Class 9th English: Chapter 11

NCERT Solutions for Class 9th English: Chapter 11 If I Were You

National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) Book for Class 9
Subject: English
Chapter: Chapter 11 – If I Were You

Class 9 NCERT English Text Book Chapter 11 If I Were You is given below.

Question 1:

The following words and phrases occur in the play. Do you know their meanings? Match them with the meanings given, to find out.

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Question 1:

“At last a sympathetic audience.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) Why does he say it?
(iii) Is he sarcastic or serious?

Answer:
(i) Gerrard said the given line.
(ii) He said so because the intruder had asked him to talk about himself.
(iii) He was being sarcastic. The audience, i.e., the intruder was in no ways sympathetic. In fact, he told Gerard, at gunpoint, to talk about himself so that he could use the information to further his own interests.

Question 2:
Why does the intruder choose Gerrard as the man whose identity he wants to take on?

Answer:
The intruder chose Gerrard as the man whose identity he wanted to take on because he was of the same build as Gerrard. Also, as Vincent Charles Gerrard, he would be free to go places and do nothing. He could eat well and sleep without having to be ready to run away at the sight of a cop.

Question 3:
“I said it with bullets.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) What does it mean?
(iii) Is it the truth? What is the speaker’s reason for saying this?

Answer:
(i) Gerrard said the given line.
(ii) It means that when things went wrong with him, he had committed a murder and got away. Here, “I said it with bullets” means that he fired at someone to escape.
(iii) No, it was not the truth. Gerard said so because he wanted the intruder to believe that he too was dangerous. The intruder would have killed him if he had not lied about his identity. He told him that he himself was a crook; that he had also killed someone and escaped. However, his partner had been caught, and he had not burnt the papers that should have been burnt. Therefore, the cops were after him too, and this meant that the intruder would still not be safe even after taking on Gerrard’s identity.

Question 4:
What is Gerrard’s profession? Quote the parts of the play that support your answer.

Answer:
Gerrard could have been a theatrical artist, perhaps a playwright. There are several parts in the play which suggest that he had something to do with theatre. When he saw the intruder, he said “This is all very melodramatic, not very original, perhaps, but…” When the intruder asked him to talk about himself, he said “At last a sympathetic audience!” He also asked the intruder “Are you American, or is that merely a clever imitation?” Then, when the intruder had told him his plan of killing him and taking over his identity, he said “In most melodramas the villain is foolish enough to delay his killing long enough to be frustrated.” Later, he again said “I said, you were luckier than most melodramatic villains.” When he told the intruder about his false identity in order to save himself, he told him “That’s a disguise outfit; false moustaches and what not”. Finally, after locking him up, he picked up the phone and said “Sorry, I can’t let you have the props in time for rehearsal, I’ve had a spot of bother − quite amusing. I think I’ll put it in my next play.”

Question 5:
“You’ll soon stop being smart.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) Why does the speaker say it?
(iii) What according to the speaker will stop Gerrard from being smart?

Answer:
(i) The intruder said the given line.
(ii) When Gerrard did not show any signs of being perturbed by the intruder’s presence, the intruder responded by saying “Trying to be calm and — er —”. He stopped and fumbled for words and then, Gerrard completed his sentence by saying “‘Nonchalant’ is your word, I think”. Peeved at the smartness displayed by Gerrard, the intruder said that Gerard would stop being smart once he knew what was going to happen to him.
(iii) According to the intruder, Gerrard would stop being smart once he knew what was going to happen to him. The intruder’s plan was to kill Gerard and take over his identity. He felt that when Gerrard would know this, he would stop being smart and start getting scared.

Question 6:
“They can’t hang me twice.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) Why does the speaker say it?

Answer:
(i) The intruder said the given line.
(ii) The intruder had been telling Gerrard that he had murdered one man, and that he would not shy away from murdering him too. This is because the police could not hang him twice for two murders.

Question 7:
“A mystery I propose to explain.” What is the mystery the speaker proposes to explain?

Answer:
The mystery that Gerrard proposed to explain was the story he made up to dodge the intruder and escape him. The story was that Gerrard himself was a criminal like the intruder. He asked why else would he not meet any trades people and was all over different places. When things went wrong with him, he had committed a murder and got away. Unfortunately, one of his men had been arrested and certain things were found which his men should have burnt. He said that he was expecting some trouble that night and therefore, his bag was packed and he was ready to escape.

Question 8:
“This is your big surprise.”
(i) Where has this been said in the play?
(ii) What is the surprise?

Answer:
(i) The given line was spoken twice in the play. First, it was spoken by the intruder when he revealed to Gerrard why he was there and what he was going to do with him. On the second occasion, it was spoken by Gerrard when he was about to reveal his made-up story to the intruder.

(ii) When the intruder said this line, the surprise was that he was going to kill Gerrard and take over his identity. He told him that as Vincent Charles Gerrard, he would be free to go places and do nothing. He could eat well and sleep without having to be ready to run away at the sight of a cop.

