LOYOLA COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS), CHENNAI – 600 034

M.A. DEGREE EXAMINATION – ENGLISH LITERATURE

AP 24

FIRST SEMESTER – NOV 2006

EL 1806 – SPEECH EVENT MANAGEMENT

 

 

Date & Time : 02-11-2006/1.00-3.00     Dept. No.                                                          Max. : 50 Marks

 

 

PART A

I           Write short notes on any Five of the following                                              (5×1=5 marks)

1. Define Personality
2. What is High and Low esteem?
3. What is a value?
4. Describe internal and external motivation.
5. Explain the two types of coping.
6. What is team learning?
7. Explain the process of communication.
8. Communication is a skilled behaviour. Explain

 

II         Answer any Two of the following in about 100 word each               (2×5=10 marks)

9. Explain the strategies of managing conflict.
10. Explain the different types of communication
11. What are the characteristics of a team?
12. What is demotivation and what are the what are the demotivating factors?

 

III        Write on any one of the following in about 200 words                      (1×10=10  marks)

13.Write a profile of yourself highlighting all your dimensions.

14. Evaluate yourself as a communicator in terms of your strengths and weakness
15. Discuss different types of leadership.

PART-B

IV        Write short notes on any five of the following in about 50 words.    (5×1=5 marks)

1. Coherence
2. Schema
3. Aesthetic function of speech act
4. Cotext
5. deictic expressions
6. discreteness
7. Pidgins

V         Answer any two of the following in about 200 words each give examples.

(2 x 5 = 10)

8. Ethnography of communication
9. Overt transactional skills in spoken discourse
10. Language as an interpersonal social Act.

 

1. Identify the discourse features in the following passage (10 marks)

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MOTHER TONGUE

-Iqbalunnisa Hussain

John Spiers gives an introduction to Iqbalunnisa Hussain as “a Muslim lady whose own life is an epic symbol of changing India” in his foreword to the book Changing India: A Muslim Woman Speaks and that can hardly be bettered. He says: “Considering the vast size of India, writers are all too few; and still less is the proportion of women writers. But as for Mohammedan women writers, where are they? In this respect it is probable that Mrs. Iqbalunnisa Hussain holds a lonely and courageous place. Here, for the first time, is the voice of a hitherto silent section of Indian women …her convictions are always based on knowledge, a sound knowledge born out of her own rich experience.”

 

 

(Included in this volume: Inaugural address delivered at the Urdu­Persian Literary Association of the Maharaja’s College, Mysore)

To a person his mother tongue is a “blessing in disguise.” It is not merely a time-table subject in his education but is forced upon him from all sides. It is learnt by both the direct or conscious and the indirect or unconscious method. The direct method supplements and regulates the knowledge gained by hearing. The mother tongue is an indispensable instrument for the development of the intellectual, moral and physical aspects of education. It is a subject through and by which other subjects can be tackled, understood and communicated. Clarity of thought and expression is only possible when one has a certain command over the mother tongue. Weakness in any other subject means weakness in that particular subject only, but weakness in the mother tongue means the paralysis of all thought and the power of expression. Deep insight, fresh discoveries, appreciation and expansion of ideas are only possible when one understands the subject through being able to assimilate and be stimulated by the ideas of the subject.

The mother tongue is a factor for unification and sympathy. It unites people with a common culture, common traditions and ideals. The common bond becomes so strong that any division is almost impossible. The sufferings of some members of the same community who speak the same language make all the rest sad, while the success of some elates the whole. This attitude of mind towards the members of one’s own community is unconscious. Even  the suppression of this feeling in the interests of all human beings is possible only by thinking beings. Unfortunately the number of such widely sympathetic human beings is all too few.

The influence of the home on one’s mother tongue begins during infancy. The home is the place where love and sympathy reign supreme and where they are the means of instruction. It is a place where freedom of thought and action are encouraged, and practised both by direct and indirect methods. Throughout the day instruction in speech is given. Indistinct, unconnected utterances are checked, corrected and transformed into clarity of expression. The child’s ability to talk or to make statements is developed by conversations with the parents, thus the child’s natural shyness and the fear of committing mistakes are overcome. The natural gift of expression is developed.

This home influence plays a very important part in inculcating and enlarging the ideas of the child. These ideas are gathered through pictures, photographs, from articles and by all things in the child’s home and surroundings. The child’s curiosity compels him to ask questions and gather information concerning everything. Enquiries about their names and uses follow. This unending stream of questions on a multitude of topics and the degree of sensible replies or explanations given to him by his parents increases his ideas and vocabulary, and likewise his thoughts begin to settle and his power of listening intelligently and understanding the spoken word develops.

