Class 11 English (Elective) Essay Chapter 7- Bridges Important Question Answers from Woven Words Book
Class 11 English (Elective) Bridges Important Question Answers – Looking for questions and answers for CBSE Class 11 English (Elective) Essay Chapter 7 – Bridges Look no further! Our comprehensive compilation of important questions will help you brush up on your subject knowledge. Practising Class 11 English question answers can significantly improve your performance in the exam. Improve your chances of scoring high marks by exploring Essay Chapter 7 – Bridges now. The questions listed below are based on the latest CBSE exam pattern, wherein we have given NCERT solutions to the chapter’s extract-based questions, multiple choice questions and Extra Question Answers
Also, practising with different kinds of questions can help students learn new ways to solve problems that they may not have seen before. This can ultimately lead to a deeper understanding of the subject matter and better performance on exams.
- Bridges NCERT Solutions
- Bridges Extract Based Questions
- Bridges Multiple Choice Questions
- Bridges Extra Question Answers
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Bridges Textbook Questions (NCERT Solutions)
Look for these words and expressions in the text and guess their meaning from the context.
infraction
demeanour
dubious assertion
synergy
Ans.
infraction: a violation, a breaking of a rule, or a minor offense/misdemeanor.
demeanour: a person’s outward behavior, manner, or appearance, especially as it indicates their character or mood
dubious assertion: a statement or claim that is questionable, doubtful, or not entirely trustworthy.
synergy: the interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects.
UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT
1. How did the author feel about her mother’s passion to make her a dancer?
Ans. The author, Kumudini Lakhia, did not share her mother’s passion for dance, at least not initially. She openly states that as a child, she never did want to dance and that it was forced upon her. She found the journey to dance classes difficult and endured them unwillingly, even though her mother believed she was born to dance. This shows that her mother’s strong desire for her to dance was something she initially resisted rather than embraced.
2. What were the lessons of life learnt in her younger days that Kumudini carried into her adult life?
Ans. Kumudini learned several important life lessons in her younger days that stayed with her. From the incident with Liaquat Ali’s gardener, she learned about the games that politicians play, recognizing that even generous offers can hide other intentions. Her experience at boarding school taught her to appreciate the value of discipline, realizing that discipline in one’s daily routine does bring discipline in thinking. Her mother’s death left her with a deep sense of confusion and emptiness, which taught her about different kinds of hunger within herself, and these emotions later shaped her artistic work.
3. How did Kumudini react to her mother’s death?
Ans. Kumudini reacted to her mother’s death with overwhelming confusion and a deep sense of emptiness. She was only 14 years old and had been summoned home under false pretenses. When she saw her mother motionless, she finally understood. In that moment of shock and grief, she felt a physical hunger because she hadn’t eaten for days, but also an emotional void. She tried to hide her feelings, fearing she might appear greedy if she showed her true yearning. This profound confusion and inner emptiness stayed with her and even influenced themes in her later choreography.
4. What were the concepts that Kumidini Lakhia represented through Duvidha, Atah Kim and Panch Paras?
Ans. Through her choreographic works, Kumudini Lakhia represents deeply personal and universal concepts. In Duvidha (Conflict), she explores the internal struggle and emptiness felt by a middle-class woman torn between traditional Indian domestic life and the allure of a more independent, modern existence seen from her window. Atah Kim means ‘so, now what?’ represents the recurring question in her life about purpose and direction after achieving a goal or being at a crossroads, especially her own desire for power and what to do with it once acquired. Panch Paras came from her arguments with her grandmother about religion, where she explored the idea of strength coming from within and the importance of truly embracing and experiencing the world through one’s senses, rather than just being sentimental or bargaining with an outside force.
