Siblings hold a unique place in our lives—they’re our partners in mischief, our first friends, and often our lifelong supporters. Around the world, different cultures celebrate these bonds in their own ways. Two such celebrations are Siblings Day, observed in the US, Canada, and parts of Europe, and Raksha Bandhan, a centuries-old Hindu festival in India. Let’s explore these holidays and what makes them special.
World Poetry Day, celebrated each year on 21st March, is a special occasion dedicated to the art of poetry. Established by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) in 1999, this day aims to promote linguistic diversity, support endangered languages, and encourage appreciation for the beauty of poetry. The date was chosen to coincide with the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, symbolising renewal, creativity, and growth. Since its inception, World Poetry Day has evolved into a global celebration, uniting poets, readers, and educators to honour the timeless power of poetic expression.
You are Rachita Verma / Ronit Verma, the Girl-captain/ Boy-captain of DAV Public School, Nagpur. Email the Principal of your School requesting permission to organise a cleanliness drive on your school campus. You should include the purpose of the drive and how it will be organised. You may copy the given template to write your email.
Subject: Request to Organise a Cleanliness Drive
Dear Principal,
I'm Ronit Verma, the Boy-captain of DAV Public School, Nagpur. I’m writing to request your permission to organise a cleanliness drive within our school campus.
About the poem:
The poet narrates the story of a brook talking like it was a person in this poem. It starts with the brook telling us where it started from, and the different landscapes it covered as it made its way towards the river where it ended. When he compares the way the brook continues running with human beings who die after some time, he likens it to one`s life journey. However, unlike people who die at some point after having lived for a given period of time but the stream continues flowing as ever thus eternalizes life itself; death does not touch it at all costs; the water course goes forth anew always thanks once again also with us!
Summary (Stanza wise)
The poem "The Brook" describes the journey of a brook as it flows through various landscapes.
I come from haunts of coot and hern;
I make a sudden sally
And sparkle out among the fern,
To bicker down a valley.
Paraphrasing: The brook starts its journey in a place frequented by coots and herons. It flows swiftly and emerges among ferns, making its way down a valley.
By thirty hills I hurry down,
Or slip between the ridges,
By twenty thorpes, a little town,
And half a hundred bridges.
Paraphrasing: It rushes past thirty hills and flows through narrow ridges, passing by twenty small villages and fifty bridges.
Till last by Philip’s farm I flow
To join the brimming river,
For men may come and men may go,
But I go on for ever.
Paraphrasing: Eventually, the brook reaches Philip's farm, where it joins a larger river. The brook reflects on the constancy of its flow compared to the transient nature of human life.
I chatter over stony ways,
In little sharps and trebles,
I bubble into eddying bays,
I babble on the pebbles.
Paraphrasing: The brook describes its journey, making noise as it flows over stones, forming small bays and bubbling over pebbles. It flows happily and makes a bubbling sound.
With many a curve in my banks I fret
By many a field and fallow,
And many a fairy foreland set
With willow-weed and mallow.
Paraphrasing: It meanders through fields and meadows, passing by fairy-like landscapes with willow-weed and hairy stem plants.
I chatter, chatter, as I flow
To join the brimming river
For men may come and men may go,
But I go on for ever.
I wind about, and in and out,
With here a blossom sailing,
And here and there a lusty trout,
And here and there a grayling,
And here and there a foamy flake
Upon me, as I travel
With many a silvery waterbreak
Above the golden gravel,
Paraphrasing: The brook continues its journey, encountering blossoms, trout, and grayling fish along the way. It flows over golden gravel and carries them along with it. It moves in a zig zag manner carrying a foamy flake on its surface.
And draw them all along,
and flow To join the brimming river
For men may come and men may go,
But I go on for ever.
I steal by lawns and grassy plots,
I slide by hazel covers
I move the sweet forget-me-nots
That grow for happy lovers.
