THE SNAKE AND THE MIRROR

“The sound was familiar one.” What sound did the doctor hear? What did he think it was? How many times did he hear it? (Find the places in the text.) When and why did the sounds stop?

Ans: The doctor lived in a room which was full of rats. He heard the sounds of the rats. There was a regular traffic of rats to and from the beam. He heard the sound thrice. The sound stopped suddenly as rats had seen a snake.

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2. What two “important” and “earth-shaking” decisions did the doctor take while he was looking into the mirror?

Ans: The doctor took two “important” and “earth-shaking” decisions while he was looking into the mirror First, he decided to shave daily and grow a thin moustache. Second, to always

keep an attractive smile on his face.

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3. “I looked into the mirror and smiled,” says the doctor. A little later he says, “I forgot my danger and smiled feebly at myself.” What is the doctor’s opinion about himself when:
(i) he first smiles, and
(ii) he smiles again? In what way do his thoughts change in between, and why?

Ans: (i) When the doctor first smiles, he has an inflated opinion of himself, admiring his looks and profession.

(ii) In the second instance, the doctor smiles at his foolishness and helplessness.
His thoughts change after his encounter with the snake—from being a proud doctor he moves on to accept his stupidity.

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II. This story about a frightening incident is narrated in a humorous way. What makes it humorous? (Think of the contrasts it presents between dreams and reality. Some of them are listed below.)
1. (i) The kind of person the doctor is (money, possessions)
(ii) The kind of person he wants to be (appearance, ambition)

Ans: 1. (i) The doctor is a poor person. He has hardly any money. he lives in an unelectrified house. It is small rented room with plenty of rats living in it. He has just started his medical practice. So he is not a man of possessions or money.

(ii) The Person wants to be rich. he also would like to have good appearance. That’s why he decides to grow a thin moustache.

 2.(i) The person he wants to marry

(ii) The person he actually marries

2. (i) The doctor wants to marry a woman doctor with good medical practice and a lot of money. She would be fat and would not be able to  run after him and catch him if he made any mistake.

(ii) He marries a thin reedy woman who has a gift of sprinter.

3.(i) His thoughts when he looks into the mirror
(ii) His thoughts when the snake is coiled around his arm

3. (i) His thoughts are full of joy and satisfaction. He decides to grow thin moustache and  always keep smiling . He finds his smile attractive

(ii) He turned to stone. He sat like  a  stone image in the flesh. However, his mind was very active. He felt the great presence of creator. He decides to write the words ‘O God’ outside his little heart.

A Truly Beautiful Mind
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i) Einstein leaving the school in Munich for good.

A.   Albert Einstein was a good student scoring good marks in almost every subject. However, he hated the strong regulation of the school, for which he often clashed with his teachers. At the age of 15, feeling stifled, he left the school in Munich for good.

22iiii22Einstein wanting to study in Switzerland rather than in Munich.

A .  Einstein though German-speaking, thought Switzerland was liberal than Munich.     Hence, he wanted to study in Switzerland.

       (iii) Einstein seeing in Mileva as an ally.

A.   Einstein thought that Mileva, a fellow student was quite clever and intelligent person.  They had a lot in common and discussed many topics which Einstein could not discuss  with others, so he saw Mileva as an ally.

          (iv) What do the above tell you about Einstein?

A.      All instances tell us that Einstein was a visionary. “Einstein leaving the school in Munich for good”, tell us that he never hesitated to put forth his point of view even though he might find himself at odds with his teachers. Even though he was doing well in school, he left it because he found it stifling. He was clever and did not hesitate to go against popular opinion. He moved to Zurich in Switzerland because he thought it was more liberal than Munich. Like most intelligent honest people with strong opinions, he mixed with people who shared similar viewpoints. That is why he found an ally in Mileva.

 Question 4:

Q. What did Einstein call his desk drawer at the patent office? Why?

A. Einstein was working as a technical expert in the patent office in Bern. He called his desk drawer at the patent office the “bureau of theoretical physics” as he stored all his ideas in the desk drawer.

 Question 5:

 Q. Why did Einstein write a letter to Franklin Roosevelt?

 A. Einstein emigrated to the United States of America after the Nazis came to power in Germany. There were chaos in America especially the theoretical physics community when Germans discovered nuclear fission. They were afraid that the Nazis would now build and use the atomic bomb. At the urging of a colleague, Einstein wrote a letter to Franklin Roosevelt to warn him of the consequences of an atomic explosion.

