Chapter 17 of Winning English Grammar and Composition by Mureed Hussain Jasra (CSP)

CSS 2023 Solved English Precis and Composition

(Q) No. 2. Write a précis of the following passage and suggest a suitable title: (20)

On the question of freedom in education, there are at present three main schools of thought, deriving partly from differences as to ends and partly from differences in psychological theory. There are those who say that children should be completely free, however bad they may be; there are those who say they should be completely subject to authority, however good they may be, and there are those who say they should be free, but in spite of freedom they should be always good. This last party is larger than it has any logical right to be; children, like adults, will not all be virtuous if they are all free. The belief that liberty will ensure moral perfection is a relic of Rousseauism, and would not survive a study of animals and babies. Those who hold this belief think that education should have no positive purpose, but should merely offer an environment suitable for spontaneous development. I cannot agree with this school, which seems to me too individualistic, and unduly indifferent to the importance of knowledge. We live in communities which require cooperation, and it would be utopian to expect all the necessary cooperation to result from spontaneous impulse. The existence of a large population in a limited area is only possible owing to science and technique; education must, therefore, hand on the necessary minimum of these. The educators who allow the most freedom are men whose success depends upon a degree of benevolence, self-control, and trained intelligence which can hardly be generated where every impulse is left unchecked; their merits, therefore, are not likely to be perpetuated if their methods are undiluted. Education, viewed from a social standpoint, must be something more positive than a mere opportunity for growth. It must, of course, provide this, but it must also provide a piece of mental and moral equipment which children cannot acquire entirely for themselves.

Precis

There are three predominant ideologies regarding the question of freedom of the learners in education. Some advocate for absolute freedom for children, regardless of behaviour; others plead complete submission to authority, irrespective of virtue; while a larger faction argues for freedom moderated by the necessity of virtue. Yet, the notion that liberty alone guarantees moral excellence is negated by observations of both animals and infants. This belief, rooted in Rousseauism, overlooks the societal need for cooperation and the indispensability of knowledge. Education must balance freedom with imparting essential knowledge and cultivating social virtues. Viewed through a social lens, education, apart from being a platform for organic growth, must equip children with the tools essential for their integration into society.

Title: Balancing Education Freedom with Virtue and Knowledge

Word Count of the Passage: 311
Word Count of the Precis: 106

(Q) No. 3. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given at the end. (20)

The majority of people have always lived simply, and most of humanity still struggles on a daily basis to eke out a meagre existence under dire circumstances. Only in affluent industrialized countries do people have the luxury of more goods and services than they need to survive. On the basis of material wealth, North Americans and Europeans should be the happiest people on earth, but according to the 2012 Happy Planet Index (HPI), they are not. Surprisingly, what had begun as an experimental lifestyle evolved into a quiet revolution that spread the word through books such as Duane Elgin’s best-selling Voluntary Simplicity: Toward a Way of Life that is Outwardly Simple, Inwardly Rich (1981), as well as numerous magazines, alternative communities of the like-minded, and, later, Internet websites. Combined with a growing awareness of the environmental consequences of consumerism, the voluntary simplicity movement sought to reduce the consumption of goods and energy and to minimize one’s personal impact on the environment. “Voluntary” denotes a free and conscious choice to make appropriate changes that will enrich life in a deeper, spiritual sense. “Simplicity” refers to the lack of clutter, that is, eliminating all those things, patterns, habits, and ideas that take control of our lives and distract us from our inner selves. However, this is not to be confused with poverty, which is involuntary, degrading, and debilitating. Neither does it mean that people must live on a farm or reject progress or technology, or do without what is necessary for their comfort and welfare. To practice voluntary simplicity, one must differentiate between what one wants (psychological desires) and what one needs (basic requirements of life), and seek a healthy balance that is compatible with both. In a consumer society where advertising bombards us with the message that without this, that, and the other product, we are unsuccessful, undesirable, and unimportant, being clear on what you really need and resisting what you don’t can be an ongoing struggle. The beauty of voluntary simplicity is that it is a philosophy and not a dogma. How one goes about it depends on individual character, cultural background, and climate. For this, the three Rs (i.e., Reduce, Recycle & Reuse) represent the best way to get a handle on rampant consumerism. In economies driven by the quest for evermore, living with less is erroneously equated with poverty and social inferiority. By conserving energy, for instance, you are actually ensuring that more resources are available for future use. By making a frugal budget and sticking to it, you can eliminate unnecessary expenses. Recycling paper, metal, plastic, and glass and reusing building materials and old clothing keep materials in the loop and out of landfills. Pooling skills and resources through barter networks not only saves money but sharing with others establishes bonds and fosters a sense of community. With the glut of cheap goods that are usually designed for obsolescence, quality products that last are becoming progressively harder to find. In the long run, a more expensive but durable and repairable item or even an older used item that is still in good condition is a better investment than a brand new piece of junk that will only break down and end up in the trash. Thus, at the heart of voluntary simplicity is the conscious realization that less is really more. Less consumption means more resources for future generations. Less activity that brings little satisfaction or reward is more time for yourself and your loved ones. Less stuff is more space to move around in. Less stress means more relaxation and better health. Less worry provides more enjoyment and more fulfilment in life.

