Class 11 English Hornbill Chapter 5 – Silk Road (Nick Middleton) Extract/Passage based Question Answers

 

NCERT Solutions For Class 11 English

Hornbill

Chapter 5 – Silk Road (Nick Middleton)

Extract/Passage based Question Answers

Passage 1

We took a short cut to get off the Changtang. Tsetan knew a route that would take us south-west, almost directly towards Mount Kailash. It involved crossing several fairly high mountain passes, he said. ‘But no problem, sir” he assured us, ‘if there is no snbw.’ What was the likelihood of that I asked. “Not knowing, sir, until we get there.” From the gently rolling hills of Ravu, the short cut took us across vast open plains with nothing in them except a few gazelles that would look up from nibbling the arid pastures and frown before bounding away into the void.

Further on, where the plains became more stony than grassy, a great herd of wild ass came into view. Tsetan told us we were approaching them long before they appeared. ‘Kyang,’ he said, pointing towards a far-off pall of dust. When we drew near, I could see the herd galloping en masse, wheeling and turning in tight formation as if they were practising maneouvers on some predetermined course. Plumes of dust billowed into the crisp, clean air .

Questions :                              

(i) What might have posed an obstacle to the writer's progress?

(ii) How does the writer portray the plains?

(iii) What is the meaning of 'kyang,' and which language does it originate from?

(iv) How did Tsetan anticipate their imminent encounter with a herd of kyangs?

(v) Give the meaning of:
(a) manoeuvres,
(b) billowed.

Answers :

(i) The snow on the trail or mountain track could impede his progress.

(ii) The writer doesn't perceive the plains as particularly appealing. With only a few gazelles in those arid pastures and lacking lush greenery, the plains seemed rather barren.

(iii) In Tibetan language, 'kyang' signifies a wild ass. Tsetan, the Tibetan driver, uses this term, as it naturally belongs to his own language.

(iv) Tsetan anticipated encountering a herd of kyangs soon, noticing the plume of dust billowing into the clear sky.

 (v) (a) routine practice
(b) rising.

Passage 2

A swathe of the white stuff lay across the track in front of us, stretching for may be fifteen metres before it petered out and the dirt trail reappeared. The snow continued on either side of us, smoothing the abrupt bank on the upslope side. The bank was too steep for our vehicle to scale, so there was no way round the snow patch. I joined Daniel as Tsetan stepped on to the encrusted snow and began to slither and slide forward, stamping his foot from time to time to ascertain how sturdy it was. I looked at my wrist watch. We were at 5,210 metres above sea level.

The snow didn’t look too deep to me, but the danger wasn’t its depth, Daniel said, so much as its icy top layer. ‘If we slip off, the car could turn over,’ he suggested, as we saw Tsetan grab handfuls of dirt and fling them across the frozen surface. I’ve both pitched in and, when the snow was spread with soil, Daniel and I stayed out of the vehicle to lighten Tsetan’s load. He backed up and drove towards the dirty snow, eased the car on to its icy surface and slowly drove its length without apparent difficulty.

Questions

(i) What form did the new obstacle take in hindering the author's progress?

(ii) What was the actual source of concern for the team?

(iii) Who proposed the solution to address the situation?

(iv) Why did Daniel and the author remain outside while Tsetan maneuvered the vehicle over the snowy track?

(v) Provide synonyms for:

(a) encrusted

(b) slither

 

Answers:

(i) The new hurdle impeding the author was a swath of white snow covering the track in front of him, extending about 15 meters on either side. The steep banks made it impossible for the vehicle to traverse.

(ii) The team, comprising the author, Daniel, and Tsetan, feared that their car could slide off the icy surface, potentially causing it to overturn. The slippery top layer, not the depth of the snow, was the actual cause of their concern.

(iii) Tsetan, the driver, proposed the solution. He first stamped his feet to gauge the depth of the ice and then began spreading dirt over it to create a rough surface, allowing their vehicle to pass.

(iv) Daniel and the author remained outside the vehicle to reduce the load, preventing it from slipping on the snowy track. Subsequently, it easily traversed the obstacle.

