97.Reading Skills Comprehension: Brave Mountaineer

Brave Mountaineer

1. When a brave mountaineer is assailing the Everest he is as great a hero as a cosmonaut rocketing towards Mars in his space capsule and thousands of men and women in different countries back his progress with their good wishes and share the thrills and anxieties of his hazardous journey to the roof of the world, while scores of anxious scientists wish him success in the hope of obtaining valuable information on atmospheric conditions in the upper regions of the earth. Mountaineering is indeed a source of pleasure and a mine of useful knowledge which is constantly enriching the scientific vocabulary of geologists, mineralogists and glaciologists of the world.

2. Mountaineering is a perennial source of joy to those who have eyes that can appreciate beauties of nature. Nowhere does nature reveal!’ her charm in greater abundance than as green and flowering mountain tops with a transparent stream of water flowing down their slopes or on snowclad hills where sunlight weaves its magic colours into their virginal whiteness. To lovers of mountains, the sound of waterfalls is like the joyful clapping of merry primitive dancers and the howling of night winds contains musical pleasantness which surpasses the highly sustained rhapsodies of man-made organs. Lakes in high altitudes, holding within their cup-like mountainous enclosures the watery wealth of surrounding glacier, treeless plateaus covered with rare varieties of grass, plants and flowers and yawning chasms into whose dark, unfathomable interior nature’s countless species of animals and plants carry on their fight for existence, are attractions so powerful and irresistible that no man or woman who is a member of a mountaineering party or club can turn a deaf ear to their call. These widely scattered, ever-alluring treasures of nature are the climber’s greatest inducement to wander with a hungry heart in search of beauty, adventure and fame along the dangerous slopes of sky-embracing heights.

3. Mountaineering is an awfully risky venture in the case of those ambitious souls who are dreaming of conquering such majestic peaks as Annapurna, Dhaulagiri and Everest, and who wish to be ranked among the world’s greatest climbers like Sir Edmund P. Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. Dozens of adventurers belonging to different nations with their hearts burning with a passion to conquer the highest peak in the world perished in the immortal snows of the

The Himalayas, after painfully inching their way to heights which were in close proximity to the summit. Expedition after expedition turned back exhausted, frostbitten and utterly disappointed when the mighty Himalayas hurled icy winds, snow storms and blizzards at those who wanted to conquer Everest, thus barring their way to this pinnacle of glory. The bones of many men of unrealised ambition lie buried in the glacial wilderness which is the home of the highest peak in the world. Such awful setbacks, however, did not dampen the enthusiasm of succeeding generations of mountaineers; the failure of early expeditions did not deter  Colonel Hunt and his brave companions from trying to plant on the summit the flag of the victory of human defiance of nature’s death-dealing agents in high altitudes.

Word – Meanings:-

1.assailing—trying to overcome a difficulty 2. cosmonaut—astronaut, the person who travels in a spacecraft. 3. rocketing—moving at tremendous speed in a rocket. 4. capsule—detachable compartment for men or instrument in a spacecraft. 5, hazardous—dangerous, risky. 6. roof of the world—the highest place of the world. 7. mine—rich and abundant source. 8. geologists–experts in the scientific study of the earth’s formation and its history. 9. glaciologists—specialists in the study of how ice accumulates and acts on the earth’s surface. 10. perennial—lasting for a long time, constant 11. reveal—show. 12. virginal—pore 13. merry—happy and cheerful. 14. primitive—belonging to very early times. 15. sustained—uninterrupted 16. rhapsodies—musical compositions of romantic nature 17. glaciers—slowly moving mass or river of ice. 18. plateaus—large areas of fairly level land high above sea-level. 19. yawning chasms—wide deep openings in the ground. 20. unfathomable—the depth of which can’t be measured 21. Irresistible—too strong to remain unaffected. 22. turn a deaf ear—refuse to listen 23. ever altering—tempting, attracting 24. Inducement—incentive. 25. venture—undertaking. 26. perished—died proximity—nearness. 27. summit—the highest point of a mountain 28. expedition—a journey is undertaken with a particular aim. snowstorm. 29 frost bitten—injured in fingers. cars. toes. etc. due to extreme cold 30. blizzard—severe 31. barring—preventing. 32. Pinned- peak. 33. glacial wilderness—an area where there are glaciers and glaciers all around 33. deter—make someone decide not to do something. 34. defiance–refusal to give way to opposition.

Questions

1.Answer the following questions briefly:

 (a) Mountaineers are considered as heroes. Why?

 (b) In what way does mountaineering become a source of knowledge?

(c) What are the beautiful sights which catch a mountaineer’s eye?

(d) Why is mountaineering considered risky?

 (e) Setbacks in mountaineering do not dampen the spirit of many mountaineers. Why?

2. Find words from the above passage which convey a similar meaning as the ones given below:

(a) one who studies the science relating to the history and development of the earth’s crust.

 (b) lasting through the year.

(c) a blinding storm of wind and snow.

Answers

1.(a)They are considered heroes because they undertake hazardous journeys which enrich the scientific vocabulary of geologists, mineralogists and glaciologists of the world.

(b) Mountaineering becomes a source of knowledge because it provides valuable information on atmospheric conditions in the upper regions of the earth.

(c) Green and flowering mountain tops, transparent streams of water flowing down the slopes. snow-clad hills. waterfalls with their musical sounds and yawning chasms are some of the sights which catch a mountaineer’s eye.

(d) Mountaineering is considered risky because a mountaineer has to face icy winds, blizzards and snow-storms. He can get frostbitten or even lose his life by getting buried in the snows.

 (e)These mountaineers wish to he ranked among the world’s greatest climbers. Their hearts burn with such passion for adventure that no setbacks can dampen their spirit.

2. (a) geologist — one who studies the science relating to the history and development of the earth’s crust.

(b) perennial — lasting through the year.

(c) blizzard — a blinding storm of wind and snow.

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