Extract Based Questions: Indigo
Read the extract and answer the following questions.
Extract:
The news of Gandhi's advent and of the nature of his mission spread quickly through Muzzafarpur and to Champaran. Sharecroppers from Champaran began arriving on foot and by conveyance to see their champion. Muzzafarpur lawyers called on Gandhi to brief him; they frequently represented peasant groups in court; they told him about their cases and reported the size of their fee.
(Indigo)
Question (i) What was the nature of Gandhi's mission in Champaran?
(a) To fight for the rights of the sharecroppers
(b) To negotiate with the British landlords
(c) To promote his principles of truth and nonviolence
(d) To establish his own ashram
Ans: (a) To fight for the rights of the sharecroppers
Explanation: Gandhi was invited to Champaran to help the sharecroppers who were forced into unjust indigo contracts and exploitation by landlords. His mission focussed on securing fair treatment and justice for these peasants. Option (b) is partial - negotiation may have been part of the work, but the primary aim was securing rights for the sharecroppers. Option (c) is true of Gandhi generally but does not specify the immediate purpose in Champaran. Option (d) is irrelevant.
Question (ii) Why did Muzzafarpur lawyers call on Gandhi to brief him?
(a) They wanted to join his movement
(b) They wanted to warn him about the risks
(c) They wanted to share their knowledge and experience
(d) They wanted to charge him for their services
Ans: (c) They wanted to share their knowledge and experience
Explanation: The lawyers frequently represented peasant groups in court and therefore had detailed information about the legal cases and fees. They called on Gandhi to inform him about these cases and to give practical legal guidance. Option (d) is hinted at by the mention of fees, but the central reason given is that they supplied case information and experience to assist him; options (a) and (b) are not supported by the lines quoted.
Question (iii) Complete the sentence appropriately.
The phrase "to see their champion" suggests that the sharecroppers from Champaran had ____________ in Gandhi.
Ans: faith
Explanation: The phrase "to see their champion" shows that the sharecroppers trusted Gandhi and believed he could help them. The word faith captures this trust and confidence in his ability to represent their interests.
Question (iv) Pick evidence from the extract that helps one infer that Gandhi's arrival in Muzzafarpur was a significant event.
Ans: The news of Gandhi's advent and of the nature of his mission spread quickly through Muzzafarpur and to Champaran.
Explanation: Rapid spreading of news and the arrival of many sharecroppers and lawyers indicate that his coming attracted widespread attention and was regarded as important by local people.
Question (v) What does the term 'sharecroppers' mean?
(a) Farmers who share their crops with others
(b) Farmers who grow crops on rented land
(c) Farmers who own a share of the land
(d) Farmers who work as partners
Ans: (b) Farmers who grow crops on rented land
Explanation: Sharecroppers cultivate land owned by someone else and give a portion of the crop or its value to the landowner as rent. In Champaran, such peasants worked land they did not own and were required to give a share of their produce to the landlords.
(a) The Arrival of a Leader
(b) The Role of Lawyers
(c) The Plight of Peasants
(d) The Spread of News
Ans: (a) The Arrival of a Leader
Explanation: The extract centres on Gandhi's coming to Muzzafarpur and Champaran and how people-sharecroppers and lawyers-gathered because of him. While the plight of peasants and the role of lawyers are present, the primary focus is the leader's arrival that galvanised attention.Read the extract and answer the following questions.
Extract:
Presently, the landlords learned that Germany had developed synthetic indigo. They, thereupon, obtained agreements from the sharecroppers to pay them compensation for being released from the 15 per cent arrangement. The sharecropping arrangement was irksome to the peasants, and many signed willingly. Those who resisted, engaged lawyers; the landlords hired thugs. Meanwhile, the information about synthetic indigo reached the illiterate peasants who had signed, and they wanted their money back.
(Indigo)
Question (i) List any two sensory details present in this extract.
Ans: The sight of agreements signed by the sharecroppers and the sound or threat of violence from the thugs hired by the landlords.
Step-by-step explanation: Sensory details appeal to the senses. The agreements are visual evidence of the peasants' signatures, while hiring thugs evokes sounds, movement and a threatening atmosphere that the peasants would have experienced.
Question (ii) Why did some peasants want their money back after signing the agreements?
(a) They realised they had been cheated by the landlords
(b) They changed their mind about growing indigo
(c) They found out about synthetic indigo
(d) They wanted to hire lawyers
Ans: (c) They found out about synthetic indigo
Explanation: When they heard that synthetic indigo existed, the peasants realised that the value and demand for natural indigo would fall. This meant the compensation deal they had accepted was disadvantageous, so they sought to recover their money.
