CBSE Class 11 English Factual Passage Assignment Set 02

Read the following passage carefully.

(1) Gandhi never urged anyone to renounce wealth or power. He taught a set of values that might make happiness less dependant on material possessions. “As long as you desire inner help and comfort from anything, you should keep it,” he suggested tolerantly. Otherwise, he said, you might renounce a worldly asset ‘in a mood of self-sacrifice or out of a stern sense of duty’ but would want it back and hence suffer.
(2) “I wholeheartedly detest,” Gandhi declared, “this mad desire to destroy distance and time, to increase animal appetites, and to go to the ends of the earth in search of their satisfaction. None of this is taking the world a step nearer its goal.”
(3) Gandhi is known for his successful efforts to liberate India. Actually, for him the development of the Indian into a free man was more important than the freeing of India. Most of Gandhi’s followers in India were not Gandhians and did not share his ideals; they merely accepted his leadership because it smoothed the way to their objective which was an Indian nation without the British but with all the usual attributes of nationhood. For them, national independence was an end, a goal in itself; for him it was a means to a better man and better life, and because his heart was heavy with doubts whether these purposes would be furthered by the manner in which independence was achieved—two bleeding children torn violently from the body of mother India—he did not celebrate on August 15, 1947, the day the Indian nation came into his own world—he was sad and refused congratulations.
(4) Gandhi was a nationalist; he loved India, but he was no Indo-maniac. He said he would not hurt England to help India. All the years he fought British-Boer racial discrimination in South Africa and British imperialism in India, he never despised or reviled ‘the enemy’. He wanted to understand them. The British in India were victims of their past. In liberating India Gandhi thought he was also freeing England for a new future.
(5) For mental health, Gandhi prescribed truth. He brought for himself a unity of what he believed, what he did and what he said. Creed, deed and word for one. This is the integration which is the integrity of truth. When utterances conflict with actions and actions with beliefs, the individualism split and sick. Gandhi preached what he practised and practised what he believed. I found him healthy, happy, and light-hearted despite his many sorrows and burdens. He enjoyed inner harmony.
(6) ‘Perhaps’, the Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore wrote of Gandhi, ‘he will not succeed. Perhaps he will fail as the Buddha failed and as Christ failed to wean men from their iniquities, but he will always be remembered as one who made his life a lesson for all ages to come.’

Question. The set of values that Gandhiji taught people:
(a) made them renounce wealth or power
(b) to give up the mad desire to destroy distance and time
(c) made happiness less dependant on material assets
(d) to have a spirit of self-sacrifice
Answer: (c) made happiness less dependant on material assets

Question. State whether the following statement is TRUE or FALSE.
Gandhiji loved India, which made him a nationalist and an Indo-maniac.
Answer: FALSE

Question. Most of Gandhiji’s followers accepted his leadership because:
(a) they were his dedicated disciples
(b) it smoothed the way to their objective
(c) they did not share his ideals
(d) they had a common objective
Answer: (b) it smoothed the way to their objective

Question. For Gandhiji, the most valuable object was:
(a) political freedom of India
(b) material development of India
(c) renouncing worldly assets
(d) development of Indians into free people
Answer: (d) development of Indians into free people

Question. Fill in the blank.
For ____________ Gandhiji, prescribed truth.
Answer: mental health

Question. The author found Gandhiji healthy, happy and light-hearted because:
(a) he had no sorrows or burdens
(b) he had no worldly possessions
(c) he enjoyed inner harmony
(d) his life was an open book
Answer: (c) he enjoyed inner harmony

Question. Complete the given statement.
Gandhiji brought for himself a unity of __________________________________.
Answer: what he believed, what he did and what he said.

Question. State whether the given statement is TRUE or FALSE.
It was his inner harmony that kept Gandhiji healthy, happy and light hearted.
Answer: TRUE

Question. The word ‘material’ in paragraph 1 means:
(a) fabric for clothes/customs
(b) information or ideas used in books
(c) items used in a performance
(d) relating to worldly possessions
Answer: (d) relating to worldly possessions

Question. Pick a word from paragraph 1 which means the same as ‘to give up’.
Answer: renounce

Read the following passage carefully.