When Gerrard said this line, the surprise was his made-up story about himself. The story was that Gerrard himself was a criminal like the intruder. When things went wrong with him, he had committed a murder and got away. Unfortunately, one of his men was arrested and certain things were found, which his men should have burnt. He said that he was expecting some trouble that night and therefore, his bag was packed and he was ready to escape.

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Question 1:
Consult your dictionary and choose the correct word from the pairs given in brackets.
1. The (site, cite) of the accident was (ghastly/ghostly).
2. Our college (principle/principal) is very strict.
3. I studied (continuously/continually) for eight hours.
4. The fog had an adverse (affect/effect) on the traffic.
5. Cezanne, the famous French painter, was a brilliant (artist/artiste).
6. The book that you gave me yesterday is an extraordinary (collage/college) of
science fiction and mystery.
7. Our school will (host/hoist) an exhibition on cruelty to animals and wildlife
conservation.
8. Screw the lid tightly onto the top of the bottle and (shake/shape) well before
using the contents.
Answer:
1. The site of the accident was ghastly.
2. Our college principal is very strict.
3. I studied continuously for eight hours.
4. The fog had an adverse effect on the traffic.
5. Cezanne, the famous French painter, was a brilliant artist.
6. The book that you gave me yesterday is an extraordinary collage of science fiction and mystery.
7. Our school will host an exhibition on cruelty to animals and wildlife conservation.
8. Screw the lid tightly onto the top of the bottle and shake well before using the contents.

Question 2:
Irony is when we say one thing but mean another, usually the opposite of what we say. When someone makes a mistake and you say, “Oh! That was clever!” that is irony. You’re saying ‘clever’ to mean ‘not clever’.
Expressions we often use in an ironic fashion are:

• Oh, wasn’t that clever!/Oh that was clever!
• You have been a great help, I must say!
• You’ve got yourself into a lovely mess, haven’t you?
• Oh, very funny!/How funny!

We use a slightly different tone of voice when we use these words ironically. Read the play carefully and find the words and expressions Gerrard uses in an ironic way. Then say what these expressions really mean. Two examples have been given below. Write down three such expressions along with what they really mean.

What the author says and what they mean
Why, this is a surprise, Mr − er − : He pretends that the intruder is a social visitor whom he is welcoming. In this way he hides his fear.
At last a sympathetic audience! – He pretends that the intruder wants to listen to him, whereas actually the intruder wants to find out information for his own use.

Answer:

What the author says and what they What he means
You won’t kill me for a very good reason. : Gerrard was just pretending to have a ‘very good reason’. However, there was no such reason.
Sorry I can’t let you have the props in time for rehearsal, I’ve had a spot of bother − quite amusing : The ‘spot of bother’ that Gerrard found ‘quite amusing’ was actually a life-threatening situation. He had been in confrontation with a criminal.
In most melodramas the villain is foolish enough to delay his killing long enough to be frustrated.
You are much luckier. : Gerrard pretended that the villain, i.e., the intruder was really intelligent to have thought up a plan to take over the identity of a man who lived at such a place where the police could not reach instantly. However, the intruder was much mistaken because Gerrard was actually using this ‘delay’ to think up a plan to escape
him.

Class 9th English: Chapter 10

NCERT Solutions for Class 9th English: Chapter 10 Kathmandu

National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) Book for Class 9
Subject: English
Chapter: Chapter 10 – Kathmandu

Class 9 NCERT English Text Book Chapter 10 Kathmandu is given below.

Question 1:
Answer these questions in one or two words or in short phrases.
1. Name the two temples the author visited in Kathmandu.
2. The writer says, “All this I wash down with Coca Cola.” What does ‘all this’ refer to?
3. What does Vikram Seth compare to the quills of a porcupine?
4. Name five kinds of flutes.

Answer:
1. The two temples the author visited in Kathmandu were the Pashupatinath temple and the Baudhnath stupa.

2. ‘All this’ refers to a bar of marzipan, a corn-on-the-cob roasted in a charcoal stove (rubbed with salt, chilli powder and lemon), a couple of love story comics, and a Reader’s Digest.

3. Vikram Seth compares the fifty or sixty bansuris protruding in all directions from the bamboo-made pole to the quills of a porcupine.

4. The five kinds of flutes are the reed neh, the Japanese shakuhachi, the deep bansuri of Hindustani classical music, the clear or breathy flutes of South America, and the high-pitched Chinese flutes.

Question 2:
Answer each question in a short paragraph.
1. What difference does the author note between the flute seller and the other hawkers?

2. What is the belief at Pashupatinath about the end of Kaliyug?

3. The author has drawn powerful images and pictures. Pick out three examples each of
(i) the atmosphere of ‘febrile confusion’ outside the temple of Pashupatinath (for example: some people trying to get the priest’s attention are elbowed aside…)
(ii) the things he sees
(iii) the sounds he hears

Answer:
1. The author notes that the flute seller selected a flute from time to time and played it for a few minutes. The sound rose clearly above the noise of the traffic and the hawkers’ cries. While the flute seller played slowly, meditatively, and without excessive display, the hawkers shouted out their wares.

2. At Pashupatinath, there is a small shrine that protrudes from the stone platform on the river bank. The belief is that when it emerges fully, the goddess inside will escape, and the evil period of Kaliyug will end on earth.

