A Debate on Nipah - Send your opinion to seakeyare@gmail.com.

I think the state government has acted fast enough to contain the virus.As precautionary measures, isolation wards have been set up in three districts - Ernakulam, Thrissur and Kozhikode. "We are prepared with all precautionary measures, especially because we have trained staff from the last outbreak in 2018," said Ms Shailaja. The wildlife department has been told to catch bats to test for the presence of virus. The central government has  also sent a six-member team to Kerala.

Why Nipa has surfaced again is a mind boggling issue. The question what steps  we can take  to ensure that the virus does not rear its head once again must be rephrased. Viruses can not be destroyed . We can take various steps to contain a particular virus. We can think about abstaining from the circumstance where there is a larger possibility to get the disease.Experts say the source of Nipah may be bats , pigs or such mammals. Nipah virus is transmitted from animals to humans and then spreads through people to people contact. Research is needed in this area to confirm the real source of the outbreak .  

Yes. We have learnt from the lessons last year.The government and the health staff are doing all what they can do and they are working according to  a newly devised protocol  which has succeeded in containing the Virus.According to the World Health Organisation, 18 Nipah cases were reported in Kerala last year; 17 of them died. The first death was reported on May 19, 2018. Since then, more than 2,600 contacts were identified and followed up with during the outbreak.This year there is no fatality till this day.Only one person is affected but he is recovering soon according to the recent medical reports.Four more people, including two nurses, are down with fever and two of them had come in contact with the 23-year-old man. 311 people, among them 22 students, are under surveillance.It has been confirmed officially that none of these people have been affected by Nipah. Still we must be alert in handling the situation though there is no need to panic.

 Care must be taken to keep a  vigil in our food habits until the source of the outbreak is confirmed. Awareness programmes must be designed so as to keep our school children out of unhygienic eating habits.

What do you think about the various measures to be taken to contain the outbreak of  Nipah in India. ?
Please send your opinion to  seakeyare@gmail.com.

The first three responses by e mail will be rewarded.-CKR 
*************************************************************************************************

CAREER ADVICE

Dear Sir/Madam,

Greetings from Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology (CIPET) - Kochi .

Sub: Admission for Diploma Courses in CIPET - Kochi.

CIPET is a premier National Institution under the aegis of Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Govt. of India. We are offering two NSQF aligned AICTE approved Diploma Courses in 2019-20.

Course Details ;

            1) Diploma in Plastics Technology (DPT)

            2) Diploma in Plastics Mould Technology (DPMT)

• Duration: 3 years (6 semesters), Minimum age: 15 years.

• Entry qualification: 10^th std. pass    (+2 passed or failed can also apply)

Students seeking admission into Diploma programs should apply online https://eadmission.cipet.gov.in or through Akshaya Centres.

Placement assistance will be provided after completion of courses.

Brochure with all the details regarding last date for applying to the above academic programs is enclosed here with for your kind information. We request you to kindly display our Admission Brochure in your school notice board and encourage more students to apply for the above academic programs. Further, we request you kindly provide contact details of students / parents which will help in mobilisation of candidates. We assure that the details will be kept confidential.

Institute video can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8QiceOCPd4

Thanking You,

Yours Sincerely,

Joint Director & Head

Encl: The admission Brochure

-- 

Training Department,

CIPET: Institute of Plastics Technology

( Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers , Govt. of India),

Eloor, Udyogamandal.P.O.,

Kochi - 683501.

Ph : ( 0484) 2541750 / 2555750./

8129497183

Students must be given training in writing good English

My evaluation of a plus one  student of higher secondary stream in Kerala.He has secured A plus in English as per his tenth standard result( SSLC,Kerala syllabus)

DATA

 Write up by the student in a terminal exam conducted by the school authorities.

OBSERVATIONS

1."He was striking against alien rules ….".( uses improper words like "striking","alien" instead of "fighting" and "foreign")

2."He told Indians-----don’t be afraid" is grammatically wrong.

