Page 182 - 8th-language-english-2

lisTEning PassagEs

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Not to be republished
Sangappa is a farmer in Prasadapura. He got his son admitted to

a nearby school. That school was a bit different from other ones, and
©KTBS
it was located in an Ashram.

Sangappa went to the Ashram one day to see how his son was getting

on. He opened the gate and went in. What he saw surprised him. For,
there were no classes. Students had freedom to go wherever they liked.
At a distance, some students were reading books and trying to get by

heart some questions and answers. He looked around for his son.
A greater surprise was awaiting him. For, his son had been sitting on
a tree watching the birds singing. Also, he was trying to draw the birds

in a book. Sangappa went straight to the headmaster’s office. He said,
“I am sorry, I thought my child was learning. But look where my son is!

I’m really sorry, Sir.” The headmaster replied quietly, “Well, Sangappa,
I too feel sad, but not for your child, but for those book-worms,” and
pointed towards the boys trying to memorize answers. Sangappa could

not make out anything. He said, “Are you joking, Sir?” “No,” said the
headmaster. “Your son is studying nature and he’s learning. But those

kids are not.”
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Bhaskara II was a famous scientist and a great poet, too. He was a
Kannadiga, born in Vijayapura. His father Maheshwaropadhyaya was
a learned mathematician. Bhaskara’s first teacher was his own father.

Bhaskara invented Kalachakra, the time-clock.

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