note 2

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE 

William Shakespeare was born at start ford on Avon on April 1564 far more is known about his life than is generally realised  but most of our information comes from parish records and various legal documents which throw more light on his family affairs and business dealings than on the circumstances which led him to writes his great works. He was the son of a leading tradesman pf star ford prominent in civic affairs and it is very likely though not certain that he received his education at the town grammar school there are parish records of his marriage to Anne Hathaway and the baptisms of his children but none which explain why he left start ford for London or how he came to enter the theatre from his period of obscurity in the records he emerges in the early 1590's as an important young playwright and poet and a member of the leading company of actors in 1598 Francis Meres a lawyer wrote of him as Britain's greatest dramatist excelling in every type of drama and poetry. Fortunately meres gave a list of twelve plays that he had written up to date a list of great help to scholars. It is difficult to date Shakeseare's plays because his company was reluctant to have his plays printed lest they should then be performed by rival companies. Only seventeen of his plays were published in his lifetime the reminder appearing in 1623 in a complete edition of his plays commonly known as the first folio. His company was called the lord chamberlain's company from about 1594 and the kings men from the accession of king james i in 1603. With burbage the greatest actor of the time and Shakespeare among the principal shareholders it is no wonder that the company prospered.

chapter 2

CARRIES'S WAR
Mighty have warned me then mightn't you miss fazackerly said. Not unkindly she was one of the kindest teachers in the school but carrie wanted to cry suddenly. If she had been nick she would have cried or at least put on a hurt face. Being carrie she started crossly out of the carriage window at the big mountain on the fair side of the valley. It was brown and purple on the top and green lower down; streaked with silver trickles of water and dotted withe sheep.
Sheep and mountains. Oh! it'll be such fun their mother had said when she kissed them good-bye at the station. Living in the country instead of the stuffy old city. You'll love it you see if you don't as if hitler had arranged this old war for their benefit just so that carrie and nick could be sent away in a train with gas masks slung over their shoulders and their names on cards round their necks. Labelled like parcels caroline wendy willow and nicholas peter willow only with no address to be sent to. None of them not even the teacher knew where they were going. 

chapter 2

CARRIE'S WAR
NINA BAWDEN

He threw up all over miss fazackerley's skirt. He had been feeling sick ever since they left the main junction and climbed into the joggling, jolting little train for the last lap of their journey but the sudden whistle had finished him.
Such a noise it seemed to split the sky open.
Enough to frighten the dead miss fazackerley's said mopping her skirt and nick face with her handkerchief. He lay back limp as a rag and let her do it the way he always let people do things for him not lifting a finger. Poor lamb miss fazakerley's said but carrie looked stern.
It's all his own fault. He's been stuffing his face ever since we left London. Greedy dog. Dustbin.
He had not only eaten his own packed lunch sandwiches and cold sausages and bananas but most of carrie's as well.  She had let him have it to comfort him because he minded leaving home and their mother more than she did.Or had looked as if he minded more. She thought now that it was just one of his act put on to get sympathy. Sympathy and chocolate he had all her chocolate too! i knew he'd be sick she said smugly.....

note 1

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES
 ROBERT BROWNING 

Robert browning was son of well to do official of the bank of England. After the ages of fourteen he had little formal education but educated himself privately man with the help and encouragement of his father a highly cultivated man with the help an excellent library. Thanks to his father's generosity browning was able to devote his whole life to literature. His early long poem pauline, paracelsus and sordello attracted much attention because of their originally and forcefulness but their terse and vigorous style sometimes degnerated into an awkwardness and obscurity that repelled his less intellectual and persevering readers. Fortunately he never again was to write a poem as obscure as sordello. He wrote many beautiful lyrics but the most striking and characteristic of the shorter poems are his dramatic monologues soliloquies spoken by all manner of men and women of various places and periods. His greatest long poem is the ring and the book a work of great force and originally in which the story of a murder is told time after time from the viewpoints of the different participants in tragedy...

poetry 17

LINES FROM ULYSSES
ALFRED TENNYSON

Souls that have toil'd and wrought and thought with me-my mariners
That ever with a frolic welcome took
The thunder and the sunshine and opposed 
Free hearts free foreheads you and i are old 
Old age hath yet his honor and his toil\
Death closes all but something the end
Not unbecoming men that strove with gods
The long day wanes the slow moon climbs the deep 
Moans round with many voices come my friends
Tis not too late to seek a newer world
Push off and sitting well in order smite 
The sounding furrows for my purpose holds
To sail beyond the sunset and the baths
Of all the western stars until die 
It may be that the gulf's will wash us down
It may be we shall touch the happy isles
And see the great achilles whom we knew
Tho much is taken much abides and tho 
We are not now that strength which old days
Moved earth and heaven that which we are we are
One equal temper heroic hearts
Made weak by time and fate but strong in will
To strive to seek to find and not to yield,,,,,

poetry 16

LINES FROM AN ESSAY ON MAN
ALEXANDER POPE

Heaven from all creatures hides book of fate
All but the page prescribe their present state
From brutes what men from men what spirits know
Or who could suffer being here below 
The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed today
Pleased to the last he crops the flowery food
And licks the hand just raised to shed his blood
O blindness to the future kindly given 
That each may fill the circle marked by heaven 
Who see with equal eye as God of all 
A hero perish or a sparrow fall
Atoms or system into ruin hurled
And now a bubble burst and now a world
Hope humbly then with trembling pinion soar
Wait the great teacher death and God adore
What future bliss he gives not thee to know
But gives that hope to be thy blessing now
Hope springs eternal in the human breast
Man never is but always to be blest
The soul uneasy and confined from home
Rests and expatiates in a life to come.......

