Unit: 2; Lesson: 4; The Wheel of Cyclone

January 29, 2026 Md. Rokon Uddin (Rumon)

On the afternoon of March 17, 1978, the weather took an odd turn in north Delhi. Mid-March is usually a nice time of year in that part of India: the chill of winter is gone and the blazing heat of summer is yet to come; the sky is clear and monsoon is far away. But that day dark clouds appeared suddenly and there were squalls of rain. Then followed an even bigger surprise: a hailstorm.

I was thon studying for an MA at Delhi University while also working as a part-time journalist. When the hailstorm broke, I was in a library. I had planned to stay late, but the unseasonal weather led to a change of mind and I decided to leave. I was on my way back to my room when, on an impulse, I changed direction and dropped in on a friend. But the weather continued to worsen as we were chatting, so after a few minutes, I decided to head straight back by a route that I rarely had occasion to take.

I had just passed a busy intersection called Maurice Nagar when I heard a rumbling sound somewhere above. Glancing ovor my shoulder I saw a gray, tube-like extrusion forming on the underside of a dark cloud: it grew rapidly as I watched, and then all of a sudden it turned and came whiplashing down to earth, heading in my direction.
Across the street lay a large administrative building. I sprinted over and headed toward what seemed to be an entrance. But the glass-fronted doors were shut, and a small crowd stood huddled outside, in the shelter of an overhang. There was no room for me there so I ran around to the front of the building. Spotting a small balcony, I jumped over the parapet and crouched on the floor.

The noise quickly rose to a frenzied pitch, and the wind began to tug fiercely at my clothes. Stealing a glance over the parapet, 1 saw, to my astonishment, that my surroundings had been darkened by a churning cloud or dust. In the dim glow that was shining down from above, I saw an extraordinary panoply of objects flying past-bicycles, scooters, lampposts, shoets of corrugated iron, even ontire teastalls. In that instant, gravity, itself seemed to have been transformed into a wheel spinning upon the fingertip of some unknown power.

I buried my head in my arms and lay still. Moments later the noise died down and was replaced by an eerie silence. When at last I climbed out of the balcony, I was confronted by a scene of devastation such as I had never before beheld. Buses lay overturned, scooters sat perched on treetops, walls had been ripped out of buildings, exposing interiors in which ceiling fans had beon twisted into tulip-like spirals. The place where I had first thought to take shelter, the glass-fronted doorway had been reduced to a jumble of jagged debris. The panes had shattered and many people had been wounded by the shards. I realised that I too would have been among the injured had I remained there. I walked away in a daze.

Long aftorward, I am not sure exactly when or where I hunted down the Times of India’s New Delhi edition of March 18, I still have the photocopies I made of it. “30 dead”, says the banner headline, “700 Hurt As Cyclone Hits North Delhi.”

নিচে পুরো অনুচ্ছেদটির বাংলা অর্থ (Bengali Meaning) দেওয়া হলো—

১৯৭৮ সালের ১৭ই মার্চ বিকেলে উত্তর দিল্লির আবহাওয়া হঠাৎই অদ্ভুত রূপ নেয়। সাধারণত মার্চের মাঝামাঝি সময়টি ওই অঞ্চলে বেশ মনোরম থাকে। শীতের ঠান্ডা তখন কেটে যায়, আবার গ্রীষ্মের প্রচণ্ড তাপও তখনো শুরু হয় না। আকাশ থাকে পরিষ্কার, আর বর্ষাও অনেক দূরে। কিন্তু সেদিন হঠাৎ করেই কালো মেঘ জমে ওঠে এবং দমকা হাওয়ার সঙ্গে বৃষ্টি শুরু হয়। এরপর আসে আরও বড় বিস্ময়—শিলাবৃষ্টি।

তখন আমি দিল্লি বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ে এমএ পড়ছিলাম এবং পাশাপাশি খণ্ডকালীন সাংবাদিক হিসেবে কাজ করতাম। শিলাবৃষ্টি শুরু হওয়ার সময় আমি একটি লাইব্রেরিতে ছিলাম। আমার ইচ্ছে ছিল দেরি পর্যন্ত থাকার, কিন্তু অস্বাভাবিক আবহাওয়ার কারণে মন বদলে যায় এবং আমি বেরিয়ে পড়ার সিদ্ধান্ত নিই। ঘরে ফেরার পথে হঠাৎ ইচ্ছায় দিক বদলে এক বন্ধুর কাছে ঢুঁ মারি। কিন্তু আমরা কথা বলার মধ্যেই আবহাওয়া আরও খারাপ হতে থাকে, তাই কয়েক মিনিট পর আমি সোজা বাড়ি ফেরার সিদ্ধান্ত নিই—এমন একটি পথ ধরে, যেটি আমি খুব কমই ব্যবহার করতাম।

