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NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Main Course Book Unit 5 Mystery Chapter 3 The Tragedy of Birlstone are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Main Course Book Unit 5 Mystery Chapter 3 The Tragedy of Birlstone.

CBSE Class 9 English Main Course Book Unit 5 Mystery Chapter 3 The Tragedy of Birlstone

Question 1.
Look at the picture below and list some phrases and words that come to your mind when you look at it.
Answer :

Question 2.
Can you make some guesses about the dead man ? Give reasons for your answers.
(a) Did the man die a natural death or was he murdered ?
(b) Was the dead man rich or poor ?
(c) Who is the man bending over him ?
Answer :
(а) No the man didn’t die a natural death. His dead body lying on the floor rules out this fact. Then the stick, his posture, the blood, etc, clearly show that he has been murdered.
(b) The dead man seems to be rich. It is clear from the clothes he wore and the house. A deep mystery is involved in his murder.
(c) The man bending over him is a detective. He is investigating his murder. He wants to know the reasons behind his murder. He is being assisted by other detectives.

Question 3.
Here are a police constable’s notes of his investigation of the murder at Manor House. After reading the notes, discuss where the murder could have taken place. What was the motive behind the evil act ? How was the act committed ?


image 3
Answer :
For discussion by the students as desired. Some relevant pointwise information is given below :
The murder had taken place in the Manor House or it might have taken place outside the Manor House. The reasons where it had taken place are not clear yet. The circumstantial evidence suggests that the motive behind the evil act could have been the great popularity of John Douglas. This was due to his cheery and genial nature and some jealousy in his wife’s heart. The disparity between the nature of the two due to nerve strain supports this aspect. Third, the frequent visit of an outsider Cecil Barker may form a love triangle. This sort of triangle usually leads to such tragic occurrences. The white-faced servants, frightened butler, injury signs deepen the mystery of the murder.

The murder could have been committed most mercilessly. The horrible injuries and their terrible marks indicate this aspect. Mr. Douglas could have resisted and struggled with the murderer with full force as per the situation. Then the murderer could have shot him dead. .

Question 4.
Dr. Wood, the capable general practitioner, has been requested to solve this case. He gathers information about the murder from the inmates of the house. The information is presented in two parts.
Parts A : Background story by Arthur Canon Doyle
Parts B : Conversation between Dr. Wood and Cecil Barker
Part A
Background Story
The village of Birlstone is a small and very ancient cluster of half-timbered cottages on the northern border of the county of Sussex. For centuries it had remained unchanged but its picturesque appearance has attracted well-to-do residents. A number of small shops have come into being to meet the wants of the increased population. About half a mile from the town, standing in an old park famous for its huge beech trees, was the ancient Manor House, with its many gables and its small diamond paned windows. The only approach to the house was over a drawbridge,the chains and windlass of which had been rusted and broken.

The family consisted of only two individuals – John Douglas and his wife. Douglas was cheery and genial to all and had acquired great popularity among the villagers. He appeared to have plenty of money. Thus it came about that John Douglas had, within five years,won himself quite a reputation in Birlstone. His wife was a beautiful woman, tall, dark, and slender, younger than her husband; a disparity which seemed in no way to mar the contentment of their family life. It was remarked sometimes, that the confidence between the two did not appear to be incomplete.

There were signs sometimes of some nerve strain upon the part of Mrs. Douglas. Cecil Barker, was a frequent and welcome visitor at Manor House, Barker was an easy going, free handed gentleman. It was on Jan 6th at 11:45 that the alarm reached the small local police station that John Douglas had been murdered. Dr. Wood seemed to be unnerved and troubled.

Part B
Conversation between Dr. Wood and Cecil Barker

Dr. Wood : We will touch nothing until my superiors arrive. (He spoke in a hushed voice, staring at the dreadful head)
C Barker : Nothing has been touched until now.
Dr. Wood : When did this happen?
C Barker : It was just half-past eleven. I was sitting by the fire in my bedroom when I heard the gun shot. In thirty seconds I was in the room.
Dr. Wood : Was the door open?
C. Barker : Yes, it was open. Poor Douglas was lying as you see him.
image 4
Dr. Wood : Did you see anyone?
C. Barker : No, I heard Mrs. Douglas coming down the stairs behind me, and I rushed out to prevent her from seeing this dreadful sight.
Dr. Wood : But I have heard that the drawbridge is kept up all night.
C. Barker : Yes, it was up until I lowered it.
Dr. Wood : Then how could any murderer have got away? It is out of question! Mr Douglas must have shot himself.
C. Barker : That was our first idea. But see! The diamond paned window is open to its full extent.
Dr. Wood : I think someone stood there while trying to get out.
C. Barker : You mean that someone waded across the moat?
Dr. Wood : Exactly!
C. Barker : I agree with you.
Dr. Wood : But what I ask you is, how did he even get into the house at all if the bridge was up?
C. Barker : Ah, that’s the question.
Dr. Wood : At what time was the bridge raised?
C. Barker : It was nearly 6 O’clock.
Dr. Wood : Then it comes to this, if anyone came from outside – if they did – they must have got in across the bridge before six and had been in hiding ever since. The man was waiting. He shot him, when he got the chance. – adapted

Answer :
No Question asked.

Question 5.
Answer the following questions by ticking the correct options.
1. The only change in Birlstone in years has been ___________ .

(a) the opening of a few shops.
(b) the timbered cottages.
(c) an improvement in its
(d) a number of well-to-do residents have

2. picturesque appearance. settled there ___________. The Manor House stood out because of its .

(a) diamond-paned windows.
(b) huge beech trees.
(c) drawbridge and windows.
(d) residents.

3. John Douglas had won quite a reputation for himself in Birlstone because of his ___________ .

(a) genial temperament.
(b) Manor House.
(c) his wealth.
(d) his beautiful wife.

4. Cecil Barker’s first reaction at the sight of the dead Douglas was to ___________.

(a) inform Mr Woods.
(b) stop Mrs Douglas from seeing the dead body,
(c) call for help.
(d) observe the open door.

