Page 166 - Lavender-B-8

Listening Texts

2. Amma, What Is Your Duty? Her classmates and teachers have helped her since
Kerala suffered the worst floods in a century in kindergarten and continue to do so even now. A picture
August 2018. People from across the world offered of Jebin writing an exam with her feet firmly holding a
help and support to the residents of the state. There pen has been placed on the back cover of all student ID
were thousands of heroes who did their own bit to cards, reminding them that no obstacle is too high.
help people in any way they could. Ordinary citizens, Living in the town of Mujrahar, which is approximately
fishermen, army, navy and air force personnel came to 180 km from Guwahati, Jebin is the eldest of six
the rescue of the flood victims. daughters. Both her parents are over the moon about
Amongst them was eight-year-old Anupriya, a Class their child’s achievement.
3 student from Villupuram district in Tamil Nadu. ‘We have raised our daughter with a lot of difficulties,
Anupriya had been saving money in her piggy banks but are thrilled and overjoyed with her results,
since LKG. She would put at least two rupees every day especially because she did this entirely on her own and
into the piggy bank because she wanted to buy a cycle. never took tuitions for any subject,’ says Fateha Begum,
But when she was watching TV with her father and saw Jebin’s mother.
a lot of young children suffering in the water, she felt Jebin now wants to become a school teacher and plans
very bad. She told her father that she wanted to give the to take up the Humanities stream.
money to help the children who were suffering due to
the floods. So, she broke open her five piggy banks to 5. The Worth of a Skill
contribute ` 8,240 towards the relief efforts. She simply On a hot day in the month of May, Riley Braden, then
removed the money from her collection and put all the five years old, was swimming at a hotel pool in Florida,
coins into plastic covers to deposit in the bank. US, with a neighbour. Nearby, a vacationing couple
Her father said that she really wanted a cycle but he was enjoying the warm weather with their two girls,
was afraid that she was too young and couldn’t be let one around 18 months, the other an older toddler.
alone on the streets. So, she began saving more money
and decided to get one for herself. But when she was As Riley played in the shallow end, she watched the
watching the news of the floods on TV, she decided 18-month-old amble over to the pool steps near her.
that helping others was more important than getting a ‘Then, as soon as I turned away – bloop! – she fell
in,’ she says. Riley, a strong swimmer, thought about
cycle. He felt very proud of her. shouting for help but realised she had to act fast. ‘There
Anupriya’s kind and unselfish gesture ensured that was no lifeguard, and the girl’s parents were lounging
her dreams were fulfilled as well. Soon after the news by the side of the pool,’ she recalls. So she dove down
of her decision to forego a cycle to aid those in need about three feet and retrieved the child from the pool’s
spread, Hero Cycles decided that the young girl must bottom. ‘When I brought her up, I shouted, “I’ve got
be rewarded for her actions. They offered to gift her a the baby! I’ve got the baby!”’ Riley says.
cycle every year of her life.
The girl’s parents jumped up from their chairs and
came running. The toddler had only been underwater
3. Chuskit Goes to School for a few seconds and – though coughing and crying –
17-year-old Jebin Kousar from the small town of was fine. After thanking Riley, the couple returned to
Mujrahar in Assam, was born without hands and is the their hotel room with their kids. She never saw them
daughter of an autorickshaw driver and a homemaker. again.
However, she overcame the odds and not only passed How did Riley manage to stay so composed? ‘She’d
her matriculation exam but also scored the first division been taking swimming lessons since she was two, so
along with 11 others from her school. she feels very confident in the water,’ says her mum,
Her school Principal said that they were all very proud Jaime Braden, a nurse. ‘Plus, her father and I are former
of Jebin and the other students—as their school had search-and-rescue divers, so the idea of saving someone
seen such excellent results after almost 17 years! They from drowning is very familiar to her.’
never let Jebin feel that she was different in any way.

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