Factual Passage: Save The Caves | Class 11 English Grammar PDF Download

Read the following passage carefully:

1. One thousand and five hundred years ago, when craftsmen began cutting rocks and sculpting them into magnificent statues of gods, little did they realise that in the second millennium the Elephanta Caves would not just be a major tourist attraction but would also be a World Heritage Site.
2. Now the world’s oldest island caves are getting a new lease of life. The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has teamed up with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to spruce up the caves and protect them from further decay and degeneration.
3. Elephanta Caves date back to the sixth century and boast of some of India’s most magnificent rock-cut sculptures of Lord Shiva. Situated about 11 km from the Gateway of India, these caves are reached by small boats. Once on the island, visitors have to climb over 1,000 stone steps to get to the caves.
4. The caves were originally built during the reign of the Rashtraputa kings. They contain huge images of Brahma, Parvati, Natraja and Shiva. The best and most famous of these is Maheshmurti—a three headed bust of Shiva which is about six metres high.
5. The great elephant structure in black stone which gave the island its name was removed in 1864 by British to take it to England. However, it was later returned to India and now stands at the Victoria Gardens, a park with a small zoo in the centre of Mumbai. On top of the caves are two huge cannons installed by the British in order to protect Bombay harbour.
6. In the main cave there are nine carvings which depict the life of Lord Shiva in different manifestations—-the dancer (Nataraja), Shiva killing demon Andhaka, marriage ceremony of Shiva and Parvati, Shiva’s descent to the Ganges, Shiva as Ardhnarinateshwar, Shiva as Maheshmurti, Shiva lifting Mount Kailash, Goddess Parvati on Mount Kailash and Shiva as ascetic.
7. Back in the mid-eighties, a team of leading international archaeologists, conservators and historians visited the site and forwarded a proposal to UNESCO to grant heritage status to the caves. The proposal was accepted and Elephanta Caves were declared a World Heritage Site in 1987.
8. The most important part of the effort is to clean up the surroundings of the heritage site.
   For example, there is an ancient site built adjacent to the gate which houses some of the best frescoes and showcases the art of carving out statues by cutting rock. ‘
9. The next phase was to clean up the littered surroundings and also to discourage yisitors from carrying eatables and plastic bags inside the caves. This step too was roundly criticised but gradually people were educated on the historic and religious importance of the caves and the incidents of littering have considerably reduced.
10. To protect the caves from vandalism security personnel were deployed a year ago. “This has helped authorities to implement regulations stringently,” says an INTACH volunteer of the organisation’s Mumbai chapter.
11. Elephanta Caves have for years been threatened by the rapid industrial development in their vicinity. A toxic chemical storage terminal has been planned just 400 metres away. Bilge from oil-exploring activities and plastic dumped in the sea, have seriously threatened marine and bird life of the area.

A. Answer the following questions by choosing the most appropriate option:
Q.1. The most distinguishing feature of the Elephanta Caves is_______
(a) that they date back to one thousand and five hundred years ago
(b) that these are the world’s oldest island caves
(c) that rocks have been cut and sculpted into magnificent statues of gods
(d) that they have some of the most magnificent rock-cut sculptures of Lord Shiva

Correct Answer is option (d)
that they have some of the most magnificent rock-cpt sculptures of Lord Shiva

Q.2. Before being declared a World Heritage Site, the caves were_______
(a) in a filthy state
(b) in a dilapidated state
(c) in a magnificent state
(d) in a precarious state

Correct Answer is option (b)
in a dilapidated state

Q.3. The most potent threat the caves suffer from is_______
(a) a toxic chemical storage terminal
(b) the bilge from oil exploring activities
(c) plastic dumped in the sea
(d) the rapid industrial development in their vicinity

Correct Answer is option (d)
the rapid industrial development in their vicinity

Q.4. The six metres high three headed bust of Shiva is known as_______
(a) Natraja
(b) Ascetic Shiva
(c) Maheshmurti
(d) Ardhnarinateshwar

Correct Answer is option (c)
Maheshmurti

Q.5. Security personnel were deployed in order to_______
(a) protect caves from vandalism
(b) help authorities to implement regulations
(c) help clean up the surroundings
(d) discourage visitors from carrying eatables inside

Correct Answer is option (a)
protect caves from vandalism

Q.6. The word ‘degeneration’ in para 2 means_______
(a) become bad
(b) the process of becoming worse
(c) losing too much water
(d) stop production

Correct Answer is option (b)
the process of becoming worsective

B. Answer the following questions in brief:
Q.7. What was the status of the caves before being declared a World Heritage?

The caves were in a dilapidated state before being declared a World Heritage.

Q.8. What is the most potent threat the caves are suffering with?

The most potent threat the caves are suffering with is the rapid industrial development in their vicinity.

Q.9. What do these word mean
(a) Degeneration (para 2)
(b) Spruce (para 2)

(a) Poisonous
(b) Make tidy and clean

Q.10. Why were the security personnel deployed?

The security personnel protect caves from vandalism.

Q.11. Where is the great elephant in black stone standing now?

The great elephant in black stone is standing now in Victoria Garden in the centre of Mumbai.