Ramanujan Poem Questions and Answers Class 8 English Chapter 4.4 Maharashtra Board

Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 4.4 Ramanujan Notes, Textbook Exercise Important Questions, and Answers.

Std 8 English Lesson 4.4 Ramanujan Question Answer Maharashtra Board

Class 8 English Chapter 4.4 RamanujanTextbook Questions and Answers

Warming Up:

1. Discuss orally in your class:

In what subjects is knowledge of mathematics used, at school level and college university level. Name them.
Did you know maths is used in music and poetry also? Can you tell me how?
Answer:
(Points: knowledge of maths is used in science, physics, chemistry, economics, accountancy, etc. Poetry-rhymes, rhythm; music-beat, rhythm, etc.)

2. Use the letters in the word MATHEMATICIAN to make 4 letters 5 letter and 6 or more letter words, within a time limit fixed by your teacher.
Answer:
Mathematician: cinema, anthem, thematic, machine, attach, match, meant, mice, item, mime, hate, heat, them, team, etc.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 4.4 Ramanujan

3. Sentences can be classified into three types – Simple, Complex and Compound.

A Simple Sentence is one that has only one Subject and one Predicate.
It has only one Finite verb.
For example, She went home.
In the morning, near my school, I saw a snake.

A Complex Sentence consists of one Main Clause and one or more
Dependent or Subordinate Clauses.
For example, She went home, after school was over.
The boys found the book which had been lost.

A Compound Sentence consists of two or more Independent or
Co-ordinate Clauses. They are joined by Co-ordinators.
For example: and, but, so, or, for etc.

a. He finished his work and he left his office.
b. He is poor but he is honest.
From lesson 4.2 pick out one example of each of the following.

(i) Simple Sentence: ……………
Answer:
Modern techniques are used nowadays for anaesthesia.

(ii) Complex Sentence: …………..
Answer:
Today, if you need to have heart surgery, you can choose from many fine doctors.

(iii) Compound Sentence: ……………
Answer:
Over the years now, revolutionary steps have been taken in different types of complicated surgery and these have made such operations successful.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 4.4 Ramanujan

1. A. Use the following words/phrases to make sentences of your own:

Question 1.
enthusiasm
Answer:
The hikers set off on the hike with great enthusiasm.

Question 2.
loped off
Answer:
The deer loped off easily after being freed from the trap.

Question 3.
fraud
Answer:
The doctor was arrested by the police for being a fraud.

Question 4.
clarity
Answer:
The teacher told the student that there was no clarity in her answers.

Question 5.
to come
Answer:
The minister refused to come to the party unless he was provided conveyance.

Question 6.
amiable
Answer:
The Principal was happy that the new teacher was an amiable person.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 4.4 Ramanujan

Question 7.
to terms with
Answer:
The doctor advised the woman to come to terms with her illness,

Question 8.
conveyance
Answer:
The minister refused to come to the party unless he was provided conveyance.

1. B. The following words can be used us Nouns us well us Verbs:
(visit / honour / report / watch / form / surprise)

Make pairs of sentences of your own using them us u Noun in one and as a Verb in the other.
For example:
(i) She gave a smile – Noun.
(ii) Babies smile when they see their mother – Verb.
Answer:
(1) visit:
(i) My grandmother came over for a visit yesterday, (noun)
(ii) “We must visit the zoo when we go to Hyderabad,” said Meera. (verb)

(2) honour:
(i) It was an honour to have such a great scientist visit our college, (noun)
(ii) “Let us honour those who have laid down their lives for the country,” said the minister, (verb)

(3) report:
The class had to hand in their project reports by the end of the week. (noun)
(ii) The witness reported all that he had seen to the lawyer, (verb)

(4) Watch:
(i) Suman lost her new watch while travelling by train, (noun)
(ii) “Watch the house to see if the thief returns,” ordered the inspector, (verb)

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 4.4 Ramanujan

(5) form:
(i) The boy’s admission form was rejected by the college as it was incomplete. (noun)
(ii) We formed our own impression of the new corporator, (verb)

(6) surprise:
(i) “There is a surprise for you outside your door,” said my friend. (noun)
(ii) The villagers surprised thief 1 when he was sleeping and caught him. (verb)

2. Say why:

Question 1.
Ramanujan’s letter bored and irritated Hardy at first.
Answer:
Ramanujan’s letter was written in halting English and signed by a person unknown to Hardy. The script appeared to consist of theorems, most of them wild or fantastic-looking. Some of them though well-known were laid out as though they were original. There were no proofs of any kind. It seemed to be a kind of fraud, and hence bored and irritated Hardy.

Question 2.
Hardy invited Littlewood for a discussion.
Answer:
Hardy could not get the Indian manuscript out of his mind. It had wild theorems he had never seen before or imagined. He wondered if it was an unknown mathematician of genius. He had another look at the script and then invited Littlewood for a discussion to clarify his doubts.

Question 3.
mother agreed to send Ramanujan to England.
Answer:
Ramanujan’s mother had a dream in which she saw her son seated in a big hall among a group of Europeans and the goddess of Namakkal had commanded her not to stand in the way of her son fulfilling his life’s purpose. Hence, obeying the command of the goddess of Namakkal, mother agreed to send Ramanujan to England.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 4.4 Ramanujan

Question 4.
Hardy and Ramanujan could not talk freely with each other.
Answer:
Ramanujan was an untrained genius. There was a big difference between Ramanujan’s and Hardy’s education. Ramanujan knew nothing of modern rigour; he did not know what proof was and Hardy was obliged to teach him some formal mathematics. He was sometimes confused with Hardy’s conversation when it was outside mathematics. Due to all these reasons, Hardy and Ramanujan could not; talk freely with each other.

Question 5.
Ramanujan had to be hospitalized.
Answer:
Ramanujan had to be hospitalized because he was ill. He later died of tuberculosis.

Question 6.
Ramanujan found the number 1729 very interesting.
Answer:
Ramanujan found the number 1729 very interesting because it is the smallest number expressible as the sum of two cubes in two different ways.

3. Read the text and enlist the achievements and honours of Ramanujan, received in England.
Answer:
Ramanujan’s achievements and honour, received in England:

  • The Royal Society elected him a Fellow at the age of thirty (which, even for a mathematician, is very young)
  • Trinity College elected him a Fellow in the same year.
  • Ramanujan was the first Indian to be given either of these distinctions.

4. Voice – Active and Passive
The form of a verb shows whether the doer of an action is in the Subject (Active voice) or the Subject has an action done to it (Passive voice).
For example, The thief stole the jewels. (Active voice).
The jewels were stolen by the thief. (Passive voice)
Note: While changing from Active to Passive voice, the verb form includes be + past participle.
In a sentence, when the doer of an action is significant, we use Active voice. In Passive voice, the doer of an action may not be mentioned.
For example, The thief was caught. (by the police)

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 4.4 Ramanujan

(A) Underline the verbs in the following sentences and state whether the sentences are in Active or Passive voice:

Question a.
England gave Ramanujan great honours.
Answer:
England gave Ramanujan great honours. (Active)

Question b.
A large untidy envelope was decorated with Indian stumps.
Answer:
A large untidy envelope was decorated with Indian stumps. (Passive)

Question c.
The timetable was not altered.
Answer:
The timetable was not altered. (Passive)

Question d.
She saw her son in a big hail.
Answer:
She saw her son in a big hail. (Active)

Question e.
Hardy corrected his statement.
Answer:
Hardy corrected his statement. (Active)

Question f.
Ramanujan was brought to England.
Answer:
Ramanujan was brought to England. (Passive)

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 4.4 Ramanujan

(B) Change the voice in the following sentences:

Question a.
Hardy taught Ramanujan.
Answer:
Ramanujan was taught by Hardy.

Question b.
He knew nothing of the modern rigour.
Answer:
Nothing of the modern rigour was known by him.

Question c.
Sheets of paper were found in it, by Hardy.
Answer:
Hardy found sheets of paper in it.

Question d.
Hardy was bored by that manuscript.
Answer:
That manuscript bored Hardy.

Question e.
Trinity supported unorthodox talent.
Answer:
The unorthodox talent was supported by Trinity.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 4.4 Ramanujan

Question f.
He could not break the ban.
Answer:
The ban could not be broken by him.

5. Identify whether the following are Simple, Complex and Compound sentences:

Question a.
When he opened it, he found sheets of paper.
Answer:
Complex

Question b.
He glanced at a letter.
Answer:
Simple

Question c.
Hardy was not only bored but he was also irritated.
Answer:
Compound

Question d.
Ramanujan turned out to be a poor clerk.
Answer:
Simple

Question e.
If Ramanujan had been better educated, he would hove been even more wonderful than he was.
Answer:
Complex

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 4.4 Ramanujan

Question f.
Ramanujan was self-taught: he knew nothing of the modern rigour.
Answer:
Compound

6. Interview Question:

A brilliant student from your school has on a Mathematics Quiz at the National Level.
Frame questions to ¡ntervie him / her when the school felicitates him / her. Follow the steps given below.

  • Greeting
  • Introduction of the interviewee and achievements.
  • 2 or 3 questions about growing years.
  • 4 to 6 questions about the achievements.
  • 2 or 3 questions about future plans and prospects.
  • Expression of thanks and good wishes.

Answer:
(1) Good morning, Rachana. First of all, let me offer you my Congratulations on winning the Mathematics Quiz, and that too, at the National Level. May I ask you a few questions about your achievement?
(2) Did you have great interest in mathematics in the early years of your childhood?
(3) How did you develop this interest?
(4) How long did you prepare yourself before participating in this Quiz?
(5) Who helped you and guided you?
(6) Who encouraged you or motivated you at that stage?
(7) How did you feel when you were actually answering the questions?
(8) What is the next step from here?
(9) Do you plan to make a career in mathematics?
(10) Any message to others interested in mathematics?
(11) Thank you, and all the best for your future. Goodbye.

7. Summary:

  • Read the first three paragraphs on Page 92. (From One morning upto ………… a discussion after hail)
  • Re-read the same noting down only Important points.
  • RewrIte the Important points In your own simple language, In you notebook.
  • Make certain that your summary Is less than half the length of the original passage.

Answer:

The Manuscript

One morning in 1913, Hardy received an envelope from India. It contained many lines of symbols, written in non- English script. The letter with it, written in halting English and signed by an unknown Indian, wanted Hardy’s opinion on the mathematical discoveries enclosed. These were only some known and unknown theorems, without any proofs. Hardy, bored and irritated, put the manuscript aside and went to play tennis. However, his pleasure in his game was interrupted by; the thought of the Indian manuscript with the wild theorems he had left behind. He
wondered if the man was a genius. When he returned to his room, he took another look at the script. Then he sent word to Littlewood that they must have a discussion after hall.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 4.4 Ramanujan

Class 8 English Chapter 4.4 Ramanujan Additional Important Questions and Answers

Complete the following:

Question 1.
Hardy could not enjoy his game because ________.
Answer:
he kept thinking of the Indian manuscript that he had received that morning.

Question 2.
The manuscript contained _______.
Answer:
wild and fantastic-looking theorems and lines and lines of symbols in a non-English script.

Question 3.
The famous mathematicians mentioned in this extract are ______.
Answer:
Hardy and Littlewood.

Question 4.
The two English mathematicians realized by midnight _______.
Answer:
that the writer of the manuscripts was a man of genius

Question 5.
The famous mathematicians mentioned in this extract are _______.
Answer:
Hardy, Ramanujan, Gauss, Euler and Kapitsa

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 4.4 Ramanujan

Question 6.
The number 1729 is exceptional because _________.
Answer:
it is the smallest number expressible as the sum of two cubes in two different ways

Question 7.
The famous mathematicians mentioned in this extract are ______.
Answer:
Galois, Abel, and Riemann, in addition to Hardy and Ramanujan

Answer the following:

Question 1.
Hardy invited Littlewood for a discussion.
Answer:
Hardy could not get the Indian manuscript out of his mind. It had wild theorems he had never seen before or imagined. He wondered if it was an unknown mathematician of genius. He had another look at the script and then invited Littlewood for a discussion to clarify his doubts.

Question 2.
What qualities of Ramanujan does this extract bring out?
Answer:
This extract brings out Ramanujan’s passion for mathematics, his courage, and perseverance in sending his manuscript to a strange person across the seas, his efforts to put forward his ideas in spite of a lack of education, and his intelligence.

Question 3.
What were the two drawbacks of Ramanujan’s career?
Answer:
The two drawbacks in Ramanujan’s career were the defects in his education and that he had come on the scene too late in the line of mathematical history.

Question 4.
What superstition did Ramanujan’s mother believe in?
Answer:
Ramanujan’s mother believed in the superstition that she had to obey the commands given to her in her dream by the goddess of Namakkal and that whatever is seen in dreams comes true.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 4.4 Ramanujan

Question 5.
What surprised everyone one morning?
Answer:
One morning, Ramanujan’s mother said that she had a dream the previous night, in which she saw her son seated in a big hall among a group of Europeans. The goddess of Namakkal had commanded her not to stand in the way of her son fulfilling his life’s purpose. This statement, coming from a woman who was very strict about her religious observances, surprised everyone.

Question 6.
Say why mother agreed to send Ramanujan to England.
Answer:
Ramanujan’s mother had a dream in which she saw her son seated in a big hall among a group of Europeans and the goddess of Namakkal had commanded her not to stand in the way of her son fulfilling his life’s purpose. Hence, obeying the command of the goddess of Namakkal, mother agreed to send Ramanujan to England.

Question 7.
Hardy calls teaching Ramanujan an unusual experience.
Answer:
Ramanujan was an untrained genius. Yet, because of the defects in his education, Hardy had to teach him some formal mathematics as though Ramanuja was a scholarship candidate at Winchester. Hardy found it strange teaching modern mathematics to someone who had the deepest insight but who had literally never heard most of it. Hence he says that teaching Ramanujan was an unusual experience.

Underline the finite verbs in the following sentence:

She had a dream the previous night, in which she saw her son seated in a big hall among a group of Europeans and the goddess of Namakkal had commanded her not to stand in the way of her son fulfilling his life’s purpose.
Answer:
She had a dream the previous night, in which she saw her son seated in a big hall among a group of Europeans and the goddess of Namakkal had commanded her not to stand in the way of her son fulfilling his life’s purpose.

Personal Response:

Question 1.
Do you believe in superstitions?
Answer:
I don’t believe in silly superstitions: like black cats crossing the path, walking under a ladder, etc. But I believe in God and that good things happen to good people. I also believe that ‘God helps those who help themselves’. We must work hard if we want something, and not just sit back and expect God and ‘luck’ to do things for us.

Question 2.
Ramanujan did not have a proper formal education. Yet he became a famous mathematician. Does this mean that proper education is not necessary?
Answer:
I think Ramanujan’s case was a very rare case, where he became famous even though there were so many defects in his education. This was because he was very highly talented. However, if he had received a proper education, he would probably have done much, much more, and contributed more in the field of maths. A proper education always helps, and one must always go for it.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 4.4 Ramanujan

Question 3.
In the earlier days, people used to die of illnesses like tuberculosis and pneumonia. Do you think that is still the case?
Answer:
Though these diseases are still prevalent, the rate of cure is high, and the percentage of people dying from them has gone down. Different medicines have – been found for them. Today people die of cardiac problems, cancer, etc.

Write if the following statements are True or False:

Question 1.
Ramanujan was a bad-tempered person.
Answer:
False

Question 2.
Hardy thought that Ramanujan was an untrained genius.
Answer:
True

Question 3.
Ramanujan did not get admission to Madras University.
Answer:
True

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 4.4 Ramanujan

Question 4.
Ramanujan was sometimes confused with Hardy’s conversation.
Answer:
True

Do as directed:

Question 1.
Pick out two compound words from the lesson.
Answer:
timetable, superhuman

Question 2.
Make a word pyramid of at least four words beginning with U.
Answer:
Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 4.4 Ramanujan 1

Question 3.
Give the noun forms of:
amiable, fulfilling
Answer:
amiability, fulfillment

Question 4.
Find out four hidden words from the given word: miserably (Each word should have at least 4 letters.)
Answer:
miserably: miser, able, miserly, bleary

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 4.4 Ramanujan

Question 5.
Use the following word and its homophone in two separate sentences: sent
Answer:
(i) Harsha sent the little boy home immediately.
(ii) The scent of the jasmine flowers was simply wonderful.

Question 6.
Rewrite as a negative sentence:
It seemed impossible that he could break the ban and cross the water.
Answer:
It did not seem possible that he could break the ban and cross the water.

Question 7.
Underline the adjectives in the following sentence:
He seems to have listened with a patient smile on his good, friendly, homely face.
Answer:
He seems to have listened with a patient smile on his good, friendly, homely, face.

Question 8.
Say whether the sentence is Simple, Compound, or Complex:
If it had been summer, he would have walked down to Fenner’s to watch cricket.
Answer:
Complex

Question 9.
Change the voice:
They needed a certain amount of help from a superhuman agency.
Answer:
A certain amount of help was needed from a superhuman agency (by them).

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 4.4 Ramanujan

Question 10.
Rewrite using the underlined word as a verb:
He sent word to Littlewood that they must have a discussion.
Answer:
He sent word to Littlewood that they must discuss.

Read More:

Std 9 English Poem Tansen 4.5 Question Answer Maharashtra Board

Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 9 English Solutions Kumarbharati Chapter 4.5 Tansen Notes, Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers.

Class 9 English Chapter 4.5 Question Answer Maharashtra Board

Tansen 9th Std Question Answer

Warming Up:

Question (a)
Indian Classical Music consists of many Ragas. Find out from an expert or from the internet, the names of at least 10 Ragas and the time they are sung to produce greater effect.
Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.5 Tansen 1
Answer:

Name of Raga Effective when
1. Pahadi evening
2. Bhairav sung in the morning
3. Deepak evening
4. Malkous small hours of the morning
5. Yaman sunset to late evening
6. Bhimpalasi late afternoon to sunset
7. Kedar late evening to midnight
8. Jog small hours of the morning
9. Bhairavi often at the end of a long musical performance.
10. Gaud Malhar monsoon

(Students can find more information from the Internet.)

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.5 Tansen

Question (b)
Archaic words are those that are no longer used in a language, but sometimes their usage adds a historical or old-times flavour to a piece of writing.
Examples:

  1. behold – look
  2. afeared – frightened
  3. forsooth – indeed
  4. hither – this place

Now find out some archaic words from your mother tongue or another language that you are proficient in and write down at least ten of them, and against each, their modern equivalent and meaning in English.
Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.5 Tansen 2
Answer:

Archaic word Modem equivalent Meaning in English
1.
2.

(Students can find out from their parents or other elders, and attempt this in their own mother tongue.)