poetry 15

I HAD REACHED YOUR DOORSTEP
G. ALLANA 

I lost the scroll of instruction you gave 
To guide to the door of your house
I sat in distress on life cross roads 
And asked wayfarers and the caravans
To show me the way to my destination
Some said the way was long and tortuous 
You said it is short and delectable
Others opined it was narrow winding abd 
         uphill
You had said it is straight and universal
They should it is dream bigoted
        fanatics
You had said it is the ultimate really
In a world that is worth but a moment
Then you came and handed me the chart
I found i was sitting at the very gate
Not knowledge i had reached your doorsteps...

poetry 14

INCIDENT OF THE FRENCH CAMP
ROBERT BROWNING

You know we french stormed ratisbon
A mile or so away
On a little mound napoleon
Stood on our storing day
With neck out thrust you fancy how
Legs wide arms locked behind
As if to balance the prone brow
Oppressive with its mind

Just as perhaps he mused my plans
That soar to earth may fall
Let once my army leader lanes 
Waver at yonder wall
Our twixt the battery smokes there flaw
A rider bound on bound 
Full galloping nor bridle drew
Until he reached the mound 

Then off here flung in smiling joy
And held himself erect
By just his horse's mane a boy
You hardly could suspect
So tight he kept his lips compressed
Scare any blood came through
You looked twice you saw his breast 
Was all but shot in two

Well cried he emperor by God grace
We got you ratisbon
The marshal in the market place
And you be there anon
To see your flag bird flap his vans 
Where i to heart desire
Perched hum the chief eye flashed his plans 
Soared up again like fire

The chief eye flashed but presently
Softened itself as sheathes
A film the  mother eagle eye 
When her bruised eaglet breathes 
You're wounded nay his soldier pride 
Touched to the quick he said
I'm killed sire and his chief beside
Smiling the boy fell dead...

poetry 13

ABOU BEN ADHEM
LEIGH HUNT

Abou Ben Adhem may his increase 
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace
And saw within the moonlight in his room
Making it rich and like a lily in bloom 
An angle writing in a book of gold
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold
And to the presence in the room he said
What writest thou? The vision raised its head
And with a look made of all sweet accord 
Answered the names of those who love the lord

And is mine one? said Abou nay not so
Replied the angel Abou spoke more low 
But cheer still and said i pray thee then
Write me as one that loves his fellow men 
The angel wrote and vanished the next night
It came again with a great wakening light 
And show'd the names whom love of god had bless 'd
And lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest......

poetry 12

 SAY NOT THE STRUGGLE NAUGHT
AVAILETH

ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH

 Say not the struggle naught availeth
The labor and the wounds are vain 
The enemy faints not not faileth
And as things have been they remain
If hopes were dupes fears may be liars
It may be in yon smoke conceal'd 
Your comrades chase now the fliers 
And but for you possess the field 
For while the tired waves vainly breaking
Seem here no painful inch to gain
Far back through creeks and inlets making
Comes silent flooding in the main
And not by eastern windows only
When daylight comes in the light 
In front the sun climbs slow  how slowly 
But westward look the land is bright!!!!!!!!!!

poetry 11

THE SOLITARY REAPER
WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
Be hold her single in the field
Yon solitary highland lass
Reaping and singing by herself
Stop here or gently pass
Alone she cuts and binds the grain 
And sings a melancholy strain
O listen for the vale profound
Is overflowing with the sound
No nightingale did over chaunt
More welcome notes to weary bands 
Of travelers in some shady haunt 
Among Arabian sands
A voiced so thrilling ne'er was heard 
In spring time from the cuckoo bird 
Breaking the silence of the seas
Among the farthest he brides
Will no one tell me what she sings
Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow
For old unhappy far off things 
And battles long ago
Or is it some more humble say
Familiar matter of today
Some natural sorrow loss or pain
That has been and may be again
What the theme the maiden sang
As if her song could have no ending
I saw her singing at her work
And the sickle bending
I listen motion less and still 
And as i mounted up the hill
The music in my heart i bore
Long after it was heard no more........

