NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Chapter 5 – The Adventure

Chapter 7 The Adventure

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT (The Adventure)

Q. I Tick the statements that are true.

1. The story is an account of real events.

2. The story hinges on a particular historical event.

3. Rajendra Deshpande was a historian.

4. The places mentioned in the story are all imaginary.

5. The story tries to relate history to science.

Answer.

1. False

2. True

3. False

4. False

5. True

Q.2 A Briefly explain the following statements from the text.

(i) “You neither travelled to the past nor the future. You were in the present experiencing a different world.”

Answer: “You neither travelled to the past nor the future. You were in the present experiencing a different world.” These lines were spoken by Rajendra Deshpande while he was trying to give a correct explanation to Professor Gaitonde’s about his strange experience. When professor met with an accident, he began thinking about the Battle of Panipat and its consequences which happened in his life. His mind travelled between the history we know and what could have been.

By making a through thinking, the professor was experiencing two worlds, although one at a time. By the same theory, there must be many more different worlds arising out of unrealistic thoughts

(ii) “You have passed through a fantastic experience; or more correctly, a catastrophic experience.”

Answer:  You have passed through a fantastic experience: or more correctly, a catastrophic experience.” Was told by Rajendra Deshpande to Professor Gaitonde’s that he passed through a very exciting experience. He told that we lived in a unique world, which had a unique history. Due to the accident, Gangadhar Pant’s mind jumped on to another world, which was unrealistic. In that world, history took a different outlook as Marathas won the Battle of Panipat.

Rajendra explained this through catastrophic theory, according to which reality has many misinterpretations.

(iii)  Gangadharpant could not help comparing the country he knew with what he was witnessing around him.

Answer: “Gangadhar Pant could not help comparing the country he knew with what he was witnessing around him.” In his extraordinary experience, Gangadhar Pant witnessed two different outlooks of the same reality. although one at a time. The India he knew was described in the history books on the basis of the Battle of Panipat of 1761, where Marathas were defeated. The other India that he saw was the result of the victory of Marathas in the battle. In this version, he saw India as a prosperous country which is self-sufficient in its needs.

(iv) “The lack of determinism in quantum theory!”

Answer.  The lack of determinism in quantum theory. If a bullet is fired from a gun to a given direction at a given speed, one will know where it will be later, but such an assertion cannot be made for an electron. When an electron is emitted from a source, it may be, anywhere. This is lack of determinism in quantum theory. This theory asserts that reality is never one-sided. Alternative worlds may exist at the same time

(v) “You need some interaction to cause a transition.”

Answer: You need some interaction to cause a transition. Professor Gaitonde’s made a change, which according to Rajendra Deshpande, had happened because of the interaction happening in the professor’s mind at the time of the collision. When the collision took place, the professor was thinking about catastrophic theory and its role in wars. He was wondering about the Battle of Panipat and its consequences. The interaction in his brain acted as a cause to the transition

NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Chapter 5 – The Adventure

TALKING ABOUT THE TEXT

Discuss the following statements in groups of two pairs, each pair in a group taking opposite points of view.

(i) A single event may change the course of the history of a nation.

Answer: Supporter: A single event may change the course of the history of a nation. The battle of Panipat, for example, is said to be the turning point in the history of India. In the Battle of Panipat, the Marathas gave in to the forces of Ahmed Shah Abdali. After this event, the history of India took another turn. Gradually, the country was overtaken by the foreign: forces.

In the story The Adventure it is mentioned how in the beginning Prof. Gaitonde’s was preparing a speech on what course the history would have taken if the Marathas had won the Battle of Panipat. This shows the importance of a single event in the history of a nation.

Against: The motion that A single event may change the course of the history of a nation is a matter of wrong description only. It is a relative truth. If we apply the catastrophic theory in understanding history then we will find that there may be alternative outcomes of a single event so that we cannot proclaim that any one course of the event is the reality.  Since there may be alternative courses of history so debating on a single course is not fruitful.

