Category: Class 9

By understanding the academic needs we have prepared the Karnataka State Board English Class 9 Solutions Chapter Wise. Our aim is to help the students by providing the question and answers chapter wise and help them to gain a good score in the exams. Before you start your preparation go through the chapters covered in this academic. So go through them and Download KSEEB Solutions for Class 9 English Prose Chapter 2 The Collectors Question and Answers Pdf for free.

Karnataka State Board Class 9 English Prose Chapter 2 The Collectors

The topics covered in Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board Class 9 Solutions for English Chapter 2 The Collectors. The KSEEB Solutions Class 9 English Solutions Chapter 2 The Collectors Question and Answers are prepared according to the latest edition.The Chapterwise page will help the students to revise the syllabus during the exams.

The Collectors Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes

Comprehension:

C1. Answer the following:

Question 1.
Why was the group looking for shelter?
Answer:
The group was looking for a shelter because it suddenly started raining heavily. When they were out for an adventure walk.

Question 2.
How far was the village from the place the group was living in?
Answer:
The village was three miles from the place the group was living in.

Question 3.
Why did Mr. Hunt hesitate to seek shelter in the house?
Answer:
Mr. Hunt hesitated to take shelter in the house because it was in a lonely place and it wasn’t there the previous time he had walked there. He also felt that since all of them were dripping wet, it was not decent to go into somebody’s house.

Question 4.
Name the occupants of the house.
Answer:
The occupants of the house were Mr. and Mrs. Brown.

Question 5.
On what pretext did the occupants of the house separate the teachers from the children?
Answer:
The occupants of the house asked the children to sit in the kitchen and asked the teachers to sit in the living room. They separated them saying that there was not enough place in the living room for all to sit.

Question 6.
What seemed unnatural in the house to the children?
Answer:
The children felt that the house was very unnatural because the kitchen looked very empty. There were no plates, pots, or pans. The cupboards were empty and the fridge was also empty.

Question 7.
What was unnatural with Mrs. Brown’s hand?
Answer:
Mrs. Brown had seven fingers on both hands.

Question 8.
What did the children find in the larger cupboard?
Answer:
The children found a lot of electronic equipment in the larger cupboard. There were dials, digital read-outs, coloured lights, and a mass of other electronic equipment.

Question 9.
When Pete went to Mr. Hunt, Mr. Hunt was not moving and was staring blankly because –
a) he was thinking
b) he was drugged
c) he was meditating.
Answer:
(b) He was drugged.

Question 10.
When Pete went to Mr. Hunt, Pete heard the Browns talking to each other but could not understand what they were saying. Why?
Answer:
Pete could not understand what the Browns were talking to each other because they were not humans and were talking in an alien language.

Question 11.
Why did Pete prevent the other children from taking the drink?
Answer:
Pete prevented the other children from taking the orange juice because he suspected that it must have been drugged like the tea which his teachers had drunk.

Question 12.
Where were the aliens taking the children?
Answer:
The aliens were taking the children to their home planet.

Question 13.
Why were the aliens collecting creatures from other planets?
Answer:
The aliens were collecting creatures from other planets for experiments and scientific study.

Question 14.
Where was the control of the back door located?
Answer:
The control of the backdoor was located on the left of the panel in the large cupboard. It was marked with a yellow light.

Question 15.
After sending all the others out of the spaceship, how did Pete and Glenn manage to escape from the aliens?
Answer:
Pete ordered Mrs. and Mr. Brown to go through the door behind them and close it. He threatened to smash the equipment if they didn’t obey him. When they went out, he and Glenn escaped through the back door.

C2. Answer the following:

Question 1.
What circumstances forced the party to take shelter in the spaceship?
Answer:
The six children and their three teachers were out for an adventure walk. Suddenly it started raining heavily and as the village was three miles away, they decided to take shelter in a house they saw in the countryside. They were not aware that the house was in fact a spaceship.

Question 2.
List the things that made the children feel uncomfortable in the kitchen.
Answer:

1. The kitchen is like a hospital.
2. No plates, no pots, and pans.
3. The cupboard is quite empty.
4. The fridge is also empty.

Question 3.
Why couldn’t the children escape through either the back door or the windows?
Answer:
The children tried breaking the backdoor and the window but could not do so. They hit the door with the walking stick but it didn’t break. They realised that the glass was unbreakable. Hence they couldn’t open either the door or the window and escape. In fact, the controls for opening the door and window were in the electronic panel in the big cupboard.

Question 4.
List the following:

1. Things that were in the kitchen.
2. Unusual features of the Browns.
3. Language used by the Browns.
4. Different ways in which the children tried to get out of the house.

Answer:

1. Things that were in the kitchen: An empty cupboard and a fridge that was not working.
2. Unusual features of the Browns: Mrs. Brown had seven fingers on both the hands, their eyes were all one colour, they didn’t have any black-sort-of-centers.
3. Language used by the Browns: Alien language, that sounded like hissing and clicking.
4. Different ways children tried to get out of the house: The children tried to open the back door, tried to smash the window open with a stick. Finally, they got out by threatening Mrs. Brown.

C3. Answer the following:

Question 1.
What suspicion did the children have about the Browns and their ‘house’? What convincing reasons did Mrs. Brown come up with?
Answer:
When the children were left in the kitchen, they found it very odd that there was nothing in the kitchen no pots, pans, or plates, the cupboards were empty, the fridge was empty and disconnected.

They saw that Mrs. Brown looked very odd with seven fingers in each hand, her eyes all in one colour. They heard the Browns talking to one another in a hissing and clicking tone. The children who thought till then that the Browns were thieves, realized that they were in fact aliens. They were sure of it when they found a large mass of electronic equipment in a cupboard and the doors and windows locked and unbreakable.

When the children questioned Mrs. Brown about the empty kitchen, she said that nothing was stocked since they had just moved in. When the children asked her about the electronic panel in the cupboard, she said that her husband was a scientist and it was a part of his work. The doors and windows were burglar proof and autoclosing because they did not want their expensive equipment to be stolen.

Question 2.
How did Pete become instrumental in saving the teachers and his mates?
Answer:
Pete outsmarted the aliens. He was the first one to understand that Mrs. and Mr. Brown had drugged the teachers. He immediately grew cautious and kept the walking stick with him for possible confrontations with the Browns. He also cautioned the children not to drink the orange juice. Once the Browns came to know that they could no longer deceive the children, they let out the secret that they were aliens. They also told the children that they would be used in experiments. However, Pete’s presence of mind saved them.

He had seen the equipment being stored in the cupboard and knew that the aliens needed it badly. So he stood at the cupboard with the walking stick held high threateningly and told the aliens that if they made any wrong move, he would smash the equipment in the cupboard.

He took the help of Wayne in controlling the aliens. He asked Wayne to be ready with a chair to spoil everything in the cupboard if the aliens disobeyed his orders. He made Mr. Brown lead the teachers back to the room where the children were and dominated over Mrs. Brown to know how to open the back door.

Once all, except Wayne and he, had escaped through the back door, he ordered the aliens to go out of the other door and close it behind them. After they went out of the door, he ran out with Wayne and escaped being abducted by the aliens. Thus, Pete had the clarity of thought even in crisis and saved not only himself but also all his friends and teachers.

Additional Questions:

Question 1.
Where did Mr. Hunt keep his walking stick, once inside the house?
Answer:
He hung it on the back of a chair.

Question 2.
What drink did Mrs. Brown offer the children?
Answer:
Orange juice.

Question 3.
How did Mrs. Brown appear to the children?
Answer:
Something weird like a vampire.

Question 4.
What did the children try doing in order to get out?
Answer:
They tried to open the back door as well as the window but they were unsuccessful.

Question 5.
Why wouldn’t the police be able to find them?
Answer:
The aliens planned to leave the place along with the teachers and the children. Once their spaceship left, there would be no trace left. So, the police would not be able to find them.

Question 6.
How did Pete keep Mr. and Mrs. Brown away?
Answer:
By threatening to smash their electronic equipment if they moved nearer.

Question 7.
Why was Mrs. Brown afraid of attacking the children?
Answer:
She did not want to be stranded on Earth. If any part of their equipment broke, they had no chance of repairing it.

Question 8.
Where was the house after all of them got out?
Answer:
It had vanished in a soundless flash.

Question 9.
Where did the teachers and children go after their strange experience?
Answer:
Towards the village.

Multiple Choice Questions:

Question 1.
In the play ‘The Collectors’, a group of teachers and children went out for
A) a picnic
B) an excursion
C) a visit to a historical place
D) an adventure walk.
Answer:
D) an adventure walk.

Question 2.
The group decided to take shelter in a lonely house because
A) it was raining hard
B) they were tired of walking
C) they were hungry
D) it was dark.
Answer:
A) it was raining hard

Question 3.
The children found the kitchen unusual because there were
A) no pots, pans or plates
B) no windows
C) no cupboards
D) no vegetables
Answer:
A) no pots, pans or plates

Question 4.
The group did not want to go to the village because
A) they did not want to walk nearly three miles in the rain
B) the Browns invited them to their house
C) Mr. Hunt knew the Browns
D) it was night already.
Answer:
A) they did not want to walk nearly three miles in the rain

Question 5.
Mrs. Brown warned the children
A) not to touch the cupboards
B) not to play in the kitchen
C) not to go out
D) not to open the fridge.
Answer:
A) not to touch the cupboards

Question 6.
Pete went into the sitting room to talk to Mr. Hunt. But he found Mr. Hunt
A) sleeping soundly
B) staring blankly at nothing
C) talking to the other teachers
D) talking to the Browns
Answer:
B) staring blankly at nothing

Question 7.
Mrs. Brown said that the back door and the windows were locked because
A) Mr. Brown did not want his equipment stolen.
B) they did not want anybody to come in.
C) they did not want to be seen by anyone.
D) they were hiding from the police.
Answer:
A) Mr. Brown did not want his equipment stolen.

Question 8.
The kitchen reminded Pete of a
A) school
B) theatre
C) hospital
D) laboratory
Answer:
C) hospital

Language Activities:

A. Vocabulary:

V1. a) Look at the following describing words and phrases. Group them under words or phrases describing the place and describing the Browns. Write two different paragraphs describing the place and describing the Browns.

Terribly quiet, aliens, had seven fingers, eyes had no centre, weird, weird like a vampire, cold, strange, spoke strange language, deserted, empty.
Words describing the place Words describing the Browns

Answer:

Paragraphs:

1. The place was terribly quiet. It was cold inside and appeared strange. It was in a totally deserted place. Every cupboard in the kitchen was empty and it all felt weird.
2. Mr. and Mrs. Brown were aliens. They spoke a strange language. Their eyes did not have any black centres. Mrs. Brown had seven fingers on each of her hands and the children felt that she was weird like a vampire.

b) Synonyms of the word ‘wet’.
drenched, dripping, drizzling, foggy, humid, misty, soaked, sodden.
Write the meaning of each word, and see how they differ in their meaning. Write a sentence each for every word.

1. drenched: To make someone or something completely wet. As he was completely drenched, he decided to skip classes.
2. dripping: make something fall in drips.
   Since she did not dry her hair, water was dripping from her plait.
3. drizzling: light rain.
   Since it is drizzling, the match has to be cancelled.
4. foggy: a thick cloud of very small drops of water in the air close to the land.
   Mr. Bhat couldn’t reach the airport in time as the traffic was moving slowly owing to fog.
5. humid: containing extremely small drops of water in the air.
   Since our city is humid during summer, tourists find the stay uncomfortable.
6. misty: full of or covered with mist.
   The misty weather added an aura of mystery to the lonely place.
7. soaked: completely wet.
   The maid soaked the clothes in hot water to remove the stains.
8. sodden: extremely wet.
   Since his footwear was sodden, he couldn’t run fast.

V2. a) Prefix:

Prefix is an ‘addition’ to the ‘beginning’ of a word which changes its form and meaning. Below are some examples of prefixes. You add some more (at least three each) to them.

Prefix	Meaning	Example	More examples
bi-	two, twice	bicycle
CO –	together, with	co-operate
multi –	many	multipurpose
mono – pre –	single before	monosyllable pre-school
re –	again	rewrite
post –	after, later	postpone
il-, im-, in-, ir-, non-, un-, mis-, dis-	not (antonyms of the words)	illiterate, impossible, inactive, irresponsible, nonviolence, unlock
over –	too much	overeat
semi –	half	semicircle
under –	not enough	underweight

More examples:

1. bi – bifocal; biannual; bicycle; biweekly.
2. co – co-ordinate; co-curriculum; co-passenger; co-existence; co-education; co-habitation; co-incidence; co-worker.
3. multi – multi-functional; multi-faceted; multi-media; multi-coloured; multi-lingual; multi-national.
4. mono – monograph; monotone; monolith; monopoly; monorail.
5. pre – pre-determine; pre-arrange; preface; pre-cast; preview; prefix.
6. re – regain; redo; return; reunite; rediscover; react; reassure; rebound; recall; recap.
7. post – post-operation; post-natal; post-script; post-mortem; post-war; post-graduate.
8. il – illegitimate; illegal; illness; illiterate; illogical.
9. im – imperfect; imbalance; impossible; immeasurable.
10. in- inability; incomplete; inaccurate; indefinite; incorrect; inevitable; inappropriate.
11. ir – irregular; irrational; irrecoverable; irredeemable; irrelevant; irresponsible.
12. non- non-cooperation; non-existent; non-entity; non-interference; nonsense; non-stick.
13. un- uneventful; undone; unwanted; unfinished; unknown; unlike; unquestionable; unreasonable.
14. mis – misconduct; mislead; mismanage; misunderstand; misuse; misfire; mistake.
15. dis – disqualify; dislocate; displease; disappear; disgrace; dislike; disagree; disorder.
16. over- overreact; overconfident; overjoyed; overwork; overdue; overeat; overdo.
17. semi – semi-conductor; semi-conscious; semi-final; semi-circle.
18. under – underage; undergraduate; underestimate; underprivileged; underline; underweight.

b) Suffix:

Suffix is an addition to the end of a word which changes its form and meaning. Suffixes are mainly used to make nouns, adjectives, adverbs, antonyms and verbs.

1. The table shows some examples for the same. You add some more in the last column.

Suffix	Examples	More examples
-er, -or, -ist, -ee	teacher, editor, tourist, employee
-ance, -ence, -ism, -dom, -ity, -ty, -ship	performance, existence, patriotism, kingdom, possibility, cruelty, hardship
-al, -en, -ful, -ly, -less, -ous	national, golden, joyful, friendly, fearless, nervous
-en, -ise (or) -ize	broaden, nationalise, modernize
-ly	quickly, boldly

More Examples:

1. -er – preacher, examiner, prayer, cheater, reader.
2. -or – monitor, evaluator, sailor, conqueror.
3. -ist – motorist, guitarist, dentist.
4. -ee – payee, interviewee, addressee, employee.
5. -ance – accordance, attendance, tolerance.
6. -ence – preference, difference, existence.
7. -ism – tourism, absenteeism, criticism.
8. -dom – freedom, boredom, martyrdom.
9. -ity – probability, morality, capability, density.
10. -ty – nutty, potty, dotty, fatty.
11. -ship – kinship, statesmanship, friendship.
12. -al – emotional, seasonal, arrival, optional.
13. -en – broken, spoken, shaken.
14. -ful – playful, painful, careful, helpful.
15. -ly – quietly, mostly, lastly.
16. -less – jobless, cashless, pointless.
17. -ous – joyous, adventurous, disastrous, poisonous.
18. -en – lengthen, strengthen, soften, shorten.
19. -ise or -ize – internalise, patronise, centralise, characterise.
20. -ly – sharply, narrowly, primarily.

2. Form new words using the appropriate prefixes or suffixes:
Example: safe – unsafe, safely, safety.

New words:

1. Coloured – colourful, colourless, colourfully, discolour.
2. Absent – absence, absentminded, absenteeism, absentee.
3. Rest – restful, restless, restive, resting, unrest.
4. Cycle – cyclic, cyclical, cyclist, bicycle.
5. Kind – kindly, kindness, unkind, unkindly.
6. Question – questionable, questionably, questioning, questionnaire, unquestionable.
7. Wise – wisely, wisdom, unwise, unwisely.
8. Solid – solidify, solidly, solidity, solidness.
9. Loyal – loyally, loyalty, disloyal, disloyally.
10. Lock – unlock, locker, locking, locked.
11. Normal – normally, normalcy, normality, abnormal, abnormally.
12. Sufficient – suffice, insufficient, sufficiently, sufficiency.
13. Direct – direction, director, directly, directionless.
14. Noble – nobility, ignoble, nobly, nobleness.
15. Move – movable, movably, immovable, moving, movement, mover, remove, remover, removable, removability, unmoved, moved.
16. Wool – woolly, woollen.
17. Culture – culturally, cultural, cultureless, uncultured, cultured.
18. Wind – windy, windless, unwind, winding, windmill, windfall, winded.
19. Treat – treatment, treaty, entreat.
20. Fear – fearless, fearful, fearlessly, fearfully, fearsome.

B. Grammar And Usage:

I. First conditionals (possible)

G1. Match the following Main clauses and ‘if’ clauses:

‘If’ clause	Main clause
1. If you wastewater 2. If you lend me some money 3. If Ravi is late 4. If the bus breaks down 5. If it rains	a. he will be punished b. I won’t be able to attend the class c. I shall get wet d. I can buy a new car e. you will suffer

Answer:

1. e
2. d
3. a
4. b
5. c

II. Second conditionals (probable):

G2. A. Use the words provided and rewrite the sentences using ‘if’ clauses:

1. Tajmahal/Chaya/Agra/visit
   If Chaya had visited Agra, she would have visited Tajmahal.
2. rained/the plants/not wither
   If it rained, the plants wouldn’t wither.
3. had/P ay alan/new shoes/jog faster
   If Payalan had new shoes, he would jog faster.
4. had/Kalai/a cycle/reach school earlier.
   If Kalai had a cycle, he would reach school earlier.

B. Match the phrases in Column A with those in Column B:

A	B
If he studied well	a) I would buy a BMW car
If he went late	b) he would pass the exam
If I won a lottery	c) the dog would bite us
If it got out of the gate	d) he would not get water
If I had more money	e) I would feed a lot of people

Answer:

1. b
2. d
3. a
4. c
5. e

III. Third conditionals:

G3. Exercise:

Complete the following sentences with suitable clauses given in the box below:

1. If Raj had got enough water, ……………..
2. Prajwal would have found a job, ………………
3. If Ramya hadn’t started early, ………………
4. Christopher would have got a prize, ……………….
5. If we had saved more rain water in ponds and lakes, …………………

Answer:

1. If Raj had got enough water, he would have shared it with his neighbour.
2. Prajwal would have found a job, if he had attended the interview.
3. If Ramya hadn’t started early, she would have been late to work.
4. Christopher would have got a prize, if he had performed . well.
5. If we had saved more rain water in ponds and lakes, we could have survived the drought.

Listening And Speaking:

L2. What/ how would you suggest in the following situations?

1. Your friend’s eyes are red and watering, (……………. go to a doctor)
2. Your neighbour is suffering from toothache. ( ………….. I would go to the dentist.)
3. Ramesh wants to improve his English. ( ……………….. join a crash course)
4. The local MLA wants to meet your H.M. but the H.M. is away for a meeting. (……………… come tomorrow)
5. Salim wants to buy a dictionary but has no money. (……………… borrow from the library.)

Answer:

1. Your friend’s eyes are red and watering. Why don’t you go to the doctor?
2. Your neighbour is suffering from toothache. If I were you, I would go to the dentist.
3. Ramesh wants to improve his English. I think you should join a crash course.
4. Local MLA wants to meet your H.M., but the H.M. is away for a meeting. Excuse me, sir, I am afraid you will have to come tomorrow.
5. Salim wants to buy a dictionary but has no money. How about borrowing one from the library?

The Collectors Summary in English

‘The Collectors’ is a one-act play about the encounter of a group of teachers and children on an adventure walk in a lonely countryside with two aliens. The aliens have taken the form of humans and hence the group takes shelter in their spaceship mistaking it for a house.

It’s raining heavily and Miss Swann wonders whether they could get shelter. But Mr. Hunt replies that they could get a shelter only after reaching the village which is three miles away. It is at this point that the group sees a house. The strangeness of the house is apparent right from the beginning.

Mrs. Jones says that it is funny-looking. Mr. Hunt remarks that it wasn’t there when he had been there the previous summer. However, since the children are wet and cold, they decide to approach the house for shelter. They also think that if it is embarrassing to ask for shelter for so many of them, they would take shelter in the shed.

However, they are welcomed by the inmates of the house, Mrs. and Mr. Brown. The grown-ups are taken to the sitting room and they are also offered tea. But after the three teachers and the inmates of the house have gone to the sitting room, the children start feeling uncomfortable. They find the house to be strange as it is terribly quiet and cold, and there is no wind at all. They also find everything empty as though the house is not being used at all. The children wonder whether the Browns have put all their things in the cupboard.

But when they look into the cupboard, they find the cupboard empty. The fridge is not only empty but it is not switched on also. Even as Dawn and Tracy warn Wayne and Pete not to snoop around, Carol remarks that she finds the Browns strange. The children come to the conclusion that the Browns are crooks and the house is their hideout.

At this point, Mrs. Brown comes back and she finds the cupboard open. She warns the children not to mess around. She also offers the explanation that they are yet to open the packs and put things in their place as they had just moved into the new place. She even offers orange juice to the children and leaves the room, warning the children once again not to touch the cupboards.

However, the suspicion of the children grows. They even notice that she has seven fingers each on her two hands. They also find her eyes strange as they don’t seem to have the pupil. The children feel that it is better for them to leave the place and hence Pete goes to meet the teachers.

Wayne meanwhile grows curious about the second cupboard. Though Dawn and Tracy warn Wayne not to touch the cupboard, Wayne opens the cupboard and the children are surprised to see dials, digital read¬outs, coloured lights and electronic equipment in the cupboard.

