Comprehension Passages

The culture of nuclear families is in fashion. Parents are often heard complaining about the
difficulties in bringing up children these days. Too much of freedom in demand, too much
independence; over night parties; excessive extravagance, splurging pocket money; no time
for studies and family all this is a common cry of such families. Aren’t parents, themselves,
responsible for this pitiful state ? The basic need of a growing youth is the family, love,
attention and bonding along with moral values. One should not forget that ‘charity begins
at home’.

Independence and individuality both need to be respected, in order to maintain the sanctity
of family. Children, today are to be handled with tact in order to bridge the ever widening
generation gap. Only the reasonable demands need to be fulfilled, as there are too many
expenses to be met and top many social obligations to be taken care of by the parents. Our
forefathers lived happily in joint families. Children loved to live with their cousins, learnt to
adjust within means. There was perfect harmony between the generations. There never
existed the concept of old-age homes. There was deep respect for the family elders and
love, care and concern for the youngsters. Even the minor family differences were solved
amicably.

1. Mention any two major common concerns of a nuclear family.             (1 x 5

= 5 Marks)
2. Who, according to the passage, are responsible for them ?
3. Explain the expression ‘charity begins at home’.
4. Describe the atmosphere in joint families.
5. Which word in the passage means ‘Holiness of life’ ?
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer of his plans to
leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his family.
He would miss the pay cheque, but he needed to retire. The employer was
sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more
house as a personal favour. The carpenter said ‘yes’, but in time it was easy to
see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship
and used inferior material. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work, his employer handed over the key of
the house to the carpenter— “This is your house, my gift to you.”

What a shock! What a shame ! If he had only known he was building his own
house, he would have done it all so differently! Now he had to live in a poorly
built house. So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting
less than our best into the building. Then, with a shock, we realize we have to
live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we would do it much
differently. But, you cannot go back. You are the carpenter, and every day you
hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Someone once said, your
attitude, and the choices you make today, help build the “house” you will live
in tomorrow. Therefore, build wisely!

1. What did the carpenter tell his employer?             (1 x 5 = 5 Marks)

2. What favour did his employer ask from the carpenter ?
3. What surprise did the employer have for the carpenter ?
4. Why was the surprise a’shame’for the carpenter?
5. Which word in the first paragraph means the same as ‘art of skill of a
workman’ ?
For the mobility—impaired, highly trained canines called ‘service dogs’ can pick up
dropped keys, open and close drawers, retrieve prepared meals, help a person in and out of
bathtub, dial 911, push and pull wheelchairs, help operate a car or van and pull off gloves,
shoes, socks and jackets. Other dogs provide specific assistance to those who suffer
seizures (sudden attacks of illness) and require special medication. And, of course, the
helping dogs provide companionship, play and give unconditional love to the people they
assist.

It is thirty odd years now since the placement of the first assistance dog. But only in recent
years, with the rising independent movement among disabled people has the idea begun to
spread widely.

While most service-dogs are trained to work with people who rely on wheelchairs, other
categories of helping dogs include hearing-dogs who alert their owners to sounds, such as
doorbells, phones, cooking timers, alarm clocks, smoke alarms and seizure dogs which
carry medication in their packs and are trained to dial 911 on large keypad phones.

Q1: The service-dogs were:

(a) paid highly (b) less in number (c) multiple taskers (d) employees

Q2: The idea of assistance dogs became popular due to the:

(a) independent movement among the disabled

(b) awareness by the hospitals

(c) independence of the country

(d) both (a) and (c)

Q3: The categories of helping-dogs are:

(a) domestic dogs, service dogs & seizure dogs

(b) service, hearing and seizure dogs

(c) hunting and domestic dogs

(d) None of the above

Q4: There is a difference between:

(a) the service dogs and the helping dogs

(b) the serving dogs and canines

(c) the canines and ordinary dogs

(d) both (b) and (c) .

