Class 9 English - Beehive - Chapter Kathmandu NCERT Solutions |

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

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

(II) . 1. Use the suffixes -ion or -tion to form nouns from the following verbs. Make the necessary changes in the spellings of the words. Example: proclaim – proclamation
             cremate_____ act_____ exhaust______
             invent______ tempt_____ immigrate_____
             direct______ meditate______ imagine______
            dislocate______ associate______ dedicate_____

2. Now fill in the blanks with suitable words from the ones that you have formed.
(i) Mass literacy was possible only after the___ of the printing machine.
(ii) Ramesh is unable to tackle the situation as he lacks____ .
(iii) I could not resist the____ to open the letter.
(iv) Hardwork and are_____ the main keys to success.
(v) The children were almost fainting with_____ after being made to stand in the sun.

II. Answer each question in a short paragraph.
1. What difference does the author note between the flute seller and the other hawkers?
2. What is the belief at Pashupatinath about the end of Kaliyug?
3. The author has drawn powerful images and pictures. Pick out three examples each of
  (i) the atmosphere of ‘febrile confusion’ outside the temple of Pashupatinath (for                          example:some people trying to get the priest’s attention are elbowed aside...)
  (ii) the things he sees
 (iii) the sounds he hears

(III).                                  Punctuation
Use capital letters, full stops, question marks, commas and inverted commas wherever necessary in the following paragraph.

an arrogant lion was wandering through the jungle one day he asked the tiger who is stronger than you you O lion replied the tiger who is more fierce than a leopard asked the lion you sir replied the leopard he marched upto an elephant and asked the same question the elephant picked him up in his trunk swung him in the air and threw him down look said the lion there is no need to get mad just because you don’t know the answer

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

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

(iii) MAHESH : We have to organise a class party for our teacher. (Do) anyone play an instrument?

VIPUL : Rohit___ (play) the flute.
MAHESH :______ (Do) he also act?
VIPUL : No, he_____ (compose) music.
MAHESH : That’s wonderful!_____

How old are Margie and Tommy?

The (shehnai, pungi ) was a ‘reeded noisemaker.’

Given below are some emotions that Kezia felt. Match the emotions in Column A ​with the items in Column B. 

1. Here are some headings for paragraphs in the text. Write the number(s) of the paragraph(s) for each title against the heading. The first one is done for you.
(i) Einstein’s equation____
(ii) Einstein meets his future wife____
(iii) The making of a violinist____
(iv) Mileva and Einstein’s mother_____
(v) A letter that launched the arms race_____
(vi) A desk drawer full of ideas_____
(vii) Marriage and divorce_____

I. Discuss in pairs and answer each question below in a short paragraph (30–40 words).
1. “The sound was a familiar one.” What sound did the doctor hear? What did he think it was? How many times did he hear it? (Find the places in the text.) When and why did the sounds stop?

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

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

I. Answer these questions in one or two sentences each.

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

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

I. Answer these questions in one or two sentences each. (The paragraph numbers within brackets provide clues to the answers.)

1. Why was the ‘holy man’ who gave Santosh’s mother his blessings surprised? (1)

2. Give an example to show that even as a young girl Santosh was not ready to accept anything unreasonable. (2)

3. Why was Santosh sent to the local school? (3) top honours: highest awards the enormity of the moment: a very great moment sink in: be understood held it aloft: held it up high fervent: having strong and sincere feelings

4. When did she leave home for Delhi, and why? (4)

5. Why did Santosh’s parents agree to pay for her schooling in Delhi? What mental qualities of Santosh are brought into light by this incident? (4)

I. Given in the box are some headings. Find the relevant paragraphs in the text to match the headings.

          An Orphaned Cub; Bruno’s Food-chart; An Accidental Case of Poisoning;
          Playful Baba; Pain of Separation; Joy of Reunion; A Request to the Zoo;
          An Island in the Courtyard

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Do you agree with Margie that schools today are more fun than the school in the story? Give reasons for your answer.

Why did Margie hate school? Why did she think the old kind of school must have been fun?

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

“I wouldn’t throw it away.”
(i) Who says these words?
(ii) What does ‘it’ refer to?
(iii) What is it being compared with by the speaker?

II. Here are some words with silent letters. Learn their spelling. Your teacher will dictate these words to you. Write them down and underline the silent letters.
knock          wrestle          walk              wrong
knee            half               honest          daughter
hours           return           hornet           calm
could           sign               island           button

What subjects did Margie and Tommy learn?

III. Complete the following statements.
1. From her room in Kasturba Hostel, Santosh used to______
2. When she finished college, Santosh had to write a letter of apology to her father because___
3. During the Everest expedition, her seniors in the team admired her___ while ___endeared her to fellow climbers.

Study these sentences:
• My parents were regarded as an ideal couple.
• I was asked to go and sit on the back bench.
• Such problems have to be confronted.

The italicised verbs in these sentences are made up of a form of the verb be and a past participle. (For example: were + regarded, was + asked, be + confronted) These sentences focus on what happens, rather than who does what. Notice that the doer of the action is not included in the sentences. If necessary, we can mention the doer of the action in a by-phrase. For example:
• The tree was struck by lightning.
• The flag was unfurled by the Chief Guest.

Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A.?
 

Read this sentence taken from the story:
They had once taken Tommy’s teacher away for nearly a month because the history sector had blanked out completely. The word complete is an adjective. When you add –ly to it, it becomes an adverb.
1. Find the sentences in the lesson which have the adverbs given in the box below.

                 awfully sorrowfully completely loftily
                 carefully differently quickly nonchalantly