How to make Anchoring...

Dear students,

I would like to suggest you how to make the role of anchoring and how easy it is after all.

As a potential student of Engineering you should also know how to play the role of anchoring. If you are able to take up anchoring in any function like freshers day or seniors day or during the time of any college cultural party, you will certainly enhance very good communication skills. A good Communication skill in English is very essential now to get a good job. So have this brief method to make the role of anchoring.

At first:

--> (say) I Welcome to the auspicious occasion of today's fresher’s day party(or any other)to all of you...

-->Next- I feel it my honor to perform the role of anchoring before all of you (or) I feel so happy to share this pleasurable time with all of you...

-->Next- In this joyful occasion we will have a lot of fun & entertainment. Before that we will have the greetings & messages of our Honorable Principal, H.O.D.& our distinguished staff. Let's make it a great time for all of us. Shall we? (students say yes)

-->Next- Invite all the guests to the dais like this:-

* (say) Now let me invite all the guests of today's function onto the dais.

1. First I would like to invite our honorable Principal (Prof.......) to come onto the dais, take his respective chair. Please come sir.

2. Now I take the pleasure of inviting our beloved H.O.D (Prof.....) to come onto the dais.

3. May I request (name of the faculty) sir to come onto the dais & take your respective seat.

4. I feel it my honor to invite (name of the faculty) sir/madam to come onto the dais &take your respective seat. (like this invite d guests onto d dais. O.K?)

5. I feel it my immense pleasure to invite Prof. ...................... to come onto the dais.

-->Next Invite one of your senior classmates come to the dais, sing any cultural song (or)"vandemataram" song (or) any other song to begin the program. (a girl student is preferable here)

-->Next:-Request your principal first to give his message or to share a few words with all of you.

Say like this:-

Now I request our honorable principal sir to share a few words with us.

Later H.O.D, staff.

(after their message, say, thank you for your speech/ message sir.)

-->Next invite a few students also to the dais if they want to share their views. (Don’t neglect this one.O.k?)

-->Later you can start your cultural programmes. Okay?

-->If then your Principal, H.O.D. want to leave the place, don't forget to thank them for their visiting your function.

Just say- We thank you for your presence in this party sir.

-->That's how you can make the anchoring role in a very simple way.

-->While doing anchoring, don't forget to maintain smile on your face, and don’t showcase any tense, anxiety on your face.

--> Use simple English. Need not to speak difficult words or sentences.

That's it. Just make an attempt in any occasion. Anchoring role is a kind of skill that lessens your stage fear, makes you a special student. Of course, you will become the center of attraction among all the students. It is pretty easy to do in fact.

So, are you ready to do it?

Yours,

Vali Basha Shaik

M.A. English, B.Ed, M.Phil (pursuing)

Asst. Professor of English

Guntur.

 The plight of working as a faculty in Engineering Colleges in the current scenario- an Article.

Dear Friends,

I would like to share my views with you on this article, which may sense the Engineering students and their parents, faculty of Engineering education, the management who run these colleges and of course, the auspicious students who want to join the web of Engineering world...
    

During the early years of engineering education, working as a faculty is a matter of great respect. They enjoyed a great respect, experienced lot many privileges as faculty. They were well paid, given other financial allowances like semester exam invigilation amount and other things. Salaries were paid in very first week of every month. There were no unqualified faculty in the colleges. The faculty were resourceful, potential, knowledge seekers. Students would respect them, like them like anything. They dared not sit in the presence of their faculty and hardly mock at them.
    

But now, all the above mentioned things have extinguished. In most of the current Engineering colleges of A.P. the faculty are very meagerly paid, and that too, salaries are paid once in two months, in worst cases once in three months. It is also fact that very few colleges of A.P. pay external exam invigilation amount and lab exam conduction amount to their faculty, though they deserve it. I think there are very few colleges in A.P., in which the faculty inwardly respect their management due to these reasons.
    

Of course, faculty should possess required qualification and good teaching skills along with sound subject knowledge. In the recent years there are very few potential, skilled faculty in most of the colleges. They use rigid methods of teaching, don't make the students involve in the subject they teach. But, the management, pitily, don't ever concern the competencies of their faculty. They don't bother whether the faculty concerned really has good teaching skills or not. In order to recruit a faculty into the college, Principals, H.O.D.s and other officials take the caste, religious, locality of the employ into consideration. It is totally absurd, I feel. The faculty recruited basing on their caste, religion and locality is very disgusting to know. Isn't it? It is a naked truth that in most of the current Engineering colleges in A.P., a resourceful faculty is less paid than a recommended candidate under the shade of caste, religion etc. What about their teaching & subject standards? What kind of knowledge do they deliver to their innocent students? Unfortunately, these are unanswerable questions in engineering colleges. In fact, they possess very poor subject knowledge. Not to talk about their English proficiency. They hardly speak in English in the class& with the students.
    

