Class X • Secondary Stage English

Unit 2: Dignity Of Work

Complete Reading Comprehension Notes, Summaries, Irregular Verb Paradigms, and Solved Tense Matrices

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Unit 2 Study Menu

DIGNITY OF WORK ↳ Glossary & Vocab ↳ Lesson Summaries ↳ Reference to Context ↳ Solved Textbook Q&A COMPREHENSION EXERCISES ↳ Ex 1: Central Idea ↳ Ex 2: Synonyms Match ↳ Ex 3: Task Personalities ↳ Ex 4: Text MCQs Prep ↳ Ex 5: Phrase Completion ↳ Ex 6: Cause & Effect Pairs ↳ Ex 8: Civic Governance Roles GRAMMAR LABORATORY ↳ Irregular Verb Systems ↳ Tenses Revision Studio ↳ Lab 1: Present Simple Blanks ↳ Lab 2: Present Cont Blanks ↳ Lab 3: Mixed Tense Studio ↳ Lab 4: Paragraph Syntax ↳ Lab 5: Present Perfect Lab ↳ Lab 6: Perfect Continuous ↳ Lab 10: Simple vs Compound

Reading Comprehension

Vocabulary Glossary (40 Words Matrix)

S.No	Word	Contextual Meanings
1	Ashamed	Embarrassed or guilty because of one's actions, abashed, Feeling shame
2	Advanced	Progressive
3	Charity	Generosity
4	Companion	Friend
5	Corn	Cereal
6	Cross	In a bad mood, Angry
7	Cupboard	Shelved cabinet
8	Customer	Client
9	Deliver	Distribute
10	Dignity	Respect, Prestige
11	Ditch	Trench
12	Dustbin	Metal container for rubbish
13	Empty	Vacant
14	Example	For instance, sample
15	Favourite	Specially liked, Preferences, Dearest, Popular
16	Fetched	Went for and brought back, to go and bring
17	Forget	Not remember
18	Ground	Made powder
19	Human beings	Mankind
20	Labour	Hard work
21	Mended	Repair
22	Mud	Clay
23	Needy	Poor
24	Neighbour	One who lives close
25	Noble	Pious
26	Odd	Strange
27	Official	Government officers
28	Progress	Advancement
29	Quietly	Silently
30	Repaired	Past tense of repair, mended
31	Sack	Bag
32	Social	Friendly
33	Service	Work
34	Swept	Past tense of sweep, To clean, Broom
35	Transcribe	Write
36	Treat	Behave towards somebody
37	Trench	Ditch
38	Untidy	Dirty
39	Wages	Salary
40	Widow	A woman whose husband is dead

Syllabus Lesson Summaries

Summary Variant A

One day Akhtar returned home from school late and in an angry mood. During lunch, his favourite uncle Mr. Inayat arrived. Akhtar explained that Social Service Week was being observed at school, and he felt crossed because his teacher had assigned him manual tasks like dusting desks and cupboards. Mr. Inayat explained that advanced countries understand the dignity of work, noting that Akhtar's class teacher swept the room and the Headmaster cleaned the bathrooms. He illustrated this by citing the noble example of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H), who proudly did chores like mending shoes, washing clothes, and digging trenches. His companions followed suit: Hazrat Abu Bakar fetched water for old widows, Hazrat Umar carried flour sacks, Hazrat Ali did hard manual labor, and Hazrat Fatima managed her household single-handedly. Rulers like Sultan Nasir-uddin made caps and Emperor Aurangzeb transcribed the Holy Quran for a living. Hearing these inspiring instances, Akhtar realized his mistake and promised never to feel ashamed of manual work.

Summary Variant B (Sociological Context)

Our society often harbors a negative physical attitude regarding manual labor, viewing minor chores as contrary to one's status or dignity. This lesson emphasizes changing this deeply rooted mindset. Akhtar initially felt insulted during his school's social service drive, believing cleaning was strictly a servant's job. His uncle, Mr. Inayat, successfully reframed his perspective by explaining how advanced global systems like China and America achieve rapid progress because high officials and citizens alike perform field or factory labor. Grounded by these historical and modern paradigms, Akhtar understood the true value of work and vowed to take pride in manual labor in the future.

Examination Context Blueprints

Explain With Reference To Context

Passage Selection 1

“Is it a matter of shame to clean what we ourselves make dirty?"

