ISC Prism Workbook Solutions Chapter 1 A Living God
A Living God Story Long Answer Questions
Question 1.
Describe after “A Living God” the behaviour of the sea during the tsunami.
Answer:
The Sea played the Nemesis in the lives of the villagers of the coastal village. The fateful day has been oppressive; and in spite of a rising breeze, there was still in the air that sort of heavy heat which,according to the experience of the Japanese peasant, at certain seasons precedes an earthquake. And presently an earthquake came.
It was not strong enough to frighten anybody; but Hamaguchi, who had felt hundreds of shocks in his time, thought it was queer, a long, slow’, spongy motion. Probably it was but the after-tremor of some immense seismic action very far away. The house crackled and rocked gently several times; then all became still again. It had darkened quite suddenly, and it was acting quite strangely. It seemed to be moving against the wind. It was running away from the land.
No such ebb had been witnessed on that coast within the memory of a living man. Unfamiliar spaces of ribbed sand and reaches of weed-hung rock were left bare. Through the twilight eastward all looked, and saw at the edge of the dusky horizon a long, lean. dim line like the shadowing of a coast where no coast ever was, a line that thickened as they gazed, that broadened as a coast-line broadens to the eyes of one approaching it, yet incomparably more quickly.
For that long darkness was the returning sea, towering like a cliff, and coursing more quickly that the kite flies. Tsunami shrieked the people, and then all shrieks and all sounds and all power to hear sounds wee annihilated by a nameless shock heavier than any thunder, as the colossal swell smote the shore with a weight that sent a shudder through all the hills, and a foam burst like a blare of sheet-lighting.
Then for an instant, nothing was visible but a storm of spray rushing up the slope like a cloud; and the people scattered back in panic from the mere menace of it. When they looked again, they saw a white horror of sea raving over the place of their homes. It drew back roaring, and tearing out the bowels of the land as it went. Twice, thrice, five times the sea struck and ebbed, but each time with lesser surges; then it returned to its ancient bed and stayed, still raging, as after a typhoon.
Question 2.
Describe how Hamaguchi became “A Living God”.
Answer:
Hamaguchi gohei : Hamaguchi Gohei was the “Muraosa” or the headman of a coastal village. Like other villagers, his principal occupation was cultivation. He was liked as well as respected by the village peasantry. People also called him “Ojiisan”, or rather, grandfather of the village.
Being the richest among the village peasantry, he was sometimes officially referred to as the “ Choja”.He advised the small farmers about their interest, arbitrated when they disputed, advanced them money at need, and helped them sell their rice on the best possible terms.
He was wise and prudent. With old age, he gained experience and always remembered his ancestral advices. He understood the oceanic behaviour and that was why he could preconceive through his extra sensory perception when the tsunami was going to be apocalyptic on the village.
He never cared for his personal interest and was never self-centered. On the eve of the tsunami, when he found that he had no time either to send a message to the villagers in a festive mood, or send some signal, he set fire to his hard earned rice-stacks in a frantic desperation. It became a towering inferno and thus became a signal for the Buddist Temple on the hilltop and the villagers, a few of whom had gone to inspect the seabed when the sea went off the coastal line.
Seeing the fire and the accompanying smoke, the Acolyte of the hill-top temple started ringing their huge bell, and then the villagers rushed toward Hamaguchi’s cottage. A few of the villagers tried to douse the fire in the rice-stacks, but Hamaguchi stopped them as the burning stacks were still sending signal about something dangerous.
Hamaguchi almost lost everything that was precious for a peasant. From then on, Hamaguchi was elevated to a state of Godliness from manliness in the mind of the villagers. They regarded him as “A Living God” who risked everything to save the life of the villagers with everything he had.
A Living God Story Short Answer Questions
Question 1.
What are the risks the people living on a coastal line face?
Answer:
The people residing beside the coastal line are always prone to face natural calamities like storm, fornado, tsunamis etc.
Question 2.
Which is the natural calamity discussed here; When and where did it take place.
Answer:
The story narrates about a Tsunami invasian or a village along the Japanese coast line.
This incident took place in Japan on 17 June, 1896.
Question 3.
