The Greatest Resource--Education

English Encounters

The Greatest Resource – Education

Short Answer Questions (Page 4)

1. What makes the author say that man is the primary resource for civilizations to exist and to disappear?

In the history of mankind, many civilizations have been built up and flourished and many have declined and perished. Resources are key for any civilization to exist or to disappear. Of all the resources, the primary resource is man. Without human brain, simple material resources couldn’t make any civilization flourish or decline.

Civilizations like the Indus Valley civilization, the Egyptian civilization, the Mayan civilization, the Chinese civilization have introduced architecture, mathematics, calculating time and mass, gun powder etc. Human mind is the source behind these developments. The human psychology and mentality make any civilization grow. Civilizations disappear either with the introduction of a new civilization or due to failure of some resources, again the primary resource being human mind. The key factor of all economic development comes out of the mind of man. We can see the outburst of daring, initiative, invention, constructive activity in all areas. No one can see where it comes from, but we can see that it gets strengthened and maintained through education.

2. What, according to the author, is the source of problems for civilizations?

Lack of proper education is the source of problems for civilization. We believe that education is the root cause of all problems. We tend to believe that the dangers of nuclear age, abuses of genetic engineering and temptations due to commercialism are all due to advanced education in science and technology. The author says that this situation calls for more and better education.

3. What should be done to overcome the problems of modern life?

The problems of modern life are the destructive and abusive results of advanced education. The author says that this situation calls for more and better education. Everybody should become highly educated. He recalls Lord Snow’s lecture on ‘Two cultures’ and states that proper education means having the ability to understand the complex issues and having a sense to use them in a proper manner without blaming education for that.

To overcome the problems of modern life, we have to educate ourselves. If we don’t educate ourselves, we have to watch a steep decline in our lifetime.

4. What are the cultures Lord Snow talked about? How does he want to bridge the gap between the two?

Lord Snow, a British novelist and scientist, delivered his influential ‘Rede Lecture’ in 1959 at The Senate house, Cambridge. The talk was later published in book form titled “The two cultures and the scientific revolution”. According to him, the whole of western society is being split into two polar groups—literary      intellectuals at one end and scientists at the other end. He says that there is a huge gap between these two cultures and that this gap has to be bridged. To fill the gap between the two, he suggests an educational policy. The aim of this policy is

       a) to get as many alpha plus (excellent/first class) scientists as the country can give

       b) to train many alpha professionals to do the supporting research

       c) to train thousands and thousands of other scientists and engineers and finally

       d) to train politicians, administrators and an entire community

to understand what scientists are talking. If the last group can be educated enough to ‘have a sense’ of  what the      real people (scientists and engineers) are talking about, the gap between the two cultures may be bridged.

5. Who are the people to be educated about what scientists mean when they talk and why?

The politicians and administrators are to be educated in the first place. Though they have failed to make the grade, they should at least be educated enough to have a sense of what is going on, and to know what the scientists mean when they talk. In absence of education, these people behave so dumb and mean. They can’t even answer when questioned about the second law of thermodynamics; or the definition of mass or acceleration. But they are ready to criticize the scientists and their experiments. Scientists are not to be blamed if their discoveries are used in a destructive way. Education alone gives people that sense.

6. Why does the author say that the ‘Know-how’ produced by science and technology is an ‘unfinished sentence?

Science and engineering produce know-how. It means they give the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly. But just knowing something is not essential. It is like a method without an end. It is like a mere ability to do something without knowing the purpose of it. It is like an incomplete/unfinished sentence. Education helps us finish that sentence and turn the potentiality into reality. Education has the power to enable ordinary people to cope with the problems thrown up by scientific and technological progress

7. What is the first and foremost task of education, according to the author?

The first and foremost task of education is to transmit the ideas of value, of what to do with our lives. It would be foolish to put great powers into the hands of people without making sure that they have a reasonable idea of what to do with them. Knowing how to do should be secondary and having the knowledge and wisdom to use it should take the first place. Mankind is in mortal danger as we tend to use science and technology destructively. This happens due to lack of wisdom. More education helps us only if it produces more wisdom.

According to the author, transmission of values means imbibing those values. They should become a part of our mind and guide us with wisdom.

Long Answer Questions

1. What are the arguments which the author puts forth to show that education is necessary?

According to the author, education is the most vital of all resources. There is no doubt that the capacity and agility of human mind makes all the wonders and inventions. Any civilization arises only because of this primary resource along with natural resources. This power of man which enables either flourishing or perishing of a civilization is strengthened and maintained through various kinds of schools. In other words, education is the backbone of any advancement.

Science has made many tremendous explorations. People may think that this advancement and progress results in dangers and abuses. To understand the reality, one needs education. More and more education is needed to be rational. The author recollects Lord Snow’s ‘Rede Lecture’ in which he spoke about the two distinct cultures. According to Snow, the entire society is divided into two cultures. One is the literates and the other is the scientists. Both are at two extreme ends. The literates don’t understand what the scientists talk about. So, there is a need to educate everyone in the society. These people, especially the politicians and administrators, need to be educated so that they would understand that the result of any experiment is neutral. It is in our hands whether to use the advanced technology for good or for destruction. Education has the power to enable ordinary people understand what scientific progress is about. People will come to know what is going on, what the result of scientific progress is and how we could put it to use for the betterment of society.

The author also stresses the fact that education doesn’t merely mean knowing how to do. It is incomplete just to know how to do something. Instead, we need to know what to do with our lives and how to utilize the latest advancements. Education alone gives us wisdom. Man is in a dangerous situation not because we are short of scientific and technological know-how but because we tend to use it destructively. Being educated means gaining knowledge and being rational. Such an education strengthens the man power and aids further development of society with good progress in science and technology.

