18. Reading Skills Comprehension: Tranquil Drive

TRANQUIL DRIVE

 Read the following passage carefully:

 A tranquil drive on the arid roads for about 225 km to the South East of Muscat brings you to Misfah. Drowsy Misfat Al Abryeen, often’ known as Misfat or Misfah, is a traditional village in Oman that is fighting to maintain its old-world charm against the onslaught of modern development that is sweeping across the rest of the country.

 Misfah is located in Wilayat Al Hamra in A’Dakhiliyah Region of Oman. It is characterised by its narrow alleys, rare traditional buildings, intricate mud structures, and agricultural terraces that wrap around the mountain. Misfah rises a 1,000 metres above sea level. The homes of its inhabitants are at the top of the mountain and their farms are on the slope. It is said that the first house in Misfat Al Abriyeen village was built 200 years ago. Some say this village is the oldest in Oman.

 At first glance, one can confuse the village for a medieval Italian village with yellowish brownstone houses, some of which have been abandoned. Vehicles are not allowed into the village, they need to be parked at a height near the entrance. Navigating down one of the several hidden side alleyways will take you down a rabbit hole of twisting lanes, covered and uncovered passages, tall gateways and twisty flights of steps —which might lead you to the bottom of the hill on which the village rests. A falaj — a canal that provides water for human settlements and irrigation in hot, arid and semi-arid climates — runs along all sides of the village. The hamlet is surrounded by colourful bougainvillaea, banana palms, radish shrubs and other greenery. Along the way, a lime tree can surprise you.

 The lush green fields in the village are a testament to the fact that old methods of irrigation in a desert could effortlessly bring about astonishing greenery.

 On the far end of the hamlet, there is a rocky, dry, steep-sided gorge crowded with the date palm, reminding you of the fact that this vegetation is in the middle of a desert. The [Olaf runs on a simple principle where there are gaps at strategic points from where subsidiary channels runoff into fields below; these are kept blocked with stones, which are removed when the adjacent fields need irrigating.

  It is easy to lose your way within the village. The winding pathways quite possibly lead you back to where you began. It is advised to refer to the map before embarking on a journey into the village. Upon the hillside rests a ruined watchtower.

Read the given questions and write the answer in a sentence.

 1. Where is Misfah located?

2. What kind of onslaught is Misfah fighting?

3. What are the unique features of Misfah?

4.Mention two interesting facts about Misfah.

5. What are the features which make Misfah look like an old Italian village?

6. Why do you think vehicles are not allowed inside the village?

7. How has this desert village managed to remain green?

8. Why is it necessary to carry a map while visiting this village?

ANSWERS:

1. Misfah is 225 km South-east of the city of Muscat in Oman.

2. Misfah is fighting the onslaught of modernity.

3. Its unique features include narrow alleys, rare traditional buildings, mud structures and agricultural terraces.

4. The oldest house there is 200 years old. Secondly, Misfah is probably the oldest village in Oman.

5. Its yellowish-brown storehouses make it look like an Italian village.

6. The villagers do not want their place to get polluted. That is probably the reason for not allowing vehicles inside the village.

7. The villagers use traditional methods of irrigation. There is a small canal running around the village that is the source of water for them.

8. There are so many long winding roads that one can easily lose one’s way in this village.

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