Question (c)
There are many legends about the ‘nine gems’ in Akbar’s Court. Can you name some of the nine gems and the stories associated with them?
Answer:
The nine gems of Akbar’s court were:

  1. Abu’l Fazi ibn Mubarak
  2. Raja Todar Mai
  3. Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khana
  4. Raja Birbal
  5. Mulla Do-Piyaza
  6. Faizi
  7. Fakir Aziao-Din
  8. Tansen and
  9. Raja Man Singh I.

There Eire plenty of Akbar-Birbal stories and those of Akbar and Tansen that are famous.
(Students can read these stories either from the library or from the internet.)

English Workshop:

1. Pick out the archaic words from the poem and give their modern equivalents:

Question 1.
Pick out the archaic words from the poem and give their modern equivalents:
Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.5 Tansen 3
Answer:

Archaic Words Modem Equivalents
1. thy your
2. thine yours
3. ’twere it were
4. o’er over
5. thee you

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.5 Tansen

2. Write who said the following words, to whom, and when:

Question 2.
Write who said the following words, to whom, and when:
(The answers are given directly and underlined.)
Answer:

The expression/sentences Who said it To whom When
1. “Ah, no, to thee I sing: he sings to God.” Tansen Akbar When Akbar asks him to sing the same musical composition that Ostad had sung, in the same way.
2. ‘What theme this is that holds the soul enchanted.’ Akbar Tansen When Akbar hears the beautiful musical composition that Ostad had sung.

3. Rearrange the following in their proper order as in the poem. Write the serial number against each line:

Question 1.
Rearrange the following in their proper order as in the poem. Write the serial number against each line:
(The answer is given directly.)
Answer:
(a) The Ostad sang the Malkous Raga enchantingly. [6]
(b) Akbar followed Tansen, dressed miserably. [4]
(c) I request you to sing such a song that I will experience unmatched joy. [9]
(d) Ostad was nowhere to be seen. [8]
(e) O Divine Teacher, please gift us the joy of your song. [5]
(f) One day, the singer sang Deepak Raga in the court. [1]
(g) Akbar expressed his wish to meet the Teacher. [3]
(h) He experienced heavenly delight. [7]
(i) Tansen sings to please the earthly king but Ostad devotes his songs to God. [10]
(j) She sang Raga Malhar, which had a cooling effect. [2]

4. Write the reason in your own words:

Question (a)
Akbar strongly desired to hear Ostad (the teacher) sing.
Answer:
Akbar was enraptured with Tansen’s singing. He said that Tansen’s teacher must be and divine for Tansen to have learnt to sing so magically under his coaching. Akbar then felt that Ostad’s singing would be even better, and so he strongly desired to hear Ostad sing.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.5 Tansen

Question (b)
Akbar had to dress like a slave.
Answer:
Akbar badly wanted to meet Tansen’s teacher and hear him sing. However, the teacher did not think it worthy to sing to kings, and hence Tansen suggested that it would be better for Akbar to meet him as a poor slave. Therefore Akbar changed his kingly attire and wore the robes of a poor man.

Question (c)
After the song, Ostad had vanished.
Answer:
Ostad vanished because he probably did not; want to hear any praise or any demands for more songs.

Question (d)
Ostad’s song was more elating than Tansen’s songs.
Answer:
Ostad’s song was more elating than Tansen’s songs because Tansen sang to Akbar, a human being, while Ostad sang to God.

5. What message does the poet wish to convey through this narrative poem, ‘Tansen’?

Question 1.
What message does the poet wish to convey through this narrative poem, ‘Tansen’?
Answer:
The poet wishes to convey that one can reach great heights in one’s field if one becomes unworldly and devotes one’s talents to someone or something higher than mere human beings.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.5 Tansen

6. Summarise the poem in your own words in 8-10 lines, highlighting only the main points.

Question 1.
Summarise the poem in your own words in 8-10 lines, highlighting only the main points.
Answer:

Tansen

Tansen was a singer in Akbar’s court. One day, he sang the Deepak Raga so well that Akbar was enraptured. He wished to meet the teacher at whose feet Tansen had learnt to sing so magically. However, the teacher lived in a remote cave in the Himalayas. He shunned wealth and disdained to sing to earthly kings. Akbar donned the clothes of a slave and went with Tansen to meet him. On their request, Ostad sang the Malkous Raga. It was so enchanting that Akbar felt as if he had been transported to Heaven. Soon after this, Ostad vanished. Akbar asked Tansen whether he could sing the same musical composition that Ostad had sung. Tansen replied that he could not, for he, Tansen, sang to earthly kings, while his Ostad sang to God.

English Kumarbharati 9th Digest Chapter 4.5 Tansen Additional Important Questions and Answers

Simple Factual Activity:

Question 1.
Say whether the following statements are True or False:
Answer:
(The answers are given directly and underlined.)

  1. Akbar was fond of music. True
  2. Malhar is the Song of Fire. False
  3. Akbar rewarded Tansen for his singing. True
  4. Tansen did not come back to normal. False

Question 2.
Write who said the following words, to whom, and when:
(The answers are given directly and underlined.)
Answer:

Utterance Who said it To whom When
“Mighty thy teacher must be and divine.” Akbar Tansen After hearing the wonderful Deepak Raga.
“He dwells within a cave of Himalay.” Tansen Akbar When Akbar praised Tansen and asked him about his teacher.
“As you desire, Huzoor.” Tansen Akbar When Akbar told Tansen that he wanted to see the teacher and hear him sing.
“O Holy Master, bless us with thy song!” Akbar and Tansen The teacher When they met the teacher in the mountains.

Complex Factual Activity:

Question 1.
How did Akbar reward Tansen for the ecstatic effect of his singing?
Answer:
Akbar rewarded Tansen by praising him, gifting him a lot of jewels and calling him the chief jewel in his diadem.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.5 Tansen

Question 2.
What happened to Tansen when he sang the Deepak Raga with great fervour?
Answer:
When Tansen sang the Deepak Raga with great fervour, his body burst into flames and burnt like a pyre.

Question 3.
How did he (Tansen) come back to normal again?
Answer:
He(Tansen) came back to normal again when a maiden sang Malhar, the song of cold water, and put out the fire.

Question 4.
What does the incident tell us about Tansen’s singing?
Answer:
The incident tells us that Tansen’s singing was whole-hearted, magical and divine.

Question 5.
What did Tansen tell Akbar about his teacher?
Answer:
Tansen told Akbar that his teacher stayed in a remote cave in the Himalayas, far away from the unworthy crowds, scorning worldly wealth. He did not think it worthy to sing to kings, and hence Tansen suggested that it would be better for Akbar to meet him as a poor slave.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.5 Tansen

Question 6.
What was the magical effect of Ostad’s rendering the Malkous Raga?
Answer:
When Ostad sang the Malkous Raga, the birds and beasts gathered around, enchanted with the song. Akbar felt waves of heavenly rapture. He felt his soul was enchanted and his heart was filled with delight.

Question 7.
What happened before Akbar could come out of his trance?
Answer:
Ostad had vanished before Akbar could come out of his trance.

Question 8.
Why did Tansen’s singing not produce the same effect as that by Ostad?
Answer:
Tansen’s singing did not produce the same effect as that by Ostad because Tansen sang to Akbar – a human being – while Ostad sang to God.

Activities based on Poetic Devices:

Question 1.
Pick out the rhyming pairs of words in the first six lines.
Answer:
Rhyming words: Court – Fort, bells – tells, gem – diadem.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.5 Tansen

Question 2.
‘His voice rang like the sound of silver bells.’ Pick out and explain the figure of speech in this line.
Answer:
Simile: His voice is compared to the sound of silver bells, with the use of the word ‘like’.

Question 3.
Pick out the rhyming words in the last six lines of the extract. What is the rhyme scheme?
Answer:
Rhyming words are: slave – cave, feet – sweet, long – song. The rhyme scheme is aa, in rhyming couplets.

Question 4.
Pick out the figure of speech in the sentence:
‘He felt the waves of heavenly rapture roll.’
Answer:
The figure of speech is Alliteration; repetition of the sound of the letter ‘r’.

Point Format (for understanding)

  • Title: Tansen
  • Poet: Hazrat Inayat Khan
  • Rhyme Scheme: The poem is in rhyming couplets. So the rhyme scheme is aa.
  • Figure of Speech: Alliteration. ‘Tell me, Tansen, what theme this is that holds’. Repetition of the sound of the letter ‘t’. The other figures of speech are Simile and Inversion.
  • Theme/Central idea: This narrative poem depicts Akbar’s appreciation of Tansen’s singing, his meeting with Tansen’s teacher, and what he felt during this meeting. The final lines lead to the climax of the narration.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.5 Tansen

Paragraph Format:

‘Tansen’ by Hazrat Inayat Khan is a narrative poem depicting Akbar’s appreciation of Tansen’s singing, his meeting with Tansen’s teacher, and what he felt during this meeting. The final lines lead to the climax of the narration.

The poem is in rhyming couplets. So the Rhyme Scheme is aa. A Figure of Speech : Alliteration: ‘Tell me, Tansen, what theme this is that holds’ – Repetition of the sound of the letter ‘t’. The other figures of speech are Simile and Inversion.

The poet wishes to convey that one can reach great heights in one’s field if one becomes unworldly and devotes one’s talents to someone or something higher than mere human beings. The story is told systematically and logically and can be easily understood.

Maharashtra State Board Class 9 English Solutions

9th Std English Questions And Answers:

Std 9 English Poem How the First Letter was Written 3.4 Question Answer Maharashtra Board

Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 9 English Solutions Kumarbharati Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written Notes, Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers.

Class 9 English Chapter 3.4 Question Answer Maharashtra Board

How the First Letter was Written 9th Std Question Answer

Warming Up:

1. List the materials that man used for the following purposes in the different ages:

Question 1.
List the materials that man used for the following purposes in the different ages:
Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written 1
Answer:
Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written 1.1

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written

2. Write your name in bold capitals.

Question 2.
Write your name in bold capitals.
(a) Now, within 3 minutes try to make as many words as you can using the letters in your name. You cannot use the same letter twice in a word, unless It Is so In your name.
(b) You may use the above Idea to devise a game with your friends.
Answer:
(An example is given below.)
Name: Sandeep Joshi
Words: deep, seep, pane, pain, heap, sheep. etc.

3. List words from your mother tongue or from Hindi which do not have an exact English equivalent. Try to write their meaning in English.

Question 1.
List words from your mother tongue or from Hindi which do not have an exact English equivalent. Try to write their meaning in English.

4. Now, list at least twenty English words which do not have an exact equivalent in your mother tongue.

Question 1.
Now, list at least twenty English words which do not have an exact equivalent in your mother tongue.

5. Browse the internet to find names of people/ places, etc. in any language that is not familiar to you.

Question 1.
Browse the internet to find names of people/ places, etc. in any language that is not familiar to you. Can you pronounce the names correctly? How will you find the correct pronunciation? (An example is given below.)
Answer:
1. Names of people: The name Xi in Chinese is pronounced as ‘she’ and the English name ‘Sean’ is pronounced as ‘Shawn’.
2. Name/es of place/es: The name of a town ‘Muvattupuzhe’ in Kerala is not pronounced the way it is written. The last three letters are pronounced as ‘rh’ with a roll of the tongue. I will get the information from the net or ask people when I want to know the correct pronunciation of names or places.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written

English Workshop:

1. Read the remaining part of the original story.

2. Make as many 5 – 8 letter words as you can within five minutes from the name:

Question 1.
Make as many 5 – 8 letter words as you can within five minutes from the name: Teshumai Tewindrow: (A few examples have been given. Students can more words)
Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written 2
Answer:

Five-letter words Six-letter words Seven-letter words Eight-letter words
drawn,
shore,
sword
window,
wander,
estate
shutter,
smatter,
maestro
estimate,
minutest,
meditate

3. How do the following characters in the story live up to their names? Provide points from the story:

Question a.
Tegumai Bopsulai:
Answer:
The meaning of Tegumai is Man-who-does- not-put-his-foot-forward-in-a-hurry. He lived up to his name when he showed patience in mending his spear and did not just rush off home or send Taffy back to get another spear. He also did not ask Taffy too many questions about what she had been doing when he was busy repairing his spear, or about her conversation with the Stranger-man. He was patient and cautious.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written

Question b.
Taffimai Metallumai:
Answer:
The meaning of Taffimai is Small-person- without-any-manners-who-ought-to-be-spanked. She lived up to her name in the way in which she ordered the stranger ‘Come here’, stamped her foot and called him silly. She wanted the stranger to do her bidding and she succeeded in it. She pulled off the shark’s tooth from his necklace without his permission. She would not tell her father what she had done and she wanted him to promise to be surprised. This was a silly thing to do but he did it.

Question c.
Teshumai Tewindrow :
Answer:
The meaning of Teshumai is Lady-who-asks- very-many-questions. Though she did not ask many questions, she talked and shouted continuously at the poor stranger. She drew wrong conclusions and she spoke continuously to her friends telling them all that she had understood from Taffy’s drawing.

4. The story is written in an informal, colloquial style – the way it would be told orally. Find and write expressions where the author addresses the audience directly in the story. for example, ‘but we, O Best Beloved, will…….’, ‘Now attend and listen!’

Question 1.
The story is written in an informal, colloquial style – the way it would be told orally. Find and write expressions where the author addresses the audience directly in the story. for example, ‘but we, O Best Beloved, will…….’, ‘Now attend and listen!’
Answer:
Expression: ‘He did this, Best Beloved’.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written

5. Write the character sketch of the ‘Stranger- man’ using examples from the story to support the following attributes:

Question 1.
Write the character sketch of the ‘Stranger- man’ using examples from the story to support the following attributes:
a. ignorant, innocent and polite
b. calm and cool
c. jumps to wrong conclusions
d. hasty and unwise at times
Answer:
The ‘Stranger-man’ was a very simple and ignorant person. He was so innocent and ignorant that he thought that Tegumai was a great tribal chief merely because he ignored him. He was polite enough to disregard Tegumai’s rudeness in ignoring him. He admired every action of Taffy’s, drawing his own wrong conclusions from them. He did not even object when Taffy pulled the shark’s tooth from his necklace.

He again jumped to wrong conclusions when he saw Taffy’s drawing, and without even waiting to consult Tegumai he rushed off to do Taffy’s bidding. This was very unwise of him, because Taffy’s mother drew her own wrong conclusions from the drawing. He was cool, calm and polite when he met Teshumai, even though he was tired, his legs were scratched with brambles and Teshumai was rude to him.

6. Note the punctuation used in the story. Here, single inverted commas or quotation marks have been used to show conservation. Rewrite the following sentences using double quotation marks:

Question 1.
Note the punctuation used in the story. Here, single inverted commas or quotation marks have been used to show conservation. Rewrite the following sentences using double quotation marks:
1. ‘Here’s a pretty kettle of fish!’ said Tegumai.
2. ‘It will take me half the day to mend this.’
Answer:
1. “Here’s a pretty kettle of fish!” said Tegumai.
2. “It will take me half the day to mend this.”

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written

7. Underline the main clauses in the following sentences:

Question 1.
Underline the main clauses in the following sentences:
(a) And she was Tegumai Bopsulai’s Best Beloved and lier own Mummy’s Best Beloved, and she was not spanked half as much as was good for her, and they were all three very happy.
(b) One-day Tegumai Bopsulai went down through the beaver-swamp to the Wagai river to spear carp-fish for dinner, and Taffy went too.
(c) They were miles and miles from home and Tegumai had forgotten to bring any extra spears.
(d) Just then a Stranger-man came along the river, but he belonged to a far tribe, the Tewaras, and he did not understand one word of Tegumai’s language.

8. Imagine Taffy comes to you for help to write a letter of apology in the modem script we use. She wants to express her regret to the Stranger – man for her mother’s action. Write that letter of apology (informal) on her behalf.

Question 1.
Imagine Taffy comes to you for help to write a letter of apology in the modem script we use. She wants to express her regret to the Stranger – man for her mother’s action. Write that letter of apology (informal) on her behalf.
Answer:
Neolithic Cave
Bopsu Forest
Rassamalai
28th July, 2020

Dear Stranger-man Uncle,

I am Taffy, the girl who gave you the drawing on the birch-bark two days back and sent you to my Mummy with it.

When we reached home that day, Mummy told me j that you had come with the birch-bark. She also told me what she had understood from my drawing, and how she had treated you. I was really horrified.

Stranger-man Uncle, I am really very sorry for what happened to you. I did not know that Mummy would misunderstand my drawing and beat you up. Please i accept my apology. See, I am not spoilt like people say. I am sorry for what happened. I will learn to write j properly so that such things do not happen again.

From a sorry little girl,
Taffy.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written

9. Imagine the Stranger-man narrates how the Neolithic ladies overpowered him. Write an account of the same, making him the narrator.

Question 1.
Imagine the Stranger-man narrates how the Neolithic ladies overpowered him. Write an account of the same, making him the narrator.
Answer:
I reached the cave and saw the little girl’s mother standing there with some other women. I recognized her immediately, for she looked very much like the little girl. Relieved, I handed over the birch-bark to her. I thought that she would immediately call upon the other members of the tribe to go to the Chiefs help but she did nothing of the sort.

She screamed something to the other ladies, and they immediately pounced on me and flattened me. I was caught completely unawares, and thrown onto the ground. Those heavy and strong ladies sat on my back to prevent me from escaping. The little girl’s mother began shouting and pulling my hair. I wonder why they are doing all this, instead of helping their poor Chief?

10. Making suitable groups, convert the entire episode into a short skit and write it down. Each group leader must discuss it with the others and add a different end to the skit:

Question 1.
Making suitable groups, convert the entire episode into a short skit and write it down. Each group leader must discuss it with the others and add a different end to the skit:
1. Happy ending
2. Sad ending
3. Surprise ending
4. Humorous ending
Answer:
(Tegumai Bopsulai accidentally broke his spear while fishing. He had forgotten to bring any extra spears, and mending the broken spear would take him half a day.)

  • Tegumai Bopsulai: Oh, no! It will take me half a day to mend this!
  • Taffy: I’ll run back to the cave and ask Mummy to give your big black spear.
  • Tegumai Bopsulai: It’s too far, daughter, and you may fall into the beaver-swamp. I’ll try to mend this.
    (Tegumai settles down to mend the spear. A Stranger-man comes along and Taffy begins to talk to him.)
  • Taffy: Do you know where my Mummy lives? Oh! I see! You want my Mummy’s living address? Well, I can’t write, but I can draw pictures if I have something sharp. Please lend me the shark’s tooth off, your necklace.

(Taffy pulls at the necklace. The Stranger-man was already in awe of Taffy and afraid of her father. He is even more impressed when she pulls at the shark’s tooth and comes to no harm, for the sharks’ tooth was supposed to be a magic one, which would make the person touching it swell up or burst.)
(The beginning lines have been given. Students can complete the skit in the same format in groups, changing the ending.)

