Essay : Exercise-2

In today’s connected world learning a second language opens up a window to opportunities for children.

Many researchers have proved that children below seven years of age are inclined to learn a new language easily. Lessons of new languages are introduced them without even realising they are learning – children following the adventures of the hero in the story book they are reading. At this age, they can easily imitate the accents and adopt the pronunciations of native speakers. Further, it also sharpens their analytical and critical thinking skills which will help them in future.

However, it must be ensured that the language is taught in right accents. More than often, children learn the new language in the accent of their native language. For example, Japanese often speak English with a thick Japanese accent. It becomes difficult for the global users of that language to understand them when adults.

In culturally diverse countries like India, it is a common practice for children to learn three or four languages. Understanding the advantages, many schools in developed countries are teaching a second language at school from three years of age. This has put an academic pressure on the children and more work for parents but all the efforts are worthwhile.

We live in a fast paced world of changing technology. A new phone becomes obsolete within 6 months and people will adapt new technology. This time frame will continue to decrease. Everyone will have to follow a learning cycle where they can learn, unlearn and relearn.

Back in the days, people who were unable to read and write were called illiterate. With everyone being educated, this definition is changing in the developed countries and percolating amongst literate.  There is a paradigm shift in the requirements of the employers. Employers expect employees to transform and adapt themselves techniques easily. Some methods will be out-of-date thus people have to unlearn them and learn to new and better methods. They have keep relearning it till a change is needed.

Take my example for instance, the subject accounting is often updated with new and better techniques of accounting. While studying accounting at university, we had to unlearn the methods to prepare a Balance Sheet and Profit and Loss Sheet taught in Year 1 as new techniques were introduced. In Year 3, we had to learn new techniques. If we did not unlearn the old technique we would have failed our exams.

To sum up, people who cannot follow this cycle of learning will be considered illiterate and slow. Increasingly, more people are attending universities at the later stage of their life. In this way they keep updated, employable and develop skills of learning cycle which will be eventually required in all aspects of life.

Overseas education is gaining popularity in many countries including India. Every year thousands of Indian students go to western countries to study. While some feel that education is better than the local colleges or universities in India, others feel that it is very difficult to get an admission in reputed Indian colleges due to competition.

Studying in a foreign land brings a number of advantages. The most obvious is that it broadens our mind. Experiencing new culture, speaking languages in different accent, celebrating new festivals, meeting people with different backgrounds, adapting to their cuisines and seeing a complete different way of life is an enhancing experience that builds confidence and flexible.

However, studying in a different country is quite expensive. The university fees and the costs of living are generally high. It imposes financial burden on student’s families. Many students have to borrow large education loans in order to pay tuition fees. Another disadvantage is that students have to live away from their family and friends.

Like every side has two coins, studding overseas has its own gains and disadvantages. It is a rich experience that opens a window full of opportunities if students overcome or find ways to adjust to challenges.

“There is a price to pay for everything” is an old adage. Globalization, increasing competition and advances in technology has lured people to materialistic luxuries. Everyone wants big homes to live in, branded clothes and shoes to wear; and high end luxury cars to drive. For which the price to pay is work harder and longer hours.

To achieve aforementioned luxuries, people have started working very hard. At work, employees are given very difficult targets with tight deadlines which tie them to their workplace. Such models are often incentive based. Many companies are now paying employees on performance based only. Such people are always worried about work and often go home very late or take their office work to their homes. On the other hand, businessmen lead a stressful life too – increasing inflation and competition makes it difficult for them to attract consumers.

This behaviour not only affects their personal lives drastically but is detrimental to their health. They do not spend time with their families and often the children do not get to spend time with their fathers except Sunday. On Sunday too, they want to rest and charge themselves for the busy and stressful week ahead. Such stories are very common in India where there is cut-throat competition in every field. Such working hours make them unhappy and insecure in life.

To conclude, anything done too much is not good. Thus, both employees and employers should have a work life balance to increase efficiency in work and happiness in life.

Fifteen years into the new millennium and extreme sports such as sky diving, mountaineering expeditions, river rafting and snorkeling amongst many others are gaining popularity. Many adventurers say that such activities give them a ‘high’ they want, while others indulge in the activity to look ‘cool’.

Jumping from a plane at a height 31,000 feet can sound very erratic but many people do it to get an adrenaline rush – ‘the high’. Life has become very predictable and thus boring. To break this monotony, many individuals take up adventure sports; to do something completely different and unexpected. Moreover, researchers also claim that repetitive or similar extreme sports do not give individuals the same level adrenaline rush that they got at first. Thus, the next extreme sport adventurers pick is often even more dangerous.

Undoubtedly such sports are very dangerous and life threatening. There have been incidences in past when individuals have suffered serious injuries and some have even lost lives. Thus, governments have made very stringent laws to ensure everyone’s safety.

Being an extreme sport enthusiast myself, in my opinion, individuals must take up these adventurous sports after ensuring that the organization or the tutor that they have tied up with ensures their safety and takes all possible measures for the same.