Read the following passage and answer the questions below:
The pioneer of Bangladeshi modern art Zainul Abedin is widely acclaimed for his Bengal 'Famine Sketches'. Through the series of sketches , Zainul not only documented ( Cocoa) the harsh famine of 1943 but also showed its sinister (pro) face through the skeletal figures of the people destined to die of starvation in a manmade plight . He depicted these extremely shocking pictures with human compassion . He made his own ink by burning charcoal and used cheap ordinary packing paper for sketching. Using the ink and applying the brush where necessary, he produced the drawings and sketches which later became iconic images of human sufferings.
Zainul developed a knack for drawing and painting when he was a high school student. After completing high school, he got admission in the Government School of Art, Calcutta (now Kolkata). He graduated with the first position in first class in 1938. He was appointed a teacher of the Art School while he was still a student there. He also attended the Slade School of Arts, London in 1951--52. For his artistic and visionary qualities, he is referred to as Shilpacharya meaning 'great teacher of art' in Bangladesh. He was the first Principal of the first art school in Dhaka in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). He organized the Nabanna (harvest) exhibition en al in 1969. The exhibition included a 65 feet long scroll portraying the rural East Pakistan in phases from abundance () to poverty was made. This intensified the already heightened noncooperation movement against the Pakistan regime. The exhibition was symbolic of the Bangalee artists' protest and a milestone in our struggle for cultural and political freedom. Zainul's dynamic style of work is evident in a 30 feet long scroll painting called Manpura, which was done to commernorate the death of hundreds and thousands of people in the devastating cyclone of 1970. He designed the pages of the Constitution of Bangladesh. He founded the Folk Art Museum at Sonargaon, and also Zainul Abedin Shangrahasala. a gallery of his own works in Mymensingh in 1975. The river Brahmaputra plays a predominant role in his paintings and was a source of inspiration all through his career. Much of his childhood was spent near the scenic river Brahmaputra. A series of water colours that Zainul did as his tribute to the river earned him the Governor's Gold Medal in an all--India exhibition in 1938. Zainul was born in Kishoreganj on 29 December 1914 and died in Dhaka on 28 May 1976.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Choose the correct answer from the alternatives.
(a) The famine of 1940 was —
(i) due to flood
(ii) due to drought
(iii) artificial
(iv) natural
Answer: (a) (iii) artificial
(b) Zainul Abedin put up the grim picture of famine through sketching —
(i) skinned--boned human figures
(ii) the dying people
(iii) the sickly human figures
(iv) the unfed people
Answer: (b) (i) skinned - boned human figures
(c) The Famine Sketches of Zainul Abedin rouse in man.
(i)interest .
(ii) sympathy
(iii) aesthetic sense
(iv) fear
Answer: (c) (ii) sympathy
(d) To which state affairs did Zainul Abedin contribute?
(i) He set up the Folk Art Museum
(ii) He organized Nabanna Exhibition
(iii) He designed the pages of Constitution of Bangladesh
(iv) He established an Art Gallery in Mymensingh.
Answer: (d) (iii) He designed the pages of constitution of Bangladesh.
(e) What made Zainul Abedin so famous?
(i) His extraordinary merit
(ii) His great knack for painting
(iii) His Bengal Famine Sketches
(iv) His Nabanna Exhibition
Answer: (e) (iii) His Bengal Famine Sketches
(f) The Brahmaputra had greatly — Zainul Abedin.
(i) attracted
(ii) helped
(iii) inspired
(iv) charmed
Answer: (f) (iii) inspired
(g) He used – ink for sketching the pictures.
(i) expensive
(ii) black
(iii) easily available
(iv) his own made
Answer: (g) (iv) his own made
Extra Questions :
(1) 'Shilpacharya' means ,
(i) great master of music
(ii)great master of
(iii) great master of art
(iv) none of them
Answer: (1) (iii) great master of art
(2) Which of the phrases indicates the effect of the famine?
(i) Man--made delight
(ii) extremely deceiving
(iii) skeletal figure
(iv) Human devotion
Answer: (2) (iii) Skeletal figure
(3) Which of the following information’s is about famine?
