) parable

50. A think likely to be easily broken

A) vulnerable B) flexible C) brittle D) delicate

51. Body of singers

A) coir B) quorum C) quire D) choir

52. Very dramatic

A) histrionic B) Hippocratic C) hirsute D) hoary

53. The process by which a person or an organisation reduces the amount of money it
spends
A) budgeting B) retrenchment C) saving D) closure
54. An established principle of practical wisdom
A) Marxism B) maxim C) neologism D) platonism

55. Person with whom one works

A) contemporary B) companion C) colleague D) partner

56. Honesty of character

A) integrity B) rectitude C) honour D) dignity
General English 14.9 One Word Substitution

57. Expressions of sympathy

A) congratulation B) condolence C) compliment D) condemnation

58. An instrument used to record sound

A) gramophone B) hydrophone C) phonograph D) megaphone

59. One who is honourably discharged from the service

A) eligible B) emeritus C) emissary D) erudite

60. Adjective added to a person’s name

A) epitaph B) epithet C) euphemism D) erudite

61. A strong feeling of happiness

A) euphoria B) euphonious C) explicate D) epitome

62. Belief that the most important thing in the world is pleasure
A) heretic B) hedonism C) hermetic D) bigotry

63. Stroke of good luck

A) frenzy B) fiasco C) fluke D) fatal

64. Likely to cause fire or violence

A) impresario B) incendiary C) incombustible D) impudence

65. Plead to obtain favour to save someone else

A) intercede B) intercept C) intermittent D) internment

66. One who is angry at injustice

A) indigent B) indignant C) indelible D) incredible

67. One who has no means of livelihood

A) cynic B) pedantic C) pauper D) panegyric

68. Very careful to behave correctly

A) sycophant B) punctilious C) repartee D) prudent
Centre for Distance Education 14.10 Acharya Nagarjuna University

69. Not happening regularly or continuously

A) intermittent B) inhibition C) jitter D) lechery

70. Something necessary as a duty

A) incessant B) incongruous C) incumbent D) incision

71. One who is filled with narrow and prejudiced opinions

A) bigot B) heresy C) fanatic D) zealot

72. One who is greedy

A) gregarious B) perspicacious C) voracious D) avaricious

73. A person who is fond of fighting

A) gregarious B) cynic C) bellicose D) hypochondriac

74. That eat one’s own species

A) catacomb B) omnivorous C) voracious D) cannibal

75. Person who is rough and ill mannered

A) cajole B) boorish C) sycophant D) abysmal

76. A series of a type of dance performance

A) cynosure B) cabby C) cabaret D) extravaganza

77. Lack of respect or religious reverence

A) immature B) impiety C) impertinent D) impudent

78. Impossible to find agreement between

A) imponderable B) impregnable C) irrecoverable D) irreconcilable

79. An unconventional style of living

A) matin B) debonair C) bohemian D) dilettante

80. A person who leads an immoral life

A) bohemian B) regalia C) libertine D) dilettante
General English 14.11 One Word Substitution

81. A boastful fellow

A) dissembler B) swashbuckler C) adventurer D) hypocrite

82. One who is brilliant performer of music on stage

A) virtuoso B) vibrant C) verbatim D) verd

83. An annual calendar with position of stars

A) antonia B) libretto C) hurtle D) almanac

84. An exact copy of handwriting

A) typeset B) simile C) facsimile D) copyhold

85. A thing kept in memory of an event

A) trophy B) plaque C) souvenir D) reminisce

86. The dwelling place of an animal underground

A) burrow B) tunnel C) borrow D) heap

87. A squirrel’s home

A) den B) harrow C) twig D) drey

88. A place where pigs are kept

A) shed B) hovel C) stym D) kiln

89. Forcing out(blood etc) from the vessel

A) vestiary B) extravaganza C) extravasate D) extraction

90. Elderly woman in charge of a girl on social occasions

A) hood B) chaperon C) sepulchral D) bier

91. Deviation or departure from common rule of standard

A) anomaly B) amnesty C) sycophancy D) emeritus

92. A book or picture produced mainly to bring in money

A) mercenary B) potboiler C) fugitive D) frugal
Centre for Distance Education 14.12 Acharya Nagarjuna University