He told Indians not to be afraid. - is the proper way to report a command  ( solution –needs more practice in reporting commands and imperative sentences.)

3. There are spelling errors here and there like "partisipated " instead of "participated","manny "instead of "many" , "idepented " instead of  "independent"( solution -the student should be trained to  mind the spelling of every word.)

4……."He was first participated "……( paragraph 2 beginning ) is wrong. “….he first participated” is the right one.( punctuation error, no clear idea about active voice and passive voice ;solution-give training in punctuation and change of voice )

5.The student does not know the proper tense form of many words like strike as in “he strike against england ’ ;2^nd sentence in paragraph 2 (The right sentence :He  struck against England).,and    fight in “Gandhiji fight not only against…..” should be "fought ".  SOLUTION – TRAINING IN THE PROPER USE OF PAST TENSE .

6.The student is not careful in the use of helping verbs like "do/does /have / has ."( “It have to be free ".from paragraph 2 middle ;wrong . The right sentence is “It has to be free.”) NEEDS TRAINING IN THE USE OF HELPING VERB.

7.The answer sheet was valued by a teacher ,but these errors have not been pointed out to the student in any way.No red marks ,corrections or comments seen.( Personal attention is not given to the student at any time of the course )

8.The parent thinks that her son deserves A plus in English and does not know why her son doesn't get high marks for  English in the  higher secondary examination.( The Aplus grades awarded in the SSLC  proves to be unreliable )

CONCLUSION

1.The training given in English to the students of higher secondary  appears to be insufficient to make them use good English in writing.
2. Many students who pass out from the high schools of Kerala with A  plus in English do not deserve the grade given.

The following issues have been noticed in their writing as exemplified by the above data.

a) Uses improper words like "striking","alien" instead of "fighting" and "foreign".
b) Errors found while reporting commands and imperative sentences.
c) Gives no importance to the spelling of even common words like "independent" or "many"
d) There are punctuation errors
e) The students have no idea about active voice and passive voice and do not use them properly.
f)  The students have no idea about tenses and do not use them properly.
g) The students have no idea about helping verbs  and do not use them properly.

3.  Measures must be taken to give importance to training in basic grammar in  classes in high        schools and higher secondary.

4. The evaluation process as part of  the Kerala syllabus for English in high schools and higher secondary must be altered so that  the competency of the students in basic grammar of English in each term could be rated and  must be followed up with remedial teaching before every public examination.

-Radhakrishnan C K

Essays for training slow learners

Essays( for training slow learners )

1.Corruption ( for slow learners ) ( based on  12 unit 2 ,The Hour of Truth)

      Corruption is bad .It blocks the development of our  Nation. It has many evil effects.Only the rich and the powerful are benefited. It is against democratic values. Services are not provided in time .Thus corruption hinders development.

      We must stop corruption. We must stand against corruption like Baldwin in the story “The hour of Truth”. Baldwin is not rich .But he is satisfied .He is offered a hundred thousand dollars to tell a lie in the story  .But he does not take the bribe.He is a symbol of honesty in life.  We need people like Baldwin.

     But most of us are like Gresham in the story. He is rich but not satisfied. He is selfish.He is not good and honest. Gresham does not give importance to morals and values.He is corrupt We are not  satisfied .We are not good and honest. We are greedy. We are selfish .We are not satisfied .We do not give importance to morals and values. We are not good citizens .That is why we have corruption in the society.

    
 We must change this situation. We must take action against corruption. We must create  awareness among people. Transparency is a must .We must stop red tapism. We must not give bribe or take bribe. Strict monitoring by people can stop corruption. We must hold on to morals and values like Baldwin.

We must always be good citizens.We must end corruption for the development of our Nation.

  A tool to train the slow  learners on this topic click here .This can be used also for self learning.Please write your comments to seakeyare@gmail.com or message at 9447739033 if you find it useful.

