Can you recollect any instance when nature’s beauty stunned you? There are endless number of species of flora and fauna that blanket the earth. Let us read this beautiful extract and appreciate nature through the narrator’s eyes!
क्या आपको कोई ऐसा वाकया याद है जब प्रकृति की खूबसूरती ने आपको चौंका दिया हो? धरती पर वनस्पतियों और जीवों की अनगिनत प्रजातियाँ हैं। आइए इस खूबसूरत अंश को पढ़ें और कथावाचक की नज़र से प्रकृति की सराहना करें!
Many years ago when I was a young man, I happened to spend a summer with my friends, the Wints, in Oxford Guy Wint was on the staff of The Observer and was away in London most of the day His wife, Freda, had converted to Buddhism and was also out most of the time meeting fellow Buddhists Their son, Ben, was at a boarding school For company I had the Wint’s three-year-old daughter Allegra in the mornings I worked in my room. When Allegra returned from her nursery school, I gave her a sandwich and a glass of milk before we went out for a walk. Since she knew the neighbourhood, she led the way along paths running through woods of oak, beech, and rhododendron to the University cricket grounds. I would watch the game for a while the Nawab of Pataudi often played there-buy her an ice cream and then follow her back homewards.
कई साल पहले, जब मैं जवान था, मुझे अपने मित्र विंट्स के साथ ऑक्सफोर्ड में गर्मियों की छुट्टियां बिताने का मौका मिला। गाइ विंट द ऑब्जर्वर के स्टाफ में थे और ज्यादातर समय लंदन में रहते थे। उनकी पत्नी फ्रेडा ने बौद्ध धर्म अपना लिया था और वे ज्यादातर समय साथी बौद्ध लोगों से मिलने के लिए बाहर रहती थीं। उनका बेटा बेन बोर्डिंग स्कूल में था। सुबह मेरे साथ विंट्स की तीन साल की बेटी एलेग्रा रहती थी। मैं अपने कमरे में काम करता था। जब एलेग्रा अपने नर्सरी स्कूल से लौटती थी, तो हम टहलने जाने से पहले उसे सैंडविच और एक गिलास दूध देते थे। चूंकि वह पड़ोस को जानती थी, इसलिए वह ओक, बीच और रोडोडेंड्रोन के जंगलों से होते हुए विश्वविद्यालय के क्रिकेट मैदान तक जाने वाले रास्तों पर हमें ले जाती थी। मैं कुछ देर तक खेल देखता था। पटौदी के नवाब अक्सर वहां मैच खेला करते थे। मैं उनके लिए आइसक्रीम खरीदता और उनके पीछे-पीछे घर चला जाता था।
Allegra, or Leggie as we called her, was a great chatterbox as well as an avid collector of wild flowers. Our return journey always took much longer as I had to pick whatever flower she wanted.
एलेग्रा, या जैसा कि हम उसे बुलाते थे लेग्गी, एक बहुत ही बातूनी लड़की थी और साथ ही जंगली फूलों की एक शौकीन संग्रहकर्ता भी थी। हमारी वापसी यात्रा हमेशा बहुत लंबी होती थी क्योंकि मुझे वह फूल चुनना होता था जो वह चाहती थी।
She would point in some direction and order I want those snowdrops behind that bush. Or shout, Goody I want them bluebells! I want lots of them for Mummy. Then there were periwinkles and lilies-of-the-valley and many others. By the time we had our hands full of flowers, Leggie was too tired to leg it home. I had to go down on my knees for her to climb up on my shoulders. She had her legs round my neck and her chin resting on my head. A game she enjoyed was to stick flowers in my turban and beard. By the time we got home, I looked like a wild man of the woods. It was from little Allegra Wint that I learnt the names of many English wild flowers.