 It is true that students respect the teacher who sincerely teaches them with a commitment to make them potential 'students’. Unfortunately we have very less number of teachers like this. That might be the reason, Engineering students hardly respect their faculty both in teacher's presence and absence; outwardly and in their soul...

      Another problematic thing in most of the Engineering colleges is B. Tech graduates teach to B. Tech students, which I haven’t been figured it out until now. How can a graduate student officially teach B. Tech students? Can this faculty justify their job? Poor students, they don't know these ground realities prevailed in their college. Even they sense these things, they can do nothing as approaching to the management in this regard is useless and if the students go for extremes, it is inevitable that their certificates might be in danger in due course and their Degree itself will be screwed up. I have heard of it through some Engineering students who have come across me.
What about, in general, the functions of Engineering faculty? It is pitiable to know that the faculty, now-a-days, not only have to perform the job of teaching but clerical works, even attender works in the worst case. It is prevalent now in almost all the Engineering colleges in Andhra Pradesh.
I'm not saying that the faculty should have a great deal of free time to rest. I recommend that the faculty should have a reasonable leisure time to think of innovative methods of teaching their subject, to think of conducting seminars, presentations, debates, and workshops etc. which are beneficial for students. It is true that most of the current Engineering graduates possess only bookish knowledge. They don't have the practical knowledge of their course. In fact faculty should instill this practical knowledge in the students, who should become the successful engineers of India. This is what exactly lagging in our most of the so called Engineering colleges.

     In their non-teaching hours, in general, the faculty are always hooked in clerical works like writing attendance registers, course files, student mentor books, faculty books and the so called giant NAAC files. If they always do these things, where is the scope for the faculty to think of innovative methods of teaching...? I am not saying all these things are unnecessary. But these things shouldn't involve faculty to do them painstakingly. The managements may think that faculty should think of innovative teaching and other experiments at home. But practically, it doesn't afford faculty to find time do these things at home. Because of their busy involvement in these unproductive activities, the faculty have forgot to think and implement any productive experiments during their class hours. Hence, the result is, students feel boredom of listening casual, traditional, inactive, teacher-centered classes. That's why very few students pay attention to their teaching, focus on their course.

     I would like to recommend that the faculty should be given a reasonable leisure time to do something for the progress and potentiality of the students. Of course management, here, should seek the faculty's tasks every now and then by conducting staff meetings. If it happens, every faculty will certainly put their efforts to enhance their subject knowledge thereby implement a few innovative experiments for the sake of the students. Otherwise, teachers just remain as faculty not as scholars in their subject, and students’ standards will not be improved. Students possess mere knowledge; will only be treated as nominal degree holders during the time of interviews.
That's it friends... This is what I felt and noticed in the Engineering web as a faculty. 

I hope my views on this article make sense to you at least.

Yours,
Vali Basha Shaik
M. A.,B. Ed. M. Phil (pursuing)
Asst. Prof of English

Guntur.

 

The Prevalence of Caste-religion mania in India- an Article.

Dear friends, 

I would like to share my views with you about the Caste& religion System that has deep-rooted in the life of Indians.
     The word "Caste", literally means -any of the hereditary social classes and subclasses of the societies. And “Religion” means- any practice that someone or some group is seriously devoted to. In fact these two things are meant for a general identity of the people, to identify one another (besides our religious worship). But, unfortunately, these two words matter more than 'identity' to us. Let me substantiate my views.
     Wherever we go, whomever we meet, whatever we do for our comfort we bother 'our caste or religion’, take them as an important consideration. Government has given reservation to certain backward class& caste people. Of course, that is undoubtedly for their welfare. But, we, in general, apply this 'caste& religion reservation' in education sector, job recruitment, politics, marriage proposals, the locality where we live, entertainment, and even in providing any service; money-paid service or free service.
     When a group of employers attempt any interview to try their luck, most of the interviewers, look into the details of employers' caste or religion information besides their academic& experience details. It is a fact that most of the interviewers (mostly in private sector) entertain only the candidates belong to their own caste or religion. In this regard 'caste' of the employ plays a vital role more than religion. Interviewers don't bother whether their selected 'caste-influenced' employs possess the required competencies of the job. Now, this is vividly noticeable in Engineering College faculty recruitment.
An unskilled, tactless employ, manages to get a job, gets more salary than a potential, skilled employ on the grounds of caste-religion influence. Can this influenced employ justify his job duties? Be it an example, can a caste/religion favoured faculty justify his/her students?
        In education sector too we find number of caste or religion-driven students and faculty. A Reddy parent wishes to join his son/daughter only in a college established by Reddys, likewise Naidus, Kammas, Kapus, and Chowdaries; in religion level too Muslim parents in Muslim colleges, Christian parents in Christian colleges. A Muslim faculty (in private sector) hardly find a job in a college established by Christians and vice-versa. Noticeable issues are evident that the faculty too unmindfully maintain this caste-religion domination, especially among themselves.
     In politics, most of the people vote for the candidates who belong to either their caste or religion. This is prevalent in almost all over India. In all sectors of elections, a Naidu voter only vote for Naidu candidate, likewise Reddys to Reddy, BC's to BC's, SC's to SC’s, Muslims to Muslim, Christians to Christian and so on. Most of the people's notion, in this regard, is they believe that "their" candidate only will do some favour for their welfare. Unfortunately, the situation also has become like "their" candidate try his/her best to favour only to his/her caste or religion people. I think this might also be the reason why we have been hear the words like "politics is corrupted.