• (i) Name the lesson and the speaker.
  Ans: Lesson: Dignity Of Work. Speaker: Uncle Inayat.
• (ii) To whom were these words spoken and why?
  Ans: These words were spoken to Akhtar because he came home cross and irritated after his teacher had assigned him to dust the school furniture.
• (iii) What did the speaker tell the children?
  Ans: As the children's favorite well-traveled uncle, Mr. Inayat taught them about global perspectives and why manually working with our own hands carries massive prestige and value.

Passage Selection 2

"Then we should treat them as we treat ourselves and should always be ready to do ourselves what we ask them to do for us."

• (i) Name the lesson and the speaker.
  Ans: Lesson: Dignity Of Work. Speaker: Uncle Inayat.
• (ii) To whom were these words spoken and why?
  Ans: Spoken to Akhtar to teach him equal societal respect for service staff like servants and gardeners.
• (iii) What reason did the listener give to the speaker for not wanting to perform this work?
  Ans: Akhtar argued that cleaning tasks belonged to school servants and gardeners, and that performing them was beneath his social status.

Passage Selection 3

"But this is because we have forgotten the noble example of our Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him). He would never ask anyone to do anything, which he himself would not do. He loved doing work for himself and for others with his own hands."

• (i) Name the lesson and the speaker.
  Ans: Lesson: Dignity Of Work. Speaker: Uncle Inayat.
• (ii) To whom were these words spoken and why?
  Ans: Spoken to Akhtar and Rukhsana to ground their values in Islamic history and the exemplary model of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H).
• (iii) Give examples of how the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) set this standard.
  Ans: The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) never felt shy washing clothes, sweeping rooms, or repairing his shoes. He carried mud during the construction of the Mosque at Medina and joined his companions in digging the trench during the Battle of Khandaq.

Passage Selection 4

"Were his companions not like him uncle?"

• (i) Name the lesson and the speaker.
  Ans: Lesson: Dignity Of Work. Speaker: Rukhsana.
• (ii) To whom were these words spoken and why?
  Ans: Spoken to Uncle Inayat as she sought to discover how the companions preserved this cultural behavior.
• (iii) What did the companion figures do to prove this?
  Ans: Hazrat Abu Bakar fetched water for old, helpless neighbors; Hazrat Umar carried heavy flour sacks on his shoulders for needy families; Hazrat Ali labored in a Jew's garden and gave his wages away to charity; and Hazrat Fatima did all her own household sweeping and grinding.

Passage Selection 5

"O, no! It happens in the advanced countries even. They have learned the dignity of work while we have forgotten it."

• (i) Name the lesson and the speaker.
  Ans: Lesson: Dignity Of Work. Speaker: Uncle Inayat.
• (ii) What is meant by the dignity of work and who has forgotten it?
  Ans: It means acknowledging that all honest labor deserves high respect and value. Modern developing nations and communities have largely forgotten this, causing societal stagnation.
• (iii) Write about any one advanced country mentioned by the speaker.
  Ans: In China, it is mandatory for everyone—including the Prime Minister and his wife—to spend time working manually in fields or factories each year, driving their rapid national progress.

Textbook Solution Sheet

Comprehensive Textbook Q&A Matrix

Q1: Why did Akhtar not answer his mother?

Answer: Akhtar was feeling stubborn, cross, and deeply irritated because he was forced to do chores like cleaning furniture at school during Social Service Week. He felt this manual labor was beneath his status, so he stayed silent in anger.

Q2: What did the teacher and the headmaster do themselves?

Answer: The classroom teacher actively participated by sweeping the classroom floor and emptying the wastebins, while the Headmaster washed the school bathrooms, setting a hands-on example for the students.

Q3: How did modern global superpowers like China or America establish rapid progress using this ideology?

Answer: In advanced nations, people do not associate shame with service labor. In China, executives, top officials, and even the Prime Minister work in fields or factories annually. In the US, independent youth—like a high-ranking official's son delivering newspapers—earn their own money, eliminating class discrimination.

Q4: Recount the specific examples of early Muslim rulers matching this paradigm.

Answer: Caliph Umar bin Abdul Aziz refused to hire additional home servants to ease his wife's workload. Caliph Mamun-ur-Rashid personally served his guests. Sultan Nasir-uddin earned his personal living strictly by hand-making caps, and Emperor Aurangzeb did so by transcribing copies of the Holy Quran.

