QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS

UNIT 10 DARJEELING

A. Answer the following questions.

1. What was the author’s decision?
Answer: The author’s decision was to take the train all the way to Darjeeling from Bombay.
2. What was a mystery to the author?
Answer: It was a mystery to the author as to why the vital piece of information that a disastrous
landslide had eaten away the tracks was withheld from him by everyone concerned with his
travel plans.
3. Why did the author comment on the driver’s vision?
Answer: The author could see nothing because of the mist; but the driver seemed to depend upon
some sense other than vision to keep the car from flying off the cliff or colliding with vehicles
careering madly down the narrow road. The road, which seemed to have been built for only one
car, somehow would miraculously expand a wee bit to let another coming from the opposite side
pass. This driving skill made the author comment on his vision.
4. Describe Tenzing’s house.
Answer: Tenzing’s house was perched at a height, on the mountain; its lawn and flower-beds
sloping down to the road. The author lived in wonderful surroundings for a deserving hero of
the mountains was the author’s opinion.
5. What surprise was discovered by the morning by the tourists?
Answer: The surprise next morning was that there was no trace of rain or mist. Kachenjunga
appeared in dazzling majesty against the blue sky like a cut-out. The tourists started a battery of
cameras aimed at the snow peaks as they were afraid the mist would again cover it.
B. Complete the following statements with one word / phrase.
1. In Darjeeling, wherever one went, the ultimate destination would be the __________________
2. A couple of days later, early one morning, on the Mall I saw a wisp of __________________
3. In Sikkim, __________________ welcomed the visitors with information about breweries, a
copper mining corporation and a fruit-juice bottling factory.
4. As days went by, it became increasingly difficult to go on my usual long, brisk walks without
being stopped every now and then by the __________________ for friendly gossip.
5. A wisp of mist could just come in between all the glorious happenings and send the tourist back
home disappointed, but we were __________________.

Answer:
1. Mall 2. White patch 3. Hoardings 4. Local citizenry 5. Lucky

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 TEACHER RESOURCE

C. State whether the following are true or False.

1. The Department of Tourism disapproved and pressed glossy brochures into the author’s hands.
2. The fellow passengers knew nothing about Darjeeling.
3. While watching the mist the author drank a soupy substance.
4. Darjeeling was gone, like a drawing erased by a giant India-rubber, leaving the sheet white again.
5. The curtain would be down on the village and the whole drama would be gone abruptly.

Answers:
1. False 2. False 3. False 4. True 5. True

UNIT 11 BODYLINE

A. Answer the following questions.

1. What is ‘Bodyline’? Who coined it?
Answer: ‘Bodyline’ is a word in cricket. It was coined nearly a century ago to refer to a
particular type of bowling. This happened during a controversial series of matches between
England and Australia.
2. What happened in the Oval?
Answer: In the series played in England in 1881–82, England was defeated in a match played
at the London cricket ground called The Oval. It was the first time England had lost a match in
England.
3. What was the satirical note put up by the British newspaper?
Answer: ‘English cricket is dead. The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia’
was the notice.
4. What strategy did Jardine plan?
Answer: The best strategy was to bowl repeated fast bouncers on the batsman’s leg stump, with
several close-in fielders on the leg side. If the ball hit the batsman’s body, it would upset and
distract the batsman, and cause a batting error. The close-in fi elders would worry and distract
the batsman.
5. What happened in the third match in Adelaide?
Answer: H M Woodfull, the Australian captain, was hit by a bodyline ball nastily on the left side
of the chest. Jardine brought the leg side field still closer and Woodfull was soon bowled while
attempting to defend himself. Then W A Oldfield, was hit on the right side of his head and had
to retire hurt. These events made the crowd mad with anger.

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