II Year BA / BSc / BCom - Part II English Notes - Reg:

Dear Students,

Notes for your II Year III Semester Part II English have been uploaded in an easy format HERE.

You can download or print them by clicking on the respective buttons found on top of the document.

Regards,

Rufus

I BA English - Grammar Notes - Reg:

Dear Students of I BA English Litt.,
Your Grammar notes have been uploaded HERE
Regards and all best wishes,
Rufus

II BA English - II CIA Test - THE VICTORIAN AGE - Reg

Dear Students of II BA English Litt.,

Your Internal Marks for your II CIA for the paper "THE VICTORIAN AGE" have been uploaded on our academic website HERE.

Clarifications/corrections, if any, can be made to me personally/by email/ or by phone on or before Friday, 31 October 2009.

Regards and all best wishes,

Rufus

I MA English - Assignments - Reg..:

Dear Students of I MA English Litt.,

The following are the marks for your assignments as part of your paper - "The History of Language".

Aparna, K - 80

Gladys Lydia - 80

Koil Thangam Addlin - 80

Parvathy Nair - 80

Smitha Susan Zachariah - 80

Allen David Isaiah - 80

Dinesh, A - 80

Roland Rencewigg - 80

Clarifications/Corrections, if any, can be made to me personally/by email/ or by phone on or before Friday, 31 October 2009.

Regards and all best wishes,

Rufus

I BA English - Grammar Assignments - Reg:

Dear Students of I BA English,

The following are the marks for your paper on "Grammar and Linguistics" for students who come under my purview.

Abipriya Juliet, M - 75
Anju Susan Philip - 75
Anu Ruby Jenifer, S - 75
Charutha Lal - 75
Diana Milcah, J - 77
Divya Gracy, R - 75
Gunasundari, S - 75
Jothy Sara Jose - 78
Kunga Lhamo - 75
Monika, M - 75
Narmada, D - 75
Phebi Priyanka, S - 77
Pranisha, R - 75
Rama Devi, R - 75
Ranjitha, V - 75
Rinchen Bhuti - 75
Santhiya, T.P.N - 75
Shirley Inba Vinothini,B - 75
Sharon Ruby,B - 77
Therasa Jancey Rani, X - 77
Abjy P. Kurian - 75
Amel P. Titus - 75
Esra Prasath, A - 75
Irwin Selvan - 75
Jenson Jacob - 55
Nijo A. Varghese - 75
Sasikumar, K - 75
Soundar Raj, M.J - 68
Timios Thangavijayan. K - 63
Vijay, S - 75

Clarifications/Corrections, if any, can be made to me personally/by email/ or by phone on or before Friday, 31 October 2009.

Regards and all best wishes,

Rufus

II BA English - Assignment Marks - Reg:

Dear Students of II BA English,

The following are the marks for your Assignment as part of your paper on "Practical Introduction to Literature" for students who come under my purview.

Angel, G - 65
Deborah, K - 67
Joanna Daniel - 76
Karishma Rachel Jacob - 73
Manisha, R - 75

Parline Maria, A - 64

Anand, K.S - 75
Arun Kumar, J - 72
Cerin P Simon - 60
Jeffrey Kevin - 70
Johnnyraj, S - 70
Midhun K. Varghese - 70
Paul Israel - 66
Rajeswaran, S - 71
Samuel Praise, P - 72
Siju Philip Rajan - 72
Wesley, P - 73

THE VICTORIAN AGE:

Angel, G - 70
Haritha, B - 72
Karishma Rachel Jacob - 76
Kezia Gnana Kumari, W - 70
Sruthi Grace Abraham - 74
Arun Meshach, A - 40
Cerin P. Simon - 65
Midhun K. Varghese - 63
Prashanth Isaac, J - 73
Samuel Praise, P - 73

Clarifications/Corrections, if any, can be made to me personally/by email/ or by phone on or before Friday, 31 October 2009.

Regards and all best wishes,

Rufus

I BA English - Grammar Class - Reg:

Dear Students of I BA English Litt.,

There will be a special class for I BA English Literature students on Thursday, 29 October 2009 at 10 am in your class room.

