Chapter 1.2: On To The Summit : We Reach The Top

Chapter 1: On To The Summit : We Reach The Top

Balbharati solutions for English Yuvakbharati 11th Standard Maharashtra State Board 

Discuss with your partner and complete the web of different activities related to climbing.

Solution

There are certain prerequisites for Mountaineering. With reference to the following points, develop a short dialogue between you and your friend about mountaineering.

Solution

Anish:	Hey Kartik! How are you?
Omkar:	Hi Rohan! I‘m feeling perfectly fit. What brings you here?
Anish:	I wanted to congratulate you on being appointed as the President of the Adventure Committee. So, what‘s in store for us this year?
Omkar:	We‘re planning to organize a one-day trek to the Kalsubai peak.
Anish	Wow. That sounds amazing. Could you give me some details?
Omkar:	Sure. The Kalsubai Trek route is approximately 6.5 km. We‘re trying to make arrangements for trekking poles and backpacks through a local dealer.
Anish:	Is the trek open to all?
Omkar:	Professionals can enroll directly from the website. Since they have some experience, they will have the physical strength required to climb for hours.
Anish:	That sounds exhausting!
Omkar:	Yes. Also, one must be mentally fit to tackle any situation and not panic in such circumstances. Plus, those who sign up must have trekking shoes and a fleece jacket for protection from the cold winds.
Anish:	What about beginners?
Omkar:	Beginners can undertake a month-long training since the trek is of average difficulty. This will focus on building stamina, climbing while lifting light weights, and running on rough terrain.
Anish:	Wow. Your team has really done a great job this year. My bus is here. I‘ll catch you later!
Omkar:	Goodbye!

Question

Discuss with your partner the various hazards and risks that a mountaineer/ trekker has to face in an expedition.

______________________________________________________

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Solution

Mountaineering is considered one of the most exciting yet dangerous sports in the world. The dangers involved in mountaineering are: rockfall, avalanches, inclement weather, equipment failure, falls due to inattention, fatigue or inadequate training, summit fever, and altitude sickness.

Question

Summarize to the class in your own words the highly risky and dangerous journey of Tenzing and Hillary from the base to the top of Mt. Everest.

Solution

Tenzing and Hillary set out from Camp Nine early on Friday morning to continue their journey to the Top. Tenzing was determined to conquer the peak even at the cost of his life. They took turns to take the lead because the one that follows has the difficult job of acting as the anchor for the team. Tenzing was carrying the flags of Great Britain, Nepal, India, and the United Nations in order to plant them at the summit. After an hour of steady climbing, they had to cut across the south face and begin climbing the west side where they had to cross a steep line of rocks. This proved to be difficult and thus took some time. However, once they had cleared these, they only had to make it past a snow-covered incline. This became progressively easier as the steepness of the incline decreased as they neared the top. Although the last sixty or seventy feet up the top were not very dangerous, they maintained the same steady pace and reached the small, flattened summit almost together. The rope that was tied between them was a symbol of their teamwork and companionship.

Complete the web highlighting the feelings/emotions of Tenzing after reaching the summit.

Solution

Question

Glance through the text again and explain the qualities of Tenzing Norgay. Pick lines that show his unique qualities. One is done for you.

Sr No.	Qualities	Lines
1.	Patriotic	I told Colonel Hunt that I was carrying the Indian flag with me and I would like it to be on the top with other flags.
2.
3.
4.

Solution

Sr No.	Qualities	Lines
1.	righteous	Thus, we will not take part in any controversy. As the statement says, Hillary and I embraced when we reached the top.
2.	spiritual	My first thought on reaching the top was a sense of gratitude to God
3.	Family-oriented	My youngest daughter, Nima, had given me a pencil before I left home.
4.	A good friend	As I stood at the top, I remembered him and felt that he was with me.

Question

Write down the significance of the following in the context of 'On to the Summit':

Red Scarf.

Solution

The author was wearing a red scarf at the summit which was given to him by his great friend, Lambert. Lambert had been the leader of the 1952 Swiss Expedition to the summit, of which the author had been apart.

The author had worn the scarf all the way up the mountain from Darjeeling as a mark of respect and admiration for his friend.

In his moment of historic success, not only did the author remember his close friend, but also wished he were there.

By wearing the scarf, the author acknowledged Lambert‘s contribution to the journey and stated that it gave him a feeling of having his friend with him at the top.
Thus, the scarf was a tribute to his friend.

husiar.

Solution

The word, 'husiar‘ means 'caution‘.

The climb down from the summit was more difficult and dangerous than the climb up.

There was a greater danger of slipping and falling into the Kangshung glacier below.

Thus, even though climbing down took less time than climbing up, the author and Hillary had to be comparatively more cautious.

