Solution

A good citizen should set about building up his character by learning to be brave, truthful, and honest.

We can learn good qualities at a very young age, as no one is too young to start learning to be brave, truthful, and honest.

We can serve our country by forcing ourselves to do the hardest work, whatever the cost may be.

If we remain lying in bed lazily, we will miss our lessons, be late for school, and get a bad report at the end of the term.

Achieved (or 'building up' in the sense of establishing).

The phrase 'set about' means to start or begin doing something.

Bad

(a) Mobile Phone : A Boon or a Bane

Mobile phones have become an indispensable part of modern human life. They have revolutionized communication, making it instant and seamless regardless of geographical distance. Beyond basic calling and messaging, smartphones offer access to vast educational resources, online classes, digital payments, news, and entertainment. In times of emergency, they serve as crucial life-saving devices. However, excessive use of mobile phones brings serious drawbacks. Overuse leads to health issues like eye strain, sleep disorders, and mental stress. Young students often get addicted to gaming and social media, which negatively impacts their academic concentration and real-world social skills. Additionally, issues related to cybercrime and privacy leakage are growing concerns. Therefore, a mobile phone is neither purely a boon nor entirely a bane; it depends on how responsibly it is utilized. Used with discipline, it is a great blessing, but if allowed to control our lives, it becomes a bane.

(b) Price—Rise

Price-rise, or inflation, is one of the most pressing socio-economic problems in our country today. The continuous increase in the prices of essential everyday items such as food grains, edible oils, fuel, vegetables, and medicines severely affects the common man. The major causes of price-rise include rapid population growth, hoarding and black-marketing by unscrupulous traders, increased costs of raw materials, and global market fluctuations. Poor households and fixed-income middle-class families suffer the most, as a significant portion of their income goes into procuring basic necessities, leaving almost nothing for quality education, healthcare, or savings. To control price-rise, the government must enforce strict laws against hoarders, streamline the public distribution system, and boost agricultural and industrial production. Public awareness and conscious budgeting also play an important role in coping with rising prices.

(c) A Visit to a Zoo

A visit to a zoo is a wonderful blend of entertainment and practical learning, especially for students. Last Sunday, I visited the zoo along with my friends and teacher. After purchasing entry tickets, we entered the vast, green premises. We saw a wide variety of animals and birds living in enclosures designed to resemble their natural habitats. The highlight of our visit was seeing the grand Bengal tiger resting near a water pond. We also saw lions, leopards, bears, elephants, deer, and mischievous monkeys performing entertaining antics. In the bird section, colorful parrots, peacocks, flamingos, and ducks delighted everyone. Information plates placed outside each cage provided useful facts about the animals' origins, diets, and habits. The trip was not only refreshing but also deepened our appreciation for wildlife conservation and nature.

Write a letter to your younger brother advising him to study hard and avoid bad company:

12, Civil Lines,

Prayagraj.

15 October 2025

Dear Rohan,

I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. I received your hostel progress report yesterday from your hostel warden. While your performance in extra-curricular activities is good, I noticed a decline in your academic marks compared to the previous term.

Your warden mentioned that you have been spending a lot of time with a group of friends who neglect their studies. Remember that student life is the most crucial foundation for your future career. Bad company can easily distract you from your goals and lead to poor habits. Select your friends wisely and keep your focus firmly on your academic targets.

Create a balanced daily timetable, give extra time to difficult subjects, and prepare thoroughly for the upcoming final examinations. Hard work always brings success.

Take care of your health and write back soon.

Your loving brother,

Anurag

अथवा

Write a letter to your friend inviting him to attend your elder brother’s marriage:

45, Ashok Nagar,

Kanpur.

20 November 2025

Dear Amit,

I hope you are doing well. I am extremely happy to inform you that the marriage of my elder brother, Rahul, has been fixed.

The wedding ceremony will take place on 5th December 2025 at Hotel Grand Palace, Kanpur. The marriage procession (Barat) will leave from our residence at 6:00 PM. Pre-wedding rituals including the Sangeet and Haldi ceremony will be held on 4th December at our residence.

Your presence is very important to me, and the celebrations will be incomplete without you. Please reach my home at least two days before the wedding date so that we can enjoy all the functions together and help with the arrangements.

