35. Reading Skills Comprehension: Book Reading

Book Reading

Often students who are very fond of reading books are labelled by their comrades as bookworms. Those disparagements generally come from the mouths of students who consider themselves as being ‘gamesters’. Boys who shine in athletics or in the playing of some game — particularly cricket, consider that the games’ field is a better or nobler arena for their activities and the expenditure of their energies than the classroom or the reading desk. The idea is born out of an inferiority complex inherent in the games minded students who actually envy their fellows who ‘shine academically. Academic honours have a glamour which is unique.

It is not to be denied that the playing of games is a worthy activity; it is worthy in the sense that the team spirit can be engendered in the individual only if he has learnt to participate in the playing of games. It is also true that the player does much for society and for his country on the Playing field. It is true that the feeling of cooperation can be cultivated in a person only through group activity. But studies should not be sacrificed in order that students devote their time only to the playing of games. It is my observation that those boys who become obsessed with the playing, particularly of cricket, begin to ignore their studies and then their academic ability suffers, as it must.

Questions-

(a) Which students are labelled as bookworms?

(b) What is the main goal of education, according to the author?

(c) What advice does the writer give for involving oneself in games and sports?

(d) What is the handicap that arises out of, over-involvement in games?

(e) Why do ‘Gamesters’ tend to call academically sound students ‘bookworms’?

(f) Find words from the passage which mean the same as (i) friends, (ii) useful.

 Answers:

(a) The students who are very fond of reading books are labelled as bookworms.

(b) According to the author, the main goal of education is to make the students academically good and good at sports too.

(c) The writer says that involving oneself in games and sports is a worthy activity if our interest in sports is balanced with academics.

(d) The handicap that arises out of over-involvement in games is that the students begin to ignore their studies and thus their academic ability suffers.

(e) The ‘Gamesters’ tend to call academically sound students ‘bookworms’ because they feel jealous of their friends who shine academically.

(f) (i) comrades, (ii) worthy.

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