Gujarat Board GSEB Solutions Class 9 English Second Language Chapter 11 Valley of Flowers Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

GSEB Class 9 English Textbook Solutions Chapter 11 Valley of Flowers (Second Language)

GSEB Class 9 English Valley of Flowers Text Book Questions and Answers

(A) Read this information.

(1) Sanctuary: A wildlife sanctuary is a protected area, where limited human activity is allowed. The ownership of this type of protected area can be in the hands of either a government or any private organization, provided the regulations are governed by the government.

Inside a wildlife sanctuary, the hunting of animals is completely prohibited. Additionally, the trees cannot be cut down for any purpose. Rights of land can be of people. People can graze their animals in a sanctuary. A sanctuary can be upgraded to a national park.

(2) National Park : A national park has a defined boundary aim, through which no person can get into the park without permission Only permitted persons can enter a national park. The visitors can observe the park in a vehicle which routes through defined trails and they cannot get out of the vehicle for any reason. Rights of land don’t belong to people. People cannot graze their animals in a national park. A national park cannot be degraded to a sanctuary.

(B) Fill in the missing information.

Sanctuary or National Park	Name	How to reach from Ahmadabad. Total kilometres (in brackets)
Lions	Gir Forest (Junagadh)	By bus (327 km)
Tigers	Ranthambhor (Rajasthan)	By bus (650 km)
Bears	Jessore Sloth Bear Sanctuary (Palanpur, Banaskantha)	By bus (190 km)
Blackbucks	Blackbuck National Park (Velavadar, Bhavnagar)	By bus (170 km)
Dolphins	Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary (Bihar)	By bus (1879 km)
Birds	Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary (Jamnagar)	By bus (304 km)
Marine animals	Narara Marine National Park (Jamnagar)	By bus (362 km)

(C) Read this poem.

I wandered (roamed) lonely as a cloud . That floats (sails) on high o’er vales (valleys) and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin (shore) of a bay :
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly (lively) dance.
The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling (shining) waves in glee (joy) :
A poet could not but be gay (happy),
In such a jocund company :
I gazed and gazed-but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft (often), when on my couch I lie
In vacant (blank) or in pensive (thoughtful) mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss (blessing) of solitude (time alone);
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils. – William Wordsworth

Now say whether these statements are True or False.

(1) The poet was moving in a daffodil park. – False
(2) The poet looked at the flowers from the sky. – False
(3) All the daffodils were dancing on the bank of the lake. – True
(4) He saw flowers on the hills of the Himalayas. – False
(5) One thousand daffodils were dancing together. – False
(6) The sight of dancing daffodils delighted the poet. – True
(7) The poet’s heart also started dancing. – True

(D) Draw the flower you like the most. Why do you like it ?

I love the rose. I love this flower because of its beauty and colours. It has a lovely fragrance, too.

Vocabulary

1. Fill in the blanks using the words from the brackets.

(enchanting, travelogue, alluring, stunned, miraculous, panoramic)
Once we visited a nature park. We were stunned when we looked at the panoramic view of nature. It was really- enchanting. The flowers were so alluring that we couldn’t avoid touching them. It had such a miraculous effect on me that I wrote a travelogue on it.

2. Here is a list of words. Find out the sentences in which they are used and understand their meanings.

(1) vibrant – lively
It is a vibrant and splendid national park.

(2) splendid – fine
It is a vibrant and splendid national park.

(3) alluring – attractive
This alluring place is known as the Valley of Flowers.

(4) enchanting – captivating, attractive
Writers and poets have written essays, travelogues and poems on the enchanting beauty of this place.

(5) miraculous – amazing
They prescribed ‘sanjeevani’- a miraculous medicinal plant found only in the Himalayas.

(6) diversity – variety
It is designated as a centre of plant diversity.

(7) magnificent – grand
This is the best time to explore the splendour of this magnificent place.

Comprehension

1. Check these facts about the Valley of Flowers (VF). Write True or False.

(1) The VF is a National Heritage Park. – False
(2) The VF is a very interesting place for the botanists. – True
(3) Hanuman brought the sanjeevani plant from the VF. – True
(4) The Govindghat is the gateway to the VF. – True
(5) The river Pushpavati is 6 kms long. – True
(6) We can see the snow leopards and the snow pigeons in the VF. – True
(7) The plants and flowers in the VF are just for beauty. – False
(8) Diwali vacation is a suitable time for trekking in the VF. – False

3. Answer the questions.

Question 1.
Why is the beauty of VF called ‘dreamlike’ ?
Answer:
The beauty of the VF is called , ‘dreamlike’ because the emerald mountains, green meadows, white clouds and colourful patches of flowers create a panoramic view.

