ADVANCED WRITING SKILLS (30 Marks)

ENGLISH CORE

CLASS XII

Short Composition: Notices / Posters / Classifieds / Commercial Ads /

Invitation(Printed) / Invitation (Formal Letter or Informal

Letter) / Acceptance or Denial to Invitation –

Marks : 4 Choice : One out of two (Notice or Poster, Poster or Classified etc.) Word Limit : 50

i) Notices - Tips:

1. Formal and simple language

2. Only relevant information

3. Follow the format given

4. No addressing, ‘Dear Students/ Friends’ etc.

5. No ‘Thanking you / Yours sincerely’ etc.

6. Name of School / Organisation and PLACE should be mentioned

7. NOTICE in capital letters

8. Give an appropriate heading

9. Avoid ‘This is to inform you that….’

10. Beginning can be:

i) Our school is organizing a Blood Donation Camp…/Cultural Programme…

ii) The school is going to organize….

iii) Our school is holding / conducting an Elocution Competition…

iv) Captains and prefects are requested to attend a meeting

11. Give details on: Date, Time, Venue

12. For further details, contact…./For more details, please feel free to contact the

undersigned / For further queries, do not hesitate to contact….

13. Signing Authority’s Name and then Designation

14. Put the notice in a box

15. Neat presentation is all the more important

Try this out:

Your school is organizing a fete to collect funds for charity. Only school students are eligible to

put up stalls. As Head Boy / Head Girl of St. John’s Public School, Pune, draft a notice in not

more than 50 words to be put up announcing sale of stalls giving all other necessary details.

ii) Posters – Tips:

1. Posters can be for giving an information on students’ activities, social issues

2. Draw a rectangular box

3. Use bigger fonts / variety of fonts

4. Use catchy words / phrases/ slogans

5. More or less like a notice….but align the phrases at the centre

6. Use your creativity…draw simple pictures…but should not waste time on them

7. Organiser’s name can be on top of the poster or at the very bottom of it

8. Use asterisks

9. Use small boxes of different shapes to highlight

10. A poster should look neat and graceful

Draft a poster on Clean City Campaign. (Sample)

Clean City Campaign

14th March – 28th March Let’s

make Delhi a better place

to Live!

No Spitting No littering No Open Urination

Issues in public interest by: NEW DELHI MUNICIPAL COUNCIL

(HEALTH DEPARTMENT) NEW DELHI - 01

Now, try this: Draw a poster on World Environment Day (5th June)

iii) Classified – Tips:

1. Classified Advertisement is a kind of public notice asking for or offering services or

buying and selling property, goods etc. or giving information about missing persons,

pets and so on.

2. Need not be in a box

3. Write in short phrases, not in complete sentences

4. Be economical with words, no lengthy and dull write-ups

5. Give all necessary details

6. Simple heading ‘Situation Vacant’ / ‘For Sale’ / ‘Career Guidance & Counselling’ /Lost

and Found / Matrimonial / To Let / Required Bungalow for Lease etc.

7. Have a thorough study of Glossary, words pertaining to the given topic

8. The columns could be: i) Situation Vacant ii) Situation Wanted iii) To Let iv) Car For Sale

v) Flat for Sale vi) Lost and Found vii) Matrimonial viii) Business (Agencies, Franchise or

Distributorship)

9. Conclude with Contact Address and Phone No.

10. Use the words like, bonafide / serious buyers may contact.

Sample Classified:

TO LET

To let, a portion of newly constructed independent house in Gulmohar Park, New Delhi. Three

bedrooms, drawing, modular kitchen, dining with family lounge and parking. Latest fittings and

fixtures. Rent around Rs. 55000/- pm. Government employees or doctors preferred. Contact:

M. Ganesh, A-12, Gulmohar Park, New Delhi or dial: 26543901.

Now, practise these:

1. You propose to sell your flat as you are going abroad. Draft an ad to be published in the

newspaper.

2. You want to sell your Maruti. Draft a suitable advertisement.

3. You have started ‘Yoga Centre’ for school children. Draft an ad.

4. Your school requires a football coach. Draft an ad.

iv) Commercial Advertisement – Tips:

1. Aimed at business promotion, publicity of products highlighting tempting offers

2. Put it in a rectangular box

3. Use Catchy slogans / phrases

4. Use various fonts like posters

5. Pictures – not necessary

6. Issuing Authority – At the bottom (centre)

Sample Commercial Ad:

Don’t Just Dream but

Shape Yourself Up for

IIT—JEE And

CBSE—PMT

You are intelligent.Good. You are confident. Equally good.

