Available Answers

1. 1.

   Passage-1:

   The Andaman and Nicobar Islands consist of mainly two groups of islands, with distinctive features of the original residents - Negroid and Mongoloid. It is strange to see how these two different groups migrated to these islands so far from the mainland - from India and Myanmar. The aboriginals found in these islands are the Jarawas, Sentineless, Onges, Shompenites, mainly found in Andaman and Nicobarese in Nicobar. Of these the Nicobarese in general, and some of the Onges, have accepted the so-called modern civilization and learned the use of modern tools and facilities.

   They can be seen frequently in the Port Blair market. The aboriginals are looked after by the Anthropological Department of the Government who make regular visits to their islands and supply them with food and other necessities.

   These aboriginals still do not know how to use a matchbox and prepare fire by rubbing two pieces of wood, they also do not know the use of cloth. If the people from the Anthropological Department offer them clothes, they use them only as turbans and not to wrap their bodies.

2. 2.

   Passage-2:

   The habit of reading is one of the greatest resources of mankind, and wer enjoy reading books that belong to us much more than if they are borrowed. A borrowed book is like a guest in the house, it must be treated with punctiliousness, with certain, considerate formality. You must see that it sustains no damage, it must not suffer while under your roof. You cannot leave it carelessly, you cannot mark it, you cannot turn down the pages, you cannot use it familiarly.

   But your own books belong to you, you treat them with that affectionate intimacy that annihilates formality.

   Books are for use, not for show. A good reason for marking favourite pages in books is that this practice enables you to remember more easily the significant sayings to refer to them quickly.

   Everyone should begin collecting a private library in youth, one should have one's own book shelves, which should not have doors, glass windows, or keys, they should be free and accessible to the hand as well as to the eye. Books are of the people, by the people and for the people. Literature is an immortal part of history, it is the best and most enduring part of personality.

3. 3.

   Passage-3:

   The Wright brothers did not have to look far for ideas when building their airplane, they studied birds. The act of copying from nature to address a design problem is not new, but over the last decade the practice has moved from obscure scientific journals to the mainstream. The term 'biomimicry', popularized by American natural sciences writer Janine Benus in the late 1990s, refers to innovations that take their inspiration from flora and fauna. Biomimicry advocates argue that with 3.8 billion years of research and development, evolution has alread solved many of the challenges humans now encounter. Although we often see nature as something we mine for resources, biomimicry views nature as a mentor. From all around the globe, there are countless instances where such instance occurred in 1941 when Swiss engineer, George de Mestral was out hunting with his dog one day when he noticed sticky burrs, with their hundreds tiny hooks, had attached themselves to his pants and his dog's fur. These were his inspiration for Velcro.

4. 4.

   Passage-4:

   Two incidents played a major role in shaping the great revolutionary and martyr, Bhagat Singh's life.

   The first was the Jalianwala Bagh massacre where on the orders of General Dyer, a peaceful gathering of unarmed people was subjected to indiscriminate firing. He ran away from school to go and see the site for himself.

   The second incident was the tragic death of Lala Lajpat Rai who was his ideal.

   Leading a protest march, Lala was beaten with lathis and he succumbed to his injuries soon after.

   The idea of throwing a bomb in the Legislative Assembly Hall was Bhagat Singh's way of protesting against the British rule. The idea of so many Englishmen getting killed delighted his friend, Chandra Shekhar Azad but Bhagar said that he did not wish to kill anybody - he only wanted to make the British rulers hear. So, after having thrown the bomb, they did not run away. They were arrested and put to trial. In his statement, he said, "The bomb was necessary to awaken England from her dreams. Our sole purpose was to make the deaf hear, and give a timely warning."

   Bhagaar Singh was hanged in the Lahore jail. He was just twenty three. He is my hero - is he yours too?