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Class 12th English

DISCURSIVE PASSAGE
A passage where the writer rambles from topic to topic is called a discursive piece of writing.
The adjective discursive is often used to describe a speech or writing that tends to stray from
the main point, but the word can also have almost the opposite meaning.
A discursive passage includes argumentative, interpretative and persuasive text. such
passages may include opinions or feedback. It allows students to arrive at a conclusion though
reasoning and understanding rather than intuition. It presents a balanced and objective
approach towards the subject being discussed.
Passages of this kind are analytical. Sometimes the author presents his views with great depth
of reasoning or force of argument with the intention of convincing the reader to his point of
view. Such texts have great persuasive power.
Discursive writing expresses opinions. It can be argumentative, i.e. may give reasons,
explanations, or explore cause and effect relationship. Passages of this kind are analytical.
Sometimes the author presents his views with great depth of reasoning or force of argument
with the intention of convincing the reader to his point of view. Such texts have great
persuasive power.
Sample - 1
Read the passage given below.
1. Roshni Bairwa remembers running all the way from her home in Tonk's
Mahmoodnagar Dhani village to the room where the 'bal samooh' (children's group)
met. “My grandparents are getting me married, you have to do something,” the then
12-year-old told the 20 or so children sitting there.
2. The children, all aged between eight and 16, trooped up to Roshni's house and urged
her grandparents to stop the impending wedding. Others, including village elders and
teachers, joined in. The wedding was stopped. She had discovered a way out of the
quagmire with the help of a local NGO and the village children.
3. When she was in class XII, the pressure to get married returned. This time her uncle
found a match for her. When she resisted, she was taunted, and beaten. People would
point to her as the girl who brought shame to her family and asked their children not
to speak to her. “I was 16 years old and alone in the world. I walked to school with my
eyes fixed to the ground. I would think sometimes, what have I done that is so terrible
for everyone to hate me so much? to sleep,” recalls Roshni, who lost her father when
she was two and had been abandoned by her mother shortly after. But even in those
dark moments, Roshni didn't give up, moving out of the village to Peeplu tehsil in
Rajasthan where she rented a room and attended college.

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4. With education and independence came a sense of confidence. “I kept in touch with
the children in the village. Every time there was a child marriage, they would call me
and I would go to stop it. I realized I had already been thrown out of the village, the
worst had already happened, what else could the villagers do? So I went and fought
with everyone who was getting their child married,” she says with a laugh. So far she
has stopped over a dozen marriages.
5. Even without the support of the law, young girls have been crusading against the
practice. Earlier this month, 19-year-old Sushila Bishnoi from Barmer succeeded in
getting her marriage annulled, submitting photographs and congratulatory messages
from her husband's Facebook account to the court. The court accepted these as
evidence that the union took place when oth bride and groom were 12 years old, and
declared the marriage invalid.
6. Seema Bairwal (name changed) was 15 when she was married to a man a few years
older. Later when she started attending ‘bal samooh' meetings with NGO Shiv Shiksha
Samiti and Save the Children, it dawned on her that she had a choice. "I learnt that my
life is mine. I have the power to say no to marriage.
1.1 On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions by choosing
the best of the given choices.
a. The brides mentioned in the passage are rebels against ………………….
i. the dowry system
ii. child marriage
iii. purdah system
iv. arranged marriages
b. When Roshni was twelve years old, she succeeded in her mission with the help of
...................
i. 20 children aged between eight and sixteen
ii. her grandparents
iii. 20 children, her grandparents, village elders and teachers
iv. children and an NGO
c. When she was sixteen the people of the village .........
i. taunted her and beat her up
ii. boycotted her
iii. were angry with her

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iv. were sympathetic and understanding

d. Roshni moved out of the village in order to
i. seek a job
ii. escape the villagers
iii. attend college
iv. marry a boy of her choice
e. "Give up' in para 3 means ………………
i. stop attending classes
ii. stop doing something
iii. very eager
iv. voluntary help
f. 'Annulled in para 5 means ................
i. To state officially that something is not legally valid
ii. Help somebody
iii. impending doom
iv. social works
1.2 Answer the following.
a. The children, all aged between eight and 16, trapped to ................ and urged her
grandparents to stop the impending wedding.
b. Roshni lost her father when she was only ........................ years old.
c. Education and independence made Roshni confident. [True/False]
d. “Bal Samooh' meetings with NGO Shiv Shiksha Samiti and 'Save the Children’
encouraged child marriage. [True/False)
1.3 Find words/expressions from the passage that have a meaning similar to the following.
a. about to happen soon (paragraph 2)
b. realised (paragraph 6)
Answer
1.1
(a) (ii) child marriage
(b) (ii) 20 children, her grandparents, village elders and teachers.