Question 2.
What attracts photographers to the VF?
Answer:
The huge variety of alpine flowers that make the valley colourful attract photographers to the VF.

Question 3.
How would you reach the VF from Ahmadabad ?
Answer:
I would take a train to Rishikesh. From there, I would go up to Govindghat by road. The trek of the VF starts from Govindghat.

Question 4.
What is the connection between the VF and the Ramayana ?
Answer:
It is said that when Lakshmana became unconscious in the battle with Ravana, Rama called the Ashwinikumars – the heavenly healers. They prescribed sanjeevani – a miraculous plant found only in the Himalayas. That place was the VF.

Question 5.
How did the VF get its name ?
Answer:
In 1931, three British mountaineers accidentally reached this beautiful valley. They were stunned by the variety and colour of flowers. So they named it ‘Valley of Flowers’.

Question 6.
Why are plants and flowers in the VF important ?
Answer:
Many of the plants and flowers in the VF are rare and endangered. There are many medicinal plants, too. So they are important in the VF.

Question 7.
Make a list of phrases describing the beauty of the VF.
Answer:
1. Emerald mountains, green meadows, white clouds and colourful patches of flowers create a panoramic view.
2. Dewdrops on flowers, the rhythmic sound of water, rich flora and fauna, and delightful breeze of cool air are waiting for you.

4. Draw a picture of the VF on a drawing sheet using different colours. Arrange the exhibition of such pictures collected from the students of your class.

Language Practice

1. Read the conversations given below.

(1) A : Where are you going ?
B : I am going to Ahmadabad.
A : Why are you going to Ahmadabad ?
B : I have a function to attend in Ahmadabad.
A : When are you going ?
B : Tomorrow morning.
A : And how have you planned to go there ?
B : By train.
A : And when will you be back ?
B : Hmmm …….. day after tomorrow. But
why are you inquiring so much ?
A : Actually, I need your bike.

(2) A : Hello !
B : Hi!
A : What are your plans for tomorrow evening ?
B : Thinking of going for a movie.
A : Which one ?
B : That’s a surprise. You just be ready.
A : Alright. But tell me, what time are we going ?
B : A night show. Around 9 o’clock.
A : OK. And how should we reach the place ?
B : I will pick you up from your home.
A : That’s great. Who else is joining us ?
B : Your teacher. My father !

(3) A : Hi! What are you doing ?
B : Hi! Nothing special. I was just thinking about exams.
A : When is it ?
B : From next week most probably.
A : OK. By the way what is the assignment given in maths ?
B : To memorize the exam dates.
A : What?
B : I am just kidding.

2. Put a tick mark (✓) against the correct question.

Question 1.

• Where he is going ?
• Where is going he ?
• Where is he going ? [✓]

Question 2.

• Why worried are you ?
• Why are you worried ? [✓]
• Why you are worried?

Question 3.

• When you are going to pay the electricity bill ?
• When are going to pay you the electricity bill ?
• When are you going to pay the electricity bill ? [✓]

Question 4.

• Which one is your cycle ? [✓]
• Which one your cycle is ?
• Which is your one cycle

Question 5.

• Why you look so anxious ?
• Why do you look so anxious ? [✓]
• Why so much anxious you look ?

3. Frame ‘wh-’ questions as shown in the examples.

Example : (when /you /go to school ?)
When do you go to school ?

(1) (what/you/do ?)
What do you do ?

(2) (where /you /live ?)
Where do you live ?

(3) (where / Rajesh / come from?)
Where does Rajesh come from ?

(4) (when /you /go to bed ?)
When do you go to bed ?

(5) (when / Rajesh / come back home?)
When does Rajesh come back home ?

(6) how often/he/go for movies?
How often does he go for movies ?

(7) (how often / he / study English ?)
How often does he study English ?

(8) (why/he/seem worried?)
Why does he seem so worried ?

4. What would you say in these situations ?

Example :
You happen to meet a new person at a family gathering.
Ask him where he works. Where do you work ?

(1) You want to know the number of holidays in the current month. Ask your friend.
How many holidays do we have this month ?

(2) You are looking for your friend at a theatre. At last you make a call and ask him about his location.
Where are you sitting ?
OR
In which row are you sitting?

(3) You have forgotten the date of your exams. Ask your friend.
When do our exams begin ?