Answer :

1. (a)
2. (a), (b) and (c)
3. (a)
4. (6)

Question 6.
In Question 3. you read an eye-witness account of a robbery. On the basis of your reading of the Birlstone tragedy, in about 125 words, write Dr. Wood’s account of the discovery of John Douglas’s body.
Answer :
Dr. Wood’s Account of the discovery of John Douglas’s body :
It was approaching midnight when I got a call from Mr. Barker that Mr. Douglas had been murdered. I rushed at once to the scene. I found to my utter astonishment that the drawbridge had been down which should have been up at this hour of the night. On reaching the murder scene I found Mr. Douglas’s body lying sprawled near the fireplace. His head was towards the fireplace. Mr. Barker was there when he should not and Mr. Douglas’s wife was in another room. This naturally raised some doubt in my mind as I apprehended some complexity between her and Mr. Barker.

When I asked Mr. Barker about the drawbridge etc, he told that the door was open when he arrived on the scene and he himself had lowered the drawbridge. He also added that usually the drawbridge was put up at 6 pm and nobody could enter the house during the night. A doubt in my mind lurked that the murderer might have entered the House before 6 pm and had hidden himself inside it to commit the crime at the right time. Mrs. Douglas and Mr. Barker also need to be investigated thoroughly to reach the truth behind this murder.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Main Course Book Unit 5 Mystery Chapter 3 The Tragedy of Birlstone help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Main Course Book Unit 5 Mystery Chapter 3 The Tragedy of Birlstone, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Literature Chapter 5 Best Seller are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Literature Chapter 5 Best Seller.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Literature Chapter 5 Best Seller

TEXTUAL EXERCISES
(Page 43)

Question 1.
Before you read the story write down the answers to these questions.

1. Which was the latest hook that you read ?
2. Who was the author ?
3. Who were the main characters ?
4. When did you read the book ?
5. How long did you take to complete reading it ?
6. What genre did it belong to ?
7. Why would/ wouldn’t you recommend it ?

Answer

1. It was Jude the Obscure.
2. Thomas Hardy.
3. Jude, Sue, Arabella, Phillotson.
4. a month before.
5. 12-15 days.
6. Fiction.
7. I would recommend it to my friends to read it because it is a gripping story. In it the hero struggles hard to fulfil his dreams. But the more he tries the more he fails. It seems that his own natural instincts and pressures of life become hurdles for him. Finally, he feels defeated at the hands of fate and physical situations. In the end he dies a tragic death.

Question 2.
Now read the story :
Answer
For students to read the story.

Question 3.
Based on your reading of the story, answer the following questions by choosing the correct option.
(a) The narrator says that John was “___ of the stuff that heroes are not often lucky enough to be made of. ” His tone is sarcastic because___

1. he hated John.
2. he felt that John was a threat to him.
3. John was not particularly good-looking.
4. nobody liked John.

(b) Pescud felt that best-sellers were not realistic as _____

1. American farmers had nothing in common with European princesses.
2. men generally married girls from a similar background.
3. American men married girls who studied in America.
4. American men did not know fencing and were beaten by the Swiss guards.

(c) “Bully”, said Pescud brightening at once. He means to say that _____

1. he is a bully.
2. his manager was a bully.
3. he was being bullied by his co-workers.
4. he was doing very well at his job.

(d) The narrator says that life has no geographical bounds implying that _____

1. human beings are essentially the same everywhere.
2. boundaries exist only on maps.
3. one should work towards the good of mankind.
4. he was happy to travel to other countries.

Answer
(a) 3
(b) 1
(c) 4
(d) 1

Question 4.
Answer the following questions briefly.

1. One day last summer the author was travelling to Pittsburgh by chair car. What does he say about his co-passengers ?
2. Who was the passenger of chair No. 9 ? What did he suddenly do ?
3. What was John A. Pescud’s opinion about best sellers ? Why ?
4. What does John say about himself since his last meeting with the author ?
5. How did John’s first meeting with Jessie’s father go ? What did the author tell him ? [V. Imp.]
6. Why did John get off at Coketown ?
7. John is a hypocrite. Do you agree with this statement ? Substantiate your answer. [V. Imp.]
8. Describe John A. Pescud with reference to the following points:
   • Physical appearance ………………
   • His philosophy on behaviour …………….
   • His profession …………….
   • His first impression of his wife …………..
   • His success ……………

Answer
1. He says that the most of the passengers were ladies. They were in brown-silk dresses cut with square rocks, laced ones and with dotted veils. There was the usual number of men. They might be in almost any business and were going anywhere.

2. John A. Pescud was in chair No. 9. He suddenly hurled a book to the floor between his chair and the window. It was ‘The Rose Lady and Trevelyan’.

3. John Pescud’s opinion about best sellers was that these were the kind where the hero was an American wealthy man. He was in love with a royal princess from Europe. The man was travelling under a false name to the girl’s father’s kingdom.

4. John says about himself that his salary had been raised twice. He was getting some commission. He had bought some real estate. Next year he was expecting to buy some shares of the company. Also he had built a house in the East End and had married too.

5. John’s first meeting with Jessie’s father went on well. At first he felt quite nervous and developed cold feet. He felt that the Colonel would throw him out of the window. But he soon developed rapport with him and their talk went on for two hours.

6. John A. Pescud got down at Coketown. He wanted cuttings and blossoms of petunia flowers for his wife. She desired them as she had been growing them in her old Virginia home.

7. I think John is a hypocrite. He criticizes the plot of the best sellers. But he himself has supported it (himself being the hero of the novel) by illustrating it from his own story. His story is actually the same plot of the best seller ‘The Rose Lady and Trevelyan’ which he had been reading. In a way he is ‘Trevelyan’ himself. The narrator calls him as such in the end after Pescud has alighted at Coketown.

8. John A. Pescud was made of a stuff that heroes were not often lucky enough to be made of. He was a small man with a wide smile. He had an eye. It seemed to be fixed upon that little red spot on the end of his nose.

