Unit 7 NCERT Solutions | English Class 9 PDF Download

Reading Comprehension

Read the following passage carefully. Based on your reading, answer the following questions in the space provided. 

Text I 
On 3 August 1996, Leander Paes became the first Indian to win an individual medal in 44 years when he defeated Fernando Meligeni of Brazil in an exciting match in the Centennial Olympic Games at Atlanta. Paes ranked 31 places below the Brazilian, played with gusto and determination against a player who has two ATP tour titles under his belt, and clinched the bronze medal. He was given a standing ovation when Paes raised his hand in triumph and said a silent prayer.
Leander’s father had won a bronze medal in the Munich Olympics 1972 as a member of the Indian hockey team. It is creditable to Leander Paes as he got it in an individual event. Later he dedicated the medal to his coach and his doubles teammate. “They have helped me out and given me advice and kept me in good frame of mind. This medal doesn’t just show my efforts; it shows the efforts of the whole team.”
Paes was recognised as a prodigy by Vijay Amritraj in the ’80s. Even so, Paes’ true mentor has been Naresh Kumar, the former Indian Davis Cup Captain. His incredible Davis Cup record speaks for itself. While it may be said that some of his Davis Cup victories were achieved because he was playing on his favourite surface, grass and enjoyed home support. But at Atlanta, Paes had none of these advantages except his coach, close family members and the expatriates. While Davis Cup victories bring in good cash rewards and ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) points, there he was playing for just a medal. Paes explains it all when he says, “When I am playing for my country I don’t expect anything.” That straightaway sets him apart.
He succeeds because of his willingness to take his chances, swift reflexes and mental strength, and the fact that he does not accept defeat easily.

Q1:  Leander’s victory at Atlanta is significant because
Ans: Leander’s victory at Atlanta is significant because he became the first Indian to win an individual medal in 44 years. He played with gusto and determination against a higher-ranked player and clinched the bronze medal, making it a notable achievement in Indian sports history.

Q2: His father’s Olympic triumph in 1972 was different from his own because it was
Ans: Leander’s father won a bronze medal as a member of the Indian hockey team in the Munich Olympics in 1972, which was a team event. In contrast, Leander’s medal was in an individual event, highlighting his personal achievement.

Q3: Leander gave credit to his coach and his teammate in doubles for his victory. How did they help him?
Ans: Leander’s coach and doubles teammate helped him by providing advice and keeping him in a good frame of mind. Their support and encouragement were crucial in his preparation and performance, contributing significantly to his success.

Q4: If you are required to sum up Leander’s qualities as a player, which one would you like to highlight and why?
Ans: Leander’s determination and mental strength stand out as his most significant qualities. His willingness to take chances, swift reflexes, and refusal to accept defeat easily were pivotal in his success. These traits were evident in his remarkable performance at the Atlanta Olympics.

Q5: In India, while registering his victories in Davis Cup one could say that he won because
Ans: In India, Leander won many of his Davis Cup victories because he played on his favorite surface, grass, and enjoyed home support. These factors were advantageous and contributed to his success.

Q6: At Atlanta he won because
Ans: At Atlanta, Leander won because of his mental strength, determination, and the support of his coach, close family members, and expatriates. Despite not having the home advantage or playing on his favorite surface, his sheer determination and willpower led him to victory.

Text II 
Read the following poem and answer the questions that follow.
Where the mind is Without Fear 
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments By narrow domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards        
perfection;Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the    dreary desert sand of dead habits; Where the mind is led forward by thee Into ever-widening thought and action; Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country  awake
Given here are certain ideas from the poem “Where the mind is without fear” by Rabindranath Tagore. Identify the lines from the poem that refer to these and write the lines in the space given below.

Q1: Everybody should be able to learn.
Ans: "Where knowledge is free;"

Q2: There ought not be a division among people on the basis of caste, class, creed, religion, or any other such basis.
Ans: "Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls;"

Q3: People should be honest and speak out their heart.
Ans: "Where words come out from the depth of truth;"

Q4: Actions should stem from logic and not superstitions and beliefs, leading to progress.
Ans: "Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;"

(e) People to be free of fear and oppression.
Ans: "Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;"

(f) The poet is addressing ________ so that ________
Ans: The poet is addressing his Father (God) so that his country awakens into a heaven of freedom where people are fearless, knowledgeable, united, truthful, logical, and progressive.

