Why do you think this attracted Ibn Battuta's attention? Is there anything you would like to add to this description?
The paan attracted Ibn Battuta's attention because it was completely unfamiliar to his audience. As the text explains, Ibn Battuta highlighted anything that was unfamiliar to ensure that readers were "suitably impressed by accounts of distant yet accessible worlds." His strategy was to describe new things by comparing them to familiar ones, like comparing betel cultivation to the grape-vine and the areca nut to the nutmeg.
The description is detailed for its purpose of explaining something new. Ibn Battuta explains the cultivation method, the preparation of areca nut into pellets, and the method of chewing with chalk on betel leaves. However, the description focuses only on the physical process of preparation and consumption. One could add details about the cultural significance of paan in Indian society, but Ibn Battuta's account serves its main purpose of making the unfamiliar comprehensible to his readers.
Explanation
This question tests understanding of Ibn Battuta's strategies of representation. The context clearly states that the coconut and paan were 'completely unfamiliar to his audience,' which is why they attracted his attention. Ibn Battuta's approach was to highlight unfamiliar things to impress readers with accounts of distant worlds. His description uses comparisons (grape-vine, nutmeg) to make the strange comprehensible. For the second part, students should note that while the description is functional, it focuses on physical aspects rather than cultural or social significance.