• His philosophy was that a man ought to be decent and law-abiding.
• Pescud’s profession was of a travelling salesman. He was, at present, the travelling salesman of a plate-glass company named Cambria steel works.
• His first impression of his wife was that she was the finest looking girl he had ever laid eyes on. She was not very spectacular. But she had the attributes that enabled her to be an ideal wife.
• Pescud had progressed much. His salary had been raised twice since he met the narrator last. He got a commission. He had also bought a neat piece of real estate. Next year he was buying some shares of the company. He had built a house in the East End and had married. He had been living in his own house with his wife Jessie and her Colonel father.

Question 5.
Complete the flow chart in the correct sequence as it happens in the story.
Hint : it begins from the time John Pescud first saw Jessie till the time they marry.

1. Jessie takes a sleeper to Louisville.
2. Pescud sees a girl (Jessie) reading a book in the train.
3. Pescud speaks to the girl (Jessie) for the first time.
4. Pescud follows her but finds it difficult to keep up.
5. Pescud goes to the village to find out about the mansion.
6. Jessie arrives at Virginia.
7. Pescud meets Jessie’s father.
8. They get married a year later.
9. Pescud instantly gets attracted to the girl (Jessie).
10. Jessie informs Pescud that her father would not approve of them meeting.
11. They meet alone two days later.

Answer.
The correct sequence as it happens in the story will be as follows :
2 → 9 → 4 → 1 → 6 → 5 → 3 → 7 → 10 → 11 → 8
2. Pescud sees a girl (Jessie) reading a book in the train.
↓
9. Pescud instantly gets attracted to the girl (Jessie).
↓
4. Pescud follows her but finds it difficult to keep up.
↓
1. Jessie takes a sleeper to Louisville.
↓
6. Jessie arrives at Virginia.
↓
5. Pescud goes to the village to find out about the mansion.
↓
3. Pescud speaks to the girl (Jessie) for the first time.
↓
7. Pescud meets Jessie’s father.
↓
10. Jessie informs Pescud that her father would not approve of them meeting.
↓
11. They meet alone two days later.
↓
8. They get married a year later.

Question 6.
Irony refers to the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of their literal meaning. Working in pairs, bring out the irony in the following:

1. The title of the story, “The Best seller”.
2. Pescud’s claim, “When people in real life marry, they generally hunt up somebody in their own station. A fellow usually picks out a girl who went to the same high-school and belonged to the same singing-society that he did.”
3. The name Trevelyan.

Answer
Meant for class level and for working in pairs. The following hints shall enable the pairs to discuss the use of irony in these situations.
1. What a best seller should be is well defined by John A. Pescud. It should be a story taken from the real-life situations. It should not be purely imaginative and as per the set formula. But the story of Pescud, which is the best seller, is not as per this definition.

2. Pescud claims that usually people in real life marry among their own kith and kin and of their own community. They also marry among people with the equal social status. But Pescud who is Trevelyan himself of the best seller ‘The Rose Lady and Trevelyan’ doesn’t conform to this. He is a travelling salesman of a plate-glass company. But his wife is the daughter of Colonel Allyn, a British titled nobleman.

3. ‘Trevelyan’ is the hero of the best seller ‘The Rose Lady and Trevelyan’ but he is Pescud himself.

Question 7.
A newspaper reporter hears of the marriage of Pescud and Jessie. He interviews them and writes an article for the paper entitled: A Modern Romance.
Working in groups of four, write the article.
Answer
Meant for class level and for working in groups of four. The article is given below.

A MODERN ROMANCE

The literacy meaning of‘romance’ is an exciting relationship between two people who love each other. Modern romance knows no caste, creed, colour, status or traditions. But in the past such things carried weight. The marriage of Pescud and Jessie is an appropriate example of a modern romance. There is an element of excitement and adventure throughout the story. Pescud sees Jessie for the first time and in a second chooses her to be his wife. He forgets all about his plate glass business and follows her to her place of living.

Not only that, he gathers courage to meet her and her father. His pursuing Jessie from one station to another is no less than a film romance. The suspense is maintained throughout. He meets her father, the Colonel who could throw him before the fox-hounds. But he meets him and reveals to him his heart. He is specific in calling a spade a spade. He tells him that he will try to get Jessie like him. His conversation with the Colonel appeals to the latter. The Colonel and Jessie like Pescud.

For the Colonel humorous anecdotes strengthen friendship. Both enjoy the company of each other. Soon Pescud marries Jessie. They build a house in East End and live happily. The Colonel waits for Pescud to relate him another story.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Literature Chapter 5 Best Seller help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Literature Chapter 5 Best Seller, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Main Course Book Unit 7 Sports and Games Chapter 1 Grandmaster Koneru Humpy Queen of 64 Squares are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Main Course Book Unit 7 Sports and Games Chapter 1 Grandmaster Koneru Humpy Queen of 64 Squares.

CBSE Class 9 English Main Course Book Unit 7 Sports and Games Chapter 1 Grandmaster Koneru Humpy Queen of 64 Squares

Question 1.
Avik, a correspondent for his school magazine, interviews Grandmaster Koneru Humpy. Let us read :

INTERVIEW WITH KONERU HUMPY :
Avik : Good morning, Ma’am! Congratulations on your achievements in the World G r a n d P r i x W o m e n ‘ s C h e s s Championship in Istanbul recently!
Koneru Humpy : Thank you! This is my biggest win in the women’s circuit. This is very significant, considering that it has come in an event which had three former world champions.
Avik : Indeed! Please tell us something about yourself, Ma’am!
Koneru Humpy : I was born in Gudivada, near Vijaywada, in Andhra Pradesh on March 31, 1987.I was originally named ‘Hampi’ (which means champion) by my father Mr Koneru Ashok, who later changed the spelling to Humpy, to give the name a Russian flavour. I write my family name, Koneru, before my given name, as is the convention with the Telugu speaking people. I started playing chess when I was 5 years old.