(v) (a) covered with a hard layer - encrusted

(b) to slide, move in a smooth way – slither

 

Passage 3

Ten minutes later, we stopped at another blockage. ‘Not gopd, sir,’ Tsetan announced as he jumped out again to survey the scene. This time he decided to try and drive round the snow. The slope was steep and studded with major rocks, but somehow Tsetan negotiated them, his four-wheel drive vehicle lurching from one obstacle to the next. In so doing he cut off one of the hairpin bends, regaining .the trail further up where the snow had not drifted.

I checked my watch again as we continued to climb in the bright sunshine. We prept past 5,400 metres and my head began to throb horribly. I’d thought that the labourers had left me some days previously, but they were back at work again. I took gulps from my water bottle, which is supposed to help a rapid ascent.

We finally reached the top of the pass at 5,515 metres. It was marked by a large cairn of rocks festooned with white silk scarves and ragged prayer flags. We«all took a turn round the cairn, in a clockwise direction as is the tradition, and Tsetan checked the tyres on his vehicle. He stopped at the loud hiss. The lower atmospheric pressure was allowing the fuel to expand. It sounded dangerous to me. “May be° sir”, Tsetan laughed “but no smoking.”

Questions

(i) Who uttered the words "Not good, sir" and what was the reason behind it?

(ii) What solution did Tsetan devise for the problem, and did he succeed in implementing it?

(iii) What occurred to the author as they ascended to the height of 5,400 meters?

(iv) How did the author attempt to address the issue?

(v) Provide the meanings of:

(a) ragged

(b) sounded

 

Answers:

(i) Tsetan conveyed these words to the author and Daniel. He observed an obstruction in the form of snow on their path while driving on the mountain trails. The challenges escalated when the tracks became icy.

(ii) Tsetan opted to circumvent the snow by cutting off one of the hairpin bends on the steep and rocky sides of the track. Despite the difficulty of the snowy track, he managed to overcome it.

(iii) Upon reaching the elevation of 5,400 meters, the author experienced a severe throbbing sensation in his head.

(iv) To alleviate the issue, the author drank water, recognizing that it could assist him in coping with the rapid ascent.

(v) (a) ragged: worn out, very old, and torn

(b) sounded: appeared or seemed

 

Passage 4

Hor was a grim, miserable place. There was no vegetation whatsoever, just dust and rocks, liberally scattered with years of accumulated refuse, which was unfortunate given that the town sat on the shore of Lake Manasarovar, Tibet’s most venerated stretch of water. Ancient Hindu and Buddhist cosmology pinpoints Manasarovar as the source of four great Indian rivers : the Indus, the Ganges, the Sutlej and the Brahamputra. Actually only the Sutlej flows from the lake, but the headwaters of the others all rise nearby on the flanks of Mount Kailash. We were within striking distance of the great mountain and I was eager to forge ahead.

But I had to wait. Tsetan told me to go and drink some tea in Bor’s only cafe which, like all the other buildings in town, was constructed from badly painted concrete and had three broken windows. The good view of the lake through one of them helped to compensate for the draught. I was served by a Chinese youth in military uniform who spread the grease around on my table with a filthy rag before bringing me a glass and a thermos of tea. Half an hour later, Tsetan relieved me from my solitary confinement and we drove past a lot more rocks and rubbish westwards out of town towards Mount Kailash.

 

Questions

(i) What aspects of Hor failed to leave a positive impression on the author?

(ii) According to the author, what contributed to Hor's grim and miserable appearance?

(iii) What belief do Hindus and Buddhists share regarding Lake Mansarovar?

(iv) Where did the author enjoy his tea, and who was the server at that place?

(v) Provide synonyms for:

(a) solitary

(b) draught

 

Answers:

(i) The lack of vegetation and the presence of dust and rocks scattered with accumulated refuse over the years possibly contributed to Hor's failure to impress the author.

(ii) The author assumed that Hor appeared grim and miserable because it was situated on the shore of Lake Mansarovar, Tibet's most revered water body, attracting a large number of tourists and visitors who scattered refuse.