Syllabus Evaluation Exercises (1 – 8)

Exercise 1: Central Idea Tracking
Tick Variant Selected: (c) One should have respect for all people who work. ✔

Exercise 2: Synonyms Match Output Matrix

1. Cross ➔ c) Angry

2. Fetch ➔ d) Bring something for someone

3. Transcribe ➔ f) Put in written form

4. Tycoon ➔ a) A leading businessman

5. Precisely ➔ i) Exactly

6. Inspiring ➔ h) Affecting deeply / uplifting

7. Celebrities ➔ j) Famous person

8. Motivating ➔ e) Provide reason for doing better

9. Menial ➔ b) Of low value

10. Discrimination ➔ g) Not treating everyone equally

Exercise 3: Solved Tasks & Personalities Table

S.No	Historical Task Assigned	Personality Assigned
1	Fetched water for old people	Hazrat Abu Bakar (Checking Profile)
2	Carried flour for someone	Hazrat Omar (﷦)
3	Swept the house	Hazrat Fatima (﷦)
4	Made caps for a living	Sultan Nasir-Ud-Din
5	Served food to his guests	Caliph Mamun Ur Rashid
6	Repaired his shoes	Holy Prophet (ﷺ)
7	Transcribed the Holy Quran	Emperor Aurangzeb
8	Worked in the garden of a Jew	Hazrat Ali (﷦)
9	Carried mud and building material	Holy Prophet (ﷺ)
10	Mended and washed his clothes	Holy Prophet (ﷺ)

Exercise 4: Text Objective Blanks

1. Akhtar was angry because he was asked to clean cupboards and desks. ✔

2. The headmaster did menial work, which made Akhtar feel ashamed. ✔

3. At the time of the battle of Khandaq, our Last Prophet took part in digging a trench. ✔

4. Sultan Nasir Uddin earned his living by making Caps. ✔

5. A business tycoon did not have any servant for work. ✔

6. Developed countries understand the dignity of work. ✔

7. In China it is mandatory for everyone to work in the field or in a factory. ✔

8. The son of a high US government official used to deliver newspapers to be independent. ✔

9. Successful people believe that people who do all kinds of jobs should be treated equally. ✔ [Correction Appended from base raw file un-equally string error]

10. Akhtar realized that all workers should be respected without Discrimination. ✔

Exercise 5: Text Statement Completions 1. With your knowledge and wisdom, you will be able to resolve the case in a just manner.
2. He not only refused to get down, but, instead, claimed that the horse belonged to him.
3. Have pity on me and save me from the cruelty and injustice of this rich man.
4. Whatever money I had, I spent on this horse.
5. I beg you to save me from this robber and give me back my horse.
6. Tell these men to place their hands on the horse one by one.
7. You are a liar and a wicked man.
8. Instead of thanking you for taking pity on me and giving me a lift, I lied and claimed that the horse belonged to me.

Exercise 6: True/False Validation Grid

Syllabus Statement Prompt	True	False
1. Akhtar returned home from school a little late.	T	-
2. The headmaster of the school cleaned the bathrooms.	T	-
3. The teacher did not do any work.	-	F
4. There was a social service week drive in the school.	T	-
5. People in developed countries normally do their own work.	T	-
6. The president’s son used to paint walls in a hostel.	-	F
7. The Chinese believe that everyone should do all kinds of work.	T	-
8. Uncle Inayat read the story of a famous businessman in the newspaper.	T	-
9. Respect for all honest work is the slogan of Rukhsana.	-	F
10. In the present time, it is expected that people doing all kinds of jobs are equal.	T	-

Exercise 8: Group Task: Corporate Governance Rules

What a Head of State SHOULD DO:
1. Provide unbiassed justice.
2. Build infrastructures for the masses.
3. Focus on progressive state evolution.
4. Represent the nation with honor.
5. Remain loyal to the constitution.

What a Head of State SHOULD NOT DO:
1. Discriminate based on political party lines.
2. Support illegal monopolies.
3. Declare aggressive wars.
4. Misuse state funds for personal gain.
5. Over-tax the poor.

Unit 2.3 Structural Grammar

Morphology: Irregular Verb Classification

Verbs are divided into Regular (taking standard '-ed' markers like wash/washed) and Irregular forms. Irregular verbs follow three structural patterns:

Pattern 1: All Three Parts are Identical

Base Present	Simple Past	Past Participle (V3)
Cost	cost	cost
Cut	cut	cut
Hit	hit	hit
Hurt	hurt	hurt
Put	put	put
Read	read	read
Shut	shut	shut
Spread	spread	spread