93. Cutting all the waste paper into pieces

A) stropping B) striping C) strapping D) shredding

94. A verse letter

A) epistle B) testament C) erudite D) epitaph

95. A person who wishes to throw over all the establishments

A) democratic B) cynic C) anarchist D) plucky

96. Walk in a vain, self important way

A) sway B) strut C) bully D) venial

97. One who thinks that human nature is essentially evil

A) sycophant B) hermit C) cynic D) altruist

98. Something left in a will by someone who has died

A) beleaguer B) testament C) testimony D) legacy

99. The study of ancient civilisations

A) history B) anthropology C) ethnology D) archeology

100. To be dogmatic in one’s opinions

A) plaintive B) opinionated C) secular D) pathetic

14.4 FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH SUITABLE ONE WORD SUBSTITUTE :

1. Unfair advantages for members of one’s own family............................

2. Fluent and clear in speech...................

3. One who eats human flesh..................

4. To bite like a rat...................

5. Soldiers who fight on horseback....................

6. That through which light cannot pass..................

7. A man who wastes money on luxury.................

8. One who is out to destroy government....................

9. One who is uncertain about God...................

General English 14.13 One Word Substitution

10. One who hates women..................

11. A raised passageway in a building................

12. Failing to discharge one’s duty................................

13. Careful and thorough enquiry.....................

14. A situation that stops an activity from progressing........................

15. A body of persons appointed to hear evidence and give their verdict in
trails................

16. A violent storm...................

17. Causing damage to both parties involved................

18. A person highly skilled in music or other artistic pursuit........................

19. Bitter and violent attack in words..................

20. Belief that war and violence are justified.................

21. Expert in scientific study of birds..................

22. A place where nuns live and work..................

23. A government in which all religions are honoured..........

24. Customs and habits of a particular group..................

25. Severely abusive writing in journals..............

14.5 SUGGESTED READINGS :

1. Lewis Norman ,Word Power Made Easy , , Publisher Random House USA ·
2. M C Sreevalsan, Vocabulary At Your Fingertips. , Vikas Publishing House

Dr. Dendukuri Annapurna

 LESSON – 15
YOU'VE GOT TO FIND WHAT YOU LOVE

- Steve Jobs

LEARNING OUT COMES :

After going through this lesson, students will be able to
 How to pursue one’s dreams and life’s setbacks.
 Strive for what we want in our life.
 Trust in yourself and take chances in things.
 Pursue what you Know.
STRUCTURE OF THE LESSON:
15.1 Introduction of the Author
15.2 The Background and Summary of the lesson
15.3 Text Reading
15.4 Key words
15.5 Self Assessment Questions
15.6 Suggested Readings

15.1 INTRODUCTION TO THE AUTHOR :

About the Speaker: Steven Paul Jobs; February 24, 191515 --- October 15, 2011) was
an American business magnate, industrial designer, investor, and media proprietor. He was
the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and co-founder of Apple Inc.; the Chairman
and majority shareholder of Pixar; a member of The Walt Disney Company's board of
directors following its acquisition of Pixar; and the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of NeXT.
Jobs is widely recognised as a pioneer of the personal computer revolution of the 1970s and
1980s, along with his early business Partner and fellow Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak
Jobs was perceived as a demanding perfectionist who always aspired to position his
businesses and their products at the forefront of the information technology industry by
foreseeing and setting innovation and style trends.

He is listed as either primary inventor or co-inventor in 346 United States patents or

patent applications related to a range of technologies from actual computer and portable
devices to user interfaces (including touch-based), speakers, keyboards, power adapters,
staircases, clasps, sleeves, lanyards and packages. Among his outstanding awards and
recognitions are Edison Achievement Award for his commitment to innovation throughout
his career (awarded posthumously in 2012) and being listed among the Time 100 Most
Influential People in the World on five separate occasions between 2004-2010.
Centre for Distance Education 15.2 Acharya Nagarjuna University

15.2 THE BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE LESSON :

Steven Paul Jobs (24th Feb, 1915 – 15th Oct, 2011) was an American Business
Magnate, Industrial Designer, Investor and Media Proprietor. He was the Chairman, Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) and Co-Founder of Apple Inc.; the Chairman and majority
shareholder of Pixar; and the Founder, Chairman and CEO of NeXT. Jobsis widely
recognized as a pioneer of the personal computer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s.
He is listed as either primary inventor or co-inventor in 346 United States patents.
Among his outstanding awards and recognition are Edison Achievement Award for his
commitment to innovation throughout his career. He was listed among the time 100 most
influential people in the world in five separate occasions between 2004-2010.

