GENERAL QUESTIONS AND POSSIBLE ANSWERS
NAMES :
1. How should I call you?
You can call me ………….. / My name is …………..
2. What is the meaning of your name? Who kept your name?
3. If it is required, will you change your name? / Are you satisfied with your name? Do you want to change if?
Yes, I would like to change my name. I feel that my name is a name from the past generation. Today, people have beautiful names. I would also like to be called by some other name.
No, I would not at all like to change my name. It is the identity of my personality. It is also the love of my parents towards me. It would be very rude on my part to change my name.
4. What is the difference between a name and a surname?
A name shows a personal identity while a surname shows a family identity.
5. In your group how are your recognized?
My group knows me by my name, so they recognize me by that only.
6. In your house how are you recognized?
My parents have given me a pet name, which shows their love towards me. So my family and relatives call me by my pet name. Sometimes when my relatives hear my real name they do not identify me with that name. It is really a funny situation.
7. What is the difference in the names and in the past and now?
There is a vast difference between names and in the past and now. In the past names were given according to names of Gods and Goddesses or characters from mythology. But today, names are chosen from names of actors and actress, famous personalities etc. Today people do not like names of Gods and Goddess, they feel it is not modern.
8. For you what is more important, your name or your surname?
For me, a name and a surname hold equal importance. I feel that my name is important for my identity, but my surname is as important, because it is the identity of my family. It is because of them that I have come into this world, so they are equally important.
9. What do you think; a nick name or a pet name should be there or not?
A pet name is a lovable name given by parents or family. It shows the love and affection that the family felt at the birth of a child. And even when the child grows up, when he is called by his pet name it shows some kind of personal bonding between him and his family, which is different from the rest of the world. So I think a pet name should be there.
10. How do people of your city / country find a name for their children?
Normally, people name their children according to the time they are born. But today, not many parents believe in this manner of naming. They keep names according to their choice. It could be some name that they have always liked, or they purchase a book of names from which they choose a name.
YOURSELF :
11. Introduce yourself. / Tell me something about yourself.
My name is ……………… I am ….. years old. I am a Commerce Graduate, and I am working as a Marketing Executive. I come from a middle class family. My father is a Doctor and has his own clinic. My mother is a teacher. She teaches English to Secondary school students. My brother is studying in the Third Year of college.
12. Where were you brought up?
I am from Ahmedabad only.I have been brought up here. For a few years I went to Mumbai to my Uncle’s place. But I felt homesick, and I came back to my own home, I am very happy since.
13. What is your principle in life? What is your philosophy of life?
My principle in life / philosophy of life is that “Success is not a destination, it is a journey”. I am very a positive person and believe in everything I do. Even if something goes wrong, I do not loss heart, I continue with what I have to do. And once I achieve it, I do not stop there, I go on and on with other goals.
My second philosophy is “Don’t tolerate injustice”. I am very strict about this. I cannot tolerate injustice towards me or anyone else. I am very blunt about it and will speak my mind openly.
My third philosophy is “Enjoy every moment in life”. Life is very short. And it is important to live life to the fullest. So I try to enjoy every moment.
14. What kind of person are you?
I am a simple and straightforward person. I am a very hard working person and believe in hard work and persistence. I am an optimist, always thinking positively about everything. I am also very sensitive by nature and have a lot of patience for everything.
(I am basically an extrovert. I love socializing and making friends. I am also honest and sincere, not only with my work but also with my friends. I am ever ready to help any person who is in trouble. My friends trust me a lot. I do not like liars and people who take advantage of others. I lose my temper with such people and so get very angry)
15. How does your nature help you in your routine life?
I am an optimist. I believe in thinking positively. This helps me to keep going in life even in times of difficulty. My patience helps me to be patient with people and their tantrums. Being a Marketing Executive, this attitude is very necessary. I am also very hardworking, so all these qualities help me achieve my targets very well. And my seniors are very happy with me.
16. What are your strong points? What is your weakness?
No man is perfect in this world and similarly I have certain positive and negative aspects as well. Talking about the positive aspects. I am a very hardworking person and believe in hard work and persistence. I believe that with hard work every thing is achievable. Secondly, I am a positive person who thinks positively. Besides that I am an honest person who believes in honesty because without honesty nothing can survive for a long time. I am a good listener too. And hence I absorb many things from others.
As far as negative aspects are concerned, I trust people very fast and this sometimes creates problems in my life. I am also very sensitive by nature and this creates a lot of tension in my life. I am also quite a cool person and I don’t get angry fast. Sometimes I feel people take advantage of this. When I am involved in my work I cannot think of anything else, sometimes I don’t remember important things going on in the family also. I know that this is not good, and so I am trying to rectify the same.
17. What kind of people do you come across in your daily life?
I am working as a Marketing Executive. Due to my nature of work, I come across all sorts of people in my life. I meet people of different age groups also. I meet students, housewives and even businessmen. I also meet educated as well as uneducated people. It is a different experience with all of them. I love my job for this reason only that I get to meet all these different types of people.
18. What is your lifestyle like?
My life style is very simple. I come from a middle class family. We all go to our work place every morning and return home. We don’t party like the upper class families. Instead we prefer to stay at home together whenever we get the time. Sometimes we call our family and friends home or go to their places also. We do go out to watch movies or go for trips. We also like to eat out on weekends or holidays. But overall it is a very simple life.
