UNSEEN PASSAGES (S - mt-iconnect.com

1 1 UNSEEN PASSAGES (SOLVED). (A) Read the following extract and answer the questions given below : (9 Marks). PASSAGE 1. People moan about poverty as a great evil and it seems to be an accepted belief that if people had plenty of money, they would be happy, and get more out of life. As a rule there is more genuine satisfaction in life and more is obtained from life in the humble cottage of the poor man than in the palace of rich men, who are attended by servants and governesses at a later stage. At the same time I am glad to think they do not know what they have missed. It is because I know how sweet and happy and pure the home of honest poverty is, how free from perplexing care and social envies and jealousies, how loving and united the members are in the common interest of supporting the family that I. sympathise with the rich man's boy and congratulate the poor man's son. It is for these reasons that from the ranks of the poor so many strong eminent self-reliant men have always sprung.

2 If you read the list of the Immortals who were not born to die you will find that most of them have been poor. Questions & Answers : 1. What is the popular notion about poverty? 1. Ans. The popular notion about poverty is that it is a great evil. 2. Where can one get more genuine satisfaction in life ? 1. Ans. One can get more genuine satisfaction in life in the humble cottage of the poor man. 3. Why does the author pity the rich man's boy? 1. Ans. The author pities the rich man's boy because he does not know the sweetness, happiness and purity of honest poverty. 4. (a) They do not know what they have missed. (Make it affirmative) 1. (b) People moan about poverty. (Frame a wh-type) 1. Ans. (a) They are ignorant of what they have missed. (b) What do people moan about? 5. Find two other words in the passage with similar meanings to confusing'. and self - dependent. 2. Ans. The word perplexed' means confusing' and the word self - reliant' means self - dependent. 6. How has the author compared rich with the poor?

3 What is his conclusion? 2. Ans. The author feels that more genuine satisfaction is obtained from life in the humble cottage of the poor man than in the palace of rich men who are attended by servants and governesses. He knows first hand how sweet and happy and 2 SCHOOL SECTION. MT EDUCARE LTD. English Grammar pure the home of honest poverty is. The poor man is free from social envies. The members of a poor family are united, loving and share a common interest in being supportive to each other. The rich boy does not know these pleasures. PASSAGE 2. Character is destiny. Character is that on which the destiny of a nation is built. One cannot have a great nation with men of small character. We must have young men and women who look upon others as the living image of themselves as our Shastras have so often declared. But whether in public life or student life, we cannot reach great heights, if we are lacking in character. We can not climb the mountain when the ground at our feet is crumbling.

4 When the very basis of our structure is shaky how can we reach the heights we have set before ourselves? We must all have humility. Here is a country which we are all interested in building up for whatever service we take up, we should not care for what we receive. We should know how much we can put into that service. That should be the principle which should animate our young men and women. Ours is a great country, we have had for centuries a great history. The whole of the East reflects our culture. Questions & Answers : 1. What is the passage about? 1. Ans. This passage deals with the importance of character formation in moulding the destiny of our nation. 2. What kind of young men and women must we have? 1. Ans. We must have young men and women who look upon others as the living images of themselves as our Shastras have so often declared. 3. How can we reach the great heights we have set before ourselves? 1. Ans. We can reach the great heights we have set before ourselves if our character is built on a strong foundation of sterling qualities.

5 4. (a) We must have humility. (Use auxiliary of advice) 1. (b) We cannot reach great heights. (Add a question tag) 1. Ans. (a) We should have humility. (b) We cannot reach great heights, can we? 5. (a) That should be the principle which should animate our young men and women. The underlined word means : 1. (i) discourage (ii) encourage (iii) frighten (iv) humour. (b) Give the adjective forms of 1. (i) humility (ii) reflection. Ans. (a) The underlined word animate' means encourage in the above context. (b) (i) humility - humble (ii) reflection - reflective. 6. Why is ours a great country ? 2. Ans. Ours is a great country with a history that goes back for centuries. Its rich cultural heritage makes it unique. It has also contributed a great deal to the world of knowledge and culture. SCHOOL SECTION 3. English Grammar MT EDUCARE LTD. PASSAGE 3. Not only was he funny-looking, but he had funny ways and notions, and a good - natured, magnetic stubbornness in sticking to them. One of his friends had asked the oracle at Delphi who was the wisest man in Athens.