This is a prepared text of the commencement address delivered by Steve Jobs, CEO of
Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studio, on June 12, 2005. He was felt honored to be
the speaker of one of the finest Universities in the World. He never graduated from College.
On this occasion, he wanted to tell the three stories from his life. The story is about
connecting the dots. His biological mother was unwed college graduate student. She decided
him to be adopted by Graduate parents. Unfortunately, he was adopted to non – graduate
parents. She refused for adoption. But they promised to send him college.

After seventeen years, he joined a college which was as expensive as Stanford for his
working parents. Their savings were spent on his college tuition. After six months, he could
not see the value in it. So he decided to drop out the college. He decided to take a Calligraphy
class to learn how to do this. He learned about serif and sans serif type fares. He finds it
fascinating. It was not any practical application in his life. But it is useful in designing the
first Macintosh Computer. It was the first Computer with beautiful typography. It was
impossible to connect the dots looking forward when he was in the College. It was very clear
looking backward 10 years later. So we have to trust that the dots will somehow connect our
future. Those are our gut, destiny, life, karma etc. This approach has never let him down. It
has made all the difference in my life.

The second story is about love and loss :

Steve found what he loved to do early in life. He started Apple in his parents’ garage
when he was twenty. Apple grew into a 2 billion company with over 4,000 employees. They
hired someone who was very talented to run the company with him. Eventually the Board of
Directors sided him. So, Jobs was out at 30. It freed him to enter one of the most creative
periods of his life.
During the next five years, he started a company name NeXT, another company
named Pixar. He fell his love and became his wife. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple
bought NeXT, he returned to Apple. The technology he developed at NeXT is at the heart of
the Apple’s current.
Don’t lose faith. He earned what he did. So, keep looking until we find it. Don’t settle.
General English 15.3 You've Got To Find...

His third story is about death :

About a year, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The doctors told him that it is
incurable. He lived no longer than six months. He was advised to go home and get his affairs
in order. It meant to say good bye. Later I had a biopsy. It is a rare form of pancreatic cancer
that is curable with surgery. He had the surgery and he was fine now.
No one wants to die. People did not want to die to go to heaven. But death is the
destination. We never escape it. Death is life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make
way for the new. Right now the new is you. Gradually you became the old and be cleared
away. But it is quite true. Your time is limited. So don’t waste it living someone else’s life.
When he was young, there was amazing publication called “The Whole Earth Catalog” (It is
one of the bibles of his generation) written / created by Stewart Brand. It is one of the bibles
of his generation. He brought it to life with his poetic touch. On the back cover of the book,
there are same words “Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish”. He always wished that for himself. As the
young graduates begin a new, he wished that for himself. He wishes that the graduates should
begin anew.
Steven Paul Jobs (24th Feb, 191515 – 15th Oct, 2011) was an American Business
Magnate, Industrial Designer, Investor and Media Proprietor. He was the Chairman, Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) and Co-Founder of Apple Inc.; the Chairman and majority
shareholder of Pixar; and the Founder, Chairman and CEO of NeXT. Jobs is widely
recognized as a pioneer of the personal computer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s.
After seventeen years, he joined a college which was as expensive as Stanford for his
working parents. Their savings were spent on his college tuition. After six months, he could
not see the value in it. So he decided to drop out the college. Jobs is widely recognized as a
pioneer of the personal computer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s. Jobs decided to drop out
the college. Then he decided to take a Calligraphy class to learn how to do this. He learned
about serif and sans serif type fares. He finds it fascinating. It was not any practical
application in his life. But it is useful in designing the first Macintosh Computer. It was the
first Computer with beautiful typography. It was impossible to connect the dots looking
forward when he was in the College. It was very clear looking backward 10 years later.
So we have to trust that the dots will somehow connect our future. Those are our gut,
destiny, life, karma etc. This approach has never let him down. It has made all the difference
in my life.
When he was one year old, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The doctors told
him that it is incurable. He lives no longer than six months. He was advised to go home and
get his affairs in order. It means to say good bye. Later I had a biopsy. It is a rare form of
pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. He had the surgery and he was fine now.
No one wants to die. People did not want to die to go to heaven. But death is the
destination. We never escape it. Death is life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make
way for the new. Right now the new is you. Gradually you became the old and be cleared
away. But it is quite true. Your time is limited. So don’t waste it living someone else’s life.
When he was young, there was an amazing publication called “The Whole Earth Catalog” (It
Centre for Distance Education 15.4 Acharya Nagarjuna University

