Connecting the Dots
ENGLISH WORKSHOP
1. (A) Rearrange the incidents in the life of Steve Jobs in chronological order.
(a) Steve Jobs started Next.
(b) Jobs underwent a surgery.
(c) Jobs learned about serif and sans serif type faces.
(d) Jobs returned to Apple Inc.
(e) Jobs married Laurene.
(f) Jobs was diagnosed with cancer.
(g) Jobs dropped out of Reed College.
Answer:-
(g) Jobs dropped out of Reed College.
(c) Jobs learned about serif and sans serif type faces.
(a) Steve Jobs started Next.
(e) Jobs married Laurene.
(d) Jobs returned to Apple Inc.
(f) Jobs was diagnosed with cancer.
(b) Jobs underwent a surgery.
1. (B) Read the third story again. Complete the flow-chart given below.
Flow-chart: Diagnosed with cancer → (2) → (3) → (4) → (5) → (6) → (7) → (8) → (9) → (10) → Stay hungry, stay foolish.
Answer:
- Diagnosed with cancer
- Doctor advised to get affairs in order
- Lived with the diagnosis all day
- Had a biopsy in the evening
- Found it was a rare, curable cancer
- Had surgery
- Recovered and felt fine
- Realized time is limited
- Advised not to follow dogma
- Stay hungry, stay foolish
2. Read the lesson. Refer to a dictionary and match the words in column ‘A’ with their meanings in column ‘B’.
| No | ‘A’ | ‘B’ |
|---|---|---|
| (a) | diagnosis | (i) the power believed to control events |
| (b) | devastating | (ii) complete list of items especially in a special order and description |
| (c) | intuition | (iii) act of identifying the nature of a problem or illness |
| (d) | calligraphy | (iv) power of understanding situations or people’s feelings beforehand |
| (e) | destiny | (v) causing great destruction |
| (f) | catalogue | (vi) beautiful handwriting done with a special pen or brush |
Answer:-
(a) diagnosis – (iii) act of identifying the nature of a problem or illness
(b) devastating – (v) causing great destruction
(c) intuition – (iv) power of understanding situations or people’s feelings beforehand
(d) calligraphy – (vi) beautiful handwriting done with a special pen or brush
(e) destiny – (i) the power believed to control events
(f) catalogue – (ii) complete list of items especially in a special order and description
3. Go through all the three stories. Identify some qualities of Steve Jobs and complete the webchart.
Webchart: curiosity → Steve Jobs ← (other qualities)
Answer: curiosity determination creativity courage love for work trust in intuition open-mindedness Steve Jobs (center of the web)
4. Complete the following table.
‘The Three Stories in the Life of Steve Jobs’
| About | Setbacks | Reactions | Achievements and Benefits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First story | Connecting the dots | Dropped out of college, no dorm | Followed curiosity, took calligraphy | Calligraphy helped design Mac |
| Second story | Love and loss | Got fired from Apple | Started over, stayed creative | Started Next, Pixar, returned to Apple |
| Third story | Death | Diagnosed with cancer | Faced it bravely, had surgery | Lived with new perspective, gave advice |
5. Say HOW?
(a) The calligraphy classes helped Steve Jobs after 10 years.
Answer: The calligraphy classes taught Steve Jobs about serif and sans serif typefaces and great typography, which he used to design the Macintosh computer with beautiful fonts.
(b) You can connect dots.
Answer: You can connect dots by looking back at past experiences and seeing how they lead to something meaningful in your life later on.
(c) Jobs reacted later on, after the shock of being fired from Apple.
Answer: Jobs felt devastated at first, but later realized he still loved his work, so he started over with new companies like Next and Pixar.
(d) Jobs was cured of a rare cancer.
Answer: Jobs had a biopsy that showed a rare form of pancreatic cancer, which could be cured with surgery, and he recovered after the operation.
(e) Jobs acquired the famous words ‘Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish’.
Answer: Jobs saw these words on the back cover of The Whole Earth Catalogue and adopted them as a life lesson to share with others.
6. Besides those given at the end of the talk by Steve Jobs, pick out other pieces of advice that Jobs gives in his speech.
(a) Answer: Trust that the dots will connect in your future.
(b) Answer: Follow your heart and intuition, as they know what you truly want.
(c) Answer: Don’t let others’ opinions drown out your inner voice.
7. (A) Use the following idioms/phrases in sentences of your own.
⚫ drop it
Answer: I asked him to drop it because the argument was going nowhere.
⚫ drop out
Answer: She decided to drop out of school to pursue her dreams.
⚫ stumble on
Answer: I stumbled on an old book while cleaning the attic.
⚫ look backwards
Answer: Sometimes, you need to look backwards to understand your journey.
⚫ look forward
Answer: I look forward to meeting my friends this weekend.
⚫ let (someone) down
Answer: He didn’t want to let his team down, so he worked harder.
⚫ sign off
Answer: The teacher signed off the letter with a warm goodbye.
⚫ begin anew
Answer: After the failure, she decided to begin anew with a fresh plan.
