Class 11. ENG.CBSE Ch-8 Silk road Hornbill Question/ Answer Theme Message Characters Full solved

Ch-8

Silk Road by Nick Middleton

Theme: This chapter is part of a travelogue about the author's travel along the ancient trade route called 'Silk Page 3 Road'. This account of the Silk Road, with its contrasts and exotic detail, describes the challenges and hardships the author faced while undertaking his journey to Mount Kailash on a pilgrimage

Message

The author's journey which starts from slopes of Ravu to Mt. Kailash. This was to complete the kora. Thus, it gives us an account of the journey they experience

This chapter is part of a travelogue about the author's travel along the ancient trade route called 'Silk Road

Question answer

1. Why was the author disappointed with Darchen?

Ans. Darchen was shabby. The narrator was sick in Darchen. He passed an extremely

uncomfortable night because of his breathing problem. Next day when he felt better, be disliked Darchen less.

Q2. How did the author and his companions cross the first snow blockage on their way to Mount Kailash?

Ans. The snow was so steep that they could not go around it. They had to go over it The danger was that they could slip. They flung handfuls of dirt and covered the snow completely with soil. The narrator and Daniel got off the vehicle to lighten the load and Tsetan drove the vehicle over the snow.

Q3. Comment on the sensitive behavior of hill folk.

Ans. In the story "Silk road', the hill folks are very simple, naive and unsophisticated. They are polite and courteous towards all tourists. They actually take good care of all their tourists. They know the fact that they win their bread because of these tourists. They are very hospitable and God-fearing.

Q4. How does the author recount his experience at the Darchen Medical College?

Ans. The doctor at the Darchen Medical College did not wear the traditional white cout of a doctor. He observed the author and diagnosed his problem as the effect of cold and high altitude. He gave him brown powders and pellets to be taken with hot water. The author benefitted with this treatment. Q5. How was the author's experience at Hor a stark contrast to earlier accounts of the place?

Ans. The author was disappointed and rather depressed on arrival at Hor. Previous visitors had been overwhelmed by the beauty of Mansarovar Lake, but the author found Hor shabby and dirty.

Q6. How can the presence of salt flats in Tibet be explained? Ans. Salt flats are vestiges of Tethys ocean which bordered Tibet before the great

continental collision.

Q7. Where is the town of Hor situated? Describe the town.

Ans. Hor is located on the east west highway when one travels from Lhasa to Kashmir. It is a grim desolate place littered with accumulated refuse. There is no vegetation in this town. It is located on the shore of Lake Mansarovar. It has badly painted concrete buildings which made the place uglier.

Q8.What is the importance of Lake Mansarovar?

Ans. Lake Mansarovar holds sacred importance for both the Hindus and the Buddhists. It is a source of four great Indian rivers i.e., the Indus, the Brahmaputra, the Ganges and the Sutlej. It is an extremely beautiful lake. Its first sight often moves the tourists into tears.

Q9. How did the author suffer at Darchen?

Ans. Due to extreme cold winds at Hor, on reaching Darchen, the author suffered from cold and a blocked nose. He gasped for oxygen, could breathe through one nostril only. He could not sleep at night. He sat up and felt better.

Q10. Who was Norbu? How was he different from the local people?

Ans. Norbu has a Tibetan working in Beijing at the Chinese Academy. He was different from other Tibetans as he was wearing a windcheater and metal rimmed spectacles of a Western style and he spoke English fluently.

Q11. Why was the narrator relieved on meeting Norbu?

Ans. The narrator was quite relieved on meeting Norbu firstly because he was all alone at Darchen. He found a companion in Norbu, who could speak English fluently. He was educated. He didn't believe in doing Kora on foot in the conventional manner. Both of them decided to hire yaks. In every aspect, Norbu appeared to be an ideal companion for the narrator.

Q12. Where was the narrator going? Through what kind of terrain would he have to pass? Ans. The narrator was journeying towards Mount Kailash and the Mansarovar Lake, where he had to pass through several high mountain passes. He had to journey through a lot of snow and vast open plains.

Q13. Did the narrator encounter any wildlife in the course of his journey?

Ans. Yes, on the course of his journey, the narrator came across gazelles and a herd of wild asses sheep along with Mastiff dog.

Q14. What have you learnt about the Tibetan mastiff from the essay?

Ans. After reading the essay, we find that Tibetan mastiffs are too violent and ferocious They are black in colour, have big heads and wear red collars. They attack like bullets fired from guns. They possess massive jaws. Their bark is furious. These mastiffs are so fearless that they can also attack cars and jeeps.

Q15. How did the narrator and Tsetan negotiate the hurdle of the swathe of snow?

Q16. What problems did the narrator and his team experience due to low atmospheric pressure?

Ans. Due to low atmospheric pressure, the narrator and his team felt their heads going heasy. The low pressure also caused the fuel to expand, making it extremely difficult for them to carry forward onto their journey.

Q17. Why has the article been titled "Silk Road"?

Ans. The article has been titled "Silk Road' because the narrator travelled along the old

Silk Route in the Himalayas that touches Tibet to reach Mansarovar.

Long Answer Questions

1. Describe the difficulties and disillusionment faced by Nick Middleton during his journey to Mount Kailash.

Ans. Nick Middleton, the narrator, had to journey through the difficult Himalayan terrain to reach Mount Kailash. The path was totally snow covered, the snow was so steep that they could not go around it. They somehow went over it. The danger was that they could slip. They flung handfuls firt and covered the snow completely with soil. The narrator and Daniel got off the vehicle to lighten the load while Tsetan drove the vehicle over the snow. Due to low atmospheric pressure. he got a headache. The fuel of vehicle also expanded due to the low pressure. which would prove perilous for them. In Darchen, the narrator also suffered from blocked sinuses that resulted in extreme cold and breathing problems. The town Hor was shabby, dirty and very depressing, contrary to Middleton's expectations

Overall, the journey of the author was difficult.

2. What was the purpose of the narrator's journey? What route did he take to reach his destination?

Ans. The author had set up on a religious pilgrimage to perform Kora to Mount. Kailash and Mansarovar Lake. He travelled through the old Silk Route in the Himalayas that touches Tibet to reach Mansarovar. One has to pass through several high mountain passes covered with snow and vast open plains in order to reach the destination. Enroute the narrator crossed Hor and Darchen. The weather at Hor

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