Q2: This poem was written by Rabindranath Tagore much before India attained freedom. What, do you think, is the significance of these lines in the context of his time?
Ans: The significance of these lines during Tagore's time lies in their vision of an ideal society. Tagore dreamt of a free India where people were not oppressed, knowledge was accessible to all, divisions among people were non-existent, truth and honesty prevailed, and actions were driven by reason. These ideals were particularly poignant as India was under British rule, and Tagore’s poem reflected his hope for a liberated and enlightened nation.

Vocabulary 

Q1: Suggest a word for each sentence/phrase correctly. Refer to the chapter ‘Reach for the Top, Part I’ given in your textbook, Beehive. The paragraph numbers where these words are used, are given in brackets.  
(a) A state of happiness and satisfaction.
Ans: Contentment (2) 

(b) An action or way of behaving that is usual in tradition.
Ans: Custom (3) 

(c) A word or statement that expresses agreement or confirmation.
Ans: Affirmation (5) 

(d) The ability to withstand hardship or adversity.
Ans: Endurance (7)

(e) Final stage of something you’ve been working towards.
Ans: Culmination (7) 

2. Fill in the blanks using the words given in the box. These words are taken from the chapter ‘Reach for the Top’ of your textbook, Beehive. You can refer to a dictionary to find out the meanings of these words.

(a) She wears expensive dresses and jewellery. It seems she belongs to an affluent family.
Ans: She wears expensive dresses and jewellery. It seems she belongs to an affluent family.

(b) At present, political turmoil prevails in most parts of the world.
Ans: At present, political turmoil prevails in most parts of the world.

(c) Mr. Khanna admitted his mistake by writing a letter of apology to the Head of the Department.
Ans: Mr. Khanna admitted his mistake by writing a letter of apology to the Head of the Department.

(d) The Director was quite positive while addressing his employees.
Ans: The Director was quite positive while addressing his employees.

(e) The result that you see today is a culmination of years of hard work and dedication.
Ans: The result that you see today is a culmination of years of hard work and dedication.

(f) School children went on a weeklong expedition during their summer holidays.
Ans: School children went on a weeklong expedition during their summer holidays.

Q3: Playing with the words: How many words can you make from the words given below?
Vocabulary

Ans: 
Vocal: call, coal, cola, oval
Labour: lab, rub, bar, orb, boa

Grammar

Q1: Match each of the sentence halves given below to make meaningful sentences.

Ans: 

• He was found guilty of driving while he was under the influence of alcohol.
• I get a pain in my knee when I walk up the stairs.
• The boy started to cry when the mother left.
• Rainy was walking along the footpath when she tripped over.
• When the lights went out, I switched on the emergency light.
• You will see the river when you cross my house.

Q2: Make one sentence combining the two statements given below.
Example: It’s getting    dark.
Let’s go home before that.
Let’s go home before it gets dark.
Ans: 
(a) She must clean the room. I won’t enter the room until this is done.
Ans: I won’t enter the room until she cleans it.

(b) I will do the cooking. Then I will come to your house.
Ans: I will come to your house after I do the cooking.

(c) I will go to the library. Then I will issue the book for you.
Ans: I will issue the book for you when I go to the library.

(d) Evening came. They rested.
Ans: They rested when evening came.

(e) The salesman came. Rita was eating her breakfast.
Ans: The salesman came while Rita was eating her breakfast.

(f) We went to see the play with grandfather. Do you remember?
Ans: Do you remember when we went to see the play with grandfather?

Editing 

Q1: In each of the  following  sentences you have to remove  or add a word or a phrase to make the sentence grammatically correct. Write the correct sentences in the space given below.
(a) Maria Sharapova likes to be dancing, singing and fashion.
Ans: Maria Sharapova likes dancing, singing, and fashion.

(b) She has love for pancakes with chocolate spread and fizzy orange drinks.
Ans: She has a love for pancakes with chocolate spread and fizzy orange drinks.

(c) Maria had to be leave her mother behind in Siberia at age of nine.
Ans: Maria had to leave her mother behind in Siberia at the age of nine.

(d) She put with insults and humiliation in order to realise dream of becoming a tennis star.
Ans: She put up with insults and humiliation in order to realize her dream of becoming a tennis star.

(e) Her dream was to be number one world tennis.
Ans: Her dream was to be the number one world tennis player.

