“Why We Travel” is an essay written by Pico Iyer that explores the motivations and benefits of travel. Iyer argues that travel is not simply a way to escape from the stresses of daily life, but rather a means to gain perspective and understanding about oneself and the world.
Iyer draws on his own experiences as a world traveler, explaining that travel helps to break down cultural barriers and broaden one’s understanding of the world. He also suggests that travel can help individuals gain a better understanding of themselves and their place in the world, as it allows them to step outside of their familiar surroundings and see things from a new perspective.
Additionally, Iyer contends that travel can help individuals develop empathy and compassion for others. He notes that through travel, individuals can witness the hardships and struggles of people in different parts of the world, and this can lead to a greater appreciation of the diversity and richness of human experience.
Overall, Iyer’s essay argues that travel is a powerful and transformative experience that can help individuals grow and develop in numerous ways. He suggests that by stepping outside of our comfort zones and embracing the unknown, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
Activity Set 1
A1. Write down the views of George Santayana about travelling.
A2.Differentiate: (02). Differentiate between Tourist and Traveller.
A3. Interpret: (02). Interpret the statement, “whose riches are differently dispersed.”
A4. Personal Response: (02)
“Travelling broadens our perspective”. Do you agree with the view. Justify your answer with suitable examples.
A5. Language study: (02) i. For seeing without feeling can obviously be uncaring. (Rewrite the sentence using the Infinitive form of the underlined word) ii. We travel, initially to lose ourselves and we travel next to find ourselves. (Rewrite the sentence Using,” not only …. but also’) iii. We travel to open our hearts. (Rewrite the sentence using the “Gerund form” of the underlined word)
A6. Vocabulary: (02) Find out words from the extract which means the following. i. Forced to ii. Difficult or unpleasant experience iii. Improper angle
Answers Activity Set 1
A1. Views of George Santayana about travelling:
George Santayana, a Spanish-American philosopher, believed that travelling is essential for self-discovery and personal growth. According to him, it is not only the destination that matters, but the journey itself. Santayana emphasized the importance of experiencing new cultures and lifestyles, as it helps individuals to broaden their perspectives and gain a better understanding of the world around them. He also believed that one should travel with an open mind and embrace the unknown, rather than trying to cling to familiar customs and beliefs.
A2. Differentiation between Tourist and Traveller:
A tourist is someone who travels for pleasure or leisure, often with a fixed itinerary and a limited amount of time. They tend to stick to popular tourist attractions and activities and may not necessarily engage with the local culture. On the other hand, a traveller is someone who seeks to immerse themselves in the culture of the places they visit. They may have a more flexible itinerary and are often open to new experiences and adventures. Travellers tend to be more curious and adventurous, seeking to explore off-the-beaten-path locations and learn about the local way of life.
A3. Interpretation of the statement, “whose riches are differently dispersed.”
The phrase “whose riches are differently dispersed” suggests that wealth is distributed unequally among different people and regions. It implies that some people or areas may have more economic resources than others. The statement may also be interpreted to mean that there are different types of wealth, not just financial wealth. For instance, one may have cultural or social wealth, which can be spread out in various ways.
A4. Personal response to the view, “Travelling broadens our perspective”:
I strongly agree with the view that travelling broadens our perspective. By travelling to new places, we are exposed to different cultures, customs, and ways of life. This exposure can help us gain a better understanding of the world and appreciate the diversity that exists. Travelling can also challenge our assumptions and biases, forcing us to think critically and question our beliefs. For example, I once travelled to a remote village in South America, where I lived with a host family for a few weeks. This experience not only allowed me to learn about their way of life but also taught me to appreciate the little things in life and to live with simplicity.
A5. Language study:
i. Seeing without feeling can obviously be uncaring. (Rewritten using the Infinitive form of the underlined word): To see without feeling can obviously be uncaring.
ii. We travel, initially to lose ourselves and we travel next to find ourselves. (Rewritten using,” not only …. but also’): We travel not only to lose ourselves initially but also to find ourselves.
iii. We travel to open our hearts. (Rewrite using the “Gerund form” of the underlined word): We travel for opening our hearts.
A6. Vocabulary:
i. Forced to – Compelled ii. Difficult or unpleasant experience – Ordeal iii. Improper angle – Oblique
ii. The first great of joy travelling is simply the luxury of leaving all my
beliefs.(From the given options find out „Wh‟ question to get the underlined
part as an answer.)
a) What is the first great joy of travelling?
b) What was the first great joy of travelling?
c) What will be the first great joy of travelling?
d) What is joy of first great travelling?