(4) You had given your bicycle to your friend. And now you are looking for it in parking. Ask him about it.
Where have you parked my bicycle ?

(5) You want to know where your teacher is. Ask your friend.
Where is our teacher ?

(6) You’ve forgotten when the school reopens after summer vacation. Ask your friend.
When does the school reopen?

5. A popular host of a quiz programme, Amitabh, is answering the questions.
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words given in the brackets.

(How far, How long, How often, How many, What, What kind, When ,Where ,Who ,Which)

Quiz master	Amitabh
1. Where is Garampani sanctuary situated?	In Assam
2. What is the science that studies insects known as ?	Entomology
3. Who was an Italian astronomer who discovered the telescope ?	Galileo
4. When was the battle of Plassey fought ?	In 1757
5. How long is a game of kabaddi ?	40 minutes
6. How often are the Olympic games held ?	Every 4 years
7. Which player has scored the most runs in a single Testinnings?	Brian Lara
8. Which folk dance form is associated with Punjab ?	Bhangra
9. Who is the father of English Poetry?	Chaucer
10. How many centimetres are there in a foot	30 cm

Writing

1. Write a paragraph on ‘The Natural Place I Like the Most’. Focus on these points.

place, how to reach there, major attractions, reason for your liking, your memories of visiting that place

The Natural Place I like the Most

Hingolgadh Sanctuary is a natural place I like the most. It is located in Jasdan Taluka of Rajkot District. It is just 180 km away from Ahmadabad. Monsoon and winter are the best seasons to visit this beautiful place.

I visited this sanctuary during the Diwali holidays. It has a large forest area, with a variety of trees like gorad, vikalo, baval and gugal. The area is hilly and rocky. The sanctuary gets full of life during rainy season with beautiful shades of green colour all around and the area buzzing with life.

You can see animals like the chinkara, nilgai, Indian porcupine, Indian hare, mongoose, wolf, hyena, jackal, etc. There are 230 species of birds. The whole sanctuary is filled with the chirping of birds. There are bulbuls and weaver birds also. There are 19 species of snakes of which 3 are venomous and 16 non- venomous. In fact, there is a snake house and a cactii house, too.

The area was declared as a ‘Private Forest’ in 1973 and a ‘Wildlife Sanctuary’ in the year 1980 and has been given special protection since then. In 1984, the management was handed over to GEER (Gujarat Ecological Education and Research) Foundation, Gandhinagar.

It holds a 3-day nature camp for students. I learnt a lot about nature, ecology, birds and animals, hill-slopes, soil and soil erosion, soil depth, etc. The sanctuary is popularly known as Hingolgadh Nature Education Sanctuary as nature education is one of the basic objectives of its management.

2. Write a letter to your friend insisting on visiting the VF. Use details from the text and C.2.

C / 6, Shri Society,
Near G.P.O,
Nadiad.
12 July, 2016 Dear Raj,

How are you ? How was your summer vacation? I am writing this letter to tell you about my visit to the Valley of Flowers during my summer holidays. The Valley of Flowers is located near Ghaghariya town in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. It is about 300 km north of Rishikesh, near Badrinath. You can go by road to Govindghat and from there the track of this Valley starts.

The Valley of Flowers is at a height of 14,000 feet in the western Himalayan range. All you can see is-flowers and flowers all around. Emerald mountains, green meadows, white clouds and colourful flowers ! It is so amazing – so magical!

The Valley of Flowers has a variety of flowers and plants. There are 600 species of magnoliya, 30 species of ferns and 62 species of sunflower. Other beautiful flowers are : vajradanti, ajwayan, blue poppies, kanphuliya, sallampanja, banfsa, balsam, bariti, haldiphool, etc.

The botanists have discovered 58 new plants, many of which are rare and endangered. There are many medicinal plants also. Brahmkamal is the most famous flower for medical use and as a religious offering to the Goddesses – Nanda Devi and Sunanda Devi.

The park is also rich in fauna. There are 13 species of endangered mammals. You can see snow leopards, grey langurs, Himalayan black bears, red foxes, Himalayan weasels, musk deer, ghorals, thars, bharals or blue sheep, flying squirrels, etc. Moreover 114 species of birds are seen in this park.

The main attractions are: Himalayan Vultures, yellow and red billed choughs, koklass pheasants, monal pheasants, yellow-nape woodpeckers, blue throated barbets and snow pigeons. There are several varieties of reptiles, butterflies and other insects too. The Valley remains covered with thick blanket of snow during winter.

