Class VIII - Glimpses of the Past - Comprehension Test

^{Comprehension Test}

1. Name the legendary singer that sang the popular inspirational song - Oh my countrymen! Let your eyes fill with tears.......
^{a) Sreya Goshal}

^{b) Alka Yagnik}

^{c) Lata Mangeshkar}

^{d) Asha Bhosle} 

2. Name the freedom fighter who appears in the second picture on page 36. 

a) Babu Rajendraprasad

b) Khudiram Bose

c) Lala Lajpat Rai

d) Bankim Chadra Chattopadhyay

3. In which century did the East India Company begin to exercise its influence and power in India?

a) 16th

b) 17th

c) 18th

d) 15th 

^{4. Why did the Indian princes request the East India Company to help them?}

^{a) They wanted to expand their territories.}

^{b) They were not patriotic.}

^{c) The East India Company had better weapons and trained soldiers.}

d) The East India Company was friendly and cooperative.

5) What did they fail to realise then?

a) They would have to pay a lot of money to the East India Company.

b) They were helping the East India Company to expand its business.

c) They were encouraging the East India Company to invest in India.

d) They were weakening themselves politically and militarily.

6) What was the effect of the rivalry between the Indian princes on their people?

a) They lost their peace.

b) They lost all opportunities to education.

c) Their relationships with the neighbouring states were badly affected.

d) They became poorer.

7) How did the rivalries between the princes help the East India Company?

a) It charged more money to help the princes.

b) It understood the Indian politics.

c) It was able to export all Indian goods cheaply to its country.

d) It was able to overpower the Indian princes one after the other.

8) What kind of king was Tipu Sultan?

a) He was powerful and courageous.

b) He was brave and far-sighted

c) He was heroic and brilliant.

d) He was pompous but far-sighted.

9. Why were some people happy with the rule of the East India Company?

a) They were no thefts and there was peace.

b) Things sold by the East India Company were cheap.

c) They started going to the schools started by the East India.

d) They knew that the East India Company was better than their princes.

10) Why did some people oppose the rule by the East Company?

a) They thought that the East India Company would make them slaves.

b) They thought that the East India Company was a bunch of superstitious people.

c) They thought that the East India Company was supreme.

d) They were unhappy as there were no Indian in the East company.

11) The religious leaders in those days supported

a) superstitions

b) western education

c) the East India Company

d) progressive ideas

12) Why did the British scorn the Indians?

a) They were hardworking.

b) They were cunning.

c) They had no self-respect.

d) They were lazy and disobedient.

13) How did the British officers make quick profits?

a) By expanding their business.

b) By paying less to the Indians

c) By selling their products at high prices.

d) By imposing taxes and collecting them ruthlessly

14.) What was the impact of the East Company's rules?

a) The Indian artisans got more work.

b) The artisans got training in new skills.

c) The artisans became strong.

d) The artisans lost their work.

15) According to Ram Mohan Roy, what was ruining our country?

a) Religion

b) Ancient culture

c) Superstitions

d) Our education

16) What influenced Ram Mohan Roy?

a) Science

b) Western philosophy

c) The British Education

d) Hindu philosophy

17) Why was the Regulation Act III against people?

a) It forbade the Indians from going abroad.

b) It increased the  export taxes on Indian goods.

c) It banned all exports of the Indians and allowed the British to import without taxes.

d) It gave powers to the British to jail Indians without a trial. 

18) What were the double benefits enjoyed by the British?

a) High salaries and private business

b) High power and high salaries

c) Profit from business and bribes from the Indian princes

d) High power and high reputation

19) "The bones of the cotton weavers were bleaching the plains of India." It means

a) The cotton weavers were dying in big numbers.

b) The cotton weavers were growing weaker.

c) The cotton weavers were living on the plains of India.

d) The cotton weavers were looking for help from the British.

20) What was the medium of instruction when Macaulay proposed reforms?

a) Hindi and Arabic

b) Sanskrit and Bengali

c) Urdu and Persian

d) Persian and Sanskrit

21. What was the positive impact of the English education?

a) More and more people showed interest in Education.

b) People found the new medium of instruction easier.

c) A new generation of people who believed in change appeared.

d) Many Indians got jobs and were paid handsome salaries.

22. What made the people unhappy with the British rule?

a) The English education 
b) Unemployment
c) Religious conversions
d) Abolition of sati

23) Why did the Santhals rebel against the British?
a) They lost their lands.
b) The lost their crops.
c) They lost their homes.
d) They did not trust the British. 

24) Why were the Indian sepoys in the East India company not happy?
a) They were paid less salaries.
b) They were not treated respectfully.
c) They were superstitious.
d) They did not like reforms.

25) What punishment was given  to most of the rebellious sepoys?
a) They were executed.
b) They lost their jobs and put in jails.
c) They were paid salaries.
d) They were forced to surrender.

26. One of the reasons for the revolt of the sepoys was
a) the British did not try to understand Indian customs
b) the spreading of the news with sending chapatis from village to village.
c) the execution of sepoy Mangal Pande
d) the massive support of the common people. 

27. One of the following was not a ruler but fought against the British.
a) Begum Hazrat Mahal
b) Peshwa Nana Saheb
c) Kunwar Singh
d) Maulvi Ahmedullah

28. Which of the following was not the reason for the revolt of 1857?
a) Bahadur Sha was declared Emperor
b) The grease on the bullet was made from the fat of pigs.
c) The sepoys had to cross the sea.
d) The sepoys were paid very low salaries.

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