A passage Through Youth (By Salil Tripathi)

About the passage

A.  Read to understand

1.   Choose the correct options.

       a.   How many days would the author’s summertime school trips usually last?

   i) 20           ii) 24           iii) 28

       b.   What was the average age of the students who went on the trip?

   i) 10 years         ii) 15 years       iii) 20 years

       c.   What did Dhiren describe as being related to ‘latent heat’?

   i) the yellowing of snow   ii) the melting of snow   iii) the stickiness of snow

2.   Answer these questions.

      a.   Why does the author say that May is not the right time to visit Delhi?

      Ans. The author said that May is not the right time to visit Delhi because the trees offered little solace from the dry heat to which the coastal folks were unaccustomed and the monuments reflected light with an intensity.

      b.   What pleasant memories does the author have of the banks of the Beas?

      Ans. The author have various pleasant memories of the banks of the Beas: The white foam of the flow of the river, the cool mountain air, the verdant banks and the tall deodar and chinar trees.

      c.   How did the author know Professor Sushil Panjabi?

      Ans. The author knew Professor Sushil Panjabi as he was an old friend of author’s mother from their college days in Mumbai.

      d.   The author says, ‘We were proud of our shared secret.’ What secret did the eleven girls and boys share?

      Ans. The secret the eleven boys and girls shared was the awesome view of the Lahaul and Spiti valleys that they had seen together, which the rest of their unpunished classmates had not seen.

B.  Read to infer

1.   Why was the snowfall particularly exciting for the author and his friends? How did they enjoy it?

Ans. The snow fall was particularly exciting for the author and his friends because they had never seen snow before. They enjoyed it by holding the snow on their palms, catching it, letting it settle and seeing the flakes liquefy and disintegrate.

2.   What had impressed the teacher about Dhiren?

Ans. The teacher was with Dhiren because he was the only child who paid attention in his classes and knew about the phenomenon of latent heat.

3.   The author says,’ The fact that we had a teacher with us did not help matters.’ What does he mean by this?

Ans. The author says, ‘The fact that we had a teacher with us did not help matters’. He meant by this that though they had a teacher with them, still they were scolded and grounded by the teacher in charge.

4.   Why did the eleven boys and girls who had gone to Rohtang Pass not mind the punishment? Give two reasons.

Ans. The eleven boys and girls who had gone to Rhotang Pass did not mind the punishment because first, they had an awesome view of Lahaul and Spiti valleys. Second, they saw snow for the first time and hence enjoyed a lot.

C.  Discuss

1.   The author says that there were no mobile phones then. How would mobile phones have made a difference?

Ans. There was time when there were no mobile phones, and certainly no texting, email or instant messaging of any kind. If there were mobile phones at that time author and his friends would have been able to contact their teacher in charge.

2.   What would you cherish more: a beautiful sight or a sweetmeat like shrikhand? Give a reason for your choice.

Ans. I would cherish a beautiful sight more because of two reasons: I can have shrikhand easily but finding a beautiful sight is not easy. Second the taste of shrikhand I may not remember for long time but the memory of an awesome view will remain for whole life.