Questions and Answers on 'Choosing Our Universe' for B.A. I (Semester I)

Playing the English Gentleman by M. K. Gandhi

Playing the English Gentleman by M. K. Gandhi

Short-Answer-Type Qs

Q1. Gandhiji decided to take lessons in various fields to make himself a perfect English gentleman. What were those fields?

Ans. Gandhiji had a strong desire to make himself a perfect English gentleman. So he started taking lessons in dancing, learning French and elocution (pronunciation/diction). He also tried to learn how to play upon violin. He paid money for those lessons. But he gave up all those efforts.

Q2.How did Gandhiji’s faith in vegetarianism grow?

Ans. Gandhiji was a strict vegetarian. He read several books on vegetarianism. He learnt that all philosophers and prophets from Pythagoras and Jesus and even in the present age were vegetarians. Religion also played important role in Gandhiji’s faith in vegetarianism.

Long Answer-type Qs

Q1. Describe relationship that Gandhiji shared with his friend?

Ans. Gandhiji’s Shared a cordial relationship with his friend. He was very much worried about him. He thought that Gandhi’s body would remain weak if he did not eat non-vegetarian food. Gandhiji’s excessive engagement with reading books on vegetarianism also worried his friend. He also wanted Gandhiji to learn the manners of an English gentleman. For that, Gandhiji tried a lot to learn other things. At one time, Gandhiji’s friend showed his anger at him. But that was for the time being. Gandhiji’s relation with his friend was always cordial.

Q2. Discuss some of the habits and attitudes that Gandhiji had cultivated which were at variance with what he encountered in Britain?

Ans. Gandhiji’s habits and attitudes were at variance with those he faced in Britain. First, he was a strict vegetarian. He continued being a vegetarian till last. While remaining in Britain, he had to feel uncomfortable with his friends due to that. His friend also tried to make him eat meat. But Gandhiji’s belief in being a vegetarian became stronger because he read several books on vegetarianism. He also tried to become an English gentleman by taking lessons in dancing, French language and elocution. But he learnt that it was all unnecessary.

Q3. What did the recluse do? What are its implications for Gandhiji’s life?

Ans. To keep away the rats, the recluse had to keep a cat and then a cow to feed the cat with milk. He also had to keep a man to look after the cow. Gandhiji also did the same thing. To become like an English gentleman, he started taking lessons in music, dancing, to learn French and elocution. He had to pay money for those lessons and to buy several books also. But later on he thought that it was all unnecessary.

Q4.What does the title of the essay ‘Playing an English Gentleman’ suggest?

Ans. The title of the lesson suggests that one should not imitate others’ culture blindly. The use of the word ‘playing’ indicates that Gandhiji was also imitating

Q5.Describe Gandhiji’s attempts to inculcate the qualities of an English gentleman. How did these attempts turn out?

Are Dams the Temples of Modern India? (A few Qs Discussed for the Students of B.A. Part I, Sem I)

Comprehension Exercises: Are Dams….

Short Answer-type Qs. (Word-limit: 25-30)

Q1. Which speech of Jawahar Lal Nehru is referred to in this essay?

Ans. After independence, Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru delivered a speech. He appreciated dams in it. He called them ‘the temples of modern India’. But, later on, he understood the disadvantages of building dams. So he felt regret on his statement.

Q2. Why did Nehru regret his statement about dams later on in his life?

Ans. The same as above in the first question.

Q3. How did the Government compensate for the loss caused by the dam building?

Ans. The government built more dams to compensate the loss caused by the building of dams. But building dams caused a great loss to the common people. It could not be compensated by building more and more dams.

Q4. Why have dams become obsolete?

Ans. [In the beginning, building of dams attracted people across the country. Tourists went to see the dams. Poets used to visit them for the beautiful scenery. They composed poems there.] Ans. In the beginning, building of dams attracted people across the country. But, after some years, dams lost their attraction due to their disadvantages. They became obsolete (outdated). Even the advanced countries stopped building them due to their long-term disadvantages.

Q5. Why are big dams undemocratic?

Ans.  Building big dams by Government is totally undemocratic. These do benefit to the rich only. The small holdings of the poor are snatched forcibly from them. They are also not paid much money. They are not rehabilitated by the government.

Q6.How did big dams affect ecology?

Ans. Big dams cause a great loss to the ecology of that area. They make the land useless. Floods, water-logging and salinity are also caused by them. Sometimes, a large amount of water is released from the dams. It cause sudden flood on the plain areas

Q7. How does the author present a contrast between monuments and big dams?

Ans. The author says that big dams and monuments cannot be equated. Dams are short-lived. After a few years, nature start damaging them. Silt is filled in them by a slow process. Monuments lived for long. Their maintenance is easy.

Long Answer-type Qs. (Word limit: 75 to 100)

Q1. Discuss the tone used in the first paragraph of the essay.

Ans. The tone in the first paragraph of this essay is of doubt and criticism. The author is not ready to believe that dams are temples of modern India. She also clarifies that Pt. Nehru himself had to regret on his statement later on in his life. In addition to it, the author expresses her doubt on the way Nehru’s follower showed their enthusiasm on building big dams in India. It was all unnatural. The people who were engaged in building business were highly benefited. The poor people lost their small holding, the only means of earling their livelihood. Their culture, their livelihood, their traditional way of irrigation, etc. __ all was forcibly snatched from them.

Q2.’There was a time when big dams moved men to poetry’, explain this statement.

Ans. In the beginning, people were full of extraordinary enthusiasm about dams. Water was stopped at one place by building big dams. It looked like a vast lake. It presented a very attractive sight. So the people from far and near places started visiting dams. Some people with romantic bent of mind also came there to compose poem there. They found the place very inspiring to write poems. So the author says that there was a time when big dams moved men to poetry. But now, no one goes there because big dams have become obsolete.

Q3. What are the dangers associated with the construction of big dams?

Ans. There are certain dangers associated with the building of big dams. First, dams need a large area to reserve a large quantity of water. So many villages have to be evacuated. People have to abandon their homes. Once they leave the place, they lose their small holdings. They lose their means of earning livelihood. They lose their culture. They are displaced. In addition, dams cause flood, water logging, salinity and even earth quakes as it is said. They affect ecology of that area. They are totally undemocratic and in favour of the rich only.  Now-a-days, dams have become obsolete in the developed countries. These are being destroyed there.

 Q4.Discuss the note at which the essay ends.

Ans. The author ends the essay at the note of warning. She warns the government against the dangers of building dams.

Now add from the answer 3: First,…..to the end.