     In the issue of marriage too caste& religion words concern a lot to us. In order to find a suitable person to marry off, almost 90% (I should say 99% I think) parents search only for their "caste" person. This is mostly noticeable in Hindu & Islam religions (of course in other religions too). No matter what kind of person he/she is while they do so. Even an 'other caste' fellow is good-natured or a good employ or well-educated we don't bother. We don't concern them but only our caste fellow, though he/she doesn't possess the above mentioned things. This is the plight of inter-caste marriages prevailed in our society. Not to talk about Inter-religion marriages, as it is almost a herculean effort to make them in Indian society. I think these typical nuances are the root causes for most of the eloped love marriages in India.

     Another pathetic situation prevailed due to this 'caste-religion mania' is, even finding a house for rent in a city like Guntur has become a tough task. When one go to a house to ask for rent-house, that has a tagged to-let board, the owner seeks the details of the people, whether they belong to their religion. (religion is a vital issue in this regard more than ones caste) If they don't belong to their religion, the house-owner rejects to offer rent-house to them. No religious house-owners are exempted in this issue. A Muslim house-owner offers his rent house only to a Muslim family, likewise Hindu house owners and Christian house owners. One of my friends being a Muslim once made a frantic search to find a rent-home for his sister. As they were new to Guntur, it took almost three months for them to find a house for rent, eventually managed to find it only in Muslims locality. This has almost become unavoidable problem in the cities like Guntur. Why? What's wrong with other religion people? Aren't they humans like us? If a religion house-owner doesn't wish to provide his rent-home to 'others', doesn't he think that same situation will rise of his religion rent-holders too?
     Surprisingly, in entertainment field too this 'manodu (our hero)' influence is not exempted. We do like the entire movie actress. But, being driven by caste, most of fans showcase their reserved liking in this regard too. It is mostly noticeable in Hindu fans. We have Chowdary hero fans, Naidu hero fans, Reddy and other hero fans. Haven't we?
       Friends, we are living in advanced, highly-modern 21 Century. But, our mania for 'caste & religion' preference has grounded us to very deep old age levels. How come a person's caste or religion becomes a parameter to decide his/her conduct and competencies? We have read Mulk Raj Anand's classic novel, 'Untouchable' which touches upon the caste system and its abuses, and we well appreciated it. What did we learn with the gist of this great novel? Unfortunately, the novel's great message could not instill any impact on us. We have been carrying the legacy of this caste-religion influence to the future generations...
Just think of this,
     Can we contribute for the development of our society with this caste-religion mania?
I think these are unanswerable queries in our society. Until and unless we cast away this caste-religion favour, these queries will remain unanswerable.
All these are not fictitious invented views. These issues do exist in our society. Most of us might have faced any one of the above mentioned problems, mild or severe ones, in our life. Mightn't we?
What do you say...?

 

Yours,
Vali Basha Shaik

M. A. English, B. Ed, M. Phil (Pursuing)
Asst. Professor of English
Guntur.

Please add your comments on this article.

A Shadow by R. K. Narayan

Question and Answers: -

1. Contrast Sambu's and his mother's responses to the film.

A: - A Shadow is one of the popular works of R. K. Narayan. The literal meaning of 'shadow' is simply, the reflection of a person or things. However in this lesson, the word 'shadow' has a symbolic meaning that denotes the harrowing (unpleasant) past experiences of a widow's husband, following her like a shadow.

                There is a film going to be released, in which Sambu's father acts as a hero. Sambu likes the film a lot. He eagerly waits for the releasing date of the film as he has been missed his father since his death. When he goes to the theater to see it, he enjoys every moment of the movie. He feels very happy to see his father walking, dressing, singing and everything. When he watches the action between his father and a girl, Kumari, he recollects his past experiences with his father at home. He even feels very disappointed when the movie ends and looks at the projection room as if his father has vanished into it. He wants to see the movie every day and he does so.

             In contrast, Sambu's mother does not even want to see her husband again on the film screen as he has passed away in the recent past. She does not hate her husband, in fact, but she just does not want to recollect her past experiences with her husband. IT is only due to the persistent requests of her son, Sambu, she goes to theatre to watch the film. He feels very discomfort to sit in the theater, accumulates all her courage to sit down in the hall. Her heart beats fast when she sees her husband walking, dressing, singing and playing with children. She feels the show as an affliction (a cause of pain) to her. Unable to bear to watch the movie, eventually (finally) she becomes fainted.

