Unit 4 NCERT Solutions | English Class 9 PDF Download

Reading Comprehension

Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.

The World As I See It
In my opinion, the present symptoms of decadence are explained by the fact that the development of industry and machinery has made the struggle for existence very much more severe, greatly to the detriment of the free development of the individual. But the development of machinery means that less and less work is needed from the individual for the satisfaction of the community’s needs. A planned division of labour is becoming more and more of a crying necessity and this division will lead to the material security of the individual. This security and the spare time and energy which the individual will have at his command can be made to further his development. In this way the community may regain its health, and we will hope that future historians will explain the morbid symptoms of present-day society as the childhood ailments of an aspiring humanity, due entirely to the excessive speed at which civilisation was advancing.
(An extract from The World As I See It by A. Einstein)

Q1: What is responsible for the present degradation of individual development?
Ans: The present degradation of individual development is due to the development of industry and machinery, which has made the struggle for existence more severe and detrimental to the free development of the individual.

Q2: What is the meaning of development in relation to individuals?
Ans: Development in relation to individuals means achieving a balance where less work is needed for the satisfaction of the community’s needs, leading to material security and spare time for personal growth.

Q3: What is the ‘planned division of labour’? How will it be helpful in human development?
Ans: The 'planned division of labour' refers to an organized distribution of work that ensures material security and allows individuals to have more free time and energy for their personal development, thereby improving the overall health of the community.

Q4: What does the phrase ‘symptoms of decadence’ mean in the opening line?
(a) diagnosis of degradation
(b) warning signs of depravity
(c) signs of prosperity
(d) diagnosis of indifference
Ans: (b) warning signs of depravity

Q5: The phrase ‘crying necessity’ in the opening paragraph means:
(a) urgent need
(b) weeping need
(c) sad need
(d) average need
Ans: (a) urgent need

Q6: Circle the odd one out
Ans:
(a) presence, distance, existence, being, alive
Ans: distance)
(b) possible, feasible, probable, unthinkable, obtainable
(Odd one out: unthinkable)
(c) violence, assault, roughness, passivity, fierceness
Ans: passivity
(d) conflict, contest, contention, rivalry, accord
Ans: accord
(e) consolation, compassion, annoyance, sympathy, support Ans:annoyance

Read the following text and answer the questions

When Einstein Wrote to Gandhi
In 1931, Albert Einstein wrote the following short letter of admiration to another of the world’s greatest minds, Mohandas Gandhi. Despite their intentions, the pair never met in person.

Respected Mr. Gandhi,

I use the presence of your friend in our home to send you these lines. You have shown through your words, that it  is possible to succeed without violence even with those who Notes have not discarded the method of violence. We may hope that your example will spread beyond the borders of the country, and will help to establish an international authority, respected by all, that will take decisions and replace war conflicts.

With sincere admiration
Yours
(Signed, ‘A. Einstein’)
I hope that I will be able to meet you face to face someday.

Gandhi’s response

LONDON,
October 18, 1931

DEAR FRIEND,

I was delighted to have your beautiful letter sent through Sundaram. It is great consolation to me that the work I am doing finds favour in your sight. I do indeed wish that we could meet face to face and that too in India at my Ashram.

Yours Sincerely
(Signed, ‘M.K Gandhi’)

(Source: Letters of Note, Volume 2, by Shaun Usher)

Q1: Albert Einstein admired M. K. Gandhi because:
(a) Gandhi discarded the method of violence.
(b) Gandhi showed that it is possible to succeed without violence with those who have discarded the method of violence.
(c) Gandhi showed that it is possible to succeed without violence only with those who have discarded themethod of violence.
(d) Gandhi showed that it is possible to succeed without violence with all irrespective of whether they have continued or discarded the method of violence.
Ans: (d) 

Q2: Where did Gandhi wish to meet Einstein?
(a) his residence in London
(b) his Ashram in India
(c) his Ashram in London
(d) during his tour to London
Ans: (b) 

Q3: Why does Einstein want Gandhi’s example to go beyond India?
Ans: Einstein hopes that Gandhi’s example of succeeding without violence will spread internationally, leading to the establishment of an international authority that makes decisions and replaces war conflicts.

Q4: You have read the chapter and the exchange of letters between A. Einstein and M. K. Gandhi. What similarities do you find in the ideas of both the personalities?
Ans: Both Einstein and Gandhi advocate for non-violence and believe in achieving goals through peaceful means. They both aspire for a world where conflicts are resolved without violence, and their ideas emphasize moral and ethical integrity.

