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Directions (Q. 51-60): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions. Certain words/ phrases are given in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.

Once there was a craftsman named Balli, who lived in a small village. He made little idols of different deities and sold them in the market.

Balli was very lazy and lethargic. He was very poor and had a large family. He had three sons and four daughters.

His parents had grown old and they also lived with him.

He used to take the idols made by him to market but could sell only a few in a day. But he wouldn?t make fresh idols until all the pieces were sold.

Balli's father advised him to be more active so that he could do more work and earn more. But Balli did not pay heed to his advice. His wife suggested him to make different kinds of statues so that there would be variety in his craft and he would be able to earn more.

But Balli was so lazy that he did not like to work hard. He himself wanted to make different kinds of statues, but due to his lethargy he could not do so.

One day he returned from the market and only two idols were left in his box. Those idols were of Lord Ganesha and Lord Shiva. He took out the idols to keep them in a safe place. As he bent to put down the idol of Ganesha, his head struck with the idol.

Lord Ganesha appeared before him and said, "You have invoked my presence and so I have come. I know you are poor and needy. I want to help you. This is a magic stick. Any idol you touch with this stick, would turn into gold. But this stick will remain with you only for three days. I shall come back after three days and take it away from you."

Lord Ganesha evanesced. Balli was very happy. He at once touched both the idols with the stick. They turned into gold. He could not sleep in the night. Next day, Balli went to a jeweller's shop and sold the idols for a good price. Balli was excited. He purchased a lot of things for his family. He bought clothes for his parents and children, sari for his wife. He bought food and fruits. When he came back home, he was thrilled. His wife asked him, "How did you get so many things? Did you steal them?"

Balli said, "No, I am not a thief. God has given me this stick."

Then Balli narrated the incident of the night. His wife asked him to go to the river to bring more clay to make more idols. But Balli wanted to enjoy the blessings. So he enjoyed food and slept without any tension.

Next day his wife again reminded him to go and bring clay. She said to her husband, "Please do not waste time. Go and bring more clay and make more idols, so that you could turn them into gold."

Balli said, "We still have two days to make idols; there is no hurry."

Balli again passed the whole day sitting idle. Next day again his wife asked him to make idols. Balli said that he would go in the evening.

After several requests made by his wife, he went to the river to bring clay. Suddenly it began raining. With great difficulty he collected some clay and came back. As it had rained, the clay had become too wet. He put it aside and began sneezing. He himself had become wet. He changed his clothes. His wife saw that his eyes had become red and he was having fever.

The night passed and the third day arrived. It was the last day to turn idols into gold. But Balli was ill and could not leave his bed till afternoon. His wife insisted upon him to make a few idols sitting in his bed.

In the evening, Balli tried to make idols, but he could not, as the clay was still too wet. Just then Lord Ganesha appeared before him and said, "It's time now when you should return the magic stick."

Balli requested Him again and again to leave the stick for one more day. He pleaded his inability to turn the idols into gold during the last three days. But Lord Ganesha refused and said, "God helps those who help themselves. You are lazy and you have lost your opportunity to become a wealthy man."

 

Direction: Choose the word which is MOST OPPOSITE in meaning of the word printed in bold as used in the passage.

Evanesced        

A)  vanished                      

B)  left                  

C)    vacated           

D)    decamped   

E)  appeared