Overcoming physical disabilities (Evelyn Glennie) and the life of Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan

Correct answer: B. At about the age of eight

Explanation: The correct answer is B, at about the age of eight. The lesson gives an important sequence of ages: Evelyn’s hearing problem was first noticed when she was around eight, and by the time she reached eleven she had become almost totally deaf. Keeping this sequence prevents confusion between the first warning sign and the later serious condition. The other ages do not fit the biographical account. This detail also shows that her hearing loss developed during childhood, yet she continued to pursue music instead of abandoning it. Her later achievement therefore reflects resilience and the ability to respond positively to a growing difficulty.

Correct answer: A. She had become almost totally deaf

Explanation: The correct answer is A, she had become almost totally deaf. The lesson explains the progression of Evelyn’s hearing problem: it was noticed at about eight, and by eleven her deafness had become almost complete. This chronological evidence directly supports option A. The passage does not say that she stopped speaking, left school, or moved away from music. In fact, she continued to study and eventually developed a successful musical career. The important governing concept is perseverance: although the loss of hearing created a severe barrier, Evelyn adapted by sensing vibrations and learning music through her body. Her response transformed a limitation into a challenge to overcome.

Correct answer: B. Ron Forbes

Explanation: The correct answer is B, Ron Forbes. He was the percussionist and teacher who helped Evelyn discover that she could experience music through vibrations. Instead of treating deafness as an absolute barrier, Forbes guided her attention to different parts of her body and showed her how sound could be sensed physically. Ali Bux and the other similarly named people are associated with the Bismillah Khan section or are distractors created by confusing names; they did not guide Evelyn’s musical development. The governing concept is supportive mentorship: a perceptive teacher can help a learner identify abilities that are not immediately obvious and develop them through practical experience.

Correct answer: C. Feel sound in another way

Explanation: The correct answer is C, feel sound in another way. Ron Forbes encouraged Evelyn not to depend exclusively on her ears. He helped her understand that sound creates vibrations and that these vibrations can be received through different parts of the body. This advice became the practical foundation of her musical training. Option A contradicts the situation because her hearing was severely impaired; option B rejects the very possibility that Forbes helped her discover; and option D is not the method described in the lesson. The governing idea is adaptation: when one sense becomes unreliable, focused observation and disciplined practice can help a learner develop another way of understanding the same experience.

Correct answer: B. Through vibrations

Explanation: The correct answer is B, through vibrations. Evelyn was profoundly deaf, but she did not experience music as silence in every sense. She learned to notice the physical vibrations produced by sound and to interpret them through her hands, feet and other parts of her body. This method allowed her to play percussion instruments with remarkable skill. Colours, smell and taste belong to different sensory experiences and cannot explain the musical method described in the chapter. The governing concept is sensory adaptation: Evelyn replaced ordinary hearing with a trained bodily awareness of vibration. Her achievement demonstrates that determined practice can create an effective alternative route to understanding and performing music.

Correct answer: A. Percussionist

Explanation: The correct answer is A, percussionist. Evelyn Glennie became an internationally recognised percussionist, a musician who plays instruments such as drums and other forms of percussion. This choice is connected with the way she learned: percussion instruments produce strong vibrations that she could feel and interpret through her body. Shehnai is associated in this chapter with Ustad Bismillah Khan, not Evelyn. The lesson does not present her as a sitar player or singer. The governing idea is achievement despite disability; Evelyn did not allow deafness to define the limits of her career, but developed a specialised method and became highly accomplished in her chosen field.

Correct answer: A. Royal Academy of Music

Explanation: The correct answer is A, the Royal Academy of Music. The biographical account states that Evelyn studied at this prestigious institution and later became a successful percussionist. The name is a factual detail from the lesson, so it should be remembered together with her musical identity and her method of sensing vibrations. Delhi School of Music and Banaras Music School are not the institutions mentioned in her story, while All India Radio is a broadcasting organisation rather than the place identified for her formal study. The broader concept is that determined learners can gain advanced training and professional recognition even when they face major physical challenges.

Correct answer: B. Hard work and determination

Explanation: The correct answer is B, hard work and determination. Evelyn’s success cannot be explained by comfort or luck alone. She faced progressive hearing loss, learned a new way to experience sound, practised seriously and continued her musical education until she became a renowned percussionist. Fear, doubt, laziness and excuses would have prevented that development rather than caused it. The governing concept is perseverance: achievement grows when a person responds to difficulty with effort, patience and a clear purpose. The lesson does not deny the importance of guidance from Ron Forbes, but her long-term success depended on applying that guidance through sustained practice and self-discipline.

