Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow:-
If my younger self could see me now, she would be incredulous. That I work in the field of dance or decipher and translate dance for my own comprehension, call it choreography if you wish, would have been unbelievable. In this respect, I am particularly envious of dancers who claim that they are ‘born to dance’, implying that it was clearly laid out for them from the beginning. I must say, I find this assertion dubious; it is rarely that easy.‘To dance’ means ‘to struggle’.
In all truth, as a child, I never did want to dance; it was forced upon me by a doting mother and a silent father. My father probably kept his peace to avoid argument. From the beginning, my lessons took place under trying conditions, though I believe that the conditions were more trying for my mother than for me.
She travelled in local, over-crowded trains to the dance class with an unwilling child, tired from a whole day at school. Interestingly, when I was seven, we went to see a movie starring Mumtaz Ali, who did a dance number in the film. When we arrived home, I began prancing around the house imitating the film actor and my mother, who was quietly watching, was the one who said, ‘Kumudini, you are born to dance.’ Ironically, I have no recollection of this story; it was my mother who saw this innate ability in me.
The narrator says, to dance means to struggle' as she _______
Correct Answer :
had to work hard to perfect the art, though unwillingly
Solution :
The correct option is: had to work hard to perfect the art, though unwillingly
Step-by-step Explanation:
1. Analyze the passage details: The narrator explicitly mentions that she did not initially want to dance. She states, "as a child, I never did want to dance; it was forced upon me by a doting mother and a silent father." This highlights her unwillingness to pursue the art form at the beginning.
2. Understand the struggle: The narrator describes the trying conditions under which she took lessons: "She travelled in local, over-crowded trains to the dance class with an unwilling child, tired from a whole day at school." The combination of school exhaustion, difficult travel, and her own reluctance made the practice a significant effort, which explains her assertion that "‘To dance’ means ‘to struggle’."
3. Connect to the correct option: While other dancers claimed they were 'born to dance' (which she envies or finds dubious), her own path required strenuous effort and perseverance ("to struggle") despite her initial lack of interest ("though unwillingly"). Therefore, the option "had to work hard to perfect the art, though unwillingly" perfectly aligns with the narrator's childhood experience described in the passage.
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