19. What is your daily routine like?
My day passes like a schedule, Sunday are different than the other days, on a regular day I get up early in the morning. I finish y morning activities like exercise, bath and breakfast and leave for office. I return home in the evening. Sometimes due to a hectic work schedule I reach home late. But once I am home I stay with my family for dinner and watch TV for sometime. Then I go to meet my friends. On Sundays, I get up late. I don’t do my exercises on Sundays. But my friends and I play cricket every Sunday morning. So this compensates for my exercise. I take a nap in the afternoons, and evenings are either spent with family or with friends.
20. Which period of your life do you like the most?
I prefer the childhood period of my life the most. It was so much fun. There were no responsibilities, no tension. I just had to go to school and finish my homework. Mammy would prepare delicious meals for the family and all of us would sit and enjoy it together. Father would take us for picnics and movies and trips out of the city. All we had to do was go there and enjoy ourselves. As I grew older the responsibilities increased not only in school, but also at home. I then understood the true meaning of life, that life was not a bed of roses like I felt in school. So I love my childhood days.
21. What is the happiest moment of your life?
Since my childhood I had dreamt of making a career in the Science stream and it came true when I passed my 12th in the Science stream and that also with distinction marks. During my 12th Standard I worked very hard to learn all subjects. I took private tuitions to get extra practice of all subjects. I studied all subject with sincerity. I spent most of my time for preparation of the final exam. But I was still afraid that the papers might be very tough. Even after the exams I worried whether I had done my best or not. So when I finally got my result, I was very excited and happy. My parents were very proud of me and hence I also feel proud of myself. This according to me was the happiest moment of my life.
22. What was the most challenging period of time in your life? Describe it.
There are lots of challenging moments, which I have faced until now in my life. But the most challenging moment of my life is when I was preparing for my final year exams. As I had missed lot of my lectures due to illness that I had suffered during my academic year, it was very tough for me. I was also mentally disturbed because of an untimely death of my uncle. It was a total hard work and needed lots of patience. I maintained myself at the time or preparation of exams. I put in my utmost efforts without losing confidence. I faced it with lot of courage and even though I was in grief. The outcome was filled with colours. I had achieved my desired goal, which was unbelievable. I have chosen only this moment because I have proved that hard work is the only key to success. Practice with total concentration makes master of that subject. Also I was greeted with a lot of pride from my family and friends, which was an unforgettable moment. This is in brief is a description of my most challenging moment of life.
23. What is the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you?
I remember, when I was in the 9th Standard, we had our final examination. I was quite serious about my studies and studied very hard for my exams. One day I had the Science exam. I practiced all my theories and question-answers the previous day. The syllabus was too much, so I had to put in a lot of hours. I hardly slept also that night. The next day I was well prepared for my exam. But I was late to school. Everyone was already seated in class for the exam. I also sat at my place. The teacher distributed the answer supplement and the question paper. When I saw the question paper I was shocked. It was the English paper. I immediately called my teacher and told her that they had made a mistake; they had given me the English paper instead of the Science. All the students started laughing. When I was absolutely embarrassed and I started crying. The teacher consoled me and asked to me to attempt the paper anyway. I was always good at English so my paper was not very bad. I secured 70% marks. But I still cannot forget that day. It was the most embarrassing thing to happen.
24. What is the ultimate goal of your life? What is your greatest wish / one your wishes?
My ultimate goal is life is to be a successful person. I would like to make my family and friends proud of me. I am not crazy about money, but I feel that I should have enough money to satisfy all the needs of my family. There should never be any time in our lives where we have to worry about financial matters. But earning money is not my goal; I want to enjoy what I do.
25. What success have you got in your life for which you feel proud?
There is no fixed definition of success. It changes from person to person but to achieve a goal in a targeted time is called success. From childhood I had dreamt of making a career in the Science stream and it came true when I passed my 12th in the Science stream and that also with distinction marks. During my 12th Standard I worked very hard to learn all subjects. I took private tuitions to get extra practice of all subjects. I studied all subjects with sincerity. I spent most of my time for the preparation of the final exam. But I was still afraid that the papers might be very tough. Even after the exams I was worried whether I had done my best or not. So when I finally got my result I was very excited and happy. This was my first step towards success. I consider this the biggest success in my life. My parents were very proud of me and hence I also proud of myself.
26. The best dream you have dreamt.
I love to watch movies; it is my favourite hobby. I also have a lot of favourite actors and actresses also. Whenever there is a shooting going on in my city, and I come to know about it, I rush there to see the actors and actresses. But so far I have not met my favourite actor and actress. One day I was coming home from the movies and I saw this huge crowd on the road. I pushed myself into the crowd to see so many actors and actresses in the centre. All the people were surrounding them. I was full of joy. I could not believe that I was seeing them altogether like this. And all of a sudden one of them pointed towards me and called me near them. I went there and they asked me many things about me. We all spoke for hours and hours. They gave me their personal telephone numbers also. They took me with them to the hotel. I had a wonderful time with them, so I invited them to my house the next day. They came to my house when I was sleeping. They rang the bell and came towards me to wake me up. When I woke up I saw my mother standing there calling out to me. I was surprised to see her instead of my favourite actors and actresses. And then I realized that it was only a dream, not reality. But I had enjoyed the dream it was the best I had dreamt since a long time.
