Unseen Passage: Family and Decision Making

As the family finally sets off from home after many arguments, there is a moment of a lull as the car takes off. “Alright, so where are we going for dinner now?” asks the one at the driving wheel. What follows is chaos as multiple voices make as many suggestions.

By the time order is restored and a decision is arrived at, tempers have risen, feelings injured and there is at least one person grumbling.

Twenty years ago, you would step out of home, the decision of meal and venue already made with no arguments or opposition and everybody looked forward to the meal with equal enthusiasm. The decision was made by the head of the family and the others fell in line. Today every member of the family has a say in every decision which also promotes a sense of togetherness and bonding.

We empower our kids to take their own decisions from a very early age. We ask them the cuisine they prefer, the movie they want to see, the holiday they wish to go on and the subjects they wish to study.

It’s a closely connected world, out there where children consult and guide each other. A parent’s well-meaning advice can sound like nothing more than unnecessary preaching. How then do we teach our children through all the conflicting views and make the voice of reason be heard? Children today question choices and prefer to go with the flow.

What then is the best path to take? I would say the most important thing one can do is to listen. Listen to your children and their silences. Ensure that you keep some time aside for them, insist that they share their stories with you. Step into their world. It is not as complicated as it sounds; just a daily half an hour of quality time would do the trick.

Q. On the basis of your reading of the, above passage, answer the following.

  1. Write one advantage and one disadvantage of allowing, every family member to part; of the decision-making process.
  2. In today’s world, what are parents asking their kids?
  3. Which two pieces of advice does the writer give to the parents?
  4. The passage supports the parents. How far do you agree with the author’s views? Support your view with a reason.
  5. The synonym of ‘hurt’ as given in paragraph 2 is ____________.
  6. The word which means the same as ‘a style or method of cooking’ in paragraph 4 is
    1. cuisine
    2. gourmet
    3. gastric
    4. science
  7. The antonym of ‘agreeable’ as given in paragraph 5 is ____________.
  8. The antonym of ‘simple’ as given in paragraph 6 is
    1. difficult
    2. complicated
    3. easy
    4. tricky

Answer

  1. One advantage is that decision-making process promotes a sense of togetherness and bonding. Disadvantage is that it sometimes creates grumbling and confliction.
  2. In today’s world, we empower our kids to take their own decisions from a very early age.
  3. The two pieces of advice are:
    1. Listen to your children and their silences.
    2. Spent your time with your children and share your stories with you.
  4. Yes, I agree that this passage supports the parents because twenty years before the decision was made by the head of the family and it promotes a sense of togetherness and bonding I agree with this view because children do not have the ability to take their own decisions properly. Sometimes it may he wrong.
  5. injured
  6. cuisine
  7. conflicting
  8. complicated

Q. On the basis of your reading of the, above passage, answer the following.

  1. According to the passage, who said, “so, where are we going for dinner now?”
    1. narrator
    2. one at the steering
    3. one of the passengers
    4. one of the guests
  2. Twenty years ago, according to the passage, decisions were ___________ .
    1. unanimous ,with no argument
    2. made by the children
    3. taken by the head of the family
    4. not taken by elders
  3. In modern times, children are __________ to take their own decision from a very early age.
    1. forbidden
    2. trained
    3. not given permission
    4. allowed
  4. Generally, a parent’s advice is often taken as __________ by the children.
    1. dictatorship
    2. unnecessary preaching
    3. obligation
    4. distraction.
  5. These days, children want to _________.
    1. rule their own life
    2. go with the flow
    3. be looked after by others
    4. live their life under the guidance of everyone
  6. The message conveyed by this passage is that parents should __________.
    1. give children some space
    2. listen to each need of theirs
    3. let them solve their problems by helping them from the back
    4. all of these
  7. After arriving at a decision almost everyone is _____________ in the family mentioned above.
    1. happy
    2. excited
    3. hurt
    4. elated
  8. In modern times, the say each family member in decision making points towards _________ in the family.
    1. grudges,
    2. perfect bonding
    3. individual opinions
    4. none of these
  9. The synonyms of ‘hurt’ given in para 2 is .
    1. injured
    2. restored
    3. arrived
    4. decision
  10. The word which means the same as ‘a style or method of cooking’ in para 4 is .
    1. gourmet
    2. cuisine
    3. gastric
    4. science
  11. The word ‘agreeable’ has the antonym .
    1. connected
    2. conflicting
    3. preaching
    4. prefer
  12. The antonym of ‘simple’ as given in para 6 is ____________.
    1. difficult
    2. complicated
    3. easy
    4. tricky

Answer

  1. one at the steering
  2. taken by the head of the family
  3. allowed
  4. unnecessary preaching
  5. go with the flow
  6. all of these
  7. hurt
  8. perfect bonding
  9. injured
  10. cuisine
  11. conflicting
  12. complicated

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