वह किसी दिशा में इशारा करके आदेश देती कि मुझे उस झाड़ी के पीछे वो स्नोड्रॉप चाहिए। या चिल्लाती, गुडी मुझे वो ब्लूबेल चाहिए! मुझे मम्मी के लिए बहुत सारे चाहिए। फिर पेरीविंकल और लिली-ऑफ-द-वैली और कई अन्य थे। जब तक हमारे हाथ फूलों से भरे होते, तब तक लेगी घर जाने के लिए बहुत थक चुकी थी। मुझे अपने घुटनों पर बैठना पड़ा ताकि वह मेरे कंधों पर चढ़ सके। उसने अपने पैरों को मेरी गर्दन के चारों ओर लपेटा हुआ था और उसकी ठोड़ी मेरे सिर पर टिकी हुई थी। एक खेल जो उसे पसंद था वह था मेरी पगड़ी और दाढ़ी में फूल चिपकाना। जब तक हम घर पहुँचे, मैं जंगल के जंगली आदमी की तरह दिखने लगा। यह छोटी एलेग्रा विंट से ही था कि मैंने कई अंग्रेजी जंगली फूलों के नाम सीखे।
On weekends, when the Wint family was at home we spent most of the day sunning ourselves in the garden. Since the Wints had a few cherry and apple trees, there were lots of birds in their garden. The dawn chorus was opened by thrushes and blackbirds. They sang through the day till late into the twilight. Both birds sounded exactly alike to me Freda would quote Robert Browning to explain the difference.
सप्ताहांत पर, जब विंट परिवार घर पर होता था, तो हम दिन का अधिकांश समय बगीचे में धूप सेंकने में बिताते थे। चूँकि विंट के पास चेरी और सेब के कुछ पेड़ थे, इसलिए उनके बगीचे में बहुत सारे पक्षी थे। भोर का कोरस थ्रश और ब्लैकबर्ड्स द्वारा शुरू किया गया था। वे दिन भर देर शाम तक गाते रहे। दोनों पक्षी मुझे बिल्कुल एक जैसे लगे फ्रेडा ने अंतर समझाने के लिए रॉबर्ट ब्राउनिंग को उद्धृत किया।
That’s the wise thrush, he sings each song twice over. Lest you should think he never could recapture. The first fine careless rapture.
वह बुद्धिमान थ्रश है, वह प्रत्येक गीत को दो बार गाता है। कहीं ऐसा न हो कि आप यह सोचें कि वह कभी भी पुनः प्राप्त नहीं कर सकता। पहला बढ़िया लापरवाह उत्साह।
The wise thrushes of Oxford had not read Browning and rarely repeated their notes Or perhaps the blackbirds deliberately went over theirs again to confuse people like me. Then there were chaffinches, buntings, white throats, and many other varieties of birds whose songs became familiar to me. That summer, I heard nightingales on the Italian lakes and in the forest of Fontainebleau (Contrary to the popular notion, nightingales sing at all hours of the day and night).
ऑक्सफ़ोर्ड के बुद्धिमान थ्रश ने ब्राउनिंग को नहीं पढ़ा था और शायद ही कभी अपने नोट्स दोहराए थे या शायद ब्लैकबर्ड जानबूझकर मेरे जैसे लोगों को भ्रमित करने के लिए अपने नोट्स को फिर से दोहराते थे। फिर चैफ़िंच, बंटिंग, व्हाइट थ्रोट और कई अन्य प्रकार के पक्षी थे जिनके गीत मेरे लिए परिचित थे। उस गर्मियों में, मैंने इतालवी झीलों और फॉनटेनब्लियू के जंगल में नाइटिंगेल को सुना (लोकप्रिय धारणा के विपरीत, नाइटिंगेल दिन और रात के सभी घंटों में गाते हैं)।
| What is the common perception regarding nightingales? Answer: The common perception regarding nightingales is that they sing only at night. However, the narrator clarifies that, contrary to this belief, nightingales actually sing at all hours of the day and night. |
Back home in Delhi I felt as if I was on an alien territory as far as the fauna and the flora were concerned. Before I had gone abroad. I had taken no interest in nature When I returned I felt acutely conscious of this lacuna in my information as I could not identify more than a couple of dozen birds or trees Getting to know about them was tedious but immensely rewarding I acquired books on trees, birds and insects, and spent my spare time identifying those I did not know I sought the company of bird-watchers and horticulturists. Gradually my fund of information increased and I dared to give talks on Delhi’s natural phenomena on All India Radio and Doordarshan.
