NCERT Class 9 English Chapter 8 Reach for the Top

 NCERT Class 9 English Chapter 8 Reach for the Top

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 8 Reach for the Top

TEXTBOOK EXERCISES
(Page 102 & 107)

THINKING ABOUT THE TEXT
I. Answer these questions in one or two sentences each. (The paragraph numbers within brackets provide clues to the answers.)
1. Why was the ‘holy man’ who gave Santosh’s mother his blessings surprised ? (1)
2. Give an example to show that even as a young girl Santosh was not ready to accept anything unreasonable. (2)
3. Why was Santosh sent to the local school ? (3)
4. When did she leave home for Delhi, and why ? (4)
5. Why did Santosh’s parents agree to pay for her schooling in Delhi ? What mental qualities of Santosh are brought into light by this incident ? (4)

Answers
1. Santosh’s grandmother sought blessings for a daughter, not for a son from the holy man. Most of the expecting women wish a son to be born to them. So this surprised the holy man.
2. She wore shorts and not the traditional Indian dress for girls.
3. She was sent to the local school. It was in line with the prevailing custom in her family.
4. She left home for Delhi when she got admission in a school. She did so as she wanted to get a,proper education.
5. They agreed to pay for her schooling in Delhi when Santosh got adament. She told them that she would work part time to get more education. The qualities of determination coupled with a strong desire are seen here.

II. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (about 30 words).
1. How did Santosh begin to climb mountains ?
2. What incidents during the Everest expedition show Santosh’s concern for her team mates ?
3. What shows her concern for the environment ? (CBSE)
Or
How does Santosh Yadav show her concern for the environment ? (CBSE)
4. How does she describe her feelings at the summit of the Everest ?
5. Santosh Yadav got into the record books both times she scaled Mt Everest. What were the reasons for this ?

Answers
1. She began to climb hills. She did so when she decided to check why the villagers climbing the hills vanished. Then she took admission in Uttarkashi’s Institute of Mountaineering. She went on an expedition every year.

2. One climber lay dying at the South Col. Another climber Mohan Singh would have died if Santosh had not shared her oxygen with him. She gave her oxygen to save him from a sure death.

3. Santosh returned from Mount Everest. While doing so, she collected garbage from the Himalayas. She then brought it down with her. It weighed 500 kilograms.

4. She describes her feelings in saying that that moment was simply great. It took sometime to sink in. She felt it was a spiritual moment. She felt proud as an Indian when she unfurled the Indian tricolour.

5. She set a record as the only woman to have conquered the Everest twice. Also she is the only Indian woman in the world to have set such a record.

III. Complete the following statements.

  1. From her room in Kasturba Hostel, Santosh used to …….. .
  2. When she finished college, Santosh had to write a letter of apology to her father because ……. .
  3. During the Everest expedition, her seniors in the team admired her ……. while endeared her to fellow climbers.

Answers

  1. … see the villagers going up the hill and suddenly vanishing after a while.
  2. … she was going directly for training and not home which she should have done.
  3. …… climbing skills, physical fitness and mental strength while working together endeared her to fellow climbers.

IV. Pick out words from the text that mean the same as the following words or expressions. (Look in the paragraphs indicated.)

  1. took to be true without proof (1): …….
  2. based on reason ; sensible ; reasonable (2): ……..
  3. the usual way of doing things (3): …….
  4. a strong desire arising from within (5): ………
  5. the power to endure, without falling ill (7): ……..

Answers

  1. blessing
  2. rational
  3. in her own quiet way
  4. urge
  5. resistance/endurance

THINKING ABOUT LANGUAGE
Look at the following sentences. They each have two clauses, or two parts each with their own subject and verb or verb phrase. Often, one part (italicised) tells us when or why something happened.

  • I reached the market when most of the shops had closed. (Tells us when I reached.)
  • When Rahul Dravid walked hack towards the pavilion, everyone stood up. (Tells us when everyone stood up.)
  • The telephone rang and Ganga picked it up. (Tells us what happened next.)
  • Gunjan has been with us ever since the school began. (Tells us for how long he has been with us.)

I. Identify the two parts in the sentences below by underlining the part that gives us the information in brackets, as shown above.

