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Unit 03: Managing Stress, Anger And People
English II (C)
For Class XII (All Groups)
Text Book Exercise
Conquest Of Happiness
(By Bertrand Russell)
Pre-Reading
EXERCISE 01:Discuss the following quotes in pairs and answer the following questions.
- "The happiness of your Iife depends upon the quality of your thoughts.", Marcus Aurelius
- "Happiness is not the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.", Franklin D. Roosevelt
- "Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions", Dalai Lions
1: What is the common theme of these quotations?
Ans: Happiness
2. What is your idea of happiness?
Ans: Happiness is the notion which can be acquired with the help of Allah and the prayers of the parents on the way to get success. Happiness is the outcome of the serving of humanity without any worldly favor. Happiness is the subjective experience of life.
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While-Reading
EXERCISE 02:Work in pairs and write the meaning of the following words.
| Words | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Distinguished | Eminent |
| Content | Satisfied |
| Blight | Disease |
| Flint | Grey Rock |
| Craving | Yearning |
| Inanimate | Impersonal |
| Obscure | Unclear |
| Fascination | Charm |
| Fads | Recreational activity |
EXERCISE 03:
Read the following statements and choose the correct option.
1. According to the passage, many scientists are among the happiest people because _____.
(a) They are paid more than others
(b) Their work is recognized by everyone
(c) They find deep satisfaction in meaningful work ✔
(d) They avoid interaction with the public
2. The main reason the man who wrote about rose blight was happy because he _____.
(a) Became famous worldwide
(b) Was admired for his artistic skills
(c) Found meaning in practicing his specialized skill ✔
(d) Recovered from his disability
3. What does the passage suggest about recognition and fame in relation to happiness?
(a) They are essential for happiness
(b) They should be ignored completely
(c) They help only in artistic careers
(d) Happiness can exist without them ✔
4. The quality in work that contributes more to happiness than skill alone is _____.
(a) Routine
(b) Flexibility
(c) Constructiveness ✔
(d) Difficulty
5. _____ is likely to cure the habit of hatred.
(a) Loveliness
(b) Constructive work
(c) Amusement ✔
(d) Idleness
6. Common mistake adults make about hobbies is _____.
(a) Thinking hobbies are only for the wealthy
(b) Believing hobbies should lead to careers
(c) Assuming hobbies are childish and beneath adulthood. ✔
(d) Spending too much time on hobbies
7. _____ leads to happiness, according to the text.
(a) Possessive and intense affection ✔
(b) Friendly and supportive interest in others
(c) Cold and distant admiration
(d) Competitive and goal-driven affection
8. An archaeologist takes interest in _____.
(a) Rocks
(b) Ruins ✔
(c) Buildings
(d) Earth
9. Interest in people and interest in things are _____.
(a) Analogous ✔
(b) Opposite
(c) Different
(d) Unrelated
10. What is the benefit of developing an interest in impersonal things like history or astronomy?
(a) It guarantees success in life
(b) It provides permanent happiness
(c) It offers a break from worries and brings balance ✔
(d) It distracts from social responsibilities
EXERCISE 04:
Each of the following statements conveys central idea in each paragraph of the text. Read the statement and write the number of the paragraph it belongs to. The first one has been done for you as an example.
| No. | Statement | Paragraph No. |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | A friendly interest in persons is source of happiness. | 05 |
| 2. | The secret of happiness is wide interest and friendly reactions. | 07 |
| 3. | One who has some specialised skill can find the pleasure of work. | 02 |
| 4. | Constructiveness is more enjoyable than destructiveness. | 03 |
| 5. | Hobbies also bring happiness. | 05 |
| 6. | Interest in impersonal things can also be pleasurable. | 06 |
| 7. | Scientists are the happiest among educated people. | 01 |
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Post-Reading
EXERCISE 05:Answer the following questions after reading the text:
Q.l: According to the author, why do scientists often experience deep satisfaction in their work?
