Haryana Board 9th Class English Unseen Passages

इस प्रश्न में एक Para दिया होगा। विद्यार्थियों को उसके नीचे लिखे प्रश्नों के उत्तर देने होंगे।

COMPREHENSION के प्रश्न को किस प्रकार हल किया जाए?
Comprehension का प्रश्न हल करते समय निम्नलिखित कुछ नियमों को ध्यान में रखो।
1. Passage को ध्यान से पढ़ो और उसे अच्छी प्रकार समझो। अगर कुछ शब्दों के सही अर्थ आप को पता नहीं लग रहे तो भी ध्यान से पढ़ने पर passage का भाव आप को समझ आ जाएगा।
2. पूरे Passage का भाव या Main idea समझो-देखो कि लेखक क्या कहना चाहता है।
3. सभी प्रश्नों को ध्यान से पढ़ो और समझो कि उनमें क्या पूछा गया है।
4. अब Passage में जहाँ-जहाँ इन प्रश्नों के उत्तर हैं, वहाँ निशान लगा लो।
5. प्रत्येक प्रश्न के अंत में उत्तर के चार विकल्प दिए होंगे। विद्यार्थी को उन विकल्पों में से सही उत्तर को छाँटना है।
6. बार-बार विकल्पों को मत बदलिए।

What is Comprehension?
Comprehension का अर्थ है किसी बात को अच्छी प्रकार समझना। Comprehension के पैराग्राफ के नीचे दिए गए प्रश्न इस बात को परखने के लिए होते हैं कि आपने उस पैराग्राफ को कितनी अच्छी तरह से समझा है।
इस प्रश्न के उत्तर में छात्र प्रायः दो गलतियाँ करते हैं-
(a) वे पैराग्राफ को अच्छी तरह पढ़ते नहीं हैं और
(b) वे प्रश्नों का उत्तर अपनी भाषा में नहीं देते हैं। वे प्रश्नों के उत्तर बिना भाषा बदले Passage में से नकल कर लेते हैं, चाहे वे ठीक या सही न भी बैठे।

Comprehension का प्रश्न हल करते समय निम्नलिखित कुछ नियमों को ध्यान में रखें-
1. Passage को ध्यान से पढ़ो और उसे अच्छी प्रकार समझो। अगर कुछ शब्दों के सही अर्थ आपको पता नहीं लग रहे
तो भी ध्यान से पढ़ने पर Passage का भाव आपको समझ आ जाएगा।
2. पूरे Passage का भाव या main idea समझो और देखो कि लेखक क्या कहना चाहता है।
3. अब सभी प्रश्नों को ध्यान से पढ़ो और समझो कि उनमें क्या पूछा गया है।
4. अब Passage में जहाँ-जहाँ इन प्रश्नों के उत्तर हैं, वहाँ निशान लगा लो।
5. अब इन प्रश्नों के उत्तर उत्तरपुस्तिका में अपनी भाषा में लिख दीजिए।
6. प्रत्येक प्रश्न का उत्तर उसी Tense में दो जिस Tense में यह पूछा गया है अर्थात् यदि प्रश्न में do लगा होता है तो
उत्तर verb की Ist form में देते हैं। यदि प्रश्न में does लगा होता है तो उत्तर verb की Ist form + s/es के साथ देते
हैं और यदि प्रश्न में did लगा होता है तो उत्तर verb की 2nd form में देते हैं।
7. प्रश्नों के उत्तर सटीक (To the point) होने चाहिएँ। जो कुछ पूछा गया है, केवल उसी का उत्तर दो। व्यर्थ की बातें मत लिखें।
8. यदि Passage का शीर्षक देने को कहा गया हो तो शीर्षक संक्षिप्त होना चाहिए और उस Passage के theme पर आधास्ति होना चाहिए।
9. उत्तर लिखते समय लिखाई का विशेष ध्यान रखें तथा cutting और overwriting न करें।
10. सभी प्रश्नों के उत्तर क्रमानुसार दें।

Some Solved Examples

Read the following passages and answer the questions given at the end of each :