5. How does Kumudini Lakhia describe her guru Ramgopal’s influence on her?
Ans. Kumudini Lakhia describes Ram Gopal’s influence as significant and transformative. She admired him as a strict disciplinarian with a strong desire for perfection of line in classical Bharatanatyam. However, his most profound lesson was, ‘You’ve perfected the technique, now throw it overboard and dance’. This meant that once she had mastered the technical aspects, she needed to go beyond them to express herself freely and creatively. This teaching became a core principle she applied to her own students, emphasizing that true artistic experimentation can only begin after a strong foundation in technique has been achieved.
TALKING ABOUT THE TEXT
Discuss the following in pairs or in small groups
1. Exceptionally talented people are born so; talent cannot be cultivated.
Ans. This statement suggests that talent is something you’re either born with or not, and it can’t be developed. Kumudini Lakhia’s essay seems to argue against this idea. She herself states she was not born to dance and that it was initially forced upon her. She speaks of dance as a struggle and a discipline, implying that hard work, perseverance, and learning are crucial. While her mother might have seen an innate ability, it was the gruelling exercise of practice, exposure to different styles, and continuous learning that cultivated her talent into a successful career. So, the essay suggests talent is more about cultivation through effort and experience than just an inborn gift.
2. Discipline and a questioning spirit can coexist in an individual.
Ans. This statement is clearly supported by Kumudini Lakhia’s life. She appreciated the form of discipline taught by her British teachers, noting that it brings discipline in thinking” and helps organize thoughts. Yet, she also possessed a strong questioning spirit. As a child, she wanted to know “Why was I gyrating in this way?” when her teacher couldn’t explain. She questioned her grandmother’s views on the female body and challenged traditional religious bargaining with God. Her guru, Ram Gopal, also encouraged a blend of both: ‘perfect the technique’ and then ‘throw it overboard and dance’. Her story shows that discipline provides structure, but a questioning spirit allows for growth, innovation, and deeper understanding within that structure.
3. “Before you begin experimenting, you need to perfect the technique with which you experiment.”
Ans. This statement, directly from Kumudini Lakhia’s guru Ram Gopal, is a crucial philosophy for artistic development. It means that true creative freedom and innovation don’t come from a lack of rules or understanding, but from mastering the fundamentals. Imagine trying to paint an abstract masterpiece without knowing how to hold a brush or mix colors; it would likely just be a mess. Once a dancer, musician, or artist has fully mastered the basic techniques, the grammar of their art form, they have the tools and understanding to thoughtfully break rules, combine elements in new ways, and truly experiment. Without that technical foundation, experimentation might just be random or ineffective. Lakhia applies this lesson in her own teaching, showing its profound impact on her artistic approach.
4. Kumudini Lakhia’s life is an inspiring illustration of the emancipation of women.
Ans. Kumudini Lakhia’s life indeed serves as an inspiring illustration of the emancipation of women, particularly in the context of Indian society. She challenges many traditional expectations placed on women. Despite her initial reluctance, she pursued a demanding career in dance, a field that was not always seen as a prestigious or common choice for women. Her choice to study agriculture was highly off-beat for a young woman of her time, and she openly challenged conservative views on female modesty and religious practices with her grandmother. Even after marriage and having children, she continued her professional work, acknowledging the challenges but succeeding with a supportive husband. Her career, her questioning spirit, and her dedication to her art while also managing family responsibilities showcase a woman who broke barriers and defined her own path, rather than being confined by societal norms.
APPRECIATION
1. The significance of reading an autobiograophy lies in drawing lessons from another life. What is the significance of Kumudini’s account for us as readers?
Ans. Kumudini Lakhia’s autobiography is significant for readers because it offers profound lessons beyond just her dance career. It teaches us about resilience and persistence, as she pursued dance despite initial dislike and challenges. It illustrates the power of personal experience to shape artistic expression, showing how even traumatic events can be processed into meaningful art. Her story highlights the importance of questioning authority and societal norms, encouraging readers to think critically rather than passively accepting rules. It also emphasizes the value of discipline balanced with experimentation in any field. Finally, her journey through a changing India and her efforts to define home and identity provide universal insights into self-discovery and finding purpose in a complex world.