Folk and fairy tales, and the adventures of heroes and heroines told by the mothers and grandmothers have a unique value. Related in a homely manner their chief ideas are easily understood. Such tales not only develop the character of the little one, but also improve his own power of recounting what is heard. Very often one finds little children acting such stories. Religious instruction given at home is another aid to progress in the mother tongue. Women are more religious minded usually than men. They remember the words and music of hymns and songs. At a very young age the child learns these by heart and later recites them before the members and friends of the family. And sometimes the child is bold enough to repeat them before strangers. Religious hymns and songs make an appeal to his religious instincts, which is sometimes expressed in another way through the medium of dolls which are made into idols. All this early learning lays a good foundation for the development of the mother tongue.

In illiterate families the influence of the mother tongue may not be so effective in the improvement of the vocabulary, pronunciation and the enlargement of ideas, but there is no lack of clear expression of some sort.

When the child enters school he is quite familiar with words, expressions and their uses in his daily life. Words and ideas do not seem dry and lifeless to him, as they are often used in his life. The teacher of the mother tongue is not vague in his expression and in the presentation of facts. The homely presentation of ideas with a definite purpose creates a spirit of reciprocity in children. There is often found a mutual understanding between the children and the teacher and an appreciation of the matter read is expressed. The instinct of curiosity to know about things is satisfied by reading books written in one’s mother tongue. The substance is re-stated in the children’s own words and is turned over in their minds till they understand its meaning well. The strong foundation laid at home and the familiarity of the ideas make the student better fitted to cope with the difficulties in the school. The school supplements and regulates the knowledge gained by indirect ways. No stage of expression remains unrealised and untranslated in the pupil’s life. In addition the lectures delivered by individual speakers, debates held and the writing of essays help to clarify the descriptions and explanations of any fresh knowledge gathered by them. The minds of children are thus prepared and ready to enter upon more advanced stages in their educational career.

The Urdu and Persian languages, after the downfall of the Moghal Empire did not receive due importance. They were made second languages in the syllabus of the schools and so their position was made secondary. Neither were they financially supported and hence people neglected them because they had no market value. The country now is on the threshold of building her educational structure on the recognition of the mother tongue. It is considered an indispensable instrument for preserving one’s national culture and traditions. The feeling of unrest due to the clash between the old and new culture is disappearing. The Great War opened the  eyes of the people and made them realise the importance of their own culture in building their nation. They agitated and adopted a uniform scheme of education. The cry of the day is to serve the nation, to develop one’s own power of expression and to preserve one’s own culture and traditions. The social, political and economic conditions of the country also accelerated the demand for a democratic form of education as a preparation for life. Consequently the mother tongue became the rule for middle and high schools and there is an attempt to have the same in colleges and in higher educational organizations.

Literary associations were started all over India in high schools and colleges with a view to encourage students to actively take part in them and to create an interest in their mother tongue. Such associations have been serving a two-fold purpose. They develop the students’ intellect and character. They are also a means for students to do social and national service. The members solve many a modern problem of life. The Literary Association of the Maharaja’s College of Mysore is a wonderful living example. The activities of this Association are too many to describe in detail. The very fact of inviting me from Bangalore to deliver an inaugural address is a proof of the interest taken by its members in their Association. The moving spirit behind it is Mr. M.A. Shushtery, Prof. of Persian in the College. From the time he joined the Mysore Government service, a new life has entered into the students of Persian. The learning of Persian is no more a boring subject. His selfless work in the interest of his students and in making Persian an important subject in the State has endeared him to all those who know him and who have the good fortune of being his students. Now people have realized the fact that the flag of the Urdu and Persian languages need not be lowered before that of other languages. The Muslims of Mysore are highly grateful to him and will always remember and cherish his memory. It is my earnest wish that the high standard of Persian raised by him will be maintained even after his retirement from State service.

 

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LOYOLA COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS), CHENNAI – 600 034

M.A. DEGREE EXAMINATION – ENGLISH LITERATURE

LO 62

FOURTH SEMESTER – APRIL 2007

EL 4810 / 1806 – SPEECH EVENT MANAGEMENT

 

 

 

Date & Time: 23/04/2007 / 9:00 – 11:00  Dept. No.                                           Max. : 50 Marks

Duration only  TWO Hours

PART A

I Answer any TWO of the followingt in 50 words each (5×2 1/2 =5 Marks)

 

1.Define Personality

2.Explain the two types of coping?