poetry 10

LINES FROM SAMSON AGONISTES
JOHN MILTON
These lines from Milton's great poetic drama describe the death of its hero Samson. He was a man of immense strength but had been take captive  through the treachery of his wife by the philistines the deadly enemies of his race. As this passage describes he saved his people bu using his strength to kill the philistines leaders but in bringing down the roof of a great temple upon the heads of those assemble there he sacrificed 
his own life at the same time.
He patient but undaunted where they led him,
Came to the place and what was set before him
Which without help of eyes might be assayed
To heave pull draw or break he still performed
All with incredible stupendous force
None daring to appear antagonist
At length for intermission sake they led him
Between the pillars he his guide requested 
For so from such as nearer stood we heard
As over tired to let him which when Samson 
Felt in his arms with head a while inclined 
And eyes fast fixed he stood as one who prayed 
Or some great matter in his mind revolved 
At last with head erect thus cried aloud
Hitherto lords what your commands imposed
I have performed as reason was obeying
Not without wonder or delight beheld
Now of my own accord such other trial
I mean to show you of my strength yet greater
As with amaze shall strike all who behold
This uttered straining all his nerves he bowed
As with force of winds and waters pent
When mountains tremble those two massy pillars
With horrible convulsion to and fro
He tugged he shook till down they came and drew 
The whole roof after them with burst of thunder 
Lords ladies captains counsellors or priests
Their choice nobility and flowers not only
Of this but each philistian city round 
Met from all parts to solemnize this feat
Samson with these inmixed invitably
Pulled down the same destruction on himself.....

poetry 9

LINES FROM THE DESERTED VILLAGE
OLIVER GOLDSMITH
Sweet auburn liveliest village of the plain
Where health and plenty cheered the laboring swain
Where smiling spring its earliest visit paid
And parting summer lingering blooms delayed
Dear lovely bowers of innocence and ease
Seats of my youth when every sport could please
How often have i loitered thy green
Where humble happiness endear'd each scene 
How often have i paused on every charm
The sheltered cot the cultivated farm
The never failing brook the busy mill
The decent church the topped the neighboring 
The hawthorn bush with seats beneath the shade
For talking age and whispering lovers made
How often have i best the coming day
When toil remitting lent its turn to play
And all the village train from labor free
Led up their sports beneath the spreading tree
Will many a pastime circled in the shade
The young contending as the old surveyed 
And many a gambol frolicked the ground
And sleights  of art and feats of strength went round
And still as each repeated pleasure tired
Succeeding sports the mirthful band inspired 
The dancing pair that simply sought renown 
By holding out to tire each other down 
The swain mistrust less of his smutted face
While secret laughter tittered round the place
The bashful virgin side long looks of love
The matron's glance that would those looks reprove
These were thy charms sweet village sports like these
With sweet succession taught even toil please
These round thy bowers their cheerful influence shed
These were thy charms but all these charms are fled
These were thy charms but all these charms are fled
I ares the land to hastening ills a prey
Where wealth accumulates and men decay
Princess and lords may flourish or may fade
A breath can make then as a breath has made
But a bold peasantry their country pride
When once destroyed can never be supplied.......

poetry 8

MUSIC WHEN SOFT VOICES DIE
PERCY BYSSHE SHELLY

Music when soft voices die
vibration in the memory
Odours when sweet violets sickens 
Live within the sense they quicken
Rose leaves when the rose is dead
Are heaped for the beloved bed 
And so thy thoughts when thou art gone
Love itself shall slumber on....

poetry 7

STANZAS FROM AN ELEGY WRITTEN IN
A COUNTRY CHURCH YARD
THOMAS GRAY:
The curfew tolls the knell of parting day
The lowing herd wind slowly'er the lea
The plowman hume ward plods  his weary way
And leaves the world to darkness and to me
Now fades the glimmering landscape on the sight
And all the air a solemn stillness holds
Save where the beetle wheels his droming flight
And drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds
Save that from yonder ivy-mantled tower
The moping owl does to the moon complain
Of such as wandering near her secret bower
Molest her ancient solitary reign
Beneath those rugged elms that yew-tree's shade
Where heaves the tuff in many a mouldering  heap
Each in his narrow cell for ever laid
The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep
The breezy call of incense breathing morn
The swallow twittering the straw built shed
The cock's shrill clarion or the echoing horn
No more shall rouse them form their lowly bed
For them no more the blazing hearth shall burn
Or busy housewife ply her evening care
No children run to lisp their sire's return
Or climb his knees the envied kiss to share
Oft did did the harvest to their sickle yield
Their furrow oft the stubborn glebe has broke

How jocund did they drive their team a field
How bow'd the woods beneath their study stroke
Let not ambition mock their useful toil
Their homely joys and destiny obscure
Nor grandeur hear with a disdainful smile
The short and simple annals of the poor
The best of heraldry the pomp of power 
And all that beauty all that wealth gave
Awaits alike the inevitable hour
The paths of glory lead but to the grave
Nor you ye proud impute to these the fault
If memory their tomb no trophies raise
Where through the long drawn aisle and fretted vault
The pealing anthem swells the note of praise
Can storied urn or animated bust 
Back to its mansion call the fleeting breath?
Can honor's voice provoke the silent dust
Or flattery soothe the dull cold ear of death?
Perhaps in this neglected spot is laid
Some heart once pregnant with celestial fire
Hands that the rod of empire might have swayed
Or waked to ecstasy the living lyre
But knowledge to their eye her ample page
Rich with the spoils of time did unroll 
Chill penury repressed their noble rage
And froze the genial current of the soul 
Full many a gem of purest ray serene 
The dark unfathom'd  caves of ocean bear
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen
And waste its sweetness on the desert air 
Some village hampden taht with dauntless breast
The little tyrant of his fields withstood
Some mute inglorious milton here may rest
Some cromwell guiltless of his country blood
The applause of listing senates to command 
The threats of pain and ruin to despise
To scatter plenty a smiling land
And a read their history in a nation's eyes
Their lot forbade nor circumscribed alone
Their growing virtues but their crimes confined
Forbade to wade through slaughter to a throne
And shut the gates of mercy on mankind 
The struggling pangs of conscious to hide
To quench the blushes of ingenuous shame
Or heap the shrine of Luxury and pride 
With incense kindled at the muse's flame
Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife
Their sober wishes never learned to stray 
Along the cool sequester'd vale of life 
They kept the noiseless tenor of their way.....

