Ways with Words

A. Find the words from the text that have the following meanings.

a. Became fuller and softer by shaking

Answer: Fluffed

b. A sound and healthy mental state

Answer: Sanity

c. Consisting of or easily breaking into small pieces

Answer: Crumbly

d. Neither very hot nor very cold

Answer: Temperate

e. Land that does not have enough water to support the growth of plants

Answer: Arid region

f. Only slightly warm

Answer: Lukewarm

B. Find the meanings and word classes of the following words. Use them in sentences of your own.

a. Hazy

Word class: Adjective

Meaning:
Not clear, especially because of heat, smoke, or mist.

Sentence:
The mountains looked hazy in the distance.

b. Frontier

Word class: Noun

Meaning:
A border between two countries or the land near such a border.

Sentence:
Many people travelling across the frontier were illegal immigrants.

c. Lush

Word class: Adjective

Meaning:
Covered with healthy green grass and plants.

Sentence:
He looked at the lush green hills.

d. Flip-flops

Word class: Noun

Meaning:
Light, open footwear held on the foot by a strap between the toes.

Sentence:
She took off her flip-flops before crossing the stream.

e. Altitude

Word class: Noun

Meaning:
The height of a place or object above sea level.

Sentence:
The aeroplane was flying at an altitude of 10,000 metres.

f. Fatal

Word class: Adjective

Meaning:
Causing or capable of causing death.

Sentence:
If her illness returns, it could prove fatal.

g. Magnificent

Word class: Adjective

Meaning:
Extremely attractive, impressive, or beautiful.

Sentence:
Pashupatinath Temple looks magnificent in the evening.

C. List the Nepali words used in the text and write their English equivalents.

Comprehension

Answer the following questions.

a. How did the author feel when she saw a colourful rooster in the western Himalayas?

Answer:

The author felt amused when she saw the colourful rooster in the western Himalayas.

She felt as though the rooster looked at her briefly and winked at her.

b. How does the author describe the houses along the trails of western Nepal?

Answer:

The author describes the houses along the trails of western Nepal as simple structures built of stone, often located beneath rocks or near rivers.

Although some of them looked too crumbly and fragile to live in, the local people appeared comfortable in them.

c. What does the author mean when she says, “I walked towards a village 15 kilometres further as the crow flies”?

Answer:

The phrase “as the crow flies” refers to the shortest direct distance between two places.

The author means that the village was 15 kilometres away in a straight line, although the actual walking distance was probably longer because of hills, valleys, and winding trails.

d. Describe the village of Thankur briefly.

Answer:

Thankur was a very small village with only two houses. It was located in an arid region with little vegetation and very limited human activity.

The author also saw large, shiny, rainbow-coloured birds called Himalayan monals in the area.

e. What happened when the author reached Jumla, and how was she relieved?

Answer:

When the author reached Jumla, she became ill because of an unknown virus and stomach trouble.

She felt relieved after taking medicine and eating panipuri.

f. How does the author describe the water in the bucket at Khali Lagna?

Answer:

The surface of the water in the bucket was frozen.

When the author broke the layer of ice, she was surprised and pleased to find that the water underneath was comparatively lukewarm.

g. How did Rara Lake look on the day the author reached it?

Answer:

Rara Lake looked magnificent when the author reached it.

Its water was glistening in deep blue glory, creating a peaceful and beautiful scene.

Critical Thinking

a. “Travelling to a place is equal to reading three books.” Do you agree? Why?

Answer:

Yes, I agree that travelling to a place can be compared to reading several books.

Travelling provides first-hand knowledge. When we visit a place, we see its geography, people, culture, food, language, lifestyle, and natural beauty with our own eyes.

Reading about a place can be informative, but visiting it creates a deeper and more lasting impression. The experiences gained through travel remain in our memory for a long time.

Travelling also introduces us to different people and ways of life. It broadens our outlook and helps us understand the world from new perspectives.

It also makes us more organised and independent. During a journey, we need to arrange transportation, accommodation, food, schedules, and expenses.

Unexpected situations may arise, and travellers must learn to solve problems calmly. This increases confidence and self-reliance.