(1) One thousand and five hundred years ago, when craftsmen began cutting rocks and sculpting them into magnificent statues of gods, little did they realise that in the second millennium, the Elephanta Caves would not just be a major tourist attraction but would also be a World Heritage Site.
(2) Now the world’s oldest island caves are getting a new lease of life. The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has teamed up with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to spruce up the caves and protect them from further decay and degeneration.
(3) Elephanta Caves date back to the sixth century and boast of some of India’s most magnificent rock-cut sculptures of Lord Shiva. Situated about 11 km from the Gateway of India, these caves are reached by small boats. Once on the island, visitors have to climb over 1,000 stone steps to get to the caves.
(4) The caves were originally built during the reign of the Rashtraputa kings. They contain huge images of Brahma, Parvati, Natraja and Shiva. The best and most famous of these is Maheshmurti—a three headed bust of Shiva which is about six metres high.
(5) The great elephant structure in black stone which gave the island its name was removed in 1864 by British to take it to England. However, it was later returned to India and now stands at the Victoria Gardens, a park with a small zoo in the centre of Mumbai. On top of the caves are two huge cannons installed by the British in order to protect Bombay harbour.
(6) In the main cave, there are nine carvings which depict the life of Lord Shiva in different manifestations – the dancer (Nataraja), Shiva killing demon Andhaka, marriage ceremony of Shiva and Parvati, Shiva’s descent to the Ganges, Shiva as Ardhnarinateshwar, Shiva as Maheshmurti, Shiva lifting Mount Kailash, Goddess Parvati on Mount Kailash and Shiva as ascetic.
(7) Back in the mid-eighties, a team of leading international archaeologists, conservators and historians visited the site and forwarded a proposal to UNESCO to grant heritage status to the caves. The proposal was accepted and Elephanta Caves were declared a World Heritage Site in 1987.
(8) The most important part of the effort is to clean up the surroundings of the heritage site. For example, there is an ancient site built adjacent to the gate which houses some of the best frescoes and showcases the art of carving out statues by cutting rock.
(9) The next phase was to clean up the littered surroundings and also to discourage visitors from carrying eatables and plastic bags inside the caves. This step too was roundly criticised but gradually people were educated on the historic and religious importance of the caves and the incidents of littering have considerably reduced.
(10) To protect the caves from vandalism, security personnel were deployed a year ago. “This has helped authorities to implement regulations stringently,” says an INTACH volunteer of the organisation’s Mumbai chapter.
(11) Elephanta Caves have for years been threatened by the rapid industrial development in their vicinity. A toxic chemical storage terminal has been planned just 400 metres away. Bilge from oil-exploring activities and plastic dumped in the sea have seriously threatened marine and bird life of the area.

Question. Which of the following is the most distinguishing feature of the Elephanta Caves?
(a) That they date back to one thousand and five hundred years ago
(b) That these are the world’s oldest island caves
(c) That rocks have been cut and sculpted into magnificent statues of gods
(d) That they have some of the most magnificent rock-cut sculptures of Lord Shiva
Answer: (d) That they have some of the most magnificent rock-cut sculptures of Lord Shiva

Question. State whether the given statement is TRUE or FALSE.
Elephanta Caves were declared a World Heritage Site in 1978.
Answer: FALSE

Question. Before being declared a World Heritage Site, the caves were:
(a) in a filthy state
(b) in a dilapidated state
(c) in a magnificent state
(d) in a precarious state
Answer: (b) in a dilapidated state

Question. Fill in the blank.
The six metres high three headed bust of Shiva is known as _________________.
Answer: Maheshmurti

Question. State whether the given statement is TRUE or FALSE.
In the main cave, there are nine carvings which depict the life of Lord Shiva in different manifestations.
Answer: TRUE

Question. What is the most potent threat which the caves suffer from?
(a) A toxic chemical storage terminal
(b) The bilge from oil exploring activities
(c) Plastic dumped in the sea
(d) The rapid industrial development in their vicinity
Answer: (d) The rapid industrial development in their vicinity

Question. Complete the given statement.
On top of the caves are two huge cannons installed by British to __________________________.
Answer: protect Bombay harbour.

