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विषय
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| There were brass spittoons on the floor, and across the station, a glint of light caught my eye; a man was pulling a gold watch from his vest pocket. He snapped open the cover, glanced at his watch and frowned. He wore a derby hat, a black four-button suit with tiny lapels, and he had a big, black, handlebar mustache. Then I looked around and saw that everyone in the station was dressed like eighteen-ninety-something; I never saw so many beards sideburns and fancy mustaches in my life. Back of her, out on the tracks, I caught a glimpse of a locomotive, a very small Currier and Ives locomotive with a funnel-shaped stack. |
What did the author see in the station which he had never seen in his life?
Chapter: [1] English Language
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| I turned toward the ticket windows knowing that here — on the third level at Grand Central — I could buy tickets that would take Louisa and me anywhere in the United States we wanted to go. In the year 1894. And I wanted two tickets to Galesburg, Illinois. Have you ever been there? It's a wonderful town still, with big old frame houses, huge lawns, and tremendous trees whose branches meet overhead and roof the streets. And in 1894, summer evenings were twice as long, and people sat out on their lawns, the men smoking cigars and talking quietly, the women waving palm-leaf fans, with the fireflies all around, In a peaceful world. To be back there with the First World War still twenty years off, and World War II over forty years In the future ... I wanted two tickets for that. |
Why did the author and Louisa go to the third level at Grand Central?
Chapter: [1] English Language
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| I turned toward the ticket windows knowing that here — on the third level at Grand Central — I could buy tickets that would take Louisa and me anywhere in the United States we wanted to go. In the year 1894. And I wanted two tickets to Galesburg, Illinois. Have you ever been there? It's a wonderful town still, with big old frame houses, huge lawns, and tremendous trees whose branches meet overhead and roof the streets. And in 1894, summer evenings were twice as long, and people sat out on their lawns, the men smoking cigars and talking quietly, the women waving palm-leaf fans, with the fireflies all around, In a peaceful world. To be back there with the First World War still twenty years off, and World War II over forty years In the future ... I wanted two tickets for that. |
How did the author describe the beauty of Galesburg?
Chapter: [1] English Language
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| I turned toward the ticket windows knowing that here — on the third level at Grand Central — I could buy tickets that would take Louisa and me anywhere in the United States we wanted to go. In the year 1894. And I wanted two tickets to Galesburg, Illinois. Have you ever been there? It's a wonderful town still, with big old frame houses, huge lawns, and tremendous trees whose branches meet overhead and roof the streets. And in 1894, summer evenings were twice as long, and people sat out on their lawns, the men smoking cigars and talking quietly, the women waving palm-leaf fans, with the fireflies all around, In a peaceful world. To be back there with the First World War still twenty years off, and World War II over forty years In the future ... I wanted two tickets for that. |
What were the women doing on long summer evenings?
Chapter: [1] English Language
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| I turned toward the ticket windows knowing that here — on the third level at Grand Central — I could buy tickets that would take Louisa and me anywhere in the United States we wanted to go. In the year 1894. And I wanted two tickets to Galesburg, Illinois. Have you ever been there? It's a wonderful town still, with big old frame houses, huge lawns, and tremendous trees whose branches meet overhead and roof the streets. And in 1894, summer evenings were twice as long, and people sat out on their lawns, the men smoking cigars and talking quietly, the women waving palm-leaf fans, with the fireflies all around, In a peaceful world. To be back there with the First World War still twenty years off, and World War II over forty years In the future ... I wanted two tickets for that. |
Where do the branches of huge trees meet?
Chapter: [1] English Language
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| I turned toward the ticket windows knowing that here — on the third level at Grand Central — I could buy tickets that would take Louisa and me anywhere in the United States we wanted to go. In the year 1894. And I wanted two tickets to Galesburg, Illinois. Have you ever been there? It's a wonderful town still, with big old frame houses, huge lawns, and tremendous trees whose branches meet overhead and roof the streets. And in 1894, summer evenings were twice as long, and people sat out on their lawns, the men smoking cigars and talking quietly, the women waving palm-leaf fans, with the fireflies all around, In a peaceful world. To be back there with the First World War still twenty years off, and World War II over forty years In the future ... I wanted two tickets for that. |
In the sentence: 'And In 1894, summer evenings ...... ' the author uses the term 'fireflies'. What does it mean?