Avik : Who made you familiar to the game?
Koneru Humpy : My father acquainted me with the game. He is also my first coach. I first showed interest at the age of 6 years, when I watched him play a game and suggested a move. Indeed it was the move that actually got me into the game.
Avik : Your father left his teaching profession to make you a champion!
Koneru Humpy : Yes, when I took the 4th place in the Indian Under 8 Championship in 1995, he decided to leave his career and dedicate his time to me.
Avik : And you had won four World Championships at a very early stage.
Koneru Humpy : Yes, the World Girl Under 10, the World Girls Under 12, the World Girls Under 14 and World Girls Junior Championships. I acquired my IM title in 1999 and in May 2002, I achieved my 3rd GM Norms in Elekes Memorial Grandmaster Tournament in Budapest.
Avik : You held the record from 2002 to 2008 for the youngest woman ever to become a grandmaster!
Koneru Humpy : Yes, I achieved it at the age of 15 years, 1 month, 27 days, beating Judit Polgar’s previous record by 3months; which was later lost in the Women’s World Chess Championship in 2008 to Hou Yifan. I won the World Junior Girls Chess Championship in 2001 and won the edition or North Urals Cup, the Women’s Super Tournament held in Krasnoturinsk. In 2006 I participated in the Women’s World Chess Championship, but my campaign had to end early in the second round. I played in the first board of Monte Carlo Chess Club and won the last two editions of the European Club Cup.

Avik : You have got some awards also!
Koneru Humpy : Yes, Arjuna Award in 2003, Padmashri Award in 2007 and Raja-Lakshmi Award in 2008.
Avik : In India, many young chess players are ready to take a break in education and are fully focussed on chess preparations. What are your views?
Koneru Humpy : I don’t think that taking up chess as a career and completely neglecting studies will be necessary at an earlier stage. After getting to a certain level in the game, they themselves should decide their preferences i.e. whether to play seriously or not.

Avik : What advice would you offer to parents of enthusiastic and talented chess children?
Koneru Humpy : Parents should not compel children to play chess. If children are genuinely interested in the game, they should encourage them. But they shouldn’t hurry to get results.
Avik : How often do you exercise? Do you think daily physical exercise can help a chess player to cope with the pressure and increase the brain’s ability to concentrate?
Koneru Humpy : I spend around one hour per day on physical exercise. Exercise is a must for every chess player. As the proverb says, ‘a sound mind in a sound body’. Exercise shows a lot of impact on the brain.
Avik : Thank you for talking to me and giving valuable advice.
Koneru Humpy : Thank you.

Answer :
No Question Asked.

Question 2.
Now complete the Bio-data on koneru humpy.


Answer :

Question 3.
Grandmaster Koneru Humpy is visiting your school and you, as the Sports Captain, have to introduce her in the school assembly. With the help of Question 2, write out the Bio-sketch.
Answer :
Distinguished Guest, worthy Principal, staff and students :
I am very glad to introduce you to the distinguished guest Grandmaster Koneru Humpy. We are glad that she has spared some moments of her busy schedule to address you. I welcome her on your behalf.

Grandmaster Koneru Humpy was born on March 31, 1987 at Gudivada near Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh. She was inspired and trained by her father Mr Koneru Ashok. Very quickly she got 4th place in Indian Under 8 Championship in 1995. She soon won four world Championships at a very early stage. Besides that she acquired her IM title in 1999 and in May 2002. She  achieved her 3rd GM Norms in Elekes Memorial Grandmaster Tournament in Budapest. She held the record from 2002 to 2008 for the youngest woman ever to become a Grandmaster.

She has profusely been honoured for bringing India on the world Chess map. She rightly got Arjuna Award in 2003, Padmashri Award in 2007 and Raja-Lakshmi Award in 2008. I welcome her again on your behalf. I hope you shall be inspired by this distinguished Grandmaster.

Question 4.
Know all about Chess, Read and enjoy : You now know a little about Koneru Humpychess player but do you know how to play chess? Let’s know more about it: Have you ever played chess? Did you know that chess is the oldest skill game in the world? But chess is more than just a game of skill.

It can tell you much about the way people lived in medieval times. If you look at the way a chess board is set up, then study the pieces and how they are used, you will realise that chess is a history of medieval times in miniature. The six different chess pieces on the board represent a cross section of medieval life with its many  ceremonies, grandeur, and wars.

Chess was played many centuries ago in China, India, and Persia. No one really knows for sure in which country it originated. Then, in the eighth century, armies of Arabs known as Moors invaded Persia. The Moors learned chess from the Persians. When the Moors later invaded Spain, the soldiers brought the game of chess with them. Soon the Spanish were playing chess, too. From Spain, chess quickly spread throughout all of Europe.

Europeans gave chess pieces the names we know today; they probably had trouble pronouncing and spelling the Persian names, so they modernized them to reflect the way they lived. Today, the names certainly aren’t modern but a thousand years ago they represented the very way in which both ordinary people and persons of rank lived their lives

The pawns on the chess board represent serfs, or labourers. There are more of them than any other piece on the board, and often they are sacrificed to save the more valuable pieces. In medieval times, serfs were considered no more than the property of landowners, or chattels. Life was brutally hard for serfs during this era of history. They worked hard and died young. They were often left unprotected while wars raged around them. They could be traded, used as a diversion, or even sacrificed to allow the landowners to escape harm.

The castle piece on a chess board is the home, or the refuge, just as it was a home in medieval times. In Chess, each side has two castles, or rooks, as they are sometimes called.

The knight on a chess board represents the professional soldier of medieval times whose job it was to protect persons of rank, and there are two of them per side in a game of chess. Knights in a game of chess are more important than pawns, but less important than bishops, kings, or queens. Their purpose in the game of chess is to protect the more important pieces, and they can be sacrificed to save those pieces just as pawns can.

There is a bishop in the game of chess, who represents the church. The Church was a rich and mighty force in medieval times, and religion played a large part in every person’s life. It is no wonder that a figure that represented the concept of religion found its way into the game. A bishop was the name for a priest in the Catholic church who had risen through the ranks to a more powerful position. In the game of chess, there are two bishops for each side.

The queen is the only piece on the board during a chess game that represents a woman, and she is the most powerful piece
of the game. There is only one queen for each side. Many people do not realize that queens in medieval times often held a powerful, yet precarious position. The king was often guided by her advice, and in many cases the queen played games of intrigue at court. But kings could set wives aside or even imprison them in nunneries with the approval of the church.

