A BAT---AN ELEPHANT---THE DOG-- ARTICLES

By Ranjana S.

Read the following aloud:-

My friend is an artist. After graduating, she took up a job with a company.The job involves traveling to various places. She was progressing well but unfortunately she met with an accident.After the accident she stayed home and took up a course on aesthetics. She is now doing well as an aesthetic designer.

In the above paragraph you saw we used 'A', 'AN' and 'THE' several times.

These are known as articles.

When to use 'a' or 'an' ?

The indefinite articles 'a' and 'an' are used when:

We use singular countable nouns.

Examples- a man, an umbrella, a lorry, a radio, an egg, an octopus, etc.

a men, an umbrellas, a lorries, a radios, an eggs, an octopuses-----INCORRECT

(WHY? ---these are plural nouns)

a sugar, a salt, a water, a sand---INCORRECT

(WHY? ---these are uncountable nouns)

We use the indefinite articles 'a' and 'an' when we are referring to a person, place or thing for the first time.

Example- An ambulance came immediately to take away the injured person.

• I saw a tiger in the forest.
• A huge tent was erected for a circus.
• An elephant can lift a truck with its trunk.
• We know that a, e, I ,o,u are vowels and all other letters of the alphabet are consonants.
• The indefinite article 'a'  is used before all words that begin with consonants.

For example: a cot, a deer, a red dress, a colourful umbrella, a big orange, etc.

Exceptions- use 'an' before silent 'h'.

• An hour, an honorable man, an honest boy, an heir.
• The indefinite article 'an' is used before all words that begin with vowels.

For example: an apple, an egg, an orange, an orbit, an Indian, an inkpot, an Eskimo, an igloo, an uprising,etc.

Exceptions-

When  'u'  makes the same sound as the 'y' in you.

• example: a union, a university, a unicorn, a united country, a used tissue, a US submarine, a usage, a useful item, a European.

When 'o'  makes the same sound as 'w' in won.

• example: a one-legged man, a one- rupee note, a one-eyed giant, a one-way street, a one-way ticket.

 Before individual letters spoken with a vowel sound.

• example: an M.P, an S.P, an M.L.A, an MBA degree( M sounds as 'em' like in the word 'embrace' and S sounds as 'es').

He won the election and went on to become an M.P.

Look at the below sentence:

"He won the election and went on to become a Member of Parliament".

Here the sentence has the same meaning as the previous one, but we use 'a' here since the sound of Member starts with 'm' sound like in the word 'money'.

The definite article 'the' is used when:

To denote a particular person or thing or one already mentioned:

Examples:

• I saw a girl in the garden. The girl was playing with the kitten.
• The chain you gave me is lost.
• I hate the girl.
• We will go to the circus.

When a singular noun represents a whole class:

Examples:

• The King Cobra is extremely poisonous.
• The lion is the king of beasts.
• The cow is a very useful animal.

With superlatives:

Examples:

• She is the best student in my class.
• This is the worst film I have ever seen.
• He is the oldest man in our neighborhood.

With names of rivers, seas, gulfs, group of islands, mountain ranges, canals and Newspapers:

Examples:

• The Ganges, the Black Sea, the Red Sea, the Atlantic ocean, the Indian ocean, the Persian gulf, the West Indies, the Alps, the Himalayas, the Suez Canal.
• The Hindu, The Times of India, The Indian Express etc.

Before a proper noun only when it is qualified by a more or less permanent adjective:

Examples:

• The great Caesar, the immortal Shakespeare, the calm and composed Sachin Tendulkar, the late Mr.Gupta, the lovely Merlin Monroe.

Before names of certain books.

Examples:

• The Ramayana, the Bible, the Quran, the Puranas etc.

With nouns that are unique:

Examples:

• The earth, the sun, the moon, the sky, the equator, the galaxy etc.

With nouns of musical instruments:

Examples:

• The violin, the flute, the piano etc.

With adjectives representing a class of person:

Examples:

• The old, the poor, the rich, the weak, the strong etc.

 As an adverb with comparitives:

Examples:

• The more the better, the nearer the bone the sweeter the meat.

With ordinals:

Examples:

• Armstrong was the first man to land on the moon.
• The fifth chapter of the book is very interesting.
• All the students of sixth grade were absent.

With a very few names of countries, which include words like Republic and Kingdom:

Examples:

• The Irish Republic, the United Kingdom
• We also say 'the Ukraine', 'the Netherlands'.