With regard to this, the author notes that they needed 'husiar‘ while coming down.

Kerosene flavoured tea.

Solution

After their historic conquer of Everest, the author and Hillary met other teammates on their way down, with whom they shared the news of their victory.

As they got nearer to Camp Eight, one of the teammates, Noyce, brought them tea.

Mountaineers often use kerosene stoves for cooking which leaves the smell of the fuel in the food.

The tea was thus kerosene flavoured because Noyce had made in a hurry on the stove. This shows his excitement and eagerness to meet the author and Hillary and congratulate them on their success.

In spite of the unpleasant smell of the tea, the author drinks it, which highlights his acknowledgment of the efforts of his friend and the bond of their friendship. It also shows that the author was too happy to worry about the taste of the tea.

Ice axe.

Solution

The ice axe is a hiking and climbing tool, typically used to help the mountaineer while ascending.

In the given extract, the author uses one end of the ice axe to hold the flags of Great Britain, Nepal, the United Nations, and India, up high at the summit.

It is important to note that since the journey up the mountain was dangerous and tiring, the author did not carry any special instrument to help him hoist the flags.

However, at the top of the summit, his will to plant the flags was so strong that he used whatever resource he had to make it happen. As a mountaineer, his ice axe was the most obvious tool for the job. Thus, the ice axe became part of the great moment.

This moment was captured by Hillary as proof and memory of their historic feat.

Anchor.

Solution

An anchor is a device or method used to support the climber‘s weight. It is primarily used as protection from falling.

In the given extract, Tenzing and Hillary are described as a two-man rope team. They were joined by a safety rope to protect them from a fall.

The author notes that on their ascent to the top, his partner, Hillary, and he, would take turns to lead the climb.

In such a situation, the one who follows acts like an anchor and must support the weight of the leading climber in case of a slip or fall. This is a difficult job and therefore was performed by both of them in an alternate fashion.

Given the life–saving nature of the technique, it is clear that the two of them had to trust each other with their lives, and hence, the author implies that they were each other‘s anchors.

Question

Add suitable suffixes (-tion,- ly, -ment

Solution

Sr. No	Word	Prefix	Suffix
1.	absolute	NA	absolutely
2.	fulfill	unfulfill	fulfillment
3.	determine	undetermined	determination
4.	danger	endanger	dangerously
5.	tight	untighten	tightly
6.	clear	unclear	clearly
7.	sure	unsure	surely
8.	legal	illegal	legally
9.	legitimate	illegitimate	legitimately
10.	possible	impossible	possibly

Question

By filling appropriate letters in the blank spaces, you will get a past participle from it. Use the word as an adjective in your own sentence. One is done for you.

(a) s _ _ n _ d

Word- signed. The advocate took all the signed documents to the court.

(b) p_ _ z _ d

(c) f_ _ t_ e n e_

(d) b _ i _ e_

Solution

Word – prized. The pearl necklace handed down to Ramona by her dying grandmother was her prized possession.

Word – fastened. Rohit fastened the dog‘s leash to a nearby pole for a few minutes while he visited the store.

Word – boiled. The milk had boiled over by the time Rama remembered to switch off the stove.

Spot the error. One is done for you.

I was not afraid to die that day.

Correct Sentence- I was not afraid to die that day.

Question

Tenzing and Hillary made an pact at the office of the PM of Nepal.

Solution

Tenzing and Hillary made a pact at the office of the PM of Nepal.

Question

I has to bring my ice axe down with me.

Solution

I had to bring my ice axe down with me.

Question

Tenzing have spent a night with Camp Eight.

Solution

Tenzing has spent a night at Camp Eight.

Question

Pact was signed from Tenzing and Hillary.

Solution

A pact was signed between Tenzing and Hillary.

Question

I and Hillary were in no mood of talking.

Solution

Hillary and I were in no mood for talking.

When Tenzing and Hillary reached the summit, Tenzing in utter joy said, “We have done it.” In this sentence, the subject (we) is the doer of the action while (achieving the feat) is the subject. The verb of passive voice is formed by using the correct form of the verb ‘to be’ + past participle of the main verb. Construct the sentence accordingly.

Now carefully go through the changes in both the sentences and do the changes accordingly in the remaining sentence.

We have done it.
It has been done by us.

Question

We made a pact.

Solution

A pact was made by us.

Question

I offered the silent prayer in my heart.

Solution

A silent prayer was offered in my heart by me.

Question

Colonel Hunt gave me three flags.

Solution

Three flags were given to me by Colonel Hunt.

Question

I was carrying the Indian flag.

Solution

The Indian flag was being carried by me.

Question

I took photographs of Tenzing holding aloft the flags.

