Comprehension
Check
Page
no-45
1. Look
at picture 1 and recall the opening lines of the original song in Hindi. Who is
the singer? Who else do you see in this picture?
Ans. The picture 1
shows the opening lines of the Hindi song “Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon, Jara aankh
mein bhar lo paani, jo shahid huye hain unki, Jara yaad karo kurbani. ” The
singer of this song is Lata Mangeshkar.
We can see Pandit Jawaharlal
Nehru, the first prime minister of India, Lal Bahadur Sashtri and Indira Gandhi
in the picture.
2. In
picture 2 what do you understand by the Company’s “superior weapons”?
Ans. The Indians had
no unity at that time and the British took this advantage. The Indian princes
fought amongst themselves and in order to defeat the other kings, they brought
the English merchants as they had better weapons to defeat other kings. There
was no peace due to the constant fights. The British defeated those kings and
gradually began to conquer. On the other hand, the religious preachers started
various policies like untouchability and child marriage. These were the
Company’s “superior weapons”.
3. Who
is an artisan? Why do you think the artisans suffered? (picture 3)
Ans. An artisan is a
skilled craftsman who manufactures items by hands.
The British began to
impose taxes on them. They faced high competition with the British textile
goods and as a result of which they lost their demand in the Indian market. By
this way, the artisans suffered.
4. Which
picture, according to you, reveals the first sparks of the fire of revolt?
Ans. According to me,
the picture 7 reveals the first sparks of the fire of revolt. In the picture,
the peoples were discussing about their Kings who were defeated by the British.
They also discussed about their problems after the British conquered their land
and became the slaves of the British.
Working
with the text
Page
no-45
Answer the following questions.
1. Do
you think the Indian princes were short-sighted in their approach to the events
of 1757?
Ans.
Yes, I think that the Indian Princes were short-sighted in their
approach to the events of 1757.
The Indians were not
united at that time. The Indian princes fought among each other. There was no
peace due to constant fights. They called the British to defeat the other Kings
but were not aware of the future consequences. Tipu Sultan who was far-seeing
ruler fought bravely against the British and fought till death. The British
defeated the other kings and later dethroned them also. This shows that the Indian
princes were short-sighted.
2. How
did the East India Company subdue the Indian princes?
Ans. The Indian
princes were short-sighted. They fought amongst each other. They had no unity.
One of them took help from the British and defeated the other princes. But they
did not realise the future consequences. With the help of the rivalries, the
East India Company subdued the Indian princes one by one.
3. Quote
the words used by Ram Mohan Roy to say that every religion teaches the same
principles.
Ans. Ram Mohan Roy was a social reformer. He
considered that every religion teaches the same principles. He said, “Cows are
of different colours, but the colour of their milk is the same. Different
teachers have different opinions but the essence of every religion is the
same.”
4. In
what ways did the British officers exploit Indians?
Ans. The British officers were extremely
cruel. They imposed heavy taxes which later forced the farmers to abandon their
lands. They even thought that the good manufactured in England should not have
any import duty when brought into India. The artisans were left jobless as a
result of which famine occurred in between 1822 and 1836. In the year of 1818,
the Regulation III act was being passed and it mentioned that the Indians could
be jailed without a trial in the court.
5. Name these people.
(i)
The ruler who fought pitched battles
against the British and died fighting.
(ii)
The person who wanted to reform society.
(iii)
The person who
recommended the introduction of English education in India.
(iv)
Two popular leaders who led the revolt
(Choices may vary.)
Ans. (i) The ruler who fought pitched battles
against the British and died fighting was Kunwar Singh.
(ii) The person who wanted to reform the
society was Raja Ram Mohan Roy.
(iii) The person who recommended the
introduction of English education in India was Macaulay.
(iv)
Two popular leaders
who led the revolt were Kunwar Singh and Peshwa Nana Saheb.
6. Mention
the following.
(i)
Two examples of social practices
prevailing then.
(ii)
Two oppressive policies of the British.
(iii)
Two ways to which common people
suffered.
(iv)
Four reasons for the discontent that led
to the 1857 War of Independence.
Ans. (i) Untouchability and child marriage
are two major examples of social practices prevailing then.
(ii) Two oppressive policies of the British are
the British ruined the cotton textile industries and Regulation Act III.
(iii) The peoples lost jobs and their lands.
Some of them were made to convert their religion.
(iv)The four reasons for the discontent that
led to the 1857 War of independence were:
(a) The British imposed heavy taxes as a result of which it
became difficult for the farmers to pay. The British without any mercy sent
those who could not pay, to jail.
(b) The British East
India Company removed the import duty when the goods were to be brought in
India. They began to cripple Indian industries. The artisans lost their
business.
(c) The Regulation Act of 1818 was passed by the British so
that the Indians could be jailed without a trial in the court.
(d) The Enfield rifle was such that the cartilage has to be
bitten before using it. But it was made by the grease of cows and pigs.
Working with Language
In comics what the characters speak is put in
bubbles. This is a direct narration. When we report what the characters speak, we
use the method of indirect narration.
Study these examples.
First farmer: Why are your men taking away the
entire crop?
Second farmer: Your men have taken away everything.
Officer: You are still in arrears. If you don’t
pay tax next week, I’ll send you to jail.
·
The first farmer asked the officer why
his men were taking away the entire crop.
·
The second farmer said that their men
had taken away everything.
·
The officer replied that they were still
in arrears and warned them that if they did not pay tax the following week, he
(the officer) would send them (the farmers) to jail.
1. Change
the following sentences into indirect speech.
(i)
First man: We must educate our brothers.
Second man: And try to improve their material conditions.
Third man: For that, we must convey our grievances to the British
Parliament.
The first man said that __________________
__________________________________
The second man said that __________________
_____________________________________
The third man said that ______________________
____________________________________
(ii)
First soldier. The white soldier gets
huge pay, mansions and servants.
Second soldier. We get a pittance and slow promotions.
Third soldier. Who are the British to abolish our customs?
The first man said that __________________
__________________________________
The second man said that __________________
_____________________________________
The third man said that ______________________
____________________________________
Ans.
(i)
The first man said
that they must educate their brothers.
The second man said that they must try to
improve their material conditions.
The third man said that they must convey
our grievances to the British Parliament.
(ii) The first man said that the white soldier got huge
pay, mansions and servants.
The second man said that got a pittance
and slow promotions.
The third man said that who was the
British to abolish their customs.