Q2: There are spelling errors in the paragraph given here. Correct the spelling errors and rewrite the paragraph with appropriate punctuation marks in the given space.
Savitribai Phule “Awake Arise, and Educate. Smash traditions-Liberate” 
First female teacher of Indias first womens school, founder of the modern Marathi poetry at a time when womens potential and celibre were underrestimmated she worked for the uplifftment and educasion of females in the country with her husbands help. she opened a school for untouchable girls Orrthodox individuals from the upper cast used to mock at her eforts and throw stones and dung on her nevert the less she continued with her teaching the British govenment honoured her contribution to eduction later on.
Ans:
Savitribai Phule
“Awake, Arise, and Educate. Smash traditions-Liberate.” The first female teacher of India’s first women’s school, founder of modern Marathi poetry, at a time when women’s potential and caliber were underestimated, she worked for the upliftment and education of females in the country with her husband’s help. She opened a school for untouchable girls. Orthodox individuals from the upper cast used to mock her efforts and throw stones and dung on her. Nevertheless, she continued with her teaching. The British government honored her contribution to education later on.

Listening

Your teacher or a classmate will read the excerpt given below. Listen to it carefully and answer the questions.
Harvard-MIT researcher, Hugh Herr, is familiar with the obstacles faced by amputees. A world-class mountain climber at the age of 17, Herr and a friend were trapped in a snowstorm while ascending New Hampshire’s Mount Washington in 1982. After three days without food or camping gear, the two were rescued, but frostbite cost Herr both his legs, which were amputated just below the knee. Herr was fitted with prostheses, but he soon discovered that they were developed for walking on flat surfaces, and not for taking on advanced functions like climbing or running. With the same determination that he once applied to climbing, he set out to create a better prosthetic leg. He worked with an engineering shop to fashion his own prostheses, tinkering with customised sockets and lighter materials. He even designed artificial feet specially made for climbing rock (built flat and narrow for getting a toehold in cracks and ice featuring sharp spikes).

“I Experienced a tremendous amount of pain from prosthetic limbs at first”, Herr says. “So I decided to go back to school and learn about physics and engineering to try to solve these problems.” Herr obtained a Master’s degree in mechanical engineering from MIT in 1993 and a doctorate in biophysics from Harvard five years later.

After struggling for a decade to come up with a better prosthetic limb, just getting the knee to market will be a personal triumph for Herr — yet another mountain conquered. “It’s been a long road”, he says. “But I think I’m finally in a position to make a difference.”

Q1: What happened to Hugh Herr at the age of 17?
Ans: At the age of 17, Hugh Herr and a friend were trapped in a snowstorm while ascending New Hampshire’s Mount Washington in 1982. After three days without food or camping gear, they were rescued.

Q2: What happened to both of his legs?
Ans: Frostbite cost Hugh Herr both his legs, which were amputated just below the knee.

Q3: What were the two things he was unable to do with the prostheses?
Ans: He was unable to climb or run with the prostheses.

Q4: Why did he decide to go back to school?
Ans: He decided to go back to school to learn about physics and engineering to solve the problems he faced with prosthetic limbs.

Q5: What degrees did he get from MIT and Harvard?
Ans: Hugh Herr obtained a Master’s degree in mechanical engineering from MIT in 1993 and a doctorate in biophysics from Harvard five years later.

Speaking

Q1: In a group of three, read aloud the dialogues. You are Kiran and your two partners are Sunita and Sarita. Then fill in the table given below.
Sunita : What kind of things do you like to do in your free time?
Kiran : I like playing basketball. I play on a city team every Saturday afternoon. It helps me stay fit and happy. I have made some good friends!
Sarita : I didn’t know that. How long have you been playing?
Kiran : For about a year now. But it’s not the only thing I like to do. I also enjoy painting. It’s great for relieving stress.
Sunita : Really? Are you good at it?
Kiran : Not too bad. But I’m not a Picasso or Rembrandt. How about you guys? What do you like to do in free time?
Sarita :  Well, a couple of times a month I go up to Widow Mountain with some buddies and go hang gliding.
Sunita :  No way! You do? That sounds dangerous! Aren’t you scared?
Sarita :  Not at all. It’s fascinating. It’s so beautiful up there. I feel as free as a bird. You should try it sometime.
Sunita : It sounds awesome, but I think I’m too much of a scared cat to try it.
Kiran : Wow! I might want to try it sometime. Do you think I could?
Sarita : Sure, how about this Saturday? I'll let you know the details later.
Kiran : Sounds great! I can’t believe I’m going to do it. Sunita, by the way, you never told us what you do in your spare time.
Sunita : Well, uh, I like to knit...And you know I can’t go very far. But I am going to convince my parents to let me join Karate classes. It will be great self defence.

