Prose Chapter 3 - The Little Girl

 AP- SCERT / NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive 

Chapter 3 - The Little Girl 

Thinking about the Text

I. Given below are some emotions that Kezia felt. Match the emotions in Column A with the items in Column B.

A 

1. fear or terror

2. glad sense of relief

3. a “funny” feeling, perhaps of understanding

B

i. father comes into her room to give ,her a goodbye kiss 

ii. noise of the carriage grows fainter

iii. father comes home

iv. speaking to father 

v. going to bed when alone at home

vi. father comforts her and falls asleep

vii. father stretched out on the sofa, snoring

Answers:

1. — (iii)

2. — (ii)

3. — (vi) 

II. Answer the following questions in one or two sentences.

1. Why was Kezia afraid of her father?

Kezia had a strict father. His appearance terrified her. He had big hands and a heavy face and a big mouth, and a loud voice. 

2. Who were the people in Kezia’s family?

Ans: Kezia had a small family consisting of her mother, father, grandmother, and herself.

3. What was Kezia’s father’s routine

(i) before going to his office?

Kezia used to go to her room to give her a casual kiss before going to the office.

(ii) after coming back from his office?

He needed tea in the drawing-room when he returned back from the office. He asked Kezia to pull off his boot and his mother to bring him newspaper and slippers.

(iii) on Sundays?

He would sleep comfortably on the sofa on Sundays. He would stretch out on the sofa, cover his face with a handkerchief and put his feet on cushions, and doze off.

4. In what ways did Kezia’s grandmother encourage her to get to know her father better?

 Kezia’s grandmother asked her to improve communication between her parents. She asked her to talk with them in the drawing-room and suggested she make a beautiful pincushion from yellow silk as a gift for her father’s birthday.

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

1. Kezia’s efforts to please her father resulted in displeasing him very much. How did this happen?

Kezia tried to make a pin-cushion for her father as a birthday gift but unknowingly used important papers to fill it. When her father discovered this, he became furious and punished her, making her feel unappreciated despite her efforts to please him.

2. Kezia decides that there are “different kinds of fathers”. What kind of father was Mr. Macdonald, and how was he different from Kezia’s father?

Mr. Macdonald was a playful and loving father who engaged with his children, played games, and laughed with them. He was different from Kezia's father, who was distant, strict, and lacked the same warmth and affection towards her..

3. How does Kezia begin to see her father as a human being who needs her sympathy? 

Kezia begins to see her father as a human being who needs her sympathy when she witnesses him caring for her during a nightmare. She realizes his "soft side" and the fact that he too needs comfort and support, leading her to develop a deeper understanding and empathy for him.’.

Thinking about Language

I. Look at the following sentence.

1. Use an appropriate word from the synonyms given above in the following sentences. Clues are given in brackets.

(i) She was_____________by the news of her brother’s wedding. (very pleased)

She was thrilled by the news of her brother’s wedding.

(ii) I was ____________ to be invited to the party. (extremely pleased and excited about)

I was delighted to be invited to the party.

(iii) She was ___________at the birth of her granddaughter. (extremely happy)

She was overjoyed at the birth of her granddaughter.

(iv) The coach was ___________ with his performance. (satisfied about)

The coach was pleased with his performance

v) She was very ___________with her results. (happy about something that has happened). 

She was very happy with her results.

2. Study the use of the word big in the following sentence. He was so big− his hands and his neck, especially his mouth… Here, big means large in size. Now, consult a dictionary and find out the meaning of big in the following sentences. The first one has been done for you.

(i) You are a big girl now ______

Older

(ii) Today you are going to take the biggest decision of your career. _________

most important

(iii) Their project is full of big ideas. ____________

innovation

(iv) Cricket is a big game in our country. _____________

popular

(v) I am a big fan of Lata Mangeskar. ___________

great

(vi) You have to cook a bit more as my friend is a big eater. _____________

glutton

(vii) What a big heart you’ve got, Father dear. ____________

generous

II. 1. Underline the verbs of reporting in the following sentences.

(i) He says he will enjoy the ride.

He says she will enjoy the ride.

(ii) Father mentioned that he was going on a holiday.

Father mentioned that he was going on a holiday.

(iii) No one told us that the shop was closed.

No one told us that the shop was closed.

(iv) He answered that the price would go up.

He answered that the price would go up.

(v) I wondered why he was screaming.

I wondered why he was screaming.

(vi) Ben told her to wake him up.

Ben told her to wake him up.

(vii) Ratan apologised for coming late to the party. 

Ratan apologized for coming late to the party

2.Some verbs of reporting are given in the box. Choose the appropriate verbs and fill in the blanks in the following sentences. were complainingShouted replied remarked ordered suggested.

(i) “I am not afraid,” ____________ the woman.

“I am not afraid,” replied the woman.

(ii) “Leave me alone,” my mother ______________.

“Leave me alone,” my mother shouted.

(iii) The children _____________ that the roads were crowded and noisy.

The children were complaining that the roads were crowded and noisy.

(iv) “Perhaps he isn’t a bad sort of a chap after all,” ______________ the master.

“Perhaps he isn’t a bad sort of a chap after all,” remarked the man.

(v) “Let’s go and look at the school ground,” ______________ the sports teacher.

“Let’s go and look at the school ground,” suggested the sports teacher.

(vi) The traffic police ____________ all the passers-by to keep off the road. 

The traffic police ordered all the passers-by to keep off the road.

Speaking

Form pairs or groups and discuss the following questions. 

1. This story is not an Indian story. But do you think there are fathers, mothers and grandmothers like the ones portrayed in the story in our own country?

This story isn't based in India, but the characters act similar to the individuals we observe in India. They have their cultural hierarchy built upon similar grounds. Men are seen as theleaders of the society and family, who, irrespective of their decisions, must be supported by the obedient women and girls in the house. Their say is final and must be followed diligently. Trustworthy fathers like Kezia’s rule and govern the family for their welfare. 

2. Was Kezia’s father right to punish her? What kind of a person was he? 

You might find some of these words useful in describing him: 

undemonstrative, loving, strict, hard-working, responsible, unkind, disciplinarian, short-tempered, affectionate, caring, indifferent

It was necessary to make Kezia realize her mistake and learn her lesson. The father could have acted a bit more supportive and should have tried to understand her problem from her perspective too. Kezia’s father gives us an image of a strict and emotionless father in the beginning. He ordered everything around the home. He was a short-tempered person and wore anger on his sleeves. He punished Kezia for her mistakes and never had proper communication with her. Once when Kezia tore his speech paper he hit her badly. By the end of the story, we get to know that he had a gentle heart and was actually an affectionate and caring person. 

Writing

Has your life been different from or similar to that of Kezia when you were a child? Has your perception of your parents changed now? Do you find any change in your parents’ behavior vis-à-vis yours? Who has become more understanding? What steps would you like to take to build a relationship based on understanding? Write three or four paragraphs (150–200 words) discussing these issues from your own experience.

My life experience was similar to that of Kezia when I was a child. Though I was never physically punished by my parents, I struggled with being accepted the way I was. I was always pushed for working harder, gaining better scores, and being an all-rounder. I was never appreciated by them when I worked hard but couldn't get a position in class or in a competition. This made me push myself beyond the zone I was required to and caused a lot of strain between us. Yes, gradually over years I have found them accepting the way I am. We have tried to improve our communication and develop a better understanding of our likes and dislikes. To build a relationship based on understanding there should be proper communication. No one should try to change the other based on their perception of how they want the other person to be. This not only disrupts their individuality but also makes them feel unacceptable being their true self. Accept the person the way they are and let them know if there is something about them you find uncomfortable.