Legend Behind a Legend (Word meanings & Question- Answer)

🌼 Unit - 1

bandit queen : queen of the robbers (ଦସ୍ୟୁରାଣୀ)

menagerie : a collection of wild animals (ବଣ୍ୟଜନ୍ତୁ ମାନ ଙ୍କ ସଂଗ୍ରହାଳୟ)

exploits : some unusual thing that someone does that you think is brave, exciting or entertaining

domesticated : an animal trained to live with or work for humans (ଗୃହପାଳିତ)

struck : occurred (ମନେପଡ଼ିଲା)

gruff : unfriendly and cruel (ନିଷ୍ଠୁର ସ୍ବଭାବସମ୍ପନ୍ନ)

tough : strict and severe (ଶୃଙ୍ଖଳିତ)

brooked no nonsense : tolerated only important and necessary things (ବାଜେ କଥା ସହ୍ୟ କରିପାରନ୍ତି ନାହିଁ)

suffered no feels : did not tolerate stupidity in others (ନିର୍ବୋଧତାକୁ ପ୍ରଶ୍ରୟ ଦିଅନ୍ତି ନାହିଁ)

itnerant articles : articles published in different magazines (ବିଭିନ୍ନ ପତ୍ରିକାରେ ପ୍ରକାଶିତ ଅନେକ ଲେଖା )

shot in the dark : a hopeful attempt (ଏକ ଆଶାପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଉଦ୍ୟମ )

utter : great (ମାତ୍ରାତ୍ଵିକ)

delight : pleasure (ଆନନ୍ଦ)

precise : exact (ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦିଷ୍ଟ)

instructions : directions (ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦେଶ )

Unit - 2

semidarkness: half-darkness (ଅର୍ଥ ଅନ୍ଧକାର)

click : sound (ଶବ୍ଦ)

detailed : was given minute instructions (ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ସୂଚନା ପାଇଥିଲେ )

escort : guide (ପଥ ପ୍ରଦର୍ଶନକାରୀ)

with a start : in fear (ଭୟଚକିତ ହୋଇ)

terror struck : the writer was seized with fear (ଭୟ ବିହ୍ବଳିତ)

sloth : lazy behaviour (ଆଳସ୍ୟ ସ୍ବଭାବସମ୍ପନ୍ନ )

frail : weak (ଦୁର୍ବଳ)

slightly : a little (ଅତି ଅଳ୍ପ)

gruff : rude, unfriendly

no-nonsense : doing things quickly and effectively without worring too much about people’s fear (ଲୋକଙ୍କ ମନ୍ତବ୍ୟ ପ୍ରତି ଉଦାସୀନ)

humane : caring people and animals ( ମାନବ ପ୍ରତି ସମ୍ବେଦନଶୀଳ)

Unit-3

emerged : became known (ଜଣାପଡ଼ିଲା)

sips : drink (something) by taking small mouthfuls (ଅଳ୍ପ ଅଳ୍ପ ପିଇବା)

debunked : exaggerated

co-exist : live together (ଏକତ୍ର ବାସ କରିବା)

infancy : childhood (ପିଲାଦିନ)

unmindful : inattentive (ଅମନୋଯୋଗୀ)

tied : bound (ବାନ୍ଧିଥିଲେ )

tourniquet : a piece of cloth bound tightly on an arm or leg to stop bleeding

hypo-glycaemia : condition of having a very low blood pressure (ନିମ୍ନ ରକ୍ତଚାପ)

astonishing : wonderful (ଆଶ୍ଚର୍ଯ୍ୟଜନକ)

take a fancy : to start liking someone (ଜଣକୁ ଭଲ ପାଇବାକୁ ଆରମ୍ଭ କରିବା)

hug : to put ones arms around someone to show love (ଆଲିଙ୍ଗନ)

dissuade : prevent (ବାଧା ଦେବା)

fondness : affection (ସ୍ନେହ, ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧା)

progressed : advanced (ଆଗେଇ ଚାଲିଲା)

intennittent : occurring occasionally (ସାମୟିକଭାବେ ଘଟୁଥିବା)

crackle : making shout sharp sounds (ସ୍ଵଚ୍ଛ ଅବଶିଷ୍ଟ ଉଚ୍ଚ ଶବ୍ଦ)

veritable : real (ବାସ୍ତବ)