poetry 6

THE MAN OF LIFE UPRIGHT
THOMAS CAMPION

The man of life upright
Whose guiltless  heart is free 
From all dishonest deeds
Or thought of vanity
The man whose silent days
In harmless joys are spent
Whom hopes cannot delude
Nor sorrow discontent
That man needs neither towers
Nor armor for defence
Nor secret vaults to fly
From thunder's violence
He only can behold
With unaffrighted eyes
The horrors of the deep
And terrors of the skies
Thus scorning all the cares
That fate or fortune brings
He makes the heaven his book 
His wisdom heavenly things
Good thoughts his only friends
His wealth a well spent age 
The earth his sober inn
And quiet pilgrimage ......

poetry 5

THE TOYS

COVENTRY PAT MORE:

My little son, who look'd from thoughtful eyes

And moved and spoke in quiet grown-up wise 

Having my law the seventh time disobey'd

I struck him and dismiss'd

With hard words and kiss'd

His mother who was patient, being dead

Then, fearing lest his grief should hinder sleep

I visited his bed

But found him slumbering deep

With darken'd eyelids and their lashes yet

From his late sobbing wet

And i with moan

Kissing away his tears left others of my own

For on a table drawn beside his head

He had put within his reach 

A box of counters and a red vein'd stone

A piece of glass abraded by the beach

And six or  seven shells 

A bottle with bluebells 

And  two french copper ranged there with

             careful art,

To comfort his sad heart

So when that night i pray'd

To god i wept and said

Ah! when at last we lie with trance breath

Not vexing thee in death

And thou remember of what toys

We made our joys 

How weakly understood

Thy great commanded good 

Then fatherly not less

Then i whom thou hast moulded from the clay

Thou leave thy wrath and say

I will be sorry for their childishness........

poetry 4

SONNET COMPOSED 
UPON WEST MINISTER BRIDGE
SEPTEMBER 3, 1802
WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
Earth has not anything to show more fail
Dull would he be of soul could pass by
A sight to touching in its majesty 
This city now doth like a garment wear
The beauty of the morning silent bare
Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie
Open up to the fields and to the sky 
All bright and glittering in the smokeless air

Never did sun more beautifully steep 
In his first splendor valley rocks or hills
Ne'er saw i never, felt,a clam so deep
The river glideth at his own sweet will
Dear God the very houses a seem a sleep
And all that mighty heart is lying still....

poetry 3

THE SEVEN AGES OF MAN
A SPEECH FROM AS YOU LIKE IT.
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE.
ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.:


And all the men and women merely players
They have their exists their entrances
And one man in his time plays many parts
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms's
Then the whining school boy with his satchel
And shining morning face creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school: and then the lover
Sighing like furnace with a wonderful ballad 
Made to his mistress eyebrow then a solider 
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard
jealous in honour sudden  and quick in quarrel 
Seeking the bubbles reputation 
Even in the cannon's mouth and then the justice
In fair round belly with good capon lin'd
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut
Full of wise saws and modern instance
And so he plays his part the sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slippered pantaloon
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side
His youthful hose well saved a world too wide
For his shrunk shank and his big manly pipes
Turning again toward childish treble pipes
And whistles in his sound last scene all 
That ends this strange eventful history 
Is second childishness, and mere oblivion 
Sans teeta, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything....

poetry 2

LINES FROM THE LAY OF THE LAST MINSTREL:
SIR WALTER SCOTT:
Breathes there the man with soul so dead,
Who never to himself hath said,
This is my own, my native land!
Whose heart hat never with in him burn'd,
As home his footsteps he hath turn'd.
From wandering on a foreign strand!
If such there breath, go, mark , him well:
For him no minstrel raptures swell;
High though his titles proud his name,
Boundless his wealth as with can  claim:
Despite those titles, power, and pelf,
The wretch, concentrate all in self,
Living shall forfeit fair renown,
And doubly dying shall go down
To the vile dust from whence he sprung 
Un wept, unhonour'd and unsung.....

poetry

THE CHARACTER OF A HAPPY LIFE:

SIR HENRY WOTTON:

How happy is he born or taught

That serveth not another's will

Whose armor is his honest thought

And simple truth his utmost skill!

Whose passions not his masters are.

