1. Necessity is indeed the mother of invention. When areas in and around Leh began to experience water
shortages, life didn’t grind to a halt. Why? Because Chewang Norphel, a retired civil engineer in the Jammu
and Kashmir government came up with the idea of artificial glaciers.
2. Ladakh, a cold desert at an altitude of 3,000-3,500 metres above sea level, has a low average annual
rainfall rate of 50mm. Glaciers have always been the only source of water. Agriculture is completely
dependent on glacier melt unlike the rest of river/monsoon-fed India. But over the years with increasing
effects of climate change, rainfall and snowfall patterns have been changing, resulting in severe shortage and
drought situations. Given the severe winter conditions, the window for farming is usually limited to one
harvest season.
3. It is located between the natural glacier above and the village below. The one closer to the village and
lowest in altitude melts first, providing water during April/May, the crucial sowing season. Further layers of
ice above melt with increasing temperature thus ensuring continuous supply to the fields. Thus, farmers have
been able to manage two crops instead of one. It costs about Rs.1,50,000 and above to create one.
4. Fondly called the “glacier man”, Mr. Norphel has designed over 15 artificial glaciers in and around Leh
since 1987. In recognition of his pioneering effort, he was conferred the Padma Shri by President Pranab
Mukherjee, in 2015.
5.There are few basic steps followed in creating the artificial glacier. River or stream water at higher
altitude is diverted to a shaded area of the hill, facing north, where the winter sun is blocked by a ridge or a
mountain range. At the start of winter/November, the diverted water is made to flow onto sloping hill face
through distribution channels. Stone embankments are built at regular intervals which impede the flow of
water, making shallow pools and freeze, forming a cascade of ice along the slope. Ice formation continues
for 3-4 months resulting in a large accumulation of ice which is referred to as an “artificial glacier”.
On the basis of your reading of the above passage, answer the following questions:
a)Who was Chewang Norphel? 1m
(i) A retired civil engineer (ii) A retired doctor
(iii) A retired mechanical engineer (iv) A retired electrical engineer
b)What kind of landform is Ladakh? 1m
( i) Hot desert (ii) Cold desert
(iii) Arid desert (iv) Semi-Arid desert
c) Why have Glaciers been the only source of water for Ladakh? 1m
(i) High rainfall (ii) Average rainfall
(iii) Low average annual rainfall (iv) No rainfalld) Why has the pattern of snowfall and rainfall changed? 1m
(i) Effects of climate change (ii) Due to altitude
(iii) Accumulation of ice (iv) Due to sea level
e) Mr. Norphel is fondly called as the _____________. 1m
( i) Spider Man (ii) Glacier man
(iii) Mountaineer (iv) walker
f) How many crops do farmers manage to grow according to para-3? 1m
(i) Four (ii) One
(iii) Three (iv) Two
g) In which year did President Pranab Mukherjee confer Padma Shri to Mr. Norphel? 1m
( i) 2015 (ii) 2016
(iii) 20 17 (iv) 2020
h) How many months does the ice formation continue for? 1m
(i) 2-3 months (ii) 3-5 months
(iii) 3-4 months (iv) 3-6 months
i) Find the word in paragraph 5 which means the same as ‘gathering’? 1m
(i) Accumulation (ii) Formation
(iii) Blocked (iv) Built
j) Find the antonym of the word ‘plenty’ in paragraph 2. 1m
(i) Severe (ii) Increase
(iii) Average (iv) shortage
Answers
Answer:
1. Necessity is indeed the mother of invention. When areas in and around Leh began to experience water
shortages, life didn’t grind to a halt. Why? Because Chewang Norphel, a retired civil engineer in the Jammu
and Kashmir government came up with the idea of artificial glaciers.
2. Ladakh, a cold desert at an altitude of 3,000-3,500 metres above sea level, has a low average annual
rainfall rate of 50mm. Glaciers have always been the only source of water. Agriculture is completely
dependent on glacier melt unlike the rest of river/monsoon-fed India. But over the years with increasing
effects of climate change, rainfall and snowfall patterns have been changing, resulting in severe shortage and
drought situations. Given the severe winter conditions, the window for farming is usually limited to one
harvest season.
3. It is located between the natural glacier above and the village below. The one closer to the village and
lowest in altitude melts first, providing water during April/May, the crucial sowing season. Further layers of
ice above melt with increasing temperature thus ensuring continuous supply to the fields. Thus, farmers have
been able to manage two crops instead of one. It costs about Rs.1,50,000 and above to create one.
4. Fondly called the “glacier man”, Mr. Norphel has designed over 15 artificial glaciers in and around Leh
since 1987. In recognition of his pioneering effort, he was conferred the Padma Shri by President Pranab
Mukherjee, in 2015.
5.There are few basic steps followed in creating the artificial glacier. River or stream water at higher
altitude is diverted to a shaded area of the hill, facing north, where the winter sun is blocked by a ridge or a
mountain range. At the start of winter/November, the diverted water is made to flow onto sloping hill face
through distribution channels. Stone embankments are built at regular intervals which impede the flow of
water, making shallow pools and freeze, forming a cascade of ice along the slope. Ice formation continues
for 3-4 months resulting in a large accumulation of ice which is referred to as an “artificial glacier”.
On the basis of your reading of the above passage, answer the following questions:
a)Who was Chewang Norphel? 1m
(i) A retired civil engineer (ii) A retired doctor
(iii) A retired mechanical engineer (iv) A retired electrical engineer
b)What kind of landform is Ladakh? 1m
( i) Hot desert (ii) Cold desert
(iii) Arid desert (iv) Semi-Arid desert
c) Why have Glaciers been the only source of water for Ladakh? 1m
(i) High rainfall (ii) Average rainfall
(iii) Low average annual rainfall (iv) No rainfalld) Why has the pattern of snowfall and rainfall changed? 1m
(i) Effects of climate change (ii) Due to altitude
(iii) Accumulation of ice (iv) Due to sea level
e) Mr. Norphel is fondly called as the _____________. 1m
( i) Spider Man (ii) Glacier man
(iii) Mountaineer (iv) walker
f) How many crops do farmers manage to grow according to para-3? 1m
(i) Four (ii) One
(iii) Three (iv) Two
g) In which year did President Pranab Mukherjee confer Padma Shri to Mr. Norphel? 1m
( i) 2015 (ii) 2016
(iii) 20 17 (iv) 2020
h) How many months does the ice formation continue for? 1m
(i) 2-3 months (ii) 3-5 months
(iii) 3-4 months (iv) 3-6 months
i) Find the word in paragraph 5 which means the same as ‘gathering’? 1m
(i) Accumulation (ii) Formation
(iii) Blocked (iv) Built
j) Find the antonym of the word ‘plenty’ in paragraph 2. 1m
(i) Severe (ii) Increase
(iii) Average (iv) shortage
Explanation:
is that you chimmi..
hope it helps