Reading

Train to Pakistan

Working with Words

A. What do the underlined words in the following sentences mean? Tick the best answer.

a. The shouting and clamour would continue until long after the train had left the station.
Ans: a loud and confused noise

b. There were dozens outside perched precariously on footboards holding on the door handles.
Ans: nor securely

c. The book had gone round the compartment for scrutiny.
Ans: examination

d. But Jugga had run away, absconded.
Ans: hid somewhere secretely

e. His countrymen’s code of morals had always puzzled him, with his anglicized way of looking at things.
Ans: characteristics of English

f. Iqbal felt a little silly for coming out with these platitudes.
Ans: doubtful remarks

B. Many words have been borrowed in English from different languages. Find the meaning of the following words which are borrowed from Hindi language.

veranda :  a roofed platform along the outside of a house, level with the ground floor

khaki :  a strong cotton or wool fabric of a dull brownish-yellow color, used especially in military clothing

pashmina :  a shawl made from fine-quality goat’s wool

pajamas :  a pair of loose trousers tied by a drawstring around the waist, worn by both sexes in some Asian countries

pukka :  genuine

pundit :  priest of Hindu temple

avatar :  a manifestation of a deity or released soul in bodily form on earth

bangle :  a rigid ornamental band worn round the arm or occasionally the ankle

cheetah :  a large slender cat found in Africa and parts of Asia

guru :  a Hindu spiritual teacher

jungle :  an area of land overgrown with dense forest and tangled vegetation, typically in the tropics

karma :  the sum of a person’s actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences

nirvana :  the ultimate liberation

shampoo :  a liquid preparation for washing the hair

raita :  an Indian side dish of yogurt containing chopped cucumber or other vegetables and spices

C. Add the given suffixes to the following words to make new words. Notice whether ‘e’ is retained or dropped.

a. change + -able/ -ing/ -ed/ -less
Ans: changeable, changing, changed, changeless

b. time + -ly/ -ing/ -ed/ -less
Ans: timely, timing, timed, timeless

c. notice + -able/ -ing/ -ed
Ans: noticeable, noticing, noticed

d. praise + -worthy/ -ing/ -ed
Ans: praiseworthy, praising, praised

e. home + -less/ -ing/ -ly
Ans: homeless, homing, homely

Comprehension

Answer the following questions.

a. Why did Iqbal want to sleep in the afternoon?
Ans: Iqbal wanted to sleep in the afternoon because he had spent the night sitting on his bedroll in a crowded third-class compartment of the train.

b. How did people react with each other in the train?
Ans: People argued and shouted with each other in the train.

c. Why did the book Iqbal was reading bring commotion in the compartment?
Ans: The book Iqbal was reading bring commotion in the compartment because he was reading English book while travelling by the train and the people who were around him in train thought that he was decent, wise and well-educated.

d. Why did Iqbal have to give clarification with his personal details?
Ans: Iqbal had to give clarification with his personal details because other people who were travelling by train with him thought that he was only person in the train who had good communicative knowledge of English.

e. Who was Meet Sing and what did he report to Iqbal?
Ans: Meet Singh was a priest of Gurudwara and he reported to Iqbal about the murder of his friend who live in same village.

f. How, according to Meet Singh, was Jugga Singh different from his forefathers?
Ans: According to Meet Singh, Jugga Singh was different from his forefathers as his forefathers were dacoits like him but they didn’t robbed or killed their villagers but Jugga robbed and killed people of his village. He even killed one person from his village.

g. How does the author show contradiction in Meet Singh’s character?
Ans: The author shows contradiction in Meet Singh’s character by the following two ways. They are as follow:

1. He showed his positive behavior by saying he don’t take care about the death of Jugga.

2. He wanted to swear on the holy Granth to defend Jugga from the crime of murder.

h. Who was Hukum Chand and how did he succeed in his career?
Ans: Hukum Chand was Deputy Sahib also known as Nar Adami. He succeeded in his career by pleasing his Sahibs who promoted him like others so he can achieve his goals and get success.

Critical Thinking

a. Iqbal is addressed as Babu Sahib by general folk simply because he knew English. Are Nepali people who can speak English taken with respect? Discuss the importance of learning English in the Nepali context.
Ans: The author of essay “Train to Pakistan” expressed that a person who knows English language well as a decent, wise and well-educated. In his essay also, the author told Iqbal as Babu Sahib by general folk simply because he knew English. While he was travelling in the train and reading English book, the other people who were sitting near them thought that he is well-educated and intelligent. Likewise, in Nepal, the people who speak in English get the respect too as of others.

We all know that, English language is the international language. It is the most spoken language in the world. All the people around the world, use English language as the primary communication language as it is known by all the people of the world. Like, in Nepal, English language is also given importance as other languages. There are many English medium schools and colleges to make students familiar with English language. In many places, English language is preferred and given importance. People who speak in English are given respect and good hospitality.

b. Do you agree with Iqbal’s comments on crime and punishment? In your view, what should the state, society and individuals do for peace and order in social lives?
Ans: Yes, I agree with Iqbal’s comments on crime and punishment. We should help to stop wars and fights and help to make world peaceful and crime-free.