Many women schemed merely to hold their place at court. The machinations of queens working either for or against their kings are well noted in history throughout medieval times, and often the queen held more power than the king did.

The king is the tallest piece on the board, and is as well defended on the chessboard as in medieval life. In medieval times, the surrender of the king would mean the loss of the kingdom to invading armies and that could mean change for the worse. It was to everyone’s advantage, from the lowest serf to the highest-ranking official, to keep the king safe from harm. The king is the
most important, but not the most powerful piece in chess. If you do not protect your king, you lose the game.

The next time you set up your chessboard and get ready to play a friendly game or two, think of chess as a history lesson. The pieces on the board represent a way of life that is no more, and the real life dramas that occurred in medieval times are now only a game.
Answer :
No Question Asked.

Question 5.
On the basis of your reading of the extract on Chess, complete the following table with your partner.


Answer :

Question 6.
Below is some information about Jesse Owens, one of the most famous athletes of all times. His friend is planning to write his biography. Using information from the table, complete the biography. (The first gap has been completed for you, as an example.)

James Cleveland Owens (J.C. Owens) became famous as Jesse Owens

Jesse Owens was born in Alabama USA, in 1913. He was the youngest of ten children, and the family lived in a cramped shanty house. After the First World War, the family moved to Cleveland, where his school (1) __________________ his talents. He quickly became a local hero. Soon afterwards he gained a place not only at the Ohio State University, but also in the US Olympics team. On 25th May 1935, Jesse Owens performed athletics’ greatest feat when he (2) _______ at the Ohio state University Athletics Championships. A year later, at the Berlin Olympics, his greatness was confirmed; he (3) ______________________ for 100m, 200m, long jump and sprint relay. Because of his achievements in track and field events,1950 he (4) ________________.His last Olympic record (5) ____________________ only in 1960. This great athlete (6) _______ 1980.

Class discussion :
Is a biography written in a particular order of events? Which is the most common tense?
Answer :

1. recognised and developed
2. set six world records
3. won four gold medals
4. was voted the Greatest Track Athlete
5. was broken
6. died of lung cancer in

(i) Usually a biography is written in a particular order of events.
(ii) It is the simple past tense.

Question 7.
20 years from now, one of your class-mates becomes a famous sport-star. You have been asked to write his / her biography. Collect the necessary biographical details. Use your imagination to create his / her achievements in the sport concerned, and write the biography. Remember to write it in chronological order of events, and use the simple past tense as far as possible
Answer :
For self-attempt. Students can write on their own the biography in a chronological order. A sample answer is given below for their guidance.

Nitin Kumar, a talented sportsman

Who does not know the legendary Nitin Kumar ? He was born in a hut of poor parents in West Bengal on September 1,1978. He was the third son of eight children. His father was a worker in a Mill. Nitin was a gifted child. But he had a great liking for cricket. Playing it in the evening he had acquired some skill. The great cricketer Wankhede saw him playing the game one day. He, at once, saw that there was a player who could bring glory to the country in cricket. Impressed by Nitin’s playing, he met the President of the Board of Cricket Control. Nitin was admitted to a sports school at Kolkata. Kulanand, the coach, saw in him great qualities and a potential to shine in sports. He trained him with all the attention ; keeping in mind the international standards of the game.

Soon, the rigorous training of Kulanand bore rich fruits. Nitin was included in Indian Cricket Team visiting England in 1997. He took the maximum wickets in Test Matches there. He scored a century each in three one-dayers. In all, he took 16 wickets and was declared the Man of the Match.

In 2000, Nitin was made the Vice Captain of the Team. When captain Shamsher Singh could not participate in the World Cup, Nitin was entrusted with this responsibility. By dint of sheer hard work and dedication, Nitin and his team won the World Cup. His record of maximum wickets and runs is yet to be broken.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Main Course Book Unit 7 Sports and Games Chapter 1 Grandmaster Koneru Humpy Queen of 64 Squares help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Main Course Book Unit 7 Sports and Games Chapter 1 Grandmaster Koneru Humpy Queen of 64 Squares, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Main Course Book Unit 6 Children Chapter 3 Children and Computers are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Main Course Book Unit 6 Children Chapter 3 Children and Computers.

CBSE Class 9 English Main Course Book Unit 6 Children Chapter 3 Children and Computers

Question 1.
Complete the following information about yourself SURVEY OM THE USE OF COMPUTERS.

Answer :

Question 2.
Divide yourselves into groups and collect information on the use of computers from five students each of classes VI, IX and XI. Compile and summarise your answers to the questions above in the following table.

Answer :
Students to exchange information as desired and asked under the supervision or guidance of the class teacher.

Question 3.
Exchange information with another group and record it. Then in groups of four discuss the results of the following :

• Do boys and girls spend the same amount of time at the computer ?
• Do their tastes and preferences change as they grow older ?
• Are the number of hours spent at the computer/studying at home/leisure/internet different between boys and girls ?
• Do the number of hours per week spent at the computer/studying at home/internet/ leisure activities change as students get older ?

Answer :
Students to attempt on their own under the guidance of their class teacher.

Question 4.
Now listen to two speakers debating on the topic, ‘Education of the Girl Child is a Burden’.

Answer :

Speaker for the motion 

Respected Chairperson, Honorable judges, members of staff and friends, I stand here to express my views for the motion: Education of the girl child is a burden.I would like to state that the education of the girl child is indeed a burden. In a poor family the education of the girl child comes outside the purview of the budget. When the resources are limited, the priority areas have to be fixed. In a poor family feeding all the members, clothing them and looking after their health is of primary concern to the head of the family. The rest of the resources of the family should be devoted to the education of the boys in the family. Later on if the boy is going to be the head of the family and will be the bread winner, he should be properly educated and groomed to take on the mantle. So, Sir, I feel that in such a case the education of the girl child will be a burden. Even if a girl child is educated and given the right kind of grooming, one day or the other, she might leave the family nest and get married.