दिल्ली में अपने घर वापस आकर मुझे लगा कि मैं जीव-जंतुओं और वनस्पतियों के मामले में किसी अजनबी इलाके में हूं। विदेश जाने से पहले मुझे प्रकृति में कोई दिलचस्पी नहीं थी। जब मैं वापस लौटा तो मुझे अपनी जानकारी की कमी का अहसास हुआ क्योंकि मैं दो दर्जन से ज़्यादा पक्षियों या पेड़ों को पहचान नहीं पाया था। उनके बारे में जानना थकाऊ था लेकिन बेहद फायदेमंद था। मैंने पेड़ों, पक्षियों और कीड़ों पर किताबें खरीदीं और अपना खाली समय उन लोगों की पहचान करने में बिताया जिन्हें मैं नहीं जानता था। मैंने पक्षी-प्रेमियों और बागवानी विशेषज्ञों की संगति की। धीरे-धीरे मेरी जानकारी का भंडार बढ़ता गया और मैंने ऑल इंडिया रेडियो और दूरदर्शन पर दिल्ली की प्राकृतिक घटनाओं पर व्याख्यान देने का साहस किया।
For the last many years I have maintained a record of the natural phenomena I encounter every day. However, my nature-watching is done in a very restricted landscape, most of it in my private back garden. It is a small rectangular plot of green enclosed on two adjacent sides by a barbed wire fence covered over by bougainvillaea creepers of different hues. The other two sides are formed by my neighbour’s and my own apartments. He has fenced himself off by a wall of hibiscus; I have four ten-year-old avocado trees (perhaps the only ones in Delhi) which between them yield no more than a dozen pears every monsoon season, and a tall eucalyptus smothered by a purple bougainvillaea. There is a small patch of grass with some limes, oranges, grape-fruits, and a pomegranate. I do not grow many flowers, a bush of gardenia, a couple of jasmines, and a queen of the night (raat-ki-rani).
पिछले कई सालों से मैं उन प्राकृतिक घटनाओं का रिकॉर्ड रखता आया हूँ, जिनका मैं हर दिन सामना करता हूँ। हालाँकि, मैं प्रकृति को बहुत ही सीमित परिदृश्य में देखता हूँ, ज़्यादातर मेरे निजी पिछवाड़े के बगीचे में। यह एक छोटा सा आयताकार हरा-भरा भूखंड है, जिसके दो तरफ़ काँटेदार तार की बाड़ लगी हुई है, जिस पर अलग-अलग रंगों के बोगनविलिया के पौधे लगे हुए हैं। बाकी दो तरफ़ मेरे पड़ोसी और मेरे अपने अपार्टमेंट हैं। उसने खुद को गुड़हल की दीवार से घेर रखा है; मेरे पास चार दस साल पुराने एवोकैडो के पेड़ हैं (शायद दिल्ली में अकेले) जो हर मानसून के मौसम में एक दर्जन से ज़्यादा नाशपाती नहीं देते हैं, और एक लंबा यूकेलिप्टस है जिस पर बैंगनी बोगनविलिया लगा हुआ है। घास का एक छोटा सा टुकड़ा है जिसमें कुछ नींबू, संतरे, अंगूर और एक अनार है। मैं बहुत ज़्यादा फूल नहीं उगाता, गार्डेनिया की एक झाड़ी, कुछ चमेली और एक रात की रानी (रात की रानी) है।
Since my wife has strictly utilitarian views on gardening most of what we have is reserved for growing vegetables. At the further end of this little garden I have placed a bird-bath, which is shared by sparrows, crows mynahs, kites, pigeons, babblers, and a dozen stray cats, which have made my home theirs Facing my apartment on the front side is a squarish lawn shared by other residents of Sujan Singh Park. It has several large trees of the ficus family, a young choryzzia and an old mulberry.