There are different roles played by state, society and individuals for making peace and order in social lives. There should be campaign and awareness programme which should be held by state for stopping crime and increase peaceful environment. There should be proper rules and regulations and strong strategies regarding conflict management.

Society also has role for making environment peaceful. Society should make and maintain effective rules and regulations regarding non-violence environment. The society should give proper knowledge about the destruction due to crime and violence and how to reduce and stop it.

In the context to stop crimes, the main important roles are of individuals. If each and every individuals take proper action regarding this problem, then no-one has courage to do crimes. First of all, individuals should make their thought about crime-free and non-violence.

Writing

a. Meet Singh says Jugga a badmash. There can be such people in your locality, too. Write a paragraph describing him / her.
Ans: Yes, there is a person named Hari as “badmash” in my area. He is a drunkard and thug person in my area. He had lied to many people in my area and make other fool and make them unhappy. People in my area were tired from his activities. He always drinks alcohol and makes surrounding noisy. He always do fight with his family members. All the people who live in my area were tired with him and gives headache and doesn’t let other people to live their life happily. So, all the members of my area decided him to handover to Police. So, police arrested him and taken to jail.

b. You may have travelled by bus or train. During your travel, you might have got different experiences. Write a letter to your friend describing about your unforgettable journey.
Ans:

1st January, 2022

Koteshwor, Kathmandu

Dear Krishna,

How are you there? I am fit and fine there. I got your letter yesterday where you have share your experience about going to hiking with your friends there. Today, I will tell you describing my recent journey which was memorable and unforgettable,

Last Saturday and Sunday, me and my family went to Pokhara to visit and be relaxed from the busy schedules. We stayed in hotel in lakeside. We saw the beautiful scene of Fewa lake with Machhapuchhre mountain. Many tourists also go to see the beautiful scene of it.

Pokhara is the beautiful place in Nepal. There are my beautiful place in Pokhara like Sarangkot, Fewa lake, Chamere Gufa, etc. We visited these all places. We had taken a deep breath of fresh air of the peaceful and greenery environment. We had enjoy a lot in the trip. We had taste a tasty and delicious food of Pokhara.  The famous food is Chinese food which is in the way to Mustang from Pokhara. We had done so much fun and enjoy a lot.

It was my memorable trip because it was the time in which I spent with my family members. We were free from polluted area and get relief and relaxed and enjoy the beautiful scene.

This much for today.

Your Friend

Ram Giri

Grammar

C. Fill in the gaps with the suitable form of the verb in the brackets. Use past simple/past continuous/past perfect tenses. You may need to use negative too.

It was Sunday afternoon. I was watching (watch) a cookery programme on TV when I realized (realise) how hungry I was. But of course, I was hungry; I hadn’t eaten (eat) anything since lunch, and I had run (run) a race in the morning. “Biscuits!” I thought (think). My mother had given (give) me a jar of delicious home-made biscuits.

I went (go) into the kitchen, opened (open) the fridge and poured (pour) some milk in a big glass. Then I looked (look) for the kitchen chair but it wasn’t (be) there: somebody had taken (take) it away. And there were no biscuits in the biscuit jar: somebody had eaten (eat) them all! I was sure I had put (put) the jar there the previous day and I had eaten (eat) only one cookie. It was very strange.

A few minutes later, I was drinking (drink) my glass of milk when I heard (hear) a loud noise coming from the dining room. I went (go) there quickly and I opened (open) the door. I couldn’t believe my eyes. An enormous monkey was eating (eat) the biscuits excitedly on the kitchen chair.

D. Rewrite the following sentences correcting the mistakes.

a. She played the flute and then she had sung in their choir.
Ans: She had played the flute and then she had sung in their choir.

b. I borrowed Rima’s car. Had you known about it?
Ans: I had borrowed Rima’s car. Had you known about it?

c. After the lesson had finished, we run out of school.
Ans: After the lesson had finished, we ran out of school.

d. Had you be there? -Yes, the previous year.
Ans: Had you been there? -Yes, the previous year.

e. Did you liked my article published in the Himalayan Times yesterday?
Ans: Did you like my article published in the Himalayan Times yesterday?

f. I recognized him because I saw him before.
Ans: i recognized him because I had seen him before.

g. I hadn’t gone out because I hadn’t finished my homework.
Ans: I didn’t go out because I hadn’t finished my homework.

h. We had done nothing like this at that time.
Ans: We did nothing like this at that time.

i. It was quite difficult. I had had no idea what to do.
Ans: It had been quite difficult. I had no idea what to do.

j. As far as I’d known, she had always had some pets.
Ans: As far as i knew, she had always had some pets.

k. When I met Jim, he was already a soldier for three years.
Ans: When I met Jim, he had already been a soldier for three years.

l. He had gone to the coffee because somebody had told him.
Ans: He went to the coffee because somebody had told him.