At that point Pete returns and increases the discomfort of the children by sharing with them his doubt that the teachers were drugged. He reveals that the three teachers had sat motionless and the Browns were communicating with each other in a strange way, hissing and clicking at each other. The children, who are by now more and more uncomfortable, decide to get out of the house.

But Wayne finds the back door locked and there is no key. The same is true of the window also. They are not able to break it open with Mr. Hunt’s stick as the glass is like steel. Even as they decide to look for a way out through the front, Mrs. Brown returns with a tray of drinks. The children confront her directly and ask her what she has done to their teachers. She refutes the allegation that they have drugged the teachers.

When the children ask her about the strange things in the cupboard, she tells them that Mr. Brown is a scientist and it is his electronic equipment. She gives the explanation that the door and the window are burglar-proof. At this point Tracy blurts out that the children have found the house and the inmates to be strange.

Even as Mrs. Brown takes offence, Pete confronts her and asks her to take them to the sitting room. Mrs. Brown, in response, offers to get one of their teachers to where they are. Once again Tracy and Dawn believe Mrs. Brown and start blaming Pete for unnecessarily scaring them.

But Mrs. Brown returns with Mr. Brown instead of Mr. Hunt and Mr. Brown orders the. children to drink the juice. They refuse to do so, prompted by Pete. When Glen and Wayne try to escape, they are sent flying across the kitchen by Mrs. Brown. The children learn the truth one by one. When the children tell Mr. Brown that they cannot be kidnapped as the police would look for them, Mr. Brown tells them that they are aliens who have taken the human shape and the shelter that looked like a house would be converted to a spaceship when they are ready to take off.

He adds that the children can’t anyway escape and if they were to drink the juice, it would lessen the shock of the take-off of the spaceship. He also lets out the secret that children are collected for the sake of experiments and scientific study.

But just then the presence of mind of Pete saves the children and their teachers. He had seen the equipment being stored in the cupboard and knew that the aliens needed it badly. So he stands at the cupboard with the walking stick held high threateningly and tells the aliens that if they made any wrong move, he would smash the equipment in the cupboard. He takes the help of Wayne in controlling the aliens.

He asks Wayne to be ready with a chair to destroy everything in the cupboard if the aliens disobey his orders. He makes Mr. Brown lead the teachers to the room where the children are and dominates over Mrs. Brown and learns how to open the back door.

Once all, except Wayne and he, have escaped through the back door, he orders the aliens to go out of the other door and closes it behind them. After they go out of the door, he runs out with Wayne and escapes being abducted by the aliens. Thus, Pete has clarity of thought even in crisis and saves not only himself but also all his friends and teachers.

After a while the group is surprised to realise that it is neither raining nor foggy and the sun is out. The house itself is not there. It is as if they had imagined their encounter with the aliens. There is a difference of opinion about reporting the matter. Some like Tracy feel that nobody would believe them.

Some like Mr. Hunt feel that the matter should be reported especially since people have disappeared. He feels that there should be a warning. The play comes to an end even as the group continues to argue over the matter.

Glossary:

porch: covered entrance, portico
weird: strange, unusual
cheeky: disrespectful
snoop: poke around
stranded: trapped
anoraks: a waterproof jacket, typically with a hood, of a kind originally used in polar regions
potty: foolish, silly.

We hope the information prevailed in this article is helpful for all the students of Class 9. The Karnataka State Board Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 2 The Collectors Question and Answers pdf enhance your skills and score good marks in the exams. Stay tuned to get the latest information about the KSEEB Solutions Class 9 English Solutions.

By understanding the academic needs we have prepared the Karnataka State Board English Class 9 Solutions Chapter Wise. Our aim is to help the students by providing the question and answers chapter wise and help them to gain a good score in the exams. Before you start your preparation go through the chapters covered in this academic. So go through them and Download KSEEB Solutions for Class 9 English Prose Chapter 3 The Portrait of a Lady Question and Answers Pdf for free.

Karnataka State Board Class 9 English Prose Chapter 3 The Portrait of a Lady

The topics covered in Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board Class 9 Solutions for English Chapter 3 The Portrait of a Lady. The KSEEB Solutions Class 9 English Solutions Chapter 3 The Portrait of a Lady Question and Answers are prepared according to the latest edition.The Chapterwise page will help the students to revise the syllabus during the exams.

The Portrait of a Lady Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes

Comprehension:

C1. Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
Read paragraph 2. There are a few sentences which speak about the grandmother’s features. Pick out those sentences and write them.
Answer:
She had always been short and fat and slightly bent. Her face was a crisscross of wrinkles running from everywhere to everywhere. She could never have been pretty, but she was always beautiful.

Question 2.
“……… she used to get me ready for school”. How did the grandmother get the author ready for school?
Answer:
The grandmother used to wake the author up in the morning and get him ready for school. She would fetch his wooden slate which she had already washed and plastered with yellow chalk, a tiny earthen ink-pot and red pen, tie them all in a bundle and hand it to him. After a breakfast of thick stale chapattis with a little butter and sugar spread on it, they would leave for school.

Question 3.
Why did the grandmother accompany the author to the school?
Answer:
The grandmother accompanied the author to the school because the school was attached to the temple. She would sit there to say her prayers and read the scriptures.

Question 4.
“That was a turning point in our friendship”. What was the ‘turning point’?
Answer:
When the author’s parents were settled in the city, they called the author and grandmother to come there. That was the turning point. Though the author and grandmother shared the same room, she did not go with him to the school. She gradually remained away from his activities and him.

Question 5.
What made the grandmother unhappy? Why?
Answer:
In the village, the temple priest used to teach the alphabet and the morning prayer. That was ‘schooling’, according to the grandmother. But, in the city school, the author had to learn modern education with English, Science, Mathematics, etc. When he came back from school she would ask him about the lessons. But she understood very little of it. As there was no teaching.about God and scriptures, she felt unhappy.

C2. Discuss the following questions and present them before the class:

Question 1.
“The thought was almost revolting”. What is ‘the thought’ referred to? Why does the author use the word ‘revolting’ to describe the thought?
Answer:
‘The thought’ refers to the concept of grandmother being ‘young and pretty’. The author had seen her for the last twenty years as the ‘same, old, wrinkled’ woman. He couldn’t imagine her in any younger condition. If anybody told him to imagine her as young, it would be totally opposite of his perception of ‘grandmother’. So he says the thought itself was ‘revolting’.

Question 2.
How did the grandmother help the author as a boy during the school days?
Answer:
The author’s parents had left him with his grandmother when they went to live in the city. The author and his grandmother were good friends. She used to wake him up early in the morning, bathe him and dress him, all the while singingthe morning prayer which the author used to like listening to.

She used to pack his wooden slate, a small earthen Ink-pot, his red pen all in a bundle and give him after providing him with a breakfast of a thick chapathi smeared with ghee and sugar. She then used to drop him to school, wait at the temple reading scriptures and after school, bring him back home.

Question 3.
Describe the relation between (animals/birds) – dogs and sparrows and the grandmother.
Answer:
The grandmother used to feed street dogs with pieces of chapattis when the grandmother and grandson duo returned home from the ‘temple-school’. At a later stage, in the city, when the author was engrossed in his higher studies, she used to spend some time feeding birds like sparrows. They had become so friendly with her that they would perch on her legs.

When the grandmother died, thousands of sparrows sat around the corpse without any chirping, all in silence. They did not touch the bread crumbs which the author’s mother had thrown for them. They flew away quietly when the dead body was carried off and never came back.

Question 4.
Describe the three stages in the relationship between the author and his grandmother (before he went abroad).
Answer:
The first stage of the author’s relationship with his grandmother started when he was still a child. The old lady used to tell him and other children of the games she used to play as a child. Her stories not only looked quite funny, they also seemed quite strange and exaggerated. The author did not take them seriously.

The second stage of this relationship began when the narrator started going to school. His parents left him with her and they went to live in the city. They were constantly together. She used to wake him up in the morning and get him ready for school. Then she would fetch his wooden slate, a tiny earthen inkpot, and a red pen. After a breakfast of a thick, stale chapatti, they went to school. She carried several chapattis for the village dogs. The school was attached to the temple where she would sit and pray. They would walk back together after school.

The third stage of their relationship began when the narrator’s parents sent for them in the city. That was a turning point in their friendship. He used to go to an English school in a motor bus. As the years rolled by they saw less of each other. She didn’t like the English school as there was no teaching about God and scriptures there. She hated western science and music. When he went up to university he was given a room of his own. The common link of their friendship was snapped. His grandmother accepted her seclusion with resignation.

Question 5.
Grandmother and prayer were inseparable. Find instances from the lesson to justify this observation.
Answer:
Prayer was a part of the life of the grandmother. All the time she had the rosary in her hand, her fingers kept rolling the beads and her lips kept muttering prayers. From morning till evening, whether she did her work or some work for the grandson, she did it with prayers. She went along with the grandson to the school, sat in the temple attached to the school reading scriptures till the school bell rang.

When the author grew up and went to the university, she spent her time spinning; yet all the time she had her prayers on her lips. When she fell ill also, she prayed – and prayed till her last breath. Thus, prayer was an integral part of the life of the grandmother.

Question 6.
‘She thumped the sagging skins of the dilapidated drum’. Has the description of the drum anything to do with the grandmother? Explain.
Answer:
The old grandmother became more and more secluded from the family bonds as the years passed. Perhaps this is part of the ageing process. She did not show any emotional changes when the grandson went abroad despite the fact that she had sensed her end. When her end actually neared, she gathered the neighbouring women and sang for the last time with them, playing the drums.

The ‘sagging skins’ and ‘dilapidated drum’ symbolize the old body of hers, the song ‘home-coming of the warrior’ indicates the return of the soul or death of mortal life. It also shows that even as the body sags, the soul sings and sings louder still.

Question 7.
Did the grandmother predict her death? How?
Answer:
The day the author returned from abroad, she sang and played drum singing about the warrior returning home. The next morning she was laid up with mild fever. Though the doctors said she would recover, she predicted that her end was near and it was because she did not chant any prayer.

So she decided to stop talking to others and only chant prayer. Until her end came, she did as she told others and passed away with the Lord’s name on her lips and the rosary beads in her hand.

Question 8.
How did the sparrows react to her earlier in her life and later after her death?
Answer:
Whenever the grandmother sat in the verandah breaking the bread into little bits, hundreds of little birds collected round her creating a veritable bedlam of chirping. After her death, thousands of sparrows sat scattered on the floor. There was no chirping. The sparrows took no notice of the bread crumbs put by others. When grandmother’s corpse was carried off, they flew away quietly.

Question 9.
What picture of the grandmother do you get from the lesson?
Answer:
From the lesson, it is very evident that the grandmother was a very active woman till her demise. In the village, she took care of the author and even dropped and picked him up from the school. In the city when going out was not an option, she spent the whole day at the wheel, spinning and feeding spanous.

We also realize that she was a very devout lady. She always had a prayer in her lips. She used to speak less, pray more. Grandmother had a special affinity to animals and birds. Size used to feed stray dogs in the village and once she settled in the city, she used to feed the sparrows.
She was very much attached to the author.

They used to have lengthy conversations in the village and after coming to city’, when the conversations got reduced and finally stopped, she became very much withdrawn but never blamed her grandson at all. From the story, the picture one gets of the grandmother is of a physically frail woman but mentally a very strong woman.

Additional Questions:

Question 1.
What was an inseparable part of the grandmother?
Answer:
The rosary and her prayers were an inseparable part of the grandmother.

Question 2.
Why did the grandmother say her morning prayer in a monotonous sing-song?
Answer:
She hoped that the author would listen and get to know it by heart.

Question 3.
What did the writer have for breakfast in his school days?
Answer:
Thick, stale chapattis with a little butter and sugar spread on it.

Question 4.
Why did the grandmother always accompany the author to his school?
Answer:
The school was attached to the temple. The priest taught the alphabet and the morning prayer. When the school went on, the grandmother sat inside the temple reading the scriptures.

Question 5.
How is the grandfather described by the writer?
Answer:
Khushwant Singh describes his grandfather as he was painted in the portrait that was hung above the mantlepiece. He wore a big turban and loose-fitting clothes. He had a long white beard and he looked at least 100 years old. He looked like the kind of person who could have only lots and lots of grandchildren.

Question 6.
Why did the writer listen to his grandmother’s prayers while he was young?
Answer:
The author’s grandmother used to say her prayers aloud as she got him ready to go to school. She hoped that
he would listen and get to know them by heart. He never paid attention to her prayers. He only listened to her voice because he loved it.

Question 7.
What did the grandmother do with the stale chapattis that she carried to the school?
Answer:
Those chapattis were used to feed the village dogs, which followed them from the temple door.

Question 8.
What was the turning point in the writer’s friendship with his grandmother?
Answer:
The grandmother and the writer fully enjoyed each other’s company as long as they lived by themselves. After some time, his parents, who had comfortably settled in the city, sent for them. Their moving to the city was the turning point. She could no longer accompany him to school nor help him with his studies.

Question 9.
Why did the grandmother not like the writer’s city school?
Answer:
In the city the writer started going to an English school in a motor bus. He learnt English and things of western science there. She could not understand them. It made her unhappy that she could not help him with his lessons. She also did not believe in the things they taught. They did not teach about God and the scriptures. This made her unhappy.

Question 10.
What reaction did the writer expect from his grandmother when he was going abroad?
Answer:
He thought that his grandmother would be upset about his decision to go abroad. At her age, he was not sure what would happen, as he was going away for five years. When she kissed him good-bye on his forehead, he thought that perhaps it was the last sign of physical contact between them.

Question 11.
How did the grandmother react when their common link of friendship was snapped?
Answer:
The writer and the grandmother were separated when he went to university, because he was given a room of his own. Earlier, he shared one with his grandmother. She accepted her seclusion with resignation. She rarely left her spinning wheel to talk to anyone. From sunrise to sunset she sat by her wheel spinning and reciting prayers.

Question 12.
Why did the narrator think that the grandmother’s kiss was the last sign of physical contact between them?
Answer:
The grandmother kissed the forehead of the narrator before he left for abroad. The narrator considered it the last sign of physical contact. He might not see her again. He did not expect his old grandmother to live for five more years. She was a terribly old lady.

Question 13.
Which was the “happiest half-hour of the day” for the grandmother?
Answer:
For Kushwanth Singh’s grandmother, there was no other pastime and happier activity than that of feeding the sparrows in the afternoon for half an hour. The sparrows could be seen perched on her but were never shooed away by her.

Question 14.
What did the priest teach at the village school?
Answer:
The priest taught the alphabet and the morning prayer at the village school. He made the students stand in rows on either side. They would sing the alphabet and the morning prayer in a chorus.

Question 15.
Draw a comparison between the village school and the English school in the city.
Answer:
The village school was quite simple and small. It was attached to a temple. The priest himself acted as the teacher. He taught the alphabet and the morning prayer at the school. In comparison, the English school in the city provided a contrast. They gave instructions in English and taught modem science and music. They didn’t teach anything about God and the scriptures at the English school.

Question 16.
Why did the grandmother hate music?
Answer:
The grandmother actually hated music. She was a conservative old lady who had her own beliefs and superstitions. She thought that music was meant only for prostitutes and beggars. It was not meant for gentlefolk. Music was not meant for school children from respectable families.

Question 17.
How did the sparrows mourn the death of the grandmother?
Answer:
The sparrows also joined in mourning the death of the grandmother. They sat in thousands around her dead body. They didn’t chirrup. Nor did they touch the combs of bread thrown to them. They flew away quietly when the dead body was carried off for cremation.

Multiple Choice Questions:

Question 1.
The author had known his grandmother for
A) ten years
B) twenty years
C) five years
D) forty years.
Answer:
B) twenty years

Question 2.
In the portrait, the author’s grandfather looked
A) eighty years old
B) ninety years old
C) at least a hundred years old
D) fifty years old.
Answer:
C) at least a hundred years old

Question 3.
The author’s parents left him with his grandmother when
A) they went to a foreign country
B) they went to live in the city
C) the author did not want to go with them
D) the grandmother told them to leave him there.
Answer:
B) they went to live in the city

Question 4.
The author’s grandmother went to school with him
A) so that she could also learn
B) to be with him constantly
C) to read scriptures in the temple
D) to teach in the school.
Answer:
C) to read scriptures in the temple

Question 5.
The turning point in the relationship between the author and the grandmother came when
A) they went to live in the city
B) they were living in the village
C) the author went abroad
D) the author went to the university.
Answer:
A) they went to live in the city

Question 6.
The grandmother was unhappy because
A) the author went to school in a bus
B) the author did not talk to her
C) the author went to a local school
D) they did not teach about God and the scriptures in the English school.
Answer:
D) they did not teach about God and the scriptures in the English school.

Question 7.
On the day before her death, the author’s grandmother
A) sat in a comer and said her prayers
B) beat an old dmm and sang songs
C) talked to the members of the family
D) slept in her room soundly.
Answer:
B) beat an old dmm and sang songs

Question 8.
We know that the author’s grandmother had a premonition of her death because
A) the doctor said her fever would not go away
B) she dreamt about her death
C) she went on feeding the sparrows
D) she told them her end was near.
Answer:
D) she told them her end was near.

Question 9.
The portrait which hung above the mantlepiece was that of the
A) grandmother
B) great grand uncle
C) grandfather
D) great grandfather
Answer:
C) grandfather

Question 10.
The author was given a room of his own when
A) he went to high school
B) he went to university
C) he went abroad
D) he went back to the village
Answer:
B) he went to university

Language Activities:

A. Vocabulary:

V1. In the lesson, the word ‘tell’ has been used in different contexts to mean differently. Now match the usage of the word ‘tell’ with its meaning as used in the lesson. The use of the word “tell”:

The word	Its meaning
1. Her fingers were busy telling the beads of her rosary	a. Be sure
2. I would tell her English words	b. Give information to somebody
3. She told us that her end was near	c. Making something known to someone in spoken or written words
4. At her age, no one could tell	d. Counting while reacting

Answer:

1. d
2. c
3. b
4. a

B. Grammar And Usage:

G1. a) Fill in the blanks with the past perfect form of the verbs given in brackets:

I …………. (fail) to catch the train on that fateful day. If I ……….. (come) five minutes earlier, I ………… (tell) myself that I would never be late again.
Answer:
I had failed to catch the train on that fateful day. If I had come five minutes earlier, I had told myself that I would never be late again.

b) Pick out five more sentences from the lesson having the verbs in past perfect form.

1. She had always been short and fat and slightly bent.
2. She had always been as we had known her.
3. Old, so terribly old that she would not have grown older and had stayed at the same age for 20 years.
4. She would fetch my wooden slate which she had already washed.
5. ……….. she would ask me what the teacher had taught me.
6. The setting sun had lit her room with a blaze of golden light.

c) Fill in the blanks using the past perfect form of the verbs given in brackets:

1. When I reached the station, the train ………… (leave) already.
2. By the time the teacher entered the class, the students …………. (stop) talking.
3. I would have failed, if I ………….. not (work) hard.
4. If I …………. (walk) fast, I would have won the race.

Answer:

1. had left,
2. had stopped,
3. had, worked,
4. had walked.

G2. Prepositions:

Ex. 1 Here is a page from Renu’s diary. It talks about what Renu did in a week in August 2011. Read carefully and complete the following:

First one is done for you.

Eg. Renu went to a movie on Saturday evening.

1. She telephoned Reema
2. She did not do anything special
3. She pressed her clothes
4. She went to the library
5. She went to the music class

Answer:

1. on Thursday,
2. on Monday,
3. on Sunday,
4. on Wednesday evening,
5. on Tuesday at 5-30.

Ex. 2


Where are the people in the picture? Complete the sentences. The first one is done for you.
Eg. Chandru is standing behind Farooq.

1. Farooq is sitting …………… Esha.
2. Esha is sitting …………. Devi and Farooq.
3. Devi is sitting to …………. Esha.
4. Farooq is sitting …………… Chandru.
5. Esha is sitting ………….. Bhama.
6. Arun is standing …………….. Devi.
7. Bhama is standing ………….. Arun and Chandru.

Answer:

1. beside,
2. between,
3. next,
4. in front of,
5. in front of,
6. behind,
7. between.

Ex. 3 Mr. Feter asks you how to go to the park from the church. Now direct him using the picture clues. Write the sentences in the blanks given.


Now, rewrite the above-framed sentences using bubbles as given here.

Answer:
Excuse me, where is the park?
Go past the church. Go under the bridge. Go up the hill. Get down the steps. Go by the street. Go beyond the hotel. Walk across the bridge. You will arrive at the park.

Ex. 4. Read the information and complete the sentences:

(Sandeep/Tuinakuni/2000-2007) Sandeep lived in Tumakuru from 2000 to 2007.

1. (Sandeep/Tumakurit/2007) Sandeep lived in Tumakuru ………. 2007.
2. (Sandeep/Bengaluru/2007-) Sandeep has lived in Bengaluru …………. 2007.

