Std. 10. Unit-3 'An interview with Arun Krishnamurthy' Comprehension

1. Read the extracts and answer the questions.

(1) Arun Krishnamurthy was just 17 years old when he founded the NGO Environmentalist Foundation of India (EFI). Beginning with the Turtle Walk – a move to save turtle eggs and young hatchlings in Chennai, today Arun and his team of volunteers have cleaned beaches and various water bodies in Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Coimbatore, and Puducherry. The team cleans lakes, beaches and zoos, plants trees, educates people through street plays and also makes environment-friendly paper bags. Arun’s team has students who joined him when they were in Class - 7 and continued to work with him even after five years.

1. Which organization did Arun found at the age of 17?

Ans. Arun founded an NGO called Environmentalist Foundation of India at the age of 17.

2. Which was the first activity of EFI?

Ans. The first activity of EFI was Turtle Walk – a move to save turtle eggs and young hatchlings in Chennai.

3. What have Arun and his team done?

Ans. Arun and his team have cleaned beaches and water bodies in Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Coimbatore and Puducherry.

4. What are the activities of Arun’s team?

Ans. Arun’s team cleans lakes, beaches and zoos, plants trees, educates people through street plays and also makes environment-friendly paper bags.

(2) A beautiful lake next to my house, which once had a lot of birds, frogs and snakes, was heavily polluted. It led to the spread of mosquitoes and turned a lovely place into an ugly neighbourhood. This hurt me badly and I wanted to do something about it. I got together with a couple of my friends and cleaned the pond next to my house. This was the first activity.

1. Why was Arun hurt?

Ans.Arun was hurt because a lake next to his house was so polluted that it spread mosquitoes and turned the place into an ugly neighbourhood.

2. What did Arun do?

Ans. Arun got together with a couple of his friends and cleaned the pond next to his house.

(3) I have supportive parents who understood that my interest was the environment. They have never stopped me from doing what I want. On my part, I also made sure that I did not fail my parents in any way. I always informed them about everything that I did and took their advice before jumping into actions.

1. What does Arun say about his parents?

Ans. Arun says that his parents are supportive and understood his interest in environment and so they never stopped him from doing what he wanted.

2. How did Arun make sure that he never failed his parents?

Ans. Arun always informed his parents about his activities and took their advice before jumping into action.

(4) I have teachers who taught me how to go about things. They also taught me humility – so that I did not become snobbish or arrogant and start thinking I was a superstar because I was doing all this environment work. They taught me to be simple and keep learning all the time. I am not an activist, I am an environmentalist. I have learnt so much by doing this work.

1. What did Arun's teachers teach him?

Ans. Arun’s teachers taught him to be humble, simple and keep learning all the time.

2. Arun’s teachers taught him humility so that …

Ans.Arun’s teachers taught him humility so that he did not become arrogant or snobbish and start thinking that he was a superstar because he worked for the environment.

3. What does Arun call himself?

Ans. Arun calls himself and Environmentalist.

4. Why does Arun believe that he is an environmentalist and not an activist?

Ans. Arun belives that he is an environmentalist and not an activist because he keeps on learning so much from the environment and his work to protect the environment.