Students who need any clarification regarding their marks and subject, can clarify the same, in this class.

Regards and all best wishes,

Rufus

II BA Tam/Phil - Internal Assessment Marks - Reg

Dear Students,
Your Internal Assessment Marks for the III Semester (with individual mark allocation) have been displayed today at 9 am at the Eng.Dept Notice Board.

For a e-copy of your marks, II BA Philosophy click HERE.

II BA Tamil Lit Class click HERE.

For corrections/clarifications, if any, email/phone/ or meet me on or before 31 October 2009.

You can collect your assignments on Thursday, 29 October 2009, between 9 am and 1 pm in the English Dept Staff Room.
Regards and all best wishes,
Rufus

I BSc Pbt/Zoo - Internal Mark Statement Reg:

Dear Students,
For I BSc Pbt Marks Click HERE
For I BSc Zoo (Reg) Marks Click HERE
Your individual marks have been displayed at the Eng Dept Notice Board at 10 am today. You can also collect your assignment books there.
Clarifications/Corrections, if any, can be made to me personally/by email/ or by phone before Friday, 30 October 2009.
Regards and all best wishes,
Rufus

Ornithological Species of Identical Plumage...

Snapped at the Bird watching session at Nanmangalam, organised by OSLE-India, and coordinated by Hopeland, 'Flora and Fauna Convener' of OSLE-India, on Saturday, 17 October 2009.
If you are an eco-enthusiast and interested more in Bird watching,

contact Mr.Hopeland, Zoology Dept, MCC @ 9940567784

Part II English - I BSc Pbt/Zoo - Assignments - Reg:

Dear students of I BSc Pbt/Zoo (Reg),

This is the last call for submission of your assignments. You are expected to hand in your assignments to me personally, and not place it anywhere else in the Department. The last date for submission of your assignments is Monday, 19 October 2009 till 2.00 pm.

Regards,

Rufus

II BA English - I CIA Internal Marks / II CIA Test Portions Reg:

Dear Students of II BA English Litt.,

Your Internal Marks for your I CIA test have been uploaded on our academic website HERE.

Corrections/clarifications, if any, can be made to me on or before Monday, 26 October 2009.

If you need a "review report of your answer sheet" by your course teacher, on what exactly went wrong in your answers, your strengths and weaknesses in your test paper, and how you could possibly write better answers, mail me at rufusonline@gmail.com for an insightful analysis of the same. This review report is available to all my students who feel the need for it.

PS: Your II CIA Test on "THE VICTORIAN AGE" will be on "Jane Eyre". As the test is an "Open Book" test, you are expected to bring your own copy of "Jane Eyre" for the test. Borrowing texts during the course of the exam is not permitted.

Regards and all best wishes,
Rufus

HAPPY DIWALI WISHES..:

Dear Students, loving friends and beloved well-wishers,
This greeting comes to wish you happiness and joy of the season.
May This Diwali be as bright as ever.
May this Diwali bring joy, health and wealth to you.
May the festival of lights brighten up you and your near and dear ones lives.
May this Diwali bring in u the most brightest and choicest happiness and love you have ever Wished for.
May this Diwali bring you the utmost in peace and prosperity.
May lights triumph over darkness.
May peace transcend the earth.
May the spirit of light illuminate the world.
May the light that we celebrate at Diwali show us the way and lead us together on the path of peace and social harmony.
"WISH U A VERY HAPPY DIWALI"

Standard Tips for writing a good CIA Test..:

Exams are meant to provide you a with a practical and periodic assessment to check what you have learned and what is missing, and as such it is designed to take the best out of you - your potential - your creative abilities and the way you present them with pen and paper. In short, it is designed to challenge! It's also common knowledge that you will not be able to write as much as you know. So, how to give your best in an exam? Just try some or all of these points below:

1. Begin early: You, dear student, are the central element in your education (no matter who you may be). If this is the night before your exam, what follows may be too late. In future, make every effort to stick with the program. Read the syllabus; attend lecture; keep up with the reading; ask questions. If you need help, ask: See your Professor during Office Hours or before or after class. If you have a disability, inform your instructor early in the semester and make appropriate arrangements well in advance of Exam Day. But in any case, prepare yourself for the exam now. Work on your reading, writing, and study skills. Don't wait for the next exam. Do it now. You are the principal player in your education. Accept your responsibility. Please don't say no one told you.

