Linguistically Controlled and Guided Exercises

You are expected to do a wide variety of writing. We will start from the simplest Linguistically Controlled and Guided Exercises and go on to extended compositions requiring originality, creativity, wide vocabulary and general awareness.

These exercises have to be completed using the information given- constructing grammatically correct sentences and creating a meaningful piece of writing.

Example-1

1) Aniketh has been asked to write an article for the 'Nature' section of the school magazine. He has collected some information about the 'Pygmy Marmoset' and made the following notes. Use the information in the notes to complete his article. Do not add any new information.

Notes

Animal:           Pigmy Marmoset Habitat:            Tropical Rainforests-South America Size:                  Smallest living Monkey-just 35 cm long Weight:             80 to 100 gms Food:                Mostly tree sap/gum-also eats spiders, insects, flowers, fruits Features:         Has claws-not flat nails like other monkeys                      One female for group of 15                      Older siblings, father cares for young Threatened:    Habitat destroyed

The Pygmy Marmoset is mainly ___________. They are a mere 35 cm long including the tail and ___________ gms. They are ___________ in the world. They feed ___________. Unlike other monkeys ___________. There is only one female in a group of about fifteen members. She gives birth to young ones, which ___________. Though they are not endangered, ___________ is the biggest threat to their survival.

Model Answer:
The Pygmy Marmoset is mainly found in the tropical rain forests of South America. They are a mere 35 cm long including the tail and weigh 80 to 100 grams. They are the smallest monkeys in the world. They feed mostly on tree sap or gum, they also eat spiders, insects, flowers and fruits. Unlike other monkeys they have claws, they do not have flat nails. There is only one female in a group of about fifteen members. She gives birth to young ones, which are cared for by the father and older siblings. Though they are not endangered, the destruction of their habitat is the biggest threat to their survival.

Example-2

Sumeet has to write a short paragraph comparing the States of Assam and Rajasthan. Complete the paragraph for him using the information given in the table below. Do not add any new information.

Features	Assam	Rajasthan
Location	North-East	North-West
Physical features	Hilly	Flat
Climate	Hot and wet	Hot and dry
Vegetation	Thick forests	Scanty
Crops	Tea, rice, jute	Maize, Millets, Pulses
Minerals	Oil	Manganese, Mica, copper, lead, zinc

India's beauty lies in its diversity, its varied landscape and climate. This contrast is very clearly brought out in the States of Assam and Rajasthan. Assam is a beautiful state situated in the north-eastern region of India, while Rajasthan, ___________, has a beauty of its own. Assam is hilly ___________ climate. Its hill slopes ___________. These have been cleared to ___________. On the other hand, Rajasthan ___________ conditions, is flat. The Great Indian Desert, The Thar Desert is situated here. In this desert land, ___________, just some thorny bushes and trees grow. Now with irrigation being provided, people __________ - crops that do not require too much water. Mineral oil ___________ in Assam while Rajasthan ___________ manganese, mica, copper, lead and zinc. I do hope the intrinsic beauty of these States is not lost in man's constant quest for growth and development.

Model Answer:
India's beauty lies in its diversity, its varied landscape and climate. This contrast is very clearly brought out in the States of Assam and Rajasthan. Assam is a beautiful state situated in the north-eastern region of India, while Rajasthan, which is located in the north-west, has a beauty of its own. Assam is hilly with a hot and wet climate. Its hill slopes are covered with thick forests. These have been cleared to cultivate tea, rice and jute. On the other hand, Rajasthan with hot, dry climatic conditions is flat. The Great Indian Desert, The Thar Desert is situated here. In this desert land the vegetation is scanty, just some thorny bushes and trees grow. Now with irrigation being provided, people are growing maize, millets and pulses - crops that do not require too much water. Mineral oil is found in Assam while Rajasthan is known for minerals like manganese, mica, copper, lead and zinc. I do hope the intrinsic beauty of these States is not lost in man's constant quest for growth and development.

Some Tips to Work out These Exercises

• First read the information given and the entire incomplete passage. This will give you some idea as to what it is about.
  
  
• Next, fill in the gaps with the information provided (use your pencil).
  
  
• Then read through the completed passage. Make sure the sentences are grammatically correct, spellings are right and the passage makes sense.
  
  
• After you feel satisfied, ink out the blanks.