Q5: Find the opposites of the words given below from Einstein’s letter.
(a) impossible
Ans: possible
(b) fail 
Ans: succeed
(c) peace 
Ans: conflict
(d) absence 
Ans: presence
(e) enemy 
Ans: friend

Q6: In the context of Gandhi’s response to Einstein’s letter, ‘finds favour in your sight’ means:
(a) satisfied you
(b) delighted you
(c) appreciated by you
(d) not accepted by you
Ans: (c)

Text III

If

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on”;

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run—
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

—Rudyard Kipling

Q1: Which lines in the poem tell us to have self control, a clear head and not to become bitter when people speak against us? Stanza 1
Ans: "If you can keep your head when all about you / Are losing theirs and blaming it on you; / If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, / But make allowance for their doubting too."

Q2: One must be just as graceful in losing as he is in winning.
What are the two words in the poem that can replace the underlined ones? Stanza 2
Ans: Triumph and disaster (from the lines: "If you can meet with triumph and disaster / And treat those two impostors just the same;") 

Q3: In the third stanza what does the poet mean by ‘And lose, and start again’?
Ans: The poet means that one should be willing to take risks, face losses, and then have the courage to start anew without dwelling on the past failures.

Q4: There is a necessity to treat all people equal and amidst people we should not lose our self ‘who we are’? How has the poet expressed this in the fourth stanza?
Ans: The poet expresses this by saying, "If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, / Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch; / If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; / If all men count with you, but none too much."

Q5: List two things from each stanza that we can do to make the Earth ours, as given in the poem.
Ans: 

• First Stanza: Keep your head when all about you are losing theirs; trust yourself when all men doubt you.
• Second Stanza: Dream but not be mastered by dreams; think but not make thoughts your aim.
• Third Stanza: Make one heap of all your winnings and risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss; force your heart and nerve and sinew to serve your turn long after they are gone.
• Fourth Stanza: Talk with crowds and keep your virtue; walk with kings—nor lose the common touch.

Vocabulary

Q1: Read the paragraphs mentioned against each explanation and find out the words in that paragraph which best match the explanation given. Refer to the chapter ‘A Truly Beautiful Mind’ given in your textbook, Beehive.

(a) A word used disapprovingly to talk about a person who is unusual and doesn’t behave like others._____________________________(paragraph 1)
Ans: Eccentric

(b) Taking part in an activity for pleasure, not as a job.____________________________(paragraph 3)
Ans: Amateur 

(c) Respecting and allowing many different types of beliefs or behaviour._________________(paragraph 5)
Ans: Tolerant

(d) A person who is lacking in or hostile or smugly indifferent to cultural values, intellectual pursuits, etc. ________________________________(paragraph 7)
Ans: Philistine

(e) Relating to work that needs special training or education.__________________________(paragraph 8)
Ans: Professional

Q2: Einstein was a world citizen.

This means he does not belong to one country because his contributions to science and the society have moved beyond the borders of his country.
‘World’ has different meanings in a variety of contexts.

Read the sentences given below and find out the meanings of ‘world’ in each sentence.

(a) My mother means the world to me.
Ans: Everything 

(b) Vasco da Gama sailed round the world.
Ans: The Earth

(c) He is a big name in the world of fashion.
Ans:  Industry

(d) Stars from the sporting and artistic worlds participated in the function.
Ans: Realms 

(e) She is a simple person in real world as well as in the movies.
Ans: Reality

Grammar

You have read about and done exercises on participle clauses (Beehive, p. 52). We know that participle clause is a form of adverbial clause which enables us to say information in a more economical way. We can use participle clauses when the participle and verb in the main clause have the same subject.

Example: Waiting for John, I made some tea.

Q1: Choose the correct option for the sentences below.

(a) Waiting for the doctor, _____________________________________________ [a big noise scared everybody, Dave read a magazine, the alarm went off]
Ans: Dave read a magazine.

(b) ____________________________________ in the jungle, George had to find the way out on his own. [having lost, lost, losing]
Ans: Lost

(c) _____________________________________ our pottery will last for generations. [treating with care/you treat with care/treated with care]
Ans: Treated with care

(d) ____________________________________ a holiday, all the banks were closed. [having been/been/ being]
Ans: Being

(e) ____________________________________ for so long, he had lost all hope. [being unemployed/unemployed/ having been unemployed]
Ans: Having been unemployed

Q2: Join the following sentences using a present-participle as given in the example.

Example:

We walked along the footpath. We saw an accident.
Walking along the footpath, we saw an accident.

(Note: Out of the two actions, the one which takes place first is changed into present participle.)

(a) He stood by the side of a temple. He asked people to go in.
Ans: Standing by the side of a temple, he asked people to go in.

(b) She came out of the room. She greeted the visitors.
Ans: Coming out of the room, she greeted the visitors.

(c) He heard the news. He started crying.
Ans: Hearing the news, he started crying.

(d) He found the lock broken. He rang up the Police.
Ans: Finding the lock broken, he rang up the Police.

(e) He felt sleepy. He went to bed.
Ans: Feeling sleepy, he went to bed.

Editing

There is an error in each line. Underline the incorrect word and write the correct word in the blank given. The first one has been done for you as an example.

