Task 1: Pre-Reading Activity

A. Classify the pictures in the appropriate table below.

Traditional

Modernization

B. Choose one of the items that you cannot live without. Discuss the reasons of choosing that
item with your friends.

Task 2: While-Reading Activity

A. Read Heir Conditioning by M Shanmughalingam. Fill in the blanks of the comic strips
below with appropriate words from the poem.

B. Read Heir Conditioning and answer the questions below. Circle the correct answer.
1. Which word has same pronunciation of

2. The grandparents did not have all the

heir?

following except

A. hare

A. air conditioners

B. air

B. telephone

C. airy

C. fax machine

D. hairs

D. paper fans

3. What is the meaning of title Heir

4. What can you infer from the line

Conditioning?

Grandchild we lived before your age?

A. Changes on how the younger generation

A. Grandparents enjoyed a long life

thinks

B. Grandparents have more experience than

B. Changes in the mindset of the older

grandchild

generation

C. Grandparents have lived a difficult life for

C. We must appreciate all the modern

a long time

inventions

D. Grandparents do not understand

D. Technology is very important to mankind

grandchilds lifestyle

5. What is meant in the line we feared God

6. What is meant by money is your new

and nature... now nature fears you?

God?

A. We are scared of nature

A. Money can buy all the new inventions

B. We are scared of God

B. The younger generation worship money

C. We actually destroyed nature

C. Money is very important in our lives

D. Nature destroyed our faith to god

D. The older generation realizes the

importance of money

C. Read the statements below and state Yes or No in the space provided.
Statement
1)

The grandchild wonders if his grandparents enjoyed

2)

their life when they were younger.

The poet believes that stress was a major problem in the

3)

past.
The poet highlights the need to respect nature and

4)

believe in God.
The central idea of the poem is the usefulness of

5.

modern inventions.
The nature is being destroyed by modernization

Yes or No

D. Read the poem Heir Conditioning and answer the questions below.
1.

What is the poem about?

2.

___________________________________________________________________
Name two modern inventions mentioned in Stanza 1.
___________________________

3.

___________________________
Give a difference between the past and the present life?

4.

___________________________________________________________________
Which line in the stanza means the nature I being destroyed by the younger
generation?

5.

__________________________________________________________________
In line Now nature fears you and money is your new God, what value indicated
here?
__________________________________________________________________

Task 3: Post-Reading Activity

In the poem Heir Conditioning, the

grandparents warn the younger generation
about the negative effects of modernization
and technological advancement that has led
to destruction of environment and value.

As a concerned grandparent, give an advice to your grandchild not to be greedy and materialistic.
Besides, the poem highlights the importance of preserving nature. Write the advice in the
dialogue below. In group of four, share the advice with your friends.