But don’t be overconfident. Don’t be rash to believe that you can cope with IIT—JEE & CBSE—PMT without extra

preparation and expert guidance.

Rely on

CAREER ORIENTATION for

*Intensive and extensive Study Materials *Question Bank *Expert Guidance *Extensive Coaching *Affordable Fee Structure

ADMISSION OPEN Write for free prospectus CAREER ORIENTATIONS

105, Cannaught Place, New Delhi.

Now, try this out: On behalf of HITECH Tutorials, New Delhi, draft an advertisement to attract

the students of classes IX – XII for coaching and extra preparation for examination.

v) Invitation (Printed) – Tips:

1. Write in a formal style.

2. For weddings, birthdays, inauguration of shops, Housewarming, Annual Day

celebrations, Sports Day, Class Party, Farewell etc.

3. In case, VIPs are presiding over the function, their names should appear

prominently

4. Programme with date, timing and venue should be clearly mentioned

5. R.S.V.P. is a must in an invitation card (RSVP means Répondez s'il vous plaît, literally "Reply if you please" or "Reply please" – Expecting response from both those attending and not attending)

6. Write the address / Phone no. below RSVP 7. Put it in a box 8. Neat presentation is required

Sample Invitation:

Mrs. And Mr. Ashish Mehra

Solicit your gracious presence on the auspicious occasion Of the marriage of their daughter

MEHER With

SUNIL NARAYAN (son of Mrs. And Mr. R.K.Kashyap)

On 17th March 2015

At 7.30 a.m.

At BANQUET HALL, TAJ HOTEL Model Town, Mumbai.

RSVP With best compliments from: Ashish Mehra Friends and Relatives Ph. 27384910, 9876540986

Now, do this please: Annual Sports Day (Card Format) Shri. NarendraNath, Hon’ble Minister for Education is the chief guest.

vi) Invitation (Formal Letter) – Tips:

1. Formal Letter’s Format 2. Sender’s Name – Not required 3. Sender’s address (Avoid the word ‘From’ and comma in the address) 4. Date 5. Receiver’s Address (Avoid the word ‘To’ and comma in the address) 6. Salutation 7. Content – to the point in formal words 8. Signatory 9. Designation

Sample Invitation Letter (Formal): Students’ Council St. Xavier’s School New Delhi 2 March 2015 The Principal St. Xavier’s School New Delhi Respected Sir

We shall feel honoured and obliged if you inaugurate the newly elected Students’ Council of the school. You are also requested to preside over the Oath-taking Ceremony of the elected representatives of the students. Kindly confirm your availability and the date. Akash President of Students’ Council Now, try this question:

You are the Principal of Geeth Vidya Mandir, Ahmedabad. Write an invitation inviting the Honourable Minister for Education, Shri. L.K. Shah to preside over the function.

vi) Invitation (Informal Letter) – Tips:

1. Informal Letter’s Format 2. Sender’s Name – Not required 3. Sender’s address (Avoid the word ‘From’ and comma in the address) 4. Date 5. NO Receiver’s Address (It will be written on the envelope, not in the letter) 6. Salutation (Never write Dear Friend, write his/her name) 7. Content – to the point in informal words 8. Signatory (Even for friends, Yours Sincerely is fine, no lovingly, Lovingly – only for blood

relations)

Sample Invitation Letter (Informal):

120 Mahatma Gandhi Road Chennai 2 March 2015 Dear Saleem It gives me great pleasure in inviting you to my house at Diwali. I am sure you will feel at home in the company of my younger brothers and sisters. We shall have great fun. I am sure you will join us in the ‘Diwali Celebrations’. Yours sincerely Deepak

Now, try this letter: Write a letter to your friend inviting him on the inauguration ceremony of your new house.

viii) Acceptance (Formal)

15 Williams Road Pune 2 March 2015 Sub: Acceptance of Invitation Dear Sir We have great pleasure in receiving the invitation from you for the workshop on ‘Child Care’ being held on 15th March 2015 at your clinic. We confirm our presence with thanks. Yours sincerely Mrs & Mr Johnson

Acceptance (Informal)

10, Part Avenue, Delhi 2 March 2015 Dear Dileep Heartiest congratulations on your twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. It will give us much pleasure to join you for dinner on Sunday, the 8th March 2015 at 7 pm. Thanks for thinking of us.