2. Pick out instances from the passage that reflect the sensitivity of the author.
Ans. The author’s sensitivity is reflected in several instances. Her deep empathy for her mother’s struggles during her childhood dance lessons shows her awareness of others’ efforts. The vivid description of her confusion and physical sensations like clutching stomach, hunger pangs, dangling arms after her mother’s death reveals a profound emotional processing of trauma, which she later channeled into her choreography. Her amazement at how the same situation in a different environment evokes quite different reactions highlights her keen observation and nuanced understanding of human experience and context. Her arguments with her grandmother, leading to the distinction between sensitivity and sentimentality, further underscore her thoughtful and reflective nature.
3. ‘I can see clear bridges between my life experiences and my work in dance.’ How does Kumudini Lakhia weave episodes from the two realms in her account?
Ans. Kumudini Lakhia masterfully weaves episodes from her life and her dance work, explicitly showing the clear bridges between the two. She doesn’t just state the connection; she demonstrates it by linking specific personal experiences to her choreographic pieces. For instance, the confusion and emotional hunger she felt after her mother’s death directly inspired her work Duvidha (Conflict), where she explored a character’s inner emptiness and struggle. Her recurring question about purpose after finishing school and other life transitions found its form in her composition ‘Atah Kim’. Similarly, her philosophical arguments with her grandmother about the senses and religion led to her piece ‘Panch Paras’. By detailing these personal moments and then revealing how they transformed into artistic expression, she effectively shows that her dance is not merely performance but a profound reflection and processing of her lived reality.
LANGUAGE WORK ___________________________
1. Distinguish between the following pairs of words
incredulous – incredible
suspicious – susceptible
sensitivity – sentimentality
successive – successful
Ans. Incredulous: Refers to a person who is unwilling or unable to believe something; skeptical.
Incredible: Refers to something that is impossible to believe, astonishing, or extraordinary.
Suspicious: Refers to having a cautious distrust of someone or something, or causing such a feeling.
Susceptible: Refers to being easily influenced, harmed, or affected by something.
Sensitivity: Refers to the quality of being able to detect or respond to slight changes, signals, or emotions; being understanding or aware.
Sentimentality: Refers to excessive tenderness, sadness, or nostalgia, often in an exaggerated or affected way; being overly emotional.
Successive: Refers to following one after another in order.
Successful: Refers to having achieved popularity, profit, or a desired aim or result.
2. Interpret these phrases in the context of the essay
| mist of protection | at a crossroads |
| it came with strings attached |
Ans. mist of protection
This phrase refers to the author’s childhood being largely shielded and guarded by her family, particularly her parents. She felt enveloped by a protective environment that limited her exposure to the wider world and perhaps stifled her independence, making her want to emerge from that mist and discover herself.
at a crossroads
This phrase describes a crucial point in the author’s life where she had to make an important decision or choice about her future path, often without a clear direction. She mentions being at a crossroads after finishing school and again after graduating with her agriculture degree, indicating moments of uncertainty and significant life choices.
it came with strings attached
This phrase means something desirable that came with hidden conditions, obligations, or responsibilities that made it less straightforward or entirely free. For the author, getting a home in Bombay after marriage meant she also had the added burden of managing the household and domestic responsibilities, often in addition to her professional work.
3. ‘Kummi’, ‘ghumar’ and ‘dandia’ are some dance forms mentioned in the text. Make an inventory of folk dance forms in the different regions of the country.