2. Why does Sambu's mother faint during the screening?

A: - A Shadow is one of the popular works of R. K. Narayan. The literal meaning of 'shadow' is simply, the reflection of a person or things. However in this lesson, the word 'shadow' has a symbolic meaning that denotes the harrowing (unpleasant) past experiences of a widow's husband, following her like a shadow.
          Sambu's mother does not want to recall the past memories of her husband. Perhaps, she does not want her husband commanding her for something. She does not also like to see her husband reclining (bending back to take rest) in a chair and absorbing (deeply involve) in newspaper without caring any family responsibility. Losing her temper for this behavior of her husband, she once in her past life has said, “You and your newspaper!" of which he does not bother it. When she watches the scene of her husband leaning back in a chair reading newspaper and shouting at Kumari, who is about to cry, Sambu's mother finds it difficult to control herself. She feels the total movie as an affliction to her. The scene is unbearable to her and that is why she sobs to a large extent, eventually breakdowns and faints in the hall.

Note: - Do not write the words that are there in the brackets in the examination. They are only meant for your better understanding of the lesson.

Vikram Sarabhai

Question and answers: -

1. Describe India's journey towards space.
A: - India's space programme began in the early 1960s. The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research did its experiment with high altitude balloons to collect data. As magnetic equator passes through Thumba, near Trivandrum, at first the rocket launching station was established at Thumba. The first sounding rocket, Rohini 75 went up through Thumba station in 1967. India later planned to use US-built ATS-6 satellite during 1974-75 to try out experimental TV broadcasting to about 2000 Indian villages.

           The first satellite, Aryabhatta was launched from Soviet Russia in 1975, as India did not have a launching pad then. Later Bhaskara satellite was launched to get the details like movement of glaciers in the Himalayas. As Thumba rocket launching station was located in a densely populated area, Sriharikota of Andhra Pradesh was selected as a launching station. It was a deserted island and had the added advantage of the sea. In 1980, Rohini satellite was put in orbit by an Indian launch vehicle, SLV-3. The next attempt, Rohini-II did not succeed, it burnt up.

           Later APPLE satellite was sent into orbit. With APPLE, Indian space exploration entered another phase. India's INSAT-I series satellites are currently providing telephone and television links and taking meteorological pictures. India's remote sensing satellites are basically meant for earth's observation. There are helping in mining, agriculture, in assessing ocean resources and assisting oil exploration.

        For all this and much more Indians have to thank Vikram Sarabhai as he was the architect of space programme in India.

2. 'Space exploration...had immense benefit to offer to a country of India's size with its innumerable problems.' Identify the benefits.
A: - We can explain the benefits of space exploration in the words of Vikram Sarabhai himself. To the question 'why should India venture into space?' he replies that it was a quickest way to success. If India had satellites of her own, messages can be transmitted in a matter of seconds and important information can be gained easily. India's INSAT-1 series satellites particularly provide telephone and television links. They also enable us to take meteorological pictures. India's remote sensing satellites are helping us in mining, agriculture, in assessing (estimate) ocean resources and in bringing out oil exploration. With the help of communication satellites, we can pass the information on nutrition, health and agriculture to the village-dwellers/people.

3. What advantages did Sarabhai bring about in the scientific world in India?
A: - Vikram Sarabhai is one of the greatest personalities in the scientific world of India. He brought about number of changes in the scientific world of India. But he is chiefly remembered as an architect of the space age in India. In fact, he set the stage for India's take-off into space age.

           Sarabhai established a research station at Gulmarg in 1954 which was later expanded into a full-fledged high altitude laboratory. Most of the people of the world were dismissive about India's chances of success in space technology. Sarabhai had the foresight, courage and confidence to launch India into space age even when most of the Indian scientists were in no mood to do any further space research.

         With the help of Vikram Sarabhai's efforts, we were able to launch number of satellites like Aryabhatta, the first Indian satellite, Bhaskara, Rohini and APPLE etc. Besides these, India launched communication satellites like, INSAT-I series and remote sensing satellites. All these satellites are helping us in mining, agriculture, assessing ocean and oil resources, and providing telephone and television links and taking meteorological pictures etc. For all this we have to thank Vikram Sarabhai.

            The initiations of Homi Jahangir Bhabha like, atomic energy technology, power plants, heavy water plants and nuclear fuel complex etc. were taken over by Sarabhai. Sarabhai marched all these fields to the pinnacles of success. In his view, there had to be a close relation between basic science, technology and the industry to achieve maximum efficiency. Thus, Sarabhai brought a new totality of approach to science.

4. Trace Sarabhai's work relating to atomic energy.
A: - Sarabhai took over the chairmanship of the Atomic Energy Department when Homi Jahangir Bhabha died in 1966. It is true that Bhabha's efforts had introduced atomic energy technology in India. While, Bhabha laid the foundation of atomic energy, Sarabhai led it to the success levels in India. During Sarabhai's time Reactor Physics, which is related to power production had made unimagined progress and nuclear technology was a wide, varied and highly sophisticated field.

