Q1.
Read the paragraphs and write the main idea for each. Then, match the main idea with two supporting details. (Paragraph 1 — Introduction to Ila Sachani’s colourful embroidery: (i) Examples of embroidered things (ii) Ila’s use of shiny needle; Paragraph 2 — Early challenges and family support; Paragraph 6 — Recognition at a state exhibition; Paragraphs 8–9 — (i) Financial independence and joy (ii) Challenges can be turned into victories.)
Answer
Three main ideas and two pairs of details are already printed. Here is the whole table filled in.
| Para | Main idea | Two supporting details |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to Ila Sachani's colourful embroidery (given) | (i) Examples of embroidered things (given) (ii) Ila's use of shiny needle (given) |
| 2 | Early challenges and family support (given) | (i) She was born in a farmer's family in Amreli with her hands hanging loose by her sides. (ii) She could not join other children who drew figures in the sand, and longed to hold a chalk and draw on a slate. |
| 3 | Mother and grandmother teach Ila embroidery with her feet | (i) They were skilled in Kathiawar embroidery and taught her to make patterns with her feet. (ii) Her parents also trained her to eat and comb her hair with her legs. |
| 4 | Ila's hard work makes her an expert at a young age | (i) Threading a needle was hard, but she did not give up. (ii) She learned styles from outside Gujarat too — Kachhi, Kashmiri and Lucknawi. |
| 5 | Embroidery becomes her way of expressing herself, and word of her talent spreads | (i) At first she made fine designs only for family and friends, who were awestruck. (ii) The people of the village discovered her skill and admiration for her work began to spread. |
| 6 | Recognition at a state exhibition (given) | (i) The government office in Surat displayed samples of her embroidery at a state exhibition. (ii) People saw the beauty woven by her feet and readily purchased her creations, so she was no longer a hidden talent. |
| 7 | National fame, awards and honours | (i) She took part in more exhibitions, at the state and then the national level. (ii) She received many awards and honours, including the President's Medal, for her art and for her willpower and creativity. |
| 8–9 | A new independence, and the power of art to rise above physical limits | (i) Financial independence and joy (given) (ii) Challenges can be turned into victories (given) |
How to find a main idea: Ask, “If I could keep only one sentence of this paragraph, which one would it be?” That sentence, put in your own words in five or six words, is the main idea. The supporting details are the facts and examples that prove it.