Solution

Photographs of Tenzing holding aloft the flags were taken by me.

Question

I remembered him.

Solution

He was remembered by me.

Question

We spent the night at Camp Eight.

Solution

The night was spent by us at Camp Eight.

Question

After reading the text one can easily understand that there is a lot of risks involved in mountaineering. Write in short about any adventure sport that you like and the risk involved in it.

Solution

Scuba Diving – A Risky Adventure

Adventure sports come with their dose of thrill and excitement. Not only do they give one an adrenaline rush, but also keep them longing for more. An adventure sport that I really like is scuba diving. Not only is it a test of one‘s swimming abilities but also a treat for the eyes. Deep diving into the ocean leaves the diver spellbound as he encounters the marine flora and fauna. But, like any other adventure sport, scuba diving presents its own set of risks. A limited supply of oxygen and concentration of other gases as one descends into the depths makes the diver vulnerable to a variety of health risks such as decompression sickness, drowning, etc. In addition, there is always the looming fear of the predatory creatures of the ocean. Wild sea creatures, though non-aggressive, can prove dangerous when fussed with. With good training and a little daring attitude, one can see a completely different world; and that is definitely worth a try! Risks are inevitable, but one must choose wisely. Scuba diving may not be the least risky sport, but it surely deserves a shot! As the famous novelist Douglas Coupland quotes, ''Adventure without risk is Disneyland.''

Question

Give your opinion: Whether we should or should not participate in adventure sports because __________________.

Solution

I firmly believe that we must participate in adventure sports. Though adventure sports come with their fair share of risks, they also provide us with a sense of adventure that cannot be obtained through other sports. In addition, they test our physical and mental abilities and thus make us stronger. Due to their risky nature, they also train us to have quick responses and presence of mind as there is always a fear of something going wrong in the flash of a second. Moreover, they help us overcome our deepest fears which, in turn, gives us the courage to tackle any obstacle in life.

Question

Tenzing and Hillary created history by reaching the summit of Mt. Everest. There are many mountains in Maharashtra where one can fancy his or her chances of climbing them. Imagine that you have climbed a mountain and are immensely thrilled and excited. Write a letter to your friend about it.

Solution

A/9,501,

Srushty Apartments,

Andheri (W).

15th July 2019

Dear Vedant,

I hope this letter finds you in the pink of health. I apologize for not having written to you for so long.

I recently had the pleasure of undertaking the Kalsubai Trek and I am very excited to tell you about my experience. Kalsubai, at an elevation of 1646 meters, is the highest point in Maharashtra.

We chose to take the train since railway tickets proved to be cost-effective. We set out on our journey on Saturday morning and reached Kasara Railway station by 7 a.m. Local taxis ferrying trekkers to the base village, Bari, were readily available. The trekking trail was about 6.4 km long and popular among trekkers. Iron ladders were built along the vertical hill slopes for a safe ascent. Owing to the monsoon showers, the path got trickier as we climbed since the rocks were slippery and visibility was limited.

However, the sheer joy of trekking and experiencing nature in all its glory was worth every minute of the experience. The lush green paddy fields, the view of the water-falls, and the sight of the Bhandardhara Dam left us mesmerized.

We reached a peak after 4 hours of trekking and were spellbound by the magnificent view from the top. It felt like we were at the top of the world! The light drizzle and the cold winds added to the joy of the experience.

Knowing your love for adventure, I am sure you would enjoy such an experience. Hopefully, we can plan something together soon.

Yours faithfully,

Rahul

Question

You are the college representative and your Principal has assigned you the task of writing a letter to the Divisional Officer, Satpuda Mountain Ranges, Nagpur, seeking permission for the mountaineering expedition to be organized by your college.

Solution

Bhavan's College,

Kothrud,

Pune – 38

15th June 2019

The Divisional Officer,

Satpuda Mountain Ranges,

Nagpur

Subject: Seeking permission for organizing a mountaineering expedition in the Satpuda Mountain Ranges

Respected Sir,

I, Rahul Sharma, am writing to you in my capacity as the college representative of Bhavan's College to seek your permission to organize a mountaineering expedition in the Satpuda Ranges.

The Student Council Committee has chalked out a 3-day expedition from 10th July to 12th July.

The enrolment is open to senior students only and the aim is to give the students an opportunity to witness the beauty of nature while giving them a taste of adventure. A total of 20 students accompanied by the faculty head of the Sports Department and the Assistant-In-Charge for Sports will be part of this expedition. We also intend to visit the Melghat Tiger Reserve and the Narnala Fort situated in the vicinity. In addition, we wish to survey the local flora and fauna of the area and interact with the local inhabitants.

We are committed to making this a learning experience and welcome any suggestions that you might have. I hope that you will grant us permission to explore the beauty of the Satpuda ranges.

