Discursive Passage - 8 | English Grammar Advanced - Class 10 PDF Download

Read the following passage carefully:

1. Music is perhaps one of the most popular and widely practised forms of Fine Arts, transcending all kinds of cultural and linguistic barriers. Any form of fine art is difficult to master and almost impossible to perfect and music is no exception.

2. Nature, it is learnt, has blessed almost two thirds of the human race with musical ability of some sort. Music has the power to bring out the deepest emotions. It can make one cry or bring a smile on one’s face. In fact it is a magic medicine and many seek refuge in it when they are depressed or stressed. It is this intimacy that makes us listen to music or even hum or sing sometimes. This singing, or realistically speaking, expressing one’s emotion musically, sometimes takes a serious. turn. This desire to showcase musical expression in public domain then transforms into serious business profession. And from here the musical journey begins.

3. This desire to sing before an audience is innocent and beautiful and indeed it is perfectly alright to have such a genuine desire. But it is also important to understand that singing is an intricate art – a highly refined one at that, which requires systematic, prolonged and rigorous training, even to pass muster. This is an aspect we forget in our keen desire to reach the stage and perform. It is almost like preparing a formal meal for some specially invited guests, without even having learnt and experienced the basic aspects of cooking. This is why we have more noise and less music in the present.

4. These days almost everyone sings and it does not stop here. Most of us want to become professional singers. Result, a complete disregard for and ignorance of the training part, as the need is never felt to go through one and the urge to get to the stage and perform overpowers the slight inclination to learn, if any. If at all, somewhere along the way one feels the need to gain some knowledge and training, it leads to hurried shortcuts and half–hearted attempts, best described as “Crash Courses.”

5. It is observed that those who have attained the so called partial success, suddenly feel that they lack the required knowledge and are not learned enough. But it is too late by then. It should be understood here that the stage or a performance brings in a different mindset within the artist. It is always recommended and rightly so, that while on stage, cover the mistakes and weaknesses if any, and get along. But the contrary is true when it comes to acquiring knowledge and during the learning process. While under training, the student is expected to make mistakes but then rectify those mistakes under the supervision and guidance of the teacher. Therefore it is good to make mistakes and then be corrected during the process of learning as this subsequently makes one flawless and educated. This is a different mindset. And these two mindsets discussed above, (those of a performer and that of a student) cannot co–exist.

8.1. On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions in 30–40 words each:

(a) How can we say that music is magic?

Music can lift the spirits of sad people and it can make people laugh and cry as well. It has the power to bring out the deepest emotions. In fact, it is a magical medium and many seek refuge in it when they are depressed or stressed.

(b) How do people get transformed from humming tunes to becoming professional musicians?

From humming music, in the case of some people it takes a serious turn and they develop the desire to perform in public and make it their profession, and from here the musical journey begins.

(c) The desire to sing in public overpowers singing capability Elaborate.

In their urge to sing in public people fail to understand that it requires hours of practice and training to gain expertise in this fine art. And they end up becoming mere performers not good singers.

(d) Why cannot the mindset of a performer and a student co–exist?

The mindset of a performer and a student cannot co–exist because a performer is told to make amends if a mistake happens while presenting on the stage whereas a student is told that it is o.k. to make mistakes as they help us to learn better.

8.2. On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer of the following:
(a) The synonym of ‘exceeding’ in para 1 is __________.
(i) limiting
(ii) transcending
(iii) crossing
(iv) believing

Correct Option is (ii) transcending

(b) In para 4, the antonym of ‘aversion’ is ___________.
(i) disregard
(ii) urge
(iii) inclination
(iv) training

Correct Option is (iii) inclination

(c) Music has neither the power to bring out the deepest emotions nor can make people laugh and cry. (True/False)

False

(d) The writer says that music is perhaps one of the widely practised forms of Fine Arts, going beyond all kinds of __________.

cultural and linguistic barriers