Q. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Today's woman is a highly self-directed person, alive to the sense of her dignity and the importance of her functions in the private domestic domain and the public domain of the world of work. Women are rational in approach, careful in handling situation and want to do things as best possible. The Forth World Conference of Women held in Beijing in september 1995 had emphasised that no enduring solution of society's most threatening social, economic and political problems could be found without the participation and empowerment of the women. The 1995 World Summit for Social Development had also emphasised the pivotal role of women in eradicating poverty and mending the social fabric .
The Constitution of India had conferred on women equal rights and opportunities - political, social, educational and of employment - with men. Because of oppressive traditions, superstitions, exploitation and corruption, a majority of women are not allowed to enjoy the rights and opportunities, bestowed on them. One of the major reasons for this state of affairs is the lack of literacy and awareness among women. Education is the main instrument through which we can narrow down the prevailing inequality and accelerate the process of economic and political change in the status of women.
The role of women in a society is very important. Women's education is the key to a better life in the future. A recent World Bank study says that educating girls is not a charity, it is good economics and if developing nations are to eradicate poverty, they must educate the girls. The report says that the economic and social returns on investment in education of the girls considerably affect the human development index of the nation. Society would progress only if the status of women is respected and the presence of an educated woman in the family would ensure education of the family itself. Education and empowerment of women are closely related.
QUESTIONS
a. Mention some of the qualities of today's women.
= Today's women have a lots of good qualities. Some of them are -
i) Women are self directed persons and are alive to sense of their dignity.
ii) They are rational in approach .
iii) They can handle the situation very carefully.
b. Where was the Fourth World Conference of Women held and what did it emphasise ?
= The Forth World Conference of Women was held in Beijing in September 1995.
It emphasised on the participation of women in social and public activities. It also had emphasised the pivotal role of women in eradicating poverty and mending the social fabric.
c. What factors prevent a majority of women from enjoying their rights and opportunities ?
= Oppressive tradition, superstitions, exploitation and corruption are the factors that prevent a majority of women from enjoying their rights and opportunities.
d. What can education do for the cause of women ?
= Education is the best instrument through which we can narrow down the prevailing inequality and accelerate the process of economic and political change in the status of women.
e. What is the observation of World Bank on girl education ?
= The World Bank says that girl education is the key to progress a society. To eradicate poverty from the society we must educate the girls. Without educating girls we can not hope of better life in future. So, we should not think that educating girls is a charity.
Q. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
1. At 4:30 P.M., Abha brought in the last meal he was ever to eat; it consisted of goat's milk, cooked and raw vegetables, oranges and a concoction of ginger, sour lemons and strained butter with juice of aloe. Sitting on the floor of his room in the rear of Birla House in New Delhi, Gandhi ate and talked with Sarder Vallabhbhai Patel, Deputy Prime Minister of the new government of independent India. Maniben, patel's daughter and secretary, was also present. The conversation was important. There had been rumours of differences between Patel and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. This problem, like so many others, had been dropped into the Mahatma's lap.
2. Abha, alone with Gandhi and the Patels, hesitated to interrupt. But she knew Gandhi's attachment to punctuality. Finally, therefore, she picked up the Mahatma's nickel plated watched and showed it to him. ' I must tear myself away. ' Gandhi remarked, and so saying he rose, went to the adjoining bathroom and then started towards the prayer ground in the large park to the left of the house. Abha the young wife of Kanu Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma's cousin, and Manu, the granddaughter of another cousin, accompanied him; he leaned his forearms on their shoulders. ' My walking sticks' , he called them.
3. During the daily two-minute promenade through the long, red-sandstone colonnade that led to the prayer ground, Gandhi relaxed and joked. Now, he mentioned the carrot juice Abha had given him that morning.
4.' So you are serving me cattle face' , he said, and laughed.
5. 'Ba was Gandhi's deceased wife.
