Reading Comprehension - Practice Papers 6

 CBSE Class 11 English Core

Section - A
Reading Comprehension

  1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follow: (Select the correct answer for MCQ) (6 marks)

    AT HOME IN INDIA

    There are many among us who, given the opportunity to leave India, are only too happy to go. But whenever I have had the chance to go away, I have held back. Or something has held me back.
    What is it that has such a hold on me, but leaves others free to where they will, sometimes never to come back?
    A few years ago I was offered a well-paid job on a magazine in Hong Kong. I thought about it for weeks, worried myself to distraction, and finally, with a great sigh of relief, turned it down.
    My friends thought I was-crazy. They still do. Most of them would have jumped at a comparable offer, even if it had meant spending the rest of their lives far from the palm-fringed coasts or pine-clad mountains of this land. Many friends have indeed gone away, never to return, except perhaps to get married, very quickly, before they are off again! Don't they feel homesick, I wonder.
    I am almost paranoid at the thought of going away and then being unable (0 come back. This almost happened to me when, as a boy, I went to England, longed to return to India, and did not have the money for the passage. For two years I worked and slaved like a miser (something I have never done since) until I had enough to bring me home. And 'home' wasn't parents and brothers and sisters. They were no longer here. Home, for me, was India.
    So what is it that keeps me here? My birth? I take too closely after a Nordic grandparent to pass for a typical son of the soil. Hotel receptionists often ask me for my passport.
    'Must I carry a passport to travel in my own country?' I ask.
    'But you don't look like an Indian,' they protest.
    ‘I’m a Red Indian,' I say.
    India is where I was born and went to school and grew to manhood. India was where my father was born and went to school and worked and died. India is where my grandfather lived and died. Surely that entitles me to a place in the Indian sun. If it doesn't, I can revert to my mother's family and go back to the time of Timur the Lame. How far back does one have to go in order to establish one's Indianness?
    It must be the land itself that holds me. But so many of my fellow Indians have been born (and reborn) here, and yet they think nothing of leaving the land. They will leave the mountains for the plains; the villages for the cities; their country for another country, and if other countries were a little more willing to open their doors, we would have no population problem-mass emigration would have solved it.
    But it's more than the land that holds me. For India is more than a land. India is an atmosphere. Over thousands of years, the races and religions of the world have mingled here and produced that unique, indefinable phenomenon, the Indian: so terrifying in a crowd, so beautiful in himself.
    And oddly enough, I'm one too. I know that I'm as Indian as the postman or the paanwala or your favorite MP.
    Race did not make me an Indian. Religion did not make me an Indian. But history did. And in the long run, its history that counts. Ruskin Bond.

  1. When the narrator was offered a well-paid job in Hongkong, did he accept it?
    1. He accepted it
    2. He did not accept it
    3. He was confused.
    4. He was worried
  2. What was ‘Home’ for the author?
    1. Parents and brothers and sisters
    2. Love for his native place
    3. Home for him was India
    4. Beauty of his village
  3. The writer says : India is an atmosphere. What does it mean?
    1. Beautiful climate of India
    2. Inclusive way of life
    3. India’s strength lies in its resources
    4. India’ rich history
  4. Find out the word which mean : i) something that stops you from paying attention to (para - 2) .
    1. Worried
    2. Distraction
    3. Turn down
    4. Well-paid
  5. What, according to the writer, has made him an Indian?
    1. His family background of her mother
    2. His religion
    3. His broad point of view
    4. History
  6. What can you learn from the text?
    1. Writer is talking about his longing to go abroad
    2. Writer wants prove his patriotism
    3. Writer feels proud to be Indian
    4. Wants to state his family history
  1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follow:
    (Select the correct answer for MCQ) (6 marks)

