NCERT Solutions Class 9 English (Beehive) Chapter 6 (My Childhood)

NCERT Solutions Class 9 English (Beehive (Prose)) 

The NCERT Solutions in English Language for Class 9 English (Beehive (Prose)) Chapter – 6 My Childhood has been provided here to help the students in solving the questions from this exercise. 

Chapter – 6 (My Childhood) 

Thinking about the Text

I. Answer these questions in one or two sentences each.

1. Where was Abdul Kalam’s house?
Answer – Abdul Kalam’s house was on Mosque Street in Rameswaram.

2. What do you think Dinamani is the name of? Give a reason for your answer.
Answer – Dinamani is the name of a local newspaper. It is so because Kalam traced the stories of the war in the head lines in Dinamani.

3. Who were Abdul Kalam’s school friends? What did they later become?
Answer – Abdul Kalam had three close friends in school — Ramanadha Sastry, Aravindan and Sivaprakasam. Ramanandha Sastry took over the priesthood of the Rameswaram temple from his father; Aravindan started a business of arranging transport for visiting pilgrims and Sivaprakasam became a catering contractor for the Southern Railways.

4. How did Abdul Kalam earn his first wages?
Answer – Abdul Kalam earned his first wages by catching bundles of newspapers thrown out from the moving train on the Rameswaram Road between Rameswaram and Dhanuskodi and distributing them.

5. Had he earned any money before that? In what way?
Answer – Yes, Abdul Kalam had earned some money before he started helping his cousin. He used to collect and sell tamarind seeds at a provision shop, during the Second World War, earning one anna for a day’s collection.

II. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (about 30 words)

1. How does the author describe: (i) his father (ii) his mother (iii) himself?
Answer –
(i) Kalam’s father, Jainulabdeen was not a wealthy or educated person. However, he was an honest and generous man, who possessed great innate wisdom. He was self-disciplined and avoided all inessential luxuries.

(ii) Kalam’s mother, Ashiamma was an ideal helpmate to her husband. She believed in goodness and profound kindness, and fed many people everyday.

(iii) The author describes himself as a short boy with undistinguished looks born to tall and handsome parents.

2. What characteristics does he say he inherited from his parents?
Answer – He says that he inherited honesty and self-discipline from his father; and faith in goodness and deep kindness from his mother.

III. Discuss these questions in class with your teacher, and then write down your answers in two or three paragraphs each.

1: “On the whole, the small society of Rameswaram was very rigid in terms of the segregation of different social groups,” says the author.

(i) Which social groups does he mention? Were these groups easily identifiable (for example, by the way they dressed)?
Answer – The social groups that he mentioned were the Hindus and the Muslims. Yes, these groups were easily identifiable. Abdul Kalam wore a cap, which marked him as a Muslim. His friend, Ramanadha Sastry, wore the sacred thread as he was a Hindu.

(ii) Were they aware only of their differences or did they also naturally share friendships and experiences? (Think of the bedtime stories in Kalam’s house; of who his friends were; and of what used to take place in the pond near his house.)
Answer – They were not aware only of their differences. They also naturally share friendships and experiences. Kalam’s mother and grandmother would tell events from the Ramayana and from the life of the Prophet as bedtime stories. All his friends belonged to orthodox Hindu families. During the annual Sita Rama Kalyanam Ceremony, his family would arrange boats with a special platform for carrying idols of the Lord from the temple to the marriage site situated in the middle of the pond called Rama Tirtha, which was near his house.

(iii) The author speaks both of people who were very aware of the differences among them and those who tried to bridge these differences. Can you identify such people in the text?
Answer – The author speaks both of people who were very aware of the differences among them and those who tried to bridge these differences. Yes, we can identify such people in the text.
The new school teacher and Sivasubramania Iyer’s wife were very aware of the differences among the social groups, but Sivasubramania Iyer and Lakshamana Sastry tried to bridge these differences.

(iv) Narrate two incidents that show how differences can be created, and also how they can be resolved. How can people change their attitudes?
Answer – The first incident to show how differences can be created is that when the new young teacher found a Muslim student sitting beside a Hindu student. He asked Kalam to sit . in the last row.
The other incident shows how differences can be resolved. The author’s science teacher, Sivasubramania Iyer, though an orthodox Brahmin with a very conservative outlook tried to bridge these differences.

2.
(i) Why did Abdul Kalam want to leave Rameswaram?
Answer – Abdul Kalam wanted to leave Rameswaram because he wanted to study at the district headquarters in Ramanathapuram.

(ii) What did his father say to this?
Answer – His father said, ““Abul ! I know you have to go away to grow. Does the seagull not fly across the sun, alone and without a nest?”

(iii) What do you think his words mean? Why do you think he spoke those words?
Answer – His words meant he understood that Kalam had to leave his house and get a good higher education to grow. He spoke these words because he knew the harsh reality of life that the children needed to move away from their home and parents to make a career and earn.

Thinking about Language

I. Find the sentences in the text where these words occur:

Look these words up in a dictionary which gives examples of how they are used. Now answer the following questions.
Answer – Sentences in the text where these words occur are:
Erupt: “For reasons I have never been able to understand, a sudden demand for tamarind seeds erupted in the market.”

Surge: “Half a century later, I can still feel the surge of pride in earning my own money for the first time.”

Trace: “My brother-in-law Jallaluddin would tell me stories about the War which I would later attempt to trace in the headlines in Dinamani.”

Undistinguished: “I was one of many children — a short boy with rather undistinguished looks, born to tall and handsome parents.”

