Rendezvous With Ray - Reading Comprehension

AP SSC Board-Based Reading Comprehension For Grade 10 
Unit 4 Reading A - Rendezvous With Ray

Reading Comprehension 1

It was a unique friendship that developed between a French-Canadian priest and one of the world’s greatest film directors, and had a singular impact on Bengali films both academically and practically. It was en-route to India in1961, at a stopover in New York, that 26-year- old Fr. Gaston Roberge was acquainted with the works of Satyajit Ray through the Apu Trilogy. He found the world of Apu so fascinating that he saw all three films in one sitting; and there began his longstanding love affair with the people of India and Bengali cinema and culture, which led to path-breaking work in those fields. In his latest book, Satyajit Ray, Essays:1970-2005, a compilation of his essays as the name suggests, being published by Manohar Publishers, New Delhi, Roberge provides a scholarly, original analysis of Ray’s works, giving an insight into the greatness of Ray both as a person and as an artist.

1. How did Fr. Gaston Roberge's encounter with Satyajit Ray's works in New York influence him?

To make path-breaking work.

2. What is the main focus of Fr. Gaston Roberge's book "Satyajit Ray, Essays: 1970-2005"?

To provide a scholarly, original analysis of Satyajit Ray's works.

3. How did Fr. Gaston Roberge become familiar with Satyajit Ray's films?

   a) He met Satyajit Ray in person.

   b) He watched the Apu Trilogy during a stopover in New York. ✔

   c) He read about Ray's films in a magazine.

4. What aspect of Satyajit Ray's works does Fr. Gaston Roberge's book focus on?

   a) Ray's personal life and background.

   b) Ray's influence on French-Canadian cinema.

   c) An analysis of Ray's works and their significance.  ✔

5. What term best describes the relationship between Fr. Gaston Roberge and Bengali cinema and culture?

   a) Casual interest.

   b) Short-lived curiosity.

   c) Love affair and longstanding engagement. ✔

   d) Professional obligation.

Reading Comprehension 2

Roberge does not endorse the accusation of.Ray’s detractors that the master director made his reputation selling India’s poverty to the West. “What struck me most was not the material poverty depicted.in the films, but the enormous spiritual poverty of some rich people is much more deplorable than material poverty,” he said. Roberge does not speak with the arrogance of the West. “ I was here on a quest to know the world and in the process know Gaston Roberge myself. I did not come here to convert. In fact, I am the one who got converted,” he said. But it took him nine years after reaching Calcutta (now Kolkata) and joining St. Xavier’s College, to muster up the confidence to meet Ray in person. “Although I wanted to meet him right away, I didn’t want to just go and see him like he was a living museum piece.

I wanted to prepare myself, get to know his works more, so that when we met, there could be a worthwhile dialogue,” he said. When they finally met, it was the beginning of a close friendship that lasted 22 years- until Ray’s death in 1992.

1. Why did it take Fr. Gaston Roberge nine years to meet Satyajit Ray in person?

He wanted to prepare himself and get to know Ray's works before meeting him.

2. How long did Fr. Gaston Roberge's close friendship with Satyajit Ray last?

22 years

3. What aspect of India's poverty does Roberge emphasize as more deplorable than material poverty in Ray's films?

   a) Material poverty

   b) Spiritual poverty of some rich people✔

   c) The poverty of the West

4. Why did Fr. Gaston Roberge come to Calcutta (now Kolkata) and join St. Xavier's College?

   a) To convert people to his beliefs.

   b) To meet Satyajit Ray.

   c) To study and know the work of Ray. ✔

5. How did Fr. Gaston Roberge approach meeting Satyajit Ray in person?

   a) He met Ray immediately upon arriving in Calcutta.

   b) He wanted to have a meaningful dialogue, so he prepared himself by studying Ray's works.✔

   c) He considered Ray a living museum piece and visited him without prior knowledge.

Reading Comprehension 3

It was a very quiet friendship that developed over the years. Manikda [as Ray was affectionately called by his friends] was a shy person and always very discreet about displaying his emotions,” said Roberge. Though to outsiders, Ray’s massive stature- physical and intellectual- might have made him come across as cold, aloof and even intimidating, he was in reality a very simple and unassuming man with a subtle sense of humour. It was an unspoken arrangement between the two of them to meet on Sundays at 9 a.m. at Ray’s residence on Bishop Lefroy Road, Kolkata. Ray would invite Roberge over for private screenings of his latest films and welcomed comments on them. But this happened only after the friendship had cemented, for in the early days of their dialogue Ray’s shyness prevented him from talking about his own films.

“He was even shy of receiving compliments,” said Roberge. To Roberge, the greatest mark of Ray’s appreciation for him was that he often addressed the French-speaking priest in Bengali, “in spite of my lack of elegance in that language, and the fact that Ray knew both English and Bengali so well.”

1. How did Ray's shyness initially affect his discussions with Roberge about his films?

Ray's shyness prevented him from talking about his own films in the early days.

2. What was the significance of Ray addressing Roberge in Bengali?

It indicated Ray's appreciation for Roberge, despite Roberge's lack of elegance in the language.

