Question 3 - Discursive Passages (with Past Year Questions) - Reading Comprehension - English Class 10

This question asked in [Outside Delhi, 2019]

Read the following passage carefully: 

(1)Music is perhaps the most popular and widely practised form of fine arts, transcending all kinds of cultural  and linguistic barriers. Any form of fine art is difficult to master and almost impossible to perfect and music is  no exception. 

(2)Nature, it is learnt, has blessed almost two-thirds of the human race with musical ability of some sort. Music has  the power to bring out the deepest emotions. In fact, it is a magic medicine and many seek refuge in it when  they are depressed or stressed. It is this intimacy that makes us listen to music or even hum or sing sometimes.  This singing, or realistically speaking, expressing one’s emotion musically sometimes takes a serious turn. 

(3)The desire to sing before an audience is innocent and beautiful and indeed it is perfectly alright to have such  a genuine desire. But it is also important to understand that singing is an intricate art — a highly refined one  at that, which requires systematic, prolonged and strict training, to be acceptable. This is an aspect we forget  in our keen desire to reach the stage and perform. It is almost like preparing a formal meal for some specially  invited guests, without even having learnt and trained in the basics of cooking. 

(4)These days almost everyone sings and it does not stop here. Most of us want to become professional singers.  Result: a complete disregard for and ignorance of the training part, as the need is never felt to go through one  and the urge to get to the stage and perform overcomes even a little desire to learn, if any. If at all, somewhere  along the way one feels the need to gain some knowledge and training, it leads to hurried short-cuts and halfhearted attempts, best described as ‘Crash Courses’. 

(5)It is observed that those who have attained the so called partial success, suddenly feel that they lack the  required knowledge and are not learned enough. But it is too late by then. It should be understood here that  the stage or a performance brings in a different mind-set within the artist. It is always recommended and  rightly said that while on stage, cover the mistakes and weaknesses if any, and get along. But the contrary  is true when it comes to acquiring knowledge and during the learning process. While under training, the  student is expected to make mistakes but then rectify those mistakes under the supervision and guidance of  the teacher. Therefore, it is good to make mistakes and then be corrected during the process of learning as this  subsequently makes one flawless and educated. This is a different mind-set. And these two mind-set discussed  above, (those of a performer and that of a student) cannot coexist.

Question 3 ( i )

Music is perhaps the most popular and widely  practised form of  ________. 

(A) performing arts        

(B) modern arts 

(C) linguistic arts        

(D) fine arts

Answer

So, the correct answer is (D)

Question 3 (ii)

Nature has blessed almost two-thirds of the  human race with  ________. 

(A) singing ability   

(B) musical ability 

(C) dancing ability   

(D) all of these

Answer

So, the correct answer is (B)

Question 3 (iii)

__ are brought out by the power of  music 

(A) Hidden talents 

(B) Feelings of joy and contentment

(C) Deepest emotions 

(D) Hidden desires

Answer

So, the correct answer is (C)

Question 3 (iv)

How can we say that music is a magic  medicine? 

(A) It can make one cry or bring a smile on  one’s face. 

(B) It can heal people. 

(C) It relieves people of their pain. 

(D) People forget their problems.

Answer

So, the correct answer is (A)

Question 3 (v)

What is best described as ‘Crash Courses’? 

(A) Detailed courses 

(B) Dedicated learning 

(C) Years of learning and practice 

(D) Hurried short-cuts

Answer

So, the correct answer is (D)

Question 3 (vi)

The mind-set of a student of music should be  _____. 

(A) Never to make mistakes. 

(B) Always be perfect. 

(C) Cover up the mistakes. 

(D) Make mistakes but then rectify those  mistakes.

Answer

So, the correct answer is (D)

Question 3 (vii)

In our keen desire to reach the stage and  perform, we forget _______________. 

(A) it requires prolonged and strict training. 

(B) it requires confidence. 

(C) it requires hard work. 

(D) it requires talent.

Answer

So, the correct answer is (A)

Question 3 (viii)

While performing on stage, an artist must  ________. 

(A) make mistakes and seek guidance 

(B) cover the mistake and get along 

(C) stop singing 

(D) none of these

Answer

So, the correct answer is (B)

Question 3 (ix)

Any form of  ________  is difficult to master. 

(A) fine arts  

(B) dance 

(C) cooking  

(D) all of these

Answer

So, the correct answer is (A)

Question 3 (x)

'Transcending’ in para 1 means: 

(A) drown under   

(B) rise above 

(C) surrender   

(D) fail

Answer

So, the correct answer is (B)

Question 3 (xi)

'Refuge’ in para 2 means: 

(A) shelter from rain 

(B) shelter from storm 

(C) shelter from unhappiness 

(D) shelter from sun

Answer

So, the correct answer is (C)

Question 3 (xii)

The word _________ in para 5 is the same as  ‘incomplete’. 

(A) lack  

(B) contrary 

(C) rectify  

(D) partial

Answer

So, the correct answer is (D)