Casualty: “The first casualty came in the form of the suspension of the train halt at Rameswaram station.”

1. What are the things that can erupt? Use examples to explain the various meanings of erupt. Now do the same for the word surge. What things can surge?
Answer – Things that can erupt are: volcanoes, emotions, anger.
– A volcano erupted in the Mauna Kea last night.
– Ranjan’s anger erupted as a result of Ashima’s continuous nagging.
Things that can surge are: prices, wave, crowd, storm, etc.

2. What are the meanings of the word trace and which of the meanings is closest to the word in the text?
Answer – The meanings of the word ‘trace’ are:
– to draw an outline
– to copy
– to find out
The meaning that is closest to the word in the text is ‘finding out’.

3. Can you find the word undistinguished in your dictionary? (If not, look up the word distinguished and say what undistinguished must mean.)
Answer – No, I cannot find the word undistinguished in my dictionary.
The meaning of the word distinguished as given in the dictionary is specific, distinct. Thus, undistinguished must mean ‘not specific’, ‘not distinct’.

II. 1. Match the phrases in Column A with their meanings in Column B.

Answer –

2. Study the words in italics in the sentences below. They are formed by prefixing un – or in – to their antonyms (words opposite in meaning).

• I was a short boy with rather undistinguished looks. (un + distinguished)
• My austere father used to avoid all inessential comforts.(in + essential)
• The area was completely unaffected by the war.(un + affected)
• He should not spread the poison of social inequality and communal intolerance. (in + equality, in + tolerance)

Now form the opposites of the words below by prefixing un- or in-. The prefix in-can also have the forms il-, ir-, or im- (for example: illiterate–il + literate, impractical –im + practical, irrational –ir + rational). You may consult a dictionary if you wish.

Answer –

III. Passive Voice
Study these sentences:

• My parents were regarded as an ideal couple.
• I was asked to go and sit on the back bench.
• Such problems have to be confronted.

The italicised verbs in these sentences are made up of a form of the verb be and a past participle. (For example: were + regarded, was + asked, be + confronted)
These sentences focus on what happens, rather than who does what. Notice that the doer of the action is not included in the sentences.
If necessary, we can mention the doer of the action in a by-phrase. For example:

• The tree was struck by lightning.
• The flag was unfurled by the Chief Guest.

IV. Rewrite the sentences below, changing the verbs in brackets into the passive form.
1. In yesterday’s competition the prizes (give away) by the Principal.
2. In spite of financial difficulties, the labourers (pay) on time.
3. On Republic Day, vehicles (not allow) beyond this point.
4. Second-hand books (buy and sell) on the pavement every Saturday.
5. Elections to the Lok Sabha (hold) every five years.
6. Our National Anthem (compose) Rabindranath Tagore.
Answer –
1. In yesterday’s competition the prizes were given away by the Principal.
2. In spite of financial difficulties, the labourers were paid on time.
3. On Republic Day, vehicles were not allowed beyond this point.
4. Second-hand books were bought and sold on the pavement every Saturday.
5. Elections to the Lok Sabha are held every five years.
6. Our National Anthem was composed by Rabindranath Tagore.

V. Rewrite the paragraphs below, using the correct form of the verb given in brackets.

1. How Helmets Came To Be Used in Cricket
Nari Contractor was the Captain and an opening batsman for India in the 1960s. The Indian cricket team went on a tour to the West Indies in 1962. In a match against Barbados in Bridgetown, Nari Contractor (seriously injure and collapse). In those days helmets (not wear). Contractor (hit) on the head by a bouncer from Charlie Griffith. Contractor’s skull (fracture). The entire team (deeply concern). The West Indies players (worry). Contractor (rush) to hospital. He (accompany) by Frank Worrell, the Captain of the West Indies Team. Blood (donate) by the West Indies players. Thanks to the timely help, Contractor (save). Nowadays helmets (routinely use) against bowlers.

Answer – How Helmets Came To Be Used in Cricket
Nari Contractor was the Captain and an opening batsman for India in the 1960s. The Indian cricket team went on a tour to the West Indies in 1962. In a match against Barbados in Bridgetown, Nari Contractor got seriously injured and collapsed. In those days helmets were not worn.
Contractor was hit on the head by a bouncer from Charlie Griffith. Contractor’s skull had fractured. The entire team was deeply concerned. The West Indies players were worried. Contractor was rushed to hospital. He was accompanied by Frank Worrell, the Captain of the West Indies Team. Blood was donated by the West Indies players. Thanks to the timely help, Contractor was saved. Nowadays helmets arelxjutincly used against bowlers.

2. Oil from Seeds
Vegetable oils (make) from seeds and fruits of many plants growing all over the world, from tiny sesame seeds to big, juicy coconuts. Oil (produce) from cotton seeds, groundnuts, soya beans and sunflower seeds. Olive oil (use) for cooking, salad dressing etc. Olives (shake) from the trees and (gather) up, usually by hand. The olives (ground) to a thick paste which is spread onto special mats. Then the mats (layer) up on the pressing machine which will gently squeeze them to produce olive oil.
Answer – Oil from Seeds
Vegetable oils are made from seeds and fruits of many plants growing all over the world, from tiny sesame seeds to big, juicy coconuts. Oil is produced from cotton seeds, groundnuts, soya beans and sunflower seeds. Olive oil is used for cooking, salad dressing etc. Olives are shaken from the trees and gathered up, usually by hand. The olives are ground to a thick paste which is spread onto special mats. Then the mats are layered up on the pressing machine which will gently squeeze them to produce olive oil.

Go Back To Chapters