( Prepared by  CKR .Time spent 4 hours 30 minutes ; 30/05/2019 )

2.DRUG ABUSE ( for slow learners )












3.AMIGO BROTHERS ( for slow learners )

ANTONIO AND FELIX-TRUE FRIENDS

Antonio and Felix were the best boxers of the club. Only one of them can represent the club in the coming Golden Gloves tournament. Only one winner is possible. So they fight hard but with care and respect to each other. They practise well separately. Both  are ambitious. But they have no hate for each other. Only one of them will win. They wish each other success. Their relationship is   an example of great friendship. They leave the ring without waiting for the announcement after the bout. It means Felix would like Antonio win and Antonio would like Felix win.  In other words, they don’t care who wins. This is a symbol of sportsmanship too. They can be called Amigo brothers. Their friendship lasts even after a grave fight.

Higher Secondary Kerala 2019 March 11 Question Paper English

click here  FOR Higher Secondary Kerala 2019 March 11 Question Paper English
click here FOR Higher Secondary Kerala 2019 March 11 Question Paper English Answer key

credits to 

HSS LIVE        CLICK HERE FOR MORE NOTES IN VARIOUS SUBJECTS
 and       

DHSE KERALA 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HIGHER SECONDARY EDUCATION, KERALA

( TIME SPENT 20 MINUTES ON 28/05/2019.Send your responses to seakeyare@gmail.com )

Higher Secondary Kerala 2019 March 12 Question Paper English

click here Higher Secondary Kerala 2019 March 12 Question Paper English
click here Higher Secondary Kerala 2019 March 12 Question Paper English Answer key

credits to 

HSS LIVE        CLICK HERE FOR MORE NOTES IN VARIOUS SUBJECTS
 and     

DHSE KERALA

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HIGHER SECONDARY EDUCATION, KERALA


( TIME SPENT 20 MINUTES ON 28/05/2019.Send your responses to seakeyare@gmail.com )

0n homophones by Karen

I recently found online a funny article about the English language (which made a lot of sense to me, as a non-native), and I'm pretty sure it will speak to you users as well.

Here it is: https://www.websiteplanet.com/blog/talking-aloud-talking-allowed-watch-write-make-sure-right/ 

It's about homophones and all these English words that can sometimes lead to mistakes when the context is unclear :)

( 

kferrerrr@gmail.com )

Possible Questions in an interview for I A S selection

Board: Chairman , M1,M2,M3,M4
State:kerala,
Hobbies:documentary making, quizzing

Chairman:
1) So your name has both Arjun and Mohan (correlating to Mahabharata I think) . And your hobby is documentary making. So if you are going to make a film on Mahabharatha which character will you choose to make about. Why?
2)When you make films on myth, there is a chance that public may protest against you. What will you do then?
3) If you are a civil servant , how will  you face such a situation ?
4) Freedom of speech has reasonable restriction. How ll you apply these to films ?
5) There were good parallel films coming in Kerala. Like Adoor Gopalakrishnans and all. But now a days films like those are less. Reason?
6)Have you watched Adoor's movies ? Name a few of his movies  (I didn't watch any. So I told  that I didn't watch any)
7) Why Bahubali movie was a success. Is technology becoming predominant in films ?
8) Which movie you liked most in last one year. Reason.

M1
1) Mode of distribution and release of films and documentaries changed a lot. How and why (answered about netflix, youtube releases etc)
2) Which technology according to you brought huge change in film industry. Why (I told about camera)
3)Have you heard of Kodak. ?What was that ? Why it failed (I made some assumptions on why it failed)
4)Now tell some policy or law of govt which you think has not been updated and may lead to failure as like the case of kodak (I mentioned kodak failed becaused they didnt update themself with  changing times, technology etc).
5) Difference between policy and act.

M2.
1) Sabarimala issue. What is the reason. ? Why so many protest ? Any other temple where women are not allowed entry ?
2) Triple talaq. What is the issue ?
3) Should supreme court intervene in matters of faith. ? Should we wait for consensus to eliminate discrimination ?