Ans. North India
Punjab: Bhangra, Giddha
Rajasthan: Ghoomar, Kalbelia, Bhavai
Uttar Pradesh: Raslila, Charkula
Himachal Pradesh: Nati
East India
Assam: Bihu
West Bengal: Chhau, Gumbhira
Odisha: Gotipua, Dalkhai
Bihar/Jharkhand: Chhau, Karma
West India
Gujarat: Garba, Dandiya Raas, Tippani
Maharashtra: Lavani, Koli
Goa: Fugdi, Dekhni
South India
Kerala: Kummi, Theyyam, Mohiniyattam
Tamil Nadu: Karagattam, Kavadi Attam
Andhra Pradesh/Telangana: Kuchipudi, Lambadi
Karnataka: Yakshagana, Dollu Kunitha
Central India
Madhya Pradesh: Gaur Maria, Matki
Chhattisgarh: Panthi, Raut Nacha
CBSE Class 11 English Essay Chapter 7 Bridges Extract-Based Questions and Answers
A.
If my younger self could see me now she would be incredulous. That I would work in the field of dance or decipher and translate dance for my own comprehension, call it choreography if you wish, would have been unbelievable. In this respect, I am particularly envious of dancers who claim that they were ‘born to dance’, implying that it was clearly laid out for them from the beginning. I must say, I find this assertion dubious; it is rarely that easy. To dance means to struggle—I believe it is the same in any discipline because discipline itself is a struggle. I believe I was not simply born to dance; I was born to live. And now, as the patchwork of my life comes into clearer focus, I can see clear bridges between my life experiences and my work in dance.
Q1. How does the author believe her younger self would react to her current profession?
Ans. Her younger self would be incredulous, meaning she would find it unbelievable.
Q2. What about other dancers does the author feel envious of?
Ans. She is envious of dancers who claim they were born to dance, suggesting their path was clear from the start.
Q3. Why does the author find the assertion ‘born to dance’ dubious?
Ans. She finds it dubious because she believes dancing, like any discipline, involves struggle and is rarely easy.
Q4. What does the author believe she was born to do, beyond just dancing?
Ans. She believes she was born to live.
Q5. What does the author now see connecting her life experiences and her dance work?
Ans. She can now see clear bridges between her life experiences and her work in dance.
B.
In all truth, as a child, I never did want to dance; it was forced upon me by a doting mother and a silent father. My father probably kept his peace to avoid argument. From the beginning my lessons took place under trying conditions, though I believe that the conditions were more trying for my mother than for me. She travelled in local, over-crowded trains to dance class with an unwilling child, tired from a whole day at school. She waited a whole hour in the not-so-clean ante-room of my guru’s house and then endured the same journey back. This was in Bombay, and my first dance lessons were with Guru Sunder Prasad who lived in Chowpatty while we lived in Khar. We took the train, then a bus and then walked, and the whole trip took roughly 45 minutes each way.
Q1. As a child, did the author want to dance?
Ans. No, as a child, she never wanted to dance.
Q2. Who forced dance upon the author?
Ans. Her doting mother and silent father forced it upon her.
Q3. Why did the author’s father likely remain silent about her dance lessons?
Ans. He probably kept his peace to avoid an argument.
Q4. Describe the conditions under which the author’s early dance lessons took place.
Ans. The lessons took place under trying conditions, involving long commutes by overcrowded trains and buses, with her tired and unwilling.
Q5. How long did the trip to dance class take each way for the author and her mother?
Ans. The trip took roughly 45 minutes each way.
C.
Mother was already dead when I arrived, 36 hours and three train-rides later. When I saw her, motionless and colourless, I finally understood why I had been summoned home. I was 14 years old. The air was still and nobody looked at me. I did not know where to turn or what to do with my hands, which hung loose from my body. Then suddenly they clutched my stomach. Hunger pangs? I hadn’t eaten for three days and there was an emptiness I wanted to fill. I was afraid of appearing greedy, so I underplayed my emotions, though all kinds of yearning gnawed my insides.
Q1. How old was the author when her mother passed away?
Ans. She was 14 years old.
Q2. How long did it take the author to reach home after being summoned?
Ans. It took her 36 hours and three train rides.
Q3. What did the author realize when she saw her mother?
Ans. She finally understood why she had been summoned home.