3.
(i) The author has drawn powerful images and pictures of the atmosphere of ‘febrile confusion’ outside the temple of Pashupatinath. Many worshippers trying to get the priest’s attention were elbowed aside by others pushing their way to the front. On the main gate, a party of saffron-clad Westerners struggled for permission to enter as only Hindus were allowed to enter the temple. A fight broke out between two monkeys. One was chasing the other, who jumped onto a shivalinga, then ran screaming around the temples and down to the river, the holy Bagmati.

(ii) He saw that the Baudhnath Stupa had an immense white dome, which was ringed by a road. Small shops were there on the outer edge where felt bags, Tibetan prints and silver jewellery could be bought. There were no crowds there. On the busiest streets of Kathmandu, he saw fruit sellers, flute sellers, hawkers of postcards, shops selling Western cosmetics, film rolls, chocolate, copper utensils and Nepalese antiques.

(iii) The sounds he heard were film songs that were blaring out from the radios, car horns, bicycle bells, vendors shouting out their wares. He also listened to flute music, calling it the most universal and most particular of sounds.

Question 3:
Answer the following questions in not more than 100 − 150 words each.
1. Compare and contrast the atmosphere in and around the Baudhnath shrine with the Pashupathinath temple.
2. How does the author describe Kathmandu’s busiest streets?
3. “To hear any flute is to be drawn into the commonality of all mankind.” Why does the author say this?

Answer:
1. The atmosphere at Pashupatinath temple was one of noise, chaos and confusion. Worshippers were trying to get the priest’s attention; others were pushing their way to the front; saffron-clad Westerners were trying to enter the temple; monkeys were fighting and adding to the general noise; a corpse was being cremated on the banks of the river Bagmati; washerwomen were at their work, while their children were bathing. In contrast, the Baudhnath stupa was “a haven of quietness in the busy streets around”. There was a sense of stillness and serenity about the Buddhist shrine.

2. Along Kathmandu’s narrowest and busiest streets, there were small shrines and flower-adorned deities. Apart from these, there were fruit sellers, flute sellers, hawkers of postcards, shops selling Western cosmetics, film rolls, chocolate, copper utensils and Nepalese antiques. The author heard film songs that were blaring out from the radios, sounds of car horns and bicycle bells, vendors shouting out their wares. He also saw a flute seller with many bansuris. He contrasts the serene music produced by the flute seller with the cries of the hawkers.

3. The author considers flute music to be “the most universal and most particular” of all music. There is no culture that does not have its flute. Each kind of flute has a specific fingering and compass, and “weaves its own associations”. Still, for the author, to hear any flute is “to be drawn into the commonality of all mankind”. In spite of their differences, every flute produces music with the help of the human breath. Similarly, in spite of the differences in caste, culture, religion, region, all human beings are the same, with the same living breath running through all of them.

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Question 1:
Read the following sentences carefully to understand the meaning of the italicised phrases. Then match the phrasal verbs in Column A with their meanings in Column B.
1. A communal war broke out when the princess was abducted by the neighbouring prince.
2. The cockpit broke off from the plane during the plane crash.
3. The car broke down on the way and we were left stranded in the jungle.
4. The dacoit broke away from the police as they took him to court.
5. The brothers broke up after the death of the father.
6. The thief broke into our house when we were away.

Question 3:
Punctuation
Use capital letter, full stops, question marks, commas and inverted commas wherever necessary in the following paragraph. an arrogant lion was wandering though the jungle one day he asked the tiger who is stronger than you you O lion replied the tiger who is more fierce than a leopard asked the lion you sir replied the leopard he marched upto an elephant and asked the same question the elephant picked him up in his trunk swung him in the air and threw him down look said the lion there is no need to get mad just because you don’t know the answer

Answer:
An arrogant lion was wandering through the jungle. One day, he asked the tiger, “Who is stronger than you?” “You, O lion!” replied the tiger. “Who is more fierce than a leopard?” asked the lion. “You sir,” replied the leopard. He marched up to an elephant and asked the same question. The elephant picked him up in his trunk, swung him in the air, and threw him down. “Look,” said the lion, “there is no need to get mad just because you don’t know the answer.”

Question 4:
1. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in brackets.
(i) The heart is a pump that ___________ (send) the blood circulating through our body. The pumping action ____________ (take place) when the left ventricle of the heart ____________ (contract). This ____________ (force) the blood out into the arteries, which __________ (expand) to receive the oncoming blood.

(ii) The African lungfish can live without water for up to four years. During drought, it _________ (dig) a pit and ___________ (enclose) itself in a capsule of slime and earth, leaving a tiny opening for air. The capsule ____________ (dry) and _____________ (harden), but when rain ___________(come), the mud ___________ (dissolve) and the lungfish ___________ (swim) away.

(iii) Mahesh: We have to organise a class party for our teacher. ____________ (Do) anyone play an instrument?
Vipul: Rohit _________ (play) the flute.
Mahesh: __________ (Do) he also act?
Vipul: No, he __________ (compose) music.
Mahesh: That’s wonderful!

