Read the extract and complete the activities given below :
I spent 32 years in Information Technology out of which I was a Chief Executive Officer or MDorthe software head for 23 years for large global multinational software companies with thousands of software professionals worldwide and 6 offices in the US, 3 in Europe, 1 in Japan and 1 in Australia. I had to travel all over the globe around 150 times for business. During this period, I had also written 4 books with 500-700 pages each on Information Technology published by Tata McGraw-Hill and then translated into Chinese for global distribution.
I learnt a lot of things when I was running these large companies. The first one was the importance of team work. In today’s world, nothing is possible without team work. You cannot be successful if you are a loner and an egoistic person. Secondly, you need to lead from the front by setting a good example in front of your staff. Third was that you need to treat your subordinates and your colleagues as friends. In my career, I made a few mistakes, but learnt a lot about motivation, being a good listener, target setting and the art of delegation which forms such an important part of today’s management.
After working for all these software companies for so many years, I wanted to retire from my line of work and write on various subjects concerning human life and existence. Therefore, I gave up two offers of around 3 crore rupees per annum to become a writer. This is how my second innings as a writer in Marathi began.
After this, I have written about 34 books in Marathi. Most of them have become bestsellers with tens of thousands of copies sold for each. However it is not sales or the money that is important to me as much as the fact that these books have brought about very good changes in the lives of thousands of readers.
Arrange the following statements in proper sequence:
The narrator turned
down high income job offers to pursue a career as a writer.
He led major global multinational software companies.
(3) His writing brought about positive transformations in the lives of readers.
(4) He learnt invaluable life lessons while heading multinational companies.
The narrator turned down high income job offers to pursue a career as a writer.
He led major global multinational software companies.
(3) His writing brought about positive transformations in the lives of readers.
(4) He learnt invaluable life lessons while heading multinational companies.
Solution and Explanation
Logical Order of Narrator's Career Journey
Step 1: Identify the logical order.
To arrange the statements logically, we need to follow the narrator’s career journey from his time in the multinational software companies to his transition into writing and the impact of his writing.
Step 2: Examine each statement in context.
- Statement : This is the starting point of the narrator’s shift towards writing. He first made the decision to leave his high-income job offers to pursue writing.
- Statement : Talks about his background leading multinational software companies, which happened before his transition into writing.
- Statement (4): Mentions the valuable life lessons he learned while heading multinational companies, which follows his experience in the companies.
- Statement (3): Discusses the impact of his writing after he began his new career, which is the logical conclusion to his journey.
Step 3: Conclude.
Therefore, the proper sequence is:
- The narrator turned down high income job offers to pursue a career as a writer. (Start of his journey)
- He led major global multinational software companies. (His background in the industry)
- He learned invaluable life lessons while heading multinational companies. (The lessons he learned in the process)
- His writing brought about positive transformations in the lives of readers. (The impact of his writing)
Final Answer: , , (4), (3)
Complete the following web-diagram on the 'Key aspects of management':
The diagram itself is not provided here, but it is to be completed with key management aspects.
You can fill in the web diagram with aspects like "Planning", "Organizing", "Leading", "Controlling" as per your requirement.
The diagram itself is not provided here, but it is to be completed with key management aspects.
You can fill in the web diagram with aspects like "Planning", "Organizing", "Leading", "Controlling" as per your requirement.
Show Hint
Solution and Explanation
The key aspects of management typically include:
Planning: Setting goals and outlining steps to achieve them.
Organizing: Allocating resources and tasks to achieve goals.
Leading: Motivating and managing the team to meet objectives.
Controlling: Monitoring and evaluating performance to ensure goals are met.
Provide the supporting details from the extract that highlight the narrator’s success as a writer:
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Solution and Explanation
Personal Response:
Do you think passion is more important than wealth?
Explain your views in about 50 words.
Do you think passion is more important than wealth?
Explain your views in about 50 words.
Show Hint
Solution and Explanation
I passed from IIT.
(Choose the correct option from the given alternatives showing the correct use of ‘Present Perfect Tense.’)
(Choose the correct option from the given alternatives showing the correct use of ‘Present Perfect Tense.’)