It is in full bloom during July, August and September. This is the best time to visit the valley. Raj, you must visit this enchanting valley. Dewdrops on flowers, the rhythmic sound of water, rich flora and fauna, and cool breeze are waiting for you. Write to me soon. My love and regards to all at home.
Your loving friend,
Nisha.

3. Plan a one day picnic to a nearby place. Work in a group of four, discuss with your group members and write the planning in a dialogue form.

You can begin like this :
Kandarp: Friends, hurrah! Tomorrow is a holiday.
Rahim : What shall we do tomorrow ?
Nisarg: Shall we plan for a picnic ?
Firoz: That’s a great idea. Where shall we go ?
Now complete this dialogue.
Kandarp: Let’s go to the Indroda Park.
Rahim: Oh, yes ! That’s a good idea.
Nisarg :Yes. I enjoy watching the animals in this nature park.
Firoz: And there is a botanical garden, too. I want to see that.
Kandarp : Sure. We will spend the whole day and see the zoo, the botanical garden and also the skeletons of blue whales and a dolphin.
Rahim : Wow! That’s amazing. I will bring my camera. I would love to click the pictures to make this trip memorable.
Nisarg: True. And I will bring some books, that I have on wildlife and plant kingdom.
Firoz: I have a book written by Salim Ali on birds. I will bring that.
Kandarp : Great idea. And I will bring my sketch book with me.
Rahim: That’s all OK. But what about snacks ?
Nisarg :We all will bring something to eat.
Firoz : And how will we go there ?
Kandarp : By bus, of course.
Rahim :Yes, that’s a good idea. We will start at 9 a.m. and come back by 4 p.m. Let’s all share our plans with our parents and take their permission.
Nisarg :Yes. So the trip is final. Please bring some cash, too. We will need money for bus tickets and entry fee.
All :Yes. Let’s enjoy our holiday with nature !

Comprehension

A. 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.

Question 1.
What creates a panoramic view ?
Answer:
Emerald mountains, green meadows, white clouds and colourful patches of flowers create a panoramic view.

Question 2.
At what height is the place ?
Answer:
The place is at a height of 14,000 feet in the western Himalayan range.

(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.

Question 1.
Why are nature lovers attracted to the Valley of Flowers ?
Answer:
Nature lovers are attracted to the Valley of Flowers because of its huge variety of alpine flowers.

Question 2.
How big is the Valley of Flowers ?
Answer:
The Valley of Flowers is spread in 87.5 square kilometres.

(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.

Question 1.
Where is the Valley of Flowers located ?
Answer:
The Valley of Flowers is located near Ghaghariya town in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.

Question 2.
From where does the track of the Valley of Flowers start ?
Answer:
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’.

Question 1.
How was the Valley of Flowers discovered ?
Answer:
The Valley of Flowers was accidently discovered by three British mountaineers, who had lost their way in the Himalayan range.

Question 2.
Who discovered the Valley of Flowers ? When ?
Answer:
The Valley of Flowers was discovered by three British mountaineers in 1931.

Question 3.
Why did the mountaineers name it ‘The Valley of Flowers’ ?
Answer:
The mountaineers were so stunned by the variety and colours of flowers that they named it ‘The Valley of Flowers’.

(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.

Question 1.
Who started visiting the Valley of Flowers ?
Answer:
Renowned mountaineers, trekkers and botanists started visiting the Valley of Flowers.

Question 2.
Writers and poets have written about… .
Answer:
Writers and poets have written about the enchanting beauty of the Valley of Flowers.

Question 3.
When was the Valley declared a National Park ?
Answer:
The Valley was declared a National Park in 1982.

Question 4.
When was the Valley included in the World Heritage Site ?
Answer:
The Valley was included in the World Heritage Site in 1988.

(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.

Question 1.
How does the Valley of Flowers find a reference in the Ramayana ?
Answer;
When Lakshmana became unconscious in the battle, the heavenly healers Ashwinikumars prescribed sanjeevani – a miraculous medicinal plant found only in the Valley of Flowers.

Question 2.
Why do Indian yogis come to the Valley of Flowers ?
Answer:
Indian yogis come to meditate in the Valley of Flowers.

(7) ‘Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Park’ is the official name of this site. It is designated as a centre of plant diversity. The Forest Research Institute, in 1992, recorded 600 species of angiosperms (Magnoliya, a flower plant) and 30 pteridophyts (unrolling fern) in the valley surroundings. The botanists discovered 58 new plants. Many of these species are globally threatened.