Answer:
(i) The heart is a pump that sends the blood circulating through our body. The pumping action takes place when the left ventricle of the heart contracts. This forces the blood out into the arteries, which expands to receive the oncoming blood.

(ii) The African lungfish can live without water for up to four years. During drought, it digs a pit and encloses itself in a capsule of slime and earth, leaving a tiny opening for air. The capsule dries and hardens, but when rain comes, the mud dissolves and the lungfish swims away.

(iii) Mahesh: We have to organise a class party for our teacher. Does anyone play an instrument?
Vipul: Rohit plays the flute.
Mahesh: Does he also act?
Vipul: No, he composes music.
Mahesh: That’s wonderful!

Class 9th English: Chapter 9

NCERT Solutions for Class 9th English: Chapter 9 The Bond of Love

National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) Book for Class 9
Subject: English
Chapter: Chapter 9 – The Bond of Love

Class 9 NCERT English Text Book Chapter 9 The Bond of Love is given below.

Question 1:
Given in the box are some headings. Find the relevant paragraphs in the text to match the headings.
An Orphaned Cub; Bruno’s Food-chart; An Accidental Case of Poisoning; Playful Baba; Pain of Separation; Joy of Reunion; A Request to the Zoo; An Island in the courtyard

Answer:
(i)An Orphaned Cub − para 3
(ii) Bruno’s Food-chart − para 6
(iii) An Accidental Case of Poisoning − para 8
(iv) Playful Baba − para 12
(v) Pain of Separation − para 14
(vi) Joy of Reunion − para 16
(vii) A Request to the Zoo − para 18
(viii) An Island in the Courtyard − para 2

Question 2:
Answer the following questions.
1. “I got him for her by accident.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) Who do ‘him’ and ‘her’ refer to?
(iii) What is the incident referred to here?

2. “He stood on his head in delight.”
(i) Who does ‘he’ refer to?
(ii) Why was he delighted?

3. “We all missed him greatly: but in a sense we were relieved.”
(i) Who does ‘we all’ stand for?
(ii) Who did they miss?
(iii) Why did they nevertheless feel relieved?

Answer:
1.
(i) The narrator said the given statement.
(ii) Here, ‘him’ refers to the sloth bear and ‘her’ refers to the narrator’s wife. (iii) Once they were passing through the sugarcane fields near Mysore. People were driving away the wild pigs from the fields by shooting at them. Suddenly, they saw a black sloth bear. One of the narrator’s companions shot it on the spot. As they watched the fallen animal, they were surprised to see that the black fur on its back moved. Then they saw that it was a baby bear that had been riding on its mother’s back. The narrator ran up to it and attempted to capture it. He finally succeeded in grabbing it and gifted it to his wife. This incident is referred to in the above statement.
2.
(i) Here, ‘he’ refers to the bear Bruno.
(ii) Bruno was delighted to see the narrator’s wife. It was sad and refused food given at the zoo, but was happy and recognized her even when she was some yards away. When she ran up to it and petted it through the bars, it stood on its head in delight.
3.
(i) Here, ‘we all’ stands for the narrator, his wife and his son.
(ii) They missed Bruno (Baba).
(iii) They felt relieved because Baba was getting too big to be kept at home. That is why they sent it off to a zoo.

Question 3:
Answer the following questions in 30 to 40 words each.
1. On two occasions Bruno ate/drank something that should not be eaten /drunk. What happened to him on these occasions?
2. Was Bruno a loving and playful pet? Why, then, did he have to be sent away?
3. How was the problem of what to do with Bruno finally solved?
Answer:
1. Bruno ate some poison meant for rats. It could not stand on its feet and was rushed to the vet’s residence, where it was finally cured. Later, it drank nearly a gallon of old engine oil. However, it remained unaffected.
2. Yes, Bruno was a loving and playful pet. Everybody in the family was attached to it, especially the narrator’s wife. It had to be sent away to a zoo because it was getting too big to be kept at home.
3. Bruno was not happy at the zoo. Seeing its condition and its happiness at seeing the narrator’s wife, Bruno was allowed to go back to Bangalore. There, an island was made for the bear, keeping all its needs in mind.

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Question 4:

1. The Narrative present Notice the incomplete sentences in the following paragraphs. Here the writer is using incomplete sentences in the narration to make the incident more dramatic or immediate. Can you rewrite the paragraph in complete sentences? (You can begin: The vet and I made a dash back to the car. Bruno was still floundering…)
(i) A dash back to car. Bruno still floundering about on his stumps, but clearly weakening rapidly; some vomiting, heavy breathing, with heaving flanks and gaping mouth.

Hold him everybody! In goes the hypodermic − Bruno squeals − 10 c.c. of the antidote enters his system without a drop being wasted. Then minutes later: condition unchanged! Another 10 c.c. injected! Ten minutes later: breathing less stertorous − Bruno can move his arms and legs a little although he can not stand yet. Thirty minutes later: Bruno gets up and has a great feed! He looks at us disdainfully, as much as to say, ‘What’s barium carbonate to a big black bear like me?’ Bruno is still eating.