27. Name one positive phenomenon that has changed your life? How has it affected you?
When I was in school I was not very serious about my studies. I would make mischief with the other students. I rarely did my homework and the teachers were constantly fed up of me and the other students. They shouted at us all the time, and we did not even get good marks. But it did not matter to us. We did not realize that the homework was for our benefit only. One day my parents had gone out for a wedding and I was alone at home. I would normally have watched TV in such a situation. But unfortunately the TV was not working that day and none of my friends were available either. I do not know what happened to me, but I took out of my books and for a change did my homework. In school the next day, the teacher checked the homework and surprisingly mine was the best. I was praised in class. And that made, me very happy. I thought that by doing homework for one day, I could get such appreciation then I should try doing it every day. Since that day I started doing my homework regularly, and all the teachers were very happy with me. This is a positive phenomenon in my life and it has helped me all these years. I have become serious about my studies since then.
FAMILY :
28. Do you live with your family?
Yes, I do live with my family. For a few years my parents had admitted me to a hostel. That time I did not live with them. Life was quite difficult at that time. But now I live with my family. It’s the best place to be.
29. Describe your family / What does your father do? What does your mother do?
We are four members in my family – my father, my mother, my brother and me. My father is a Doctor and has his own clinic. My mother is a Teacher. She teaches English to Secondary school students. My brother is studying in the Third year of college. I am working as a Marketing Executive.
30. In your family whom do you like the most and why? / admire the most / inspired by the most?
I have a small family. I like all the members very much. But I get along best with my brother. There is only one-year difference between my brother and me. So we can share our experiences with each other. He is not only my brother but also a great friend and guide. He gives me good advise for my life. I love him very much.
31. Whom do you resemble in your family?
I resemble my mother. Many of my facial features are like her. When people look at me they can easily say that I am my mother’s child. We resemble each other not only by our facial features but also our nature. My mother is a cool person. She rarely gets angry. Even if we do something wrong, she will explain it to us but not get angry. I am the same. I always keep cool, always enjoy myself and accept life the way it comes.
32. How much time do you spend with your family members?
I am working person, so it is difficult to spend a lot of time with my family. But I try to spend most of the evenings with them. I also plan to do something with my family on Sundays. It is a rule in my house to have dinner together. So however busy we are, we have to meet during dinner.
33. What is an ideal family?
An ideal family should be a family with lots of true love. There should be intimacy among the members. Each member should be ever ready to help each other in times of difficulty. They should be co-operative, understanding, loving and caring.
34. What is the difference between the family in the past and now?
In the past, people used to live in joint families. The relationship was full of love and caring. But today, families prefer to live as nuclear families. Today, people are very materialistic. The only want money. This makes them jealous of each other. They also fight with each other for money. Families are divided so are their businesses.
35. Which kind of family do you like the most joint or nuclear?
Both the types of families have their own advantages and disadvantages. But I prefer the joint family. There are so many people in the joint family. We can enjoy life together and also help each other in difficult times. We can share our feelings and thoughts with everyone, there are also many people to advice and guide us. In a joint family people learn to share, care for others and adjust with other members. In the nuclear families there is less intimacy, and fewer people to share life with.
36. Nowadays what is missing among family members?
Today’s world is a very competitive world therefore all the people are very busy in earning for their survival. This does not allow them to spend more time with the family. The members of the family rarely see each other. It is only on some occasion that all the members meet. This has created a distance between all the family members. The feelings are there, the intimacy is there, but there is no time for one another.
37. How do you manage disputes in your family?
There are no disputes as such in my family. But there definitely are many disagreements. The other members and I may all think in a different manner, and we want to do things differently. So this creates disagreements. We have to solve the disagreement very tactfully so as not to hurt anybody’s feelings. We need to put in combined efforts to manage the dispute. We are quite understanding, so we first see the priority and then make decisions.
38. What is your expectation from your family?
I don’t have any great expectation from my family. I don’t expect that they do things for me. But what I only want is their undying love and support all my life. I want them to be there by my side at any point of my life in happiness and sadness. And more importantly I feel that they should include me in all the problems of the family and also accept my help in any manner possible.
39. What is your family’s expectation from you?
My family has never asked me for anything. They have only supported me in every way. They only expect that I take out time for them and spend tome time with them. I am a workaholic, so when I am working I do not remember anything else. I also forget important things of the house. So that is their major expectation from me that I should be a part of everything that happens in the family.
40. Who is an ideal father and mother?
A father is the head of the family, so he should be a good human being. The other members should be able to look upto him, he should definitely be loving and caring. He should be able to tackle all the problems of the family members tactfully. He should be a good guide and philosopher to all the members.
A mother is a father’s right hand. She is the one the child is most attached to. She is the person from whom a child learns the first things of life. So an ideal mother should be loving and caring. She should teach her children good things like manners and culture and make her child a good human being.
41. Who is an ideal daughter and son?
Whether a daughter or a son, they are both children of the same parents, so they both should have the same qualities. Both should be obedient and understand their parents. Both should understand that the decisions made by their parents are for the children’s benefit only. They should never revolt against their parents. If there is a disagreement they should talk it out with their parents. They should take care of their parents and support them at all times, especially when they are old.
42. Describe the family structure of your country.
In my country there is a great importance for family. People prefer to live in the joint family where all the family members live together. Everybody loves spending time with their family. The elders and parents are given high respect. The whole family shares the problems and happiness of all the members of the family. They celebrate festivals, birthdays and all occasions together. Before taking any decision discussion takes place and then the family decides what steps should be taken. Children take blessings from their parents and grand parents every day. Family’s respect is taken into consideration before taking any decision. Parents support their children both financially up to the time they start earning and in return children take care of their old parents till the end of their lives.
43. Role of your parents in your development.
Parents play an important role in the development of children. It is not possible to prosper without their guidance, love and support. Mother teaches us important virtues of the life like honesty, punctuality etc. Father teaches how to become smart to face this competitive world and how to develop and maintain relations with friends and family members. They both guide us about our future and care for us even when we do wrong. Their undying support is very necessary for every person. And so they play a very important role in a person’s life.