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written

11. Write a short passage/essay on ‘Women Power’ in the Neolithic, Medieval and Present times.

Question 1.
Write a short passage/essay on ‘Women Power’ in the Neolithic, Medieval and Present times.
Answer:
‘Women Power’ – in Neolithic, Medieval and Present times

The position of women in society and the power they wield has changed through the ages. During the Neolithic Age, women spent their days gathering berries, roots, nuts, etc. They also gathered materials to make pots and weapons. Women stayed on the home front and looked after the children, but were thought to be equal to men. The men hunted and brought home the food. Later on, with the start of agriculture, women also began to farm and weave cloth.

Medieval society, however, was patriarchal, Women were to fall under male control, and regardless of class women had to submit to the male head of her household. Rural women had many domestic responsibilities, like caring for the children, preparing food and tending livestock. They also had to lend a hand in other household activities like grinding, brewing and spinning. During harvest time,, women often helped their husbands in the field to bring in the crops. However, slowly women were increasingly relegated to low-paying tasks like spinning. They suffered a lot of criticism, lacked freedom and stood nowhere next to men.

Today, around the world, women’s status in each society and culture varies. In some societies, women’s status improved gradually, while in other, it has declined or remained unchanged. This is due to the major changes that have taken place in areas such as legislations, education, employment, awareness of their rights on the part of women, etc. In some societies, women have emerged as major political leaders, statesmen, doctors, lawyers, etc. In some places, she is still subjected to inhuman cruelty, sexual exploitation, domestic violence, etc.

12. Read: ‘Just so stories’ and ‘The Jungle Book’ by Rudyard Kipling.

English Kumarbharati 9th Digest Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written Additional Important Questions and Answers

Simple Factual Activity.

Question 1.
Complete the following statements: (The answers are given directly and underlined.)
Answer:

  1. One-day Tegumai Bopsulai went down through the beaver swamp to the Wagai river.
  2. Tegumai’s spear was made of wood with shark’s teeth at the end.
  3. He accidentally broke it clean across.
  4. Tegumai had forgotten to bring any extra spears.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written

Complex Factual Activity.

Question 1.
Who is the author telling the story to?
Answer:
The author is telling us the story.

Question 2.
Write three things about Tegumal.
Answer:
Tegumal wore very few clothes. He couldn’t read and write and he lived a happy life, except when he was hungry.

Activities based on Vocabulary:

Question 1.
Give one word for the meaning of each of the following names:
Answer:

  1. Tegurnal Bopsulal
  2. Teshumai Tewindrow
  3. Taffimal Metallumai

OR

Question 2.
Complete the following table.
Answer:

Names Meanings One word for meanings
1. Tegumai Bopsulai Man who does not put his foot forward in a hurry cautious
2. Teshumai Tewindrow Lady who asks a very many questions curious/ inquisitive
3. Taffimai Metallumai Small person without any manners who ought to be spanked spoilt

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written

Personal Response.

Question 1.
Do you like reading books or seeing films about primitive/prehistoric/Neolithic human beings and how they evolved?
Answer:
No, I don’t. I am very much a modern person and I wish to know how to do better in today’s environment. I like modern technology and the comforts it offers. Though I do like to understand evolution, I am not very interested in it.

Simple Factual Activity.

Question 1.
Complete the diagram: (The answers are given directly and underlined.)
Answer:
Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written 3

Complex Factual Activity.

Question 1.
Why had Taffy stamped her foot?
Answer:
Taffy stamped her foot because she saw a shoal of very big carp going up the river just when her father couldn’t use his spear.

Activity-based on Vocabulary.

Question 1.
Give the meanings of the following expressions and use them in sentences of your own :
1. a pretty kettle of fish
2. make the best of a bad job
Answer:
1. a pretty kettle of fish : a messy situation.
Sentence: “What a pretty kettle of fish!” exclaimed the old man when he saw the ruined house.
2. make the best of a bad job: do something as well as one can under difficult circumstances.

Sentence: When he found that he had broken the switch while repairing it, he tried to make the best of a bad job by taping it together.

Personal Response.

Question 1.
What is your opinion of Taffy?
Answer:
Taffy was smart and wanted to help her father. She felt no shyness or fear when she saw the stranger and did not think twice before speaking to him. She was upset when she saw that her father was losing a big catch because his spear had broken at the wrong time.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written

Simple Factual Activity.

Question 1.
Write whether the following statements are True or False:
Answer:

  1. Tegumai did not speak to the stranger because he was busy – True
  2. The stranger was impressed with Taffy – True
  3. Taffy wanted the stranger to help her father repair his spear – False
  4. Taffy could read and write well – False

Complex Factual Activity.

Question 1.
What did the stranger make of Taffy’s stamping her foot?
Answer:
The stranger thought that Taffy was a very wonderful child because she stamped her foot at him and made faces.

Question 2.
Why did the stranger offer Taffy a big piece of birch-bark?
Answer:
The stranger offered Taffy a big piece of birch-bark to show that his heart was as white as the birch-bark and that he meant no harm.

Activities based on Vocabulary.

Question 1.
Write the antonyms of the following from the passage :

  1. idle
  2. fake
  3. rudely
  4. humble

Answer:

  1. idle × busy
  2. fake × genuine
  3. rudely × politely
  4. humble × haughty.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written

Activities based on Contextual Grammar.

Question 1.
Your legs are longer than mine. (Rewrite using the positive degree of comparison.)
Answer:
My legs are not as long as yours.

Question 2.
“Don’t bother grown-ups,” said Tegumai to Taffy. (Rewrite in reported speech.)
Answer:
Tegumai ordered Taffy not to bother grown-ups.

Personal Response.

Question 1.
What do you think about the stranger?
Answer:
The stranger seems to be very simple and foolish. He cannot understand Taffy’s body language and the non-verbal communication. He interprets Tegumai’s behavior too in the wrong manner. He seems to be in awe of Tegumai and Taffy, thinking that Tegumai is a haughty chief.

Simple Factual Activity.

Question 1.
Name the following: (The answers are given directly and underlined.)
Answer:

  1. The necklace was made of this: bead and seed and shark-tooth.
  2. This was what Taffy drew first: her father fishing.
  3. She wanted the stranger to fetch this: the black-handled spear.
  4. This is what Taffy drew with: the shark’s tooth.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written

Complex Factual Activities.

Question 1.
Why did the stranger’s admiration for Taffy grow?
Answer:
The shark’s tooth on the stranger’s necklace was a magic shark’s tooth. He had been told that if anybody touched it without his permission, that person would immediately swell up and burst. Taffy had touched it without his permission, but she hadn’t swollen up or burst. This made the stranger’s admiration for Taffy grow.

Question 2.
Is Taffy’s drawing realistic? In how many ways does it fail to show the real picture?
Answer:
Taffy’s drawing is not at all realistic. It does not show the true picture of Tegumai. The black-handled spear, which Taffy wanted the stranger to fetch, looked as if it was sticking in Tegumai’s back. Her hair was standing up in the picture, which it didn’t in real life. The stranger, who was nice, was not depicted as being ‘pretty’.

Activity-based on Vocabulary.

Question 1.
Match the adjectives in Column A with the nouns in Column B:
Answer:

A B
1. wonderful (a) spear
2. magic (b) child
3. beautiful (c) tooth
4. black-handled (d) pictures

Answer:

  1. wonderful – child
  2. magic – tooth
  3. beautiful – pictures
  4. black-handled – spear.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written

Activities based on Contextual Grammar.

Question 1.
1.The Stranger-man didn’t say anything.
2. You mustn’t joggle.
Answer:
1. The Stranger-man remained silent.
2. You must refrain from joggling.

Personal Response.

Question 1.
Who does the author refer to when he says ‘some people’?
Answer:
When he says ‘some people’ he means the city dwellers of the modern age. The author has created a humorous mixture of the past and the present.

Simple Factual Activity.

Question 1.
Complete the flow-chart: (The answers are given directly and underlined.)
Answer:
Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written 4

Complex Factual Activity.

Question 1.
Is Taffy’s drawing realistic? In how many ways does it fail to show the real picture?
Answer:
Taffy’s drawing is not realistic. She had put the spear in the stranger’s hands, when he did not have any spear. The beavers did not look like beavers and only the heads could be seen. The cave looked as high as the hills, which it was not. The spear was actually inside the cave but she had drawn it outside the cave.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written

Activities based on Vocabulary.

Question 1.
Write:
1. ‘fended’ and
2. ‘splain’ with their proper spellings.
Answer:
1. offended
2. explain.

Question 2.
Pick out four adverbs from the passage.
Answer:
very, hard, scratchily, really, quite, inside, etc.

Activities based on Contextual Grammar.

Question 1.
Rewrite the sentences correctly:
1. She is the most beautifullest Mummy there ever was.
2. She’ll be pleased of me.
Answer:
1. She is the most beautiful Mummy there ever was.
2. She’ll be pleased with me.

Do as directed.

Question 1.
The cave isn’t as high as the hills. (Rewrite using the comparative form of the adjective.)
Answer:
The hills are higher than the cave.

Question 2.
I haven’t put in all the beavers. (Rewrite beginning ‘All the beavers …
Answer:
All the beavers haven’t been put in (by me).

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written

Personal Response.

Question 1.
Do you think that giving clear directions to someone, narrating an incident clearly, etc. is important?
Answer:
Yes, it is. If your directions are not clear, people may land up at a different place, or do something completely different from what you intend. If a story or an incident is not narrated logically, people may get confused or bored.

Simple Factual Activity.

Question 1.
Complete the following statements: (The answers are given directly and underlined.)
Answer:

  1. The Stranger-man looked at the picture and nodded very hard.
  2. The Stranger-man raced off into the bushes like the wind.
  3. Tegumai had mended his spear and was carefully waving it to and fro.
  4. “It’s a little berangement of my own, Daddy dear,” said Taffy.

Complex Factual Activities.

Question 1.
How did the stranger interpret Taffy’s drawing?
Answer:
When the stranger looked at Taffy’s drawing, he thought that the beavers she had drawn were the Chiefs enemies who were coming up from all sides with spears. According to the stranger, the Chief was afraid that his enemies were hiding in the bushes and would see him. Therefore he had turned his back on the stranger and let Taffy draw a picture showing his difficulties. This was the stranger’s interpretation of Taffy’s drawing.

Question 2.
What mistaken notions made the stranger race off like the wind?
Answer:
After looking at the picture, the stranger thought that Tegumai would be slain by his enemies who were coming up from all sides with spears. Hence he raced off to get help for him from his tribe.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written

Activities based on Vocabulary.

Question 1.
Write the noun forms of:
1. wise
2. pleased
Answer:
1. wise – wisdom
2. pleased – pleasure.

Question 2.
Write the adjective forms of:
1. feared
2. picture
Answer:
1. feared – fearful/fearless/feared
2. picture – picturesque/pictorial.

Activities based on Contextual Grammar.

Question 1.
Pick out the adjectives in the following sentences:
1. He let the wise and wonderful child draw the terrible picture.
2. Now I see why the great Chief pretended not to notice me!
Answer:
1. wise, wonderful, terrible
2. great

Question 2.
Pick out the adverbs in the following sentences:
1. The stranger nodded very hard.
2. He was carefully waving his spear.
Answer:
1. very, hard
2. carefully

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written

Personal Response.

Question 1.
Is it possible to promise that one will be surprised?
Answer:
No, it is not possible. Surprise is a spontaneous and not a pre-planned emotion. If one promises such a thing then one is prepared for it and will not be surprised. This is a promise one can make to a small child.

Simple Factual Activity.

Question 1.
Number the sentences according to their occurrence in the story: (The answers are given directly.)
Answer:

  1. The Neolithic ladies sat on the stranger. [3]
  2. The stranger ran for some miles. [1]
  3. Teshumai pulled his hair. [4]
  4. He found Teshumai at the door of her cave. [2]

Complex Factual Activities.

Question 1.
What was the stranger’s impression of Teshumai Tewindrow?
Answer:
The stranger thought that Taffy was very like Teshumai Tewindrow, especially about the upper part of the face and the eyes.

Question 2.
What terrible message had Taffy’s drawing conveyed to her Mummy?
Answer:
Taffy’s drawing conveyed the message that the stranger had stuck Tegumai full of spears and frightened Taffy so that her hair stood all on end. Teshumai thought that Tegumai’s arm was broken and he had a spear sticking into his back. She also thought that there was a man with a spear ready to throw, another man throwing a spear from a cave and a whole lot of people coming up behind Tegumai.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written

Activities based on Vocabulary.

Question 1.
Point out two humorous expressions from ‘all the Neolithic ladies sitting patiently on the Stranger-man’.
Answer:
Two humorous expressions:

  1. all the Neolithic ladies
  2. sitting patiently.

Question 2.
Pick out expressions that show you that this story took place in ancient times.
Answer:
Expressions:

  1. Neolithic ladies
  2. Primitive lunch.

Activity-based on Contextual Grammar.

Question 1.
Pick out the verbs in the following sentences and state their tense :
1. He had run hard so that he panted.
2. He has stuck my Tegumai all full of spears.
Answer:
1. had run – past perfect tense panted- simple past tense.
2. has stuck – present perfect tense.

Personal Response.

Question 1.
Did you enjoy reading the story? Write down one message it conveyed to you.
Answer:
Yes, I enjoyed the story. The message it conveyed was that if one does not communicate properly and clearly, it can lead to a lot of misunderstandings.

Simple Activities.

Question 1.
Write two compound words from the lesson.
Answer:
fireplace, drawing-room

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written

Question 2.
Make a meaningful sentence using the phrase ‘to and fro’
Answer:
The old woman ran to and fro in search of her son.

Question 3.
Spot the error and correct the sentence: He done this to show that his heart was as white as the birch-bark.
Answer:
He did this to show that his heart was as white as the birch-bark.

Question 4.
Pick out a present participle/gerund/ infinitive from this sentence and use it in your own sentence: That’s the spear I want you to fetch.
Answer:
to fetch-infinitive.
Sentence: The poor little girl was told to fetch water from the well.

Question 5.
Identify the type of sentence:
Please lend me the shark’s tooth off your necklace.
Answer:
Imperative sentence

Question 6.
Form the present and past participle from a verb in the lesson in which the last letter is doubled.
Answer:
slip – slipped, slipping

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written

Question 7.
Punctuate the following:
I cant make you pretty in the picture so you musnt be offended
Answer:
I can’t make you pretty in the picture, so you musn’t be offended.

Medium-Level Activities.

Question 1.
Use the word ‘hair’ and its homophone in two separate sentences :
Answer:
a. The hare rushed away when it saw the jackal.
b. The actress coloured her hair red.

Question 2.
“Don’t bother me,” said Tegumai to Taffy. (Rewrite using indirect speech.)
Answer:
Tegumai instructed Taffy not to bother him.

Question 3.
Teshumai was talking to some other ladies. (Use the present continuous tense of the verb.)
Answer:
Teshumai is talking to some other ladies.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 3.4 How the First Letter was Written

Question 4.
The birch-bark was handed to Teshumai by the Stranger-Man. (Change the voice, beginning ‘The Stranger-Man’.)
Answer:
The Stranger-man handed the birch-bark to Teshumai.

Challenging Activities.

Question 1.
He stood on the bank and smiled at Taffy. (Rewrite as a simple sentence.)
Answer:
Standing on the bank, he smiled at Taffy.

Question 2.
She is the most beautiful mother. (Make it comparative.)
Answer:
She is more beautiful than all other mothers.

Maharashtra State Board Class 9 English Solutions

9th Std English Questions And Answers:

The Kite Festival Poem Questions and Answers Class 8 English Chapter 3.2 Maharashtra Board

Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.2 The Kite Festival Notes, Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers.

Std 8 English Lesson 3.1 The Kite Festival Question Answer Maharashtra Board

Class 8 English Chapter 3.2 The Kite Festival Textbook Questions and Answers

The Kite Festival Std 8 Warming Up:

1. Cut out the wrong kites:
Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.1 The Plate of Gold 8
Answer:
Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.1 The Plate of Gold 9

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.2 The Kite Festival

2. Name the festival that you enjoy the most of all. Fill in the facts about that festival.
(a) Name of the festival:_______.
(b) When it is celebrated: _______.
(c) Why it is celebrated: ______.
(d) How it is celebrated: _______.
(e) Special cuisine: _______.
(f) Other special features: _______.
Answer:
Students can discuss and write down details about their favourite festival. They can consult their parents/friends / the internet, etc.

1. Give the Antonyms und Synonyms of the words below, choosing from those given:

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.1 The Plate of Gold 10

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.1 The Plate of Gold 11
Answer:

Words Synonyms Antonyms
Happily Joyfully Sorrowfully
Traditional Old-fashioned Modern
Halt pause start
Triumph victory defeat
Exotic foreign native
Rival competitor partner
Soar rise drop
Brilliance lustre dullness

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.2 The Kite Festival

2. Say whether the following statements are true or false:

Question a.
Fibreglass kites led to creating power – driven aeroplanes.
Answer:
False

Question b.
In Gujarat, the kite – festival is celebrated to welcome the Spring.
Answer:
False

Question c.
Uttarayana’ starts from Makar Sankranti onwards.
Answer:
True

Question d.
Kite – flying in Gujarat, is a competitive sport – cum – festival.
Answer:
True

Question e.
The kite – Bazar in Ahmedabad, is open day and night for a week.
Answer:
True

Question f.
The special thread for kite – flying is sharpened by adding sugar and glass pieces.
Answer:
False

3. Using points from the lesson, give the details of the following in a short paragraph for each topic:

Question a.
Different types of kites.
Answer:
Traditional kites are made of kite paper and have thin wooden frames. The modern kites may be motorized or made of fibreglass. Exotic kites have marvellous shapes such as that of eagles and snakes. There are also illuminated box-kites called tukals.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.2 The Kite Festival

Question b.
International Kite Festival at Ahmedabad.
Answer:
The International Kite Festival at Ahmedabad is held either at the Sardar Patel Stadium or the Police Stadium. It attracts international kite-flyers as well as local champions. Little Indian paper kites compete with those from Japan, USA, UK and other countries. Exotic kites with marvellous shapes such as eagles and snakes soar in the sky. The Patang or Kite Bazar, in the heart of Ahmedabad, is open 24 hours a day for a whole week, and people crowd the streets through the night. Skilled craftsmen demonstrate age- old kite-making skills and how to prepare special thread. At night, illuminated box- kites are sent into the sky.

Question c.
The kite Bazar of Ahmedabad.
Answer:
During the Kite Festival at Ahmedabad, the Patang or Kite Bazar, in the heart of Ahmedabad, is open 24 hours a day for a whole week. People crowd the streets and buy their stocks, haggling through the night. Skilled craftsmen demonstrate age-old kite-making skills and how to prepare special thread covered with a mixture of glue and ground glass.