With the names of ships, aeroplanes and famous buildings:

Examples:

• The Titanic, the Vikrant, the Red Fort, the Tajmahal

With the names of important events that took place in history:

Examples:

• The Reformation, the Mutiny, the French Revolution, the Jallian Wala Bagh, etc.

In place of possessive adjective before the names of parts of the body :

Example:

• He struck the child on the head.(not his)

Before the name of a nation and sometimes before the name of a community or a class of people:

Examples:

• The French, the English, the Hindus, the Sikhs.

Before the names of directions when such nouns are preceded by prepositions (to, in, on, at, etc.); as, the north, the south, the east, the west.

Example:

• The ship sailed to the north.

Before an adjective to denote an abstract quality; as,

Examples:

• We should always love the beautiful.
• We should revere the intelligent.

To make Proper Noun Common; as,

Examples:

• Kalidas is the Shakespeare of India.
• Mumbai is the London of the East.

Before a common noun to give it the meaning of an Abstract Noun; as,

Example:

• At last the mother (the motherly love) in her was stirred.

Before fixed phrases:

Examples:

• On the one hand; on the other hand; on the defensive;in the long run; on the march; in the way; in the wrong; in the way; all the same; all the more ; to the utmost; to the contrary; on the way.
• A perseverant person is sure to reach his/her goals in the long run.

Before a noun when special emphasis is needed; as,

Examples:

• Now is the time to rise.
• He is the authority on Leadership.
• This is just the thing I wanted.

Before an adjective in the Comparative degree, when not more than two persons or things are being compared; as,

Example:

• Peter is wiser of the two.

With the names of things typical of their class; as,

Example:

• The pen is mightier than the sword.

Before 'same' and after 'both', 'all' and 'half' ; as,

Examples:

• This is the same book I was talking about.
• Both the students belong to the same class.
• All the students know this.
• Half the apples are rotten.

In the next session we will learn about "Omission of the article" and "Repetition of the article".

Happy Learning!! :)

Was Adolf Hitler's real name Shiklgrubbr? Did he spent part of his life as a house painter?

By Ranjana S.

As a young man Hitler was profoundly embittered by his failure to impress the art world with his talent. But, could his critics have been wrong?

A renowned artist a decade back, was asked to assess his work without divulging the information, that the Houses of Parliament and City Hall, Vienna, was painted by Adolf Hitler. The artist commented:" This seems to be a work by a young man who is not sure about his style, but the artist has shown promise in the areas of perspective, composition, handling of light and the technique of drawing. This budding artist must be encouraged to hone up his skills. I would want to employ him." Unfortunately, if the judges at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts, had reached the same conclusion, and Hitler had become an art student, his talent would not have been nipped in the bud, and the history of the 20th century might have been different.

It has been debated time and again that the 'Fuhrer of the Third Reich' once made his living by painting houses, and his real name was the less dignified Shicklgrubber.

However, the fact is that Hitler was born at Braunau am Inn, Austria, on April 20, 1889. Alois Hitler, a custom official and mother Klara were his parents. Hitler's father began his life as Alois Shicklgruber. He was born out of wedlock, to Johann Hiedler and Anna Shicklgrubber,in 1824. They later married, but Alois was not legitimised by his father until 1876. By that time, Johann had already altered the spelling of his name to Hitler, so Alois Shicklgruber became Alois Hitler long before his son , Adolf, was born.

The Nazi leader never called himself Shicklgruber, but his opponents in Germany and Austria revived this name in the 1930's.

The house painter theory has also been refuted. The young Hitler wanted to be a renowned artist, the only deterrence was that he failed to impress the establishment of the Academy of Fine Arts at Vienna. They had rejected his drawings owing to bad quality.

He had left high school without a diploma, and headed to Vienna without impressive prospects. It was during this obscure period of his life that Hitler painted houses- but not as a decorater. He painted them on postcards, which he sold to sustain a meagre living.

Gobbledygook elucidates us on NOUNS....Let's hear from him....

Powered by Eezee English Zone.

I see stars twinkling in the sky,

Birds chirping, fluttering wings and soaring high,

Flowers in the meadow bloom in full profusion,

Cows, bulls, sheep and goats create a lot of confusion.

Mike on his bicycle is heading home,

All day, in the town of Pharaohs he roamed.

