Passage 1
2. Antioxidants in general have been linked to a number of potential health benefits, including protection against heart diseases and cancer, but Vinson, a dietitian said that their benefits ultimately depend on how they are absorbed and utilized in the body. The research says that coffee outranks popular antioxidant sources like tea, milk, chocolate and cranberries. Of all the foods and beverages studied, dates actually have the most antioxidants based solely on serving size, but since dates are not consumed anywhere near the level of coffee, the drink comes as the top source of antioxidants, Vinson said.
3. Besides keeping you alert and awake, coffee has been linked to an increasing number of potential health benefits, including protection against liver and colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease, according to some recently published studies.
4. The researchers, however, advise that one should consume coffee in moderation, because it can make you jittery and cause stomach pains.
Questions and Answers
(a). What do doctors advise us about the habit of drinking coffee?
Answer: Doctors warn people who are addicted to coffee to quit the habit.
Explanation: The first sentence of paragraph 1 mentions the doctors’ warning.
(b). What are the two versions of coffee that are drunk in America?
Answer: The two versions are caffeinated and decaf coffee.
Explanation: Paragraph 1 says both caffeinated and decaf versions give similar antioxidant levels.
(c). State any two benefits of antioxidants.
Answer: Antioxidants give protection against (i) heart diseases and (ii) cancer.
Explanation: Paragraph 2 links antioxidants to these health benefits.
(d). What does Vinson say about the consumption of antioxidants?
Answer: Vinson says that the benefits of antioxidants ultimately depend on how they are absorbed and utilized in the body.
Explanation: Paragraph 2 quotes the dietitian Vinson.
(e). Name any two popular sources of antioxidants.
Answer: Tea and chocolate (also milk and cranberries).
Explanation: Paragraph 2 lists tea, milk, chocolate and cranberries as popular sources.
(f). How does coffee outrank dates in the level of antioxidants?
Answer: Dates have the most antioxidants per serving, but they are not consumed anywhere near the level of coffee, so coffee is the top source of antioxidants.
Explanation: Paragraph 2 explains why coffee comes out on top.
(g). Mention any two benefits of coffee.
Answer: (i) Coffee keeps you alert and awake. (ii) It may give protection against liver and colon cancer, type 2 diabetes and Parkinson’s disease.
Explanation: Paragraph 3 lists the benefits of coffee.
(h). What do researchers warn us about the excessive use of coffee?
Answer: They advise drinking coffee in moderation, because too much can make you jittery and cause stomach pains.
Explanation: Paragraph 4 gives the researchers’ warning.
Passage 2
1. Gandhiji was an incurable and irresistible fund raiser. He found special relish in getting jewellery from women. Ranibala of Burdwan was ten years old. One day she was playing with Gandhiji. He explained to her that her bangles were too heavy for her delicate little wrists. She removed the bangles and gave them away to Gandhiji.
2. He used to talk jokingly to small girls and created distaste for ornaments and created a desire in them to part with the jewellery for the sake of the poor. He motivated them to donate their jewellery for social usage.
3. Kasturbai didn’t appreciate this habit of Gandhiji. Once she stated calmly, “You don’t wear jewels, it is easy for you to get around the boys. But what about our daughters-in-law? They would surely want them.”
4. “Well!” Gandhiji put in mildly, “our children are young and when they grow up they will not surely choose wives who are fond of wearing jewellery.” Kasturbai was very upset with the answer.
5. Gandhiji was determined to keep the jewels to raise community fund. He was of the opinion that a public worker should accept no costly gifts. He believed that he should not own anything costly, whether given or earned. Kasturbai was a female with a desire to adorn. But Gandhiji moved towards renunciation and donated every penny earned in South Africa to the trustees for the service of South African Indians.
Questions and Answers
(a). How did Gandhiji create a distaste for jewellery in Ranibala?
Answer: While playing with her, Gandhiji explained to ten-year-old Ranibala that her bangles were too heavy for her delicate little wrists, so she removed them and gave them to him.
Explanation: Paragraph 1 narrates the Ranibala incident.
