(1) What do we typically do when we find our children doing something we don’t approve of? We become reactive parents. Often, we pepper our reactions with lectures. When it doesn’t work and predictably so; we end up screaming and dole out a punishment. And our children react with anger, resentment or ‘can’t-be-bothered’ attitude.
(2) Buddhist Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh put it beautifully when he described how each child has both negative seeds- of anger, despair, hatred, fear and violence- and wholesome seeds- of love, happiness, compassion and forgiveness. According to him, what will blossom depends on the seeds we nurture.
(3) A parenting and educational approach that’s gaining a large following internationally, called the Nurtured Heart Approach (NHA) by Howard Glasser, is very much in keeping with this Zen approach. The three main aspects of this approach are:
- Refuse to energize negativity.
- Relentlessly energize their positives.
- Reset: Do not react negatively and stay calm when the child does something wrong.
(4) While on a mission to cut the negative, the parent looks for every opportunity to energize the positive in the child. This is done through persistently appreciating the goodness in the child in the smallest of ways: You were really generous about sharing your pizza with your sister; I appreciate the hard work you have put in your project; It takes courage to stand up to a bully. If you observe, the appreciation is not about saying “excellent”, “amazing” or “good”, which is really an empty praise and does not speak much to the child. Qualifying a praise, on the other hand, gives the child direction and she/he begins to understand what qualities, values and strengths are appreciated. These are also necessary ingredients of life skills and success.
(5) This approach is not merely about noticing when the child is being good, it is about recognizing the child’s worth at every step. It’s about aligning his energy in believing that he has great qualities, which are being identified and validated by the parents at every step. He realizes that there is no point choosing negativity, as there are no pay-offs to it, and is validated building his worth instead.
Complete the following sentence with an appropriate word: “...we end up screaming and dole out punishment.” In the above sentence, the author criticizes theapproach of the parents.
Complete the following sentence with an appropriate word: “...we end up screaming and dole out punishment.” In the above sentence, the author criticizes theapproach of the parents.
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Solution and Explanation
Explain in about 40 words, when and how do parents become reactive?
Explain in about 40 words, when and how do parents become reactive?
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Solution and Explanation
In the line “what will bloom will depend on the seeds we nurture,” what seeds does the author refer to?
In the line “what will bloom will depend on the seeds we nurture,” what seeds does the author refer to?
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- Seasonal seeds
- Societal news
- Parental attitude
- Values and emotions
The Correct Option is D
Solution and Explanation
Explain in about 40 words why NHA focuses on reforming parents to reform children.
Explain in about 40 words why NHA focuses on reforming parents to reform children.
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Solution and Explanation
Share evidence from the text, in about 40 words, to support the view that parents appreciate the goodness of the child at every opportunity.
Share evidence from the text, in about 40 words, to support the view that parents appreciate the goodness of the child at every opportunity.
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Solution and Explanation
In paragraph 5, in what way does “This approach” differ from the earlier approach?
In paragraph 5, in what way does “This approach” differ from the earlier approach?
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Solution and Explanation
Select the option that can be classified as qualifying a praise as explained in the passage:
Select the option that can be classified as qualifying a praise as explained in the passage:
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- You can be more helpful.
- You demonstrated patience while teaching your junior.
- Use your skill to be an excellent sportsman.
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
The phrase “to cut the negative” in paragraph 4 most nearly means:
The phrase “to cut the negative” in paragraph 4 most nearly means:
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- To reduce wasteful expenditure.
- To stop criticizing.
- To eliminate challenges.
- You have to be amazing in your work.
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
Read the five headlines (a) - (e) given below:
(a) New Age Parenting
(b) Children A Rebellious Generation
(c) Channelizing Energy
(d) Teacher A Nation Builder
(e) Skill Development Careers Ahead.
Identify the option that displays the headline/s that does/do not correspond with the occurrences in the text:
Read the five headlines (a) - (e) given below:
(a) New Age Parenting
(b) Children A Rebellious Generation
(c) Channelizing Energy
(d) Teacher A Nation Builder
(e) Skill Development Careers Ahead.
Identify the option that displays the headline/s that does/do not correspond with the occurrences in the text:
Show Hint
- (a) and (e)
- (c) and (e)
- (b) only
- (a) and (c)
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
Analyzing the themes, the headline (c) “Channelizing Energy” and (e) “Skill Development – Careers Ahead” are not aligned with the occurrences in the text, which primarily discuss topics around parenting and children.