44. How shall I greet some elder person in your family when I meet him?
We are Gujaratis by caste. In our caste and in our family we normally greet one another by taking the name of God. It is a way to show that we are God’s people and everything we do is related to God. We also touch the feet of our elders to seek their blessings at all times. If you need to greet someone in my family you can also greet by saying “Jay Shri Krishna”, if you are comfortable with it. Otherwise, the best greetings is “Namaste”, that is a general greeting which you can use anywhere in India.
45. Which type of family do you live in joint or nuclear? Which do you like? Why?
I live in a joint family. I love living in a joint family where all the members of the family live together. I get a lot of love and support from each member of the family. Everyone celebrates birthdays, special occasions and festivals together. Everyone helps each other in times of difficulty too. The experience of the elders helps in taking important decisions. We have so many people to share our feelings and emotions. We are never lonely. Of course there are also many disadvantages in living together. We do not have enough privacy. There is a lot of interference from the other family members. We can never take independent decision. We always have to
FRIENDS :
46. Who is an ideal friend?
An ideal friend should be very understanding. He should be ready to help his friend at any time. He should be with his friend at all times, in times of happiness as well as in time. He should be with his friend at all times, in times of happiness as well as in times of sorrow. He should be with his friend at all times, in times of happiness as well as in times of sorrow. He should be sensitive towards the feelings of his friend and always assure him of his friendship.
47. Describe your friend circle?
I have a big friend circle. I have friends from school, from college and even my work place. I also have friends from my neighbourhood. They are all from different backgrounds. I am in touch with all of them. We meet regularly and do different things. We are very fond of watching movies, so we go to watch movies very regularly. We also go to restaurants for snacks and meals. We enjoy ourselves together. But the best part of my friend circle is that everybody is ever ready to help one another. At times of difficulties everybody comes together to help the person. So now we have become like a big family.
48. What is the difference between friendship and family relations? Who is more important for you, your friend or your family?
A family is something that one gets by birth. It is blood relationship. But a friendship is a chosen family. It is something that one chooses. There is a lot of difference between both of them. Family is always there with us. But in friendship only true friends stay on with us for a long time. Other friends are only there with us for a small period of time. With the family we can share all our ups and downs of life. But with friends we have a nice time.
I think both are very important. Family is normally most important. But sometimes we have good friends who also become like family, so they are equally important.
49. How do you make friends?
Friend scan be anywhere. We can make friends with our classmates, our neighbours or even when we are travelling.
50. What is the importance of friends in our life?
Friends have a very important role to play in our lives. Friends are people we grow up with. We need friends in our life to share our feelings, thoughts, ideas, emotions etc. We can also share some plans of our life and also so many other things, which we cannot discuss, with our family members. It is friends who are with us all our lives, in happy times as well as sad times. They are there to advice and guide us at all times. They understand us and our feelings and are the best people to motivate and encourage us.
51. What is the difference between friends in the past and now?
There are many examples of true friendships in the past. In such friendships both the friends were not selfish. They did everything for each other. They loved each other dearly. But in today’s world it is very difficult to get such friends. Today, people make friends for a reason. They are not happy for the other person’s happiness on wellbeing. They are jealous of each other. The friendships are not from the heart like they used to be in the past.
52. When do you meet your friends?
I meet some of my friends daily at night. After the whole days work, it is good to relax with friends. But other friends I meet only on weekends or on other holidays.
53. How do you maintain your friendship?
I keep in touch with all my friends regularly. I always remember their birthdays and other important days. I also attend all functions of their life. And more important I always help them whenever they need my help. I feel making friends is easy but maintaining them takes a lot of love and sacrifice.
54. What is your expectation from your friend?
There should not be any expectation from a friend. A friend is someone we get along with well. So, I feel that I should spend more time with my friend. So the only expectation I have from my friend is to take out time from the busy schedules and spend time, to share each other’s experiences of joy and sorrow and also to enjoy life together.
55. Who is your best friend?
_________ is my best friend. He has been my friend since my childhood. We have grown up together. He knows everything about me, my likes, my dislikes, my different moods etc. So, he understands me very well. Since we know each other since my childhood, he has become like a family member. We are always together. We do everything together. Sometimes due to our work we don’t meet for a long time. But when we meet we catch up on each other’s life. We are really good together.
Among all my friends “ANAND” is my best friend. We are friends since our school days. We studied together in the same class. We went to college together. We sat on the same bench for attending our lectures and went to the library or canteen of the college together. After our college we usually went together to watch movies, attend parties or even shopping. There are lots of qualities I appreciate about him. He is kind, hard working and very serious. He is a picture of determination and sincerity. He is committed towards his job. He is very much important to me in my life because he is a person whom I trust the most. He always stood by me in all ups and downs and he is the person with whom I can share my personal feelings. This is my brief description of my friend.
56. What is the similarity or difference between you and your best friend?
In some ways there is no different between us but in others there are a lot of differences. We are both honest and trust worthy people. We both have a helping nature. People trust us a lot in their difficult times. Our taste in many things like food, clothes, movies etc. is the same.
The difference between us is our temperaments. He is very short tempered and takes impulsive decisions. His decisions change very fast. While I am patient and think ten times before doing something. Once I have taken a decision I stick to it.