    INDIAN CLASSICAL DANCES

    What is a classical dance? A dance which is created or choreographed and performed according to the tenets of the Natya Shastra is called a classical dance.
    The two broad aspects of classical dancing are the tandava and the lasya. Power and force are typical of the tandava; grace and delicacy, of the lasya. Tandava is associated with Shiva, and lasya with Parvati. Dance which is pure movement is called nritta, and dance which is interpretative in nature is called nritya.
    A dancer in the classical tradition has to have years of training before he or she can begin to perform on the stage.
    What are the main schools of classical dancing?
    The four main schools of classical dancing in India are:
    Bharata Natyam, Kathakali, Manipuri, Kathak
    Bharata Natyam is the oldest and most popular dance-form of India. Earlier, it was known by various names. Some called it Bharatam, some Natyam some Desi Attam and some Sadir. The districts of Tanjore and Kanchipuram of Tamil Nadu were the focal points in the development of Bharata Natyam. It was danced as a solo performance by devadasis (temple dancers) on all auspicious occasions. Later, kings and rich people lent their patronage to it and it started shedding its purely sacred character.
    The dancer is directed by the natuvanar, who is a musician and, invariably, a teacher.
    Another musician plays the cymbals. The music for Bharata Natyam is the Carnatic School of music. The mridangam (a drum), played on both sides with the hands, provides the rhythm.
    The home of Kathakali is Kerala. Kathakali literally means 'story-play'. It combines music, dance, poetry, drama and mime. Its present form has evolved out of older forms such as Ramanattam and Krishnanattam.
    Kathakali dance-dramas last from dusk to dawn. The artistes use elaborate costumes; mask-like make-up and towering head-dresses. The dancers are all males - female roles are usually played by boys. There is no stage - a few mats are spread on the ground for the audience to sit on. The only 'stage-lighting' is a brass lamp fed with coconut oil.
    Two singers provide the vocal music. The chenda, a large drum, which is beaten on one side with two slender curved sticks, is an integral part of the Kathakali performance. A metal gong, a pair of cymbals and another drum complete the orchestra. Besides providing the beat, they are also the means by which all the sound-effects are created.
    Manipur, in the north-east is the home of Manipuri. It has evolved out of the folk dances of the land, which are religious in nature. Lai Haroba is the oldest dance-drama of Manipur and is based on folk-lore and mythology. But Ras Leela is the most popular one. It tells of the legendary love of Radha and Krishna. In the Manipuri style of dancing, the accent is on grace and softness. The women's costumes are extremely picturesque.
    Besides the singers, the khol, the manjira and the flute also accompany the dancers.
    Kathak has its home in north India. 'Kathak' means 'story-teller'. In ancient times, the storyteller used gestures and movements while narrating the great epics. In course of time it became an elaborate art, rich in beautiful movements and facial expressions.
    Later, under the Persian influence, the original dance form underwent many changes, gradually losing its religious and moral character. It became a court dance. Both men and women danced.
    With the passing of years, the Kathak performance was reduced to being an evening's entertainment, and the girls, who danced, were no more than pretty entertainers.
    Kathak, however, was revived under the patronage of the rulers of Lucknow and Jaipur, and this gave rise to two styles known as the Lucknow gharana and the Jaipur gharana. Gharana means 'house' or 'school'.
    In Kathak, the accent is on footwork. A dancer wears anklets with several rows of bells and skillfully regulates their sound, sometimes sounding just one bell out of the many on his feet. The singer who accompanies the Kathak dancer not only sings, but reproduces the drum syllables also. The sarangi, a string instrument, provides the music at a Kathak performance.

    Swarn Khandpur

  1. What is the Natya Shastra?
    1. Scientific study of a classical dance
    2. Science of dances
    3. A book written by a sage
    4. A book deals with a drama
  2. Choose the appropriate meaning of the under lined word. The four main school of classical dancing in India?
    1. Place where children are taught
    2. Training centers for artists
    3. Group of artists having a similar style.
    4. Schools that are purely for dance
  3. When did Bharata Naatyam start shedding its purely sacred character?
    1. When devadasis stopped dancing
    2. When danced as a solo performance
    3. When kings & rich patronised it
    4. When they used Carnatic music
  4. In which drama form the dances are all males?
    1. Bharat Natyam
    2. Manipuri
    3. Kathak
    4. Kathakali
  5. Which dance form has a origin in folk dance?
    1. Ras Leela
    2. Lai Haroba
    3. Manipuri
    4. Kathak
  6. In Kathak, the accent is ----------------
    1. On the basis of dancer’s anklets
    2. On sound created by bells
    3. On the regulation of sound
    4. On footwork
  1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follow:

    (Select the correct answer for MCQ) (6 marks)

