Chapter 7 The Adventure Solutions
Question - 1 : - Notice these expressions in the text. Infer their meaning from the context.
- blow-by-blow account
- morale booster
- relegated to
- political acumen
- de facto
- astute
- doctored accounts
- gave vent to
Answer - 1 : -
blow-by-blow account: detailed account. In the text “The Adventure” this expression occurs in the context of Gangadharpant trying to understand the outcome of the Battle of Panipat by reading a book on the topic.
morale booster: anything that serves to increase morale or confidence. The expression occurs in the text 'Adventure' where it is told that the Marathas emerged victorious in the Battle of Panipat which increased their morale or confidence in establishing their supremacy all over the country.
Relegated to: assigned to a lower rank or position. In the text it is said how Dadasaheb, a maratha Chieftain was assigned to a lower rank after the Battle of Panipat.
political acumen: political shrewedness with keen insight. In the text 'The Adventure' the expression is used to convey how Madhavrao and Vishwasrao because of their shrewedness could expand their influence all over India.
de facto: existing in fact whether with lawful authority or not. In the text 'Adventure' the Peshwas are regarded as de facto rulers as they kept the Mughal regime alive in Delhi.
astute: marked by practical hardheaded intelligence. In the text “The Adventure” this word is used to convey that the Peshwas were very intelligent to recognise the importance of technological age dawning in Europe.
doctored accounts: manipulation of accounts. This expression conveys that the Bakhars were not providing historical facts but manipulated account of history.
give vent to: to express one's feelings and ideas. Professor Gaitonde expressed his ideas in the public lecture on the Battle of Panipat.
Question - 2 : - Tick the statements that are true.
1. The story is an account of real events.
2. The story hinges on a particular historical event.
3.Rajendra Desphande was a historical event.
4. The places mentioned in the story are all imaginary.
5. The story tries to relate history to Science.
Answer - 2 : -
1.The story is an account of real events. (True)
2.The story hinges on a particular historical event. (True)
3. Rajendra Deshpande was a historian. (True)
4. The places mentioned in the story are all imaginary. (False)
5. The Story tries to relate history to Science. (True)
Question - 3 : - Gangadharpant could not help comparing the country he knew with what he was witnessing around him.
Answer - 3 : -
The given statement is in the text The Adventure by Jayant Vishnu Narlikar. The statement is in the context of Gangadharpant experiencing a different historical view of India after the Battle of Panipat. According to this perspective of Indian history, the Marathas emerged victorious in the said battle and extended influence over the entire country till the end of the twentieth century. They were gradually replaced by democratically elected bodies. The country Gangadharpant was witnessing around him had always been strong and self respecting. He could not help comparing it with the country that he knew. The two versions of historical reality of India indeed was perplexing to him and he started comparing the two in order to understand the phenomenon. This was later explained by Rajendra in the light of catastrophic theory, according to which, there could be alternative realities existing side by side out of which any one of the alternatives is revealed to an observer. This is what happened with Gangadharpant in that he was witnessing an altogether different version of Indian history. This induced him to compare the two versions of India as mentioned in the History text books and another revealed to him.
Question - 4 : - “You have passed through a fantastic experience: or more correctly, a catastrophic experience.”
Answer - 4 : -
This statement was made by Rajendra to Prof. Gaitonde in the text The Adventure by Jayant Vishnu Narlikar. Rajendra made this statement in the context of Prof. Gaitonde experiencing a different version of the outcome of the Battle of Panipat. Prof Gaitonde was a historian and he was invited in a seminar to speak on the Battle of Panipat. He was to make a point that if in the battle of Panipat the Marathas emerged victorious then what would have happened. Interestingly, Prof. Gaitonde happened to experience the very hypothesis as reality. He entered a different level of consciousness and was witnessing events like the Battle of Panipat in an altogether different version. In the History books, the Marathas are mentioned as being loser in the battle but in his experience the Marathas emerged victorious. Prof. Gaitonde was unable to understand this phenomenon. It is in this context, Rajendra tried to offer a scientific explanation to rationalise Prof. Gaitonde's experience. He meant to say that what Prof. Gaitonde experienced was not imaginative or fantastic but was also real. He tried to explain this in the light of the catastrophic theory. According to this theory, there can be many alternative realities simultaneously existing. An observer sees only one of the alternatives. By applying this theory, Rajendra tried to explain the outcome of the Battle of Panipat as revealed to Prof. Gaitonde. The catastrophic theory has been developed by observing the outcome of experiments on small systems like atom and their constituent particles. The behaviour of these systems cannot be predicted definitely even if all the physical laws governing those systems are known.
Question - 5 : - “You neither travelled to the past nor the future. You were in the present experiencing a different world.”
Answer - 5 : -
The statement is from the text The Adventure written by Jayant Vishnu Narlikar. These words were said by Rajendra to Professor Gaitonde in the context of his entering into a different state of consciousness, which revealed a different version of the outcome of the Battle of Panipat. According to this version as revealed to Prof. Gaitonde, the Marathas emerged victorious in the battle, which is contrary to the facts as presented in the History books. The statement reveals that one can experience an altogether different world without travelling to the past or the future. Prof. Gaitonde was witnessing a different set of events remaining in the present. It was not a matter of fantasy or imagination on the part of Prof. Gaitonde but a different reality as revealed to him. Such alternative realities occur due to bifurcation leading to different course of events simultaneously. In the present context, the bifurcation took place in the Battle of Panipat so that in one course of event the Marathas emerged victorious and in another they lost the battle. The History books mention that the Marathas lost the battle of Panipat, which is also true and the other version as revealed to Prof. Gaitonde is also true.
Question - 6 : - A single event may change the course of the history of a nation.
