Tnpsc Aura

MY GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE - KAMALA SURAYYA * The poet says that there is a house, her grandmother’s home, far away from where she currently resides, where she “ received love" .   * Her grandmother’s home was a place she felt secure and was loved by all. She recollects though she couldn’t read books at that time, yet she had a feeling of snakes moving among them,and this fe eling made her blood go cold and turn her face pale like the moon. * She often thinks of going back to that Old House, just to peek through the “ blind eyes of the windows ” which have been dead- shut for years, or just to listen to the “ frozen ” air. * The poets says that she would gladly (“ in wild despair ”) pick up a handful of Darkness from the House and bring it back to her home to “ lie  behind my bedroom door ” so that the memories of the Old House, might fill happiness in her present life. * She wraps up the poem saying tha...

THE WOODEN BOWL - LEO TOLSTOY * Adapted from Leo Tolstoy's " The wooden bowl". * Characters in the story :-    Anbu - Grandson ; Saravanan - Anbu's father ; Anbu's Mother ;      Grandfather ; * After Anbu's grandmother died in their village, his grandfather     came to live with Anbu's family in city selling all the lands he     loved so much. * His grandfather would tell him lot of stories and he loved Anbu     so much. * Due to ageing problems, grandfather hands trembled and he     would spill coffee, for which Anbu's mother spoke very harshly. * One day, while he was trying to eat Porridge(Kanchi) , his hands     trembled and he broke the porridge bowl, Anbu's mother said     that  he would be given a wooden bowl so that he will not break     anymore. * On hearing this, Anbu started carving a wood...

BE THE BEST OF WHATEVER YOU ARE - DOUGLAS MALLOCK SUMMARY OF THE POEM * If not a Pine in the top of a hill, then be a scrub on the side of the     rill or a bush .   Meaning :   Rill - a small brook. * If not a bush, then be a grass. * If not a Muskie then be a bass.    Meaning :    Muskie - large predatory fresh water fish    Bass -  small bony fishes * We all can't be the leaders/captains , someone has to be the crew and work for it, but with best full capability. * If not a highway, then be a trail.    If not a Sun, then be a star. * Size doesn't matter for our success and failures only the best part     what we have played matters.

GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER AND PEANUTS BACKDROP OF THE LESSON * American civil war was fought in 1860s between Northern and     Southern states of USA- issue of Slavery . * North America - Against slavery    South America - wanted slavery to continue * South America had cotton plantations in which these slaves were     the slaves were employed. * War between NA and SA- NA won and freed the slaves. * The process accepting the black people by the white people was     greatly helped by Dr.George Washington Carver. ABOUT THE LESSON * George was born on July 12,1864 in Diamond grave, Missouri. * His family was owned by Moses Carver. * Slave raiders(one who steals slaves) stole George and his mother. * George was returned to his owner in return for a horse race.His     mother was not heard of. * Moses and Susan Carver brought up George and his brother as  ...

KEEP ON KEEPING ON - HOPE SPENCER SUMMARY OF 1ST STANZA The present condition or world is Boring,sad and confusing and the chances for success are very little and we are tired of trying and it seems all our hope are gone. But there is only one solution -That is to Keep moving on and not to stop at any cause. SUMMARY OF 2ND STANZA The way we go through is confusing/puzzling, and there are many obstacles all through the way. But don't make yourself a mere existing person alone ,though your full hope is gone, just hold it and tighten your teeth and bear it and keep moving on. SUMMARY OF 3RD STANZA Good luck is coming near to you and welcome it by a smiling face. All your fears will vanish and it will be filled with joy. Look for tomorrow as you have successfully kept moving on with all the courage. * The poet gives a solution to face the world with all courage by inspiring the readers to keep moving on no matter what happens.