चूँकि मेरी पत्नी बागवानी के बारे में पूरी तरह से उपयोगितावादी विचार रखती हैं, इसलिए हमारे पास जो कुछ भी है, उसका ज़्यादातर हिस्सा सब्ज़ियाँ उगाने के लिए आरक्षित है। इस छोटे से बगीचे के दूसरे छोर पर मैंने एक पक्षी-स्नानघर बनाया है, जिसे गौरैया, कौवे, मैना, चील, कबूतर, बब्बलर और एक दर्जन आवारा बिल्लियाँ साझा करती हैं, जिन्होंने मेरे घर को अपना बना लिया है। मेरे अपार्टमेंट के सामने की तरफ़ एक चौकोर लॉन है जिसे सुजान सिंह पार्क के अन्य निवासी साझा करते हैं। इसमें फ़िकस परिवार के कई बड़े पेड़, एक युवा चोरिज़िया और एक पुराना शहतूत है।
I have a view of this lawn from my sitting-room windows framed by a madhumalati creeper and a hedge of hibiscus. What perhaps accounts for the profusion of bird life in our locality are several nursenes in the vicinity, the foliage of many old papari (Pongamia glabra) trees and bushes of cannabis sativa (bhang) which grow wild I have not kept a count of the variety of birds that frequent my garden but there is never a time when there are none. Also there are lots of butterflies, beetles, wasps, ants, bees, and bugs of different kinds.
मेरे बैठने के कमरे की खिड़की से इस लॉन का नज़ारा दिखता है, जो मधुमालती की लता और गुड़हल की झाड़ी से घिरा हुआ है। शायद हमारे इलाके में पक्षियों की बहुतायत का कारण आस-पास के कई नर्सेने, कई पुराने पपरी (पोंगामिया ग्लबरा) के पेड़ों की पत्तियाँ और जंगली भांग की झाड़ियाँ हैं। मैंने अपने बगीचे में आने वाले पक्षियों की विविधता की गिनती नहीं की है, लेकिन ऐसा कभी नहीं होता जब कोई न हो। इसके अलावा यहाँ बहुत सारी तितलियाँ, भृंग, ततैया, चींटियाँ, मधुमक्खियाँ और विभिन्न प्रकार के कीड़े हैं।
| Fact file |
| Did you know that Cyperus papyrus is a large, evergreen, perennial water plant that is used to make paper? It can grow up to 15 feet tall and is found in quietly flowing water. The ancient Egyptians used this plant to make paper and that’s why it is also known as a paper plant. क्या आप जानते हैं कि साइपरस पपीरस एक बड़ा, सदाबहार, बारहमासी जलीय पौधा है जिसका उपयोग कागज बनाने के लिए किया जाता है? यह 15 फीट तक लंबा हो सकता है और शांत बहते पानी में पाया जाता है। प्राचीन मिस्र के लोग इस पौधे का उपयोग कागज बनाने के लिए करते थे और इसीलिए इसे पेपर प्लांट के नाम से भी जाना जाता है। |
There was a time when I spent Sunday mornings in winter in the countryside armed with a pair of binoculars and Salim Ali’s or Whistler’s books on indian birds. My favourite haunts were the banks of the Jamuna behind Tilipat village, Surajkund, the dam which supplies water to its pool, and the ruins of Tughlaqabad Fort with its troops of rhesus monkeys. I still manage to visit these places at least once a year to renew acquaintance with waterfowl skylarks, weaver birds, and variety of wild plants like akk, debla, vasicka, mesquite, Mexican poppy, and lantana which grow in profusion all round Delhi.