2. Adverbs
Find the adverbs in the passage below. (You’ve read about adverbs in Unit 1.) We thought that everything was over when suddenly a black sloth bear came out panting in the hot sun. Now I will not shoot a sloth-bear wantonly but, unfortunately for the poor beast, one of my companions did not feel that way about it, and promptly shot the bear on the spot.
(i) Complete the following sentences, using a suitable adverb ending in −ly.
(a) Rana does her homework _______________.
(b) It rains ___________ in Mumbai in June.
(c) He does his work _____________.
(d) The dog serves his master _____________.
(ii) Choose the most suitable adverbs or adverbial phrases and complete the following sentences.
(a) We should ____________get down from a moving train. (never, sometimes, often)
(b) I was ___________ in need of support after my poor performance. (badly, occasionally, sometimes).
(c) Rita met with an accident. The doctor examined her ______________. (suddenly, seriously, immediately)

3. Take down the following scrambled version of a story, that you teacher will dictate to you, with appropriate punctuation marks. Then, read the scrambled story carefully and try to rewrite it rearranging the incidents.

A grasshopper, who was very hungry, saw her and said, “When did you get the corn? I am dying of hunger.” She wanted to dry them. It was a cold winter’s day, and an ant was bringing out some grains of corn from her home. She had gathered the corn in summer.
“I was singing all day,” answered the grasshopper.
“If you sang all summer,” said the ant, “you can dance all winter.”
“What were you doing?” asked the ant again.
The grasshopper replied, “ I was too busy.”
“I collected it in summer,” said the ant. “What were you doing in summer? Why did you not store some corn?”

Answer:
1. (i) The vet and I made a dash back to the car. Bruno was still floundering about on his stumps, but clearly he was weakening rapidly. There was some vomiting and heavy breathing. His flanks were heaving and his mouth was gaping. Everybody was asked to hold him. The hypodermic medicine went into Bruno, who squealed. 10 c.c. of anecdote entered his system without a drop being wasted. Even ten minutes later, the condition was unchanged. Another 10 c.c. was injected into him. Ten minutes later, his breathing became less stertorous. Bruno could move his arms and legs a little although he could not stand yet. Thirty minutes later, Bruno got up and had a great feed. He looked at us disdainfully, as much as to say, ‘What’s barium carbonate to a big black bear like me?’ Bruno was still eating.

2.We thought that everything was over when suddenly a black sloth bear came out panting in the hot sun. Now I will not shoot a sloth-bear wantonly but, unfortunately for the poor beast, one of my companions did not feel that way about it, and promptly shot the bear on the spot.
(i)
(a) Rana does her homework timely.
(b) It rains heavily in Mumbai in June.
(c) He does his work properly.
(d) The dog serves his master faithfully.
(ii)
(a) We should never get down from a moving train.
(b) I was badly in need of support after my poor performance.
(c) Rita met with an accident. The doctor examined her immediately.

3.It was a cold winter’s day, and an ant was bringing out some grains of corn from her home. She had gathered the corn in summer. She wanted to dry them. A grasshopper, who was very hungry, saw her and said, “When did you get the corn? I am dying of hunger.” “I collected it in summer,” said the ant. “What were you doing in summer? Why did you not store some corn?” The grasshopper replied, “I was too busy.” “What were you doing?” asked the ant again. “I was singing all day,” answered the grasshopper. “If you sang all summer,” said the ant, “you can dance all winter.”

Class 9th English: Chapter 8

NCERT Solutions for Class 9th English: Chapter 8 Reach for the Top

National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) Book for Class 9
Subject: English
Chapter: Chapter 8 – Reach for the Top

Class 9 NCERT English Text Book Chapter 8 Reach for the Top is given below.

Question 1:

Class 9th English: Chapter 7

NCERT Solutions for Class 9th English: Chapter 7 Packing

National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) Book for Class 9
Subject: English
Chapter: Chapter 7 – Packing

Class 9 NCERT English Text Book Chapter 7 Packing is given below.

Question 1:

Discuss in pairs and answer each question below in a short paragraph (30 − 40 words).
1. How many characters are there in the narrative? Name them. (Don’t forget the dog!).
2. Why did the narrator (Jerome) volunteer to do the packing?
3. How did George and Harris react to this? Did Jerome like their reaction?
4. What was Jerome’s real intention when he offered to pack?
5. What did Harris say after the bag was shut and strapped? Why do you think he waited till then to ask?
6. What “horrible idea” occurred to Jerome a little later?
7. Where did Jerome finally find the toothbrush?
8. Why did Jerome have to reopen the packed bag?
9. What did George and Harris offer to pack and why?
10. While packing the hamper, George and Harris do a number of foolish and funny things. Tick the statements that are true.
(i) They started with breaking a cup.
(ii) They also broke a plate.
(iii) They squashed a tomato.
(iv) They trod on the butter.
(v) They stepped on a banana.
(vi) They put things behind them, and couldn’t find them.
(vii) They stepped on things.
(viii) They packed the pictures at the bottom and put heavy things on top.
(ix) They upset almost everything.
(x) They were very good at packing.