Answer:

1. Sandeep lived in Tumakuru until 2007.
2. Sandeep has lived in Bengaluru since 2007.

Ex. 5. Fill in the blanks using ‘until / since / for’:

1. I was tired this morning. I stayed in bed …………. 10 o’clock.
2. We waited for Usha ………… half an hour, but she did not come.
3. “Have you just arrived? No, I have been here ………….. half past seven”.
4. “How long did you stay in the office yesterday?” ” ………… 8 p.m.”
5. Don’t open the door of the train …………. the train stops.
6. This is my house. I have lived here …………… I was seven years old.
7. Sumana has gone away. She will be away ………….. Wednesday.
8. Next week I am going to Delhi ……….. three days.
9. I usually finish work at 5-30, but sometimes I work ………….. six.
10. “How long have you known Harshitha?” ……….. we were at school together.
11. Shwetha and I are good friends. We have known each other …………. ten years.
12. “I am tired. I am going to lie down …………. a few minutes”

Answer:

1. until
2. for
3. since
4. Until
5. until
6. since
7. until
8. for
9. until
10. Since
11. for
12. for

G3. Question forms:

A. Frame questions to get the underlined words as the answers:

1. We have our annual exams during summer.
   When do you have your annual exams?
2. Mr. Rao and his family went to Andaman during the vacation.
   Where did Mr. Rao and his family go during the vacation?
3. Sorry, I am late because of heavy traffic.
   Why are you late?
4. My friend walks to school.
   How does your friend go to school?
5. Sheetal had toasted bread for breakfast.
   What did Sheetal have for breakfast?
6. The Indian Ambassador visited the Western countries.
   Who visited the Western countries?
7. This is our school’s property.
   Whose property is this?
8. The doctor talked to the patient yesterday.
   Whom did the doctor talk to yesterday?
9. Masala dosa is my favorite dish.
   Which is your favorite dish?
10. The red-colored bag is mine.
    Which bag is yours?

B. Yes/No questions:

Eg.
Question 1.
Was the grandmother happy with the company of sparrows?
Answer:
Yes, she was.

Question 2.
Did you complete your homework?
Answer:
Yes, I did. OR No, I didn’t.

Question 3.
Shall we go now?
Answer:
Yes, we shall. OR No, we shall not.
The above questions begin with auxiliary verbs. They are answered either with ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.

Now answer these questions with ‘Yes’ or ‘No’:

Question 1.
Do you like mangoes?
Answer:
Yes, I do. OR No, I don’t.

Question 2.
Has the doctor arrived?
Answer:
Yes, he has. OR No, he hasn’t.

Question 3.
Is the train running on time?
Answer:
Yes, it is. OR No, it isn’t.

Question 4.
Can Rani swim?
Answer:
Yes, she can. OR No, she can’t.

Question 5.
Will your mother accompany us?
Answer:
Yes, she will. OR No, she won’t.

C. Question Tags:

Read the following examples :

1. We all love ice-cream, don’t we?
2. She cannot drive, can she?
3. He is tall, isn’t he?
4. You have a car, don’t you?
5. She has visited the place, hasn’t she?
6. They will be here tomorrow, won’t they?
7. You are good, aren’t you?
8. They are not going to school today, are they?

Add question tags to the statements below:

1. It is a beautiful day, ………………….
2. You have been to Paris, ……………….
3. The film wasn’t very good, ……………….
4. Anu lives near your house, ……………….
5. You don’t know French, ……………….
6. The policeman directs the traffic, ………………
7. Some species are getting extinct on earth day-by-day, ……………….
8. He has a Benz car, ………………
9. We should not tell lies, ………………..
10. Indians love peace, ……………….

Answer:

1. isn’t it?
2. haven’t you?
3. was it?
4. doesn’t she?
5. do you?
6. doesn’t he?
7. aren’t they?
8. hasn’t he?
9. should we?
10. don’t they?

The Portrait of a lady by Khushwant Singh About The Author:

This prose piece is written by Khushwant Singh, one of the well known Indian novelists and journalists. He is better known for his writings in the “Illustrated Weekly of India”. Secularism and humor are a prominent part of his writing. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1974 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2007. His works include ‘A History of the Sikhs’, ‘Train to Pakistan’ and ‘Delhi’.

In this essay, he makes a vivid character-sketch of his grandmother, who was a pious lady and led a devout life. The only time she seems to have given up praying was when she sang with ecstasy on the arrival of her grandson from abroad after completing his education. It is a very touching story too.

The Portrait of a lady Summary in English

In this story, Khushwant Singh draws a pen picture of his grandmother. He describes how he had spent his childhood with her in the village. He also describes the change that came in the relationship in the city. Ultimately, he describes the moving scene of her death.

Khushwant Singh draws here an interesting portrait of his grandmother. He presents her as a tender, loving and deeply religious old lady. Singh says that his grandmother was an old woman. Her face was so wrinkled that it was difficult to believe that she had ever been young and pretty. Her hair was white as snow. She had a little stoop in her back. She could be seen reciting her rosary all the time. A picture of the author’s grandfather was hung on the wall. He appeared old too and it was difficult to believe that he ever had a wife.

He appeared to have only lots and lots of grandchildren. Singh was the only child at that time. His parents had gone to live in the city leaving him behind in the village under the care of his grandmother. She would get him ready for school, and would also feed him with chapattis. The school was attached to a temple. All the children sat in the verandah reciting the alphabet while his grandmother was engaged in reading the holy scriptures.

Finally, in the evening, the author and the grandmother would walk back home feeding the dogs on the way.

After a friendly relationship with his grandmother, he had to adapt to a new life in the city. This was a turning point for the grandmother and the grandson. Both of them were sent to settle down in the city with his parents. The author went to an English school but the grandmother never liked the way he was taught. Though Singh and his grandmother shared the same room, she was unable to help him. Apart from this, she was also disappointed that he was learning music that she considered inappropriate for gentle folks.

In due course, when Singh went up to University he was given a separate room. This indeed made the common link of their relationship snap completely. The grandmother accepted the fact, and she would spin the wheel from sunrise to sunset to compensate that. Only during the afternoons, she would relax by feeding the sparrows with little pieces of bread. They were her best friends and the sparrows also liked her company.

Later, Singh went abroad for higher studies for five long years. He had a doubt in his mind whether his grandmother would survive or not until he came back. He also thought that it might be the last physical contact between them when she came to the railway station to see him off. However, after five years, when he came back, incredibly he was welcomed by his grandmother who seemed had not grown older by a single day. Singh noticed that even at that time when everyone was joyful about his return, grandmother’s happiest moments were with her sparrows.

Later in the evening, there was a change in her attitude. She celebrated the return of her grandson by collecting some women of the neighborhood and beating the drum for several hours. But, in the morning, grandmother’s health deteriorated and she revealed that she was nearing her end. So she decided that she was not going to waste a single moment by talking. So she prayed. Quite suddenly, the rosary fell from her hand and she exhaled her last breath and it was clear that she was no more.

After making the preparations for the funeral, the family members went to fetch her body for the last journey. The golden blaze of light of the setting sun glittered in her room. And to pay their last homage to the grandmother, thousands of sparrows gathered in and around her room. The sparrows never did chirrup nor did they bother to notice the bread pieces thrown at them. When the grandmother’s corpse was carried off, the sparrows flew away quietly.

Glossary:

puckered (adj): tightly gathered or contracted into wrinkles or small folds
serenity (n): the state of being calm, peaceful and untroubled
monotonous (adj): dull, tedious and repetitious, lacking in variety and interest, (monotonously – adv)
veritable (adj): used for emphasis, often to qualify a metaphor
bedlam (n): a scene of uproar and confusion
rebuke (v): express sharp disapproval or criticism (of someone) because of their behavior or actions (rebuke is also a noun)
pallor (n): an unhealthy pale appearance
turning point (n): a time at which a decisive change in a situation occurs, especially one with beneficial results
frivolous: not having any serious purpose or value.

We hope the information prevailed in this article is helpful for all the students of Class 9. The Karnataka State Board Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 3 The Portrait of a Lady Question and Answers pdf enhance your skills and score good marks in the exams. Stay tuned to get the latest information about the KSEEB Solutions Class 9 English Solutions.

By understanding the academic needs we have prepared the Karnataka State Board English Class 9 Solutions Chapter Wise. Our aim is to help the students by providing the question and answers chapter wise and help them to gain a good score in the exams. Before you start your preparation go through the chapters covered in this academic. So go through them and Download KSEEB Solutions for Class 9 English Supplementary Chapter 3 Balai Question and Answers Pdf for free.

Karnataka State Board Class 9 English Supplementary Chapter 3 Balai

The topics covered in Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board Class 9 Solutions for English Chapter 3 Balai. The KSEEB Solutions Class 9 English Solutions Chapter 3 Balai Question and Answers are prepared according to the latest edition.The Chapterwise page will help the students to revise the syllabus during the exams.

Balai Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes

Comprehension:

Question 1.
How is Balai related to the writer?
Answer:
Balai is the writer’s nephew. He is the son of the writer’s elder brother. When the brother went to England for higher studies, the motherless child was left in the care of the writer and his wife.

Question 2.
What kind of a boy was Balai?
Answer:
Balai was very different from other boys of his age. He didn’t seem to belong to the modem age. If people had moved away from nature and had become more and more commercialised, Balai had feelings for all things in nature and was extremely attached to plants. The trees, flowers, sky, rain, grass were living creatures to him and he used to talk to them. He would get upset if anyone broke a branch or plucked a flower or even hit a tree. He was sad when the grass-cutter mowed the grass.

Question 3.
What traits in Balai do you admire most?
Answer:
Balai was the intensely sensitive boy with utter devotion towards plant kingdom, He used to get hurt when someone broke a branch or plucked a flower. He would be in despair when the grass cutter came to mow the lawn. He vehemently resisted Tagore’s attempt to chop the silk cotton plant that grew in the middle of the graveled driveway. This quality of empathy and devotion towards flora is indeed very admirable.

Question 4.
Why didn’t Balai want the grass-cutter to cut the plants?
Answer:
He had watched countless wonders in the grasl, small creepers, nameless violet and yellow flowers, tiny in size, nightshades whose blue flowers had little golden dots in the centre, medicinal plants near the fence; kalmegh and anantamul growing, neem seeds sprouting into plants. All these were cleared with a heartless weeding tool by the grass cutter. He used to be depressed when this happened.

Question 5.
What do you think is the message in the story?
Answer:
The message in the story is a plea for biodiversity. We tend to keep only those plants which are useful to us. We cut other plants calling them weeds and unwanted growth. We don’t treat plants as we would treat animals, leave alone other human beings. Hence, the value of eco-consciousness and eco-friendliness should be upheld. We should know that every creation of nature is equal and important and that the plants should be treated with respect.

Balai Additional Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Describe Balai’s relationship with nature.
Answer:
The notes of the plant kingdom were dominant in Balai. Ever since his childhood days, he was watchful of the nature around him. When layers of dark clouds gathered in the sky, he seemed to feel the aroma of the entire forest. When the rain came down in torrents, his entire body listened to its sound.

When there was sunlight on the terrace, he wanted to absorb something from the sky’s expanse. When the mango tree blossomed, there was an intense joy in him; in spring, his soul filled out and took a deeper color. When he saw the grass-grown from the top to the bottom of the hill, he would consider himself part of the grass.

It hurt him to see people plucking flowers or fruits from trees. He was hurt the most when the grass-cutter came to trim the plants and cut the grass. His world of beautiful nature within the grass was destroyed by the grass-cutter. Balai would creep into the deodar woods early in the morning to watch the golden sun rays reach the deodar trees. Balai was a child of nature.

Question 2.
Where did Balai belong, according to the writer?
Answer:
According to the writer, Balai belonged to the age, millions of years ago, when the earth’s would-be forests cried at birth among the marshlands newly sprung from the ocean’s depths. There were no animals, no birds, no din and bustle of life, only rocks and mud, and water all around. It was the time when the plants had decided to stay on the earth. Balai seemed to be a part of that life. He, in a strange way, seemed to have the message of the plant world in his bloodstream – the message of, “I want to stay”. For this reason, it hurt him when the plants were hurt.

Question 3.
Why was showing the silk-cotton plant to his uncle a mistake?
Answer:
One day Balai took his uncle to the garden and showed him a plant sprouting in the middle of the gravelled garden path. He had noticed it when it was a small sapling. Since then, he had watered it every morning and evening and had eagerly kept track of its growth. Silk-cotton trees grow fast. This one was growing in the middle of the path. When it became bigger, it would scatter cotton all around and be a big bother.

If Balai had not shown the plant, the writer would not have noticed it at all. But since he had, the writer started noticing it every day. It became quite tall in a year’s time. The writer proposed its death a few more times and also tried to bribe Balai by promising some very beautiful rose plants instead of the tree. Because it got noticed by -the writer, and became an eyesore for him, he feels that it would have been better if Balai had not shown it to him.

Question 4.
Why did Balai come to live with the writer and how was he taken care of by them?
Answer:
Balai was the son of the writer’s elder brother. Balai’s mother had died when he was a few months old. His father, the writer’s elder brother, took a sudden desire to go to England to study Engineering, after his wife’s death. Probably, her death came as a shock for him. At that time, he had left his infant son, Balai with his brother and his wife. So, Balai came to live with his uncle and aunt.

The writer and his wife took very good care of Balai. More so, the wife, Balai’s aunt. She had no children of her own and so, she brought him up like her own son. She loved him and Balai too was attached to her. All his complaints about anything were first attended to through his aunt. He wept bitterly when he had to leave his aunt. Their house became desolate once he was taken away by his father.

Even after two years of his going away, his aunt still wept thinking about him. She kept all his small things such as tom shoes, ripped rubber ball and picture books with animal stories, etc.

Question 5.
What was Tagore’s reaction to the silk- cotton plant?
Answer:
When Tagore saw that the plant had grown in the middle of the gravelled garden path he wanted the gardener to uproot it and throw it away. When Balai requested him not to, Tagore said that since it was growing right in the middle of the path, it would create problem by scattering cotton all around.

Question 6.
Why did Balai go away with his father?
Answer:
Balai’s father had gone to England to study engineering leaving the motherless child under the care of Tagore and his wife. Tagore’s brother came back after ten years from England and decided to provide British style schooling for Balai. So he took him to Shimla with the idea of later moving to England.

Question 7.
Describe the silk-cotton tree that grew’ in Tagore’s garden path.
Answer:
The plant could not be chopped off by Tagore due to the orders given by his wife at the request of Balai. The tree grew quite tail within a year and looked perennially stupid. It stood in the same inconvenient spot and grew taller and taller every year. Anyone seeing it thought that it was an eyesore.

Question 8.
What was Balai’s request and why did he make that request?
Answer:
Balai wrote a letter from Shimla to his aunt requesting her for a photograph of his silk- cotton tree. He had planned on visiting them before leaving for England. But since that plan could not materialise, he wanted to take a picture of his friend with him.

Balai Summary in English

Rabindranath Tagore begins the story of ‘Balai’ by stating that in man, like the different ragas in a song, there are characteristics of different creatures in nature. He adds that in Balai, the notes of the plant kingdom are the most powerful ones. It was as though Balai was part of nature and he was alert to every aspect of nature.

Unlike other boys of his age, instead of running around, he would remain still so that he could be a part of nature. On the one hand, if he listened intently to the sound of the rain and the wind, on the other, he exposed his bare chest to the heat of the sun rays.

The mango tree blossoming at the end of winter filled his heart with great joy and awakened happy memories in him. Spring compounded his joy. In such instances, he spoke to himself about the different creatures in nature and was not aware of anything else.

His joy knew no bounds when he went to the mountains with his uncle. The mountains gave him joy because he could roll down the grassy slope and feel the tickling sensation of the grass. When he went to the woods, in the trees he would see people who were like his ancient grandfathers.

That is why when people plucked flowers from or threw stones at the branches to get fruits, he felt terribly upset. But he could not share his concern with others who only laughed at him and even ill-treated trees in his presence to tease him. Surprisingly, what upset him the most was the cutting of the grass as he had seen many wonders in the grass.

He would sometimes plead with his aunt to tell the grass-cutter not to cut grass knowing fully well that she wouldn’t understand why he wanted the useless weed to grow.

Balai knew that others did not feel the same pain as he did when plants were not cared for. That is why the writer says that Balai belonged to the time, millions of years ago, when plants were the only inhabitants.of the earth and had sent up their prayers to the sun, expressing their desire to stay forever on the earth.

Once Balai made the mistake of showing to the writer a silk-cotton plant sprouting in the middle of the garden path. Balai had tended to the plant lovingly and had thought of surprising his unde by showing the plant. But the outcome was totally contrary to Balai’s expectations. The writer wanted the plant to be uprooted and thrown as it was right in the middle of the path.

When the writer refused to yield to Balai’s request not to cut the plant, Balai pleaded with his aunt to influence her husband. The aunt succeeded, though ever} time the writer looked at it, he felt like cutting the plant which was growing bigger and bigger.

But Balai had to leave the place to go to Shimla with his father who had come back after ten years from England. The childless wife of the writer had looked after Balai, the son of the writer’s elder brother, as her own after the death of Balai’s mother. The aunt who was sorrowful, would look at the things left behind by Balai and cherish his memory.

After two years, when Balai had to leave for England to study engineering, he wanted to visit his aunt and uncle; but was unable to. So he requested his aunt to send him the photo of the silk-cotton tree. When the aunt requested her husband to get a photographer, to her dismay, she came to know that he had the tree cut down.

The aunt, who took the tree as a symbol of Balai’s love, was heartbroken and did not eat for two days. She continued to remain silent with her husband for a long time as she was both sad and angry. Thus, we see that even the writer did not understand Balai’s feelings. However, the aunt, who had given him motherly love, understood his pain.

We hope the information prevailed in this article is helpful for all the students of Class 9. The Karnataka State Board Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 3 Balai Question and Answers pdf enhance your skills and score good marks in the exams. Stay tuned to get the latest information about the KSEEB Solutions Class 9 English Solutions.

By understanding the academic needs we have prepared the Karnataka State Board English Class 9 Solutions Chapter Wise. Our aim is to help the students by providing the question and answers chapter wise and help them to gain a good score in the exams. Before you start your preparation go through the chapters covered in this academic. So go through them and Download KSEEB Solutions for Class 9 English Poem Chapter 5 The Pencil’s Story Question and Answers Pdf for free.

Karnataka State Board Class 9 English Poem Chapter 5 The Pencil’s Story

The topics covered in Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board Class 9 Solutions for English Chapter 5 The Pencil’s Story. The KSEEB Solutions Class 9 English Solutions Chapter 5 The Pencil’s Story Question and Answers are prepared according to the latest edition.The Chapterwise page will help the students to revise the syllabus during the exams.

The Pencil’s Story Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes

Comprehension:

C1. Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
Where does the poet see the pencil lying:

1. in the beginning
2. at the end of the poem?

Answer:

1. In the beginning, the pencil lies upon the mantelpiece.
2. At the end, it is found in a holder.

Question 2.
Why is the pencil’s life described as weary?
Answer:
The pencil called H and B (hard and black) is narrating its own story as it is a little pencil and lies upon the mantelpiece so as to be seen by everyone. It is used almost forty times a day. So it feels very tired.

Question 3.
When, according to the poet, is the pencil

1. sad
2. glad?

Answer:

1. The pencil is sad when it is shortened and is not allowed to grow.
2. The pencil feels happy when it is useful to the whole family.

Question 4.
What does the poet mean by ‘wits are rather dull’?
Answer:
The phrase ‘wits are rather dull’ can mean two things: when the pencil is used very often it becomes blunt. But the pencil gets overused if the writer has ‘dull wits’ or what can be described as a dull mind. He would then make mistakes and use the pencil, again and again, making it blunt.

Question 5.
What makes the poet say that ‘the pencil’s speech is always dark’ and that ‘it always makes its mark’? Explain.
Answer:
The poet describes the speech of the pencil as dark because the lead from which pencil is made is black. The phrase ‘make my mark’ has additional metaphoric meaning in addition to its literal meaning. Its deeper meaning is to do something that makes one famous or successful; to do something that is very important or meaningful. In the case of the pencil, as it serves others tirelessly, ‘make a mark’ can be interpreted as doing useful work.

Question 6.
Make a list of the rhyming words found in the poem. Rhyming words in the poem:

1. B – see.
2. life – knife.
3. things – kings.
4. about – out.
5. missed – list.
6. play – day.
7. ought – short.
8. joint – point.
9. dark – mark.
10. friend – end.
11. older – holder.

Question 7.
Read lines 5 to 8. Who might be ‘Tommy’, according to the poet? How old would he be?
Answer:
According to the poet, Tommy might be the youngest family member. He might be around five to six years because his handwriting is mentioned as a ‘scrawl’ and the pictures he draws are of various themes which reveal his whims and fancies.

C2. Fill the columns after reading the poem carefully:

Persons in the poem	The various purposes for which the pencil is used by them
1. Tommy 2. Father 3. Mother	…………………………………………….. To keep score when playing ………………………………………………

Answer:

Person	Purpose for which the pencil is used
1. Tommy 2. Father 3. Mother	To draw untidy pictures like submarines, aeroplanes and cabbages. To keep score when playing. To prepare the washing list.

Additional Questions:

Explain with reference to the context:

Question 1.
…………… when my wits are rather dull I’m sharpened with a knife!
Answer:
The line above is taken from the poem “The Pencil’s Story’. It is written by Florence Hoatson, an English poet. In this poem, she pictures the life of a pencil. A pencil is useful to everyone in a household. From a small boy to the housemaker everyone uses the pencil for writing various things. Therefore, it leads a very busy life. In the poem, the pencil narrates its daily routine.

Whenever a pencil is used, with continuous writing, it becomes blunt. So, it has to be sharpened with a knife to make it usable. So, the pencil says that whenever its wits are rather dull, meaning, whenever it becomes blunt, it is sharpened with a knife.

Question 2.
I’m just a little pencil, but I have a busy day.
Answer:
The line above is from the poem ‘The Pencil’s Story’ written by Florence Hoatson. While narrating its routine, the pencil says that though it is only a little pencil, it has a busy day. Everyone at home uses a pencil at one or the other time. Tommy uses it to draw all sorts of pictures from submarines to aeroplanes and cabbages to kings.

Miss Phyllis uses it to write a letter and the pencil makes it beautiful. The mother needs it to make her washing-list, while the father makes the pencil keep the score when he begins to play. Though the pencil is kept on the mantlepiece, it never rests there, because someone or the other in the household keeps using it. However, this does not make the pencil unhappy.