I have enclosed the formal invitation card with this letter. Please convey my warm regards to your parents.

Yours sincerely,

Suresh

(i) Immigrant

व्याख्या: विदेशी भूमि में आकर बसने वाले व्यक्ति को Immigrant (आप्रवासी) कहते हैं।

(iii) quarrel

व्याख्या: 'Fall out' मुहावरे का सही अर्थ 'quarrel' (झगड़ा करना) होता है।

(ii) permit

व्याख्या: 'Allow' और 'permit' दोनों का अर्थ 'अनुमति देना' होता है।

(iii) in

व्याख्या: घड़ी से समय देखने/बताने के संदर्भ में 'in' के स्थान पर 'by' Preposition का प्रयोग (by your watch) किया जाता है।

(iii) vice

व्याख्या: 'Virtue' (सद्गुण) का विलोम शब्द 'vice' (दुर्गुण/पाप) होता है।

(i) Mohan asked me where I was coming from.

(ii) Sita told her mother that the sun rises in the east.

(i) Although she is rich, she is not happy.

(ii) In spite of being ill, he went to school.

(i) He is the most intelligent boy in the class.

(ii) Negative sentence: They did not teach me Hindi.

Passive voice: I was taught Hindi by them.

(i) Two miles is not a long distance.

(ii) The sun gives us life and light.

(i) Birth (जन्म): Please write your date of birth on the form.

Berth (ट्रेन या जहाज में सोने की सीट): I reserved a lower berth in the train.

(ii) Die (मरना): All living organisms will die one day.

Dye (रंगना): She used natural colors to dye her curtain.

We should not follow anyone like dumb, driven cattle. We should face the struggles of life and upcoming dangers with fearlessness and courage. No matter how bright and tempting the future may be, we should not trust it. We should not repeatedly ponder over past events. We must only remain conscious of our duty.

The C.T. scan of King Tut's mummy produced 1,700 digital X-ray images in cross-section. It created a clear three-dimensional image of his body, showing detailed structures of his head, neck, vertebrae, ribcage, and skull. The scan proved that no vital organ was missing and solved the long-standing mysteries surrounding his death.

अथवा

What do you think are the reasons for the extinction as language ?

उत्तर:

Languages become extinct mainly due to globalization, urbanization, and the dominance of major international or national languages. When native speakers shift to dominant languages for education, employment, and social status, future generations stop learning their mother tongue, gradually leading to the extinction of indigenous languages.

Yes, it is extremely important to preserve languages because every language carries a unique culture, history, wisdom, and traditional knowledge of a community. When a language dies, the rich cultural identity and heritage associated with it are lost forever.

अथवा

Laws are never respected nor enforced in India. Describe this.

उत्तर:

Nani Palkhivala points out that in India, constitutional laws and rules are frequently ignored and poorly enforced. Despite clear legal prohibitions against social evils like casteism, untouchability, and child labour, these practices still persist openly because of weak implementation and a general lack of respect for legal regulations.

The story 'We're Not Afraid to Die... if We Can All Be Together' demonstrates that courage, hope, and optimism are essential to survive extreme crises. When the fierce storm battered Wavewalker and filled it with water, Gordon Cook and his crew faced life-threatening stress. Instead of panicking, the captain fought relentlessly to pump out water and repair the damaged ship. The children showed immense emotional strength; Jon said they were not afraid to die if they were together, and Sue drew cheerful cards despite her severe head injury. This unyielding optimistic attitude inspired the captain to keep fighting against all odds until they successfully reached the island of Ile Amsterdam.

Ray Johnson described Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten) as wacky because of his radical religious and political changes that shocked ancient Egypt. Akhenaten promoted the worship of Aten, the Sun disc, over Amun, the traditional major deity. He attacked Amun by smashing his images and closing his temples. Furthermore, he changed his own name from Amenhotep to Akhenaten, meaning servant of the Aten, and shifted the religious capital from the ancient city of Thebes to the new city of Akhetaten (Amarna). These sudden, chaotic, and eccentric actions deeply unsettled the kingdom, leading Ray Johnson to call him wacky.

The voice of the rain answered the poet that it is the Poem of Earth. It explained that it rises eternally and imperceptibly as water vapour from the land and the bottomless sea into the sky.

