Unseen Passage For Class 11 with Solutions is available here for practice and revision for the students of Class 11, Generally, two unseen passages are asked in any of the examinations of class 11, Therefore this topic carries above 15 marks in each examinations of NCERT and CBSE.
Table of Contents
Unseen Passage For Class 11 – Passage 1
Directions: Read the following unseen passage for class 11 carefully and answer the questions given below the Reading Comprehension:-
“There is no call to be sarcastic, Mr Sahu” the principal said sharply. “I am not condoning the boy’s behaviour. I am merely suggesting that you are putting too serious a construction on it. Mr Sahu neither moved nor spoke. ‘I could refuse to put the matter on the agenda for the school committee meeting, you know?’ “In that case I shall be forced to send a copy of the report to each committee member and one to Vartavihar.
I am sure the editor would find it interesting enough to publish in the next edition.” This was an extempore thought, and his elation at having stumbled on it gave Mr Sahu more confidence. The principal made a feeble attempt at laughing. ‘Come now, you don’t mean that,’ he said. ‘I am afraid I mean every word I said.’ ‘You are aware,’ the principal said, carefully enunciating each word as though to make sure Mr Sahu heard it, that the chairman of the school committee is Veerendra’s uncle?’ ‘You still want this report to go up to the committee?’
‘All right, I shall forward it as your personal recommendation, for consideration at the meeting to be held on Friday evening.
That’s right, save your own skin, don’t endorse it, Mr Sahu thought, looking with distaste at the principal’s bland face. Then he thought, I have no right to be bitter. I spent my life doing just what he is doing, saving my own skin.
Carefully read and answer the questions from the unseen passage for class 11.
Q.1. How does the principal respond to Mr. Sahu’s sarcasm?
Q.2. What does Mr. Sahu suggest he could do regarding the matter?
Q.3. How does Mr. Sahu respond to the principal’s attempt at laughing?
Q.4. What does the principal emphasize about the chairman of the school committee?
Q.5. What decision does Mr. Sahu ultimately make regarding the report?
Q.6. What is Mr. Sahu’s internal reaction towards the principal’s actions?
Q.7. Find the similar word from the passage which means, “decline”
Q.8. Find the opposite word of “sadness”
Answers:-Ans.1- The principal sharply responds to Mr. Sahu’s sarcasm, stating there’s no call for it and suggests Mr. Sahu is putting too serious a construction on the matter.
Ans.2- Mr. Sahu suggests he could refuse to put the matter on the agenda for the school committee meeting.
Ans.3- Mr. Sahu responds to the principal’s attempt at laughing with determination, stating he means every word he said.
Ans.4- The principal emphasizes that the chairman of the school committee is Veerendra’s uncle.
Ans.5- Mr. Sahu decides to forward the report as his personal recommendation for consideration at the committee meeting.
Ans.6- Mr. Sahu initially feels distaste towards the principal’s actions but then reflects on his own past actions, realizing he has no right to be bitter.
Ans.7- Refuse
Ans.8- Elation
Unseen Passage For Class 11 – Passage 2
Directions: Read the following unseen passage for class 11 carefully and answer the questions given below the Reading Comprehension:-
Lachmi chatted away merrily. She was fond of a little gossip and had no one to talk to at home. Her husband never had any time to spare for her. She lived in the upper storey of the house and he was on the ground floor. He did not like her poor illiterate relatives hanging about his bungalow, so they never came.
The signal came down and the clanging of the bell announced the approaching train. Lady Lal hurriedly finished off her meal. She got up, still licking the stone of the pickled mango. She emitted a long, loud belch as she went to the public tap to rinse her mouth and hands. After washing she dried her mouth and hands with the loose end of her sari and walked back to her steel trunk, belching and thanking the gods for the favour of a filling meal.