4. You hue just returned after your first experience of the kite – festival in Gujarat/Ahmedabad. You were thrilled with the festivities.

Write a short report about the kite – festival for your local newspaper. Give an attractive headline, a dateline and an account of the kite – festive. Write the report in third person with more use of Passive voice.
You have a friend who lives abroad. Write a letter to your friend describing how you enjoyed the kite-festival.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.2 The Kite Festival

5.A. Verb forms show both, Tense (Present, Past, Future) and Aspect (Progressive, Perfect,Perfect Progressive):

Progressive (Continuous): be + verb-ing
Present Progressive: He is playing.
Past Progressive: He was playing.
Future Progressive: He will be playing.

Perfect: have / has / hod verb – en / cd
Present Perfect: They have played.
Past Perfect: They had played.
Future Perfect: They will have played.

Perfect Progressive: have/has/had + been + verb – ing
Present Perfect Progressive: We have been playing.
Past Perfect Progressive: We had been playing.
Future Perfect Progressive: We shall have been playing.

5. B. Underline the verb forms in the following sentences and state their Tense and Aspect:

(i) They are waiting for the right winds.
(ii) People were haggling over the price of kites.
(iii) Vendors had been selling kites all through the week.
(iv) Skilled craftsmen had demonstrated age-old skills.
(v) State Tourism Corporation will be organising the International Kite Festival.
(vi) Kite – flyers have demonstrated their skills with exotic kites.
Answer:

Sentences Tense Aspect
i. They are waiting for the right winds. present progressive
ii. People were haggling over the price of kites. past progressive
iii. Vendors had been selling kites all through the week. past perfect  progressive
iv. Skilled craftsmen had demonstrated age-old skills. past perfect
v. State Tourism Corporation will be organizing the International Kite Festival. future progressive
vi. Kite-flyers have demonstrated their skills with exotic kites. present perfect

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.2 The Kite Festival

Class 8 English Chapter 3.2 The Kite Festival Additional Important Questions and Answers

Complete the table showing how modern ones:

The Kite Festival Std 8 Question 1.

Kites of the past Modem kites

Answer:

Kites of the past Modem kites
(1) made of kite paper
(2) had thin wooden frames
(3) box kites
(1) motorized kites
(2) kites made of fibreglass

The Kite Festival Std 8 Questions And Answers Question 2.
When is kite-flying at its peak in India?
Answer:
Kite-flying is at its peak in India during the coming of Spring and during the festival of Makar Sankranti, which coincides with the festival of Uttarayan.

3.2 The Kite Festival Questions And Answers Question 3.
Write how they celebrate the kite-flying festival in Gujarat.
Answer:
During the kite-flying festival, people of all ages go out into the open to fly kites and to cut’ each others’ kites. In towns and cities, where open spaces are difficult to find, terraces and rooftops are often used to fly the kites.

Activities based on Contextual Grammar:

The Kite Festival Questions And Answers Question 1.
People of all ages go out into the open to try their luck with their kites.
(Pick out the finite verbs and the infinitives.)
Answer:
finite verb – go; infinitive – to try

The Kite Festival Std 8 Question Answer Question 2.
It is also a celebration to mark the end of winter. (Rewrite using ‘which’.)
Answer:
It is also a celebration which marks the end of winter.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.2 The Kite Festival

Personal Response:

The Kite Festival Std 8 Question Answer Question 1.
Do you like flying kites? Why?
Answer:
I am not a very big fan of kites. I do not like to fly them, but I like to watch other people do so. I used to fly kites earlier; but once I came to know that birds died because of the glass-covered thread, and there were injuries to people too, I stopped this sport.

List the reasons:

The Kite Festival Answers Question 1.
The kite-festival at Ahmedabad is very special.
Answer:
The kite-festival at Ahmedabad is very special because:

  • An International Kite Festival is held either at the Sardar Patel Stadium or the Police Stadium.
  • It attracts international kite-flyers as well as local champions.
  • Little Indian paper kites compete with those from Japan, the USA, UK and other countries.
  • Exotic kites with marvellous shapes such as eagles and snakes soar in the sky.
  • The Patang or Kite Bazar in the heart of Ahmedabad is open 24 hours a day for a whole week, and people
  • crowd the streets through the night.
  • Skilled craftsmen demonstrate kite-making age-old skills and how to prepare a special thread.
  • At night, illuminated box-kites are sent into the sky.

3.2 The Kite Festival Question 2.
How do they celebrate the kite-flying festival in Gujarat?
Answer:
The kite-flying begins at dawn and continues throughout the day. People of all ages gather in the open, on rooftops and terraces. They compete with each other and are triumphant when someone cuts the thread of a rival. Some people prepare special lines for their kites. There is music in the air and traditional delicacies are specially prepared. An International Kite Festival is organized by the Gujarat State Tourism Corporation.

Complete the following:

Class 8 English Chapter 3.2 Question Answer Question 1.
A visit to the Patang Bazar proves that _______.
Answer:
the entire city of Ahmedabad is obsessed with kites

Question 2.
The special thread for kite-flying is prepared by ________.
Answer:
covering the thread with a mixture of glue and ground glass and allowing it to dry

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.2 The Kite Festival

Answer the following:

Question 1.
Different types of kites:
Answer:
Traditional kites are made of kite paper and have thin wooden frames. The modern kites may be motorized or made of fibreglass. Exotic kites have marvellous shapes such as that eagles and snakes. There are also illuminated box-kites called tukuls.

Question 2.
International Kite Festival at Ahmedabad:
Answer:
The International Kite Festival at Ahmedabad is held either at the Sardar Patel Stadium or the Police Stadium. It attracts international kite-flyers as well as local champions. Little Indian paper kites compete with those from Japan, USA, UK and other countries. Exotic kites with marvellous shapes such as eagles and snakes soar in the sky. The Patang or Kite Bazar, in the heart of Ahmedabad, is open 24 hours a day for a whole week, and people crowd the streets through the night. Skilled craftsmen demonstrate age-old kite-making skills and how to prepare a special thread. At night, illuminated box- kites are sent into the sky.

Question 3.
The Kite-Bazar of Ahmedabad:
Answer:
During the Kite Festival at Ahmedabad, the Patang or Kite Bazar, in the heart of Ahmedabad, is open 24 hours a day for a whole week. People crowd the streets and buy their stocks, haggling through the night. Skilled craftsmen demonstrate age-old kite-making skills and how to prepare special thread covered with a mixture of glue and ground glass.

Question 4.
One of the highlights of this festival is the Patang Bazar, which is open twenty-four hours a day, for a whole week.
(Underline the clauses in the sentence.)
Answer:
One of the highlights of this festival is the Patang Bazar, which is open twenty-four hours a day, for a whole week.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.2 The Kite Festival

Question 5.
They add a grand beauty to the dark sky and compete with the brilliance of the stars.
(Rewrite as two separate sentences.)
Answer:
They add a grand beauty to the dark sky. They compete with the brilliance of the stars.

Personal Response:

Question 1.
What is the care to be taken by children while flying kites?
Answer:
Children should not run after kites on the road or try to rescue them from trees. This could lead to accidents. They should be careful if they are flying kites from terraces and rooftops. The thread should be handled with care, and there should be no injuries to animals or human beings because of it.

Do as directed:

Question 1.
Pick out two compounds, words from the lesson.
Answer:
Two compound words: kiteflying, power-driven

Question 2.
Use the following phrase in your own sentence: in the middle of the night.
Answer:
The baby woke up in the middle of the night and began to play.

Question 3.
Build a word chain of five adjectives :
Answer:
long → green → naughty → young → grateful → lovely.

Question 4.
Find out four hidden words from the given word:
traditional (Each word should have at least 3 letters.)
Answer:
traditional: tradition, train, drain, trait

Question 5.
Use the following word in two separate sentences, the word having different meanings (homographs):
watch
Answer:
(i) The policemen watched the house the whole day.
(ii) I was very upset as I had lost my watch.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.2 The Kite Festival

Question 6.
Underline the clauses in the following sentence:
There is music in the air and traditional delicacies are specially prepared for the day
Answer:
There is music in the air and traditional delicacies are specially prepared for the day.

Question 7.
Identify the type of sentence:
The little boy would happily pick up his kite and run out into the field.
Answer:
Assertive sentence.

Question 8.
Rewrite as an affirmative sentence:
In India, however, the tradition of kite-flying has not changed.
Answer:
In India, however, the tradition of kite-flying has remained the same.

Question 9.
Rewrite in indirect speech:
The harassed mother would often say
to her restless son, “Why don’t you go fly a kite ?”
Answer:
The harassed mother would often ask her restless son why he did not go fly a kite.

Question 10.
Use the following word as a noun and a verb in two separate sentences:
cut
Answer:

  • The cut on my hand healed soon, (noun)
  • I cut my finger when I was slicing a mango, (verb)

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.2 The Kite Festival

Writing Skills:

Question 1.
You have just returned after your first experience of the kite-festival in Gujarat/Ahmedabad. You were thrilled with the festivities.
Write a short report about the kite festival for your local newspaper. Give an attractive headline, a dateline, and an account of the kite-festival. Write the report in the third person with more use of Passive Voice.
Answer:

High-Flying Kites Adorn The Sky

Ahmedabad, 17 January: A variety of colourful kites adorned the sky this year during the International Kite Festival here. A record number of countries participated in this annual festival. The famous International Kite Festival, organized by the Gujarat State Tourism Corporation, was held at the Sardar Patel Stadium. 14 countries, including India, participated. The kites were very colourful and in a variety of shapes. There were dragons, eagles, snakes, crocodiles, etc. Some had tiny lights in them, while j some were studded with stones. Excited spectators watched in awe as the kites; soared in the sky, free as birds.

This year, the first prize, a gold-plated cup in the shape of a kite, went to Korea. The Korean team succeeded in keeping their kite in the sky for the longest time. Last year’s winner and the host country, India, J did not stand a chance this year and were ; out of the competition at an early stage. “We will double our efforts for the next year and come out with flying colours,” said Rakesh ) Pandya, captain of the home team. We wish them all the best for the next year, Harsh Mehta.

Question 2.
You have a friend who lives abroad.
Write a letter to him/her describing how you enjoyed the kite-festival,
Answer:
‘Gulmohar’
Ahmedabad
17 January 2019

Hi Dominic,
How are you? You have hardly written j to me since you went to London. Why the silence?
Yes, I know you are busy, but you can spare some time for an old friend, can’t you?

Here in Ahmedabad, the kite festival is just over. We had a wonderful time flying kites and cheering others. The school was closed for two days, and my friends and I spent one j day watching the competition at the Police Stadium and the other day at the ground near our house, flying an assortment of kites. Our kites were ordinary ones, but you should have seen the exotic kites being flown at the Police Stadium! They were from Japan, the U.S., U.K., Thailand, Korea and other places. They were in the shape of eagles, snakes, crocodiles, dragons, etc. Some had shining tails while some had bejewelled bodies. The competition was very stiff-but guess what! The first prize was won by the Indian team!
Our own competition too was very thrilling. We cut so many kites! We were also awake the whole night shopping for kites and eating. It was really a wonderful time.

Well, I hope that next year you will be back in India and maybe you can come to Ahmedabad during this time. You will certainly enjoy the festival-and the eats! Hope you find time to reply.
Your friend,
Harsh.
Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.2 The Kite Festival

Read More:

Std 9 English Poem The Storyteller 4.2 Question Answer Maharashtra Board

Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 9 English Solutions Kumarbharati Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller Notes, Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers.

Class 9 English Chapter 4.2 Question Answer Maharashtra Board

The Storyteller 9th Std Question Answer

Warming Up:

1. Short stories are of many types. Match the type of story in Column A with its description in Column B:

Question 1.
Short stories are of many types. Match the type of story in Column A with its description in Column B:
Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller 1
Answer:

Story type (A) Description (B)
1. Anecdote (a) serious and ends in tragedy
2. Fable (b) untrue but realistic
3. Parable (c) short amusing account of an incident
4. Myth (d) where vices and folly are ridiculed
5. Legend (e) moral bearing story with animal characters
6. Fairy Tale (f) having historical base/characters but may not be true
7. Tragic Tale (g) having religious base and a message or moral
8. Fiction (h) exaggerated comedy
9. Farce (i) having supernatural characters/ a moral for children
10. Satire (j) originated in ancient time, authorship unknown
  1. Anecdote – (c) short amusing account of an incident
  2. Fable -(e) moral bearing story with animal characters
  3. Parable – (g) having religious base and a message or moral
  4. Myth-(j) originated in ancient time, authorship unknown
  5. Legend – (f) having historical base/characters but may not be true
  6. Fairy Tale – (i) having supernatural characters/a moral for children
  7. Tragic Tale – (a) serious and ends in tragedy
  8. Fiction – (b) untrue but realistic
  9. Farce -(h) exaggerated comedy
  10. Satire -(d) where vices and folly are ridiculed

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

2. Complete the following story using the verbs in the brackets in their proper form:

Question 2.
Complete the following story using the verbs in the brackets in their proper form:

Footprint

One night a man ………………………….. (have) a dream. He …………………………….. (dream) that he was …………………. (walk) along the beach with god. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of foot prints in the sand; one …………………….. (belong) to him and the other, to God.

After the last scene ………………………….. (flash), he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He ………………………….. (observe) that many times along the path of his life there ………………………….. (be) only one set of footprints and that it ………………………….. (happen) at the saddest, most ………………………….. (trouble) times of his life.

He ………………………….. (question) God about it. “God, you ………………………….. (say) that once I ………………………….. (decide) to follow you, you ………………………….. (will) walk with me all the way. So I don’t understand, why you ………………………….. (leave) me alone, when I ………………….. (need) you most.”

God replied, “During your times of trials and sufferings, where you ………………………….. (see) only one set of footprints, they ………………………….. (be) mine for it was then that I ………………………….. (carry) you in my arms.”
Answer:

Footprint

One night a man had a dream. He dreamt that he was walking along the beach with God. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; one belonging to him and the other, to God.

After the last scene had flashed, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He observed that many times along the path of his life there were only one set of footprints and that it had happened at the saddest, most troubled times of his life.

He questioned God about it. “God, you said that once I decided to follow you, you would walk with me all the way. So I don’t understand why you left me alone when I needed you the most.”

God replied, “During your times of trials and sufferings, where you saw only one set of footprints, they were mine, for it was then that I carried you in my arms.”

English Workshop:

1. From the story (Part I and Part II), find 4 words that begin with the prefIx ‘un-‘ and write their opposites.

Question 1.
From the story (Part I and Part II), find 4 words that begin with the prefIx ‘un-‘ and write their opposites.

  1. ………….. × …………..
  2. ………….. × …………..
  3. ………….. × …………..
  4. ………….. × …………..
  5. ………….. × …………..
  6. ………….. × …………..

Answer:

  1. unsympathetic × sympathetic
  2. unable × able
  3. unenterprising × enterprising
  4. uninteresting × interesting
  5. unexpected × expected
  6. unhappy × happy

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

2. Find one example/examples of the following punctuation marks from the story and copy the lines in which they are used:

Question 1.
Find one example/examples of the following punctuation marks from the story and copy the lines in which they are used:
(a) colon
(b) semi-colon
Answer:
(a) colon – Bertha was terribly frightened and thought to herself ;
(b) semi-colon – The first thing that it saw in the park was Bertha;

3. Read the following pieces from the story and suggest a title for each as shown in the first one:

Question 1.
Read the following pieces from the story and suggest a title for each as shown in the first one:
Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller 2
Answer:

From Up to Title
1. It was a hot afternoon ………. ………….. said the aunt weakly. ‘Children pester their aunt’.
2. The smaller girl created a diversion ………….. ………….. likely to lose his bet. ‘The irritating little girl.’
3. In a low confidential voice …………… ………….. it was so stupid,” said Cyril. ‘Aunt tells a story.’
4. She (Bertha) did all that she was told ………….. ………….. must be an extra good child. ‘The horribly good Bertha.’
5. The storyteller paused to let ………….. ………….. popular tunes of the day. ‘Bertha’s outing at the park.’
6. Bertha was trembling very much ………….. ……… the three medals for goodness ………. ‘The punishment.’

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

4. Write your opinion, in your own words:

Question a.
Why, do you think, did the children dislike their aunt’s story?
Answer:
The story was uninteresting and unenterprising. The children did not like the good little girl in the story. She appeared to be too good. Besides, the aunt could not satisfy the questions that they asked. Obviously, not only was the aunt a very bad story-teller but the story too was boring. Hence the children disliked the story.

Question b.
Why did they appreciate and praise the stranger’s story?
Answer:
The children were probably tired of the moral education imparted by the aunt. So when they came across a girl who was ‘horribly’ good, and who met a terrible end, they were thrilled. Moreover, the stranger narrated the story well. Hence they appreciated and praised the story.

Question c.
Do you think Bertha should have met such a gory end to her life? Justify your answer.
Answer:
No, I don’t think that Bertha should have met such a gory end to her life. After all, she was only a small child and it was probably not her fault that she was vain about her goodness. She should have merely been frightened by the wolf, not devoured by it.

Question d.
What did the aunt fail to realize in Bertha’s story?
Answer:
The aunt failed to see Bertha’s pride in herself; she only saw that Bertha was good, but had j yet met a gory end. The aunt failed to realize that Bertha met a gory end as a punishment for her vanity.

Question e.
What is that one vice that nullifies all virtues that a person has?
Answer:
Pride is the one vice that nullifies all the virtues that a person has. However good or talented a person is, he/she is not liked if he/she is proud or vain. Many tragic heroes in fiction and history were the victims of their own pride. It is often said that ‘Pride comes before a fall’.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Question f.
Write down two or three proverbs/axioms that suit the message in Bertha’s story;
Answer:

  1. “Pride goes before a fall.”
  2. “Wealth is a gift from God, and pride is bequeathed to us from the devil.”
  3. “Proud people breed sad sorrows for themselves.”

5. Write three to five sentences about each of the following characters:

Question 1.
Write three to five sentences about each of the following characters:
1. The Aunt ………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………….

2. The Bachelor …………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………….

3. Cyril …………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………..

4. Bertha ………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………
Answer:
1. The Aunt: The aunt was a meek and mild woman. She did not understand children, and could not control them. She had no imagination to make up a story, and no skills to present the story in an interesting manner. She believed that children needed a strict moral upbringing. She was upset with the bachelor’s story and thought that it was improper.

2. The Bachelor: The bachelor was impatient with the aunt’s inability to control the children. He understood kids well and knew what type of story they wanted. He was resourceful and found a method to keep the children quiet for ten minutes. He also enjoyed the fact that the children would now trouble their aunt for an improper story.

3. Cyril: Cyril was a normal, naughty and restless boy. He had many questions to ask and wanted answers for all those questions. He was quite outspoken in saying that he found the aunt’s story stupid. He found the bachelor’s unusual story beautiful.