is one of the bibles of his generation) written / created by Stewart Brand. It is one of the
bibles of his generation. He brought it to life with his poetic touch. On the back cover of the
book, there are same words “Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish”. He always wished that for himself.
As the young graduates begin a new, he wished that for himself. He wishes that the graduates
should begin anew. In the concluding part of the speech, the repetition of the words
contributes to drawing the audience’s interest. Steve Jobs urged the students to pursue their
dreams. It was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when he was in the College. It
was very clear looking backward 10 years later. So we have to trust that the dots will
somehow connect our future. Those are our gut, destiny, life, karma etc. This approach has
never let him down. It has made all the difference in my life.

15.3 TEXT READING :

Fill in the blanks to make meaningful sentences before reading/ listening to Job’s
speech :

1. Life has many ………….. Which we may not know immediately. ( Surprises /
challenges)
2. If you love something, do not ……..it. ( leave/hug)
3. Being a lifelong learner is a ……………experience. ( sweet / surprising)
4. In this world nothing is ……………( possible / impossible)
5. Being true to yourself is always …….(great / nasty)

YOU'VE GOT TO FIND WHAT YOU LOVE

- Steve Jobs
This is a prepared text of the Commencement address delivered by Steve Jobs, CEO
of Apple computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, on June / 2, 2005.
I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest
universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth bc told, this is the closest I've
ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's
it. No big deal. Just three stories.
The first story is about connecting the dots.
I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a
drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?
It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college
graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I
should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth
by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that
they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of
the night asking: "We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?" They said: "Of
course." My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from
college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final
General English 15.5 You've Got To Find...

adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would
someday go to college.
And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as
expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents' savings were being spent on my
college tuition. After six months, I couldn't see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to
do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was
spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and
trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one
of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required
classes that didn't interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.
It wasn’t all romantic. I didn't have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends'
rooms, I returned Coke bottles for the 15 ¢ deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the 7
miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna
temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition
turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example: Reed College at that time
offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country Throughout the campus every
poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped
out and didn't have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn
how to do this. I learned about serif typefaces about varying the amount of space between
different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful,
historical, and artistically subtle in a way that science can't capture and 1 found it fascinating.
None of this had even n hope of any practical application in my life. But 10 years later,
when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we
designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography.If I had never
dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces
or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, it's likely that no
Personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped
in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography
that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in
college. But it was very, very clear looking backward 10 years later.
Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them
looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.
You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has
never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.
My second story is about love and loss.
I was lucky — I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my
parents' garage when J was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just
the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4,000 employees. We had just
released our finest creation --— the Macintosh a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And
then I get fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we
hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first
year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and
eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with hm. So at 30
I was out and very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone,
and it was devastating.
I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous
Centre for Distance Education 15.6 Acharya Nagarjuna University

generation of entrepreneurs down that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to
me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so
badly I was a very public failure, and even thought about running away from the valley.
But something slowly began to dawn on me-- I still loved what did. The turn of events at
Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but was still in love. And go
decided to start over.
I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best
thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful wag
replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed
to enter one of the creative periods of my life.
During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company
named Pixar and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar
went on to create the world's first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now
the successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple
bought NeXT. I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the
heart of Apple’s current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family
together.
I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from
Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life
hits you the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that
kept me going that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as
true for your work it for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life,
and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the
only way to do great work to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking.
Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any
great relationship, it just gets &letter and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until
you find it. Don’t settle.
My third story is about death.
When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as
if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on and
since then, for the past 33 years, J have looked in the mirror every morning and asked
myself “If today were the last day of my life, would J want to do what I am about to do
today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too in many days in a row, I know I
need to change something.
Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool ever encountered
to help me make the big choices in life, Because almost everything ------- all external
expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure these things just fall away in
the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going
to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.
You are already naked. There IS no reason not to follow your heart.
About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the
morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn't even know what a
pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is
incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor
advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor's code for prepare to
die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you'd have the next 10 years
General English 15.7 You've Got To Find...

