Ways with Words

A. Find the words from the text that match the following meaning clues.

1. Unquestionable or impossible to doubt

Answer: Indubitable

2. Never done, experienced, or known before

Answer: Unprecedented

3. Emergence or origination

Answer: Emanation

4. Obviously or clearly

Answer: Evidently

5. Impossible to achieve or overcome

Answer: Insuperable

6. Moved with a violent or irregular action

Answer: Agitated

7. Appropriate or suitable

Answer: Apt

8. To force something back

Answer: Repel

9. Conservative or following traditional beliefs

Answer: Orthodox

10. Until now or up to the present time

Answer: Hitherto

B. Find the words from the text that have the following meanings.

a. Misleading or creating an illusion

Answer: Deceptive

b. In a natural state and not yet processed or refined

Answer: Crude

c. A mythical horse-like animal with a single straight horn on its forehead

Answer: Unicorn

d. Never dying or decaying

Answer: Immortal

e. To come to an end or stop

Answer: Cease

f. To activate or put something into motion

Answer: Actuate

Comprehension

Answer the following questions.

a. What is the difference between the body and the soul?

Answer:

The body exists in both time and space, whereas the soul is believed to exist only in time.

The body is a visible and physical entity, while the soul is considered invisible and non-physical.

b. What do you understand by the psychologists’ statement that there is no such thing as the mind?

Answer:

Some psychologists argue that the mind does not exist as a separate physical entity.

They study mental processes and human behaviour by observing how people think, act, respond, and interact with their environment.

According to this view, the mind is a term used to describe a collection of thoughts, emotions, memories, and mental activities rather than an independently existing object.

c. How can mental activity be reduced to physical activity?

Answer:

Mental activity can be reduced to physical activity by explaining thoughts, feelings, and memories as functions of the brain and nervous system.

According to this view, the mind is an emanation or result of the body’s physical processes, especially the activity of the brain.

d. How are the mind and body related?

Answer:

The mind and body are related because mental and physical activities influence each other.

The terms “mind” and “body” are convenient ways of organising events inside a human being into two groups according to their causal relationships.

The body receives information through the senses, while the mind interprets and responds to it.

e. What is the relationship between mind and memory? Does memory survive a person’s death?

Answer:

Memory is one of the most important characteristics of the mind. It allows people to preserve experiences, knowledge, emotions, and personal identity.

According to the essay, memory does not survive a person’s death because it depends on the structure and function of the brain.

When the brain decays after death, the memories connected with it also cease to exist.

f. How is all power on the Earth’s surface dependent on the Sun?

Answer:

Most forms of energy and life on the Earth’s surface depend directly or indirectly on the Sun.

The Sun warms the seas, regulates weather patterns, and provides energy for green plants through photosynthesis.

Plants provide food and oxygen for living organisms. Fossil fuels, wind, rainfall, and many other energy sources also depend indirectly on solar energy.

Therefore, life and power on Earth are largely dependent on the Sun.

Critical Thinking

a. Do you believe that the soul really exists? Present arguments in support of your answer.

Answer:

Yes, I believe that the soul exists, although its existence has not yet been scientifically proved.

The human body is physical and visible, but people also possess consciousness, emotions, identity, moral awareness, and a sense of self. These qualities make us feel that there is something beyond the physical body.

When people think about death, they often find it difficult to believe that their entire existence will end when the body stops functioning. The sense of “I” within a person may be understood as the soul.

Modern science has not provided definite proof of the existence of the soul. However, the absence of proof does not necessarily prove that something does not exist.

Many things that are common today were once considered impossible or unimaginable. Scientific knowledge continues to expand, and future discoveries may help explain consciousness and the nature of existence more clearly.

Ancient religious and philosophical traditions have long supported the idea of the soul. They describe it as the non-physical essence of a person that may continue after physical death.

Fields such as metaphysics, philosophy of mind, and parapsychology have also explored questions related to consciousness and the soul.

Therefore, belief in the soul is based mainly on religious faith, philosophy, personal experience, and the mystery of human consciousness. Although science has not yet confirmed it, the possibility of the soul’s existence cannot be completely rejected.

b. “If you want to change your body, you first have to change your mind.” Discuss.

Answer:

I agree with the statement that if a person wants to change their body, they must first change their mind.

