Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions.
There is a fervent need to change the way we interact with nature. Thus far, it has been man versus nature. This is clearly not sustainable. Man is part of nature and can only prosper in harmony with nature and all that is part of nature, living or nonliving. One may wonder what is the link between sustainability and yoga? Is a link being established just because we are commemorating International Day of Yoga? To understand the link one needs to go no further than Indian philosophy, which posits the human being in the lap of Mother Nature.
When one hears the word yoga, what are the first images that come to mind? Asanas and exercises. Lately, it seems that yoga has become synonymous with the physical aspect of the practice—the asana or postures. We see the evolution of friends and family members who start to practice yoga all around us. They become quieter and more conscious. They begin to make healthy decisions in their lives, whether it’s paying more attention to the food they eat, what they wear, what they buy, or changing their lifestyle to accommodate sustainable practices. For me, my yoga consciousness doesn’t necessarily mean that I am very adept in doing asanas, but it translates to maintaining societal hygiene, working towards reducing single-use plastics and a passion for trees and water. In his book Yoga for a World Out of Balance, the late Michael Stone, a well- respected and well-loved meditation and yoga teacher, says, “The techniques of yoga— including body practices, working with the breath, and discovering the natural east of the mind—reorient practitioners to the very deep continuity that runs through every aspect of life until they realize that the mind, body, and breath are situated in the world and not apart from worldly life in any way.”
Yoga has the power to make one more sensitive to the world. Through this realization of shared energy and common life force,__________. If we can open our minds to the original purpose of yoga, in addition to the physical, emotional and mental health that it brings to our lives, there is hope for this practice to encourage environmental sustainability. Yoga provides us with a set of guidelines and tools to help us deal with ourselves and with the world around us. It provides a framework for managing our inner needs and desires, and when applied to communities and societies, can be a toolkit for sustainable living and global change. It is my firm belief that practically applying the principles of yoga on an individual level can lead to large- scale change in our relationship with our planet. As the world grows increasingly complex, it has been easy to lose touch with the simple reality that has come down to us through ages in our scriptures.
At this moment, when we are grappling with covid, we have to redevelop the pathways for reclaiming the connection to nature and enhancing the capacity for compassionate action. Through the practice of yoga we become more sensitized to the interconnections of thought, energy and action. Yoga teaches us to care for our bodies and to make choices that are life-enhancing over those that diminish quality of life. Improving air and water quality is one such example. With a greater awareness of our surroundings and what goes into our bodies, we can begin to make choices that support clean air and water for all. It may mean walking to destinations more, using plastics less, switching off the lights, and switching on our minds.
Similarly, we can become more aware of the foods we eat and the water we drink. We can then choose not to buy bottled water or consume fewer processed foods. We can become aware of the various correlations and what it takes to bring food from the farm to the table or water from the forests to the jug. Our choices in the marketplace impact producers and in turn the environment those companies operate within. Thus the yoga we practice at home (Hatha and Kriya), and in our lives in general (Karma, Bhakti, Jnana and Tantra), not only changes us as individuals, but it also impacts the wider world in which we live.
1) Which of the following cannot be inferred from the passage above?
A. Yoga takes you close to your true nature. Yoga with its techniques helps you to harmonize with nature. Peace is our very nature and yoga leads you to inner peace.
B. If you are serious about living an eco-friendly lifestyle, then you need to consider different sustainable activities. There are a lot of forms of exercise that are good for the environment.
C. How this ancient practice can help us raise environmental consciousness and adopt better practices for a more sustainable world.
D. To remain healthy we need to follow the rules of nature. The more harmonised you are with nature, the more you can enjoy good health and longevity.
E. All of the above can be inferred.
Sol:
If you go through the whole passage, you could
easily find that the passage is all about Yoga
being founded upon principles that promote
awareness of one’s sense of connection, inborn
identification and interdependence with all
things. Thus, option C cannot be inferred from
the above passage because no ancient practices
have been mentioned in the entire paragraph.
Hence Option C is the correct answer.