Ashraf

Try an acceptance letter: (Formal)

Write a letter confirming your attendance on the ‘Annual Day Celebrations’ of your school as an

alumnus/ alumna.

Try an informal acceptance letter:

Accepting the invitation, respond to the invitation of your friend’s sister’s wedding during

summer vacation.

viii) Denial(Formal):

10 Mount Road Chennai 2 March 2015 The Secretary Lions Club Mount Road Chennai Sub: Inability to accept the invitation Sir Thanks for inviting me to participate in a seminar on ‘Fundamental Rights of Children’. I feel honoured and obliged. However, I shall not be able to accept your invitation. Some unavoidable previous engagements keep me tied down to my place on that day. Thanking you once again for your kind invitation. Yours sincerely Akshaya

Write a reply regretting your inability to attend the prize giving ceremony of your school.

Denial (Informal):

12 Lawrence Road Mumbai

2 March ‘15 Dear Mahesh Thank you very much for the pleasant invitation. I am not that lucky to be with you during the Christmas holidays. Some heavy engagements, including my coaching classes and my cousin’s wedding will keep me busy during the Christmas holidays. I shall be glad to visit you in the summer. Yours Sincerely Rakesh

Write a reply (informal) to express your inability to attend your friend’s Housewarming

Ceremony.

Long Composition: i) Factual Description / Report - 10 Marks

Word Limit: 100-150 words

ii) Business Letters – Letter to Place Orders, Letter of Complaint, Letter of Reply to the Complaint, Letter of Enquiry, Reply to the Enquiry, Letters to the Editor, Application for Job with CV - 6 Marks Word Limit: 100 – 125 words iii) Article / Speech / Debate - 10 Marks

Word Limit: 150 – 175 words

ix) Factual Descriptions Vs Reports:

1. Both Factual Descriptions and Reports require a systematic, logical and factual skill of narration. However, the difference between the two is: i) The Factual Description is to be written in the Present Tense and ii) The Report is generally written in the Past Tense

2. Brevity, clarity and factual correctness are the main features of the factual description 3. Give a title and write the factual description/the report in a single paragraph 4. Factual Description of i) Process – How to make omelette, How to open an account with

a bank, How to get admission to a school etc. ii) Person – Describe your school librarian, your school peon, your favourite teacher etc.

iii) Place- Describe your neighbouring park, shopping mall, your school auditorium, New Library-Cum-Reading Room etc.

5. Report on i) Accidents (Road, Train, Air, Ship, Fire ,Robbery, Bomb Blast etc.)

ii) Workshop, Seminar, Annual Day, Investiture Ceremony, Sports Day, Functions, Blood Donation Camp, Students Activities like Tree Plantation Week, TV Programme, Visiting ‘Home For The Aged’ etc.

6. Other than the given topics, the article topics and points also can be used for the Reports.

7. The Report in the newspaper will have the following format:

Chennai, 2 March 2015: Staff Reporter(The Indian Express) Content…….

8. The Report in the School Magazine will have the following format: Title (A Report by ……….. of XII A) Content…….

Sample Factual Description:

NEW LIBRARY-CUM-READING ROOM

The library always happens to be the nerve centre of the school. The inauguration of the new library-cum-reading room in the school for the primary class students was a big occasion. Generally the primary section gets neglected in a senior secondary school. However, the new library-cum-reading room will provide a new home for knowledge and recreation for the tiny-tots. Special care has been taken to make the place cosy, comfortable and homely for the young ones. First of all, comes the size. A very spacious reading room and the open-shelf library meet their requirement. The furniture, particularly the chairs and tables, deserve a special mention. Their colour and size suit the age and height of the children. So is the decor and paints of the walls. The whole ambience speaks of good taste and decency. The sitting arrangement is simple but dignified. There are about ten thousand volumes displayed in open shelves, quite reachable to children. All magazines, comics, cartoon books and CDs, games and blocks have been provided to the young ones. Now, try to write a Factual Description: Parks are not only useful for children, adults and the old, but are environment friendly too. Write a factual description in 100-125 words of the neighbourhood park you often visit. Sample Report: Chennai, 2 March 2015: Reporter(The Times of India) Another railway accident jolted the city of Hosur. The tall claims of the Railway Minister to make railways safer and secure have only proved mere empty words. In the wee hours, 3 boggies of the train got derailed. The train came to a grinding halt. The train was heading