Top Questions on Reading Comprehension
- Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
It is clear that language is used for more than one purpose. The man who hits his thumb nails with a hammer and utters a string of curses is using language to relieve his feeling and needs no audience but himself. But when a philosopher uses language to clarify his ideas on a subject, he is using it as an instrument of thought. When two women gossip over the fence or two men exchange greetings as they pass in the street, language is being used to strengthen the bonds between the members of society. Language, it seems, is a multipurpose instrument. One function, however, seems to be basic — language enables us to influence people's behaviour and thereby makes human co-operation possible. Some animals co-operate especially the social animals like bees and ants, but human co-operation is more thorough, more detailed, more effective than that found anywhere in the animal kingdom. The human co-operation would be unthinkable without language.
(c) For what purpose do the two women and two men use language?- UP Board XII - 2025
- English
- Reading Comprehension
- Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
It is clear that language is used for more than one purpose. The man who hits his thumb nails with a hammer and utters a string of curses is using language to relieve his feeling and needs no audience but himself. But when a philosopher uses language to clarify his ideas on a subject, he is using it as an instrument of thought. When two women gossip over the fence or two men exchange greetings as they pass in the street, language is being used to strengthen the bonds between the members of society. Language, it seems, is a multipurpose instrument. One function, however, seems to be basic — language enables us to influence people's behaviour and thereby makes human co-operation possible. Some animals co-operate especially the social animals like bees and ants, but human co-operation is more thorough, more detailed, more effective than that found anywhere in the animal kingdom. The human co-operation would be unthinkable without language.
(b) For what purpose does a philosopher use language?- UP Board XII - 2025
- English
- Reading Comprehension
- Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
The Indian National Army plans went away with the defeat of Japan. Subhash Bose was killed in a plane accident while on his way to Tokyo. It is true that many leaders did not like the idea of India winning freedom with the assistance of a country like Japan and her fascist allies. But during the closing years of the war, Subhash Bose and the Indian National Army served to hold up the dropping spirits of the nationalist Indians at home, who were feeling helpless and frustrated. They set before all sections of the Indian people, including those serving in the army, an example of courage and patriotism which was both inspiring and ennobling. Therefore, when the Government announced their decision to prosecute some of the Indian National Army officers for treason because they had broken their oath of loyalty to the British crown, there was a wave of nationalist protest. There were massive demonstrations all over the country. There were persistent demands that the officers should be released.
(a) What was the result of the defeat of Japan?- UP Board XII - 2025
- English
- Reading Comprehension
- Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
The Indian National Army plans went away with the defeat of Japan. Subhash Bose was killed in a plane accident while on his way to Tokyo. It is true that many leaders did not like the idea of India winning freedom with the assistance of a country like Japan and her fascist allies. But during the closing years of the war, Subhash Bose and the Indian National Army served to hold up the dropping spirits of the nationalist Indians at home, who were feeling helpless and frustrated. They set before all sections of the Indian people, including those serving in the army, an example of courage and patriotism which was both inspiring and ennobling. Therefore, when the Government announced their decision to prosecute some of the Indian National Army officers for treason because they had broken their oath of loyalty to the British crown, there was a wave of nationalist protest. There were massive demonstrations all over the country. There were persistent demands that the officers should be released.
(c) Who set an example of courage and patriotism?- UP Board XII - 2025
- English
- Reading Comprehension
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.- Maharashtra Class XII - 2025
- English
- Reading Comprehension
Questions Asked in CBSE CLASS XII exam
Which one of the following options shows the correct evolutionary order of the plants mentioned below?
(i) Fern
(ii) Ginkgo
(iii) Zostrophyllum
(iv) Gnetales- CBSE CLASS XII - 2025
- Plant Evolution
Analyse the characters of William Douglas from ‘Deep Water’ and Mukesh from ‘Lost Spring’ in terms of their determination and will power in pursuing their goals.
- A charged particle is moving in a circular path with velocity \( V \) in a uniform magnetic field \( \vec{B} \). It is made to pass through a sheet of lead and as a consequence, it looses one half of its kinetic energy without change in its direction. How will (1) the radius of its path change? (2) its time period of revolution change?
- CBSE CLASS XII - 2025
- Motion of charged particles in a magnetic field
Convert Ethanal to But-2-enal
- CBSE CLASS XII - 2025
- Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids
- Solve the following linear programming problem graphically: Maximise \( Z = 20x + 30y \) Subject to the constraints: \[ x + y \leq 0, \quad 2x + 3y \geq 100, \quad x \geq 14, \quad y \geq 14. \]
- CBSE CLASS XII - 2025
- Linear Programming Problem and its Mathematical Formulation