The Seasons of Bengal

          There are six seasons in Bengal. These are — summer, the rainy season, autumn, late autumn, winter and spring. During summer, unkind sun dries up everything. But, fruits like mangoes, litchis are available in this season. After summer, comes the rainy season. In this season, farmers sow seeds to enrich our food-basket. Autumn succeeds the rains. But this season does not last long. Yet, it is a season of festivals. Next comes winter. The season is marked for vegetables flowers and picnic. Next season spring is the season of the beauty and pleasure. Flowers bloom. Birds sing. Everybody is glad at the arrival of spring. Thus, every season add variety to the life of people.

The Olympic Games

           The ancient Greeks loved games and sports. Many people, young and old, participated in the items, Every four years games were held, at Olympus in south western Greece, So the games were known as the Olympic Games. The first records of the Games are kept from 776 B.C. Many Greeks took part in them and thousands of enthusiastic spectators assembled to have a look at them. A temporary town of tents sprang up during the games. The games, thus started, went on till 394 A.D. when they were abolished by the Roman Emperor, Theodosius I. The modem Olympic Games were again revived in Athens by Pierre de Coubertin. The Games have been held every four years since then. They were, however, not held in 1916. 1940 and 1944 when wars were going on. The women participated in the Games in 1912 the first time.

Jagadish Chandra Bose

           Jagadish Chandra Bose, the great Indian scientist, was born in Dacca in the year 1858. He was a brilliant scholar. He went to Cambridge for higher studies after graduating from Calcutta University. Returning to India, he joined the Presidency College, Calcutta as a Professor of Physics. Gifted with an inquisitive mind, he devoted himself to research work. One of his great achievements was that he succeeded in sending electric waves without the help of any wires. He is best known for his researches on plant-life. He was the first to discover that the plants breathe anti feel in much the same way as we do. After retirement, he founded the Bose Institute which became one of the leading centers of scientific research in India. Jagadish Chandra could write excellent Bengali prose and his writings are highly’ popular all over the country.

City Life

              A man living in a city enjoys many amenities of modern life, city offers one many facilities-facilities for education, medical help, conveyance, etc. There are many big schools and colleges in a city. Students can get help from the well-equipped libraries situated in a city. Big hospitals and qualified doctors are there to offer medical help. In a city there are various sources of recreation like the cinema and the theatre. It is, indeed, a treat to watch an exciting match, be it football or cricket, in a stadium of the city. Cities are usually centers of business and’ administration; they also provide people with opportunities of employment. Roads in a city are metalled and conveyance is smooth and cheap. But city life has its disadvantages, too. A city is often overcrowded and congested. It is sometimes full of smoke and dust. Life, one feels, tends to be mechanical in a city.

Environmental Pollution

              As civilization advances, life becomes more and more complex. Many difficulties and problems crop up and some of these are quite alarming. Environmental pollution is one such problem that has vexed’ the. modern man. Today even a child knows that the environment around It is polluted to a large extent. The air we breathe is no longer pure and fresh. The carbon monoxide gas emitted by the motor vehicles, and other poisonous gases emitted by factories make the air impure. The water of the rivers is being polluted by the chemicals, that find their way from the factories in to the river. The water becomes Impure and unsafe. The shrill horn of the busses and cars, the thoughtless-use of microphones. etc. are responsible for the sound pollution. To combat this problem of pollution, we must work together and try out means that will contain it.

The Olympic Games

          The ancient Greeks loved games and sports. Many people, young and old, participated in the items. Every four years games were held, at Olympus in south western Greece. So the games were known as the Olympic Games. The first records of the Games are kept from 776 B.C. Many Greeks took part in them and thousands of enthusiastic spectators assembled to have a look at them, A temporary town of tents sprang up during the games. The games, thus started, vent on till 394 A.D. when they were abolished by the Roman Emperor, Theodosius I. The modern Olympic Games were again revived in Athens by Pierre de Coubertin. The Games have been held every four years since then. They were, however, not held in 1916. 1940 and 1944 when wars were going on. The women participated in the Games in 1912 for the first time.

Jagadish Chandra Bose

            Jagadish Chandra Bose, the great Indian scientist, was born in Dacca in the year 1858. He was a brilliant scholar. He went .to Cambridge for higher studies after graduating from Calcutta University. Returning to India, he joined the Presidency College, Calcutta as a Professor of Physics. Gifted with an inquisitive mind, lie devoted himself to researches work. One of his great achievements was that he succeeded in sending electric waves without the help of any wires. He is best known for his researches on plain-life. He was the first to discover that the plants breathe and feel in much the same way as we do. After retirement, lie founded the Bose Institute which became one of the leading centres of scientific research in India. Jagadish Chandra could write excellent Bengali prose and his writings are highly popular all over the country.

How Paper is Made

          Paper is made from bamboo, cotton rags, and some other materials. Today it is made in large quantities in paper mills. The materials are first soaked in water and then are reduced to pulp. Sulphur and some other chemical substances are used in making the pulp. It is then made clean and lime is added to it to give it the white look. Next, the pulp is spread in thin sheets and dried, and finally, cut into pieces of various shapes and sizes. All these things are done by machinery. In this way we get paper that we use for writing and printing. Many paper mills are found all over India. The Titaghur Paper Mills near Calcutta is the oldest and biggest of them all.

TEA

          Tea is very popular drink in the world today. It is grown in India, China, Japan, Ceylon, Brazil and in many other countries. Tea is dried leaves of the tea plant which is grown on sloping grounds. The leaves are small and oval in shape. Not all the leaves are picked; two top leaves and a bud make the crop. These then go through several processes in the factory. After that they are packed in chests, ready to be sold in the market. To prepare a cup of tea is quite easy. The drink is made with boiling water and then sugar and milk may be added to it. Tea is a very refreshing drink and is, indeed, a good stimulant.

Tiger

          Tigers are large, fierce animals of the cat family. They are yellow skinned with black stripes. They live in the jungles of Asia. The tigers of the Sunderbans are called The Royal Bengal Tigers’. Not many of these animals are left today, as they have been shot and trapped by hunters for many years. They are now protected in some National Parks. Tigers help man in many ways. They kill pigs and deer that destroy crops. Not all of these creatures are man-eaters. Some old or wounded tigers cannot catch their prey and they turn man-eaters. Usually a tiger does not hunt men. For human habitation, mills and factories, jungles are being cleared. ‘So the tigers get killed or are driven away. But it is our duty to keep the wonderful species alive. A day may come when tigers may be seen only in game reserves or zoos.