7. (B) Fill in the gaps choosing the appropriate idioms.
(drown out, hits in the head with a brick, get one’s affairs in order, connect the dots, begin to dawn, stay hungry)
(a) The wealthy landlord made a will get one’s affairs in order before he could die.
(b) Those who aspire for success should always stay hungry to learn more.
(c) If you connect the dots, you will realise that crime ultimately leads to poverty.
(d) The siren of the ambulance drown out all other traffic noise.
(e) When the father learned about his son’s misdeeds, it hits in the head with a brick.
(f) On reading exactly same essays in both answer sheets, it begin to dawn the examiner, that the students had cheated during exams.
8. (A) Name the Tense of the Verbs underlined to include Time (Past/Present/Future) and Aspect (Simple/Continuous/Perfect/Perfect Continuous)
(1) I slept on the floor.
Answer: Past Simple
(2) You haven’t found it.
Answer: Present Perfect
(3) We were designing the first Macintosh computer.
Answer: Past Continuous
(4) It had made all the difference.
Answer: Past Perfect
(5) I am fine, now.
Answer: Present Simple
(6) I have been facing death.
Answer: Present Perfect Continuous
(7) I shall be telling you three stories.
Answer: Future Continuous
8. (B) Change the Tense as instructed.
(1) I got fired. (Future Perfect)
Answer: I will have got fired.
(2) Life hits you in the head. (Present Perfect Continuous)
Answer: Life has been hitting you in the head.
(3) The dots will somehow connect. (Past Perfect)
Answer: The dots had somehow connected.
(4) I started a company. (Present Continuous)
Answer: I am starting a company.
(5) My doctor advised me. (Past Perfect Continuous)
Answer: My doctor had been advising me.
9.(A) Read the News item and write an application for a suitable job in the same company. Attach a separate CV/Resume.
Application Letter: [Your Address] [City, State, PIN] April 08, 2025
The HR Manager Apple Development Office Hyderabad
Subject: Application for the Post of Software Engineer
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to apply for the position of Software Engineer at Apple Development Office, Hyderabad, as mentioned in the news on May 19, 2016. I have completed my B.Tech in Computer Science with excellent grades and have skills in programming and software development. I am passionate about technology and would love to contribute to Apple’s innovative projects like maps and product development.
Please find my resume attached for your review. I would be grateful for an opportunity to work with your esteemed company. Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to your response.
Yours sincerely, [Your Full Name] [Contact Number] [Email ID]
Resume: [Your Full Name] [Address] | [Phone Number] | [Email ID]
Objective: To work as a Software Engineer at Apple and contribute to innovative technology solutions.
Education:
- B.Tech in Computer Science, [Your School/College], [Year] – [Percentage/CGPA]
- Class 12, [School Name], [Year] – [Percentage]
- Class 10, [School Name], [Year] – [Percentage]
Skills:
- Programming: C++, Java, Python
- Software Development
- Problem-solving and teamwork
Hobbies: Coding, reading tech blogs
9. (B) Imagine you are already working as an Engineer in Apple Development Office, Hyderabad. Write an application for 2 weeks leave to the HR Manager as you have to undergo an urgent surgery.
Application Letter: [Your Address] Apple Development Office Hyderabad April 08, 2025
The HR Manager Apple Development Office Hyderabad
Subject: Request for 2 Weeks Leave for Urgent Surgery
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am [Your Full Name], working as a Software Engineer in the Apple Development Office, Hyderabad. I am writing to request a leave of 2 weeks from April 10, 2025, to April 24, 2025, as I need to undergo an urgent surgery due to a medical condition. The doctor has advised complete rest during this period for recovery.
I will ensure all my current tasks are completed or delegated before my leave begins. Kindly grant me this leave, and I will be grateful for your support. Thank you.
Yours sincerely, [Your Full Name] Employee ID: [Your ID] [Contact Number]
10. Prepare a speech on the title “The Will to Win” to be delivered before the class during a competition.
Speech:
Good morning, everyone! Today, I am here to speak on the topic “The Will to Win.”
Introduction: Winning is not just about talent or luck; it’s about having the determination to succeed no matter what challenges come your way. The will to win is the inner strength that pushes us forward.
Objective and Illustrations: The goal of having this will is to achieve our dreams. Take Steve Jobs as an example-he faced setbacks like dropping out of college and being fired from Apple, but his will to win kept him going.
Specific Examples: When Jobs was fired, he didn’t give up. He started Next and Pixar, and later returned to Apple, making it a global success. This shows how the will to win turns failures into victories.
Purpose of the Title: The title reminds us that success comes from effort and belief in ourselves, not just from easy circumstances.
Sources/Resources for Implementation: To build this will, we need courage, hard work, and inspiration from people like Jobs or even our own small victories.
Usefulness/Benefits: It helps us overcome obstacles, stay focused, and achieve our goals, making us stronger and happier.
Conclusion: So, let’s develop the will to win in our lives. As Jobs said, “Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish”-keep pushing forward! Thank you!
Leave a Reply