Travelling also connects people. It helps us recognise that, despite differences in language, religion, nationality, and culture, all people are members of the same human family.

Therefore, travelling is an important source of education, experience, personal growth, and enjoyment. It teaches lessons that cannot always be learned from books alone.

b. The author completed a five-week walk along the western Himalayas. Do you think it was adventurous? Why?

Answer:

Yes, the author’s five-week walk along the western Himalayas was extremely adventurous.

She travelled through a large part of the Nepal Himalayas along the lower Great Himalayan Trail and also took several unusual detours.

She visited remote areas rarely reached by tourists and experienced the raw and traditional lifestyle of western Nepal.

The journey required her to walk through mountains, glaciers, rivers, forests, snowy trails, and arid regions. She also spent freezing nights at high altitudes.

Travelling in such places involves many risks. There may be poor roads, uncertain weather, limited food, illness, physical exhaustion, and a lack of medical facilities.

The author had to depend on her instincts, courage, planning, and connection with nature. At one point, she also became ill in Jumla.

Despite these challenges, she continued the journey and eventually reached the beautiful Rara Lake.

The journey allowed her to escape the monotony of ordinary life and experience remote landscapes, local cultures, and natural beauty.

Therefore, the journey was adventurous because it involved physical hardship, danger, uncertainty, exploration, and unforgettable experiences.

Writing

A. Write a travelogue about a recent visit to a natural or religious place in about 300 words.

A Visit to Pashupatinath Temple

With the objective of learning through direct observation, the students of Grade 11 recently visited the Pashupatinath area, one of Nepal’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Pashupatinath Temple is located on the bank of the sacred Bagmati River in the eastern part of Kathmandu. The wider Pashupati area includes places such as Gaushala, Pingalasthan, Jay Bageshwori, Guhyeshwori, Deupatan, and Gaurighat.

There are hundreds of temples, shrines, statues, and Shiva lingas in the area. The main temple of Pashupatinath is built in the traditional pagoda style and is one of the holiest Hindu temples in the world.

The sacred Panchamukhi Shiva Linga is kept inside the main temple. Different rulers and historical personalities contributed to the construction, repair, and preservation of the temple over time.

Large numbers of pilgrims visit Pashupatinath during festivals such as Maha Shivaratri, Teej, Bala Chaturdashi, Janai Purnima, and the Mondays of Shrawan.

During our visit, we observed religious rituals, traditional architecture, cremation ceremonies, temples, and the flow of the Bagmati River.

The peaceful environment and religious atmosphere made the visit educational and memorable.

However, we also noticed pollution in some areas, particularly along the Bagmati River. Waste management and environmental sanitation need greater attention.

Illegal structures and encroachment on the land of the Pashupati Area Development Trust should be controlled. Afforestation and regular cleaning programmes should also be conducted.

The government and concerned authorities should maintain transparent records of the temple’s income and expenditure.

The visit helped us understand Nepal’s religious heritage, traditional architecture, and cultural practices. It was a valuable experience that taught us more than classroom learning alone could provide.

B. Write an essay on “The Importance of Tourism in Nepal” in about 500 words.

The Importance of Tourism in Nepal

Nepal is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in the world. It is famous for its mountains, natural beauty, cultural diversity, historical monuments, wildlife, religious sites, and adventurous activities.

Thousands of tourists visit Nepal every year. Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitwan, Lumbini, Mustang, Solukhumbu, and the Annapurna region are among the most popular destinations.

Nepal is home to Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world. Eight of the world’s fourteen highest peaks are located in Nepal. This makes the country a major destination for mountaineering and trekking.

Tourists also visit Nepal for rafting, paragliding, jungle safaris, rock climbing, bungee jumping, mountain biking, and cultural tours.

Tourism is an important source of foreign currency. International tourists spend money on hotels, food, transportation, guides, trekking services, entry fees, handicrafts, and local products.

This income supports the national economy and creates employment opportunities. Many people work as hotel employees, trekking guides, porters, drivers, travel agents, cooks, craft producers, and shopkeepers.