What was Hamaguchi’s status in the village?
Answer:
Hamaguchi Gohei was the “Muraosa” or headman of a coastal village. Like other villagers, his principal occupation was cultivation. People also called him “Ojiisan” or grand father of the village.
Question 4.
Where was Hamaguchi’s house located? What was its importance?
Answer:
Hamaguchi’s big house was located on the edge of a hill. The placement of his house makes us aware of the important role the old man is going to play in the story.
Question 5.
Where had his family members gone on that day?
Answer:
Hamaguchi’s family members had gone to the village to celebrate their harvest by a dance in the court of the ujigami”. The whole village was decorated with banners and paper lanterns.
Question 6.
What unusual thing the old man saw from his balcony?
Answer:
Hamaguchi observed from the windows of his house, the subtle change in the sea. The waves are rising, darkening and moving in the opposite direction of the wind. He recollected his grandfather’s story and became apprehensive of the impending Tsunami.
Question 7.
Who was Tada? Why did Hamaguchi call him?
Answer:
Tada a lad of ten, was Hamaguchi’s grandson. Hamaguchi called Tada and ordered him to bring a burning torch with the help of that burning torch, Hamaguchi set fire to all his precious rice stacks.
Question 8.
How were the villager generally warned?
Answer:
The blazing rice stacks created a huge fire. The village priest and the villagers could easily see the rising flames in the fields. The priest understood the message and rang the temple bells. The villagers also rushed towards the fields in no time.
Question 9.
At first what reaction did the villagers set forth for Hamaguchi?
Answer:
The confused villagers failed to realise that Hamaguchi had sacrificed his rich harvest to save them. They felt Hamaguchi had turned “insane”. After the attack of Tsunami, the villagers understood the real meaning of the “insane” actions of Hamaguchi.
Question 10.
How did the villagers showed their reverence towards ‘Hamaguchi’?
Answer:
After the Tsunami, the villagers understood the real meaning of Hamaguchi’s “insane” actions. They revered him as a divine personality and accepted him as “living god” and started calling him “Hamaguchi Daimyojin”. They build his temple and prayed to him for courage and strength.
Question 11.
What is the “era of Meiji”?
Answer:
The Meiji era is an era of Japanese history that extended from October 1868 to July 1912.
Question 12.
Why was Hamaguchi sometimes referred to as “Choja”?
Answer:
Being the richest member of the peasantry, Hamaguchi was sometimes referred to as “Choja”.
Question 13.
Where did Hamaguchi’s farmhouse stand?
Answer:
Hamaguchi’s big, thatched firm house stood at the verge of a small plateau overlooking a bay.
Question 14.
What is “Ujigami”?
Answer:
An Ujigami is a guardian god or a spirit of particular place in the Shinto religion of Japan.
Question 15.
What is seismic reaction?
Answer:
Seismic reaction relates to earthquakes or other vibrations of the earth and its crust.
Question 16.
What is “Unconscious perception”?
Answer:
“Unconscious perception” is extra sensory perception.
Question 17.
What did it signify when the sea receded from its coast line?
Answer:
It signified the advent of the Tsunami.
Question 18.
Why did Hamaguchi set fire to his rice-stacks?
Answer:
Hamaguchi set fire to his rice-stacks because he wanted to generate signals to the villagers about an impending Tsunami.
Question 19.
Who rang the bell at the hill-top temple?
Answer:
The Acolyte of the temple rang the bell.
Question 20.
Who or what is Kumi-Cho?
Answer:
Kumi-Chio is a Yakuza leader and their brotherhood. They are high in rank in Yakuza clan.
Question 21.
What is “Kita”?
Answer:
The name “Kita” meaning “north”, reflects the location among the wards of Tokyo.
Question 22.
How many villagers did Hamaguchi save?
Answer:
Hamaguchi saved four hundred villagers.
Question 23.
Suddenly, Hamaguchi became “as poor as the poorest”. Why?
Answer:
Hamaguchi set fire to all his rice-stacks and now he had nothing to eat. He lost his capital investment.
A Living God Story Logic Based Questions
Complete the following sentences by providing a REASON for each:
Question 1.
The story “A Living God” is a real story because….