The rain rises in the form of water vapour from the land and the bottomless sea.

The poet of this poem is Walt Whitman.

The poem "The Voice of the Rain" by Walt Whitman presents a conversation between the poet and the rain. The central idea of the poem is the eternal and life-giving cycle of rain, which is compared to music or a poem. Rain originates from the earth and the deep sea in the form of invisible water vapour, rises into the sky, forms clouds, and then descends back to the earth. It washes away drought and dust, giving new life, beauty, and purity to the earth. Just as a song comes from the heart of a singer, wanders around, and returns to its source with love, the rain returns to its origin to nourish the earth that created it.

The central idea of the poem "Childhood" by Markus Natten revolves around the loss of innocence and the discovery of adulthood. The poet reflects upon the exact moment when he lost his childhood. He considers three stages of growing up: realizing that rational concepts like Hell and Heaven do not exist on maps, understanding that adults are hypocrites who preach love but do not act lovingly, and discovering his own individuality and independent thoughts. Ultimately, the poet realizes that childhood is not lost forever; it has merely gone to a forgotten place, hidden in the innocent face of an infant.

The central idea of the poem "Father to Son" by Elizabeth Jennings is the painful generation gap and lack of emotional understanding between a father and his son. Despite living under the same roof for years, they speak like strangers and share no common interests. The father expresses deep sorrow over this emotional distance and desires to rebuild their relationship, hoping his son will return to him like the prodigal son. The poem reflects the universal tragedy of broken communication within families, where love exists but silence and misunderstanding create an insurmountable barrier.

Mourad woke up Aram early in the morning by tapping on his bedroom window to offer him a chance to ride a horse. When Aram looked out of the window, he saw Mourad sitting on a beautiful white horse. Aram was shocked and could hardly believe his eyes, as his Garoghlanian family was extremely poor and could not afford such a horse.

Mrs. Pearson and Mrs. Fitzgerald are neighbors and good friends. Mrs. Fitzgerald, who possesses knowledge of fortune-telling and magic, visits Mrs. Pearson's home. Seeing that Mrs. Pearson is treated like a servant by her family, Mrs. Fitzgerald decides to help her by exchanging their personalities using magic so that she can teach Mrs. Pearson's family a proper lesson.

Andrew Manson was serious and overwrought that evening because he had spent a disappointing time with Christine, the girl he loved. He was deeply troubled by thoughts of unhappy marriages among his acquaintances, such as Bramwell and Edward Page. In addition, he was physically exhausted after a long day of work when Joe Morgan called him to assist with a difficult delivery.

According to the custom of the state in "The Tale of Melon City", the first person who passed through the city arch after the king's execution would choose the next ruler. An idiot happened to pass by, and when asked who should be king, he answered "a melon" because he liked melons. Following this custom strictly, the ministers crowned a melon as their new king.

Mrs. S's daughter is the narrator and protagonist of the story "The Address". She is a courageous, sensitive, and emotionally strong young woman who survives the horrors of World War II.

After losing her mother in the war, she returns to her native town to reclaim her mother's valuable household belongings, which were left under the care of Mrs. Dorling. However, when she visits Mrs. Dorling, she is met with coldness and indifference. Though she identifies her mother's cherished possessions inside the house, she feels a sense of deep detachment. She realizes that these material items have lost their soul and true value without her mother.

Exhibiting remarkable dignity and self-respect, she chooses not to fight for the objects. She decides to leave the past behind and resolves to forget the address forever, displaying her inner strength to accept reality and move forward with life.

In "The Tale of Melon City", after the foolish king hangs himself under his own absurd decree, the state needs a new ruler. The ministers follow an ancient custom stating that the first person to pass through the city arch will decide who the next king will be. An idiot happens to walk through the arch, and when asked who should be the king, he replies "A melon" because he loves melons. Obeying the tradition, the ministers place a melon on the throne and declare it the ruler.

The people of the state are completely happy with their melon ruler because they believe in the principle of non-interference or laissez-faire. As long as the king does not interfere with their personal freedom, trade, and peace, they are satisfied. The melon king makes no demands, enforces no silly laws, and leaves the citizens to live in complete freedom and tranquility.