Question

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.

1. "I think that in many cases people tend to expect the other person to respond to them in positive way first, rather than taking the initiative themselves to create the possibility It leads to problems and can act as a barrier that just serves to promote a feeling of isolation So, if you wish to overcome the feeling of loneliness, I think that our underlying attitude makes a tremendous difference. And approaching others with the thought of companion in your mind is the best way to do the said Dalai Lama

2. My surprise about Dalai Lama's claim that he was never alone was in direct proportion to my belief in the pervasiveness of loneliness in our society. The belief was not born merely from un impressionistic sense of my own loneliness or the thread of loneliness that seemed to run as an underlying theme throughout the fabric of my psychiatric practice. In the past twenty years Psychologists have begun to study loneliness in a scientific manner, conducting a fair number of Surveys and studies on the subject. One of the most striking findings of these studies is that virtually all people report that they do experience loneliness, either currently or in the past.

3. In one large survey, one fourths of US adults reported that they had felt extremely lonely at least once within the previous two weeks Although, we often think of chronic loneliness as an affliction particularly widespread among the elderly, isolated in empty apartments or in the back wards of nursing homes, research suggests that teenagers and young adults are just as likely to report they are as lonely as the elderly

4. Because of the widespread occurrence of loneliness, investigators have begun to examine the complex variables that may contribute to loneliness. For instance, they found that lonely individuals often have problems with self disclosure, have difficulty communicating with others, are poor listeners, and lack certain social skills as picking up conversations cues (knowing when to nod to respond appropriately or to remain silent) This research suggests that ane strategy for overcoming loneliness would be to work on improving these social skills. The Dalai Lama's strategy, however seemed to bypass working on social skills or external behaviours, in favour of an approach that cut directly to our heart -realzing the value of compassion and then inculcating it.

5. Despite my initial surprise, as I listened to him speak with such conviction, I came to firmly believe that he was never lonely. And there was evidence to support his claim. Often enough, I had witnessed his first interaction with a stranger which was invariably positive. It started to become clear that these positive interactions were not accidental or simply the result of naturally friendly personality. I sensed that he had spent a great deal of time thinking about the importance of compassion, carefully cultivating it and using it to enrich and soften the ground of his everyday experience, making the soil fertile and receptive to positive interactions with others a method that can, in fact, be used by anyone who suffers from loneliness. (520 words) (Excerpt from The Art of Happiness by H.H Dalai Lama & Howard Cutler)

(a) on the basis of your reading of the above passage make notes on it, using headings and subheadings. Use recognizable abbreviations (wherever necessary - minimum of four) Also, supply an appropriate title to it. (5 Marks)

b) Write a summary of the passage in about 80-100 words. (3 marks)​

Answer 1

Answer:

People collect things because of many reasons- it may be due to need, lack of energy or sentimental values. It may start with a reason to avoid wastage but can lead to mania. Collecting can also have some benefits and some advantages too. It relaxes, amuses and educates. Collecting is something through which we can meet like-minded people and get advice from them, give advice and compare notes and show off one's find. This helps in expanding one's friend circle and leads to more travelling.