Pattern 2: Two Forms are Identical

Base Present	Simple Past	Past Participle (V3)
Beat	beat	beaten
Become	became	become
Bring	brought	brought
Build	built	built
Burn	burned / burnt	burned / burnt
Buy	bought	bought
Catch	caught	caught
Come	came	come
Dig	dug	dug
Feed	fed	fed
Feel	felt	felt
Fight	fought	fought
Find	found	found
Get	got	got
Have	had	had
Hear	heard	heard
Hold	held	held
Keep	kept	kept
Learn	learned / learnt	learned / learnt
Leave	left	left
Lose	lost	lost
Make	made	made
Meet	met	met
Run	ran	run
Say	said	said
Sell	sold	sold
Send	sent	sent
Sit	sat	sat
Sleep	slept	slept
Spell	spelled / spelt	spelled / spelt
Spend	spent	spent
Stand	stood	stood
Sweep	swept	swept
Teach	taught	taught
Tell	told	told
Think	thought	thought
Understand	understood	understood
Win	won	won

Pattern 3: All Three Forms are Different

Base Present	Simple Past	Past Participle (V3)
Be (is, am, are)	was / were	been
Begin	began	begun
Break	broke	broken
Choose	chose	chosen
Do	did	done
Draw	drew	drawn
Drink	drank	drunk
Drive	drove	driven
Eat	ate	eaten
Fall	fell	fallen
Fly	flew	flown
Forget	forgot	forgotten
Give	gave	given
Grow	grew	grown
Know	knew	known
Ride	rode	ridden
Ring	rang	rung
Rise	rose	risen
See	saw	seen
Shake	shook	shaken
Show	showed	shown
Sing	sang	sung
Speak	spoke	spoken
Steal	stole	stolen
Swim	swam	swum
Take	took	taken
Throw	threw	thrown
Wear	wore	worn
Write	wrote	written

Syntax Class Calibration

Revision Labs: Present Tense Matrices

Exercise 1 Solutions

Present Simple Tense Module

1. Birds usually build their nests in summer.

2. I always listen carefully to my parents' advice.

3. He gets up late and dresses quickly for school.

4. We study in the afternoon and play in the evening.

5. My friend forgets names but remembers numbers.

Exercise 2 Solutions

Present Continuous Tense Module

1. Look! It is raining so hard.

2. We are learning English these days.

3. The birds are singing and farmers are enjoying their songs.

4. The teacher is explaining and the students are writing.

5. Some children are swimming in the pond and some are making clay toys.

Exercise 3 Solutions

Mixed Tense Selection Studio (Simple vs Continuous)

1. We are travelling to Gilgit tomorrow.

2. My sister behaves nicely with everyone.

3. His brother drinks tea three times a day.

4. Our uncle is coming to our house this weekend.

5. She understands and speaks Persian very well.

6. I clean my room every day and I also wash my clothes sometimes.

7. My mother usually watches television at this time but today she is sleeping.

Exercise 4 Narrative Paragraph Solution

The school holidays are beginning tomorrow. The children sit together and plan what to do. They agree to go to the village fair on Saturday.

On Saturday morning, they all get up early, dress quickly, and gather outside. They inform their mother that they are going to the village fair with their father. As soon as their father comes outside, they all shout with joy. The father knows that his children are looking forward to the trip. He hires a carriage and takes them to the fair.

As soon as they reach there, the children jump from the carriage. They move from one stall to another. Their father gives them some money and tells them to enjoy themselves. After some time, although the father sees that the children are enjoying themselves a lot, he asks everyone to gather together as the sun is setting and their mother is waiting for them to get home.

Exercise 5 Solutions

Present Perfect Tense Lab

1. I have read the book twice already.

2. We have eaten all the mangoes.

3. My brother has applied for a job.

4. They will win this match as they have already made ninety runs.

5. Seema has completed her work as Beena has helped her throughout.

6. We have complained so many times but they have thrown the garbage here again.

7. Tariq’s little sister has climbed up the tree, now he has gone up to get her.

Exercise 6 Solutions

Present Perfect Continuous Lab

1. We have been working since twelve noon.

2. It has been raining for an hour.

3. They have been talking for an hour.

4. I have been driving all morning.

5. She has been cooking food for us without a break while we have been watching this match.

6. My grandmother has been sitting outside and my father has been planting vegetables.

7. The dog has been chasing the cat and the cat has been jumping all around.

Exercise 10: Simple (S) vs Compound (C) Sentence Classifier

S.No	Sentence Content	Classification
1	You have been sleeping since morning.	S
2	I don’t know the answer.	S
3	I want to lose weight, yet I eat chocolate daily.	C
4	Atif is famous, but he is very humble.	C
5	You may eat a mango or have mango pickle.	C
6	He is totally dependent on his parents.	S
7	He was feeling sick, so he went to the doctor.	C
8	No one is travelling these days.	S
9	I go to the library, for I love reading.	C
10	He is rich and he has a good heart.	C