2. Remember: It takes two to learn and it is likely your professor is not an ogre! A good question from you during class would be welcome. If you have any other kind of problem or concern, discuss it with your instructor before or after class or during office hours. Communicate your concern. In the meantime, do your job. Learn to listen critically, develop skills in taking notes, develop good study habits.

3. Importance of Study Sheets: Have a study sheet always! If you have a study sheet in hand and you have reviewed your lecture notes, the next job is to review them again focusing on what the question asks you to do. To be sure, you will have to write something. But what? First, as a rule, the more intelligent prose you write the better. Quality is always the key. So, think before you write. Good writing is succinct(brief). As a rule it is re-written writing. But you have only one shot with an in-class essay! To be on target aim to be prepared.

4. Going to War: That means getting your thoughts organized in order to write clearly. Your essay should have good organization. As Aristotle suggested: A Beginning; A Middle; An end. If 'The Philosopher' and 'Master of Those Who Know' does not impress you, then recall the standard issue of the United States Army:

i. Tell 'em what you're gonna tell 'em;
ii. Tell 'em;
iii. Tell 'em what you told 'em.

Writing a CIA Test is the academic equivalent of going to war, well, anyway, defending something worthwhile. Boy Scout or NCC Cadet..! Be Prepared.

5. What to include?: If your thoughts are organized, what do you include in your essay? In general be specific. A good essay has a thesis: It says in simple sinewy prose: I will argue that.... A good essay uses carefully selected examples. Like a good poem or a good piece of science or a good historical argument, memorable essays make a general claim supported by specific examples.

6. Time is short: Because time is short your essay should show economy of expression. Make it lean and to the point. Truth is simple. Writers kid themselves more often than they fool their readers.
Be simple, direct, detailed. With Democritus 'Don't speak at length, speak the truth.' Fifty minutes is short, thirty minutes is twenty minutes shorter. So you must select in advance what you judge worthy of your time.

7. Finally, number all your pages: (they're worth the time spent!). Try not to over-write (especially question numbers!), and always see to it that you make your presentations memorable.

["Show me your answer sheet and i'll tell you who you are!" goes the adage! Indeed, your Answer sheet reflects you!]

Write a good and concise introduction to the essay lasting ½ to 2/3 of the first page. Why is this crucial? Examiners are human (oh yes!) and they will form an impression, willy nilly, of whether yours is a 1st class, second class or a weak answer before they turn from the first page. Your intro, therefore is a chance for you to show that you have all the knowledge and skills they are looking for and the rest of the essay will simply confirm it. Bring the essay to a close neatly but don't write a long and fatuous closing paragraph ("thus it can be seen that...") unless you really do have a number of threads left to tie together.

These skills are not natural and, to a great extent, the hope is that there's nothing like a bit of intensive practice to hone these skills to perfection.
Wish you all the very best!

[Thanks a ton to Prof.Robert Hatch. Well, you're words are a real shot in the arm, Professor!]

Tolerance

Introduction:

In his essay “Tolerance” E.M.Forster talks about the need for a sound state of mind, and a right psychology to reconstruct Europe. Architects, contractors, broadcasting corporations etc must be inspired by the proper spirit in the people for whom they are working. People today are indifferent to civic beauty, and they have no taste at all. According to Forster, until we are concerned and worried about our society, reconstruction of Europe would not become a possibility at all.

Love for Private Life – Tolerance for Public Life:

Most people, when asked what spiritual quality is needed to rebuild civilization, will reply ‘Love.’ But according to Forster, love is a great force in private life; it is indeed the greatest of all things: but love in public affairs does not work. The idea that nations should love one another, or that a man in Portugal should love a man in Peru of whom he has never heard – it is absurd, unreal, dangerous etc. In the rebuilding of civilization, something much less dramatic and emotional is needed, namely tolerance. Tolerance is indeed a negative virtue, but this is the sound state of mind which will enable different races and classes and interests to settle down together to the work of reconstruction.