Yours sincerely,

Rahul Sharma

(College Representative, Bhavan's College)

Question

Convert the letter into an email format.

Solution

Thanking you, Name: Rahul Sharma Address: Bhavan's College Kothrud, Pune – 38 Date: 15th June 2019 Receiver's designation: The Divisional Officer Address: Satpuda Mountain Ranges, Nagpur Subject: Seeking permission for organizing a mountaineering expedition in the Satpuda Salutation: Respected Sir/Madam, Introductory paragraph (purpose) I, Rahul Sharma, am writing to you in my capacity as the college representative of Bhavan's College to seek your permission to organize a mountaineering expedition in the Satpuda Ranges. Main body (information/explanation/elaboration) The Student Council Committee has chalked out a 3-day expedition from 10th July – 12th July. The enrolment is open to senior students only and the aim is to give the students an opportunity to witness the beauty of nature while giving them a taste of adventure. A total of 20 students accompanied by the faculty head of the Sports Department and the Assistant – In-Charge for Sports will be part of this expedition. Concluding paragraph (opinion/request) We are committed to making this a learning experience and welcome any suggestions that you might have. I hope that you will grant us this permission to explore the beauty of the Satpuda ranges. Complimentary close Yours sincerely Signature Rahul Sharma (College Representative, Bhavan's College) List of enclosures Letter of Permission from the Principal

Question

Go to your college library or surf the internet for names of various mountaineers who have successfully climbed Mt. Everest. Write in your notebook about their struggles, the interesting anecdotes they have shared, their failures, and the message that we get from their lives. Submit them to your teacher.

Solution

Students are supposed to attempt the above activity on their own.

Look at the sentences given below. Find out which one is correct. If the sentence is wrong give reasons.

Question

Sunita is the quieter of four sisters.

Sunita is the quietest of the four sisters.

Solution

Sunita is the quietest of the four sisters.

Explanation:

When there is a comparison of more than two nouns, the superlative form (quietest) of the adjective must be used.

Question

Anil’s computer is more new than mine.

Anil’s computer is newer than mine.

Solution

Anil’s computer is newer than mine.

Explanation:

The rule for choosing the right form of the adjective is that if the word has one syllable (new), the comparative form is created by adding 'er‘ to the word.

Question

I have the wonderfullest of mother in the world.

I have the most wonderful mother in the world.

Solution

I have the most wonderful mother in the world.

Explanation:

The rule for choosing the right form of the adjective is that if the word has more than two syllables (wonderful has three), the comparative form is created by adding 'most‘ before the word.

Question

Aditi is more carefuller than Mary.

Aditi is more careful than Mary.

Solution

Aditi is more careful than Mary.

Explanation:

The rule for choosing the right form of the adjective is that if the word has two syllables (careful has two), the comparative form is created by adding 'most‘ before the word.

When we compare two nouns, we use comparative adjectives. When we compare more than two nouns, we use superlative adjectives.

For Example. –

a. Milind is taller than John.

b. Zakir is the tallest of the three brothers.

Look at the following sentence and observe the changes in the sentence. Discuss the changes and note your responses:

Question

Atul is not as bright as Milind in studies.

Solution

The form of the adjective (bright) was positive in the first sentence because there is no difference between the qualities of the two nouns that are being compared.

Question

The dining room is brighter than the kitchen.

Solution

In the second sentence, the comparative form of the adjective (brighter) is used because there is a comparison between two nouns.

Question

Anne is the brightest girl in class.

Solution

In the third sentence, the superlative form of the adjective (brightest) is used because there is a comparison between more than two nouns.

Make a list of adjectives in three different forms of comparison. Use different texts to find these.

	Positive Degree	Comparative Degree	Superlative Degree
i.	brave	braver	bravest
ii.	good	better	best
iii.	less	lesser	least
iv.	difficult	more difficult	most difficult
v.	little	less	least
vi	popular	more popular	most popular
vii.	many	more	most
viii.	crazy	crazier	craziest
ix.	famous	more famous	most famous
x.	lovely	lovelier	loveliest

Fill in the blank with comparative, superlative, and positive forms of the correct adjective in the bracket.

Question

You are very naughty. You are _____________ your brother (clever).

Solution

You are very naughty. You are more clever than your brother.

Question

The tiger is the _____________ animal in the zoo (dangerous).

Solution

The tiger is the most dangerous animal in the zoo.

Question

This is _____________ a road in town. (busy)

Solution

This is the busiest road in town. 

Question

My new house is ______________ the one I used to live in. (big)

Solution

My new house is bigger than the one I used to live in.

Question

He is the _______________ boy in class. (forgetful)

Solution

He is the most forgetful boy in class.