PASSAGE 6

As soon as he arrived in the vicinity of the tea shop, the youngsters sitting in the shop would bestir themselves in the expectation of the ensuing fun and teasing remarks which would hover in the air. Ghulamu Chacha would flare up. He would call someone to hell; he would send someone’s father to the funeral pyre and someone else’s mother to no one knew where. Gradually, the intensity of the shock faded away and Chacha got inured to the jest. When people teased him, he would abuse them and move on. By now he had become quite old.

He walked with a stoop and all his front teeth had come off. His patients never paid up, which led to the stopping of his medical practice and the pension papers could not be made ready yet. The household articles got older and older still. Chacha’s life had no other charm except the teasing of the people in ever-inventive ways and his equally forceful and lively riposte. It had become almost a routine affair. As soon as he came on the road, his black coat and dirty pyjama on, vainly trying to straighten his bent waist, the youngsters of the ‘mohalla’ busy in their household chores would immediately guess that Chacha had set out on his daily odyssey on the road.

1. What made the youngsters so excited?
A) the old man’s sudden appearance
B) a likelihood of exchange of fun and curses
C) the old man’s ugly face
D) None of these

2. How did Chacha react to the teasing remarks?
A) by tearing off his clothes
B) by cursing himself
C) by abusing them
D) by retiring from the scene

3. What was the ultimate result of the cracking of jokes?
A) He got used to them.
B) He lost his peace of mind.
C) His medical practice suffered.
D) His pension papers were not ready yet.

4. What was the charm of Chacha’s life?
A) sticking to household articles
B) constant cursing by youngsters
C) teasing of the people
D) his ready wit

5. Where would the encounter take place?
A) in the tea stall
B) in the doctor’s dispensary
C) near the bus-stop
D) on the road

6. What made the people have fun at his cost?
A) his old dress
B) deformities of his age
C) his strange looks
D) his whimsical behaviour

7. His status in life was that of a
A) pensioner
B) widower
C) bachelor
D) social worker

8. Ordinarily, what kept the people busy?
A) cheap gossips
B) ever-inventive jokes
C) household jobs
D) irritating the old man

9. Choose the word which is most nearly the same in meaning to FLARE UP according to the passage.
A) get nervous
B) become angry
C) walk slowly
D) None of these

10. Choose the word which is the most opposite in meaning to GRADUALLY according to the passage.
A) hastily
B) suddenly
C) thoughtlessly
D) angrily

SOLUTION WITH EXPLANATION

Answer Key

Solution with explanation

1. Option ‘B’. Sentence one of the passage making the answer clear. BESTIR YOURSELF = to become active after a period of rest; e.g. I’d better bestir myself – there’s work to be done. ENSUING = happening after something and because of it; e.g.

An argument broke out and in the ensuing fight, a gun went off.

2. Option ‘C’. Read the second last sentence of paragraph one.

3. Option ‘A’. INURE SB TO STH = If you become inured to something unpleasant, you become familiar with it and able to accept and bear it; After spending some time on the island they became inured to the hardships. JEST = something that is said or done in order to be funny; His proposal was no jest – he was completely sincere.

Thus, third last sentence of paragraph one is making the answer clear.

5. Option ‘D’. Last sentence of the passage is giving the answer. ODYSSEY = a long, exciting journey; e.g. The film follows one man’s odyssey to find the mother from whom he was separated at birth.

6. Option ‘D’. WHIMSICAL = unusual and strange in a way that might be funny or annoying

8. Option ‘C’. Extract of the last sentence of the passage – the youngsters of the ‘mohalla’ busy in their household chores would immediately guess that Chacha had set out on his daily odyssey on the road. – is giving the answer.

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