Reach for the Top Chapter 6 English NCERT Solution ||Beehive|| Class 9
Thinking about the Text (Page 87)
I. Answer these questions in one or two sentences each. (The paragraph numbers
within brackets provide clues to the answers.)
1. Why was the ‘holy man’ who gave Santosh’s mother his blessings surprised?
(1)
Answer : The holy man was surprised because Santosh’s family wanted a daughter, which was uncommon in their society.
2. Give an example to show that even as a young girl Santosh was not ready to
accept anything unreasonable. (2)
Answer : As a young girl, Santosh Yadav preferred wearing shorts instead of the traditional dresses worn by other girls in her village. This showed her unwillingness to accept unreasonable societal norms.
3. Why was Santosh sent to the local school? (3)
Answer : Santosh Yadav was sent to the local school because her family strictly followed the tradition of sending girls to the village school, despite being affluent enough to afford better education elsewhere.
4. When did she leave home for Delhi, and why? (4)
Answer : Santosh Yadav left home for Delhi at the age of sixteen because she wanted to pursue higher education and was under pressure from her parents to get married.
5. Why did Santosh’s parents agree to pay for her schooling in Delhi? What
mental qualities of Santosh are brought into light by this incident? (4)
Answer : Santosh Yadav’s parents agreed to pay for her schooling in Delhi after she informed them of her plans to work part-time to cover her fees. This incident highlights her determination, independence, and strong will-power.
II. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (about 30 words).
1. How did Santosh begin to climb mountains?
Answer : Santosh Yadav began climbing mountains after meeting mountaineers in the Aravalli Hills. Inspired by their stories and encouragement, she joined them and pursued mountaineering courses at the Nehru Institute.
2. What incidents during the Everest expedition show Santosh’s concern for
her team-mates?
Answer : During the Everest expedition, Santosh Yadav showed concern for her teammates by sharing her oxygen cylinder with them, attempting to save a dying climber, and providing support and encouragement.
3. What shows her concern for the environment?
Answer : Santosh Yadav’s concern for the environment is evident from her efforts to bring down 500 kilograms of garbage from the Himalayas during her Everest expeditions.
4. How does she describe her feelings at the summit of the Everest?
Answer : At the summit of Everest, Santosh Yadav felt a profound sense of achievement and gratitude, describing it as a moment of immense joy and fulfillment, coupled with a deep connection to nature.
5. Santosh Yadav got into the record books both times she scaled
Mt Everest. What were the reasons for this?
Answer : Santosh Yadav entered the record books by becoming the youngest woman to scale Everest in 1992 and the first woman to climb it twice in 1993.
III. Complete the following statements.
1. From her room in Kasturba Hostel, Santosh used to _________
2. When she finished college, Santosh had to write a letter of apology to her father because _________
3. During the Everest expedition, her seniors in the team admired her _________ while _________endeared her to fellow climbers.
Answer
1. From her room in Kasturba Hostel, Santosh used to watch villagers going up the hill and suddenly vanish after a while.
2. When she finished college, Santosh had to write a letter of apology to her father because she had got herself enrolled at Uttarkashi’s Nehru Institute of Mountaineering without his permission.
3. During the Everest expedition, her seniors in the team admired her climbing skills, physical fitness and mental strength while her concern for others and desire to work together with them endeared her to fellow climbers.
2. When she finished college, Santosh had to write a letter of apology to her father because _________
3. During the Everest expedition, her seniors in the team admired her _________ while _________endeared her to fellow climbers.
Answer
1. From her room in Kasturba Hostel, Santosh used to watch villagers going up the hill and suddenly vanish after a while.
2. When she finished college, Santosh had to write a letter of apology to her father because she had got herself enrolled at Uttarkashi’s Nehru Institute of Mountaineering without his permission.
3. During the Everest expedition, her seniors in the team admired her climbing skills, physical fitness and mental strength while her concern for others and desire to work together with them endeared her to fellow climbers.
V. Pick out words from the text that mean the same as the following words or expressions. (Look in the paragraphs indicated.)
