Ways with Words

A. Match the words with their correct definitions.

a. Freshman

Meaning:
A first-year student at a university, college, or high school.

b. Naive

Meaning:
Lacking experience, wisdom, or knowledge.

c. Obliviously

Meaning:
Without conscious awareness of what is happening.

d. Brag

Meaning:
To speak boastfully about one’s achievements or possessions.

e. Disposal

Meaning:
The act of throwing away or getting rid of something.

f. Dorm

Meaning:
A dormitory or residence building for students.

g. Suitemate

Meaning:
A person who shares a bathroom, living room, or kitchen in a student residence.

h. Incalculable

Meaning:
Too great or uncertain to be calculated or estimated.

B. Replace the highlighted words with suitable synonyms.

a. Her story is incredible in the literal sense of the word.

Synonym: Unbelievable

Rewritten sentence:
Her story is unbelievable in the literal sense of the word.

b. We often read the novels of potential writers from around the world.

Synonym: Promising

Rewritten sentence:
We often read the novels of promising writers from around the world.

c. Facebook users are fragmented but connected through the Internet.

Synonym: Divided

Rewritten sentence:
Facebook users are divided but connected through the Internet.

d. Sometimes unanticipated events happen in our lives.

Synonym: Unexpected

Rewritten sentence:
Sometimes unexpected events happen in our lives.

e. He paused, scrutinising the faces of Anjana and Manju with his glittering eyes.

Synonym: Examining

Rewritten sentence:
He paused, examining the faces of Anjana and Manju with his glittering eyes.

f. I am sorry to say that your handwriting is indecipherable.

Synonym: Illegible

Rewritten sentence:
I am sorry to say that your handwriting is illegible.

g. He is mature. He can navigate his own journey to improve his career.

Synonym: Guide

Rewritten sentence:
He is mature. He can guide his own journey to improve his career.

h. Gita’s heart swelled with delight, translating her confidence into power.

Synonym: Joy

Rewritten sentence:
Gita’s heart swelled with joy, transforming her confidence into power.

C. Complete the sentences by choosing the correct words from the brackets.

a. Does television __________ children?

(affect/effect)

Answer: Affect

Complete sentence:
Does television affect children?

b. Does television have an __________ on children?

(affect/effect)

Answer: Effect

Complete sentence:
Does television have an effect on children?

c. Could you __________ me your book, please?

(borrow/lend)

Answer: Lend

Complete sentence:
Could you lend me your book, please?

d. Can I __________ your pen?

(borrow/lend)

Answer: Borrow

Complete sentence:
Can I borrow your pen?

e. Prices seem to __________ every year.

(raise/rise)

Answer: Rise

Complete sentence:
Prices seem to rise every year.

f. You can __________ your hand if you want to ask a question.

(raise/rise)

Answer: Raise

Complete sentence:
You can raise your hand if you want to ask a question.

g. What did he __________ to you?

(say/tell)

Answer: Say

Complete sentence:
What did he say to you?

h. I cannot __________ Hindi.

(speak/talk)

Answer: Speak

Complete sentence:
I cannot speak Hindi.

i. I will __________ to you on the phone.

(speak/talk)

Answer: Talk

Complete sentence:
I will talk to you on the phone.

j. I think that is a very __________ idea.

(sensible/sensitive)

Answer: Sensible

Complete sentence:
I think that is a very sensible idea.

k. My teeth are very __________ to cold.

(sensible/sensitive)

Answer: Sensitive

Complete sentence:
My teeth are very sensitive to cold.

l. Our __________ is a popular person.

(principal/principle)

Answer: Principal

Complete sentence:
Our principal is a popular person.

m. I could not understand the __________ of gravity.

(principal/principle)

Answer: Principle

Complete sentence:
I could not understand the principle of gravity.

n. All my friends, __________ Nabina, came to the party.

(accept/except)

Answer: Except

Complete sentence:
All my friends, except Nabina, came to the party.

o. Will you __________ my request?

