9th English Unit_5
Thinking about the Text: (ref. pg 60-61)
I) Discuss in pairs and
answer each question below in a short paragraph (30-40
words)
1. “The sound was a familiar one.”
What sound did the doctor hear? What did he think it was? How many times did he
hear it? (Find the places in the text.) When and why did the sounds stop?
Answer:
It was the sound made by the
running rats in the doctor’s room. The doctor knew pretty well that these
sounds were by the rats. He heard the same sound every time he opened the door
of his living room. These sounds were not heard until the doctor stayed in the
room.
2. What two “important” and
“earth-shaking” decisions did the doctor take while he was looking into the
mirror?
Answer:
While the doctor was looking into the mirror, he made two important
earth-shaking decisions. The first one was
that he would shave daily and grow a thin moustache to look handsome. The
second one was that he would always keep an attractive smile on his face to
look more handsome.
3. “I looked into the mirror and
smiled,” says the doctor. A little later he says, “I forgot my danger and
smiled feebly at myself.” What is the doctor’s opinion about himself when: (i)
he first smiles, and (ii) he smiles again? In what way do his thoughts change
in between, and why?
Answer:
(i) When he first smiles: The act of smiling upon looking in the
mirror implies a sense of satisfaction.
(ii) When he smiles again: "I forgot my danger and smiled feebly
at myself." Here, the doctor's thoughts have changed. The weakening of the
smile could be a reflection of his anxiety.
The reason for this change in thoughts and emotions could be attributed
to the doctor's realization of this hazardous situation. The change in his
smile reflects his mental and emotional condition as well.
***
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)
Answer:
(i) The doctor was a poor man and leading a simple and solitary life.
(ii) He wanted to be handsome by trimming his moustache and shaving his
beard. As a doctor, he wanted to wear a
smile on his face to leave a pleasant impression on the patients.
2. (i) The person he wants to
marry
(ii) The person he actually marries
Answer:
The doctor wanted to marry a fatty woman doctor who had plenty of money
and good medical practice but to his bad luck, he got married to a woman who
was thin and with the gift of a sprinter.
3. (i) His thoughts when he looks
into the mirror
(ii) His thoughts when the snake is coiled
around his arm
Answer:
(i) When the unmarried doctor looked into the mirror, to feel his presence,
he thought about his physical beauty, the beauty of his hairstyle and moustache.
Besides, he was a great admirer of beauty.
(ii) When the snake coiled around his arm, out of fear, he sat there like a
stone image in the flesh. When the snake was crushing his arm, he felt the
presence of God.
***
Thinking about Language: (ref. pg 61-62)
I.
Here are some sentences from the text. Say which of them tells you, that the
author:
(a) was afraid of the snake,
(b) was proud of his appearance
(c) had a sense of humour
(d) was no longer afraid of the snake.
1. I was turned to stone.
2. I was no mere image cut in
granite.
3. The arm was beginning to be drained
of strength.
4. I tried in my imagination to
write in bright letters outside my little heart the words, ‘O God’.
5. I didn’t tremble. I didn’t cry
out.
6. I looked into the mirror and
smiled. It was an attractive smile.
7. I was suddenly a man of flesh
and blood.
8. I was after all a bachelor, and
a doctor too on top of it!
9. The fellow had such a sense of
cleanliness … ! The rascal could have taken it and used it after washing it
with soap and water.
10. Was it trying to make an
important decision about growing a moustache or using eye shadow and mascara or
wearing a vermilion spot on its forehead?
Answers:
|
1. a |
2.
d |
3.
a |
4.
a |
5. d |
|
6. b
|
7. d
|
8. b |
9.
c |
10. c |
***
II) Expressions used to show
fear
II. Can you find the expressions in the story that tell you that the
author was frightened? Read the story and complete the following sentences.
1. I was turned ……………….
2. I sat there holding ……………….
3. In the light of the lamp I sat
there like ……………….
Answers:
1. I was turned to stone.
2.
I sat there holding my breath.
3.
In the light of the lamp, I sat there like a stone image in the flesh.
III) Matching
related to Expressions of fright
In the sentences given below some words and expressions are italicised and
underlined. They variously mean that one
·
is very frightened.