A6. Vocabulary: (02)
Fill in the blanks with a suitable word from the given bracket and rewrite
the sentence:
(Ignorance, essence, solitude, compassion, assumptions)
Activity Set 2
Read the extract and do all the activities that follow: (12)
But for the rest of us, the sovereign freedom of travelling comes from the fact that it whirls you around and turns you upside down, and stands everything you took for granted on its head. If a diploma can famously be a
passport (to a journey through hard realism) a passport can be a diploma (for a crash course in cultural relativism). And the first lesson we learn on the road, whether we like it or not, is how provisional and provincial are the things we imagine to be universal.
We travel, then, in part just to shake up our complacencies by seeing all the moral and political urgencies, the life-and-death dilemmas, that we seldom have to face at home. And we travel to fill in the gaps left by
tomorrow‟s headlines. When you drive down the streets of Port-au-Prince, for example, where there is almost no paving your notions of the Internet and a “one world order” grow usefully revised. Travel is the best way we
have of rescuing the humanity of places, and saving them from abstraction and ideology. And in the process, we also get saved from abstraction ourselves, and come to see how much we can bring to the places we visit, and how much we can become a kind of carrier pigeon – an anti-Federal Express, if you like – in transporting back and forth what every culture needs. I find that I always take Michael Jordan posters to Kyoto, and bring woven ikebana baskets back to California.
But more significantly, we carry values and beliefs and news to the places we go, and in many parts of the world, we become walking video screens and living newspapers, the only channels that can take people out of
the censored limits of their homelands. In closed or impoverished places, like Pagan or Lhasa or Havana, we are the eyes and ears of the people we meet, their only contact with the world outside and, very often, the closest,
quite literally, they will ever come to Michael Jackson or Bill Clinton. Not the least of the challenges of travel, therefore, is learning how to import – and export – dreams with tenderness
State whether the following statements are True/ False
i. According to the writer, we travel in part just to shake up our satisfaction that we seldom have to free at home.
ii. We imagine that provisional and provincial things are universal.
iii. The writer always brings woven ikebana baskets back to India.
iv. We Carry values, beliefs and news to the place.
A2. Explain: (02)
Explain the concept of cultural relativism.
A3. Interpret: (02)
Interpret the statement, “We are eyes and ears of the people.”
A4. Personal Response (02)
Do you agree with the views expressed by the writer? Justify your answer with suitable examples.
A5. Language study: (02)
i. Travel is the best way we have of rescuing the humanity of places.
(Rewrite the sentence using the “Infinitive form” of the underlined word)
OR
(change the degree)
i. We can become a kind of carrier Pigeon.
(Rewrite the sentence using a modal auxiliary which indicates,” possibility”)
A6. Vocabulary: (02)
Find out words from the extract which mean the following.
i. Regional
ii. Confusion/double mind situation
iii. Poverty stricken places
iv. A set of ideas which form a basis for political economic system
Answers Activity Set 2
A1. State whether the following statements are True/ False:
i. According to the writer, we travel in part just to shake up our satisfaction that we seldom have to free at home. True
ii. We imagine that provisional and provincial things are universal. True
iii. The writer always brings woven ikebana baskets back to India. False
iv. We Carry values, beliefs and news to the place. True
A2. Explain:
The concept of cultural relativism is the idea that a person’s beliefs, values, and practices should be understood and interpreted in the context of their own culture, rather than being judged against the standards of another culture. It recognizes that different cultures have their own unique way of life, and what may be considered acceptable in one culture may not be in another.
A3. Interpret:
The statement “We are the eyes and ears of the people” means that when we travel to other places, we can act as a source of information and knowledge for the people we meet. We can share our experiences, beliefs, and values, and in turn, learn from their perspectives and experiences. This can help bridge the gap between different cultures and promote understanding and empathy.
A4. Personal Response:
Personal response may vary. One possible response could be: I agree with the views expressed by the writer. Traveling to different places has helped me broaden my perspective and understanding of different cultures. For example, when I traveled to Japan, I learned about their unique customs and values, such as the importance of harmony and respect in their society. This helped me appreciate and respect their culture, and also helped me reflect on my own beliefs and values.
A5. Language study:
i. To rescue the humanity of places, travel is the best way we have.
ii. We can possibly become a kind of carrier pigeon.
A6. Vocabulary:
i. Provincial
ii. Cognitive dissonance
iii. Impoverished places
iv. Ideology
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