Std. XII- 1.8 Voyaging Towards Excellence

 

1.8 Voyaging Towards Excellence

The Writer:

Achyut Godbole (born 15 August 1950) is a person of wide knowledge, a humanitarian and socialist personality. He is lives in Mumbai. 

He was born in Solapur, Maharashtra. After a successful career as a CEO of Patni Computer Systems and few more leading IT firms, in 1980 and 1990s he moved to writing. He was at the position CEO for almost 23 years in his career in management.

He is well known for his writings in Marathi and English. He is a prolific writer in various genres and has produced numerous original works as well as adaptations of works from other languages into Marathi. His writing style is informative and yet very informal. 

He became a Chemical Engineer from IIT Mumbai in 1972 and headed top management positions in companies of great repute.

The Topic: Voyaging Towards Excellence

         This autobiographical sketch written by Achyut Godbole shows his journey from a middle-class school boy to a famous writer. He was a successful General Manager of Patni Computer Systems. He headed many other reputed companies and later became a famous writer. 

         The present write-up discusses his quest for excellence, how he developed a thirst for knowledge. He discusses at length the ingredients / essentials of success and the ways to achieve it. He also shows his way of learning English speaking and its use in his life.

Ice Breakers:

1) There are different ways to travel from one place to another for different purposes. Discuss with your partner and match the words given in table A with their meanings in table B.

A	B
(a) Cruise	(i) a long journey on a ship
(b) Expedition	(ii) a short visit to an outdoor place where people celebrate,  enjoy and eat meals
(c) Camp	(iii) a brief pleasure outdoor visit
(d) Trip	(iv) a short journey to a place with a particular purpose
(e) Excursion	(v) a place usually away from urban areas where tents are erected for shelter
(f) Picnic	(vi) a journey especially by a group of people for a specific purpose
(g) Voyage	(vii) a journey on a boat or ship to a number of places

 Answer:

A	B
(a) Cruise	(vii) a journey on a boat or ship to a number of places
(b) Expedition	(vi) a journey especially by a group of people for a specific purpose
(c) Camp	(v) a place usually away from urban areas where tents are erected for shelter
(d) Trip	(iii) a brief pleasure outdoor visit
(e) Excursion	(iv) a short journey to a place with a particular purpose
(f) Picnic	(ii) a short visit to an outdoor place where people celebrate, enjoy and eat meals
(g) Voyage	(i) a long journey on a ship

See more resources-

The New Dress

Big Data Big Insights

The Cop and the Anthem

On Saying 'Please"

An Astrologer's Day 

Why we Travel

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Voyaging Towards Excellence by Achyut Godbole

Title: Voyaging Towards Excellence

The title shows the journey of the writer towards improvement. He wants to become an excellent person in his field, so he is ready to do every kind of hard work. His efforts bring his journey towards excellence.  

The Writer: Achyut Godbole

Achyut Godbole (born 15 August 1950) is a person of wide knowledge, a humanitarian and socialist personality. He is residing in Mumbai. He was born in Solapur, Maharashtra. After a successful career as a CEO of Patni Computer Systems and few more leading IT firms, in 1980 and 1990s, he moved to writing.

He is well known for his writings in Marathi and English. He is a prolific writer in various genres and has produced numerous original works as well as adaptations of works from other languages into Marathi. His writing style is informative and yet very informal.

The Topic: Voyaging Towards Excellence

This is an autobiographical sketch. It is written by Achyut Godbole. It shows his journey from a middle-class school boy to a famous writer. He was a successful General Manager of Patni Computer Systems. He headed many other reputed companies and later became a famous writer. The present write-up shows his quest for excellence, how he developed a thirst for knowledge. He discusses at length the ingredients / essentials of success and the ways to achieve it. He also shows his way of learning English speaking and its use in his life.

Ice Breakers:

1) There are different ways to travel from one place to another for different purposes. Discuss with your partner and match the words given in table A with their meanings in table B.

A	B
(a) Cruise	(i) a long journey on a ship
(b) Expedition	(ii) a short visit to an outdoor place where people celebrate,  enjoy and eat meals
(c) Camp	(iii) a brief pleasure outdoor visit
(d) Trip	(iv) a short journey to a place with a particular purpose
(e) Excursion	(v) a place usually away from urban areas where tents are erected for shelter
(f) Picnic	(vi) a journey especially by a group of people for a specific purpose
(g) Voyage	(vii) a journey on a boat or ship to a number of places

Answer:

A	B
(a) Cruise	(vii) a journey on a boat or ship to a number of places
(b) Expedition	(vi) a journey especially by a group of people for a specific purpose
(c) Camp	(v) a place usually away from urban areas where tents are erected for shelter
(d) Trip	(iii) a brief pleasure outdoor visit
(e) Excursion	(iv) a short journey to a place with a particular purpose
(f) Picnic	(ii) a short visit to an outdoor place where people celebrate, enjoy and eat meals
(g) Voyage	(i) a long journey on a ship

Activities-

1) Make a list of great Indian and foreign personalities who had a great impact on Achyut Godbole during his childhood.