Tolerance is Common Sense:

According to Forster, if you don’t like people, put up with them as well as you can. Don’t try to love them: you can’t, you’ll only strain yourself. But try to tolerate them. On the basis of that tolerance a civilized future may be built. There is no other foundation besides tolerance, for the post-war world.

Moreover, tolerance is very essential for the establishment of peace. It is also common sense, because in the post-war world we shall have to live with all kinds of people – from different races, languages, ethnicities etc.

Conclusion:

To conclude, Forster feels that tolerance is not a great eternally established divine principle, but just a makeshift, suitable and apt for an overcrowded and overheated planet. It carries on when love gives out, and love generally gives out as soon as we move away from our home and our friends. Tolerance is needed in the shop, among strangers, in the queue, in the telephone booth, in the street, in the office, at the factory and above all between classes, races, and nations. It is a dull virtue but still requires imagination, as it helps in empathizing with others, which is a very desirable spiritual exercise too.

I BA English - Grammar and Linguistics - I CIA Marks - Reg:

Dear students of I BA English Litt.,

Your I CIA Marks for the paper "Grammar and Linguistics" have been uploaded on our academic website HERE.

Clarifications and/or corrections, if any, can be made to me directly or via email, at rufusonline@gmail.com on or before Wednesday, 21 October 2009.

Regards,

Rufus

I BSc Pbt/Zoo - II CIA Syllabus for Test..:

Dear Students of I BSc Pbt/Zoo(Reg),
You will be tested on the following four components for your II CIA.

1. Units 1 to 30 of Essential English Grammar

2. Any one essay with internal choice from "English Reader"

3. Any one poem with internal choice from "English Reader"

4. One letter-writing with internal choice.

[PS: Last date for submission of assignments is 14 October 2009.]

Regards and all best wishes, Rufus

I BSc Pbt/Zoo(Reg) Internal Marks - Reg:

Dear Students of Part II English [I BSc Pbt/Zoo],
Your First Internal Assessment Marks for your Part - II English paper have been uploaded on our academic website.

[All the marks are temporarily suspended pending scrutiny and revaluation - 19 October 2009]

For I BSc Pb & Pbt Marks, click HERE

For I BSc Zoo(Reg) Marks, click HERE

As regards your assignment, make sure you submit them on Wednesday, 14 October 2009.

For all your corrections and/or clarifications, if any, you can mail me at rufusonline@gmail.com.

Regards and all best wishes,

Rufus

SHARPEN...!

Time to cut a log with a dull saw - 30 minutes
Time to sharpen the saw - 5 minutes
Time to cut the log with a sharp saw - 10 minutes
You just saved yourself fifteen minutes! You've never cut a log?
How does this apply to you?
--------------------------------------------------------------
Time left until your deadline - 5 hours
Time to Sharpen the Saw, refocus and ready to go - 30 minutes
Time it takes to finish the project when you're refreshed - 4 hours
You just saved yourself thirty minutes.
That's how it applies to you.

Sharpen the saw is about balanced renewal in all four dimensions of human need: physical, spiritual, mental and social/emotional. As you renew yourself in each of the four areas, you create growth and change in your life. You increase your capacity to produce and handle the challenges around you. All it takes is desire, knowledge, and skill.

Have a checklist for all the four dimensions.

Mental Checklist

[Check only the items to which you can truthfully answer Yes.]

- I read books and other publications regularly.
- I keep a journal or some sort of log, or engage in a regular writing process.
- I allow music, silence, or some sort of relaxation exercise to clear my mind on a daily basis.
- I challenge my mind through puzzles, problem solving, or games.
- I have a hobby.
- I continue my education either formally or informally.
- I engage in meaningful dialogue at least once a week.
- I visualize projects and plans so I have the end result in mind to guide the process.
- I have a system to retrieve information when I need it.
- I use a system to plan and organize my time and efforts.

These are only steps towards your personal renewal plan. Now, take some time to think about the following questions.