মরিস নগর নামের একটি ব্যস্ত মোড় পার হওয়ার ঠিক পরেই আমি ওপর দিক থেকে একটি গর্জনের শব্দ শুনতে পেলাম। কাঁধের ওপর দিয়ে তাকিয়ে দেখি, কালো মেঘের তলায় ধূসর রঙের নলের মতো একটি আকৃতি তৈরি হচ্ছে। চোখের সামনে সেটি দ্রুত বড় হতে লাগল এবং হঠাৎ করেই মাটির দিকে আছড়ে পড়ল—সোজা আমার দিকেই।

রাস্তার ওপারে একটি বড় প্রশাসনিক ভবন ছিল। আমি দৌড়ে সেখানে গিয়ে একটি প্রবেশপথের দিকে ছুটলাম। কিন্তু কাচের দরজাগুলো বন্ধ ছিল, আর ছাদের ছাউনির নিচে কিছু মানুষ জড়ো হয়ে দাঁড়িয়ে ছিল। সেখানে আমার জায়গা না হওয়ায় আমি ভবনের সামনের দিকে ছুটে গেলাম। একটি ছোট বারান্দা চোখে পড়তেই প্রাচীর টপকে ভেতরে ঢুকে মেঝেতে কুঁকড়ে বসে পড়লাম।

শব্দ দ্রুত উন্মত্ত চূড়ায় পৌঁছাল, আর বাতাস আমার পোশাক জোরে টানতে লাগল। বারান্দার প্রাচীরের ওপর দিয়ে একবার উঁকি দিয়ে আমি বিস্ময়ে দেখলাম—চারপাশ ধুলোর ঘূর্ণায় অন্ধকার হয়ে গেছে। ওপর থেকে আসা ক্ষীণ আলোতে দেখলাম এক অবিশ্বাস্য দৃশ্য—সাইকেল, স্কুটার, ল্যাম্পপোস্ট, ঢেউখেলানো টিনের চাদর, এমনকি পুরো চায়ের দোকানও উড়ে যাচ্ছে। সেই মুহূর্তে মনে হচ্ছিল, মাধ্যাকর্ষণ যেন কোনো অজানা শক্তির আঙুলের ডগায় ঘুরতে থাকা চাকার মতো হয়ে গেছে।

আমি মাথা দু’হাতে ঢেকে নিশ্চুপ হয়ে পড়ে রইলাম। কিছুক্ষণ পর শব্দ থেমে গেল এবং এক ভয়ানক নীরবতা নেমে এল। শেষে বারান্দা থেকে বেরিয়ে এসে এমন এক ধ্বংসস্তূপের দৃশ্য দেখলাম, যা আগে কখনো দেখিনি। বাস উল্টে পড়ে আছে, স্কুটার গাছের ডালে আটকে আছে, ভবনের দেয়াল ছিঁড়ে ভেতরের ঘর উন্মুক্ত হয়ে গেছে, যেখানে সিলিং ফ্যানগুলো ফুলের মতো পাক খেয়ে গেছে। যেই কাচের দরজার সামনে আমি প্রথমে আশ্রয় নিতে চেয়েছিলাম, সেটি তখন ধারালো ধ্বংসাবশেষের স্তূপে পরিণত হয়েছে। কাচ ভেঙে অনেক মানুষ আহত হয়েছে। আমি বুঝতে পারলাম, সেখানে থাকলে আমিও আহতদের একজন হতাম। ঘোরের মধ্যে আমি সেখান থেকে চলে আসি।

অনেক পরে, ঠিক কখন বা কোথায় আমি টাইমস অব ইন্ডিয়ার ১৮ মার্চের নয়াদিল্লি সংস্করণটি খুঁজে পেয়েছিলাম, তা আর মনে নেই। তবে আমি যে ফটোকপিগুলো করেছিলাম, সেগুলো এখনো আমার কাছে আছে। ব্যানার শিরোনামে লেখা ছিল—
“৩০ জন নিহত, উত্তর দিল্লিতে ঘূর্ণিঝড়ে ৭০০ জন আহত।”