(b). What was Kasturbai’s apprehension about their daughters-in-law?
Answer: She feared that their daughters-in-law would surely want jewellery.
Explanation: Paragraph 3 records Kasturbai’s worry.
(c). What solution did Gandhiji suggest for the problem posed by Kasturbai?
Answer: He said that when their sons grew up, they would surely not choose wives who were fond of wearing jewellery.
Explanation: Paragraph 4 gives Gandhiji’s reply.
(d). How did Gandhiji serve the community?
Answer: He kept the jewels to raise a community fund, and moving towards renunciation, he donated every penny earned in South Africa to the trustees for the service of South African Indians.
Explanation: Paragraph 5 describes his service.
(e). Find the meaning of ‘incurable’ (para 1).
(a) unreliable
(b) untreatable
(c) disagreeable
(d) unbeatable
Answer: (b) untreatable
Explanation: ‘Incurable’ means that which cannot be cured or treated; Gandhiji’s fund-raising was a habit that could not be cured.
(f). Find the meaning of ‘motivated’ (para 2).
(a) encouraged
(b) emboldened
(c) incited
(d) softened
Answer: (a) encouraged
Explanation: In paragraph 2 he “motivated” the girls, i.e. encouraged them to donate their jewellery.
(g). Find the meaning of ‘upset’ (para 4).
(a) puzzled
(b) furious
(c) confused
(d) distressed
Answer: (d) distressed
Explanation: In paragraph 4 Kasturbai was “very upset”, i.e. distressed, by the answer.
(h). Find the meaning of ‘renunciation’ (para 5).
(a) giving up
(b) disagreement
(c) opposition
(d) termination
Answer: (a) giving up
Explanation: In paragraph 5 renunciation means giving up possessions, shown by his donating every penny.
Passage 3
2. Kausani provides the 300-km wide breathtaking view of the Himalayas. It is the most striking aspect of this place. Snow-capped peaks are spread in a stately row. They stare at you in silvery white majesty. The most famous peak on view is Nanda Devi, the second highest mountain in India. It is situated at a height of 25,645 feet and 36 miles away as the crow flies. The other famous peaks on view are Choukamba (23,420 feet) and Trishul (23,360 feet). Then there are also Nilkanth, Nandaghunti, Nandaghat and Nandakot. On a clear day, the blue of the sky makes a splendid background to these peaks. At sunrise and at sunset, when the colour of the sky changes to a golden orange, the scene gets etched in your memory.
3. When Gandhiji visited this place in 1929, its scenic beauty held him spellbound. He named it the ‘Switzerland of India’. He prolonged his two-day stay to fourteen days, making time to write a book, ‘Anashakti Yoga’. The place where he was staying was originally a guest house of a tea estate. It was renamed ‘Anashakti Ashram’ after the book.
4. Kausani is the birthplace of Sumitranandan Pant, India’s poet laureate. Its natural surroundings inspired many of his poems. Its tea gardens mingle with dense pine forests and fruit orchards. The area is also host to many fairs and religious ceremonies. If Uttarakhand is the abode of gods, Kausani is God’s own backyard. There is no traffic, no one is in a hurry. If serenity could be put on a canvas, the picture would resemble Kausani.
Questions and Answers
(a). Where is Kausani situated?
Answer: Kausani is situated at a height of 6,075 feet in the central Himalayas, to the north of Almora in Uttarakhand’s Kumaon region.
Explanation: Paragraph 1 gives its location.
(b). What is the most striking aspect of Kausani?
Answer: Its most striking aspect is the 300-km wide breathtaking view of the Himalayas.
Explanation: Paragraph 2 names this as the most striking aspect.
(c). Which is the most famous peak on view from Kausani?
Answer: Nanda Devi, the second highest mountain in India, is the most famous peak on view.
Explanation: Paragraph 2 names Nanda Devi.
(d). How did Kausani influence Sumitranandan Pant?
Answer: Kausani is Pant’s birthplace, and its natural surroundings inspired many of his poems.
Explanation: Paragraph 4 describes Pant’s link with Kausani.