The train steamed in. Lachmi found herself facing an almost empty inter class zenana compartment next to the guard’s van, at the tail end of the train. The rest of the train was packed. She heaved her squat, bulky frame through the door and found a seat by the window. She produced a two-anna bit from a knot in her sari and dismissed the coolie.
She then opened her betel case and made herself two betel leaves charged with a red and white paste, minced betel nuts and cardamoms. These she thrust into her mouth till her cheeks bulged on both sides. Then she rested her chin on her hands and sat gazing idly at the jostling crowd on the platform.
Carefully read and answer the questions from the unseen passage for class 11.
Q.1. Why was Lachmi fond of gossiping?
Q.2. Describe how Lady Lal prepared herself before boarding the train.
Q.3. Where did Lachmi find a seat on the train?
Q.4. How did Lachmi pay the coolie?
Q.5. What did Lachmi do after boarding the train?
Q.6. How did Lachmi pass her time while on the train?
Q.7. Find a similar word from the passage which means, “Uneducated”
Q.8. Find the opposite word of “Slowly”
Answers:-Ans.1- Lachmi was fond of gossiping because she had no one to talk to at home, as her husband never had time for her and her relatives never visited.
Ans.2- Lady Lal finished her meal, rinsed her mouth and hands at a public tap, belched, and then returned to her steel trunk.
Ans.3- Lachmi found a seat by the window in an almost empty inter class zenana compartment next to the guard’s van, at the tail end of the train.
Ans.4- Lachmi paid the coolie by producing a two-anna bit from a knot in her sari.
Ans.5- After boarding the train, Lachmi opened her betel case and made herself two betel leaves charged with paste, nuts, and cardamoms.
Ans.6- Lachmi passed her time on the train by sitting near the window, thrusting betel leaves into her mouth, and gazing idly at the jostling crowd on the platform.
Ans.7- Illiterate
Ans.8- Hurriedly
Unseen Passage For Class 11 – Passage 3
Directions: Read the following unseen passage for class 11 carefully and answer the questions given below the Reading Comprehension:-
Good manners are also important when you are with your own friends. When you speak to anyone, speak clearly and sufficiently loudly for the person to hear. It is an insult to a person to ask his attention and then speak so that he does not understand you. And remember it is your responsibility to make yourself understood.
An American writer called Thoreau said, “It takes two to speak the truth – one to speak and another to hear.” This is a very important saying, and it would save a great deal of argument and annoyance in life if people paid attention to it. “It takes two to speak the truth”. You have to express it differently for different people. To some people ‘socialism’ means taking money from those who have money and giving it to those who have none.
To other people ‘socialism’ means State control of industry and commerce. To others we cannot tell a man ‘the truth about socialism’ until you know what he understands by the term. If you say, ‘I believe in socialism’, and he understands that you mean you believe in robbery, you must not be surprised if he takes a dislike to you; and if that is not what you mean, you did not speak the truth. If a man says to a friend, “Good morning, Mr. A” and the friend replies “It’s not a good morning at all”, is that the truth, even if the morning is bad?
Carefully read and answer the questions from the unseen passage for class 11.
Q.1. Why is it important to speak clearly and loudly when communicating with others?
Q.2. According to Thoreau, what does it take for the truth to be spoken?
Q.3. How can differing interpretations of the term “socialism” lead to misunderstandings?
Q.4. What example is given to illustrate how the meaning of “socialism” varies among individuals?
Q.5. In the passage, what scenario challenges the concept of speaking the truth?
Q.6. What is the implication of someone responding negatively to a greeting of “Good morning”?
Q.7. Find a similar word from the passage which means, “Significant”
Q.8. Find the opposite word of “Misinterpret”
Answers:-Ans.1- It’s important to speak clearly and loudly so that the person you’re addressing can understand you and not feel insulted by having to strain to hear.
Ans.2- Thoreau suggests that speaking the truth requires both someone to speak it and another to hear and understand it.
Ans.3- Differing interpretations of “socialism” can lead to misunderstandings because individuals may have different understandings of the term, leading to miscommunication.
