Comprehension Check (Page 80)
Question 1: Standing on Everest, the writer was
(i) overjoyed
(ii) very sad.
(iii) jubilant and sad.
Choose the right item.
Answer:
(iii) Jubilant and sad.
Question 2:
The emotion that gripped him was one of
(i) victory over hurdles.
(ii) humility and a sense of smallness.
(iii) greatness and self-importance.
(iv) joy of discovery.
Choose the right item.
Answer:
(ii) Humility and a sense of smallness.
Question 3:
“The summit of the mind” refers to
(i) great intellectual achievements.
(ii) the process of maturing mentally and spiritually.
(iii) overcoming personal ambition for common welfare.
(iv) living in the world of thought and imagination.
(v) the triumph of mind over worldly pleasures for a noble cause.
(vi) a fuller knowledge of oneself.
Mark the item(s) not relevant.
Answer:
(vi) A fuller knowledge of oneself.
Working With the Text (Page 81)
Question 1: (i) What are the three qualities that played a major role in the author’s climb?
Answer:
The three qualities that ensured the success of the author were endurance, persistence, and willpower.
(ii) Why is adventure, which is risky, also pleasurable?
Answer:
Adventure like mountain climbing is risky, but it is pleasurable because it challenges a person and overcoming such challenges brings immense joy.
(iii) What was it about Mount Everest that the author found irresistible?
Answer:
The author found Mount Everest irresistible because it is the highest, the mightiest, and has defied many previous attempts.
(iv) One does not do it (climb a high peak) for fame alone. What does one do it for, really?
Answer:
Climbing a high peak like Mount Everest is not just for fame but for emotional and spiritual satisfaction, which fulfills the climber’s love for adventure.
(v) “He becomes conscious in a special manner of his own smallness in this large universe.” This awareness defines an emotion mentioned in the first paragraph. Which is the emotion?
Answer:
The emotion is ‘humility.’
(vi) What were the ‘symbols of reverence’ left by members of the team on Everest?
Answer:
The author left a picture of Guru Nanak, Rawat left a picture of Goddess Durga, Phu Durgi left a relic of Buddha, and Edmund Hillary buried a Cross under the rock.
(vii) What according to the writer, did his experience as an Everester teach him?
Answer:
The experience taught the writer humility and made him realize his own smallness in the vast universe.
Question 2: Write a sentence against each of the following statements. Your sentence should explain the statement.
(i) The experience changes you completely.
Answer: One who has been to the mountains is never the same again.
(ii) Man takes delight in overcoming obstacles.
Answer: Climbing a summit is a test of endurance and willpower that brings delight after overcoming physical challenges.
(iii) Mountains are nature at its best.
Answer: Mountains, like Everest, stand as the mightiest forms of nature, embodying beauty, grandeur, and challenge.
(iv) The going was difficult but the after-effects were satisfying.
Answer: Although climbing Everest was hard, the joy and feeling of victory after reaching the summit were immensely satisfying.
(v) The physical conquest of a mountain is really a spiritual experience.
Answer: Climbing a mountain brings not just physical achievement but also emotional and spiritual fulfillment, connecting the climber with nature and God. Working with Language (Page 82)
Question 1:
Fill in the blanks in the following dialogues using the suitable phrases from the box below:
(at hand, at once, at all, at a low ebb, at first sight)
- Teacher: You were away from school without permission. Go to the Principal __________ and submit your explanation.
Pupil: Yes, Madam. But would you help me write it first?
Answer: at once - Arun: Are you unwell?
Ila: No, not __________. Why do you ask?
Arun: If you were unwell, I would send you to my uncle. He is a doctor.
Answer: at all - Mary: Almost every Indian film has an episode of love __________.
David: Is that what makes them so popular in foreign countries?
Answer: at first sight - You look depressed. Why are your spirits __________ today?
Answer: at such a low ebb - Ashok: I have to write ten sentences using words that I never heard before.
Your big moment is close __________.
Jyoti: How should I welcome it?
Shieba: Get up and receive the trophy.
Answer: at hand
Question 2:
Write the noun forms of the following words by adding -ance or -ence:
abhor → abhorrence
endure → endurance
persist → persistence
signify → significance
confide → confidence
maintain → maintenance
Question 3:
(i) Match words under A with their meanings under B.
Match the words under A with their meanings under B:
- Remote — far away from
- Means — method(s)
- Dominant — most prominent
- Formidable — difficult to overcome
- Overwhelmed — be overcome/overpowered
(ii) Fill in the blanks in the sentences below with appropriate words from the options given under A:
- There were __________ obstacles on the way, but we reached our destination safely.
Answer: formidable - We have no __________ of finding out what happened there.
Answer: means - Why he lives in a house __________ from any town or village is more than I can tell.
Answer: remote - __________ by gratitude, we bowed to the speaker for his valuable advice.
Answer: Overwhelmed - The old castle stands in a __________ position above the sleepy town.
Answer: dominant
Speaking and Writing (Page 83)
Write a composition describing a visit to the hills or any place which you found beautiful and inspiring.
Before writing, work in small groups. Discuss the points given below and decide if you want to use some of these points in your composition.
Points to Consider:
- Mountains as a means of communion with God.
- Worship or prayer brings you close to the divine.
- On the summit: height attained, limitless sky, last ounce of energy spent.
- Feelings of gratitude, humility, and peace.
- The majesty of nature and the joy it brings if you can feel it.
Answer:
For self-attempt. Write about your experience visiting a beautiful place like the hills and describe how it inspired or moved you emotionally and spiritually.
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