CREATING SPACE TO BE HUMAN * The lesson is about the first woman police officer- KIRAN BEDI. I.P.S KIRAN BEDI (IPS) * She was born on 9th June 1949 in Amritsar, Punjab. * Article about her  Kiran Bedi - The Super Cop. * Best remembered as Inspector General of Prisons, Delhi which gave her the name as Super Cop as she created room for hardened criminals. * Won the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1994.  * Asia Region Award for drug Prevention and control. * Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship for her work in Tihar Jail. * She was inspired by S.C.Bose, Jawaharlal Nehry, Mahatma     Gandhi and Lala Lajpat Rai. * She has founded 2 NGOs in India-  1. Navjyoti for Preventive policing in 1987 and  2. India Vision Foundation for Prison reformation,drug abuse,       Prevention and child welfare in 1994. * Her words - " Honesty and truth are interrelated. Honesty is basically an expression of truth. The...

YAANAI MALAI- THE MULTIPLE FACETS OF MY MADURAI - MANOHAR DEVADOSS ABOUT THE AUTHOR   * Manohar Devadoss- Scientist by profession, but an writer and has produced some exquisite pen sketches of Madurai. * Has been suffering from Retinitis Pigmentosa - an eye disorder that slowly reduces vision. ABOUT THE LESSON * Madurai - existence for atleast 2400 yrs. * Yaanai Malai lies in the North-Eastern outskirts of madurai. * It has Palmyra trees. * The paddy fields are nourished by monsoon rains, and large wells called Yettrams. (Yettrams  are large, sqaure irrigation wells.   It has long casuarina poles tied with a rope.  A large bucket made of leather at one end and a counterpoise(balancing weight) at other enabling to draw water single handedly.) * According to the author, the hill is like a silent witness to all that was happening in Madurai. * Madurai is in south west of Yaanai Malai . So this monolithic hill...

WHERE THE MIND IS WITHOUT FEAR -RABINDRANATH TAGORE ABOUT THE POET:   * A Bengali poet,artist, novelist and educator.  * Won Nobel Prize in 1913 for his work Gitanjali Lines 1 – 4: Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high Where knowledge is free Where the world has not been broken up into fragments By narrow domestic walls In these lines, the poet starts to imagine what he would like his country to be like. He says that no countryman of his should live with fear on his mind at all times. Instead, they should hold their heads up fearlessly and have confidence in themselves. Knowledge should be available to all citizens. That is, educational institutes should admit students of all races and classes. All the various regions of India and their peoples should be united instead of fighting amongst themselves for supremacy. They should fight together against a common enemy to determine their common fate. Lines 5 – 8: Where words come out from...

DIWAKAR- AN ICON FOR CHILDREN ·       Diwakar Sharma – born in 1992 in New Delhi. ·       Student of Delhi Public school. ·       First VISUALLY IMPAIRED child singer. ·       Sensory Organs : 1. Eyes – Vision – Visual Perception. 2. Ears – Hearing – Auditory Perception. 3. Mouth – Taste – Gustatory Perception. 4. Nose – Smell – Olfactory Perception. 5. Skin – Touch – Tactile Perception. ·       Stylus – a pointed instrument used for tracing letters ·       Braille board – a board used by visually challenged people for writing. ·       Indian children Interactive Reality Musical show gave Diwakar the popularity. ·       He uses Jaws(Job Access With Speech) Software for studies. ·       He has performed before our former President Dr.A....

RANJI'S WONDERFUL BAT                                - RUSKIN BOND * Suraj - Captain of the school team. * Score stood at 53 for 4 wickets- another 60 runs for victory. * Ranji - the youngest member of the team- 11 yrs old. * Ranji's turn to bat...but he was out... The school captain encouraged him but their coach was sterner and asked Ranji to bat well in the next match. * Near the clock tower- Mr.Kumar's sports shop. * Mr.Kumar a player himself, has scored a century against Tanzania. * Ranji said he had not scored well in three matches and if not going to score in the next match he will be out of the school team. * Then Mr.Kumar picked an old bat and said it was the luckiest bat - the bat with which he made a century. * Mr.Kumar gave the bat to him. * Ranji asked Koki,the girl next door of his house to bowl for him.. to get used to the bat. * On the saturday match, Ranji made first 4 runs fol...

