Read the following passage carefully and answer questions given at the end:
Whoever starts a new diary does it, if he is wise, in secret, for if it is known to his friends that he keeps a punctual record of his doings and theirs, they will treat him with a reticence that may embarrass him. That is the first rule of diary keeping, but others, such as whether the diary should be regular, or irregular, are more disputable. It is, however, a fatal practice to attempt regularity in amount.., to aim, as some do, at filling a page or two a day. It is equally futile to strive for uniformity of style or, indeed for any style at all. The advantage of the diary form is that it exempts its users from all ordinary rules, you may spell as you like, abbreviate, or wander into side tracks as and when it pleases you. Above all, you need to preserve no sense of proportion or responsibility. A new hat may oust a new Parliament, a new actress who amused you may, without any complaints, sweep all the armies and potentates of Europe over your margin into nothingness and oblivion. Nobody’s feelings have to be considered, no sense of critical audience needs force gaiety from a mood of sadness or cast a shadow on the spirits of Puck. Why then does not everyone keep a diary if it is so full of the delights of freedom and omnipotence? Perhaps it is because we like to have an audience for what we say and grow a little tired of entertaining our great-great-grand-children. Some aver that all diarists are vain, but it would appear, on the contrary, if they keep their secret and let no pry into their locked drawer, that they have an irrefutable claim to modesty. it is possible, of course, that they may be puffing themselves up before the mirror of posterity, but that is such a remote and pardonable conceit — particularly, if we remember that posterity is far more likely to mock than to admire that nobody who turns over the blank pages of this year and wonders what other fingers will turn them someday need be ashamed of his diarist’s dream.

1. What are your own impressions about diary-keeping? Write a short paragraph of about 100 words.
Diary-keeping is one of the most interesting and creative hobbies. A person can create a world of his own imagination in his diary. The diarist has free reign over it. He is not bound by grammar, vocabulary, and punctuation. He does not need to be bounded by coherence. A diarist does not have to follow a certain sequence of events. He may praise his lover, or he may take vengeance on his enemies. He may write about his life experiences and pass on his wisdom to future generations. Most importantly, a diarist does not have to follow regularity to write something in his diary once a day; he may keep his own pace and write sporadically. It is a way for the writer to have complete freedom in their writing and to record their experiences as they see fit, without worrying about what others might think or how their words will be received.

2. State in your own words why the writer thinks that a diary should be kept in secret.
The writer thinks that a diary should be kept in secret because if it is known to the writer's friends that he is keeping a record of his own actions and those of his friends, the friends may treat the writer with reticence or reserve, which could be embarrassing. This suggests that the writer values his privacy and wants to avoid any potential awkwardness or discomfort that might arise if his diary was known to others.

3. Explain the Underlined portions.
Fatal practice
The phrase "fatal practice" refers to a harmful or detrimental habit or activity, in this case, the attempt to maintain regularity in the amount of writing in a diary.

Oblivion
The state of being completely forgotten or ignored.

Cast a shadow on the spirits
The phrase "cast a shadow on the spirits" means to negatively affect someone's mood or emotional state.

All diarists are vain
The phrase "all diarists are vain" means that all people who keep a diary are self-absorbed.

Posterity
Future generations or generations