Thus supplementary reader, based on the English syllabus for Class XI. Is prepared on the lines suggested by the National Curriculum Framework for School Education, 2005.

For young adults, awareness of personal development and growing independence begins at the higher secondary stage. It is during this period that they seek to understand themselves and the society in which they live. Literature plays an important role in moulding young minds. The choice of stories and biographical sketches in Snapshots by contemporary writers exposes learners to the various narratives of life that the literatures of the world offer.

The stories deal with a range of human predicaments: moral choices in adolescents, as in William Saroyan's "The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse'; the poignancy of personal loss and reconciliation that follows war in Marga Minco's The Address': language and imperialism invading the rural setting in Ranga's Marriage by Masti Venkatesha Iyengar; and professional commitment in A.J. Cronin's 'Birth', an excerpt from the novel The Citadel. We also have J.B. Priestley's play, 'Mother's Day', an early comment on the acceptance of (and rebellion against) the assumed roles of men and women at home. Amitav Ghosh's The Ghat of the Only World', is a touching tribute to Aga Shahid Ali, a Kashmiri poet who wrote in English, while Vikram Seth's The Tale of Melon City is a humorous satire set in verse.

The language of these stories allows learners to read on their own with only occasional support from the teacher or reference to the dictionary. Learners should be encouraged to read the stories at home and the themes, narrative patterns and stylistic features including use of punctuation can be discussed in the classroom. It is hoped that this gateway to extensive reading will help earners imbibe language unconsciously.