NOUNS

A noun is a word which names a person, place, animal, quality, feelings or anything that we can think of.

Gobbledygook tells us to take a note of the following:-

“ The word 'thing' includes all the things that we can perceive by our senses- that we can hear, see, touch, taste and smell and also the things that we can think of like beauty, honesty, bravery, truth, sleep, birth, death, etc."

We can classify nouns into five kinds- Proper Nouns, Common Nouns, Collective Nouns, Abstract Nouns and Material Nouns.

Proper Noun: - Nouns denoting a particular person, place or thing e.g., Patrika, James, Mumbai, Italy, the Indus, the Ganges.

Common Noun:- Nouns denoting a class of objects, e.g., desk, table, room, chair, boy, man, lion, etc.

Collective Noun: - Nouns denoting several persons or things regarded as a single group, e.g., jury, class, committee, army, herd, bunch, fleet, flight, etc.

Abstract Noun:- Nouns denoting a quality, action or state--something which we cannot see, touch, etc. e.g., honesty, loyalty, truth, goodness, laughter, sleep.

Material Noun:- Nouns denoting a substance of which things are made, e.g., gold, copper, mud, paper, silk, rice.

Formation of Abstract Nouns:

Abstract Nouns can be formed:

From adjectives:-

• Brave -bravery.
• High - height.

From verbs:-

• Know-knowledge                   
• Judge-Judgement

From common nouns:-

• Child-children                        
• Slave-slavery

There are certain ways to form abstract nouns:-

Some Abstract Nouns are formed by adding -tion.

• Act-action                      
• Attract-attraction  
• Invent-invention          
• Imagine-imagination
• Perfect-perfection         
• Invite-invitation
• Educate-education
• Protect-protection
• Introduce-introduction
• Repeat-repetition 

Some Abstract Nouns are formed by adding-ment.

• Amaze- amazement
• Pay-payment
• Treat-treatment
• Punish-punishment
• Move-movement
• Appoint-appointment

Some Abstract nouns are formed by adding-ity

• Real-reality
• Stupid-stupidity
• Timid-timidity
• Moral-morality
• Curious-curiosity (the spelling changes)
• Generous-generosity (the spelling changes)
• Active-activity (the spelling changes)
• Stable -stability (the spelling changes)
• Noble -nobility (the spelling changes)
• Creative-creativity (the spelling changes)

Some words change totally when they are used as abstract nouns. Some of these words are:-

• Think- thought  
• Fly-flight           
• Sit-seat
• Long-length        
• Do-deed            
• Feed-food
• Proud-pride       
• Hear-hearing 
• See -sight
• Speak-speech    
• Hot-heat             
• Lose-loss

Look at these sentences. Read them aloud:-

• Thomas Alva Edison's invention changed the whole world.
• The teacher asked us to measure the length, width and the height of the table.
• The student's curiosity amazed the teacher.
• As a punishment for copying, the students had to clean the school.
• We have to face the reality that stability in life comes when we learn and grow in life.
• Use your imagination and give me an interesting introduction to the chapter.
• Please have a seat and tell me about the treatment that the doctor suggested.
• The heat generated by steam is used to run the machine.
• The activity conducted by our educator was very interesting.

GOBBLEDYGOOK says......practise well...Happy Noun-ing!!! :-)

DID THEY GET IT WRONG? ---Julius Caesar's dying words were “ET TU, BRUTE"

By Ranjana S

The phrase "Et tu, Brute( you too Brutus)" has become as universal a response to betrayal and treachery as referring to the 30 pieces of silver collected by Judas for betraying Caesar. Shakespeare penned down these words in the assassination scene of Julius Caesar, and cast an indelible mark on the minds of the future generations.

However, there isn't any recorded evidence that Caesar spoke these words. The Roman historian Suetonius elucidated: "Caesar did not speak a single word after Casca's blow had drawn a groan from him." He added, "Some say, when he saw Brutus approaching to deliver a second blow, he reproached him in Greek with- “You too, my son?"

The whole scene of Julius Caesar's assassination poses a problem for historians. It is said that there had been many uncanny warnings of the impending doom.

The most talked about omen was that the herd of horses which Caesar had dedicated to the River Rubicon were crying copiously and refrained from eating.

A wren flew into the Pompeian Assembly Room carrying a sprig of laurel, followed by a swarm of other birds that pecked it to death.