Question 1.
What is the official name of the site ?
Answer:
The official name of the site is ‘Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Park’.

Question 2.
What did the botanists discover in the Valley of Flowers ?
Answer:
The botanists discovered 58 new plants, many of which are globally threatened.

Question 3.
What did the Forest Research Institute do in the Valley of Flowers ?
Answer:
The Forest Research Institute recorded 600 species of magnoliya, a flower plant and 30 species of fern in the valley surroundings.

(8) In 1988, 31 species of rare and endangered categories were identified in this park. Local village people are found to use 45 medicinal plants. Brahmkamal is the most famous flower for medical use and as a religious offering to the Goddesses – Nanda Devi and Sunanda Devi.

The dominant family in the Valley of Flowers is Asteraceae (family of sunflowers) with 62 species ! Other beautiful flowers are : vajradanti, ajwayan, blue poppies, kanphuliya, sallampanja, banfsa, balsam, bariti, haldiphool, etc.

Question 1.
What is the importance of Brahmkamal ?
Answer:
Brahmkamal is used for medicines and also offered to Goddesses Nanda Devi and Sunanda Devi.

Question 2.
Name any five flowers found in the park.
Answer:
Sunflower, blue poppy, kanphuliya, balsam and haldiphool.

Question 3.
Which is the dominant flower in the Valley?
Answer:
Asteraceae (family of sunflowers) with 62 species is the dominant flower in the Valley.

(9) The park is rich in fauna. A total of 13 species of mammals are recorded and all of them are rare or endangered. There are snow leopards, grey langurs, Himalayan black bears, red foxes, Himalayan weasels, musk deer, ghorals, thars, bharals or blue sheep, flying squirrels, etc. Moreover 114 species of birds are seen in this park. The main attractions are : Himalayan vultures, yellow and red billed choughs, koklass pheasants, monal pheasants, yellow-nape woodpeckers, blue throated barbets and snow pigeons.

Question 1.
Name any five animals found in the park.
Answer:
Snow leopards, flying squirrels, Himalayan black bears, grey langurs and musk deer.

Question 2.
How many species of mammals and birds are found in the park ?
Answer:
13 species of mammals and 114 species of birds are found in the park.

Question 3.
Name any five birds found in the park.
Answer:
Himalayan vultures, monal pheasants, yellow-nape woodpeckers, blue throated barbets and snow pigeons.

(10) The valley remains covered with thick blanket of snow during winter. It is in full bloom during July, August and September. This is the best time to explore the splendour of this magnificent place. The Pushpawati river bed is spread 6 km in the valley. Its water bifurcates the valley into two parts.

Question 1.
During the winter
Answer:
During the winter, the valley is covered with a thick blanket of snow.

Question 2.
Which is the best time to visit the valley ?
Answer:
July to September is the best time to visit the valley.

Question 3.
Which river passes through the valley ?
Answer:
The Pushpawati river passes through the valley.

(11) Dewdrops on flowers, the rhythmic sound of water, rich flora and fauna, and delightful breeze of cool air are waiting for you. Listen to the call of the Valley and the dream of walking through this Valley with your friends.

What is waiting for you in the Valley of Flowers ?
Answer:
Dewdrops on flowers, the rhythmic sound of water, rich flora and fauna, and delightful breeze of cool air are waiting for you in the Valley of Flowers.

B. Use the set of words in your own sentences.

Question 1.
covered with – view
Answer:
The mountain peaks covered with snow was a beautiful view.

Question 2.
imagine – vast
Answer:
Can you imagine a vast stretch of land covered with colourful flowers

Question 3.
prescribe – along with
Answer:
The doctor has prescribed some medicines along with exercises.

Question 4.
meadow – alluring
Answer:
The lush green meadows were alluring I to the visitors.

Question 5.
discover – accidently
Answer:
The Valley of Flowers was accidently S discovered by some mountaineers.

Question 6.
create – to guess
Answer:
Can you guess who has created this 1 beautiful sculpture ?

Question 7.
miraculous – stun
Answer:
The audience was stunned by Ravi’s miraculous performance as an actor.

Question 8.
meditation – centre
Answer:
This centre was started to teach yoga and meditation to people.

Question 9.
located – remote
Answer:
The army took a long time to reach the villages located in the remote areas.

Question 10.
vibrant – attraction
Answer:
The vibrant dance by the little children was the main attraction of the function.

Question 11.
rare – explore
Answer:
The botanists are exploring the area to find out some rare species of flowers.