3. Explain the process of communication.
4. Communication is a skilled behaviour. Comment.

5.Distinguish attitude and values.

 II Answer any TWO of the followingt in 100 words each (2×5= 10Marks)

6. What are the strategies to manage conflict?

7.Evaluate yourself as a communicator.

8.What are the pitfalls of a public speaker?

9. Explain a team concept.

III. Draft a an effective public speech on the topic” Smoking is injurious to health” with a proper format.(200 words)  10 marks.

 

PART –B

 

IV Write short notes on any FIVE of the following in about 50 words each(5×1=5 marks

 

1. cohesive links
2. role relationship
3. cotext
4. cooperative principles
5. pragmatics
6. diglossia
7. pidgins

 

 

V  Answer  any TWO of the following in about 200 words each.  Give your own examples.                                                                                                                                                          (2×5=10 marks)

 

8. Unique properties of human language
9. Functions of speech act
10. Language as an interpersonal social act.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Identify the discourse features in the following passage(10 marks)

VIJAY GOVINDARAJAN
Professor, Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth

Topic: Is innovation the key to growth?

Vijay Govindarajan Speech

It is really a great pleasure and privilege to be a part of this India Today Conclave especially sharing the stage with Dr. Mashelkar and Nandan Nilkeni. The topic for today’s session is – Is Innovation Key to India’s future. I think that is a no-brainer. Answer is yes, yes, yes. The question is how do India and Indian Corporations, how do they need to close that innovation gap. And I was really taken by Queen Jordan’s remark it should be hope gap. That is what we really need to close and one way perhaps we can enter into this conversation is I want every organization in this room including India Today as an organization and every other corporation and organization here. Think about everything you have done in the last 12 months and I say put them in 3 boxes. Box one I say is manage the present. Box two is selectively forget the past and Box three is create the future.
Manage the present box one, selective abandon the past box two and creating the future box three.

What I find working with organizations is organizations over spent their time in box one and think they do strategy. Is box one important, absolutely. Is box one critical, absolutely. Is box one strategy, no. Strategy is really about how do we create our future in the year 2020. And if you want to maintain leadership in 2020 are they thinks that we need to selectively forget that we are excelling today, the box two challenge. Let me reiterate one thing. While strategy is really about maintaining leadership in 2020 it is not about what you have to do in 2020. It is very much about what an organization needs to be in 2006 across the three boxes so that you introspect 2020. How do we allocate our resources in 2006? How is the organisation’s energy focused in 2006, across the three boxes so that we maintain leadership in the next 15 years.

What I find Indian organizations have done is they have over focused on box one. Our challenge is to see how do we expand our scope into box two, box three. Another word for box one is competition for the present. Another word for box two, box three is competition for the future. I say strategy has everything to do with competition for the future and has very little to do competition for the present. Why this distinction is important is there is a fundamental difference in the thinking process between competition for the present and competition for the future. And that fundamental difference is competition for the present is in response to linear changes in the industry. Because the changes are linear, because the changes are incremental the organizational response would be incremental improvements in your current business model. Call it total quality, call it six sigma, call it operational excellence, it is terribly important but that is not strategy. Competition for the future is inherently in response to discontinuous ship. Fundamental ships, non-linear ships because the changes are non-linear the organizational response has to be a non-linear ship as well. If you want to look back in the last 10 years and think about what might be one non-linear ship. If you just want to focus on technology I would say that internet was a discontinuous ship. It led to rule changing business models.

Companies like Ebay or Google would not have been possible without the internet. Ours, Yogi Deveshwar was talking about yesterday ITC ….
business model which I considered a box two innovation would not have been possible without the internet. Why you said important for corporations to focus on non-linear ships and think about fundamental rule changing moods. You have probably heard the story of encyclopedia Britannica, haven’t you not? Even as late as 1990s encyclopedia Britannica had a virtual lock on its industry with three core components. Components number one – content expertise. They had done research on so many topics. They had wealth of information on so many topics. Whether you believed or not- they had all the noble prize winners on their payroll. Core components number two – packaging capability. They can take that phenomenal content and produce the 500 volume, beautiful looking book set. Core components number three – marketing and distribution capability. They can take that 500 volume books that and reach the consumer better than anyone in the world through their 10000 strong door to door salesmen.