towards Ernakulam from Bangalore. Near Hosur, the accident took place. It was around 7 am when the boggies of the train got derailed. All the passengers were awakened from their slumber. For some moments they couldn’t decide what had happened. Suddenly things became clear. They realized that their lives were in danger. Co-passengers from other boggies immediately came to the rescue of the trapped passengers. It was a heart rending sight. Men, women and children were crying for help. Soon a big crowd of local people assembled there, while the rescue team reached there only an hour later, the delay attributed to lack of access. Those who were trapped inside were taken out to safety. Nine of the passengers died on the spot while nineteen seriously injured were taken immediately to the hospital. Contrary to the initial belief that boulders on the track could have caused the accident, sources in the railway said a defect in the track could have been the reason. Now, try to write a Report on ‘A Blood Donation Camp’ organized by your school.

X) Business Letters – Letter to Place Orders,

Letter of Complaint, Letter of Reply to the Complaint, Letter of Enquiry, Reply to the Enquiry, Letters to the Editor, Application for Job with CV - 6 Marks Word Limit: 100 – 125 words i) Placing Orders – Tips:

1. Format of the Formal Letter

2. Address should always be in the given format: Name, Door No., Name of the Street, City, State (optional) Have some readymade addresses like: 18 Hudson Colony 10 Park Avenue 15 Williams Road Coimbatore Bengaluru Mumbai

3. Sub: Order for ______________

4. Beginning of the letter - Write in Plural… We require various items of……. OR DAV

Private School wants to place a bulk order for ……. / We have been your old and regular

customers. We would like to place an order for …….

5. Mention about the rate (eg) The rates must be competitive.

6. Ask for maximum discount

7. Then, write The list of ……with their particulars is attached herewith / The list of

required items is furnished hereunder.

8. Make a table of these columns: S.No. Particulars of Items No. /Qty.

9. If the order is for books, don’t forget to mention the author’s/publisher’s name

10. Write about damage or loss, eg. For any damage or loss of the items on transit, the

school/company will not be held responsible.

11. Ending note: We hope timely delivery and maximum discounts. Also write about mode

of payment. Eg. The payment will be made by Cheque/ D.D. on receiving the items /

consignment.

Try a letter for placing an order for sports equipment for your school. You are Williams, the

Physical Education In-charge.

ii) Letters of Complaints –Tips:

1. Format of the Formal Letter

2. M/S (Messrs.) R.P.N.Furniture, Carol Bagh, New Delhi (Messrs for addressing the

company, not a particular person in position

3. The Manager, R.P.N. Furniture,……. (No need of the name of the manager)

4. Sub: Supply of poor quality of books / Poor quality of computers / Replacement of the

Defective Washing Machine etc.

5. Dear Sirs, (in case of M/S)

6. Use these formal words:

i) We regret to inform you that the quality of ……..that your supplied was sub-

standard and poor.

ii) I am constrained to express my resentment at the poor quality of ……. Supplied

by you.

iii) The equipment is in warranty period.

iv) Business transaction is contrary to your reputation and goodwill.

v) We bring to your notice the following defects and discrepancies.

vi) Hope you’ll replace them and rectify your lapse at the earliest.

vii) Now I am left with no other option than request you to get it replaced.

viii) We have sent several reminders but to no avail.

ix) I hope you will not compel me to go to the Consumer’s Court for redress.

x) Your company enjoys a good reputation and goodwill among its customers. Such

deals go against your established name and fame.

Try a letter of complaint:

Write a letter to M/S Vivek Electronics, Chennai, complaining about the quality of the

computers received in response to your order. Sign as Danish, 18 MG Road, Coimbatore.

Learn the given Letter: (Reply to Complaint)

The Sales Manager Bharat Sports Limited Delhi 2 March 2015 The Sports Incharge Wisdom Public School Delhi Sub: Delay in the supply Sir Received your letter, dated 25th February,2015. We are extremely sorry for the undue delay in the supply of sports goods to you. Now, the worst is over. We promise the delivery of sports goods ordered by you, at the earliest. We appreciate your concern about the supply of materials. But the unavoidable circumstances have caused the delay. We had some labour problem in the factory. We were trying our best to resolve it amicably. They resumed work only a week ago. Now everything is normal. The sports goods ordered by you will be delivered within a week without any further delay. I hope this unintentional lapse on our part will not sour our good old relations. Thanking you for bearing with us Yours faithfully Danish

iii) Letter of Enquiry / Asking for Info—Tips: Study the following content carefully and try to write a letter of enquiry similar to the one given.