Question 12.
species – identify
Answer:
Salim Ali could identify all the species of birds.

Question 13.
splendid – valley ?
Answer:
The valley looks splendid in spring, when it is covered with colourful flowers.

Question 14.
globally – spread
Answer:
The knowledge of yoga has spread globally.

Question 15.
hidden – track
Answer:
The track to the mountains was hidden under grass.

Question 16.
threatened – local
Answer:
The local people threatened the TV 5 reporters who had come to the village.

Question 17.
category-to record
Answer:
The forest officials have recorded about 12 different categories of plants in the forest.

Question 18.
endangered – declare
Answer:
The government has declared the tiger as an endangered species.

Question 19.
location – enchanting
Answer:
The location of the wedding was enchanting because of the beautiful mountains and a small river.

Question 20.
magnificent – renowned
Answer:
Zakir Husain, the renowned table player, gave a magnificent performance last evening.

Question 21.
successful – reference
Answer:
The Prime Minister made reference to the successful launch of the Mangalyaan.

Question 22.
religious – offering
Answer:
Marigold flowers are used as offerings in most of the religious places in India.

Question 23.
several – splendour
Answer:
Several people came to the palace to witness the splendour of the royal wedding.

Question 24.
battle – strike
Answer:
Lakshman was struck by an arrow in the battle against Ravana.

C. Fill in the blanks choosing the correct words from the brackets.

(1) (as far as, height, range)
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!

(2) (patches, meadows, panoramic)
Emerald mountains, green meadows, white clouds and colourful patches of flowers create a dreamlike panoramic view.

(3) (Himalayas, alluring, vibrant)
It is a vibrant and splendid national park hidden in the Himalayas. This alluring place is known as the Valley of Flowers.

(4) (vast, nature, variety)
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.

(5) (track, located, motorable)
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.

(6) (accidently, remote, mountaineers)
This place was little known to outside world due to its remote location. In 1931, it was discovered accidentally by three British mountaineers.

(7) (Stunned, beautiful, expedition)
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’.

(8) (declared, enchanting, renowned)
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.

(9) (reference, unconscious, arrow)
Interestingly, there is a reference about this place in the Ramayana. In the battle between Ram and Ravan, Lakshman was struck with an arrow shot by Meghnad, the son of Ravan. Lakshman became unconscious.

(10) (miraculous, prescribed, healers)
Ram called Ashwinikumars, the heavenly healers. They prescribed sanjeevani – a miraculous medicinal plant found only on the Himalayas, far away from Sri Lanka in the north part of Bharat Varsha.

(11) (sanjeevani, yogis, meditation)
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.

(12) (medicinal, religious, endangered)
In 1988, 31 species of rare and endangered categories were identified in this park. Local village people are found to use 45 medicinal plants. Brahmkamal is the most famous flower for medical use and as a religious offering to the Goddesses – Nanda Devi and Sunanda Devi.

(13) (species, fauna, rare)
The park is rich in fauna. A total of 13 species of mammals are recorded and all of them are rare or endangered. There are snow leopards, grey langurs, Himalayan ‘ black bears, red foxes, Himalayan weasels, musk deer, ghorals, thars, bharals or blue sheep, flying squirrels, etc.

(14) (snow, splendour, bloom)
The valley remains covered with thick blanket of snow during winter. It is in full bloom during July, August and September. This is the best time to explore the splendour of this magnificent place.

(15) (dream, breeze, rhythmic)
Dewdrops on flowers, the rhythmic – sound of water, rich flora and fauna, and delightful breeze of cool air are waiting for you. Listen to the call of the Valley and the dream of walking through this Valley with your friends.

Valley of Flowers Summary in Gujarati

પશ્ચિમ હિમાલયની પર્વતમાળામાં તમે 14,000 ફૂટની ઊંચાઈ પર ઊભા છો તેવી કલ્પના કરો. તમારી આસપાસ અને તમારી નજર પહોંચે ત્યાં સુધી બધે જ ફૂલ અને ફૂલ (જ) પથરાયેલાં છે. નીલા પર્વતો, લીલાં ઘાસનાં મેદાનો, સફેદ વાદળો અને ફુલોના રંગબેરંગી ખંડ એક સ્વપ્ન જેવું રમણીય દશ્ય ખડું કરે છે. આ કયું સ્થળ છે? શું તમે કલ્પના કરી શકો છો?