(iii) Both Hindus and Buddhists share the belief that Lake Mansarovar is the source of four great Indian rivers: the Indus, the Ganges, the Sutlej, and the Brahmaputra, although in reality, only the Sutlej flows from the lake.

(iv) The author had his tea at Hor's only cafe, and he was served by a Chinese youth in military uniform.

(v) (a) solitary: lonely, sole

(b) draught: cool breeze

 

Passage 5

I didn’t think he was from those parts because he was wearing a wind-cheater and metal-rimmed spectacles of a Wester style. He was Tibetan, he told me, but worked in Beijing at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, in the institute of Ethnic Literature. I assumed he was on some sort of fieldwork. ‘Yes and no,’ he said. ‘I have come to do the kora.’ My heart jumped. Norbu had been writing academic papers about the Kailash kora and its importance in various works of Buddhist literature for many years, he told me, but he had never actually done it himself.

When the time came for me to tell him what brought me to Darchen, his eyes lit up.‘We could be a team,’ he said excitedly. ‘Two academics who have escaped from the library.’
Perhaps my positive-thinking strategy was working after all.

Questions

(i) Who is referred to as 'he' in this context, and what was the author's opinion of him?

(ii) Identify Norbu and describe his background.

(iii) What motivated Norbu to come to Darchen?

(iv) How did Norbu react after meeting the author?

(v) Provide the meanings of:

(a) assumed,

(b) various

 

Answers:

(i) 'He' refers to Norbu in this context. The author's opinion of him was that Norbu didn't belong to the Hor/Darchen areas. He was considered an outsider due to his attire—wearing a wind-cheater instead of a sheep-skin coat—and western-style metal-rimmed spectacles.

(ii) Norbu was a Tibetan who worked at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in the Institute of Ethnic Literature.

(iii) Norbu had been writing academic papers about the Kailash kora and its significance in various works of Buddhist literature for many years. He had now come to Darchen to personally experience the kora.

(iv) Norbu felt enthusiastic and excited. His eyes lit up with joy upon meeting the author, as they both shared similar tastes and professional backgrounds. They were two academics who had escaped from the library, as the author puts it.

(v) (a) assumed: thought, estimated, guessed

(b) various: different

 

Passage 6

My initial relief at meeting Norbu, who was staying in the guest house, was tempered by the realisation that he was almost ill-equipped as I was for the pilgrimage. He kept telling me how fat he was and how hard it was going to be. “Very high up,’ he kept reminding me, ‘so tiresome to walk.’ He wasn’t really a practising Buddhist, it transpired, but he had enthusiasm and he was, of course, Tibetan.

Although I’d originally envisaged making the trek in the company of devout believers, on reflection I decided that perhaps Norbu would turn out to be the ideal companion. He suggested we hire some yaks to carry our luggage, which I interpreted as a good sign, and he had no intention of prostrating himself all round the mountain. ‘Not possible,’ he cried, collapsing across the table in hysterical laughter. It wasn’t his style, and anyway his tummy was too big.

Questions

(i) What moderated the initial relief of the author upon meeting Norbu?

(ii) Why did the author experience relief upon meeting Norbu?

(iii) What led the author to conclude that Norbu wasn't a devout believer?

(iv) What was the sole comfort in the presence of Norbu?

(v) Provide synonyms for:

(a) envisaged

(b) tempered

 

Answers:

(i) The initial relief upon meeting Norbu was moderated by the realization that Norbu, like the author, lacked the necessary equipment for the pilgrimage.

(ii) The author had arrived a bit too early for his kora, and the season had not yet begun. He didn't want to undertake the journey alone. Therefore, when Norbu arrived and explained his purpose, the author felt relieved as he had found a companion, even if not a devout believer.

(iii) Norbu consistently mentioned that he was overweight and would find it challenging to walk on the high mountain trail. He expressed reluctance to engage in the physically demanding aspects of the pilgrimage, such as prostrating around the mountain. These statements made it clear to the author that Norbu was not a devout believer.

(iv) The only comfort the author found in Norbu's company was having a companion for the kora. Additionally, Norbu provided valuable suggestions, such as hiring yaks to carry their luggage.

