Education

NEB Grade XII Compulsory English Note | Language Development | Unit- 5 A Story of My Childhood | A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

Before You Read

a. “Childhood is a chance for kids to discover who they are before the world tells them who they should be.” Do you agree?

Yes, certainly. Childhood shapes our future. Even small achievements give excitement and a sense of accomplishment. Teachers and parents help shape our character. Childhood is also a time for dreams, exploration, and learning through mischief and play.

b. Share one interesting childhood memory

I didn’t know how to swim in a stream, but my friends jumped into a deep pool formed by a large stone. I also dived but began to drown. One of my friends pushed me up and helped me reach the bank. From the next day, I started learning to swim in shallow water and gradually improved.

Working with Words

A. Vocabulary Matching

Word	Meaning
expectant	In a way that shows hope for something, especially something good or exciting
beckon	To signal someone to move closer or follow you
grapple	To try hard to find a solution to a problem
texture	The way food or drink tastes or feels in your mouth
cobbled	Having a surface made of small round stones
flimsy	Thin and easily torn
attire	Clothes, especially formal or fine ones
marvellous	Extremely good; wonderful
dynamics	The science of forces involved in movement

B. Biography-related Terms

Term	Meaning
hagiography	Biography treating the subject with undue reverence, often of saints or venerated persons
psychobiography	Biography written from a psychoanalytic perspective, emphasizing inner life and psychological development
pathography	Study of a life or history in relation to a disease or psychological disorder
chronicle	Factual written account of events in chronological order
obituary	Notice of death in a newspaper, usually including a brief biography
character sketch	Brief description of a person’s qualities
profile	Side view outline of a person, building, or object
memoir	Historical account or biography written from personal knowledge

C. Intonation Patterns

Sentence	Intonation
I have some good news for you!	Rising
I was so pleased to hear this result.	Rising + Falling
My mother would have a hot meal ready.	Falling
The whole class went to the seashore of Rameswaram.	Falling
Who knew that a Muslim and a Hindu boy could not sit together?	Falling + Rising
He also explained to us how they change direction while flying.	Falling + Rising
He asked the other students whether they had understood or not.	Falling + Falling
Where is the engine in this bird?	Falling
How can I progress further in learning all about flight?	Falling
Should I go to engineering college where I would be able to learn about flight?	Rising + Falling

Comprehension

A. Chronological Order of Events in Abdul Kalam’s Life

Abdul Kalam attended an elementary school at Rameswaram.
A new teacher in the school forbade Abdul Kalam to sit with his Brahmin friend.
Many students did not understand Sivasubramania Iyer’s lecture.
The teacher then took the students to the seashore for practical class.
Abdul Kalam was determined to study flight and flight systems.
One day, Abdul Kalam’s teacher visited his house to share pride in his performance.
They celebrated happiness with poli.

B. Questions and Answers

a. What were the causes of Abdul Kalam’s happiness?

Scoring full marks in mathematics and science
Outstanding results in English and Tamil
Teacher visiting his house to share pride
Sweet poli shared with his best friend Ramanadhan Sastry
Leaf boats sailing in a puddle with ants clinging to them

b. Which two places did Abdul Kalam visit before going to school?

Arabic tuition class to learn the Quran
Mathematics teacher’s house for special lessons

c. What did he like about mathematics?
He loved working with numbers, solving problems, and understanding their patterns.

d. Why was the new teacher unhappy?
The new teacher disapproved of a Muslim and Hindu boy sitting together.

e. Why did Abdul Kalam have to split with his intimate friend?
Because of religious discrimination, though they later managed to sit together.

f. What was the topic of Sivasubramania Iyer’s class?
“How birds fly” – features of birds and animal classification

g. How did the teacher react when students did not understand the lecture?
He was not upset; instead, he planned a practical class the next day for real-life learning.

h. Why did Sivasubramania Iyer take his students to the seashore?
To provide practical learning about birds’ flight, complementing theoretical knowledge with real-world observation.

