ENGLISH PRECIS

&
COMPOSITION
LECTURE 2

Prepared By
Syed Salman Haider Gillani
0316-5809809
PRECIS CE-2010
Of all the characteristics of ordinary human nature envy is the most
unfortunate; not only does the envious person wish to inflict misfortune
and do so whenever he can with impunity, but he is also himself rendered
unhappy by envy. Instead of deriving pleasure from what he has, he
derives pain from what others have. If he can, he deprives others of their
advantages, which to him is as desirable as it would be to secure the
same advantages himself. If this passion is allowed to run riot it becomes
fatal to all excellence, and even to the most useful exercise of exceptional
skill. Why should a medical man go to see his patients in a car when the
labourer has to walk to his work? Why should the scientific investigator
be allowed to spend his time in a warm room when others have to face
the inclemency of the elements? Why should a man who possesses some
rare talent of great importance to the world be saved from the drudgery
of his own housework? To such questions envy finds no answer.
Fortunately, however, there is in human nature a compensating passion,
namely that of admiration. Whoever wishes to increase human happiness
must wish to increase admiration and to diminish envy.
What cure is there for envy? For the saint there is the cure of
selflessness, though even in the case of saints envy of other
saints is by no means impossible. But, leaving saints out of
account, the only cure for envy in the case of ordinary men and
women is happiness, and the difficulty is that envy is itself a
terrible obstacle to happiness.
But the envious man may say: ‘What is the good of telling me that
the cure for envy is happiness? I cannot find happiness while I
continue to feel envy, and you tell me that I cannot cease to be
envious until I find happiness.’ But real life is never so logical as
this. Merely to realize the causes of one’s own envious feeling is
to take a long step towards curing them.
 Rough Draft
• Of all the characteristics of ordinary human nature envy is the most unfortunate
envious person wish to inflict misfortune and is also himself rendered unhappy by
envy.
• Instead of deriving pleasure from what he has, he derives pain from what others
have.
• If this passion is allowed to run riot it becomes fatal to all excellence, and even to
the most useful exercise of exceptional skill.
• Fortunately, however, there is in human nature a compensating passion, namely
that of admiration. Whoever wishes to increase human happiness must wish to
increase admiration and to diminish envy.
• What cure is there for envy? For the saint there is the cure of selflessness for
ordinary men and women is happiness, and the difficulty is that envy is itself a
terrible obstacle to happiness.
• But envious man cannot find happiness while I continue to feel envy to realize the
causes of one’s own envious feeling is to take a long step towards curing them.
 FINAL DRAFT
• Envy is the most undesirable human vice because an envious
person not only tends to harm others but also causes himself
to be unhappy. He is not content with his own possessions
and favours to be jealous of what others have. Envy leads
towards drawing status comparisons and corrupts the skills of
a person. However, an opposite human emotion is admiration
which ends enviousness. One should strive to find the cause
of envy and cure it. Even saints are jealous of each other but
they fine cure in selflessness. For common people the cure is
happiness through admiration.
No.of words in original passage:340
No.of words in the precis made: 105
Suggested Title: ENVY: A DANGEROUS HUMAN VICE.
COMPREHENSION CE-2010
 Question No 1
What made Galileo recant the Truth he
knew?

“The rejection and suppression of scientific

knowledge by Roman Church made Galileo
recant the truth he believed in.”
 Question No 2
What is the heritage being alluded to in the
first paragraph?

The word “Heritage” is being reffered

towards the long accumulated knowledge
and information over a period of centuries.
 Question No 3
What does the ‘betrayal of our trust’ imply?

In view of the author at times the

contemporary culmination of knowledge and
discoveries, which has eased everyday life,
discourages further endeavors. This results
in failing to contribute in existing knowledge
which, in actual, is the betrayal of trust.
 Question No 4
Why do we need to question the old truths
and work for the new ones?