Q4. What physical sensation did the author experience after seeing her mother, and why?
Ans. She felt hunger pangs because she hadn’t eaten for three days, feeling an emptiness she wanted to fill.
Q5. How did the author manage her emotions at that moment?
Ans. She underplayed her emotions because she was afraid of appearing greedy, even though she felt deep yearning inside.
D.
After graduating with a degree in agriculture at the age of 18, I was left with few job prospects and was again at a crossroads. Luckily, good fortune came to me without much beckoning. It happened in Bombay. I had gone to the train station to see off Suresh who was studying at Sherwood College in Nainital. While I was waving to the train that had now disappeared, there was a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and the woman who stood there changed the course of my life. All those tedious hours of dance lessons fused into a new synergy. She was Komlata Dutt, a friend of my father’s and, more importantly, the person who introduced Uday Shankar to the dance legend, Anna Pavlova, in Paris. And here she was, telling me to join the Ram Gopal Dance Company based in London!
Q1. What degree did the author graduate with, and at what age?
Ans. She graduated with a degree in agriculture at the age of 18.
Q2. What situation did the author find herself in after graduation?
Ans. She was at a crossroads with few job prospects.
Q3. Where did the life-changing event occur?
Ans. It occurred in Bombay, at the train station.
Q4. Who did the author meet at the train station, and what was her significance?
Ans. She met Komlata Dutt, a friend of her father’s, who had introduced Uday Shankar to Anna Pavlova.
Q5. What offer did Komlata Dutt make to the author?
Ans. She told the author to join the Ram Gopal Dance Company based in London.
Class 11 Bridges Multiple-Choice Questions
Q1. How would the author’s younger self react to her working in dance?
A. Proud
B. Enthusiastic
C. Incredulous
D. Unconcerned
Ans. C. Incredulous
Q2. What does the author believe about dancers who claim they were ‘born to dance’?
A. She agrees it’s their destiny.
B. She finds the assertion dubious.
C. She thinks it’s inspiring.
D. She believes it makes dance easier.
Ans. B. She finds the assertion dubious.
Q3. What was the author’s initial feeling about dance as a child?
A. She loved it from the start.
B. It was a pleasant hobby.
C. She never wanted to dance; it was forced upon her.
D. She was indifferent to it.
Ans. C. She never wanted to dance; it was forced upon her.
Q4. What spurred the author’s mother to enroll her in dance classes?
A. The author’s strong desire to learn.
B. A dance performance at school.
C. Her father’s suggestion.
D. The author’s fascination with a film dance number.
Ans. D. The author’s fascination with a film dance number.
Q5. How did the author’s mother manage the dance classes?
A. She hired a private tutor.
B. She drove the author in a car.
C. She traveled in crowded local trains and waited for hours.
D. The author went by herself.
Ans. C. She traveled in crowded local trains and waited for hours.
Q6. What was a significant part of the author’s childhood education beyond dance and academics?
A. Extensive travel abroad.
B. Lessons learned from life during a volatile era.
C. Specialized military training.
D. Studying abroad in England.
Ans. B. Lessons learned from life during a volatile era.
Q7. Who was Liaquat Ali to the author’s family in Delhi?
A. Her dance guru
B. Their gardener
C. Their neighbor
D. Her school principal
Ans. C. Their neighbor
Q8. What lesson did the author learn from the incident with Liaquat Ali’s gardener?
A. The importance of sharing.
B. The generosity of neighbors.
C. How to pick guavas effectively.
D. The games that politicians play
Ans. D. The games that politicians play
Q9. Where was the author sent to boarding school at the age of nine?
A. Bombay
B. Delhi
C. Lahore
D. Allahabad
Ans. C. Lahore
Q10. Who did the author’s mother send with her to boarding school for dance lessons?
A. Guru Sunder Prasad
B. Radhelal Misra
C. Mumtaz Ali
D. Ram Gopal
Ans. B. Radhelal Misra
Q11. Why did the author dislike her dance classes in boarding school?