Ans: Russell mentions that some eminent scientists are satisfied and glad because they are emotionally strong and gain deep satisfaction from their work. The scientists are engaged in their crearive cradle to advance the progress in science for the society at large and grasp the mastery over the domain like champions in their specific subjects.
Q.2: How does the element of constructiveness bring happiness in the work?
Ans: The element of constructiveness brings happiness in the work because it helps to gain contentment in life. A person has an ever lasting experience in the process of creation. The author highlights this point in the discussion of true happiness in the form of fulfilling goals through creation seem to be the staring point of series of achievements in a person's life. He proclaims that reaching a final destiny is the starting point of the new excursion of life.
Q.3: What role do hobbies play in the author's broader view of a happy life? What is your own hobby?
Ans: The author admits that the recreational activites and hobbies are the ways of escaping or forgetting some unbearable pain. He says that the true happiness lies in a friendly interest in people and other objects around the world. The friendly interest should be free of expected admiration or dominancy over others. Bertrand calls that person is content and satisfied who feels the submissive attitude towards people and objects. A person's happiness links with the happiness of others. My hobby is gardening. I love taking care of plants and water them to grow better trees. I like to spend my time to pluck yellow leaves and take care of green leaves.
Q.4: If you were to apply the author's ideas to your own life, what changes would you consider making in your daily routine or mind-set?
Ans: I would develop the interest in people and things because according to our norms of the society the worries of the life can be eradicated through the power of money management. I learnt that the interest in impersonal things helps to handle my worries not the wealith. Constructive work is far better than the destructive work
Q.5: What kind of interest in persons causes happiness and what causes unhappiness?
Ans: The friendly interest should be free of expected admiration or dominancy over others. Bertrand calls that person is content and satisfied who feels the submissive attitude towards people and objects. A person's happiness links with the happiness of others.
The friendly interest in people should not be possessive, controlling and dominating because they lead to unhappiness.
Q.6: Why interest in impersonal things is necessary for the happiness of human beings?
Ans: The author also appreciates a friendly interest in things for the happiness of human beings. He presents examples such as a geologist has in rocks, or an archacologist in ancient ruins etc. He emphasizes the love of impersonal things as pivotal norm in a person's life to gain happiness. A person can forget his worries by developing a sincere interest in history or astronomy. Persons can discover new inventions and experiences after their journey into the world of impersonal things, they retrun with a sense of calm, serenit and balance to handle their worries more effectively.
Q.7: In your opinion, is happiness more dependent on internal attitude or external circumstances? Explain.
Ans: In my opinion, happiness is more dependent on internal attitude because a person is content with the practice of their specliazed skill without widespread recognition and fame. Building things brings more happiness because it is internal and friendly interest in people is the result of internal pleasure in their unique qualities without demand admiration. Internal source is the greatest source of personal happiness.
EXERCISE 06:
Ask students to bring an empty box and blank paper chits. Write "The Happiness Box" on the box and distribute the chits among the students. Ask them to anonymously write down things tthat make them happy (e.g, people, activities, achievements, experiences). Collect the chits in the "Happiness Box" Read aloud to share various sources of happiness.
Ans: The Happiness Box has the following chits related to the sources of happiness: my mother, my father, my brother, spending time with grannies, my teacher, my friend, sleeping, exercising, get together with friends, picnic, summer vacations, winter season, rain, masjid, Namaz, Holy Quran, eating, studying, serving people, helping poor, visiting friends' home, party, birthday party etc.
EXERCISE 07:
Russell mentions hobbies as one of the sources of happiness. Give three examples of different kinds of hobbies. An example of each kind is given.
| Physical | Creative | Mental | Collecting | Occupational |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sports | Painting | Reading | Stamps | Gardening |
| Gym | Sketching | Writng | Coins | Planting |
| Weightlifting | Sculpturing | Yoga | Ruins | Farming |
| Jogging | Calligraphy | Medidation | Photos | Fishing |
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