Tourism also supports local communities. Visitors purchase carpets, paintings, statues, pashmina products, traditional clothes, jewellery, and other handicrafts.

This increases the income of local artists, farmers, craftspeople, and small-business owners. It also promotes Nepali products in international markets.

Nepal has many important religious and cultural sites, including Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath, Lumbini, Muktinath, Janaki Temple, and the Kathmandu Valley’s three Durbar Squares.

When tourists visit these places, they learn about Nepal’s history, religion, art, architecture, customs, and traditions.

Tourism therefore helps promote Nepal’s cultural identity throughout the world. It also encourages the preservation of monuments, temples, traditional practices, and natural areas.

However, tourism can also create challenges. Unmanaged tourism may cause pollution, damage natural resources, increase waste, and negatively affect local culture.

The government should therefore promote sustainable tourism. Tourist sites should be clean, safe, accessible, and properly managed.

Roads, airports, communication services, healthcare facilities, and accommodation should be improved. Tourists should also receive accurate information and professional services.

Local communities should be directly involved in tourism development so that they receive fair economic benefits.

In conclusion, tourism is essential for Nepal’s economy, employment, cultural promotion, and international recognition. With proper planning and sustainable management, tourism can become one of the strongest foundations of Nepal’s development.

Grammar

B. Complete the sentences using the correct passive forms of the verbs in brackets.

a. Letters __________ by the postman every day.

(deliver)

Answer: Are delivered

Complete sentence:
Letters are delivered by the postman every day.

b. This bag __________ on the bus yesterday.

(find)

Answer: Was found

Complete sentence:
This bag was found on the bus yesterday.

c. The gate __________ at 7:00 p.m. every evening.

(lock)

Answer: Is locked

Complete sentence:
The gate is locked at 7:00 p.m. every evening.

d. I __________ to the party last week.

(invite)

Answer: Was invited

Complete sentence:
I was invited to the party last week.

e. The telephone __________ by Alexander Graham Bell.

(invent)

Answer: Was invented

Complete sentence:
The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell.

f. Muna Madan __________ by Laxmi Prasad Devkota.

(write)

Answer: Was written

Complete sentence:
Muna Madan was written by Laxmi Prasad Devkota.

g. How much money __________ in the robbery?

(steal)

Answer: Was stolen

Complete sentence:
How much money was stolen in the robbery?

h. Do you know that cheese __________ from milk?

(make)

Answer: Is made

Complete sentence:
Do you know that cheese is made from milk?

i. I __________ in Kathmandu, but I __________ in Dhangadhi.

(bear/grow up)

Answer: Was born / grew up

Complete sentence:
I was born in Kathmandu, but I grew up in Dhangadhi.

C. Change the following sentences into the passive voice.

a. I did not fix the problem.

Passive:

The problem was not fixed by me.

b. The police protect the town.

Passive:

The town is protected by the police.

c. John’s mother raised him in a small town.

Passive:

He was raised in a small town by John’s mother.

d. Someone painted the building last year.

Passive:

The building was painted last year.

e. Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928.

Passive:

Penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928.

f. Some students study grammar on the Internet.

Passive:

Grammar is studied on the Internet by some students.

g. Someone had broken the window by 3:00 p.m.

Passive:

The window had been broken by 3:00 p.m.

h. A strange man was watching us.

Passive:

We were being watched by a strange man.

i. Tokyo was to hold the Olympics in 2020.

Passive:

The Olympics were to be held in Tokyo in 2020.

j. We are working on the report right now.

Passive:

The report is being worked on by us right now.

k. My manager has told him to arrive earlier.

Passive:

He has been told by my manager to arrive earlier.

l. They could not have made the mistake.

Passive:

The mistake could not have been made by them.

m. I hope they are going to hire me soon.

Passive:

I hope I am going to be hired soon.

n. I do not like people staring at me.

Passive:

I do not like being stared at.

o. She likes people waving at her.

Passive:

She likes being waved at.

p. Who told you the story?

Passive:

By whom were you told the story?

Alternative:

Who were you told the story by?

q. Is he repairing the bicycle?

Passive:

Is the bicycle being repaired by him?