English - Paragraphs (Set-1)

FRIENDSHIP

The great Roman orator, Cicero, in his celebrated treatise on Friendship, remarks with truth that it
increases happiness and diminishes misery by doubling our joy and dividing our grief. When we do
well, it is delightful to have friends who are so proud of our success that they receive as much pleasure
from it as we do ourselves. For the friendless man the attainment of wealth, power and honour is of
little value. Such possessions contribute to our happiness the most by enabling us to do good to others,
but if all those whom we are able to benefit are strangers we take far less pleasure in our beneficence.
Further, when we do our duty in spite of temptation, the mental satisfaction obtained from the
approval of our conscience is heightened by the praise of our friends. Our amusements have little zest
and soon fall upon us if we engage in them in solitude. Thus in every case our joys are rendered more
intense and more permanent by being shared with friends.

SILENCE IS PRECIOUS

God has given men the power of speech. But God never meant that we should abuse this power.
Everything in the world including our ability to speak should be used with wisdom and judgement. we
should realise that most of the time we talk only nonsense and it is extremely difficult for people to
hear other people talk. The proverb goes, 'If speech is silver, silence is golden'. We should therefore
always remember to use our tongue sparingly. It is an extremely precious quality to know when to
talk, how much to talk and what to talk. Above all, we should know when not to talk, how much to
talk and what to talk. We should also know when not to talk. Too much talking or aimless talks reveals
one's weakness. Silence not only conceals our weakness but also gives us strength. We should observe
silence and be a better listener. We should talk when it is must.

COMPUTER CRIMES

Over the last twenty years, a technological revolution has occurred as computers are now an essential
element of today's society. A large number computers are used to track reservations for the airlines,
process billions of currency for banks, manufacture products for industry, and conduct major
transactions for businesses because more and more people now have computers at home as well as
at the office. At the same time it has been observed that there is surge in crimes involving
computers. People commit computer crimes because of society's declining ethical standards more
than any economic need.Computer crimes are fast and growing because the evolution of technology
is fast, but theevolution of law is slow. While a variety of states have passed legislation relating to
computer crime, the situation is a national problem that requires a national solution. Controls can be
instituted within industries to prevent such crimes. Protection measures such as hardware
identification,access controls software and disconnecting critical bank applications should be
devised.However, computers don't commit crimes; people do. The perpetrator's best advantage is

ignorance on the part of those protecting the system. Proper internal controls reduce the

opportunity for fraud.

No Legislation Can Stop Corruption

But Conscience and High Moral Values
In our country corruption is something we all learn to live with. Corruption is a symptom
of a disease that has its progenitors in form of non-transparency in government
functioning and lack of accountability. Corruption thrives on opacity. Under its umbrella,
billions of rupees get syphoned off before anybody notices anything amiss. Many NGOs
and socialites have been campaigning to bring more transparency and accountability by
improvising legal system and administration. However, the basic fact remains that the
common man cannot shirk responsibility. A common man being the building block of a
society is equally accountable for boosting this monster.

Since Independence, many leaders raised their voices to check the menacing corrupt
practices. New laws were introduced to counter this devil. No doubt the common man
stood behind these mass movements, still corruption spread its tentacles. We can wear
“Gandhian Cap”, hoist flags or perform candle march but all these efforts are showy unless
our conscience is clear. How many of us do not jump red-light traffic signal when there is
no policeman watching us. This small traffic signal test is sufficient to judge our
conscience and respect towards our constitution.

Laws and legislation are for those who respect them; otherwise, they fill the showcases
of advocates in the form of big volumes. One can be punished for his unlawful actions but
can't be executed in any court for sins committed through hearts and minds. Until and
unless we change our attitude, no law or legislation can prevent the corruption. Moral
judgement and conscience is the mother of a corrupt free and progressive society.

Hiding behind computers, running away from society

Technology’s greatest invention is Computers. Computers have had a powerful impact on our
society, both good and bad. People have come a very long way with computers. It is evident
that computers are used in all spheres of life. Whether it railway reservation or computer-
assisted medication or watching a movie on a DVD player, computers are used in one form or
another. However, with everything good that comes, must also come to some harm, and
computers are a prime example of that.

The use of personal computers has given us access to countless source information of
knowledge, but it has made us “too personal”. With internet coming live on a personal
computer, you can chat with your “unknown” friend from the USA for hours. But you don’t have
few minutes to spend with your grandmother sitting next door. Earlier when there was no craze
for personal computers or they were too expensive to buy for personal use, kids used to
interact socially. They used to play, laugh, sing and dance together in the neighbourhood parks
or compounds. Now computers have confined children to the virtual world. Many children
would rather play games on computers than play sports and go outside. This has risen to
obesity among children and often leading to chronic diseases like diabetes, heart problems
etc.

No doubt computers have opened up the whole world in front of us. With a click of a mouse,
you can find information on any topic, city or event. The epitome of information is
overwhelming but unnecessary. Sometimes superfluous information adds anxiety and worry.
Too many hours sitting on computers has made us lazy and lethargic. Personal computers
have inculcated bad habits in children. Playing too many action games has made them
aggressive and violent. Kids are becoming too individualistic and have forgotten the
importance of teamwork. Computers have alienated our society.

In conclusion, I think the personal computer as technology is good for mankind, but it should
be used judiciously. It is in our hands to control are we becoming computer-addicts or not. We
should not forget that human relationships and societies are bonded with love, trust and
friendship; dumb computers cannot take their place. We should remember there is a beautiful,
colourful and vibrant world around us, which is real when we are behind the fake computer
screens.

Danger Of Idleness
Idleness is a great vice and a great danger. It is the father of all evils. There is a proverb
which says that, “An idle man’s brain is the devil’s workshop.” This is very true. Having
nothing to do, the idle man turns his attention to sin. A life of idleness is a life of sin. It brings
with it misery and want. It is the root of all evils.

We sometimes think it would be nice if we had no work to do. We envy the rich who do not
have to work for a living and have holidays from January to December. We wish to be like
them in our life-styles too. But we should realise that if the rich had really been idle they may
not have become rich.

Again, an idle boy grows up to be an idle man. He makes no progress in life. He loses out on
some of the best chances in his life simply because of his idleness. The story of the hare
and the tortoise is to the point. The hare who was proud of his speed was beaten by the
slow-moving tortoise, s!mply because one idled away most of the race sleeping while the
other one kept working hard.

It is improper for a youth to be idle. It eats away all his energies. It is a foolish person who
says, “I have nothing to do.” There are so many things to do in the world. There are so many
problems waiting to be solved. What can be more noble than trying to solve them? People
who do not have to work for their livelihood are less fortunate than those who have to earn
their living. The former will soon become discontented and miserable while the latter will
always enjoy health, peace and happiness. Only an honest worker can enjoy respect and
dignity.