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 Conclusion
The passage emphasizes that a walking tour is not merely about the physical act of traveling through a landscape or seeing sights. Instead, the author highlights the internal experience and the "jolly humours" one seeks. This includes the excitement of the start and the "peace and spiritual repletion" of resting at the end of the day.
Understanding the Core Experience
According to the author, the true spirit of a walking tour is found in embracing the journey itself. Key aspects mentioned include:
- Seeking "jolly humours" and the "hope and spirit" of the morning's start.
- Finding "peace and spiritual repletion" in the evening's rest.
- Recognizing that "pleasure leads on to pleasure in an endless chain."
- The importance of undertaking the tour "alone" for freedom and pace.
- Being "open to all impressions and let your thoughts take colour from what you see."
Connecting Impressions to the Conclusion
The passage strongly advises the walker to be receptive to their surroundings: "And then you must be open to all impressions and let your thoughts take colour from what you see." This continuous engagement with the environment shapes the entire experience. The author describes the state achieved after prolonged motion in the open air as a "fine intoxication" that "ends in a peace that passes comprehension." This profound peace is a direct outcome of immersing oneself in the journey and absorbing the "impressions of the surroundings."
Evaluating the Options
Let's examine how the options align with the passage's content regarding the conclusion of a walking tour:
- Option 1: With the meditative peace above the real surroundings: While peace is mentioned, the passage doesn't suggest it exists "above" the surroundings but rather as a result of engaging *with* them.
- Option 2: With a peace that delights you: Peace is a component of the conclusion, and delight is implied throughout the pleasure derived from the tour. However, it doesn't fully capture the active aspect of gathering impressions that leads to this peace.
- Option 3: With the impressions of the surroundings: This option directly reflects the passage's instruction to "be open to all impressions and let your thoughts take colour from what you see." The ultimate peace achieved is a consequence of this deep engagement with the environment. Therefore, the tour concludes with the rich tapestry of these gathered impressions.
- Option 4: With the sounds of the birds around you: The passage mentions avoiding distracting noises ("cackle of voices") but does not specify particular sounds like birds as the concluding element.
Based on the passage's emphasis on immersion and taking in the environment, concluding with the "impressions of the surroundings" is the most fitting description.
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, a walking tour should be gone upon alone because :
- 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 ____________