Question 3.
“When I am meditating I am bitten at the end”.
Answer:
This line is taken from the poem ‘The Pencil’s Story’ by Florence Hoatson. The pencil has moments of sorrow, though most times it is happy to be used well. Such moments are like the ones when its end is bitten continuously by the person who uses the pencil. Some people have the bad habit of biting the end of the pencil, whenever they stop to think. Such moments are unhappy for the pencil.

Multiple Choice Questions:

Question 1.
The pencil says its name is
A) H
B) L & H
C) H & B
D) B & L
Answer:
C) H & B

Question 2.
The pencil is handled …………… times a day.
A) forty
B) twenty
C) twice
D) fifty
Answer:
A) forty

Question 3.
The pencil is sharpened with a knife when it is
A) sharp
B) blunt
C) short
D) long
Answer:
B) blunt

Question 4.
The pencil draws all sorts of things when it is with
A) Mother
B) Father
C) Miss Phyllis
D) Tommy
Answer:
D) Tommy

Question 5.
Miss Phyllis writes a ………….. with the pencil.
A) picture of a submarine
B) picture of an aeroplane
C) lovely letter
D) picture of a king.
Answer:
C) lovely letter

Question 6.
Mother wants the pencil when she prepares the
A) grocery list
B) washing list
C) food
D) list of flowers.
Answer:
B) washing list

Question 7.
After constant use, the pencil becomes ………….. every day.
A) longer and longer
B) shorter and shorter
C) thinner and thinner
D) thicker and thicker.
Answer:
B) shorter and shorter

Question 8.
The pencil is very happy because
A) it is short
B) it is blunt
C) it is useful
D) it is useless.
Answer:
C) it is useful

Question 9.
When the pencil cannot be used any longer it is
A) put in a geometry box
B) put in a holder
C) kept on the mantelpiece
D) thrown away.
Answer:
B) put in a holder

Appreciation:

Question 1.
Can the pencil’s journey from the mantlepiece to the holder be compared to the journey of life of all human beings?
Answer:
The poem ‘The Pencil’s Story’ is a symbolic poem. Through this poem, the poet seems to give the message that our life should be like a pencil. A pencil suffers pain when it is sharpened. The more it is used, the smaller it becomes. Yet, it would leave its mark whenever it is used or whatever is written with it. This aspect gives the message that the more good we do, the better we feel and others feel about us. The pain and suffering in our life make us better and wiser human beings.

Question 2.
Pick out the lines from the poem in which you find examples of personification.
Answer:
Personification is giving life to inanimate objects. Throughout the poem, the pencil is personified as it speaks in the first person to describe its work and feelings. Miss Phyllis uses it to write beautiful letters and Tommy uses it to draw. The mother uses it for the washing list and the father uses it to note down the scores of the game. However, the pencil feels bad because it is never allowed to grow; it is made smaller and smaller by being sharpened.

It is shortened every day. When the knife begins to sharpen it; which is very painful, the pencil keeps quiet because the point has to be sharp. But the pencil is very proud of its achievement. Though its writing is dark, it is very useful and each time someone uses it, it leaves a mark. At the end of the poem, the pencil, which has become short and useless, reaches a holder, and this is the end of the pencil’s journey. In addition to the personification of the pencil, there is the personification of sorrow that seems to follow the pencil.

The Pencil’s Story by About The Poet:

Florence Mary Hoatson was an English poet, born on October 13, 1881 at Essex, England, who has written a number of collections of poetry. Her works include ‘God made little Robin’, ‘God, whose name is Love’, ‘Hands together, softly’ etc. She died on January 28th, 1964 at Gloucestershire, England.

The Pencil’s Story Summary in English

The poem ‘The Pencil’s Story’, written by Florence Hoatson, is a symbolic poem, which highlights how even small things can teach us a lesson in our life. In the poem, a pencil called H and B, is narrating its own story. It is the story of the pencil’s journey from mantelpiece to the holder just as our journey beams from birth and ends with death. The theme of the poem is centered on the usefulness of life.

The story of the pencil called H and B (hard and black) begins when it is a little pencil and lies upon the mantelpiece, so as to be seen by everyone. It is used almost forty times a day. So it feels very tired. The pencil feels happy as it is very useful to the whole family because Tommy, the young child of the family, uses it to draw untidy pictures from submarines to aeroplanes to cabbages; Miss Phyllis uses it to write beautiful letters; mother uses it to do her washing list and father uses it to note down the scores of the game.

However the pencil feels sad because it is never allowed to grow, it is made smaller and smaller by sharpening it. It is shortened every day. When the knife begins to sharpen it, which is very painful, it keeps quiet because the point has to be sharp. But the pencil is very proud of its achievement. Though its writing is dark, it is very useful and each time someone uses it, it leaves a mark. At the end of the poem, the pencil, when it becomes short and useless, reaches the holder. That is the end of the pencil’s journey.

Thus the poem ‘The Pencil’s Story7 is a very symbolic poem. Through this poem, the poet seems to give the message that our life should be like a pencil. A pencil suffers pain (when it is sharpened) to make itself brighter. The more it is used, the smaller it becomes but it would have left its mark whenever or whatever is written with it. This aspect gives the message that the more good we become, the more good others feel about us. The pains and sufferings in our life make us better and wise human beings.

We hope the information prevailed in this article is helpful for all the students of Class 9. The Karnataka State Board Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 5 The Pencil’s Story Question and Answers pdf enhance your skills and score good marks in the exams. Stay tuned to get the latest information about the KSEEB Solutions Class 9 English Solutions.

By understanding the academic needs we have prepared the Karnataka State Board English Class 9 Solutions Chapter Wise. Our aim is to help the students by providing the question and answers chapter wise and help them to gain a good score in the exams. Before you start your preparation go through the chapters covered in this academic. So go through them and Download KSEEB Solutions for Class 9 English Poem Chapter 9 Goodbye Party for Miss Pushpa T.S Question and Answers Pdf for free.

Karnataka State Board Class 9 English Poem Chapter 9 Goodbye Party for Miss Pushpa T.S.

The topics covered in Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board Class 9 Solutions for English Chapter 9 Goodbye Party for Miss Pushpa T.S. The KSEEB Solutions Class 9 English Solutions Chapter 9 Goodbye Party for Miss Pushpa T.S Question and Answers are prepared according to the latest edition.The Chapterwise page will help the students to revise the syllabus during the exams.

Goodbye Party for Miss Pushpa T.S. Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes

Comprehension:

C1. Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
What do you think is the ‘occasion’ for the poem?
Answer:
The occasion for the poem is a send-off party to Miss Pushpa T.S. who is going abroad.

Question 2.
What impression do you get about Miss Pushpa after reading the poem? OR What kind of person do you think Miss Pushpa is?
Answer:
Whatever we learn about Pushpa is from the references made by the speaker about Pushpa. So, we cannot conclude that in reality,

Miss Pushpa is what she is projected to be. Secondly, we should also remember that the occasion is the goodbye party for Miss. Pushpa. Hence, naturally, only good things will be said about her irrespective of what she in reality is.

From the narration of the speaker, we realize that Miss Pushpa is from a well-to-do family. She is well known for her external and internal beauty. She is a cheerful, pleasant looking, hard-working and popular person among people.

Question 3.
Write in two or three sentences about Miss Pushpa’s family.
Answer:
Miss Pushpa is described as belonging to a ‘high family’. However, the speaker cannot remember whether her father, a famous advocate, is in Bulsar or Surat.

Question 4.
Pick out the lines from the poem which reveal or indicate that Miss Pushpa was liked by all.
Answer:
“You are all-knowing, friends, what sweetness is in Miss Pushpa.”
“She is a most popular lady with men also and ladies also” reveal that Miss Pushpa was liked by all.

Question 5.
What traits of Miss Pushpa does the poet appreciate?
Answer:
The poet appreciates Miss Pushpa for her cheerfulness. He says that she is a sweet person both externally as well as at heart. Though she belongs to a well-to-do family, she does not have any arrogance but is popular among not only her female colleagues but also male colleagues. She readily takes up any work given to her and completes it in time without grumbling or refusing. All these traits of Miss Pushpa are worth appreciation.

Question 6.
How would you consider the poem – A farewell address or a welcome speech? Justify your answer.
Answer:
The poem is a farewell address as all have assembled there to bid bon voyage to Miss Pushpa who is going abroad to improve her career prospects. The speaker and the audience are quite knowledgeable about her character and aptitude which reveals that they know her very well. This is not possible when a person is just entering a company as an employee. There is also a mention in the poem twice that they have met that day to wish her bon voyage.

Question 7.
There are a few ‘expressions’ in the poem which are typically Indian. Identify these expressions.
Answer:
The whole poem is a satire on the way most of the Indians speak English. Hence, there are plenty of examples of Indian usages. The usage of present continuous tense is typically Indian. The expressions in the poem which are typically Indian are:

1. Departing for foreign
2. You are all-knowing
3. Smiling and smiling
4. Very high family
5. once only I stayed in Surat
6. with men also and ladies also
7. just now only I will do it
8. that is showing good spirit

Question 8.
Would you consider Miss Pushpa as a handsome person? Justify your answer.
Answer:
Miss Pushpa is a good looking person because the speaker mentions that not only is she a good looking person but also a beautiful person by heart.

Question 9.
Would you consider this poem as making gentle fun of the people who cannot speak English properly? Justify your answer.
Answer:
Certainly, the poem makes gentle fun of the people who cannot speak English properly. Hence, the poem can be considered a satire. However, the intention of the satire is not to make fun, but to correct. The poet shows how Indians have Indianised the English language. Since English is not our native language, it is all right for us to speak it in a manner that is different from the manner of native speakers of English.

However, not all Indians speak English in this manner. There are quite a few Indians who can speak the language in a chaste manner. Perhaps the poet should have taken enough trouble to point out this fact.

C2. Imagine you are Miss Pushpa. Prepare a thanksgiving speech in response to the speech in the poem.

Since Miss Pushpa is all set to go abroad, we can conclude that her language is different from the language of the speaker. So her speech would probably be the following:

My dear colleagues,

As all of us know, parting is painful. Though I’m going abroad for better prospects, there will always be a void in my heart as I have to say goodbye to you. This emptiness cannot be filled by the people I would be meeting in my new workplace. This I say very earnestly as each of you ensured that my time here was happy and tension-free.

You, my dear friends, will always be a part of my life. But, in life we need to move on; and so, I’ve moved on. I thank you wholeheartedly for organizing this farewell party for me. I thank Mr. Ezekiel for his words of appreciation which came straight from his heart. Before I put the mike down, let me hope that we will meet someday, somewhere.

Thank you.

C3. Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow:

1. Surat? Ah, yes once only I stayed in Surat.

Question a.
Who does T refer to here?
Answer:
Here, T refers to Pushpa’s colleague.

Question b.
Why is the reference to Surat made here?
Answer:
Miss Pushpa’s father was a renowned advocate from a very high family in Bulsar or Surat. While referring to this point, the speaker also remembers that once he stayed in Surat with the family members of his uncle’s family.

Question c.
Is this remark apt in the context?
Answer:
No, it is not contextual. The speaker satirizes the Indian habit of meandering while narrating a particular incident.

2. “Just now only I will do it”

Question a.
Who does T refer to here?
Answer:
Here, T refers to Miss Pushpa.

Question b.
What does “if mean here?
Answer:
‘It’ means any task given to Miss Pushpa for completion.

Question c.
What does this show of the T referred to?
Answer:
It shows Miss Pushpa’s dedication to her work. She did any task given to her quickly and cheerfully. She never asked why the work was given to her. Neither did she procrastinate.

C4. Here are a few phrases/lines from the poem. Correct the mistakes wherever necessary and rewrite them.

Answer:

Multiple Choice Questions:

Question 1.
The poem is …………… to Miss Pushpa T.S.
A) a welcome speech
B) a farewell address
C) a lesson in English
D) none of the above.
Answer:
B) a farewell address

Question 2.
‘Is departing for foreign’ this line means
A) is leaving for a foreign country
B) is going to die
C) is coming from a foreign country
D) is living in a foreign country.
Answer:
A) is leaving for a foreign country

Question 3.
The poem is described as …………….. Indian English.
A) an attempt to ridicule
B) a satire on
C) a criticism of
D) comment on.
Answer:
B) a satire on

Question 4.
Miss Pushpa was going to
A) another city
B) a different office
C) a foreign country
D) give up her job.
Answer:
C) a foreign country

Question 5.
They have gathered to wish her
A) a happy birthday
B) for her wedding anniversary
C) for her achievement
D) bon voyage.
Answer:
D) bon voyage.

Question 6.
Miss Pushpa is smiling and smiling because
A) it is a humorous occasion
B) she is feeling happy
C) somebody cut a joke
D) Whenever she is free
Answer:
A) it is a humorous occasion

Goodbye Party for Miss Pushpa T.S. by Nissim Ezekiel About The Poet:

Nissim Ezekiel (1924-2004) is a well known Indo-Anglican poet. He has a number of poems to his credit. He lived in Mumbai for a long time and joined the prestigious ‘Illustrated Weekly of India’ in 1953. He worked there for two years. Later he produced several volumes of verse and plays. He was also an art critic. The present poem is taken from his ‘Collected Poems’.

Goodbye Party for Miss Pushpa T.S. Summary in English

The poem ‘Goodbye Party for Miss Pushpa T.S.’ is a monologue. A monologue is a poem in which we find a single speaker, though we feel the presence of other listeners. At the beginning of the poem, the speaker explains that Miss Pushpa is going to a different country and states that she’s a sweet person. He explains that the woman comes from a well-to-do family.

However, he gets sidetracked with his own memories. After digressing, the speaker states that Miss Pushpa is a popular person who is kind and always willing to help others. At the end of the.poem, the speaker asks the others at the party to give their own speeches about the party’s honoree.

The main theme of ‘Goodbye Party for Miss Pushpa T.S.’ isn’t the loss of a friend; instead, it is human foibles or character faults. This is a popular theme among Ezekiel’s works. The poem offers a satirical look at how some people in India speak English, a device that the poet presumably used to get an Indian reader to laugh at himself. The poem misuses the present continuous tense and uses phrases and syntax found in the Indian language.

For example, when Ezekiel writes, “Whatever I or anybody is asking/ She is always saying yes.” The poem also satirizes the Indian habit of digressing from the topic by showing that in between his speech, the speaker unnecessarily speaks about his visit to Surat.

Ezekiel wrote many of his works, including ‘Goodbye Party for Miss Pushpa T.S.’ in the dialect of urban Indians, particularly those in Bombay. This dialect is called “Babu English.” Originally, the colonial British used the word “babu” as a derogatory term while referring to subordinate Indians who spoke English as a second language.

A “Babu” was a person who tried to impress a British master using stylish ornamentation, as the way that he expressed a message was more important than the information relayed.

We hope the information prevailed in this article is helpful for all the students of Class 9. The Karnataka State Board Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 9 Goodbye Party for Miss Pushpa T.S Question and Answers pdf enhance your skills and score good marks in the exams. Stay tuned to get the latest information about the KSEEB Solutions Class 9 English Solutions.

By understanding the academic needs we have prepared the Karnataka State Board English Class 9 Solutions Chapter Wise. Our aim is to help the students by providing the question and answers chapter wise and help them to gain a good score in the exams. Before you start your preparation go through the chapters covered in this academic. So go through them and Download KSEEB Solutions for Class 9 English Prose Chapter 4 Mauritius Question and Answers Pdf for free.

Karnataka State Board Class 9 English Prose Chapter 4 Mauritius

The topics covered in Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board Class 9 Solutions for English Chapter 4 Mauritius. The KSEEB Solutions Class 9 English Solutions Chapter 4 Mauritius Question and Answers are prepared according to the latest edition.The Chapterwise page will help the students to revise the syllabus during the exams.

Mauritius Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes

Comprehension:

C1. Read the lesson silently and answer the following questions:

Question 1.
Where is Mauritius?
Answer:
Mauritius is an island situated below the Equator on the Twentieth parallel, around 4,500 kms. south-west of Bombay.

Question 2.
Name the people of different origins found in Mauritius.
Answer:
Africans, Chinese, Biharis, Dutch, Persians, Tamils, Arabs, French, and English are the people of different origins found in Mauritius.

Question 3.
Who are referred to as the “buccaneering trinity” of those days? Why are they called so?
Answer:
The Dutch, the French and the English are referred to as the ‘buccaneering trinity’. In those days these three powers fought with one another continuously for possession of the island which had three advantages – spices and sugar, strategic position with regard to the maritime route and, advantageous position for piratical purposes.

Question 4.
List out some ‘very musical but unpronounceable names’ as found by the author.
Answer:
Trouaux Biches, Beau Bassin, Quarter Bomes, Curepipe, Ross Belle are some of the musical but unpronounceable names.

Question 5.
What are the ‘flora and fauna’ found in Mauritius?
Answer:
Centuries ago the bat was the only mammal before man went to Mauritius with monkeys and deer. In the present, the flora and fauna at Mauritius are typical of the place. The trees even in the interior of jungles are short and twisted, resembling overgrown bonsai.

The jungles have no wildlife at all. They don’t even have poisonous snakes and insects. Unfortunately, the number of birds is decreasing and dodo has gone extinct. Attempts are being made to preserve the Aldabra variety of giant tortoises as their number is also dwindling.

Question 6.
How is nature cruel to the people of Mauritius?
Answer:
Nature is cruel to the people of Mauritius because, in addition to the storms which are the annual feature of Mauritius, it devastates the island once in 15 years with the King cyclone as it did on February 6, 1975. The cyclone was a powerful 320 km. broad wind that moved in at 255 kms per hour. It ruined everything that came in its way for two days. However, people slowly forget the destruction and rebuild everything and also plant trees. But nature once again turns cruel and destroys everything with the King cyclone at the end of the 15-year period.

Question 7.
Name some aquatic creatures sighted by the author.
Answer:
Crabs, lobsters, fish coloured bright lemon yellow with black stripes, fishes with spikes all over their body, fish with long tails, fish with battered faces, shiny white blobs of sea creatures are sopie of the aquatic creatures sighted by the author.

C2. Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
Why was it difficult for the author to locate Mauritius in his Atlas?
Answer:
It was very difficult for the author to locate Mauritius in his Allas because his atlas was a very old one and the weather, time and lots of cockroaches had made a lot of damage by putting dots. Therefore finding the small speck of Island in the vast Indian Ocean was very difficult.

Question 2.
What is the reason for the people of different countries to settle in Mauritius?
Answer:
Mauritius is inundated with sugarcane fields and spices which was the reason for the people’s different countries to settle here. Added to this was the strategic position of this Island on the maritime route to the East and it was conveniently placed for piratical purposes.

Question 3.
How does the author explain the absence of protocol among the government officials and ministers in Mauritius?
Answer:
The people of Mauritius are very friendly and relaxed towards everyone. The same atmosphere is found even in the seat of the Government. One can find the cabinet Ministers and others in high positions in an airport lounge or in a hotel lobby. They are unassuming, communicative, and accessible and move about without the shield of security people. In fact, the Prime Minister’s residence is a modest flat in a busy market street.

Question 4.
Give the description of mountains as given by the author.
Answer:
The author describes the peculiarity of the mountains of Mauritius by pointing out that the mountains do not have the – traditional pyramidal shape. Their outlines are unusual with straight drops and pin-pointed peaks that dangerously balance large boulders.

Question 5.
Describe how the people of Mauritius fight against the cruel jaws of nature.
Answer:
The people of Mauritius seem to be the ones with resilience. Even after going through the suffering of the total devastation caused by King cyclone, they have the interest to rebuild everything. They seem to forget the enormous violence of nature and plant trees in congested areas, build tall structures, fix plateglass picture windows and put up rooftops with an eye for elegance. The author is surprised and sad that they forget the destruction caused by the King cyclone which promptly hits the’ island once in 15 years.

Question 6.
What would be the future of Mauritius, as opined by the author?
Answer:
The writer seems to be despondent about the future of Mauritius. He states that present Mauritius is idyllic with no problems of population and unemployment. However, the country is worried about its whole economy is dependent on the single commodity of sugar and wants to welcome foreign entrepreneurship. But the writer knows that with the introduction of industries, the population would grow and flats would come up resulting in pollution and congestion.

This would also mean increased cost of living, taxation, unemployment, slums, and a whole lot of associated problems. With the growth in industries, infrastructure also will have to change. Roads will have to be widened. With wise planning, all these problems can be tackled. But whether the leaders have the vision to preserve paradise is a question for which the writer has no answer.

C3. Compare and contrast the arriving and departing experience of the author during his flight.

Question 1.
Does it suggest anything to you?
Answer:
While the author was on his way towards the Island of Mauritius, he was full of admiration for its physical features, pristine lands viewed through acres and acres of clouds and curious about its odd mixtures of race and language but with a sense of oneness. He was full of admiration its unpolluted beauty. But, on his return flight the thoughts were all of fear and anxiety about the future of the Island.

He thought that if the foreign entrepreneurs started their industries, the Island would become polluted, with shines, increase in cost of living, unemployment etc. He was exited and enthusiastic during his arrival and was depressed and worried during his departure.

Additional Questions:

Question 1.
What was the condition of the world atlas which the writer had with him?
Answer:
It was old and it had many little dots and specks due to the passage of time, the weather and generations of cockroaches which had put them there.

Question 2.
How did the author perceive the ocean from the aircraft?
Answer:
From the aircraft, the ocean seemed to spread like a bluish-grey steel sheet.

Question 3.
What did the clouds resemble?
Answer:
The clouds seemed to resemble figures in the ancient legends of China, Rome, Greece and India.

Question 4.
What was far fetched, according to the writer?
Answer:
Drawing comparisons between what he observed from a height of 10,000 metres and what he learnt of Mauritius later seemed far fetched to the writer.

Question 5.
What was peculiar or rather special about Mauritius?
Answer:
Mauritius, though a tiny island, has an astonishing variety, strange juxtapositions, incongruities, odd mixtures of race and language. This is special about Mauritius.