Chapter: [1] English Language
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| (1) | "Who doesn't know how to cook rice? Cooking rice hardly takes time," said my father. So, I challenged myself. I switched from news to You Tube and typed, "How to cook rice?" I took one and a half cups of rice. Since I didn't have access to a rice cooker, I put the rice in a big pot. Firstly, the rice has to be washed to get rid of dust and starch. I thought I won't be able to drain the rice and that it will fall out of the pot. I observed the chef as I swirled the rice around and used my dexterous hands to drain it, not once, not twice, but three times. I looked down at the sink and saw less than 50 grains that made their way out of the pot. Suffice to say, I was up to the mark. |
| (2) | The video stated that the key to perfect rice is equal amount of rice and water. I have heard that professionals don't need to measure everything; they just know what the right amount is. But as this was my first time in the kitchen, I decided to experiment by not measuring the water needed for boiling the rice. I wanted the rice to be firm when bitten, just like pasta. I don't enjoy the texture of mushy rice. It has to have that chutzpah; it has to resist my biting power just for a bit before disintegrating. |
| (3) | After what seemed like 10 minutes, all the water disappeared. I went in to give it a good stir. To my surprise, some of the rice got stuck to the pot. I tried to scrape it off but to no avail. At the same time, there was a burning smell coming from it. I quickly turned the stove off. "What have you done to the kitchen?" My mother shouted while coming towards the kitchen. I managed to ward her off. |
| (4) | Finally, when the time came to taste my creation, I was surprised! It wasn't bad at all. The rice had the desired consistency. Sure, a little more salt would've been better, but I just added that while eating. The experience was fairly rewarding and memorable. It taught me a new sense of respect for those who cook food on a regular basis at home or are engaged in gourmet creations professionally. |
"I switched from news to You Tube ... " Pick the option in which the meaning of 'switch (ed)' is NOT the same as it is in the passage.
Chapter: [1] English Language
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| (1) | Royal Bengal Tiger is the largest, fiercest, and powerful member of the Big Cat family in India. Royal Bengal Tigers, also known as Indian Tiger and Bengal Tiger, constitute a large population of tiger family in the world. It is the National animal of India and is found mostly in India, China, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Burma. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (2) | The biological name of this Big Cat is Panthera Tigris, which comes under the Felidae family under Mammalia category. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (3) | No two Bengal tigers look alike! Every Bengal Tigers has a unique stripe pattern. Their colour ranges from yellow to light orange, with stripes from dark brown to black. Some of the Bengal Tigers are white in colour. The tail is orange in colour with black rings. Unlike the other White Tigers that have blue eyes, Bengal Tigers have yellow irises. They live for 10 to 15 years. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (4) | Being fierce in nature, Royal Bengal Tigers are not much friendly in nature and live a solitary life, except in winters when they can be seen in a group of 3 or 4. Bengal tigers are fast runners and good swimmers. Tigers attack their prey in a stealth mode. They are usually spotted in swamps, mangroves, and grasslands. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (5) | Royal Bengal Tigers have very sharp memory; they never forget the faces. Their memory is sharper than humans and other animals. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (6) | We can find the largest population of Royal Bengal Tigers in India. As per the latest tiger census report 2017, there are 3,786 Royal Bengal Tigers in India. India has more than 75% of the total tiger population in the world. Along with India, neighbouring countries to India holds a somewhat decent population of Royal Bengal Tiger in the world. The latest census of the tigers in India and neighbouring countries are shown in the table.
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| (7) | To know about the latest tiger population is always government's concern, as they want to save this majestic animal from getting extinct. India has lost 97% of its Royal Bengal Tigers population in the last century. The main reason is Hunting, Poaching, Urbanization, Habitat loss and illegal Wildlife Trade. Poaching means to illegally trade tiger made products like tiger skin, tiger-made jewellery, etc. These skin and jewellery are sold for millions in the international market. Poaching has reduced the number of tigers to just 3,800 from 1,00,000 in the starting of the 20th century. |
Pick the right word which is similar in meaning as 'Solitary'.
