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?

You can access the solutions to this worksheet here.