A. She found the teacher too strict.
B. She felt nothing progressed and the teacher wouldn’t explain “why.”
C. She preferred academics.
D. There were no other girls interested in dance.
Ans. B. She felt nothing progressed and the teacher wouldn’t explain “why.”
Q12. How did the author’s mother convince the British principal to allow her to continue dancing?
A. By threatening to withdraw her from school.
B. By paying extra fees.
C. By arguing that dance was a form of prayer and religious freedom.
D. By showing the author’s talent.
Ans. C. By arguing that dance was a form of prayer and religious freedom.
Q13. What event dramatically changed the author’s life three weeks before her final school exams?
A. She received a scholarship.
B. She was called home due to her mother’s illness.
C. She decided to quit dancing.
D. Her father was transferred to a new city.
Ans. B. She was called home due to her mother’s illness.
Q14. How old was the author when her mother passed away?
A. Fourteen
B. Nine
C. Seven
D. Eighteen
Ans. A. Fourteen
Q15. What recurring feeling from her childhood experience after her mother’s death influences the author’s choreography?
A. Joy and celebration
B. Confusion and emptiness
C. Anger and rebellion
D. Peace and tranquility
Ans. B. Confusion and emptiness
Q16. What unusual college major did the author pursue after school?
A. Psychology
B. English Literature
C. Engineering
D. Agriculture
Ans. D. Agriculture
Q17. What did the author learn about the ‘dignity of the female body’ through her arguments with her grandmother?
A. That it must always be covered.
B. That it should be underplayed.
C. That women must embrace their senses and use them to the fullest.
D. That it is only for procreation.
Ans. C. That women must embrace their senses and use them to the fullest.
Q18. What was the central point of the author’s arguments with her grandmother about religion?
A. Whether God exists
B. The need to bargain with an outside force for strength, instead of finding it within
C. The type of rituals to perform
D. The beauty of temple architecture
Ans. B. The need to bargain with an outside force for strength, instead of finding it within
Q19. Who was Komlata Dutt, and what significant offer did she make to the author?
A. Her new dance guru; offered private lessons
B. A family friend offered to teach her music
C. A friend of her father offered her a place in Ram Gopal Dance Company
D. A college professor offered her a job in agriculture
Ans. C. A friend of her father offered her a place in Ram Gopal Dance Company
Q20. What key lesson did Ram Gopal impart to the author about dance technique?
A. Technique is more important than expression.
B. One should only dance if born to it.
C. After perfecting technique, one should throw it overboard and dance
D. Technique is irrelevant in dance.
Ans. C. After perfecting technique, one should throw it overboard and dance
CBSE Class 11 English (Elective) Essay Chapter 7 Bridges Extra Question Answers
Answer the following questions.
Q1. How did Kumudini Lakhia feel about dancing when she was a child?
Ans. As a child, Kumudini Lakhia never wanted to dance, it was something her mother made her do.
Q2. What surprising event led Kumudini’s mother to believe she was born to dance?
Ans. Her mother saw her imitating a dance number from a film by Mumtaz Ali, which fascinated her, and her mother felt she had an innate ability.
Q3. How did the death of her mother affect Kumudini Lakhia, and how did this later appear in her dance?
Ans. Her mother’s death, when Kumudini was 14, caused deep confusion and a feeling of emptiness. These feelings, especially the dangling arms and hunger for something undefined, later became themes in her choreography, like in her piece Duvidha.
Q4. What unusual subject did Kumudini Lakhia study in college, and why did she choose it?
Ans. She studied agriculture because her father encouraged her to do something off-beat and different from the done thing that everyone else did.
Q5. What important lesson did Kumudini Lakhia learn from Ram Gopal about dance technique?
Ans. She learned that after perfecting the dance technique, one should throw it overboard and dance, meaning to go beyond mere technique and truly express oneself creatively.