M3

1) Security threats to India
2) Why insurgency in north east. ? Which are the development policies  ?  Can you tell names of all north eastern states
3) Reasons of left wing extremism. How to deal with that. ?

M4.
1) Reasons for kerala floods. How could we eliminate such incidents in future ?
2) String of pearls. What is it ? How to counter it. ?
3) What is CPEC   ? Is it economic project or strategic project.?
4) Origin of the word myth (since my interview started with Mahabaratha !. I told I don't know).
5) Is mahabharatha myth or reality ?
6) Kuru'kshethra'. What does kshethra mean in Malayalam (it means temple). Has that word come to Malayalam from Sanskrit.
 Chairman
1) Positive and Negative impacts of Globalisation on India.



Thank you
(Interview lasted for about 35-40 mints approx.)


( This is the manuscript  of an interview recently held for the  selection of IAS candidates as recollected  from memory and sent to his teacher on request by ARJUN MOHAN ,KANNUR  a successful candidate in 2019.
Let me thank Roy Sir , member of PSC COACHING FACULTY GROUP ,ALAKODE for this collection )
SLIGHTLY EDITED BY THE BLOG ADMIN.. TOTAL TIME SPENT FOR THIS POST 40 MINUTES .PUBLISHED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE.

Please sent your comments to seakeyare@gmail.com

An analysis of the interview will be published in the next post.-CKR,11/05/2019

tips for advanced learners 20/03/2019

tips for advanced learners

click here

How to Use Prepositions

How to Use Prepositions*

PrePosition of Time
PrePosition of Place

PrePositions
OF Time
AT, IN, ON

We use:
AT for a precise time
IN for Months, Years, Centuries
& Long Periods
ON Days & Dates

1⃣ AT
For a Precise Time
*At*3 o'clock
*At*10 am
At Noon
At DinnerTime
At BedTime
At SunRise
At SunSet
At the Moment on
New Year's Eve...
Examples
🔸I have a meeting at 9am.
🔹The Shop closes at Midnight.
🔸He went home at Lunchtime...

2⃣ IN
For Months, Years, Centuries & Long Periods

In May on Sunday
In Summer
In the Summer
In 1990
In the1990s
In the Bext Century
In the Ice Age
In the Past/Future...
Examples:
🔸In England, it often snows in December.
🔹Do you think we will go to Jupiter in the future?
🔸There should be a lot of progress in the Next Century...

3⃣ ON
Days & Dates

On 25 Dec.2010
On Christmas Day
On Independence Day
On My Birthday
On Tuesdays
On 6 March...
Examples:
🔹Do you work on Mondays?
🔸Her Birthday is on 20 November.
🔹Where will you be on New Year's Day?

👉🏻NOTE:
When we say Last, Next, Every, this we do not use AT, IN, ON.

🔸I went to London last June.
(Not👉🏻in last June)
🔹He's coming back next Tuesday.
(Not👉🏻on next Tuesday)
🔸I go home every Easter.
(Not👉🏻at every Easter)
🔹We'll call you this evening.
(not👉🏻in this evening)
💎💎💎💎💎
🌍
Prepositions
OF Place
AT - IN - ON

1⃣ AT a Point

AT👈🏻tells us that the following Noun is located at a Specific Point oR Location.
It shows an exact Position.

At The Empire State Building
At the Corner
At the Bus Stop.
At the door.
At the Top of Page.
At the End of the Road
At the Entrance.
At the Cross Roads.
At the Front desk
At a Conference.
At a Party
Examples
🔸She's waiting at the entrance.
🔹He's sitting on his Chair at his Desk.
🔸I work at a Bank
🔹There is a dog at the Top of the Steps.
🔸There is a woman at the Bottom of the Steps.
🔹The postman is at the door.
🔸There is a Supermarket at the End of the Street.