एक समय था जब मैं सर्दियों में रविवार की सुबह दूरबीन और सलीम अली या व्हिस्लर की भारतीय पक्षियों पर लिखी किताबों के साथ ग्रामीण इलाकों में बिताता था। मेरी पसंदीदा जगहें तिलिपात गांव के पीछे यमुना के किनारे, सूरजकुंड, बांध जो इसके तालाब को पानी की आपूर्ति करता है, और रीसस बंदरों के झुंड के साथ तुगलकाबाद किले के खंडहर थे। मैं अभी भी साल में कम से कम एक बार इन जगहों पर जाता हूँ ताकि जलपक्षी स्काईलार्क, वीवर पक्षी और जंगली पौधों जैसे कि अक्क, देबला, वासिका, मेस्काइट, मैक्सिकन पोपी और लैंटाना से परिचित हो सकूँ जो दिल्ली के चारों ओर बहुतायत में उगते हैं।
An extract from Nature Watch by Khushwant Singh
खुशवंत सिंह द्वारा लिखित नेचर वॉच से एक अंश
| Know the author लेखक को जानें |
| Khushwant Singh (1915-2014) was an Indian writer and a journalist. He was known for his wit and ability to write on a variety of topics-politics, religion, and social issues. Singh worked as the editor of several prominent newspapers and magazines in India, including The Illustrated Weekly of India, The National Herold and The Hindustan Times. Some of his most famous books include Train to Pakistan and Delhi A Novel. खुशवंत सिंह (1915-2014) एक भारतीय लेखक और पत्रकार थे। वे अपनी बुद्धिमता और राजनीति, धर्म और सामाजिक मुद्दों जैसे विभिन्न विषयों पर लिखने की क्षमता के लिए जाने जाते थे। सिंह ने भारत में कई प्रमुख समाचार पत्रों और पत्रिकाओं के संपादक के रूप में काम किया, जिनमें द इलस्ट्रेटेड वीकली ऑफ़ इंडिया, द नेशनल हेरोल्ड और द हिंदुस्तान टाइम्स शामिल हैं। उनकी कुछ सबसे प्रसिद्ध पुस्तकों में ट्रेन टू पाकिस्तान और दिल्ली ए नॉवेल शामिल हैं। |
Summary:
Khushwant Singh’s How It All Began narrates his journey of appreciating nature. During a summer in Oxford, he bonded with Allegra, a little girl who introduced him to English wildflowers. He enjoyed watching birds in the Wints’ garden, though he struggled to distinguish their songs. Returning to Delhi, he realised his ignorance of local flora and fauna and began studying them. His small garden became a haven for birds and insects. He fondly recalls past countryside visits, observing birds and plants. Through his experiences, he highlights the beauty of nature, urging readers to appreciate it in their surroundings, no matter how small or familiar.
खुशवंत सिंह की ‘हाउ इट ऑल बिगन’ प्रकृति की सराहना करने की उनकी यात्रा को बयान करती है। ऑक्सफोर्ड में गर्मियों के दौरान, वह एलेग्रा नामक एक छोटी लड़की से मिले, जिसने उन्हें अंग्रेजी जंगली फूलों से परिचित कराया। उन्हें विंट्स के बगीचे में पक्षियों को देखना अच्छा लगता था, हालाँकि उन्हें उनके गीतों को पहचानने में कठिनाई होती थी। दिल्ली लौटने पर, उन्हें स्थानीय वनस्पतियों और जीवों के बारे में अपनी अज्ञानता का एहसास हुआ और उन्होंने उनका अध्ययन करना शुरू कर दिया। उनका छोटा सा बगीचा पक्षियों और कीड़ों के लिए एक आश्रय स्थल बन गया। वह पक्षियों और पौधों को देखने के लिए अतीत में ग्रामीण इलाकों की यात्राओं को याद करते हैं। अपने अनुभवों के माध्यम से, वह प्रकृति की सुंदरता को उजागर करते हैं, पाठकों से आग्रह करते हैं कि वे अपने आस-पास की चीज़ों में इसकी सराहना करें, चाहे वह कितनी भी छोटी या परिचित क्यों न हो।
About the passage
Read to understand
A. Choose the correct options
1. The narrator had a lot of information about the local flora and fauna because
a) of Leggie. ✔
b) of Fred.
c) he was in London
2. Contrary to the popular notion, the nightingales sing
a) only at night
b) at all hours of the day and night ✔
c) only on some nights
3. The narrator felt a lacuna in his information because
a) he could not identify more than a couple of dozen birds or trees ✔
b) he missed Leggie
c) the place wasn’t London
4. account for the profusion of bird life in the narrator’s locality.
a) Several nurseries in the vicinity, the foliage of many old papari trees, and bushes of cannabis sativa ✔
b) Bougainvillaea creepers of different hues and a wall full of hibiscus
c) Several large trees of the ficus family, a young choruzzia, and an old mulberry
B. Read these sentences and answer the questions with reference to the context.
1. “I have maintained a record of the natural phenomena I encounter every day. However, my nature-watching is done in a very restricted landscape, most of it in my private back garden.”
a) What record is the speaker talking about?