6 To the astonishment of all, the priestess had mentioned this idler, Socrates. The oracle, he said, chose me as the wisest Athenian because I am the only one who knows that he doesn't know anything.. The attitude of sly and slightly mischievous humbleness gave him a terrific advantage in an argument. Pretending that he himself didn't know the answers, he would badger people with questions, and lead them to make astounding admissions. Socrates was the evangelist of clear thinking. He went about the streets of Athens preaching logic - just as 400 years later Jesus would go about the villages of Palestine preaching love. And like Jesus without ever writing down a word, he exercised an influence over the minds of men that a library of books could not surpass. Questions & Answers : 1. What did Socrates preach? 1. Ans. Socrates preached logic and clear thinking. 2. What was advantageous to Socrates in an argument? 1. Ans. The attitude of sly and slightly mischievous behaviour was advantageous to Socrates in an argument.

7 3. What was the similarity between Socrates and Jesus? 1. Ans. Both Socrates and Jesus were evangelists and went around preaching. 4. Rewrite the following sentences as instructed : 2. (a) The oracle, he said, chose me as the wisest Athenian.. (Rewrite in indirect narration). Ans. He said that the oracle had chosen him as the wisest Athenian. (b) He went about the streets of Athens preaching logic. (Rewrite the sentence using the coordinating conjunction and ). Ans. He went about the streets of Athens and preached logic. 5. Match the word in Column A with their meaning in Column B. 2. A B. (i) badger (a) idea (ii) evangelist (b) tease (iii) notion (c) prophet (iv) oracle (d) preacher Ans. (i) badger - tease (ii) evangelist - preacher (iii) notion - idea (iv) oracle - prophet. 6. How will you describe Socrates in your own words? 2. Ans. Socrates was an eccentric in looks and behaviour. He was goodnatured and stubborn. He often pretended to know nothing and pestered people with his seemingly innocent questions.

8 4 SCHOOL SECTION. MT EDUCARE LTD. English Grammar PASSAGE 4. We left Dehradun early in the morning and stopped by for breakfast at Mussouri. From Mussouri the picturesque road heads north to Yamuna bridge, then to Barkot (where one road branches to Gangotri). The road winds along the Yamuna river. through luxurious dense green vegetation to Hanumanchatti, the end of motorable road. The remaining journey has to be undertaken on foot or pony. Yamunotri is only 13 km. from Hanumanchatti. But it is better to proceed another 6 km. and have the night halt at Janakibaichatti. The journey to Yamunotri is simply breathtaking. High snowcovered peaks all around, glaciers, streams and waterfalls, vibrant green foliage, and the pristine air are a sheer delight to tired city lungs. Yamunotri, 3322 metres above sea level, is located on the western bank of the great peak of Banderpunch (meaning - monkey's tail). which is 6315 metres high. Questions & Answers : 1. Where did the travellers stop for breakfast?

9 1. Ans. The travellers stopped for breakfast at Mussouri. 2. Why is a part of the journey to Yamunotri to be undertaken on foot? 1. Ans. Part of the journey to Yamunotri is to be undertaken on foot because only a part of that road is motorable. 3. What has made the journey to Yamunotri breathtaking? 1. Ans. The journey to Yamunotri is breathtaking because all around there are high snowcovered peaks, glaciers, streams, waterfalls and vibrant green foliage. The air is pristine and therefore fresh and delightful. 4. (a) The remaining journey has to be undertaken on foot or pony. 1. (Rewrite the sentence using the appropriate form of modal auxiliary). (b) Yamunotri, 3322 metres above sea-level is located on the western bank of the great peak of Banderpunch. (Make it complex) 1. Ans. (a) The remaining journey must be undertaken on foot or pony. (b) Yamunotri, which is 3,322 metres above sea-level, is located on the western bank of the great peak of Banderpunch. 5. (a) Vibrant green foliage.

10 1. (Choose the appropriate meaning for the underlined word). (i) vibrating (ii) full of life and energy (iii) shivering (iv) trembling. Ans. (ii) full of life and energy. (b) Give another word for (i) Snow-Covered (ii) Foliage. 1. Ans. (i) Snow-Clad (ii) Green Leaves. 6. Do you think a journey of this kind is dangerous as well as pleasant? Why? 2. Ans. No, I do not think this journey is dangerous but it is certainly pleasant and delightful. It is not dangerous nowadays because the pony owners take reasonable care and the ponies are trained to carefully carry the passengers. It is totally delightful because of the breathtaking scenery and the clean, pure air. SCHOOL SECTION 5. English Grammar MT EDUCARE LTD. PASSAGE 5. The sky blazed with stars. Presently the moon rose. The sight of bear tracks in the dust - the square front paw and long back one with the shaggy claws-made him glance round uneasily. He had once seen a man who had been mauled by a bear all his face torn away. He quickened his steps.