to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that
it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.
I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they
stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a
needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife,
who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors
started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is
curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I'm fine now.
This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope it's the closest I get for a
few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more
certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept:
No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to
get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And
that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is
Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is
you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be
cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.
Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by
dogma which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of
others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to
follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.
Everything else is secondary.
When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth
Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named
Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic
touch. This was in the late 1960s, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it
was all made with typewriters, scissors and Polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in
paperback form, 315 years before Google came along: It was idealistic, and overflowing
with neat tools and great notions.
Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then
when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid" 1970s, and I was your
age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country
road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath
it were the words:
"Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed oft Stay
Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself .And now, as you graduate
to begin anew, I wish that for you.
Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.
Thank you all very much.

15.4 KEYWORDS :
Relent : finally yielding to a request
Subtle : delicate, elusive, difficult to understand or perceive
Centre for Distance Education 15.8 Acharya Nagarjuna University

Renaissance : a revival of renewed interest in something.

Embarrassment : shame, or awkwardness
Anew : in a new or different and typically more positive way
Intuition : the ability to understand something instinctively
Calligraphy : decorative handwriting
Remarkable : worthy of attention; striking
Naïve : showing a lack of experience, wisdom, or judgment

15.5 SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS :

1. Why did Jobs drop out of the college?

2. What is the message from his first story?
3. Why does the speaker praise death as Life’s change agent?
4. What does “Stay Hungry, stay Foolish” mean? Does Jobs follow this idea?
Explain.
5. What is the simple test to hint that you need to change from what you are doing?
6. What should one do to find what he/ she loves?
15.6 SUGGESTED READINGS :
1. Isaacson, Walter (2011). Steve Jobs. Simon and Schuster. .
2. Isaacson, Walter (20115). Steve Jobs. Simon and Schuster.
3. Linzmayer, Owen W. (2004). Apple Confidential 2.0: The Definitive History of the
World's Most Colorful Company. No Starch Press. p. 81. Retrieved April 15, 2014.

Dr. Inturi Kesava Rao

 LESSON – 16
DESCRIPTIONS
LEARNING OUTCOMES :
After going through this lesson, students will be able to

 describe an object / person / event

 understand various nuances associated with describing objects / events etc.
STRUCTURE OF THE LESSON :
16.1 Introduction
16.2 Activities
16.3 Describing Things/Objects
16.4 Describing People
16.5 Sample Descriptions
16.6 Practice Exercise
16.7 Conclusion
16.8 Suggested Readings
16.1 INTRODUCTION :
In our daily lives, we will encounter situations when we will have to describe
situations, people, pictures, posters, objects and events. The major skill required for
describing something or someone is the skill of observation. A good description requires
effective use of words.
How / what we should observe depends on various factors. One needs to answer the 5
W’s: Who? What? Where? When? & Why? Once we do this small exercise, we need to focus
on observing and understanding the minute and unique details. The following points may be
borne in mind when you attempt to describe someone or something, either orally or in written
form :
 Look carefully at the pictures/ Observe and observe.
 Think of how to describe.
 Organize your thoughts and points.
 Take your time to do it.
 Be precise.
Every description, just like a paragraph or essay, should have a good beginning,
middle and end.
Centre for Distance Education 16.2 Acharya Nagarjuna University

16.2 ACTIVITIES :
Activity 1

Describe the following picture in 100 words :

Activity 2

Describe the following picture in about 100 words :

You may make use of the following expressions :

1. Introduction
 The photo / picture shows ...
 It was taken by / in ...
 It's a black – and – white / coloured photo.
General English 16.3 Descriptions

2. What is where?
o In the foreground / background you can see ...
o In the foreground / background there is ...
o In the middle / centre there are ...
o At the top / At the bottom there is ...
o On the left / right there are ...
o Behind / In front of ... you can see ...
o Between ... there is ...
3. Who is doing what?
Here you describe the persons in the picture or you say what is happening just now. Use
the Present Continuous Tense
4. What I think about the picture
 It seems as if ...
 The lady seems to ...
 Maybe ...
 I think ...
 ... might be a symbol of ...
 The atmosphere is peaceful/depressing ...
 I (don't) like the picture because ...
 It makes me think of ...