આ હિમાલયમાં છુપાયેલો એક જીવંત અને ભવ્ય રાષ્ટ્રીય ઉદ્યાન છે. આ આકર્ષક સ્થળ ‘વૈલિ ઑવ ફ્લાવર્ઝ’ તરીકે ઓળખાય છે. 87.5 ચોરસ કિલોમીટરનો એક વિશાળ વિસ્તાર અને રંગબેરંગી પર્વતીય ફૂલોના અસંખ્ય પ્રકાર, પ્રકૃતિપ્રેમીઓ, વનસ્પતિશાસ્ત્રના નિષ્ણાતો અને ફૉટૉગ્રાૐ માટે આ સ્થળને આકર્ષક બનાવે છે.
વૈલિ ઑવ ફ્લાવર્ગ ઉત્તરાખંડના ચમોલી જિલ્લામાં ઘાઘરિયા (શહેર) પાસે આવેલી છે. તે બદ્રીનાથ પાસે, ઋષિકેશથી 300 કિલોમીટર ઉત્તરમાં આવેલ છે. ગોવિંદઘાટ સુધી પાકો રસ્તો છે અને ત્યાંથી આ ખીણ તરફ જવાની પગદંડી શરૂ થાય છે.

એકાંતમાં આવેલું આ સ્થળ બહારની દુનિયા માટે બહુ જાણીતું નહોતું. 1931માં ત્રણ બ્રિટિશ પર્વતારોહકોને તે આકસ્મિક જ મળી આવ્યું. એક સફળ પ્રવાસ કરી પાછા ફરતાં તેઓ ભૂલા પડ્યા. હિમાલયની પર્વતમાળાઓમાંથી બહાર નીકળવાનો રસ્તો શોધતાં તેઓ આ સુંદર ખીણમાં આવી પહોંચ્યા.

ફુલોના વૈવિધ્ય અને રંગોથી છક થઈને તેઓએ તેને (ખીણને) “વૈલિ ઑવ ફ્લાવર્ઝ” નામ આપ્યું. ત્યારપછી, પ્રખ્યાત પર્વતારોહકો, પ્રવાસીઓ અને વનસ્પતિશાસ્ત્રના નિષ્ણાતોનો પ્રવાહ શરૂ થયો. આ સ્થળના મનમોહક સૌંદર્ય વિશે લેખકોએ અને કવિઓએ નિબંધો, પ્રવાસવર્ણન અને કવિતાઓ લખી છે. 1982માં આ વૈલિને રાષ્ટ્રીય ઉદ્યાન તરીકે જાહેર કરવામાં આવી અને 1988માં તેને

વર્લ્ડ હેરિટેજ સાઇટમાં સામેલ કરવામાં આવી. રસપ્રદ વાત તો એ છે કે, રામાયણમાં (પણ) આ સ્થળનો ઉલ્લેખ છે. રામ અને રાવણ વચ્ચેના યુદ્ધ દરમિયાન રાવણના પુત્ર મેઘનાદના બાણથી લક્ષ્મણ ઘાયલ થઈને બેભાન થઈ ગયો. ત્યારે રામે દેવોના વૈદ્ય અશ્વિનીકુમારોને બોલાવ્યા. તેમણે ઉપાય સૂચવ્યો – સંજીવની – એક અલૌકિક ઔષધી, જે શ્રીલંકાથી ખૂબ દૂર, ભારતવર્ષના ઉત્તરમાં આવેલા હિમાલયમાં જ મળતી હતી. હનુમાન ઊડીને તે સ્થળે ગયા અને ટેકરી સાથે સંજીવની લઈ આવ્યા.

તે સ્થળ એટલે વૈલિ ઑવ ફ્લાવર્ગ! કેટલાય ભારતીય યોગીઓ અહીં આવીને વર્ષો સુધી ધ્યાનમાં બેઠા છે. આ અદ્ભુત સ્થળ સાથે આવી દંતકથાઓ જોડાયેલી છે. આ સ્થળનું અધિકૃત નામ ‘નંદા દેવી ઍન્ડ વૈલિ ઑવ ફ્લાવર્ગ નૅશનલ પાર્ક’ છે. તેને વિવિધ વનસ્પતિઓના કેન્દ્ર તરીકે માન્ય કરવામાં આવ્યું છે. 1992માં ફૉરિસ્ટ રિસર્ચ ઇન્સ્ટિટ્યૂટે આ વૈલિના વિસ્તારમાં angiosperms (મૅગ્નોલિઆ) ફૂલછોડની 600 જાત અને peeridophyts(ફન – હંસરાજ)ની 30 જાતની નોંધ કરી. વનસ્પતિશાસ્ત્રના નિષ્ણાતો બીજી 58 નવી વનસ્પતિ શોધી.