Show Hint
- I shall have passed from IIT
- I have passed from IIT.
- I had passed from IIT
- I has passed from IIT
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
The Present Perfect tense is used to describe actions that were completed at some indefinite point in the past but have relevance to the present. The structure is: \[ \text{Subject + have/has + past participle.} \]
Step 2: Apply the rule
The correct option is "I have passed from IIT." because it uses "have" as the auxiliary verb in the present perfect tense and the past participle "passed." Final Answer: \[ \boxed{\text{I have passed from IIT.}} \]
I made a few mistakes, but learnt a lot about motivation.
(Choose the correct ‘Complex Sentence’ from the options given below.)
(Choose the correct ‘Complex Sentence’ from the options given below.)
Show Hint
- Making a few mistakes, I learnt a lot about motivation.
- Though I made a few mistakes, I learnt a lot about motivation.
- I made a few mistakes and I learnt a lot about motivation.
- I made a few mistakes to learn a lot about motivation.
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
A complex sentence consists of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The correct conjunction to join the clauses is "though," which indicates a contrast between making mistakes and learning from them.
Step 2: Apply the rule
"Though I made a few mistakes" is a dependent clause, and "I learnt a lot about motivation" is the independent clause. The correct option is "Though I made a few mistakes, I learnt a lot about motivation." Final Answer: \[ \boxed{\text{Though I made a few mistakes, I learnt a lot about motivation.}} \]
Find out the words from the extract which mean:
lower in rank or position
lower in rank or position
Solution and Explanation
Find out the words from the extract which mean:
person with whom one works
person with whom one works
Solution and Explanation
Find out the words from the extract which mean:
person who practices or shows selfishness or pride
person who practices or shows selfishness or pride
Solution and Explanation
Find out the words from the extract which mean:
involving many countries
involving many countries
Solution and Explanation
Top Questions on Reading Comprehension
Change is the only constant and disruptive technologies are only quickening its pace. “I’ve been an entrepreneur all my life. Never has the pace of change been as high as it is today. Today, we are facing a large number of disruptive forces, especially those caused by technology,” Nilekani said. He shared the example of the iPhone, which is currently celebrating its 10th anniversary. “What we have seen in the past 10 years is a complete change in the balance of technology from serving the enterprise to serving the consumer. Today, when you look at the leading companies in the world by Market Capitalisation, they are all companies that service consumers like Facebook, Google, Amazon, Apple and so on. This is because the balance of power has shifted to consumer technology,” He said. The constant change will require constant learning and relearning. The core message from Nilekani therefore was: Lifetime learning. “The good news is that you have got degree from IIT Madras. The not so good news is that you can’t stop learning. You will have to keep learning for the rest of your life because we are now entering an era of lifelong learning,” he said. And by life-long learning, he didn’t mean “going to a campus and have fun for five years.” It will be learning in short bursts, any time learning, anywhere learning. It’s going to be just in time learning. A lot of it will even be online learning.
This need for constant learning and relearning will come because of our collective inability to predict the kind of jobs that will be done in future or the kind of organisations that people will be working for in future. The high rate of automation in the jobs will have an impact on the way jobs are done. We have seen in the past that technology has made repetitive jobs go away as computers became more and more powerful. In the past 10-15 years, you are seeing the rise of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Machine Learning. And increasingly, in the last 5-6 years, you are seeing the rise of deep learning, which allows you to use a new kind of technology called neural networks that can make computers smarter and smarter.- Maharashtra Class XII - 2025
- English
- Reading Comprehension
- Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,
Healthy, free, the world before me,
The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.
Henceforth I ask not good-fortune, I myself am good-fortune,
Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing,
Done with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous criticisms,
Strong and content I travel the open road.
The earth, that is sufficient,
I do not want the constellations any nearer.- Maharashtra Class XII - 2025
- English
- Reading Comprehension
- Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Early rising leads to health and happiness. The man who rises late, can have little rest in the course of the day. Anyone who lies in bed late is compelled to work till a late hour in the evening. He has to do without the evening exercise which is so necessary for his health. In spite of all his efforts his work will not produce as good results as that of the early riser. The reason for this is that he cannot take advantage of the refreshing hours of the morning. Some people say that the quiet hour of midnight is the best time for working. Several great thinkers say that they can write best only when they burn the midnight oil. Yet it is true to say that few men have a clear brain at midnight when the body needs rest and sleep. Those who work at that time, soon ruin their health. Bad health must, in the long run, have a bad effect on the quality of their work.