(v) (a) Envisaged: anticipated, imagined

(b) Tempered: moderated, lessened

Class 11 English Hornbill Chapter 4 – The Adventure (Jayant Narlikar) Extract/Passage based Question Answers

 

NCERT Solutions For Class 11 English

Hornbill

Chapter 4 – The Adventure (Jayant Narlikar)

Extract/Passage based Question Answers

Passage 1

Meanwhile, the racing fund of Professor Gaitonde had arrived at a plan of action in Bombay* Indeed, as a historian he’felt he should have thought of it sooner. He would go to a big library and brow-fee through history books. That was the surest way of finding out how the present state of affairs was reached.

He also planned eventually to return to Pune and have a long talk with Rajendra Deshpande, who would surely help him understand what had happened. That is, assuming that in this world there existed someone called Rajendra Deshpande ! The train stopped beyond the long tunnel. It was a small station called Sarhad. An Anglo-Indian in uniform went through the train checking permits.

Questions:

(i) Who was Professor Gaitonde, and what was his hometown?

(ii) What was his destination, and what objective did he have in mind?

(iii) What sense of responsibility did he associate with his role as a historian?

(iv) Can you estimate the timeframe when the story might have been composed?

(v) Provide synonyms for the following:

(a) exist

(b) tunnel.

Answers:

(i) Professor Gaitonde served as a historian, and he hailed from Pune.

(ii) His current destination was Bombay, and his purpose was to visit the significant library there, where he intended to peruse history books in order to understand the circumstances leading to the present state of affairs.

(iii) As a historian, Professor Gaitonde believed it was incumbent upon him to thoroughly investigate and discern the reasons behind the altered state of affairs.

(iv) The paragraph alludes to the entry of an 'Anglo-Indian' into the carriage to inspect permits, indicating he was a government official. Such occurrences were prevalent only during the era of British rule.

(v) (a) exist: live

(b) tunnel: a long narrow (generally) underground path/a long cave with an outlet at another end also.

 

Passage 2

He thanked the girl politely and came out. It was characteristic of him jot to worry about where he would stay. His main concern was to make his way to the library of the Asiatic Society to solve the riddle of history. Grabbing a quick lunch at a restaurant, he made his way to the Town Hall. Yes, to his relief, the Town Hall was there, and it did house the library. He entered the reading room and asked for a list of history books including his own.

His five volumes duly arrived on his table. He started from the beginning. Volume one took the history up to the period of Ashoka, volume two up to Samudragupta, volume three up to Mohammad Ghori and volume four up to the death of Aurangzeb. Up to this period history was as he knew it. The change evidently had occurred in the last volume.Reading volume five from both ends inwards, Gangadharpant finally converged on the precise moment where history had taken a different turn.

Questions:

(i) Who is referred to as 'he' in this context? Can you identify the 'girl' he expressed gratitude to?

(ii) What was the primary focus of his attention?

(iii) The mention of a specific trait of the subject is made here. What does this characteristic indicate?

(iv) Was he successful in locating what he was searching for?

(v) Provide synonyms for:

(a) concern

(b) converged.

Answers:

(i) The term 'he' pertains to Professor Gangadharpant Gaitonde. Yes, the 'girl' he thanked is the English receptionist at the Forbes Building.

(ii) His main focus was to navigate to the library of the Asiatic Society to unravel the historical mystery.

(iii) Professor Gaitonde is the subject under discussion here. His disregard for personal lodging reflects a characteristic trait. This indicates that, rather than prioritizing his own physical comforts, he placed greater importance on his intellectual pursuits.

(iv) Yes, he did find what he was seeking. He had arrived with the purpose of solving a historical puzzle, and while reading the fifth volume of the history book, he discovered the crucial clue that clarified the enigma.

(v) (a) concern — worry

(b) converged — moved towards a point from different directions and met to form a large crowd.

Passage 3

Their victory in the battle was not only a great morale booster to the Marathas hut it also established their supremacy in northern India. The East India Company, which had been watching these developments from the sidelines, got the message and temporarily shelved its expansionist programme. For the Peshwas the immediate result was an increase in the influence of Bhausaheb and Vishwasrao who eventfully succeeded his father in 1780 AD. The trouble-maker, Dadasaheb, was relegated to the background and he eventually retired from state politics.

