57. Discuss how your travel experiences have affected you as a student and a citizen of the world.

Traveling is an action which one performs just for enjoyment. However, most of them do not realize that there is a deeper significance to it. Traveling has had a lot of positive affects on me. It has broadened my perspective of the world. Before I started traveling I always had a limited mentality. I was shy and did not open up easily to those around me. I did not like talking to strangers and could not hold myself together to go and talk to a foreigner. I was always skeptical about everything. I looked at any food other than Indian food with disdain. But once I started traveling, it was as if I had turned over a new leaf. I became open and could easily interact with different people. Whether he is a person sitting on the flight next to me or a stranger standing in the queue with me. They all were friends. I started talking with foreigners with ease. I also developed a new interest in learning new languages. Learning these languages helped me realize the beauty of the culture of various nations. I also started enjoying different dishes from different parts of the world. Some of them were not meant for my taste buds however most of them, I found delicious. Traveling transformed me from a introvert, withdrawn, sad, skeptical personality into an expressive, cheerful, open-minded, friendly individual. It did not just change who I was, it changed what I was. It made a complete human being ready to face the perilous challenges of the world without losing his foothold. It made me a man ready to go out in the world and make a name for himself. 

62. Describe a fictional character. Be sure to point out what you do or do not like about the character and relate these attributes to yourself.

Sherlock Holmes, the all see detective, is one of the most famous fictional characters in the history of the world. Anything to do with mystery and novels is initially associated with him. Always known for his brilliant reasoning skills, he is not just a detective but THE detective. He is extremely fond of machinery. He never leaves an opportunity to invent something. This leads him to create inventions some of which are mocked upon by others but he is always proud of them. He will never feel that any detail is unimportant and while investigating a case will submerge into it completely, both mind and soul. He is unlike any detective that I have ever seen or read about. His reasoning skills is above  extraordinary and he can see things which ordinary humans cannot. This has led him to observe the smallest of details and solve the cases with the most unnerving easiness. He likes to work in peace and believe that silence is the best atmosphere to get a brain thinking. He also like to move around while he is using his brains and always gets restless if there is nothing to do.
Like Holmes I also like machines a lot. I always feel recharged in front of them and love building new stuff. I want to become an entrepreneur in the field of mechanics. Like him I also feel that everything we do in life  is important and will help us in some way or the other. Thus I don't feel that even the smallest of details while studying something is unimportant. I like to crack riddles and problems as they always get my brain running fast. I can spend a lot of time solving a problem and will never give up till I have solved one. I also cannot sit and study in one place. I like to roam around and study as it makes my brain function faster. And finally I also feel that silence is the best atmosphere to study anything because it increases the reasoning skills of a person. 

1. Are we alone? (Tufts)

A few students studying together for their board exams have not completed half their syllabus and their exams start in 2 days. The question in their mind "Are we alone?"

A family living in the slums with no food, no electricity and no clothes are scared. It is rainy heavily and the thunder is roaring. The question in their mind "Are we alone?"

A football team about to start a new season has already got two players injured. Its lasts season was disastrous and the teams moral is down. The question in their mind "Are we alone?"

A few politicians about to run for elections are struck in a scandal. People start criticizing them and they lose hope of winning the elections. The question in their mind "Are we alone?"

A few actors struggling to make it big in the film industry. Their very film is becoming a flop. Their entire carrier is showing a downwards sign. The question in their mind "Are we alone?"

Throughout life we face several situations in which despair and gloom are the only emotions in existence. We feel that we are alone in a dark room with nobody to support us. We feel lonely and thus start feeling nostalgic. In life we are never alone. There is always somebody who will be there for us to help us if we fall into trouble. The situations we face are never "Only with me" types. Somebody at sometime in some corner has also faced that same situation. In the end we are all humans. We always try to help each other. We are never alone and never will be. When the entire world is in trouble and there is no signs of hope we humans will always be there for each other. I surely will be there. So we are never alone.