Grant Public School Mumbai 2 March 2015 The Manager The National Travel Agency Agra Sub: Enquiring about the charges and facilities

Sir

Grant Public School, Mumbai is organizing a tour to Agra. We are a group of seventy

students. Seven teachers and four peons will also accompany us. We plan to leave Mumbai

for Agra early in the morning of 25th March. You will have to arrange for the comfortable

stay of students and teachers. We expect a reasonably clean and affordable

accommodation in a good hotel. Maximum four can stay in a suite.

Kindly furnish the following details regarding the charges and facilities provided by you

during our stay.

1. No. of suites to accommodate students and teachers and their charges

2. Arrangement of breakfast, lunch and dinner and the charges per head

3. Transportation facilities to the sight-seeing spots

4. Arrangement of tourist guide during our visit to various places

5. Any other information regarding the tour

Your immediate response is highly appreciated.

Yours sincerely John Tour Incharge Write a letter to Oberai International Hotel to find out the rates for conducting the wedding reception of your sister, enquiring about the catering cost per head, service and decoration charges and advance to be paid.

iv) Application for Job with CV

Use the following wordings:

This is in response to your advt in the newspaper dated…… I offer myself as one of the candidates for the same. / I wish to offer my candidature for the post of ….. / I would like to apply for the post of …… I have the requisite qualifications and desired work experience. I am a dynamic young man/woman with pleasant manners and good personality. I possess good communication skills. I am sure I shall prove to be an asset for your prestigious organization / institution. My complete Currriculum Vitae is attached herewith for your kind perusal and favourable consideration. If selected, I shall discharge my duties to the entire satisfaction of the concerned authorities. / If selected, I will leave no stone unturned to uplift the prestige of the institution. / If selected, I shall work to the fullest satisfaction of my superiors. Try to write an Application with CV (Apply for the post of Physics Teacher to teach in the Higher Secondary)

ARTICLE / SPEECH

You can master the art of writing articles/speeches by practice. In addition to reading and

observing, you must develop the habit of thinking. You should be aware of the incidents taking

place in society.

Process of Writing an Article

a. Introduction: State what the situation is b. Analyse: Why the situation has risen (reason) c. Suggestion/action required to meet the situation d. Conclusion

Now, read the following guidelines:

1. Give a title to the article. 2. The article can be divided into three to four paragraphs. 3. The beginning of the article should be striking, relevant and original. It should catch the

attention of the reader. (Not always, beginning with Now-a-days,...) 4. The middle of the article should contain appropriate facts, arguments, reflections,

causes and effects etc.

5. The conclusion may include your suggestions / new ideas on the issue / topic. 6. Every sentence should be linked with the rest into a single whole. Write coherently. 7. Always use a simple and a grammatically correct language. 8. Unnecessary explanations, stories, incidents mentioned as examples must be avoided. 9. Do not exceed the word limits. 10. There is hardly any difference between a written article and a written speech. But,

begin a speech with a formal address. (Mostly Assembly speeches are expected for school level, Respected Principal, teachers and my dear friends,... can be the formal address)

Tips on avoiding grammatical errors:

You are likely to commit errors in

1. Mixing up of tenses, especially when you narrate an event. Observe the following sentences,

The critics say that the third World War may be fought on the issue of water.

The critics said that the third World War might be fought on the issue of water.

Write the past tense after 'that' when the reporting verb is in past.

2. The Principal said that he will visit our class.(Wrong)

The Principal said that he would visit our class. (Right)

WRONG RIGHT

Current cut Power cut

Their is an increase in child labour There is an increase in child labour

Being a women,…. Being a woman,

Our’s is a male dominated society

Ours is a male dominated society

2. Using the informal words instead of the formal words in your write-ups. For example,

INFORMAL FORMAL

Felling of trees has a bad effect on the climate.

Felling of trees has an adverse/harmful effect on the climate.

In fact, it results in no rain. As a matter of fact, it results in a sharp decline

in the rainfall.

At last, we are suffering without water.

Eventually, it creates water scarcity.