Question (iii) Complete the sentence appropriately.
The phrase "those who resisted" refers to ____________.
Ans: those who resisted signing the agreements
Explanation: The extract says many signed willingly but "those who resisted" is used immediately after to describe peasants who did not agree to the landlords' terms and therefore engaged lawyers to oppose the agreements.
Question (iv) Explain any one possible inference that can be drawn from the line "the landlords hired thugs". Question (v) What does the term 'synthetic indigo' mean? Question (vi) Which of the following headlines best suggests the central idea of the extract? Read the extract and answer the following questions. Question (ii) Who was Reverend J. Z. Hodge? Question (iv) Explain any one possible inference that can be drawn from the line "He asked only 50 per cent".
Ans: The landlords resorted to intimidation and violence to force compliance from peasants.
Explanation: Hiring thugs implies use of coercion rather than lawful negotiation, showing the landlords were willing to employ threats to secure the agreements and suppress resistance.
(a) Indigo that is made from natural sources
(b) Indigo that is made from artificial sources
(c) Indigo that is mixed with other colors
(d) Indigo that is of poor quality
Ans: (b) Indigo that is made from artificial sources
Explanation: Synthetic indigo is produced by chemical processes rather than from the indigo plant. Its invention reduced the market for naturally produced indigo grown by farmers.
(a) The Discovery of Synthetic Indigo
(b) The Conflict between Landlords and Peasants
(c) The Agreements Signed by Sharecroppers
(d) The Role of Lawyers in Champaran
Ans: (b) The Conflict between Landlords and Peasants
Explanation: The extract describes landlords obtaining agreements, peasants signing or resisting, hiring of lawyers and thugs, and peasants demanding money back once synthetic indigo was known-all elements of a growing conflict between landlords and peasants.
Extract:
They thought he would demand repayment in full of the money which they had illegally and deceitfully extorted from the sharecroppers. He asked only 50 per cent. "There he seemed adamant," writes Reverend J. Z. Hodge, a British missionary in Champaran who observed the entire episode at close range. "Thinking probably that he would not give way, the representative of the planters offered to refund to the extent of 25 per cent, and to his amazement Mr. Gandhi took him at his word, thus breaking the deadlock."
(Indigo)
Question (i) List any two sensory details present in this extract.
Ans: The sound of Gandhi demanding a 50 per cent refund and the sight of the planters' representative appearing amazed when Gandhi accepted 25 per cent.
Step-by-step explanation: These details appeal to hearing (Gandhi's spoken demand) and sight (the surprised reaction), helping readers picture the scene of negotiation and its emotional impact.
(a) A British missionary in Champaran
(b) A British official in Champaran
(c) A British landlord in Champaran
(d) A British lawyer in Champaran
Ans: (a) A British missionary in Champaran
Explanation: The extract identifies Reverend J. Z. Hodge as a British missionary who observed the episode closely, which makes option (a) correct; the other options are not supported by the passage.
Question (iii) Complete the sentence appropriately.
The phrase "breaking the deadlock" means ____________.
Ans: ending the stalemate
Step-by-step explanation: A deadlock is a situation where progress is halted because neither side will give way. Gandhi accepting the 25 per cent offer after asking for 50 per cent ended that stalemate and allowed a settlement to proceed.
Ans: Gandhi showed moderation and a desire for a fair settlement rather than seeking full retribution.
Step-by-step explanation: By demanding half of the illegally taken money rather than full repayment, Gandhi signalled a willingness to compromise to secure justice for the sharecroppers without escalating the conflict. This illustrates his practical and ethical approach to negotiation.
Question (v) What does the term 'extorted' mean?
(a) Obtained by force or threat
(b) Obtained by fraud or deception
(c) Obtained by consent or agreement
(d) Obtained by donation or charity
Ans: (a) Obtained by force or threat
Explanation: To extort is to obtain something, typically money, by coercion, threats or abuse of power. The landlords taking money from sharecroppers in an illegal or threatening manner fits this meaning.
Question (vi) Which of the following headlines best suggests the central idea of the extract?
(a) The Generosity of a Leader
(b) The Surprise of a Representative
(c) The Observation of a Missionary
(d) The Justice for Sharecroppers
Ans: (d) The Justice for Sharecroppers
Explanation: The passage describes Gandhi's role in securing repayment for the sharecroppers and resolving a conflict to their advantage. The focus is on achieving a just outcome for those who had been wronged, so this headline best captures the central idea.