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(c) (i) taunted her and beat her up

(d) (iii) attend college
(e) (ii) stop doing something
(f) (i) To state officially that something is not legally valid
1.2
(a) Roshni's house
(b) two
(c) True
(d) False
1.3
(a) impending
(b) dawned upon her
Sample - 2
The problem of unemployment is a serious problem in our country. If millions of people are
without any jobs, its effect is very bad. A man without any employment is a burden on others.
If he has got to maintain a family, the situation is worse. Such unemployed persons are
reduced to poverty. It demoralises them and they are forced to do undesirable things. They
may commit crimes. They may create trouble and spread discontent. In fact, they are a source
of danger to society and the state.
The causes of unemployment are mainly the rapid growth of population, the prevailing
system and underdevelopment of industry and trade. The population of India is growing very
rapidly. It is very difficult to get jobs for all who are in need of it. The British Government had
introduced a system of education in this country for carrying on administration only. It is
being continued in free India also with very slight changes. The system of education prepares
most young men to be clerks. But neither the Government nor private firms can absorb all
the educated unemployed persons in their offices for clerical work. Industry and trade have
not yet properly developed.
Cottage industries in the villages have been ruined owing to the establishment of large mills
and factories in towns. Consequently, many artisans have been thrown out of employment.
There has been great pressure on agricultural land because of the growth of population;
consequently, many cultivators have got no land for cultivation. All these are mainly
responsible for this acute problem of unemployment.
The acute problem of unemployment is a cause of unrest in the country. So the Government
is seriously thinking over the matter and trying to find out a remedy. The remedy is to find

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work for the people. The Government had earlier undertaken five-year plans for the material
prosperity of the country. For carrying out these plans many mills and factories had been set
up both by the Government and by industrialists. Many new offices had been started. Many
educated young men were absorbed in offices as clerks and in mills and factories as skilled
workers. Uneducated and unskilled men were being absorbed in mills and factories as
labourers. But these measures have been proved inadequate.
Our government is now encouraging the revival of cottage industries in the villages. This will
help many villagers to earn a living. Our Government is also trying to develop agriculture. But
as yet, it has not been able to cope with the situation fully. The number of unemployed
persons is increasing. So our Government should allow establishment of a large number of
large and small technical and vocational institutions in the country. Only a limited number of
bright young men should try to get higher education in the universities. Most young men try
to enter technical or vocational institutions. After coming out of these, they may find jobs in
factories and commercial firms. For this, of course, more factories must be set up throughout
the country. Unskilled labourers should be taught various traits in technical institutes. They
may find jobs in factories as skilled labourers. They may also set up cottage industries in their
villages. Government will have to help them with loans to start their work. It is heartening to
find that our Government has already taken some steps in this direction. Nationalised banks
are now giving lump sum loans to intending young persons under self employment schemes.
QUESTIONS
a. On the basis of your reading of the above passage make notes on it using headings and
sub-headings. Use recognisable abbreviations wherever necessary. Supply an
appropriate title to it.
b. Write a summary of the above passage in 80-100 words.
Answer:
(a) Title Unemployment: A Serious Problem
Notes
1. Consequence of Unemployment
a) Poverty
b) low morale
c) high crime rate
d) discontent
2. Causes of Unemployment
a) rapid growth of ppltn

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b)
c) plan
d) prevailing system of edu
• prepares young people to be clerks
e) underdevelopment of industry & trade
3. Remedy: Role of Government
a) follow up 5-yr plans
• set up many factories
• create more job opportunities
b) allow vocational & technical institutions to open
c) help unskilled to become skilled
d) revive cottage industries
e) give loans for self-employment
Key to Abbreviations

Abbreviations Words

ppltn Population

edu Education

indty Industry

yr Year

& And

optnts Opportunities

(b) Summary
The consequences of unemployment, a serious problem in India, are poverty, low morale,
high crime rate and discontent in the population. The causes of unemployment are rapid

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growth of population, the prevailing system of education which prepares young people to be
clerks, and underdevelopment of industry and trade. The remedy is that the role of
Government should change: it should follow up the 5-yr plans by setting up many factories
to create more job opportunities. It should allow vocational and technical institutions to open
to help the unskilled become skilled. Government should revive cottage industries by giving
loans for self-employment.