Paraphrasing: It flows past lawns and hazel covers, gently moving forget-me-nots that grow for lovers. It glides smoothly, reflecting the sun's rays on its sandy shallows.
I slip, I slide, I gloom, I glance,
Among my skimming swallows;
I make the netted sunbeam dance
Against my sandy shallows.
I murmur under moon and stars
In brambly wildernesses;
I linger by my shingly bars;
I loiter round my cresses;
And out again I curve and flow
To join the brimming river,
For men may come and men may go,
But I go on for ever.
Paraphrasing: The brook murmurs under the moon and stars, flowing through wild, brambly areas. It pauses around its sandy bars and cresses before continuing its journey.
Throughout its course, the brook reflects on the unchanging nature of its flow, contrasting with the transient nature of human existence.
Rhyme scheme: abaab cdccd efeef ghggh
Poetic devices used in the poem
Metaphor:
The diverging roads symbolize life choices and paths taken.
The word undergrowth stands for the future into which the poet cannot see.
Q1: The increasing number of vehicles on the city roads not only causes inconvenience to the people but also affects the health of millions of people. Write a letter to the Editor of an esteemed daily, giving your suggestions regarding checking the number of vehicles on roads. You are Rahul/Rubina of Bengaluru.
Subject: Increasing number of vehicles on the city roads
MCQs
Q1. With reference to Hooper, the author says, "Every thing was going for him", What does it imply?
(i) He had everything that a man aspires for.
(ii) People admired him.
(iii) He did what he wanted.
(iv) He was capable of playing games.
MCQS
Q1. The grandmother could relate to the central character of the story 'Kashi Yatre' as __________.
(i) both were old and uneducated
(ii) both had granddaughters who read to them
(iii) both had a strong desire to visit Kashi
(iv) both were determined to learn to read
Radha: Hey brother, what are you doing?
Brother: Not much, just scrolling through social media.
Radha: Have you finished your homework yet?
Brother: Yeah, I finished it earlier.
A group of words which make complete sense is called a Sentence.
A sentence can be:
1. Assertive / Declarative
2. Interrogative
3. Imperative
4. Exclamatory
Formal letters are written to people who are not known to us personally. It is written in the formal language with a specific format for business or official purposes.
Here we talk about two types of formal letters
- Application to the Principal
- Letter to the Editor
The tense of an event expresses its time-location. The verb form in a sentence helps to distinguish the different tenses. Past, present, and future are the three main tenses. Each of these tenses has four distinct features in English: simple, perfect, continuous (also known as progressive), and perfect continuous.
Q1: Name the novel from where the extract is taken from?
Answer: Three Men in a Boat
Q2: Who is the author of the Novel?
Answer: Jerome
Q3: Justify the title of the chapter 'Packing'.
Answer: “Packing” is an appropriate title for this extract from the novel ‘Three Men in a Boat’. It forms one of the chapters of the novel. The three men are – Jerome, George and Harris. They have to go on a pleasure boat journey and have to pack for it. All three of them think they are ‘past masters’ in the art of packing, but all they end up creating is an utter mess. They blame each other for being poor at packing and each boasts of his packing acumen. Thus, the extract is all about packing and, therefore, the title is appropriate.
Q1. Looking at the growing rising situation of recession, the prices of goods ______come down soon.
A. need
B. would
C. should
D. ought to
Q2. The police _________ four thieves last night.
A. catch
B. caught
C. catching
D. will catch
English Essays & Paragraphs
I want to be an engineer in life. Life is full of variety. There are different types of careers. Because of differences in the natures and abilities of persons, people take up different careers. Opportunities also matter. Sometimes people may have abilities but not opportunities. Then they have to be satisfied with something different. I am lucky in this respect. My father is an officer with the Government of India. I am the only child of my parents. Luckily I am a good student too. So,if I am selected for the engineering competition, money will be no problem. And I am confident that I will be selected. I am training myself to study seriously from that angle.