Topics for Article or Speech could be from one of the given categories:

Student Related: The Role of Students in Combating Corruption/ Removing Illiteracy Teen Pressure Children and Advertisements Modern Children miss the joy of outdoor play Growing Indiscipline Among Students Ragging characterizes students’ misbehavior Youth and Fashion Compulsory Value Based Education Mushrooming Coaching Centres etc. Environment Related: Pollution, Grow Trees, Conservation of Resources, Global Warming, Save Water etc. National Theme Related: Promoting Girls’ Education, Growth of Slums, Crime Against Women, Ban on manufacturing and sale of liquor, Evils of Smoking, Spread of Dengue, Swine Flu etc. Terrorism-a threat to peace, Traffic Jam, Frequent Power Cut, Scarcity of Water, Increasing Crime Rate

Value Points for the articles on some important topics:

Protecting Environment

1. Degradation of the environment continues unabated 2. The need of the hour is to protect and preserve the environment and the ecological

balance 3. Rapid deforestation is the main cause 4. Many forest belts have been cleared away to set up industrial units 5. Urbanisation swallowed the remaining green belts

6. Deforestation leads to disastrous results – famine, floods, soil erosion 7. Plant more trees as they bring rain and keep the upper soil in tact 8. Rivers and lakes have become dumping grounds for industrial wastes, garbage and dirt 9. Their water has not remained fit for human consumption 10. Cities are over polluted – Delhi has earned a notoriety for being the fourth most

polluted city in the world 11. Emission of smoke from factories, vehicles etc. have caused pollution in cities 12. Necessary to maintain the ecological balance and keep the country a clean and

peaceful place to live in

Increasing Road Accidents

a. Reckless drivers and careless pedestrians are equally responsible for accidents b. A special traffic squad should be set up to book traffic violations c. Pedestrians form a major chunk of road users killed in road accidents d. Major victims are children below 16 years of age e. Pedestrians tend to cross the road anywhere, anytime f. They just dart out to cross roads, less bothered of the traffic situation g. In most cases speeding vehicles crush the pedestrians h. Carelessness of drivers, using mobile phones i. laxity of law enforcement agencies j. results are horrifying, sometimes fatal k. It is imperative on us, the citizens to curb this menace l. necessary steps – heavy fines, cancellation of license etc. Effects of TV Viewing of Studies

Too much TV bad for health – eyes damaged – time lost – homework suffers – drowsiness next

day – classed not attended with concentration – studies start suffering – year end – seeing of

poor results – exam not passed with good marks – less marks meaningless in today's

competitive world – career spoiled – leading to frustration – spoiling of life – depression – end

disastrous – problem to parents

Pesticides and Human Health

Lands infertile due to various factors like impotable water – require a lot of fertilizer to grow

crops – farmers' misuse of pesticides – graines carry residues of pesticides – survery showed

human consumption of urea beyond permissible limits – such misuse hazardous to human

health – leading to incurable diseases like cancer – death

Govt.'s moral duty towards public health – farmers to be trained to get soil tested – quantities

of pesticides, fertilizers to be notified

Child Abuse

1. Childhood is the golden period of man's life. 2. Children need love and care 3. Child abuse is the tragic irony in India 4. About 10 million children are employed in unhealthy, hazardous working conditions 5. Bare footed, lean and weak children work for 10 – 15 hours a day 6. They work in shops, factories, brick kilns, small cottage industries 7. Selling newspapers on the road – risk for their lives on the busy roads 8. They work in fire-crackers and match-factories, carpet industry, chemical factories etc. 9. Generally ill-fed, underpaid, ill-treated, physical assault and harrassment 10. Poverty is the main reason – poor parents themselves send their children for work 11. India has the largest no. of children working in inhospitable and inhuman surroundings 12. The Child Labour Act should be enforced strictly 13. Defiant employers should be punished

Cancer – A Silent Killer

Cities are more prone than rural areas – every tenth person affected – high level of benzene in

the air – pesticides in food – radio-active waves from cellular phones

Diagnostic centres – hospitals to be created – ban pesticides – organic manure – minimise the

usage of modern equipments – petroleum products – public awareness programme – early

detection – treatment – initial stage – no fatal

Harmful Effects of Deforestation

Deforestation has several harmful consequences. Indiscriminate felling of trees – causes

environmental degradation – forest and trees are the heart and lungs of the earth – trees

absorb Co2 and release O2 – Urbanisation – greed for more space for housing – industrialisaion

etc. are responsible – Deforestation affects seasonal cycles – no rain – fertile lands become arid

zone – people may suffer – droughts, floods, long summer or prolonged winter – removal of

green cover disturbs ecological balance – soil erosion – top soil affected – becomes infertile –

yield of crops is low-Afforestation essential – create an awareness among people to check the

menace

Aping of Western Culture by the Younger Generation

The influence of modernization and western culture is reflected in the attitudes of people esp.