Question 6.
Who ‘rub shoulders merrily’ in Mauritius as per the observations of the writer?
Answer:
Africans and Chinese, Biharis and Dutch, Persians and Tamils, Arabs, French and English – all rub shoulders merrily with one another in Mauritius.

Question 7.
Why did Radha Krishna Govindan surprise the writer?
Answer:
The writer thought that Radha Krishna Govindan was a Tamilian because he had a South Indian face and a name to go with it. But he responded in mangled English with a heavy French accent when spoken to. This surprised the writer.

Question 8.
Why were Radha Krishna Govindan’s ancestors brought to Mauritius?
Answer:
Centuries ago his ancestors were brought to the island of Mauritius as slaves or later as indentured labourers to work in sugarcane fields and factories or to cut timber in the jungle and haul it to the boats.

Question 9.
Who was the trinity referred to by the writer?
Answer:
The Dutch, the French, and the English.

Question 10.
Why did the trinity wage wars?
Answer:
The trinity battled for the possession of the islands for its spices and sugar and also for the strategic position of the islands on the maritime route to the East.

Question 11.
What is the attitude of the people of Mauritius towards strangers?
Answer:
The people of Mauritius are extremely relaxed and warm towards strangers. They always greet them with smiles as if one were a long lost friend.

Question 12.
Why was the writer ashamed?
Answer:
The writer was ashamed because being a city-bred man he could not even produce a warm smile. He had the pre-cast grim expression of a city-dweller and there was no warmth and spontaneity in his smile.

Question 13.
How are the cabinet ministers in Mauritius different from our own?
Answer:
The cabinet ministers in Mauritius do not behave as if they were born to grace the position they hold. They are unassuming, accessible,
communicative and above all, go about without a protective shield of security men.

Question 14.
Where was the residence of the Prime Minister of Mauritius situated?
Answer:
The Prime Minister’s residence was situated on a busy street lined with shops and crawling traffic. It was a modest-looking flat.

Question 15.
Whom does the writer remember when he sees Port Louis?
Answer:
Port Louis brings to the writer’s mind the memory of writers like Joseph Conrad and Somerset Maugham.3

Question 16.
How were the mountains in Mauritius formed?
Answer:
The blue mountains that ring the island of Mauritius are a volcanic happening of geological ages.

Question 17.
What is the area of Mauritius?
Answer:
The island of Mauritius is 64 km by 50 km in size.

Question 18.
What is the difference between the trees of the Andaman islands and those of Mauritius?
Answer:
The trees in the Andamans are gigantic. In Mauritius, however, they are short and gnarled even in interior jungles, looking like abnormally overgrown bonsai.

Question 19.
Name the flightless bird which was a native of Mauritius.
Answer:
Dodo.

Question 20.
Which are the water sports common in Mauritius?
Answer:
Scuba-diving, swimming, surf-riding, speed boat racing, yachting, and in some places horse-riding (in water).

Question 21.
What is the economy of Mauritius dependent upon?
Answer:
The economy of Mauritius is dependent upon sugar.

Question 22.
What is referred to as ‘paradise on earth’ by the writer?
Answer:
The island of Mauritius is referred to as paradise on earth by the writer.

Multiple Choice Questions:

Question 1.
In the World Atlas, Mauritius looked like
A) a big island
B) a big city
C) a tiny speck
D) a continent.
Answer:
C) a tiny speck

Question 2.
The ancestors of the natives of Mauritius were brought to the island as slaves or labourers
A) to work in sugarcane fields
B) to work in factories
C) to cut timber in the jungle
D) All of the above.
Answer:
D) All of the above

Question 3.
The phrase ‘buccaneering trinity’ refers to
A) the Americans, the Dutch and the French
B) the French, the Russians and the English
C) the Polish, the Kiwis and the French
D) the Dutch, the French and the English.
Answer:
D) the Dutch, the French and the English.

Question 4.
The buccaneering trinity constantly fought for the possession of the island for
A) its spices
B) its sugar
C) the strategic position
D) All of the above.
Answer:
D) All of the above.

Question 5.
The battle of 1810 for the Island ended in favour of
A) the French
B) the Dutch
C) the English
D) the Americans.
Answer:
C) the English

Question 6.
In Mauritius
A) it is common to be greeted and smiled at
B) people are hostile
C) people do not mix with outsiders
D) people fight among themselves
Answer:
A) it is common to be greeted and smiled at

Question 7.
The Cabinet Ministers and others in high positions
A) live in ivory towers
B) are high handed
C) are like ordinary people
D) like to show their power.
Answer:
C) are like ordinary people

Question 8.
The Prime Minister of Mauritius lives in
A) a bungalow
B) a modest flat
C) a palace
D) White house.
Answer:
B) a modest flat

Question 9.
The trees in Mauritius are
A) gigantic in size
B) like bonsai specimen
C) short and gnarled
D) tall and abnormal.
Answer:
C) short and gnarled

Question 10.
The ……………… was a native of Mauritius.
A) Stork
B) Eagle
C) Dinosaur
D) Dodo
Answer:
D) Dodo

Question 11.
The cyclone that promptly appears and destroys Mauritius is the ………….. cyclone.
A) Trou aux Biches
B) King
C) Beau Bassin
D) Ross Belle
Answer:
B) King

Question 12.
The economy of Mauritius is dependent on
A) steel
B) sugar
C) natural gas
D) minerals.
Answer:
B) sugar

Language Activities:

Grammar And Usage:

G1. The order of adjectives:

When there are several adjectives to a noun, certain word order is followed. Here is the order:

1. Opinion
2. Size
3. Most other qualities
4. Age
5. Colour
6. Origin
7. Material
8. Type
9. Purpose

Ex. 1. Arrange the adjectives for the nouns provided, in the correct word order.

1. vase – glass, old, lovely
   This is a lovely, old, glass vase.
   (Most other qualities, age, material)
2. Basin – sugar, antique, silver
   This is an antique, silver sugar basin.
   (Age, material, type)
3. Game – family, new, exciting
   This is an exciting, new family game.
   (Opinion, age, type)
4. Computer – business, Japanese, powerful
   This is a powerful, Japanese computer business.
   (Most other qualities, origin, type)
5. Fire – electric, excellent, small
   Excellent, small electric fire.
   (Most other qualities, size, material)
6. Chocolate bar – new, big
   Big, new chocolate bar.
   (Size, age, material)
7. Comedy – American, television, terrific Terrific American television comedy.
   (Most other qualities, origin, type)
8. Doors – aluminium, garage, stylish Stylish aluminium garage doors.
   (Most other qualities, material, type)
9. Shoes – modem, sports, wonderful Wonderful, modem sports shoes.
   (Most other qualities, age, purpose)
10. Phone – mobile, German, good Good German mobile phone.
    (Most other qualities, origin, material)

Ex. 2. From the lesson, pick out the multiple adjectives used to describe the following:

1. Clouds like ……………….
2. Trees ……………….
3. Cabinet ministers …………………
4. Mountains do not have …………………
5. Lagoons ………………

Answer:

1. Clouds like – funny shapes, odd, abstract.
2. Trees – short and gnarled, abnormally overgrown.
3. Cabinet ministers – ordinary, unassuming, accessible, communicative.
4. Mountains do not have – traditional, monotonous, pyramidal shapes.
5. Lagoons – calm, turquoise blue.

G2. Modals:

A. Given below are some dialogues. Underline the modals.

a) A: Raju has fractured his arm.
B: But still he can write.
b) A: I have still some shopping to do. May I leave my bag in your store?
B: Yes, but please collect it before 8-00 p.m.
c) A: The coffee is rather bitter. Would you please pass some sugar?
B: No, you must not take any sugar.
d) A: My feet get swollen in the evening.
B: Then you must consult a doctor.
e) A: I’ll not be able to finish my assignment in time.
B: Shall I do the drawings for you?

B. Match the modals in bold in column A with their corresponding functions and attitude given in column B.

Answer:

1. g
2. c
3. e
4. a
5. h
6. f
7. b
8. d

C. Read the following letter and choose the most suitable alternative from those given in brackets. Underline your choice. Sometimes more than one alternative is suitable.

Dear Mohit

It was pleasing to get your letter and to hear the good news that you are going trekking with your friends. You (ought to / would / should) have a break after your exams! You asked me what you (can / should / will) take. Well, you (might / can’t / mustn’t) fit everything in a backpack so you must be selective. You (will /can/must) take at least one sweater because it (ought to / should / can) get very cold in the mountains. You (needn’t / could / should) pack a gas stove because there (could / may / will) be plenty of firewood from dead trees.

I am sure you (will / should / could) have a wonderful time but I (may / would / should) give you a word of warning. Don’t get stuck in the Laki Pass at night. Once you’re there you (won’t be able to / can’t be able to / not be able to) get down and it’s very dangerous at night. By the way, you (should / should have to / should have) told me earlier that you were going and I (should have / would have / will have) given you walking boots!

Anyway, look after yourself and enjoy your holiday.

With love
Daddy
Answer:
Dear Mohit

It was pleasing to get your letter and to hear the good news that you are going trekking with your friends. You should have a break after your exams! You asked me what you can take. Well. you can’t fit everything in a backpack so you must be selective. You must take at least one sweater because it can get very cold in the mountains. You needn’t pack a gas stove because there will be plenty of firewood from dead trees.

I am sure you will have a wonderful time but I would give you a word of warning. Don’t get stuck in the Laki Pass at night. Once you’re there you won’t be able to get down and it’s very dangerous at night. By the way, you should have told me earlier that you were going and I would have given you walking boots!

Anyway, look after yourself and enjoy your holiday.

With love
Daddy

Ex.4.
Sara does not understand a concept her teacher has just taught. Complete the dialogue given below using appropriate models.

• Sara: Excuse me, Madam, …………… you repeat the explanation again, please?
• Teacher: Why do you want me to repeat it? You ……………. be very attentive when I am teaching.
• Sara: Sorry madam, I ………….. hear you properly.
• Teacher: You ……………. have a hearing problem Sara, get your ears checked. You ……………. sit in the front row from tomorrow. I ………….. now explain it again. Pay attention.
• Sara: Thank you, madam.

Answer:

• Sara: Excuse me, Madam, could you repeat the explanation again, please?
• Teacher: Why do you want me to repeat it? You should be very attentive when I am teaching.
• Sara: Sorry madam, I couldn’t hear you properly.
• Teacher: You may have a hearing problem Sara, get your ears checked. You must sit in the front row from tomorrow. I will now explain it again. Pay attention.
• Sara: Thank you, madam.

Language Skills:

L1. Read the situations given in Column A and complete the likely responses to them in Column B.

Situation	Likely Response
1) Your neighbor is playing loud music, which is disturbing you.	Can you please………………….
2) You could not visit your friend who was ill at the hospital.	I am sorry……………………..
3) You have lost the book you had borrowed from your friend.	I am Extremely sorry………………….
4) You are late to school by an hour.	Excuse me Madam, I am …………………..
5) You are unable to help your friend financially in his need.	I am afraid I cannot ……………………

Answer:

1)	Your neighbor is playing loud music, which is disturbing you.	Can you please turn down the volume?
2)	You could not visit your friend who was ill at the hospital.	I am sorry that I couldn’t visit you at the hospital.
3)	You have lost the book you had borrowed from your friend.	I am extremely sorry that I have misplaced the book that I borrowed from you.
4)	You are late to school by an hour.	Excuse me, Madam. I am sorry that I am late by an hour.
5)	You are unable to help your friend financially in his need.	I am afraid I cannot be of help to you.  OR I am afraid I cannot help you financially.

L2. Listening and speaking:

Ex. 1. Classify into two groups according to the /i:/ and /e/ sounds:

Answer:

Ex. 2. Change the vowel sound from /e/ to /i:/ in these words and write the new words.

1. check
2. red
3. bet
4. men
5. sell
6. sweat
7. bed
8. set
9. fed
10. led

Answer:

1. check cheek
2. red read
3. bet beat
4. men mean
5. sell seal
6. sweat sweet
7. bed bead
8. set seat
9. fed feed
10. led lead.

Mauritius by R.K.Laxman About The Author:

R.K. Laxman was born on the 24th of October, 1921 in Mysore. His father was a headmaster and Laxman was the youngest of six sons. One of his elder brothers, R.K. Narayan, is a well-known novelist.

Laxman drew cartoons for The Hindu’, ‘Koravanji’ and later for ‘The Times of India’. He is known for his distinctive illustrations, most notably for ‘Malgudi Days’ written by R.K. Narayan.

He has won many awards that include the Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan and the Ramon Magsaysay Award.

‘Mauritius’ is a travelogue adapted from ‘Idle Hours’ written by him.

Mauritius Summary in English

The author comes up with a detailed description of Mauritius in his essay by the same name. He says that Mauritius is a tiny speck of an island situated below the Equator on the twentieth parallel some 4,500 km. south-west of Mumbai. The world atlas which the author had was very old and contained many little dots and specks. These dots were either the products of cockroaches or the adverse effects of weather. They had nothing to do with geography. So Mauritius could not be easily located by the author in his atlas. The author’s experience on his journey to Mauritius was exciting. He was curious to see the sight below the flying aircraft.

Different aspects of the country such as the bluish-grey steel sheet-like ocean, acres and acres of cloud and land structures resembling the legendary historical’ structures of ancient countries fascinated him. The author remarks that people of different origins are found in Mauritius. There are Africans, Chinese, Biharis, Dutch, Persians, Tamils, Arabs, French and English. Of these, the Dutch, the French and the English who constantly waged battle for the possession of the island for its spices and sugar were called the ‘buccaneering trinity’. They were called so as their interest in Mauritius was piratical in nature.

The reason for the people of different countries to settle in Mauritius was for its spices and sugar or just for the strategic position on the maritime route to the East.

In Mauritius, cabinet ministers and others in big positions do not act as if they were born to grace. They are all just like ordinary people. They are unassuming, accessible, communicative and without the protective shield of hangers-on and security men to repel casual approaches.

The blue mountains ring the islands, a volcanic happening of geological ages. These mountains do not have the traditional monotonous pyramidal shapes. Their outlines are freakish and whimsical with unexpected sweeps and have perpendicular drops and pin-pointed peaks.

The author finds some names from the French language such as Trou aux Biches, Beau Bassin, Quarter Bomes, Curepipe, Rose Belle and so on musical but unpronounceable.

The author extends his study to the flora and fauna in Mauritius too. He finds that the trees found in Mauritius are short and gnarled even in the interior of jungles just like overgrown bonsai. The fauna are the bats, monkeys, deer and giant tortoises of Aldabra variety.

Mauritius is prone to cyclonic storms and it is an annual feature. Big ones occur once in 15 years and leave a trail of destruction. People are used to cyclones and have learnt to live with them. King cyclone, a massive cyclone, had struck Mauritius on February 6,1975 leaving vast areas flattened. The island has recovered from the devastation. Trees are planted in congested areas. Tall buildings have come up, plateglass picture windows are fixed and rooftops are put up with an eye on elegance.

On a cruise in a glass-bottomed boat, the author gets to see sea-shells, crabs, shapeless ugly creatures crawling in the dark depths and a school of fish, coloured bright lemon yellow with black bars. Fishes with hideous spikes all over their body, fishes with long tails, fishes with battered faces are also found.

The Government is eager to have foreign entrepreneurs start their industries here. The author opines that with industrial growth, the living space will shrink. Cars and trucks will increase. Their roads will have to be widened to take the load. The price of land will go up and flats will appear. Cost of living, pollution, unemployment, slums, taxation, controls will appear.

During his return flight the author could not see those scenes as it was dark. But he could imagine future Mauritius in a changed situation – industrialization with wider roads, tall buildings, pollution, unemployment, slums etc. He hopes that enlightened people will guide the growth of Mauritius and preserve this paradise on earth.

Glossary:

bearing (v): carrying
albeit: although
juxtaposition: put side-by-side
incongruities: out of place, absurd
indentured: bound by
strategic: important
spontaneity (n): resulting from natural impulse; not forced or suggested or caused from outside
whimsical: capricious, fantastic
precariously (adv): dependent on chance; uncertain, risky
ubiquitous: omnipresent, seeming to be everywhere
sprawling: be of loose, irregular form
gnarled: ragged
dwindling: diminishing gradually
buccaneering: piratical
(buka-neering)
relentlessly: unrelenting
trinity: a whole consisting of three parts (here, the three countries)
avidity (n): eagerness

We hope the information prevailed in this article is helpful for all the students of Class 9. The Karnataka State Board Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 4 Mauritius Question and Answers pdf enhance your skills and score good marks in the exams. Stay tuned to get the latest information about the KSEEB Solutions Class 9 English Solutions.

By understanding the academic needs we have prepared the Karnataka State Board English Class 9 Solutions Chapter Wise. Our aim is to help the students by providing the question and answers chapter wise and help them to gain a good score in the exams. Before you start your preparation go through the chapters covered in this academic. So go through them and Download KSEEB Solutions for Class 9 English Prose Chapter 8 Ethics Question and Answers Pdf for free.

Karnataka State Board Class 9 English Prose Chapter 8 Ethics

The topics covered in Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board Class 9 Solutions for English Chapter 8 Ethics. The KSEEB Solutions Class 9 English Solutions Chapter 8 Ethics Question and Answers are prepared according to the latest edition.The Chapterwise page will help the students to revise the syllabus during the exams.

Ethics Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes

Comprehension:

C1. Answer the following questions in a sentence each:

Question 1.
Who were the occupants of the carriage?
Answer:
The occupants of the carriage were an aunt with a small girl, a smaller girl and a small boy and a bachelor.

Question 2.
What questions haunted Cyril when he saw sheep in the field?
Answer:
When Cyril saw some sheep in the field he wanted to know why the sheep were being driven from one field to another. When he was given the lame answer that the grass in the other field might be better, he wanted to know why it was better.

Question 3.
What made the aunt decide that the bachelor was a hard and unsympathetic man?
Answer:
The author indirectly points out that bachelors get annoyed by the repetitive and persistently demanding behavior of children. Bachelors have no patience with the grown-ups who are incompetent at handling children. During their journey in the railway carriage, the three small children got bored and restless.

Their innumerable questions could not be answered by their aunt. Seeing the distractions by the children and the unsuccessful effort of the aunt, the bachelor’s frown was changing to a scowl. Observing this, the aunt decided that the bachelor was a hard and unsympathetic man.

Question 4.
Who saved the little girl in the aunt’s story?
Answer:
The aunt’s story was built on the cliched idea that the good get rewarded. The little girl was saved from a mad bull by a number of rescuers who admired her moral character.

Question 5.
Name the little girl in the bachelor’s story.
Answer:
The little girl in the bachelor’s story was Bertha.

Question 6.
What remark of the bachelor’s story created a wave of reaction in favor of the story?
Answer:
The idea that being good can be unpleasant appealed to the children. The word ‘horrible’ in connection with goodness was a novelty. It seemed to introduce a ring of truth that was absent from the aunt’s tales of infant life.

Question 7.
How did the Prince of the country come to know about Bertha?
Answer:
The Prince of the country came to know about Bertha from everybody who talked about her goodness.

Question 8.
How did the Prince of the country honour Bertha?
Answer:
The Prince of the country allowed Bertha to walk in his park once a week which was outside the town.

Question 9.
Why was it a great honour for Bertha being allowed into the Prince’s park?
Answer:
Being allowed into the Prince’s park was a great honour for Bertha because no children were allowed into the park.

Question 10.
When did Bertha begin to wish that she had never been allowed into the park?
Answer:
When a wolf entered the park and started chasing her, Bertha began to wish that she had never been allowed into the park.

Question 11.
The wolf located Bertha while she was hiding in the bushes by
a) sniffing around
b) the clinking sound of the medals
c) her spotlessly white pinafore.
Answer:
(b) the clinking sound of the medals.

Question 12.
What was the aunt’s reaction to Bertha’s story?
Answer:
Naturally, the aunt thought of the story as improper. She thought that the bachelor’s story had undermined the effect of years of careful teaching. Though the aunt had her own reasons to think so, she should have also realized that if stories turn out to be merely preaching material, they fail to convince the children.

C2. Answer the following in a few lines each:

Question 1.
How did the bachelor describe

1. the pigs in the park
2. the fish in the park
3. the wolf in the park?

Answer:

1. The pigs in the park: The bachelor knew how to capture the attention of the children. He said that there were lots of little pigs running all over the place. They were black with white faces, white with black spots, black all over, grey with white patches and some were white all over. They had eaten all the flowers.
2. The fish in the park: There were ponds with gold and blue and green fish in them.
3. The wolf in the park: The wolf which came prowling into the park was enormous. It was mud colour all over, with a black tongue and pale grey eyes that gleaned with unspeakable ferocity.

Question 2.
What qualities of Bertha earned her the three medals?
Answer:
Bertha won several medals for goodness. She earned a medal for obedience, another medal for punctuality and a third for good behavior.

Question 3.
Give reasons for:

1. the absence of sheep in the Prince’s park
2. the absence of flowers in the Prince’s park
3. Bertha feeling sorry for the absence of flowers in the Prince’s park.

Answer:

1. The absence of sheep in the Prince’s park: There were no sheep in the Prince’s park because his mother had a dream once that her son would be killed by either a sheep or a clock falling on him.
2. The absence of flowers in the Prince’s park: There were no flowers in the Prince’s park because the pigs had eaten them all.
3. Bertha feeling sorry for the absence of flowers in the Prince’s park: Bertha had promised her aunts that she would not pick any of the kind Prince’s flowers and she had meant to keep her promise. It made her feel silly to find there were no flowers to pick.

Question 4.
What are the two different thoughts of Bertha on her being extraordinarily good, when she was in the Prince’s park?
Answer:
Initially, when Bertha was walking up and down the park admiring the trees, the ponds with fish, the beautiful parrots, the hummingbirds, she felt that she was able to enjoy all these only because she was extraordinarily good, It was because of that she was let into the park.