            Like Bhabha, Sarabhai also committed to a large atomic programme, particularly to the building of fast breeder reactors. He gave special priority to the Cyclotron project at Calcutta, which is now an advanced Centre for Nuclear Research and the best of its kind in Asia.

 

                

  

 

The Secret of Work

Question and Answers

1. How, according to Swami Vivekananda, can people be made completely free of misery?
A: - Swami Vivekananda is one of the greatest philosophers of India. In his essay, 'The Secret of Work' he opines that miseries of the world cannot be cured by mundane (worldly) things. Our needs in this world are unlimited and until man's character changes, one’s physical needs will always arise, and miseries will always be felt. No amount of physical help or worldly help will remove them completely. The only solution that Vivekananda suggests to this problem is, to make mankind pure. He suggests that mankind should have ‘light’ in their hand. One should be spiritually strong and educated. A spiritually strong man will be strong in every other thing he wishes. Then only miseries of the world will come to an end. If we can do this, he says that we may even convert every house into a charitable asylum.

2. What is the nature of work according to the writer? In what spirit should it be done?
A: - In order to explain the nature of work, Vivekananda quotes the words of the Bhagavad Gita, which suggests to work incessantly (continuously). We cannot do any work which will not do some good somewhere. Likewise, there cannot also be any work which will not cause some harm somewhere. Hence, he says that every work necessarily is a mixture of good and evil. Yet we must work incessantly. While good and evil both have their consequences. Good action will result in good effect on us and bad action bad. But both good and bad actions bind us in chains.
        Hence, he says that we should not have attachment with the works we do. He says we should solve this problem as the Gita suggests, 'work incessantly but be not attached to it'.

3. How does the idea of 'Samskara' explained in the essay?
A: - The word 'Samskara' means 'inherent tendency'. Vivekananda opines that whatever action we do, which is either good or bad, leaves lasting (continuous) impressions in our mind and they don't die out entirely. These actions leave a mark of impressions in our mind. By using a simile (making a comparison) of a lake for the mind, he says that no wave of the lake that rises in it like our actions dies out entirely, but it leaves a mark and there is every possibility of that wave or action coming out again. This possibility of the reappearing of wave or actions is called 'Samskara'. Every work that we do, every movement of our body and every thought that we think leaves such an impression on the mind stuff. Even these impressions are not obvious (appear) on the surface, they work in the subconscious region of the mind. Vivekananda opines that each man's character is determined by the sum total of these impressions. These impressions decide one's character too.

4. What does Vivekananda want to convey by drawing a comparison between a human being and a tortoise?
A: - Vivekananda opines that a man of character can be compared with a tortoise. As tortoise hides its feet and head inside the shell and will not come out unless it wishes, even though we may break the shell into pieces. Likewise, a man of character will never deviate from his ideal principles and norms. He will totally have control over his motives, his thought process and over his physical organs.
          Vivekananda says that a man of character will not commit evils or sins even in the moments of extreme difficulties. Even when he is placed in any company, under any typical circumstance there is no danger for him and he will not commit evil actions. He controls his inner forces and nothing can deviate him from his right path and from his strong will. This is what Vivekananda wants to convey with this comparison.

 

5. What does the essay tell us about being 'unattached' in all that we do?
A: - The essay tells us that we should work incessantly but we should not have any attachment with it. We all should work incessantly but we should not let our actions produce a deep impression on the mind, it should be unaffected with our works or thoughts of work. The essay also tells us that in this world, most of the people work like slaves and their work is slaves work. We cannot find happiness with this kind of tedious (boring; monotonous) work but can only misery. Vivekananda, in this essay, opines that our work for the things of the world is also selfish work. That is why we are unable to find any happiness in our work but only misery. If we have constant attachment with the things of this world like slaves, there cannot be happiness in our life. 'Attachment comes only where we expect something in return'.
        Hence Vivekananda says to be unattached. Attachment is bondage. 'Bondage is terrible'. So we should be free from this bondage, be unattached from all that we do. Moreover to this, in long time, we can achieve this detachment by counteracting bad tendencies with good ones, later good ones respectively. Thus attached becomes completely unattached.

6. What are the two ways in which we can work without expecting anything in return?
A: - There are two effective ways which we can work without expecting anything in return. The first one is 'love'. When we do some work having love in it, we will find happiness in it. Every act of love, as Vivekananda opines, brings happiness. There is no act of love which does not bring peace and blessedness in its result. We should love others like we love the members of our family, relatives and beloved ones.
           The second way in which we can work without expecting anything in return is to become free. We should be free from the attachment with this world. We can attain (achieve) it only when we do not expect anything in return of whatever we do for others. Vivekananda remarks that we do love our children do anything for them without expecting anything in return. Likewise, we should assume(have) the same attitude towards anybody we come across in our life as we have towards our children- whatever we do for any person, a city or a state. Hence we should be free from attachment with the things of the world. We should work like masters of our mind to make ourselves free from the bondage of nature. Then we can see nature clearly as she (nature) is.
      

