Reading - I Sky Burials
Summary of the Text
Understanding
A. Choose the words from the box that match with the given meanings from a - h.
| forbidden | fascination | profound | gruesome |
| frenzy | pulverise | omen | engrossed |
………… very great
………… a state of great activity and strong emotion
………… very unpleasant and filling with horror
………… not allowed
………… a sign of what is going to happen in the future
………… very strong attraction
………… involved in something with whole attention
h ………… to make something into a fine powder
Answer:
profound very great
frenzy a state of great activity and strong emotion
gruesome very unpleasant and filling with horror
forbidden not allowed
omen a sign of what is going to happen in the future
fascination very strong attraction
engrossed involved in something with whole attention
pulverise to make something into a fine powder
Write True for true statements and False for false ones.
Foreign visitors are welcome to see Sky Burial rituals.
The visitors are not allowed to take photos of the rituals.
The vultures took more than fifteen minutes to finish the entire corpse.
The Tibetans perceive the body as a vessel for the soul.
The youngest son of the writer was busy with his toys.
The author visited the burial sites with his wife and three children.
Answer:
Foreign visitors are welcome to see Sky Burial rituals. False
The visitors are not allowed to take photos of the rituals. True
The vultures took more than fifteen minutes to finish the entire corpse. False
The Tibetans perceive the body as a vessel for the soul. True
The youngest son of the writer was busy with his toys. False
The author visited the burial sites with his wife and three children. True
Answer the following questions.
Why did the author visit a traditional Tibetan Buddhist monastery?
What did the author see on the hill?
Why did the author give the iPad to his youngest son?
Describe the appearance of a Rogyapa, the body breaker.
What did the body breaker do after collecting the bones?
What is considered to be a bad sign?
Why did the author feel proud?
Answer:
The author visited a traditional Tibetan Buddhist monastery because he heard that he would see strange ritual there.
The author saw 100 vultures sitting on the hill.
The author gave the iPad to his youngest son to play computer games.
Rogyapa is Lama, a sacred person or the body breaker who has a knife to cut the dead body. He is dressed in dark red scarlet coloured coat with a black hood.
After collecting the bones, the body breaker begins to pulverise them with a mallet, and mixed. He mixes that with yak butter and barley flour. In one last gesture, he walks into the middle of the vultures and throws it high in the air.
If vultures don’t eat or leave the body parts, it is considered to be a bad sign.
The writer felt proud because of his children's maturity and intelligence.
Research customs from other countries and talk about an interesting one with your friends.
Grammar I
Match the questions in column A with the answers in column B.
Column A Column B
Are you ready? i. Yes, it's on the chair.
Can I carry something for you? ii. Yes, of course.
May I use your phone? iii. Yes, I'd love to.
Has anyone seen my bag? iv. No, it's OK. It's not that heavy.
Would you like to come to a party? v. Yes, nearly.
Answer:
Are you ready? v. Yes, nearly.
Can I carry something for you? iv. No, it's OK. It's not that heavy.
May I use your phone? ii. Yes, of course.
Has anyone seen my bag? i. Yes, it's on the chair.
Would you like to come to a party? iii. Yes, I'd love to.
How do you ask questions in these situations?
You want to know if it is raining.
You want to know if Harish plays football.
You want to know if the bus is on time.
You want to know if your friend, Ramesh went to the market yesterday.
You want to know if it is Tuesday today.
You want to know if your teacher opened your letter.
You want to know if your brother has gone to sleep.
You want to know if there will be a food party.
Answer:
Is it raining?
Does Harish play football?
Is the bus on time?
Did Ramesh go to the market yesterday?
Is it Tuesday today?
Did your teacher open your letter?
Has your brother gone to sleep?
Will there be a food party?
Circle the correct answer.
Are you busy today?
Yes, busy. ii. Yes, I am.
Is it too hot in here for you?
No, it isn't. ii. No, I'm fine, thanks.
Tell me, did you steal my money?
No. I won't ii. No, I didn't steal your money.
Can I carry your bags?
No, you can't. ii. It's all right, thanks.
Answer:
Are you busy today?
Yes, I am.
Is it too hot in here for you?
No, it isn't.
Tell me, did you steal my money?
No, I didn't steal your money.
Can I carry your bags?
No, you can't.
Write yes/no questions for these statements.
The family has got three mobile phones.
Januka works at the supermarket.
Anita is learning English.
The meeting will be held next Tuesday.
Tanka switched off the computer.