Poets	---------------------------------------------------------------
Writers	---------------------------------------------------------------
Musicians	---------------------------------------------------------------
Dramatists	---------------------------------------------------------------
Painters	---------------------------------------------------------------

Answer-

Poets	Vinda Karandika, Vasant Bapat, Keshavsut, Mangesh Padgaonkar, B.S. Mardhekar
Writers	Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy
Musicians	Pt. Kumar Gandharv, Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, Pt. Jasraj, Wolfgang Mozart
Dramatists	William Shakespeare
Painters	Michaelangelo, Vincent Van Gogh

2) Find different techniques used by the writer to learn Science and Mathematics.

Answer-

a) The writer used to appreciate the inherent beauty of these subjects.

b) The writer found Newton's law of motion beautiful and Pythagorean Theorem elegant.

c) When the writer was in 7th standard, he solved the problems of Physics and Mathematics of 9th standard.

d) He used to enjoy finding out the most elegant method of solving the problems of Physics and Mathematics.

3) The writer faced numerous problems while communicating in English because-

(Complete the information)

Answer-

a) He had his entire education in Marathi.

b) His spoken English was quite pathetic.

c) His English vocabulary was very weak.

d) His pronunciation was terrible.

e) His sentence construction was very awkward.

4) The writer was completely stumped because his     

a) vocabulary was -----  

Answer-

weak

b) spoken English was ----- 

Answer-

pathetic    

c) pronunciation was -----

Answer-

terrible      

d) construction of sentences was -----

Answer-

very awkward

5) Read the text again and complete the sentence:

Due to the writer’s pathetic English-speaking style, he --------

(Complete the information)   

Answer-    

a) felt extremely humiliated and sad.

b) felt quite depressed and diffident.

c) was almost broken and wanted to run away to Solapur.

d) had developed an inferiority complex.

e) felt quite lonely and terrified.

6) Complete the following sentences. The writer wanted to achieve mastery in English  because-

a) he wanted to speak 

Answer-    

English fluently.          

b) he will be  able  to

Answer-    

excel in anything that he tries to do.   

c) he need not have to

Answer-    

give up for a silly and small thing like English and feel afraid of anybody. 

7) Make a list of different steps that the writer undertook to improve his English-speaking skills.

Answer-    

a) Started reading English Newspaper and English Novels.

b) Started to think in English.

c) Studied etymology and phonetics.

d) studied the roots of the words and their pronunciation.

e) Practiced speaking before mirror.

See More

Std. XII Prose-

1) An astrologer’s Day

https://juniorcollegeteacher.blogspot.com/2020/04/11-astrologers-day.html

2) On Saying ‘Please’

https://juniorcollegeteacher.blogspot.com/2020/05/22-on-saying-please.html

3) The Cop and the Anthem

https://juniorcollegeteacher.blogspot.com/2020/04/13-cop-and-anthem.html

Video Lectures- The Cop and the Anthem

https://juniorcollegeteacher.blogspot.com/2021/08/13-cop-and-anthem-videos.html

4) Big Data Big Insights

https://juniorcollegeteacher.blogspot.com/2020/05/14-big-data-big-insights.html

Big Data Big Insights- Slide Show

https://juniorcollegeteacher.blogspot.com/2020/07/14-big-data-big-insights-slide-show.html

Big Data Big Insights- Online Test

https://juniorcollegeteacher.blogspot.com/2020/09/14-big-data-big-insights-online-test.html

5) The New Dress

https://juniorcollegeteacher.blogspot.com/2022/09/15-new-dress.html

6) Into the Wild

https://juniorcollegeteacher.blogspot.com/2020/11/16-into-wild.html

7) Why We Travel

https://juniorcollegeteacher.blogspot.com/2025/06/17-why-we-travel.html?m=1

8) Voyaging Towards Excellence

https://juniorcollegeteacher.blogspot.com/2021/01/std-xii-18-voyaging-towards-excellence.html

Std. XI- Unit Test- First

Unit Test No. 1

Std. XI (English)

Marks: 25

Time: 1 Hour 30 Min.

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Q.1. Read the extract and complete the activities given below.(13)