Now what happened in 1990 – a non traditional competitor called Microsoft comes into the encyclopedia space with a product called Encarta which is encyclopedia on a CD ROM. Encyclopedia Britannica will not license out their content to Microsoft. So Microsoft went to a second tier player in the encyclopedia industry called Funcan Bagnells. Funcan Bagnells contents was so bad it used to be sold in super market for deep discounts. If you bought enough groceries probably you got a Funcan Bagnells free. So Microsoft got the so called inferior content, jazzed it up with some graphics, put it in a CD ROM and sold it for 50 dollars at a time when encyclopedia Britannica was selling its 500 volume books at for close to 3000 dollars. Now what was the response of encyclopedia Britannica to this discontinuous ship. What they did in the early 90s was encyclopedia Britannica also took its phenomenal content and put inside a CD ROM and gave that CD ROM free of cost to their customers, no charge provided the customer will buy the 3000 dollar bookset. But if you didn’t want the 3000 dollar bookset then the CD ROM costed 500 dollars and their assertion being our content is so much better than the junk that was inside Encarta. You should be willing to pay the premium price. The rest is history as they say.

As you well known this great brand Encyclopedia Britannica went bankrupt in the early 1990s. I want to the sort of think for a moment as to why here is a great company, great brand, so successful for so
long how did simply become irrelevant in the 90s. You could well imagine Encyclopedia Britannica becoming the Google today. How did they missed this non-linear ship. You could perhaps attribute that to the success of Encyclopedia Britannica itself in 1990. They were so successful in the whole business model they mistook success for validation of the past. So their way of creating the future was to replicate the past or perhaps the problem was in box two. Their core competence book production know how became their core liability.
Their door to door distribution model which was phenomenally successful historically created the inflexibility perhaps. Perhaps their problem was perceived cannibalization. Here is a 3000 dollar revenue model they were unwilling to substitute that for a 50 dollar revenue model. That is assuming the size of the industry is fixed.

What they missed was non-linear ships fundamentally transformed industry space.

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LOYOLA COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS), CHENNAI – 600 034

XA 18

M.A. DEGREE EXAMINATION – ENGLISH LITERATURE

FIRST SEMESTER – November 2008

    EL 1806 – SPEECH EVENT MANAGEMENT

 

 

 

Date : 11-11-08                 Dept. No.                                        Max. : 100 Marks

Time : 1:00 – 4:00

PART A

1. Answer any FIVE of the following in about 50 words each:           (5 X 3 = 15)

 

1. Describe the Development of Personality.
2. Mention three advantages of self-esteem.
3. What is a team? Mention the difference between a group and a team.
4. Describe various types of motivation.
5. Describe the positive and negative coping mechanisms.
6. Enumerate different types of communication.
7. Describe the two types of conflict
8. Write short essay on any TWO of the following in 100 words each   (2 x 5 = 10)
9. Guidelines for Public Speaking (10 points)
10. Ten Qualities of a good leader.
11. 10 characteristics of good and effective communication

III. Attempt any TWO of the following in 400 words each:                         (2 x 12 ½ = 25)

11. Write a profile of yourself highlighting the various dimensions
12. Evaluate yourself as a communicator with strengths and weaknesses
13. 1 Discuss different types of leadership
14. Language has a social context and culture- explain

 

PART B

1. Write short notes on any FIVE of the following in about 50 words each ( 5 X 3 = 15)
2. Schema
3. Proximics
4. Use of technology in effective communication

18.Consensus

19. Coherence
20. Functions of speech
21. Placement needs

 

1. Attempt any THREE of the following in about 200 words each (3X 10 = 30)
2. Sum up the guidelines for effective Small Group Discursion
3. Discuss the importance of non verbal communication
4. The interview tips to the candidates
5. Your own profile highlighting all dimensions

 

 

1. Identify the Discourse features in the following passage (1X 5 = 5)

 

Folk and fairy tales, and the adventures of heroes and heroines told by the mothers and grandmothers have a unique value. Related in a homely manner their chief ideas are easily understood. Such tales not only develop the character of the little one, but also improve his own power of recounting what is heard. Very often one finds little children acting such stories. Religious instruction given at home is another aid to progress in the mother tongue. Women are more religious minded usually than men. They remember the words and music of hymns and songs. At a very young age the child learns these by heart and later recites them before strangers. Religious hymns and songs make an appeal to his religious instincts, which is sometimes expressed in another way through the medium of dolls which are made into idols. All this early learning lays a good foundation for the development of the mother tongue. In illiterate families the influence of the mother tongue may not be so effective in the improvement of the vocabulary, pronunciation and the enlargement of ideas, but there is no lack of clear expression of some sort.