The soothsayer Spurinna had announced the caveat “Ides of March".

Even Caesar had prophetic dreams and on the doomsday a well-wisher had handed over to him a written account of the conspiracy as he was walking down the senate.


Romans were staunch believers of omens, so why Caesar did not take heed of them? Was he in poor health and worn out, after accomplishing all feats and success one can think of, so that he longed for death? Did he think he was an immortal God? Or he trusted in the Senate's loyalty blindly to the extent that he ignored all portents? These questions are intriguing and difficult to answer. However, Suetoni believed that Rome's greatest ruler actually welcomed the manner of his death. He quoted Caesar as once saying about dying: "Let it come swiftly and unexpectedly".

Confusing 3---Abjure, adjure and conjure

By Ranjana S

Abjure

Abjure comes via Middle English and Old French from Latin abjurare, ' to deny on oath'. To abjure means ‘to refrain from or abstain from or repudiate or to renounce or give up or reject, as if under oath. He has a history of taking drugs, but is reformed and now abjures taking them. Here the act is directed to oneself.

Adjure

Adjure comes via Middle English from Latin adjurare, 'to swear'.It carries the same sense of abjure-as if under oath', but in this case the act is directed towards something or someone else rather than away from oneself. To adjure means ' to entreat or command earnestly, as if under an oath.' The other words for adjure are beg,entreat, implore.

‘The loving wife adjured her husband to keep his spirits high.'

Conjure 

Conjure comes from the Old and Middle English from Medieval Latin conjurare, 'to invoke with incantations or oaths' to swear together, conspire'. To conjure can mean' to call upon or entreat solemnly, especially by oath' which almost means adjure. The difference is that conjuration of someone carries the implication of 'conspiracy'.

He conjured his friend to join him to vote out the reformers.

Conjure also means to call upon a devil or evil spirit by magic or incantation.'

There are extended meanings of the verb : conjure- 'to perform magic tricks' and 'to cause or effect as if by magic'. The arguments seemed endless until the CEO arrived and conjured all the problems.

The phrase 'to conjure up' means, to bring to pass or to bring to existence, as if by magic'-- Samantha conjured up a dinner at an hour's notice- or to evoke:

The President 's speech conjured up an utopia of freedom, justice, and equality.

FEW, A FEW...

By Ranjana S

FEW

suggests "a small number opposed to many."

A FEW---suggests "a small number opposed to none."

When your expectation or norm is a large number, use few to denote a contrast.

ex- We hired a big bus, but few passengers turned up.

When your expectation or norm is a smaller number or zero, then use a few to denote a contrast.

ex- We didn't expect people at the concert, but a few did turn up.

If you use the phrases "only a few" and "just a few" they denote few and NOT a few.

LITTLE, A LITTLE

They hold the similar distinction.

LITTLE---He drinks little milk.

A LITTLE---Try a little wine and you'll feel energized.

"a good few" and "quite a few" may be phrases seeming to be odd but are established idioms.

"comparatively few" or "a comparative few" can be used.

We CANNOT use "a comparatively few" of them attended the seminar, though it is widely used.

Few and fewer are often used to qualify the noun number or numbers which is inappropriate owing to the fact that few already contains the idea of a number.

• Prospective contenders for the job have been discouraged, and are applying in fewer numbers than in previous years. ---INCORRECT
• The number of mosquitoes is relatively few this season. ----INCORRECT

Numbers can be low or small, not few.

However, the phrase few in number, is a long established idiom and acceptable.

This year's contenders for the job are relatively few in number.

The Simple Present Tense

By Ranjana S

The Simple Present Tense

Form-Subject+ Verb in the present+ (rest of the sentence)

e.g.

He +plays+ cricket.
We +get up+ every day at 7o'clock.
The girl+ dances+ well.

Kindly bear in mind:

In Simple Present Tense when the subject is singular, always add the letter "S" or "ES" to the verb root.

• The girl sings.
• He drinks.
• It sleeps.

Kindly note that the first. Person "I" and the second person "You" are treated as Plural.

When to use Simple Present Tense:

To express a habitual action:

e.g.

• I go to gym every day.
• The business woman reads the newspaper every day.
• We go to the mall every week.

To express a truth which is universal:

e.g.

• The sun rises in the east.
• The earth revolves around the sun.
• Light is faster than sound.

For dramatic narratives (the special usage for a touching effect is called the Historic Present)

e.g.

