Read the given passage and answer the four questions that follow:-
The Echoes of the Forgotten Violin
In a quiet town nestled between rolling hills, an old violin shop stood at the edge of the bustling marketplace. It belonged to Mr. Mehra, a craftsman whose hands once shaped melodies from wood and string. Age had slowed him, but his heart still resonated with the music of forgotten times.
One evening, as the golden sunset bathed the town in amber light, a young boy named Karan wandered into the shop. His eyes lingered on a dusty violin resting in the corner. "Does it still sing?" he asked, his voice filled with curiosity.
Mr. Mehra smiled, lifting the violin with care. "Only if the right hands awaken it," he said, placing it in Karan's eager grasp. The boy, uncertain yet hopeful, ran his fingers across the strings. A hesitant note filled the air, trembling yet alive.
For weeks, Karan returned, learning under Mr. Mehra's watchful eye. With each lesson, the violin shed its silence, whispering forgotten tunes into the wind. The town, once indifferent, paused to listen as music danced through its streets.
One day, Karan arrived to find the shop empty, save for a single note: Keep the melody alive. Mr. Mehra had left, his purpose fulfilled.
Years later, Karan, now a musician, played that same violin in the heart of the town. Its echoes carried not just sound, but the story of a boy, an old craftsman, and a melody that refused to be forgotten.
Examine the deeper meaning of, 'the violin's echoes in the town':-
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → They represent the return of a long-lost musical tradition.
The music in the story is old music: Mr. Mehra's heart still held "the music of forgotten times", and the violin, long silent, began "whispering forgotten tunes". At the end, its echoes carry "a melody that refused to be forgotten", now played by Karan in the heart of the town. The echoes stand for the old craftsman's music coming back to life through his pupil, the return of a tradition that had been lost.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: They prove that music has no real impact on people's lives. — Incorrect. Contradicted: the music changed Karan's life and made an indifferent town stop and listen.
Option 3: They show that only trained musicians can bring joy through music. — Incorrect. Not mentioned: Karan began as an untrained boy with a hesitant note; the passage does not say that only trained players matter.
Option 4: They signify that the violin had magical powers which failed to enamour people. — Incorrect. Contradicted: to enamour is to charm, fill with love or delight. The violin has no magic in the story; its power comes from "the right hands", and the music did charm the town.
Example: The tourists were enamoured of the hill town's quiet beauty.