Question 6:

 Q. How did Einstein react to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

A.   The Americans in secret developed the Atomic Bomb and dropped it on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The destruction was heart ripping; Einstein was  deeply shaken and proposed the formation of a new world government. However, no one heeded his proposal. Next decade saw more political-involvement from Einstein. He motivated people to end the arms race. Until his last breath, he campaigned for peace and democracy

 Question 7:

 Q. Why does the world remember Einstein as a “world citizen”?

 A. The world remembers Einstein as a “world citizen” because he was a visionary and a scientific genius. He was not only a great scientific explorer, making discoveries centuries ahead of his time, but also was deeply concerned with growing arms race between nations of the world. He used his popularity to campaign for peace and democracy till his last breath. 

The Sound of Music
1. How old was Evelyn when she went to the Royal Academy of Music?
Evelyn was sixteen year old when she went to the Royal Academy of Music in London.
2. When was her deafness first noticed? When was it confirmed?
Her deafness was first noticed when she was eight years old and it was confirmed when she was eleven.

II. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (30–40 words).

1. Who helped her to continue with music? What did he do and say?
Percussionist Ron Forbes helped Evelyn to continue with music. He began by tuning two large drums to different notes. He asked her not to listen to them through her ears but to try and sense the sound in some other manner.
2. Name the various places and causes for which Evelyn performs.
2. Evelyn, with a hectic international schedule, gives solo performances at regular concerts. Apart from these, she gives free concerts in prisons and hospitals. She also accords high priority to classes for young musicians.

III. Answer the question in two or three paragraphs (100–150 words).

1. How does Evelyn hear music?
 Evelyn heard music by sensing the notes in different parts of her body. When Ron Forbes tuned two drums to different notes and asked her to sense the sound without using her ears, she realized that she could feel the higher drum from the waist up and the lower drum from the waist down. She learnt how to open her mind and body to sounds and vibrations.
It was sheer determination and hard work. When she played the xylophone, she could sense the sound passing up the stick into her fingertips. By leaning against the drums, she could feel the resonances flowing into her body. On a wooden platform, she removed her shoes so that the vibrations could pass through her bare feet and up her legs. She herself said that music poured in through every part of her body. It tingled in the skin, her cheekbones and even in her hair.

Part II - The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan

Answer these questions in 30 – 40 words.
1. Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?
Emperor Aurangzeb banned the playing of the pungi in the royal residence for it had a shrill and unpleasant sound. It became the generic name for reeded noisemakers.

2. How is a shehnai different from a pungi?
Shehnai is a pipe with a natural hollow stem that is longer and broader than the pungi. It has seven holes on its body. When it is played, the closing and opening of some of the holes produces soft and melodious sounds.

3. Where was the shehnai played traditionally? How did Bismillah Khan change this?
Traditionally, the shehnai was part of the traditional ensemble of nine instruments found at royal courts. It was used only in temples and weddings. However, Ustad Bismillah Khan brought in the change by bringing it onto the classical stage.

4. When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big break?
Bismillah Khan had accompanied his uncle to the Allahabad Music Conference at the age of fourteen. At the end of his recital, Ustad Faiyaz Khan patted his back and told him to work hard and he shall make it big in life. He got his big break with the opening of the All India Radio in Lucknow in 1938. He soon became an often-heard shehnai player on radio.

5. Where did Bismillah Khan play the shehnai on 15 August 1947? Why was the event historic?
On 15 August 1947, Bismillah Khan played the shehnai from the Red Fort. It was a historic day as India gained independence on that day. He became the first Indian to greet the nation with his shehnai. His audience included illustrious names such as Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi.

6. Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A.?
Bismillah Khan refused to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A. because he could not live outside India. His student, who had asked him to head the shehnai school, promised that he would recreate the atmosphere of Benaras by replicating the temples in the city. However, he wanted to know if his student could also transport River Ganga, which his student obviously could not. He himself said that whenever he was in a foreign country, he kept yearning to see Hindustan.

7. Find at least two instances in the text which tell you that Bismillah Khan loves India and Benaras.
Bismillah Khan immensely loved India, particularly Benaras and Dumraon. In his initial years, the temple of Balaji, Mangala Maiya, and the banks of River Ganga in Benaras became his favourite haunts where he could practice in peace and solitude. River Ganga’s flowing waters inspired him to improvise and invent ragas that were once thought to be beyond the range of shehnai.
Bismillah Khan refused to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A. because he could not live outside India. His student, who had asked him to head the shehnai school, promised that he would recreate the atmosphere of Benaras by replicating the temples in the city. However, he wanted to know if his student could also transport River Ganga, which his student obviously could not.

      The Little Girl

Question 1: Why was Kezia afraid of her father?

Answer: Kezia’s father was a strict person, who always used to give commands to everybody else in the house. He never seemed to smile. He was had an overpowering personality.  So  Kezia was always in awe of him.

Question 2: Who were the people in Kezia’s family?

Answer: Apart from Kezia and her father, there was Kezia’s mother, grandmother and a cook in the family.

Question 3: What was Kezia’s father’s routine?