Unit-4

cub : (here) a young tigress (ବାଘଛୁଆ, ଛୁଆ ବାଘୁଣୀ)

famished : very hungry (କ୍ଷୁଧାଉଁ)

confused : disturbed (ବିବ୍ରତ ହେଲା)

snarls: making angry sounds in one’s throat and showing teeth

veteran : experienced (ଅଭିଜ୍ଞ, ଦକ୍ଷ)

handle : deal with (ଆୟତ୍ତ କରିବା)

firmly : determindedly (ଦୃଢ଼ ଭାବରେ )

anchored : restored (ଶାନ୍ତ ହେଲା)

the legends : (here) Saroj Raj Chaudhury and Khairi (କିମ୍ବଦନ୍ତୀ )

tag along : accompanied someone (ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିବିଶେଷଙ୍କ ସହ ଯାତ୍ରା

snaked (v) : moved in or had a senes of long curves (ଅଙ୍କାବଙ୍କା ରାସ୍ତାରେ ଗଲା)

amidst: in the midst of (ମଝିରେ)

lush foliage: leaves of trees growing luxuriously

abandon : in an uncontrolled way (ଅବିଚାରିତ ଭାବେ)

conserving: preventing land, water, etc. from being damaged (ସଂରକ୍ଷଣ କରିବା)

wanton harm: reckless harm

authority : (here) Saroj Choudhury (କର୍ତ୍ତୃପକ୍ଷ )

pugmarks: the mark of the footprint of an animal (ପଶୁର ପାଦଚିହ୍ନ)

distinctive: very clear

meticulously: carefully attending to every detail

functional: practical and simple

build on stilts: build on one of a set of posts

a top: at the top of (ଉପରିଭାଗରେ )

magnificent : very beautiful (ଖୁବ୍‌ ସୁନ୍ଦର)

Unit-5

gracious: kind ଦୟାଳୁ 

python: a very large snake that kills animals for food by wrapping itself around them and crushing them (ଅଜଗର ସାପ )

quest : search (ଅନ୍ଵେଷଣ)

legend: someone who very many people know about and admire (କିମ୍ବଦନ୍ତୀ ପୁରୁଷ)

unique : extraordinary (ଅସାଧାରଣ)

due: worth (ଯୋଗ୍ୟ)

Questions and answers 

Unit-1

Question 1.

Who is Khairi?

Answer:

Khairi is a legendary tigress of Jashipur.

Question 2.

How did the writer come to know about Khairi?

Answer:

The writer came to know about Khairi when he had read a small news item in The Statesman that threw light on the latest exploits of the tigress in the Similipal forests of Odisha.

Question 3.

Who was the foster father of Khairi?

Answer:

Saroj Raj Chaudhury was the foster father of Khairi.

Question 4.

Which State does the writer belong to?

Answer:

The writer belongs to Odisha.

Question 5.

What did he learn about Saroj Raj Chaudhury as a person?

Answer:

He learnt that Saroj Raj Chaudhury tolerated only important and necessary things, but not stupidity in others.

Question 6.

How did he contact Mr. Chaudhury?

Answer:

He contacted Mr. Chaudhury by writing a letter to him after getting his address.

Question 7.

Why did he refer some of his articles to Mr. Chaudhury?

Answer:

He referred some of his articles to Mr. Chaudhury in the hope of getting his response.

Question 8.

Did Mr. Chaudhury reply to the author’s letter? What did he write?

Ans.

Yes, Mr. Chaudhury replied to the author’s letter. The former wanted the latter to inform him in advance of the manner and the time of his arrival.

Unit- 2

Question 1.

How did the writer come to Bhubaneswar?

Answer:

The writer came to Bhubaneswar by train.

Question 2.

How did he go to Jashipur from Bhubaneswar?

Answer:

He went to Jashipur from Bhubaneswar in an over-packed bus.

Question 3.

How did the forest guard receive him?

Answer:

The forest guard received him in a very cordial manner. He guided the writer, took him to the guest house, and made him stay in the guest house, assuring him that the water was in the jug.

Question 4.

Why was he terror-struck?

Answer:

He was terror-struck because he heard the clear voice of the Tiger just outside his door.

Question 5.

What did the bearer tell him about Khairi?

Answer:

The bearer told him that Khairi was trying to know about the new guest in the house. There was a ring of friendliness about Khairi.

Question 6.

What was Mr. Chaudhury doing when the writer met him?

Answer:

When the writer met Mr. Chaudhury, he was sitting on a large chair.

Question 7.

How did Mr. Chaudhury greet the author?

Answer:

Mr. Chaudhury warmly greeted the author.

Question 8.

What was the name of the bear?

Answer:

The name of the bear was Jambu.

Question 9.

What was the physical appearance of Mr. Chaudhury?

Answer:

Mr. Chaudhury was a weak man in his fifties with a little baldness on the top.

Question 10.

What kind of man did the author find Mr. Chaudhury to be?

