Question

Ques 4- Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that

follow:-

A prominent Engineer was talking to a fellow passenger in the train. He said:

“What exactly is the meaning of the word, fame? No one has given a clear, logical

definition of the word. If we knew what fame is, the means of attaining it might also

perhaps be known to us, When I was younger, I strove after a celebrity position with

every fiber of my being. To be popular was my craze, so to speak. For the sake of it I

studied, worked, sat up at night and neglected my meals. And I fancy, as far as I can

judge, I had all the natural gifts for attaining it. To begin with, I am an Engineer by

profession. In the course of my life I have worked in Russia, in England, in Belgium.

……..And yet here I am in my old age, I am as celebrated as that black dog running

on the embankment.”How can you tell? Perhaps you are celebrated.” said the fellow passenger.

“Well, we will test it at once. Tell me, have you ever heard the name

Krikunov?”

“No, I haven‟t heard it.”

Then the engineer said, “That is my surname. You, an educated man, have never

heard of me- a convincing proof! If you are not tired of listening I will illustrate my

point of view by an example. Some years ago I built a bridge in the town of Kremlin.

There I got in touch with a singer. This young lady had not the slightest right to call

herself a singer. She was a creature entirely devoid of talent. A public ceremony took

place to celebrate the opening of the newly constructed bridge. My bridge was a

magnificent work! I thought that the eyes of all the public will be on me! Except the

official personages, no one took the slightest notice of me. They were not bothered to

know who had built the bridge. All at once the public became agitated; a whisper ran

through the crowd. I looked, and the singer was making her way through the crowd. A

whisper began in a thousand voices: “That‟s so-and-so…” Then they noticed me… A

couple of young boys looked at me, exchanged glances, and whispered: „That‟s her

lover!‟ How do you like that?”

Now it was the turn of the fellow passenger. He said, “There are no boards

nowadays; and a celebrity is created almost exclusively by the media. I could give you

so many examples. Do our masses know anything of Russian artists, sculptors, and

literary men? Allow me to ask you a question: Do you know the name of Pushkov?”

“Pushkov?......No, I don‟t know it!”

“That is my name,..” said the fellow passenger.” Then you don‟t know it? And

yet I have been a professor at one of the Russian universities for thirty five years,…. a

member of the Academy of Sciences. I have published many books and articles.”

The engineer and his fellow traveller looked at each other and burst into laughinga) Give the meanings of the following words as used in the passage. One word

answers or short phrases will be accepted. (3)

(i) logical

(ii) strove

(iii) celebrated

(b) Answer the following questions briefly in your own words.

(i) What was the topic of discussion between the Engineer and his fellow

passenger in the train? (2)

(ii) What was the Engineer‟s opinion about his own celebrity status? (1)

(iii) What proof did the Engineer give to show that he could not become a

celebrity? (2)

(iv) Who was the Engineer‟s fellow passenger? Was he a celebrity? (2)

(v) Why did the Engineer and his fellow passenger burst out laughing? (2)

(vi) In more than 50words summaries the face that a celebrity is exclusively a

creation of the media
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Answer 1

Answer:

THIS QUESTION IS FROM WHICH BOOK

FROM WHICH CHAPTER????