To its dismay, the East India Company met its match in the new Maratha ruler, Vishwasrao. He and his brother, Madhavrao, combined political acumen with valour and systematically expanded their influence all over India. The Company was reduced to pockets of influence near Bombay, Calcutta and Madras, just like its European rivals, the Portu guese and the French.

Questions:

(i) What were the consequences of the battle? What transpired as its outcome?

(ii) How did the altered circumstances impact the British/East India Company?

(iii) What were the repercussions for Dadasaheb?

(iv) In what manner did Vishwasrao govern as a ruler?

(v) Provide synonyms for:

(a) relegated

(b) acumen

Answers:

(i) The battle culminated in the triumph of the Marathas, subsequently bolstering their morale. This ultimately established their supremacy in Northern India.

(ii) Following the establishment of Maratha dominance in Northern India, the East India Company had to momentarily set aside its expansionist agenda. Its influence remained confined to specific areas near Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras.

(iii) Dadasaheb, perceived as a troublemaker by the Marathas, was sidelined and eventually withdrew from active involvement in state politics.

(iv) Vishwasrao, in collaboration with his brother Madhavrao, systematically extended their influence throughout India. The East India Company's sway remained limited to regions near Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras.

(v) (a) relegated: given a less important place/rank

(b) acumen: the ability to understand and judge things quickly and clearly.

Passage 4

He found a guest house to stay in and had a frugal meal. He then set out for a stroll towards the Azad Maidan. In the maidan he found a throng moving towards a pandal. So, a lecture was to take place. Force of habit took Professor Gaitonde towards the pandal. The lecture was in progress, although people kept coming and going. But Professor Gaitonde was not looking at the audience.

He was staring at the platform as if mesmerised. There was a table and a chair but the latter was unoccupied. The presidential chair unoccupied! The sight stirred him to the depths. Like a piece of iron attracted to a magnet, he swiftly moved towards the chair. The speaker stopped in mid-sentence, too shocked to continue. But the audience soon found voice.

“Vacate the chair !”
“This lecture series has no chairperson…”
“Away from the platform, mister !”
“The chair is symbolic, don’t you know ?”

What nonsense! Whoever heard of a public lecture without a presiding dignitary ? Professor Gaitonde went to the mike and gave vent to his views. “Ladies and gentlemen, an unchaired lecture is like Shakespeare’s Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark. Let me tell you.”

Questions:

(i) Where did he choose to take a leisurely walk? What did he encounter there?

(ii) What emotions did he experience upon reaching that location?

(iii) How did the audience respond upon his arrival?

(iv) In what manner did he attempt to clarify his situation or position?

(v) Provide the meanings for:

(a) mesmerised

(b) gave vent to

Answers:

(i) He opted to stroll toward the Azad Maidan. There, he observed a crowd converging towards a temporary shelter (pandal).

(ii) He felt spellbound as he gazed at the platform. The sight of the vacant presidential chair deeply affected him, drawing him towards it as if by a magnetic force.

(iii) The speaker was so taken aback (seeing Gangadharpant approaching the presidential chair) that he halted mid-sentence. In response, the audience reacted with hostility, urging Professor Gaitonde to stay away from the chair. They appeared unwilling to listen to the chairperson.

(iv) Professor Gaitonde, having experience in addressing public gatherings, approached the microphone upon noticing the vacant chair. He remarked that an unchaired lecture is akin to Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' without the Prince of Denmark.

(v) (a) mesmerised: spellbound/having such a strong effect that full attention is captivated.

(b) gave vent to: expressed.

Passage 5

“Don’t smile smugly. In case you think that it was just my mind playing tricks and my imagination running amok, look at this.” And, triumphantly, Professor Gaitonde produced his vital piece of evidence : a page tom out of a book. Rajendra read the text on the printed page and his face underwent a change. Gone was the smile and in its place came a grave expression. He was visibly moved.Gangadharpant pressed home his advantage. “I had inadvertently slipped the Bakhar in my pocket as I left the library. I discovered my error when I was paying for my meal. I had intended to return it the next morning.