Answer:
1. There are four characters in the narrative. They are Jerome (the narrator), George, Harris, and Montmorency (the dog).
2. The narrator volunteered to do the packing as he took pride in himself for his packing skills. It was one of those things that he felt he knew more about than any other person living.
3. George and Harris readily accepted Jerome’s suggestion. George put on a pipe and spread himself over the easy-chair. Harris put his legs on the table and lit a cigar. No, Jerome did not like their reaction.
4. When Jerome had offered to pack, his real intention was that he would boss the job, and Harris and George would work under his directions. Then, he would push them aside every now and then, and teach them how to do it properly. That is why their reaction irritated him.
5. After the bag was shut and strapped, Harris asked Jerome if he wasn’t going to put the boots in. Jerome knew that Harris was like that. He would not have said a word until he had shut and strapped the bag.
6. The “horrible idea” that occurred to Jerome a little later was if he had packed his toothbrush or not. He always forgot if he had packed his toothbrush or not.
7. After going through everything he had packed, Jerome finally found the toothbrush inside a boot.
8. Jerome had to reopen the bag because he found that he had packed his tobaccopouch in it.
9. George and Harris offered to pack the hampers for carrying food. Harris said that they would want to start in less than twelve hours’ time and therefore it was better that he and George should do the rest of the packing.
10. Statements i, iii, iv, vi, vii and ix are true.

Question 2:
What does Jerome say was Montmorency’s ambition in life? What do you think of Montmorency and why?

Answer:
Montmorency’s ambition in life was to get in the way and get scolded. It felt that its day was not a waste if it could go anywhere where he was not wanted and be a perfect nuisance, make people mad, and have things thrown at its head. Its highest aim was to get somebody to stumble over it and curse it steadily for an hour. When it succeeded in accomplishing this, its pride in itself became unbearable.

Question 3:
Discuss in groups and answer the following questions in two or three paragraphs (100 −150 words)
1. Of the three, Jerome, George and Harris, who do you think is the best or worst packer? Support your answer with details from the text.
2. How did Montmorency ‘contribute’ to the packing?
3. Do you find this story funny? What are the humorous elements in it? (Pick out at least three, think about what happens, as well as how it is described.)

Answer:
1. All three friends, Jerome, George and Harris prove to be bad at packing things. Jerome volunteered to do the packing as he took pride in himself for his packing skills. However, his packing skills were not up to the mark. He forgot to pack the boots; could not remember if he had packed his toothbrush or not; and accidentally packed his tobacco-pouch. On each of these occasions, he had to unpack everything he had already packed.

When George and Harris began packing the hampers, they proved to be a lot worse than Jerome. They broke a cup; packed heavy things on top of light items; put things behind them and then couldn’t find them when they wanted them; stepped on things; and upset almost everything.

2. Montmorency came and sat down on things just when they were about to be packed. According to the narrator, the dog had a fixed belief that whenever Harris or George reached out their hand for anything, it was its cold damp nose they wanted. It put its leg into the jam and disturbed the teaspoons. It pretended that the lemons were rats. It went into the hamper and killed three of them before Harris could hit it with a frying pan.

Harris blamed Jerome for encouraging the dog. However, Jerome said that a dog like Montmorency did not require any encouragement. It had a natural and original sin that was born in it, which made it do all such things.

3. This story is funny as it shows three adults making complete fools out of themselves. The bad packing skills of the narrator and his friends are on display in this story. The narrator, who prides himself on his packing ability, unpacks and repacks the same things three times, much to the amusement of his friends. When it is their turn to pack, they are worse than the narrator. Emulating his friends, the narrator simply sits back and watches them make a mess of everything. Things get more chaotic when the dog, Montmorency enters the picture.

The narrator compares the things he unpacked for finding his toothbrush to the same state of chaos that existed when the world was created. On seeing all that George and Harry had managed to do with the butter, the narrator says that he had never seen anyone do more with one-and-two pence worth of butter. The narrator describes how Montmorency pretended that lemons were rats and got into the hamper and killed three before Harris could land a frying pan on him.

—

Question 1:
Match the words/phrases in Column A with their meanings in Column B.

Question 2:
Use suitable words or phrases from Column A above to complete the paragraph given below.
A Traffic Jam During power cuts, when traffic lights go off, there is utter __________ at crossroads. Drivers add to the confusion by __________ over their right of way, and nearly come to blows. Sometimes passers-by, seeing a few policemen __________ at regulating traffic, step in to help. This gives them a feeling of having __________ something.

Answer:
During power cuts, when traffic lights go off, there is utter chaos at crossroads. Drivers add to the confusion by getting into a row over their right of way, and nearly come to blows. Sometimes passers-by, seeing a few policemen slaving at regulating traffic, step in to help. This gives them a feeling of having accomplished something

Question 3:
2. The table below has some proverbs telling you what to do and what not to do. Fill in the blanks and add a few more such proverbs to the table.

Class 9th English: Chapter 6

NCERT Solutions for Class 9th English: Chapter 6 My Childhood

National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) Book for Class 9
Subject: English
Chapter: Chapter 6 – My Childhood

Class 9 NCERT English Text Book Chapter 6 My Childhood is given below.