Passage 1

The elephant, the largest living land animal on earth has interested man from time immemorial. Its immense size, strength and intelligence has played a very important role in the economy, culture and religion of the country where it is found. Over the past 40 million years, more than 600 species of elephants have roamed the earth. Changes in climate and vegetation caused the extinction of many elephant species. The growth of human civilization also added to their suffering. Today only two species are alive—the African elephant and the Asian elephant. They not only inhabit different geographical regions, but also have distinct physical characteristics. Asian elephants are smaller in size than the African elephants. They are more easily tamed than their larger and wilder African counterparts. In fact humans have used the docile Asian elephants for over 5000 years as beasts of burden, in warfare, and in ceremonial activities.
Questions:
(a) What qualities of an elephant help it to play an important role in the economy of a Country ?
(b) Which species of elephants have survived till today ?
(c) Differentiate between African and Asian elephants. (Give any two points)
(d) Mention any two uses of elephants.
(e) Which word from the passage means ‘domesticated’ ?
Answers:
(a) Its immense size, strength and intelligence help it to play an important role in the economy of a country.
(b) Only two species of elephants—the African elephant and the Asian elephant have survived till today.
(c) (i) The Asian elephants are smaller in size than the African elephants.
(ii) The Asian elephants are more easily tamed than the African elephants.
(d) (i) Elephants are used for carrying burden.
(ii) Elephants are used in ceremonial activities.
(e) tamed

Passage 2

Junk food is a term describing food that is perceived to be unhealthy or having poor nutritional value, according to Food Standards Agency. The term is believed to have been coined by Michael Jacobson, Director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest in 1972. The term has since become common usage.

Junk food typically contains high levels of fat, salt or sugar and numerous food additives such as monosodium glutamate and tartrazine; at the same time, it is lacking in proteins, vitamins and fiber, among others. It is popular with suppliers because it is relatively cheap to manufacture, has a long shelf life and may not require refrigeration. It is popular with consumers because it is easy to purchase, requires little or no preparation, is convenient to consume and has lots of flavour. Consumption of junk food is associated with obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and dental cavities. There is also concern about the targeting of marketing at children.
Questions:
(a) What is Junk Food ?
(b) Who coined the term‘Junk Food’?
(c) What does Junk Food lack in ?
(d) Why is Junk Food popular with suppliers ?
(e) Why is Junk Food popular with consumers ?
(f) Find a word in the passage that means‘Many’.
Answers :
(a) Junk food is a term describing food that is perceived to be unhealthy or having poor nutritional value.
(b) Michael Jacobson, Director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest coined the term ‘Junk food’.
(c) Junk food lacks in proteins, vitamins and fiber.
(d) It is popular with suppliers because it is relatively cheap to manufacture, has a long shelf life and may not require refrigeration.
(e) It is popular with consumers because it is easy to purchase, requires little or no preparation, is convenient to consume and has lots of flavour.
(f) Lots of.

Passage 3

Late in the afternoon, Swami Vivekananda spoke in the great meeting. He was dressed in the yellow robes of a Sanyasi. When he came and stood before the people, they were charmed by his appearance. He was silent for some time and then he felt a divine power in him. He began his speech. He addressed the gathering as ‘Sisters and Brothers of America.’ People clapped their hands and gave him hearty cheers. When the clapping ceased, Swami spoke on Hinduism. He said that the religion of the world were the same. They were all true. Only the paths leading to the goal were different. He also said that Hinduism regards every man, woman and child as a part of God. To a Hindu, the service of man is the true service of God.
Questions:
(a) What time did Vivekananda give his speech ?
(b) What did Swami say about the religions of the world ?
(c) What did he feel in him before his speech ?
(d) What did Swami say about all the religions of the world ?
(e) What did Swami Vivekananda say about Hinduism ?
(f) Find in the passage a word that means ‘stopped’.
Answers:
(a) Vivekananda gave his speech late in the afternoon.
(b) He said that all religions of the world were the same.
(c) He felt a divine power in him before his speech.
(d) He said that all the religions were true. Only the paths leading to the goal were different.
(e) He said that Hinduism regards every man, woman and child as a part of God.
(f) ‘ceased’.