PRAYER OF A SPORTSMAN TOTALLY 6 STANZAS GIST OF 1ST STANZA * In the battle of Life, the poet asks the game to be fair. * The game should be equal and should be won with dare. GIST OF 2ND STANZA * The winning should be by the code(correct manner). * If lost the game, then we should cheer the winners. GIST OF 3RD STANZA * When praising the winners, the praise should come from the heart. * It should not be with growl and weep. * Meanings :    ungrudging - being without envy or reluctance.    snarl- growl    sneer- contemptuous smile GIST OF 4TH STANZA * The poet applauds the winners since they have played better than him & cheers them with full heart. * Meanings :    Bestowed- present GIST OF 5TH STANZA * So he prays to God to grant him victory, if he proves his valour. * And to take his defeat like a regular man. * Meanings :    Craven - cowardness GIST OF 6TH STANZA * He asks God to teach h...

DREAMS CAN COME TRUE * The lesson is about chess and a little boy's dream to become a grandmaster in chess. * In TN, other mind games are : Aadupulli attam & Pallankuzhi. * Chess is believed to be found in India. Ancient times known as Chaturanga. * In Persia called as Shataranj. ======================== THE LESSON GIST * Twelve year old Rahul is enrolled in Soviet Cultural Centre, Chennai where Vishwanath Anath also once learnt the game. * May 2012- Match between World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anath and Grandmaster Boris Gelfand of Israel in Moscow in Russia-- Vish.Anand won this game. * Rahul compared himself with his hero Vishwa.Anand. * Rahul's teacher advised his mother to take him to computer class instead of chess class. * But both of Rahul's parent encouraged him to play chess. ============== Vishy's Achievements * Khel Ratna, Chess Oscar, Arjuna Award * National  Sub-Junior Chess Championship-1983 * The World Junior Chess Championship...

THE SELFISH GIANT             - OSCAR WILDE * Every afternoon, children will play in the giant's garden. * After 7 years, the giant returns back after visiting his friend Cornish Ogre. * He was very selfish seeing the children playing in his garden , so he built a wall around it. * The road was dusty & full of hard stones so the children couldn't play in it. * In Spring , the giant's garden was still winter. * Then the giant heard a Linnet(a small bird) singing in his garden, and felt happy that the spring has come. * He saw that, the children came to his garden through a little hole in the wall and sat in the branches of the tree... so the Spring came to his garden. * In one corner it was still winter as a little boy couldn't reach to the branches of the tree. * So the Giant helped the boy to get up the tree and the boy kissed the giant. * The giant knocked of the wall and let all the children to play in his garden thereafter. * But ...

IN SEARCH OF A FRIEND * The poet asks the : Tree, Honey bee, rabbit, parrot and the butterfly to be his friends. * But they denied his request as he has harmed them all. * So the poet apologises to them.. and finally he is accepted by them all as his friends. * This poem shows us that we should never harm nature and its gifts.

      IN QUEST OF INDIA'S FREEDOM * NETHAJI SUBHAS CHANDRA BOSE was born in Cuttack, Orissa on 23rd Jan, 1897. * His father Janakinath Bose was a famous lawyer. *At age five, he studied in a European school, he did not learn his mother tongue Bengali. * At age 12- another school where his headmaster BENI MADHAV DAS kindled the spirit of Patriotism in him. * He and his friends looked after the sick when the village was struck by small pox. * At age 15, he was influenced by SWAMI VIVEKANANDHA and his teachings. he practised yoga and understood "Work is Workship". * His mother Prabavati- taught him about great traditions of India. * Joined Presidency college in Calcutta after securing 2nd rand in exams. * Rude behaviour of Professor Oden - called Indians as 'Stupid natives" and " Barbarians". * As Subhas as leader, many students protested against Oden, finally Oden apologised. * Later, Professor Oden appreciated Subhas for his performance in ...