(i) before going to his office?

(ii) after coming back from his office?

(iii) on Sundays?

Answer: (i) Before going to office the father used to give a casual kiss and ask her to say goodbye.

(ii) After  coming   back from office he would ask for newspaper and a cup of tea.

(iii) On   Sundays  he would sleep on the sofa with his face covered with his favourite cushion.

Question 4: In what ways did Kezia’s grandmother encourage her to get to know her father better?

Answer: Kezia’s   grandmother encouraged Kezia to get to know her father better by asking her to take off her father’s boots and she also sent her to the drawing room to talk to her parents on Sundays. She  also  suggested that  Kezia  should make a birthday gift for her father.  

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 Write down the answers in two or three paragraphs each

Question 1: Kezia’s efforts to please her father resulted in displeasing him very much. How did this happen?

Answer:  Kezia’s  grandmother asked her to make a surprise gift for her father’s birthday. She decided to make a nice pin cushion for him. She wanted to stuff the cushion with some scraps. While searching for scrap she found some sheet of papers on the bed table . She used them to stuff the pin cushion .

But it was her sheer bad luck that those were not useless papers, but  was  a speech written by her father. He had to deliver that speech at some important function. This made her father very angry and he beat her up with a ruler. 

Question 2: Kezia decides that there are “different kinds of fathers”. What kind of father was Mr Macdonald, and how was he different from Kezia’s father?

Answer: Mr. Macdonald was of a friendly and loving  nature. He played around with his kids. On the other hand   Kezia’s father was never seen in a playful mood and was always serious. He always scolded Kezia  for minor mistakes. 

Question 3: How does Kezia begin to see her father as a human being who needs her sympathy?

Answer: When Kezia’s mother falls sick she was feeling lonely. When she had a nightmare her  father  takes her to sleep with him. While consoling her, he seems to be an affectionate person. Kezia also feels the warmth of her father’s hug. Now she feels quite safe and secure with her father. She realizes that because of his busy schedule, her father is unable to give enough time to the family. When her father falls asleep before her, she realizes that her father is also a human being and he too needs  sympathy.

Poem-Wind (Beehive)

How does the poet want the wind to come?

Ans. The poet wants the wind to come softly.

2. What should the wind not break ?

Ans. The wind should not break the shutters of the windows.

3. What should the wind not scatter ?

Ans. The wind should not scatter the papers.

4. What should the wind not throw down ?

Ans. The wind should not throw down the books on the shelf.

5. What did the wind do to the books ?

 Ans. The wind threw the books down and tore their pages.

6. Who does the wind make fun of – weak people or strong people ?

Ans. The wind makes fun of weak people.

7. What does the wind god do ?

Ans. The wind god separates the food grain from the chaff.

8. What does the poet propose to do about homes ?

Ans. The poet proposes that they should make strong homes.

9. What should we do about our body and heart ?

 Ans. We should make our body firm and heart steadfast.

10. What does the wind do to weak fires ?

Ans. The wind blows out weak fires.

11. What does the wind do to strong fires ?

 Ans. The wind makes strong fires roar and flourish.

12. Who is the poet of the poem ‘Wind’?

Ans. Subramania Bharati.

Give in brief the central idea of the poem ‘Wind’.

Ans. The central idea of the poem is that nobody cares for the weak. Even gods help the strong. Therefore, we should not pray for mercy or help. We should make ourselves strong. If we are strong, everybody will like to be friends with us.

2. What lesson can we learn from the action of the wind on fire ?

Ans. If the fire is weak, the wind blows it out. If the fire is strong, the wind adds more power to it. It makes it roar and flourish. Therefore, we should make ourselves strong. If we are weak, everybody will harm us. If we are strong, everybody will like to be friends with us. Even gods help those who are strong. They pay no attention to the prayers of the weak

3. How does the wind poke fun at weaklings  ?

Ans. Weaklings pray to the wind to come softly. They pray to the wind god not to break the shutters of their windows. But the wind god does not listen to their prayers. Rather he pokes fun at them. He blows down their houses. He breaks their doors. He breaks their bodies, their lives and even their hearts. He crushes them badly.

L-2 MOMENTS

 How does Toto come to grandfather’s private zoo?
Ans: Toto was in the captivity of a  tonga   owner. The grandfather gets sympathetic

to the monkey and thinks that his private zoo would be a better place for Toto. So he purchased Toto from the tongawallah  for five rupees.

2. “Toto was a pretty monkey.” In what sense is Toto pretty?
Ans: Toto was a pretty monkey. His bright eyes sparkled with mischief beneath the deep-set eyebrows, and his teeth, which were a pearly white, were very often displayed in a smile that frightened the life out of elderly Anglo-Indian ladies. But his hands looked dried-up as though they had been pickled in the sun for many years. Yet his fingers were quick and wicked and his tail, while adding to his good looks served as a third hand. He could use it to hang from a branch and it was capable of scooping up any delicacy that might be out of reach of his hands.