 

Article 31

Article title : 

Obama Speech Makes Pitch for Economic Fairness

Date Published : January 25, 2011

Date Accessed : January 25, 2011

The President of The United States of America, Barack Obama said that he wanted to create an economy in which the gap between the rich and the poor is less and their is equal economic growth opportunities for all. In the final State of the Union speech, Barack Obama stated how his economic policies were different from those of the Republicans in a time of uncertainty. The American citizens were not happy with the way Obama's administration had handled the economy. But Obama assured them that in the past 22 months the job availability has increased and he had a lot more plans for the future. The Republican rebuttal this claim by stating that the economy under Obama administration had gone worse. Obama again used his 2008 campaign policy stating that his policies were neither Republican nor Democrat, but American values. Obama also stated that he would look into financial institutions that due to illegal lending caused the country to go into economic depression. In the end Obama clearly stated that he would not led the United States of America become an economy weakened by bad debt, outsourcing and phony financial profit.

The Economy of the United States of America is in a very bad condition. Job availability is low and the real estate agencies are in a fix. USA is no longer a AAA country. The citizens are expecting more from the government but the government is out of ideas. The hurricane Irene that struck USA furthered damaged the economy. People have lost faith in the government. Thus with the coming elections people are ambivalent on whom to vote. The Republicans as well as the Democrats have a strong case. In such a situation even though President Obama has assured the citizens of the United States of America that the job availability as well as the economy are improving, people are apprehensive. The Republicans are using the fragile economy to mount attack after attack on the administration of Obama. News analysts have reclaimed that this election is going to be a very close one. Thus the rivals are leaving no stone unturned, wasting no opportunity to attack the opposition and trying all the methods possible to get people to vote for them. 

VOCABULARY

rebuttal

    a refutation or contradiction.

The debaters rebottled with such curiosity that the crowd witnessed one of the best debates of their lifetime.

outsource

contract (work) out or abroad

The businessmen began to outsource the deals to foreign companies that would produce the goods at a cheaper rate to increase their own profit.

apprehensive

anxious or fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen

ORIGIN late Middle English ( sense 2): fromFrench appréhensif or medieval Latinapprehensivus, from Latin apprehendere‘seize, grasp’ (see apprehension) .

The priest was apprehensive of stepping out of the house on the day of the solar eclipse as he said he felt that it would lead to an accident.

91. How would you describe yourself as a human being? What quality do you like best in yourself and what do you like least? What quality would you most like to see flourish and which would you like to see wither?" (Bates College)

As a human being I would describe myself as one full of energy and enthusiasm. I am friendly, approachable and happy-go-lucky. I like to try new things and always be ready for what life throws at me. I don't want to be one of those somebody who nobody recognizes. But I want to be one who is recognized my everybody for his sheer determination in achieving the highest of goals. I don't want to be known by my father's achievements but want to make him proud of having me as a son. I don't like losing but when defeat comes, I accept it gracefully. I always believe that we should learn from our mistakes. Making a mistake is no big deal because we are humans after all. However if we do not learn from our mistakes then we are dumb. I also believe that the path of life is always full of challenges and only those succeed who do not succumb to the pressure or failure of these challenges. I also believe that life is too short for regret and that we should live every moment to the fullest. I like machines and want to become an entrepreneur in the field of mechanics. I want to learn everything that I can about machines and use them in some constructive way or the other. I also like food and want to try the various delicacies from all over the world. Learning new languages is one of my passions as it helps me feel that I have become an integral parts of the country whose language I am learning. Finally I am always satisfied with what I have and try to be as self sufficient as I can. I want to be somebody in life not just anybody who is known to nobody.

Article 29

Article title:

In Syrian City, a Calm That Few Expect to Last

Date Published : January 21, 2012

Date Accessed : January 21, 2012

Zabadani, a small city in Syria, is one of the first regions that Asad's opponents have taken over. Last week the Syrian Army, under Asad's power, took away their tanks and soldiers from Zabadani. Some say that this was caused due to the opposition of the soldiers to Asad's autocratic regime. The government presence in that region is now minimal and thus the people are openly holding anti-government protest in the town square. The city looks like a battleground ready for war with mud mounds and stone walls in every corner, watchers with walkie talkies and gunmen. Many people feel that the calling back of the soldiers is a just a temporary relief and a more violent battle is yet to come. Many soldiers were lied to by their superiors so that they would fight in the battle. But as soon as they realized what was going on, they decided to quit the army and join the opposition.