 

 

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LOYOLA COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS), CHENNAI – 600 034

M.A. DEGREE EXAMINATION – ENGLISH LITERATURE

FIRST SEMESTER – NOVEMBER 2010

    EL 1806  – SPEECH EVENT MANAGEMENT

 

 

 

Date : 09-11-10                 Dept. No.                                        Max. : 100 Marks

Time : 1:00 – 4:00

PART A

1. Answer any FIVE of the following in about 50 words each:                                                 5 X 3 = 15
2. Explain how an effective personality helps one to communicate well.
3. Self-esteem is necessary to be a good communicator. Explain
4. What is an attitude? Mention a few steps to develop positive attitude.
5. Motivation is necessary for success. Explain.
6. What are coping mechanisms? Explain the different types.
7. Describe the importance of speech in communication.
8. What is conflict management?
9. Write short essay on any TWO of the following in 100 words each                                      2 x 5 = 10
10. The profile of a good public speaker and the rules she / he has to follow.
11. Sketch the personality of a good leader.
12. Write a profile of yourself highlighting all dimensions

III. Attempt any TWO of the following in 400 words each:                                                        2 x 12 ½ = 25

11. Sketch your personality in all its dimensions (strengths and weaknesses).
12. Speech Event Management has made me a good communicator. Explain.
13. A good communicator is a good and successful leader. Explain.
14. Language has a social milieu and environment. Explain.

 

Part-B

1. Define any FIVE the following in about 30 words each                                       5×2=10
2. Semantics
3. Aesthetic communication
4. Phonemes
5. Close class words
6. Performative Sentences
7. Note taking
8. Meta lingual
9. Elucidate any TWO of the following in about 200 words each 2×10=20
10. Interpersonal relationship and Personality.
11. Variation of Language.
12. The qualities one should develop to market himself/herself in the industry.

 

 

 

 

 

• Analyse the following in terms of “Discourse Analysis”                                        1×20=20.

Plot to grab tribal land: Arundhati Roy

“The war on Naxals is a conspiracy to acquire their ancestral land for industrial use. The deployment of security forces in the Naxal-affected States is a violation of the Human Rights Act,” said writer-activist Arundhati Roy.

She was addressing a two-day seminar organised by the Jharkhand Alternative Development Forum and the Operation Green Hunt Virodhi Manch here on Sunday. She also heard the complaints of deprived tribal communities against the State and the Central Reserve Police Force. “The Operation Green Hunt is on only at sites earmarked for mining projects, which clearly indicates the role of the government in driving out the tribals alleged to be Maoists,”

“Maoists who wanted to be peace envoys were killed by the police without even being heard. The Unlawful Activities Prevention Act [UAPA] is a weapon to displace tribals [and the] government is dubbing them as militants.” Backing sovereignty for Jammu and Kashmir, government should accept the verdict of the people; it cannot force democracy on them by using the Army. The State government arrested 168 people under the UAPA, displaced 18 lakh tribals and 15 lakh acres of land has been taken away, without the consent of the tribals.”

“Fake encounters”

On encounter killings, “The police are killing people and harassing them. Almost all the encounters are fake. There are about 100 schools where the the CRPF are camping to combat Naxalism. This, in turn, has deprived the children of education in those areas.” In the name of ‘operation green hunt’, the Government is on a ‘green patches grabbing spree’ depriving the tribals of their basic right for livelihood, “If the Naxalites had launched an armed movement for people, we are waging an unarmed struggle and why cannot Government talk to us, which is the basis of democracy,”

The notion that a Naxalite is someone who hates his country is naive and idiotic.He is, more likely, one who likes this country more than the rest of us, and is hence more disturbed than the rest of us when he sees it debauched.He is not a bad citizen turning to crime; he is a good citizen fighting for justice and equality.

Several Journalists from Tehelka ,The Hindu, Indian express and other news channels who have interviewed Maoist leaders along website owners who post articles about Maoists are on the hit list of Security Agencies. Hem Chandra Pandey who was kidnapped from Nagpur and murdered by the APSIB was deliberately murdered along with Com Azad to send a strong message to the journalist fraternity some of whom had been giving balanced reports on the Maoist movement in India. Journalists sympathising with Naxals are under watch.
Intelligence agencies monitoring the Naxal activities have started keeping tabs on journalists sympathising with Naxals on information provided by Andhra Pradesh police after the killing of a mediaperson with Naxal leader Cherukhuri Rajkumar alias Azad in an encounter recently.The surveillance includes electronic snooping,phone tapping and even physical monitoring of the movements of journalists and sympathizers in both the real and virtual worlds.