4. Bertha: Bertha was a very, very good little girl. She was so good that she was horrible. She was also obedient and punctual. She won many medals for her good qualities. But she had one bad quality, and that was pride. However, the moment she was in danger, she wished that she had not been so extraordinarily good. She was finally devoured by the wolf.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

6. Say whether you agree or disagree.

  1. The children would have behaved well in the train if their aunt had scolded them harshly – Disagree
  2. The youngest child was most irritating – Agree
  3. Being a bachelor, the stranger had no patience with children – Disagree
  4. The children showed disinterest even in the bachelor’s story-telling, throughout – Disagree
  5. Bertha was very good but very proud too – Agree
  6. The Prince had rare, uncommon likes and dislikes – Disagree
  7. The wolf could not trace Bertha because she was behind a myrtle bush – Agree
  8. The bachelor had narrated an improper story to the children – Disagree

7. ‘The Storyteller’ has a story within a story.

Question 1.
‘The Storyteller’ has a story within a story. Search from the internet or your library books for other stories which have another story within. Enlist at least 3 to 5 of them.
Answer:
Ramayan. Mahabharat, Panchatantra.

8. List all the verbs related to ‘say’ or ‘tell’ from the passage.

Question 1.
List all the verbs related to ‘say’ or ‘tell’ from the passage.
Answer:

  1. Verbs related to ‘say’ or ‘tell’: said, exclaimed, added, asked, protested.
  2. Verbs related to ‘say’ or ‘tell’: demanded, admitted, said
  3. Verbs related to ‘say’ or ‘tell’: said, retort, demanded, began, asked.
  4. Verbs related to ‘say’ or ‘tell’: continued, quoted, demanded, said.
  5. Verbs related to ‘say’ or ‘tell’: said

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

9. Read: ‘The Open Window by H.H. Munro (Saki).

English Kumarbharati 9th Digest Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller Additional Important Questions and Answers

Simple Factual Activities:

Question 1.
Complete the following:
Answer:

  1. The next stop of the train was at Templecombe.
  2. Most of the remarks of the aunt seemed to begin with ‘Don’t’.
  3. The bachelor said nothing out loud.
  4. The child moved reluctantly to the window.

Complex Factual Activity:

Question 1.
How many occupants did the compartment have?
Answer:
The compartment had five occupants.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Question 2.
Why did the aunt have to use the word ‘Don’t’ so often?
Answer:
The children were very bored and restless and indulged in irritating activities like smacking the cushions of the seats. Hence the aunt had to use the word ‘Don’t’ very often.

Activities based on Vocabulary:

Question 1.
Write the antonyms of the following words using prefixes :
1. occupied
2. limited
Answer:
1.  occupied × unoccupied
2. limited × unlimited

Activities based on Contextual Grammar:

Question 1.
Rewrite the following as indirect speech:
“But there is lots of grass in that field,” protested the boy.
Answer:
The boy protested that there was lots of grass in that field.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Question 2.
Find an example of the following punctuation mark from the passage and copy the sentence in which it is used: semi-colon
Answer:
“But there is lots of grass in that field,” protested the boy; “There’s nothing else but grass there.”

Personal Response:

Question 1.
Do you like to travel long distances by train?
Answer:
Yes, I do. Every year, we go to my native place by train, and we have a lovely time. Since we go during the Diwali holidays, the route along the Konkan Railway is very beautiful and scenic at that time. We watch the scenery flash by, and play card games when it gets dark.

Simple Factual Activities:

Question 1.
Write whether the following statements are True or False:
Answer:

  1. The bachelor was irritated with the situation – True
  2. The aunt was able to satisfy Cyril’s curiosity – False
  3. The smaller girl knew only one line of the poem – True
  4. They could see very few cows from the windows – False

Complex Factual Activity:

Question 1.
To which question from Cyril was aunt unable to give a reasonable answer?
Answer:
Aunt was unable to give a reasonable answer to Cyril’s question: ‘Why is the grass in the other field better?’

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Question 2.
How did the smaller of the two girls irritate the bachelor?
Answer:
The smaller of the two girls began to recite the poem ‘On the Road to Mandalay’. She only knew the first line, but she repeated the line over and over again, in a dreamy but resolute and very audible voice. This irritated the bachelor.

Activities based on Vocabulary:

Question 1.
List all the verbs related to ‘say’ or ‘tell’ from the passage.
Answer:
Verbs related to ‘say’ or ‘tell’: suggested, exclaimed, persisted, repeated, said.

Activities based on Contextual Grammar:

Question 1.
Rewrite the following as indirect speech:
“Perhaps the grass in the other field is better,” suggested the aunt fatuously.
Answer:
The aunt suggested fatuously that perhaps the grass in the other field was better.

Question 2.
Find an example of the following punctuation mark from the passage and copy the sentence in which it is used:
semi-colon.
Answer:
She repeated the line over and over again, in a dreamy but resolute and very audible voice: it I seemed ……… .

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Question 3.
Rewrite the following sentence using ‘not’:
She only knew the first line.
Answer:
She did not know any other line except the first.

Personal Response:

Question 1.
What is your opinion of the aunt?
Answer:
I feel very sorry for the aunt. She was very meek and completely unable to handle the three children. Knowing that she was going on a train journey with three small children, she should have brought something along to keep them occupied.

Who said the following words?

Question 1.
“Wouldn’t they have saved her if she hadn’t been good?”
Answer:
the bigger of the two girls

Question 2.
“Well, yes,”
Answer:
the aunt

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Question 3.
“I didn’t listen after the first bit.”
Answer:
Cyril

Question 4.
“It’s the stupidest story I’ve ever heard.”
Answer:
the bigger of the two girls

Complex Factual Activity:

Question 1.
How did the children show their disapproval of the aunt’s story?
Answer:
The children interrupted the story at frequent intervals with loud, petulant questionings. After the story was over, the bigger girl said that it was the stupidest story she had ever heard. Cyril agreed with her that it was stupid. The smaller girl had stopped listening and was repeating her favourite line from the poem.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Activities based on Vocabulary:

Question 2.
Give the noun forms of the following words:
1. moral
2. stupid
Answer:
1. moral – morality
2. stupid – stupidity

Activities based on Contextual Grammar:

Question 1.
Rewrite the following as indirect speech:
“Wouldn’t they have saved her if she hadn’t been good?” demanded the bigger of the small girls.
Answer:
The bigger of the small girls demanded whether they wouldn’t have saved her if she hadn’t been good.

Question 2.
Frame Wh-questions to get the underlined parts in the following sentences as the answers:
1. Her reputation as a story-teller did not rank high.
2. In a low, confidential voice she began the story
Answer:
1. What did not rank high?
2. How did she begin the story?

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Factual Activities:

Question 1.
Write four words to describe Bertha to complete the web:
Answer:
Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller 3

Complex Factual Activity:

Question 1.
What did the bachelor not agree with?
Answer:
The aunt said that it was a very difficult thing to tell stories that children can both understand and appreciate. The bachelor did not agree with this statement.

Question 2.
What roused the children’s interest in the story?
Answer:
The bachelor said that the good little Bertha was ‘horribly’ good. When the children heard this, their interest was roused. The word ‘horrible’ in connection with goodness was something new that they appreciated and found acceptable.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Activities based on Vocabulary:

Question 1.
Write the gender of the following :

  1. bachelor
  2. aunt
  3. children
  4. infant

Answer:

  1. bachelor – masculine gender
  2. aunt – feminine gender
  3. children – common gender
  4. fant – common gender.

Activities based on Contextual Grammar:

Question 1.
Rewrite the following as indirect speech:
“Was she pretty?” asked the bigger of the small girls.
Answer:
The bigger of the small girls asked whether she was pretty,

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Question 2.
Find an example of the following punctuation mark from the passage and copy the sentences in which it is used:
semi-colon.
Answer:
1. The children’s momentarily-aroused interest began at once to flicker; all stories seemed………
2. There was a wave of reaction in favour of the story; the word horrible in connection with goodness…………

Question 3.
Rewrite the following sentences using ‘not only … but also …’ :
1. She was always truthful, she kept her clothes clean.
2. It’s a very difficult thing to tell stories that children can both understand and appreciate.
Answer:
1.She was not only always truthful, but she also kept her clothes clean.
2. It’s a very difficult thing to tell stories that children can not only understand but also appreciate.

Personal Response:

Question 1.
Do you like stories that have a moral or a message?
Answer:
That depends on the way the story is narrated and the message that is in the story. I don’t like the usual fairy-tale stories or the do-good type stories now; I like stories that make me think about something or affect me positively in some way.

Simple Activities:

Question 1.
Punctuate:
dont cyril dont exclaimed the aunt as the small boy began sacking the cushions of the seat
Answer:
“Don’t, Cyril, don’t,” exclaimed the aunt, as the small boy began sacking the cushions of the seat.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Question 2.
Make a meaningful sentence using the I phrase ‘over and over again’:
Answer:
The little girl repeated the answer over and over again.

Question 3.
Spot the error and correct the sentence:
I doesn’t agree with you,” said the bachelor.
Answer:
“I don’t agree with you,” said the bachelor.

Question 4.
Pick out the present participle/s from the given sentence:
She began an unenterprising and uninteresting story about a little girl who was good.
Answer:
unenterprising, uninteresting

Question 5.
Identify the type of sentence:
Why is it better?
Answer:
Interrogative sentence

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Question 6.
Find out two hidden words from the word ‘character’.
Answer:
character-react, chart (heart, charter).

Question 7.
Form the present participle of a verb from the lesson in which the last letter is doubled.
Answer:
begin -beginning.

Question 8.
Write the following words in alphabetical order:
fatuously, inevitable, interest, estimation.
Answer:
estimation, fatuously, inevitable, interest.

Question 9.
Make a word chain of about four adjectives of your own.
Answer:
polite → excellent thoughtful → lovely → youthful

Medium-Level Activities:

Question 1.
Use the word fast in two separate sentences, the word having different meanings (homographs):
Answer:
(a) “This is a fast train and doesn’t stop at all the stations,” said the woman.
(b) The saint refused to break his fast.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Question 2.
“Why is the grass in the other field better?” persisted Cyril. (Rewrite using indirect speech.)
Answer:
Cyril asked persistently why the grass in the other field was better.

Question 3.
The children moved listlessly. (Use the past continuous tense of the verb.)
Answer:
The children were moving listlessly.

Challenging Activities:

Question 1.
Use the following word in two separate sentences, once as a noun and once as a verb: interest
Answer:
(a) I have no interest in politics, (noun)
(b) Military history doesn’t really interest me. (verb)

Question 2.
This is the stupidest story I’ve ever heard. (Change the degree of comparison.)
Answer:
(a) I’ve never heard a story as stupid as this. (Positive)
(b) This story is stupider/more stupid than any story I’ve ever heard. (Comparative)

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Simple Factual Activities:

Question 1.
Write if the following statements are True or False:
Answer:

  1. There were no sheep in the park – True
  2. Bertha was allowed to walk in the park twice a week – False
  3. There were no animals at all in the park – False
  4. Bertha had the most medals in the town – True

Complex Factual Activity:

Question 1.
For which three values did Bertha win medals? What was exceptional about it?
Answer:
Bertha won medals for obedience, punctuality and good behaviour. This was exceptional because no other child in the town where she lived had as many as three medals, which Bertha had.

Question 2.
How did the Prince reward Bertha?
Answer:
The Prince rewarded Bertha by allowing her to walk in his beautiful park once a week. As no children were ever allowed in it, this was great honour for Bertha.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Activities based on Vocabulary:

Question 1.
Write the plural of the following words:

  1. country
  2. dress
  3. storyteller
  4. punctuality

Answer:

  1. country – countries
  2. dress – dresses
  3. storyteller – storytellers
  4. punctuality – punctuality

Activities based on Contextual Grammar:

Question 1.
Find example /examples of the following punctuation marks from the story and copy the lines in which they are used:
1. colon
2. semi-colon
Answer:
1. colon – then he resumed
2. semi-colon – sink into the children’s imaginations

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Question 2.
Rewrite the following as indirect speech:
“Were there any sheep on the park?” demanded Cyril.
Answer:
Cyril asked in a demanding tone if there were any sheep in the park.

Question 3.
No other child in the town had as many as three medals. (Rewrite beginning ‘She was….’.)
Answer:
She was the only child in the town who had as many as three medals.

Personal Response:

Question 1.
Do you like listening to stories?
Answer:
I generally don’t like listening to stories; but if they are short and interesting, then I listen. It also depends on the narrator; if it is narrated well, then I like to listen. I used to listen to a lot of stories in my childhood, told by my grandmother.

Simple Factual Activities:

Question 1.
Answer what the following things are, in one or two words:
Answer:

  1. Bertha was sorry about the absence of this. flowers.
  2. Bertha meant to keep this. her promise.
  3. The flowers had been eaten by these. the animals.
  4. They clinked against one another. the medals.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Complex Factual Activity:

Question 1.
Why did the children approve of the Prince’s decision?
Answer:
Maybe the children liked animals better than they liked flowers. Besides, they were probably happy that the good Bertha had no flowers she couldn’t pick. Hence they approved of the Prince’s decision.

Activities based on Vocabulary:

Question 1.
Fill in the blanks with the correct adjectives:

  1. ……………….. things
  2. ……………….. birds
  3. ………………….. parrots
  4. ………………. tunes

Answer:

  1. delightful things
  2. hummingbirds
  3. beautiful parrots
  4. popular tunes

Question 2.
Match the words with the parts of speech they belong to, with reference to the passage:

A B
1. with (a) adverb
2. approval (b) adjective
3. rather (c) preposition
4. green (d) noun

Answer:

  1. with – preposition
  2.  approval – noun
  3. rather – adverb
  4. green – adjective

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Activities based on Contextual Grammar:

Question 1.
Find example/examples of the following punctuation marks from the story and copy the j lines in which they are used:
1. colon
2. semi-colon
Answer:
1. colon: Bertha walked up and down and enjoyed herself immensely, and thought to herself
2. semi-colon: There was a murmur of approval at the excellence of the Prince’s decision

Question 2.
Rewrite the following as indirect speech:
“Because the animals had eaten them all,” said the bachelor promptly.
Answer:
The bachelor promptly said that it was because the animals had eaten them all.

Question 3.
It made her feel silly to find that there were no flowers to pick.
(Replace the underlined words with gerunds.)
Answer:
Finding that there were no flowers for picking made her feel silly.

Simple Factual Activities:

Question 1.
Complete the following statements:
Answer:

  1. An enormous wolf came prowling into the park.
  2. The wolf came after her with huge leaps and bounds.
  3. Bertha managed to reach a shrubbery of myrtle bushes.
  4. Bertha hid herself in one of the thickest of the bushes.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Complex Factual Activity:

Question 1.
Why did Bertha wish she had never come to the park?
Answer:
Bertha saw an enormous wolf come stealing towards her. She was terribly frightened and wished she had never come to the park.

Question 2.
Why was the wolf unable to trace Bertha?
Answer:
The scent of the myrtle was so strong that the wolf could not sniff out where Bertha was hiding. The bushes were also too thick for him to see her.

Activity-based on Vocabulary:

Question 1.
Match the words in Columns A, B and C correctly:

A B C
1. white myrtle eyes
2. pale little bushes
3. thick clean animal
4. fat grey pinafore

Answer:

  1. white – clean – pinafore
  2. pale – grey – eyes
  3. thick – myrtle – bushes
  4. fat – little – animal.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Do as Directed:

Question 1.
The scent of the myrtle was so strong that the wolf could not sniff out where Bertha was hiding. (Rewrite using ‘too … to …’.)
Answer:
The scent of the myrtle was too strong for the wolf to sniff out where Bertha was hiding.

Question 2.
She managed to reach a shrubbery of myrtle bushes and she hid herself in one of the thickest of the bushes. (Rewrite as a simple sentence.)
Answer:
Managing to reach a shrubbery of myrtle bushes, she hid herself in one of the thickest of the bushes.

Personal Response:

Question 1.
Do you like Bertha? Why?
Answer:
No, I don’t like Bertha. She is too good to be true. She also knows that she is good and she is proud of this fact. This makes her irritating and horrible.

Who said the following:

Question 1.
Unhappy woman!
Answer:
the bachelor

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Question 2.
The story began badly.
Answer:
the bigger of the small girls

Question 3.
A most improper story.
Answer:
the aunt

Question 4.
I kept them quiet for ten minutes.
Answer:
the bachelor

Complex Factual Activity:

Question 1.
What gave Bertha away and how did she meet her end?
Answer:
The clinking of her medals gave Bertha away. The wolf dashed into the bush in which she was hiding, dragged her out and devoured her to the last morsel.

Question 2.
What impact did the story have on the children?
Answer:
The children loved the story and said it was the most beautiful story they had ever heard. It had also kept them quiet for the remainder of the train journey.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Question 3.
Why was their aunt annoyed with the bachelor?
Answer:
Their aunt had probably always been telling the children the advantages of having a good moral character. Now, in the bachelor’s story, the extremely good Bertha had met a terrible end. So the aunt was annoyed with the bachelor for undermining the effect of years of her careful teaching.

Activities based on Vocabulary:

Question 1.
List all the verbs related to ‘say’ or ‘tell’ from the passage.
Answer:
Verbs related to ‘say’ or ‘tell’: said, observed.

Question 2.
Pick out at least six abstract nouns from the passage :
Answer:
Abstract nouns are: obedience, conduct, punctuality, ferocity, triumph, goodness, (decision, opinion)

Activities based on Contextual Grammar:

Question 1.
Find example/examples of the following punctuation marks from the story and copy the ! sentence in which they are used: semi-colon
Answer:
1. The wolf was just moving away, when he heard the sound of the medals clinking and stopped to listen;
2. “Unhappy woman!” he observed to himself as he walked down the platform of Templecombe station.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Question 2.
Rewrite the following as indirect speech:
“Unhappy woman!” he observed to himself.
Answer:
He observed to himself that she was an unhappy woman.

Simple Activities:

Question 1.
Punctuate:
it is the only beautiful story ive ever heard said cyril
Answer:
“It is the only beautiful story I’ve ever heard,” said Cyril.

Question 2.
Make a meaningful sentence using the phrase ‘from a great distance’.
Answer:
The frightened king watched the lion from a great distance.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Question 3.
Spot the error and correct the sentence:
So many people would has decided the other way.
Answer:
So many people would have decided the other way.

Question 4.
Pick out the infinitive in the given sentence and use it in a sentence of your own:
She had meant to keep her promise.
Answer:
The maid was not allowed to keep the clothes in the cupboard.