Question 1:

Answer these questions in one or two sentences each.
1. Where was Abdul Kalam’s house?
2. What do you think Dinamani is the name of? Give a reason for your answer.
3. Who were Abdul Kalam’s school friends? What did they later become?
4. How did Abdul Kalam earn his first wages?
5. Had he earned any money before that? In what way?

Answer:
1. Abdul Kalam’s house was on the Mosque Street in Rameswaram in the former Madras state.
2. Dinamani could be the name of a newspaper because Abdul Kalam tried to trace the stories of the Second World War, which his brother-in-law told him, in the headlines in Dinamani.

3. Abdul Kalam had three close friends in school − Ramanandha Sastry, Aravindan and Sivaprakasan. Ramanandha Sastry took over the priesthood of the Rameswaram temple from his father; Aravindan started a business of arranging transport for visiting pilgrims and Sivaprakasan became a catering contractor for the Southern Railways.

4. The Second World War led to the suspension of the train-halt at Rameswaram station. As a result, newspapers had to be bundled up and thrown out from the moving train. This forced Kalam’s cousin Samsuddin, who distributed newspapers in Rameswaram, to look for a helping hand to catch the bundles. Abdul Kalam took up this position and earned his first wages in the process.

5. Yes, he had earned some money when he started helping his cousin. When the Second World War broke out, there was a sudden demand for tamarind seeds in the market. He collected the seeds and sold them at a provision shop on Mosque Street. Usually, a day’s collection earned him one anna.

Question 2:
Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (about 30 words).
1. How does the author describe: (i) his father, (ii) his mother, (iii) himself?
2. What characteristics does he say he inherited from his parents?

Answer:
1. (i) Kalam’s father, Jainulabdeen neither had much formal education nor much wealth. Despite these disadvantages, he possessed great innate wisdom and a true generosity of spirit. He avoided all inessential comforts and luxuries.
(ii) Kalam’s mother, Ashiamma was an ideal helpmate to her husband. She fed many people everyday. The author was quite certain that far more outsiders ate with them than all the members of their own family put together.
(iii) The author describes himself as one of many children. He was a short boy with rather undistinguished looks, born to tall and handsome parents. He had a very secure childhood, both materially and emotionally.

2. The author inherited honesty and self-discipline from his father and faith in goodness and deep kindness from his mother.

Question 3:
Discuss these questions in class with your teacher and then write down your answers in two or three paragraphs each.

1. “On the whole, the small society of Rameswaram was very rigid in terms of the segregation of different social groups,” says the author.
(i) Which social groups does he mention? Were these groups easily identifiable (for example, by the way they dressed)?
(ii) Were they aware only of their differences or did they also naturally share friendships and experiences? (Think of the bedtime stories in Kalam’s house; of who his friends were; and of what used to take place in the pond near his house.)
(iii) The author speaks both of people who were very aware of the differences among them and those who tried to bridge these differences. Can you identify such people in the text?
(iv) Narrate two incidents that show how differences can be created, and also how they can be resolved. How can people change their attitudes?

2. (i) Why did Abdul Kalam want to leave Rameswaram?
(ii) What did his father say to this?
(iii) What do you think his words mean? Why do you think he spoke those words?

Answer:
1. (i) The social groups that he mentioned were the Hindus and the Muslims. Yes, these groups were easily identifiable. Abdul Kalam wore a cap, which marked him as a Muslim. His friend, Ramanandha Sastry, wore the sacred thread as he was a Hindu.

(ii) They naturally shared friendships and experiences. Abdul Kalam was Muslim and his friends were from orthodox Hindu Brahmin families. However, they were very close friends. During the annual Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam ceremony, Kalam’s family arranged boats with a special platform for carrying idols of the Lord from the temple to the marriage site. Events from the Ramayana and from the life of the Prophet were the bedtime stories his mother and grandmother would tell the children of their family. All these incidents show that different social groups naturally co-inhabited Rameswaram.

(iii) There were two people who were very aware of the differences among them. One was the new teacher who came to the class when Kalam was in the fifth standard and did not let him sit with Ramanandha Sastry who was a Brahmin. Also, the wife of Sivasubramania Iyer (his science teacher) was very conservative and did not allow Kalam to eat in her pure Hindu kitchen. The people who tried to bridge these differences were Lakshmana Sastry (Ramanandha’s father) and Sivasubramania Iyer (his science teacher).

(iv) When Kalam was in the fifth standard, a new teacher came to their class. Kalam always sat in the front row next to Ramanandha Sastry. The teacher could not digest the fact that a Hindu priest’s son was sitting with a Muslim boy. The teacher immediately asked Kalam to sit on the back bench. Both Kalam and Ramanandha were unhappy with this development. When they narrated this story to their respective parents, Lakshmana Sastry summoned the teacher and told him that he should not spread the idea of social inequality and communal intolerance in the minds of innocent children. The teacher apologized and regretted his behaviour. In another incident, Kalam’s science teacher Sivasubramania Iyer invited him for a meal to his house. His wife, who was very conservative, was horrified at the idea of a Muslim boy eating in her pure Hindu kitchen. Consequently, she refused to serve him in her kitchen. However, Iyer was not disturbed by his wife’s behaviour. Instead, he served Kalam with his own hands and sat down beside him to eat his meal. When Kalam was leaving, Sivasubramania Iyer again invited him for dinner the next weekend. On observing Kalam’s hesitation, he told him not to get upset and said that once one has decided to change the system, such problems have to be confronted. When Kalam visited the house next week, Sivasubramania Iyer’s wife took him inside her kitchen and served him food with her own hands. Hence, in this way, differences can be resolved and people’s attitudes can be changed.

