NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Hornbill - Silk Road

Q: Notice these expressions in the text.
Infer their meaning from the context.
Ducking back
Swathe
Careered down
Manoeuvres
Cairn of rocks
Salt flats
Billowed
Ans: Ducking back: quickly going inside and then coming out
Manoeuvres: military exercises involving a large number of soldiers, ships, etc.
Billowed: filled with the air and swelled out
Swathe: literally a long strip of land of something; contextually: a land stretched with snow
Cairn of rocks: a pile of stones that mark a special place such as the top of a mountain or a place where somebody is buried
Careered down: descending the slope
Salt flats : thatched roofed houses covered with snow

Understanding the Text

I. Give reasons for the following statements.
(i) The article has been titled ‘Silk Road.’
Ans: The title refers to the historic Silk Road, a network of trade routes that connected the Afro-Eurasian landmass. This route facilitated the exchange of goods such as Chinese silk, spices, teas, and porcelain, as well as Indian textiles and precious stones. It was named the Silk Road primarily due to the significant trade of silk with China. In this chapter, the author travels to Mount Kailash, exploring the Himalayan region in Tibet, which is why the article is titled 'Silk Road.' 

(ii) Tibetan mastiffs were popular in China’s imperial courts.
Ans: Tibetan mastiffs served as hunting dogs in China's imperial courts. They were brought along the Silk Road as tributes from Tibet. These large black dogs were known for their strength and vigilance, acting as effective watchdogs. Their fierce and fearless nature made them highly valued.

(iii) The author’s experience at Hor was in stark contrast to earlier accounts of the place.
Ans: Hor was described as a grim and desolate location, with dust and rocks scattered everywhere and minimal vegetation. Despite being situated on the shore of Lake Manasarovar, the town appeared unfortunate and neglected. The author was surprised to find such a contrast to earlier accounts, like that of Japanese monk Ekai Kawaguchi, who was moved to tears by the lake's sanctity. In contrast, the author's experience involved dealing with punctured tyres and a dilapidated café, where the only comfort was tea served by a local youth.

(iv) The author was disappointed with Darchen.
Ans: The author felt let down by Darchen due to health issues caused by the high altitude. He suffered from a cold and had trouble sleeping. As one of the early arrivals, he found the town empty of pilgrims. Darchen was dusty and partially derelict, marked by heaps of rubble and refuse, contributing to his disappointment. 

(v) The author thought that his positive thinking strategy worked well after all.
Ans: Although the author was initially disappointed in Darchen and felt lonely without any pilgrims, he met Norbu, a Tibetan who also wished to visit Kailash. They formed a good team, both being academics eager to escape their usual routines. The author's shift to positive thinking brought him some joy and renewed enthusiasm for the journey ahead.

II. Briefly comment on

(i) The purpose of the author’s journey to Mount Kailash.
Ans: Nick Middleton, an Oxford Professor and adventurer, traverses challenging terrain along the Silk Road to reach Mount Kailash. He visits this sacred site to complete the kora, which involves walking around the mountain.

(ii) The author’s physical condition in Darchen.
Ans: Upon arriving in Darchen, the author was unwell. He suffered from blocked sinuses due to the cold winds at Hor, which affected his sleep. The following day, Tsetan took him to Darchen Medical College, where a doctor provided medication that offered some relief. 

(iii) The author’s meeting with Norbu.
Ans: Feeling lonely after Tsetan left for Lhasa, the author found Darchen deserted, as he had arrived early in the season. It was then that he met Norbu, a Tibetan academic who was also there to visit Kailash. They decided to undertake the journey together. 

(iv) Tsetan’s support to the author during the journey.
Ans: Tsetan proved to be a skilled and attentive driver, navigating the roads with care. He engaged the author with information about their surroundings and showed genuine concern for his well-being. When he noticed the author was unwell in Darchen, he promptly took him to the medical college for treatment. Tsetan exemplified the qualities of a good Buddhist.

(v) “As a Buddhist, he told me, he knew that it didn’t really matter if I passed away, but he thought it would be bad for business.” 
Ans: Tsetan, being a devout Buddhist, believed that death is not the end of life. However, he also recognised that if the author were to die at such a holy site, it could harm his reputation as a guide, potentially affecting his future business with tourists.