Answer - 6 : -
| In favour of the motion | Against the motion |
| A single event may change the course of the history of a nation. The battle of Panipat for example is said to be the turning point in the history of India. In the Battle of Panipat, the Marathas gave in to the forces of Ahmed Shah Abdali. After this event the history of India took another turn. Gradually, the country was was overtaken by the foreign forces. In the story The Adventure it is mentioned how in the beginning Prof. Gaitonde was preparing a speech on what course the history would have taken if the Marathas had won the Battle of Panipat. This shows the importance of a single event in the history of a nation. | The motion that A single event may change the course of the history of a nation is a matter of perspective only. It is a relative truth. If we apply the catastrophic theory in understanding history then we will find that there may be alternative outcomes of a single event so that we cannot proclaim that any one course of event is the reality. Since there may be alternative courses of history so debating on a single course is not fruitful. In the story the Adventure due to catastrophic phenomenon the Battle of Panipat is revealed in a different version to Prof Gaitonde. According to this version, the Marathas emerged victorious in the Battle of Panipat. After the event the Marathas extended influence over the entire country. India never fell to the alien forces. So, to argue that a single course of event may change the course of history is not tenable. There may be alternative effects following an event. |
Question - 7 : - Reality is what is directly experienced through the senses.
Answer - 7 : -
| In favour of the motion | Against the motion |
| Our senses , that is the senses of touch, sight, taste and hearing and smell provide us facts about the world we live in. Knowledge from experience come through these senses. The reality is what we directly experience through these senses. No other reality exists which is not revealed to the senses. | Reality is not what is directly revealed to the senses. We cannot experience so many entities like atoms and molecules but these are real. We cannot even predict the behaviour of these entities accurately. This point is mooted by Rajendra in the story Adventure when he points to the discoveries made by the physicists regarding the behaviour of the atoms. We can predict the position of a bullet fired in a particular direction from a gun but we cannot predict the position of a an electron fired from a source. This proves that reality is not what is directly revealed to the senses, there can be alternative realities existing side by side. |
Question - 8 : - The methods of inquiry of history,science and philosophy are similar.
Answer - 8 : -
| In favour of the motion | Against the motion |
| The methods of inquiry of History, Science and Philosophy are similar. In the story The Adventure one can find the perspectives of History, Philosophy and Science converging towards a focal point. History employs the methods of observation, analysis and rationalism in understanding the course of past events. Science is based on observation, experimentation and analysis. Rationalism is the most fundamental principle that Science follows. Philosophy is thoroughly critical in methodology. Philosophy examines everything including the assumptions and methodology of Science and other disciplines like History. In the story The Adventure History, Science and Philosophy converge. Prof. Gaitonde experienced an altogether different version of the out come of the Battle of Panipat. Contrary to the version as provided in History text books,the Marathas emerged as victorious in this battle. Prof. Gaitonde tried to understand this rationally but he failed to get any clue. In this context, Rajendra intervened to explain this phenomenon in the light of the Catastrophic theory which is being employed by Physicists in understanding the behaviour of atoms. Here we find Science and History converging. The similar perspective is seen in Philosophy that truth is relative and not absolute. In fact, the philosophical movement of post Modernism is based on this. In other words, the methods of inquiry of History, Science and Philosophy are similar. | It is a misnomer that the methods of inquiry of History,Science and Philosophy are similar. The similarity is at superficial level and not at the core. In the story The Adventure Rajendra tried to rationalise the experience of Prof Gaitonde by applying the Catastrophic theory. But this explanation is not convincing though it convinced the professor. Catastrophic theory can best explain phenomenon of the physical world but History deals with behavioural world. It is concerned with the behaviour of society and individuals. The methods of inquiry will also vary accordingly. The method of inquiry of Philosophy is speculative. Philosophy even questions rationalism. Philosophy is highly critical of the methods of Science and History. In other words, the methods of History, Science and Philosophy are not similar. The story The Adventure by Jayant Vishnu Narlikar is, in fact, a science fiction which is trying to show the convergence of Science History and Philosophy. In reality the three disciplines, namely, Science, History and Philosophy have to employ different methodology of inquiry vis-a-vis the subject matter. |
Question - 9 : - Tick the item that is closest in meaning to the following phrases.
1. to take issue with
(i) to accept
(ii) to discuss
(iii) to disagree
(iv) to add
2. to give vent to
(i) to express
(ii) to emphasise
(iii) to suppress
(iv) to dismiss
3. to stand on one's feet
(i) to be physically strong
(ii) to be independent
(iii) to stand erect
(iv) to be successful
4. to be wound up
(i) to become active
(ii) to stop operating
(iii) to be transformed
(iv) to be destroyed
5. to meet one's match
(i) to meet a partner who has similar tastes
(ii) to meet an opponent
(iii) to meet someone who is equally able as oneself
(iv) to meet defeat
Answer - 9 : -
1. (ii) to discuss
2. (i) to express
3. (ii) To be independent.
4. (ii) To stop operating
5. (iii) To meet someone who is equally able as oneself.
Question - 10 : - Why do you think Professor Gaitonde decided never to preside over meetings again?
Answer - 10 : -
Professor Gaitonde was experiencing a different version of the Battle of Panipat. According to this version, the Marathas emerged victorious in the Battle and started extending influence over the entire country. His mind was actually witnessing a different version of the historical reality. Interestingly, he was also witnessing an event that was not conforming to the conventions. The event was a lecture session on the outcomes of the Battle of Panipat. In this lecture session Prof. Gaitonde observed that the chair of the President was vacant. This again was contrary to the conventions. Prof. Gaitonde rushed to occupy the chair and started explaining the need of a President in a lecture session like this. The public got angry on this point and started throwing objects on him. He had a harrowing experience. This led him to decide not to preside over meetings again.