75. Reading Skills Comprehension: Goals and Objectives

Goals and Objectives

Read the passages given below and answer the questions that follow them:

1. Today, change is inevitable in all spheres of life and we are required to face the challenges of the changes to achieve our goals and objectives. The change in our attitudes and mindset towards the youth who constitute more than fifty per cent of our population is a must.

2. Unfortunately, this high potential and vibrant resource have not been effectively and productively utilised, resulting in generation gaps which are unbridgeable. It is our onerous duty to bring them in the mainstream in the task of national development and reconstruction to take the nation to resplendence and glory in the new millennium. The building of the nation is possible only through the process of all-round development and harnessing of the energies of our youth.

3. H.G. Wells has truly said, “Men are born but citizens are made. A child takes to itself what is brought to it.” The invasion of Western culture and the existing system of education could be blamed for the failure of the youngsters to turn into talented individuals. It is an inborn virtue conditioned with sustained cultural feedback with moral and ethical values that make one a statesman.

4. Our new generation should feel inspired by great luminaries, such as, Mahatma Gandhi, LokmanyaTilak, Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda and others who this country is proud to have produced.

5. In the present scenario of criminalisation of politics, increasing violence and widespread erosion of cultural and social values dividing the country in the name of religion and caste, raising narrow walls of disintegration and drifting us apart, the youth should be saved from choosing a wrong path. We know that today’s youngsters are the nation’s future.

6. It is most important to develop in them the spirit of nationality and love for the country and, thus, give a new dimension to the national growth.

7. The youth of today can prove to be no less patriotic, productive and value oriented than their predecessors, given the required impetus, opportunities and confidence in their ability. With this goes the ‘Freedom of Thought and Experience’.

Word-Meaning: Inevitable—unavoidable, Goals—aims, Attitudes—viewpoints, Potential-powerful, Utilised—used, Generation gaps-difference between two generations, Unbridgeable—that can’t be crossed, Onerous—difficult, Resplendence—brilliance, Millennium—a period of 1000 years, Harnessing—putting into use, Invasion—(here) an act that affect us in an unwelcome way, Talented—intelligent, Sustained—constant, Feedback—information given by the user to the supplier, Ethical—moral, Oriented—made familiar with a situation, Predecessors—those who came before, Impetus—(here) inspiration,

Attempt any eight of the following questions on the basis of the passage you have read.

1. How can we achieve our goals and objectives?

2. Why should we change our attitude and mindset towards the youth?

3. Have we utilised the power of the youth properly?

4. How is the building of the nation possible?

5. What are the values that make a statesman?

6. How and whom can our new generation get inspiration from?

7. What is wrong with the present scenario in the country?

8. How can the youth of today match with their predecessors?

9. Find a word in paragraph 7 that means ‘those who came before’.

Answers

1. We can achieve our goals and objectives if we can face the challenges of the changes.

2. The youth constitute more than 50 per cent of our population. Hence, we need to change our attitude and mindset towards them.

3. Unfortunately, we have not utilised the potentiality and energy of the youth effectively and productively.

4. Only by harnessing the energies of the youth we can have all-round development in the country.

5. Inborn virtues, cultural background supported by moral and ethical values make one a statesman.

6. Our new generation can get inspiration from the lives and works of great personalities like Gandhi, Tilak, Tagore, Vivekananda and others.

7. The criminalisation of politics, violence and erosion of cultural and social values are the ills the country is facing today.

8. The youth of today are no less patriotic, productive and value oriented than their predecessors if they are given the required impetus and opportunities.

9. Predecessors.