Chapter: [1] English Language
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| ''All those who are born will one day have to die. We don't need your predictions to know that. There would be some sense in it if you could tell us the manner of that death," the royal infant uttered these words in his little squeaky voice. The chief astrologer placed his finger on his nose in wonder. A baby barely ten days old opens its lips in speech! Not only that, it also raises intelligent questions! Incredible! Rather like the bulletins issued by the war office, than facts. The chief astrologer took his finger off his nose and fixed his eyes upon the little prince. ''The prince was born in the hour of the Bull. The Bull and the Tiger are enemies, therefore, death comes from the Tiger," he explained. |
The first line of the passage: 'All those who are born will one day have to die'. symbolizes:
Chapter: [1] English Language
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| ''All those who are born will one day have to die. We don't need your predictions to know that. There would be some sense in it if you could tell us the manner of that death," the royal infant uttered these words in his little squeaky voice. The chief astrologer placed his finger on his nose in wonder. A baby barely ten days old opens its lips in speech! Not only that, it also raises intelligent questions! Incredible! Rather like the bulletins issued by the war office, than facts. The chief astrologer took his finger off his nose and fixed his eyes upon the little prince. ''The prince was born in the hour of the Bull. The Bull and the Tiger are enemies, therefore, death comes from the Tiger," he explained. |
'All those who are born will one day have to die. We don't need your predictions to know that. There would be some sense in it if you could tell us the manner of that death' - Who is the speaker of this line?
Chapter: [1] English Language
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| (1) | We sit in the last row, bumped about but free of stares. The bus rolls out of the dull crossroads of the city, and we are soon in open countryside with fields of sunflowers as far as the eye can see, their heads all facing us. Where there is no water, the land reverts to desert. While still on level ground, we see in the distance the tall range of the Mount Bogda, abrupt like a shining prism laid horizontally on the desert surface. It is over 5,000 metres high, and the peak is under permanent snow, . in powerful contrast to the flat desert all around. Heaven Lake lies part of the way up this range, about 2,000 metres above sea level, at the foot of one of the highest snow- peaks. |
| (2) | As the bus climbs, the sky, brilliant before, grows overcast. I have brought nothing warm to wear. It is all down at the hotel in Urumqi. Rain begins to fall. The man behind me is eating overpoweringly smelly goat's cheese. The bus window leaks inhospitably, but reveals a beautiful view. We have passed quickly from desert through arable land to pasture and the ground is now green with grass, the slopes dark with pine. A few cattle drink at a clear stream flowing past moss-covered stones; it is a constable landscape. The stream changes into a white torrent, and as we climb higher, I wish more and more that I had brought with me something warmer than just the pair of shorts that have served me so well in the desert. The stream (which, we are told, rises in Heaven Lake) disappears, and we continue our slow ascent. About noon, we arrive at Heaven Lake, and look for a place to stay at the foot, which is the resort area. We get a room in a small cottage, and I am happy to note that there are thick quilts on the beds. |
| (3) | Standing outside the cottage, we survey our surroundings. Heaven Lake is long, sardine- shaped and fed by snow melt from a stream at its head. The lake is intense blue, surrounded on all sides by green mountain walls, dotted with distant steep. At the head of the lake, beyond the delta of the in-flowing stream, is a massive snow-capped peak which dominates the vista; it is part of a series of peaks that culminate, a little out of view, in Mount Bogda itself. |
| (4) | For those who live in the resort, there is a small hall by the shore. We eat here sometimes, and sometimes buy food from the vendors outside, who sell kabab and naan until the last buses leave. The kababs, cooked on skewers over charcoal braziers, are particularly good, highly spiced and well done. Horse's milk is available too from the local Kazakh herdsmen, but I decline this. I am so affected by the cold that Mr. Cao, the relaxed young man who runs the mess, lends me a spare pair of trousers, several sizes too large but more than comfortable. |
On reaching the destination the narrator felt relieved because ______.