Talking about Text

Discuss in groups of four
(i) The sensitive behaviour of hill-folk.
Ans: The hill-folk are quite unsophisticated and innocent. People like Tsetan very religious and God-fearing. They are very much hospitable and take care of the visitors from out side.

(ii) The reasons why people willingly undergo the travails of difficult journeys.
Ans: The author was an academician, hence, he undertook the journey for the purpose of education. For him it was a learning experience. Secondly, people undertake such journeys because of the spirit of adventure. The areas covered by the author are some of the most difficult terrains in the world. The third can be a religious reason. People visit places like Mount Kailash as part of their pilgrimage.

(iii) The accounts of exotic places in legends and the reality.
Ans: There are many accounts of exotic places in legends and the reality. Places like Mount Kailash, Manasarovar occupy a prominent place in legends. There are many articles written about these places.

Thinking about Language

Q1: Notice the kind of English Tsetan uses while talking to the author. How do you think he picked it up?
Ans: Tsetan appears to be illiterate, yet as a driver, he likely transports foreigners to and from Mount Kailash. This experience has helped him learn to speak English, albeit in phrases that allow him to communicate basic ideas. For instance, he uses expressions like, “Not knowing, Sir, until we get there,” and, “but no smoking.” It seems he has picked up these English phrases primarily from his foreign customers.

Q2: What do the following utterances indicate?
(i) “I told her, through Daniel …”
(ii) “It’s a cold,” he said finally through Tsetan.
Ans: 
(i) She was not able to follow English but Daniel translated what he told in English in the
Tibetan language to her.
(ii) The doctor spoke in Tibetan language, which Tsetan translated into English for the
author.

Q3: Guess the meaning of the following words :
In which language are these words found ?
Ans:

• Kora: As per text is a sort of pilgrimage which is undertaken by the people by taking a round of Mount Kailash.
• Drokba: Drokba is the shepherd who rears sheep in Durchen
• Kyang: Kyang means wild ass.

These words are found in Tibetan language

Working with Words

Q1: The narrative has many phrases to describe the scenic beauty of the mountainside like:
A flawless half-moon flated in a perfect blue sky.
Scan the text to locate other such picturesque phrases.
Ans: Here are a few extracts from the text that describe the scenic beauty of the Tibet region:

• "Extended banks of cloud like long French loaves glowed pink as the sun emerged to splash the distant mountain tops with a rose-tinted blush."
• "We entered a valley where the river was wide and mostly clogged with ice, brilliant white and glinting in the sunshine. The trail hugged its bank, twisting with the meanders as we gradually gained height and the valley sides closed in."

Q2: Explain the use of the adjectives in the following phrases.
(i) shaggy monsters
(ii) brackish lakes
(iii) rickety table
(iv) hairpin bend
(v) rudimentary general stores
Ans:
(i) shaggy monsters: hairy, unkempt
(ii) Brackish lakes: salty
(iii) Rickety table: wobbly, shaky
(iv) Hairpin bend: very sharp bend
(v) rudimentary general stores: elementary.

Noticing Form

Q1: The account has only a few passive voice sentences. Locate them. In what way does the use of active voice contribute to the style of the narrative.
Ans:
1. My initial relief at meeting Norbu who was also staying in the guest house was tempered by the realisation that he was almost as ill-equipped as I was for the pilgrimage.
2. I had no idea whether or not the snow had cleared, but I wasn’t encouraged by the chunks of dirty ice that still clung to the banks of Darchen’s brook.
3. I’d been told that the height of the pilgrimage season, the town was bustling with visitors.
4. I was served by a Chinese youth in military uniform who spread the grease around on my table with a filthy rag before bringing me a glass and a thermas of tea.
5… Tsetan was eager to have them fixed.
6. Besides the second tyre he had changed had been replaced by one that was as smooth as my bald head.
Note: Only the underlined sentences are passive voice pi.
(b) Active voice talks volubly about the subject/doer. The action is secondary, whereas in Passive voice sentence action becomes primary and the subject/doer becomes secondary. So whersoever action was felt of supreme importance, it was written in passive form by the writer.

Q2: Notice this construction: Tsetan was eager to have them, fixed. Write five sentences with a similar structure.
Ans: 
(a) I am willing to have my meals finished by someone else now.
(b) Mohan was not at all interested in having his section changed.
(c) Sushma is eager to have his name cancelled from the list of picknickers.
(d) They wish to have their tents fixed for them
(e) The aeroplane is said to have crashed near Pataudi.