Chapter 5: The Summit Within

English
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Chapter 5: The Summit Within

Class: VIII

Exercise number – 1

Question 1
Standing on Everest, the writer was

2. very sad.
3. jubilant and sad.

Choose the right item.

Answer 1
c) jubilant and sad.

Question 2
The emotion that gripped him was one of

1. victory over hurdles.
2. humility and a sense of smallness.
3. greatness and self importance.
4. joy of discovery

Choose the right item.

Answer 2
(b) humility and a sense of smallness.

Question 3
"The summit of the mind" refers to

1. great intellectual achievements.
2. the process of maturing mentally and spiritually.
3. overcoming personal ambition for common welfare.
4. living in the world of thought and imagination.
5. the triumph of mind over worldly pleasures for a noble cause.
6. a fuller knowledge of oneself.

Mark the item(s) not relevant.

Answer 3
a), c), d) and e).

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Question 1
Answer the following questions.

1. What are the three qualities that played a major role in the author’s climb?
2. Why is adventure, which is risky, also pleasurable?
3. What was it about Mount Everest that the author found irresistible?
4. One does not do it (climb a high peak) for fame alone. What does one do it for, really?
5. "He becomes conscious in a special manner of his own smallness in this large universe." This awareness defines an emotion mentioned in the first paragraph. Which is the emotion?
6. What were the "symbols of reverence" left by members of the team on Everest?
7. What, according to the writer, did his experience as an Everester teach him?

Answer 1

1. Endurance, will power and persistence are the three qualities that played a major role in the author’s climb.
2. Adventure is risky, yet pleasurable. Though it presents extraordinary difficulties, man takes delight in overcoming such hindrances. Everest is the highest, the mightiest and many attempts have been made to climb it. According to the author, when the summit is climbed, there is a robust spirit of "exhilaration, the joy of having done something, the sense of a battle fought & won". There is a feeling of victory and of happiness. The physical conquest of a mountain is only one part of the achievement. It is followed by a sense of fulfilment and contentment. The experience is not just physical, but it is emotional and other-worldly (spiritual) as well.
3. Everest drew the author towards itself by its beauty, might, aloofness, ruggedness and the difficulties encountered on the way. That is why he found it simpy irresistible.
4. Climbing a peak means endurance, persistence and will power. The revelation of these physical qualities is exhilarating for a climber. The experience, apart from being just physical, is emotional and spiritual as well. It surely presents great difficulties. Nevertheless, man takes delight in overcoming such obstacles. So, it is not just for fame that one climbs a mountain, it is actually for the strong emotions of exhilaration and satisfaction.
5. "He becomes conscious in a special manner of his own smallness in this large universe" defines the emotion of humility or modesty.
6. The ‘symbols of reverence’ left by the members of the team on Everest include - a picture of Guru Nanak left by the author; a picture of Goddess Durga left by Rawat; a relic of the Buddha which was left by Phu Dorji. Apart from these there was also the cross that had been buried by Edmund Hillary.
7. The writer’s experience as an Everester provided him with the inspiration to face life’s challenges determinedly. It taught him that the triumph of the internal summit is as worthwhile as climbing the mountain. He also came to the deduction that possibly the internal summits are tougher to conquer than Everest.

Question 2
Write a sentence against each of the following statements. Your sentence should explain the statement. You can pick out sentences from the text and rewrite them. The first one has been done for you.

1. The experience changes you completely. One who has been to the mountains is never the same again.
2. Man takes delight in overcoming obstacles.
   ________________
3. Mountains are nature at its best.
   ________________
4. The going was difficult but the after-effects were satisfying.
   ________________
5. The physical conquest of a mountain is really a spiritual experience.
   ________________

Answer 2

1. The experience changes you completely. One who has been to the mountains is never the same again.
2. Man takes delight in overcoming obstacles. The demonstration of will power, persistence and endurance in overcoming great hindrances is simply delightful.
3. Mountains are nature at its best. The beauty and magnificence or royalty of the mountains pose a great challenge for a climber.
4. The going was difficult but the after-effects were satisfying. Climbing the mountains was not easy, but reaching its top was a feeling of satisfaction & deep fulfillment.
5. The physical conquest of a mountain is really a spiritual experience. The act of making a physical conquest of the mountain is actually a conquest of the inner mountain, which gives a feeling of deep satisfaction and is spiritual.

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Question 1:
Fill in the blanks in the following dialogues choosing suitable phrases from those given in the box.

[At hand, At once, At all, At a low ebb, At first sight]

1. Teacher: You were away from school without permission. Go to the principal ________and submit your explanation.
   Pupil: Yes, Madam. But would you help me write it first?
2. Arun: Are you unwell?
   Ila: No, not _________ Why do you ask?
   Arun: If you were unwell, I would send you to my uncle. He is a doctor.
3. Mary: Almost every Indian film has an episode of love _________________.
   David: Is that what makes them so popular in foreign countries?
4. Asif: You look depressed. Why are your spirits _________________ today? (Use such in the phrase)
   Ashok: I have to write ten sentences using words that I never heard before.
5. Shieba: Your big moment is close _______________.
   Jyoti: How should I welcome it?
   Shieba: Get up and receive the trophy.

Answer 1

1. Teacher: You were away from school without permission. Go to the principal at once and submit your explanation.
   Pupil: Yes, Madam. But would you help me write it first?
2. Arun: Are you unwell?
   Ila: No, not at all. Why do you ask?
   Arun: If you were unwell, I would send you to my uncle. He is a doctor.
3. Mary: Almost every Indian film has an episode of love at first sight.
   David: Is that what makes them so popular in foreign countries?
4. Asif: You look depressed. Why are your spirits at such a low ebb today? (Use such in the phrase)
   Ashok: I have to write ten sentences using words that I never heard before.
5. Shieba: Your big moment is close at hand.
   Jyoti: How should I welcome it?
   Shieba: Get up and receive the trophy.

Question 2:
Write the noun forms of the following words adding −ance or −ence to each.
(i) endure _____________ (ii) persist ______________
(iii) signify _____________ (iv) confide _____________
(v) maintain ____________ (vi) abhor _______________

Answer 2
(i) endurance (ii) persistence
(iii) significance (iv) confidence
(v) maintenance (vi) abhorrence

Question 3:

• Match words under A with their meanings under B.
  A – B
  remote – difficult to overcome
  means –  most prominent
  dominant – be overcome/overpowered
  formidable – method(s)
  overwhelmed – far away from
• Fill in the blanks in the sentences below with appropriate words from under A.
  (a) There were ___________ obstacles on the way, but we reached our destination safely.
  (b) We have no ___________ of finding out what happened there.
  (c) Why he lives in a house ____________from any town or village is more than I can tell.
  (d) ___________by gratitude, we bowed to the speaker for his valuable advice.
  (e) The old castle stands in a __________position above the sleepy town.
  
  

Answer 3

• A = B
  remote = far away from
  means = method(s)
  dominant = most prominent
  formidable =  difficult to overcome
  overwhelmed = be overcome/overpowered
• (a) There were formidable obstacles on the way, but we reached our destination safely.
  (b) We have no means of finding out what happened there.
  (c) Why he lives in a house remote from any town or village is more than I can tell.
  (d) Overwhelmed by gratitude, we bowed to the speaker for his valuable advice.
  (e) The old castle stands in a dominant position above the sleepy town.