Confirming the development to UNI, highly-placed official sources here said the details gathered from Azad after the encounter have been forwarded to all the Naxal-affected states besides Chhattisgarh by the Andhra Pradesh police.The names of mediapersons in the list of Naxal sympathisers are those who frequent the Naxal-dominated areas on the state’s border with four other Naxal-affected states while also meeting the Maoist leaders.”We cannot share everything with the media. Those mediapersons who are working for Naxals are already under watch by the intelligence agencies and action would be initiated when substantial proof is gathered against them,”
One cannot stop the mediapersons from entering the jungles and interviewing the Maoist leaders but it is certainly dangerous to enter the jungle during an anti-naxal operation being carried out by the security forces.

 

 

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LOYOLA COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS), CHENNAI – 600 034

M.A. DEGREE EXAMINATION – ENGLISH LITERATURE

FIRST SEMESTER – NOVEMBER 2012

EL 1806 – SPEECH EVENT MANAGEMENT

 

 

Date : 03/11/2012            Dept. No.                                        Max. : 100 Marks

Time : 1:00 – 4:00

 

PART  A

 

1. Answer any FIVE of the following in about 50 words each:                                             5 x 3 = 15

 

1. Define an effective personality.
2. State the advantages of self-esteem and the need for self confidence.
3. What is a team? Mention the characteristics of a team.
4. Describe the types of motivation.
5. Describe the steps of problem solving.
6. Enumerate different types of communication and their characteristics.
7. Describe conflict management.
8. Write short essay on any TWO of the following in 100 words each: 2 x 5 = 10

 

8. Ten guidelines for effective participation in group discussion
9. Ten attributes of a good communicator
10. Ten characteristics of powerful and effective speech

III. Attempt any TWO of the following in 400 words each:                                                   2 x 12 ½ = 25

11. Write a profile of yourself highlighting the various dimensions.
12. Evaluate yourself as a communicator with strengths and weaknesses.
13. Discuss different types of leadership and their advantages .
14. Language has a social context and culture- Justify

PART B

 

1. Answer any FIVE of the following in about 50 words each:                                           5 x 3 = 15

 

1. Non Verbal Communication
2. Referential Function
3. Heuristic Function
4. Pragmatics
5. Constative utterance
6. Pidgins
7. Dialect

 

 

 

 

 

1. Draft a good public speech on any ONE the following topic with a proper format. (1×15=15 )

 

“Fastest Growing IT hub – India” or “Critical Thinking and the Duty to be Rational”

 

 

1. Analyze and Identify the discourse features in the following passage (20 marks)

The World’s Parliament of Religions has become an accomplished fact, and the merciful Father has helped those who labored to bring it into existence, and crowned with success their most unselfish labor.

My thanks to those noble souls whose large hearts and love of truth first dreamed this wonderful dream and then realized it. My thanks to the shower of liberal sentiments that has overflowed this platform. My thanks to this enlightened audience for their uniform kindness to me and for their appreciation of every thought that tends to smooth the friction of religions. A few jarring notes were heard from time to time in this harmony. My special thanks to them, for they have, by their striking contrast, made general harmony the sweeter.

Much has been said of the common ground of religious unity. I am not going just now to venture my own theory. But if any one here hopes that this unity will come by the triumph of any one of the religions and the destruction of the others, to him I say, “Brother, yours is an impossible hope.” Do I wish that the Christian would become Hindu? God forbid. Do I wish that the Hindu or Buddhist would become Christian? God forbid.

The seed is put in the ground, and earth and air and water are placed around it. Does the seed become the earth, or the air, or the water? No. It becomes a plant. It develops after the law of its own growth, assimilates the air, the earth, and the water, converts them into plant substance, and grows into a plant.

Similar is the case with religion. The Christian is not to become a Hindu or a Buddhist, nor a Hindu or a Buddhist to become a Christian. But each must assimilate the spirit of the others and yet preserve his individuality and grow according to his own law of growth.

If the Parliament of Religions has shown anything to the world, it is this: It has proved to the world that holiness, purity and charity are not the exclusive possessions of any church in the world, and that every system has produced men and women of the most exalted character. In the face of this evidence, if anybody dreams of the exclusive survival of his own religion and the destruction of the others, I pity him from the bottom of my heart, and point out to him that upon the banner of every religion will soon be written in spite of resistance: “Help and not fight,” “Assimilation and not Destruction,” “Harmony and Peace and not Dissension.”

 

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