Whose soul is still prepared for death

united unto the world by care

Of public fame, or private breath.

Who envies none that chance doth raise,

Nor vice: who never understood

How deepest wounds are given by praise,

Nor rules of state, but rules good:

Who hath his life from rumors freed:

Whose conscience is his strong retreat:

Whose state can neither flatterers feed"

Nor ruin make oppressors great.

Who God doth late and early pray,

More of his grace than gifts to lend.

And entertains the harmless day

With a religious book or friend!

This man is freed from servile bands

Of hope to rise, or fear to fall,

Lord of himself, though not of lands!

And having nothing, yet hath all........

CARRIE:S WAR

NINA BAWDEN:
CARRIE'S WAR:
INTRODUCTION:
Nina Bawden was born in London where she still lives,but she is equally at home in Norfolk, where her mother was born, and in Wales, where she went to school during wartime evacuation from London. A year after she left somerville  college, oxford, with a degree in philosophy, politics and economics, she wrote her first novel. Since then she has written twenty-one  adult novels and seventeen novels for children, most of which have been widely translated and adapted for film or television. The places she has lived in, and loved, London, Wales, Norfolk, Shropshire and Greece, provide the real life setting for her novels. The peppermint takes place in swaffham where her mother grew up: keeping Henry is set in a farmhouse in Shropshire and Carrie's War in the mining valleys of Wales.
Once you have finished reading Carrie's War you may be interested in reading the afterword by Julia Eccleshare on page 171.
CHAPTER 1:
Carrie had often dreamed about coming back. In her dreams she was twelve years old again short scratched legs in red socks and scuffed, brown sandals, walking along the narrow, dirt path at the side of the railway line to where it plunged down ,off the high ridge through the Druid's Grove.The yew trees in the Grove were dark green and so old that they had grown twisted and lumpy like arthritic fingers. And in Carrie's dream the fingers reached out for her plucking at her hair and her skirt as she ran. She was always from the house,uphill towards the railway line.
But  when she did come back, with her own children, the railway line had been closed. The sleepers had been taken up and the flat, stony top of the ridge was so overgrown with blackberries and wild rose and hazelnut bushes that it was like pushing through a forgotten forest in a fairy tale. The tangled wood round sleeping beauty's castle. Pulling off the sticky brambles that clung to their jeans, Carries's children said, 'No one's been here for hundred, of years......'
Not hundreds, thousands.....'
A hundred, thousands years. A million, billion, trillion.
Only about thirty, Carrie said. She spoke as is this was no time at all. I was here with uncle Nick thirty years ago. During the war- when England was at war with Germany. The government sent the children out of the cities so they should't be bombed, We weren't told where we going . Just told to turn up at our schools with a packed lunch and a change of clothes, then we went whole train loads of children sent away like that....
Without their mummies? the little ones said. Without their dads?
Oh, quite alone, Carrie said. I was eleven when we first came here. And uncle Nick was going on ten.
Uncle Nick was old. He had been old for years and grown so fat in the stomach that he puffed when he stooped. The thought of him being ten years old made the children want to giggle but they bit the giggles back. Their mother was looking so strange eyes half closed and dreaming. They looked at her pale, dreaming face and said nothing.
Carrie said Nick and i used to walk from the town along the side of the railway. It was quite safe,not like an electrified line and there weren't many trains, anyway. Only two or three a day and they came dead slow round the bend in the case there were sheep on the track. When there were, the engine driver would stop the train and get out of his cab and shoo them off, and sometimes he'd wait so that everyone could get down from the carriages and stretch their legs and pick blackberries before they set off again . Nick and i never saw that but people said it often happened. They were specially god blackberries here, easy to reach and not dusty, like at the side of a road. When they were ripe. Nick and i used to pick some to eat on the way. Not many, we were always in to much of a hurry to see Johnny Go to bed and Hepzibah green. 
Go to bed
Yes just like that Carrie said. Go to Bed.'
She smiled. A remembering smile, half happy, happy sad. Waiting for her to go on the children looked at each other. Carrie was good at stories but sometimes she stopped in the middle and had to be prodded. People don't have names like that,' the oldest boy said to encourage her. Not real life, ordinary people.
Oh Johnny go to bed and Hepzibah were real, all right, Carrie said. But' they weren't ordinary. Any more than Albert was. Albert  Sandwich. Our friend who lived with them.'
Lived where? There were no houses in sight: the wooded mountain rose on one side of the old railway track and fell steeply away on the other. No sound of people,either: no cars, no aeroplanes, not even a tractor. Only a pigeon or two in the line trees and sheep, baa-ing below in the valley.

