Reading passage class 12

 🔰Guidelines To Attempt Comprehension Passage

When attempting a comprehension passage, it's important to have a systematic approach to ensure understanding and accurate answers. Here are some guidelines to help you:

1. Skim the Passage: Start by quickly skimming through the passage to get a general idea of the topic and structure. Pay attention to headings, subheadings, and any formatting that may provide clues about the content.

2. Read Carefully: Read the passage carefully, focusing on understanding the main ideas, supporting details, and the overall argument or narrative. Take your time to comprehend the information presented.

3. Take Notes: While reading, jot down key points, important facts, and any unfamiliar terms or concepts. This will help you remember the details and refer back to them later when answering questions.

4. Identify the Purpose: Determine the purpose or main objective of the passage. Is it informative, persuasive, or argumentative? Understanding the author's intent will give you insights into the overall message.

5. Analyze Structure: Pay attention to the passage's structure. Identify the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Look for transitional words or phrases that indicate the flow of ideas or the organization of information.

6. Highlight Key Information: Use highlighting or underlining to mark important information, such as main ideas, supporting evidence, and examples. This will help you locate specific details quickly when answering questions.

7. Refer to Questions: Once you have read the passage thoroughly, read the comprehension questions. This will give you a sense of what to focus on and help you avoid unnecessary distractions while searching for answers.

8. Read and Analyze Questions: Read each question carefully, paying attention to keywords and instructions. Identify the type of question (e.g., factual, inferential, vocabulary) to better understand what information you need to find in the passage.

9. Search for Answers: Go back to the passage and locate the relevant information needed to answer each question. Be cautious of distractors and ensure your answers are supported by the passage.

10. Review and Revise: After answering all the questions, take a moment to review your responses. Make sure they are accurate, concise, and supported by the passage. Check for any spelling or grammatical errors.

By following these guidelines, you can approach comprehension passages in a structured and systematic manner, enhancing your understanding and improving your ability to answer the questions effectively.

1. Read the following passage carefully 

At 4130 P.M., Abha brought in the last meal he was 

ever to eat; it consisted of goat's milk, cooked and raw 

vegetables, oranges and a concoction of ginger, sour lemons 

and strained butter with juice of aloe. Sitting on the floor 

of his room in the rear of Birla House in New Delhi, Gandhi 

ate and talked with Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Deputy Prime 

Minister of the new government of independent India. 

Maniben, Patel's daughter and secretary, was also present. 

The conversation was important. There had been rumours 

of differences between Patel and Prime Minister Jawaharlal 

Nehru. This problem, like so many others, had been dropped 

into the Mahatma's lap. 

Abha, alone with Gandhi and the Patel* hesitated to 

interrupt. But she knew Gandhi's attachment to punctuality. 

Finally, therefore, she picked up the Mahatma's nickel-plated 

watch and showed it to him, 'I must tear myself away', 

Gandhi remarked, and so saying he rose, went to the 

adjoining bathroom and then started towards the prayer 

ground in the large park to the left of the house. Abha, the 

young wife of Gandhi, grandson of the Mahatma's 

cousin, and Manu, the granddaughter of another cousin, 

accompanied him; he leaned his forearms on their shoulders. 

CMY walking sticks', he called them.

During the daily two-minute promenade through the long, red-sandstone colonnade that led to the prayer ground, 

Gandhi relaxed and joked. NOW, he mentioned the carrot 

juice Abha had given him that morning. 

'So you are serving me cattle fare,' he said, and laughed. 

'Ba used to call it horse fare', Abha replied. Ba was 

Gandhi's deceased wife. 

'Isn't it grand of me', Gandhi bantered, 'to relish what 

no one else wants ? 

'Bapu (father),' said Abha, 'your watch must be feeling 

very neglected. You would not look at it today.' 

'Why should I, since you are my timekeepers ? ' Gandhi 

retorted. 

'But you don't-look at the timekeepers/ Manu noted. 

Gandhi laughed again. 

On the basis of your reading of the passage answer the follöwing questions 

(a) What did Gandhi eat in his last meal ? 2 

(b) Who were the persons present when Gandhi ate his last meal ? 2 

(c) What was the problem that had been dropped into Gandhi's lap ? 2

(d) Why did Abha show Gandhi the nickel-plated watch ? 2 

(e) Who were the timekeepers of Gandhi ? 1 

(f) What is the cattle fare referred to ? 1