Question. Why were the security personnel deployed?
(a) To protect the caves from vandalism
(b) To help authorities implement regulations
(c) To help clean up the surroundings
(d) To discourage visitors from carrying eatables inside
Answer: (a) To protect the caves from vandalism

Question. Pick a phrase from paragraph 2 which means ‘make tidy and clean’.
Answer: spruce up

Question. The word ‘degeneration’ in paragraph 2 means:
(a) become bad
(b) the process of becoming worse
(c) loosing too much water
(d) stop production
Answer: (b) the process of becoming worse

Read the following passage carefully.

(1) Today, when we pick up a daily newspaper, we invariably find an increasing incidence of vandalism, fraud, theft, robbery, rape, child abuse, battered spouses, murders, hate crimes, genocide (now termed as “ethnic cleansing”) along with a multitude of other senseless violent acts that have become disturbingly common. These are not the actions of people who like themselves.
(2) The solution to a great many problems, whether personal, national or global, lies in improving our feelings about ourselves both as individuals and members of society. When the significance of good self-esteem is well understood and it achieves the prominence it deserves, a transformation will begin, for when the people will realise that they deserve self-respect, their respect for others will automatically increase.
(3) Most of our behaviour has been shaped by our parents, caregivers and authority figures who played an important part in our early upbringing and were responsible for crystallizing our ideas about ourselves and the world. While everyone has self-esteem, only a small percentage of us have high self-esteem. High self-esteem denotes that we accept ourselves unconditionally exactly as we are, and we appreciate our value as a human being. When, on the other hand, we have low self-esteem, we believe that we have little intrinsic worth.
(4) We believe our personal value is in direct proportion to the value of our accomplishments. If we cannot accomplish certain results, we tend to feel low about ourselves. Some of us try too hard and become workaholics and over-achievers. With few genuine feelings of self-worth, we try to create some and prove that we are somebody by our successes and achievements. Because our desire for perfection is so great, we tend to set unrealistic goals and place unreasonable demands on ourselves. Failing, rather than encouraging us to have more realistic aspirations, only leads to a mere punishing round of self-blame and a resolve to drive ourselves harder next time. If we do finally achieve our goals, we are disappointed; despite everything we have done, we still feel empty inside.
(5) Vulnerable to the opinions of others, we desperately try to gain their recognition and approval sometimes through risky and dangerous behaviour. Thus, we are at the mercy of our emotions, instead of controlling them, we permit them to control us. Since we allow circumstances to influence our feelings, we are inclined to be moody. The insecurity we feel as a result of devaluing ourselves makes us react with jealousy, envy and possessiveness. Fear makes us greedy and acquisitive, and feelings of self-hate alternate with those of futility, unhappiness and depression.
(6) Sound self-esteem is the basis for all self improvement. As human beings, our potential is limitless, our abilities inexhaustible, and the possibilities for creative and constructive changes are endless. But, we won’t experience satisfactory progress towards our goals or make any lasting improvements unless we believe we deserve the good we want. Conditions in our lives will improve permanently only when we believe we are entitled to something better. So improving our self-esteem inwardly is the vital ingredient for improving our lives.

Question. These days the newspapers are full of:
(a) development news
(b) political news
(c) acts of violence and crimes
(d) educational and employment news
Answer: (c) acts of violence and crimes

Question. State whether the given statement is TRUE or FALSE.
Our personal value is in direct proportion to the value of our accomplishments.
Answer: TRUE

Question. Why is good self-esteem stressed upon?
(a) Because it is essential for solving many problems
(b) Because is builds up self-confidence
(c) Because it increases one’s reputation
(d) Becuase it helps one to respect others
Answer: (a) Because it is essential for solving many problems

Question. Complete the following.
Vulnerable to the opinion of others, we desperately try to ___________________.
Answer: gain their recognition and approval sometimes through risky and dangerous behaviour.

Question. Why is high self-esteem considered a remarkable asset?
(a) Because it makes us worthless in our own eyes
(b) Because it helps us to believe in our worth
(c) Because it forces us to be achievers
(d) Because it brings depression and disappointment
Answer: (b) Because it helps us to believe in our worth

Question. Fill in the blank.
We are inclined to be ___________ because we allow circumstances to influence our feelings.
Answer: moody

Question. Sound self-esteem ensures success as:
(a) one reacts emotionally to problems
(b) one becomes moody and insecure
(c) one taps one’s latent talents and creative faculties
(d) one makes instant improvements
Answer: (c) one taps one’s latent talents and creative faculties

Question. Complete the given analogy.
fear : ____________ : : self-hate : futility
Answer: greedy and acquisitive

Question. Complete the given statement.
We tend to set unrealistic goals and demands on ourselves because ______________________________________________________.
Answer: our desire for perfection is so great.

