Read the passage carefully and answer the items based on it. You are required to select your answers based on the contents of the passage and the opinion of the author only. It must not be imagined that a walking tour, as some would have us fancy, is merely a better or worse way of seeing the country. There are many ways of seeing landscape quite as good; and none more vivid, in spite of canting dilettantes, than from a railway train. But landscape on a walking tour is quite an accessory. He who is indeed of the brotherhood does not voyage in quest of the picturesque, but of certain jolly humours — of the hope and spirit with which the march begins at morning, and the peace and spiritual repletion of the evening's rest. He cannot tell whether he puts his knapsack on, or takes it off, with more delight. The excitement of the departure puts him in key for that of the arrival. Whatever he does is not only a reward in itself, but will be further rewarded in the sequel; and so pleasure leads on to pleasure in an endless chain. It is this that so few can understand; they will either be always lounging or always at five miles an hour; they do not play off the one against the other, prepare all day for the evening, and all evening for the next day. Now, to be properly enjoyed, a walking tour should be gone upon alone. If you go in a company, or even in pairs, it is no longer a walking tour in anything but name; it is something else and more in the nature of a picnic. A walking tour should be gone upon alone, because freedom is of the essence; because you should be able to stop and go on, and follow this way or that, as the freak takes you; and because you must have your own pace, and neither trot alongside a champion walker, nor mince in time with a girl. And then you must be open to all impressions and let your thoughts take colour from what you see. You should be as a pipe for any wind to play upon. "I cannot see the wit," says Hazlitt, "of walking and talking at the same time. When I am in the country I wish to vegetate like the country" — which is the gist of all that can be said upon the matter. There should be no cackle of voices at your elbow, to jar on the meditative silence of the morning. And so long as a man is reasoning he cannot surrender himself to that fine intoxication that comes of much motion in the open air, that begins in a sort of dazzle and sluggishness of the brain, and ends in a peace that passes comprehension.
Passage Analysis: The Essence of a Walking Tour
The passage discusses the unique experience and philosophy behind undertaking a walking tour. The author distinguishes a walking tour from simply "seeing the country" and emphasizes that the landscape is often secondary to the personal experience of the journey itself. The core of the walking tour, according to the author, lies in the "jolly humours" – the initial hope and spirit of departure, and the eventual peace and spiritual repletion of rest.
Understanding the Importance of Solitude in Walking Tours
The question asks why, according to the passage, a walking tour should ideally be undertaken alone. The author strongly advocates for solo journeys, stating:
- "Now, to be properly enjoyed, a walking tour should be gone upon alone."
- The primary reason given immediately after is: "because freedom is of the essence".
The passage elaborates on this freedom, explaining that it allows the walker to:
- Stop and go on at will.
- Follow any path that captures their interest ("follow this way or that, as the freak takes you").
- Set their own pace, neither rushing nor being held back by companions.
This freedom is crucial for being "open to all impressions" and allowing thoughts to be shaped by the surroundings, akin to being "a pipe for any wind to play upon." The author contrasts this with group excursions, which are described as being "more in the nature of a picnic" and lacking the "meditative silence" necessary for deep immersion.
Evaluating the Options Based on the Passage
Let's examine each option in light of the passage's content:
- Option 1: It is more in the nature of a picnic. The passage states that going in company makes it "more in the nature of a picnic," implying that going *alone* is *not* like a picnic. Therefore, this option is incorrect.
- Option 2: He may put his knapsack on, or take it off, with more delight. While the passage mentions the delight in preparing for the journey ("He cannot tell whether he puts his knapsack on, or takes it off, with more delight"), this is presented as a general joy of the walking tour experience, not the specific reason *why* one should go alone.
- Option 3: It will add to individual excitement. The passage does mention "excitement of the departure," but the core reason for solitude is not just excitement; it's the freedom that enables a deeper, more receptive experience. The author links solitude to freedom and openness to impressions, which leads to a different kind of fulfillment than mere excitement.
- Option 4: It will provide freedom which is of the utmost importance. This option directly aligns with the passage's explicit statement: "A walking tour should be gone upon alone, because freedom is of the essence". The author emphasizes that this freedom is fundamental to enjoying the walking tour properly, allowing spontaneity and immersion.
Conclusion from the Passage
The passage clearly indicates that the essential reason for undertaking a walking tour alone is the paramount importance of personal freedom. This freedom allows for spontaneity, self-directed pace, and openness to the environment, which are central to the author's conception of a fulfilling walking tour experience.
Similar Questions
- According to the passage, what can adversely affect the walking tour ?
'The many genres of academic and popular history run the full gamut from logically systematic to impressionistic' means:
- What, according to the author, makes historians come to conflicting conclusions?
1. They are influenced by their philosophical beliefs in asking questions on the same data.
2. They apply different interpretations on the same data.
3. They go for the primary data and evidence.
4. They are influenced by the current political developments.
Select the correct answer using the code given below: - Which word(s) from the passage can be substituted for the assertion that "all events and human actions are ultimately shaped by causes external to the will" ?
- Which one of the following relates to the post-modernist approach to History?
- According to the passage, what is the primary purpose of a walking tour?
- According to the passage, how should a walking tour conclude ?
- What is the meaning of the word "dilettantes" in the passage?
- Which of the following does not amount to historical analysis?
S1. The beauty of India’s democracy rests in the greatness of its Constitution.
S2. The Constitution of India upholds the collective values of the country’s civilizational ethos.
Important Questions from Reading Comprehension
What is the meaning of ‘intrigued’?
What are ice shelves?
What are icebergs?
When the iceberg turns upside down, it appears ________.
The use of science in its simple form has helped man to ____________