6. ' Isn't it grand of me, Gandhi bantered, " to relish what no one else wants ? "
7. 'Bapu (father)' , said Abha. ' your watch must be feeling very neglected. You would not looked at it today' .
8. ' Why should I, since you are my timekeepers ? ' Gandhi reported.
9. ' But you don't look at the timekeepers' ,Manu noted. Gandhi laughed again.
On the basis of your reading of the passage answer the following questions.
a. What did Gandhi eat in his last meal ?
= In the last meal Gandhi ate goat's milk, cooked and raw vegetables, oranges and a concoction of ginger, sour lemons and strained butter with juice of aloe.
b. Who were the persons present when Gandhi ate his last meal ?
= Sarder Vallabhbhai Patel, Deputy Prime Minister of the new government of independent India. Maniben, patel's daughter and the secretary were present when Gandhi ate his last meal.
c. What was the problem that has been dropped into Gandhi's lap ?
= The problem that has been dropped into Gandhi's lap was the rumours of differences between Patel and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
d. Why did Abha show Gandhi the nickel-plated watch ?
= Abha showed Gandhi the nickel-plated watch to remember him the time.
e. Who were the timekeepers of Gandhi ?
= Abha was the timekeepers of Gandhi.
f. What is the cattle face referred to here ?
= Carrot juice is the cattle face referred to here.
Q) Read the following passage carefully and the questions that follow :
So the ships were brought into the dock and the passengers began to go ashore. But Mr. Escombe had sent the words to the captain that, as the whites were highly enraged against me and my life was in danger, my family and I should be advised to land at dusk, when the Port Superintendent Mr. Tatum would escort us home. The captain communicated the message to me, and I agreed to act accordingly. But scarcely half an hour after this, Mr. Laughton came to the captain. He said : I would like to Mr. Gandhi with me, should he have no objection. As the legal adviser of the Agent Company I tell you that you are not bound to carry out the message you have received from Mr. Escombe. After this he came to me and said somewhat to this effect : If you are not afraid , I said that Mrs. Gandhi and the children should drive to Mr. Rustomji's house. Whilst you said follow them on foot. I do not at all like the idea of your entering the city like a thief in the night. I do not think there is any fear of anyone hurting you. Everything is quiet now. The whites have all dispersed. But in any case I am convinced that you ought not to enter the city stealthily. I readily agreed. My wife and children drove safely to Mr. Rustomji's place. With the captain's permission I went ashore with Mr. Laughton. Mr. Rustomji's house was about two miles from the dock.
On the basis of your reading of the passage answer the following questions :
a) Who is the speaker in this passage ?
= Mr. Gandhi is the speaker in this passage.
b) What word had Mr. Escombe sent to the captain of the ship ?
= The words that Mr. Escombe had sent to the captain of the ship was that the whites were highly enraged against Gandhi, and his life was in danger. So, his family and he should be advised to land at dusk, when the Port Superintendent Mr. Tatum would escort them to home.
c) Why did Mr. Laughton come to the captain ?
= Mr. Laughton came to the captain to ask permission to take Gandhi with him.
d) What did Mr. Laughton say to the speaker ?
= Mr. Laughton told the speaker that he did not at all like the idea of his entering the city like a thief in the night. He did not think there was any fear of anyone hurting him. Everything was quiet then. The whites had all dispersed. But in any case He was convinced that he ought not to enter the city stealthily.
e) The speaker readily agreed to Mr. Laughton's suggestion. What does it tell us about the speaker's character ?
f) Find a word from the passage that means " moving secretly or moving like a thief ."
= In the passage the word ' stealthily ' means " moving secretly or moving like a thief. "
Q) Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follow :
In 1889, the fifth session of the Indian National Congress was held in Mumbai. Leaders from all over the country were in the packed hall.
A bright-eyed pretty young lady with a glowing, intelligent face rose to address the gathering. It was unprecedented.