Ans:
Names: List of Interests: Why do they find these interesting?

• Sarita: Hang gliding, because it’s fascinating and feels as free as a bird.
• Kiran: Playing basketball, because it helps stay fit and happy and has made good friends.
• Sunita: Knitting, considering joining Karate classes for self-defense.

Q2: Work in pairs. Imagine you are Sunita. You are trying to convince your father to let you join the Karate classes.
Ans: 
Sunita: Papa, I have a desire to learn Karate.
Father: No, that can’t be. Girls must stay home.
Sunita: But Papa, friends are into sports. It will keep me physically fit and it’s great for self-defense.
Father: Who will help your mother?
Sunita: I can still help mother and learn Karate. It will not only keep me fit but also provide me with a valuable skill for self-defense.
Father: Going out may be unsafe.
Sunita: The classes are in the next society. I can see the benefits in these videos. Please let me join. It will be safe and beneficial.

Writing

Q1: Given below some information about Saina Nehwal and Sania Mirza. You can visit your school library and search the Internet to collect more information and to find out if it is correct. Write a short motivational article for your school magazine using these details. The article can aim towards encouraging girls to take up sports.

Ans:
Saina Nehwal and Sania Mirza: Icons of Determination and Success
In a world where sports often seems dominated by men, Saina Nehwal and Sania Mirza have emerged as true icons of determination and success. Saina Nehwal, hailing from Hisar in Haryana, shifted to Hyderabad at a young age to pursue her dreams. Under the guidance of coaches like Nani Prasad, S.M. Arif, Vimal Kumar, and P. Gopichand, she became a professional badminton singles player. Saina has seen both ups and downs, including injuries and recoveries, but she remains a formidable force in badminton. Her achievements, including a bronze medal at the Olympics and several international titles, have made her a source of inspiration.
Sania Mirza, born in Mumbai and later moving to Hyderabad, started learning tennis at the age of six under her father's coaching. She turned professional in 2003 and has won numerous titles, including the Girls' Doubles title at Wimbledon. Sania has been ranked as India’s No. 1 doubles player by WTA and has received the Arjuna Award and Padma Shree. Her determination and resilience have lifted her to the top of the world, making her one of the most influential people globally.
Both Saina and Sania exemplify what it means to pursue one’s passion with dedication and hard work. They encourage young girls to take up sports and strive for excellence. Their journeys remind us that with perseverance, any dream is achievable.

Q2: The chapter ‘Reach for the Top’, Part I ends with the sentence “Santosh collected and brought down 500 kilograms of garbage from the Himalayas.”
You may have visited different tourist places and picnic spots. However, the beauty of the Nature is spoiled by waste and garbage thrown unmindfully by tourists.
As a conscious and responsible citizen of India, write a letter to the editor of a national newspaper. Therein you may  highlight the issue and measures for creating awareness about curbing environmental pollution. Discuss with your classmates how ‘Swachch Bharat Abhiyan’ can be promoted.
Ans:
[Date]
The Editor
[Newspaper's Name]
[Address]

Subject: Need for Awareness and Measures to Curb Environmental Pollution

Dear Sir/Madam,
Through the esteemed columns of your newspaper, I wish to draw the attention of the public and authorities to the growing problem of environmental pollution at tourist places and picnic spots. The beauty of nature is being spoiled by waste and garbage thrown unmindfully by tourists. This irresponsible behavior not only mars the natural beauty but also poses significant health risks to the environment and wildlife.
As a conscious and responsible citizen of India, I believe it is imperative to take immediate measures to address this issue. The government’s ‘Swachch Bharat Abhiyan’ has made significant strides, but more can be done. Awareness campaigns, strict enforcement of anti-littering laws, and providing adequate waste disposal facilities are essential steps. Additionally, educating tourists about the importance of preserving our environment can foster a culture of responsibility and respect for nature.
I urge all citizens to contribute to this cause by adopting eco-friendly practices and supporting initiatives that promote cleanliness and environmental conservation.

Thank you for your attention to this critical matter.

Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]