3. When did Fr. Gaston Roberge and Satyajit Ray typically meet for private screenings of Ray's latest films?

   a) Saturdays at 9 a.m.

   b) Sundays at 9 a.m. ✔

   c) Weekdays in the evening

4. How did Ray react to receiving compliments about his work?

   a) He eagerly accepted compliments.

   b) He was indifferent to compliments.

   c) He was shy about receiving compliments. ✔

5. What best describes Ray's behaviour about his true personality?

   a) Cold and aloof

   b) Intimidating and arrogant

   c) Simple and unassuming ✔

Reading Comprehension 4

“Ray’s screenplay manuscripts were an art by themselves,” Roberge says, “handwritten in Bengali, with notes in English for his set-designer, with sketches here and there, and occasional staff notation of fragments of music”. One Sunday morning, Roberge found Ray in a disturbed mood. A few well –known personalities of the city had visited him earlier to go through some of his manuscripts. After they left Ray found the Charulatha screenplay missing. Ray was almost sure who the culprit was. “I asked him whether he was planning to take any action, and he said no, and explained to me that he did not want to hurt the reputation of the person. I was absolutely stunned by his humane concern,” said Roberge.

1. How did Ray's screenplay manuscripts typically look, including the language they were written in?

Ray's screenplay manuscripts were handwritten in Bengali with occasional notes in English.

2. What was Ray's reaction when he discovered his screenplay was missing?

Ray did not want to take any action. He did not want to spoil the reputation of the person.

3. What language were Ray's screenplay manuscripts typically handwritten in?

   a) English

   b) Bengali ✔

   c) French

4. Why was Ray disturbed when Roberge found him one Sunday morning?

   a) He had lost his sketches and notes.

   b) Some well-known personalities had visited him.✔

   c) Roberge was late for their meeting.

  

5. How did Ray react when he discovered his Charulatha screenplay missing?

   a) He reported it to the authorities.

   b) He decided to take legal action.

   c) He chose not to take any action. ✔

Reading Comprehension 5

Like Rabindranath Tagore, Ray strode his time like a colossus. Roberge writes, “It is as if all Bengal was in Manikda: the rich and the poor, the powerful and the humble, the peasants and the city persons, children, teenagers, adults and old people, men and women.” Philosophically too, Roberge feels, Ray took off where Tagore signed out. If one compares the last major prose piece by Tagore, “ Shabhyatar Sankat” ( Crisis of Civilisation), which he wrote at the beginning of the Second World War, which contains his immortal dictum that in spite of what was happening it would be a sin to lose faith in Man, and the last three films of Ray- Ganashatru, Shakha Prashakha, and Agantuk- the analogy becomes clear. “In these three films Ray was at his most personal and when some critics saw the films as didactic and verbose, he felt deeply hurt. For, in these last films, Satyajit was directly talking to us, conveying his personal message on society and civilization. If the impulse that motivated his earlier films was aesthetics, in the last three it was self-expression. And there we were denying him his right to speak. As the saying goes, no one is a prophet in one’s own country,” said Roberge. An agnostic throughout his life, it is possible, Roberge feels, that in the face of death Ray was searching for an answer. This was suggested by some of the music that he used in Shakha Prashakha.

1. What is the name of Tagore's last major prose piece mentioned in the passage?

"Shabhyatar Sankat" (Crisis of Civilisation)

2. What was the significance of the music used in Shakha Prashakha, according to Roberge?

The music suggested that Ray may have been searching for an answer in the face of death.

3. According to Fr. Gaston Roberge, what is the commonality between Rabindranath Tagore and Satyajit Ray in terms of their influence?

   a) They had no significant influence on their time.

   b) They both influenced the rich and powerful.

   c) They had a profound impact on people from all walks of life. ✔

4. How does Roberge describe Satyajit Ray's approach in his last three films (Ganashatru, Shakha Prashakha, and Agantuk) in contrast to his earlier works?

   a) Ray's last three films were didactic and verbose.

   b) Ray's earlier films were primarily about self-expression. ✔

   c) In his last three films, Ray conveyed a personal message on society and civilization.

5. What was Satyajit Ray's religious or philosophical stance throughout his life?

   a) He was a devout believer.

   b) He was an agnostic.

   c) He was a prominent religious leader. ✔

Reading Comprehension 6

The last time the two friends met, Ray was in hospital, on his deathbed. It was a Sunday and Roberge, true to habit, arrived on the dot at 9 a.m. “He had grown so weak that he looked frail as a child. I did not stay long, and as I was leaving, Manikda said, ‘Bhalo laglo’ [it was nice]. Those were his last words to me,” said Roberge. One important fallout of this friendship was the establishment of Chitrabani, a communication and film institute, the first of its kind in West Bengal, which Roberge founded in 1970 and to which Ray, as a token of friendship, lent his name as co-founder. Ray was in the first governing body and after a few terms readily agreed to be the institute’s adviser. Roberge arranged most of the initial funding from Canadian agencies. “I had no reservations applying for them, for I feel richer countries in the West are indebted to countries like India,” he said. For 26 years Roberge was the director of Chitrabani and under him the institute not only produced important documentary features, but also became breeding ground for local talent for film-making…

1. What were Satyajit Ray's last words to Roberge during their final meeting?

 "Bhalo laglo" (it was nice).

2. What is the significance of Ray lending his name to Chitrabani?

As a token of friendship and co-founder, Ray's name was associated with the institute.

3. What was the time of day when Roberge typically arrived for his Sunday meetings with Ray?

   a) 9 p.m.

   b) 9 a.m. ✔ 

   c) 9:30 a.m.

4. What was the role of Chitrabani, the communication and film institute founded by Roberge?

   a) It focused on film production for entertainment.

   b) It served as a film school.✔

   c) It specialized in international film distribution.

5. How did Roberge secure the initial funding for Chitrabani from Canadian agencies?

   a) He had reservations applying for funding.

   b) He used Ray's influence to obtain funding.

   c) He felt it was a way for richer Western countries to repay their debt to countries like India. ✔