Discursive Passage - 15 | English Grammar Advanced - Class 10 PDF Download

Read the following passage carefully:

1. Work is something that we do, all through life. More important than the work we do, is our attitude to it. From the moment we are born, till we die, work is being done all the time, whether we like it or not, whether we want it or not. Even sitting idle or lying in bed is an activity, a work. Breathing, digesting, sleeping, waking up, blinking, keeping up our muscles tone, the slow process of formation of new cells and destruction of old ones, all these activities are work that goes on, with or without our consent. It is only in death that work truly ceases. Many people feel that they would like to retire at the age of 60 and do ‘nothing’. But as long as we are alive, it is impossible to do ‘nothing’.

2. Having agreed that work is unavoidable, we need to look at how we do the work. Whether it is a child who is playing, a mother who is feeding her child, a house help who is sweeping the floor, or a physician who is saving lives – what is important in all these activities is our attitude. Are you doing your work with a happy, creative, cheerful outlook, or are you constantly complaining and wishing for ‘something else to do? Because if you are miserable doing the work allotted to you, rest assured that you’ll remain miserable in whatever work you do.

3. Since work and activity is unavoidable, why not do it with pleasure, with interest, with involvement, with joy? What is in our hands, is how to react to the work that we do. When you are, standing in the queue to pay your child’s fees, or waiting at a government office to renew your licence or passport, you have only two choices: either spend the time relaxing and making friends with others standing in line, or spend the time irritated, angry and frustrated.

4. What is worship? It is offering something to God. Here, we are offering our work to God. We normally work only for our own benefit, for our own profits. When we are ready to give up this benefit, this profit, and accept anything and everything that comes our way as a blessing from God, then, our work becomes worship.

15.1. On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions in 30–40 words each:

(a) What is more important work or attitude and why?

Attitude is more important than work because of attitude we can do any work with a happy, creative, cheerful outlook. So, it is our attitude that makes the work a happy or a miserable experience.

(b) What are the various things happening inside our body which we are not aware of?

There are various things which we are not aware of. Even lying in bed is an activity. Blinking, sleeping, waking up, formation of new cells are all work that keep going on in our body without our knowledge.

(c) What kind of attitude should we possess towards our work?

We should adopt a pleasurable attitude towards our work. This will make us feel involved in the work and make it a relaxing pre–occupation instead of feeling irritated, angry and frustrated by it.

(d) What are the choices we have when there is some urgent work that we have to complete?

The choices that we have when performing an urgent piece of work is to accept everything that comes our way as a blessing from God and then the work becomes a form of worship.

15.2. On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer of the following:
(a) The synonym of ‘advantage’ in para 4 is ___________.
(i) after
(ii) profit
(iii) benefit
(iv) blessings

Correct Option is (iii) benefit

(b) The antonym of ‘cheerful in para 2 is __________.
(i) happy
(ii) miserable
(iii) complaining
(iv) unavoidable

Correct Option is (ii) miserable

(c) Work becomes worship when we worry about its fruits and profits, and do it with our personal interest. (True/False)

False

(d) Attitude is more important than work because it is our attitude that makes the work

happy or miserable experience