Advertisements
Advertisements
प्रश्न
Read this article about the great Indian Rhinoceros. [You will find the information useful for your group discussion in 5.]
The Indian Rhinoceros or the Great One-Horned Rhinoceros or the Asian Onehorned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicomis) is a large mammal primarily found in north-eastern India, Nepal and parts of Bhutan. It is confined to the tall grasslands and forests in the foothills of the Himalayas.
The Indian Rhinoceros once ranged throughout the entire stretch of the Indo Gangetic Plain but excessive hunting reduced their natural habitat drastically.
Today, about 3,000 Indian Rhinos live in the wild, 1,800 of which are found in Assam alone. In 2008, more than 400 Indian Rhinos were sighted in Nepal's Chitwan National Park.
In size it is equal to that of the White Rhino in Africa; together they are the largest of all rhino species. The Great One-Horned Rhinoceros has a single horn; this is present in both males and females, but not on newborn young. In most adults, the horn reachee a length of about 25 centimetres, but has been recorded up to 57 .2 centimetres in length. The nasal hom curves backwards from the nose. The horn is naturally black.
This prehistoric-looking rhinoceros bas thick, silver-brown skin which becomes pinkish near the large skin folds that cover its body. The male develops thick neckfolds. It has very little body hair aside from eyelashes, ear-fringes and tail-brush.
These rhinos live in tall grasslands and riverine forests, but due to the loss of habitat, they have been forced towards cultivated land. They are mostly solitary creatures, with the exception of mothers and calves and breeding pairs, although they sometimes, congregate at bathing areas.

The Indian Rhinoceros makes a wide variety of vocalizations. At least ten distinct vocalizations have been identified: snorting, honking, bleating, roaring, squeak panting, moo-grunting, shrieking, groaning, rumbling and humphing. In addition to noises, the rhino also uses olfactory communication.
In aggregation, Indian Rhinos are often friendly. They will often greet each other by waving or bobbing their heads, mounting flanks, nuzzling noses, or licking. Rhinos will playfully spar, run around, and play with twigs in their mouth. Adult males are the primary instigators of fights. Fights between dominant males are the most common cause of rhino mortality. Indian rhinos have few natural enemies, except for tigers. Tigers sometimes kill unguarded calves, but adult rhinos are less vulnerable due to their size. Humans are the only other animal threat, hunting the rhinoceros primarily for sport or for the use of its horn. Indian Rhinos have been somewhat tamed and trained in circuses, but they remain dangerous and unpredictable animals.
In the nineteenth and early twentieth century, the Indian Rhinoceros was hunted relentlessly. Reports from the middle of the nineteenth century claim that some military officers in Assam individually shot more than 200 rhinos. In the early 1900s, officials became concerned at the rhinos' plummeting numbers. By 1908 in Kaziranga, one of the Rhinos' main ranges, the population had fallen to around 12 individuals. In 1910, all rhino hunting in India became prohibited.
The rhino has been a major success in conservation. Only 100 remained in the early 1900s; a century later, their population has increased to about 2500 again, but even so, the species is still endangered. The Indian rhino is illegally poached for its horn. Some cultures in East Asia believe that the hair has healing and potency powers and therefore is used for traditional Chinese medicine and other Oriental medicines.
The Indian and Nepalese Governments have taken major steps towards Indian Rhinoceros conservation with the help of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The Kaziranga National Park and Manas National Park in Assam, Pobitora Reserve Forest in Assam {having the highest Indian rhino density in the world), Orang National Park of Assam, Laokhowa Reserve Forest of Assam (having a very small population) and Royal Chitwan National Park in Nepal are homes to this endangered animal.
Advertisements
उत्तर
Summary of the extract :
The Indian Rhinoceros is mainly found in north eastern part of the Indian peninsula. During early 1900s the population of rhino dipped to as low as about 100. Rhino conservation in India is a success story with current population standing at about 3000. Rhinos are usually solitary animals but make group for reproduction. They are big animals and have virtually no enemy because of their size. They are poached for their horns which are supposed to have aphrodisiac properties. Kaziranga is one of the major sanctuaries for rhinos.