16.3 DESCRIBING THINGS / OBJECTS :

Sometimes you have to describe things in English. You can describe things based on :
 Material type,
 color,
 shape,
 size,
 age etc.

16.4 DESCRIBING PEOPLE :

Sometimes we have to describe a person’s physical appearance or his qualities. You can
describe their physical appearance based on: height, build, hair type, size, eyes, and clothing,
other observable things associated with the person being described etc.
Centre for Distance Education 16.4 Acharya Nagarjuna University

Adjectives for Describing General Appearance

 Beautiful
 Pretty
 Elegant
 Funny
 Cute
 Handsome
 Gorgeous
 Ugly
 Attractive
Describing Someone’s Age
 Young
 Middle-aged
 Old
Describing Someone’s Build
o Well-Built
o Plump
o Thin
o Fat
o Slim
Describing Someone’s Height
 Short
 Medium-height
 Tall
Adjectives for Describing Someone’s Eyes
 Blue
 Brown
 Small
 Big round
 Oval
 Wear glasses
General English 16.5 Descriptions

Describing Someone’s Face

 Round
 Oval
 Square
 Long
Adjectives to Describe a Person’s Nose
o Straight
o Hooked
o Long
o Small
o Turned-up
Describing Someone’s Mouth
 Large
 Small
Adjectives to Describe a Person’s Lips
 Full
 Curved
 Thin
Describing Someone’s Ears
 Large
 Small

16.5 SAMPLE DESCRIPTIONS :

Describe a camera using the following hints :
Camera-small and thin- rectangle-rounded edges-color-metallic green-light and easy to
carry- attractive to look…
This is a camera. This camera is very small and thin. Its shape is rectangle, but it has rounded
edges. The color is metallic light green. It is very light and easy to carry. It looks attractive.
Describe a cat using the following hints :
Cats- eyes- tiny paws-sharp paws- perky ears-sensitive to sounds- tiny bad-smooth fur- furry
tail- tiny nose-big mouth-whiskers under nose
Cats have two beautiful eyes, tiny, but sharp paws and two perky ears which are very
sensitive to sounds. They have tiny bodies full of smooth fur and they have furry tails as well.
Cats have adorable faces with tiny noses, big mouths and a few whiskers under their nose.
Centre for Distance Education 16.6 Acharya Nagarjuna University

Describe a person based on the following hints :

Jack- medium height- in early seventies- looks younger- slim frame-short grey hair- face
round- friendly demeanor-small blue eyes- tends to wear casual clothes- youthful appearance
Jack is of medium height. He is in his early seventies but he looks extremely young for his
age. He is slim and has got short grey hair. Jack’s face is round and he has a friendly
demeanor. He has small blue eyes. He tends to wear casual clothes like jeans and tee shirts,
which adds to his youthful appearance.
Describe an event based on the following hints :
celebrated Annual Day Program-on 12.15022- in our school auditorium-collector chief
guest- parents invited- the formal programme started- prayer song- lighting of the lamp-
principal’s report-chief guest speaks- advises the student- academic proficiency prizes given
away- The cultural show began-the students of different classes performed various
programmes-dances, skits, play lets, mono action, mimicry etc- everybody enjoyed- ended
with vote of thanks followed by the National Anthem…
The Annual Day of our college was celebrated with pomp and gaiety on 12.15022 in
our school auditorium. District Collector Sri Dilli Rao was the Chief Guest. All the parents
were invited to participate in the programme. The formal programme was started with a
prayer song followed by lighting of the lamp ceremony. The Chief Guest, the Chairman of
the college, the Principal, one parent representative, and one student representative
participated in lighting the lamp. The Chairman welcomed the guests. The Principal
presented his annual report. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Guest exhorted the students
to have role models in life and chart out their own success path. Later on, the academic
proficiency prizes were given away. The cultural show began at 7 pm. The students from
different classes participated in the cultural fiesta by doing the following activities: dances,
skits, play lets, mono action, and mimicry etc. Everybody thoroughly enjoyed the cultural
programmes. The day ended with a proposal of vote of thanks followed by rendition of the
National Anthem.