So in that case, why should the family divert its precious resources in that direction? I feel that those resources should also be utilized for the boys so that they can come up in their life. Further, when the girl child stays at home she can look after and manage the house and learn to do all the household chores. If the girl starts going out of the house to attend school, college etc., who will do all the household work? Her duty later on in life is to look after the family and take care of the children. If she does not do that and is away from home for long periods, that will be an additional burden on the house. So I feel that by
educating the girl child the family will be inviting trouble and it should utilize its precious resources as economically as possible I support the motion that the education of the girl child is a burden.

Speaker against the motion 

Respected Chairperson, honourable judges, members of staff and friends. My knowledgeable opponent is of the opinion that the education of the girl child of the family is a burden. I strongly oppose the motion. May I ask how can educating the girl child, who is an equal partner in sharing the responsibilities and duties, be a burden? She will be sharing the burden and reducing its impact by supplementing the resources rather than reducing them. Let me draw your attention to the fact that such notions are a thing of the past. If the boys and girls are to be treated as equals, then both of them have right to education. If resources can be spared for the boy’s education then they have to be spared for the education of the girl too, as we have seen that educating a child is not a burden, but an investment. So the family has to devise means, squeeze its budget and make space for the education of the girl child, because the future of the family depends upon the growth and education of the girl child.

So I oppose this motion and I feel that it is regressive. It is a well established fact that education is a kind of investment. By educating the girl child the family is making a sound financial investment. When the girl child is educated, she will reduce the financial burden of her father and later her husband. So how can my friends say that it is a burden? My knowledgeable friend has stated that by providing for the education of the girl child a family diverts its precious resources. But I would like to inform my friend that at the school level and even at higher levels the government institutes are providing free education to the girl child and concessions are given. So in this case the family only has to spend on her books and clothes etc.

Moreover, my friend has stated that household work is the duty of the girl child. It is such traditionally ascribed gender roles that have led to gender inequality in society. Data shows that it is uneducated mothers who in greater percentage accept that their daughters shoulder all the household related work. It is education that will bring about a change in attitude of people towards stereotypical gender roles and result in greater equality. My friend, the community’s development is incomplete without the education of girls. Indeed it is rightly said: ‘If you educate a man, you educate an individual. If you educate a woman, you educate a nation.’
Thank you.

Question 5.
Did you notice the phrases used by debaters to emphasise/negate certain points? Given below are certain expressions that might be used by debaters.

1. I’d like to raise a/the question / argue …
2. In my opinion …
3. Nothing could be more illogical than …
4. I feel very strongly that …
5. I would like to draw attention to …
6. I fail to understand …
7. I think you are being unreasonable in suggesting …
8. I submit that …
9. My first / next / final argument against / in favour of …
10. I support the motion that …
11. My knowledgeable opponent has submitted that …
12. May I ask …
13. I strongly oppose / support the view that …
14. On the contrary …
15. It is unrealistic to say that …
16. I disagree …
17. I firmly reject …
18. I wholeheartedly oppose / support …

Answer :
Students to study the information given. (No question asked)

Question 6.
Study the following graph and the accompanying report.

Our study of the time spent by students at the computer and studying at home in three countries has revealed some interesting facts. First, the majority of boys and girls in the age groups of 14-16 in these countries spend more time at the computer than studying at home. Children in these countries spend an average of 20-30 hours per week in comparison to 10-15 hours of studying at home. The only exception is Burland where girls spend more time studying at home than at the computer. Secondly it is evident that in all three countries, time spent at the computer is having a serious impact on the number of hours spent studying at home. In fact, the greater the number of hours spent at the computer, the fewer number of hours are spent studying. For example boys in Burland spend an average of 32 hours at the computer while they spend about 8 hours studying at home.
Answer :
Students to study the information given (No question asked).

Question 7.
Now prepare a graph based on the students’ response to the survey you conducted in Question 2. Then write a report for the newspaper taking the help of Question 5, Question 3 and Question 6. You may follow this pattern:
Paragraph 1 : A suitable introduction as in Chapter 2 Question 4
Paragraph 2 : Hours per week spent on different activities – classes VI, IX and XI compared.
Paragraph 3 : How extra time would be used – Classes VI, IX and XI compared.
Paragraph 4 : Boys and girls compared – Classes VI, IX and XI.
To express proportion :
Most …
Many …
The majority of …
A large number of …
A small number of …
Very few …
Only a few …

To express frequency :
Most of the time …
Frequently …
Occasionally …
Often …
At times …

To express comparison and contrast :
… compared with …
On the other hand, …
In contrast, …
By comparison, …
… however, …
… in comparison with …
Answer :
Students to prepare a graph as asked for here and to write a report taking the help of Chapter 2 Question 5, Question 3 and Question 6 etc.
A sample graph is given below :

A Report 

A survey on the time spent by students of classes VI, IX and XI at the computer, studying at home and leisure time was conducted recently. It revealed some startling facts.

First, the students of classes IX and VI spend almost equal time at the computer ranging from 15-20 hours a week. However, students of class XI spend 20-24 hours at it. Regarding studying at home students of classes XI and IX devote equal hours ranging from 18-20 hours to it. It is less by 3 hours in the case of students of class VI.

Secondly, time spent on Internet varies from one class to the other. It was found that students of class IX spend more time on it as compared to those of classes XI and VI.

It is evident that time spent at the computer and Internet is having a serious impact on the number of hours spent studying at home. In fact, the greater the number of hours spent at the computer and the Internet, the fewer number of hours are spent on studying. Students of class XI have less number of hours for leisure as compared to the hours of leisure had by students of classes IX and VI. It is 8-10 hours in the case of students of class XI, 14-15 hours in the case of students of IX and 20-24 hours in the case of students of VI.

Question 8.
This is a meeting of the school’s Parent-Teacher Association.Some student representatives have also been invited to participate to discuss the role that Information Technology / Computers play in the growth and development of children.

Answer :
Students to read the information given.

Question 9.
You will now hold an actual class debate on the topic ‘Computers and Children : A Boon or a Bane’.
In groups of four decide whether your group is FOR or AGAINST the motion. Then draft your debate. Each member of the group must participate in the written as well as the spoken matter. The spoken matter can be divided thus

• One introduces the topic
• One discusses points favouring the motion
• One argues the opponent’s points
• One concludes

Answer :
Students to hold the actual debate on the topic. A sample debate is given below.

