PASSAGE 30 Akbar had quarreled with Birbal over something important and had asked him not to come to the palace again. Akbar started missing Birbal and wanted him back, but could not find out where he was. Akbar hit upon a plan. He sent a message to all the villages

PASSAGE 29 “Science cannot reduce the magic of a sunset to arithmetic, nor can it express friendship with a formula” observed the eminent medical researcher, Dr Lous Orr. He added, “also beyond sciences mystery  of nature are love and laughter, pain and loneliness and insights into truth and beauty”. This

PASSAGE 28 Just as some men like to play football or cricket, similarly some men like to climb mountains. This is often very difficult to do, for mountains are not just big hills. Paths are usually very steep. Some mountain sides are straight up and down, so it may take many hours

PASSAGE 27 The achievement of science in the twentieth century has been very great. Its influence can be felt in every sphere of life. From the small pins and needles to the huge iron sheets and joints, most of the things we require for our everyday use, come out of

PASSAGE 26 Once, an ant who had come to drink at a stream fell into the water and was carried away by the swift current. He was in great danger of drowning. A dove, perched on a nearby tree, saw the ant’s danger and dropped a leaf into the water. The ant

PASSAGE 25 Today perhaps your only association with the word ‘polio’ is the Sabin Oral Vaccine that protects children from the disease. Fifty-five years ago, this was not so. The dreaded disease, which mainly affects the brain and the spinal cord, causes stiffening and weakening of the muscles, crippling and

PASSAGE 24 Many sociologists have argued that there is functional relationship between education and economic system. They point to the fact that mass formal education began in industrial society. They note that the expansion of the economies of industrial societies is accompanied by a corresponding expansion of their educational systems.

PASSAGE 23 The shoemaker had for ages suffered from a heart condition and five years ago, after an attack, it had appeared as though he would have to either sacrifice his business upon the auction block and live on a pittance thereafter; or put himself at the mercy of unscrupulous

PASSAGE 22 Nehru’s was a many sided personality. He enjoyed reading and writing books as much as he enjoyed fighting political and social evils or residing tyranny. In him, the scientist and the humanist were held in perfect balance. While he kept looking at special problems from a scientific standpoint,

PASSAGE 20 People project their mental processes into their handwriting. They subconsciously shape and organise their letters, words and lines in ways that directly reflect their personalities. This explains why no two handwritings are – or even can be – alike; the medium is just too personal. Everyday observation confirms