Proper Way To Attempt An Unseen Passage.

Comprehension Practice

   

To comprehend is to understand. So comprehension suggests understanding. In examinations, students are often given an unseen passage and are required to answer a few questions based on it. These questions test their comprehension or 'understanding' of the passage.

Use the following points to attempt this question:

1.) Read the passage carefully and try to get a general idea of the subject it deals with.

2) Read the passage again, this time more thoroughly, and make a mental note of the details in it.

3) Now take each question in turn and try to locate its answer in the passage. Make sure that you are able to find a precise and to-the-point answer to each question. Each question should have a distinct answer, that is, your answer to a particular question should not be repeated elsewhere.

4) Once you have mentally prepared all the answers, write them down. Your answer should be brief, and, as far a possible, in your own language.

5) While answering questions, do not add anything from your own side. Don't express your personal views unless you are asked to express them.

6) It is possible that you may not be knowing the exact meaning of some words in the passage. Don't be discouraged. If you read the passage carefully, you will be able to guess the meaning. And this is enough. You can certainly understand the general idea of a passage without knowing the meaning of each and every word.

B. While attempting the comprehension passage, the three main points are:

1. Your answers are brief.

2. Your answers are to the point.

3. Your answers are, as far as possible, in your own language.

C. Read the passage given below:

A man named Smith was standing on his roof during a flood and water was up to his feet. Before long a fellow in a canoe paddled past and shouted, "Can I give you a lift to higher the ground?" 

"No thanks," said Smith. "I have faith in Lord and He will save me."

 Soon the water rose to Smith's waist. At this point a motor boat pulled up someone and called out," Can I give you a lift to higher ground?"

 "No thanks," said Smith. "I have faith in the Lord and He will save me"

 Later, a helicopter flew by and Smith was standing on the rood with water up to his neck. "Grab the rope," yelled the pilot, "I'll pull you up."

 "No thanks," said Smith. "I have faith in Lord and He will save me." 

But after hours of treading water, poor, exhausted Smith was drowned and went to his heavenly home. As he arrived at pearly gates, Smith met his Maker and complained about his turn of events. "Tell me, Lord," he said, "I had such faith in you to save me and you let me down. What happened?"

 To which the lord replied, "What more did you want from me? I sent you two boats and a helicopter!"

A. Now answer the following questions:

1. Where was Smith and why was he there?

2. Why did he not avail himself of the help offered?

3. What was the Maker's reply?

4. What is the moral of the episode?

5. What was the complaint to his maker?

B. Now complete the following on the basis of your reading of the passage:

1. The man in the canoe approached Smith so that he could _______.

2. Smith rejected the pilot's offer because he _____________.

3. Smith struggled through water to ___________ himself but ultimately __________.

4. Smith met a drowning death because ______________.

5. The lord had sent help thrice. This was when  

(a) ____________.   (b) ______________.      (c) __________________

D.Read the following  poem  and answer the questions that follow:( SOLVED)

 

  Freedom is the right to do

  Anything that pleases you,

   As long as you keep in sight

   That others also have a right.

   Have you right to kill a cat?

   Oh no!It's wrong,just consider that

  The cat has the right to live like you

    A right of eating and drinking too!

   So remember that it's certainly wrong

     To deprive a nightingale its song

     To cheat the poor people, as rich men do

      To rob the innocent, as robbers do

      To injure someone to win a race

     To despise some and others embrace

      To disobey every order and rule

     And drown a swimmer in the pool

     And shout and scream like a fool

    Disrespecting the teachers in the school

    So never forget that although you are free,

     You should think of others, not  only 'ME'

    

A 

  1.How are the rights of a cat similar to ours?

Ans.A cat also has the right to live like us and to eat and drink too

2.What similarity has the poet pointed out between rich men and robbers?

Ans.According to the poet, both do not think of helpless people for their own good. They are unkind to such people. 

3.How should students conduct themselves in their school?

Ans.They should behave manners and be respectful to the teachers in their school.

B.Complete the following statement:

   We have the right to do anything that pleases you as long as we remember that others also have right.

C. Reproduce the line that sums up the theme of the poem.

 Ans.That line is 'You should think of others, not only 'ME'.

D.Some undesirable qualities are mentioned below. We should try to avoid them.Point out those which are not suggested in the fourth stanza:

a) rudeness       b) dishonesty     c) discrimination      d) falsehood    e) arrogance  d)flouting   of rules