Passage 4

People often curse poverty as a great evil, and it seems to be an accepted belief that if people only had plenty of money, they would be happy and useful and get more out of life. But the reality is that while palaces give a comfortable life, peace and contentment dwell in cottages. I always pity the sons and daughters of rich parents who are attended by servants and governesses. It is because I know how sweet and happy and pure the home of honest poverty is and how loving and united the members of poor families are in common interests. It is for these reasons that so many strong, eminent and self-reliant men have always sprung from poor families.
Questions :
(a) Why do people want to have plenty of money?
(b) Why have so many strong, eminent and self-reliant men sprung from poor families?
(c) How do people curse poverty? ‘
(d) From where have most of the famous men come?
(e) What does a cottage life give us?
(f) Find the words from the passage having the same meanings as :
(i) live (ii) satisfaction.
Answer:
(a) They think that if they had plenty of money, they would live happily.
(b) The cottages of the poor people have honesty, peace and contentment. Their members love each other. So strong and self-reliant men have sprung from these cottages.
(c) People curse poverty as a great evil.
(d) They have come from the cottages of the poor.
(e) A cottage life gives us contentment.
(f) (i) dwell (ii) contentment.

Passage 5

The great advantage of early rising is the good start it gives us to our day’s work. The early riser has done a large amount of hard work before other men have got out of bed. In the early morning the mind is fresh, and there are few sounds or other distractions, so the work done at that time is generally well done.

In many cases the early riser also finds time to take some exercise in the fresh morning air, and this exercise supplies him with a fund of energy that will last until the evening. By begining so early, he knows that he has plenty of time to do thoroughly all the work he can be expected to do, and is not tempted to hurry over any part of it.

All his work being finished in good time, he has a long interval of rest in the evening before the timely hour when he goes to bed. He gets to sleep several hours before midnight, at the time when sleep is most refreshing, and after a sound night’s rest rises, early next morning in good health and spirits for the labours of a new day.
Questions :
(a) How is early morning different from other hours of the day?
(b) Why is the early riser not tempted to hurry over his day’s work?
(c) What enables the early riser to go to bed at the proper time?
(d) What are the advantages of going to sleep well before midnight?
(e) How does an early riser find himself for the day’s work?
(f) Find words from the passage having the same meaning as :
(i) utility or use (ii) something that disturbs.
Answer:
(a)In the early morning, the air is fresh and there is no disturbance.
(b) As he has plenty of time, he is not tempted to hurry over his day’s work.
(c) His day’s work is completed in time. This enables an early riser to go to bed at the proper time.
(d) At that time the sleep is most refreshing.
(f) An early riser finds himself in good health and spirits for the labour of a new day.
(i) advantage (ii) distraction.

Passage 6

Rabindra Nath Tagore raised the stature of our country in the eyes of the world. A versatile genius, a literary artist, an educator, a composer, a singer, an actor, R. N. Tagore had all gifts of Nature and fortune in his favours. Bom in a renowned Hindu family, R.N. Tagore pleaded not only for concord with the past but also for freedom from the past. All healthy growth needs continuity and change. We are not free unless our minds are liberated from dead forms, tyrannical restrictions and crippling social habits. Tagore condemned the corruption of many of our social practices. He believed that the essence of life was perpetual renewal and rededication to self development.
Questions: .
(a) Who raised the stature of our country in the eyes of the world ?
(b) Rabindra Nath Tagore was a versatile genius. How ?
(c) What are the essentials of healthy growth according to him ?
(d) When can we be termed as free ?
(e) What is the essence of life according to R.N. Tagore ?
(f) Pick out a word from the passage that means‘Everlasting’.
Answers: .
(a) Rabindra Nath Tagore raised the stature of our country in the eyes of the world.
(b) He was a versatile genius, a literary artist, an educator, a composer, a singer, an actor.
(c) According to Rabindra Nath Tagore, continuity and change are the essentials of healthy growth.
(d) We are not free unless our minds are liberated from dead forms, tyrannical restrictions and crippling social habits.
(e) He believed that the essence of life was perpetual renewal and rededication to self development.
(f) Perpetual.

Passage 7

He saw a most wonderful sight. Through a little hole in the wall the children had crept in, and they were sitting in the branches of the trees. In every tree that he could see there was a little child. And the trees were so glad to have the children back again that they had covered themselves with blossoms and were waving their arms gently above the children’s heads. The birds were flying about and twittering with delight, and the flowers were looking through the green grass and laughing. It was a lovely scene. Only in one comer, it was still winter. It was the farthest comer of the garden, and in it was standing a little boy. He was so small that he could not reach upto the branches of the tree, and he was wandering all around it, crying bitterly. The poor tree was still covered with frost and snow, and the North Wind was blowing and roaring about it. “Climb up ! little boy”, said the tree and it bent its branches as low as it could, but the boy was too tiny.
Questions :
(a) How had the children entered the garden?
(b) Why were the trees so happy?
(c) Why was there still winter in one comer of the garden ?
(d) Why couldn’t the little boy climb up the tree?
(e) What was the North wind doing?
(f) Find out the words from the passage which mean :
(i) chirping (ii) joy.
Answers :
(a) The children had entered the garden through a hole in the wall.
(b) The trees were happy because the children had come back.
(c) There was still winter in one comer because a small boy was standing there. He could not climb the tree.
(d) The little boy couldn’t climb the tree because he was too small.
(e) The North wind was blowing and roaring.
(f) (i) twittering (ii) delight.