1. took to be true without proof (1): _________
2. based on reason; sensible; reasonable (2): _________
3. the usual way of doing things (3): _________
4. a strong desire arising from within (5): _________
5. the power to endure, without falling ill (7): _________
Answer
1. took to be true without proof (1): Assumed
2. based on reason; sensible; reasonable (2): Rational
3. the usual way of doing things (3): Custom
4. a strong desire arising from within (5): Urge
5. the power to endure, without falling ill (7): Resistance
1. took to be true without proof (1): _________
2. based on reason; sensible; reasonable (2): _________
3. the usual way of doing things (3): _________
4. a strong desire arising from within (5): _________
5. the power to endure, without falling ill (7): _________
Answer
1. took to be true without proof (1): Assumed
2. based on reason; sensible; reasonable (2): Rational
3. the usual way of doing things (3): Custom
4. a strong desire arising from within (5): Urge
5. the power to endure, without falling ill (7): Resistance
Part ||
Maria Sharapova
Thinking about the Text (Page 92)
Working in small groups of 4−5 students, go back over the two passages on Santosh Yadav and Maria Sharapova and complete the table given below with relevant phrases or sentences.
Points of Comparison/Contrast | Santosh Yadav | Maria Sharapova | |
1. | Their humble beginning | ||
2. | Their parents’ approach | ||
3. | Their will power and strong desire to succeed | ||
4. | Evidence of their mental toughness | ||
5. | Their patriotism |
Answer
Points of Comparison/Contrast
Santosh Yadav
Maria Sharapova
1.
Their humble beginning
-“She was born in the small village of Joniyawas of Rewari District in Haryana.”
“the Siberian born teenager”
2.
Their parents’ approach
- “in line with the
prevailing custom in the family, Santosh had to make do with the local village school.”
- “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.”
- “her parents refused to
pay for her education”
- “her father slowly getting used to her urge”
- “she was packed off to train in the United States.”
- “trip to Florida with her father Yuri launched her on the path to success and stardom.”
- “My father was working
as much as he could to keep my tennis-training going.”
3.
Their will power and strong desire to succeed
-“Wishing always to study 'a bit more'”
-“her urge for more education”
-“She left home and got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi.”
- “She saved money and enrolled in a course at Uttarkashi’s Nehru Institute of Mountaineering.”
- “I headed straight for the training.”
- “Instead of letting that depress me, I became more quietly determined and mentally tough.”
- “unwavering desire to
succeed and readiness to sacrifice”
- “I work hard at what I do.”
- “the most important thing is to become number one in the world. That’s the dream that kept me going.”
4.
Evidence of their mental toughness
-“She began living life on her own terms from the start.”
-“From the very beginning I was quite determined that if I chose a correct and a rational path, the others around me had to change, not me.”
-“she politely informed them of her plans to earn money by working part time to pay her school fees.”
- “Santosh went on an expedition every year.”
- “an amazing mental toughness”
- “mental strength impressed her seniors”
-“I learnt how to take care of myself. I never thought
of quitting because I knew what I wanted.”
-“I would have put up with much more humiliation and insults than that to steadfastly pursue my dream.”
5.
Their patriotism
-“Then I unfurled the Indian tricolour and held it aloft on the roof of the world. The feeling is indescribable. The Indian flag was flying on top of the world. It was truly a spiritual moment. I felt proud as an Indian.”
“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.
Thinking about the Language (Page 92)
I. Identify the two parts in the sentences below by underlining the part that gives
us the information in brackets, as shown above.
1. Where other girls wore traditional Indian dresses, Santosh preferred shorts.
(Contrasts her dress with that of others
Answer :. Where other girls wore traditional Indian dresses, Santosh preferred shorts.
2. She left home and got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi.(Tells us what
happened after the first action.)
Answer : She left home and got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi.
3. She decided to fight the system when the right moment arrived.(Tells us
when she was going to fight the system.)
Answer : She decided to fight the system when the right moment arrived
4. Little Maria had not yet celebrated her tenth birthday when she was packed
off to train in the United States. (Tells us when Maria was sent to the U.S.)
Answer : Little Maria had not yet celebrated her tenth birthday when she was packed off to train in the United States.
II. Now rewrite the pairs of sentences given below as one sentence.
1. Grandfather told me about the old days. All books were printed on paper then.Answer : Grandfather told me about the old days when all books were printed on paper
2. What do you do after you finish the book? Perhaps you just throw it away.
Answer : After finishing the book, perhaps you just throw it away.
3. He gave the little girl an apple. He took the computer apart.
Answer : He gave the little girl an apple and took the computer apart.
4. You have nothing. That makes you very determined.
Answer : Having nothing makes you very determined.
5. I never thought of quitting. I knew what I wanted.
Answer : I never thought of quitting as I knew what I wanted.