English: Class 10 (Words and Expressions) — Chapter 1: Unit 1: A Letter to God

Lencho is a simple farmer whose crops are destroyed by a devastating hailstorm. Having absolute faith in God, he writes a letter asking for 100 pesos. The postmaster and his colleagues, moved by his faith, collect 70 pesos and send it to him. However, Lencho suspects the post office employees of stealing the remaining 30 pesos, calling them a "bunch of crooks".

A boastful trader wagers an Arab horse that a notoriously cunning tailor cannot steal even a thread from him. The next morning, the trader takes a piece of satin cloth to the tailor's shop. The tailor warmly welcomes him and begins telling hilarious jokes and stories. Completely distracted by laughter, the trader loses his vigilance. The tailor repeatedly snips and hides pieces of the satin cloth under his thighs. Ultimately, the trader is left with a ruined, highly reduced piece of cloth, having lost his wager due to his own foolishness.

• beguiling: charming or enchanting, often in a deceptive way.
• cordiality: warm, friendly, and affectionate behavior.
• hamper: to hinder or impede the movement or progress of.
• snipping: cutting something with small, quick strokes.
• wagered: risked something (like money or valuables) on the outcome of a contest or uncertain event; bet.
• filching: stealing something, especially of small value, in a casual way.
• unhinged: mentally unbalanced, deranged, or highly unstable.

Understanding variations of compound words starting with 'light':

• light-fingered: Inclined to steal things; skilled at thievery.
• light-headed: Feeling dizzy, faint, or delirious.
• light year: An astronomical unit of distance equal to the distance light travels in one year.
• light-hearted: Carefree, cheerful, and optimistic.
• light sleeper: A person who is easily woken up by the slightest noise.
• light-duty: Designed for low-capacity, simple, or easy tasks.

• A tailor is a person who stitches clothes.
• A dictionary is a book which contains the meanings of words.
• The book is about a scientist who won the Nobel Prize.
• What is the name of the player who hit a century?
• I don't like people who tell lies.
• What is the name of the actor who won the best actor award this year?
• Students who need to fill in the application should meet the principal in her office.
• Friends of the trader thought the tailor is a crook and can cheat anyone.
• Lencho, who believed in hard work, thought God would help him.
• Those who believe in hard work will succeed.
• God helps those who help themselves.

By Norman Littleford

The heavens roared with thunder
as lightning filled the skies
was this God getting angry
or Nature’s big surprise.

Is Mother Nature telling us
the best way that she can
to stop the interference
and abuse she gets from man.

We marvel at her beauty
each time we look around
then dig up all her treasures
from their natural burial ground.

We forget that Nature gives us
all that keeps us living
we take it all and still want more
but never think of giving.

We build across the countryside
progressing every day
but Mother Nature can’t progress
for man is in the way.

• Lencho: Naive, simple, hardworking, and possesses absolute, unquestioning faith in God. He is helpless in the face of natural disasters but manages his situation by praying and writing directly to God.
• The Tailor: Cunning, highly skilled in deception, light-fingered, and opportunistic. He exploits the vanity and overconfidence of others for personal gain.

A systematic method for developing high-quality written descriptions or portraits:

1. Brainstorming: Noting down as many ideas as possible about a given topic and arranging them in sequence.
2. Outlining: Creating a structural plan of the writing, deciding the order of ideas and supporting evidence.
3. Drafting: Writing the initial version, focusing primarily on content rather than perfect form.
4. Revising: Improving the first draft by adding, deleting, or refining ideas and language.
5. Proofreading: Checking the draft for grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors.
6. Final Draft: Producing the polished, completed piece of writing.