The author suggests to question the old truths

and work for the new ones to make our
present, alongwith the lives for future
generations, more comfortable and worth
living.
 Question No 5
Explain the words or expressions as
highlighted/underlined in the passage.
Inquisition The Roman Church
The planet The world we live in
Falter To hesitate
Cynicism Pessimism, Doubt, Mistrust
Those who are yet to be The future Generations
 Pair of Words 1/12
1) Consciousness: the state of being aware of and responsive to one's
surroundings
Conscientiousness: wishing to do one's work or duty well and thoroughly
2) Ingenious: clever, original, and inventive
Ingenuous: honest innocent or childlike simplicity
3) Fantastic: Extremely good
Fanatical: someone whose admiration for something is considered to be
extreme
4) Honourable: bringing or deserving honour.
Honorary: an honour, without the usual requirements or functions
5) Politician: a member of a government or law-making organization (not
necessary)
Statesman: a skilled, experienced, and respected political leader
 Pair of Words 2/12
6) Grateful: feeling or showing an appreciation for something done or
received, thankful
Gratified: to please someone, or to satisfy a wish or need (usually delayed
/long term)
7) Imaginary: existing only in the imagination
Imaginative: having or showing creativity or inventiveness.
8) Negligent: not being careful or giving enough attention to your
responsibility
Negligible: too slight or small in amount to be of importance
9) Placable: gentle and forgiving
Placeable: capable of being placed and recognized
10) Restive: unwilling to be patient or remain still (Physical)
Restless: anxious, worried or nervous (psychological)
 Pair of Words 3/12
11) Amiable: displaying a friendly and pleasant manner
Amicable: relating to absence of discord.
12) Considerable: large or of noticeable importance
Considerate: kind and helpful
13) Momentary: lasting for a very short time
Momentous: of great importance or significance, especially on future events
14) Virtuous: having good moral qualities and behavior
Virtual: not physically existing as such but made by software to appear to do
so.
15) Compliment: remark that expresses approval, admiration or respect
Complement: to make something else seem better or more attractive when
combining with it
 Pair of Words 4/12
16) Complacent: Satisfied
Complaisant: willing to please others willingly
17) State: refers to the organized political community living under a single
system of government.
Government: the group of people who officially control a country today.
18) Eminent: highly qualified, successful and respected (usually used for
human beings)
Prominent: noticeable and important.
19) Portly: fat and over weight (used for a man)
Comely: attractive in appearance (used for a woman)
20) Setup: the way in which something is set up
Set upon: to attack someone
 Pair of Words 5/12
21) Sink: to go down below the surface of a liquid or soft substance
Drown: to die by being unable to breathe under water
22) Altar: a table or flat-topped block used as the focus for a religious
ritual, especially for making sacrifices 
Alter: to change something
23) Apposite: suitable and right for the occasion
Opposite: completely different
24) Bear: to accept, tolerate or endure especially something unpleasant
Bare: without any clothes or not covered by anything
25) Confident: having confidence
Confidant: a person you trust and share your feelings and secrets with
 Pair of Words 6/12
26) Disease: illness of people, animals, plants, etc.
Decease: a person's death
27) Gate: a part of a fence or outside wall that is fixed at one side and opens and
closes like a door
Gait: a particular way of walking
28) Judicial: involving a court of law
Judicious: having or showing reason and good sense of judgment in making
decisions
29) Yoke: a wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and
attached to the plough or cart that they are to pull
Yolk: the yellow, middle part of an egg
30) Affection: a feeling of liking for a person or place
Affectation: behaviour, speech, or writing that is pretentious and designed to
impress. (that is not sincere)
 Pair of Words 7/12
31) Urban: of or in a city or town
Urbane: confident and sophisticated
32) Official: relating to a position of responsibility
Officious:  self-assertive, overbearing, overzealous, dictatorial, interfering
33) Beside: at the side of, next to
Besides: in addition to; also
34) Casual: describes clothes that are not formal or not suitable for special
occasions
Causal: a relationship, link between two things in which one causes the other
35) Pour: to make a substance flow from a container, especially into another
container
Pore: a very small hole in the skin of people or other animals, or a similar
hole on the surface of plants or rocks
 Pair of Words 8/12
36) Humiliation: to make someone feel ashamed or lose their respect for
themselves
Humility: the quality of not being proud because you are conscious of your bad
qualities
37) Wreck: to destroy or badly damage something
Reek: smell strongly and unpleasantly; stink
38) Temporal: secular, non-spiritual, worldly, rather than spiritual ones
Temporary: not lasting or needed for very long
39) Cession: a ceding or giving up (of rights, property, territory, etc.) to another
Session: a formal meeting or series of meetings of an organization such as a
parliament or a law court
40) Canon: a general law, rule, principle, or criterion by which something is judged.
(also a priest)
Cannon: a large, mounted piece of artillery a large gun
 Pair of Words 9/12
41) Antic: bizarre or strange behavior
Antique: a collectable that has high value because of its age and quality.
42) Illusion: a deceptive appearance or impression, which is not true
Allusion: something that is intended to make you think of a particular
thing or person (serial killer, Romeo)
43) Aspire: to have a strong want or hope to do or have something
Expire: come to the end of the period of validity.
44) Collision: an accident that happens when two vehicles hit each other with
force
Collusion: secret cooperation or deceitful agreement to deceive others
45) Counsel: to give advice, especially on social or personal problems
Council: a group of people elected or chosen to make decisions or give
advice on a particular subject
 Pair of Words 10/12
46) Canvas: a piece of cloth used by artists for painting on, usually with oil paints,
or the painting itself
Canvass: to try to get political support or votes, especially by visiting all the
houses in an area
47) Cast: to choose actors to play particular parts in a play, film or show Caste: a
system of dividing Hindu society into classes, or any of these classes
48) Appraise: to examine someone or something in order to judge their qualities,
success or needs
Apprise: to tell someone about something
49) Berth: a bed in a boat, train, etc., or a place for a ship or boat to stay in a port
Birth: Child’s birth
50) Adapt: to change something to suit different conditions or uses
Adopt: to choose or take as your own
 Pair of Words 11/12
51) Persecute subject to hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of their
race or political or religious beliefs.
Prosecute: to officially accuse someone of committing a crime in a court of law
52) Excite: to make someone have strong feelings of happiness and enthusiasm
Incite: to encourage someone to do or feel something unpleasant or violent
53) Voracity: excessive desire to eat
Veracity: conformity to facts; accuracy.
54) Ardor: great enthusiasm or passion
Order: the way in which people or things are arranged
55) Conquer: to take control or possession of foreign land, or a group of people,
by force
Concur: to agree with someone or have the same opinion as someone else
 Pair of Words 12/12
56) Cite: to mention something as proof for a theory or as a reason
why something has happened
Site: a place where something is, was, or will be will happen
57) Addict: a person who cannot stop doing or using something,
especially something harmful
Edict: an official order by an authority
58) Proceed: to continue as planned
Precede: to be or go before something or someone in time or space
59) Weather: the conditions in the air above the Earth such as wind,
rain or temperature,
Whether: if, or not
THANK YOU!