(i) It was a man--made plight
(ii) It led many people to die
(iii) People died from hunger
(iv) All the answers are correct
Answer: (3) (iv) All the answers are correct
(4) In the passage the word 'skeletal' is a/an
(i) verb
(ii) noun
(iii) adjective
(iv) adverb
Answer: (4) (iii) adjective
(5) In the passage the word "knack" is a/an ***
(i) verb
(ii) noun
(iii) adjective
(iv) adverb
Answer: (5) (ii) noun
(6) The Zainul Abedin Shangrahashala is in
(i) Kishoreganj
(ii) Mymensingh
(iii) Sonargaon
(iv) Sylhet
Answer: (6) (ii) Mymensingh
(7) Zainul Abedin portrayed the extremely shocking pictures with
(i) viciousness
(ii) savagery
(iii) humanity
(iv) cruelty
Answer: (7) (iii) humanity
(8) Which thing brought Zainul to spotlight --
(i) his 'Famine sketches
(ii) the Nabanna exhibition
(iii) the Governor's Gold Medal
(iv) Manpura, the painting
Answer: (8) (i) his 'Famine Sketches'
(9) Zainul developed a knack for drawing and painting. What does the word 'knack' imply?
(i) adroitness
(ii) genius
(iii) gift
(iv) facility
Answer: (9) (i) adroitness
(10) There was severe famine in Bangladesh –
(i) 1940
(ii) 1939
(iii) 1938
(iv) 1976
Answer: (10) (i) 1940
(11) Zainul Abedin is the -- of Bangladeshi art.
(i) painter
(ii) forerunner
(iii) admirer
(iv) followers
Answer: (11) (ii) forerunner
(12) The famine of 1940 had -- impact on human life.
(i) serious site
(ii) trifle
(iii) less
(iv) life threatening
Answer: (12) (iv) life threatening
(13) Zaidul Abedin completed his graduation in
(i) 1936
(ii) 1938
(iii) 1940
(iv) 1951
Answer: (13) (ii) 1938
(14) The word predominant could be replaced by
(i) influential
(ii) main
(iii) principle
(iv) dominating
Answer: (14) (ii) main
(15) What is the passage about?
(i) Zainul Adebin's education
(ii) Zainul's contribution to art
(iii) Zainul's attraction for art
(iv) All these things
Answer: (15) (iv) All these things
(16) What does the word 'acclaimed' mean?
(i) proclaimed
(ii) approved
(iii) renowned
(iv) recognized
Answer: (16) (ii) approved
(17) Zainul Abedin is widely acclaimed for his Bengal 'Famine Sketches'. In this sentence the word 'Famine' has been used as a/an
(i) Noun
(ii) Adjective
(iii) Verb
(iv) Adverb
Answer: (17) (ii) Adjective
(18) What is meant by the word 'compassion' in the passage?
(i) passion
(ii) devotion
(iii) fellow--feeling
(iv) excitement
Answer: (18) (iii) fellow—feeling
(19) Zainul documented the harsh for 1943. In this sentence the word 'documented’?
(i) put
(ii) gave
(iii) kept record
(iv) nourished
Answer: (19) (iii) kept record
(20) What does the phrase 'Famine Sketches ‘mean?
(i) Artwork on famine drawn in pencil
(ii) Artwork on famine drawn by pencil
(iii) Artwork on famine
(iv) All the answers are correct
Answer: (20) (iv) All the answers are correct
(21) What does the word 'Pioneer' indicate in the first line of the passage?
(i) forerunner
(ii) apprentice
(iii) novice
(iv) follower
Answer: (21) (i) forerunner
(22) The synonymous word of ‘visionary’--is
(i) mystical Paper
(ii) illusory
(iii) impractical
(iv) Ingenious
Answer: (22) (ii) illusory
(23) According to the above text. 'regime' stands for
(i) regiment
(ii) management
(iii) government
(iv) region
Answer: (23) (iii) government
(24) The word 'sinister' means --
(i) auspicious
(ii) benign
(iii) singingly
(iv) threatening
Answer: (24) (iv) threatening
(25) The word 'plight' stands for
(i) difficulty
(ii) promise
(iii) pledge
(iv) vow
Answer: (25) (i) difficulty
(26) Which of the following information points to the fact that he was an irresistible scholar?
(i) He graduated with the first position in the first class.
(ii) He was appointed teacher while he was a student.
(iii) He was the pioneer of Bangladeshi modern art.
(iv) All the answers are correct.
Answer: (26) (iv) All the answers are correct
(27) What is the closest meaning of 'destined in line 3?
(i) Destination
(ii) Fated
(iii) Objective
(iv) Fate
Answer: (27) (ii) Fated
(28) Which of the following facts indicated his gratitude to someone or something?
(i) He drew famine sketches
(ii) He portrayed abundance to poverty
(iii) He gave tribute to a river
(iv) All the answers are correct
Answer: (28)(iii) He gave tribute to a river
(29) What does the expression "Famine Sketches" mean?
