The Dangers of Earphone Addiction and The Law of the Garbage Truck

Passage 1

Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow

These days, it is not unusual to see people listening to music or using their electronic gadgets while crossing busy roads or travelling on public transports, regardless of the risks involved. I have often wondered why they take such risks: is it because they want to exude a sense of independence, or is it that they want to tell the world to stop bothering them? Or is it that they just want to show how cool they are? Whether it is a workman or an executive, earphones have become an inseparable part of our lives, sometimes even leading to tragicomic situations.

The other day, an electrician had come to our house to fix something. We told him in detail what needed to be done. But after he left, I found that the man had done almost nothing. It later turned out that he could not hear our directions clearly because he had an earphone on. Hundreds of such earphones addicts commute by the Delhi Metro every day. While one should not begrudge anyone their moments of privacy or their love for music, the fact is ‘IPOD OBLIVION’ can sometimes be very dangerous.

Recently, I was travelling with my wife on the Delhi Metro. Since the train was approaching the last station, there weren’t too many passengers. In our compartment, other than us, there were only two women sitting on the other side of the aisle. And then suddenly, I spotted a duffel bag. The bomb scare lasted for several minutes. Then suddenly, a youth emerged from nowhere and picked up the bag. When we tried to stop him, he looked at us, surprised. Then he took off his earpieces, lifted the bag, and told us that the bag belonged to him and that he was going to get off at the next station.

We were stunned but recovered in time to ask him where he was all this while. His answer: he was in the compartment, leaning against the door totally immersed in the music. He had no clue about what was going on around him. When he got off, earplugs in his hand, we could hear strains of the song.

1. Explain the term ‘earphone addicts’.

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2. What reasons does the writer give for the people taking risks on the road?

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3. Why does ‘IPOD OBLIVION’ mean according to the text?

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4. Why didn’t the electrician do the work properly?

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5. Why were the passengers in the Metro scared with regard to the bag?

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Passage 2

One day, I took a taxi to the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean he was really friendly.

So I asked, ‘Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and almost sent us to the hospital!’
This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call the ‘The law of the Garbage Truck’.
He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they’ll dump it on you. Don’t take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don’t take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life’s too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so ‘Love the people who treat you right. Forgive the ones who don’t’. This attitude will help you sail through life. There will be fewer jerks and bumps. Learn to take the bad with the good for life can never be perfect. Acceptance of what is, is the solution. Don’t react, just accept and you will be a lot more happy.
Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it!

1. Give a suitable title to the story.

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2. The narrator learnt an invaluable lesson from the taxi river. What was it?

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3. What does word ‘garbage’ in the context of the passage mean?

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4. To what did the narrator compare the yelling driver?

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5. Give words from the passage that means the same as :

(Feeling of defeat / ……………………………………...)

(To move briskly / ……………………………………….)