57. What do you dislike about your friend?
My friend is very impulsive. He makes quick decisions without thinking about the consequences or thinking about the future. He is otherwise very understanding towards others. But for himself, if he likes something one day, he will do it. But he may change it the very next day. And he may be doing another thing the third day. Every time he starts something he feels that it is good for him, but changes when he feels that something else is better. I do not like this attitude of his.
58. Which friends do you prefers school / college friends? Why?
I like both my friends – school friends and college friends. But I am closer and have a more intimate relationship with my school friends. We have shared so many years of our life together. We have seen each other’s ups and downs of life. Even my college friends are good. We have shared a life of enjoyment and then our career. So they are also important.
59. For how many years have you been in touch with your friends?
I am in touch with all my friends. Though some of them are not in the same city any more, we still keep in touch through telephone or when they come here. Some friends are abroad and wee keep in touch through email. But we make it a point to always keep in touch. Sometimes we also chat on the net. So we have always been in touch.
60. How do you spend time together with your friends?
I meet some of my friends everyday at night after dinner. We meet at our crossroads and have tea together. We share our days experience with one another. I also meet some other friends during the weekends. We either go to watch a movie or go for dinner. Sometimes we meet at someone’s house and have a get-together.
YOUR HOMETOWN / THE PLACE OR CITY YOU LIVE IN / YOUR COUNTRY / FOREIGN COUNTRY :
61. Describe your hometown. What is special about it?
My hometown is AHMEDABAD, which is the biggest city of Gujarat State. It is established by Ahmed Shah Badshah. It is situated on the banks of the river SABARMATI. It has about 45 lakhs population. The climate in Ahmedabad is quite hot. Mostly Gujarati people live in Gujarati. It is famous for business. It was kwnon as the Manchester of INDIA in the past, as there were many textile mills in Ahmedabad.
There are many places worth visiting in my city, like Sabarmati Ashram, Kochrab, Sidi Saiyad Ni Jali, Hathising Na Dera, Shaking Minarets, Kankaria Lake, Zoo, Textile museum in Shreyas Foundation etc. My city has many educational institutes like Nirma, DAICT, IIM, SEPT, NID, NIIT, NIFT, medical colleges BJ and NHL also. My city has very good hospitals like Sterling. SAL, Medi Search, Krishna Heart Institute, Apollo etc. There are also many multiplex theatres like Fun Republic, Wide Angle, City Gold etc. There is also an open-air theatre – Drive-In, it’s a wonderful place to live in.
I was born and brought up in the city of Ahmedabad. Ahmedabad known for its mastery in textiles is one of the business cities of India. It is the largest city of Gujarat and one of the largest in India. Ahmedabad is one of the top business centers of Gujarat. Besides business, my city is also known for its rich tradition and history. It has many sight seeing places as Sidi Saiyad Ni Jali, Shaking Minerals, Hathising Ni Wadi and many other well-known places. There are now many multiplexes coming up in the city packed with lots of fun and entertainment. I also like the people of Ahmedabad because of their ever-helping nature in times of adversities. I love the sale environment of my city. Women can move late in night without any element of fear. I love my city very much.
62. What is a major problem of your city and how will you solve? What is one change that you require in your city?
My hometown is AHMEDABAD, which is the biggest city of Gujarat State. It is established by Ahmed Shah Badshah. It is situated on the banks of the river SABARMATI. It has about 45 lakhs population. The climate in Ahmedabad is quite hot. Mostly Gujarati people live in Gujarati. It is famous for business. It was kwnon as the Manchester of INDIA in the past, as there were many textile mills in Ahmedabad.
There are many places worth visiting in my city, like Sabarmati Ashram, Kochrab, Sidi Saiyad Ni Jali, Hathising Na Dera, Shaking Minarets, Kankaria Lake, Zoo, Textile museum in Shreyas Foundation etc. My city has many educational institutes like Nirma, DAICT, IIM, SEPT, NID, NIIT, NIFT, medical colleges BJ and NHL also. My city has very good hospitals like Sterling. SAL, Medi Search, Krishna Heart Institute, Apollo etc. There are also many multiplex theatres like Fun Republic, Wide Angle, City Gold etc. There is also an open-air theatre – Drive-In, it’s a wonderful place to live in.
I was born and brought up in the city of Ahmedabad. Ahmedabad known for its mastery in textiles is one of the business cities of India. It is the largest city of Gujarat and one of the largest in India. Ahmedabad is one of the top business centers of Gujarat. Besides business, my city is also known for its rich tradition and history. It has many sight seeing places as Sidi Saiyad Ni Jali, Shaking Minerals, Hathising Ni Wadi and many other well-known places. There are now many multiplexes coming up in the city packed with lots of fun and entertainment. I also like the people of Ahmedabad because of their ever-helping nature in times of adversities. I love the sale environment of my city. Women can move late in night without any element of fear. I love my city very much.
Over population, pollution, traffic jams and slums are the major problems of the city. Most of the problems of the city start due to over population. There are a lot of vehicles in use in Ahmedabad, which leads to traffic jams. The traffic problems can be solved by proper management and better transportation system flyovers should be constructed and roads should be maintained. But the most important is that people should strictly follow traffic rules.
63. Tell me something about the advantages in living in your city? Tell me something about the disadvantages of living in your city?
Over population, pollution, traffic jams and slums are the major problems of the city. Most of the problems of the city start due to over population. There are a lot of vehicles in use in Ahmedabad, which leads to traffic jams. The traffic problems can be solved by proper management and better transportation system flyovers should be constructed and roads should be maintained. But the most important is that people should strictly follow traffic rules.