The protests in Syria against President Asad's autocratic regime has been going on for quite a long time. Asad had said that he will give up his post a long time ago but it does not look as if he will comply to his words. The Arab League has refused to accept Syria as a part of it. The violent conflict between the government and the people has led to the death of a large number of people. President Obama and other countries have demanded that Asad resign. The first cabinet of ministers of Asad resigned due to his monarchial rule and he was forced to create a new one. Protests are still going on all over Syria. The government has proven to be so deceptive that people no longer trust it. Even when the troops were called back from Zabadani, the people feel that it some plot of the government. The violence is expected to increase gradually. People are mentally and physically preparing for a war against the government. The future of Syria seems bleak, but as they say after the darkest night, comes the bright dawn.


VOCABULARY


minimal
negligible
Origin mid 17th century, from latin minims 'smallest'
The team members showed minimal resistance to the new coach's strict schedule thinking it would be helpful for them.


mounds
a raised mount of earth

ORIGIN Middle English (denoting the world): from Old French monde, from Latinmundus ‘world.’

The army officials were asked to prepare mounds of stones and mud in the streets to be safe from terrorist attacks.

comply

act in accordance with a wish or command

ORIGIN late 16th cent.: from Italiancomplire,Catalan complir,Spanish cumplir, from Latin complere ‘fill up, fulfill’ (seecomplete). The original sense was ‘fulfill, accomplish,’ later ‘fulfill the requirements of courtesy,’ hence ‘to be agreeable, to oblige or obey.’ Compare with compliment.

The police had no other option but to comply to the terrorists demands in order to keep the city safe.

     

51. Tell us about yourself. (University of California)

A fun loving, hard working, optimistic individual who has high aspirations in life. My name is Harshit Agarwal and I hope to become someone in life who is not just anyone. Throughout my life I have always dreamt about my future and what I want to do with it. I eventually decided that I want to become someone  who has played an important role in the world. I like machines as they make me feel completely energized . I thus want to excel in the field of mechanical engineering. I want to invent something innovative like the iPhone or the solar car. Steve Jobs is one of my role models because he always loved technology and was one of the greatest contributors to the IT field. He has taught me that we should always try to express our ideas and learn from our failures. Thus throughout my life I have tried to be expressive and learn if I am wrong. I also like to learn new languages. Since grade 8 I have enjoyed learning new languages. Just by learning the languages of various countries, I feel associated with them. I can feel as if I am a part of their culture. I have learnt Hindi, English, Bengali and am learning how to speak Nepali and Spanish. Languages open up a whole new world for any person. I also like learning how to play new sports. I have played various sports throughout my life which include tag rugby, american football, cricket, horse racing, chess, squash, tennis, basketball and others. Learning each of them was a new experience which I thoroughly enjoyed. Now I want to learn ice hockey and river rafting. I also am a vary easy going approachable person. I like to make friends and try to help them as much as possible. I always will be there for them and hope to help them whenever they are in need. I also like to eat dishes from various parts of the world and read books. I am a complete food as well as a bookworm. I like traveling around the world and meeting new people. This is a short glimpse of who I am.

58. Describe a personal habit that helps to define you as a person.

A personal habit that helps define me as an individual is that I need to roam around and study. In other words, I cannot sit at one place and study. This trait helps to define me a lot. The constant moving around hows that I am restless and don't like to sit idle. I always want to keep doing something that will keep me occupied. I don't like being lazy and always want to channel my excess energy into something constructive. The constant roaming around also shows that I do not like to be confined into one place. I like to roam around and be free. I do not like to be forced to do something. It also shows that I like to study a lot. I like reading books and thus most of the time when I read a chapter, I read it as a story. This not only helps to simplify the chapter but also makes me ask questions to myself. In this way I am able to understand any new topic quickly. The constant roaming around also helps my brain to work faster. If I sit at one place and try to study I feel lazy and thus eventually fall asleep. But when I roam around my mind keeps me alert and thus I do not fall asleep. It also shows my negative characters. I am restless and generally cannot sit in one place for too long. One of my teachers even called me a boy with roller skates on his legs. This restlessness has always been my drawback but I have improved it a lot. From meditation to taking long exams. All these have helped me get my restlessness under control. Now teachers no longer feel I am restless. However I still cannot sit and one place and study. I guess thats how I am. But I look at it in a positive way. Maybe it represents my zeal to pursue higher education and travel all over the world with the help of that education.