Question 5.
Identify the type of sentence:
Why weren’t there any flowers?
Answer:
Interrogative sentence

Question 6.
Find out two hidden words from the word ‘belongings’.
Answer:
belongings – belong, longing (going, single)

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Question 7.
Form the present and past participle of a verb in which the last letter is doubled.
Answer:
excel – excelled, excelling

Question 8.
Write the given words in alphabetical order: approval, animals, enormous, beautiful
Answer:
animals, approval, beautiful, enormous

Medium-Level Activities:

Question 1.
Use the word ‘rage’ in two separate sentences, the word having different meanings (homographs) :
Answer:
(a) Thick denims soon became a great rage all over the world.
(b) She walked off the stage in a rage.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Question 2.
“The story began badly,” said the smaller of S the small girls. (Rewrite using indirect speech.)
Answer:
The smaller of the small girls said that the story had begun badly.

Question 3.
She had meant to keep her promise.
(Use the present tense of the verb.)
Answer:
She means to keep her promise.

Question 4.
Everybody talked about her goodness.
(Change the voice beginning ‘Her….’.)
Answer:
Her goodness was talked about by everybody.

Challenging Activities:

Question 1.
Use the word ‘park’ in two separate sentences, once as a noun and once as a verb :
Answer:
(a) Children love going to the park to play. (noun)
(b) The driver was looking for a place to park the car. (verb)

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 4.2 The Storyteller

Question 2.
Use the words ‘immense’ and ‘beautiful’ in a single sentence of your own.
Answer:
The immense mountain had beautiful flowers on its slopes.

Maharashtra State Board Class 9 English Solutions

9th Std English Questions And Answers:

The Last Leaf Poem Questions and Answers Class 8 English Chapter 3.3 Maharashtra Board

Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.3 The Last Leaf Notes, Textbook Exercise Important Questions, and Answers.

Std 8 English Lesson 3.3 The Last Leaf Question Answer Maharashtra Board

Class 8 English Chapter 3.3 The Last Leaf Textbook Questions and Answers

3.3 The Last Leaf Warming Up:

1. Suppose you suffer from a long – term illness (one or two weeks), what should you do and what should you avoid? Fill up the table of Do’s and Don’ts:

Do’s Don’ts
(1) Go to a doctor for a diagnosis. (1) Do not …………..
(2) ………… (2) Do not avoid medication on time.
(3) Take a suitable diet. (3) Avoid …………..
(4) Take rest. (4) Avoid physical stress and exertion.
(5) Rest in a properly ventilated room. (5) Do not …………….
(6) Have cheerful thoughts, courage, a positive attitude. (6) Do not lose …….. and ………….

Answer:

Do’s Don’ts
(1) Go to a doctor for diagnosis. (1) Do not try any medication on your own.
(2) Take medicines on time. (2) Do not avoid medication on time.
(3) Take a suitable diet. (3) Avoid junk food.
(4) Take rest. (4) Avoid physical stress and exertion.
(5) Rest in a properly ventilated room. (5) Do not close doors and windows.
(6) Have cheerful thoughts, courage, a positive attitude. (6) Do not lose hope and courage.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.3 The Last Leaf

2. You already know that Homophones are pairs of words that sound the same but differ in spellings and meanings:
For example sum and some
There are some words that even have the same spelling and pronunciations, but have different meanings in different situations or contexts.
For example: bat (a bird) and ki (sports / games equipment)
Such words are called Homographs.
Make pairs of sentences of your own to point out the different meanings of the following Homographs

The Last Leaf Class 8 Questions And Answers Maharashtra Board Question 1.
fine:
Answer:
(i) The new driver had to pay a fine for breaking the signal.
(ii) We decided to go for a picnic only if the day was fine.

The Last Leaf Class 8 Questions And Answers Question 2.
wave:
Answer:
(i) Ronny waved to his father before going for the picnic.
(ii) The waves in the sea before the tsunami were huge.

The Last Leaf Question Answer Class 8 Question 3.
bear:
Answer:
(i) The grizzly bear hibernates during winter.
(ii) Simi could not bear to see the two cats fighting.

3.3 The Last Leaf Question 4.
rose:
Answer:
(i) The rose is a beautiful flower.
(ii) The teacher rose from her chair to explain the sum.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.3 The Last Leaf

3.3 The Last Leaf Questions And Answers Question 5.
lead:
Answer:
(i) Lead is used in pencils.
(ii) A good king leads his country to prosperity.

Class 8 English Chapter 3.3 The Last Leaf Question Answer Question 6.
match:
Answer:
(i) Though we lost the match, we were not upset,
(ii) “Buy the shoes only if they match the dress,” said mother to Madhu.

The Last Leaf Class 8 Questions And Answers Pdf Question 7.
second:
Answer:
(i) Every second counts when we are writing an examination paper.
(ii) “Take the second turn on the right,” directed the policeman.

The Last Leaf 8th Standard Question 8.
object:
Answer:
(i) The lawyer objected to what the witness said.
(ii) The objects on the table were taken away before the girl could see them properly.

1. Read the story and choose the appropriate meanings:

Question a.
Struggling artists:
(i) artists fighting with one another
(ii) artists trying hard to earn a living
(iii) artists painting war scenes
Answer:
(ii) artists trying hard to earn a living

Question b.
Skeleton branches:
(i) bones branching out from joints
(ii) leafy branches
(iii) bare branches
Answer:
(iii) bare branches

Question c.
Wielded the brush:
(i) painted skillfully
(ii) broke the brush
(iii) joined the broken brush
Answer:
(i) painted skillfully

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.3 The Last Leaf

Question d.
Palette:
(i) the tip of the brush
(ii) a board used by artists to mix colours
(iii) a fancy dinner plate
Answer:
(ii) a board used by artists to mix colours

Question e.
Masterpiece:
(i) a master who promotes peace
(ii) the very first creation of on artist
(iii) an exceptionally beautiful work of art
Answer:
(iii) an exceptionally beautiful work of art

2. Make pairs of sentences to show the difference between the meanings of the following Homographs from the story:

Question a.
interest
Answer:
(i) The bank promised a high rate of interest to its customers.
(ii) The audience soon lost interest in the boring match.

Question b.
well
Answer:
(i) The well was so deep that one could not see the water.
(ii) The Principal sent Sumeet home as he was not feeling well.

Question c.
left
Answer:
(i) When Roma turned to her left, she saw a long line of taxis.
(ii) The Mayor had left before it begem to rain.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.3 The Last Leaf

Question d.
just
Answer:
(i) The children had just left when the magician arrived.
(ii) It is the duty of a judge to be just.

Question e.
mind
Answer:
(i) “Mind your language!” said the man to the rude young boy angrily.
(ii) We should try not to have any negative thoughts in our mind.

3. State the facts about the story:

Main characters:
Problem:
Attempts made to solve it:
Climax / Turning point:
Problem solved:
End:
Answer:
Main characters: Sue, Johnsy, the doctor and Behrman
Problem: Johnsy’s negative attitude, her lack of will to live and the fancy that she would die when the last leaf fell from the ivy vine.
Attempts made to solve it: The doctor informed Sue that Johnsy would recover only if she had the wish to live. Sue looked after her well and tried to make her think positively. Finally, Behrman painted a leaf on the wall so that the last leaf would never fall, and Johnsy would live.
Climax/Tuming point:
(i) When Johnsy sees the last leaf still clinging to the vine, and realizes that she has been given a message that she was wicked to want to die.
(ii) The sweeper finding Behrman in very wet clothes and shoes, with scattered brushes and a palette with yellow and green colors mixed on it.
Problem solved: Johnsy realizes her mistake and begins to look forward to life again.
End: Though Johnsy lives, Behrman, who painted the last leaf, contracts pneumonia due to exposure to rain and snow. He dies due to his efforts. He dies so that Johnsy lives.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.3 The Last Leaf

4. Say whether the following statements are right or wrong:

Question a.
Sue and Johnsy were very close friends.
Answer:
Right

Question b.
Sue was a rich girl.
Answer:
Wrong

Question c.
Johnsy was hopeful that she will live.
Answer:
Wrong

Question d.
Behrman was a hard-hearted person.
Answer:
Wrong

Question e.
The last leaf fell off during the rain.
Answer:
Right

Question f.
Johnsy realized that her thinking was wrong.
Answer:
Right

Question g.
Behrman did not know anything about the last leaf on the ivy.
Answer:
Wrong

5. Correct the following statements:

Question a.
Sue and Johnsy were good neighbours.
Answer:
Sue and Johnsy were very good friends.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.3 The Last Leaf

Question b.
Johnsy was eager to recover from her illness.
Answer:
Johnsy had made up her mind that she was not going to recover.

Question c.
Sue ignored Johnsy completely.
Answer:
Sue looked after Johnsy well.

Question d.
Behrman was a very heartless person.
Answer:
Behrman was a very kind-hearted person.

Question e.
The real ivy leaf did not fall off at all.
Answer:
The real ivy leaf fell off the night it rained and snowed.

Question f.
The last leaf was a real leaf that survived.
Answer:
The last leaf was a leaf painted on the wall by Behrman.

6. Read the descriptions of the following from the story and describe any one of them using your own words:

Question 1.
The ivy vine
Answer:
Outside the window there was an old ivy vine, gnarled and decayed at the roots. It had climbed half way up the brick wall. It had lost most of its leaves due to the cold autumn. Only a few bare branches were left, clinging to the bricks.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.3 The Last Leaf

Question 2.
Behrman
Answer:
Behrman was a struggling painter who lived on the ground floor of the building where Sue and Johnsy lived. He was a failure in art, for though he had been painting for forty years, he had not made any money. He always dreamt about painting a masterpiece, and often spoke about it, but had never got round to doing it. He served as a model for the young artists in the colony, who could not afford other models.

He was shocked when he heard about Johnsy’s fancy and thought that the place was not good for her. He was a generous, compassionate and kind- hearted man. Even though he was old, he braved the wind, rain and snow to go out and paint the last leaf on the wall. He died in order that Johnsy could live.

Question 3.
The last leaf that Johnsy saw
Answer:
The last leaf that Johnsy saw was not a real leaf but a leaf painted on the wall by Behrman. It was dark green near its stem, but its edges were tinted with yellow. It hung from a branch some twenty feet above the ground. Naturally it never fluttered or moved when the wind blew. It was Behrman’s masterpiece and had been painted the night when the real last leaf had fallen.

7. You have learnt that a Clause is a group of words that has a Subject and a Verb, and is a part of a larger sentence:
In the sentence, ‘We returned home, when school was over’ there are two clauses.
(i) We returned home and
(ii) When school was over’.
The first one makes complete sense, so it is called Main I Principal Clause. The second one is not complete by itself. It depends on the Main Clause to convey proper sense. So it is called Dependant or Subordinate Clause. ‘When’ is the joining word, and it is called o Subordinator.

In the following sentences, point out the Main Clause and Subordinate Clause. Encircle the Subordinator.

Question a.
There was a colony, where many struggling artists lived.
Answer:
Main Clause: There was a colony
Subordinate Clause: where many struggling artists lived
Subordlnator: where

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.3 The Last Leaf

Question b.
Though Sue looked after her well, Johnsy showed no signs of improvement.
Answer:
Main Clause: Johnsy showed no signs of improvement
Subordinate Clause: Though Sue looked after her very well
Subordlnator: Though

Question c.
Sue thought that she had fallen asleep.
Answer:
Main Clause: Sue thought
Subordinate Clause: that she had fallen asleep
Subordinator: that

Question d.
Old Behrman was a painter, who lived on the ground floor.
Answer:
Main Clause: Old Behrman was a painter
Subordinate Clause: who lived on the ground floor
Subordlnator: who

Question e.
Johnsy was sleeping when the two went upstairs.
Answer:
Main Clause: Johnsy was sleeping
Subordinate Clause: when the two went upstairs
Subordlnator: when

Question f.
I want to see the last one before it falls.
Answer:
Main Clause: I want to see the last one
Subordinate Clause: before It falls
Subordlnator: before

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.3 The Last Leaf

8. Compose an imaginary dialogue between Sue and Johns, when I realise what Behrman had done for Johnsy:
Answer:
Johnsy: Sue, did you know that Mr. Behrman had painted that last leaf?
Sue: No, I knew it just now, too.
Johnsy: Sue, that means that he got wet that night painting the last leaf!
Sue: And got pneumonia after that!
Johnsy: Yes, because of my stupid fancy that I would die when the last leaf fell.
Sue: It certainly was a stupid idea.
Johnsy: I feel so guilty now! Sue, it is as if …. as if …. he died for me!
Sue: Yes, so that you may live.
Johnsy: Oh, what a wonderful, compassionate man! To go out in that cold, wintry, snowy night just to paint that leaf!
Sue: And develop pneumonia ….
Johnsy: What can I do now? How can I ever thank him?
Sue: I know what you can do!
Johnsy: What? What?
Sue: Paint your masterpiece of the Bay of Naples and dedicate it to him.
Johnsy: Yes, I think that’s a good idea.Yes, I’ll do that. Thanks, Sue.

Class 8 English Chapter 3.3 The Last Leaf Additional Important Questions and Answers

Complex Factual Activities:

Question 1.
What did the doctor tell Sue about Johnsy?
Answer:
The doctor told Sue that Johnsy had one chance in ten. That chance was for Johnsy to want to live, and Johnsy had made up her mind that she was not going to get well. He also told Sue that medicines alone would not help if the patient did not want to live.

Question 2.
Describe the ivy vine outside the window.
Answer:
Outside the window, there was an old ivy vine, gnarled and decayed at the roots. It had climbed half way up the brick wall. It had lost most of its leaves due to the cold autumn. Only a few bare branches were left, clinging to the bricks.

Question 3.
Explain the false belief that Johnsy had about the ivy vine.
Answer:
Johnsy felt that when the last leaf fell off from the ivy vine, she too would die.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.3 The Last Leaf

Question 4.
Who was Behrman? Explain why Sue called Him to their flat.
Answer:
Behrman was a struggling painter who lived on the ground floor of the building where Sue and Johnsy lived. He served as a model for the young artists in the colony. Sue called him to their flat to act as a model for the old man that she was drawing.

Question 5.
What happened that night and what did the two friends see when the window was open?
Answer:
That night it rained and snowed. A fierce wind blew. When the window was open, the two friends saw one ivy leaf still clinging to the vine. It was dark green near the stem, but its edges were tinted with yellow. It hung from a branch some twenty feet above the ground.

Question 6.
What did Johnsy declare when she saw the last ivy leaf?
Answer:
When Johnsy saw the last ivy leaf, she declared that it would fall that day and she would die at the same time.

Question 7.
What change came over Johnsy the next day? Why?
Answer:
Johnsy now felt that she had been wicked earlier and it was a sin to want to die. She wanted to sit up in bed and was ready to have broth and milk. She looked forward to the future and hoped to paint the Bay of Naples some day. It was the sight of the last leaf staying on the vine that was the reason for her change.

Question 8.
Explain what happened to Mr. Behrman.
Answer:
Mr. Behrman had gone out in the rain and snow to paint the last leaf on the wall. He had got thoroughly wet and became ill with pneumonia. He died in a hospital two days later.

Question 9.
Who had saved Johnsy’s life and how?
Answer:
Mr. Behrman had saved Johnsy’s life. He had realized that Johnsy had a fancy that she would die after the last leaf; fell. He wanted to make certain that the last J leaf never fell, and hence he painted a false leaf on the wall. The sight of the persistent leaf, which Johnsy thought was real, made her come to her senses and want to live.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.3 The Last Leaf

Personal Response:

Question 1.
What type of attitude should a person have when he/she is ill?
Answer:
When a person is ill, he/she should have a positive attitude. He/She should have cheerful thoughts and courage and try to keep the mind occupied. Only then will medication help.

Question 2.
Do you think that Johnsy was talking nonsense? Or did she have some forewarning that she would die?
Answer:
I think that Johnsy was talking nonsense. How can the number of leaves on an ivy vine indicate when she was going to die? This is just having negative thoughts when the mind is idle and frightened.

Write who said the given words and to whom:

Question 1.

The words Who said To whom
(1) Open the window
(2) She is very ill and weak
(3) I have not heard of such a thing.
(4) It is the last one.

Answer:

The words Who said To whom
(1) Open the window Johnsy Sue
(2) She is very ill and weak Sue Behrman
(3) I have not heard of such a thing. Behrman Sue
(4) It is the last one. Johnsy Sue

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.3 The Last Leaf

Write the words given below in the proper columns:

Question 1.
idiotic, fancy, foolish, weak, place, away, upstairs, work, rain, continuously,closed, window, fierce, bravely, branch,surely
Answer:

Nouns Adjectives Adverbs
fancy, place, idiotic, away,
work, rain, foolish, upstairs,
window, weak, continuously,
branch closed, bravely,
fierce surely

Do as directed:

Pick out two words from the lesson whose first letter is silent.
Answer:
pneumonia, gnarled.

Question 2.
Use the following phrase in your own sentence : above the ground
Answer:
During monsoon, the clouds are just a few feet above the ground in Ooty.

Question 3.
Add two letters before the given word to form three separate words:
own
Answer:
brown, crown, drown

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.3 The Last Leaf

Question 4.
Find out four hidden words from the given word:
twilight (Each word should have at least 3 letters.)
Answer:
twilight: light, tight, wilt, tilt

Question 5.
Use the following word and its homophone in two separate sentences: earn
Answer:
(i) It is difficult to earn a living if you are illiterate.
(ii) I placed the flowers in an urn and poured water into it.

Question 6.
Pick out the main clause and subordinate clause from the following sentence:
Medicines alone did not help if the patient did not wish to live.
Answer:
Medicines alone did not help- the main clause if the patient did not wish to live-subordinate clause.

Question 7.
Rewrite in indirect speech :
“Open the window; I want to see,” she
ordered. Sue obeyed.
Answer:
She ordered Sue to open the window as she wanted to see. Sue obeyed.

Question 8.
Pick out the non-finite verb and state what it is:
He always talked of his coming masterpiece.
Answer:
coming – present participle

Question 9.
Rewrite as an affirmative sentence:
In those days, it was not easy to cure pneumonia patients.
Answer:
In those days, it was difficult to cure pneumonia patients.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 3.3 The Last Leaf

Question 10.
Rewrite using the positive form of the adjective:
They are falling faster now.
Answer:
They were not falling as fast as before.

Read More:

Std 9 English Poem Somebody’s Mother 2.3 Question Answer Maharashtra Board

Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 9 English Solutions Kumarbharati Chapter 2.3 Somebody’s Mother Notes, Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers.

Class 9 English Chapter 2.3 Question Answer Maharashtra Board

Somebody’s Mother Poem 9th Std Question Answer

Warming up :

1. Read the following proverb that has a biblical reference.
‘Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.’ Now find at least 5 other proverbs/axioms/quotations which convey the same message. Search the internet/dictionary of proverbs.
……………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………….

