Question

27. What is the objective summary of the selection? * A visit to the Taj Mahal leaves an indelible impression The construction of the Taj Mahal took a long time to complete The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum built by an emperor as a tribute to his late wife The emperor Shah Jahan was overthrown and imprisoned by one of his sons 28. What is the purpose of beginning the selection with a summary of the author's trip to India thus far and then moving to a description of the Taj Mahal? * The reader is not able to comprehend or appreciate the description of the Taj Mahal without this information Given the information that comes later, the reader can decide whether the order of the author's trip makes sense The information at the beginning helps the reader decide whether to visit India The author creates anticipation that encourages the reader to continue reading 29. In the last sentence of the first paragraph, what does the word "indelible" mean? * lasting invisible forgettable fading 30. What can be inferred from paragraph 6? * Shah Jahan was not concerned with what things cost Shah Jahan was a compassionate emperor Shah Jahan was very religious Shah Jahan made rash decisions 31. What does the author mean when he describes the Taj Mahal as "synonymous with India itself"? * The building and the country once had the same name Most buildings in India are different from the Taj Mahal Most people readily associate the Taj Mahal with India The Taj Mahal is the center of government in India 32. Why does the author include the sentence below from paragraph 3? "The morning sun was still low in the sky, and the shiny white marble reflected a soft pink hue, giving the grounds and ethereal quality." * to emphasize how tired the author was from waking up early to describe the elegant, peaceful mood of the site to compare the morning light to the author's journey to analyze the types of materials used to build the site 33. What is the significance of the statement below from the last paragraph? "As I departed from the site, I was reminded of the cruel twist of Shah Jahan's fate. For from his prison, which was located across the river from the Taj Mahal he was afforded a perfect view of the monument he had raised for his eternal love." * It suggests to the reader that the author's next travel destination will be the prison It explains why the prison was built so close to the Taj Mahal It describes another way in which the story of the Taj Mahal is a tragic one The prison was a much less comfortable place to live than the Taj Mahal 34.What is the author's purpose for writing this selection? * to retell the events of the author's trip to India to describe why and how the Taj Mahal was built to persuade readers that the Taj Mahal is the most impressive site in India to provide a history of India by describing its most famous buildings 35. How does the author unfold his ideas about the Taj Mahal? * He explains in detail the different sections of the Taj Mahal, including the materials and construction methods uses to build them He addresses Shah Jahan's rule of India both before and after the construction of the site He uses the Taj Mahal as a metaphor for all that India stands for He parallels the story of its history with a first hand description of someone visiting it in the present day

Answer 1

Taj Mahal is a symbol of a sad but inspiring royal romance story. It starts off with the death of the third wife of Shah Jahan, known as Mumtaz Mahal, during the birth of their 14th child, Gauhara Begum, in 1631, at a time when the Mughal Empire is at its greatest. As a way to mourn his wife, the emperor orders the construction of a mausoleum in 1832. The mausoleum would later be the symbol of Mughal Empire architectural exploits. Check out the following interesting facts about the mausoleum.

1. Approximately 22,000 workers were involved in the construction of the mausoleum. They included; laborers, stone cutters, embroidery artists, painters and many more.Shahjahan chopped off the hands of 22000 workers so that they could not make another building like taj mahal.Shahjahan was one of the terrorists who came to India to loot money from rich Indians of that era.Muslim history is always replete with violence & terrorism.

2. Legend has it that if it was not for war between Shah Jahan and one of his sons, he would have constructed another Taj Mahal on the other side of the river using black marble.

3. Taj Mahal is located in Agra city which is located in Utar Pradesh region in Northern India.

4. The name 'Taj Mahal' is translated to mean 'Crown of Palaces'. It was named as such to refer to the beauty of the deceased Persian princess and wife to Shah Jahan.

5. The four sides of the Taj Mahal are astonishingly similar. They showcase geometrical and architectural symmetry at its best.

6. Taj Mahal is 171 meters (561 feet) tall. The building was constructed by material hauled by a whopping 1000-elephants.

7. Despite many of the precious stones on the mausoleum being plucked off by the British Army during the Indian War of 1857, the mausoleum is still beautiful.

8. The mausoleum took 20 years to finish i.e. from 1632 to 1653.

9. The Taj Mahal complex consists of a large beautiful garden, a reflecting pool, a mosque and other mausoleums.

10. The pillars on the Taj Mahal are tilted outwards to ensure that in case of an earthquake, they will fall away from the tomb.

Here is an inspiring story of love, death and respect. If all men adored their wives like Shah Jahan, wouldn't the world be a better place? Let's hope a visit to the mausoleum will make you a better husband...and a wife that is adorable.