UNIT-VIII

Human Culture

Working with words

1. Complete the given sentences with the suitable words from the box.

wrapped         embarrassment                     abundance                 ordinary

teetering         outskirts                                 dragging

a.     The annual report has caused acute embarrassment to the government.

b.     Ellen has worn high heels. She is teetering.

c.     Look! The poor horse is dragging a heavy load.

d.     As they approached the outskirts of the city, Ella's mood visibly lightened.

e.     The parcel was wrapped in plain brown paper. It still looks attractive.

f.      Fruits and vegetables grow in abundance in the Terai region.

g.     They can abstract precious medicines from ordinary substances.

2. Word formation is a process in which new words are formed from base or root words by adding prefixes or suffixes. A root word can be a verb, noun, adjective or an adverb. See the following examples.

   Root word	Suffix	New word
   govern (v.) perfect (adj.) service (v.) beauty (n.) warm (adj.)	-ment -ion -able -full -ly	government (n.) perfection (n.) service (v.) beauty (n.) warm (adj.)

3. Add suitable suffix to the root words given and write the parts of speech of each newly formed word.

   Root Word	Suffix	New Word
   Neighbour, comfort, shop, husk, squeamish, change, shine, colloquial, collect, embarrass, persuade, type, differ, ship, tropic, drive, reside, brother, fresh	ment, ly, ion, hood, ness, er, ical, ic, able, y, ive, ence	Neibhbourhood, Comfortable, Shopper, shoppable, Husky, Squeamishness, Changer, changeable, Shiny, Colloquially, Collective, collection, Embarrassment, Persuasive, Typeable, typical, Difference, Shipment, Tropic, Tropical, Driver, Residence, Brotherhood, Freshly, Fresher, Freshness, Freshy

4. Look for the following words related to waste management in an English dictionary. Make sentences of your own using them.

   sewage, sludge, organic waste, inorganic waste, methane, waste reduction, monofil, market waste, incineration, hazardous waste

Sewage:

Meaning:        the waste matter that passes through sewers

Example:        Some cities in the world do not have proper facilities for the disposal of                                     sewage.

Sludge:

Meaning:        wet dirt, or any other thick, wet substance

Example:        The dirty water left a layer of sludge in the bottom of the pail.

Organic waste:

Meaning:     biodegradable, compostable waste from homes, businesses, institutions, and industrial sources. Examples include food scraps, yard and garden trimmings, food-soiled paper products and biosolids.

Example:        We can use organic waste as fertilizer for growing crops.

Inorganic waste:

Meaning:        Waste composed of material other than plant or animal matter, such as sand, dust, glass and many synthetics.

Example:        Inorganic waste is harmful for plants.

Ethane:

Meaning:        a colourless, odourless flammable gaseus alkane obtained from natural gas and petroleum: used as a fuel and in the manufacture of organic chemicals. Formula: C₂ H₆ 

Example:       Our company's power system is based on a mixture of ethane and nitrous            oxide, which is storable and cost-effective.

Waste reduction:

Meaning:        reducing the amount or type of waste generated

Example:        Reusing reusable bottles can be helpful in waste reduction.

Monofil:        

Meaning:        a disposal facility or part of a facility/ landfills that are intended to be used for only one type of waste

Example:        There is always a dispute about using monofil for disposing of the waste             of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City.

            Market waste:

                        Meaning:        waste from marketplaces for vegetables, fruits, meat, and seafood

Example:        Market waste must be properly managed to prevent the creation of health                                     risks.

            Incineration:

Meaning:        the destruction of something, especially waste material, by burning

Example:        Incineration makes a more significant negative contribution to local air quality than landfill

            Hazardous waste:

Meaning:        a waste with properties that make it dangerous or capable of having a harmful effect on human health or the environment

Example:        Hazardous waste must be managed properly; otherwise, it affects our health. 

Comprehension

Answer the following questions.

a.     How does the author describe the Japanese waste management system?