Question 1.
‘Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.’ Find at least five other proverbs/ axioms/quotations that convey the same message.
Answer:

  1. They that sow the wind shall reap the whirlwind.
  2. Life is an echo – what you send out comes back.
  3. As you sow, so shall you reap.
  4. Love begets love.
  5. Love your neighbour like yourself.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 2.3 Somebody’s Mother

2. Study the following sets of words :
Set A – pleased, happy, joyful, ecstatic
Set B – letter, word, sentence, paragraph
Note: The words in these sets are arranged in an ascending order, each word showing a higher degree than the previous one. Now rearrange the following groups of words in the ascending order.
Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 2.3 Somebody’s Mother 1

Question 1.
Arrange the following groups of words in the ascending order : (The answer is given directly.)
Answer:
Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 2.3 Somebody’s Mother 3

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 2.3 Somebody’s Mother

Question 2.
Prepare similar word chains using the following ideas : (The answer is given directly and underlined.)

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 2.3 Somebody’s Mother 2
Answer:
Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 2.3 Somebody’s Mother 4

English Workshop:

1. Pick out lines from the poem that help create images of the following in our mind and write them in the table.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 2.3 Somebody’s Mother 5

Question 1.
Pick out lines from the poem that help create images of the following in our mind and write them in the table.
Answer:

Old Woman The Street School Boys
1. The woman was old and ragged and grey And bent with the chill of a winter’s day The streets were white with a recent snow Down the street with laughter and shout
2. At the crowded crossing she waited long, Jostled aside by the careless throng At the crowded crossing she waited long Came happy boys, like a flock of sheep,
3. Her aged hand on his strong young arm She placed, and so without hurt or harm He guided the tremblIng feet along Came happy boys, like a flock of sheep, Hailing the snow piled high and deep Past the woman so old and grey, Hastened the children on their way

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 2.3 Somebody’s Mother

2. Write at least 5 rhymes from the poem.

Question 1.
Write at least five rhymes from the extract.
Answer:

  1. Rhymes: troop – group, low – go, arm – harm, along – strong, went – content.
  2. Rhymes: gray – day, snow – slow, long – throng, by – eye, shout – out.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 2.3 Somebody’s Mother

3. Give, in your own words, TWO reasons for each of the following :

Question a.
The woman was reluctant to cross the street by herself.
Answer:
The woman was reluctant to cross the street by herself because …

  1. the road was slippery because of the snow.
  2. there was heavy traffic of horse carriages on the road.

Question b.
The school boys were in a happy mood.
Answer:
The school boys were in a happy mood because …

  1. school was over for the day.
  2. the snow was piled high on the road.

Question c.
One of the schoolboys helped the old woman cross the street.
Answer:
One of the schoolboys helped the old woman cross the street because …

  1. she was old and afraid to cross on her own
  2. he hoped someone, sometime, may lend a hand to his own mother when he was not around.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 2.3 Somebody’s Mother

Question d.
We must help those who are in need.
Answer:
We must help those who are in need because …

  1. we too may need help one day.
  2. we must show compassion to those in need.

4. Think and write In 5-6 lines, why most of the people on a road/street Ignore those In need of help. What about you? Write about your feelings after you have helped! not helped, when needed.
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………..

Question 1.
Think and write in 5-6 lines, why most of the people on a road/street ignore those in need of help. What about you? Write about your feelings after you have helped/not helped when needed.
Answer:
People, especially in the larger cities and towns, are always in a hurry to reach their place of work or their home. Hence they don’t have time to spare to help strangers. Some people may be purely selfish and don’t have compassion for others.

I always try to help people who genuinely need help. Once I lent a hand to an old man to get onto a bus. He was very grateful and thanked me. I felt very good about it.

I did not help a woman who had slipped and fallen down on the footpath during the monsoon. I just walked past her, ignoring her. I felt very guilty about it later. I wondered how I would feel if I had been in her place and had not got any help.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 2.3 Somebody’s Mother

5. Read the poem: ‘Home they brought her warrior dead’ by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Question 1.
Read the poem: ‘Home they brought her warrior dead’ by Alfred Lord Tennyson

English Kumarbharati 9th Digest Chapter 2.3 Somebody’s Mother Additional Important Questions and Answers

Simple Factual Activity :

Question 1.
Write whether the following statements are True or False :
Answer:

  1. The woman’s feet were slow because of the snow. False
  2. The people around her did not bother about her. True
  3. The schoolboys were happy. True
  4. A boy came immediately to help the old woman. False

Guess the following, using references from the poem :

Question 1.
The setting-the region, the locality.
Answer:
The setting is a busy street, covered with a layer of fresh snow. The area is very crowded and there is a school nearby.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 2.3 Somebody’s Mother

Question 2.
The time – the time of the year and the day.
Answer:
It is winter. The time of the day is probably late afternoon or early evening.

Activities based on Poetic Devices :

Question 1.
From the extract, pick out and explain an example of:

i. Simile –
Answer:
‘Came happy boys, like a flock of sheep.’ The happy boys have been directly compared to a flock of sheep.

ii. Alliteration –
Answer:
‘Should trample her down in the slippery street.’ Repetition of the sound of ‘s’ at the beginning of the words.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 2.3 Somebody’s Mother

Simple Factual Activity :

Choose the correct alternative for each statement :

Question 1.
The person who helped the old lady was :
(i) hurt and harmed
(ii) kind and compassionate
(iii) slow and proud
(iv) dear and Jar away
Answer:
(ii) kind and compassionate

Question 2.
The old lady crossed the road :
(i) but fell down on the way
(ii) all by herself
(iii) with a merry troop
(iv) without hurt or harm
Answer:
(iv) without hurt or harm

Question 3.
The old lady was helped by :
(i) a group of young boys
(ii) a proud and nobleman
(iii) a strong and young boy
(iv) somebody’s mother
Answer:
(iii) a strong and young boy

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 2.3 Somebody’s Mother

Question 4.
The old lady at night :
(i) asked for blessings for the young boy
(ii) asked for a mother for the young boy
(iii) helped the young boy’s mother
(iv) helped somebody’s mother
Answer:
(i) asked for blessings for the young boy

Answer the following :

Question 1.
Was the old lady grateful to the young boy who had helped her? How do you know?
Answer:
Yes, the old lady was grateful to the young boy who had helped her. We know this because that night, in her home, she prayed to God to be kind to him.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 2.3 Somebody’s Mother

Activities based on Poetic Devices :

Question 1.
From the extract, pick out and explain an example of:

i. Alliteration –
Answer:
‘His young heart happy and well-content.’ Repetition of the sound of ‘h’ at the beginning of the words.

ii. Inversion –
Answer:
‘Then back again to his friends he went.’ The correct prose order is : He then went back again to his friends.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 2.3 Somebody’s Mother

Paragraph Format:

The poem ‘Somebody’s Mother’ is by Mary Dow Brine. The Rhyme Scheme of stanzas 3 and 6 is aabbcc. All the other stanzas have the rhyme scheme aabb. A Figure of Speech is Inversion: ‘At the crowded crossing she waited long.’ The correct prose order is She waited long at the crowded crossing. Other figures of speech are Simile and Alliteration.

The poem describes an incident in which a young boy helps a frightened old lady to cross the street when she was being ignored by everyone else. He tells his young friends that he hopes that when his own mother is old and needs help, someone will help her too if he is not at hand.

Maharashtra State Board Class 9 English Solutions

9th Std English Questions And Answers:

Std 9 English Poem Have you thought of the verb ‘have’ … 1.4 Question Answer Maharashtra Board

Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 9 English Solutions Kumarbharati Chapter 1.4 Have you thought of the verb ‘have’ … Notes, Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers.

Class 9 English Chapter 1.4 Question Answer Maharashtra Board

Have you thought of the verb ‘have’ … Poem 9th Std Question Answer

1. Add sentences to those given in the passage to illustrate the uses of ‘have’ :

(a) To show possession
(b) To indicate relationship
(c) To refer to eating/drinking
(d) To show ownership
(e) To refer to events, activities and experiences
(f) To refer to a physical condition

Question 1.
Add sentences to those given in the passage to illustrate the uses of ‘have’ :
Answer:
(a) To show possession :

  1. I have a new motorcycle.
  2. The children have identical school bags,
  3. My neighbour has three dogs.

(b) To indicate relationship :

  1. I have a sister in Holland.
  2. Do you have any siblings?
  3. I have an aunt who is a singer.

(c) To refer to eating/drinking :

  1. We usually have dinner at eight o’clock.
  2. May I have that last piece of cake?
  3. Have some juice if you are thirsty.

(d) To show ownership :

  1. Our building has two lifts.
  2. The company has two manufacturing units.
  3. They have retail outlets throughout the country.

(e) To refer to events, activities and experiences :

  1. We had a wonderful time at the picnic.
  2. They have a funfair in their building every month.
  3. Our children had a drawing exam yesterday.

(f) To refer to a physical condition :

  1. My friend had fever last night.
  2. My mother has a toothache quite often.
  3. I have a broken nail which is painful.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 1.4 Have you thought of the verb ‘have’ ...

2. Look up the following verbs in a good dictionary. List at least 20 different uses of each. You may include their use with different prepositions, adverbs or in idioms.

Maharashtra Board Class 9 English Kumarbharati Solutions Chapter 1.4 Have you thought of the verb ‘have’ 1.

Question 1.
Look up the following verbs in a good dictionary. List at least 20 different uses of each. You may include their use with different prepositions, adverbs or in idioms.

Maharashtra State Board Class 9 English Solutions

9th Std English Questions And Answers:

The Happy Prince Poem Questions and Answers Class 8 English Chapter 2.5 Maharashtra Board

Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.5 The Happy Prince Notes, Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers.

Std 8 English Lesson 2.5 The Happy Prince Question Answer Maharashtra Board

Class 8 English Chapter 2.5 The Happy Prince Textbook Questions and Answers

2.5 The Happy Prince Warming Up:

1. There are different types of short stories. Use a dictionary/the Internet and find out what each of the following types refers to:

(a) fable :
(b) anecdote :
(c) fairy tale :
(d) parable :
(e) tragedy :
(f) humorous story :
(g) detective story :
(h) myth :
Answer:
(a) fable: moral bearing story with animal characters.
(b) anecdote: short amusing account of an incident.
(c) fairy tale: having supernatural characters/a moral for children.
(d) parable: having religious base and a message or moral.
(e) tragedy: serious and ends in a tragedy.
(f) humorous story: causing laughter and amusement; comic.
(g) detective story: the plot revolves around the investigation and solving of a crime/s.
(h) myth: originated in ancient times, authorship unknown.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.5 The Happy Prince

2. Have you heard of birds that fly from one part of the world to another in small or large flocks?
They are called Migratory birds. Discuss and write down two reasons why they migrate and return.
Answer:
Migratory birds’ migrate for food and for warmth. They return when the food supplies in their home area stabilize and winter changes to summer again.

3. Speech or dialogues can be reported in two ways Direct and Indirect.
When the exact words of the speaker are reported we call it Direct Speech. When the exact words of the speaker are not reported, but just its contents we call it Indirect Speech.
Direct Speech: Amar said, “I shall come to meet you, tomorrow, Sanket.”
Indirect Speech: Amar told Sanket that he would go to meet him, the next day.
Note down the changes you observe in the Indirect Speech.
Answer:

  • There are no inverted commas in j Indirect Speech.
  • The verb changes in Indirect ) Speech.
  • There is a change in the adverb in Indirect Speech.
  • The word‘that’is added in Indirect Speech.

1. Say whether these sentences are true or false and correct the false ones.

Question a.
The writer of the story is Wiiliam Blake.
Answer:
False
The writer of the story is Oscar wilde

Question b.
Everyone admired the statue of the Happy Prince.
Answer:
True

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.5 The Happy Prince

Question c.
The mother was working, when the Swallow brought the yellow jewel.
Answer:
False
The mother was sleeping when the Swallow brought the yellow jewel.

Question d.
The two best things the servants brought to God were gold and jewel stones.
Answer:
False
The two best things the servants brought to God were broken heart and dead bird.

2. Find from the story the Homophones of the following words:
(Words that sound, the same, but differ in spellings and meanings.)
a. weak
b. their
c. blew
d. seo
e. read
f. waste
g. know
h. knot
i. threw
j. right
Answer:
a. weak – week
b. their – there
c. blew – blue
d. sea – see
e. read – – red
f. waste – waist
g. know – no
h. knot – not
i. threw – through
j. right – write

3. Answer the given questions in your own words:

Question a.
Where was the Happy Prince’s statue located?
Answer:
The Happy Prince statue located high above the city.

Question b.
Why did the swallow decide to stay under the statue of the Happy Prince at night?
Answer:
The Swallow decided to stay under the statue of the Happy Prince at night because it was high up, and so there was plenty of fresh air.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.5 The Happy Prince

Question c.
Why was the Prince sad?
Answer:
The Prince was sad to see all unhappiess of the city.

Question d.
What was the first task given to the Swallow?
Answer:
The Happy Prince asked the Swallow to take the great red jewel from his waist and give it to a poor woman whose son was ill and hungry. This was the Swallow’s first task.

Question e.
To whom did the Prince gift the two gemstones of his eyes?
Answer:
The prince gave one of the two gemstones of his eyes to a Door little girl whose eggs had fallen to the ground and broken.

Question f.
What decision did the Swallow finally make? Was it a wise one? Comment.
Answer:
The Swallow finally decided not to go to Egypt but to remain with the Happy Prince, whom he loved very much. It may not have been a wise decision because it led to the death of the Swallow, but it was a decision made from the heart and was an emotional decision that was rewarded in heaven.

Question g.
Why did the Swallow finally decide not to leave the Prince?
Answer:
The Swallow finally decided not to leave the prince because he loved him very much.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.5 The Happy Prince

Question h.
What message do you get from this story?
Answer:
The message that we get from this story is that we should be loyal, generous, and compassionate. We will not only get peace when on earth but will also get appreciation and reward in heaven.

4. inflnitives, Participles, Gerunds:

(a) Infinitives
In the sentences ‘1 have to study’ and ‘ I must study’, ‘study’ is in the infinitive form, because it does not take -s, -es or -cd aller it even if the number or person of the Subject changes.
Infinitives are generally preceded by ‘to’ or sometimes by a modal auxiliary.

(b) Participles
In the sentences ‘She dived into the swimming pool’ and ‘The writing table is in a mess’ ‘Swimming’ and ‘writing’ are in the verb + ing form and function as Adjectives. These are Present Pcirticiples. In the sentences, ‘The police recovered the stolen jewels’ and ‘He bandaged his
bruised arm’, stolen and bruised are in the verb + en I ed form and function as Adjectives.

(c) Gerunds
In the sentences, ‘I love swimming’ and ‘Reading is a good habit’, the verb + ing form fuction as Nouns (as the Subject or Object). These are called Verbal Nouns or Gerunds.

Say whether the underlined are Infinitives/Participles (Present or Past) Gerunds.

2.5 The Happy Prince 8 Question 1.
I wish to go to Egypt.
Answer:
Infinitive

The Happy Prince Question Answer Question 2.
They liked his written stories.
Answer:
Participle(past)

The Happy Prince Class 8 Question Answer Question 3.
He is trying to finish a story.
Answer:
Infinitive

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.5 The Happy Prince

The Happy Prince Questions And Answers Class 8 Question 4.
Suffering is stranger than anything.
Answer:
Gerund

The Happy Prince Story Questions And Answers Question 5.
The dying swallow fell at his feet.
Answer:
Participle(Present)

The Happy Prince Class 8 Solutions Question 6.
He began to cry.
Answer:
Infinitive

Happy Prince Question And Answer Question 7.
He watched the working seamen
Answer:
Participle(Present)

5. Write the following dialogues from the story in the Indirect Speech:

(a) ‘Who are you?’ asked the bird. ‘I am the Happy Prince.’
‘Then why are you crying? I am wet with your tears.’

(b) The Happy Prince looked very sad, and the little Swallow was sorry for him. ‘It is very cold here,’ he said ‘but I will stay with you for one night. Tomorrow I will take the jewel.’
‘Thank you, little bird,’ said the prince.

(c) ‘Little bird, little bird,’ said the prince, ‘please will you stay with me for one more night?’
‘My friends arc waiting for me.’ answered the bird.

(d) Under a bridge, two little boys were lying close together to keep warm.
‘We are so hungry!’ they said. ‘You cannot lie there!’ shouted a guard.

(e) ‘Goodbye, dear prince!’ he said.
‘I urn glad that you are going to Egypt,’ said the prince. ‘You have stayed too long.’I am not going to Egypt,’ said the Swallow. ‘I am going to the House of God’

6. Divide the story into parts. Make 4 groups in your class. Each group should take one of the 4 parts to convert the story into a play and enact your part.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.5 The Happy Prince

7. If you could change the end of the story i.e. after the Swallow refused to fly to Egypt. how would you change it? Summarise your idea in 10 to 12 lines.
Answer:

Summary of the idea : A MIRACLE

The Swallow, battling the bitter cold, refuses to fly to Egypt and continues to live with the prince to support him in his time of need. God sees this love and friendship among the two and decides to do something. He restores the prince to his glory. The Happy Prince becomes golden and beautiful once again and is admired by all. The little Swallow develops extra layers of feathers to protect him from the cold, and the two continue to live with each other. The prince continues to be generous, but his wealth never diminishes. The Swallow is his messenger and informant. They become immortal. The two realize that these miracles are the work of God and they look towards heaven to thank God.

8. Think of one of your favorite stories. Fill in the following facts about the story:

  • Name of the story:
  • Type of story:
  • Setting (time and place):
  • ImportQnt characters:
  • Theme/Plot:
    Conflict/Dilemmu:
  • Solution:
  • End:

Answer:

  • Name of the story: Pride and Prejudice
  • Type of story: Romantic/Social
  • Setting (time and place): the early 1800s in England
  • Important characters: Elizabeth and Jane Bennet, Mrs. Bennet, Darcy.
  • Theme/Plot: The emotional development of the main characters.
  • Conflict/Dilemma: Darcy is rich and proud Elizabeth is strongly prejudiced against him. Their status and
  • lifestyles differ. However, they are attracted to each other.
  • Solution: How they overcome their prejudices and come together forms the main story of the novel.
  • End: Darcy and Elizabeth overcome their prejudices and their true emotions come through. The end is a happy one with everything ending well.

Class 8 English Chapter 2.5 The Happy Prince Additional Important Questions and Answers

Say whether the following sentences are True or False and correct the false ones:

Question 1.
One night a little swallow flew over the city with his friends.
Answer:
False
Corrected Sentence: One night a little l swallow flew alone over the city

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.5 The Happy Prince

Question 2.
The Happy Prince saw that the Swallow was crying.
Answer:
False
Corrected Sentence: The Swallow saw that the Happy Prince was crying.