Ans.4- The example given is that “socialism” can mean different things to different people, such as wealth redistribution or state control of industries.
Ans.5- The scenario challenges the concept of speaking the truth because the response contradicts the common social convention of responding positively to greetings.
Ans.6- The implication is that responding negatively to a greeting can create a dissonance between what is socially expected and the truth of the situation.
Ans.7- Important
Ans.8- Understand
Factual Unseen Passage For Class 11 – Passage 4
Directions: Read the following unseen passage for class 11 carefully and answer the questions given below the Reading Comprehension:-
Whales are normally gentle, Jacques Cousteau in his book, “The Whale: Mighty Monarch of the Sea’, testified to the whale’s self-control. In all his years of diving, he says, “not a single man has been hurt during our sometimes hazardous whale encounters. Indeed, whales show every sign of wishing to spare man from harm.
Many whales exhibit strong family ties. The young ones remain with their parents for up to 15 years or more. Like reindeer and other nomadic land mammals, such migrating species as humpbacks and gray whales live in herds, or pods, and travel seasonally between feeding and
breeding grounds. In times of stress, whales look after one another. A group migrates at the speed of the slowest baby. When a member is wounded or sick, the others refuse to abandon it. They may cradle it between them or support it on their backs so that it can breathe. A whole loyal group could easily be killed off by whalers.
Maternal instincts are also highly developed. Because a calf is born underwater, the mother must get it to the surface before it drowns. Often another whale will help. The mother nudges it gently until the baby is confident with its swimming, usually after about 30 minutes. If the calf is stillborn, she may support it on her back until it rots away.
Mother whales behave like human beings. They have been seen fondling their babies. Their flippers are used like hands to clasp, coax and discipline. Jacques Cousteau describes in his book an incident in which a mother swam after her calf and pushed it away from a ship. She then struck it several times with her flippers. “The blows had every appearance of being slaps and were obviously administered to teach the baby not to confuse a ship’s hull with a mother’s stomach.”
Please read the questions carefully asked from the Unseen Passage for class 11 and answer them.
Q.1- How are whales regarded as by Jacques Cousteau?
Q.2- To what does the writer testify in his book?
Q.3- What do whales always show in every encounter with them?
Q.4- How do they exhibit their strong family ties?
Q.5- How do they behave in times of stress?
Q.6- What happens when a member is wounded or sick?
Q.7- What happens when a calf is born?
Q.8- Why are mother whales compared to human beings?
Answers:-Ans.1- They are regarded as gentle creatures.
Ans.2- The writer testifies to the whale’s self-control.
Ans.3- They show every sign of wishing to spare man from harm.
Ans.4- They live in herds or pods and take care of their young ones for up to 15 years or more.
Ans.5- They look after one another. A group migrates at the speed of the slowest baby.
Ans.6- The others refuse to abandon it. They cradle it between them or support it on their back.
Ans.7- As it is born underwater, the mother takes it to the surface before it is drowned.
Ans.8- They fondle their babies and use their flippers like hands to clasp, coax and discipline them.
Factual Unseen Passage For Class 11 – Passage 5
Directions: Read the following unseen passage for class 11 carefully and answer the questions given below the Reading Comprehension:-
In olden times, man’s worst enemy was nature. He lived under the continual threat of famine. pestilence, storms on the earth and in the sea. A wet summer could bring death to a large population, and winters were a menace. Mountains were like a barrier between people of different countries; a sea was less a highway than an impassable division. If we go back to the pages of history, we find ample proof that man, in the distant past, did not worship God but either the sun or the winds or the sea. Fear urged him to worship these natural forces.
Today the scenario has changed a lot. Though nature, still an enemy, is an enemy that is always unpredicted and unpredictable, yet can be conquered to a certain extent. Modern agriculture assures us of an ample food supply. Modern transportation has reduced the distances between countries. Modern medicine and sanitation allow dense populations to cover the ground without risk of pestilence.