• It is midnight, and the fourteenth of August 1947 gives way to the fifteenth and India is a free country.
• Neil Armstrong walks on the moon and he knows he has accomplished a feat

To express a planned series of actions in the future.

e.g.

• The President arrives at 11 a.m tomorrow.
• The team members meet at 10 a.m. and then leave for Denmark 4 p.m. tomorrow. 

In exclamatory sentences beginning with "Here" and "There" to express what is actually taking place at the moment.

e.g.

• Here comes the Princess!
• There it goes! 

To introduce quotations:

e.g.

• Peter says, "Money is what money does."
• Maria quoted, "Perseverance is one's best friend."

In commentaries on sporting events:

e.g.

• Maradona defends himself, passes it conveniently, gets it   defends himself, passes it conveniently, gets it and kicks.
• Ah! What a goal.

Discrimination of words similar in sound.....Part-2

By Ranjana S.

1. Leather: Items made of leather are costly.(tanned hide of animals)
2. Lather: Good soaps give a lot of lather.(foam)
3. Led: The guide led us to the mansion.(show the way)past and past participle of lead(pronunciation-leed)
4. Led: light emitting diode, a semiconductor diode which glows when a voltage is applied.
5. Lead :a heavy bluish-grey metallic element.
6. Latter: My mother offered me mangoes and apples, but I preferred the latter.
7. Later: We reached later at the party than the girls.
8. Lesson: I liked yesterday's Chemistry lesson plan very much.
9. Lessen: The medicine is sure to lessen(abate) your pain.(make less severe)
10. Licence(n): He will be handed over the licence next month.(permission from authority)
11. License(v): Robert has been licensed to deal in ammunition.(permitted)
12. Lightning: The flashes of lightning scared the stuffing out of my kids.(electric discharge in clouds)
13. Lightening: By lightening the burden of the team he earned a lot of accolades.(making light or less heavy)
14. Lighting: The bride is lighting a lamp.(kindling)
15. Late: We returned home late at night.
16. Lately: The Principal completed her post graduation largely.(recently)
17. Loath(Loth)(adv): My mother is loath to go to the party.(unwilling)
18. Loathe: I loathe the bad habit of procrastination of things in me.(despise, hate,abhor,dislike)
19. Loose: My friends prefer wearing loose attires.(not tight)
20. Lose: You should be tenacious, don't lose your temper at trivial issues.
21. Low: She is so softspoken, she always speaks in a low voice.
22. Lowly: Those who are lowly are loved by the Almighty.(humble)
23. Mail: There was not much mail yesterday.(letters, parcels etc.sent by post)
24. Male: All male members of the house went for pilgrimage.
25. Main:The army men were deployed at the main gate of the palace.
26. Mane: The mane of the lion was covered with blood.(long hair on the neck of an animal)
27. Mantel: Kindly put this picture on the mantel-shelf.(shelf above the fireplace)
28. Mantle: He wrapped his beloved in his mantle to protect her from the cold.(cloak)
29. Mental: Please stay clam, mental worry is detrimental for your health.(of the mind)
30. Marry: He will marry late as he wants to devote all his time towards making a successful career.(wed)
31. Merry: Let go of all worries and make merry.(enjoy ourselves)
32. Mean: I always mean good for you.(intend)
33. Means: The improvished family have few means to make a living.(resources)
34. Mien: We were impressed to see the mien of the young crowd.(look or bearing)
35. Medal: My daughter won a medal in the race.
36. Meddle: I don't appreciate anyone meddling with my affairs.(interfere)
37. Memorable: It is a memorable day in the history of the organization.(worthy to be remembered)
38. Memorial: The city witnesses thousands of tourists coming to the city to see the renowned "Barge memorial."(statue)
39. Metal : Gold is a precious metal.
40. Mettle: This endeavor is going to test your mettle.(fortitude,courage)
41. Minor: We indulge more in minor matters and thus lose our precious time.(small, of no consequence)
42. Miner: The job of a miner is very risky.(person working in a mine)
43. Naughty: My kids are very naughty.(mischievous)
44. Knotty: The professor set a very knotty Math problem for the pupils.(difficult)
45. Pair: He lost his pair of shoes.
46. Pare: If you want I should pare the sheets, give me a sharp knife.(to trim)
47. Pear: All of us like pears so much.(fruit)
48. Patrol: The police patrol at night nabbed the robbers.
