Riya was a bright 20-year-old girl, full of dreams and ambition. She planned to study abroad, start a business, and make her parents proud. But despite her big goals, she had one habit that constantly stopped her: procrastination.
Whenever she had assignments or important work, she would think, “I’ll do it tomorrow.” Instead, she spent hours scrolling on social media, watching videos, and chatting with friends. She convinced herself that she still had time.
One day, her professor announced a competition where the best business idea would get a scholarship to study in Canada. Riya was thrilled. She had been waiting for such an opportunity. She started working on her idea—but after a few hours, her phone buzzed. Her friend sent her a meme, then a funny video, then a voice message.
“What’s the harm in taking a short break?” she thought. That short break turned into hours. Days passed, and she kept postponing the project.
Finally, the submission deadline arrived. Riya stayed awake the whole night and finished the project just minutes before the deadline. She knew it wasn’t her best work, but she hoped for the best.
A week later, the results were announced. Her friend Sarah, who spent weeks preparing, won the scholarship.
Riya congratulated her, but deep inside, she felt a heavy weight — a mix of regret and guilt.
Later, she asked her professor, “Do you think my idea wasn’t strong enough?”
The professor smiled gently and replied, “Your idea was strong — but your preparation was weak. Success doesn’t come from dreams alone. It comes from disciplined action.”
That night, Riya reflected deeply. She realized she had lost an opportunity not because she was incapable, but because she delayed what mattered.
From that day forward, she made a decision:
Whenever her mind said, “I’ll do it later,” she would answer,
“No. I’ll do it now.”
With time, consistency, and discipline, Riya changed her habits. Within a year, she applied again—this time confidently—and achieved her scholarship.
Moral:
Dreams need discipline. Today’s decisions shape tomorrow’s opportunities.
Delay turns potential into regret. Action turns potential into achievements.
Comprehension and Reflection Questions
A. Factual & Understanding Questions (Literal)
1. What habit stopped Riya from achieving her goals?
2. What opportunity did the professor announce?
3. Who won the scholarship and why?
4. What was the main reason Riya failed to win the opportunity?
5. What decision did Riya make after reflecting on her actions?
B. Inferential Questions (Between the lines)
6. Why do you think Riya kept procrastinating even though she had big goals?
7. How did social media affect her productivity?
8. What does the professor’s statement suggest about success and effort?
9. What emotions did Riya feel after losing the opportunity?
C. Critical Thinking Questions (Beyond the text)
10. Have you ever lost an opportunity because of procrastination? What did you learn?
11. Do you think technology makes procrastination easier? Explain.
12. In what ways can someone build discipline in their daily life?
13. If you were Riya, what strategy would you use to avoid procrastination?
D. Vocabulary in Context
Write the meaning of the following words based on how they are used in the story:
14. Ambition
15. Procrastination
16. Opportunity
17. Regret
18. Disciplined action
Answers
ReplyDeleteA. Factual & Understanding Questions
What habit stopped Riya from achieving her goals?
Procrastination.
What opportunity did the professor announce?
A competition where the winner would receive a scholarship to study in Canada.
Who won the scholarship and why?
Sarah won the scholarship because she worked consistently and prepared well in advance.
What was the main reason Riya failed to win the opportunity?
She delayed her work and submitted an incomplete or poorly prepared project.
What decision did Riya make after reflecting on her actions?
She decided to stop procrastinating and start doing important tasks immediately.
B. Inferential Questions (Based on understanding)
Why do you think Riya kept procrastinating even though she had big goals?
She was distracted by her phone and believed she had enough time to finish later.
How did social media affect her productivity?
It distracted her and consumed hours that she could have used for important work.
What does the professor’s statement suggest about success and effort?
Success requires action, preparation, and discipline—not just ideas or dreams.
What emotions did Riya feel after losing the opportunity?
She felt regret, disappointment, and guilt.
C. Critical Thinking Questions (Answers may vary)
Have you ever lost an opportunity because of procrastination? What did you learn?
Yes, I missed an important deadline once and learned that delaying work creates unnecessary stress and regret.
Do you think technology makes procrastination easier? Explain.
Certainly yes, because constant notifications, entertainment apps, and social media make distractions easy and tempting.
In what ways can someone build discipline in their daily life?
By creating a routine, setting deadlines, avoiding distractions, and practicing self-control.
If you were Riya, what strategy would you use to avoid procrastination?
I would keep my phone away while working, break tasks into smaller parts, and follow a timetable.
D. Vocabulary in Context
Ambition
A strong desire to achieve something.
Procrastination
The act of delaying or postponing work.
Opportunity
A chance or possibility to achieve something.
Regret
A feeling of sadness or disappointment about something that went wrong.
Disciplined action
Doing necessary tasks with self-control, consistency, and focus.