When the wolf started chasing her to eat her, she ran and hid in the myrtle bushes terribly frightened and thought to herself that if she had not been extraordinarily good, she could not have been allowed into the park and she wouldn’t have had to face the hungry wolf and could have remained safe in the town.

C3. Discuss in groups and answer the following questions:

Question 1.
How did the medals earn respect for Bertha, as well as cause her death?
Answer:
Bertha was an extremely well-behaved girl and won medals for obedience, punctuality, and good behavior which were pinned on her dress every day. Every day people talked about her dress and the Prince of the country got to hear about it and allowed her to walk once a week in his park. It was a beautiful park and the children were not allowed in it. So it was a great honor for Bertha to be allowed to go there.

Once when she was in the park, Bertha saw a wolf stealing towards her. She hjd herself behind a bush. Being unable to trace her, the wolf tried to go in search of a pigling. But when Bertha trembled and her medals clinked, the wolf could locate her and killed her.

Question 2.
The aunt terms the bachelor’s story the most improper one. Do you agree with her? Give reasons.
Answer:
In her own way, the aunt was right because it is important that we influence children positively and make them have faith in the power of the good. However, when we narrate stories, we need to be imaginative so that we don’t lose out on the interest of the children. When it comes to the bachelor’s story, we see that technically it is a brilliant story as it has a powerful description, convincing turn of events and an interesting plot. If we go by these elements, we consider the story a proper one and disagree with the aunt’s conclusion that it is an improper story. 3

When it comes to the question of morality, we see that the bachelor gives the clear message that goodness gets punished. The question is whether it is advisable to give such a message to children. Here again, there are three points to be borne in mind. First of all, in life too not always does good get rewarded.

So, we can take it as the bachelor coming up with a realistic story. Secondly, we see that the bachelor in a subtle manner shows that the girl who is good, is good in a deliberate manner. She lacks the spontaneity and sincerity of children. Maybe the bachelor is giving a moral of a different kind. People who are too conscious of being good are not genuine.

Thirdly, the bachelor must have had the sensitivity of knowing that not all children could be expected to be good like Bertha. Such children are unnecessarily made to feel pathetic about not being good. So the bachelor must have wanted to make the children feel better about their own inadequacy. Going by all these reasons, we can conclude that though the story seems to be morally inappropriate at the first glance, a deeper analysis of the story shows that it has its own positive elements.

Question 3.
What elements in the bachelor’s story appealed to the children?
Answer:
The descriptive element, the unexpected twist, convincing answers to the questions raised in the course of the story made the children conclude that it was the best story that they had ever heard.

Question 4.
How would the story have ended if Bertha had not pinned the medals on her pinafore?
Answer:
The wolf would have gone away without spotting Bertha and would have probably satiated its hunger by eating a piglet.

Additional Questions:

Question 1.
Which were the two parties travelling by train?
Answer:
One consisted of a small girl, a smaller girl, a small boy, and their aunt. The other was a bachelor.

Question 2.
What was the name of the boy?
Answer:
Cyril.

Question 3.
How did the boy produce a cloud of dust?
Answer:
By smacking the cushions of the seat.

Question 4.
Why were the sheep being driven out of the field, according to the aunt?
Answer:
The aunt said that the sheep were being driven to a field where there was more grass.

Question 5.
Why was the bachelor frowning?
Answer:
He was irritated by the noise made by the children and the fact that the aunt was unable to control them.

Question 6.
Why did the aunt call the children to listen to a story?
Answer:
The bachelor was annoyed and he stared at the aunt twice and at the communication cord once. It suggested that he was planning to pull it. So, the aunt wanted to pacify the children by telling them a story.

Question 7.
What made the bachelor think that the aunt did not rank high as a storyteller in the children’s view?
Answer:
When the aunt offered to tell a story to the children, the children moved reluctantly towards her. They did not seem to be much interested in her story. So, the bachelor thought that the aunt’s reputation did not rank high in the children’s view.

Question 8.
What was the opinion of the children about the story told by the aunt?
Answer:
The bigger girl opined that it was the stupidest story she had ever heard. The boy said that he never listened to the story after the first half because it was so stupid. The smaller girl seemed to have stopped listening to the story long back, as she had started reciting her favourite line.

Question 9.
What prompted the bachelor to tell the children a story?
Answer:
After listening to the story of the aunt, the children expressed their displeasure about it. Seeing this reaction the bachelor expressed that perhaps the aunt was not as successful as a storyteller. Hearing this comment, the aunt replied that it was not easy to tell a story that children could both understand and appreciate. The bachelor did not agree and he was challenged by the aunt to tell the children a story. The bachelor took up the challenge and started telling a story.

Question 10.
What were the good qualities of Bertha as noted by the bachelor?
Answer:
Bertha was an extraordinarily good girl. She did all that she was told, she was always truthful, she kept her clothes clean, ate milk puddings as though they were jam tarts, learned her lessons perfectly and was polite in her manners.

Question 11.
How was Bertha rewarded for her goodness?
Answer:
Bertha was so good that she won several medals for her goodness. There were medals for obedience, for good behavior and for punctuality. Ultimately, when news spread and the Prince of the country heard about it, he even allowed her to walk in his beautiful park once a week. This was an opportunity which no other child got.

Question 12.
How did the bachelor describe the park?
Answer:
It was a beautiful park. There were no flowers in the park but there were lots of pigs running all over. They were of different colours. There were ponds with colourful fish in them. The fish were gold, blue and green coloured. The trees were full of birds such as the hummingbird which hummed the popular tunes of the day and the beautiful parrots that said clever things at a moment’s notice.

Question 13.
What was the opinion of the children about the bachelor’s story?
Answer:
The children liked the story very much. They were immensely happy to hear it. The smaller of the girls said that though the story began badly, it had a beautiful ending. The bigger of the girls said that it was the most beautiful story that she had ever heard. Cyril said that it was the only beautiful story he had ever heard.

Question 14.
Why did the aunt consider the bachelor’s story as improper?
Answer:
The aunt reckoned that the story would damage the careful upbringing, particularly where values were concerned. The aunt had tried to teach values to the children all these years.

This would be undermined by the story told by the bachelor. So, the aunt considered it an improper story to be told to children.

Question 15.
What were the thoughts of the bachelor as he walked down the platform?
Answer:
As he walked down the platform the bachelor thought that the children would attack and pester their aunt with demands of an improper story for at least another six months.

Multiple Choice Questions:

Question 1.
Nearly all of the children’s remarks began with
A) Do not
B) Yes
C) No
D) Why?
Answer:
D) Why?

Question 2.
The aunt decided that the bachelor was a hard, unsympathetic man when
A) the frown on the bachelor’s face turned into a scowl.
B) Cyril asked why the grass in the other field was better.
C) she could not find a satisfactory answer for Cyril’s question.
D) she tried to divert Cyril’s attention.
Answer:
A) the frown on the bachelor’s face turned into a scowl.

Question 3.
The line, the smaller girl went on repeating over and over again, was
A) Jack and Jill went up the hill
B) On the road to Mandalay
C) Pussy cat pussy cat where have you been
D) Twinkle twinkle little star.
Answer:
B) On the road to Mandalay

Question 4.
The aunt decided to tell the children a story when
A) the bachelor asked her to keep them quiet
B) Cyril asked her to tell a story
C) the bachelor looked at the communication cord
D) the smaller girl did not stop her singing.
Answer:
C) the bachelor looked at the communication cord

Question 5.
The children did not show interest in the aunt’s story because it was
A) very interesting
B) about a good girl
C) full of novelty
D) uninteresting and unenterprising.
Answer:
D) uninteresting and unenterprising.

Language Activities:

A) Vocabulary:

V1. Match the words in column ‘A’ with their meaning in column ‘B’:

A	B
1. banish	a) the place where a person lives
2. humble	b) turn quickly
3. domicile	c) stinking
4. foul-smelling	d) expel
5. predator	e) modest
6. flip	f) an animal that hunts, kills and eats other animals

Answer:

1. d
2. e
3. a
4. c
5. f
6. b

V2. Which of the following expressions is correct?

1. a flock of birds/aflight of birds.
   a flight of birds.
2. a swarm of insects/a colony of insects.
   a swarm of insects.
3. a herd of goats/a flock of goats.
   a herd of goats.
4. a troupe of actors/a company of actors.
   a troupe of actors.
5. a wad of banknotes/a roll of banknotes.
   a wad of banknotes.
6. a pack of cards / a deck of cards.
   a deck of cards.
7. a team of experts/a panel of experts.
   a panel of experts.
8. a bunch of grapes / a cluster of grapes.
   a bunch of grapes.

V3. Write the synonyms and antonyms for the following words:

Word	Synonyms	Antonyms
1. calm	quiet, rest, peace	violence, unrest, struggle
2. ignore	neglect, carelessness, slackness, disregard	care, heed, solicitude, notice
3. gentle	moderate, sobriety, mild	rough
4. curious	interested, inquisitive	uninterested, indifferent
5. humble	humility, modest, timid, unobtrusive	conceited, vain, arrogant
6. revive	renovate, restore, renew, regenerate, refresh	weaken, replace, return
7. encounter	arrive, confront, conflict, clash, meet	depart, rebuff
8. pleasant	agreeable, amusing, pleasing, enjoyable	painful, unpleasant
9. deter	discourage, hinder, remonstrate	encourage, prompt, instigate
10. warm	hot, welcoming, cordial, earnest	cold, reticent, indifferent
11. dignified	reputed, honor, stately	disreputed, undignified
12. charming	pleasing, beautiful, delightful	displeasing, ugly, unattractive

B) Grammar And Usage:

G1. Read the following table carefully and match the details given in column A with the details given in Columns B, and C. One is done for you.

No.	A	B	C
	Statement	Tense form	Time reference
1.	Every day, I study for six hours.	Past	Future
2.	Meet me tomorrow.	Present	Future
3.	The train arrives on platform No. 4 in a few minutes.	Past	Present – up to now
4.	My aunt is visiting us next Sunday. So, I cannot join you for the next party.	Present	Future – up to then
5.	We are going to buy a new car.	Present	Past (Single event)
6.	I have finished my homework.	Present	Past
7.	I had finished my homework by the time my friend came. So, my father allowed me to go with him.	Present	Present, past and future (all time)
8.	Sushma won the first prize in the recitation competition.	Present	Future

Answer:

No.	A	B	C
	Statement	Tense	Time
1.	Every day, I study for six hours.	Present	Present, Future
2.	Meet me tomorrow.	Present	Future
3.	The train arrives on platform No. 4 in a few minutes.	Present	Future
4.	My aunt is visiting us next Sunday. So, I cannot join you for the next party.	Present	Future – up to then
5.	We are going to buy a new car.	Present	Future
6.	I have finished my homework.	Present	Present – up to now
7.	I had finished my homework by the time my friend came. So, my father allowed me to go with him.	Past	Past
8.	Sushma won the first prize in the recitation competition.	Present	Past (Single event)

G2. a) Fill in the blanks with suitable forms of the verbs given in brackets:

I am Shankar. I am an English teacher. I ………… (work) in Sarvodaya High School in Jayanagar. Every day, I ………….. (go) to Bangalore by train. The train is at 6 O’clock. So, I ………… (get) up at 4:30 a.m. and leave home around 5:30 a.m. My friend, Suresh, …………. (join) me on the way to the railway station. He is also a teacher. He …………. (teach) Biology. The train ……………. (reach) Bangalore around 8:30 a.m. We ………….. (take) a
B.M.T.C. bus from the railway station to Jayanagar.
Answer:
I am Shankar. I am an English teacher. I work in Sarvodaya High School in Jayanagar. Every day, I go to Bangalore by train. The train is at 6 O’clock. So, I get up at 4:30 a.m. and leave home around 5:30 a.m. My friend, Suresh, joins me on the way to the railway station. He is also a teacher. He teaches Biology. The train reaches Bangalore around 8:30 a.m. We take a B.M.T.C. bus from the railway station to Jayanagar.

b) Construct sentences using the appropriate tense form of the verbs underlined in each.

	Everyday	Yesterday
1.	Go to school	Go to Vijayapura to attend a friend’s marriage
2.	Evening – practice music	Evening – visit Golgumbaz
3.	Help her brother with his homework.	Go to a movie
	Every week	Last week
4.	Visit her grandmother	Spend time with relatives
5.	Thursday – go swimming	Thursday – attend a music concert

Answer:

1. Lakshmi goes to school every day, but yesterday she went to Vijayapura to attend her friend’s marriage.
2. Susheel practices music every day, but yesterday he visited Golgumbaz.
3. Bharathi helps her brother in his homework every day, but yesterday she went for a movie.
4. Kanthi visits her grandmother every week, but last week she spent time with her relatives.
5. Every week, on Thursday, Shantha goes swimming; but last Thursday, she attended a music concert.

G3. Complete the following conversation using the correct form of the verbs given in brackets:

• Dhaman: Good morning, Mr. Salunke. I am from Suyama Karnataka’s newspaper. I _______ (write) an article on the lifestyle of wrestlers. Can I trouble you tomorrow for an interview?
• Salunke: I _______ (be) afraid I will not be free tomorrow. I ______ (go) to Hyderabad to attend a conference. I ______ (back) day after tomorrow.
• Dhaman: Oh! I am to submit my article the day after tomorrow. Do you _______ (think) you can spare a few minutes now?
• Salunke: Umm! Well, I think I can _______ (spare) five minutes for you now.
• Dhaman: Thank you very much. Tell me how you _______ (prepare) yourself for the wrestling competition.
• Salunke: Everyday, I ______ (get) up very early in the morning. I _______ (spend) nearly six hours in the gymnasium. But my friend Raghu ______ (spend) only two hours in the gym. Our trainer ________ (train) us rigorously.
• Dhaman: What diet _______ you _______ (follow) ?
• Salunke: I ______ (prefer) lots of cereals and greens. But Raghu _______ (prefer) non-vegetarian diet.

Answer:

• Dhaman: Good morning, Mr. Salunke. I am from ‘Suvarna Karnataka’s newspaper. I am writing an article on the lifestyle of wrestlers. Can I trouble you tomorrow for an interview?
• Salunke: I am afraid I will not be free tomorrow. I am going to Hyderabad to attend the conference. I will be back the day after tomorrow.
• Dhaman: Oh! I am to submit my article the day after tomorrow. Do you think you can spare a few minutes now?
• Salunke: Umm! Well, I think I can spare five minutes for you now.
• Dhaman: Thank you very much. Tell me how you are preparing yourself for the wrestling competition.
• Salunke: Every day I get up very early in the morning. I spend nearly six hours in the gymnasium. But my friend Raghu spends only two hours in the gym. Our trainer trains us rigorously.
• Dhaman: What diet do you follow?
• Salunke: I prefer lots of cereals and greens. But Raghu prefers a non-vegetarian diet.

G4. Give reasons for the following. Use the verbs given in brackets. The first one is done for you:

Answer:

G5. Past Tense:

Rewrite the following by filling in the blanks with the past form of the verbs given in brackets. (You may have to use the past simple, past progressive and past perfect):

1. The children …………… (make) a lot of noise which ………….. (disturb) the bachelor. The little girl ……….. (sing) the first line of a poem repeatedly. Cyril ………… (smack) the cushions of the seat. When the aunt …………… (ask) him to look out of the window, he ………….. (start) asking questions about the sheep that ………….. (be) in the field. The aunt…… (try) to calm down the children by telling them a story. But the children did not like her narration.
The bachelor …………. (decide) to tell them a story. His style of narration ………….. (appeal) to the imagination of the children.
They ………….. (listen) to the story with rapt attention and ……………… (enjoy) the story.
Answer:
The children were making a lot of noise which disturbed the bachelor. The little girl was singing the first line of a poem repeatedly. Cyril was smacking the cushions of the seat. When the aunt asked him to look out of the window, he started asking questions about the sheep that were in the field. The aunt tried to calm down the children by telling them a story. But the children did not like her narration. The bachelor decided to tell them a story. His style of narration appealed to the imagination of the children. They listened to the story with rapt attention and enjoyed the story.

2. When I came home, my sister ……………… (work) on the computer. When I came home, my sister was working on the computer.
3. While Suresh ………….. (read) the text, Sony ………….. (note down) the main points.
While Suresh was reading the text, Sony noted down the main points.
4. The phone ……………. (ring) while I ………….. (have) my dinner. The phone rang while I was having my dinner.

Ethics by Saki About The Author:

Hector Hugo Munro (1870-1916), whose pen name is Saki, was a British writer. His stories are generally witty, mischievous, and sometimes very grim. He is compared to O. Henry and Dorothy Parker for his short stories. He is considered a master of the short story. He was influenced by writers like Lewis Carroll, Rudyard Kipling and Oscar Wilde, in turn, he also influenced many other writers of younger generations. The present story depicts something different from the usual stories told to children.

Ethics Summary in English

The short story ‘The Story-Teller’ by H.H. Munro is set in a train. We get introduced to a family of four, comprising an aunt with her two nieces and a nephew. The only other occupant is a bachelor. The story humorously refers to the difficulty of the aunt in keeping the children occupied and in ensuring that they do not disturb the other passengers. She is unable to answer their questions convincingly and hence, offers to narrate a story. But, even as a storyteller she fails as the children bombard her with questions.

It is at this point that the bachelor observes aloud that the aunt did not seem to be a good storyteller. The aunt retorts that it is difficult to narrate stories that are both understandable and entertaining to children. She also challenges the stranger to come up with an effective story.

The bachelor accepts the challenge and begins with a story. Though the story has the conventional beginning of a good girl named Bertha, it catches the attention of the children when the bachelor, while answering a question, remarks that the girl is not as pretty as the little girls in the compartment. He further amuses them by describing the girl as being horribly good. Never had the children come across an oxymoron such as ‘horribly good’.

The bachelor tells the children that the Prince of the country honours Bertha for being good by permitting her to walk in his park once a week. When the children want to know whether there are sheep in the park and are answered in the negative, they want to know the reason. The aunt is secretly happy thinking that the bachelor too would find it impossible to answer the ‘why’ questions.

But the bachelor exhibits his power of imagination by saying that there are no sheep or clock as the prince’s mother had a dream that the prince would meet his end because of a sheep or a clock. When the tricky question is asked whether the prince actually died because of either of the two, the bachelor uses his wit to avoid an inappropriate answer by saying that the prince is still alive and hence the question cannot be answered.

The bachelor exhibits his power of description while talking about the pigs, the fish and the wolf. The bachelor perhaps appeals to the children because he makes fun of Bertha in a subtle manner. We see that Bertha is elated at the opportunity of being in the park, but is disappointed that she cannot give further proof of her goodness by not touching the flowers in the park as there are no flowers.

The bachelor explains the absence of flowers by adding that the pigs in the park had eaten them all. The bachelor’s explanation that the prince had chosen pigs over flowers amuses the children as it is an unusual choice. The bachelor also gives an unexpected twist to the story by showing that Bertha meets with a tragic end because of her goodness.

A wolf comes to the park and spots Bertha because of her pinafore which is spotlessly white and is able to locate her in the thick bushes because of the sound made by the three medals that she had won for obedience, good conduct, and punctuality. The good girl’s reward for good turns out to be the cause of her death.

The story, which is termed improper by the aunt, is highly appreciated by the children. The bachelor wryly responds to the aunt by saying that he was at least able to keep the children occupied for ten minutes. The chosen piece does not explicitly answer the question of whether children need to be given morality in the form of stories- or whether it is acceptable for stories to uphold the value of entertainment alone. However, the piece clearly shows that storytelling is an art and children cannot be given silly answers to the questions that they raise.

Glossary:

sultry: uncomfortably warm
persistent: doing something continuously
smack: to hit forcefully
reluctant: unwilling
fatuous: stupid
frown: facial expression showing annoyance
scowl: a very annoyed expression
wager: bet
listlessly: unwillingly
petulant: ill-tempered
retort: angry reply
flicker: begin to go down
grin: to smile widely
pinafore: loose garment without sleeves, worn over clothes to keep them clean
leaps and bounds: very quickly
shrubbery: undergrowth
sniff out: recognize by smelling
dissentient: differing from the opinion of the majority
undermined: damaged.

We hope the information prevailed in this article is helpful for all the students of Class 9. The Karnataka State Board Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 8 Ethics Question and Answers pdf enhance your skills and score good marks in the exams. Stay tuned to get the latest information about the KSEEB Solutions Class 9 English Solutions.

By understanding the academic needs we have prepared the Karnataka State Board English Class 9 Solutions Chapter Wise. Our aim is to help the students by providing the question and answers chapter wise and help them to gain a good score in the exams. Before you start your preparation go through the chapters covered in this academic. So go through them and Download KSEEB Solutions for Class 9 English Prose Chapter 6 All Stories are Anansi’s Question and Answers Pdf for free.

Karnataka State Board Class 9 English Prose Chapter 6 All Stories are Anansi’s

The topics covered in Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board Class 9 Solutions for English Chapter 6 All Stories are Anansi’s. The KSEEB Solutions Class 9 English Solutions Chapter 6 All Stories are Anansi’s Question and Answers are prepared according to the latest edition.The Chapterwise page will help the students to revise the syllabus during the exams.

All Stories are Anansi’s Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes

Comprehension:

C1. Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
Who owned the stories in the beginning?
Answer:
In the beginning, Nyame, the Sky God, owned the stories.

Question 2.
Who wanted to own them later?
Answer:
Anansi, the spider, wanted to own them later.

Question 3.
What was the price to be paid to own all the stories in the world?
Answer:
Mmoboro – the hornets, Onini – the python and Osebo – the leopard, had to be given to Nyame – the Sky God as the price to own all the stories in the world.

Question 4.
Did Anansi agree to pay the price?
Answer:
Yes, Anansi agreed to pay the price.

Question 5.
Why did Anansi pour water on himself and over the hornets?
Answer:
Anansi poured water on himself and over the hornets because he wanted to make the hornets believe that it was raining.

