Supplementary Reading
Lesson - 01
EARTHQUAKE
M.S. MAHADEVAN
Comprehension:
Answer
the following questions briefly.
1) How long did the earthquake last? What was the effect?
Ans: The earthquake was for less than five
minutes. It was a terrible earthquake. Its effects were felt as far away as
Delhi and Lucknow. The epicenter was in a valley not far from Garhwal. There
were six hundred and seventy villages in the valley. Six hundred and two were
destroyed. That time was enough to set those centuries- old mountains crashing,
to reduce their villages to rubble, to snuff out hundreds of lives. There were
dozens of landslides. Huge boulders were thrown haphazardly across motorable
tracks and roads. Stone, rubble and dust were all that place.
2) Describe the boy’s family.
Ans: Brij was a seventeen years boy and it
was two years before when the earthquake were occurred that place. His father
had died after an illness fourteen months before the earthquake. Brij lived
with his mother, grandmother, brother and a sister. They lived in a two-storied
stone house. His brother Nilu was ten years old and his sister Bhuli was two
years old.
3) How did the army help the people?
Ans: Army rescue teams spent their precious
time in blasting the rocks and clearing the way. The soldiers began to clear
the debris, and they set up makeshift camp. They had taken the bodies to river
bank and did final rituals. Even they spent lot of time to find Brij sister and
even helped everyone who was in need at that time.
4) Did Brij return to Panipat? Why?
Ans: Yes, Brij returned to Panipat. When he
returned to Panipat, he worked in a roadside dhaba outside Panipat. He saved
money to open a teashop at Garhwal and to serve tea free of cost to travelers.
The reason to return to Panipat was earthquake. Brij had stayed at his uncle’s
house at the time of earthquake. When he returned back to his house he got
surprised by the scene. Except his two year old sister everyone had died in
that calamity. Brij had waited for long time to search his sister who was unable
to find. An army officer with two of his men rescued her after so many hours.
It was unbelievable for Brij. At last Brij returned to Panipat to start his tea
shop.
5) How could Brij start his own tea-shop? Where was it?
Ans: Brij was a hard worker and determined
person. Before he started his own tea shop, he worked in a roadside dhaba outside
Panipat and saved money from his earning. When returned to Garhwal, there he
opened a tea shop with the help of saved money and serve many tired travelers free
of cost.
P.S. you might also want to check out:
# THE GOAT AND THE STARS
# BALAI