Chapter: [1] English Language
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| (1) | We sit in the last row, bumped about but free of stares. The bus rolls out of the dull crossroads of the city, and we are soon in open countryside with fields of sunflowers as far as the eye can see, their heads all facing us. Where there is no water, the land reverts to desert. While still on level ground, we see in the distance the tall range of the Mount Bogda, abrupt like a shining prism laid horizontally on the desert surface. It is over 5,000 metres high, and the peak is under permanent snow, . in powerful contrast to the flat desert all around. Heaven Lake lies part of the way up this range, about 2,000 metres above sea level, at the foot of one of the highest snow- peaks. |
| (2) | As the bus climbs, the sky, brilliant before, grows overcast. I have brought nothing warm to wear. It is all down at the hotel in Urumqi. Rain begins to fall. The man behind me is eating overpoweringly smelly goat's cheese. The bus window leaks inhospitably, but reveals a beautiful view. We have passed quickly from desert through arable land to pasture and the ground is now green with grass, the slopes dark with pine. A few cattle drink at a clear stream flowing past moss-covered stones; it is a constable landscape. The stream changes into a white torrent, and as we climb higher, I wish more and more that I had brought with me something warmer than just the pair of shorts that have served me so well in the desert. The stream (which, we are told, rises in Heaven Lake) disappears, and we continue our slow ascent. About noon, we arrive at Heaven Lake, and look for a place to stay at the foot, which is the resort area. We get a room in a small cottage, and I am happy to note that there are thick quilts on the beds. |
| (3) | Standing outside the cottage, we survey our surroundings. Heaven Lake is long, sardine- shaped and fed by snow melt from a stream at its head. The lake is intense blue, surrounded on all sides by green mountain walls, dotted with distant steep. At the head of the lake, beyond the delta of the in-flowing stream, is a massive snow-capped peak which dominates the vista; it is part of a series of peaks that culminate, a little out of view, in Mount Bogda itself. |
| (4) | For those who live in the resort, there is a small hall by the shore. We eat here sometimes, and sometimes buy food from the vendors outside, who sell kabab and naan until the last buses leave. The kababs, cooked on skewers over charcoal braziers, are particularly good, highly spiced and well done. Horse's milk is available too from the local Kazakh herdsmen, but I decline this. I am so affected by the cold that Mr. Cao, the relaxed young man who runs the mess, lends me a spare pair of trousers, several sizes too large but more than comfortable. |
Which animal's milk is available from local herdsmen?
Chapter: [1] English Language
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| ''All those who are born will one day have to die. We don't need your predictions to know that. There would be some sense in it if you could tell us the manner of that death," the royal infant uttered these words in his little squeaky voice. The chief astrologer placed his finger on his nose in wonder. A baby barely ten days old opens its lips in speech! Not only that, it also raises intelligent questions! Incredible! Rather like the bulletins issued by the war office, than facts. The chief astrologer took his finger off his nose and fixed his eyes upon the little prince. ''The prince was born in the hour of the Bull. The Bull and the Tiger are enemies, therefore, death comes from the Tiger," he explained. |
What did the astrologer do after listening to the royal infant?
Chapter: [1] English Language
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| (1) | We sit in the last row, bumped about but free of stares. The bus rolls out of the dull crossroads of the city, and we are soon in open countryside with fields of sunflowers as far as the eye can see, their heads all facing us. Where there is no water, the land reverts to desert. While still on level ground, we see in the distance the tall range of the Mount Bogda, abrupt like a shining prism laid horizontally on the desert surface. It is over 5,000 metres high, and the peak is under permanent snow, . in powerful contrast to the flat desert all around. Heaven Lake lies part of the way up this range, about 2,000 metres above sea level, at the foot of one of the highest snow- peaks. |
| (2) | As the bus climbs, the sky, brilliant before, grows overcast. I have brought nothing warm to wear. It is all down at the hotel in Urumqi. Rain begins to fall. The man behind me is eating overpoweringly smelly goat's cheese. The bus window leaks inhospitably, but reveals a beautiful view. We have passed quickly from desert through arable land to pasture and the ground is now green with grass, the slopes dark with pine. A few cattle drink at a clear stream flowing past moss-covered stones; it is a constable landscape. The stream changes into a white torrent, and as we climb higher, I wish more and more that I had brought with me something warmer than just the pair of shorts that have served me so well in the desert. The stream (which, we are told, rises in Heaven Lake) disappears, and we continue our slow ascent. About noon, we arrive at Heaven Lake, and look for a place to stay at the foot, which is the resort area. We get a room in a small cottage, and I am happy to note that there are thick quilts on the beds. |
| (3) | Standing outside the cottage, we survey our surroundings. Heaven Lake is long, sardine- shaped and fed by snow melt from a stream at its head. The lake is intense blue, surrounded on all sides by green mountain walls, dotted with distant steep. At the head of the lake, beyond the delta of the in-flowing stream, is a massive snow-capped peak which dominates the vista; it is part of a series of peaks that culminate, a little out of view, in Mount Bogda itself. |
| (4) | For those who live in the resort, there is a small hall by the shore. We eat here sometimes, and sometimes buy food from the vendors outside, who sell kabab and naan until the last buses leave. The kababs, cooked on skewers over charcoal braziers, are particularly good, highly spiced and well done. Horse's milk is available too from the local Kazakh herdsmen, but I decline this. I am so affected by the cold that Mr. Cao, the relaxed young man who runs the mess, lends me a spare pair of trousers, several sizes too large but more than comfortable. |
Who helped the narrator to make him comfortable?