The next thing Moru Dada wanted to do was spray some pesticide on the plants. He claimed that it would give a higher yield. This was something we did not want to do. We were clear that we would not use any chemicals and tried to explain it to him. He reacted as if we had suggested hara-kiri. It took a lot of convincing to ensure that Moru Dada and his friends did not use any chemicals on the farm. They refused to understand how crops could grow without sprays.           Contrary to what everyone had told us, nature did her job and she needed no bribes to get the work done. Soon it was harvest time and we managed a respectable 300 kilograms. An awful lot of moong and with it a lot of confidence. Now I was certain the land was fertile and that it was possible to grow crops without chemicals. It was a major morale booster. The Scent of Rice           The first year I was late for the rice-sowing season and had to resort to growing the GR4 variety that was short term and recommended by the agricultural officers at Kosbad. The next year we decided that we would start early and try to find some good traditional variety of rice to grow. We had read about traditional varieties of rice and knew that they did not require very high inputs of fertilizers. These varieties were also quite strong and resisted pests. We were sure that it was this type of rice that would grow well in our farm where we did not use any chemicals at all. Our previous year’s experience and low yield had taught us a lesson and we were sure we would not plant hybrids this year.            In April 2005, we started to look for a good variety of traditional rice. It was one of our neighbours in the village, a businessman from Mumbai who owned land, who suggested that we plant a local scented variety of rice. Most of the farmers in and around the village of Peth had switched over to hybrids. The younger generation of farmers thought I was crazy to ask for the ‘desi’ variety, as they called it. My regular visits to the villages around searching for a good traditional variety also did not yield any results and we were almost giving up hope.

A1. True or False   (2)

Rewrite the following statements and state whether they are true or false.

1) Most of the farmers used hybrid variety in their farm.

2) The writer needed traditional variety of rice.

3) The land of the narrator was not fertile.

4) The writer agreed to spray pesticides on the crop.

A2. Give reasons   (2)

The writer wanted to grow the traditional variety of rice because------

A3. Guess   (2)

The writer almost gave up hope of finding the desi variety of rice. Guess its reasons.

A4. Personal response. (2)

Note down any two problems faced by the farmer nowadays in your locality.

A5. Language Study (2)

Do as directed.

1) This was something we did not want to do.

(Make simple sentence)

2) In April 2005, we started to look for a good variety of traditional rice.

( Frame a wh- type question to get the underlined words as answer)

3) Most of the farmers in and around the village of Peth had switched over to hybrids.

(Identify the tense)

A6. Vocabulary.           (2)

Match word given under ‘A’ with their meaning under ‘B’.

A	B
1) morale	a) try to prevent
2) resisted	b) capable of producing crops
3) traditional	c) confidence
4) fertile	d) conventional

 

 

 

 

 

Q.2. Read the extract and complete the activities given below.  (08)

Eight years have passed Since I placed my cherry seed in the grass. “Must have a tree of my own,” I said, And watered it once and went to bed And forgot; but cherries have a way of growing, Though no one's caring very much or knowing. And suddenly that summer near the end of May, I found a tree had come to stay. It was very small, five months child, Lost in the tall grass running wild. Goats ate the leaves, the grass cutter scythe Split it apart and a monsoon blight Shrivelled the slender stem...... Even so, Next spring I watched three new shoots grow, The young tree struggle, upward thrust Its arms in a fresh fierce lust For light and air and sun.

 

A1. Complete  (2)

1) The thought which prompted the poet to plant the cherry seed is --

2) The threats for the cherry tree are---- 1) ----------- 2) ----------3) ------

A2. Explain  (2)

The young tree struggle, upward thrust. Its arms in a fresh fierce lust.

(Explain these lines)

A3. Personal Response (2)

Give your experience of planting or caring a tree in few words.

A4. Poetic device  (2)

Find out one example from the extract for the following figures of speech:

1) Alliteration              

2) Antithesis

Q.3. Write any one of the following. (04)

1) E- Mail Writing

Write an e mail with proper format to the Divisional Officer, Satpuda Mountain Ranges, Nagpur, seeking permission for the mountaineering expedition to be organized by your college.

Use the following points:

E - mail address: satpuda@gmail.com Give number of persons ready for mountaineering, give assurance to follow rules and regulations, give dates of expedition etc.

OR

2) Letter Writing

You want a bona fide certificate in order to get concession in MSRTC bus monthly pass fare. Write a letter of application to the principal of your junior college requesting him/her to issue you the same.

Use the following points:  

Name: XYZ, Class- XI (A), Register No. 4212, Give date of birth. Need to get bona fide certificate to get concession in travelling.

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Seen Prose: 13 Marks

Seen Poetry: 08 Marks

Writing Skill: 04 Marks

Total: 25 Marks

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All answers are Available in the Activity Work Book for Std. XI By Prof. Tushar Chavan

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Download the PDF of Std. XI- Unit Test No. 1

This is new and different activity sheet for 25 marks.

Click here and download the PDF using Google Drive.

👇

Std. XI- Unit Test No. 1 (Download)

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 See answers in the following Activity Wokbook

Std. XI- English Activity Work book By: Prof. Tushar Chavan

Price Rs. 300 + Courier or Postage Rs. 50

Total Rs. 350

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Do get the book, send whats app message to 

Prof. Tushar Chavan

Contact No. 9850737199

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Std. XI- Online Test on 2.1 Cherry Tree

 Test Set By:

Prof. Tushar Chavan

Rashtriya Junior College,

Chalisgaon

Dist. Jalgaon

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Std. XI- Online Test on 1.3 The Call of the Soil: The Scent of Rice

Test Set By:

Prof. Tushar Chavan

Rashtriya Junior College,

Chalisgaon

Dist. Jalgaon

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