100 Pieces Vocabulary

No.	Word	Bengali Meaning	Synonym	Antonym	Parts of Speech
1	Afternoon	অপরাহ্ন	Evening	Morning	Noun
2	Weather	আবহাওয়া	Climate	—	Noun
3	Odd	অস্বাভাবিক	Strange	Normal	Adjective
4	Usually	সাধারণত	Normally	Rarely	Adverb
5	Chill	শীতলতা	Coldness	Warmth	Noun
6	Blazing	প্রচণ্ড	Scorching	Mild	Adjective
7	Suddenly	হঠাৎ	Abruptly	Gradually	Adverb
8	Squall	দমকা ঝড়	Gust	Calm	Noun
9	Hailstorm	শিলাবৃষ্টি	Ice storm	Heat wave	Noun
10	Studying	অধ্যয়নরত	Learning	Ignoring	Verb
11	Journalist	সাংবাদিক	Reporter	—	Noun
12	Library	গ্রন্থাগার	Reading room	—	Noun
13	Unseasonal	অকালীন	Unexpected	Seasonal	Adjective
14	Decision	সিদ্ধান্ত	Choice	Indecision	Noun
15	Impulse	হঠাৎ ইচ্ছা	Urge	Control	Noun
16	Direction	দিক	Way	—	Noun
17	Worsen	খারাপ হওয়া	Deteriorate	Improve	Verb
18	Route	পথ	Path	—	Noun
19	Intersection	সংযোগস্থল	Crossing	—	Noun
20	Rumbling	গর্জন	Roaring	Silence	Adjective
21	Glancing	চেয়ে দেখা	Peeping	Staring	Verb
22	Extrusion	বেরিয়ে আসা অংশ	Projection	Retraction	Noun
23	Rapidly	দ্রুত	Quickly	Slowly	Adverb
24	Sprint	দৌড়ানো	Dash	Walk	Verb
25	Shelter	আশ্রয়	Refuge	Exposure	Noun
26	Overhang	ঝুলন্ত ছাদ	Projection	—	Noun
27	Balcony	বারান্দা	Terrace	—	Noun
28	Crouched	কুঁকড়ে বসা	Squatted	Stood	Verb
29	Frenzied	উন্মত্ত	Wild	Calm	Adjective
30	Fiercely	তীব্রভাবে	Violently	Gently	Adverb
31	Tug	টান	Pull	Push	Verb
32	Astonishment	বিস্ময়	Surprise	Expectation	Noun
33	Surroundings	চারপাশ	Environment	—	Noun
34	Churning	ঘূর্ণায়মান	Swirling	Still	Adjective
35	Extraordinary	অসাধারণ	Remarkable	Ordinary	Adjective
36	Objects	বস্তু	Items	—	Noun
37	Gravity	মাধ্যাকর্ষণ	Attraction	Repulsion	Noun
38	Transformed	রূপান্তরিত	Changed	Unchanged	Verb
39	Unknown	অজানা	Unfamiliar	Known	Adjective
40	Power	শক্তি	Force	Weakness	Noun
41	Buried	ঢেকে ফেলা	Covered	Exposed	Verb
42	Silence	নীরবতা	Stillness	Noise	Noun
43	Eerie	ভীতিকর	Spooky	Normal	Adjective
44	Scene	দৃশ্য	View	—	Noun
45	Devastation	ধ্বংস	Ruin	Creation	Noun
46	Overturned	উল্টে যাওয়া	Capsized	Upright	Adjective
47	Perched	বসে থাকা	Rested	Fallen	Verb
48	Ripped	ছিঁড়ে যাওয়া	Torn	Mended	Verb
49	Exposing	উন্মুক্ত করা	Revealing	Hiding	Verb