    INDIA'S PLACE IN THE NEW WORLD ORDER

    We have entered a new world. The fall of the Berlin wall put an end to the bipolar world and gave birth to hope for freedom and prosperity; there were States that gained their independence. Most adopted the democratic model, which corresponds to our shared political values.
    Globalization further enhances these changes. It offers extra-ordinary opportunities to individuals who are in a position to seize them; easier access to information, speedier communications and unimpeded travels. But it also develops new forms of vulnerabilities; a financial crisis can run from Thailand to Russia via Latin America. Epidemics spread faster and further, be it mad cow's disease or bird flu.
    Therefore, our destiny is no longer shaped within safe frontiers but on an international scale. Given the extent of these changes, we must define our world's new principles of organization.
    In this endeavor for a new order, India-has a major role to play. First because it is an example of dynamism and energy. Your country is one of youth; 33 per cent of the population is under the age of 15. You are aware of the tremendous asset and the immense responsibility that this represents. A young population is a guarantee of imagination, renewal, awakening and hope. But it is also a challenge in terms of education, health and training.
    India has been able to make the most of globalization and has gained a pivotal role. It provides the example of an economy which has allied dynamism and equilibrium. The past year offers the two-fold satisfaction of a spectacular 7.5 per cent growth rate and inflation under control. Thanks to the size and dynamism of its domestic market, it can project itself into the future with confidence.
    India is now the biggest international service provider in information technologies, and this at a time when the Western countries are experiencing a real shortage of manpower in this very field.
    A scientific power, India, today, is also a key player in space research. Thanks to the excellence of the Indian Space Research Organization, it is the forefront of technologies for launchers and the construction of satellites.
    This economic vitality has developed on the basis of a strong concern for social justice. In the face of inequalities that still remain and could be increasing, India has given priority, to poverty reduction, job creation and support of the agricultural sector. Your country has shown that economic growth and concern for the greater good are not incompatible.
    India, however, does not only offer an economic model. It stands as an example for nations that show due respect for cultural identities.
    This represents a major challenge as globalization has inherent in it two-fold risk. First of all, there is the risk of domination of certain forms of thinking, of certain ways of life and expression. The diversity of cultures, religions, traditions and memories is an essential component of the richness of our world. If we are not careful, it could die one day.
    Then there is the risk of confrontation of-identities. Lack of respect for what people stand for can nurture claims of nationalists and fundamentalists. The more an identity feels threatened, the more it tends to be inward looking, rejects diversity and finally gives in to confrontation.
    These are the patterns that we saw in action in the worst post cold war confrontations, from the explosion of the Balkans to the genocide in the Rwanda.
    With 18 official languages and over 1652 dialects, India is at the forefront of cultural diversity. It is a proof that openness to the outside world and preservation of its own roots can go hand ill hand.
    The movement of exchange between cultures must not lead to silencing the polyphony of voices arid view.
    In the heart of its democracy, India has been able to define an identity respectful of each and everyone's specificity. It is home to one of the largest Muslim communities of the world, with over 120 million believers. The religious patchwork of India offers to each minority, whether it be the two million Christians, the 16 million Sikhs or the Buddhists, Jains and Parsis, the possibility of keeping alive their own religious beliefs in harmony with the India identity.
    This original and exemplary synthesis is difficult to achieve. Your will to promote democracy is undoubtedly the strongest political message of the Indian nation. At the heart of the new world geography lies the democratic challenge. . .
    Thanks to you we know that the size of the population, that the force of history and traditions is not an obstacle. India is a proof that the universality of Human Rights is a realistic emotion.
    It shows .us that State secularism can be reconciled with the vigour of identities and beliefs.

    Dominique de Villepin

  1. India has a major role to play because
    1. It has a large geographical area
    2. It is rich in natural resources
    3. It is example of enthusiasm and energy to make new things happen successfully
    4. India is a secular country
  2. India is the biggest service provider in the field of information technologies as…..
    1. Unemployed youth are more in number in India
    2. Western countries have a shortage of manpower in this very field.
    3. People outside India are not willing to work
    4. Indian population is educated
  3. The speaker thanks the Indian Space Research Organization, because
    1. It is in a leading position in the field of satellites
    2. It is leading in producing rockets
    3. There is a strong group of scientists working together in this field.
    4. Indian scientist are very intelligent
  4. When the speaker says “your country has shown that economic growth and concern for the greater good are not incompatible”, he is
    1. Complaining
    2. Giving compliments
    3. Finding faults
    4. Discussing
  5. Find out the word which mean: the act of killing a whole race (para - 12)
    1. Genocide
    2. Polyphony
    3. Explosion
    4. Confrontations
  6. Why did the speaker say that we entered a new world?
    1. We are adopting democracy
    2. Using technology
    3. Practicing computer
    4. Landing on the moon