Chapter: [1] English Language
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| ''All those who are born will one day have to die. We don't need your predictions to know that. There would be some sense in it if you could tell us the manner of that death," the royal infant uttered these words in his little squeaky voice. The chief astrologer placed his finger on his nose in wonder. A baby barely ten days old opens its lips in speech! Not only that, it also raises intelligent questions! Incredible! Rather like the bulletins issued by the war office, than facts. The chief astrologer took his finger off his nose and fixed his eyes upon the little prince. ''The prince was born in the hour of the Bull. The Bull and the Tiger are enemies, therefore, death comes from the Tiger," he explained. |
Upon taking his finger off his nose, what did the chief astrologer do?
Chapter: [1] English Language
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| (1) | We sit in the last row, bumped about but free of stares. The bus rolls out of the dull crossroads of the city, and we are soon in open countryside with fields of sunflowers as far as the eye can see, their heads all facing us. Where there is no water, the land reverts to desert. While still on level ground, we see in the distance the tall range of the Mount Bogda, abrupt like a shining prism laid horizontally on the desert surface. It is over 5,000 metres high, and the peak is under permanent snow, . in powerful contrast to the flat desert all around. Heaven Lake lies part of the way up this range, about 2,000 metres above sea level, at the foot of one of the highest snow- peaks. |
| (2) | As the bus climbs, the sky, brilliant before, grows overcast. I have brought nothing warm to wear. It is all down at the hotel in Urumqi. Rain begins to fall. The man behind me is eating overpoweringly smelly goat's cheese. The bus window leaks inhospitably, but reveals a beautiful view. We have passed quickly from desert through arable land to pasture and the ground is now green with grass, the slopes dark with pine. A few cattle drink at a clear stream flowing past moss-covered stones; it is a constable landscape. The stream changes into a white torrent, and as we climb higher, I wish more and more that I had brought with me something warmer than just the pair of shorts that have served me so well in the desert. The stream (which, we are told, rises in Heaven Lake) disappears, and we continue our slow ascent. About noon, we arrive at Heaven Lake, and look for a place to stay at the foot, which is the resort area. We get a room in a small cottage, and I am happy to note that there are thick quilts on the beds. |
| (3) | Standing outside the cottage, we survey our surroundings. Heaven Lake is long, sardine- shaped and fed by snow melt from a stream at its head. The lake is intense blue, surrounded on all sides by green mountain walls, dotted with distant steep. At the head of the lake, beyond the delta of the in-flowing stream, is a massive snow-capped peak which dominates the vista; it is part of a series of peaks that culminate, a little out of view, in Mount Bogda itself. |
| (4) | For those who live in the resort, there is a small hall by the shore. We eat here sometimes, and sometimes buy food from the vendors outside, who sell kabab and naan until the last buses leave. The kababs, cooked on skewers over charcoal braziers, are particularly good, highly spiced and well done. Horse's milk is available too from the local Kazakh herdsmen, but I decline this. I am so affected by the cold that Mr. Cao, the relaxed young man who runs the mess, lends me a spare pair of trousers, several sizes too large but more than comfortable. |
Find word from the passage which means the same as 'sellers' (Para 4)
Chapter: [1] English Language
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| (1) | We sit in the last row, bumped about but free of stares. The bus rolls out of the dull crossroads of the city, and we are soon in open countryside with fields of sunflowers as far as the eye can see, their heads all facing us. Where there is no water, the land reverts to desert. While still on level ground, we see in the distance the tall range of the Mount Bogda, abrupt like a shining prism laid horizontally on the desert surface. It is over 5,000 metres high, and the peak is under permanent snow, . in powerful contrast to the flat desert all around. Heaven Lake lies part of the way up this range, about 2,000 metres above sea level, at the foot of one of the highest snow- peaks. |
| (2) | As the bus climbs, the sky, brilliant before, grows overcast. I have brought nothing warm to wear. It is all down at the hotel in Urumqi. Rain begins to fall. The man behind me is eating overpoweringly smelly goat's cheese. The bus window leaks inhospitably, but reveals a beautiful view. We have passed quickly from desert through arable land to pasture and the ground is now green with grass, the slopes dark with pine. A few cattle drink at a clear stream flowing past moss-covered stones; it is a constable landscape. The stream changes into a white torrent, and as we climb higher, I wish more and more that I had brought with me something warmer than just the pair of shorts that have served me so well in the desert. The stream (which, we are told, rises in Heaven Lake) disappears, and we continue our slow ascent. About noon, we arrive at Heaven Lake, and look for a place to stay at the foot, which is the resort area. We get a room in a small cottage, and I am happy to note that there are thick quilts on the beds. |
