Unseen Passage for class IX

 Unseen Passage (class IX)

2. Read the following passage carefully :       (12)

 

It’s amazing how we grow from careless kids to responsible teens. What happens in the course that makes us responsible now? It’s the seed that we sow in the beginning which grows and becomes a huge tree.

As a kid, I used to read a lot of story books. In one particular book, I read a story of a bird. It described a male bird which takes a lot of pain to build a nest and the female bird takes shelter in it and nourishes the baby. When the bird learns to fly, the whole family flies off to a different place leaving behind the beautiful nest for other birds to grow their family in it. It made me wonder. How could they so easily sacrifice their house built with so much effort?

One night, when I was deep in sleep, I got this particular dream. I was walking miles on the endless road, totally isolated but lined with beautiful trees on either side. Fascinated by the greenery, I marched towards it and stopped upon seeing something. It was a massive, wonderful house. I fell in love with that amazing part of art. Every corner of the house was touched artistically and lovingly. Things turn out to be beautiful only when we put our love into it — just like the food prepared by mom which tastes more delicious with her love.

I explored the house only to fall more in love with it. There was a sloping roof which matched with the greenery around; the large central open courtyard reminded me of the activities that might have taken place there which felt lively even now when it is completely deserted. The small water body that kept the house cool added to the beauty of the house — of course, it was all dried up now. It’s really wonderful how such things add life to the spaces which otherwise just become structures. Such liveliness and happening turns the house into a home. They say ‘THE HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS’, but now I began to feel it. This is where my heart belongs. This is what I’m destined to do.

When I woke up from the dream, I was clear about everything. I realized what message my dream wanted to convey me. And years later, when finally my turn of choosing my destination came, I simply closed my eyes and relived the dream. When I opened my eyes, I was sure what to do. I decided to choose the road — less traveled. Yes, I took up architecture as my profession because this is what I am destined to do. I wanted to do the same thing that the male bird in the story did, to take pain in building a beautiful house and let others stay in it. This is my dream come true and the happiness that I gain now from this profession is indescribable.

 

 

3.1. Answer the following questions briefly: (2x4=8)

 

a) How did the writer feel when he read about the story of the bird?

b)  Why does a mom’s food always taste better?

c) In the writer’s dream, what part of the house attracted him most?

d) Mention any two instances referred by the writer on how a house can be turned into a home.

 

3.2 Do as directed: (1X=4)

 

(a) the word ‘fascinated’ means:

 

i) Likeness ii) Captivated iii) Uninteresting iv) remind

 

(b) the word ‘indescribable’ means:

 

i) interesting ii) worthless iii) difficult iv) unexplainable

 

(c) the word ‘delicious’ means:

 

i) colourful ii) odourless iii) Tasty iv) around

 

(d) the word ‘profession’ means:

 

i) occupation ii) convey iii) garden iv) smart