64. What accordingly to you is an ideal home?
A house is not just a place, which is built with bricks and cement, but it is a place, which is made by family members, where feelings are shared. My ideal home would be at the place, which would be in the proximity of the city and not in the heart of city. It should have neat and clean surroundings, helpful neighbours and an easy access to the daily needful amenities. I don’t want my house to be multistoried. But it should be big enough to accommodate all family members and guest at all times. They should all be able to live with peace and harmony. There should be a big drawing room in the center, kitchen, bedrooms and store rooms should be big enough for easy utility. First of all it would contain a nice garden in the front and a garage on the other side. The orientation of the house should be best for optimum light and air circulation. It should contain all the needful, latest furniture and electronic home appliances. This is in brief, a description of my ideal house.
65. Describe your room.
I live in a tenament. It has 3 bedrooms, a drawing room and a kitchen. All the rooms are well decorated and arranged. I like my home very much and I am proud of my home. But if somebody asks me what you like most in your home, then my answer would be “my bedroom”. Although all equipments of entertainment are available in the drawing room, but I like my bedroom the most. As the interiors of this room is designed as per my choice. The color is pink and pale green. I have a small music system, a portable color TV, and a small library of selected books in my bedroom. All comforts, which I wish, are available in my bedroom. It is a perfect hiding place for me, which provides me perfect solitude when I need it.
66. What are the places worth visiting in Ahmedabad / your home town?
My hometown is AHMEDABAD, which is the biggest city of Gujarat State. It is established by Ahmed Shah Badshah. It is situated on the banks of the river SABARMATI. It has about 45 lakhs population. The climate in Ahmedabad is quite hot. Mostly Gujarati people live in Gujarati. It is famous for business. It was kwnon as the Manchester of INDIA in the past, as there were many textile mills in Ahmedabad.
There are many places worth visiting in my city, like Sabarmati Ashram, Kochrab, Sidi Saiyad Ni Jali, Hathising Na Dera, Shaking Minarets, Kankaria Lake, Zoo, Textile museum in Shreyas Foundation etc. My city has many educational institutes like Nirma, DAICT, IIM, SEPT, NID, NIIT, NIFT, medical colleges BJ and NHL also. My city has very good hospitals like Sterling. SAL, Medi Search, Krishna Heart Institute, Apollo etc. There are also many multiplex theatres like Fun Republic, Wide Angle, City Gold etc. There is also an open-air theatre – Drive-In, it’s a wonderful place to live in.
I was born and brought up in the city of Ahmedabad. Ahmedabad known for its mastery in textiles is one of the business cities of India. It is the largest city of Gujarat and one of the largest in India. Ahmedabad is one of the top business centers of Gujarat. Besides business, my city is also known for its rich tradition and history. It has many sight seeing places as Sidi Saiyad Ni Jali, Shaking Minerals, Hathising Ni Wadi and many other well-known places. There are now many multiplexes coming up in the city packed with lots of fun and entertainment. I also like the people of Ahmedabad because of their ever-helping nature in times of adversities. I love the sale environment of my city. Women can move late in night without any element of fear. I love my city very much.
67. Can you describe the neighbourhood where you live?
I am living in Ghatlodia area, which is in the suburbs of Ahmedabad City. My area is very beautiful. It has nice arrangements. All the basic facilities are available in my area. You can buy all types of things from shopping centers. My area has best education institutes. A government library is situated in my area. A public garden is also situated in my area, where children can play old people can pass their free time. In the morning people come for morning walks. Also big hospitals like SAL and Sterling are situated near my area. Lord Shiva’s big temple is situated in my area. All types of people are living in my area. They are well educated and well set. They live with each other in unity with each other in unity and harmony.
I am living in Ahmedabad, which is the biggest city of the well-developed state of Gujarat. Ahmedabad is a large city and internationally known, Ahmedabad is divided into two parts by the river Sabarmati. The West side of the river Sabarmati is developed in recent years and well planned and beautiful. My residential area is on the west side of the River. This area is developing very fast and new housing colonies, complexes, apartments, shopping plazas and luxurious bungalows are under construction. The part of the area where I live is already developed and is very beautiful, well planned and peaceful. It is a perfect residential area, where one can live peacefully and enjoy life. We have a good number of shopping complexes where we can buy household goods as well as clothes, electronic equipments and many more things in our area only. We have a beautiful and nicely maintained garden by the municipal authority. This is the place, which I like the most, as it provides me a good chance for brisk walks either in the morning or evening and relaxation. I like my area.
68. What can you do to develop your city?
My city needs a lot of development. But it is not possible for me to do much single handedly. It also requires all the people living in my city to get together and do something for the city. But if I have to do something, the least I can do is together the people living in my area and get our whole area cleaned. We can also get some plants, planted in the area. We should look after the plants. We can also avoid throwing things on the road and start throwing things in the dustbin instead. This will decrease the number of mosquitoes and other insects. I think if I can do this in my area, and if others do the same thing in their area, then definitely all the areas will become better places to live in.
69. Is the city where you were brought up good for children?
I have been born and brought up in Ahmedabad. And I can very proudly say that my city is definitely good to bring up children. My city provides many things for the children. First of all there are so many kindergarten and pre primary schools. There are also crèches where parents can leave their children when they have to go to work. There are lots of parks and gardens in the city for the children to play in. There are also many classes for children to learn other things than the normal academic subjects. For their entertainment there are many multiplexes which have special games for children, and which also screen special children movies during their vacation. All this makes my city good for children.
