NIOS Class 12 English Chapter 5 Question Answer
INTEXT QUESTIONS 5.1
1. What does the Shantipath prayer encompass?
Ans: The prayer encompasses peace in various elements of nature, including the heavens, earth, waters, herbs, and trees, as well as blessings from divine entities for universal peace.
2. What is the significance of the Shantipath in Hindu tradition?
Ans: The Shantipath emphasises peace in both the external world and within each soul, reflecting the Vedic emphasis on harmony and well-being.
INTEXT QUESTIONS 5.2
1. What is the significance of forests according to the Rigveda?
Ans: The Rigveda emphasises the importance of not destroying forests and advocates for afforestation to maintain ecological balance.
2. What is the symbolic significance of animals and trees in Vedic mythology?
Ans: Animals and trees are often treated as representatives of certain deities or symbolic of divine principles in Vedic mythology.
INTEXT QUESTIONS 5.3
1. What is the subject of the Prithivi Sukta in the Atharva Veda?
Ans: Mother Earth (Prithivi) and the importance of protecting, preserving, and caring for the environment.
2. What does the Atharvaveda warn about regarding the preservation of the earth?
Ans: It warns that if the earth is not preserved, humans will suffer the consequences in a vicious cycle.
INTEXT QUESTIONS 5.4
1. Now fill in the blanks in the following sentences with either ‘will’ or ‘shall’.
i. I ————— post this letter tomorrow.
Ans: shall
ii. The examinations ————— begin next week.
Ans: will
iii. I have not met my grandfather for a month now. I ————— see him next time.
Ans: will
iv. ————— you please stop talking.
Ans: will
v. ————— I serve dinner now?
Ans: shall
vi. You ————— not steal.
Ans: will
vii. ————— you change this bulb for me?
Ans: will
2. Now fill in the blanks in the sentences below, with ‘would’ or ‘should’
i. He said his brother was in the Army and posted on the border and he had written to say that he ————— come home on leave on the 6th.
Ans: would
ii. The teacher said we ————— work harder.
Ans: should
iii. You ————— not eat so many sweets.
Ans: should
iv. ————— you pass the rice please?
Ans: would
v. He said that the train was very late, but it ————— arrive within the next fifteen minutes.
Ans: would
3. Fill in the blanks in the sentences below with ‘used to’ or ‘would’.
i. When I was in primary school I ______________ hate going to school.
Ans: used to
ii. My brother ————— bully me as a child. Then I ————— call out to my sister for help.
Ans: used to, would
iii. In his youth, John _____ travel extensively, exploring different countries.
Ans: used to
iv. The old bookstore downtown _____ be a popular meeting spot for intellectuals.
Ans: used to
v. Sarah _____ speak three languages fluently when she was younger.
Ans: used to
vi. Back in the 1980s, they _____ throw extravagant parties every month.
Ans: would
vii. Before the company expanded globally, its headquarters _____ be a small office in the suburbs.
Ans: used to
4. Now, fill in the blanks in the sentences below with ‘would’, ‘wouldn’t’, ‘should’, ‘shouldn’t’.
i. When we were in Delhi we ————— go to the zoo every week.
Ans: would
ii. You ————— read in bad light. It will harm your eyes.
Ans: shouldn’t
iii ————— you mind opening the window, please?
Ans: would
iv. You ————— wear a helmet when you are driving a scooter.
Ans: should
v. I ————— like to speak to the manager.
Ans: would
vi. ————— you like to try another cutlet?
Ans: would
5. Read the dialogue and fill in the blanks with ‘will’, ‘won’t’ and ‘would’:
Suresh: I ————— go to the library tomorrow.
Mohit: I know it may be difficult for you, but ————— you be able to pick me up?
Suresh: Yes, of course I —————. But I —————go late in the evening.
Mohit: About what time ————— that be? I ————— be ready.
Ans: will, won’t, will, will, would, will
INTEXT QUESTIONS 5.5
1. Read each sentence carefully and identify the correct meaning of the underlined idiom. Choose the most appropriate option from the given choices.
i. He always knows how to read between the lines during a conversation.
a) Take everything literally
b) Understand the implied meaning
c) Ignore important details
Ans: b) Understand the implied meaning
ii. When the teacher announced a surprise quiz, the students had to hit the books immediately.
a) Literally strike their textbooks
b) Study intensively
c) Avoid studying altogether
Ans: b) Study intensively
iii. After a long day of hiking, Sarah was on cloud nine when she reached the mountain’s summit.
a) Feeling extremely happy
b) Exhausted and tired
c) Afraid of heights
Ans: a) Feeling extremely happy
iv. The new employee decided to burn the midnight oil to finish the project on time.
a) Work late into the night
b) Literally set oil on fire
c) Take a break from work
Ans: a) Work late into the night
v. When faced with a challenging problem, it’s important to put your thinking cap on.
a) Literally wear a special hat
b) Use your intelligence and think hard
c) Avoid thinking about the problem
Ans: b) Use your intelligence and think hard
vi. Mark’s excuse for being late sounded fishy; it seemed like he was pulling my leg.
a) Telling the truth
b) Teasing or joking
c) Physically pulling someone
Ans: b) Teasing or joking
vii. Despite facing many obstacles, Jane decided to bite the bullet and pursue her dream.