(accept/except)

Answer: Accept

Complete sentence:
Will you accept my request?

p. They were making too much __________.

(noise/sound)

Answer: Noise

Complete sentence:
They were making too much noise.

q. All she could hear was the __________ of the waves.

(noise/sound)

Answer: Sound

Complete sentence:
All she could hear was the sound of the waves.

r. Did you give him any __________ about his career?

(advice/advise)

Answer: Advice

Complete sentence:
Did you give him any advice about his career?

s. My parents __________ me to become a teacher.

(advice/advise)

Answer: Advise

Complete sentence:
My parents advise me to become a teacher.

Comprehension

Answer the following questions.

a. Why did the author feel lucky to have been so naive during her freshman year at college?

Answer:

The author felt lucky to have been naive during her freshman year because her lack of knowledge encouraged her to explore, discover, and experience new things independently.

Although she was inexperienced, that very inexperience led her towards personal growth, learning, opportunity, and eventually success.

b. Why did the author say that she went to college in the Stone Age?

Answer:

The author said that she went to college in the Stone Age because there was a vast difference between her college experience and that of her son.

During her college years, mobile phones, social media, specialised applications, and modern electronic devices were either unavailable or not widely used.

In contrast, her son uses technology in almost every part of his college life. Compared with his technologically advanced experience, the author’s college years seemed primitive.

c. What technological tools can Hayden use in college that were unavailable during his mother’s time?

Answer:

Hayden can use several technological tools that were unavailable during his mother’s college years.

These include:

1. A mobile phone
2. University-specific mobile applications
3. Facebook
4. Twitter
5. Instagram
6. YouTube
7. Search engines
8. Electronic books
9. Online maps and communication services

These tools make communication, navigation, research, and daily college life easier.

d. How have the Internet and social networking sites affected the lifestyles of young people?

Answer:

The Internet and social networking sites have made young people dependent on technology for both small and important tasks.

They can now search for information, communicate with others, complete assignments, organise activities, and solve problems quickly.

However, this convenience may reduce their willingness to struggle, think independently, or use creativity. Many young people depend heavily on search engines and software instead of solving problems themselves.

Social networking sites allow them to connect with many people, but these relationships are often virtual rather than personal.

As a result, young people may be digitally connected while remaining socially and emotionally separated in real life.

e. What aspects of college life will Hayden miss that his mother experienced?

Answer:

Unlike his mother, Hayden may miss spontaneous discoveries, face-to-face interaction, independent thinking, and the excitement of exploring unfamiliar places without technological assistance.

He may also miss opportunities to use imagination, solve problems without immediate online help, and form relationships through direct personal interaction.

f. The author says, “I worry that students today are more connected and more fragmented.” Is this paradoxical? How?

Answer:

Yes, the statement is paradoxical because the words “connected” and “fragmented” appear to express opposite conditions.

Modern students are connected through mobile phones, social media, messaging applications, and the Internet. They can communicate instantly with people in different places.

However, they are also fragmented because many of these connections are superficial or virtual. They may have hundreds of online contacts but lack deep face-to-face relationships.

Therefore, technology has connected students electronically while sometimes separating them socially and emotionally.

Critical Thinking

a. Can technological advancement prevent students from receiving valuable exposure at school and experiencing memorable moments? Give reasons.

Answer:

Yes, excessive dependence on technology can sometimes limit the exposure students receive at school and prevent them from enjoying some of life’s most memorable experiences.

Technology includes tools, machines, software, and systems used to make work easier. It can be highly beneficial in education when used properly.

Modern schools use laptops, tablets, projectors, smartboards, online resources, and educational applications. These tools provide access to information and make lessons more interactive.

However, the same devices can become major distractions. Students may use them to check social media, watch entertainment content, play games, or communicate with friends instead of studying.

Excessive technology use can also reduce face-to-face interaction. If teachers rely entirely on digital tools, students may not communicate openly or share their problems directly.

Important school experiences such as classroom discussion, group work, outdoor activities, friendship, experimentation, and spontaneous discovery may also decline.