Question 6.
What did Anansi capture the hornets in?
Answer:
Anansi captured Mmoboro, the hornets, in a gourd by making a small hole in it.

Question 7.
What dispute did the spider have with his wife?
Answer:
Anansi’s wife felt that the python Onini was not longer, but shorter and weaker than a bamboo pole. Anansi disagreed with this and it led to a dispute.

Question 8.
What suggestion did Onini give to find out the truth about his length and strength?
Answer:
Onini suggested that Anansi measure him against the length of the bamboo pole to find out the truth about his length.

Question 9.
Why did Anansi tie Onini at one end of the pole?
Answer:
Anansi tied Onini at one end of the pole because when Onini stretched at one end he was getting shorter at the other. So Anansi suggested that the python be tied to the bamboo pole to ensure that he was straight and there was no mistake being made about his length.

Question 10.
Where and why did Anansi dig a pit?
Answer:
Anansi dug a deep pit in the forest to capture the leopard Osebo.

Question 11.
Why did Anansi bend a tall green tree over the pit? Anansi bent a tall green tree towards the ground over the pit in order to pull out Osebo from the pit.

Question 12.
Why did the Sky God offer Anansi all the stories?
Answer:
Anansi was offered all the stories by the Sky God Nyame because he had fulfilled all the conditions of Nyame. He had brought Mmoboro – the hornets, Onini – the python and Osebo – the leopard to Nyame.

Question 13.
What should anyone acknowledge before telling a story?
Answer:
All should acknowledge that the stories belonged to Anansi before telling a story because all the stories and tales now belonged to Anansi who had successfully won them over from the Sky God.

C2. Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
Describe how Anansi captured the hornets for the Sky God.
Answer:
Anansi was clever at cheating the hornets. He made them believe that it was raining and that they needed protection from the rain. Anansi first cut a gourd from a vine and made a small hole in it. He took a large calabash and filled it with water. He went to the tree where the hornets lived. He poured some of the water over himself so that he was dripping. He threw some water over the hornets making them all wet.

Then he put the calabash on his head, as though to protect himself from a storm and called out to the hornets and asked them why they were staying in the rain. When the hornets said that they had nowhere else to go, he told them to go into the gourd through the small hole. When the last of them had gone in, Anansi plugged the hole with a ball of grass. He took the gourd full of hornets to Nyame, the Sky God.

Question 2.
Explain how the python got trapped.
Answer:
We see that the python got trapped because of his vanity. Anansi used this weakness of the python to trap it. Anansi went “v to the forest and cut a long bamboo pole and some strong vines.

Then he walked towards the house of Onini, the python. All the while he kept talking to himself that his wife was stupid to say that Onini was shorter and weaker than that bamboo. Hearing this, Onini offered to be measured against the bamboo to solve the dispute. Anansi laid the pole on the ground and the python came and stretched himself out beside it. Anansi remarked that the python was a little short. When the python stretched at the head he was shorter at the tail and vice-versa.

So, with his consent, Anansi tied Onini’s head and tail firmly to the pole. He wrapped the vine around Onini until he was unable to move on the pretext of stretching him out against the bamboo. When the python was thus constricted, Anansi took the python to the Sky God as prisoner.

Question 3.
What method did the spider Kwaku Anansi adopt to get the leopard demanded as a price for the ownership of all tales and stories of the world?
Answer:
As we can see, the leopard was the most formidable of all the opponents of Anansi. Clever Anansi knew that if he had to deal with the leopard, he should ensure that the leopard was already in a disadvantageous position. That is why he thought of a clever ploy. Anansi went into the forest and dug a deep pit where the leopard was accustomed to walking.

He covered it with small branches and leaves and put dust on it so that it was impossible to know where the pit was. Osebo came prowling in the black night, stepped into the trap, and fell to the bottom. The next morning Anansi went to the pit and saw the leopard there.

Osebo asked for help from Anansi. Anansi bent a tall tree towards the ground so that its top was over the pit and he tied it that way. Then he tied a rope to the tree and dropped the other end of it into the pit. Anansi asked Osebo to tie the rope to his tail. When Osebo did as he was told, Anansi took his knife and cut the rope that held the tree bowed to the ground. The tree straightened up with a snap, pulling Osebo out of the hole and ‘ he hung in the air upside down. Anansi then easily killed him and took his body to Nyame, the Sky God.

C3. Read the following statement carefully and in pairs discuss the points you would like to include in your justification. Elaborate each point.

“With wisdom and knowledge, one can achieve the impossible” – Justify the statement with reference to Kwaku Anansi, the spider.
Answer:
Interestingly, we see that Anansi who wanted to buy all the stories from the Sky God was already a storyteller. With each of his victims, he used a story to cheat them. Anansi used his imagination to weave convincing stories and his insight made it possible for him to look into the weaknesses of the hornets, the python, and the leopard to catch them.

When Anansi, the spider, wanted to be the owner of all the stories in the world, he went to Nyame, the Sky God, to purchase the stories. Nyame said that he was willing to sell the stories, but the price was very high. Nyame added that even the rich and powerful families were not able to pay the price. The Sky God then asked three things as price: Mmoboro – the hornets, Onini – the python and Osebo – the leopard. Anansi agreed. Though he did not have the physical strength to capture them, he used his wisdom and knowledge and achieved the impossible.

He made the hornets get into the gourd, tied the python to the pole and he tied the leopard to the tree using his wisdom and knowledge. Thus Anansi, though physically not as strong as his opponents, could achieve what others were not able to. Thus, we see that the power of the brain is stronger than the strength of the brawn.

Additional Questions:

Question 1.
Why did people not buy the stories from the Sky God?
Answer:
Because the price was too high for them.

Question 2.
Why did Anansi call his wife stupid?
Answer:
Anansi wanted to draw the attention of the python. So, he said that his wife was stupid to say that the python was shorter and weaker than a piece of bamboo.

Question 3.
What did Anansi mean when he said, “I give him more respect. She gives him less respect”?
Answer:
Anansi wanted to impress the python. He wanted the python to react and so he said that while he respected the python. his wife did not.

Question 4.
What did Osebo request of Anansi?
Answer:
Osebo requested Anansi to help him come out of the pit.

Question 5.
Why did Anansi refuse to help Osebo at first?
Answer:
Anansi said that Osebo would be thankless. As soon as he was out of the pit, he would be hungry and would want to eat Anansi and his children. So, he refused to help Osebo come out of the pit.

Question 6.
What made Anansi agree to help Osebo?
Answer:
Osebo swore not to kill Anansi and his children. Therefore, Anansi agreed to help Osebo.

Question 7.
Why did Anansi call them all ‘foolish’?
Answer:
Each of them – the hornets, the python, and the leopard fell into the trap of Anansi as expected by him. Therefore, Anansi called them ‘foolish’.

Multiple Choice Questions:

Question 1.
Originally all the stories belonged to
A) Kwaku Anansi
B) Mmoboro
C) Osebo
D) Nyame.
Answer:
D) Nyame.

Question 2.
………….. wanted to buy all the stories known in the world.
A) Osebo, the leopard
B) Onini, the python
C) Anansi, the spider
D) Mmoboro, the hornets.
Answer:
C) Anansi, the spider

Question 3.
Rich and powerful families could not buy the stories because
Answer:
A) the Price was too high for them
B) the Price was too low for them
C) the stories were Priceless
D) Nyame refused to sell them
Answer:
A) the Price was too high for them

Question 4.
Anansi tricked the hornets into entering ……………. and caught them.
Answer:
A) a calabash
B) a dry gourd
C) a bottle
D) a box
Answer:
B) a dry gourd

Question 5.
The dispute the spider had with his wife was about
A) the intelligence of the hornets
B) the intelligence of Onini
C) the strength and length of Onini
D) the price of the stories.
Answer:
C) the strength and length of Onini

Question 6.
Anansi caught the python
A) with a net
B) by making it enter a basket
C) by tying it to a pole
D) with the help of a calabash.
Answer:
C) by tying it to a pole

Question 7.
Anansi went into the forest and dug a deep pit where
A) Onini used to crawl often
B) the hornets flew
C) Osebo was accustomed to walk
D) nansi used to go for a walk.
Answer:
C) Osebo was accustomed to walk

Question 8.
Whenever a man tells a story, he must acknowledge that it is
A) Onini’s tale
B) Osebo’s tale
C) Nyame’s tale
D) Anansi’s tale.
Answer:
D) Anansi’s tale.

Question 9.
The Sky God had set things as the price.
A) five
B) two
C) three
D) one
Answer:
C) three

Question 10.
Anansi cut a ………….. to catch the hornets.
A) pumpkin
B) gourd
C) cucumber
D) bamboo.
Answer:
B) gourd

Question 11.
The hornets lived in a
A) tree
B) thicket
C) building
D) nest
Answer:
A) tree

Question 12.
The python stretched beside the
A) pole
B) tree
C) gourd
D) Vine
Answer:
A) pole

Question 13.
Anansi wrapped the python with
A) rope
B) cloth
C) vine
D) bamboo
Answer:
C) vine

Language Activities:

A) Vocabulary:

V1. Use the following words in sentences of your own:

1. yearn
2. plug (v)
3. accustomed
4. onward
5. acknowledge
6. measure.

Answer:

1. Yearn: to long for
   I yearn to possess an i-pad in which I can store many interesting stories.
2. Plug: to fill
   We were able to plug the hole with cement.
3. Accustomed: habituated
   I am accustomed to drinking green tea in the morning.
4. Onward: forward
   While booking for the onward journey, we also booked for our return journey.
5. Acknowledge: recognize
   It is decency to acknowledge the help of others when we write our success stories.
6. Measure: to find the size, quantity, speed etc.
   The tailor can tell the length of a piece of cloth by just looking at it.

V2. Which of the following expressions do you think are appropriate? Choose/tick the right one.

1. a shining star/a glittering star
   a shining star.
2. busy traffic /heavy traffic
   heavy traffic.
3. a stomach ache/a stomach pain
   a stomach ache.
4. backside the house /behind the house
   behind the house.
5. a severe fever/a high fever
   a high fever.

B) Grammar And Usage:

G1. Here are some sentences from the lesson. Can you supply a suitable question tag to each one of them, choosing from the box given below?

1. I can do it,…………….?
2. I should first have Mmoboro,……………..?
3. I will bring them,……………..?
4. Osebo, you are half foolish,…………..?
5. My wife is stupid,………….?
6. I give them more respect,…………….?
7. My opinion was not good as my wife’s,……………?

Answer:

1. can’t I?
2. shouldn’t I?
3. won’t I?
4. aren’t you?
5. isn’t she?
6. don’t I?
7. was it?

G2. Identify the verbs and conjunctions and fill in the blanks:

1. They shouted loudly. Verb: ………….. Conjunction: None

2. He tried his best but he failed. Verb: ……………. Conjunction: ………….. Type of conjunction: Coordinating conjunction

3. He worked as if he was in a hurry. Verb: ………….. Conjunction: ………….. Type of conjunction: ……………….

Answer:

1. They shouted loudly.
   Verb – shouted
   Conjunction – none
2. He tried his best but he failed.
   Verb – tried; failed
   Conjunction – but
3. He worked as if he was in a hurry.
   Verb – worked, was
   Conjunction – as if

Type of conjunction – adverb clause.
Sentence 1 is a simple sentence.
Sentence 2 is a compound sentence.
Sentence 3 is a complex sentence.

Now compare the three sentences and list the differences:

Simple sentence	Compound sentence	Complex sentence
1. has only one finite ……… 2. can be divided into ………. and predicate.	1. has two or more ………… 2. Has …………… conjunctions. 3. has   (one/ two) parts that can stand independently.	1. has two or more ……….. 2. Has …………… conjuction.3. has   (one/ two) main Clauses. 4. has one or more subordinating clauses that depend on the main clause for their meaning.

Answer:

1. Simple sentence:
   • Has only one finite verb.
   • Can be divided into subject and predicate.
2. Compound sentence:
   • Has two or more finite verbs.
   • Has coordinating conjunctions.
   • Has two parts that can stand independently.
3. Complex sentence:
   • Has two or more finite verbs.
   • Has subordinating conjunction.
   • Has one main clause.
   • Has one or more subordinating clauses that depend on the main clause for their meaning.

G3. State whether the following sentences are simple, compound or complex sentences:

1. Either take it or leave it.
2. Rome was not built in a day.
3. People who are given to quarreling cannot be happy.
4. Many are called but few are chosen.
5. No one can harm us as long as we remain friends.
6. God made the country and man made the town.
7. I will read that book if you advise me to do so.
8. We returned when sunset.
9. There is no hope of her recovery.
10. The president appointed him governor.

Answer:

1. Compound
2. Simple
3. Complex
4. Compound
5. Complex
6. Compound
7. Complex
8. Complex
9. Simple
10. Simple

Speaking And Reading:

S1. Write a sentence for each of the following situations ‘making a polite request’. You can use any polite phrase suitable to the situation.

Answer:

1. Could you please give me a ticket to Delhi?
2. I would be grateful to have the exam time-table.
   I would appreciate it if I could have the exam time-table.
3. May I have the bottle of pickle please?
4. May I have an ice-cream please?
5. Could you please tell me a story grandma?

S2. Read the graph and answer the questions that follow:

Question 1.
What data does the graph represent?
Answer:
The graph represents the data of C0₂ emission from the transport sector in Delhi, India.

Question 2.
What was the pollution level in 2005?
Answer:
In 2005, the pollution level was more than 4500 metric tons, but less than 5000 metric tons.

Question 3.
What is likely to happen in 2020?
Answer:
In 2020, the pollution level is likely to increase to almost 10000 metric tons.

Question 4.
When was the pollution level the lowest?
Answer:
The pollution level was the lowest in 1997.

Question 5.
Is this situation prevalent only in Delhi?
Answer:
No, this is the case in all cities.

S3. Writing Activity:

Imagine yourself to be a walking stick and write down some of your experiences. Use the clues given below to write the ‘Autobiography of a Walking Stick’.

1. birth
2. place of birth
3. life in the outside world
4. first owner/other owners – interesting or strange experiences
5. last days.

Answer:
Autobiography of a walking stick
I had my birth when people were nearing their death. It is said that it had to be so. But I suppose, birth and death are not in our control. Anyway, I am happy that I got the chance to come into the world of men after a woodcutter brought a piece of log to a businessman who makes walking sticks in his factory. The businessman bought me for a pretty cheap price but sold me for an attractive amount to a wealthy old lady who asked him for a special walking stick.

The businessman sang my praises, talking about my durability and lightweight, and made me swell with pride. But alas! The old lady died within a few days of buying me and I was confined to the darkness and loneliness of the loft. My gilded handle rested in a comer until the old woman’s granddaughter had a fall and started limping.

Since the doctor advised her not to put weight on her right foot, she started using me. She dusted me and made me shine all over again. How nice it was to take care of the young and pretty girl! Not many walking sticks that were around had the privilege. But lo! The young are not as careful as the old… She threw me around so carelessly that on a fateful day I was broken into two unequal parts…

I lay in a comer again waiting for a carpenter to join me and bring me back to circulation. But that did not happen. When the family shifted to a new place, they dumped me with all the other useless stuff… Oh! How I wish I were a branch on the tree, alive and kicking, instead of lying slump in a comer!

All Stories are Anansi’s by Harold Courlander About The Writer:

This story is written by an American writer named Harold Courlander (1908-1996). He was a novelist, folklorist, anthropologist and an expert in the study of Haitian life. He specialized in the study of African, Caribbean, Afro-American and American Indian cultures. The following is a fable from an ancient culture.

All Stories are Anansi’s Summary in English

Background:
In the language of the Ashanti people, Anansi means ‘spider’. The word ‘nan’ means ‘to spin’. Ashanti folktales are known as Ananisem, which means ‘story’ and which may or may not be about spiders.
Anansi is an African folktale character. He often takes the shape of a spider and is considered to be the spirit of all knowledge of stories. He is also one of the most important characters of West African and Caribbean folklore. The prescribed lesson is an Anansi story that explains the phenomenon of how his name became attached to the whole corpus of tales.

Summary:
Once there were no stories in the world. The Sky God, Nyame, had them all. Anansi went to Nyame and asked how much the stories would cost to buy. Nyame set a high price. He had three conditions: Anansi must bring back the Mmoboro Hornets, Onini the python and Osebo the leopard.

Anansi set about capturing these. First he went to catch the hornets. Anansi filled a calabash with water and poured some over himself and some over the nest, calling out that it was raining. He suggested that the hornets get into the empty calabash, and, when they obliged, quickly sealed the opening. Then, he went to where the python lived carrying a long bamboo pole and some strong vines.

He debated out loud whether the python was really longer than the bamboo pole or not as he and his wife had debated over. The python overheard him and, when Anansi explained the debate, agreed to lie along the bamboo pole. Because the python could not easily make himself completely straight, a true impression of his actual length was difficult to obtain. When he stretched at one end, he got shorter at the other end. So the python agreed to be tied to the pole. When he was completely tied, Anansi took him to Nyame.

To catch the leopard, Anansi dug a deep hole in the ground. When the leopard fell into the hole, Anansi offered to help him out with a strong rope. He bent a tall tree towards the ground so that its top was over the pit, and he tied it that way. Then he tied a rope to the tree and dropped the other end of it into the pit.

“Tie this to your tail”, he said. Osebo tied the rope to his tail. “Is it well-tied?”Anansi asked. “Yes, it is well-tied”, the leopard said. “In that case”, Anansi said, “you are not merely half-foolish, you are all-foolish”.

And he took his knife and cut the other rope, the one that held the tree bowed to the ground. The tree straightened up with a snap, pulling Osebo out of the hole. He hung in the air head downward, twisting and turning. And while he hung this way, Anansi killed him with his weapons.
Then he took the body of the leopard and carried it to Nyame, the Sky God, saying: “Here is the third thing. Now I have paid the price.”
Nyame said to him: “Kwaku Anansi, great warriors and chiefs have tried, but they have been unable to do it. You have done it. Therefore, I will give you the stories. From this day onward, all stories belong to you.

From the story we see that there are two kinds of people on earth: The tricksters and the ones who are tricked. If we are not intelligent enough, we will fall prey to the cleverer lot. And that is why, in parts of Africa, people love to narrate, and love to hear the stories they call ‘spider stories’.

Though it is a simple story of a trickster, a few insights can be gathered from the story:
When one is very determined, nothing is impossible.

• Since Anansi really wanted to own all the stories in the world, he did everything he could to acquire his goal.
  Strength is not measured by size.
• Anansi was just a small spider but he conquered animals bigger than he was.

Glossary:

yearn: have a strong feeling of longing for something
hornet: a kind of large wasp
gourd: the large hard-skinned fruit of a climbing or trailing plant
plugged: blocked.

We hope the information prevailed in this article is helpful for all the students of Class 9. The Karnataka State Board Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 6 All Stories are Anansi’s Question and Answers pdf enhance your skills and score good marks in the exams. Stay tuned to get the latest information about the KSEEB Solutions Class 9 English Solutions.

By understanding the academic needs we have prepared the Karnataka State Board English Class 9 Solutions Chapter Wise. Our aim is to help the students by providing the question and answers chapter wise and help them to gain a good score in the exams. Before you start your preparation go through the chapters covered in this academic. So go through them and Download KSEEB Solutions for Class 9 English Poem Chapter 2 Africa Question and Answers Pdf for free.

Karnataka State Board Class 9 English Poem Chapter 2 Africa

The topics covered in Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board Class 9 Solutions for English Chapter 2 Africa. The KSEEB Solutions Class 9 English Solutions Chapter 2 Africa Question and Answers are prepared according to the latest edition.The Chapterwise page will help the students to revise the syllabus during the exams.

Africa Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes

Warm-Up Activity:

The personalities shown in the pictures are :
Abraham Lincoln – President of America
Nelson Mandela – President of South Africa.
Both of them fought to end racial discrimination.

Comprehension:

C1. Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
How does the poet come to know about the history of Africa?
Answer:
The poet comes to know about the history of Africa from his grandmother’s songs.

Question 2.
The poet did not spend much of his life in Africa. Pick out the line/lines that express this feeling.
Answer:
“Africa of whom my grandmother sings/On the banks of the distant river/I have never known you” – these lines express the feeling that the poet didn’t spend much of his life in Africa.

Question 3.
Despite staying away from Africa, how is he able to describe Africa?
Answer:
The poet has heard his grandmother sing about Africa. In spite of staying away from his land, he knows that he belongs there. He knows that the blood that flows in his veins belongs to Africa. He feels the affinity to that land and the people. He describes it as a beautiful land of ‘ancestral savannahs’ and irrigated fields.

Question 4.
‘Red scars’ – What does this phrase refer to?
Answer:
Red scars are caused by the whipping of the blacks by the whites in the scorching heat of the midday sun. Thus, the phrase ‘Red scars’ describes the wounds and injury the blacks suffer from in their state of slavery.

Question 5.
Pick out the lines that talk about the humiliation suffered by the Africans.
Answer:
“Is this you this back that is bent This back that breaks under the weight of humiliation. This back trembling with red scars. And saying yes to the whip under the midday sun talks about the humiliation suffered by the Africans.

Question 6.
‘That tree there in splendid loneliness’. Explain this phrase with reference to the feelings of the poet about his country.
Answer:
The line shows the pride the poet has towards his country. He says that despite being repeatedly humiliated, the Africans try to stand and assert his independence proudly. He is proud of his country for its trying to assert its independence.

Question 7.
“That grows again patiently obstinately
And its fruit gradually acquires
The bitter taste of liberty”.

1. What does ‘That’ refer to?
2. How does it grow?
3. What does ‘bitter taste of liberty’ refer to?

Answer:

1. ‘That’ refers to the tree.
2. It grows patiently without giving up. When the poet uses the word ‘obstinately’, which means stubbornly, he is positive in what he conveys. He wants to express the idea that the tree which symbolizes the nation, is determined and cannot be defeated.
3. It refers to liberty which is not fully achieved. In this case it is the liberty of Africa. It can also be a pointer to the bloodshed that has made the fruit of liberty bitter.