Note: - do not write the words in the brackets. These words are meant only for your understanding of the queries. 

 

Nanotechnology

Answer the following questions:

1. The writer begins by saying that revolutionary nanotechlogy is still to develop. What kind of nanotechnology do we then have today?
A: - The writer begins the article by saying that revolutionary nanotechnology products, materials and applications such as Nano robotics etc. is still to develop. Nanotechnology products that we have today on the market are most gradually improved products, where some form of nanotechnology enabled material (e.g. Carbon nanotubes) or nanotechnology process (e.g. Nanopatterns or quantum dots for medical imaging) is used in the manufacturing process.

2. What are the two techniques that can be used to produce nanomaterials?
A: - Nanomaterials can be constructed by 'top-down' technique and 'bottom-up' technique.

             Top-down technique produces very small structures from large pieces of material for example by etching (cutting any material) to create circuits on the surface of a silicon microchip. Nanomaterials can also be constructed by bottom-up technique, atom by atom or molecule by molecule.

3. What are the two ways in which nanomaterials are presently being used?

A: - Currently there are two ways of using nanomaterials. They are: current applications and long term applications.

Sunscreens and cosmetics, composites, clay containing nanoparticles and tougher and harder cutting tools are considered (as) current applications. Long term applications are compatible in the next 5-15 years which can be applied in: magnetic materials, carbon nanotube composites, in medical implants, machinable ceramics, water purification, military suits, fibers and fabrics, in biomedical applications and air, water and gas filtration.

4. What properties of carbon nanotubes make them suitable for future applications and in which area?
A:- Carbonnanotube applications can be applied in Carbonnanotube composites, fibre and fabrics, carbonnanotube (CNT) ceramics, biomedical applications and the use of carbon nanotubes in composites like Carbon Black etc. are the important properties of carbon nanotubes that make them suitable for future applications.

5. How can nanotechnology be used to provide potable water, help soldiers on battlefields and patients needing surgery to repair or replace diseased organs?
A: - Nanoengineered membranes can potentially lead to more energy efficient water purification process, notably in desalination by reverse osmosis.

Enhanced nanomaterial can be used to prepare battle-suits for soldiers on battlefield. There is speculation that the short term development is likely to be energy absorbing materials that will hold blast waves. Long term are the ones that will include sensors to detect or respond to chemical and biological weapons. Though the current medical implants are biocompatible, in some cases they may wear out within the life time of the patient. While Nanocrystalline Zirconium Oxide is hard, wear-resistant and biocompatible for replacing diseased organs.

 

  

 

Solar Energy in Spain

 



Write brief answers to the following questions.

1. How does the opening paragraph of the passage show that its subject is related to the general theme of unit?
A: - The opening paragraph itself suggests the tremendous contribution of Spain country in the production of solar energy. It makes us clear that Spain has laid a platform for the development of solar energy.

        Spain is forging ahead with plans to build concentrating solar power plants with which they can establish their country and their companies as world leaders in the sphere of solar energy. The paragraph states that Spain has already installed numerous photovoltaic systems and researchers of Spain have also been continuously exploring new ways to improve solar power.

2. Although it seems far from that light are coming out of high tower in a Solucar solar plant and falling on tilted mirrors, what is the truth of the situation?
A: - In the structure of solar plant, in fact, the mirrors which are positioned in upturned manner, actually trace the sun and radiate its energy onto the high tower square sheet that is arranged on the top of the solar plant.

       While, when you travel from the road to the Solucar solar plant in the outskirts of Seville city, it seems to us that glowing white rays are coming out of the high tower and are falling on the mirrors. But it is not true as appearances are deceptive, in fact.

3. Why does Spain figure among the top countries in the world as well as Europe that are using solar power?

A: - The Spanish companies and researchers have been continually exploring new methods in solar energy production like Concentrating Solar Power (CSP), a type of solar thermal power. They have been installing number of photovoltaic systems, investing huge amount on them. Expanses of mirrors are also being assembled all around the country. Due to these measures and efforts, Spain has figured among the top countries in the world as well as in Europe in its use of solar power.

4. How does solar thermal power work differently from photovoltaic panels?
A: - During the production of solar energy, solar thermal power or Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) works differently from photovoltaic panels.

Unlike photovoltaic panels,  which control the movement of electrons between layers of a solar cell when the sun strikes the material, solar thermal power works by utilizing the heat of the sun. While concentrating solar power is very expensive. CSP has until recently cost nearly twice as much as traditional natural gas or coal power plants and it is effective only on a large scale.

