On Libraries summary and exercise | Class 12 English Notes

On Libraries by Oliver Sacks Summary and Exercise: Questions & Answers | Class 12 English Notes | NEB

Before reading

Answer the following questions.

a.Why do people visit the libraries?

Ans. People visit libraries because they want to know something useful.

b.Have you ever borrowed books from the library? If yes, what kinds of books do you like to read?

Ans. Yes, I’ve borrowed books from the library. I like literary books that have long lasting value.

Understanding the text

Answer the following questions.

a.Where could the author be found when he was late for lunch or dinner?

Ans. The author could be found in a little lab along with the Oak-Paneled library (made by his father) when he was late for lunch or dinner.

b.What are his first memories?

Ans. The large and beautiful oak-paneled library and the books were the first memories of the author.

c.Why did he dislike school?

Ans. As an active reader and habituated to self-learning, he disliked the passive learning from the teacher in school.

d.What did he feel about at the library?

Ans. Author felt free to read his choice and enjoyed that moment with other readers like him in the same quest at the library.

e.Why was he so biased about sciences especially astronomy and chemistry?

Ans. To read all the books in the library is not possible and his study of interest was astronomy and chemistry. So, the author was biased about sciences especially astronomy and chemistry.

f.Why did he become so fascinated by Hook?

Ans. The writer become so fascinated by “Theodore Hook’ because he was greatly admired in the early nineteenth century for his unit and his genius for theatrical and musical improvisation. He was said to have composed more than 500 operas on the sport.

g.Describe library at the Queen’s College.

Ans. The Queen’s college in New York is a constituent college of the university of Oxford; England. it has a magnificent library building to hold ancient books, incunabula which was designed by christopher wren.

h.Why did the students ignore the bookshelves in the 1990s?

Ans. The students ignored the bookshelves in the 1990s because they got access to computer and computerized books.

i.Why was he horrified when he visited the library a couple of months ago?

Ans. Author was horrified when he visited the library a couple of months ago because most of the shelves, once overflowing, sparsely occupied. Most of the books had been thrown out or digitised.

Reference to the context

a. The author says, “I was not a good pupil, but I was a good listener.” Justify it with the textual evidences.

Ans. “Maintaining good relation with teacher, attending classes regularly, completing the given assignments properly, listening the lectures etc. are the basic characteristics of good pupil. But, the author was not like other pupil. He didn’t prefer those bording lectures which were given by the teachers. He wanted to be an active learer instead of learning passively. He used to feel free to read his choice and enjoy that moment by self learning. He would love sitting at a table in libraries, with a mountain of books in front of him. So, the author say I was not a good pupil, but I was a good learner is turned true.

b. A proverb says, “Nothing is pleasanter than exploring a library.” Does this proverb apply in the essay? Explain.

Ans. Library provides enough source of information on one’s study of interest. Nothing gives such satisfaction as reading books gives to any book lover (biblophile). Oliver Sacks was a book worm who spent much of his time in different libraries indifferent grown like paneled libraries, learning lectures. him up library He in with in in places. libraries felt the that a mountain at free same his environment. All to inside own quest read of of his his home. books of at family choice learning the He infront Oliver library. started members and passively of was enjoyed him. He his an loved would jouney So, active that in this reading class moment love frompopular learner and sitting his books with and saying listening beautiful at other and he a “Nothingpreferedtable he readersboringOak-wasin

Reference beyond the text

a. Write an essay on Libraries and its uses for students.

Ans. A library is a collection of materials, books or media that are easily accessible for use and not just for display purpose. It is responsible for housing updated information in order to meet the user’s needs on a daily basis. A library provides physical or digital access, materials or both. They can be run by government authorities, schools, universities or any society to enhance their knowledge and complete their research works.

Libraries play a vital role in importing knowledge. It helps in the expansion of knowledge. It develops the habit of reading and boosts the thirst for more and more knowledge. It adds to what an individual has already learnt and leads to his perssonal growth and development in life. It is escpecially essential for people who cannot afford costly books and resources for reading and acquiring information.

Library is the place with absolute silence where one can concentrate on reading. Education and libraries go hand in hand. Library is essential to support teaching and learning process. School libraries have a positive impact on the student’s academic performance. The students with access to well supported libraries with provisional services perform and score better regardless of their socio-economic status.

Any kind of library is an asset to our community. It is the leap in the advancement knowledge and well-being of a person. Libraries play important role in progress and development of the society. Libraries assist the students to improve good reading and learning habit. Thus, library is a valuable resource for a society.