He went to the cinema yesterday.
Everyone is ready.
It is raining outside.
Vicky's lost her credit card.
She'd done the work on time.
Answer:
Has the family got three mobile phones?
Does Januka work at the supermarket?
Is Anita learning English?
Will the meeting be held next Tuesday?
Did Tanka switch off the computer?
Did he go to the cinema yesterday?
Is anyone ready?
Is it raining outside?
Has Vicky lost her credit card?
Had she done the work on time?
Reading II Surprising Culture
Summary of the Text
Understanding
Answer these questions:
Is there any unique custom in your community? What is it?
Answer: Yes, there is a unique custom in our community. Juniors bow and keep head on the feet of seniors.
Why is it unique?
Answer: It is unique because such kind of tradition is not found in other parts of the world.
A. Find the words from the text that match the following meanings.
………………. a natural desire
……………. the rules of correct or polite behaviour in society
………………. people who work in a bar, serving drinks
………………. to become twisted
Answer:
propensity- a natural desire
etiquette- the rules of correct or polite behaviour in society
bartenders- people who work in a bar, serving drinks
contort- to become twisted
B. Write True for true and False for false statements.
a. In Nicaragua, people prefer to point with their thumb. False
b. Tipping is compulsory at most restaurants in the US. True
c. Contorting is less noisier than slurping. False
d. People from the West take noodles by twisting them on a spoon. True
e. The Bini and the Kalabari are ethnic groups of Nigeria. True
C. Answer the following questions.
a. What makes a group of people different from others?
b. What is the unique tradition of Nicaragua?
c. What is a positive aspect of tipping culture?
d. Why do Japanese make slurping sounds while eating noodles?
e. How do Yoruba people greet their elders?
Answer:
Their culture, language, custom and tradition make themselves different from others.
The unique tradition of Nicaragua is that they point the things with the lips instead of the thumb like the majority of the world.
The positive aspect of tipping culture is it provides incentive for waiters and waitresses.
Why do Japanese make slurping sounds while eating noodles?
Japanese make slurping sounds while eating noodles to indicate that they’re really enjoying noodles.
They greet by kneeling or lying prostrate.
Which of the above customs did you find more interesting? Share it with your friends.
Grammar II
Choose the following sentences in indirect speech from the list to match with the sentences in direct speech in the table below.
I asked the woman next to me if the bus to Kathmandu had already left.
I asked the teacher whether the book had been translated into Nepali.
iii. Barsa asked her teacher if she should write the story again.
Samir asked Rohan whether he had finished reading his book.
The new pupil asked me if I was a class captain.
| a. | The new pupil said to me, “Are you a class captain?” | |
| b. | Samir asked Rohan, “Have you finished reading my book?” | |
| c. | I asked the teacher, “Has the book been translated into Nepali?” | |
| d. | “Has the bus to Kathmandu already left?” I said to a woman next to me. | |
| e. | “Should I write the story again?” Barsa asked her teacher. |
Answer:
| a. | The new pupil said to me, “Are you a class captain?” | v |
| b. | Samir asked Rohan, “Have you finished reading my book?” | iv |
| c. | I asked the teacher, “Has the book been translated into Nepali?” | ii |
| d. | “Has the bus to Kathmandu already left?” I said to a woman next to me. | i |
| e. | “Should I write the story again?” Barsa asked her teacher. | iii |
Change the following sentences into indirect speech.
Rahul said to me, “Did you watch the cricket match on TV last night?”
“Are you coming home with me?” he said.
“Do you really come from India?” said the prince.
“Have you anything to say?” said the judge finally.
She said to me, “Is he at home?”
Usha says, “Can you solve the problem?”
Badri said to Asmita, “Will you visit me in Australia?”
Radhika said to Rebecca, “Did you hear the noise?”
He said, “Have you seen my hat?”
He said to me, “Does he come or not?”
Rohan said to me, “Did you spill the milk on the floor?”
The pilot said to the air hostess, “Have the passengers fastened their seatbelts?”
Answer:
He asked if I was coming home with him.
The prince asked if I really came from India.
The judge finally asked if I had anything to say.
She asked me if he was at home.
Usha asks if I can solve the problem.
Badri asked Asmita if she would visit him in Australia.
Radhika asked Rebecca if she had heard the noise.
He asked if I had seen his hat.
He asked me if he came or not.
Rohan asked me if I had spilt the milk on the floor.
The pilot asked the air hostess if the passengers had fastened their seatbelts.
.gif
)