2⃣ IN
🅰 IN an Enclosed Space

IN👈🏻tells us the Noun is in an EnClosed Space (Surround oR Closed off on all Sides).
Basically, when Something is inside Something.

In a Box.
In a Room.
In a Country.
In a Traffic jam
In Time Square
In a Building
In a Car
in a Taxi
In a Boat
In a Helicopter
In a Lift (Elevator)
In the Living-Room
In the Article

🅱 IN Countries,
Cities, Neighborhood

In England
In London
In Manhattan
In Chinatown
Examples:
🔹The Dog is in the Garden.
🔸I have an Apple in my bag.
🔹David’s Car is in the Car Park.
🔸Let’s go for a Walk in the Forest.
🔹I live in London.

3⃣ ON

🅰 ON a Surface
ON👈🏻tells us that the following Noun is Located on a Surface. Use On when One thing is attatched to oR touching Somthing.

On the Table.
On the Floor.
On the Chair.
On a Wall
On the Roof
On the Menu
On the Page
On the Door
On the Shelf
Examples:
🔸What’s that on the Ceiling?
🔹There’s a bag on the Floor.
🔸My Books are on the Table.

🅱 ON Means
of Transport:
On a Bus
On a Train
On a Plane
On a Ship
On a Bicyc/Bike
On a Horse

FIGURES OF SPEECH

Figure-of-Speech may be classified as under:

1. Those based on resemblance
• Simile
• Metaphor
• Personification
• Apostrophe

2. Those based on Contrast:
• Antithesis
• Epigram
* Oxymoron
* Paradox

3. Those based on Association:
• Metonymy
• Synecdoche

4. Those depending on Construction:
• Climax
• Anticlimax

1. ALLITERATION : Alliteration refers to the repetition of of an initial consonant sound, at least three times in a sentence. 

EXAMPLES :
• A peck of pickled peppers
• Don't delay dawns disarming display. Dusk demands daylight.
• Sara's seven sisters slept soundly in sand.
• Sally sells sea shells by the seashore”

2. SIMILE :  In Simile, a comparison is made between two object of different kinds which have at least one point in common. The Simile is introduced by the word ‘as…as’ or 'like'.

“Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get”

EXAMPLES:
• As active as quicksilver
• As afraid as a grasshopper
• As ageless as the sun
• As agile as a cat
• As agile as a monkey
• As alert as a bird
• As alike as two peas
• As alone as a leper
• As alone as Crusoe
• As ambitious as the devil

3. METAPHOR : An implied comparison between two unlike things that actually have something important in common (as if two things were one.)

EXAMPLES:
• The camel is the ship of the desert.
• Life is a dream.
• The news was a dragger to his heart.
• Revenge is a kind of wild justice.
• “My heart is a lonely hunter that hunts on a lonely hill”

* NOTE : Every SIMILE can be compressed into a METAPHOR, and Every METAPHOR can be expanded into a SIMILE.

EXAMPLES:
• Tanaji fought as fiercely as a loin. (Simile)
• Tanaji was a lion in the fight. (Metaphor)

• The waves thundered on the shore. (Metaphor)
• The waves broke on the shore with noise like a thunder. (Simile)

•My love is like a red, red rose,
That's newly sprung in June. (Simile)
• Love is a rose but you better not pick it. (Metaphor)

4. ANTITHESIS : In Antithesis, a striking opposition or contrast of words or sentiments is made in the same sentence. It is employed to secure emphasis.

EXAMPLES:
• Man proposes, but God disposes.
• Not that I loved Caesar less, but I loved Rome more.
• Speech is silver, but Silence is Gold.
• Many are called, but few are chosen.
• To err is human, but to forgive on divine.

5. OXYMORON : A figure of speech in which  contradictory terms appear side by side or at once of the same thing.

EXAMPLES:
• She accepted it as the kind cruelty of surgeon’s knife.
• It is an open secret.

6. PARADOX : A statement that appears to contradict itself in the same sentence.

EXAMPLES :
“War is peace. Ignorance is strength. Freedom is slavery.” Though we know these things aren’t true, they present an interesting paradox that makes a person think seriously about what they have just read or heard.