| DOMESTIC YAK |
| herd animals 2-2.2 m tall |
| used in sports |
| kept for milk , fur , fibre , meat , drawing ploughs etc |

| WILD YAK |
| length:3-3. 4m |
|
habitat: treeless uplands
|
| killed for food |
| insulated from cold by dense, close matted under hair , shaggy outer hair |
| hunted for similar reasons as the domestic ones |
APPEARS IN
संबंधित प्रश्न
What is Behrman’s masterpiece? What makes Sue say so?
Pick out word from the text that mean the same as the following word or expression. (Look in the paragraph indicated.)
took to be true without proof : _________
When we talk about people, we discuss their qualities. The box below contains some words which best describe people.
| unassummg | authoritative | egoist | sympathetic |
| domineering | kind-hearted | thoughtful | tireless |
| laborious | diligent | careless | irresponsible |
| workaholic | sagacious | tiresome |
Work in pairs and select the appropriate words for the following characters.
Based on your reading of the story answer the following question by choosing the correct option:
The author says that Duke ‘knew his job’ The job was __________
On the basis of your understanding of the poem, answer the following questions
by ticking the correct choice.
The setting of the poem is ___________.
What does he plant who plants a tree? a
He plants a friend of sun and sky;b
He plants the flag of breezes free;
The shaft of beauty, towering high;
He plants a home to heaven anigh;
For song and mother-croon of bird
In hushed and happy twilight heard____
The treble of heaven's harmony_____
These things he plants who plants a tree.
Read the lines given above and answer the question that follow:
"Now tell us what 'twas all about,"
Young Peterkin, he cries;
And little wilhelmine looks up
with wonder-waiting eyes;
"Now tell us all about the war,
And what they fought each other for."
"It was the English," Kaspar cried,
"Who put the French to rout;
But what they fought each other for,
I could not well make out;
But everybody said,"quoth he,
"That 'twas a famous victory.
Read the lines given above and answer the question that follow.
Why does Kasper repeat the line ‘twas a great victory?
Unleashing the goats from the drumstick tree, Muni started out, driving them ahead and uttering weird cries from time to time in order to urge them on. Me passed through the village with his head bowed in thought. He did not want to look at anyone or be accosted. A couple of cronies lounging in the temple corridor hailed him, but he ignored their call. They had known him in the days of affluence when he lorded over a flock of fleecy sheep, not the miserable grawky goats that he had today.
Read the extract given below and answer the question that follow.
Did Muni know his age?
She lighted another match, and then she found herself sitting under a beautiful Christmas-tree. It was larger and more beautifully decorated than the one which she had seen through the glass door at the rich merchant’s. Thousands of tapers were burning upon the green branches, and colored pictures, like those she had seen in the show- windows, looked down upon it all. The little one stretched out her hand towards them, and the match went out.
The Christmas lights rose higher and higher, till they looked to her like the stars in the sky. Then she saw a star fall, leaving behind it a bright streak of fire. “Someone is dying,” thought the little girl, for her old grandmother, the only one who had ever loved her, and who was now dead, had told her that when a star falls, a soul was going up to God.
Read the extract given below and answer the question that follow.
What did she see when she lighted another match?
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
"He was not accustomed to facing the entire class and speaking out aloud. He knew that he did not have a flair for making speeches. However, he had worked hard on his assignment and had written it from the depth of his heart." (India's Heroes-Anonymous!
(i) Who was 'he'? What evidence is there that he was not used to facing the entire class?
(ii) What was the assignment? How was our assignment different from the others?
(iii) Who was the first person to feature in 'his' assignment? What did 'he' say about him?
(iv) Who was the General Manager of the Taj Hotel ' What role did he play?
(v) What, according to this speaker, is the only true religion in the world? What human qualities have I been highlighted through 'his' speech?
How did the wicked couple behave with the dogs passing by their house?
What do you know about worker ants?
What type of shopkeeper was Mr. Purcell?
Why did the farmer bring a baby mongoose into the house?
How did the old woman’s little gifts help Vijay Singh in vanquishing the ghost?
Which incident made the visitor to the school ten times more thoughtful than ever?
Answer the question.
What does he imagine about
what they do at home?
Multiple Choice Question:
What does the expression Whatif mean?
Which is more desirable-friendship or enmity? When does a person hear strongly the voice of his conscience?
How did Rasheed lose all his money at the Lucky shop?