Sample - 3
Depression is a common problem of modern times. Both the rich and poor suffer from it.
According to the World Health Organisation, by the year 2020, depression will become the
second leading cause of disease in the world. Many solutions have been prescribed for the
problem of depression but most have proved to be ineffective as a complete cure. They may
offer temporary relief but fail to resolve the problem permanently.
Meditation is often advised to treat this problem of depression. But meditation focuses on
the heart and modern science has established that the heart is merely an organ that pumps
blood, whereas many kinds of depression stem from the mind. It is the mind that controls the
heart and not vice-versa. In many cases, depression is non-physical and the heart is physical.
How can a physical organ resolve a non-physical problem?
We also often hear about physical techniques to counter depression. But the reach of physical
techniques is confined to the body and does not extend to the mind.
Many kinds of depression are the result of non-acceptance of reality. The real solution to this
problem is the acceptance of reality. While non-acceptance creates the problem, acceptance
of reality will solve it.
Our world is one of freedom, competition, challenge and clash of interests. This nature of
human life is bound to create problems. No one is exempt from this process. This being so,
to de-stress, learn the art of stress management rather than trying to eliminate the stress.
A person may become sad upon facing a loss in business or feeling discriminated against at
work. He may give in to anxiety and frustration if he suffers a loss in an election, his love
marriage turns into a problem or if he is offended by criticism. In all such cases, a person
becomes negative because of being unaware of the real cause. He attributes the cause to
another person and holds this person responsible for his difficulties. He fails to realise that
all these are due to the law of nature. If you attribute the cause of the problem to the divine
law of nature, it will arouse no negativity, but when you attribute it to a person, it brings on
negative thinking. This is because the law of nature is not your rival, whereas you see a person
as your competitor. When you attribute the cause of your problem to a rival, it will invariably
arouse negative thoughts and cause anger. But when you attribute the cause to the law of
nature, because it is not your rival and is equal in its treatment of all, it will lead to

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introspection.
When you follow nature-based thinking instead of man-based thinking, you will try to
discover its wisdom and will realise that whatever has happened is for your betterment. It
was to activate your mind and enhance its creativity. It was a means of developing a realistic
approach, fostering incentive, making you realise your mistake and helping you to re-plan
practically.
When this thought comes to you, your mind will automatically change from negative to
positive. You will be grateful towards the law of nature for bestowing this blessing in disguise.
This thought will eliminate your stress and you will be able to live normally. This is a good
way to help de-stress the mind.
QUESTIONS:
a. On the basis of your reading of the above passage make notes on it using headings and
sub-headings. Use recognisable abbreviations wherever necessary. Supply an
appropriate title to it.
b. Write a summary of the above passage in 80-100 words.
Answer:
(a) Title Depression: Accept It, Tackle It
Notes
1. Depression
a) common prblm of modern times
b) acc to WHO, will soon become second leading disease
c) prescribed soln
• offer temporary relief
d) no permanent cure
2. Kinds of Depression and its Cure
a) non-acceptance of reality
• soln - acceptance of reality
b) Clash of interests
• soln - learn stress mgmt
3. Causes of Stress / Depression

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a) atrbt to another person cause of prblm

b) fail to realise law of nature
4. Ways to De-Stress
a) atrbt prblm to the divine law of nature
b) don't atrbt cause of problem to a person
c) follow nature-based thinking
d) this causes realisation that
• whatever hpnd is for betterment
• means of dvipg a realistic approach
• fostering incentive
• helping you to re-plan
• understanding mistake
e) realisation eliminates stress
Key to Abbreviations

Abbreviations Words

prblm Problem

Acc According

WHO World Health Organisation

Soln solution

Mgmt Management

Atrbt Attribute

Hpnd Happened

Dvlpg developing

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(b) Summary
According to the World Health Organisation, depression is expected to become the second
leading cause of disease in the world. Prescribed solutions offer temporary relief but offer no
permanent solution. The cause is non-acceptance of reality or clash of interests.
Solutions are acceptance of reality and learning to manage stress. Stress is caused by
attributing problems to other persons instead of understanding the law of nature. One should
realise that whatever has happened is for the betterment. This enables development of a
realistic approach to the problem and helps in re-planning. This realisation eliminates stress.

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