But it seems that in the melee of Azad Maidan, the book was lost; only this tom-off page remained. And, luckily for me, the page contains vital evidence.” Rajendra again read the page. It described how Vishwasrao narrowly missed the bul¬let; and howr that event, taken as an omen by the Maratha army, turned the tide in their favour.“Now look at this.” Gangadharpant produced his own copy of Bhausahebanchi Bakhar, opened at the relevant page. The account ran thus :‘… And then Vishwasrao guided his horse to the melee where the elite troops were fighting, and he attacked them. And God expressed His displeasure. He was hit by the bullet ’ .

Questions:

(i) For what reason did Gangadharpant present a piece of paper?

(ii) What impact did the evidence have on Rajendra?

(iii) How did Professor Gaitonde end up with that piece of evidence in his pocket?

(iv) What is the focal point of the conversation between Gangadharpant and Rajendra?

(v) Provide synonyms for the following words:

(a) smugly

(b) inadvertently

Answers:

(i) Gangadhar produced the piece of paper as part of evidence to substantiate that his mind was not deceiving him, and his experiences were not mere figments of imagination. He sought to validate that he genuinely lived through the events he narrated.

(ii) Rajendra was genuinely affected by the evidence. Initially, he had considered it a product of Gangadharpant's imagination. However, after seeing the evidence, he became serious and carefully examined the content of the page.

(iii) Gangadharpant had visited the large library where he read a Bakhar. Upon leaving the library, he inadvertently placed it in his pocket. Consequently, the evidence found its way into his possession.

(iv) Gangadharpant and Rajendra were engaged in a discussion concerning the enigmatic situation of where Gangadharpant spent the two days while he was absent from Bombay.

(v) (a) smugly: contentedly, pleased with oneself for achieving something.

(b) inadvertently: accidentally, unintentionally.

 

Passage 6

“A good guess. I was indeed wondering what course history would have taken if the result of the battle had gone the other way,” Professor Gaitonde said. “That was going to be the topic of my thousandth presidential address.”“Now you are in the happy position of recounting your real life experience rather than just speculating,” Rajehdra laughed. But Gangadharpant was grave. “No, Rajendra, my thousandth address was made on the Azad Maidan when I was so rudely interrupted. No. the Professor Gaitonde who disappeared while defending his chair on the platform will now never be seen presiding at another meeting—‘I have conveyed my regrets to the organisers of the Panipat seminar.’

Questions:

(i) What was intended to be the subject of Professor Gaitonde's thousandth Presidential address? Was he able to deliver it?

(ii) Why was he unable to give his thousandth presidential address?

(iii) What resolution did Gangadharpant make as a consequence?

(iv) Why did Professor Gaitonde express his regrets to the organizers of the Panipat Seminar?

(v) Provide the meanings of the following words:

(a) recounting

(b) speculating

Answers:

(i) The proposed topic for Gangadharpant Gaitonde's thousandth address was "what course history would have taken if the result of the battle had gone the other way." However, he was unable to deliver it.

(ii) Professor Gangadharpant Gaitonde could not deliver his thousandth presidential speech because he was abruptly interrupted by the public and the speaker at Azad Maidan in Pune. He was physically pulled down from the stage.

(iii) Feeling deeply offended and shocked by the rude interruption at Azad Maidan in Pune, Gangadharpant resolved never to preside at any meeting again.

(iv) Professor Gaitonde conveyed his regrets to the organizers of the Panipat seminar because he had decided never to attend or address any meeting as the President in the future. This decision resulted from his bitter experience at the Pune meeting.

(v)(a) recounting: narrating or telling something about your personal experience.

(b) speculating: forming an opinion about something you don’t know in detail.

Class 11 English Hornbill Chapter 3 – Discovering Tut: The Saga Continues (A.R. Williams) Extract/Passage based question Answers

 

NCERT Solutions For Class 11 English

Hornbill

Chapter 3 – Discovering Tut: The Saga Continues (A.R. Williams)

Extract/Passage based question Answers

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow :

Passage 1.