There were no loud speakers and people at the back could not hear her. They started surging forward . " Brothers, excuse me , my voice can not reach you. But I am surprised. For centuries, did you ever try to listen to the voice of a woman . Did you give her the strength to make her voice audible to you ? "
The delegates had no answer
There was more to come from the courageous young lady known as Pandita Ramabai. Till that day women hardly ever attended Congress Session. It was Pandita Ramabai's effort that resulted in nine women delegates attending the 1889 session of the Congress.
She was not content to be a dumb delegate. She made a forceful speech on the resolution about the practice of cutting off the hair of widowed women. " You men are demanding the right of representation in British parliament, so that you can voice the opinion of Indians. You have been crying hoarse in this very pandal for freedom of expression. Then why don't you give the same freedom to women in your families ? Why do you force a woman to become ugly and dependent as soon as she becomes a widow ? Does a widower ever do that ? He has the freedom to do whatever he wants. Then why not the women ? "
One can say that Pandita Ramabai laid the foundation of the movement of women's liberation in India.
Ramabai never minced words. She had the courage of her conviction and stood by it. She had inherited this courage to defy social injustice from her parentsd, Pandit Anantshastri Dongre and Laxmibai Dongre.
Anantshastri was a great scholar. He defied society and taught Sanskrit to his wife and two daughters. " There is nothing in Shastras which prohibits women from learning Sanskrit " , he maintained, and proved his contention by giving more than 3000 references. But the orthodox scholars were not convinced. They ostracised him. Anantshastri did not care. He established his ashram in the wilderness of Gangamul in Andhra Pradesh. His generosity and the unscrupulous behaviour of his elder son-in-law deprived him of all his assets. He was forced to live the life of a nomad, reciting and interpreting Puranas, Bhagwat and other holy books to people. The family survived on whatever little cash or grain offered by the audience.
Ramabai wrote , " Two third of the audience consisted of women who never go empty-handed to a discourse. They always offer something to the deity as well as to the Kritankar or Kathakar. Men just ring the bell and do namaskar. Thus, half of the expenditure of these temples is met by the generosity of women. Even then these priest and so called scholars consider women as obstacle in pursuit of knowledge. They deny women the right to learn. How ungrateful : what injustice ! "
The family travelled around for sixteen years, and that helped to broaden Ramabai's out look. Right from childhood she could not stand injustice. One day she tried to save a little girl of nine from being burnt with dead body of her husband " If a woman has to burn and become sati, does man become sata after his wife's death ? " She asked indignantly. The young girls mother has no answer and simply said, " It is man's world. They make laws : women have to obey. " " Why do women tolerate such laws ? " countered Ramabai . " When I grow up, I will fight against these laws. " And fight against every type of exploitation of women by men.
Answer the following questions.
a. Which session of the Indian National Congress was held in Mumbai in 1889 ?
= The fifth session of the Indian National Congress was held in Mumbai in 1889.
b. How many women delegates attended the 1889 session of the Indian National Congress ?
= Nine women delegates attended the 1889 session of the Indian National Congress.
c. Who, according to the passage, laid the foundation of the women's liberation movement in India ?
= According to the passage Pandita Ramabai laid the foundation of the movement of women's liberation in India.
d. How did Anantshastri defy the society ?
= Anantshastri was a great scholar. He defied society by teaching Sanskrit to his wife and two daughters. According to him there is nothing in Shastras which prohibits women from learning Sanskrit.
e. "They ostracized him. "
i) Who are ' they ' referred to here ?
= Here ' they ' are referred to the orthodox scholars of the society.
ii) Explain the meaning of the sentence .
= The meaning of this sentence is that the orthodox scholars boycotted Anantshastri from their society for teaching his daughters and wife the holy language Sanskrit.
f. Which incident made Ramabai fight against every type of exploitation of women by men ?
= One day Ramabai happened to notice a little girl of nine years old burning with the dead body of her husband. This incident made her to fight against every type of exploitation of women by men.
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