1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow: (12)
1. It is common knowledge that school children are under great pressure to perform well in
all fields, study ten subjects, play games and develop an impressive image. How do they
manage? The skills, techniques and principles which they pickup while still young help
them cope.
2. Two of twentieth century’s finest minds have lamented that schools are not teaching the
basics of personal excellence or the science of success. Edward De Bono : "Almost all of
what a child learns at school after the age often is totally irrelevant to his need in later life.
Most schools do not teach thinking at all.” The serious thesis of this article is that
management must be taught as a school subject. The weightiest argument is that children
arc managers.
3. Many of children are called upon to play directly three of the interpersonal roles:
“Figurehead”, “Leader" and “Liaison Officer". They do this while assisting teachers as
monitors or class representatives or group leaders during educational tours and field
work; while captaining teams on playgrounds; and while leading teams in quiz, debating
and other competitions. Many more play these roles as surrogates.
4. The decision role of “Entrepreneur and “Resource Allocator” may only occasionally be
assigned to children. However, it is worth noting that, according to a recent survey in
Delhi, a monthly allocation of up to Rs. 1000 is available as pocket money to school
children. Therefore, school children too need to have control over money and to develop
a sense of budget. If we add to these financial resources, the resources of time,
information and intellect available to children, the first two decision roles are not
irrelevant to them.
5. Children play the other two decision roles: “Disturbance Handler” and “Negotiator more
often. True, the international roles of “monitor, “disseminator and “spokesman” are not
so frequently and formally engaged in by children as by CEOs, MDs, Vice Presidents and
other adult managers.
6. If you cannot see children as managers, they arc managers in the making: Many of the
management habits (e.g., using a to-do list), management skills (e.g. Sensitive listening),
management attitudes and values are formed early in life. Personality theorists believe
that it is extremely difficult to change personality traits, styles of thinking and habits of
behavior once they are formed.
7. As in language learning, where basic aspects of language like pronunciation and rhythm
are extremely resistant to learning after puberty, good management habits, attitudes and
values are difficult to acquire in adulthood. In the fifties, even in the educationally
advanced countries such as the U.S. Algebra was thought to be too abstract to be taught
even in senior schools. Now it is taught from upper primary classes onwards in both
educationally progressive and developing countries. Computer skills, lateral thinking and
swimming, often felt to be forbidden by adults are easily learnt by children. In fact, both
research evidence and specialists beliefs strongly support the view that children's ability to
learn skills like swimming and creative thinking is much more developed than adults.
Equally important, complex organisms (a) learn what is necessary or pleasurable and (b)
adapt themselves in ways that will serve their needs and interests with amazing
enthusiasm, ease and effectiveness.
1. On the basis of your reading of the above passage, answer the following questions
by choosing the correct option given below: 6
i. The reason of pressure on children is:
a. Common knowledge
b. Absence of skills
c. Choice between studies and games
d. Performance demand in all fields
ii. What according to few educationists, is lacking in school teaching?
a.Basics of personal excellence
b. Science of success
c. Thinking
d. All of the above
iii. The sense of budget among children is an indication towards their
capability of performing:
e. Interpersonal role
f. Decision role
g. Leading role
h. Informational role
iv. The article advocates teaching .......... as a subject in school.
a. Management
b. Creative Thinking
c. Computer skills
d. Swimming
v. Which word in Para 7 is opposite in meaning of “concrete"?
a. Algebra
b. Acquire
c. Resistant
d. Abstract
vi. The terms used for a detailed critical inspection study in Para 4 is:
a. Intellect
b. Resource Allocator
c. Survey
d. Budget
2. Answer the following questions briefly: 6
i. How the interpersonal roles are performed by students?
ii. What are the attributes of good management?
iii. Why is it difficult to acquire good management habits in adulthood?
iv. Which roles according to the author are occasionally performed by the students?
v. Which word in the above passage means the same as-Regretted (Para 2)
vi. Which word in the above passage means the same as-officially (Para 5)
Answers
Answer:
i. d - The reason for pressure on children is Performance demand in all fields.
ii. d - According to educationists, thinking, basics of personal excellence and science of succes are all lacking in school teaching.
iii. f - The sense of budget among children is an indication of their capability of performing a decision-making role
iv. a - The article advocates teaching management as a subject in school.
v. d - The opposite of 'concrete' in para 7 is abstract
vi. c - The terms used for a detailed critical inspection study in Para 4 is budget
2i. Students perform interpersonal roles by assisting teachers as class representatives or monitors during field trips, tours etc.
ii. Attributes of good management include management habits like using to-do lists, management skills like sensitive listening, management attitudes and values.
iii. It is difficult to acquire good management habits in adulthood because children are more flexible to learning and grasping new things whereas adults are not so flexible in the same area.
iv. The roles occasionally performed by students are Entrepreneur, Resource Allocator, Disturbance handler and negotiator.
v. Regretted synonym from Para 2 is Lamented
vi. Officially synonym from para 5 is Formally
Answer:
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