Computers and Children : A Boon or a Bane
(For the Motion : A Boon)

Respected chairperson, Honourable Judges, members of staff and students. I stand here to express my views for the motion, that is computers are a boon for the children. I would say that computers have really proved a boon for them because they have brought the entire information at their doorstep. You switch on your computer and just with a flick of the key you have all the knowledge of the world on your computer screen. If we enumerate the advantages of computers we’ll find little space to put all of them on the paper. For instance, computers help the children in their academic activities. They satisfy the curiosity of the children. In doing so, they increase their knowledge by providing every sort of information. It is a fact, you’ll agree with me, that visual aspect of knowledge gets embedded almost permanently on the children’s minds.So computers provide the children knowledge that becomes a part of their memory.

You’ll kindly see that children tend to play and gossip. In the area of playing too computers don’t lag behind. Children play all sorts of games – intellectual and/or otherwise, on their computers. We have seen that children play video games and thus entertain themselves through these. Thus computers provide all kinds of knowledge, entertainment, recreation etc. From these points I would definitely say that computers have proved a boon for the children and in their mental growth.
Thank you very much.

Computers and Children
(Against the motion : A Bane)

Respected Chairperson, Honourable Judges, members of staff and students. I stand before you to speak against the motion : Computers are a bane for the children. My knowledgeable friend has pointed out some positive points which justify the desirability of computers. You’ll agree with me if I say that computers have become an integral part of our lives. There is no human activity which doesn’t involve the usage of computers. I, too, agree with my friend on this side of the computers. But my knowledgeable Mend has overlooked the other side of computers, that is,computers are a bane for them. First of all, computers cause eye strain. You have seen that small children have started wearing spectacles as constant looking at computers’ screens harm their eyes. Secondly, computers reduce the children’s outdoor activities thus impairing their health.

We see obesity in children who are soon growing to be couch potatoes. Thirdly, children have access to sites that are inappropriate for their age. There are many undesirable sites which are very attractive to them. But they corrupt their innocent minds and drift them from our culture and its values. This sort of access damages their thinking and affects the whole  personality. It opens gates to various cultures that are unsuitable for our culture. Children get exposed to certain websites which are immoral seeing their ages and minds. I would say that parents should supervise their children while they are using their computers. This way we shall find the computers useful. But if unchecked, they are a bane for them.
Thank you very much.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Main Course Book Unit 6 Children Chapter 3 Children and Computers help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Main Course Book Unit 6 Children Chapter 3 Children and Computers, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 8 Reach for the Top are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 8 Reach for the Top.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 8 Reach for the Top

TEXTBOOK EXERCISES
(Page 102 & 107)

THINKING ABOUT THE TEXT
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)
2. Give an example to show that even as a young girl Santosh was not ready to accept anything unreasonable. (2)
3. Why was Santosh sent to the local school ? (3)
4. When did she leave home for Delhi, and why ? (4)
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)

Answers
1. Santosh’s grandmother sought blessings for a daughter, not for a son from the holy man. Most of the expecting women wish a son to be born to them. So this surprised the holy man.
2. She wore shorts and not the traditional Indian dress for girls.
3. She was sent to the local school. It was in line with the prevailing custom in her family.
4. She left home for Delhi when she got admission in a school. She did so as she wanted to get a,proper education.
5. They agreed to pay for her schooling in Delhi when Santosh got adament. She told them that she would work part time to get more education. The qualities of determination coupled with a strong desire are seen here.

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 ? (CBSE)
Or
How does Santosh Yadav show her concern for the environment ? (CBSE)
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 ?

Answers
1. She began to climb hills. She did so when she decided to check why the villagers climbing the hills vanished. Then she took admission in Uttarkashi’s Institute of Mountaineering. She went on an expedition every year.

2. One climber lay dying at the South Col. Another climber Mohan Singh would have died if Santosh had not shared her oxygen with him. She gave her oxygen to save him from a sure death.

3. Santosh returned from Mount Everest. While doing so, she collected garbage from the Himalayas. She then brought it down with her. It weighed 500 kilograms.

4. She describes her feelings in saying that that moment was simply great. It took sometime to sink in. She felt it was a spiritual moment. She felt proud as an Indian when she unfurled the Indian tricolour.

5. She set a record as the only woman to have conquered the Everest twice. Also she is the only Indian woman in the world to have set such a record.

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.

Answers

1. … see the villagers going up the hill and suddenly vanishing after a while.
2. … she was going directly for training and not home which she should have done.
3. …… climbing skills, physical fitness and mental strength while working together endeared her to fellow climbers.

IV. 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): ……..

Answers

1. blessing
2. rational
3. in her own quiet way
4. urge
5. resistance/endurance

BEFORE YOU READ
• Match the following.

Answers

THINKING ABOUT THE TEXT
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.

Answers

THINKING ABOUT LANGUAGE
Look at the following sentences. They each have two clauses, or two parts each with their own subject and verb or verb phrase. Often, one part (italicised) tells us when or why something happened.

• I reached the market when most of the shops had closed. (Tells us when I reached.)
• When Rahul Dravid walked hack towards the pavilion, everyone stood up. (Tells us when everyone stood up.)
• The telephone rang and Ganga picked it up. (Tells us what happened next.)
• Gunjan has been with us ever since the school began. (Tells us for how long he has been with us.)

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)
2. She left home and got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi. (Tells us what happened after the first action.)
3. She decided to fight the system when the right moment arrived. (Tells us when she was going to fight the system.)
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.)

Answers

1. Where other girls wore traditional Indian dresses Santosh preferred shorts.
2. She got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi when she left home.
3. When the right moment arrived, she decided to fight.
4. Little Maria had not vet 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.
2. What do you do after you finish the book ? Perhaps you just throw it away.
3. He gave the little girl an apple. He took the computer apart.
4. You have nothing. That makes you very determined.
5. I never thought of quitting. I knew what I wanted.

