B1. Drafting a speech : (5 marks) Prepare a speech to be delivered in your school assembly. The topic given to you is : ‘Nothing is more important than self-study.’ You may use the following points : Learn more efficiently • Learn at your own pace •…

Respected Principal, teachers and my dear friends,

Today I stand before you to speak on a truth that every successful student discovers sooner or later — nothing is more important than self-study.

Self-study makes us learn more efficiently. In a classroom forty students listen to one lesson at the same speed, but when we sit with our books alone we can stop, think, re-read and make notes in our own words. That is when the lesson really enters the mind.

Self-study also lets us learn at our own pace. A slow learner can spend two days on a difficult theorem without feeling ashamed, and a fast learner need not wait for the class. Moreover, studying on our own encourages curiosity — we begin to ask “why” and “how”, look up answers and go beyond the textbook.

Above all, self-study boosts a student’s self-esteem. When we solve a sum or understand a chapter without help, we feel confident, and that confidence shows in the examination hall. A teacher can only show the path; the student must walk it himself.

So let us resolve today to keep at least one quiet hour every day for self-study. Thank you.