Question. The word ‘potential’ in paragraph 6 means:
(a) possible
(b) ability of a person
(c) a liquid with magic powers
(d) hidden power
Answer: (b) ability of a person

Read the following passage carefully.

(1) Fear of failure is an attitude problem. All of us postpone things. We procrastinate. We rationalize. We make excuses. We foolishly believe that to be creative and to have a positive attitude and to simply do things, we have to have all kinds of preconditions.
(2) You can find several excuses for waiting to be more creative. But scratch the surface of these smooth and logical rationalizations, and if you’re honest, you’ll see the face of a little demon, the fear of failure, hiding there.
(3) Zig Ziglar reminds us that this is nothing but an attitude problem: “The future can be depressing or magnificent—it is not correlated to the present or the past, past failures or successes. It is only our attitude towards these failures or successes which determines our future.” You can change yourself by changing your attitude without fear of error.
(4) Problems cause stress and stress reduces our effectiveness. So it is very logical that once we solve our problems, we should be able to increase our efficiency and effectiveness. Incidentally, we can’t eliminate problems unless we opt for the final exit—the very thought of this itself is stressful!
(5) What causes our problems? Well, roughly speaking one-third of our problems are there because we are alive and kicking; another one-third of our problems are created by ourselves; and the remaining one-third of our problems exist because of greed and ego.
(6) When too many problems are causing you enormous stress and strain, do the following:
Think…there must be a better way to solve these problems. It helps to remember the crow and jug story! Recall similar stories and incidents.
Ask, ask, ask…from yourself and from others, how to do things in better ways. May be certain things should not be done at all or should be clubbed with other activities! Don’t forget that even stupid questions will get your intelligent and common sense answers.
Do it now! Start doing it. Don’t forget that the first step towards solving a problem is to begin. The first step is the most difficult one, but taking it will kill procrastination— a disease or a problem in itself. Do not forget to prioritise your problems first. Those which are “C” category jobs should be delegated to others, but do not forget to check and recheck till these get done.
(7) There is always a silver lining in any gloomy situation, provided you starve the problems and feed the opportunities. For every problem, there could be several solutions and solutions point towards opportunities.
(8) Apply the MISER concept to solve problems. MISER… where M stands for Merge, I for Improve, S for Simplify, E for Eliminate and R for Reduce. MISER is an excellent conceptual sieve that helps in reducing many problems to a very few ones.

Question. Why do most people procrastinate?
(a) Because they are not creative
(b) Because they adopt a wrong attitude
(c) Because they are too lazy to do anything
(d) Because they wait for better opportunity
Answer: (b) Because they adopt a wrong attitude

Question. State whether the given statement is TRUE or FALSE.
One-third of our problems are created by ourselves.
Answer: TRUE

Question. Why can’t we eliminate problems from our life?
(a) Because we are alive and kicking
(b) Because we are inactive
(c) Because we are afraid of final exit
(d) Because we tend to postpone actions
Answer: (c) Because we are afraid of final exit

Question. Complete the given statement.
Our future can be determined by _____________________________________.
Answer: our attitude towards these failures or successes.

Question. According to the passage, in which of the following circumstances does our effectiveness get reduced?
(a) When our problems multiply
(b) When the depressing time is painful
(c) When there is stress due to some problems
(d) When problems dishearten us
Answer: (c) When there is stress due to some problems

Question. Complete the given statement.
We can change ourselves by ______________________________.
Answer: changing your attitude.

Question. Complete the given analogy.
starve : problems : : feed : _______________
Answer: opportunities

Question. What is the best way to tackle a problem?
(a) To defer it for sometime
(b) To seek help from a friend
(c) To think of an easy solution
(d) To begin at once
Answer: (d) To begin at once

Question. Fill in the blank.
There is always a silver lining in any ___________ situation.
Answer: gloomy

Question. The word ‘procrastinate’ in paragraph 1 means:
(a) obtain with difficulty
(b) natural tendency to do something bad
(c) delay or postpone an action
(d) doing with ease
Answer: (c) delay or postpone an action