Correct answer: C. As a challenge

Explanation: The correct answer is C, as a challenge. Evelyn did not regard deafness as a final defeat or as a reason to abandon music. Instead, she accepted the difficulty and searched for another way to experience sound, eventually using bodily vibrations to train as a percussionist. This attitude is the central value of her story: a limitation can become a challenge that encourages creative problem-solving, courage and sustained effort. Options A, B and D all represent surrender, whereas Evelyn’s conduct shows purposeful action. Her example does not suggest that disability is easy; it shows that determination, suitable guidance and adaptation can help a person continue working towards meaningful goals.

Correct answer: B. One should believe in one's ability

Explanation: Evelyn Glennie's life presents the governing idea that physical limitation need not determine a person's achievement. Although she gradually lost her hearing, she learned to sense musical vibrations through different parts of her body and worked steadily to become an internationally respected percussionist. Her achievement resulted from confidence, disciplined practice, guidance and determination, not from ignoring difficulty. Therefore, option B is correct because it expresses the central lesson: students should trust their abilities and continue working toward a goal. Option A reflects defeat, option C denies the importance of practice, and option D wrongly assumes that music is available only to people with normal hearing.

Correct answer: A. Vibrations

Explanation: The governing concept is that sound is produced by vibrations, and a person can sometimes perceive those vibrations through touch even when ordinary hearing is seriously impaired. In the lesson, Evelyn Glennie discovered that she could experience music through vibrations travelling through her body. She learned to identify musical sensations through her skin, bones and other bodily areas, which helped her perform as a percussionist. Thus option A, “Vibrations,” is the only answer connected with her method of experiencing music. Smoke, light and paper are unrelated distractors: they neither carry the musical sensation described in the chapter nor explain her remarkable musical training.

Correct answer: C. Her courage and success

Explanation: The governing idea is inspiration through perseverance. Evelyn Glennie faced progressive hearing loss, yet she refused to treat it as a reason to abandon music. With the help of training and careful attention to vibrations, she developed into a highly accomplished percussionist. Her courage lay in confronting the difficulty honestly, while her success proved that determined effort can open paths that seem impossible at first. Therefore, option C is correct because it combines the two qualities that made her an inspiring figure: courage and achievement. Giving up, making excuses and leaving music contradict the events of the chapter, so options A, B and D are unsuitable.

Correct answer: B. Shehnai

Explanation: The governing literary fact is Bismillah Khan's contribution to the shehnai. He became one of the instrument's greatest performers and helped move it from mainly ceremonial and folk settings to prestigious stages of Indian classical music. Thus option B, shehnai, is correct. The tabla is a pair of percussion drums, the flute is a wind instrument played by blowing across an opening, and the veena is a plucked string instrument. These instruments are plausible because they belong to Indian music, but the chapter specifically associates Bismillah Khan with the shehnai. Remembering this instrument also helps identify his major cultural contribution.

Correct answer: A. Bihar

Explanation: The governing biographical distinction is between a person's birthplace and the place where the person later works and becomes famous. Bismillah Khan was born in Dumraon, a town in Bihar, on 21 March 1916. He later spent much of his musical life in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, where he practised and performed, so Uttar Pradesh can seem tempting but is not the answer to this question. Therefore option A, Bihar, is correct. Maharashtra and Kerala have no connection with the birthplace stated in the lesson. Keeping birthplace and professional centre separate prevents the common confusion between Dumraon and Varanasi.

Correct answer: A. Maternal uncle and shehnai teacher

Explanation: The governing concept is the importance of mentorship in an artist's development. Ali Bux was Bismillah Khan's maternal uncle and an accomplished shehnai player who guided the young musician. He practised and performed at the Vishnu Temple in Varanasi, where Bismillah Khan learned through close observation and disciplined training. Therefore option A is correct because it gives both the family relationship and the teaching role. Option B is wrong: Ali Bux was not his father; his father was Paigambar Bux. Options C and D invent different relationships and instruments or occupations not stated in the chapter. The detail shows how family guidance and regular practice shaped Khan's career.

Correct answer: B. Banaras

Explanation: The governing idea is the relationship between an artist, a cultural environment and a sense of belonging. Bismillah Khan loved Banaras, also called Varanasi, because the city was connected with his musical growth, the Ganga and its rich religious and cultural life. Even when he received opportunities to live abroad, he did not wish to leave Banaras permanently. Therefore option B is correct. Chennai, Jaipur and Kolkata are important Indian cities, but the lesson does not identify them as the city to which Bismillah Khan was deeply attached. The answer is best remembered with the linked ideas of Banaras, the Ganga and the shehnai.

Correct answer: A. Ganga

Explanation: The governing concept is emotional attachment to place. Bismillah Khan's life and music were closely connected with Banaras and the River Ganga. The chapter presents his affection for the Ganga, the city and its atmosphere as a major reason he resisted settling abroad. Therefore option A, the Ganga, is correct. The Yamuna, Narmada and Krishna are important Indian rivers, but none is connected with this particular biographical episode. This question should not be solved merely by choosing a famous river; it requires recalling the specific setting of Bismillah Khan's life. The useful memory link is: Bismillah Khan, Banaras, Ganga and shehnai.