Answer:
It is based on a real incident in Tsunami prone Japan and it relates the self sacrifice made by Hamaguchi Gihei, the villave headman to save his village from the inpending danger.
Question 2.
Hamaguchi was justified in being apprehensive of the impending danger because ……..
Answer:
He remembered a story narrated to him by his grandfather long ago, about such situation.
Question 3.
Hamaguchi was right in setting the stock of rice on fire because ……..
Answer:
The rising frames gave silent message to the priest of the temple, that same danger is nearby and he started ringing the temple bell.
Question 4.
A human being can be called “A living God” because……….
Answer:
He like a saviour sacrificed his rice crops to save the precious lives of his villagers.
Question 5.
The title of the story can be justified because ……..
Answer:
The title is symbolic. The bible says that God is “living” and saviores of humanity, similarly,
Hamaguchi Gochei sacrificed his capital investment to save the life of four hundred villagers. He evaluates the precious lives of his fellow beings.
Question 6.
Hamaguchi Gochei can be regarded the hero of the story because ……..
Answer:
He is the main character in this story. He rendered selfless sacrifice to save the lives of his village at the time of natural calamity i.e. Tsunami striking his village nearly five times.
Question 7.
Tada thinks that his grandfather has been mad because ………..
Answer:
Rice was the main source of their survival and his grandfather has invested a lot of money for the paddy crop. Instead of selling it to market, Hamaguchi Gohei set fire to his stack of rich harvest.
Question 8.
Hamaguchi emerges out to be a great character because ………….
Answer:
His sacrifice, selfless deed and presence of mind at the time of crisis saved the life of four hundred villagers when Tsunami hit the village. The villagers also realised his divine personality.
Question 9.
Hamaguchi was quite happy after the Tsunami because…….
Answer:
He has saved the lives of nearly four hundred people from devastating natural calamity.
Question 10.
The villagers accepted Hamaguchi as their god and Hamaguchi temple was formed because ……..
Answer:
The villagers realised his sacrifice and quick presence of mind and so they prayed to him for courage and strength
A Living God Story MCQs
Question 1.
“Muraosa” means ……….
a. The head priest
b. The head man of a village
c. Foam of the sea waves
d. A wise man
Answer:
b. The head man of a village
Question 2.
“Choja” refers to ……….
a. Poorest member of the community
b. Oldest man of the village
c. Richest man of the village
d. Head cook
Answer:
c. Richest man of the village
Question 3.
Submarine volcanic reaction means ……….
a. Volcano explosion in a submarine
b. Destruction submarines by volcanic eruption
c. Volcanic eruptions which take place beneath the surface of the water
d. Submarines hitting volcanoes
Answer:
c. Volcanic eruptions which take place beneath the surface of the water
Question 4.
“Ujigami” is ……….
a. A spirit of a particular place in he Shinto religion of Japan
b. A Japanese village food
c. A kind of flower decoration
d. Japanese style of hair braiding
Answer:
a. A spirit of a particular place in he Shinto religion of Japan
Question 5.
“Tsunami” is …………….
a. A long, high sea wave caused by an earthquake
b. A sea-storm
c. A typhoon
d. A hurricane
Answer:
a. A long, high sea wave caused by an earthquake
Question 6.
“Seismic action” is …………..
a. Sudden movement along faults within the earth
b. Vibration on the crust of the earth
c. Seasonal storms
d. Black monsoon sky
Answer:
a. Sudden movement along faults within the earth
Question 7.
Seeing the fire lit by Hamaguchi, the – of the temple rang the bell.
a. The main priest
b. The door keeper
c. The devotees
d. The Acolyte
Answer:
d. The Acolyte
Question 8.
“Mura” refers to ………..
a. Evenness
b. Uniformity
c. Equality
d. None of these
Answer:
d. None of these
Question 9.
“Kumi-Cho” refers to ………..
a. Subordinate
b. Head of a group
c. A Japanese food
d. A Japanese village festival
Answer:
b. Head of a group
Question 10.
“Kita” means ………..
a. North
b. Name of a little boy
c. Beware
d. Urgent
Answer:
a. North
Question 11.
