Unit 1 –The Portrait of a Lady is a · Part 2

to tackle things when in a crisis and learn that rash and hasty acts will only result in folly, adding misery and woe to one indulging in thoughtless action. The poem Macavity, the Mystery Cat by T. S. Eliot, is a highly amusing poem, listing out the devilish mischiefs of a cat. The Supplementary story With the Photographer by Stephen Leacock, humorously yet sharply speaks of the reality wherein the narrator’s original features are distorted under the pretext of making them more appealing by an over-enthusiastic photographer, leaving the narrator pained and disgusted, as there is no resemblance between himself and the photograph. Unit - The Convocation Address by Aringnar Anna is an enlightening speech offering valuable advice and guidance to youngsters, instilling a sense of duty and service in them, urging them to give back to society what they have gained from it. The poem Everest is not the only Peak highlights one’s need for aspiration towards excellence in whatever activity one indulges in. It is a poem of optimism and offers encouragement to learners, emphasizing that they have to excel in their work and carry it out with perseverance and courage. The Supplementary story The Singing Lesson by Katherine Mansfield, traces the delicate and tender feelings of a young music mistress who is dejected at the rejection of her partner and is later filled with joy when a telegram from the partner indicates a re-union. Unit - Forgetting, an essay by Robert Lynd, teaches us to overcome the deficiencies and to concentrate better with greater focus on our actions. Lines Written in Early Spring is a poem by William Wordsworth, stressing the fact that Nature is meant for Man’s joy and pleasure, but this very source of joy is destroyed by Man himself. It is a reminder to Man to preserve Nature in all her beauty. The play The First Patient is a funny interlude bringing out the psychological fear everyone experiences on visiting a dentist to extract a tooth. The play portrays high humour in the reaction of the patients when tools are being carried in to