summer vacation

HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER VACATION;
Since before the summer vacation, my elder brother, who has been serving in Lahore, advised me to pass my summer vacation with them. I also was much eager to visit Lahore, because of i have heard about and seen in TV many attractive places and scenes of Lahore.
On the next of summer vacation. I started for Lahore with my younger brother. My elder brother and his family were present to receive us at Lahore Railway Station. All of us became very much glad to see each other. My brother informed that had taken one week leave for me so that he could show me the Lahore city.
After breakfast we started visiting Lahore city. He hired a Tanga and first of all we reached the famous Jama Masjid of Lahore. The Masjd s very beautiful to look and comfortable space for the prayers. After that we visited the tomb the great philosopher prayers. After that we visited the tomb of the great philosopher and the poet of the east, Allama Mohammad Iqbal. We offered Fateha and after that we went to see the Minar e Pakistan. The minar is very attractive and constructed in the heart of Iqbal Park. We went up to the top of the minar. The whole city was before our eyes which was looking very attractive. After entertaining the views, we came down and walked in the Anarkali Market. My sister in law invited to drink Lassi from the famous Lassi shop of Lahore.
Lahore is a historical city also, so we decided to see the historical places.
The next day we visited the Shalimar Garden, tomb of Jahangir, noor jahan and Lahore fort. All these buildings and gardens were reminding us the regime of moghal emperors who ruled in the country and left their glorious signs.
On Friday we visited the shrine of the famous saint Data Ganj Bux. There was a rush of men, women and children and they were offering to visit the shrine and read the poem of khwaja moinuddin chisthi.
Thus we visited the whole city of Lahore in a week and saw general post office, high court, government house and other important an unique buildings and residential areas. I and my younger brother were very glad to see the Lahore  city and became a very impressed to see the hospitality of zinda dilaan e Lahore.

I cannot forget the visit in my life and i think that this year, i passed my summer vacation in very happy mood........

my best friend

MY BEST FRIEND;
There is a proverb  a friend in need is a friend indeed. In the light of the proverb, friendship does not mean merely meeting, sitting, gossiping and disbursing but it needs selfless love co opreative nature and sacrificing zeal.
In the light of the fact, I have selected a friend, named, john/flora. He/She is my best friend. We love each other with the core of heart. Though he/she belongs to a high and rich family but my poverty did not hinder between our friendship. We became friend since we were in class 6. Since then, we have been strengthening our friendship and the students of our class boat of us.
John/Flora has a car and he/she lifts and drops me while i go and return from school. We seat on the same bench and seldom study together He/She has vast knowledge in English and i also have acquired some knowledge of it through his/her.
He/She is fair color tall, intelligent, smiling and attractive. Every student of our class wishes to come close to him/her, but he/she does not give any lift because he/she know that every one cannot be a friend indeed.
He/She is indeed very kind heart and always ready to help me. Though i feel very shame in letting him/her know about my problems and compulsions but without telling him/her anything, he/she knows everything about me and always help me by every possible means.

I admire, praise and love my friends very much and we both have promised to continue, our friendship till life long.

He/She is actually the best friend....

a visit to historical place

A VISIT TO HISTORICAL PLACE:
Passing of days like machine in such a big and busy city like Karachi, needs some rest, refreshment and entertainment, and for such entertainment, visiting of historical places is the suitable place. Along with refreshment. we get more knowledge about the past and dignity of our fore fathers.
So next month, i  decided to visit Thatta, the gateway of Islamic Culture, fountain of Islamic Education and the greatest graveyard in asia. I reached makli the graveyard at about 10.30 A.M first i visited the shrine of Hazart Abdullah Shah Ashabi and offered fateha. After that i walked in the graveyard. This graveyard is famous all over the world so the foreigners also were visiting and snapping is photographs of old tombs which are not repaired and as a results, walls and domes are cracked and fallen, though this graveyard reminds us the dignity of Islamic Region. So the government must take special care of it.
After visiting the graveyard i took some rest and after taking  meal with younger brother i reached the famous Shahi Masjid. The Masjid was built in the reginof the great Moghai King Shah Jahan so it is called Shah Jahan Masjid. The Masjid has some peculiar things, such as the voice of the Imam can be heard every where in the masjid without the aid of loud speaker. Many people say that nobody can correctly count the domes of the masjid bit it is not correct actually there are 99 domes. We offered there Juma Prayer. Though i was too far from the Imam his voice was audible to me. This proves that the Muslim masons and craftsmen had scientific knowledge. Though the world has widely developed in science and technology but nobody can present such a peculiar type of building in present days. I bought some things from the market and at about 5.00. P.M we started for Karachi and reached at about 7.30.P.M......

science curse or blessing

SCIENCE- CURSE OR BLESSING:
If we go back in the Natural and stone ages we see that the world was dark and there was wildness everywhere. There was no sense of any knowledge. They used to pass their lives, in wildness and depend on hunting and fruits. They lived in caves.
Gradually the population increased so they needed to think over the facing problems. Thus, the human mind helped in invention. Now a days we are called the people of modern and scientific age.
Now the world has become too small, we can, go to the distant countries within few hours. We can produce more crops with the aid of machinery and fertilizer. Different kind so much machines have made the human being to fulfill their needs without any difficulty. Invention of new  medicines and scientific procedure of treatments has increased  the ages the diseases of human beings. The discovery of vitamins has helped in making the human being healthy.
Human beings have immensely developed agriculture, electricity, gases, technology and atomic energy. All these are the presents of science and a boon for human brings.
It is a boon indeed if we use them for constructive purpose but it is a curse indeed if we use them for destructive purposes. It depends upon our mentality we can choose it either way for utilization of sciences, science.
The latest invention of science is atomic energy. This new scientific invention is a boon if they use if for it that good will of human being, but most  of the developed countries have converted this energy for destructive purpose. It is said that if the present atomic ammunition  is used at a time. It is sufficient to destroy the world within minutes. They developed countries have full control on this technology and they are freely utilizing the energy for the development of their countries and producing atomic arms and ammunition. But the third world countries . Though they want to make their countries developed the way of their development.
The conclusion of the easy indicates the sciences is a boon for the human beings to make their future bright and developed. But, it also a fact that at depends upon our will. We can make the world, a heaven on the earth on the earth, or a hell.....