| (3) | Standing outside the cottage, we survey our surroundings. Heaven Lake is long, sardine- shaped and fed by snow melt from a stream at its head. The lake is intense blue, surrounded on all sides by green mountain walls, dotted with distant steep. At the head of the lake, beyond the delta of the in-flowing stream, is a massive snow-capped peak which dominates the vista; it is part of a series of peaks that culminate, a little out of view, in Mount Bogda itself. |
| (4) | For those who live in the resort, there is a small hall by the shore. We eat here sometimes, and sometimes buy food from the vendors outside, who sell kabab and naan until the last buses leave. The kababs, cooked on skewers over charcoal braziers, are particularly good, highly spiced and well done. Horse's milk is available too from the local Kazakh herdsmen, but I decline this. I am so affected by the cold that Mr. Cao, the relaxed young man who runs the mess, lends me a spare pair of trousers, several sizes too large but more than comfortable. |
Pick the option which is INCORRECT.
Chapter: [1] English Language
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| ''All those who are born will one day have to die. We don't need your predictions to know that. There would be some sense in it if you could tell us the manner of that death," the royal infant uttered these words in his little squeaky voice. The chief astrologer placed his finger on his nose in wonder. A baby barely ten days old opens its lips in speech! Not only that, it also raises intelligent questions! Incredible! Rather like the bulletins issued by the war office, than facts. The chief astrologer took his finger off his nose and fixed his eyes upon the little prince. ''The prince was born in the hour of the Bull. The Bull and the Tiger are enemies, therefore, death comes from the Tiger," he explained. |
Although the speech of the prince made the chief astrologer spellbound and awestruck, what actually is the impossible paradigm stated in the passage?
Chapter: [1] English Language
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| (1) | We sit in the last row, bumped about but free of stares. The bus rolls out of the dull crossroads of the city, and we are soon in open countryside with fields of sunflowers as far as the eye can see, their heads all facing us. Where there is no water, the land reverts to desert. While still on level ground, we see in the distance the tall range of the Mount Bogda, abrupt like a shining prism laid horizontally on the desert surface. It is over 5,000 metres high, and the peak is under permanent snow, . in powerful contrast to the flat desert all around. Heaven Lake lies part of the way up this range, about 2,000 metres above sea level, at the foot of one of the highest snow- peaks. |
| (2) | As the bus climbs, the sky, brilliant before, grows overcast. I have brought nothing warm to wear. It is all down at the hotel in Urumqi. Rain begins to fall. The man behind me is eating overpoweringly smelly goat's cheese. The bus window leaks inhospitably, but reveals a beautiful view. We have passed quickly from desert through arable land to pasture and the ground is now green with grass, the slopes dark with pine. A few cattle drink at a clear stream flowing past moss-covered stones; it is a constable landscape. The stream changes into a white torrent, and as we climb higher, I wish more and more that I had brought with me something warmer than just the pair of shorts that have served me so well in the desert. The stream (which, we are told, rises in Heaven Lake) disappears, and we continue our slow ascent. About noon, we arrive at Heaven Lake, and look for a place to stay at the foot, which is the resort area. We get a room in a small cottage, and I am happy to note that there are thick quilts on the beds. |
| (3) | Standing outside the cottage, we survey our surroundings. Heaven Lake is long, sardine- shaped and fed by snow melt from a stream at its head. The lake is intense blue, surrounded on all sides by green mountain walls, dotted with distant steep. At the head of the lake, beyond the delta of the in-flowing stream, is a massive snow-capped peak which dominates the vista; it is part of a series of peaks that culminate, a little out of view, in Mount Bogda itself. |
| (4) | For those who live in the resort, there is a small hall by the shore. We eat here sometimes, and sometimes buy food from the vendors outside, who sell kabab and naan until the last buses leave. The kababs, cooked on skewers over charcoal braziers, are particularly good, highly spiced and well done. Horse's milk is available too from the local Kazakh herdsmen, but I decline this. I am so affected by the cold that Mr. Cao, the relaxed young man who runs the mess, lends me a spare pair of trousers, several sizes too large but more than comfortable. |
What does the word 'pasture' (Para 2) mean in the passage?
