Tips for Exam- Sem II

 

Skills Chart

Assertive Skills

1. Assertive skills  

Chapter 4 : The Verger 

Writer : Somerset Maugham

Hint : assertive skills, Verger, Vicar, Quit job

Introduction 

This question is taken from the section 'Assertive skills'. The story connecting assertive skills is 'The Verger' by Somerset Maugham.

Learning Skills

2. Learning skills  

Chapter 5 : Three Questions 

Writer : Leo Tolstoy

Hint : Learning, King, Hermit, Three questions, Knowledge, Know

Introduction 

This question is taken from the section 'Learning skills'. The story connecting learning skills is 'Three Questions' by Leo Tolstoy.

Adaptability Skills

3. Adaptability skills  

Chapter 8: Senor Payroll 

Writer : William E. Barrett

Hint : Adapt, Change job, Strokers, Human relations, Self respect, Change, Alter, Junior engineers, gas plant, start, wage, conflicts

Introduction 

This question is taken from the section 'Adaptability skills'. The story connecting adaptability skills is 'Senor Payroll' by William E. Barrett.

Non Verbal Communication Skills

4. Non-verbal Communication skills  

Chapter 9 : A Real Good Smile 

Writer : Bill Naughton

Hint : Boy, Billy, Locomotive shed, Alf Agar, job seekers, Action, Face, Speech, Eyes, Communication, Words - Body Language 

Introduction 

This question is taken from the section 'Non Verbal Communication  skills'. The story connecting non verbal communication skills is 'A Real Good Smile’ is Bill Naughton.

Long question answers:

 Assertive Skills

1. Assertive skills  

Chapter 4 : The Verger 

Writer : Somerset Maugham

Hint : assertive skills, Verger, Vicar, Quit job

Introduction 

This question is taken from the section 'Assertive skills'. The story connecting assertive skills is 'The Verger' by Somerset Maugham.

 

In the short story "The Verger" by Somerset Maugham, the main character, Albert Edward Foreman, shows us how being assertive can lead to great success. Assertiveness means standing up for yourself and being honest about what you can and cannot do.

For sixteen years, Albert worked happily as a verger at a church. However, a new vicar arrived and discovered that Albert could not read or write. The vicar gave him an ultimatum: learn to read in three months or lose his job.

At this moment, Albert had two choices that would have been bad for him. He could have been submissive by crying or begging to keep his job. He could also have been aggressive by getting angry. Instead, Albert chose to be assertive. He calmly and confidently told the vicar that he was too old to learn new tricks and that he would rather leave his job than change who he was. This shows he had great self-respect.

After losing his job, Albert did not give up. While walking down the street, he wanted a cigarette but could not find a shop. He used his confidence to take a risk and opened his own tobacco shop. Because he was hardworking and confident, his business grew. Eventually, he owned many shops and became a very wealthy man.

At the end of the story, a bank manager is shocked to learn that such a successful man cannot read. Albert simply smiles and says that if he had learned to read, he would still be a poor verger.

Albert’s life teaches us that we do not need to please everyone to be successful. By being assertive, knowing our strengths, and refusing to be mistreated, we can turn a difficult situation into a big achievement.

Learning Skills

2. Learning skills  

Chapter 5 : Three Questions 

Writer : Leo Tolstoy

Hint : Learning, King, Hermit, Three questions, Knowledge, Know

Introduction 

This question is taken from the section 'Learning skills'. The story connecting learning skills is 'Three Questions' by Leo Tolstoy.

In Leo Tolstoy’s story "The Three Questions", a King seeks the answers to three vital questions to rule his country well. His journey teaches us why it is important to keep updating our knowledge and skills throughout life.

The main insights in the story includes:

1. Be humble enough to learn
Even though he is a King, he admits he does not have all the answers. To update our skills, we must first realise where we are lacking. If we believe we already know everything, we stop growing. Learning begins with the humility to say, "I need to improve."
2. Be persistent in finding the truth
When the King is not satisfied with the advice he receives, he does not give up. He travels to find a wise hermit. This shows that updating your knowledge requires effort. We must be active in seeking out the best teachers and information.
3. Learn through practical work
The King does not just listen to theories; he rolls up his sleeves and digs the soil for the hermit. This teaches us that the best way to update our skills is through doing. Hard work and practice help us understand things more deeply than words alone.
4. Develop your character
The King learns to forgive a man who wanted to kill him. By doing this, he turns an enemy into a friend. This shows that updating our knowledge is not just about facts; it is also about improving our behaviour and how we treat others.
Conclusion
The King learns that the most important time is now, the most important person is the one you are with, and the most important task is to do good. By constantly learning and updating ourselves, we become better at handling life’s challenges.

