Comprehension:
Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow:-
The first rays of dawn crept silently over the valley, brushing the roofs of the small village with a golden hue. Meera stood by her window, watching the mist rise from the river like a living spirit. Every morning, she waited for this moment—the quiet awakening of the world, when the air still carried the scent of night, and time seemed to pause between darkness and light.
Her life had not been easy. The fields were dry, her father’s health had worsened, and the village school where she taught was barely standing. Yet, every day, she crossed the hill to reach her classroom. Sometimes as she walked, she imagined her mother beside her—the way she used to before the years of hardship carved lines across her face. “Keep walking, Meera,” her mother would whisper in memory. “The hill always hides the sunshine till the last moment.”
Today, as Meera reached the top of the hill, she saw something that made her stop. A group of children, barefoot and laughing, were already outside the broken schoolhouse. They had gathered before she even arrived, clutching their slates and books like treasures. In that instant, the weariness of her journey melted away.
Meera smiled. She realized that beyond the hill—beyond the struggles, the loneliness, and the endless effort—there was light. Not the kind that came from the sun, but the kind that lived in the eagerness of young eyes and the unspoken promise of tomorrow.
What motivates Meera to keep teaching despite difficulties?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Her mother's lingering memory.
In spite of dry fields, her father's illness and a broken schoolhouse, Meera crosses the hill to her school every day. As she walks, she imagines her mother beside her and hears her words in memory: "Keep walking, Meera ... The hill always hides the sunshine till the last moment." This lingering (long-lasting) memory of her mother keeps her going day after day.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: Her father’s wishes — Incorrect. Not mentioned: the passage speaks only of her father's worsening health, not of any wish of his.
Option 3: The eagerness and enthusiasm of her students — Incorrect. Wrong cause: the children's eagerness surprises her "today" and melts away her weariness; it is a reward she discovers, while the words of her mother that she recalls are what keep her going every day.
Option 4: The hope of becoming rich. — Incorrect. Not mentioned: money is never named as a reason for her teaching.
Note: The children’s eagerness does appear in the passage, but only at the end, where it melts away Meera’s weariness; it is not what makes her cross the hill day after day.