What is the effect of health on one's work?- UP Board XII - 2025
- English
- Reading Comprehension
- Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Early rising leads to health and happiness. The man who rises late, can have little rest in the course of the day. Anyone who lies in bed late is compelled to work till a late hour in the evening. He has to do without the evening exercise which is so necessary for his health. In spite of all his efforts his work will not produce as good results as that of the early riser. The reason for this is that he cannot take advantage of the refreshing hours of the morning. Some people say that the quiet hour of midnight is the best time for working. Several great thinkers say that they can write best only when they burn the midnight oil. Yet it is true to say that few men have a clear brain at midnight when the body needs rest and sleep. Those who work at that time, soon ruin their health. Bad health must, in the long run, have a bad effect on the quality of their work.
Why do some thinkers burn the midnight oil?- UP Board XII - 2025
- English
- Reading Comprehension
- Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Early rising leads to health and happiness. The man who rises late, can have little rest in the course of the day. Anyone who lies in bed late is compelled to work till a late hour in the evening. He has to do without the evening exercise which is so necessary for his health. In spite of all his efforts his work will not produce as good results as that of the early riser. The reason for this is that he cannot take advantage of the refreshing hours of the morning. Some people say that the quiet hour of midnight is the best time for working. Several great thinkers say that they can write best only when they burn the midnight oil. Yet it is true to say that few men have a clear brain at midnight when the body needs rest and sleep. Those who work at that time, soon ruin their health. Bad health must, in the long run, have a bad effect on the quality of their work.
What are the advantages of both morning hours and midnight hours?- UP Board XII - 2025
- English
- Reading Comprehension
Questions Asked in Maharashtra Class XII exam
Complete the chain and rewrite in your answer paper \[ \begin{array}{|c|l|l|l|} \hline \textbf{No.} & \textbf{A} & \textbf{B} & \textbf{C} \\ \hline (1) & \text{Amazon River basin} & \text{Dense equatorial forest} & \text{Low population density} \\ \hline (2) & \text{Constructive Pyramid} & \text{More old age Population} & \text{Low birth rate and least death rate} \\ \hline (3) & \text{Industrial Region} & \text{Manufacturing Activities} & \text{Availability of Employment} \\ \hline (4) & \text{Pampas Grassland} & \text{Commercial cattle rearing} & \text{South America} \\ \hline (5) & \text{Private} & \text{Individual} & \text{Tata Iron and Steel Industries} \\ \hline \end{array} \]
- Maharashtra Class XII - 2025
- Logical chains and relationships
- Identify the correct co-relation in the given statements and write: % Assertion and Reasoning A : Assertion \hspace{1cm} R : Reasoning (1) A: Hardwood trees are found in equatorial evergreen forests.
R: Lumbering is not developed on a commercial level in equatorial regions.- Maharashtra Class XII - 2025
- Forest and Wildlife Resources
- Read the following map/graphs and answer the questions given below:
- Maharashtra Class XII - 2025
- Economic Activities
Read the following passage and answer the questions given below:
Considering the latitudinal distribution of animal husbandry in the world, it is located between 30°N to 60°N and 30°S to 55°S latitudes.
Climate is one of the most influencing factors in the development of animal husbandry. It is more developed in the Northern Hemisphere. Presence of grasslands in Australia and North and South America has led to the distribution of this occupation. But, this occupation is influenced by advanced technology, market, and availability of large estates.
It has developed on a commercial basis in North America, South America, and Australia. The animal husbandry in North and South America is carried out with the help of advanced technology on a commercial scale.
Dense forests, inhospitable climate, low-quality fodder in the equatorial region has discouraged the development of animal husbandry in these regions.- Maharashtra Class XII - 2025
- Economic Activities
- Explain the factors affecting trade.
- Maharashtra Class XII - 2025
- International Trade