SSC English First Paper | Unit Twelve | Lesson: 2 | Roots | My roots -2

A. Read the following remarks and find out who is like you.

I simply just can't bear the people who don't have any respect for their roots.

- Haridas Soren

We have a moderately big house in a town but we frequently go to our village home as well. I always feel so at home when I visit my village and stay with my near ones.

-Bidisha Yasmin

I live in a small apartment with my mom, dad, and my little sister. Most of my relatives live in a village. I seldom go over there as I don't like village life.

-Ifti Mahmud

Some people are so eager to leave their own homes, friends, and everything behind only to be a part of the city life. They are not for me.

-Antara Gomes

To be frank, I don't get used to visiting my relatives in the village.

-Jhilik Ahsan

I live in a city but I never forget my parents are from a tiny but beautiful village. I know I have my roots there and I'm so proud of that.

-Anupom Chakma

I just can't stand the people who have grown up in the village but forget it once they are out from there.

-Debashish Biswash

Now make your own statement about your roots.

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B. Read the above statements of different people again and make two lists—one stating what they like and the other stating their dislikes.

C. Do you agree/disagree with their statements? Write down why.

D. Read the following text.

Mainul Islam is a qualified farmer in Naogaon. Mr Islam was very brilliant as a student. He took his higher education from Bangladesh Agricultural University in Mymensingh. He then came back home and started advanced farming. He has two other brothers who are graduates in different disciplines. The specialty of the Islam family is that they all are living in their village and all are renowned in their own fields. Mr. Islam's younger brother, who is a Rajshahi University graduate, is a science teacher in a local school. His youngest brother is a social science graduate who likes to start a local NGO to work for this area. When asked "What makes you decide to stay here in this village?" Mr Islam smiled and said, "Look, it's true that we could leave this village for city life. I could be banker or my brothers could be bureaucrats. 

But it didn't attract us. We are sons of this soil. Yes, we have education but does education prepare a person only to be an officer? Don't we have any obligation to the soil that has made us what we are?" He also added that not every educated individual should be a job seeker. He added that since his discipline was agriculture, after his education he took the occupation of a farmer. In response to a question whether they had any frustration living in a village, he confirmed that they were indeed very pleased with their life. He said, "I work in my own farm, stay with my family members, pass time with my old friends, and sleep at my own home. All these count a lot."

Mr Islam is right. Many people go to cities and forget or loosen their roots knowingly or unknowingly. Mr Islam and his brothers are great-they haven't forgotten their roots. They not only stuck to their own roots, they have been torch bearers for others to be respectful of their roots.

E. Work in pairs. If you are given a chance to meet Mr Islam, what questions would you ask him? Make both wh-questions and yes/no questions.

F. Read the statements in columns A and B. Then match them to make complete sentences.

Column A	Column B
1.     Mr Islam 2.     The specialty of Islam's brothers is 3.     Mr Islam never believes that 4.     Mr Islam also believes 5.     Staying with the roots	a.      if anyone has education she/he must have a job. b.     has multi- faceted opportunities. c.    graduated   from Bangladesh Agricultural University. d.     in the duty toward roots. e.      that city life couldn't attract them.

G. Do you like Mr Islam? Why/Why not? Write down some reasons in favour of your opinion and share with your partner.

If you want to read the next lesson of this unit please click the link below:

Lesson: 3 | The return of the native