younger generation – the glamour of big cities attracts the younger generation to cinema halls,

coffee shops, restaurants, discotheques, pubs etc. - bunking classes and truancy are becoming

common in schools and colleges – coke, burgers, pizzas, fast food – affect the traditional food

habits – pop-music, disco dance, fashionable revealing outfits – youth are forgetting their

traditional values completely – maxims like 'simple living and high thinking' seem old-fashioned

and outdated- youth do not respect the wisdom and experience of the older generation – they

become more demanding, aggressive, rebellious and violent – they are exposed to violence and

vulgarity at an early stage through films, serials, internet etc. – so become corrupted

Parents must inculcate good values in them – schools must insist upon more value-oriented

programmes to discipline and quieten the young minds

Status of Women in Indian Society

Even after 65 years of independence, the status of women in our society is still deplorable –

though we claim to be a progressive nation, cruel acts such as burning of women for not

bringing sufficient dowry – harassing women, eve-teasing, molesting in public buses, physical

assault, female infanticide, female foeticide – still show that the women in India are not

respected as much as they deserve to be – objectification of women in advertisements –

displaying as toys in fashion shows – another way of humiliation even among the educated

society – women in spite of their higher qualifications do not enjoy their full rights as compared

to their counterparts – even professionals are less paid than men

The reason is - men still consider women inferior to them and subordinates in assisting their

work – in families – no more than handling the jobs of a servant-maid

public awareness through media – an attitude change in men – higher literacy rate among

women – self-reliance and independence – will make their status improve

Increasing Crime Rates

The progress in science and technology has led to the formation of a consumerist society – new

gadgets and equipments flood the market everyday – the disparity between 'haves' and 'have

nots' has increased – subsequenty an increase in the crimes like burglary, murder, kidnapping,

raping, pickpocketing, chain snatching, cheating, minting fake currencies – have become bane

of the society – the crimes are organised and executed either by professionals or by the

unemployed youth

Govt. seems to have failed to be effective and control the crime rates – the criminals have no

conscience – going to the extent of murder in order to achieve their selfish motive – growing

lawlessness made the cities unsafe for people to live in – loopholes in the security

arrangements to be checked – private guards, CCTV cameras in shopping malls, banks, public

places like railway stations, bus junctions, increasing the number of civil police – can control

this problem

Anti – Corruption Campaign – The need of the hour

For centuries saints and sages have urged the people to eliminate graft and corruption from private as well as public life; there have been countless sermons against this deep-rooted menace that has eaten into the vitals of society, distorted all values and made mincemeat of morality, truth and virtue.

But the evil has grown to gigantic proportions and there is hardly any sphere of social, economic, political and even religious activity that is free from graft, deception and corruption of some kind. Like the air we breathe, it has become all-pervasive and entered every aspect of life to such an extent that it is now regarded as a fact of life and an evil we have to live with.

When people in power indulge in corruption so unabashedly, the common man gets a kind of

sanction.

The following are the reasons for corruption:

(i) Scarcity of goods and services

(ii) Lack of transparency

(iii) Complicated rules and red tape, which encourage corruption although 'speed' money.

(iv) Legal cushions safety created for the corrupt under the healthy assumption that everybody is innocent till proved guilty.

Lust for wealth gives birth to lust for comfort, luxury etc. It is the greed for money that corrupts all our officials, politicians and institutions. The virus of corruption has gone upto the roots. It is the high time

to eradicate the problems from the society.

Stringent punishments should be given those that indulge in corruption. Minimisation of Human Wants is the only way to Cleanse Society of all kinds of corruptions. Public awareness campaigns by students will have more effect. IT can also be involved in this process of weeding.

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Celebrate the nation with empowerment of the girl child Worthy judges, teachers and dear students Today I, stand before you to speak on "Empowering the Girl Child is the Best Way to Empower the Nation" on the occasion of Women 's Day today. I submit that a woman sits at the centre of a family. If she is educated and enlightened about everything she can take the family forward socially, economically and of course, morally. If a family progresses this way, a district progresses, a state progresses, and finally the country progresses.