49. Petrol: Automobiles need petrol as a fuel to run.
50. Peace: All of us envision a world of peace sans violence and hatred.
51. Piece: The landlord confiscated the peasant's piece of land.
52. Plane: I requested the carpenter to plane the piece of wood.(smooth)
53. Plain: The Indo-Gangetic plain is very fertile.
54. The girl next door is very plain hearted.
55. Jennifer is plain in looks.
56. Plan: The team executed the leader's plan with aplomb.
57. Pour: Please pour some water into the tumbler.
58. Pore: Perspiration comes out of our pores.(holes)
59. Practice(n): Practice makes a man perfect.(repetition)
60. Practise(v): We should practise what we preach.(do,act upon)
61. Prey: His immunity level is very low,because of which, he fell prey to malaria.
62. Tigers prey upon stags.(hunt and kill)
63. Pray: The lady prayed fervently to grant health to her ailing son.
64. Preposition: Let us recapitulate all the prepositions in grammar.(part of speech)
65. Preposition: The proposition to be discussed is "Honesty is the best policy."(subject for debate)
66. Price: The price of the book is mentioned at its back cover.
67. Prize: The prize distribution ceremony is scheduled to take place tomorrow.
68. Profit: I am expecting some profit from our new enterprise.(gain)
69. Prophet: A prophet is seldom honored in his own country.
70. Prophecy(n): Your prophecy about the defeat of the opponent has come true.(foretelling)
71. Prophesy(v): He prophesied the fall of the Mughals.(foretold)
72. Quire:I bought three quires of paper.( A quire consists of 24 sheets of paper.)
73. Coir: The heartwarming and melodious song was sung by the Bongo choir.(body of singers)
74. My mother bought 20 metres of coir matting.(coconut fibres)
75. Quiet: Students, you'll need to be quiet for some time.(silent)
76. Quite: You seem to be quite well after recuperating from illness.(altogether)
77. Rain: Yesterday the city witnessed incessant rain.
78. Reign: During the king's reign the subjects enjoyed freedom.
79. Rein: The rider held the reins of the horse in his hands.
80. Recover:He has recovered or recouped all his losses.(regained)
81. Re-cover:The room's floor should be re-covered with a layer of plaster.
82. Redress: The father's grievances are still to be redressed.(set right)
83. Re-dress:The doctor instructed the nurse to re-dress the wound of the patient.(dressed again)
84. Remark: The demeaning remark made by the President of the company sparked a row.(commented)
85. Re-mark: The teacher will re-mark the paper.(mark again)
86. Reck: I think he will not reck about what's troubling her.(care,heed)
87. Wreck: The boat got wrecked in the open sea and was capsized.(destroyed)
88. Wreak: The innocent worker who was falsely implicated in the case has pledged to wreak vengeance on his foes.
89. Residents: The residents of this place are warm hearted people.
90. Residence: We will all meet at your residence.(dwelling)
91. Ring: Ring the bell, please.(sound)
92. Wring: Wring the wet clothes to drive out water.
93. Rite: The son performed the funeral rites of his father.(ceremonies)
94. Right: All your answers are right.(correct)
95. Wright: Shakespeare was a playwright.(maker, worker)
96. Write: I will write a letter to you.
97. Route: The land route is safer of the two.
98. Root: We have to get to the root of the problem.
99. The roots of this tree have gone deep into the earth.
100. Rout: The opponents were put to rout.(utterly defeated)

Part....3 will be shared shortly.

JUMBO----JUMBO JET....JUMBO ICE-CREAM....WHAT'S IN THIS WORD......WHAT'S THE HISTORY BEHIND THIS WORD........READ ON.......

By Ranjana S.

Ranging from a jumbo jet to a jumbo ice-cream, the informal term jumbo in recent times is used to express anything uncharacteristically mammoth in size. The word drew its inception in English,as a name to refer to an elephant in the same way that Polly refers to a parrot.

The original Jumbo was a mammoth African elephant, popular with kids, that was caged in a London zoo a century ago, and then was shipped to America by the renowned circus-owner and showman Phineas T.Barnum.

The question arises, why was “Jumbo the elephant" called Jumbo in the first place? This will be difficult to answer. He was transported to England at the age of four from the zoo in Paris, bartering a rhinoceros. He was born in the wilderness of Africa rather than in the captivity in France. However, where was he christened "Jumbo"....in Africa, France, or England?