2) What ultimate goal of Yoga has been discussed in the passage above?
A. Yoga can inspire conscious, peaceful, environmental stewardship for the betterment of society and the Earth.
B. To cleanse the mind and the body in order to attain enlightenment.
C. Yoga entails ethical principles one can use to guide their daily life.
D. Yoga helps to improve oneself on the physical, mental, and spiritual levels.
E. None of the above
Sol:
The entire paragraph is about green yoga and
the art of living harmoniously with nature. So the
ultimate goal of yoga is that it can inspire
conscious, peaceful, environmental stewardship
for the betterment of society and the Earth.
3) What is Yoga according to the late Michael Stone, a well-respected and well-loved meditation and yoga teacher?
A. Yoga is all about bending and twisting our body in odd shapes.
B. Giving care to our body, mind and breath is yoga.
C. Yoga is all about harmonizing the body with the soul and breathing through the means of various cardio exercises, and meditation.
D. Making ourselves healthy and physically fit is yoga.
E. Both A and C
Sol:
Refer to the second paragraph- “ In his book
Yoga for a World Out of Balance, the late
Michael Stone, a well-respected and well-loved
meditation and yoga teacher, says, “The
techniques of yoga—including body practices,
working with the breath, and discovering the
natural east of the mind—reorient practitioners to
the very deep continuity that runs through every
aspect of life until they realize that the mind,
body, and breath are situated in the world and
not apart from worldly life in any way.””
From the above quoted lines we can say that
option B is the correct answer.
4) Which of the following can be inferred from the above passage?
I. When seeking ways to promote and adopt sustainable habits and lifestyles, the practice ofyoga may hold some precious keys to that elusive personal and individual trigger to help overcome unsustainable and harmful behaviours
II. A range of other benefits commonly unfold boosting overall well-being and health, including mental health — particularly put to the test during the pandemic and its aftermath.
III. The understanding of one’s interdependence with other humans within a fragile ecosystem, living as an integral part of a larger circle of life, in a harmonious co-existence and symbiotic relationship with the environment.
A. Only I
B. Only II
C. Both I and III
D. Both II and III
E. All of the above
Sol:
Refer to the last paragraph- “Our choices in the
marketplace impact producers and in turn the
environment those companies operate within.
Thus the yoga we practice at home (Hatha and Kriya), and in our lives in general (Karma,
Bhakti, Jnana and Tantra), not only changes us
as individuals, but also impacts the wider world
in which we live.”
From the above quoted lines we can say that
option A is the correct answer.
5) Which of the following is true to the context of the passage?
A. Disposable water bottles and cups always plagued the park and made the area less enjoyable for people.
B. Our discarded items end up in landfills, or worse, polluting our mountains, oceans, and even cities.
C. Small acts like practicing yoga, refusing single-use plastics, and opting for sustainability have a profound effect on the environment.
D. We are all connected in some way, and we need to be mindful of our actions. We depend on the environment for resources, and it depends on us to take care of it.
E. None of the above
Sol:
Refer to the fourth paragraph- “With a greater
awareness of our surroundings and what goes
into our bodies, we can begin to make choices
that support clean air and water for all. It may
mean walking to destinations more, using
plastics less, switching off the lights, and
switching on our minds.”
From the above quoted lines we can say that
option C is the correct answer.
6) Complete the following blank –
Through this realization of shared energy and common life force,
A. The original teachings of yoga are established with ethical practices in mind, and these apply to the way we treat the environment.
B. We learn to implement the act of non- possessiveness which means evaluating the way we ascribe meaning to things and consume them.
C. We learn that the acts of non-violence, when pooled together, ultimately create a big and positive impact on environmental sustainability.
D. We learn to respect other living beings and understand that every tree or animal has an equal right to live on this planet.
E. None of the above
Sol:
Correct answer is option D
Through this realization of shared energy and
common life force, we learn to respect other
living beings and understand that every tree or
animal has an equal right to live on this planet.
All the remainingoptions will not logically
complete the meaning of the paragraph.