life in karachi

LIFE IN KARACHI:
Karachi is the biggest city of Pakistan. It was the first capital of Pakistan. Before 1947, it was a small city with less population. The city was clean, peaceful and less crowded. The city was important for the only sea port  of Pakistan.
After Pakistan came into being,the population increased  abruptly and now a days the population has reached about ten millions many factories different industries and business increased and the city attracted the labors, business men, capitalists and other towards her. As a result  a vast vacate surrounding area of the city became densely populated without any prearrangement of provision of fundamentals needs. So naturally the problems of transport, sewerage, roads, water, electric and gas supply etc. Arise and the life of Karachi became pitiable.
Being the city densely populated and expensive every body work like a machine and they have no time to meet with each other. Every one seems to be selfish. The transport problem is so worse that the passengers are compelled to wait for hours. The roads are very congested and the traffic runs very roughly which causes accidents and loss of earning hands. Being the city expanded without plan, many problems arises. Though the government is trying her best to solve these problems, but all the problems cannot be solved in a day and without the co-operation of the citizen.
Though the city is the centre of problems, but it is also the hear of the country. Karachi is called Mini- Pakistan, because the people of operation. They city has also many attractions such as Karachi Port, Bin Qasim Port, International Air Port, Sand spit, Hawks bay, Mazar Quaid e Azam the highest building Habib Plaza, Manora etc, which attract the foreigners.........

the computer

THE COMPUTER:
Necessity is the mother of invention. The sayings hold true for computers also because computer were invented as a result of man's search for fast and accurate calculating device. Charles Babbage a nineteenth century professor at Cambridge university is considered to be the father of modern digital computers.
Computer is an electronic machine which is used for many purpose . It performs logical operations on inputs and brings froth accurate answers. According to size they can be distributed in many categories.
1. Super computer.
2. Main frame computer.
3. Mini computer.
4. Micro computer.
Their prices vary from billion of rupees down to a few thousands of rupees. Computers can further be classified into mono types, which are 
1. Digital
2. Analog.
3.Hybrid.
Now a day computer is used in government offices, banks, educational institution, hospitals and many other organizations computer are used mainly for the purposes of storage of facts and records. It is possible to talk to any one in any part of the world. Students can study in any university of the world while sitting in their home. All of these are great wonders of computers.
This history of computer can be divided into different generations. We are now living in the fourth generation of computers. The fifth generation is yet to come, a common perception is that will start with the creation and use of artificial intelligence. The future remains to be unseen, but one can give his own ideas of innovations..........

a visit to hospital

A VISIT TO HOSPITAL:
Hospital is a place where people suffering from different diseases, are admitted, There are two kinds of hospitals in big cities , the Govt, Hospital and the Private Hospital the private hospitals run through private sources and i, have no hesitation to say that, such hospitals are established only for business purpose and the Government hospitals are establishes by the provincial government.
Lat weekly, my mother fell seriously ill and i was complied to admit her to a hospital. So she was admitted to a government hospitals. The next day, i visited hospital. There i saw a  large queue of outdoor patients, they were waiting for their turn since morning. It was a pitiable fact that a patient who is too weak, how he or she can stay in the unending queue. The scene was very impressing. However , i walked towards the general female ward, but on the way, i passed through the corridor of emergency ward. I saw some patients crying and weeping in the emergency ward and the doctors were paying attention and giving them medical aid. The scene was very pitiable, so, i could not stay there and went in the general female ward where my mother was lying  on a bed and some of the patients were crying and weeping.The on duty nurses and doctors were attending them. My mother complained that there was no proper arrangement of sweeping, mopping and cleaning and also the food supplied to the patients was not satisfactory i lodged a complaint to the on duty doctor who assured that he would take action on my complaint.
I returned home at night with a bad impression about government hospitals cleanliness of the room of patients, satisfactory supply of food and medicines and politeness from the doctors and nurses are the rights of the admitted patients and the health department must take special attentions so that the people of our country get rid of diseases............

OUR COLLEGE LIBRARY

OUR COLLEGE LIBRARY;

Our college is situated at the end of the city and it is spread over about ten acres of land in which colleges building library room. Garden and field are systematically arranged . In western corner of the building a big room is reserved for college library. The room is very big and there are three rooms and a big hall. One room is allotted for the librarian and the two other rooms are for the study of those students and lectures who want to have some references.

They can read the books in the library but they are not allowed to take the book with them . The reference books are present in the cupboards of the rooms and a lists of books with serial number is also hanged in the room.