·
is too scared to move.
·
is frightened by something that happens suddenly.
·
makes another feel frightened.
Match the meanings with the words/ expressions in italics, and write the
appropriate meaning next to the sentence. The first one has been done for you.
|
1. |
I knew a man was following me, I was scared out of my wits, |
(very
frightened) |
|
2. |
I got a fright when I realised how close I was to
the cliff edge. |
(Very
scared to move) |
|
3. |
He nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw the
bull coming towards him. |
(Frightened
by something that happens suddenly) |
|
4. |
You really gave me a fright when you crept up
behind me like that. |
(made someone feel frightened) |
|
5. |
Wait until I tell his story—it
will make your hair stand on end. |
(very frightened) |
|
6. |
Paralysed with fear, the boy faced his abductors. |
(too scared to move) |
|
7. |
The boy hid behind the door, not moving a muscle. |
(too scared to move) |
***
Grammar:
Reported questions
(Subtopic:
Reporting Closed & Open Questions)
(refer textbook
pg.no.62 for explanation)
Exercise:
Report these questions, using
if/whether or why/when/where/how/which/what. Remember the italicised verbs
change into the past tense.
1. Meena asked her friend, “Do
you think your teacher will come today?”
2. David asked his colleague, “Where
will you go this summer?”
3. He asked the little boy, “Why
are you studying English?”
4. She asked me, “When are we
going to leave?”
5. Pran asked me, “Have you
finished reading the newspaper?”
6. Seema asked her, “How long
have you lived here?”
7. Sheila asked the children, “Are
you ready to do the work?”
Answers:
1. Meena asked
her friend if she thought her teacher would come that day.
2. David asked
his colleague where he would go that summer.
3. He asked
the little boy why he was studying English.
4. She asked
me when they were going to leave.
5. Pran asked
me if I had finished reading the newspaper.
6. Seema asked
her how long she had lived there.
7. Sheila
asked the children if they were ready to do the work.
***
Speaking: (ref pg.63)
Using some of
the expressions given above in exercise III, talk about an incident when you
were very scared. You may have a
competition to decide whose story was the most frightening. (ref
pg.63)
Answer: A while back, during a camping trip with friends, we decided to explore
a mysterious forest near our camp. As we walked, we heard a loud rustle in the
bushes. I got really scared and froze—I couldn't move. My mind raced with
thoughts of what could be out there.
The rustling continued, making us all too scared to move. We were on
edge, thinking about wild animals or ghosts. Suddenly, an owl swooped down, and
we all jumped. It was just a bird! We laughed nervously, realizing our fear was
because of a harmless creature.
Looking back, it was more exciting than dangerous, but at that moment,
it had frightened me much. I'm sure everyone has their own scary stories to
share.
Dictation: (writing with
appropriate punctuation marks) (ref pg.63)
The
following paragraph is about the Indian Cobra. Read it twice and close your
book. Your teacher will then dictate the paragraph to you. Write it down with
appropriate punctuation marks.
Answer: The Indian cobra is
the common name for members of the family of venomous snakes, known for their
intimidating looks and deadly bite. Cobras are recognized by the heads that
they flare when angry or disturbed; the heads are created by the extension of
the ribs behind the cobras’ heads. Obviously, the best prevention is to avoid getting
bitten. This is facilitated by the fact that humans are not the natural prey of
any venomous snake. We are a bit large for them to swallow whole and they have
no means of chopping us up into bite-size pieces. Nearly all snakebites in
humans are the result of a snake defending itself when it feels threatened. In
general, snakes are shy and will simply leave if you give them a chance.
Writing:
1. Writing the story (the lesson)
without humour (ref pg.63)
One hot
night, a doctor recalled a strange encounter with a snake in his modest room.
The room, lacking electricity, was shared with rats. As he prepared for bed,
the sound of rats was interrupted by an unexpected noise from above.
While
contemplating his appearance in the mirror, a snake suddenly descended onto his
arm, coiling itself. Despite the danger, the doctor remained still, feeling a
connection with a higher power. The snake, momentarily distracted by its
reflection, allowed the doctor to cautiously escape. This change made his rush
out of his room.