3. Why does grandfather take Toto to Saharanpur and how? Why does the ticket collector insist on calling Toto a dog?
Ans: Toto was a real menace for every living soul in the household. Other animals in grandfather’s zoo were at Toto’s mercy even during night. So, grandfather decided to provide some relief to other animals in the zoo and thought of taking Toto to Shaharanpur. The ticket collector was following his rulebooks. As there seems to be no rule for fixing a monkey’s fare so he equated Toto with dog. Ticket collector’s ingenuity tried to categorize all pets of a certain size as dogs.

4. How does Toto take a bath? Where has he learnt to do this? How does Toto almost boil himself alive?
Ans: Toto takes bath in a tub of warm water. He puts his legs in the water one by one and applies soap as well. As monkeys are good at aping others, so Toto has learnt proper steps of bathing while watching the narrator doing the same. Toto is fond of bathing with warm water. So once having tested the warmth of water in the kettle Toto sits in the kettle. Probably he is not intelligent enough to understand the risk of boiling water so he pops his head up and down in the kettle.

5. Why does the author say, “Toto was not the sort of pet we could keep for long”?
Ans: Though Toto was pretty and clever, he was very mischievous. He brought a lot of damage to the house by breaking dishes, tearing clothes and curtains. He also scared the visiotrs by tearing holes in their dresses. Furthermore, he didn’t get along well with other animals in the house too. One day Toto crossed the limits by picking up a dish of pullao and running on a branch to eat it. When scolded he threw off the plate and broke it. That’s when grandfather decided he had had enough of Toto because he couldn’t bear the losses that he incurred because of Toto’s mischief.

        

   CLASS -9         (Moments)

    L-1. The Lost  Child

1.    What are the things the child sees on his way to the fair? Why does he lag behind?
Ans: The child sees a number of things, which fascinate him on his way to the fair
▸ Firstly; he saw toys at a shop.
▸ Then he saw a flowering mustard field.
▸ In  the fields, the child also saw dragon flies,butterflies fluttering their wings
▸ Then while walking on the footpath he was amaze d by the insects and worms
▸ When he entered the grove he saw doves which were cooing
▸ As he neared the village with his parents, he saw huge crowds of people going to the fair
 IN THE FAIR▸

·         The child also came across sweetmeat seller selling sweets like burfi and gulab jamun and a little further he  

·         Came across  a flower seller who was selling a garland of gulmohar

·          Walking ahead, he saw a man selling rainbow colour balloons

·          He also saw a snake charmer who stood playing a flute to a snake

·          Finally, before losing track of his parents he saw a roundabout swing

The  child keeps lagging behind his parents on the way and his mother and father have to constantly call him so that he doesn’t lag behind. This  is  because  the child is fascinated by all the things he sees on his way. At times, he stops to be able to buy toys and at other times  he stops to admire the beauty of the nature – collecting flowers, catching butterflies.

2.    In the fair he wants many things. What are they? Why does he move on without waiting for an answer?
Ans: The child wants many things in fair. They are
▸ toys and balloons
▸ sweets from the sweetmeat seller
▸ garland of gulmohar
▸ watching the snake charmer play flute to a snake
▸ a ride in the roundabout

The boy moved on without waiting for an answer because he knew that his request  would   be denied at each step.

3. When does he realize that he has lost his way? How  have   his anxiety and insecurity been described?

Ans: He realises that he has lost his way when on reaching the roundabout; he stopped to observe it moving in full swing, with men, women and children enjoying themselves on it. Watching them intently he turned to his parents to ask for permission to go on the rounds but there was no reply from them. He turned to look for them but they were not there. He looked all around but there was no sign of them. A full, deep cry rose within his dry throat and with a sudden jerk of his body he ran from where he stood, crying out in real fear “Mother, Father.” Tears rolled down from his eyes, his flushed face was convulsed  with fear. Panic-stricken, he ran from one side to the other, in all directions, knowing not where to go. His yellow turban came untied and his clothes became muddy.

4.Why does the lost child lose interest in the things that he had wanted earlier?
Ans: The lost child loses interest in the things that he had wanted earlier because he was panic stricken on  being separated from his parents. All he wanted was to  be united with them. All the things that attracted him in the fair no longer appeals to him and now the only thing that matters is finding his parents.

5. What do you think happens in the end? Does the child find his parents?
Ans: In the end the parents, who continuously kept checking to see that he was with them right from the beginning of their journey may have suddenly realized that he was missing and come looking for the lost child. The kind and understanding man who tried to console the little boy by offering him various things at the fair may have also asked him for some description of his parents and helped him to be reunited with them.