Answer:

In the author’s estimation, Mr. Chaudhury was friendly and responsive. Besides, he was caring to the core.

Unit- 3 

Question 1.

What theory did Mr. Chaudhury prove wrong?

Answer:

The theory that Mr. Chaudhury proved wrong was that the different species of wild animals cannot co-exist unless they are together from childhood.

Question 2.

What was his first story about?

Answer:

The first story was about how his house became the habitat of different species of wild animals who all come at different stages of their lives. It also dealt with their coexistence and the close relationship between Khairi and krait, a dangerous snake.

Question 3.

Why is it so unique and amazing?

Answer:

It is so unique and amazing because, during this experiment, Khairi showed her reaction to the presence of krait, the most poisonous snake. Khairi was curious to know more about the krait as it was a stranger to her.

Question 4.

Why did Mr. Chaudhury allow Khairi to come near the krait?

Answer:

Mr. Chaudhury allowed Khairi to come near a krait to know how they dealt with each other.

Question 5.

What was Khairi’s reaction to the presence of the krait?

Ans.

Khairi’s reaction to the presence of a krait was one of curiosity to know more about the latter.

Question 6.

How did the experiment affect him?

Answer:

The experiment made him a permanent patient of low blood pressure.

Question 7.

What did the bear try to do with the writer?

Answer:

The bear tried to put his arms around the writer to show his love.

Question 8.

What prevented the bear from doing so?

Answer:

Mr. Chaudhury’s strict ‘no’ prevented the bear from doing so.

Question 9.

What kind of family did Mr. Chaudhury have?

Answer:

Mr. Chaudhury had a genuine joint family that comprised a mongoose, a pangolin, wild cat twins, a country dog, and a blind Hyena, each having a name.

Question 10.

What was his relationship with different animals?

Answer:

His relationship with different animals was quite familiar. His act of naming each of them is a case in point.

Unit- 4

Question 1.

How and when did Mr. Chaudhury come across Khairi?

Answer:

Mr. Chaudhury came across Khairi when 12 Kharia tribals of Similipal brought her to him when she was a two-month cub. It was on October 5, 1974.

Question 2.

In what condition did he And it?

Answer:

He found it in a state of hunger and confusion.

Question 3.

How did he manage the hungry and confused cub?

Answer:

He managed the hungry and confused cub by copying the sounds of the mother tigress. Within minutes, she became firmly confident.

Question 4.

How did he treat wildlife in a young age?

Answer:

He treated wildlife uncontrollably in a young age.

Question 5.

What did he say about his change of attitude towards wildlife to the author?

Answer:

He said to the author that his change of attitude towards wildlife took place because of his realization that there was greater happiness in safeguarding the beautiful wild animals that do not cause reckless harm to man.

Question 6.

What was his contribution to the Tiger Project?

Answer:

His contribution to the Tiger Project was the introduction of the Tiger Tracing Method of tiger census. As a result, one can measure the pugmarks of each animal distinctly and record their characteristics very carefully.

Question 7.

What was the guest house like?

Answer:

The guest house was a wooden structure with simple rooms and a bath. It was built on one of the set of posts and was at a height of 15 feet.

Question 8.

What new experience did the author have in the Tiger Reserve area?

Answer:

The author experienced for the first time, one night stay in the Tiger Reserve area that was unique, especially on a very beautiful ‘machan’.

Unit- 5 

Question 1.

After what interval of time did the writer visit Mr. Chaudhury for the second time?

Answer:

After three months, the writer visited Mr. Chaudhury for the second time.

Question 2.

What new addition to the Chaudhury family did he find there?

Answer:

The new addition to Chaudhury’s family he found there was an eight-foot-long young python.

Question 3.

Why did he get less time to interact with Mr. Chaudhury this time?

Answer:

He got less time to interact with Mr. Chaudhury because at that moment Mr. Chaudhury got a wireless message from the World Wildlife Fund to attend an important meeting at New Delhi.

Question 4.

Who died first, Khairi or Mr. Chaudhury?

Answer:

Khairi died first.

Question 5.

Who are the two legends the writer talks about?

Answer:

The two legends the writer talks about are Khairi and Mr. Saroj Raj Chaudhury.

Question 6.

Is the text more about Mr. Chaudhury or Khairi?

Answer:

The text throws much light on Mr. Chaudhury, yet Khairi does not lag far behind.

Question 7.

Can you guess now why the title of the text is “The Legend behind the Legend”?

Answer:

The title is aptly justified because the legendary passionate and instinctive lover of wildlife has been instrumental in transforming a two-month-old tiger baby into a legend. She is Khairi.

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