CBSE Class 11 English: The Adventure NCERT Solutions

Here are the meanings of the expressions as inferred from the context of "The Adventure":

• blow-by-blow account: This means a very detailed and sequential description of events. In the story, Gangadharpant seeks such an account to understand the outcome of the Battle of Panipat.
• de facto: This Latin term means 'in fact' or 'in reality,' regardless of official status. In the text, the Peshwas are described as 'de facto' rulers because they held the real power, even while the Mughal system nominally continued.
• morale booster: Something that increases confidence or enthusiasm. The text implies that a Maratha victory, like one in a significant battle, would serve as a morale booster for their ambitions.
• astute: This describes someone who is sharp, clever, and shows good judgment. The story uses it to suggest the Peshwas were intelligent enough to recognize the changing times, particularly the technological advancements in Europe.
• relegated to: This means being assigned to a lower or less important position or status. The text might refer to a historical figure or a concept being pushed aside or given less importance after a certain event.
• political acumen: This refers to a sharp ability to make good judgments and decisions in politics. It implies skill in understanding and navigating political situations to achieve goals, such as expanding influence.
• doctored accounts: This means manipulated or altered records, especially historical ones, to present a biased or false picture. The phrase suggests that some historical records might not be entirely factual.
• gave vent to: This means to express strong feelings or ideas freely. In the story, it likely refers to Professor Gaitonde expressing his thoughts or frustrations publicly, perhaps during a lecture or discussion.

Based on the text of "The Adventure," here are the true statements:

• The story hinges on a particular historical event. (True)
• The story tries to relate history to science. (True)

The other statements are false:

• The story is an account of real events. (False - it explores an alternate reality)
• Rajendra Deshpande was a historian. (False - he is a science professor who explains Gaitonde's experience)
• The places mentioned in the story are all imaginary. (False - places like Bombay and Panipat are real locations)

1. This statement was made by Rajendra Deshpande to Professor Gaitonde. It means that Professor Gaitonde did not physically travel through time. Instead, he experienced a different reality or timeline that existed concurrently with his own, while remaining in the present moment. He essentially shifted between two different versions of reality.
2. This statement was also made by Rajendra Deshpande to Professor Gaitonde. Rajendra describes Gaitonde's experience as 'fantastic' because it was extraordinary and unbelievable, but also 'catastrophic' because it was deeply unsettling and challenged his understanding of reality and history. It was a profound and potentially destabilizing event for him.
3. Gangadharpant, upon finding himself in an alternate reality, constantly compared the India he knew with the one he was experiencing. The India he knew had experienced the decline of the Marathas and subsequent British rule. The India he witnessed was different; it had not been colonized and seemed to possess greater self-reliance and national pride, prompting his deep contemplation and comparison.
4. This statement reflects a concept from quantum physics. It suggests that in the quantum realm, events are not strictly predetermined ('lack of determinism'). Unlike classical physics, outcomes can be probabilistic, and the observer or an interaction plays a crucial role in determining the state of a system, hinting at the possibility of different outcomes from the same initial conditions.
5. This statement, also related to quantum mechanics, explains that a change or shift ('transition') from one state or reality to another does not happen spontaneously. It requires some form of interaction or event to trigger the change. In the context of the story, this interaction is what potentially caused Professor Gaitonde to shift between realities.