Answers

1. Grandfather told me about the old days when all books were printed on paper.
2. I throw the book away after I read it.
3. After giving the little girl an apple, he took the computer apart.
4. You have nothing which makes you very determined.
5. I never thought of quitting as I knew what I wanted.

DICTATION
Read the passage once. Then close your books. Your teacher will dictate the story to you. Write it down with the correct punctuation and paragraphing.

The Raincoat

After four years of drought in a small town in the Northeast, the Vicar gathered everyone together for a pilgrimage to the mountain, where they would pray together and ask for the rain to return.

The priest noticed a boy in the group wearing a raincoat.

“Have you gone mad ?” he asked. “It hasn’t rained in this region for five years, the heat will kill you climbing the mountain.”

“I have a cold, father. If we are going to ask God for rain, can you imagine the way back from the mountain ? It’s going to be such a downpour that I need to be prepared.”

At that moment a great crash was heard in the sky and the first drops began to fall. A boy’s faith was enough to bring about a miracle that not even those most prepared truly believed in. (translated by James Mulholland)

Answer

The Raincoat

After four years of drought in a small town in the Northeast, the Vicar gathered everyone together for a pilgrimage to the mountain, where they would pray together and ask for the rain to return.

The priest noticed a boy in the group wearing a raincoat.

“Have you gone mad ?” he asked. “It hasn’t rained in this region for five years. The heat will kill you climbing the mountain.”

“I have a cold, father. If we are going to ask God for rain, can you imagine the way back from jhe mountain ? It’s going to be such a downpour that I need to be prepared.”

At that moment a great crash was heard in the sky and the first drops began to fall. A boy’s faith was enough to bring about a miracle that not even those most prepared truly believed in.

SPEAKING
Imagine that you are Santosh Yadav, or Maria Sharapova. You have been invited to speak at an All India Girls’ Athletic Meet, as chief guest. Prepare a short speech to motivate the girls to think and dream big and make an effort to fulfil their dreams, not allowing difficulties or defeat to discourage them. The following words and phrases may help you.

• self confident/confidence/sure of yourself
• self assured/assurance/belief in yourself
• morale/boost morale/raise morale
• giving somebody a boost/fillip/lift
• demoralising/unsure of yourself/insecure/lack confidence

Answer
Madam chairperson, delegates, dear athlete participants and young girls

Thank you very much for inviting me to speak at this All India Girls’ Athletic Meet, as chief guest. I feel extremely delighted to find India being represented in this Meet through you all. I feel honoured to speak to you a few words from this platform.

Well, I was once like you. What is important in life is self-confidence. You must be sure that you are on a correct path of life. It should be morally right also. You must set a goal also. In between lie your hard work, determination and faith in you. You must make a kind of chart of your activities. You must see the goal as the motivating factor. Without dreams you can’t reach anywhere. They motivate you to do unusual things. But dreams should be capable of being fulfilled.

Never allow difficulties to overpower you. You will face problems in life. But never let them discourage you. Keep these things in mind. Believe in your physical and mental capacities. I am sure success will be yours.

Thanks to you once again for inviting me. Bye.

WRITING
Working in pairs, go through the table below that gives you information about the top women tennis players since 1975. Write a short article for your school magazine comparing and contrasting the players in terms of their duration at the top. Mention some qualities that you think may be responsible for their brief or long stay at the top spot.

Top-Ranked Women Players

I. The roll of honour of women who enjoyed life at the summit since everybody’s favourite player, Chris Evert, took her place in 1975.

Answer

Top-ranked Women Players

It is good that women too have made it to the top in Women’s Tennis. The list is long. Different women enjoyed life being of the summit for different durations. For instance, Steffi Graf of Germany enjoyed the topmost rank for the longest duration of 377 weeks on August 17, 1987. She was followed by Chris Evert of the US who enjoyed this rank for 362 weeks on Nov 3, 1975. Martina Navratilova of the US enjoyed it for 331 weeks on July 10, 1978.

It was Martina Hingis of Switzerland who had it for 209 weeks on March 31, 1997. Monica Seles of the US also enjoyed it for 178 weeks on March 11, 1991. Following this, Serena Williams and Lindsay Davenport of the US also remained world number one for 57 and 82 weeks respectively. The latest number one women player is Maria Sharapova of Russia. She enjoyed this rank for 1 week only on August 22, 2005.

All these women didn’t make it to the number one world position in Women’s Tennis in one day. They worked very hard day and night. They sharpened their playing skills through various hurdles. They had physical fitness and mental strength to get success. They had talent, mental toughness and readiness to sacrifice. These qualities played an important role in their world achievements.

They have proved a great point. It is : if any one has these qualities of head and heart, one can surely achieve this grand success. What one needs is to put one’s dream into practice. Dreams always motivate one. But those dreams should be worth putting into practice.

II. Which of these words would you use to describe Santosh Yadav ? Find reasons in the text to support your choices, and write a couple of paragraphs describing Santosh’s character.

1. contented
2. determined
3. resourceful
4. polite
5. adventurous
6. considerate
7. weak-willed
8. fearful
9. independent
10. pessimistic
11. patient
12. persevering

Answer
I would use the following words to describe Santosh : determined, adventurous, considerate, persevering.

Santosh is surely a girl of determination. While young, she determined to get more education. For that she made her father agree to that. She threatened her parents that she would never marry if she did not get a proper education. Then she was very much determined in her career. She joined the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering at Uttarkashi without their permission.

She is adventurous also. She used to see the villagers climb the Aravalli Hills in Jaipur and vanish after a while. She decided to check it out herself one day. She wasn’t afraid of anything.

She is considerate. She has a sacrificing nature also. She provided special care to a climber who lay dying at the South Col. She saved another climber, Mohan Singh. She gave her oxygen to save him. Without that he would have died.

She had enough perseverance in what she did. She went on an expedition every year. This sharpened her climbing skills. This also increased her physical fitness and mental strength. Because of this she climbed Mount Everest.

All these qualities have made Santosh the only woman in the world to conquer Mount Everest twice. No one has broken her record till date.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 8 Reach for the Top help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 8 Reach for the Top, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.