There is a big and long table in the middle of the library hall and many benches and chairs are placed around the table. There are magazines, newspaper and weeklies on the table for study . Most of the seats of the hall remains always engaged and one has to wait to have a seat.

Our college librarian is very gentle and experienced man. He has been serving there since last fifteen years and the availability of the library books, is got by hard to him. Though the Assistant Librarian is responsible for issuing and receiving the books but the librarian is always helpful for us in getting the missing books and giving fruitful suggestion.

There are thousand of books an literature, science,geography, history, politics, biography and religion etc in our college. We can keep a book for a week. A late fee is fixed for the students who return the book with abnormal delay, and in case of lost or torn of books we have to pay the price of the book. This kind of binding invites us to be more careful while we keep the library book with us.

The library is a room for those students who are eager to have more knowledge and those books help us in increasing our knowledge.......

a journey by bus

.

 A JOURNEY BY BUS:
A journey bu bus can be very attractive and charming for those who live in villages and use bullock carts, horses or camels for travels, but those who live in big and beautiful city, like Karachi are too much annoyed with the journey by bus. 
Once, i planned to visit shrine Hazarat Lal Shabhaz  Qalandar. On last Saturday evening i reached the bus stop of Shalimar coach. Being the next day Sunday all the seats were filled and there was no chance of a seat, but the conductor arranged a seat near the driver. I thanked God. The bus started and when it crossed AL- ASIF Square its speed became 90 to 100 km the plain road from opposite side. The natural scene of the country side was very attractive. The cow boys were carrying their cows and goats to their homes. The farmers in some field were still ploughing  and some were carrying their bullocks ahead and ploughs on their shoulders. The sun was nearing to set. In the meantime when the bus was to arrive at Jamsharo a speedy truck suddenly appeared beside the bus and tried to overtake. Our bus driver was very expert he made the speed low and allowed the truck to go ahead. However, at Maghrib prayer we reached Jamshoro. We offered prayer and ate light food and took tea. The bus again started but there was darkness outside,so i could not see the scene but the shadow of hills and mountains of khir thar and lucky mountain were visible. How,ever the bus reached Shewan Sharif at 8.00 p.m. and i went into a nearby lodge.

The journey was very interesting and amazing....

my country

MY COUNTRY:
I am an inhabitant of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. My country is an Islamic Republic State because of the majority if the population is Muslim.
Pakistan came into being on the 14th august 1947 by sacrifices of the Muslims of the subcontinent and untiring effort effort of the Muslim leaders and specially the father of the national Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He became the first Governor General of Pakistan but he did not get chance to well establish and at last he died on the 11th September, 1948.
Our country is basically agricultural. Majority of the population is farmer. They grow wheat, rice, sugar cane, pulses and most important cash crop,cotton. Though our country is based on agriculture but now a days textile, machine tools, handcrafts, shoes, garments and other industries are widely developing. Now textile, handicrafts, garments and shoes etc are being exported.
My country Pakistan has very important geographical back ground is south east Asia. Pakistan is connected with other Islamic Countries. Iran and Afghanistan are the neighbours of Pakistan in western side, on the eastern side lies India, on the northern side lies china and on the southern side is Arabian sea. The climate and land of our country is different in the different areas. There are higher mountains like k-2 famous glacier  fertile land of Punjab famous river. The river Indus. There are many sight seeing places like Murree, kaghan, chitral, lake saiful malook and valeey of azad kashmir etc. 
Though our country is poor in natural resources, but the efforts of the government has brought fruitful result. Sui gas in Baluchistan and other areas of the country provide so much help in minimizing the depend on petroleum. Though petroleum is also found in our country but it is not sufficient to meet the demand. However, we hope that in near future our engineers will be able to make our country self sufficient in petroleum. In Kharian, there is the biggest salt mine in the world.
In our country the people are orthodox Muslim. They are brave, selfless, and they eagerly offer their lives for the safety of the mother-land. We are always ready to make our country a developed one. We are always alert and ready to shed our blood for her safety, because pf we love our country........

my hobby

MY HOBBY:
Hobby is a work which a person does with interest and gets much satisfaction and amusement. It is a kind of recreation.
There are many kind hobbies and we selected one of them as per our will and interest. Some has hobby of collecting postal stamps, some collects interesting book of stories some pet birds but my hobby is gardening.
I am much interested in gardening since my childhood i like to seer the green velvety grass, different color of flowers and beautiful plants. So i have selected a piece of land in my house and planted different kind of flowers. I have planted red rose, yellow and black rose plants and have arranged them one after another. The flowers of Rose, Jasmine, and King of day have filled the atmosphere with attractive fragrance. In the evening my family pass their time in the garden.
I have also planted Guava  trees which gives shadow from the scorching beam of the sun and also get fruit from it. I have also reserved a piece of land for growing vegetables and we get different seasonal vegetables. 
Though gardening is a hard work and expensive but the hard labor makes my health sound and we get fresh vegetables and beautiful flowers.
I prefer to work in my gardening than wasting the time in gossiping or playing games. Gardening is the best exercise also and therefore.

I prefer gardening than playing any game........