 

5. What are the two kinds of technologies currently used to generate solar power on a large scale? Which one is use in the Solucar plant?
A: - The most common technologies that are currently used to generate solar power are Andasol 1 and the tower technology. Andasol 1 is based on a series of parabolic troughs i.e. huge curved mirrors about 18 feet wide that collects the sun’s energy and focuses it on a receiver pipe in the middle. Oil streams (flows) through that pipe along a long loop of troughs. The mirrors slowly   track the sun from east to west during day time hours and reach about 400° C. The heat transferred oil then travels to a steam generator, where the heat is transferred to water, immediately turning the water into stream. That steam powers a turbine.

      The tower technology works also on the same principle as the troughs- the sun's heat but uses curved mirrors called heliostats. The heliostats direct the sun's light to a central receiver at the top of the tower.

 

6. What provision has been made in the Solucar plant for rainy or cloudy weather?
A: - Besides huge size of mirrors, the Solucar plant is also supported by a small amount of natural gas, used when a stretch of rainy or overcast weather conditions, which prevent the plant's entire power production and the stored energy cannot stretch far enough to compensate.

 

 

Cloud Computing

Answer the following questions.

1. How can cloud computing be simply defined?
A: - Though there is no official definition and straightforward way to explain what exactly cloud computing is, it can be expressed in general as follows:
Cloud computing is a type of computing environment where business owners outsource their computing needs including application software services to a third party and when they need to use the computing power or if the employees need to use application resources such as data base or emails, they access them via the internet.

2. What are the advantages of using cloud computing?
A: - We can clearly comprehend the advantage of cloud computing with examples: imagine that you have a small business, where you need a few small servers for database, emails, applications etc. Servers need high computing power and are very expensive. If you depend on cloud computing, you need not to purchase servers, and thus eliminate the need for an operation and maintenance team. The main advantage of using cloud computing facility is that customers do not have to pay for infrastructure installation and maintenance cost. Hence, it is cost effective as doesn't require huge number of servers, doesn't require software updates, installation, email servers, anti-viruses, backups, web servers and both physical and logical security of our data. So, cloud computing can help us focus better on our core business competencies.

3. How do the three kinds of cloud environments available differ from one another?
A: - A cloud environment can be broadly categorized into three types- public cloud, private cloud and hybrid cloud. While these three kinds differ from one another.
-->Public Cloud: - This is the most popular type of cloud system and is considered a mainstream one by cloud computing experts. In this type, a third party data centre provides both disk space and computing power for all the application software. Amazon Web and Google Apps are two of the most popular public cloud computing service providers.
-->Private Cloud: - Unlike public cloud, in this type you need to set up your own data centre and also bear all the installation and maintenance expenses. Hence it is more expensive than public cloud. While, it provides more security and privacy and you will have complete control of all your data which doesn't provide public cloud.
-->Hybrid Cloud: - This is a composition of at least one private cloud and one public cloud. A hybrid cloud is typically offered in one of two ways- a vendor has a private cloud and forms a partnership with a public cloud provider, or a public cloud provider forms a partnership with a vendor who provides private cloud platforms.

4. What are the kinds of services offered by cloud service providers?
A: - A cloud service provider offers mainly three kinds of services.
-->Infrastructure as a service: -
The service provider bears all the costs of servers, networking equipment, storage and back-ups. The user just has to pay for the computing service. The users build their own application software. Amazon EC2 is a good example of this type of service.
-->Platform as a service:-
The service provider only provides the platform or a number of solutions for the users. It helps users save on investment on hardware and software. Google Gc engine and Force.com provide this type of service.
-->Software as a service:-
The service provider will give users the service of using their software, especially any type of applications software. Examples are Google, Salesforce.com and Net Suite.

5. What are the main problems with cloud computing technology as it is today?
A: - There are two major problems with cloud computing. They are: technical developments and security and privacy.
          In an era of outsourcing, all important data resides in a third party premises; there is, therefore, always a concern (or doubt) about the trustworthiness of the cloud service providers. Any security and privacy violation can be fatal. As a result, many business owners are still to be convinced about security and privacy in cloud computing systems. Data related to banking and government is particularly sensitive, confidential. Imagine what would happen if government documents were leaked or if information relating to credit cards fell into the hands of cyber criminals. Then it would be very problematic.

 

Water: The Elixir of Life

Write brief answers to the following questions:

1. What makes water one of the most powerful and wonderful thing on the earth?

A: - Humankind always searches in vain for an imaginary elixir of life, the divine Amrita, which is believed to give us eternal life. But the true elixir of life lies near our hands. It is nothing but the commonest of all liquids, the plain water! There is a lot of difference between the climatic and geographical area of the Libyan dessert (in which we find no signs of vegetation and living atmosphere) and the Valley of the Nile in Egypt in which we can notice the most fertile and densely populated areas. This remarkable difference is responsible only due to the water of the river Nile! Geologists also tell us that the entire soil of the Nile valley is the creation of the river itself. Egypt country, in fact was made by the Nile river water.