He was just a teenager when he died. The last heir of a powerful family that had ruled Egypt and its empire for centuries, he was laid to rest laden with gold and eventually forgotten. Since the discovery of his tomb in 1922, the modem world has speculated about what happened to him, with murder being the most extreme possibility. Now, leaving his tomb for the first time in almost 80 years, Tut has undergone a CT scan that offers new clues about his life and death and provides precise data for an accurate forensic reconstruc¬tion of the boyish pharaoh.

Questions :

(i) What led to Tut being referred to as the final heir?

(ii) When did Tut pass away, and how was his burial conducted?

(iii) What speculations has the contemporary world made regarding King Tut?

 (iv) For what reason did Tut's mummy undergo a CT scan?

(v) Form nouns from the following verbs. (a) ruled (b) speculated.

 

Answers :

(i) Tut has earned the title of the last heir due to his demise as a teenager without leaving any offspring or descendants.

(ii) Tut passed away during his teenage years and was interred adorned with gold.

(Hi) The contemporary world has engaged in speculation regarding King Tut's fate. There are concerns that he may have been a victim of possible murder.

(iv) The mummy of Tut underwent a CT scan to explore fresh insights into his life and death, aiming to gather accurate data for a precise forensic reconstruction.

(v) (a) ruler
(b) speculation

 

Passage 2

 

“The mummy is in very bad condition because of what Carter did in the 1920,” said Zahi Hawass, Secretary-General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, as he leaned over the body for a long first lock. Carter-Howard Carter, that is was the British archae¬ologist who in 1922 discovered Tut’s tomb after years of futile searching. Its contents, though hastily ransacked in antiquity, were surprisingly complete. They remain the richest royal collection ever found and have become part of the pharaoh’s legend.

 

Questions

 

(i) Identify Zahi Hawass and elaborate on his comments.

(ii) Provide information about Carter and his activities during the 1920s.

(iii) What was the significance of the contents found in Tut's tomb?

(iv) Did Carter encounter challenges in locating Tut's tomb?

(v) Define: (a) antiquities
(b) pharaoh

Answer :

(i) The Secretary-General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, Zahi Hawass, remarked that the mummy's deteriorated state was a consequence of Howard Carter's actions in the 1920s.

(ii) In 1922, British archaeologist Howard Carter unearthed Tut’s tomb.

(iii) King Tut’s tomb contained exceptionally valuable contents, considered one of the most opulent royal collections ever unearthed.

(iv) After years of futile searching, Howard Carter finally succeeded in discovering Tut’s tomb.

(v) (a) remains of ancient times.
(b) a title of the ancient Egyptian Kings.

 

Passage 3

 

Archaeology has changed substantially in the intervening decades, focusing less an treasure and more on the fascinating details of life and intriguing mysteries of death. It also uses more sophisticated tools, including medical technology. In 1968, more that 40 years after Carter’s discovery, an anatomy professor X-rayed the mummy and revealed a startling fact. Beneath the resin that cakes his chest, his breast-bone and front ribs are missing. Today diagnostic imaging can be done with computed tomography, or CT, by which hundreds of X-rays in cross section are put together like slices of bread to create a three¬dimensional virtual body.

 

Questions

 

(i) How has archaeology undergone changes in recent times?

(ii) What methods do archaeologists employ in their contemporary research practices?

(iii) What was the surprising revelation made in 1968?

(iv) What technology is utilized for diagnostic imaging in the present day?

(v) Find synonyms in the passage for

(a) situated between.

(b) the scientific study of body structure.

 

Answers:

 

(i) Archaeology is now concentrating more on the intriguing aspects of life and the concealed enigmas of death.

(ii) Presently, archaeologists conduct their research using advanced tools, including medical technology.

(iii) In 1968, an anatomy professor X-rayed Tut’s mummy and unveiled the astonishing fact that his breastbone and front ribs were missing.

(iv) Diagnostic imaging nowadays is conducted using computed tomography or CT.

(v) (a) intervening,

(b) anatomy.