2. (i) Kalam wanted to leave Rameswaram for further studies. He wanted to study at the district headquarters in Ramanathapuram.

(ii) Kalam’s father said that he knew that one day Kalam had to go away to grow. He gave the analogy of a seagull that flies across the sun alone and without a nest. He then quoted Khalil Gibran to Kalam’s mother saying that nobody’s children were their own children. They were the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through their parents, but not from them. They may give them their love, but not their thoughts as the children have their own thoughts.

(iii) His words meant that children have to be separated from their parents at some stage in life. They have to be let free so that they can realize their thoughts and goals. A seagull flies away alone and finds its own food and nest. Parents can nurture their kids with love, but they cannot give them their thoughts. The children have their own thoughts. They should themselves develop these thoughts naturally. Kalam’s father spoke these words because Kalam’s mother was hesitant about his leaving Rameswaram.

Question 2:
1. Match the phrases in Column A with their meanings in Column B.

2. 1. Inadequate

2. Undemanding
3. Unpatriotic
4. Illogical
5. Unacceptable
6. Inactive
7. Undisputed
8. Illegal
9. Irregular
10. Untrue
11. Inaccessible
12. Irresponsible
13. Intolerant
14. Impermanent
15. Incoherent
16. Impossible

Question 4:
Rewrite the sentences below, changing the verbs in brackets into the passive form.
1. In yesterday’s competition the prizes (give away) by the Principal.
2. In spite of financial difficulties, the labourers (pay) on time.
3. On Republic Day, vehicles (not allow) beyond this point.
4. Second-hand books (buy and sell) on the pavement every Saturday.
5. Elections to the Lok Sabha (hold) every five years.
6. Our National Anthem (compose) Rabindranath Tagore.

Answer:
1. In yesterday’s competition the prizes were given away by the Principal.
2. In spite of financial difficulties, the labourers were paid on time.
3. On Republic Day, vehicles are not allowed beyond this point.
4. Second-hand books are bought and sold on the pavement every Saturday.
5. Elections to the Lok Sabha are held every five years.
6. Our National Anthem was composed by Rabindranath Tagore.

Question 5:
Rewrite the paragraphs below, using the correct form of the verb given in brackets.
1. How Helmets Came To Be Used in Cricket Nari Contractor was the Captain and an opening batsman for India in the 1960s. The Indian cricket team went on a tour to the West Indies in 1962. In a match against Barbados in Bridgetown, Nari Contractor (seriously injure and collapse). In those days helmets (not wear). Contractor (hit) on the head by a bouncer from Charlie Griffith. Contractor’s skull (fracture). The entire team (deeply concern). The West Indies players (worry). Contractor (rush) to hospital. He (accompany) by Frank Worrell, the Captain of the West Indies Team. Blood (donate) by the West Indies players. Thanks to the timely help, Contractor (save). Nowadays helmets (routinely use) against bowlers.

2. Oil from Seeds Vegetable oils (make) from seeds and fruits of many plants growing all over the world, from tiny sesame seeds to big, juicy coconuts. Oil (produce) from cotton seeds, groundnuts, soya beans and sunflower seeds. Olive oil (use) for cooking, salad dressing etc. Olives (shake) from the trees and (gather) up, usually by hand. The olives (ground) to a thick paste which is spread onto special mats. Then the mats (layer) up on the pressing machine which will gently squeeze them to produce olive oil.

Answer:

1. How Helmets Came To Be Used in Cricket Nari Contractor was the Captain and an opening batsman for India in the 1960s. The Indian cricket team went on a tour to the West Indies in 1962. In a match against Barbados in Bridgetown, Nari Contractor got seriously injured and collapsed. In those days helmets were not worn. Contractor was hit on the head by a bouncer from Charlie Griffith. Contractor’s skull had fractured. The entire team was deeply concerned. The West Indies players were worried. Contractor was rushed to hospital. He was accompanied by Frank Worrell, the Captain of the West Indies Team. Blood was donated by the West Indies players. Thanks to the timely help, Contractor was saved. Nowadays helmets are routinely used against bowlers.

2. Oil from Seeds Vegetable oils are made from seeds and fruits of many plants growing all over the world, from tiny sesame seeds to big, juicy coconuts. Oil is produced from cotton seeds, groundnuts, soya beans and sunflower seeds. Olive oil is used for cooking, salad dressing etc. Olives are shaken from the trees and gathered up, usually by hand. The olives are ground to a thick paste which is spread onto special mats. Then the mats are layered up on the pressing machine which will gently squeeze them to produce olive oil.