Question

Read the following passage carefully :
Dreams to Reality
(1) It was evening in the picturesque seaside town of Rameshwaram, on the southern edge of Tamil Nadu. A cool breeze was gently blowing in from the sea. Along with the sound of waves lapping against the shore, the sweet sound of birds circling overhead, could also be heard.
(2) Among the children playing on the beach was a boy with wavy hair and dreamy eyes. This youngster was Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam who later became the eleventh President of India.
(3) While spending time with his friends, Abdul was attracted by the sound of the birds flying above. He carefully observed that a fledgling perched on a boat was trying to take off. It spread its wings, fluttered briefly and sprang up. The air seemed to give the needed thrust for its take off! The bird soared up into the sky. It steered its pace and course with great ease. Abdul also wished if he could fly like those beauties in the air !
(4) This passion for flying, aroused by the beautiful birds, later inspired Abdul Kalam to design India's first rocket which successfully sent a satellite Rohirti, into orbit on le July 1980. It was called the SLV-3 (Satellite Launch Vehicle). At the time when Abdul was growing up, no one had even dreamt of such a happening.
(5) Rameshwaram, where Abdul was born on 154' October 1931, was a small town with narrow streets lined with old houses made of limestone and brick_ The town was famous for its Shiva Temple. Abdul stayed in the house with his father, mother, brothers and sister and led a secure and happy childhood.
(6) Abdul's father, Jainulabdeen was a pious man. He led an austere life without depriving his family of the basic comforts.
(7) In this closely knit family, dinner was always a special meal. During dinner they exchanged views on a variety of topics ranging from family mattes to spiritual subjects.
(8) The main income for Abdul's family came from ferrying pilgrims across the sea between Rameshwaram and Dhanushkodi. Pilgrims visiting Rameshwaram made it
a point to visit Dhanushkodi, twenty kilometres away in the sea. Dhanushkodi has religious significance.
(9) Fenying pilgrims fetdwd good money and the family lived comfortably. However, a devastating cyclone lashed the shores of Rameshwaram and their boat was destroyed. The family lost their only source of livelihood in one swift tragic stroke.
(10) The enterprising young Abdul wanted to help the family through the crisis. He realized that there was demand for tamarind seeds. He decided he would collect them and sell them to a shop near his house. His family wanted him to concentrate on his studies. He said he would study as well as help his family. Reluctantly, everyone agreed. Even while studying or enjoying the evenings with his friends on the beach, he set aside some time to collect tamarind seeds and sell them to a nearby shop. For this he was paid a princely sum of one anna !
(11) Besides selling tamarind seeds, he helped his cousin Samsuddin to sell the popular Tamil newspaper Dinamani to earn a little more money. At dawn, several bundles of the newspaper, printed in Madras (now Chennai), were thrown on to the platform of Rameshwaram railway station from passing trains. Trains did not stop at Rameshwaram station during those days of the Second World War as almost all of them were commandeered to transport troops.
(12) Abdul, after picking up the bundles marked for his area, use to rush and hand them over to Samsuddin, who use to give Abdul a small amount for the service he had rendered. There was a great demand for Dinamani because people wanted to know about India's freedom struggle and the latest developments in the war.
(13) This is how Abdul earned his first wage. However, it was the joy of being able to care for his family that Abdul cherished most Even decades later,he recalls earning his own money for the first time, with immense pleasure and a sense of pride.
(A) On the basis of your reading of the above passage, answer the following questions:
x 6 6 marks)
(i) Who does this passage tell us about ? (1)
610 What inspired Abdul to design a rocket ? (1)
(lii)What was 51.V-3 ? (1)
(iv) Where did Abdul spend his childhood ? (1)
(v) Why was dinner a special meal in the Kalam family ? (1)
(vi) What did Abdul cherish most about the memory of earning his own money for the first time ? (1)
(B) Find the words from the passage which mean the same as the following : (1 x 2. 2 marks)
(i) disciplined/hard (para 6) (1)
(ii) hard working and bold (para 10)

Answer 1

Answer:

(A) (i) This passage tell us about Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen "Abdul Kalam" who later became the eleventh President of India.

(ii) The passion for flying, aroused by the beautiful birds, inspired Abdul to design a rocket.

(iii) The SLV-3 (Satellite Launch Vehicle) was the India's first rocket designed by Abdul Kalam which successfully sent a satellite Rohirti, into orbit.

(iv) Abdul spent his childhood in Rameswaram.

(v) The dinner was a special meal in Kalam family because during dinner time they used to exchange views on a variety of topics ranging from family mattes to spiritual subjects.

(vi) because it was Abdul first wage and it was the joy of being able to care for his family.

(B)

(i) Austere

(ii) Enterprising