Q5: Give the noun form of ‘trained’:

(a) train       (b) trains  (c) training  (d) trainee

This is a great lesson for all of us to learn, that in all matters the two extremes are alike. The
extreme positive and the extreme negative are always similar. When the vibrations of light are
too slow we do not see them, nor do we see them when they are too rapid. So with sound; when
very low in pitch we do not hear it, when very high we do not hear it either. Of like nature is the
difference between resistance and non-resistance. One man does not resist because he is weak,
lazy and cannot; because he will not; the other man knows that he can strike an irresistible blow
if he likes; yet he not only does not strike, but blesses his enemies. The one who from weakness
resists not commits a sin, and as such cannot receive any benefit from the non-resistance, while
the other would commit a sin by offering resistance.  —Swami Vivekananda.

Answer the following questions by selecting most appropriate option from the ones given
below:     (1×5 = 5)

Q1: “… in all matters two extremes are alike”, means:

(a) Powerful men always gain success

(b) All human beings are of same characters

(c) Boys and girls are equally talented

(d) The extreme positive and the extreme negative are alike

Q2: When the sound is in low pitch:

(a) we fail to hear it

(b) we can hear it easily

(c) it pleases us
(d) we feel dizzy

Q3: Too rapid vibrations of light:

(a) can be easily seen

(b) cannot be seen

(c) should be enjoyed

(d) both (b) and (c) are correct

Q4: The one who resists is different from a man who does not resist, because of his:

(a) nature    (b) weakness (c) strength (d) laziness

Q5: The word ‘irresistible’ mean:

(a) tied so closely that it cannot be separated

(b) so strong that it cannot be stopped

(c) that cannot be changed back

(d) so valuable that it cannot be replaced

(1) Tourists to Jammu and Kashmir have another attraction – a floating post office on the
Dal Lake in Srinagar, the first in the country. ‘Floating Post Office, Dal Lake’ – claimed to be
the only one such post office in the world – is built on an intricately carved maroon
houseboat, fastened on the western edge of the Dal Lake.

(2) This post office lets you avail of all the regular postal services available in the country
while being afloat. The seal used on everything posted from Floating Post Office is unique –
along with the date and address, it bears the design of a boatman rowing a shikara on the
Dal Lake. The special feature of this post office is that letters posted from here carry a
special design which has the picturesque scenery of Dal Lake and Srinagar city. These
pictures reach wherever these letters are posted to and hence promote Kashmir as a
tourist destination across the world.

(3) This is actually a heritage post office that has existed since British times. It was called
Nehru Park Post Office before 2011. But then the chief postmaster John Samuel renamed it
as ‘Floating Post Office’.
(4) The post office’s houseboat has two small rooms – one serves as the office and the other
a small museum that traces the philatelic history of the state postal department. It has a
shop that sells postage stamps and other products.

(5) But for the locals, Floating Post office is more than an object of fascination. 1-2 crore is
deposited per month in Floating Post Office by communities living in and around the Dal
Lake. The lake has several islets that are home to more than 50,000 people.

(6) The greatest fear is the recurrence of 2014 like floods in which the houseboat had gone
for a toss uncontrollably pushed by the flood. Rescue teams had to anchor it using special
mechanism in a nearby highland. Then it was brought back on the Dal after the water
receded. The biggest boon is that at no time of the year do you need a fan in this post-
office !

Direction: Attempt the following questions on the basis of the passage you have read.

(i) What is the location of the Floating Post Office in Srinagar?

(a) On dal lake

(b) Near centaur

(c) On Pari Mahal

(ii) What is special about the seal used in the post office?

(a) design of a houseboat on the Dal Lake

(b) design of a boatman rowing a shikara on the Dal Lake

(c) design of a chinar tree on the Dal Lake

(iii) The post office is helpful in promoting tourism _____________

(iv) Who renamed the post office as ‘Floating Post Office’?

(a) Chief Postmaster

(b) Postman

(c) Delivery agent

(v) The two rooms of the post office are used for_____

(vi) The post office is beneficial to the locals _______

(vii) What is the greatest fear that the post office has ?

(a) Floods

(b) Earthquakes

(c) Tsunami

(viii) How is the post office a big boon to the people?

(a) You do not need fan

(b) You need airconditioning

(c) You do not need heater