Give reasons for the following statements.

1. The article has been titled ‘Silk Road.’

2. Tibetan mastiffs were popular in China’s imperial courts.

3. The author’s experience at Hor was in stark contrast to earlier accounts of the place.

4. The author was disappointed with Darchen.

5. The author thought that his positive thinking strategy worked well after all.

(i) The title of the article has been named on the historic silk road or routes. The network connected the Afro-Eurasian landmass. It established trade of Chinese silk, spices, teas and porcelain; Indian textiles, precious stones and pepper; and the Roman Empire's gold, silver, fine glassware, wine, carpets and jewels. The road was named Silk Road largely because of the silk trade with China. In the chapter the author travels to Mount Kailash, exploring the Himalayan belt in Tibet. Since the author explored this region, the chapter is titled as Silk Road.

(ii)The Tibetan mastiffs are big headed beasts who fix their hunting eyes and remove their heads on a stranger approaching. As one draws closer, they explode into action, darting like a bullet from a gun and nearly as fast. They usually wear bright red collars adding to their ferocious dark black look. They barked furiously with their massive jaws. They are completely fearless of any entity and shoot straight to any advancing stranger. They do not ease off before a chase of at least a hundred metres or so. Thus, it is not difficult to understand why these ferocious Tibetan mastiffs became popular in China's imperial courts as hunting dogs.

(iii )Hor was a grim, miserable place. The dust and rocks were scattered everywhere in abundance; there was little vegetation. The place seemed unfortunate and dejected, though it sat on the shore of the Lake Manasarovar. The author was flabbergasted to realise the contrast in his experience to that of the earlier read accounts. A Japanese monk, Ekai Kawaguchi, who had arrived there in 1990, was so moved by the sanctity of the lake that he burst into tears. The hallowed waters had a similar effect on Sven Hedin, a Swede who was not prone to sentimental outbursts. However, for the author, when he reached Hor, first he had to get two punctures mended. The only relaxation was the tea served by a Chinese youth in the only café in the town, which was constructed from badly painted concrete and had three broken windows. The good view of the lake through one of them helped to compensate however.

(iv) It was dark already when the author and Tsetan reached Darchen. They pulled up in a guest house and it turned out to be another troubled night. The author's blocked nostril had been causing much inconvenience. Though he tried to get accustomed to breathing by single nostril, it was not providing him with enough oxygen. Tired, he started breathing through mouth. There was some difficulty in his chest and received a sinus attack and so he sat up the night. The next day on visiting the local medical college, the author was a bit relieved. The medicines the doctor gave were helpful and that night he had a sound sleep.

Few days passed, the author was roaming the town. The life seemed mundane and no visitors or pilgrims were at the sight. The few rudimentary general stores were selling Chinese cigarettes, soap and other basic provisions .Few gathered men played pool at a battered table while near by women washed their hair in the icy water. This all was not exactly what the author had expected. He was told that in the season of Korathere lot of pilgrims visiting. All this came as a significant drawback to the author. It seemed that he had arrived a bit too early. It all disappointed the author.

(v) The other afternoon when the author sat pondering his options over a glass of tea in the only café of Darchen. He was wondering if he could do the Kora alone, he had no idea whether the snow had cleared. Also, Tsetan had left and there was no one, who knew English well enough, to communicate. Despite all odds, the author forced himself to think positive and tried to be hopeful. Then he met Norbu, he had seen the book the author was reading. Then he came and asked the author if he was English. The author judged from Norbu's clothes that he did not belong to those parts. He had come to complete the Koraas well. He worked in Beijing at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, in the Institute of Ethnic Literature, he had been writing academic papers about the Kialish Kora and its importance in various works of Buddhist literature for many years. Norbu suggested that he and the author could be a team and this brought hope to the author; perhaps his positive-thinking strategy was working after all.