Questions:

How important is happiness to most people, and what is the relationship between material wealth and happiness?
How does the author characterize the concept of ‘Voluntary Simplicity’ as a movement and as a philosophy?
What impact is feared by the growing consumerism of modern society?
What influences make it difficult for people to reduce their consumption patterns?
What are the challenges and rewards of voluntary simplicity?

Answers:

How important is happiness to most people, and what is the relationship between material wealth and happiness?

Happiness is important for most people; it is a luxury that they cannot afford. For them, life is a struggle for existence under difficult circumstances. The rich, on the other hand, associate happiness with material wealth. However, wealth and material things hardly guarantee happiness as far as the Happy Planet Index 2012 suggests.

How does the author characterize the concept of ‘Voluntary Simplicity’ as a movement and as a philosophy?

The author characterizes the concept of ‘Voluntary Simplicity’ as a life that is simple in outlook but rich in essence. The movement of ‘Voluntary Simplicity’ connotes the reduction of the consumer impacts on environmental sustainability, and as a philosophy, it aims to forge a parallel and a meaningful balance between one’s wants and needs. It is based on one’s minimalistic choices to attain inner peace and spirituality.

What impact is feared by the growing consumerism of modern society?

The growing consumerism brings the impacts on people having continuous fears that they are becoming unsuccessful and undesirable. They constantly develop avarice to consume more and associate less consumption with poverty and social inferiority. It is also feared by growing consumerism that wants and desires will be equated with the needs of people in modern society.

What influences make it difficult for people to reduce their consumption patterns?

Fear of social inferiority and competition with others make it difficult for people to follow the principle of minimalism in life. Moreover, the advertisements impel people to shift their choices to glittering but unneeded consumer items – people just want what is not needed. The publicity campaigns and the glut of cheap goods deliver the message that life without certain goods is incomplete.

What are the challenges and rewards of voluntary simplicity?

The challenges of voluntary simplicity include societal pressures, advertising messages that promote excessive consumption, and the glut of cheap products. They make it difficult to observe the voluntary simplicity. However, the rewards of the same include the saving of the resources for future generations. Having a minimalist lifestyle with voluntary simplicity not only allows one to easily move around but also ensures less stress and more fulfilment for a person.

(Q) No. 4. Correct only FIVE of the following: (10)

His knowledge of languages and international relations aid him in his work.
The ambassador, with his family and staff, invite you to a reception at the embassy on Tuesday afternoon.
This year, he will sit in the CSS examination.
The Chief Executive will let us know whether or not he can attend the meeting.
When he came back from vacation, Aslam and me plan to look for another apartment.
If some of you make a noise, they shall be punished.
He came to me to enquire what is the salary attached to the appointment.
I am too tired that I do not hunt words and idioms in my English book.

Solutions:

His knowledge of languages and international relations aids him in his work.
The ambassador, with his family and staff, invites you to a reception at the embassy on Tuesday afternoon.
This year, he will sit for the CSS examination.
The Chief Executive will let us know whether he can attend the meeting.
When he came back from vacation, Aslam and I planned to look for another apartment.
If some of you make a noise, you shall be punished.
He came to me to enquire what the salary attached to the appointment was. OR He came to me to inquire about the salary attached to the appointment.
I am too tired to hunt words and idioms in my English book.