(i) diagram of skeleton
(ii) diagram of starvation God
(iii) drawing skeleton of men
(iv) picture of men and animals
Answer: (29) (ii) diagram of starvation God
(30) The contextual meaning of 'depict' is --
(i) describe
(ii) categories
(iii) draw
(iv) classify
Answer: (30) (iii) draw
(31) The word 'modern' means ,
(i) moderation
(ii) contemporary
(iii) backdated
(iv) ancient
Answer: (31) (ii) contemporary
Short Answer Questions
2. Answer the following questions.
(a) Why did Zainul become so successful in art--related career?
Answer: (a) Zainul Abedin became so successful in his art-related career because through skeletal figures he could easily depicted the sufferings of the people.
(b) Why did he organize Nobanno (harves exhibition in 1969?
Answer: (b) He organized Nobanno (harvest) exhibition in 1969 portraying the rural East Pakistan in phases from abundance to poverty. Through this exhibition he intensified the already heightened non-cooperation movement against the Pakistan regime.
(c) From your reading of the passage, write what you know about the paintings of Zainul Abedin.
Answer: (c) Zainul Abedin is considered the pioneer of Bangladeshi modern art. From his early age, he devoted himself to painting. He produced a series of brush and ink drawings which became iconic images of human sufferings. He drew the Bengal Famine Sketches of 1940 with human compassion
(d) Where did he start his career first as an art teacher?
Answer: (d) He started his career first as an art teacher in the Government School of Art, Calcutta.
(e) How did he contribute to the noncooperation movement against Pakistan?
Answer: (e) He contributed to the non-cooperation movement against Pakistan through an exhibition of a 65-foot long scroll portraying the rural East Pakistan in phases from abundance to poverty.
Extra Questions :
(1) Why did Zainul Abedin show tribute to the river Brahmaputra?
Answer: (1) Zainul showed tribute to the river Brahmaputra because much of his childhood was spent near the scenic beauty of the river.
(2) What do his 'Famine sketches' portray?
Answer: (2) His Famine Sketches’ portray the harsh famine of 1940 and its sinister face through the skeletal figures of the people destined to die of starvation in a man-made plight.
(3) What do you know about Zainul Abedin?
Answer: (3) Zainul Abedin, the pioneer of Bangladeshi modern art was born at Kishoregonj. He developed a knack for drawing and painting since his school days.
(4) Why did the river Brahmaputra play a role in Zainul's paintings?
Answer: (4) The river Brahmaputra was a source of inspiration all through his career. So it played a vital role in Zainul's paintings.
(5) What do you understand by the word Shilpacharya'?
Answer: (5) Shilpacharya' means great teacher of art. Zainul Abedin is called so because of his 3, artistic and visionary qualities.
(6) What did he set up?
Answer: (6) He set up the Dhaka Art School, the Folk Art Museum at Sonargaon and the Zainul Abedin Shangrahasala in Mymensingh.
(7) Why did he draw Bengal Famine Sketches?
Answer: (7) He drew Bengal Famine Sketches to show its sinister face through the skeletal figures of the people destined to die of starvation in a man-made plight. Besides, he wanted to present the harsh famine of 1940 as a documentary.
(8) How do you prove him as a great teacher?
Answer: (8) Zainul Abedin is widely acclaimed for his Bengal 'Famine Sketches'. For his artistic and visionary qualities he is referred to as Shilpacharya meaning 'great teacher of art.
(9) What do you know about Zainul's educational status?
Answer: (9) Zainul Abedin was a brilliant student. After completing high school education, he took admission in the Government School of Art, Calcutta. He graduated with the first position in first class in 1938. He even got an appointment as a teacher in the Art School while he was still a student there. He also attended the Slade School of Arts in London.
(10) Describe his contribution.
Answer: (10) He made a great contribution in the field of painting in Bangladesh. He founded the Dhaka Art institute which is now known as Institute of Fine Arts. He also founded the Folk Art Museum at Sonargaon and Zainul Abedin Shangrahashala in Mymensingh in 1975
(11) How did he protest against the Pakistan regime?
Answer: (11) He protested against the Pakistani regime by drawing the sufferings of people of East Pakistan which was the result of West Pakistan domination to East Pakistan.
(12) Why did he draw the scroll painting 'Manpura’?
Answer: (12) He drew the 30 feet long scroll painting 'Manpura' to commemorate the death of hundreds and thousands of people in the devastating cyclone of 1970.
(13) What did Zainul show in a 65 feet long scroll?
Answer: (13) Zainul showed the rural East Pakistan in phases from abundance to poverty in a 65 feet long scroll.
(14) What does the painting 'Manpura' symbolize?
Answer: (14) The painting ‘Manpura’ symbolizes the death of hundreds and thousands of people in the devastating cyclone of 1970.
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