50	Interior	ভেতরের অংশ	Inside	Exterior	Noun
51	Twisted	পাকানো	Bent	Straight	Adjective
52	Spirals	পাক	Coils	Straight line	Noun
53	Reduced	কমে যাওয়া	Decreased	Increased	Verb
54	Jagged	ধারালো	Sharp	Smooth	Adjective
55	Debris	ধ্বংসাবশেষ	Wreckage	Order	Noun
56	Shattered	ভেঙে যাওয়া	Broken	Intact	Verb
57	Wounded	আহত	Injured	Healthy	Adjective
58	Realised	উপলব্ধি করা	Understood	Ignored	Verb
59	Injured	আহত	Hurt	Safe	Adjective
60	Remained	রয়ে যাওয়া	Stayed	Left	Verb
61	Daze	ঘোর	Confusion	Awareness	Noun
62	Edition	সংস্করণ	Issue	—	Noun
63	Photocopies	ফটোকপি	Duplicates	Originals	Noun
64	Banner	শিরোনাম	Headline	—	Noun
65	Dead	মৃত	Deceased	Alive	Adjective
66	Hurt	আহত	Injured	Healed	Adjective
67	Cyclone	ঘূর্ণিঝড়	Storm	Calm	Noun
68	Hit	আঘাত করা	Strike	Miss	Verb
69	Rarely	খুব কম	Seldom	Often	Adverb
70	Planned	পরিকল্পিত	Intended	Accidental	Adjective
71	Continue	চলতে থাকা	Persist	Stop	Verb
72	Crowd	ভিড়	Gathering	Solitude	Noun
73	Entrance	প্রবেশপথ	Entry	Exit	Noun
74	Glass-fronted	কাচ-ঘেরা	Transparent	Opaque	Adjective
75	Administrative	প্রশাসনিক	Official	Unofficial	Adjective
76	Impulse	আকস্মিক ইচ্ছা	Instinct	Planning	Noun
77	Rare	বিরল	Uncommon	Common	Adjective
78	Shelterless	আশ্রয়হীন	Exposed	Protected	Adjective
79	Fear	ভয়	Terror	Courage	Noun
80	Hazard	বিপদ	Danger	Safety	Noun
81	Calm	শান্ত	Peace	Chaos	Noun
82	Chaos	বিশৃঙ্খলা	Disorder	Order	Noun
83	Dim	ম্লান	Faint	Bright	Adjective
84	Glow	আভা	Shine	Darkness	Noun
85	Flying	উড়ন্ত	Airborne	Grounded	Adjective
86	Entire	সম্পূর্ণ	Whole	Partial	Adjective
87	Shelter	আশ্রয়	Protection	Exposure	Noun
88	Rarely	সচরাচর নয়	Infrequently	Regularly	Adverb
89	Occurred	ঘটেছিল	Happened	Prevented	Verb
90	Moment	মুহূর্ত	Instant	Eternity	Noun
91	Later	পরে	Afterwards	Earlier	Adverb
92	Exactly	ঠিকভাবে	Precisely	Roughly	Adverb
93	Headline	শিরোনাম	Caption	—	Noun
94	Edition	সংস্করণ	Version	—	Noun
95	Violence	সহিংসতা	Brutality	Peace	Noun
96	Disaster	দুর্যোগ	Catastrophe	Success	Noun
97	Unexpected	অপ্রত্যাশিত	Sudden	Expected	Adjective
98	Historical	ঐতিহাসিক	Notable	Trivial	Adjective
99	Survived	বেঁচে যাওয়া	Endured	Perished	Verb
100	Experience	অভিজ্ঞতা	Encounter	Inexperience	Noun

