Read the following passage carefully. (5 marks)
1. South India is known for its music and for its arts and rich literature. Madras or Chennai can be called the cultural capital and the soul of Mother India. The city is built low in pleasant contrast to the ghoulish tall structures of Mumbai and Kolkata. It has vast open spaces and ample greenery. The majestic spacious Mount Road looks like a river, wide and deep. A stroll on the Marina beach in the evening with the sea glistening in your face is refreshing. The breeze soothes the body, it refreshes the mind, sharpens the tongue and brightens the intellect.
2. One can never feel dull in Chennai. The intellectual and cultural life of the city is something of a marvel. Every street corner of Chennai has a literary forum, a debating society and music, dance and dramatic club. The intelligent arguments, the sparkling wit and dashing irony enliven both the political and the literary meetings. There is a young men’s association which attracts brilliant speakers and equally brilliant listeners to its meetings. It is a treat to watch the speakers use their oratorical weapons. Chennai speakers are by and large sweet and urbane, though the cantankerous, fire-eating variety is quite often witnessed in political campaigning. The urbane speakers weave their arguments slowly like the unfolding of a leisurely Carnatic raga.
3. Music concerts and dance performances draw packed houses. There is hardly any cultural family in Chennai that does not learn and patronise music and dance in its pristine purity. Rukmani Devi Arundale’s ‘Kalakshetra’ is a renowned international centre. It has turned out hundreds of celebrated maestros and dancers who have brought name and glory to our country. Carnatic music has a peculiar charm of its own. It has the moon’s soft beauty and moon’s soft pace. Thousands of people flock to the temple ‘maidans’ to get drunk with the mellifluous melodies of their favourite singers. They sit out all night in the grueling heat, swaying to the rhythm of ‘nadaswaram’ and rollicking with the measured beats of ‘mridangam’. M.S. Subbulakshmi is considered to be the nightingale of the South.
4. The Gods might descend from heaven to see a South Indian damsel dancing. There are several varieties of South Indian dance – Bharatnatyam, Mohiniyattam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali, etc. Age cannot wither nor custom stale its beautiful variety. Bharatnatyam is the most graceful and enchanting dance form, whereas Kathakali is most masculine and virile. South Indian dances combine voluptuousness with purity. Here, every muscle and fibre of the body vibrates into life, and as the tempo increases, a divine flame-like passion bodies forth as if making an assault on heaven.
5. South Indian dress, particularly of the males, is puritanically simple. There you cannot distinguish a judge from an ‘ardali’ by their dress. South Indian ladies too look charming and graceful in their colourful Kanjeevaram and Mysore silk sarees.
6. South Indian cuisine, especially ‘dosa’, ‘idli’ and ‘vada’ are so delicious that now we
can enjoy them almost everywhere in India as well as in some foreign countries. The Madras ‘idli’, which was a favourite of Gandhiji, is served with ‘sambhar’ and ‘coconut chutney’.
A. On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer the following questions by
choosing the most appropriate option. (1 x 5 = 5 marks)
For what is South India mainly known ?
1 point
For tasty food
For it's traditional, music , art , literature
For scenic beauty
For it's delicate and precise ways
Other:
Why is it a treat to watch the speakers ? *
1 point
Because they use oratorical weapons
Because they are witnessed in campaigning
Because they weave their arguments fastly
Because they argue and complain a lot
Other:
What is M.S Subbulakshami considered to be ? *
1 point
Graceful and enchanting
Masculine and virile
Nightingale of the south
Moon's soft beauty
Other:
What is the South Indian dance form? *
1 point
Bharatnatyam
Kuchipudi
Kathakali
All of these
Other:
Why are south Indian dances special *
1 point
Because Gods come from heaven to see them
Because they aren't many varieties of dance
Because they are pure as well as sensuous
Because they make an assault on heaven
Other:
Answers
Answer:
Choosing the most appropriate option. (1 x 5 = 5 marks)
For what is South India mainly known ?
- South India is mainly known for it's traditional, music , art , literature.
Why is it a treat to watch the speakers ?
- It is a treat to watch the speakers use their oratorical weapons.
What is M.S Subbulakshami considered to be ?
- M.S. Subbulakshmi is considered to be the nightingale of the South.
What is the South Indian dance form?
- All of these
- There are several varieties of South Indian dance – Bharatnatyam, Mohiniyattam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali, etc.
Why are south Indian dances special
- South Indian dances are special because they are pure as well as sensuous
Answer:
Questions and Answers of the Unseen Passage
Explanation:
On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer the following questions by
choosing the most appropriate option. (1 x 5 = 5 marks)
Q.1.For what is South India mainly known ?
Ans:-
(B)For it's traditional, music , art , literature
(C)For scenic beauty
Q.2.Why is it a treat to watch the speakers ?
Ans:Because they are witnessed in campaigning and
they weave their arguments fastly .
Q.3.What is M.S Subbulakshami considered to be ? *
Ans:- M.S Subbulakshami considered to be the Nightingale of the south .
Q.4.What is the South Indian dance form? *
Ans :-Bharatnatyam is most graceful dance form
while Kathakali is masculine and virie.
Kuchipuchi and Mohiniattam are vol[tuous and pure.
Q.5.Why are south Indian dances special *
Ans:- South Indian dances combine voluptuousness with purity. Here, every muscle and fibre of the body vibrates into life, and as the tempo increases, a divine flame-like passion bodies forth as if making an assault on heaven. Gods come from heaven to see them and they make an assault on heaven