Question 3.
The Swallow felt sorry for the Happy Prince.
Answer:
True

Complete the following:

Question 1.
The Happy Prince’s statue was located ______.
Answer:
high above the city

Question 2.
The drops that fell on the swallow were ______.
Answer:
the tears from the eyes of the Happy Prince

Question 3.
The Swallow decided to stay under the statue of the Happy Prince at night ; because ______.
Answer:
it was high up, and so there was ; plenty of fresh air

Question 4.
The Prince was sad _________.
Answer:
to see all the unhappiness of the city

Question 5.
The first gift from the Happy Prince was _______.
Answer:
a great red jewel from his waist

Question 6.
he Swallow felt warm because ______.
Answer:
he had done a good thing

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.5 The Happy Prince

Question 7.
The clever man was surprised _____.
Answer:
to see a swallow in the city in winter

Question 8.
The prince gave a _____ one of the two gemstones of his eyes.
Answer:
poor writer

Question 9.
The writer was trying hard ________.
Answer:
to complete the story

Question 10.
It was easy to get into the young man’s room because __________.
Answer:
there was a hole in the roof

Question 11.
The Swallow refused to take off the other eye because _______.
Answer:
then the prince would not be able to see

Question 11.
The prince gave one of the two gemstones of his eyes to _______.
Answer:
a poor little girl whose eggs had fallen to the ground and broken

Question 13.
Use the word ‘see’ and its ’ homophones in a single sentence of your own.
Answer:
sea-see: The children went all the way from Indore to Mumbai to see the sea.

Pick out the finite and non-finite verbs in the following sentence:

And he decided to fly away.
Answer:
decided-finite verb;
to fly-non- finite verb.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.5 The Happy Prince

Personal Response:

Have you ever observed statues and admired them? Name some.
Answer:
I admire statues which Eire artistic or tell us a story. For example, some of the statues of Shivaji are very well carved, with all the details. However, most of the time j statues in India are neglected, and only ! serve as resting places for birds.

Give reasons:

Question 1.
The mother was forced to ignore her ailing son.
Answer:
The mother was forced to ignore her ailing son as she did not have money to buy food, and could only give him water from the river. She was busy making a ; dress for one of the queen’s ladies. After doing this, she was so tired that she fell asleep.

Question 2.
What was the first task given to the Swallow?
Answer:
The Happy Prince asked the Swallow to take the great red jewel from his waist and give it to a poor woman whose son was ill and hungry. This was the Swallow’s first task.

Question 3.
The Swallow wished to go to Egypt.
Answer:
It was winter, and it would soon begin snowing. The Swallow would not be able to bear this cold weather. So, he wished to go to Egypt where the sun was warm and the leaves were green.

Find from the passage the Homophones of the following words:

  1. read
  2. threw

Answer:

  1. read-red
  2. threw-through

Write the noun forms of the following words:

  1. poor
  2. flew
  3. warm
  4. ill

Answer:

  1. poverty
  2. flight
  3. warmth
  4. illness

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.5 The Happy Prince

Complex Factual Activities:

Question 1.
Why was the writer unable to complete his story?
Answer:
The writer was very cold, weak and hungry. There was no fire in his room. Due to all these reasons, he was unable to complete his story.

Question 2.
What did the writer conclude when he saw the blue jewel?
Answer:
When the writer saw the blue jewel, he concluded that it was a gift from someone who had read and liked his books.

Rewrite as an affirmative sentence:

But he is very cold and he cannot write.
Answer:
But he is very cold and he is unable to write.

Personal Response:

Have you seen birds migrating/flying in groups or information?
Answer:
Yes, I have. I did not realize what it meant in the beginning, but later I saw a documentary film about migratory birds. I like the way they fly in a formation, all of them flying at the same speed. I often wonder how they know where to go and what to do.

Complete the table and write who said the given words and to whom:

Question 1.

The words Who said them To whom
(1) You cannot see now
(2) She has no money to take home.
(3) This is a beautiful piece of glass!
(4) You must go to Egypt

Answer:

The words Who said them To whom
(1) You cannot see now The Swallow The prince
(2) She has no money to take home. The prince The Swallow
(3) This is a beautiful piece of glass! The little girl The Swallow
(4) You must go to Egypt The prince The Swallow

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.5 The Happy Prince

Complete the table:

Question 1.

Positive Comparative Superlative
strange
beautiful
dear
wonderful

Answer:

Positive Comparative Superlative
strange stranger strangest
beautiful more beautiful most beautiful
dear dearer dearest
wonderful more wonderful most wonderful

Underline the pronouns in the following sentences:

Question 1.
She is selling eggs. her eggs have fallen on the ground and they are broken.
Answer:
She is selling eggs. Her eggs have fallen on the ground and they are broken.

Question 2.
“I will stay with you,” repeated the Swallow, and he slept at the Prince’s feet.
Answer:
“I will stay with you,” repeated the Swallow, and he slept at the Prince’s feet.

Personal Response:

How does the suffering of other people affect you?
Answer:
I feel very bad when I see someone suffering. I don’t like to see even animals suffer, and I often have fights with boys who are cruel to animals. If I see someone suffering, I try to help them if it is possible. I plan to become a doctor when I grow up so that I can help those who are in pain.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.5 The Happy Prince

Complete the table and write who said the given words to whom:

Question 1.

The words Who said them To whom
(1) You cannot lie there!
(2) Yes, you have brought the right things.

Answer:

The words Who said them To whom
(1) You cannot lie there! A guard Two little boys
(2) Yes, you have brought the right things. God His servants

Complex Factual Activities:

Question 1.
Describe the sufferings that the Swallow discovered and reported to the prince.
Answer:
The Swallow saw poor people sitting at the gate. He flew into the dark streets, where he saw hungry and sad children. Many children were cold and were treated badly by the guards in the city. These were the sufferings that the Swallow discovered and reported to the prince.

Question 2.
In what state did the important man in the city find the statue?
Answer:
The important man in the city found the statue looking dull. The red stone and the gemstones of the eyes had disappeared. The statue was not golden any longer, and looked like that of a beggar. There was also a dead swallow at the feet of the statue.

Question 3.
Why did the servants of God take the broken heart and the dead bird to God?
Answer:
The servants of God took the broken heart and the dead bird to God because they were the two best things in the city.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.5 The Happy Prince

Question 4.
Why did the Swallow finally decide not to leave the prince?
Answer:
The Swallow finally decided not to leave the prince because he loved him very much.

Question 5.
What decision did the Swallow ; finally make? Was it a wise one? Comment.
Answer:
The Swallow finally decided not to go to Egypt but to remain with the Happy Prince, whom he loved very much. It may not have been a wise decision because it led to the death of the Swallow but it was a decision made from the heart, and was an emotional decision which was rewarded in heaven.

Question 6.
What, do you think, was the part of the statue which did not melt?
Answer:
The part of the statue which did not melt was the heart of the Happy Prince.

Question 7.
What message do you get from this story?
Answer:
The message that we get from this story is that we should be loyal,generous and compassionate. We will not only get peace when on earth but will also get appreciation and reward in heaven.

Do as directed:

Question 1.
Pick out two compound words from the lesson.
Answer:
bedroom, daytime

Question 2.
Use the following phrase in your own sentence : to get in
Answer:
The thief found it difficult to get in through the narrow opening.

Question 3.
Underline the non-finite verb and say what type it is :
The boy is crying and his mother is so unhappy.
Answer:
The boy is crying and his mother is so unhappy.
crying – present participle

Question 4.
Find out four hidden words from the given word : (Each word should have at least 3 letters.)
flower
Answer:
flower: lower, flow, wolf, wore

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.5 The Happy Prince

Question 5.
Use the following word and its homophone in a single sentence : heard
Answer:
The lion heard the herd of buffaloes chasing him.

Question 6.
Rewrite using a clause in place of | the underlined phrase :
I played with my friends in a very beautiful garden.
Answer:
I played with my friends in a garden which was very beautiful.

Question 7.
Rewrite as an affirmative \ sentence :
I did not know what lay on the other l side.
Answer:
I was unaware of what lay on the j other side.

Question 8. Punctuate :
I will stay here he thought it is high up so there is plenty of fresh air :
Answer:
“I will stay here,” he thought. “It is high up, so there is plenty of fresh air.”

Question 9.
Pick out the modal auxiliary and state its function :
I  must find another place.
Answer:
I must find another place, (must- indicates compulsion.)

Question 10.
Identify the type of sentence:
Tell me what you see there.
Answer:
Imperative sentence

Read More:

Vocation Poem Questions and Answers Class 8 English Chapter 2.1 Maharashtra Board

Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.1 Vocation Notes, Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers.

Std 8 English Lesson 2.1 Vocation Question Answer Maharashtra Board

Class 8 English Chapter 2.1 Vocation Textbook Questions and Answers

Warming Up

1. Pick out the words that refer to ‘means of living’ and fill them in the web:
(profession / recreation / occupation /job / pastime / employment / hobby / career / entertainment /mission/ trade / business / sports / retirement / placement)
Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.1 Vocation 1
Answer:
Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.1 Vocation 2

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.1 Vocation

2. Using a good dictionary. find the shades of difference in the following:

2.1 Vocation Questions And Answers Question 1.
Profession
Answer:
‘Profession’ refers to a paid occupation, especially one that involves pro-longed training and a formal qualification.

Vocation Poem Class 8 Questions And Answers Maharashtra Board Question 2.
Vocation
Answer:
‘Vocation’ refers to an occupation for which a person is specially drawn or suited.

Vocation Poem Class 8 Questions And Answers Question 3.
Business
Answer:
‘Business’ refers to the activity of buying or selling goods or services; a commercial activity done by a person at his own risk.

Vocation Poem Class 8 Question 4.
Occupation
Answer:
‘Occupation’ refers to a person’s usual or principal work or business, especially as a means of earning a living.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.1 Vocation

3. When a word is formed from a sound associated with it, it is called an Onomatopoetic Word.

For example : bang, tap, tinkle. crash, whistle etc.
If an Onomatopoetic word occurs in the lines of a poem, the Figure of Speech in that line is Onomatopoeia.
Write down eight to ten Onomatopoetic words on your own.
Answer:

  1. buzz
  2. whoosh
  3. clang
  4. chirp
  5. clap
  6. howl
  7. hiss
  8. grunt
  9. purr
  10. quack

1. Which of the following words / phrases match in meaning to the underlined ones?
(a) deserted
(b) exposed to heat
(c) dirties the clothings
(d) no particular route
(e) following imaginary goals
(f) scolds and corrects

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.1 Vocation

Vocation Poem Class 8 Questions And Answers State Board Question 1.
nobody takes him to task ………..
Answer:
scolds and corrects

Vocation Question Answer Class 8 Question 2.
………. if he gets baked in the sun …………..
Answer:
exposed to heat

Vocation Chapter 2.1 Question Answer Question 3.
………….chasing the shadows with my lantern ……………..
Answer:
following imaginary goals

Class 6 English Vocation Questions And Answers Question 4.
The lane is dark and lonely ……………..
Answer:
deserted

Class 6 English Vocation Question Answer Question 5.
………….. he soils his clothes with dust ………….
Answer:
dirties the clothings

Question 6.
…………. There is no road he must take ………….
Answer:
no particular route

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.1 Vocation

2. Read the poem and fill in the table.

Time of the day Location Poet’s Activity Hawker’s Activities Gardener’s Activities Watchman’s Activities
Morning
Afternoon
Night

Answer:

Time of the day Location Poet’s Activity Hawker’s Activities Gardener’s Activities Watchman’s Activities
Morning In the lane Walking to school Selling Bangles
Afternoon Near the poet’s house Walking home from school Digging the ground
Night The poet’s home Watching thr watchman from his bed. Walking up and down the street.Swinging his latern.

3. Think and answer in your own words:

Question a.
What could be the age group of the speaker in the poem?
Answer:
The speaker in the poem is a young school-going boy.

Question b.
What is the difference between a hawker and a shopkeeper?
Answer:
The difference between a hawker and a shopkeeper is that a hawker does not have a fixed shop. He goes from street to street selling his wares. A shopkeeper has a fixed shop and people who want to buy his goods must go to his shop.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.1 Vocation

Question c.
How do parents react when they see children soil their clothes in dust and heat?
Answer:
When parents see their children exposed to heat or soil their clothes in the dust, they scold them and stop them from doing it.

Question d.
Why is the street light compared to a one-red-eyed-giant?
Answer:
The street light is very tall and has a single red light at the top. Hence it is compared to a giant with one red eye.

Question e.
What exactly does the speaker in the poem crave for?
Answer:
The speaker in the poem, who is a young school-going boy, craves for complete freedom to do whatever he wants and whenever he wants. He wants freedom from authority. He wants to lead a carefree life.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.1 Vocation

Question f.
Does the poet really wish to become a hawker/gardener/watchman? Justify your response.
Answer:
The poet does not really wish to become a hawker/gardener/watchman. He is childish and sees only what he thinks is their ‘carefree’ life. He does not see the difficulties. He actually only craves for complete freedom from authority.

4. Say why the speaker of the poem wishes to be:

Question a.
Hawker:
Answer:
The speaker in the poem feels that there is nothing to hurry the hawker. There is no fixed road he must travel by, no place that he must go to and no time when he must get back home. The speaker feels he is lucky and hence he wishes to be a hawker. It means that the speaker wants to be free to do what he wants and go where he wants to, without any restrictions.

Question b.
Gardener:
Answer:
The speaker in the poem sees that the gardener in the nearby house is digging the ground. He does what he likes with his spade. He is free to get his clothes soiled with mud, get baked in the sun or get wet. No one scolds him. Hence the speaker wishes to be a gardener so that he is able to enjoy freedom in the open without any restrictions.

Question c.
Watchman:
Answer:
The speaker is in his bed Through the open window, he can see the watchman walking up and down the dark and lonely street with a lantern in his hand. The speaker is resentful that he has to go to bed. He thinks that the watchman never goes to bed in his life. Hence he wishes to become a watchman and walk up and down in the dark street at night, having fun chasing the shadows with his lantern

5. Pick outlines that contain Alliteration. Simile, Repetition, Onomatopoeia:

(a) Alliteration:
(i) ‘I can see through the gate the gardener digging the ground.’ Repetition of the sound of the letter ‘t’ and ‘g’.
(ii) ‘He does what he likes with his spade, he soils his clothes…’ Repetition of the sound of the letter ‘h’.
(iii) ‘nobody takes him to task’ Repetition of the sound of the letter ‘t’.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.1 Vocation

(b) Simile:
‘The street lamp stands like a giant with one red eye in its head.’ The street lamp is directly compared to a giant, using the word ‘like’.

(c) Repetition:
(i) The words ‘Bangles, crystal bangles’ are repeated to create images in our mind of the hawker.
(ii) The words ‘no’ and ‘nobody’ are repeated for emphasis.

(d) Onomatopoeia:
‘the gong sounds ten’ : the word ‘gong’ is an onomatopoeic word formed from the sound associated with it.

6. Some poets do not use uniformity in rhyming words, nor a steady rhythm. Such poems with no uniformity in rhyme, rhythm, length of lines, or stanzas are called Free Verse. Walt Whitman, Ezra Pound, T.S. Eliot, Rabindranath Tagore are some famous poets who have composed poems in Free Verse.
A quick glance at the poem Vocution’ reveals that the style used by Tagore is Free Verse.
Now turn the pages of your textbook and see if you can find other poems in Free Verse.

7. ‘occupation/profession/business would you like to take up in the future?
Prepare a fact file for the same using the following points.

  1. Name of the vocation / profession / business ……….
  2. Educational qualifications required ………..
  3. Work profile/description………..
  4. Opportunities for advancement …………..
  5. our personal skills/talents for the choice …………..

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.1 Vocation

Answer:

  1. Name of the vocation/profession/business: Engineering
  2. Educational qualifications required: B.E/B.Tech
  3. Work profile/description: Setting up of projects/setting up plants/inventing new instruments and machines
  4. Opportunities for advancement: Excellent in a developing country like India
  5. Your personal skills/talents for the choice: My interest in seeing how various machines work and my talent in repairing simple instruments.

8. Read and understand the following poem paper Boats’ and write its paraphrase in your own simple language. (You may take the help of a dictionary or the internet.) The first line is done for you.
(Day after day. one after another. I sail paper boats on the stream of flowing water.)
Answer:

Paper Boats

Day after day, one after another, I sail paper boats on the stream of flowing water. I write my name and the name of my village on the boats in big black letters. I hope that someone in some strange land will find them and know who I am. I fill my little boats with ‘shiuli’ flowers and hope that these flowers which I have picked at dawn will be carried safely to land in the night.

I set my paper boats in motion and look up at the sky. The little clouds have white bulging tails behind them that look like the sails of a boat. I do not know if there is a young child like me up in the sky, who wants to play with me, and sends his boats down through the air to race with my boats.
When it is night, I bury my face in my arms and dream that my paper boats are floating in the air under the stars at midnight. The fairies who bring sleep are sailing in them, and they are filling their baskets with dreams.

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.1 Vocation

Class 8 English Chapter 2.1 Vocation Additional Important Questions and Answers

Choose the correct alternative and rewrite the complete sentence:

Vocation Question Answer Question 1.
The hawker is advertising aloud for selling metal bangles/crystal bangles.
Answer:
The hawker is advertising aloud for selling crystal bangles.

Vocation Poem Class 6 Question 2.
The narrator/The gardener is scolded if he gets dirty.
Answer:
The narrator is scolded if he gets dirty.

Vocation Std 8 Questions And Answers Question 3.
The speaker in the poem is a young school-going boy/an adult going to work.
Answer:
The speaker in the poem is a young school-going boy.

Complete the following:

Question 1.
The difference between a hawker and a shopkeeper is _____.
Answer:
that a hawker does not have a fixed shop. He goes from street to street selling his wares. A shopkeeper has a fixed shop and people who want to buy his goods must go to his shop

Maharashtra Board Class 8 English Solutions Chapter 2.1 Vocation

Question 2.
When parents see their children exposed to heat or soil their clothes in the dust, they ________.
Answer:
scold them and stop them from doing it.

Question 3.
The watchman is accompanied by _______.
Answer:
his lantern and his shadow.

Question 4.
The street lamp appears to be _______.
Answer:
a giant with one red eye in its head.

Question 5.
Analysis/Appreciation Of The Poem
Answer:

  1. Poem and poet: ‘Vocation’ by Rabindranath Tagore
  2. Theme: The longing of a young boy for freedom.
  3. Tone: direct; full of craving
  4. Structure and stanzas: Stanzas of unequal length; the number and length of lines vary.
  5. Rhyme and Rhythm: No rhymes or rhythm; the poem is in Free Verse.
  6. Language and Imagery: Simple and direct; vivid images of the hawker, the j gardener and the watchman.
  7. Figures of Speech: Alliteration, Simile, Repetition, Onomatopoeia.

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