(Q) No. 5. (a) Punctuate the following text, where necessary; (05)

While taking a nap on the porch one hot summer day hodga dreamed that a stranger promised to give him ten pieces of gold the stranger placed them in hodgas hand one by one until he reached the tenth piece which he hesitated to give him come on what are you waiting for said hodga you promised me ten just then he woke up he immediately looked at his hand and saw that it was empty he quickly shut his eyes again stretched out his hand and said all right i ll settle for nine.

Solution:

While taking a nap on the porch one hot summer day, Hodga dreamed that a stranger promised to give him ten pieces of gold. The stranger placed them in Hodga’s hand one by one until he reached the tenth piece, which he hesitated to give him. “Come on! What are you waiting for?” said Hodga, “You promised me ten.” Just then, he woke up. He immediately looked at his hand and saw that it was empty. He quickly shut his eyes again, stretched out his hand and said, “All right, I’ll settle for nine.”

(b) Re-write the following sentences (ONLY FIVE) after filling in the blanks with appropriate Prepositions. (05)

(i) The neighbours came ______ my house to see what’s going on in the house.
(ii) She sat _______ the shade of the tree.
(iii) The moon does not shine _______ its own light.
(iv) The burglar jumped ________ the compound wall.
(v) She entered ________ an agreement with them.
(vi) I have been working hard ________ arithmetic.
(vii) He got ________ his bicycle.
(viii) It cannot be done ________ offence

Solution:

The neighbours came to my house to see what’s going on in the house.
She sat under the shade of the tree.
The moon does not shine by its own light.
The burglar jumped over the compound wall.
She entered into an agreement with them.
I have been working hard on arithmetic.
He got off his bicycle.
It cannot be done without offence.

(Q) No. 6. Use only FIVE pairs of words in sentences clearly illustrating their meanings.

(10)

(i) Antic, Antique:

The antic behaviour of John irritated his mother.
He wanted to purchase an antique car to impress his fellows.

(ii) Draught, Drought:

He got cold, as he had to work in the draught on the freezing winter night.
In 2021, Pakistan faced severe droughts in southern parts due to reduced precipitation.

(iii) Quaint, Queer:

The quaint social ideals find little attraction in the newer generations.
My friend has that queer feeling that he is being betrayed by his colleague.

(iv) Momentary, Momentous:

A momentary mistake can lead one to a lifetime of regret.
China was successful in bringing a momentous shift in the KSA-Iran bilateral relations.

(v) Compliment, Complement:

I got compliments from many of my friends for my work.
Chilli sauce complements the Zinger burger.

(vi) Eminent, Imminent:

Maya Angelou is an eminent poet in American literature.
They were in imminent danger of being swept away.

(vii) Faint, Feint:

When I entered the room, there was a faint murmur of their voices.
The boxer made a feint with his right, then followed with a left hook.

(viii) Immigrant, Emigrant:

The government has issued a warning for illegal immigrants living in the US.
The emigrants from Afghanistan have had severe complexities in settling anywhere.

(Q) No. 7: Translate the following into English, keeping in view figurative and idiomatic expressions;

بزرگ نے بتایا کہ جنگل کے پار ایک پہاڑ ہے جہاں وہ پھول اُگتا ہے جس کی خوشبو سے آنکھوں کی کھوئی ہوئی روشنی لوٹ آتی ہے ،مگر پہاڑ بہت بلند ہے اور اس پر بے شمار چٹانیں ہیں ، کانٹے دار جھاڑیاں ہیں اور بڑے بڑے پتھر ہیں جو راستہ روک لیتے ہیں ۔ اس پہاڑ پر جانے کے لیے کئی لوگ آئے اور چلے گئے مگر ایسا کوئی شخص نہیں آیا جو پھول تک پہنچا ہو۔ شاید اِسی لیے دُنیا میں دُکھ اور تکلیف ہے اور انسان روشنی کی تلاش میں ہے۔

The saint said that there was a mountain on the other side of the jungle where he grew the flower whose fragrance restores lost eyesight. However, the mountain stands tall with countless rocks, thorny bushes, and large stones obstructing the way. There came so many and went away but none could reach the flower. Perhaps that is why there is sorrow and suffering in the world, and man is in quest for light.

(Courtesy Winning English Grammar and Composition by Mureed Hussain Jasra, CSP)

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