Beehive Kathmandu - CBSE Test Papers

CBSE Class 9 English Language and Literature
Beehive Chapter-10 Kathmandu
Test Paper-01
Read the following passages and answer the questions:
  1. I get a cheap room in the centre of town and sleep for hours. The next morning, with Mr Shah’s son and nephew, I visit the two temples in Kathmandu that are most sacred to Hindus and Buddhists.
    1. Where was the writer and why did he come there?
    2. Where did he want to go with Mr. Shah’s son and nephew?
    3. Which are the temples that are sacred to Hindus and Budhists?
    4. Who is the writer of the story?
  2. At Pashupatinath (outside which a sign proclaims ‘Entrance for the Hindus only’) there is an atmosphere of ‘febrile confusion’. Priests, hawkers, devotees, tourists, cows, monkeys, pigeons and dogs roam through the grounds.
    A princess of the Nepalese royal house appears; everyone bows and makes way. By the main gate, a party of saffron-clad Westerners struggle for permission to enter. The policeman is not convinced that they are ‘the Hindus’ (only Hindus are allowed to enter the temple).
    1. What is ‘febrile’?
    2. Why did the saffron clad westerners struggle?
    3. Why was there an atmosphere of confusion?
    4. Why did people bow when a princess entered the temple?
Answer the following questions in about 30 words:
  1. What did the writer describe about Pashupatinath Temple?
  2. Name the two temples the author visited in Kathmandu.
  3. The writer says, “All this I wash down with Coca Cola.” What does ‘all this’ refer to?
  4. What does Vikram Seth compare to the quills of a porcupine?
  5. Name five kinds of flutes.
  6. What is the proclamation at the entrance of Pashupatinath temple? Was it implemented strictly?
Answer each question in about 100 words:
  1. What difference does the author note between the flute seller and the other hawkers?
  2. What is the belief at Pashupatinath about the end of Kaliyug?
CBSE Class 9 English Language and Literature
Beehive Chapter-10 Kathmandu
Test Paper-01
Answers
    1. The writer was in Kathmandu. He came there to visit the two famous temples in the town.
    2. He wanted to go with Mr. Shah’s son and nephew to the Pashupatinath Temple and Baudhnath Stupa.
    3. The temple that is sacred to Hindus is the Pashupatinath Temple and the temple that is sacred to Budhists is the Baudhnath Stupa.
    4. The writer of the story is Vikram Seth.
    1. ‘Febrile’ means fever.
    2. The saffron clad westerners struggled to enter the temple of Pashupatinath as they had to prove that they are Hindus.
    3. There an atmosphere of confusion as there were long queues of people visiting the temple.
    4. Moreover, dogs, cows and monkeys were on the ground adding to the confusion.
    5. People bowed when a princess entered the temple because she was the daughter of the ruling King of Nepal since at the time of writing the story, the country was a Monarchy.
  3. The writer described that Pashupatinath Temple is the main shrine of Hindus in Nepal. It is devoted to lord Shiva. Only Hindus are allowed to enter the temple. There was an atmosphere of utter confusion as animals along with people were there on the temple ground.
  4. The two temples the author visited in Kathmandu were the Pashupatinath Temple and the Baudhnath Stupa.
  5. The writer says, “All this I wash down with Coca Cola.” All this refers to the bar or marzipan and a corn on the cob roasted on a charcoal brazier (rubbed with salt, chili powder and lemon) and a couple of love story comics, and a Reader’s Digest.
  6. Vikram Seth compares fifty or sixty bansuris protruding with an attachment at the top in all directions of the poll to the quills of a porcupine.
  7. Five kinds of flutes as mentioned by the writer are the (1) reed neh, (2) the recorder, (3) the Japanese shakuhachi, (4) the deep bansuri of Hindustani classical music, (5) the clear or breathy flutes of South America.
  8. The proclamation at the entrance of Pashupatinath temple was ‘Entrance for the Hindus only’. It was implemented strictly as the westerners who were in saffron clothes were prohibited to enter the temple before they could prove that they were Hindus.
  9. The author notes that all the hawkers in the market and streets around the temple were shouting about the wares to attract the customers. They described about their wares and shouted at the pitch of their voice to gain attention. However, the flute seller did not shout or called attention of the customer by calling or describing about his stuff. He played on different flutes displaying his acumen in playing the instrument. He had different varieties of flutes and he picked one after the other and played some beautiful tune on it. This was his way of calling attention of his customers.
  10. Pashupatinath temple is situated on the bank of Baghmati river. There is a small temple half protruding out from the stone platform on the river bank. People believe that there is a goddess in the temple. They say that when the temple emerges fully and becomes completely visible to the people, the goddess inside will escape and disappear. That day the evil period of the Kaliyug will come to an end on the earth. Thus, describing that it will be a dooms day for the world. All the people on this earth will perish.