YARA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, RIYADH

ENGLISH NOTES, GRADE-VI

UNIT 11: THE GHOST OF THE MOUNTAINS (MCB)

Difficult words (5 Times)

Endangered
Fascinated
Threaten
Pounding
Tranquilizer
Word Meanings
Poacher: a person who illegally hunts animals and birds
Extinct: no longer have any living members
Bolted: ran to escape from there
Distraught: troubled
Camouflaged: blended with the color of its natural surroundings.
Reading
A. 1. T
2. NT – The villagers wanted to kill the snow leopard as they were angry with it for killing the
sheep and goats.
3. T
4. NT – Rigzin sank to his knees relieved that the snow leopard had missed him by a fraction of a
second.
5. T
B. 1.
a. Rigzin had heard that a big crowd had gathered in front of the lhas of Tashi’s house because a
snow leopard had entered the lhas and had killed the goats and sheep there. Only a baby calf was
still alive.
b. Rigzin ran towards Tashi’s house as he wanted to see the snow leopard. He had never seen
one but he knew that they were endangered animals and were protected by India’s wildlife laws.
He was in fact rather proud that his region was home to these endangered big cats.
c. Rigzin went to the side of Tashi’s house and climbed up to the roof of the lhas. Then, he
peered through a small hole on one side of the roof to look at the snow leopard in the lhas.

2.
a. Rigzin said these words to the villagers who wanted to kill the snow leopard.
b. ‘It’ refers to the villagers killing the snow leopard.
c. The problem was finally solved when Rigzin could convince the villagers about how more and
more snow leopards were being killed and there was a distinct fear of them becoming extinct.
The villagers understood the problem. Rigzin then informed the Wildlife Department at Leh.
Three officials and a veterinary doctor arrived later that afternoon in a jeep. The doctor shot a
tranquilizer into the leopard and carried it out. It was taken to Leh and a decision about where
to release it was taken the next day.

C. Answer in detail.
1. Rigzin went to the other side of the roof and picking up a stick, started pounding the roof to
make a hole. Many joined him and soon a small hole was made. As Rigzin had planned, this
frightened and angered the leopard and it came over to this side. Then, as Rigzin had suggested,
everyone on the roof started to make a noise. The leopard began to jump towards the hole. But
the roof was too high, and the leopard could not even touch it with its front paws. Rigzin ran
down to the front of the lhas. Opening the door, he tiptoed up to the calf, picked it up and bolted
towards the door. Running out, he quickly shut it.
2. When Rigzin tried to convince the villagers to not kill the snow leopard, the villagers became
very angry because snow leopards often attacked and killed their livestock. They felt that fewer
snow leopards would mean that their livestock would be safer. Rigzin tried to reason with them
by pointing out that a snow leopard is an endangered animal and is given special protection
through a law called the Wildlife Protection Act. He also told the villagers that if anyone was
found guilty of killing an animal that is protected by the Act, the person can be sent to jail or
made to pay a fine. On hearing this, when the villagers decided to quietly kill the snow leopard
without the wildlife officials getting to know, Rigzin threatened to report them. Finally, the
headman stepped in and asked everyone to discuss the matter.
Though initially Rigzin was unable to convince the villagers, the discussion helped when Rigzin
told the villagers how snow leopards were becoming extinct. Thereafter, solutions were
discussed and gradually the villagers agreed to spare the snow leopard.
3. Snow leopards are usually killed by angry villagers who have lost their livestock, while many
are killed for their fur and bones, which are often used in traditional Chinese medicine.
4. The villagers decided to be more alert when taking their animals out and also avoid the very
steep terrain on the mountains as snow leopards usually prefer those areas. Also, they would
make sure that the lhas was fully secure.

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