Page 167 - English Grammar - 8

Evils of Child Labour

Children are said to be the gifts of God. However, there are millions of children all over the
world who seem to be a burden on society and are punished in the harshest terms, i.e. child
labour. Their little hands are made to weave intricate patterns in the carpets, their tender
shoulders are weighed down with loads of bricks and luggage, they are made to clean,

cook, and do household chores.
This evil practice is most rampant in developing countries such as India. The children are

forced to work hard, often under hazardous conditions like the cracker-making factories,
glass factories, and waste dumps. They do not choose to do so, but poverty and circumstances
push them into such situations.

Child labour in India today is not limited to the rural areas alone. Cities and towns have
children as young as 5 and 7 years old working in factories, on roadside tea stalls and
eateries, and, of course, in households.

The country has laws, but implementation is poor or absent. There are NGOs and voluntary
organisations that are doing their best, but it is just a drop in the ocean. Child labour is
banned by law, but parents argue that unless the child works, it is difficult to feed them.
Poverty forces them to send their children out to fetch a living.

The government needs to work along with voluntary organisations to rule out this cruel
practice. There is also a need to change the mindset of people and make them declare : we
do not support child labour.

Write essays on the following topics.
1. Some people believe that children should do organised activities in their free time while
some believe that children should be free to do what they want in their free time.
2. Globalisation and growing number of multinational companies have a negative effect on
environment.
3. Do you think it is better for students to work before their university study?

4. Write an essay on a student’s life.

explain why.

Diary

A diary entry is a personal form of writing. The entries in your diary are the thoughts,
feelings, and opinions you pour into it. Remember it is important to put the date for every
entry and even the location, especially if you have gone out somewhere.
Some points which we should keep in mind while writing a diary:

Date, day, and year must be mentioned on the top of the page.
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The content of the diary should be brief.
5. Write an essay on any one extra-curricular activity that you would like to take up and Writing Skills
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Entries should read real and natural.
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One’s own reaction to the situations should be written.
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