      NATURE CARES FOR NATURE * Lalita a single mother brings home Mangoes for her Son Ramana who is four years old. * They both live with lalita's mother Neelambal. * But ramana refuses to eat the mangoes as he had stomach ache last time eating the artificial ripened mangoes. * But her grand mother takes a bite and persuades Ramana to eat one, he eats and tells it is very sweet and throws the seed out in the garden. * Ramana after returning from the school next day wants to plant the seed, so his mother and grandmother helps him out. * After one week, a light brown stem protuded from the spot. * Ramana was eight years now, and the tree was four and was 3 feet high and there were small bunch of flowers coming out. * Ramana feels very exited and happy for the nature's gift.

              WHAT TREES ARE FOR * This is a group poem by Class VII students of Avvai home TVR girls HSS, Chennai. * The children the different uses of a tree in their perspective. * "Some trees are for fanning"- means the tree is a natural coolant when we want enough air. * They enjoy the tree very much and they keep it as a part of their life.

                      THE NEEM TREE * Adapted from Indira Anathakrishnan. * Neem tree - Azadirachta indica. * In Arafat,Mecca - Prophet Mohammed planted 50000 saplings of neem tree. THE STORY GIST * Malar, a school student gazes out of the window and admires a neem tree in her school. * The teacher calls out Malar and scolds her for day dreaming. * Malar likes to participate in the schools annual day function, but the teacher hesitates to take her. * Malar first likes to act in a play , then selects to dance. * Malar's grandmother says " keep your flag flying high". * Malar likes the white flowers of the neem tree, it will look like pearls on them. * Malar sees three man marking on the neem tree, and comes to know the tree is going to be cut for construction of a toilet. * She hurriedly takes her friend Nila, to the Principal's room and pleads to the Principal not to cut the tree. Then the Principal agrees to Malar's...

              A SAGE'S COMPASSION * A famous sage had immense compassion and love for birds and animals. * Madhavan , the sage's attendant used to dry the sage towel in a rope tied between two bamboo trees. * The sage once when taking the towel, he unknowingly taps the nest and three eggs from the nest falls down but did not break. The sage feels very sorry for his act. * The sage wraps the eggs in a cloth and puts back safely in the nest. * Finally, the egg cracks open and new baby birds come out and the sage is very happy now.

                                    BAT                        RANDELL JARELL GIST : * The poem is about the nocturnal(night living) life of a mother bat and the little bat. * The mother bat makes its tail as a pocket and catches the bat by his thumbs,toes and teeth. * Bat lives by hearing, so the mother bat cries sharply and her sound is echoed back after touching some animal, so she comes to know how big is the animal. * The mother bat eats the moths and gnats. * All through this journey, the baby bat clings underneath the mother bat. * The baby bat drinks the milk of the mother bat. * After the direful night of hunting the mother bat returns home and joins other bats who sleep by their toes and wraps her little baby by her wings and go to sleep.

                                                        GONE FOREVER GIST : * Black Rhinoceros - plains of Africa- has very poor eyesight, bad temper. Hunted for Horns, as people think it has magical powers- so placed in endangered list of animals. * Elephant hunted for its Ivory tusks. * People have started to occupy more of land, So cheetah is too becoming extinct. * People careless about land = Endangered species * Grizzly bears wander upto 1500 sq.miles... so no area for them to wander -people occuption and forest clearing. * Red wolf and American crocodile- endangered animals in North America. * Howler monkey,three-toed sloth- endangered in South America due to destruction of Rain forest. * Green Macaw, Golden Parakeet- exotic pets. * Giant Panda- only 1000 living in wild- Bamboo forest destruction leads to extinction of ...