Answer: The speaker is referring to the record he keeps of the natural events and observations he encounters daily, such as the behaviour of birds, insects, and plants in his surroundings.
b) What does the speaker mean when he says he has a ‘restricted landscape’ for nature-watching?
Answer: The speaker means that his observations are limited to a small, confined area—mainly his private back garden—rather than expansive forests or open countryside.
c) Describe the speaker’s private back garden in your own words.
Answer: The speaker’s back garden is a small, enclosed space with a variety of plants, including avocado trees, citrus plants, and flowering creepers like bougainvillaea. He also has a birdbath that attracts birds such as sparrows, crows, mynahs, kites, and pigeons. Additionally, the garden is home to insects and stray cats.
2. “I have not kept a count of the variety of birds that frequent my garden but there is never a time when there are none.”
a) Why did the narrator have such a variety of birds in his garden?
Answer: The narrator had a variety of birds in his garden due to the presence of nearby nurseries, abundant greenery, and trees like papari, which provided food and shelter for different bird species.
b) What does the phrase “frequent my garden” mean?
Answer: The phrase “frequent my garden” means that birds visit the speaker’s garden regularly.
c) Identify a double negative phrase from the extract and explain its meaning in your own words.
Answer: The double negative phrase is “there is never a time when there are none.” It means that birds are always present in his garden; there is never a moment when it is completely without birds.
C. Answer the following questions briefly.
1. Who were the Wints? What was the narrator’s relationship with them?
Answer: The Wints were the narrator’s friends in Oxford. Guy Wint worked for The Observer, his wife, Freda, was a Buddhist, and their son, Ben, studied at a boarding school. The narrator stayed with them for a summer and formed a close bond with their three-year-old daughter, Allegra (Leggie).
2. How did the narrator’s interest in nature develop?
Answer: The narrator’s interest in nature developed during his stay with the Wints, particularly through his walks with Allegra, who introduced him to various wildflowers. Later, upon returning to Delhi, he realised his lack of knowledge about local flora and fauna and actively studied them by reading books, observing birds, and interacting with experts.
3. What is the dawn chorus and what kind of birds participate in it?
Answer: The dawn chorus refers to the early morning songs of birds. In the Wints’ garden, thrushes and blackbirds started the chorus, singing throughout the day. Other birds such as chaffinches, buntings, and white-throats also contributed to the melody.
4. What were some of the things that the narrator did to learn more about nature?
Answer: The narrator read books on trees, birds, and insects, observed natural phenomena in his surroundings, interacted with bird-watchers and horticulturists, and even delivered talks on Delhi’s natural heritage on All India Radio and Doordarshan.
5. Why did the narrator feel that he was in an ‘alien territory’ when he returned to Delhi?
Answer: The narrator felt like he was in an ‘alien territory’ because he was unfamiliar with the flora and fauna of Delhi. After spending time in Oxford, where he had learned about English wildflowers and birds, he realised he lacked knowledge about the natural world in his own country.
6. How did the narrator spend his Sunday mornings in winters?
Answer: In winter, the narrator spent his Sunday mornings exploring the countryside, armed with binoculars and books on Indian birds. He visited places like the Yamuna riverbanks, Surajkund, and Tughlaqabad Fort, observing birds such as waterfowl and skylarks, as well as wild plants like akk, debla, and lantana.
Think and write
D. Think and write the answers to these questions.
1. Do you think that spending time outdoors in nature is better than spending time indoors? Give at least three reasons for your answer.
Answer: Yes, spending time outdoors in nature is better than staying indoors for several reasons:
2. Do you think everyone should know about their local flora and fauna? Why?
Answer: Yes, everyone should know about their local flora and fauna because:
3. What kind of a person do you think the narrator was? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer: The narrator was an observant and curious person. Initially, he was unaware of nature, but after his stay in Oxford, he became deeply interested in flora and fauna. His dedication to learning, keeping records, and sharing knowledge through talks shows his passion for nature. Additionally, his warm relationship with Leggie highlights his kind and patient nature.
