Class 9 English Chapter 7 Question Answers - Reach for the Top

Class 9 English Chapter 8: "Reach for the Top" (Part II) is a story that revolves around the life and career of Maria Sharapova, a renowned tennis player who has won several titles and accolades throughout her career. Maria's journey to success began when her father brought her to the United States from Russia at the age of nine to pursue tennis training. Despite facing language and cultural barriers, Maria was able to hone her skills and become one of the world's most recognized tennis players.

Q.1.  There is something disarming about Maria Sharapova, something at odds with her ready smile and glamorous attire. And that something in her lifted her on Monday, 22 August 2005 to the world number one position in women’s tennis. All this happened in almost no time.
(a) What contrast does Maria present?

Maria Sharapova has a charming manner and is quick to smile. This spontaneous behaviour is at odds with her glamorous attire.

(b) What position did Maria achieve in 2005?

She became world number one in women’s tennis.

(c) How long had it taken her to reach this position?

It had taken her merely four years to reach this position.

(d) Where had Maria come from? How old was she then?

Maria had come to USA from Siberia at the age of nine.

Q.2. What is something disarming about Maria Sharapova? 

Maria Sharapova is a girl with a smiling face and glamorous attire. But she is a determined girl who worked excessively hard to win the world number one position in women's tennis.

Q.3. Why did Sharapova leave Siberia for the U.S.A.? 

At the age of nine years, Maria Sharapova left Siberia for Florida in the U.S.A. She went there to attend a training camp for women's tennis. She undertook hard training for two years. Her father, Yuri also went with her.

Q.4. At the age of nine years, what lesson had Sharapova learnt? 

In the U.S.A. Maria Sharapova had to face a heart wrenching two-year separation from her mother. 

This separation made her learn an important lesson that tennis excellence would only come at a price.

Q.5. How Was Sharapova treated by the seniors in the training camp? 

Maria Sharapova was just nearly ten years old. The senior’s in the training camp treated her badly. 

They look her up. They asked Maria to tidy up the room and clean it.

Q.6. What does Maria Sharapova say about her Russian nationality? 

Maria Sharapova speaks with a pounced American accent, and she proudly parades her Russian nationality. Clearing all doubts, she tells her blood is totally Russian. She is a Russian citizen. She will play in the Olympics for Russia.

Q.7. What is at odds with Maria’s ready smile and glamorous attire? 

The maturity, balanced mind and inner strength of Maria do not appear to be in accordance with her glamorous dress and spontaneous smile. There seems to be some mismatch between her attractive outer appearance and her balanced inner-self.

Q.8. Explain: “all this happened in almost no time”.

The phrase means that Maria’s rise to the top in the world of tennis was very rapid and it took her a very short span of four years as a professional player to be number one in her chosen sport.

Q.9. How was Maria different from other children? 

Maria was calmer and more composed, confident and tolerant than the other children of her age. She also had an inner strength that enabled her to endure the sacrifice that few children could think of facing. Unlike most children, she did not buckle under hardships and adverse circumstances.

Q.10. Why was Maria brought to Florida in the U.S. by her father? Why didn’t her mother go with her? How did Maria respond to this separation?
OR
Why did Maria leave Siberia for the U.S.? Why didn’t her mother go with her? How did this separation affect her? 

• Maria was brought to Florida in the U.S. by her father, Yuri, to get trained as a professional tennis player and reach great heights of success and stardom in this sport. 
• Her mother, Yelena, did not go with her because of visa restrictions. 
• This two-year separation was too painful for the young girl. But Maria endured this sacrifice to pursue her dreams. 

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Q.11. What important lesson did Maria learn during the first two years of her stay in the U.S., away from her mother? 

Maria learnt that excellence comes at a price. Since she wished to reach the zenith in the field of tennis, she knew that she would have to make sacrifices and struggle hard. She endured the heart-wrenching separation from her mother for two years to attain excellence in tennis. Moreover, she also learnt how to put up patiently with adverse circumstances.

Q.12. Maria’s father accompanied her to the U.S., but why could he also not see her during her stay there? 

Maria’s father, Yuri, had brought his nine-year-old daughter to the U.S. to get her trained in tennis. Unfortunately, he too could not see her frequently as he had to work very hard to earn to pay for her training. His work occupied most of his time and he could not see Maria often.

Maria and her father, Yuri

Q.13. How did Maria’s co-trainees at the tennis academy trouble her? How did Maria cope with this? 

Maria’s co-trainees at the tennis academy were much older than her and would return to the room at around 11 P.M. when Maria was already asleep. They were so inconsiderate that they woke up Maria and made her tidy up the room. Maria coped with this trouble by not allowing it to depress her. Instead, she strengthened her determination and mental toughness.

Q.14. Despite being harassed by her seniors, why didn’t Maria think of quitting? 

Despite being harassed by her seniors, Maria didn’t ever think of quitting because she was firmly determined to make her dream a reality. She knew that quitting under such pressure would jeopardize her own aspirations and she would never be able to reach the top in the field of tennis.

Q.15. What mental qualities of Maria are revealed by her decision not to quit and pack up on being harassed by her fellow-trainees? 

The torment and humiliation inflicted on Maria by her fellow trainees failed to demoralise her. This reveals that she had a firm determination and was strong-willed. She was much more mature than other girls of her age and knew the art of survival.

Q.16. What motivates Maria to keep moving ahead? 

Maria is motivated by her spirit of competitiveness to keep moving ahead. She works very hard once she has decided to achieve something. She considers it her job to excel despite hardships and severe demands.

Q.17. Despite staying in America for years, the core of her heart. Justify. 

Maria is a Russian and she moved to Florida, U.S., from Siberia at the young age of nine. Since then she has spent most part of her life here. Yet, she remained a Russian through and through. She is proud of her Russian blood and Russian citizenship. She adds that she would play for Russia in the Olympics if given an opportunity.

Q.18. Why does Maria call the U.S. a big part of her life? 

• Maria was trained for tennis in the U.S. It is in this country that she attained proficiency in this game. 
• Here she also developed confidence, control, inner strength and endurance – the qualities that are prerequisites for a person to reach the top in any field. 
• Since she gained all this in the U.S., she calls it a big part of her life.

Q.19. Besides tennis, what else is Maria fond of? 

Maria’s first love is tennis. Apart from this sport, she is fond of fashion, singing, and dancing like any other young girl of her age. She also likes to read Arthur Canon Doyle’s novels; is fond of sophisticated evening gowns, and enjoys pancakes with chocolate-spread and fizzy orange drinks.

Q.20. What has lifted Maria Sharapova to the top of the world? 

Maria’s talent, her unwavering determination, hunger for success, willingness to work hard, readiness to endure challenges, and her sacrifices have lifted her to the top of the world. In addition, monetary gains have motivated her to be on the top.

Q.21. Why would Maria’s fans not be jealous of her riches? 

Maria’s fans are aware of the immense hard work that has gone into making her a star sportswoman. The unparalleled sacrifices are investments that she made when other children of her age had a comfortable life. She is reaping the dividends of her earnest efforts and the money that is pouring in is well earned and well deserved. Therefore, nobody feels jealous of her riches.

Q.22. Why does Maria call tennis a business and a sport? 

Maria calls tennis a bussiness and a sport due to following reasons:

• Tennis is a competitive sport like any other sport and requires stamina, nerve, training, planning and strategizing. 
• It is all about winning or losing. It is also a business because it is played professionally for money. 
• Its tournaments involve millions of pounds of money expenditures in sponsorship and prize money. 
• Tennis generates a lot of business for media, drinks, clothes and sports companies.

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