Seen And Unseen Passage

 Seen Passage

1. Read the passage carefully and answer questions 1 and 2.

Meherjan lives in a slum on the Sirajgonj Town Protection Embankment. Her polythene-roofed shelter looks like a cage. She is nearly 45 but looks older than her age. In front of her shelter, she is trying to make a fire to cook the day's only meal. Her weak hands tremble as she adds some fallen leaves and straw to the fire. The whispering wind from river Jamuna makes fire unsteady. The dancing flames remind Meherjan of the turmoil in her life.


Meherjan 
Not long ago, Meherjan had everything a family, arable land, and cattle. The erosion of the Jamuna gradually consumed all her land property. It finally claimed her only shelter during the last monsoon. It took the river only a day to devour Meher's house, trees, vegetable garden, and bamboo bush. She had a happy family once. Over the years, she lost her husband and her family to diseases that cruel hunger and poverty brought to the family. Now, she is the only one left to live with the loss and the pain. The greedy Jamuna has shattered her dreams and happiness. A thousand others are waiting to share the same fate as Meherjan. Bangladesh is a land of rivers, some of whose banks overflow or erode during monsoon. Erosion is a harsh reality for the people living along the river banks. During each monsoon, many more villages are threatened by the mighty rivers like the Jamuna, the Padma, and the Meghna. It is estimated that river erosion makes at least 100,000 people homeless every year in Bangladesh. In fact, river erosion is one of the main dangers caused by climate change. If we can't take prompt actions to adapt to climate change, there will be thousands more Megerjans in our towns and villages every year.

1. Answer the following questions in your own words:

a. What do you know about the past life of Mehejan?

Ans: Meherjan once had a happy life with a family, cultivable land, cattle, and a home. However, over time, the river erosion took away all her landed property and family.

b.Why does the writer call the Jamuna greedy?

Ans: The writer calls the Jamuna greedy because the river gradually consumed all of Meherjan's belongings, including her home, land, and dreams. 

c.Why is river erosion one of the greatest threats to us?

Ans: River erosion is one of the greatest threats because it displaces thousands of people each year. It destroys their living places, landed property, and livelihoods.

d. Where does Meherjan live at present?

Ans: Meherjan lives in a slum on the Sirajgonj Town Protection Embankment, in a small, polythene-roofed shelter.

e. What is the central idea of the passage?

Ans: The central idea of the passage is the devasting impact of river erosion on people's lives in Bangladesh. It shows us how climate change and the forces of nature, such as the Jamuna River, destroy homes, displace families, and cause immense suffering.


Unseen Passage

2. Read the following text and fill in each gap with a suitable word based on the information in the text.


Nepal is the holy land of Lord Pashupatinath and Gautam Buddha where the Hindus and Buddhists have lived together in harmony for centuries. In fact, many Nepalese combine Hindu and Buddhist practices; many temples and shrines are shared between the two faiths, and some deities are worshipped by both Hindus and Buddhists.

The Kathmandu Valley is the richest cultural heritage center of Nepal. The three ancient cities of the Valley of Patan. Kathmandu and Bhaktapur represent an epitome of harmony. The seven monument zones situated within the Valley have been named as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. In Nepal, many festivals are celebrated throughout the year. Some Hindu festivals are the Haribodhini Ekadashi and Maha Shivaratri, and they are celebrated throughout the year. Some Hindu festivals are the Haribodhini Ekadashi, Maha Shivaratri, and the Krishna Jayanti. There are Buddhist celebrations too, and those include Mani Rimd, Buddha Jayanti Losar, which marks the Tibetan New Year.


  • Nepal is an exemplary country for communal Harmony. People of several religions live there peacefully and (a)___________their religious festivals. They practice their religious (b)___________ in such a harmonious atmosphere that some prayers (c)________________ are shared between the Hindus and the Buddhists. Besides, there are also some common (d)________________ whom both Hindus and Buddhists worship. The people of Nepal are also fond of cultural functions. The (e)____________ culture of Nepal paves the way for frequent celebrations throughout the year.
Answer: (a) celebrate, (b) activities, (c) houses, (d) deitie,s (e) Vibrant
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