  1. Where other girls wore traditional Indian dresses, Santosh preferred shorts. (Contrasts her dress with that of others)
  2. She left home and got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi. (Tells us what happened after the first action.)
  3. She decided to fight the system when the right moment arrived. (Tells us when she was going to fight the system.)
  4. Little Maria had not yet celebrated her tenth birthday when she was packed off to train in the United States. (Tells us when Maria was sent to the U.S.)

Answers

  1. Where other girls wore traditional Indian dresses Santosh preferred shorts.
  2. She got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi when she left home.
  3. When the right moment arrived, she decided to fight.
  4. Little Maria had not vet celebrated her tenth birthday when she was packed off to train in the United States.

II. Now rewrite the pairs of sentences given below as one sentence.

  1. Grandfather told me about the old days. All books were printed on paper then.
  2. What do you do after you finish the book ? Perhaps you just throw it away.
  3. He gave the little girl an apple. He took the computer apart.
  4. You have nothing. That makes you very determined.
  5. I never thought of quitting. I knew what I wanted.

Answers

  1. Grandfather told me about the old days when all books were printed on paper.
  2. I throw the book away after I read it.
  3. After giving the little girl an apple, he took the computer apart.
  4. You have nothing which makes you very determined.
  5. I never thought of quitting as I knew what I wanted.

DICTATION
Read the passage once. Then close your books. Your teacher will dictate the story to you. Write it down with the correct punctuation and paragraphing.

The Raincoat

After four years of drought in a small town in the Northeast, the Vicar gathered everyone together for a pilgrimage to the mountain, where they would pray together and ask for the rain to return.

The priest noticed a boy in the group wearing a raincoat.

“Have you gone mad ?” he asked. “It hasn’t rained in this region for five years, the heat will kill you climbing the mountain.”

“I have a cold, father. If we are going to ask God for rain, can you imagine the way back from the mountain ? It’s going to be such a downpour that I need to be prepared.”

At that moment a great crash was heard in the sky and the first drops began to fall. A boy’s faith was enough to bring about a miracle that not even those most prepared truly believed in. (translated by James Mulholland)

Answer

The Raincoat

After four years of drought in a small town in the Northeast, the Vicar gathered everyone together for a pilgrimage to the mountain, where they would pray together and ask for the rain to return.

The priest noticed a boy in the group wearing a raincoat.

“Have you gone mad ?” he asked. “It hasn’t rained in this region for five years. The heat will kill you climbing the mountain.”

“I have a cold, father. If we are going to ask God for rain, can you imagine the way back from jhe mountain ? It’s going to be such a downpour that I need to be prepared.”

At that moment a great crash was heard in the sky and the first drops began to fall. A boy’s faith was enough to bring about a miracle that not even those most prepared truly believed in.

SPEAKING
Imagine that you are Santosh Yadav, or Maria Sharapova. You have been invited to speak at an All India Girls’ Athletic Meet, as chief guest. Prepare a short speech to motivate the girls to think and dream big and make an effort to fulfil their dreams, not allowing difficulties or defeat to discourage them. The following words and phrases may help you.

  • self confident/confidence/sure of yourself
  • self assured/assurance/belief in yourself
  • morale/boost morale/raise morale
  • giving somebody a boost/fillip/lift
  • demoralising/unsure of yourself/insecure/lack confidence

Answer
Madam chairperson, delegates, dear athlete participants and young girls

Thank you very much for inviting me to speak at this All India Girls’ Athletic Meet, as chief guest. I feel extremely delighted to find India being represented in this Meet through you all. I feel honoured to speak to you a few words from this platform.

Well, I was once like you. What is important in life is self-confidence. You must be sure that you are on a correct path of life. It should be morally right also. You must set a goal also. In between lie your hard work, determination and faith in you. You must make a kind of chart of your activities. You must see the goal as the motivating factor. Without dreams you can’t reach anywhere. They motivate you to do unusual things. But dreams should be capable of being fulfilled.

Never allow difficulties to overpower you. You will face problems in life. But never let them discourage you. Keep these things in mind. Believe in your physical and mental capacities. I am sure success will be yours.

Thanks to you once again for inviting me. Bye.

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