70. Could you give directions to reach your home from here?
I stay at Paldi. My house is not far from here. If you go by a vehicle it will take you around fifteen minutes to reach my house. Once you get down, you have to take the left road. You must go straight pass the income tax four roads. Give going straight till you pass the Nehru Bridge. You still go straight you will pass the Sanyas Ashram. When you still go straight. You will reach the V.S. Hospital. Just opposite the V.S. Hospital there is a small lane. You should enter the lane and on the left hand side there are two buildings. My building is the second one. The name is Shamiana. I live on the Second Floor.
71. What are the means of entertainment in Ahmedabad?
The major means of entertainment in Ahmedabad are the multiplexes. The multiplexes have a number of screens on which they show different movies Hindi and English. People go to multiplexes to watch movies regularly and in crowds. These are specially packed during the weekends. The multiplexes also have a shopping area and food courts. Some of them have a gaming center also with games for all ages. Ahmedabad also has a lot of parks and gardens for the children and the elderly. The parks have lovely rides for the children, and they also have a walking path for people. People go to these parks in the evenings along with their family and enjoy an evening playing and snacking.
72. What are the famous buildings of Ahmedabad? Describe one famous building.
The famous buildings of Ahmedabad are Bahumali Makan, Patang Hotel, Sakar-I to V, AMA builindg, IIM Ahmedabad, Sankar Kendra, CEPT etc.
The most famous building / the building I like the most is Sanskar Kendra. It is a cultural center, which was built by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. It was designed by LE COURBUSIER, internationally known French Architect. It is a modern structure with big halls to hold exhibition and art galleries. Government holds craft fairs, development exhibitions and product exhibitions. The building is made of brick and concrete and has a ramp to reach into the galleries. The ground floor has fountains to provide cool breeze during the summer. I normally visit this building during the exhibitions. We can spend hours at this place during exhibitions.
I like the IIM (Indian Institute of Management) building situated near Atira as one of the best building I have seen. The IIM is not only famous for producing world class management professionals but also for the design of its building. It was designed by a famous architect. It is made up of open R.C.C. and open brick structure. It ha a wonderful elevation and an open space in the center. Many famous artists and musicians perform over here. It is equipped with all the latest facilities each room has got an excellent view of the environment. The atmosphere is very peaceful. It is wonderful to be around the building.
HOBBIES / INTEREST / LIKES / DISLIKES :
73. What are your leisure time activities? / Could you tell me how you like to spend leisure time?
Leisure time activities are very important for everyone. It is the time when people can do what they like. It is a good form of relaxing. It is good for the mind and the body. I like to watch television and socialize with my friends in my leisure time. I watch different things on television. It all depends on my mood. Sometimes when I am in a sad mood I like to watch some comedy programs to induce me to be jollier. I watch a lot of movies on television, both English and Hindi. I also watch some music channels, which revitalizes me. I also love to socialize with my friends. We meet and enjoy ourselves by cracking jokes and sharing our experiences of life. I love my leisure time.
74. What does everyone do in their leisure time and why?
Leisure activities are very important for the mind and body. Even a few hours of leisure time refreshes the mind. Everybody has a hectic schedule everyday, so everybody needs a break from this, because all work and no play make jack a dull boy. Leisure activities are important to revitalize our mind and our bodies.
There are different things that people do in the leisure time. Some go for walks, some listen to music, some play some game or sport. Some people watch movies or just meet with friends. Some people read or there are others who spend time shopping.
75. What are the leisure activities of Indians? What will be the future trend?
Indians love leisure activities. They watch films or television programs. They socialize and meet friends. Some like to read or some play some game. Many people like to listen to music. Other surf or chat on the Internet. Many people throw parties or visit new places. But there are some people who do not socialize a lot they stay confined to the house only.
I feel socializing has decreased from society to a large degree. In the future I feel it will decrease even further. People will become more computer oriented, personal relationships may not be very important. People are becoming very materialistic nowadays, in the future the case may be even worse. Leisure activities will be there but will take a different look altogether.
76. What is the importance of reading?
Reading gives the highest kind of pleasure. When we are tired or our brain is wear, it is a healthy recreation to read. By reading we can get knowledge, information and exposure to various subjects and study. By reading we can share experiences of other people. We can also relax and get entertainment.
77. When do you get time to read?
I enjoy reading. It is my favourite hobby. Generally I prefer to read in my leisure time, on weekends, holidays and when I am on leave. I also like to read while traveling.
78. Which types of books do you like to read?
I like to read novels, autobiography, drama, short stories and fiction. Sometimes I also like to read spiritual and religious books. When I am sitting doing nothing, I read magazines on various topics fashion, health, films etc.
79. How do books influence you?
Books are the most faithful friends. It is a source of pleasure, instruction and inspiration. A person who reads books is rich with knowledge, noble thoughts and high ideals. We need wholesome food to develop the body, in the same way we need to read books to develop the mind.
80. Which is your favourite book? Describe a book you read in your childhood. How did it affect you?
My favourite book is “EXPERIEMENTS OF TRUTH” the autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi. My father had gifted the pocket addition when I was in the 7th standard. He thought it would inspire me and would help me in becoming a good human being.
I was very impressed by this book. Gandhiji has courageously described his life incidents in this book. I learnt that speaking truth and supporting truth are very difficult and challenging. The book gave me peace and improved my character. The book is a perfect example to lead the best possible life.
I have read many books during my school days and college life. But among all these books that I like the most is “WHO CAN WIN” by Shiv Khera. I purchased this book from a fair. I found it quite economical. The reason I like this book is that it has brought a lot of confident in me. It has shown me various techniques and methodologies to do this. It has explained in a very simple and lucid language. Shiv Khera has given examples of great persons like Thomas Edison and Socrates to give ways to plan and manage. Whenever I feel depressed or lost I read the book, as it inspires me. I feel it is a must for every person.