આમાંની કેટલીક જાત વૈશ્વિક સ્તરે ભયગ્રસ્ત થઈ ગઈ છે. 1988માં આ ઉદ્યાનમાં 31 પ્રકારની અસાધારણ અને ભયગ્રસ્ત વનસ્પતિઓ ઓળખી કાઢવામાં આવી હતી. સ્થાનિક ગામની પ્રજા 45 ઔષધીય વનસ્પતિઓનો ઉપયોગ કરતી જોવા મળે છે. ઔષધીય ઉપયોગ માટે અને નંદા દેવી અને સુનંદા દેવીને અર્પણ કરવા માટે બ્રહ્મકમળ ખૂબ જાણીતું ફૂલ છે.

વૈલિ ઑવ ફ્લાવર્ઝમાં મુખ્યત્વે જોવા મળતી ફૂલની જાત છે, asteraceae (સૂર્યમુખી) અને તે પણ 62 જાત! (અહીં જોવા મળતાં) બીજા સુંદર ફૂલો છે : વજદતી, અજવાયન, લૂ પૉપિ (ખસખસનો છોડ), કનફુલિયા, સલામપંજા, બંફસા, બલ્સમ, બારિતિ, હલ્દિફૂલ વગેરે.

આ ઉદ્યાન પ્રાણીસૃષ્ટિથી (પણ) સમૃદ્ધ છે. સસ્તન પ્રાણીઓની કુલ 13 જાત નોંધવામાં આવી છે અને તે બધી જ અસાધારણ અથવા ભયગ્રસ્ત (જાત) છે. અહીં સ્નો લેપર્ડ (ચિત્તો), લંગુર, હિમાલયન બેઅર (રીંછ), રેડ ફૉક્સ (શિયાળ), હિમાલયન વીઝલ (નોળિયો), મસ્ક ડિઅર (હરણ), ઘોરલ, થાર, ભરલ (ઘેટું), ઊડતી ખિસકોલી વગેરે પ્રાણીઓ જોવા મળે છે. આ ઉપરાંત પક્ષીઓની 114 જાત આ ઉદ્યાનમાં જોવા મળે છે. તેમાંનાં મુખ્ય આકર્ષણ છે. હિમાલયન વલ્ગર (ગીધ), લાલ અને પીળી ચાંચવાળા ચફ (કાગડા), કોક્લાસ ફેઝન્ટ (તેતર), પીળી ગરદનવાળા વડપેકર (લક્કડખોદ), ભૂરા ગળાવાળા બાર્બેટ અને

સ્નો પિજન (કબૂતર). અહીં પેટે ચાલતાં પ્રાણીઓ (સાપ વગેરે), પતંગિયાં અને બીજાં જંતુઓની કેટલીય જાત (જોવા મળે) છે. શિયાળામાં વૈલિ બરફની જાડી ચાદરથી ઢંકાયેલી હોય છે. જુલાઈ, ઑગસ્ટ અને સપ્ટેમ્બરમાં અહીં ખૂબ ફૂલો ખીલે છે. આ ભવ્ય સ્થળના વૈભવને નિહાળવા માટે આ ઉત્તમ સમય છે.

પુષ્પવતી નદી વૈલિમાં 6 km સુધી ફેલાયેલી છે. તેનું પાણી વૈલિના બે ફાંટા પાડે છે. ફૂલો પર ઝાકળબિંદુઓ, પાણીનો લયબદ્ધ અવાજ, સમૃદ્ધ વનસ્પતિઓ અને પ્રાણીસૃષ્ટિ અને ઠંડા પવનની આફ્લાદક લહેરો તમારી રાહ જોઈ રહ્યા છે. વૅલિનું આમંત્રણ સાંભળો અને તમારા મિત્રો સાથે વૈલિમાં ફરવાનું સ્વપ્ન જુઓ.

Word Meanings:

Idioms and Phrases

(1) to lose one’s way
The merchant lost his way in the jungle.

(2) to come down
In winter, the villagers living in the mountains come down to the plains.

(3) to start pouring in
The guests started pouring in before the chief guest had arrived.

(4) along with
Jay will come along with his parents for the party.

(5) associated with
The town of Vadnagar is associated with the famous sisters Tana-Riri.

(6) covered with
The Himalayan mountains are covered with snow during winter.

(7) in full bloom
The flowers are in full bloom in spring.