Class 7 English Oxford Question Answers - The Quest for El Dorado

Short Questions

Q1: What was El Dorado?
Ans: El Dorado was a mythical city of gold, supposedly located in the unexplored interior of South America. It was believed to be extraordinarily rich, with gold-paved streets, golden temples, and rich mines of gold and silver.

Q2: Who was Antonio de Berrio?
Ans: Antonio de Berrio was a bold and persistent Spanish explorer who set out with seven hundred horsemen in search of El Dorado. However, he was forced to give up his quest due to the difficulties of the route and the hostility of the natives.

Q3: Who was Walter Raleigh?
Ans: Walter Raleigh was a forty-two-year-old adventurer who attempted the adventure which Berrio had failed to see through. He set sail from Plymouth with a fleet of five well-supplied vessels and about one hundred gentlemen adventurers.

Q4: How was the expedition usually started?
Ans: An expedition usually started in a town on the Spanish coast. A charismatic and influential individual would announce his intention to go forth in search of the fabled wealth of El Dorado. 

Q5: Why were fighting dogs brought along in the expedition?
Ans: Fighting dogs were brought along in the expedition because they were useful when fighting the indigenous population of the continent.

Q6: What challenges did the explorers face during the expedition?
Ans: The explorers faced challenges such as illnesses, desertion, attacks, mosquito-infested swamps, angry natives, blazing heat on the plains, flooded rivers and dangerous mountain passes during the expedition.

Q7: How did the native inhabitants react to the explorers?
Ans: The native inhabitants would either be tortured or plied with gifts in the pursuit of information. They would point in any direction and send the explorers on their way to get rid of these rude and violent men.

Q8: How did Berrio treat Raleigh when he arrived at Trinidad?
Ans: Governor Berrio treated Raleigh with every courtesy, talking freely about his expedition and giving Raleigh a good deal of very useful information.

Q9: What hindrances did Raleigh encounter on his way to the mainland?
Ans: Raleigh encountered hindrances such as stormy weather, a maze of waterways, and a pilot who proved to be useless.

Q10: Who helped Raleigh navigate the labyrinth of rivers?
Ans: Raleigh was helped by three other natives who became friendly when they found they had nothing to fear from the strange white men. One of them was an old man who knew the river thoroughly and guided them past the obstacles.

Long Questions

Q1: Discuss the journey of the explorers in search of El Dorado. What difficulties did they face and how did they overcome them?
Ans: The explorers journeyed in search of El Dorado, a mythical city of gold. They faced various challenges such as illnesses, desertion, attacks, mosquito-infested swamps, angry natives, blazing heat, flooded rivers, and dangerous mountain passes. Despite these obstacles, the expeditions proved surprisingly resilient. They overcame these hardships through their resilience, perseverance, and with the help of native inhabitants.

Q2: Who was Antonio de Berrio and what was his role in the quest for El Dorado? Why did he give up his quest?
Ans: Antonio de Berrio was a bold and persistent Spanish explorer who set out with seven hundred horsemen in search of El Dorado. His role in the quest was to lead one of the many expeditions in search of the mythical city. However, the difficult route, the hostility of the natives, and the exhaustion and eagerness to return home of his surviving men forced him to give up his quest.

Q3: Discuss the attempt made by Walter Raleigh to find El Dorado. How did his expedition differ from the others?
Ans: Walter Raleigh, unlike others, was a gentleman adventurer who attempted the adventure which Berrio had failed to see through. His expedition differed from the others as he was captured soon after he began his journey and was quickly deprived of his cargo. Despite this setback, he continued his journey and learned important information from Governor Berrio.

Q4: How did the native inhabitants react to the European explorers? How did their reactions affect the outcome of the expeditions?
Ans: The native inhabitants initially reacted with fear and hostility to the European explorers. They were either tortured or plied with gifts in the pursuit of information. However, they soon learned to point the explorers in any direction to get rid of them. Their reactions greatly affected the outcome of the expeditions as their guidance often led the explorers further into the wilderness.

Q5: Describe the landscape and environment that the explorers encountered during their journey. How did these conditions affect their expedition?
Ans: The explorers encountered a diverse landscape during their journey which included jungles, plains, mountains, rivers, and swamps. They also had to endure harsh conditions such as mosquito-infested swamps, blazing heat, and flooded rivers. These conditions affected their expedition by slowing their progress, causing illnesses, and leading to desertion and attacks.