1. If you could choose five things to do that would nourish your soul, what would they be?
2. What is cluttering your life now?
3. What keeps you awake at night?
4. What are you doing so that your family remembers you?
5. What do you want to do more of?
6. Is there something you've always been curious about? What is it?
7. Is there a hobby or craft you'd like to take up? Which ones?
8. Do you have a quiet, safe place to retreat to?
9. Do you surround yourself with sincerely supportive people?

Indeed, people are living, breathing organisms. You would not leave a plant or animal uncared for over a long period of time. Internal human needs require just as much constant attention as external, physical needs. Try assessing your success and progress now.

If you're really brave, try asking for feedback. Check your progress from the perspective of those with whom you relate.

FOUR EASY WAYS TO SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE

1. Schedule some downtime every day: Write a journal or take a quiet bath before bed.
2. Leave the TV off at least one night a week: You'll be surprised at the extra time you have. Leaving it off may even become a habit!
3. Don't be a slave to the phone: Keep it far away from you, unless it is on very important business.
4. Have a clean-up bin: Pick up clutter and put it in a sort-through-later bin. A clean room can make your surroundings more peaceful.

[Grateful acknowledgements to: Stephen R.Covey]

KEEP THE CERTAINTY OF REWARD BEFORE YOU

Let no youth have any anxiety about the upshot of his education, whatsoever the line of it may be. If he keeps faithfully busy each hour of the working day, he may safely leave the final result to itself. He can, with perfect certainty, count on waking up some fine morning to find himself one of the competent ones of his generation, in whatsoever pursuit he may have singled out.

- Professor William James

Are you Resolutely Determined???

One time a young man who aspired to study law wrote to Lincoln for advice. Lincoln replied - 

"If you are resolutely determined to make a lawyer of yourself, the thing is more than half done already... always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing."

Lincoln knew. He had gone through it all. He had never, in his entire life, had more than a total of one year's schooling. 

And books? 

Lincoln once said, he had walked and borrowed every book within fifty miles of his home. 

A log fire was usually kept going all night in the cabin. Sometimes he read by the light of the fire. There were cracks between the logs in the cabin, and Lincoln often kept a book sticking there. 

As soon as it was light enough to read in the morning, he rolled over on his bed of leaves, rubbed his eyes, pulled out the book and began devouring it.

He walked twenty and thirty miles to hear a speaker and, returning home, he practised his talks everywhere - in the fields, in the woods, before the crowds gathered at Jones' grocery at Gentryville; he joined literary and debating societies in New Salem and Springfield and practised speaking on the topics of the day. 

He was shy in the presence of women; when he courted Mary Todd he used to sit in the parlour, bashful and silent, unable to find words, listening while she did the talking. 

Yet that was the man who, by faithful practice and home study, made himself into the speaker who debated with the most accomplished orator of his day, Senator Douglas. 

This was the man who, at Gettysberg, and again in his second inaugural address, rose to heights of eloquence that have rarely been attained in all the annals of mankind.

Small wonder that, in view of his own terrific handicaps and pitiful struggle, Lincoln wrote: "If you are resolutely determined to make a lawyer out of yourself, the thing is more than half done already."

Thanks to Dale Carnegie: 'Effective Speaking'

Essay Contest for Students..:

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Memorial Trust, Chennai, in association with Self-Imposed Vigilance for Good Governance (SIV-G) is conducting a nationwide online essay writing contest for students in the age group of 15 to 23 years (as on 1 January 2009). This contest is being organized as part of 134th Birthday Celebrations of Sardar Vallabhabhai Patel.

The first prize carries a cash award of Rs.5000/-, the second prize Rs. 3000/- and the third prize Rs.2000/-. There will be a good number of consolation prizes as well. The prize distribution function for these competitions will be held on 31st October, 2009 at Chennai.

Theme: Integrity and Good Governance
Last date for submission of essays: 18 October 2009

The essay can be written on any of the three topics given below:
1. 'Inculcating integrity in public life - Sardar Patel's way'
2. 'Relevance of integrity in public life in today's context'
3. 'Is integrity supplement to good governance or compliment?'

