Question

I was overwhelmed with gratuitous advice. Well-meaning yet ignorant friends thrust their opinions into unwilling ears. The majority of them said I couldn’t do without meat in the cold climate. I would catch consumption. Mr Z went to England and caught it on account of his foolhardiness. Others said I might do without flesh but without wine I could not move. I would be numbed with cold.One went so far as to advise me to take eight bottles of whisky, for I should want them after leaving Aden. Another wanted me to smoke, for his friend was obliged to smoke in England. Even medical men, those who had been to England told the same tale. I replied that I would try my best to avoid all these things, but if they were found to be absolutely necessary I did not know what to do. I may here mention that my aversion to meat was not so strong then as it is now. I was even betrayed into taking meat about six or seven times at the period when I allowed my friends to think for me. But in the steamer, my ideas began to change. I thought I should not take meat on any account. My mother, before consenting to my departure, had exacted a promise from me not to take meat. So, I was bound not to take it, if only for the sake of the promise. The fellow passengers in the steamer began to advise us (the friend who was with me and myself) to try it. —M Gandhi.

Write the correct option in your answer-

What does the term consumption here refer to?
(i) eat (ii) give up
(iii) a disease (iv) cold​

Answer 1

What does the term consumption here refer to?

• The term consumption here refers to eat. Connsuption means cost or charge and the word: 'The majority of them said I couldn’t do without meat in the cold climate' clearly expresses the cost of meat. We eat meat. Therefore the word 'I would catch consumption' here refers to eat.

Answer 2

Answer:

The correct option in your answer is: (iii) a disease

Explanation:

Here the word 'consumption' means 'tuberculosis'. Here Gandhi is talking about the challenge of staying vegetarian in England. When he went to England, he was advised by many of his friends to start eating non-vegetarian food; they said if wouldn't eat non-vegetarian food, he would catch tuberculosis due to extreme cold.