According to a recent biography of Jumbo, he was named by the superintendent of the London zoo, Abraham Deo Barlett: the theory says he simply took the second element of the African term Mumbo-Jumbo-the first element, Mumbo, he gave as a name to a gorilla in the zoo.

In English Mumbo-Jumbo refers to "nonsense", or an irrelevant and incomprehensible explanations, drawing on senses related to African pagan religion, referred to witchdoctors, or an idol. The jumbo-elephant may have come from a West African word for a "God" or a "spirit", nzambi or zumbi, also the origin of the word zombie.

Discrimination of Words Similar in Sound.....Part---1

By Rnjana S.

A-I words

1. Accept---The board accepted my proposal. (Took willingly) Except---All except Archie were present there. (Not including)
2. Allowed---The ailing employee was allowed to take leave. (Permitted)Aloud---Please air your views aloud. (Loudly)
3. Advice (n) ---We have benefited by your enlightening advice. (Counsel)Advise (v) ---He advised me to stop all dealings with him.
4. Access---We had no access to the documents. (Approach)Excess---She has money in excess. (More than what is needed)
5. All together---All of them together raised an objection against the alliance.(unanimously, all in one voice)Altogether---The fever has disappeared altogether. (Entirely)
6. Alter---Nothing under the sun can alter his decision. (Change)Altar---The priest bowed in reverence before the altar. (Holy table in a religious place)
7. All ready---I am all ready for participating in the event. (Quite prepared)Already---I have already performed the task. (Before now)
8. Angle---Find the angles of the triangle.Angel--- Angels are heavenly beings.
9. Ascent---It is a steep ascent from my home to the church. (Going up, upward road)Assent---The Director has refused to give his assent to the proposal. (Sanction)
10. Assay---Many explorers have assayed to climb Mount Everest and have been triumphant. (Attempted)Essay---The pupil wrote a good essay on 'Life as a vagabond.' (Write up a composition)
11. Bare---Peter was flogged on his bare skin. (Uncovered)Bear (n) ---The children got flabbergasted after seeing the bear dance. (A wild animal)Bear (v) ---The patient was unable to bear the excruciating pain in his knees. (Tolerate)
12. Bail--- The accused was released on bail. (Security)Bale---I saw the ten bales of cotton lying on the floor. (Bundles)
13. Berth---I have got 5 berths reserved for us. (Sleeping place in a train or aboard a ship)Birth---Kindly accept my hearty congratulations on the birth of your son. (To be born)
14. Blew---The guard blew the whistle and the train steamed off.Blue---The SGI flag contains red, yellow and blue colors. (Color)
15. Bore---The audience were bored with his speech. (Weary of)Boar---A boar is a wild animal.
16. Born--- The child was born in a small cottage near the river. (Given birth to by his mother)Borne--- The old lady has borne many hardships. (Endured)
17. Brake---The brake of his car is out of order.Break---I am unable to break the stick into two.
18. Bridal---I could not attend his bridal feast. (Relating to wedding)Bridle---The horse broke the bridle and galloping headed to the woods. (Head-harness for horse)
19. Canvass---The candidate is canvassing for votes in our area. (Trying to secure)Canvas---I have lost my canvas shoes. (A rough cloth)
20. Canon---We should refrain from acting against the canons of morality. (Rules, laws)Cannon---There were cannons to their right as well as left. (Huge guns)
21. Caste---Love for mankind should rise above all castes and creed.Cast---Casting a glance at her beloved, she shed a few tears.The snake casts its slough once in a year.
22. Cattle---The cattle are grazing in the field.Kettle---The kettle has been placed on the serving table.
23. Cession---Pakistan demands the cession of a part of Indian territory.(giving up)Session--- The training session would begin at 2 p.m.
24. Check---The accountant checked the company's account with precision.(examined)Cheque---I have to get my cheque cashed. (Written order to a bank to pay money)
25. Cord--- The peasant bound the bundles of hay with a cord. (Rope)Chord--- AB is a chord in a circle.
26. Current (n) --- The current of this river is very strong.Current (adj.) ---This fashion is current nowadays.Currant--- Currants are dried grapes.
27. Deadly--- The businessman received a deadly blow in business. (Fatal)Deathly---Though she has recuperated from illness, she still looks deathly pale. (Like death)