Physical change usually begins with a mental decision. A person must first believe that improvement is possible and develop the determination to follow healthy habits.

Thoughts strongly influence behaviour. Negative self-talk can destroy motivation. If a person repeatedly thinks that exercise is too difficult or that improvement is impossible, they are less likely to follow a fitness routine.

The first step towards physical fitness is identifying the thoughts that prevent progress. The next step is replacing negative thoughts with realistic and positive ones.

For example, instead of saying, “I cannot exercise,” a person can say, “I will begin with ten minutes of exercise every day.” Small mental changes can gradually lead to better habits.

Discipline is also important. Beginners may find it difficult to exercise regularly or follow a balanced diet. However, if they continue for several months, healthy habits can become part of their daily lives.

Positive physical results can further strengthen the mind. Better muscle tone, increased strength, improved sleep, weight control, and a better mood can motivate a person to continue.

Therefore, changing the body requires motivation, discipline, confidence, and a positive mindset. The mind creates the decision, while the body follows through repeated action.

Writing

Write critically on the following topic.

a. The Existence of God

The Existence of God

The existence of God is one of the oldest and most important questions in religion, theology, and philosophy. People have debated this issue for thousands of years.

Religious scriptures generally do not attempt to prove God’s existence. Instead, they accept it as a fundamental truth. The Bible, for example, presents God as the creator of the universe and focuses more on who God is than on whether God exists.

Many believers argue that the order, beauty, and complexity of nature provide evidence of a divine creator. The universe follows organised laws, and living organisms possess highly complex structures. Some people believe that such order cannot have appeared without an intelligent cause.

Philosophers have proposed several arguments for the existence of God. The cosmological argument claims that everything has a cause and that the universe must therefore have an ultimate first cause.

The design argument suggests that the order and complexity of the universe point towards an intelligent designer. The moral argument states that human awareness of right and wrong may come from a higher moral authority.

Some thinkers believe that faith in God can be rational even without scientific proof. Religious belief may be based on personal experience, revelation, spiritual practice, and trust.

However, atheists and sceptics raise arguments against God’s existence. One major argument is the problem of evil. They question how an all-powerful and loving God can allow suffering, injustice, natural disasters, and cruelty.

Religious thinkers respond that human beings possess free will and that suffering may have purposes that people cannot fully understand. They also argue that moral growth, courage, and compassion often develop through difficulties.

Science does not currently prove or disprove God’s existence. Science studies observable and measurable aspects of the universe, while God is generally understood as a supernatural being beyond physical measurement.

Therefore, belief in God remains a matter of faith, philosophy, personal experience, and interpretation. People may accept or reject God’s existence, but the question continues to shape human thought, morality, and civilisation.

Grammar

A. Rewrite the following sentences using “used to”.

a. I/live in a flat when I was a child.

Answer:

I used to live in a flat when I was a child.

b. She/love eating chocolate, but now she hates it.

Answer:

She used to love eating chocolate, but now she hates it.

c. He/go fishing in the summer?

Answer:

Did he use to go fishing in the summer?

d. My sister/play tennis when she was at school.

Answer:

My sister used to play tennis when she was at school.

e. He/play football every weekend?

Answer:

Did he use to play football every weekend?

f. My grandfather/speak five languages.

Answer:

My grandfather used to speak five languages.

g. I/not hate school from the beginning.

Answer:

I did not use to hate school in the beginning.

h. You/live in Kathmandu?

Answer:

Did you use to live in Kathmandu?

i. He/play Dandibiyo when he was a small child.

Answer:

He used to play Dandibiyo when he was a small child.

j. She/wear a frock when she was small, but nowadays she wears jeans.

Answer:

She used to wear a frock when she was small, but nowadays she wears jeans.

B. Write a short paragraph describing your past habits.

My Past Habits

I lived with my uncle for five years. I used to begin my daily tasks early in the morning at his house.

I used to study regularly and work hard to secure first position in my class. Although my school did not have sufficient resources, my teachers used to make their lessons effective by using locally available materials.

They used to encourage us by being friendly and supportive. Our English teacher used to assign project work, which was very helpful for our studies.

I also used to read books, complete my homework on time, and participate in classroom activities. These habits helped me become disciplined, responsible, and confident in my academic life.