Question

Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow: 10

1.My friend, Streak, who stays in the US, recently came to India. After spending a month

visiting different parts of our country, he came to see me. Late one evening, when my

family huddled around him to know his views on India, he remarked, “Hey, there’s

something very interesting about your country. You have cobblers everywhere whether it

is a posh market in a metro or a small town, and all of them find space under the shade of

some tree or by the wayside and are busy mending shoes.”

2. Now, expecting him to talk about the Taj Mahal, Khajuraho, Konark or the mountains

of sand in Jaisalmer, for a minute I was in a tizzy. What is so unusual about finding

cobblers all over the place? People with particular skills like cobblers, laundrymen,

hairdressers, electricians, plumbers, motor mechanics and the likes are surely

indispensable in all habitats, especially in towns and cities. After a pause I said, “Streak,

it’s like this: cobblers are everywhere because the shoes we wear can give us trouble any

time. And if they are not repaired immediately, one is hamstrung.”

3.He retorted, “But, why don’t your manufacturers prepare good quality shoes to spare

you from such situations? The pair of shoes I am wearing has never needed repairs even

though it’s two years since I bought it. And the interesting part is that my shoes carry the

“Made in India” tag.

4. Just then, my neighbour dropped in to say hello and on my request, joined us for a cup

of tea. He has a unit for manufacturing and exporting shoes and after the usual enquiries

and introductions, I posed Streak’s question to him. He snapped back, “Well, there is

nothing unusual about it. We produce two types of products, one for the export market and

the other for domestic consumers. The one your friend is wearing is of export quality.

That means, superior to what we offer in the domestic market!”

5.My friend from the US was aghast. “You mean to say that manufacturers have two sets

of production policies,” he remarked. “Why, to me that amounts to being unfair to your

countrymen.” It was now becoming pretty discomfiting for me to debate on this

controversy generating issue any further. I wanted to change the topic but it looked as if

my neighbour had taken Streak’s remark as a personal affront to the entire shoemaking

fraternity in India.

6.“Mr. Streak,” he exclaimed, “as manufacturers, we have to keep in mind the socio-

economic conditions of our country. Here we have millions of cobblers who earn their

livelihoods by mending the shoes we make. How can we be insensitive to this reality?

And remember, the purchasing power of our countrymen is not the same as you have in

the US. If we start offering them the shoes we export to you, then 80% of the population

of my country will remain without shoes!” Streak was by now looking convinced, I was

happy and relieved.

1. Why was the author taken aback by Streak’s first impression of India? 2

2. The expression, ‘in a tizzy’ means:

a. upset b. annoyed c. amused d. confused

1

3. What was Streak’s query and why was the narrator unable to respond?​

Answer 1

Answer:

too much questions for 10 pts

Explanation:

first increase points