I entred the manager’s office and sat down. entered
I have just lost five hundred rupees and I felt very upset.

(a) ____________________________________ “I leave the money in my desk,” I said, (b)______________________ “and it is not there now”. The manger was very sympathetic but he can do nothing. (c)_______________________“Everyone loses money theses days,”(d) __________________________ he said. He start to complain about this wicked world, (e)________________________________but is interrupted by a knock at the door. (f)_________________
Ans: 
(a) "I leave the money in my desk," I said, left
(b) "and it is not there now". The manger was very sympathetic manager
(c) but he can do nothing. could
(d) "Everyone loses money theses days," these
(e) he said. He start to complain about this wicked world, started
(f) but is interrupted by a knock at the door. was

Listening

Listen to the story given below. The teacher or your classmate will read the story aloud. Listen to it carefully and then answer the questions that follow.

Gautama Buddha was journeying through the Kosala region. He was warned not to pass through the deep jungle, as it was the den of a famous robber chief, Angulimala. He was the terror of the whole countryside. He lived by plundering travellers and feared no one. He had committed many murders. All attempts to capture the inhuman Angulimala had failed. So he continued his crimes unpunished. The people of Kosala pleaded with the Buddha not to expose himself to the dangers of the robber’s territory.
But Gautama Buddha knew no fear. The warnings of the people of Kosala did not affect him. He made his way into the jungle. Angulimala got enraged at this boldness. He was 

determined to kill the intruder. But when he saw the Buddha, calm and self-possessed, and heard his words of kindness, the robber hesitated. His arm, which had been uplifted to kill, fell helpless by his side. His wrath cooled, and he knelt down before the Buddha. He confessed all his sins and declared his faith in the Buddha. When the people saw the new disciple following his Master, they were amazed and could not believethat this was the ferocious man who had been a terror forso long. Angulimala became a monk. His past was forgotten,and he was widely respected for his holiness.

Q1: Why did the people of Kosala warn the Buddha not to go into the jungle?
Ans: The people of Kosala warned the Buddha not to go into the jungle because it was the den of a famous robber chief, Angulimala, who was a terror and had committed many murders.

Q2: Why was Angulimala considered to be a terror?
Ans: Angulimala was considered to be a terror because he plundered travelers, feared no one, and had committed many murders.

Q3: What enraged Angulimala when he saw the Buddha?
Ans: Angulimala was enraged by the Buddha's boldness in entering his territory despite the warnings.

Q4: Why did the robber hesitate to kill the Buddha?
Ans: The robber hesitated to kill the Buddha because he was calm, self-possessed, and spoke words of kindness, which cooled Angulimala’s wrath.

Q5: What kind of transformation took place in Angulimala?
Ans: Angulimala experienced a transformation from being a ferocious robber to a devoted disciple of the Buddha, renouncing his past crimes and becoming a respected monk.

Q6: Why did people start respecting Angulimala?
Ans: People started respecting Angulimala because he had changed from a notorious robber to a holy monk following the teachings of the Buddha.

Speaking

A debate competition is being organised in your school. Take a stand for or against this statement: “Our happiness in life depends entirely on
our mental attitude.” Prepare an outline of the main points in the order in which you wish to present them (in about 100 words), giving reasons for your point of view.

• Debate is a contest between two speakers or two groups of speakers to show skill and ability in arguing.
• A proposition, a question or a problem is required for this purpose, which can be spoken for or against.
• To participate in a debate, one must prepare for it. So, one must prepare an outline of the main points inthe order in which one is going to argue.
• There are the limitations of time (only 5 to 6 minutes are allowed).
• The speaker addresses the audience.
• Every topic/subject has its own vocabulary. These must be learnt.
• The speaker addresses the Chair (Mr President/Madam), ‘submits’ an argument, ‘appeals’ for sympathetic understanding and support, ‘questions’ the opponent’s views and ‘concludes’ an argument.

Write the outline of the main points, then make a presentation in the class.

Topic

Q1: Introduce the topic with a quotation.
Ans: Introduce the topic with a quotation: "Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions." – Dalai Lama.

Q2: Highlight the main points.
Ans: 

Main Points:

1. For the Motion:
   • Mental attitude shapes our perception of life’s events.
   • Positive thinking can lead to better health and well-being.
   • Optimism helps in overcoming challenges and setbacks.
2. Against the Motion:
   • External factors like financial stability, relationships, and health play a significant role.
   • Mental attitude alone cannot change real-life hardships.
   • Social and environmental factors heavily influence our happiness.

Q3: Elaborate the points by arguing logically and convincingly
Ans: Argue logically and convincingly by providing examples and evidence to support each point.

Q4: Give your opinion in the concluding paragraph.
Ans: Conclude by summarizing the main points and giving your opinion: "While mental attitude is crucial, it is not the sole determinant of happiness. A balance of internal and external factors is necessary for a fulfilling life."