Chapter: [1] English Language
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| (1) | Suspense was over when my high school results finally came out. But I was upset. I hadn't done as well as I had expected. My father tried to console me. 'Why are you worried? You have done very well my dear'. 'No, I haven't, Baba,' I protested, controlling my tears, and wondering if I had disappointed him. 'It doesn't really matter,' he assured me. 'Do you know what I got when I finished high school ?' I looked into Baba's face and waited for the answer to his own question. 'You know,' he told me. 'I've never told you this. I got just a third division. But, look at me, I've done quite well. Baba got the third division! I was almost in shock, but the thought of my having done a lot better than that made me realize that I had no reason to complain. I certainly felt better! 'Everything is under control!' said Baba, smiling. That was his favourite phrase. Posted in Kolkata, my father was then a senior official in the Indian Railway Service, and an expert in goods traffic operations. He was soon to become a director with the Railway Board. By the time he retired in 1981, he was the General Manager of the Central Railways. By the time Baba passed away in November 2000, his name had found place in several hearts as well. He was open, easy to know, and full of life. We were extremely close, but I had so much more to learn about him from many things I came to know after his death. |
| (2) | In September 2000, he was in hospital for treatment of cancer and given just two months to live. When he found out, his reaction was an extremely rational one. He asked me to fetch files from his cupboard, so that he could explain the details of my mother's pension. He also dictated his will from his hospital bed. 'Everything is under control !' After Baba's death, Satish, our old family retainer, was inconsolable. We tried to cheer him up. 'Your Baba had scolded me only once in all these years!' he cried. Satish pointed to the watch on his left hand. 'I had been coming late for work and everyone in the family was complaining about it,' said Satish. 'Then, one day, your Baba gave me this watch and told me, 'now that you have a watch, you can't be late'. That was the scolding Satish received. On the fourth day after Baba's death, my sister and I had to perform a ceremony. Since several relatives were expected, we decided to order lunch from a caterer in our locality, who was reputed for his home cooked food. But, when we went to pay the owner, we got a surprise. He refused to accept any money! 'When I wanted to start my catering business, it was your father who lent me money,' he told us. It seems Baba never asked for it back. Now, after four or five years, the caterer wanted to repay that debt. Of course, we made him accept the full payment for the fine food and service. 'It was Baba's gift and it ought to remain so,' I told him. |
| (3) | Some days later, (as we were preparing for the main ceremony) there was yet another piece of information. Vikram, my brother drove me to the local market. On recognizing our car, the parking assistant, in his twenties, came running towards us and asked why he had not seen its owner for long. We had to break the news to him and to our utter surprise, he started crying. We were really surprised by this reaction from a stranger-until the man told us that Baba used to pay his daughter's school fees and buy her books. It seems it was on my father's advice that he'd even started sending the child to school. More than three years after Baba's death, as we were looking into Baba's personal things, we came across an old file with Baba's certificates and I found among them, his high school diploma from 1937, the one he'd told me about 30 years earlier, about the third division that had made no difference in his life or career. It had made me see beyond mere marks and first classes as the main road to success. But there was one more fact. Baba had actually got a first division, a rare achievement in his day. Today, years after his passing, when I think of Baba, I see a man who was able to sympathise with others very easily and who had touched their lives in some very special way. |
On knowing the result, how did the narrator's father react?
Chapter: [1] English Language
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