NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 3 - The Little Girl

Thinking about the Text

Ans:

II. Answer the following questions in one or two sentences.

Q1: Why was Kezia afraid of her father?
Ans: Kezia was a little sensitive girl. Her father was aggressive and always spoke loudly. He always scolded her. He used to beat her even when she accepted her mistakes. He never played with her. He used to give her a terrifying look over his spectacles. This made her afraid of her father.

Q2: Who were the people in Kezia’s family?
Ans: Kezia’s family consists of her mother, father, grandmother, and herself.

Q3: What was Kezia’s father’s routine

(i) Before going to his office?
Ans: Before going to his office, Kezia’s father usually went into her room to give her a goodbye kiss.

(ii) After coming back from his office?
Ans: After returning from his office, he ordered tea to be brought into the drawing room. He also asked his mother to bring him the newspaper and his slippers and Kezia to pull off his boots.

(iii) On Sundays?
Ans: Kezia's father would stretch out on the sofa on Sunday. He would cover his face with his handkerchief, put his feet on one of the cushions and sleep soundly.

Q4: In what ways did Kezia’s grandmother encourage her to get to know her father better?
Ans: Kezia’s grandmother encouraged her to get to know her father better by sending her to the drawing room to talk to her parents on Sundays. She also suggested Kezia make a pin cushion out of a beautiful piece of yellow silk as a gift for her father’s birthday.

III. Discuss these questions in class with your teacher and then write down your answers in two or three paragraphs each.
Q1: Kezia’s efforts to please her father resulted in displeasing him very much. How did this happen?
Ans: Kezia's efforts to please her father resulted in displeasing him. Every Sunday, her grandmother sent her down to the drawing room to have a nice talk with her father and mother. But her presence always irritated the father. He used to call her 'little brown owl'.
One day, her grandmother told her that her father's birthday would be next week and suggested that she should make him a pin-cushion as a gift. After stitching three sides of the cushion with double cotton with great care and effort, Kezia was stuck as to what to fill the cushion with. 
Since her grandmother was busy in the garden, she searched her Mother's bedroom for scraps. Finally, she discovered sheets of paper on the bedtable. She gathered these, tore them up, and filled the cushion with the torn pieces.
Unfortunately, her efforts to please her father not only went in vain but also had an unanticipated consequence. This was because the sheets she had torn were her father’s speech for the Port Authority. Her father scolded her for touching things that did not belong to her and punished her by hitting her palm with a ruler.

Q2: Kezia decides that there are “different kinds of fathers”. What kind of father was Mr Macdonald, and how was he different from Kezia’s father?
Ans: Kezia compared her father with Mr. Macdonald, her next-door neighbor. He was a loving, gentle, and forgiving father. He was always smiling and playing with his children. He treated his children in a friendly manner. He was just the opposite of Kezia's father. Unlike Kezia's father, he never punished his children. He played with them whenever he was free. Kezia's father was a very harsh and strict disciplinarian.

Q3: How does Kezia begin to see her father as a human being who needs her sympathy?
Ans: With her mother and grandmother at the hospital, Kezia is left at home in the care of Alice, the cook. At night, after she is put to bed by the cook, she has a nightmare. She calls for her grandmother, but, to her surprise, she finds her father standing near her bed. He takes her in his arms and makes her sleep next to him. Half asleep, she creeps close to him, snuggles her head under his arm, and holds tightly to his shirt. 
Her father asks her to rub her feet against his legs for warmth. Her father goes off to sleep before her. This makes her understand that he has to work hard every day and this leaves him too tired to be like Mr. Macdonald. She expresses her altered feelings for her father by telling him that he has a 'big heart'.

Thinking about the Text

I. Look at the following sentence.
There was a glad sense of relief when she heard the noise of the carriage growing fainter... Here, glad means happy about something. Glad, happy, pleased, delighted, thrilled and overjoyed are synonyms (words or expressions that have the same or nearly the same meaning.) However, they express happiness in certain ways.
Read the sentences below.

• She was glad when the meeting was over.
• The chief guest was pleased to announce the name of the winner.

Q1: Use an appropriate word from the synonyms given above in the following sentences. Clues are given in brackets.

(i) She was __________ by the news of her brother’s wedding. (very pleased)
Ans: She was thrilled by the news of her brother’s wedding.

(ii) I was __________to be invited to the party. (extremely pleased and excited about)
Ans: I was delighted to be invited to the party.

(iii) She was __________ at the birth of her granddaughter. (extremely happy)
Ans: She was overjoyed at the birth of her granddaughter.

(iv) The coach was __________ with his performance. (satisfied about)
Ans: The coach was pleased with his performance.

(v) She was very __________ with her results. (happy about something that has happened).
Ans: She was very happy with her results.