16.6 PRACTICE EXERCISES :

One day you were commuting in an APSRTC bus. Unfortunately, your wallet was left
at home. The conductor gave you the ticket for free. You are moved by his gesture. Describe
him in 100-150 words.
Hints :
on an APSRTC bus- my wallet at home- no money- useless to plead before the conductor-
anxiety-to be caught by the ticket checker- face further consequences- conductor asked me-no
money-offered me the ticket- I was grateful- he smiled- a conscientious and kind-hearted
person-understood my problem- thanked him from the deep of my heart- moved by the
behavior of the conductor- an unforgettable experience of my life.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
General English 16.7 Descriptions

Observe the picture given below :

1) Now, write down what you have observed.

Write the answer in TEN LINES
a) You are an eye-witness to an accident. Describe the accident to the police
officers.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
b) Describe the funniest thing that happened in your life till now.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
c) Describe the happiest memory you ever had till now.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
d) Imagine you were a victim of Balasore train accident but you survived thanks to
the local people who rescued you immediately. Describe the day of the accident
and what happened afterwards.
Write the answer in TEN LINES

16.7 CONCLUSION :
Describing someone or something requires a special skill of observation and a right
dosage of vocabulary. One can gradually nurture this skill with more and more practice.

16.8 SUGGESTED READINGS :

1. https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/words/describing_pictures.htm
2. https://7esl.com/describing-people-appearance/

Dr. Ashok Vardhan Garikimukku

 LESSON – 17
ROLE PLAYS
LEARNING OUTCOMES :
After going through this lesson, students will be able to
 understand the importance of role plays in improving English fluency
 write dialogues for different situations
 participate in role plays in pairs
STRUCTURE OF THE LESSON :
17.1 Introduction
17.2 Activities
17.3 Importance of Role Plays
17.4 Sample Dialogues
17.5 Practice Exercise
17.6 Conclusion
17.7 Suggested Readings

17.1 INTRODUCTION :

Every individual is called to perform various roles in his day to day life. Various
functions and roles exist in our social setting. Greetings, introducing ourselves to others,
asking for and giving information, seeking permissions, requesting, apologizing etc., are
different functional aspects of a language. Each function has a different approach and
requires usage of different expressions, vocabulary and language.

Lucantoni, an ELT expert and author writes, “role-play can be a very enjoyable
activity for learners and provide excellent opportunities for using language in real life
situations”.

In a role-play, the participant is asked to play the part of someone else. He is given
details about the person and situation that he is supposed to be in. Unlike acting, role-playing
is focused on how the roles of the players interact with and affect each other. It helps in
developing linguistic competence besides helping one become empowered with vocabulary.

17.2 ACTIVITIES :
Activity 1

How do you ask a railway enquiry clerk to tell you when the next train to Vizag is?

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Centre for Distance Education 17.2 Acharya Nagarjuna University

How can the railway clerk respond?

Positively : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Negatively : ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How do you invite a friend to your birthday bash?

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How can your friend decline the invitation?

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How do you ask your HOD for permission to go home in the afternoon?

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How can the HOD decline the permission?

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Activity 2

Instructions : You are making an appointment with your professor. You have to do this
through the college secretary. Fill in the blanks with appropriate expressions. The first
one is done as a model.

1. Greet the secretary.

You : Good morning, madam.

Secretary : Good morning. How can I help you?

2. Explain that you want to meet with your professor.

You : I would like to meet Prof. Richards.

Secretary : ______________________________________

3. State why you want to meet (to discuss course content, to explain an absence, to ask
about your exam grade).

You : ______________________________________
Secretary : ______________________________________

4. Ask the secretary when the professor is available.

You : ______________________________________
Secretary : ______________________________________
General English 17.3 Role Plays

5. Ask if the secretary needs any other information.

You : ______________________________________
Secretary : ______________________________________

6. Thank the secretary for her time.

You : ______________________________________
Secretary : ______________________________________

17.3 IMPORTANCE OF ROLE PLAYS :

Participating in a role play as an activity in language learning will help a student in
many ways.
 Develops Communication Skills and Soft Skills
 Nurtures Negotiation Skills, Decision-making Skills, Interpersonal Skills,
Facilitating Skills etc.
 Nurtures a sense of adaptability and empathy
 Develops social skills when learners collaborate with others and work as a team.
 Allows learner to explore and investigate real life situations and language used
in various real time situations.
 Develops listening skills and speaking skills.
 Builds confidence level of team members which in turn can help them in their
day-to-day roles.
 It helps the students in critical thinking.
 Helps learners to learn about different cultures.
 It develops creativity and imagination.
 Helps them in creative problem-solving and also helps them in handling difficult
situations.