7. IRONY : The use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning.  It is often used to poke fun at a situation that everyone else sees as a very serious matter.

EXAMPLES :
“Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here! This is the War Room!”

8. APOSTROPHE :  An Apostrophe is a direct address to the dead, to the absent, or to a personified object or idea. This figure is a special form of Personification.

EXAMPLES:
• Milton! You should not be living at this hour.
• Friend! I know not which way I must look for comfort.
• Roll on! Thou deep and dark blue Ocean, roll.
• Death! Where is thy sting? O Grave! Where is thy victory?

9. EUPHEMISM : Euphemism consists in the description of a disagreeable thing by an agreeable name.

EXAMPLES:
• You are telling me a fairy tale. (You are telling me lies)
• He is gone to heaven. (He is dead)
•We have to let you go. (You're fired.)
•You're well fed. (You're fat.)

10. HYPERBOLE : Hyperbole is an exaggerated statement for the purpose of emphasis or heightened effect.

EXAMPLES:
• Why, man, if the river is dry, I am able to fill it with tears.
• Hmalet! You have not cleft my heart in twain.
•“It was as big as a mountain! It was faster than a cheetah! It was dumber than a rock!”

11. SYNECDOCHE : A figure of speech in which a part is used to represent the whole

EXAMPLES :
ABCs for alphabet or the whole for a part
England won the World Cup in 1966.
Seeing eyes, helping hands.

12. ONOMATOPOEIA : This is the use of a word that actually sounds like what it means.

Onomatopoeia (pronounced ON-a-MAT-a-PEE-a) refers to words (such as bow-wow and hiss ) that imitate the sounds
   
Good examples include “hiss” or “ding-dong” or “fizz.”

13. PERSONIFICATION : In Personification, inanimate objects and abstract notions are spoken of as having life and intelligence.

This is a way of giving an inanimate object the qualities of a living thing.

EXAMPLES:
• Death lays its icy hands on King.
• Pride goes forth on horseback, grand and gay.
• Laughter is holding her both sides.
•“The tree quaked with fear as the wind approached”
•“The sun smiled down on her”

14. PUN : A play on words , sometimes on different senses of the same word and sometimes on the similar sense or sound of different words.

A form of wordplay using similar sounding words.

EXAMPLES:
“The wedding was so emotional that even the cake was in tiers (tears).”

“Two silk worms had a race and ended in a tie.” - A “tie” can of course either be when neither party wins, but in this pun also refers to the piece of clothing usually made from silk.

“Why can a man never starve in the Great Desert? Because he can eat the sand which is there. But what brought the sandwiches there? Why, Noah sent Ham, and his descendants mustered and bred.” - There are several separate puns, including the pun on “sand which” and “sandwich,” as well as “Ham” (a Biblical figure) and “ham” and the homophonic puns on “mustered”/“mustard” and “bred”/“bread.”

15. METONYMY : A figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted for another with which it's closely associated. Metonyms make associations or substitutions.

In some ways it can be seen as a nickname for something else.
However, we all understand the meaning, and so the words are interchangeable.

EXAMPLES:
The place name "Bollywood," has become a metonym for the Hindi film industry.

Using the word “crown” for “king or queen” or “lab coats” for “scientists”.

“The White House said” doesn’t actually mean the White House said it (a house can’t speak!) but that the President of America (who lives in The White House)  said it.

16. RHETORICAL QUESTION :  A rhetorical question is a question that is asked not to get an answer, but instead to emphasize a point. They are often used to elicit thought and understanding on the part of the listener or reader.

EXAMPLES :
"Marriage is a wonderful institution, but who would want to live in an institution?"

We also use rhetorical questions in common speech, such as the following statements:

Sure, why not?
Who knew?
Does it look like I care?
Are you kidding me?
Do birds fly?
Is the sky blue?