In the story, the Adventure due to a catastrophic phenomenon the Battle of Panipat is revealed in a different version to Prof Gaitonde. According to this version, the Marathas emerged victorious in the Battle of Panipat. After the event, the Marathas extended influence over the entire country. India never fell to the alien  forces.

So, to argue that a single course of the event may change the  course of history is not tenable. There may be alternative effects following an event.

(ii) Discuss the following statements in groups of two pairs, each pair in a group taking opposite points of view.

Reality is what is directly experienced through the senses.

Answer: For: Our senses, that is the senses of touch, sight, taste and hearing and smell provide us facts about the world we live in. Knowledge from experience come through these senses. The reality is what we directly experience through these senses. No other reality exists which is not revealed to the senses.

Against: Reality is not what is directly revealed to the senses. We cannot experience so many entities like atoms and molecules but these are real. We cannot even predict the behavior of these entities accurately.

This point is mooted by Rajendra in the story Adventure when he points to the discoveries made by the physicists regarding the behavior of atoms. We can predict the position of a bullet fired in a particular direction from a gun but we cannot predict the position of an electron fired from a source.

This proves that reality is not what is directly revealed to the senses, there can be alternative realities

(iii) Discuss the following statements in groups of two pairs, each pair in a group taking opposite points of view.

The methods of inquiry of history, science, and philosophy are similar.

Answer For: The methods of inquiry of History, Science and Philosophy are similar. In the story, The Adventure one can find the perspectives of History, Philosophy, and Science converging towards a focal point. History employs the methods of observation, analysis, and rationalism in understanding the course of past events.

Science is based on observation. experimentation, and analysis. Rationalism is the most fundamental principle that Science follows. Philosophy is thoroughly critical in methodology.

Against It is a misinterpretation that the methods of inquiry of History. Science and Philosophy are similar. The similarity is at the superstitious level and not at the core. In the story, The Adventure Rajendra tried to demonstrate the experience of Prof Gaitonde by applying the Catastrophic theory. But this explanation is not convincing though it convinced the professor. Catastrophic theory can best explain the phenomenon of the physical world but History deals with the behavioral world.

It is concerned with the behavior of society and individuals. The methods of inquiry will also vary accordingly.

Q.2 (1) The story is called “The Adventure”. Compare it with the adventure described in “We’re Not Afraid to Die…

(ii) Why do you think Professor Gaitonde decided never to preside over meetings again?

Answer

Professor Gaitonde was experiencing a different version of the Battle of Panipat. According to this version, the Marathas emerged victorious in the Battle and started extending influence over the entire country. His mind was actually witnessing a different version of the historical reality.

Interestingly, he was also witnessing an event that was not conforming to the conventions. The event was a lecture session on the outcomes of the Battle of Panipat. In this lecture session, Prof. Gaitonde observed that the chair of the President was vacant. This again was contrary to the conventions, Prof. Gaitonde rushed to occupy the chair and started explaining the need for a President in a lecture session like this.

The public got angry on this point and started throwing objects at him. He had a bad experience. This led him to decide not to preside over meetings again.

Class 11 English Chapter-5 NCERT Solutions -The Adventure

THINKING ABOUT LANGUAGE

NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Chapter 5 – The Adventure

Q. I In which language do you think Gangadharpant and Khan Sahib talked to each other? Which language did Gangadharpant use to talk to the English receptionist?

Answer:  Gangadharpant and Khan Sahib talked to each other in Maratha language which they used a translator to talk to the English speaking receptionist.

Q.2 In which language do you think Bhausahebanchi Bakhar was written?

Answer. Bhausahebanchi Bakhar was written in Maratha language.

Q.3 There is mention of three communities in the story: The Marathas. the Mughals, the Anglo-Indians. Which language do you think they used within their communities and while speaking to the other groups?

Answer: They used their traditional slang oThe Adventuref language when they talked each other but when they speak to other groups they used the language which is accepted by people belonging to all the three communities.

Q.4 Do you think that the ruled always adopt the language of the ruler?

Answer:  Ruled always do not adopt the language of the ruler because all the people belonging to different communities has their traditional slang of speaking. (The Adventure)

PARAGRAPH ON TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND ZEBRA CROSSINGS