50 Pieces MCQ Based on the Text

1. The incident took place on—
A. March 15, 1978
B. March 16, 1978
C. March 17, 1978
D. March 18, 1978

2. The place of the incident was—
A. South Delhi
B. East Delhi
C. North Delhi
D. West Delhi

3. Mid-March weather in Delhi is usually—
A. Extremely hot
B. Extremely cold
C. Pleasant
D. Stormy

4. What unusual weather occurred that day?
A. Snowfall
B. Sandstorm
C. Hailstorm
D. Heat wave

5. The narrator was studying for—
A. BA
B. MA
C. PhD
D. Diploma

6. Besides studying, the narrator worked as a—
A. Teacher
B. Clerk
C. Journalist
D. Researcher

7. Where was the narrator when the hailstorm began?
A. Classroom
B. Hostel
C. Library
D. Canteen

8. Why did the narrator decide to leave early?
A. Feeling sick
B. Library closing
C. Unseasonal weather
D. Power failure

9. On the way back, the narrator—
A. Went straight home
B. Took shelter in a shop
C. Visited a friend
D. Missed the road

10. The narrator took a route—
A. He used daily
B. He rarely used
C. Under construction
D. Very long

11. Maurice Nagar is described as—
A. A village
B. A market
C. A busy intersection
D. A park

12. The narrator heard a rumbling sound from—
A. Underground
B. A building
C. Above
D. A vehicle

13. The tube-like shape formed under—
A. A tree
B. A building
C. A dark cloud
D. A bridge

14. That shape finally turned into a—
A. Flood
B. Tornado-like cyclone
C. Rainbow
D. Fire

15. It was heading—
A. Away from the narrator
B. Towards the narrator
C. Into the sky
D. Towards the river

16. The narrator first ran towards—
A. A bus stop
B. A shop
C. An administrative building
D. A police station

17. The glass-fronted doors were—
A. Broken
B. Open
C. Locked
D. Removed

18. People were huddled under—
A. A tree
B. An overhang
C. A bridge
D. A bus

19. Why couldn’t the narrator take shelter there?
A. Doors were locked
B. Guards stopped him
C. No room
D. He slipped

20. The narrator finally took shelter on a—
A. Staircase
B. Roof
C. Balcony
D. Basement

21. The noise rose to a—
A. Musical tone
B. Gentle hum
C. Frenzied pitch
D. Silent level

22. The wind tugged at the narrator’s—
A. Bag
B. Shoes
C. Clothes
D. Hair

23. The surroundings were darkened by—
A. Rain
B. Smoke
C. Dust cloud
D. Fog

24. Which object was NOT seen flying?
A. Scooters
B. Lampposts
C. Cars
D. Tea stalls

25. Gravity seemed to have been—
A. Destroyed
B. Transformed
C. Strengthened
D. Normal

26. The narrator protected himself by—
A. Running
B. Hiding behind a wall
C. Lying still with head buried
D. Jumping

27. After some time, the noise was replaced by—
A. Music
B. Silence
C. Rain
D. Sirens

28. The silence was described as—
A. Peaceful
B. Normal
C. Eerie
D. Joyful

29. What scene did the narrator witness afterward?
A. Celebration
B. Order
C. Devastation
D. Construction

30. Buses were found—
A. Parked neatly
B. Missing
C. Overturned
D. Burning

31. Scooters were seen—
A. On roads
B. In garages
C. On treetops
D. In rivers

32. Walls of buildings had been—
A. Painted
B. Cleaned
C. Ripped out
D. Repaired

33. Ceiling fans looked like—
A. Broken sticks
B. Tulip-like spirals
C. Straight rods
D. Ropes

34. The glass-fronted doorway was reduced to—
A. Dust
B. Ash
C. Jagged debris
D. Mud

35. Many people were wounded by—
A. Fire
B. Stones
C. Glass shards
D. Water

36. The narrator realised he would have been—
A. Dead
B. Unharmed
C. Injured
D. Famous

37. The narrator walked away in a—
A. Hurry
B. Daze
C. Laugh
D. Celebration

38. The next day’s newspaper was—
A. Hindustan Times
B. Anandabazar
C. Times of India
D. The Guardian

39. The newspaper date was—
A. March 17
B. March 18
C. March 19
D. March 20

40. The banner headline mentioned—
A. Flood
B. Earthquake
C. Cyclone
D. Fire

41. How many people were reported dead?
A. 20
B. 25
C. 30
D. 35

42. How many people were injured?
A. 500
B. 600
C. 700
D. 800

43. The narrator kept—
A. Original newspaper
B. Photocopies
C. Photographs
D. Notes

44. The cyclone hit—
A. All India
B. Only villages
C. North Delhi
D. South India

45. The tone of the passage is mainly—
A. Humorous
B. Romantic
C. Descriptive
D. Argumentative

46. The passage is written in—
A. First person
B. Second person
C. Third person
D. Passive voice

47. The writer survived mainly due to—
A. Luck and quick decision
B. Help from police
C. Strong building
D. Medical aid

48. “Unseasonal” means—
A. Seasonal
B. Expected
C. Not usual for that time
D. Dangerous

49. The word “devastation” means—
A. Decoration
B. Celebration
C. Great destruction
D. Improvement

50. The central theme of the passage is—
A. Student life
B. Journalism
C. Natural disaster and survival
D. City planning

Answer Key (Row-wise)

1.C, 2.C, 3.C, 4.C, 5.B, 6.C, 7.C, 8.C, 9.C, 10.B, 11.C, 12.C, 13.C, 14.B, 15.B, 16.C, 17.C, 18.B, 19.C, 20.C, 21.C, 22.C, 23.C, 24.C, 25.B, 26.C, 27.B, 28.C, 29.C, 30.C, 31.C, 32.C, 33.B, 34.C, 35.C, 36.C, 37.B, 38.C, 39.B, 40.C, 41.C, 42.C, 43.B, 44.C, 45.C, 46.A, 47.A, 48.C, 49.C, 50.C