……….. the sea struck and ebbed”
a. Twice
b. Thrice
c. Four times
d. Five times
Answer:
d. Five times
Question 12.
“Shingle” refers to
a. Single
b. Boulders
c. Turtles
d. Small rounded pebbles
Answer:
d. Small rounded pebbles
Question 13.
“But he had saved ……… lives by the sacrifice”
a. One thousand
b. One thousand five hundred
c. Four hundred
d. Five hundred
Answer:
c. Four hundred
Question 14.
“Taimatsu” refers to ……….
a. A Japanese festival
b. Pine torches
c. A weapon
d. A sea food
Answer:
b. Pine torches
Question 15.
“Ojiisam” refers to …….
a. Great grand father
b. Grand father
c. A Shinto temple
d. A Japanese food
Answer:
b. Grand father
Question 16.
wrote the story “A Living God”?
a. Edgar Allow Poe
b. Henry James
c. Lafcadio Heam
d. Ken liu
Answer:
c. Lafcadio Heam
Question 17.
Who is known as “Hamaguchi”?
a. a young boy
b. a woman
c. an old man
d. a philosopher
Answer:
c. an old man
Question 18.
In which village Hamaguchi was regarded as the ‘headman’
a. Muraosa
b. Oska
c. Toya
d. None of the above
Answer:
a. Muraosa
Question 19.
When did the incident of Hamaguchi Gohei took place?
a. Before the First World War
b. Before the Second World War
c. Before Meiji era
d. Before the Tegi era
Answer:
c. Before Meiji era
Question 20.
Who was Hamaguchi’s Grandson?
a. Saki
b. Toki
c. Tada
d. None of the above
Answer:
c. Tada
Question 21.
Who is referred to as ‘choja’ in Japan’?
a. the richest member of the community
b. illiterate person
c. an old man
d. a young man
Answer:
a. the richest member of the community
Question 22.
Which word refers grandfather is Japan?
a. Ojiisan
b. Choja
c. Taka
d. Muraosa
Answer:
a. Ojiisan
Question 23.
How will the peasants celebrate then merry making of having fine harvest?
a. by singing
b. by a dance
c. by singing and dancing
d. by merry-making
Answer:
b. by a dance
Question 24.
How old was Tada ……..
a. six years old
b. seven years old
c. a lad of fourteen
d. a lad of ten
Answer:
d. a lad of ten
Question 25.
What is the name given to the sudden rising of tidal waves?
a. Tornado
b. Whirlpool
c. Tsunami
d. Strom
Answer:
c. Tsunami
Question 26.
What are ‘pine torches’ referred to in Japanese?
a. Owani
b. Taimatsu
c. Ojiisan
d. Diamyojin
Answer:
b. Taimatsu
Question 27.
Pine torches are used in which festival?
a. Shinto Festivals
b. Paus festivals
c. Harvest festivals
d. None of the above
Answer:
a. Shinto Festivals
Question 28.
“Tada! – quick, very quick! Light me a torch”— Who said the above lines?
a. Villavers
b. Buddhist priest
c. Hamaguchi Gohei
d. mothers with babies at their backs
Answer:
c. Hamaguchi Gohei
Question 29.
Hamaguchi Gochei saved the lives of villagers
a. four hundred
b. one hundred
c. five hundred
d. ninety only
Answer:
a. four hundred
Question 30.
How many times the Tsunami struck Hamaguchi’s village?
a. Once
b. Twice
c. Thrice
d. five times
Answer:
d. five times
Question 31.
What was Hamaguchi named by the villagers after they were saved?
a. Hamaguchi Ojiisan
b. Nobori
c. Hamaguchi Gohei
d. Hamaguchi Daimyojin
Answer:
d. Hamaguchi Daimyojin
Question 32.
The story of Hamaguchi is an account of sacrifice, selfless action and ………..
a. absence of mind
b. presence of mind
c. bravery
d. None of the above
Answer:
b. presence of mind
Question 33.
The present narratives is an excerpt from the book
a. In Ghostly Japan
b. Shadowing
c. Gleaning in Buddha Fields
d. A Japanese Miscellany
Answer:
d. A Japanese Miscellany
