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Mohan works in a restaurant in the centre of New Delhi. He goes to work at 5pm, but yesterday at 5pm, he wasn’t on the bus, he was in a taxi going to the hospital. He was very sick! Usually, he works in the kitchen all evening, but yesterday he wasn’t in the kitchen. He was in the X-ray department of the hospital because the doctors were worried about his stomach pains. Normally, if Mohan taken a bus to go home after finishing at the restaurant, but yesterday at 1pm, he was still in the hospital and he was still unhappy and sick. He was in a bed and he was there for - 102 degrees! Was he worried? Yes, he was! In the morning, he was better and the doctors were pleased. What was the problem? It was bad food – from his restaurant!

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Reading is an important communication skill that has many benefits and it has great impact on a person's life. We should develop a reading habit as it allows us to learn new information and gives us access to a wide range of opportunities and ideas. So, reading regularly not only broadens our aspect and knowledge but also improves our intelligence, perspective, judgement and understanding of the world. It helps to stimulate creativity and imagination, to relieve the stress and pressure, and to provide a source of entertainment. The major benefit of reading is to develop the analytical and critical skills of a reader. The former involves gathering information and breaking it down into parts for better understanding, while the latter involves evaluating the same information and making judgments based on evidence. Reading a book or any content improves our language and vocabulary, so we can easily comprehend the words and their use in the context. It also helps in cognitive development in young children so at the primary level, children are more involved in reading rather than writing.

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The extraction of indigo dye involves harvesting the small, green leaves of the Indigofera plant before its flowers bloom. These leaves undergo a process of soaking in water and churning until a navy-blue froth is released. The upper portion of the resulting mixture is drained for irrigation, while the leaves are repurposed as fertilizer. After allowing the water and fine sediment to settle for a day, the liquid is separated from the sediment. The obtained deep blue paste is then subjected to filtration to remove dirt and impurities, followed by compression into cakes and drying for several days. Once dried, the indigo is ready for use as a dye. Lime (Ca(OH)₂) can be added to the initial water and leaves mixture, and various natural sugars can be dissolved into the paste to enhance the extraction process.

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Engaging in regular physical activity is not only beneficial for physical well-being but also has a profound impact on mental health. Studies have shown that exercise releases endorphins, chemicals in the brain that act as natural painkillers and mood elevators. Additionally, consistent exercise has been linked to reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression. Contrary to common misconceptions, it doesn't require intense workouts; even moderate activities like walking or yoga can contribute to improved mental well-being. Making exercise a regular part of one's routine not only supports physical fitness but also nurtures a positive and resilient mindset.

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The French Revolution is a revolutionary movement that occurred in France between 1787 and 1799 and reached to its (1)______ in 1789. This revolution had many causes but the most important of all was (2)______ of bourgeoisie, who were merchants, manufacturers and professionals. The peasants, many of them landowners, wanted to get rid of the practices of absolute monarchy and feudalism. Another factor was an increase in population due to decreased mortality rates. It was followed by economic predicament and minor revolts were common. This led to a clarion call for social reforms. Intellectuals like Rene Descartes wrote about new things about political, social and economic matters. A fundamental political and societal change was to occur. The French Revolution played a critical role in shaping modern nations by showing the world the power inherent in the will of the people.

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Algae are photosynthetic creatures that have pigments that aid in photosynthesis, such as chlorophyll. They do not, however, have the actual stems, roots or leaves found in vascular plants. While some of them have many cells, others are unicellular. They might establish colonies as well. The majority of algae are aquatic. Some are terrestrial, and they can be found on rocks, trees and moist soil. Certain algae species coexist well with other living things. For instance, lichens are a symbiotic relationship between green (and often blue-green) algae and fungi. Algae are members of a multiphyletic group. This indicates that there is no common ancestor and that the species in this category are not necessarily closely related. They do not have other morphoanatomical characteristics typical of vascular plants, but they do have one thing in common: they are eukaryotes with the principal pigment being chlorophyll, which allows them to perform photosynthesis. Phycology is the scientific name for the study of algae. The blue-green algae is one example of a reference. But some sources do not classify them as algae because they are prokaryotes.

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Subhas Chandra Bose, a prominent Indian nationalist leader, was convinced that India could not achieve independence without the use of force, and he believed that a military campaign was necessary to achieve this goal. In 1942, Bose formed the Indian National Army (INA) with the help of the Japanese. Bose travelled to Japan in 1941 to seek their support in the struggle against British rule in India. The Japanese were interested in having Bose’s help in their own efforts to expand their influence in Southeast Asia. Bose’s vision was to create a military force to fight against the British in India with the help of Japanese weapons and training. The INA was formed in Singapore in September 1942 with the slogan ‘Jai Hind’ (Victory to India). The INA consisted of soldiers who were primarily from the Indian community in Southeast Asia. They were trained by Japanese officers and were equipped with Japanese weapons. The INA fought alongside Japanese forces in Burma and other parts of Southeast Asia during World War II. Bose’s leadership of the INA and his military campaigns against the British in India made him a popular figure among many Indians. The consequences of the formation of the INA were significant. The INA’s campaigns against the British in India and the Indian soldiers’ role in the Burma campaign had a psychological impact on the British forces. The British were shocked that Indian soldiers had turned against them, undermining their confidence in maintaining control over India. The INA also had a significant impact on the Indian independence movement. Bose’s vision of a socialist India with equal rights for all citizens inspired many Indians. The INA became a symbol of the struggle against British colonialism, and Bose’s slogan of ‘Jai Hind’ became a rallying cry for the independence movement.
However, the INA’s military campaigns were not successful in achieving their goal of freeing India from British rule. The INA suffered significant losses in battles, and their efforts were undermined by the Japanese surrender in 1945.