30 Pieces MCQ (Vocabulary Based)

Synonym-based MCQ

1. The synonym of “Odd” is—
A. Normal
B. Strange
C. Common
D. Plain

2. The synonym of “Rapidly” is—
A. Slowly
B. Suddenly
C. Quickly
D. Lazily

3. The synonym of “Devastation” is—
A. Creation
B. Celebration
C. Ruin
D. Improvement

4. The synonym of “Eerie” is—
A. Pleasant
B. Normal
C. Spooky
D. Bright

5. The synonym of “Shelter” is—
A. Exposure
B. Refuge
C. Danger
D. Distance

6. The synonym of “Frenzied” is—
A. Calm
B. Gentle
C. Wild
D. Silent

7. The synonym of “Glancing” is—
A. Staring
B. Peeping
C. Ignoring
D. Closing

8. The synonym of “Extraordinary” is—
A. Ordinary
B. Common
C. Remarkable
D. Simple

9. The synonym of “Impulse” is—
A. Planning
B. Control
C. Urge
D. Delay

10. The synonym of “Worsen” is—
A. Improve
B. Repair
C. Deteriorate
D. Beautify

Antonym-based MCQ

11. The antonym of “Calm” is—
A. Peace
B. Silence
C. Chaos
D. Rest

12. The antonym of “Rarely” is—
A. Seldom
B. Never
C. Often
D. Hardly

13. The antonym of “Dark” is—
A. Dim
B. Bright
C. Black
D. Dull

14. The antonym of “Injured” is—
A. Wounded
B. Hurt
C. Safe
D. Weak

15. The antonym of “Unseasonal” is—
A. Unexpected
B. Seasonal
C. Sudden
D. Rare

16. The antonym of “Overturned” is—
A. Broken
B. Upright
C. Destroyed
D. Bent

17. The antonym of “Unknown” is—
A. Strange
B. Hidden
C. Known
D. Lost

18. The antonym of “Silence” is—
A. Peace
B. Calm
C. Noise
D. Rest

19. The antonym of “Reduce” is—
A. Cut
B. Lessen
C. Increase
D. Remove

20. The antonym of “Danger” is—
A. Hazard
B. Fear
C. Safety
D. Risk

Parts of Speech-based MCQ

21. The word “Suddenly” is a—
A. Noun
B. Verb
C. Adjective
D. Adverb

22. The word “Journalist” is a—
A. Verb
B. Adjective
C. Noun
D. Adverb

23. The word “Fiercely” is a—
A. Noun
B. Verb
C. Adjective
D. Adverb

24. The word “Shelter” (as used in the passage) is a—
A. Verb
B. Noun
C. Adjective
D. Adverb

25. The word “Churning” in “churning cloud” is a—
A. Noun
B. Verb
C. Adjective
D. Adverb

26. The word “Transformed” is a—
A. Noun
B. Verb
C. Adjective
D. Adverb

27. The word “Extraordinary” is a—
A. Noun
B. Verb
C. Adjective
D. Adverb

28. The word “Quickly” is a—
A. Noun
B. Verb
C. Adjective
D. Adverb

29. The word “Devastation” is a—
A. Verb
B. Adjective
C. Noun
D. Adverb

30. The word “Rare” is a—
A. Noun
B. Verb
C. Adjective
D. Adverb

Answer Key (Row-wise)

1.B, 2.C, 3.C, 4.C, 5.B, 6.C, 7.B, 8.C, 9.C, 10.C, 11.C, 12.C, 13.B, 14.C, 15.B, 16.B, 17.C, 18.C, 19.C, 20.C, 21.D, 22.C, 23.D, 24.B, 25.C, 26.B, 27.C, 28.D, 29.C, 30.C

Answer the Following Questions (10 Pieces)

1. What was unusual about the weather on March 17, 1978?
Answer:
The weather on March 17, 1978 was unusual because dark clouds suddenly appeared, followed by squalls of rain and a hailstorm, which was unexpected in mid-March.

2. What was the narrator doing at that time?
Answer:
The narrator was studying for an MA degree at Delhi University and also working as a part-time journalist.