PTP 50 Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. Where did the narrator spend a summer with his friends?
a) London
b) Oxford ✔
c) Delhi
d) Paris
2. Who was Guy Wint?
a) A professor
b) A journalist at The Observer ✔
c) A novelist
d) A historian
3. Why was Freda often away from home?
a) She was working at a school
b) She was a nature enthusiast
c) She was meeting fellow Buddhists ✔
d) She was travelling for business
4. Who was Allegra?
a) The narrator’s niece
b) The Wints’ daughter ✔
c) The narrator’s daughter
d) A neighbour’s child
5. What did the narrator do in the mornings?
a) Took Allegra to school
b) Worked in his room ✔
c) Went for nature walks
d) Read books on birds
6. What was Allegra’s nickname?
a) Allie
b) Leggie ✔
c) Alu
d) Lily
7. Why did the narrator follow Allegra on walks?
a) She knew the neighbourhood well ✔
b) She needed protection
c) He wanted to collect flowers
d) He was new to Oxford
8. Where did Allegra and the narrator usually go for walks?
a) To the riverbanks
b) To a local market
c) To the University cricket grounds ✔
d) To a botanical garden
9. What did the narrator buy for Allegra at the cricket ground?
a) A flower basket
b) A toy
c) An ice cream ✔
d) A book
10. What game did Allegra enjoy while returning home?
a) Jumping on puddles
b) Sticking flowers in the narrator’s turban and beard ✔
c) Playing hide-and-seek
d) Collecting pebbles
11. What kind of flowers did Allegra love to collect?
a) Roses and marigolds
b) Snowdrops, bluebells, and periwinkles ✔
c) Orchids and tulips
d) Sunflowers and daisies
12. What was the main thing the narrator learned from Allegra?
a) The names of English wildflowers ✔
b) How to climb trees
c) The history of Oxford
d) Bird species
13. Who explained the difference between thrushes and blackbirds to the narrator?
a) Allegra
b) Freda ✔
c) Guy Wint
d) A gardener
14. What poetic reference did Freda use to describe thrushes?
a) A poem by William Wordsworth
b) A poem by Robert Frost
c) A verse by Robert Browning ✔
d) A line from Shakespeare
15. What is the common misconception about nightingales?
a) They sing only at night ✔
b) They sing only in summer
c) They do not sing at all
d) They can mimic other birds
16. Where did the narrator hear nightingales?
a) In the Wints’ garden
b) In Delhi
c) On the Italian lakes and in the forest of Fontainebleau ✔
d) In the Amazon rainforest
17. What did the narrator feel when he returned to Delhi?
a) A strong connection with nature
b) A sense of alienation due to his lack of knowledge ✔
c) A deep appreciation for city life
d) Excitement to start gardening
18. How did the narrator improve his knowledge of nature in Delhi?
a) By visiting museums
b) By collecting rare plants
c) By reading books on trees, birds, and insects ✔
d) By attending university lectures
19. Where did the narrator share his newfound knowledge about nature?
a) In his diary
b) In newspaper articles
c) On All India Radio and Doordarshan ✔
d) In a personal blog
20. What habit did the narrator develop regarding natural phenomena?
a) He painted pictures of birds
b) He wrote daily records of his observations ✔
c) He travelled across the country
d) He collected plant specimens
21. Where did the narrator observe nature the most in Delhi?
a) In public parks
b) In his private back garden ✔
c) In his workplace
d) At the zoo
22. What kind of fence surrounded his garden?
a) Wooden
b) Metal
c) Barbed wire covered with bougainvillaea ✔
d) Stone
23. Which fruit trees did the narrator grow in his garden?
a) Mango and guava
b) Apple and cherry
c) Avocado, lime, orange, and grapefruit ✔
d) Coconut and banana
24. What flower plants did the narrator have in his garden?
a) Orchids and sunflowers
b) Gardenia, jasmine, and raat-ki-rani ✔
c) Tulips and lilies
d) Hibiscus and daisies
25. Why did the narrator’s wife prefer a utilitarian garden?
a) She liked decorative plants
b) She believed gardens should be used for growing vegetables ✔
c) She disliked gardening
d) She preferred indoor plants
26. What did the narrator install for birds in his garden?
a) Bird feeders
b) A bird bath ✔
c) A birdhouse
d) Nesting boxes
27. What types of birds visited the bird bath?
a) Sparrows, mynahs, and pigeons ✔
b) Parrots and peacocks
c) Eagles and vultures
d) Swans and flamingoes
28. What created a favourable environment for birds in his area?
