CBSE Class 9 English — Beehive Prose Exercise Solutions
Key Chapters Quick Recap
| Chapter | Author | Key Idea |
|---|
| The Fun They Had | Isaac Asimov | Future school vs old school; value of human teachers |
| The Sound of Music | Deborah Cowley et al. | Evelyn Glennie (deaf) & Bismillah Khan — persistence in music |
| The Little Girl | Katherine Mansfield | Overcoming fear; understanding a strict father's love |
| A Truly Beautiful Mind | — | Einstein's genius, pacifism, theories of relativity |
| My Childhood | APJ Abdul Kalam | Secular upbringing in Rameswaram; early influences |
| Packing | Jerome K Jerome | Comic prose; chaos of packing for a trip |
| The Bond of Love | Kenneth Anderson | Love between a woman and a sloth bear |
I. Choose the Best Answer (MCQs)
1. In 'The Fun They Had', what did Margie and Tommy find in Tommy's house? (a) A mechanical teacher (b) A real, old book with yellow and crinkly pages (c) A computer (d) A television
Answer(b) A real, old book with yellow and crinkly pages They found an old printed book — rare in 2157 where books are electronic. Tommy called it a "waste" since you can't adjust it. Margie wrote in her diary that the book was about old schools — she found the idea of human teachers fascinating.
2. Evelyn Glennie (The Sound of Music, Part 1) is remarkable because: (a) She won an Olympic medal (b) She became a world-famous percussionist despite being deaf (c) She invented a new musical instrument (d) She was the first woman in her country to play shehnai
Answer(b) She became a world-famous percussionist despite being deaf Evelyn Glennie lost her hearing completely by age 11. Her teacher Percussionist Ron Forbes helped her learn to feel sound vibrations through different parts of her body. She became one of the world's greatest percussionists and gives 100+ concerts a year.
3. In 'My Childhood', APJ Abdul Kalam grew up in which town? (a) Chennai (b) Delhi (c) Rameswaram (d) Hyderabad
Answer(c) Rameswaram APJ Abdul Kalam's autobiography extract: Grew up in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu. Secular household — father Jainulabdeen was a devout Muslim but friends with Hindu priests. Childhood friends: Ramanadha Sastry, Aravindan, Sivaprakashan. First science teacher: Sivasubramania Iyer (who invited him home for a meal, defying caste norms). Inspired to become a scientist after reading about birds in flight.
4. The central theme of 'The Little Girl' is: (a) Fear of animals (b) A child's initial fear of her strict father and later understanding of his love (c) School life (d) Nature and environment
Answer(b) A child's initial fear of her strict father and later understanding of his love Kezia fears her father who seems strict and frightening. When her mother is in hospital and grandmother is away, her father carries her and comforts her after a nightmare. Kezia realises fathers can be loving — they work hard for the family and become kinder when circumstances allow.
5. In 'Packing' by Jerome K Jerome, who was Harris and who was George? (a) The narrator's brothers (b) The narrator's friends who were supposed to help with packing but sat and watched instead (c) Professional packers (d) The narrator's servants
Answer(b) The narrator's friends who were supposed to help with packing but sat and watched instead Comic prose: The narrator (J, Jerome's self) decides to pack — Harris and George "help" by sitting on the luggage and giving suggestions. Then they pack the bag and forgot items (toothbrush inside, butter on bacon). Classic English comic writing — everyday situation treated humorously.
6. Bismillah Khan's contribution to Indian music was: (a) Inventing the sitar (b) Bringing the shehnai from temples and weddings to concert stages and national recognition (c) Creating Hindustani classical vocal music (d) Composing the national anthem
Answer(b) Bringing the shehnai from temples and weddings to concert stages and national recognition Bismillah Khan: Bharat Ratna (2001). Shehnai traditionally played at auspicious occasions and weddings. Khan elevated it to concert performance; played at Red Fort on Independence Day 1947; first note of freedom. Remained devoted to his hometown Benaras (Varanasi) throughout life.
7. 'The Bond of Love' is a story about: (a) A dog and its owner (b) A woman who raised a sloth bear cub as her own child (c) A wild tiger tamed in a zoo (d) A friendship between two wild animals
Answer(b) A woman who raised a sloth bear cub as her own child Kenneth Anderson's story: the author's wife raised a sloth bear cub (Bruno) from infancy. When Bruno grew large and dangerous, he was sent to a zoo. The wife was heartbroken. They visited him in the zoo; Bruno recognised his foster mother. Eventually Bruno was given a special enclosure so the wife could visit regularly. Theme: depth of inter-species bond; mother's love.
II. Short Answer Questions
Q1. Describe Albert Einstein's character and contributions as depicted in 'A Truly Beautiful Mind.'
Answer
Einstein (1879-1955):
- Early life: Learned to speak late; called "boring and foolish" by teacher. Disliked school's authoritarian methods. Taught himself algebra and calculus by 15.
- Genius: Theory of Special Relativity (1905) — E = mc²; Theory of General Relativity (1915); photoelectric effect (Nobel Prize 1921).
- Pacifism: Strongly against war and nationalism. Left Germany when Hitler rose to power (1933). Later urged US to develop atomic bomb (to prevent Nazi Germany doing so first) but deeply regretted Hiroshima/Nagasaki.
- "Truly Beautiful Mind": Not just intelligence but moral courage, empathy, and commitment to peace.
Q2. What life lessons does 'My Childhood' by APJ Abdul Kalam convey?
Answer
1. Secularism: Kalam grew up in a deeply religious Muslim household but his best friends were Hindu. His father and the Hindu priest Lakshmana Sastry were close friends. Religion should unite, not divide. 2. Hard work and ambition: Kalam worked as a newspaper delivery boy to help pay for education. His teacher Sivasubramania Iyer showed him that sharing a meal defied casteism. 3. Inspiration: A science teacher once demonstrated flight to inspire students. Kalam decided then to study aeronautics. 4. Values: Honesty, simplicity, and curiosity — the foundation of a great life.
Exam Checklist
- The Fun They Had: 2157; mechanical teacher; Margie and Tommy; value of human connection.
- Sound of Music: Evelyn Glennie (deaf percussionist); Bismillah Khan (shehnai, Bharat Ratna).
- My Childhood: APJ Abdul Kalam; Rameswaram; secular values; inspiration to study science.
- A Truly Beautiful Mind: Einstein; E=mc²; pacifism; Nobel 1921.
- The Little Girl: Kezia; strict father; understanding love.
- Packing: Jerome K Jerome; comic prose; Harris and George.
- The Bond of Love: Kenneth Anderson; Bruno the bear; inter-species love.