Q2: Study the use of the word bigin the following sentence.
He was so big− his hands and his neck, especially his mouth…
Here, big means large in size.
Now, consult a dictionary and find out the meaning of bigin the following sentences. The first one has been done for you. 
(i) You are a big girl now. Older

(ii) Today you are going to take the biggest decision of your career. _________
Ans: most important

(iii) Their project is full of big ideas. _________
Ans: innovation

(iv) Cricket is a big game in our country. _________
Ans: popular

(v) I am a big fan of Lata Mangeskar. _________
Ans: great

(vi) You have to cook a bit more as my friend is a big eater. _________
Ans: gourmand

(vii) What a big heart you’ve got, Father dear. _________
Ans: generous

II. Verbs of Reporting
Study the following sentences.

• “What!” screamed Mother.
• “N-n-no”, she whispered.
• “Sit up,” he ordered.
  

The italicised words are verbs of reporting. We quote or report what someone has said or thought by using a reporting verb. Every reporting clause contains a reporting verb. For example:

• He promised to help in my project.
• “How are you doing?” Seema asked
  

We use verbs of reporting to advise, order, report statements, thoughts, intentions, questions, requests, apologies, manner of speaking and so on.

Q1: Underline the verbs of reporting in the following sentences.

(i) He says he will enjoy the ride.
Ans: He says he will enjoy the ride.

(ii) Father mentioned that he was going on a holiday.
Ans: Father mentionedthat he was going on a holiday.

(iii) No one told us that the shop was closed.
Ans: No one toldus that the shop was closed.

(iv) He answered that the price would go up.
Ans: He answered that the price would go up.

(v) I wondered why he was screaming.
Ans: I wondered why he was screaming.

(vi) Ben told her to wake him up.
Ans: Ben told her to wake him up.

(vii) Ratan apologized for coming late to the party.
Ans: Ratan apologized for coming late to the party.

Q2: Some verbs of reporting are given in the box. Choose the appropriate verbs and fill in the blanks in the following sentences.
(i) “I am not afraid,” __________ the woman.

Ans: “I am not afraid,” replied the woman.
(ii) “Leave me alone,” my mother __________.
Ans:“Leave me alone,” my mother shouted.
(iii) The children __________ that the roads were crowded and noisy.
Ans: The children were complainingthat the roads were crowded and noisy.
(iv) “Perhaps he isn’t a bad sort of a chap after all,” __________the master.
Ans: “Perhaps he isn’t a bad sort of a chap after all,” remarked the man.
(v) “Let’s go and look at the school ground,” __________ sports teacher.
Ans: “Let’s go and look at the school ground,” suggested the sports teacher.
(vi) The traffic police __________ all the passers-by to keep off the road.
Ans: The traffic police ordered all the passers-by to keep off the road

Speaking

Form pairs or groups and discuss the following questions.
Q1: This story is not an Indian story. But do you think there are fathers, mothers and grandmothers like the ones portrayed in the story in our own country?
Ans: This story isn't based in India, but the characters act similar to the individuals we observe in India. They have their cultural hierarchy built upon similar grounds. Men are seen as the leaders of the society and family, who, irrespective of their decisions, must be supported by the obedient women and girls in the house. Their say is final and must be followed diligently. Trustworthy fathers like Kezia’s rule and govern the family for their welfare. 

Q2: Was Kezia’s father right to punish her? What kind of a person was he?
You might find some of these words useful in describing him:
Ans: It was necessary to make Kezia realize her mistake and learn her lesson. The father could have acted a bit more supportive and should have tried to understand her problem from her perspective too.
Kezia’s father gives us an image of a strict and emotionless father in the beginning. He ordered everything around the home. He was a short-tempered person and wore anger on his sleeves. He punished Kezia for her mistakes and never had proper communication with her. Once when Kezia tore his speech paper he hit her badly. By the end of the story, we get to know that he had a gentle heart and was actually an affectionate and caring person.

Writing

Has your life been different from or similar to that of Kezia when you were a child? Has your perception of your parents changed now? Do you find any change in your parents’ behavior vis-à-vis yours? Who has become more understanding? What steps would you like to take to build a relationship based on understanding? Write three or four paragraphs (150–200 words) discussing these issues from your own experience.

Ans: My life experience was similar to that of Kezia when I was a child. Though I was never physically punished by my parents, I struggled with being accepted the way I was. I was always pushed for working harder, gaining better scores, and being an all-rounder. I was never appreciated by them when I worked hard but couldn't get a position in class or in a competition. This made me push myself beyond the zone I was required to and caused a lot of strain between us. Yes, gradually over years I have found them accepting the way I am. We have tried to improve our communication and develop a better understanding of our likes and dislikes. 
To build a relationship based on understanding there should be proper communication. No one should try to change the other based on their perception of how they want the other person to be. This not only disrupts their individuality but also makes them feel unacceptable being their true self. Accept the person the way they are and let them know if there is something about them you find uncomfortable.