a. Known as the Land of Everest, Nepal is one of the most charming
countries in Asia. The Kingdom of Nepal is a small land of sublime beauty. It
has some of the world's best and very important temples. It is a country that
is rich in scenic beauty and cultural heritage.
b. Nepal lies between India and the Tibetan part of China. This small
country has an area of 147,181 square kilometers. Southern Nepal is tropical
low land known as the Terai Plains. This part of Nepal has hot summers and warm
winters. Here the temperatures reach up to 40°C in April and May and monsoon
rains drench this region from June to September. The central hill-lands
including the Kathmandu and Pokhara valleys have a temperate climate and are
also influenced by the monsoon. North of that is the slope of the main section
of the Himalayan range. This part of Nepal has some of the highest peaks of the
world including Everest.
c. Nepal is home to nearly 29,000,000 people. The population is
primarily rural.Kathmandu, the capital city, has less than one million
inhabitants. Nepal's demographic features are complicated not only by dozens of
ethnic groups, but by different castes. In total, there are 103 castes and
ethnic groups living in this small country. The two largest of such groups are
known as Chetri and Bahun. Others include Magar, Tharu and Tamang, Newar,
Muslim, Gurung and Damai. About 48 percent of the people speak Nepali. Among
other languages spoken are Maithali, Bhojpuri, Tharu and Tamang.
d. Nepal is the holy land of Lord Pashupatinath and Gautam Buddha
where the Hindus and Buddhists have lived together in harmony for centuries.
The Temple of Pashupatinath is the most sacred Hindu shrine and one of the four
most important sites in the world for Shiva worshippers. Lord Buddha, the light
of Asia, was born in Lumbini in Nepal's southern plains, which makes this a
sacred pilgrimage destination for the Buddhists as well. In fact, many Nepalese
combine Hindu and Buddhist practices; many temples and shrines are shared
between the two faiths, and some deities are worshipped by both Hindus and
Buddhists.
e. The Kathmandu Valley is the richest cultural heritage centre of
Nepal. The three ancient cities of the Valley - Patan, Kathmandu and Bhaktapur
-represent an epitome of harmony in urban design, elegant architecture and
refined culture. These cities are famous for religious monuments unequalled in
the world. The seven monument zones situated within the Valley have been named
as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
f. Many festivals add dazzling colour to Nepal's vibrant culture,
which are celebrated throughout the year. Dasain or dusherra is celebrated
nationwide in October. This is the most important of all Nepalese celebrations
and includes the biggest animal sacrifice of the year. Tihar is celebrated in
November. Other festivals include the Holi and Chaitra Daisan. Some Hindu
festivals are the Haribodhini Ekadashi, Maha Sivaratri and the Krishna Jayanti.
There are Buddhist celebrations too and those include Mani Rimd, Buddha Jayanti
andLosar, which marks the Tibetan New Year.
B. The passage has six
paragraphs (a-f). Choose the most suitable
headings for paragraphs (a-f)
from the list of headings below. There are more headings in the box than the
paragraphs, so you will not use all of them.
List of headings
1. Climate that varies from place to place
2. A land of religious coexistence
3. A land of high peaks and Everest
4. A small country with a huge population
5. A blend of natural beauty and cultural heritage
6. The temples of Nepal
7. Many occasions to celebrate
8. A rich spot of cultural heritage
9. A small population with huge diversity
C. For each phrase below choose
the meaning that is closest to the meaning used in the passage.
1. tropical lowland
a. an area of land having humid climate
b. a land situated on the hill
c. a low land close to river
d. a land that lies at the foot of a hill
2. temperate climate
a. a weather condition of high temperature
b. a moderate climate
c. a climate with high rainfall
d. a climate that is uncomfortable to live in
3. ethnic groups
a. groups based on their religious faiths
b. groups of people living in the hills-tracts
c. groups having distinct racial and cultural features
d. groups who believe in Buddhism
4. pilgrimage destination
a. a sacred place where people travel to perform religious rites,
b. a historical place with many old buildings,
c. a tourist spot of great scenic beauty,
d. the birthplace of a famous person.
5. elegant architecture
a. temples of gods
b. graceful work of building crafts
c. buildings of historical importance
d. well-designed area of cultural acts
D. Answer the following
questions.
1. How many ethnic groups are there in Nepal?
2. What do you know about the weather of Nepal?
3. "Many Nepalese combine Hindu and Buddhist practices."-
Explain this statement with examples from the passage.
4. Which three cities of Nepal will you visit in order to see the rich
samples of Nepal's cultural heritage sites?
5. Make a list of the festivals that are celebrated in Nepal.
6. Give at least three reasons why you might be interested to visit
Nepal. Also make a list of the places you would love to visit in Nepal.
E. Look at the advertisement of
a package tour to Nepal.
Dhaka-Kathmandu-Pokhara Package
Tour
Price: BDT 39,999/
Duration: 4 nights and 5
days
Package includes:
* Return air ticket with Bangladesh airport taxes & Kathmandu
departure taxes
* 2 nights' accommodation in Kathmandu
* 2 nights' accommodation in Pokhara
* Buffet: Daily Breakfast and Dinner
* Both way airport transfers in Kathmandu
* Kathmandu-Pokhara-Kathmandu by AC bus
* Half day sightseeing in Kathmandu Valley
Now, discuss if the following
statements are true/false. Give the correct information if a statement is false.
a. The package includes the cost of travelling from Kathmandu airport
to the hotel in Kathmandu.
b. The tourists will be provided with breakfast, lunch and dinner.
c. The tourists do not have to pay extra for a half-day sightseeing in
Pokhara.
d. The tour operators will bear all visa related costs,
e. The tourists will go to Pokhara from Kathmandu by domestic airlines
flights.
F. Imagine that you have chosen
the package tour shown in £ to visit Kathmandu and Pokhara. Now, write a letter
to your friend highlighting the main attractions offered by the package. In
your letter you should cover the following points:
• Duration of travel
• Means of transport used:
1)
Dhaka-Kathmandu-Dhaka
2)
Kathmandu-Pokhara-Kathmandu
• Accommodation facilities
• Breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Total cost of the package
• Any other cost that is not covered by the package offer
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