The
next day the doctor came back to visit. He never saw the snake again, and the
story ended with a humorous note about a thief who, after cleaning out the
doctor's belongings, left behind a dirty vest, feeling it unworthy of theft.
2. A monkey preens itself using a piece
of mirror
Answer:
|
|
Imagine a cute monkey having fun with a little mirror. The
monkey is using the mirror to look at itself and groom its fur. It's like the
monkey checking out how it looks and enjoying the process. This playful scene
shows that animals, like people, can be curious and have a bit of fun with
their reflections. |
Translation:
Comparing the two given two translations in terms of
tenses, long or short / incomplete sentences. (ref. pg. 64TB)
Compare
the two translations on the basis of the following points.
•
the tense of narration (past and present tense)
•
short, incomplete sentences
•
sentence length
Which
of these translations do you like? Give reasons for your choice
Answer:
Comparison:
1.
Tense of Narration:
- Translation 1 talks about things that
already happened (past tense).
- Translation 2 talks about things as they
happen (present tense).
2.
Short, Incomplete Sentences:
Both translations use short, unfinished sentences
to make the writing dynamic.
3.
Sentence Length:
Both
have a mix of short and a bit longer sentences. Translation 2 might be a bit
shorter on average.
Preference:
If
you like feeling like you're in the middle of the action, you might prefer
Translation 2. If you prefer a more reflective style, Translation 1 could be
your choice.
Reasons:
It's
about what you enjoy more: feeling like you're right there (Translation 2) or
looking back on the scene (Translation 1). Both capture the kitchen scene but
with a different atmosphere.
***
|
A
Legend of the Northland (poem) |
1.
Which country or countries do you think “the Northland” refers to?
Here
the Northland refers to the countries which are in the North Pole of the
globe. For example: Russia, Canada,
Denmark, USA etc.
2.
What did Saint Peter ask the old lady for? What was the lady’s reaction?
Saint Peter asked the old lady
for baked bread to satisfy his hunger.
The lady wanted to give him the smallest one.
3.
How did he punish her?
Saint
Peter punished the old lady by changing her into a woodpecker
4.
How does the woodpecker get her food?
The
woodpecker should gather scanty food by boring the holes into the hard dry
wood.
5. Do you think that the old lady
would have been so ungenerous if she had known who Saint Peter really was? What
would she have done then?
No, the old lady would not have
been so ungenerous if she had known who Saint Peter really was. She would have
given whatever he had wanted and she would also try for the fulfilment of her
greedy desire.
6. Is this a true story? Which
part of this poem do you feel is the most important?
No, this is not a true story. it
is a legend. Changing the old lady into a woodpecker is the most important part
of this poem.
7.
What is a legend? Why is this poem called a legend?
A ‘legend’ is a story that’s
carried from generation to generation by word of mouth. Legends generally are
moralistic. Since this poem has a moral, it can be called a legend.
8.
Write the story of ‘A Legend of the Northland’ in about ten sentences.
In the Northland, a woman denies
Saint Peter a cake, prompting his anger. He transforms her into a woodpecker as
a lesson in generosity. Her cap stays red, but her clothes turn black. Now a
bird, she drills into trees for food every day. The scarlet cap remains a
symbol of her past selfishness. The story warns against greed and highlights
the consequences of not sharing. The woodpecker's existence serves as a
perpetual lesson for observers. Through constant drilling, she symbolizes the
enduring effects of selfish actions. The tale emphasizes the timeless message
that generosity is virtuous, and its absence can lead to lasting consequences.
II. 1. Let’s
look at the words at the end of the second and fourth lines, viz., ‘snows’ and
‘clothes’, ‘true’ and ‘you’, ‘below’ and ‘know.’ We find that ‘snows’ rhymes with
‘clothes’, ‘true’ rhymes with ‘you’ and ‘below’ rhymes with ‘know’. Find more
such rhyming words.
Answer:
(Rhyming Words)
'done'
and 'one'
'cake'
and 'bake'
'wafer'
and 'after'
'word'
and 'bird'
'same'
and 'flame'
'wood'
and 'food'
'day'
and 'away'
2. Go to the local library or talk
to older persons in your locality and find legends in your own language. Tell
the class these legends.
…….try your own……..
**** End of
Unit-5****