According to the document, David Blaine staged a publicity stunt where he appeared to amputate his own ear at a press conference to promote his upcoming feat of being locked in a glass box suspended from a crane for 44 days without food. His previous stunts had also been dangerous. The document also summarizes a story about a foreign writer witnessing a beggar woman in India using her baby to earn money by drugging it, and the writer's attempts to get medical help for the baby when it became unresponsive and vomited on its face. Finally, the document summarizes diary entries from a newly qualified science teacher describing her nerves and preparations on her first day, and from Howard Carter describing his discovery of treasures
According to the document, David Blaine staged a publicity stunt where he appeared to amputate his own ear at a press conference to promote his upcoming feat of being locked in a glass box suspended from a crane for 44 days without food. His previous stunts had also been dangerous. The document also summarizes a story about a foreign writer witnessing a beggar woman in India using her baby to earn money by drugging it, and the writer's attempts to get medical help for the baby when it became unresponsive and vomited on its face. Finally, the document summarizes diary entries from a newly qualified science teacher describing her nerves and preparations on her first day, and from Howard Carter describing his discovery of treasures
According to the document, David Blaine staged a publicity stunt where he appeared to amputate his own ear at a press conference to promote his upcoming feat of being locked in a glass box suspended from a crane for 44 days without food. His previous stunts had also been dangerous. The document also summarizes a story about a foreign writer witnessing a beggar woman in India using her baby to earn money by drugging it, and the writer's attempts to get medical help for the baby when it became unresponsive and vomited on its face. Finally, the document summarizes diary entries from a newly qualified science teacher describing her nerves and preparations on her first day, and from Howard Carter describing his discovery of treasures
According to the document, David Blaine staged a publicity stunt where he appeared to amputate his own ear at a press conference to promote his upcoming feat of being locked in a glass box suspended from a crane for 44 days without food. His previous stunts had also been dangerous. The document also summarizes a story about a foreign writer witnessing a beggar woman in India using her baby to earn money by drugging it, and the writer's attempts to get medical help for the baby when it became unresponsive and vomited on its face. Finally, the document summarizes diary entries from a newly qualified science teacher describing her nerves and preparations on her first day, and from Howard Carter describing his discovery of treasures
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Focus on Comprehension
Summary of Blaine drenches press in ‘blood’: Unit 6
According to Reuters England correspondent, David Blaine amputated his ear part in a news conference to advertise his new future feat. He did that when he was demanded to exhibit any new magic trick. He then posed the amputation by at first shrieking with pain and then ran away covering his ear with a handkerchief and blood smeared shirt. His next stunt featured him to be shut in a glass box hung from a crane near Tower Bridge by River Thames, London on September 5 for 44 days without food with two tubes for water and urinating respectively. His previous stunts were also appalling and dangerous however unlike this one. He was allowed a few essentials and he expected to lose weight during the feat. (125 words)
Summary of The Beggar’s Baby: Unit 6
The writer expressed extreme displeasure for the practice of drugging the babies and using them to earn money. The babies were hardly awake during the day and this seemed improper. The foreigners reported seeing different beggar mothers with same baby but the beggar woman outside the hotel Royale had same baby girl of 18 months. The writer never gave any alms to her. Once, however, after lunch, he observed that a crowd had gathered around her. She was weeping and gesturing towards her unresponsive baby whose face was covered in her vomit. The people were trying to resuscitate her; someone also made a futile attempt to transport her to hospital in a taxi. The writer ran to the hotel receptionist and pleaded her to call a doctor however she disagreed stating that doctors at hospital would kill the baby. The writer tried to convince her by showing her the ugly scene where all the beggars tried to rejuvenate the baby by pricking her toenails with pins but she was stubborn as she believed her grandmother died because of doctors at hospital. After her uncompromising insistence, the baby was massaged with eucalyptus oil and pin- pricked but it was ineffective. They agreed for the hospital on the condition that the writer would pay all medical expenses with that for taxi. The taxi was in a deplorable condition. The journey towards hospital was rife with obstacles and the writer seemed to be more concerned about the baby rather than the taxi driver and mother. The writer took sometime to realize that he had been fooled and the taxi was not directed towards the hospital. He kept reiterating and asking the driver about the hospital and when the taxi stopped by a row of shops, the writer was extremely furious at the driver. After yelling and shouting at him, the writer gave in and he had no option but to follow the woman to the doctor’s place. It was located amongst the shops of tailors and merchants. The front room of the place was ill- lit and a middle-aged woman was treating another woman in the hindquarters. They were disinterested in the visitors and were completely composed. The doctor lady attended to the baby after she had massaged the other lady. She treated the baby with some ointments and the baby was better instantly. The writer was aghast when the lady did not charge any fee. The writer accompanied the woman to her slum dwelling. He gave her some money and advice for baby’s safety and left with the taxi driver. The taxi driver told him that he was the best when the writer paid him some money. (445 words)
Summary of Diary of a newly qualified teacher: Unit 7
The writer was unable to sleep the night before her first day as new teacher at school. She was enthusiastic and unnerved at the same time. She felt answerable for 126 new pupils and also felt liable to perform her duties as science teacher. She reiterated her inability to sleep. She recapitulated the preparations that she had made in her classroom and timeline for the lessons that she will be teaching for the entire year. She mentioned her motivation for the third time. She expressed a determination to apply all her knowledge and wisdom on teaching science to her students. She acknowledged that this was a breakthrough for her career. (110)
Summary of Diary of Howard Carter: Unit 7
The writer and his team vigilantly made a hole in the sealed doorway of the tomb after clearing the debris from excavation. They made notes and estimations about the tomb with the help of darkness and iron rod. He widened the hole after obtaining the candles and took a peek inside the tomb while the others waited. The tomb was stocked with incredible and alluring objects. His teammate also peeked inside the chamber through the hole. The tomb had: sculptures of a King with gold sandals, stick and baton; chair ornated with Egyptian goddess’ head; decorated coffins; gypsum vases; black temple with ornated snake sculpture; egg-shaped boxes and lotus like cups; stools of all kinds, and invalidated chariot parts with sparkling gold and a dummy. The writer and his team were emotionally overwhelmed. The tomb seemed like an inaccessible store to them. The guard statues at the sealed door and the rolled scroll about Tutankhamen hinted at the presence of Pharaoh’s grave. The writer and his team returned after closing the hole and wooden grill. (175 words)