28. Deceased--- The deceased person was survived by his wife and three children. (Dead)Diseased---He is always by the bed of his diseased sister. (Sick)
29. Deer---There are many deer in this forest.Dear--- He is very dear to me.
30. Descent--- My friend claims descent from a royal family. (Origin)Decent---She is a very decent woman. (Respectable)Dissent---The board dissented from my opinion. (Differ)
31. Descry---I descried a lamb on a hillock in the distance.(espied, discovered by sight)Decry---His detractors try to decry his worth. (Strongly criticize)
32. Desirable---It is not desirable that students should take part in politics.Desirious--- He is desirious of promotion. (Wishing for)
33. Device (n) ---He thought of a very clever device. (A plan devised, contrivance)Devise (v) ---The scientists devised a method of using water as fuel. (Plan)
34. Differ---I differ with you on this point.Defer--- I cannot defer payment for my clients any longer. (Postpone)
35. Difference---Find out the difference between these two sums.Deference---Reema treats her parents with great deference.(regard)
36. Diary---The student lost his school diary.(a notebook for recording things)Dairy---Johnsons have started their own dairy business downtown. (Where milk, butter, etc. can be had)
37. Doze---The child was so exhausted that he dozed off to sleep.Doze---The patient took the last doze of medicine at 11p.m. (quantity of medicine)
38. Duel---The duel between the two foes lasted for hours. (Combat between two persons)Dual---Fetch me a dual desk from the hall. (Double)
39. Dyeing--- The dyer was dyeing all garments in red. (Coloring)Dying---The victim is losing his consciousness; I think he is dying.
40. Envelop (v) ---The fire soon enveloped the house. (Covered)Envelope (n) ---Put this letter in the envelope. (Covering for a letter)
41. Enviable---Her achievements are enviable. (Fit to be envied)Envious---Her colleagues are envious of her talents. (Feels envy)
42. Extinguish---The firemen extinguished the fire swiftly. (Put out)Distinguish---If you aspire to win this competition, distinguish between these two words. (Find the difference)We all welcomed the distinguished guest in our event. (Famous)
43. Fain---He was fain to help me.(very glad)Feign---The little boy wasn't in a mood to attend school so he feigned illness. (Pretended to have)
44. Faint (adv.)--She has a faint idea of what transpired between the two persons the previous night. (Dim)Feint---All her joyful talk is mere feint. (Pretence)The boxer made a feint to perplex his opponent. (A deceptive movement)
45. Farmer---Farmers are very hard working people.Former---Ricky and Micky are brothers. The former is a dentist and the latter a scientist.
46. Feet---My feet are aching. (Part of the body)Feat---The government felicitated him because of his phenomenal feats in the sport.
47. Fatal---The wound proved fatal for him. (Deadly)Fateful---On that fateful moment of success, he suddenly died. (Charged with fate)
48. Form---Please print this form for me.Farm---Mr.Jacob owns this farm.
49. Gait---He walks with a peculiar gait.(manner of walking)Gate---Please shut the gate.
50. Gamble---He lost his fortune in gamble. (Game of chance)Gambol----I was enamored to see the gambols of the kitten. (Frisking about)
51. Goal---The institution has reached the goal of being known as the best in the country.(aim, end, object)Gaol---The inmates in the gaol tried fleeing. (Jail)
52. Hair---You can't count your hair.Heir---Yesterday the heir was bequeathed the throne. (Pronunciation....air)Hare---He caught the hare. (An animal)
53. Hale---He has recuperated from illness and now is hale and hearty.(healthy)
54. Hail---It hailed last night.The Minister hails from Delhi. (Comes originally from)As she was getting late, she hailed a taxi and went away. (Called)
55. Heel---Your shoes are down at heel.Heal---The wound will take a week to heal.It will take some time to get her broken heart healed.
56. Herd (n) ---A herd of cattle is grazing in the nearby field.Heard (v) ---I heard his footsteps.
57. Hoard--- He was arrested for hoarding black money.Horde ---In ancient times hordes of Tartars attacked China. (Large gangs)
58. Idle---Jemmy is an idle woman. (Lazy)Idol---All the idols look resplendent as they were decorated during the festival.
59. Innocent---The accused was tried in court but was acquitted as he was innocent. (Sinless)
60. Innocuous---People call her a harridan and loud mouthed; in my view she is innocuous (harmless).