(paper 2010)

Q.2 Write a précis of the following passage in about 100 words and suggest a suitable title. (20+5)

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 laborer 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.

Solution:
Total words= 349
Précis words=116
Main points:
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Why should a medical man go to see his patients in a car when the laborer 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.

First Rough Draft:
1. Envy is the most unfortunate characteristic of human nature.
2. He is unhappy to see others having things which he never has and wishes to deprive them of those things. This passion is the enemy of exercise of exceptional skill.
3. He is unable to understand the difference between the life of elites and the poor.
4. But by admiration one can decrease one’s unhappiness.
5. The cure of envy is selflessness for saints and happiness for ordinary people. But envy itself is ghastly hurdle in the way of happiness. An envious person can’t cease to be envious to find happiness. To find the cure of envy is to think about the causes of it.

Second Rough Draft:

Envy is the most unfortunate characteristic of human nature. An Envious person is unhappy to see others to have things which he never has and wishes to deprive them of those things. This passion is the enemy of exercising exceptional skill. He is unhappy to see the difference between the life of elite and the poor. But by admiration one can decrease one’s unhappiness. The cure of envy is selflessness for saints and happiness for ordinary people. But envy itself is ghastly hurdle in the way of happiness. An envious person can’t cease to be envious to find happiness. To find the cure of envy is to think about the causes of it.



Final Draft:

Envy is the most unfortunate characteristic of human nature. An Envious person is unhappy to see others to have things which he never has and wishes to deprive them of those things. This passion is the enemy of exercising exceptional skill. He is unhappy to see the difference between the life of elite and the poor. But by admiration one can decrease one’s unhappiness. The cure of envy is selflessness for saints and happiness for ordinary people. But envy itself is ghastly hurdle in the way of happiness. An envious person can’t cease to be envious to find happiness. To find the cure of envy is to think about the causes of it.


Total words of précis: 113

Title: Envy and its cure

i have show to my teacher ur precie..he marks u 17