17.4 SAMPLE DIALOGUES :

Role Play Situation : Greetings and introductions
Priya : Hello, I’m Priya.
Renu : Hello. I’m Renu. How do you do?
Priya : Glad to meet you, Ms Renu.
Renu : How long have you been working here?
Priya : I joined this organization just last year.
Renu : Oh! Is it so? It’s fine. See you in the evening. Bye.
Priya : Bye.
Centre for Distance Education 17.4 Acharya Nagarjuna University

Role Play Situation : Requesting (Informal)

Vimala : Ali, could you do me a favour, please. I’d like you to pick up a
passport application form for me on your way back from the office.
Ali : Sure, I’ll do that today.
Vimala : Hope it won’t be a problem.
Ali : Of course not! No problem at all.
Vimala : Thanks!
Ali : You are welcome.

Role Play Situation : Requesting (Formal)

Mrs. Revanth : Excuse me, could you help me, please.
Bank Official : Yes ma’am, what can I do for you?
Mrs Revanth : I’d like to open an account in your bank. Could you tell me
how to do it, please?
Bank Official : Certainly ma’am, I’d be happy to. Please be seated. I’ll explain.
(After the explanation…)
Mrs Revanth : Thank you for being so helpful.
Bank official : Please don’t mention it, ma’am. It’s my duty.

Role Play Situation : Permission (Formal)

Manu : Good afternoon, sir.
Boss : Good afternoon, Manu. How is work at the factory site progressing?
Manu : A little slow, but we’ll complete it on time.
Boss : That’s good.
Manu : Sir, could you permit me to take two days leave, please?
Boss : Ok, but hope you’ll be back on time.

Role Play Situation : Asking and giving directions

Neha : Hi, Sneha.
Sneha : Hi, Neha.
Neha : I’m out in the central bus stop. I remember you telling me about the
market. How do I reach the vegetable market?
Sneha : Let me tell you. First turn left, then turn right and walk down the road
and you come to a T-Junction. There, take the right turn. Got it?
Neha : Yes, I think so. Thanks. I’ll see you tomorrow.

Role Play Situation : Complaining

Staff : May I ask what is the nature of the complaint (What is the complaint
about)?
General English 17.5 Role Plays

Customer : I want to report a faulty product, my computer won’t turn on and I

have no idea as to why.
Staff : I’m sorry to hear that! I will do my best to help you, sir.
Customer : Thank you.

17.5 PRACTICE EXERCISE :

1) You are celebrating your birthday soon. You have called your friend Niharika to
attend the same. Inform her that your other classmates are also joining the party.
Write a conversation between Niharika and you.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
2) You are at the railway enquiry office. Enquire about the trains passing from
Vijayawada to Hyderabad on Wednesdays. Write a dialogue.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
3) You are at the principal’s chamber waiting to seek his permission for paying fee
late. Write a dialogue between you and the principal.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
4) Your boss is elevated to the post of the CEO. Congratulate him. Write a dialogue.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
5) Your friend called you to congratulate you on your getting a job as a clerk in SBI.
Write a dialogue.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
6) Your friend’s father passed away in the railway accident that occurred at
Balasore. You are meeting him to console him on his loss. Write a dialogue.
Write the answer in TEN LINES
7) You are waiting for a bus at the bus station. Pick up a conversation with a fellow
passenger and engage in small talk. Write a dialogue.
Write the answer in TEN LINES

17.6 CONCLUSION :
Through role plays, students can have a lot of fun which in turn makes the English
language learning interesting and effective. As students, you get a chance to express your
ideas in English, improve vocabulary, learn social skills, listening skills, and also develop
critical thinking and creative thinking abilities.

17.7 SUGGESTED READING(S) :

1. https://busyteacher.org/7371-10-roleplay-ideas-for-general-english.html

Dr. Ashok Vardhan Garikimukku