Students may begin to depend on search engines for every answer instead of using memory, imagination, analysis, and problem-solving skills.

Technology should therefore support education rather than replace human interaction and direct experience.

A balanced approach is necessary. Teachers should combine technological tools with verbal communication, practical activities, teamwork, discussion, and independent thinking.

Thus, technological advancement can hinder valuable exposure when it is overused, but it can improve education when applied thoughtfully.

b. Kline’s essay focuses on differences between her son’s freshman college experience and her own, but it also establishes what they have in common. Explain.

Answer:

Christina Baker Kline’s essay, “Taking My Son to College, Where Technology Has Replaced Serendipity,” compares her freshman college experience with that of her son, Hayden.

The greatest difference is the role of technology. During Kline’s college years, students did not have smartphones, social media, mobile applications, or instant access to information.

They had to explore the campus, ask people for directions, use printed books, and discover things through direct experience.

Hayden, in contrast, can use technology for navigation, communication, research, social interaction, and entertainment.

Despite these differences, mother and son share several similar experiences.

Both began their freshman years at the same university. Both experienced excitement, uncertainty, nervousness, and curiosity while entering a new phase of life.

Both needed to form friendships, adapt to a new environment, and become independent.

The desire to learn, explore, and find companionship remains the same. Only the methods have changed.

Kline discovered information through books, observation, and direct interaction, whereas Hayden uses search engines, electronic books, and social media.

Therefore, technology has changed the form of the college experience, but the emotions, challenges, friendships, and process of personal growth remain similar.

c. Has the Internet helped broaden or narrow the critical-thinking abilities of young people and readers? How?

Answer:

The Internet can both broaden and narrow the critical-thinking abilities of young people, depending on how it is used.

It is a global network that provides quick access to information, ideas, research, educational materials, and different viewpoints.

When used properly, the Internet broadens knowledge. Students can read articles, watch educational videos, compare arguments, study current issues, and access information from around the world.

It can support research, creativity, problem-solving, and independent learning.

However, excessive dependence on the Internet may weaken critical thinking. Some users accept the first answer they find without checking its reliability or comparing different sources.

Search engines and artificial intelligence tools can make people less willing to think independently if they are used only to obtain ready-made answers.

The Internet also contains misinformation, biased opinions, advertisements, and manipulated content. Readers must therefore evaluate sources carefully.

A balanced approach is essential. Young people should use the Internet as a tool for exploration while continuing to analyse, question, compare, and form their own conclusions.

Therefore, the Internet can enhance critical thinking when used actively and responsibly, but it can damage it when users depend on it blindly.

Grammar

A. Fill in the blanks with suitable articles where necessary.

a. Is he working as __________ university professor?

Answer: A

Complete sentence:
Is he working as a university professor?

b. My younger sister watches __________ television a lot.

Answer: No article

Complete sentence:
My younger sister watches television a lot.

c.

A: What did you get for your birthday?
B: I got __________ lot of good presents.

Answer: A

Complete sentence:
I got a lot of good presents.

d. I am going to __________ Dominican Republic for my winter vacation.

Answer: The

Complete sentence:
I am going to the Dominican Republic for my winter vacation.

e. I have to go to __________ bank today to deposit some money.

Answer: A

Complete sentence:
I have to go to a bank today to deposit some money.

f. Durga was injured in __________ accident and was taken to __________ nearest hospital.

Answer: The / the

Complete sentence:
Durga was injured in the accident and was taken to the nearest hospital.

g. Every parent should visit __________ school to meet the teachers.

Answer: The

Complete sentence:
Every parent should visit the school to meet the teachers.

h. Who is __________ woman in this photograph?

Answer: The

Complete sentence:
Who is the woman in this photograph?

i. There is __________ piano in the corner of the room.

Answer: A

Complete sentence:
There is a piano in the corner of the room.

j.

A: Do you think he is lying?
B: No, he is __________ kind of guy who always tells the truth.

Answer: The

Complete sentence:
No, he is the kind of guy who always tells the truth.