True is the fact that certain severe natural disasters cannot be avoided even now. Against earthquake, flood and hurricane man has, as yet, devised no adequate protection. The Tsunami tragedy has once again given man shudders. The tragedy has become a nightmare for humanity. Now the scientists’ boastings seem to be cruel jokes. The tragedy has rendered man helpless and hapless with no protection from anywhere to heal his wounds. We are forced to ask the question: Are we safe on this planet?
There are warnings that many island countries will be eliminated by the wrath of nature in the decades to come. But we should not be so pessimistic. Events like Tsunami are rare: nature is no longer frightening, she has been subdued to a great extent.
Please read the questions carefully asked from the Unseen Passage for class 11 and answer them.
Q.1- Why did man in olden times consider nature his worst enemy?
Q.2- Why did man worship nature?
Q.3- How were mountains considered by the early man?
Q.4- How were wet winters and summers regarded?
Q.5- What difference has come in man’s perspective of nature today?
Q.6- Against what, man has not yet devised any protection?
Q.7- What has become a nightmare for humanity?
Q.8- What is the warning about island countries?
Answers:-Ans.1- The man thought so as he lived under the continual threat of famine, pestilence and storms.
Ans.2- Fear urged him to worship nature.
Ans.3- They were like a barrier between people of different countries.
Ans.4- A wet summer could bring death to a large population, and winters were a menace.
Ans.5- It is still unpredicted and unpredictable, but it can be conquered.
Ans.6- Against earthquakes, flood and hurricane, man has not yet devised any adequate protection.
Ans.7- The Tsunami tragedy has become a nightmare for humanity.
Ans.8- The warnings are that many island countries will be eliminated by the wrath of nature in the decades to come.
Factual Unseen Passage For Class 11 – Passage 6
Directions: Read the following unseen passage for class 11 carefully and answer the questions given below the Reading Comprehension:-
The time is now to save these magnificent cats before they vanish from the earth forever. There is little time left to preserve these animals, immediate action is required. The latest predictions state that tigers will be extinct in the wild by the year 2015. That’s less than one year to save a creature that has been around for longer than us.
I cannot imagine, nor would I wish to live in a world without tigers.. without these magnificent
creatures in our forests living free-without captive populations carrying on the gene pool. The power and beauty of these animals is indisputable. Tigers are an integral part of the ecosystem, as they are a major link in the food chain. Tigers have been bestowed magical and supernatural traits by many societies, and have also been revered as gods.
All living creatures of mother earth depend on one another for survival. Crimes like these – the killing of tigers – must be stopped. They are often killed in the most barbaric, the most unbelievably cruel ways. I ask you the reader – if learning of things like this moves you at all, then take that energy and do what you can to stop the killing of these magnificent animals. Penalties for killing tigers, and other protected wildlife need to be strongly enforced – and strong enough as to be a complete deterrent to the poaching of tigers, and also deter those who profit from such killings.
Extremist groups would ban all exotic animals from captivity because of small numbers of individuals that mistreat their animals, and unfortunately, the whole zoo industry and caring private owners get painted with the same brush. The vast majority of zoos, big and small, treat their animals well, feed them well and give them a proper environment and enrichment. The numbers of bad homes are small, but they do exist.
The Animal Rights Organisations should make sure they target only the bad homes and leave those providing a good, happy and healthy home for animals alone. They don’t realize that banning all exotics from captivity could spell the end for havens to preserve ever-dwindling species of animals. These places may well, in the not so far future, hold the last remaining tiger’s gems for the future who should be nurtured and protected.
Please read the questions carefully asked from the Unseen Passage for class 11 and answer them.
Q.1- What important task is to be done before it is too late?
Q.2- What are the latest predictions about tigers becoming extinct?
Q.3- According to the writer he wouldn’t like to live in a world without the tiger. Why?
Q.4- How have tigers been regarded by many societies?