Article 26

Article Title:

'Dramatic and tragic' scene off Tuscan coast

Date Published: 14th January 2012

Date Accessed: 14th January 2012

The cruise ship Costa Concordia, that departed from the Italian port of Civitavecchia. crashed just a few hours after its departure. More than 4000 passengers and crew members were on board as the ship began to sink near the island of Giglio. The distress signal was sent by the ship and immediately, coat guards launched rescue ships and helicopters. The efforts of the rescuers was hampered by the angle at which the ship was tilted. Most of the passengers escaped without any harm in lifeboats. Surprisingly, the captain was amongst the first to leave the ship not waiting for all the passengers to be evacuated. All the people had not been evacuated and rescue was still in the way. This issue has petrified the passengers who are still being rescued. Some people have still not been found and rescue agents collaborating with coast guards are working very hard.

Accidents in todays world are the most common thing. These may be road, rail or air. But water accidents have again resurfaced as a major issue. The accidents that take place in the sea are caused due to the negligence of the captain, some unseen disaster or obstructions in the way of the ship. Thus there is no mode of transportation that is completely safe. The crash of the Costa Concordia has again led to question that is sea travel safe. The ship authorities all over the world have throughout the last few decades created an image that portrays ship travel as one of the safest modes of transportation. However the accident near Giglio has again inserted the seed of fear within the heart of many people. Now the big question is that how can ships avert the boulders and icebergs in their path. Will any new technology be invented for that. We have to wait and see.

VOCABULARY

distress
extreme anxiety or sorrow
ORIGIN Middle English: from Old Frenchdestresce (noun), destrecier (verb), based onLatin distringere ‘stretch apart.’
Seeing the distress signal in the lone island, the coastguards immediately sent a boat to see what is going on.

hampered
hinder or impede the movement or progress of
ORIGIN late Middle English (in the sense‘shackle, entangle, catch’): perhaps related to German hemmen ‘restrain.’
Steve's health problems hampered his carrier as a tennis player.

resurfaced
come out of hiding or obscurity
The issue of poverty resurfaced in the United States of America after the great depression.

129. What outrages you? (Wake Forest)

There are a lot of things that make people sad or angry, but there are only a few things which outrage a person. One thing that outrages me is when people cheat. I always feel that there is no shortcut to success. However when people us unfair means to achieve academic success, I don't like it. Throughout my life I have seen people around me cheating in exams or tests to get higher grades. They do not study and rely on others for passing. This feels very bad because of the fact that I study to get good grades and these people just get it by tilting their head a little and sneaking into someone's paper. People may say that those who use unfair means will be punished in life and not receive success. But is that really possible with so many people. In the end one of them will get away and achieve success. This will not only be wrong for those who have worked hard but also those who did not achieve success because of using shortcuts. After all he is also one of them. I always believe that hard work eventually pays off. A person who does not work hard will never be happy with what he has. But seeing so many examples around me that defy my theory, it is heart breaking. Life today has completely changed from what it was a decade or so ago. Earlier the motto of life according to Hindi mythology was do your work, don't think about the fruits. However in the 21st century, the motto of life for some people is do not work, only think of the fruits. These people always try to search for easier ways to become successful. I feel that if we do not sweat to achieve what we want, then there is no joy in the achievement. We won't be able to enjoy that success as much as we would have if we worked hard. This is because there would always be that tiny guilt poking our conscious telling us that we do not deserve what we are receiving. Thus those who use unfair means or cheat to achieve success, those people surely outrage me.

