Comprehension 1

Focus & Succeed

"The expert in anything was once a beginner."

Unit 1: Cheetah's Tears

"He decided to catch a young cub and train it to hunt for him. Then I shall only say, 'O my dear, go and kill a deer for me.' Ah! My life will be very comfortable then. He was quite pleased with his own idea."

Question 1: What did Edie decide? Answer: Edie decided to catch a young cub and train it to hunt for him. Question 2: Why did Edie want to train the cub? Answer: Edie wanted to train the cub so that it could hunt for him and make his life comfortable. Question 3: How did Edie feel about his idea? Answer: Edie was quite pleased with his own idea.

"He saw two tiny cubs. They looked at him with their bright eyes. They were too young to run away. Edie threw the net over them and the cubs were caught. He needed only one cub but he thought, 'Ah! It is always better to have two slaves instead of one!' He dragged them with him and hid them under a big basket."

Question 1: What did Edie see? Answer: Edie saw two tiny cubs. Question 2: Why could the cubs not run away? Answer: The cubs could not run away because they were too young. Question 3: What did Edie think after catching both cubs? Answer: He thought that it is always better to have two slaves instead of one. Question 4: Where did Edie hide the cubs? Answer: Edie hid the cubs under a big basket.

Unit 2: Dental Care

"Sonia had a severe toothache. She could not eat anything nor could she go to school. Studying at home was also impossible due to pain. She was not able to sleep also. Sonia said, 'O Maa! It is unbearable.' We must visit a dentist, said her uncle Ashokbhai. The same evening they were at the Dental Care Clinic of Dr. Bansi Sharma."

Question 1: Why could Sonia not eat or go to school? Answer: Sonia could not eat or go to school because she had a severe toothache. Question 2: Why was studying at home impossible for Sonia? Answer: Studying at home was impossible due to the intense pain she was experiencing. Question 3: Who suggested visiting a dentist? Answer: Her uncle Ashokbhai suggested that they must visit a dentist.

"Dr. Sharma says, 'The dental health is very important. You should brush your teeth twice a day—once in the morning and once before you go to bed. Another thing, you should clean your mouth after every meal and every time you eat a chocolate or ice cream.'"

Question 1: What is Dr. Sharma's advice on brushing? Answer: He advises brushing teeth twice a day—once in the morning and once before going to bed. Question 2: When should we clean our mouth according to the doctor? Answer: We should clean our mouth after every meal and after eating chocolates or ice cream.

Unit 3: Mohan and his Veena

"Mohan was born into a family of musicians. Music was in his blood. He grew up with musicians. Like his father and other family members, he was initially trained in vocal music and then he tried his hand at the violin. When he was about ten, he started liking Sitar. He was also trained in it and played it for about three years."

Question 1: What kind of family was Mohan born into? Answer: Mohan was born into a family of musicians. Question 2: In which music was he initially trained? Answer: He was initially trained in vocal music. Question 3: At what age did he start liking the Sitar? Answer: He started liking the Sitar when he was about ten years old.

"A German lady came to stay with Mohan's family to learn music from his father. It was the guitar which changed his life. He began his experiments with that beautiful instrument. 'No other instrument now in my life. I want to play the guitar only,' said Mohan to himself. Guitar took all his time."

Question 1: Why did the German lady come to Mohan's house? Answer: She came to learn music from Mohan's father. Question 2: Which instrument changed Mohan's life? Answer: The guitar changed Mohan's life. Question 3: What determination did Mohan make regarding his music? Answer: He determined that he wanted to play the guitar only and no other instrument.