Professional Documents
Culture Documents
In either case you will have to comprehend it thoroughly and interpret it correctly. You will have to
read the passage twice or thrice in order to grasp its meaning. The first reading of the passage
will enable you to know its theme; its second reading will enable you to find out the author’s
approach. The third reading will give you the salient points the passage contains.
While reading the passage for the first time, mark all the words and phrases of which the exact
significance is not known to you. Consult a good dictionary to know their meaning. Take note of
all the similes, metaphors, and other figures of speech and find out their significance in the
context.
After having done all this, you will have thorough understanding of the passage. This is
comprehension. You are now in a position to interpret it, i.e. to explain certain points in the
passage by answering given questions.
You may be asked to explain what the author means by a certain sentence. You may be asked to
show its significance in the context. You may be asked to comment on the passage as a whole.
You may be asked to criticise the general argument of the passage, stating whether or not you
agree with the author’s argument and your reasons for doing it. You may be asked to write a note
on the style and character of the author as revealed in the passage. You may be asked to explain
certain words and phrases and to use them in sentences of your own. You may be asked to
explain certain points in the passage. If the passage is one of reasoned argument, you may be
asked to point out flaws, if any, in the argument.
Generally speaking, you are asked to answer questions on the given passage. Your answers
should be clear and concise. Write them in simple, idiomatic English. Never forget that the
answers must be written in your own English. Let your answers be relevant and to the point. Say
just what the question asks and say it in complete sentences.
Read the above passage and answer the following questions in your own words:
Q.1. What is a “classless society” according to the writer of the above passage?
Q.2. Does the write believe that “a community of equals” will refuse to follow a leader?
Q.3. How will different types of people receive the idea of the classless society?
Solution:
Ans.1. A classless society, according to the writer, does not mean a leaderless society or a
society that will reject a leader. It means a society in which everyone will find adequate
opportunities of developing his qualities of leadership to be used for the benefit of society.
Ans.2. The writer does not believe that a community of equals will refuse to follow a leader. The
writer believers, on the contrary, that most men are quite willing to follow their leaders if only they
are assured that they will not become authoritarian and selfish. Indeed, when people are free to
choose their leaders, and are confident of their social commitment, they are likely to give their
leader too much rather than too little authority to lead them. Indeed, in a classless society,
leadership will become truly democratic.
Ans.3. Different types of people will reject the idea of a classless society for different reasons.
Some will reject it as it will go against their vested interests. Since their position is likely to be
affected by it, they will oppose it. Others will think it to be Utopian, unrealistic impracticable, or
unrealizable, because such an idea militates “against human nature” which supports inequality
and difference. They, therefore, do not agree with the view that society should aim at promoting
the greatest happiness and welfare of the greatest number. Finally, there are those who will reject
the idea of a classless society because their experience has made them cynical in their view of
human beings. With “pessimistic honesty”, that is with honesty and without any hope of
improvement, they believe that most men are unfit for enlightened leadership and that they are fit
only to be driven, or forced to do things.