Dictionary work • The sound of the | Class 9 English - Beehive Chapter The Sound of Music, The Sound of Music NCERT Solutions

Bismillah Khan’s first trip abroad was to (Afghanistan, U.S.A., Canada).

Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A.?
 

Look at these sentences.
• Evelyn was determined to live a normal life.
• Evelyn managed to conceal her growing deafness from friends and teachers. The italicised parts answer the questions: “What was Evelyn determined to do?” and “What did Evelyn manage to do?” They begin with a to-verb (to live, to conceal). Complete the following sentences. Beginning with a to-verb, try to answer the questions in brackets.
1. The school sports team hopes___(What does it hope to do?)
2. We all want____ (What do we all want to do?)
3. They advised the hearing-impaired child’s mother_____ (What did they advise her to do?)
4. The authorities permitted us to_____ (What did the authorities permit us to do?)
5. A musician decided to_____ (What did the musician decide to do?)

Find the words in the text which show Ustad Bismillah Khan’s feelings about the items listed below. Then mark a tick (✔) in the correct column. Discuss your answers in class.

Bismillah Khan learnt to play the shehnai from (Ali Bux, Paigambar Bux, Ustad Faiyaaz Khan).

When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big break?

Bismillah Khan’s paternal ancestors were (barbers, professional musicians).

How is a shehnai different from a pungi?

Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?

The (shehnai, pungi ) was a ‘reeded noisemaker.’

Do you agree with Margie that schools today are more fun than the school in the story? Give reasons for your answer.

II. This story about a frightening incident is narrated in a humorous way. What makes it humorous? (Think of the contrasts it presents between dreams and reality. Some of them are listed below.)
1. (i) The kind of person the doctor is (money, possessions)
    (ii) The kind of person he wants to be (appearance, ambition) 

2. (i) The person he wants to marry
   (ii) The person he actually marries

3. (i) His thoughts when he looks into the mirror
    (ii) His thoughts when the snake is coiled around his arm
Write short paragraphs on each of these to get your answer.

Now use these adverbs to fill in the blanks in the sentences below.
(i) The report must be read so that performance can be improved.
(ii) At the interview, Sameer answered our questions , shrugging his shoulders.
(iii) We all behave when we are tired or hungry.
(iv) The teacher shook her head when Ravi lied to her.
(v) I forgot about it.
(vi) When I complimented Revathi on her success, she just smiled and turned away.

(vii) The President of the Company is busy and will not be able to meet you.
(viii) I finished my work so that I could go out to play.

II. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (about 30 words).
1. How did Santosh begin to climb mountains?
2. What incidents during the Everest expedition show Santosh’s concern for her team-mates?
3. What shows her concern for the environment?
4. How does she describe her feelings at the summit of the Everest?
5. Santosh Yadav got into the record books both times she scaled Mt Everest. What were the reasons for this?

Why did Margie hate school? Why did she think the old kind of school must have been fun?

I. Discuss in pairs and answer each question below in a short paragraph (30– 40 words).
1. How many characters are there in the narrative? Name them. (Don’t forget the dog!).
2. Why did the narrator (Jerome) volunteer to do the packing?
3. How did George and Harris react to this? Did Jerome like their reaction?
4. What was Jerome’s real intention when he offered to pack?
5. What did Harris say after the bag was shut and strapped? Why do you think he waited till then to ask?
6. What “horrible idea” occurred to Jerome a little later?
7. Where did Jerome finally find the toothbrush?
8. Why did Jerome have to reopen the packed bag?
9. What did George and Harris offer to pack and why?
10. While packing the hamper, George and Harris do a number of foolish and funny things. Tick the statements that are true.
(i) They started with breaking a cup.
(ii) They also broke a plate.
(iii) They squashed a tomato.
(iv) They trod on the butter.
(v) They stepped on a banana.
(vi) They put things behind them, and couldn’t find them.
(vii) They stepped on things.
(viii) They packed the pictures at the bottom and put heavy things on top.
(ix) They upset almost everything.
(x) They were very good at packing.

I. Answer these questions.
1. “At last a sympathetic audience.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) Why does he say it?
(iii) Is he sarcastic or serious?

2. Why does the intruder choose Gerrard as the man whose identity he wants to take on?

3. “I said it with bullets.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) What does it mean?
(iii) Is it the truth? What is the speaker’s reason for saying this?

4. What is Gerrard’s profession? Quote the parts of the play that support your answer.

5. “You’ll soon stop being smart.”
(i) Who says this?(ii) Why does the speaker say it?
(iii) What according to the speaker will stop Gerrard from being smart?

6. “They can’t hang me twice.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) Why does the speaker say it?

7. “A mystery I propose to explain.” What is the mystery the speaker proposes to explain?

8. “This is your big surprise.”
(i) Where has this been said in the play?
(ii) What is the surprise?

III. Answer the following questions in not more than 100–150 words each.
1. Compare and contrast the atmosphere in and around the Baudhnath shrine with the Pashupatinath temple.
2. How does the author describe Kathmandu’s busiest streets?
3. “To hear any flute is to be drawn into the commonality of all mankind.” Why does the author say this?

 Why does the world remember Einstein as a “world citizen”?
 

Answer the following questions in one or two sentences.
1. Why was Kezia afraid of her father?
2. Who were the people in Kezia’s family?
3. What was Kezia’s father’s routine
      (i) before going to his office?
      (ii) after coming back from his office?
      (iii) on Sundays?
4. In what ways did Kezia’s grandmother encourage her to get to know her father better?

Answer the following questions in one or two sentences.
1. Why was Kezia afraid of her father?
2. Who were the people in Kezia’s family?
3. What was Kezia’s father’s routine
      (i) before going to his office?
      (ii) after coming back from his office?
      (iii) on Sundays?
4. In what ways did Kezia’s grandmother encourage her to get to know her father better?

Do you agree with Margie that schools today are more fun than the school in the story? Give reasons for your answer.

Given below are some emotions that Kezia felt. Match the emotions in Column A ​with the items in Column B. 

Why was Margie doing badly in geography? What did the County Inspector do to help her?

How does Tommy describe the old kind of school?

(III).                                  Punctuation
Use capital letters, full stops, question marks, commas and inverted commas wherever necessary in the following paragraph.

an arrogant lion was wandering through the jungle one day he asked the tiger who is stronger than you you O lion replied the tiger who is more fierce than a leopard asked the lion you sir replied the leopard he marched upto an elephant and asked the same question the elephant picked him up in his trunk swung him in the air and threw him down look said the lion there is no need to get mad just because you don’t know the answer

II. Here are some words with silent letters. Learn their spelling. Your teacher will dictate these words to you. Write them down and underline the silent letters.
knock          wrestle          walk              wrong
knee            half               honest          daughter
hours           return           hornet           calm
could           sign               island           button

Why did Einstein write a letter to Franklin Roosevelt?
 

II. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (about 30 words).
1. How did Santosh begin to climb mountains?
2. What incidents during the Everest expedition show Santosh’s concern for her team-mates?
3. What shows her concern for the environment?
4. How does she describe her feelings at the summit of the Everest?
5. Santosh Yadav got into the record books both times she scaled Mt Everest. What were the reasons for this?