Read carefully the passages given below and answer the questions that follow
The teenage years are the most difficult period of one’s life. It is the period when the kids are growing up. They are discovering that the world is not rosy as pictured in the story books, movies or television serial. They become aware of the so called “hypocritical” world around them. The tensions are great, problems are many and answers and solutions are few, hence a clash of values. Thus they often feel bewildered and lonely.
Experts in human development classify the teenage years as the “social” stage. It is that time when young people learn to get along with others - first with those of their own gender, then the members of the opposite sex. But some children, don’t mix with others because they haven’t learnt to fit in with their age group. Or they are therribly self conscious about their appearance or abilities. Some young people felt loved and accepted as children but encounter much more difficulty in their teenage years. The reason is that they are finding themselves and are declaring their own independence. They consider they no longer need the advice and preaching of those around. Meanwhile, even though you are sure that you can make it in life, mom and dad don’t seem to agree. They want to supervise your every decision. They are ready to pass judgements and you feel frustrated and tense. Some children feel unwanted and lonely when parents get divorced. The teenager caught in the middle often blames himself when the facilities of his life are cut away setting him desperate. Unable to unerstand his feelings, he soon withdraws into himself. His other friends from happy homes can’t relate to his sorrow. Shyness, a feeling of being clumsy, ugly, unpopular, a broken relationship are some of the aspects which cause tension in a teenager’s life.
Finally, instead of lamenting, “It’s the end of the world”, the teenager can definitely lessen the tensions by adopting a positive approach to life. This can be achieved by being optimistic, making good friends, gaining self confidence, plunging into activites like sports, etiquette classes, music, talking to counsellors, pursuing short term courses etc, in short, taking stock of oneself and setting a goal.
(i) Why is there a clash of values in teenage?
(ii) Mention any two reasons that create tension in a teenager’s life.
(iii) How can a teenager minimise his tension? Mention any two ways.
(iv) Frame two questions based on the underlined part of the passage.
(v) In the passage, the sentence ‘It’s the end of the worlds’. means
(a) It’s the edge of the world.
(b) It’s evening time.
(c) The worst has happened.
(d) The best has happened.
(vi) The writer calls the teenage a social stage. Why?
(vii) Pick out words from the passage which mean the same as
(a) puzzled and confused
(b) hopeful and confident
