Unseen Passage: World Yoga Day.

 Q. Read the extract given below and answer the following question : (12 marks)

                 WORLD YOGA DAY 

1. International day of yoga is also called as World Yoga Day. United Nations General Assembly has declared 21st of june as an international Yoga Day on 11th of December in 2014. Yoga in India is considered to be around 5,000 year old mental, physical and spiritual practice. Yoga originated in India in ancient times when people used to do meditation to transform their body and mind. Launching a date of practising yoga all across the world and celebrating it as yoga day was initiated by the Indian Prime Minister to the United Nations General Assembly. World Yoga Day or International Day of Yoga was celebrated by people throughout the world second time on 21st June in 2016. 

2. Yoga is essentially a spiritual disciplin, focuses on bringing harmony between body and mind. It is an art and science of healthy living. Yoga is very necessary and beneficial for all human beings if it is practised by all on daily basis in the early morning. Official name of this day is UN International Yoga day and is also called as Yoga day. It is a world wide event celebrated by the people of all countries through practising yoga, meditation, debates, meetings, discussions, variety of cultural performances, etc. 

3. Yoga is a practice of controlled body parts movements and control of breath. It enhances the inner and outer body and mind strength by connecting both to the nature. It is not a physical practice only as it makes a human able to get control over mental, emotional and spiritual thoughts. It can be practised by people at any age during childhood, teenage, adult or old age. It needs only safe, slow and controlled movements of body with controlled breathing. Yoga can be practised by anyone as it is irrespective of age, religion, or health circumstances. It improves the discipline and sense of power as well as provides a chance to live healthy life without physical and mental problems.

4. Yoga is very safe, easy and healthy way to get fit whole life without any problems. It just needs regular practice in right way of body movements and breathing. It regularizes the functioning of the all body organs and prevents the body and mind to get disturbed because of some bad situations and unhealthy lifestyle. It helps in maintaining health, knowledge and inner peace. By providing good health, it fulfills our physical needs, through knowledge it fulfills our psychological needs and through inner peace it fulfills the spiritual needs thus it helps in maintaining the harmony among all.

5. Regular practice of the yoga in the morning provides outer and inner relief by keeping away from the countless ailments at the physical and mental level. Practising postures and asana strengthens the body and mind as well as creates the feeling of well being. It sharpens the human mind, improves intelligence and helps in high level of concentration by steadying the emotions and feelings. The feeling of well-being creates helping nature within us and thus enhances the social well-being. Improved concentration level helps in meditating and provides calming effect and inner peace to mind. Yoga is like a practical philosophy which develops self-discipline and self-awareness within us through regular practice.

6. We cannot count the benefits of yoga, We can understand it only as a miracle which can be experienced by doing it regularly. It maintains physical fitness, reduces stress, controls emotions, feelings, controls negative thoughts, feelings of general well-being, improves mental clarity, enhances self- understanding and connects to the nature.

I) On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer the following questions with the help of given options.

a) Every year world yoga day is celebrated on 21st June because  

i) it originated and initiated in India.

ii) it initiates metal, physical and spiritual practice

iii) it initiates transformation of body and mind

iv) it was initiated by the Indian P.M.

b) Yoga enables us to get control over

i) physical health of all individuals

ii) emotional well-being of people across the globe

iii) material needs of a person

iv) our mental, emotional and spiritual thoughts 

c) yoga can be practised by

i) people at any age 

ii) children up to a certain age

iii) teenage and sick people only 

iv) old people only 

d) yoga regularizes the connection between among 

(i) mind and body of a person

(ii) mind and soul of a person 

(iii) body, mind and soul of a person 

iv) body and mind of a person 

e) Yoga is a pragmatic reality which enhances our ability to 

i) control our emotions and know one's character and feelings 

ii) appear calm and know one's feelings 

iii) have a clear picture of one's personality, character and feelings

iv) understand other people and know their character and feelings. 

II) Answer the following questions briefly: 

a) How is yoga day celebrated by people of all countries?

b) How yoga connects us to nature ?

c) How our physical, psychological and spiritual needs are fulfilled by yoga ?

d) what is the importance of asans in yoga ?

e) Give two benefits of yoga.

III) Find words from the passage which mean the same as: 

a) agreement (para 4) 

b) helpful (para 2)  

          ANSWERS 

I) a) iv) it was initiated by the Indian P.M.

b) iv) our mental, spiritual and emotional thoughts

c) i) people at any age.

d) iii) body, mind and soul of a person.

e) ii) appear calm and know one's feelings.

II) a) Yoga day is celebrated by people of all countries by practicing yoga, meditation, debates, meetings, discussions, variety of cultural programmes etc. 

b) by enhances inner and outer body and mind strength.

c) By providing good health, yoga fulfils our physical needs. Trough knowledge, it fulfils our psychological needs. and Through inner peace, it fulfils our spiritual needs. 

d) i) Asans strengthens the body and mind.

ii) It creates the feeling of well being.

iii) It sharpens the mind.

iv) improves intelligence

v) It helps in maintaining high level of concentration by steadying emotions and feelings. 

e) i) It maintains physical fitness.

ii) It reduces stress.

iii) It controls emotions, feelings, negative thoughts and feelings of general well-being.

iv) It improves mental clarity, enhances self- understanding and connects to the nature.

III) a) connection

  b) beneficial