Passage 8

Once there lived a slave in Greece. His name was Androcles. He worked very hard, but his master was very cruel to him. He was badly treated by his master. He was sick of life. He ran away to the forest. He was dead tired so he lay down to rest. Suddenly, he heard the roar of a lion. He was frightened. The lion came towards him. He seemed to be in great pain. The slave saw a big thorn in the lion’s paw. He pulled out the thorn. The lion felt relieved and began to lick the slave’s feet. A few days later, the slave was arrested by his master. He ordered that the slave be thrown before a hungry lion. A big crowd assembled to see the cruel act. The lion was let loose. It recognised Androcles and began to lick his hands. Every one was surprised. Androcles related the whole story and he was set free.
Questions :
(a) Why was the slave sick of life?
(b) Why did the lion cry with pain?
(c) When did the lion feel relieved?
(d) How did the lion thank the slave?
(e) Why did the slave lie down?
(f) Make nouns from : (i) lived (ii) hungry.
Answers:
(a) He was sick of life because he worked hard but his master was very cruel.
(b) The lion cried with pain because it had a thorn in its paw.
(c) The lion felt relieved when the slave pulled out the thorn.
(d) The lion thanked the slave by licking his feet.
(e) He was dead tired so he lay down to rest.
(f) (i) Livelihood (ii) Hunger.

Passage 9

Cheating in examination is a major defect of our education system. The cheating had become so common that students consider it their birthright to use unfair means in the examination. The root cause of this evil lies in our schools. Short-cuts have replaced hard labour. Guides and notes are encouraged in place of textbooks. In all schools examinations, except the Middle and Matric examination, teachers show leniency to the students and pass most of them. Sometimes, even the parents are at fault. They get their undeserving wards promoted to higher class. The students don’t cultivate the habit of self-study and hard work. Then in the Board Examination, students resort to copying. The teachers on duty encourage the students to use unfair means to pass the examinations. The desire to show good results motivates them to adopt wrong methods.
Questions:
(a) What is the major defect of our education system ?
(b) What do students feel about using unfair means in the examination ?
(c) What is used in place of textbooks ?
(d) What leniency do the teachers show ?
(e) Why do teachers encourage the students to use unfair means ?
(f) Which word in the passage means ‘to make use of’?
Answers:
(a) Cheating in examination is the major defect of our education system.
(b) They consider it their birthright to use unfair means in the examination.
(c) Guides and notes are used in place of textbooks.
(d) In non-board classes the teachers pass most of the students.
(e) They do so with the desire to show good results.
(f) ‘adopt’.

Passage 10

The present system of education does not teach us the dignity of labour. A student is not taught or trained to do things with his hands. Manual or physical labour finds no place in education. Educated young men are fit only to be clerks in offices. They look down upon manual labour. They consider it below their dignity to work with their hands in fields or factories.

Vocational education is the need of the hour. We need more and more technicians, engineers and doctors. But, the number of vocational institutions — Engineering and Medical Colleges, Polytechnics and ITI’s is limited. A large number of young men and women, who can do well as technicians, are deprived of technical or vocational training.

The present system of education gives too much importance to English. At many places, it is the medium of instruction. English may be an international language. It may have rich treasures of science and literature. But it can never be our national language. Education must be imparted in the mother tongue. This will save much talent of the country from going waste.
Questions:
(a) What is the greatest drawback of the present system of education ?
(b) What is the need of the hour ?
(c) What is vocational education ?
(d) What should be the medium of instruction in educational institutions ?
(e) Find a word from the passage which means ‘to give
Answers:
(a) The present system of education does not teach us the dignity of labour.
(b) Vocational education is the need of the hour.
(c) The education of engineering and medical is vocational education.
(d) Mother tongue should be the medium of instruction in educational institutions.
(e) imparted.