Correct answer: B. Indian classical music stage

Explanation: The governing concept is the elevation of a traditional instrument through artistic excellence. Before Bismillah Khan's contribution, the shehnai was strongly associated with ceremonies and folk performance. Through his exceptional practice and performances, he established it as a respected instrument on the Indian classical music stage. Therefore option B is correct. A folk-dance stage may sound plausible because the shehnai had folk associations, but it does not express the important change described in the chapter. A sports stage and a drama stage are unrelated to his musical contribution. The key point is not merely that he played the shehnai, but that he helped it gain dignity and recognition in classical music.

Correct answer: B. Kafi

Explanation: The governing factual link is between Bismillah Khan's historic performance and the occasion of India's Independence. On 15 August 1947, he played Raga Kafi on the shehnai at the Red Fort, making the performance an important symbol of the new nation's cultural moment. Therefore option B is correct. Yaman, Darbari and Bhairav are all recognised ragas, so they are plausible musical distractors, but the lesson specifically associates the Red Fort performance with Kafi. The safest memory chain is: Independence Day, Red Fort, Bismillah Khan, shehnai and Raga Kafi. This chain distinguishes the required answer from other well-known raga names.

Correct answer: A. Rasool Bux Khan

Explanation: The correct answer is Rasool Bux Khan. The lesson presents Bismillah Khan as belonging to a family with a long and respected tradition of music. Rasool Bux Khan, his grandfather, was associated with the royal court of Bhojpur and was remembered as a great shehnai player. This family background helps explain how music became an important part of Bismillah Khan’s life from childhood. Ali Bux was not his grandfather; he was his maternal uncle and an important teacher who trained him in shehnai playing. The other names are distractors because they do not have the stated family relationship in the chapter.

Correct answer: A. Banaras

Explanation: The correct answer is Banaras, also known as Varanasi. When Bismillah Khan was very young, he began going to Banaras to stay with his maternal uncle, Ali Bux, who played the shehnai in the Vishwanath Temple. The city became the setting for his disciplined practice, musical growth and deep emotional attachment to the Ganga. His regular practice in the temple and along the river helped him develop a distinctive style. Lucknow, Allahabad and Patna are culturally important cities, but the chapter specifically connects Bismillah Khan’s early training and musical development with Banaras. Therefore, option A is the precise answer.

Correct answer: A. Devotion

Explanation: The correct answer is devotion. Bismillah Khan regarded music as a sacred form of dedication rather than as a commercial occupation or a casual source of entertainment. His lifelong practice of the shehnai, his respect for musical tradition and his attachment to the spiritual atmosphere of Banaras show that he approached music with reverence. He worked to perfect his art even when success required patience and continuous discipline. “A business” wrongly reduces his relationship with music to profit, while “a burden” contradicts his love for practice. Entertainment may be one effect of music for listeners, but it does not express his personal attitude. Hence, option A best conveys the governing idea.

Correct answer: A. Because he loved India and Banaras

Explanation: The correct answer is that he loved India and Banaras. Bismillah Khan had opportunities to perform abroad and was even asked whether he would settle in another country. He explained that he could not imagine leaving India because Banaras, the Ganga and the city’s familiar cultural and spiritual atmosphere were inseparable from his life and music. His reply shows patriotism as well as an intense sense of belonging. The other choices are logically and textually wrong: he loved music, never abandoned the shehnai and was known for rigorous practice rather than fear of it. Thus, option A explains both his personal attachment and his artistic identity.

Correct answer: A. Auspicious

Explanation: The governing cultural concept is the traditional auspicious status of the shehnai. Before Bismillah Khan elevated it to the classical concert stage, the instrument was commonly associated with ceremonies connected with happiness, blessing, and good fortune. It was played at weddings, temples, and other important occasions, so its sound was regarded as शुभ, or auspicious. Option A is therefore correct. The word “frightening” is inconsistent with its ceremonial use, while “useless” ignores the instrument’s social and musical importance. “Bitter” describes neither a sound nor the cultural belief presented in the chapter. The answer depends on recognizing the shehnai’s traditional association with celebration and sacred occasions.

Correct answer: A. Shehnai

Explanation: The correct answer is the shehnai. Before Bismillah Khan’s achievements, the shehnai was widely associated mainly with auspicious ceremonies and traditional occasions. Through exceptional skill, sustained practice and performances on national and international stages, he demonstrated that it was capable of serious classical expression. His artistry elevated the instrument’s status and brought it recognition across the world. Wrestling, painting and drama are separate art or sporting fields and are not the instruments or disciplines for which this musician became famous. The question asks about the direct contribution of his art, so the name of the instrument, “shehnai,” is more accurate than a general answer such as music. Option A is therefore correct.