Garbage problems are considered a strain in Japanese families. Therefore, the Japanese waste management system is organized and systematic. According to the author, the residents deposit their household trash at designated areas on the street corners. It is wrapped in neat bundles, which look like gifts, and it disappears at dawn.

b.     What are the two reasons behind the existence of sodaigomi in Japanese culture?

The limited size of the traditional Japanese house, which lacks an attic, cellar, garage, or extra room, as well as the Japanese preference for freshness and purity, are the two reasons for the presence of sodaigomi in Japanese culture.

c.     What, according to the author, do the Japanese feel at the thought of buying second hand items?

According to the author, the Japanese feel embarrassed at the thought of buying second hand items. They consider it like buying someone's socks.

d.     How is Malaysian culture different from Japanese culture concerning the used items?

There is a vast difference between Malaysian and Japanese cultures in terms of used items. No one throws anything away in Malaysia. People auction off second-hand items from frying pans to mosquito nets, while even new used items or goods are not sold in Japan, as it is thought to be like using someone’s socks.

e.     Why did the author feel awkward at the sodaigomi pile?

At the sodaigomi pile, the author noticed a few items that would be useful to him but was hesitant to grab anything because it was not appropriate in Japanese society for him to do so. This made him feel awkward.

f.      How many articles did the author bring to his house one after another?

The author brought many articles to his house, one after another. A chair and a table were the first things he brought to his house from the pile. A shiny bell, an attractive wooden cupboard, a complete set of wrenches and screwdrivers in a toolbox, a bar stool, a tray, a black-and-white TV, etc.

g.     Why do most people try to find things in trash pile ‘in the dead of the night’?

Most people try to find items in the trash pile "in the dead of night" because it is easier for them to pick up useful items without being noticed, and because everyone cannot afford to buy news items. 

h.     How did the author’s family assimilate Japanese culture in using consumer goods?

Using secondhand items was considered awkward in Japanese culture. As a result, it took some time for the author's family to become acquainted with Japanese consumer goods. Initially, the author was surprised to see huge piles of garbage wrapped like gifts and confused about whether to pick up useful things for the family. He did, however, sneakily bring some useful items such as a table, a chair, and so on to home during the dead lights. 

Critical Thinking

a)    If you happen to be in Japan someday, will you collect articles from sodaigomi? Why or why not?

Regarding garbage management and second-hand items, the policies of countries differ from one another. In Japan, using second-hand items is considered an embarrassment. Therefore, if I ever find myself in Japan, I cannot take anything from Sodaigomi. Additionally, using second-hand items indicates a lack of respect for Japanese culture.

But that would depend on my financial situation. If I can't afford new stuff, I would pick up the necessities for my home from Sodaigomi because, first, it would cut down on my spending and satisfy my needs, and second, it would foster the practice of reusing and recycling second-hand items.

b)    There are some second-hand shops in Nepal, too. But people are not much interested in them. What practice would be suitable in managing second hand items in Nepal?

There are several second-hand stores in Nepal as well, due to the growth of recycling and reuse concepts. However, nobody cares about them. The government should lead the charge in encouraging people to buy used items. The government requires that it formulate policies that will promote the reuse of used goods. People should be taught that buying used goods saves money because it reduces our spending. Furthermore, second-hand shops should be helped with branding. Those second-hand shops should be free of tax.

Writing

a.  Write a paragraph elaborating the idea of 3Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle) in garbage management.

Overpopulation in the world has invited a lot of problems in our environment. It has especially caused pollution, opening the door to several dangers and risks to human health.

Waste management has become one of the most challenging tasks at present. To tackle the problem of waste management, the concept of 3Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle) has been incorporated. The first R stands for reduce. One way to combat this is to reduce the use of objects like plastics and other forms of non-degradable substances. The second R refers to ‘reuse’ which signifies using an item more than once if it is possible. This includes conventional reuse, where the item is used again for the same function, and new-life reuse, where it is used for a new function. Recycling, on the other hand, is the process of converting a used item into raw materials that can be used to create new items. 

b.  Garbage management is a big problem in most of the cities in Nepal. Write a letter to the editor to be published in the daily newspaper suggesting the ways of ‘Solving Garbage Problems.’