Critical Thinking

a. Childhood Influence on Abdul Kalam’s Career

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam (1931–2015) became a world-renowned aerospace scientist due to his dedication, perseverance, and curiosity. His childhood played a significant role in shaping his career:

He had loving and caring parents, providing him with food, clothes, and medicine.
His school, though small, had teachers who nurtured him with care and encouragement.
The incident of religious division in his school made him conscious of societal discrimination.
A memorable lesson on how birds fly, which he initially did not understand, became clear after practical observation at the seashore. This experience sparked his fascination with flight.
He completed school and joined the Madras Institute of Technology, ultimately becoming a successful aerospace engineer.

Conclusion: There is a strong association between Abdul Kalam’s childhood experiences and his later achievements.

b. Discrimination Incident in Kalam’s School Life

Kalam wore a cap, and his friend Ramanandhan Sastry wore a sacred thread marking him as a Brahmin.
A new teacher objected to a Muslim boy and Hindu boy sitting together, sending Kalam to the back row.
This left a lasting impression on Kalam and highlighted societal discrimination.

Society Depicted:

The incident reflects a society with religious and caste-based discrimination.
Teachers and adults had narrow mindsets, leading to conflicts and division among children.

Writing

Short Autobiography Example: My Childhood Life

I was born in 2070 B.S. in Parbat district, in a simple family of farmers. I have three brothers and four sisters. We had no electricity and had to walk long distances to buy kerosene and salt.

I studied in a government school and shared old books with my sister. Despite limited resources, I was always first in class. Teachers inspired me, especially in English and science, which motivated me to become a teacher. Challenges like lack of dictionaries and reference books made learning difficult, but determination and guidance from teachers helped me overcome obstacles.

In modern times, students can access notes online easily, but true learning requires dedication and respect for teachers.

Grammar: Connectives

A. Identify Connectives

Examples:

Although, in spite of, though, despite

B. Join Sentences Using Connectives

Sentences	Using Connectives
He is a millionaire. He lives in a simple house.	Although he is a millionaire, he lives in a simple house. / In spite of his higher income, he lives in a simple house.
The weather was extremely bad. The pilot landed the plane safely.	The pilot landed the plane safely in spite of the extremely bad weather.
We study in the same college. We hardly see each other.	Though we study in the same college, we hardly see each other. / We hardly see each other even though we study in the same college.
It rained heavily. We enjoyed our holiday.	In spite of the heavy rain, we enjoyed our holiday. / Although there was heavy rain, we enjoyed our holiday.
I had an umbrella. I got wet in the rain.	I got wet in the rain although I had an umbrella. / Despite having an umbrella, I got wet in the rain.
I was really tired. I could not sleep a moment.	As I was really tired, I couldn’t sleep a moment. / Because of my tiredness, I couldn’t sleep a moment.
She has very good English accent. She failed the interview.	Even though she has a very good accent, she failed the interview. / In spite of her very good accent, she failed the interview.
Lhasa has extremely cold weather. Millions of tourists go there.	Although Lhasa has extremely cold weather in winter, millions of tourists go there. / Millions of tourists go to Lhasa in winter in spite of its extremely cold weather.
He was badly injured in boxing. He won in the third round.	Although he was badly injured in the first round, he was victorious in the third round. / He was victorious in the third round despite his bad injury in the first round.

C. Complete Sentences

He passed the exam although I didn’t attend class regularly.
She climbed the mountain in spite of her weakness.
He did not give alms even though he earned a lot.
In spite of poor eyesight, he climbed the mountain.
Nobody respects her though she is sociable.
He couldn’t join the army in spite of ten attempts.
He refused to eat despite being hungry.
He could not score good grades despite hard work.
She accepted the job although she didn’t like it.
Even though we planned everything carefully, we couldn’t manage properly.

Project Work: Oratory Contest

Topic: “Education is the Foundation of Development”

Speech:
Mr. Chairperson, respected teachers, and friends,
Today I am here to speak on “Education is the Foundation of Development.”

Education serves as a mode of learning that transmits knowledge, skills, and habits from one generation to the next. It begins at birth, with parents—especially mothers—being the first teachers.

Education is the foundation of development. A nation can only progress if it has educated and skilled human resources. Educated citizens contribute to economic growth, understand national policies, and make informed decisions. Education provides skills to fight poverty and gain prosperity.

It also plays a key role in agriculture, healthcare, administration, and other essential sectors. Without education, a country cannot develop.

Hence, education truly forms the foundation of development. Thank you for your time and attention.

The Economic Frontline

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