to imagine (ટુ ઈમેજિન) કલ્પના કરવી
range (રેન્જ) પહાડી પ્રદેશ, પર્વતમાળા
emerald (એમરલ્ડ) લીલીછમ
meadow (મેડો) નીલમણીપટ્ટી / ઘાસવાળી જગ્યા, ખીણ
patch (પેચ) પટ્ટી, ટુકડો
to create (ટુ ક્રિએટ) નિર્માણ કરવું, જગ્યા બનાવવી
panoramic (પેનોરામિક) આસપાસના પ્રદેશનો આખો દૃશ્ય, વ્યાપક
view (વ્યૂ) દૃશ્ય
to guess (ટુ ગેસ) કલ્પના કરવી
vibrant (વાઈબ્રન્ટ) ચમકતું
splendid (સ્પ્લેન્ડિડ) ભવ્ય
hidden (હિડન) છુપાયેલું, સંતાડેલું, ગુપ્તસ્થળ
alluring (અલ્યુરિંગ) આકર્ષક, મોહક
vast (વેસ્ટ) વિશાળ
botanist (બોટેનિસ્ટ) વનસ્પતિશાસ્ત્રનો નિષ્ણાત
located (લોકેટેડ) - માં આવેલું
track (ટ્રેક) પાથ, માર્ગ
location (લોકેશન) સ્થાન, સરનામું આવેલું
to discover (ટુ ડિસ્કવર) શોધી કાઢવું
accidentally (એકસિડેન્ટલી) આકસ્મિકપણે
mountaineer (માઉન્ટનિયર) પર્વતારోహક
successful (સક્સેસફુલ) સફળ
expedition (એક્સપેડિશન) વિશિષ્ટ હેતુસર કરાયેલ પ્રવાસ
valley (વેલી) ખીણ
to stun (ટુ સ્ટન) ચકિત કરવું
renowned (રીનાઉન્ડ) પ્રખ્યાત
trekker (ટ્રેકર) પ્રવાસ કરનાર
essay (એસે) નિબંધ
travelogue (ટ્રેવલોગ) પ્રવાસનાં વર્ણનો સમિતિ લેખ / ભાષણ, પ્રવાસવર્ણન
enchanting (એન્શાન્ટિંગ) મોહક
to declare (ટુ ડિક્લેર) જાહેર કરવું
reference (રેફરન્સ) ઉલ્લેખ
battle (બેટલ) યુદ્ધ
to strike (ટુ સ્ટ્રાઈક) અસર છોડી જવું / વાગવું
unconscious (અન્કોન્શિયસ) બેભાન
heavenly (હેવનલી) સ્વર્ગિક, દેવાઈનું
healer (હીલર) વૈદ, રોગ હરનાર
to prescribe (ટુ પ્રિસ્ક્રાઈબ) દવા લખી આપવી
miraculous (મિરૅક્યુલસ) અદ્ભુત, અવલોકિત
medicinal (મેડિસિનલ) ઔષધીય
meditation (મેડિટેશન) ધ્યાન
legend (લેજન્ડ) લોકકથા
official (અફીશિયલ) અધિકારી
to designate (ટુ ડિઝિગ્નેટ) નિમણુક કરવી, અહેવાલપત્ર, માન આપવું
centre (સેન્ટર) કેન્દ્ર
diversity (ડાઈવર્સિટી) વિવિધતા
species (સ્પીસીસ) જાતિ, પ્રજાતિ
globally (ગ્લોબલી) વૈશ્વિક રીતે
threatened (થ્રેટન્ડ) ધમકી અપાયેલું, ખતરા હેઠળ
endangered (એન્ડેન્જર્ડ) અપ્રાપ્ય, સંકટગ્રસ્ત, વિનાશ પામતું
category (કેટેગરી) વર્ગ, પ્રકારે
local (લોકલ) સ્થાનિક
religious (રિલિજિયસ) ધાર્મિક
offering (ઓફરિંગ) અર્પણ કરવામાં આવતું વસ્તુ
dominant (ડોમિનેન્ટ) મુખ્યતા ધરાવતું
fauna (ફૉના) પ્રાણીજાતિ, પ્રાણીવિશ્વ
mammal (મૅમલ) સસ્તન પ્રાણી
to record (ટુ રેકોર્ડ) નોંધવું
attraction (એટ્રેક્શન) આકર્ષણ
several (સેવરલ) ઘણા
reptile (રેપ્ટાઇલ) સરીસૃપ પ્રાણી
snow (સ્નો) બરફ
to explore (ટુ એક્સપ્લોર) વધુમાં શોધ કરવી, નિરીક્ષણ કરવું
splendour (સ્પ્લેન્ડર) ભવ્યતા
magnificent (મૅગ્નિફિસન્ટ) ભવ્ય, અદભુત
spread (સ્પ્રેડ) ફેલાયેલું
to bifurcate (ટુ બાઈનર્કેટ) બે ભાગ પાડવા
dewdrops (ડ્યુડ્રોપ્સ) તારલા, શિયાળું
rhythmic (રિધ્મિક) લયબદ્ધ
flora (ફ્લોરા) વનસ્પતિજાતિ
1. Read the extracts and answer the questions.
(1) Imagine yourself standing at a height of 14,000 feet in the western Himalayan range. All around you and as far as your eyes can see, there are flowers and flowers! Emerald mountains, green meadows, white clouds and colourful patches of flowers create a dreamlike panoramic view.