a) Give up on her dream
b) Face a difficult situation with courage
c) Literally bite a bullet
Ans: b) Face a difficult situation with courage
viii. When the unexpected guests arrived, Mary had to think on her feet to prepare a quick meal.
a) Literally stand on her feet
b) Quickly come up with a solution
c) Take a long time to plan
Ans: b) Quickly come up with a solution
ix. Peter’s plan to start his own business was a piece of cake compared to his previous job.
a) Very challenging
b) Involving a literal cake
c) Extremely easy
Ans: c) Extremely easy
x. The team’s victory was the result of everyone pulling together during the game.
a) Working separately
b) Collaborating and working as a team
c) Physically pulling each other
Ans: b) Collaborating and working as a team
2. Use the following idioms in correct forms in the sentences below:
Have a finger in every pie
Put our heads together
Have all the facts on his fingertips
Put her foot down
Make head or tail of
i. Our questions were quickly answered as the travel agent _______________.
Ans: had all the facts on his fingertips
ii. I can’t ____________ of this strange message.
Ans: make head or tail
iii. Ravi knows a little about all the six different projects. Let’s ask him about your project as he _____.
Ans: has a finger in every pie
iv. Let’s ______________ and see if we can decipher this message in code.
Ans: put our heads together
v. The principal __________ and told his clerks that he wasn’t going to grant him any more leave.
Ans: put her foot down
TERMINAL QUESTIONS
1. What do you understand about eco-spirituality and eco-care? Can you discuss these ideas as they are enshrined in the Vedas?
Ans: Ecological spirituality or eco spirituality describes how one relates to the sacred within the context of our natural, global, and even cosmic ecosystems (or homes) of which we all form a part.”
Eco-care refers to the human care towards the environment that provides us with everything we need for living.
- The Prithivi Sukta maintains that the gifts of the earth (such as its firmness, purity and fertility) are for everyone, without any discrimination whatsoever.
- Prithvi provides food and prosperity to all, sustains the animal and vegetable/ herbal world, fosters the growth and regeneration of forests and provides space for lakes, rivers and large water bodies.
- Recycling and regeneration are the core principles enshrined in the Vedic traditions, aspirations and practices, and it is up to us as the progeny of Mother Earth to live in peace and harmony with all.
2. What is the sacred importance given to the water from the Ganga as Ganga Jal? How do you think this devotional cultural belief may be revisited, towards purifying the Ganga? Can you take some lessons from the Namami Gange program?
Ans: The Rivers Sarasvati, Sindhu (Indus) and the latter’s tributaries––Shutudri, Parushni, Ashkini, Vitasta and Vipasa or the Sapta Sindhava––are all regarded as sacred. According to the Rig Veda, water has sacred, remedial and healing properties. The natural environment of a place is dependent upon the land-water relation of that area. The water cycle determines the regularity of crops and rains. The human mind can be purged and made pure or peaceful through the consumption of pure water.
By considering rivers as sacred, we can revive their purity and prevent the water from getting polluted. People can be made aware of the pollution and use the beliefs to help them keep the water sacred and clean.
The Namami Gange program aims to provide proper sewage treatment plants, clean the river surface, promote afforestation, and monitor the industrial effluent. This can be extended to all rivers.
3. In what way does our sacred attitude to plants and trees like the tulsi and peepal important towards nature conservation?
Ans: Vedic texts also attribute symbolic significance to animals, plants, and even agricultural implements, associating them with specific deities. Vedic outlook underscores the interconnectedness of humans, nature, and the divine, advocating for reverence towards the environment and its preservation.
4. What is the religious and cultural importance of sacred groves in India? In what way do they contribute to our environmental consciousness?
Ans: Sacred groves are small patches of forest that are protected by local communities because they are associated with a deity, spirit, or religious belief. People worship the trees, plants and animals living there and consider them sacred. Therefore, cutting trees, hunting animals or disturbing nature inside these groves is strictly forbidden.
These sacred groves have great cultural value because they connect people to their traditions, faith and respect for nature. They also remind communities that nature is a gift of God and must not be destroyed.
Environmentally, sacred groves act as natural sanctuaries for plants and animals, including many rare species. They help conserve biodiversity, maintain soil and water balance, and protect the local climate. By respecting these groves, people develop a habit of protecting nature, which increases environmental awareness and responsibility in society.
Thus, sacred groves link religion, culture and environmental protection in a meaningful way.
5. “The whole world is the body of God. Discuss the aspirations in this quote.
Ans: This quote expresses the belief that God exists in everything — in humans, animals, plants, rivers, mountains and even the air we breathe. If the world is seen as the body of God, then harming nature is equal to showing disrespect to God.
The message behind the quote is that we should treat every part of nature with love, care and reverence. It inspires people to protect the environment, avoid pollution, stop deforestation and live in harmony with all living beings. It encourages an attitude of unity, compassion and responsibility towards the Earth.
The aspiration in the quote is to create a world where human beings feel spiritually connected to nature and therefore take better care of it.
Additional Study Materials
- NIOS Class 12 English Sample Paper
- Chapter 1: The Crow and the Deer
- Chapter 2: Mary Kom’s Interview
- Chapter 3: An Astrologer’s Day
- Chapter 4: Bholi