 

Passage 4

 

Amenhotep III—Tut’s father or grandfather was a powerful pharaoh who ruled for almost four decades at the height of the eighteenth dynasty’s golden age. His son Amenhotep IV succeeded him and initiated one of the strangest periods in the history of ancient Egypt. The new pharaoh promoted the worship of the Aten, the sun disk, changed his name to Akhenaten, or “servant of the Aten”, and moved the religious capital from the old city of Thebes tq the new city of Akhetaten, known now as Amama. He further shocked the country by attacking Amun, a major God, smashing his images and closing his temples.

 

Questions :

 

(i) What was the duration of Amenhotep III's rule?

(ii) Following Amenhotep III, who assumed the throne, and what initiatives did they set in motion?

(iii) What was the focus of promotion by Amenhotep IV?

(iv) What caused a state of shock throughout the country?

(v) Use the following words in your own sentences :
(a) evidence
(b) ancient

 

Answers :

 

(i) For nearly four decades, Amenhotep III held sway, marking the pinnacle of the 18th dynasty's golden age.

(ii) Amenhotep IV, also known as Akhenaten, succeeded Amenhotep III, ushering in one of the most peculiar eras in ancient Egypt's history.

(iii) Amenhotep IV, later adopting the name Akhenaten, advocated for the veneration of the Aten, the sun disk.

(iv) The nation was in disbelief as Akhenaten launched an assault on Amun, a prominent deity, destroying his images and shuttering his temples.

(v)
(a) The evidence turned hostile and the real culprit could not be punished.
(b) India is an ancient country whose culture and civilization are very old.

 

Passage 5

 

Regardless of his fame and the speculations about his fate, Tut is one mummy among many in Egypt. How many ? No one knows. The Egyptian Mummy Project, which began an inventory in late 2003, has recorded almost 600 so far and is still counting. The next phase : scanning the mummies with a portable CT machine donated by the National Geographic Society and Siemens, its manufacturer. King Tut is one of the first mummies to be scanned—in death, as in life, moving regally ahead of his countrymen.

 

Questions :

(i) Which institution is responsible for maintaining records of the mummies?

(ii) What is the current count of recorded mummies?

(iii) What comes after the current phase?

(iv) Who has donated the CT machine?

(v) Give noun forms of
(a) donated
(b) recorded.

Answers :

(i) Since 2003, the Egyptian Mummy Project has been maintaining records of the mummies.

(ii) The count currently stands at 600 recorded mummies, and the tally is ongoing.

(iii) The upcoming stage involves using a portable CT machine to scan the mummies.

(iv) Both the National Geographic Society and Siemens, the manufacturers, have contributed the portable CT machine.

(v) (a) donation.
(b) record.

 

Passage 6

 

ACT machine scanned the mummy head to toe, creating 1700 digital X-ray images in cross section. Tut’s head, scanned in 0.62 millimeter slices to register its intricate struc¬tures, taking an eerie detail in the resulting image. With Tut’s entire body similarly recorded, a team of specialists in radiology, forensics and anatomy began to probe the secrets that the winged goddesses of a gilded burial shrine protected for so long. The night of the  scan,workmen carried Tut from the tomb in his box. Like pallbearers they climbed a ramp and a flight of stairs into the swirling sand outside, then rose on a hydraulic lift into the trailer that held the scanner.

 

Questions :

(i) To whom does the term 'the mummy' allude?

(ii) What resulted from the scanning process?

(iii) In what manner was Tut’s head subjected to scanning?

(iv) Who initiated the investigation into the secrets?

(v) Find words in the passage which mean
(a) examine
(b) a vehicle drawn by another.

Answers :

(i) The term 'the mummy' denotes the well-preserved deceased body of King Tut.

(ii) Utilizing the CT machine, 1700 digital X-ray images were generated in cross-section.

(iii) Tut’s head underwent scanning in 0.62-millimeter slices, capturing intricate structures and revealing a peculiar and unsettling detail in the resulting image.

(iv) A team comprising specialists in radiology, forensics, and anatomy commenced the investigation into the mysteries surrounding Tut’s life and death.
(v) (a) probe
(b) trailer.