Daily Reads-55 (Level-1)

Reading Suggestion-1

Article Name:Rajini for PM? If Rajinikanth The Boss, who can split a bullet with a knife, joins politics, voters are in for a box office hit
Author Name:Sagarika Ghose
Source: Times of India
Category: Politics

Summary for this article:

What if a superstar enters Politics? Well, it shouldn’t surprise anyone for we have seen many such instances where a superstar has entered politics and also gained huge mass appeal.

The superstar, the writer here mentioning is our very own Thalaivar, Rajnikanth. After finally signalling that he may enter politics, the writer says, how his entry into politics is going to be like another blockbuster hit. For those who doubt that giving a blockbuster hit in a reel life and real life are two different things, the author says them to see the past examples of Tamil Nadu’s Politics – from MGR to Jayalalitha, weren’t they a superhit?

Politics might at times be star-crossed, but Rajnikanth for sure would have his voters full support, who might just tell the other Politicians to mind their own business.

Words to learn from this article:

Ricochet: Something that bounces off a surface
Scoundrel: A cruel or a disreputable person
Prevaricating: To avoid telling the truth by misleading or telling lies
Rascal: A mischievous person
Baddies: A bad person displayed in a movie or a book as a villain

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Reading Suggestion-2

Article Name: Don’t go for pricey foreign N-power plants when solar’s going dirt-cheap
Author name:SA Aiyar
Source: Times of India
Category: Indian Policy

Summary for this article:

The author writes that he was in the full support of Bush – Manmohan 2005 nuclear deal that allowed imported uranium and 6 nuclear reactors to be each set by US, France, Japan and Russia in India. Now, with decrease in the solar power prices and the bankruptcy of Westinghouse, owned by Toshiba, he suggests that we need a fresh ten-year plan with an optimum mix of solar, thermal and nuclear power. In 2005, nuclear power expected a boom due to greenhouse gases. It was cheaper than solar but costlier than thermal, promising to decrease the prices to the level of thermal with more nations going for it. After the Fukushima disaster in Japan, all the future and the existing nuclear projects were cancelled. Also, the safety concerns led to expensive redesigns. The flopping of France’s Areva in some countries, the bankruptcy of Westinghouse and the decreasing prices of solar power is encouraging India to close the 2005 deal. Also, by the time, the nuclear power plants are set up in India, solar power prices may fall down further and nuclear power is not suitable for peak evening (in case of solar revolution). India can close the deal by sticking to the previous thermal power parity and if it is not fulfilled, then India wins. If Westinghouse is unable to find a buyer, India can cancel the deal.

Words to learn from this article:

Overhaul: To change or repair something to improve it
Renaissance: Rebirth
Parity: The state of being equal; equality
Gargantuan: Enormous in size or volume
Renege: Refuse or deny doing something that you had earlier given your approval of

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Reading Suggestion-3

Article Name: Conquer Anger
Author name:Nilanshu Ranjan
Source: Economic Times
Category: Lifestyle

Summary for this article:

Generally, when we want to do something or want to expel something repugnant, we take a vow and feel satisfied in the negotiation. This act of suppression disturbs our equilibrium.
As rightly said by Buddha: “Be conscious”, thereby stressing on the importance of one’s consciousness. Pythagoras speaking on the same lines says, “Don’t be angry”.

As anger leads to nothing but miseries. The author wants us to follow the path of enlightenment, liberation from all emotions, which in Jain and Buddhist philosophies is austerity in day to day existence and a full-fledged philosophical principle of Gandhiji.

Words to learn from this article:

Ecstasy: Extreme happiness
Austerity: An austere life means living a plain and a simple life without spending money on unnecessary things
Repugnant: Something that you dislike so much that it gives you a sick feeling
Vow: An oath or a promise
Transcend: To go past defined limits.