Water has been played a vital role in shaping the course of the earth's history and continues to play the leading role on earth. There is, In fact, nothing which adds so much to the beauty of the countryside as water. Hence it is apt to consider water as the most potent and wonderful thing on the face of our earth.

 

2. How does water help in the formation of fertile land?

A: - Fertile lands can be made with the help of water as it has power to carry silt in suspension. Swiftly flowing water can carry fairly large and heavy particles. The finest particles, however, remain floating within the liquid in spite of their greater density and are carried to great distances. In this manner, large areas of fertile land have been formed by the silt that was deposited. Such land, consisting of fine soil is very fertile for agriculture.

 

3. How does soil erosion happen and what are its main causes?

A:-the transformation of a large amount of silt, soil from any particular area is called soil erosion. Soil erosion is dangerous to agriculture. The problem of soil erosion is of major significance in various countries and especially in many parts of India. Soil erosion occurs in successive steps. The earliest of which may easily pass unnoticed. In the later stages, the cutting up and washing away of the earth is apparent results in the formation of deep gullies and ravines, which make all agriculture impossible. Excessively heavy rain in a large run of surplus water is the principal factor in causing soil erosion. The slop of the land, removal of the natural protective coat of vegetation, the existence of deep narrow marks made in the ground, and the absence of any checks of such flow are also causes of soil erosion.

 

4. What are some measures that are used to prevent soil erosion?

A: - As soil erosion is very harmful to agriculture, we need to take strict measures to prevent it. The terracing of the land, construction of bunds to check the flow of water, the practice of contour cultivation, in which ploughing and planting across the slope is made, and the planting of appropriate types of vegetation are the measures that can be used to check soil erosion. The systematic plantation of trees in every possible place is also an important measure to prevent soil erosion.

 

5. How, according to Sir C. V. Raman, can rainwater as well as the water of rivers be prevented from going to waste?

A: - It is true that much of Indian agriculture depends on seasonal rainfall. So the conservation of rainwater is of utmost important for us. In the countries like India, much of the rainwater flows down into the streams and the rivers and ultimately finds its way to the sea. Thus incredibly large quantities of the precious fluid are lost to the country.

          We need to harness our rivers and the waters of which now mostly run to waste. The systematic planting of suitable trees in every possible place is one of the most urgent needs of India. Such plantation would directly prove a source of untold wealth to the country. The trees would check soil erosion and conserve the rainfall of the country from flowing away to waste. Vast areas of land can be turned into fertile land by courageous and well-planned action.

6. Why does the writer say that the study of the nature and properties of water still has plenty of scope for scientific research?

A: - Water is the basis of all life. It's a naked fact that without having water the existence of life is impossible. The conservation and appropriate utilization of water is, thus, fundamental to human welfare. In one sense, water is the commonest of liquids. In another sense, it is the most uncommon of liquids with amazing properties which are responsible for its unique power of maintaining flora and fauna.

          As we have innumerous advantages of water, the investigation of nature and properties of water is of the highest scientific interest and is far from being an exhausted field of research.

 

How to Excel in your Engineering studies

Gone are the days that you were concentrating only for marks in your +2 and by hearting subjects for scoring better percentages in the exams. In a professional course like Engineering you should utmost importance to improve your knowledge in the subjects and of course you should also get good percentage. At present, majority of the students don’t realize that what they are going to become in the upcoming future. They merely attend the classes and pass the exams without gaining proper knowledge in their core subjects and as a result of this they will not be offered decent jobs in the MNC’s.

If you are really serious about your future and to settle yourself in a good job then you should work hard with a systematic plan. Given below are some important suggestion to you to excel in your engineering studies.

•  Have faith in yourself and complete tasks to the best of your ability.
• Always be a good listener and pay attention to each class and try to grasp the information that is being explained by your lecturers.
• After a lecture, spend some time on that same topic that to on the same day reviewing the lecture notes. Look back through and think about what was covered and how far you have understood.
• Never shirk the classes for unnecessary and silly reasons. Be regular to classes every day.
• Keep on improving your communication skills in English language and various required soft skills for a better life in future.
• Be active in the class and never allow your mind to roam somewhere.
• Gain more practical knowledge especially in your laboratories and you know your future employers will appreciate practical experience.  
•  Find your drawbacks and get them rectified by seeking help from your seniors and teachers.
•  If you are careful enough in planning and work hard with punctuality and dedication, you will definitely achieve your career goals with ease.
• By utilizing your English language labs you should polish your spoken English and take participation in group discussion, debates, And JAM sessions etc.
• Do not indulge in any illegal activities. Any minor incident may totally ruin your future.
• Compare notes and discuss concepts with your study partners regularly.
• Never forget that your parents do have some expectations on you and never let them down with your performance in the studies.

Reference:- http://bbrenglishforall.blogspot.in/search?updated-min=2013-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2014-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=47

***Wish you all good luck***