Reach for the Top Class 9 Worksheet English Chapter 1

Q.1. Read the following passages and answer the questions:
Santosh’s parents were affluent landowners who could afford to send their children to the best schools, even to the country’s capital, New Delhi, which was quite close by. But, in line with the prevailing custom in the family, Santosh had to make do with the local village school. So, she decided to fight the system in her own quiet way when the right moment arrived. And the right moment came when she turned sixteen. At sixteen, most of the girls in her village used to get married. Santosh was also under pressure from her parents to do the same.
(i) Why was Santosh sent to the local village school despite being from an affluent family?
(ii) Why was Santosh waiting to turn sixteen?
(iii) What was the normal custom of the society?
(iv) What was the pressure of parents on Santosh?

Q.2. What did the holy man assume the family would ask as a blessing?

Q.3. How was Santosh’s upbringing?

Q.4. What reason did Santosh give her parents to avoid getting married at the age of sixteen?

Q.5. Do you think that Santosh had a nature in accordance with her name?

Q.6. Read the following passages and answer the questions:
The only woman in the world who has scaled Mt Everest twice was born in a society where the birth of a son was regarded as a blessing, and a daughter, though not considered a curse, was not generally welcome. When her mother was expecting Santosh, a travelling ‘holy man’, giving her his blessing, assumed that she wanted a son. But, to everyone’s surprise, the unborn child’s grandmother, who was standing close by, told him that they did not want a son. The ‘holy man’ was also surprised! Nevertheless, he gave the requested blessing ... and as destiny would have it, the blessing seemed to work.
(i) What are the records that Santosh has made while scaling the Mt. Everest?
(ii) In which society was Santosh born?
(iii) Why was the holy man surprised?
(iv) What was the requested blessing that worked?

Q.7. What is the normal custom of the society about the birth of a girl child?

Q.8. Why did the grandmother ask for a different blessing than one would normally ask for?

Q.9. How did Santosh think of becoming a mountaineer?

Q.10. How did Santosh manage to pursue her mountaineering career?

Reference to Context

Q1: Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
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?
(b) What position did Maria achieve in 2005?
(c) How long had it taken her to reach this position?
(d) Where had Maria come from? How old was she then?

Q2: Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
However, the rapid ascent in a fiercely competitive world began nine years before with a level of sacrifice few children would be prepared to endure.
(a) What does the phrase “rapid ascent” refer to?
(b) What had happened nine years ago?
(c) What sacrifice did Maria have to make?
(d) What lesson did this teach the young Maria?

Q3: Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
Little Maria had not yet celebrated her tenth birthday when she was packed off to train in the United States. That trip to Florida with her father Yuri launched her on the path to success and stardom. But it also required a heart-wrenching two-year separation from her mother, Yelena.
(a) How old was Maria when she came to the United States?
(b) From where did she make the journey to Florida, and why?
(c) What was the ‘heart-wrenching’ thing about the journey?
(d) Why could her mother not accompany her?

Q4: Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
“I used to be so lonely, ” Maria Sharapova recalls. “I missed my mother terribly. My father was working as much as he could to keep my tennis training going. So, he couldn’t see me either. ”
(a) What does the word ‘recalls’ in the passage imply?
(b) Why was Maria lonely at the time?
(c) Why did Maria’s father have to work so hard?
(d) Where was Maria’s mother at the time? How long did it take for her to arrive in the USA?

Q5: Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
Instead of letting that depress me, I became more quietly determined and mentally tough.
(a) Where was the speaker at the time?
(b) What was ‘that’ which could not depress her?
(c) What was the impact of ‘that’ on her?
(d) What does the extract reveal about the speaker’s character?

Q6: Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
The straight looks and the answers she gives when asked about her ambition make it amply clear that she considers the sacrifices to be worth it. “I am very, very competitive. I work hard at what I do. It’s my job. ” This is her mantra for success.
(a) How does Maria show she is not a sentimental person?
(b) What does the writer mean by “straight looks”?
(c) What helped Maria win the women’s singles crown at Wimbledon in 2004?
(d) Why does the writer say there is no room for sentiment in her life?

Q7: Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
“I’m Russian. It’s true that the U.S. is a big part of my life. But I have Russian citizenship. My blood is totally Russian. I will play the Olympics for Russia if they want me. ”
(a) What light does this statement throw on Maria’s character?
(b) What does she say about the US?
(c) Why does the speaker say, ‘My blood is totally Russian’?
(d) Given a chance, what would Maria like to do for Russia?

Q8: Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
Few would grudge her the riches she is now reaping.
(a) How is she ‘reaping’ the ‘riches’?
(b) Why would few grudge her the riches?
(c) Why has the word ‘reaping’ been used for riches?
(d) What, according to her, is the biggest motivation for her to do well?

Q9: Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
Tennis is a business and a sport, but the most important thing is to become number one in the world.
(a) Why does Maria call tennis “a business”?
(b) According to Maria, why is tennis also a ‘sport’ in addition to being a business?
(c) What light does the extract throw on Maria’s personality?
(d) Why did Maria wish to become number one in the world?

Q10: Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
Like any number of teenage sensations, Maria Sharapova lists fashion, singing and dancing as her hobbies. She loves reading the novels of Arthur Conan Doyle. Her fondness for sophisticated evening gowns appears at odds with her love of pancakes with chocolate spread and fizzy orange drinks.
(a) What are Maria’s hobbies?
(b) What does Maria like to read?
(c) What contrast does Maria present in her tastes?
(d) What light does this throw on Maria’s character?

You can access the solutions to this worksheet here.