| Board | UP Board |
| Text book | NCERT |
| Class | 11th |
| Subject | English |
| Chapter | Chapter 5 |
| Chapter name | THE VARIETY AND UNITY OF INDIA |
| Chapter Number | Number 4 Comprehension Questions on Paras |
| Category | English PROSE Class 11th |
| UP Board Syllabus Chapter 5 Class 11th English (Prose) |
Q. Read the following passages and answer the questions given below:
(1) The diversity of India is tremendous; it is obvious; it lies on surface and any body can see it. It concerns itself with physical appearance as well as with certain mental habits and traits. There is little in common, to outward seeming, between the Pathan of the North-West and the Tamil in the far South. Their racial stocks are not the same though there may be common strands running through them; they differ in face and figure, food and clothing and of course, language. In the North-West Frontier Provience, there is already the breath of Central Asia, and many a custom there, as in Kashmir, reminds one of the countries on the other side of the Himalayas.
Questions:
- What things make the diversity of India obvious ?
- What are the two examples of India’s unity ?
- In what respects do the Pathan and the Tamil differ?
- What reminds us of the countries on the other side of Himalayas ?
Answers:
- The diversity of India is made obvious by physical appearance and some mental habits and traits.
- The two examples of India’s unity are the Pathans and the Tamil
- The difference between the Pathans and the Tamil is made clear by their facial and figurative appearance. They differ in food and dress.
- Many customs in North-West Frontier and Kashmir remind us of the countries on the other side of the Himalayas.
(2) The old Turkish and other races who inhabitated Afganistian and parts of Central Asia before the advent of Islam were largely Buddhists and carlier still
during the period of the Epics, Hindus. The frontier area was one of the principal centres of old Indian culture and it abounds still with ruins of monuments and
monasteries and specially, of the great university of Taxila, which was at the height of its fame two thousand years ago, attracting students from all over India as well
as different parts of Asia. Changes of religion made a difference but could not change entirely the mental backgrounds which the people of those areas had
developed.
Questions:
- What religious groups inhabited Afganistan and parts of Central Asia before the advent of Islam?
- What is meant by the phrase ‘the period of the Epics’?
- What was Taxila famous for ?
- What has been common to the people of Afganistan and parts of Central Asia despite their different religions ?
Answers:
- The old Turkish and other races inhabited Afganistan and parts of Central Asia before the advent of Islam. They were largely Buddhists.
- The phrase “the period of Epics’ means the time of the Ramayan and the Mahabharat.
- Taxila was a great university in ancient Asia. It was famous for good education.
- It has been common to the people of Afgasnistan and parts of Central Asia that despite their different religions, the mental backgrounds which they had developed, could not change entirely.
Questions:
- Which differences does the author refer to in the first sentence?
- Why is the impress of India not surprising on the Pathan?
- What proves that the frontier area was a great Centre of old Indian culture ?
- What could changes of religions not affect ?
Answers:
- In the first sentence the writer refers to the differences of the Pathans of the North-West, the Kashmiris of the North and the Tamil of the far South
- The stamp of India is dearly there upon the Pathans. The border lands and Afganistan were united with India for thousands of years. So the inipress of India is not surprising on the Pathans.
3 The ruins of the great university of Taxila and monasteries can be seen. proves that the frontier area was a great Centre of old Indian culture.
4 Changes of religion could not affect the mental background of people of the areas.
(3) Foreign influences poured and often influenced that culture and were absorbed. Discuptive tendencies gave rise immediately to an attempt to find a synthesis. Some kind of a dream of unity has occupied the mind of India since the dawn of civilization. That unity was not conceived as something imposed from outside, a standardization of externals or even of beliefs. It was something deepe! and within its fold the widest tolerance of belief and custom was practised and every variety acknowledged and even encouraged.
Questions: . .
- What do the words that culture stand for?
2 What was the effect of occasional disruptions? - What has occupied the Indian mind since the very beginning?
- What has been the peculiar characteristic of the Indian conception unity?
Answers:
- The words that culture’ stand for ‘ancient India.
2 Occasional disruptions alerted the Indians who began attempo immediately to find a synthesis and maintain the unity of country. - Some kind of a dream of unity has occupled the Indian mind since the very beginning.
- The peculiar characteristic of the Indian conception of unity has been the widest tolerance of belief and custom.
(4) In ancient and medieval times, the idea of the modern nation was non- datent and feudal, religious, racial or cultural bonds had more importance. Yeti think that at almost any time in recorded history, an Indian would have felt more or less at home in any part of India, and would have felt as a stranger and alfen in any other country. He would certainly have felt less of a stranger in countries which had partly adopted his culture or religion. Those who professed a religion of non- Indian origin and coming to India settled down there, became distinctively Indian
in the course of a few generations, such as Christians, Jews, Parsis, Moslens: Indian converts to some of these religions never ceased to be Indians in spite of a change
of faith. All these were looked upon in other countrtes as Indians and foreigners, even though there might have been a community of faith between them.
Questions:
- What was the idea of the modern nation non-existent in ancient and medieval times ?
- How did an Indian feel in another country in the past?
- What changes took place in foreigners settling down in India after a few generations ?
- Name the people of different religions who settled down in India.
- Why did the people of other countries consider an Indian to be only an Indian although he followed their religion ?
Answers:
- In ancient and medieval times, the idea of the modern nation was non- existent and feudal, religions racial or cultural bonds had more importance.
2 An Indian felt as a stranger in another countries in the past. - After a few generations the foreigners became Indians.
- Christians, Jews, Parsis, Moslems settled down in India after a few generations.
- Indians never ceased to Indians in spite of a change of falth. Therefore, the people of other countries consider an Indian to be only an Indian.
(5) Today, when the conception of nationalism has developed much more Indians in foreign countries inevitably form a national group and hang toghter for
Various Dumoses. In spite of their internal difference. An Indian Christian is looked upon as an Indien wherever he may go. An Indian Moslem is considered an Indian
in Turkey or Arabla or Iran or any other country where Islam is the dominant religion.
Questions:
- What do you mean by the conception of nationallam ?
- How do Indians live in foreign countries?
- Does an Indian Christian in England become an Englishman?
- here is Islam dominant religion ?
Answers:
- By the conception of nationalism we mean that Indians in other countr have organised national groups.
- Indians living in foreign countries form a national group and they bold their meeting for various purposes.
- No, an Indian christian in England does not become an Englishman.
- Islam is the dominant religion in Turkey, Arabia and Iran
| UP Board Syllabus Chapter 5 Class 11th English (Prose) |