You 'll agree with me that such a stage of complete progress due to a woman is yet to be gained. However, I feel strongly that we have discarded many age-old superstitions and beliefs against a girl child, like she is a burden etc. Discrimination against a girl child still takes place in villages but not much in cities. Then there is a whole range of discriminatory practices including female foeticide, female infanticide, son idolization, early marriage and dowry. But as the time passes such things are left behind. You 'll agree with me if I say that today women are not behind men in any way. There are women entrepreneurs, pilots, doctors, army officers, planners, politicians and what not. They have truly shown their worth. It is all due to government policies like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan or 'Education for All '. Today 's woman has woken up to her rights and responsibilities. I wonder how many of you are aware that we have amongst us the most powerful women in the world as the President and Smt. Sonia Gandhi as chairperson of UPA. But much is to be done though we have more girl schools, colleges, universities, etc. Since women are equal partners in every way, they need to be recognized as indispensable and equal. Their being empowered will mean empowering the nation. Thank you.

Teenage Pressure

It's like a pressure cooker in here! No doubt, school is tough. No matter what our goals are, we all struggle with a tremendous amount of stress and pressure. At school there is a range of academic pressure we feel, derived from a need for perfection, worry over grades, parental pressure, competition, sports, or a tough class load. The nervous breakdowns, panic attacks, burnouts, and depression are also apparent in many younger students. The same situation is not always stressful for all people, and all people do not undergo the same feelings when stressed. How much pressure do students face and how can they solve it? With the development of society, people’s pressures have increasing. Students suffer from different kinds of stress, such as learning pressure, life stress and so on. Then face these pressure, students have many different attitude in it. At the same time, they also have lots of different ways to solve it. However, the problem of student’s pressure should arouse people’s attention. According to the survey, as many as 95% of students said they have pressure in their daily life and only 5% of students that haven’t stress. The survey which also show 40% of students think the greatest pressure is the pressure of learning, and then about 30% of them choose the pressure of life, however, 30% of students also the greatest is others, such like the pressure which their parent give, the friendship stress and so on. Faces the pressure, students have different ways to vent it. Some do exercise when they feel stress while some others choose listen to the music , “Talk with friends” is another vent to their pressure. Some other stress busters are Playing computer games, reading, watching TV and so on. Is the pressure good for students or bad for students? As many as 50% of students think it’s very sick when pressure placed upon them. But some of the students think pressure also the power at sometime.

It would take some kind of superhuman being to satisfy everyone all of the time. It is possible however to be true to yourself, be a good friend and be a responsible member of your school community all at the same time. All of these things added together make a student who is a personally responsible leader in their school community.

Possible Topics

Need for vocational education Mass cheating in the examinations Coaching centres, help or nuisance Pressure of competitions and studies on the students Increasing indiscipline among students Increasing environmental pollution Women awakening Need for preservation of historical monuments Preservation of wildlife and conservation of forests Need for communal harmony and national integration Cruelty against animals Effect of TV on general people Changing life style of Indians Effect of advertisements and sign boards Is there need to censor advertisements? Increasing health consciousness/health clubs Exam terror Increasing generation gap Need to attract more tourists Need to create awareness to abolish child labour

Physical Education in Schools

Promotion of Girls' Education

Communalism

Terrorism

Corruption

Saving Every Drop of Water

School Going Children – Lazy and Disease Prone

Ragging in Educational Institutions

Drug Abuse Among Students

Vocational Training—As a Part of the School Curriculum

Safety for Pedestrians

Punishment as a Corrective Measure

Protection of Wild Life

Evils of Hitch-Hiking

The Future of Information Technology

Smoking –A Silent Killer

Hike in the Prices of Essential Commodities

Importance of Reading Books

Yoga – As Therapy

Cancer – A Silent Killer

Grow More Trees

Road Safety

Road Rage

Child Labour

Child Abuse

Traffic

Trafficking

School Going Children-Lazy and Disease Prone

Making Sports and Games Compulsory for Students

Keeping Your School Neat and Clean

Obesity among School Children

Gender Bias/ Discriminatory Treatment to Females

Modern Gadgets have made us Slaves to Machines

Crucial Role of Mobile Phones / Internet / Social Media

Ban Plastic

Topics for Debates:

Homework Should Be Abolished

Capital Punishment Has No Place in a Civilized Society

Joint Family is the Most Appropriate Way of Life

Growing Number of Old Age Homes in India

Should Women Join Defence Services?

Should School Examinations be Made Optional?

Women Drivers in Public Transport can be Successful like Men`

Relevance and Desirability of Coaching Centres

Fast Foods are Health Hazards