KMC-26, Kathmandu

12 January 2023

To,

The Editor,

The Kathmandu Post,

Subidhanagar, Kathmandu.

Subject: Regarding A Garbage Management Problem

Dear Sir/Madam,

Through the column of your renowned newspaper, I would like to bring the attention of the concerned authority to the waste management issue that affects the majority of Nepalese cities and the hazards it poses to public health.

Cities like Kathmandu, Pokhara, Dharan, Butwal, and others are overcrowded, which results in higher waste production, which in turn leads to a number of diseases. In these cities, waste management has become a big issue. Huge piles of waste are found on the streets of these cities, causing foul smells hazardous to human health. Pedestrians feel uneasy about walking on the pavement due to the bad smells coming from those heaps of trash. They leave a bad impression on domestic and foreign tourists. These piles have been a stigma for city dwellers. Although concerned authorities have tried to address the problems of waste management in these cities, there have been frequent obstructions caused by seen and unseen circumstances. Various groups with vested interests obstruct the timely settlement of waste in the cities. Sometimes, workers themselves raise their voice in the name of fulfilling their demands, while other people, like the local people of the land field site, obstruct this, asking for the fulfillment of their demands.

It is rarely found that garbage is regularly disposed of on a daily basis in these cities. Waste management becomes an issue for each political party during an election. However, no party has come up with a permanent solution to it. Pollution caused by the delay in the disposal of garbage has caused many health hazards. In addition, it has defamed these cities. Despite beauty, being rich in cultures, and other aspects, people are unwilling to visit these cities, causing the reduction in tourists every year. Local businesspeople complain that the number of tourists visiting these cities is decreasing every year, despite the fact that they have more facilities to enjoy. They blame improper waste management for this.

It is, therefore, the responsibility of the concerned authorities to come up with a permanent solution to waste management in these cities to make them as beautiful as they were in the past, attracting more tourists in the future. In addition, you can play a role in beautifying the cities by allowing a little space in your newspaper regarding waste management and the threats it causes to the people living there.

I am looking forward to seeing a response to this problem in the next issue.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Sthirta Rana

Grammar

Adjectives and adverbs

A.    Observe the following examples carefully.

a.     The trash is wrapped in neat bundles.

b.     We realize that sodaigomi is a part of larger cycle.

c.     In the morning, the choicest items are gone.

d.     I looked around me quickly, and I happily picked up one bookcase with both arms.

B. Use the words from the brackets to complete the sentences.

a.     This house is very small. I want to buy a much bigger one. (much / big)

b.     I liked the magic show. It was far more exciting than I’d expected. (far / exciting)

c.     It was very cold yesterday. It’s a bit warmer today. (a bit / warm)

d.     The warmer the weather the better I feel. (good)

e.     An average American earns considerably higher than an average Nepali. (considerably / high)

f.      Health care in Nepal is not as expensive as it is in the US. (expensive)

g.     I think the problem is far more complicated than it seems. (far / complicated)

h.     You are driving very fast. Would you please drive a bit lower? (a bit/ slowly)

i.      Your handwriting is not legible. Can you write a bit neater? (a bit/ neat)

C. Rewrite the following sentences with the sentence beginnings given below.

a.     Kabir is less intelligent than he pretends. He is not as intelligent as he pretends to be.

b.     I am busy today, but I was busier yesterday. I’m not as busy today as I was yesterday.

c.     Hari has lived in Kathmandu for 10 years but Bikram for 20 years. Bikram has lived in Kathmandu for longer than Hari has.

d.     I used to study 12 hours a day but nowadays I study only 5 hours a day. I don’t study as much as I used to.

e.     It’s a very good room in our hotel. In fact, it’s the best one.

f.      He earns 30 thousand rupees a month but spends 40 thousand. He spends more than he earns.

g.     There is no other mountain higher than Mt. Everest in the world. Mt. Everest is the highest mountain in the world.

h.     The place was nearer than I thought. It was not as far as I thought.

i.      Bharat can play better than Mohan. Mohan can’t play as well as Bharat does.