For details and registration, click on their website HERE

Join in the Tree Walk...!

Are you a tree lover? If yes, then... Join the tree walk on Sunday, October 4, 2009, at the Birla Planetarium campus, organised by Nizhal, a trust that promotes concern for trees in the city. Besides learning how to identify trees, tree walkers can also learn interesting facts about each tree! The walk starts at 7 am.

To register, call 9445258328/ 9840744453

Are you a Member of atleast ONE GOOD LIBRARY?

"When I got [my] library card, that was when my life began,"

says Rita Mae Brown, prolific American writer and social activist.

"Your Library is your Portrait,"

says Holbrook Jackson.

"Books are the ever burning lamps of accumulated wisdom,"

says George William Curtis.
Indeed, this is the best time to check out some of the good libraries in the City, and a compendium of the same, numbering around 115, is available HERE.

Time for a Vision Check-up! Time for taking a Call!

So, what do you want to be when you grow up? That question may appear a little trite, but just think about it for a moment. Are you - right now - who you want to be, what you dreamed you'd be, doing what you always wanted to do? Be honest.

It’s incredibly easy to get caught up in the activity trap, in the “busyness” of life, to work harder and harder at climbing the ladder of success, only to discover, upon reaching the top rung, that the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall. Sometimes people find themselves achieving victories that are empty-successes that have come at the expense of things that were far more valuable to them. If your ladder is not leaning against the right wall, every step you take gets you to the wrong place faster. How depressing is that?

Habit 2/7 – BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND - is based on imagination - the ability to envision, see the potential, create with your mind what you cannot at present see with your eyes and conscience. It is based on the principle that all things are created twice. First, there is a mental creation, and second, a physical creation. The physical creation follows the mental, just as a building follows a blueprint. If you don't make a conscious effort to visualize who you are and what you want in life, then you empower other people and circumstances to shape you and your life by default. It's about connecting again with your own uniqueness and then defining the personal, moral, and ethical guidelines within which you can most happily express and fulfill it.

To Begin with the End in Mind means to begin each day, task, or project with a clear vision of your desired direction and destination, and then continue by flexing your proactive muscles to make things happen.

One of the best ways to incorporate this habit into your life if to develop a Personal Mission Statement. It focuses on what you want to be and do. It is your plan for success. It reaffirms who you are, puts your goals in focus, and moves your ideas into the real world. Your mission statement makes you the leader of your own life. You create your own destiny and secure the future you envision.

CHECKING YOUR VISION
It’s time for a personal vision checkup. Take a minute and think about each question below. Write out your thoughts clearly in a separate piece of paper.

1. What am I doing right now with my life? Does it make me happy? Do I feel fulfilled?
2. What do I keep gravitating toward? Is it different from what I am currently doing?
3. What did I like to do as a child? Do those things still bring me satisfaction? Am I doing any of them?
4. What interests me most right now?
5. What fills my soul?
6. What can I do well? What are my unique traits and strengths?

A sample Mission Statement is given below: Use it as a point of reference for creating your own:

Be humble, considerate, honest, kind, loving, and most importantly forgiving, but wise.

Give unselfishly to the needy, but try to provide tools for success as well: i.e., offer a job and a handout.

Keep my word.

Find weaknesses in myself and situations and choose to improve them.

Other important values I must never forget: Learning, gaining knowledge and nurturing friendships.

Work and play where my integrity cannot be compromised.

Refrain from building walls - allow pessimism, criticism to come in, but I will choose to learn from them, not react or hide from them

Refrain from competing, but add to other's success.

Remember and thank those who have helped me. Return their kindness to others that need it.

Allow my values to guide me, not jealously or other peoples' values, competition or wealth.

Look at both sides of an issue before making a decision. Realize that each decision is an independent decision, not necessarily directly related to past or future decisions, and take the time to gather insight to make informed decisions.

Take time every day for reflection, to realize what I learned, what I should learn more about to say thank you, to give myself a pat on the back while looking into what I need to improve upon.

"Real success is success with self; it's not having things, but in having mastery, having victory over oneself"!

[This article is excerpted from Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People]