3. Where was the narrator when the hailstorm began?
Answer:
The narrator was inside a library when the hailstorm began.

4. Why did the narrator change his route while returning home?
Answer:
The narrator changed his route because the weather was getting worse and he decided to take a road that he rarely used to return home quickly.

5. What did the narrator see near Maurice Nagar?
Answer:
Near Maurice Nagar, the narrator saw a gray, tube-like shape forming under a dark cloud, which suddenly came rushing down towards the ground.

6. Where did the narrator try to take shelter first?
Answer:
The narrator first tried to take shelter in a large administrative building near the road.

7. Why could the narrator not take shelter at the glass-fronted door?
Answer:
The narrator could not take shelter at the glass-fronted door because it was shut and there was no space among the people standing there.

8. Where did the narrator finally take shelter?
Answer:
The narrator finally took shelter on a small balcony of the building by jumping over the parapet.

9. Describe the scene after the cyclone ended.
Answer:
After the cyclone ended, the narrator saw complete devastation. Buses were overturned, scooters were on treetops, walls were ripped out, and buildings were badly damaged.

10. What information did the newspaper headline give the next day?
Answer:
The newspaper headline reported that 30 people were dead and 700 people were injured as a cyclone hit North Delhi.

B. Long Answer Questions (5 × 5 = 25)

11. Describe the weather condition of North Delhi on March 17, 1978.
Answer:
On March 17, 1978, the weather in North Delhi changed suddenly. Dark clouds appeared in the sky, followed by strong winds and heavy rain. Soon a hailstorm struck the area, which was highly unusual for mid-March. Later, a violent cyclone hit North Delhi, causing widespread destruction. The sudden change in weather created panic and chaos among the people.

12. What was the narrator doing before the cyclone struck, and how did his plans change?
Answer:
Before the cyclone struck, the narrator was studying in a library. He had planned to stay there till late. However, due to the unseasonal weather and worsening conditions, he decided to leave earlier than planned. On his way back, he even changed his route, which later helped him survive the disaster.

13. Describe how the narrator saved himself during the cyclone.
Answer:
When the narrator saw the cyclone coming towards him, he ran to a nearby administrative building to take shelter. The glass-fronted doors were shut and crowded, so he could not stay there. He then ran to the front of the building, jumped over a parapet, and took shelter on a small balcony. He crouched down and buried his head in his arms until the cyclone passed.

14. What scene of destruction did the narrator witness after the cyclone ended?
Answer:
After the cyclone ended, the narrator saw a horrifying scene of destruction. Buses were overturned, scooters were found on treetops, and walls of buildings were ripped out. The interiors of buildings were exposed, and ceiling fans were twisted into strange shapes. The glass-fronted doorway was reduced to jagged debris, and many people were injured by broken glass.

15. What did the newspaper report about the cyclone the next day?
Answer:
The next day, the Times of India reported the incident with a banner headline stating that 30 people had died and 700 people were injured when a cyclone hit North Delhi. The report showed how deadly and destructive the cyclone had been.

3. Fill in the blanks.

Passage–1

On the afternoon of March 17, 1978, the weather in north Delhi suddenly became very (a)———–. Dark clouds gathered in the sky and strong winds began to (b) ———. Soon heavy rain started, followed by a violent (c) ———. Such weather was completely (d)————- for mid-March, when the climate is usually (e) ———.

Passage–2

At that time, the narrator was studying for an (a)———- degree at Delhi University and also working as a part-time (b)—————. When the hailstorm began, he was inside a (c) ———-. Because of the strange weather, he decided to leave earlier than (d) ———– and started walking back to his (e) ———-.

Passage–3

While returning home, the narrator changed his (a) ——— on impulse and visited a (b) ———. As the weather continued to (c) ———, he decided to take a route he (d) ————- used. When he reached a busy (e) ———- called Maurice Nagar, he heard a loud rumbling sound.

Passage–4

Looking up, the narrator saw a tube-like shape forming under a dark (a) ———–. It suddenly came rushing down towards the (b) ————–. He ran towards an administrative (c) ———— to take shelter. The glass-fronted doors were (d) —————-, so he jumped onto a small (e) ————to save himself.

Passage–5

After the storm ended, an eerie (a)———— spread everywhere. The narrator saw complete (b) ————– around him. Buses were (c) ————, scooters were found on (d) ———-, and buildings were badly damaged. Later, a newspaper reported that many people were (e) ————— during the cyclone.