112. Reading Skills Comprehension: MAKING IT TO HOSPITAL

MAKING IT TO HOSPITAL

 Sher Singh’s brother lay in but with a severe pain in his stomach. His mother wrung out rags in boiling water and lay them on his stomach. But the pain did not lessen. In fact, he was doubled up with it. Sher Singh knew that he was dying. So he decided to carry him to a hospital at Kalaghat.

 Sher Singh’s father could not be traced because he was at that time out with a photographic expedition. He was known as Sher Singh Bahadur because of his prowess and hunting skill.

 Sher Singh’s mother took an old sari and made a sling for him to put around his forehead and down his back. She lifted Kunwar, now doubled with pain and put him into it.

 It was already evening. All the huts of Lalwani lay in a strong orange glow. Soon, Sher Singh entered the forest. The rough grass was dotted with thorn and sal trees. He took a path rutted with cartwheels.  His bare toes disappeared into silk-soft dust. But he stopped at once because of some jungle sense. He saw a cobra contracting and hissing with its hood spreading to show the spectacle mark on the back. He was frozen but the cobra slid off into the matted grass.

Kunwar was twitching with pain and groaning. Sher Singh did not stop. A minute’s delay could mean much. Around him lay primaeval forest in which the struggle of vegetation and life continued as they had done since the beginning of the world. The jungle was infested with animals and the beasts of prey. After walking a distance, he saw the bear tracks in the dust. Fearing he quickened his pace. Kunwar was delirious. Sher Singh’s muscles thrilled with piercing pain. He lay against a tree for some rest.

It was then he heard the jostle and squeal of elephants. Below him lay the broad riverbed shining like ivory in the moonlight. The elephants had disappeared. Sher Singh crossed the shallow river water. 20 But he was really afraid to cross the second river.

Towards midnight he heard the second river ahead of him. The snow had melted and it was roaring. Unfortunately, the bridge had been washed away. Only a fierce crest of water showed where it lay submerged. He set Kunwar down and gave him some water. Sher Singh, then, gathered grass and plaited it into a rope. He tied the rope around his brother and himself so they would keep together. 

Then he entered the water just above the bridge. The river seized and flattened them. At first, he couldn’t move but edged slowly finding the split ends of bamboo. The deluge deafened him, timber banged and bruised him. He could not even breathe in the spray and the water was also very cold. Ile didn’t know if his brother lived or died. However, he kept the child’s head above the water. Inch by inch, he got along. He was deaf, blinded, frozen, drowned—it went on and on.

 When Sher Singh awoke, he found that he was in a bullock cart, then a truck.

 “Where have you come from, boy ?”

 “Laldwani.”

“You carried him alone? Across the river in flood ?”

They were at the hospital.

 Sher Singh felt shy to go in the hospital. He had no money. But he laboured all day in loading the coal and bought a little flour, some mustard oil and chillies.

 Presently the doctor called for him. He himself came out.

 “Sher Singh Bahadur, arc you here ?”

“My father is not here,” replied the boy, with eyes in tears.

 “But I am Sher Singh.”

“You are the boy who brought the child Kunwar in from Laldwani ?”

 “Yes.”

Then a smile broke all over the doctor’s great, gentle face, so he looked like a grown man. “Sher Sing!’ Bahadur !” he said. “Your brother will live. Come and see.”

Norah Burke (adapted)

1. On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions as briefly as possible. Write your answers in the spaces provided.

 (a) Sher Singh’s father was a well-known figure in the area because

 (b)”Kunwar was twitching with pain and groaning”, this is because

(c) Even though Sher Singh hadn’t reached the second river, yet he feared to cross it because

 (d) The doctor who attended Kunwar in the hospital himself came out to see who had brought the child there because

2. Find words in the passage, from the lines indicated, which mean the opposite of each of the following. Write the correct words in each space. (4 marks)            

(a) increase (lines 1-10)

 (b) smooth (lines 7-17)

 (c) slowed (lines 12-22)

  (d) untied (lines 14-24)

 Answers

1.(a) he was a famous shikari, known for his bravery and hunting skills.

(b) he had a severe pain in the stomach.

(c) he knew that at that time it was in flood due to melting snow.

(d) he wanted to see and admire the one who had brought Kunwar.

2.(a) lesson

(b) rough

(c) quickened 

(d)tied. 

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