At what height is the place?
Ans. The place is at a height of 14,000 feet in the western Himalayan range.
Which word in the passage means ‘bright green’?
Ans. emerald
(2) It is a vibrant and splendid national park hidden in the Himalayas. This alluring place is known as the Valley of Flowers. A vast area of 87.5 square kilometres and a huge variety of alpine flowers make this place colourful for nature lovers, botanists and photographers.
Why are nature lovers attracted to the Valley of Flowers?
Ans. Nature lovers are attracted to the Valley of Flowers because of its huge variety of alpine flowers.
How big is the Valley of Flowers?
Ans. The Valley of Flowers is spread in 87.5 square kilometres.
Where is the Valley of Flowers situated?
Ans. The Valley of Flowers is situated in the Himalayas.
Which word in the passage means ‘lively’?
Ans. vibrant
(3) The Valley of Flowers is located near Ghaghariya town in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. It is about 300 km north of Rishikesh, near Badrinath. There is a motorable road up to Govindghat and from there the track of this Valley starts.
Where is the Valley of Flowers located?
Ans. The Valley of Flowers is located near Ghaghariya town in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.
From where does the track of the Valley of Flowers start?
Ans. The track of the Valley of Flowers starts from Govindghat.
(4) This place was little known to outside world due to its remote location. In 1931, it was discovered accidentally by three British mountaineers. They lost their way while returning from a successful expedition. They came down to this beautiful valley searching for a way out from the mountains in the Himalayan range. Stunned by the variety and colours of the flowers, they named it as “The Valley of Flowers”.
1. How was the Valley of Flowers discovered?
Ans. The Valley of Flowers was accidentally discovered by three British mountaineers, who had lost their way in the Himalayan range.
2. Who discovered the Valley of Flowers? When?
Ans. The Valley of Flowers was discovered by three British mountaineers in 1931.
3. Why did the mountaineers name it ‘The Valley of Flowers’?
Ans. The mountaineers were so stunned by the variety and colours of flowers that they named it ‘The Valley of Flowers’.
4. Which words in the passage mean:
(a) trip (b) far off (c) astonished
Ans. (a) expedition (b) remote (c) stunned
5. Why was the Valley of Flowers little known to the outside world?
Ans. The Valley of Flowers was little known to the outside world because of its remote location.
(5)
Thereafter, renowned mountaineers, trekkers and botanists started pouring in. Writers and poets have written essays, travelogues and poems on the enchanting beauty of this place. This Valley was declared as a National Park in 1982 and in 1988 it was included in the World Heritage Site.
1. Who started visiting the Valley of Flowers?
Ans. Renowned mountaineers, trekkers and botanists started visiting the Valley of Flowers.
2. Writers and poets have written about …
Ans. Writers and poets have written about the enchanting beauty of the Valley of Flowers.
3. When was the Valley declared a National Park?
Ans. The Valley was declared a National Park in 1982.
4. When was the Valley included in the World Heritage Site?
Ans. The Valley was included in the World Heritage Site in 1988.
5. Which words in the passage mean:
(a) delightful (b) famous (c) announced
Ans. (a) enchanting (b) renowned (c) declared
(6)
Interestingly, there is a reference about this place in the Ramayana. In the battle between Rama and Ravana, Lakshmana was struck with an arrow shot by Meghnad, the son of Ravana. Lakshmana became unconscious; Rama called Ashwinikumars, the heavenly healers. They prescribed sanjeevani – a miraculous medicinal plant found only on the Himalayas, far away from Sri Lanka in the northern part of Bharat Varsha. Hanuman flew to that place and brought the sanjeevani along with the hill. That place was the Valley of Flowers! Many Indian yogis have come here and sat for long years in meditation.
1. How does the Valley of Flowers find a reference in the Ramayana?
Ans. When Lakshmana became unconscious in the battle, the heavenly healers Ashwinikumars prescribed sanjeevani – a miraculous medicinal plant found only in the Valley of Flowers.
2. Why do Indian yogis come to the Valley of Flowers?
Ans. Indian yogis come to meditate in the Valley of Flowers.
3. Ashwinikumars were …
Ans. Ashwinikumars were the heavenly healers.
4. Which words in the passage mean:
(a) amazing (b) hit (c) doctors
Ans. (a) miraculous (b) struck (c) healers