Q.5- What needs to be done to deter people from poaching and killing tigers?
Q.6- How do most zoos and private owners treat their animals?
Q.7- What according to the writer is the last dwindling hope for preserving these exotic cats?
Q.8- What is the meaning of exotic?
Answers:-Ans.1- The task is to save the tigers before they vanish from the.
Ans.2- The latest prediction states that tigers will become extinct by the year 2015.
Ans.3- Tigers are an integral part of the ecosystem as they are a main link in the food chain. Besides this, they have an unquestionable beauty and power.
Ans.4- They have been bestowed magical and supernatural traits by many societies. They have also been revered as gods.
Ans.5- Penalties for killing tigers need to be strongly enforced; they should be strong enough to deter such criminals.
Ans.6- Most zoos and private owners treat their animals well. They feed them well and provide a proper environment.
Ans.7- Zoos and private owners where these exotic animals are kept in captivity could be the last dwindling hope for preserving the tigers.
Ans.8- Exciting, unusual and brightly coloured.
Factual Unseen Passage For Class 11 – Passage 7
Directions: Read the following unseen passage for class 11 carefully and answer the questions given below the Reading Comprehension:-
Eight of the invited countries are in Eastern Europe. Until 1991, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania were part of the Soviet Union. Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Slovenia all had Communist governments. The E-U also offered membership to Malta and the Greek- ruled part of Cyprus.
The planned expansion would be the largest in the E-U’s history. It would create a community of more than 450 million people in twenty-five countries. The expansion also would create an economy of more than nine million dollars. Such an economy would be close to that of the United States.
Intense negotiations took place at the Copenhagen meeting about the financial terms under which new members will join. Candidates for E-U membership had demanded more aid. Most of them are poorer than the average country in Western Europe. They also have shorter histories as democracies and had problems with dishonest governments. Many people in the invited countries did not fully support efforts to join the E-U.
Poland is the largest of the ten candidate countries. It had threatened to sabotage the expansion plans if it did not receive more aid. The agreement calls for the E-U to provide more than forty thousand million dollars in aid to the new members.
The expansion is planned for May, 2004. But first, citizens in each candidate country must approve E-U membership in a series of votes expected next ye year. E-U members had hoped that a United Nations-negotiated agreement to end the division of Cyprus would be signed during the Copenhagen meeting. Cyprus has been divided between Greek and Turkish Cypriots since 1974.
The E-U offered membership to the southern, Greek side of Cyprus. The Turkish north could enter later if it agreed on terms to end the island’s division. Now, only the internationally recognised Greek Cypriot government will receive E-U membership. In another development, Turkey accepted an E-U decision to delay considering the membership until December 2004, at the earliest. E-U leaders said Turkey must make the political and human rights reforms necessary to begin talks about membership.
Please read the questions carefully asked from the Unseen Passage for class 11 and answer them.
Q.1- Where are the eight invited countries situated?
Q.2- Which two other countries were offered membership by E-U?
Q.3- Where did intense negotiations take place?
Q.4- What had candidates for E-U membership demanded?
Q.5- What had Poland threatened to do?
Q.6- What does the agreement call for the E-U to provide?
Q.7- Mention the period for which expansion is planned.
Q.8- Between which two countries have Cyprus been divided?
Answers:-Ans.1- Eight of the invited countries are situated in Eastern Europe.
Ans.2- Malta and the Greek-ruled part of Cyprus were offered membership by the EU.
Ans.3- Intense negotiations took place at the Copenhagen meeting, as indicated in the passage regarding financial terms for new members.
Ans.4- Candidates for EU membership demanded more aid due to their economic and historical differences.
Ans.5- Poland threatened to sabotage the expansion plans if it did not receive more aid.
Ans.6- The agreement calls for the EU to provide more than forty thousand million dollars in aid to the new members.
Ans.7- The expansion is planned for May 2004.
Ans.8- Cyprus has been divided between Greek and Turkish Cypriots.
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