Thinking about the Text
(Page 102)
I.
Answer these questions in one or two
sentences each. (The paragraph numbers within brackets provide clues to the
answers.)
1.Why
was the ‘holy man’ who gave Santosh’s mother his blessings surprised? (1)
The
'holy man' who gave Santosh's mother his blessings was surprised because she
did not ask for a son, which was the traditional and expected blessing in their
village. Instead, Santosh's grandmother intervened and requested a blessing for
a daughter for Santosh's mother.
1.Give
an example to show that even as a young girl Santosh was not ready to accept
anything unreasonable. (2)
Santosh
Yadav was a non-conformist from a young age, refusing to accept anything she
deemed unreasonable. The most telling early example was her refusal to wear
traditional Indian dresses, choosing instead to wear shorts in a society where
girls were strictly expected to adhere to conventional attire.
2.Why
was Santosh sent to the local school? (3)
Santosh
Yadav was sent to the local village school because it was the prevailing custom
in her family and the local society.
3.When
did she leave home for Delhi, and why? (4)
Santosh
Yadav left home for Delhi when she turned sixteen.
She
left because she was facing immense pressure from her parents to get married,
in line with the prevailing custom of her village. Santosh,
however, was determined to get a proper education before marriage.
4.Why did Santosh’s parents agree to pay for her
schooling in Delhi? What mental qualities of Santosh are brought into light by
this incident? (4)
Santosh's parents
initially refused to pay for her education in Delhi, but they finally agreed
after she firmly and politely informed them of her plan to work part-time to
earn the school fees herself. This incident highlights Santosh's strong will
and determination, showing her unwavering focus on achieving her goal of a
proper education.
II.
Answer each of
these questions in a short paragraph (about 30 words).
1.How did Santosh begin to climb mountains?
Santosh's interest
in climbing mountains started when she was staying at the Kasturba Hostel in
Jaipur for her college education. Her room overlooked the Aravalli Hills, and
she would often see local villagers ascending the hill and disappearing. Driven
by curiosity, she went to investigate one day and found the mountaineers. She
approached them and asked if she could join, and they not only gave her a
positive and encouraging reply but also motivated her to take up climbing
professionally. This initial encounter inspired her to save money and enrol
herself at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarkashi.
2.What incidents during the Everest expedition show Santosh’s concern for
her team-mates?
Santosh Yadav's
deep concern for her teammates during the Everest expedition was evident in two
significant incidents. Firstly, she demonstrated exceptional selflessness by
sharing her oxygen with a severely ill fellow climber, Mohan Singh, which
ultimately saved his life. Secondly, she made immense efforts to provide
special care to another dying climber at the South Col, although sadly, she was
unsuccessful in saving him. These actions underscore her compassionate nature
and strong team spirit, showing that she prioritised the well-being and safety
of her climbing partners over her own needs.
3.What shows her concern for the environment?
Santosh Yadav
demonstrated her commitment to the environment after successfully conquering
Mount Everest by carrying down 500 kilograms of garbage from the Himalayas.
This significant effort to clean up the mountain, a part of her expedition's
environmental initiative, clearly shows her deep concern for environmental
conservation and her sense of responsibility toward protecting the pristine and
fragile Himalayan ecosystem.
4.How does she describe her feelings at the summit of the Everest?
Santosh described
her feelings at the summit of Mount Everest as "indescribable,"
noting that it took some time for the enormity of the moment to truly
"sink in." Her most powerful feeling was one of intense patriotism
and pride as she held the Indian tricolour aloft on the "roof of the
world." She also experienced a spiritual moment of profound ecstasy,
affirming that the overwhelming sense of achievement, pride, and spiritual
bliss was beyond words.
5.Santosh Yadav got into the record books both times she scaled Mt.
Everest. What were the reasons for this?
Santosh Yadav
secured her place in the record books on two separate occasions when scaling
Mount Everest. The first time, in 1992, she became the youngest woman in the
world to reach the summit. Her second, even more remarkable feat came in 1993,
when she climbed the peak again as part of an Indo-Nepalese Women's Expedition,
making her the only woman in the world to have scaled Mount Everest twice.