C2. Complete the table listing the poetic devices (figures of speech) used by David Diop in the poem. Two examples are given to you.

Poetic Device	Lines from the poem
Personification	Your beautiful black blood that irrigates the field
Alliteration	Your beautiful black blood
Metaphor
Simile
Oxymoron

Answer:

Poetic Device	Lines from the poem
Personification	Your beautiful black blood that irrigates the field. The blood of your sweat. The sweat of your work. This back that is bent.
Alliteration	Your beautiful black blood.
Metaphor	That grows again patiently obstinately.
Simile	There are no similes. In fact, the poet uses metaphors throughout the poem for comparison and to create mental pictures. Since the words ‘as’ and ‘like’ are not used, though there is a comparison, we don’t take it as the simile. For example, the poet says that the colonizers drained the Africans of their blood in the form of sweat and work.
Oxymoron	The bitter taste of liberty, splendid loneliness.

C3. Complete the summary of the poem given below. Use the expressions given in the box.

The poet continues to say that he has ………….. Africa, but despite the …………… he cannot deny how much it is a ………….. The phrase ………….. which flows in his veins describes his African …………. and shows how much Africa is a part of him and how much he ………… and its people. The next verses are ……………. as he stresses that it is the …………… of his people which is irrigating the fields ………….. of other people. Here, he is pointing a finger at the …………… who the black people and used them …………… to profit from their hard labor.
Answer:
The poet continues to say that he has never known Africa, but despite the distance, he cannot deny how much it is a part of him. The phrase beautiful black blood which flows in his veins describes his African descent and shows how much Africa is a part of him and how much he loves his country and its people. The next verses are angry and accusatory as he stresses that it is the blood and sweat of his people which is irrigating the fields for the benefit of other people. Here, he is pointing a finger at the colonialists who exploited the black people and used them as slaves to profit from their hard labor.

Additional Questions:

Question 1.
Whose back is bent, according to the poet?
Answer:
The back of Africa.

Question 2.
Why does the back break, according to the poet?
Answer:
It breaks under the weight of humiliation (caused by the white man).

Question 3.
How do the people of Africa react to the whip under the midday sun?
Answer:
While their backs were trembling with red scars, they were saying ‘yes’ to the whip under the midday sun.

Question 4.
Who answers the poet?
Answer:
‘A grave voice’ answers the poet.

Question 5.
What does that voice call the poet?
Answer:
The voice addresses him as ‘impetuous son’.

Question 6.
What does the tree refer to?
Answer:
The tree refers to ‘Africa’.

Question 7.
How does the tree appear?
Answer:
The tree stands in splendid loneliness amidst white and faded flowers.

Question 8.
How does the tree grow?
Answer:
The tree grows patiently and obstinately.

Question 9.
How does the poet establish his link with Africa?
Answer:
The poet has heard his grandmother sing about Africa. He has heard about the proud warriors of Africa. Though he has never been there, he knows much about it. The beautiful black blood which irrigates the fields is the same as that which flows in the veins of the poet. By referring to all this, he establishes his link with Africa.

Question 10.
What are the feelings of the speaker when he sees his suffering brothers? OR What is the question posed by the poet to his country? What is the reply given?
Answer:
The poet asks whether the ‘bent back under the weight of humiliation’ belongs to Africa. He says that the country is trembling with red scars. These scars are a mark of slavery. The people of Africa are treated and exploited as slaves by the whites.

So, he says that their backs are bent under the weight of humiliation. They are whipped mercilessly to get the hard work done and are treated worse than animals. They seem to accept their condition without any resistance. So, the poet wants to know if this is the condition of his country.

The voice which replies, says that times are changing. The tree of liberty is growing. Though it is young at this moment, it is strong. In its loneliness, it is growing patiently, while the ‘white’ flowers are fading. So, the white man is losing his grip, and Africa is moving towards liberty.

Question 11.
What does the symbol ‘that tree young and strong’ suggest?
Answer:
The symbol of the young and strong tree refers to Africa. It suggests that after colonialism Africa will begin to grow up again just as a young tree.

Question 12.
Why do the fruits acquire a bitter taste of liberty? Why does liberty taste bitter?
Answer:
The fruits acquire a bitter taste because the liberation of the oppressed is not a simple thing. It needs sacrifice and determination. Some people lose their lives in the process. So, in such a case, liberty is never sweet but bitter.

Question 13.
Why does the poet say that ”black blood flows in his veins”?
Answer:
Black blood in this poem symbolizes African nature as there is no blood that is black in colour. So he shows that although he grew up in France he is still aware of his African identity.

Multiple Choice Questions:

Question 1.
The poet came to know about Africa through his
A) mother
B) grandmother’s songs
C) school books
D) teacher.
Answer:
B) grandmother’s songs

Question 2.
‘I have never known you’ says the poet because he was
A) bom and lived in a different country
B) not aware of its existence
C) never interested in knowing about his country
D) not told about it.
Answer:
A) bom and lived in a different country

Question 3.
In the line, ‘But your blood flows in my veins’, the poet
A) is unhappy about his ancestry
B) feels proud of his African descent
C) regrets it
D) resents being an African.
Answer:
B) feels proud of his African descent

Question 4.
The poet presents ………….. picture of Africa in the first seven
A) a realistic
B) an idealized
C) a struggling
D) a hopeless

Question 5.
In this Poem, an African is Portrayed as a ………… Person.
Answer:
A) timid
B) shy
C) tough
D) weak
Answer:
A) timid

Question 6.
The last eight lines of the poem present a
A) picture of hope in the future
B) picture of hopelessness
C) picture of exploitation
D) picture of humiliation.
Answer:
A) picture of hope in the future

Appreciation:

A1. Find the words or phrases in the poem that are used –
a) to describe the beauty and strength of Africa
b) to depict the ions suffered by the Africans.

Africa – Description	Words and Phrases
a) beauty and strength	e.g. – beautiful black blood
b) humiliations and sufferings	e.g. – back that is bent

Answer:

Africa – Description	Words and Phrases
a) beauty and strength	Proud warriors, ancestral savannahs, young and strong, splendid loneliness, grows again.
b) humiliations and sufferings	Back that breaks, weight of humiliation, back trembling with red scars, whip .under the midday sun, faded flowers.

A2. Read the lines of the poem given in Column A and fill in Column B to depict the mood of the poet.

Lines of the poem	Mood/feeling
1) Africa my Africa Africa of proud warriors in ancestral savannahs	………………
2) I have never known you But your blood flows in my veins	……………….
3) Is this you this back that is bent This back that breaks under the weight of humiliation	…………………
4) But a grave voice answers me Impetuous son that tree young and strong	…………………
5) In splendid loneliness amidst white and faded flowers That is Africa, your Africa	………………….
6) And its fruit gradually acquires The bitter taste of liberty.	………………….

Answer:

Lines of the poem	Mood/feeling
1) Africa my Africa Africa of proud warriors in ancestral savannahs	Pride for the country, patriotism
2) I have never known you But your blood flows in my veins	Belongingness, patriotism, nostalgia
3) Is this you this back that is bent This back that breaks under the weight of humiliation	Anger, frustration, sorrow, empathy
4) But a grave voice answers me, Impetuous son, that tree young and strong	Relief, hope
5) In splendid loneliness, amidst white and faded flowers That is Africa, your Africa	Pride, hope, acceptance, reckoning
6) And its fruit gradually acquires The bitter taste of liberty.	Hope, anticipation

Africa by David Diop About The Poet:

David Mandessi Diop (1927-1960) was a revolutionary African poet born in France. His parents were of West African descent. He visited Africa only in the 1950s. However, the poet expresses his love for Africa. He was a revolutionary poet and in his poems he gave the message to Africans to bring about change and freedom. He was involved in a movement started by Black writers and artists protesting against French colonialism and its effects on African culture and values. His views were published in Presence Africaine and in his book of poems Coups de pillon.

Africa Summary in English

David Diop’s poem ‘Africa’ reflects his hope for an independent African nation, and the problems brought to the continent by colonialism. Through this poem Diop attempts to give a message of hope and resistance to the people of Africa.

The poem starts by Diop reminiscing about Africa, a land he has not seen but only heard about from his grandmother’s songs. His choice of words like ‘distant’ symbolises how far he is from his country, a feeling based on his real-life as he lived in France throughout his childhood and only visited Africa in the 1950s.

Despite this, he paints a vivid scene of Africa and the proud warriors who walk on its ‘ancestral Savannahs’. You can sense how much he misses his homeland by his stress on the word ‘Africa’, and he continues to call it ‘My Africa’ to emphasize it is his land and his feelings of patriotism towards it.

He continues to say that he has never known Africa, but despite the distance he cannot deny how much it is a part of him. The ‘beautiful black blood’ which flows in his veins, describes his African descent and shows how much Africa is a part of him and his love for it and its people. The next few lines are angry and accusatory as he stresses that it is the blood and sweat of his people which is irrigating the fields for the benefit of other people.

The blood of their sweat, the sweat of their work, the work of their slavery and the slavery of their children has enriched the distant lands. By this he is pointing a finger at the colonialists who exploited Black people and used them as slaves to profit from their hard labour. Therefore, the poet wants to know what the real Africa is.

The poet urges the Black people to stand up to the pain and the humiliation that they are suffering in their own land. He reminds them of the strength and pride they have in them and to say no to the whip of the colonialist which makes them work under the hot midday sun and leaves scars on their backs. Despite this suffering, he urges them to be strong and remain unbent and not let this break them despite the weight of their suffering.

The poet’s earnest query is answered by a grave voice. The poet personifies the African continent as an angry elder. The wise voice of Africa chides him for thinking ‘impetuous’ thoughts, implying that the continent is aware of impending changes or revolution. It urges the Africans to be patient and not hasty like children as there is change on the horizon.

The voice talks about a tree which is found alone amidst white and faded flowers. The tree ‘young and strong’ represents the young people of Africa who are patiently but ‘obstinately’ waiting until they get the liberty they want.

At the moment the tree is alone, meaning the African struggle is a lonely battle but they will achieve the freedom and liberty they want no matter how bitter the taste in getting it. The tree is among the ‘white and faded’ flowers by which he means the white colonialists will fade in time while the youthful Africans will grow in strength and wait for their moment of freedom.

Glossary:

impetuous (adj): acting (or done) quickly and without thought, spontaneous
splendid (adj): grand, majestic
obstinately (adv): stubbornly

We hope the information prevailed in this article is helpful for all the students of Class 9. The Karnataka State Board Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 2 Africa Question and Answers pdf enhance your skills and score good marks in the exams. Stay tuned to get the latest information about the KSEEB Solutions Class 9 English Solutions.

By understanding the academic needs we have prepared the Karnataka State Board English Class 9 Solutions Chapter Wise. Our aim is to help the students by providing the question and answers chapter wise and help them to gain a good score in the exams. Before you start your preparation go through the chapters covered in this academic. So go through them and Download KSEEB Solutions for Class 9 English Poem Chapter 6 The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood Question and Answers Pdf for free.

Karnataka State Board Class 9 English Poem Chapter 6 The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood

The topics covered in Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board Class 9 Solutions for English Chapter 6 The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood. The KSEEB Solutions Class 9 English Solutions Chapter 6 The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood Question and Answers are prepared according to the latest edition.The Chapterwise page will help the students to revise the syllabus during the exams.

The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes

Comprehension:

C1. Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
How was the pedlar traveling?
Answer:
The pedlar put his pack all on his back and trudged across the grassy land.

Question 2.
Who did the pedlar meet on the road?
Answer:
The pedlar met Robin Hood and his faithful follower Little John on the road.

Question 3.
What did the pedlar have in his pack?
Answer:
The pedlar had several suits of bright green silk and two or three silken bow-strings.

Question 4.
What did Little John want from the pedlar?
Answer:
Little John wanted one half of the pack from the pedlar.

Question 5.
What did the pedlar boldly claim?
Answer:
The pedlar boldly claimed that nobody could ask for or take half of his pack and added that if they could defeat him in a duel, they could take the entire lot.

Question 6.
How did the pedlar protect his pack?
Answer:
The pedlar pulled off his pack and put it below his knee and stood against it.

Question 7.
Why did Little John request the pedlar to stop fighting?
Answer:
Little John and the pedlar fought until both of them broke into sweat. Little John was not able to defeat the pedlar and as he became very tired he asked the pedlar to stop fighting.

Question 8.
What challenges did Robin Hood put before Little John?
Answer:
Robin Hood challenged Little John saying that he could defeat both the pedlar and him.

Question 9.
Who won the second fight?
Answer:
The pedlar won the second fight too.

Question 10.
What was the pedlar’s identity?
Answer:
The pedlar was Gamble Gold of the Green Woods. He had fled from his country as he had killed a man in his father’s land and had run away to escape punishment.

C2. Answer the following:

Question 1.
Who were Robin Hood and Little John? Why did they attack the pedlar?
Answer:
Robin Hood and Little John were outlaws and used to loot the people travelling, through the Nottingham forest. When they saw the pedlar passing through, carrying a huge bag of wares, they decided to attack and loot him.

Question 2.
Describe the struggle between

1. the pedlar and Little John, and the outcome;
2. the pedlar and Robin Hood, and the outcome.

Answer:

1. The pedlar and Little John: The pedlar did not agree to give one half of the pack. He protected his pack by pulling it off and putting it a little below his knee. So Little John drew his sword and fought with the pedlar. They fought fiercely until both of them were tired. The outcome of the fight was that Little John cried and prayed to the pedlar to stop fighting.

2. The pedlar and Robin Hood: The same fate as that of Little John awaited Robin Hood. When Little John asked Robin Hood to fight with the pedlar, Robin Hood arrogantly said that he could defeat both the pedlar and Little John. He drew his sword, fought with the pedlar till the blood flowed from both of them in streams. But the final outcome was that Robin Hood couldn’t defeat the pedlar and he too requested him to stop fighting.

Question 3.
Robin Hood calls the pedlar his cousin. How is the fact revealed?
Answer:
After being defeated by the pedlar, Robin Hood expressed his interest in knowing who the pedlar was. The pedlar then revealed that he was Gamble Gold of the gay green woods and had traveled far beyond the sea for killing a man in his father’s land and was forced to flee his country. Robin Hood then realized that he was his mother’s own sister’s son and that they both were cousins. Thus, the association that had begun in fight and hostility, ends in peace and merriment.

Question 4.
Little John and Robin Hood lose to the pedlar. Yet the ballad ends on a happy note. Give reason.
Answer:
Little John and Robin Hood confront the pedlar because they believe in looting the rich in order to help the poor. But the pedlar turns out to be too strong for them. Both little John, the follower, and Robin Hood, the master, are defeated in this combat with the pedlar.

However, though Robin Hood loses the fight, he shows humility in asking for the pedlar’s identity. When the pedlar refuses to give his identity until and unless Robin Hood and Little John reveal their identity, without any ego, Robin Hood discloses his identity.

It is only after Robin Hood discloses his identity that the pedlar reveals his identity. Robin Hood then realizes that they are near cousins because their mothers are sisters. This is when everything turns out to be fine between Robin Hood and the pedlar and the ballad ends on a happy note.

C3. Answer the following questions:

Question 1.
Little John and Robin Hood are chivalrous men. How do they take their defeat? Was it right to do so? Why?
Answer:
The way Little John and Robin Hood face their defeat shows that they are chivalrous. They challenge the pedlar who is boldly selling his packs for a duel. On getting defeated by the pedlar in turn, instead of getting upset, they admire the pedlar for his power and prowess. This can be considered dignified, chivalrous behavior because Robin Hood does not exhibit petty envy towards a better fighter.

Question 2.
If Robin Hood and Little John had not shown humility, how do you think the ballad would have ended?
Answer:
Most of the human tragedies are the outcome of ego. If Robin Hood and Little John had not shown humility at their defeat, they would have been killed by the pedlar. There are chances that the two of them would have together overcome the pedlar in a dishonorable way. Whatever it might be, it would have been tragic because one or the other brave fighter would have got killed.

Question 3.
‘The pedlar stands for integrity’. Do you agree with this view? Justify your answer.
Answer:
The pedlar remains calm and composed throughout the poem. He did not get scared seeing Robin Hood and Little John. Naturally, he did not give up his wares when they demanded it as it was rightfully his. Instead, he challenged them to a duel. He did not accept defeat, but fought them bravely and overpowered them.

When he was asked to reveal his identity, he told them the true story. He said that he was from gay green woods and he was forced to flee because he had killed a man who had ventured into his father’s land. Even here we see that he is a fearless man. This reveals that he stands for integrity.

Additional Questions:

Question 1.
Who trudged over the lea?
Answer:
A pedlar.

Question 2.
Whom did the pedlar meet by chance?
Answer:
Two troublesome men (Robin Hood and Little John).

Question 3.
Name the two persons whom the pedlar met.
Answer:
Robin Hood and Little John.

Question 4.
Why did the pedlar refuse to tell his name?
Answer:
Because he wanted to first know the names of the two that he had met.

Question 5.
What was the name of the pedlar?
Answer:
Gamble Gold.

Question 6.
Where was the pedlar from?
Answer:
The pedlar was from gay green woods.

Question 7.
Why did the pedlar flee his land?
Answer:
For killing a man in his father’s land, the pedlar was forced to flee.

Question 8.
How was the pedlar related to Robin Hood?
Answer:
The pedlar Gamble Gold from gay green woods was Robin Hood’s cousin. He was Robin Hood’s mother’s sister’s son.

Question 9.
What did the pedlar have in his pack?
Answer:
Several suits of the gay green silks and two or three silken bowstrings.

Question 10.
How did the pedlar defend his pack?
Answer:
The pedlar pulled off his pack from his back and put it below his knee.

Question 11.
Why did Robin Hood laugh when Little John lost the fight?
Answer:
He thought it was easy to defeat the pedlar. Little John was a well-built man so he laughed at Little John for being beaten by the pedlar.

Question 12.
Who stopped the fight between the pedlar and Robin Hood?
Answer:
Robin Hood himself.

Multiple Choice Questions:

Question 1.
A pedlar with his backpack was happily walking
A) in a town
B) in the forest
C) over the grassy land
D) over the hills.
Answer:
C) over the grassy land

Question 2.
The pedlar’s pack contained
A) green silk suits and silk bowstrings
B) food
C) a lot of money
D) fruit and vegetables.
Answer:
A) green silk suits and silk bowstrings

Question 3.
Little John said …………. belonged to him.
A) the pedlar’s pack
B) one half of the pedlar’s pack
C) one suit and one bowstring
D) None of the above.
Answer:
D) None of the above.

Question 4.
The pedlar said that he would give up the whole pack if Little John
A) defeated him in the fight
B) moved him one perch from the pack
C) requested him
D) defeated Robin Hood in a fight.
Answer:
B) moved him one perch from the pack

Question 5.
Robin Hood and the pedlar fought till
A) they both did sweat
B) blood started flowing in streams
C) the evening
D) Little John asked them to stop.
Answer:
B) blood started flowing in streams

Question 6.
The pedlar refused to tell his name till
A) Little John apologized
B) Robin Hood apologized
C) they told him their names first
D) they defeated him.
Answer:
C) they told him their names first

Question 7.
The pedlar’s name was
A) Robin Hood
B) Little John
C) Francis J. Child
D) Gamble Gold.
Answer:
D) Gamble Gold.

Question 8.
Gamble Gold was Robin Hood’s
A) sister’s son
B) father’s sister’s son
C) mother’s sister’s son
D) sister’s daughter’s son
Answer:
C) mother’s sister’s son

The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood by Francis J.Child About The Poet:

Francis James Child (1825-1896) was an American scholar and a professor at Harvard University. He was an academician, educator, and folklorist, but he is best known for his collection of folksongs known as the ‘Child Ballads’. In 1876, he was named Harvard’s first Professor of English. During that time he began his work on the ‘Child Ballads’. They are a major contribution to the study of English language folk music.

The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood Summary in English

Background:
Robin Hood is a heroic outlaw in English folklore who, according to legend, was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. Traditionally depicted as being dressed in Lincoln green, he is often portrayed as “robbing from the rich and giving to the poor” alongside his band of Merry Men. Robin Hood became a popular folk figure in the late medieval period and continues to be widely represented in literature, films, and television.

There are many speculations as to the identity of Robin Hood. According to some historians, Robin Hood was born in the time of Henry II, perhaps Robert Fitzooth, perhaps the Earl of Huntington. His exploits centered around Bamsdale and Sherwood. Legend has it that he died in 1247 at the age of 87 at Kirkley’s Nunnery in Yorkshire. Robin Hood ballads were extremely popular with the peasantry in England for several hundred years. Thirty-seven of ‘Child Ballads’ are Robin Hood ballads. This ballad is Child Ballad 132.

Summary:
A pedlar meets Robin Hood and Little John and tells them what he has in his pack. Little John demands half of it. The pedlar refuses point blank to oblige Little John. They fight. The fight grows fierce. Finally, it is the pedlar who wins. Robin laughs and says he has a man who could defeat him. Now it is the turn of Robin to fight with the pedlar.

The pedlar wins again and refuses to hold his hand or tell his name until they had told them theirs. They do, and he says his name is Gamble Gold, and he is fleeing because he killed a man in his father’s land. Robin identifies him as his mother’s sister’s son, and they go to the tavern and drink together.

Glossary:

trudge: walk slowly with heavy steps
lea: an open area of grassy land
move one perch: the least of movements
gang: join
pray: please (in old English)
thrash: beat someone violently
flee: run away
sheathed: covered (the sword).

We hope the information prevailed in this article is helpful for all the students of Class 9. The Karnataka State Board Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 6 The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood Question and Answers pdf enhance your skills and score good marks in the exams. Stay tuned to get the latest information about the KSEEB Solutions Class 9 English Solutions.