Question 11
ComprehensionJAMB 1981 Passage C: Yoga
From time to time I hear someone say, 'But Yoga comes from India, therefore it is something "foreign" and I don't see how we can make use of it'. Of course this is foolishness. It is like saying, 'I don't want to listen to the music of Bach because he was a German', or it is like someone in India declaring, 'We don't want to use electricity, because Thomas Edison was an American'. Yoga is universal. It is a priceless gift from the East and its benefits are available to all of us who would accept them.
It is very tragic that many of us, not knowing the facts, have for many years confused Yogis (a person who practise 'Yoga' is a 'Yogi') with a certain class of people in India who are known as Fakirs. Fakirs have gained extra ordinary control of their senses, but use this control to subject their bodies to abnormal conditions. For example, they sit on the famous 'bed of nails' stick pins and feats. They are generally persons of low mentality, and they perform these supernatural things for money, food, favours and so forth. These Fakirs should never be confused with Yogis nor do snake charmers or Indian rope trick practitioners have anything to do with Yoga. Yoga is a method of natural development for body and mind and a true Yogi will never permit anything harmful or unnatural to be done to his body or mind.
Finally, there is the question of 'religion'. I am often asked, 'Is Yoga a religion?' My answer is, 'Definitely not!' For us, Yoga is a dynamic system of physical exercise and a practical and valuable philosophy to apply to everyday life. In short, Yoga is way of life and everyone, regardless of his religion, can benefit greatly from any one or all aspects of Yoga.
It is very tragic that many of us, not knowing the facts, have for many years confused Yogis (a person who practise 'Yoga' is a 'Yogi') with a certain class of people in India who are known as Fakirs. Fakirs have gained extra ordinary control of their senses, but use this control to subject their bodies to abnormal conditions. For example, they sit on the famous 'bed of nails' stick pins and feats. They are generally persons of low mentality, and they perform these supernatural things for money, food, favours and so forth. These Fakirs should never be confused with Yogis nor do snake charmers or Indian rope trick practitioners have anything to do with Yoga. Yoga is a method of natural development for body and mind and a true Yogi will never permit anything harmful or unnatural to be done to his body or mind.
Finally, there is the question of 'religion'. I am often asked, 'Is Yoga a religion?' My answer is, 'Definitely not!' For us, Yoga is a dynamic system of physical exercise and a practical and valuable philosophy to apply to everyday life. In short, Yoga is way of life and everyone, regardless of his religion, can benefit greatly from any one or all aspects of Yoga.
Which of the following statements is true according to this passage?
- A.Yoga is foreign and therefore foolish
- B.To think that Yoga is foreign is foolish
- C.Yoga is foolish because it is foreign
- D.Not to take advantage of Yoga on the ground that it is foreign is foolish
- E.It is foolish to take advantage of foreign practices
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: D (Not to take advantage of Yoga on the ground that it is foreign is foolish)
Explanation
The writer calls it foolishness to refuse to use Yoga just because it comes from India, comparing it to rejecting Bach or electricity.