2. Describe how education is the greatest resource.

Education is the greatest resource of all. Human civilization has flourished over years and it’s the human mind which is to be credited for that. Natural and material resources are also essential, but human mind is the key factor that has been able to put these resources to use. There has been an outburst of inventions which were impossible without human mind. The source of this initiative of human mind is not known but all we know is that this is strengthened and maintained by various kinds of schools, in other words, through education.

Education has the power of enabling ordinary people to have a sense of what’s going on, and to know what the scientists mean when they talk. Only education gives the wisdom to decide how to use a certain invention. We may use scientific advancements destructively if we don’t have proper education. Proper education gives us the required knowledge and helps us in taking positive decisions. We gain wisdom and rational thinking from education. We understand the facts and neutrality of science.

Education becomes the greatest resource because its task is to imbibe values. Transmitting values mean that they become a part of us. They settle in our minds and guide us in making decisions. A young or adolescent mind may have various ideas and thoughts, but with transmission of values through education, it censors and guards the wavering mind. Thus, education gives us a conscious and critical mind which takes the right decisions. We come to know the value of education in later years. We will find our values deeply rooted in our earlier education.

Proper education gives us wisdom. This wisdom helps us in understanding what scientists mean when they talk. We accept that scientific advancements can be used to either enrich or destroy humanity; and it all depends on how we use it. We stop blaming science for adverse effects, if any. We learn what to do with our lives instead of simply knowing how to do. We attain value based mentality that guards and protects us. Thus, education becomes the greatest resource of all.

Vocabulary Exercises

suffix	Derived nouns	Derived from
-ment	Improvement	Improve
	Enhancement	Enhance
	Argument	Argue
	Harassment	Harass
	commitment	commit
-ity	Neutrality	Neutral
	Humanity	Human
	Potentiality	Potential
	Reality	Real
	density	dense
-ion	Invention	invent
	Education	Educate
	Temptation	Tempt
	Transmission	Transmit
	hesitation	Hesitate
-ism	Heroism	Hero
	Terrorism	Terror
	Mannerism	Manner
	Racism	Race
	socialism	social

                                                                       

2. Which of the following nouns are derived and which are not? (page 7)

         Derived nouns—tension, pretension, creation, resemblance

3. What are the other suffixes you know which can be used to derive nouns?

suffix	Derived nouns
-en	Strengthen, fasten
-al	Classical, musical

Antonyms

Assert x denial

Decline x built up, incline

Vital x death, unimportant

Temptation x repulsion, dislike, discouragement

Civilized x uncivilized, discourtesy, uneducated

Synonyms

Resource – wealth, fortune, means

Strengthen – increase, augment, gain, ascend, intensify

Concern – relate, link, similarity, dependency

Prodigious – incredible, marvelous, excessive

Classical – traditional, original

Fill in the blanks

Initiative             incomprehensible                 inheritances                         multiplied Outburst              knowhow                             residual                               reconstituted

1. The large inheritances from his father made him live without any lookout for work.

2. Technical knowhow of the system is required for this job.

3. The Medical Education Council has been reconstituted as The Medical Education Authority.

4. With the abolition of Rs. 500 notes, the problems for the people below the poverty line have 

    temporarily multiplied.

5. They have tried to debug the entire program. However, some residual problems existed with

    regard to the display of the output.

6. The initiative taken by the Prime Minister to curb black money and corruption is appreciated

    by and large.

7. Denying giving change for the Rs. 2000 provoked an outburst of anger on the shopkeeper.

8. The allegations made against demonetization by the opposition party are incomprehensible.

Grammar

Say against each noun whether it is a countable noun or an uncountable noun   

1.      Darkness----uncountable

2.      Opportunity----countable

3.      Research---- uncountable

4.      Development---- uncountable

5.      Invention---- countable

6.      Inheritor---- countable

7.      Comprehension---- countable

8.      Comfort---- countable

9.      Civilization---- countable

10.  Potentiality---- countable

Singulars and plurals

singular	plural
Stratum (a layer)	stratums
deficiency	deficiencies
Addendum (post script)	addenda
crisis	crises
formula	formulae
alumnus (a male student) alumna (a female student)	alumni
ability	abilities
champion	champions
sheep	Sheep
aircraft	aircraft

Correct the following sentences, if necessary

1.      I love fruits salad instead of sweet for dessert.

I love fruit salad instead of sweet for dessert.

2.      He is only twenty but his hairs have gone grey.

He is only twenty but his hair has gone grey.

3.      This wall is built using bricks and mortar.

This wall is built using brick and mortar.

4.      The new scissor I have bought are blunt.

The new scissors I have bought are blunt.

5.      Finally summer vacations are announced.

Finally summer vacation is announced.

6.      He narrated the annual event in great details.

He narrated the annual event in great detail.

7.      The sceneries in Araku are extremely lovely.

The scenery in Araku is extremely lovely.

8.      They have bought two dozens of apples.

They have bought two dozen apples.

9.      It’s a two kilos packet.

It’s a two kilo packet.

10.  Politics are not my cup of tea.

Politics is not my cup of tea.

11.  My cousin sister and I went for a movie yesterday.

My cousin and I went for a movie yesterday.

12.  There are a lot of fish in this pond.

There are plenty of fish in this pond.

13.  A herd of cattles crossed the road.

A herd of cattle crossed the road.

14.  She ran an amazing ten miles race and won the trophy.

She ran an amazing ten mile race and won the trophy.

15.  Could you write your address on a paper please?

Could you please write your address on a paper?