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Rivers in the heart of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil fell to their lowest levels in over a century on Monday as a record drought upends the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and damages the jungle ecosystem.
The port of Manaus, the region’s most populous city, at the meeting of the Rio Negro and the Amazon River, recorded 13.59 metres (44.6 feet) of water on Monday, compared to 17.60 a year ago, according to its website. That is the lowest level since records began 121 years ago in 1902, passing a previous all-time low set in 2010.
Rapidly drying tributaries to the mighty Amazon have left boats stranded, cutting off food and water supplies to remote villages, while high water temperatures are suspected of killing more than 100 endangered river dolphins.
Some areas of the Amazon have seen the least rain from July to September since 1980, according to the Brazilian government disaster alert centre, Cemaden.
Brazil’s Science Ministry blames the drought on the onset of the El Niño climate phenomenon this year, which is driving extreme weather patterns globally. In a statement earlier this month, the ministry said it expects the drought will last until at least December, when El Niño’s effects are forecast to peak.
Underlying El Niño is the long-term trend of global warming, which is leading to more frequent and more intense extreme weather events, like drought and heat.
The drought has affected 481,000 people as of Monday, according to the civil defense agency in the state of Amazonas, where Manaus is located.
Late last week, workers from Brazilian NGO Fundação Amazônia Sustentável fanned out across the parched region near Manaus to deliver food and supplies to vulnerable villages. The drought has threatened their access to food, drinking water and medicines, which are usually transported by river.

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In 1600, the East India Company acquired a charter from the ruler of England, Queen Elizabeth I, granting it the sole right to trade with the East. This meant that no other trading group in England could compete with the East India Company. With this charter, the Company could venture across the oceans, looking for new lands from which it could buy goods at a cheap price and carry them back to Europe to sell at higher prices.
The Company did not have to fear competition from other English trading companies. Mercantile trading companies in those days made profit primarily by excluding competition, so that they could buy cheap and sell dear. The royal charter, however, could not prevent other European powers from entering the Eastern markets. By the time the first English ships sailed down the west coast of Africa, round the Cape of Good Hope, and crossed the Indian Ocean, the Portuguese had already established their presence on the western coast of India, and had their base in Goa. In fact, it was Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese explorer, who had discovered this sea route to India in 1498. By the early seventeenth century, the Dutch too were exploring the possibilities of trade in the Indian Ocean. Soon the French traders arrived on the scene.
The problem was that all the companies were interested in buying the same things. The fine qualities of cotton and silk produced in India had a big market in Europe. Pepper, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon too were in great demand. Competition amongst the European companies inevitably pushed up the prices at which these goods could be purchased, and this reduced the profits that could be earned. The only way the trading companies could flourish was by eliminating rival competitors. The urge to secure markets, therefore, led to fierce battles between the trading companies.

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New Delhi: Forty-two per cent of children in the age group of 14 to 18 years in rural India cannot read easy sentences in English, while more than half of them struggle with simple division problems, according to the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2023 released on Wednesday.
The ASER 2023 'Beyond Basics' survey was conducted in 28 districts across 26 states, reaching a total of 34,745 youths in the age group 14–18 years. One rural district was surveyed in each major state. The annual report published by the Pratham Foundation found that more than half of the students in the 14–18 age group struggle with division problems.
About 25 per cent of this age group still cannot read a Class 2 level text fluently in their regional language. More than half struggle with division (3-digit by 1-digit) problems. Only 43.3 per cent of 14–18-year-olds are able to do such problems correctly. This skill is usually expected in Class 3 and 4.
ASER reports are also used by the government while formulating policies. Across enrollment categories, females (76 per cent) do better than males (70.9 per cent) in reading a Class 2 level text in their regional language. In contrast, males do better than their female counterparts in arithmetic and English reading. The report says that around 45 per cent of the students surveyed could calculate the number of hours a child had slept based on the time she went to bed at night and woke up in the morning.
In another everyday task of measuring an object with a scale, 85 per cent of those surveyed could calculate the length of an object correctly if it was placed at the '0' mark on the ruler. But, when the object was moved and placed elsewhere on the ruler, less than 40 per cent could give the right answer. Two-thirds of the surveyed youths (65.1 per cent) were able to read functional instructions on a packet of ORS solution, the report said.
According to the report, low levels of foundational numeracy affect the ability of youth in tackling everyday calculations where they need to apply measurement or use the unitary method in practical situations, or even do simple financial computations (managing a budget, applying a discount or calculating interest rates or repayment of a loan).