DANCING ON class 8 English

The lesson Dancing On narrates the inspiring story of Sudha Chandran, a classical Bharatanatyam dancer who overcame the immense challenges posed by a physical disability. A promising dancer in her teenage years, Sudha’s career seemed doomed when she lost her right leg after a tragic road accident near Tiruchirapalli. However, her determination to pursue her passion remained unwavering. With the help of the Jaipur Foot, an artificial limb designed by Dr. Pramod Sethi, and relentless support from her parents, doctors, physiotherapists, and dance guru, Sudha returned to the stage. Her historic public recital in Mumbai on January 28, 1984, marked her comeback and received widespread acclaim. Sudha’s journey from despair to triumph inspired many, and her life story was adapted into films like Mayuri and Nache Mayuri, in which she starred. Her message of perseverance—that the seed of achievement lies in the human mind—continues to motivate countless people. Sudha’s story draws parallels with Helen Keller’s life, emphasizing that obstacles can be overcome with determination and resilience.

20 MCQs with Answers

Comprehension-Based Questions

Where did Sudha Chandran have her accident?
a) Chennai
b) Mumbai
c) Tiruchirapalli
d) Hyderabad
Answer: c) Tiruchirapalli
What was the name of the artificial limb Sudha used?
a) Jaipur Leg
b) Jaipur Foot
c) Prosthetic Leg
d) Chennai Foot
Answer: b) Jaipur Foot
Who developed the Jaipur Foot?
a) Dr. Pramod Sethi
b) Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
c) Dr. Sudha Murthy
d) Dr. Balanna
Answer: a) Dr. Pramod Sethi
What genre of dance does Sudha Chandran perform?
a) Kathak
b) Bharatanatyam
c) Kuchipudi
d) Odissi
Answer: b) Bharatanatyam
Which year did Sudha Chandran make her comeback performance?
a) 1982
b) 1983
c) 1984
d) 1985
Answer: c) 1984
What inspired Sudha Chandran to return to dance?
a) Her parents’ encouragement
b) Helen Keller’s example
c) Dr. Sethi’s support
d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
What was the name of Sudha’s Telugu film?
a) Mayuri
b) Nache Mayuri
c) Kalabhimani
d) Balanna
Answer: a) Mayuri
What profession is highlighted in Sudha’s Kannada film ‘Kalabhimani’?
a) Dancer
b) Artist
c) Singer
d) Actor
Answer: b) Artist
How many films has Sudha Chandran acted in?
a) 12
b) 24
c) 36
d) Over 50
Answer: c) 36
Who was Sudha’s guru?
a) Her father
b) A Bharatanatyam teacher
c) Dr. Pramod Sethi
d) Balanna
Answer: b) A Bharatanatyam teacher

Inspiration and Message-Based Questions

What similarity did Sudha find between herself and Helen Keller?
a) Overcoming adversity
b) Acting career
c) Both were dancers
d) Writing books
Answer: a) Overcoming adversity
What does Sudha believe about achievement?
a) It depends on luck
b) It lies in the human mind
c) It requires external support
d) It is not possible for disabled people
Answer: b) It lies in the human mind
What motivated Sudha’s fans after watching her films?
a) To learn Bharatanatyam
b) To overcome their challenges
c) To become actors
d) To visit Tiruchirapalli
Answer: b) To overcome their challenges
What did Sudha’s father do after her comeback performance?
a) Hugged her
b) Congratulated her
c) Touched her feet
d) Criticized her dance
Answer: c) Touched her feet
What does Sudha say was the “seed of achievement”?
a) Talent
b) Hard work
c) Human mind
d) Support from others
Answer: c) Human mind

Fact-Based Questions

What infection did Sudha suffer from after her accident?
a) Viral infection
b) Bacterial infection
c) Gangrenous infection
d) Fungal infection
Answer: c) Gangrenous infection
What material is the Jaipur Foot made from?
a) Metal
b) Plastic
c) Vulcanized rubber
d) Wood
Answer: c) Vulcanized rubber
What was Sudha’s age when the accident occurred?
a) 15
b) 17
c) 19
d) 21
Answer: b) 17
How far was the accident site from Tiruchirapalli?
a) 1 km
b) 2 km
c) 5 km
d) 10 km
Answer: b) 2 km
What was Sudha’s father’s profession?
a) Teacher
b) Dancer
c) Film Producer
d) Not Mentioned
Answer: d) Not Mentioned

Reading Comprehension

A. Answer the following questions :

1. What were the strange words introduced to the audience in Washington?

Ans. Alarippu, Shabdam, Varnam, and Padam were the strange words introduced to the audience in Washington.

2. What did Sudha always do before her performances?

Ans. Always before her performances, Sudha would explain each item to the audience and they begin to understand the emotion, melody and rhythm of Bharatnatyam.

3. How did Sudha lose her leg?

Ans. Sudha was injured in a road accident about 25 kilometres from Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu. She was not treated properly in the hospital and her injury resulted in gangrenous infection. The doctors in Chennai tried hard to stop the growth of the infection. But finally, they were forced to amputate her right leg and thus Sudha lost her leg.

4. Why did Sudha say, “My dream will come true,” when she met Dr. Pramod?

Ans. Sudha said that her dream would come true when she met Dr Pramod because he had won the Magsaysay award for his development of the ‘Jaipur foot’ which is an artificial limb. She was sure that after getting the Jaipur foot. She would be able to return to dancing.

5. What was the turning point in Sudha’s life?

Ans. The turning point in Sudha’s life came when she came back to the stage on January 28, 1984, to give a public recital in Mumbai.

6. Sudha Chandran says towards the end of the lesson, “I do feel thrilled,” Identify why she feels so.

Ans. Sudha worked on a film that was based on her life. Her role inspired many people like her who had lost hope. They wrote about this to her. She said that she felt thrilled to realise that her message had got across.

B. Write true or false against the statements :

(i) In a road accident Sudha lost her right hand.

(ii) She again came back with her new dance item.

(iii) She hasn’t worked in any film.

(iv) She has given performances only in foreign countries.

(v) People wrote that they were not inspired by her success stories.

Ans. (i) False, (ii) False, (iii) False, (iv) False, (v) False.

C. Choose the correct answer :

1. While performing, Sudha wore.

(a) Modern costume

(b) Traditional costume

2. She worked for the film

(a) Nache Mayuri

(b) Arunima

3. Before Sudha was 17 years of age, she had given performances.

(a) more than 70 (b) less than 80

(c) more than 80

4. Sudha made a historic comeback.

(a) 15 October 1983

(b) 1 January 1982

5. Sudha Chandran was inspired by

(a) Helen Keller

(b) Elena John

Ans. 1. (b), 2. (a), 3. (c), 4. (c), 5. (c).