Adaptability Skills

3. Adaptability skills  

Chapter 8: Senor Payroll 

Writer : William E. Barrett

Hint : Adapt, Change job, Strokers, Human relations, Self respect, Change, Alter, Junior engineers, gas plant, start, wage, conflicts

Introduction 

This question is taken from the section 'Adaptability skills'. The story connecting adaptability skills is 'Senor Payroll' by William E. Barrett.

In William E. Barrett’s short story "

Señor Payroll

," the frequent cycle of resigning and rejoining by the Mexican stokers serves as a powerful metaphor for the advantages and disadvantages of changing jobs. While the workers’ behaviour was driven by a need to circumvent rigid payroll rules, their actions highlight how job mobility can be used as a strategic tool for survival and leverage.
Advantages of Changing Jobs Frequently
In the story, the primary advantage of "changing jobs"—or the stokers’ cycle of resigning—was leverage and immediate gain. By resigning, the stokers forced the company to pay their full wages immediately rather than making them wait for the official payday. This frequent turnover highlighted their indispensability; as "aristocrats" of the workforce who performed Herculean labour in fierce heat, the company could not afford to lose them. Their willingness to leave demonstrated adaptability and risk-taking, eventually forcing the management to modify its administrative rules to suit the workers’ needs. In a modern context, this mirrors how moving between roles can lead to better terms and a higher market value.
Disadvantages of Changing Jobs Frequently
However, the story also illustrates significant disadvantages. The constant resigning and re-hiring under different names—like Villa, Diaz, and Bolivar—created bureaucratic chaos and instability for the workers. This behaviour can lead to a lack of long-term security and professional continuity. For the management, frequent turnover is a "great nuisance" that disrupts organizational objectives and creates a climate of tension and mistrust. Without the intervention of the junior engineers who acted as mediators, this cycle of job-changing might have led to a permanent loss of employment for the workers and a loss of skilled labour for the company.
Ultimately, "Señor Payroll" suggests that while frequent job changes can be a tool for asserting one's rights and achieving immediate needs, true success requires adaptability from both sides. When management finally understood the workers' problems and relaxed their rules, the need for deceptive job-hopping vanished, leading to a more stable and harmonious workplace.

Non Verbal Communication Skills

4. Non-verbal Communication skills  

Chapter 9 : A Real Good Smile 

Writer : Bill Naughton

Hint : Boy, Billy, Locomotive shed, Alf Agar, job seekers, Action, Face, Speech, Eyes, Communication, Words - Body Language 

Introduction 

This question is taken from the section 'Non Verbal Communication  skills'. The story connecting non verbal communication skills is 'A Real Good Smile’ is Bill Naughton.

Albert Mehrabian’s communication model points on the varying impact of words, tone of voice, and  body language in conveying feelings and attitudes. According to the theory, a staggering 93% of meaning is conveyed through non-verbal cues. In Bill Naughton’s "A Real Good Smile," the protagonist, Billy, discovers that while these statistics hold weight, the "visual" and "vocal" elements of communication are only effective when they are rooted in genuine emotion.

The story highlights Mehrabian’s claim that 55% of communication is visual through Billy’s obsession with his facial expression. Billy is taught that a "real good smile" is his most valuable currency. When he faces Mr. Bidwell, his practiced, literal words fail him, yet his physical presence—and eventually his raw, honest reaction—conveys more than his rehearsed speech ever could. The visual element of the smile acts as a bridge; it signals reliability and character, communicating a "message" of competence that words alone cannot prove.

Vocal elements (38%) also play a critical role in revealing social and emotional truths. Throughout the story, the pitch and speed of Billy’s voice fluctuate based on his confidence. When he is nervous, his mumbling reveals his low social standing and anxiety. Conversely, his neighbor Alf uses a controlled, authoritative tone to demonstrate mastery. This aligns with Mehrabian’s theory: the way Billy speaks reveals his vulnerability, proving that "how" something is said is often more informative than "what" is said.

However, the story’s conclusion challenges the idea that these skills can be purely mechanical. While Alf tries to teach Billy to "cultivate" a smile as a technical skill, Billy only succeeds when he drops the act. His eventual success with Mr. Bidwell comes from a moment of authentic defiance and honesty. This suggests that while non-verbal communication is dominant, it cannot be easily faked. A "real good smile" requires internal authenticity. Ultimately, Naughton’s narrative suggests that Mehrabian’s 93% is not just a technical breakdown to be mastered, but a reflection of a person's true, unvarnished self.