a) Lack of human interference
b) The presence of large trees, nurseries, and wild plants ✔
c) The availability of artificial nests
d) The presence of large water bodies
29. Which trees did the narrator mention as being common in his locality?
a) Banyan and coconut
b) Ficus, choruzzia, and mulberry ✔
c) Palm and pine
d) Neem and peepal
30. What was one of the most unusual plants growing in the area?
a) Bamboo
b) Cannabis sativa (bhang) ✔
c) Aloe vera
d) Lavender
31. What is the “dawn chorus”?
a) A group of singers in the morning
b) The collective singing of birds at dawn ✔
c) The sound of wind blowing through trees
d) A radio programme about birds
32. Which birds participate in the dawn chorus?
a) Crows and vultures
b) Sparrows, mynahs, and babblers ✔
c) Peacocks and parrots
d) Hawks and owls
33. At what time does the dawn chorus begin?
a) Around sunrise ✔
b) At noon
c) In the afternoon
d) Late at night
34. How did the narrator react to the dawn chorus?
a) He ignored it
b) He recorded and observed it carefully ✔
c) He found it annoying
d) He tried to stop the birds from singing
35. What did the narrator compare the dawn chorus to?
a) An orchestra tuning its instruments ✔
b) A school assembly
c) A loud festival
d) A busy market
36. Which bird species did the narrator mention as the loudest in the dawn chorus?
a) Parrots
b) Mynahs ✔
c) Peacocks
d) Woodpeckers
37. What surprised the narrator about bird activity in the evening?
a) Birds disappeared entirely
b) Birds were more active than in the morning ✔
c) Birds stopped singing altogether
d) The garden became completely silent
38. Which bird did the narrator see frequently in the evenings?
a) Owls
b) Drongos ✔
c) Flamingoes
d) Peacocks
39. Why did the narrator think nature-watching was a continuous learning process?
a) Because he discovered new birds and plants all the time ✔
b) Because it was very complicated
c) Because he kept forgetting names
d) Because it required scientific training
40. What made the narrator feel a lacuna in his knowledge?
a) He could identify only a couple of dozen birds or trees ✔
b) He had never studied science
c) He had no books on birds
d) He was too busy with work
41. How did the narrator spend his Sunday mornings in winter?
a) Watching cricket matches
b) Listening to birds and observing their behaviour ✔
c) Reading newspapers
d) Taking long walks
42. What did the narrator notice about some birds in the winter season?
a) They migrated from other regions ✔
b) They sang louder than usual
c) They built nests frequently
d) They became completely silent
43. How did the narrator’s children contribute to his knowledge of nature?
a) By teaching him Latin names of plants
b) By collecting insects and flowers ✔
c) By taking him on bird-watching trips
d) By reading nature books to him
44. What does the narrator believe about learning?
a) It is a lifelong process ✔
b) It is only useful in school
c) It is unnecessary for nature-watching
d) It should be limited to books
45. Why did the narrator keep a journal of natural phenomena?
a) To share it with scientists
b) To keep a personal record of daily observations ✔
c) To publish a book
d) To impress his friends
46. What is the significance of the title How It All Began?
a) It refers to the narrator’s early life experiences with nature ✔
b) It explains the evolution of birds
c) It is about how the narrator started writing
d) It talks about the beginning of the world
47. How did the narrator’s perspective on nature change over time?
a) He became more observant and appreciative ✔
b) He lost interest in birds
c) He only focused on books rather than real experiences
d) He felt nature-watching was a waste of time
48. What did the narrator feel about birds and plants in different places?
a) They have unique characteristics everywhere ✔
b) They are all the same
c) They are only interesting in foreign countries
d) They are difficult to observe
49. What message does the chapter How It All Began convey?
a) The importance of appreciating and observing nature ✔
b) The dangers of city life
c) The beauty of only foreign wildlife
d) The importance of gardening
50. What is the overall tone of the chapter?
a) Reflective and appreciative ✔
b) Sad and regretful
c) Humorous and sarcastic
d) Critical and negative
*****