Tea From Assam

1)State whether the following statements are true or false.

a) Tea came to Europe only in the sixteenth century and was drunk more as medicine than as beverage.

= True

b)Tea came to Europe only in the eighteenth century and was drunk more as beverage than as medicine.

= False

c) Pranjol and Rajvir were going to Assam.

= True

d) According to Rajvir over seventy crores cups of tea are drunk everyday throughout the world.

= False

e) The tea - bushes and densely wooded hills presented a dull view.

= False

f) The Chinese emperor always boiled soup before drinking it.

= False

g) Bodhidharma cut off his eyelids to avoid feeling sleepy during meditations.

= True

h) Tea was drunk as a herb in Europe.

= True

i) Mr. Barua was Rajvir father.

= False

j) Tea was first taste in china as far back as 2700 BC.

= True

2) Give short answer of the following questions.

1) Who wrote the prose - piece, "Tea from Assam" ?

= Arup Kumar Datta wrote the prose - piece " Tea from Assam" .

2) Who is Rajvir?

=  Rajvir was Pranjol's classmate at a school in Delhi.

3) Who is Pranjol?

= Pranjol is a youngster from Assam who studied at a school in Delhi.

4)What is Pranjol's father?

= Pranjol's father is the manager of a tea garden in upper Assam.

5) Where did Rajvir come in accompaniment with Pranjol?

= Rajvir came to Assam in accompaniment with Pranjol.

6) What did Rajvir and Pranjol sip in the train compartment?

= In the train compartment Rajvir and Pranjol sipped steaming hot tea.

7) What was read by Pranjol in the train compartment?

= A detective book was read by Pranjol in the train compartment.

8) What presented a magnificent view?

= The tea gardens along with the paddy fields presented a magnificent view.

9) What had never seen by Rajvir before?

= Rajvir had never seen so much greenery before.

10) Name the place which amounts to the largest concentration of tea plantations in the world.

= Assam has the largest concentration of tea plantations in the world.

11) What did the Chinese emperor do before drinking water?

= Before drinking water the Chinese emperor always boiled it.

12) Who was Bodhidharma?

= Bodhidharma was an ancient Buddhist ascetic.

13) What did Bodhidharma do ?

= Budhidharma cut off his eyelids because he felt sleepy during meditations.

14) What banished Bodhidharma's sleep?

= The leaves of the plants that grew out of his eyelids banished Bodhidharma's sleep when he put them in hot water and drank it.

15) When was tea first sipped in China as per Rajvir? 

=  As per Rajvir Tea was first sipped in China as far back as 2700 B.C. .

16) Name the Railway Junction where they finally got off.

= Pranjol and Rajvir finally got off at the Mariani junction.

17) Who was waiting to receive both of them?

= Pranjol's parents were waiting to receive both of them.

18) Name the tea garden managed by Pranjol's father? Where was it located ?

= The tea garden managed by Pranjol's father is 'Dhekiabari Tea Garden' . It was located in the district of Jorhat.

19) What was worn by the tea-pluckers?

= Plastic aprons were worn by the tea-pluckers.

20) What did the tea pluckers pluck?

= The tea-pluckers were plucking the newly sprouted tea leaves.

21) When was the sprouting period of tea plants?

= The sprouting period of tea plants is from May to July.

22) Where do the tea-pluckers put the tea-leaves?

= The tea pluckers put the tea-leaves in the bamboo baskets.

23) What type of stories are liked to be read by Pranjol and Rajvir ?

=  Pranjol and Rajvir liked to read detective stories.

24) How was tea looked at in Europe first ?

= In Europe tea was first looked as medicine than as beverage.

25) What is called the second flush ?

=  Second flush is  the best period of yielding tea. It last from May to July. It is called sprouting period.

            SHORT TYPE QUESTIONS

a) Narrate briefly Rajvir's remarks on the discovery of tea and the legends that surround it.

= Tea is a very popular liquor all over the world. It was first drunk in China as far back as 2700 B.C. Tea came to Europe only in the Sixteenth Century.

                There are many legends regarding the origine of tea . But we are given only two legends in our prose - piece  " Tea From Assam ". One is Chinese legend and the other is Indian Legend.

               According to the chinese legend there was a chinese emperor who always boiled water before drinking it. One day a few leaves of the twigs burning under the pot fell into the water and gave it a delicious flavour. Since then the leaves were called tea leaves.

                 According to the Indian Legend Bodhidharma, an ancient ascetic cut of his eyelids because he felt sleepy during meditations. Ten tea plants grew out of his eyelids. When he put the leaves of the plants in hot water and drank, it banished his sleep. Since then the leaves were known as tea leaves.

b)What was first drunk in china ? State the words that came from China .

= Tea was first drunk in china. 'Chai' and 'Chini' are the words that came from Chinese.

c) Give a description of Dhekiabari tea garden as seen by Pranjol and Rajvir when they were driven through it.

= Dhekiabari tea garden was a very big garden . It was managed by Pranjol's father. When Pranjol and Rajvir were driven through it, they saw acre upon acre of tea bushes on both sides of a gravel road, all neatly pruned to the same height. In the garden they saw the groups of tea- pluckers plucking the newly sprouted tea leaves, wearing  plastic aprons.

d) Give a description of the magnificent view of tea garden seen by Rajvir from the railway train.

= From the moving train Rajvir saw a magnificent view of tea gardens and paddy fields. It was just green and green everywhere. Against the backdrop of densely wooded hills there was a sea of tea bushes stretched as far as the eye could see.

e) What was first drunk in China ? State the words that came from Chinese.

= Tea was first drunk in china. 'Chai' and 'Chini' are the words that came from China.

f) What did Rajvir and Pranjol see on the both sides of the gravel road ?

= On the both sides of the gravel road Rajvir and Pranjol saw acre upon acre of tea bushes, all neatly pruned to the same height. Moreover, they saw groups of tea-pluckers plucking the newly sprouted leaves wearing plastic aprons and taking bamboo baskets on their backs.

g) Describe the Chinese legend regarding the origine of tea .

=According to the chinese legend there was a chinese emperor who always boiled water before drinking it. One day a few leaves of the twigs burning under the pot fell into the water and gave it a delicious flavour. Since then the leaves were called tea leaves.

h) What was the Indian legend about tea?

=According to the Indian Legend Bodhidharma, an ancient ascetic cut of his eyelids because he felt sleepy during meditations. Ten tea plants grew out of his eyelids. When he put the leaves of the plants in hot water and drank, it banished his sleep. Since then the leaves were known as tea leaves.

i) Why was it that Rajvir was not interested in reading his favourite detective stories during his journey to Assam ? Why did not Pranjol share the excitement of Rajvir  on seeing a tea garden ?

= Rajvir was not interested in reading his favourite detective books during his journey to Assam because at that time he was keener on looking at the beautiful scenery of tea garden and paddy fields outside the train.

   

                Pranjol did not share the excitement of Rajvir on seeing a tea garden because he was brought up in a tea garden and a tea garden was a common thing for him.