(e). When does the view of the peaks become so memorable?
Answer: At sunrise and at sunset, when the colour of the sky changes to a golden orange, the scene gets etched in one’s memory.
Explanation: The last sentence of paragraph 2 answers this.
(f). How can we say that Gandhiji was greatly charmed by the natural beauty of Kausani?
Answer: Its scenic beauty held him spellbound; he named it the ‘Switzerland of India’ and prolonged his two-day stay to fourteen days.
Explanation: Paragraph 3 describes Gandhiji’s visit in 1929.
(g). What makes Kausani a calm and quiet place?
Answer: There is no traffic and no one is in a hurry in Kausani.
Explanation: Paragraph 4 describes its serenity.
(h). Why is the guest house of the tea estate in Kausani known as ‘Anashakti Ashram’?
Answer: Gandhiji stayed there and wrote the book ‘Anashakti Yoga’; the guest house was renamed ‘Anashakti Ashram’ after the book.
Explanation: Paragraph 3 explains the renaming.
Passage 4
2. To the great delight of children, schools were being hurriedly closed. Children of all ages and sizes were running helter-skelter, screaming joyously, “No school, no school. Tiger, tiger!” They were shouting and laughing and even enjoying being scared. They seemed to welcome me. I felt like joining them. So I bounded away from the restaurant door. I walked along with them, at which they cried, “The tiger is coming to eat us; let us get back to school”.
3. I followed them through their school gate while they ran up and shut themselves in the school hall securely. I climbed up the steps of the school, saw an open door at the far end of a veranda, and walked in. It happened to be the headmaster’s room. I noticed a very dignified man jumping on the table and heaving himself up into an attic. I walked in and flung myself on the cool floor, having a special liking for cool stone floors.
4. As I drowsed, I was aware of cautious steps and hushed voices all around. I was in no mood to bother about anything. All I wanted was little moment of sleep; the daylight was very bright.
Questions and Answers
(a). How did the diners at Anand Bhawan react on seeing the tiger?
Answer: The coffee-drinkers and tiffin-eaters sat still at their tables, uttering low moans.
Explanation: Paragraph 1 describes the diners’ reaction.
(b). When do tigers attack? In this context, how are human beings different from tigers?
Answer: Tigers attack only when they feel hungry, unlike human beings who slaughter one another without purpose or hunger.
Explanation: The end of paragraph 1 makes this contrast.
(c). Why were children happy and even enjoying being scared?
Answer: Schools were being hurriedly closed because of the tiger, so the children ran about screaming joyously, “No school, no school.”
Explanation: Paragraph 2 shows the children delighted at the closing of schools.
(d). What was the tiger’s opinion about the man at the cash counter? What did the tiger assure him?
Answer: The tiger thought the man hugging the cash box was a coward, afraid even to breathe. It assured him that it was not out to kill as it was too full; it only wanted to watch and would not attack until it felt hungry again.
Explanation: Paragraph 1 gives the tiger’s thoughts about the cashier.
(e). Identify the word which means the same as ‘hugging’. (para 1)
(a) counting
(b) hiding
(c) rubbing
(d) holding tightly in the arms
Answer: (d) holding tightly in the arms
Explanation: To hug is to hold tightly in the arms, as the cashier holds the cash box in paragraph 1.
(f). Identify the word which means the same as ‘delight’. (para 2)
(a) pleasure
(b) fear
(c) sorrow
(d) nervousness
Answer: (a) pleasure
Explanation: Paragraph 2 says “to the great delight of children”, i.e. to their great pleasure.
(g). Identify the word which means the same as ‘dignified’. (para 3)
(a) tall
(b) honourable
(c) terrified
(d) tired
Answer: (b) honourable
Explanation: Dignified means worthy of respect, i.e. honourable.
(h). Identify the word which means the same as ‘heaving up’. (para 3)
(a) hiding
(b) running away
(c) climbing
(d) raising
Answer: (c) climbing
Explanation: In paragraph 3 the headmaster was “heaving himself up into an attic”, i.e. climbing up with effort.