1. Note-making

N OTE - MAKING is an important study skill. It also helps us at work. We need to draw the main points of the material we read as it is difficult to remember large chunks of information. Let us begin with an example.

Study the following passage carefully Pheasants are shy, charming birds known for their brilliant plumage. These beautiful birds occupy an important niche in nature’s scheme of things. Of the bird species and families, the pheasants belong to the order Galliformes and family Phasinidae. The Galliformes are known as game birds and this includes, pheasants, partridges, quails, grouse, francolins, turkeys and megapodes.

There are species of pheasants in the world and these are shown in the identification chart brought out by the Environment Society of India (ESI). The purpose of this chart is to create awareness among members of the school eco- clubs under the National Green Corps (NGC) of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. Except for the Congo Peafowl, all the other pheasants are from Asia. Scientists believe that all pheasants originated from the Himalayas, and then scattered into Tibet, China, Myanmar, South and South East Asian countries as well as the Caucasus Mountains.

The jungle fowl and the peafowl spread to South India and Sri Lanka long before the early settlers established themselves in the Indo-Gangetic plain. About a third of all the pheasants in the world are found in India. The male blue peafowl (the peacock) is the best known member of the pheasant family and is India’s national bird. It occupies a prominent place in India’s art, culture and folklore.