Books are man’s best friends. My favourite book is BHAGWAT GITA. It is a holy book of the Hindu Religion. It is written by Valmiki. It is written in many languages. It contains various chapters and describes the life style and events of the kings along with Lord Krishna before 5000 years. The book has influenced me in many ways. It has taught me the weapon of truth, it teaches us to pursue our best efforts and abilities even in our bad times, without expecting a reward. It has also taught me the tradition and culture of my country and has provided me with a base on which to build a bright future. I read it again and again. And every time I read it I learn something new. I will read it anytime I get the chance. It is my favourite book.
81. Do you like to read the newspaper or do you life to hear the news on the television?
I like to read the newspaper. I read the newspaper everyday early in the morning. But, I also listen to news on the television. It is different when we listen to the news on the television. But it does not give all the details of the news. In the paper, we get all the statistics about a particular situation. So, I like the television and the newspaper.
82. Which is your favourite newspaper? Why?
My favourite newspaper is the GUJARAT SAMACHAR. I have been reading this newspaper since many years. It has been the best newspaper in my city for years. Now there are other newspapers also like Sandesh and Divya Bhaskar. But I still like the Gujarat Samachar. This newspaper gives me all the news from all around the world. It also gives many different articles, which are helpful for each member of my family for e.g. there are recipes in the newspaper for my mother, since she loves cooking. My grand father reads all the religious articles that the paper prints. My father reads all the business related articles. I also get news of films and shows in the city. There is also special emphasis on job opportunities and sale and purchase of different things. It’s a very informative newspaper, and so I like it very much.
83. What are the reading habits of people of different age groups?
People of different age groups read different things. If we talk about children, they like to read story books and comics. Teenagers also like to read storybooks and film magazines. In addition to storybooks, college students like to read books related to their subject also. They get more knowledge from that. Working people and businessmen read business related books. For e.g. a person in the Information Technology field will read books on computers, whereas a person in Fashion Designing will read Designing related books. Housewives normally read books related to beauty care and cookery books. They also like to read novels. Old people normally like to red religious books. It makes them feel closer to god.
84. When do children start learning to read?
I don’t know exactly, but I think that they start reading at an early age. It should be when they are in the first or second standard.
85. Which mode of entertainment do you prefer?
I like many modes of entertainment. It depends on the time and the situation. In the evenings after I reach home, I feel quite tired, so I listen to my favourite songs. It relaxes me very much. I feel fresh. But at night, I watch TV with my whole family. We watch all the serials that are telecast every day. I also listen to the radio during my work hours. We listen to different music though at a low volume, but it energizes us to work hard. I also surf the Internet for entertainment. During the weekend, I go the movies with my friends. I watch movies in the theatre with them. So in this way I entertain myself with a number of modes of entertainment.
86. Which radio program do you listen to? What is your favourite radio program? What information do you get from it?
There is no particular radio program that I like. I listen to FM radio, the name is Radio Mirchi. It is aired all day long. So there is no particular time to listen to this program, or some particular information. They air different songs on this channel, old and new movie songs, slow and fast, romantic and sad etc. I like to listen to all of them I do not get any information from this, I just feel relaxed listing to it. Yes, but they give a little information about what is happening in the city. If there is an exhibition somewhere, or if the traffic is jammed at some place etc.
87. What is the influence of Television on people?
Television is an important factor, which influences a person’s behaviour. An individual usually spends two to three hours watching television everyday. This time definitely constitutes a powerful influence on the way a person thinks and the way he behaves. The influences can be both positive and negative. The positive aspect would be watching informative channels like news channels, animal related channels, geography channels, sports channels etc. certain programs telecast on different channels like quiz shows, talk shows, group discussions etc. are also very good to build up one’s general knowledge. Watching these shows will definitely have a positive outcome. But there are other programs telecast like the ones showing violence, family quarrels and disagreements, pornography etc., obviously have a negative impact on the viewer. Thus, we can see that television does have a great influence on people.
88. Which is your favourite TV program? Which is your favourite television serial?
My favourite Serial is “OFFICE OFFICE”. It is a comedy serial. It stars Pankaj Kapoor and he also directs it. Pankaj Kapooor is a famous actor of Bollywood. This serial is a comedy serial which basically shows the corruption that prevails in the government offices and the difficulties that a normal person has to face due to this corruption. Every episode has a story of a particular department in government. The characterization is beautiful. Every actor has a unique role to play and each of them plays his role very well. The corruption of the government departments is shown in a very shrewd but classy way. It makes us laugh but also gives us a message. This serial is a real entertainment and I enjoy it very much.
I like to watch the program “Guinness Book of World Record”. This is a wonderful program. It shows us the extra ordinary talent and extra ordinary feats of humans, from different places and countries of the world. It shows the greatest achievement by very simple and ordinary people. It consists of a wide variety of records, which are recommended by special judges at the world level. It is a very influential program. It has influenced me in many ways. It has taught me that sheer hard work and balanced mental strength can achieve even the most difficult things. It also shows us that nothing is impossible, till we make an effort to try it out. I feel proud of the people performing their own feats, and want to do something for myself too. I really enjoy this program.
FOOD :
89. Do you like to eat with your family or do you like to eat alone?
I normally like to eat with my family members because that is the time we can all sit together and discuss what we had done the whole day. We can exchange / share our views with each other. Sometimes