Article 24

Article title :

After Iowa, Obama Campaign Sharpens 2 Negative Portrayals of Romney

Date Published: January 4, 2012

Date Accessed : January 5, 2012

Mitt Romney is the most likely Republican candidate ready to challenge President Obama in the race to become the new President of the United States of America. Thus the campaign advisers of President Obama did not leave the first opportunity to criticize him, calling him a "weak, front - runner". The question however is that for how long can the Obama team criticize Romney on just one issue. People, especially individual voters, may eventually consider Romney's decisions as evidence of pragmatism and start supporting him. Obama's advisers are trying to increase the doubt in the mind of the Republicans, that is Mitt Romney with his conservative ideals the idol choice for the presidency.The moderates are also worried because they fear that Romney will make economic policies that will benefit rich people like him and not the entire public in general. Obama's advisers have also called him the "wall street 1% type". The advisers said that the three way tie of Mitt Romney with other Republican presidential candidates shows that the Republican party still does not trust Romney as its front bearer. Obama's advisers were confident that they were ready to face any Republican candidate with full confidence.


The latest presidential elections is going to be one hell of a battle. The stage is set and the warriors are almost chosen. It a battle of the elephants and the donkeys. The elections can go either way and this must be giving President Obama sleepless nights. The Obama committee is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that President Obama wins the election and gets re-elected as the president of the United States of America. Both the parties are leaving no opportunity to accuse or blame the other of something. This elections is expected to be a nail biting one and the field is set. The Democrat have Barack Obama as their obvious candidate but the Republicans are still deciding between Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul. In the end it does not matter whoever gets the nomination, one thing is for sure. Obama is in for some serious cut-throat competition.


VOCABULARY

pragmatism

practical attitude

ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: from Greekpragma, pragmat- ‘deed’ (see pragmatic) +-ism.

Bob's pragmatism saw him through many tough times in his business.

ideal

most suitable

ORIGIN late Middle English (as a term in Platonic philosophy, in the sense ‘existing as an archetype’): from late Latin idealis, fromLatin idea (see idea) .

His ideal behavior as a host was indeed pleasing.

cut-throat

fierce and intense

The cut-throat competition between the two teams led to one of the best matches of football in the history of the game.

     

1. If you had a day to spend as you wish, how would you use your time? (Carleton College)

In the 21st century, where the pace of life is so fast that we do not have time to regret our past actions also, there is no free time. Gong to office or school, sleeping, spending time with family, eating, doing work, the term "free" is completely abstruse. Every person dreams of a free day in which he can do whatever he wants to. Holidays are nothing but a smaller form of this "Dowhatyouwanttododay". If I got a free day I would first of all wake up at 5 a.m. in the morning. This is because this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and thus I should make the full use of it. Anyway I always like getting up early so it would not be very difficult. I would then like to spend my entire day in an Apple factory learning the brilliant procedure on the basis of which it created the iPad, iPhone, Macbook and iPod touch. I love machines. Simply being around them energizes me and I feel like a super human being. Apple has always been one of my favorite companies because of the innovativeness and superiority of its products. It just did not bring a change into the IT market, it brought a revolution. I have always wanted to visit its factory and see the exquisite machines and the technology which help to manufacture the Apple products. I love machines. I feel that they are mankind's greatest creations. There is never enough to learn about them. I want to learn as much as I can about them within my lifespan. I want to spend the entire day going through the various technologies that help in making the exquisite touch screen offered by Apple products. I want to learn the ideas which help in creating the thin and light products like the iPod touch, macbook air and iPad. I also wanted to talk to the CEO of Apply Inc. and ask him why he shut down the manufacturing of the black macbook pro as it was one of my favorite apply products. The questions are unlimited and they all can be answered in only one place, the Apple Inc. factory. It is on my "must see place before you die" list and it holds the number 1 spot. The world of technology is limitless. Every year several cell phones, computers, cars and other things come out only to be replaced next year by better technologies. There is no such thing as "the end" it is always "a long time to go". I want to be someone like Steve Jobs or Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg who will be remembered throughout for his contribution to the field of technology. And finally before I leave, I would like to know what would it take me to get a job as an engineer in Apple Inc. as that is one thing I have always wanted to do.